Pig Government Official

-73-

Recently, rumors about Won Junjae were rampant. Some said he ruined the marriage talks with the Kyung family because he turned his back on his father. Others claimed he was deliberately meeting some fat omega to irritate Won Youngjae, with whom he wasn’t on good terms. Yet others insisted that all of these were wrong, and that he had genuinely been meeting the fatty, which led to breaking off the marriage talks with the Kyung family, resulting in him turning his back on Won Youngjae.

The man, Won Seongje, had scoffed at these rumors when he heard them, saying they were impossible. The Won Junjae he knew would believe his father even if he said Cleopatra was still alive. So he had dismissed it as just another absurd rumor about Won Junjae. But now, although he couldn’t be certain yet, he had a feeling that the fatty who just left might actually be real.

“What’s with that pheromone… Strawberry jam on toast?”

Huh. A sneer appeared on Won Seongje’s lips, as if he found it ridiculous.

* * *

[I’m in front of your house. – Baby]

Jeonggwan sighed heavily upon receiving Junjae’s message. Because of what Junjae had said earlier about a bald head being cute, he felt it would be embarrassing and awkward to meet Junjae now. Even though he would end up seeing the bald head on the weekend anyway… Jeonggwan still needed time to mentally prepare.

[ㅠㅠ Embarrassing]

[It’s okay. Everything’s fine. – Baby]

You might be fine with it! But I’m embarrassed! Jeonggwan buried his face in the bed and kicked his legs. Should he have insisted on not doing it till the end? Or should he have just not told Won Junjae? He never thought it would be this embarrassing…

[I miss you. – Baby]

“Hah…”

Jeonggwan squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them. Honestly, he wanted to run away because he was so embarrassed, but he couldn’t just send Junjae back when he had come all the way to his house. So Jeonggwan forced his heavy body to get up. Wearing the purple velvet tracksuit set that Jihoon had bought him, Jeonggwan checked the mirror to make sure there were no drool marks on his face before opening the door.

“Son, where are you going?”

“…Just out front.”

“…Your boyfriend?”

Jeonggwan’s dad was preparing dinner, and seeing Jeonggwan come out wearing the tracksuit set he only wore when going out, he casually probed to see if he was going to meet his lover.

“…Yeah.”

“What about dinner…?”

“…Dad. Save my portion. I might come back right away without eating.”

Jeonggwan thought this was perfect timing. Usually, if Junjae didn’t have any other schedule, they would have dinner together every evening, take a walk holding hands, share some kisses in the car, and then come back. But today, he was so embarrassed that he might just see Junjae’s face and come right back, so he could eat dinner at home.

“Then what about the director…?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Don’t be like that… Bring him home. Let’s have a meal together. What do you think? I made a mistake last time too. Hm?”

Jeongmin looked at Jeonggwan with sparkling eyes. He looked like he really wanted to treat them to a meal to make up for his previous mistake, but that definitely wasn’t the real purpose behind that look. Jeonggwan put his hands on his hips and bit his lower lip, looking at his dad as if to say “not a chance.”

“No… I should at least feed our future son-in-law…”

“What future son-in-law! We’re not yet…!”

Jeonggwan almost said “shit” but managed to stop himself, his face turning red as he recalled the bald head again. Unaware of the situation, Jeongmin grabbed Jeonggwan’s wrist and shook it, saying, “Not yet? Aren’t you dating? You said you were dating then!” He was half worried that his son might be leading someone on, and half concerned about losing his rich son-in-law.

“I don’t know!”

Finally, with his mind completely occupied by thoughts of the bald head, Jeonggwan covered his cheeks with his hands, shook off his dad, and ran to the front door.

Alright. Since it’s come to this, and I’m going to reveal the bald head on the weekend anyway, let’s not be too embarrassed about it. And Junjae said it would be cute too! Let’s face it confidently instead. As Juhwan hyung said, I don’t have technique or experience, so if I’m embarrassed about this too, I’ll be completely losing! Jeonggwan strode towards the front gate with determined steps, telling himself not to be embarrassed, though his body felt a bit shaky.

Usually, when he opened the gate, he would run to Junjae waiting in the car parked in the left alley. Then he would quickly climb into the passenger seat and share a welcoming kiss with Junjae.

“…Hup.”

But today, Junjae had gotten out of the car and was standing in front of the house, which startled Jeonggwan greatly. To suddenly face him like this. He had planned to calm his nerves a bit while walking towards the car, but that plan was ruined.

“…”

Jeonggwan froze, unable to even think of greeting Junjae, and just awkwardly stood there, slightly raising his hand. But for some reason, Junjae didn’t return the greeting and was looking at Jeonggwan’s head area with curious eyes for a while. What’s wrong? Do I have a cowlick? Jeonggwan raised his hand and smoothed down his hair. Then a smile bloomed on Junjae’s face.

