FF Chapter 20

“That’s labor, not exercise. Don’t you know the difference?”

“But I don’t like sweating.”

“You’re such a kid. A total kid.”

Choi Muhyeok reached out, gently tapped Ji Yeonwoo’s cheek, and sat up straight. The light turned from yellow to green, and the car moved smoothly. Ji Yeonwoo cleared his throat as if his neck was uncomfortable, letting out a low cough.

With one hand on the steering wheel, Choi Muhyeok glanced at Ji Yeonwoo while keeping his face forward.

“Are you sure you don’t need to see a doctor?”

“I’m fine. We have cold medicine at the shop. If I take that, I’ll get better.”

Ji Yeonwoo’s voice was still a bit sluggish from fatigue, but he answered cheerfully. Choi Muhyeok didn’t express any more of his concerns, knowing that Ji Yeonwoo didn’t want to go to the hospital because it would delay the shop’s opening, which would affect business.

Choi Muhyeok also understood how much Ji Yeonwoo cherished Flower Fiancé as if it were his own body and how deeply he loved the plants and flowers inside. While he was concerned, he didn’t stop him.

Being able to make a living doing something you love was one of life’s rare blessings. Choi Muhyeok knew that it required the right environment and circumstances to align, so he silently supported Ji Yeonwoo’s work from behind.

“Are you going straight to work, Managing Director?”

Leaning back in the warm seat, Ji Yeonwoo suddenly sat up, as if something had crossed his mind.

“I need to stop by home first.”

“Oh, right. You need to change clothes, don’t you?”

Ji Yeonwoo glanced at Choi Muhyeok’s attire, which was a bit disheveled compared to usual, and then looked at the back seat. There lay Choi Muhyeok’s dirty tie and jacket, thrown over the back seat. As the memory of last night flashed through his mind, Ji Yeonwoo felt his face flush for no apparent reason.

Choi Muhyeok noticed Ji Yeonwoo looking at the back seat. He adjusted his grip on the steering wheel with his left hand, then reached out with his right to take Ji Yeonwoo’s hand, which was resting on his thigh. Ji Yeonwoo flinched at the touch but didn’t pull away. Choi Muhyeok held Ji Yeonwoo’s small hand in his, which fit entirely within his palm, and said:

“I should bring some of your clothes over to my place. Or maybe just bring you to my place.”

“Yes, that would be… wait, hold on. That sounded a bit strange…”

Choi Muhyeok raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Ji Yeonwoo.

“Strange? You’re even shortening your sentences now?”

Caught off guard by the sudden shift to informal speech, Ji Yeonwoo hesitated for a moment but didn’t back down.

“What? Can’t I drop formalities too? You do it sometimes.”

“That’s because I’m older. Do you even know how old I am?”

“…Ah.”

Ji Yeonwoo blinked as he looked at Choi Muhyeok. The soft gasp that escaped his slightly parted lips suggested he hadn’t even considered that.

Their first meeting had been so intense and filled with an indescribable attraction that there hadn’t been any need to ask about ages or other trivial matters. In the time he spent wondering if it was okay to continue seeing him, he had already been swept into a relationship with Choi Muhyeok.

Now, he found himself within the walls Choi Muhyeok had built around him. Ji Yeonwoo never imagined he’d be in this kind of relationship, and only after realizing everything did he feel a sense of astonishment.

“So, Managing Director, do you know my age?”

At that moment, they arrived in front of Flower Fiancé. Choi Muhyeok turned his body to face Ji Yeonwoo.

“I guessed you were probably 26 or 27 at most. Am I wrong?”

Hearing a number surprisingly close to the truth, Ji Yeonwoo inhaled sharply and pressed his lips together. Realizing he’d guessed correctly, Choi Muhyeok smirked slightly as he continued.

“Judging from how you don’t look 30 yet, and considering you were married for four years and divorced for two, I figured you didn’t marry as a minor. Starting from age 20, that puts you around 26 or 27.”

