Smack! Yoon-shin tossed his coat and briefcase onto the table as if flinging them away, then paced around the sofa. Through his repeated movements, he seemed to be piecing his shattered mind back together to calm his emotions. Se-heon, who was sitting on the living room sofa leisurely reading a book for once, turned a page and declared.
"It's making me antsy too. Go do that at your place."
The moment he spoke, Yoon-shin, who had been leaning against the back of the sofa as if he'd been waiting, leaned his upper body forward. Se-heon still kept his eyes fixed on his book, paying him little heed, so Yoon-shin moved directly in front of him this time. He then sat on the table, slipped a bookmark into Se-heon's book, and pushed it aside.
Even amidst this, he didn't forget to take in the book cover to see what his lover had been so focused on. A scoff of disbelief was a bonus.
"*Being and Time*... You're paying more attention to Heidegger than me? To that damn Nazi? Do you only read things that resemble yourself?"
Se-heon, whose possession was abruptly snatched away, looked baffled for a moment before signaling with his eyes for him to go ahead, as if he understood.
"Alright, I get it. What do you want me to say?"
"My beloved Yoon-shin, what's wrong? Do you have any worries?"
"What's wrong with you, Lawyer Do Yoon-shin."
"No, you wouldn't do that one thing for me. The letters are..."
Yoon-shin folded his fingers, quickly counted the syllables, and continued.
"...There are only seventeen of them?"
"So what's wrong with you? Just tell me. You're making me dizzy."
Knowing that stubbornly persisting would only result in Se-heon never doing something he'd already refused, compromising at a reasonable point was the best option. Usually, he would have enjoyed the small pleasure of bickering over such things, but right now, he had too much to say.
"I just got back from visiting that company again today. The pro bono case I mentioned a while ago. You said all history begins at the scene, so I went there myself."
As if that was exactly it, his sharp eyes narrowed. Yoon-shin paid it no mind and added, "Do you know what they said?"
"What did they say."
"They said they’ll pay the full settlement amount I proposed. They said they’ll execute it immediately as soon as the procedures are done. I actually demanded a bit more than the total amount calculated after factoring everything in. They didn't even try to negotiate."
The look on Se-heon's face made it entirely evident that he had expected this as well. Yoon-shin couldn't just pretend not to notice it this time.
"You knew this would happen? Your expression says it all."
"I merely judged it to be highly likely. Good. It's what you wanted, isn't it?"
"Isn't it too easy? It's strange that they're acting as if they've been waiting for this. I need your wisdom. I thought of something on my way here, and I want to know if it aligns with your thoughts."
To figure out what the bad guys were thinking, running it through Se-heon was ten thousand times easier than racking his own brain. As if reading his earnest gaze, Se-heon willingly opened with a serious tone.
"Do Yoon-shin, the company your client used to work for is a fairly solid furniture company with substantial capital."
He took out a tablet PC from under the table and turned on the screen. Opening the files he had saved, he displayed various figures that allowed one to estimate the scale of the company, and Yoon-shin read through them with a highly serious attitude. Thanks to having prepared the data quite diligently himself, it was content he had already skimmed through once.
But it wasn't for Se-heon. Even in the midst of his busy schedule, having Secretary Tak hand over the data and reviewing it once was proof that he was paying attention to him. Yoon-shin's slightly unsettled mood improved a bit.
"When did you look all this up again? See, you do like me."
Accustomed to Yoon-shin pointing out the facts one by one, he easily brushed it off and continued.
"As you know, it was a year and a half from the dismissal to the lawsuit. After that, two and a half years have passed while your client waited aimlessly for reinstatement. And they still haven't been reinstated. The amount this person will receive for a total of three years, calculated purely arithmetically, is a little over 100 million won; even with all sorts of compensation added, it'll be at most a few times that. It's not an easy sum, but it's not money a company of this scale can't afford."
"Yes, which makes it even more brazen. It's exactly like a divorced spouse refusing to pay alimony or child support."
"They wouldn't pay up, but now that you've gone in with a large law firm lawyer, they just hand it over easily? Why? Did they suddenly have a change of heart? Or did the court suddenly terrify them?"
