CH 70

Chapter 70

Translated by Naralara

Edited by Naralara

“Hi. Mr. Choi.”

At the familiar face he met at the airport, Inseop was surprised.

“I went through a fierce competition in the office to come as a field assistant.”

Lee Dayoung spoke with an excited voice.

“Everyone was crazy. We drew lots. Team leader Hong said he’d give us a bonus if we exchanged ours with the lottery, but we didn’t even pretend to hear it. Manager Cha was the only one who was happy he didn’t get chosen!”

With a face full of excitement, she poured out various stories to Choi Inseop.

“It’s my first time going to Hawaii, and I’m really, really, really excited. I couldn’t sleep last night.”

“Me too, I struggled a bit to sleep.”

When he answered like that, as if embarrassed, Lee Dayoung agreed, and expressed her displeasure.

“Right? That’s right! My older sister just scolded me for saying I was excited. I’ve only been to Japan once, so I’m really nervous. I can’t speak English very well, but Inseop, do you speak English well?”

“Uh… just a little… ”

“Okay. We’re all the same. Koreans learn English in school, but we are all weak in practice.”

“Is that so?”

Inseop smiled awkwardly and responded to Dayoung’s words. In fact, he had promised not to speak a word of English in Korea, so he only spoke Korean, and Inseop’s native language was English. Choi Inseop thought that he should only use English at an appropriate level in front of Lee Dayoung.

“Inseop. Ticket… … .”

Lee Wooyeon, who went to get a ticket, saw Lee Dayoung and hardened his face.

“Hello.”

Dayoung recognized Lee Wooyeon and greeted him warmly. Lee Wooyeon greeted her with an expressionless face.

“What are you doing here? Did you come on an errand?”

“No. I’m also coming to Hawaii. The director was looking for someone to help, so here I am.”

She showed an expression showing she was proud of herself for overcoming the tremendous competition. Lee Wooyeon said okay and then turned around and disappeared to another place.

“Lee Wooyeon, is not feeling well? Don’t you feel like he’s angry?”

“Is that so… … .”

Inseop blinked nervously as he looked at Lee Wooyeon’s back, who was far away. The moment he saw Dayoung’s face, he could tell that Wooyeon’s eyes were getting colder.

“Did you bring your first aid kit? Of course, we can get there, but Koreans say that Korean medicine works better. Lee Wooyeon, if he is sick anywhere, please take care of him.”

“Thank you.”

Inseop bowed his head in gratitude for her kind words.

“Ah, don’t be awkward. Mr Inseop. Then I’ll see you a little later. I have to quickly get my ticket and go in to find duty-free items.”

“Yes. All right.”

Inseop greeted her and walked towards the direction where Lee Wooyeon disappeared. He walked faster and faster, and suddenly he was running. Inseop took a deep breath and looked around. 

No matter how much he searched, he couldn’t find Lee Wooyeon. He was someone who caught people’s attention just by standing still, so he couldn’t help but stand out when he was somewhere.

“Where are you… … .”

Inseop was panicking and running all over the place, but it was not easy to find him at the infinitely wide airport. His heart felt like it was going to break, he was leaning against the wall, panting for breath, and a hand reaching out from behind grabbed Inseop’s shoulder and pulled him inside.

“――!”

Lee Wooyeon blocked his mouth as he was about to scream in surprise. A group of women with cameras around their necks rushed by infront of them.

“… … Are they fans?”

“They are crazy.”

At Lee Wooyeon’s reckless expression, Inseop looked around to see if anyone had heard him..

“It’s okay. Because no one is here.”

Lee Wooyeon pointed to a sign in front of the toilet saying cleaning. Choi Inseop exhaled a sigh of relief.

“Are you so concerned to let other people know that Lee Wooyeon has a dirty personality?”

“… … !”

“Do you want to be the only one who knows, Mr. Inseop Choi?”

“… … , no.”

“There is one aspect that only Choi Inseop knows.”

Lee Wooyeon’s smiling voice from behind reached Inseop’s neck. Inseop was startled at the thought that something soft had brushed past him, and he turned around and checked. Lee Wooyeon was about a step away and had that kind smile.

Was it some kind of misunderstanding? Inseop wiped the nape of his neck with his palm and said as if muttering.

“Aren’t we supposed to go through immigration procedures?”

“We should. But before that.”

Lee Wooyeon reached out and rubbed Inseop’s lower lip with his thumb. Inseop lowered his head as he felt the heat rising from the tip of his lips.

