BHB 133 Side Story

Lee Taegang sat motionless in his car, staring intently through the window. An ominous atmosphere filled the car as he gripped the steering wheel so tightly it might break, unable to tear his gaze away.

“I really like him!”

At the end of his gaze were Yeowon, swaying as if drunk, and several people surrounding him. Lately, Yeowon has been meeting various people, talking about investments and such. While that itself was annoying enough, what bothered Taegang most was that the man was introduced as a boss by Kim Myungjoo. He was a young man who operated clubs in prime Seoul locations, surprisingly young for someone said to have good business acumen.

Kim Myungjoo had connected Yeowon with this boss who was planning to open an upscale members-only bar. Since Yeowon’s current preoccupation was figuring out what to do with his future, Kim Myungjoo and the boss’s proposal would naturally be enticing to him. Of course, Taegang himself strongly disapproved.

“Ah, boss, how can you already favor this hyung when you’ve barely known him?”

When a young man lingering nearby grumbled, the boss laughed heartily and placed his hand on Yeowon’s shoulder.

“He’s straightforward and decisive like a man should be. He’s the most forthright among all these young guys talking about investing. Do you know how many bastards spend months nitpicking before investing a few bucks? That bastard who tortured me for over half a year kept wavering and eventually backed out. Damn, I still get angry thinking about that fucker.”

The boss cursed loudly. Meanwhile, he pressed close to Yeowon, even leaning his face against him with his arm around him. Yeowon simply smoked quietly with a faint smile.

“Anyway, take good care of him from now on. Teach him well if there’s anything he doesn’t know.” The boss patted Yeowon’s shoulder and spoke to his employees.

“I’ll be in your care.” Yeowon said plainly and gave the employees a refreshing smile. He didn’t seem at all concerned about asking these younger people for their help.

“Yes. Thank you for the meal today.”

“Did you eat a lot?”

“It was really delicious. Shall we go for round two?”

“You’re older than us, right? Can I call you oppa?”

“Then I’ll call you hyung.”

“Hmm, let’s call him Director now.”

Yeowon was already blending in with all those people. Whatever he had done, even those who looked much younger were gazing at him with shining eyes, and the boss was already treating Yeowon as if he were his own person.

Taegang irritably undid the top button of his shirt. Such scenes were all too familiar. Yeowon always gaining favor among people, everyone showing interest in him even when he did nothing special.

He rolled his stiff neck and took a deep breath. These scenes were like trauma to him. He had witnessed them for over ten years, and they were the images he hated most. Perhaps among those people, some had already begun to see Yeowon as a potential romantic interest.

Tall height, appropriately broad shoulders, a slender neckline, and a masculine jawline. His striking features made anyone turn to look at least once, and though his first impression seemed cold, when he smiled, he had a strange charm that stirred the hearts of others. Taegang felt a surge of emotion just seeing Yeowon smile casually at anyone. This symptom had intensified since they officially started dating.

“I don’t think I can join for round two. I’ll head home first.”

“Already? It’s only 1 o’clock!”

“I’m living with someone.”

“What?”

“Really?”

At Yeowon’s direct words, both the boss and the surrounding employees asked in surprise. Those words essentially meant he was taken.

“Ah, so you have a girlfriend~?” The boss asked again with a sly smile.

“Yes.” Yeowon answered firmly and smiled slightly. It was a polite smile for the sake of social etiquette.

“I guess that makes sense. If you didn’t, I was going to introduce you to someone nice. Actually, do you remember my friend you met briefly a while back? In fact, as soon as he saw you, he begged me to set you two up~.”

“Ah… what can I do? I have a partner.”

It was an answer that clearly drew the line, telling him not to speak unnecessarily since he was taken. At that response, the expressions of several employees visibly fell.

“You must have been together long enough to live together?”

The questions didn’t end despite the clear rejection.

“Hmm… we were originally friends, but we only started dating recently.”

“Ah, is that right? See, I always say there’s no such thing as friendship between men and women!”

Yeowon just smiled politely at the comment that naturally assumed a heterosexual relationship.

“But how long have you been dating to already live together?”

This guy just won’t stop prying.

Taegang swallowed his rising irritation.

“Because it feels right.” Yeowon answered without hesitation to questions that could have been considered rude.

“Oh, sounds passionate.”

“Yes. It’s good.”

The boss was the one who seemed taken aback by these straightforward answers.

“That’s great. Introduce us sometime~! Now that we’re working together, we should get to know the people in each other’s lives.”

