By Zephyria Side Story Episode 5
The summer night on Jeju Island wasn’t as muggy as expected. Perhaps because they were backed by mountains, the blowing wind was refreshing. Seo Jeong-won swept back his fluttering hair, either gazing at the faintly glowing lights or looking up at the stars dotting the night sky.
“Executive Director.”
“Yes, Jeong-won.”
“The stars in the sky… there are so many. It feels like they might pour down.”
At the voice that rang with wonder, Kwon Tae-hee also stopped walking and looked up at the sky. Just as Seo Jeong-won had said, the stars embroidering the night sky stretched endlessly.
“That’s right. There really are many.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many in Seoul. It’s amazing.”
The voice that flowed out like a soliloquy was ambiguous—whether it was addressing him or merely voicing an observation—but Kwon Tae-hee answered sincerely.
“Seoul probably has bad air quality.”
“…Is that so? But I don’t think I’ve seen this many even in Seonam.”
After stopping for a while to talk about constellations and the universe, the two began walking again. Seo Jeong-won quietly complained that his legs hurt.
“Shall I carry you?”
“…No.”
“I’m the one moving more, so why is Jeong-won always more tired?”
At the words spoken without a hint of laughter, the tips of Seo Jeong-won’s ears turned red. If you considered just movement, as he said… But when you looked at it complexly from various angles, wasn’t the receiving side more tired? Or not. Was the side moving vigorously more tired?
“I’m not the type with weak stamina. Really, I’ve never been told anywhere that I have weak stamina.”
He felt wronged. Seo Jeong-won always overestimated his own stamina. He considered it remarkable that he didn’t lose consciousness when having relations with Kwon Tae-hee.
“Executive Director, you… your stamina is abnormally good. It’s not normal, absolutely not.”
“Is that so? I’ve never thought of it as abnormally good.”
“I’m almost suspicious that you might be going to exercise instead of work.”
He spat out everything he had to say, like a small child. The muttering voice was sulky, almost admirably so. Kwon Tae-hee hid a softly spreading smile and nodded as if in agreement. It wasn’t that he was going to exercise or that his stamina had improved compared to before. Currently, he was maintaining a level similar to before, but Seo Jeong-won’s stamina had weakened after childbirth and recovery compared to before. Although he wouldn’t admit it, unfortunately, it was the truth.
“Jeong-won, if you’re okay with it, shall we get PT together?”
“…”
“Think about it. There’s nothing bad about exercising.”
As Seo Jeong-won nodded, Kwon Tae-hee habitually gently stroked his hair. The fine-textured hair slipped through his fingers like silk. The slender, swaying strands scattered the pheromones they had absorbed, and they couldn’t have been sweeter.
“We’re here.”
“Wow… It looks like someone in the family is getting married. But there’s no table. Is the preparation incomplete?”
“This way.”
Kwon Tae-hee stepped up onto the Wedding Isle and reached out his hand toward Seo Jeong-won. Seo Jeong-won made a puzzled expression, asking if it was okay to go up so carelessly, and grabbed his hand. The floral decorations and lights made it look like a ceremony was imminent.
“But like this, Executive Director…! I don’t think we should go up. The floor is too clean. We should go down-!”
Despite Seo Jeong-won’s dissuasion, Kwon Tae-hee walked slowly along the straight, extended path.
“Executive Director!”
Seo Jeong-won, who wasn’t a rude man, looked at Kwon Tae-hee acting rudely at someone else’s wedding venue with a puzzled expression. Almost being dragged along, he called out to him several more times.
“It’s okay.”
“But this is…!”
Kwon Tae-hee, who had linked arms with Seo Jeong-won as he was awkwardly pulled along, stared into his upward-looking eyes and smiled playfully. They had already walked to the end of the Wedding Isle.
“Actually, I didn’t plan to bring you out this late.”
“…Yes?”
“There’s something I really want to do before Hae-ah gets bigger, but it feels like only I’m eager.”
“What do you mean, so this place is…”
Seo Jeong-won looked around with a bewildered expression. So this place right now… The fact that it was perfectly prepared, fit for a wedding ceremony immediately, was actually for him, not for someone else. He wasn’t sure if he had understood correctly.
“I’m sorry. For making you come out like this.”
