Yunshin's footsteps were extremely careful as he entered the bedroom, walking on tiptoe like a thieving cat.
He approached the bed where Seheon was sleeping and crouched silently beside it. He wanted to get closer and touch him, but he couldn't help it for fear that the rustling of the bedding would wake the deeply sleeping man.
Today was going to be a very special day for him. He felt like he had to see this man in advance, even like this, so he could start the day bravely and well.
Yunshin breathed out calmly and carefully observed Seheon, who was seized by sleep. It was dawn before sunrise, so he had to rely on the moonlight for his vision, but fortunately, being this close allowed him to see even the subtle changes in his expression.
'He sleeps well.'
The words Seheon had once said also came to mind.
〈What else. What kind of dreams he has, whether he sleeps well or tosses and turns. I just watch him.>
When he heard those words, he was truly happy. But he didn't know exactly what it felt like. Because he had never done it before. And now, he knew well why Kang Seheon had said those words back then.
This time of doing nothing was so precious. On some day a few years ago when he realized this fact, he bitterly learned that he had already fallen into an uncontrollable quagmire. The funny thing is that he had no intention of escaping back then, and he still doesn't now.
'Did the Creator stay up all night to make him?'
Yunshin, whose eyes were tracing the curve of his profile, slowly lowered his gaze. Past the strikingly prominent Adam's apple on his long neck and further down, his solid shoulders came into view. They were covered in scars. Some were new, and some were old and heavily scarred over. They were all medals scratched on by himself while enduring the pain. Seheon's back, where he had clung to him and dug into fiercely, would be much worse.
Who would imagine that beneath the buttons always fastened delicately to the very top, and the dress shirt covering his upper body, such vulgar traces were abundant?
He wanted to apply some medicine, but Seheon woke up instantly like a startled horse if anything other than Do Yunshin's skin lying next to him touched his body. Not only that, but he also reacted sensitively to the sound of the door being opened and closed very carefully, to the vibration sound of the lowest decibel, to the faint footsteps of the housekeeper from the end of the hallway, and even to the very small alarm of the wall pad ringing from the management office.
At first, he thought it was just because he was a difficult person. Because occasionally, there were people who were like that above average. And Kang Seheon suited that better than anyone.
However, as they lived together, he realized it wasn't simply because he was a light sleeper, but because he couldn't fall into a deep sleep in the first place. He was always tense, or perhaps even the most personal space was uncomfortable for him. Either way, it was heartbreaking.
One surprising thing was that if he held him and fell asleep together, he somehow managed to sleep gently without waking up until dawn. So, as much as possible, Yunshin tried to wake up even a minute later than Seheon. It bothered him that he hadn't been able to do that lately.
'I'll only be busy until today.'
The reason he purposely went to work from dawn was that he had to take time out during the day to visit his client's workshop in Ilsan. He was using his personal time so that it wouldn't disrupt his work.
Last night, he received a call that the ring he had designed himself was completed. He had been waiting only for this day to come.
This act must not be interpreted simply as sharing a couple ring like other couples. His partner was Kang Seheon. This romance was an act of Kang Seheon binding Do Yunshin in all directions, and conversely, there were still parts he had not allowed. Therefore, this was the complete destruction of an impregnable fortress.
Sitting uncomfortably crouched, Yunshin drew his knees closer together. All sorts of thoughts filled his mind.
The sight of him sleeping so gently, looking defenseless, despite likely never having a peaceful bed while growing up, was endearing. In this private space where he allowed his intrusion, the part of his cozy life that he enjoyed was so precious and lovely. His every moment, which might be fear or might be happiness, he wanted to be flawlessly his.
What kind of dream would Kang Seheon be dreaming?
Why did he feel like crying just looking at him?
"Dream of me?"
The moment he asked in a whisper, unable to contain his emotions, Seheon turned his body to the side and tossed. Then, he frowned as if he were having a bad dream.
No, but this person.
It was good that he changed his posture in his sleep and looked his way. His lush eyelashes, fair and clean skin, smooth eye sockets, and sharply bridged nose were clearly visible. His face, with the shadows highlighted as he lay on his side, was beautiful. However, the way his brows suddenly furrowed as if giving him goosebumps was a bit annoying.
It would have been nice if he didn't have the talent to ruin the mood.
