Chapter 23: The Hand You Hold

The two of them headed straight to the dinner restaurant after a short break, driven by Hakyung chanting “buffet, buffet” like a mantra.

The hotel’s dinner restaurant was located on the top floor, allowing guests to enjoy a live view of the sunset, which had already made it a hotspot with a steady stream of customers.

But Hakyung, more than the beautiful sunset, was enchanted by the dazzling array of dishes he had never seen before.

He darted around the restaurant in short, eager steps.

“Boss! Look at this—it’s as big as three faces!”

“It really is.”

Hakyung held the lobster he had waited in line to get up to his face and let out a soft giggle.

Back in the countryside, he’d only ever had crab.

Just the fact that he could eat such a massive lobster made him burst out in laughter.

He scraped the thick meat out of the claw and carefully placed it onto Muheon’s plate.

Just like there’s an order to everything—even cold water has a top and bottom—his fondness for Muheon overflowed onto that plate, stacking it high with claw meat.

Muheon looked at the rapidly growing pile of lobster meat on his plate and let out a disbelieving chuckle.

Hakyung was the one who insisted on going to a buffet, yet somehow Muheon’s plate was the only one getting piled up.

Muheon switched their plates, and Hakyung puffed up his cheeks in protest.

“What’s with that look? You’re the one who wanted to come to the buffet.”

“I gave it to you because I wanted you to eat it, Boss.”

“Don’t worry about me. Just eat as much as you want.”

Even when his feelings weren’t understood, they really weren’t understood.

Hakyung sulked inwardly, grumbling to himself about how clueless the boss was—and then shoved his mouth full of claw meat.

His eyes grew round as saucers, and his shoulders bounced in delight.

Oh my god.

This is… this is real—wild crab stick!

The claw meat he had given to Muheon with such heartfelt affection disappeared into Hakyung’s mouth in an instant, as if the crab itself had blinked and missed it.

Sitting across from him, Muheon watched Hakyung’s constantly shifting expressions and had to cover his mouth with a hand—to hide the smile sneaking up his lips.

Hakyung’s feast continued for quite a while after that.

If Muheon hadn’t swapped their plates earlier, he would’ve been resented for life.

“Are you full now?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. It was delicious.”

Muheon, who had brought dessert for Hakyung, asked. Hakyung gave him a sheepish smile, feeling a little embarrassed—he had probably eaten more than three full plates by himself.

Still, now that he was full, he could finally take in the view outside the window.

Earlier, he had been so enamored by the grandeur of the lobster that he hadn’t had the chance to really look.

The sky, once filled with the red hues of sunset, had now darkened to black.

Even the night sky after sunset was breathtaking.

Hakyung stared out, as if he might be pulled into the night sky that resembled the boss’s dark, silky hair.

He watched with such intensity—secretly harboring the mischievous hope that someday, he too would be completely consumed by Muheon.

It was then, while he was staring out the window, that the conversation from the people at the next table drifted into Hakyung’s ears.

They were finishing their meals and seemed to be preparing for dessert, with cakes and cookies filling their table.

“Hey, did you see this? You know the building next door, the one with the concert hall? They’re having a private party and concert there right now. Check out the lineup.”

“Huh? What? No way, that’s crazy.”

A party…

It sounded like the same party the boss’s friend mentioned earlier that day.

From what the people next to him were saying, some really big celebrities were coming.


So that was why the boss told him to come?

Because it was a party with lots of famous entertainers?

Before he knew it, Hakyung was nodding along deeply absorbed in the conversation at the next table.

Then suddenly—

“Taeyoung’s coming too. No way, didn’t he only perform on social media before?”

“Really? That’s insane! I really love Taeyoung’s songs! Hey, can we wait somewhere nearby? Maybe we can hear the music.”

“Should we? Hey, looks like others think the same. This place is all over the coordinates.”

The people at the next table were so excited they looked like they might jump up and rush out any second.

On the other hand, Hakyung, who had been listening with great interest, froze on the spot.

Those two syllables, ‘Taeyoung,’ hit him hard.

His mind was full of question marks.

Why was Taeyoung here?

Why hadn’t he contacted him at all on the way here?

What was he thinking showing up like this?

So many questions…

He had so many things he wanted to ask, but the one person who could answer was unreachable, having cut off all contact and leaving him in the dark.

Meanwhile, the guests at the next table left, heading to the building with the concert hall, leaving behind their desserts untouched.

