By Zephyria 
Madam Im snorted. Kwon Young-je had drawn such a clear line and distanced himself so thoroughly that she had also given up on Secretary Kim. Moreover, when she had tentatively suggested a blind date to Hui-won, hadn’t he readily agreed? She had already let go of that thread of hope there.
“I’m busy, so I’ll take my leave first.”
He placed his hands on the floor and stood up. His tall stature shot up high. Kwon Young-je glared down at Madam Im, gripping his phone as if he were about to crush it.
“Where is it. The blind date spot.”
Despite his icy tone, his expression looked like it was about to explode any second. Madam Im was stunned by this side of her son she was seeing for the first time.
Oh my, look at this kid? She quickly covered her mouth, but it was hard to hide the laughter that was about to burst out.
***
The phone rang again, a long ring. Hui-won stared at the screen, cradling the vibrating phone in both hands.
“It’s Kwon Young-je again, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Didn’t you say today was your day off?”
“That’s true… But I think I should probably answer it.”
Judging by how many times the call was coming through, something urgent must have happened. No matter if it’s a holiday, how could he just ignore this?
Kim Seok-jun’s gaze alternated between the buzzing phone once and Hui-won’s stiff face once. After leisurely swallowing his coffee, he spoke.
“I told you to ignore it. It’s fine.”
“Huh?”
“Try not answering it. See how he reacts.”
Just then, the call ended. Hui-won, clutching the phone as if it were his lifeline, raised his gaze.
“Aren’t you being too casual about someone else’s business?”
“I’m Young-je’s closest friend. I can definitely tell he’s sensed we’re on a blind date.”
“……”
“If it were work-related, he would have at least sent a text, who just keeps calling nonstop? Don’t you know Kwon Young-je? That means he’s that flustered.”
Kim Seok-jun grinned with confidence.
“He needs to feel a bit of desperation too. Ah, it’d be best to turn it off.”
Not reliable at all. Hui-won looked at Kim Seok-jun with suspicious eyes. Kwon Young-je called again, and each time the vibration rang out horribly, Hui-won’s pupils shook along with it.
Hui-won finally rejected the call and then turned the phone off completely.
Now I don’t know either. His heart pounded incessantly at the reckless transgression he had committed.
After putting the now-silent phone into his coat pocket, he resumed the conversation.
Unlike the initial awkwardness, he surprisingly got along well in conversation with Kim Seok-jun. He had a way of putting people at ease, to the point where one might think he was more suited for psychiatry than pediatrics. Perhaps it was because they didn’t see each other as romantic prospects that the conversation flowed so smoothly.
“Korean, Japanese, Western, Chinese—what do you like?”
Seok-jun said he knew all the good restaurants around here and opened his phone’s map app. It was packed with a list of saved restaurants.
“Um, Korean sounds good today.”
“Korean, okay. There happens to be a nice place in this hotel too. Take a look.”
When he showed the screen he had pulled up, Hui-won tilted his head too. With their foreheads close together, he looked at the menu photos with Seok-jun. Indeed, the food looked delicious and the reviews were good.
“Looks good? Let’s go there.”
“I’d like to try the course, but the portions are a bit large. If you’re okay with it, Hui-won, shall we order the course? You’re not a picky eater, are you?”
“No, I’m so hungry right now I could eat anyth…”
The moment he raised his head slightly, a man walking into the lounge came into Hui-won’s view.
With such a ferocious expression on his face, Hui-won froze, still bent over.
“Get up.”
Kwon Young-je, who had found his way to the table in one go, forcefully grabbed Hui-won’s wrist. The sound of the chair scraping and being pushed back drew people’s attention.
“Executive Director!”
Hui-won was forcibly pulled up from his chair. The strong grip tightened around his wrist bone, but he had no room to mind his own pain now. He urgently checked the reactions around them first.
“Young-je, I’m here too. Say hello.”
Kim Seok-jun waved his hand lightly. He had a face that seemed to have anticipated things turning out this way.
Kwon Young-je glanced at him briefly before immediately turning his head back. The only thing in his eyes right now was Kim Hui-won. He glared fiercely at the man who had ignored his calls, chatted with Kim Seok-jun, and was now too busy checking his surroundings.
