He thought it would rain only very late at night, but it was already falling quite heavily. It looked like it would pour quite a bit.
“I don’t care, but it’ll be hard for you to drive, Director. Traffic jams are annoying.”
“It’s fine. It would be boring alone, but we’re together. It’s fun to listen when Ilkyung-ssi chatters next to me. Are you awake now?”
“Ah, that’s right.”
The sleep that was coming over him completely cleared at the sound of rain. Ilkyung liked clear days, but sometimes he also liked the sound of rain like this heard from inside a car or room. As long as he wasn’t out on the street, a sudden downpour or fierce rain and wind were fine.
“As long as I’m not on the street, this kind of rain is fine for me, but what kind of weather do you like, Director?”
“Hmm, well. I don’t really have weather I avoid, but if I had to choose, I prefer winter over summer.”
“Ah, you don’t like the heat. I do though.”
Ilkyung replied. Since they were pretending to date for show and not really dating, the conversation didn’t continue endlessly. When you’re flirting or dating, you have questions about each other so you talk without knowing how time passes, but if there’s no interest, there’s a limit to conversation.
“Does Ilkyung-ssi like summer?”
“Yes. I like going to the beach to play, and pools too. Mountains are not so great because of bugs though.”
A delicate flower raised in a greenhouse was probably raised preciously by those around them who caught even flying bugs for them. Daehoon thought that and smiled slightly without making a sound.
“Ah, but I don’t really like how the sun is too long in summer.”
“That’s unexpected. I thought Ilkyung-ssi would like long summer days because you can play for longer.”
At Daehoon’s words, Ilkyung made a sullen face. It looked like a small puppy frowning heavily.
“I’m saying I can’t sleep late in the morning because of the sunlight.”
“You can’t sleep in late anyway because of work, so what use is that?”
“There are weekends.”
Daehoon nodded but made a puzzled expression.
“Right now you’re just nodding but your face is making an expression that says you don’t agree.”
“How quick-witted.”
When he replied in a teasing tone, Ilkyung showed an even more dissatisfied face. Even so, he doesn’t know that’s not even as much as a baby animal.
“Tch! But Director, you seem to laugh quite well.”
“I’m not that stiff of a style.”
Ilkyung was lost in thought for a moment then nodded. It seemed like that. Since they clashed so much at work and fought a lot in the beginning, but after starting the contract relationship, the time they spent alone together wasn’t so bad.
* * *
Ilkyung, who had been chattering next to him, had fallen asleep at some point. It was because even though it wasn’t time for traffic, the car kept stopping and going due to the rain that suddenly started pouring.
The rain was getting fiercer, even bringing wind along.
When they were on the highway, it was pitch dark and all you could see were car lights, but as soon as they left the highway and entered downtown Seoul, it was already filled with store signs and noisy sounds.
Actually, Daehoon didn’t like Seoul’s night streets. It was because someone kept coming to mind. The person who loved these night streets so much and liked to be held while looking at the night view.
Daehoon wasn’t unaware of the rumors circulating at the Center. Some said he was a playboy whose pairs couldn’t even last 3 months, and some said seeing how he couldn’t last long with them despite their appearance and personality being flawless, maybe he was impotent.
Daehoon lightly ignored the people who put him on the chopping block and talked about this and that, then because he was annoyed by his grandfather’s continued pressure about marriage, he targeted Woo Ilkyung thinking he should clean things up once. Woo Ilkyung was a completely opposite person from that person he met before. So he was comfortable. Because he didn’t remind him of that person.
He was someone who liked winter and didn’t enjoy alcohol. He would only drink a glass of wine occasionally, and never once showed a disheveled appearance from drinking. A person who was always neat and gentle. Someone who exuded mature charm and tried to handle everything alone. So someone who sometimes made their partner lonely.
Daehoon stared at Ilkyung intently. Someone who likes summer, and whenever he drinks can’t come to his senses from being drunk. Someone who chatters a lot and shows all expressions on his face. Someone like a delicate flower in a greenhouse. A cute person who needs a lot of care but that’s not unpleasant.
