Marriage Mate: 43

“Calm down, calm down…”

Yu-young splashed his flushed face with cold water once more. He really didn’t want to dwell on it, but whether it was being alone with Do-won in the elevator or finding himself in his office when everyone else had stepped out, his chest kept stirring with an uneasy feeling—perhaps because of what happened yesterday.

After carefully adjusting his outfit in front of the bathroom mirror, Yu-young walked to the team leader’s office and knocked on the door.

“Team Leader, this is Assistant Manager Han.”

—Come in.

With nervous steps, Yu-young entered and stood before him. What was this about? Did Do-won also find the setting uncomfortable? Or was it just about what to bring when visiting him this weekend?

But Do-won, still seated, slowly opened a document on his desk. It was the draft proposal Yu-young had submitted for next year’s company policies.

‘Wait, this… this isn’t what I expected.’

Yu-young’s eyes widened instinctively. He had already been tense coming in, but now, for a different reason, his nerves were on edge.

“Assistant Manager Han.”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

“Sit down first. Let’s go over this together.”

Do-won got up from his desk, holding the document, and moved toward the table in the middle of the office. Yu-young followed his lead, taking the seat next to him as he gestured. Sitting so close, rather than across from him, made Yu-young swallow dryly.

Do-won picked up a pen and pointed at the document.

“Here, you did a good job analyzing the policy’s performance from last year through the first half of this year.”

Yu-young unconsciously straightened his posture. The initial surprise faded as he focused on Do-won’s words with a serious expression.

“The interviews with field teams were also solid. You gathered detailed feedback by function, which was commendable. But, Assistant Manager Han—”

Do-won paused briefly before continuing in an even tone.

“You have a tendency to accommodate even underperforming teams without addressing inefficiencies. It’s important to enforce penalties where necessary. While we aren’t HR and don’t have the authority to directly intervene, from an evaluation standpoint, we need to take appropriate action.”

Yu-young slowly nodded. Though Do-won’s words weren’t scathing criticism, the tips of his ears began to heat up.

“Also, if we comply with every demand from the field, we risk losing our strategic direction. Even if there’s a gap between planning and execution, we can’t endlessly adjust to field teams. Sometimes, we need to push back and set limits. If things drag on, we should escalate the issue to the CEO for resolution.”

“…Understood.”

“I know your situation is somewhat unique, and it may not be easy for you to implement such measures directly. But at the very least, you should have the resolve to push things through efficiently. Maintaining harmony isn’t everything.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Accepting Do-won’s words with a composed expression, Yu-young nodded again. The heat from his ears had spread down his face and neck.

What had he been expecting when he came in? This wasn’t some playground. Maybe all the recent personal interactions with Do-won had made him too lax. Face flushed, Yu-young took the document from Do-won’s hand.

“Revise it by tomorrow.”

“Understood.”

He didn’t want Do-won to notice his reddened face or the fact that he had been thrown off balance. Clutching the document, he hastily rose from his seat—only for Do-won to call him back in a low voice.

“Assistant Manager Han.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll be reviewing Assistant Manager Kim Ju-yeon’s proposal the same way later.”

The ambiguous remark made Yu-young look at him in confusion.

“I’m saying I didn’t single you out because your proposal was particularly bad.”

“…Ah… I see.”

Still feeling dazed, Yu-young nodded. Was Do-won considering his feelings? At that thought, the flustered emotions he had been trying to suppress began to creep back.

“And one more thing.”

Do-won’s tone was the same as when he reviewed the proposal.

“I have a company dinner tonight, so I won’t be available this evening.”

“Oh… I see…”

That came out of nowhere. The sudden shift in topic caught Yu-young off guard, and he nodded with his face still flushed. Then, a thought occurred to him, and he asked lightly,

“Then should I come by your place after you get home?”

He had originally planned to suggest changing locations today, but he couldn’t very well tell someone coming back from a company dinner to go somewhere else late at night. They only had until Saturday anyway—relocating could wait until tomorrow.

Do-won’s expression immediately hardened.

“Assistant Manager Han, I just said I have a company dinner.”

“…Yes, you did…?”

Seeing Yu-young blinking in confusion, Do-won let out a sigh and muttered.

“I know myself too. Be more cautious. It’s unlikely, but what if I get too drunk?”

As the meaning of his words finally registered, Yu-young’s face slowly began to heat up again.

“Ah… I’m sorry. Then just pretend you never heard that…”

That possibility hadn’t even crossed his mind. Do-won had always been gentlemanly when it came to physical contact, so he had momentarily forgotten.

