Come Back

The thumb gently brushed over the cheekbone. The gaze of Lee Hae-sung, who had been staring into his eyes for a long time, drifted down and this time lingered on Choi Hong-seo’s lips. I felt his gaze becoming moist behind his lowered eyelids. His lips, roughened by accumulated fatigue, parted slightly, and a sweet breath escaped between them, touching Choi Hong-seo’s skin. Like before.

Choi Hong-seo unconsciously took a cautious breath. I lightly rubbed my cheek against his cold hand. Just a little, but it seemed like his face was leaning closer.

“……”

However, with the sound of the knock, both his hand and lips returned to their rightful places and moved away.

Looking at his back as he walked towards the exit, I hesitated and got up to follow him. I didn’t expect a kiss. Just being able to face him as Choi Hong-seo makes me overwhelmingly happy. I firmly told myself.

A dead person has returned. Just that alone was by no means an ordinary matter. Of course, he would need time to adjust too. Why is he being so impatient? The disappointment in myself was greater. I pretended not to know, coldly ignoring the stinging feeling inside me, telling myself that it shouldn’t be this way.

The visitor was the room division manager. The manager came to the room accompanied by another staff member carrying a tray with freshly squeezed fruit juice.

Even after staying one night in a standard room, the manager was eager to attract customers who would pay the suite room rate for the duration of their reservation.

“I hear you’re planning to spend your vacation in LA.” Of course, you will be staying in a wonderful place, but our hotel also has a casino. “Of course, you will be treated as a VIP at other hotels and casinos as well, but if you choose to visit our hotel’s casino, we will provide you with services focused solely on you, ensuring that your experience does not overlap with any other VIP customers.”

During the checkout, Lee Hae-sung was applying a new ice pack to Choi Hong-seo’s eyes. However, the manager was completely unfazed by the situation unfolding before him, maintaining a consistently soft and comfortable smile.

It seemed that only Choi Hong-seo was at a loss for what to do in the awkward situation of receiving an ice pack from his partner in front of strangers. I tried to resist and do it myself, but my timid defiance was easily subdued by Yuhyung.

“We have prepared a brochure introducing the exclusive benefits of our hotel that you can enjoy just by using the casino, even if you do not stay with us.”

The manager didn’t just focus on Lee Haesung but also made sure to give Choi Hongseo a kind smile from time to time, creating the impression that he was talking to both of them.

She seemed to regard the two as a very wealthy man and his young same-sex partner. And at least on the surface, she didn’t show any signs of discomfort about the situation.

In response to her consistently kind and enthusiastic suggestion, Ihaeseong put away the ice pack and at least showed some sincerity by casually glancing through the brochure.

“Thank you for the offer, but the accommodation we have prepared is in Malibu.” It’s a bit far to come to the casino.

Then, while gently holding Choi Hong-seo’s hand, he added with a slightly embarrassed tone.

“And… Since it’s a rare vacation just for the two of us, I want to quietly relax instead of spending time at places like a casino.

“Yes…” “Well, I suppose that makes sense.”

Despite Lee Haesung’s rejection, she did not show any signs of disappointment. If you ever visit LA again, I hope you will definitely come back. I hope the hotel has become a place filled with your memories… Later, she maintained such a professional demeanor that her comments almost felt sincere.

After completing the payment, Lee Hae-sung, with Choi Hong-seo’s backpack slung over one shoulder, took Choi Hong-seo’s hand with the other and left the room. They didn’t let go of each other’s hands even while taking the elevator and passing through the lobby. His SUV was waiting exactly at the front gate.

A different doorman quickly approached, took the backpack from Yuhaseong, and placed it in the back seat. Yuhaseong similarly handed him a generous tip.

Including the manager, three or four employees waved goodbye, and Choi Hong-seo, who was sitting in the passenger seat, absentmindedly waved back at them. As he turned the steering wheel to exit the roundabout in front of the hotel, Lee Hae-sung chuckled at the sight.

Not long after merging onto the road, his phone rang.

“The place to shop will be ready in an hour.” It just so happens that the navigation says it will take about an hour to reach the destination. Hmm… Aren’t you hungry?

After finishing a brief call, he glanced at the seat next to him and said.

“I think I’m going to be hungry because I’ve cried so much.”

Come to think of it, lunchtime had already passed without me noticing. But just like yesterday, I still didn’t feel hungry, which was quite remarkable.

I reunited with him at the gallery, and the exhibition itself was his message that ‘Choi Hong-seo’ is waiting to ‘come back’… So now, the fact that he really sees himself as Choi Hong-seo, at least acknowledging it and deciding to fully accept it, was bewildering. Just accepting what happened today was overwhelming enough that I didn’t have time to feel hungry.

