“Ugh. Really, Mom was right—you don’t listen at all. Get off me for a bit.”
As soon as Luna left coldly after leaving only a one-sided greeting, Hyedam tried to push away Leo, who was clinging to him and rubbing against him like he was hugging a teddy bear.
“Why?”
“What do you mean ‘why’? I told you not to do this when there are people around.”
Hyedam had been pushing at Leo’s shoulders, which wouldn’t budge no matter how much he pushed, but he changed his method and finally grabbed Leo’s abundant hair to pull his head away from him a little.
“It’s because we don’t have much time alone together. Our Motnani only sleeps when he’s with me. How long has it been since I’ve seen you awake!”
Why are you suddenly going into big dog being scolded mode? Whenever things seem even slightly unfavorable, you always act like this, don’t you? Seriously.
“The world needs to know about this side of you.”
“That sounds good though? Then I can do this anywhere.”
Did I get a lover or did I get a child? Hyedam had intended to cruelly push away the clinging Leo, but once again he ended up raising both hands in surrender and let go of the hair he’d been gripping.
I really…
As soon as he let go, Leo buried his face in his shoulder as if that had always been its rightful place. Hyedam clicked his tongue at Leo’s outrageous behavior and also leaned comfortably against him. There was no point in both of them wasting energy with him struggling to break free anyway.
“What style are you going for?”
Since they couldn’t play around just because they were stuck together like this, Hyedam flipped through the files.
“Whatever our Motnani wants…”
Just as he heard the words he always heard from him, Hyedam made a “tsk” sound and Leo’s words stopped right there.
“Let’s go with white and wood. We both don’t like things that are too colorful, and as Luna said, babies are going to be born, so it wouldn’t be right if the house is too gloomy.”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, I made the main color for the wedding green earlier. Luna said she’ll take care of the rest after that.”
“Yeah.”
“What color should we make the nursery?”
“…Yeah.”
Completely absorbed in the soft coffee scent, Hyedam had been flipping through files and checking likes and dislikes when he looked up at Leo’s mumbled response.
Leo’s eyes, which Hyedam had thought would be looking even though he was answering half-heartedly, were beautifully closed. His resignation letter submitted through Robert had been processed on the day it was submitted. When he checked his account without thinking and saw a ridiculous amount deposited there, Leo had briefly explained with just the words “severance pay.”
Unlike his situation, the tasks given to Leo weren’t light ones. Well, how many projects had he been in charge of? Plus, as his mother said, he could confirm that Leo had come to the island several times without him knowing.
To his question of why didn’t you wake me or say something if you came, the answer he got back was, “You left because you were uncomfortable with me. I thought you’d hate me more if you knew I followed you there.”
Not only was he sleeping more than usual, but it was natural for Leo to be tired living a busy life where he came in after Hyedam fell asleep and left for work before he woke up. He had to take about a week off for the wedding on top of properly handling things he’d been putting off, so he was living a life completely opposite to himself, who was whining about how hard it was to laze around leisurely and make a few selections.
“If you’re tired, you can go inside and sleep comfortably. Why are you sleeping here like this? Leo. Wake up.”
There was about an hour and thirty minutes left until the fitting for the wedding clothes. Hyedam put down the files he’d closed and called his name while stroking his head, but all that came back was mumbling as expected.
“I’ll do this, so you go inside and get some sleep. I’ll wake you up when they come for the fitting later.”
Hyedam had been trying to unwrap Leo’s arm that was firmly around his waist, but instead sighed at his action of hugging him even tighter.
“Leo Lewis.”
You’re not even answering this time? It was true that he had dozed off just a moment ago, but he could clearly feel that he was more awake now than then. However, it seemed Leo had chosen to pretend to be asleep.
“Should we go inside and sleep together?”
Hyedam had been saying something to coax Leo appropriately when he was startled by his sudden movement and wrapped both arms around Leo’s neck. Leo, who had swept him up in his arms, was even humming as if he’d never been drowsy.
Better to die than to suffer. Better to be deceived than to deceive.
A short while later, Robert, who had entered their bedroom to find Leo and Hyedam who hadn’t appeared even after finishing preparations for the fitting, had to turn around and leave with an awkward smile.
* * *
Hyedam chuckled at the sight of Junseok walking over in a smartly tailored black suit, awkwardly fidgeting with his tie continuously.
“…What?”
Even at Junseok’s words, bluntly spat out without hiding his discomfort as he approached, the smile didn’t disappear from Hyedam’s face.
Had they ever met dressed in suits like this? While he, as an office worker, wore suits often, this seemed to be the first time seeing Junseok in a suit—someone from an athletic background who still exercised.
“Do you like it?”
“I do.”
When he didn’t answer right away, Junseok bluntly spat out words in a gruff voice, so Hyedam answered in the same tone.
“Good.”
“Yeah.”
