By Zephyria 
“Isn’t divorce only recognized in Korea once the paperwork is completely finished?”
“As far as I know,” the researcher said, glancing at Seo Baek-han.
“From a certain point on, Tae-hyun started smelling strongly of the Director’s pheromones… I thought you two might get back together, and I was secretly cheering you on.”
Filtering out the nonsense about cheering and such, Seo Baek-han managed to maintain his composure. Thanks to a long-standing habit, he could maintain a calm face as if wearing a mask, but inside, he was a mess.
This was definitely Liam’s doing, acting on his own.
It wasn’t his overconfidence in knowing Joo Tae-hyun well, nor was it his own wishful thinking that he hoped it wasn’t true. Amidst the uproar both domestically and internationally, Joo Tae-hyun wouldn’t do anything useless to himself or the DH Group.
If he truly liked Joo Tae-hyun, he should have investigated properly. If he knew how much emotional distress Joo Tae-hyun went through during the press conference, he wouldn’t have even concocted such a crude plan.
“Liam likes Tae-hyun, that’s true, but the engagement is baseless.”
“So it is, then?”
Seo Baek-han found the researcher’s excessive relief suspicious. Had they made a bet behind his back? Perhaps everything felt that way because he was simply annoyed by it all.
“Will the Director be attending later, too? The pool party.”
“Of course.”
He hadn’t even known such a thing was happening, but of course, he had to attend.
“It’s at 6, right?”
“Ah, I heard it starts at 7.”
“Oh dear, I almost ended up guarding the spot alone. Thank you, Robin.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I’ll see you in a bit.”
Seo Baek-han smiled and parted ways with the researcher. Perhaps it was because his grip had tightened unconsciously. Blood seeped from the wound on his hand.
He decided to cast aside any resolve to not act childishly towards a kid. He could tolerate being provoked all he wanted, but he had absolutely no intention of letting anything that would trouble Joo Tae-hyun himself slide.
* * *
“Oh, Tae-hyun? That’s you, right?”
Once again, these were people he had never met.
While he didn’t know every single business person in the world, he prided himself on having grasped the information on everyone he absolutely needed to know, regardless of their field.
Yet, the people who greeted him at this party were all strangers. They were undoubtedly important people whose names would immediately come up if he searched them later, but they had no connection whatsoever to Joo Tae-hyun himself, nor to the DH Group.
He wondered if they were people with personal connections to his hyungs or noonas.
“I’ve heard a lot about Tae-hyun from Liam.”
Their friendly demeanor, mentioning Liam instead of his family, felt strange.
Joo Tae-hyun responded with polite courtesy, but he couldn’t shake off the unease. Where were his professors or the people from his lab? He couldn’t even see Liam, who had invited him to this event.
He shouldn’t have believed the words “casual pool party.” His plan to just make an appearance to his professors and Liam, the host, and then quietly disappear had long been thwarted.
More than anything.
“Really? An Eastern Alpha… I’m surprised.”
“I heard he just got divorced?”
This was the second time. The second time he’d found people whispering behind his back, using him as gossip.
He was curious about who they were and what they were gossiping about with such certainty, but he didn’t even feel the urge to find out. In any case, it was certain that Liam had planned this lavish party using his name.
He decided he should probably leave.
He had been moderately accommodating to Liam until now, seeing no need to create distance… but it was problematic to use others like this.
“You look really unwell.”
As he was about to hand his cocktail glass to a passing server, someone behind him snatched it away. The expression “snatched” wasn’t quite fitting; it was a smooth, fluid motion.
Could it be? Joo Tae-hyun wondered if this was truly someone he knew, and he subtly turned his body.
Long fingers wrapped around the thin stem.
Lips, curved in a smile, lightly touching the rim of the glass.
A man approaching with light steps, as if waiting for Joo Tae-hyun’s gaze to fall upon him.
“It’s the same expression you have when you look at people from the Crown Prince’s side.”
It was Seo Baek-han.
“Ugh, by the way, this is really not good.”
As he scrunched his brow, finding the sweet drink unpalatable, Seo Baek-han laughed playfully.
Why was Hyung here? Liam had organized this event… Joo Tae-hyun stared at him blankly for a moment, then, as if nothing had happened, addressed Seo Baek-han. Fortunately, his usual calm voice flowed out naturally.
“…How did you get here?”
“I came when I heard you were coming.”
“You can’t be serious, you came without being invited?”
Seo Baek-han shrugged lightly as if to say, ‘What are you asking?’
“You know Liam dislikes me.”
“Knowing that, you just came anyway?”
Instead of somehow persuading the person involved to get an invitation, he just barged in… it was out of character for him.
“Why, is it strange?”
“That’s not what I’m asking right now.”
After giving a sullen retort, Seo Baek-han’s attire finally registered.
A thin knit that revealed the silhouette of his body, paired with comfortable slacks. It was certainly not an outfit Seo Baek-han would typically wear for enjoyment. While it fit the pool party concept, having only ever seen him in suits and formal wear at gatherings, he looked somewhat unfamiliar dressed so casually.
“I was in a hurry. Liam’s been bragging that he’s going to announce our engagement here.”
“…What? Does that even make sense… No, did you believe that nonsense in the first place, Hyung?”
“Why. It certainly looks like he’s planning to make a grand confession in front of everyone.”
Seo Baek-han gestured towards the decorated cabanas. Flowers and fluttering ribbons adorned them all around. He hadn’t paid attention, not being interested, but as he said, it was indeed a setup perfect for a proposal.
“It could just be decorations for taking pictures,” Joo Tae-hyun replied indifferently, swallowing his agitation. He didn’t want to show his vulnerable side to Seo Baek-han, of all people.
“If that’s the case, then good.”
Seo Baek-han merely handed his empty glass back to a server and gave a sheepish smile. The corners of his mouth pulled in, creating dimples, his nose crinkling. It was the expression Seo Baek-han unconsciously made when he was embarrassed. It was also an expression Joo Tae-hyun used to love the most… It felt as though he, who rarely showed his emotions in front of others, was allowing himself to be weak only for him.
“Is that really the reason you came all this way? To monitor what kind of nonsense Liam might spout at me?”
“Yes. I came to ruin that bastard’s confession.”
Seo Baek-han strode closer, now right in front of him. Because of that, only the soft glow of the lap pool lights, not the ornate cabanas, filled Joo Tae-hyun’s vision.
“You’re thirty-three years old, acting childishly jealous of someone much younger. But the moment I heard that, my eyes went red.”
Blue veins stood out on the back of Seo Baek-han’s clenched and unclenched fist. As if he were incredibly tense.
“…Whether I receive a confession from someone else or not, what does that have to do with you?”
“That’s right, it has nothing to do with me. I know very well that it’s not something I can interfere with.”
Then what are you trying to do, he wanted to demand, asking how it was possible to show up unannounced like this out of personal feelings, and if he was planning to pressure him again by bringing up divorce laws.
“…But I like you.”
However, Seo Baek-han suddenly revealed his feelings.
I like you.
At the magnificent pool party, clearly decorated by Liam for his own confession, Seo Baek-han, for the first time, honestly laid bare his inner thoughts.
“Even when I said harsh things to you, and to our child… I should have said I liked you instead of that garbage, but back then I was too…”
Too, Seo Baek-han trailed off. As if he couldn’t offer any excuse.
Water shadows gently rippled across his face, his lips pressed together. Perhaps it was the soft lighting. Seo Baek-han appeared distant, as if submerged alone beneath the water’s surface. Though he knew it was impossible, the angle made it seem as though he were swallowing tears.