* * *

Outside, Jinwoo rubbed his face with one hand, trying to ease his tense expression. It had been a long time since he had such trouble controlling his expression.

“Director Sun. …Damn it.”

He kept gritting his teeth.

“Ha…”

With a long sigh, Jingyeom, walking alongside him, nudged his arm.

“Your expression doesn’t look good. Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m not hurt. Are you really okay?”

“Look, I’m fine.”

Jingyeom showed his watch screen by twisting his wrist. Unlike earlier, when he checked in front of the restroom, his heart rate had returned to normal.

Still, Jinwoo couldn’t feel at ease. He couldn’t forget the moment when Jingyeom turned back with wide, startled eyes.

It shocked Jinwoo that he had frightened Jingyeom like that.

“Hyung.”

“Yes?”

“If you’re uncomfortable, you don’t have to go. There’s no need to force yourself. Team dinners aren’t much; it’s just eating.”

“…Wouldn’t you be more uncomfortable? It’s your company dinner, and me tagging along is strange.”

It was indeed unusual for an older brother to join his younger brother’s company dinner.

Even if the other party had suggested it, Jingyeom wondered if he should have declined.

Secretary Yang had casually suggested it because Jingyeom was Jinwoo’s brother, but now he felt like he had accepted without thinking.

‘Should I back out now?’

He felt a bit sorry for Jinwoo but was also curious about socializing with the people at the dinner. He wanted to experience a team dinner.

Moreover, Wonbeom no longer seemed as intimidating, which made Jingyeom agree without hesitation.

The first time he saw Wonbeom in the hospital, he was too scared to meet his eyes.

Now, he could look him in the eye and even smile, though his fierce gaze was still hard to bear for long.

“Should I say I can’t go now?”

Jinwoo fell into thought.

His mind clearly judged that he shouldn’t let Jingyeom get further involved with the directors.

But his heart strongly urged him not to let Jingyeom leave.

It might have been different if they had left the cafe before finishing up.

But now, having already stepped out together and with Secretary Yang inviting them to the dinner, Jinwoo couldn’t tell him to go home.

Now that it had come to this, he decided to stay close to Jingyeom.

“Let’s go together. I’m just worried you might be tired. You’re going straight from work, aren’t you? Won’t you be tired? You’ve been on your feet the whole time.”

Jingyeom handed over the bag he was holding without hesitation at Jinwoo’s gesture.

“I’m fine. Besides, we didn’t have many customers today. I even got to rest in between. Yesterday was really busy. If today had been like that, I would be tired.”

Jinwoo naturally took Jingyeom’s bag and slung it over his shoulder. It wasn’t heavy since there wasn’t much inside.

Jingyeom, who had been under the cool air conditioning, felt like he couldn’t breathe when he stepped outside into the hot wind and took a deep breath.

Indeed, the summer sun at 3 p.m. was blazing fiercely.

Secretary Yang was holding his phone and searching diligently, perhaps still deciding where to go.

Soohyuk and Wonbeom were standing in the heat without any shade, chatting as if they weren’t hot at all.

Jingyeom glanced around cautiously and then tugged on Jinwoo’s arm. He stood on tiptoe and whispered into Jinwoo’s ear.

“Did something happen earlier? The atmosphere seemed a bit off…”

Even without being able to read others’ expressions, the chilly tension around the table was palpable.

“We were just talking about work. The company’s been really busy lately.”

“Ah…”

At Jinwoo’s straightforward answer, Jingyeom nodded lightly, indicating he understood.

They hadn’t been able to have dinner together often because of frequent late work hours.

Jingyeom had learned to use the rice cooker and now prepared meals for himself.

However, eating alone after having always eaten together felt a bit lonely.

While they were standing close together, Secretary Yang decided on the next destination.

Just as they thought they only needed to get moving, another problem arose.

There were two cars and five people.

Secretary Yang seriously pondered how to divide the group.

“It’s probably better to split into two and three, right?”

“That sounds good. I’ll drive, and I’ll take Hyung and Director Tak. Secretary Yang, you can go with Director Sun.”

“Huh? Why am I suddenly going with Director Sun? Even though I’ve known Director Sun for a long time, being alone with him is uncomfortable! He bullies me.”

Of course, the last part was whispered while glancing at Soohyuk.

“I think this is the best way. If we all try to fit in one car…”

That meant someone would have to sit next to Wonbeom.

“No way! I don’t want that either!”

“You don’t want this, you don’t want that. What do you want me to do then? Or do you want to drive, Secretary Yang?”

It seemed better for Secretary Yang to drive with Jingyeom in the passenger seat and Jinwoo to sit next to Wonbeom.

