The moment the word “kiss” was uttered and he drew closer, Hyedam unknowingly closed his eyes and held his breath. As Leo’s lips approached, he should have felt that familiar yet unfamiliar sensation on his lips, but nothing happened.
The moment he slowly opened his eyes and released the breath he’d been holding, Leo’s lips found his. It wasn’t rough or demanding, nor was it filled with passion that would blow away his reason. As if stamping a seal, his lips pressed firmly against Hyedam’s before pulling away slightly, but their lips remained in contact.
“Why do you always return to square one whenever I give you time alone?”
Due to Leo’s lips mumbling as if pouting along with a small sigh, Hyedam’s lips that were pressed against his moved slightly as well.
“I’m not that patient, you know.”
Leo’s lips pressed firmly against Hyedam’s once more before pulling away, and this time his forehead touched Hyedam’s.
“What should I do? I’ll do whatever you tell me to.”
Hyedam lowered his eyes to avoid his gaze.
He couldn’t understand Leo. The man didn’t remember anything, yet he couldn’t clearly define why he was doing this to him. Leo Lewis liked him? How long did he think that feeling would last? He had no emotions or energy to waste on the romantic whims of a young rich man who had everything in the world. He had no confidence to handle the aftermath if they got entangled carelessly and things ended strangely.
His feelings had already crossed the line, but he didn’t want Leo to know that.
He would be the one quitting the company, he would be the one taking the financial hit after quitting, and above all, he didn’t want to experience being abandoned twice by the same person. Just having him come this close made his heart feel like it would burst, and at the question of whether he could kiss him, he had waited for his kiss. What more am I supposed to do here?
Knock knock knock.
What ended their silent battle of nerves was Robert’s knock.
* * *
Christmas Eve.
It wasn’t a white Christmas, but it was the most extravagant and event-filled Christmas Hyedam had ever spent—truly a day that seemed like it would remain in his memory for a lifetime. When he asked why he had to attend the Lewis family’s party, Robert only gave him a good-natured smile.
He looked at the catalog Luna had sent and dressed in the party outfit as suggested. At first, he stood by Robert’s side guiding party attendees and greeting them, but once all the invited guests had arrived and the party began in earnest, there was nothing for him to do.
Seeing people he’d only seen in business sections, celebrities, and according to Robert’s explanation, even members of British noble families whose single strand of hair you’d be lucky to see in a lifetime—Hyedam was at the point of being confused whether he was in a dream or reality.
As the host of the party, he watched Leo mingle with people here and there for a moment before Hyedam enjoyed the party alone. Occasionally his eyes would meet Leo’s, but each time he would quickly look away pretending not to see and move to another spot.
The party would probably reach its peak around midnight, and after that, he could help see off some departing guests before leaving himself, couldn’t he? Hyedam had been sipping champagne and observing people from near the wall when he locked eyes with someone who smiled brightly and waved at him—he quickly turned away.
So Luna-ssi came too. Afraid he might get caught by her and end up facing Leo, Hyedam quietly moved his feet and slipped out into a long corridor.
Perhaps because of the champagne he’d had several glasses of due to its pleasant taste and aroma, his body felt warm and his tension seemed to ease into drowsiness. Whether he was getting old or really had no stamina, his alcohol tolerance had decreased and his sleep time had noticeably increased compared to before. He’d been getting sleepy from early evening, and though he’d always been slow to start, he’d never thought waking up in the morning was difficult—but lately he’d been stacking alarm after alarm and only managing to get up after hearing the very last one.
Unlike the hall full of people, Hyedam walked through the quiet corridor, lightly loosening his neck and rolling his shoulders. Was it his last birthday? He felt like he should start taking the vitamins Junseok had given him as a gift.
Moving slightly to shake off the sinking feeling and loosen his body, taking deep breaths in and out to blow away the heavy drowsiness that was creeping in—but a yawn finally escaped Hyedam’s mouth.
“Ugh. I’m really tired. Good thing tomorrow’s a holiday.”
Hyedam had been tapping his cheeks with both hands to chase away sleep when he found himself walking in the garden at the back of the mansion. As the cold wind blew his hair, he raised his hand to sweep it back, and his footsteps gradually slowed.