The pretty, sweet treats sat on the empty table.

This wasn’t the time to stay frozen.

He had to hurry and go to the concert hall himself and confirm if this really was the Taeyoung he knew.

If it was, he had to ask why and what he was thinking.

But his whole body was trembling; he didn’t even have the strength to move a finger.

“Kyung, Kang Hakyung! What’s wrong?”

After staring blankly for quite some time, Hakyung finally snapped out of it at the low voice calling his name.

He realized he wasn’t alone.

Muheon was beside him, and it wasn’t easy to just move around freely leaving the boss behind.

His heart pounded fiercely with the thought that the concert might end and Taeyoung might leave.

Anxiety overwhelmed him, and he bit his lip tightly.

“You’ll hurt yourself.”

Muheon, who had been watching Hakyung’s restless changes closely, reached out his hand.

He carefully brushed near Hakyung’s mouth with a gentle touch, as if afraid it might vanish at any moment.

Though the touch was surprisingly cold rather than warm, to Hakyung it was a greater comfort and encouragement than anything else.

Holding tightly onto the boss’s hand stroking his lips, Hakyung declared, “Boss, I want to see that party and the concert!”

“Hm?”

“Boss, won’t you join me?”

Muheon’s eyes widened at Hakyung’s sudden change in mood, flipping like a palm.

His mood swings were even worse than a midsummer monsoon.

Still, no refusal came.

There was no reason to deny Kang Hakyung when he wanted to do something right now.

Without hesitation, Muheon stood up, and Hakyung followed him.

***

Since it was a private party and concert combined, there weren’t many spectators.

Somehow, Muheon and Hakyung managed to get in quickly without any restrictions.

Thanks to the dazzling lights and stage setup, the concert hall was so hot that even though it was still early spring, people were sweating.

Hakyung took off the cardigan he was wearing outside and draped it over his arm, tightly grabbing Muheon’s sleeve.

He felt like if he lost his way here, he’d be separated from the boss forever.

“Bo-boss. You have to stick close to me. Don’t get lost!”

“Got it.”

“Don’t let go of my hand, okay?”

“Uh.”

Hakyung’s voice trembled. Muheon, who had answered him bluntly, tightly held the sleeve he was gripping.

Hakyung’s small hand was completely enveloped by his large one.

It was a hand with a cooler body temperature than the nervous Hakyung.

But Hakyung’s heart pounded for a different reason because of the man’s warmth and care—warm enough that the hand’s temperature didn’t even matter.

His small kindness, done without any particular meaning, played havoc with Hakyung’s heart.

The love songs of unrequited affection, which he usually ignored without much thought, kept playing over and over, stirring his feelings.

Hakyung sighed quietly, secretly from the boss, and gripped tighter at his fingertips.

Now that it had come to this, he wasn’t going to be the fool to let go of his hand first.

From beside him, he thought he heard a quiet chuckle, but the tension rising to the top of his head made it too small a sound to bother him.

With stiff, robotic movements, Hakyung followed Muheon for a while and stopped right in front of the stage.

Sitting on a soft-looking comfortable chair was Hwang Rin, the boss’s friend, surrounded by several people.

They all gazed at Hwang Rin with glazed eyes as if intoxicated by something, yet despite being in an open space, the scene was unbearably obscene.

Feeling his cheeks flush for no reason, Hakyung cleared his throat softly, and at that sound, Hwang Rin’s red eyes turned towards the two of them.

“Well, well, isn’t this Muheon? You said you weren’t interested in the party—what brings you here?”

Hwang Rin’s feigned surprised expression slowly shifted from Hakyung’s frozen face to the hand holding the boss’s, then he lazily raised the corners of his mouth.

“Ah, it’s you, kid. You were the one who asked to come, weren’t you?”

“Y-Yes…”

“Well done. Good kids deserve a reward… but if I said that, Muheon’s gaze would pierce through my molars.”

Hwang Rin made a fierce joke and laughed, narrowing his eyes with amusement.

Then he waved his hand, and men who had been hidden appeared and quickly made a place for Muheon and Hakyung.

It was like magic with a single finger.

That much power Hwang Rin held…

The eyes still watching them made Hakyung shiver.

Shaking his shoulders, he stepped closer to Muheon.

Only when the boss’s firm arm touched him did he feel a little relieved.

Not long after the two sat on the sofa, the prelude to the first performance began to play.