“Right now, our wedding…”
At Kwon Tae-hee’s apology, Seo Jeong-won reflexively looked down at his own appearance. He was wearing a loose short-sleeved T-shirt, shorts, and slippers. In contrast, Kwon Tae-hee was neat. He thought it was strange that he was being overly concerned when they were just going for a walk and coming back.
“Jeong-won?”
“Executive Director…”
Seo Jeong-won bowed his head deeply and covered his face. Even if it was a modest wedding ceremony, his current appearance was far too shabby for someone getting married. It was absurd that they were holding the ceremony in a state worse than someone just watching another’s wedding.
No matter how much he wanted to, not like this…!
“Why, why are you doing this to me?”
As he covered his face with his palms, Kwon Tae-hee was taken aback. It seemed he hadn’t anticipated this situation, as he fidgeted uneasily and only called Seo Jeong-won’s name.
“I’m sorry. I was too hasty…”
“No, no. That’s not it. I…”
Seo Jeong-won revealed his bright red face and slightly shook his head.
“If Executive Director had asked, I would have, of course, done it.”
“…”
“Even now, if you had told me you were preparing something like this instead of a walk… I would have at least worn proper clothes. Who in the world wears… clothes like this to their own wedding.”
Seo Jeong-won looked down at the clothes he was wearing and sighed. They weren’t pajamas, but they were clothes he slept in. He could have at least guided him to wear different clothes, but remembering Kwon Tae-hee who only urged him to go out quickly, an absurd laugh burst out.
“Really… weird.”
“Jeong-won.”
“I’m disappointed. Only you look proper and I… we can’t even take photos.”
“Then shall we come out again tomorrow?”
Kwon Tae-hee asked as if seizing the moment. Seo Jeong-won seriously replied that if it was possible, he would like to do that. Since it might be the only time in his life, he wanted to at least wear clean clothes. If possible, like someone really getting married.
At his answer, Kwon Tae-hee’s face softened entirely. He laughed as if he had received a satisfactory answer, then tilted his head. He grabbed Seo Jeong-won’s cheek, lightly pulled him up for a kiss. After their lips met several times and parted regretfully, he kissed them again and held him in his embrace.
In the early dawn when Seo Jeong-won was still in deep sleep, Kwon Tae-hee was busy alone. He ordered more flowers for the wedding and carefully examined the two tuxedos he had secretly prepared, thinking he might wear them, for a long time.
Worried that he might say he didn’t want to wear them, he shook his head. He now knew that if he said he wanted it, Seo Jeong-won would comply.
Kwon Tae-hee tried not to get too excited but couldn’t calm down. Even after showering early, he felt his mood heating up again and washed once more. Only after washing twice like that did Seo Jeong-won wake up.
Seo Jeong-won stumbled out of the bedroom without even opening his eyes properly, then widened them upon seeing Kwon Tae-hee.
“Executive Director…?”
“Ah, you’re awake? Did you wake up because of me? Was I too noisy?”
Seo Jeong-won, who had been rubbing his eyes, approached as if running. Kwon Tae-hee naturally spread his arms to hug him, but Seo Jeong-won reached out and placed his hand on his smoothly exposed forehead.
“You’re hot. Executive Director… you have a fever. Your face is really red.”
Kwon Tae-hee looked into the eyes gazing up at him worriedly, laughed as if to say what nonsense, then suddenly felt a spinning sensation.
“Ah…”
“It seems like a cold. Your voice is hoarse too. It must be because of last night’s walk.”
The voice filled with worry was nothing but lovely.
“I’m not sick. Although I’m dizzy, it’s not unbearable. And today is an important day.”
“You can rest a bit and then go out.”
Seo Jeong-won grabbed Kwon Tae-hee’s hand and pulled him into the bedroom. Asking why he woke up so early, he said it was fortunate he hadn’t changed clothes yet. Forcing the resisting Kwon Tae-hee, who said he didn’t want to lie down, onto the bed, he hurriedly searched around the house for first-aid medicine.
After roughly washing up, Seo Jeong-won returned to Kwon Tae-hee with a thin, damp towel. Placing the towel on his forehead, he told him to wait just a moment. Saying he would make anything quickly.
“Jeong-won.”
“Yes, do you need something?”
“I want Jeong-won to be by my side—.”