Se-heon had a third answer. And Yoon-shin felt he could figure it out without having to ponder it for long. The hypothesis that had filled his head all the way home had taken shape through Se-heon's words. He had hoped otherwise, but his conclusion seemed to be the right answer after all. In fact, that thought had solidified after he visited the company in person over the past few days and met with the legal team and the employees of that department.
"Maybe it was never about the money? They can pay the money, but they waited because they didn't want to accept the court's order to reinstate them."
Se-heon readily agreed.
"Because if they comply with that, they can't fire them again unless they quit voluntarily. I believe there was likely a fundamental conflict that led to the dismissal in the first place. Interpersonal relationships, or something related to corporate secrets. Looking at how your client has been reduced to a wreck after the dismissal, it seems they themselves don't know the reason. What do you think?"
"I interviewed the employees on the same team off the record for two days, and their reputation wasn't too bad. But it seemed like the General Manager, whom the client said they respected, was covertly leading the ostracization. They couldn't speak openly out of fear, but I definitely got that impression. It's not ideal, but that sort of thing is actually quite common in companies."
"Do they do their job well?"
"Yes. They're in the PR team, and I heard they did their work cleanly and well."
"Then the cause of the dismissal is him. That General Manager."
Yoon-shin, deep in thought, tilted his head as if an answer was both within reach and out of grasp.
"But it's not like he's the CEO; it makes no sense for an entire company to move just because the executives hate a single subordinate employee? Did they perhaps uncover some dirty laundry involving multiple people?"
"Or perhaps that General Manager plays quite a bit of office politics. You said your client respected them. That means they know how to show a different face enough to make someone believe in them that much. Meaning, they're twisted inside."
Today, though brief, he had also met the General Manager face-to-face. Judging a person based on a few words of conversation was impossible, but a certain instinctive sense did exist. To Yoon-shin's ears, Se-heon's hypothesis sounded perfectly rational.
"My client is being victimized by the superior they respected. They said he was the only one who acknowledged them."
"But up to this point, it's all our speculation. Do you have evidence? Will any of the co-workers testify?"
"Well, no..."
"The only thing I can say for certain, just based on the results, is that the company is reluctant to keep your client around. So much so that they're willing to defy the court's order, even at the risk of damaging their image. You intended to secure a large settlement from the beginning. In this situation, you have nothing to lose. Even if they go back, they'll just be persecuted."
"If you were me, what would you do? Fight alongside them to the end? Or, let it slide to some extent?"
Both would be choices made for the client, but he didn't know which was the right answer.
"I don't take on these trivial cases. Even if I did, I'd be representing the company."
Yoon-shin poked his solid chest and asked again, "If you did, hypothetically."
"What else is there to do besides getting them a lot of money? I'm a lawyer, not a babysitter."
"I don't know if you're actually helping or not..."
At a loss for words, Yoon-shin leaned his body far forward and rested his entire weight on Se-heon. Reaching out both arms, Se-heon skillfully pulled his whole body in and sat him on his lap. As Yoon-shin rested his forehead against his broad shoulder and just exhaled, Se-heon quietly stroked his back as if putting a child to sleep.
Just as Se-heon said, if the company side responded positively, he had nothing to lose. He had already advised his client that since they didn't seem to be a good fit for that company anyway, it would be best to take the settlement money, use it as seed money to improve their situation, and look for another company. However, with a victim who had suffered for three years due to being secretly railroaded undeniably existing—while only the person themselves remained unaware—it felt truly unsatisfying to just bury it like this.
Moreover, he wasn't sure if his client, whose mental state had grown quite fragile, could endure the grueling trial process. They were already suffering from the trauma inflicted by others, so adding more didn't seem like a good idea.
"If they ask how I got it so easily, what do I tell them? That the company dislikes you?"
"Just say you're a lawyer with incredible skills. Tell them they collapsed at a single word from you."
"Only Kang Se-heon would collapse."
"If I collapse, it means everything collapsed."
He had expected Se-heon to playfully deny it, but his immediate agreement made him feel much better.
"How do I find a decent place for them to work? Somewhere stable, with a decent salary. Do you know of any place?"
In an instant, Se-heon's hand, which had been stroking his body, stopped dead, like a broken clock.
