“Of course. You’re more than welcome.”
Alexander’s eyes, which had been quietly gauging Yeon Yiseo’s reaction, softened with warmth. That subtle but dramatic shift made Yeon Yiseo feel reassured about the decision he’d just made.
But his composure was quickly shattered by the loud grrrrrk of his stomach. It felt like someone had dumped ice water over his head.
“I guess I had lunch a little early… I’m feeling a bit hungry. Would you join me for a light snack before dinner?”
Yet Alexander didn’t make him feel embarrassed. He reframed the situation as a kind suggestion, offering it gently and without judgment. Was that kind of consideration something you were born with? Probably. And if it was something he had to work at, it was even more impressive.
Yeon Yiseo, feeling his cheeks grow warm, subtly touched them and nodded.
“Salmon canapés or tomato basil bruschetta—which would you prefer?”
“The bruschetta sounds good.”
“All right. Then would you wait for a moment on the sofa?”
Yeon Yiseo blinked in surprise. Wait? Was he saying…
“Wait—are you making it yourself?”
“Did you think I was going to call someone else to do it?”
“Well, yeah. I mean… cooking is hard, isn’t it?”
Yeon Yiseo blurted out the truth before he could catch himself, and Alexander found his honesty amusing.
“Bruschetta isn’t that difficult to make. And you’re not here as my secretary right now, you’re my invited guest. If you’d like, would you like to come watch me make it?”
“I-I’ll help you make it.”
Even if Alexander had called him a guest, it wasn’t that easy to change mental roles. He couldn’t just sit idly by and watch the CEO prepare food.
“Then let’s do that.”
Thankfully, Alexander smiled and accepted the offer with a twinkle in his eye.
***
“Thanks for the food.”
“I’m glad it suited your taste.”
The tomato basil bruschetta with ricotta cheese was simple, but incredibly flavorful. Maybe it was the high-quality olive oil. The lightly toasted baguette was perfectly crisp and matched the toppings beautifully.
And since they were at it, Alexander also made another bruschetta—this one with salmon, avocado, and capers. Topped with pickled red onions soaked in vinegar, salt, and pepper, then finished with a dash of oregano, it was delicious.
Conversation between them flowed easily, and the meal went on far longer than expected. It started at the dining table and eventually moved to the coffee table in the living room.
In the end, what was supposed to be a light snack turned into a full meal, capped off with—of all things—a frozen pizza.
Frozen pizza. The very idea felt out of sync with someone like Alexander. Yeon Yiseo had always imagined him as the type to eat premium steak at luxury hotels. Then again, hadn’t he also introduced Yeon Yiseo to a burger joint recently? Alexander was much simpler and more down-to-earth than he seemed.
“Maybe it’s because we made it together, but everything tasted even better.”
Yeon Yiseo let out a dry laugh. All he’d done was place the ingredients Alexander had prepared onto slices of bread.
Alexander had noticed that Yeon Yiseo still didn’t have full strength in his hands and had insisted on handling all the knife work himself. They both knew it, but Alexander acted like he didn’t, and that small gesture spoke volumes about the kind of person he was.
“Good thing you didn’t hurt your lip on the baguette this time.”
“Oh… yes, thank goodness.”
That had been the excuse he used to hide the injury from when Jeremy hit him. Yeon Yiseo gave an awkward smile and nodded.
“I thought I made too much, but we ended up finishing it all without realizing.”
That was true. He could barely remember how it happened. They’d paired it with a nameless champagne that went shockingly well with the food.
Though he’d only had about a quarter of a glass—too little to even count as a proper drink—it was full of fruit notes and lightly carbonated, more like a sparkling juice than alcohol.
When Yeon Yiseo hinted that he wanted more, Alexander had gently but firmly told him that, since he was receiving pheromone supplementation today, it would be best to stop there.
When Alexander stood to clear the plates, Yeon Yiseo tried to help, but was gently stopped with a smile.
“You can stay seated. You’re probably still feeling a bit weak. Just relax. Besides, the dishwasher will take care of the rest.”
