Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Right, now that I’ve answered that and it appears that I have a bit more time to spare, are there any other questions?”

It was almost 4 in the afternoon when the guest lecturer, Sung Hyunje leaned back against the wooden desk, letting his weight settle — positioned close to the window where light seems to be filtered through the sheer curtains. 

Several people hurriedly raised their hands, but one person in particular has been persistent, constantly raising his hand ever since the qna session started. Sung Hyunje noticed that ever since the second time this person raised his hand, there’s seems to be this slight twitch in his brows and a subtle scowl lingering in his face. It had amused him, several times as a matter of fact, which is also why Hyunje has been pretending to not see this said fella for the past 8 questions. Now, though, a genuine concern flickered — what if this little tiger might actually swallow him whole?

Not a bad idea. He thought fleetingly.

“Yes, to the gentleman in the gray sweater.” Hyunje calls over gently, a cheshire like smile stretching his lips.

“Oh… thank you Sung Hyunje-ssi. For a second I thought you were pretending not to see me.”

The man's biting comment sparked muffled laughs and choked breaths throughout the room. Whispers rose: "Did Prof Yoojin seriously say that?" and "That's nothing, you should see how petty he could be in class." Hyunje's ears caught every word and his smile could only widen.

"How could I? After all, I'm honored to have a professor seated for my lecture," Hyunje replied languidly, that polite practiced tone he used with clients taking center stage.

"Right, I do have a question, and I hope you'll give me an answer." Yoojin paused. Hyunje simply nodded, inviting him to continue.

"I had a recent case where an abandoned dog was found, and the previous owner's legal rights were unclear. What's the best course of action for a shelter or a vet clinic to gain legal custody and find a new home for an animal in that situation, especially with all the new regulations in place?"

Hyunje nods, his expression shifting to one of thoughtful concern. "That's a very common, and often heartbreaking, scenario. It touches on the complexities of property law when the 'property' in question is a living, sentient being." He pauses, making eye contact with Yoojin. 

"The new regulations you mentioned are indeed designed to expedite the process, but the challenge often lies in proving abandonment versus a lost animal, and establishing intent."

He walks to the edge of the stage, almost as if he's stepping down to speak directly to Yoojin. "Generally, after a specified holding period where efforts are made to locate the owner – often public notices or microchip scans – the animal can be legally reclassified. However, to truly secure the animal's future and protect the clinic from potential future claims, a deed of surrender or a judicial declaration of abandonment is the cleanest route."

A slight, knowing smile touches his lips. "I've handled several pro bono cases for shelters dealing with exactly this. It's not always straightforward, as owners sometimes reappear only after the animal has formed new attachments. There are specific clauses in the new Animal Welfare Act that can be leveraged, but it requires a careful understanding of the nuances."

“Did that answer satisfy you enough, professor?”

“Enough? I suppose…”

Then, a low, amused chuckle escapes Hyunje's lips as he turns back to the entire class, though his gaze still holds Yoojin's a moment longer. "That, professor," Hyunje states, his voice ringing with genuine appreciation, "is by far the most insightful question I've received during this lecture."

He gives a brief, appreciative nod to Yoojin, then smiles broadly at the whole room. "And on that note, I believe our time is up. Thank you all for your excellent questions and attention. I wish you all the best."

And that was it.

A few faculty members converged on Sung Hyunje at the front of the class, buzzing around him like bees. It didn’t take long before Han Yoojin rose from his seat and slipped out. This was one of those rare occasions where Yoojin didn’t want to immediately head back to the clinic after his lecture.

Here’s a brief run down on Han Yoojin’s daily activity. Wake up, eat breakfast, feed peace (his orange bobtail), shower, and depending on the days, sometimes he goes to the clinic first and some other times he does his lectures first. And today? Today’s one of those days where he happens to start the day early and was able to open the clinic together with Myungwoo at 8 AM went and started his lecture at 10 AM. Just as he was closing class, his lock screen lit up with a text message.

Moon Hyuna (do not reply during class)

Heyyyy Yoojin-ssi, I know you said
not to text you during class
But I have a solid reason this time!!
DONT BLOCK ME YET
11.48 a.m.

What is it now?
Did your bird go missing again?
You know I’m not some bird whisperer right?
11.48 a.m.

NONONO IT’S NOT THAT
I SWEAR SHE’S SAFE!!
11.48 a.m.

So? Spit it out Moon Hyuna
I don’t have all day
11.49 a.m.

You’ll thank me for this
11.50 a.m.

What exactly do you mean?
11.50 a.m.

And that was how Han Yoojin ended up in the Law Faculty’s auditorium. Moon Hyuna, apparently remembering Yoojin drunkenly complaining—and, by her account, throwing tantrums—about the new animal welfare law, had reserved him a seat. She'd insisted the faculty had limited attendance for this guest lecture and that she'd 'pulled some strings' to get him in.

“She went through so much trouble for something like this, can you believe that?” Yoojin asks the cat infront of him, which was busily licking at the opening of a cat treat packet.

Han Yoojin frequently fed the campus cats; in fact, their well-nourished appearance was likely a testament to his and his students' efforts.

"I can’t believe I had to sit there and be ignored for almost an hour, can you believe that?" he grumbles to the feline again.

The cat, seemingly disinterested, only meowed between fervent licks, ears twitching.

"Oh dear, I hope you didn't get offended, Professor. It really wasn't my intention." That same saccharine voice materialized from behind him.

Yoojin sighed, a huff of air. His legs were starting to ache from the prolonged crouching, and he knew he should stand, but something held him there. Maybe it was the cat's intense focus on its treat, or perhaps the taller man's presence offered a pleasant shade from the sun. Either way, once the cat finished, Yoojin finally pushed himself back to his feet.

“It’s Yoojin. Han Yoojin. And please, stop calling me professor will you? It’s creeping me out.” Yoojin says,  his voice nearing annoyance. He reminded himself this wasn't his territory (read: they were still in the law faculty grounds) to pick a fight.

“Well then, Yoojin-ssi, you have my apologies.” 

The man's default expression seemed to be this smile. Hyunje extended his right hand for a handshake, but Yoojin merely grimaced. It felt too practiced, as if the man had encountered this situation countless times and always knew the next steps: smile, apologize, extend an arm. Rehearsed, terribly fake.

"Do you have a tissue? Or a napkin, perhaps?" Yoojin asked instead, after tossing the empty cat treat packet into a nearby bin.

One of Hyunje's brows arched, a brief, amused flicker. "Ah, I do have a napkin," he murmurs, his hand already dipping into an inner suit pocket. He pulled out a navy cloth and offered it.

Yoojin noticed the fabric: satin silk, with subtle initials sewn into the corner. Too expensive.

But then again, seeing the full three-piece burgundy suit the taller man was wearing up close, something like this likely meant little to Sung Hyunje.

“Thanks.”

Hyunje noted Yoojin's averted gaze ever since he approached, the slight bite in his words, the almost inaudible click of his tongue. It was, to say the least, entertaining.

“No problem. Now, if you’d let me, I’d like to apologize properly Han Yoojin-ssi,” Hyunje worked to capture Yoojin's attention; it was unfamiliar territory for him, someone not fully fixated on his presence.

“There’s no need for that, it’s fine.” 

Han Yoojin almost stepped back, but held his ground, remembering that the cat might still be behind him. It was then that he truly saw Sung Hyunje up close: the crescent shaped eyes forming as his lips stretched into a grin, the golden hue glittering in his irises, the straight nose angling his face perfectly. He didn't want to admit it, but damn, Sung Hyunje was one handsome man. With his golden locks fluttering in the wind, catching the late sunlight, he almost looked like an angel.

Keyword: almost.

“Please, I insist… it’s been weighing on me for a bit now.”

Why is he so persistent with this…

“Hmmm,” Yoojin hums, feigning thought. Alright then let’s see what you have in mind. “Didn’t you say the best question gets a gift from you?” 

Instantly, Sung Hyunje's smile grew wider, genuine this time. "Ah yes, that reminds me. That was actually why I was trying to find you earlier."

“Trying to find me?”

“Yes, you see someone disappeared like a ghost when I looked back.”

“Well, someone seemed to be enjoying the enormous attention.” Yoojin retorted, the corner of his mouth curling into a smirk.

They were walking across the campus field. Across the vast greenery, a pond shimmered, where ducks swam and students occasionally fed them snacks, or rolled out blankets to sit on the grass.

Hyunje seemed to disagree, shaking his head gently. “No. Not at all, it wasn’t that entertaining either.”

“What could possibly entertain the famous lawyer then, hmm? Sung Hyunje-ssi?”

Hyunje stopped in his tracks, and it took Yoojin awhile to realize that he was several steps ahead with how the sun was now shining brightly on him.

There goes my shade, he sighed, turning on his heel. The taller man watched him with an unreadable expression.

Another sigh escaped Yoojin's lips, “Would you perhaps like to have dinner with me?”

It was just a few words, but it seemed to have put Sung Hyunje in the best mood he’s had all week. “As a gift? Why of course!”

Yoojin manages to muffle a laugh, teasing. “Do you take students out for dinner with you as a gift? Because that’s felony.”

“Of course not, only this time. And plus, you’re not a student Yoojin-ssi.”

“I see… well then, it’ll have to be 5 stars though.”

“That’s a given.”

**

“You know, when I said 5 stars I didn’t mean this.”

Hyunje looks up, pausing as he chews on the shoyu cured beef. “Hmm? Care to elaborate?”

It was hard for Yoojin to deny that this full 14 course meal wasn’t delightful, in fact it had savored and tingled all his tasting buds. Han Yoojin was just unsure if what he wore was appropriate enough. Which is hard not to think about when the man in front of you looked like he just came out of the red carpet. 

“You see, unlike someone… I’m not wearing a three-piece suit.” Yoojin clicks his tongue at the end as he chews on his last piece of beef. 

It’s so tiny… Is it always this little?

“Ah, well you see I went straight to campus after a court trial. Apologies for that.”

Swallowing his last bite, Han Yoojin took a sip of the wine before genuinely asking, “Do you always say that?”

“Say what exactly?”

“Those apologies you throw around so easily.”

Hyunje chuckles, fixated on the thought of Han Yoojin thinking of him.

“Well, it’s part of my job Yoojin-ssi. I can’t possibly sound rude to my clients.”

Yoojin nods anyways, "I am not your client Hyunje-ssi."

"So what are we?" Hyunje asks with a knowing glint, prodding on the question as he pauses briefly and scans the confusion drawn on Han Yoojin's face.

Yoojin's brow furrowed, not just at the question but at the way Hyunje had asked it. Why did my stomach… just do that weird flip?

"We're… colleagues, that's the proper term to it."

"Hmm, colleagues? I guess we can start with that." Hyunje thinks on it for a while with a nod and a few hums before resting his gaze back to Yoojin.

Han Yoojin finds the gaze to be overbearing, as if all the light had been stolen by him and Hyunje no longer finds the need to search for it. So, Yoojin looks away and raises his hand slightly, signing the server that they're ready for the next course.

"Say Yoojin-ssi, you haven't been doing your lectures for long have you?"

Yoojin nods while the 13th and last course of meal is served, "Yeah, just started this semester. Introduction to Animal Welfare & Ethics."

"I see, why in the middle of the year, if I may ask?"

Another muffled laugh escapes his lips, "You can drop the formalities you know, no need to be so polite. I'm pretty sure you're older than me, isn't that right ahjussi?"

That last word Yoojin had sneaked in did wonders to Hyunje as he slightly twisted his head in amusement. The only other person that has called him that was Soyoung, but that's a given since she's his niece.

This day has been an awfully entertaining day and it's all thanks to this young professor in front of him. A cute one might he add.

"Hmm let's see, I have a pet clinic and recently we've been well staffed which is good. My old mentor reached out to me a couple months ago saying he was planning to retire, so there was an opening in the faculty. And yeah, here I am."

"Do you like it so far? Teaching?"

Han Yoojin shrugs, taking a dollop of the white chocolate mouse in his mouth. "I wouldn't say I like it. Some students take my class to fill their credits which is fine since I still get paid, but I do have a few promising students. So, I think I'm enjoying it for now."

Hyunje nods, "That's impressive, that you're enjoying it. I can never be an on campus lecturer even though the faculty's been chasing me for a couple of years now."

"That's why you keep doing these guest lectures?"

"Not quite. Part of it is yes, as a compromise I suppose. You can't really say much if you're an alumni."

The both of them share a nod, agreeing to the sentiment.

"But honestly? It keeps me away from boredom."

"Boredom? It makes you feel less bored?"

"It gets tiring working on cases 90 hours a week and that's me being generous. Going back and forth between the law firm and court could be extremely depressing."

Hyunje swirled the wine in his glass, the deep red liquid mirroring a weariness far beyond just long hours. Depressing… hmm that's not the right word…. more like an endless, emptying repetition.

"Hmm I see, aren't you a named partner? I'm not really familiar with the hierarchy but I'm pretty surprised when you told me about those billable hours?"

Yoojin wasn't sure if he was using that term correctly, sometimes when Yoohyun comes by to do their monthly sleepover they put on Suits and talk about the cases together. Some brother bonding time, in Yoojin's defense.

Sung Hyunje decides to pretend sulking. "Normally it's around 60 hours a week, but I'm also overseeing the pro bono cases at the firm…"

"Do you even sleep? That's like double my own working hour and I still wake up late."

A faint, almost imperceptible shadow crossed Hyunje's eyes, quickly veiled by his usual charm. "Well, we'll have plenty of sleep when we're dead."

This was difficult for Yoojin to comprehend. He's someone that likes to stay in bed as long as he possibly can and shuffle around in the comfort of his blankets all day long. He decides to say nothing, pretending as if Hyunje didn't say that.

But the words clung to him, a cold, unsettling knot in his chest. Was that a dark joke? Like the ones Yoohyun-ie likes? He replayed the line in his head, searching for a subtle tremor in Hyunje's voice, a flicker of true despair in his eyes.

Hyunje, however seemed to catch on the slight shift within Yoojin's presence and decides to change the mood. "I'm sure it's because your job's far more taxing than mine."

Yoojin shakes his head, fully disagreeing. "No, not really. Animals tend to get docile with me, Myeongwoo too. Oh, that's my co-worker in the clinic."