Feeling a lump in his throat, Yunshin reached out very, very carefully. He lightly pressed the furrowed area with his fingertips as if smoothing it out with an iron. Afraid of waking him if he applied too much force, he did it clumsily a few times, and fortunately, the furrow between his brows slowly smoothed out. His expression also became much more comfortable.
Letting out a soft laugh, Yunshin put both arms back on his knees and rested his chin on them, staring straight at him.
As he continued to watch him searchingly, the corners of his mouth naturally went up.
"When you're asleep, sunbae, I'll protect you. So sleep deeply."
This time, Seheon didn't furrow his brows either.
After observing his handsome face for a long time, turning his head left and right, Yunshin checked the current time and stood up.
In case the sound of the door closing might displease the sleeping man, he left it open with a very slight gap. Through the narrow opening, Yunshin's back gradually receded.
Click.
The faint sound of a door lock closing could be heard from quite a distance away. Seheon's eyes, which had slipped open reflexively, blinked slowly. There was not a trace of lingering drowsiness in his eyes. Rather, they were clear and bright.
In fact, he had been awake since Yunshin got up to wash after being in his arms. It had now become a habit to start the day by tightly hugging Yunshin's sleeping body when he woke up in the morning, so the moment the tactile sensation of his soft skin disappeared, he immediately came to his senses.
The sheets slid smoothly down Seheon's upper body as he sat up. All over his half-naked upper body, scratches made with fingernails were widespread. His dry gaze shifted to the empty space beside him.
Sometimes Do Yunshin knew only one thing and didn't know the other.
〈When you're asleep, sunbae, I'll protect you.>
"You should just stay right next to me."
Thud. Irritation and regret coexisted in his hand as he threw the soft pillow off the bed.
"Damn it, is he melting glaciers in Antarctica to make that ring?"
What kind of behavior is this for the second week now.
It had already been two weeks since Do Yunshin, who had been controlled within his range, secretly created a door to the outside and went in and out without a word. He didn't know how far he intended to test him. For someone without patience, this was his limit. He was holding back because he didn't want to ruin Yunshin's excited and overwhelming feelings, but he felt his limit slowly approaching.
He was at the point where he would explode if anyone just poked him.
In the end, Seheon got up and headed to the bathroom, having fiercely ruined his mood for the day from the very opening act.
* * *
Seheon's complexion was foul as he came out after the meeting.
Naturally, a solemn atmosphere like the eve of a storm hung over the secretary's office.
Everyone in the secretary's office knew that he was a fearsome owner of stamina who could stay up for days without any damage. That was why, realizing that Seheon's condition was particularly low today, they had deliberately warned the project team members about his condition before the meeting.
Fortunately, the preemptive warning seemed to have helped. The faces of the employees coming out of the meeting room one after another behind Seheon were full of relief.
Secretary Tak, who had been very nervous, quickly overtook Seheon as he walked toward his office leaving the team members behind. As he opened the office door and waited, Seheon, who was about to step inside, suddenly stopped after checking Yunshin's empty office. His fierce eyes spelled out these words:
This is getting ridiculous.
Looking at the unlit space without a word, Secretary Tak asked subtly.
"Is there anything you need? If you tell me..."
"Where did Do Yunshin go again. Don't tell me it's that place again?"
"He said he would go and come back using his lunch break today."
Seheon's dismissive retort was particularly bitter.
"Ah, so now it's not going after work, but during work hours. Out in the open."
"He... he purposely came in early and finished all the work he had to do, and signed all the documents... He's moving without disrupting work. Also, he just arrived at the firm a moment ago."
So that's why he went early.
Crack. The veins on the back of Seheon's hand bulged as he gripped the side partition. Stress skyrocketed exponentially, like blood sugar rising, making him feel like he could smash everything in sight right now.
He hated this reversal. It was a sensation he hadn't felt when he was buried in work and left Yunshin alone for a month without even properly touching him.
Anxiety, impatience, unease, restlessness.
And a slight suspicion.
He couldn't even fathom how Do Yunshin had endured these. No matter how much he promised a corresponding compensation, how did he endure these negative emotions without a single word of complaint?
Is it a difference in the density of affection?
Or is my side in an obsessive state?
The possibilities seemed about even.
Grinding his teeth, Seheon pulled his hand away from the partition. Just as he was about to step into his office, Secretary Tak, who was holding the doorknob, lowered his voice and added, whispering only to Seheon.
