“Cha Jaehyun. …Are you asleep?”
“…”
He had been protruding his lips and complaining that the movie was boring from earlier, and in the end Jaehyun fell asleep.
Beautifully extended eyelashes, a small mole under his eye, a face shining even whiter under the moonlight. Everything his eyes touched was lovely.
“Was it so bad that you even closed your eyes? …But why are you so pretty even when sleeping?”
Hanryul gently stroked Jaehyun’s cheek. Even though he kept touching his face, he showed no signs of waking up. He seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep so deep that he wouldn’t know even if someone carried him away.
“Jaehyun-ah, you can’t sleep like this in front of others.”
Hanryul lightly kissed Jaehyun’s lips. It was a very impulsive action, but it was impossible to pretend not to notice the lusciously shining red lips.
“This is your fault. If you’re sleeping defenseless with such a pretty face, this is a natural consequence. …You’ve been a sinful guy from the beginning.”
“…”
Hanryul continued his monologue while carefully touching Jaehyun’s ear. The cute ear that honestly turns red when even slightly flustered. When he touched the ear, Jaehyun’s brow narrowed slightly, but still showed no signs of waking up.
“Jaehyun-ah. You said you don’t remember. …You might as well not remember. But let’s be clear about one thing. You liked me first. You entered someone else’s life on your own and tore up their insides. So you have to take responsibility. …I have no intention of letting you go.”
Hanryul’s eyes looking at Jaehyun’s face glowed brilliantly. As if he couldn’t miss a single moment, Hanryul continued to caress his face, trying to capture all of his appearances tenaciously in his eyes.
It might really be true that he forgot all his memories. If the memories returned, the current Jaehyun would obviously fall into great confusion facing his past actions. With his current personality, he wouldn’t be able to bear his past, so he thought it was better if he didn’t remember.
Jaehyun, who clung to him enough to arouse killing intent. Now similar emotions were growing in Hanryul’s heart too. He felt self-loathing because he had the wicked desire to hold on so Jaehyun couldn’t leave his side and go anywhere.
But he decided not to hold Jaehyun back. Because he didn’t want to commit the same mistake to the person he loved.
‘It’ll be hard, but I’ll try. To be worthy of the seat next to you.’
Jaehyun always told him to fly toward higher places. Now he was even starting to say things, whether joking or serious, telling a rookie to try winning the Grand Prize in Acting.
One year. Jaehyun said he would stay in America for about a year. Although that period could get longer, he said he was thinking about a year, so it wouldn’t change much.
The time without Jaehyun would be very painful. But he could endure that much. No, he had no choice but to wait. Because now it was hard to imagine a life without Jaehyun.
“Make sure to keep the promise you made earlier. If you don’t keep it, I’ll chase you to the ends of the earth.”
Hanryul lightly kissed Jaehyun’s lips once more and started the engine. The movie wasn’t over yet, but since he had fallen asleep, there was no need to watch it to the end.
* * *
When I opened my eyes, it was Seo Hanryul’s house. When I turned my head, I saw Seo Hanryul’s face, still not awake. I had slept in the same bed with him. Nothing seemed to have happened, but the situation itself was somewhat awkward.
‘Why did I wake up here?’
I remember falling asleep in the car yesterday. Why am I lying in the same bed with him?
“Did you sleep well?”
I was looking suspiciously at his sleeping appearance when the guy suddenly opened both eyes wide, and we ended up making eye contact while lying side by side.
‘Damn… I should have gotten up right away.’
Whether Seo Hanryul had buttered his vocal cords or what, he spoke to me in a voice beyond smooth to the point of being greasy. Yesterday he came out all dolled up, and today he’s using a coquettish voice. I don’t know what concept this is, but I thought the concept was quite extreme.
“What’s with your voice again? What’s this?”
“You just fell asleep yesterday. How rude.”
“So why am I lying in your bed?”
“Even though I personally moved your sleeping body to the bed, you complain so much.”
“That’s why I’m asking why it had to be your bed when there’s a sofa.”
“The sofa… hurts your back.”
“Since when have you thought of me that way?”
“What kind of hurtful thing is that to say? I think about you so much.”