"Really?"

Yoojin gives a firm nod.

"I'd like to test that out sometimes."

**

"… and make sure Bonnie doesn't skip her meds okay?" Yoojin hands over the carrier to the woman with lavender hair.

"Two times a day right?" she repeats as she sets down the carrier.

Yoojin nods, swiping the credit card by the machine before handing it over. "Yep! Morning and at night, before you sleep works too. Just make sure she doesn't go to places she could get herself wet. Her wound's still not dry yet."

"Right, okay thank you Yoojin-ssi."

"Keep me updated Mina-ssi!" Yoojin offers a smile, waving at Bonnie in the carrier too.

"Will do!"

It had been a couple of weeks since Han Yoojin was dropped off at the clinic after that impromptu dinner with Sung Hyunje. A couple of weeks since Hyunje's unsettling words had been replaying in his mind, and a couple of weeks of silence from the man himself. It wasn't like they didn't exchange numbers, they did.

Hyunje had, in fact, suggested it after their post-dinner walk around the block. Yoojin, of course, had thrown out sneaky remarks about whether Hyunje had ulterior motives, but the older man had only answered, 'I can neither confirm nor deny,' with a soft chuckle.

"Ah, hyung! Are you eating lunch here or at campus?" Myeongwoo turns to ask after finishing a reply with one of their customers.

The taller man stood up from his seat at the front desk, flipping the sign by the glass door to 'On Break! Back at 13.00!' before heading to the backroom. Yoojin followed, checking his phone.

"Here, I accidentally covered this week's material at last week's meeting, so I cancelled today's lecture.

"Sweet. Man, I wish you were my professor instead," Myeongwoo breathed out with a deep sigh, sprawling himself on the couch.

"Prof. Yeon wouldn't be happy if he heard that… Plus, you were my hoobae!" Yoojin jokes, taking a seat at the wooden desk.

"Gahh, don't tell him that!" Myeongwoo jolts up, taken aback by the not so jokey joke.

"Hahahaha, anyway, what's for lunch? I'm craving sushi."

"Sounds good! I'll order then," Myeongwoo says, already scrolling through the food delivery app from the couch.

Yoojin's attention was then briefly caught by the news running on the TV in the corner of the room. It wasn't a large screen, just twenty inches, typically used for background noise or occasional news updates. But this time, it was a live broadcast from a major news company.

On the screen, Yoojin saw an ocean of news reporters and photographers, their microphones and cameras almost drowning several men and women in formal uniforms—firefighter uniforms. He'd seen that uniform countless times, there was no mistaking it. That single occupation pulled Yoohyun to the center of Yoojin's mind. Why was his brother there? On TV, with so many of his workmates?

Then, the memory hit him. Yoohyun had been complaining that their station was likely to be sued by a building owner after a recent fire. Apparently, Yoohyun and his crew had saved a child trapped in a storage room, only to discover the entire incident had been planned.

Yoojin shook his head, patting his cheek. The air suddenly felt thin. No, don't think about it too much. They'll be fine.

"When's Yerim coming in?" Yoojin asks, turning to Myeongwoo, still sprawled on the couch.

"On the second shift."

"Ask her if she wants lunch too." Yoojin turns back to the TV.

"Okay."

That was when his eyes widened. Not at the sea of shouting reporters, nor the overwhelmed firefighters, but at the man walking idly up the courthouse stairs dressed in a maroon red coat over a beige three-piece suit. A smile stretched thinly on his lips, wide enough but not enough to reach his eyes, a smile so sure that radiates a knowing agenda, one that said he knew he was going to win this case.

There you are.

**

The air in the courtroom felt sterile, a stark contrast to the gritty reality of a burning building. Yoohyun sat, a knot of tension tightening in his shoulders, watching the legal theatrics unfold. This wasn't just another legal proceeding; this was about his crew, his station, and the ridiculous claim that saving a child somehow warranted a lawsuit.

And then there was Sung Hyunje.

The man stood before the jury, not behind a podium, but a few steps away, radiating an almost casual confidence. He wasn't yelling, wasn't grandstanding – not in the way Yoohyun expected a high-powered lawyer to. Instead, he spoke with a smooth, almost conversational tone, his voice carrying easily through the hushed room.

"So, Mr. Kim," Hyunje began, addressing the plaintiff, the building owner, with a polite, almost saccharine smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You claim that in the efforts to rescue the child, your property suffered irreparable damage due to, shall we say, 'excessive force' by the fire department?"

Mr. Kim, a portly man with a perpetually aggrieved expression, puffed out his chest. "That is correct. My storage unit was perfectly safe, a state-of-the-art facility. Their reckless behavior caused more harm than good! And for what? A minor inconvenience to a child who could have been retrieved without such... destruction."

A low, collective murmur rippled through the gallery. Yoohyun felt his jaw clench. A minor inconvenience?

His blood ran cold remembering the panicked screams, the flickering flames. He wanted to leap over the railing, to scream the truth of that day, but he remained rooted, his hands folded in a fist at his sides.

Hyunje merely inclined his head, his smile unwavering. "Indeed. And this 'minor inconvenience,' as you term it, involved a five-year-old child trapped in a smoke-filled room, correct? A room which, by the way, fire safety inspections from just last month declared unfit for storage due to a faulty wiring issue you had yet to address?"

The plaintiff blustered, "That's beside the point! Property rights are property rights! They broke down my door, flooded my inventory—"

"And yet," Hyunje cuts in, his voice still gentle, almost curious, "the child was retrieved, unharmed. Alive. A negligible detail, perhaps, compared to the integrity of your plywood door?" A flicker of amusement, subtle as a breath, crossed Hyunje's features.

He wasn't asking; he was goading. He was stripping away the plaintiff's pretense, exposing his callousness, but doing it with such an infuriatingly pleasant demeanor.

Yoohyun saw it. The casual lean against the railing, the way Hyunje's eyes would briefly dart to the jury, gauging their reactions. He was playing them. Playing everyone.

The judge, Justice Lee Junho, remained impassive, occasionally interjecting to keep things moving, but never truly reining Hyunje in. It was like he was enjoying the show too.

Across the room, the Prosecutor, Song Taewon stood, his posture rigid. His gaze, fixed on Hyunje, held a cool, almost detached assessment, a practiced mask that betrayed nothing but a faint, almost imperceptible tightening around his lips.

Song Taewon didn't openly bristle or narrow his eyes; instead, his stillness was the loudest protest, a clear message that while Hyunje might be a nuisance, he wasn't worth the effort of an overt reaction. He simply looked at Hyunje with the quiet disdain of someone who had seen this act countless times and found it tiresome.

Yoohyun felt a growing unease settle in his gut. This wasn't about justice for Hyunje; it was a game.

A calculated display of power and intellect, where human lives and safety seemed secondary to winning, to proving a point, to just… fun.

He didn't like it. He didn't like him.

The man was a shark in a tailored suit, and Yoohyun had a bad feeling about what he was capable of.

"Hah, how many more times do we need to go to court? This is getting ridiculous." one of Yoohyun's coworkers brought up, slamming a cup of makgeolli on the table.

After the court was adjourned, pending further evidence, the judge had ruled out that the defendant remained not guilty. Their chief had decided that they all deserved a mini celebratory for making it halfway through.

"Hmm, just one more. Two if it gets ridiculous, but I'll do my best to finish it by the next trial." Hyunje supplies, drinking his own glass of cranberry wine. He was avoiding beer since it makes him feel bloated.

Earlier, when the chief had called for a mini celebratory, Hyunje had answered that he won't be joining when asked if he was coming along. But Soyoung, the interning lawyer (and Hyunje's niece) had insisted to go, even when Hyunje had reminded her that this could be considered crossing the lines of professionalism. Of course Hyunje wouldn't care if it was some other intern, it just so happen that Soyoung was his niece, his only niece at that. So, with a big sigh, he called over to the BBQ diner he used to frequent back when he was in law school, asking to book the place for the rest of the night.

"That's good, that owner is starting to piss me off even more." Yoohyun replies, eyes slowly drooping from the drowsiness he's starting to feel.

"Now now, let's refrain from anything more physical Yoohyun-ssi." Hyunje reminds with that characteristic chesire like smile.

"Uncle's right! We don't want any of you going into another lawsuit, so please don't beat up anyone, please." Soyoung adds, munching on her piece of freshly grilled meat.

"Kid you really don't hide the nepotism do you?" one of the firefighter, seemingly in her mid thirties commented.

"Ah! There's no use…" Soyoung sighs, emptying her own glass. "Everyone in the firm knows. Because someone apparently brought up how he's going to tell my mother if I screw up a presentation."

Hyunje chuckles in his seat, "It's better to be transparent from the start."

"But still-"

Yoohyun's phone then buzzed, signaling a notification for him.

Yoojin hyung

Hyun-ah, did the trial go well?
18.57

Huh? How'd you know?
I didn't tell you
18.57

It's on the news dummy
18.58

Oh… I didn't think you'd watch it
18.59

I was on my break
18.59

Hyung
20.03

Yeah?
20.03

Did you bring the car with you today?
20.05

I did, why?

20.06

Can tyou pick me up?
My head's starting to spin
20.10

You're outside right now?
20.11

Yeah, I'll send you the address
📍live location
20.12

Okay, I'll be there
20.13

The BBQ diner throbbed with boisterous laughter and the sizzle of meat on grills. Yoojin navigated the crowded tables, the scent of charcoal and burnt sugar hitting him hard. He found Yoohyun draped across a booth, a picture of pure, liquor-induced exhaustion and relief from the day's stress.

"Hyun-ah," Yoojin called, nudging him. "Time to go. You look like you've wrestled a fire and a whole bottle of soju."

Only one bottle and look at you…

Yoohyun groaned, lifting his head barely an inch. "Hyung... you came…. Just a bit more... stress relief… heheh…"

"Yeah, for stress relief," Yoojin muttered, prying him upright. As Yoohyun swayed, Yoojin steadied him, and his gaze swept the table. That's when he saw him.

Sung Hyunje sat opposite, a half-empty glass of what looked like cranberry wine in his hand. He hadn't changed from his courtroom attire, save for the absent red coat, and his sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, his tie loosened around his collar. He watched Yoohyun's tipsy state with a faint, almost imperceptible smirk.

Yoojin found Hyunje's appearance unexpectedly tempting, a bit mouthwatering, a casual undone quality that somehow made him even more striking than in his perfectly tailored suit.

"Yoojin-ssi," Hyunje's voice was a warm baritone cutting through the diner. "A concerned brother, I see."

Yoojin gave a curt nod, securing Yoohyun in his arms, "He gets like this sometimes. You still here, Hyunje-ssi?"

"Just wrapping up," Hyunje replied, his gaze lingering on Yoojin's face before flicking to Yoohyun. "Though I admit, the ambiance has been... surprisingly lively." His eyes seemed to twinkle with a private joke.

Yoojin mumbled a goodbye, beginning to maneuver Yoohyun past the tables.

"Oh, Yoojin-ssi, one moment." Hyunje's voice followed him outside of the diner. Yoojin turned, a flicker of irritation. Hyunje was now standing, his presence stilling even after a long day.

"My golden retriever, Barley, he's a bit old now, and I've been meaning to get him a thorough check-up. Nothing urgent, but a preventative measure." He paused, his expression shifting to one of polite concern. "Lately, it seems that he doesn't hear me when I call him, and he's having trouble spotting the food bowl too… so, would you perhaps be an angel and come visit him at my place sometime? At your convenience, of course."

Yoojin's internal alarm bells rang. A house call? At his place? This is an obvious attempt to get me alone, isn't it?

His overthinking kicked in: Was it about the dog at all, or just another game? The image of Hyunje's detached courtroom smile flashed in his mind. But then, the thought of an animal needing care always trumped his personal discomfort.

It's just a check-up. Professional. That's all.

"Fine," Yoojin said, perhaps a little too abruptly. "Text me your address and a good time."

Hyunje's eyes lit up, a genuine, delighted warmth entering them.

"Wonderful. I'll be in touch."

Chapter Text

Ding, dong.

Ding, dong.

Ding, dong.

Three rings and nothing.

The door laid still, unmoved.

There was a faint classical music playing and a whiff of orange blossom and neroli wafting in the air of this entrance hall that the security guards had led him to. It managed to calm Yoojin's nerves a little, though it didn't help much with how the hairs on his arms were still tense.

What am I so stressed about?

This was odd, Han Yoojin was never this anxious even when the mayor's daughter had called him in for a house call for her cat.

A deep breath in, one, two, three, four.

Hold, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

Breathe out, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

Yoojin continued to repeat this for a few more rounds until the buzz in his mind had subsided. Once he felt that he was back in control again, Han Yoojin rang the doorbell once more.

Ding, don-

The door opened and a man almost two meters in height stood behind the door, dressed in a rather odd manner. There Sung Hyunje stands in front of Han Yoojin, adorned in a matching powder blue pajamas, though his shirt was drenched and is that bubbles lingering on his golden hair? Anyways, Han Yoojin wouldn't notice all these details if Hyunje hadn't smiled brightly at him, and this was a way for him to avert his gaze.

"Ah, you're here, my savior!" was the first thing Hyunje had said as he stepped aside and let the younger man into his residence.

"Hmm, depends what I'm supposed to save you from," Yoojin muttered in response, following the older man in as they passed the kitchen first.

The house was grand, and to Yoojin's initial assumption, a mansion. The interior, however, wasn't like how Yoojin had imagined. On the way to the mansion, Yoojin had thought that Sung Hyunje's living space would look barren, accounting for the fact that Hyunje himself had mentioned that he spent most of his time at the law firm. But surprisingly, as he stepped in, it actually looked lively, in a sense.

Yoojin wasn't sure if it was because there seemed to be an abundant assortments of plants decorating the space or the use of birch wood for paneling and furnishings or the immense natural light seeping through the space, or even the way Sung Hyunje seemed to converge in this environment that had contributed to the sunlit atmosphere, all of this comes into an equation that Han Yoojin can only sum into a balmy sense of coziness.

"It's truly wonderful that you came in the perfect timing. I was in the middle of bathing Barley to prep him up for you but he doesn't seem to be in a mood for a bath right now." Hyunje sulks with a very long pout, gesturing at his wet disheveled look.

