Yeonwoo held his breath and looked down at him. Keith said nothing either. In the silence, only the wrist he was holding trembled faintly, burning with an intensity that seemed like it could sear straight through. Absentmindedly, Yeonwoo licked his dry lips. He felt like he should say something, but nothing came to mind. Keith simply looked at Yeonwoo’s face.
Only after a long pause did Yeonwoo manage to open his mouth with difficulty.
"Is there... something you need...?"
The sentence trailed off without strength. Keith must have heard him, but there was no response. Yeonwoo’s heart pounded so hard from the tension that it felt like it might burst.
"...?"
Keith’s grip on his wrist tightened slightly. Yeonwoo barely managed to stifle a scream. Still, he couldn’t stop his brows from furrowing in discomfort.
He wanted to ask why Keith was doing this, but no words came out. Keith lowered his gaze, staring with an unfamiliar expression—not at Yeonwoo’s face, but at the wrist he was holding.
What was it? His face, twisted with emotions too tangled to make sense of, made it even harder to read his feelings. Yeonwoo couldn’t understand why Keith was grabbing him like that, with that kind of expression. The only thing clear was that he was conflicted. As for the cause or the reason—Yeonwoo had no way of knowing.
Then.
Keith let out a sigh that sounded as if something had been lodged in his chest, and suddenly released Yeonwoo’s wrist. Yeonwoo stumbled backward in surprise. Keith turned over without looking at him.
"That’s enough. Get out."
Yeonwoo blinked once, then hurriedly turned away and left the room. Once the door shut behind him, his wrist began to ache belatedly. When he looked down, it had turned red. A flush spread over his face. He gently raised the wrist to his lips.
Ah.
A deep breath escaped him. His heart was pounding so hard he couldn’t walk. Leaning against Keith’s bedroom door, Yeonwoo stood there for a long while with his eyes closed, trying to steady his breathing.
"Ugh."
As soon as he opened his eyes in the morning, a groan escaped without thinking. It took several tries before he finally managed to lift his stiff eyelids, but his mind still felt blank. When the memory of last night returned, Yeonwoo instinctively checked his wrist. A faint bruise had formed. He quietly stroked the spot. A part of his chest fluttered. As long as the bruise remained, he could still hold on to Keith’s warmth.
When he softly pressed his lips to it, a knock suddenly came at the door. Yeonwoo quickly lowered his hand and sat up. As expected, it was Charles who entered.
"Good morning. How would you like your breakfast? Mr. Pittman said he’ll be dining in his room."
"Is that... so?"
Even to his own ears, his voice sounded full of disappointment. He hastily ducked his head, pretending to get out of bed to hide his expression.
"I’ll go downstairs to eat. Thank you."
After confirming the usual arrangement, Charles left the room. Only then did Yeonwoo exhale and let his shoulders sag.
The dining table where he used to eat breakfast with Keith every day felt miserably empty. They only ate together once a day, but it had become so routine that the sense of absence now felt even greater.
"Ah."
Even the sound of the fork clinking against the plate echoed too loudly, making him let out a quiet sigh without realizing it. He declined when Charles tried to refill his half-empty juice glass and stood from the table. As he returned to his room to finish getting ready, a sudden wave of dizziness hit him.
Yeonwoo leaned against the wall to catch his breath, a foreboding sensation creeping over him. He knew this feeling. It happened once every month—or sometimes every few months. It was a symptom that always came when his heat cycle was approaching.
There were other signs, too. With a grave expression, he took out the medication and threw the pills into his mouth. Just like the night before, he took more than the prescribed dosage.
Even in the car on the way to work, Keith didn’t look at him once. Yeonwoo stared at the tablet screen, pretending to work, mindlessly opening and closing the schedule app.
The silence was longer than ever. Suddenly, Keith’s face from the night before came to mind. Maybe having breakfast in his room this morning had been a whim. But thinking about what happened yesterday, something felt off.
Yeonwoo opened his mouth several times, only to close it again. Even if he asked why Keith seemed upset, it didn’t feel like he’d get an answer. And if he asked for no reason, he might just get hit with one of Keith’s sharp remarks and end up hurt again. That had happened often during the early days after he was hired.
