DFLT 13

After dozing off for a quick nap, Yeonoh woke to find himself nearing Heonyoung’s residence. With his luggage in the trunk, Yeonoh called Manager Kim.

“Manager, I’ve just arrived. Are you ready?”

—The call with the factory took longer than expected, so he’s just now getting ready. Come up for a bit.

“Yes, I’ll head up now.”

Though the residence had tight security, Manager Kim Jinhwan and Yeonoh were registered as regular visitors, allowing them entry with just a simple check.

“Oh, Mr. Yeonoh, you’re here? I need to step out for a call. Haven’t told my wife I’m heading to Daejeon yet.”

“Oh, okay. Take your time.”

Jinhwan left to make his call, leaving Yeonoh alone in the living room to wait for Heonyoung. As his gaze swept the room, it landed on a white pill bottle. Heonyoung’s suppressants.

‘Crossing the line, Ji Yeonoh.’

‘Are you implying I’m in rut right now?’

Should he grab them just in case? He reconsidered. After getting chewed out last time, hadn’t he learned his lesson? It had only been a few weeks since Heonyoung took the suppressants, and who was Yeonoh to meddle? That was beyond a secretary’s role. It would definitely be crossing the line.

“You made it on time.”

As Yeonoh tried to focus on something else, Heonyoung descended from the second floor, fastening a watch on his wrist. Yeonoh clasped his hands together and walked toward him. Fresh from a shower, a clean scent tickled Yeonoh’s nose. As Seo Heonyoung got closer, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“Smells like you’ve been eating meat.”

That must be it—Heonyoung had picked up the barbecue restaurant’s scent clinging to Yeonoh’s body and hair. No matter how much he’d changed clothes, the meaty aroma seemed hard to shake off. Should he have showered? A bit embarrassed, Yeonoh scratched the back of his neck and nodded.

“You were at a barbecue place when you took my call, weren’t you?”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

“You didn’t finish eating, did you?”

“No, sir. It’s urgent business.”

As Yeonoh took Heonyoung’s bag and answered, Seo Heonyoung flashed an inexplicable smile before promptly heading toward the front door. Why did he look so satisfied? Was he pleased to have a loyal subordinate who’d rush out mid-meal? Following behind, Yeonoh sniffed his bangs. The smell still lingered. Ugh, he should’ve showered. That smile wasn’t satisfaction—it was mockery. Regret washed over him.

After about two hours of driving, they arrived at the Daejeon factory past 8 p.m. The fire had been extinguished, and they were assessing the damage.

“Fortunately, the fire wasn’t large, so we should be able to meet the pre-order and launch event quantities without issue. Thanks to the smart facilities, there were no casualties either.”

A site worker in overalls reported to Heonyoung, showing him the burned processing equipment.

“The exact cause of the fire will need further investigation by the fire department, but it seems to have started during the heat treatment for attaching the laptop’s body frame, likely from heating the adhesive.”

Heonyoung listened silently, his expression unreadable, making the site workers visibly nervous.

“Manager Kim Jinhwan, contact headquarters and run a simulation on how much of the planned delivery volume we can meet by the launch date.”

“Understood.”

“We’ll review that separately later. Will the fire department’s investigation wrap up by tomorrow morning?”

“Yes, Executive Director.”

“Then let’s inspect the site again in the morning when it’s light.”

Perhaps tired from the sudden long trip, Heonyoung quickly concluded the site visit. On the way to the reserved hotel, the night had grown dark, and Heonyoung’s face in the backseat was barely visible, but he remained silent throughout.

“I’ve relayed instructions to Team Leader Lee Myeonggil at headquarters.”

Manager Kim, in the front passenger seat, spoke up, but Heonyoung, still silent, let out a deep sigh. He eventually lowered the window and loosened the tie that had been constricting his neck.

Though he didn’t show it, Heonyoung seemed displeased with the situation. With the new product launch imminent, everything could fall apart. Even if he’d yelled, everyone would’ve understood. Yet, instead of lashing out at the staff, his rational focus on the next steps made Yeonoh realize anew what an impressive figure Seo Heonyoung was.

Upon arriving at the hotel and checking in, they parted ways with Heonyoung in the elevator. Due to the rushed booking, no rooms were available on the same floor. Heonyoung got a room on a higher floor, while Jinhwan and Yeonoh shared a room on a lower one.

“See you later, Executive Director.”

As soon as Yeonoh entered the room and unpacked, he collapsed onto the bed. Exhaustion hit hard after being on the move nonstop since morning.

“The Executive Director is really impressive. Not even getting mad in a situation like that.”

“No, it’s the opposite.”

Muttering in a daze, Yeonoh was corrected by Manager Kim, who clicked his tongue.

“What do you mean…?”

“What’s the point of getting mad when we don’t know the cause? He’s waiting to figure out the cause before tearing into the person responsible.”

Oh, that’s how it is. Maybe Yeonoh had been too starry-eyed. Seo Heonyoung wasn’t that kind of person, after all.

“I’m heading to the factory. Team Leader Lee needs data for the simulation.”

“Oh, I’ll come with you.”

“No, you drove here, so rest. I’ll be back in 30 minutes.”

“Yes, sir. Take care.”

As Manager Kim left, Yeonoh, lingering on the bed, finally got up to shower. Washing off the barbecue smell and drying his hair, he realized he hadn’t brought clothes from his bag. Out of habit, he’d gone straight to the bathroom with nothing.

He could go grab clothes, but with Jinhwan’s return time uncertain, it might lead to an awkward encounter. Scanning the room, Yeonoh spotted a bathrobe hanging in the bathroom and put it on.

While drying the rest of his hair and tying the robe’s belt, a knock came at the door. Did Jinhwan forget his key card? He might’ve left in a rush without it. Hurrying to open the door, Yeonoh called out.

“Manager, did you forget your key—”

His words cut off abruptly. Why was there a white wall instead of Jinhwan’s face? Following the wall upward with his eyes, Yeonoh found Heonyoung looking down at him.

“…Uh…”

Heonyoung, in a white shirt, must’ve found his tie stifling, as it was gone, with a couple of buttons undone.

“Eek!”

Realizing too late that it was Heonyoung, Yeonoh stumbled back, letting out a strange yelp. Heonyoung, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, looked at Yeonoh as if he were some otherworldly creature.

“You call for Manager Kim in that outfit without a care, but scream like you’ve seen a ghost when you see me?”

Heonyoung’s not-entirely-amused gaze scanned Yeonoh from head to toe. Strangely, every spot his eyes touched felt like it was burning. As a droplet from Yeonoh’s still-damp hair hit his neck, an unfamiliar sensation, like someone tapping his body, made him instinctively hunch his shoulders.

“…I’m sorry.”

A long silence followed. Then, with a slow, drawn-out sigh, Heonyoung broke it.

“Where’s Manager Kim?”

“He went to the factory to get some data.”

“Tie your belt properly.”

With that, Heonyoung slammed the door shut loud enough to make a bang. Tie the belt properly? Looking down, Yeonoh saw the loosely tied robe had come slightly undone.

“Crazy, crazy!”

As Heonyoung’s footsteps faded, Yeonoh rushed to the bathroom mirror. Thankfully, nothing critical was exposed, but the collar covering his chest had gaped open.

“…Did he see?”

What were the chances Heonyoung’s third eye caught anything from that angle? Yeonoh’s mind raced.

“Ugh, we’re both guys, so what’s the big deal?”

He shamelessly tried to claim a mental victory in front of the mirror. How much must Heonyoung have laughed at his scrawny body? Recalling the solid “wall” he saw when opening the door, Yeonoh just wanted to cry.