OCMG chapter 29

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Had Ki Taeryu gone to Junhee’s home and caused a scene, or perhaps done something at the orphanage?

All sorts of unthinkable scenarios crossed his mind. Ki Taeryu was the kind of person who wouldn’t hesitate to commit such shameful acts.

“Assistant Yoo Junhee?”

Lost in his thoughts, Junhee quickly responded to the voice calling him, “Ah, yes.”

“You must be hungry. Shall we go eat?”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

Junhee hurriedly stuffed the remaining items into his bag.

Without checking the photo Ki Taeryu had sent, he followed Cha Junwoo out.

The few seconds they spent waiting for the elevator felt incredibly nerve-wracking.

“It was clear you prepared a lot. I heard it was your first seminar, but your presentation was easy to follow. I’m sure our branch staff found it very helpful. Thank you.”

“…You’re too kind.”

Instead of feeling pleased, Junhee was burdened by Cha Junwoo’s praise.

“Are you expecting a message?”

Noticing how Junhee kept fiddling with his phone, Cha Junwoo nodded toward it.

“Pardon? Oh, no.”

Ding.

The elevator arrived just in time, thankfully.

As soon as Junhee stepped inside, he quickly pulled down the notification bar to check Ki Taeryu’s message.

The photo he had sent was of…

“…Damn.”

“Sorry?”

The picture showed the front of the Daejeon branch building where Junhee was currently standing.

Junhee, unable to suppress the curse that escaped his lips, had no time to explain as the elevator reached the ground floor.

“Team Leader Cha, I think I forgot something upstairs. I should—”

Junhee’s hand shot out toward the close button in a panic, but just then…

“Why are you so late?”

Before the doors could close, someone stepped in.

It was Ki Taeryu.

Junhee wished he could deny what was happening, but the twisted smirk on Taeryu’s face snapped him back to reality.

As always, his piercing gaze brushed over Junhee’s face, sharp and invasive.

In an instant, the pheromones of two alphas filled the tight space of the elevator.

With his hand still hovering over the close button, Junhee raised his stiff face.

“Director, how did you…?”

“Like Hansel and Gretel, you left a trail of breadcrumbs, one by one.”

“…What are you talking about?”

Junhee had no idea what Ki Taeryu meant.

Had he left a trail? Of what?

As Junhee’s eyes searched the air, Ki Taeryu’s hand drew closer to him, but before it could touch him…

“Who are you?”

Cha Junwoo intercepted Taeryu’s hand, asking politely. He was smiling, but his eyes were sharp.

Ki Taeryu’s gaze slowly shifted from Junhee to Cha Junwoo.

His eyes regarded the latter with disdain, as if he were nothing more than an insignificant speck.

Cha Junwoo’s smile gradually disappeared, his lips curving downward.

The two locked eyes.

Pheromones clashed and rippled through the air, overwhelming Junhee to the point he had to stifle a gag.

“Urgh…!”

Junhee rushed out of the elevator.

All he had consumed all day was a single cup of an Einspänner, and his empty stomach couldn’t hold back anymore.

Despite the voice behind him announcing, “The doors are closing,” he ignored it and headed straight for the restroom in the building.

Ssshh—

After barely calming his stomach that had nothing left to give, he stood at the sink.

He washed his hands with cold water, rinsed his mouth several times, and then stared at himself in the mirror.

“Why is Ki Taeryu here?”

Junhee pressed on his throbbing temple, trying to recall.

Did he ask Director Lee about his business trip destination?

No, if he had contacted Director Lee, the man would have summoned him instead of coming here personally.

So how did Ki Taeryu find out the location? Unless he planted a tracker…

“Manager Yoo, are you okay?”

Cha Junwoo’s voice came from outside the restroom door.

“I’m fine. I’ll be out soon.”

As Junhee hurriedly searched his pockets to pull out a handkerchief to wipe his damp mouth, a card slipped from his fingers and fell to the floor.

“You’ve been dropping crumbs, one by one, haven’t you?”

Ki Taeryu’s voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

Kneeling down to pick up the card, a cold chill ran through Junhee’s chest.

“…No way.”

Junhee flipped the card over.

The English name on it, which he hadn’t paid attention to before, seemed odd.

His fingertips traced the golden letters.

“Damn it…”

A curse slipped through his teeth, almost like a sigh.

In the elevator, his frustration had been directed at Ki Taeryu, but now it was aimed at his own foolishness.

He had been swiping the card Ki Taeryu had given him all day—on the taxi fare, the train ticket, even the Einspänner.

Seeing Ki Taeryu’s name on it, every swipe must have sent a payment notification to the cardholder.

Ever since the moment Ki Taeryu provocatively hung up the phone.

