Chapter Text
It was three weeks before Christmas, and Sung Hyunjae’s three-piece business suit was drenched in hot chocolate. He was grateful that the deluge of hot liquid had missed his red coat. Most of it had soaked through his dress shirt instead, and the tacky feeling of the lukewarm drink had him suppressing a grimace.
His only saving grace was that the man in front of him had the other two drinks that he was carrying spill on him instead. Never mind the fact that Sung Hyunjae was the one who had bumped into him and sent him sprawling into the gray slush coating the sidewalk.
The man’s face was slowly turning red, and his mouth was opening and closing in indignation. “I waited in line for half an hour for these,” he bit out. His gaze swept across Sung Hyunjae’s body, lingering briefly on his golden watch.
“Sorry,” Sung Hyunjae said serenely, not at all apologetic. He didn’t bother extending a hand as the other man pushed himself off of the sidewalk and got back onto his feet. The glare leveled his way would’ve made a lesser man cower, but it only served to make the corners of his lips lilt upwards.
“If you’re sorry, you should compensate for the drinks and for ruining my clothes,” the other man declared fiercely. He seemed taken aback when Sung Hyunjae’s eyes narrowed into happy little crescents.
Unlike every other person Sung Hyunjae had run into in this small town, this man didn’t seem to be intimidated by Sung Hyunjae’s appearance. “Of course,” he agreed smoothly. “What’s your name?”
The man was a little too quick to answer. “Lee Jihoon.”
“How much would you like?” Sung Hyunjae reached into a pocket and withdrew a pen and a checkbook. He clicked the pen expectantly.
“Two hundred dollars.”
“And are you certain you’d like me to make the check out for Lee Jihoon-ssi?” he asked, saccharine sweet.
“I—.” The man sighed. “Han Yoojin.”
“Alright.” This was a small price to pay for the entertainment that this man was going to bring him during his stay in this town. Sung Hyunjae filled out the check and signed his name in looping cursive before tearing out the slip of paper and offering it to Han Yoojin.
Han Yoojin reached out to take it, but the sudden chilly wind that blew through the air made his teeth clack together violently. His nose and cheeks were flushed red from the cold, and Sung Hyunjae was certain that the cold pierced through his wet clothing as if it were paper.
“Would you like my coat?” Sung Hyunjae offered. He was already slipping it off his back before Han Yoojin could reply. Sung Hyunjae thought the weather was tolerable, but he couldn’t have the other man freezing to death before they could meet again. Maybe Han Yoojin’s constitution was just especially weak.
“No need. Just add an extra zero to the check instead,” Han Yoojin shot back, ignoring the shivers that were starting to wrack their way through his body.
“Two extra zeroes, and you take my coat,” Sung Hyunjae bargained magnanimously. He added the two circles to the check and brandished it at Han Yoojin for extra incentive.
Han Yoojin closed his eyes and pinched at the bridge of his nose. He took a deep breath before answering. “Fine.”
He reached out a hand to take the coat from Sung Hyunjae, but Sung Hyunjae shook out the coat with a flourish and draped it over Han Yoojin’s shoulders. The man unconsciously drew the coat closed around him, pressing into the residual body heat. Already, he was starting to shake a little bit less. It made something warm curl in the pit of Sung Hyunjae’s belly.
“The red suits you very well,” Sung Hyunjae complimented.
“Thanks.” Han Yoojin forced his lips into a grin, sickly fake. “The brown stains on your expensive suit also make you look very handsome.”
“I’m glad Han Yoojin-ssi thinks I look handsome.”
Han Yoojin’s face screwed up before he snatched the check from Sung Hyunjae’s awaiting hand. “Bastard,” he muttered. He began to walk away, in the opposite direction that Sung Hyunjae was headed. Pity.
“I’m sure we’ll see each other again,” Sung Hyunjae called out, his mirth coloring his declaration. Han Yoojin didn’t respond. He just walked away faster.
Sung Hyunjae watched his retreating back for a moment before turning and heading to the diner that Han Yoojin had just left. Inside the diner, it was bustling. Luckily, it was easy for him to walk up to the counter, the other people in the diner deterred by his immense presence and scattering away. It would have been nice if the people in this town were all as fearless as Han Yoojin, but he supposed that would’ve been asking for too much.
He ordered a hot chocolate. Usually, he got a coffee, but his first meeting with Han Yoojin was worth a commemoration. Unlike Han Yoojin’s long wait time, his drink came out in a short five minutes.
He took a seat at a booth next to a window and cupped his hand around the warm paper cup. It smelled earthy and warm, and when he took a sip, the spiced flavor coated itself across his tongue gently.
He wouldn’t have been able to get anything like this in the city. The next time he saw Han Yoojin, he’d have to thank him for introducing him to this. The stains on his clothing were unsalvageable now that they were almost dry, but that was nothing compared to this new experience.
A few weeks ago, Sung Hyunjae had already decided on how he would spend the holidays. Spending it alone was boring, and taking up Kang Soyoung’s invitation to join her Christmas party was even worse. The last time he went, he spent the entire time smiling amiably while everyone else talked around him. To them, trying to speak with the CEO of Seseong Corporation was probably like a sheep trying to befriend a sharp-fanged wolf.
