97

“Alright, let’s call it a day,” the deputy manager, called out, and Yu-young immediately jumped up from his seat. He was filling in for the team leader, who had been absent the last couple of days. Everyone started packing their things, enthusiastically shouting, “Good work!”

Ju-yeon, who was tidying up with quick hands, looked at Yu-young and her eyes widened in surprise.

“Huh? Yu-young, you’re leaving early today?”

“Heh, I have something I need to take care of at home.”

“Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you leave right on time like this.”

“Really?”

Yu-young gave a shy smile and hurried his movements. He was the first to pack up, aside from Manager Yoo and Deputy Manager Kim, and quickly headed for the door.

“See you tomorrow, Yoon-seok, Ju-yeon!”

“Yeah! See you tomorrow!”

Yu-young rushed downstairs, got into his car, and started the engine. As he drove out of the underground parking lot, the darkening sky greeted him. He casually rolled down the window to let in some fresh air, and a chill wind rushed in.

“You’ll catch a cold if you let in that cold air so suddenly,” he remembered someone’s voice saying when they’d ridden together a few times before. He silently rolled the window back up. Oddly enough, he didn’t mind hearing Do-won’s nagging remarks like that.

He sped up, eager to get home. The time was 6:15 p.m. Do-won had said he would be home by 7:00. If he rushed and prepared quickly, it wouldn’t be too late.

Today was the day Do-won was returning from his business trip. And, as he’d casually mentioned to him yesterday, Yu-young had decided to cook dinner for him.

Thinking about it, since they’d started living together, Yu-young had always received meals from Do-won but had never properly cooked for him. He’d made breakfast a few times—just quick things like toast or juice. Whenever he tried to prepare a meal, Do-won naturally took over, as if it were second nature to him.

So today was the perfect opportunity. It was a chance to express his gratitude and treat Do-won for all the hard work he had done during his trip.

“Alright, what should I start with…”

He had always been confident in his cooking, even when living alone. After bringing in the pre-ordered ingredients, Yu-young washed his hands and put on an apron. While washing the ingredients, he also started preparing the broth.

The menu for the day was octopus soup and grilled eel. With the cold weather, he had thought a warm soup would be nice, and while shopping for ingredients, he had impulsively added eel to the mix. In fact, the eel was from a well-known shop and was already marinated, so it only needed to be grilled. For now, his focus was on the soup.

Cleaning the slippery octopus was always a bit off-putting, but thinking of Do-won coming home made him feel oddly motivated.

‘I’ll prepare this nicely and serve it to Do-won…’

As he removed the eyes and innards of the octopus, Yu-young paused for a moment. His reflection, smiling contently as he thought about preparing the meal for Do-won, was clearly visible in the small window in front of him.

‘What’s going on? Why am I doing this for him…?’

Yu-young chuckled in disbelief. Of course, he had originally planned to cook for him, but he never thought he’d be grinning like this while cleaning the octopus, something he usually disliked.

This was what happened when you have unrequited feelings for someone—an emotional loss. What was the point of doing all this if he didn’t even know how I felt?

Even as he grumbled, Yu-young continued cleaning the octopus and washing the ingredients. Meanwhile, the broth had developed a rich flavor, and he added the sliced radish and vegetables before putting in the octopus. Checking the time, it was almost time for Do-won to arrive.

Now, to grill the eel. After heating the pan slightly, he placed the eel on it, and the sizzling sound filled the room. At that moment, he opened the small window for ventilation.

“Assistant Han.”

“Huh? Team Leader! When did you…?”

A quiet voice rang in his ears. As he turned around excitedly, Yu-young froze, his eyes wide open.

“…Team Leader…?”

The comforting scent of his presence filled the air, and at the same time, a strong arm wrapped gently around his waist. He was holding him from behind, softly embracing him.

“You told me to come quickly, so I came quickly.”

“…”

“Assistant Han, you said you’d wait for me.”

The sound of Do-won’s voice, muffled as it pressed against the nape of Yu-young’s neck, felt surprisingly playful, almost childishly so.

Yu-young’s heart pounded so loudly it felt like it might shatter. Being so close, his heartbeat would undoubtedly be clear to Do-won, as if he had given his entire heart away. His body stiffened involuntarily, but Yu-young relaxed in his arms, unable to push him away. He didn’t want to ask why he was doing this. Honestly, he just wanted to stay like this for a little longer.

