It was Chanyeol’s first business trip by himself in a year’s time. With Mrs. Park occupied with meeting foreign investors on the same week, Chanyeol had to reassure her that everything was going to be fine and that he would take extra careful measures so as not to have a repeat of what had happened previously in Tokyo.

It did dawn on Chanyeol when he landed in Haneda airport, that it was indeed exactly one year ago when the accident transpired. Who knew that he would be able to come out of the other side and be given a second chance at life again? His eyesight was now as sharp as ever, and everything he gazed upon now made him appreciate its existence for being, that all that was there had its place and purpose on earth.

Tony was there to greet him, and Chanyeol’s face broke into a grin. Tony couldn’t help grinning back, noticing the sparkle on the young CEO’s eyes, which meant that indeed his eyesight had been regained and that all had returned to the way it should be.

Tony shook his hand as Chanyeol gave it a firm grip. “How are you, Mr. Park?”

“Never better,” Chanyeol answered in all honesty, thanking the operations manager as Tony helped him put his luggage at the back of the SUV.

Just as Chanyeol was strapping his seatbelt, Tony adjusted his rear view mirror and started the engine. “Are you sure you want to head to the Shinjuku site right now? You don’t want to check in to your hotel first?”

Chanyeol shook his head. Jae-wook hyung had been notified that Chanyeol would be arriving by lunchtime and he was looking forward to seeing the upscale Shinjuku site since it was fast exceeding the Tokyo branch even before the newer site reached its first anniversary. “I’m good. I just slept on the plane so I am kind of hungry now. My hotel is nearer to Shinjuku than the Tokyo branch, right?”

Tony nodded and drove to Chanyeol’s preferred destination, while engaging in small, pleasant talk.

Around 20 minutes later, they had arrived. It was half past noon and the Shinjuku site was packed, and there were still around thirty people outside waiting to be seated. Chanyeol studied the place in awe, with its gleaming exterior—more glamorous than the main Tokyo site—the Seomse sign sparkling glaringly in the sun. “How much is the capacity of this place again?”

“120 people, and by the looks of it, we would have to add more seats,” Tony advised proudly, as he was the manager for this site as well. “Let’s go in. We have reserved a private room for you to dine.”

Chanyeol observed in pleased silence as he walked in the modern and classy ambience, even nodding politely to a couple of women seated on a table near the central bar, who appeared to be staring at him.

“They said you’re very handsome, Mr. Park,” Tony translated, chuckling a bit.

Chanyeol’s cheeks felt heated as he rushed to follow the operations manager, leaving the two women giggling at him.

Tony led him to the private room and went to the kitchen to order the CEO a worthy lunch. Chanyeol took off his shoes before he entered, sitting cross-legged on a low table as he quietly waited.

Minutes later, Jae-wook readily emerged, with a tray full of rice rolls, salmon fillet, grilled squid, beef and a covered dish that Chanyeol could only guess. Chanyeol had to grin as he saw his hyung, looking confident in his head chef’s apron, as the older man leaned down to serve the food.

“Uh, Mr. Park,” Tony announced just then, popping his head inside the open door. “I’m needed at the Tokyo branch at the moment. I’ll come back for you...”

Chanyeol only shook his head. “It’s fine, I can go to the hotel by myself.”

Tony seemed unsure, as he looked at Jae-wook, who said, “I can drive him later. The hotel’s about 10 minutes away from here.”

And with that, Tony nodded and bid goodbye to both men.

“You don’t have to, you know,” Chanyeol told Jae-wook, although appreciative of the beautiful presentation of the several dishes being laid out in front of him.

“It’s my lunch break, anyway,” Jae-wook said, reaching to shake Chanyeol’s hand afterwards. “You look really good. I’m glad your Lasik surgery went well.”

“Kamsa-hamnida,” Chanyeol said gratefully. “This place is bustling. You truly are the best person to make the Shinjuku branch come to life.”

Jae-wook only grinned at the compliment as he handed the younger man his chopsticks. “Go on, eat.”

Chanyeol nodded as he and Jae-wook enthusiastically partook on the small feast prepared for him.

“How long would be in Tokyo?” Jae-wook casually asked, sipping from his bowl of miso soup.

“Two days, and then I fly to Osaka, and then the other three sites and the last stop would be the Tokyo branch,” Chanyeol relayed, sampling every single salivating dish and scooping up rice in his spoon in between.

Suddenly, the wooden door slid open and a shy, petite younger man, perhaps in his early 20’s, wearing a cook’s uniform, entered the room with a pitcher of water.

Jae-wook looked up and thanked the young cook, who smiled at him, as the head chef affectionately squeezed his hand.

Chanyeol’s gaze darted back to his food the moment he saw the subtle—yet, distinguishable—action, pretending as if he had witnessed nothing.

