# Chapter 17
“Think positively, Seowoo.”
As if that’s possible in this situation.
Seowoo looked back. A familiar sign hung at the top of the tall, grayish-white building. Until just a couple of hours ago, it had been the place he belonged to, but not anymore.
When the president had told him about T&C’s outrageous actions, Seowoo had treated them as if they were from another world, saying, “Are there still places that do such things?” and “That’s too much.” Yet now he had come with T&C’s CEO to terminate his contract and join them instead—it must have been mind-boggling from the president’s perspective.
He had nothing to say, having betrayed their trust completely. Even if he came back later and said, “Actually, this was all planned for a long time, President,” the president might understand but wouldn’t be pleased.
“Savoring the last lingering feelings?”
Dohyun followed Seowoo’s gaze, turning his head to look up at the large structure that read “BIRO.” His expression showed no particular emotion, though a shallow smile rested on his face. Seowoo glanced at him from the corner of his eye.
“If you know, then don’t interfere.”
“Well, the official schedule ends here, so you can enjoy those feelings for another hour or two. Should we stay here? I can’t take responsibility if you get photographed, though.”
Dohyun glibly responded, showing his wristwatch. His face was completely casual, as if Seowoo was the only one being dramatic.
“You’re making even the feelings I had disappear.”
“What did I say?”
Dohyun shrugged his shoulders as if defending himself.
“I’m not scolding you not to have regrets; I’m saying I fully empathize with your feelings. Why are you grumbling?”
His words were partly right but partly wrong. He hadn’t nagged Seowoo not to have regrets, but for someone who claimed to fully empathize, his actions were terrible. Far from empathizing with Seowoo’s situation, he was probably happy that everything was going according to his plan.
The sentimental thoughts about leaving a company he’d been with for so long, in a familiar building, were fleeting. Dohyun’s reaction actually made such thoughts disappear completely. Seowoo glared at him with wide eyes.
“How is this empathizing? You’re just picking fights from the sidelines.”
“After all this consideration, you’re still upset with me?”
“If you’re going to say that, at least pretend to be sympathetic properly.”
With those stinging words, Seowoo sharply turned and began walking. His stride was quite large. Dohyun let out an easy laugh and caught up to Seowoo’s pace without difficulty, standing beside him.
“Are you sulking?”
Sulking? If his mood were as soft as that cute word suggested, it would have been better. His mood was plummeting because of someone, and that’s all they had to say?
“Why do you always speak so unpleasantly? You don’t ask if someone’s sulking at times like this, you know?”
“You must have expected me to say something else? Let me ask differently then. How are you feeling?”
“This is ridiculous. The right answer is to not ask when someone obviously feels bad.”
Especially if the person asking is the source of those terrible feelings. Of course, he didn’t even expect Dohyun to listen to what he was saying. He was just saying it.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Dohyun simply shrugged his shoulders and left that brief response. Seowoo was certain he had just ignored his words.
“But Seowoo.”
“Yes.”
“Where are you going?”
Seowoo, who had been naturally walking toward the main street, slowly stopped at that question. Hadn’t Dohyun been following him as if he knew where Seowoo was going? Frowning as if to say “What are you talking about?”, Seowoo looked at him.
“I’m going home.”
“If you’re going home, why are you going this way?”
“What nonsense… This is the main street. This is in front of our company, and I know all the roads here.”
What’s he trying to pick a fight about now? Looking up at him with a sullen expression, Seowoo was surprised to see Dohyun shrugging as if he were the one being wronged.
“Your manager is waiting in the parking lot, but you’re walking away so boldly.”
“Manager…?”
For a moment, his expression became ambiguous, not knowing how to react.
Thinking about it, it was natural. As long as Seowoo continued his life as an entertainer, having a manager was a given, even if he changed companies.
He was just a little taken aback because he hadn’t expected Seo Dohyun to handle things so quickly.
“When did the manager get here?”
Dohyun smiled mischievously, his eyes twinkling.
“Let’s go down and say hello. It’s better to go by car than walking anyway, right?”
That was true, but with his current mood, he didn’t want to associate with T&C… Still, he couldn’t just ignore the manager and leave. Like it or not, this was a face he would have to see regularly from now on.
