OMS 103
by Cherry“Stop being angry. How long are you going to keep this up?”
At Kim Jun-han’s words, Park Dong-sik glared at him with wide flounder-like eyes. He hadn’t thought much of it when the flight attendant brought slippers but only realized something was off when he noticed all the attendants wearing shoes.
“So embarrassing. You could have at least said something.”
“That’s why I took mine off too.”
“You must have wanted to laugh so badly. I should have known when your lips were twitching. You’re secretly quite mischievous.”
“I’m sorry for being mischievous.”
The smile on his face only made things worse. Ah, Park Dong-sik almost cursed but stopped himself and looked for the button to open the window. “Which one do I press?” When Kim Jun-han pressed the front button, the car’s roof immediately opened, transforming it into a convertible.
Wow, he marveled at the sight as Jeju Island’s refreshing landscape spread before him. The trees unseen on the mainland and houses with stone walls were fascinating. The slightly humid wind wildly tousled his hair.
Spotting the approaching ocean, Park Dong-sik started to call out to Kim Jun-han but hesitated. Seeing Kim Jun-han’s profile as he drove wearing black sunglasses, his anger melted away, replaced by other emotions. He looked just like a model.
Just then, Kim Jun-han turned around and smiled.
“Ah…”
He almost embarrassed himself by drooling. God. Is it legal for someone to be this perfect? After drinking in the sight for a while, Park Dong-sik came to his senses and turned his attention to the ocean.
Most of his lifetime visits to the ocean had been to chase down people who hadn’t paid their debts. And this was Jeju Island, no less. As he was getting lost in the atmosphere so different from the mainland, the car slowly pulled over to the shoulder.
“Why are we stopping?”
“Let’s get out and look at the ocean for a bit.”
Getting out, they found a path leading to the ocean. Since it was rocky rather than sandy, Kim Jun-han held his hand with each step. The seawater was clearer and more transparent than it looked from afar.
He wanted to crouch down and dip his hands in, but his belly made it difficult.
“It’s really clean.”
As he took a breath, Kim Jun-han let go of his hand.
“Stay here. I’ll take your picture.”
He moved back and took out his phone. Looking around, Park Dong-sik confidently placed one leg on a large rock beside him, put his hands on his hips, and stuck out his chest. Though others would probably notice his belly more.
Seeing this, Kim Jun-han lowered his phone and frowned.
“What is that pose?”
“I’m posing?”
“Even my late grandfather wouldn’t do that.”
“…”
When he quietly lowered his leg, Kim Jun-han took the picture. But contrary to his feelings, his lips twitched unnaturally. Sure enough, when Kim Jun-han showed him the photo, he looked completely robotic. Should have let me keep my leg up.
“Stand over there. I’ll take your picture too, CEO.”
“I don’t really like photos.”
“Take one since we’re here. Or should we take one together?”
He pulled the silent Kim Jun-han along. Switching to selfie mode and stretching out his arm, the angle seemed off. Adjusting for Kim Jun-han cut off Park Dong-sik’s face, and adjusting for Park Dong-sik cut off Kim Jun-han. Ah, damn. Should have bought one of those selfie sticks or whatever.
As he regretted this belatedly, Kim Jun-han took the phone instead.
“Smile.”
His lips froze again.
“Smile.”
“I’m tryyying.”
Click—but it came out so strange. Frowning in dissatisfaction, Kim Jun-han wrapped an arm around his waist.
“I’ll take another one.”
Though he tried to relax and smile somehow, it wasn’t easy. Then Kim Jun-han turned his head and blew softly on his ear. The ticklish sensation made him laugh “kuk!” and the shutter clicked right then. Kim Jun-han checked the photo first and bit his lower lip, just like when he saw Park Dong-sik taking off his shoes on the plane.
Feeling uneasy, Park Dong-sik reached out his hand.
“Let me see.”
“It came out well. I’ll show you when we get home.”
When Kim Jun-han offered his hand to leave, Park Dong-sik smacked it away and forcibly took the phone. He pulled Kim Jun-han’s hand over to unlock it with his fingerprint, turned on the screen, and looked at the photo, and well…
“Damn…”
Park Dong-sik was laughing like a simpleton while Kim Jun-han was captured in profile, smiling slightly while looking at him. Below the sunglasses, his sculptured nose bridge and smoothly curved lips were captivating.
When he glared and tried to delete the photo, Kim Jun-han quickly snatched it away.
“Keep it. I like it.”
“What’s to like? Me laughing like an idiot?”
“I might frame it and hang it up large.”
“Just try it. You’ll regret it.”
Though Park Dong-sik pleaded with him to delete the photo while holding his arm, Kim Jun-han refused to delete it. Park Dong-sik vowed to secretly delete it while Kim Jun-han was sleeping.
They returned to the car and set off, and as they got closer to their destination, the smile disappeared from his face. Sensing his mood, Kim Jun-han reached out and held Park Dong-sik’s hand tightly.
“Want to rest today and meet up with them tomorrow?”
Park Dong-sik shook his head.
