TSG 85

Taking advantage of Se-hyun’s absence, Lee Jin-ho asked Shin Tae-oh what had happened during the business trip.

“I seized the opportunity and devoured it.”

“Devoured, you say?”

Shin Tae-oh frowned, displeased with Lee Jin-ho’s muttering, as if interpreting his words in his own way.

“That’s enough.”

Lee Jin-ho cleared his throat at Shin Tae-oh’s dissatisfied gaze.

“Why do you speak in a way that invites misunderstanding?”

“Who’s to blame for your impure thoughts?”

Shin Tae-oh twisted his lips as Lee Jin-ho silently grumbled to himself about who really had impure thoughts.

“If you’re going to badmouth me, why not do it outside?”

“Well, if you act more modestly, I wouldn’t misunderstand.”

Jin-ho tried to defend himself, feeling somewhat wronged, but…

“Tsk. Se-hyun should have been the Chief Secretary, not you.”

Shin Tae-oh’s sarcasm only got worse.

“Where can you find an Alpha as chaste and pure as me, who doesn’t go to hotels or have one-night stands? Se-hyun knows this, but you don’t.”

“That’s…”

Lee Jin-ho trailed off, unable to find a retort. Indeed, Shin Tae-oh was different from other third-generation chaebols. He never asked for a one-night stand partner and never sought out an Omega himself.

Certainly, this time Lee Jin-ho was in the wrong…

“I shouldn’t have lived like that.”

“Hm?”

Lee Jin-ho, who had just been thinking think Shin Tae-oh wasn’t so bad, couldn’t quite understand his words.

“If I’d lived promiscuously, I could have suggested going to a hotel or at least gotten a peek under his clothes.”

“Is this about the business trip?”

Lee Jin-ho’s eyes lit up as he began to understand Shin Tae-oh’s words.

“Right. I deliberately planned to shake up Se-hyun. But…”

Recalling that day, Shin Tae-oh’s words trailed off. Lee Jin-ho focused intently on Shin Tae-oh’s lips, which moved as if drawing a beautiful line. Unconsciously, Lee Jin-ho mimicked his lip movements.

“I was the only one who fell.”

“Pardon?”

Shin Tae-oh chuckled at Lee Jin-ho’s dumbfounded question.

“I saw something I shouldn’t have again, and it ruined me alone.”

Shin Tae-oh had suggested a kiss, determined to shake Se-hyun somehow, and when Se-hyun accepted, he pushed forward without hesitation. Se-hyun’s lips were so sweet, and his flushed face was beautiful.

His long eyelashes visible as he lowered his eyes, his wet gaze. From his reddened lips being licked by an equally red tongue to the soft line of his jaw as he turned his head.

It was as if Se-hyun’s face had been imprinted in his mind, impossible to forget no matter how he tried.

“No. Even if I’d played around promiscuously, I couldn’t have resisted that.”

Even if he had kissed countless Omegas, he could never forget Se-hyun’s expression.

“So you did eat something.”

Shin Tae-oh didn’t deny Lee Jin-ho’s muttering about whether he’d eaten Se-hyun’s lips or hand.

“The button was properly pressed.”

As Shin Tae-oh spoke cryptically again, Lee Jin-ho pointed to Se-hyun’s desk outside.

“So, is Se-hyun shaken up because of that?”

Shin Tae-oh sighed at the question of whether that was why Se-hyun was trying to avoid him.

“It’s not Se-hyun who’s shaken, it’s me. Me.”

“But he’s the one avoiding you.”

Shin Tae-oh didn’t deny it.
“When we’re alone, he won’t even turn his head toward me.”

From Ulsan to Seoul, Se-hyun had completely ignored him with his usual indifferent face.

“What on earth is going on?”

With his patience wearing thin, Lee Jin-ho finally dropped formalities. They weren’t talking about business but Shin Tae-oh’s love life.

“So what are you going to do now?”

“For now, I have to wait.”

Shin Tae-oh rested his chin on his hand and opened a drawer to check an envelope on top. He took out Se-hyun’s ID photo received from Yoo Jin-hyun and admired it. Not having seen much of Se-hyun’s face today, he quenched his thirst with the photo.

“You’ve really fallen hard. It’s a shame for Se-hyun, but since you’re pitiful, I’ll cheer you on.”

Hoping his junior might experience love for once, Lee Jin-ho leaned in further.

Lee Jin-ho flipped the tablet over and placed it back on the desk.

“Let’s go. I’ll buy you a drink, hoobae-ya(junior).”

⍣⍣⍣

“Welcome.”

Park Ha-sung, who had been waiting, extended his hand. Though it had been a while since they’d met in person, they’d been in frequent contact, and he greeted Se-hyun warmly. As Se-hyun took his hand, he was pulled forward. He quickly stepped forward to avoid falling, but the pulling force didn’t lessen.