“Ilkyung-ssi.”
Ilkyung’s house was slowly coming into view. It seemed he should let him off quickly. Since Ilkyung earnestly requested that he not meet his mother.
“Woo Ilkyung-ssi.”
Ilkyung seemed deeply asleep as he didn’t move at all. Eventually Daehoon stopped the car under the wall and unfastened his seatbelt. Now without turning on the wipers, you couldn’t see ahead. The sound of rain beating on the car roof grew louder and thicker.
“Ilkyung-ssi. We’re home.”
Daehoon gently patted Ilkyung’s shoulder. His thin shoulder had protruding bones. It didn’t seem like he didn’t eat at all, but he probably ate small portions.
“Ilkyung-ssi, Woo Ilkyung. We’re home.”
“Mmm.”
When he spoke informally, he heard it like a ghost and whined.
“Ilkyung-ssi. We’re in front of your house.”
“Mmm, mm? Yes?”
Ilkyung’s eyes flew open. Every time he opened his eyes this wide, Woo Ilkyung looked like a puppy. When he normally bounced around and ran through the Center, he reminded you of a cute puppy, and when they clashed over work, a yapping, growling Maltese came to mind. He would never know even if he died.
“Ah, you startled me.”
Ilkyung looked around frantically. Since he couldn’t see ahead properly because of the rain, he now pressed his forehead against the window and looked outside.
“You’re really noisy. We’ve arrived home.”
“Why didn’t you wake me up!”
If there’s blaming the victim, it’s definitely Woo Ilkyung.
“I told you to just sleep. It’s fine.”
“Ah, I must have eaten too much. I’m sorry. It must have been hard driving in this rain.”
“It’s fine. It’s already late at night. I was originally planning to send you home early.”
When he checked the time, it was already 11 o’clock. Traffic must have been really bad.
“Ah, if you have to go home, Director, it’ll take a lot of time again, so I feel so sorry. Just drop me off at any subway station.”
“How can I do that when it’s raining like this? I don’t know how Woo Ilkyung-ssi thinks of me, but I’m not that heartless of a person.”
At those words, Ilkyung awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.
“Wait just a moment. I’ll put the umbrella over you.”
“No, I can just slip right through the gate.”
“How would that work? When it’s raining like this. There’s no need to get soaked.”
“Ah! Director, Director! No!”
Daehoon ignored Ilkyung’s cries and got out of the car.
“Ah, what the. It’s not like he has an umbrella right behind him either. He’ll get all wet going to the trunk.”
Ilkyung grumbled, feeling unnecessarily sorry. If it was going to be like this, it would have been better for him to get rained on and dash to the gate. He could just go inside the house and wash up with warm water right away, but Daehoon still had to go home.
“Come on, get out.”
The door opened and Daehoon, holding a large umbrella, extended his hand. Ilkyung looked at Daehoon’s hand once, then looked up at him. See, he’s already soaking wet. His neat hair had gotten drenched, but, huh? This is strange. Ilkyung swallowed. Was he still not fully awake? Why was he being like this?
“Watch your step.”
It was dark so he couldn’t see well, but he could see where puddles had formed. Ilkyung took Daehoon’s hand and carefully got out. Daehoon shut the door firmly.
“Even after opening the gate, isn’t there a yard? If it’s okay, I’ll walk you to the front door.”
He hadn’t thought of this. Ilkyung’s house was a detached home, and there was no roof to block the rain on the path from the gate to the front door.
“Then please do.”
Since it had come to this anyway, Ilkyung decided to just accept it all the way through.
“In exchange for granting that request, Ilkyung-ssi should grant me one request too.”
“Of course!”
What request all of a sudden? But right now, Ilkyung wanted to do anything.
“There’s a car watching us over there. So let’s pretend to be lovers for a moment.”
“What?”
Before he could even look toward where the car was, his chin was lifted and Daehoon’s lips overlapped with his.
