MPK Ch 4

“Whoa…”

The view outside the window, which I’d only seen as a silhouette last night in the darkness, was now revealed. A garden landscaped with ornamental trees, and beyond that, the clear blue sea stretched out. The sky, dotted with just the right amount of fluffy clouds, created a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

“Amazing, incredible.”

After taking a few pictures, I hurried back to my suitcase. When I returned to the living room, I had my old laptop in hand. Since I had this spacious room all to myself, it seemed okay to take advantage of the view. I’d been bustling around the living room, and since I hadn’t heard a peep, it seemed Woo Baekyeon had made good on his promise to leave for work early.

I placed the laptop on the table where we’d eaten dinner last night.

Our honeymoon was two nights and three days. Although it was called a honeymoon, it was highly likely that it would become two separate trips. Woo Baekyeon would be working, and I would be left alone. So, what should I do to kill time? Do you know the best way to make time fly by? Games? Exercise? Those are second-rate. The best way is “urgent work with a looming deadline.” I’d brought the application form for my severance pay, which I’d been putting off, on my laptop.

The reason I’d postponed applying for my severance pay was simple. My resignation was a special case, so I had to apply directly to the headquarters. In other words, I had to write it in English… and I didn’t want to. But the deadline was approaching, and my two nights and three days would be spent diligently and productively.

Leaning back in my chair with my hands on the keyboard, I felt like I was in a brunch cafe with a great view.

Okay, let’s do this.

Subject: Severance Pay Application

As soon as I wrote the subject, I opened a new browser window and launched an online translator. I’d improved my poor English skills while working at a foreign company, but no one had told me what “severance pay” was in English.

I wrote “Hello” on the first line of the body, followed by my name and the team I belonged to. This part was easy, as I’d done it before when making other requests. Good. Halfway done. Well begun is half done, as they say.

I glanced at the clock. It was a little past 9 a.m. I didn’t know when Woo Baekyeon, who’d said he was going to work, would be back, but it seemed like I had plenty of time to enjoy this spacious room alone.

Ah, damn it. I shouldn’t have looked at the clock. This is the country that re-translated the disaster movie title “The Day After Tomorrow” to “Tomorrow” because “The Day After Tomorrow” didn’t sound urgent enough. The moment I thought I had plenty of time, my motivation plummeted. The browser window I was using to search for English words went astray, and I found myself mindlessly browsing YouTube and webtoons. I lay down on the table, watched the clouds drift by outside the window, then sluggishly placed my hands back on the keyboard.

Click.

Just then, I heard a sound from the front door.

Footsteps slowly approached. The steps were slow and measured, barely making a sound. Soon, Woo Baekyeon appeared, dressed in a suit just like in Seoul. He really did get up early and go to work. Even though we became friends yesterday, and are the same age, I’m impressed. I still felt a little tired.

“Did you forget something?”

After just a day, my informal speech felt quite natural. And Woo Baekyeon, leaning against the wall, asked in a very friend-like manner,

“Jung Hankyung, what are you doing?”

He stared at my laptop.

“Ah, I brought some work to do so I wouldn’t bother you.”

“Work?”

“Yeah, I have some things to do…”

Perhaps because of his increasingly furrowed brows, my voice trailed off into a mumble.

“You brought work with you on our honeymoon?”

Woo Baekyeon took his hands out of his pockets and crossed his arms, the hand with my name engraved on it prominently displayed.

“That’s a truly terrible spouse.”

Of course it was. Bringing work on a honeymoon, where you’re supposed to focus entirely on your partner, was deserving of criticism. But it felt incredibly unfair.

“You said you were going to work today, too.”

“I went to deal with the people who followed us at the airport, like you said, and to check if there were any strange articles or videos.”

“Ah.”

“…I went out early so it wouldn’t interfere with our honeymoon.”

I see…

Before I could correct my misunderstanding, another wave of criticism came crashing down.

“How can you even think of working on your honeymoon, even if… we’re not a typical couple?”

But I was understanding when I thought you were going on a business trip disguised as a honeymoon!

That would have been a pathetic excuse.

“So, you’re not going to work anymore today?”

“Of course not. Common sense dictates that I should spend time with my spouse today. Who would give me work?”

“…….”

To salvage some of my pride, I could close the laptop and declare that I wouldn’t work either, but… unfortunately, I couldn’t do that.

“Hey, Woo Baekyeon… but this is kind of urgent.”

And now I had a time limit, even though I thought I had two nights and three days free. The deadline was fast approaching, and I felt a cold sweat.

“…….”

In the silence, a rattling sound came from the direction of the entrance. The same secretary who’d been flustered at the airport approached, pushing a silver trolley like I’d seen in foreign movies.

On the cart were various sandwiches and pastries, coffee, juice, milk in individual pots, and a small salad. The secretary stopped in front of the dining area, taking in the atmosphere.

“Director, should I… set up the room service right away?”

“Put it here. This gentleman is very busy, working even on his honeymoon.”

The barbs hidden in his words stung mercilessly. Seven or eight plates were placed on the table, carefully avoiding my laptop as if it were a plague. Woo Baekyeon sat across from me, just like at dinner last night.

“I, I’ll be going now.”

The secretary bowed deeply and quickly left, pulling the trolley.

