MM 135

Suddenly, the day when Yu-young first met Do-won came to mind. Their relationship had started with a fight over a single piece of underwear. Wherever they went, Do-won was frowning, and from another direction, his irritating voice could be heard. It felt like a cursed relationship, one that seemed to last far too long. To make matters worse, when he faced Do-won again as the newly appointed team leader, it made him want to jump out of the office window, the situation was so overwhelming.

However, as time passed and Yu-young spent more time with Do-won, the misunderstandings began to clear up, and he started to see sides of Do-won he hadn’t known. Do-won was kind and thoughtful. Since they had the same goal, their lives became more closely intertwined, and Yu-young found himself growing fond of him.

Yu-young had always thought that living alone was the most comfortable and ideal way to live. He believed there was no need to endure the discomfort of sharing a life with someone else. However, living with Do-won turned out to be surprisingly comfortable. Even though they were living together, he found it immensely enjoyable and abundantly happy.

He was the one who first taught Yu-young what love was. Before he knew it, Do-won had gently approached him without making him feel burdened, gradually seeping into his heart like water, and there was no way to push him away.

And the joy of knowing that Do-won felt the same way. It felt as though he had the whole world.

When they woke up in the morning, Do-won’s face was there, and he would fall asleep with the touch of his hand gently caressing him. They ate meals face to face, and after a long day, they would chat on their way home. That everyday life felt like a miracle.

Like an ice flower blooming in the cold, their new relationship, which had begun with confessions in the heavy snowfall, was beautiful just to look at. Even the slightest touch of their hands felt precious. There had been ups and downs, but through it all, they had held hands, never letting go even for a moment.

“Han Yu-young.”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

Do-won gently started the car and extended his hand to hold Yu-young’s hand. Without hesitation, Yu-young interlaced his fingers with Do-won’s and relaxed into his seat, turning his head to look at him.

“There’s somewhere I really want to go with you tomorrow. Would you come with me?”

“Somewhere you want to go…?”

“I know a nice place. I have something to say there.”

Yu-young’s eyes widened. Where could it be? It was Saturday night, and they’d be back at work on Monday. It would only be one day, after all.

However, Yu-young nodded without hesitation. Anywhere was fine. Now that the most important issues were settled, he would be happy to go anywhere with Do-won.

Besides, since it was a nice place, Do-won, with his delicate taste, would surely choose something that suited them both. He couldn’t help but feel excited. And he was curious about what Do-won wanted to say to him there.

“Yes, anywhere is fine.”

“Then let’s go home early today and get some rest.”

A gentle kiss, like a snowflake, landed on Yu-young’s forehead.

“We’ll be leaving early tomorrow morning.”

Still shrouded in the deep darkness of early dawn, Yu-young woke up when he felt the movement of Do-won beside him. Despite his exhaustion, he tried to sleep a little longer, but the excitement in his heart pushed all the tiredness away when Do-won gently stroked his head.

“Are we going on a trip? A day trip?”

Yu-young asked excitedly as he stuck to Do-won’s side and brushed his teeth.

“Well, you could say that. It’s domestic, but it’s still a bit far.”

“I’m so excited. It’s our first trip together!”

Seeing Yu-young so excited, Do-won smiled affectionately. After a quick breakfast of eggs and toast, the two of them finished getting ready and went down to the underground parking garage with only a backpack that Do-won had brought. Yu-young, expecting to ride their usual car, was surprised to see Do-won starting an unfamiliar vehicle.

“Wait, is this your car, Team Leader?”

“I asked someone to bring it for today.”

The car was a SUV that had been modified for car camping. “So we’re going camping?” Yu-young’s eyes sparkled as he climbed into the car. The excitement was even greater because it was a different car than usual.

Their destination was a famous ranch in Gangwon-do, known for its snowy fields. Before setting off, they each took a cup of coffee from the drive-thru, and as they drove, they chatted happily, passing through the changing landscapes. The main topic of conversation was their upcoming wedding.

“Honestly, I’m not someone who cares much about the ceremony itself. How about you, Han Yu-young?”