"We just got a notification that his car passed the parking lot. He'll be up soon."
Seheon's eyes looking at Secretary Tak were sharp. Staring at the other person with a gaze as fierce as a rough wind, he turned around without hesitation. His back as he walked toward the elevator, as if he couldn't stand even a single second, briefly revealed the boiling rage from below.
Click. Clack.
Only the sound of low heels echoed in the hallway where he strode without hesitation. Soon, as he reached the corner leading to the central lobby, Yunshin, who had just gotten off the elevator, was walking toward him, holding a small document envelope tightly in his arms. Spotting Seheon, he made a delighted expression and bowed politely. Then, he stopped walking and moved his lips as if he wanted to say something.
At the end of the quiet hallway, the two stood facing each other.
Seheon stared directly at Yunshin with displeased eyes. Yunshin's head tilted, puzzled by the gaze. Almost simultaneously, their fluid lips opened.
"Why are you out here?"
"What the fuck are you doing?"
Seheon didn't budge, but Yunshin couldn't help but flinch his shoulders.
His cold voice, frigid expression, and the clearly dissatisfied, hostile attitude bothered him. Because he knew better than anyone the feeling of when he secretly didn't mind it but rejected it outwardly, he paid more attention. Right now, Seheon was genuinely pissed.
However, even when he thought about what he might have done wrong, it was hard to find anything. He had neatly finished the urgent or time-sensitive tasks before leaving. If there were any insufficient or lacking parts, they could be solved from now on.
Not knowing the reason, he wanted to get his answer first.
"Sunbae, why are you angry?"
Along with the question, Yunshin fiddled with the small document envelope in his arms as carefully as if handling a sacred object. On the tip of his fidgeting finger was a band-aid. It was a design with Toy Story characters roaming on a white background.
Seeing that, Seheon roughly pulled Yunshin's wrist. Then he drove Yunshin back, pressing their bodies together against the wall.
Thud.
Yunshin's eyes crumpled in pain as his back hit the hard surface. The pain hurt, and Seheon's mood was completely foul, but what felt more dangerous was the fact that this was their company.
Unlike the residence where everyone was careful, this place was different. Dozens of employees came and went in a matter of minutes. It wouldn't be strange if someone stepped out of that elevator right now. Conscious of that, he twisted his arm to pull his hand out of Seheon's grip.
"If you have something to say, let's go somewhere quiet."
"Answer my question first. What the fuck are you doing?"
"I don't understand the intent of the question."
"Why are you acting so pathetically over this?"
"Ugh...!"
The band-aid was rolled up on his index finger, which was roughly pulled up. Seeing that, Yunshin only blinked his large eyes. It was a burn he got from touching a long platinum rod that was cooling down after going to the workshop to receive the ring. It seemed like it would take some time to explain it in detail, so he was choosing his words when he heard a sign of the elevator door opening.
Startled, Yunshin pushed Seheon away with all his might, squeezing out even the strength he had from nursing. A few lawyers passed behind the two who had barely separated. They bowed politely to Seheon, but he didn't even look at them as his gaze was fixed solely on Yunshin.
Kang Seheon right now was like an active volcano. It was anxious not knowing when he would erupt. There was no such sign just yesterday dawn, so it was sudden. Thinking it shouldn't go on like this, Yunshin forcefully pulled Seheon toward the supply room where they had shared a kiss about a week and a half ago.
"First, come this way."
He confirmed it was empty inside, locked the door from the inside, trapping both Seheon and himself in there.
In this place where the two had passionately kissed and confirmed their affection for each other, fighting with Seheon over a conflict he didn't even clearly know the reason for, suddenly brought a surge of grievance to his chest. To maintain his composure, he endured it, and Yunshin remained silent for a long time. But that seemed to have fueled Seheon's anger even more.
"You're not going to answer until the end."
Then he stripped off the band-aid rolled around Yunshin's finger. As the thin strip that was sticky against his skin fell off, a quite dizzying scene entered their vision where the skin was peeled off, revealing bright red flesh. Seheon frowned.
"Why is this all scraped? Did someone suck it for you?"
It was absurd enough to be attacked one-sidedly, but with this kind of driving force, Yunshin was truly dumbfounded.