“We came all this way for a reason. We can’t do that…”
As they drove, the sun began to set, creating a spectacular view as the sky and ocean beyond the horizon turned red. Though it was an unforgettable sight, his unsettled heart prevented him from taking it all in.
Understanding his feelings, Kim Jun-han spoke up first.
“When the children are born, let’s come back, all four of us. Then we can enjoy it leisurely.”
Park Dong-sik pressed his lips together. What if they’re not your children, then what? As he hesitated to ask the question that had been bothering him, Kim Jun-han suddenly said something unexpected.
“I’m not going to do a paternity test.”
Park Dong-sik looked at Kim Jun-han in surprise.
“It doesn’t matter anymore. So please don’t worry or feel anxious. Even if my mother comes and says something, ignore it. I’ll handle that part firmly with her.”
Park Dong-sik couldn’t ask for more. Could you really handle it? Could you give them complete love even as they grow and don’t resemble you? As he sighed quietly with his complicated thoughts, the car climbed up a narrow alley.
There weren’t many buildings around, and few people. As they went up, they came across a shop with “Camellia Cafe” written on it. It looked like a renovated old house with a small lawn in front.
After parking away from the cafe, Park Dong-sik wet his dry lips with his tongue.
“That’s…it, right?”
Kim Jun-han silently nodded. There seemed to be more customers than expected, a couple-like pair came out with coffee and drove away. Park Dong-sik took a deep breath and looked at Kim Jun-han intently. Though his mind was complicated by what Kim Jun-han had just told him, dealing with the immediate situation was his main priority for now.
Seeing him nervously rub his palms, Kim Jun-han asked.
“Should I come too?”
“No. Just me. He’s already scared enough, if the two of us show up, he might faint.”
“If anything happens, come right out. I’ll be watching from here.”
Park Dong-sik nodded. As he unfastened his seatbelt and got out, he paused before closing the door and stuck his head back in the car. Then, gathering courage, he said, “Thanks for…what you said earlier.”
“…”
“I mean it.”
After saying he’d be back, he shut the door firmly. Taking a deep breath that made his chest heave, he headed toward the shop when someone came out. He instinctively turned around and met Kim Jun-han’s eyes.
Kim Jun-han gestured asking if he should follow, but Park Dong-sik shook his head and slowly turned back. But it wasn’t Lee Hee-soo. Relieved, Park Dong-sik approached the shop and peered inside.
However, he couldn’t find any trace of Lee Hee-soo. As he pushed the door to enter, a cheerful bell chimed. There were no customers, but a young man at the counter greeted him.
“Welcome.”
Park Dong-sik glanced inside.
“Is the owner not here?”
“The owner? They stepped out briefly. What do you need?”
“It’s nothing really…”
“Ah, there they are.”
An unfamiliar voice was heard amid his tension.
“Sangcheol. It’s gotten hot. I’m already sweating.”
“Boss, there’s a customer.”
“Customer? Who?”
Park Dong-sik’s brow furrowed as he slowly turned around. Huh? This isn’t Hee-soo. It was an unfamiliar man. White-skinned and round like rice cake, with a warm appearance.
The man smiled kindly.
“Hello. Were you looking for me…?”
Park Dong-sik looked the man up and down. Jun-han’s information couldn’t be wrong…
“Are there no other employees here?”
“Who are you looking for?”
Really tall and handsome, just as he was about to explain, the bell chimed. Worried that Kim Jun-han might have followed out of concern for him, he turned around and froze. The other person seemed equally surprised. The man wearing a fresh sky-blue shirt with short hair was definitely someone he knew. No, it was himself.
In the suffocating silence, Park Dong-sik tried to appear casual as he spoke.
“Hi. Long time no see?”
As he stepped forward, Lee Hee-soo, in Park Dong-sik’s form, turned pale and stepped back. Covering his mouth with both hands, he looked about to cry. People really do change with care, when he was Park Dongsik, everyone saw him as a thug, but in just half a year, he’d become so neat and pleasant that it was truly admirable.
Sensing conversation would be difficult inside the cafe, Park Dongsik grabbed Lee Hee-soo’s wrist. Lee Hee-soo screamed “Kyaak!” In response, Park Dong-sik’s face contorted.
“Fuck, ‘kyaak’? With my face, you just—mmph!”
Lee Hee-soo urgently covered Park Dong-sik’s mouth and shook his head, telling him to stop right then and there. Trying to remove the hand, it wouldn’t budge due to its strength. Moreover, the muscles on the exposed forearm were even more defined than before.
As he forcibly removed the hand and glared, someone grabbed his shoulder from behind.
“Stop it.”
Turning around, the man who was the owner stood there, looking coldly at Park Dong-sik.
“This doesn’t concern you, so stay out of it.”
“It does concern me. I’m dating Kyungsu.”
“…”
What?
Kyungsu? Kim Kyungsu? Why are you using that name? Seeing Lee Hee-soo lower his head confirmed that it was true. Park Dong-sik was dumbfounded and incredulous. Actually, until coming here, he’d worried about them struggling among people, possibly being taken advantage of, but now he couldn’t help but laugh. This person had really done it all, built up his body, found a lover, everything.