Come Back

“Don’t say things like that.”

“……”

“You have to be careful because I could take it seriously.”

Whether it was serious or playful, it was hard to tell with him. She had started to get used to his style, where sometimes it was difficult to distinguish between a joke and sincerity. By then, Choi Hong-seo could roughly tell which words were genuine and which ones were playful.

After passing Hannam Bridge, the sedan stopped to wait again as they prepared to turn right into UN Village, where the dorm was. However, this time, he didn’t look at Choi Hong-seo. He stubbornly kept his eyes straight ahead.

As she quietly watched his side profile reflected in the city lights, Choi Hong-seo tightened her grip on their joined hands. She kissed the edge of his shoulder lightly, then, suddenly lifting her face, kissed his chin. It was only then that Lee Seong, who had stiffened for a moment, turned to look at her.

But this time, Choi Hong-seo avoided his gaze. It was as if she was running away or hiding. She kissed his shoulder again, feeling the warmth of his well-trained body and the softness of his skin under the thin autumn knit.

Soon, the car started moving again.

As they got closer to the dorm, Choi Hong-seo felt a suffocating feeling rising inside her. When she couldn’t meet him, it was easier to cope. There were no thoughts, no emotions to manage. She could go through the motions, follow the schedule like a machine, come home exhausted, and fall asleep without a second thought.

But once the person she wanted to be with appeared, everything changed. The feeling of not wanting to return became crystal clear. It was like a child who had been holding back their tears finally bursting into sobs after finding someone to complain to.

She never imagined she would like someone this much. She didn’t know it was possible to feel so shaken by someone else’s warmth.

She had always thought that liking someone, dating, and reporting her daily routine were things that only people with emotional space could afford to do. She thought that people like her, who were constantly focused on success and escaping the grasp of people like Myung, could never experience such happiness.

But liking someone had nothing to do with conditions or circumstances.

She couldn’t help but like Lee Seong. Even though she had doubts and had tried to distance herself, she had been naturally drawn to him without resistance.

With him, many things became scarier, but at the same time, even in the midst of living in hell, there were moments where she could feel a brief ray of sunlight.

A tear that had unknowingly fallen seeped into his knit. It was too late to hide it, so Choi Hong-seo didn’t bother pretending she wasn’t crying. She just kept her face buried in his shoulder.

He didn’t force her to lift her head. He reached out with his left hand, gently cupping her cheek and ear, caressing her, then kissed the top of her head.

“Want to stay here for a bit before going inside?”

At his soothing voice, Choi Hong-seo nodded faintly.

He parked the car in the mansion’s underground garage and turned off all the lights. The complete silence made it feel as though they were the only two people in the world. After shedding a single tear, she didn’t cry again, but her emotions were still swirling inside her.

Somehow, he sensed it. He just kept softly caressing her head, cheek, and shoulder until she calmed down. Myung, her colleagues, and even the current members all used to complain about how emotionally distant he seemed. Yet, Lee Seong naturally understood and accepted Choi Hong-seo’s emotions.

He was such a strange… special man.

She gently rubbed her temples on his shoulder, playfully nipped at the firm muscle of his shoulder, and even ran her thumb across his knuckles. As they spent time like this, her feelings seemed to gradually settle and clear.

After waiting silently, Lee Seong finally cupped her cheeks, gently brought her face up, and looked into her eyes.

“Tell me. Why were you crying?”

“……”

Her cheek was trapped in his large hand, and she turned her eyes away, avoiding his gaze. He then smiled softly and kissed her.

“If you don’t want to talk about it, it’s okay. You can tell me later, when you feel more at ease.”

But if she didn’t say anything, he’d probably worry. He’d feel heavy-hearted even when he returned home. She knew enough about him by now to understand that.

Choi Hong-seo placed her hand on top of his, which was still gently cupping her cheek.

“I… I usually get really stressed out before a new song release or a drama premiere. I become really sensitive…”

“Mm.”

“Our team has been struggling for a long time, but we’re starting to gain a bit of popularity now. So… this time, I think it’s even worse. I’ve become more greedy…”

“Hmm.”

“I’ve never cried because of stress before, though. But with you… I think I’m just acting like a spoiled child.”

“……”

Did he catch her lying?

The silence was frightening, and Choi Hong-seo couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eyes. But not everything she said was a lie… It was true that she only acted like a child and cried only in front of him.

He gently rubbed her cheek with his thumb, and after a long silence, he spoke.

“I was planning to wait until the new song comes out and celebrate together, but I think I’ll tell you now.”

