ACTSV chapter 74

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“Director!”

“Where did everyone go? Why are you here alone?”

Soohyuk naturally walked inside and sat in Jinwoo’s chair. Though he had only seen it from the outside, this was his first time inside.

Soohyuk slightly tilted his head and carefully observed Jingyeom. He was wearing the beige suit he had worn on his first day.

His posture was straight, and the suit fit him perfectly.

The hair that was usually softly down was slicked back today. It was a style he hadn’t seen before, but it suited him well, as expected.

“Is there anything that wouldn’t suit him?”

Soohyuk nodded in satisfaction.

“Don’t you have a meeting to attend? I heard there’s an executive meeting today…”

“I don’t have to go since it’s with a different affiliate.”

“And your work? Aren’t you busy?”

Soohyuk’s eyes narrowed. Lately, it seemed like every time they talked, Jingyeom was always asking if he had work to do.

It wasn’t like he wasn’t working. He wasn’t slacking off, either.

He was doing everything he needed to do.

“I’m good at my job. That’s why Director Tak scouted me.”

“…”

“What’s with that look?”

This time, it was Jingyeom’s eyes that narrowed. As he glared at him with disbelief, Soohyuk chuckled.

Sure, he did send messages and visit frequently, but he did it all while working.

He never put off work or slacked off.

Seeing Soohyuk’s expression of indignation, Jingyeom’s frown slowly relaxed.

“So, what brings you here? It’s not lunchtime yet.”

“I just felt like coming. Thinking about it being the last day makes me a bit sad.”

“What are you sad about?”

“Not being able to see you last week because of the business trip. I wanted to make up for it this week, but I feel like I haven’t done enough, so I’m trying to make up for it now.”

Jingyeom couldn’t fully grasp what Soohyuk was saying.

His big eyes blinked without a word, and Soohyuk’s lips curled into a small smile. He pulled the armrest of Jingyeom’s chair closer to himself.

“I’m going to stay here all day today.”

“Where is Jinwoo supposed to sit?”

“…Is that important?”

“Of course! That’s Jinwoo’s seat.”

Soohyuk, at a loss for words, let out a long sigh.

“You have your own office, don’t you? Why are you staying here?”

“Now you’re curious?”

“…?”

“I thought you didn’t care since you were so worried about Secretary Baek’s seat.”

If I said I was going to stay here, shouldn’t you have asked why? But Jingyeom hadn’t thought that far.

“It’s been that way from the start.”

Although he hadn’t seen Baek Jingyeom often before Soohyuk lost his memory, he could tell that Jingyeom thought about Jinwoo much more now.

When they first went to the department store together, he had said that a suit would look good on Jinwoo.

Even after that, he often saw him thinking about Jinwoo when doing something.

“What will you do when you two get lovers later on? You’re so affectionate.”

“We’ll figure it out when it happens. Isn’t it good to be affectionate?”

“It’s nice, but it makes me jealous watching from the side.”

Before he knew it, a large hand covered Jingyeom’s smaller one, completely hiding it.

“Your hands are small.”

“…But I’m not short!”

Soohyuk couldn’t help but laugh at Jingyeom’s sudden outburst, even though he hadn’t even mentioned height.

Did I say something wrong?

Soohyuk, baffled, replied.

“Who said anything about your height? I was talking about your hands. Look, they’re completely covered.”

“…Oh. Then you should’ve said my hands were small. Cutting off the sentence like that made me misunderstand.”

“Are you blaming me for omitting the subject?”

“No, I wasn’t blaming you…”

As Jingyeom mumbled, playing with his lips, a smile slowly spread across Soohyuk’s face.

It was clear that Jingyeom was more comfortable around him now.

It wasn’t just because of the little outburst.

His whole demeanor had changed, and he didn’t seem tense even when Soohyuk teased him with mischievous jokes.

At first, he had been cautious, but now that was gone. He even replied promptly to his messages.

It seems that my efforts to get closer to him by talking to him often are finally paying off.

“When are you going to the hospital?”

“On Monday.”

“Are you going alone? Do you want me to take you?”

“I’m not going alone. Jinwoo took a half-day off, so we’re going together in the morning.”

“Oh… a half-day.”

Soohyuk clicked his tongue openly, clearly showing his disappointment.

Jingyeom, smiling, wiggled his fingers.

He could feel Soohyuk’s palm touch the back of his hand.

Soohyuk’s hand was warm, likely from being in the office all day.

“Everyone’s hands seem so warm.”

“Everyone? Who else did you hold hands with besides me?”

Though Soohyuk spoke with a smile, there was an odd chill in his voice.

Jingyeom, thinking it was just from the air conditioning, continued talking.

“The warmest is Director Tak. I guess he has a lot of body heat.”

“You held hands with Director Tak? Why?”

“I didn’t really hold hands, it just sort of happened…”

Though Soohyuk often patted Jingyeom’s head, he hadn’t noticed anything unusual.

But he remembered feeling the warmth in the café restroom, and again at the chicken restaurant last week.

‘It was warm.’

As Jingyeom got lost in thought, Soohyuk tightened his grip slightly to make him focus.

“What about me?”

Soohyuk completely covered Jingyeom’s hand with his own, urging him to feel more.

