(Part 2 Beginning)
Outside the window was full of sparkling lights and charming decorations.
Hyowoo gazed blankly at the scenery with sleepy eyes.
‘People here are really diligent. It’s pretty…’
To put in so much effort not at a department store or downtown area, but at an ordinary home. He felt anew that this wasn’t Korea.
Compared to the surrounding neighbors, this house was simply decorated only at the front door. Due to the owner’s busy schedule, decorating the entire exterior had been impossible from the start. Instead, a large Christmas tree placed in one corner of the living room was showing off its splendid appearance.
‘At first it was incredibly fascinating. Now even this scenery is familiar.’
It had already been five days since arriving in London.
He had come with Taeseo, but now Hyowoo was alone in this house.
‘That bastard Taeseo… Just wait until we go back to Korea.’
Taeseo had only stayed at her cousin oppa’s house for one day after arrival.
The next afternoon, she walked out dragging her still-unpacked suitcase and said.
“I’m meeting my boyfriend in Scotland this evening.”
At the out-of-the-blue statement, Hyowoo stopped her at the entrance.
“Hey, you didn’t say your boyfriend was coming.”
“Huh? Didn’t I tell you?”
“No, you didn’t. This is the first I’m hearing of it.”
“I thought I mentioned it. Sorry, I must have forgotten.”
“You should forget things worth forgetting. What am I supposed to do alone if you leave?”
“What do you mean what are you supposed to do? You two can spend time together lovey-dovey.”
Saying the intruder would disappear and even throwing in a fresh wink, she left without looking back.
At the unexpected situation, Hyowoo stared blankly at the front door in dismay.
‘…This was definitely the plan from the beginning…’
When he asked Lee Seohee if he had known, he also laughed in disbelief, saying he had no idea.
After his friend’s sudden exit, Hyowoo waited alone for the owner of the house today as well. Just as he had for the past five days.
Being left alone with him wasn’t particularly uncomfortable. However, his heart had grown a bit heavy.
‘If my parents knew I was alone with my alpha boyfriend at his house, they would definitely faint…’
When he brought up wanting to go on a graduation trip, Hyowoo’s mother had readily given permission without any suspicion. She had even given him plenty of spending money, saying she was relieved he was going with a friend even if it was abroad.
In contrast, his father had stiffened at hearing the destination. He seemed to know well what it meant for Hyowoo to go to London. However, he ultimately didn’t tell him not to go.
His father’s opposition remained unchanged. Nevertheless, the reason he sent him off without saying anything was because he vaguely guessed that it was thanks to Lee Seohee that his son, who had been ailing until a month ago, was laughing again, eating again, and had barely come back to life.
‘I had vowed not to make my parents worry…’
His father’s eyes as he saw him off to the airport were still vivid.
Eyes mixed with disappointment, worry, and pity. Though his heart ached, Hyowoo ultimately couldn’t give up Lee Seohee.
“Just the fact that it’s Seohee-ssi was shocking enough for even my usually calm father to react like that, but if Mom were to find out… she might really collapse… And if I told her we’re even sharing a room…”
Currently, Hyowoo was staying in Lee Seohee’s bedroom.
On the first day, he had unpacked his luggage in the third-floor guest room.
But perhaps it was the jet lag. The next evening, Hyowoo, whose body had been languid all day, was spending time with Pie in his bedroom instead of the living room, when he ended up drifting off to sleep on the bed.
When he opened his eyes, it was already dawn. He was in Lee Seohee’s warm and cozy embrace.
‘…Am I actually not sensitive but rather dull? Otherwise, how can I fall asleep so easily like this?’
Hyowoo had always struggled to sleep without fail when his sleeping environment changed.
In fact, on the first night after arriving in London, he hadn’t slept a wink in the guest room. Yet by Lee Seohee’s side, sleep came to him strangely easily.
The next day, he tried sleeping in the guest room to avoid being a burden to him, but unfortunately, he spent another night wide awake again. After that, he had no choice but to sleep together in his bed.
Even Gyeonwoo, who had teased him to be careful not to get squashed, had earnestly pleaded with him to definitely use separate rooms when he heard Hyowoo would be staying at Lee Seohee’s house. Because he couldn’t keep any of the promises he made to his family in one way or another, Hyowoo felt great guilt.
