TSG 83

“What are you thinking about?”

“I was thinking about the bidding.”

As Se-hyun brazenly mentioned company work, hiding his true thoughts, Shin Tae-oh’s eyes narrowed.

“Our blushingcat’s face turns red when thinking about work, huh?”

“I love the company.”

“The company must be happy.”

“Then please consider my loyalty and include it in the next salary negotiation.”

A salary raise would be beneficial for both Se-hyun and Shin Tae-oh. There was no other assistant as efficient as Se-hyun, and his confidence had always helped him negotiate favorable terms and endure overtime. Since he had no particular hobbies, dedicating himself to work wasn’t bothersome.

“Do you know what’s better than that salary?”

“There’s nothing better in the world than salary.”

Se-hyun cut off Shin Tae-oh’s teasing voice sharply. How dare he try to taint the sacred salary with his tongue.

“Then what if I add something sparkling to your salary?”

“I’m already receiving sufficient bonuses.”

“You know you’re really putting up a wall right now, right?”

“Am I?”

Se-hyun had indeed been raising the wall to subtly prevent Shin Tae-oh from getting closer.

“When I try to climb up, you’re pouring oil and rolling stones.”

That wasn’t wrong. Se-hyun was on high alert because of being alone with Shin Tae-oh.
It wasn’t easy. He was conscious of Shin Tae-oh’s fingerprints seemingly imprinting on his hand as they held hands, and he had to keep looking forward to avoid eye contact when Shin Tae-oh turned his head to look around.

Because of this, he couldn’t even properly see the bamboo. He only saw the blue-green stems that crossed his vision as he focused on the path.

Could this even be called a walk?

“Aren’t you thirsty?”

Though it wasn’t cold yet with the sun still out, they had been breathing in the cool air continuously. Thinking of warm tea because of this, Se-hyun took out his phone.

It seemed Shin Tae-oh’s next planned destination was likely a cafe.

⍣⍣⍣

Se-hyun, holding two cups of coffee from the cafe, approached the car where Shin Tae-oh was waiting.

“Why does he always want to be in the car?”

Se-hyun muttered freely as he approached the car. Since Shin Tae-oh was in the car and couldn’t hear him anyway, there was no need to keep his thoughts to himself.

“The cafe is more spacious, so why insist on drinking in the cramped car? Eating snacks in the car, sleeping in the car, and now coffee too…”

Se-hyun paused for a moment, looking at the coffee.

“I wonder where he’ll say we’re going after we drink this.”

Shin Tae-oh only drinks two cups of coffee a day. Since they had one at the rest stop, this would be the second, and Se-hyun was curious about their next destination.

“We should probably rest, right?”

Even that would be uncomfortable if done in the car, but there wasn’t much he could do about it.

“He won’t suggest drinking alcohol, right? That would make it impossible to drive.”

Although Se-hyun had acted as if he would obediently stay in Ulsan as Shin Tae-oh wanted, he was planning to return to Seoul at any opportunity.

“If he suggests going to the beach, it might be cold. Where will we go? Should I book a room?”

Was there a hotel nearby? Since he hadn’t planned to stay in a hotel when coming alone, Se-hyun hadn’t looked into it and couldn’t think of any off the top of his head.

He placed one coffee on the car’s hood and searched on his phone. As he was looking for a suitable place nearby, he became lost in thought while holding his phone.

“He said we’re not going to a hotel, what should I do?”

If the perverted cat said they’re not going to a hotel, should they sleep in the car? While considering various possibilities, he looked down at his phone again.

Lost in thought, he didn’t notice Shin Tae-oh approaching.

“How should I interpret this?”

Surprised, Se-hyun froze with his phone in hand. If Shin Tae-oh had been in the car, he should have heard the door opening, but he didn’t. Was he too engrossed in his search? Or maybe…

“Should I find it admirable that you’re showing such professional spirit even here? Or should I call it stupid?”

Se-hyun realized from Shin Tae-oh’s eyes that he had heard all of his muttering. If he had known he was being listened to, he would have kept it in his head.

“I’d prefer if the conclusion leaned towards ‘admirable,’ if possible.”

Regrets aside, Se-hyun steered towards the more favorable of the two options Shin Tae-oh had subtly presented.

“Secretary Ahn is indeed admirable. You even remember all of my private life details.”

“I don’t know about your… private life details.”

It was true that Se-hyun knew more about Shin Tae-oh’s personal life than others, but not to the extent of private details.

“Debating whether to get a room or not, that’s what’s private, right?”

“Actually, I wanted to ask your opinion on that matter. Where do you plan to spend tonight?”