Woo Baekyeon poured coffee into an antique teacup and took a small bite of a sandwich and a piece of lettuce. He chewed the tiny amount, which I could have swallowed whole, more than ten times before swallowing silently and then looking at me.

“When will you be finished?”

“Uh, um…”

If it were in Korean, I would just power through it, but because it was in English, I couldn’t estimate how long it would take. Woo Baekyeon waved his hand dismissively, his expression annoyed. Just do it instead of calculating the time, he seemed to say.

This wasn’t the kind of time pressure I wanted. It was far more nerve-wracking than I’d anticipated. A moderate amount of tension is important. With this much pressure, my mind goes blank, and my hands and feet tremble…!

“Hey, Woo Baekyeon, are you good at English?”

“Why are you asking?”

“I got fired even though I didn’t want to quit just because my name appeared. Can you write in English?”

“…Jung Hankyung, you were wrongfully terminated?”

Woo Baekyeon’s eyes widened as he abruptly set down his teacup.

“Is that why you were desperately selling sweet potatoes?”

No, that’s really not it.

“What… else could I do? With your name carved this big on my neck, how could I continue working as a bodyguard? The company can’t just pay me for free. Since I was going to be fired anyway, I’m sending this email to try and get as much severance pay as possible.”

“…….”

Woo Baekyeon’s eyebrows twitched, and he opened his mouth.

A torrent of English poured out, as if he were dictating a listening comprehension test. I could only manage to write down the beginning before I lost track. Unlike his somewhat stiff Korean, his English sounded more natural. Did he study abroad for a long time? As I stared blankly at him, having stopped writing, Woo Baekyeon got up from his seat.

“Move over.”

He came up behind me. As he leaned in, I could smell his familiar scent. His face was a little too close.

His fingers flew across my laptop keyboard, effortlessly composing sentences. Then, everything I’d written, including the greeting, was mercilessly deleted and rewritten. His hands fluttered before my eyes, like they were playing the piano.

After aggressively completing the English sentences, he was about to return to his seat when he stopped again.

“Jung Hankyung, no. Don’t send it. I’ll get you a lawyer, sue them.”

“Huh?”

“Losing your job because of a name would cause public outrage even in their culture. I won’t allow my spouse to be deprived of their rights for such a reason, so I’ll help you.”

“No, it’s okay. I was in charge of two kids, Chaerin and Chaesung, and I was planning to quit when they became adults anyway. And I have something I want to do after quitting.”

“What is it that you want to do?”

“A cafe. A study cafe.”

“The cafe industry has been saturated for years.”

“I’m really good at making coffee. At my previous job, I was practically one with the coffee machine. That’s when I realized my talent.”

“…….”

Woo Baekyeon looked at me like I was an idiot for talking about starting a business so casually. It wasn’t that absurd.

“…Well, that’s a secondary reason, I’m not trying to make a lot of money. It’s more like a bucket list item. I’ve dreamt of owning a cafe since I was young.”

When I finished rehab at eighteen, the single path I’d been running towards all my life had completely disappeared. What lay before me, needing to forge a new path, wasn’t a wasteland but a vast, open sea with nowhere to set foot. I had no answer to the question, “What can I do besides baseball?”

When I belatedly tried to pick up textbooks and pens again, I was treated at school like someone pathetically clinging to a lost dream. So, I’d just attend classes and then head to the local cafe. I would take the least popular seat next to the refrigerator and study until closing time.

The cafe owner was very kind to me. That’s when I had a vague dream. I wanted to create a cafe where people could come and study. A few years ago, when I learned about the existence of “study cafes,” I realized my idea wasn’t so unique.

I was putting that dream into action a little earlier than planned, but since I was fired anyway, it would be nice to get as much severance pay as possible.

“Don’t underestimate me, I’ve been going on real estate tours, practicing making smoothies and fruit preserves, all while preparing for the wedding this past month.”

“…How do you recover so quickly?”

“I don’t know… is there anything to recover from? It’s not like I was fired unfairly. And there’s no point dwelling on the past.”

Woo Baekyeon let out a short sigh. I continued typing at a speed less than half of his.

“Jung Hankyung, remember that our prenuptial agreement isn’t finalized yet.”

“Really? Didn’t we write down everything we needed to?”

“Write down that you want a cafe, with the location and size you want.”

My typing stopped. Fortunately, I was practically nose-to-nose with the laptop screen. It hid the heat rising in my face and my stiffening expression.

I was getting annoyed at him constantly mentioning financial support. And I knew better than anyone that this was a sensitive reaction. I lifted my eyes from the laptop and forced a smile.

“You must be loaded, Mr. Woo Baekyeon. I almost fell for you.”

“…….”

“But I really shouldn’t fall for you, so never mind. Keep your money. I’m rich.”

“You’re not old enough to have saved enough for a business after starting your career.”

“Does a chaebol who throws cafes around like candy even know how the real world works?”

“…….”

Ah, damn it. I shouldn’t have been so sarcastic. I relaxed my tense shoulders and neck, feeling remorseful.

“My salary wasn’t bad. And I started working early, so I have a lot of seniority. I have enough without any handouts.”

I was just about to write my salary in the email. The base pay was already high, but since it was a physically demanding job, I also received hazard pay, so my annual salary was quite substantial.

Of course, I’d need a loan to start a cafe, but that was my problem.

“…Alright.”

Woo Baekyeon didn’t push the matter further. Instead, he lowered his gaze, which had been fixed on me, and picked up his teacup.

