Come Back

It was a conversation they’d had just twenty minutes ago.

Since returning from his business trip to Europe, Lee Haesung had been busier than ever, organizing the trip details and incorporating them into his work. The executives at ARA Electronics were holding emergency meetings daily, and Lee Haesung, who used to go to the office in Yeoksam only three or four times a week, had increased his attendance to stay updated on the meeting outcomes.

Because of this, despite officially becoming a couple, they hadn’t been able to secure much time for dates. Thirty minutes, or at most an hour, usually spent together while driving was all they had.

And starting tomorrow, they wouldn’t even have the chance for those brief meetings for at least three days.

The CEO of a Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturing company was visiting Korea at Lee Haesung’s invitation.

This company held a monopoly on supplying critical equipment essential for semiconductor manufacturing globally, so not only ARA but also major semiconductor firms in the U.S. and Taiwan were competing fiercely to secure equipment from them.

The very fact that Haesung had succeeded in inviting the CEO was regarded as a significant achievement from his recent business trip. As a result, after his return from Europe, the stock prices of ARA Electronics and other ARA affiliates had been rising.

All he’d told Choi Hong-seo was that an important guest from the Netherlands was coming, so the rest was what Hong-seo had found out by researching the news. He’d never been interested in economics, nor did he have the capacity to be, but recently, he’d been frequently looking up information about ARA—almost as often as he searched about himself.

During this visit, Haesung was scheduled to personally guide the CEO through ARA Electronics’ headquarters and exhibition hall, as well as the factory in Gwangju, along with accompanying him on a few personal sightseeing plans.

They’d already discussed that after the schedule wrapped up, they’d take a breather and finally find time to meet.

But he wanted to see him. Even if just for a moment, he wanted to meet him.

The feeling of having someone to turn to when going through hard times.

Having someone to rely on.

For Choi Hong-seo, that was a foreign sensation. Until now, emotional pain wasn’t something that improved just by meeting someone. On the contrary, being alone was better, and most of the time, he’d cope by shutting himself up in the practice room.

But why did he want to see him now? Would meeting him solve anything? It wouldn’t, but still, why did he want to see him?

While marveling at this strange feeling, he impulsively sent a message as he fiddled with his phone.

“Do you happen to have any free time today? It’s fine if it’s late or just ten minutes. I’d be okay with that.”

“Why? Do you want to see me?”

Though he’d said he was working, “Carrot Seller” replied immediately. And before Hong-seo could even decide on his response, another message arrived.

“I have some time before my schedule starts. How about I call you in about 10 minutes? Will you be able to pick up?”

“Yes.”

*Why? Do you want to see me?*

If he were here, his face would’ve been bright with playful eyes and a teasing smile.

This VIP who never seemed to find it troublesome, who cheerfully responded to a brief ten-minute meetup, without a moment’s hesitation.

From his youth to now, no adult around Hong-seo had ever treated him this way. He’d only known adults who neglected him, ignored him, mistreated him, deceived him, or used him…

Maybe it’s because we’re a couple. Is this how all couples treat each other? He wondered. But somehow, it didn’t seem likely. It was hard to believe anyone could be as kind as Haesung.

Before he knew it, the car had arrived at the salon. Busy with the thought of having to answer his call, Hong-seo hurriedly rushed into the salon, almost at a run.

“Hey, I need to take an important call before starting my shampoo.”

“An important call?”

“Yeah. It won’t take long. My room’s number three, right?”

The managers jokingly called Hong-seo the “Sales Director of Layered.” Without knowing exactly what kind of “sales” he was handling, they believed that with his natural charm and people skills, he had a knack for getting in good with “the big shots.” For the UB managers, cooperating with his “important calls” or “sudden meetings” was a rule, assuming these were “sales” authorized by CEO Myung.

“Want me to get you a coffee?”

One of the managers, chatting with the salon’s head stylist by the entrance, called up to him as he raced up the stairs.

“Oh? Yeah, coffee, please!”

“An iced one?”

“Yup, iced!”

As Hong-seo continued up the stairs, responding absentmindedly, the stylist behind him chuckled and said, “What’s got him in such a hurry? I’ve never seen him rush like this.”

Once he entered the private room on the second floor, Hong-seo did something unusual—he locked the door. Just as he sat down in front of the mirror, a call came in from “Carrot Seller.”

“Yes, it’s me.”

Instead of words, he was greeted by laughter on the other end of the line.

“…What?”

[Just the way you answered, like you were waiting right by the phone… it was adorable.] “Oh…”

No one had ever called his small actions cute, aside from fans. As the oldest member and leader of his group, he wasn’t the type to rely on others, and nobody around him ever viewed him as “cute.”

“Weren’t you busy with work earlier?”

[Yeah, but it wasn’t a meeting, just some brief reports in my office, so it’s fine. Everyone was happy when I suggested taking a short break.]

With his hair half-washed, his reflection looked a mess. He ran his fingers through his tousled hair, trying to smooth it down, and murmured a half-hearted excuse.

“Um… you don’t need to pay much attention to that last message. It was just an impulsive thing.”

[It was an impulse to see me.]

“……”

[Even if it was just for ten minutes.]

“……”

[Wasn’t it?]

His straightforward way of speaking was sometimes surprising, but it wasn’t unpleasant. In the end, he couldn’t deny it. It just made him a bit embarrassed.

“It’s true, but… you’ve got an important schedule starting tomorrow. We’d already agreed not to meet for the next three days… I wasn’t trying to be demanding.”

[I’d like it if you did make demands of me.]

“Wouldn’t that bother you?”

[If my boyfriend told me he missed me so much he couldn’t focus, even if it was just for ten minutes, how could that bother me?]

In the mirror, he could see his face turning red almost instantly. Though he couldn’t see him, Hong-seo covered his cheeks, murmuring as if trying to hide his face.

“I didn’t exactly say it like that.”

[Even when you speak in that slightly grumpy voice, it’s so cute.]

His low, warm laughter drifted through the phone. After the laughter faded, his voice softened, tender and reassuring, urging him not to overthink it.

[Let’s meet tonight. I want to see you, too.]

Hearing those words was like magic.

“In that case… I’ll come to your place.”

[My place?]

“I’m the one who pushed to meet, so…”

[Alright. You’re always welcome at my place.]

The anxiety that had taken hold of him from the negative comments was already beginning to heal. Normally, he would have agonized in a sensitive state for days, waiting for the media interest to die down.

Staring at the unfamiliar expression in his reflection, Hong-seo wondered: Do all relationships have this kind of power? Or is it just that ours is special? That he’s special?

@

Since the home date was sudden and it was late at night, there wasn’t much they could do. With both of them having commitments the next day, drinking was out, so they settled on watching a movie together.

As soon as Hong-seo arrived, Haesung led him to the second-floor home theater. True to his reputation as a movie fan, the room was elegantly designed solely for movie-watching.

“It really feels like a theater with no windows.”

Looking around at the walls adorned with rare, original movie posters, the oversized screen, and the high-quality sound system, Hong-seo was impressed.

Since Haesung’s penthouse was the highest in the mansion, every room was naturally expected to have windows. Yet, like his camera storage room, the home theater also had none. This lent both rooms a unique, secret base-like feel, separated from the outside world.

It felt like these spaces served as secret sanctuaries, places where he could set aside the responsibilities of ARA and simply be the person, Haesung.

“I don’t usually invite anyone here. I think you might be the first,” Haesung said, glancing over at him while bringing up the screen with the remote.