Seo Baek-han had already selected several Switches that had been laundered through multiple distribution channels, were not well-known domestically, and could easily be mistaken for nutritional supplements. Moreover, they didn’t trigger reactions similar to narcotics during testing.
He hadn’t taken them himself, so he couldn’t compare the effects, but they would be much safer for Joo Tae-hyun’s body than the Dirty Switches he usually bought. The drugs he enjoyed were closer to cheap aphrodisiacs that you could only find in back alleys.
“So, you’re saying that for the time being, I absolutely have to take the Switches that hyung… gives me.”
“Yeah, I think you should.”
“What if… I don’t take any Switches at all? Would there still be a problem with the test results?”
“That would be the most ideal. But have you ever gone without Switches even once? You bought them every time you went to the States, and you brought them back when you returned.”
“…”
“Your saying you won’t take them… well, I can’t believe it.”
“The tests I got at Donghwa Hospital weren’t exactly manipulated.”
“Then there’s even less of a problem. You can take the drugs I picked out and get tested at Royal Hospital.”
He had anticipated that Joo Tae-hyun wouldn’t be thrilled with this request, but the reaction was more intense than he had expected. He looked as if he had been greatly insulted, his face turning pale. When he was young, he would bite his lip or twitch his eyebrow, but recently he had rarely shown any emotional changes on his face, so it felt almost refreshing.
Well, he could understand why Joo Tae-hyun was upset.
What did it matter if the Switches he had chosen were safer for his body? It was a measure that only considered Seo Baek-han’s well-being, without reflecting Joo Tae-hyun’s preferences at all. Would someone who ordered a carbonated drink be happy if you recommended olive oil because it was good for their health? They wouldn’t even listen.
Moreover, Joo Tae-hyun’s Switch use was something he had been well aware of even before their marriage. To demand that he follow his wishes unconditionally, as if he had a major weakness, regarding something that had already been discussed… yes, that was definitely unfair.
Seo Baek-han decided it was time to offer a carrot instead of a stick. When he was younger, he used to push people around aggressively, not feeling satisfied until he had broken them. Now that he was over thirty, he knew that he could resolve things without expending so much energy, but even when Joo Tae-hyun proposed to him, he believed that you had to be able to manipulate people with a smile to stand above them.
“In return… well, it’s not really ‘in return,’ but if there’s anything you want, I’ll do my best.”
“……”
“I’m not trying to gloss over this. I was going to suggest several things first, but you’re someone who doesn’t lack anything. Whether it’s shares, money, or other material things.”
He told him to think carefully and let him know, as he was prepared to write a contract if necessary. Joo Tae-hyun’s eyes wavered slightly. He was pondering so deeply that it seemed as if concentric circles were spreading in Joo Tae-hyun’s pupils. It was a good sign for Seo Baek-han.
Gazing into his rippling eyes, Seo Baek-han found it strangely fascinating. Both he and Joo Tae-hyun had black hair and black eyes. However, Seo Baek-han’s eyes were sharp, with a metallic glint, while Joo Tae-hyun’s eyes were murky and still, as if filled with black ink. How could the same black color be so different?
“Is there a… set period? For how long I have to take the Switches that hyung gives me.”
“One year. You only have to endure it for one year.”
This was also a question he had anticipated.
In fact, as long as Seo Baek-han held the position of Royal Hospital director, he had no intention of letting Joo Tae-hyun order cheap Switches through delivery apps.
However, if he gradually got used to what he gave him for about a year, the chances of Joo Tae-hyun no longer seeking out Dirty Switches would increase.
Above all, he planned to subtly mention it to Chairman Joo and Madam Yoo, who doted on their youngest son, so if they stepped in to persuade him, Joo Tae-hyun would give in.
“…Okay.”
His voice was almost inaudible, buried in a sigh, but Joo Tae-hyun eventually accepted Seo Baek-han’s proposal. As always.
“But as hyung said, there’s nothing I particularly want or desire right now. But if I just postpone it indefinitely, it feels like it would be too much of a loss for me.”
“So,” Joo Tae-hyun said, meeting his eyes directly. “That thing about hyung doing anything for me, I want to adjust it on a quarterly basis.”
Seo Baek-han chuckled involuntarily. It was a bit unexpected, but he wasn’t offended. Rather, Joo Tae-hyun felt cute for the first time. All he could think of was to have his wishes granted quarterly. Even the way he spoke so clearly, as if he had made a great decision, was just like a little kid.