"Unless they're a pervert like you, sunbae, who would suck my hand until all the skin is peeled off?"
"I clearly warned you. If you fuck around outside, you won't die easily. Does it sound like a joke?"
"Fuck around, ha...!"
More dumbfounded by this than any other words, Yunshin let out a hollow laugh. His eyes trembled with anger, and his cheeks twitched. Yunshin was generally on the mild side, but he wasn't the type to stay silent in the face of injustice.
"You seem to have gone crazy from working too much, so don't grab me and act like this. Why don't you go somewhere for recuperation and rest? Should I go with you?"
Even with his maximum sarcasm, it didn't seem to have any effect on Seheon. He easily ignored it and spat out only what he had to say.
"Until now, you've never once raised any suspicion in me. I couldn't even imagine you going somewhere and doing bullshit. Why? Because you don't lie or hide things. Before I ask, you spit it all out like a vending machine. What you're going to do at what time. Who you're meeting. What the business was! Whether you thought about fucking me right there! Or not!"
"Who's going to listen! Why are you really like this today!"
No matter that they were inside the supply room, it was dangerous for their voices to get any louder. Worried about various situations, Yunshin grabbed his clothes. But Seheon was immovable.
"That much means you, Do Yunshin, are an easy and obvious bastard. Then you should continue to be easy and obvious to me. Why make things difficult?"
"What's the point, exactly. I don't know why you're acting like this suddenly. I want to fight knowing at least what I did wrong."
"Because of you, I'm going crazy! I wonder what's wrong with me. You say you trust me, but I can't trust you. Why can't I do what a thing like you can do?"
For a moment, Yunshin's expression hardened. Primarily because he was bewildered. Looking back to see if he had done anything to cause a misunderstanding, there was nothing like that. However, one thing bothered him.
Whether he knew or not of his complicatedly surging inner thoughts, Seheon, whose emotions seemed uncharacteristically heightened, added sharply.
"Your absence makes me anxious. It's unpleasant. Why do I have to feel these shitty emotions over something that hasn't even happened?"
"Sunbae, right now... perhaps."
"So why do you leave me alone without any explanation. How many years have you and I been dating. Didn't you know I hate this the most? If you go to that workshop and giggle with a woman while making something like a ring, did you think I'd be grateful and just accept it while holed up in the bedroom waiting for you? Huh?"
Yunshin, who had been listening quietly, flinched, and his shoulders slowly heaved. He naturally didn't think he wouldn't know the fact that he was making the ring himself. His movements were in the palm of his hand. However, knowing that he was pretending not to know, he hadn't expected him to confess so absurdly like this.
He didn't know where to start answering, or if that was even the right answer. Yunshin only blinked exhaustedly. Just when he was returning to the firm, he was filled with happiness, drawing pictures of their love growing stronger. But what was this in just over 10 minutes?
Even so, he didn't let go of the hand gripping Seheon's clothes. Then, looking down at it steadily, he callously swatted it away. That act was a wound to both him and Yunshin.
Hesitating, Yunshin carefully stepped a little closer to Seheon. Having already been rejected once, he couldn't easily hug him, and only narrowed the distance as he struggled to speak calmly.
"I didn't do anything that could cause a misunderstanding. The time we spent together wasn't long either. Except for the moments we needed to exchange information, we were always separate. I was trying to catch multiple rabbits at once. I thought you'd know everything, just like you always have, sunbae."
The reason he persuaded him instead of getting angry together was because his emotions felt tangible. Seheon, uncharacteristically, seemed to have become afraid of loss.
That was highly likely because their roles had changed without notice. In their relationship, the one waiting was usually Yunshin. Seheon was much busier. Naturally, he controlled the distance and decided everything after deliberation. Also, he was the one giving things, and that might continue to be the case in the future.
While he had complete control over this relationship, he reluctantly admitted that all of that was only possible because Yunshin felt stable within his fence and didn't move at all.
In the end, he was also partly responsible for triggering this situation. He should never have forgotten for a moment that he was someone who had only himself in his life, and he should have remembered that he was a clumsy person who wanted to control him out of anxiety even while knowing it. In his haste, he had deliberately put it off.
With such thoughts, as he reached out both arms to hug Seheon, he pushed Yunshin's touch away once more. It was precarious and dangerous, just like returning to the time when he first cared for him but rejected him.
