He said he felt the same way—how could I possibly say no? Brushing off the unease from earlier, Yu Je-hyun raised their joined hands.
He pressed a kiss firmly onto the back of Lee Haru’s hand, pale to the point of looking almost translucent. Haru flinched and glanced sideways at him in surprise.
There were others in the elevator with them.
Thankfully, everyone else was too preoccupied with their phones to notice what had just happened between the two.
Haru, who hated being looked at even for a moment, frowned slightly. Yu Je-hyun lowered his head, bringing his lips close to the curve of Haru’s ear.
“I’m planning to eat a lot today. You okay with that?”
“Of course. I’ve got plenty of money too.”
With each word, Yu Je-hyun’s lips brushed against the edge of his ear, making it tickle. Haru twitched his shoulder but turned to meet Yu Je-hyun’s gaze.
Just as Yu Je-hyun leaned in, unable to resist the impulse, Haru quickly raised a hand and covered his mouth.
“…Later. This is a public place.”
The way he whispered, trying to look stern, was so adorable that Yu Je-hyun almost didn’t care who was watching—he wanted to pounce on him right then and there.
But if he did that, Haru would probably swear off eating out for a while. So like a well-trained beast, Yu Je-hyun obediently straightened up.
Just then, the elevator arrived at the top floor. There was only one entrance in the spacious hallway.
Holding hands like an unmistakable couple, they walked toward it. A staff member in a navy uniform greeted them with a warm smile.
“Welcome. Do you have a reservation?”
“Yes. Under Yu Je-hyun.”
“Got it. Right this way, please.”
After confirming the name on a tablet, the employee signaled to another waiting staff member to lead them inside.
As they followed, Haru could feel people’s eyes tracking Yu Je-hyun.
Most of the tables were occupied by what looked like couples, but men and women alike were openly staring at him, practically hypnotized.
Haru instinctively stepped in closer.
Of course. People’s tastes really were the same. Yu Je-hyun was already strikingly handsome, and dressed in a sleek suit, it was like he was radiating some irresistible pheromone.
“Right this way.”
The table Yu Je-hyun reserved was partially enclosed with partition walls, giving it a private, intimate atmosphere.
Only once they passed through the divider and escaped the gazes of others did Haru finally let out a deep sigh.
“Haah…”
“Feeling okay? You suddenly look really pale.”
“I’m fine.”
Yu Je-hyun reached out and gently brushed Haru’s cheek with concern. The staff, reading the mood, gave a small bow and discreetly left.
“I think I’ll feel better after a glass of water.”
At Haru’s words, Yu Je-hyun lightly rang the bell on the table. A nearby waiter appeared, smiling as if painted on.
“You called?”
“Yes. Could we get some water first?”
“Of course. One moment, please.”
After making the request, Yu Je-hyun guided Haru into his seat. Even after taking his own seat across from him, he kept a close eye on Haru’s expression.
“You’re really not feeling sick? We could still go to the hospital if you need.”
With Yu Je-hyun’s intense gaze fixed on him, Haru might as well have been made of glass. A bit of stress, and he’d get a fever. A slight change in weather, and he’d catch a cold.
Yu Je-hyun had stayed up nursing him through enough fevers to take every little sign seriously.
“I just realized… having such a ridiculously handsome boyfriend is kind of exhausting.”
“What?”
Yu Je-hyun let out a surprised laugh at the unexpected comment. Haru didn’t seem ill after all, so he relaxed a little.
Yu Je-hyun had already noticed the stares—they were nothing new. He was just used to ignoring them.
“Should I take this off? Maybe then people will stop staring.”
“…Are you being serious right now?”
The moment he reached for his tie, looking like he might actually undress, Haru stood up from his seat in alarm.
“I’ll get your water ready.”
Had the waiter not shown up at that exact moment with a tray holding a water pitcher and glasses, Haru might’ve dashed over and grabbed Yu Je-hyun’s hands away from his shirt.
