# Chapter 9
As the silence lengthened, a strange tension grew. Seowoo, speaking to Woojae who was busy just reading the mood, opened the conversation in a low, deep voice.
“Do you… know Seo Dohyun?”
“Seo Dohyun?”
Though it wasn’t a particularly impressive name, Woojae recalled a person without difficulty as soon as he heard it.
“Ah, the CEO of T&C Entertainment?”
“Do you know him personally?”
“Rather than knowing him personally… How could I not know about T&C when I’m in the writing business? These days, there’s so much talk and so many things happening in the entertainment sector… But why is hyung asking about T&C?”
Woojae raised his eyebrows in surprise at the unexpected name. Seowoo just circled his wrist, aimlessly swirling his glass a few times.
Should I talk about it or not? It seemed a bit awkward to bring it up and then dismiss it as nothing. Moreover, judging by his tone, Woojae seemed to know something about Dohyun.
It should be fine. Woojae isn’t the type to go around carelessly talking about Seowoo. Especially if Seowoo was in a dangerous situation. If he was lucky, Woojae might even provide some information about Dohyun.
After a quiet silence, only the sound of swallowing dry saliva continued. Feeling like his throat was burning, Seowoo took another sip of his drink with a sigh and put it down.
“I… met the CEO of T&C.”
Woojae’s eyes narrowed for a moment with a strange light.
“When?”
“…Ten days? Two weeks?”
“Did he want to contract with you?”
If only it had been that kind of proposal, I could at least refuse. What Seowoo received was literally an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“Your contract with Biro hasn’t even expired yet. Tsk, T&C is known for not following business ethics, but even so, this is…”
“That’s not it.”
Cutting off the imagination that was branching in a completely different direction, Seowoo cautiously began. He deliberately leaned his upper body closer, and Woojae also became serious in response, leaning in closer.
Actually, that day on the mountain… Just as he was about to utter those careful first words.
The sound of someone politely tapping the table startled both of them, their gazes flying upward to follow the arm’s owner. Clean suit sleeve, but not like a staff member’s – it looked expensive.
“Excuse me for the intrusion.”
It was a familiar voice. Before Seowoo could recall the full name, his head had already turned. A leisurely, slightly amused, somewhat playful yet heavy man’s voice.
Seowoo’s surprised gaze was fixed on the face of the man who tilted his head and surveyed the table with a friendly smile. The man touched the table with his bent knuckles, then withdrew his hand and looked at both of them in turn.
“Well, I’m not usually the type to kill the mood at a drinking session… but I have some business at this table.”
“…”
“Are you surprised?”
Even his added words “I’m sorry about that” were light. Did he not know that insincere apologies delivered in a seemingly sincere tone were useless? Or did he know and was doing this deliberately?
“CEO Seo Dohyun?”
Woojae didn’t hide the surprise in his voice. He was a man Woojae could recognize at a glance. Although he had never seen him up close, as he said, being a reporter, he couldn’t be completely unfamiliar with him.
Dohyun turned to Woojae a beat later and placed a business card on the table with a neat smile.
“This is our first time meeting in person, right? Reporter Jung Woojae.”
“Ah, yes. I apologize for the delayed greeting, CEO. I was a bit flustered. Haha…”
By now the bewilderment had disappeared, and only Woojae’s characteristic vibrant smile lit up his face. Seeing him even stand up and bow, Seowoo’s expression became indescribably subtle.
When Dohyun naturally extended his right hand for a handshake, Woojae readily grasped it and smiled brightly.
“I’m honored that the CEO knows my name. I’m not some great writer, just a mere reporter, and now I’m worried I might have done something wrong.”
“Isn’t it a reporter’s job to stand out by writing good articles? KNY and I have been owing each other quite a bit.”
Though it didn’t seem like much of a conversation, the air was strangely tense, like a stretched rubber band. Dohyun patted Woojae’s shoulder encouragingly with his left hand.
“Let’s have a drink here sometime.”
As their clasped hands separated, Dohyun’s gaze naturally shifted to Seowoo. Between his narrowly curved eyes, light brown irises caught the light and shone sharply.
“Unfortunately, today my business is with our star Han.”
Naturally, Woojae’s gaze also moved to Seowoo.
“I’d like to take him with me for a bit. Is that alright? It won’t take long.”
