TPG 17

“From the beginning, I shouldn’t have agreed to that request.”

Eun Hee-yoon shook his head.

“But he says he only trusts me, so what can I do?”

“The era of pushing people in through connections is over.”

“I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere before.”

Han Jeong-hyeon chuckled. How many people had approached him while entertaining, bringing requests? They all came with favors to ask, and he usually granted them quite well, but this time it just didn’t work out.

“What’s left for Hyung after doing all that?”

“Ah… the group remains.”

Han Jeong-hyeon swirled his wine glass in circles.

“Once I fill it with my people, they’ll become the foundation that supports me later.”

The inner thoughts of Han Jeong-hyeon, whom others saw as an incompetent eldest son, spilled out.

“But the department store is quite solid.”

Han Jeong-hyeon, who had been pondering how to break through, suddenly looked at Eun Hee-yoon.

“Why don’t you meet with Soo-hyeok?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Don’t refuse so quickly, think about it. Soo-hyeok would listen to what you say. So if you get that Gayul brand in, I’ll help you expand your restaurant locations.”

Han Jeong-hyeon coaxed Eun Hee-yoon. To anyone watching, it would seem like he was Gayul’s CEO.

Not having the Gayul brand in wouldn’t cause Han Jeong-hyeon any significant disadvantage. However, perhaps because of his bruised pride from being thoroughly pushed back by Han Soo-hyeok, Han Jeong-hyeon couldn’t easily let go of his lingering attachment.

“I don’t want to have a confrontation with Soo-hyeok over something like that.”

“The only time you’ll blush is when Soo-hyeok holds your hand and walks into a wedding venue?”

When his feelings for Han Soo-hyeok, which he had been subtly harboring, were exposed, Eun Hee-yoon’s eyes sharpened.

“Alright. I won’t say anymore.”

As if defeated, Han Jeong-hyeon pretended to shut his mouth tightly, then quickly revealed a smile.

Did Eun Hee-yoon, who liked Han Soo-hyeok, know that he had gone on a matchmaking meeting?

***

Han Soo-hyeok watched Lee Si-woo, who seemed slightly drunk with hazy eyes, trying to reach for his necktie.

“I’ll tie your necktie properly.”

Lee Si-woo, who usually wore his necktie neatly, had forgotten his composure due to the alcohol, and that sight was somehow pitiful and cute, making a smile linger at the corners of Han Soo-hyeok’s mouth.

“The buttons aren’t fastened properly. I’ll do it again.”

It was hard to tell whether the flush around his eyes was from alcohol or embarrassment, but that sight alone made it impossible for Han Soo-hyeok to look away. However, since he was touching buttons that were perfectly in place, Han Soo-hyeok gently held both his hands.

“Play with your own necktie.”

Han Soo-hyeok’s low murmur contained no wariness at all. Rather, it held affection and trust. At those words, Lee Si-woo opened his hazy eyes wider for a moment, then tilted his head and tried to pull at his necktie again.

Han Soo-hyeok quietly looked at Lee Si-woo’s hair. Between the softly loosened strands lay eyes that seemed to trust him. He laughed at the behavior that contained not a trace of wariness from the man who had asked for employment at a meeting to find a marriage partner.

“You’ve already forgotten who I am.”

“No… I know you’re hyung…”

Though his pronunciation was slurred, he tried to answer.

“If you know, you should be nervous. You asked me to get engaged.”

“Right… engagement.”

“And you said you would help with my cycle too.”

This was the guy who had said he would even take care of his cycle too.

Si-woo wanted to escape from his father but wouldn’t actually ask for marriage. He was grateful, saying it was enough just to buy time, and was enthusiastic about everything at work.

Not only that, he even had the absurd idea of becoming a villain to blame himself for breaking off the engagement.

The man who had said he wanted to stand alone in the world had remained calm even when entering a semi-basement he’d probably never lived in before. And when he came to Han Soo-hyeok’s house and was suggested to live together, it was clearly written on his face that he wondered if he’d be a burden.

He kept calling him hyung, so he seemed to have forgotten that Han Soo-hyeok was his matchmaking partner. Or maybe the boundary between matchmaking partner and CEO had become blurred so he couldn’t recognize it well.

With that in mind, Han Soo-hyeok propped his chin and carefully observed Lee Si-woo trying to tie his necktie. Lee Si-woo’s face was full of flush from the alcohol.

He practiced tying the necktie while breathing heavily with the smell of alcohol on Han Soo-hyeok’s nape, then fell away when his interest waned. The alcohol smell lessened but the warmth disappeared with it. Han Soo-hyeok fiddled with the necktie clumsily tied around his collar.

