* * *
Once inside, Jingyeom knew this would just worry Soohyuk.
And knowing him, he wouldn’t just worry—he’d probably go to great lengths to track them down.
To Jingyeom, both Wonbeom and Soohyuk were clearly outside the realm of “normal.”
He’d decided it was better not to try to make sense of their behavior and just accept it as part of who they were. But as always, unexpected things kept happening.
After Wonbeom had pushed him all the way into the back seat, he climbed in beside him.
Turning his head, Jingyeom couldn’t see Soohyuk anymore, the view blocked by various obstacles.
When the car started moving, Jingyeom kept glancing around until he finally asked, “You will let Soohyuk know where we’re going, right?”
“I’ll handle it.”
The way he said it sounded more like “I’m not telling him,” but Jingyeom just leaned back, figuring he’d sort it out.
Meanwhile, the sudden sound of a car pulling away caught Soohyuk’s attention.
He turned his head sharply, muttering a curse.
“Dammit. I’ll call you back later.”
— What? Director!
Jinwoo’s worried voice came through the phone, but Soohyuk ended the call and took off running after the car.
Yet as if expecting this, the car sped up, quickly leaving the lot.
“So this is how we’re playing, huh?”
Starting his own car, he immediately dialed Cheongo’s number.
“Tell me where President Tak is going, now.”
— But I work for President Tak…
“I know. But you also know who’s at my house, don’t you? Should I ask Madam Jeong to look into it?”
— …I’ll send the details right away.
Hanging up, Soohyuk tossed his phone onto the passenger seat.
“Damn it!”
He tried following, but traffic lights slowed him down, and he lost sight of them.
Now all he could do was wait for Cheongoh’s message.
“Baek Jingyeom. Just going along quietly like that?”
Wonbeom’s move wasn’t totally unexpected.
But the fact that Jingyeom didn’t even protest—that stung.
If he’d made any noise, Soohyuk could’ve caught on faster, and he wouldn’t be here, watching him be taken right before his eyes.
“Guess I really should lock him up.”
His narrowed eyes burned with a fierceness that hadn’t been there before.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he sent a quick message to Jingyeom.
Reading the reply, he gritted his teeth.
“Oh, so he’s calling this revenge?”
Just tell me where you’re going. (12:45 PM)
Wait there, and I’ll catch up.
Baek Fox
Buzz off ^^ (12:46 PM)
The little bird emoji at the end of that message only made his anger flare hotter.
Even knowing it was likely from Wonbeom, seeing it under Jingyeom’s name left a bitter taste.
Thinking he might at least send a quick message to Soohyuk, Jingyeom found his phone snatched away.
Knowing that neither of these men would hand it back easily, he didn’t even bother asking.
Both Soohyuk and Wonbeom had the habit of taking his phone whenever they pleased, only to give it back once they were done.
Yesterday, he’d even worn himself out trying to wrest it back from Soohyuk.
“The message you sent me yesterday.”
“Yesterday?”
“Yes. Telling me to buzz off.”
“I… sent that to you?”
Jingyeom looked completely clueless.
Then he gave a little exclamation, “Ah!” and, with a surprised expression, asked,
“That deleted message… was that what it was about?”
“So, it wasn’t you who sent it after all.”
Wonbeom confirmed that it had indeed been Soohyuk’s doing and returned the phone once they were finished.
Meanwhile, Jinwoo had left some calls and messages too, though Jingyeom hadn’t noticed due to putting his phone on silent before the appointment.
‘Looks like Jinwoo found out too… I was planning to let him know later.’
Jingyeom had wanted to wait for the test results before reaching out, but it seemed Jinwoo was already aware; otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent a “Are you okay?” text so early in the day.
Uncomfortable making a call here, Jingyeom decided to text back, letting him know the results were fine and that he’d call later.
Just then, Soohyuk’s call came in.
He was about to pick it up when he felt Wonbeom’s gaze on him and hesitated for a moment.
“If you don’t answer, he’s going to worry a lot,” Wonbeom remarked.
“It’s fine. I already texted him earlier. Don’t pick up.”
But if he ignored it now, Soohyuk would just hassle him later.
Jingyeom was planning to stay at Soohyuk’s place for a few days, so he might not get any peace if he didn’t deal with it now.
And Soohyuk would definitely grumble about it for a while.
Thinking about it further, he realized avoiding the call wasn’t worth it.
Just as he reached to answer, Wonbeom placed his hand over Jingyeom’s to stop him.
“If you’re really that worried, I’ll give him a call myself later.”
“…Alright.”
Jingyeom finally looked away from his phone and turned to Wonbeom.
“How badly did you get hurt to end up at the hospital?”
His voice was no longer the cold, sharp tone he’d used with Soohyuk earlier.
It was soft, warm, almost like a ray of winter sunlight.
The change was so stark that Jingyeom couldn’t help but notice.
