04. Candy boy (Part I)

It was a hot morning, the sun was shining in the sky as a medallion made of pure gold. Even though Jinhwan was there, still and motionless in front of the window, his mind was elsewhere, and it was wandering among the thoughts and memories that were tangled together like a knot impossible to unravel.

All of a sudden the cell phone rang displaying on the screen an unknown phone number, so Jinhwan hesitated for a moment, uncertain whether to answer the call or not but in the end he choose to do so.

"Hello?" Jinhwan picked up the call, but heard no sound coming from the other end of the phone, "hello?" he tried again still no answer.

On the other hand, someone took a deep breath and then said: "It's me".

Jinhwan had no difficulty in recognizing that voice that belonged to him, his ex-boyfriend.

"I just wanted to hear your voice" Bobby hastened to say.

"Who gave you my new phone number?" Jinhwan asked, quite surprised that he had it.

"Mino-hyung” the other said, and then between them he fell a long, deep silence for a while.

"What do you want from me?" Jinhwan asked becoming serious, almost harsh, “you know I'm a married man now, I can't give you what you want”.

"Like I've already told you, I just wanted to hear your voice" Bobby replied, “I'll never call you back, if you don't want me to” he added with a resigned sigh.

"Wait, Jiwon, please" he said quickly with a clear, limpid fear that flowed through the words.

"Yes?" Bobby asked with a slight hope that was lit inside him.

"For what it's worth, I've really loved you. Always" Jinhwan murmured, instinctively placing a hand on his chest right where his heart was pounding.

"If you loved me, then why you left me?" Bobby asked carefully.

"Don't doubt me, nor of my love for you” Jinhwan's voice now trembled, "I loved you from the bottom of my heart".

"You left me" Bobby repeated as if after all these years still couldn't even believe it.

"I just wanted to be happy" it was a whisper from Jinhwan, "and without you I couldn't be, so I've been happy with someone else".

"Does he make you happy?" Bobby asked on the verge of tears, "are you happy now?".

"Yes" Jinhwan replied simply, and it was the truth.

"I want to kiss you" Bobby confessed to him, "I'd really like to kiss you" he said with even more effort and Jinhwan's heart tightened in a vice.

“Stop it” Jinhwan said firmly, “I'm going to hang up” he warned him.

"Do it" Bobby said defiantly, "after all I've already lost you" and it was Bobby to hang up first.

Shortly after, Jinhwan left the house, took the car and drove until he reached the impressive complex of buildings property of the YG Financial Group where Hanbin worked, leaving the car in the underground parking.

Once inside of the main building, Jinhwan continued down the corridor heading towards Hanbin's office. At some point, a young and beautiful woman with slender legs wearing a very tight pink dress made her appearence. She bumped into him by mistake and all the documents held in the arms fell on the floor scattering everywhere.

"Oh, silly me!" she chuckled, her laughter was pitched and almost coarse.
"I'm so sorry" she apologized bending over, starting to collect them all and to rearrange them; in the meantime Jinhwan was trying to help her in some way.

"Here, take them" Jinhwan handed her the papers.

She watched him carefully, then a sinister smile formed on her red lips.
"Thank you” she thanked him, bowed slightly and went away while her long hair were twirling in the air.

Out of Hanbin's office, Jinhwan found an angel-faced guy with blond hair who was working behind the desk.
"Excuse me, is this still Kim Hanbin's office?" he asked with a confused look.

The boy motioned for him to wait, ended the call and then again turned to him giving his full attention.
"How can I help you?" he asked in a coy tone.

"I would like to see Kim Hanbin, if it's possible" Jinhwan replied looking him straight in the eye.

"Excuse me, do you have an appointment?" the secretary asked checking on the list.

"No, because I'm his husband" Jinhwan pointed out.

"Oh" the secretary said, "I'm so sorry for the inconvenience, he will see you right away" he announced, gesturing him to sit down.

A few minutes later, Jinhwan was escorted inside the room and then finally, when the door closed, they were alone.

"What a nice surprise" Hanbin greeted him with a kiss, "why are you here?".

"Do I need a reason to come to visit my husband?" Jinhwan asked.

"Of course not" Hanbin replied putting his hands on his hips, "it's beautiful to have you here with me, you should come to visit me more often".

"Who is the handsome, charming young guy out there?" Jinhwan raised an eyebrow.

"My new secretary" Hanbin couldn't hold back a laugh noticing the note of jealousy in Jinhwan's voice, "he's very professional in his work".

"And he's also very gay" Jinhwan added clearly irritated.

"Don't be jealous, there is no reason" Hanbin pulled him towards him and hugged him.

"And you have to spend a whole weekend in Japan with him?" Jinhwan immediately pushed him away.

"I would have to go with Jihyo-ssi, but she had already given her resignation a few days ago" Hanbin explained, "so today I held the job interviews, and he was the most suitable. He has an absolutely impeccable curriculum" Hanbin passed the entire documentation concerning a certain Nam Taehyun.
"It's just a business trip" he continued starting to feel quite nervous.

"And you really need to take him with you?" Jinhwan watched him with a suspicious look.

"Yes, I need a good assistant, and he's exactly who I need" Hanbin said firmly, hoping Jinhwan would understand the situation.

Hanbin sat on the desk before exhaling a deep sigh, breathing in and then out.

"Why are you calling for the installation of a video surveillance system?" Jinhwan asked observing the site opened on the monitor of his computer.

Hanbin swallowed hard, then said with a little smile: "Since I'm about to leave you alone, I was going to make our home more secure".

Jinhwan stepped in front of him, crossing his arms over the chest and watching with a searching look, very skeptical.
"I don't believe you anymore, Hanbin, I try to believe you, but I just can't, not anymore. I know you're hiding something from me and I don't know what is" he told him.

"Do you want to know the whole truth?" Hanbin asked with tears in his eyes, ready to tell it because he didn't want to lie to the love of his life, not again.

"Yes" the oldest nodded simply.

Hanbin took a key from his pocket and handed it to him: "Open the bottom drawer of the desk, on the left side. There is a letter envelope, take it".

Jinhwan followed the instructions, then he returned to him turning the envelope between his fingers, afraid of what might have been its content.

"Open it" Hanbin murmured slowly.
Jinhwan lifted the ends and pulled out several photographs, stolen shots taken secretely that depict Hanbin's sister coming out of school, Hanbin's mother went to the grocery store or himself, just Jinhwan, who was sleeping in their double bed wearing only his husband's white