Ha Daehoon answered in an indifferent tone and skillfully turned the steering wheel.
“But where are we going?”
“Does Ilkyung-ssi like sashimi? There’s an omakase place I go to often—is sashimi okay? If you prefer meat, I can cancel and go to a meat restaurant instead.”
“Whatever is fine. Don’t we just have to pretend no matter what we eat?”
“Since we’re eating anyway, it’s good to eat something delicious. It would be more natural to have a happy expression when you’re with your lover, wouldn’t it?”
“Ugh, can’t you not say that ‘lover’ thing?”
Even if he was going to act as a lover for one month, he wanted to hear talk of ‘lover’ this and that out loud as little as possible. But Ha Daehoon wasn’t so easy.
“If we’re going to do it, shouldn’t we do it properly, my dear lover?”
“Ugh, this is crazy.”
“Or should I change it to a different term of endearment?”
Ilkyung was about to ask what that different term would be when he shook his head vigorously. It felt like something worse would pop out.
* * *
The restaurant was smaller than expected. But it was a private room, so the space was independent and perfect for dining quietly. Perhaps because Ilkyung lived in a house with many family members, he liked quiet spaces like this.
“Is the restaurant atmosphere okay?”
At Daehoon’s question, Ilkyung fiddled with the glass placed in front of him and nodded.
Actually, he’d worried about what to do if it felt awkward enough to die with Director Ha. They’d only bickered and fought at the Center—they’d never had a proper conversation, so worry inevitably came first. But well, it wasn’t as bad as expected. Of course, they did squabble a bit on the way.
Perhaps he’d made a reservation and ordered the menu in advance, because as soon as the two sat down, food started coming out one after another.
“If it’s okay, would Ilkyung-ssi like a drink?”
“What about you, Director?”
“I have to drive. If Ilkyung-ssi wants, you can have a drink. I’ll make sure to take you home safely.”
“No way? These days who gives out their address? It’s such a dangerous world!”
At Ilkyung’s words, Daehoon chuckled.
“How far do you think I investigated about Woo Ilkyung-ssi?”
Ah, right. This guy was that kind of guy. He’d forgotten for a moment.
“Then I’ll drink something strong.”
Ilkyung glanced at Daehoon and answered without hesitation.
“From what I saw that day, you don’t seem to hold your liquor that well, so drink lightly.”
“I hold my liquor well!”
Ilkyung had a strange pride in drinking even though his tolerance wasn’t very high. It was because he learned to drink wrong. Following his drinking-loving noonas, this result came about.
“Won’t your family be surprised if you come home drunk and carried in?”
“That won’t happen.”
At Ilkyung’s bold claim, Daehoon said he understood but ordered sake with low alcohol content among them.
“Does the food suit your taste?”
“Yes, and the alcohol is delicious too.”
Ilkyung drank well, sipping away. Watching that, Daehoon wondered what he was going to do drinking like that, but he didn’t stop Ilkyung. Daehoon picked up his phone and stood up from his seat.
“Eat slowly. I’ll make a call and come back.”
“Yes, please do.”
Leaving behind Ilkyung raising his glass again, Daehoon exited the room. And right in front of the room, he came face to face with his grandfather. Since it was the picture Daehoon expected, his expression was calm.
“What brings you here?”
“I came to eat, with my lover.”
At Daehoon’s words, Chairman Ha’s eyes grew as big as saucers.
“You really came with your lover?”
“What would I gain by lying?”
Chairman Ha stared beyond the door of the room as if seeing through it.
“That won’t let you see my lover’s face. Save the looking for next time. We really just came for a simple meal today, so if Grandfather suddenly says he wants to meet them, they’ll be surprised.”
Daehoon knew his grandfather too well, so he cut off the sprout from the beginning.
“Hmph! Fine, I understand. Bring them next time.”
“We’ll see. They’re really shy of strangers…”
“I said save the meeting for next time.”
Chairman Ha glared with his eyes narrowed thinly at his grandson who changed his words so quickly.
“Who said I’d let you meet them? Just look. From afar.”
“Is this old man bothersome, so you’re playing tricks now?”
