TSG 26

Se-hyun nervously pressed his teeth against his dry lips. Even as his dry lips turned red from the pressure, Se-hyun was too preoccupied with Shin Tae-oh to recognize his own appearance.

‘What are you trying to say?’

Speaking at this particular moment made him feel too tense as if his heart might explode.

‘Why are you making me the subject of a fight when I’m not even Yoo Jin-ha?’

In his heart, Se-hyun wanted to shout at Shin Tae-oh not to pick a fight and hit him in the back of the head, but in reality, he was in a helpless situation where he couldn’t say anything.

Thus, Shin Tae-oh, who had made everyone tense, began to speak.

“Since when did Ha Min-hyuk-ssi become so handsome?”

“…”

Did I hear it wrong?

Se-hyun looked at his boss, whom he should respect as if he were crazy. Otherwise, he couldn’t understand what he had just heard.

“When did you start emitting such attractive pheromones? Do you happen to like cake?”

“What are you talking about?”

Ha Min-hyuk frowned and asked the meaning of Shin Tae-oh’s words. Shin Tae-oh’s reaction till now has been one of caution. But when he unexpectedly displayed goodwill, Ha Min-hyuk’s eyes sharpened, and Shin Tae-oh casually brushed it off.

“I’m just giving you attention, what’s so weird about it?”

“…”

“I asked this question because I was interested in a person named Ha Min-hyuk. Of course, I’m willing to follow him around diligently.”

In response to Shin Tae-oh’s answer, Ha Min-hyuk, Yoo Jin-ha, and Se-hyun all fell silent, as if they had made some sort of agreement. So, this was why Shin Tae-oh had uttered those strange words. A way to return the favor of Ha Min-hyuk’s words about having an interest in Se-hyun.

‘Such a childish person.’

The method was so childish that the listener felt uncomfortable.

“That…”

Yoo Jin-ha, who hadn’t heard properly, spoke up to intercede Shin Tae-oh. Se-hyun was inwardly pressuring Jin-ha to speak quickly as he looked at Yoo Jin-ha, who started the conversation but was unable to easily continue his next sentence.

“Shall we get up now?”

Yeah. Let’s go our separate ways.

Se-hyun slowly lifted his butt off the chair. He promised himself that once he got out of this place with Shin Tae-oh, he would never get involved again.

“Mr. Ahn Se-hyun.”

But Ha Min-hyuk grabbed Se-hyun.

“I would like to talk separately.”

Ha Min-hyuk even had an uncomfortable conversation with Shin Tae-oh, saying he liked him, and Se-hyun didn’t want to have a separate conversation… However, when he saw the look in Ha Min-hyuk’s eyes, Se-hyun bowed his head toward Shin Tae-oh.

“Could you give us a moment?”

Shin Tae-oh locked eyes with Ha Min-hyuk for a moment, then looked away. Se-hyun realized that this was permission and stood up completely, and Ha Min-hyuk followed suit.

“Wait here.”

Ha Min-hyuk left the café after patting the flustered Yoo Jin-ha on the shoulder and stating to return in a minute, and Se-hyun reluctantly followed him.

When they stopped not far ahead, Ha Min-hyuk turned around and Se-hyun kept two steps away from him.

“Why did you follow me out?”

Because you asked me to.

“Do you know what I’m going to say?”

You would know, but how could I know?

As Ha Min-hyuk continued to dominate the conversation, Se-hyun sighed inwardly. And Se-hyun spoke before Ha Min-hyuk did.

“I won’t beat around the bush. Did you know me?”

Se-hyun gained a lot of understanding from Ha Min-hyuk’s gaze. Although he was introduced by Yoo Jin-ha, the look in his eyes indicated that he knew him beforehand. In particular, the answer was already given when his name was mentioned several times and he was distinguished as a person unrelated to Shin Tae-oh.

Ha Min-hyuk has something to say to him, Ahn Se-hyun.

“Yes.”

“Since when?”

“Well… let’s postpone that for a moment. The reason I called Mr. Ahn Se-hyun, is…”

Ha Min-hyuk hesitated for a moment but then spoke with determination.

“I happened to see you talking to Ha Jin-seong.”

“So?”

At the time, the place where he and Ha Jin-seong had the conversation was relatively empty, but it wasn’t private either. So, someone might have seen them. Did that seem strange to Ha Min-hyuk?

“I felt like Ha Jin-seong might be interested in you.”

“You didn’t hear the conversation?”

Se-hyun asked in confusion, sensing the atmosphere. Ha Min-hyuk responded by shaking his head.

“I saw through the glass window like this.”

As Ha Min-hyuk turned his head to look at something, Se-hyun followed suit and saw Shin Tae-oh and Yoo Jin-ha conversing through the glass window. Now that he thought about it, since he was away with Ha Min-hyuk, Shin Tae-oh and Yoo Jin-ha were left alone.

What could they be talking about?

Every time Shin Tae-oh spoke, Yoo Jin-ha smiled as if amused. Seeing the two of them making eye contact and smiling happily, Se-hyun thought that Yoo Jin-ha would have matched well with Shin Tae-oh if they were together.

