By Zephyria 
“How could you deceive me so completely? If I hadn’t checked, were you planning to play dumb until the end?”
Madam Lee, his wife, was trembling so violently that Chairman Choi pressed hard on his temples. He had tried to keep it a secret from his wife at all costs, but a woman’s intuition could not be ignored. She had stubbornly gone all the way to the temple to check and found out about their son’s disappearance.
“Calm down. I’m looking for him everywhere, you’ll hear from him soon.”
“What if he’s been kidnapped?”
His wife’s expression was unsettling, as if she were recalling old memories. Chairman Choi understood his wife but thought it could never happen. Who would kidnap whom? His wife still thought of Choi Won-joon as a kind-hearted, tearful child.
She’d faint if she knew the truth.
He barely managed to appease her from reporting to the police and had an employee escort her to the bedroom. She staggered several times on the way, having lost so much energy. Chairman Choi, who cherished his wife dearly, felt his insides burning black.
Where the hell did this damned son of his go? At first, he thought he was deliberately trying to screw his father over because of the marriage issue, but as time passed, he couldn’t help but feel anxious.
After all, he was his late-in-life child, raised with great care. It was true that he had become strange because he had been raised too preciously, but it was also true that he was a son he wouldn’t trade for the world. As he put a cigarette in his mouth out of frustration, Secretary Kim entered. He held a file in his hand.
“Chairman. I’ve found him.”
Chairman Choi jumped up from his seat. “Where?” Secretary Kim opened the file on the table so that Chairman Choi could see it. Just in case, he had checked if there had been any reports to 119 nearby, and there was a record from that day. The description was similar, and Choi Won-joon’s appearance was also found on the CCTV of the hospital he had been transferred to.
“He had amnesia when he was brought in. He didn’t remember anything, so the person who found him was registered as his guardian.”
Chairman Choi asked back with a dumbfounded expression.
“Amnesia?”
“Yes. He didn’t remember his name or age. I heard from the doctor in charge that he believed he was a child.”
“Huh,” Chairman Choi slumped back into his seat with an incredulous expression. He thought amnesia was only possible in dramas.
“The personal details of the first discoverer are also written there.”
Chairman Choi reached out and picked up the document. Secretary Kim continued his explanation.
“Kim Yi-eum. 28 years old. Graduated from the Police University and is currently working in the Violent Crimes Unit 2 at the Seobu Police Station.”
Chairman Choi squinted, putting on his reading glasses.
“A detective?”
“They both came up to Seoul and are living in the same house. We’ll have to meet him in person to find out if his memory has returned.”
“If his memory had returned, there’s no reason for him to be acting like that.”
Chairman Choi’s expression was cold as he looked at the document. He laughed as if he was dumbfounded. Kim Yi-eum’s family relations were written in his personal details, and everyone except his mother was a police officer. His older Hyung had changed his job from a police officer to a prosecutor. In the midst of all that, his father’s name was familiar. Chairman Choi’s face contorted as he dredged up his memories.
“Kim Chun-sam?”
“Do you know him?”
Of course, he knew him. It was a story from 40 years ago, when Chairman Choi was a gangster. Back then, there was nothing that money couldn’t do. If you slipped a few bucks to the police and prosecutors, they would often turn a blind eye. But there was one guy who persistently bit at Chairman Choi and eventually brought him to court and even got him a prison sentence. That was Kim Chun-sam.
“Of all people, it has to be this guy’s son….”
“What should we do, Chairman?”
Chairman Choi stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and threw the file he was holding.
“Bring him here right away. There’s nothing good about being involved with that damned family.”
❖ ❖ ❖
Lee-eum, who had finished showering, took out beer and juice from the refrigerator. After pouring the juice into a cup, he handed it to Won-joon as a matter of course.
“Drink this.”
“Thank you.”
As the tab of the can was pulled back and the foam rose, Kim Yi-eum quickly brought it to his lips. Then he emptied the entire can without stopping. Won-joon narrowed his eyes at the gulping sound.
“Young-shik, do you have something to tell me?”
Won-joon pondered. Should I ask for some too? He’d notice if I did. If he finds out I’ve regained my memory, it’s only a matter of time before he kicks me out. Actually, he had planned to go home during the day, but Kim Yi-eum strangely bothered him.
