Gutter Chapter 20.1

When he opened his eyes, the sound of even breathing could be heard right beside him. The first thing Yeonjo felt was a sense of stuffiness, as if his breath was being caught in his throat.

When he turned his head, he saw Boss Gu sleeping while hugging Yeonjo from behind. His arm wrapped around Yeonjo’s body was so long and thick that it felt overwhelming. On top of that, his throat was dry and felt as if it were burning up.

As Yeonjo grunted and lifted Boss Gu’s arms one by one, the previously loose arms tensed and held Yeonjo even tighter.

“Where are you trying to go.”

He interrogated Yeonjo, nibbling on his ear. Judging by his husky voice, it seemed he had just woken up.

“To get some water.”

“I’ll get it for you. Just tell me.”

Without any hesitation, Boss Gu pushed aside the covers and got up. It was only then that Yeonjo realized he and Boss Gu had been lying entangled in bed, both naked.

While Boss Gu went to the kitchen to get water, Yeonjo checked his body from head to toe. Seeing as it felt fresh without any stickiness, it seemed Boss Gu had washed him while he was asleep, but he had no memory of it at all.

When he looked at the clock, it was already evening. The last bus from the terminal to the resort for the day would be departing soon. If he missed that one, he would have to wait until tomorrow.

“Here.”

Boss Gu, who had returned to the bedroom, handed Yeonjo a glass of water. It was filled with warm water. As he was quite thirsty, Yeonjo gulped the water down quickly.

“Why?”

Then, feeling Boss Gu’s blatant gaze on him, Yeonjo tilted his head. Could it be that his hair was sticking up too much? Or had he drooled.

“Is there something on my face?”

“No.”

“Then why are you staring at me like that.”

“Because you’re so fucking pretty. Am I not allowed to look?”

“Pfft!”

Yeonjo spat out the water he had just taken into his mouth.

“Are you a kid. Spitting out what you’re drinking.”

Boss Boss Gu clicked his tongue and brought some tissues. Yeonjo wiped his mouth with a bright red face and made an excuse.

“That’s because you said something weird.”

“It’s true. You’re fucking pretty.”

“…”

“You know it too, don’t you.”

What was he supposed to say in a situation like this. After shooting him a sidelong glance, he nodded his head obediently.

“I know.”

“Fuck, I knew it.”

Boss Gu muttered seriously. Yeonjo handed the cup back to him and gave him a light peck on the cheek.

“I think I have to go now.”

“Without even eating?”

“I’ll eat on the way. I have to go to work tomorrow.”

It wasn’t as if he was saying he would leave immediately without a goodbye, but Boss Gu grabbed Yeonjo’s arm.

“I’ll take you.”

“…”

Was it because it was time to go back. It was hard to believe he had slept with him again. Once the sex, which had been heavily driven by impulsive desire, was over, a sense of bewilderment and embarrassment washed over him a beat too late.

He didn’t regret it, but he needed time to adjust to the subtle, different-from-before current flowing between them.

“It’s just faster to take the bus from the terminal.”

As if he hadn’t heard Yeonjo’s words, Boss Gu started getting dressed. He put on pants and a turtleneck, and as he put on his gloves, he spoke to Yeonjo suggestively.

“Come next week too.”

“…”

“Please come. I’ll wait until you do.”

“Uh huh.”

He had nodded his head without thinking, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He realized his mistake a moment too late, but he had already answered.

Their next meeting was set so naturally.

“Should I pick you up then.”

“You’ll come to the resort? No, strange rumors will start.”

“What kind of rumors.”

“Just… you know, the things people say when they see us. The whispering and all that, it’s burdensome.”

Having suffered from various rumors in the past, Yeonjo wanted to work as quietly as possible at the resort.

For a moment, the two became busy getting ready to leave. By the time Yeonjo had finished dressing, Boss Gu had grabbed his car keys.

A few minutes later, the two of them walked out the front door side by side.

“Doesn’t it bother you?”

Yeonjo spoke up, as if suddenly curious.

“What does.”

“This, with me.”

“It’s fucking great.”

He answered without hesitation and got into the car.

“What if you try not to come again. That’s what bothers me.”

At his words, which held not a shred of falsehood, the corners of Yeonjo’s eyes curved slightly.

“Why… do you like me?”

“You’re curious about that?”

“…”

“Because you’re Cha Yeonjo, obviously.”

“…”

It was a simple but sufficient answer. Yeonjo felt his heart pound inside his chest and swallowed dryly. Had he been wrong to reduce his medication. His feelings for him were growing so quickly that he was starting to worry.

🚬

Yeonjo walked around inside the riding club, busily holding a checklist. Today was the day for a simultaneous inspection of the stables, the office, and the longeing training for the foals.

The foals’ longeing was still in an incomplete stage of training, and it could be dangerous at times if not handled by a professional trainer. It was also a task that demanded considerable physical strength from the person conducting the training, so it was necessary to check if the horse’s condition and the training schedule were appropriate.

In addition to that, after inspecting the equipment and facilities of the Bright Resort’s riding club, he was also backed up with customer guidance and consultation work in the afternoon.

While looking around the stable where the foals were, Yeonjo discovered a stranger looking around inside. Judging by the golf wear instead of a staff uniform, he seemed to be a customer. A face he hadn’t seen before. Was he lost?

“Is there anything you need?”

Yeonjo asked, approaching him with a friendly voice. At that, the man who had been looking at the horses in front of the fence turned his body.

