By Zephyria 
Yeon-rok felt his Adam’s apple bob unconsciously. Mentioning “deeper contact” brought back a certain day. That day which had been soft, sweet, and simply wonderful… Though he hadn’t even drunk much, Yeon-rok, his cheeks flushed, replied.
“Of course. I can do that for you.”
Then, another thought occurred to him, and he added in a polite tone.
“You have to maintain contact periodically to stay healthy anyway. Above all, since I have a primary manifestation, my contact efficiency is better.”
When Yeom Cheon-ho mentioned contact efficiency, Yeon-rok had felt a bit slighted, but if that was the reason he favored him the most, then wasn’t that actually a good thing? In that regard, he felt glad to have a primary manifestation. On the other hand, he felt it was right to set his emotions aside further.
“Yeon-rok-ssi, that is…”
Just as Yeom Cheon-ho paused and was about to respond, his phone rang. It was a call telling him to come and verify the artwork he had won at the auction. Yeon-rok exclaimed with delight.
“Hurry and go check it!”
He desperately wanted to go home. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy his time with Yeom Cheon-ho, but the pressure had built up into mental fatigue. Things like these auctions, or parties, and the gaze and attention of other people.
Still, it seemed he had successfully achieved his goal of fueling rumors of a rift with Yeom Cheon-ho today. As they went to sign the winning bid confirmation, the employee was subtly gauging the two of them. Yeon-rok deliberately kept his distance from Yeom Cheon-ho and waited in silence.
Without any hesitation, Yeom Cheon-ho signed the documents requiring a massive payment. The auction item had a collection process, so it couldn’t be taken home immediately.
“Shall we head back now?”
Whether it was because all the goals had been achieved, or because he had noticed Yeon-rok’s feelings, Yeom Cheon-ho suggested going home. Yeon-rok, who had been bothered by the wine-soaked clothes on Yeom Cheon-ho, nodded quickly.
Since the auction had lasted until quite late in the night, it was already past midnight by the time they returned home. However, Yeom Cheon-ho didn’t seem to have much intention of resting. He took a quick shower and immediately changed into a neat shirt. When asked why, he said he had dawn prayers soon.
Yeon-rok now understood well why the man was so busy; it was because he held two roles: a company CEO and a cult leader.
“What are you preparing today?”
“Probably duck. I’m looking forward to Mrs. Park’s cooking tomorrow morning.”
Duck meat sounds delicious… After licking his lips for a moment, Yeon-rok asked.
“Then what time do you go to sleep after the prayers?”
“I’ll sleep after I handle some work. Don’t worry about me and go to bed first.”
Yeom Cheon-ho, standing by the study door, answered gently. However, an unmistakable fatigue lingered in his voice. After some hesitation, Yeon-rok approached him.
“Um, if it’s alright, I… that is…”
Though he trailed off, Yeom Cheon-ho keenly picked up on his intention. Knowing well how the other often grew nervous in front of him, he relaxed his muscles as much as possible to reduce any intimidation and spoke tenderly.
“Whatever Yeon-rok-ssi does for me, anytime and as much as you like, it is always welcome.”
Okay. Having made up his mind, Yeon-rok carefully placed his hand on Yeom Cheon-ho’s arm. The man leaned forward. Summoning his courage, Yeon-rok kissed Yeom Cheon-ho.
His lips were cool and dry. However, as they kissed, they slowly regained their warmth. He could feel the pulse quickening and the temperature rising beneath the palm of his hand. It wasn’t just Yeom Cheon-ho; Yeon-rok sensed warmth spreading through his own body as well.
Taking a leap of faith, Yeon-rok lightly licked between the lips. Yeom Cheon-ho’s closed lips parted. A thick tongue slowly licked back. A faint scent of wine was detectable. When Yeon-rok opened his eyes in surprise, he met the gaze of Yeom Cheon-ho, who seemed to have kept his eyes fixed on him throughout the kiss. Pulling back while trying his best not to be shaken, Yeom Cheon-ho said calmly.
“I hope the CEO’s emotions recover completely soon.”
Despite his efforts to keep personal feelings out of it, Yeon-rok’s voice was exceptionally soft. Yeom Cheon-ho smiled as if he could see right through those feelings.
“Have a good night, Yeon-rok-ssi.”
“You too, CEO.”
Yeon-rok gave a beaming smile and turned away with light steps. Choi Hwan, who had been waiting in the darkness until late at night for the person he liked to return, revealed himself. The gaze staring at the spot where Yeon-rok had disappeared was quite gloomy. His lips, which he always kept well-groomed, were harshly bitten.