‘I don’t want to lose Han Soo-hyeok.’

‘If you help me work, I’ll definitely repay this kindness.’

The matchmaking meeting had been difficult for Lee Si-woo too.

The more he learned about Lee Si-woo circumstances, the more it felt like stepping into a swamp. But rather than being sticky, it was strangely cozy and hard to pull his foot out. Anyway, since they were currently in a transaction, he couldn’t immediately distance himself.

“Why is this like this…”

Han Soo-hyeok looked at Lee Si-woo at his slurred muttering. He took his hands off the necktie and started messing with his own shirt. When the shirt buttons wouldn’t come undone easily, he tried to take off his entire top by grabbing the hem, struggling a few times before giving up.

“It’s hot…”

When Lee Si-woo muttered while pouting his lips, Han Soo-hyeok laughed as if amused. He had no intention of helping him take off his clothes.

“Si-woo, hyung just doesn’t have thoughts of marriage.”

There was a subtle implication that it didn’t mean he had no desires at all. It would be nice if Lee Si-woo noticed that, but he seemed too drunk to catch on.

To protect Lee Si-woo as much as possible, Han Soo-hyeok watched without moving a finger. Having given up on taking off his clothes, Lee Si-woo staggered and got up from the floor.

At first he was quirky, then there was a warmth that drew the heart. And now he was acting frantically…

“You shouldn’t get drunk.”

He was cute.

He had shown signs of this before, but drinking made it worse.

Lee Si-woo walked precariously as if he might fall, then plopped down on the floor. So that’s why he got up, the box with dumbbells seemed to be his goal.

“Be careful.”

It was a set. Not just one, but neatly arranged by weight, so it was quite heavy. But despite the warning, Lee Si-woo’s touch wasn’t delicate.

“I need to exercise and build muscle.”

“Let’s exercise when you’re sober.”

“It’s not enough even now.”

“It’s not too late to do it later.”

Han Soo-hyeok, who couldn’t just watch anymore, approached to stop him. Meanwhile, Lee Si-woo tried to open the box. He scratched the tape with his index finger to peel off a little, then gently pulled so it wouldn’t break.

Even in this state, he was peeling the tape quite neatly. The careful unwrapping was worth it. The moment he opened the box lid to reveal the contents, Han Soo-hyeok intervened.

“Not today.”

“But I need to exercise…”

“You can do it after you sober up. And no matter how much you lift these, your muscles won’t grow in a short time.”

Han Soo-hyeok let slip words he normally wouldn’t have said.

Due to Omega physiology, muscles didn’t grow easily. Still, he had been supportive thinking there was possibility if the person had will and effort, but doing it while drunk was dangerous.

“I can build them well.”

Lee Si-woo bent his arm trying to show his bicep.

“Let’s build them together later.”

“I’m really good at anything physical.”

“Show me that later too.”

“You don’t believe me.”

Lee Si-woo hung his head and muttered. Since it wasn’t audible, Han Soo-hyeok leaned toward him. At that moment, Lee Si-woo grabbed Han Soo-hyeok’s shoulder and pulled him.

Han Soo-hyeok’s body, with its center of gravity collapsed, tilted forward without time to control it. Lee Si-woo followed, embracing his shoulder, then lightly twisted his body. It was really just a moment until Han Soo-hyeok’s back hit the floor.

While Han Soo-hyeok looked at the ceiling with bewildered eyes, Lee Si-woo pinned him down. That wasn’t all. He fixed both legs at Han Soo-hyeok’s sides and pressed his chest to maintain balance. With his other hand, he lightly pressed Han Soo-hyeok’s wrist, perfectly subduing him.

“I’m good at this, right?”

His face smiling with half lowered eyes was dizzying.

Han Soo-hyeok couldn’t react to Lee Si-woo’s childlike boasting. It wasn’t explosive strength from his slender body, but he had skillfully thrown him after inducing carelessness.

None of the information he’d heard about him before the matchmaking meeting included anything like this…

Well, most of what he’d seen of him as a secretary was different from what he’d heard, so this wasn’t particularly surprising.

“How did you do this?”

“Oh, grandfather taught me because it would be dangerous if I lived alone.”

His lips muttering about missing grandfather moved cutely.

“CEO, Soo-hyeok-ssi. Hyung…”

All the titles coming from Lee Si-woo’s mouth were ultimately for one person.

Swoosh, Lee Si-woo’s finger brushed Han Soo-hyeok’s wrist ticklishly.

“Here… and here.”

Lee Si-woo gently touched Han Soo-hyeok’s neck with half-closed eyes. Next, pointing to his wrist, he muttered with a face about to fall asleep.

“It smells good.”