Chapter 112
His back stiffened automatically under the piercing gaze. Cheong-yeon swallowed dryly before answering.
“I came to take some of my things that are here.”
“Your things?”
“…”
“Those are mine now.”
Do-heon corrected Cheong-yeon’s statement.
“…”
It was technically true, but it was absurd to see him seriously insisting that Cheong-yeon’s flamboyant idol merchandise now belonged to him.
“Come on. What would a company executive like you do with idol merchandise…”
Cheong-yeon fidgeted with the costume in his hands while talking back.
“Do I need a reason to explain how I use my possessions?”
“Well, not really.”
Cheong-yeon cautiously lifted his head and gauged Do-heon’s mood. He appeared to have just come out of the bedroom after sensing someone’s presence, as his usually neat hair was sticking out in all directions.
He was typically someone who barely moved in his sleep. Despite having seen him many times right after waking up, it was rare to see his hair in such a disheveled state.
Because of this, Cheong-yeon felt his lips twitching, despite the serious situation of being caught trespassing. If he let his guard down even slightly, he might burst into laughter.
“So why would you steal idol merchandise owned by a business executive like a thief and use it somewhere?”
Do-heon’s serious question made Cheong-yeon unsure of his mood.
He seemed annoyed, but also not. His typically expressionless face and voice made it even more confusing.
Let’s try being submissive for now.
“The broadcasting station asked me to submit items I used in the past as reference materials by today. Since I’m showing them, I wanted to pick out nice ones to give them… I’m sorry.”
“So you were going to take them without telling the homeowner? That’s quite an innovative idea.”
Do-heon clicked his tongue.
“I-I did tell the kitchen lady beforehand.”
“Is she the owner of this house?”
“Well, no, but she said I could come anytime, and coincidentally the password was still the same…”
Even to himself, his excuse seemed terribly flimsy.
“Then you should have changed the password. Why didn’t you change it?”
“You must be very curious about me. Whether to change the password or not is my decision.”
There was nothing to say in response to his sarcastic remark, even if he had ten mouths.
The problem was that he had thought too casually about entering this house from the beginning. No matter how accommodating Do-heon and his employees were to him, he should have found another way rather than visiting directly.
After racking his small brain, Cheong-yeon decided to change the subject.
“By the way, why are you at home at this hour, Director?”
“I was busy with work and got off in the early morning. I’m taking the day off today.”
“Huh?”
Can you really get off work not just in the middle of the night but in the early morning of the next day?
Cheong-yeon looked up at Do-heon with astonished eyes.
Is the employee also on vacation because Do-heon isn’t going to work? No, in that case, she should have told him in advance that he would be at home. If she had, he wouldn’t have been caught sneaking in.
For a moment, resentment toward the employee surged. Somehow, he could almost picture her face, smiling mischievously while looking back and forth between Do-heon and himself.
“I’ll leave as quickly as possible so I don’t disturb your rest.”
“So, have you chosen everything?”
“Not yet. Anyway, can I take the things here?”
“What are you going to take?”
Do-heon bent down to match eye level with Cheong-yeon, who was still sitting on the floor after being startled earlier.
His gaze, resting on DEX and Cheong-yeon’s personal merchandise, showed rare curiosity.
“This… I’ve chosen the costumes, but I haven’t decided which photos to take yet.”
Fearing that Do-heon might change his mind and refuse, Cheong-yeon explained his ongoing deliberation in as much detail as possible.
Should I have just taken everything without selecting? But that would be too much.
He had thought there wouldn’t be many photos since his active period was short and he didn’t appear on music shows often, but looking at the collection, there was considerably more than he expected.
“How about this one?”
Cheong-yeon picked up a Polaroid photo of him with Kim Ji-han and asked Do-heon. In the photo, both of them were wearing star-shaped glitter stickers on their cheeks, holding microphones, making V signs, and smiling brightly.
“This one is better.”
Do-heon chose a photo where Cheong-yeon’s face appeared blurry due to camera shake.
Cheong-yeon immediately frowned.
“Are you joking?”
“Wait. What kind of photoshoot was this that you’re all naked? Who took this picture?”
Do-heon’s voice suddenly dropped to a serious tone as he rifled through the photos.
“What are you talking about?”
With furrowed brows, his fingers holding the photo turned white from how tightly he was gripping it.
He held the photo out to Cheong-yeon as if demanding an explanation.
Perhaps due to the camera flash in the backstage, despite wearing a nude-toned costume, at first glance it did appear as if he wasn’t wearing clothes, as Do-heon suggested.
Cheong-yeon blushed and snatched the photo from Do-heon.
“It’s just that the costume color is beige. If you look carefully, you can see I’m wearing clothes.”