"You're not a high school senior homeroom teacher writing college applications for them."
"Other lawyers often do aftercare too. Just like how you handle simple lawsuits, Chief."
"Knowing what kind of person they are, you're trying to arrange a job for them yourself."
"I don't know them well. They're just someone desperately praying for a miracle. It's fine even if I'm wrong. I'm saying I'll help, bearing that burden. For my own mental health. Didn't you say all sacrifice is selfishness?"
"Do Yoon-shin."
"I'm not saying I'll hand them a job on a silver platter. I want to give them an opportunity. Their confidence has plummeted right now. You should have seen their face too."
If they could get some sunlight every day, meet people, and be given a new sense of responsibility, the likelihood of them having impulsive, dark thoughts would drastically decrease. If they worked, provided their rightful labor, and in return received fair compensation, feeling a sense of achievement through that process once more, perhaps someday they'd be able to stand on their own like before.
Se-heon must have understood those underlying thoughts, as he didn't object further.
"For the solicitation part, wouldn't your sister be better suited than me?"
At first, Yoon-shin thought he was mocking how his sister had gotten him a job at Doguk. He reflexively went to glare at Se-heon, but quickly realized there was no need. He judged that his sister really would be far better for this.
His sister had recently used a portion of her alimony to establish a small gallery. He remembered her mentioning she needed people to work there. Reaching that thought, Yoon-shin abruptly stood up.
"I need to make a call to my sister."
As he tried to walk right past Se-heon, the latter shook his head firmly in refusal, pulling his lean body back down into his arms. Sitting squarely on his lower half once again, Yoon-shin raised an eyebrow as if asking why. Se-heon answered immediately.
"Don't go. I don't like you having conversations I can't hear in a place where I can't hear them."
He swallowed the excuse that he would only be talking about things Se-heon already knew. With his intense desire for control and possessiveness, he sometimes couldn't even tolerate his relationships with family.
Reaching out both arms to wrap around Se-heon's neck, Yoon-shin then kissed his soft cheek and the bridge of his nose. As their extremely thin, sensitive outer layers shed, each of their sweet gazes struck the other with absolute precision. Like drawing a bowstring and driving an arrow into a target, they stared only at each other.
Realizing that Se-heon was focusing solely on him as if nothing else in the periphery existed, Yoon-shin felt emotions surging from the very depths of his heart.
"I wish you'd want to keep monopolizing me."
To this, Se-heon neither agreed nor disagreed. He simply pushed Yoon-shin down onto the sofa. Placing himself over him like a curtain, he stretched both arms out beside Yoon-shin's face, forming bars. Then, he slowly leaned his upper body down. In an instant, as if locked in a cage, their bodies overlapped within the space Se-heon had created.
His answer came a beat late.
"If you keep this up, you'll suffocate. You're fearless."
With that, he began unbuttoning Yoon-shin's shirt, one button at a time. Yoon-shin tilted his head back slightly and let out a deep breath. Then, he embraced Se-heon's resilient back with his palms. Naturally, their upper bodies interlocked even more seamlessly, and their tense lower halves pressed tightly against each other. Every time Se-heon skillfully rubbed against his front, their clothed members created friction.
*Haa*, as Yoon-shin let out a low moan, Se-heon's actions became even more explicit. The rolling of Se-heon's hips was exceptionally deliberate and intense.
"Make the call later. Around... tomorrow morning?"
Smiling subtly, Yoon-shin parted his lips, demanding a kiss, as his answer to the request.
* * *
The equation for damages defined by law was very simple. Most damages equated to money. Regardless of the injury sustained, regardless of its nature, it could be resolved financially. It was the same whether one suffered severe physical injuries or mental harms big and small. Even the court sometimes ordered compensation by converting death itself into money. Yoon-shin had also once secured a settlement for a traffic accident that had driven a family's breadwinner to their death.
Who was the first to start putting a price tag on another person's life in the form of money?
Yoon-shin's expression grew solemn as he looked down at the documents.
*So this is all a little over three years of this person's life amounts to.*
They say time is gold, but not all of it is a mineral of the same value. For a nearby example, the value of Se-heon's three years and his own three years were different. They had secured the maximum amount by factoring in both the annual salary and mental distress damages, but a sense of inadequacy remained.
