When told to come down once ready, Ha-kyung put on his backpack and waited for Muheon on the first floor.
After about five minutes of waiting, the man appeared, accompanied by Ki Sang-oh and Park Geowung.
“Oh, hello!”
Ha-kyung bowed his head politely.
He had thought only the two of them would go, but it seemed the older brothers were coming along too.
As Ha-kyung expected, Park Geowung and Ki Sang-oh sat side by side in the driver’s seat and passenger seat of the car.
Eun was already seated.
When he went shopping with Seomin, nothing had happened, but now that he was somewhat aware of his feelings, it felt strange.
For over an hour, sitting right beside him, his heart kept pounding from the simplest thoughts.
Sometimes his hand accidentally touched Muheon’s solid thigh, or they would nearly hold hands…
Even though these were just his imaginations, his face would flush.
He tried hard to suppress the urge to stomp his feet, secretly fanning his face with his hands.
After sneaking a glance at the fidgety Kang Ha-kyung, Muheon lowered his gaze to the tablet in his hand.
He seemed excited about going to a new place for the first time.
“Ha-kyung, is this your first time in Incheon?”
“Yes, Uncle Geowung! It’s my first time in Incheon! Can you really see a lot of airplanes there?”
At Geowung’s slow question, Ha-kyung leaned his upper body forward toward the front seat.
Muheon’s brows slightly furrowed.
Sitting like that was dangerous, and it made the empty space beside him feel even more vacant.
While the man hesitated whether to reach out and pull Ha-kyung back, the others kept chatting.
Surprised by Ha-kyung’s unexpected question, Geowung and Sang-oh chuckled softly.
Especially Geowung, thinking of his youngest son left in Seohae, answered sincerely.
“But the noise is really loud… my ears hurt.”
“Oh, right! Sometimes when a plane flies overhead, I get startled too!”
“You must have sensitive ears, so don’t be too surprised.”
Geowung was usually quiet, so for Ha-kyung to converse so naturally with him was impressive.
Muheon, pretending not to listen but actually hearing everything, smirked slightly.
Ha-kyung, who had been chatting with those in the front seat, glanced toward Muheon.
“Boss, have you ridden on many airplanes?”
“More than you have.”
“Of course! I’ve never been on one even once!”
Ha-kyung pouted, pretending to be annoyed at the teasing.
But his hips were already pressed tightly against the back seat.
Muheon felt a strange satisfaction as the empty space beside him was now completely filled, even if only by a small difference in height.
Just as Muheon tried to sink deeper into his chair with this odd sense of contentment, Ha-kyung’s head suddenly dropped down sharply.
“What?”
Muheon, tensing his body, caught Ha-kyung’s face and looked at him.
He heard his quick breaths close to his ear.
His forehead was not hot, no cold sweat, and his face looked calm, which made him feel relieved.
Sang-oh, who confirmed with a mirror that Ha-kyung had fallen asleep, spoke up.
“I’ve heard that some people who get motion sickness fall asleep as soon as the car moves, maybe that’s what happened?”
“Oh, maybe.”
Only then did they realize he had fallen asleep from motion sickness.
It seemed Hakyung, more like a countryside bumpkin, suffered from it badly.
“That scared me.”
“Scared you?”
Muheon muttered to himself, feeling unfamiliar even to himself with the words he said.
He sighed shortly and placed Hakyung’s head on his thigh, worried it might jerk and hurt whenever the car swayed.
Sang-oh, who watched Muheon carefully caring for Hakyung through the rearview mirror, spoke.
“Muheon, you don’t have to go that far. Should I switch seats with you?”
“No need.”
“But your legs might hurt…”
“This head is as heavy as a fist. Just drive.”
Muheon waved his hand to signal Sang-oh to stop talking, and Sang-oh quietly held the steering wheel again.
Geowung, who was quietly observing the two from the side, slowly spoke.
“Come to think of it, Hakyung asked me a strange question the other day.”
Muheon and Sang-oh raised their eyebrows.
Muheon was annoyed that Hakyung asked Park Geowung instead of him, and Sang-oh wondered if Geowung even gave a proper answer.
Silence lingered inside the car for a while.
Geowung took a long pause before continuing, amazed that impatient Ha-kyung had such a proper conversation with him.
“He asked if you were married… I wonder why he was curious about that?”
