The Country Life Diary of a Gangster’s Secretary

This chapter is paid for by Nemuru!

“How is your body?”

“I have a bit of a headache but I’m okay.”

Ihyeok raised his hand out of habit. Hyeseong was wondering if he was going to touch his forehead or stroke his hair, but Ihyeok flinched and lowered it. It was before Hyeseong could even avoid it.

“……I see.”

It felt a little strange. Usually in this situation, Ihyeok would try to touch Hyeseong, and when Hyeseong tried to avoid it by moving his body away, he would stop his action. That was the usual pattern. But now it was the opposite. Hyeseong was the only one who noticed that subtle change.

“Hyeseong. Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

It was after Ihyeok had put on his shoes as if to leave. Suddenly, he asked with a serious face. Again, those eyes were full of seriousness. It was a bit different from when he was working. So when he had those eyes, Hyeseong somehow found it difficult to meet his gaze.

“No.”

“Okay. Take good care of your body. Oh, and one more thing.”

Ihyeok opened the door, stopped, and turned his body toward Hyeseong once more.

“Make sure you sleep separately from that guy.”

“Excuse me?”

Before he could even ask what that meant, Ihyeok left. This added even more weight to the hypothesis that something must have happened between Park Dohyun and him last night.

“Hey, Dohyun.”

When he returned to the kitchen, Dohyun was diligently wiping the table with a cloth. He didn’t look like it, but he had quite a talent for housework.

“Yeah?”

“You don’t have to do that.”

Hyeseong took the cloth from Dohyun’s hand, telling him to stop now.

“Did something happen between you and the CEO yesterday?”

“Huh?”

Park Dohyun stuttered like a broken robot. If he was born into a world where only lies existed, he would surely not survive. He was so obvious.

“Wh-why are you suddenly asking that?”

Oh my, why is he talking like that too? Hyeseong let out a deep sigh.

“No, it’s just. The atmosphere feels a bit strange. Yesterday, you were afraid of the CEO but you still talked to him pretty well. But now, how should I put it? You seem scared.”

At Hyeseong’s remark that hit the nail on the head, Dohyun flinched. It was the right answer.

“What did the CEO say to you yesterday?”

Dohyun swallowed hard. He wanted to spill everything to his friend right now. That the person yesterday told him to sleep alone in a scary way and made him do housework under the pretext of a request. He wanted to tell Hyeseong everything, but he couldn’t.

Because Ihyeok had said. Isn’t it amazing that people can live even with their tongues cut off, and that he had seen it before? If he ever wondered if it was true, he told him to try moving his mouth recklessly. He still couldn’t forget those words he had said while smiling. Well, of course, he had heard it again earlier.

“Nothing……”

“Anyone can see that there is, you.”

But Hyeseong didn’t bother to ask any further. If a guy who can’t even lie is avoiding it like that, it was clear that no matter how much he asked, he wouldn’t tell him.

“Then I’ll ask you something else.”

“Okay. What is it?”

“I wasn’t brought here by you yesterday, right?”

Of course, based on the circumstances, it was clear that Ihyeok, who was fine even after drinking, had taken care of him. From what he remembered before blacking out yesterday, Dohyun was also drunk.

“Well, I think so. I don’t remember well until I got home either, but I think the CEO carried you on his back.”

Carried… For a moment, Hyeseong was worried. Did he perhaps say something strange? Or maybe the tension and consciousness were released without him knowing, and pheromones came out. That’s the kind of worry he had. What Ihyeok asked before leaving the house earlier also bothered him.

But if Ihyeok really knew, he wouldn’t just let it go. He would definitely question him, pry, and seek confirmation.

“I wonder if I’ll ever drink again.”

“Oh, is Hyeseong making a declaration of abstinence?”

“Yeah. If I drink again, I’ll be Bokshil’s younger sibling.”

“Ah, right. I have to go pick up Bokshil.”

Then Dohyun clapped his hands.

“Pick up?”

“Yeah. Just in case, I’m going to have her get some tests done too. We decided to have her stay in the hospital for a few days, remember? The discharge date is… ah, tomorrow.”

Dohyun spoke while looking at his phone calendar. It said ‘Bokshil’s discharge date’.

“Then I’ll have to pick her up tomorrow. The hospital is in Seoul?”

“Yeah. Gangnam!”

“Perfect. I had something to do in Seoul too. Let’s go together tomorrow then.”

Hyeseong was thinking of getting a quick check-up on this occasion. The one who needed to go to the hospital urgently right now might be himself, not Bokshil.

