240 – TIO Side Story 17

Lee Seong-ju, coming into the living room, looked toward where everyone’s attention was focused. He noted Seo Yi-kyung sitting on the sofa and Han Seung-jae standing beside him.

No one approached Lee Seong-ju to kindly inform him of anything. Everyone seemed to be staring at Seo Yi-kyung and Han Seung-jae in the center of the living room, seemingly unaware that Lee Seong-ju was even there.

Though no one told him, he could feel instantly that the man was the master of this house. The shift in the living room’s atmosphere was something felt through the skin, not heard through the ears.

Han Seung-jae reached out his long arm and touched Seo Yi-kyung’s forehead. His large palm descended to cover even Yi-kyung’s eyes. Butler Do stepped forward and offered a glass of water on a tray.

Seo Yi-kyung pressed the glass to his lips and drank. He had thought his body felt a bit hot, but it had become more so since Han Seung-jae touched his cheek.

Moreover, they had done even more than that this morning. He felt an almost fresh sense of embarrassment.

“I’m fine now.”

Seo Yi-kyung continued, noticing Butler Do’s worried gaze and Han Seung-jae’s cold eyes.

“I think the weather was too hot to be sitting outside.”

Thinking he had caused unnecessary worry, Seo Yi-kyung placed the half-empty glass on the table. The flower basket Butler Do had placed there was right beside it.

Seo Yi-kyung looked at the vibrant roses. It would be nice to divide them into vases and put them in the bedroom. Just [unauthorized copy]aria-label="visit our site">visit our siteas he was about to say he might need some vases…

“Hello.”

Seo Yi-kyung turned his head. Similarly, Han Seung-jae shifted his body slightly.

“I am Lee Seong-ju, and I’ll be taking care of Ji-un-ssi starting today. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

In reality, Lee Seong-ju had met Secretary Park during his interview, but this was his first time seeing Han Seung-jae.

Seo Yi-kyung looked at the smiling Lee Seong-ju. Then, he slowly shifted his gaze to check Han Seung-jae’s expression.

Han Seung-jae, who had also been fixing his gaze on Lee Seong-ju, spoke.

“I see.”

“Yes. I may not look it, but I have four younger siblings. It’s practically as if I raised them all myself. So, you don’t have to worry about Ji-un-ssi from now on.”

Lee Seong-ju’s face was full of confidence. As a gifted individual, he possessed both the knowledge from books that filled his head and the knowledge gained through experience.

“That’s good.”

“And I…”

Han Seung-jae withdrew his gaze from Lee Seong-ju just as the man was about to speak further. He turned back toward Seo Yi-kyung.

“Come here.”

Seo Yi-kyung stood up from the sofa and approached Han Seung-jae. He felt Lee Seong-ju staring intently at him. Meeting his eyes, Lee Seong-ju gave Seo Yi-kyung a gentle smile.

Han Seung-jae spoke.

“Why are your buttons fastened all the way to the top?”

Seo Yi-kyung, who had been looking at Lee Seong-ju, snapped his head up.

“Ah.”

Seo Yi-kyung touched his neck. The weather was hot, and having the buttons fastened tight to the neck must have made it harder to breathe.

“Your throat hurt this morning; is it still like that?”

“Not to that extent.”

“It would be better to go and change your clothes.”

Han Seung-jae headed toward the dressing room with Seo Yi-kyung. Once the two entered and the door closed, Butler Do, having confirmed this, turned his head back.

“…Well, is there something you need?”

Having finally breathed a sigh of relief, Butler Do asked Lee Seong-ju. Lee Seong-ju responded with a smile.

“I came down because I think Ji-un-ssi is hungry.”

“I was just about to bring something for him. One moment.”

Lee Seong-ju stopped Butler Do as he was about to move.

“Can I just go that way? I’ll go and pick it up.”

“Would you do that for me?”

“It’s part of my job from now on.”

Butler Do watched Lee Seong-ju walk away and then called Da-hye.

“Please bring some vases.”

Many vases were needed to divide the roses that filled the flower basket.

* * *

Seo Yi-kyung reached back to close the dressing room door and turned around. He instinctively gasped and held his breath.

Han Seung-jae, who had entered first, was standing right there. With his long fingers, he flicked open the button Seo Yi-kyung had fastened to the top of his neck. Perhaps because of the opening shirt, Seo Yi-kyung’s shoulders rose and fell slowly as he exhaled the breath he had been holding.