“In that case, I’ll take you up on that.”
As he tried to stand, he felt slightly dizzy, so Yeon Yiseo obediently followed Alexander’s advice.
With his eyes closed, his hearing sharpened. Despite the size of the house, he could clearly hear the small, careful sounds Alexander made as he moved—rustling, gently placing plates down.
Those quiet domestic noises, just the presence of another person sharing the same space, brought an odd sense of comfort.
Looking out the window, he saw the sky had gone completely dark. What was supposed to be a quick bite had somehow turned into dinner.
When he checked the time, he was stunned.
Four and a half hours.
That’s how long the meal lasted.
He’d never had a meal that long before. For Yeon Yiseo, eating was usually a rushed necessity. If he even had the chance. Going hungry wasn’t unusual either.
Eating, for him, had always just been a way to fill his stomach—fuel for his body.
But not this time. This time, he ate and felt emotionally full. It was an unfamiliar, almost magical experience. Maybe this is what it really means to have a meal.
Reclining on the sofa, he felt something soft against his hand and opened his heavy eyes. It was the blanket Alexander had mentioned earlier.
Touching it idly, he ended up draping it over himself, marveling at how light and warm it was—soft, like Alexander’s pheromones.
The champagne seemed to be kicking in. He could feel the warmth spreading gently through his body.
Thank goodness he hadn’t drunk more.
Letting out a satisfied breath, Yeon Yiseo must have dozed off without realizing it.
He stirred slightly, sensing movement, and slowly opened his eyes. Alexander looked apologetic.
“Did I wake you?”
“…Ah.”
“I was about to carry you to bed.”
“…Okay…”
Yeon Yiseo nodded, naturally wrapping his arms around Alexander’s neck. He closed his eyes again, breathing softly as he let his body relax into Alexander’s arms.
Alexander paused briefly, then lifted him.
Yeon Yiseo tightened his embrace slightly, drawn in by the warmth of his body.
“…It was really good…”
Yeon Yiseo murmured drowsily.
Alexander chuckled softly.
“Was it? I’m glad.”
“I hope… you feel the same.”
A deep rumble of thunder echoed.
Yeon Yiseo opened his eyes.
Alexander looked surprised that he’d suddenly stirred.
“Don’t be scared. I’m here with you.”
With that, Yeon Yiseo leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Alexander’s forehead.
Why did he do it? He couldn’t explain.
He just… wanted to.
But he didn’t have the energy to dwell on it.
He gave in to the comforting pull of sleep, letting himself drift away.
***
When he came to, Yeon Yiseo jolted upright in shock.
First, the unfamiliar ceiling startled him.
Then he realized Alexander was sleeping beside him—that shocked him even more.
Finally, he noticed he wasn’t in the guest room, but Alexander’s bedroom.
If the two of them had been sleeping entangled or holding each other, his heart might’ve given out on the spot.
Sunlight poured through the windows, as if last night’s storm had never happened.
But the brighter the day, the heavier Yeon Yiseo’s heart felt.
What the hell happened?
Checking his clothes, he could tell they hadn’t had sex. He really had just… slept. Which somehow made it even more surprising.
How did it end up like this?
Yeon Yiseo tried to recall the hazy events of last night.
Even though he’d drunk much less than his usual limit, his weakened condition had made him tipsy quickly.
He hadn’t been able to leave Alexander alone, knowing he was afraid of thunder.
They ate dinner together. Drank a bit of champagne. Alexander cleared the table while Yeon Yiseo waited, and in that short time… he’d fallen asleep. And then, when Alexander had tried to move him—
“…Hrk.”
Yeon Yiseo sucked in a breath.
He remembered now.
He’d wrapped his arms around Alexander’s neck on his own.
Sure, at the time, it had seemed natural—Alexander had carried him many times before. But now, fully awake and thinking clearly…
What the hell was I doing?!
Baby enjoy the moment. I know your past is still a bit of a Myserty to us but enjoy being with Alex. It’s okay