“...Good job.”
“What?”
“N-No! I an, y-you did great. This must be why our CEO overturned the entire loan shark industry.”
It wasn’t until Yoon Taeo finally let go of my shoulder that my mouth worked again. This psycho keeps coming up with new, ssed-up ways to tornt people. It’s not just insults or beatings that can make you feel like shit. Even after his hand was gone, it felt like a long, lingering trace had been burned into that spot.
“You never miss a chance to talk back, do you.”
“...I’m sorry....”
His tone wasn’t sharp, but I apologized anyway. I had been snide.
“Well, it’s been fun for the first ti in a while, so.”
“...You’re having fun? But you didn’t even buy anything today.”
Well, everyone has their own way of relieving stress, right? I don’t know why Yoon Taeo was even stressed to begin with, but in any case, he had a few preferred outlets. Auctions were one of them.
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t buy anything. The thing I ca for is coming up now. That one.”
Ah. So he did co with a specific item in mind. I hadn’t checked the full list of auction items, but apparently he had. Following his gaze, I looked up at the stage. A slightly larger glass case than before had been brought out.
“...What is that...?”
Even with the auctioneer explaining what it was, the crowd’s mood remained lukewarm. Judging by the reactions, it might be the only item tonight that doesn’t sell.
“This is a piece by Kim Eulsu, a Korean ceramic artist currently gaining international recognition.”
It sounded like a decent item. But the problem was everything that had co before. Compared to all the other extravagant items we’d just seen, this piece didn’t stand out at all. It wasn’t from a royal dynasty, nor did it carry the weight of so grand historical love story.
“Starting bid is 50 million won.”
Naturally, the opening price was quite low compared to the others.
“One hundred million.”
“...CEO...? W-What are you going to use that for...?”
Just like he said, Yoon Taeo jumped in first. And doubled the opening price while he was at it.
“Isn’t it nice? I heard the artist isn’t producing work anymore. That gives it value.”
“Still, that’s just....”
I an, the backstory’s alright, and the work itself isn’t bad. But the shape is...
“...Isn’t that a ran bowl?”
The finishing was excellent, very refined like a proper piece of art, and the black glaze really shone beautifully—but it was still just two large bowls. Of course, maybe that’s just my plebeian art sense talking. But apparently I wasn’t the only one who thought so, because no one else placed another bid. As I blinked in confusion, Yoon Taeo looked at and spoke.
“It’s a gift for Secretary Baek.”
Bullshit. The worst kind, spoken with the prettiest damn smile.
❖ ❖ ❖
“Hands off! Team Leader, don’t touch it. I’ll carry it inside myself.”
“What the hell is it, that you’re acting so precious about...?”
Kang Seokho looked baffled watching buckle the box into the front seat like a baby and personally bring it into the house. Of course, he made sure to keep his voice low so Yoon Taeo wouldn’t hear it.
“One hundred million. It cost a hundred million.”
“Considering the crap he’s bought before, isn’t that pretty minor...?”
Fair point. The stuff he’s bought up to now at least had so value. This might actually be one of the cheapest items in the entire house. Of course... it’s not like Yoon Taeo ever treated them with care, no matter the price.
“I’ll carry it. Your arms are too short for this. You’re off duty.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you for your hard work.”
That bastard Yoon Taeo used a single short sentence to insult my arm length and send Kang Seokho ho in one go.
“CEO!”
I rushed after Yoon Taeo, who took the box from my arms and carried it into the house with one hand like it was a bag of snacks from a convenience store. No sense of reverence at all.
“Be careful, seriously...!”
“Weren’t you the one asking why I bought it?”
“Still... y-you said it was a gift for ...?”
I thought he was joking. But apparently he wasn’t. I asked him several tis on the ride ho, but his answer never changed.
“Didn’t seem like you liked it, though.”
“No! Of course not....”
As we crossed the yard and entered the main house, I frantically waved my hands. This... this made my smuggling plan more realistic. If I quickly pawned off the two watches and two ran bowls, I could probably make at least 200 million won. Why wouldn’t I accept sothing like that?
“Let take your jacket.”
Back in the house, I reached to help take off Yoon Taeo’s coat, but he just placed the auction item on the table and didn’t move. Oh... so now it’s undress yourself, huh. The eternal pain of being a secretary. I was tired too, but I an, you undress a kid before you tuck them in, right? It wasn’t even that hard a task, so I decided to just get it over with.
“Excuse .”
I loosened the front of his jacket and stood on tiptoe to help him slip it off. Just as I was removing his tie pin and undoing his tie—
“Sieon-ah.”
“CEO!”
I jerked away like I’d been shocked. Why the hell hasn’t this bastard forgotten my na yet? And why does he keep calling like that... just my na. What the hell is with that.
“Didn’t you say you’re not a secretary today? Then why are you undressing your hyung?”
“This is work. I’m on duty. This is my workplace.”
“Is that so? Then by all ans, continue.”
I deliberately kept my eyes focused on his tie. Even then, I could feel his gaze pouring over like a damn spotlight. Obviously it wasn’t possible, but just from the tone of his voice, I felt like he was smiling. Can eyes have a temperature?
Even though this was sothing I’d done countless tis before, the way he said my na had thrown so off that it took twice as long as usual.
“...Need to take off the collar bar...”
I warned him as I held the diamond collar bar at the bottom of his tie. Not that I couldn’t reach it, but it ant I had to lean in a little more. Just as I was about to move closer, he beat to it.
“Go ahead.”
Yoon Taeo bent down, lowering his neck to make it easier for to reach. Now we were perfectly eye-level—I couldn’t even talk into his chest anymore. No matter where I moved my eyes, his face filled my vision. Flustered, I quickly unhooked the tie bar, but before I could finish, his hand moved toward my face.
