“If Secretary Kim can’t make contact, then we’ll have to go ourselves. Just ask him for the location.”
“He won’t tell us unless his safety is guaranteed. And he probably doesn’t trust us not to touch him, even if we promise.”
It was only natural—after all, they’d spent years glaring at each other like sworn enemies, never once building trust.
“Persuade him somehow. If that doesn’t work, we’ll have to track down Secretary Kim’s family overseas and threaten them.”
Tae-yi wanted to stop doing dirty work like his father or Tae-jin, but if words didn’t work, he had no choice. The fact that he could only think of such methods proved he was truly his father’s son. Glancing at Haram, who sat quietly blinking his large eyes, Tae-yi let out a small sigh and turned to Min-ho.
“Go ahead. I’ll head to the company in the morning.”
“Yes, I’ll come pick you up.”
Min-ho bowed slightly and left the room first, followed by Ji-seok, who had been silent until then. But just before leaving, Ji-seok caught Haram’s eye and smirked playfully.
“What do you have stuck on your lip?”
“…What?”
Startled by the sudden question, Haram touched his lips with his fingertips. What was stuck there? Ji-seok, satisfied with Haram’s flustered reaction, laughed and left the room.
“Did I have something on me?”
Haram rubbed his lips with the back of his hand and looked up at Tae-yi. Tae-yi wore an equally playful expression, and before long, he started laughing again, his shoulders shaking just like before. Haram’s eyes narrowed, his drooping eyelids glaring at Tae-yi as he covered his lips with his hand. Only then did Tae-yi stop laughing.
“It’s seaweed.”
“Ah…!”
He suddenly remembered how he had been greedily stuffing dried seaweed into his mouth at the table. So, he’d been talking all this time with a black piece of seaweed stuck to his lip? He’d been so serious the whole time, chattering away like this—it was mortifying. And not just in front of Tae-yi, but also Manager Yoon and Ji-seok. The humiliation was indescribable. No wonder Ji-seok had looked like he was smirking… A grown man with seaweed on his lips was ridiculous.
His face—no, his whole body—burned with shame.
“Why, why didn’t you tell me?!”
They must have left it on purpose to tease him. It was infuriating. Haram glared at Tae-yi, still covering his lips, before suddenly transforming into his beastfolk form. A fist-sized sky squirrel burst out of the blanket and leaped off the bed.
“You were too cute.”
Haram, who had been dashing toward the hallway, stopped at the lame excuse and swung his front paws at Tae-yi. He considered biting his fingers again. Turning his head sharply, Haram sprinted down the hall.
“Where are you going?”
Tae-yi burst out laughing again at the sight of the tiny sky squirrel fleeing with his flat tail raised high, his silver fur fluttering. He started walking slowly after him.
“Chirp, chirp!”
That’s not fair!
Haram, who had run downstairs and hidden under the sofa, stamped his hind legs in frustration. Of course, it was his fault for eating the seaweed so mindlessly, but Tae-yi should have told him! And in front of everyone, no less!
“Chirp, chirp…”
But thinking back on the conversation he’d overheard, maybe it wasn’t the right time to mention seaweed on his lips. He was glad he was no longer just eavesdropping but actually part of the conversation, but as expected, he couldn’t fully understand what was going on. It did seem serious, though.
“Da Haram.”
“…Chirp.”
Haram, who had been glaring fiercely at the dark gray slippers in front of him, answered grumpily at the sound of his name.
“I didn’t expect them to show up. I’m sorry for embarrassing you.”
“Chirp, squeak!”
I don’t even want you looking at me!
He didn’t understand why Tae-yi was leaving him out of the explanation. Crawling out from under the sofa, Haram started jumping up and down on Tae-yi’s slipper. He pressed down hard with all his might, but to Tae-yi, it was nothing more than a tickle on the top of his foot.
Tae-yi, barely suppressing his laughter, carefully picked up the angry sky squirrel.
“Sorry, don’t be mad.”
But when Haram kept stomping his little feet even in his palm, Tae-yi finally lost it and laughed. At the sound, Haram, now thoroughly offended, lightly bit Tae-yi’s thumb. Of course, even that was harmless.
