“See you later.”
Choi Sang-hyuk placed a kiss on his forehead before turning away.
“See you…”
Seo Ha-yoon bid him farewell in a voice that barely made it past his throat. Then, as if he had barely managed to finish all his tasks, his heavy eyelids slowly drooped. His consciousness plummeted back into deep darkness.
By the time he barely regained his senses, it was midday. A savory, delicious aroma wafted to the tip of his nose, causing his mouth to water even in his drowsy state. His eyelids felt so heavy that he couldn’t tell whether he was still dreaming or awake.
“Ha-yoon. Ha-yoon?”
A gentle voice and soft hands repeatedly called him back from his half-conscious state. It was only after hearing his name several times that he finally managed to open his eyes.
“Ugh…”
The first thing Seo Ha-yoon did upon waking was groan. It felt like he had been pressed down by an invisible weight—he couldn’t move an inch. His waist and hips ached, his legs trembled weakly, and his entire body lacked strength… It was an utter disaster, to say the least.
“Looks like last night was pretty intense, huh?”
Ha Jun-seo smirked crookedly as he spoke, amusement evident in his eyes. The mischief bubbling up in his gaze was impossible to miss. Seo Ha-yoon quickly shook his head.
“No… I think I was just exhausted from traveling all the way from Busan to Seoul.”
Of course, that was a ridiculous excuse. It wasn’t much of a distance, but even if it were, there was no way simply sitting in a car for a few hours could leave him this utterly limp, like a washed-up squid. Ha Jun-seo narrowed his eyes at the obviously flimsy excuse. Then, with a small smirk, he helped Seo Ha-yoon sit up.
“From the looks of it, you were put through the wringer until dawn. You must be starving. Hurry up and eat.”
At the mention of food, Seo Ha-yoon’s feeble body seemed to regain a bit of strength. The delicious scent teasing his nose twisted his insides with hunger.
“Food…”
He murmured the word as if calling out to a long-lost lover, forcing himself to climb out of bed. With Ha Jun-seo supporting him, he wobbled forward on trembling legs.
After seating Seo Ha-yoon at the dining table, Ha Jun-seo lifted the lid off a pot. A billow of white steam curled into the air. The source of the mouthwatering aroma that had been tormenting him all this time was, as expected, kimchi jjigae.
Seo Ha-yoon’s eyes sparkled in delight as he scanned the table—kimchi jjigae, crispy seaweed, rolled omelet, and stir-fried anchovies. It was the perfect combination, no matter how he looked at it.
Ha Jun-seo scooped some kimchi jjigae into a bowl and placed a spoon in Seo Ha-yoon’s hand.
“Eat up.”
He urged. But Seo Ha-yoon’s grip on the spoon was so weak that his hand trembled visibly. Seeing this, Ha Jun-seo clicked his tongue in disapproval.
“Thank you for the meal.”
Seo Ha-yoon quickly muttered his gratitude before moving his spoon. The moment he took a bite of the kimchi jjigae, a familiar taste spread across his tongue, drawing a blissful sigh from his lips.
“Ugh…”
Seo Ha-yoon let out a sound that hovered between admiration and a moan. He scooped up a big bite of warm rice, blew on it gently, wrapped it in a piece of seaweed, and popped it into his mouth. Then, he sliced the rolled omelet in half and shoved it in, following up with a spoonful of kimchi jjigae broth that he eagerly slurped down. Inside his mouth, a beautiful opera of flavors unfolded.
“It’s so delicious.”
He spoke while cooling off the hot rice with a few quick puffs of air. A smile bloomed on Ha Jun-seo’s face.
Breakfast—or rather, lunch—was devoured in a hurried frenzy. It was so incredibly delicious that he felt like he could die happy. The thought that someone who could make such an amazing kimchi jjigae was his boyfriend left Seo Ha-yoon marveling at his own good fortune. He finished his meal with quiet gratitude.
“Thank you for the food.”
Having emptied his bowl without leaving a single grain of rice behind, Seo Ha-yoon set his spoon down and let out a deep, satisfied breath.
“I’m the one who should be thanking you for eating so well.”
Ha Jun-seo responded warmly as he reached over and wiped the corner of Seo Ha-yoon’s mouth with a napkin.
It was only then that Seo Ha-yoon got a proper look at him. As always, Ha Jun-seo was impeccable. Compared to that, he himself…
Realizing that he hadn’t even washed his face or brushed his teeth yet, Seo Ha-yoon sprang to his feet. Showing his boyfriend such a disheveled appearance was absolutely unacceptable.
“I’m going to wash up!”
With that, he dashed into the bathroom. Luckily, he had at least taken a shower and changed into pajamas before bed. If he had just collapsed straight into sleep, it would’ve been a disaster.
That train of thought led him to recall what had happened last night—how he had been moaning Director over and over in the shower, completely at Choi Sang-hyuk’s mercy. His face flushed red at the memory. Who would’ve thought Choi Sang-hyuk would get so fixated on that? It had been completely unexpected. Then again, he had been just as caught up in the heat of the moment, shouting the title just as eagerly.
Seo Ha-yoon scrubbed at his teeth and face like a storm, determined to erase the memories of last night—or rather, the early morning. He splashed his face with cold water for a long time before the lingering heat in his cheeks finally faded. While he was at it, he decided to take another shower. His hair had turned into a bird’s nest from falling asleep right after washing up.
Only after showering and carefully picking out his clothes did he finally step back into the living room. The coffee table was already set with fruit and drinks.
“Jun-seo, you’re really diligent.”
