The Country Life Diary of a Gangster's Secretary-Chapter 116

When Lee Hyuk was excited and pushed his limits, Hyesung did admit that he often suffered the next day. He had even exaggerated his discomfort to tease Lee Hyuk, not knowing how much it had stuck with him.

"Then why don’t you just stop doing it?"

"I can’t. That’s absolutely not an option."

Lee Hyuk responded seriously to Hyesung’s joking remark, redoubling his efforts to relieve the muscle pain.

"You must be tired, so get some more sleep. I’ll wake you up later. Let me know if it gets too cold."

Lee Hyuk seemed focused, carefully massaging Hyesung with the heat pack, making sure it wasn’t too cold for him. It was a sight Hyesung had never imagined in his entire life. In fact, ever since he and Lee Hyuk had started dating, Hyesung had often felt like he was in a dream.

He had wondered if he was lost in some delusion or fantasy, not really grasping the reality of it all.

But Lee Hyuk continuously expressed his feelings and showed his affection through actions. He had promised to show Hyesung what it truly felt like to be loved. Now, here he was, wearing comfortable clothes, his hair a mess, and being touched with care and affection.

"Ahjussi."

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"For what? The massage?"

"No."

As Lee Hyuk’s hands continued to work their magic, Hyesung’s eyes began to droop again.

"For showing up in front of me six years ago."

"…"

At those drowsy words, Lee Hyuk’s hands suddenly stopped.

"I really, really like you…"

With those words, Hyesung drifted back into sleep. Lee Hyuk put down the heat pack, carefully tucked Hyesung under the blanket, and lay down next to him.

"…"

Lee Hyuk gently brushed the hair away from Hyesung’s face, taking in the sight of his pale, innocent features. He wanted to treat him well, wanted Hyesung, who had likely faced many wounds and had become more accustomed to resignation than hope, to feel that he was truly loved because of him.

Yet, even though Hyesung should have been the one receiving all the affection, he was still trying to give Lee Hyuk something even bigger and more precious in return.

"I still have a long way to go."

Lee Hyuk wrapped his arms around Hyesung, holding him tightly. Hyesung had thanked him for appearing in his life six years ago, but it was Lee Hyuk who should have been grateful.

When Hyesung walked into his life, like stepping into a crumbling building, he became an irreplaceable stroke of luck in Lee Hyuk’s life.

"This toast isn’t very good, Ahjussi."

Hyesung delivered a blunt assessment as he took a big bite out of the toast that Lee Hyuk had made for him.

"Sorry. I promise I’ll make it better next time."

Lee Hyuk wasn’t used to eating breakfast regularly. Still, after keeping Hyesung up all night, he wanted to make sure his lover was well-fed, but of course, Hyesung wasn’t one to mince words.

"Take it easy and relax. I’ll let the driver know to take you home."

Lee Hyuk reached out and wiped away the ketchup at the corner of Hyesung’s mouth, then casually licked it off his own finger.

"It’s fine. I’ll just take the bus home."

"But your body’s sore."

"Why should I ride in your private driver’s car, Ahjussi? I’m really fine."

Lee Hyuk, always quick to tease, then suggested that Hyesung could stay at the house longer if he wanted. As Lee Hyuk fetched some juice from the fridge, Hyesung fell into thought for a moment.

"By the way, Ahjussi, are you okay with this? With me staying here like this?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, technically, I’m unemployed. The only work I’m doing right now is just tending to a small garden at home."

Lee Hyuk naturally pulled up a chair and sat next to Hyesung. He propped his chin in his hand, as if to admire Hyesung while he chewed his toast.

"Of course, it doesn’t matter. So what if you’re unemployed? I make enough money. I can easily support you, Hyesung."

"I know you can. But still…"

Hyesung trailed off, hesitating for a moment. Seeing the complex expression on his face, Lee Hyuk reached out and patted his head.

"Hyesung, don’t rush things. Think about what you really want to do and act on it. That’s your specialty."

There was an endless trust in Lee Hyuk’s touch.