Since Shin Tae-oh had overheard, it was a good opportunity to decide now, preventing the need for any cancellations and avoiding doing the work twice.

‘Let’s think positively.’

As Se-hyun waited with his phone in hand, Shin Tae-oh just sipped his coffee without saying anything.

“That seems like it would depend on your answer, Se-hyun.”

“I’ll follow your instructions, sir.”

“Then shall we book a room?”

“No.”

“…You said you’d follow my instructions.”

Anyway, since he heard the answer to go to a hotel, he should book two rooms. To proceed in earnest, he even put down the coffee he was holding in one hand on the bonnet.

“Se-hyun. What’s the rush? Let’s do it while drinking coffee,”

“Yes.”

“Talk with me a bit.”

“Understood. Just let me finish this first.”

“Don’t you dislike doing things twice?”

“That’s why I’m doing it once… right?”

Se-hyun looked at the coffee pushed in front of him.

“It’s getting cold.”

“Thank you.”

Se-hyun thought it was strange that he had to thank Shin Tae-oh for the coffee he bought, but he accepted it since Shin Tae-oh was being considerate.

“Since you’re having coffee, let’s talk.”

“Wait a moment…”

As Se-hyun was being pulled along with his wrist held by Shin Tae-oh, Se-hyun resisted for a moment, but worried about spilling the coffee, he quickly relented.

Anyway, when he was with Shin Tae-oh, nothing went as Se-hyun wanted.

“Look.”

Shin Tae-oh wrapped his hand around the back of Se-hyun’s hand as if to tell her something. It was hot inside and out with the back of his hand covered while he was holding the coffee cup.

“There’s something we need to find out before going to the hotel together, right?”

Se-hyun wondered what more there was to find out.

“How much closer do you think we can get?”

“I’ve already declined your feelings, sir. What does that have to do with going to the hotel?”

“It does matter. At least we can hold hands going in.”

Se-hyun looked down at their hands. These hands that were touching now?

“I can hold your hand like we did during the walk.”

“That’s not what I want.”

“Then what?”

“I’m giving you a chance to understand my true feelings.”

Shin Tae-oh whispered with a seductive smile.

“What kind of chance?”

“A chance to understand physically?”

“We’ve already had plenty of opportunities to understand physically.”

It wasn’t just once. Including the moments Se-hyun couldn’t quite recall, there had been two such instances, so he could say they’d understood each other well enough.

“You know that’s not all.”

As Shin Tae-oh spoke, his breath brushed Se-hyun’s face. Se-hyun felt like their lips were touching even though they weren’t.

“Don’t you think we need to kiss to know for sure?”

So Shin Tae-oh just wanted to kiss, and he had drawn it out into a long sentence. Se-hyun was taken aback by the revealed intentions of the perverted cat.

Se-hyun pondered how to respond and looked at Shin Tae-oh.

“Tae-oh-ya.”

He called him by name, implying he’d see him as Shin Tae-oh, not as the boss. Se-hyun didn’t look away from Shin Tae-oh’s smiling, crescent-shaped eyes.

“Do you really think that kind of cheap trick will work on me?”

Se-hyun had been by Shin Tae-oh’s side, watching everything, and cheap tricks wouldn’t work.

Se-hyun thought Shin Tae-oh had nothing to say as he slowly rubbed his brow with his thumb. It seemed his statement about words not working had hit the mark.

Se-hyun was relieved. Now he could suggest heading back to Seoul at the right moment, thinking Shin Tae-oh wouldn’t try anything else.

“But I’m serious.”

“…”

Shin Tae-oh’s murmured words caught Se-hyun off guard. Unable to move forward, he stood awkwardly, feeling as if he might collapse at any moment. This unstable posture wasn’t good.

Se-hyun glanced down at his legs, then turned his head away. Shin Tae-oh stood firmly, looking at him with a heavy gaze.

“If you truly dislike me, tell me why. Don’t try to make me understand, make me accept it.”

Shin Tae-oh categorized it clearly. He insisted on not wanting to hear rational explanations, but only listening to words from the heart.

Words from the heart… That’s what Se-hyun couldn’t reveal to Shin Tae-oh even more. It wouldn’t do any good to let him know he was wavering.

“If I say I don’t feel anything even after kissing.”

So he made a different proposal.

“Will you stop then?”

He asked if Shin Tae-oh could give up his feelings right here. If this was the way to make Shin Tae-oh give up, Se-hyun was willing to comply.

“Se-hyun.”

Shin Tae-oh’s eyes sparkled as if amused.

“You never know how things will change with a kiss.”

Let’s see if you can hold out till the end.

Shin Tae-oh lunged at Se-hyun.