MM 70

The two of them entered the electronics store and casually looked around, waiting for a staff member to arrive. The thought of picking out these items with Do-won made Yu-young’s heart feel light and full, but he tried not to show it, slowly scanning the electronics.

“Do you have a model in mind? Something you’ve wanted to buy?”

“Ah, no. Nothing in particular.”

“Then let’s take our time and choose.”

Standing side by side, just about to look at the nearest refrigerator, a staff member in a suit approached them and began greeting them with a smile.

“Oh my, you two look like such a perfect couple. You came to look at appliances for your new home, right?”

“…Ah, yes… That’s right.”

Strictly speaking, they weren’t a couple, but since they were indeed shopping for items for a new home, Yu-young nodded obediently.

“Do you have any models in mind? If not, would it be alright if I show you this one?”

The staff member smiled brightly and pointed to a refrigerator with a simple design.

“This is a product that’s been advertised on TV lately. It’s one that newlywed couples tend to look for the most. What color do you like?”

“Team Leader, what color do you prefer?”

Come to think of it, Yu-young remembered that Do-won’s house had mostly been decorated with black or gray tones. Before Do-won could answer, Yu-young spoke again.

“Oh, right. You like gray, right? Should we ask for the gray one?”

“You can go with whatever Assistant Manager likes.”

As the staff member overheard their conversation, she suddenly covered her mouth with her hand.

“Oh my goodness, it looks like you two have been in a secret office romance. Are you getting married to the Team Leader?”

“Ah… Yes. Well… I suppose so.”

“My goodness. How romantic!”

For a moment, Yu-young thought about replying, ‘It’s far from the word romantic.’ But instead, he just nodded with a smile. There was no need to explain everything to a stranger. However, the staff’s excitement showed no signs of calming down.

“Do you, like, send secret signals to each other like in dramas? Working late together, all sweet and cozy?”

“Sweet and cozy… not really, but we do work late a lot. Haha.”

“Then, let’s see this same model in white.”

The staff member, lost in romantic thoughts, was cut off by Do-won’s request. Watching Do-won stop the staff mid-sentence, Yu-young was reminded once again that his personality wasn’t always as gentle as it seemed. Hmph, if he just acted a bit softer, it wouldn’t hurt, Yu-young thought, pouting secretly.

Thankfully, the white refrigerator the staff showed was a perfect match for both of their tastes. After quickly deciding on the refrigerator, the two began choosing other appliances with the staff’s guidance.

Their approaches to selecting appliances were completely different. While Yu-young nodded right away at the design and said, “I’ll take this one,” Do-won meticulously asked about the performance and examined each item.

However, even though he focused on the performance, Do-won never opposed Yu-young’s decisions. Whenever Yu-young suggested something carefully, Do-won nodded without hesitation. Occasionally, he would suggest another option, but it was never far off from Yu-young’s preferences.

What’s going on? I really thought he’d be more meticulous.

Before they had come here, Yu-young couldn’t help but imagine the possibility of arguing over differing tastes when choosing appliances with Do-won. After all, his home’s interior and Do-won’s home atmosphere were completely different. Yu-young liked warm tones, decorating his home entirely in whites, while Do-won preferred cooler, toned-down colors. Despite this, Do-won was letting Yu-young choose according to his taste.

The more they selected appliances, the more Yu-young felt that Do-won was being unusually attentive to him. As soon as he thought about it, Yu-young felt his chest flutter. He didn’t even know why he felt that way. If it had been at home, he might have buried himself in the couch and screamed.

It might seem a little obnoxious to others, but at the very least, he was definitely a gentleman to him. With that thought, Yu-young and Do-won had picked out the refrigerator, washing machine, and vacuum cleaner, ect..in one go. After receiving a microwave as a bonus gift, Yu-young now felt like seeing something other than appliances. Do-won seemed to feel the same and spoke first.

“It’ll be tough to pick out everything in one go today, so let’s stop here. We’ve chosen the major items, so we can leave the rest to the shopping assistant.”

“Yes, that’s fine. Then shall we go look at something else?”

As the two of them rode the escalator down, the first thing that caught their eyes was a bed. Right, a bed. Now that he thought about it, choosing a bed was supposed to be the most exciting part of setting up a new home… he remembered reading that online when he couldn’t sleep last night and searched for ‘new home items.’