“Show it to me when you’re done. I’ll check for any mistakes.”

“Oh, uh, thanks for that.”

I was truly grateful. While Woo Baekyeon was looking over my laptop, I had nothing to do, so I discreetly searched for information on climbing Hallasan Mountain on my phone. It would take about eight hours round trip for someone with good stamina… and we’d have to get up early tomorrow to avoid the late autumn entry restrictions.

A picture of the two of us, a name-coupled couple, at the Baengnokdam crater lake at the summit would be quite a good photo op. If the ordinary Jung Hankyung saw an article like that, he’d probably think, ‘They look good together.’

I shared the interesting information I’d just found with Woo Baekyeon, who was practically rewriting the email from scratch.

“Woo Baekyeon, they say you have to accumulate virtue for three generations to see Baengnokdam.”

What a poetic way to describe a scenic wonder. Woo Baekyeon’s expression hardened.

“I’m not so sure about that.”

“Huh?”

“Neither my predecessors nor theirs ran businesses so virtuous that not a speck of dust would be raised against them.”

Ah, I see. Three generations of… not accumulating virtue.

I also took a moment to reflect on my own family. I wasn’t in a position to say, “Our family has deep virtue, so it’ll be fine!”

“It’s just a saying. Wow, Baengnokdam is beautiful.”

“Where did you go in Jeju Island with the people you dated before?”

Why would he ask that now, when the atmosphere was good? Is this a trap?

“…You told me not to talk about them.”

“Answer when I ask.”

“Well… when I traveled with my girlfriends, we mostly went to Instagram-worthy hotspots.”

Woo Baekyeon scoffed, “What kind of place names are those?” and as I was about to correct him, click, he closed my laptop.

“I sent it.”

“Huh?”

What?

“I sent it to the email address you wrote.”

“Hey, you should have let me check it first.”

“Don’t worry, I wrote it better than you would have.”

No, no….

His slender fingers pressed down firmly on the laptop, refusing to budge. Since he wasn’t going to give it back, I opened my email app on my phone. But my sent folder was empty.

“You didn’t send it.”

“I deleted the record.”

A very clear explanation of the situation.

“Hey, hey, what if something happens later and I need to check it?”

“I CC’d my email address, so I’ll send it to you if anything happens.”

How can he be so shameless…?

I knew something was very wrong, but since he was acting like he hadn’t done anything wrong with his aloof expression, all I could do was laugh dryly. I honestly wasn’t even angry. Since I’d already quit, did he think it was okay to mess around like this?

“Do you have any other work to do?”

I’d brought other things, but nothing with a deadline. Even if I did, I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to say so. When I said no, Woo Baekyeon nodded after exchanging a few messages on his phone with someone.

“Get ready to go out. We’re having lunch outside.”

💍

“Oh…”

The place Woo Baekyeon took me to was a beautiful restaurant that looked like it could generate a hundred Instagram-worthy pictures. The dish that was just served at the next table was squid ink pasta… shaped like Hallasan Mountain.

Since the place was packed, Woo Baekyeon wore half-gloves to hide the name, and what choice did I have? A turtleneck. It felt like a second skin now. I could live like this through the coming winter, but I was starting to worry about the spring and summer that would follow. It was constantly itchy, too.

We were seated in a corner booth, me on the sofa and Woo Baekyeon in the chair facing away from the other tables. The reason for this seating arrangement was self-explanatory, given the way the staff member who showed us to our seats couldn’t take their eyes off Woo Baekyeon. What’s the point of hiding the name if everyone’s staring at us anyway? Woo Baekyeon, seemingly oblivious, was intently studying the menu.

After ordering the “Best One Set,” a seaweed citrus something pizza and the aforementioned Hallasan Mountain pasta were placed before us.

Seeing him looking bewildered at the menu, I took his plate and served him some pizza and pasta.

“Do you need a separate plate for each dish?”

“…No, I’m fine.”

He pretended to be nonchalant, but it was obvious. Woo Baekyeon had never been to a place like this before. He cautiously sipped the ade with flower petals floating in it through a straw, then made another bewildered expression.

I could easily guess why he’d brought us to such an unfamiliar place, and I felt a little touched. It must have been because of my thoughtless comment about Instagram hotspots. I needed to correct all my preconceived notions about Woo Baekyeon. He was prickly and often glared at people, but he definitely cared about me.

While Woo Baekyeon was dissecting the pizza with a knife like a bomb disposal expert handling a bomb, I took a bite. It seemed edible, but I have an indiscriminate palate, so I couldn’t be sure. Woo Baekyeon, who ate a bite the size of his fingertip, thankfully didn’t show much of a reaction. He did meticulously wipe his mouth with a napkin afterward.

“Jung Hankyung, how about we take it easy today to conserve our energy and start hiking early tomorrow morning?”

“Okay, let’s go to Hallasan Mountain. Sounds good. I’ll definitely get up early.”

I agreed much more readily this time. Hiking would be much better than bringing Woo Baekyeon to places like this. Judging by today’s weather, tomorrow would be clear, too.

The tables in the restaurant were constantly being filled with new customers, mostly young travelers in their twenties.

Even the loud pop music blasting from the speakers couldn’t drown out the chatter of the crowd filling the small space. Amidst the bustling atmosphere, Woo Baekyeon continued eating with an air of aloofness, as if he were in a private dining room.