Seo Ha-yoon commented as he sat down beside him. Now that he thought about it, Ha Jun-seo was always preparing meals, setting out clothes, and making sure to say the sweetest things.
“Me? I’m actually really lazy. I haven’t even practiced the piano lately. I spend all day just thinking about you.”
“You still have to practice. You’re a pianist—practicing is part of your job.”
“True, it’s work. But because of you, I haven’t been able to do my job properly. How are you going to take responsibility for that?”
Ha Jun-seo leaned in closer, his voice carrying a teasing edge.
Seo Ha-yoon, having just spent hours tangled up with Choi Sang-hyuk in bed, felt slightly overwhelmed by Ha Jun-seo’s proximity. If the mood between them got too heated, things could spiral into real trouble.
“Speaking of work…”
Seo Ha-yoon quickly changed the subject and subtly pushed Ha Jun-seo away. Lifting his glass of juice to create some distance, he continued speaking.
“I’m planning to start studying for a certification exam today.”
“A certification? What kind of certification?”
Even though he clearly noticed the diversion, Ha Jun-seo let it slide without pressing further.
“A computer proficiency certification.”
“Ah, I see. But why all of a sudden?”
“I got a job offer. Sang-hyuk’s company is hiring me. The condition is that I have to get the certification first.”
“Sang-hyuk’s company?”
“Yeah.”
Ha Jun-seo’s expression darkened.
“What’s wrong? Do you not like the idea of me working at Sang-hyuk’s company?” Seo Ha-yoon asked cautiously.
Ha Jun-seo narrowed his eyes.
“If you work at that bastard’s company, you’ll be spending the whole day with him, won’t you? Day and night, stuck together. How could I possibly be okay with that? We agreed that the three of us would be together, right? That means things should be fair. I get that he’s the main partner, but isn’t this too much?”
Seo Ha-yoon hadn’t expected him to be so resistant. But now that he thought about it, Ha Jun-seo had a point. He quickly tried to explain.
“I’m just getting a job there—it’s not like I’ll be with Sang-hyuk all the time. Originally, he offered me a position as his secretary, but I turned it down because that would mean spending too much time with him. Instead, I’ll be starting as a high school graduate intern. And honestly, Sang-hyuk is an executive. The chances of me, a low-level intern, running into him are almost nonexistent.”
“But still, you’ll be going to and from work at the same place. And more importantly, interns have to obey the executives, right? What if that bastard gets bored and calls you up to his office whenever he feels like it? How do I know he won’t pull you in just to do this and that?”
The way Ha Jun-seo phrased it instantly conjured a vivid image in Seo Ha-yoon’s mind. He imagined being summoned to the executive office, where he’d be made to moan Director over and over while getting thoroughly ravished.
“…Ha-yoon, are you seriously imagining it right now?”
Ha Jun-seo looked at him in disbelief. Seo Ha-yoon flinched and shook his head frantically, but Ha Jun-seo’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.
“I-It’s not like that… It’s just, the way you said it made me picture it without meaning to…”
Seo Ha-yoon murmured in a small, guilty voice. He already felt bad enough for having slept with Choi Sang-hyuk first the night before, and now this was making him feel even guiltier.
“Do you feel bad about it or not?” Ha Jun-seo asked, crossing his arms.
“I do…”
Seo Ha-yoon answered, his voice barely above a whisper. But he quickly added,
“But I still want to work at that company. Be honest—do I have a good education? Do I have any real work experience? A company that would hire someone like me is almost impossible to find. The only jobs I could get would be part-time gigs at best. But Sang-hyuk is giving me a chance to become a full-time employee. If I work hard as an intern, I can become a permanent staff member. I want to work at a real company as a proper member of society. I want to earn my own money, too.”
Ha Jun-seo stared at Seo Ha-yoon, his eyes filled with contemplation. He remained silent for a moment before finally letting out a sigh.
“Well… Considering you only have a high school diploma and a résumé full of part-time jobs, getting into a proper company right now wouldn’t be easy. I get that this is a good opportunity. But you could’ve asked me, too. I could’ve found you a decent position as well. I even have the connections to get you into a really good place. Why are you giving Sang-hyuk all the credit and ignoring me? Do you not trust me?”
“It’s just that Sang-hyuk brought it up first…”
“What, are you taking Sang-hyuk’s side now just because he’s the main partner?”
“N-no, that’s not it…”
Seo Ha-yoon was at a complete loss. The situation was so uncomfortable that he was practically breaking out in a cold sweat. Seeing this, Ha Jun-seo suddenly chuckled. He reached out and lightly poked Seo Ha-yoon’s forehead with his finger.
“See? Look at you. How are you going to survive in this cutthroat world when you’re this naive? If someone pressures you, you immediately apologize and don’t know what to do with yourself. Do you really think you’ll be able to handle working at a company like this?”
“Wait… You were just messing with me?”
“Half-joking. The other half was serious. I mean, I do feel a little hurt. But still, don’t be so soft all the time. Honestly, it was easier when you used to be an inconsiderate brat. No, wait—if you were too rude, you wouldn’t be able to handle working at a company either… So maybe just half of that? No, that’s too much. How about a fifth of it?”
Seo Ha-yoon tried to imagine himself acting as brash and selfish as he apparently used to. But it just didn’t seem possible. Would his original personality come back once more of his memories returned? Or would he simply regain his past without any change to his current self? He wouldn’t know the answer until the time came.
“Anyway, you do feel guilty about this, right?”
“I do.”
“Then, as compensation, come over to my place and spend the night today.”
“At your place?”
“Yeah.”
“Mm….”
