Into The Thrill

After a short vacation, Haewon returned to Seoul and attended a crossover performance.
He didn’t contact Park Jong-hoon.

Sitting in a tucked-away seat, he watched the woman playing the violin in his place.
Even now, hearing it again, he couldn’t help but feel a trace of regret. Just because it was a good piece didn’t mean he had to be the one to play it. Sometimes, just listening was enough. Haewon was not the type to dwell on the past.
Memento mori.

Everyone dies anyway. There was no point in obsessing over this life as if he were living an immortal one. That was something Haewon had learned and internalized after letting his mother go.
Woojin also had to make up for the hours he’d missed at work. Haewon became busy as well, as the orchestra was tasked with opening the Jeju International Wind Ensemble Festival.
Haewon’s position had changed. He was no longer at the end of the second violin section. He had been promoted from second violin to first violin. A senior ten years older than him had been demoted to second violin. It was a sign to quit. Though the man was embarrassed, he didn’t leave the orchestra.

For the Jeju festival, the first violin principal would perform three pieces—a violin concerto and two symphonies—and there was also a chamber music quartet performance, which required separate rehearsals.
On top of that, Haewon had been secretly attending driving school without Woojin knowing, so instead of lazing in bed after Woojin left for work, he began heading out early as well.
"When is it?"
"The week after next."

"For how many days?"
"A week."
The Jeju International Wind Ensemble Festival was a major domestic music event. Haewon had to go down to Jeju, and before that, he absolutely wanted to get his license so he could drive a new car with Woojin in the passenger seat.

"You're still far from it, though."
"That's why I decided to practice every morning. A lot of skilled orchestras from Europe are coming."
"Are you doing chamber music too?"

"You saw the string quartet before. At President Kim Jung-geun’s villa. Of course, Choi sunbae can’t come this time, since your brother threw him in jail. That side gig paid pretty well, too."
The daily pay was four million won. That’s more than my entire monthly savings. Haewon mumbled to himself.
Woojin looked at Haewon, who was rushing to get ready in the mornings like him now, with a puzzled gaze. Haewon feigned ignorance.

As long as he had the sheet music, he could handle most pieces on the spot, and since they were pros, a few run-throughs were enough. The real reason Haewon had to leave the officetel early every morning was because of driving school.
"I’ll drive you to the concert hall."
"It’s fine. I’ll just take a taxi."

Woojin’s eyebrows lifted as he drank his coffee. Haewon snatched the cup from his hand and took a gulp.
"Ah, hot."
Having gulped it down while it was still hot, Haewon scowled as it dribbled from his mouth. Woojin quickly wiped his mouth with a tissue. His hand moved like he was tending to a clumsy child.

"Even cold water gives you indigestion if you drink it too fast. Take it slow."
"I’m late."
"There’s no need to rush. Take your time, or you’ll get hurt."

"……"
It was supposed to be a secret—Haewon had been practicing driving to surprise him—so there was no way Woojin could have known. But the way he spoke made it sound like he already did. Haewon looked at him curiously, then left the officetel ahead of him.
As soon as he got his license, Haewon called his father. When he suggested they grab lunch sometime, his father asked in a flat tone what he wanted. Haewon looked down at his father’s black card and said,
"A car."

—A car?
"An automobile."
—You said you didn’t want to drive. And you didn’t even want a driver.

"I’ll buy it with the card."
—Buy something sturdy. Do your research. Anything else you need?
"No. I’m hanging up."

—Hey, you little—
Haewon ended the call without replying.
Was he supposed to be grateful that his father at least played his part without hesitation at times like this? He was thirty, and yet felt no shame about using his father's card to buy a car. But since he spent everything he earned, he had no savings to speak of.

Woojin had said he’d buy him a car once he got his license, but to truly surprise him, just flashing the license wouldn’t be enough. Blocking his path with a nice new car would be much more dramatic.
Haewon bought the same car as Woojin. The only difference was the color, and although it had a facelift and looked slightly different, it had that same comfort Woojin liked.
He even secretly took driving lessons and was praised by the instructor for driving smoothly despite it being his first time.

Rookie driver Haewon drove his new car toward the Central Prosecutors’ Office.
He fumbled a bit with the navigation, made a wrong turn instead of a right one, but still arrived at the Central Prosecutors’ Office more easily than expected.
They say driving’s easier than riding a bike—he was starting to regret not having done ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) this sooner. It was more convenient than taking a taxi. His personality didn’t shy away from merging or navigating traffic, so his skills improved quickly.