“…….”

“…….”

While everyone around us was chatting animatedly, our table was shrouded in silence. He knew I was better at conversations than him, and this was a place he’d chosen for my sake. The pressure made me blurt out whatever came to mind.

“Hey, Woo Baekyeon.”

“Yeah.”

“Do people who are good at English understand pop songs instantly? Do you understand what that song is saying?”

His head turned towards the speaker in the corner of the ceiling, and his eyelids slid closed. He listened to the lyrics for a moment, then looked back at me with a composed expression. His brown eyes, shimmering in the restaurant’s lighting, gazed at me as his lips moved.

“You didn’t know, but my feelings have been there for a long time. I like you a lot.”

For a moment, the surrounding noise faded away. I felt a brief illusion that we were alone in an empty space.

“Huh…?”

“The lyrics. It’s full of profanity, but that’s the gist of it.”

“Ah, right. The lyrics.”

Staring blankly at him as he uttered a quiet confession, my initial reaction was dumbstruck. I then let out a self-deprecating laugh. Wow, what am I doing? Am I that desperate for romance? Desperate enough to be flustered by Woo Baekyeon? Or is this just the honeymoon effect…?

“The lyrics are more romantic than the melody.”

“Romantic?”

“It’s a song about a long unrequited love.”

Woo Baekyeon tapped his fingertips on the handle of his cutlery a few times before speaking.

“Do you think it’s romantic if someone had a long, unrequited love for you without you knowing?”

“Um… well, as long as they weren’t harming me, like stalking. I’m not anyone special, so I’d be grateful if someone liked me for a long time.”

“…I see.”

It seemed like he hadn’t noticed my momentary lapse, and the small talk that started with the pop song was progressing smoothly. I’d managed to draw out quite a few precious words from Woo Baekyeon. I should keep the conversation going from here.

“But I think a more cheerful song would suit this place better.”

As if responding to my complaint, the song about unrequited love (translation: Woo Baekyeon), which had the word “crazy” at least thirty times in it, ended. And the intro to the next song began.

Bum bum bum bum, bum bum bum bum, bum, doong doong doong doong!

The tone was much brighter, but.

“This is too upbeat for a restaurant.”

After the universally recognizable intro, the lyrics, familiar to most people around the world, began.

­Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear…

Click.

“Huh?”

The lights in the restaurant went out completely. Woo Baekyeon disappeared from my darkened vision. My hand, which was about to get more pasta, stopped.

“What, what’s going on?”

Amidst the bewildered murmurs, a group at a table formed by pushing three tables together began loudly singing along to the happy birthday song.

“Oh my god, when did you prepare this!”

One of their party approached the table with a cake and candles. The birthday person, their voice choked with emotion, thanked them before blowing out the candles. Then came the playful back pats, the smearing of whipped cream on cheeks, and the flurry of photos.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could make out Woo Baekyeon’s silhouette.

“Oh my, how cute.”

“…….”

“Hey, Woo Baekyeon, you know, people who’ve been dating for a long time don’t do that. They just drink themselves silly on their birthdays. That group of friends definitely hasn’t been together for long.”

“…Ugh…”

It seemed like he didn’t want to respond to that. Woo Baekyeon just lowered his head without reacting.

The song ended. The lights came back on. Half the people in the restaurant ignored the birthday table, while the other half applauded. Our table did both. I clapped, Woo Baekyeon ignored.

Woo Baekyeon was even breathing heavily, as if he was upset. I’d said it was cute, but I wasn’t happy about the interruption either. For Woo Baekyeon, who’d probably never experienced a bustling restaurant like this before, it must have been incredibly annoying.

“Hey, let’s just go to a restaurant you like next time. Let’s just consider today a one-time special experience.”

As I spoke apologetically, he abruptly stood up.

“Huh? Are you going to the restroom?”

“…….”

Woo Baekyeon turned sharply. He strode through the tables, opened the restaurant door, and walked out.

“Huh?”

What, was he really that desperate?

Now that the lights were back on, his absence felt even more pronounced. Facing the table behind us, which Woo Baekyeon’s shoulders had been blocking, I had no appetite. I waited, looking at my phone, figuring he’d be back soon, but Woo Baekyeon didn’t return for a long time.

Woo Baekyeon where are you?? 12:15 PM

Are you far? 12:17 PM

Are you too busy to even reply? 12:31 PM

Is something wrong?? 12:40 PM

I called the number he’d given me yesterday, but it just rang and rang before disconnecting. The food grew cold, and so did the string of messages I’d sent. The only thing that remained warm was my phone, with its growing call log.

Seriously, he lectured me about bringing work on our honeymoon, and now he’s leaving me stranded in a restaurant? …I hope he isn’t seriously ill or has collapsed somewhere.

I was just about to go look for him when a man in a suit, looking very out of place in the casual restaurant, approached. And I recognized his face. He was one of Woo Baekyeon’s secretaries.

He stood next to the chair that had been Woo Baekyeon’s.

“Mr. Jung Hankyung, hello. Director Woo says something urgent came up, and he had to leave. If you don’t mind, may I sit here while you finish your meal?”

“…Without even saying anything?”

What urgent matter could have suddenly come up for someone who wasn’t even looking at their phone just now?

It felt like a flimsy excuse, hiding some other reason.

