DHG Ch 63

It was only when they passed the hospital entrance and the 8-lane road, and reached a bustling alley full of restaurants, that Heewoo lifted his face again. In the distance, he could see a pork cutlet chain restaurant famous for being delicious.

It was a time when there weren’t many customers yet. After parking the car and entering the restaurant, a savory smell wafted from the very threshold. Heewoo’s face was so clearly filled with joy as he quickly took a seat at an empty table that Jang Seungyung had to swallow a laugh.

Heewoo always had a blank face, but now, Seungyung felt he could vaguely distinguish the emotions that seeped into it.

A happy blank face, a displeased blank face, an expectant blank face, and so on.

The food they ordered came out quickly. Freshly fried, steaming hot pork cutlet, finely shredded cabbage, sauce in a separate bowl, fried shrimp, and buckwheat noodles with ice slush. Facing the spread, Heewoo’s eyes shimmered just as they had when he received a box of chicken.

“I will eat well.”

“Eat a lot.”

Jang Seungyung’s lips curled into a sly grin. That one is a deeply moved blank face, he named it.

If there was one difference that had become apparent between the two of them these past few days, it was their eating speed. Heewoo ate slowly, and Seungyung ate quickly.

By the time Jang Seungyung had finished his entire portion and was cleansing his palate with an extra bowl of hot noodles he’d ordered, Heewoo was still chewing on his pork cutlet with that same, deeply moved blank face. As Seungyung swallowed a laugh and watched him, his phone rang. It was Secretary Hwang.

“I told you to handle it on your own unless it’s important. …Yeah. No. Okay.”

Jang Seungyung, who had been giving short, one-word answers, suddenly flicked an eyebrow. He asked Heewoo.

“They’re moving your things from Veni now. Is there anything else you need besides what you mentioned?”

“No.”

Heewoo shook his head. Before they left for the hospital, the man had offered to have his things moved from Veni while he was getting his check-up. Heewoo didn’t need anything more than his workbooks and writing utensils for studying, and a few clothes. In the first place, he had so few belongings that he had to wash his socks and underwear constantly.

Only one thing, the desk he had received as a New Year’s gift from Jang Seungyung, was a bit of a shame, but the words wouldn’t come out. If he could get permission later, he wanted to go and get it himself.

“He says he doesn’t need anything,” the man said into the phone.

Was it because the call was dragging on? Jang Seungyung stood up from his seat. Heewoo gazed at him as he stepped outside the restaurant to continue his call. As he was eating a large mouthful of crispy pork cutlet wrapped in buckwheat noodles, he suddenly met the man’s eyes through the glass window.

Is it good?

He mouthed the words. Heewoo couldn’t tear his eyes away from the way his lips curved up into a refreshing smile, and was nodding his head enthusiastically when his phone suddenly rang.

Heewoo glanced at Jang Seungyung, who was now focused on his call again, and checked the text message that had just arrived.

[Hello, Mr. Kwon Heewoo. This is Secretary Hwang Gyu-min from Geumsan~ Sorry for contacting you so suddenly~]

His eyes widened. Secretary Hwang, who should be on the phone with Seungyung right there, had sent him a text. Was it really Secretary Hwang?

[I earnestly~ ask you to please~ make sure Executive Director Jang comes to work tomorrow✮⋆˙^^✮⋆˙ Thank you in advance✮⋆˙^^✮⋆˙]

Looking at the content, it seemed like it really was Secretary Hwang. He could be using the office phone, or he might have multiple work phones.

Looking at the text whose authenticity he had yet to confirm, Heewoo lifted his gaze. As he tasted the meal that was, by his standards, fantastically lavish, he continued the thought he hadn’t been able to finish before.

It should be okay to trust him now.

It would be fine to trust that person. No, he will trust him.

He popped a piece of pickled radish into his mouth and glanced over. Even while on the phone, Jang Seungyung would occasionally send glances toward Heewoo, as if to protect or reassure him. Thanks to that, Heewoo could eat comfortably at his own pace without feeling anxious.

Meanwhile, outside the restaurant, Jang Seungyung was of course unaware that his secretary, who was on the line with him using the office number, had sent a text to Heewoo from his cell phone. He just wanted to end the call quickly.

“Right. I told you to handle everything yourself, didn’t I? That’s what I pay you a separate salary for.”

If Secretary Hwang were in front of him, he would have waved his hand to tell him to hurry up. He was only refraining from throwing his phone down because Kwon Heewoo was savoring the pork cutlet at a pace that suggested he could eat it all day.

He couldn’t very well tell him to stop eating. Facing his angel puppy who was eating a mere piece of fried pork like it was a feast for a king, Jang Seungyung just ended up laughing. I want to go home quickly. I want to hurry back with Kwon Heewoo, who has diligently filled his stomach with pork cutlet, and hold him tight and roll around in bed.