The garden, decorated as beautifully as the interior, stretched on endlessly. When Hyedam, walking alone in the garden, turned around, he could see the house wrapped in brilliant lights. Leo was someone who suited such a large and splendid house perfectly. It seemed natural that he would receive everyone’s attention and command them.
Everything was natural—surrounded by people, conversing and laughing with a bright smile, leisurely enjoying wine. English, French, Korean, and even German—just from what he’d briefly overheard near Leo, that was already four languages. On top of that, when he thought of Leo’s parents whom he’d actually met, a bitter smile spread across his lips.
“Even if we’re different, we should be reasonably different for me to do something about it or not. I don’t even feel like starting.”
After wandering around for quite a while, Hyedam’s feet brought him to a bench by the riverside. If he’d known he’d be outside this long, he would have grabbed a coat. Thinking it was better to be a little cold than to go back and get a coat, Hyedam sat on the bench.
Relying on the music and lights from afar, Hyedam relaxed his body and looked up at the sky.
“It’s Ondal.”
It had been a long time since he’d looked up at the sky. He’d named him Ondal after Babo Ondal and then made up ridiculous excuses. Complete moon my ass. He just slapped that name on.
His chest felt heavy, so when he let out a deep sigh, white breath puffed out in soft clouds. He’d only been tilting his head back for a moment when he sat up straight and saw the full moon rippling on the river.
“Is the party not fun?”
Hyedam had been staring blankly at the full moon—the only thing not flowing away on the flowing river—when he quickly raised his head at someone’s voice.
“Yes… Ah! No. Hello.”
Looking at the person standing beside the bench holding two mugs, Hyedam quickly rose from his seat and bowed in greeting.
“I didn’t mean to startle you, but would you drink this with me?”
One of the two mugs was being offered to him, so Hyedam quickly extended both hands to receive it. The person who had approached without a sound sat on the bench, drank the beverage they’d brought, and tapped the seat beside them with their fingernail.
“I’m… I’m fine.”
“Both Evan and Leo are so tall that I always have to look up at them, and that’s not really a pleasant thing, you know.”
The moment Hyedam understood the words spoken in a soft, gentle voice, he quickly planted his bottom on the seat beside them. Why did the party host come out here? No. Don’t they have bodyguards with them? He looked around, but the only ones here were them and himself.
The situation of being with his workplace superior’s parent, a member of an incredible noble family, was tense enough, but for Hyedam, who also harbored impure feelings toward their son, this seat was like sitting on a bed of thorns.
“Is working with Leo manageable? I wanted to raise him well, but nothing goes as I want when it comes to my child. Anyway, the alphas of the Lewis family are kind of like that. But his nature isn’t bad, so I told him to coax people properly and make use of them to get by in life—and not a word of that was wrong. That blood doesn’t go anywhere, you know? Leo takes after his father so much that I’m worried he’ll overwhelm you, Hyedam-ssi.”
“Pardon?”
“You must be cold from being outside so long, so drink it while it’s warm. If you make it exactly according to the vin chaud recipe passed down as Lewis family tradition, it’s really delicious. It’s good for you too.”
Having suddenly appeared and brought up the topic of the Lewis family alphas, and then telling him to hurry and drink—Hyedam drank the beverage feeling bewildered. The drink, still retaining its warmth, moistened his mouth and seemed to warm his body as it went down his throat.
“It’s really delicious. And warm.”
“The party’s awkward, right? I was like that at first too. Wondering what this was all about, unable to fit in anywhere, feeling like I’d been dropped alone into some strange world. I thought I’d get used to it if I kept at it, but that’s not really the case either.”
“Ah. Yes……”
Not knowing how to show proper respect to this person who had appeared so suddenly or what to say, Hyedam just wore an awkward smile and laugh.
“Oh, right. If Leo doesn’t understand your feelings and tries to do things his own way, just beat him up. He’s got a good build and can take a hit, so you can hit him pretty hard and it won’t show. He’s younger than you, Hyedam-ssi, so if he acts up, smack him down. It’s okay to do that.”
“Um. Chairman… no, Madam… um……”
Neither Chairman nor Madam seemed right, and unable to find an appropriate title, Hyedam couldn’t continue speaking properly and just mumbled.