“Is it because of this?”

Han Seung-jae rubbed the reddish-purple bruises deeply engraved on Seo Yi-kyung’s nape with his fingertips. It wasn’t because it hurt; it seemed he had been conscious of other people’s gazes.

Every time Han Seung-jae’s fingers traced the area around his neck, Seo Yi-kyung’s Adam’s apple twitched, and he felt a slight tickle.

“Not me.”

Han Seung-jae’s touch wrapped around Seo Yi-kyung’s chin, tilting it upward. Seo Yi-kyung took a step back, but the door touched his back, leaving him nowhere else to retreat. Han Seung-jae’s head tilted slightly.

Just before licking Seo Yi-kyung’s half-parted lips and pushing his tongue inside, he murmured,

“Who exactly are you worried about?”

Seo Yi-kyung felt the piece of flesh pushing into his mouth strongly entwine with his own fluttering tongue. Because he entwined, pressed, and sucked with such persistence, Seo Yi-kyung’s knees buckled and gave way.

To avoid collapsing helplessly, Seo Yi-kyung reached his arms forward. Red rose petals fell from his palms and scattered across the floor. Seo Yi-kyung gripped Han Seung-jae’s suit with both hands.

“Nngh……”

Han Seung-jae pressed his lips against him while gripping Seo Yi-kyung’s slender chin. Seo Yi-kyung needed to realize more clearly what kind of person he was to Han Seung-jae. Furthermore, the marks left on this neck were made by Han Seung-jae. The only person Seo Yi-kyung needed to worry about in this house was Han Seung-jae.

Seo Yi-kyung had even given birth to Ji-un-ssi, an extreme dominant Alpha. Even Han Seung-jae’s father wanted to see the child and was currently unable to do anything about Seo Yi-kyung. Yet, it seemed Seo Yi-kyung couldn’t even gauge where his own position stood.

“Haa, haa……”

Han Seung-jae’s lips finally pulled away. Seo Yi-kyung continuously caught his breath with lips glistening with saliva. However, Han Seung-jae’s head moved down toward his chin. Seo Yi-kyung felt him about to bite his neck with his teeth.

“Seung-jae.”

Startled, Seo Yi-kyung yanked on Han Seung-jae’s suit. It was a gesture devoid of any real strength. There was no way such a thing could bend Han Seung-jae’s will.

Ultimately, Han Seung-jae pressed his lips along Seo Yi-kyung’s neck and licked the collarbone, which had dipped further due to tension.

Han Seung-jae finished unbuttoning Seo Yi-kyung’s shirt. Following his fingertips, the marks made this morning were vividly revealed through the wide-open shirt. [unauthorized copy]style="position:relative;display:inline;">[unauthorized copy]There was no spot where his lips hadn’t touched.

With a tense gaze, Seo Yi-kyung did not let go of the suit he was gripping. Han Seung-jae’s eyes flashed with a sharp light as he watched this.

As soon as he had woken up, he had placed Seo Yi-kyung on his waist and entwined their bodies until dawn. He had bought the roses as an apology for making him such a mess.

Han Seung-jae bent his upper body and pressed his lips to the marks near Seo Yi-kyung’s chest. Seo Yi-kyung’s flank trembled where his hand touched.

He had never felt such a longing, a strangely intense obsession, and a desire for ruthless possession.

* * *

Da-hye wiped a clean vase with a dry cloth. Beside her, a helper stood, dividing the roses from the basket.

“They haven’t come out yet, right?”

Da-hye moved her hands continuously, glancing sideways as if led by their words. The helper’s gaze was directed toward the dressing room.

It was where Han Seung-jae and Seo Yi-kyung had entered a moment ago. However, there was no sign of the door opening. Because of this, Butler Do came out of the kitchen, checked the living room, and returned again.

“Still, don’t you think the atmosphere in the house has improved since Young Master Ji-un was born?”

“That’s true. He even buys flowers like this.”

The helpers whispered and chatted in low voices. Da-hye placed the vase, now wiped clean of moisture, beside them and picked up another one.

Da-hye shared the same thought as them. She had avoided facing Han Seung-jae to the point of turning back the way she came if she confirmed he was approaching.

The helpers didn’t have many opportunities to face Han Seung-jae directly. He didn’t give orders to the helpers himself. They always received instructions through Secretary Park and Butler Do.

However, Da-hye felt that as he grew closer to Seo Yi-kyung, even the surrounding air changed.