By Zephyria 
Min-gyu drank only half of his soju glass. Since there was only a glass of water in front of Yi-ho, he was drinking alone. When Yi-ho looked at the soju glass with envy, Min-gyu tapped the glass pointedly.
“The person who suggested dinner first, but also drove the car, is sentenced to abstinence.”
“…….”
He had been so frantic that he hadn’t even thought about it before leaving for work. Yi-ho swallowed the cold water from the paper cup and set it down dissatisfied. This wasn’t the taste. A bland flavor like this couldn’t soothe a cluttered mind the way red meat broth could.
Yi-ho picked up his own soju glass, which had been pushed aside, and held it out.
“Give me some too. I’ll just call a driver.”
“Forget it. Like Team Leader Lee said, you’re skin and bones; what’s with the alcohol?”
“…You heard that?”
“Yeah. As of today, Team Leader Song has become the official ‘young breadwinner’ of the DL Business Division.”
“What do you mean ‘young breadwinner’ at my age? I’m just a breadwinner.”
“If you’re twenty, you’re a young breadwinner, Song-i.”
“Did you really hear everything….”
Min-gyu played hard to get once, but eventually poured soju into the glass Yi-ho was holding out. Exactly half a glass. Then, he filled his own glass to the brim and kept the bottle close to himself so Yi-ho couldn’t grab it.
“Drink slowly.”
“Okay.”
“Tsk, for some reason, I feel guilty, like I’m feeding alcohol to a twenty-year-old intern.”
“You were born after me.”
“Song-i Hyung, please just let me feel that reality for once.”
Yi-ho’s displeased rebuttal was easily brushed aside. Their glasses clinked in the center of the bubbling gamjatang. After swallowing their drinks, both fell silent for a moment as they gnawed on the bones. Thump, thump. Empty bones dropped into the stainless steel container.
Only after confirming that Yi-ho’s rice bowl was somewhat empty did Min-gyu give him a second glass. Again, only half. Whenever Min-gyu acted like this, Yi-ho felt awkward, as if he had become a child. Of course, it was true that Cha Min-gyu was far more mature than he was….
Since he couldn’t just sit back and be fed, Yi-ho stirred the pot with a ladle. Seeing that the broth was gradually thickening, he figured it would be best to turn off the heat. His gaze shifted toward the bottom of the pot to find the gas control lever. When he looked back, Min-gyu’s gaze was fixed on him. This time, there was no trace of a smile, only worry.
“Song-i, is your business trip schedule really okay? You’re already so busy you’re gasping for air.”
“I’ll have to make it okay.”
“I bet it’s not okay.”
Honestly, it was a more daunting situation than any schedule he had faced while working at the company. While Min-gyu played an important role at the destination, Yi-ho felt as though he had been mobilized simply because the R&D part needed to send at least one person. In other words, it would have been fine if Song Yi-ho didn’t go. Furthermore, a few minor tasks would be added for the conference participation. If the circumstances had been different, he might have handed the spot over to another team leader.
“Still, I want to go.”
That was his honest feeling.
At their current age, it was difficult to go on an overseas trip for several days like they did when they were young. It was hard to coordinate vacation dates, and neither of them held positions that allowed for long breaks from work.
In the past, they would put their heads together a month before break to decide where to go, but it felt like it had been about three years since they had traveled together.
So, who knew how many more opportunities like this would come?
Besides, hadn’t he just resolved to enjoy his unrequited love until the very end?
How could he miss a chance to travel together?
The ladle approached his empty side plate and dropped a generous helping of gamjatang. Then, it filled his glass with half a serving of soju.
“I didn’t know that.”
The corners of Min-gyu’s mouth were turned up.
“Yeah, Song Yi-ho. Let’s get on a plane together for the first time in a while.”
* * *
Article 2, Clause 2. Love is accompanied by unspecified physical symptoms.
Pale fingers pressed the final button. The code Yi-ho had written up until now was successfully uploaded to the server.
The sun was already bright outside the window. Yi-ho checked the time displayed in the corner of the screen. There was nothing left to do but turn off the computer and leave. However, it was entirely possible. He had showered and stuffed his things into his suitcase earlier, when his eyes were closing so hard he couldn’t see the screen. After that, having worked until the very last second before departure, Song Yi-ho achieved a human victory.
Song Yi-ho (Team Leader)
[Mr. Yoon, please just check later if this runs well]
[I’m begging you..]