“Wow. You’re really trying to squeeze me dry, aren’t you, scion of a chaebol family? Alright, then, do you have anything in mind for this quarter’s wish?”
“Yes. Every Friday… no, hyung is busy too. I just want you to make time for me at least once a week. Preferably on Friday or the weekend, but once a week is fine.”
Joo Tae-hyun’s first proposal, which he offered as if he had been waiting for it, was a bit unexpected. So anticlimactic that it was almost disappointing.
“If I make time for you once a week, what do you want to do?”
“Do anything with me. In Pyongyang.”
So, this kid is asking me out on a date every week…
Seo Baek-han scanned Joo Tae-hyun from head to toe for a moment. He couldn’t figure out what his intentions were.
Well, a date… they were already legally married, so what could be so difficult about it?
It was certainly unexpected that Joo Tae-hyun would reveal his feelings for him so easily in this way. He had thought that he would only confess at the very end, or barely reveal them in the past tense, like before.
From Seo Baek-han’s perspective, nothing would really change. Regardless of his feelings, Joo Tae-hyun had been fulfilling his role as his legal spouse perfectly well, and he had been managing his desires by associating with Cheon Seung-pil. It wasn’t like he was asking to sleep with him every week, and knowing Joo Tae-hyun’s personality, it would probably just be eating at a nice place and looking at the scenery.
“There are two reasons why I’m asking for this. First, people keep whispering when they see me because they’ve never seen hyung and me together. It’s only directed at me, so I’m getting a little tired of it now.”
He hadn’t thought much of it, but suddenly Joo Tae-hyun opened up with a solemn voice. He seemed to be desperately squeezing out excuses, looking at Seo Baek-han’s indifferent face.
“Um… alright, what’s the second reason?”
Seo Baek-han almost burst out laughing, but he held back and gestured for him to continue.
“This is similar to the first reason. As hyung knows, there are always one or two people who ask for my number whenever I go to external events, and they always add that it’s not like I’m really happy with hyung anyway.”
Joo Tae-hyun, who sighed that if they showed themselves together often for about three months, people would stop gossiping, seemed truly fed up with everything.
Should he praise him for his improved acting skills? The guy who used to stubbornly keep his lips sealed had learned to be a little more glib.
Anyway, what should he say? Seo Baek-han could list more than ten reasons why Joo Tae-hyun’s self-serving plan was flawed. The biggest reason was that if they stuck together for a few months and then went back to the way they were before, even bigger rumors of discord would spread.
Seo Baek-han didn’t even know that such rumors were circulating. If he, who was sensitive to reputation, wasn’t paying attention to it, it meant that it was negligible, but Joo Tae-hyun was reacting quite sensitively. Wouldn’t he be even more stressed later on?
Logically, he should refuse. If the way to repay him was to fulfill Joo Tae-hyun’s selfish desires, it would only become more tiring in the future. Besides, according to the reasons he had given, only Joo Tae-hyun would end up getting hurt.
But he didn’t feel so bad. Joo Tae-hyun’s actions were amusing, and asking Joo Tae-hyun to take the Switches he had chosen could also be seen as taking advantage of his soft heart… Yes, he felt like he could willingly give Joo Tae-hyun weekly dates for this quarter.
“Alright, let’s do that.”
Joo Tae-hyun, who hadn’t expected Seo Baek-han to agree so readily, just blinked blankly.
“It just so happens that tomorrow is Friday. I’ll tell you in detail about what happened while we have dinner, so rest well today.”
Seo Baek-han stood up from the sofa and placed several bottles of Switches he had brought from his jacket pocket onto the table.
“These are the Switches I picked out. Let’s do a quick test before the checkup at Royal Hospital. I need to see how the numbers come out. Yeah, we can do it after dinner tomorrow.”
“……”
“Tell me if you want anything to eat.”
Seo Baek-han ruffled Joo Tae-hyun’s hair and headed for the stairs. Joo Tae-hyun’s head, sitting on the sofa, didn’t even twitch, and Seo Baek-han didn’t pay much attention to it either.
* * *
“…Hyung.”
Friday. It was almost dinner time, and Joo Tae-hyun hadn’t said anything. So Seo Baek-han had scouted out a decent restaurant that could be booked immediately, and he had sent him a notification, not quite a command, of when to arrive.
But since there was no reply, he wondered if something had happened, but fortunately, Joo Tae-hyun showed up at the appointed place on time. However, unlike usual, his cheeks and eyes were all red.