“……”

“It’s about the movie investment. The goal wasn’t to make a profit. It was more like a personal hobby of mine to support talented young directors. That’s why I’ve been running it as a small, temporary business under a sole proprietorship. Of course, it’s been operating at a loss.”

She had heard about this from him before, so she wasn’t surprised by that part. But she didn’t know why he was bringing it up now. Choi Hong-seo blinked slowly and focused on his words.

“I still don’t plan to make money from the movies, but now, I’m thinking of getting more serious about it—whether through support or investment. So, I’ve established a movie production corporation this time.”

He smiled slightly, then looked for his phone. After tapping the screen a few times, he showed her a picture.

The photo was of a business registration certificate. Was he asking her to celebrate the new venture with him?

Choi Hong-seo slowly scanned the document from top to bottom, looking for his name.

Business Registration Certificate

(Corporate Business)

Registration Number: XXX-XX-XXXXX

Corporate Name (Organization): 히읗시옷 (Hieutsiot)

“……”

At that point, Choi Hong-seo’s eyes couldn’t move any further down. Her fingers stopped scrolling when she realized what she was seeing. Lee Seong, noticing her reaction, chuckled softly and patted her head.

“The name of the CEO is under someone else’s, but it’s my company.”

He then lowered his head and kissed her ear softly, whispering:

“히읗시옷 (Hieutsiot) isn’t just mine. You know that, right?”

“……”

She couldn’t say a word. She kept staring at the four characters—‘히읗시옷’—which was probably the only common bond she and he shared.

Why… she thought, the word ‘why’ spinning in her mind.

But she couldn’t ask why he cared so much for her. She couldn’t devalue such precious feelings.

Why… why did such things have to happen to her? Why did things have to occur that hurt him, made him sick, and caused so much pain?

The ‘why’ arrow inevitably turned toward the past, not him.

“Am I rushing things? Are we not at that stage yet?”

His voice was playful, but Choi Hong-seo shook her head vigorously. She pressed her throat to keep her voice steady, speaking slowly.

“It’s… such a wonderful name.”

“Do you like it?”

She nodded, and he smiled gently, pulling her closer by the back of her neck. Her nose brushed against his shoulder.

“If you’re going to act spoiled, what’s wrong with that? If I like it, then it’s fine.”

“……”

“Our Hong-seo has so much responsibility everywhere else, so it’s okay to be a baby for me, right? If you’re stressed and sensitive, you can cry in front of me, be spoiled, whatever you need.”

“……”

“Mm?” Unlike her usual slight nods, she vigorously shook her head.

After that, as if it was the natural next step, they shared a kiss. Their soft lips gently rubbed together, pressing to taste each other’s warmth, and as their lips slowly parted, he slipped his tongue inside. She gripped the fabric of his sweater tightly, letting herself fall deeper into the intoxicating and sweet world he was showing her.

“Don’t cry anymore.” He kissed her several times, softly, as if to put an end to her sad feelings, before finally ending the kiss.

The next 1-2 minutes after the kiss were still unbearably awkward for Choi Hong-seo. She fidgeted, smoothing out the wrinkles in his sweater, which she had gripped too tightly, and awkwardly changed the subject.

“That picture you took earlier… please send it to me too.”

“Yeah, I’ll send it.”

He answered with a smile, then grabbed the shopping bag with snacks from the back seat.

“Lie down and text me. Since you got off early today, let’s talk for a bit.”

Nodding, she got out of the car. He didn’t get out to see her off, but he stayed and watched until she disappeared into the elevator.

Choi Hong-seo felt a strange relief, as if her anxious and suffocating feelings had vanished like a lie. Although the underlying issues still remained, she could forget them when she was with him. Couldn’t things somehow work out? Maybe these peaceful, happy moments wouldn’t break so easily. She allowed herself to hope for that.

The van with the members still hadn’t arrived. Perhaps they were diligently practicing a little longer. With that thought, she looked inside the shopping bag he had given her. There were three paper boxes, each labeled with macarons, eclairs, and madeleines.

She smiled contentedly as she looked down at the shopping bag and stepped out of the elevator. By habit, she turned right toward the front door. It was a mansion where only one household lived on each floor, and the van with the members hadn’t arrived yet. But then, she sensed someone in the armchair in the elevator hall.

Instinctively, she turned, startled, as if she had seen a ghost, her body jerking in shock.

“What did you talk about in the car for so long? I thought I was going to die of boredom waiting for you.”

Seeing a ghost would have been easier. Lee Seo-kyung was sitting in the high-backed armchair, her legs crossed.

“Did you have a car sex or something?”