Come Back

■

By the time I finished talking to Park Dong-ha, the SUV carrying Choi Hong-seo and Lee Hae-seong was speeding along the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway, circling Hanam City. The scenery was familiar because it was near the Bongandang where Choi Hong-seo’s remains were laid to rest.

Choi Hong-seo stared blankly out the car window for a while, holding the phone. A large but warm hand moved carefully and gently landed on his head.

“Baby, are you crying?”

Choi Hong-seo, who had not expected a joke to be made at this moment, laughed in vain with reddened eyes.

“I just… feel strange.”

“What’s strange?”

As if telling me to tell you everything. As if I could tell you anything, at least to her. The low, soft voice was kind.

“Actually, I had no connection with Dong-ha before, and we weren’t on good terms even after I woke up in Yoon Hye-an’s body… But strangely, I feel attracted to her. Maybe it’s because she feels like the old me.”

In the past, Choi Hong-seo was not someone who would confide in anyone about his feelings. When he started to reflect on his feelings, he felt like he couldn’t handle them or endure them, so he just kept running forward. But now, he was with Lee Hae-seong. He didn’t know that being able to share them would be such a great comfort and strength.

That’s why I wanted to deal with Jo Seong-hyeon together with Hae-seong. I couldn’t let Hae-seong carry that hard lump of darkness all by himself.

“The situation is different with Hongseo. She chose to receive sponsorship herself. But what happened after that was a crime committed without consent.”

It wasn’t a wrong statement. He was endlessly generous and understanding toward Choi Hong-seo, but he was objective and uncompromising in other matters. Choi Hong-seo nodded, but with a look of regret, he fiddled with his cell phone.

“Even so… I had an experience where I was immersed in the entertainment industry when I came to my senses as if I was being pushed by the situation. Because of that mistake, there were people who said that all the terrible things that happened after that were my fault… I’ve experienced that too. That’s why I think I want to understand. Not for Park Dong-ha, but for myself.”

“Everyone lives for themselves. Whether they try to satisfy their own desires at the expense of others or not, that’s the difference.”

Hae-seong’s hand, which had been lightly resting on his head, slid down to caress the back of his head.

“And that difference is so crucial.”

“Like the difference between a mistake and a sin?”

His hand, which had moved down further, gently stroked the back of Choi Hongseo’s neck. A little sweat was dripping from his fingertips that had slightly entered the neckline of his T-shirt.

“okay.”

My body felt sluggish, as if I had cried for a long time. I thought it was because my meeting with Jo Seong-hyeon at the golf course went as planned, but I soon realized that it wasn’t. It was similar to a sudden illness or a body ache, but it was a strange floating sensation. Now that I’ve experienced it so often, regardless of time and place, I’ve been able to sense the difference.

Feeling his fever slowly rising, Choi Hongseo slowly blinked his heavy eyelids.

“Can I sleep for a bit until I get home?”

“Of course. Should I hold you until you fall asleep?”

I laughed weakly, thinking he was joking.

“On the way down from the Good Hall, Hongseo calmed down when I hugged her.”

“I was sick then. Now I’m just sleepy.”

“Oh, I know. It doesn’t hurt, not right now. I just want to do it.”

Sometimes, when Choi Hong-seo corrected Lee Hae-seong’s words like this, Lee Hae-seong would look at him with an expression that was unbearably cute. If it were Myeong Do-hoon, he would have cursed at him for being arrogant for several minutes. It was both strange and puzzling how the same words and actions could be perceived completely differently depending on the other person.

But the reason Hae-seong Lee looked at Hong-seo Choi now was not just because he was cute.

It was clear that he had also noticed that ‘that symptom’ was occurring. He knew it, but he pretended not to know.

Understanding, who had unfastened his seat belt, came right up to him. He fastened his middle seat belt and turned his body to look at Choi Hong-seo. They looked at each other with their temples against the back of the seat as if they were lying side by side on the bed. His arm crossed his lower abdomen and touched his side.

“I’m going to America in a day or two. Just hold on a little longer. Really, just a little longer. Okay?”

Choi Hong-seo nodded at the whispered voice. Then he closed his eyes and rested his forehead on the edge of her shoulder.

America. Just got back from there with a little bit of understanding. It sounded like a far-fetched story about going to the moon.

The word tomorrow was the same. Even though it was a very near future, it felt far away, like a hundred years from now, or a promise of the next life.

I fell into a deep sleep, sweating profusely, and dreamed.

In the next life, I had a dream of meeting Lee Hae-seong on the moon, which looked as small as B-612 in The Little Prince.

■

The suite room at the Knox Hotel that Lee Hae-seong had arranged as a meeting place was coincidentally the place where ‘Yoon Hye-an’, who had returned from a coma, came to see the final audition for . The individual space with the round table was ‘Yoon Hye-an’s’ waiting room at the time.

Choi Hong-seo was standing there again. The sky of Seoul seen through the wide window was very cloudy. It seemed as if he could touch the low-hanging gray sky with his hand, as if it was going to snow or rain.

“My favorite.”

Choi Hong-seo reflexively turned around at the voice calling from behind him. Lee Hae-seong, who had arrived early and was organizing a few things with the lawyer in the study, walked out of the hallway and waved his index finger at Choi Hong-seo.

“Come this way. It’s dangerous to be too close to the window.”

Although he was speaking playfully, I could sense that he was anxious.

Strangely, Choi Hong-seo was not left with trauma. Instead, Lee Hae-seong stopped preferring high-rise buildings. To be exact, it seemed that Choi Hong-seo had become reluctant to be in a high-rise situation. Choi Hong-seo, who had left the window, approached him.

“What is your favorite thing?”

“It’s Choi Hong-seo, but he’s a baby, so he’s my baby.”

