# Chapter 14
Seowoo never thought he’d visit T&C headquarters twice. If he had his way, he wouldn’t have set foot in there at all, but how often do things go as we want in this world?
Normally, he wouldn’t have even considered coming to see the CEO of T&C without prior notice, but the situation was different now. Anyway, since Dohyun had said with his own mouth that he’d wait for Seowoo’s call, he couldn’t chase him away as an uninvited guest. If there was something important, well, he’d handle it somehow.
Seowoo was generally a polite person, but it depended on the other party. How many people in the world could remain polite when someone was threatening them with a collar around their neck?
“You’ve arrived.”
As soon as he reached the building entrance, a man bowed his head in greeting as if he had been waiting. Still excessively courteous and neat, it was unmistakably Manager Gu. He showed no sign of surprise or confusion at Seowoo’s visit.
The way he naturally guided Seowoo inside made it seem like he had received prior notice. Yet Seowoo was certain he hadn’t made any contact.
While staring fixedly at Manager Gu’s back as he moved with steady strides, Seowoo asked curiously:
“Did you know I was coming?”
“No, I didn’t.”
It was a dry yet definite answer. Although Seowoo could only see the back of his head and couldn’t see his expression, he guessed Manager Gu was wearing a face as dry as a dehydrated sponge.
Manager Gu stopped to press the elevator button. Seowoo halted his steps alongside him.
“Aren’t you here to see the CEO?”
“…That’s right.”
“I’ll escort you to the representative’s office.”
His gaze, which had briefly shifted to Seowoo, returned to the elevator. Seowoo’s expression stiffened with displeasure.
“Now? Right away?”
“Yes.”
“Doesn’t that guy ever work? Is it really okay to see him just like this?”
While it was good to see him immediately, he hadn’t expected it to be approved so instantaneously. He thought he’d at least get to enjoy the sight of these people being inconvenienced for even a second, but far from being troubled, everything was proceeding too naturally.
As Seowoo showed his bewilderment, Manager Gu glanced at him from the corner of his eye and answered respectfully:
“He instructed me to escort you directly to his office whenever you visit. Don’t worry.”
“It’s not that I’m worried…”
To be honest, it was annoying. That shameless attitude of always being ready for his visit… It was an embarrassing truth to share with Manager Gu, so Seowoo shut his mouth and turned his head straight ahead. The elevator doors opened, and Manager Gu gestured courteously.
“Sir, Han Seowoo has arrived.”
With Manager Gu’s brief announcement, the door closed behind Seowoo. Though Manager Gu was supposedly Dohyun’s henchman, from Seowoo’s perspective, having three people together would have been better than just the two of them, yet Manager Gu consistently left as soon as his duty was fulfilled. It was a movement that left no room for consideration.
Dohyun put down his pen and rose. A large smile spread across his face, and Seowoo reflexively frowned upon seeing it.
“My goodness, to what do we owe the honor of the star’s visit here?”
“…Are you mocking me again?”
His exaggerated tone of speech made Seowoo even more irritated. When Seowoo widened his eyes, Dohyun grinned and shrugged as if asking what was wrong.
“You don’t like being welcomed?”
“You don’t even pretend to be surprised when someone visits. Or did you actually know I was coming? Did you put a GPS on me or something?”
After saying it, Seowoo suddenly felt uneasy and lightly touched the back of his neck. He couldn’t feel anything. Of course not. Dohyun smirked and shook his head.
“You seem to think I know everything related to Han Seowoo, I see.”
“Don’t you?”
Hadn’t he always responded with the nuance that he already knew everything, no matter what topic was brought up? Dohyun didn’t give a clear yes or no answer, but slowly leaned back on the sofa.
“If that’s what you feel, then it must be right. Would you like some green tea?”
“I’m not drinking anything from this company anymore.”
“Our marketing team leader just came back from a business trip and bought what he called a premium green tea line, so we restocked with it. It tastes better than I expected.”
If you’re not going to accept my refusal, don’t ask in the first place. He’s such an irritating person. While Dohyun called Manager Gu to order green tea, Seowoo was already seated on the sofa.
“While the team leader is working hard enough to bring gifts for his boss from business trips, isn’t the CEO being too leisurely?”
“I’m busy. Han Seowoo is the one who visited first, so I made time.”
“Don’t lie. Pretending to have a conscience now won’t fool me.”
The retort came without a moment’s hesitation, as sharp as a knife. Lying… Dohyun muttered as if hurt, but his face showed little sign of regret.
“Well, I’ve also taken up your time when you were working, so let’s call it even.”
“Just for this?”