A faint smile finally appeared on Junseok’s face after he lightly squeezed Hyedam’s shoulder and let go. What words were needed with none other than Junseok? It had only been about two months since he suddenly disappeared, babbling about travel and whatnot, then asked him to sell the house and find a new one.
Even then, Junseok had silently granted his request and only shrugged his shoulders at the wedding invitation handed to him out of the blue. And today too, Junseok spoke briefly, and Hyedam gave him exactly the right answer.
“How’s your body?”
“Can’t tell, right?”
“…Are you bragging?”
“You don’t even have a lover, but I have two babies now.”
Haa.
Normally, Junseok would have lightly smacked his arm with that big, thick hand, but for today at least, he was expressing all his emotions with a long sigh.
“Since you’re here, have fun and enjoy yourself.”
“You take care of yourself.”
“Ah, why! I’m going to live really well, you know?”
The conversation that he thought would end with a grin dragged on with a subtle atmosphere, and Hyedam, predicting what he would say, instead spoke loudly and exaggeratedly.
“Fuck… Why do I feel like I’m sending my son off to get married?”
“That’s funny. My birthday is earlier than yours.”
With those words, Hyedam stood up from the chair he’d been sitting in.
In a small countryside village, they only had each other as friends. The small school that took 20 minutes by bus had only six students in the entire school. Junseok had been stuck with him like that, like a friend, like a brother. They knew each other so well and were always by each other’s side, so to Hyedam, he was like family.
Hyedam, who had pulled Junseok into a hug even though he just stood there blankly despite him standing up, smiled brightly.
“I’ll live well.”
“Yeah.”
With the slow answer, Hyedam, held tightly in Junseok’s embrace, laughed out loud. He hadn’t known a day like this would come for him. A day when he would love someone and promise to be with them forever…
The sky was more clear than ever, and fluffy clouds drifted prettily across it. The emerald sea gleamed with different lights from moment to moment, and even the sound of waves rolling in with a splash and receding with a swoosh seemed to celebrate this day.
Many people had come to the island, which had felt so large and vast when he was alone.
Just as Luna had loudly declared she’d achieved her dream, the villa had been transformed into a beautiful wedding venue.
Ahem.
Held in Junseok’s embrace, waiting for the wedding to start while looking around at the people gathered in small groups and the surroundings, Hyedam patted Junseok’s back a few times.
“If he pisses you off, come right away.”
“Yeah.”
Normally he would have said something like “What are you, my family home or something?”, but knowing that Junseok’s words without any extra frills were sincere, Hyedam answered right away.
“Even if you don’t like something, come.”
“Yeah.”
Ahem.
At Junseok’s action of hugging him hard enough to crush him, Hyedam burst into laughter, saying “Siki. You’re not dead. Still working out hard these days?”
“Isn’t that obvious? Anyway, don’t forget I’m behind you.”
He should have answered quickly, but this time Hyedam couldn’t rashly open his mouth at those words. He tried to put strength into his hand that had been steadily patting Junseok’s back to convey the meaning that he should let him go now.
“Ha. I should have gotten married first. Ah, that dawn when that bastard was talking, it did feel off…”
“Hey.”
“That little shit Siki, you know…”
“Hey. Choi Junseok.”
“Anyway, eat well, sleep well, live well. Okay!”
“Yeah yeah. Yeah. Let go now.”
Only after speaking urgently did Hyedam get to breathe a little more freely from Junseok’s embrace, and instead of answering Junseok’s “Why? What?”, he tried to smile as prettily as possible toward the person behind him.
“I will make sure he eats well, sleeps well, and lives well. So that no one has to worry.”
The moment Leo’s hand gripped Junseok’s shoulder, Junseok’s hands that had been wrapped around Hyedam disappeared in surprise.
“Haha. Right. Why would you worry about such things? Yeah. Thanks for congratulating us on the wedding.”
Hyedam urgently grabbed Junseok’s hand as it moved away and said the words most commonly heard at weddings.
“If you’re done with greetings, may I take my pair away?”
His voice was no different from usual, and it was such a polite request for understanding from Junseok, but Hyedam felt a corner of his chest turn cold.
He couldn’t properly hear what Junseok and Leo, standing face to face, were saying to each other. He just looked at Leo’s profile as he stretched out one arm to wrap around his shoulder and pulled him into his embrace.
“Congratulations on your wedding.”
“Thank you. We didn’t prepare much, but I hope you enjoy yourself.”
Only after Junseok and Leo shook hands and exchanged well-wishes, and Junseok moved away, could Hyedam meet Leo’s eyes.
“The moment I take my eyes off you, this happens.”
“What did I do!”
“So it’s my problem again, right?”
That coldness just now was jealousy? Not on any other day, but on the wedding day, just because he had a friendly hug with his closest friend? Hyedam, confirming that his pair’s intense emotional change had been small and trivial jealousy, slightly lifted his heels. And he whispered softly into Leo’s ear. The words he hadn’t properly said until now.
“The person I love most is you. You fool, Ondal.”
