A work day like any other. Suddenly, one of the secretaries stood up and shouted.
“There’s a company dinner today! The Director is treating us.”
“Wow!”
Is a company dinner really something to be that happy about? Wonyoung thought, but changed his expression when he heard the menu.
“Today’s menu is beef! It’s Hanwoo 1++ grade, they say?”
“Beef……! Hanwoo……!”
Wonyoung, who couldn’t even dare to think about beef since he’d only used 7,000 won of the Black Card and his entire salary went to paying off debt as soon as he earned it. Of course, he had gotten his fill at the hotel restaurant last time, but didn’t that end in tragedy anyway?
In any case, meat bought by someone else had to taste like honey. At the mention of a beef company dinner, Wonyoung also became excited. It was a feeling he hadn’t known as a team leader, but felt as a mere employee.
“Everyone gather at ‘Woo-yeon’ at 6:30 later!”
“Yes!”
Along with the other employees, Wonyoung also replied cheerfully with a big smile. Time passed like that and it was time for the company dinner. Wonyoung stared at the beef cooking well with chopsticks in his mouth.
“Come to think of it, where’s the Director?”
“He said he’d be a bit late and told us to eat first among ourselves.”
“Ah, I see.”
He half-heartedly listened to the conversation of the employees next to him and focused on the meat, when the restaurant staff said just in time.
“You can eat it now.”
Then everyone’s chopsticks moved in an instant as if they’d never been chatting. Wonyoung, who quickly grabbed one piece and was about to grab another, became gloomy looking at the empty grill.
“Come on, Rae-nim. You should have a drink, right?”
‘What drink when I’ve only eaten one piece of meat? It’ll ruin my stomach.’
Wonyoung retorted fiercely inwardly while outwardly smiling a formal smile befitting an office worker.
“I’m not very good with alcohol……”
“Oh come on, but it’s your first company dinner. This dinner also has the meaning of celebrating Rae-nim joining us.”
“It’s not like we’re forcing you, so you can just accept the glass.”
At the other employee’s persuasion, Wonyoung nodded and accepted the glass. Clear liquid filled the shot glass to the brim. Soon the employees raised their glasses and shouted a toast.
“HS Holdings Secretary Team, let’s go!”
“Let’s go!”
Wonyoung pretended to follow along halfheartedly and downed the drink refreshingly.
‘Ah.’
He’d tried not to drink in Narae’s body, but his body moved habitually. Being an office worker……
“Oh, Rae-nim, you drink well?”
“Ah, well……”
“I saw it too! A clean one-shot!”
“No, um……”
“Then I can’t just stay still. Please accept my glass too, Rae-nim!”
“Huh, mine too!”
‘Hey, you secretaries. When someone’s talking, listen a bit.’
While Wonyoung was flustered, his glass was already filled again. And the people around him clinked their glasses against Wonyoung’s.
“Rae-nim, welcome.”
“Welcome!”
Wonyoung ended up drinking another glass. Two glasses should be fine. No matter how much like Narae, surely his alcohol tolerance wasn’t just two shots of soju. That’s what Wonyoung thought.
“Narae-ssi.”
But the next moment, surprisingly, Taerim was sitting in the seat next to him. He had appeared like magic, poof. Wonyoung’s eyes went round with wonder.
“Oh, Direshtor-nim?”
“Who made him drink like this?”
Taerim frowned looking at Wonyoung speaking with a twisted tongue. At the suddenly menacing atmosphere, the secretaries became mute as if they’d eaten honey.
“W-well, he only had about two glasses, but for it to be like this……”
One of the secretaries tried to make an excuse, but Wonyoung clung to Taerim.
“Direshtor-nim, when did yous come?”
“……”
“If yous come, yous should shay so…… How shad.”
Looking down at Wonyoung clinging to his arm and rubbing his face against it, a small smile spread across Taerim’s lips.
“Are you sad?”
“Yesh.”
“Why are you sad?”
“Jusht becaushe. Can’t I?”
“You can. Of course.”
Wonyoung didn’t know because he was drunk, but the secretaries had their mouths wide open at the two people’s affectionate display. Especially surprising was that Taerim, who was extremely cold and unfriendly, was looking down at Wonyoung as if he found him adorable to death, forgetting to scold the employees. It was the moment when the ‘Kyung Taerim’s lover Narae’ theory, which had only been seated at 99% suspicion, gained 100% certainty.
“Come here, let’s go home.”
“I don’t wanna go yet…… I wanna eat beef.”
“I’ll buy that for you next time. Enough to burst your stomach.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
Taerim replied like that and picked up Wonyoung in his arms. Lightly settled in Taerim’s embrace, Wonyoung clung tightly to his neck. It was behavior that would make him want to die if he sobered up.
“We’ll be going first, so enjoy yourselves more. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“O-okay.”
“G-get home safely.”
“See you tomorrow.”
The secretaries, who had each said their greetings, raised their voices as if they’d been waiting for it once the two people who’d been like a storm disappeared.
“He said ‘we’, ‘we’!”
“Did you see? When he said ‘how sad’, he said ‘why are you sad’!”
“I didn’t know that Director was such a caring person. A Narae-exclusive sweet guy.”
