By Zephyria 
“Your scent is too weak to even be considered pheromone-like.”
“That’s harsh. Is that something you say to someone’s face?”
“Consider yourself lucky. If it weren’t for that, I would have kicked you out immediately.”
“But it’s not unpleasant, right? Honestly, that’s enough for me. Ah, thank you.”
Lee Ha-jin belatedly offered his thanks while holding a teacup. His face, smiling brightly at Hui-won, was still clear and unblemished.
Hui-won gave a short nod in acknowledgment before turning away. Pretending nothing was amiss was a familiar act. He let private conversations go in one ear and out the other. He recalled once more the secretary’s code, honed over many years.
Kwon Young-je made no effort to hide his displeased expression. He pressed his temples, his brow furrowing menacingly.
“What on earth is this?”
“Let’s get married. Us.”
Hui-won froze, his hand on the doorknob.
He had anticipated it, but hearing those words with his own ears rendered him unable to move a single finger.
The emotions he had struggled to control boiled over because of Lee Ha-jin. He wasn’t sure if it was petty jealousy or wounded pride, but something was definitely churning in his gut.
However, this was not a place where he could intervene. What use would his opinion be? This was a matter for Kwon Young-je to decide on his own. He chose to remain quietly silent.
“Marriage?”
“I’m not joking. Hyung, you stand to gain so much more from a marriage too. Think about it seriously.”
Hui-won left the office, leaving that conversation behind. As soon as the door closed, a weary sigh escaped him.
Kim Hui-won, get a grip. He had to roll the mantra-like words around in his mouth several times to steady his turbulent mind.
He didn’t know what answer Kwon Young-je had given to Lee Ha-jin’s proposal.
However, the unwelcome guest left not long after, and Kwon Young-je proceeded with his scheduled appointments as usual. Without any special evening plans, he said he would head straight home after work.
Before he knew it, it was Friday night. The car was quiet, and Hui-won silently held the steering wheel. Kwon Young-je had instructed that no driver was needed. Inside the sedan occupied only by the two of them, an alluring scent of bergamot surged.
He was sending an unmistakable signal. Hui-won loosened his tightly knotted tie slightly and gripped the steering wheel again. He had a feeling that tonight, without a doubt, they would sleep together.
The dilemma of whether to refuse him or accept him deepened.
After parking and stepping outside, he saw Kwon Young-je waiting in front of the gate.
He was standing holding the half-open door. Though no words of invitation were spoken, Hui-won stepped forward on his own. His leg crossed the threshold of the iron gate.
As soon as the front door closed, lips pressed against his. Kwon Young-je kissed him fiercely, roughly grabbing both of Hui-won’s cheeks. Hui-won instinctively stepped back, his back hitting the solid wall. Kwon Young-je seemed impatient, not even giving him a chance to catch his breath, yet the force sucking on his lips was uncharacteristically gentle.
Only after his lips were thoroughly soaked with saliva could he finally push him away. Hui-won wiped his wet mouth with the back of his hand and took a step to the side.
“Let’s… wash up first.”
“Let’s wash together.”
“Vice President.”
Hui-won grabbed Kwon Young-je, who was trying to lead him to the bathroom. As he resisted repeatedly, Kwon Young-je let out a tired sigh.
“If you don’t want to, say so now. I have no intention of forcing you.”
Hui-won shook his head. Refusing Kwon Young-je was still a difficult thing for him to do.
However, he needed to clearly sort out the issue before moving on. It was no longer something to postpone. Hui-won gazed at him with a calm face.
“Are you considering marrying Lee Ha-jin?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I heard the conversation you were having earlier. I know it’s not my place to interfere, but as someone who shares a living space with you, I thought I should know your intentions, Vice President. I need to set my own course clearly too.”
Kwon Young-je released the arm he was holding. He looked at Hui-won with eyes that had grown even sharper.
“Are you saying that if I get married, you’ll leave?”
“Yes.”
The immediate answer, without any hesitation, made Kwon Young-je’s gaze grow even colder.
“Disappointing.”
“Isn’t that only natural?”
“You’ve been with me for so long, and you still can’t read my thoughts?”
“…….”
