—Let’s wait a little. It’s your birthday soon, so surely Euiju-ssi won’t fail to contact you by then, right? The staff and I are also in constant contact, so let’s be patient a little longer.
Kim Jaeho had already desperately tried to stop Haeseong from going to Euiju’s house. He said to wait a little, to wait until his birthday, and it had finally reached this day.
Euiju had been someone who worked diligently without ever taking annual leave or being absent. Moreover, he had always been careful about communication and was always thorough. Yet that very person hadn’t been answering calls for four days straight now. Kim Jaeho couldn’t understand this situation at all.
If he felt that way, how suffocating must it be for Haeseong, who had opened his heart too much to Euiju?
Haeseong, who had been staring at the ceiling with a cool gaze, straightened his head. His expression was utterly indifferent and emotionless, but Kim Jaeho, who had been stuck with Haeseong unintentionally for several days, could tell.
That his state of mind was very complicated and dangerous right now.
“Team Leader-nim.”
“U-uh?”
Haeseong turned off the power of his vibrating phone and said.
“Let’s go now.”
“What? Go where?”
When Kim Jaeho asked back stupidly, Haeseong’s chilly gaze turned toward him. Haeseong got up from his seat and put on the hat and mask that were on the table. He gave a small chin gesture toward the door.
“Let’s go.”
“Ah, ah right. That’s right.”
Hadn’t he said this morning that if no contact came by 6 PM, they should go to Euiju’s house? Today was Haeseong’s birthday, and it was a promise he made because he guaranteed that, at least today, they would somehow get contact from the responsible Euiju.
“Ugh. What on earth is going on?”
Kim Jaeho scratched the back of his head and picked up the car keys in a daze.
Since it was Kim Jaeho’s first time coming here and the alley was too narrow, he drove as slowly as an inchworm crawling. He was so focused, worried he might scratch the expensive company car, that Haeseong glanced at him pathetically.
“Phew. We finally arrived.”
If Haeseong hadn’t skillfully guided him, he would still be going in circles, unable to enter properly.
As soon as he finished parking at the public parking lot quite far from the address, Haeseong got out. With legs that had grown tall before anyone knew it, he strode ahead, and the flustered Kim Jaeho hurriedly followed so as not to lose him.
“Is this Euiju-ssi’s house?”
Euiju’s house, which they arrived at after walking for about ten minutes, was the same as before. The old gate with peeling black paint, the high wall of brown bricks.
However, somehow it felt more desolate than before. Before Kim Jaeho could catch his breath, Haeseong pushed the gate and entered inside. Even though it was evening, now dark after sunset, there were no lights on inside, and it was pitch dark.
Ding-dong—.
Haeseong, who found the doorbell relying on the streetlight, pressed the button right away. However, even as time passed, there was no response.
“Haeseong-ah. It seems like no one’s here…”
“Don’t just stand there, try calling.”
Haeseong, who had been pressing the doorbell continuously, snapped coldly. Kim Jaeho awkwardly took out his phone and called Euiju.
Ding-dong—. Ding-dong—.
Even though he pressed the doorbell continuously, no signs of life could be heard. Since the lights weren’t on in the first place, the probability that no one was there was high, but Haeseong, who already had a grim expression, didn’t seem to care about that.
Eventually, Haeseong swore and moved his body. He started looking for signs of life himself, examining the inside through window gaps and door cracks.
“At this point, didn’t something really happen?”
Kim Jaeho said puzzledly while listening to the ringing tone. Just as he was about to call Euiju again since he wasn’t answering, a call came from Manager Park Hyeonju.
“Yes, Manager Park-nim.”
[Team Leader Kim. Where are you?]
“I’m in front of Euiju-ssi’s house right now with Haeseong. Since Haeseong kept pestering to go…”
Leaving behind Kim Jaeho’s voice in the background, Haeseong looked around here and there in the yard. There wasn’t much difference from when he came before.
Two children’s bicycles, one toddler bicycle. A ball that had already become worn and old, and a toy sword and shovel that young children could play with were neatly organized in one corner.
Haeseong casually tapped them with his foot. If Lee Euiju wasn’t there, the children should be at home, but seeing that there were no signs of life, it seemed like no one was there.
That’s when it happened.
“What? Is that really true?!”
Kim Jaeho’s voice filled with shock rang through the narrow yard. Haeseong turned around and stared at him.
“…Yes. I understand for now. I’ll go in right away.”
Kim Jaeho, who hung up the phone, turned toward Haeseong. Soon he slowly opened his mouth as if reluctant.