Could it be that he had grown attached after sleeping together for a few days? He wanted to see his face and say goodbye one last time. But he didn’t know why he couldn’t be honest and was still acting like a little kid.
“Mister.”
“Yes?”
“Who do you look like, Mister?”
Lee-eum blinked once, as if the question was unexpected. Looking closely, his skin was even whiter. He’s a police officer, so he must spend a lot of time outside, but is it naturally like that? His eyes are also pitch black. Like Go stones.
While he was admiring his profile, Lee-eum answered after much deliberation.
“I look like my mom.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Why?”
“I was just curious…. I probably have a mom too, right?”
Choi Won-joon drooped his eyebrows and made a pitiful expression.
“Don’t I?”
“You’ll know if you look for your family….”
“What if I don’t have a family? Will you take care of me, Mister?”
“Pardon?”
“Or will you abandon me?”
Kim Yi-eum blinked, his mouth half open. He was clearly worried about how to say it without hurting him, which made him cute and made him want to tease him.
“You can’t abandon me. Okay? Young-shik will be sad.”
“……”
“Promise me. Quickly.”
When he held out his finger, Kim Yi-eum just stared at it. Quickly. When he urged him, he reluctantly hooked his finger, and only after stamping and copying did he finally let go. The atmosphere became awkward, and Won-joon smiled subtly and took a sip of juice.
Then Lee-eum got up from his seat.
“Do you want to go to bed first? I have a lot of work to do, so I have to go to bed late.”
Won-joon made a disappointed expression.
“Won’t you put me to bed?”
“……”
“I’m scared to sleep without you, Mister. Please pat me to sleep. Huh?”
When he made a desperate face, Kim Yi-eum couldn’t refuse in the end and was dragged into the bedroom. Won-joon lay down and only turned his head to look at Kim Yi-eum. When he just stood there, he grabbed his hand and placed it on his chest, and he reluctantly patted him to sleep. He didn’t say it, but his face said, ‘Why do I have to do this?’
Won-joon carefully examined Kim Yi-eum’s face. His eyes were big, his eyelashes were long and fluttered, his nose was sharp, and his lips were moderately thick. His features were handsome and well-defined, and if he kept admiring him, he also thought he was pretty.
Kim Yi-eum asked quietly as he stared intently at his face.
“Can’t you sleep?”
“Mister.”
“Yes.”
“Do you like me?”
“……”
“Do you hate Young-shik?”
When he asked with a sad expression, Kim Yi-eum hesitated and forced a smile.
“I don’t hate you. How can I hate Young-shik? He’s so kind.”
“Even if I get my memory back, will you still play with me?”
“Well, Young-shik also has a job, so will we have time to hang out? Besides, where Young-shik used to live is far away from here.”
“I can move next to you, Mister.”
Kim Yi-eum laughed, thinking it was a child’s joke.
“Haha, do as you please.”
Then he told him to sleep now and covered him up to his shoulders with the blanket. Won-joon snuggled closer as he patted his shoulder. A subtle scent wafted over him. Feeling good, he rubbed his face against his shoulder, and Kim Yi-eum stiffened and became tense. Won-joon wrapped his arms around Kim Yi-eum’s waist with an innocent expression.
“Wait a minute, Young-shik. This is a bit….”
He pulled Kim Yi-eum, who was trying to escape, with force. His body is more solid than he looks. He imagined the skin hidden under his clothes with his palm and groped around before burying his face in his chest.
“You smell good, Mister. A sweet smell.”
His body stiffened instantly. When he pushed him away, he pretended to be an innocent child and persistently clung to him. He soon gave up and sighed, relaxing his strength, so he hugged him without worry.
Surprisingly, he was overcome with sleep, and Won-joon thought it was amazing even as he closed his eyes.
He had a hard time curing his insomnia even after taking all kinds of medicine and doing all sorts of things, but here he fell asleep as soon as he closed his eyes. But he couldn’t stay here forever. The other person is a police officer, isn’t he? He has to return to the company, not to mention his worried family.
Of course, it would be a great shame that he couldn’t tease this rookie police officer any more.