“What?”
“I asked if you remember that incident.”
“…Honestly, I don’t remember that. It was 15 years ago. My older brother liked bringing friends home, so the house was always noisy with people coming and going. Nothing stood out in my memory.”
While Junghyun candidly admitted that he didn’t care enough about his older brother to remember his friends unless they caused trouble, Jaehyuk drove the car into the parking lot of a low two-story building. As he did so, he threw out words with a subtle, insistent tone.
“Surely there must be someone you remember?”
“Not at all.”
“Among your brother’s friends, wasn’t there someone particularly eye-catching, impressive, and cool that comes to mind?”
“There weren’t any cool people among my brother’s friends.”
“That can’t be. There must have been one very cool and impressive person.”
“Not at all.”
“Think carefully.”
At those words, Junghyun fell into deep thought. But he still tilted his head as if he really couldn’t remember.
“Still nothing.”
“That can’t be possible. As someone in their early teens, you should naturally remember alpha types?”
“I told you already. I’m not greatly affected by other people’s hormones.”
“…Not at all?”
“I can’t say not at all, but barely.”
“…Come to think of it, that’s true.”
If Junghyun had been the sensitive type, he wouldn’t even be able to sit in the same car like this.
Looking at it that way, he might not remember. It’s not like he himself had been that impressive.
“That’s quite a convenient trait.”
“Like I said. It’s the merit of being a recessive omega. Comfortable and healthy.”
While they exchanged trivial, meaningless conversation, the car had already arrived in front of the building.
“Get out.”
When Jaehyuk saw the employee approaching the car door and said that, Junghyun also prepared to get out and casually continued the conversation.
“It really is close. I guess you only move within this area.”
“Because everything I need is here.”
“Oh, typical chaebol.”
“Wouldn’t it be the same for you?”
“I was kicked out of that house when I was twelve, so I grew up normally.”
Seeing the valet employee approaching, Jaehyuk unlocked the doors and muttered seriously.
“You saying you grew up normally is the most awkward thing I’ve heard all year.”
Grimacing as if comparing it to warm ice cream or cold hot chocolate, Jaehyuk stepped out as soon as the valet opened the car door. When Junghyun also rose, the hot sunlight was bearing down directly on his skin.
The air was dry and cool, but the sunshine was strong.
Although the temperature had risen slightly compared to the morning, it was good weather for walking. As they cheerfully walked toward the entrance, Jaehyuk, who had just gotten out of the car, frowned after checking his phone screen.
It seemed like there was some bad news.
But since he couldn’t act like it was his business, Junghyun approached him while checking the message, and Jaehyuk, who immediately took his eyes off the phone, naturally put his arm around his waist. Then he whispered into his ear with a somewhat serious tone.
“Come to think of it, there’s something we haven’t discussed yet…”
“What is it?”
“What’s our limit on skinship?”
“…Skinship?”
“Yes, it doesn’t matter at home, but when we’re outside like now or attending official events together.”
“For example?”
“Hugging, putting an arm around the waist, kissing.”
After briefly pondering the question of how far was acceptable, Junghyun promptly set a boundary.
“Hugging and putting arms around shoulders and waist is fine.”
When he said just what we did this morning, Jaehyuk smiled and asked again.
“What if I offer extra compensation?”
“…How much?”
“0.1% of JS Holdings shares.”
“…0.2.”
“No. 0.1. Even that’s a lot.”
At this eye-opening offer, Junghyun quickly did the calculations.
Though the number itself looked small, even 0.1% represented a considerable amount of money.
And if it was just for skinship…
“Fine. Deal. 0.1%.”
“Then what’s the limit?”
“Everything except sex is possible.”
As he looked up at him with his best smile despite looking like he might get muscle aches, Jaehyuk smiled back.
“That won’t be necessary, so keep it to yourself.”
Though he was smiling, his tone somehow sounded harsh, meaning he would never have sex with him even if he died.
That was fortunate.
“Then, what do you want?”
“A kiss.”
“That much is fine, anytime.”
The moment he said it was no problem since they’d made a deal, Jaehyuk pulled Junghyun’s head without hesitation and kissed him.
