“No, ha… What the hell have you been doing?”
He wanted to point out first that it wasn’t a date, but if he did that, he’d obviously get swept up in Ray Jun’s way with words again. Even the Sovereign COO got caught up in it—what ability did he have to beat him?
“I was just sitting still.”
Ray Jun shrugged. However, it wasn’t trustworthy at all.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Really. What power do I have to spread such rumors? Li Hou is just doing that because his own feet are itching.”
“……”
“You know too, that Sovereign does a lot of dirty things. The double ledger I showed you before, that’s also Li Hou’s work.”
He revealed it as if it were nothing. Kang Siwon felt dizzy, thinking that knowing such inside information would only put him in danger.
In the past, he thought he needed to know at least the minimum about what was happening around him, and that hadn’t changed even now. However, sometimes he wanted to avoid the truth being thrust in front of him when it was too ugly and overwhelming.
“…That’s enough, so you be careful too. Don’t act rashly. Didn’t I tell you last time that you’ll die before your time doing that?”
“Are you worried about me?”
Ray Jun blinked and asked back. His eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings were pretty. Somehow his insides were burning, so Kang Siwon thumped his chest.
“Ugh, really… Yes. If I’m worrying about you, listen! Not just you, but what if I become dangerous too? Didn’t you see him trying to beat me up just now? Because of you, Li Hou stamped my face so there’s no escape—how are you going to fix this?!”
He was serious but Ray Jun burst into laughter. His attitude made it unclear whether he even understood what Kang Siwon was saying. He spoke gently.
“That’s why I told you to stay quietly in the penthouse. I told you the outside is dangerous.”
“If it weren’t for you, there wouldn’t have been any danger in the first place?! While we’re on the subject, why am I your lover? Even if Li Hou had a strange misunderstanding, you should have corrected it!”
“Really? Hmm… Then should I contact Li Hou even now to correct it? That you’re not my lover, but a Baeksa Faction member who forged documents to join the company.”
“…Are you going to keep coming at me like this?”
“What am I doing?”
“From what I heard earlier, Li Hou also seems to know that you disguised your identity and worked as a dealer, so then…”
“You don’t think he’ll let you off too, do you, Siwon? I’m someone who knows a lot of Li Hou’s dirty secrets, and you… mm, you don’t seem to be at a level to negotiate with Li Hou yet.”
“……”
In the end, it was his own karma causing problems, but Kang Siwon somehow felt wronged and petty. He muttered sullenly.
“Li Hou is also a strange guy to begin with. Just because two men use the same room, does that make them lovers? Normally you’d think they’re friends who get along well.”
Actually, Kang Siwon knew it was an objectively suspicious-looking situation. Nevertheless, he desperately turned a blind eye because he didn’t want to accept being seen as something like a call boy. Being treated as a man leeching off Ray Jun was the utmost humiliation.
However, perhaps not understanding such psychology, Ray Jun sneered.
“Li Hou is narrow-minded too, but you insisting you’re friends even after having sex is also a bit…”
“I-it was an unavoidable situation, you know that too!”
“I remember there being situations that weren’t unavoidable though?”
His face burning up, Kang Siwon kicked back his chair and stood up.
“That’s enough. I’m done with dinner, so I’m leaving now.”
“There’s still a lot left though?”
“Finish eating and come back.”
“Wait, Siwon. Where are you going alone?”
Kang Siwon opened the door and replied curtly.
“For a walk.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Ray Jun, who had gotten up from his seat, approached him. He wrapped his arm around Kang Siwon’s waist as if it were natural. To Kang Siwon, that felt not like an expression of affection, but like a shackle trying to restrain him.
“……”
Now too tired to even say he didn’t like it, he silently removed Ray Jun’s arm and started walking.
For a moment, a dark light flashed in Ray Jun’s eyes, but it was fleeting. Ray Jun, who quickly regained his bright smile, strode up next to Kang Siwon and stood beside him.
* * *
Even after taking a lap around the garden, his mood didn’t improve. Of course, Sovereign Resort’s garden was so beautifully landscaped it was reminiscent of some royal palace. But being squeezed among tourists flocking to take pictures made him more tired instead.
No, actually the tourists were just an excuse. What really made Kang Siwon uncomfortable was his precariously flowing relationship with Ray Jun. Even when he had conversations with him, somehow the talk felt like it was just going in circles. It felt like they were having meaningless skirmishes all day long.
That’s why when Kang Siwon returned to the penthouse, he was rather relieved when Ray Jun spoke as if apologizing.
“Siwon, I’m going to a video conference for a bit… You can manage well alone, right?”