A few days later, the winning artwork arrived. Kim Geum-sang’s piece, <Man-un>, was hung in the most visible spot in the drawing room.
While Yeon-rok was lounging on the drawing room sofa, idling while looking at the painting on the giant canvas, Moon Gyeon-woo appeared with coffee. With a face that betrayed no thought, he quietly appreciated the art alongside him before sliding away like a ghost. His complexion was so pale that Yeon-rok wondered if the research was going to kill him.
On this day, after Yeon-rok had finished breakfast, he was contentedly admiring the golden wheat field overflowing with clovers.
“…What are you doing?”
Today, Choi Hwan appeared, peeking in. Perhaps because Jo Jun-ho had been enforcing a strict diet lately, Choi Hwan had been lacking energy for the past few days. Since he was usually as energetic as a colt, Yeon-rok was inwardly concerned. Wondering if it was a slump in condition due to contact deficiency, he naturally took his hand and replied.
“I was looking at the painting. I heard it’s by a very famous artist.”
Staring blankly at Yeon-rok’s hand entwined with his, Choi Hwan replied half-heartedly.
“Oh, amazing. Well-drawn.”
He seemed to have absolutely no interest in the painting. Come to think of it, even when dating Yeom Cheon-ho, Choi Hwan had found appreciating art particularly boring. However, it didn’t seem like he was this sullen simply because of a difference in taste. After first seating Choi Hwan on the drawing room sofa, Yeon-rok asked.
“Why are you so low on energy? Do you feel unwell? Is it a lack of contact?”
Since the elevator accident, the nerve war between Moon Gyeon-woo and Choi Hwan had reached a stalemate. In the first place, Choi Hwan didn’t care about troubles with Moon Gyeon-woo or Yeom Cheon-ho. So, it likely wasn’t a problem from that side. When Yeon-rok patted the back of his hand, urging him to speak, Choi Hwan let out a deep sigh. There seemed to be a problem, but the question that came out was random.
“What do you like about me?”
“Huh?”
Since he just stared blankly, wondering what this sudden question was about, Choi Hwan’s eyes wavered. There certainly wasn’t a single tear pooled there, but his eyes looked so moist that Yeon-rok became flustered.
“Why aren’t you answering? Do you not like me? Do you… hate me?”
The eyes looking up at him while asking that were exceptionally large and mournful today. Yeon-rok stammered slightly.
“When did I ever say I hated you… Hey, I think I… like you quite a bit too…”
Since they were the same age, Choi Hwan was someone he could usually treat casually, but he couldn’t do that now. It was truly bizarre; he felt nothing but pity, as the man looked like a wounded puppy abandoned in the rain.
Of course, saying he liked him “quite a bit” wasn’t a lie. Yeon-rok was still grumpy about Choi Hwan’s past atrocities, but that didn’t mean he hated him. It was thanks to the fact that Choi Hwan had been treating him well lately, making up for a lot.
“What part of me do you like?”
Why is he being so persistent today? Regardless, he could see why directors were so keen on casting Choi Hwan as the male lead. Just by lowering his eyebrows slightly and looking up, it made one’s heart ache. Yeon-rok confessed honestly.
“Your face…?”
Did he speak too honestly? He thought Choi Hwan might get discouraged again, but fortunately, vitality returned to Choi Hwan’s face. He seemed to quite like this answer. Gripping Yeon-rok’s hand with desperate intensity, Choi Hwan asked.
“There’s a movie premiere this Wednesday; can you come?”
“A movie premiere?”
“Remember the filming set you went to with me last time? It’s the VIP premiere for that movie. Let’s go and watch the movie for free.”
Yeon-rok was tempted by the mention of a movie premiere, but he hesitated at the word “VIP.” He truly found the attention of people too burdensome. It was even more so because it hadn’t even been half a year since the scandal involving him and Choi Hwan had been settled. At that, Choi Hwan pleaded again with a discouraged face.
“You can’t? Are you busy…? Even so, you’re nominally my name partner… My family.”
Aaaah… Yeon-rok groaned softly. If Choi Hwan pleaded childishly or forced his way, it was easy to refuse. However, for Yeon-rok, who was soft-hearted toward those in a weaker position, he became utterly weak when the other acted this way. It was especially true when the keyword “family” was brought up. Since there was no particular reason to refuse, he eventually answered.
“No, I’m not that busy. I can go.”