It’s none of your business.
That message had come through—sometimes in words, sometimes just in a look. After being cut down a few times, Yeonwoo had chosen not to ask anymore. Luckily, he was fairly perceptive, so things had gone smoothly until now.
But today, he truly didn’t know.
That thought made Naomi come to mind. Right—Keith had met with her last night. Had something happened at the hotel?
If it had, Whitaker probably would’ve given him a heads-up.
The sudden vibration and ringtone from his pocket startled him, and Yeonwoo quickly pulled out his phone. As soon as he saw who it was, he hit the call button.
"Emma, is something wrong? It’s early."
When he asked curiously, Emma hesitated, sounding flustered.
[Um, I’m sorry, Yeonwoo. Something came up this morning, so I might be late... Is it okay if I come in this afternoon? I’ll tell Rachel to handle the morning tasks.]
"That’s fine. …Did something happen? If you need help, don’t hesitate to say so, Emma."
Sensing something unusual in her voice, Yeonwoo added that seriously. She responded in a slightly softer tone.
[Thank you, Yeonwoo. I will.]
After ending the call and turning his gaze, his eyes met Keith’s. Feeling awkward, Yeonwoo opened his mouth.
"Emma said something came up and that she’ll be coming in during the afternoon, so I told her that was fine."
Keith didn’t respond. The silent gaze made Yeonwoo uncomfortable, and just as he was about to add, “Should I ask her to come in earlier?”—
Keith spoke first.
"When are you going to get better?"
The sudden question caught Yeonwoo off guard, leaving him speechless. He thought he had gotten much better already. He had passed along what Steward had said before.
But when he thought back to the panic attack he’d had after unexpectedly running into Grayson not long ago, he couldn’t confidently say he’d be okay soon. He couldn’t even leave the office without Keith. As Yeonwoo struggled to find something to say, Keith frowned and turned his head.
"You’re such a nuisance."
Yeonwoo’s heart dropped in an instant. He had forgotten—this man only kept him around because it was convenient.
The kind hands that had once embraced him during a panic attack, the soft voice that had soothed him—none of it remained as warmth. It all returned now as sharp-edged pain.
Thinking there had been some meaning in those moments had been nothing but his own illusion. Of course, he had already known. He had just wanted to stay in that fantasy a little longer, pretending he didn’t know the truth.
But did Keith really have to drag him back to reality this cruelly, all at once?
Looking at the dry, emotionless face reflected in the window, Yeonwoo thought—of course. Keith had no way of knowing how he felt. He wouldn’t know that these words cut deep, and there was no reason for him to care.
Even if he did know, it wasn’t like his attitude would change.
He meant nothing to this man.
"I apologize for being a burden."
Yeonwoo apologized flatly, as he always did. Keith still didn’t speak, his head turned away. Yeonwoo thought—
Next time, he would ask Steward to give Keith a clear answer about when he would get better. And ask whether there were any more proactive treatment options. If such things existed.
The face reflected in the car window still held no expression.
He couldn’t rely on Keith forever.
If this man ever truly grew tired of him—then this time, he really would fall all the way down, to the very bottom.
***
The meeting with Chase Miller had only been finalized after several back-and-forth disputes. Keith’s secretary had anticipated that it wouldn’t go smoothly, but having a bad feeling proven right was never something to celebrate.
"You said Wednesday would be fine, didn’t you?"
The appointment had already been rescheduled twice, and Yeonwoo couldn’t hide the agitation in his voice. On the other end of the call, the manager let out a deep sigh and stammered.
[Well, the schedule was clear, and we confirmed it several times, but then all of a sudden he told us to change the date…]
"At least give me a reason. What kind of excuse is there for breaking an appointment the day of?"
The manager let out a groan before answering.
[He says… he’s not in the mood to go out…]
"You—!"
Yeonwoo nearly cursed out loud. He barely stopped the words at the tip of his tongue and tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling. It took several seconds to rein in his emotions.
"Does he actually intend to go through with the contract?"
Fatigue hit him all at once, and his tone turned limp. The manager responded in a hurry.