Even if it wasn’t, I couldn’t bring myself to eat after being abandoned mid-meal.

“It’s fine. I’ll leave, too. It’s awkward to eat alone with you here, and I can’t offer you my leftovers.”

“I’m fine. Please, be comfortable…”

“Um… it’s a little difficult to be comfortable now. As you can see.”

“J, just a moment. I didn’t expect you to leave now, so let me check the situation outside.”

“…….”

I nodded, not wanting to trouble an innocent person. He turned his back to me and spoke quietly on the phone. Woo Baekyeon’s empty chair still held his abandoned clothes.

The secretary, looking distraught after the call, turned to me.

“Director Woo has already left in the car he arrived in. A car to pick up Jung Hankyung will be here shortly.”

“He just left?”

“Yes… It was an urgent matter.”

“Is Woo Baekyeon sick or something?”

“No, not at all.”

“…Let’s go then. Could you grab Baekyeon’s clothes?”

“Oh, yes.”

While the secretary gathered the clothes, I handed the bill and my card to the cashier. Two meals and two ades came to 70,000 won. The cashier’s explanation about coupons and review events fell on deaf ears. The secretary hurried over to pay, but the receipt was already printing.

Outside the restaurant, I turned to the secretary.

“You can tell me what happened. I’m sure I can understand…”

My phone vibrated insistently. Glancing down, ready to ignore it, I saw the name of the person I was most curious about right now.

“Hey, Woo Baekyeon.”

­Jung Hankyung. Something came up at work… I had to go deal with it.

“Are you sure you’re not sick? Maybe you’re not used to commoner food after all that fancy dining.”

­What are you talking about? Didn’t they tell you something came up…?

His tone was still haughty, but I sensed an edge to his voice. And his breathing sounded a little ragged.

“What kind of emergency happens right in the middle of a meal? Are you okay?”

­I thought since you work, I can work too. Do you have a problem with that?

No, I mean, you’re the director, so I understand things come up, but… sigh. Why does he have to talk like that?

“It’s not like that, I’m just worried…”

—I don’t need your worry. Mind your own business.

“…….”

­You can keep playing around, or have another meal… whatever you want.

The line went dead. As if he had no intention of hearing a rebuttal.

“Seriously?”

What’s got him so riled up now?

And so, less than an hour after leaving, I was back at the luxurious resort. Woo Baekyeon’s shoes were by the door, but there was no sign of him in his room. I tossed his jacket onto the living room sofa. He had a difficult personality, whether he was hiding something or not.

💍

After hearing the declaration of ‘since you worked, I’m going to work too!’

I should have retorted, “Go ahead, do you think I don’t have work to do?!”

That would’ve been a productive, albeit irritating, exercise in putting ourselves in each other’s shoes.

I did have some work left on my laptop. But I wasn’t feeling motivated. So I sprawled on the bed and scrolled through my phone. I’d imagined enjoying the panoramic ocean view, but now it was just YouTube.

I was mindlessly flipping through recommended clips of classic movie scenes when a video about couples therapy popped up. Why would the algorithm show me this? I wasn’t interested in ‘Your Husband’s Unexplained Behavior: It’s All Because of OO!’ I’d just check what the two missing syllables were and move on.

­I don’t understand why he does that. Sometimes he just gets up in the middle of a conversation and leaves.

The 30-minute video captivated me. My eyes were dry from staring at the screen.

“Jung Hankyung.”

So what’s the reason? What is OO?! I frantically tapped the rewind button.

“Jung Hankyung?”

Knock, knock. The knocking came again. It wasn’t me tapping the screen. I paused the video, and Woo Baekyeon’s voice was clearer.

“Can I come in for a second?”

…?

What’s going on? Why is he being like this? And weren’t we just in a tense standoff?

I got up and opened the door, and there he was.

“What?”

“Do you have anything you need to do right now?”

“No, not really…”

“Then come out for a minute.”

What… why?

“…….”

He just stared at me, offering no explanation.

“What is it…”

But then again, when he looked at me like that, I just… followed. Woo Baekyeon turned and walked ahead once I stepped out of the room.

“Hmm?”

Reaching the end of the hallway, my gaze shifted from his swaying brown hair to the table. It was laden with an extravagant spread. Various cheeses and hams, a buttery lobster and grilled clams, more than ten kinds of fruit, bread and crackers, several bottles of wine.

…And, in the center, were the two dishes we’d left untouched at the restaurant, now fresh and new.

“What’s all this?”

“Dinner.”

“Isn’t this a bit much? …There’s even alcohol.”

“You don’t have to drink it if you don’t want to.”

As if he hadn’t prepared a whole feast. I was surprised, and also amused.

Woo Baekyeon uncorked a bottle of wine and filled my glass and his.

“I had this brought over from the restaurant we were going to go to for dinner. I thought we’d have lunch somewhere you were familiar with, and dinner somewhere I was. Things got… sidetracked because of work.”

The red stream filled the glass and receded. Woo Baekyeon filled his own glass to the same level.

…This is a peace offering, right? Is this guy bipolar or something? One minute he’s prickly, the next he’s… like this. I can’t figure him out.

After a moment of contemplation, I mustered my social skills and clinked my glass against his. Woo Baekyeon stiffly tilted his glass towards mine. He slowly brought it to his lips and took a sip, staining them red.

“It’s low-alcohol because we’re hiking tomorrow.”