Parking, though, was still a mess. Wanting to avoid scratching the new car, he ended up awkwardly taking up two spaces in the parking lot.
He called Woojin.
—Yes.
"It’s me."

—Oh, yeah. Did you get off work?
He must not have checked who was calling; his stiff tone softened the moment he realized it was Haewon. Haewon smiled faintly.
"I did. What about you?"

—I’m still at work. Might be a little late.
"Busy? Overtime? Night shift?"
—No, not night shift. Just a backlog of work.

"That’s rare. The old man’s swamped with work? Must’ve been too busy playing with me."
—Go ahead and eat dinner first.
He must’ve stood up from his chair—Haewon could hear movement through the phone.

"I was thinking we could go home together."
—Then can you wait a bit? I’ll be done in about an hour. I’ll pick you up at the concert hall.
"No need. I’m already at the prosecutors’ office."

—You’re here?
"I’ll wait. Call me when you’re done."
There was a short sigh, like he was hesitating. Then came the hurried sound of him grabbing his jacket and briefcase.

—I’m coming now. Where are you?
"Parking lot."
—Give me five minutes.

The call ended.
Haewon turned off the engine. Sitting in the dim parking lot, he alternated his gaze between the two stairwells. Not long after, Woojin appeared on the right side.
He pushed open the thick glass door and stepped into the lot, glancing around for Haewon. Haewon’s face lit up with excitement and anticipation.

He started the car and carefully pressed the accelerator.
As he pulled up beside Woojin, who had his phone in hand, Woojin stepped aside at the sound of the approaching car.
Haewon rolled down the window and drove slowly at his pace. Woojin, still absorbed in his phone, didn’t even glance at the car passing by.

"Excuse me, sir."
Woojin stopped in his tracks. Haewon quickly hit the brakes. The car was close to him. Woojin turned his head toward the sound. Their eyes met. Woojin didn’t look the least bit surprised, but Haewon chuckled to himself anyway.
"What the hell?"

"I didn’t want to take a taxi, so I got my license. Want a ride?"
"Ha..."
Only then did Woojin let out a dry sigh, recalling how Haewon had been suspiciously waking up at the crack of dawn and leaving before him.

A car behind them, trying to exit the lot, gave a short honk. Haewon, flustered like a true beginner, waved Woojin in with exaggerated urgency.
"Did you practice driving?"
"Twenty hours."

"When the hell did you do that?"
"Cut back on sleep. Get in. They’re honking."
Still skeptical, Woojin got into Haewon’s car with some reluctance. It was the same model as his, just a different color. The moment he got in, he fastened his seatbelt.

"Want to go look at the night view?"
"First, get the car out of here."
Almost as soon as Woojin spoke, the car behind them let out another impatient honk. Haewon glanced once at the rearview mirror and stepped on the gas.

The car didn’t move smoothly—it lurched forward. Startled, Haewon slammed on the brakes. The screech of the tires echoed through the parking lot. Both Woojin and Haewon’s bodies jolted at once.
"Stay calm. It’s not like someone’s chasing us to kill us."
The unnecessary panic made cold sweat drip down Haewon’s back. Woojin’s low voice calmed Haewon, who had been flustered. He slowly pulled the car out. After leaving the parking lot, he parked close to the roadside and turned on the hazard lights.

He searched for the Bukak Skyline that Woojin had once taken him to. It had a beautiful night view.
"It’s going to be tough for a beginner."
"The instructor said I was good."

"It’s all uphill and downhill, and it’s dangerous at night. Let’s go somewhere else."
"Where?"
"How about the Han River?"

That was also a place they often went together. Beneath the quiet bridges, where few people passed by, it was the perfect spot to sit in the car and have a secret rendezvous.
Haewon looked at Woojin, who sounded like a wolf, and let out a soft laugh.
Normally, when a seasoned driver rides in a beginner’s car, they start rattling off endless nagging. But Woojin stayed silent, even when Haewon fumbled or had to double back.

While trying to keep an eye on the road and the navigation at the same time, Haewon still managed to glance at Woojin from time to time. As he had hoped, Woojin had spread open his documents and was working.
Haewon had gotten his license in the first place to keep the busy man from complaining. Still, the fact that Woojin didn’t even offer a compliment about his first drive, much less say he did well, made Haewon feel a little resentful.
Haewon really did feel like a chauffeur. His mind, which had been bustling with thoughts, quieted down on its own as he tried not to interrupt Woojin’s work.

Before he knew it, Haewon was focused solely on driving.
When he parked the car under the Han River bridge and shifted into park, a groaning sigh naturally slipped from his lips.
"So that’s why you said you had orchestra rehearsals. You were busy getting your license. I thought you were up to something."