Yoojin brows quirked up in amusement and he tightens his lips momentarily to hold back the laugh. Snappy as he is, he can't help but respect the effort Hyunje has tried to attempt.

"Well, do you want help?" Yoojin teases, smirking widely.

"Of course! I would be honored." Hyunje playfully bows like a prince, a grand gesture in a space where the sun seems to favor him as he glows under the light.

Yoojin manages to let out a faint chuckle, faint enough that Hyunje would miss it if he wasn't paying close attention to Yoojin. He, of course did manage to see it and it brought a fond grin to his face.

"You're so dramatic, come along lead me to my dear friend," Yoojin teases, walking off a few steps ahead and looks back at the older man.

Hyunje quickly understood and soon guided Yoojin to the bathroom, humming a tune that sounded familiar to Yoojin but couldn't quite place it.

"Does that mean we're friends too now?" Hyunje decides to ask as they've both come to a halt in front of the door.

"How'd you come to that assumption?"

"Well, you called Barley your friend. So to an extent that means we're friends too!" Hyunje nods feverishly, like a puppy receiving his treat of the day.

Yoojin eventually chuckles, finding the whole act ridiculous. When and where would he find a grown man in his early 40's sulking about something like this? The possibility was slim to none. "If anything, Barley is the one you serve."

"Touché"

With a shrug, Hyunje slides open the wooden door. The wooden paneling and azure, almost jade-like tiles glimmered under the sunlight. Like the rest of the house, this bathroom was flooded with natural light, a sight he'd only ever seen in an interior design exhibition.

This place too had a lot of natural light coming in, come to think of it… the whole house seemed to let a lot of light in.

That's something…

"Have anyone told you that you have a really nice bathroom…" Yoojin mumbled out his thoughts, only stopping from ogling his eyes on the interiors when he sees the golden retriever slouched in the bath tub.

"Hmm? no one's ever been to this bathroom so, no. You're the only one."

Only one huh?

Yoojin decided to put that thought aside for now, only humming in response. "Hmmm, is this Barley?"

And at the mention of the name, the retriever's ear perked up and looks over at Yoojin. "Oh hello Barley, how have you been been?"

It didn't take long for Yoojin to introduce himself to Barley and for the dog to try and hop onto Yoojin. Now already licking across his face. "Hahaha, okay okay I get it, but let's get you cleaned up first okay?"

From across the room, Hyunje stood by the door, watching as his ten year old dog get really cozy with Yoojin. It was good to see Barley back into his old self, but it's even better to see Han Yoojin smile and laugh here and there.

It wasn't hard for Hyunje to deduce that he wanted more.

And so he cleared his throat, hoping to catch the attention of the vet. "Yoojin-ssi, is it okay if I pass the bathing duty to you?"

Han Yoojin turned his head to Hyunje, his fingers still looming around through Barley's fur. "Yeah, that's fine by me."

"Great, I'm making us dinner then. Does pasta sound good to you?"

"Sure, I like it al dente by the way."

Hyunje, still with a grin on his face breathes out a lighthearted sigh, "Of course. Right, I'll leave you to it. Also, to turn on the hot water, tilt the handle upwards. Down for cold, you get it,"

Yoojin nods mindlessly, "Okay."

"And the towels are over here."

Hyunje gestures at the cabinet he's opening and grabs a towel for himself. Possibly going for a shower in another bathroom, probably… it wasn't like Yoojin was thinking about it.

Yoojin wasn't sure how long had he been spacing out ever since he entered this bathroom because the last thing Han Yoojin sees is Hyunje's bare back, shoulders wide and toned just enough to show under the light movements of his muscles as Hyunje moves to walk out of the bathroom.

Just as Hyunje reaches the sliding door once again, he turns his head ever so slightly to look at the younger man, with eyes trained on his own being as if to drag him down back to earth. "Yoojin-ssi, you're welcome to stare but I must admit, I'm a bit shy now."

Oh. My. God.

Hues of pink, then red starts to decorate Yoojin's face. "Get out!"

"Hahahaha as you wish~"

**

"You know, if you ever consider switching careers, I'm pretty sure you'll do well as a chef," Yoojin nods in delight as he chews down the chicken pesto.

It wasn't that difficult for Hyunje to figure out what to cook for dinner with Yoojin around, after all with the way that their first dinner together had been a 14 course meal, Sung Hyunje was confident of one thing.

A way to a man's heart was through food, and the way to Han Yoojin's heart was through hearty meals. And so he cooked up something that has never failed to comfort him during stressful times (and made sure to give appropriate portions too!).

"I am honored to have you think so highly of me Yoojin-ssi."

Sung Hyunje wasn't one that would be easily overthrown by sweet pleasantries but when it comes to hearing it straight from the man sitting in front of him, he thought that some exclusions can be made.

"I'm serious Hyunje-ssi! If being a lawyer becomes too much switching careers might be good for you, this," Yoojin points at his plate of pasta, "Is as good as the one fancy place you brought me too, and the pesto… god it's divine…"

"Hmm perhaps I'll consider it if I ever retire, not that it seems likely…"

Han Yoojin was already in his seventh scoop when he notices how Hyunje had sounded empty, devoid of any attachments anchoring him to his place as he uttered those last few word.

"Why so?" Yoojin asks as he places down his fork to rest and finally looks at the man upfront, his smiling face reserved only for him.

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

It was evident that whenever Sung Hyunje spoke to Han Yoojin, his tone had always been gentle, much more approachable, warm to some degree but welcoming to only one. This was something that Han Yoojin has been slowly learning to accept.

"Oh nothing much, sometimes I have this thought that I might eventually die from work…"

Han Yoojin glares at Sung Hyunje.

Sung Hyunje laughs lightly, waving his hand as if he's dismissing it as a joke. "Not that has ever happened, and I don't think I want that anymore now."

"Now? What do you mean?"

"I'm saying that perhaps I've found something worth living for again, perhaps. I could be wrong but for once I'm actually hoping it's true."

"That's some conviction you have going on."

"Hmm, I suppose if Yoojin-ssi thinks it's a good thing then I'm more than glad."

"Didn't think you'd be one with sentiments Hyunje-ssi."

Yoojin stands from his seat and refills his glass with water, turning on the tap water. It was Hyunje's reply that made him hesitate turning his body again.

"Well then, perhaps you could get to know me more." Hyunje supplies the idea with such ease, a calm demeanor — not even an ounce of hesitation or embarassment present. Times like this is when Han Yoojin starts to wonder if Sung Hyunje even has any shame in his fibre.

"I'll think about it." Yoojin chooses to answer instead.

It didn't take Hyunje long to understand what Yoojin meant by that answer. And then, a low chuckle escapes those thin lipped smile. "That's not a no though?"

Yoojin merely squints his eyes, gulping down the remaining water from the glass quickly. Sounds of heavy chugging ringing in his ears. "Yeah, it's not a no. Take that however you want."

"Okay." Hyunje readily answers, a soft grin fixed on his lips. This was still something for him, something he could work with and he was more than willing to work with this.

"Right, well then let's check on Barley shall we?" Hyunje mentions, quickly changing the atmosphere to one that wasn't trying to restrain the both of them into an invisble tension.

"Yeah, let's actually do the thing I was paid to do." Yoojin replies in mock sarcasm, laughing at the end of his sentence.

Something within Sung Hyunje had blossomed when he heard Yoojin's laughter, how it's tender and light. Far from the harsh and depressing times he was used to, this was the light that he had so patiently tried to sought for in the early chapters of his life. One thing's for sure, he's glad he's lived this long to this moment in time.

**

"So how was the trial? The station won right?"

"No…"

It's been almost an hour since Yoohyun knocked himself out on Yoojin's couch and more than an hour since he stepped into Yoojin's apartment all grumpy and gloomy.

Apparently, after Yoojin had successfully moved Yoohyun from the doorstep to the couch and with an additional persuasion of Yoojin's hearty dumpling soup for dinner, Han Yoohyun had managed to slouch on the couch instead of laying flatly limp as if he was cosplaying as a slime.

Yoojin takes a stool near Peace's cat tree and drags it across the living room, only stopping once he's three feet apart from his brother and settles down with a bowl of dumpling soup.

"Why's that?"

"It's not that we didn't win, technically the plaintiff didn't come to court today."

"Huh?"

Yoohyun lets out a deep breathy sigh and looks over at his brother as if signaling that he wants a spoon of the dumpling soup.

Yoojin, of course understood. And so only after feeding himself and his little brother a couple of spoonfuls of the rich broth and dumplings did Yoohyun continued.

"Yeah. Basically only the lawyer came in today and the plaintiff wasn't in court. The judge couldn't continue the trial, so we're going to settle with another date."

"I see… and that's legal?"

Yoohyun eventually stood up from his nestled spot on the couch and stretched his long limbs to go through Yoojin's refrigerator, "Apparently yeah. Our lawyer told us that it was a no-show but the other side's lawyer asked for an extension…"

"So there's one more trial?"

Yoojin follows his line of sight with Yoohyun, watching his brother grab two bottles of barley tea from the fridge and walks back to the couch.

"Yeah, hopefully the last. I'm getting sick of going to courtrooms." Then, Yoohyun was gulping down the barley tea like a madman. Since he couldn't risk drinking with his occupation in mind and that he was just simply not a big fan of the hangover he'd go through the next day.

"Hyung, this one's better than the last time!" Yoohyun says with a wide puppy eyed grin, one that reminds Yoojin of back when they were kids buying ice cream from the mart down the street.

My cute little brother. Yoojin thinks quietly, a smile only he would know the reasons for.

"Hyun-ah, you know it's normal for you to be annoyed. You didn't do anything wrong here."

"I know. You want to know what's weirder?"

Yoojin simply quirked his brows, signaling his brother to continue. And so Yoohyun did.

"That lawyer wasn't even annoyed that the plaintiff asked for an extension. Fuck he gives me the chills, why was he even smiling before the trial even started…"

The exasperated annoyance from Yoohyun was evident, it was glaringly bright and clear for Yoojin why the lawyer, Sung Hyunje, had acted like such. But Yoojin still asked, he couldn't help.

"The lawyer?"

Yoohyun grunts under his breath, "Yeah, the pro bono lawyer, Sung Hyunje. Apparantly he's some bigshot, I don't know. I really don't want to…."

"Oh, you know he did a lot of guest lectures on campus." Yoojin mentions gently, trying to steer this conversation into a better light.

Han Yoojin swears he's never seen his own brother turns his head as quickly as the one he just saw, "What!? Hyung you need to becareful. That guy really creeps me out.'

"How so?"

"He's just…" Flashes of how Sung Hyunje lives and thrives in the courtroom started to flood into Han Yoohyun's memories, as if they were trying to invade the neurons bouncing back on forth from his nerves, sending chills down his spine. "Arghh, never mind. Just be careful if you cross paths with that guy, he's too artificial for me."

That's new, Yoojin replies internally. To a degree Yoojin can see what Yoohyun was saying. Sung Hyunje was one with many layers to peel off and it just so happens that the first few layer takes a lot of time to work on.

"Hmm, artificial?"

Yoohyun nods, "Yeah, like he never really means what he's saying or showing on the outside."

"Occupational hazard of being a lawyer I guess?"

"Seems so."

**

The Faculty of Agricultural and Life Sciences' auditorium has always felt more like a grand conservatory than a lecture hall to Han Yoojin. How the sunlight streamed through the high, arched windows, with illuminating dust motes dancing over the tiered seating. The stage was framed by climbing vines and large potted foliage, giving the air a fresh, earthy scent.

Yoojin, dressed in his usual neat but comfortable attire of a brown dress pants and a sage colored sweater, stood by a projection screen, looking composed. Next to him, however, was a whirlwind of energy: Moon Hyuna, from the Business and Economics Faculty, who was effortlessly commanding the room in a vibrant lemon yellow suit that seemed to capture all the available sunlight.

"So, as we discussed," Hyuna declared, leaning against the podium with a dazzling smile, "Agriculture provides the product, and Business provides the profit model. But where do they converge in a truly sustainable way?"

A young woman in the front row raised her hand. "Professor Han, Professor Moon! We're planning an urban rooftop farm pilot. The business model demands we use a high-yield, quick-turnaround crops like lettuce, but the agricultural data shows that the soil composition and pollution in that area are better suited for resilient, slow-growing herbs. So, how do we satisfy the immediate market demand without compromising the long-term health of the soil and the initial infrastructure investment?"

Yoojin adjusted his glasses, a thoughtful stillness settling over him. "That is an excellent point. You've identified the main conflict: yield versus longevity. From a biological standpoint, the answer is always diversity."

"Diversity is a lovely sentiment," Hyuna jumped in, her voice quick and sharp but still friendly, "but it’s not a profit model. Diversity in crops often means diversifying risk, yes, but it fragments your supply chain. You lose the economy of scale needed for quick returns. The business solution is to reframe the value proposition."

"But reframing the value doesn't change the dirt," Yoojin retorted mildly, stepping towards a diagram of nutrient cycling. "If you exhaust the soil with constant high-yield lettuce to meet market demands, your long-term cost—the remediation required later—will eventually bankrupt the venture. The 'value' is inherently tied to the integrity of the ecosystem."

"Ah, but the market doesn't pay for integrity, Professor Han," Hyuna countered with a theatrical shrug, stepping in front of the projection screen. "The market pays for novelty. Instead of replacing the soil, the business strategy is to monetize the waste cycle. You use the high-yield lettuce as planned, but instead of discarding the spent soil, you use it as a substrate for a second income stream—perhaps a high-margin mushroom or specialized fertilizer product that leverages the unique micronutrients left behind by the lettuce. It's not one product; it's a sequential, closed-loop revenue stream."

Yoojin's eyes widened momentarily, his brain clearly processing the idea at lightning speed. "That would require minimal in situ remediation," he murmured, his gaze falling back to the diagram as he rapidly scribbled notes. "The mushroom culture could actually pre-treat the soil for the next, more sensitive crop rotation. It’s an effective biological solution dressed up as a logistical one."

Hyuna beamed, practically radiating satisfaction. "Exactly. We just need to find the right fungi? mushroom market."

In the back corner of the auditorium, near an imposing eucalyptus plant, Sung Hyunje was seated. With his legs crossed on top of each other and adorned with how impeccably dressed he was, he looked out of place like a sore thumb against the leafy backdrop.