The best scenario would be putting Wonbeom in Soohyuk’s car, but the people involved wouldn’t allow it.

Even though they could have wrapped up at the cafe and left, everyone standing under the scorching sun was raising the discomfort level.

Finally, Soohyuk, who had been chatting with Wonbeom about work, lost patience and intervened.

“What are you whispering about? What’s the problem?”

“We decided on the place, but we’re discussing how to get there.”

He asked for opinions since they had to use two cars.

“That’s the issue? We’ll do it this way.”

Secretary Yang took the driver’s seat for the first time in a while. He was alone in the spacious car.

“Well… this is better. I would have felt suffocated if I were squeezed in there…”

The black sedan driven by Secretary Yang took off first, and the remaining four headed toward Soohyuk’s car.

Soohyuk opened the passenger door and grabbed Jingyeom by the hem.

“What?”

He dragged the surprised Jingyeom to the passenger seat and shoved him in.

“You two, figure it out.”

Soohyuk slammed the door and got into the driver’s seat. It all happened in a flash.

Jinwoo let out a sigh without trying to hide it but opened the back door for Wonbeom.

“Get in.”

Wonbeom got in, and Jinwoo climbed in from the other side.

“Where are we going? Give me the address.”

Soohyuk punched in the address Jinwoo gave him and laughed incredulously.

Only then did the three who didn’t know their destination find out.

“1 hour and 30 minutes? Why are we going so far when there are closer places?”

Company dinners are usually best held near the office for a quick finish.

But the destination was far. There were red lines indicating traffic jams.

“Where is this, Wolmido?” (TL: Amusement park)

It was clear from his tone that he thought the location choice was absurd.

“Yang Wonyoung, seriously.”

Soohyuk grumbled quietly and called Secretary Yang.

“Wow. Wolmido sounds fun! Do company dinners go to places like that these days?”

He quickly hung up when he heard the cheerful voice from the side. Secretary Yang called back, but he declined the call again.

“…Was I too excited?”

As the other three remained silent, Jingyeom bit his lips. Jinwoo hastily spoke up.

“No, I think it’ll be fun too.”

“…”

Seeing Jingyeom still looking wary, Soohyuk added,

“Company dinners go to places like that nowadays. A 1-hour 30-minute drive will be nice.”

At Soohyuk’s quick change of attitude, Wonbeom, sitting behind, smirked.

Finally, Jingyeom let out a breath of relief.

Before starting the car, Soohyuk turned to check on Jingyeom.

“You don’t ride in cars often, do you?”

Jingyeom momentarily forgot to breathe as Soohyuk’s arm brushed past him. Soohyuk’s face was so close it filled his vision.

Jinwoo in the back stiffened, his body and hands trembling slightly. If Soohyuk hadn’t moved away quickly, he would have grabbed his shoulder.

Without paying attention to the backseat, Soohyuk spoke.

“When you get in a car, always put on your seatbelt first. It’s dangerous if there’s an accident.”

Jingyeom unconsciously clenched his hands and nodded. He finally exhaled the breath he had been holding.

Although he had always heard to wear a seatbelt, no one had ever fastened it for him before.

In fact, the only times he had sat in the passenger seat were in Soohyuk’s car and the car Jinwoo drove last time.

The sudden closeness had startled him. He could still smell the fragrance that lingered in the brief moment.

Then he thought of Jinwoo.

Jinwoo always smelled like the same body wash and shampoo as him.

Since they used the same products at home, it was natural.

Moreover, Baek Jingyeom was so meticulous about his skin that he had to look up and research which cosmetics to use among the many options.

Nowadays, out of convenience, he used the all-in-one product with Jinwoo.

Even with the same product, their mixed scents produced different fragrances.

Jingyeom sniffed the air, trying to identify the scent lingering in the car.

The atmosphere inside the car heading to Wolmido was now filled with conversation.

The two in the backseat spoke occasionally, while most of the chatter was between Jingyeom and Soohyuk.

“Wow… So, you have to put your passport in your underwear?”

“Of course. If you just keep it in your bag, it’s easy to get pickpocketed. Do you know what happens if you lose your passport? You won’t be able to return to Korea.”

“That sounds scary… Our country is really nice to live in, right?”

Most of Soohyuk’s words were to tease Jingyeom. Soohyuk mixed jokes with serious advice, and Jingyeom took it all literally.

Sometimes Jinwoo had to step in and say it wasn’t true when things went too far. But they mostly let it be because they found Jingyeom’s reactions amusing.

It was a drive filled with trivial chatter, but smiles never left their faces.

* * *