“I told you other people’s love affairs are the most interesting.”
Meanwhile, Taerim, who had left the restaurant, came to the car while holding Wonyoung. Taerim, who had asked the driver for a hangover remedy, tried to put Wonyoung down to seat him, but Wonyoung wouldn’t let go.
“Narae-ssi, you need to sit down so we can go home.”
“No, no.”
“You don’t want to?”
“Yeah.”
“……How much of a fuss will you make when you wake up.”
Taerim sighed but sat down still holding Wonyoung. When he ran his hand through the curly hair, he felt a soft texture. And along with a slight smell of alcohol, a shampoo fragrance spread.
Taerim lowered his head toward Wonyoung to feel that scent more. At that moment, Wonyoung lifted his head and the two people’s faces became quite close. Looking at the cheeks more flushed than usual, the reddened ear tips, the slightly wet lips, Taerim unconsciously felt Wonyoung was lovely.
As they looked at each other like that and the silence continued, Taerim tilted his head. Their distance closed as if they would kiss just like that.
But just before their lips touched, Wonyoung murmured.
“So handsome……”
Taerim ended up chuckling at those words. Really, this chick had a knack for ruining the mood.
“Director-nim, here’s the hangover remedy.”
And just in time, the driver brought the hangover remedy. Taerim personally fed him the hangover remedy with the feeling of hurry up and sober up.
“Ugh, bitter.”
“Even if it’s bitter, drink it all. You really only had two glasses?”
“Yesh.”
Wonyoung gulped down the hangover remedy and then crawled sideways.
“Why, aren’t you going to stay in my arms?”
“Now my shtamina ish all filled up.”
“Huh?”
“When I lean on your chesht, my shtamina goes up.”
Taerim frowned as if he didn’t know what that meant. Anyway, he was an absurd person.
Not knowing that he had leaked tremendous classified information(?), Wonyoung sat down properly in the seat next to Taerim. His stamina must be full now, and handsome Kyung Taerim was next to him too, so it seemed like it would be perfect to sleep and wake up.
[With the effect of full stamina charge, the efficacy of the ‘hangover remedy’ increases by 200%.]
[Intoxication -100]
[Status: Healthy (●’◡’●)]
But then, a notification window appeared as above and Wonyoung’s mind cleared.
“Huh?”
‘Huh? Huh? I just…… huh?’
Looking at Wonyoung suddenly looking around, Taerim made an even more strange expression.
“What is it, again. We need to leave, so stay still.”
As Taerim said that and tried to fasten his seatbelt for him, Wonyoung pushed Taerim away in shock.
“I-I’ll do it myself, Director-nim!”
“……”
Taerim narrowed his eyes, looked at him, and asked.
“Did you sober up?”
“……A-a little?”
“How did you sober up so fast?”
Wonyoung read the meaning contained in Taerim’s words. The suspicion that being drunk itself was a lie. He felt wronged, but Taerim’s suspicion wasn’t entirely unreasonable either.
No, even he himself found it absurd that he suddenly sobered up after taking the hangover remedy.
“Th-the hangover remedy’s effect seems to have been good……”
“……You didn’t act to lure me out?”
“Why would I! If I had, when we almost kissed earlier I would have stayed still……”
“Do you remember everything?”
At Taerim’s question, Wonyoung froze. Actually, he remembered everything. That’s why he wanted to die. He still wants to die now.
“Did you deceive me?”
“N-no! I was really drunk! I didn’t know I’d get drunk from two glasses either…… S-so maybe that’s why I sobered up quickly.”
“……”
“It’s true…… Try making me drink two glasses next time……”
Taerim’s heart wavered at Wonyoung’s desperate face. He shouldn’t waver, but this man too easily dug into the weak parts of his heart.
When Taerim said nothing, Wonyoung, who was watching his mood, carefully asked.
“……Are you angry……?”
“Because you lied.”
“It’s not a lie. Really…… Still, I’m sorry.”
Wonyoung mumbled an apology completely deflated. It was unfair, but he also felt a bit hurt. Where does someone act nice up until just now and then act scary like this? Damn Kyung Taerim. A person can sober up quickly from alcohol.
“I’ll just go on my own. Please stop the car.”
Before his status became ‘Miserable,’ Wonyoung started to speak like that to leave. But Taerim gave no answer.
“Director-nim. Do you not even want to answer now?”
“……No.”
“Then what?”
“Let’s just go.”
Wonyoung rejected Taerim’s cold answer even more coldly.
“It’s fine. I’ll just take a taxi or a bus.”
“Are you sulking?”
“……What?”
When Wonyoung asked back, Taerim raised one eyebrow as if asking what he heard. Wonyoung momentarily got heated.
“Are you really asking if I’m sulking right now?”
“You seem to be sulking.”
Is this bastard joking? Wonyoung couldn’t hold back and shouted loudly.
“Yes, I’m sulking! Are you satisfied?!”
“Why. Because I didn’t believe you?”
“Then is there any other reason?”
“How shameless.”
Wonyoung was about to sharply ask back “What?”, but Taerim placed his large hand on Wonyoung’s head with a thud.
“Understood. Let’s say you were drunk.”
“……”
“I’ll believe you.”