Even though the outside was cold, Do-won’s touch was warm against Yu-young’s waist. His hands were tickling him and sending strange sensations through his body. As Yu-young’s waist jerked with each touch, Do-won’s hand slowly stopped.

“…”

“…”

Time seemed to stop as they stood there in silence. After what felt like an eternity, Do-won finally spoke softly.

“Are you cooking for me?”

“…Huh? Ah, yes.”

Yu-young snapped back to his senses at Do-won’s voice. However, Do-won didn’t seem to be letting go anytime soon. Finally, Yu-young carefully twisted his body out of his embrace.

“I’ll do it. You must be tired after work.”

“No… You must be tired from the business trip too.”

Yu-young lowered his head, trying to hide his red face as he mumbled a response. Once he moved his body and faced Do-won, the heat that had been quietly simmering inside him finally surged up.

Do-won gently stroked Yu-young’s face with a tender smile.

“Well then, today, I’ll gratefully eat the dinner you made for me.”

“Yes. It’s almost ready, so could you wash your hands and come over?”

“Alright.”

Do-won returned shortly. After neatly arranging the tableware and placing the completed dishes on the dining table, he sat down next to Yu-young. With the steaming dishes in the middle, they exchanged greetings.

“Thank you for preparing the meal. I’ll enjoy it.”

“Yes, Team Leader. …Please eat a lot.”

Do-won took a bite and a smile spread across his face.

“It’s really delicious, Assistant Han.”

“Ah, is it alright?”

“This is the best soup I’ve ever had.”

Do-won’s calm voice made the compliment sound casual, but it made Yu-young’s body stir with a strange feeling. If he’d been in the bedroom, he might have jumped onto his bed by now.

Dinner passed quietly and warmly. They talked about how Do-won’s business trip went and if anything unusual had happened in the office while he was away. As they discussed work, Do-won suddenly chuckled.

“What…?”

“The menu,” he said, unable to hide his amusement.

“Now you’re charging me up. What are you going to do with it?”

Yu-young was momentarily confused, not fully understanding, but after scanning the table, his face turned red in shock. The grilled eel, a well-known energy-boosting dish, and the octopus, which could revive even a fallen ox… It all made sense now.

Flustered and embarrassed, Yu-young stammered, “Team, Team Leader! What are you thinking? You’ve been working so hard lately… So that’s why, right?”

“I know. Who told you otherwise?”

“No, you were the one who…! You brought it up in such a… suggestive way!”

“Suggestive way? What are you talking about?”

“I don’t know!”

As he argued, Yu-young felt himself sinking deeper into embarrassment. Eventually, after shouting, he continued eating while pretending not to notice. A small laugh echoed from above.

He didn’t know when exactly Do-won started having fun teasing him like this. Frustrated, Yu-young decided to change the subject and asked, “By the way, Team Leader, what’s your schedule for tomorrow evening?”

“I have a dinner with the management team tomorrow. Why, is something up?”

“Oh, no. Just asking.”

Yu-young figured he’d be eating dinner alone tomorrow. Still, knowing that Do-won would come home, even if it was late, made him feel a bit more at ease. It was a strange feeling, but he wasn’t quite sure why.

After finishing dinner, they stood side by side and cleaned up the dishes. Yu-young mustered the courage to ask Do-won, “Team Leader, would you like to watch TV with me?”

“Sure. How about a beer?”

“Yes. Just one can, though…”

Normally, after dinner, they would retreat to their own spaces and relax, but despite the spontaneous nature of the request, Do-won nodded without hesitation. They considered watching a movie but decided on casual TV and conversation instead. As they chatted while drinking a can of beer each, it was soon past 10:30 PM.

“You should go shower and rest now. I still have some work to do.”

“Yes, I will. Team Leader, finish your work quickly and get some rest.”

“I will. Sleep well.”

“Good night.”

Yu-young went to his room, took a shower, and changed into his sleepwear. Sitting in a rocking chair, he took out a couple of photo books. Before opening them, he absentmindedly checked his phone, only to be surprised by the message that appeared.

[I’m leaving a message since you didn’t pick up. Call me when you see this.]

The missed call and message were from Do-won’s mother.