A small, genuine smile played on his lips as he watches the two professors rapidly toss ideas back and forth. He was enjoying this.

This looks fun, a running thought and adjusted his posture. Not dissapointing, Moon Hyuna.

The young student, satisfied, jotted down notes furiously. The air of excitement hung heavy, and a few more students were buzzing, eager to jump in with their own complex scenarios.

Yoojin was still absorbed, tracing the lines of his diagram, a faint, almost happy focus softening his usually guarded expression. He was in his element, thinking through a complex biological solution and having his boundaries challenged by Hyuna's business stances.

"Professor Han looks ready to revolutionize urban farming right here," Hyuna joked, nudging at his elbow playfully. "Any final thoughts on the mushroom market before we pivot to global supply chains?"

Yoojin chuckled, lifting his head. His gaze swept the sunlit auditorium, mentally cataloging the faces. He froze when his eyes reached the back corner, near the imposing eucalyptus plant.

There sat Sung Hyunje.

Hyunje met Yoojin's stare with a slight lift of his lips and a soft, knowing smile that was a subtle acknowledgment of their last interaction.

Why are you here? Yoojin’s previous anxiety, subdued by the academic activity, rushed back with a hot, embarrassing surge. He quickly averted his gaze, focusing intensely on the floor.

"Ah... no," Yoojin managed, his voice a touch too loud. "No final thoughts. The next student's question, please, Professor Moon."

Hyuna noticed the shift in his tone. She followed his darting eyes, her eyebrows arching slightly as she spotted the perfectly positioned figure in the back.

"Well, well. Look who decided to grace us with his presence," Hyuna called out, her voice easily reaching the back row. "Sung Hyunje, weren't you supposed to be in court arguing over someone's priceless antique vase today?"

Hyunje chuckled, a rich sound that carried clearly over the silence created by his being addressed. He rose smoothly from his seat and walked directly toward the stage.

"I finished early, Professor Moon," Hyunje replied, his steps echoing slightly as he walked down the side aisle. "And you told me this joint lecture was the most interesting thing happening in the entire university today. I certainly didn't want to miss seeing this collision of intellect." He stopped just short of the stage stairs, his eyes, however, were still trained on Yoojin.

"A collision, indeed," Hyuna laughed, crossing her arms. "But save the legal metaphors. If you're here to observe, take a seat, Attorney Sung. This isn't a gallery show."

"Oh, but Professor," Hyunje countered, his smile becoming distinctly more playful, "I’m here to offer some much-needed business guidance to the Agriculture department. I hear they're mentioning the mushroom market? I have a client (read: himself) who might be interested in a strategic partnership."

Yoojin finally looked up, fixing Hyunje with a stern glare. "Attorney Sung, this is a student seminar, not a networking event. And this is not the Law Faculty's auditorium. You should have checked in with security, and you certainly shouldn't interrupt in the middle of a class."

Hyunje ignored the reprimand entirely. He simply rested his hands on the stage railing, his gaze lingering on Yoojin's flushed face. "Just an eager client, Yoojin-ssi. I promise to be silent and well-behaved, Professor."

The blatant, flirty challenge hung in the air, creating an awkward silence among the students. Before Yoojin could articulate a perfectly composed refusal, Moon Hyuna clapped her hands sharply, the sound echoing through the conservatory.

"Right! Enough of the legal theatrics, Attorney Sung," Hyuna said, her voice dropping back into its energetic, lecture-ready pitch. She stepped between the two men. "This is a class, not your personal gallery. If you have genuine business advice, submit an abstract for our next seminar. Otherwise, find a seat and put a damper on the ego, please."

Hyuna gave Yoojin a quick, knowing look — a silent message of I've got your back — before pivoting back to the class.

"Now, before we were rudely interrupted by the courtroom's resident shark," she glanced pointedly at Hyunje, "we had a question about global supply chains. Who has a query on sustainable resource tracing? Yes, you in the third row."

As Hyuna smoothly pulled the students' attention back to the lecture, Hyunje gave a small, defeated sigh. "Always the professional," he murmured, loud enough only for Yoojin to hear, before he finally turned and walked back to his seat near the eucalyptus plant.

Yoojin let out a quiet breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. His pulse was hammering a distracting rhythm against his ribs. He stole a glance at Hyunje, who was now leaning back in the chair, looking like a ridiculously well-dressed Greek statue among the leaves.

The next thirty minutes were agonizing for Yoojin. He managed to explain the complex requirements for mycorrhizal networks and nitrogen fixing without tripping over his words, but every dry fact felt like a desperate attempt to drown out the low thrum of awareness that Hyunje was watching his every move.

Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the joint session.

Students immediately rose, forming a protective cluster around Hyuna to ask more questions. Yoojin quickly began packing his diagrams, determined to leave before Hyunje could make another move.

"Yoojin-ssi," Hyuna called, waving him over and whispers. "Hold up. Attorney Sung is still lurking, and I don't want to leave you to that wolf."

Yoojin reluctantly joined her and the small group of students.

Hyunje, however, didn't approach the stage. He waited patiently by the eucalyptus plant until the last students had filed out, then strode directly toward the two professors.

"Thank you, Professor Moon, for the invigorating lesson," Hyunje said, flashing his perfect, client-winning smile at Hyuna. "Truly an excellent use of my time."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Attorney Sung," Hyuna replied, though she clearly appreciated the compliment. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Yoojin and I have to—"

"Actually, Professor Han and I have a quick consultation scheduled," Hyunje smoothly interrupted, placing a proprietary hand lightly on Yoojin's lower back, a feather-light touch that still made Yoojin jump. "We're discussing Barley's nutritional transition now that he's getting older."

Yoojin whipped his head around, glaring at the audacity of the lie and the touch. "We are not! I haven't agreed to—"

Hyunje leaned in, speaking in a low, conspiratorial murmur only for Yoojin's ears. "Don't you think it would be terribly unprofessional not to follow up on your patient."

Yoojin's face darkened with frustration, but he couldn't deny the seemingly normal patient follow-up, no matter how much he despised the situation.

Hyuna, sensing the shift in the air and intrigued by the name "Barley," stepped back with a sly smile. "Ah, the Barley nutritional transition. A vital part of the agricultural cycle, I'm sure. Well, then, I'll see myself out. Don't worry, Yoojin. I'll tell the Dean you were detained by the courtroom's resident shark." She gave Hyunje a look that was half-warning, half-amusement.

"Don't keep him too long, Attorney Sung."

With a wink, Hyuna walked away, leaving Yoojin trapped between the imposing bright light and the equally imposing, smiling lawyer. Which became really bright by the way, for his eyes and heart.

"Shall we find a quieter place to discuss Barley's diet, Professor Han?" Hyunje asked, his hand still warm against Yoojin's back.

Yoojin pulled away sharply, stepping past the stage's barrier. "Attorney Sung, stop it. We both know this isn't about Barley's diet, and you absolutely did not have an appointment with me." He kept his voice low but laced with firm annoyance. "And take your hand off me."

Hyunje merely lowered his hand, his smile not dimming in the slightest. "Such formality, Yoojin-ssi. I thought we were progressing past that stage."

He gestured toward the auditorium doors. "But fine. Let's talk about my baby Barley. He's been awfully sluggish, and since you insisted on being so thorough with his checkup in the bathroom last time, I figured you’d already have some preliminary thoughts."

The mention of the bathroom and Hyunje's memory of their last exchange made Yoojin's cheeks warm again. He hated that this man could push his buttons so easily.

"The bath was for therapeutic observation, not pleasure," Yoojin retorted, retrieving his briefcase.

"And my 'preliminary thoughts' were that he's a happy, old Golden Retriever who might have early signs of age-related hearing or vision decline. Nothing requires an emergency consult here."

"Ah, but that is precisely the problem," Hyunje said, now matching Yoojin's steps as they left the auditorium and walked down the quiet, oak-paneled hallway.

"I need an expert. And since I am utterly devoted to Barley's comfort, I decided the best place to intercept my chosen expert would be where he feels most comfortable and competent."

Yoojin stopped dead. He stared at Hyunje, dissecting the layers of the compliment and the manipulation. "You planned this. You used Hyuna-ssi to get me here."

"I merely leveraged an opportunity," Hyunje corrected with a charming shrug. "Professor Moon is delightful, but her business talk is dreadfully boring without the contrast of genuine debate. Your work, however, is fascinating. The idea of linking mycorrhizal networks to a closed-loop revenue stream—brilliant. And highly distracting."

He paused, letting his gaze drift meaningfully over Yoojin's face before meeting his eyes. "Tell me, Yoojin-ssi, what would you usually prescribe for an extreme case of distraction?"

Yoojin gripped his briefcase strap until his knuckles were white. He was standing in a university hallway, surrounded by the quiet respectability of academia, and yet this man was openly flirting with him, using his professional work and his personal anxieties as tools.

"A simple solution," Yoojin finally said, forcing a cool, clinical tone, though his pulse was still racing. "I prescribe distance and a strict adherence to professional boundaries. Now, if you want a formal assessment of your dog, schedule an appointment through my clinic. In case you forgot, I gave you the name card last time. Do not interrupt my class again, and do not touch me again."

Hyunje’s smile softened, losing a touch of its performance quality. It became something quieter, almost wistful. "My apologies. Yes, I suppose boundaries are necessary," he murmured.

He leaned in just slightly, his voice dropping to a low, melodic register. "But I like seeing the color rise on your face, Yoojin-ssi. It makes the pursuit of your attention incredibly... stimulating."

He then straightened up, regaining his formal composure instantly. "Very well. I shall adhere to the boundaries, for now. But I require a comprehensive follow-up on Barley within the week. I'll have my assistant call your clinic to arrange a time." He extended a hand, palm up. "Until our next encounter."

Yoojin stared at the offered hand — large, warm, and perfectly manicured. It was a gesture of truce and a promise of future trespass. After a second of internal deliberation, Yoojin sighed, knowing he'd lost this round.

He gave Hyunje a curt, professional shake. "Just bring the medical records this time, Attorney Sung."

Hyunje’s eyes lit up with genuine delight at the contact. "As you wish, Professor Han."

Yoojin pulled his hand back, watching as Hyunje turned and walked away, disappearing down the hall with the casual grace of a man who always gets the last word.

**

Sung Hyunje

Hey, you know a heads up would be good
19.41

Hello to you too Yoojin-ssi, care with the explanation?
19.43

I was so confused when I saw Barley with someone else
I thought someone stole him
19.45

Ah, so you've met Noah?
19.45

Yes, I met your secretary
He was so nice though,
you should give him a raise
19.46

Hmm, since Yoojin-ssi said so,
I'll consider it.
I assume everything went well?
19.50

Yes. Barley's a healthy dog after all
I'm starting to think he's just bored
19.51

Ah, that makes the two of us now
19.52

Huh? Anyways, next time please let me
know if it's you or Noah dropping Barley off.
I'm not at the clinic all day, so a heads up
would be appreciated.
19.52

Will do.
I'll get back to you once
my meeting's over Yoojin-ssi.
19.56

You're in a meeting?
This late?
19.56
seen

He’s too busy to come to the clinic himself, but not too busy to reply me about his dog? This man lives by his own rules.

**

"Mr. Chen, as I was outlining," Evelyn continued smoothly in her american english accent, her voice calm and authoritative, "the crucial leverage in the preliminary discovery phase is contingent on two key jurisdictions: Singapore and Rotterdam. The claim from the plaintiffs in the Hague is fundamentally predicated on the jurisdictional ambiguity of the API agreements, which, frankly, are paper-thin."

Outside the expansive windows, the city lights blurred into a glittering tapestry, a fitting backdrop for this sudden meeting. Apparently one of their top clients had been involved in a multinational corporate class-action lawsuit involving faulty supply chain software, this case alone was enough to bankrupt a small nation.

Around the polished mahogany table sat Mr. Alistair Chen and Ms. Leona Kincaid, the CEO and Chief Counsel of a massive logistics conglomerate from Hong Kong.

"Attorney Sung?" Mr. Chen prompted, leaning forward, his impatience clear. "We understand the jurisdictional complexity, but we need a clear forecast. Ms. Miller mentioned the $450 million settlement baseline, can you confirm that figure aligns with your firm’s risk assessment, or are we looking closer to the half-billion mark?"

Hyunje blinked, slowly raising his head. He looked back and forth between the client to Evelyn, his named partner. Hyunje was momentarily lost in the high-stakes conversation he should have been steering if it wasn't for Yoojin's notification.

Evelyn, without missing a beat or showing any strain, slipped immediately into the breach. She placed a discreet hand on Hyunje's forearm, a subtle signal of warning and support only he would notice and addressed the client directly.

"Mr. Chen, Leona," Evelyn interjected, her posture rigid with professionalism.

"My apologies, Attorney Sung was just reviewing the updated liability matrix for our multi-jurisdictional defense. To answer your question directly: The $450 million figure is solid, assuming we successfully argue forum non conveniens on the primary class claims. However, if that fails, Attorney Sung has prepared a secondary strategy that targets the plaintiffs' financing, which would drive the price down, even at the half-billion threshold."

Evelyn then pushed a document across the table toward Hyunje, giving him time to re-orient.

Hyunje’s eyes quickly scanned the page, silently commending Evelyn for her quick thinking and covering his oversight perfectly. He tucked his phone into his jacket pocket, forcing his full focus back into the room.

"My apologies everyone, I just had to take care of some pressing matters." Hyunje quickly switches to english, subtle signs of american and british accent slipping here and there.

His smile returned, sharp and confident. "Evelyn is correct, of course," Hyunje said, his voice now deep and commanding, pulling all attention away from the documents and back to him.

"But to be frank, Mr. Chen, I prefer the third option: dismissal. We don't negotiate with paper-thin claims. Now, regarding the financial forecast for the third quarter..."

The tension in the room instantly shifted, snapping from Evelyn's careful explanation to Hyunje's decisive command.

After what it feels like an hour before midnight, they wrapped up the meeting, agreeing that it would be best to strategize their plans in two days, when the sun is up.

"This is getting into me." Evelyn sighs as they wait for the elevator since they made sure the clients went down first.

"Agreed. They could've booked an appointment at a better time instead."