“Before I leave Korea, I want to let Inseop eat what he likes.”

A polite and gentle sound landed on Choi Inseop’s exposed neck.

“Uh! Mr. Inseop!”

Lee Dayoung, who had already become close with the filming team and was having a conversation without hesitation, found Choi Inseop and waved her hand.

“He’s Lee Wooyeon’s manager.”

When she introduced Inseop, he approached the people and quickly bowed his head.

“Really? You look very young.”

“He is two years older than me.”

“Nonsense. Even if he said he was a highschool student, I would believe it.”

“I envy you, your skin…If you were a manager, you would be up all night and tired, but how do you have such nice skin?”

Choi Inseop was bewildered by the unexpected topic of conversation, and he tried hard to say something back. People found his reaction amusing and asked Inseop about his skin a few more times as if teasing him.

“Where is Lee Wooyeon? Weren’t you together before?”

Inseop’s eyes widened as if in bewilderment at the question asked by someone passing by.

“Ah, wait, … … He will come.”

“Mr. Inseop. I think you got something on your clothes here.”

When Lee Dayoung tried to remove the dirt around his shoulder, Choi Inseop blushed as he waved her hand away like he was burnt.

“No. I’ll do it. It’s fine.”

“Wow. It seems that Inseop likes Dayoung. Oh my my.”

“Are you two dating?”

People who interpreted Inseop’s reaction in a completely different way laughed as if teasingly. Lee Wooyeon, who appeared at that time, interrupted, saying, “What are you talking about?”

“The relationship between Inseop and Dayoung seems special.”

“You have to take good care of your manager. Still, Hawaii is a popular honeymoon destination, but I’m sure they’ll be satisfied.”

“I know, right. I’ll have to take good care of him.”

The eerie madness that was felt in Lee Wooyeon’s tone, which no one else knew, choked Inseop’s breath. Lee Wooyeon grabbed Choi Inseop and pulled him by the arm, asking him to go buy some coffee.

“… … I didn’t say anything.”

“I know.”

“Really, I didn’t say anything… …no.”

It was useless to make excuses. Inseop swallowed a bitter laugh behind Lee Wooyeon.

“What kind of coffee should I buy for you?”

He recalled his duty and asked Lee Wooyeon.

“I’m going to sleep on the plane, why would I drink coffee?”

“Before… …”

“It seemed like you didn’t want to be there, so I said it. And isn’t Inseop already full because he drank a lot of other things besides coffee?”

Inseop, who remembered what had just happened in the bathroom, quickly turned his head. However, Lee Wooyeon couldn’t miss seeing his cheeks, the nape of his neck, and even his earlobes glowing brightly. He smiled and patted the stain on the hem of Inseop’s shirt with his finger.

“Next time, drink it all.”

“… … !”

Inseop covered the small stain on his shoulder with his palm. Lee Wooyeon nodded to Choi Inseop, saying that it was time to board. After confirming that the line they were standing in was different from the other people, Inseop tilted his head and asked.

“Why are we standing here?”

“Because the class is different.”

“… … .”

“While I was making a reservation for mine, I put Inseop’s here too.”

Because Peter was leaving the country, not Choi Inseop, the one he was known as at the office, Lee Wooyeon intentionally booked the plane ticket. Choi Inseop was aware of that fact, but he did not think that he would raise the class.

“Isn’t it expensive?”

“It’s okay. I will bill the office for everything later.”

“I will pay the difference.”

When Inseop, who obsessively hates causing trouble to others, said that, Lee Wooyeon slightly raised his eyes and looked away. It was a terrifying look.

“I don’t really like talking about money.”

“… … I’m sorry.”

“Since you know, don’t talk about it from now on.”

Even so, he received more than what he worked for. Following Lee Wooyeon and being guided to the first class seat, Inseop’s heart grew even heavier.

“Would you like to sit by the window?”

“It doesn’t matter where.”

“Go to the window.”

Inseop went into the window seat and sat down as Lee Wooyeon told him. Because it was an early flight, there were only a couple more people in First Class except for two people.

Inseop took the book Lee Wooyeon bought from his bag and placed it on his lap. While waiting for the plane to take off, Inseop opened and closed the book, then tapped the back of the book with his finger and opened it again repeatedly.

“Are you nervous?”

“What? No, it’s fine.”

