TSG 47

Ha Jin-seong thought of Se-hyun while talking with Yoo Jin-ha at the cafe. He had wanted to see Se-hyun’s surprised reaction. Although there wasn’t a surprised expression now, he couldn’t take his eyes off his face.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I want to listen to everything.”

For now, Ha Jin-seong felt like he could do anything even if Se-hyun were to ask for a company floating in the sky.

“What is it?”

Se-hyun was full of anticipation and urged Ha Jin-seong. Even though he admitted there was something, he didn’t provide a clear response.

“Hmm… Thinking of Secretary Ahn?”

“I’m sorry, but I think you just said some bullshit.”

Se-hyun shook his head and stopped even muttering the words. Ha Jin-seong wouldn’t have heard it anyway, but he stopped because he thought he shouldn’t be doing this.

As Se-hyun thought, Ha Jin-seong did not hear. However, he accurately recognized that Se-hyun was muttering “bullshit” with his mouth.

“I’m going crazy, really.”

Se-hyun was completely different from what he expected. That’s why observing him was enjoyable and not boring.

“After you’re done today…”

Ha Jin-seong’s words were drowned out by the sound of the door swinging open.

“Secretary Ahn.”

“Sir.”

Shin Tae-oh walked over with his eyes fixed on Se-hyun. Passing by Ha Jin-seong before coming to Se-hyun, he didn’t even turn his head in that direction.

“This… ”

Se-hyun, who was caught off guard by Shin Tae-oh’s sudden entry without even a moment to look elsewhere, saw what was placed in front of him.

It was coffee.

“You like the coffee here.”

Se-hyun nodded at Shin Tae-oh’s words.

Since he couldn’t leisurely enjoy his coffee, as iced coffee tended to become lukewarm when the ice melted and hot coffee often cooled down before he could finish it, he appreciated the cafe owner’s consideration of serving it a bit colder with extra ice or hotter than usual for those who preferred it that way.

Although it was cold outside, Se-hyun, who worked in an office with a heater, naturally preferred iced coffee.

“Thank you.”

Once again, he received a gift from Shin Tae-oh.

Perhaps because it was bought from a cafe he liked, it wasn’t as burdensome as the last porridge, but receiving it made him feel strangely good throughout.

Before he knew it, he forgot about Ha Jin-seong and looked at the iced coffee with less ice.

“Ah, the owner there asked me to tell you something.”

As Se-hyun raised his head to look at Shin Tae-oh, he noticed Shin Tae-oh winked with one eye.

…He was just trying to be charming, but the wink backfired.

“He said he tried to make this one quite smooth. He said to let him know if you like it, for the next time.”

Having coffee frequently made swallowing difficult at times. He seemed to remember mentioning it casually during a conversation with the owner.

“Thank you.”

Se-hyun held the coffee in both hands and stepped aside. As he placed the cups on the most convenient windowsill, he noticed Shin Tae-oh looking at Ha Jin-seong.

From now on…

‘As a thorough observer.’

It wasn’t like Ha Jin-seong was coming to see him and then ran into Shin Tae-oh. Soon, Ha Min-hyuk would come.

It meant that from now on, something completely unrelated to him would happen. So, he closed his mouth and stifled his presence with the intention of watching leisurely.

How long has it been since he first watched on the first row?

He was a little surprised that Ha Jin-seong suddenly came, but it wasn’t like he couldn’t come if he wanted to disturb Ha Min-hyuk.

‘It’s just a false step.’

Even if Ha Jin-seong hadn’t come, Shin Tae-oh would have refused. Well, Se-hyun had no intention of telling Ha Jin-seong this or that.

‘Ha Min-hyuk has to come soon.’

As if on cue, Ha Min-hyuk walked in but paused when he saw Ha Jin-seong.

“The more important the meeting, the more likely it is that coming early will be a plus factor that leads to good results.”

Instead of greeting Ha Min-hyuk, Ha Jin-seong scolded him and asked why he came so late.

‘He didn’t have to phrase it that way, though.’

“Why are you here?”

Ha Min-hyuk glanced at Shin Tae-oh and asked Ha Jin-seong. Then Ha Jin-seong fiddled with the coffee in front of him as if it was no big deal.

“I came as an observer.”

He told Ha Min-hyuk the same thing he said to Se-hyun and pointed to an empty seat.

“Don’t worry about me, just proceed.”

Would he really not worry if he said so?

But regardless of Ha Min-hyuk’s circumstances, Se-hyun’s situation was not good.

Three Alphas, two pheromones.

In the stifling atmosphere with the windows closed, sharp pheromones floated around. Se-hyun, who was excited to watch, calmed his nervous stomach with iced coffee.

“Let’s begin.”

Only Beta Lee Jin-ho started the meeting without being affected at all by Alpha’s pheromones.

⍣⍣⍣

Ha Min-hyuk also displayed data he had learned through various methods on the screen. This was to confirm that the content was roughly similar to the direction in which they had reviewed the business feasibility.

Meanwhile, Se-hyun intermittently drank coffee. Although there were two cups placed on the windowsill, the one he reached for was undoubtedly the coffee he needed at that moment.