“Ah, if you’re done cleaning up, let’s go out soon. We need to buy bedding. And fill up the fridge a bit too.”

“Okay!”

Dohyun ran off like an excited puppy. The guy who was terrified when he was with Ihyeok was now completely excited.

So the two of them went out and headed to the bus stop. Originally, Hyeseong planned to comfortably go to the city center in Park Dohyun’s sports car that didn’t match this rural area at all, but it was all ruined.

“Hyeseong, there are village buses here too!”

It was because of Park Dohyun’s damn country life experience. No matter how much he told him that there was no difference between rural buses and Seoul buses, the important thing was the feeling. Thanks to that, he was now waiting for the bus, leaving the nice car behind.

“You’re really strange too.”

Hyeseong shook his head looking at Dohyun like that.

“But you’re strange too, Hyeseong, quitting your good job and moving to the countryside.”

Dohyun sometimes said such biting words. Hyeseong tried his best to ignore it and got on the arriving bus. 

Arriving downtown, the two entered a large mart. They had to buy bedding for Dohyun, and also prepare some food and various pet supplies for when Bokshil came. So a large mart where everything could be solved at once was perfect.

“Hyeseong, is this pattern better, or is this one better?”

Dohyun had been pondering for more than 10 minutes between blue-striped bedding and embroidered bedding. Hyeseong let out a deep sigh at the sight. Aren’t all blankets the same?

“Hey, are you going to wear the blanket? No, right? Please just pick one quickly.”

“But this is a really important issue.”

Hyeseong shook his head and just walked out of the store. Whether he chooses it or not. In the end, seeing the indecisive Park Dohyun come out with the more expensive microfiber blanket recommended by the clerk, Hyeseong sighed even more.

After that, shopping proceeded quite smoothly. Of course, except for his friend who kept asking if he could buy snacks like a little kid. Hyeseong firmly took the snacks from Dohyun’s hands and continued shopping. When they put the necessary items in, even pulling a cart each, it was soon full. In the middle, a text came from Ihyeok asking what they were doing, he was going to ignore it, but he sent a reply.

[Shopping with Dohyun.]

[Are you newlyweds? Buy everything you need and go home quickly.]

Hyeseong tilted his head at the firm answer and incomprehensible words and put his phone back in his pocket. After finishing shopping like that, it was when they were checking out. As the clerk scanned the items and passed them over, Dohyun was putting them in the basket he was unfolding, but an inexplicable gaze was felt from the next checkout counter.

When Hyeseong turned his head, a man was staring intently at him. What, he was going to ignore it, but the presence was getting closer and closer. When he turned his head again, wasn’t that man from earlier sticking his face right in front of him?

He still maintained a doubtful expression and opened his mouth.

“It’s you, right? That damn bastard Cheon Hyeseong from back then.”

Hyeseong frowned. It was already unpleasant that he kept staring at him, but he suddenly approached and called him a damn bastard. Thanks to that, the clerks who were checking them out and other customers standing next to them also glanced over here.

“No? I think it’s you though.”

What, is it someone I know? Hyeseong quickly racked his brain and looked through the people he had ties with, but he couldn’t remember. There was at least one thing he could slightly guess. The man looked quite rough, had a good physique, and both arms were covered in tattoos. In other words, he looked just like a thug.

Is it someone I encountered while working before? But then there was no way he wouldn’t know.

“What? Cat got your tongue? I’m asking if you’re Cheon Hyeseong.”

As Hyeseong remained still, thinking, the man seemed a little irritated and raised his voice. Usually in this situation, what should one do? As he raised his energy, the people around thought a fight was breaking out and hurried to leave the spot with startled faces, but the person involved, Hyeseong, was calm.

Was it because he was used to this kind of situation, or familiar with it? He knew very well what to do in this unexpected situation. First, the other person didn’t seem sure whether he was Cheon Hyeseong or not. He couldn’t remember who that man was and it wasn’t a particularly positive situation. Then there was only one answer.

“No, I’m not.”

Deny it. There was nothing good about getting involved in this kind of situation in the first place. Besides, this was a public place. He didn’t want to cause a scene.

“What?”

Perhaps because it was loud with many people or because Hyeseong spoke softly, the man furrowed his brows and raised his voice.

“I’m not……”

“Hyeseong! Who is that person?”

Then Park Dohyun suddenly stepped up with an unpleasant face. He even called Hyeseong’s name. Hyeseong held his forehead at the presence of his tactless friend that he hadn’t thought of.

This chapter is paid for by Nemuru!