Chief Manager Min answered with a bright smile. Jun-wan also felt her changed reaction.
I’m not worried. He tried to add a word but stopped. He’d already wasted a lot of time. Jun-wan left with a courteous farewell.
Yu-shin woke from a very long sleep only when he felt the urge to urinate. Looking at the clock in the dim light, it was 6:30 in the morning. He’d basically blown an entire day on sleep.
He threw off the blanket, got up, and cleared his foggy mind. He couldn’t remember how long it had been since he woke up this early.
He had no memory of changing clothes, but he was in pajamas. He thought Chief Manager Min must have changed him as usual.
The spot next to him was empty and slightly wrinkled traces remained on the bed sheet. Yu-shin fiddled with his sticking-up hair and debated whether to sleep more or not. He wanted to lie down, but it seemed sleep wouldn’t come anymore.
He slowly entered the bathroom. After relieving himself and finishing washing his face, he took his medicine as usual.
His stomach full of water made a hungry sound. It seemed he’d been starving for a while. Yu-shin grabbed the stair railing and slowly came down to the lower floor. He peeled a plump banana and straddled a dining chair.
While crushing the sweet flesh with his molars, he ruminated on yesterday’s events. He remembered everything that happened when he met Park Jun-wan without exception. He wasn’t particularly embarrassed. Rather, I said everything I wanted to say while drunk, so I feel refreshed.
“Today’s going to be a long day.”
Yu-shin’s face was the very picture of emptiness. With a face swollen from sleeping too long, he just chewed on the banana.
By the way, isn’t the construction finished yet? I definitely heard it would be done yesterday.
Construction materials were scattered messily on the floor, and the vinyl hung like a screen was still there. Thinking he’d have to ask the supervisor when he came, he took another bite of banana.
Just then, there was a presence from the study. Jun-wan came out from inside. Despite the early hour, he was fully prepared for work.
Even seeing Yu-shin awake, there wasn’t a single warm morning greeting. Passing by indifferently, he brewed and drank coffee at the island counter.
Yu-shin stopped chewing and stared blankly at Jun-wan. Am I seeing this correctly right now? His eyelids slowly closed and opened.
“What?”
Jun-wan asked indifferently while holding his coffee cup.
“You’re… wearing it?”
“Didn’t you buy it for me to wear?”
Park Jun-wan was dressed in the suit Yu-shin had bought him. Could it be because of what I said yesterday?
Yu-shin looked the man leaning against the island bar up and down. The one-button Dior suit was the deepest black color in the world. With its classic design, it could be worn easily regardless of season or place.
That brand does have a slim fit originally, but was it this fitted? The suit revealed Jun-wan’s striking physique without reservation. The cleanly falling lines were perfect as if tailored to his body.
Jun-wan had left the jacket unbuttoned. The wrinkle-free shirt, the pants cinching his waist, the thin smooth black tie. Though it was clearly an impeccably neat appearance, it was somehow a sight that made one think impure thoughts.
Yu-shin quickly turned his head away.
I really messed up, he thought.
After Jun-wan left for work, Yu-shin called Kim Sara. Then he got straight to the point.
“Can I return the suits?”
—As if.
He knew it. Yu-shin let out an obvious sigh.
—I won’t do it anyway, but let me hear the reason for the return.
Kim Sara seemed to plan on turning others’ troubles into her own dopamine. Her probing voice was tinged with laughter.
Yu-shin rubbed his face. His head was complicated about how to handle this situation.
“He wore it… and it’s too sexy.”
He still couldn’t forget Jun-wan’s appearance this morning. If he went to work dressed like that, trouble would definitely happen.
“Now I understand why Park Jun-wan refused.”
—…….
“It’s definitely not clothes to wear at work. I didn’t predict that far. I picked the most modest design possible. But when he actually put it on, it was at a dangerous level.”
—What are you talking about?
“Park Jun-wan also knew his clothes-wearing ability was extraordinary. That’s why he only wore plain ready-to-wear clothes.”
