Pig Government Official

-21-

I put the cake in the refrigerator after layering blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries with mascarpone cream on a sheet, and finally topping it with whipped cream for icing. If I leave it in for about two hours, the cake for my dad’s birthday today will be ready.

Jihoon said he wanted to try it too, so I suggested we go home together, sit dad in the middle wearing a party hat, surround him with four strong men, sing happy birthday, and eat. But Jihoon was horrified and told me to get lost. Jeonggwan chuckled, changed clothes in the locker room, and came out to the cafe.

He then took out the peach Earl Grey cake he had hidden in the corner of the showcase and sat down in the spot where Won Junjae always sat. The current time was 12:58 PM. With less than two minutes left, Won Junjae was nowhere to be seen.

Was he not coming?

The cake needed to set for two hours, so if he didn’t come, Jeonggwan thought he’d have to spend two hours watching YouTube videos like “Alpha, This is How You Seduce Them All!” He remembered briefly seeing a video titled “How to Run Into an Alpha You Can’t Meet!”

He thought he’d study that and deliberately run into Won Junjae to wag his tail again…

Ding-.

Jeonggwan looked up.

“…”

As usual, a man in a three-piece suit walked in. How could dark beige suit him so well? Jeonggwan smiled at the man.

It was 1 PM.

* * *

“Delicious, isn’t it?”

“…”

“It’s not too sweet, right?”

“… It’s not.”

Won Junjae ate the cake awkwardly with a fork, as if he hadn’t had cake in a very long time. Jeonggwan sat across from him, tapping the floor with his nose. He felt as good as riding in his mom’s car on an autumn day, feeling the cool breeze.

He had thought, “So what if he doesn’t come?” But apparently that wasn’t true. Seeing how good he felt now, he must have been secretly waiting. Jeonggwan chuckled as he watched Won Junjae take his third bite.

“…”

“Ah, I laughed because I feel good.”

Won Junjae’s expression seemed to say, “Really? You’re happy about that?”

Look who’s talking.

“I made you something so delicious.”

“…”

“When will I get treated to a meal-.”

Jeonggwan glanced at Won Junjae, saying it loud enough to be heard, then pretended not to know and turned his head. ‘Al.da.kko’ said to always set the next appointment on the day you meet.

“…”

Won Junjae silently stared at Jeonggwan.

Ha-. He still can’t swallow his pride, can he? He’s really being difficult.

There’s no other way. I’ll have to give in again this time.

“On Saturday-.”

“…”

“I want to eat sushi.”

Jeonggwan looked straight at Won Junjae as he spoke. Say yes. He gave an intense order with his eyes. Say yes! Perhaps understanding Jeonggwan’s gaze, Won Junjae finally opened his mouth.

“… I have a lunch appointment with the representative of a subsidiary service center on Saturday.”

“…”

Oh, how annoying. Jeonggwan frowned and leaned back from where he had been leaning towards Won Junjae. Won Junjae looked at Jeonggwan and seemed to have something more to say, his mouth twitching, but he couldn’t open it easily. Jeonggwan pouted and took out the phone he had put in his pocket.

Why did you come here? Did you really just come to eat cake? As Jeonggwan looked thoroughly annoyed, Won Junjae, who had been just swallowing, finally opened his mouth.

“… Dinner is.”

“…?”

“… possible.”

* * *

Jeongyun looked with incomprehensible eyes at Jeonggwan sitting across from him, eating two pieces of spicy tteokbokki at a time. The moment he saw Jeonggwan sitting face to face with his employer at the cafe, he thought something had gone terribly wrong, but Jeonggwan looked too nonchalant at home.

“Um… Jeonggwan.”

“Hmm? Why aren’t you eating, hyung?”

“Yeah… You eat it all.”

“Yes! The Vienna sausages are all mine.”

Had they talked about those pheromone-related things he had called him to talk about last time? Or was he being threatened? Jeongyun wanted to ask, but since Jeonggwan wasn’t saying anything first, he wondered if he should just let it go. It might really be nothing…

“Hyung… But you know…”

So it really was something. Jeongyun swallowed hard and looked at Jeonggwan gravely. Okay, Jeonggwan, tell me anything.

“By any chance…”

“Yeah?”

If it’s about kicking you out and threatening you! Even if I get fired, I’ll protest that it’s unfair…!

“Did you not add extra fish cakes…?”

“…Huh?”

Hyung. You really have no sense. Do I have to tell you every time to add extra fish cakes? How can a person forget 10 things when told 1? Jeonggwan grumbled as he slurped down a fish cake like noodles.

As expected… That’s how it is. Jeonggwan is strong. Jeongyun nodded with a gentle face and picked up a Vienna sausage.

