Flower Fiancé Chapter 77

While speaking, he suddenly choked up and his voice caught. There was a time when he had lived feeling as if the whole world had collapsed. Though people say one experiences many failures in life, the marriage and divorce that had swept him up at too young an age had taken so much from Ji Yeonwoo. On the surface, he had lost his pheromones, but the human relationships that had shattered because of it could not be ignored either.

The people who had thought they were close and with whom he had shared everything mostly turned their backs on him as soon as they learned that Ji Yeonwoo had been diagnosed with pheromone deficiency. The only one who remained by Ji Yeonwoo’s side was Seo Eungyeom, and at the age of twenty-four, he had to rebuild from scratch human relationships that had been completely reset.

Making acquaintances wasn’t difficult. But he could no longer maintain deep relationships like before. He drew appropriate lines, built appropriate friendships, kept an appropriate distance, and maintained interpersonal relations to a degree that wasn’t uncomfortable.

Yet the fact that those very people with whom he had kept such boundaries had worried about him for no other reason than that he hadn’t shown his face a few times struck him as somehow even more moving.

[Ji Yeonwoo, what is it. Something’s up with you. Tell me. I’ll help as much as I can.]

Ji Yeonwoo, who had been biting his lips, let out a small breath and opened his mouth.

“Eungyeom, actually… Lee Hyunjoon came to the house.”

[What?]

Just as expected, Seo Eungyeom raised his voice as if he would faint from shock.

[Really? That Lee Hyunjoon I know?]

“…Yeah.”

[Wow…. I knew about it, but he’s a madman beyond imagination, isn’t he? How dare he go there? Did you report him?]

“No. Rather than that, I ran right into Mr. Moohyuk…”

[…Good heavens.]

Seo Eungyeom let out a low sigh and then fell silent. Somehow, as if he could guess what expression Seo Eungyeom was making right now, Ji Yeonwoo gave a bitter smile.

[Are you okay?]

Ji Yeonwoo heard Seo Eungyeom’s voice, full of worry. For no reason, he choked up and a heat that seemed about to blaze rushed to his eyes.

“Yeah.”

Still, it seemed a friend was indeed comfortable. The things he hadn’t been able to bring himself to tell his mother flowed out so readily to Seo Eungyeom.

“I’m at Mr. Moohyuk’s place right now.”

[So that’s why no one was home. Ha, that’s a relief at least. Because that person is by your side.]

From beyond the phone, he heard a familiar man’s voice. The mid-low tone sounded like Seo Eungyeom’s Mister.

“Are you outside? With the Mister?”

[Yeah. Hold on.]

And what followed was not Seo Eungyeom’s voice but that of Mister Yoo Seonho.

[Yeonwoo. I heard the call. Are you okay?]

“Hello. I’m fine. Thank you for worrying about me.”

Yoo Seonho, who had taken the phone instead, continued.

[Actually, Eungyeom’s been really worried since yesterday. He even went by your house and was looking all over, nearly missing the hotel check-in time. Anyway, I’m glad you’re okay.]

The memory came back to him—that the Mister had come to his shop to buy flowers.

“But what’s the occasion? I heard you came to the shop.”

And as soon as he asked, he remembered the Mister who had come religiously every year around this time, saying it was his anniversary.

[It’s nothing important. Take good care of yourself, and we’ll talk about the rest next time.]

The Mister seemed to want to end the call quickly. He could hear Seo Eungyeom saying something from beside him, but he couldn’t make out the words clearly. If it really was an anniversary, it would also be discourteous to keep him on the phone any longer.

“Yes. Please tell Eungyeom not to worry too much too. See you later.”

Ji Yeonwoo smiled at the corner of his mouth and accepted the Mister’s urgent wishes. Unlike the Mister’s usual manner, his speech had become quick, so it seemed clear what the situation behind this must be like without needing to be said.

The cracked screen flickered here and there before turning black. As he gazed quietly at it, a thought suddenly burst out from his heart.

“Still as close as ever. I’m envious.”

“What are you envious of?”

He snapped his head up, and there stood Choi Moohyuk, who had changed into comfortable clothes and come in. He set down the medicine and water he had brought on the nightstand, perched on the edge of the bed, and with both arms lifted Ji Yeonwoo by the waist in one swift motion. Then he sat him on his thighs so their bellies touched and asked.