“…”

“So, how accurate was my guess?”

“M-more or less… Wow, I really can’t compete with you, Managing Director.”

Ji Yeonwoo stammered as he looked at Choi Muhyeok in admiration. Choi Muhyeok found him endearing and playfully pinched his cheek.

“Of course. I’ve lived a few more years than you.”

“How much older are you, anyway? It’s not, like, a 10-year gap or something, right?”

“Well…”

Choi Muhyeok deflected the question as he got out of the car.

“Huh? Wait, where are you going? You can’t just leave me hanging like that!”

Ji Yeonwoo hurriedly got out and followed behind him.

“Is it really a 10-year difference? For real?”

Catching up, Ji Yeonwoo tugged on Choi Muhyeok’s arm as he walked slowly toward Flower Fiancé with his hands in his pockets. “Come on, tell me!” Ji Yeonwoo shook his arm playfully. Choi Muhyeok chuckled softly.

“Do I really look that old?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“We’re just six years apart. Six.”

“What? Wow, six years is still a big gap.”

Ji Yeonwoo pouted, muttering under his breath as if he felt shortchanged.

“Six years older than me… So you’re 32? That’s practically stealing.”

Muttering as he unlocked the shop’s door, Ji Yeonwoo glanced back at Choi Muhyeok, who was standing behind him. After unlocking the main door, he stood on tiptoe to reach the second lock installed higher up.

At that moment, Ji Yeonwoo felt a presence close behind him, and a long arm extended over his, easily reaching the lock. Looking back while still on his tiptoes, Ji Yeonwoo’s eyes were met with Choi Muhyeok’s broad chest, muscles visible through his slightly unbuttoned shirt. Thanks to his height of 191 cm, Choi Muhyeok’s hand effortlessly unlocked the door with a soft click.

Ji Yeonwoo tilted his head back to look up at Choi Muhyeok, who was standing close behind him. Their eyes met as Choi Muhyeok gazed down at him. Choi Muhyeok lowered his arm and gently cupped Ji Yeonwoo’s chin and neck. His hand, though large and rough, was smooth and tender as it brushed over Ji Yeonwoo’s skin.

“Even if you whine about the age difference, I’m not letting you go.”

Choi Muhyeok whispered close to Ji Yeonwoo’s lips before softly pressing his lips against Ji Yeonwoo’s slightly parted ones. His full lips gently tugged at Ji Yeonwoo’s, pulling him into a light kiss while subtly flicking his tongue.

݁˖ ❀ ⋆｡˚

After stopping by his house to change clothes, Choi Muhyeok arrived at work just before lunchtime.

Walking through the lobby, he unusually acknowledged each staff member’s greeting as he made his way to the elevator. Some employees were thrilled that the Managing Director had acknowledged their greetings for the first time.

Noticing how much better Choi Muhyeok’s mood seemed compared to other days, the department heads felt the greatest relief. Today was the day for last year’s sales report, and given Choi Muhyeok’s notoriously strict evaluations, they hoped his good mood would help ease things along.

The same was true for the secretary’s office.

Normally punctual and known for staying late at the office, Choi Muhyeok had recently started coming in later and leaving on time, meaning the secretary’s office had also been getting off work earlier than usual.

This was especially fortunate for the new secretary, who had only been on the job for a month. Having a boss in good spirits was always a blessing.

“The annual sales report meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. in the main conference room. The reports from each team have been placed on your desk.”

As he entered the Managing Director’s office, Choi Muhyeok hung up his coat while listening to the new secretary’s briefing.

“Understood. Anything unusual while I was away?”

Choi Muhyeok sat at his neatly organized desk, pulled out the chair, and began going through the stack of approval documents. Standing in front of him, the new secretary, sensing his tension, closed his notebook and straightened up.

“The Chairman has been waiting for you all morning.”

As expected, at the mention of the ‘Chairman,’ Choi Muhyeok’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“The Chairman?”

