FF Chapter 25

Because of their height difference, Ji Yeonwoo tilted his head back to meet his eyes. Choi Muhyeok had a curious expression, as if he already knew what was coming. Sensing that he might say something else, Ji Yeonwoo quickly spoke first.

“Somehow, I feel like I won’t be able to sleep tonight. I want to hear more about you, Managing Director.”

Choi Muhyeok smiled as if amused by his words. He brushed Ji Yeonwoo’s falling hair and cheek, his lips grazing them briefly before pulling away.

“It seems like Yeonwoo just wants to talk all night. But I want something more than that.”

His voice, whispering as he gently touched Yeonwoo’s ear, sent a tickling sensation down his spine. Despite not having eaten yet, the soft caress of his voice and touch already caused a tight, tingling feeling in his lower abdomen.

“You said you like seeing my hair down after I’ve showered. Here’s your chance to watch it in real time. Don’t you want that?”

As Choi Muhyeok softly rubbed the hair behind Yeonwoo’s ear, he buried his face in Yeonwoo’s neck. With a sigh escaping his lips, Yeonwoo let out a faint moan, wrapping his arms around Choi Muhyeok’s head as he kissed his neck.

What began as playful contact quickly turned more intense.

Tonight, Choi Muhyeok seemed unusually eager. Ji Yeonwoo couldn’t quite figure out why, but he felt the same.

As Yeonwoo unbuttoned the tightly fastened buttons of Choi Muhyeok’s shirt, their lips parted only briefly, quickly meeting again with soft, eager sounds.

With irregular footsteps, Yeonwoo moved almost in sync with him, nearly falling backward as the sofa caught behind his knees. Choi Muhyeok caught him with one arm, slowly laying him down on the sofa and covering him with his body.

“Ha, ah…”

Choi Muhyeok’s hand slid under Ji Yeonwoo’s neatly worn shirt, caressing his flat stomach as it moved upward toward his chest. The soft, smooth hand deliberately lingered, teasing elsewhere, causing Ji Yeonwoo to rub his legs against the sofa armrest in response.

As Choi Muhyeok watched Ji Yeonwoo’s reactions, he lowered his mouth toward the small patch of skin exposed beneath the shirt that had ridden up to his shoulders. Just as he was about to place his lips there, his eyes suddenly widened. The sound of a vibrating phone broke the mood.

The source of the vibration was nearby, in Choi Muhyeok’s jacket, draped over the back of the sofa.

Realizing it was his phone, Choi Muhyeok’s brow furrowed. The constant vibration must have been bothering him, as his eyes flicked toward the jacket where the phone lay.

Watching him, Ji Yeonwoo reached out first, wrapping his arm around Choi Muhyeok’s neck and pulling him closer, signaling that they shouldn’t pay attention to it.

Choi Muhyeok yielded to the touch. Supporting himself on the sofa with his elbow, he stroked Yeonwoo’s soft, light-brown hair and cheek with his other hand, leaning in to kiss him again. The sound of the vibrating phone faded, disappearing entirely.

The atmosphere quickly reignited.

As their kiss deepened, Choi Muhyeok’s hand slipped further inside Ji Yeonwoo’s shirt, stimulating his soft skin. Breathing heavily, Ji Yeonwoo pulled away, gasping for air, struggling against the teasing hand that was now tormenting his chest.

Choi Muhyeok kissed his way down from Yeonwoo’s chin, moving in a straight line downward.

— Buzz, buzz.

And then, once again, the phone vibrated, shattering the heated moment.

With his lips on Yeonwoo’s neck and collarbone, Choi Muhyeok finally let out a low curse against his smooth skin.

“Sorry, I need to take this.”

“Is it something urgent?” Ji Yeonwoo asked, forcing a smile despite his concern. Choi Muhyeok stared at him for a moment before giving him a quick kiss and standing up.

He walked around the sofa to grab his phone from the jacket. With his shirt still undone, he glanced at the screen, his expression hardening.

The name on the screen was ‘Park Jinchul.’ Park Jinchul was Choi Muhyeok’s right-hand man, the one he had previously tasked with finding someone trustworthy to keep an eye on Ji Yeonwoo.