Yoon Gwan-young (Deputy General Manager)
[Goodness, I’ll handle the rest now.]
[Go quickly ㅠㅠ You’re going to miss your flight!]
Yi-ho stood up, dragged his suitcase which was sitting lonely in the living room, and trudged out of the house. As if he had been waiting for Yi-ho to come out, the front door of the house next door opened immediately, and Min-gyu appeared, looking startled.
Looking at his neighbor, Yi-ho gave a pale smile like a dead man risen from hell.
“I… finished it…!”
“…Until what time did you work?”
“Five minutes ago.”
“…….”
Min-gyu silently passed Yi-ho and intruded into Unit 1802. Three minutes later, he came out holding a windbreaker that Yi-ho wore in spring and autumn. That, too, had been purchased under Min-gyu’s coaching.
“Keep an outer layer for emergencies.”
“Uh, thanks… Ah!”
The moment after his dazed response, Yi-ho clutched his forehead. Min-gyu, who had flicked his forehead, said with a sigh,
“You didn’t turn off the air conditioner.”
“Don’t hit me. I’m in a state where even that much impact could make me faint….”
“Sigh….”
Min-gyu snatched the suitcase from Yi-ho’s hand. He pushed two suitcases back-to-back, grabbed the handles all at once, and strode into the elevator. Yi-ho’s hands became light, but his body and head remained heavy as he trudged behind him. Min-gyu naturally dragged the two suitcases to his car and loaded them into the trunk.
“Recline the seat and get some sleep. Or ride in the back.”
“Uh, no. I can’t. I’ll sleep on the plane.”
“What are you going to do on the way? You don’t have to be my conversation partner, so just listen to me.”
His voice had become stern, like he was dealing with a younger brother for the first time in a while. Because of that, the volume of the protest decreased slightly.
“I haven’t looked up anything about Thailand, so I want to do some searching….”
Since he wouldn’t be able to search on the plane, he thought sleeping then would be enough… but it seemed that was only Yi-ho’s thought.
“Look it up when we arrive. I’ll take you to the restaurants.”
Come to think of it, during their many past trips, Min-gyu had chosen restaurants by looking through every single Google Maps review. And Yi-ho had liked just following along without any particular opinion.
Min-gyu’s car entered the road more smoothly than usual. The sky was a clear, deep blue, and as the sunlight was dazzling, Min-gyu took out and put on sunglasses.
A full early summer landscape, the scent of a grass-smelling air freshener spread through the neatly organized car, and the lightly running air conditioner tickled his cheeks. In the passenger seat, Min-gyu, dressed more lightly than when he went to work, was driving.
No further evidence was needed that the non-ordinary life outside the company was beginning. Vitality gradually returned to his stiff eyes.
He was leaving with Cha Min-gyu. Even though it was a business trip, his heart vibrated tightly.
“I told you to sleep, so why aren’t you sleeping?”
“I woke up.”
“…….”
“Really.”
Min-gyu let out a short sigh, pulled the phone fixed in the holder, and tossed it onto Yi-ho’s lap.
“Order from the drive-thru. Let’s stop by.”
Caffeine permission was granted to the zombie. Yi-ho added plenty of shots to an Americano and looked back at Min-gyu.
“What do you want to drink?”
“The same as you. Order two.”
“…I ordered an Americano. You don’t like coffee.”
“The same as you.”
Yi-ho fiddled with the phone screen. The appropriate caffeine dosage, which had soared infinitely when based on himself, returned to a normal standard when he had to give it to someone else. Giving this to Cha Min-gyu was a bit… it would be bad for his health, and he has a picky palate….
Passing the coffee tab he had headed toward without hesitation, Yi-ho began clicking on the beverage and tea tabs. He should have just ordered one of those bizarrely sweet drinks he usually had….
A moment later, Yi-ho finished the order and put the phone back in the holder. Min-gyu didn’t ask what he had ordered. Entering the drive-thru, he received two iced teas from the employee, checked the menu names on the labels, and placed them in the holders.
“Strawberry latte is a no. Since my stomach is empty, I really can’t drink anything with milk. You compromise with this too.”
“If you’ve stolen the coffee from Song-i Song-i, that’s already wonderful.”
Min-gyu continued to drive. The identically ordered menus fit snugly into the center holders.
As expected, it was a pleasant start.