By Zephyria 
Han Seung-jae, who had been working at his desk all afternoon, rose from his seat earlier than usual. Secretary Park approached him and handed him his suit jacket.
As Han Seung-jae slid his long arms into the suit, Secretary Park prepared the coat as if he had been waiting for this moment.
Secretary Park stepped ahead and opened the door to the Director’s Office.
When Han Seung-jae appeared on the first floor, people flocked from all directions and bowed their waists to him. The interior of the building was bustling in preparation for the upcoming New Year. Secretary Park quickly navigated through the crowd and opened the rear door of the waiting sedan.
Lowering his long and elegant upper body, Han Seung-jae entered the car. He took the tablet PC that Secretary Park handed back to him and looked into it.
The car departed leisurely, gradually moving away from Myeongjun Financial Group. When the fast-moving car stopped at a signal, Han Seung-jae suddenly looked out the window at the scenery.
The streets, ahead of the New Year, were decorated with Christmas trees. Han Seung-jae had been so preoccupied with reviewing the performance reports submitted by each department that he hadn’t even considered it.
Until now, things like Christmas had been meaningless to Han Seung-jae. However, isn’t the situation a bit different now?
‘No, perhaps it’s not that different.’
Han Seung-jae withdrew his indifferent gaze and swiped through the tablet PC. A short while later, Han Seung-jae stepped out of the sedan as it stopped in front of the townhouse and walked through the garden.
The garden, where the accumulated snow had melted and frozen over, made a crunching sound as if stepping on ice. He passed the stone steps and entered the house.
Perhaps because he had returned home earlier than usual, the inside of the house felt warm. Amidst the helpers coming and going, Han Seung-jae’s gaze fixed on one spot. Sensing his presence, Seo Yi-kyung, who was drinking tea, turned his head.
Seo Yi-kyung slowly set down the teacup he was holding. Butler Do approached and took Han Seung-jae’s coat.
Han Seung-jae looked at the watch on his wrist. It was slightly past 7 o’clock.
“Have you had dinner?”
After asking that, Han Seung-jae added more words without even waiting for Seo Yi-kyung’s answer.
“Tomorrow is Christmas; did you know?”
Han Seung-jae slowly looked around. A wide and open view came into sight. The modern and simple structure of the house reflected Han Seung-jae’s personality perfectly. It was so different from the scenery outside he had seen from the car. Nowhere could one find any sign of someone trying to enjoy the end of the year, Christmas, or the New Year.
“…….”
Because of Han Seung-jae, who not only came home early but also spoke so abruptly, Seo Yi-kyung couldn’t respond immediately. Meanwhile, he recalled the messages he had exchanged with Jin Seon-yu. Wasn’t that the reason why Jin Seon-yu wanted to see him in person tomorrow?
“Yes, I knew.”
“Is that so?”
Seo Yi-kyung momentarily pondered what to say. This was because he knew very well how busy a person Han Seung-jae was. He also knew the fact that Han Seung-jae didn’t place much interest in things like Christmas.
Furthermore, Seo Yi-kyung himself was not in good health, and since he had been worrying about Min Ra-hyeon, who was inside the house, he hadn’t had the luxury to think about such things.
“Dinner preparations are complete.”
Butler Do, who had taken Han Seung-jae’s coat, returned. At that, Seo Yi-kyung stood up. Han Seung-jae took a step forward, watching him approach.
The two sat facing each other at the dining table. However, the food laid out was for three people. Then, Butler Do returned alone after going to call Min Ra-hyeon.
“He says he will not eat today. I will prepare separate food and bring it to him in a little while.”
Having finished speaking, Butler Do moved away from Han Seung-jae’s side. However, he positioned himself at the entrance where he could come immediately whenever Han Seung-jae called.
“Eat.”
As Seo Yi-kyung picked up his chopsticks, Han Seung-jae added.
“Have you not eaten dinner until now?”
“…….”
Since his stomach hadn’t been comfortable even at lunchtime, Seo Yi-kyung had spent the afternoon staying in the living room drinking tea or visiting the painting studio.
“It’s not like you were waiting for me.”
It was likely not an illusion that Han Seung-jae’s eyebrow twitched slightly.
“I guess that accessory has no effect at all.”
Seo Yi-kyung looked at the same spot, hesitated, and then raised his head.
“Tomorrow……”
* * *
On Christmas Day, Seo Yi-kyung looked down at the bustling scenery of the garden from the terrace. White breath puffed out in clouds from his lips.
