It could be considered long, but after spending a peculiar vacation where more than half was lost to sleep, what awaited Hyedam when he went to work was Leo’s incredibly tight schedule that left no room to breathe. Since it was year-end, there were many events and many people to meet personally, so Leo’s schedule was cut into almost 10-minute intervals.
Clearly, Leo was the busy one, and the work was being split with Robert, but Hyedam’s work phone, which was officially in charge of receiving calls seeking Leo, rang endlessly.
After hanging up a call requesting a meeting, Hyedam stared blankly at the schedule. It was a matter where he couldn’t easily decide what to postpone and where to squeeze things in. He could contact Robert and ask him to spare some time from the personal schedule he had arranged, but he didn’t want to do that.
“If he meets this many people in a day, he probably won’t even remember properly who he met, where, and what they did.”
Hyedam moved his right fingertips with the intention of reducing the marketing team meeting time while picking up a cup of coffee with his left hand. There might be complaints from the team members, but he’d tell them to submit anything not urgent as reports—he’d look at those even if he had to go home late at night.
“Mmm… please, let me at least drink some coffee.”
Sipping his coffee and barely managing to create time in the schedule, Hyedam grumbled as he hurriedly pulled the coffee cup away from his lips at the next incoming call.
“Yes. Team Leader Leo Lewis’s…”
— Hyedam-ssi!
A smile formed on Hyedam’s lips at the cheerful voice that came through before he could even finish his phone answering script. He relaxed his upper body, which he had straightened to focus on the call, leaning back in his chair, and picked up the coffee cup he had set down.
“Hello. Luna-ssi. Did you get home safely?”
— Thanks to you. I went back there yesterday and ate gopchang too. But that’s not what’s important. You’re very busy these days, right? So I’ll get straight to the point. What’s your underwear size?
“Pardon?”
— Your underwear size. I don’t know if you prefer wearing them tight or loose… If there was time, I would have had them custom-made, but this time we’re going with ready-made. Starting next season, we’ll do custom together.
At Luna’s unexpected words, Hyedam set down the coffee cup he was holding. How would I know Leo’s underwear size? Judging by how Junseok’s clothes fit him roughly, it should be around 115. I don’t even know his outerwear preferences. No matter how much I’m a secretary, I don’t get involved with my workplace superior’s underwear.
“…115?”
— What? How could you wear something that big?
It was Hyedam who was flustered by Luna’s response to his rough estimate.
How could you wear something that big, she asks. That guy needs at least that much for it to fit. You’re a personal shopper—can’t you roughly estimate someone’s size just by looking at them? You said you’ve known Leo for a long time, and you don’t know that?
“It should be at least that much to fit him.”
— Hyedam-ssi. I’m asking about your size right now.
“My size?”
— I’m checking sizes while going over the final ordered items. Your ready-made outerwear size is 100, right? But as I said earlier, underwear involves personal preference, so I’m contacting you to confirm. And please tell me your shoe size too.
“You’re talking about the items ordered on Saturday, right?”
— Yes. Leo’s items are already prepared and shipped, and your items will be organized by today and delivered to your home tomorrow.
Question marks began floating one by one above Hyedam’s head as he focused on Luna’s words that poured out nonstop. Late Saturday afternoon. The small commotion that had occurred in the hotel room came to mind. He had suddenly been told to choose clothes, and when he couldn’t choose, Leo had said he’d get everything.
No way…
“Luna-ssi. Were the items we decided to purchase because I couldn’t choose—were those mine?”
— Yes.
“Could you tell me exactly what items they were?”
— There are five basic suits, two for parties, and shirts to match each outfit along with cufflinks, watches, and handkerchiefs. Five pairs of shoes. You can wear the five basic suits for commuting or when accompanying him to conferences. The party ones are literally for parties. I’ll send you a catalog so it’s easy to mix and match.
Feeling dazed while having this twenty-questions-like call with Luna, Hyedam rubbed his forehead as he listened to her lengthy explanation. The words swirling complexly in his head right now were a conversation he needed to have with Leo, not Luna.
“Luna-ssi, I’ll contact you again within today.”
