If You Want Me - Episode 77
<Episode 77>
After allowing him to call, looking at the phone that was ringing made him nervous. Seo-won hesitated and pressed the call button, bringing the phone close to his ear.
“Hello…”
– Seo-won-ah.
It was a voice he heard many times today. But perhaps because it was over the phone, he suddenly thought his voice was nice. It was a voice he had always liked, but he must not have had the leisure to appreciate it because he had been so busy yesterday and today.
Perhaps because his tone was particularly soft… He was touching his neck with his hand and staying still in embarrassment, when Do-gyeom asked.
– What did you do today?
It was a private question. It seemed that he really just wanted to come home because he missed him, not because he had something to say.
Even when they were partners, they did talk about personal things, but only when the conversation naturally flowed while discussing business. It was the first time he called first and asked about his day.
Is that why? This whole situation felt awkwardly like a dream. Seo-won answered, stammering, feeling the back of his neck getting hotter under his palm. Since he hardly did anything today, it was embarrassing to explain his day to him.
“Hmm… I didn’t really do anything. I talked with mom, ate, and slept.”
– You slept again after sleeping so much in the car? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?
“We stopped by the obstetrics and gynecology. They said there were no issues. I’m not sick anywhere.”
– That was the OB/GYN. Maybe we should have gone to another hospital…
Do-gyeom answered, muttering. Although they did various tests at the OB/GYN, the specialized field of examination was different, so his voice was full of regret, saying he should have gone to another hospital.
It’s nice of him to worry about me, but it wasn’t something to worry about. Seo-won added, telling him there was no need to worry.
“I didn’t sleep because I was sick. I had severe motion sickness… As soon as I arrived, I went to the hospital and took medicine for morning sickness, so I was sleepy.”
– It’s good if that’s the case, but…
Do-gyeom agreed, saying if that’s how it was, but still gave off the feeling that he wanted to take him to the hospital.
Do I look that sick? Recalling the conversation with mom earlier, it seemed I looked healthier than last time I came to Seoul…
At this rate, he really seemed to worry endlessly. Seo-won naturally chose to change the subject.
“By the way, what did you do today, young master?”
– Me, well… I had meetings and did backed up work.
“Were you late earlier? Judging from Secretary Bae’s reaction, it seemed you were late.”
– Not really. Rather than that, why are you minding Secretary Bae’s reaction since before? You don’t need to care. Don’t even look at him.
“…”
I only minded Secretary Bae’s reaction a little at the hospital and in front of the house… Anyone who sees would think he’s scolding a cheating lover.
I thought I should explain that I didn’t look at Secretary Bae in that sense, but saying that when we’re not even in that kind of relationship felt strange.
I don’t know what to say in response either. As I was staying still, having lost my words, Do-gyeom suddenly said something out of the blue.
– By the way, isn’t it okay to change the way you address me now?
“…The way I address you?”
– You’ve been calling me young master since before. Isn’t it uncomfortable?
“It’s not uncomfortable…”
Seo-won answered softly to Do-gyeom’s question. Since he had been calling him young master from the age of five until now, he never thought it was uncomfortable. He had never thought of changing it either.
However, his thoughts seem to be different, as Do-gyeom spoke to Seo-won as if telling him to think about it well.
– Now that you’re not working under me, wouldn’t it be better to change it?
“That’s true, but I never thought of changing it. I can’t think of a suitable way to address you either.”
– Why is there no way to change it?
“Do you have a good idea?”
– You can call me hyung.
“What?”
Hyung? Seo-won blinked stupidly at the way of addressing he never thought of.
Me calling him hyung instead of young master? It was nothing special, but it felt different when it was Do-gyeom. He strongly felt like he shouldn’t do that.
“Hmm… That’s a bit…”
– Why, you don’t want to call me hyung because we’re six years apart?
“Oh, no! That’s not what I meant.”
Seo-won denied with wide eyes, flustered by Do-gyeom’s words.
It seems he still remembered when he said his former boss at work was six years older than him.
He said that on purpose to detach himself emotionally then, but he’s not really that much older, and he never thought of the age gap.
“It’s not that, it just feels awkward to suddenly call you in such a friendly way.”
– It will get better as you keep calling me that.
I thought I rejected it gently enough. But it seems he doesn’t think so. He was naturally leading me, saying if it’s hard to change suddenly, we can change it slowly and gradually.
– Try calling me once. They say starting is half the battle.
“…”
As if he was going to help me change the way I address him, he even told me to do it. It somehow felt like he was urging me.