"Why did you endure it for two weeks so out of character. I thought it was okay because you didn't say anything."
"Are you saying I should have ruined your plan because I couldn't stand it?"
"Yes. As much as you want. Why not? When you're the best in the world at trampling and ruining things."
He let out a hollow laugh.
"Are you going to keep being insolent?"
"Yes. I'm going to do everything I want to do. So you can do whatever you want to me too. If there's a disruption to the plan, the me of that time will throw a short temper and somehow handle it. I have that much reflexes too."
"...."
"I do it, so why can't you, sunbae? Because Kang Seheon is a bigger coward than me? Despite being the most successful lawyer in South Korea, don't run away from such clear facts. I can't hide things anyway, so you know full well how much I like you, sunbae."
The reason he was anxious was not because Kang Seheon liked Do Yunshin more, nor because there were many other things to lose in Yunshin's life. Although he tried not to admit it, Seheon himself must be feeling it properly. That he, too, had long abandoned everything and thrown his all to him.
Damn it. As if proving Yunshin right, Seheon swallowed a curse and sighed with a tired expression. Just as he was about to retort a beat later—
At the same time, the phone in Yunshin's jacket pocket vibrated with a higher frequency.
The air around the two, which had softened a bit, tensed up sharply again.
Soon, with a sick of it face as if saying 'Here we go again,' he spoke as if chewing every single letter.
"You must chase after it like a startled horse again. Answer it."
Remembering the time their time together was interrupted by someone else's contact at dawn, Yunshin had no excuse and felt embarrassed.
Looking back now, he had steadily sown all the seeds of conflict. The splendid flower was watered and grown by him alone until it finally bloomed.
"Let's finish our talk first."
"I felt like it was going to burst around today anyway. Your words make sense in my head, but when I hear that damn vibration sound, I get angry again. I think I need some time to calm down. Let's talk again later."
Without even giving him time to grab him, he unilaterally declared and approached the door. Throwing the door wide open, he strode out with his long legs. Yunshin, who tried to chase after him quickly, was stuck unable to do anything as the elevator door opened right then and several people came down, blocking the way.
At times like this, he shouldn't leave Seheon alone.
But he was anxious that Seheon would turn the corner in no time. In the end, pushing through the employees, Yunshin chased after him. No, he tried to.
Just as he felt someone's gaze looking around the surroundings briefly, a man who had been weaving through the crowd grabbed Yunshin's hand.
"You little bastard, where are you going?"
"Ugh...!"
Perhaps because the reddened, scraped spot was grabbed along with it, a stinging pain surged in. As the startled Yunshin turned his head to find the attacker, a familiar face came into view immediately. A tall man with messy hair and horn-rimmed glasses. He was also his client's husband.
The phone call earlier didn't seem to be from the client, but rather a contact from a security company notifying that the man was coming this way. It seemed he called because he couldn't follow him into the firm.
Recognizing that the inevitable had arrived with this man's appearance, Yunshin opened his mouth to speak as calmly as possible.
"What brings you... Gasp!"
Before he could finish his words, the man's scrawny hand grabbed Yunshin by the collar.
"You're Do Yunshin, right. Do Ikyung's younger brother. I can tell right away. No need to go all the way to the room. It's good I met you."
He tried to avoid it instinctively, but the man, who had already taken the upper hand, moved roughly and faster. Since he was completely undefended, his body was pushed back helplessly. As a result, Yunshin's best option was to step backwards while maintaining his balance on his two legs.
"Ugh, keuk, let go, and speak."
"What the hell are you up to with my wife. Huh? You young little bastard."
Glancing up to check the location of the CCTV above him instead of answering, a sense of dismay settled on Yunshin's face. By frequently meeting the client recently, he had induced that fact to reach the man's ears. He had even met the five-year-old child once. It was to make the impulsive and emotional type like him bring about such a moment. However, the location was bad.
If a commotion broke out here, the firm would secure the video, including the previous scene of this situation, as evidence, and he and Seheon had just come out of the supply room at the end of that corner together.
If it were himself, that was one thing, but Kang Seheon was not the kind of person to go into a supply room.
I'm going crazy. What should I do.
On top of his mind already being complicated because of Seheon, he was overwhelmed having to roll his head and defend himself. Even if he was harmed, he couldn't use violence against his client's spouse. To make matters worse, the employees who got off the elevator earlier were not helping but rather watching this situation with great interest.