“I was just looking around because I was curious about the facilities here.”

He answered brazenly, despite having trespassed into a space only accessible to staff. Soon after, he looked Yeonjo up and down.

“Are you a riding club employee?”

“That’s right. However, this area is restricted to authorized personnel only. If there’s anything you need, please let me…”

“I didn’t come in because I needed something, I came to check what the standard is here because I want to join the club. While I’m at it, I might as well entrust the horse I have with you.”

Yeonjo rechecked the schedule with a puzzled expression. Bringing in a customer’s privately owned horse was a pretty big deal, but there was nothing written in the notes he had received.

“I wasn’t informed in advance… If you could wait for a moment, I can assist you with any questions you may have. Have you filled out the paperwork? We also need to know the horse’s temperament and the environment it lived in at its previous stable before we can accept it. And, let me say this again, this area is restricted to authorized personnel…”

“No. For an employee, you’re quite inflexible. I’m going to join anyway, and I’m just looking around a bit in advance. Can’t you understand what I’m saying?”

Faced with the man’s groundless stubbornness, Yeonjo contemplated for a moment how to respond. The truth was, once you got on the wrong side of a customer like that, they would find fault with everything until the very end, so it was better to humor him first and then reason with him. It didn’t seem like he would leave even if he was told to.

His already busy schedule had been held up. Yeonjo forced a smile. And to explain things so the man could look around the inside as he wished, he approached him.

Just then, two men wearing Hawaiian shirts approached, looking around their surroundings.

“Wow, this resort is hella big. A person could get lost just walkin’ around.”

“Isn’t that a resort employee over there? Hey there. Let us ask for some directions.”

“Yes?”

The two men in Hawaiian shirts, who had cut in without warning, pointed directly at Yeonjo. Their builds were so large that both Yeonjo and the other man flinched.

“What is this place? Are we allowed to come in?”

“This is a stable, and it’s restricted to authorized personnel.”

“Ah! Is that so? I didn’t know. He says it’s restricted to authorized personnel.”

“Yikes, then shouldn’t we get out right away? Let’s go, quickly.”

The men in Hawaiian shirts spoke with a somewhat unnatural accent. They turned their bodies awkwardly, then tapped the man who had been rude to Yeonjo.

“Mister, you took a wrong turn too, ain’t ya? Let’s get outta here, pronto!”

“Huh? I have business here…”

“You don’t look like an employee, so what gives? He said only authorized personnel can enter.”

Before the man could finish his sentence, one of the men in Hawaiian shirts lowered his voice. The expressions of the two men, who had been standing lazily with their burly physiques and colorful shirts, instantly turned cold. As if they were threatening him.

“Let’s try to follow the rules, eh.”

“Uh, no… I…”

The man, feeling an unspoken pressure, stuttered. He glanced around at the suddenly grim atmosphere and, as if he had no choice, obediently turned and left the stable with the men in Hawaiian shirts.

“Well then, Mr. Employee, you keep up the good work.”

The man in the shirt stretched his lips into a smile as if he had never hardened his expression, waved at Yeonjo, and exited.

Left alone, Yeonjo blinked with a dumbfounded expression. What was that just now?

“Manager Cha. You’re going to Seoul often these days, aren’t you? You’re not sick, are you?”

As Yeonjo entered the break room, an employee who was checking the newly updated schedule chart spoke to him. Yeonjo tilted his stiff neck from side to side and chuckled softly.

“It’s not that. I just keep having things to do in Seoul.”

“If you’re sick, get a few days of good rest. The CEO would make a huge fuss if he found out.”

The employee said with a bit of exaggeration. Unable to find a suitable reply, Yeonjo deliberately changed the subject.

“Come to think of it, you were suddenly gone last night. Did you go out somewhere?”

“Ah! You saw? My girlfriend came down from Seoul for a bit.”

The employee grinned with a proud face. For his girlfriend to come all the way here from Seoul in the middle of the night. It was puzzling, as there weren’t many places to hang out or eat around here unless one was staying at the resort.

“All the way here?”

“Yes. We just saw each other for a bit… I have to work the next day and she’s a student too. We couldn’t see each other for long, so we just walked around a bit, bought some snacks at the convenience store, and then I came back.”

“Your girlfriend went home alone at that hour?”

“Ah, she has a car.”

“Last week you said you got matching rings. You two must have a really good relationship.”

“Hahaha. Of course. I was worried it wouldn’t fit her finger while I was preparing it secretly, but it fit perfectly! I’ve got a good eye for things.”

“I’m jealous.”

When Yeonjo muttered as if to himself, the employee’s eyes widened as if to say, what are you talking about.

“Come on, are you teasing me? Manager, you could date whenever you set your mind to it!”

“You think so?”

“Ah, man. This is why I hate talking to handsome people.”

Shaking his head, the employee jeered at Yeonjo. Then, the other employees who were nearby stealthily agreed.

Yeonjo felt it was unfair since he had never been in a formal relationship before, but he had learned through multiple experiences that no one would believe him even if he said so, so he just kept his mouth shut.

“Oh, right. Manager. Have you… seen the guests in room 3012? The ones who have been staying long-term for over a month.”

An employee who had been focused on finishing his sandwich suddenly approached Yeonjo as if he remembered something and whispered.

“I haven’t seen them yet, but I’ve heard about them. Is there a problem?”

“They must have a ton of money. The two men are apparently tipping the staff a lot.”

“Is that so?”