“Are you not mad anymore?”
“…Squeak.”
Haram nodded slightly, and Tae-yi chuckled before an awkward silence settled between them.
“I’ll make sure you don’t get in danger because of what I’m doing.”
Breaking the silence, Tae-yi stroked the soft silver-gray fur and spoke. Haram, blinking his large eyes slowly, clutched the thumb he had bitten to his chest.
“What are you doing? Trying to comfort me?”
Contrary to his worries, Haram didn’t seem any different. They’d need to talk more, but for now, the fact that he was offering comfort was reassuring.
“Chirp!”
Clutching the thumb and stroking it with his tiny front paws, Haram raised both hands toward Tae-yi. It was his way of saying he was cheering him on. He didn’t know the details yet, and the conversation he’d overheard had been confusing, but he just wanted everything to go well for Tae-yi. He hoped Tae-yi wouldn’t get worn out or hurt by whatever was going on around him.
“Humanize for me.”
Tae-yi, watching Haram silently clench his fists, smirked and spoke. After a moment of hesitation, Haram nodded his small head.
“Ah!”
The moment he returned to human form, he was pulled into Tae-yi’s large embrace, buried so deeply he could barely breathe. Startled by the tight hug, Haram hesitated before wrapping his arms around Tae-yi’s broad back, offering silent comfort.
“Mmm…”
As Tae-yi’s hand cradled the nape of his neck, Haram lifted his head—only for Tae-yi’s tongue to slide deep into his mouth, teasing the roof before strongly sucking at the base.
Haram’s legs grew weak from the long kiss, and as he swayed, Tae-yi, feeling the weight in his hands, squeezed his buttocks before lifting him up. He wanted to press his bare skin against Haram’s flawless, unblemished body.
“You said you had to go to work in the morning…”
Haram cautiously asked, his arms around Tae-yi’s neck as Tae-yi carried him upstairs, peppering his lips with short kisses. The sun would rise soon, and if they started again, who knew when they’d stop? What if Chief Yoon was waiting? He asked out of concern, but Tae-yi just smiled silently.
“You’re a perverted squirrel, too. I was only going to kiss you.”
“P-Perverted squirrel…?”
He wasn’t a pervert, and he wasn’t even a squirrel—he was a sky squirrel. Haram gaped like a fish at the shocking description, glaring fiercely as Tae-yi laid him on the bed. Being called a pervert by an actual pervert felt strange.
“Sorry. I’ll stop teasing you.”
Amused by Haram’s wide, indignant eyes, Tae-yi grabbed his thin thigh with one hand and slowly spread his legs. Haram, now wide open again, secretly enjoyed the hands that gently explored every part of his body.
“Mmm… feels good…”
Unlike the frantic lovemaking from earlier, Tae-yi’s slow, thorough touches made his insides tingle.
“I want to take you with me.”
Tae-yi swallowed hard as he watched Haram’s pale skin flush. The thought of leaving him to go to work was unbearable. He wanted to tuck Haram into his suit pocket and keep him by his side all day. Of course, if he did that, he’d end up ignoring everything—work, the car, everything—just to be tangled up with Haram all day.
“S-Shall I go with you…?”
Avoiding the hand teasing his nipple, Haram twisted his waist and asked in a timid voice. He knew Tae-yi had muttered it without thinking, but he couldn’t deny the impulse to follow him. He might not be helpful, but he was sure he wouldn’t be a nuisance. More than anything, he didn’t want to be left alone at home. Tae-yi might even leave Ji-seok to guard him, and he definitely didn’t want to be alone with that man.
“Stay by my side. Why would you be in a corner?”
“I-I might get in the way…”
As if his tiny, fist-sized body could be any trouble. His unnecessary worry only made him cuter. Tae-yi chuckled and kissed Haram’s cheek. If he stayed close, he’d probably just sit quietly in a corner, cracking peanuts like a child given candy to stop crying. The real problem was that Tae-yi got aroused just looking at him.
“Ah…!”
Tae-yi, who had been teasing his nipple with his tongue, suddenly bit down hard. It was his way of saying he was done talking.