He knew he was disliked, but not to this extent.
Thinking this wouldn't do, Yunshin squeezed his eyes shut and opened them. The moment he opened his mouth to loudly call Secretary Tak's name—
Roughly, the man's hand gripping his collar was forcibly torn away from his lapel by someone's intervention.
"What the hell is this!"
The man's shouting voice reached the savior opposite him. Yunshin, who barely managed to catch his ragged breath, also bowed his head with difficulty toward that direction as a sign of gratitude.
"Hah, thank you..."
But the long legs wrapped in fine fabric and the tip of the shoes looked familiar. When he finally raised his face to look at the opponent, he was flustered because what he saw in front of him was an overly familiar appearance.
"Chief?"
"Are there people who hold a grudge against you other than me?"
The person who extended a helping hand was Seheon, who had reappeared. He seemed to have stopped on his way and returned because of the commotion.
He always leaves as if he'll never look back, but always turns back like that in no time.
Yunshin felt a lump in his throat. Looking around to hide such signs, the number of watching eyes had multiplied several times in the meantime.
With a very annoyed gaze, Seheon looked at Yunshin, who kept avoiding his eyes once, and the flustered novelist once. Soon, he gathered the man's wrists that he had firmly held and grabbed them together. Then, like putting on handcuffs, he flipped them back and easily crossed them into an X to subdue his upper body. Then, he drove him against the wall.
Smack. The man, whose front hit the wall surface, groaned quite painfully.
"Ugh, y-you, who are you! This is not your business!"
Glancing at the back of the man's head, Seheon frowned slightly.
"How refreshing."
"What are you saying, you bastard! Let go!"
"It's my first time hearing someone blabber 'not your business' to me in this firm. Let's see your face. Turn your head this way."
Ignoring his struggling resistance, he gripped the man's chin tightly with one hand. He violently turned his face to the side, properly checked his profile, and clicked his tongue as if dumbfounded. It was an expression of "just as I thought." Since he was a famously popular novelist, he seemed to recognize his face immediately.
"Lawyer Do Yunshin, is this a melodrama?"
Even in the midst of that, seeing through the context, it felt like he was laying the groundwork to utilize the current situation in court. Here, there was evidence, and there were witnesses.
"I'm sorry. But it's not. We are preparing a lawsuit commissioned by the spouse."
"I'm sorry, but it's not a melodrama... What are you all looking at. Aren't you calling the security team? You."
Chin, as he gestured with his chin toward the closest lawyer, the designated junior associate was startled and belatedly made a call somewhere.
In the meantime, the man, whose movement was restricted, twitched his body to aim for Seheon's opening. Sensing that with the sensation of his palm, Seheon grabbed him by the hair with his free hand, pulled him back, and pushed him so that the man's Adam's apple touched the wall. Inevitably, the man let out a painful groan.
"Let g-ugh, umph..."
"I inform you that the first act of violence against Lawyer Do Yunshin of the law firm Doguk was committed by you, and accordingly, my action is entirely a defensive act to protect the employee."
His complexion was pale as he completely subdued the opponent. He was speaking to the man in a hard, monotone voice, but his cold eyes and glaring gaze were directed at Yunshin. He was clearly and unmistakably aiming his criticism solely at Yunshin. Meanwhile, the watching crowd grew even larger, to the point where CEO Song had even come out. It was pandemonium.
At some point, having heard the news, Seheon's secretaries working in the nearest office also made a belated appearance. Secretary Tak was the first to push through the crowd and approach.
"Chief Kang! Lawyer Do! Are you alright? No, isn't this... that novelist?"
"Can't you manage the security team's access properly?"
"He's a famous writer, so they must have thought he was our client. I will issue a correction order immediately. I'll take care of this person. Please hand him over to me."
"How come when a partner is like this, there's not a single bastard other than Secretary Tak stepping up to do it themselves. Fuck off before I match your faces and names and crush you one by one."
The majority of the employees who were watching the situation like watching a stage bowed politely to the executives, including Seheon, and quickly vanished like an ebbing tide. Before long, only the three central figures of the incident, Seheon's secretaries, Mihee, and a few partner lawyers of the same rank as Seheon remained.
Instead, as Secretary Tak controlled the man, feeling that he was being restrained much less forcefully, the man struggled more aggressively to break free.
