By Zephyria 
An expression of displeasure and revulsion appears on his pale face. But unlike the expectation that he would get angry, he looked at the ceiling and took a deep breath, then exercised patience.
“……Okay. What do you want to ask?”
After doing something childish like that, Lee Yeon-rok was finally able to have a proper conversation with Moon Kyeon-woo. If he had answered sooner, Yeon-rok wouldn’t have had to do such a bothersome and childish thing. Perhaps he was quite angry, or maybe he lacked contact with his Name partner like Yeon-rok, because his pale face was even more wan than usual.
“Do you like dogs?”
“I hate them.”
Moon Kyeon-woo narrowed his eyes. Whether he had been tipped off by Kim Jeong-seong or he was quick-witted enough to realize why Yeon-rok was asking, he preemptively answered.
“Dogs.”
As if to counter the word “puppy,” he deliberately chose a repulsive word and then said stiffly.
“I have a fur allergy. I don’t even want them nearby.”
His voice was truly cold. He put down the coffee he hadn’t finished and picked up the tie he had draped over the chair. He put it around his shirt collar, slowly tied it, and stared at him with a frigid gaze. Then, he warned the silent Yeon-rok.
“I already told you, don’t bother me. I don’t want to exchange a single word with you.”
Then, without even finishing his breakfast, he got up from his seat and left for work. Yeon-rok sighed. If he just disliked dogs, that would be one thing, but having an allergy completely ruled out getting one. Of course, he didn’t know if he really had an allergy or if he was just pretending because he disliked Yeon-rok. Returning to his room, Yeon-rok stroked Lime.
“Huh?”
Yeon-rok, who had woken up after sleeping in, made a dazed sound. Overnight, the house had become colorful. A collaboration of flamboyant red and green. Christmas decorations were hung everywhere. Since becoming an adult, he hadn’t really celebrated Christmas properly, so he felt a natural excitement. He remembered enjoying Christmas together at the orphanage when he was young. It was a rare good memory.
“Merry Christmas!”
Yeon-rok shouted energetically as he ran to the kitchen. Park Yeo-sa, who was busily making something, returned Yeon-rok’s greeting.
“Happy Christmas, Young Master.”
“Wow, it smells delicious.”
Yeon-rok wrinkled his nose. The sweet and savory smell of freshly baked bread filled the air. Park Yeo-sa’s skills were truly amazing; she could bake not only Korean and Western dishes but also delicious bread and cookies. Recently, this woman’s joy was feeding Yeon-rok well and fattening him up. As Yeon-rok sat down, cinnamon rolls with sweet icing were placed on the table. They were really delicious.
“Now, don’t just eat bread, have some of this too.”
Perhaps because it was Christmas, today’s breakfast was Western-style. Of course, Yeon-rok didn’t discriminate against any kind of food and ate everything well, so he was happy with anything. Park Yeo-sa watched Yeon-rok diligently eating the baked broccoli and suddenly sighed.
“Why doesn’t this Young Master gain weight no matter how much he eats…? It’s not rewarding to feed him, not rewarding at all.”
“I’m just not the type to gain weight easily.”
That’s what he said, but Yeon-rok himself definitely felt that he wasn’t gaining weight as easily these days. It was probably because he had little contact with his Name partner. From a few days ago, every morning when he lifted his heavy eyelids, he felt so out of sorts that he wondered if he was going to die young.
“It’s good to be able to eat a lot if you don’t gain weight!”
“Oh my, of course. It’s good and auspicious to eat a lot.”
Because he liked being doted on by Park Yeo-sa, Yeon-rok flattered her with praise for the food. Park Yeo-sa, laughing like a girl, told Yeon-rok to eat this and that, taking care of him.
“I’ve made this much food for our Young Masters to eat, so warm it up well. This one you can boil in a pot, and that one you just need to microwave for two minutes.”
“You’re not going to be home today?”
Yeon-rok asked in surprise. Park Yeo-sa usually came early in the morning and worked until lunchtime before leaving before evening. So Yeon-rok could eat at least breakfast and lunch without feeling lonely. But from the way she was talking, it seemed like she would be leaving from lunchtime today.
“Yes, it’s Christmas. My grandchildren said they miss me so much. I took a half-day off to spend today with my family.”
“Ah, you’re spending time with your family.”
He tried to say it casually, but it seemed like his disappointment was evident. Park Yeo-sa looked at Yeon-rok with a worried face.
“Should I make lunch for you before I go?”
“No way, how long will your grandchildren have to wait! Just go now!”
Yeon-rok stopped Park Yeo-sa and quickly sent her off, saying he would do the dishes himself. After sending Park Yeo-sa away, Yeon-rok thought.
‘It’s good that Yeo-sa has a family.’
It would be nice if I had a family too. He thought of the friends he had been close to at the orphanage. They had grown up together like siblings since they were young, but now most of them had lost contact. Unlike Yeon-rok, they had been adopted or their family circumstances had improved and they had returned to their families.
