“…I know.”
“Really? Nah… I don’t think so.”
Seojun’s sweet confession tickled his ear.
“Let’s sleep in tomorrow, us. I can leave at lunchtime tomorrow.”
“…Good night, Seojun-ssi.”
“Good night. Soohyun-ssi. I love you.”
“……”
Soohyun had never once responded to Seojun’s confession that he whispered before going to bed every day. However, after hearing his confession, Soohyun would burrow into Seojun’s embrace and silently stroke his chest.
“…Me too… I do….”
Today too, Soohyun only opened his mouth after hearing Seojun’s steady breathing. Seojun didn’t hear his answer again today.
* * *
“Soohyun-ssi, a guest is coming today.”
“A guest…?”
“Yeah. A guest. Are you uncomfortable by any chance?”
Seojun made a very troubled face. Watching the ends of his eyebrows droop toward the floor, Soohyun shook his head.
“That’s not it. When Seojun-ssi’s guest is coming, I’m not in a position to say anything.”
“Why are you talking like that? We live together…. I should have told you sooner. I forgot to tell you yesterday.”
“It’s okay. You’ve been very busy lately. Preparing for filming….”
Recently, Seojun had been spending hectic days ahead of full-scale movie filming. He went to action school to learn movements, took acting lessons, and exercised, so it was common for him to leave in the morning and return late in the evening.
“I think they’ll come around 8 later. Can I just ask you to prepare the meal? Like usual. Don’t worry just because a guest is coming.”
“Ah… yes. I’ll do that. But Seojun-ssi.”
“Yes?”
Soohyun looked at his eyes and then shifted his gaze.
“…The fact that I live here…. Does the person coming today know? I’m worried it might put Seojun-ssi in a difficult position…. I can go out somewhere for a while… or should I stay in my room?”
“Soohyun-ssi….”
Seojun held Soohyun’s hand, which was avoiding his gaze. His chest felt cold and his insides ached.
“No. You don’t have to do that. There’s no reason to. We’re not doing anything wrong.”
“But….”
“You don’t need to worry about such things. See you this evening. Okay?”
“Yes. Then have a good day.”
After Seojun left, Soohyun’s hands became busy. Although he had lived with him for over three months, this was the first time a guest was coming to the house. Even Jinwoo, the manager, had never once come to Seojun’s house during this time, but a guest. Soohyun decided he needed to clean more carefully today and put on an apron.
‘I think I should pay a little attention to the food for the guest.’
What kind of person would be coming? Would it be Seojun’s friend? A colleague? Could it be someone from the agency? Soohyun thought about various possibilities and then shook his head. No matter how much Seojun said it was okay, if the fact that he was living in this house became known to outsiders, there would be nothing good for Seojun.
‘What should I do….’
Soohyun stood blankly in the living room, lost in thought.
* * *
Ding-dong— Ding-dong—
Having just set the dinner table, Soohyun took off his apron when the bell rang. Soohyun’s face looked beautiful, dressed in the neatest and most proper clothes among the clothes he usually wore at home, with his hair neatly arranged. Moreover, on Soohyun’s chest was even the name tag he received when registering at the center.
[Housekeeper. Lee Soohyun]
The name tag, which was said to have been made to give a sense of belonging and pride to people working at the center, had Soohyun’s name written in quite neat handwriting. The gold name tag looked quite convincing and matched very well with Soohyun, who had even put on a white shirt and black suit pants.
Not long after the bell rang, the sound of the front door opening was heard. Soohyun headed to the entrance without making footsteps. He thought about hiding in the room, but felt he should at least greet the guest.
“Welcome.”
“Soohyun-ssi, you came out?”
Seojun was no different from this morning. Soohyun bowed to him, who entered the house with an easygoing, good-natured smile. He wanted to appear only as an employer-employee relationship to his ‘guest’ who came today.
“I prepared the meal.”
“Thank you. Soohyun-ssi.”
Soohyun still had his head bowed. He became curious about who was following behind Seojun, but soon erased his curiosity. It would be someone unrelated to Soohyun anyway.
“Choi Seojun-ssi, the house is very nice.”
“I visited Director-nim’s house… I’m embarrassed that you’d say such a thing.”
“Not at all. It’s really nice. Thank you so much for inviting me today.”
Soohyun quietly listened to the conversation between the two. And he realized that today’s guest was the movie investor he had talked about the other day. He said Director-nim, I think….
“But who is this person…?”
“Ah, Soohyun-ssi? This is the person living with me. He takes care of the house.”
“Aha. I see.”
Soohyun raised his head. It was strange. He felt a sense of unfamiliarity, or more precisely, familiarity, toward the man who was Seojun’s guest. The scent brushing past the tip of his nose, the voice too… why is it so….
“I see. Very enviable.”
When he raised his head and confirmed Seojun’s ‘guest,’ Soohyun froze in place like a fossil.
“Nice to meet you for the first time. My name is Jang Seokhyeon.”
Soohyun couldn’t say anything. No, more precisely, he couldn’t. While Seojun briefly entered the bedroom, Seokhyeon looked at Soohyun with a very relaxed smile. Soohyun’s face was not just white but pale blue.
“You’re greeting me but not accepting it. Lee Soohyun-ssi.”
Seeing his face fully reflected in Soohyun’s eyes, which had grown so large they couldn’t seem to grow any larger, Seokhyeon smiled very pleasantly. This feeling! This thrill! Soohyun is finally… finally looking at me! Not that bastard Choi Seojun, but me…!
“Director-nim. Could you wait in the living room for a moment?”
“Yes, I understand.”
Seokhyeon brushed past Soohyun as is and sat on the living room sofa with a calm face.
Soohyun was still in that place.
“……”
The moment he saw the man’s face, Soohyun’s vision went dark. He couldn’t believe that the person in front of him right now was really ‘that man.’ Wasn’t Seojun’s house safe? Why was he here? Why…?
“Huk, huk, huk….”
His breath was being cut off. The nightmare he had briefly forgotten came creeping up in his mind. Ah, no. If I have an attack here again… Seojun will definitely think it’s strange. What should I do?
Soohyun barely moved his body. He felt like he couldn’t move even a finger, but he was desperate. Even if everyone in the world knew, he didn’t want Seojun, at least Seojun, to know what had happened between him and that devil-like man.
When he turned his head and looked toward the living room, Seokhyeon was looking at Soohyun. Soon he moved his vilely twisted lips.
‘Soo.hyun.ah. I.missed.you.’
How can you… no, how dare you… say something like you missed me. Soohyun blocked his mouth as a scream was about to burst out.
“Director-nim. Let’s have a meal. If it’s okay with you, can Soohyun-ssi join us?”
“I’m fine with it. The more bustling the dinner table, the better.”
Soohyun turned his head. He couldn’t know exactly what kind of face he was making right now, but it was definitely different from usual.
“Soohyun-ssi, let’s have dinner together.”
“……”
“Soohyun-ssi?”
Seojun approached Soohyun. What should I do? What should I do? Various thoughts flashed through Soohyun’s mind during the few seconds he walked toward him.
“I… I… ate… dinner. So please eat just the two of you.”
“I see. It can’t be helped. But Soohyun-ssi.”
Soohyun clasped both hands together to hide his miserably trembling hands. His fingernails were digging into his flesh with all the strength at his fingertips, but that wasn’t important.
“You’re not sick anywhere, are you? You don’t look well.”
“No. I’m fine. I’m sorry, but can I go in and rest first?”
“What? Please do.”
“Thank… you.”
Soohyun quickly turned around. He put strength in his legs with each step, worried that his weakened legs would stagger. Just a few more steps and he’d be at the room.