“The room service staff are all fighting with fire in their eyes, saying they’ll be the ones to go, you know? It seems the tips are quite handsome if you just deliver food to their room a few times, even if their way of speaking is scary.”

The employee’s description of two men with a scary way of speaking made Yeonjo recall the men in Hawaiian shirts he had encountered in the stable a little while ago.

“Are they the ones who walk around in really flashy shirts?”

“That’s them! As expected, the manager knows them too.”

He had thought they had a slightly different feel from the other guests, and to think they were long-term guests. Were the two men on vacation? It wasn’t impossible, but it wasn’t a common occurrence either.

“Later, when you see them, could you recommend they join the riding club? We could pull those tips they’re handing out over to our side. I think they’d join if the manager recommended it.”

“I’ll mention it if I get the chance.”

Yeonjo said something he didn’t mean, humoring the employee. A short while later, the employee said his break was over, checked his uniform, and left the break room.

Yeonjo opened the thick file he had set aside to handle his overdue work.

‘Come next week too.’

‘Please come. I’ll wait until you do.’

Yeonjo’s hand, which was taking a pen out of his pocket, paused. He had definitely intended to focus on work, but something else had popped into his head out of the blue.

Lately, thoughts about Boss Gu had been pushing their way into his mind at all times. He was already so busy he was out of his mind, and wasting time thinking about him when he was so far away was an inefficient act.

Yeonjo tried to immerse himself in his work again, but the words Boss Gu had said kept unsettling his heart.

Perhaps because of that, his days, which had been flowing along peacefully, felt long lately. Normally, he would have organized documents without a thought and prepared for his afternoon schedule step by step, but now, looking at the piled-up schedule in front of him, he could only sigh.

Maybe it was because his life had entered a stable phase. The instructor who had been away for a few days had returned, making it much easier to manage the riding arena, and his body, which had been ailing for several months, had also recovered a lot.

Yeonjo lifted his eyes and glanced at the time. There was still a long time until he could leave work. And of course, the day he would go to Seoul was even further away.

🚬

After Yeonjo finished his hospital check-up and got his prescription from the pharmacy in the same building, Boss Gu was waiting for him at the first-floor entrance.

“What did they say at the hospital.”

He was just about to head to the building next to the cafe where they usually met, but when he appeared in front of the hospital without a word, Yeonjo looked up at him in surprise. He hadn’t even told him he was coming to the hospital, yet he asked how the test results were with an overly nonchalant face.

“Did you know I was coming here?”

“You think I wouldn’t know.”

Just how much did he know about him. And it was also a mystery since when he had been waiting here.

Today, there were many patients, and since Yeonjo was undergoing several types of tests, the appointment had taken quite a while.

“How long were you standing here?”

“For a while.”

“You should have just contacted me… beforehand. You must have waited a long time.”

He was about to say he should have contacted him, but then realized he didn’t have his number and his words trailed off. This time, he really needed to ask for his cell phone number properly. Of course, he knew his, but he didn’t know his number.

“As long as you come, waiting doesn’t matter.”

Boss Gu had the ability to say cringey things very seriously without a single change in his expression. It also seemed like he didn’t even realize in the first place that the things he said were cringey.

“Call me next time. Don’t wait.”

“Alright.”

“…”

“What are you going to do now?”

At his question, Yeonjo, who had been heading forward without a destination, was flustered. Why was he asking him that?

No, in the first place, the very act of walking down the street with him so normally felt a little awkward. To have resolved never to get involved with him again, and then to come back and spend time by his side as if nothing had happened, was indeed strange somehow. Although he realized this was what he had wanted, he needed time to adjust to the sudden change in his emotions.

Lately, Yeonjo’s mood had been in complete disarray, in direct contrast to his stable life. Even knowing he couldn’t see him every day, on the days he didn’t see his face, he was so bothered that he would toss and turn at night, finding it hard to concentrate on his daily life. He couldn’t push away the thoughts of him that burst in unexpectedly and was just helplessly swept away.

Did he even know how he was feeling.

“Ah, I have a book to buy. It’s inside that shopping mall over there. A bookstore.”

While they were silently and briskly moving their legs, a large shopping mall building appeared before Yeonjo’s eyes. He had been buying a monthly equestrian magazine and novels to read in his spare time recently, so he thought he should stop by the bookstore since he was out in a busy area.

He nodded his head as if to say, do as you please. To enter the shopping mall, they had to cross the street, so the two of them naturally waited for the signal at the crosswalk.

Looking at the red light, Yeonjo suddenly felt something was different from usual and looked around.

“Why. Are you not feeling well?”

Boss Gu reacted immediately.

“It’s not that, where are your subordinates?”

Come to think of it, he had barely seen his subordinates recently. It felt like they used to follow him like a shadow from behind before.

He had seen his subordinates diligently driving for him and lighting his cigarettes in front of the cafe before, so he was curious why Boss Gu was alone now.

“Do you miss them?”

As if displeased that Yeonjo was paying attention to his subordinates, Boss Gu visibly scrunched up his face.

“No. It’s just that they were always around and now they’re not.”

“So I should bring those disgusting bastards all the way out here?”

Hearing that, his words made sense. In fact, that was something Yeonjo would rather do without as well, so he decided not to ask in more detail.

Just then, the signal changed, and Yeonjo, mixed in with the crowd, crossed the street side by side with him and headed for the shopping mall.

Perhaps because there were so many people, the tension gradually increased. Yeonjo unconsciously fumbled with his clothes to check if the inhaler was safely in his pocket. When he felt the hard, fist-sized plastic device, Yeonjo quietly let out a sigh of relief.