“Right away to the company… they said Euiju-ssi contacted them saying he’s quitting.”
***
—Yeah, I got it. Hyung misses you too. Yeah.
Even when with Haeseong, Euiju didn’t know what to do with joy whenever a call came from his youngest sibling Roun. Even though he saw them every day, even though he hugged them every day and was together with them every day, Euiju always, invariably treated his family the same way.
Haeseong really hated that.
—…Do you like your siblings, or do you like me?
—How can I compare that? Is Haeseong a baby?
—Don’t change the subject, just tell me.
Every time Haeseong asked a similar question, Euiju skillfully avoided answering like someone who had received many childish questions from children.
—It’s a secret. I won’t tell you for the rest of my life.
Haeseong could only pout sulkily.
—I want to hurry up and grow up and escape this tiresome child actor thing.
When he complained like that while lying down using Euiju’s arm as a pillow, he would answer affectionately as always.
—But the roles coming in now are ones you won’t be able to do later even if you want to. Since you can only do them now, let’s enjoy it. Whatever you do, you’re good at it, Haeseong. You’ll be an adult in just a few years.
—Will you keep staying with me until then? Will you keep being my manager?
—Mm…
When Euiju didn’t answer right away and fell into thought, Haeseong’s brow furrowed instantly. Seeing Haeseong’s reaction, Euiju raised the corners of his mouth playfully.
—Say you will. Say you’ll be my manager for life.
—Haha. I wonder? When you become an adult, you’ll be much busier than now. Can I handle it alone?
—When I become an adult, your siblings will grow up the same amount, so it’ll be less hard than now, right? Then you can pour all that energy into me.
Imagining the future as he spoke, Haeseong felt good somehow. As time passed, the children would naturally not need Euiju’s care much, and when he officially became an adult, there would be more things he could do, so he could enjoy various things more with Euiju.
Euiju fell into deep thought.
—By then… Roun will be ten years old.
Euiju’s eyes naturally curved. It was obvious even without looking.
Even while being tormented all the time, did he like it that much? Just thinking about his siblings made Euiju’s mouth corners rise naturally. Haeseong chewed his lower lip. He wanted to scatter his thoughts.
—Don’t think about other things.
Haeseong tapped Euiju’s chest repeatedly to draw his attention. When Euiju looked at Haeseong bewilderedly, Haeseong narrowed his eyes and glared at him.
—Are they that precious?
—Who. The kids?
—…….
When he just stared without answering, Euiju drew a caring smile and affectionately stroked his hair.
—I could die for them instead.
—…….
That’s right. No matter how much Haeseong relied on him, no matter how uncharacteristically he acted cute, the conclusion that always came out was that.
He was jealous. He didn’t want to lose even a handful of his gaze, his voice, even a speck of his attention.
But since there was nothing he could do about it for now, he just silently swallowed his frustrating feelings. After being silent for a while, Haeseong buried his face in Euiju’s chest and asked.
—What about me? Have I also become as precious as your family now, ahjussi?
—Mm…
Euiju, who felt playful, deliberately dragged out time and delayed his answer. Seeing that Haeseong was waiting for his answer while pretending not to care, he let out a small chuckle.
—We’re like this because Haeseong has become precious. My arms are very expensive, you know.
Even though he was now fully the height of a teenager, Haeseong liked best to lie down leaning on Euiju’s arm. Euiju looked at Haeseong lying leaning against his chest and smiled mischievously.
—If the company people knew you liked clinging like this, they’d be shocked.
—…What can I do when it feels good being stuck with ahjussi?
—Hahaha.
Euiju laughed carelessly and tickled Haeseong’s side.
—Really? You like it even if I do this? Even this?
—Ahahaha. Ah, don’t! Ah, really!
“……”
Haeseong, who had buried himself deep into the sofa, recalled what had happened not long ago. A cold energy flowed from Haeseong, who was closing his eyes with his head leaning against the backrest. Only Kim Jaeho, sitting across from him, opened his mouth while watching his mood.
“Haeseong-ah. Euiju-ssi isn’t coming now. He said he’ll stop by tomorrow to go through the resignation procedures, so there’s no need to be like this here. I’ll take you home, so let’s go quickly. It’s already late at night.”
“……”
“How do you know when Euiju-ssi will come tomorrow to be so stubborn? Huh? You have a schedule tomorrow afternoon too, so are you going to be like this?”
Despite Kim Jaeho’s urging, Haeseong sat without moving.
Haeseong’s eyes were empty, incomparably so.