In fact, his palms were wet with cold sweat. Choi Inseop gently rubbed his hand over his clothes so that Lee Wooyeon wouldn’t find out.

It was the first time he flew by plane when he came to Korea. At that time, his head was filled with thoughts of leaving home, worries about the days he would spend in an unfamiliar place, and regrets for Jennie, and he was not even aware of what he was doing.

Now he knew for sure that he was on the plane and that he was about to take off. The captain’s announcement was heard and the plane began to move. Inseop looked out the window of the plane with an anxious face. As the airplane engine made a heavy gurgling sound, he felt his feet collapsing on the floor.

“――!”

Inseop was startled and grabbed the handle. Lee Wooyeon, who was reading the newspaper, asked Inseop as if teasingly.

“Should I hold your hand?”

“I’m fine.”

As the plane gradually ascended vertically, Inseop felt his body being pulled upward. Lee Wooyeon spread the blanket that was on the seat so that the space between the two people’s seats was covered. Then he put his hand under it and grabbed Inseop’s hand.

“――!”

“It will be fine soon. Until then.”

Lee Wooyeon’s way of speaking was so sweet that Inseop couldn’t shake his hand off. His hand was hot under the blanket. It felt as if all the squeaks he felt as he moved away from the ground were transferred to his hands.

The seat belt indicator light went out as the plane reached a stable altitude. As Inseop wriggled his hands inside the blanket and looked around, Lee Wooyeon released his hand. The warmth that had covered the back of his hand quickly disappeared. 

“You stick to me only when you are afraid of something, so it looks like you will develop a bad habit.”

The moment he heard the soft words mixed with laughter, Inseop thought that something similar had happened in his dream. He thought about Lee Wooyeon who comforted him all night and whispered such kind words… … . it must be a dream

“Have you read the entire book?”

“No, I still have about half left.”

“Okay. As you go, read slowly and decide what you want to do. Flight time is long.”

Saying that, Lee Wooyeon closed his eyes. Choi Inseop picked up the spread blanket and carefully covered his body.

Knowing that this shouldn’t be the case, Inseop put his head on the seat and watched Lee Wooyeon sleeping the whole time.

All he wanted to do now was that.

Lee Wooyeon found the car he had rented at the airport and sat in the driver’s seat. Inseop said he would drive, but Lee Wooyeon put him in the passenger seat.

“Stay quiet today. It’s my first trip.”

“Still… … .”

Inseop thought that it was his responsibility to let Lee Wooyeon focus on filming because he had followed him here as a manager.

“It’s okay. I’ll try to get a hold of the steering wheel after a long time.”

Lee Wooyeon wearing sunglasses was holding the steering wheel, so this was also like a pictorial. Inseop peeked at Lee Wooyeon’s profile, being careful not to get caught.

“Mr. Inseop.”

“Yes?”

“Is there not much to see here? You’re only looking at my face.”

“――!”

“Aren’t you tired of seeing my face so many times?”

“That … … I won’t look at you.”

Inseop tilted his head to the other side. Lee Wooyeon smiled and reached out and made Inseop’s head turn toward him.

“Look closely. There is no way I can stop people who come to my destination and look at me. Yeah, I guess what you saw on the plane wasn’t enough.”

“… … !”

He thought he was sleeping, so he looked at him without being hesitant … .

Inseop’s face grew hotter and he couldn’t raise his head.

“Is it hot? Your face is red. Should I open the roof?”

Inseop nodded his head as he could not make any other excuses. As the roof of the car went up, a cool breeze brushed against their faces. That alone made him feel better.

Inseop blinked and thought, “Oh, this is a trip.”

He was traveling. He was traveling with Lee Wooyeon. With the person he loves … … A trip.

“How about traveling with someone you like?”

Lee Wooyeon asked like that, as if he had even read his head. Is In-seop surprised? I asked.

“How does it feel to be traveling with someone you like?”

Lee Wooyeon’s voice was a little more excited than usual. Inseop noticed the subtle difference. Even if no one else knew, he could read it… … Because he liked Lee Wooyeon.

“It feels good.”

Inseop answered honestly. Lee Wooyeon reached out and stroked Inseop’s hair. As if he had heard a satisfactory answer.

“It looks like it will be a fun trip.”

A picture-like smile was drawn on Lee Wooyeon’s lips.

‘It’s fun already.’ Inseop swallowed the words he could not utter and turned his gaze to the beautiful scenery breaking into the sunlight.