Sun & Moon

THIRTY SIX

Recently, Doyoung has realized he's felt less tired. Mornings seem more comforting, and Doyoung has somehow grasped how inviting the dark dawn can be. He begins his days breathing in the still, frigid air and making himself a cup of coffee. By the time he finishes the drink, the navy sky is only slightly paler. To some, the seemingly gray ambiance brings about a sense of dread, but for Doyoung, it is a moment of serenity and reticence before a busy day under bright sunlight.

But the change Doyoung is going through is not drastic. At the back of his mind, there is still a sense of anxiousness, a want for stability. Although he allows himself to settle, there is a small part of him that feels as if he has to be on his toes. Anything can happen and disrupt his calm. Doyoung had learned the way of the world far back in his youth and from his knowledge, life isn't that easy.

His instincts prove him correct when he receives another phone call from his father. He is about to drive home after work when the ring of his cell goes off. Doyoung glances at the contact, and then his heart beats as fast as the buzz of his phone. He clears his throat to answer.

"Hello?" Doyoung breathes out. His voice is steady, but his mind races through every possible scenario that could concurrently play out.

"Doyoung, how is the Jeju resort project going?" his father immediately asks.

"Fine." He keeps his answer curt, not wanting to give away more than needed.

"You're aware of our relationship with the Jeong Group, right?"

Doyoung pauses before answering. "There is nothing for you to worry about. Unless there is something else you had in mind." He stares straight ahead, but for some reason, he can't seem to register anything. There is something awfully different, and it feels wrong.

"This is an opportunity for a loyalty contract. I'd like it if you could meet up with them."

Doyoung exhales sharply. "I thought we've agreed long ago that you would deal with any social shenanigans. I'm not interested, dad."

"It's the CEO's daughter you would meet, not Mr. Jeong himself."

"Seriously?" Doyoung frowns when he catches on. "I have told you before, and I'm telling you now. I am not interested in playing politics. I'm not going to make friends or go on dates. Please, leave my personal life out of it." Doyoung's voice gets quicker as it rises with anger. He can feel his face flush red, and he sighs one more time. "Sorry, I'm going to hang up now. Good night." Doyoung mutes his phone and tosses it to the passenger seat.

He closes his eyes and leans against the steering wheel for a few moments before finally shaking his head and driving home.

. . .

When Doyoung wakes up, the sky is not dark and gloomy but a bright baby blue. Although it is the weekend, Doyoung does not usually oversleep. He groans when he looks at the clock. It is only a few minutes till ten, yet for Doyoung, he feels as if thousands of hours have been wasted.

When he checks his phone, Doyoung sees a missed call from Taeyong. "Seriously?" Doyoung murmurs as he rubs his eyes. "He woke up earlier than me?" Doyoung calls back as he sits up in bed. He is yawning when Taeyong answers.

"Morning sleepy head!" a bright voice says.

Doyoung smiles softly, immediately feeling at ease. "Was there a reason you called?"

"Wow, not even an 'I, in fact, did not just wake up at this moment! I woke up at the crack of dawn and have been working non-stop since! You should be grateful I even took time out of my day for you!'"

There is a long pause of awkward silence before Doyoung breaks it. "I don't talk like that."

Taeyong clears his throat. "Anyways! Did you watch the eight o'clock news last night?"

"No. Why?"

"Well. No worries. Just search about a super hot, mystery anchor online, and you'll see a familiar face."

There is silence again until Doyoung manages to encrypt the Taeyong Talk. "Did you anchor last night?"

"Ah, so you're admitting that I'm hot?" Doyoung can almost hear the grin through his phone.

"The only person you'd ever casually call attractive is yourself."

"Oh. True that." Taeyong clears his throat again. "Back to what I was saying. I did anchor last night. I did a super duper good job. So you should check it out."

"Alright. I will."

There is silence for the third time, but this time, it's because neither of them knows what to now say. This silence feels a bit rawer, yet also more endearing. "Uhm. Also. Out of curiosity, do you do interviews?"

Doyoung sighs. "No. There is no reason for me to do so. I'm only a board member of a company that is not involved in the public industry. An interview is a waste of time for me."

"But people are kind of curious about you."

"I see no reason for that."

"It's because you're hot! And rich! And an eligible bachelor!" Taeyong blurts out. "You're basically a celebrity!" He begins to laugh, and it draws Doyoung back to his stricter reality.

"I'm going to hang up now." Doyoung tosses his phone to his nightstand and shakes his head.

However, he is also smiling as he does so.