“Why are you asking such an obvious question?” he answered with a serious face and tone.

“Even if you don’t call me Yoon Hye-an, people won’t know what I mean.”

He added, shrugging his shoulders and playing with the ends of Choi Hong-seo’s hair as he asked.

“I suddenly thought of you and called you that. Do you not like it?”

Choi Hong-seo, who had been smiling faintly, shook his head. Lee Hae-seong smiled back, but it wasn’t a bright smile either.

“How about I meet you alone and handle the final touches? Your complexion doesn’t look too good.”

“Sir, you really are a handsome face.”

Lee Hae-seong’s smile darkened even more as he stroked the nape of Choi Hong-seo’s neck, who was wearing a turtleneck to hide the raised spots. Choi Hong-seo used all his energy to create a cheerful expression and voice as he looked up at him.

“We just have to endure it for one day, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. After we get the checkup, the two of us can rest to our hearts’ content.”

“We can enjoy a quiet vacation together like in Malibu, and go hiking like we couldn’t before.”

“Well, I guess I won’t be able to go hiking this time either.”

As he was joking with a frown and narrowed eyes, an attendant appeared behind him and informed him that Jo Seong-hyeon’s side had arrived.

The presidential suite had a separate conference room for about twelve people. Cho Seong-hyeon and his lawyer, who had been waiting there, stood up from their seats as a courtesy when Lee Hae-seong and Choi Hong-seo entered. There was only one lawyer on each side, and it had been agreed in advance that no attendants or secretaries would accompany them. In a tense atmosphere, there was a formal handshake and introduction, and as soon as they sat down, the main topic began.

The conversation among the lawyers began first.

“I’m sure you’ve reviewed the detailed agreement requested by the Vice President in advance.”

“Most of these are things that work against my clients.”

“I thought both sides wanted the footage to not be released. I don’t understand what you mean by disadvantageous.”

“Don’t you have more control over my client’s weaknesses?”

“The one who first threatened to release the video was Jo Seong-hyeon.”

“Ah… Okay, okay. I don’t like listening to lawyers talking among themselves as agents.”

Jo Seong-hyeon, who was leaning back in his chair and watching the two people across from him with interest, shook his head and intervened.

“To begin with, what a hopeless guy like me could do to the Vice President would be like throwing an egg at a rock.”

Then he pressed down with his fingertips a section of the document containing the previously exchanged requirements.

“Everything else is fine. But what on earth is this? I don’t leak any type of data, such as videos or photos, from any third party other than Yoon Hye-an. Why is this included?”

Understanding answered.

“If even one piece of such information leaks out, the media or broadcasting companies will try to find the source of the information. If it is revealed that Jo Seong-hyeon is the source, and if he is investigated, Hye-an will also be harmed in the end.”

“Wow… Are you really going to block it that thoroughly?”

“If I had planned to do it roughly, I wouldn’t have created this place today.”

As Hae-sung became calmer and more composed, Jo Seong-hyeon’s face became more and more distorted, and on the contrary, his eyes became filled with an ominous light like that of a madman.

“I didn’t know the vice president would be so serious over something as trivial as that. I thought he’d just say let’s end it with a few bucks. But now he’s escalating the game. This is fucking bullshit.”

“Mr. Cho Sung-hyun is only putting aside one video today with this agreement, but this is not just one or two. In addition to the video of Mr. Cho Sung-hyun that I have, Mr. Cho Jang-yeon’s contest corruption, and the North African business with GX, aren’t they also putting aside this? In fact, it seems like a very advantageous negotiation for Mr. Cho Sung-hyun.”

“The North African contract? Why would the Vice President fold that for me?”

“You must have seen it yesterday. If I put my mind to it, I can either make that deal happen or fail to do so.”

“……”

Shit. Although he didn’t say it out loud, Jo Seong-hyeon clearly swore with the shape of his mouth.

Jo Seong-hyeon, who had lowered and raised his head, pretended to be relaxed and slumped down on the back of the chair. However, his fists were so tense that he was banging the chair handles with his fists, his face turning pale.

“Well, even though the plan was aborted, I don’t feel bad about this situation. The vice president is using the rag that I washed and threw away. Anyway, in one aspect, I’ve surpassed the vice president. Should I call this an honor?”

“What are you hoping to gain by provoking me like that? I don’t understand.”

“Not all people move only for some gain. I just want to see the Vice President’s true self, you know?”

Jo Seong-hyeon, who stopped banging on the handle, now showed his nervousness by spinning his office chair from side to side.

“Whether it’s the Vice President or Nana, they drag those guys in and do the same thing. They treat me like a pervert outside the bedroom, but the Vice President gets to be the prince because he saves those guys. From my perspective, it’s unfair, right?”

Choi Hong-seo couldn’t listen any longer. His heart felt like it was going to burst with anger.

“What do you mean, what do you see with your eyes?”

“……”

Jo Seong-hyeon’s gaze, which had been focused on Lee Hae-seong, shifted to Choi Hong-seo.

“Do you think that everyone who has money and power is like you? Who does the same things as whom? Stop saying disgusting things. It makes me want to throw up.”

Jo Sung-hyun’s eyes flashed with both anger and interest. He leaned over and rested his elbows on the table, clasped his hands together, and leaned his face against them.

The next comment from Jo Seong-hyeon was unexpected.

“Hye-an, what’s wrong with your hand? Are you getting a cigarette butt?”

A disgusting expression and voice that pretends to be overly anxious.

Choi Hong-seo instinctively, without realizing it, pulled down his hand that was resting on the table.

The cigarette buns that Jo Seong-hyeon was talking about were spots. Spots of unknown origin that did not disappear and continued to grow.