Still, he felt his heart would ease considerably once he helped his client achieve independence. If it resolved well, Yoon-shin felt he might also be able to slightly alleviate the weight of his old accident and his recent embarrassments from his mind through this case.
Taking out his phone, he called his sister. He had finished a call with her yesterday morning and had sent over the resume as she requested. She had told him she would discuss it with her employees and to contact her again around tonight, so he had been waiting. A bright voice answered promptly.
— Yoon-shin! You called at just the right time.
"Is it okay to talk right now? Isn't it too late? I was a bit busy today, and I just finished wrapping things up."
— No. I just put the kids to bed and I'm having some tea. You're calling about the favor you asked yesterday, right?
"I'm not sure if I asked too suddenly. If it's a burden, you can refuse. I'll just look elsewhere."
— I passed the word to the Vice Director, and he said to interview the person first, and if they ultimately like them, how about taking them on as an intern for six months. I agreed with him, as renewing the contract after half a year seemed like less of a risk than hiring them as a regular employee right away. Since they're from the PR team of a fairly solid furniture company, everyone was quite pleased when they saw the resume.
Creak. Listening carefully to her words, Yoon-shin adjusted his posture and leaned back comfortably against his chair. A long sigh of relief finally escaped him.
"Thank you. Meet them, and if they seem too out of it, you don't have to force yourself to hire them. I'm not even someone who's ready to walk myself, so I don't think it's right to force someone else to run at the expense of harming others. Just, since they have a handicap, please be lenient with them. They seem to lack some confidence."
— I will. It's your request, after all.
There was no need to give them special favors. What Yoon-shin wanted to give his client wasn't just a simple job, but the will to live again. So they wouldn't repeat the mistake that wasn't a mistake from the past. He had explained enough of that during yesterday's call, so his thoughtful sister would handle it wisely.
"Thank you. You're the only one for me. Oh, and tell the kids I love them so much. Tell them I'll visit after Christmas."
— After? You're not coming on the day?
"Uh? That day..."
On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, he had plans with Se-heon. They usually didn't set specific schedules and just met whenever they could, but he wanted to spend that day together for sure, so Yoon-shin had been the one to ask for a date first. Unable to answer readily, he hesitated, and she let out a soft laugh.
— You must be with your girlfriend. You fall for it every time I tease you the same way.
Relieved, his tension melted away. Yoon-shin absentmindedly swung his legs and glanced out the window. The light was brightly on in Se-heon's room. However, due to the height of the windowsill, only Se-heon's bookshelf was visible. Having no choice, he stood up and stepped closer to the window, catching sight of Se-heon sitting at his desk, on a call.
After running without even a moment to catch his breath like that, was what he sought honor? Or some other value? He seemed to be chasing something formless, and Yoon-shin wondered if he ever felt anxious. How could he advance forward like a rhinoceros horn, without a single inch of hesitation? Sometimes, Yoon-shin truly wanted to know the source of Se-heon's energy. And he found that man incredibly attractive.
— The kids were missing you anyway. Then drop by for a day on the 26th. Let's get dinner together.
"I will. What should I buy them for a present? Did they say what they want?"
— Hmm. Oh, don't buy them electronic devices like game consoles like last time.
"Got it. I'll think about it for a few days."
While observing Se-heon like a thief scoping out an unfamiliar house before a heist, he saw Se-heon chewing on his lip, perhaps because his business conversation was stalling. Following that, the forehead of his flawlessly sculpted face creased. The sight was strangely alluring.
*He definitely knows he's handsome. Why waste it holed up in an office?*
Thinking the usual thoughts he always had, Yoon-shin adjusted his posture more intently. In the meantime, Se-heon, with his phone wedged between his ear and shoulder, lit a cigarette. Perhaps sensing the persistent gaze, he looked up and saw Yoon-shin. The moment their eyes met, Yoon-shin gestured vigorously. Since he was still on the phone with his sister, he couldn't speak, so he sent a hand signal asking why he was smoking in the office.
Even though it was a clumsy gesture, Se-heon seemed to catch its meaning perfectly, as he ruthlessly snapped the blinds down with a sharp *clack*.