“I thought you said you were bald. You were joking.”

“…I am bald though.”

“…Did you just shave the back a little?”

“…Don’t say it so directly!”

“Huh? Oh… Sorry.”

This hyung has no sense of embarrassment! Jeonggwan was startled and flustered. The back, the back, asking if I shaved the back too…! Jeonggwan’s face instantly turned red with embarrassment. Of course, of course, it’s true. But how can he say it so boldly without even changing his expression? Is he trying to show off that he knows about these things because he has a lot of experience?!

“…I want to go back inside.”

It was too much to handle anymore, despite feeling sorry for Junjae. If they continued talking like this, his face felt like it might explode. Jeonggwan turned towards the gate to go back into the house.

“I’m sorry.”

But Jeonggwan couldn’t move any further as Junjae hugged him from behind, causing him to squeeze his eyes shut.

“Are you embarrassed?”

“…Yeah.”

Junjae’s laughter, as if finding it too cute, rang out from above Jeonggwan’s head. This made Jeonggwan feel a bit sulky. It seemed like Brazilian waxing was nothing to Junjae. Honestly, Jeonggwan had been pushed into doing it, but since it was his first time, he couldn’t do it well but wanted to impress Junjae, so he felt a bit proud after doing it. But seeing Junjae treat it as if shaving there was no big deal made him feel childish and embarrassed, which upset him a little.

“…”

So Jeonggwan turned around and hugged Junjae face to face. The strong scent of strawberry jam soothed Jeonggwan’s small upset, and he rubbed his face against Junjae’s chest as if trying to smell it more. Thinking that action was just like a baby kitten, Junjae stroked Jeonggwan’s back with one hand and his hair with the other. But gradually, it changed from stroking to feeling around as if searching for something.

“But… the back of your head seems fine? Where did you shave?”

“…Huh?”

“When you said you were bald, I thought you’d shaved all your hair off.”

“…Eh?”

“I thought you’d look cute like a chestnut, but… Did you shave your sideburns? No, that’s not it…”

“…Eh?”

Jeonggwan looked up at Junjae, lifting his head from Junjae’s chest. Junjae was still examining and feeling around Jeonggwan’s nape and head, which made Jeonggwan feel like his mind was going blank. So, Won Junjae right now…

“Pfft-.”

Jeonggwan burst into bright laughter. Won Junjae really unintentionally lifted people up and dropped them down. Like with the cheese tteokbokki last time, is this person really innocent or is it a bit calculated… Seeing Junjae’s confusion, it didn’t seem intentional, so Junjae must have really thought Jeonggwan had shaved his head completely bald.

Thinking about how he had been embarrassed and making a fuss all by himself, Jeonggwan felt both dumbfounded and amused. Seeing Junjae finding him cute made Jeonggwan find Junjae even cuter, causing him to keep chuckling. Jeonggwan smiled broadly and buried his face in Junjae’s chest again. Junjae, who had been watching without understanding, tensed up. How could someone’s laughter be this cute?

“…Let’s go to the car.”

“I want to stay like this hugging for a moment.”

Junjae suggested going to the car, perhaps wanting to kiss deeply, but Jeonggwan found Junjae so lovable right now that he wanted to keep hugging him tightly. Although his request was rejected, Junjae immediately complied without any hint of disappointment and hugged Jeonggwan’s back tightly. Even this behavior showed how much Junjae considered Jeonggwan’s opinions, making Jeonggwan feel like cotton flowers were blooming in bunches in his chest.

“Did you think I’d shaved myself completely bald?”

“…Yeah.”

“You thought I’d be cute even if I was bald?”

“Yeah.”

“Hyung, you’re such a romantic.”

As Jeonggwan giggled and stomped his feet, Junjae also smiled. Hearing Junjae’s laughter, Jeonggwan hugged Junjae’s back even tighter. Now it felt like the cotton flowers in his chest were scattering in the wind.

“I think… I’d still like you even if you went bald.”

And then he said something quite unlike himself. He had always insisted that being handsome was the best, but now he felt like he would still like it if Junjae went bald from hair loss and kissed him.

“…”

Junjae’s pupils dilated slightly upon hearing those words. Conversely, Junjae hadn’t even dared to think about asking if Jeonggwan would still like him if he went bald. Because Jeonggwan liked his appearance the most. But to hear Jeonggwan say first that he might still like him even if he was bald…

“…Let’s go to the car. Okay?”

He felt like he couldn’t resist kissing those lovable lips right now.