Oneshots | VICTON

Seungwoo x Seungsik | #2seung #au

"The Young Entrepreneur Conference. You are invited!" The email reads. Seungwoo looks up from his computer screen and his eyes meet right with Seungsik's encouraging eye-smile.

The Young Entrepreneur Conference is a quadrennial conference where young business people come together to meet and share experiences, as well as learn from one another. It is a platform for these young businessman to share and encourage one another on their path of entrepreneurship. This conference is strictly on an invite basis. Self-nomination or self-application do not get anyone a place in the conference. Since the conference will involve young entrepreneurs from all over the world, it is a month long conference, sharing, education as well as internship with participating big sponsor companies. Since it only happens once every four years, it is seen as a prestigious event and highly recognized. Also, having attain a conference participation certificate can earn a company better trust from customers.

Five years ago, when Seungwoo and Seungsik were still in university, they decided to start their own business. They could not wait till graduation, before they started preaching their business idea to their school management. And they then started to do digital business marketing for their faculty. Small businesses started reaching out to them even before graduation. They had eventually grow their small business of two people into a group of seven permanent staff.

Back at their apartment at the end of the day, Seungsik is fixing dinner in the kitchen. Seungwoo tries to make himself useful by standing around, picking up rubbish and arranging this or that around the kitchen. They have been living together the moment Seungwoo graduated. The two have been staying together for so long that neither has to say anything for them to understand each other, as if they can read each other's minds.

When they finally sit down at the table, Seungsik feels the urge to speak to Seungwoo about it as he has kept quiet the whole day about the email. Seungsik picks up a piece of meat and puts on top of Seungwoo's bowl of rice, while observing the older's expression.

"Hyung, ya know... The Young Entrepreneur Conference... what are your thoughts?"

Seungsik only hears silence. Seungwoo looks up to meet Seungsik's eyes, and his gaze turns soft.

"It is a rare opportunity, and we have to make ourselves known there. But with our current situation, we cannot allow more than one of us to represent our company. So... will you stay with the kids while I go?"

"Of course. You know it better that I'd support any decision you make."

"Thanks Seungsik."

Seungsik grabs hold of Seungwoo's hand on the table and squeezes it gently.

"Let's tell the kids tomorrow. They'll be really excited."

With his spare hand, Seungsik puts a piece of kimchi on top of the meat he had placed on Seungwoo's rice. The two have the rest of their dinner with a much lighter heart and simple chats about their day, though they basically spend every waking minute together.

Back in their own rooms that night, the two sit at their desks. They spend twenty-four hours a day at close proximity to each other, and this time at night is the compromise. They need this alone time to clear their thoughts. Seungwoo looks up on the conference, wanting to understand more, while Seungsik gets focused on some leftover work before he takes the desk calendar from the side, then starts to mark down the dates of the conference. These are the dates that Seungwoo will not be around. Since living together, the two never separated for more than a week. When either of them go home to their families, it is usually over the weekend or just a few days of holidays. This is going to be a whole month of emptiness in the house, and in the workplace. Seungsik does not know if he is prepared for it, but all he can do is to mark down the dates, and count down every day till the last day.