The inside of the shopping mall was crowded and chaotic with a throng of people, but thankfully the bookstore was much less busy. Yeonjo quickly went to the magazine section and looked for topics related to horseback riding. The magazine featured information about riding as its main content, with various other information provided on the side. Reading it was beneficial, as it made it easier to converse with customers and also allowed him to learn professional knowledge.

Holding the magazine in one hand, he was about to go to the novel section when Boss Gu snatched what was in Yeonjo’s hand and asked.

“Are there any bastards who bother you there?”

“At the resort? No.”

“Really?”

“I’m telling you there aren’t.”

“I doubt it.”

He muttered suspiciously.

“Anyway, if there are, tell me right away.”

“What will you do if I tell you?”

Yeonjo stopped walking and asked cautiously with an uneasy face.

“I’ll have to get rid of them.”

It was an everyday, calm voice, as if he were saying, ‘I have to eat.’ Goosebumps rose on the back of Yeonjo’s neck.

On the off chance, Yeonjo cautiously voiced the suspicion he had been vaguely harboring inside.

“The people I fought with at the resort… Is it because of you that they all quit their jobs and left?”

“Of course.”

Boss Gu answered without a single second of hesitation.

Just as he thought. He had roughly anticipated it, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t surprising.

“I didn’t kill them.”

Seeing Yeonjo’s disgusted face, Boss Gu added briefly.

“Are you kidding me…! Why did you do that? That’s my workplace. To treat people so carelessly… No, more than that. How on earth did you know and get them fired?”

“Should I have just left them alone when they were treating you like shit?”

“…”

He retorted with a look that suggested he didn’t understand Yeonjo’s protest. A face that was absurdly righteous and at the same time, possessed a blind justification for his own actions.

Talking like this made him realize deeply that he hadn’t changed at all from before. Well, it was impossible for a person to change in just four months.

But strangely, he didn’t feel as repulsed as before. To hear that he had chased people out, manipulated, and threatened them with his own power, and yet feel no emotional turmoil. Had some major flaw developed in his humanity in the meantime. Yeonjo was confused by his own calm emotions.

In the end, he gave up arguing with him on this topic and decided to choose a book again. He simply picked up a few books from this month’s bestseller list, and just like with the magazine, Boss Gu snatched those away as well.

“Give them to me.”

“I’m not so weak that I can’t even hold those.”

“Don’t waste your strength on useless things, save it up and use it in bed.”

“Ah.”

At the crude words, Yeonjo was at a loss for words and froze as if he had broken down.

“You must be crazy. What are you talking about.”

Worried that someone passing by might have heard, Yeonjo was busy checking people’s expressions. A flush quickly rose to his white face.

“What.”

He shrugged, as if he wasn’t joking but was being sincere. Yeonjo shook his head as he walked quickly to the checkout counter. Then he spoke in a small voice, just loud enough for Boss Gu to hear.

“Even if I conserve my strength, I’m not going to use it for that.”

“What? Fuck, then where are you going to use it.”

“…”

“Who are you going to use it on?”

When Yeonjo didn’t answer, he followed him persistently, interrogating him tenaciously. His actions and voice must have been quite loud, as other people in the bookstore glanced at them from time to time.

It was understandable, because from an outsider’s perspective, it looked like a large man was following Yeonjo around and picking a fight with him.

“Let’s go.”

After paying, Yeonjo sighed and left the bookstore. The books in the shopping bag were also naturally taken and held by Boss Gu. He was looking for the stairs to get to the exit when a small accessory shop caught Yeonjo’s eye.

—Custom-made Couple Rings

Upon discovering various ring designs placed on an accessory display stand, he remembered the employee who had been boasting about getting couple rings with his girlfriend a while ago.

Yeonjo subtly rolled his eyes to look at Boss Gu’s hand. He was holding the shopping bag with the books and wearing gloves, so not all five fingers were visible, but even without seeing them spread out, they would be much longer and thicker than an average person’s. A standard size seemed out of the question.

A ring. It would probably be… going overboard, right? They weren’t at that stage yet, and in fact, the very idea of sharing something like couple rings with him was hard to imagine.

Still, the image of the employee’s brightly smiling and happy face was hard to forget. In truth, even if he received a ring, there was no way Boss Gu would make such an expression, and it seemed more likely that he himself would be the one grinning foolishly like that employee.

“Should I buy you flowers?”

What woke Yeonjo from his thoughts was Boss Gu’s low voice. Noticing that Yeonjo’s gaze was fixed on one spot, he walked ahead and asked.

“Why flowers all of a sudden?”

He blinked, wondering what he meant, but Boss Gu’s steps stopped at the entrance of a flower shop right next to the accessory shop. It seemed he had misunderstood that Yeonjo was looking at the flowers.

“I’ll buy them for you. Flowers.”

Yeonjo was momentarily speechless and scrutinized him. A man standing crookedly with such a massive build and a menacing face, saying he would buy him flowers. It was excessively unfitting, and at the same time, because it was so incongruous, it suited him even better.

He was naturally going to refuse, saying it was fine, but he changed his mind.

“Buy them for me.”

“Choose.”

Yeonjo followed him to the front of the flower shop and slowly looked over the flowers packed tightly in water buckets. The owner came out, greeted them, and kindly explained that these flowers were fresh these days. Then, when another customer ordered a bouquet, he asked them to wait a moment and went back to the counter.

