"Who were you talking to so sweetly on the phone...?"
Do-hyun's face turned pale as he witnessed his friend's unfamiliar deanor.
"What do you an? I just answered a call. Don't make a big deal out of it and sit down."
"No! It wasn’t just a regular call."
Do-hyun hurriedly sat down. Hyesung cleared his throat, trying to brush it off, wondering why Do-hyun was making such a fuss over a simple phone call. But it wasn’t that easy.
Do-hyun shut the laptop that Hyesung had been using and began his interrogation in earnest.
"Who were you talking to?"
"Why are you being so persistent?"
"Well... the Hyesung I know usually answers calls with sothing like, ‘Yeah, okay, I’ll hang up,’ without changing his expression at all. Just, you know, with that completely blank face of yours..."
Do-hyun even imitated Hyesung’s face and voice, making his friend laugh softly at his exaggerated performance.
"I don’t do that all the ti."
"Yes, you do. But just now, you were laughing... you even initiated the conversation! And your voice! I thought I was sitting at the wrong table."
"...What was wrong with my voice?"
"It was totally upbeat."
Was it? Hyesung awkwardly scratched his neck, realizing he had probably answered the call from Lee Hyuk a bit too eagerly.
"Tell . I’m curious."
Do-hyun’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Aren’t you supposed to be preparing for your interview?"
"I’ll get back to it if you tell who it was! Co on, Hyesung!"
Like a child throwing a tantrum in a store because they weren’t getting the toy they wanted, Do-hyun showed no signs of backing down. But Hyesung wasn’t stern enough to say, "Fine, stay here, I’m going ho," like a strict mother would.
Plus, once Park Do-hyun set his sights on sothing with those sparkling eyes, he wasn’t easily swayed. Even if Hyesung tried to brush it off now, Do-hyun would probably pester him later with calls or texts.
"I was talking to Ahjussi."
"The CEO?"
"Yeah."
Do-hyun’s expression grew serious as he seed to ponder sothing, then he furrowed his brow.
"Hyesung, didn’t you say you were going to give up on your unrequited love? But that call didn’t sound like you were hiding your feelings at all."
"Hmm, Do-hyun, listen carefully and don’t be surprised."
Since things had co to this, Hyesung thought it would be best to be honest with Do-hyun. He would have to tell him eventually.
"I... I’m dating Ahjussi."
"Huh? Well, of course, you’d et up with him. You live next door, right? Don’t you see him often?"
"No, that’s not what I an..."
How did this guy graduate from a prestigious university and get a job in finance? Hyesung sighed and chose his words more carefully.
"No, I an we’re dating..."
"Right, dating... wait, what? What did you just say?"
Do-hyun made him say it twice, making it all the more embarrassing. Hyesung repeated himself with emphasis.
"It’s true?!"
Just as Hyesung expected, it finally dawned on Do-hyun, and he yelled so loudly that the entire café turned to look. Hyesung hurriedly quieted him down.
"Tell ! How did you two start dating?"
If before he’d been like a child begging for a toy, now Do-hyun resembled an excited high school girl eager to hear her friend’s love story.
"Aren’t you going to prepare for your interview?"
"I’ll do it after you tell this. Co on, tell ."
If anyone knew about Hyesung’s six years of silent suffering while pining for Lee Hyuk, it was Do-hyun. And he was also the one who said he’d support whatever decision Hyesung made.
"It’s a long story."
It was ti to tell his friend everything.
Hyesung began to speak calmly. He could have just briefly ntioned that he had a small argunt with Lee Hyuk and that it led to their relationship, but instead, Hyesung started from the beginning, explaining how he manifested as an oga.
He then described everything that followed, up to the present day.
"So... Hyesung, you’re an oga now, not a beta?"
If Do-hyun had been shocked to learn that Hyesung was dating Lee Hyuk, he was even more stunned to hear that Hyesung’s secondary gender had changed.
"Yeah. Why? Do you not like being an oga? You’re not one of those people who discriminate based on secondary genders, are you?"
"Hyesung, what are you talking about? Of course not!"
Hyesung smiled, saying it was just a joke.
"It’s just a change in my secondary gender, nothing more. So don’t make that face."
Do-hyun looked like he was about to cry, his lips tightly pressed together, his face twisted with emotion. His drooping eyebrows made Hyesung think of a sad puppy.
"You should have told . You must have been so shocked and overwheld on your own."
"I’m sorry. I ant to, but at that ti, I was really out of it."
Hyesung teased Do-hyun, reminding him that his one-month stay at Hyesung’s place had also added to the chaos. Do-hyun pouted even more.
"But Hyesung, I’m curious about sothing. Now that you’re dating the CEO, does that an you’re going back to Taesung?"
"...Huh?"