“Manager Yoo, are you sure you’re okay? You don’t look well.”

“…I’m fine.”

Junhee didn’t even register Cha Junwoo’s concerned voice as he stepped out of the restroom.

Out of the corner of his eye, Junhee caught sight of Ki Taeryu’s shiny, polished shoes.

“You often get sick, don’t you?”

The words, though seemingly gentle, didn’t feel that way to Junhee.

How many times had he dry-heaved in front of Ki Taeryu by now?

And it hadn’t always just been dry heaving… no, this wasn’t the time for that.

Besides, not only was Cha Junwoo here, but several other branch employees were still in the building.

“Director, we should go outside and talk…”

Junhee had no idea what Ki Taeryu might say in front of everyone, so he tried to escort him out.

“Excuse me, but Manager Yoo Junhee has a prior appointment with me.”

Cha Junwoo’s tone was sharp, as he’d already been brushed off by Ki Taeryu inside the elevator.

Ki Taeryu cast a sideways glance at Cha Junwoo, his gaze cutting.

“The prior appointment was with me, actually.”

“…Team Leader Cha, I’m really sorry, but I’ll have to reschedule our dinner. Ah, this gentleman is my VVIP client. I forgot an urgent matter I needed to relay to him.”

In the end, Junhee was the one offering hurried apologies and explanations, as he couldn’t expect either from Ki Taeryu.

“Team Leader Cha, I truly apologize. Let’s meet tomorrow.”

Cha Junwoo, staring at the back of Junhee’s bowed head, clenched his jaw slightly.

Instead of stopping Junhee, he began staring at Ki Taeryu, scrutinizing his every feature.

The look was so intense that a frown slowly formed on Ki Taeryu’s forehead.

If they stayed there any longer, some sharp remark was bound to come out, so Junhee quickly tugged on Ki Taeryu’s sleeve and finally turned away.

“By any chance, are you Geonju?”

They hadn’t taken more than three steps when a strange name was called out from behind.

Junhee didn’t stop of his own will. It was because Ki Taeryu had halted in his tracks.

Looking up with puzzled eyes, Junhee found Ki Taeryu’s profile unusually unfamiliar.

“You’re Yoon Geonju from Cheongwon Elementary, right?”

Cha Junwoo had quickly caught up with them, the sound of his shoes accompanying him.

“I wasn’t sure at first, but now I’m certain. I’m Cha Junwoo, the class president of Class 3. Don’t you remember?”

With Ki Taeryu still frozen, Junhee turned to face Cha Junwoo.

“Team Leader Cha… I think you’ve mistaken him for someone else. This gentleman is Ki Taeryu, my client.”

Despite Junhee’s words, Cha Junwoo didn’t take his eyes off Ki Taeryu.

A response finally came a few seconds later.

“Oh… is that so? I must have been mistaken. He looks a lot like an old classmate.”

The answer didn’t sound all that convincing.

Neither the last name nor the first name matched, yet Cha Junwoo seemed oddly sure of himself.

Junhee bowed once again and turned back to Ki Taeryu.

Only then did Ki Taeryu begin walking again.

As the two of them exited the building, Cha Junwoo’s persistent gaze trailed after them.

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There were many odd things.

The absence of his secretary, Yeo Daeyoon, was one, and the fact that Ki Taeryu was driving himself, without his usual chauffeur, was another.

“Considering the distance to Daejeon, it’s quite far.”

Most of all, it felt strange that Ki Taeryu, who would typically make Junhee drive even short distances, had come all this way by himself.

A tense silence pressed on Junhee’s chest.

If Ki Taeryu had followed him here because of the transaction history, Junhee had expected some kind of scene.

At the very least, he thought Ki Taeryu would scratch at his nerves with more of his shameless comments.

“It’s even more unsettling when he’s quiet.”

From the moment they left the branch, Ki Taeryu hadn’t uttered a single word.

Out of the corner of his eye, Junhee glanced at the large hand gripping the steering wheel.

Yoon Geonju… He rolled the unfamiliar name Cha Junwoo had mentioned around in his mind.

Just then, the car came to a sudden halt.

“Get out.”

The deep, heavy voice rang in his ears.

It wasn’t until Junhee saw the valet approach Ki Taeryu’s door that he realized they were at a hotel.

The elegant, classic-style interior leading to the elevator looked familiar.

“…Is this the same hotel?”

Taesan Group also operated hotels with branches nationwide.

The silence persisted until they entered the room.

Junhee’s gaze stayed fixed somewhere in midair, but at the edge of his vision, he was always aware of Ki Taeryu.

With the atmosphere so different from usual, Junhee found it hard to speak up.

Eventually, they ended up inside the suite, though he hadn’t intended to.

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