“The person concerned should decide. I’m quite good at waiting.”
Of course I don’t want to go. Following Dohyun from here would definitely not lead to anything pleasant. Seowoo wanted to stick by Woojae’s side no matter what, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak freely, feeling the sharp edge in Dohyun’s seemingly gentle gaze.
Seowoo eventually put down his glass with irritation. It was close to a signal that he would leave.
“Isn’t business quite troublesome? Having to be the bad guy… invading such a pleasant drinking session.”
His downturned lips, apparently showing explicit regret, were so exaggerated that they only aroused antipathy in the viewer.
If only I could throw a drink in that fake face, that would be perfect. Though his insides were boiling, he absolutely didn’t have the courage to do it.
“Shall we go, Mr. Han Seowoo?”
As if to escort him, Dohyun extended his hand. It was such a stable gesture that anyone might be inclined to take it. If only the person in front wasn’t Seowoo.
Seowoo coldly turned his head away. Seemingly accustomed to such a chilly response, Dohyun withdrew his hand and responded with his usual playful smile.
“This isn’t the place to talk, wouldn’t it be better for both of us to move somewhere else?”
“Who said I wasn’t going? I can go by myself. I don’t need your hand, on my own feet, directly.”
Dohyun made a show of admiring the bold words. This guy was just making fun of him. As Seowoo glared and tried to get up on his own, Woojae, who had been watching, got up even more surprised.
“No, hyung, you’ve had too much to drink…”
“Hey, I’m totally sober now, really.”
“It’s not like I don’t know your alcohol tolerance… you just drank too quickly. Or should I support you on the way?”
When Seowoo raised his hand to decline, Woojae stopped talking. He knew Seowoo was being stubborn. But Seowoo’s response was too obstinate for him to intervene forcibly.
As Seowoo put weight on both legs and stepped on the floor, his vision spun momentarily, and strength left his legs. It was because he had suddenly stood up.
“Hyung!”
“Oh my.”
Before Woojae could jump up from his seat, Dohyun moved first. A firm palm supported Seowoo’s back and easily pulled him closer. With the sudden force, Seowoo’s limbs went completely limp. Dohyun, with his hands on Seowoo’s body, couldn’t miss this change.
The hand supporting his back skillfully wrapped around his shoulder and pulled. It was almost like an embrace. A leisurely laugh echoed near his ear. This bastard clearly just wanted to mess with him.
“You might fall like that.”
“No, I won’t fall…!”
“It’s cute, but let’s not throw a tantrum when drunk. This isn’t a courtroom.”
“What the… Did you come all the way here just to humiliate me?”
At this sincere question, Dohyun narrowed his eyes. His expression seemed to ask what Seowoo was talking about. Dohyun glanced at Woojae, who was standing helplessly, and then turned his gaze back to Seowoo, who was frowning deeply.
“I’m the one who almost got humiliated.”
The light answer, without any variation in tone, carried no particular emotion. Dohyun soon began to walk slowly.
“…Hey, you.”
This must be exactly how it feels to be dragged to a slaughterhouse. Being in a position where he could neither resist nor refuse felt even pitiful.
Seowoo struggled to move his two legs, which were swaying from the alcohol. Each time, Dohyun’s hand firmly supported his back, which made it even more annoying.
If he had pretended not to notice, Seowoo would have just thought he was originally a terrible person and left it at that, but his kindness only made his intentions more suspicious.
“…Excuse me. Seo Dohyun.”
Whether he heard Seowoo calling him or not, Dohyun was too busy walking to respond.
The place they entered was the innermost part of the bar, a corridor lined with private rooms. When Seowoo thought they would just talk, he had expected at most standing in an alley to have a conversation, but this was an unexpected situation.
As the presence of people around them diminished and even passing staff became fewer, Seowoo finally came to his senses. This time, it really felt like he was sobering up.
“…Hey, look. CEO Seo! Are you ignoring me?”
“I hear you well even if you don’t call me multiple times.”
“Why are we coming in here?”
“I said we should talk, didn’t I? You must have something to say to me.”
Dohyun replied as if it was obvious and flung the door open. It was a VIP room. Seeing the huge sofa that looked as big as a bed in the spacious room, Seowoo momentarily lost his words.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