"Oh well, they're bringing an additional $10 million for us this year, minimum too, so it's fine."

Hyunje tried to muffle his chuckle, but eventually abandones that plan. "Always so easily pleased with money."

"It's a lot of zeroes." Evelyn turns to wink with pride, unashamed of her evident unsatiated desires for money.

To say that they went back would be an understatement. The two was first acquainted back in law school, during Hyunje's exchange program in the US to be precise. A few words could be used to describe their first meeting, but it was anything but positive. Evelyn Miller had hated Sung Hyunje's guts the first time they interacted in class and it went around for quite sometime until they were paired together for a mock trial session. Then, the rest was history.

Hyunje simply hums in agreement, tuning his hums to the music in the elevator as they step in.

"You really should change the music here, it's been what? Almost 10 years and the same thing." Evelyn mentions, tapping her heels lowly on the marbled floor.

"It's good though, catchy too."

Hyunje wasn't really putting into thought about what she's saying, they've been going at it about this topic for a couple years now.

"Sure… if that's what you think," She pauses for a moment, humming into her own thoughts, "but for someone who gets bored easily, you're being weird about elevator music…"

Hyunje lets out a long breathy sigh, one that's clearly for theatrics. "Can't a man just like something?"

"Of course, I don't see why not. But when the man is you, Sung Hyunje, I start questioning things-"

The elevator dings, alerting that they've reached the lobby.

"Your husband's picking you up right?" Hyunje turns to ask and sees Evelyn already taking out her phone from her handbag, typing on the screen.

"Yeah, he's waiting outside."

"Great, well then have a good evening. Tell him I said hi too."

"Will do, you too Hyunje-ssi." Evelyn switches to korean and walks off to the front glass doors and through the revolving door.

Sung Hyunje watches as her figure starts to dissolve into the night, blending in with the blurry dots of lights from the streets across. From this distance, he could see her husband waiting for her outside of the car and draping what seems to be a blanket over her shoulders. Then the car rolls off and Hyunje takes this as his cue to go to the basement where his car was parked.

The ride back to his house was quite, it was always quite. Noah had actually mentioned this several times how he should put something on when he's driving, something to fill the silence, but Hyunje had never found it necessary. When he's driving alone, his mind proceeds on auto-pilot, as if shutting off momentarily. Next thing he knows is that he's rolling the car in the garage, walks up the small flight of stairs, pushes the pin code in and opens the door to Barley. That's when he starts funtioning again.

"Oh, you're still awake?" Hyunje quietly asks the goldie sitting upright near the window facing the garden.

One of Barley's ear perked up before he turns to look at Hyunje, as if saying that he couldn't sleep yet. "Hmm, you're usually asleep at this hour, are you hungry? Do you want to eat?"

At the sound of that word, Barley huffs a delighted sound with his tongue sticked out.

"Right, let's see if your favourite person is still awake," Hyunje tells Barley, scratching the back of his fluffy ears as he leads them to the couch.

Yoojin-ssi

Hello, good evening Yoojin-ssi
I just got the reports back from Noah,
Do you perhaps have any meal plans for Barley?
23.24

Well hello, I'm assuming the meeting ended?
23.24

That's kind of you to remember,
yes, I just got home.
23.24

Okay. Well there's not really a specific meal plan,
you could continue feeding Barley the usual diet.
But I can reccomend you some if you want
23.26

"Hmm? Do you want something new?" Hyunje looks over at Barley momentarily before turning back to his phone.

That would be great Yoojin-ssi,
Barley would love that
23.26

No longer than 10 seconds Sung Hyunje's phone ringed in the usual ring for incoming calls.

Yoojin-ssi, it shows on his screen.

Hmm, today's been filled with surprises… then he picks up the phone.

**

Sung Hyunje

[IMG ATTACHED]
Is this supposed to look like this?
The consistency seems questionable.
16.41

Yoojin's phone buzzed, an incoming text. It's sunday now.

Over the past week, the two have been exchanging pictures of their lunch (read: it was always Hyunje that started the text), but most of them had been Hyunje asking, or so pestering Yoojin about whether or not did he get Barley's meals cooked right which Yoojin had always ended up replying and nagging Hyunje to eat more colored leaves. He simply couldn't believe that the pet was eating better than the owner.

Funnily though, as someone who claims to be busy, Sung Hyunje had managed to reach out to Yoojin every lunch break and at night after he got home from the firm. Yoojin never really minded this as well, in fact he had found it to be something that he did without much thought, as if he was always used to this.

Hyunje-ssi, that's too much meat.
Just add some more lentils, you'll be okay
16.43

Aha, I see. Okay, thank you for the tip
16.44

**

Yoojin-ssi

[IMG ATTACHED]
Braised black bean ribs for tonight
17.56

I wish I could eat that :(
17.58

Some other time Hyunje-ssi,
have you eaten yet?
18.01

No, I havent. If only someone would
be kind enough to let me try their braised ribs
18.02

I could send some over if you want some,
though Hyunie's not gonna like it much
18.03

Hahahah how thoughtful of you,
but I'll try yours some other time.
[IMG ATTACHED]
Making this right now.
18.04

Oh god are those cabbage rolls?
It looks so good Hyunje-ssi
18.06

I'll make some for you
if you come over next time
18.08

Oh, is this an invite?
18.08

Think of it as an open invitation,
Barley misses you too btw
18.09

Hmm, I'll keep that in mind.
Awee, I miss barley too
18.10

Hahahahaha
18.11

**

"Oppa, don't you think we need a celebratory cake for today?"

Yerim rolls her chair away from her desk. She's finished updating their inventories and replying to incoming patients for the second half of the day. Myeongwoo is still at the front desk helping a customer figure out what snacks would be best for her guinea pig.

"Hmm? What for?" Yoojin quirks his brows, confused at the sudden suggestion.

He's still tending to Toto, the tortoise, checking for any more signs of subtle bleeding or cracks. The other day, a college student had dropped by, saying Toto had fallen off the stairs at her house. Naturally, she was worried, even though the tortoise seemed completely unfazed by the accident.

She was panicking and almost wailing over the idea that her eight-year-old pet could die, so Yoojin had assured her he'd make sure to do a thorough check on the hard-shelled fellow. After confirming the X-rays and concussion check were clear yesterday, Yoojin is performing a final check for any lingering issues.

Then his phone buzzes.

Yerim hums a contemplative, "Well, remember that bet I made? Yeah…"

Sung Hyunje

[IMG ATTCHED]
Lunch for today.
12.08

The picture wasn't anything too out of the ordinary. Yoojin notices the familiar plates used to serve the sushi in the picture and even the familiar layout on the table. What catches Yoojin's attention however was on the high-end lipgloss near the upper corner of the picture, with an italicized engraving on the side. Yoojin would know since Yerim has one too and she always almost panics whenever she thinks it's missing in the clinic.

soyoung.

So he has someone already? What the fuck was this then? Was what Yoojin wanted to say and type over the screen, but he quickly figured that whatever was going on between the two of them wasn't really anything more than two friends exchanging pictures of their meals… wait, friends? Are they even friends? Belatedly, he realizes he knows close to nothing about Sung Hyunje.

"Haaa, this is hilarious. Who am I kidding?" Yoojin mumbles, he could feel his fingers numbing and his ears ringing.

Was it dissapointment? Or anger? Or perhaps jealousy? Yoojin wasn't sure, but he most certainly had lost his sanity for today.

"… so oppa, can I order a couple of macarons too? On top of the cake? I heard they're really good."

Yoojin starts to register Yerim's voice again, apparently she hasn't stopped talking, and apparently Yoojin has screwed himself, he thinks.

Deep breaths in.

And out.

Yoojin counts to five before looking up, taking in another inhale while removing his latex gloves. He's glad that he was already finished checking Toto before he opened his phone, because he really needs to eat these feelings away right now.

"Yerim-ah, go ahead and order as much as you want. It's my treat."

"Really?" Yoojin simply nods and Yerim squeals, pumping her arms in excitement. "Hehehe, okay thank you, love you!"

"Go ask Myeongwoo if he wants anything too."

"At it!" and she's opening the door separating the space between the back office and the front desk, leaving Yoojin alone with his thoughts.

"Fuck."

Enjoy your meal Hyunje-ssi
12.18

Did Yoojin-ssi have his lunch yet?
12.19
seen

Yoojin feels his knees about to fail on him, so he quickly pulls the chair to him and sits on it, moving himself closer to Toto on the examination table. "Hahhh, what am I gonna do now Toto?"

"I really didn't know he had someone already…"

Chapter Text

The air in the courtroom was charged with the lingering antagonism Hyunje had so expertly maintained. Having cornered Mr. Kim on the issue of his faulty wiring and callous priorities, Hyunje had delivered his final, understated argument: that the sanctity of human life and the professional duty of the Seoul Fire Department were the only jurisdictions that mattered in a blazing building.

Justice Lee Junho, who had watched the entire exchange with an almost bored neutrality, now returned to the bench after a recess, holding the final ruling. The formality of the moment descended, silencing the anxious shuffling in the gallery.

"In the matter of Kim v. Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters," Justice Lee began, his voice calm and firm, cutting through the silence. "The core issue before this court is not the amount of damage to the plaintiff's property, but the legal scope of the defendant's duty of care under an active threat to life."

Yoohyun sat rigid, his focus fixed on Justice Lee. He barely dared to breathe, a tense knot tightening in his chest.

The Judge continued, his gaze drifting from Mr. Kim’s aggrieved face to the defense table where Hyunje stood. "Defense counsel, Attorney Sung, has convincingly argued the application of the doctrine of Necessity — that the actions taken, while resulting in property loss, were the least harmful viable course of action to prevent the greater, irreversible harm of death."

Hyunje remained motionless, his face smooth, yet his entire posture radiated that confidence of certainty Yoohyun had found so irritating.

"The evidence presented, including the testimony of Firefighter Yoohyun and the expert reports on the structural integrity of the room, validates the critical time constraint involved." Justice Lee paused, letting the weight of the facts sink in. "The court finds that the forcible entry and use of suppression foam were proportional actions, taken within the scope of established, life-saving protocol."

Justice Lee Junho set the papers down, his action signaling the end of the session.

"Therefore, the claim for damages against the Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters is denied."

The word "denied" was followed by a moment of absolute silence, then a wave of released tension from the fire crew's side of the room. Yoohyun's shoulders finally dropped, a ragged breath escaping his lungs.

Mr. Kim gasped, clutching the sleeve of his lawyer.

Hyunje turned immediately, offering a quick, appreciative nod to the court, then directed a brief, overly pleasant smile toward the plaintiff's table, he had won.

Yoohyun watched the whole display, the relief in his chest warring with a renewed surge of distaste. He had to admit, Hyunje was brilliant, but the sight of that triumphant, almost contemptuous look directed at the defeated Mr. Kim confirmed his earlier judgment: for Sung Hyunje, winning was everything.

He finally stood, his legs stiff from the tension, ready to finally leave the sterile confines of the courtroom.

"Ahh, I can finally breathe." the captain sighs in relief, patting his hand over Yoohyun's back. "Yeah, I'm glad this is over."

Hyunje stood up from his seat, looking over at the watch around his wrist.

12.30

Hmm, he's doing it again. It's been almost a week now that Yoojin had gone radio silent on him, well in Hyunje's defense it's been radio silent on him specifically. Oddly enough, Yoojin still communicates with Noah quite well when it comes to Barley, but replies sparsely or even nothing at all when it's Hyunje reaching out. Yoojin simply replied with a short I see, or have a good meal. Nothing from his side, no feedback, no comments, no pictures from Yoojin either.

At first, Hyunje had thought that Yoojin had perhaps forgotten to reply or was too busy with his own activities, but by the fifth message he had sent, Hyunje had realized very late that Yoojin was ignoring him, or so tried to ignore him by cutting his replies short. And this had bothered him, very much and deeply bothered him. For the first time in a while he was actually worried about something.

For someone who had represented clients in class action lawsuits worth over billions multiple times, the one thing that had made him doubt himself was not if he had failed, but of this man who had worked his way to his heart with such subtlety. Sung Hyunje could no longer claim his heart as his own, it was already in the grasp of a young professor who loves his job, his life, and his brother.

I need to go there don't I? Hyunje humms briefly as he puts his phone back, out of the habit he had grown into since he had routinely exchanged lunch pictures with Han Yoojin, only to find his chatbox void of him.

"Ah, that reminds me," Hyunje speaks after all the other crew had toned down on their joy. "While it is true that we no longer need to go to court, there are still some paperworks that we need to confirm and sign with all of you."

He looks over to Soyoung, who very much understood what he means. "That's right, we're going to the firm after this. I'm sorry if this is too much for all of you." Soyoung says lightly, gathering her stuffs from the desk.

"Can I leave this to you? You know how to do the paperworks already yes?" Hyunje asks in a whisper to Soyoung, having other interests in mind.

"Yeah, I can just ask Noah if I need help."

"Good, I need to be somewhere else now." Hyunje says briefly and starts walking towards the doors.

"Huh? why are you in a hurry? You don't have anything for today." Soyoung hurriedly say, almost catching up to her uncle.

Hyunje turns to look back slightly, a soft grin already forming his lips, "It's not job related Soyoung-ah."

"Oh?" She steps back, unaccostemed to this behaviour reflected in her uncle, "Okay then."

That's weird, he never smiled like that…

I should probably ask mom.

**

"Peace, come on, just one more toe…" Yoojin sulks at his own red bobtail, gently poking at the cat's stomach.

The cat merely meowed and instead kept his gaze on Yoojin with all paws tugged under his own fur as if the cat was never found guilty of things, questionable things.

"Hyung, there's someone asking for you," Myeongwoo appears from the front room, the expression drawn on his face was one that Yoojin have seen several times, but it was never directed on him, never him.

"Who? And why are you making that face?"

Yoojin sighs and puts the nail clipper away, putting aside the nail clipping agenda for another time. Funny enough, as if on purpose, Peace seemed to realize this and withdrew his paws from underneath.

"Not funny Peace…" Yoojin mumbles, lifting the cat up to hold in his arms. His own baby.

"I actually don't know, he didn't say his name. Just said that he has something to ask the vet working here."

Yoojin's brows furrows in slight annoyance, "Did you say that he should've booked an appointment?"