Choi Muhyeok glanced briefly at Ji Yeonwoo before turning away to take the call.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

Choi Muhyeok walked over to the large glass window in the living room, pulling back the curtains. The city lights flooded into the room.

As Ji Yeonwoo sat back on the sofa, adjusting his shirt that had ridden up to his collarbone, he watched Choi Muhyeok’s back. Though he couldn’t hear the other person’s voice, Choi Muhyeok’s curt replies suggested the situation wasn’t good.

“Speak. And? Yeah. What?”

With one hand resting on his hip, Choi Muhyeok’s voice rose as he turned slightly to the side. His sharp tone echoed in the living room, causing Yeonwoo’s heart to sink.

The fact that there had been a second call this evening meant it was something important, and it gave Yeonwoo the uneasy feeling that Choi Muhyeok wouldn’t be able to stay with him.

Choi Muhyeok turned to look at Ji Yeonwoo again. Their eyes met, and Ji Yeonwoo widened his eyes, as if asking what was going on.

“You can’t even handle that properly… Ha.”

Choi Muhyeok stopped himself mid-sentence, his eyes meeting Yeonwoo’s. He quickly checked his watch.

“Tch, fine. Stay on standby.”

Yeonwoo sighed quietly as he focused on the conversation. He already knew what was going to happen without it being said.

Finishing the call, Choi Muhyeok approached, still holding his phone. Yeonwoo, who had been watching him the entire time, followed his movements with his eyes. Choi Muhyeok sat on the edge of the sofa table, meeting Yeonwoo’s gaze.

“I think I need to step out for a bit.”

As Choi Muhyeok buttoned up his shirt, Yeonwoo wasn’t surprised. He had expected it, but still…

“Do you really have to go now?”

An indescribable sense of unease made him want to hold on to him. Hesitating, Ji Yeonwoo reached out and carefully wrapped his fingers around Choi Muhyeok’s index and middle fingers.

“You haven’t even had dinner yet.”

“That’s true, but it’s important.”

Choi Muhyeok had never before been in such a rush about work. In fact, he hadn’t even gone to the office today and had stayed with Ji Yeonwoo all day. Ji Yeonwoo couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t just company business—it had to be something else.

How urgent must it be for him to insist on leaving with such an apologetic expression?

“If I had known this would happen, we should’ve eaten dinner first.”

“Why are you saying what I should be saying?”

Choi Muhyeok reached out and gently touched Ji Yeonwoo’s cheek, offering a bittersweet smile.

“This is my home, and I’m the one who invited you here. You saying things like that just makes me feel even worse.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Ji Yeonwoo protested, waving both hands.

“I know what you meant. It’s just the way it came out.”

“…”

“It’s fine. If you get hungry, help yourself to whatever’s in the fridge. The housekeeper stocked it well, so there should be plenty to eat.”

“…Okay.”

“Just don’t eat too much. You’ll need to eat with me when I get back.”

Ji Yeonwoo nodded quietly, his gaze lowered slightly.

As Choi Muhyeok playfully squeezed Ji Yeonwoo’s soft, round cheeks, he leaned in for a gentle kiss. With his eyes half-closed, Choi Muhyeok observed Ji Yeonwoo’s expression. His lips were tightly pressed together, not opening at all.

Feeling a little mischievous, Ji Yeonwoo couldn’t help but feel frustrated. He understood, but it still felt unfair that Choi Muhyeok was leaving him alone in this unfamiliar place.

Sensing Ji Yeonwoo’s mood, Choi Muhyeok deepened the kiss, biting softly on his upper and lower lips, making sure not to hurt him. Slowly, he pulled away.

“As long as you stay inside, you’ll be safe. This is my private space, and no one can come in. So you can relax.”

Ji Yeonwoo’s gaze trembled slightly as he slowly opened his eyes to look at Choi Muhyeok.

“How long will you be gone?”

“Three hours? No, I’ll finish up and be back in two.”

Ji Yeonwoo instinctively turned to the silent clock on the wall. If Choi Muhyeok returned in two hours, it would be around 9 p.m.

“When I get back, I’ll stay with you the whole time.”

Ji Yeonwoo nodded again, without a word. Choi Muhyeok smiled softly, brushing his cheek.

“Don’t feel bad.”

