Hajin looked at me intently, biting his lip, and said softly:
“I’m just being protective because I worked hard to gain these people.”
I sighed again. How could I teach him the most basic fact that human relationships aren’t one-sided but mutual efforts? I thought he was an adult, but there’s no child quite like this one.
I held my forehead and said jokingly:
“Little Seo Hajin, gaining and losing people isn’t decided by one side. It’s mutual. Got it?”
“Who are you calling little?”
Despite his words, Hajin’s face had softened.
“Don’t you know I’m smart? Why did you suffer alone when you had a schemer right in front of you? Don’t you know that I’m the kind of person who would even betray Seo Hajin?”
Hajin’s laughter grew louder. Seeing him laugh so freely, showing his white teeth, I felt something knotted in my chest burst open.
* * *
I thought it would be better to send Hajin away before Hahyun arrived, as I was concerned that the perceptive Hahyun would sense the tingling atmosphere between us and become anxious.
After breakfast, we hungrily explored each other as if we were meant to do so.
Our eyes met, and I unconsciously swallowed—that’s all it took to press Hajin’s button. He stood up and lifted my legs around his waist. I was pushed all the way to the wall.
Our clothes came off like a snake shedding its skin, tangled together on the dining room floor.
“Ugh!”
The feeling of being deeply connected at once with his full weight made my breath catch. I hadn’t even thought we would do it here, like this. We hadn’t even had a proper conversation yet.
“W-wait… We should talk first…”
“Ha, then you shouldn’t have acted so lovable.”
To avoid falling, I held onto his shoulders with my hands and tightened my legs around his waist. The position was uncomfortable, but whenever I asked to be put down, his placating lips would meet mine, and I had to stay hanging there.
My head tilted back at the rapidly rising pleasure. It felt like my entire body might shatter and stick to the wall. It was fortunate that I’d comforted Hahyun and rested for a day; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to endure this now.
“Hnngh, ah, put me down. It’s too difficult.”
“…Huh, why? Try speaking informally again?”
“Ah! Ngh, I already said I wouldn’t anymore. Hahyun-ssi and I promis— mmph!”
“You said it’s bad manners to talk about another man in bed, right?”
“This is the dining room… nngh!”
He seemed more excited than usual and didn’t slow down at all. It felt like the sensation was resonating all the way to the crown of my head, but the pleasure was even greater.
“Aah!”
My arms, which had been holding on tightly, slid down with the recoil. He grabbed my arms and pulled them back up, but this time my legs gave out. As a result, our firm connection loosened.
At the moment of release, an incredible pleasure hit me. My whole body moved as if vibrating. After the aftershocks passed, my body stiffened to the point I couldn’t move. I trembled for a long time while being held by him.
“Q-quickly…”
I urged him, jumping to wrap my legs around him again. He sank his teeth into my shoulder and pushed me against the wall once more. It was easier this time.
“Ah, it’s good.”
“You said you didn’t like it because it’s the dining room.”
“I don’t know, aah!”
I just shook my head, not even knowing what I was saying. Hajin bit my chin and moved quickly. My whole body convulsed with pleasure that felt like it was burning up. Even though it seemed enough to finish, he pushed me more roughly.
No moans could escape my open mouth. I was just desperate to breathe. Something throbbing inside made my body curl up involuntarily. He pressed against me with force and moved like an enraged horse.
“S-stop!”
I cried, unable to bear the sensation. He also exhaled his suppressed breath. His straight eyebrows contorted in pain. Just as all movement stopped, I felt a warmth spreading inside me.
“Hnngh…”
A sound that didn’t seem like my own voice escaped. He buried his lips in the nape of my neck and laughed softly.
* * *
[Next news. Seo Hajin, a director of Fashion Group H who was under investigation for embezzlement and stock price manipulation, has received a suspension of indictment. The prosecution cited insufficient evidence despite rigorous investigation, and stated they couldn’t even find circumstances suggesting his involvement in stock price manipulation.
The prosecution seems conscious of criticism about favorable treatment of chaebol members, so they issued a suspension of indictment rather than non-prosecution, but it appears the investigation is essentially over.
Attention is focused on what kind of wind this decision regarding Director Seo Hajin will bring to Fashion Group H, which has been struggling over management rights.]
The previously quiet news started to get noisy again. I was lazily lying on the sofa, flipping through channels. Even though I was watching news about Hajin and Hahyun, I felt at ease.