This was why he preferred to heckle Song Taewon instead, but the other man wasn’t even taking his calls outside of business hours anymore. That man really was too busy. Honestly, Song Taewon needed a vacation more than he did. Not that he’d ever take one.
So deprived of his usual victim for entertainment, Sung Hyunjae chose to spend the holidays in the middle of nowhere. There was a ranch in the area that was focused on rehabilitating injured animals and releasing them back into the wild. Unfortunately for them, they were nearing bankruptcy. Fortunately for Hyunjae, the land that the ranch sat on was flush with oil reserves. It would be best for him to acquire the land before any other company decided to capitalize on the opportunity.
There was absolutely no chance that it would take more than a week, but there was no reason for Sung Hyunjae to finish quickly and head back to the bland gray-white of his city either. And with a new source of amusement here, he might as well enjoy it for as long as it would last.
Sung Hyunjae’s smile had never left his face, but it softened into satisfaction as he began to scheme ways to spend time with Han Yoojin once again. It was already a small town, and with Sung Hyunjae’s meddling, he was sure that the two of them would be seeing each other very often for the time that Sung Hyunjae would be here.
There was just something about that man that called out to him, like an old bruise that he couldn’t resist digging his fingers into.
A few hours later, Sung Hyunjae decided that he should visit the ranch that was the entire reason that he ended up here in the first place. There was no chance that he’d run into Han Yoojin since it was getting late in the day, so he might as well start on his work-related business before seeking him out tomorrow.
Never mind the fact that he should’ve done this the moment he arrived in this town. His time at the diner was useful, and he already had a long list of plans on how to run into Han Yoojin again.
Hot chocolate already long gone, he stood from his seat and left a hefty tip on the table before heading out the door. Outside, it was cold enough that his breath puffed out into a cloud of white. Unlike the city, there were barely any lights. Most of the buildings in this area had already closed down for the night. Only the diner and the motel were still open, but they weren’t enough to blot out the view above him.
Sung Hyunjae inhaled softly, his eyes fixed upwards.
A canvas of stars glittered across the sky, basking the moon with their radiance. They blanketed the sky for as far as the eye could see, dotting the dark blue canvas of the night. He could recognize a few constellations and a few round smudges that must’ve been planets. Leo for power and royalty, and Mars for passion and courage.
The novelty wore off quickly, but the stars remained. They accompanied him on his walk to the house at the foot of the ranch’s pasture, a short twenty minute stroll away from the diner. The concrete under his feet gave way to soft dirt and the crisp scent of cold air was deepened by the smell of pungent earthiness.
It wasn’t long before Sung Hyunjae arrived. There was a flimsy wooden fence dividing the sprawling ranch from the land that surrounded the area. In front of him was a plain-looking two story house painted in shades of white and red. The paint was peeling in some areas, but it was clear that the house was well-maintained and lovingly taken care of.
Decorations of all kinds were haphazardly placed all over, as if multiple different people had decided to decorate together but all had different ideas of what it should look like. There were smatterings of inflatable snowmen out front and a meticulously crafted display of Santa with his reindeer perched precariously on the roof. Strings of twinkling multicolored lights hung precariously, with no clear pattern of how they were placed.
The second floor was completely dark, and there was only one light on on the first floor. Sung Hyunjae could see a faint silhouette moving behind the curtain. As he approached, he affixed a pleasant smile on his face as he rapped on the door. One, twice, until he heard movement from inside the house.
To his delight, the sound of the door’s locks clanking open heralded the arrival of a very familiar face who was still wearing a very familiar coat. Unlike before when it had just been draped over his shoulders, Han Yoojin’s arms were properly threaded through the sleeves this time. The coat was too long on him, the hem falling loosely below his knees and almost dragging onto the floor.
Sung Hyunjae’s smile grew as wide as the cheshire cat’s.
“Hello, Han Yoojin-ssi. It’s lovely to see you again,” he greeted cheerily. “I’m Sung Hyunjae. On behalf of Seseong Corporation, I would like to discuss a few business matters with you regarding the ownership of your ranch.”
Han Yoojin’s eyes widened as he braced himself on the doorframe and stared at him, speechless. The blood drained from his face, leaving him an unhealthy shade of white.
“Would you mind if I came inside? As you can see, I’m not wearing a jacket. It’s quite chilly out here, especially since my clothes are a little wet because someone spilled their drinks on me.” Sung Hyunjae faked a shiver and a pout, meaningfully eyeing the red coat.
A beat passed, then—
“Oh fuck,” Han Yoojin cursed. He slammed the door shut.
Sung Hyunjae laughed. Faintly, he could hear a muffled scream through the door. Perhaps Han Yoojin might also consider investing in better soundproofing, if his ranch weren’t already in dire straits.
Sung Hyunjae didn’t even have to try to keep his grin fixed into place. He knocked again merrily, a rush of glee flooding through him at the thought that, apparently, there was no need for him to pull any strings to meet Han Yoojin again.
Apparently, fate itself was on his side.
The holiday season was starting to look a lot more enjoyable.