-98-
“…Haah.”
Left alone, Won Junjae seemed to have a moment of realization about always being second to food, but remembering that Kim Jeonggwan was hungry, he decided to take a step back. Hearing Jeonggwan’s excited voice receiving food from afar, Junjae smiled absently and picked up Jeonggwan’s jacket he had thrown on the floor. Thud-. A red leather box fell from the jacket onto the floor.
“…”
While he might have wondered what it was, Junjae could guess the contents just by seeing the color of the box. Ah, so that’s why he surprisingly agreed to attend the party, he came to the hotel to give this. Feeling touched by Jeonggwan’s thoughtfulness, wondering when he had prepared this, Junjae was about to open the box to see its contents.
“Hyung, come quickly-!”
But at that moment, Jeonggwan’s voice called from outside, and Junjae, with a wide smile on his face, left the bedroom still holding the box.
“This is really delicious. Hurry and eat too, hyung. You’ll need energy later.”
“Okay. When did you prepare this?”
“Hm? Champagne? Well, over there…”
Jeonggwan was taking a big spoonful of abalone stone pot bibimbap when he looked up, thinking Junjae was asking about the champagne on the table, about to say he got it from beside the fridge. But it seemed that wasn’t what Junjae had asked about, as he was holding a very familiar box in his hand.
“Uh, that…!”
Why is hyung holding that? Jeonggwan’s already large eyes grew even rounder. This wasn’t how he planned to give it while eating abalone stone pot bibimbap. Jeonggwan hurriedly removed the spoon from his mouth and hesitantly tried to stand up, while Junjae approached slowly, looking down at Jeonggwan as if finding him cute.
“They say giving this as a gift means wanting to bind that person to oneself.”
Junjae whispered to Jeonggwan in a low voice with a soft gaze. As if he was happy to receive this gift, as if he was glad to be bound to Jeonggwan.
“Rather than binding, it’s more like… Wait, is it?”
Having swallowed the rice and abalone, Jeonggwan blinked a few times with a confused expression. He hadn’t meant it that way, but then again, the meaning of rings is to show that they belong to each other, so it could be considered binding in a way.
“Actually, I was a bit worried when you said you were going to France. Afraid you might seduce the most handsome alpha in France.”
Junjae hugged Jeonggwan and pressed his lips to the top of his head. But I didn’t know you were thinking about me seriously enough to want to bind me like this. Junjae’s voice, sounding happy, resonated above Jeonggwan’s head. Jeonggwan laughed briefly, thinking this hyung is teasing me again with his bucket list, but seeing Junjae so happy, he thought that even if the rings might be relatively inexpensive for Junjae, he was glad he gave them. He hugged Junjae’s waist in return.
However, while the atmosphere was very nice, Jeonggwan’s stomach was in turmoil. Complaining about why the fuel supply was cut off when it needed more. At the loud growling of Jeonggwan’s stomach, Junjae chuckled as if admitting defeat and pulled away.
“Hurry and finish eating.”
Junjae sat down across from Jeonggwan at the table. At the same time, Jeonggwan took another big spoonful of abalone stone pot bibimbap, his expression saying he was going to live. He was sorry for ruining the mood, but he was really hungry.
“…Cute.”
Watching Jeonggwan, Junjae smiled from ear to ear, and continued to look at him fondly as he took a few more spoonfuls. How can I send this bundle of charm alone to France when I’m so worried? Junjae sighed softly as if concerned.
Then, looking at the box in his hand, Junjae smiled again without resistance, dispelling his worries. Giving cufflinks as a gift had the meaning of wanting to bind the other person, so it was the kind of gift often exchanged between married couples. Of course, judging from Jeonggwan’s expression, he hadn’t given it with that meaning in mind, but Junjae felt immense joy at feeling owned by Jeonggwan, even if just for a moment.
“Can I open it?”
“Yes!”
Well, hadn’t you already seen it? Jeonggwan nodded, pushing aside the empty stone pot and pulling the truffle cream gnocchi in front of him. This shouldn’t get cold. As Jeonggwan put the gnocchi, which had cooled to a better temperature for eating, into his mouth, he looked at Junjae opening the box. He wanted to see his reaction, whether he liked the design.
“…”
However, Junjae, upon opening the box, froze as if he had seen Medusa’s head inside, showing no reaction. What’s wrong? Are there similar rings for fashion? Or is the design too ugly? I asked for the default couple ring design… While worrying, Jeonggwan’s hand didn’t stop spooning food.
“…You don’t like it?”
By this point, even if it was copper, Junjae would normally have said, “No, it’s fine. I love it.” But as if time had stopped there, Junjae gave no answer or gesture, just staring silently into the box.