"Wow, that sociopath."
— Yoon-shin? Is someone there with you?
Let alone being with Se-heon, the very window through which he could observe him had been blocked. Yoon-shin quickly gathered his thoughts. Then, he responded as if it were nothing.
"It's nothing. Hey, sis, so about the specific schedule for that person's interview..."
— Yeah. We'll let them know. But are you still at the firm? You work so late every day. Your seniority keeps piling up, so why does it feel like you're taking on more and more work?
"I'm about to leave work soon."
— Hurry home. Oh. Is Chief Kang doing well? I haven't asked after him in a while.
She asked as nonchalantly as possible, but Yoon-shin could sense the underlying awkwardness. His sister was also aware of the under-the-table scandal surrounding Se-heon, so she had started feeling uncomfortable bringing him up. She seemed worried that the rumor might become a hindrance to him, whether professionally or personally.
It wasn't that he didn't understand her feelings, but since Se-heon disliked exposing their relationship to her, there wasn't much he could say. Given Se-heon's personality, which wouldn't bat an eye even if his sister vehemently opposed them, it didn't seem like he was simply worried about the stance she would take. More than that, he had to conclude that Se-heon still had no intention of allowing anything other than himself into his lonely life. Whether it was a friend, a colleague, his lover's family, or anything else personally involved. Yoon-shin glossed over it and replied.
"He's always the same."
— That's a relief. Oh right, that friend you're dating. How are they doing? When are you going to introduce them to me?
"Tell me about it. I want to brag to you, but no matter how much I beg, he has to give me permission before I can..."
— Huh?
She didn't know, but since it was a question about the same person, his tension dissipated and he answered out of habit. Yoon-shin, having forcibly bitten off his own words, strained to see past the blinds of Se-heon's room and changed the subject.
"No, well. Can I introduce them later?"
— Of course. Let me know whenever you're ready. But is the kid quite shy?
Yoon-shin, who had tried to put the word 'shy' and his lover in the same sentence, immediately forfeited the idea. It was because he felt Se-heon would never understand what such an emotion was, even if he died and came back to life. He let out a soft chuckle.
"Yeah, I suppose so."
— Anyway, you used to break up so quickly before, but you've been dating this one for quite a while? You didn't see anyone for a while, so I thought you'd gotten sick of dating.
On the contrary, the problem was that dating was too fun. Just sitting side-by-side with Se-heon, their legs overlapping, sharing meaningless, trivial stories was enough to make him happy. Feeling sheepish, Yoon-shin pursed his lips. As if receiving a message of distress from his silence, Lee-kyung continued.
— Anyway, let's talk again after the interview. I'll hang up now for today. Hurry up and leave work.
"Uh, yeah, call me. Good night."
The line disconnected abruptly, replaced by the mechanical tone. Staring at the pitch-black screen, Yoon-shin calmly lowered his gaze. Mulling over her much-relaxed voice, his mind filled with thoughts. The sister he had observed all this time was someone who truly knew what happiness was. Though she had taken a slight detour, it was a relief she had finally reclaimed it.
With the call over, all that remained for him was Se-heon. Yoon-shin cleared his desk, fully prepared to leave, and quietly stepped outside. It was quite late, so the secretarial staff was already gone. Even the Office Manager, who had still been there processing something about an hour ago, was absent. Presumably, she had gone home for the day.
When he cautiously knocked on the door of Se-heon's office, a low voice responded from inside.
Pushing the door open slightly, Se-heon, who had been burying his eyes in the due diligence reports, gave him a glance. Perhaps his neck was stiff, he massaged his nape with one hand, his eyes conveying a look that said, *I knew it was you*. Yoon-shin shrugged, closed the door behind him, and stood tall directly in Se-heon's line of sight.
"I was just admiring what's mine, so why did you close the blinds?"
"You didn't lock the door?"
"There's no one out there. It's already 10 PM. Aren't we going home?"
"We should. But before that, it's good you came in. Come sit here."
Speaking in a slightly suggestive tone, Se-heon tapped his knee. Yoon-shin set his coat and briefcase on the reception sofa and walked toward him.
"Being indecent is just your personality? Some sort of innate instinct?"
