DHG Ch 30

Amidst the still-heated atmosphere, the Head Chef, arm in arm with Park Chef, called out for Jang Seungyung.

The man’s neatly trimmed fingernails scraped between Heewoo’s fingers as he pulled his hand away. Head Chef, seemingly losing control, embraced Jang Seungyung, who had reluctantly averted his gaze.

“……”

The boisterous atmosphere, fueled by the intense back-and-forth between the two sides, gradually subsided. Taking advantage of the lull, Heewoo stood up.

“Where are you going?”

A man still seated asked. His heart still racing uncontrollably, Heewoo answered without making eye contact.

“Restroom.”

But he couldn’t leave. The chairs were arranged like a theater, the space between them so narrow that he couldn’t pass without touching Jang Seungyung, who was still sitting.

“What can I do about your long legs?”

The man with light brown eyes, tilted up almost like sanpaku eyes beneath his jet-black hair, smirked.

“…….”

In the end, Heewoo skillfully pressed his body close to the front row of chairs. His leg brushed ever so slightly against Jang Seungyung’s, and Jang Seungyung’s eyes narrowed.

Once past that hurdle, it was fine. Heewoo slipped easily out of the room.

Jang Seungyung let out a chuckle, his eyes following Heewoo’s retreating figure. He’s needlessly thin.

He felt a pang of regret at the fleeting touch of soft skin against his mischievously outstretched knee. A faint scent of savory chicken seemed to linger in the space where Kwon Heewoo had passed, and Jang Seungyung chuckled again.

As expected, the guy, who’d slipped away like a lithe fish, didn’t return.

It was cute how happy he was when they scored a goal. He’d been so captivated, he’d unknowingly focused his entire being on watching the younger man.

That pretty face certainly had power. Not even smiling, just a slightly pleased expression was enough to completely mess with his mind. Even now, he could think of nothing else.

Will I not see him again?

Lost in thought, Jang Seungyung checked the time. The first half of the game was almost over. Leaving the Head Chef, who was fussing about how the owner leaving was bad luck despite being their “god of victory,” Jang Seungyung exited the staff break room.

“Oh, perfect timing.”

Madam Won, who was tallying sales at the desk, acknowledged him. She bent down to look for something, then came around the long desk.

“This is your wallet, right, sir?”

Jang Seungyung took his returned wallet.

Just as I thought. He’d wondered why he hadn’t heard anything, but it seemed the pretty fish was too shy to return the wallet himself. To think he’d use Madam Won as an intermediary. Jang Seungyung smoothly delivered a line befitting his assumed role.

“I was worried, but I’m glad I found it. I should reward you for this, Madam.”

“Oh, I didn’t find the wallet.”

Her reply was also as expected. Jang Seungyung suddenly recalled the dark eyes that had looked up at him earlier, filled with unconcealed joy. And the incredibly delicious lips he’d briefly tasted yesterday.

Jang Seungyung had concluded that the reason for his strangely intense impulse yesterday was Kwon Heewoo’s excessively delectable lips.

Last night, amidst the confusing turmoil that felt like something was about to explode, Jang Seungyung had discovered a firm truth within himself: Kissing Kwon Heewoo is incredibly good.

However, he’d been rejected, and he couldn’t taste him further. He was seething with an overheated anxiety he couldn’t quite define, but Jang Seungyung had subconsciously devised an alternative plan.

He’d dropped his wallet. It was a classic tactic, but it was an excuse for the shy fish to naturally seek him out.

After a day with no response, he’d heard news from the kitchen and brought chicken to test the waters. But who knew the fish would already be flapping on the hook he’d cast?

He’d planned to ask Heewoo out to dinner under the pretense of thanking him for returning his wallet. As Jang Seungyung mentally searched for restaurants as far from Benny and Choi as possible, Madam Won spoke.

“Sunsoo Lee found it.”

For a moment, Jang Seungyung thought he’d misheard.

“What?”

“Sunsoo Lee, that’s who found your wallet, sir. He gave it to me and asked me to pass it on to you.”

Madam Won blinked her elegantly shadowed eyelids, enunciating each word clearly. As if suspecting he’d misunderstood her, she elaborated further.

Silently, Jang Seungyung slowly accepted reality.

“…….”

Well, look at this.

His lips twisted into a cold smile. There was no way Kwon Heewoo hadn’t seen the wallet. He’d dropped it next to Kwon Heewoo’s sneakers, and Heewoo had to return to the kitchen after helping his coworker lie down.