"Surprised?"
"Yeah. I didn’t expect you to show up in a car."
Woojin answered without lifting his eyes from the documents. It was a disinterested, indifferent response. When Haewon just stared at him silently, Woojin sensed the sudden quiet and looked up.

"…Boring. If I’d known you were going to react like this, I wouldn’t have bothered getting the license."
"What were you expecting?"
"A totally shocked Woojin-hyung who goes, ‘My Haewon, I’m so proud of you,’ and praises me."

"Should a thirty-year-old man getting a driver’s license really be something to praise?"
He muttered without even looking at Haewon.
"You said before you’d buy me a nice car. Because I hate taking taxis."

"If you put in effort and got results, just be purely happy about it. Don’t make such worldly remarks."
"What is that? Don’t say stuff that makes you sound like an old boomer. You really do sound like one."
He finally took his eyes off the documents and gave Haewon an annoyed look.

At first, when Haewon called him a boomer, he just brushed it off, but somewhere along the line, he started scowling every time he heard the word. It must’ve seriously irritated him.
"Boomer ajusshi. Boomer grandpa."
"You want to get smacked?"

"At least pretend to be surprised. Even if you’re not actually feeling it, fake it."
"Wow."
"……"

All he said was “wow.” When Haewon glared at him, Woojin’s lips curved into a smooth arc. He placed the documents he was holding onto the dashboard. Then he unbuckled his seatbelt and reached for Haewon’s hands, which were still gripping the steering wheel tightly, gently covering and pulling them down—as if telling him it was okay to relax now.
"You were raised too delicately. I figured unless someone washed you, dressed you, and raised you, you wouldn’t be functional as a human being. This is unexpected. I thought you couldn’t handle this kind of labor at all."
"Labor? Driving is labor?"

"It’s a job. Of course it’s labor. You did well. I’ll give you a gold star."
"…How many?"
"Ten."

"Give me a hundred and five."
Haewon whispered as he leaned in without resistance, letting Woojin cup and turn his cheek. Woojin nodded in agreement. He softly kissed Haewon’s lips. The unique scent of a new car mingled with the smell of their skin.
Woojin knew the structure of this car better than anyone. Haewon’s seat reclined. Haewon’s eyes widened in startled surprise. Woojin pushed the seat further back to make space, and leaned his upper body into the driver’s seat.

One would think he’d be used to facing him from this angle by now, but lying down and looking up at Woojin always felt awkward and strange. His chest surged with emotion.
Haewon parted his lips and wrapped his arms around Woojin’s neck and back. His hands, caressing Woojin’s firm back, gripped his shirt with a kind of desperate affection.
∞ ∞ ∞

"So when are you leaving?"
"Next Tuesday, I said."
Usually, it was Haewon who saw Woojin off when he left, asking when he’d be back, looking bored at the idea of waiting, and clinging to his collar like a child worried he might miss him. But this time, the roles were reversed—Woojin was the one holding Haewon back, though there was little time left before his flight.

"Construction should be done by next week."
"I’ll throw away what needs to go and organize my things myself after I get back."
"I’ll just move everything as-is. If you say you’re organizing, it’ll just drag on forever."

"There’s a lot to throw out. I need to go. Let’s not argue."
Woojin was staring fixedly at Haewon’s lips. Haewon sighed as he stood at the entrance, holding his suitcase in one hand, while Woojin, locked on his lips, didn’t budge.
"Aren’t you getting ready for work?"

"There’s still plenty of time. Why are you leaving so early?"
"They said the only time they could book group tickets was early in the morning."
"Then go separately."

"I can’t. I got promoted, so I’m not going to be late anymore."
"You’ll end up as assistant principal."
"Maybe I will. Assistant principal of the first violins, Moon Haewon. Oh, sounds nice. Won’t our manager get super busy because of me?"

Haewon laughed, repeating his name with flair.
With his pale face and plump lips, who would believe Haewon was already thirty? Put a school uniform on him and insist he was a teenager, and most people would believe it.
Woojin caressed Haewon’s smooth, unblemished skin, brushing his cheeks. He didn’t try to block him or physically restrain him from going. But with gestures, body language, and a look in his eyes that melted you from the inside out, Woojin didn’t let Haewon go.

Haewon liked to believe he could hold his own in the emotional tug-of-war with anyone, but Woojin’s push-and-pull felt like it had a kind of artistic genius to it.
Uneasy, Haewon glanced nervously at the clock hanging on the wall.