By Zephyria 
“Then we won’t need a memorial table. Tsk, this is exactly the room you used to use. I’ll have the kids set the table, so eat and spend the night.”
“Ah. Should I, then?”
“I need to let Ho-chang and the kids know the situation. You, who have sinned, should bow your head first. Make up well.”
“Of course.”
Somehow, the story progressed abruptly. Kwon Rae-i smiled sweetly at Tae-hwon and said in a gentle voice.
“What should we do, Tae-hwon? It seems like we have to stay here for a day, is that okay?”
President Hwang’s expression soured as he watched Kwon Rae-i whisper so sweetly and sweetly that it seemed like honey was dripping. He didn’t show it outwardly, but he looked quite embarrassed.
“Yes? Ah, yes.”
Tae-hwon replied awkwardly. Kwon Rae-i immediately got up as if he was sorry and even held Tae-hwon’s hand to comfort him.
“How unfamiliar it must be. But don’t worry. We’ll only sleep for one day and then go straight home. I don’t want to show Tae-hwon to those brats for long either. I only want to see you…”
“…Yes. Young Master.”
President Hwang’s expression soured even more. It looked like it could be used as compost now.
“Just clean up and get out! You’re an eyesore!”
He clicked his tongue and shouted, and Kwon Rae-i grabbed Tae-hwon’s hand without any regrets and pulled him up.
“Shall we go out then? Tae-hwon, I’ll show you to the room I used to use.”
“Get lost quickly. You’re unsightly.”
The meeting ended in a daze. Tae-hwon was led by Kwon Rae-i’s hand and came out of President Hwang’s office. He was still dazed until he walked down the long corridor and got back into the elevator.
‘Did the conversation end this easily and quickly? And we’re staying here for a night?’
Could it be a trap?
The elevator went down to the first basement floor.
***
The place I was guided to as Kwon Rae-i’s room on the first basement floor of the Jeun Faction headquarters was extremely simple and desolate. It didn’t feel like a house for people to live in, but rather like a warehouse for storing things. No, it might be closer to a prison cell. There were no windows in the cement walls and cement floor, and only about a dozen large steel cabinets were lined up tightly. And there was only a desk, a folding mattress, a blanket, and a pillow.
‘Did Young Master live in a place like this?’
I was briefly surprised by the bleak appearance, but the agreement with President Hwang was a bigger problem now.
“Young Master. Things seem to be getting bigger and bigger.”
Tae-hwon locked the door in a serious tone and started talking. Kwon Rae-i unfolded the folded mattress and laid a blanket on it to make a comfortable place for Tae-hwon to sit.
“What is?”
“At first, you said you would become the chairman of the Gyeongjeong Faction, but now you’re going to become the successor of Jeun and even integrate Jeun and Gyeongjeong.”
“Yes. So?”
“Is that how it works?”
“We have to make it happen.”
Kwon Rae-i sat on the mattress first and patted the seat next to him. Tae-hwon was still standing by the door with a stiff expression.
“President Hwang is the same. Why did he offer us a meal and tell us to sleep over? It seems like he has other intentions. It might be a trap.”
“Yes. It’s possible enough. But if we back out now, the agreement will be broken. You can see it as a kind of test to see our reaction.”
“Then what should I do? I… I’m sorry, Young Master. I’m honestly at a loss. I don’t know anything except that this is not a place for me to rashly step in.”
“Haa, Tae-hwon. Come here.”
Kwon Rae-i kept patting the seat next to him. His eyes, looking at the confused Tae-hwon, were melting softly. He looked like he was going crazy with love for Tae-hwon, who was having a hard time.
“What should I do? I’m so happy that Tae-hwon is acting like such an innocent child who doesn’t know the world.”
“Yes? No, Young Master.”
“The more you don’t know, the more you can rely on me. I can teach you well. And now I’m going to be Tae-hwon’s protector.”
“……”
“Is this a reversal of roles? I think I’m a little thrilled right now.”
Kwon Rae-i chuckled. Tae-hwon, who was dumbfounded, looked at him blankly, then sighed and drooped his shoulders. Then, with a resigned step, he approached him and plopped down on the mattress next to him. The mattress sank deeply under the weight of two adult men.