“…Hyung, I’m starting to get scared.”
“…”
“Can you hear me? Time hasn’t stopped, has it?”
Jeonggwan tried speaking playfully, but Junjae still didn’t respond. Feeling that something was really wrong, Jeonggwan put down his spoon, and at the same time, Junjae looked up. Junjae’s pupils were wavering, and his eyes were quite red, but it didn’t feel like when he was trying to hide being choked up in front of the fountain.
“…Are you crying?”
“…”
Jeonggwan knew well what that expression meant. It was the expression of a nationally renowned actor, known as the god of acting, when they finally received a proposal from their difficult counterpart in a movie, expressing both the choked-up feeling and joy of being moved.
“…Hyuuung.”
No, until just now he was acting smooth talking about binding and whatnot, but suddenly he’s crying? Were the rings too much like wedding rings? Did Junjae think 6 million won was expensive for rings and take it as a marriage proposal? Jeonggwan hurriedly stood up and approached Junjae.
As soon as Jeonggwan came, Junjae tightly hugged his waist with both arms and buried his face in Jeonggwan’s stomach. Though his body wasn’t shaking, it was clear that Junjae was crying. Is a man over thirty crying after receiving a proposal? But this isn’t a proposal… It’s just couple rings… However, feeling that saying this might ruin the mood, Jeonggwan kept his mouth shut. Well, it’s not like we won’t get married later anyway.
“…Jeonggwan.”
“Yes?”
He had expected the choked-up feeling before breaking into loud sobs like that actor, but Junjae’s voice was even calmer than at the fountain earlier. He was just putting all his strength into the arms hugging Jeonggwan’s waist.
“Really… I don’t know if I should say this now.”
“…What is it?”
“…You’re really good at dating.”
Huh? What’s that? Jeonggwan had expected Junjae to say something dramatic like “I love you” or “Don’t go to France,” but he was dumbfounded by this completely unexpected and random statement.
“I thought I was less important than food…”
“Huh?”
“So I’m doubly moved…”
Jeonggwan let out a laugh as if he really couldn’t believe it, and Junjae, seemingly unable to come to his senses from the unexpected deep emotion, buried his face deeply in Jeonggwan’s stomach.
He had thought the cufflinks were just a gift without much meaning, but to find out they were actually couple rings with a deep relational significance… Junjae wanted to hug Jeonggwan tightly right now. Not just tightly like this, but as tightly and deeply as possible.
“Are you done eating?”
“…If I say no here, will you think you’re less important than food again?”
“…Hurry and eat more.”
However, Jeonggwan’s stomach was not so easily appeased.
* * *
True to its ranking as one of the top 5 international passenger terminals, Incheon Airport’s terminal was bustling with an enormous crowd in March. It was Jeonggwan’s second visit to the airport after about 5 months since going to Hong Kong with Jihoon, and the saying that airports are exciting every time you go proved to be true. Jeonggwan’s heart was pounding with excitement to go to the duty-free shop, eat delicious food, and buy lots of expensive chocolates.
“You packed your medicine and cabbage juice, right?”
“Yes!”
“The things in this black suitcase need to go in the fridge as soon as you arrive. Did you say it was kimchi and gochujang?”
“Yes!”
“And don’t skip wearing thermal underwear just because it’s not as cold as Korea!”
“…Speak quietly. Dad.”
What do you mean speak quietly. Jeonggwan’s mom hit his back, telling him to listen well to what his dad was saying, with a stern expression. Jeonggwan glanced at Won Junjae standing beside him and then nodded to his dad. You should whisper things like thermal underwear… It’s embarrassing with hyung here. Hyung probably doesn’t even know about heat tech, let alone thermal underwear…
“Don’t fight with Director-nim. Okay? Just answer ‘yes, yes-‘.”
“What are you talking about. We won’t even have time to fight.”
Kim Jeonggwan. You should say ‘yes’ to your dad. Mom put on a scary face again, and Jeonggwan pouted and quietly answered, nodding his head. But it was true that he really wouldn’t have time to fight with Junjae. Although Junjae was leaving with him now, saying he would take him all the way to France, he only had three days due to his company work. So, adding a little lie, it meant he had to high-five at the Eiffel Tower once and then return to Korea.
“Don’t cross the line. Okay?”
“What are you saying. This hyung’s wish is to cross the line.”
“Tsk-!”
However, mom and dad were making a fuss since yesterday, telling him not to cross the line, worried that Jeonggwan might be rude to Junjae. Come on, where do normal couples have such things? Jeonggwan, looking annoyed at his parents’ nagging, took Junjae’s hand, which had a golden glow on the fourth finger.
