* * *

After a night of deliberation, Jungyoon made up his mind.

Leaving his half-eaten toast behind, he picked up his phone.

Searching through his saved contacts, he hesitated before deciding a text would be better than a call.

[This is Seo Jungyoon. Regarding the proposal you mentioned earlier, I believe we need to discuss it further.]

Setting the phone down on the table, he resumed eating.

He figured the reply would come much later, given how busy Yoon Taerim must be.

But as he absentmindedly chewed, his phone suddenly vibrated, the sound reverberating through the table.

Startled, Jungyoon’s shoulders jerked. He hadn’t expected such a quick response.

“Hello?”

“It’s Yoon Taerim.”

His voice, deep and weighted, resonated through the receiver.

In the background, the bustling noise of the outdoors suggested he was on the move.

“What sort of discussion did you have in mind?”

“The photoshoot. I’d prefer not to include my face.”

“Is showing your face such an issue? I think you should have more confidence.”

Jungyoon rubbed his cheek nervously.

Though it was just a phone call, it felt as if Taerim was right there, staring him down.

Uncertain how to respond to the faintly businesslike compliment, he scratched at the table with his fingernail.

“Silhouettes or just my hands should suffice.”

“Alright.”

Taerim agreed more easily than expected.

“I’ll have the terms finalized and sent to you via my lawyer today. You’ll receive further contact shortly.”

“Understood.”

Relieved by the straightforward outcome, Jungyoon began calculating when to end the call.

But just as he prepared to say goodbye, the low voice returned.

“Seo Jungyoon.”

“Yes?”

“Did you just wake up?”

Blinking, Jungyoon unconsciously patted down his tousled hair.

“…Yes.”

“You’re definitely not a morning person.”

Though his tone remained flat and devoid of mockery, it inexplicably made Jungyoon’s ears burn.

“I’ll see you next Wednesday.”

Without waiting for a response, Yoon Taerim hung up.

---

The lawyer arrived about two hours after the call.

Though Jungyoon welcomed the guest awkwardly, the man didn’t seem fazed.

With a meticulous air, he spread a stack of documents across the large table in the living room.

“The contract has been amended as per your request. Please review it carefully.”

Perching his glasses on his nose, Jungyoon began scrutinizing the fine print, furrowing his brow in concentration.

“This seems fine.”

“Then, please take a look at this as well.”

The lawyer presented another document.

Curious, Jungyoon opened the file and was greeted by bold text reading Confidentiality Agreement.

“What’s this?”

“It’s an agreement not to disclose any personal information regarding Mr. Yoon Taerim.”

“……”

As he read through the clauses, Jungyoon’s eyes widened slightly.

Peering over his silver-rimmed glasses, he glanced at the lawyer.

“Is a confidentiality agreement really necessary?”

“It’s a precautionary measure to prevent any potential issues. We ask for your understanding.”

“So, you’re saying even our meetings have to remain a secret?”

“That’s correct.”

“But Go Eunjoo, my editor, is already aware.”

“She’ll be asked to sign an agreement as well.”

“Thorough as always, I see.”

Jungyoon chuckled dryly, though it wasn’t out of amusement.

The details were overwhelming, and a faint headache crept in as he rested his head in his hand, massaging his temple.

The tip of his pen tapped against the document as he contemplated.

“There’s one more person who needs to know.”

“……”

“There’s someone working at the Royal Peak Hotel. They’re like family to me, so it’ll be hard to hide this from them.”

The unexpected request made the lawyer frown, his sharp eyes narrowing further.

He pulled out his phone from his jacket pocket.

“Excuse me, I need to make a call.”

“Go ahead.”

The lawyer stood up quietly, pushing back the chair without a sound, and slipped on his shoes before stepping outside.

Jungyoon leaned back against his chair and stared straight ahead.

Through the large window, he could see the lawyer deep in an intense phone call with someone.

Most likely, it was Yoon Taerim.

The call ended sooner than expected, and the lawyer returned, maintaining his polite demeanor as he sat back down.

“He approved it as well.”

“……”

“If you could let me know who it is, we’ll also have them sign a separate confidentiality agreement.”

The process was progressing so smoothly that Jungyoon had no room to object.

Rolling the pen in his hand, he reviewed the contract one last time.

On the final page, he wrote the date, his name, and completed his signature.

“There’s no set term for the contract, though.”

The hotel promotion plan had four versions in total.

While Jungyoon thought everything would be over once those were completed, there was no specific duration mentioned for the interviews with Yoon Taerim.

The lawyer, reviewing the documents once more, replied calmly.

“Mr. Yoon said he’d dedicate as much time as you need.”

“Somehow, this feels like a loss for Yoon Taerim.”

“I feel the same way.”

Being Yoon Taerim’s lawyer, he staunchly took his client’s side.

With a composed expression, he gathered the documents, then slowly pushed back his chair and rose to his feet.

“Thank you for your time.”

“Thank you for coming all this way.”

“I’ll be leaving now.”

Jungyoon escorted the lawyer to the door.

As soon as it closed, a weary sigh escaped him.
How could something so trivial drain him so much?

Dragging his feet, he headed to the bathroom, deciding to take a refreshing bath and plan his next steps afterward.

---

“Hyung, are you busy?”

• Oh, Jungyoon. Sorry, I can’t talk right now.

“I’m at your apartment.”

• What?

“I wanted to talk for a bit. I’ll wait, no matter how late it gets.”

After a call that lasted less than a minute, Jungyoon glanced around the quiet living room.

The small, newly-built apartment in Samseong-dong was relatively clean, likely because Jaehyuk, unlike himself, wasn’t the type to leave things lying around.

Even though Jaehyuk had lived here for over a year, Jungyoon could count on one hand the times he’d visited.

Usually, it was Jaehyuk who came over to his place instead.

As he roamed the apartment, revisiting his partner’s space, he noted the small but tidy bedroom and the slightly cluttered study.

He turned his attention to the bookshelves filled with thick academic texts.

Surrounding those were self-help books and materials on TOEIC and TOEFL, occupying every inch of available space.

While browsing, he found a box tucked away on the lowest shelf.

Inside were stacks of manuscript paper, bundled like treasure.

“You still kept these.”

Leaning against the desk, Jungyoon picked up one of the paper bundles tied with twine.

Just seeing the rough handwriting on the manuscript brought a faint smile to his lips.

Although Jaehyuk majored in business administration, there was a time when he’d pursued literature.

He had even studied under his grandfather.

It was the summer he first met Jaehyuk, at eighteen.

“You’re Seo Jungyoon, huh? Nice to meet you. I’m Kang Jaehyuk. Just call me Hyung.”

While others approached him cautiously, calling him the grandson of the renowned Seo Taeseon, Jaehyuk joked and lingered around, seamlessly blending into Jungyoon’s solitary days.

The man he once regarded as an older brother eventually became his lover.

Life truly is unpredictable.

“It wouldn’t be bad if you kept writing.”

Though he regretted Jaehyuk giving up on his dream, it was Jaehyuk’s life and choice, and Jungyoon had no right to interfere.

He closed the open manuscript, putting Jaehyuk’s past back in its dusty box.

* * *