"I did. He said his pet has been here a few times."

"Can you ask what his pet's name is?"

Myeongwoo only nods before dissapearing back to the front room, leaving Yoojin and Peace alone. Seeing that Peace seemed to be in a better mood now, Yoojin sneakily grabbed the nail clipper and swiftly worked his way.

Another knock on the door, it's Myeongwoo again.

"Yeah? So what's the name?"

"Barley, it's a golden retri-"

In a blur, Yoojin starts muting out any sounds around him. The only thing that was audible enough was his beating heart, pumping blood for him to breath only to fail him as he feels the tightening around his throat. It was as if his whole existence was denying that this reality was happening.

He's here?

Count to four.

Hold for seven.

Exhale for eight.

Han Yoojin was doing all the things known to him on repeat, as if he was a broken record. Yoojin was starting to wonder if any of this even mattered in the first place, none of the things he was used to doing worked on him this time, and this only made eveything worse. He couldn't believe this.

Han Yoojin could not believe that he was losing control of his own being, his own body over something so unknown, so foreign, so out of reach that he couldn't be sure about anything other than one thing right now. He could only rely on himself to get it together.

And so he did, like the many times he did so without anyone, without his brother, without the small family he finds in his clinic staffs, without anyone but himself.

"Hyung?" Myeongwoo's voice centers him back to earth.

Breathe, it's okay.

It's not the end of the world.

Yoojin takes one last deep breath before steadying himself to look at Myeongwoo, "Hmm, yeah. I know Barley."

"Oh okay good, I'll tell him to wait a moment."

"Thanks," Yoojin manages to say without stumbling over his words.

Then, Myeongwoo dissapears again to the front room, attending to what seems to be Sung Hyunje lounging around the front desk.

Thankfully, Peace seems to notice Yoojin's growing distress and places his paw on Yoojin's arm, signaling that he wants to climb to Yoojin's shoulders. For a pet, Peace was always receptive of Yoojin's moods, especially at times like this and this was more than enough to warm Yoojin's heart.

**

Peaceful Paws Veterinary Clinic has a unique doorbell, a chime one truly couldn't find anywhere else. When Yoojin was renovating the building, Yoohyun thought the idea was silly; with so many pets inside, he was worried the sound might disturb them. Luckily, after a year of testing, the pets seemed unbothered, and customers were always enamored by the melody as the wooden glass panel door opened and closed.

This same chime was what Hyunje was fixated on as he sat in the waiting area, anticipating the one person who had so thoroughly captured his attention. But he wasn't enchanted by its sound alone. Sure, he admitted it had a certain melody, but that was precisely why it was bothering him. It sounded oddly familiar, a tune he was certain he'd heard before but couldn't place.

Sung Hyunje was a man who took pride in his capabilities, especially his profession as an attorney, which inherently came with an excellent memory. The fact that he couldn't pinpoint the source of something so mundane as this doorbell was starting to itch his brain.

The bell chimed again, someone was entering the clinic. Hyunje's eyes remained glued to the chimes, swaying with the force of the opening door.

"Ah, oppa, you're here already." Yerim greets Myeongwoo, but before taking another step, she looked to her left and spotted a familiar figure. "Huh? Ahjussi?"

Hyunje's brows quirked at the name. Only a few people called him that, in fact, he could count them on one hand.

"Oh? I didn't expect to see you here, Yerim-ssi."

Of course, Hyunje remembers her; he does have a good memory. More importantly, Soyoung talks about Yerim constantly, and Hyunje had to listen to her ramblings to ensure she stayed focused on her internship (favoritism runs thick).

"Hahahahha, neither did I," Yerim laughs, fishing her phone from her duffel bag. "Quick, Ahjussi, come here! I need to send this to Soyoung-ie." She waved Hyunje to come over, ready to pose.

Hyunje chuckled briefly, entirely unsurprised. All his previous encounters with Park Yerim had only ever happened because of Soyoung.

"Do I need to pose a certain way?" Hyunje slightly bent his knees, lowering himself to get into the frame.

"Just smile and do a peace sign." It didn't take long before Yerim was clicking away, occasionally changing her poses while Hyunje maintained the same smile and hand sign.

"What the hell am I seeing?"

The two immediately looked up. There, Han Yoojin stood by the door separating the back office and the front room, an orange bobtail cat draped over his left shoulder.

It would be completely unfair to say that Hyunje's eyes didn't light up into small crescent moons or that his smile hadn't grown wider, a curve of sincere happiness stretching across his face. It was hard for Yoojin not to notice it, but he chose to disregard it for now.

"Oppa—"

"Ah, Yoojin-ssi,"

Yoojin sighed, massaging the space between his brows. "One at a time, please."

"Never mind, I should start preparing for my shift, let's go Myeongwoo oppa," Yerim said promptly, then she tapped on Hyunje's shoulder. "Ahjussi, I can send it to Soyoung-ie, right?"

Hyunje looked back, momentarily breaking his gaze from Yoojin. "I don't see why not," he confirmed with a nod.

"Great! She'll be so confused hahahaha," Yerim laughed as she disappeared into the back office dragging Myeongwoo with her.

"So…"

"You know…"

"You go first, Yoojin-ssi."

"So, how do you know Yerim?"

"Ah, she's my niece's friend? Or is it 'bestie' these days?"

Yoojin tried to muffle his escaping laugh. "Your niece?"

"Yes, my niece, Soyoung. Your brother should know her; she's interning at my firm and is helping me handle his fire station's case."

Everything in Yoojin's mind seemed to both fall apart and click into place.

Of course, Soyoung is Hyunje's niece. Why didn't I think of that?

All he could feel now was the bubbling relief welling up inside him.

"So, she's your niece... Hahahahha, of course she is..." Yoojin whispered to himself, petting Peace as the cat had descended to be carried like a child in his arms.

"Hmm, is something wrong?" Hyunje took a step forward.

Yoojin was too lost in his thoughts to notice the proximity.

"No, actually, not at all. Everything's good now."

"Now?" Hyunje thought, taking another step. He removed his gloves and tucked them inside his inner pocket. "You look happier now, Yoojin-ssi."

That comment seemed to pull Yoojin back. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, I couldn't help but notice that you've been ignoring me for quite some time now. I couldn't help it, so I came here."

"So you came here..." Yoojin repeated, his voice low.

Hyunje nods briefly, "So I went here. And now you look happier."

Yoojin stayed silent, his tongue stuck at the back of his throat. Hyunje seemed to notice, but he continued, taking another step. They were now only a foot apart.

Thank god there's no customers in the clinic right now, Yoojin thought, dreading the embarrassment if they were.

"I couldn't help but think you were happy to see me with that smile you have going on. But then you hurt me with all the hush-hush act you've been doing to only me for a while now. So, tell me, Yoojin-ssi, which one should I believe?" Hyunje spoke with the most sincere tone Yoojin had ever heard from him, his voice low, as if sharing a secret known only to them.

It hurts. It hurts Yoojin to hold back the rush of emotions taking over him. His heart was one thing, but his mind was telling him all the reasons to stay logical.

"I'm sorry for that, Hyunje-ssi, but it's a long story," Yoojin chooses to say. Whatever Sung Hyunje would say next would determine the course of action for the two of them.

"That's fine. I have time."

And everything inside Yoojin started to burst like a dam with crumbling walls. But Yoojin still persisted. He needed to be certain.

"Aren't you busy, though? You barely have time to sleep."

Hyunje only smiled, looking soft and tender under the late afternoon light filtering into the clinic.

"I'll make time. No worries."

"Hmmm," Yoojin hummed, unconsciously petting Peace again. "You'll really make time?"

Hyunje nods, closing the last gap between them. "I will."

And Yoojin takes the chance.

**

Autumn in Seoul had always been Yoojin's favorite season. The fall foliage scattering around the roads, the cold breeze paired with the sunlight filtering through the clouds. It made for the perfect weather, save for the occasional chilly rain.

Today was one of those perfect days, ideal for being outdoors, walking around the park, or choosing a diner to eat outside. He wanted to do a lot of things, but walking around the park with Sung Hyunje was definitely not on his bucket list. It hadn't even occurred to him until earlier in the clinic.

After the two of them reached an understanding that they really should talk things out properly, like what a normal functioning adult would, Yoojin decided to close the clinic early — seeing that there weren't any appointments left for the day and had asked Myeongwoo to bring Peace with him (luckily Peace likes Myeongwoo).

"So, were you perhaps jealous, Yoojin-ssi? I really couldn't understand why you were being so cold to me," Hyunje began, pointing out the one thing Yoojin had hoped wouldn't be asked so directly.

Yoojin cleared his throat and hummed momentarily. "Well, I guess I misunderstood?"

"How so?"

"That time you sent me a picture of you eating sushi, I saw a lip gloss with Soyoung's name on it."

It took a moment for Hyunje to process the information, but when he did, Yoojin swore he wanted to dig a hole and bury himself right there in the forest because Sung Hyunje, this man in his early 40s, was bursting out in laughter.

Yoojin started rambling, panicking, "I mean, can you really blame me? We don't really know anything about each other, Hyunje-ssi. The only thing I know is that you're some rich bigshot lawyer, a named partner in this country's largest law firm, you like to do guest lectures at campus, you have a dog named Barley, and apparently, you did some heavy nepotism for your niece!"

"Hahahahahhahaha, sorry, sorry, I'm not laughing at you, Yoojin-ssi, I promise. But..."

"But?" Yoojin pressed.

Hyunje tried to steady his breath, clearing his throat. "But that was the funniest misunderstanding I've heard so far," he paused, catching his breath. "The farthest I've heard is that I'm Soyoung's father. But never like this..."

"Let me guess, it was Yerim who thought you were her father?"

"Bingo." Hyunje winked, and Yoojin would be a liar if it didn't do anything to him.

"How did Yerim and Soyoung even know each other?" This question had honestly bothered Yoojin more than he cared to admit, the fact is, this idea was so out of place.

"There's a cafe that Yerim likes to go to near campus, right?" Hyunje began, and Yoojin nodded, recalling the last time they'd ordered a cake was also from that same shop. "Apparently, Soyoung likes to go there too, and they're also in the same year."

Yoojin started connecting the dots, though some parts still didn't fully make sense. "Ahh, okay, I guess that makes a little sense. I'll ask Yerim more about it."

Hyunje nodded, a thin smile forming. "You should, it's quite hilarious, actually."

"Can I tell you something?" Hyunje spoke again after they walked in silence for a while.

They'd been circling the park for almost two hours, and Yoojin was starting to get hungry from all the walking.

"Yeah?"

"I'm hurt. How could you think so lowly of me?"

"Didn't I mention we don't really know much about each other yet?"

Hyunje nodded again, keeping his eyes steady on Yoojin by his side. "Loud and clear. But I can't possibly be more interested in anyone other than you."

Yoojin immediately turned his head to look at Hyunje so swiftly that it almost hurt. "Sure, whatever you say, Mr. Bigshot Lawyer."

"I'm serious! I'll do anything you want from me right now." Hyunje had a wide grin plastered across his face as he crossed his fingers in a praying pose.

"That's a dangerous thing to say, Hyunje-ssi. You really should be careful."

"I'm serious, Yoojin-ssi."

"Hmmm, I am very hungry right now..."

In an instant, Yoojin could see the light flickering on in Hyunje's golden eyes. "I did promise you to make those cabbage rolls."

"I see you remembered..."

"Of course. So, what do you say?"

Yoojin stopped on his tracks, and Hyunje followed suit. "That does sound tempting," he teased, because of course Han Yoojin would find that tempting, and of course he would tease Sung Hyunje, why wouldn't he?

"Is that a yes?"

Yoojin nodded softly. "Lead the way."

It was just a matter of seconds before Hyunje grabbed Yoojin's hand in his, pulling him away against the current of people walking the path, back to home.

**

"I think you should start selling recipes."

Yoojin said as he finally finished his plate. Since the very start of their impromptu dinner, Han Yoojin had been so focused on his meal that they had eaten in complete silence, too absorbed in the food to talk. Well, in Hyunje's defense, he had tried to talk, but Yoojin seemed so happily preoccupied that Hyunje didn't bother to press it. Instead, Sung Hyunje had resorted to watch how Yoojin's eyes would crinkle softly, how his nose would scrunch when the tender meat melted in his mouth, and how his excitement seemed to grow whenever he munched away at the cabbages.

In fact, Sung Hyunje would go as far as to say that watching Yoojin enjoy those rolls was far better than eating his own dinner.

"Now you're telling me to sell recipes?" Hyunje repeated, taking Yoojin's empty plate to carry it over to the sink. Yoojin immediately tailed him from behind, like a bumblebee buzzing toward a flower.

Hyunje turned on the tap and started working his way through the utensils. He didn't say anything to Yoojin, choosing instead to simply keep the younger man by his side, and Yoojin seemed to catch on to the unspoken intention.

"I'm being so serious right now, Hyunje-ssi, it's really good."

Han Yoojin was rolling back and forth on the ball of his foot, looking over at the rolled sleeves decorating Hyunje's arms and watching those long tapered fingers work the soap and water. His mind was starting to drift away with certain thoughts.

Hyunje momentarily glanced back at Yoojin and smiled, a chuckle warming his voice. "Are you now?"

"Yeah, it's definitely something to consider," Yoojin added with a decisive nod.

Hyunje sighed softly, passing the now-cleaned utensils to Yoojin. "Can you help wipe them with the napkin there?" He eyed the green napkin laying nearby on the counter, positioning Yoojin right beside him.

Yoojin simply nodded and took the green napkin, expertly drying the utensils and putting them away from the water.

"Hmm, selling recipes? I'm not exactly in dire need of anything monetary…" Hyunje said, turning his attention to the plates.

Show off. Yoojin thinks briefly.

"Well then, you can start a cooking blog," Yoojin suggested immediately.

Hyunje chuckled, finding the idea growing into an even larger commitment as he scrubbed away the plates. "Now, how will I fit that into my schedule? I think you're starting to forget that I'm a very busy man."

Yoojin clicked his tongue. "Oh right. So busy that you still have time to send me pictures of your lunch and dinner."

Hyunje passed the cleaned plates to Yoojin, who wiped them on autopilot. "Now now, don't compare yourself like that."