Ending the call hastily, Hyedam looked alternately at the team leader’s office with its blinds down and Leo’s schedule. Twenty minutes until the lunch appointment. Considering travel time, he had to settle this within 10 minutes.
Having organized his thoughts up to that point, Hyedam stood up without a second of hesitation, and 10 seconds later, he was standing in the team leader’s office.
Seeing Leo not taking his eyes off what he was looking at despite knowing he had entered, the tension unconsciously drained from Hyedam’s straightened body. Standing crookedly with his weight on one leg, Hyedam’s eyes caught Leo’s hand moving slightly.
You’re almost done looking at what you’re looking at, so wait a moment? He had barged in on impulse, but suddenly given time, Hyedam’s mind began to tangle wildly.
“Is there something urgent?”
“…”
The moment he saw that clean face and heard that voice carrying warmth, a wrinkle formed between Hyedam’s brows.
“I have something I’d like to confirm regarding the items purchased on Saturday.”
“You’ll need them going forward, so they’re being provided at the company level.”
The matter that had flustered him and made him rush into this room the moment he learned the truth was resolved with one sentence about it being provided at the company level. As Luna had said, there would frequently be occasions where he would accompany Leo to parties or gatherings while working. And he didn’t have any luxurious clothes suitable for such formal places.
So why was I excited, and why did I rush in here without thinking?
“Is there a problem?”
At Leo’s words asking again with a calm face showing no expression, Hyedam bit his lip hard. The ridiculous salary first proposed, the car not provided to other employees, the clothes and accessories that looked expensive even to him who had no knowledge of fashion. All of it had caused a misunderstanding.
As if it were payment for the interest he was showing in me.
What did I want to say? Why are you buying me things like this? That I won’t accept them? That we’re just workplace superior and subordinate, so it’s too much? Is this what I wanted to say?
With Leo’s single statement, he realized everything was his own misunderstanding. He had created meaning by himself, framed it, misunderstood, been surprised… and now… With the feeling of something welling up and someone squeezing his heart tight, Hyedam smiled bitterly and lowered his head.
The other person had no such thoughts, and he was the only one making a fuss. He was the one who had drawn the line first, saying not to put meaning into the night they spent together. For Leo, it must have been just a one-night stand with no such thoughts from the beginning.
“There’s no problem. I’ll have the car ready so you won’t be late for your lunch appointment.”
Releasing his bitten lip, Hyedam spoke in as calm a voice as possible and turned around. It was fortunate he had an excuse for coming here. Walking slowly three steps to stand at the door, Hyedam placed his hand on the door handle. And he pressed it down, and at the moment the door was about to open slightly, it closed again.
The hand pressing against the upper part of the door, the heat felt from behind his back, and the now-familiar coffee scent—Hyedam wasn’t flustered or surprised.
“Why do you come in with that expression and leave with this one?”
“Due to the sleet that’s been falling since morning, traffic is congested, so you should leave about 5 minutes earlier than usual.”
“What did Luna say?”
“Since they’re items needed for company work and being provided to me, she contacted me to confirm the sizes. Since I wasn’t clearly notified that I would be using them, I said I would contact her again after confirming.”
“If I had told you then, you would have refused, Hyedam-ssi.”
At the feeling of being completely enveloped by Leo, who was taller and larger than him, Hyedam slowly turned his body. His gaze landed on Leo’s shoulder and neckline rather than his face. If he raised his head to look at Leo’s face, they would be close enough for their breaths to mingle.
Knowing all of this, Hyedam still raised his head. From the neckline, he saw the angular jaw and the firmly closed lips. Hesitating at the high tip of his nose for only a moment, he slightly raised his eyes and was able to meet the green eyes that were watching him.
As expected, he could feel Leo’s breath directly. Without avoiding the green eyes full of complex emotions beneath the full eyelashes, Hyedam opened his mouth.
“No. I wouldn’t have refused. It’s not something Team Leader-nim is giving me personally—it’s items needed for work being provided at the company level. Is there any reason to decline?”
“Can I kiss you?”
Leo’s voice, murmured as if whispering while languidly lowering his gaze, lingered in Hyedam’s ears.
