Come Back

“If you’re anxious, I’ll try harder.”

“……”

“This will be a precious memory for us, so let’s not use it as a way to ease your anxiety, okay?”

His words seemed right. It wasn’t that the anxiety came from the lack of physical intimacy. And even if sleeping together helped ease the anxiety, it would probably only be temporary.

This time, he gently swept Choi Hong-seo’s hair up and kissed his exposed forehead, sweetly saying,

“You’re a good boy, aren’t you?”

Choi Hong-seo nodded eagerly, holding onto his t-shirt tightly over his chest. He wanted to be very good for him. He didn’t want to make him suffer.

He liked hearing the praise of being good, even if it was a compliment that might seem more fitting for a child.

It was a kind of praise that would usually be given to a child, but it was something he had never heard even when he was young.

No adult had ever taken an interest in him when he was left alone, neglected by even his parents. Though he had a striking appearance, a child who wasn’t loved didn’t have a cute personality. He was a late-blooming child who hadn’t realized that his appearance could be a weapon, nor was he clever enough to draw people’s attention with it.

After growing up, he carried the heavy secrets and responsibilities alone, quietly making it this far. He had never been allowed to act childish in front of anyone. He had never made any complaints.

But in front of his affection, things were different. The bitterness of thinking that he had to shoulder everything alone melted away, and emotions he didn’t even know he had—wanting, being jealous, feeling anxious, finding comfort—were all revealed.

Only in the face of his affection, as if treating him like a very precious child, could Choi Hong-seo be the “good boy.”

He rubbed Choi Hong-seo’s shoulder gently with one arm, and with the other arm, he reached out to turn off the reading light. The room, already covered with blackout curtains, was filled with darkness.

The warmth and the touch of his skin became all the more vivid in the darkness. Had there ever been such comfortable darkness before?

In the dark, Choi Hong-seo could be bolder. As he traced his hand over his chest above his t-shirt, he listened closely to his breathing.

“I have a question.”

“Yes, ask me.”

He could hear a playful reply.

“Did you do this with other people too?”

“What kind of thing?”

“Taking weeks to kiss… something like that.”

He let out a small laugh. It was such a quiet laugh, but it felt like it was resonating in his whole body because they were so close. It was a strange sensation.

“No.”

His answer was without hesitation.

“I’ve been surprised by myself lately.”

“……”

“Maybe it’s because of the age gap… but with you, I’m careful about everything.”

You’re the exception. I haven’t been like this with anyone else.

It was amazing how happy such simple words could make him feel.

After a brief silence, he pulled Choi Hong-seo’s head closer and kissed his hair again. He was truly generous with kisses, though not so much with his face.

“Are you still anxious?”

“No.”

He shook his head and answered aloud. He felt so at ease in this moment, in this darkness, and this space, that he wished he could stay here with him, just the two of them, forever. Strangely so.

“Now that I think about it, I don’t think you’re bad either.”

“But earlier, you said you absolutely didn’t like it.”

“Well, I didn’t, but I think you’re better than the vice president, no matter what.”

It seemed that the title of “Vice President” bothered him that much. Choi Hong-seo chuckled quietly in the darkness. Then, he shifted his position slightly and burrowed further into his embrace. In the bedroom, with the air conditioner set to a comfortable temperature, the side of his body felt as cozy as a nest made of feathers.

“I think you’re sexy.”

“……”

“Lee Hye-seong is sexy. I want to kiss Lee Hye-seong too.”

“Now that you say that, the title ‘Vice President’ doesn’t just seem bad. I actually think ‘Vice President’ sounds really sexy, you know?”

Choi Hong-seo wondered if he could really fall asleep like this, pressed so closely against him, but the touch of his hand in his hair, his regular breathing, the warmth of his hand caressing his shoulder, the scent and his body heat—all of it gradually relaxed Choi Hong-seo’s tension, pulling him into a peaceful sleep.

He fell asleep without even realizing when it happened, as if melting away into slumber.

In the shallow sleep, he dreamed that he was being whispered to, “I love you.”