Seo-won made a troubled face, mumbling his lips. It didn’t seem like Do-gyeom would let it go if I say I’ll do it next time, and it wasn’t something strange he was asking me to do to refuse outright.
It’s just awkward to call him something other than young master and I’m taking it too seriously, but I used the word hyung well when dealing with other people. There were a few seniors I was close with in college that I called hyung too.
Didn’t I think it would be nice if Do-gyeom was my real older brother when I was very young? Of course… if he becomes my real brother now, something very serious would happen.
Yeah, as he said, it’s hard to call him that once, but it won’t be hard the next time. If it really doesn’t work after trying once, I can go back to calling him young master.
Having rationalized it that far, Seo-won carefully put the new way of addressing him in his mouth.
“Hyung… Do-gyeom hyung…?”
– …
Hyung. It’s something I’ve called others countless times naturally, but somehow the pronunciation rolling out of my mouth felt round and ticklish.
Was this form of address always this embarrassing? As I was busy cooling myself down after getting heated alone, I suddenly realized there was no reaction from Do-gyeom.
What, did he find it rude after making me call him that? He was someone who thought there was no one as outstanding as him under the sky. After putting down his pride and suggesting we be like brothers, maybe he was displeased now that he was actually called that.
I felt too embarrassed to call him that a second time too. I was about to take back my words, saying it’s better to call him young master after all, when Do-gyeom belatedly reacted.
– I should have changed it sooner.
“…You don’t dislike it?”
– Why would I dislike it? I’m the one who told you to call me that.
“That’s true, but you might not like it when you actually hear it.”
– No, it’s much better than I thought.
Much better…?
Has Do-gyeom ever said he liked something about me before? It felt unfamiliar because the number of times he said he liked something could be counted on one hand. As I was fidgeting my toes, feeling strange, Do-gyeom continued.
– It sounds nice, Seo-won-ah. Want to call me that one more time?
“…No thanks. Isn’t once enough?”
– Why, wasn’t it okay when you actually called me that?
“It’s not like it’ll make you happy to hear hyung one more time.”
– It makes me feel good. Just one more time.
“I don’t want to…”
Seo-won refused outright, but Do-gyeom persistently clung on.
I don’t know why he’s so obsessed with the word hyung. I never thought he would like being called that so much, but it was so obvious in his voice that he liked it, making it harder for me to call him that out of embarrassment.
After bickering a few times, time flowed smoothly and my energy was drained. Perhaps because it was late from talking about personal things, I became sleepy again even though I had slept.
I moved the phone away a little instead of hanging up and yawned languidly, and Do-gyeom must have heard it as he asked cautiously.
– Are you tired?
“Ah… A little.”
I was embarrassed to get caught yawning. It wasn’t even like I yawned with my mouth wide open in front of him, but it felt like he saw me do that.
As I answered a little awkwardly, Do-gyeom replied kindly.
– If you’re sleepy, go to bed quickly. And let’s go to the hospital tomorrow.
“…I told you I’m not sleepy because I’m sick.”
– It might be a pheromone issue. If you can’t receive alpha pheromones well, it’s not good for your body or the baby. Let’s spend time together filling up on pheromones tomorrow.
“…”
At the mention of pheromones, Seo-won couldn’t refuse.
I could refuse if he asked to meet for no reason, but I couldn’t refuse thinking it would affect the baby too. It was more so because he sharply poked at something I usually worried about.
As Seo-won hesitated to answer, Do-gyeom must have felt it too as he let out a chuckle.
– Tteokbokki is lucky. To have Seo-won like him so much.
“…I’m going to bed.”
Is he even reacting as if he’s envious of Tteokbokki… Aren’t you embarrassed to envy an unborn child and say such embarrassing things?
As Seo-won hurriedly avoided answering as if running away, fortunately, Do-gyeom didn’t seem to have said it expecting an answer and said goodbye.
– Good night.
“…You too, young master.”
I thought of saying hyung and good night, but I called him young master again as I couldn’t bring myself to say it yet.
After hanging up, Seo-won stared at the phone screen that had turned dark. The phone was warm from talking for quite a while.
We didn’t talk about anything significant on the phone, and I only did the embarrassing act of calling him hyung. But hanging up somehow made me feel regretful.
Seo-won lay on the bed as if collapsing, holding the phone in one hand. I know that because of the one-sided imprint, he wants to see me and hear my voice even for a moment more…
Because my heart that likes him is so big. It was a little upsetting that my expectations only grew.