-I still have to get the final confirmation. Oh, and should I also take care of the birthday gift for Ms. Choi Seo-ah from Hyogil Industries?

“What gift? Isn’t Writer Choi on a trip to the Red Sea with her scuba diver boyfriend?”

-Dahab, Egypt. Still, you have to play the part of the faithful fiancé for appearance’s sake. Shall I send a flower basket and jewelry to Chairman Choi’s residence?

“Yeah, yeah.”

With that nonchalant reply, Jang Seungyung ended the call. Just then, Heewoo was also putting down his chopsticks.

Looks like he’s finally done. His heart immediately tightened with impatience. He wanted to run over to Kwon Heewoo and talk to him right away. He was getting restless. His mind had long been completely occupied by the things he wanted to say to the kid.

Was the food good? Don’t you want a snack? Is there anything you want since we’re out? Should we go look at furniture? and so on.

Using that as an excuse, he planned to buy him clothes and shoes as well. Something that could warmly wrap that body, which he’d seen was even thinner and weaker once undressed.

He would have no other wish if he could feed him plenty of what he wanted to eat, buy him plenty of what he wanted to have, fill his small arms to the brim, and then kiss him to his heart’s content. Once they got home, he planned to hold him tight in his arms and roll around.

Having decided on a cozy and perfect time, the corners of Jang Seungyung’s mouth rose endlessly. With snowflakes beginning to flutter behind him, he strode into the restaurant where Kwon Heewoo was sitting motionlessly.

✮⋆˙

Paying no mind to the messy snow mixing with splattering raindrops, Jang Seungyung took Heewoo to a nearby department store. Despite Heewoo’s firm refusals, he bought all sorts of things and thrust them upon him. It started with buying shoes under the pretext of getting couple sneakers.

“I told you, we’re one body now. What did you think I meant? I’m going to kiss and suck on you even if you catch a cold, so if I start coughing, are you going to take responsibility for me all sexy-like in bed?”

Heewoo refused an overcoat, a backpack, and so on, but he was helpless when Jang Seungyung made threats like that without even lowering his voice. It was a relief that there were no salesclerks nearby.

“This is really more than enough.”

Of course, Heewoo’s defense was formidable, so at the clothing stores, they ended up buying only one bag, two pairs of sneakers, two padded jackets, and one coat.

However, the truly decisive challenge lay in wait at the furniture store.

“There are plenty of spare rooms at home anyway, so pick one you like and make it your study.”

Jang Seungyung said.

Heewoo’s once-firm eyes wavered. A study. A proper desk. He had, in fact, been amazed upon seeing Jang Seungyung’s study. Could he have something similar for himself?

“The color is black, and only this part is made of glass. The drawers also have locks. You can also pull out the side desk as much as you want. Although it’s a leather desk, it has a modern feel, so many people buy it for students as well.”

The seller explained in great detail. Heewoo’s eyes were now flickering like a lamp in a storm.

“What do you think, customer?”

The kind explanation. And the glossy black desk, similar to the executive desk in Jang Seungyung’s study.

“Haha, you must like it, huh?”

Jang Seungyung playfully stroked Heewoo’s head. Heewoo couldn’t bring himself to say no. It felt like such a waste to spend the price of furniture on a single piece of clothing, but now that they were actually buying furniture, it didn’t seem like a waste. Even though it wasn’t his money in either case.

Because of that, Heewoo couldn’t stop Jang Seungyung’s unhesitating credit card payment. In the blink of an eye, the incredibly comfortable single-person recliner he had sat in just once was also added to the order list.

“Really, the recliner is okay.”

“Right. I’ll use it, not you.”

Jang Seungyung replied coolly and filled out the order form.

After what was, by Heewoo’s standards, a tremendous amount of spending, they made their way home through the slushy sleet, arriving in the middle of the night.

I don’t know how the day flew by.

Heewoo, who had come out after a warm shower, leaned his weary face against the back of the sofa. On the way home, Jang Seungyung had stopped by some street food stall he knew, and they had filled their stomachs with stir-fry from a griddle. Thanks to that, he was in a pleasantly languid state.

He must have dozed off.

“You’re just like a puppy that’s full and sleepy.”

A voice was heard.

Heewoo lifted his heavy eyelids. Jang Seungyung, a towel around his neck as if he had just washed up, was sitting beside him. A large palm touched Heewoo’s lightly full belly over his clothes.

Usually, he would flinch whenever the man touched him, but perhaps because he was still half-asleep, it just felt good. Soon, a gentle touch moved up. A fragrant and cool scent wafted from the warm palm covering his cheek.

“Are you going to work tomorrow?”

Heewoo, who had been lazily rubbing the tip of his nose, asked. The words came out as he vaguely recalled Secretary Hwang’s text message.

“Are you tired of me already?”

At the vibration of the playful voice, Heewoo’s eyes shot open. All his sleepiness vanished. His eyes wide, he lifted his head from where it was buried and protested.

“No, of course not. I like being with you.”