“Hyung. Put it down.”

“…Okay.”

* * *

Saturday, 6:03 PM.

Jeonggwan was waiting in front of the shoe rack, wearing a mint-colored sweater Jihoon bought him and ivory pants. Won Junjae said he’d come to pick him up at 6 PM, and since Jeonggwan’s house was in a residential area, he could hear cars entering the alley clearly.

That’s why Jeonggwan knew a car had been waiting in front of the house since five minutes ago, but following Al.da.kko’s instructions to wait patiently for 5 minutes so that he could enter the “dating pool” thinking he had waited, he endured.

6:05 PM. Jeonggwan shouted, “I’m leaving!” and opened the front door. He passed through the small garden, only big enough to plant a few cherry tomatoes and lettuce leaves, and opened the gate.

Wow, that’s a sick ride. Whoa-.

Jeonggwan didn’t know much about cars or luxury goods, so he didn’t know what this car was, but he knew it was at least more classy than the green car that hugged the ground that Park Jihoon drove.

Jeonggwan thought Won Junjae would get out and open the passenger door for him, but it was the chauffeur who got out of the driver’s seat and opened the door. You’re quite the expensive body, aren’t you? I thought you’d drive here yourself. Even sending a chauffeur for a date. Jeonggwan shook his head and got into the back seat.

“…Huh?”

However, Won Junjae, whom he thought would be sitting in the back seat, wasn’t there.

What’s this? He said he’d come to pick me up… Did he just send the car…?

“We’ll be heading to Goyeon.”

The chauffeur quietly reported to Jeonggwan before departing, and Jeonggwan brightly replied, “Okay~” thinking that must be the sushi restaurant, and sank into the seat.

After even putting on a show at the front door, what is this? Jeonggwan felt deflated.

I thought he’d come to pick me up…

* * *

There’s a place like this in the middle of Gangnam? Jeonggwan’s mouth fell open. The interior surrounded by large walls was decorated like a traditional Korean restaurant, but it didn’t seem entirely traditional Korean, appearing to be a mix of Western and Japanese styles.

“Mr. Kim Jeonggwan. You’ve arrived.”

“Ah… Secretary Oh. Hello.”

“Yes. This way, please.”

Jeonggwan bowed his head in greeting, pleased to see Secretary Oh, whom he’d been seeing often lately, waiting for him. Secretary Oh also smiled lightly and bowed in return. Then he immediately led the way down a long corridor.

I just meant a conveyor belt sushi place. What is this man… All these private rooms… So burdensome…

Jeonggwan followed, rolling his eyes around to take in the sights. Even just walking down the corridor, one side was made of large glass windows, providing an enjoyable view of the garden.

“Director. Mr. Kim Jeonggwan has arrived.”

“…Yes.”

All the wooden doors had the same lattice pattern, but the flowers carved on each doorframe were different. Secretary Oh stood in front of a door carved with hydrangeas and reported inside, and Won Junjae, who must have arrived first, answered from inside.

Swish- Secretary Oh opened the sliding door, and although it didn’t seem like he opened it particularly carefully, the door was so smooth that it opened without a sound.

And inside, wearing his unchanging blue-gray grid three-piece suit as always, was Won Junjae, making eye contact as soon as the door opened.

“Hello.”

“…Yes.”

Secretary Oh closed the door after Jeonggwan entered, and because the door opened and closed so quietly, Jeonggwan, after turning to confirm it was fully closed, immediately ran to sit in front of Won Junjae.

And he blurted out to Won Junjae:

“Why didn’t you come yourself for our first date?”

“…What?”

“It’s our first date, so why didn’t you come to pick me up yourself? I didn’t expect you’d just send a car.”

At Jeonggwan’s rapid-fire words, Won Junjae stared at him with disbelieving eyes.

Then, with an expression that seemed to say, “I think you’ve misunderstood something-” Won Junjae opened his mouth.

“I think you’re misunderstanding something, this isn’t a da-“

“The guy I dated before came to pick me up on our first date.”

Won Junjae’s lips, which had been slightly parted as his sentence was cut off, pressed firmly shut.

“The guy I dated before not only picked me up for our first date, but he came to pick me up and drop me off at my house every time we had a date.”

As Jeonggwan continued to provoke him, Won Junjae’s eyes grew increasingly fierce.

“You… had someone you dated before?”

“Of course. If we hadn’t broken up forcibly, we might still be dating.”

Of course, he didn’t know that for sure. Since dating wasn’t a top priority in Jeonggwan’s life, that guy he dated in high school always complained that Jeonggwan never focused on him. Maybe they would have broken up anyway?

But he decided not to mention that.

“…”

Because that irritated face was so amusing. Hehe. Did you think you were the only one who’s dated before?