Oh, the mountain. Right. I’d completely forgotten.

“You really want to see Baengnokdam Crater, huh?”

“You agreed to it too.”

“Yeah, I know. I didn’t forget.”

“We’ll leave as soon as the sun rises, so be ready. …There won’t be any emergencies tomorrow.”

“Even if there is, just tell me before you bolt. If you take off again, I’m going to see your precious Baengnokdam Crater by myself.”

“…….”

Woo Baekyeon didn’t answer. He sat silently, his gaze fixed somewhere below my chin. Seeing him look so forlorn, I regretted my sharp tone. Then again, wasn’t I being more than kind enough to a guy my age?

“And…”

“Yeah?”

“If there’s anything you want to eat, tell me. I can’t take you to your favorite Instagram hotspots, but I can get it to go.”

I prefer quiet kimbap restaurants over crowded trendy places anyway… Wait a minute, Woo Baekyeon. Was he feeling guilty after all?

This is why one good deed after ninety-nine bad ones works better than a hundred good deeds in a row. The fact that he ditched me without a word was starting to fade away.

“I eat anything. It’s fine.”

“There must be something you want.”

Something I want…

“It’s not food.”

“Then what is it?”

I grinned, and Woo Baekyeon’s relaxed eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. Ah, that’s better. This expression suits him more. I took a sip of wine and said,

“Stop being so grumpy. We can get along just fine, so why do you get so prickly sometimes?”

Woo Baekyeon expressed his bewilderment with a deepened frown.

“I wasn’t grumpy.”

“Oh, sure.”

“Why are you reacting like that? I’m serious.”

Woo Baekyeon looked straight at me.

“I haven’t been grumpy. How can I stop being grumpy when I wasn’t in the first place?”

“…….”

“I wasn’t grumpy or angry with you. It’s just… how I am.”

Objectively, Woo Baekyeon had been inexplicably grumpy numerous times. Anyone else, I would’ve snapped back, but Woo Baekyeon looked genuinely aggrieved, making it hard to argue. I could only raise my hands in defeat and say, “Alright, alright.”

This too shall pass. I’d get used to it.

“Okay, I misunderstood. I’m sorry. Let’s communicate and get along. It’s kind of like meeting your college roommate for the first time.”

I take back what I thought earlier: ‘If we’d met in high school, I wouldn’t have anything to do with him.’ If we’d met as carefree teenagers, I’d probably have poked at his prickly personality to get his attention. Now, it was a bit of a nuisance, but back then my curiosity would’ve outweighed any annoyance.

“Give me the bottle. I’ll pour you some.”

The bottle was next to Woo Baekyeon’s left hand. The same hand that had my name on it. Come to think of it, this was the first time I’d seen it up close. We hadn’t exactly been on good enough terms to look.

His name seemed a little darker than mine. I lightly touched my name on his pale hand, and his shoulder twitched.

Whack!

His hand recoiled as if burned. My hand, knocked aside, hit the bottle.

Smash!

The bottle crashed to the floor, shattering.

The ripe scent of grapes and alcohol filled the air. My ears, ringing from the sudden noise, slowly returned to normal. My finger, which had hit the bottle, throbbed.

“Oh, sorry…”

“What are you doing? Why are you touching me without permission?”

It would be a lie to say I wasn’t irritated.

“…Okay, I’m sorry.”

It was barely a touch. Conflict was an exhausting waste of energy. The sudden chill in the air was already giving me a headache.

Dude, I told you not to be grumpy five minutes ago….

No, that’s not the point. Seeing Woo Baekyeon’s pale face, I knew I had to address this.

“Woo Baekyeon, let’s make one thing clear since this might happen again. Do you hate being touched?”

Then I remembered Woo Baekyeon shaking hands with guests at our wedding. His hands were bare then. I remembered because his name was visible.

“…….”

“Or is it me?”

Woo Baekyeon didn’t answer. Which was an answer in itself. I had no idea how he’d managed the wedding exit, or the kiss after.

“Okay, okay. I won’t touch you, not even a speck of dust…”

“…….”

Woo Baekyeon was still clutching the hand I’d touched, head bowed. But wait, his back… was it trembling slightly?

“Hey, are you… are you crying?”

I asked jokingly, but his brown eyes, when he lifted them, were glistening with tears. I’d seen that look somewhere before. A long time ago… no, that couldn’t be, we’d only known each other for a month.

…Oh, right. That’s it. When we first arrived in Jeju. At the airport, when he grabbed my hand and dragged me to the car.

“Jung Hankyung, do you really not know why?”

“How am I supposed to know? Is it on Google or something?”

“No…!”

Woo Baekyeon bit his lip and stood up abruptly. He raised his hand as if to strike me. Go ahead, hit me. I needed to get to the bottom of this.

But instead of a sharp pain, I felt a warm touch. Woo Baekyeon’s hand covered my neck.

“What…”

The question died on my lips as all my senses focused on the point of contact. A shiver ran down my spine as if all the heat had been sucked out of me. I gasped, my lungs painfully expanding.

“Hey, your hand…!”

“…….”

Take your hand off…! I clamped my mouth shut, unable to finish the sentence. Even after Woo Baekyeon pulled his hand away, I couldn’t breathe properly.

‘What is this? What the hell is going on?’

I could only think straight after the shock subsided.