After a brief hesitation, he decided to explain honestly.
“I hit the top of my head on the edge of my desk.”
Even though it had hurt enough to require a checkup, he felt embarrassed sharing the cause.
Clearing his throat, he turned his head towards the window.
“If it’s a head injury, that can be pretty serious, can’t it? Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. The doctor said there was nothing unusual, and the test results came back all clear. It just hurts a bit because of the bump. It’s nothing major.”
He’d likely have to explain this all over again later to Jinwoo.
This whole incident had Jingyeom making a fresh promise to himself to avoid any accidents in the future.
He used to only worry about Jinwoo getting concerned, but now there were too many people who cared.
‘If only it were just concern. The way they overreact…’
Recalling what had happened at the hospital, Jingyeom shuddered.
Even when the doctor reassured him, Soohyuk insisted they double-check, worrying they might’ve missed something.
The doctor had to review the monitor several times.
Care was nice, but there was a limit. It was only after Jingyeom intervened that Soohyuk finally calmed down.
Shaking his head, Jingyeom turned to Wonbeom.
“Where are we going?”
They’d left the hospital area far enough that it seemed okay to ask.
“You probably haven’t eaten lunch yet after all those tests. Let’s get you some food first. Did you bring your medicine?”
“Of course. I carry it with me all the time now, just like it’s part of me!”
Confidently, Jingyeom reached for his bag, which usually held his medication—but found nothing.
He’d assumed he had it with him, but no matter where he looked, he could only see his empty hands.
“…”
He quickly retraced his steps. He’d packed the medicine just in case, even though they’d only planned to grab lunch, and he’d placed it in his bag… then left the bag on the back seat of Soohyuk’s car.
“Ah!”
Since he’d planned to stick with Soohyuk anyway, he’d left the bag behind, thinking he’d only need his phone.
Realizing this, Jingyeom froze in place, mouth open.
It wasn’t like he needed the medication right this second, but he’d still have to take it in the evening.
Though missing one dose wouldn’t cause immediate harm, the thought alone made him feel uneasy.
“It’s probably in the car, then.”
“…Looks that way.”
“And you need to take it tonight, right?”
“…Yes.”
“We won’t be out long, so you should be able to get it in time. It’s back at home, right?”
“Yes. I just carry a small container with a few doses…”
His heartbeat, momentarily thrown off by anxiety, started to settle again.
As long as he got back in time for his evening dose, it would be fine.
“Ah, I’m so full.”
Rubbing his stomach in contentment, Jingyeom thought about how well he’d been eating recently, especially at Soohyuk’s place.
Everything was delicious, and the food was always tailored to suit his needs, a variety of healthy, flavorful dishes.
As he happily sipped the cinnamon punch served as dessert, Wonbeom smiled too, catching the warmth of Jingyeom’s satisfaction.
“Alright, we ate. What did you want to talk about?”
“Let’s take it slow. No need to rush.”
As he sipped his drink, Wonbeom urged, and Jingyeom nodded slowly, patiently waiting.
“There is something I wanted to talk about, but I also just wanted to see you. Let’s go somewhere else and chat.”
“…”
Jingyeom looked at him intently. Wonbeom raised a brow and asked, “What?”
“It’s… just that you’re really handsome.”
He’d been searching for the right response to Wonbeom’s “I wanted to see you” and ended up blurting out what he always thought when looking at him.
And while that was true, there was another reason he couldn’t look away.
The way Wonbeom was looking at him reminded him of someone else.
‘They’re so different, yet strangely similar.’
Wonbeom and Soohyuk looked nothing alike, with Wonbeom’s sharper features unlikely to bring Soohyuk to mind. Yet there was something similar in the way they looked at him.
‘Maybe it’s that gaze people have when they look at someone they care about?’
It could be, though Jinwoo’s gaze was distinctly different.
Unaware of Jingyeom’s thoughts, Wonbeom brushed a hand over his face.
People often called him handsome, but hearing it from Jingyeom made him wonder, “Am I, really?” It was clear that he wanted to stand out in a different way.
‘Being told you’re handsome actually feels nice, doesn’t it?’
Though he’d never thought much about it before, hearing it from Jingyeom made him realize how pleasant the compliment was.
Wonbeom’s gaze softened even more.
Though his face usually retained a hint of intensity even when he smiled, that harshness was absent now.
‘…A special person.’
He’d recently picked up a book.
Having no real dating experience, he thought he’d try learning through reading and borrowed a romance novel from his secretary.
But he found some parts baffling.
People misinterpreted each other, grew apart over misunderstandings, then reunited and professed their love. It all seemed so complicated, but…
“With you, I think it would be okay.”
“With what?”
“Dating.”
* * *
Jinggeum you should not react no casual woth being ‘kidnapped’… sigh they are only going to get worse…
👍
Cute. Missing jinwoo hours
Thanks
Thanks