"Let me go! I'm going to sue all of you!"
Seheon looked up at the Hangul signboard that read 'Doguk' with extreme contempt. Then, taking a deep breath, he spat out low.
"...Fuck, unbelievable."
Whether he heard the curse or not, the man's resistance grew fiercer. Having no choice, Yunshin, who was watching, tried to help restrain him, but Seheon roughly pulled his wrist.
"Don't make it more annoying."
Everyone's eyes focused on the two. Most would have understood it as a meaning not to provoke the man further. But Yunshin knew he was talking about Seheon himself. The fact that his gaze was fixed on the crumpled collar where the man's hand had reached proved it.
Seheon seemed very angry because Yunshin had been treated like this by the client's spouse. The fact that it was, of all people, the husband of the client who he felt had taken Yunshin away for a while also partially fueled his anger. Above all, he wanted to take revenge, but knowing that this was the situation Yunshin had intended in the first place, he couldn't ruin it, so his frustration seemed to have spiked into annoyance.
Just as he nodded quietly, as if on cue, the elevator doors opened and the security team staff appeared. After taking over the man from the secretaries, they got back on the stationary elevator.
Behind them, Secretary Tak and the other secretaries followed to handle the situation. Secretary Tak reported as the representative.
"First, we'll go down together, hand this person over to the police, and organize the documents. We'll also extract the CCTV footage to submit as evidence. You can start wrapping it up then."
'CCTV footage?'
Gasp. No.
Yunshin, who had been pondering how to utilize this situation, flinched at a single word. Immediately trying to catch another elevator to chase after them, Mihee gestured for the other partners to go back, sent them in, and stood in his way. Her gesturing as if there was something to solve before that was a bonus.
"Things like this are best handed over to the police first and then sorted out. It's faster too. Leave it to the secretaries. And you need to explain the situation to me."
"Um, CEO. I need to secure the footage first."
"Why can't the secretaries do it? It's their job."
Having a claim but no grounds to back it up, Yunshin became troubled and looked at Seheon. He worked hard to write letters with his eyes and sent a message. He met his gaze with a very displeased look, then turned his head away coldly. Then, perhaps trying to escape this place, he turned around.
Did it mean it was his business, so he should handle it himself?
But now, more than ever, he needed Seheon's help. It was also his share.
As a lawyer, it was safe to say Kang Seheon's career at Doguk had been built from the cornerstone to the rafters. He didn't want to let that be ruined because of his relationship with him. He had to be the first to secure the footage. Throwing a desperate gaze, Yunshin grabbed Seheon's clothes even while knowing Mihee was watching.
"Seheon sunbae."
"Where do you get the audacity to casually call a partner lawyer's name. Do you want to be fired?"
He had heard that a lot somewhere before.
"Let go, stop bothering me."
Thud. Pushing Yunshin away with his arm, he rummaged through his inner jacket pocket. As if both cigarettes and a lighter happened to be in there, he passed Yunshin callously, caught an elevator, and got on.
Vrr. Yunshin's face, who could only watch the door close, turned into a crying one. Mihee, who had been watching the series of situations, approached him and patted his shoulder. It was a great fortune that her intuition, having been roughened in the legal world, was sharper and faster than others.
"It seems there's something you're worried about in the footage, but just go down and come back first."
"Thank you, CEO."
To Yunshin, who was about to press the button right away to catch an elevator going down, Mihee added.
"Lawyer Do, you know Chief Kang wasn't serious just now, right? He's always been a kid with a foul mouth."
"I know it well. I still get scolded every day."
He really knew it better than anyone.
"Seeing Seheon intervene in something like this. It was a good show. The company messenger is going to crash today."
He fully agreed with those words too.
Answering by remaining silent instead of uttering a sound, Yunshin kept quiet.
Even Mihee disappeared, and when he was left alone in the lobby, all sorts of thoughts crossed his mind.
Holding the small document envelope containing the ring instead of paper tightly in his arms, he stared at his index finger where Seheon had forcibly ripped off the band-aid. The reddish flesh was even more swollen than before. Yunshin's face distorted into an upset expression like a child who had lost his mother.
He was supposed to become the happiest person in the world today.
But suddenly a downpour fell, and like muddy water spreading over his clothes, it became a complete mess.