The moment Woo Baekyeon’s hand touched me, I felt a sensation I’d never experienced before. Like I’d taken some kind of aphrodisiac. After my heart leaped like it had been electrocuted, a heat spread through my abdomen. What followed was unmistakable arousal. As if the tense atmosphere from moments before had never existed.

“What, ha, what is this? What did you do…?”

Damn, he was crying too, judging by his blurry face. The aftershocks of the sudden arousal made me stumble.

No, could I even call it arousal? It was more like a blanketing, all-consuming… something. I thought Woo Baekyeon had hypnotized me.

And he didn’t look much different. He too was clutching his marked hand, gasping between gritted teeth.

“It’s common sense that name partners feel sexual urges towards each other. When there’s physical contact… the symptoms intensify. How do you not know this?”

“I… I think I saw something about it, but…”

I’d never considered Woo Baekyeon in that way. Plus, we were both men, and barely on speaking terms. I hadn’t thought it would be an issue.

Woo Baekyeon’s teary eyes, flushed cheeks, darkly bitten lips, and ragged breaths… every detail imprinted itself on my mind with each frantic heartbeat. I couldn’t tear my eyes away. My mouth went dry as I watched him. I wanted to grab his face and kiss him. Just like when his name first appeared on me.

“So if we accidentally touch outside, huh, this… happens?”

I sounded like a pervert, my breath hitching with every word. How do other name couples even function? Is a normal life even possible? If I stepped outside right now, any upstanding citizen would probably call the police.

“We… huh… have to… avoid… touching…”

“…Do you know something?”

“…In our case, Jung Hankyung, there’s been hardly any contact since the names appeared… so the symptoms are stronger. The sexual urges… apparently subside after… sexual contact. It’s like… withdrawal symptoms.”

“…….”

They say names are divine connections in a world devoid of true love. Bullshit, it’s all just pretty packaging. It’s like some forced mating program!

My eyes were stinging, and I was panting as well, but I was fine compared to Woo Baekyeon. He couldn’t even stand. He slumped over the table, pushing the food aside, clutching his chest and thighs, moaning. He finally looked up at me.

“Go. …I’ll take care of myself. This isn’t… a pretty sight.”

Well, I don’t know how I look to you, but honestly, Woo Baekyeon, you… sweating and flushed… didn’t look bad at all.

“Uh… ugh…”

Seeing him whimper made me feel guilty, as if I deserved to be slapped.

Was this the name’s doing too? This strange feeling? This suffocating tension?

I cautiously approached him.

“…Hey, your sleeve. Pull your sleeve down to cover your hand. Like this.”

I made sure the marked area wasn’t directly touching me and put his arm around my shoulders.

“Wha… huh… what are you doing?”

“You look like you’re about to pass out. I’ll help you to your room.”

“Just… leave me alone…”

“That’s the famous last words in every movie and drama.”

I pulled him closer.

“Hey, your neck. Be careful not to touch my name.”

His arm felt heavy on my shoulder. His body, pressed close to mine, was unexpectedly firm and heavy.

As I struggled to support him, his ragged breath brushed against my name, even without direct contact.

This is driving me crazy. What kind of symptom is this? Every time I moved, I felt a throbbing ache between my legs. I’d never felt this way, not even during puberty.

“Woo Baekyeon, are we going to your room?”

“…….”

It wasn’t like I was going to get an answer. I just opened the door.

His room was almost identical to mine, with only minor differences in decor. I went straight to the bed.

As I lowered him, Woo Baekyeon collapsed onto the mattress without resistance.

“Ugh…!”

The veins in his hand, gripping the white sheets, bulged. Damn, he was in so much pain, but I couldn’t call anyone.

“Urgh… ah… uh…”

And why am I having these thoughts when he’s suffering?

So this is the name urging us to… get intimate, and Woo Baekyeon’s suffering because it’s not happening?

Are you kidding me? Are you like those clueless managers who force new employees to do love shots? What about a little consideration for us, we’ve only known each other for a month?

“Jung Hankyung, get out.”

The veins in Woo Baekyeon’s hand, clutching the sheets, stood out. It was agonizing to see. His shirt was dotted with sweat stains.

I stood by the bed, running my hands through my hair. Damn it. Nothing about this honeymoon was easy.

“Hey, um…”

I braced myself and sat on the bed.

“We’ve kissed twice already. How about… another kiss? Wouldn’t that make it better?”

“…What?”

Woo Baekyeon turned his head, buried in the sheets, and looked at me with red-rimmed eyes.

“You look like you’re dying. Just bear with it, man. Think of it as… CPR.”

I rubbed my lips with the back of my hand, just in case. Yes, this was CPR. I was doing this to save a life.

Woo Baekyeon trembled as I got closer. I put one knee on the bed and leaned towards him.

My lips pressed against his. It felt intensely real, like all my senses were focused on that single point of contact. His lips were incredibly soft and smooth, like pudding. His skin, seen up close, was flawless.

‘No dirty thoughts during CPR.’

No selfish desires. How could I even think such things when he was practically incapacitated? But somehow… my breathing was getting heavier, and his condition seemed to be worsening. Is this really working,

“Mmm…!”

Woo Baekyeon wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me down. My head hit the bed as he pulled me onto him. His lips pressed hard against mine, and when he opened his mouth, mine followed.

