RB 98

Taehwa opened his eyes wide as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.

He had already lived in the annex for more than ten years. Haegang’s main house was no different from Seo Taehwa’s own home. Only their surnames were different, and as Yeorok had said, he was practically a part of Haegang himself.

“…You’re telling me to leave?”

“Yes.”

“Why all of a sudden?”

“I’m going to stay with Sim Eunho. Can you handle that?”

Shocking announcements came one after another. Seo Taehwa’s face looked as if he had been hit in the head. He opened his mouthed, but what came out sounded more like groans than words.

“What are you talking about? I… don’t understand right now.”

“I’ll cancel the psychiatric hospital admission. I’m going to keep living with him.”

“…Why?”

“I’ve become serious about Sim Eunho.”

“Ha, that’s ridiculous.”

Seo Taehwa finally laughed. He kept laughing in a hollow manner, his hand over his mouth. His eyes that his hand couldn’t cover looked dry.

After a while, Seo Taehwa murmured.

“How could you do that? You… don’t even know feelings. How can you even love someone?”

“It sounds like you’re saying I shouldn’t.”

“…Aren’t you mistaken?”

“There’s no way it’s a mistake.”

Yeorok carefully observed Seo Taehwa’s reaction. He needed to see whether he was only shocked by the order to leave, or if the whole situation confused him, or if he still had feelings for him.

“I want you to decide now.”

He kept his eyes on Seo Taehwa and drank the remaining liquor. Seo Taehwa felt Yeorok’s cold gaze with his whole body and couldn’t take a breath.

“……”

Seo Taehwa felt completely cornered. He was dumbfounded. How could he do this to him, after all the years he had devoted himself? He was being used and thrown away.

He had failed to recover the memory card. He had no way to turn Choi Yeorok’s mind back or threaten him.

Seo Taehwa bit his trembling lips. If he hesitated here, his feelings would be completely exposed. Before that quick-witted Choi Yeorok noticed, he had to hide his confusion.

“Give me thirty billion won in cash. I think I deserve at least that.”

Yeorok snorted. “Alright,” he casually answered. Seo Taehwa continued staring at the glass. Then he quickly downed the remaining liquor, swallowing the resentment lodged in his throat.

“The officetel in Yongsan, give me that too.”

“Alright, take it.”

Yeorok also reached out and picked up his glass. His expression remained the same even after hearing Taewha’s bold demand.

“Nothing else? Isn’t that still not enough?”

He was generous. His smile was arrogant, befitting someone who already possessed too much. Right now, Yeorok was willing to grant even the most unreasonable request from Seo Taehwa.

Seo Taehwa let out a hollow laugh. His laughter sounded almost like a sigh.

“I can’t leave right now. …I want to take care of Eunho a little longer.”

“……”

“Three years, or even one year is fine. At least until he adapts to society, I should stay by his side. I’m not saying this because of you. I’m also very fond of him.”

Seo Taehwa expressed his will in the calmest tone he could manage. He couldn’t just be kicked out like this. That would be too unfair.

“So don’t tell me to leave right now, that’s my last request.”

He had to stay by his side no matter what. Seo Taehwa looked at Yeorok with clear eyes as if he had no selfish motive.

But meeting those indifferent and cold eyes shattered his heart. Choi Yeorok had no affection for him. Realizing it again made his heart ache.

But Seo Taehwa did his utmost to hid his feelings. Before Choi Yeorok could notice, he wore his usual friendly smile and said,

“Hey, you cold-hearted bastard, you know I’ve been slaving away for you all my life, and you tell me to get lost just like that. You should at least give me time to plan how I’ll survive.”

“……”

“And you think you’ll really take good care of Eunho. You’ll be too busy, and he’ll end up alone. I can’t stand to see that.”

Seo Taehwa came up with excuses the best he could. Though his insides were tearing apart, he clenched his teeth and didn’t show it. While he forced a smile, bitterness rose in his throat.

“If I go by your words, Namyeong will get busier than now, and Ahn Jaehwan will too. So who else can take care of him but me? If you really like Eunho, you should consider it. Don’t leave that already lonely kid alone.”

“It doesn’t have to be you.”

“Do you think I can find someone new now? Do you even know someone trustworthy? Is there anyone besides me who can stay by Eunho’s side without him having to act, anyone who can make him feel comfortable enough to be himself?”

Seo Taehwa answered stubbornly, unwilling to back down.

A shadow began to fall over Yeorok’s face. It was a subtle change that no one else could notice. But Seo Taehwa had watched Choi Yeorok for so long that he could tell he was hesitating, even if only a little.

That was natural. Choi Yeorok didn’t understand people’s hearts. He could examine whether his own words were logical, but he could only skim the surface of something like the loneliness Sim Eunho felt. That was why he was hesitating. Seo Taehwa clung to that single straw and insisted.

“Then ask Eunho directly. I’ll follow whatever he decides.”

“……”

“It doesn’t have to be me, but you should leave someone by Eunho’s side to lean on. If you really love him.”

