They were all medicine bottles. From translucent orange American-style medicine bottles to small white ones. On top of them were drug names written in English, things Jungok was hearing for the first time. Among them were sleep inducers and painkillers that appeared to have been prescribed in Korea.
Her eyes felt hot. Just as she was about to close the door because she didn’t want to see anymore, a container boasting a flashy reflective light caught her eye.
“This is?”
It was an adult product for men boasting fancy packaging. When she opened the lid, only a few remained as if more than half had been used. Her heart, which had been shocked by the medicine bottles, swelled greatly again.
She was very confused by the feelings of surprise, wonder, gratitude, and embarrassment. Jungok covered her mouth with her hand as she put it back in its place. Next to it was one more box that appeared to be unopened yet.
“Oh my. This child.”
Tears glistened in her eyes but a smile hung on her lips.
“I should have made haesintang. How exhausting it must be to use such a large capacity.”
Have they been dating long? Since it’s serious, he’ll bring them home, right? Given Kyungwoo’s cautious and sensitive personality, he doesn’t seem like he’d meet just anyone. They’re probably deeply involved. He’ll hide it tightly and suddenly bring them over someday saying he’ll get married. Should I act surprised? Should I act like I knew? No, what if he caused trouble? Should I be looking for wedding venues already?
Mermaid dresses are popular these days, but she might not be able to wear that. For the meeting between families, it would be about as much as Kyungrok’s was.
How do people prepare for their son’s wedding these days? Should I call that wife again? No. Kyungwoo’s opinion comes first. He might want to do it American-style.
Jungok, full of dreams, called out loudly “Ahjumma!” as she went outside.
“Yes, Madam.”
“Let’s make some food for Kyungwoo to eat as a late-night snack. Start by taking out some braised short ribs and heating them up.”
“Yes.”
Then Jungok asked Dohyun.
“But you didn’t come home with Kyungwoo today. Did Kyungwoo… go out alone?”
“He’s been coming home alone frequently these days.”
“You don’t know what he’s doing?”
“Yes. It’s his private life, after all. I think if it were something I should know about, he would have taken me with him.”
In fact, Dohyun also found it strange that Kyungwoo frequently went out alone these days. According to the secretaries, there were no special signs. Only work-related calls came and went, and even in the car traveling with Dohyun, she couldn’t detect any particular differences.
Something slightly surprising was that he occasionally talked on the phone with Prosecutor Seo Jaeha, with whom he had such a bad relationship. It wasn’t particularly special since it was common for past enemies to become current allies, but Kyungwoo’s atmosphere and tone when talking on the phone were a bit peculiar. He seemed happier than other times. Sometimes it even seemed like he was waiting for Jaeha’s calls.
It seemed like there was something that connected between men of the same age. As long as Seo Jaeha didn’t pose any special threat to Kyungwoo, it wasn’t something Dohyun needed to worry about, and even if that were the case, she couldn’t disclose it to Jungok.
Whether she accepted it that way or not, Jungok muttered to herself, “Right. He can’t take a female secretary to such a place. Even if there’s nothing between him and Secretary Choi.”
“Pardon?”
“Never mind. Nothing to worry about.”
A delicious smell came from the kitchen. The housekeeper, versatile in cooking, made braised short ribs loaded with potatoes and carrots and put them in earthenware.
“I’ll contact Kyungwoo, so put that on the table. So he can eat right away.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Whether the business was finished or not, Jungok got up from her seat. The housekeeper, who had wanted to go home since earlier, also hurriedly followed her out.
Fortunately, they could leave the house before Kyungwoo arrived. Dohyun, who had driven as safely as possible on the way there, drove back somewhat ignoring lanes and pressing fast. Since there was almost no vibration, Jungok, who rode in the back, had no idea.
She seemed to be pondering while fiddling with her cell phone. It seemed not easy to contact her son. Though who would find it easy to personally contact Executive Director Jung Kyungwoo?
