Come Back

“Then, introduce me to the vice president.”

“……”

This time, Choi Hong-seo was left speechless. I had vaguely suspected for quite some time that Park Dong-ha was interested in Lee Hae-sung. I didn’t expect to be directly asked to introduce him at a place where I came to untangle these complicated feelings today.

“You’re not even close.” There’s no reason not to introduce you.

“You already know, Vice President.” We always meet at the script study… “Why the sudden need for an introduction?”

Facing Park Dong-ha’s venomous expression, Choi Hong-seo fumbled and picked up the beer from the table. The sound of Park Dong-ha’s sneer was cold.

“Your clothes and bags, your taste has completely changed, huh?”

At Park Dong-ha’s sudden change of conversation, Choi Hong-seo put down the beer he was drinking. Park Dong-ha carefully scanned Choi Hong-seo’s outfit. The pants and cardigan purchased from a boutique in Beverly Hills, along with the hooded sweatshirt and bag carefully selected by Lee Haeseong’s stylist, all had a slightly loose oversized fit with simple colors and designs, devoid of any flashy patterns.

“It’s the same whether it’s a luxury brand or a famous designer product.”

Lee Ha-sung’s personal stylist had now accurately grasped the taste of the ‘anonymous VIP’ that her client wanted to gift. And every time they found a product that matched the taste of the ‘anonymous VIP,’ it was sent to Bundang. Those items, without Choi Hong-seo even knowing, were unwrapped, had their tags removed, and were secretly infiltrated into the third-floor dressing room. As if it had been there all along.

“Did the stylist send this again, sir?”

Whenever Choi Hong-seo asked like that, Lee Hae-seong always made the same excuse.

Wasn’t it something you bought in LA? You bought so much back then. So you probably don’t remember it.

The dress room was filled to the brim with clothes, bags, and shoes, to the point where it seemed impossible unless they were reproducing among themselves, but Choi Hong-seo just let out a light sigh and didn’t delve any deeper. Because it seemed to be his enjoyment.

“Originally, you preferred more obvious logo play, didn’t you?” Something that clearly shows it’s a luxury brand to anyone who sees it. Ah… Did you even adjust your clothing style to match the vice president’s preferences?

Standing inside the kitchen with the counter in between, Park Dong-ha smirked, lifting one side of his lip.

I know what you’re thinking, but it was only natural that ‘Yoon Hye-an’s’ tastes had changed from before. The person standing in front of Park Dong-ha now is Choi Hong-seo.

“The vice president’s taste is…”

As Choi Hong-seo’s lips twitched, he focused on this side with a nervous expression, narrowing his pulsating eyes.

“Maybe it’s not this kind of clothes.”

Recalling one of Lee Hae-sung’s ex-boyfriends whom she had only seen once, Choi Hong-seo muttered to herself. If she had to guess, that guy would be closer to Lee Hae-sung’s original taste than she was.

A person who is tall, slender yet sturdy, and whose elegance and composure naturally reveal that they grew up in a similar environment.

There was a time when I was so overwhelmed with jealousy because of that man that it took me by surprise. But now, she found herself more reassured by the fact that he showed interest and affection towards her, even though she wasn’t his type.

It’s not that I approached him because he was my type, but because I was drawn to him as a person, Choi Hong-seo.

“I like you, Vice President.”

“… What?”What?

For a moment, Choi Hong-seo, who had been deeply lost in his own thoughts, suddenly lifted his head. His thigh hit the table, causing the beer can to topple over and a yellow liquid mixed with carbonation to spill out. Quickly, I stood the can upright and used a tissue from the table to wipe up the spilled beer.

It’s not like Lee Hae-seong likes Park Dong-ha, it’s just that Park Dong-ha said he liked him unilaterally. It’s not something I completely didn’t expect, and I can’t even tell if it’s genuine. Nevertheless, my heart raced as if someone had taken a part of him away.

“You’re cool, Vice President.” I liked you from the first time I saw you. I worked hard to get closer. But…

“……”

“Did the vice president only look at you?”

After wiping up all the spilled beer, Choi Hong-seo slowly stopped his hands. He wasn’t looking at this side, which was throbbing beyond the countertop. Leaning against the sink, the eyes that were biting their nails were unfocused. He was just keeping his eyes open, but he wasn’t looking at anything in front of him.

“When I thought you hated me, looking back, it was only you who had my attention.” Someone like the vice president disliking someone was itself a form of attention, right?

Could someone who is interested in dating men not find Lee Hae-sung attractive? Even if his status, wealth, and the pressure emanating from his very handsome masculine appearance and confident physique could be overwhelming, it seemed unlikely that anyone would say he lacked charm. Choi Hong-seo firmly believed so.

So, it wouldn’t have been strange at all if Park Dong-ha liked Lee Hae-sung.

But I couldn’t be sure if it was sincere. Maybe it was to put ‘Yoon Hye-an’ in a difficult position, or to reveal their true colors.

