The week after next, Tuesday.
No, Sunday night.
Even if I go through another place, is it okay?
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
……What the hell is that supposed to mean?
He was originally scheduled to leave next Sunday, does this mean he's postponing it?
Seo Baek-han, who was secretly trying to decipher Joo Tae-hyun's coded message, belatedly remembered that Joo Tae-hyun had also entered school early. He didn't know the exact time, but it seemed like it was around the time he was preparing to graduate... It must be the busiest time.
It may vary from school to school, but winter break is generally not that long in the United States. The halo of the DH Group will fade, and the world will be full of gold spoons, so he will have to be diligent in his school life.
It's time to go back quickly and focus on research projects.
Seo Baek-han stopped trying to ask Joo Tae-hyun if he could adjust his schedule. If that was the reason, he didn't want to push his own convenience.
"I'm sorry. I have something urgent, no, urgently…"
Joo Tae-hyun turned around and stretched out his foot at the same time. The problem was that Seo Baek-han was closer than he thought. Joo Tae-hyun's dazed face didn't seem to have grasped the situation yet. Because of Joo Tae-hyun's flusteredness, the two became close in an instant, to the point where the focus was not right and the vision became blurred.
Joo Tae-hyun, who had been frozen in that state for a while, only blinking his eyes, jumped back.
"Th, there was something I had to reply to urgently, I'm, sorry."
If the other person is approaching this close, doesn't he think that he might have been peeking at the message? Or does he not care that much?
Anyway, Joo Tae-hyun pressed his blushing cheeks and hid his phone again. He couldn't even turn off the screen properly, so he fumbled several times.
In the secretary's message that briefly caught his eye, the phrase 'Christmas, so the flight schedule is being adjusted' was particularly noticeable.
Ah… Christmas.
So that's why Joo Tae-hyun has been acting like he's so excited since earlier. I happened to ask him to go to the museum together on Christmas Day to see the exhibition.
"Y, yes. You said next Sunday, right? I'm free then."
Only after hurriedly stuffing his phone deep into his pocket, Joo Tae-hyun was wearing the same expressionless face as if nothing had happened. Seeing him unable to hide his excitement or good mood, he still seems like a child, but seeing him quickly manage his expression, he certainly learned a lot from Chairman Joo Il-wook.
Anyway, Joo Tae-hyun is the type who quietly causes accidents, so he's scary... The secretary must have had a hard time raising this immature young master.
"Joo Tae-hyun, phone."
"Yes?"
"I think your phone is ringing."
"Ah. Ah, ah…"
When he gestured to the left pocket where the vibration was ringing, Joo Tae-hyun blinked quickly.
Is he trying to turn off the power completely? Seo Baek-han could see Joo Tae-hyun's hands, with an anxious expression, swimming around in his pocket, but he pretended not to know. He didn't want to tease him at this timing and have the conversation jump in an unexpected direction, or have the conversation drag on unnecessarily.
Seo Baek-han waited for Joo Tae-hyun to sort out the commotion in his pocket for a while, then took a step first.
"Shall we really get up now? Both of us."
"Ah, yes."
Joo Tae-hyun, as if wanting to hide his fidgeting hands, put his hands behind his back in an uncharacteristic way and followed Seo Baek-han. His footsteps were quiet, with almost no sound, which was unusual for his size, and Seo Baek-han liked that.
"…Um, hyung."
"Hmm."
"Then, um, should I prepare anything separately by next Sunday?"
"Well. A study plan?"
"A study plan?"
Joo Tae-hyun seemed a little surprised, as if he hadn't brought it up to get a proper answer. But after seeing the message he secretly sent to his secretary earlier, Seo Baek-han was also keeping this in mind.
"I'm curious about what your future plans are."
"I'm graduating soon. I entered school early."
"I know that, but aren't you going to graduate school? You're too young to be put in charge of practical work right away."
"I'm…planning to."
"Yes, so come and organize exactly what that plan is. Whether you're going to make use of your current major, or go to business school or law school, whether you're going to continue studying in the United States, or think about going to another country, or if not, where and what you're going to do."
