TSG 106

“What do you mean ‘that’s all that matters’?”

Ha Jin-seong frowned, seemingly frustrated, unsure if it was the metaphor about artificial flowers or the mention of pheromones that had caused the confusion.

“Even without pheromones, Mr. Ha Jin-seong, you’re handsome. If anything, the real issue might be your personality.”

As Park Ha-seong muttered seriously while stroking his chin, Ha Jin-seong could only frown without responding. He had a complicated expression.

It was as if he didn’t know how to react to someone acknowledging his flaw so casually, yet not dismissively.

At the same time, despite his frown, there was something in his eyes that hinted at hidden feelings. Se-hyun, observing this interaction, found himself looking at Park Haseong with fresh eyes.

‘Why couldn’t I think like that?’

All Se-hyun had done was try to hide Ha Jin-seong’s weakness. But Park Ha-seong saw Ha Jin-seong as he was and called him beutiful.

“An artificial flower is just that. What’s the big deal…”

As Ha Jin-seong muttered with his gaze fixed on the meat, Park Ha-seong pushed some meat toward him as well.

“You’re the one who called yourself an artificial flower, Director.”

“That’s just because it’s something that imitates nature.”

It seemed like Ha Jin-seong was trying to justify his words, holding on to his frustration.

“Man-made things can be beautiful too.”

Park Ha-seong took something out of his pocket and held it out. It was a small sample used in the recent bid.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

“What’s so beautiful about this?”

“Should I give it to you?”

Despite Ha Jin-seong frowning and showing disgust, Park Ha-seong ignored it and took his hand, opening his fingers. Se-hyun watched with excitement as if watching a drama, as Park Ha-seong placed the sample in Ha Jin-seong’s palm.

Ha Jin-seong looked at the sample in his hand and frowned once more.

“Take it.”

“Why should I take this?”

“If you want, I can make you another one.”

Just as Ha Jin-seong was about to clench his fist and raise his arm to throw the sample away in response to this one-sided conversation,

“I’m giving it to you because you’re handsome.”

“…”

Everyone noticed Ha Jin-seong’s flustered look. Meanwhile, Park Ha-seong casually continued grilling meat and pushing it all towards him.

Watching the meat on the grill go to Se-hyun once and then to Ha Jin-seong, it was clear where Park Ha-seong’s favor was directed.

“There’s none for me.”

Shin Tae-oh muttered, looking at the single piece of cold meat in front of him. Whether it was really a favor or for some other reason, it was clear that Shin Tae-oh was completely excluded.

“Just eat.”

Realizing he was the only one to take care of Shin Tae-oh, Se-hyun diligently grilled meat and brought it to him.

“At times like this, we should just eat quietly.”

As Se-hyun advised on how to be a spectator when interesting things happen, Shin Tae-oh nodded and picked up his chopsticks. While not missing a single piece of meat Se-hyun gave him, his eyes were fixed on Ha Jin-seong.

“Why is he just sitting there?”

“Shh.”

Afraid that Ha Jin-seong might turn this way, Se-hyun shushed him and roughly pushed some onion into his mouth. It wasn’t even grilled, just raw, so he broke it in half and put it down.

“I can’t eat onions.”

Although he said he couldn’t eat it, his mouth was busy moving, apparently not wanting to spit it out. Se-hyun couldn’t pretend not to notice, as it might be because he had fed him.

Se-hyun whispered in Shin Tae-oh’s ear so only he could hear.

“Are you worried about the smell when kissing?”

“Yeah.”

Shin Tae-oh was easy to read.

Se-hyun was busy watching Ha Jin-seong, but it was like Shin Tae-oh wanted attention too. Despite the noise around them, only Shin Tae-oh seemed to be thinking about kissing. The quiet was palpable as even the sound of chopsticks tapping the table echoed, and Se-hyun’s hand began to tingle under Shin Tae-oh’s gaze.

After feeding Shin Tae-oh, Se-hyun put the other half of the broken onion in his own mouth and put down his chopsticks.

Even though he chewed quietly, the crunching sound of the onion could be heard. As he felt the sting, he heard Shin Tae-oh laugh.

“The more I know my lover, the more I like him.”

“Now watch quietly.”

The chemistry between Ha Jin-seong and Park Ha-seong was something he absolutely couldn’t miss.

“How well do you know me?”

“The charity party. You went up on stage and kept looking around like a meerkat.”

Ha Jin-seong frowned as he recalled that moment.

“You made the largest donation, didn’t you? I saw everything. Even when you went down in the middle of speaking…”

“Hey.”

