By Zephyria 
Han Seung-jae pressed his lips against Seo Yi-kyung’s and wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling him close. With his free hand, he picked up the button resting on the table.
The movement of his tongue entering and exiting Seo Yi-kyung’s mouth became blatantly explicit. He traced the neat rows of teeth, licked the roof of the mouth that had been scratched by fingers, and sucked away the fluids remaining at the root of the tongue, leaving Seo Yi-kyung on the verge of losing consciousness.
[Number 598. One billion.]
Click. Behind Seo Yi-kyung’s back, Han Seung-jae’s fingers moved fluidly.
“Haa…”
Seo Yi-kyung’s upper body heaved up and down breathlessly. Before he knew it, he was straddling Han Seung-jae’s thighs.
[Number 1201. Five billion.]
“!”
Seo Yi-kyung, who had been rubbing his swollen lips with the back of his hand, felt a shiver run down the nape of his neck. He doubted the amount he had just heard.
“Fi…”
Five billion. As Seo Yi-kyung opened his mouth, their soft tongues intertwined.
As the bid surpassed five billion, the numbers appearing on the electronic display were narrowed down to two people.
Number 3598 and Number 1201.
The auction hall buzzed. People, not knowing each other’s numbers, looked around at those beside them. The two numbers fought fiercely for dominance on the screen.
Han Seung-jae didn’t care about the situation at all, leisurely caressing Seo Yi-kyung’s waist as he kissed him.
“If you don’t want to leave here yet, can I put it in your mouth one more time? Your mouth is so warm, I feel like I’m going to come soon.”
It was dizzying. Seo Yi-kyung felt his upper body lean back helplessly. However, there was a limit to how far he could fall because of the firm arms supporting his back. As Seo Yi-kyung looked up at the spinning ceiling, Im Ha-young’s voice leaked through the speakers into his ear.
[Number 1201. Six point seven billion. Are there any more bids?]
Soon, Im Ha-young called out the final bid three times in an excited voice.
And the words that the item had been finally sold pierced into the ear of Seo Yi-kyung, whose lips were still pressed against the other’s.
* * *
“Now, here is today’s highlight that you’ve all been waiting for.”
Because of the fierce battle just moments ago, Im Ha-young’s voice was tinged with excitement. At her gesture, a sword crafted in the shape of an eagle was brought out in a glass case.
Seo Dong-hu turned his head incessantly. He quickly scanned the faces of the people whose eyes gleamed as they stared at the sword. But once again, the person he was looking for was nowhere to be seen.
‘Why isn’t he here?’
Where on earth was he sitting? This auction item was today’s highlight. Wasn’t this exactly why Han Seung-jae had come? As he tried to stand up, his chauffeur struggled to dissuade him, but quickly withdrew both hands before he could get hit.
Seo Dong-hu couldn’t just sit here. If Seo Yi-kyung had faithfully followed his words, he would have participated in this auction right now, enjoying the admiring gazes of the people with his head held high.
Even if he arrogantly bought everything in here, it would only use a tiny fraction of the money Han Seung-jae possessed. It wouldn’t even leave a mark.
He should be enjoying that right now!
Since Seo Yi-kyung wouldn’t listen to a single word he said, it was enough to make him jump out of his skin. He wouldn’t even answer the phone. Naturally, heat rushed to his head. He was so angry that he had to find something to vent his frustration on.
“The auction begins. The starting price is five hundred million.”
Im Ha-young’s voice spread through the hall. Soon, the numbers on the electronic display began to change rapidly.
Perhaps because the heat from the previous round still lingered in the hall, people’s hands moved faster. Those who had missed out on all the previous items rushed in even more.
Sitting there like a discarded sack of barley, Seo Dong-hu’s insides were seething. He felt like he was the only one isolated. It was unfair and miserable that he couldn’t fit in among these people.
I can’t take it anymore!
Finally, unable to hold back, he slammed the button. Crunch. Seo Dong-hu expected that Director Han would take it anyway. Since it was the main auction item, wasn’t it obvious that he had participated in this event to obtain it?
The numbers on the screen changed rapidly, and Im Ha-young shouted incessantly. As Seo Dong-hu’s number, 267, appeared frequently on the screen, the bids jumped quickly.
“Number 489, six billion.”
Amidst this, Seo Dong-hu snorted and twisted his lips. It was a number that hadn’t appeared until now. Convinced that Number 489 was Han Seung-jae, Seo Dong-hu pressed the button as if trying to crush it.
Click, crunch, click-click-click.
He couldn’t just give it up easily. He hoped Director Han’s insides would be turned upside down just like his. If so, would this boiling anger, like an active volcano, finally subside?
“Number 267, eight billion. Are there any more bids?”
Seo Dong-hu was startled. No, at what point had the amount jumped that much?
Silence fell over the hall. Seo Dong-hu stuck out his tongue to lick his dry lips. His heart tightened so much that the inside of his mouth felt cracked and parched.