A bit deeply, inserting his tongue slightly, and deliberately doing a somewhat intense kiss while standing in front of the building entrance as if showing off, before slowly parting his lips. For some reason, Junghyun was looking up at him with a surprised face.
Seeing this unexpected side of the usually shameless and composed guy, Jaehyuk also hesitated, and Junghyun immediately touched his neck somewhat awkwardly.
“I was just surprised because it was so sudden.”
“…You were?”
“I am surprised, actually. And I was also taken aback because it was deeper than I expected, especially outdoors.”
“It’s for show.”
At those words implying it was for reporters who might be somewhere around, Junghyun didn’t ask further as if he had anticipated that.
He just kept rubbing his neck with a slightly awkward expression.
Seeing Junghyun’s surprisingly shy reaction despite having boldly claimed that anything except sex was possible, Jaehyuk looked at him as if viewing a strange creature, and Junghyun immediately changed the subject.
“By the way, do you use perfume?”
“Perfume is a matter of manners. But why suddenly ask that?”
“…It felt familiar.”
“It’s a custom scent, but the top notes and base notes are commonly used fragrances, so you’ve probably smelled them before.”
“What’s the base note?”
“The base note is probably amber and cedarwood.”
“…I see…”
Looking at his thoughtful expression, Jaehyuk stared at Junghyun’s hair and asked.
“What about you?”
“Pardon?”
“You smell nice.”
He had noticed it when standing right next to him, but there was a subtle, sweet scent that didn’t seem like perfume.
It was a sweet and cool floral scent.
Like lavender and citrus, or perhaps freesia.
“I hardly ever use perfume. Except when I go to work after drinking until dawn.”
“Good to know you have that much sense of manners.”
“Early in my career, our CEO, who had been drinking with me all night, came to work three hours later reeking like food waste. So when I drink until dawn, I make sure to shower and put on perfume before going out.”
“What about today?”
“I didn’t use any.”
“What do you usually use?”
“I don’t know what grooming products are there since the old man put them in, and when there’s nothing, I just wash with soap.”
“Whether it’s soap or shampoo, it suits you well.”
Until now, he had rarely felt that someone else’s scent was pleasant, but strangely, he liked Junghyun’s smell.
Yesterday he had been too preoccupied to think about such things and hadn’t been close enough to notice, but standing right next to him now, he could clearly sense it.
It was a good scent.
Somewhat exciting.
Having a conversation that felt like a real couple for once, they passed through the automatic doors into the building, where they could see an employee waiting inside approaching them.
Dressed in an elegant suit with impeccable posture, the man greeted them respectfully before guiding them to the showroom.
And so the weekend was passing by.
* * *
“For something rushed, the results are good.”
Getting into the car after quickly finishing their furniture shopping, Junghyun remarked with genuine admiration.
For a collection limited to items that could be delivered within two weeks, the showroom was perfect. In fact, if the dealer hadn’t mentioned it beforehand, he wouldn’t have noticed at all.
Not just furniture but bedding, small accessories, and even electronic devices like lighting and turntables—everything harmonized without any awkward elements.
“That’s what money is for. The wallpaper and flooring work will take about a week if we start right away. If you want to move in earlier, you can move your belongings afterward. How much stuff do you have?”
“Almost nothing. Two suitcases and two boxes should be enough. Just clothes and a laptop. I’ve disposed of most books too. And I don’t have many clothes either. Besides, I don’t need furniture or bedding.”
“You only have that much clothing?”
“I only keep clothes I actually wear, so I clean out and throw things away each season change. But since I’ve lived in that house for a long time, there might be more stuff than expected. I also have my ex’s belongings that I need to return.”
“Your ex?”
“We used to leave things like game consoles and clothes at each other’s places. Yongwoo also has quite a few things at our place since his workplace is closer to my house. They sometimes come and hang out even when I’m not there, so there will probably be a lot of stuff. If it were just mine, I could throw everything away, but I’ll have to tell them to come get their own things.”
“Take your time organizing then. I’ll handle CEO Lee’s side.”
“How?”
“With one phone call.”
“Just a phone call?”
“What else?”
At Jaehyuk’s retort asking what more needed to be done, Junghyun quickly racked his brain.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