"I an, didn’t you say you left your job because you didn’t want anyone to find out you manifested as an oga while you had feelings for the CEO? But now everything’s resolved, right?"
Hyesung replayed Do-hyun’s words in his head, his face blank. Do-hyun’s logic made sense. The whole reason he left Taesung in the first place was because of his unrequited feelings.
But now, those feelings had not only been resolved but had led to the best possible outco, one he had never even dared to hope for.
So does that an everything goes back to the way it was?
"I’m... not sure."
Strangely, he couldn’t think clearly about that question. Hyesung stirred his drink absently, the sound of ice clinking against the glass filling his ears.
After finishing his so-called interview prep (which was mostly just chatting) with Do-hyun, Hyesung got on the bus to head to Taesung. Lee Hyuk had called and suggested they have dinner together since Hyesung was in Seoul. Do-hyun had given Hyesung a pitiful look, hoping to join them, so Hyesung had asked Lee Hyuk if it was okay.
"Put Do-hyun on the phone."
But after a brief conversation with Lee Hyuk, Do-hyun suddenly started sweating profusely and quickly excused himself, telling Hyesung to enjoy his dinner before making a hasty exit.
When Hyesung arrived in front of Taesung, he waited outside for Lee Hyuk, just as he had last ti. Among the employees leaving right on ti, Hyesung recognized a few familiar faces.
As he watched the people pass by, a car pulled up in front of him, and the window rolled down.
"Hyesung."
It was Lee Hyuk. Hyesung quickly got into his car.
"Did you wait long?"
"No, just about 10 minutes."
As Hyesung automatically reached for his seatbelt, Lee Hyuk unexpectedly leaned over and wrapped his arms around him.
"Wh-why all of a sudden?"
"I missed you."
Lee Hyuk buried his face in Hyesung’s neck and took a deep breath.
"You sll good, Hyesung."
"It’s amazing how you can say such embarrassing things so casually."
Lee Hyuk always looked so stoic and serious, but the things he said made Hyesung’s heart race. Just earlier, he’d made a comnt about Hyesung’s smile that had left him flustered. Whenever Lee Hyuk said things like that, Hyesung felt like he didn’t know how to react, as if he were malfunctioning.
"I say these things because it’s you."
Lee Hyuk smiled softly, pressing a light kiss to Hyesung’s forehead.
"And I told you, I want to show you what it really ans to be loved."
Lee Hyuk’s lips traced a path from Hyesung’s forehead down to his nose and finally to his lips, capturing them in a gentle kiss. After sharing the brief kiss, Lee Hyuk finally started the car.
Over dinner, Hyesung ntioned that he had told Do-hyun about everything that had happened recently. He also asked Lee Hyuk what he had said to Do-hyun on the phone earlier, but Lee Hyuk brushed it off as nothing important.
The conversation soon shifted to different topics. Starting with the shocking news that Sungjin had been going on arranged dates recently, Lee Hyuk naturally began sharing stories about things that had happened at work.
"Mr. Choi’s pride must have taken a real hit. He’s such a stubborn man," Hyesung comnted.
"Yeah, but what could I do? I couldn’t just sit back and watch him waste money on hiring celebrities for promotions."
"True. It’s definitely not the best PR strategy."
Listening to the stories about Mr. Choi, Hyesung’s hands suddenly paused.
"Has everything been okay at the company lately?"
"Yeah. Other than Mr. Choi being greedier than usual, everything’s fine."
Hyesung nodded slowly. Lee Hyuk, oblivious to Hyesung’s complicated expression, continued to fuss over him, reminding him to finish his al.
After dinner, the two got back into the car. It would take about an hour to get ho, so they decided to leave right away. After all, Lee Hyuk had to get up early for work the next day, so he needed to get so rest.
But strangely, Lee Hyuk didn’t start driving. He just sat there, tapping the steering wheel lightly, lost in thought.
"Aren’t we going?"
"Oh? Oh... I’m just feeling a bit tired. I guess it’s been a long day."
"Really? Then let drive. You can sit in the passenger seat."
Hyesung quickly unbuckled his seatbelt, but Lee Hyuk reached over to stop him.
"How can I let you drive for an hour when you’re tired too? Besides, it’s already dark, and the highway at night is dangerous."
Hyesung tilted his head, confused.
"I’m not tired. And I’ve driven at night before, so it’s not a problem."
Hyesung had driven many tis while working for Lee Hyuk. He had also gotten his driver’s license in college and occasionally drove his aunt’s car, so he was quite experienced. Lee Hyuk knew this, so why was he acting so strange?
"That’s not it..."
Sothing seed off about Lee Hyuk. He scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed.
"Hyesung, I’m too tired to drive right now. But I also can’t make you drive such a long distance."
"So what are you suggesting?"
Was he thinking of taking public transportation?
"...Why don’t you stay over at my place tonight?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)