As soon as they reached the garage, Chief Yoon hurriedly grabbed Kang Tae-yi, who was about to get out of the car, and pleaded in a desperate voice.
“I’ve followed every order without complaint until now. But I think I deserve to know the reason. Are you really pulling out of the resort project?”
“Yeah. I need to farm.”
Ever since meeting that farmer, he’d become a completely different person. Despite Tae-yi’s firm reply, Chief Yoon couldn’t help but speak again.
“I’ll find land that’s way better situated than that rural lot. Somewhere where peanuts grow in heavy clusters.”
“Just park the car.”
As they neared the garage and Chief Yoon continued talking nonsense, Tae-yi’s voice turned sharp, clearly annoyed.
“You’re planning to take Chairman Kang Tae-jin down and take his place, right?”
He definitely seemed intent on taking down Kang Tae-jin, but it didn’t seem like his boss had any desire to take that seat for himself. And that was the most unsettling part for Chief Yoon.
“Director, please… just give me an answer. We can’t keep putting this off.”
Despite Chief Yoon’s persistent questions, Tae-yi silently got out of the car. As the door shut, the heavy sound of Chief Yoon’s sigh filled the car like a fog.
***
“What’d you do today?”
After they’d eaten, Haram looked over at Tae-yi, who was sipping water, and asked casually. He seemed especially worn out today, which made Haram worry.
“Visited my dad at the hospital. Then stopped by the company.”
“Ah… Is your father okay?”
“Same as always. Just lying there.”
It was hard to tell if that meant he was doing alright or not. The vague answer only made Haram more curious, and he couldn’t resist asking another question.
“When did he get sick?”
Haram’s own grandmother had been bedridden for the last three months before she passed away. She wasn’t exactly sick, but her old age had drained all her strength. Hearing about Tae-yi’s father made memories of her come flooding back.
“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to…”
As Tae-yi stared at him without responding, Haram added that part, a little sheepishly. Tae-yi let out a small snort of laughter.
“He collapsed suddenly two years ago.”
Seeing Tae-yi answer so easily made Haram’s mouth itch to ask more. Since they were already talking about his father, maybe he’d be willing to share about his brother too? Or maybe he should wait until Tae-yi brought it up himself, like Dr. Da In-ho had suggested?
Just as Haram was sinking deep into thought, Tae-yi, who’d been quietly watching him, finally spoke up.
“I think I have to go out again tomorrow. If you don’t want to stay home, why don’t you go see Professor Yoon?”
“Oh, right. He asked me to come in for counseling. I’ll go tomorrow.”
Tae-yi seemed really busy lately. Even though he wasn’t gone for long, the fact that he kept going out showed he was clearly swamped.
“Oh, and thanks for the phone. I’ll return it when I go home.”
Haram picked up the phone from the corner of the table as he said it. His cheeks were flushed, suggesting he was pleased with the gift. Tae-yi reached out and began gently caressing Haram’s cheek. Finding the warmth of his palm comforting, Haram leaned into it and pressed his cheek into Tae-yi’s hand.
“Can I text you tomorrow too?”
“Of course.”
The relaxed tone, like it was no trouble at all, gave Haram a bit of confidence. He fiddled with the phone and asked—
“Did you save my number?”
He looked up at Tae-yi, his face glowing with anticipation, but Tae-yi just shook his head and continued stroking his cheek. Realizing he’d gotten ahead of himself, embarrassment and disappointment hit him all at once.
“…I didn’t either. I mean, I’ll give it back when I leave anyway.”
His sulky expression pulled away from Tae-yi’s hand. Getting up from his seat, Haram placed the phone back on the table and began gathering the empty bowls. As he headed toward the sink, Tae-yi let out a soft laugh at the sight of Haram’s drooping, silver-gray tail.
Just from his tail, he could tell exactly how Haram was feeling. As Tae-yi stifled a chuckle, Haram pursed his lips and shot him a glare.
Tae-yi took out his phone and called the number he hadn’t saved yet. The phone on the table buzzed wildly, and Haram, who’d been standing at the sink, dashed over like lightning.
“Don’t look!”
Haram snatched up the phone in a panic, but it was too late—Tae-yi had already seen the screen.
“You even put a heart.”
Tae-yi’s teasing tone was insufferable. Haram’s cheeks burned hot with embarrassment, and he instinctively lowered his head.
“Stop teasing me.”