Yu Je-hyun, clearly joking, let his hand fall back down. As soon as the glasses were filled, he handed one to Haru.
“Drink some water first. Can I go ahead and order for us?”
“…Okay.”
Still pulling himself together, Haru took a sip of the lemon-scented water. With how unpredictable Yu Je-hyun could be, he had honestly thought he was about to strip right there.
Taking another sip, Haru quietly watched as Yu Je-hyun began listing menu items in a low, smooth voice.
It wasn’t just his imagination—the waiter’s smile really did twitch slightly at the sheer amount of food ordered for just two people. A reaction like that was nothing new.
After placing the order, Yu Je-hyun immediately turned back to Lee Haru, his gaze warm and soft, like he could never get enough of looking at him. Embarrassed, Haru subtly raised his glass to shield his face.
“You’re being extra cute today.”
“…Me?”
“Yeah. You.”
Every time Yu Je-hyun called him cute, Haru’s face would burn. Neither his original body nor this one had anything remotely “cute” about it.
“You said you had something to tell me. What is it?”
Trying to escape the awkwardness, Haru quickly changed the subject. Yu Je-hyun shrugged casually.
“What’s the rush? Let’s eat first. Aren’t you hungry? I’m starving.”
He rubbed his stomach in an exaggerated motion. Only then did Haru realize he had skipped a meal himself.
As if sensing their hunger, a waiter arrived with a tray holding rice cakes topped with edible flowers and a teapot.
“Your welcome dish is ready.”
The golden plate held a selection of beautifully presented tteok, so appetizing they made Haru’s mouth water just looking at them. Dyed white, green with mugwort, and yellow with gardenia, the bite-sized pieces were placed one by one on plates set before them.
Steam rose gently as tea was poured into their cups. As the liquid filled the porcelain, flower buds placed at the bottom slowly began to bloom.
“Please enjoy.”
With a polite bow, the server quietly stepped away. Haru watched the blooming tea with fascination.
“Find it that interesting? Want to pick up some on the way home?”
“Let me taste it first.”
The appearance gave no real clue to the flavor. Curious, Haru took a sip.
“…Why that face?”
Yu Je-hyun mimicked him and took a sip too, but Haru’s expression made him fight back a smile.
“I mean, it looks nice, but…”
“But it barely tastes like anything?”
“Yeah.”
Exactly. It looked gorgeous, and the floating petals were captivating—but the actual flavor was barely there. So faint it made him think of accidentally sipping a flower-scented lotion. Honestly, plain water might have been better.
“This kind of tea is mostly for the visuals. But if you savor it, the taste starts to come through. Try it with the tteok—it hits different.”
Following his suggestion, Haru picked up the small fork and brought a rice cake to his mouth.
The soft, chewy texture gave way to a burst of sweetness. Only then did he realize it was filled—there was red bean paste inside.
“It really does taste better with the tteok.”
The tea washed down the lingering sweetness cleanly. Just as they finished, the appetizer arrived.
“We’ve prepared canapés topped with fresh abalone sashimi and sea urchin.”
The abalone was the size of Haru’s palm. He couldn’t help but compare the two side by side. Dry ice fog swirled around the plate, giving it an almost dreamlike aura.
When he saw the bright orange sea urchin roe, his mouth instinctively watered. He’d always been curious about the taste but could never bring himself to try it because of the price.
“You’re about to drool. Go on, eat it.”
Yu Je-hyun laughed softly, amused by Haru’s wide-eyed stare.
Bringing him here was definitely the right call.
It had been a struggle to get a reservation at a place like this, but seeing Haru so genuinely excited made it more than worth it.
I should probably wait until dessert to give it to him.
He kept his expression neutral, but the weight in his suit pocket was hard to ignore. Casually, Yu Je-hyun brushed a hand across his chest.
His palm caught on the slight bulge hidden just over his heart.
