“That’s too much. I bring you food every day, serve you with devotion, and yet you put up a wall with me while spreading your legs so easily for Choi Sang-hyuk?”
“That’s…”
“That’s unfair. I’m your lover too. Why do you only spread them for Choi Sang-hyuk? You should do it for me too. Don’t you think so?”
“Ha Jun-seo, I just…”
“Aha, so it’s because I’m just a concubine, is that it?”
“No, that’s not it…”
It was bewildering to see someone who was usually so easygoing suddenly showing blatant jealousy. Hearing Ha Jun-seo say it outright even made Kim Min-seok feel a bit guilty. After all, Ha Jun-seo was also Seo Ha-yoon’s lover. How could he not feel jealous, seeing the person he loved sleep with someone else while rejecting him?
“…I’m sorry.”
Kim Min-seok finally apologized in a small voice.
“Hmm…”
Ha Jun-seo let out a faint sigh, staring intently at Kim Min-seok.
“Tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“Do you like Choi Sang-hyuk?”
“What?”
Kim Min-seok’s eyes widened in shock. Do I like Choi Sang-hyuk? The suddenness of the question was overwhelming.
“Seo Ha-yoon… No, Min-seok, are you the kind of person who just goes around having sex with people you don’t even like?”
“I’m not!”
“Then are you saying you had sex with Choi Sang-hyuk because you like him?”
“That’s…! That’s…”
Kim Min-seok couldn’t answer right away.
“So, do you dislike Choi Sang-hyuk?”
“…No.”
“Then do you like him?”
“…I don’t know.”
“Hmm…”
“Yesterday… I was grateful that he let me visit your place. I thanked him, and then suddenly, Choi Sang-hyuk just…”
“So, you have sex with people when you’re grateful? Then aren’t you grateful to me? I come over all the time, keep you company, and even cook for you.”
“Of course, I’m grateful.”
“Then you should do it with me too.”
“That’s not how it works.”
Kim Min-seok shook his head from side to side. Ha Jun-seo, without breaking eye contact, pinched Kim Min-seok’s cheek.
“See? Seo Ha-yoon is always selfish and mean.”
“….”
Kim Min-seok had an awkward expression on his face.
“Well, whatever. Like I said earlier, I’m just a mere concubine, so I have no right to argue like this anyway.”
“Ha Jun-seo…”
“Instead—well, I wouldn’t call it a replacement—but let’s stick to our plan. Come over to my place like we agreed yesterday. That’s fine, right?”
“Yes. Choi Sang-hyuk said it was okay, too…”
“Shh.”
Ha Jun-seo placed a finger over Kim Min-seok’s lips. Then, leaning in close, he whispered,
“From now on, don’t mention Choi Sang-hyuk’s name again today. If you do, I’ll get pouty, so make sure you remember. Got it?”
“…Got it.”
Kim Min-seok nodded obediently.
“Hurry up and wash up, then change your clothes. We’ll eat at my place.”
“Okay.”
Relieved to escape the uncomfortable situation, Kim Min-seok quickly got up. After washing up and changing at lightning speed, he stepped outside, where Ha Jun-seo was already waiting.
Once they got into the elevator, Ha Jun-seo pressed the button for the first floor. Kim Min-seok looked at him in confusion. The parking lot was in the basement, so there was no reason to go to the first floor.
“But the parking lot is underground?”
“I know. We’re not taking the car. We’re walking.”
“Walking?”
“Yeah.”
Ha Jun-seo didn’t say anything more. Assuming they were going for a stroll, Kim Min-seok stayed silent.
When they reached the first floor, Ha Jun-seo stepped out and started walking ahead. Kim Min-seok followed him, watching his back, but suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening.
—Beep, beep, beep, beep—
Ha Jun-seo was entering a code into the electronic keypad of the apartment building right next door. Soon, the door unlocked, and he stepped inside. When Kim Min-seok just stood there in shock, Ha Jun-seo grabbed his wrist and pulled him along.
“What are you doing?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why are we going into the next building?”
“Because my house is here.”
Ha Jun-seo said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“What?!?”
Kim Min-seok couldn’t hide his astonishment.
“You lived right next door this whole time?!”
“No, don’t get the wrong idea. I used to live somewhere else, but I moved here two days ago. A unit happened to be available.”
“Ah…”
Kim Min-seok’s expression turned uncertain.
The relief of knowing he hadn’t cheated with a man living right next door was mixed with the shock of Ha Jun-seo moving in directly beside Seo Ha-yoon’s apartment. It was half and half.
In the meantime, the elevator came to a stop. Ha Jun-seo entered the passcode on the keypad and opened the door.
As soon as Kim Min-seok stepped inside, he was met with a familiar sight—the exact same apartment layout as Seo Ha-yoon’s. Same size, same structure. It sent a slight chill down his spine.