Since winter had arrived, the trees in the garden were all skeletal, with only branches remaining. However, workers who had entered the house since morning set up a large tree with lush green leaves in the garden. Butler Do, who had come out to the front entrance, watched the people working meticulously.
Seo Yi-kyung watched the scene, forgetting the cold. Then, the people who had been moving in perfect order withdrew, and people who had been on standby stepped in; soon after, the bulbs lit up, and the gorgeously decorated tree sparkled.
It was a Christmas tree.
“Haa.”
Seo Yi-kyung turned around, blowing breath onto his frozen hands and rubbing them. Even after entering the room, he stared at the sparkling tree visible beyond the terrace. He thought Han Seung-jae hated things like this.
But looking at the loud Christmas tree that the people who came in the morning had created, Seo Yi-kyung wondered if he was still dreaming.
Seo Yi-kyung left the bedroom. He put his fingers, which had turned red at the tips, into the pockets of his cardigan. Secretary Park, who had stepped off the elevator, spotted him and greeted him. Seo Yi-kyung returned the greeting and brushed past him.
Secretary Park entered the study. Han Seung-jae had not gone to work today. Instead, he seemed to be handling only urgent matters in the study.
Seo Yi-kyung got on the elevator. When he came out to the first floor, the inside of the house looked no different from yesterday. If there was one difference, it was that Min Ra-hyeon, who had been leaning against the living room wall looking out at the garden, turned away upon discovering Seo Yi-kyung.
With an indifferent face, Seo Yi-kyung sat on the living room sofa where the Christmas tree was clearly visible. Butler Do placed a warm teacup in front of him.
“Were you outside? What if you catch a cold?”
Butler Do was worrying while looking at Seo Yi-kyung’s hands, whose fingertips had turned red. Seo Yi-kyung gripped the teacup with both hands, thawing his frozen fingertips. Then, he lightly blew on the tea and drank it.
“By the way, why was a Christmas tree suddenly set up?”
It was something he had wanted to ask all along. This was because the noisy work of setting up the tree had begun around the time Seo Yi-kyung woke up. Butler Do replied while looking at the tree visible through the window.
“Secretary Park gave the instructions.”
Seo Yi-kyung nodded while drinking his tea. And it likely wasn’t just his own illusion that the words sounded to his ears as ‘Han Seung-jae gave the instructions.’
When the teacup Seo Yi-kyung was holding reached the bottom, Butler Do refilled it. And it was just as he finished emptying that cup.
That a helper mentioned a guest had arrived outside.
Seo Yi-kyung had been waiting for Jin Seon-yu all along. Asking to have him guided to the drawing room, Seo Yi-kyung stood up. His gaze lingered on Min Ra-hyeon, who had already come out. After yesterday’s incident, Min Ra-hyeon had not said a word. He looked as if his pride had been severely wounded, but Seo Yi-kyung tried not to think too deeply about it. No matter how you looked at it, wasn’t it clear that he was the one in the wrong?
Seo Yi-kyung entered the drawing room.
“Yi-kyung.”
Jin Seon-yu, who was just about to sit on the sofa, turned around. Perhaps because it had been a long time since he saw his friend, he was very glad.
“I just came to drop this off and go.”
At Jin Seon-yu’s words, Seo Yi-kyung smiled and looked at the table he was pointing to. Soon, Seo Yi-kyung’s cheek twitched. He wondered how Jin Seon-yu had walked here carrying these shopping bags full in both hands.
Jin Seon-yu took off the leather gloves he was wearing with his mouth and distributed the shopping bags here and there.
“These are wagashi. I bought various kinds just in case.”
“This is too much……”
There was a high probability he wouldn’t be able to eat them anyway.
“You can eat them with other people.”
Jin Seon-yu looked around. Come to think of it, there were quite a few people here.
“Thanks.”
Meanwhile, Jin Seon-yu held up children’s clothes and a newly released toy. Did he even know that it would be a long time before that child could wear or touch them? Despite that, Seo Yi-kyung thanked him repeatedly.
“Ah, where is it?”
Jin Seon-yu rummaged through a shopping bag.
“Did I leave it in the car? I have a separate gift for you.”
The things he had received so far were more than enough as gifts. Yet, was there something more?
“Here it is.”
Jin Seon-yu took a smaller shopping bag out of the larger one and held out a velvet box. For some reason, Seo Yi-kyung felt that the velvet box looked very familiar.
Jin Seon-yu opened the velvet box. And Seo Yi-kyung looked at an accessory identical to the bracelet he was wearing on his wrist.