“I don’t have an appetite yet, but if you’re hungry, go eat something.”

“Actually, I don’t feel like eating anything either.”

It felt like a very distant memory when I had cried in his arms at the gallery, so I closely observed his face as he drove. I wanted to feel more of the reality of being with him, who sees me as Choi Hong-seo.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Your expression doesn’t look good.

“That’s not it…”

“You’re wearing a thoughtful expression, what’s on your mind?”

“Just because.”

“Just?”

“I’m feeling strange.”

“Are you disappointed?”

“……”

“Did you expect me to be disappointed by a doorman at a rundown hotel or a chaebol?”

Lee Haesung was misunderstanding Choi Hongseo’s pensive expression. He turned his gaze away from Choi Hong-seo, who was fiddling with the seatbelt, and stared straight ahead with a stubborn expression.

“Even so, it can’t be helped.” That person treated you terribly.

The tone was equally firm.

“Coming alone to a foreign land, everything must have been unfamiliar and you must have been so nervous.” Moreover, can’t you even feel sympathy for someone much younger than yourself? You can’t even be kind to the guests, and instead, you make things even more difficult for them? If you were the victim of such unfair treatment, you wouldn’t just let it go in the future.

Even after mulling it over again, he was still angry, gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

“I’m going to stop pretending to be a good person in front of you.”

“……”

“If you want to give ten or twenty, you gave one.” Even so, I worried if it would be burdensome, if you would come to dislike me… I decided not to do that anymore.

The car was already speeding away from the hotel towards the airport, heading towards the beach. With a complicated expression, Choi Hong-seo remained silent, and Lee Hae-seong, glancing back at him, adjusted his voice, which had been rough until just a moment ago.

“Me, do I have to?”

“……”

“Even if I want to do something for you, should I hold back and save it?” Like before?

“…… No.”No. No.

Choi Hong-seo shook his head several times. Slowing down and stopping the car behind the long line of parked cars, Lee Hae-seong looked back at Choi Hong-seo with a regretful expression.

“I know the question was cowardly, but I can’t help it.”

“You’re not being cowardly.” And I wasn’t disappointed either.

Choi Hong-seo placed his hand over his right hand that was gripping the steering wheel. The fact that he looked like Yoon Hye-an still made him feel intimidated in front of him, but he didn’t want to let go of the misunderstanding that he was disappointed.

“Because there are many things I don’t want to regret again.” I know what that is.

“……”

“Do it the way you wanted to, sir.” I like that too.

Lee Hae-seong rested his head against the headrest of the seat. And then, silently looking at Choi Hong-seo, he grabbed the tips of the fingers that were overlapping on his hand. The movement of the thumb rubbing over the fingernail was ticklish, but Choi Hong-seo didn’t want to pull her hand away.

“Me, calling you… Is it okay if I call you that?

The line of cars that had been lined up began to move. As he started the car again, Lee Hae-seong calmly said while looking ahead.

“Well, Hongseon used to call me Mr. Haeseong, didn’t he?” Then sometimes, when she’s in a good mood, she calls me “Hyung.” When we fight, he calls me “Ihaesung” and acts scary.

“I’ve never done that.”

“Are you sure?”

Pressing down on the tips of Choi Hong-seo’s fingers, which he had been holding onto the steering wheel, as if giving a massage, he spoke without a hint of a smile. It was just like before, when he used to make jokes with a straight face, leaving Choi Hong-seo flustered.

“Well, in bed…” There have been times like that, but…

Choi Hong-seo felt his face turning bright red. I tried to pull my hand out of his grip, but he resisted, refusing to let go. To him, it was half a joke.

“Still, we’ve never fought before…” And, that, this… Calling it understanding… That was just the uncle’s hope, wasn’t it?

With his grip finally loosened, Choi Hong-seo managed to pull his hand away and repeatedly stroked his reddened face to calm himself down. Lee Hae-sung, with his left arm resting on the window frame, was secretly laughing with his hand covering his mouth. No, judging by the loosely covered side profile, it didn’t seem like he was trying to hide a smile at all.

“Same.” It’s the same.

He muttered to himself.

Then, while fiddling with his attractive lips with his long fingers, he turned to Choi Hong-seo. This time, a playful smile was on his lips.

“Weren’t you supposed to do whatever I wanted?”

“That’s… That’s true, but…

Fiddling with the seatbelt that crossed over his chest instead of the bag strap, Choi Hong-seo deeply lowered his face, which still bore a hint of redness. Lee Hae-sung, who had laughed softly, reached out his long arm and ruffled her hair as if to mess it up.

Sorry. I teased you too much. I did it because I wanted to see this side of you. Sorry.