But Jae-wook was aware that Chanyeol did see, as the head chef cleared his throat. “Uh… Chanyeol-rah, this is Jiro. He is a part-time cook and I am mentoring him at the moment.”

Chanyeol hastily wiped the corners of his mouth with napkin and reached with both of his hands to shake the young cook’s ones. “Konnichiwa.”

Jae-wook introduced Chanyeol in Japanese as the CEO of Seomse.

The young Japanese man’s eyes widened and went on his knees and bowed low, greeting Chanyeol repeatedly.

Chanyeol motioned with his hand that there was no need for such, and smiled when Jiro shyly rose to his feet again.

The young cook asked if there was anything they still needed, which Chanyeol sort of understood, so he amicably shook his head.

And with that, the young cook walked backwards in respect and exited quietly, sliding the wooden door close to give them their privacy.

Chanyeol noticed that Jae-wook was still looking at the door.

He stuffed his mouth with beef, concentrating on his food instead when the head chef said, “Jiro is working part-time because he’s still studying.”

Chanyeol merely nodded, wishing hyung wouldn’t elaborate. And then he cringed when the head chef did.

“He is only a part-time employee so that rule shouldn’t apply to…”

Chanyeol looked up warily then, and meeting Jae-wook’s gaze now.

Jae-wook seemed to cower a bit, but stared back at Chanyeol nonetheless. “I’m helping him and… like I said, he’s working part-time and…”

Chanyeol pressed his lips together, his ears irritated by the redundancy of the term part-time. Why would that be the excuse? An employee was an employee, and they were asked to read the employment contract before signing. Was Jae-wook hyung asking him to debunk the no-intimate-relations-with-coworkers rule? Should Seomse’s prized head chef be the only exception? “I’ve only been in your presence for less than 30 minutes, which is not nearly enough time for me to notice any detriment...”

He sighed, reluctantly saying: “As long as you keep your personal life separate, after work hours, and this site is performing as well as it is now, I… don’t have any problem.”  He leaned back, not in the best authoritative tone or stance but it was all he could muster. “However, should Tony or any other staff report any slip-ups or worse—malicious gossip spreading—then…”

Chanyeol closed his eyes, wondering what his father had said or imposed on Jae-wook hyung when this happened the first time around. And the humiliation that poor Kyungsoo must have gone through… “Can you… just be discreet, please?”

“I’m doing that,” Jae-wook vowed, his voice cracking a bit. “I’m telling you this because I want you to understand.”

Chanyeol eyed the head chef, utterly conflicted.

“I don’t intentionally fall for my staff,” Jae-wook admitted.  Even to himself, it was a feeble defense.  “It just… happens. Kyungsoo, two years ago, with his endearing baby face and optimism to learn… Jiro reminds me so much of him. And since Kyungsoo and I have broken up last year—”

“I know, hyung,” Chanyeol interrupted suddenly, feeling extremely uncomfortable. Why were they having this conversation in the first place? “You told me.”

Jae-wook sighed. He knew it was probably too late to redeem himself to the CEO but it was his hope to make things right by Kyungsoo, to the best of his ability. He recalled the last conversation they had, just before Jae-wook had flown to Japan to run Seomse Shinjuku and Kyungsoo had tearfully confessed to him about falling in love with Chanyeol.

It had broken Jae-wook’s heart, but he was willing to let Kyungsoo go, if that was what made him happy… if Chanyeol was the one he wanted.

Even if Chanyeol was now single, and the break-up with Seolhee had been public, that even Mrs. Park didn’t seem too bothered by it, did Chanyeol feel the same for Kyungsoo, though?

Was Chanyeol even… gay?

He’d presented the possibility of rejection to Kyungsoo, not to dissuade him, but to think about it realistically, and Kyungsoo kept quiet, only tearing up without a word. He knew that Kyungsoo had no answers, and perhaps this young CEO in front of him also had no clue. But Jae-wook was going to try and help Kyungsoo, even if it was last thing he could do for him. “Did you… go and see him? Before his enlistment?”

Chanyeol gazed down at his food.  He should thank hyung for informing him about Kyungsoo’s enlistment and where he could be found, but he didn’t.  He only nodded, saddened for some reason.

“You mean a lot to him.”

Chanyeol blinked at what he heard, although he was confused as to why it was coming from Jae-wook hyung. “Kyungsoo is… pretty special.”

Jae-wook couldn’t agree more.  The response he heard from Chanyeol was too vague to be discernible. He removed the metal cover of the dish he was saving for last. 

“I tried to make them for you, because I was told they were your favorite dish when you came over last year,” Jae-wook said, chuckling wistfully. “I failed miserably in replicating them. Only Kyungsoo can, but I guess you already know that.”

Chanyeol had to smile sadly, a deluge of memories coming over him. This was the first time he was seeing wha