Joo Tae-hyun was silent for a while, then nodded his head, saying he understood. He brought important documents containing all sorts of corporate information, but he didn't even think about preparing such basic information.
"It goes without saying, but bring the content that has been agreed upon with the elders of your family, not just your wishes."
"I will. Um, hyung, would you be uncomfortable if the person you're going to marry continues to live abroad?"
"Well. I'm not very happy about it, but I think it would be worse if they gave up everything they were doing and came in because of me."
As soon as those words were spoken, Joo Tae-hyun's expression brightened ever so slightly. Seo Baek-han decided to give the little brat some credit, as he seemed determined to finish what he wanted to do.
In fact, it wouldn't be a big problem if he transferred to a domestic school for the reason of marriage. Regardless of whether he marries Joo Tae-hyun or anyone else, his spouse's education or academic plan will not have much of an impact on Seo Baek-han's career.
It's just Seo Baek-han's personal preference. He wanted the person who would become his spouse to have their own dreams and ambitions. He wanted someone who had a clear direction in life and knew why they had set it that way.
"What about you? Don't you have anything you're curious about?"
Was it a change of heart? When he came out of the lounge and entered the long gallery-like hallway, he asked Joo Tae-hyun casually.
He wanted to talk to him somehow, so he threw him a question as if giving him a reward. Then Joo Tae-hyun stuttered, saying, 'Yes? M, me, to hyung?'
Perhaps he lost strength without realizing it, his hands, which had been behind his back, fell limply to his thighs, and then he was startled by the intensifying vibration of his phone and straightened up again.
Joo Tae-hyun, this is more fun to tease than I thought.
"Yes. I may not be able to go into detail as much as this document."
Seo Baek-han smiled, holding the phone he received from Joo Tae-hyun in one hand and shaking it briefly from side to side.
"I can answer you within reasonable limits, too."
"Ah… Yes, yes…!"
He nodded his head so quickly that it was hard to tell whether the small whooshing sound was the vibration of the phone or Joo Tae-hyun's nodding.
Joo Tae-hyun was far from having a cute impression, but watching him like this made him feel like he was looking at a huge dog.
He doesn't know how to be affectionate, but his eyes are always following his owner, and he wouldn't complain even if he was tied up in the yard instead of inside the house, so he's a bit stupid and stubborn, so I want to tease him for no reason.
"I'll do that. Thank, um, thank you. Hyung."
"Okay."
What did Joo Tae-hyun say earlier?
Do you not like hyung anymore?
Yeah right. Seo Baek-han scoffed inwardly.
It was obvious that Joo Tae-hyun still liked him to death. He seemed to have been trying to hold back until just now, but now it seems like he can't take it anymore.
Joo Tae-hyun, who feels so excited just because I talked to him a few times, is now even amazing. Even after hearing about it earlier, it seems like he has someone he's meeting separately. But why do I like him so much?
The longer people like someone alone, the more they tend to build up their pride.
Because they hate the other person who doesn't return the reaction they expected, even though they know it's a one-sided love.
Because they feel pathetic about their situation where they can't give up.
Because they feel sorry for their heart, which has been boiling for a long time and has been scorched black on the bottom.
But Joo Tae-hyun revealed that he was so happy even with Seo Baek-han's trivial question. It was a rather innocent sincerity, with no hint of hurt pride. Is it because he's a young master who has only received love?
"But… don't you have anything, hyung?"
As if he had made a great decision on his own, Joo Tae-hyun subtly stood next to Seo Baek-han and asked. Even then, he couldn't walk side by side, and he could only maintain that distance, vaguely half a step behind.
"What don't I have?"
"Besides the study plan, anything else you're curious about about me…"
"Well."
At the same time, the light came on on the elevator dashboard. Joo Tae-hyun's eyes, glancing at Seo Baek-han's hand pressing the button, were filled with regret and disappeared. Seo Baek-han pretended not to see it and straightened the cuffs of his coat.
"Something I'm curious about… Ah. Who's your partner right now?"
"…Yes? Pa, partner?"
"I heard you're taking Switch . Didn't you have someone you were dating or a sex partner?"
.jfif)