Light pink, yellow, purple, white. A profusion of colorful, unnamed flowers filled his vision. Yeonjo carefully observed each flower’s shape. He wanted to find a fresh flower that felt like the wild ones that kid had picked for him back then.

“There are so many different kinds of flowers these days. It’s hard to choose.”

“Why bother? You can just buy them all.”

“How can I buy all of these just because I like them.”

“Do you even like flowers?”

It was a very out-of-the-blue question. Feeling a blatant gaze on his face, Yeonjo turned his head and his eyes met Boss Gu’s.

“Of course. Why do you ask something like that?”

Yeonjo asked, his lips slightly parted and his eyes blinking. However, Boss Gu just stood still without averting his gaze, as if he hadn’t heard anything. As if time had stopped.

He opened his mouth around the time Yeonjo, thinking something might be on his face, was looking around for a mirror.

“I always used to think that.”

“…”

“What does hyung want in his head. Is there even one thing I can give him that he needs. I want to know, but I also don’t want to know. Because I know I can’t buy it for him anyway.”

The content of the past, heard through his mouth, was very unexpected. For some reason, he felt a lump in his throat.

“But now I can buy you anything, so tell me if you need something. Anything.”

Perhaps the Cha Yeonjo seen through that kid’s eyes resembled an unknown world. Yeonjo wanted to get out of the orphanage by any means necessary, and he wanted a safer place and a warmer relationship. All things a young child like Rags couldn’t possibly provide.

But he had never considered the things that kid gave him to be useless. Should I have expressed that I liked them more…

“Can I really ask you to buy all the flowers here?”

“What’s the big deal about that. I can even buy you a flower field.”

Even to the playful question, Boss Gu was serious. Still, a flower field. That was too much.

“This is enough.”

Yeonjo said with a smile and chose a light purple delphinium. When he asked the owner to wrap it, the flower was quickly and beautifully wrapped in paper.

Watching the small petals flutter with the slightest shake, his heart suddenly and deeply stirred.

“Let’s go eat now.”

At Boss Gu’s words, Yeonjo nodded his head. And soon, he breathed in the sweet scent of the flowers.

Honk! Hooooonk!

“Huk.”

Yeonjo’s eyes shot open at the sudden sound of a car horn. Startled, he sat up, and the first thing that caught his eye was the steering wheel in the front seat of a car.

“You’re awake?”

At Boss Gu’s words from beside him, Yeonjo blinked with a dazed face.

Why was he in a car? Since when had he been sleeping here.

His confusion from just waking up was brief, as Yeonjo recalled the situation where he had dozed off and fallen asleep in Boss Gu’s car in the parking lot right after their meal at the restaurant.

He had only intended to close his eyes for a moment, but it seemed he had passed out without realizing it. Even using Boss Gu’s lap as a pillow in the passenger seat, so peacefully.

“What time is it?”

Yeonjo looked for his phone, blinking his still-sleepy eyes.

“7 o’clock.”

“What? In the evening?”

Horrified at hearing the time, Yeonjo faced Boss Gu. Just then, the sound of a car horn began to spread from outside the window again. The inside of the parking lot was quite noisy, perhaps due to a fight between cars while one was trying to park.

Regardless of that, Yeonjo was quite shocked by the fact that it was currently 7 PM.

“I missed the bus. What do I do!”

The departure time for the last express bus to the resort had long passed. It seemed his fatigue had piled up to its limit, as his work had been busy recently and he had been completely preoccupied because of Boss Gu. Even so, to have a meal bought for him and then just stretch out and sleep in an underground parking lot.

“I’ll take you.”

Boss Gu offered the only and simplest solution. It seemed he hadn’t been able to move while Yeonjo was sleeping, providing him with a lap pillow. He felt sorry for him, who must have been sitting in the far end of the back seat for hours.

His mouth went dry with guilt for having wasted his outing time, which was given at most once or twice a week, like this.

“If you’re tired, you can sleep more.”

Unlike the anxious Yeonjo, Boss Gu seemed completely unfazed as he opened the door, got out, and sat in the driver’s seat.

He wanted to talk with him more, but his languidly relaxed body wouldn’t muster any strength. As he felt the slight vibration of the car’s engine starting, an irresistible drowsiness washed over him.

It seemed that overexerting himself these past few days was the main culprit. Yeonjo washed his face with his dry hands and sighed, but then closed his eyes without resistance to the encroaching fatigue.

🚬

—Manager. A call came in for room 3013.

A radio call came in for Yeonjo, who was giving a tour of the resort. After briefly excusing himself to the customer, Yeonjo grabbed the radio and spoke.

“Suddenly? Is something wrong?”

—I don’t know. I was just told to call you.

“I haven’t heard anything about it…”

Yeonjo muttered, puzzled. The only times Yeonjo had to visit a guest room directly were for explanations about joining the riding club and for resort tours. And today, after the tour he was currently giving, his schedule for that was completely empty.

“Alright, I understand. I have another customer right now, so would it be okay if I go in 10 minutes?”

—Yes. I’ll pass that on!

After ending the radio call, Yeonjo resumed guiding the customer who was waiting in front of him. However, in his mind, he went over his schedule several times to see if there was anything he had forgotten.

Normally, he wouldn’t be so concerned, but for the past few weeks, Yeonjo’s mind had been completely elsewhere, so he couldn’t trust himself at all.