Perhaps because all of the friends he was close to had left to find their families, Yeon-rok had a rather depressing and difficult adolescence. Thanks to that, he had had little contact with the orphanage after becoming an adult.
Kim Jeong-seong was still busy and didn’t come home, and his manager, Jo Jun-ho, didn’t come either because it was Christmas. Is there anyone else in the house? As he was wandering around the second floor, Yeon-rok, who was coming down to the first floor, stopped in his tracks.
“……What?”
An unexpected sight appeared before his eyes. Choi Hwan and Moon Kyeon-woo were having a conversation in a fairly friendly atmosphere. Moon Kyeon-woo had a slight smile on his lips, and Choi Hwan was leaning towards him so much that their shoulders were touching. They looked friendly at first glance. Yeon-rok was shocked to see that. He felt as if a cold and empty wind was blowing, so he rubbed his chest.
……Well, I guess that can happen. They hated me from the beginning, anyway. It’s only natural that they, as Name partners, would interact with each other. Thinking that, Yeon-rok sat alone on the landing of the stairs, out of their sight, until the two of them got dressed up and went out. Unlike Yeon-rok, everyone seemed to have people to meet on Christmas.
“It’s nice and free to be alone!”
Yeon-rok shouted loudly, trying to create a cheerful mood. Even so, he went back to his room and came out with his Cherished doll, Lime, tucked under his cold arm.
When he went out to the indoor garden, the Christmas tree, poinsettias, various wreaths and garlands, and the lights installed everywhere were shining colorfully.
Yeon-rok spent his time listening to carols instead of the classical music that he usually heard. When he got tired of looking at the Christmas decorations, he warmed up the food that Park Yeo-sa had left behind and ate it deliciously, thinking again that it would be nice to have a warm and soft puppy.
He had an early lunch and felt like he had overeaten, so he ran on the treadmill in the exercise room for a while. He also fiddled with unfamiliar exercise equipment, and then turned on the TV because he felt like he needed some noise.
“Should I watch a movie?”
The flames flickered in the fake fireplace decoration, creating a cozy atmosphere. Yeon-rok made the area around him soft with blankets and cushions, and then sat his Cherished doll next to him. And then he played a classic movie that was famous as a Christmas movie. He enjoyed the movie and muttered.
“What if a thief suddenly breaks in here too?”
He stopped watching the movie and wandered around the window for no reason. But when he thought about it, this house was like a fortress, so it seemed impossible for a thief to break in. Returning to the sofa and replaying the movie, he muttered without realizing it.
“It would be less boring if a thief broke in.”
He was feeling empty, so he microwaved some popcorn and ate it. After watching the movie, he watched a variety show and laughed a few times, but soon became as still and quiet as a person sunk in the sea. Lying down with his old, deflated Cherished doll as a pillow, Yeon-rok recalled the friendly appearance of Choi Hwan and Moon Kyeon-woo from earlier. And he thought.
Really, what more can I do here? I don’t know how to get closer to these people any more than this…… Should I have been nice to them no matter how much they hated and avoided me? To people who ignore me no matter how much I talk to them, and who make it obvious that they hate me being their Name partner because I’m so pathetic?
Feeling dejected, Yeon-rok thought and thought for a long time. Before he knew it, it was dinner time. He remembered the food that Park Yeo-sa had told him to eat, but his chest felt stuffy, so he dragged his feet and went upstairs.
This house was blocked on all sides, but the rooftop was wide open. There were benches, tables, and hammocks to relax on, as well as lighting, a fountain, and a bar where you could make your own cocktails.
“You’re happy to be on a date with Hyung, aren’t you?”
Yeon-rok, who had brought Lime out, said playfully. His ears and cheeks turned red in an instant from the cold wind. He wrapped his jumper tightly because it was cold. Without thinking, he put his arm on the rooftop railing and took out a cigarette that he had brought and lit it. And then he took a deep breath.
“Ugh, I quit smoking after being discharged from the military.”
Yeon-rok grumbled with an unclear pronunciation, with a cigarette in his mouth. The winter wind blew fiercely, and the smoke swirled in all directions. His eyes widened as he inadvertently looked down.
Near the house, Moon Kyeon-woo was standing affectionately with someone.
‘……Who is it?’
Unlike Choi Hwan or Yeom Cheon-ho, he was a researcher, so he didn’t have a secretary or manager. Thanks to translating each English word written on Moon Kyeon-woo’s business card by searching for it on the Internet, Yeon-rok now knew that he was a researcher at a pharmaceutical company called Genexa.
Yeon-rok looked intently at Moon Kyeon-woo with curiosity. He was constantly talking to the other person with a friendly smile on his face. The other person was also dressed neatly, similar to Moon Kyeon-woo. A friend, or an acquaintance? That’s what Yeon-rok was guessing.
Moon Kyeon-woo tilted his head towards the other person. And then he kissed them.