* * *
As Wonbeom stepped inside, Jingyeom looked up at Soohyuk with trembling eyes.
It was clear now—he had been caught.
But to think Soohyuk had known all along! And worse, that he had allowed things to unfold like this!
Even as Jingyeom stared at him with firm resolve, Soohyuk’s hands were busy.
They moved purposefully, as if determined to cover every spot that Wonbeom had touched just moments earlier.
Jingyeom grabbed Soohyuk’s hand, gripping it tightly.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t force him to stop—it was only Soohyuk’s choice to halt his movements.
“You knew hyung knew about us, didn’t you!”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Of course you didn’t!”
Jingyeom didn’t think Soohyuk would have broken his promise.
Wonbeom was sharp enough to figure it out on his own.
“Did you know we’d meet today too?”
“No, I only found out today. He suddenly suggested dinner, and I agreed. Then he showed up with them and said he’d called you on the way.”
“…Do you know how worried I was? I wanted to tell Jinwoo myself, but I was scared he might bring it up here. …And what are you doing?”
Soohyuk, whose hands had paused briefly, resumed his movements.
He meticulously touched every spot that Wonbeom hadn’t, clicking his tongue as if still dissatisfied.
“Disinfecting. If he hugs you, you should push him away. Why let him hold you? And why did you let him touch your hair?”
“I get that you’re jealous, but… I just wanted to say a proper goodbye. I was genuinely grateful to him.”
“Then you could’ve just said thanks. After what happened last time—”
Jingyeom pressed his palm against Soohyuk’s mouth, cutting him off.
“Don’t bring that up! If you keep talking about it, I’ll dig up your past and remind you of it for the rest of your life!”
As Jingyeom glared at him, Soohyuk shut his half-open mouth at the mention of his past.
If Jingyeom ever found out about his past…
‘No, that’s out of the question.’
It wasn’t as if Soohyuk had done anything so shameful that he needed to hide it.
But still, it wasn’t something Jingyeom would be happy to know about.
It wouldn’t end with just a few nagging words.
Some things are better left buried.
“Complain about something else, not my past. I don’t particularly like nagging, but if it’s from you, it might be… exciting.”
“…Are you a pervert? How could you get excited about that?”
“I’ll let you find out later if I am or not.”
Soohyuk pinched Jingyeom’s cheeks with both hands, smiling mischievously.
Jingyeom, oblivious to the fact that someone was watching from inside, kept squirming to escape Soohyuk’s grasp.
If Jingyeom just turned his head slightly, he’d notice.
But Soohyuk made sure his gaze didn’t drift that way.
“Haah… ha. My heart rate’s going up!”
“It’s fine. It’s not even at 100 yet.”
“Ugh, stop it already!”
Jingyeom tried to push Soohyuk’s face away with both hands, but Soohyuk only found delight in it, planting kisses on his palms.
Flustered, Jingyeom withdrew his hands.
“Why do you keep avoiding me? That hurts, you know.”
“Do you realize where we are? Get away from me!”
“No. Let me stay like this just a little longer.”
Soohyuk pulled Jingyeom into a tight embrace, wrapping his arms securely around his head.
Despite Jingyeom’s protests and attempts to wiggle free, a small smile had crept onto his face.
From a short distance away, Secretary Yang clicked his tongue at the two.
They seemed to have completely forgotten where they were.
Or perhaps they just didn’t know they were being watched.
Well, Soohyuk certainly knew and acted that way deliberately.
Secretary Yang nudged Jinwoo, who had been silently observing.
“You’re not going to step in?”
“Going in one after the other would be awkward.”
“Didn’t expect that from you. I thought you’d barge in right away. You haven’t taken your eyes off them since the chairman hugged him earlier.”
Jinwoo was known for charging in whenever it came to Jingyeom.
Secretary Yang assumed this time would be no different, so he’d been bracing himself to intervene if necessary.
But contrary to expectations, Jinwoo remained eerily composed.
Well, “composed” might not be the right word.
The trembling of the hand holding his glass betrayed his true feelings. Perhaps he was just barely holding himself back.
Secretary Yang’s gaze shifted subtly as he looked at Jinwoo.
“Have you decided to accept it?”
“No.”
“Then why are you just standing here? Look at them—they’re still clinging to each other.”
“…I know. My legs just won’t move. Maybe I drank too much.”
Secretary Yang glanced down at Jinwoo’s legs.
Unlike his trembling hands, his feet remained firmly planted on the ground.
Whether it was deliberate or he truly couldn’t move, it was clear Jinwoo wasn’t his usual self.
“Are you okay?”
“…No, I’m not. But I have to be, don’t I?”
Jinwoo tried to sound indifferent, but the tremor in his voice gave him away.
He wanted nothing more than to storm out there and pull them apart.
Yet, his legs refused to budge.
Confronting a truth he’d been denying, the moment felt like an illusion.
He wished it would dissolve into mist, but reality wouldn’t grant such mercy.
