* * *

“Doyoung, haven’t you had enough fun?” Yoonjae’s icy gaze locked onto Doyoung, who flinched but raised his voice in defense.

“What the hell, Yoonjae? Why are you embarrassing me? I meant well! And enough fun? What am I, your subordinate?”

In the freezing tension, Junhee sat on edge.

He felt compelled to intervene, but before he could, he felt a heavy weight press down on his foot.

“…….”

Taeryu nonchalantly pressed the toe of Junhee’s shoe as if nothing was amiss.

Caught off guard, Junhee missed his chance to step in.

“You’re not my subordinate, but as a friend, here’s some advice: Stop tearing others down to build yourself up. It’s a sign of low self-esteem.”

Doyoung’s eyes widened in disbelief, his hands trembling.

The situation spiraled out of control before anyone could stop it.

“W-What did you just say? Are you—”

“Sure, I was pushed into signing up for matchmaking by my parents, which isn’t great, but at least I’m not out having one-night stands. If you’re serious about settling down, you might want to—”

Splash!

Yoonjae’s hair dripped with sweet cocktail as Doyoung gasped.

“You’ve crossed a line, Yoonjae!”

Unfazed, Yoonjae grabbed Junhee’s untouched drink and poured it over Doyoung.

The sweetness doubled.

“You haven’t changed a bit since you were twenty, always acting impulsively.”

“You—you’re insane! Are you crazy, Yoonjae?”

“Yeah, I’m crazy. So don’t go thinking you’re the only lunatic in this world. There are plenty of us.”

Junhee watched the chaotic scene unfold in stunned silence.

Though he’d known Yoonjae had a strong will, he hadn’t expected him to stand up to Doyoung like this.

Doyoung, now tearful, glared at Taeryu, seeking solace.

But Taeryu simply grabbed a napkin and wiped down Junhee’s side of the table, ignoring his completely.

Mortified, Doyoung stormed out, leaving behind a mess of spilled cocktails and tension.

As quiet fell over the room, Yoonjae broke the silence.

“Sorry, Junhee. Apologies, Taeryu. I’ve been nothing but rude.”

“It’s fine, but… are you okay?”

Junhee looked for napkins, only to find the holder empty.

Before he could act, Taeryu, seated beside him, blocked his way.

“If you won’t move, could you at least bring back something to clean with?”

Taeryu glanced at Junhee, then left without a word.

Watching him go, Junhee let out a faint sigh of relief.

“Doyoung is really clueless, huh?”

“…Sorry, what?”

“Completely oblivious to what’s right under your nose, huh? It’s obvious to anyone that there’s only one thing Ki Taeryu cares about.”

With those words, Yoonjae’s gaze fixed intently on Junhee, causing a subtle pang of anxiety to stir within him.

“Junhee, you can’t eat tangerines, right?”

“…”

“Well, even if it’s not that, I’ve already figured out whose pheromone scent has always been lingering around you.”

Is it because he’s a recessive Omega and can’t sense it?

Yoonjae added, seeming far more at ease than he had been earlier.

“…Yoonjae, are you okay?”

“What wouldn’t I be okay about? It’s not like we were ever that close to begin with. We only saw each other a couple of times a year because we were tied through mutual colleagues.”

Yoonjae smiled slightly, shaking off the cocktail residue from his hand.

Before long, Taeryu entered, holding a cloth. He extended it toward Junhee.

“Give this to Cha Yoonjae, not me.”

Ignoring Junhee’s protests, Taeryu pulled out a wet wipe and began rubbing it against Junhee’s shirt.

Glancing down in confusion, Junhee noticed red stains on his white shirt, likely from a few drops of cocktail splashed amidst the chaos earlier.

When Junhee reached to take the wet wipe from Taeryu, he finally passed it to Yoonjae.

“Thanks, Ki Taeryu. Sorry for the trouble I caused you both.”

But what came out of Yoonjae’s mouth wasn’t an apology or reassurance.

“Well, you should’ve aimed better.”

Taeryu’s curt response made Yoonjae chuckle.

“True. Guess I need more practice since it’s not something I usually do.”

---

After the wrap-up of -1%.

Yoonjae, having wiped off most of the moisture, left first, still carrying a faint sweet scent.

Left alone, Taeryu and Junhee naturally headed to the parking lot together.

Already in the driver’s seat of a running car was his assistant, Yeo Daeyoon, who gave them a short nod of acknowledgment.

Watching him, Junhee couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity.

‘…It’s almost eleven already.’

Junhee sympathized with Daeyoon, who worked tirelessly around the clock, even on weekends.

As someone who knew the grind, Junhee felt a kindred spirit in him.

Once they got into the car, Junhee couldn’t help but ask Taeryu, “When does Manager Yeo Daeyoon get off work?”

“Whenever he feels like it, I guess.”