Especially since returning from meeting Boss Gu last week, he was genuinely suspicious that a screw had come loose somewhere in his brain. He would forget tasks he had just been given the moment he turned around, and whenever there was even a slight gap, his mind was filled only with thoughts of where he would go and what he would do with him.

In addition to that, he constantly replayed things like the flowers he had given him, the words he had said to him, and the food they had eaten together. He hadn’t been this absent-minded even during puberty. He would tell himself to be moderate and focus on work, but a few minutes later, he would be back to square one.

Fortunately, the conversation with the customer finished in less than 10 minutes. Yeonjo took out the work notebook he had kept in his pocket, read it, and went straight up to room 3013.

“What could it be.”

No matter how much he rummaged through the notebook, no information that Yeonjo might have forgotten came up. He had no choice but to quicken his pace.

Room 3013 was a room located in the corner of the resort. He didn’t know the details of every room, but he seemed to have heard that it had more windows and was wider than the other rooms.

Yeonjo walked down the carpeted hallway for a while and arrived in front of room 3013. After checking his attire, he pressed the bell, and with a click, the room door opened.

“Cha Yeonjo.”

The man he had never even imagined would be here came out from inside.

“Why are you coming out of here?”

Boss Gu leaned against the door of the room and gestured for Yeonjo to come in. Flustered, Yeonjo hurriedly looked around the hallway like a guilty person.

“Without a word… what are you doing here?”

To be honest, the feeling of joy outweighed the sense of predicament. Yeonjo barely managed to restrain himself from hugging him right away and entered the room with as calm a face as possible. In front of him, even his professional consciousness was easily blurred, which was a big problem.

“I have to go on a business trip for a few days.”

As soon as the room door closed, Boss Gu pushed Yeonjo against the wall and pressed his body close. To show up without notice and startle someone, and then to deliver news of a business trip with a blunt face.

“I came to see your face before I go.”

“Why a business trip all of a sudden.”

Perhaps because the weather had warmed up, he was wearing a tight-fitting black short-sleeved shirt. It was a size that would have been quite large even for a regular adult, but on him, it fit snugly, accentuating the shape of his upper body and arm muscles. And rarely, today he was bare-handed, not wearing gloves.

“And to give you this, too.”

“What?”

“It’s inconvenient to take the bus every time. And you’re not well.”

He handed what he was holding in his hand to a dumbfounded Yeonjo. It was a car key with the logo of a foreign car brand on it.

“Why the car keys?”

“I got a new one. It’s yours.”

“…Are you crazy?”

“I can’t always take you, either. I put it in the parking lot. Drive it.”

“Even so, a car…”

“Why? You have a license.”

To Yeonjo, who was holding the keys and at a loss, Boss Gu spoke as if he didn’t see the problem.

“How did you know that? I just got my license very recently… that’s not it. That’s not the problem, I don’t need a car.”

“I need it.”

“So why are you giving something you need to me…!”

“Because I’m worried.”

The answer was concise.

“If you don’t want to drive, I’ll get you a driver, so use that. That would be better, actually.”

“…Still, this is too much of a burden. I don’t need a driver either.”

“It feels like shit when I think about you taking the same bus as other bastards every time.”

Isn’t that too forced of a reason. Yeonjo was about to refute, but Boss Gu quickly added.

“And I want hyung to be more comfortable.”

At the word hyung, Yeonjo flinched. For some reason, it became difficult to refuse his words any longer. Yeonjo stared at the car keys in his hand.

“If you give this to me, what will you use to get back?”

“My subordinate will come to pick me up soon.”

“Ah.”

“So take it. Understood.”

“…”

“Answer me, hyung.”

“…Alright.”

He fiddled with Yeonjo’s chin, then bent his head and gave him a brief kiss. Yeonjo was surprised by the soft touch on his lips, but soon their tongues intertwined. The man’s breath spreading across his lips and chin was sweet. So much so that he wanted to cling to him all day.

Yeonjo took a deep breath at the uncontrollable emotion, then exhaled and frowned slightly. He had never been so swayed by his emotions like this.

“Can I hug you?”

Yeonjo, who had pulled his lips away, panted and looked up at Boss Gu. Instead of answering, Boss Gu pulled Yeonjo into a tight hug.

“Why do you ask for every little thing like that.”

Yeonjo buried his face in Boss Gu’s chest and wrapped his arms around his waist. As he took a deep breath of his scent, Yeonjo’s long eyelashes trembled.

The confusion caused by his sudden appearance had all evaporated. Yeonjo, temporarily forgetting that he was on duty, enjoyed his warm body temperature to the fullest. It was his first time seeing him at the resort, and although he knew he shouldn’t be doing this, he felt strangely giddy.

By the way, if he was going on a business trip for a few days, does that mean they couldn’t see each other this week. He had been waiting only for the day he would go to Seoul to see him. As his inflated expectations deflated, his body lost its strength.

“Do you still do dangerous work these days? Like fighting or physical stuff…”

“I’m cutting back. Maybe I’ll stop completely soon.”

It didn’t seem like a lie. It was certain that the swaggering gangsters who always stuck by his side had decreased.

I hoped he wouldn’t get injured like before. My stomach churned with a sudden surge of worry.

“You’re not going to get hurt on your business trip and come back, are you?”

“I told you I won’t.”

“…”

“Why. Are you worried?”

“Yes.”

Yeonjo nodded his head sincerely. Wanting to face him more comfortably, Yeonjo grabbed his arm and went deeper into the room. Boss Gu, despite his large build, let himself be pulled along easily by Yeonjo.