Jinwoo exhaled deeply.
His emotions churned even as he stood still, threatening to overwhelm him.
At last, he spoke.
“Secretary Yang.”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t you think Jingyeom deserves better? …I can’t stand the thought of him with some rich playboy. …We both know how this will end.”
Yang lightly tapped Jinwoo’s glass with his own.
“Still, isn’t it better than someone without money?
Director Sun is filthy rich. Jingyeom would never have to worry about money.
And playboys? They become hopeless romantics once they commit. Trust me.”
Yang chuckled at his own words, though his tone was ambiguous.
“Okay, maybe I’m making excuses. But Director Sun isn’t really a playboy…”
“…”
“He just changes partners frequently. But every time, it’s only one person. Whether it’s for a day or an hour.”
Yang’s tone made it hard to tell whether he was defending Soohyuk or criticizing him.
But his underlying trust in Soohyuk was evident—trust forged through countless interactions.
As Jinwoo offered a faint smile, Yang patted him on the back.
Meanwhile, Wonbeom returned to the room, grabbed his glass, and downed it in one go.
“Whoa, that’s strong!”
Yang exclaimed in shock.
Wonbeom wasn’t drinking from a small shot glass, but a full tumbler.
Straight, with no ice—just the way he liked it. Seeing him drain it in one gulp was enough to alarm anyone.
Then, Wonbeom loosened his tie, unbuttoned his collar, and furrowed his brows.
He looked like a dangerous predator on the verge of snapping.
Even Jinwoo was momentarily taken aback.
But understanding soon followed. Wonbeom was just as hurt as he was.
Jinwoo turned his head toward the window, locking eyes with Soohyuk from a distance.
Despite the distance, they both knew they were staring directly at each other.
Soohyuk’s lips curled into a smirk.
The drinking session lasted quite a while.
Wonbeom and Jinwoo drank as if it were their last night together, emptying one glass after another.
The drinks that Secretary Yang had enthusiastically ordered gradually turned into empty bottles.
“Jinwoo, aren’t you drinking too much? You’re already drunk.”
Jingyeom, who had never seen Jinwoo drink so heavily, tried to stop him out of concern, but it was futile.
Secretary Yang, too, brushed it off, saying there’d be no better occasion than this, refilling Jinwoo’s glass every time he emptied it.
Matching the pace, Wonbeom also kept downing drinks without pause.
Having seen two empty bottles appear in no time during a brief absence, Jingyeom hoped they’d all stop drinking, but it was a vain wish for the heavily intoxicated group.
Finally, the drinking session ended only after all three collapsed.
“…What do we do now?”
“Ha…”
Soohyuk, who despised cleaning up after others, scanned the three with a cold gaze.
Leaving with just Jingyeom would have been the easiest choice, but he couldn’t bring himself to do that.
If he were alone, he would have abandoned them without hesitation, but he knew Jingyeom wouldn’t stand for that.
“Cheongoh takes this one, and that one too. I’ll take this one. That should work.”
Pointing at Wonbeom, Secretary Yang, and Jinwoo in turn, Soohyuk explained his plan before calling Cheongoh to come immediately.
“You didn’t drink at all, hyung?”
“Nope. I had to get you home. You came with someone else, but you’re leaving with me.”
Jingyeom shot Soohyuk a look that seemed to say, ‘Don’t say things like that.’ It was a silent warning, but Soohyuk only found it endearing.
Soon enough, Cheongoh arrived with the others, as if he’d anticipated such a situation.
Jingyeom carefully placed Jinwoo in the back seat and buckled him in, only for Soohyuk to pull him out of the car.
“Why?”
“He’s just going to sleep it off drunk. Sit up front.”
Jinwoo hadn’t opened his eyes once on the way from the bar to the parking lot.
Still hesitant, Jingyeom glanced back, but Soohyuk opened the passenger door wide and gestured with his chin.
“I’ll drive safely.”
Reluctantly, Jingyeom got into the passenger seat, still worried about Jinwoo.
Soohyuk drove so slowly that cars sped past them, even in the middle of the night.
It was already early Saturday morning, and the roads were surprisingly busy.
“That hair treatment you used didn’t wash out properly. Did you use some weird product?”
“Right? I heard it lasts long, but it does seem a bit much.”
“Your scalp doesn’t hurt?”
“No, it’s fine. The perm turned out well, though, so I like it.”
“Anything would suit you, but your face stands out even more now. I’m not a fan of that. I mean, it’s fine when it’s just me looking, but it also means other people can see you better.”
Jingyeom chuckled helplessly.
Compliments from Soohyuk never ended at just that—they always came with extra remarks.
As they chatted, Soohyuk caught a glimpse of Jinwoo through the rearview mirror.
Jinwoo was awake, staring blankly at Jingyeom’s back.
Unaware, Jingyeom rambled on about strange phenomena he’d seen on YouTube.
* * *
Thanks