@

When Choi Hong-seo woke up, he was alone in the bed.

He must have left very carefully, trying not to wake him up.

He had planned to wake up early to leave together, but Choi Hong-seo quickly got out of bed. The thought of leaving for work in this house, with employees like Manager Kang escorting him, felt strange, even just imagining it.

Luckily, it was still early, and he hadn’t left the house yet.

He tried calling to ask where he was, but the phone didn’t connect.

Restlessly pacing the room, he carefully left the room. The lower floor was mostly a shared space, and the upper floor housed his personal areas, so he decided to head upstairs.

Hoping not to run into anyone, just as he was about to exit the hallway, he unexpectedly bumped into one of the employees. Fortunately, the employee didn’t greet or speak to him. He just stepped aside and nodded silently. Choi Hong-seo, feeling awkward, nodded back and was about to hurry on, but then he changed his mind.

“Excuse me, do you know where the Vice President is?”

“He’s in the dressing room on the second floor.”

“Can I go see him?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Thank you.”

After another polite exchange of bows, he quickly made his way upstairs. He climbed two or three steps at a time.

The dressing room, where they had chosen a tie together the day before, was located deep on the second floor. It was also connected to his bedroom, and one could enter by passing through a middle door from the hallway.

Choi Hong-seo knocked softly on the middle door a few times and cautiously pushed it open. “Vice… Sir.”

He called out quietly. There was no one in the small space between the dressing room and the middle door.

But as he listened closely, he could hear voices from further inside. He quietly closed the middle door and entered. The door leading into the dressing room was open, and light and sound leaked out from inside.

“From now on, Manager Kang will take care of Hong-seo directly.”

It was clearly his voice.

Choi Hong-seo unconsciously stopped in his tracks. He had thought he would be alone, but it seemed like he was with Manager Kang.

Should he just turn back…? As he nervously fiddled with his lips, the conversation continued.

“It seems like Hong-seo is uncomfortable with having employees around, so don’t be too formal with him. Treat him casually. Make some jokes.”

“I made some jokes yesterday as well. Do you think he didn’t find them funny?”

“I don’t know. It doesn’t seem like you gave the impression of being funny. Only someone like me can understand Manager Kang’s jokes, right?”

The way Manager Kang spoke to him was different from how Choi Hong-seo had felt about him until now. He realized that with his stiff, even slightly intimidating face, Manager Kang was the type to make jokes without showing any signs of amusement.

Should he gather the courage to go in? Just as his hand was about to grasp the doorknob, the voice from inside spoke again, this time with a slightly concerned tone.

“I hope Hong-seo feels comfortable coming and going here.”

“……”

“I want him to like this house.”

“I know he feels a bit uncomfortable coming here now, and that makes me worry.”

“Yes, I understand. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

“Please.”

“Vice President, I just want to make sure I don’t make any mistakes, so I need to ask.”

Manager Kang didn’t hesitate to ask. His tone was calm, as if requesting straightforward information for the sake of efficiency.

“How should I address Hong-seo from now on?”

Manager Kang, who had asked the question calmly, was the opposite of the nervous Choi Hong-seo standing outside. Sweat formed on his hand gripping the doorknob.

Lee Hye-seong didn’t even give Choi Hong-seo time to prepare. He answered as though he had been ready for the question all along.

“He’s the VVIP of this house.”

“I understand.”

‘The VVIP of this house.’ It seemed like there was a clear understanding of what that title meant between the two of them. Manager Kang didn’t ask any more questions.

Choi Hong-seo quietly turned around and left the dressing room. This time, he didn’t rush, didn’t skip two or three steps, but instead slowly passed through the hallway, down the stairs, through the living room, and back to the guest room where he lay down again on the bed.

In his own home, he could sleep well and wake up comfortably to prepare and head to work. That was what he wanted.

He buried his face in the pillow, faintly scented with his smell, and repeated the thought in his mind.

I’m his VVIP.

That one phrase, in this moment, felt like a reward for all the past that had passed. A single tear rolled down his cheek from his eye, still turned toward the pillow.