“I feel the same way. The wedding is mostly just for show… As long as our parents are happy, I’d rather have a small gathering with just close friends and family. It’s difficult to invite company people with our situation, especially since we have to reveal our relationship.”

“I think exactly the same.”

As they discussed these things, the two of them laughed often. The drive was long, but there was no sense of boredom. It was their first time in a while to spend time alone together, without any worries or tasks to take care of.

Yu-young chatted away with complete ease, laughing occasionally, while adjusting the volume of the music to a comfortable level for Do-won, making sure not to tire him out. Despite the drive not being short, it was neither boring nor uncomfortable at all.

With 20 minutes left to their destination, the car began to slow down. Since they had left the house early, they were able to enter Gangwon-do before it was even time for lunch. As Do-won parked at a large, respectable restaurant, he suggested, “Let’s have lunch first.”

“Yes, sounds good.”

They had arrived at a restaurant that served Hanwoo beef. It had just opened, so the parking lot was quiet. Yu-young stretched as he walked out of the car.

“I’ve planned the route today on a whim. I hope you like it, Han Yu-young.”

“Anything’s fine. Honestly, if you suggested we eat at the company cafeteria today, I’d still be happy.”

“Really?”

“Well, I’m just saying.”

Inside the restaurant, the two were led to a table with a great view. Soon, the sound of meat sizzling filled the air. As Yu-young ate the melt-in-your-mouth Hanwoo beef, he couldn’t help but widen his eyes in delight and give a thumbs up. Seeing this, Do-won smiled warmly, skillfully grilling more meat and piling it onto Yu-young’s plate.

After finishing lunch and stepping outside, they noticed a famous potato bread shop nearby and bought a gift set. Yu-young smiled, saying it would be a nice treat for the office tomorrow. When Do-won suggested grabbing another cup of coffee at a café, Yu-young suddenly became curious and widened his eyes.

“But… is it okay to relax like this? You said we’d need to be up early tomorrow morning.”

“I just wanted to spend more time with you, Han Yu-young.”

Yu-young was taken aback. What was that? He let out a soft laugh, though he felt happy. He had never had a day out like this, filled only with Do-won. He wished this day could last forever, feeling like a child enjoying the moment.

After having coffee, they went to a sheep ranch as Do-won suggested. While feeding the sheep, Yu-young kept smiling brightly.

“Now it’s your turn, Team Leader. I’ll take a picture for you.”

Listening to Yu-young’s request, Do-won silently took the hay and began feeding the sheep. Watching him give the hay to the animals, Yu-young forgot about taking pictures for a moment, captivated by the sight. Under the blue sky, wearing casual clothes and wearing a gentle smile while feeding the fluffy sheep, Do-won looked so peaceful.

‘… I’m happy.’

The thought came to him naturally. He couldn’t believe this dreamlike reality—spending happy, worry-free moments with Do-won. And the fact that the beautiful person, who fit so perfectly with this blue sky, would be his lifelong partner.

Suddenly, Do-won’s serious words from the night before came to mind, when he had promised Yu-young’s parents with sincerity that he would make him happy for the rest of their lives and be a reliable support by his side. Even as Yu-young lay next to him last night, he had replayed those words over and over in his mind, feeling a flutter of excitement. The more he thought about it, the better it seemed.

They spent quite a bit of time feeding the sheep and strolling around the snowy, wide ranch. As the sun began to set, the temperature dropped quickly, even though it wasn’t too late. Since it was winter, the days were shorter, and the cold set in quickly. As Yu-young tightened the scarf around his neck, Do-won asked, “Aren’t you cold?”

“I’m fine.”

“Still, you might catch a cold if we stay out here too long. Let’s head to the car.”

“We’re not… going home already, are we?”

Yu-young lowered his eyebrows, his tone filled with reluctance and longing. Seeing Yu-young’s face, which so openly displayed his emotions, Do-won grinned.

“Of course not. We still have things to do. We’ll head back late tonight.”

“Wow! I’m so happy!”

Even though he had to work the next day, Yu-young couldn’t care less. He was so happy right now. As he beamed with joy, his cheeks puffing out in a wide smile, Do-won gently patted his head and said kindly, “Then let’s get in the car quickly. You’ll catch a cold.”