Right, Do-won was right. What was he even thinking…? He shouldn’t trust an alpha so easily. The delayed sense of caution made Yu-young shake his head inwardly. But there was still something bothering him.

“Team Leader. But… since I’m meeting you on Saturday, is it okay to skip a day like this?”

“It won’t be as effective as doing it every day.”

Do-won, too, frowned slightly, as if the situation was a headache. Yu-young fell into thought, hesitating over whether to voice another alternative that had just come to mind. Would he end up embarrassing himself again?

But he was already in the same boat as Do-won, and the consequences of being caught by their parents weren’t something he could afford to ignore. Knowing Do-won’s personality and usual demeanor, there was no way he would take a meeting with his parents lightly.

‘Screw it… whatever happens, happens.’

In the end, Yu-young shut his eyes tight and blurted out,

“Then… uh… how about doing it now?”

Do-won’s eyebrow twitched.

“Doing what? Kissing? Here?”

“Yes… that… that.”

The way Do-won looked at him, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, made irritation bubble up inside Yu-young. He frowned and shot back,

“Well, then… do you have another way? This is about not getting caught by your parents, isn’t it?”

Even after all that, Do-won still looked at him with blatant disbelief. At this point, it seemed like he was the only one desperate. Honestly, the one who had more to lose this weekend was Do-won, not him. Shooting Do-won a pointed glare, Yu-young abruptly stood up, clutching the document he had been told to revise.

“If you hate it that much, then forget it. I’ll just—”

At that moment, the document in Yu-young’s hands slipped and tumbled onto the desk. Before he could react, his wrist was firmly seized. Looking up with wide eyes, he met Do-won’s gaze. Letting out a sharp sigh, Do-won looked down at him and spoke quietly.

“You’re quite bold when it comes to things like this, Assistant Manager Han.”

“…….”

“It’d be nice if you showed this kind of attitude when revising proposals too.”

Though his tone was relaxed, there was a definite edge to his words. Yu-young could only stare at him in silence.

“Still, I’d prefer if you were a little less bold about this. We were just talking about caution a minute ago.”

“Team Leader…?”

“What would you do if I made things difficult for you at work?”

With that, Do-won slowly pulled Yu-young toward him. Caught off guard, Yu-young found himself pressed against Do-won’s chest, his breath involuntarily catching. Unlike the rough grip on his wrist earlier, Do-won’s hands now wrapped around his waist with gentle ease. One hand tilted Yu-young’s chin up slightly.

“You wouldn’t let that happen, would you?”

Suppressing the frantic beating of his heart, Yu-young met Do-won’s gaze squarely and spoke clearly.

“You control your pheromones well. You always keep personal and professional matters separate.”

His words were both a challenge and a statement of trust. Do-won let out a short chuckle.

“You trust me too much.”

“…At least in this.”

Do-won’s eyes half-lidded as he let out another amused laugh.

“Really, to the very end.”

Soft lips pressed against Yu-young’s, rubbing against his own in a slow, deliberate motion. As Do-won’s pheromones began to seep out, Yu-young instinctively released his own in response, his gaze growing hazy.

Do-won was careful, making sure not to let too much out at once, keeping things at a manageable level. Yu-young, too, adjusted his output accordingly, allowing their pheromones to mix in a controlled balance.

‘See? I knew it would come to this.’

Yu-young parted his lips slightly. A firm yet supple tongue pushed in, exploring with purpose. As the slick warmth of their mouths met, a dizzying sensation washed over him. Without thinking, Yu-young reached out and clung to Do-won’s shoulder.

“…Hn…”

A soft, needy sound escaped before he could stop it. Eyes widening in shock, Yu-young tried to pull away—but Do-won was faster. A firm yet unyielding hand kept him close, deepening the kiss. Do-won’s lips followed his insistently, refusing to let go.

“Team Leader…”

“Ha, open your mouth.”

Though his voice was soft, the command in it sent a dull ache through Yu-young’s lower abdomen. His eyes grew damp. His body felt as if it were melting, sinking deeper and deeper into the sensation. Almost as if under a spell, he obeyed, parting his lips just a little more—

—But then, a voice cut through the moment.

—“By the way, why is Assistant Manager Han having a one-on-one meeting with the Team Leader?”

—“Not sure? Maybe it’s about the proposal?”

Their movements froze instantly. Outside, the office had come alive with the chatter of returning coworkers.