"Like what?" Yoojin followed Hyunje's movements as he finished wiping the plates and carefully placed them in the drying rack alongside the utensils.

He watched Hyunje grab two bottles from his wine rack — one red, one white. Hyunje lifted both, signaling for Yoojin to choose. Yoojin, of course, chose the red one. Hyunje simply nodded, placed the white wine back, and took out two chilled wine glasses.

They settled back onto the couch, the invisible wall between them reappearing, the only sound was of the soft splash of wine into the glasses.

"Like you're insignificant," Hyunje finally replied, meeting Yoojin's eyes as he handed over a glass. "You matter more to me than you'd believe."

The television is tuned to Barley's favorite show, a marine documentary primarily focusing on whales. Barley's laying on the carpet, just a couple of feet away from them.

They were side-by-side on the sofa. Yoojin had both his legs folded onto the cushion, while Hyunje sat with one leg tucked beneath him. They were separated by an invisible wall, a space no thicker than three inches and neither wanted to move right now. Or rather, both were desperately trying not to move, for heaven knew what would happen if either of them shifted even by an inch. The quiet tension in that small gap was stronger than any noise.

Hyunje swirls his glass while Yoojin continues to sip his wine, "I- I don't know if I should believe you or not."

"And why's that?" Hyunje approaches the statement gently, sniffing the scent of his wine before drinking it.

"Hmm, people tend to say things they don't mean in times of desperation. So, are you desperate Hyunje-ssi?"

"I'm not a desparate man Yoojin-ssi. But I am a patient man and in this case I choose to want you. That is, if you allow me to."

Hyunje turns to look at Yoojin. He's looking up at wooden panelled ceilings, his hand still swirling his glass of wine steadily as he rests them on his knee. Something within Sung Hyunje had unfurled as he watches the brows contort and softening while Yoojin drowns in his own thoughts.

"I think I need a bit of time to think it through."

The answer comes sooner than Hyunje had expected, even if it wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear. But Sung Hyunje had honestly prepared for the worst, so this was far better. "Of course, that's fine." he nods too, "In the meantime, I suppose we can use the time to know each other more."

Yoojin nods in accordance, "Yeah, okay we can do that. I'll start first then."

And so Yoojin starts telling Hyunje tales of how he grew up, how his parents had always had a slight aversion towards Yoohyun in ways Yoojin could never understand, how his parents had died in a car crash in his late teens and had fortunately left a lot of inheritance for him and his brother, how he had considered dropping out of veterinary school and wanted to move to the US instead, how he had a falling out with his brother for two years right after he graduated since Yoohyun was so ready to give his life away in the burning flames of being a fire fighter.

There were stories that Yoojin had never been able to tell anyone else and yet here he is, allowing himself to such vulnerability that he has no other choice but to lay bare under Hyunje's tender gaze.

It was after Yoojin recalled how his peers were treating him so unfairly that he stopped himself. It wasn't because he was uncomfortable telling the tales, but because the raw, distressed look on Hyunje's face while listening was a weight Yoojin didn't think he could bear.

Seeing Yoojin faltered, Hyunje had gently transitioned, offering stories about his own life, starting with his parents. His father was English, his mother Korean, and he had been raised abroad, only returning to Seoul during high school. He didn't dwell on the difficulties of the transition, merely mentioning that it was "interesting" to live through different locations. Hyunje then shared that he had a considerable age gap with his older sister, a bit over a decade. It was while Hyunje was recounting stories of his law school days that he notices Yoojin had finally drifted off, leaning his weight against Hyunje.

"Ah, did I make you sleepy?" Hyunje asks lightly, his voice barely a whisper as he gently pushed the hair from Yoojin's eyes.

With careful, deliberate movements, Hyunje lifted Yoojin and carried him to his bedroom. He placed Yoojin gently on the bed and tucked him beneath the soft duvet.

A subtle, contented smile softened the lines of Hyunje's face. He bent his knees and reached down to gently cup Yoojin's cheek in his palm. "We'll have many more days of these Yoojin-ssi," he murmurs.

Then, he quietly shuts the door.

**

Early mornings for Han Yoojin had always held two different interpretations. The first is that he would lose a lot of sleep, having to start the day early and getting exhausted and sleepy earlier throughout the day. The second one, however would be ones where he's left alone with his own thoughts, retracing back his own life, recounting all the things he's done. It's an empty pocket in time where it's just him and himself alone, a space where he has his whole life laid out infront of his eyes. Today's one of those days where the second one seem to be fleshed out.

He's been awake for roughly two hours now and all those one hundred and more minutes has been spent retracing back the things that he's done ever since he met Sung Hyunje. He wouldn't deny that the chemistry between them was palpable, but chemistry could be fleeting; it could be artificial. What Han Yoojin considered far more important was compatibility with the older man. And the comfort, the honesty, and the unexpected domesticity of last night had completely sealed the deal for him. That was the thought currently occupying every corner of his mind.

He's aware that as different as they might seem on the surface, there's just really more than what's shown on the surface. Beneath the multiple layers that holds Sung Hyunje's being together is someone that shares the same values, someone that sees through the same lenses as himself. Han Yoojin had found this fact jarring ever since that distant night they first shared a meal.

One thing Han Yoojin had found himself doing more often now, as he approached forty, was that it felt easier now — accepting that it was fine to let someone in, and completely okay to shut people off when they crossed the boundaries of no return.

What he's practiced ever since he turned twenty was simple: no matter how many times people have dissapointed him, missused his trust, and even broken his heart, he would never allow himself to be stuck on that. He wouldn't hold onto that pain any longer than necessary. Of course, it hurts — to let someone in, give them your trust, let them see the colors of your soul only to have them cast you away, but Han Yoojin was also aware that this was his first and likely only time being alive. So be it. Grief in itself was part of life, a part of the bitter reality of love, and he had accepted that a long time ago.

All that's left of him now is to just say the words, to allow them to surface in the reality starting to shape itself around him and Hyunje. All he needs to be is to be brave, for his own being.

There's the sound of pans clattering around the kitchen, the stove turned on, and the toasty scent of butter wafting through the air could only mean one thing: Hyunje was awake.

The only thing separating Yoojin from the new, possible reality waiting to unfold was the closed wooden door. And so, Han Yoojin started moving. He slid out of bed, opened the curtains to let the light flood the room, and quickly made the bed. Finally, he tightened his grip around the doorknob, holding it firm for a moment before turning it and stepping out.

Hyunje was the first to notice. He looked up from the cutting board of chopped broccoli, offered a smile, and then resumed his task. "You're finally awake. I was hoping the noise might wake you up."

"Hmm, someone had to move around very loudly." Yoojin replies almost mumbling though there was no spite in his tone.

As he rubs his eyes and closed the door behind him, Yoojin could still see the soft, lingering smile on Hyunje's face. He likes this. He likes seeing how the curves of Hyunje's lips would turn upwards ever so slightly, as if he was almost shy to smile in the first place. He likes the fact that he could see this now, and looks forward to the many more days ahead.

Dragging his feet to the kitchen, Yoojin reached for a glass from the cupboards as if he had known all along where it was placed. He turned on the tap water, filling the glass just a few inches before it started to brim. Once he was done drinking, he placed the glass on the counter and walked straight over to Hyunje.

One thing led to another, and the next thing Hyunje felt was a warm body leaning into his back, arms wrapping tightly around his waist. For a second, Hyunje could swear he felt his heart drop into the abyss before the feeling crashed over him — like an overloaded system finally processing what was happening.

"Yoojin-ssi?"

Han Yoojin is hugging him.

Han Yoojin is holding him.

Han Yoojin was the first to initiate.

This made it very difficult for Sung Hyunje to maintain a steady breath; he was sure if it weren't for the embrace, his knees would have completely given out. So, with shaky hands, he cautiously set the knife down on the cutting board and moved them near the sink, just in case.

Hyunje could feel the vibration from Yoojin as he hums in response. "Hmm?"

Hyunje slowly inhaled, steadying his voice. "I take this as your answer?"

"Yeah. Let's try this, let's try this chance."

Hyunje turns around gently in the confines of the hug, making sure Yoojin never let go. "Okay. Let's do that." And with that confirmation, Hyunje brought his arms up, finally returning the embrace with everything he had.

Yoojin chuckles, leaning into the comfort of Hyunje's arms. "Been a long time coming huh?"

They stand there, in the middle of the kitchen, swaying gently from side to side in each other's arms. Hyunje rested his face deeper into the crook of Yoojin's neck, breathing in the moment, breathing in the very being of Han Yoojin. His smile only grew wider, because in that instant, everything had finally, fully, made sense.

I knew it. I've known all along.

"Hahahahaha, you have no idea how long I've waited for you."

"Whatever that means Mr. Romantic."

It means a lot Yoojin-ssi.

"Time will tell."

Chapter Text

Hyunje-ssi

Dinner at my place?
14.51

What exactly are you planning to cook?
Don't you have a meeting tomorrow morning?
14.55

I was thinking we could use the bbq grill
we bought last week.
Oh right that meeting, it's fine.
Nothing too complicated
15.00

Hyunje-ssi, you were the one that bought that griller.
It's yours
15.01

Aww come on, it's for us to use.
I barely use it when I'm by myself, you know that my love
15.02

Yoojin squints his eyes momentarily, pulling his phone from his eyes at the sudden word thrown out. He's not really sure if he likes this or finds it hilarious or even finds it cringey. What he's sure of, however, is that he definitely shuddered — hairs tensing up and what not.

Are we really using that?
15.04

Hmm? what ever it is you're asking of sweetie?
15.04

"He's doing it on purpose isn't he…" Yoojin mumbles, dragging Myeongwoo's attention on him.

"Huh? Who are you talking about?"

Yoojin grows silent, unsure of what to say. Technically it's been almost two months now since the two of them had agreed to trying things out, to put work into this relationship, but they haven't really talked about how would they share the news to people around them. Yoojin, in particular have said that Yoohyun wasn't going to go with this news easily and instead only got a laughing Sung Hyunje in return.

Well I don't know my love,
we should try to find another word more fitting,
hmm sweet pumpkin?
15.05

Oh my that's so sweet of you, anyway
I take it we're having dinner at my place?
I have another meeting in ten minutes
15.05

Yes we are having dinner at your place.
Do you have any meat left in your fridge?
15.06

Ah, no… Barley ate most of them
I do still have a lot of veggies and garlics etc
15.06

Okay, I'll pick some on the way.
See you at 19?
15.06

Yes, see you at 19.
If I'm not home yet just let yourself in.
Miss you ^^
15.07

Got it.
Hyunje-ssi we just saw each other this morning
miss u too tho
15.07
seen

Yoojin then casts his phone aside and resumed his work. Well if work consists of having to tackle a bunch of paperwork he needed to crosscheck for their monthly inventory, then sure, work.

**

"Hey, sorry I'm late."

It was 7:24 PM, and Hyunje had just stepped into his house, closing the front door behind him. Han Yoojin was lazily stretched out on the sofa with Barley snuggled beside him. He looked up to see a very pouty Sung Hyunje in the doorway.

"Why is your face like that?" Yoojin pointed out.

"I'm seeing a very nice view right now and I really wish I could see it everyday."

The sing-song tone Hyunje was putting on called in for theatrics, something that Han Yoojin had been getting used to now. It's one of the indicators that Hyunje's actually in a good mood, too happy in fact.

Yoojin sits up from his spot, stretching his limbs and walked over to Hyunje. "Hmmm, I'm assuming the meeting went well?"

It didn't take long for Hyunje to pull Yoojin close from behind and rests his chin on Yoojin's shoulder. "I suppose…" Hyunje sighs, nuzzling his nose into Yoojin's nape and elicits a light tickle.

"Well, we reached an agreement," Hyunje hummed to a tune Yoojin had been hearing more frequently. "Doesn't really matter if they're happy or not. It was the best option we could provide them."

As Yoojin holds the hands circled around him, he slowly moves to the fridge and opens it. "I see, when's the court hearing then?"

"In two days…"

Two days… that's on the eight….

"That reminds me, I'm going to visit my parents with Yoohyun that day."

Yoojin was bracing himself for Hyunje to stop their small waltz, to stiffen, or to pull away. Instead, Hyunje simply tightened his grip around Yoojin's waist. "Do you want me to pick you up after? I'm practically free after court."

"Looks like someone's schedule has become quite flexible nowadays."

It's undeniable to Han Yoojin that Hyunje have been making up more time for him. There's days where they spend early mornings together, doing their own activities unrushed. There are also days like today where they spend the night together, talking about their days and what's to come in the coming days.

It is also undeniable to Yoojin that Hyunje is a genuine person (at least to him), that sometimes Han Yoojin has it difficult to perceive Hyunje as something else. He has always perceived Hyunje as someone that is sensible and patient with him, though this also comes with the fact that Han Yoojin couldn't turn a blind eye on the moral ambiguity that surrounds Hyunje's mind when it comes to his profession.

"Well, you know I've been sharing some of my work load with Soyoung. She's handling it better than I expected, actually. Makes me wonder why I didn't do this earlier."

Yoojin shrugged, taking out a couple of beer cans from the fridge and placing them on the counter. "Looks like you have me to thank for."

Hyunje hummed, nuzzling deeper. "Indeed, thank you, my love," he whispered, leaving trails of kisses along Yoojin's nape.

For a while, it was simply Hyunje relishing the man in his arms, and Yoojin allowing himself to sink in deeper than he had ever intended. Then, a low rumble emerges from his stomach.

"Hahahah, can we eat now? I'm starving."

"Oh that reminds me," Hyunje releases his warm embrace, leaving Yoojin missing the ghost of its warmth. "I bought some oranges with me."

"Perfect."

**

The quiet of the cemetery was a stark contrast to the rush of the city Yoojin was used to. There, Yoojin stood beside his brother, the familiar granite of their parents' headstone cool beneath his fingertips. They had completed the Charye (ancestral rites) earlier, and now the lingering scent of incense mixed with the late autumn breeze.

After a long silence, Yoohyun shifted, pushing his hands into his pockets. "I'm heading back to the station now, Hyung."

Yoojin didn't need to ask why. He knew Yoohyun felt little connection to the people buried beneath the stone. Their relationship with their parents had always been distant and Yoohyun, had instead fully embraced the communal family of the fire department instead.