“Yes, he asked me about your personal matters….”

“Did you tell him?”

Choi Muhyeok lifted his head, his sharp gaze piercing the new secretary as he asked.

The secretary, feeling sweat bead at his temple from the intensity of the question, quickly responded, “No, I told him I do not involve myself in your personal affairs.”

Still watching him with unwavering eyes, Choi Muhyeok eventually nodded and turned his attention back to the approval documents.

“Good. Always answer like that if he asks again.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Anything else?”

As he uncapped his pen and signed the document, Choi Muhyeok asked casually.

“No, nothing else.”

Just then, there was a knock at the door. A different secretary entered.

“Managing Director, Director Choi Minhyuk is here.”

Choi Muhyeok glanced up as he signed the last document, then handed the stack to the new secretary.

“Go back to your work.”

The secretary took the papers with both hands, bowed, and left the room. Choi Minhyuk entered, exchanging a quick greeting with the departing secretary before walking in.

“Hm, by the looks of it, that new hire probably won’t last a month, huh?”

Choi Muhyeok walked over to the senior seat by the sofa, pulling out a cigarette as he sat down. Minhyuk, sitting on the adjacent sofa, pulled out a lighter from his pocket and lit the cigarette for him. Taking a drag, Choi Muhyeok tapped his fingers on the armrest, his expression deep in thought, almost as if Minhyuk’s voice wasn’t even registering.

For a brief moment, just as Ji Yeonwoo had entered the flower shop earlier, Choi Muhyeok thought he had heard a clicking sound from behind him. But when he turned around, there was only the same car that had been parked there before, and no one was inside.

So, where did the clicking sound come from?

Or was it just his imagination?

Still bothered by the uneasy feeling, Choi Muhyeok furrowed his brow. Minhyuk, noticing this, tapped the coffee table lightly, snapping Choi Muhyeok out of his thoughts.

“What’s going on? You look so serious. Why did you call me?”

Choi Muhyeok pulled a note out from his jacket pocket and handed it to Minhyuk.

“I need a favor.”

Surprised, Minhyuk raised his eyebrows. It wasn’t like Choi Muhyeok to ask for favors, so something seemed different today.

“For you? I’ll drop everything. What’s it about?”

“I need you to look into someone.”

Written on the note was ‘JT Trading, Planning Director Lee Hyunjun.’

“Lee Hyunjun from JT Trading? That name rings a bell.”

Squinting slightly, Minhyuk’s brow furrowed as he read the name.

“The sooner, the better.”

“No problem. What are we looking for? Personal stuff?”

“Everything. But personal matters would be the best.”

“Ah, that’s my specialty. Just leave it to me, Hyung.”

Minhyeok nodded casually as if it were no big deal, readily agreeing.

“But this is unusual. You’re personally getting involved.”

“I’ve got my reasons.”

“Sounds suspicious.”

“What does?”

“You’ve never cared about people in that area before. Did something happen?”

As expected, Choi Minhyeok couldn’t let his curiosity go unanswered. Muhyeok took a few more drags of his cigarette before stubbing it out in the ashtray.

“I’ll tell you later.”

“Hmm, did this guy mess with your boyfriend or something?”

Minhyeok probed, causing Muhyeok to glare at him.

“There are rumors going around the company that you’ve got a boyfriend.”

Choi Muhyeok raised an eyebrow and clicked his tongue at Minhyeok.

“People are always more interested in gossip than doing their jobs.”

Noticing Muhyeok’s unpleasant expression, Minhyeok quickly changed the subject.

“Isn’t it always like that? Don’t be so sensitive. But whoever it is, I feel bad for him. Of all people, he had to cross paths with you.”

Just as Muhyeok’s expression was starting to soften in response to Minhyeok’s playful tone, a vibrating sound came from the desk. The phone continued buzzing without stopping, indicating an incoming call. Muhyeok got up and walked over to the desk.

As he picked up the phone he had placed facedown, his expression immediately hardened upon seeing the caller ID.