“They both photograph really well.”
Considering how anxious I used to be while holding the remote control until just recently, this was heaven. Unlike before when Hajin wouldn’t tell me anything, these days he’d inform me of the progress, even if just a little.
Hajin said he would be a bit busy until he completely caught Secretary Kim. This change came after I teased him, saying that human relationships are built mutually, and if he didn’t understand that, he was a child.
However, his habit of hiding things that weren’t certain hadn’t been completely fixed. All I knew was that Prosecutor Lee and Hajin had joined hands and were investigating Secretary Kim and related individuals.
One thing I didn’t understand was that Hahyun, who used to hate going to the company, was not only diligently going to work these days but was even busier than before.
Could it be that Hahyun had developed ambition? Would the brothers’ tiresome fight spread from our home to the company? Just thinking about it made me feel exhausted. Seeing them sharpen their blades and fight at home was already enough.
“That can’t be. If no one else, Hahyun wouldn’t deceive me.”
Hahyun said it like a mantra every day: that he would do his best to put Hajin back in the CEO position, if only to increase the time he could spend with me. It was unlikely that Hahyun who had said this would suddenly change his attitude.
Once the investigation of Secretary Kim was over and Hajin returned to his position, I wouldn’t have to spend time alone at home. Then I’d be less lonely.
The worst scenario would be if the cooperation between the prosecutor and Hajin failed due to Secretary Kim’s schemes, but Hajin had confidently assured me, so I had no choice but to trust him.
Just as I was about to exercise to prevent my life from becoming gloomy due to the brothers being busy, my phone started ringing consecutively. One was from Hajin, and the other was from Hahyun.
I sent a photo of myself making the funniest face I could to both of them, then changed my clothes to exercise.
But at that moment, my phone rang again. The name on the screen was “Secretary Kim.”
* * *
In the CEO’s office, Hahyun blinked while checking the last message from Juwon.
[Take care. I’ll enjoy breakfast. /photo/]
[Hyung, eat well. If there’s anything else you want to eat, let me know. I’ll make it for you when I get home tonight.]
[Hyung? Are you busy? Or are you sleeping again? I miss you.]
[…Nothing’s wrong, right?]
He had sent more than ten messages after that, but there was no reply. He wanted to think that Juwon was sleeping again or exercising, but he couldn’t shake off his anxiety.
“Surely, he wouldn’t run away?”
Hahyun shook his head vigorously at the delusion starting again. These days, Juwon was unbelievably affectionate. He would even whisper “I love you,” something he never said first before being pushed. It was impossible that such a Juwon would betray him.
But what if his affectionate behavior was because it was the last time?
He tried to think rationally, but negative thoughts arose simultaneously. Hahyun couldn’t stand it anymore and decided to call. But just as he was about to press the call button, there was a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
The person who appeared was Assistant Manager Kang Sojeong from the secretary team. Since the listening device incident, Hahyun had been pretending to be pitiful whenever he saw Sojeong.
Sojeong couldn’t ignore such a Hahyun. Though she followed Secretary Kim because he was her superior, she had been suffering whenever he acted against common sense or demanded the same from his subordinates.
As soon as Sojeong saw Hahyun, she recalled an incident from not long ago.
<Assistant Manager Kang, won’t you become my person instead of Director Kim’s?>
Hahyun had asked with an expression like a gentle puppy. It was completely different from his usual irritable image, which was disconcerting, but Sojeong answered with a smile:
<I’m already your person, sir.>
Hahyun shook his head.
<I don’t mean formally. How about really joining hands with us and fighting Director Kim? You know he’s done a lot of bad things.>
Sojeong avoided answering with a troubled expression. Then Hahyun poured out his words:
<I know you didn’t do what you did because you wanted to. That’s why I don’t want to hold you responsible. Instead, please become my person. My brother has Director Park, who is both a longtime friend and secretary. But I don’t have someone like that…>
Sojeong couldn’t take her eyes off Hahyun, who was pouting with his head bowed low.
Hahyun was quite an enigmatic person. He wasn’t thin like a model, but he resembled Chairman Seo with a large build and big frame, yet had perfect proportions without any awkward parts. In contrast, his face looked just like a teenager’s, stimulating protective instincts.
She couldn’t understand her juniors who whispered whenever CEO Seo Hahyun passed by, but now that she saw him up close frequently, she could somewhat understand why.
