“Get me a four-leaf clover right now. Find all the materials about the blinds too. Since I have to go to the uninhabited island right away, prepare the private jet and helicopter as well.”
After leaving Luna’s office, Leo contacted Robert and immediately headed to his house. He hadn’t planned to proceed this urgently…… But now that he knew all the facts, there was no time to hesitate. He’d gotten the ring from Luna, so once he showered and changed into a suit, what else did he need?
As soon as he entered the house, he placed the paper bag he was holding on the table, and Leo’s steps stopped as he headed to the dressing room. He had prepared a ring to propose immediately whenever he felt Hyedam’s heart fully open, but he hadn’t particularly made a proposal plan.
Difficulty filled Leo’s face as he raised his hand to sweep through his hair. How do ordinary people usually propose? In movies? In dramas? Flowers. Ah! Flowers…… a hundred roses. Leo, whose fingertips had been snapping at the idea that suddenly came to mind, grabbed his hair again.
In the current situation, if he went with a hundred roses, there was a high probability he’d get beaten with the bouquet. Our fool doesn’t seem like he’d like roses either. Then what else is there? He needed something that could plausibly package himself, who couldn’t even be properly recycled.
Things Hyedam likes. Things Hyedam likes……
Leo’s gaze, which had been biting his lips in anxiety, briefly went to his lower body, but Leo, who quickly shook off what filled his head, headed to the dressing room again for now.
Just because he entered the dressing room didn’t mean any particular plan came to mind. In front of the suits lined up neatly by color, Leo was hesitating again. Should I wear a somewhat casual suit? Or dress properly in a three-piece? On top of that, Leo’s head, recalling what colors and designs Hyedam usually liked, was in utter chaos.
Since Hyedam was someone who never said he liked something, there was way too little information. Should I set aside the suit for now and choose a watch or tie first? Leo’s fingertips, who had never experienced agonizing over choosing something, were touching everything he owned.
“Yes. Did you get it?”
When his mobile phone rang and Leo answered on speakerphone, he sighed while standing in the middle of the dressing room.
— We’re in the process of getting the four-leaf clover, and we’re also collecting materials related to the blinds. However, it seems difficult to go to the uninhabited island right now. A flight ban has been issued because rain accompanied by a storm is expected to fall near the uninhabited island currently.
“How can that be? If we go, we go.”
— Flight permission hasn’t been granted.
“Then go to the closest place to the uninhabited island. If we at least get near there, we can enter right away anytime. If we can’t fly, we can go by boat from nearby.”
Leo refuted Robert’s iron-wall words and first opened his travel suitcase. If he couldn’t choose now, he could just take things with him and select them on the plane.
— ……Did something happen to Hyedam-ssi by any chance?
“Uh, ah, no. Anyway, get flight permission and contact me again. If it’s not time for pickup here, I’ll depart straight to the airport……”
Unlike usual, speaking incoherently, Leo threw suits, watches, ties, cufflinks, etc. haphazardly into the suitcase.
— Yes, I understand.
The moment Robert was about to end the call saying he would proceed as is without further objection, Leo urgently called him.
“Robert! What would be good to give as a gift that they’d like?”
— Will you be giving a gift to Hyedam-ssi?
At the question without a subject, Robert pinpointed the exact target and asked again.
“Yeah.”
— I think Luna-ssi would know better than me.
Realizing there was no sharp solution from telling Robert, Leo ended the call and left the house dragging the large suitcase as is. Why is the uninhabited island so far away? He had to depart first and organize his thoughts while going to find the most ideal answer.
But at least there’s a ring. It’s something to have anything at all.
Leo’s confused brain was following emotion rather than reason.
* * *
Hyedam, who woke up from a languid nap on the daybed on the outdoor deck, swept his hair back with both hands as the wind tousled it.
Instead of the burning red sunset, the distant sea was full of heavy dark clouds, and the waves that always made a pleasant lapping sound were rougher than usual.
If he continued sleeping like this, it was obvious he’d get caught in a sudden shower. Since the place had always boasted clear weather during the nearly month he’d been there, the incoming rain clouds felt awkward.
“Why is the weather like this?”
