By Zephyria 
Glancing only at the name, he continued the call. The Executive Director spoke in an ambiguous nuance, as if he would grant special favors, but then drew a line. Since Min-ho hadn’t held a shred of expectation, there was nothing to be particularly disappointed about.
—Still, it’s better to definitely put out the fire. There’s nothing good about being noisy over something bad. It’s awkward for both parties when assigning work.
“……Yes. I should be more careful. Especially with an important task ahead.”
The Executive Director continued to lecture for a long while more before finally hanging up. It was almost to the point where Min-ho hallucinated a ringing in his ears.
“The amount of talking…”
It was seriously excessive. Pressing his throbbing temples, he closed his eyes. In his head, which had finally become quiet, the Executive Director’s voice kept lingering.
—It’s awkward for both parties when assigning work.
It’s more awkward that he’s thinking that. Is he creating this atmosphere to provide an opportunity for Son Pro to approach? In proportion to his deepening worry, his acupressure became slower. Only when the area around his temples turned red did Min-ho snap his eyes open.
“I need something definitive.”
In the current situation, staying close to the Executive Director couldn’t be an advantageous condition. Son Pro would already be bridging the gap and meeting with various construction companies.
Then, it would be better to target Son Pro, who intentionally puts out false articles and takes bribe money in the middle. Above all, they had information that the Executive Director and Son Pro were exceptionally close. His fingers tapped the desk at a steady pace.
Buzz. At the same time, the phone rang again.
[Viper]
For some reason, he felt that hearing Gyu-oh’s voice would break his concentration, so he just stared at the text.
“…….”
Soon the call ended and the screen turned black. The chain of worries ended instantly. No matter how he thought about it, there was only one way. Leaving the pile of missed calls behind, he looked for Son Pro’s contact information.
The moment he was about to press the call button, the office door swung open without a knock. Even in that instant, he naturally assumed the sudden visitor would be Gyu-oh, but…
The one who barged in was Mu-gyeong, holding a phone.
Click, click.
Mu-gyeong didn’t even enter fully. Leaning half-in the door with his weight on one leg, he took photos carelessly. Looking at the angle, it seemed they were being taken completely haphazardly. Min-ho, watching the sight in bewilderment, narrowed his eyes.
“……What are you doing?”
“V.”
“…….”
The blunt voice urged him to strike a pose. Even though Min-ho showed no reaction, Mu-gyeong was relentless.
“Smile.”
“…….”
Far from smiling, his face crumpled. That guy lived as if he were normal, but he had moments where he went crazy. Just like now.
“Good.”
“……I asked what you’re doing.”
“Can’t you tell? I took a photo.”
He was incredibly brazen for barging in and taking a photo without consent. He even raised an eyebrow and looked at Min-ho defiantly. Min-ho was appalled by the reversal of roles.
“Why… are you taking a photo of me?”
Moreover, his current state was a mess. His hair was all ruffled, and his half-undone tie had slipped over his shoulder. Furthermore, since the weather seemed a bit chilly today, he had a jacket draped clumsily over one shoulder.
“Report to Gyu-oh.”
Although they maintained a proper hierarchical relationship, the three of them were exceptionally close. That was probably why the word ‘report’ could be used for someone so much younger and lower in rank.
“……Why?”
“He keeps asking how your condition is.”
“…….”
What does he want to know my condition for? No, in the first place, staying quietly tucked away in the office wasn’t a new occurrence, so what was different from usual?
While Min-ho was trying to grasp the situation, Mu-gyeong spoke while keeping his eyes on the screen. This time, too, he only spouted brazen words.
“That’s why you should have answered the phone promptly.”
Whether he had actually sent the photo to Gyu-oh, he moved his fingers a few times and then shoved the phone into his front pocket. Then, without any greeting, he abruptly closed the door and disappeared.
“……What is with those guys.”
It was so absurd that he missed the timing to even swear. He was appalled by the situation where his office had been swept through while he was off guard. He couldn’t stop letting out hollow laughs. Seriously, there isn’t a single normal person in this company. He had to stay alert, because he didn’t know how things would run if he lost his mind too.
The countless missed calls were all from one person. The guy who had just sent Mu-gyeong to check his condition. Just seeing the word ‘Viper’ made his head ache, but there was something he had to handle first.
