It’s been three days that Mr. Shin hasn’t come to the office. Gyul has announced that the boss is on a leave for an indefinite period, causing a wave of relief and satisfaction among the employees. But little bit Soul knows the real reason behind his absence. Soul thought maybe some personal space can make Shin ready to speak about his actions but NO! “Is this how he would like to bury the matter?” Soul have had enough now. A man whom he let in around himself is now willingly ghosting on him is not a cup of tea for Soul. No matter who the man is, Soul won’t let anyone play with his emotions.

So he gets up and leaves the office. He straight up goes to Shin’s house. “Can you please let me meet Mr. Shin? It’s urgent.” Soul asks the guard outside the mansion, his voice already shaking with rage and denial. As the guard lets him in, he rushes to Shin’s room without caring about his surroundings.

Soul knocks on Shin’s door. Shin opens the door and his world stops for a second like he didn’t imagine a day like this would come not so soon.

“What are you doing here? I’m busy now so just go away.”

Shin was about to close the door on Soul’s face when Soul commands, “let me in.’

“I said I’m busy.”

“Don’t act like I don’t know about what you did.” These words make Shin go blank, causing his grip on the door loosen up and Soul slides in while locking the door behind him.

There was a loud silence in the room for a minute which gets cut off by Soul, almost yelling, “Do you really think that hiding from me will solve your problems.”

“It was a mistake. We both were drunk.” Shin replies while looking away.

“I wasn’t that drunk to not understand why you did it.” Soul laughs sarcastically to brush off his broken voice, “Are you seriously going to lie to yourself? Or…you’re not brave enough to accept yourself?’

“YES I’M” Shin now looks up to Soul’s eyes while a drop of tear rolls on his cheek. “I don’t have the guts to say a boy that I love him. I don’t even know when I became like this. I never win in love and now I’m talking about loving a guy. This is hard, Soul!”

Shin breaks down. His eyes are now unable to hold the pain. Soul says nothing but hugs Shin because this is all he was needing to hear. He now understands how hard the three days were for Shin. It is hard for Shin to accept himself too.

“I thought you’re smart enough to handle this mess. Why didn’t you bother to tell me?” Soul says as he lightly pats Shin’s back.

Shin breaks the hug and replies, “Would you even accept me?”

A smile curves on the corner of Soul’s lips, “Wasn’t I clear that night?”

Shin’s mouth curves an ‘O’. Soul thought his CEO might be playing with his feelings but here he is being all dumb over the love thing. Love that is meant for all. The love that can make people go crazy for having or not having it. Love that can make a person like Shin be a stupid, crying for the love he has committed.

The betrayal inside Soul’s heart evaporates. Instead he finds Shin so cute, sniffing after crying over him. Soul knows this man needs to be adored, he can’t let Shin out of love from now on, every people needs to be protected by another, to be understood the way they are, so does Shin. He can’t resist but cups Shin’s cheeks

“Listen! The stories that I’ve heard for all the time seemed a lie to me when I was around you. The rude CEO never made me uncomfortable around him and it’s the privilege I got from you. Of course I never romanticized you but I never even once hated you. You’re a man that I would always consider. You did nothing wrong if you have ever loved me.”

Shin’s eyes light up, “Will you ever open your heart for me?”

Shin’s glittery eyes are too pleading to deny. It looks like a boy found his lost kitten back so Soul just pouts, “Why don’t you try?”

“Will you let me date you, Kim Soul?” Shin asks back, softly grabbing Soul’s sleek waist through the crop shirt.

Soul immediately pecks his lips and hums in consent. He is grateful enough to experience something like this. His eyes only reflects the light of sincerity. “If it’s you then I’ll end up risking it all for you.” This is what probably his eyes said to Shin’s. 

The way of approval makes both of them curl their toes out of sudden shyness. Soul’s already tinted checks get more reddish so he just looks away to hide it even when he’s caged between Shin’s arms now. On the other hands, Shin just chuckles realizing how stupid he is to hide himself where he should be confessing his feelings to Soul already.