It was his father, Chairman Choi.

݁˖ ❀ ⋆｡˚

Ji Yeonwoo straightened his back after dragging a flowerpot as big as himself. A dull pain shot up his spine, spreading throughout his body. He groaned softly, forming a small fist and lightly tapping his back. Despite his aching back, a faint smile appeared on his face as he sniffled and looked around.

“At least they’re recovering well.”

The first thing he did after arriving at work was check the condition of the flowers he had been nursing. Even though it had only been a day, he was relieved that the emergency care he’d given seemed to have worked, and the flowers hadn’t withered any further.

He worked nonstop, putting the newly delivered flowers into the flower showcase and tidying up the pots, watching as the shop slowly regained its original appearance.

Turning around to take in the well-organized Flower Fiancé shop, Yeonwoo sniffled again and grabbed a tissue to blow his nose.

“I hope I don’t end up getting sick.”

He had taken some medicine as soon as he got to work, but his throat felt even scratchier. If it were just a light cold, the symptoms should have eased after taking the medicine, but this time, they showed no signs of letting up. He considered going to the hospital, but since there were occasional customers today, it was hard to leave the shop.

“I wonder if Managing Director is okay. He didn’t seem to be sleeping well.”

He recalled the events of the previous night. Whether it was a dream or reality, he vaguely remembered hearing Muhyeok talking on the phone. He couldn’t clearly recall what was said, but the low, rough tone of Muhyeok’s voice conveyed exhaustion.

Yeonwoo had tossed and turned all night as well, disturbed by the restless movements beside him. He wasn’t used to sleeping with someone else, having slept alone for so long, and every little movement would wake him up.

Contrary to his worries that he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep, he had drifted off surprisingly well once Muhyeok wrapped his arms around his waist from behind and pulled him close. Yeonwoo didn’t know exactly why, but the warmth or maybe the steady heartbeat against his back, like a lullaby, allowed him to sleep soundly despite the restless night.

As Yeonwoo’s thoughts flowed from last night’s events up to when he parted ways with Muhyeok at the shop, his eyes widened in sudden realization.

“Oh, right. Earlier, with Managing Director…”

He remembered kissing Muhyeok in front of the shop. Muhyeok had been standing right behind him, and even though Yeonwoo had tilted his head back at an awkward angle for the kiss, none of it had felt bad.

Normally, he wouldn’t have even dared. If the other shop owners, who believed Yeonwoo to be a regular beta male, had seen the scene, they would have misunderstood him as gay. But in that moment, Yeonwoo hadn’t cared about any of that and just remembered how good it had felt.

Even amidst this, Yeonwoo found himself worrying about Muhyeok.

The cold he had couldn’t be shaken off easily, and now that they had kissed, he was worried he might have passed it on to Muhyeok.

“I should’ve said no because of the cold… I got swept up in the moment and didn’t even think.”

Muttering to himself, Yeonwoo picked up his phone from the counter.

“I should at least call and check if Managing Director is okay.”

With a small sigh at the sight of the phone’s cracked screen, Yeonwoo pressed the unresponsive display harder, managing to call Muhyeok. He made a mental note to get the phone fixed before work tomorrow as he held it to his ear, listening to the ringing.

— Ring, ring…

As the ringing dragged on, Yeonwoo’s expression began to stiffen.

[The person you are trying to reach cannot take your call. Please leave a message…]

“Huh?”

Awkwardly pulling the phone away from his ear, Yeonwoo looked bewildered. Muhyeok hadn’t picked up. He had always answered Yeonwoo’s calls no matter what, so this was unusual. A sense of unease crept in, as it was such a rare occurrence.

“Is he really busy?”

Then again, Muhyeok had mentioned being swamped just a few days ago. Or maybe he was in a meeting. Trying to shake off the creeping worry, Yeonwoo placed the phone back on the counter and refocused on his work. If there was a missed call, Muhyeok would return it, he reasoned.