Watching Yoon-shin spout shameless words, he shook his head in disbelief.
"You're lucky. You have someone who finds you cute no matter what nonsense you spout."
A bright flush immediately spread across Yoon-shin's face.
"The Chief?"
"Your sister."
"But you're the Chief."
"Well, obviously me. Why ask when you know the answer."
Along with his answer, his calloused hand grasped Yoon-shin's wrist. Giving a slight tug toward himself, Yoon-shin feigned resistance for a moment before obediently following. Se-heon sat Yoon-shin on his firm thighs and pointed at the documents on the desk one by one. Naturally, both of their gazes landed on the tablet PC. Though it was his first time seeing the content, the logo watermarked at the bottom of the PDF file was definitely familiar to him as well.
"These are the due diligence reports from the agency I introduced you to before. You're still using them."
Se-heon, pointing to the physical location map placed on the right, nodded.
"Yeah, they're thorough and reliable. This is the result of the environmental pollution due diligence around this factory site. Take a look."
"Why are you showing me this? There don't seem to be any issues..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Se-heon suddenly grabbed Yoon-shin's jaw. Turning him toward himself, he kissed him. *Smack, smack.* Their soft skin brushed together a few times. Feeling as if Se-heon was trying to distract him, Yoon-shin gently pushed his arm away.
As he began carefully taking in the results one by one while flipping through the pages, he detected subtle anomalies. Nothing particularly stood out, but sometimes things that were too ordinary existed all the more bizarrely. He even felt like he was looking at the fake food samples displayed outside a restaurant.
"Wait a second. The figures converge too perfectly toward the average. It looks exactly like a manufactured sample meant to appear problem-free. These charts too... They look exactly like something I've seen somewhere before."
"My eyes see the same thing. What is this sense of déjà vu? It's too pristine."
This meant either the company that commissioned the due diligence was truly complying with all laws and regulations, or there was a problem with this report. It was too early to jump to conclusions, but considering the tendencies of the president of this investigative agency—an old friend of his father—the former possibility seemed highly likely.
"If this company is really this compliant with environmental pollution issues, it puts us at a disadvantage, right?"
"We have to assume so."
"Do you need my help?"
"I was going to do it myself, but I have a pile of other due diligence reports to review, so I don't have the time to overturn this one right now. Look it over a bit more carefully and draft an opinion letter for me."
"With bare hands?"
"I'll buy you whatever you want. Watches, cars, houses. Anything is fine."
Twisting his body, Yoon-shin grabbed Se-heon's shirt collar and retorted eagerly. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
"Buy me Kang Se-heon."
"Other than what you already have."
He used to despise it at first, but now he said such things quite easily. It was the most perfect answer he could have hoped for, making Yoon-shin more than willing to do it even if he had to stay up all night.
With a soft chuckle, Yoon-shin poked Se-heon's chest with his elbow and sent the files on the tablet to himself. Then, he began to stand up, signaling that it was time to wrap things up and head home. However, the moment he awkwardly half-rose, Se-heon grabbed his hips and pulled him back down firmly onto his lap.
Pressing firmly against his front as if inserting himself, their lower halves clung tightly together with not even a sliver of space between them. After a few rubs, their familiarly shaped members grazed against each other dangerously. A titillating sensation, as if Se-heon's member was thrusting between Yoon-shin's thighs, repeated over and over.
*Haa*, letting out a long breath, Yoon-shin instinctively reached out both hands and gripped the desk firmly. However, that seemed to be a mistake right then. Coming to his senses, the way their bodies overlapped looked unmistakably like a sex position. Moreover, it looked exactly as if he was eagerly awaiting Se-heon's penetration. Swallowing nervously, Yoon-shin's arms trembled.
"W-What are you doing?"
The man behind him didn't answer. He just remained silent for a moment, then rested his forehead against Yoon-shin's back and burst into laughter. Usually, whenever Se-heon laughed out loud, it was mostly because Yoon-shin had created the opportunity. Of course, Yoon-shin was always happy about that, but at a moment like this, honestly, the feeling of embarrassment was far greater.
"Why are you laughing? Don't laugh. I want to make this clear: the Chief started it first, and I just responded because I was afraid I'd fall. That's generally the case."