“Of course. Am I a child?”
“Haha, that’s a shame. Then you do what you need to do too. It’s going to take some time.”
Ray Jun naturally stroked Kang Siwon’s head and turned around. Kang Siwon became conscious of him a beat late and roughly shook out his hair to forget that touch.
Somehow it seemed like Ray Jun’s casual skinship was increasing day by day—was it his imagination? Thinking back, even when they lived in the dorm, he was a guy who had quite a bit of subtle skinship.
“……”
Thinking about that time, his face somehow grew hot so he slapped his own cheeks. After making a fuss by himself like that, the living room felt even more desolate.
Kang Siwon tried to imagine what Ray Jun might be doing right now. He knew Ray Jun had quit his dealer job and wasn’t affiliated with any company, so what video conference could it be? Without knowing for sure, it seemed like he was probably plotting some wicked scheme.
Unlike the busy Ray Jun, Kang Siwon had nothing to do. Though he didn’t want to admit it, in this penthouse it was difficult to “manage well alone” without Ray Jun. When he looked back at himself like this, he felt exactly like a pet that regarded Ray Jun as its owner and waited for him, which didn’t feel good at all.
“Ha…”
Since he was bored anyway, he should at least let some living sounds flow through his phone. Thinking this, Kang Siwon headed to the bedroom.
But his phone was turned off. It seemed the battery had drained quickly because of that memo app and had discharged in the meantime. If he’d known this would happen, he should have charged it before going out—he was worried that the Baeksa Faction might have some unnecessary misunderstanding. Kang Siwon clicked his tongue and plugged the charger into his phone.
Sure enough, there were three missed calls. Caller: Ju Xiang. Kang Siwon glared at that name and pressed the call button.
—Hey, why did you turn off your phone?
Before the call connection tone could ring three times, Ju Xiang answered. Though he growled threateningly, there was no reason to be scared of someone who wasn’t even in front of him. Kang Siwon answered calmly.
“The battery must have run out and it turned off.”
—You should have charged it on time, fuck! And you, why don’t you carry your phone around?
It seemed he had no intention of hiding the wiretapping anymore. Kang Siwon frowned and replied.
“Because I have no reason to use my phone. Anyway, I’ll make sure to charge it well.”
—Why, are you busy playing around with that bastard Ray Jun? So busy you don’t have time to use your phone?
It wasn’t the first or second time Ju Xiang sneered, but today it particularly hurt his feelings. Somehow Ju Xiang’s tone sounded similar to Li Hou’s tone too. Meaning, he seemed to be treating him as Ray Jun’s lover—no, as a call boy. Was this just his own inferiority complex?
“…So what did you call about.”
—Ha… Hey.
Ju Xiang let out deep sighs, whatever he was trying to say. Kang Siwon suddenly got the feeling that Ju Xiang was quite exhausted too.
—You, try to coax that bastard well. Find out what’s going on with the situation.
“What situation? Which situation are you talking about?”
—Find out how far the investigation has progressed.
“…What investigation are you talking about?”
—Ugh, this bastard really… When I tell you to dig, just dig, why are you talking so much? Has it been so long since you got beat that your neck is getting stiff again?
“No, I need to know what it’s about to either coax him or ask him. I can’t just suddenly say ‘How’s the investigation progressing?'”
His voice naturally grew louder in frustration, then became quieter again in case Ray Jun might hear. Of course, the penthouse had good soundproofing, but he couldn’t let his guard down.
Kang Siwon pressed down on his temples. Actually, even without hearing Ju Xiang’s explanation, there was a part he could guess.
‘I’ve heard the rumor that the Financial Administration will move soon, but it’s troublesome if you question me about that.’
‘What’s the problem? Did one of the directors betray everyone to save just himself? As a result, the board of directors didn’t flip upside down and have a dogfight among themselves, did they?’
It was because of what Ray Jun had said when confronting Li Hou earlier. To summarize, the Financial Administration was watching Sovereign, one of the directors had betrayed them, and as a result, Sovereign’s interior seemed to have been turned upside down. It was no different from a total train wreck drama.
Seeing how anxious Ju Xiang was like this, the aftermath must have reached the Baeksa Faction too. Well, it was the law of nature that when something happens to the host, even the parasites become precarious. Having clung to Sovereign and sucked its blood until now, there was no way the Baeksa Faction would be safe. They must have been caught before completely pulling out.
Thinking about it, it was bad news for him too, but seeing Ju Xiang squirm, he could tell the Baeksa Faction’s situation well enough, so Kang Siwon was inwardly even gratified.