“Yes. I’ll introduce you.” Yeowon replied casually. 

The strength in Taegang’s hands, which had been gripping the steering wheel tightly, gradually eased. Then, he brushed his lips and let out a soft laugh. Yeowon’s unwavering confidence was impressive. His attitude suggested he didn’t care at all whether his partner was male or female.

“Alright. I’ll let you go since you need to leave, but remember, when you’re in business, you might have to stay at unpleasant gatherings for a long time~.”

The boss seemed reluctant to let him go and offered advice that wasn’t really advice, giving a subtle warning. Taegang’s brow furrowed again at this implied criticism.

“If I’m too late, my partner gets upset.”

But Taegang hesitated at the immediate retort.

“Come on, they should understand. A man’s got to do business.”

“…Business is important, but if my partner doesn’t like it, I don’t like it either.”

“Ha, you’re a real romantic, aren’t you?”

“Yes. It was difficult from the start with that one.”

“Now I’m really curious when you talk like that.”

“I’ll introduce you next time. I’ll be going now.”

Apparently wishing to end the small talk, Yeowon bowed his head politely, and the boss finally waved him off. 

Yeowon left a gentle “I’ll be going now. See you next time” to the remaining employees before turning away without hesitation.

“…Ah, what a shame,” muttered one of the remaining employees, looking wistfully at Yeowon’s retreating figure. 

Another male employee teasingly rebuked him, “What’s a shame for you?”

“Nothing… just. He’s so handsome.”

“That’s what I mean—he’s handsome, but what’s that to you?”

“Oh, come on. Can’t I feel disappointed?”

“Wake up. Someone like that must have extremely high standards.”

“Who doesn’t know that? It’s just the first time I’ve seen someone of that caliber.”

“What caliber exactly?”

“Handsome, tall, great body, wealthy. Cool personality too. And he doesn’t seem to chase women. You saw earlier. He didn’t even look at that beautiful noona when she asked for his number.”

“Yeah, that was such a waste.”

“Why was it a waste to you?” A female employee glanced at the male employee with a mocking laugh and continued, “Anyway, he must really love his partner.”

“I know. Even if I had a girlfriend, if it was that noona, I think I would’ve given her my number.”

“Ugh. Shit. Men, I swear…”

“What? Even if you had a boyfriend, if that hyung asked you out, you would’ve dated him too.”

The female employee pressed her lips together at the man’s question. She seemed to swallow her words and look away, as if he had hit the mark.

They didn’t stop gossiping about Yeowon for quite some time.

“Anyway, even a guy like that is controlled by his partner.”

“His partner must be incredibly beautiful, right?”

“He didn’t seem like he cared about looks though.”

“He’s not that old, but they’re already living together, are they thinking about marriage?”

“Who knows.”

“Damn, I’m so jealous.”

Taegang started the engine and rolled up the window so he could no longer hear their conversation, then followed Yeowon as he walked toward the main road. 

Though Yeowon didn’t seem very drunk, he appeared tired as he tried to hail a taxi on the main road before giving up and sitting on a bench at a nearby bus stop. He took out his phone, fiddled with it, and soon pressed the screen a few times before bringing the phone to his ear. Immediately, Taegang’s phone began to ring. 

Taegang kept his eyes fixed on Yeowon and answered without hesitation, “Yeah.”

— Are you home?

A slightly drawling voice, saturated with fatigue.

“No.”

— You’re out? Where?

“Where are you?”

— About to head home. I left early, didn’t I?

“…Want me to pick you up?”

— Where are you?

“Nearby.”

— What are you saying? How can you be nearby when you don’t know where I am?

Yeowon laughed softly with an incredulous tone. Taegang smiled faintly in response and drove straight ahead a bit more. As he stopped directly in front of Yeowon, he could see his bewildered face.

“What the… you?”

The same voice rang out loudly from both the phone and through the car. Taegang lowered the passenger window, leaned down to meet Yeowon’s eyes.

“Get in.”

Genuinely surprised, Yeowon couldn’t erase his baffled expression and climbed into the passenger seat with a dazed look.

“What’s this? How are you here?”

“You told me you had an appointment in this area.”

“Well, I did tell you, but…”

“Put your seatbelt on.”

With Yeowon still looking dumbfounded at finding Taegang here, Taegang unbuckled his own seatbelt and leaned across to the other side. As he pressed close to fasten Yeowon’s seatbelt for him, he saw Yeowon’s tense face right in front of him, drawing in a sharp breath.