"Are you that eager for it?"
Squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, Yoon-shin strongly scolded himself inwardly. Constantly contemplating why he couldn't shamelessly lie without blinking an eye like Se-heon, he barely managed to answer.
"A little."
Contrary to expectations, Se-heon didn't laugh any further. Instead, he pressed Yoon-shin's hips down even more firmly onto himself, as if declaring ownership. Pressing himself against Yoon-shin's trembling back, he whispered, greedily licking his flushed ear like a growling beast.
"I want to suck you."
Slowly sliding his hands down from his hips, he skillfully rubbed Yoon-shin's front. Overlapping his long fingers to form a circle, he stroked up and down, tracing the outline of where his member lay. Yoon-shin's arms, which had still been bracing against the desk, dropped limply. Immediately after, unable to bear it any longer, he forcefully twisted his body to face Se-heon.
They pulled each other tightly, almost desperately, and kissed. Parting his moist lips and pushing in his wet tongue tip, he tangled with the red flesh without hesitation, stimulating it. Sucking noisily with the fervor to wear down every sharp protrusion, their saliva mixed, creating a continuous series of wet, squelching friction sounds.
"*Heung, um, uumm...*"
As his member slowly began to harden, Yoon-shin's body shuddered. Not missing this reaction, Se-heon effortlessly lifted him up by the waist and sat him on the desk. Then, he made his lean body lie back completely. Yoon-shin flailed his legs.
As if telling him to wait, he buried his lips against his pants and took his erect shaft into his mouth. Then, he spread his legs and buried his face between his thighs. As he caressed the perineum and the surrounding area over the clothes, Yoon-shin grew impatient from the lack of direct stimulation and jerked his legs.
"Ah, *heut*, Senior, not this, something else."
Pulling Se-heon's hand, Yoon-shin placed it over his belt buckle. Having already lost his composure, Se-heon willingly unbuckled it and pulled down the zipper. Pushing his tongue into the open gap and licking over his drawers, Yoon-shin gasped for breath.
"Ah! *Uht!* No..."
"No need to rush. You know I'll do everything you want."
*Swish.* His fully aroused member brushed against Yoon-shin's skinny thighs. Blushing furiously, Yoon-shin desperately clutched the hem of Se-heon's clothes. Glancing down, he saw Se-heon's taut front bulging as if it were about to burst. The moment their eyes met, they saw through exactly what the other wanted. Soon, Se-heon dug into his coat pocket and retrieved his wallet. After taking out a condom, he placed it between Yoon-shin's lips.
While his wet lips clutched the wrapper, he pulled Yoon-shin's pants and underwear down to his thighs in one swift motion. Then, he took the tip of his erect member into his mouth and sucked. Throwing his head back, Yoon-shin rolled his hips. Letting out a suppressed moan, the condom held between his lips tumbled onto the desk.
"*Uung, ung!*"
Wrapping his tongue around Yoon-shin's reddened glans, he took more of the shaft into his mouth. Then, he covered it completely with his moist mucosa. Yoon-shin's lean body, pinned beneath Se-heon, trembled as if in convulsion.
It was right then, just as he was about to thrust the member deep into his throat to pleasure it.
*Knock, knock.*
A knock sounded from outside. Following that, the Office Manager's voice was heard.
"Attorney, it's the Office Manager. I have something urgent to report."
Pale as a sheet, Yoon-shin gaped. He whispered in as low a voice as possible.
"Y-You didn't lock the door."
Se-heon, the very accomplice to the crime, calmly adjusted his clothes without a hint of panic and replied.
"I know."
"I thought the Office Manager went home."
"Apparently not. What are you going to do? Come out? It's about time, I guess."
"What do you mean! What kind of nonsense is that? Jokes, at a time like this? You have to tell her to come in."
With his response, Yoon-shin slipped off the desk and hid his body underneath it. Playing along, Se-heon tossed his coat over to cover his lower half and adjusted his posture. When he belatedly gave permission to enter, the Office Manager carefully opened the door. In her hand was the translated version of the English documents Se-heon had instructed her to submit by tomorrow morning.
"The Special Team Authors have finished the translation, so I figured it would be better to give it to you quickly. I've sent it via email, and this is the hard copy."