“Young Master. You’re being mischievous. You’re playing with me.”
“What can I do if Tae-hwon is cute? Our Tae-hwon. He’s completely like a baby.”
“I’m not a baby…”
“Can I adore baby Woo Tae-hwon?”
“I told you I’m not a baby.”
“I don’t know. You’re a baby. What can I do if you’re cute?”
Kwon Rae-i, with a face that he couldn’t stand it anymore, clung to Tae-hwon, who was sitting next to him. He rushed in and hugged him tightly around the waist, pressing his whole body against him. Every moment was serious and confusing for Tae-hwon, but Kwon Rae-i seemed to like even Tae-hwon’s worries.
“It’s so cute to see Tae-hwon struggling and struggling…”
“Haa…”
“I want to kiss you.”
“……”
“Should we make it short? We couldn’t do it in the car earlier. Just once. Huh?”
I’m going crazy, really.
Kwon Rae-i kept doing this, so I didn’t know how to react, and I wondered if I was the only one impatient, and I suspected that he had other thoughts.
“What kiss are you talking about? Before that, I need to hear an explanation about becoming the successor of Jeun.”
Tae-hwon pushed away Kwon Rae-i, who was reaching for his lips, with his left arm. The suit he had dressed up in was getting wrinkled, but this was not the time to worry about that.
“It’s just as I said. President Hwang has wanted to make me his successor for a long time. But I’ve always refused.”
“Why did you refuse?”
“Because the only thing that was important to me was always getting Tae-hwon. It’s not like Tae-hwon would come over to Jeun just because I succeeded Jeun. I didn’t want to leave any elements of anxiety. I was going to be the chairman with my roots completely in Gyeongjeong from the beginning to the end.”
“I see…”
“That’s because Tae-hwon would have acknowledged me. What good would it do if I became the chairman if Tae-hwon didn’t serve me as the chairman?”
“……”
“I guess I just wanted to look good to Tae-hwon. Haha.”
Kwon Rae-i sent a subtle look as if he was saying that the explanation was done. His gray eyes shone like clean glass beads, watching Tae-hwon. After staring at him like that for a while, he gathered his lips and pouted slightly towards Tae-hwon. His pink, beautiful lips became plump and protruded forward.
“Kiss me.”
“……”
“Can’t I? Not yet?”
“……”
“Let’s kiss. Don’t worry about President Hwang or Jeun. Tae-hwon just needs to be by my side. Tae-hwon did a great job just by coming with me today. And President Hwang may look rough, but he’s a big shot who commands this industry, so he’s very good at calculating. He’ll weigh the pros and cons and eventually take us in. Even if something happens, I’ll take care of everything…?”
Kwon Rae-i stretched out his neck and brought his face close to Tae-hwon, so his plump lips brushed the corner of Tae-hwon’s lips. Tae-hwon flinched and turned his head and looked around.
Is it okay to do this in the middle of enemy territory?
‘It doesn’t seem like it’s time to be clinging to each other so peacefully.’
As if reading Tae-hwon’s suspicious thoughts, Kwon Rae-i complained with a regretful pout.
“It’s okay. Trust me a little. Would I ever do anything that would harm Tae-hwon? There’s no way.”
“……That’s.”
I was greatly shaken by that word.
Whatever Kwon Rae-i was thinking and doing, it wouldn’t be an act that would harm Tae-hwon. I could be sure of that much, even if I didn’t know anything else. Gyeongjeong, Jeun, President Hwang, and even the Kwon family’s brothers were all untrustworthy enemies, but Kwon Rae-i was on Woo Tae-hwon’s side and an ally. Even if everything went wrong.
I didn’t know what would happen to Tae-hwon’s future, but it seemed like Kwon Rae-i would stay by Tae-hwon’s side until the end.
The opposite was also true. Tae-hwon wanted to stay by his side until the end.
“Of course, I trust Young Master. I trust you, but…”
“Yes, you trust me?”
“Haa, just. I don’t know. I think I’m getting strange because of Young Master.”
Tae-hwon lowered his eyes and relaxed his body on the mattress. The stiff, tense muscles were half loosened. Kwon Rae-i, who had been aiming for that gap, pushed Tae-hwon down on the mattress and climbed on top of him. It felt like he was pouring down on me.