The guy continued speaking while consistently maintaining his greasy voice. While looking straight into my eyes. Does he want to have a staring contest or something? His bizarre attitude made me think I should get away.
“Ha, if you say so, then it must be true. Thanks so much for thinking of me. I’m leaving now. See you in the afternoon.”
“Cha Jaehyun.”
“What now?”
“You have to eat before you go, right?”
“Yeah, I was wondering when you’d say that.”
There it is again. That damn food demon. If I said I wouldn’t eat, it was obvious we’d have to bicker again, so I obediently said okay.
‘If he’s good at cooking, he should cook for Lee Dojun.’
Still, we went to the movie theater together yesterday and practiced, so things should work out well. This time he needs to pick a proper movie. Even if Lee Dojun is smitten with Seo Hanryul, he won’t be able to stand a movie like yesterday’s. If I hadn’t fallen asleep yesterday, I would have shed tears from yawning continuously and filled the entire Han River with those tears.
“Cha Jaehyun, it’s ready.”
When the food was done, I naturally sat at the table and picked up my chopsticks.
“Hey, you’re going to America soon.”
“Why are you so interested in other people’s plans since last time? What are you curious about now?”
“Is that Secretary Han person or whatever also going with you?”
“You’re really meddlesome. He’s not coming. Why, are you afraid we’ll gossip about you together? You ask all kinds of strange things.”
As soon as he heard my answer, the guy smiled brightly.
“When did you even see Secretary Han that you hate him so much?”
“Someone clueless might not know, but there’s something like that.”
The guy tapped my head with his palm.
“What are you doing? Am I some kind of dog?”
“Why? You are a dog. You’re just big-bodied and clueless, only smiling.”
“Fine. Think whatever you want. Anyway, delete the GPS.”
The GPS came to mind, so I pushed my phone toward Seo Hanryul. The inconveniences caused by this damn GPS were no joke.
“There’s still time left though?”
“Hey, humanely delete it for me. I did well, didn’t I~?”
“…”
Without realizing it, I acted cutely even though it wouldn’t work at all. Looking at how he’s not answering, is he going to hit me with a spoon?
“Do it one more time.”
“What?”
“Do what you just did one more time.”
The guy smiled wickedly and told me to do that rotten aegyo I just showed again. Obviously he’s doing this to embarrass me.
“Forget it. If you’re not going to delete it, never mind.”
“The great Cha Jaehyun even showed me a precious side, so I should delete it for you.”
It worked. Seo Hanryul took the phone and deleted the GPS. I felt like I was freed from the shackles on my ankles at once.
“Cha Jaehyun, are you that happy?”
“Of course, the slave collar has been removed.”
“Hey, …when you come back from America, if things are hard, do you want to keep working next to me?”
“What kind of terrible thing are you saying? To become a slave again? Would you do it if you were me?”
“Does it need to be that sharp? Of course the conditions would be different then.”
I can’t understand his state of mind. Although I fulfilled the manager life very well, I’m still a person who left indelible scars. What’s his true intention in showing inexplicable goodwill?
“Forget it. I’m hearing all kinds of disgusting things.”
“…You’re the young master of the Daejin family. And aren’t you quite a hated young master? Don’t take it the wrong way. If things are hard, come to me. Because I can help.”
“…”
What? Since when did he know Cha Jaehyun was a Daejin person? And how does he know I’m being hated? Just how much does he know?
When I saw him in America, he seemed unaware of my identity. His attitude of looking steadily into my eyes and continuing to speak started to give me chills. What on earth does he want?
“Why so surprised? I also have eyes and ears. …Anyway, if you get kicked out of home, come to me. I’ll treat you well so you won’t regret it. Ah, and I know what you’re thinking right now, but drop that thought. Because only I know this fact.”
Seo Hanryul strode over and placed both hands on my shoulders.
Is this a good situation or a serious situation? Seo Hanryul seems to know all of Cha Jaehyun’s background. Now that it’s come to this, if he feels like it, he could inflict even a small scratch on Cha Jaehyun. Instead, he’s saying the ridiculous thing with a gentle attitude that if I get kicked out of home, I should come to him.
Is he trying to make me feel at ease and then dunk me in one shot when the time comes later? I thought the contract would end without problems like this. My head started getting complicated from the guy’s outlandish remarks.