“Wh-What is it...?”
Was he about to backhand ? Even at this slow speed, those massive hands could easily snap my neck with a flick of the wrist—
“There’s a mole.”
“...?”
“Here. You’ve got a mole.”
But it wasn’t the slap I feared. Instead, his fingertips gently pressed beneath my eye, near my cheekbone. It wasn’t pain—it was warmth. Just a soft, light touch.
“How did I never notice that?”
Maybe because you suck at recognizing faces in general. If he can’t even rember what people look like, how would he rember a single mole?
“I’ll wash up... I’m tired too. Just leave your clothes. I’ll clean them up.”
Luckily, I finished undoing the tie bar just in ti. So I bolted—half ran back to the room I was using. Not really mine, of course. It was one of the rooms in Yoon Taeo’s house that I’d been temporarily assigned.
It’s hot. Seriously, the thermostat in this place has to be broken. My whole head felt like it was radiating heat, so I rushed into the bathroom and stood under the stream of water. Normally I hate cold showers, but right now, I needed it. My head was burning—I couldn’t think straight.
“Maybe I should up the dosage...”
Only after what felt like forever did my head and chest start to cool down. Once my forearms finally chilled, I stepped out of the bathroom. I threw on so comfortable clothes and went back outside to clean up Taeo’s tossed clothes and his bathroom. I figured he must be done showering by now too—I’d taken long enough.
“I an, sure, our pipes have a seven-stage filtration system, but isn’t this a bit much?”
Wow. This petty bastard. Was he actually complaining I used too much water in his house?
“...You didn’t shower...?”
That’s when I saw him. Still wearing the sa clothes I had helped take off earlier—only his sleeves were rolled up. He hadn’t changed.
“Why are you in the kitchen, CEO...?”
“I’m hungry.”
Oh... right. He never had a proper dinner. There was food at the party, but Yoon Taeo doesn’t eat that kind of stuff. Character setting and all. I should’ve forced sothing into him before we left.
“Please wait just a mont. I’ll make you sothing quick.”
It was close to 10 PM. I was exhausted too, but I couldn’t just let a whiny, hungry kid go to bed starving. I rolled up my sleeves and stepped toward the kitchen—but Yoon Taeo caught my forearm.
“I thought you said you’re not a secretary today.”
“...What...?”
What the hell... This is payback, isn’t it...? He’s definitely still holding a grudge over that one damn comnt, right...?
“Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m smarter than I look. And I’ve got a pretty good eye too.”
“...I know....”
No. I don’t know that at all. I know he’s got a sharp brain, sure. He’s like a goddamn ghost when it cos to manipulating people and getting what he wants—money, control, whatever. And I know it’s not just brute force that makes it happen.
But good eye...? Yeah, right. This is the sa guy who didn’t notice I was tailing him for hours. I had no idea what the hell he was talking about, but I let him ramble anyway.
“Hold on. I’ll do it today.”
“Do what?”
“Cooking.”
What do I do...? He’s seriously lost it, hasn’t he? Yoon Taeo sat down at the dining table, walked into the kitchen, and with his back turned to , started doing sothing—busy, focused.
“I-I’ll do it! CEO—no, I’m sorry, okay...?”
...Yoon Taeo cooking? He should not be doing that. Unless... wait. What if he’s learned so new assassination technique? Poison, maybe...? Sothing like that...?
“Shut that mouth for a second.”
“...Hic... s-sorry... sir...”
But I decided not to dig any deeper. I shut up imdiately when he turned around holding a massive kitchen knife from God-knows-where. That’s not fair. His hands and his gaze are already like weapons—now he’s holding an actual one?
“...What are you making?”
He must’ve prepped while I was showering. He was slicing and boiling sothing with his back still to . His fra was so wide I couldn’t even see what exactly he was doing, but just by the sound of the knife hitting the board, I could tell—he wasn’t clumsy at it.
“Just wait.”
He spoke without turning around. I rested my elbows on the table, chin in my hand, and watched his back. The shirt he wore fit his body perfectly, hugging that ridiculously solid upper half. Every ti he moved his arms, the muscles in his back and forearms looked like they were splitting through the fabric. And his ass too... Why is it so firm...? No thoughts, no feelings—I just kinda wanted to grab it, just once.
Soone once said a man looks sexiest when he’s cooking... Maybe that’s why.
“Eat.”
While I was spacing out, staring at Yoon Taeo, a familiar {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} sll filled the air—and he set a bowl in front of . There was one at his seat too, but mine had twice as much in it.
“...You made ran?”
Even the decoration matched exactly what I’d served him before. The danmuji, the asparagus soy-braise, and the beet pickles I’d plated last ti were all there, in the sa little side dishes.
“H-How did you even make this...?”
“Didn’t I say I’ve got a good eye? I just copied what I saw you do last ti. Wasn’t that hard, really.”
He said it casually, but... he definitely looked proud of himself. It was just ran—but had this man ever cooked sothing like this in his life?
“Thank you for the al, CEO....”
“Dig in. I gave Secretary Baek a special double serving.”
“Y-Yeah... Uh, but...! CEO!”
Just as I picked up my chopsticks, the little flicker of emotion I felt got snuffed out cold.
“What.”
“This is... the bowl from the auction today...!”
“Yeah. So?”
He’s lost his damn mind. Who the hell uses a one-billion-won bowl to serve ran?
“Do you have any idea how much this thing costs...?”
I was gonna keep it in pristine condition, not a speck of dust, and resell it later for my smuggling fund—and you’re using it to serve instant noodles?
“This is what I bought it for.”
“...Excuse ...?”
“This is the Baek Sieon Ran Bowl.”
...You went to Sotheby’s Seoul Auction just to buy... a one-billion-won ran bowl...?
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