“Be careful of Ha Jin-seong.”

As Se-hyun found himself subconsciously watching Shin Tae-oh’s lips to decipher what he was saying, Se-hyun heard Ha Min-hyuk’s voice.

Se-hyun slowly turned his gaze from Shin Tae-oh to Ha Min-hyuk.

“Once Ha Jin-seong targets someone, he never lets go. It’s been like that until now. Whether it’s interest…”

‘Or animosity.’

Se-hyun finished the unspoken words that Ha Min-hyuk swallowed. Ha Jin-seong’s personality wasn’t as good as Ha Min-hyuk’s, but Se-hyun knew it well enough. It wasn’t surprising how relentless he could be. However, there was something he couldn’t understand. Why was he being warned to be careful?

‘I’m just an extra…’

He was an extra who didn’t stand out at all in this original work from beginning to end…

“If you’re trying to appear humble, don’t.”

Trying to appear humble?

“Mr. Ahn Se-hyun, you’re noticeable. So, please don’t deny it.”

Se-hyun looked at Ha Min-hyuk with eyes that conveyed his lack of understanding.

“Since you worked as Shin Tae-oh’s secretary, many people have asked about you. I’ve known you longer than you think.”

Ha Min-hyuk closed his mouth again and looked at Se-hyun’s face. People often sought out Shin Tae-oh’s secretary whenever he appeared. He quietly carried out his duties with an expressionless face and was a person who attracted attention with his unique aura.

So, since his secretary was as famous as Shin Tae-oh, Ha Min-hyuk also paid attention to him a few times. Of course, Ha Min-hyuk had wanted to see Se-hyun for different reasons.

“It’s because you redirected Shin Tae-oh’s gaze away from Jin-ha.”

Ha Min-hyuk’s voice was so low that it was hard to hear. Se-hyun looked at him. He meant to say it again, but Ha Min-hyuk changed his words.

“I knew because you were so handsome.”

Se-hyun frowned. Judging by the shape of his mouth, it seemed like Shin Tae-oh was mentioned, but he couldn’t be sure.

“Anyway, don’t get involved in even small matters with Ha Jin-seong. If it gets tough, use CEO Shin Tae-oh. That would be the easiest and most convenient way to stop Ha Jin-seong.”

Taking advantage of your boss…

‘He’s not normal either.’

Se-hyun, who easily took whatever the boss handed him, treated Ha Min-hyuk as abnormal.

Se-hyun returned with Ha Min-hyuk, acted as if nothing had happened, and resumed his role as Shin Tae-oh’s secretary without mentioning the conversation with Ha Min-hyuk or asking about the conversation between Shin Tae-oh and Yoo Jin-ha.

It was an uncomfortable meeting.

⍣⍣⍣

When Shin Tae-oh stepped outside and saw the person waiting for him, he openly displayed a look of disappointment.

“Did you do the same to Secretary Ahn?”

“I’m disappointed because it’s not Secretary Ahn.”

He already parted ways with Se-hyun yesterday with an ambiguous feeling. He couldn’t hear what kind of conversation he had with Ha Min-hyuk, and he had no choice but to take a step back due to Se-hyun’s distancing himself.

So, he was not pleased when the Chief secretary appeared just as he was considering seizing a suitable opportunity to ask.

“Secretary Ahn went to the studio first.”

Shin Tae-oh’s expression crumpled even more as he remembered the place Se-hyun must have gone first.

“Why didn’t the chief secretary go but instead send Secretary Ahn?”

There was a guy there who was itching to take a picture of Secretary Ahn.

⍣⍣⍣

“I didn’t expect Se-hyun-ssi would come first.”

As people were moving things around for the shoot, Yoo Jin-hyun approached Se-hyun and greeted him.

“It’s been a while.”

“Is there something I can help with?”

“Well… not exactly.”

Seeing Se-hyun’s puzzled expression, Yoo Jin-hyun brought the camera he had hidden behind him forward and fidgeted with it.

“We need to loosen up before the shoot. Will you be our model?”

“Are you asking me?”

He had never considered offering help in that direction.

“Do you remember when I offered to take your picture last time?”

“Well, yes, but…”

It was at the bar. He had apologized and offered to take a picture as a gesture of apology… But at the time, Se-hyun had just thought it was a passing comment.

“So, why not accept? Just think of it as going to a studio. No, let’s say you’re at a photography studio.”

As he thought about what Yoo Jin-hyun said, Se-hyun realized that taking pictures wasn’t as unfamiliar as he had thought. After all, people take pictures for various reasons throughout their lives.

With that in mind, Se-hyun accepted without hesitation and stepped inside. Looking straight at Yoo Jin-hyun, Se-hyun straightened his tie and said,

“I’d like it as an ID photo, please.”

“Just a simple ID… what?”

Yoo Jin-hyun, who had been holding the camera up to capture Se-hyun, revealed a puzzled look in his eyes.