However, before Heewoon could be caught by the collar, a hand suddenly appeared and roughly pushed Heehyun back, grabbing his neck. Startled, Heewoon turned his head.
There stood a tall unfamiliar man. Heewoon slowly stepped back. The man slightly lowered his head as Heewoon felt bewildered, then shifted his gaze to Heehyun, who had collapsed on the ground.
“Damn it, I’ve already checked around, but since when…”
Looking somewhat scared, Heehyun mumbled and glanced around. Heewoon, with narrowed brows at the incomprehensible situation, scanned the surroundings following Heehyun.
“Oh…”
The eyes of Heewoon, who had been fidgeting while standing still, suddenly fixed on something a few steps away. And his eyes widened.
There was Seo Kangwoo in the distance. Wearing a casual thin shirt, he walked towards them, rolling up his sleeves.
“Hello.”
Approaching politely, Seo Kangwoo deftly kicked Heehyun’s stomach as he struggled to get up. Heehyun stumbled back onto the cement floor again, and Heewoon gasped in surprise.
“I told you to not talk to Heewoon.”
Kangwoo said with the same usual tone.
“Ugh…”
“Don’t touch him, don’t even look at him… Ah. Did everything pass through your ears?”
Continuing his words, Kangwoo furrowed his brow and stomped on Heehyun’s stomach hard. Heehyun coughed painfully.
“You shouldn’t disregard people’s words. It’s so annoying, fuck.”
Kangwoo said as if chewing the words. He looked extremely angry, which made Heewoon frozen in his spot.
“Crazy bastard.“
Heehyun coughed and glared at Kangwoo.
Heewoon thought his brother was truly fearless. How could he make such an expression after seeing that look in Kangwoo’s eyes? Heewoon became scared, wondering what the angry Kangwoo might do to his brother here.
“Kangwoo…”
Hearing the trembling voice, Kangwoo stopped in his stride. The intense pain swelled and then subsided. He then roughly brushed his head and gestured to the man standing beside him.
The man who had been watching them all along roughly lifted Heehyun, who had clenched his stomach. He was not quite supported, almost dragged away. Heehyun clicked his lips, but after locking eyes with Kangwoo, he firmly closed his mouth. Watching his brother’s demeanor, Heewoon asked anxiously.
“Where are you taking him?”
“I won’t kill him.”
Kangwoo replied as he turned away. He reached out his hand to Heewoon, who couldn’t take his eyes off them as they left the parking lot. Heewoon flinched for a moment, but relaxed when he realized that Kangwoo was straightening out his wrinkled shirt.
“What did your brother say?”
As Kangwoo tidied up Heewoon’s clothes, he asked quietly. Heewoon looked down at his neatly arranged clothes and said,
“Nonsense.”
Kangwoo chuckled. With his expression now completely relaxed, he stroked Heewoon’s head. The large hand passed over Heewoon’s head, ears, and lightly wrapped around his cheek.
“I took care of the person who was bothering you, Sunbaw. How was I?”
Heewoon looked up at Kangwoo and thought for a moment. He was scared when he saw Kangwoo hitting his brother… but did he only feel scared?
“You feel touched, huh?”
Kangwoo said as he looked at Heewoon, who was quietly watching. It wasn’t really touching. When Heewoon’s lips quivered, Kangwoo smiled. Soft and affectionate. Heewoon looked blankly at that face.
“Looks like you really are.”
Kangwoo chuckled and lightly shook Heewoon’s cheek. Heewoon belatedly regained his composure and changed the subject.
“What time is the movie again?”
“8:10. We’ll have dinner and go in, the time will be just right.”
“Yeah.”
“Is your body okay? Can you watch the movie?”
“I’m fine.“
Shall we go? Kangwoo took Heewoon’s hand. Heewoon was aware that they were now in a residential area, but he firmly held Kangwoo’s hand.
Seo Kangwoo smiled, and Heewoon gazed at him for a moment.
***
Monday morning. A senior asked Heewoon.
“Did you have a good weekend?”
“Ah… yes. Did you have a good weekend too, Sunbae?”
He really had a good weekend just like he said. On Friday, he was a bit exhausted, but after that, Seo Kangwoo was very affectionate, so it was fine. He also learned a bit more about Kangwoo’s extortion against his brother… Strangely, Heewoon felt energized. He knew he wasn’t supposed to feel good about it, but he couldn’t help it.
