Light Mr. XX Side Story 19

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Extra Side Story: Happy Birthday

In the sweltering heat of summer, there’s nothing better than killing time in a cool café with the air conditioning blasting, sipping on an iced Americano.

Seo Ha-yoon took a sip of his iced Americano, his eyes fixed on his phone.

Tok. Tok. Tok. Tok. Tok. Tok.

A light, rhythmic tapping sound rang out as he typed on his phone’s keypad.

[Watch]

Seo Ha-yoon narrowed his brows as he stared intently at the screen.

A watch, huh…

But he had already given Choi Sang-hyuk a watch as a gift before.

Tok. Tok. Tok. Tok. Tok. Tok.

Seo Ha-yoon deleted the word “watch.” He then continued to stare at the notes app before moving his fingers again.

Watch. Necktie. Perfume. Belt. Wallet. Shoes.

He wrote down a list of gifts suitable for a man’s birthday, only to erase them one by one. Some he had already gifted before, while others felt too insignificant. Choi Sang-hyuk had given him so much—shouldn’t his birthday present be something truly special?

But for something grand, Seo Ha-yoon’s salary wasn’t exactly generous enough…

“Hmm…”

He let out a soft sigh, staring at the now-empty notes app once more.

“What’s got you staring so hard?”

A voice, tinged with amusement, rang in his ear. Startled, he turned his head to see Ha Jun-seo smiling at him.

“Jun-seo hyung, when did you get here?”

Seo Ha-yoon set his phone down on the table as he asked.

“Just now.”

Ha Jun-seo glanced at the phone lying face down on the table before giving a short reply and taking a seat across from him.

“Did you wait long?”

“Not really.”

Seo Ha-yoon shook his head, putting the straw back in his mouth and taking another sip. Ha Jun-seo narrowed his eyes slightly, shifting his gaze between Seo Ha-yoon and the phone on the table. Seo Ha-yoon felt a sudden pang of guilt.

Today was supposed to be a long-awaited date. He didn’t want Ha Jun-seo to realize he’d been so preoccupied picking out Choi Sang-hyuk’s birthday present that he hadn’t even noticed when he arrived.

‘He didn’t see me writing and erasing over and over again, did he?’

Seo Ha-yoon thought to himself, forcing a nonchalant expression.

Ha Jun-seo looked at him with an amused glint in his eyes. That look alone told Seo Ha-yoon everything. Damn it. He definitely saw.

“What were you so focused on?” Ha Jun-seo asked, smiling.

“Why are you asking when you already know?”

Seo Ha-yoon, who was never good at acting or lying, shot Ha Jun-seo a slight glare as he replied. Seeing his pouty expression, Ha Jun-seo let out a soft chuckle.

“What about you, Jun-seo hyung? What are you getting?”

Seo Ha-yoon seized the moment and asked without hesitation.

“What do you mean, what am I getting?”

Ha Jun-seo feigned ignorance.

“Choi Sang-hyuk’s birthday present. What are you planning to give him?”

“Why the hell would I give that bastard a birthday present?”

Ha Jun-seo’s eyes narrowed in irritation. Seo Ha-yoon took another sip of his iced Americano, suppressing the urge to sigh.

Sharing Seo Ha-yoon between them—Choi Sang-hyuk and Ha Jun-seo.

The three of them were tangled in a complicated relationship that was impossible to explain to anyone else. Seo Ha-yoon constantly found himself caught in the middle, carefully navigating between the two men who seemed ready to tear each other apart. He knew better than to hope they would suddenly become best friends, but a small part of him selfishly wished they could at least get along a little better.

“You want me to go as far as getting that bastard a birthday present?”

Ha Jun-seo’s voice was soft, but beneath it lay an unmistakable sharp edge.

“I mean… I wasn’t saying you have to get him anything.”

Seo Ha-yoon, whose courage was about the size of a rat’s droppings, quickly shrank back, mumbling under his breath.