He looked at the electronic display with desperate eyes. Now it was Number 489’s turn to appear. Why isn’t Number 489 pressing the button?
He absolutely must not win the bid.
But…
Why isn’t Director Han following the bid further?
* * *
At the same time,
“Director Han is coming out.”
At the driver’s words, Secretary Park, who had been handling work in the sedan, got out of the passenger seat and opened the rear door.
The stairs, lit only by the lights leaking from the building and streetlamps, had remarkably few people passing through. The auction had not yet ended. Han Seung-jae’s long shadow stretched out.
Everyone’s attention would be focused on the sword that appeared as the final highlight. However, Han Seung-jae looked back with indifferent eyes.
Step, step. Seo Yi-kyung, his face flushed red, walked toward him with his head slightly lowered.
As Han Seung-jae shifted his body sideways, Seo Yi-kyung got into the car.
Watching him, Han Seung-jae spoke.
“I bid on two auction items, so go and sign for them.”
“Yes.”
Han Seung-jae bent his long torso and sat next to Seo Yi-kyung. Secretary Park closed the door and turned around. He walked back up the stairs the two had just descended.
Seo Yi-kyung touched his burning cheeks. The corners of his eyes were slightly damp, stained like a peach. Moreover, his lips, which had been dealt with harshly just now, were red.
Han Seung-jae had eventually ejaculated twice into Seo Yi-kyung’s mouth. Perhaps it was because the inside of his mouth was hot, as he said, the second time was fast, but there was nothing he could do about the pain in his throat every time he swallowed.
Seo Yi-kyung touched his Adam’s apple. Han Seung-jae reached out and brushed Seo Yi-kyung’s lips. Startled, Seo Yi-kyung hurriedly pushed his hand away.
“…”
Han Seung-jae’s eyes narrowed slightly. The driver, who had been sitting there reading the room, sensed the desolate atmosphere inside the car. He wondered if he should also get out and wait outside. However, since there were no instructions from Han Seung-jae, he felt awkward suddenly opening the door and leaving. Furthermore, Han Seung-jae’s gaze in the rearview mirror was cold. The driver, who suddenly made eye contact, quickly lowered his head.
Just a brief meeting of eyes made his chest feel chilly.
Click. The car door opened, and Secretary Park took his seat in the passenger side.
The driver gripped the steering wheel tightly. The sedan glided away.
The air in the car was no different from before. Within it, Secretary Park handled work and gave reports. At the sound of his voice, reciting concisely with a very familiar gaze, Seo Yi-kyung let out a barely audible long sigh.
He turned his head to look out the car window. He stared at the streets filled with neon signs passing by quickly.
Soon, Seo Yi-kyung’s pupils became hazy. He looked at his own reflection in the window and hurriedly wiped the corners of his mouth with his fingers. Some white mucus had slightly hardened. Han Seung-jae had probably been trying to wipe that away.
* * *
Swoosh—
Seo Yi-kyung brushed his teeth three times and stood in the shower booth for a long while. Lukewarm water poured over his entire body.
The roof of his mouth stung whenever his tongue brushed against it, and the tender inner cheeks of his mouth were still tingling. Seo Yi-kyung slowly rubbed his cheeks as if to ease the pain. While doing so, he stroked his aching Adam’s apple.
Amidst the sound of the water pouring in the shower booth, Im Ha-young’s voice echoed in his ears.
The brief moment of panic when he accidentally pressed the button for two billion was nothing compared to the sights he had witnessed with his own eyes, which he couldn’t believe.
An old pocket watch necklace flashed by, and a hat flickered before his eyes.
It surpassed five billion. Even so, Han Seung-jae pressed the button without blinking an eye while their lips were pressed together. It was as if he couldn’t hear Im Ha-young’s voice leaking from the speakers.
Just thinking about it made Seo Yi-kyung feel as if the shoulders where the water touched were being pressed down.
Furthermore, the final winning bid was six point seven billion. For a hat someone had used.
Step. After turning off the water and stepping out of the shower booth, Seo Yi-kyung dried his wet hair and rubbed his body with weak fingertips.
In less than two hours, the amount of money Han Seung-jae spent was nearly ten billion.
He already knew that the man had a lot of money and that common sense didn’t apply to him. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t surprised just because he knew.
In particular, Han Seung-jae was a businessman who primarily invested in corporations.
In the original story, he invested in businesses and recovered his funds without ever taking a loss.
That’s why Seo Yi-kyung couldn’t understand Han Seung-jae’s behavior today at all.
Because he had never seen him spend money on artworks in the original story. Though such detailed things might not have been mentioned.
Moreover, the original story didn’t show Han Seung-jae’s emotions. He mostly met people in his office. Most people waited a long time just to see him.
Even then, not everyone could meet Han Seung-jae.
Even if they managed to arrange a meeting with great difficulty, Han Seung-jae would only pour out scathing criticisms with cold eyes.
Unhesitating, venomous, and like an arrogant man for whom common sense did not exist.