He called the number on the screen and continued an unwelcome conversation. Matching the sly tone of the other party, he agreed to set another appointment. Though he didn’t want to, it seemed necessary to meet him privately at least once.
“Yes. That sounds good.”
The man suggested dinner, saying he would apologize for the previous rejection. With one hand, Min-ho quickly scribbled the words Son Pro recited. The appointment time and the location. At the end, he even drew a small star.
—Shall I pick you up when you leave work?
“That’s fine. It’s right around the corner.”
—It’s better to move as I suggest. Anyway, well, let’s talk about it then.
I told him to go separately, so why is he saying let’s talk about it then? Does he like saying things twice to be tedious? Even while frowning, Min-ho maintained a perfectly gentle tone.
“Yes, let’s do that.”
This time, too, his mouth and his heart were playing different games. Scribbling ‘S’ and ‘B’ (curse words) in succession with his ballpoint pen, he added a ‘haha’ laugh. As soon as the appointment was set, he hung up. Having barely finished the grueling call, he collapsed face-down on the desk.
“Ugh, disgusting.”
If he weren’t close to the Executive Director, he was the type of person he wouldn’t have exchanged more than two words with. Slimy, sly, and always boasting.
Buzz. What cut off the trailing thoughts was the vibration of the phone. Since he was lying on the desk, the vibration was delivered exceptionally strongly. As he bolted upright, his back and buttocks felt stiff.
“I’m gonna die.”
Even though a full day had passed, a dull pain still followed. If he had sex with Won Gyu-oh twice, his lower half might be completely raw. His frowning eyes met the screen.
“……Why is he calling so much.”
Perhaps because he felt more relaxed, his voice was entirely different from the previous call. Because he spoke without caring much about pronunciation, the words were slightly slurred, but the other party understood immediately.
—Who are you talking to so long?
“About the contract acquisition. What’s the rush that you even sent Mu-gyeong down?”
Since there was no reason to reveal he had spoken with Son Pro, he gave a vague answer and buried himself deep in the chair. Oh boy, sighs kept escaping him unconsciously.
—Since you don’t answer, my competitive spirit kicks in more. The contract acquisition, so… Son Pro?
Of course, the quick-witted Won Gyu-oh caught on immediately.
“Yeah.”
At the short answer, Gyu-oh didn’t respond. Because that silence lasted for a long time, Min-ho checked the screen, thinking the call had been disconnected. The numbers were steadily increasing. As he put the phone back to his ear, Gyu-oh’s voice immediately came through.
―What is he saying? Did he call you to the hotel again?
The hotel was originally a room Son Pro had booked for his own stay. He had simply invited him there, claiming that since he had already drunk heavily, it would be more comfortable to meet there. Of course, there was a high possibility of other intentions, but he didn’t bother making such excuses to Gyu-oh.
“Let’s meet outside.”
―Where? What time? Ah, of all days, he’s popped up today.
He had finally caught a trace of the reporter, whose whereabouts had been unknown until then. Gyu-oh had been running around busily since yesterday to chase him down.
“Let’s just have dinner near the office.”
―Just eat and come back. You know I’ve put a tail on you, right? I’ll be getting full reports.
“……You’re admitting to putting a tail on me quite proudly, aren’t you?”
―You should be conscious of the fact that you’re being watched.
Why do you keep watching me? Do you think our relationship changed just because we had sex once? The question rose to the tip of his tongue, but he felt this wasn’t a matter to be asked over the phone.
“Whatever. Why did you call?”
―What about lunch?
He wondered if something significant had happened, but it was a trivial question. He had eaten at the company cafeteria with the secretaries, but because he had gone back up early, he couldn’t even remember exactly what the menu had been. However, knowing that saying the wrong thing might lead to Gyu-oh sending someone else, it was better to give a vague answer.
“I ate. Don’t you get reports on things like this?”
―I did. I knew you went to the company cafeteria, so I was just checking.
A laugh-filled response followed. When he went out, he could feel the tail following him, but it wasn’t easy to notice inside the company. He even had them follow me inside. The secretaries standing outside the door were the first to come to mind.
“You crazy bastard, that’s a crime. Should I just throw you in a prison cell?”
―Do it. A regular routine? Not bad.
It felt like a conversation happening across a wall. No matter what was said, Won Gyu-oh accepted it however he pleased, remaining completely unfazed. It seemed like they both had something to say to each other, but the pointless, roundabout conversation continued for a while longer.