Hyedam picked up the blanket he’d been sleeping under and draped it over his shoulders, stretched languidly, and carefully got up from the daybed. It was one of his recent habits that had formed because he couldn’t endure the rushing dizziness if he got up abruptly like before.
His life was changing from quick, swift, rough, and hasty to slow, leisurely, meticulous, and careful in everything. Rushing to work pressed by time, working, eating on schedule and working again, making appointments with someone—like most people, he too had lived that way.
Though it seemed like he’d lived alone, he’d always been among people. Whether he liked it or not, he formed certain relationships, adjusted to others and situations, and wore the necessary masks for each occasion. But here, there was nothing to worry about.
At first, the trip of leaving alone was frightening. The feeling when he entered the appropriately sized two-story house that he’d only seen in videos couldn’t be explained in words. Even though he didn’t know much about things, he could bet his entire life that everything here was top-grade.
There was nothing lacking, and an abundant and comfortable life was here.
This must be paradise. Though it was an island in the middle of the sea, it wasn’t humid. The sunlight was appropriately warm, and the wind always rustled consistently. When the sun rose, he opened his eyes with it, and slept early as much as the sun set early. There were times he didn’t look at the clock while spending the day.
Not washing for three days due to dizziness and lack of stamina with no one to notice, and having no one to ask for opinions before eating or doing anything really allowed him to spend a comfortable time. He was never lonely or struggling from being alone. Sometimes, no, usually…… often…… quite a lot, the bed where he slept alone did feel empty though.
It was just a wish for the bed to be a little warmer. If he’d known it would be like this, should he have asked Luna to send an electric blanket? As thoughts continued in a chain reaching even strange thoughts, Hyedam bit and released his lips.
Anyway, since it seemed certain the weather would turn bad, he looked around once. He should fold the open parasol and move the daybed somewhere it wouldn’t get wet…… But Hyedam’s worry didn’t continue very long.
Since the parasol had always been open, even if he tried to fold it, he didn’t know how to fold it, and he didn’t have the strength to move the daybed that would obviously be heavy.
Since it’s a rental place anyway, if it breaks, the owner will fix it, whatever. Hyedam, who didn’t think deeply, walked across the deck barefoot and entered the interior. Walking slowly around the house once to check the windows and doors, after showering in warm water, a hum flowed from Hyedam’s mouth.
“Play some songs good for listening on rainy days.”
Though it seemed like talking to himself in the empty space, pleasant music soon began to flow through the house. Hyedam, who entered the kitchen while drying his hair with a towel, took out salad, bacon, and eggs that had been prepared and stored in the refrigerator.
“Boil the eggs, and what else should I eat with salad with crispy grilled bacon?”
Korean food was good too, but lately he liked light brunch-like foods. When Hyedam opened the cabinet next to the refrigerator, various types of bread came into view. Toast? No, bagel? It’s not this either. But I don’t really crave sweets. What Hyedam ultimately chose was a basic croissant.
After putting the eggs to boil and the croissant in the oven, Hyedam, who went in front of the coffee machine he hadn’t touched once since coming here, finally brewed decaf coffee after hesitating for a while.
“It would be disappointing to have croissants without coffee.”
Hyedam’s dimples deepened at the smell of croissants and subtle coffee aroma filling the kitchen. Is he really not looking for me? Should I have submitted a resignation letter instead of a vacation request? Then it was certain he wouldn’t have had this leisure. If that leech-like bastard clung to him probing and interrogating, he would have gotten swept up by him again and obviously couldn’t do this or that.
Hyedam, who sensed the bitter aroma before the deep aroma from the coffee, pulled the shawl draped over his shoulders a bit more to wrap his body and approached the window. As the weather had turned bad, the temperature seemed to have dropped too, so it was good he wore a shawl after showering. Electric blanket and hot packs too…… Hyedam, who had been searching for warmth, soon recalled he would be leaving this place and let out a sigh.
Just need to endure a few more days, whatever.
The dark clouds that had been hanging on the distant horizon even before entering had approached right up close, and the waves were surging violently.
“There’s a fireplace in the bedroom too, should I turn that on today?”
After confirming even raindrops were falling, Hyedam turned his body at the machine’s successive notification sounds and took out the completed items one by one to prepare a meal for himself alone.
