“Executive Director — do you think I’m doing this because I want more money? And as for security, isn’t that what those scary-looking men from earlier are for? They terrify me too! I mean, if anything, they looked scarier than Seosung Group…!”
“…That’s not what I think. You helped me a great deal today — this is simply my way of showing sincerity. And for your protection, I’ll arrange a separate private security firm. I’ll make absolutely sure nothing happens that would frighten you.”
Yeonjun seemed to think it over, turning his head to gaze out the car window. The silence that fell instantly carried a tension of its own.
It was then. A buzzing sound filled the car. It was coming from Yeonjun’s pocket. He quickly reached in and pulled out his phone.
“…What is this….”
Minseok : [Hey, isn’t this Baek Yeonjun?] 5
Seowon : […?? That’s clearly Baek Yeonjun, who else? What the hell.] 3
Seowon : [Are you insane. Is hyung dating the Executive Director of BS Securities??] 3
Yeonjun’s face went pale as he stared at his phone screen. The messages were coming from the Business Studies Society group chat. Yeonjun quickly checked the link that Ha Minseok — a classmate from the society — had posted first in the chatroom. It was a familiar online news article interface, but the content was anything but familiar.
[EXCLUSIVE] February 27th — Seo Ihyeon x Do Beomwook: Engagement called off on the day of the wedding. Do Beomwook of BS Securities spotted with alpha lover, igniting public interest….
“…Executive Director.”
Yeonjun, still staring at his phone, called out to Beomwook with a face that had stiffened in an instant. Judging by how his phone kept lighting up without pause, calls and messages were still coming in.
Buzz —
With a flash of unease, Beomwook’s own phone began to vibrate in his pocket as well. It was almost certainly Choi Myeongjin. Beomwook quickly pulled out his phone and pressed it to his right ear.
“Yes. Secretary Choi.”
— Executive Director. I confirmed you exited the parking garage, but — was there anyone suspicious in the vicinity?
“There was no one like that.”
— Haah… But then why is…
“What’s happened.”
The creeping anxiety made Beomwook’s fingers tap restlessly against the steering wheel. His instincts for anything going wrong had almost never been off. Conscious of Yeonjun’s eyes fixed on him, Beomwook forced his focus back to the call.
— An article… has gone up.
…Of course it has. Beomwook gripped the steering wheel so hard it was a wonder it didn’t crack.
“Understood. I’ll review it and be in touch. For now, please get every article pulled. I’ll be heading into the office shortly as well.”
Beomwook ended the call quickly. So that was why Yeonjun had gone pale. Had someone tipped them off?
“Executive Director, did you hear? There’s an article — what do we do….”
Yeonjun held out his phone. The screen showed an online news article. But rather than focusing on the broken engagement itself, the bulk of the article was devoted to speculation about Yeonjun — the person who had appeared alongside Beomwook that day. Somehow taken without their knowledge, a photo of them leaving the parking garage was included. Their faces were blurred out, but anyone who knew Baek Yeonjun would have no trouble recognizing him.
It was jarring — but it wasn’t something he’d completely ruled out as a possibility. Pulling the articles and dropping something else to redirect public attention was manageable. He’d been sitting on a handful of major entertainment industry scandals for exactly this kind of situation. This was almost certainly Seo Ihyeon’s doing, and once things settled down and the merger was finalized, interest in ordinary alpha Baek Yeonjun would naturally fade.
“First of all — I am genuinely sorry. I’ll get the articles taken down as quickly as possible.”
Having sorted through his thoughts, Beomwook bowed his head slightly and spoke in a low voice.
“Even if no more articles come out, what about the ones already up? My semester starts next week……”
“I’m sorry. I will take full responsibility, Yeonjun.”
Yeonjun let out a long exhale and shook his head. Lashes that seemed unusually long quivered faintly, casting a soft shadow across his face. Beomwook had spent his entire life surrounded by alphas and men. He’d left that world behind and was now holding an executive position at what appeared to be a legitimate company — but what he’d seen and learned growing up was nothing but fists. And a single lesson hammered in alongside it: trust no one.