“Ungh… mmmph…”

I tried to pull away, but the hand on the back of my head moved down to my name on my neck. My shoulders tensed. A jolt of arousal shot through me, tightening my lower body.

‘Shit, I’m hard…’

Hard enough to cum with a few strokes. Desire flooded through me. We pulled at each other, our limbs tangling, our tongues exploring each other’s mouths. I’d thought of pudding earlier, and now it tasted sweet. Like rich custard.

Mid-kiss, Woo Baekyeon’s hands cupped my face. I covered his hands with mine.

“Jung Hankyung…”

His breath, hot against my face, hitched as our lips parted for a moment. Then they crashed together again.

God, I’d never been so turned on by just kissing. I wanted to scream, “What is this?!”

The red alert flashing between us was closer to primal hunger than lust. Like we were starving, desperate to devour each other.

This ravenous hunger only subsided when my survival instincts kicked in. I was breathless, my vision going white. I had no idea how long we’d been kissing. Woo Baekyeon’s lips were redder and wetter than when they were stained with wine, and swollen.

Mine were probably no different.

I couldn’t tear my gaze away from his face. The tear clinging to his lower lashes, his flushed skin, his panting lips, the prominent Adam’s apple in his white throat, the hand with my name on it – I wanted to kiss and bite it all.

Fuck, Jung Hankyung, get a grip. He’s…

He’s… my husband.

It’s legal to take this all the way!

Fuck! My mind was starting to rationalize everything. I managed to stop myself from biting and kissing his cheek, but my hand stroked his flushed eyelids.

His unfocused brown eyes wandered before slowly finding my hand. Woo Baekyeon, with a tearful expression, grasped it.

“…Do… what… you want.”

His arms trembled, barely able to hold on.

“…Jung Hankyung. Do… whatever you want… to me… it’s… okay… uh… ah… I don’t… care…”

“Where did you learn to talk like that?!”

I couldn’t take this as consent. Neither of us was in our right mind. Especially him, he was completely out of it. He’d never act or talk like this normally.

Doing anything to him right now would be a crime. And I’m the one who works out, while he’s a pale director who sits at a desk all day. No.

“Hngh…”

But I couldn’t…

I couldn’t turn around and walk away. I was barely holding myself together too.

If there was only one way to relieve these symptoms…

“…….”

I lay down on the empty space on the bed.

“…Hey, Woo Baekyeon.”

I was the only one who could make a somewhat rational decision.

“Get on top.”

Woo Baekyeon’s eyes widened.

“Fuck, I can’t… hold back either… but I can’t take advantage of you like this, so you do it.”

“…….”

Woo Baekyeon’s eyes widened further, and his face flushed. His eyelids and the tip of his nose were red, and his usually pale cheeks were now peachy. Yeah, with a face that beautiful, it didn’t matter that he was a man.

A dark shadow fell over my vision, clouding my mind. My lips were sealed, and my breath caught in my throat.

This was our fourth kiss. And immediately after, our fifth.

The moment our tongues met, we both instinctively grabbed each other’s marked hands. He held my nape, and I held his hand that was on my nape.

An unparalleled euphoria washed over me. It felt like the final scene of a movie. I felt no hesitation in kissing and grinding against him like animals because the arousal was too overwhelming to care.

And because his long eyelashes were fluttering so pathetically.

Woo Baekyeon was objectively stunning. No one could deny it.

“Jung Hankyung, I’m… going to touch you more.”

Men, throughout history and across cultures, puff out their chests and straighten their shoulders in front of beauty. Meaning, they can’t refuse a request. Especially not one made with such a tearful face.

“Yeah, go ahead. You can be rougher. Should we take our clothes off?”

“…No. I’ll… do it.”

Woo Baekyeon’s trembling hands reached out and pulled my t-shirt up to my chest. His hand trailed up my bare torso, stopping at the name on my neck. Every time his fingertips pressed against my skin, my knees twitched.

“Woo Baekyeon, have you… ugh… ever been with a guy?”

“No.”

“I figured. Ha, me neither.”

The fact that we were both virgins didn’t seem to matter. The name erased all preconceived notions.

I ripped my t-shirt off. It felt heavy with sweat. Woo Baekyeon, watching me from above, unbuttoned his shirt. His white skin revealed surprisingly defined muscles. Seeing each other naked on the bed made me dizzy. The unchecked arousal made my hips buck. Our cocks, straining against our pants, rubbed against each other.

Unable to hold back, I reached down and pulled out my hard cock. I felt the hot bulge in his pants against my hand. I deliberately pressed against it as I stroked myself, and Woo Baekyeon groaned, his voice low.

“Jung Hankyung, what are you…”

“Hey, come… ha… here. Take yours… out… ugh.”

“…….”

Woo Baekyeon finally undid his buckle. His hard cock sprang out as he pulled his underwear down. He was as smooth as a baby down there too. His cock, flushed dark pink with arousal, curved slightly upwards.

Like a pink dolphin…

But despite its cute color, it was huge.

Our hands brushed as we stroked ourselves, our fingertips slick with precum.

“Ha… uh…”

“Hngh… Jung Hankyung… ha… ah…!”

Our movements grew frantic, our hands tangling. I didn’t know whose cock I was holding or where my tip was rubbing.

Coherent sentences disappeared, replaced by moans of arousal. Our cocks, hard since we’d started undressing, were now fully engorged.

“Ah!”

“Hngh… ugh…!”