Usually, this kind of timid expression would make Ha Jun-seo crack a smile in no time. But today, he simply stared at Seo Ha-yoon with narrowed eyes, his mood evidently foul. It was the kind of look that made Seo Ha-yoon nervous—like he was plotting something mischievous, maybe even a little wicked.

Unlike his usual charming and well-mannered self, Ha Jun-seo could be downright terrifying when he got sulky. And it seemed like the mere mention of Choi Sang-hyuk’s birthday had hit a nerve.

“So? Have you decided on a gift for Choi Sang-hyuk?”

Ha Jun-seo finally broke the silence. Seo Ha-yoon instinctively nodded before quickly shaking his head.

“Is that a yes or a no?”

Ha Jun-seo’s voice carried a faint hint of amusement.

“I still haven’t decided.”

Seo Ha-yoon absentmindedly stirred the ice in his drink with the straw, then rested his chin on the table, letting out a quiet sigh.

“No matter how much I think about it, nothing really stands out. If I give him something I’ve already given before, it feels lazy and thoughtless. But if I go for something extravagant, it’s too expensive.”

“Hmm…”

“Isn’t there something special I can give him that doesn’t cost a fortune?”

Seo Ha-yoon glanced at Ha Jun-seo as he asked. Ha Jun-seo tapped his fingers against the table for a moment before breaking into a slow, amused smile.

“Want me to recommend something? A very special gift.”

“…What is it?”

Instead of nodding right away, Seo Ha-yoon eyed him warily.

When dealing with Ha Jun-seo, who had a slightly sadistic streak, it was always best to keep up a certain level of caution.

Ha Jun-seo glanced around, subtly scanning their surroundings before curling his finger at Seo Ha-yoon in a beckoning gesture. Seo Ha-yoon followed his lead, checking to make sure no one was watching them. Once he confirmed they weren’t being observed, he leaned in toward Ha Jun-seo.

Ha Jun-seo brought his lips close to Seo Ha-yoon’s ear and began whispering in a low voice.

***

Ding!

A message notification chimed.

Choi Sang-hyuk, who had just finished signing off on a document, picked up his phone to check the message.

The sender was Seo Ha-yoon.

[Are you still not done? Come straight home as soon as you finish work. No excuses! Promise me!]

A fleeting smile crossed Choi Sang-hyuk’s normally impassive face as he read the message.

The wall clock already pointed to 8:10 PM.

Seo Ha-yoon had likely finished work and arrived home by now. Judging from the hints he had been dropping over the past few days, he was probably busy preparing a birthday party for Choi Sang-hyuk. Or, by this point, the preparations might already be complete.

Choi Sang-hyuk glanced at the remaining stack of documents he had yet to review. Even if he rushed through them, it would take at least another thirty minutes. Normally, he wouldn’t have given it a second thought and would have simply picked up the next file.

But today, Seo Ha-yoon had sent him a rare message urging him to come home. There was no way he could focus on work now.

Letting out a faint sigh, Choi Sang-hyuk gathered the remaining documents and set them aside.

Descending to the underground parking lot, he got into his car, started the engine, and immediately set off for Seo Ha-yoon’s apartment. Though he drove at a leisurely pace, he felt an odd sense of urgency, unconsciously tapping his fingers against the steering wheel each time he hit a red light.

A birthday party, huh…

He wondered what sort of ridiculous surprise Seo Ha-yoon had cooked up this time. The man had probably scraped together what little money he had, agonizing over what to buy before finally picking something out. He had likely attempted to cook dinner, too—despite his hopeless skills in the kitchen.

Recalling last year’s birthday party—the cufflinks he had received as a present and the meal that had been difficult to call delicious—Choi Sang-hyuk’s lips curved slightly.

Even the short wait for the elevator in the apartment’s underground parking lot felt needlessly frustrating. A pleasant anticipation stirred within him, sending a wave of warmth through his chest.

Ding.

The elevator finally arrived. Stepping out, Choi Sang-hyuk instinctively reached for the keypad to enter the door code, but then hesitated.