“It was difficult to capture everything in photos sent by email.”

Park Ha-sung held Se-hyun tightly and led him inside.

The “welcome” wasn’t just a greeting but a genuine invitation.

Se-hyun quickly regained his balance and followed Park Ha-sung, noticing something new that caught his eye, which he examined closely.

“This is…”

“It’s the modeling.”

It wasn’t computer-generated, but an actual miniature model. Looking at the miniature sample, Se-hyun understood why Park Ha-sung had said he needed to see it in person.

“I tried to create it with the feeling of making a model house. Here, it’s divided into two versions, expanded and non-expanded…”

Park Ha-sung pointed to each small sample as he explained. He had even created the surrounding landscaping, showcasing the effort and dedication put into it.

“This is just the first version. We plan to refine it further and then create a second version.”

“You’re going to make more of these?”

Se-hyun pointed at the model in surprise. Each room was smaller than his palm. It must have taken considerable time and effort to create this, yet Park Ha-sung seemed to consider it natural.

“Making it like this shows us what needs to be changed. We’re setting the direction by creating samples.”

Park Ha-sung placed the small model on his palm, turning it this way and that. His expression was serious, seemingly not yet satisfied with it.

‘Setting the direction with samples.’

Se-hyun’s gaze fell on the model in Park Ha-sung’s hand. It resonated with him that this creation from his hands wasn’t fixed in its initial form but could change at any time.

Was the original creator of this story in a similar situation?

If so, did that mean this story wasn’t set in stone either, but could be adjusted and directed as needed?

‘It’s not the same thing.’

Park Ha-sung hadn’t presented this as a finished product, while the original work Se-hyun had read was complete.

Se-hyun was berating himself for trying to draw parallels between the two situations when he noticed Park Ha-sung’s gaze and quickly spoke up.

“Next time, I’ll help.”

“You, Secretary Ahn?”

“Yes, of course. The CEO’s work is my work, after all.”

While he was already in close contact with the TF team regarding interior design, Se-hyun wanted to help with whatever he could.

“The CEO’s work is your work… I’m touched.”

“It’s just because it’s part of the job.”

“Still.”

Park Ha-sung looked at the model for a moment before cheerfully accepting his offer.

“Then, I’ll continue with the explanation. If you look here, you can see SR Construction’s characteristic attention to detail…”

As the excited explanation began, Se-hyun smiled awkwardly and took out his phone. He had told Yoo Jin-ha he’d contact him when the meeting ended, but it seemed he’d have to postpone.

“Do you have an appointment?”

“It’s fine.”

Se-hyun lowered his phone without finishing the message, worried Park Ha-sung might be concerned.

“You can be honest with me… You can tell me everything.”

Se-hyun, who had already opened up to Park Ha-sung before, couldn’t hold out for long. It might have been because of that first step; while he put up walls with Shin Tae-oh, he strangely opened up completely to Park Ha-sung.

“Actually, I do have an appointment.”

“Is that so? That’s a shame. Perhaps with the CEO…”

“No, it’s not.”

“…”

He shouldn’t have, but Se-hyun cut off Park Ha-sung’s words urgently. As Park Ha-sung stared at him, unable to close his mouth, Se-hyun realized his mistake and reluctantly elaborated.

“It’s not meeting with the CEO, but I’m going drinking because I have a lot on my mind because of him.”

“If it’s that kind of gathering, couldn’t I join too?”

“You, Sir?”

“Your work is my work.”

Park Ha-sung naturally echoed Se-hyun’s earlier words.

“Especially if it’s about your love life, I can’t miss out. The closer we get, the easier it will be for me to ask for help with modeling.”

With Park Ha-sung insisting, Se-hyun couldn’t refuse and contacted Yoo Jin-ha to see if it was okay.

⍣⍣⍣

Somehow, the original story’s protagonist, an extra, and a character who didn’t even get a one-line description ended up gathered in one place.

“Then, can I comfortably call you Jin-ha?”

“Of course, Ha-sung hyung.”

“We get along well. I didn’t know such an interesting younger brother existed beside Secretary Ahn, I mean Se-hyun.”

Park Ha-sung turned his body completely towards Yoo Jin-ha. Yoo Jin-ha, sitting next to Se-hyun, also fixed his gaze on Park Ha-sung.

“I’m thrilled to get to know Ha-sung hyung too. Let’s meet often.”

“Shall we?”

Se-hyun felt strange as he looked back and forth between Park Ha-sung and Yoo Jin-ha, who hadn’t even been seated for 30 minutes talking familiarly.

The protagonist was becoming friends with a character who wasn’t even given a one-line description. They were even making plans to meet regularly. Watching this unfold left Se-hyun unsure of what to say.