“We can’t see each other this week, but I’ll be back next week.”

“…”

“Until then, take good care of yourself. Don’t let your eyes wander elsewhere.”

To speak in such a threatening manner in a tender situation like this was a talent, if it was one.

“You will, won’t you, hyung.”

Every time he called him hyung, his mind went completely blank. This was cheating. He definitely knew how soft he became and was doing it on purpose.

When Yeonjo glared and nodded his head, his previously expressionless lips faintly relaxed.

“Or just move into my house altogether.”

“If I move into your house, what about the resort.”

“You can just quit. You’re weak as it is.”

Boss Gu wrapped both his arms around Yeonjo’s waist, leaving no gap between their bodies.

Yeonjo’s heart began to beat so fast that his face flushed.

“No. Right now… I don’t want to.”

“How long do you plan on working.”

“As long as I can?”

As if he didn’t like the answer, his expression crumpled like a piece of paper.

“You’re saying you’ll keep living in this backwater? Then what about me.”

He questioned fiercely, as if asking him to take responsibility. He could understand his reaction to some extent. There was no suitable place to move to around here, nor was the transportation convenient enough to come and go often. It was certainly a hassle to go back and forth between Seoul and the resort every time.

“I can be the one to go back and forth.”

Even to himself, it was a completely unreliable solution. As expected, Boss Gu’s reaction was cold. Yeonjo, who flinched for a moment, quickly added as if he had remembered something.

“Ah, they said a Gyeonggi-do branch might open soon.”

“So.”

“If I can transfer then, wouldn’t it be convenient to commute from Seoul if I move to Gyeonggi-do?”

“When is that.”

“In about 2 years…”

“2 years? Fuck. Are you kidding me right now?”

He squeezed Yeonjo’s waist even tighter with his thick arms, and as if that wasn’t enough, he lifted his body and laid him on the bed. Boss Gu, who expertly got on top of him, placed his arms on either side of Yeonjo’s face.

Yeonjo knew he should push him away, but the disappointment of not being able to spend time with him this week due to his business trip prevented him from putting his thoughts into action.

“If I told you to quit everything and just stay at home, you’d hate me, wouldn’t you.”

“Of course.”

Boss Gu clicked his tongue as if disappointed. Yeonjo, who knew better than anyone that he was being sincere, gently stroked Boss Gu’s arm as if to soothe him.

“Then I’ll have to endure it.”

“How praiseworthy. My baby.”

For a moment, Boss Gu’s body stiffened. Then, with an expression of being unable to bear it, he buried his head in Yeonjo’s shoulder.

“…Every time you say that, I can’t get mad.”

“That’s a relief. I should call you baby every time you get mad.”

“You just try it.”

“The business trip… how many days will it take?”

“6 days? No, 5 days. I’ll be back within that time.”

He let out a pained groan, as if the mere thought of being apart was torturous. And then he kissed Yeonjo again.

5 days was too long a time for Yeonjo as well.

“Hmm…”

“Hah, I want to put it in.”

He put his hand inside Yeonjo’s uniform and kneaded his flat, soft stomach. Yeonjo, flustered, stopped his arm.

“N, not now, really.”

“I can’t just devour you when you’re constantly sick and weak.”

“…Ngh. It’ll leave a mark, don’t.”

“Look at me, Cha Yeonjo.”

Boss Gu lifted Yeonjo’s chin to meet his eyes. He scanned his long eyelashes, the flush spread across his white face, and his plump lips one by one, then ground his teeth.

“Fuck, you’re so damn pretty, of course the flies would swarm all over you.”

“What are you talking about…”

“If anything happens, contact me. Got it?”

Boss Gu warned, as if laying down the law.

“Okay.”

“If any bastard bothers you or hits on you even a little, go to room 3012 and tell them.”

“Wait. Room 3012…?”

“If you have any troublesome or difficult tasks, have them do it too. They’ll be staying here for a while.”

Yeonjo stared up at him blankly for a moment. No way, were the Hawaiian shirt guys who were said to be staying long-term from Boss Gu’s side?

“I stationed them here because I can’t always be watching you.”

“Gu Mooncheon!”

Yeonjo shrieked. It was so unbelievable it was absurd.

“You really… What are you going to do if other people notice and think it’s strange.”

“I told them to act so they don’t reek of being gangsters.”

As if that’s possible! No wonder he thought their vibe was quite different from other guests. So that was it.

“Do you really think that makes sense?”

Despite Yeonjo’s anger, Boss Gu showed no intention of backing down.

“Just as I realized there are things I have to give up to have you, Cha Yeonjo, you too should give up this much.”

It was a completely one-sided notification. In a voice that had become endlessly cold, as if he had never been gentle, Yeonjo looked up at him blankly.

Things to give up. He had probably given up on caging him and wielding his life as much as he wanted, and now that he had returned to him, perhaps he had to give up on escaping his blind and abnormal obsession. Being with a man named Gu Mooncheon meant that.

After a few seconds of heavy silence, Yeonjo opened his mouth.

“Can’t you just say you love me?”

“What?”

“Why do you always confess in such a creepy, roundabout way?”

“…”

Boss Gu’s face, which had been frozen coldly, soon slackened as if he were dumbfounded.

Mulling over Yeonjo’s words, he let out a dry laugh, ha.

“You’re right.”

He admitted it quickly.

“…I love you, Cha Yeonjo.”

And immediately changing his words, he confessed to Yeonjo.

In that moment, a thrilling shiver ran down Yeonjo’s spine.