At Chairman Ha’s words, Daehoon sighed.
“Grandfather, are you saying I’m sitting here lying right now?”
“No, that’s not it…”
Chairman Ha was endlessly weak to Daehoon. When his cherished grandson narrowed his brow and said something, Chairman Ha quickly made excuses saying no. He was worried that his grandson who wouldn’t do as he wished would go further astray.
“Then enjoy your meal. Next time, see them at the main house.”
“Alright. I’ll pay the bill.”
That statement also sounded to Chairman Ha like he would bring his lover to the main house, but there was no subject. Chairman Ha knew how meticulous his grandson was, yet he got caught like this every time.
Daehoon bowed slightly and went back inside the room. He’d known in advance that his grandfather would come to this restaurant at this time. Daehoon had long ago won over to his side the person Chairman Ha had planted to monitor and report his every move. Now it was rather Daehoon who received reports on his grandfather’s every move.
Hearing that Grandfather had a dinner appointment at this restaurant today with political and business figures, he deliberately brought Woo Ilkyung here. So that he could directly confirm his grandson was with someone.
Daehoon had no intention of showing Ilkyung. A confirmation kill would be nice, but that would inconvenience Ilkyung. Since he had no intention of getting deeply entangled with Woo Ilkyung, that wouldn’t do.
Daehoon hated inconveniencing someone and feeling sorry, being indebted emotionally and worrying about it… getting entangled that way.
Moreover, he didn’t want Ilkyung to be misunderstood as gay. Korean society still had severe prejudice against gays, so if Ilkyung was misunderstood like that, it would be seriously troublesome. Daehoon didn’t want to be indebted to Woo Ilkyung even a little. As Woo Ilkyung said, he hoped they’d act for exactly one month and not get entangled with each other.
It wasn’t that Daehoon didn’t meet anyone at all. He’d also met several people in the UK, whether men or women. He could do so in the UK because paparazzi didn’t stick to him like a pack of dogs there. Also, even if that trivial thing like photos were taken, it didn’t cause particularly great harm to those people who met with Daehoon. Because the atmosphere was different from Korea.
But Daehoon had no intention of revealing it domestically. Just one month—he just needed to let it slip to Grandfather that he was meeting someone, and if no more talk came out, that would be it.
When Daehoon re-entered the room, Ilkyung had fallen asleep with his cheek against the table. It was absurd. It was just a brief moment. How much had he gulped down in that time to become like this?
“Woo Ilkyung-ssi.”
The cheek pressed against the table was slightly squished like chewy rice cake. His skin looked really white and soft. Daehoon sat next to Ilkyung and chuckled.
“Ilkyung-ssi.”
He called again but there was no movement—how much had he drunk? What should he do about this? Daehoon shook the bottle of alcohol placed in front of Ilkyung.
“You didn’t even drink much, yet you’re like this. Woo Ilkyung-ssi?”
Daehoon murmured lightly as if teasing. But even when he spoke like that, Ilkyung just slept with his mouth slightly open. He wouldn’t know even if someone carried him away.
“Should I have ordered something weaker? You insisted so stubbornly that you hold your liquor well. You didn’t listen at the Center, and it’s the same outside.”
Daehoon talked to himself and pondered what to do. First, he had to take Woo Ilkyung out, but like this, it didn’t seem he’d get up no matter how much he shook him awake. He knew Ilkyung’s home, but he wondered if it was okay to take Woo Ilkyung home when he was plastered like this.
“Woo Ilkyung-ssi. Your mother seems quite strict, so won’t you get beaten to death if you go home passed out like this?”
He remembered Ilkyung, whose face turned white when he threatened to tell his family about coming to the matchmaking meeting in drag, asking what he wanted. Daehoon decided to try waking Ilkyung once more.
At the loudly ringing alarm sound, Ilkyung reached out and fumbled beside him.
“Mmmngh.”
Ilkyung roughly turned off the phone alarm he caught in his hand and turned his body, annoyed by the pouring sunlight. The alarm would ring again in 10 minutes, but he wanted to sleep more until then. But wait, why is the sunlight this strong?