"Ah, that. Just leave it there."
*Click, clack.* The sound of low heels drew steadily closer. The Office Manager's voice drew closer as well.
"Oh, right. There is a banquet event hosted by Managing Director Jin Yeon-woo of Taesan on Friday the week after next. The dress code is gray. Should I tell Secretary Tak to prepare a separate outfit for you?"
"No. I have a tie I received as a gift recently. I'll wear that. I understand, so you can go home now."
While Yoon-shin held his breath and hid, she set down the thick stack of documents and seemed to turn around. As if bowing silently, a sound like rustling air was heard, and the door closed again.
Terrified she might notice, Yoon-shin had clamped both hands tightly over his mouth and stayed silent for a long time before finally letting out a heavy breath. The tension barely released, he rested his cheek against Se-heon's knee. Glancing down at him, Se-heon raised an eyebrow.
"Aren't you going to finish what we started?"
"Finish my foot! Dream on."
*Smack.* Yoon-shin slapped his leg and climbed out from under the desk, straightening his clothes. While his face was flushed red and he rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand to cool the heat, Se-heon wiped his face with his hands. At first, Yoon-shin thought he was simply wiping his face to relieve tension, but seeing his shoulders shake, he belatedly realized he was laughing.
Sitting on the desk facing him, Yoon-shin bit his lower lip hard. Soon, Se-heon slowly lowered his hands, rested his chin on them, and stared up at him. The smoothly upturned corners of his mouth were brimming with unconcealed glee. Perhaps because he had laughed so raucously—a rare occurrence—the previously heated, sensual atmosphere had shifted into a warm, comfortable vibe of mutual understanding.
"How can you laugh right now? I just lost ten years of my life. How can you be so nonchalant?"
"You'll be like this too once you've been through it all."
"Even if I've been through it all and back, I'd never be like this. Ugh, I don't want to stay here anymore. I want to go home."
"I must escort the young master home at once, then."
With Se-heon fully standing, the angle of their diagonal gazes shifted. He leaned down, kissed Yoon-shin's cheek, and offered his hand. Taking it, Yoon-shin stepped down from the desk, picked up Se-heon's coat from the floor, and dusted it off while checking the situation outside. Catching sight of the Office Manager's back, it seemed she was finally leaving work.
In the meantime, Se-heon also casually tidied up and grabbed his briefcase.
Before locking the door and heading out, Yoon-shin suddenly remembered something and grabbed Se-heon's hand. They gazed at each other in front of the door for a moment. The moment Se-heon pulled him into an embrace, Yoon-shin naturally closed his eyes and kissed his ear. Facing each other, their lips met and parted as lightly as a feather brushing past.
Breaking the silence, Yoon-shin was the first to speak.
"That event on Friday the week after next. Does it end late?"
"Why?"
"Because the next day is that day. December 31st."
"You have a hearing that week. I told you, you don't need to worry about it."
"Let's go together. Since we're going this year, should we stay a night nearby? We could look at the sea, too."
Yoon-shin had insisted, and it was clear Se-heon wanted it too, so every year on the final day, the two of them visited that nature-friendly columbarium together.
He had said that he used that place to wrap up the year and gather his resolve for the next, but Yoon-shin now wished Se-heon wouldn't do that anymore.
From now on, he wanted to be the only outlet Se-heon used to sort out his feelings. If he ever felt guilt or self-reproach, he wanted him to look at him for comfort; if he felt the instinct that he shouldn't go any further, he wanted him to think of him and apply the brakes. He wanted him to dump all his hardships solely onto him, and share all the good things only with him.
When it came to the heart, he wished everything about him was his. Because he was already doing exactly that.
The desire for exclusivity wasn't his alone.
"I'll buy the expensive flowers again this year."
He didn't hear an answer, but Yoon-shin was fully satisfied. That was because within Se-heon's eyes, which caressed his cheek, existed the entire universe he could conjure.
In the end, he said nothing, but Yoon-shin answered kindly.
"I love you too."
Letting out a soft chuckle, Se-heon rubbed the area beneath Yoon-shin's eyes with his thumb.
Then, he firmly cupped both of his soft cheeks in his hands and crashed their lips together.