“You’ve lived as my personal secretary for six years, and on top of that, we’ve been attached at the hip almost every day. You should know what answer I would have given to that proposal. Or did you really see me as someone so lacking that I’d be desperate for a marriage of convenience?”
“I… don’t know you that well, Vice President.”
“You keep disappointing me.”
Kwon Young-je pulled the corner of his mouth up into a long smile. It was a handsome smile, but it didn’t look happy at all.
“I thought there was no one who knew me as well as Secretary Kim.”
Hui-won bit his lip tightly. Kwon Young-je’s disappointment was clearly evident.
“…I didn’t want to make hasty assumptions.”
“And yet you drew the line first and stepped back. It’s always been like that with you.”
“…….”
Only a suffocating silence followed. Neither spoke first, only exchanging stubborn glances as if in a battle of wills.
Kwon Young-je was the first to give up. He slowly ruffled his hair and spoke.
“I have no intention of marrying Lee Ha-jin, nor of seeing him.”
Instead of a verbal acknowledgment, Hui-won simply nodded. Even though he had heard a firm declaration, the heavy atmosphere showed little sign of recovering.
Kwon Young-je rubbed his temples as if a headache was coming on. Leaning against the wall, he asked in a slow voice.
“What do you want to do?”
“…….”
“Do you still attach meaning to us sleeping together?”
Now the decision-making power had passed to Hui-won.
To be honest, it had been quite a while since he had started attaching meaning to it. He was just late in realizing it.
If he said ‘yes,’ what would the answer be? It was clear Kwon Young-je would end their relationship without a second thought.
Countless thoughts tangled chaotically in his head. In this state, making a decision wasn’t easy.
Hui-won slowly raised his gaze. Looking at Kwon Young-je, whose eyes hadn’t left him for an inch, the desire to have him and the impulse to end it all clashed fiercely.
If he followed his desire, the only way was to pretend it meant nothing.
Hui-won hid his complicated thoughts and forced out a voice that was hard to muster.
“I’ll wash up quickly and go.”
Entering the bedroom, he saw the man already lying on the bed after showering. Hui-won, still wearing his robe, slowly climbed on top of him.
Sitting astride the firm thighs, he groped Kwon Young-je’s bare stomach. The abdomen without an ounce of fat was as taut as ever.
“…….”
Kwon Young-je watched Hui-won’s actions without a word. Hui-won tried to ignore the intense gaze and moved on his own. Skipping both kisses and foreplay, he reached behind and grasped only the Alpha’s massively erect member.
Lifting his hips slightly, he stood in an awkward posture. Even as he recklessly shoved the glans into the unprepared hole, Kwon Young-je didn’t move a hand. He just persistently watched Hui-won’s face.
“Huh, ugh.”
An involuntary groan escaped. Even though he had just washed, cold sweat trickled down. Hui-won furrowed his brow and pushed the member in repeatedly.
His size was difficult to take even with proper preparation. Perhaps due to tension, not even vaginal fluid was coming out properly, making the back hole stiffer than usual. The slight moisture from the shower and the pre-cum dripping from Kwon Young-je’s glans were the only lubricants.
Nevertheless, he swallowed the member recklessly. The forcibly stretched inner walls burned hot, as if a searing iron rod was being shoved inside. Even though it hurt and was burdensome, perhaps because his body remembered his cock, Hui-won’s body opened up on its own. The thick shaft slowly entered bit by bit, and with repeated friction, vaginal fluid gradually began to flow.
“Ah, hh, ugh.”
Finally, after swallowing the entire thick member, Hui-won grabbed Kwon Young-je’s solid hip bones and began moving his waist. Thump, thump. With each pounding thrust, the bed rocked like waves.
The panting breaths and moans were clear signs of arousal, but Hui-won’s expression didn’t match. To anyone watching, it was obvious he wasn’t enjoying the sex. He was just mechanically grinding his hips.
What was the problem?
Kwon Young-je’s long, narrow eyes sharpened. Today’s odd behavior only fueled his frustration. Amidst it all, the inner walls tightly gripping his member occasionally made his head spin.
First, he stripped off the robe tightly covering Hui-won’s body. The lean frame was revealed, and with each thrust of the member, the flat skin of the stomach bulged out repeatedly. Seeing Hui-won’s own member properly erect, he felt a ridiculous sense of relief.