“Mr. Yejun, have a little more.”
“We’re only now having the dinner we were supposed to have yesterday.”
Han Yejun made no attempt to hide that he was sulking. It’s not like I signed up to be so kind of babysitter, but juggling people’s moods left and right was exhausting. Still, it was far easier than dealing with Yoon Taeo and the constant threat to my life. After a few etings, I was starting to get a feel for how to handle him.
“I’m sorry... Here, eat a bit more. You like this, don’t you?”
I placed a neatly cut piece of steak on Yejun’s plate. He still wore a pouty expression, but seeing him stab it with a fork and take a bite ant his mood had softened at least a little. If I tossed in a few more complints, it was only a matter of ti before he’d return to his usual self. I was never particularly smooth with words, but I busily kept the conversation going while helping this kid eat.
Maybe thanks to that, the food on the table started disappearing quickly, and with it, so did Yejun’s bad mood. That little pout that had stuck out earlier began to disappear. He was calming down.
“Hyung, do you have a lover?”
As we wrapped up the al, Yejun suddenly tossed that question my way. Why does it feel like I’ve been getting that question a lot lately?
“Hmm... No. I’ve been so busy with work I just haven’t had the ti.”
“That’s strange. You seem pretty popular.”
You probably wouldn’t say that if you’d spent any ti at our company. Thinking about the people around , I honestly hoped I wasn’t popular. I just wanted to keep things professional with everyone I worked with.
“You’re the popular one, Mr. Yejun. Our CEO talks about you all the ti.”
“...No way.”
When I subtly brought up Yoon Taeo, a bitter smile spread across Yejun’s face. It didn’t feel like a polite response—more like sothing grounded in actual thought. That smile, stretched across such a gentle-looking face, sent an odd chill down my spine.
“To be honest... just between us, I don’t really like that CEO guy.”
“Don’t... really...?”
The words that followed made my chest sink. Yoon Taeo? He didn’t like him?
“...Are you seeing soone else?”
I tested the waters, wondering if Yejun already knew that Lee Jiseok had been paroled. If he did, it could explain his inner turmoil. Yejun paused for a mont, as if my question made no sense, then spoke.
“No... it’s not like that...”
Even in the original story, Yejun kept the truth about Jiseok hidden. Nobody knew he had a long-term lover until Jiseok reappeared. Judging by his expression now, it looked like he was still intentionally hiding that fact. Though, he didn’t seem to know about the parole yet.
“Then why...?”
According to the original plot, he should be blissfully torn between two options—holding flowers in both hands, unable to choose. Thanks to Jiseok’s long absence, he should’ve developed real affection for Taeo, to the point where he considered leaving Jiseok behind.
Yejun let out a deep sigh. It didn’t suit him. The weight of it was so heavy that even I started feeling suffocated. As if collecting his thoughts, he stared straight into my eyes, closed his lids tightly, then opened them again. Then, looking directly at , he finally spoke.
“I like people who are kind. People who take care of , keep in touch, and communicate well. Soone who texts whenever they can, and even when they’re busy, still makes ti to co see ... soone like that.”
It felt eerie hearing such seriousness from soone like him. He didn’t na anyone specifically, but I knew instinctively who he ant.
“I like that person, hyung.”
My obsessive work ethic... had caused a disaster. I felt dizzy.
❖ ❖ ❖
“Where’ve you been, Secretary Kim? I’m pretty sure you clocked out a while ago.”
“...Ah, I t with Mr. Han Yejun for a bit.”
I decided I’d stop giving vague answers to Yoon Taeo. One more slip-up without a report, and I had the very rational thought that my head would get ripped off. Especially if that damn bloodhound caught a whiff of Yejun’s scent again.
“Nothing to report?”
“...No, nothing in particular.”
Taeo was sitting on the living room sofa drinking whiskey. He was knocking back that thick golden liquid like it was just water, wearing a completely relaxed expression.
“S-Sir, you shouldn’t drink on an empty stomach. You’ll wreck your stomach...!”
My survival instinct twitched. I rembered sothing Yejun had said earlier. I’d managed to wrap things up in a hurry, but it didn’t erase the fact that Yejun had said it. I didn’t know the exact content of the “bet” Taeo had ntioned, but I was sure it was connected to this shitstorm of a situation.
“I never eat snacks with drinks.”
“...Ah, right... of course...”
Then how do you explain the fact that you don’t usually drink at ho either?
“...At least drink so water...”
I fussed around with the fridge, grabbed a bottle of water and so ice, and poured it into a glass for him.
“Sit for a bit.”
“I’m tired, so I’ll just—”
“I said sit.”
He set down his heavy crystal glass with a clack, and I imdiately parked my ass on the sofa. I guess my workday wasn’t over yet.
“...Sir, what brings you to drink at ho tonight...?”
Even after I did as he asked and sat down, he didn’t say a word. I had no choice but to speak first. I was getting anxious. Did he realize sothing?
“This is dinner.”
“Excuse ...?”
“This is dinner. My dinner.”
...Did I forget to feed him today...?
“I sent Team 3’s leader to take you to the restaurant earlier...”
No. I’d confird before leaving work that Taeo was heading to the restaurant with Kang Seokho. That’s when I went to et Han Yejun.
“It was awful. Disgustingly so.”
“...I’m sorry.”
That couldn’t be right. It was one of his usual spots—he went there at least once a week. It was one of the few als he would eat even with his picky taste. I guess tonight didn’t match his usual whims.
“Starting tomorrow, I’ll eat dinner at ho.”
“At... ho, sir?”
“Why? Is that a problem?”
Yes. If you eat at ho, I have to cook every damn ti.
“No, I’ll «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» prepare accordingly...”
My mouth moved independently of my true feelings. Realistically, I had to keep Taeo in a good mood, and gently steer things so that his relationship with Yejun naturally fizzled out—before he realized the Beta’s heart already belonged to soone else. At least until then, I couldn’t talk back or provoke him.
“But.”
“Yes...?”
“You’ve been acting a little strange lately, Secretary Kim.”
Taeo stood up, swirling the glass in his hand, and slowly paced around the sofa and table. The soft clink of ice against glass echoed with every step. The sound moved back and forth behind , growing closer each ti. Then I caught the scent—rich and heady, like honey and flowers—seeping in from behind. That unmistakable aroma of Macallan whiskey.
“You’ve gotten quite opinionated.”
His voice ca from closer than I expected. It hit my eardrum like a whisper straight into my ear. The whiskey’s aroma weighed even heavier in the air.
“N-No, I haven’t...”
“See? You can’t even let one comnt go.”
“...I’m sorry, I’m really sorry...!”
Every ti his lips moved, it was like I was getting drunk just from his breath—heat rushed through my body. Honestly... he wasn’t wrong. I might’ve looked the sa, but everything inside had changed. Was that shift what irritated him?
“Just joking. I didn’t an it in a bad way, so relax.”
Unlike —tense as a wire—Taeo chuckled lightly and gave my shoulder a few pats before retreating again. Hah... What a nutjob. If it’s a joke, we’re supposed to laugh together—why is he having all the fun by himself?
“But, Secretary Kim.”
Just when the tension was finally starting to ease, Taeo’s voice crept closer again.
“Yes...”
I was already fed up with his constant weird teasing, so my voice ca out grumpy. I didn’t even look back when I answered. But then I heard it—the sound of him taking in a deep breath, right near my ear.
“I think I sll an Oga from sowhere.”
And with that quietly uttered murmur, my brain froze.
No—my breathing stopped.
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