Soon, as if she chose texting instead of calling, Jungok moved her fingers. Even after sending the text, there was no notification of a reply text arriving.
“Why doesn’t he answer even after seeing it? He must be quite angry that I went in secretly.”
It was a somewhat dejected voice, but she didn’t seem greatly angry.
“Normally he’d say he was disappointed I left without seeing him. My child is too cold-hearted.”
“He must be busy.”
The housekeeper comforted Jungok. It seemed Jungok didn’t particularly want to face her son either. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have rushed out like this.
Imagining when they would face each other, Dohyun felt a chill down her spine. She would get tremendously scolded as soon as she faced her boss tomorrow, but for now she was fortunate to be alive.
“Ah, wait. I forgot the abalone in soy sauce.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry, Madam. I put it out to cool the abalone in soy sauce and didn’t bring it.”
“Ahjumma. Where did you leave your mind?”
It was just when they arrived at the main house.
“Ahjumma, rest. Secretary Choi, sorry but please go bring the abalone in soy sauce.”
“Now?”
“Yes.”
At the order like a bolt from the blue, Dohyun’s heart dropped again.
A little later, Dohyun arrived at Kyungwoo’s house again with the abalone in soy sauce sitting in the passenger seat. There had been no reaction from her boss since earlier. That made it even scarier.
Maybe he hasn’t arrived yet? Dohyun cautiously got on the elevator. Let’s just leave the abalone in soy sauce right in front of the elevator and go. Just as she was resolving to do that, the housekeeper contacted her.
[Put it in the refrigerator. Otherwise it’ll go bad.]
“Ahhh! Come on!”
Dohyun went crazy in the elevator. Then the elevator stopped. Quietly. Very quietly, just put in the abalone in soy sauce and come back.
Hadn’t she entered without permission before to wake him up when Kyungwoo didn’t answer when it was time to go to work? This was similar to that. She went inside the house while rationalizing to herself.
Ding.
The elevator announced its arrival. When she carefully entered, there were two pairs of men’s shoes in front of the entrance where indoor shoes were placed. One of them was familiar. It was definitely the luxury handmade shoes her boss favored. Damn it.
“Who is it!”
Sure enough, an angry shout was heard from inside. Soon Kyungwoo appeared wearing only a shirt and pants with both hands shoved in his pants pockets.
“It’s me, Executive Director. The Chairwoman told me to bring the abalone in soy sauce now.”
“Ms. Choi Dohyun. You seem to be confusing your boss these days.”
He sneered in a cold voice.
“I’m sorry. This won’t happen again in the future.”
“It better not. Or I can make it so it doesn’t happen. You know what I mean?”
“I understand.”
One more time and it meant her neck. That was what Dohyun wanted least.
“I’m truly sorry.”
She bowed her head and apologized once more. While doing so, she didn’t know what to do with the hand holding the abalone in soy sauce. Kyungwoo approached and snatched it from Dohyun’s hand.
“I’ll handle Mother’s matters myself. From now on, don’t answer calls you don’t know. Tell Ahjumma she doesn’t need to come anymore either.”
“Yes.”
“You worked hard after work hours. Go in and rest.”
“You rest too, Executive Director.”
Very fortunately, it ended much better than expected. Dohyun bowed her head and turned around.
While the elevator was closing, Kyungwoo, who had walked inside, asked someone “Do you like abalone in soy sauce?”
Before the answer could be heard, the elevator door closed. A question suddenly arose. Why would her boss, who really hated rubbing shoulders with people, bring someone into his house? A man at that?
“Who is it?”
Dohyun was curious about the owner of the other pair of shoes.
*
As soon as he arrived home, Kyungwoo searched through the house. After confirming no one remained, he called up Jaeha, who was in the underground parking lot. He had given him a key card for convenience.
“Do I have to do this every time?”