Instead of pressing the code he had long since memorized, he did something he had never done before—he rang the doorbell.

The chime of the doorbell echoed through the apartment.

Choi Sang-hyuk imagined what kind of expression Seo Ha-yoon would have when he opened the door. Fresh out of the shower, wrapped in a white bathrobe, would be a good look. Then again, a well-fitted suit—something he could slowly peel off—sounded just as appealing. Or perhaps the simple combination of jeans and a casual shirt had its own charm.

As he contemplated the best way to undress him, the doorbell’s chime faded into silence.

But Seo Ha-yoon, who should have rushed to the door with a flushed face, was nowhere to be seen.

Frowning slightly, Choi Sang-hyuk pressed the doorbell once more.

Choi Sang-hyuk pressed the doorbell again.

Yet, once more, the door remained closed. He listened carefully, but there was no sign of movement inside the apartment.

His previously relaxed expression tightened. With a slightly urgent motion, he unlocked the keypad and pushed the door open.

Darkness and silence greeted him. The only light in the apartment came from the automatic sensor near the entrance, casting a faint glow into the otherwise pitch-black space.

There was no scent of food. No flickering candlelight from a cake. No gift boxes. And most importantly, no sign of Seo Ha-yoon.

An unsettling silence filled the air.

“Seo Ha-yoon?”

Stepping inside and kicking off his shoes, Choi Sang-hyuk called out. But no response came.

A feeling of unease brushed against his mind.

His jaw tightened as he clenched his fist and moved cautiously across the dimly lit living room.

The closet and dressing room doors were wide open—no sign of an intruder. His footsteps were silent as he approached the tightly shut bedroom door. A faint sliver of light seeped out from the gap beneath it.

As he listened carefully, he heard the muffled sound of someone struggling inside.

“Seo Ha-yoon?!”

Without giving himself time to assess the potential danger, Choi Sang-hyuk shoved the door open.

And froze.

“Mmgh… mmph…!”

Tear-filled, glistening eyes turned to him, pleading desperately.

Tension drained from Choi Sang-hyuk’s rigid body, replaced by something much heavier.

He exhaled sharply, dragging a hand over his face. His sigh overlapped with Seo Ha-yoon’s muffled, feverish whimpers.

“…Seo Ha-yoon, what the hell is this?”

His voice was slow, measured—dangerously so.

Seo Ha-yoon, gagged by a plastic ball the size of a golf ball, frantically shook his head.

Instead of unfastening the leather strap that secured the gag, Choi Sang-hyuk let his gaze travel over the bed.

By the flickering candlelight, he took in the sight before him.

The pale, naked body was bound tightly with black leather belts, stark against the soft sheets.

Drool trailed from the corners of Seo Ha-yoon’s gagged mouth, dripping down his chin. A black leather collar encircled his neck, and clamps—of some kind—pinched his nipples, turning them from a soft pink to an almost bruised red.

It had to hurt.

Choi Sang-hyuk clenched his jaw and lowered his gaze further.

This—this was the real spectacle.

Seo Ha-yoon’s wrists and ankles were bound together, his legs spread wide in an obscene M-shape. Between those trembling thighs, his cock stood fully erect, glistening with precum.

At the base, a tight ribbon bound him—decorated in a ridiculous bright red bow.

A dry, disbelieving chuckle left Choi Sang-hyuk’s lips.

“Mmff! Mmph!”

Seo Ha-yoon squirmed, his bound body twitching as he made desperate noises behind the gag. His eyes begged for release.

But Choi Sang-hyuk didn’t move to free him.

Instead, he leaned against the doorframe, crossed his arms, and regarded the bound figure with cool amusement.

“There’s no way your tiny little head came up with this absurd birthday gift by itself.”

“Mmph! Mmmph!”

Seo Ha-yoon fervently nodded.

“And there’s no way you tied yourself up like this, either.”

Seo Ha-yoon’s body flinched and stiffened.

“So, you’re telling me that the one who came up with this birthday gift… and the one who wrapped you up like this… was Ha Jun-seo?”