I took out a bottle of soju from the humming refrigerator, which I had been chewing on my lips and nails for a long time. He poured soju into a water cup, not even a soju glass, and gulped it down like it was beer, taking several swigs.

Sigh, ha… The one who set down the cup took a deep breath and wiped their mouth with the back of their hand.

“Vice President…” Is he kind even when doing that?

Turning his head to look at me, Park Dong-ha’s eyes had burst blood vessels in the meantime.

“Someone like that wouldn’t make strange requests, right?” You’re always gentle with the actors too. Seojunyoung sunbae, honestly… That senior did something wrong, so it’s true.

Shaking his shoulders and giving a wry smile, he downed the remaining soju in the glass he was holding. Then, he slowly walked towards the table. Whether it was drunkenness or madness, the gleaming eyes stared directly at Choi Hong-seo.

“Even when you do things like that, really… Do you pet and pamper them? Today, like in the hallway? ……Like a lover?

Whether regretting what he had said, he shook his head to shake it off and looked at Choi Hong-seo with a clenched jaw, as if he were grinding his teeth again.

“Someone who lived like an older brother meeting someone like the vice president…” That’s just not right. It’s so unfair. Right?

Thud. He roughly placed the cup on the pulsating table, making a sound that was jarring. Standing opposite Choi Hong-seo, Park Dong-han leaned over the edge of the table, smirking provocatively.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” “Like the old days, should I slap you?”

At the mention of the word “slap,” Choi Hong-seo flinched.

“But what can I do?” Now I’m not the Park Dong-ha who used to get scared and tremble every time you acted like that. No, I couldn’t help but become that way.

Whether it was because of the suddenly gulped down alcohol or due to emotions, for a moment, it seemed like tears welled up in Park Dong-ha’s eyes. The corners of his eyes twisted in pain. But that was only for a moment. Soon, with eyes filled with hostility, he glared at ‘Yoon Hye-an’.

“I’m not asking for anything more from you.” If you really want to make it up to me, just set up a meal together. It’s not that hard, right?

“Got it.”

“…… Did you understand?””Did you get it?”

It was he who had made the request, yet he furrowed his brow and instinctively leaned back. Choi Hong-seo’s answer was calm.

“Just setting up a meal with the vice president is all it takes.” He said he would give it a try.”

Even with Yoon Hye-an’s answer of agreeing to meet the demands, I couldn’t shake off the pulsating gaze of suspicion. As if suspecting some ulterior motive, he pierced his sharp gaze all over his face.

Meow. Meow? I looked over Park Dong-ha’s shoulder at the small sound of crying. Where he had been hiding, Romeo appeared late from the hallway.

“I’ll contact you as soon as the date and time are set.” You’ll have to coordinate that much with the vice president. And this.

Choi Hong-seo, who had been carrying the crossbody bag on his back, turned it to the front and took out a small bundle from the pack, placing it on the table. Romeo, who had jumped onto the table via the chair, showed interest by bringing his nose and snout close.

“The last time you didn’t take it.” Of course, I made it again. “Try feeding Romeo once.”

Choi Hong-seo, having closed the zipper of the bag, put the tissue used to steal the beer in the trash can and left the living room.

“If it wasn’t too late, I would have suggested we try ‘Titan’ again.”

Just as he was about to finish putting on his sneakers, he heard Park Dong-ha’s voice from behind. When Choi Hong-seo, who had straightened his upper body, turned around, Park Dong-ha was clenching his jaw tightly, his expression a mix of resentment and sorrow.

“I’m sorry, but it’s too late.”

The guy who spoke as if chewing each word didn’t even watch the visitor disappear outside the door and vanished back down the hallway.

As Park Dong-ha almost passed through the hallway and reached the living room, he heard the sound of the front door closing and the door lock clicking. I stopped and listened to the sound of the locking door. The tightly clenched fists were turning pale.

“I’m not fooled…” I will never be fooled. Yoon Hye-an, this time it’s your turn to be the fool.

Romeo snatched the crinkling plastic pack that he had been poking at and shoved it whole into the trash can. Romeo, who had jumped down from the table, kept scratching the trash can with his front paw and continued to whine.

Holding the soju bottle that was left on the kitchen counter and pouring it into a cup, he muttered to the pulsating Romeo, or perhaps to himself.

“Stop it, Romeo.” You can’t eat that. Do you not know what kind of person Yoon Hye-an is? He’s the kind of person who would even put poison in there.”

However, it wouldn’t leave the trash can and kept whining incessantly. Meow, meow, meow.

“You said you couldn’t eat it, right?!”

Park Dong-ha, who had emptied even a full cup of soju, shouted towards the trash can. The faint sound of crying stopped. The sound of nails scratching the trash can also stopped.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry. Romeo. I’m sorry… Will you forgive me?”

Romeo answered with another cry. Tears flowed down Park Dong-ha’s cheek as he rubbed his face against the boy’s small face.

“Can I be forgiven?”

He quickly wiped away the weak moisture that was beating with the back of his hand.

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