"Yeah," Yoojin murmured, his eyes fixed on the names. "Text me when you get there."

Yoohyun offered a quick, gentle squeeze to his shoulder and was gone, leaving Yoojin alone with the ghosts of the past.

Yoojin remained there for another twenty minutes, the silence pressing in. He began to feel the familiar, unpleasant creep of angst, the ridiculous, heavy weight of isolation that always threatened to overwhelm him when he was left alone to trace the empty contours of his life. Today, he absolutely didn't want to get stuck in that loop.

He pulled out his phone, his thumb hovering over the contact for Sung Hyunje. It was barely five in the evening, and Hyunje was supposed to be free after the court hearing. It felt strange, almost needy, to show up unannounced. Yet, the image of Hyunje's face, warm and open, was infinitely more appealing than the ruins of his own mind.

For once, he couldn't stand the thought of being alone right now.

With a deep breath, Yoojin pressed the call button.

"Yoojin-ssi?" Hyunje's voice, slightly formal but immediately softening, answered on the second ring.

"Hyunje-ssi," Yoojin started, rubbing his temple. "Are you busy? I... I just left the memorial."

There was a brief silence on the other end. "No, not busy at all. The hearing wrapped up faster than expected. I'm just reading some drafts at home." Hyunje’s tone shifted, becoming immediately focused. "Are you okay? Do you want me to come pick you up?"

"No, I..." Yoojin shook his head, though Hyunje couldn't see it. "I'm fine. Actually, I was thinking of coming over."

A beat of surprise, followed by an immediate tenderness. "Hey, of course it's okay love. Come over and I'll put on some tea."

The casual use of endearment, which still felt new and slightly thrilling, instantly broke the tension Yoojin was holding. He finally let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"I'll be there soon."

Yoojin slipped the phone back into his pocket, his step immediately lighter as he headed for the main path. The feeling of heavy isolation was already receding, replaced by a simple, definite destination.

Home.

**

The sky's clear today…

Hyunje lets out another sigh, moving his limbs as he floats in the body of water.

It's been awhile since Barley had even an ounce of playfulness, so when Hyunje had seen the goldie excitedly running around the garden chasing a yellow butterfly from his study, he couldn't help but to quickly finish finalizing the remaining of his work and joined Barley in the garden.

Eventually, when Barley had belatedly realized that Hyunje had joined him in the garden, the golden retriever had howled at him whilst running around — captivated at the yellow fluttering wings, it was then when Barley had also accidentally fell into the swimming pool.

There was a certain sense of nostalgia when the scene had unfolded under his golden eyes. It had reminded Hyunje of the early days when he moved into the house and Barley still a pup, swimming happily in the pool. It was around ten years ago when that happened and more than ten years had passed since Sung Hyunje had decided that he was going to try living, at least for the puppy he then had adopted.

Those days had felt so distant and so vivid now that it's been playing in his mind like an old film being featured again in the theaters.

At the back of his cold drenched head, there's a distant voice calling. A recollection of Yoojin's plenty mentions of him, he likes it. How the younger man calls him, "Hyunje-ssi…"

Ah yes there's him now.

Han Yoojin has been an addition in his life that he hadn't had the time to prepare for but had so carefully weaved his presence into his life. Sung Hyunje was always someone who had time and had his life planned out for him, someone who knew what he wanted and knew what to do to prepare for it.

But that's the thing, no one's really ever prepared for it. For love. To have life figured out, living your days like you've always had on autopilot and then one day, one single act had rewired the system he had practiced for so long. That one single act that he now knows he wants to choose and knows that he will be chosen. It's been fulfilling, in ways that Hyunje had never been prepared for but will always choose to embrace.

Then, the waves carries him further. Water splashing in all directions, some rolling down over his face and clouding his eyes. Wait a minute…

"Hyunje-ssi!? Are you okay?"

Oh, it's Yoojin.

It's him.

Hyunje blinks slowly, blinking away the water from his eyes and sees Han Yoojin above him, his raven hair drenched and sticking to his face. His face… he's never seen that look before on him, he's upset? No, that's not it.

Hyunje's arm reached up and parts the hair from poking Yoojin's eyes. He could feel the warm water dripping as it touches his fingers, "You're here."

"What are you doing in the pool at this hour? You'll catch a cold." Yoojin was quick with his reprimands, but Hyunje stayed silent and instead continued to stroke his cheeks, now growing to shades colored with hues of rose.

It takes a moment for Hyunje to rebalance himself, positioning himself down so that his feet touches the bottom of the pool. He could feel his neck starting to stiffen from holding the starfish pose for long. "Hmm, where's Barley?" he asks once he's standing and floating next to Yoojin.

"I called and dried him up before I saw you floating around."

"And then you decided to get into the pool?"

"Well, someone wasn't responding when I called him. I thought you fainted or something."

Hyunje tries to muffle his chuckle, but it's really pointless to do so. He relents, but instead of waiting for Yoojin to come up with another reply, he wraps his arm around his waist and pulls him closer.

Underneath the cold water, Hyunje could feel the warmth radiating from Yoojin's body, how it feels like to have a person that's just for you. Maybe, there was a point to what his therapist had said many years ago. Or maybe, it was always up to Hyunje to find it within himself to learn and plant his own garden and now he's tending the blooming flowers.

There was a low hum, perhaps it was due to the small gap between the two of them. Perhaps it was due to how close they were that every intake and exhale had felt like pieces of their soul being entwined into a singular thread. Perhaps it was how Hyunje had leaned in and closed the gap — meeting Yoojin's cold and wet lips. It was nothing short, it was anything but a short sweet kiss.

Yoojin followed up with a pull over Hyunje's neck and hot breaths are exchanged as teeths clashed and tongues twisted as they pull themselves closer, molding into the corners of their own souls. And suddenly, the low hum that had filled the air earlier was now replaced with a steadier beat of their heart as they take their own time to map and unravel each other.

Hyunje chuckles again, breathing into the kiss. "We should get out now, or we'll both get a cold."

"We probably should." Yoojin nods.

It was only after Barley had barked at them that they got out and moved elsewhere.

**

"I heard from a little bird that Sung Hyunje interrupted your class earlier."

"How the hell do you know that?"

It was lunchtime, and it also happened to be one of the days that Moon Hyuna was free from afternoon lectures. This could only mean one thing: she was up to something. But nevertheless, these kind of days were always beneficial for Han Yoojin because of one thing: he gets free lunch at Pan Breaks, a Korean fusion restaurant that Moon Hyuna happened to own. Really, it was all out of convenience.

One of Hyuna's brows quirked upwards. "So you're not even denying it?"

"I asked you where you heard it from. Answer me first. It's kind of crazy that a professor from another faculty knows," Yoojin replied, sipping his ginger ale.

"You are aware there are students from my faculty in your class, right?"

"Yeah, but none of them are in the class you're doing."

Yoojin was technically correct. Hyuna’s courses were only accessible to students with enough credits, typically in their fourth or fifth semester, while Yoojin's class, Introduction to Animal Welfare & Ethics, was strictly for second-semester intakes.

"Have you considered the idea that maybe one of those students is close with my TA?"

"And you just like to gossip with your TA, don't you?"

At this, Moon Hyuna shamelessly laughed. "Hey, not my fault that Heeyeon and I are like soul sisters."

Yoojin shrugged. "Sure, if that's what you believe in."

Hyuna rolled her eyes and signaled the staff to bring over more drinks. "Now, give me the details."

Yoojin waited for the staff to come over with their second round before offering a very short summary of what had happened. "Hmm, he just came in briefly before class started and brought me my tumbler. Nothing much."

"Your tumbler?"

Yoojin nodded.

"Why does he have your tumbler?"

"Because it wasn't with me."

"Oh, come on, man, tell me more!" Hyuna pleaded, slumping dramatically in her seat.

Yoojin just laughed some more, refusing to elaborate on the exact circumstances of how the tumbler ended up at Hyunje's house overnight.

**

Han Yoojin was slightly confused at his phone vibrating by the night table; normally, only very few people could bypass his Do Not Disturb setting. So, with one leg already tucked in the comforting warmth under his blanket, he reached out for his phone.

Though when he read the caller's ID, he couldn't deny the growing concern bubbling in him.

"Hyunje-ssi, you're still awake?"

Hours before this, the two had talked over the phone, and while the call went longer than expected, it was Hyunje who had bid his goodnight first, saying he was going to sleep early since his head had been giving him migraines since lunchtime.

"Yoojin-ssi... I..." The voice on the other end was rough, low, and immediately followed by a wracking, brutal fit of coughing that sounded like it was tearing through the speaker.

Yoojin was instantly wide awake, both legs on the floor. "Hyunje-ssi! What was that? Are you okay?"

Hyunje managed a shaky breath. "I think I caught something at the pool the other day. It's just a cold..." He trailed off, followed by another muffled cough.

"Just a cold? You sound awful. Did you take anything?" Yoojin was already scrambling out of bed, pulling on the nearest shirt.

"I took some cold medicine, but... the fever won't break. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called. I just..."

"Stay in bed and just wait for me, okay?" Yoojin instructed, grabbing his keys and a backpack. "I'm coming over. You need proper medications."

Yoojin hung up, adrenaline overriding his exhaustion. He packed a small pouch of serious cold medicines, an oral thermometer, and his hoodie. He knew Hyunje wouldn't admit to needing help, but Han Yoojin couldn't care if he needed it or not. He was still going to do it even if Hyunje relents.

Twenty four minutes later, Yoojin slipped into Hyunje's darkened bedroom. The humid, heavy air was thick with sweat and medicinal air. Hyunje lay tangled in his sheets, looking impossibly frail and vulnerable.

"You came," Hyunje whispered, his eyes opening slowly.

"Of course I came," Yoojin scolded softly, kneeling by the bed. "Just rest after you take these medicines."

Once Yoojin hears a hum of reply from Hyunje and made sure he had swallowed all the pills, Yoojin checks his temperature, which was spiking absurdly high. He then quietly fetched a cool cloth for Hyunje's forehead.

Yoojin spent the rest of the night in the armchair, watching Hyunje's breathing, listening to the coughs lessen until they faded to simple, congested snores. Somehow along the blurred lines of reality, Han Yoojin had been convinced of one thing, this was something that the two of them would do more as they progress ahead and he liked the thought of that. It was a quiet comfort.

**

When Yoojin woke up with a stiff neck, the room was filled with the soft, gentle light of morning. Hyunje was watching him, looking pale but vastly improved.

"Good morning," Hyunje rasped, his voice still rough.

"Morning," Yoojin smiled, stretching, and walked over to the window to open it, letting in the crisp air. "You look less soulless now. Did the fever break?"

Hyunje waited for Yoojin to return to his bedside, watching him move around the room with a sense of déjà vu. He was sure the sickness had warped his mind, but this felt different—it felt like something familiar, something remembered.

"I think so. I haven't coughed in an hour." Hyunje cleared his throat carefully. He reached out a shaky hand and caught Yoojin's wrist, his grip surprisingly firm.

"Here, sit here." Hyunje gently swayed Yoojin’s arm, pulling him to sit across from him on the edge of the mattress.

Once the two were on similar eye-level, Hyunje started telling Yoojin what had been consuming his thoughts ever since he woke up.

"For starters, you need to promise me you're not going to laugh." Hyunje paused, waiting for Yoojin to nod. "Okay, this has been going around in my mind for a while, so bear with me." Hyunje sees Yoojin quirk his brows but continued, "I was going to wait until New Year's to even mention this to you, but after last night, I really can't find it in me to wait and hold it in."

Yoojin nodded again, slowly, and reached to hold Hyunje's hands, linking their fingers. "Hyunje-ssi, it's okay."

Something within Hyunje broke apart and rebuilt itself in a split second as he heard those words. He couldn't help but smile even wider.

"I know we agreed to do this slowly, patiently, and all. And it is the right decision, but after last night... I kept thinking what if it was you, what if I was late, what if we were late for each other. I know we're both adults, but that's the thing. I want to take care of you like how you did to me, and the idea of not being able to do that every waking hour is starting to feel like hell for me."

"So, you're saying we should move in together?"

Hyunje looked up from his fingers entwined with Yoojin's and saw a knowing glint in his eyes, the faint smirk lingering on his lips was also not helping. "Yes, we should move in together."

Then, Yoojin snickered, letting out the laugh he had clearly been stifling since Hyunje started his impromptu love declaration. Hyunje, however, frowned playfully. "Yoojin-ssi, you promised not to laugh."

"Sorry, sorry. It's just for a lawyer, it's surprising you took the long route to the conclusion."

"Well, in court there are rules. But with you... those don't apply."

"Yeah, we should do that. I've been thinking about it for a while now too, actually."

Yoojin could swear he saw Hyunje's golden orbs light up like the sun. "Really?" Hyunje asked again, as if genuinely in disbelief. Yoojin knew Hyunje just wanted to hear it again, and so Yoojin follows.

"Yes, Hyunje-ssi. We should live together. Hmm, I think I'll move in, sounds good?"

Hyunje nodded vigorously, an uncanny resemblance to Barley when he was presented with a new bone. "That'll be perfect!"

"Not this year, though," Yoojin added. Hyunje instantly slumped, and Yoojin had to cover his mouth to stifle his laugh this time. "Look, Peace needs time to get used to a new environment, and we don't know how he’ll do with Barley."

Hyunje slumped even lower and reached out to gently grab Yoojin by the waist. "He'll do fine. In fact, I'm pretty sure they'll get along."

Once Hyunje was sure that Yoojin wasn't going to move away, he moved to rest his head on Yoojin's thigh and encircled his arms around his waist. "It's your brother I'm worried about."

"Oh, right," Yoojin reacted belatedly, just now realizing that they had their monthly sleepover and his brother's particular disdain for the attorney. "It'll be fine, eventually."

Hyunje didn't reply immediately after Yoojin's remark, choosing to hum and drive himself deeper into the new cushion he'd made a discovery of.

"Yoojin-ssi?"

"You're not going back to sleep?" Yoojin asked in the middle of stroking the golden locks underneath him.

"No." Hyunje paused, a pregnant pause. "Be honest with me, you're the one moving because it's closer to campus and the clinic, right?"

Yoojin bursts out laughing.