[Of course. Chase really likes the role. Oh—well, the revised one, of course.]
"Then why—!"
As his frustration surged again, Yeonwoo raised his voice, but the manager faltered.
[It's just… his moods tend to shift like that sometimes…]
"……"
Yeonwoo closed his eyes and took a deep breath, unable to contain his anger. He counted silently, trying to recall a motivational quote he’d read somewhere. After letting a decent amount of time pass, he finally spoke again with some semblance of calm.
"Then please find out when his mood will be right enough to finalize the contract. If he reschedules again—"
He couldn’t go so far as to threaten to cancel the deal altogether. Letting out a suppressed groan, Yeonwoo was cut off by the manager hastily replying.
[Don’t worry. This time, we’ll make sure he keeps the appointment. Seriously, breaking appointments like this makes it hard for us to manage the schedule too…]
It wasn’t as if the manager’s position was any better than his own. Yeonwoo resisted the urge to offer genuine sympathy and instead resynchronized their calendars.
"Please make sure he keeps it this time."
He offered a final reminder before ending the call. But even then, he couldn’t bring himself to trust it. If Chase broke the appointment again—what would Keith say?
So far, Keith’s reactions had always been indifferent, as if he’d expected it from the start. Lately, he seemed mentally checked out, and his responses had grown almost disturbingly detached.
Meanwhile, Yeonwoo’s head felt like it was about to explode from the pressure of rescheduling everything.
Grinding his teeth, he once again reorganized Keith’s calendar and hurriedly began making more calls.
***
The meeting place with Chase Miller was a well-known hotel café. The café operated as a private membership space, with tightly controlled access from the entrance. Of course, there were exceptions for the chosen few.
"Welcome, Mr. Pittman."
The manager greeted Keith with the utmost formality as soon as he was spotted, personally escorting him to the reserved table. Leaving Whitaker and the other bodyguards at the entrance, Yeonwoo followed behind Keith, crossing through the café’s interior.
It was a place Yeonwoo had visited several times, but the lavish interior still left him feeling small every time. Determined not to show it, he straightened his back and walked with purpose. Inwardly, he couldn’t help but think how incredible it was that people could casually dine and sip coffee in a place like this.
Keith was the first to take a seat at the table by the window. A secondary chair for Yeonwoo had been placed a short distance behind him. Silently, Yeonwoo took his place.
Checking the time on his wristwatch, he saw that it was precisely the appointed hour. That morning, he’d been nervous. There had been past instances where Chase had canceled on the same day. Thankfully, the manager had answered the confirmation call twice, assuring him, "It’s definitely happening today!" For once, Yeonwoo allowed himself to believe it. He tried to reassure himself, though the anxiety remained.
Was Chase Miller usually punctual?
He tried to recall but nothing came to mind. Then again, everything he knew of Chase Miller came from the screen. This would be his first time seeing him in person.
What did he even look like?
Despite everything that had happened, a trace of curiosity crept in. It wasn’t like he was at an age—or in a position—to squeal at celebrities, but the novelty of it was real. Even as the secretary to the owner of an entertainment group, meeting one of the highest-paid, top-tier actors in person was not a common occurrence.
Come to think of it, had Chase Miller attended the year-end party last winter?
He was fairly certain an invitation had been sent. He remembered that Grayson had attended. But there was nothing about Chase that came to mind.
As Yeonwoo sat lost in a daze, an employee suddenly approached and held something out to him.
"Ah, thank you."
Accepting the menu belatedly, he flipped through it to find a drink. He glanced at Keith, but there was nothing in front of him yet. Carefully, Yeonwoo spoke up.
"Mr. Pittman, would you like an espresso? Or some tea?"
Keith didn’t turn to look. He continued staring out the glass wall, tossing out a reply.
"Tea."
"Understood. May I choose the leaves for you?"
Keith said nothing. That was answer enough. After a pause, Yeonwoo selected a few leaves that seemed like they would suit Keith’s taste and asked the staff to prepare a custom blend.
"I’ll have the same, please."
The employee withdrew with the menu and the sample tea leaves. Yeonwoo sat up straight and looked at Keith’s back. It was the same as always. The subtle scent he wore, the neatly arranged dark hair, the strong nape of his neck, the broad shoulders—all of it remained unchanged.