Yu-shin spoke seriously. A response should have come back, but Kim Sara remained silent for a while. The call ended without warning. When he tried calling again, he was blocked.
“She’s really mean.”
Where in the world is there a noona who hangs up when her younger sibling is talking seriously?
Yu-shin tossed his phone aside carelessly and gathered all of Jun-wan’s suits and stuffed them in a corner. If the owner of the clothes comes and sees this, he’ll probably think I’ve done something crazy again.
What could he do? He was impulsive about everything. Come to think of it, Park Jun-wan also did something very unlike himself today.
The Park Jun-wan that Yu-shin knew was someone who would never compromise. I don’t know what possessed him.
Did I perhaps beg him to wear it just once yesterday? Yu-shin shook his head. No matter how drunk he was, that possibility was extremely low.
After clearing away all the problematic suits, his mind was at ease. Yu-shin raised both arms and stretched vigorously. Now I can finally start the day in a good mood, he thought.
***
The long, long construction finally came to an end. By hiring several more daily housekeepers, they cleaned up the messy house in half a day.
Yu-shin was personally organizing his painting supplies. Though he had no talent for organization, he always kept materials used for work meticulously arranged.
Rice paper and hundreds of dyes, Yu-shin’s cherished brushes and inkstones were arranged in neat order. Once roughly organized, Yu-shin stepped back and looked around the newly made studio.
The lighting was perfect and he liked the composition visible beyond the full-length windows. The scent unique to dry wood rising from the fine-grained wooden floor pleasantly encompassed the entire studio.
Yu-shin took several photos of the studio and sent them to his mother. They’re making a fuss at the main house saying they’re curious. He appeased their desire to come see in person with photos instead.
“……”
After deliberating, he also sent photos to Jun-wan.
Construction’s done.
I cleaned everything up, so the house will be clean from today.
The read receipt appeared immediately but there was no reply. Since he hadn’t expected one in the first place, there was nothing to be disappointed about.
Yu-shin sat down comfortably on the bare floor. Stretching out both legs and quietly basking in the sun, is happiness really anything special?
While enjoying the afternoon leisure, he calmly pondered what to paint. Though the motivation for picking up the brush again was somewhat impure, once he actually started planning, the creative desire lying beneath slowly began to raise its head.
He suddenly remembered postponed business. Yu-shin straightened his back that had been leaning back and picked up his phone. There weren’t many saved contacts. Among them, he called the person who should be most respectfully served.
“Teacher, it’s me. Have you been well?”
He inquired after his wellbeing in the most refined voice possible. Yu-shin’s teacher abandoned his dignity and responded very joyfully. His beloved disciple always reported before entering into work. The phone call after so long must have been more welcome than anyone else’s.
That evening after sunset, Jun-wan, having left work, stopped his car briefly in front of the house. While waiting for the garage door to open, a taxi entered the alley.
“Oh? Jun-wan.”
Yu-shin opened the taxi door and got out. He smiled brightly, pleased at the unexpected encounter.
Jun-wan slowly looked Yu-shin over. As if he’d been to some important gathering, he was dressed neatly and even wore a necktie. Indeed, nobility flows abundantly.
“You left on time today.”
“Yes.”
“Did you have dinner?”
“I should have.”
“Mm, should we just eat out before going in? Let’s not go far, let’s eat in the neighborhood.”
It wasn’t a bad suggestion. He’d just been thinking how bothersome it would be to prepare dinner today. Jun-wan answered affirmatively and put the car in the garage.
They stopped by a nearby sushi restaurant. The shop was cozy, but there were quite a few dinner customers, indicating it was a popular restaurant. Luckily they were guided to counter seats. After sitting on the long-legged chairs and looking over the menu, they ordered the special sushi.
Jun-wan neatly wiped his hands with a warm wet towel. Then he poured soy sauce into a small dish and placed it in front of Yu-shin.