As Haram stood there awkwardly, Tae-yi stepped forward, scooped him up from under his butt, and held him in his arms. The soft tail brushed against his hand and tickled as it drooped limply. Haram must’ve gotten used to being held like this, because his arms wrapped smoothly around Tae-yi’s neck in a secure hug.
There was nothing awkward about holding each other like this anymore. In fact, their bodies touching brought a strange sense of comfort.
“Do you really want to keep living in the countryside, farming peanuts?”
Even with the sudden question, Haram nodded without hesitation. Tae-yi let out a quiet sigh, a bittersweet smile flickering on his lips as he gently caressed Haram’s cheek in silence.
But when Tae-yi didn’t say anything, Haram—his eyes sinking in worry—looked up at him. The reasons why long-distance relationships end, which he’d looked up the other day, suddenly came to mind.
“Is it because I live far away? I’ll come often…”
Haram’s drooping eyes, much like his tail, made Tae-yi chuckle. He leaned in and planted a soft kiss at the edge of those worry-filled eyes and replied—
“It’s not that. Just do what you want.”
As soon as he heard Tae-yi’s warm voice, all of Haram’s anxiety seemed to melt away. Smiling sheepishly, he hugged Tae-yi’s neck tight.
“You don’t even know anything about farming.”
Clinging to Tae-yi with no room for escape, Haram left no gaps between them, and Tae-yi responded in kind, wrapping his arms around Haram’s slender back.
Just holding Haram like this—without a word—felt like it was slowly sorting out the tangled mess in his head. He didn’t want to lose him. He didn’t want to disappoint him.
There was no need to hesitate any longer.
***
Showering together was fine. Embarrassing, sure, but showing that kind of vulnerability made him feel closer to Tae-yi.
But letting him do the drying? That was a different story.
“Tae-yi…”
Haram tried to push Tae-yi’s stomach to create some space between them, but all it did was hurt his own palm. Tae-yi didn’t budge. Instead, he gently took hold of Haram’s wet silver-gray tail and began blow-drying it with meticulous care.
He knew Haram cared more about his tail than his hair, so he started with that first.
Sitting on a stool with no backrest, Haram wriggled his toes in embarrassment as Tae-yi worked, feeling self-conscious about his bare lower half.
“Can I please put some underwear on?”
He finally blurted it out, unable to bear the shame anymore, but Tae-yi just squeezed his soft butt and let go. With a resigned sigh, Haram grabbed a towel and began drying his silver hair.
Kneeling down to dry even the underside of the tail, Tae-yi turned off the dryer once it was mostly done and set it on the floor. Then he stared at the pale, exposed butt that filled his view… and brought his lips to it.
“Ah!”
Haram jumped up from the stool in shock at the light bite on his left cheek. It didn’t really hurt, but still—it was his butt! Who does that?!
“Why’d you bite me there?!”
Haram yelled, glaring down at Tae-yi—still kneeling—with cheeks flushed red all the way to his ears. But in Tae-yi’s eyes, Haram, huffing and clutching his butt, looked impossibly adorable.
And the way he covered his backside with both hands only served to expose his front, which was stimulating enough to make Tae-yi want to cancel the entire countryside schedule.
“You’re such a pervert.”
Haram followed Tae-yi’s gaze down and, after calming his boiling frustration, spat out the words with a huff—then immediately de-transformed.
“Chiiirp! Chirp?”
Now you’ve got nothing to look at!
Spreading his patagium wide like a triumphant display, Haram strutted in front of Tae-yi. Seeing the regret in Tae-yi’s face as he smacked his lips, Haram felt a little thrill. He’d successfully defeated the pervert.
“Professor Yoon said he hopes you’ll show up in human form this time.”
“Chirp, chirp.”
I’ll humanize after you leave.
Haram replied firmly, not even pretending to consider it. Tae-yi chuckled dryly, having clearly understood the unspoken message, and scooped him up.
“I’ll come pick you up at the hospital. If you finish early with Professor Yoon, go hang out with Da In-ho.”
Haram blinked, a little dumbfounded. What did Tae-yi think of Dr. Da In-ho anyway? He was a busy doctor, not a full-time interpreter. Did Tae-yi really think he was just some kind of translator?
Still, Haram was relieved that Tae-yi would be picking him up. If the place was crowded, he’d already planned to shrink down and hide in a paper cup again, just like last time. But it looked like he might not have to today. He’d try his best to stay in human form—just as Professor Yoon had asked.
With a light nod, Haram pointed toward the dressing room and leapt down from Tae-yi’s palm. The little Sky Squirrel darted off on all fours, and Tae-yi quietly followed behind him.