Cheong-yeon explained while pointing out the boundary between bare skin and clothing with his finger. Even though he found the situation amusing, his lips moved automatically.
Suddenly, a wave of reality hit him as he realized the pathetic position he was in, having to explain such things.
In contrast, Do-heon’s reaction remained cold.
“Why would a singer need to wear revealing clothes? Isn’t singing enough?”
“It’s a stage costume, I couldn’t help it.”
“How many more times did you wear this kind of costume?”
“If you’re going to keep nagging, give it back to me. I’ll choose alone.”
“Don’t take this one.”
“Why not!”
“Because it’s mine.”
“Haah. …Fine.”
Cheong-yeon rolled his eyes and responded glumly. Originally all these items were his, but Do-heon’s petty behavior, acting as if they had always been his possessions, was irritating.
However, Cheong-yeon was the one who had left the merchandise here, and he was in no position to argue since he had entered the house without permission.
Despite how petty and annoying it was, he had no choice but to do as Do-heon said.
“Anyway, can I take these as they are?”
Cheong-yeon, sitting cramped alongside Do-heon on the floor, gathered the carefully selected photos and merchandise.
“I’ll lend them to you, but there’s a condition.”
“L-lend? What condition now?”
They’re all my things, yet he’s talking about lending them?
Cheong-yeon shot him a sharp look.
“Choose the clothes I’ll wear to work this week before you go.”
And Do-heon answered, looking satisfied at Cheong-yeon’s agitated reaction.
*
“Seriously, he’s not a child… asking me to choose his clothes.”
Cheong-yeon grumbled as he opened all of Do-heon’s closets in the dressing room and pulled out shirts. He had thought he could leave right after collecting what he needed, but being detained for such a ridiculous reason had left him thoroughly annoyed.
“It was you who chose clothes for this grown man every time.”
“That was when we were married.”
Cheong-yeon retorted tersely, then searched for a vest that would match the shirt he had just taken out.
Sponsorship contracts, pregnancy issues, family matters—with nothing resolved, here he was leisurely picking out clothes in Do-heon’s house. The world had gone mad.
Cheong-yeon glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. He had worried about being late for his afternoon schedule, but fortunately, there was still time.
Come to think of it, the bird’s nest on Do-heon’s head had disappeared—perhaps he had tidied up during the brief moment Cheong-yeon had gone to the bathroom before entering the dressing room. He had also changed into outdoor clothes.
Now he looked like the flawless Do-heon that Cheong-yeon knew.
Leaning against the wall, he was carefully observing each of Cheong-yeon’s movements as he selected clothes. His gaze was so intense that it felt like being under surveillance.
With Do-heon’s clothes all around, his pheromones permeating the air were quite strong. Though not unbearable, Cheong-yeon silently took out a jacket without showing any discomfort.
“Did you hate this too?”
“What?”
Cheong-yeon tilted his head questioningly as he hung a garment back on the rack, not liking it.
“You said you hated everything related to me. Hated eating, hated the gifts I gave.”
“Ah.”
“So did you hate choosing clothes for me too?”
“…No. I liked it.”
After hesitating, Cheong-yeon answered honestly.
“I’m glad there was at least one thing you liked.”
Do-heon muttered to himself.
Cheong-yeon couldn’t find words to respond and just fidgeted with the clothes in his hand.
Preparing Do-heon’s work outfits for a week didn’t take long. After all, it was something he had done frequently throughout their marriage, so he could find where everything was even with his eyes closed.
“I’m done.”
Cheong-yeon announced as he closed the packed closet doors. Do-heon nodded without even checking inside. Though he appeared particular, he tended to wear whatever Cheong-yeon chose without complaint, so this was expected.
After closing the closet doors, Cheong-yeon picked up the shopping bag he had prepared to leave.
Then he spotted their wedding photo standing in the corner of the dressing room.
“…”
Why hasn’t he thrown it away and instead pieced it back together?
It had originally hung in the living room, but after Cheong-yeon tore it, there were distinct creases and tear marks all over it.
Seeing the photo of Do-heon and himself, with its ugly cracks, gave him an odd feeling. Cheong-yeon stared blankly at his younger self in the picture, smiling broadly with an innocent expression.
Coming to this house still made his stomach churn. The tightening feeling in his solar plexus was unwelcome.
“I’ll be going now.”
“I’ll see you out.”
As if he had planned to escort him from the beginning, Do-heon took out his car keys from his pocket. Cheong-yeon wondered why he had changed into outdoor clothes when he wasn’t even going to work.
But Cheong-yeon shook his head and hastily turned away.
“I can go by myself.”
Before Do-heon could catch him, he left the room without looking back.
Only after fleeing through the front door did Cheong-yeon stop to catch his breath.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