It was a world crawling with men who’d flip a perfectly set table over nothing, throw punches without blinking, and treat human lives like flies. Even when dealing with men who unleashed pheromones he couldn’t even register, screaming and going feral right in front of him, Beomwook hadn’t so much as flinched. Not because he was fearless — but because fear itself, in the face of men spitting fire, had always struck him as something laughable.
“What do I do. Seriously. What am I even supposed to tell the people around me……”
“Yeonjun. As I said, I’ll take full respon—”
“Responsibility? You might have naturally anticipated that something like this could happen, Executive Director — but I didn’t!”
But there was something disarming about the way Yeonjun’s voice trembled with what sounded like barely-held-back anger, and Beomwook felt a flicker of something he wasn’t used to — being caught off guard. What do I do. He slowly moved the hand gripping the steering wheel and set it on his thigh. He closed it into a small fist and lowered his head.
Think. Yeonjun — Baek Yeonjun is angry.
“…Ha — I’m, I’m sorry for getting angry. Yelling won’t fix anything, I just got so flustered… I’m sorry. Executive Director…….”
And then, almost immediately, Yeonjun’s voice softened. The gaze that came with it made Beomwook naturally turn his head to the side. Baek Yeonjun’s face, slightly flushed, came into view. He had one hand resting over his chest as though steadying his breathing. His eyes, set a little low, were framed by a faint inner fold. Those now-calmer eyes blinked slowly. The moment Beomwook’s gaze met his, Beomwook swallowed without meaning to.
“For now, I’ll just flat-out deny it.”
“…Yes. Once the articles come down, it’ll naturally get buried.”
Beomwook gave a small nod and checked both sides of the road. According to the navigation, Yeonjun’s apartment was about 100 meters ahead.
“I live alone right now. I was living near campus, but since I’m in my last year and don’t need to go in as often, I moved somewhere closer to a busier area.”
“Semester starts next week — I’m a fourth year, so I don’t know if that’s a relief or not…. Oh, I’m a fourth-year Business Administration student at Hanguk University.”
Yeonjun’s voice was still vivid in his ears. The entire drive to the address on the navigation, Yeonjun had kept talking without a gap — not just volunteering information Beomwook hadn’t asked for, but firing questions at him one after another. He’d picked up on Yeonjun’s sociable nature from the start, but it was still somehow remarkable that he could keep up that kind of chatter even now, in the middle of all this.
“Yes. I live alone as well.”
“As you know, I work as Executive Director at BS Securities.”
And Beomwook had answered those questions in his own way, as best he could. There were occasional interview requests directed at BS Securities, but he’d always instructed Secretary Choi to handle them however he saw fit. Which meant — this was the first time someone who wasn’t a journalist, just an ordinary person, had asked him this much about himself. It felt a little awkward, but not unpleasant.
“…Huh? Executive Director. Wait. Aren’t those — reporters?”
Yeonjun said it urgently as the front of the car nosed into the alley turning right. Then he reached out and lightly grabbed Beomwook’s shoulder as if to stop him, and Beomwook hit the brakes hard.
“…Those are reporters. I’ll reverse for now.”
“Wow, that’s awful. How did they even find out where I live?”
He’d anticipated that Yeonjun’s information would circulate among reporters — but he hadn’t thought they’d show up directly at his apartment. Beomwook’s jaw tightened, lips pressed hard together. His hands on the wheel were clenched so tight his palms were nearly sweating. Fortunately, the car didn’t seem to have been spotted — the reporters showed no sign of movement. Once the car was fully out of their line of sight, Beomwook immediately called Choi Myeongjin.
— Yes. Executive Director.
“There are reporters outside Baek Yeonjun’s apartment.”
— …Yes. I’ll take care of it immediately.
“For now, I’ll bring Baek Yeonjun to a hotel. Come as soon as you’re ready, Secretary Choi.”
— Yes. Executive Director. I’ll head out right away.
The moment he ended the call, Yeonjun looked at him and asked.
“Executive Director — am I going to a hotel?”
“Yes. I’ll take you to a safe hotel I use regularly. You can stay for a while — or as long as you need, really.”
“…You go to hotels a lot, huh. …Oh — no! That, that’s not what I meant.”
