TSG 29

Se-hyun was fully engrossed in the album when the vibration of his phone interrupted his concentration. He answered the phone right away after checking to see who was calling.

“Yes, sir.”

– Are you still not finished?

“My apologies. I’ll finish it soon.”

Se-hyun was so preoccupied with other things that he didn’t notice whether the task was finished or not. Realizing his mistake, he hurriedly stood up with the album in hand. Stepping outside, he noticed that everything he had laid out neatly was now tidied up.

Se-hyun spoke into the cell phone that had not yet been disconnected.

“I will take a quick look and leave.”

– Please do.

After finishing the call with Shin Tae-oh, Se-hyun fiddled with her cell phone out of frustration.

‘What if I lose focus while looking at the pictures?’

It was clearly working hours. Se-hyun blamed himself and placed the album aside.

Shin Tae-oh, who was tapping his cell phone with his arms crossed, looked over to Yoo Jin-hyun’s studio. Although Se-hyun could not be seen well, it was obvious that he was moving diligently.

“If you came, why didn’t you go inside?”

“I went in and came back out.”

“Why did you come out then?”

“I saw something I shouldn’t have.”

Yoo Jin-hyun’s eyes narrowed and he smiled sinisterly at Shin Tae-oh’s meaningful reply. It seemed that he realized who the person he confessed to Se-hyun was. While it was unfortunate that Sin Tae-oh’s one-sided love might not be reciprocated, curiosity got the better of him.

“How does it feel to find out something you didn’t know before?”

“Hmm…”

Sin Tae-oh’s head tilted, casting a shadow across his face. Under the sunlight, his three-dimensional face became more prominent, highlighting the depth of his concerns.

“It’s fun.”

“I thought you would hate it.”

Yoo Jin-hyun gave him a look of surprise. Wasn’t Sin Tae-oh supposed to have feelings for Secretary Ahn? If so, it wouldn’t feel so pleasant to hear that he had confessed to someone else.

“If that’s what you think, then so be it. Do as you please.”

“Yoo Jin-hyun.”

Yoo Jin-hyun, who turned around in response to Shin Tae-oh’s call, had an annoyed look in his eyes.

“What.”

“What was I like in the past?”

“What? W-what kind of nonsense is this all of a sudden?”

Yoo Jin-hyun stuttered and raised his voice. His feet started to itch as he wondered if he had been caught giving the album to Se-hyun.

“I’m asking whether I was innocent or charming.”

“What?”

Yoo Jin-hyun, who had calmed down after realizing that he had not been caught, frowned. Was Sin Tae-oh going crazy?

“Why would someone look at me like that?”

The smile on Shin Tae-oh’s mouth disappeared like a lie the moment someone came out.

“Sir.”

“I’ve come back because I have something to give to Jin-hyun. Since you’re here, let’s go together.”

“All right.”

Se-hyun hurriedly opened the backseat door and waited. Shin Tae-oh turned around without saying his farewell to Yoo Jin-hyun, and the two of them got into the car.

Yoo Jin-hyun’s eyes became sad as he saw Shin Tae-oh leave without saying goodbye.

“It was strange even when he was younger, but now, I can’t even guess what’s going on in his mind.”

⍣⍣⍣

“Stop for a moment.”

The car stopped at Shin Tae-oh’s instructions, and Se-hyun quickly looked outside. Spotting the luxury store Sin Tae-oh often frequented, Se-hyun got out of the car first. And just like when Shin Tae-oh got in the car, he opened the backseat door and waited.

His long legs came out first, followed by his toned body, and then his flawless face. The heavy pheromone that seemed to rank among Alphas was a bonus.

Se-hyun stood calmly, pretending not to notice the pheromones, and followed. Sin Tae-oh, who had been leading the way, stopped.

“Why are you doing this?”

Sin Tae-oh, lost in thought with his hand in his pocket, turned around. He alternated his gaze between the still car and Se-hyun.

“So far, you’ve done everything I told you to do.”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

Who was doing what for whom?

Se-hyun had always interpreted Sin Tae-oh’s ambiguous words and reacted accordingly, but now he was slightly bewildered. He had no idea how to interpret this.

“You opened the door for me to get in, and opened it again for me to get out.”

“Ah…”

Se-hyun nodded. He followed his instructions and opened the door for him out of convenience. But if he interpreted Shin Tae-oh’s words, that was also correct.

He got in and out of the car just as Se-hyun opened it for him.

“I’m not a child, so you don’t have to open it for me.”

“All right.”

In the end, it wasn’t about opening the door himself.

Why express it in such a roundabout way? Surprisingly, despite his attitude, he appeared to be serious, as if he had learned new information.

Shin Tae-oh also turned around as if he was satisfied.

“Ah, right, now that I think about it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Why did you treat me like a child?”

I’ve never treated you like that, you bastard.