Seo Taehwa put emphasis on his last words and raised his glass as if proposing a toast.

Even then, Seo Taehwa still held onto some hope.

Maybe he was hoping to hear Yeorok mock himself, saying something like, “It’s not that serious. Love, from me? Impossible.” But Yeorok remained silent, lost in thought. He didn’t deny what he had said.

Yeorok’s glass clinked against his. His dark eyes were still filled with one person only. The unfamiliar sight shattered Taehwa’s hope.

It was real. Choi Yeorok really had feelings for Eunho.

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At that time, Eunho couldn’t fall asleep and was tossing and turning on the bed. He’d only slept for a few hours since arriving home, but he couldn’t fall asleep at night.

Eunho eventually sat up and looked through the Hong Kong photos on his phone, reminiscing about those dreamlike days. The corners of his mouth kept curling up as he reminisced about the street scenes and the food he’d eaten.

Then, his gaze lingered for a long time on the photo of Yeorok that he had secretly taken.

‘Isn’t this a pretty good future?’

Yeorok had told him they would keep being together. He had told him not to look at anyone else and to see only him. He had said Eunho was free to interpret that however he wanted.

“…What do I do? I like him too much.”

Eunho placed his phone on his forehead and let out a sound close to a groan. His cheeks, his neck, and even the tips of his ears were red. His heart pounded uncontrollably just from Yeorok’s indifferent words. It was serious.

He pictured a future with Yeorok. The thought of countless moments they would share made him tremble with excitement. Had he ever been this happy in his life? The prospect of living as Choi Yoonho filled with anticipation.

Suddenly, the phone in his hand vibrated. The moment he saw the name on the screen, Eunho quickly answered.

“What are you doing?”

Yeorok’s dry voice flowed into his ear. Eunho rubbed his warm cheek.

“I was just killing time.”

“Isn’t it time to sleep?”

“I took too long of a nap, so I can’t sleep.”

“If you’re going to play, play with me.”

“What? Right now?”

Eunho reflexively looked at the clock. It had just passed midnight.

“It’s too late.”

“You’re not taking the bait.”

“I’ll go. I’m going now.”

Eunho immediately lowered his legs from the bed. He was so flustered that he forgot to tell Seo Taehwa he was going to the mansion. Even now, he couldn’t bring himself to take the phone away from his ear. The laughter on the other end was pulling him in on its own.

He carefully opened the mansion door in his sleepwear. He tried to slip in like a thief, but Choi Yeorok was standing right at the entrance. Even though they had just seen each other at lunch, Eunho was overjoyed to see him again. He tried to hide it as much as possible and walked toward him.

“…Chairman, did you get some rest?”

Unlike himself, who had enjoyed a carefree nap, Yeorok must have been busy even after returning from his business trip. He looked exhausted.

“I was just about to rest.”

Yeorok answered and took hold of Eunho’s wrist. Without hesitation, he went up the stairs to the second floor.

He didn’t stop until they entered the bedroom. Then Yeorok suddenly cupped both of Eunho’s cheeks.

“Why do you only come when I call you?”

“……”

Eunho blinked, not knowing what to say. Wasn’t that natural? He had never gone to Yeorok first without being called.

The face in front of him looked far more vivid than in the picture he had seen earlier. But he still felt that it wasn’t real.

“Did you drink?”

He smelled subtly of alcohol. Because they were standing close, Eunho caught a whiff of the alcohol every time Yeorok spoke.

Yeorok’s smooth lips curved. He gently stroked Eunho’s cheek with his thumb.

“Do I seem drunk?”

“No.”

It was only that the tender gaze was awkward. Eunho lowered his eyes and carefully hugged Yeorok’s waist. Carried away by the mood, he ended up revealing his own desire.

“Sim Eunho.”

“Yes.”

“Why don’t you just live here?”

Yeorok made an unexpected suggestion. The smile had already disappeared from his face as he looked down at Eunho’s confused expression. He didn’t seem drunk.

“When you used to wait for me at the officetel, I didn’t mind that.”

Whether it was day or night, whenever he stepped through the door, Sim Eunho was there. At first, seeing him waiting alone in an empty house had only been bothersome, but that sight had carved itself into Yeorok’s mind.

“Now I can only see you when I call you, and that’s annoying.”

“…I’m right next door.”

“So you mean you don’t like it?”

Under his pressuring stare, Eunho turned his eyes aside.

“It’s not that I don’t like it…”

“Then stay tonight.”

“……”

“The bed’s empty, and it feels too bare. If you’ve trained someone, you should take responsibility.”

After spending two nights together in Hong Kong, he said he felt lonely without him. The way Yeorok was insisting was almost strange to watch. Eunho looked up at him in a daze.

“You’re not answering?”

Yeorok bit his cheek, hard enough to hurt. Eunho groaned and leaned back, but he couldn’t escape Yeorok’s arms. Then he started laughing.

“I’ll stay.”

This amount of happiness went far beyond what he could handle. It almost felt unfair that he was allowed to feel this much joy.