“Me? I’m not upset at all,” Ji Yeonwoo said, his voice slightly louder than intended, as if trying to hide his true feelings.

“I’ve told you before, haven’t I? You’re terrible at lying, Ji Yeonwoo.”

“Ah…”

“It’s written all over your face.”

Ji Yeonwoo’s shoulders slumped, realizing he had been caught. The longer the conversation went on, the more vulnerable he felt.

After buttoning up his shirt, Choi Muhyeok stood with a smile. Grabbing the jacket draped over the sofa, he headed toward the entrance, with Ji Yeonwoo following close behind.

“Be careful out there.”

As Ji Yeonwoo watched him put on his shoes, he wished him well. Choi Muhyeok straightened up and looked at Ji Yeonwoo, who stood at the front door.

Come to think of it, Ji Yeonwoo felt a sense of déjà vu from the farewell he had just given to Choi Muhyeok. It was as if he were seeing off a spouse heading to work.

Feeling awkward, Ji Yeonwoo shifted the conversation.

“Would it be okay if I take a look around the house?”

“Of course. Feel free to explore as if it’s your own home. If there’s something you want to try, go ahead and use it.”

“What if I break something?”

“Then we’ll just buy another one, no need to worry.”

Choi Muhyeok chuckled softly, one hand in his pants pocket. He met Ji Yeonwoo’s eyes, about to turn away, when something seemed to come to mind, and he turned back.

“Oh, there should be some bath bombs in the bathroom. I got them as a gift, but I haven’t used them yet, so I don’t know what scent they are. You should try them if you like.”

“Sure. Don’t worry about me and just go.”

It seemed that leaving Ji Yeonwoo alone in the large house was weighing on Choi Muhyeok’s mind, as he hesitated and gave detailed instructions before finally leaving. Ji Yeonwoo now felt bad about his earlier sulking.

“I’ll be back. Just relax and rest.”

Choi Muhyeok approached and gently kissed Ji Yeonwoo’s forehead before finally stepping out.

— Click, beep.

The sound of the door closing and the automatic lock engaging left the house enveloped in a calm silence.

Ji Yeonwoo stood by the front door and looked around the now quiet house. Alone, the place felt much larger and emptier than before. He wondered what it was like for Choi Muhyeok to live alone in such a spacious house. While he didn’t seem like the type to feel lonely, Ji Yeonwoo thought he might experience a heightened sense of solitude when coming home to a dark, empty house.

Lost in thought, Ji Yeonwoo realized that his mind had been completely occupied by thoughts of Choi Muhyeok. He hesitated, wondering why his forehead still felt warm where he had been kissed.

Slowly, Ji Yeonwoo began to explore the quiet house. He went upstairs, came back down, and headed toward the kitchen. Remembering what Choi Muhyeok had said, he opened the fridge. Just as he had mentioned, there were plenty of neatly organized ingredients. There was steak, bacon, mushrooms, and even some ingredients for pasta.

Standing in front of the open fridge, Ji Yeonwoo rubbed his stomach. He was a little hungry, but not enough to eat just yet. He decided to wait a bit longer and maybe make a sandwich later if he got really hungry, then closed the fridge.

He noticed a door that was different from the others on the first floor. Feeling curious, Ji Yeonwoo approached it. He hadn’t thought of opening the other rooms, but this one piqued his curiosity for some reason.

Since he had permission to explore, it should be okay to enter, right?

Though no one was around, Ji Yeonwoo glanced around as if checking for anyone, then cautiously grasped the doorknob and slowly turned it downward.

“Excuse me…”

He muttered an apology to no one in particular and quietly opened the door, stepping inside. However, he froze in place before taking another step.

It was a study. In front of him was a large wooden desk, and on both sides of the desk were bookshelves filled with an impressive number of books. The scale of the study far surpassed the small bookshelf in Ji Yeonwoo’s home.

On the desk, a stack of papers was spread out, as if someone had been reviewing them. They appeared to be work-related documents, but Ji Yeonwoo couldn’t make sense of them.

As his eyes scanned the room, something caught his attention. Among the dull, thick books on the shelf, one thin, white book stood out. Its bright cover made it even more noticeable among the darker books.