“Huh? I wonder, too?”
Ki Sang-oh tilted his head in confusion.
Why of all things, was he curious about marriage status…
Could it be blocked?
As much as the two retainers felt curious, Muheon also became curious about Ha-kyung’s thoughts.
It could just be a passing curiosity or it might be interest directed at him.
Was it greedy to hope it was the latter?
He moved his hand to gently stroke the strands of hair poking out from under the hat.
Ha-kyung’s lips twitched slightly at Muheon’s touch, but he didn’t wake up until they arrived in Incheon.
***
“Wow…!”
Ha-kyung, looking around the hotel lobby, opened his mouth wide in amazement.
He couldn’t believe there was such a magnificent and huge hotel in this country…!
Excited to show this wonderful hotel to his grandmother, Ha-kyung busily started snapping photos.
Click, click.
The sound of camera shutters echoed loudly.
Even mixed in with the group of tourists nearby, he wouldn’t have looked out of place at all.
A man quietly watching Ha-kyung from behind moved closer to his side.
“Is this kind of flashy and noisy style what Kang Ha-kyung likes?”
Startled by the low voice whispering right by his ear without warning, Ha-kyung’s shoulders jumped.
Muheon’s small laugh escaped as he found the reaction amusing.
Ha-kyung grabbed the ear closest to Muheon’s voice and caught his breath.
Every time this happened, not only was he startled, but his heart pounded so hard it felt like he couldn’t live with the noise.
The boss probably didn’t know he was provoking such a dangerous Kang Dolphin every time he spoke in that cool voice…
Ha-kyung’s heart, unable to express his feelings, burned darker and darker inside.
“Hm? Why aren’t you answering?”
“No? I prefer dark, black, and shiny things.”
“Unique.”
Muheon frowned at that otherworldly taste.
The boy was lively and bubbly for his age, but his preferences were rather odd.
Shaking his head with a ‘kids these days, I just don’t get them’ expression, Muheon wrapped his arm around Ha-kyung’s shoulder and pulled him along.
No matter what, he couldn’t just leave him mixed in with the real tourists.
Just then, some hotel staff who recognized Muheon hurried over.
“You’re here!”
The staff bowed deeply at Muheon.
The noisy lobby suddenly fell silent as if cold water had been poured on it.
Ha-kyung, who had been about to say something to Muheon, also shut his mouth because the staff looked unusual.
The staff looked tough enough to rival Ki Sang-oh and Park Geowung and, on top of that, wore black suits.
They certainly didn’t look like people who did legitimate work.
Unconsciously, Ha-kyung took small steps back and hid behind Muheon’s back.
The timid Kang Dolphin found the scene too dangerous to watch directly.
“Thank you for coming. We will escort you immediately.”
“Hmm.”
“Your companion will come too.”
Before Muheon could say anything, the hotel staff also courteously took care of Hakyung.
Feeling awkward, Hakyung expressed his thanks.
Geowung and Sang-oh, who had disappeared, reappeared quietly following behind Muheon.
Walking briskly after these fierce-looking men, Ha-kyung’s mouth went dry as he thought he would finally understand what his boss’s work really was.
Hoping it wasn’t about selling him out, he gripped Muheon’s sleeve harder.
Though he was so nervous he felt like he couldn’t breathe properly… the scene unfolding before him was nothing he had imagined.
In a large conference room, everyone except Muheon and Ha-kyung was laughing and chatting happily.
The tea time was properly prepared with pretty patterned teacups, cookies, and bread on a three-tier tray.
Even Park Geowung and Ki Sang-oh seemed to naturally blend into the atmosphere and enjoy themselves.
Is this right…?
Ha-kyung tilted his head.
What he expected was a bloody brawl full of curses, but reality was a tea party for noble young ladies.
It was more wholesome than he thought, but adapting was still just as hard.
Muheon leaned forward and looked into Hakyung’s eyes as he rolled them awkwardly in this unfamiliar environment.
“There’s nothing you want to eat? Should I ask them for a meal?”
“No, it’s fine. Don’t worry about me, just take care of your business.”
“If you want anything to eat, just say.”
“Okay.”
Feeling good about Muheon’s thoughtful care, Ha-kyung smiled faintly.
And right in front of his seat, someone was watching him closely.
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