“You’re warm too, Director.”

“…Is that all?”

Soohyuk’s eyes pressured Jingyeom to say more, but Jingyeom struggled to find the right words. He wasn’t sure what would satisfy Soohyuk.

Apart from saying he was warm, nothing else came to mind.

“You’re like spring, Director.”

“Spring?”

“Yes. Summer is hot, fall is cool, and winter is cold. But spring is… gentle, I suppose?”

Hearing this, Soohyuk looked down at his own hand. He wiggled his fingers, lightly brushing against Jingyeom’s hand.

“…Spring.”

He had wanted to hear that his hand was the warmest, but this unexpected answer left him a bit flustered.

It was the first time anyone had ever called him “spring.”

Just a single word, but…

‘My heart’s racing.’

His heart pounded harder than usual.

Was it because he was holding hands, facing Jingyeom, or because of those simple words from Jingyeom’s small mouth? He wasn’t sure.

“So, I’m like spring, Jingyeom?”

“…”

“You know your expression has been pretty suspicious for a while now? You might need some acting classes. How are you going to manage in the real world with a face that’s so easy to read?”

Jingyeom’s face twisted slightly, with his eyes narrowed and his mouth slightly curved. But even that expression seemed cute to Soohyuk.

He wanted to pinch those cheeks, stretch them to the side.

His hands kept gravitating towards Jingyeom, almost against his will.

“Jingyeom.”

“…Yes?”

“I’d like to ask your permission in advance.”

“…?”

“Is it okay if I touch your face?”

Soohyuk was serious. Although he had touched Jingyeom’s face before without asking, this time he wanted Jingyeom’s consent. He wanted to hear Jingyeom say it was okay.

It might not make much difference, but it mattered to him.

Surprised by the sudden request, Jingyeom blinked slowly before nodding.

“Thank you.”

With one hand still holding Jingyeom’s, Soohyuk gently rubbed Jingyeom’s cheek with the other.

Jingyeom’s skin was cold from being exposed to the air conditioning, but still soft.

After being told by many to stay away unless he was serious, Soohyuk was now testing whether his feelings were genuine or not.

‘Now I really want him.’

Soohyuk slowly moved his hand down from Jingyeom’s cheek.

As his hand touched Jingyeom’s exposed neck, Jingyeom flinched and hunched his shoulders.

“Director?”

Seeing Jingyeom’s innocent eyes, Soohyuk pulled his hand back. Any more movement, and he would undoubtedly become a villain.

It was only when Soohyuk’s hand, full of reluctance, dropped away that Jingyeom’s tense body relaxed.

“I planned to stay all day, but I can’t. If I stay here, I’ll be in trouble.”

“You’re leaving?”

As Soohyuk stood up, Jingyeom, feeling regretful, grabbed his hand.

“Yeah. I don’t trust myself, so I’m leaving. I’ll come back when it’s time to clock out.”

“What about lunch?”

“Eat with the other two today. Don’t sit next to Director Tak; stick close to Secretary Baek. Oh, and let’s have a farewell dinner tonight.”

As Soohyuk let go of Jingyeom’s hand, he left without looking back.

Jingyeom, now alone, rubbed the back of his neck where Soohyuk had touched earlier.

“Are you sure this is okay? I said I’d buy you some beef.”

“I like pork belly.”

Soohyuk clicked his tongue in disapproval, looking at the tongs in Jingyeom’s hand.

For the farewell dinner, Soohyuk had wanted to treat Jingyeom to something special, but all Jingyeom wanted was pork belly.

“You won’t be able to eat it once you’re admitted to the hospital or after your surgery. Now’s the time to enjoy it!”

Jingyeom had boldly declared he wanted to eat pork belly, but Jinwoo reminded him they had it recently, so they ordered some neck meat as well.

Two weeks had passed too quickly.

After this weekend, Jingyeom had to be hospitalized. He didn’t want to, but he had to manage his health, so there was no choice.

A couple of days ago, Jinwoo had gotten an earful from Hoonil for asking if two weeks of hospitalization was really necessary.

Hoonil had originally planned for a month, but reduced it to two weeks because Jingyeom was getting restless.

With a determined look, Jingyeom flipped the pork belly on the grill.

“Why isn’t it cooking?”

“Because you just put it on.”

“…Oh.”

Jinwoo answered his question.

Jingyeom had watched countless videos of frying pans or lid grills sizzling with heat, so grilling over charcoal felt frustratingly slow.

“I’ll take over.”

“No, I’ll do it.”

Jingyeom showed his determination not to pass the tongs to anyone else.

It was his first time grilling, so he had no idea when to flip the meat or whether it was properly cooked. But even with the uncertainty, he was having fun.

“Ouch, that’s hot!”

Despite the anxious glances from others, Jingyeom focused on grilling the meat.

He closely inspected the well-cut pieces of meat.

“…Is it burnt?”

There were quite a few charred bits.

“Don’t eat the burnt parts, eat this.”

Jinwoo, who had been grilling with a new set of tongs, cut off all the burnt parts with scissors.

As the pieces of meat shrank, Jingyeom’s eyes wavered. The meat had started as a centimeter thick, so why had it gotten so small?

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