When they went down to the parking lot with Dohyun, sure enough, a familiar car was already pulling out toward the entrance. The vehicle slowly came to a stop when it reached where the two of them were standing.
“Let’s get in.”
“What? First, I should greet…”
Still, for a first meeting, it seemed a bit odd to drive without a proper introduction. Would getting out be more troublesome? Several thoughts crossed his mind, clearly visible even to Dohyun. Dohyun faintly frowned.
“Sometimes I notice you’re always kind to everyone except me. Makes me jealous.”
“It’s this kind of behavior that makes you the exception.”
The sharp response that came out without any hesitation completely contradicted the traces of concern on his face. No sign of hesitation or difficulty, just a raw attitude of throwing emotions as they arose.
Dohyun didn’t bother to swallow his flowing laughter as he opened the back door.
“You’re not strangers anyway, so is there really any need for such formality?”
“We’re not strangers?”
How could that be? No matter how much he thought about it, he had never been introduced to this manager… Bewildered, Seowoo entered through the open door to find a man sitting in the driver’s seat. His face was reflected in the rearview mirror.
“…”
Their gazes met directly in the mirror. The man quietly greeted him with his eyes.
“I was told we’re going to your home.”
It was Manager Gu’s distinctive way of speaking, getting straight to the point. Seowoo stared directly at Manager Gu in the rearview mirror as if glaring at him. But Manager Gu didn’t mind and had already turned his gaze away from Seowoo.
“Well, let’s go. Traffic will get heavy if we’re late.”
Dohyun, who had already taken the passenger seat, was naturally fastening his seatbelt. The car smoothly started moving at his direction. Seowoo, not even thinking about fastening his belt, stared intensely at the back of Dohyun’s well-behaved head.
“Are you playing games with me right now?”
“Me?”
At the fierce question, Dohyun slightly turned his head. The gaze revealed in his sharply opened eyes was piercing.
“Why are you looking at me so fiercely? Someone might think I’ve lied to you.”
“You should have told me from the beginning. Are you joking around?”
“Why? You don’t seem happy that Manager Gu is your manager. That’s hurtful, Manager Gu.”
Without any concern for feeling hurt or anything else, Manager Gu was busy focusing solely on driving without the slightest movement. Seowoo, feeling preemptively guilty, glanced at the back of Manager Gu before shaking his head vigorously and glaring at Dohyun again.
“He’s not being newly hired as a manager, not someone who was already a manager, his position is different.”
“I know that. Are you worried I’d assign just anyone? You’re Han Seowoo, after all.”
“Well… you certainly know how to talk.”
He spoke without hesitation, as if he had prepared his answers in advance. That didn’t mean Seowoo believed him, though.
Even trying to think of it with good intentions, the purpose behind specifically assigning Manager Gu was transparently to monitor Seowoo, so how could he not react sourly? It was more convenient to have Manager Gu, who already knew the situation, than to assign a new manager. His intentions were so obvious.
Seowoo, who had been staring at the back of Dohyun’s head with dissatisfied eyes, eventually sighed and leaned back deeply in his seat.
“We’ve arrived.”
Manager Gu, who had naturally parked the car in front of Seowoo’s apartment, turned to look at him. Only then could Seowoo face him properly.
It was awkward knowing how to treat him since Seo Dohyun had been the one spouting nonsense on the way, while Manager Gu hadn’t actually said anything. Although Seowoo thought he was probably the same type of person as Dohyun, it felt strangely uncomfortable to continue ignoring and treating him coldly.
“…Thank you.”
After offering just a polite greeting, Seowoo opened the door and got out of the car. At the same time, the passenger door opened, and Dohyun followed him out. It was a natural movement as if this had been his destination all along.
“…What now?”
Seowoo looked Dohyun up and down. Dohyun naturally approached and stood beside him. He even gestured with his chin toward the apartment, as if telling him to hurry.
“Aren’t you going in?”
At the question, which sounded as if he had been entrusted with the keys, Seowoo’s expression naturally turned fierce.
“What do you mean, ‘aren’t you going in’? This is my home, not yours.”
“Why divide it into your home, my home like that? We’re going to be under one blanket soon anyway.”
“Say it straight even if your mouth twists!”
“What did I say wrong? Under one roof, under one blanket, it’s the same.”
They’re completely different; how are those the same? Anyone listening would think he was proposing marriage.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