As soon as he came up, Jaeha, who as always loosened his tie first and took off his top and placed it on the sofa, wrapped his arms around the waist of Kyungwoo standing beside him.
“If it’s bothersome, let’s go to a hotel.”
“A home is better than a hotel. It’s not like we committed some crime or anything.”
He said that, but Jaeha wasn’t unaware of the circumstances that made it difficult to openly come and go. After Kyungwoo’s mother, Chairwoman Park Jungok of the Cultural Foundation, had barged in without notice before, Kyungwoo was always conscious of the house. He only relaxed after going into the house and locking it so the elevator key card wouldn’t work from outside. Thanks to that, Jaeha was also trapped in Kyungwoo’s house.
It wasn’t bad, but still, the process of coming up was a bit much. While waiting in the underground parking lot, if another car entered, Jaeha also became tense along with him.
To think that fully grown adults were secretly meeting like thieves. It wasn’t even Joseon Dynasty sensibility. It was a bit strange. Of course, he knew that society’s view of same-sex relationships wasn’t good. But still, that famous ‘self-loathing’ set in, wondering if they really had to go this far.
“How about my place instead?”
“Here is more comfortable.”
“Of course, it’s a shabby apartment that can’t even compare to here. But at least we don’t have to sneak in like this.”
“You’re not thinking about having your face known to all the neighborhood residents?”
“That’s your fault, you know?”
Recalling the commotion he had caused before, Jaeha hugged him from above. At that time, he had considered Kyungwoo a crazy American bastard, but now he understood his actions all too well. Rather, he felt guilty for not understanding and considering him embarrassing.
Jaeha rested his chin on the shoulder of Kyungwoo standing still and ran his lips over the area around the neck revealed above the shirt collar. The maddeningly sexy fragrance was there no matter when he smelled it. He learned for the first time through Jung Kyungwoo that a man’s cologne could have such a strong sexual appeal.
He leisurely enjoyed the silhouette of the body that was always new and insufficient no matter how many dozens of times he licked and bit it. Kyungwoo, who relaxed quite well inside his own house, laughed lowly, perhaps ticklish.
“Let’s hurry.”
“You were whining about being hungry.”
“But I got hungrier for you.”
“I’d appreciate it if you’d refrain from goosebump-inducing comments. Harsh words suit Special Prosecutor Seo Jaeha better than soft words.”
“Stop talking and follow me.”
Half joking, half threatening, Jaeha grabbed his waist and led him to the bedroom they had used many times.
“Who are you talking to?”
Kyungwoo followed obediently. But wickedness stood out in the way he stuck out his tongue and lightly licked his lips. The relationship, as always, promised to be war-like.
An intense time passed that made him think he might die at this rate. Unlike when they did it hastily in the car, at home even the deepest union was achieved.
“You beast. How do you leave a person completely battered every time?”
A powerless curse came out. When Kyungwoo blamed Jaeha’s lack of self-control, Jaeha immediately refuted.
“Who incited it first? I was going to end it with once.”
As he said, it was definitely Kyungwoo who demanded the second time. But the third time wasn’t.
“As we were doing it, it felt so good that I lost it. Sorry.”
As he left the bedroom, Seo Jaeha apologized with no appearance of being sorry. There was no point in arguing about it since it would be his own loss.
After Jeju Island, counting just the rare times when his condition and other circumstances allowed, quite a number had accumulated now. Perhaps because he was an animal of adaptation, after taking a hot bath afterward, his body wasn’t that languid.
Splash.
“Huuu.”
Kyungwoo immersed his body in the bathtub and closed his eyes. The hot water caressed every corner of his body. Jaeha’s traces mingled with the hot water, bringing small lingering sensations.
The bath after the relationship was entirely Kyungwoo’s time alone. Jaeha, who washed and went out first, was always in charge of meal preparation until Kyungwoo rested sufficiently and came out. Knowing no one would disturb him, he leisurely enjoyed his bath.