“Come in.”
Ha Jun-seo gestured for him to enter. Kim Min-seok looked around as he cautiously stepped inside.
Thankfully, the interior was completely different from Seo Ha-yoon’s place. A large piano was placed on one side of the living room, and the overall design was warm and cozy.
“Ah…”
Kim Min-seok let out a small sound of admiration as his eyes landed on the grand piano. Even as someone completely clueless about pianos, he could tell this one was incredibly expensive and high-end.
“Sit down.”
Ha Jun-seo motioned to the couch. Kim Min-seok carefully lowered himself onto it.
With a small smile, Ha Jun-seo walked into the kitchen, took out some oranges from the fridge, and began cutting them into large chunks. Then, he started squeezing them by hand to make fresh orange juice.
Not store-bought orange juice, but fresh juice made from real oranges. Rich people really are on another level.
Kim Min-seok watched the process, slightly mesmerized. Ha Jun-seo’s slender, elegant fingers pressed into the oranges, extracting juice before he poured it into a beautifully crafted glass. It was like watching a painting come to life.
A delicate, handsome face, a tall and well-proportioned body, an impressive career as a pianist, and on top of all that, he was rich. If only his tastes weren’t so… well, extremely deviant, he’d be a flawless person.
Before long, Ha Jun-seo returned with two glasses of orange juice.
Kim Min-seok accepted the offered glass, glancing around the room. But something was missing.
“What are you looking for?”
“The cats.”
“Ah, those little guys. They’ve been on edge since the move, so they’re probably hiding somewhere. I haven’t even seen them properly since yesterday.”
“Ah… well, yeah, cats are pretty timid and sensitive.”
“But since Ha-yoon is here, I bet they’ll come out soon. Let’s wait a little.”
“Okay.”
“Drink up.”
Ha Jun-seo urged him.
Kim Min-seok took a sip of the orange juice. He had expected a huge difference from store-bought juice, but surprisingly, it wasn’t that drastic. Still, watching it being freshly squeezed made it feel healthier somehow.
His gaze kept drifting toward the piano in the living room. The sheer size of it gave it an overwhelming presence.
Noticing this, Ha Jun-seo silently smiled, then stood up and walked over to the piano.
The delicate-featured, fair-skinned man sitting down in front of the grand instrument looked like something straight out of a painting.
“Shall I play you a song?”
“Yes!!”
Kim Min-seok nodded enthusiastically.
Hearing a live performance from a professional pianist right in front of him, and having it played solely for him—what greater honor could there be?
Ha Jun-seo chuckled softly at Kim Min-seok’s enthusiastic reaction and lifted the lid of the piano. Placing both hands on the keys, he paused for a brief moment in thought before his fingers began to move.
A gentle classical melody filled the air. Kim Min-seok had no knowledge of classical music, so he had no idea what piece it was. But just like Ha Jun-seo’s usual demeanor, the song was warm and tender. As he listened quietly, he felt as if his heart was being soothed.
He was completely immersed in the performance. Ha Jun-seo’s pale, beautiful fingers fluttered over the piano keys like butterflies in flight. The sunlight streaming through the large window illuminated his soft brown hair and eyelashes, making them glisten like scattered gold dust. His delicate, focused expression was as beautiful as the music he played.
Someone this amazing and beautiful actually likes me… It felt like a dream.
—Meow.
Just as the performance continued, a sudden cat’s meow rang out beside him. Snapped back to reality, Kim Min-seok turned his head to see a black-and-white cow-patterned cat staring at him with half-lidded eyes.
“Uh… hey there?”
Awkwardly greeting the cat, he slowly reached out his hand. To his surprise, instead of shying away, the cat nudged its head against his palm before promptly climbing onto his lap.
“Uh… wow…”
Kim Min-seok marveled at the cat purring on his lap.
Ha Jun-seo, who had stopped playing and walked over, smiled as he gently scratched the cat’s head with his fingers.
“Looks like they really missed you. It hid in the corner for two whole days and wouldn’t budge.”
“This cat must have been really close to Seo Ha-yoon. I’ve never seen a cat climb onto my lap so easily before.”
“They were very attached to Ha-yoon. And Ha-yoon absolutely adored them, too.”
“I’m not Seo Ha-yoon, but… I guess I’m taking in all the affection—from you, Choi Sang-hyuk, and even these cats.”
Kim Min-seok mumbled, his voice slightly subdued.
“Does that bother you?”
“…No.”
“Then do you like it?”
“…Honestly, yes. But it makes me feel guilty. Because it’s not really mine.”
—Meow.
As if sensing his sudden drop in mood, the cow-patterned cat rubbed its head against Kim Min-seok’s chest.
A smile quickly spread across his face. Too cute. Too lovable.