"…Okay."

For some reason, the heavy feeling in Hyesung’s heart seemed to lift. Just a single word and a simple touch from Lee Hyuk had cleared the fog in his mind, making everything feel clearer.

The commute to work, which used to feel monotonous, no longer felt that way these days. Even the mechanical greetings from the staff and the repetitive scenery no longer seemed boring.

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In fact, there hadn’t been any major changes. It was just that he now received a kiss from Hyesung in the morning before heading to work.

But that brief moment had turned the start of his day around completely. He had never believed in sayings like "Love makes the world look rosy," but now he understood all too well why people said such things.

After all, there was no falsehood in the words born from others' experiences.

"There are no major changes to the schedule this morning."

"Alright. Got it."

Hyesung must still be at home. For some reason, Lee Hyuk could almost smell a sweet, soapy scent at the tip of his nose, as if it were really there.

"Sir, it seems you’ve been in a good mood lately."

"Why do you say that?"

Stepping out of the elevator, Lee Hyuk walked down the corridor with Secretary Yoo.

"It’s just a feeling. You seem a bit more upbeat. If I’m wrong, I apologize."

"No, you’re right, Secretary Yoo. I have been in a good mood… I guess."

Lee Hyuk smiled at the thought of Hyesung.

Why wouldn’t he be in a good mood? He had a young, cute, beautiful, and smart boyfriend now.

Secretary Yoo adjusted her glasses at the sight of a smile she had never seen on Lee Hyuk’s face before. For some reason, she didn’t feel like asking any more questions.

"Oh, you’re here, sir."

Even when Kang Sungjin barged into his office without permission, Lee Hyuk didn’t get angry. His good mood didn’t completely disappear, though it did waver slightly.

"Secretary Yoo, you can leave now."

"Yes, sir."

After giving a polite nod to Sungjin, Secretary Yoo closed the door and left.

"What’s going on so early in the morning?"

"Hey, why haven’t you been hanging out with me lately?"

"Did you come all the way here this early just to ask me that?"

The smile that had been on Lee Hyuk’s face just a moment ago vanished in an instant.

"Be honest with me. Something’s going on, isn’t it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why else would you keep turning me down when I invite you out for drinks or a meal? It’s not like you have that many friends."

It was obvious: he’d been rushing home after work every day to meet Hyesung. If Hyesung were still his secretary, they could have spent the entire day together, but that wasn’t the case anymore.

Now that Lee Hyuk had become aware of his feelings, emotions he hadn’t known existed began to flood in, like missing him, wanting to be closer to him, and things like that. He wanted to touch him and hear his voice constantly.

"Did things not go well with that blind date you went on? Why are you taking it out on me?"

"You really know how to poke at someone’s sore spot."

Sungjin leaned back comfortably on the sofa. A brief silence fell between them.

"…Did you know that Executive Director Choi Sung-chan has been gathering with company executives recently?"

Sungjin’s tone suddenly became much more serious.

"That guy’s always been like that, hasn’t he?"

"Yeah, he has. He’s always been a social butterfly. But lately, something feels off. He makes me uneasy."

Sungjin, who usually came across as a laid-back, almost goofy neighborhood guy, occasionally displayed a sharp instinct.

Sungjin had probably been somewhat favorable toward Executive Director Choi until now. He had spoken about him quite openly, even at Hyesung’s house.

Given that Sungjin was now speaking with such concern, Lee Hyuk knew it wasn’t just idle talk.

"That guy’s just a greedy old man with a not-so-bright mind."

"Still, I’m telling you, I’m uneasy."

"I get it. I’m thinking about it, too."

"What? Are you going to fire him?"

Sungjin looked startled, practically jumping up from the sofa. Lee Hyuk continued to flip through the documents in front of him with an indifferent expression.

"We’ll see."

Even though Lee Hyuk was the CEO and held the highest authority in the company, he couldn’t just dismiss a key executive on a whim. Moreover, Executive Director Choi had a long history of working with Taesung.

"I’ll think it over."