He was as tall as a mountain and had a more mature face than anyone else, but what…

“I do have a somewhat innocent side.”

“I’ll remember that.”

Se-hyun opened his diary and wrote:

[What’s wrong with this guy?]

“If you think differently, you don’t have to open the door for me. For example, if you find me charming.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Se-hyun was not sure about being charming, but it had a similar feel.

But why were they so contradictory? Wasn’t there a big difference between innocence and bewitchment?

When they reached the front of the shop, Se-hyun unconsciously reached for the door and stopped. He was wondering whether he should open it or not.

If Se-hyun opened it, Shin Tae-oh would say he was treating him like a child, but if he didn’t, Shin Tae-oh would say that Se-hyun found him charming.

‘Why do I have to worry about this?’

Why was he giving him this choice?

It was then. A warm sensation reached the part of the body that was previously thought to be just a step away as if touching his back. Se-hyun couldn’t move when he realized it was Shin Tae-oh’s chest. It felt like being trapped between the door and Sin Tae-oh. No, between doors.

“If you’re unsure, I’ll open it this time.”

Sin Tae-oh’s outstretched arm passed by Se-hyun’s arm and reached the door. As Se-hyun involuntarily gazed closely at the hand, which was as large as his face, he noticed veins protruding from the back of the hand.

Perhaps because of Shin Tae-oh unusually large hands compared to others, there was always a peculiar illusion that objects looked smaller when he held a phone or tablet. And now, Se-hyun couldn’t help but notice the thick veins extending from Shin Tae-oh’s hand.

“Should we stay here?”

Sin Tae-oh’s breath reached his ears.

Considering that his voice was heard from a short distance away…

“I’m sorry.”

The cause of his pounding heart would be astonishment. There’s nothing else.

Se-hyun, who increased the distance as he entered the shop, rested his hand on his chest for a moment as he felt his heart pounding. It felt like he was holding his breath, unable to take a deep breath.

Before he knew it, Sin Tae-oh had stood side by side.

“Look around.”

Unable to interpret Sin Tae-oh’s intentions, Se-hyun looked up at him.

“Why?”

Se-hyun stepped back as he asked casually. The distance he created also symbolized a psychological barrier.

“I was just wondering if it might be because of what you said earlier.”

“I won’t understand if you speak so vaguely.”

“You were asking if I like gifts.”

Sin Tae-oh, who had claimed not to understand, smiled as if he expected it.

“I’ll say it again, you don’t have to buy me anything.”

Se-hyun refused to let Shin Tae-oh spend money on him in any way. Unsure of how he would react, Se-hyun didn’t let his guard down. Sin Tae-oh had always been the one leading the situation in his favor.

“Then let me say the same thing. Who am I trying to deceive?”

Sin Tae-oh glanced around the store.

“Just looking around is fine. I won’t buy anything.”

Only after receiving confirmation that he would not be giving a gift did Se-hyun look around with a slightly softened heart. Memories of giving gloves bought here to Yoo Jin-ha surfaced.

It was now in his house.

As Se-hyun thought about that, his eyes wandered toward the coats. Although the gloves were thin, they were quite warm. So, the coats here would likely be lightweight and warm as well.

As Se-hyun instinctively walked toward them, he forgot about Sin Tae-oh’s gaze on his back.

While looking at the coats, Se-hyun discreetly checked the prices. He realized that he couldn’t afford it even with his bonus and put the price tag down.

What’s all this for?

The coat he was wearing was warm enough.

Furthermore, his regrets rapidly faded because his parents would not have to work as hard with the money he made and sent.

Just as Se-hyun was about to check what Sin Tae-oh was looking at, their eyes met.

Surely he hadn’t been watching this entire time, right?

“Should we go if we’ve seen everything?”

Shin Tae-oh turned around without hesitation as if there was nothing he particularly liked. Se-hyun quickly followed behind him. Once again, Sin Tae-oh opened the door.

⍣⍣⍣

“Can I really get off?”

After dropping off Shin Tae-oh, they intended to leave for work, but the car stopped near Se-hyun’s house.

“You’ve been busy today.”

He had gone to the studio and then to work, leaving well after working hours. Sin Tae-oh didn’t offer any further explanation, as if implying he was giving Se-hyun a ride.

“Thank you.”

Knowing further conversation would only prolong the time, Se-hyun quickly distanced himself to avoid any interruptions.

“See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah. Go ahead.”

After Shin Tae-oh’s usual farewell, the window rolled up and the car smoothly drove out through the narrow alley.

“Innocence, charming…”

Se-hyun muttered these two memorable words that he heard while following Sin Tae-oh today. No matter how much he thought about it, they seemed distant, yet mentioning them together made it all unsettling.

Thinking it was just his imagination, Se-hyun turned around, only to be greeted by a looming shadow.