Lee Sunsoo was the Omega who Heewoo had carried inside yesterday. A drunk, incapacitated person found his wallet? He could call Sunsoo in and ask him directly, but it would probably be pointless.

The situation conveyed only one message.

A silent dismissal, just like yesterday.

Kwon Heewoo had rejected him again.

Despite his smiling facade, Jang Seungyung’s handsome eyebrows furrowed sharply. An intense emotion surged from the depths of his chest—the same emotion that had felt like a whirlwind, the one he’d dismissed as simply enjoying kissing Kwon Heewoo too much.

✮⋆˙

The match ended with South Korea winning 1-0. It was their first victory in decades at the Azadi Stadium, known as the away team’s hell. Heewoo convinced himself that his persistently racing heart that night was due to watching the historic goal being scored live.

The next day, Heewoo arrived at the kitchen early, finished the dishes from the day before, and received the new batch of nuts he’d been waiting for. He’d called the supplier and exchanged the previous batch.

He opened and tasted one of the newly purchased, more expensive, individually packaged nuts. A fragrant, fresh aroma wafted up.

‘You know, your energy juice… the ones you give me are always a darker color, right?’

Although Jang Seungyung had voiced that suspicion, changing the juice recipe felt like acknowledging his words too much.

The man was his boss and his creditor. He treated him well, to the point where comparing him to Kim Jinhwan felt unfair. Heewoo believed he had ample reason to give Jang Seungyung a juice made with extra ingredients and a less-chilled recipe.

Just then, someone other than Jang Seungyung, who knew the recipe, visited the kitchen.

It was Daol, accompanied by Hong Sunsoo.

“You have to prune the branches so new ones can grow. Look at me, I’m doing so well that my branches are multiplying infinitely. Ahem, I’ve even paid off all my debts.”

Hong Sunsoo, who was giving Daol advice about his abusive ex, ordered, “Vitamin juice.”

This was the first time Heewoo had seen Hong Sunsoo since their conversation in Room 13.

‘The Chunghae Motel. You’ve been there too, you know.’

He was curious about that cryptic, significant statement, but he didn’t want to delve into something he couldn’t quite remember and that had no bearing on his present life.

Contrary to Sunsoo’s words about wanting to get along, Sunsoo hadn’t made any effort to be friendly.

“Here you go.”

Heewoo handed him a takeaway cup. Hong Sunsoo took the juice without even making eye contact and left.

“Green juice for you, hyung?”

Heewoo asked Daol.

“Yeah.”

Daol slowly nodded. His lingering gaze told Heewoo that Daol had something to say.

“Well… I know you’re doing well.”

It was an abrupt start. Daol continued,

“But be careful of people. That’s what I wanted to say.”

Heewoo, who was taking out a kiwi from the refrigerator, glanced towards the kitchen door.

Yesterday, Yoon Guk had visited. Even though it wasn’t Friday. Daol had seen Yoon Guk waiting in front of the kitchen.

‘Since it’s the end of the year… I just wanted to see your face.’

As he spoke, Yoon Guk took a step back as if to indicate he wouldn’t come any closer. He’d made eye contact with Daol, who was carrying beer and other things, presumably to watch the soccer game with Sunsoo and the others.

“Actually… Forget about CEO Yoon.”

As if he knew exactly what Heewoo was thinking, Daol shook his head.

“I’m talking about the owner.”

Yesterday morning, while nursing a pounding headache, Daol had found a wallet near Heewoo’s front door. Knowing immediately that it wasn’t Heewoo’s, he’d opened it and instantly recognized the owner’s ploy to intentionally leave it behind.

“I gave the owner’s wallet to Madam Won.”

Heewoo nodded. He’d been meaning to confirm that with Daol. He’d suspected as much since the wallet disappeared after Daol left.

“Thanks, hyung.”

Despite Heewoo’s casual, indifferent response, Daol bit his lip.

Word had spread that the owner, who had treated all the employees to chicken yesterday, had specifically watched the soccer game with the kitchen staff. Intercepting the wallet hadn’t been the end of it.

He knew Heewoo was smarter than him, consistently rejecting his advances by ignoring the wallet and even throwing away his clothes, but Daol still felt the urge to warn him. It was as if he wanted to admonish his past self.

“…He’s nice to you, so it’s easy to get the wrong idea.”

Thinking it wouldn’t hurt to reiterate his warning about the owner, Daol continued in a slightly stronger tone.