But that was probably a feeling that couples getting married would have, and it didn’t apply to Do-won and him. Even though he thought that way, Yu-young found himself absentmindedly touching his slightly warm ear as he entered the store. Soon, a staff member came up and greeted them.

“Welcome! I assume you’re newlyweds, right?”

“Ah… Yes.”

“Then let me show you around… Ah, sorry! Please feel free to browse around. I’ll be back after helping another customer at the counter!”

After exchanging greetings, the staff member hurried off toward the counter, and Yu-young slowly began to look around the store.

The store had a cozy atmosphere, fitting for a place that sold beds. With a lighthearted feeling, Yu-young sat on the nearest bed. The soft, just-right depth that sank under him, supporting his body, felt nice. He bounced lightly a couple of times, and with a bright expression, Yu-young laid down on the bed.

“Wow, this is really comfortable. Team Leader! Would you like to try lying down?”

“I’m fine.”

They were supposed to be choosing furniture together. The fact that he rejected so bluntly made Yu-young annoyed, and he immediately sat up.

“Come on, don’t be like that, try it. You have to lie down to choose a bed.”

Grabbing his sleeve and pulling him, Yu-young looked up at him with big eyes. Do-won, who had been looking down at him silently, furrowed his brow for some reason.

Is it that bad…? Feeling a little awkward, Yu-young was about to let go of his sleeve when the side of the bed tilted slightly. Do-won didn’t lie fully down but just perched on the edge, pressing down a couple of times in a half-hearted way before standing up again.

“It’s alright.”

“Shall we go with this one then? How’s the cushion feel?”

“I prefer something a bit firmer.”

Unlike with the electronics, Do-won was more assertive here. Is he sensitive about sleeping? Yu-young nodded, thinking it was understandable.

“Oh, really? Then let’s try another bed…”

“Well, we’ll be using separate beds anyway, so it’s fine. If Assistant Manager likes this one, let’s go with it.”

‘Ah. Right. We’ll be using separate beds…!’

His face flushed in an instant. After hearing so many comments about how well they suited each other, how much like a couple they seemed while picking out electronics, it was easy to forget they’re not a real couple.

Nodding with a red face, Yu-young was about to get up when the staff member, who had gotten closer, smiled brightly and spoke.

“Oh my, this bed is great! It’s the most popular one right now. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s very comfortable. It’s designed ergonomically, so you won’t get back pain. Oh! Don’t get up! Please lie down together, you two!”

This staff member was much more proactive than the one at the electronics store. She gently pressed down on Do-won’s shoulder to stop him from getting up, while at the same time, Yu-young was also pushed back down onto the bed. Do-won frowned, but Yu-young elbowed his side to prevent him from saying anything harsh, just as he had before.

In the end, the two of them reluctantly lay down together at the insistence of the staff member. At that moment, they heard a voice from the entrance of the store calling out, “Excuse me!”

“Oh, sorry! One of our staff members is out for lunch… but they’ll be back soon! Just stay put and lie down for a bit!”

The voice was so loud and energetic that it left them both a little dizzy. The staff member winked and left, and for a moment, a silence settled between the two of them, still lying side by side.

Since a while ago, Yu-young’s heart had been racing. Thump, thump… His heartbeat was out of sync with the rest of his body, and the waves of pheromones trembled ever so slightly. Even though their pheromones were both neatly contained in a public space, there was still no way to completely hide the tiny trace of pheromones that was naturally radiating into the air.

This was the first time Yu-young had ever lain next to Do-won like this. He had done everything else—holding, kissing, and everything in between—but lying on the same bed made him feel so flustered.

This is… no way, this won’t do.

Thinking this, Yu-young quickly sat up. His fingertips tingled, and he clenched his fists. Not long after, Do-won also slowly got up from the bed. But both of them remained sitting.

‘It felt too awkward. I need to say something.’

The first thing that came to mind was the faint scent lingering in the air. Since it was a store that sold high-end brands, the air smelled good all around. It was definitely a synthetic fragrance, not pheromones.

“Heh… heh. Team Leader, it smells really nice in here. Is it a diffuser? Or could it be the blankets?”

His voice sounded a little awkward, but Yu-young forced a smile. He decided that they would pick this bed and never lie down together like this again. Just as he was about to fully get up from the bed, Do-won’s quiet voice tickled his ear.

“I only smell Assistant Han’s scent .”