Ah.
A sudden thought came to him.
It was probably time to start letting this go.
He remembered when he had first become aware of his unrequited love. It had already been several years since that day. He had long since given up on being loved by Keith—but he hadn’t been able to give up his admiration. And so, the years had passed in a haze.
He’d told himself it was truly over more than once. But it never even lasted a day before his feelings would start to stir again. Even knowing that this affection would never be returned, he couldn’t bring himself to cut it off.
He had kept those feelings hidden for so long—so naturally, like breathing. There was nothing new about it. And yet, the emptiness that filled him now felt strangely ironic.
You're such a nuisance.
Those words stabbed at his heart again. Yeonwoo quietly closed his eyes, then opened them slowly. Nothing had changed. Keith was still facing the same direction. Still turning away from him. And Yeonwoo was still looking at his back.
For the first time, Yeonwoo thought—he was tired of this love.
Maybe it was really time to let go.
***
Clink.
The faint sound of a teacup being set down reached his ears. Keith had nearly emptied the first pot already. Yeonwoo began to wonder whether he should place another order. He glanced anxiously at the time, but there was still no sign of Chase Miller.
What was going on? Had there been an accident on the way?
If only that were the case. It was unthinkable—keeping Keith waiting for two full hours. At the thirty-minute mark, Yeonwoo had called the manager, who had apologized profusely and insisted, “He’s on his way.”
Another thirty minutes passed, and the answer was the same. By the third call, Yeonwoo couldn’t help lowering his voice in frustration.
Is he really coming?
Caught off guard by the question, the manager had stammered, “Yes, he’s on the way.” But Yeonwoo no longer trusted him. Now, it had been two hours.
Surely he wasn’t canceling again—after making them come all the way out here?
Yeonwoo’s nerves frayed as he glanced again at the clock and noticed Keith’s cup was empty. He rose quickly and reached for the pot, but something felt off.
As he’d suspected, the pot was light in his hand. There wasn’t even enough left to fill the cup halfway. Yeonwoo put it down and cautiously gauged Keith’s reaction. Should he place another order? Or—
"Um, Mr. Pittman..."
Just as Yeonwoo cautiously opened his mouth, Keith suddenly stood up from his seat. Startled, Yeonwoo reflexively stepped back as if spring-loaded. Keith, seemingly surprised by the reaction, frowned. His gaze dropped to Yeonwoo, as if to say, What was that? Embarrassed, Yeonwoo quickly straightened his posture.
"My apologies."
Keith said nothing and simply turned away, walking toward the exit. As always, Yeonwoo hurried after him, half-running to keep up with his long strides.
"Thank you for visiting. Please come again."
They passed the staff member bowing politely at the entrance and made their way across the main hall when—
...Huh?
Suddenly, a man caught Yeonwoo’s eye. He was pacing nervously, visibly unsettled, but the moment he spotted Keith, he froze. Then, he closed his eyes and clasped his hands together tightly, almost as if in prayer. Yeonwoo tilted his head in confusion.
What was that...?
He was still watching intently when Whitaker approached him and spoke in a low voice.
"Yeonwoo, what’s going on? Chase Miller still hasn’t shown up, right? There’s no way we missed him, is there? We’ve had people at the entrance the whole time—not a glimpse. No way we didn’t recognize him..."
Whitaker looked just as flustered as Yeonwoo felt. To stand up Keith Pittman—being there in person and still not believing it—it was almost surreal. But unless they were all dreaming the same dream, the facts were undeniable. Yeonwoo swallowed dryly and nodded.
"He hasn’t come."
"Jesus, what kind of guy—!"
It was right then that the suspicious man rushed forward. It was the same one he’d seen earlier.
Ah—Yeonwoo let out a quiet gasp. No one had the chance to stop him. The man suddenly lunged at Keith, and in that brief moment, Yeonwoo saw everything in perfect clarity, like a scene playing out in slow motion.
Even the sharp weapon the man drew from inside his jacket.
"Keith—!"
The sound of Yeonwoo’s scream reached his own ears a beat too late.