“The interruption of work hours is the same, isn’t it? So, we’re square. Now, what brings you the courage to walk through the front door in broad daylight? Did three days become unnecessary?”
Dohyun wiggled his fingertips as if inviting Seowoo to speak. Seowoo pressed his lips tightly together.
It felt like a losing deal to let it go like this, but now wasn’t the time to nitpick. Right, there was a separate main point. A main point that was infuriating no matter how he thought about it! Seowoo’s expression instantly turned severe, and his voice rose accordingly.
“Yes! That thing of yours, did you deliberately set it up to mess with me? Huh?”
“What ‘thing’?”
Regardless of how Seowoo reacted, Dohyun remained consistent. He just propped his arms on his knees, interlaced his fingers, and maintained an attitude that invited Seowoo to continue.
Seowoo took out a paper folded into quarters from his inside pocket. It was the profile of Jung Eungyu that the president had given him.
“This guy, this. Jung Eungyu! He’s a rookie from your company.”
When Seowoo thrust it forward as if to shove it in his face, Dohyun narrowed his eyes, scanned the profile picture, and smiled brightly as if pleased.
“Ah, of course I know him. He’s one of ours, how could I not know? He really likes you. He even mentioned Han Seowoo in an interview, I believe? He’s been wanting to meet you. Since you’re here, would you like to say hello?”
When Seowoo pulled the paper back, Dohyun’s face was still armed with a flawless, neat smile. Seowoo gritted his teeth and spat out each syllable distinctly.
“Cut the nonsense… I have absolutely no personal grudge against this friend. But I might develop one because of you.”
“Eungyu would cry if he heard that.”
It was a light response as if it were someone else’s business. Seowoo openly showed his discomfort by crossing his arms over his chest.
“Are you deliberately pushing him like this, so blatantly and forcefully? Because of me? …Because I’m the lead in that movie?”
“Forceful pushing? Do you think I’d invest enough to cause financial bleeding? I’m a businessman too.”
The fact that he didn’t give a clear yes or no answer but subtly shifted the topic elsewhere made it more suspicious. Seowoo’s expression became extremely uneasy.
There was the sound of a door opening, and Manager Gu returned holding a cup on a tray. The usual Seowoo wouldn’t have even considered drinking it, but now his throat was too parched. After downing the warm green tea in one go, Seowoo exhaled a long breath.
“So, are you saying I just have to deal with it?”
“Why, don’t you like it?”
“Does that make any sense? A supporting actor who doesn’t even fit the size rising up like this. Jung Eungyu is going to get criticized…”
“Whether it makes sense or not, well, we’ll know after we open the lid.”
Dohyun snatched the paper from Seowoo’s hand. The faintly printed face of Jung Eungyu wavered.
“I don’t know how Han Seowoo sees it, but Eungyu is preparing to be our entertainment company’s flagship in his own way.”
Seowoo’s gaze fixed on the paper before returning to Dohyun’s eyes. The two pupils he met flickered sharply like those of a beast.
“But he’s lacking something, about 2 percent. Everything’s good, but there’s something ambiguous. Should I say he’s slightly inadequate to be a poster boy? Let’s set aside his skills, but even his presence is a bit…”
“…What’s your point?”
At the direct question flying toward him, Dohyun narrowed his eyes and gave a satisfied smile.
“I’d like the star to be our flagship. I’ll place you on a much higher position than where you were originally sitting, with interest added.”
It was an incredibly affectionate voice, too calm to be called pressure, but Seowoo felt his heartbeat instantly accelerate. In the end, his suspicions were correct. He thought it was strange that everything changed so abruptly, but it was all just groundwork for this threat.
Dohyun was smiling as if nothing was wrong, as always. After taking a sip from his teacup, he didn’t forget to ask if the tea tasted good.
When Seowoo didn’t answer, a momentary silence hovered between them. Seowoo barely, very slowly, parted his lips.
“If I refuse… you’ll keep doing this, won’t you?”
His voice was suppressed, as if forcibly holding back seething emotions. Dohyun’s fingertip slowly rubbed the handle of the teacup.
“You seem convinced that I deliberately blocked your path…”
His fingernail made consistent noise as it hit the glass. Sharp amber-brown eyes were staring directly at Seowoo. By now, the laughter had faded from his voice.
“You’re free to speculate, but one thing is certain. I’m looking for the best, and so are you.”
“…”
“If we stand in different places, we’ll keep colliding forever, won’t we? If you’re lucky and a miracle happens, you might win… but if not, well.”
I don’t know, Dohyun deliberately trailed off, but what would follow was obvious. Competing against an actor pushed by T&C would be a wasteful fight with little chance of winning. As he said, creating unnecessary trouble would only result in loss.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