His anger had shot to the top of his head, making even his eyeballs burn hotly. He tried closing his eyes to suppress the irritation, but only his eyelids trembled violently.
Hui-won first grabbed his coat with his free hand.
“Seok-jun, I’m sorry. Let’s have our meal another time…”
“Come out.”
He was dragged out before he could even finish his sentence. It felt almost like being taken into custody. With one arm seized, Hui-won was in a daze, trying to keep up with Kwon Young-je’s hurried steps.
“Executive Director, people are watching.”
He tried to stop him, but it was as if he hadn’t heard. With a hardened face, looking only straight ahead, Kwon Young-je strode purposefully and headed straight for the elevators.
The doors happened to open, and people poured out. Once inside the empty elevator, he pressed the button for B2 and immediately pushed Hui-won against the wall. His lips covered Hui-won’s even before the doors closed.
“Hmph, ngh.”
Hui-won had to frown at the violent kiss that left no room to breathe. The tongue that filled his mouth wrapped around his own as if trying to rip it out by the roots. Unswallowed saliva was sucked directly into Kwon Young-je’s mouth. Along with a sharp pain, a strange pleasure surged.
He really knows how to be jealous. He hadn’t imagined Kwon Young-je would show such a loss of reason. That’s probably why his heart was pounding like crazy. Both him and Kwon Young-je.
Before he knew it, Hui-won’s arms had wound around Kwon Young-je’s broad shoulders. There was a CCTV in the corner, but he didn’t care who saw as he tangled his wet tongue with his.
The moment they arrived in the basement, he was dragged away again, mindlessly. He had no chance to wipe his wet mouth. As soon as they stood before Kwon Young-je’s haphazardly parked car, Hui-won was thrown into the back seat like luggage.
The man who followed him in slammed the car door shut violently. Kwon Young-je immediately pinned Hui-won into the corner and shot him a sharp look.
“…Ha, fuck.”
A large hand roughly messed up Hui-won’s hair. He was most pissed off by the fact that he had dressed up nicely to go out. Who was he trying to impress? Who was he trying to seduce?
The clothes he was wearing were equally displeasing. Kwon Young-je hooked his fingers into the neckline of Hui-won’s turtleneck sweater and pulled it open. On the white nape, his own bite marks remained clearly visible.
“Isn’t it shameless to go on a blind date wearing marks I chewed on?”
Until then, Hui-won had silently watched what Kwon Young-je was doing, then slowly raised his torso. He tightly embraced the fuming man.
Through their pressed chests, he could feel the thumping heartbeat. He must be angry and excited, but now he knew. What emotion was contained within this.
“Executive Director, you like me, right?”
“What?”
“I like you. And today, I realized for sure. That you like me a lot too.”
He felt the large body held in his embrace stiffen for a moment. Hui-won cautiously raised his head.
Looking straight into Kwon Young-je’s eyes, which still held vivid anger, he spoke.
“But I won’t be a ‘Second woman’ or a ‘sex partner’ or anything like that. I’m not someone so insignificant that I deserve to be treated like that.”
“……”
“If we’re going to like each other, I want to express it properly. If you don’t like it, I’ll give up on my feelings. I don’t mind just remaining work colleagues either.”
Hui-won took a deep breath. What need was there to add messy explanations? We’re not children.
Hui-won looked at the other with clear resolve.
“So, date me. Kwon Young-je.”
His gaze wavered for a moment. His tightly pressed lips began to tremble slightly from suppressing words, and his black pupils could no longer hide the confusion.
Hui-won realized belatedly. That Kwon Young-je had also been unaware of his own feelings until now. His confession was shattering the man’s hard shell.
Kwon Young-je covered his lips without hesitation. Their breaths tangled hotly, and their tongues melted together. A firm, persistent hand gripped the back of Hui-won’s neck strongly. As if he would never let go again.
As their wet tongues crushed together in his mouth, his heart throbbed repeatedly. Hui-won also pulled on his collar. Overwhelming emotion and pheromones were flooding. It wasn’t easy to keep his composure.
After sucking until their lips were thoroughly wet, they barely caught their breath. With their noses still touching, Hui-won murmured.
“You haven’t answered yet.”
Kwon Young-je bit his lip tightly. Even as he regulated his breathing, an uncontained heat flickered in the eyes meeting his.
“Let’s do it. Date.”