The face Kangwoo made when he saw his brother, his very much angry tone, and his affectionate gesture of tidying up the clothes were things Heewoon occasionally pondered over, feeling his heart getting full.
“Well, I only stayed at home. Heewoon-ssi, you must have gone on a date with your lover.”
The senior asked as if he were absolutely certain. Heewoon chuckled awkwardly and replied, “Yes.”
There were times when Heewoon thought that what he and Seo Kangwoo did wasn’t a date at all, but these days, it seemed like a date wherever they went.
Sometimes, when he thought their date was ordinary, it felt quite special instead. How could Seo Kangwoo look ordinary? He was affectionate, expressed his love well, and never took his eyes off Heewoon.
“Oh, look at Heewoon-ssi’s expression…”
Heewoon widened his eyes at the murmur of the senior. The senior mumbled while rubbing his chin.
“Must be nice having a lover…”
“…”
He had heard those words very often since he started working. After briefly thinking about it, Heewoon came to a conclusion. Those words weren’t really wrong.
Special Side Story 2.
Heewoon was currently in a cold war with Kangwoo. Of course, Kangwoo might not realise this.
The incident happened two days ago when Kangwoo came to pick up Heewoon. Heewoon was having a conversation with a senior and as they stepped outside of the building, he found Kangwoo, but he continued to talk with his senior for a brief moment. It was a bit awkward to cut the conversation short because that senior always took good care of him.
They didn’t talk much. The senior asked if Heewoon was getting along well with his girlfriend, and Heewoon just answered yes. When asked if she was very pretty and if Heewoon had her photos, Heewoon only mumbled in response.
After greeting each other, Heewoon ran to Kangwoo, who was holding two iced Americanos. Kangwoo seemed to have come to the front of his company from buying drinks from the nearby cafe. Thankful and delighted, Heewoon smiled a bit, but Kangwoo asked coldly.
‘What did you talk about that made you smile so happily?’
‘It wasn’t anything special…’
‘So? What was it?’
With a hint of irritation in his tone, Heewoon told Kangwoo about the unremarkable conversation he had. After hearing it, Kangwoo’s face became even more crumpled. He cursed, saying, “Damn it, I knew you would be like this.”
Heewoon vehemently denied it, but that night, he received a text from the senior. What are you doing?
Thinking it might be about work-related matters, Heewoon replied to the text, but the senior only talked about other things. So Heewoon was a bit surprised too.
Sure enough, Seo Kangwoo made a very scary expression.
Afraid that Kangwoo would do anything to him, Heewoon sent a message to the senior, ‘Let’s talk about it at the company tomorrow’. After that, Kangwoo’s expression softened slightly, but he still had a cold expression while in deep thoughts.
Honestly speaking, Heewoon wasn’t in a cold war with Kangwoo; he was simply being cautious of Kangwoo. He felt a little sorry, too.
Today, Heewoon lingered around Kangwoo’s study before peeking and opening the door. Kangwoo glanced briefly and then turned his eyes back to his laptop. Heewoon hesitated, slightly closed the door, opened it again, and hesitated before asking.
“Kangwoo, tomorrow is my payday.”
“Then?”
Heewoon hesitated at the indifferent question, then said.
“We planned to dine out on my first payday.”
“Ah, that.”
Kangwoo nodded absentmindedly, as if he had forgotten. They had planned the dining course since the moment he started working, and Heewoon had been looking forward to payday all along, but Kangwoo’s reaction was not enthusiastic.
Kangwoo stifled a laugh as he looked at the small face peeking through the half-opened door. Should I stop now?
“Why do you talk while standing there? Come in.”
The softness of his voice made Heewoon smile, and a small smile eventually escaped Kangwoo lips.
After Heewoon sent that message on that day, Kangwoo had other things on his mind, but Woo Heewoon might have misunderstood his action. However, it was not a bad sight to have Heewoon grunting and tiptoeing around, so Kangwoo left him be.
“I made a reservation earlier this afternoon.”
Heewoon approached Kangwoo’s side hesitantly. Standing close enough to feel the warmth, he saw Kangwoo chuckle.
“Try bowing your head.”
Woo Heewoon bent his waist. Kangwoo, whose eyes met Heewoon’s round back of the head, burst into a short laugh and lifted Heewoon’s chin. Then he lightly kissed Heewoon’s lips.
“Don’t worry about what happened a few days ago. It’s been resolved.”
“Huh?”
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