Fiancé (1)

"Kun, how about a shared apartment for our accommodation? We could even cook for ourselves — wouldn't that be fun?"

Yeehyeon had said that when they were just starting to plan the trip.

They were apart — one in Paris and the other in Seoul — and as usual, they were on a video call date.

Liu, whose list of hotels he wanted to stay in with Yeehyeon for each city was already full, had responded lukewarmly at first. Yeehyeon, by contrast, actively pushed the idea, even sharing webpages of the accommodations he'd looked up himself.

"Could you look at this link? This one is in London. It has a separate bedroom, the kitchen is quite well-equipped, and though small, it even has a bathtub. Isn't the interior cute?"

"Hmm, it is cute, but... since it's a small private home, won't it be a bit inconvenient? And it's in Zone 3 — a bit far from where the museums and galleries are concentrated."

"I suppose Kun would find it a little... uncomfortable if it's not a hotel?"

"I'm fine with it. Anywhere is good as long as I'm with you. But I want to show you a lot of places. It's not just about luxury — there are hotels with genuine historical, aesthetic, and architectural value. We don't get to take a long trip like this often, so it's a good opportunity."

After hearing Awi's words, Yeehyeon seemed to pause in thought on the screen. Then he opened his mouth in his characteristically careful, calm tone.

"I know very well that Awi has so many things he wants to show me and make me experience. I don't intend to simply reduce all of that to money and reject it because it seems beyond my means."

"Um... I feel like there's a 'but' coming after that."

Yeehyeon chuckled at Awi's remark and continued.

"But, just for this trip, I'd like Awi to match my economic level. Just this once. Okay?"

"Ah... pleading like that with a cute 'Okay?' That's too unfair."

Already more than half defeated by Yeehyeon's rare display of cuteness, Liu threw his head back, covered his face with both hands, and made a show of frustration.

"Think of this trip as Seo Yeehyeon inviting Liu Weikun."

"A trip where Seo Yeehyeon invites Liu Weikun. If you put it that way, I can't argue anymore. How did I end up with such a smart lover?"

Liu's resistance ended without ever mounting a real fight. The two agreed to use shared accommodations for the entire trip.

However, a new kind of pleasure that Liu hadn't anticipated was waiting for him on this trip of shared lodging.

It was a pleasure they wouldn't have found staying at a historic luxury hotel with all its services at hand.

That pleasure was getting a glimpse of what living together would actually be like.