As a result, he usually couldn’t eat until the ice had all melted, but this time he drank it all the way to the bottom. Carefully checking to ensure there wasn’t the sound of sucking air through a straw, Se-hyun cautiously placed the cup back down.

It was regrettable to have finished it all, but the meeting seemed to be coming to an end.

“We don’t have much time until the bidding.”

“As we have prepared in advance if we proceed in the direction of adding what we have, there is plenty of time.”

Since they were only talking about official things, Se-hyun sighed a little with regret.

With the main character, sub-character, and even the villain all present, why did it feel so bland?

He didn’t wish for things to take a strange turn, but he hadn’t expected the atmosphere to feel so deflated like an airless balloon.

‘That’s strange.’

As he erased the thought of finding it interesting to watch, gradually, he began to notice something different.

First, Ha Min-hyuk.

He had thought Ha Min-hyuk would be concerned about Ha Jin-seong. Didn’t he show signs of discomfort when he encountered Ha Jin-seong? However, from the middle onwards, Ha Min-hyuk looked at Ha Jin-seong and Shin Tae-oh alternately with a subtle gaze.

He couldn’t understand why, but his initial wariness had softened considerably. To an outsider, it seemed like Ha Min-hyuk was just a bystander.

Ha Jin-seong did not listen at all to what Ha Min-hyuk said, perhaps because his observation was all a lie. Rather, he looked around and traced the table with his index finger. He even frowned once in a while, so Se-hyun wondered why he was like that.

Se-hyun looked at his coffee to see if it was running low. Although he hadn’t taken a sip yet, he briefly considered offering it to Ha Jin-seong to drink.

‘That’s unlikely.’

And as for Shin Tae-oh…

‘Something’s off about his eyes.’

Taenyang-i was laughing heartily as if he were full and feeling warm. He even looked at Se-hyun once in a while and smiled heartily.

What did he eat?

Was he acting like that because he’s full?

“That’s all for today.”

As Ha Min-hyuk spoke while displaying the last screen, Se-hyun quietly tidied up his surroundings. Now, only Shin Tae-oh’s response remained.

“It’s definitely not a bad business opportunity.”

At least giving a favorable response wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.

Now, explaining their position and politely declining, looking forward to what’s next…

“Let’s do it.”

‘What?’

Se-hyun looked at Shin Tae-oh with shocked eyes.

Did he hear that correctly?

⍣⍣⍣

After the meeting ended and people started leaving the conference room one by one, Se-hyun couldn’t hide his serious expression.

“I need to reconsider why you suggesting that cafe.”

Ha Jin-seong took a look at the coffee that Se-hyun had not even touched and left. It was the cafe he suggested for meeting Yoo Jin-ha, but Ha Min-hyuk looked at Se-hyun meaningfully.

“Today was tough.”

Se-hyun looked at Ha Min-hyuk with confusion, unable to discern if this was a greeting or if it was a usual pretense of concern.

“You almost ruined the meeting because everyone was so focused on you.”

Even though Ha Min-hyuk kindly added an explanation, Se-hyun showed no reaction. No, it was difficult to react to anything.

According to what Ha Min-hyuk said, Ha Jin-seong and Shin Tae-oh kept looking at him. However, Se-hyun couldn’t say that was not the case…

‘I did make some eye contact with Shin Tae-oh.’

However, contrary to what he said, Ha Min-hyuk’s expression when he scolded Se-hyun for almost ruining the meeting did not look particularly unpleasant; rather, it seemed closer to an expression of intrigue. It was a vague situation, so Se-hyun just nodded for now.

“If I was a hindrance, I apologize.”

“No, I think I should actually be grateful to Se-hyun for making things go smoothly.”

Se-hyun gritted his teeth in frustration. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Ha Min-hyuk was fanning the flames.

“Maybe we can get along better than we think.”

At the final nail in the coffin, Se-hyun cast a bewildered gaze towards Ha Min-hyuk.

“I like that bewildered expression.”

Just like last time, Ha Min-hyuk was very good at reading Se-hyun’s mind even though he didn’t say anything.

“It’s not about reading minds; it’s all over your face.”

Ha Min-hyuk smiled as if it was fun, bid his farewell, and left.

As Lee Jin-ho escorted Ha Min-hyuk and Ha Jin-seong out, only Se-hyun and Shin Tae-oh remained.

“Sir.”

I took a few breaths and calmed my voice in case it might be presumptuous of him.

Taking a few breaths to steady his voice, Se-hyun tried to speak carefully.

“Are you really going through with this bid?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“There’s no reason to refuse.”

Why wouldn’t there be? It’s Ha Min-hyuk. The other party joining hands with him was Ha Min-hyuk.

Originally, the discussion was about not getting involved in internal conflicts.

Se-hyun couldn’t fathom the extent to which the original would be distorted by participating in the consortium.

“Even so, knowing the relationship between Ha Jin-seong and Ha Min-hyuk… ”

“What about it?”

“…I’m worried.”

“I didn’t hear you. Can you say that again?”

“I’m saying that I’m worried that something will happen to the CEO.”

Se-hyun snapped at Shin Tae-oh’s probing tone.