‘By the way, is Seohee-ssi okay? He couldn’t have slept much…’
Thanks to Christmas, one of England’s biggest holidays, approaching right around the corner, London was full of energy wherever you went.
Last night, the streets had been especially bustling and full of excitement.
The two of them also enjoyed the excited atmosphere and roamed the streets until late at night, returning home close to 2 AM.
‘I slept until lunchtime, but how tired must Seohee-ssi be…’
Hyowoo was a college student on winter break, but Lee Seohee was an active Premier League player.
There were definitely matches every weekend, and on weekdays, team training continued for about five hours without missing a single day.
Moreover, since he was the captain, he had far more things to pay attention to—not just individual training but also coordinating teamwork and communicating with the coaching staff.
‘Even though we went to sleep at the same time, Seohee-ssi woke up at 5:30 AM again today.’
Lee Seohee finished light jogging with Pie and even completed his personal study before leaving the house at exactly 7:10 AM.
For an athlete, physical condition was life itself.
So Hyowoo was careful not to take away his stamina and time, and occasionally said several times that he would go out alone. However, Lee Seohee rushed home as soon as training ended. And then from famous tourist spots to pretty shops to restaurants frequented by locals—he took Hyowoo around like a guide.
Last night too, after thoroughly exploring downtown, they had returned late from stopping by London’s oldest pub to watch a live band performance.
While he was grateful for his thoughtfulness in trying to take care of everything and create enjoyable memories, Hyowoo’s apologetic feelings also grew, feeling like he was only being a burden for nothing.
‘He’ll be very tired today, so I should suggest we just have dinner and come home early without going anywhere.’
Sipping the half-cooled coffee, Hyowoo looked at the clock on the wall.
3:10 PM. If he just waited 30 more minutes, Lee Seohee, who had finished training, would open the front door and come in.
Though the time alone waiting for him to return could have been boring, Hyowoo was happy enough to make his heart flutter even during the waiting time.
And as happy as he was, he was anxious.
‘Really… is this okay like this…?’
A sharp pain suddenly began seeping into his lower abdomen.
The countless scars remaining on his body. Especially whenever he saw this surgical scar, Hyowoo thought he could never be happy for the rest of his life.
Because he believed that anyone who knew about his past and physical condition would pity him but could never accept him.
However, just as when he confessed about his horrible past, even after learning about the surgical marks, Lee Seohee’s attitude remained unchanged.
As always, he was affectionate and embraced Hyowoo more warmly than anyone.
That’s why Hyowoo’s guilt deepened even more.
‘Even with this incomplete body, is it okay to be happy? What if Seohee-ssi becomes unhappy because of me…?’
It was when he was immersed in negative thoughts, pressing down on his lower abdomen with his right hand trying to endure the pain.
He felt something touch—*tok*—his leg.
Coming to his senses and looking down, a faint smile spread across Hyowoo’s face.
“Pie, what’s wrong? Are you bored?”
What had touched his leg was none other than his companion dog Pie.
Hyowoo carefully stroked Pie’s head as he held the leash in his mouth and sent him a longing gaze.
“Because I overslept, we couldn’t go for our lunch walk, right? I’m sorry. Let’s go out later when Dad comes home.”
As if understanding the words, Pie put the leash down on the floor and wagged his tail gently.
Hyowoo, who finished the remaining coffee, walked to the sofa in the middle of the living room. When he settled down and tapped the seat next to him with his hand, Pie jumped up onto it.
Pie, who let out a huge yawn as if his mouth would tear and lay down on the sofa, placed his head on Hyowoo’s lap. The way he glanced up at Hyowoo seemed like he was acting cute, asking to be adored.
According to Lee Seohee, Pie wasn’t the type to follow other people well. But in front of Hyowoo, he acted cute like a puppy only a few months old.
“You had your third birthday party just last month, but our Pie is still a complete baby?”
When he stayed still, Pie made a pitiful whimpering sound.
Finally, when he even tapped Hyowoo’s hand with his front paw urging him, Hyowoo chuckled and stroked Pie’s head. But his expression quickly sank at the texture touching his fingertips.
‘How much must this small, gentle child have hurt…’