Ha Jin-seong quickly cut him off, glancing at Se-hyun before acting even more coldly than before.

“Seeing you speak so casually like that, your lover must hate you. Calling just anyone pretty or handsome.”

“I don’t have a lover. And I wasn’t just saying that, I was stating an objective fact, so of course it’s casual.”

“Isn’t it weirder to say it like that?”

“What’s weird about it?”

“Well… even your polite speech seems sarcastic. I don’t like it.”

“Oh, you want to be friends with me. I wanted to get along well with Jin-seong too. We’re on the same wavelength after all.”

Park Ha-seong seemed even more at ease, calmly deflecting even when Ha Jin-seong tried to find fault with his polite speech.

‘This is interesting.’

Compared to when Ha Jin-seong fought with Shin Tae-oh and didn’t hesitate to exploit Shin Tae-oh’s weaknesses, his conversation with Park Ha-seong kept slipping away. It was as if something should clash and create sparks, but the other party was like soft water, causing them to miss each other.

That made it even more fun to watch.

It was also comforting to see Ha Jin-seong’s clenched fist relaxing.

⍣⍣⍣

“Mmh, mmm…”

Se-hyun slightly opened his mouth, enveloping Shin Tae-oh’s lower lip. Gently sucking and caressing his tongue seemed to provoke Shin Tae-oh’s desire.

Shin Tae-oh tilted his head and kissed deeply. He bit Se-hyun’s lip with his front teeth and pushed his tongue in as if trying to reach his throat, moving relentlessly all over the roof of his mouth.

“Ungh.”

The intense kiss made it hard to breathe. Along with it came the alpha’s pheromones, so strong it felt like it might drive out all reason as if his mind was becoming numb.

The pheromones were too intense to be just from a kiss, making Se-hyun feel like his body was melting into them. He was busy swallowing his moans.

As Shin Tae-oh kept pushing in without pulling back, Se-hyun’s chest tightened and his face flushed.

So he tapped Shin Tae-oh’s shoulder, meaning to ask for a moment’s break, but Shin Tae-oh, seemingly reluctant, kept sucking at the saliva that had flowed to the corner of Se-hyun’s mouth.

Wondering what to do with this pervert cat who couldn’t let go of his lips until the very end, Se-hyun pushed against his chest.

“You deceived me.”

The man who had said he was concerned about eating onions rushed to brush his teeth as soon as they got home. And then he kissed him, pretending he hadn’t done anything.

“I don’t smell onions on you.”

“That’s because I brushed my teeth too.”

Knowing how Taenyang would act, Se-hyun had been one step ahead. Shin Tae-oh stuck out his tongue to taste, but of course there was no smell.

Se-hyun, who had been confident after not only brushing his teeth but also gargling thoroughly, belatedly noticed something strange about Shin Tae-oh. He was licking Se-hyun’s lips like a cat, but it felt more obsessive than usual.

“Why… mmph.”

Se-hyun tried to ask but his words were swallowed as Shin Tae-oh’s tongue pushed in. His tongue pulled and probed as if trying to uproot Se-hyun’s tongue, and the air between them grew increasingly hot.

Pushed back against the sofa by Shin Tae-oh, Se-hyun moved his hands from Shin Tae-oh’s chest to support himself. Even though he couldn’t retreat further due to the sofa, he did so because it was hard to handle Shin Tae-oh.

He had expected light kissing, so why had it become so intense? As he pondered this, something crossed his mind when Shin Tae-oh sucked at his neck.

Thinking about it, he realized it must be coming soon.

“Wait a moment.”

“Why?”

When Se-hyun tried to stop him again, Shin Tae-oh pulled away obediently, but his eyes still roamed hungrily over Se-hyun’s neck. The gaze was so persistent that it felt like he was actually licking, making Se-hyun get up from the sofa entirely.

“Want to watch a movie?”

Despite recognizing the naked desire in Shin Tae-oh’s eyes, Se-hyun pretended not to notice and asked as he approached the fridge. Returning with his arms full of beer, not enough even for both hands, Se-hyun pointed at the remote.

“Please put on anything.”

Ignoring Shin Tae-oh’s prominent front, Se-hyun sat in the empty space and opened his share of beer.

‘Heat cycle.’

Seeing Shin Tae-oh become obsessive in response to his pheromones, Se-hyun realized his heat cycle was approaching. Since Se-hyun didn’t bother hiding his pheromones in front of Shin Tae-oh, it made sense that Shin Tae-oh could sense the change.

That’s why he stopped him.

It wasn’t that he intended to spend the cycle alone.

Recalling the last time, he thought that if possible, a little better…