“Is that Mr. Seo Eungyeom?”

“Yes. He must have been really worried since he couldn’t reach me.”

“But what were you so envious of?”

Still touching his damp, clumped hair, Choi Moohyuk met his eyes. Hmm, Ji Yeonwoo pressed his lips together and let out a long breath.

“It’s just…. Watching Eungyeom, who hasn’t changed with the Mister now any more than four years ago—it makes me feel that way. It’s nice to see, and also a little enviable.”

As he spoke, Ji Yeonwoo gave a wry smile for no particular reason, feeling oddly strange. It was a dual emotion—pure envy on one hand, yet not entirely at ease in one corner of his heart.

“It’s all just that kid’s good fortune. I think his bright and cheerful personality makes him shine even more.”

“Why would you envy something like that? It’s not like you’re alone anymore.”

Whether he meant to or not, Choi Moohyuk spoke as if it were no big deal.

“Don’t be envious. From now on, you’re going to shine even brighter than Seo Eungyeom, Mr. Yeonwoo.”

In some ways, he seemed like the kind of person who wouldn’t even feel jealousy, yet seeing him pay attention to such small things was endearing.

It was a time when everything felt like a dream. When he had lost his pheromones, the whole world had seemed nothing but despair, but now what lay before his eyes was all pink-hued.

These were emotions he could never have felt if he hadn’t met Choi Moohyuk.

The more he felt this way, the more his longing for pheromones grew. To stand proudly before his family, the most urgent task was to receive treatment and restore his pheromones to normal.

No negative thoughts arose. Since there had never been a time with Choi Moohyuk that had ended poorly, he firmly believed that this time too would bring good results.

Smiling softly, Ji Yeonwoo cupped Choi Moohyuk’s face in both hands and kissed him first. Wrapping his arms around his neck and rubbing lightly over his lips as he kissed, Ji Yeonwoo’s gaze caught sight of the medicine and water.

“Hold on. Let me take the medicine first.”

Just as Ji Yeonwoo tried to move down, Choi Moohyuk held his waist firm with one arm while reaching out the other to pick up the medicine packet. He tore open the opening and handed it over, and Ji Yeonwoo took it without thinking, glancing at him warily.

Tilting his head as if something was strange, Ji Yeonwoo put the pills in his mouth. Then he reached for the water cup, but before he could, Choi Moohyuk picked it up and, instead of handing it to Ji Yeonwoo, drank the water himself.

“Mr. Moohyuk… Mmph!”

With the water held in his mouth, Choi Moohyuk didn’t hesitate—he cupped Ji Yeonwoo’s face with both hands and kissed him. Little by little, water trickled through their pressed lips. Gulp, gulp—as he swallowed, the medicine went down with it, and the remaining water dripped from the corner of his mouth.

After lightly kissing him and even sucking away the water at Ji Yeonwoo’s lips and mouth corner, Choi Moohyuk slowly pulled back.

Ji Yeonwoo hastily covered his mouth with the back of his hand. His face, half visible above his hand, had already flushed red.

Even though he knew perfectly well why his face had grown hot, Choi Moohyuk pretended not to know and asked.

“Your face is red. Do you still have a lingering cold?”

Ji Yeonwoo, who had been giving him a sidelong glare, played along with the transparent tease.

“Well then, I guess we can’t kiss anymore.”

Choi Moohyuk laughed silently.

“What if I catch your cold, Mr. Moohyuk.”

But Choi Moohyuk was not one to be outdone.

“The cold usually heals faster when you pass it to someone else.”

The hand that had been stroking his cheek slid down his spine, wrapped around his waist, and pulled him even closer. Gripping the buttocks that fit entirely in his large hands, Choi Moohyuk lifted one corner of his lips with composure and said.

“Even better if I take it from you.”

The hand that had been holding his backside parted the bathrobe and slipped inside. He felt the palm wrapping against his skin, still supple from the shower. Ji Yeonwoo smiled languidly and shook his head.

That was a clear sign of surrender.

∞ ∞ ∞

Beyond his closed eyelids, bright light seeped through. Instinctively, he moved his body toward a place where sunlight wouldn’t reach. A large hand approached from somewhere and gently covered one side of his face.

“…said. I clearly said I wouldn’t—”