The indifferent reply made it clear Taeryu had little concern for employee rights.

“Isn’t it a labor law violation if you’re not paying him for weekend shifts and night work?”

Taeryu tilted his head slightly, his gaze scrutinizing Junhee.

Though he felt intimidated, Junhee didn’t back down.

If he didn’t stand up for Daeyoon now, no one would.

They locked eyes for a long time before Taeryu smirked, one corner of his lips tilting upward.

“Daeyoon, is it tough?”

“Not at all.”

“See? He says he’s fine.”

Taeryu raised an eyebrow, gesturing slightly.

“No employee would be honest with their boss if asked outright like that.”

“So, should I give him a vacation? Daeyoon, want a break?”

“I used a personal day yesterday. I haven’t planned my summer vacation yet, but I’ll submit a request once I do.”

“…”

Junhee clamped his mouth shut in embarrassment as Daeyoon glanced at him through the rearview mirror and added, “Thanks for your concern, Junhee. All this overtime pay is included in my salary package, so it’s fine.”

It seemed Junhee had overlooked the fact that Daeyoon was a top-tier professional servant, not just any overworked employee.

Hearing that Taeryu wasn’t exploiting him without compensation, Junhee felt a bit relieved.

At least Taeryu wasn’t completely without a sense of propriety.

“Curiosity satisfied now, Junhee?”

“…Yes.”

“You always focus on the wrong things.”

Junhee ignored Taeryu’s jab, gazing at the soft glow emanating from the dashboard.

The gentle light lulled his eyes shut without him realizing it.

---

When Junhee awoke, everything was quiet.

Startled, he sat up quickly, thinking he’d been left alone.

“You’re awake,” a low voice murmured from the darkness.

“…You should’ve woken me.”

“You were out cold. I figured waking you might be a labor law violation.”

Even though it was obviously teasing, the sleep in Junhee’s system made Taeryu’s voice sound almost like a lullaby.

Taeryu’s hand was resting atop Junhee’s, his thumb gently rubbing along his wrist.

“…You must be tired. You can go on ahead. Thanks for dropping me off…”

Junhee tried to pull his hand away and turned toward the window, but his voice trailed off.

“What’s wrong?”

Taeryu had reached out and turned Junhee’s face back toward him, cradling his cheek.

“This is a hotel, isn’t it?”

“And?”

“…”

Why had he assumed Taeryu would simply drop him off at home?

Taeryu hadn’t even said anything about taking him home; Junhee had blindly gotten into the car on his own.

It was too late for protests.

He was too drained—physically and mentally.

At least he could catch a cab from the hotel.

“Thank you, but I’ll be heading home now.”

Taeryu’s fingers brushed Junhee’s lips.

“Always trying to run away.”

“It’s not running. I’m just going home because it’s late.”

“Stay.”

Junhee bit his lip, only for something firm to press against his teeth.

Taeryu’s thick thumb had slipped between them.

“I told you, don’t bite.”

His thumb pushed deeper, lightly pressing Junhee’s tongue.

Taeryu’s sharp gaze locked onto his, the brown irises clouded with confusion and heat.

“Take a warm shower, lie down on a fluffy pillow.”

The slow, deliberate rhythm of his words seeped into Junhee’s weary body, spreading a languid sense of lethargy.

Junhee, dazed, found his mind drifting to thoughts of steaming water cascading down and soft, fragrant bedding.

His villa was old, the plumbing even older, and the water pressure in his top-floor bathroom was laughable—barely a trickle compared to a hotel’s luxurious stream.

As for the premium mattress and high-quality linens that knocked him out the moment his head hit the pillow?

They were in a league of their own.

He wished he could have lived without ever experiencing such comfort, but having tasted it once, he couldn’t help craving more.

‘…Get a grip.’

Junhee barely resisted the urge to nod in agreement.

“You need to do laundry, too,” he muttered.

“Oh? Shall we head to O’s—”

Junhee’s words were cut off by a finger pressed lightly against his tongue, reducing his reply to a muffled garble.

Taeryu slowly withdrew the finger, bringing it to his lips, and languidly ran his crimson tongue over it.

“In that case, how about I wash something else for you?”

There was a gleam in Taeryu’s eyes, sharper now than ever before. Junhee flinched under the intensity of that gaze but refused to back down.

“I’ll handle my laundry. And everything else.”

“You’re not exactly talented in that department.”

“….”

Junhee’s fragile bravado crumbled under the weight of such shameless teasing, scattering like dust.

“The more you resist,” Taeryu’s voice lowered, “the more I want to mess with you.”

“…Glad to see you’re aware that you’re being a nuisance.”

“If I intended to strip you bare, I’d have done it already. Now stop stalling and come out.”

In the end, Junhee heaved a deep sigh and followed Taeryu down the hall.

* * *