Drawn to it, Ji Yeonwoo found himself walking toward the book as if in a trance. The title was First Snow.

“I don’t like snow,” he remembered Choi Muhyeok saying.

For some reason, Ji Yeonwoo’s heart began to pound loudly, thump, thump.

His pale fingers, as white as the book’s cover, reached out to pull it from the shelf. Just as he was about to open it, something slipped out and fell softly to the floor, landing by his feet with a light thud.

Ji Yeonwoo stood frozen, staring down at the polaroid photo lying next to him.

In the photo, a man dressed in a padded jacket and a fur-lined hat was lying in the snow, holding up a V sign with his fingers. Though the bulky clothing obscured much of his figure, it was clear that he was a pretty, delicate man—undoubtedly an omega.

‘I also have bad memories of snowy days.’

Ji Yeonwoo’s eyes wavered as he stared at the photo, unable to bring himself to pick it up.

‘It only happened once, but I can’t seem to forget it.’

After fully recalling what Choi Muhyeok had said, Ji Yeonwoo took a small breath. A feeling of urgency washed over him, and he hastily bent down to retrieve the fallen photo. His trembling hands fumbled several times as he struggled to pick it up. He quickly shoved the photo back inside the book, barely managing to return it to its place on the shelf.

Fleeing the study, Ji Yeonwoo stood with his back against the closed door. Tension etched across his face as his heart pounded wildly, refusing to calm down.

The bitter expression Choi Muhyeok had shown when he confessed his dislike for snow…

The one book on his shelf that didn’t seem to belong…

And the photo of an unfamiliar omega taken against the snowy backdrop.

One by one, Ji Yeonwoo tried to grasp the thoughts racing through his mind, but it felt like he had to sever them with a knife, forcing them away.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had seen something he wasn’t supposed to.

݁˖ ❀ ⋆｡˚

The metal door of the warehouse screeched as it slid open. Between the parting doors, Choi Muhyeok stepped into view.

Inside, Park Jincheol and the men working under him moved aside to make way for Choi Muhyeok, bowing their heads in respect as he walked past.

In the middle of the room sat a man tied to a chair, slumped over as if unconscious.

“Is this the bastard who’s been following us?”

“Yes. His name is Jung Doowon, a long-time secretary of JT Corporation’s Lee Hyunjun.”

Park Jincheol approached and handed Choi Muhyeok a phone. Taking it, Choi Muhyeok’s eyes sharpened like a blade.

“As you instructed, he was hiding nearby and secretly taking pictures of Ji Yeonwoo.”

Displayed on the phone’s screen was a photo of Ji Yeonwoo, smiling brightly while on the phone with someone inside Flower Fiancé.

Choi Muhyeok swiped through the photos with his thumb. The images showed Ji Yeonwoo in various moments at Flower Fiancé, deeply focused on work, though some captured him smiling happily during a conversation.

In each of the photos where Ji Yeonwoo was smiling, the person on the other end of his gaze was none other than Choi Muhyeok.

As Choi Muhyeok continued to swipe through the pictures, his expression twisted. Something stirred and boiled within him.

While the knowledge that Ji Yeonwoo’s smiles were directed solely at him filled him with joy, the fact that Lee Hyunjun had his eyes on Ji Yeonwoo with malicious intent enraged him.

Handing the phone back to Park Jincheol, Choi Muhyeok stood in front of the unconscious man slumped in the chair.

It was Choi Muhyeok who had ordered the capture of Jung Doowon. He had suspected something was amiss when he dropped Ji Yeonwoo off previously and had noticed strange movements near the shop. The suspicious activity he had observed before going for a walk solidified his suspicions.

Although he had been aware for some time, he had instructed his men to keep watch in order to uncover their true intentions. However, Lee Hyunjun and his subordinates had grown bolder in their actions, and it was no longer something he could overlook.

Choi Muhyeok took out a cigarette, placing it between his lips as his gaze hardened.

“Any progress?”

Park Jincheol quickly stepped forward and lit the end of the cigarette.

“I’m sorry. He refuses to speak, even under threat.”

Pressing his fingers tiredly against one eye, Choi Muhyeok took a deep drag, his cheeks hollowing before he exhaled a cloud of smoke.

“Wake him up.”