It seemed like the fatigue endured by the body during that time was considerable. Jiho, who had closed his eyes for a moment, felt like he had just opened them, and the car was already entering Seoul. The road became more familiar as time passed, as did the neighborhoods.
Thirty minutes after waking up, Jiho silently looked out the window. With gentle music that seemed to lull him to sleep. However, there was no one in the car who found comfort in the quiet music.
Tick-tock. Along with this sound, when the car made a right turn, the final destination was right in front of him. Under the sound of the regular turn signal, a conversation that had come to mind quite regularly tormented Bong-gi.
“Hyung, I’ll take a break after this project. We’ve really been running without a break. I can take a few months off.”
“Yeah, we’ve been running without a break. We can take a break for a few months.”
“No. A bit… longer. The contract was until this year, right?”
Bong-gi, entering the underground parking lot, glanced at his watch. December 24th, 3:31 a.m. It felt like a not-so-welcoming Christmas Eve.
Swish[Dash]
As the car slowly came to a stop, sounds of packing luggage were heard from the back seat.
“You’ve worked hard. The schedule got all messed up, and I was wondering how to handle it… but in the end, we did it.”
Bong-gi’s gaze turned towards Jiho in the rearview mirror. Even though he always wondered how to digest such a busy schedule, he always managed to do it. It seemed like a phrase he had said frequently, almost like a greeting.
“You’ve done all the hard work, hyung.”
“Did you do anything other than drive?”
“…You always knew I was grateful, right?”
“Even if you say that…”
Then, a deep sincerity emerged instead of a superficial greeting. It was Bong-gi who barely swallowed the afterword like “So fiercely.” He wasn’t someone who spoke words lightly, so he knew there was substance in Jiho’s words a little while ago.
Jiho smiled faintly as he looked at Bong-gi.
“I still have an ad contract remaining, and the writer’s work as well. Also… there’s one more movie release left. At least until early next year, I think I’ll need your help, hyung.”
“Jiho…”
“I want to ask for that separately. Please reduce the expenses as much as possible.”
“Hey!”
The momentary bitterness that touched the feeling of sorrow swayed Bong-gi’s body sharply. Through the loosely opened lips, a damp innermost feeling burst out. Since it was an unaccustomed mouth that had never contained such emotions, the tone was, as always, rough.
“Is the brat really… going to feel bad like this? Should I say it outright? Are we tied by a contract or something? What’s that piece of paper?”
Only the words were rough, and it felt like the sound of the waves in Busan could be heard in his eyes. The fleeting gaze of Jiho met with a hint of emotion. Bong-gi, who had been straightforward, turned his body back to the front again. It was difficult to express the embarrassment, saying it out loud, especially since the man in front of him was so handsome.
“We’ll take care of that, so just take a break for a few months and come back. No, you can take a good rest for a few years if you want.”
“…”
“Because my heart felt empty… now it’s filled. I know you even though you might not think so.”
“Wow…”
A small touch of emotion flowed from Jiho’s lips. It was unclear whether the warmth was coming from that side, but the eyes on this side seemed to get warmer. Bong-gi hurriedly asked for a warm heart.
In a space filled with sincere conversations, light jokes were thrown.
“I’ll keep teaching you. I’ll follow you even after death, so don’t say unnecessary things.”
“Why go to the extent of following me after death?”
“Do you know what my wish is?”
And the joke that was intended to be light poured out unexpectedly. A cheeky confidence was revealed in the eyes that turned back to Jiho.
“If I’m born again, I want to be born as a woman.”
“That’s the worst.”
Jiho twisted his face in disgust. Bong-gi, satisfied with the twisted wrinkles, took one more step. The real wish hadn’t been revealed yet.
“So, we will definitely get entangled as a couple. Never break up. Legally.”
“Oh, the sentiment is ruined.”
Bong-gi’s hearty laughter shattered the gloominess in the car. He added another spoonful of humor, teasing Jiho, who laughed in vain in the back seat, saying, “Doesn’t it sound empty?” They both knew that more than just lightheartedness passed between the amusing words. It wasn’t just about passing nearly a decade together. It was a dawn when they shared the realization that they truly understood each other, that we were a fitting couple.
Rustle, rustle. Jiho adjusted the handle of his luggage.
Swish[Dash]
The face that got off the car glanced towards the driver’s seat. With a casual greeting, Bong-gi also began to talk slowly.
“Anyway, think slowly, slowly. We really have a lot of time… Slowly.”
“What? Becoming a couple in the next life?”
“No, you! Ugh… Well, think about that too.”
“Hehe. Go rest quickly.”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