The form of their love was different from that of a typical couple, but perhaps this too was one of the many forms of love.

“Me too… Hph…!”

Before Yeonjo could answer, Boss Gu couldn’t hold back and roughly captured his parting lips.

“Hah, fuck… Cha Yeonjo. Cha Yeonjo…”

He murmured Yeonjo’s name over and over, kissing him deeply. His voice was so wistful and sweet it made his ears tingle. Yeonjo, without realizing it, wrapped his hands around his neck and focused on the kiss.

“Mmm…”

Just as their lips and bodies were beginning to tangle stickily, Boss Gu’s cell phone rang like an unwelcome guest.

“Which motherfucker is it.”

Boss Gu, who was on top of Yeonjo, spat out a murderous curse and swept his hair up. Perhaps because of the business trip, he couldn’t ignore it, and he eventually got off the bed to answer the phone.

Yeonjo, with a flushed face, sat up and fiddled with his swollen lips from the kissing.

Listening to the phone call, it seemed the subordinate who would be driving him was almost at the resort. Feeling disappointed at the fact that he had to leave soon, Yeonjo swallowed a sigh.

“Oh, right! Wait. Just wait a minute.”

Just then, something flashed through Yeonjo’s mind. Yeonjo earnestly asked the on-the-phone Boss Gu to wait a moment, then recklessly left the room and walked quickly towards the staff dormitories. Even with Boss Gu calling from behind, a sense of urgency for some reason made him look only forward and step forward.

Fortunately, the elevator arrived quickly, and it took less than 5 minutes to go to the dormitory and back.

“What is it, all of a sudden.”

When he returned to the room, he was already out of breath and his chest felt tight. Yeonjo approached Boss Gu, who was standing with a dumbfounded expression, and hurriedly showed him the item he had brought from the dormitory.

“Haah. Haah, I came to get this.”

“A ring?”

“Yeah. I don’t know if it’ll fit though…”

It was the couple ring he had seen at the shopping mall last week that had been weighing on his mind, so he had ordered it in a hurry. In fact, since he had bought it impulsively, he wasn’t even sure if it would fit Boss Gu’s hand. He had held his hand before, but it was difficult to gauge the exact size from that alone.

He had asked for the largest size, but now that he was presenting the ring and checking Boss Gu’s hand, he lost his confidence.

Boss Gu stared at the ring case Yeonjo held out with an unreadable expression. Then, he took out the larger of the two rings and put it on his finger.

“It’s small…”

Yeonjo muttered, unable to hide his disappointment. The ring, which didn’t fit on his middle or ring finger, Boss Gu barely managed to put on his pinky finger.

“Ah, what should I do. I ordered a pretty big size.”

He should have looked into it more before buying. Yeonjo looked dejectedly at the ring on his pinky finger, and Boss Gu, unconcerned, took the other ring from the case and put it on Yeonjo’s ring finger. Fortunately, Yeonjo’s fit perfectly.

Boss Gu, who was quietly looking down at the ring on his pinky finger, opened his mouth.

“Are you proposing?”

“Proposing… you say.”

At the completely out-of-the-blue words, Yeonjo’s eyes widened.

“A ring means let’s get married.”

Boss Gu claimed very brazenly, wiggling his pinky finger.

“It’s a cou, couple ring.”

“…”

“I want you to wear it. I’ll get you a proper one again later. So, we should…”

Yeonjo gently took Boss Gu’s hand and whispered in a low voice, as if someone were nearby.

“Let’s start with dating.”

“Dating?”

He tilted his head as if he had heard something bizarre.

“I’m thinking of marrying you, hyung.”

“…We have to start with dating.”

“We’ve already seen all there is to see, haven’t we? How many times have I fucked your mouth down there.”

“Please, stop talking about things like that so casually. And no matter what, marriage is a bit… I’m still scared of you.”

The sight of him insisting on marrying another man seemed absurd, but it didn’t feel bad. No, rather, it was even exhilarating. He even had the deluded thought that maybe someday it could become a reality.

“But you give me the wedding ring later.”

Yeonjo said with a smile and kissed the back of his bare hand. The corners of Boss Gu’s eyes twitched.

“Alright.”

He answered with utmost seriousness.

“No take-backs.”

“You too.”

Boss Gu, who was fiddling with the ring for a moment, covered his mouth with one hand and put the other on his hip. The corner of his mouth, faintly visible between his fingers, was slightly raised.

“Ah. If someone bothers you at the resort, make sure you go to room 3012 and tell them.”

“I told you there’s no one.”

“…Don’t think about lying to me.”

“There isn’t.”

“Fine, let’s say there isn’t. I’ll just take care of it myself, then.”

“What? What does that mean.”

Before Yeonjo could ask if he was serious, he checked the time on his wristwatch.

“I really have to go now.”

The words he didn’t want to hear soon flowed from his mouth. It wasn’t as if he was sending him away forever, but it felt like his insides were burning up.

“Already?”

“Yeah.”

“…You have to travel safely.”

Yeonjo barely managed to compose his disappointment and said his goodbyes.

Before leaving the room, he bent his waist again and reached out his hand to Yeonjo’s pure white nape. And barely suppressing the cruel desire to grab it mercilessly and push it into some part of his body to bind him, he gently grabbed his hair and kissed him.

With a voice still thick with obsession, that kid whispered.

“See you next week.”

“Okay. I’ll be waiting.”

Finally, the two of them naturally promised the next time, and the days to come.