“…”
“…Deputy Manager Cha Yunhyun?”
“Ah.”
Jaehyun, who had entered the professor’s office, turned around with a puzzled look. Yunhyun had an awkward expression on his face. However, he quickly hid his surprise and smiled casually.
“Yes, that seems to be the case.”
Yunhyun hadn’t actually met Chairman Jin Hwalyeon in person, but he did feel she had a somewhat hasty personality. On her first day as chairman, she had summoned him through a department head and pushed him into being in charge of the HS investment project. Moreover, she had sweetly coaxed him so he couldn’t refuse the HS project even if he wanted to.
‘At first, I didn’t refuse because a promotion was on the line.’
Muttering inwardly, Yunhyun carefully examined Jaehyun standing before him. Coming here had revealed unexpected results. In fact, he had been quite surprised since first seeing Jaehyun in the lab. That’s because Jaehyun was his ideal type at first sight, as if all his preferences had been collected into one person.
While he looked just like his younger brother Seunghyun, a beautiful person, he had a slightly more neurotic feel. This was plainly evident in his way of speaking. With a low voice and abruptly ending sentences, most people would find his unfriendly tone unpleasant, but not Yunhyun. He looked at Jaehyun with interested eyes and quietly opened his mouth.
“I apologize for visiting without notice, Professor.”
“Well, it’s fine. I was told that a representative would be visiting soon anyway.”
When he met with Hwalyeon and agreed to receive investment from Hwamyeong, he was told they would appoint a representative for the investment project and send them here soon. He just didn’t expect it to be this quick.
“Actually, I tried calling you before visiting, but it seems you don’t answer personal calls.”
“Ah… that’s right.”
It was his habit not to answer unknown numbers. In the past, he had to change his number several times due to family issues and all kinds of calls, and even after becoming a professor through various hardships, those annoying connections from the past somehow found ways to contact him. Now he didn’t even answer phone numbers he hadn’t saved.
With no other choice, Yunhyun had to visit the lab directly to meet Jaehyun. Of course, there was no need to come on his way home from work. Although Jaehyun didn’t answer personal calls, it would have been sufficient to contact the school and set up a separate meeting time. But according to the department head who conveyed Hwalyeon’s wishes, she wanted the representative to contact or meet Jaehyun directly. From this, Yunhyun could guess there was some special reason behind this HS investment project.
“So I took the liberty of visiting you. Thank you for understanding.”
Hiding his true thoughts, Yunhyun skillfully masked his expression and showed a friendly smile. Most people lowered their guard when they saw Yunhyun smiling. Even the most guarded person wouldn’t remain as wary as a stray cat with raised fur. Jaehyun, too, simply looked at Yunhyun with an expressionless face before turning away.
“I have coffee and tea. What would you like to drink?”
“Since it’s late, I’ll have tea, please.”
Jaehyun, who had brewed two cups of Job’s tears tea, approached the chair. Yunhyun, who was sitting, bowed his head.
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing.”
Jaehyun’s gaze briefly scanned Yunhyun as he drank his tea. The fact that the representative was an alpha was not to his liking, but it didn’t really matter. Since they weren’t meeting privately anyway, his traits weren’t particularly bothersome. Besides, just from his appearance, Yunhyun didn’t look threatening. Even to someone like Jaehyun, it was a strangely relaxing first impression.
“Ah, if you need to contact me in the future, please feel free to use the business card I just gave you.”
“Yes.”
Jaehyun looked down at the simple business card with Hwamyeong’s logo with an expressionless face. Deputy Manager Cha Yunhyun. His position was deputy manager. His rank wasn’t as high as expected.
Hmm. Jaehyun’s eyes narrowed. He could guess. Probably, because of HS’s past issues, no one wanted to take charge, so they went down to the deputy manager level to select a representative. The reward would be promotion and more compensation. Thinking like this made him slightly irritated. It felt like they were treating the drug he had worked hard to create as a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment.
Moreover, remembering that the past drug side effects were false accusations made his heart ache even more. Seeing Jaehyun frowning, Yunhyun carefully put down his teacup.
“I’ll usually come myself, but if something comes up, Suhwan might come instead.”
“Um… you mean Jin Suhwan?”
“Yes, we’re in the same department. I’m also Suhwan’s supervisor.”
“I see.”
Jaehyun nodded and tucked the business card into his inner pocket. Since he was in the same department as Suhwan, it seemed they had appointed a representative from a core department of the headquarters. Moreover, as Suhwan’s supervisor, he could become an executive of Hwamyeong in the future. Jaehyun felt his churning insides settle a bit.
“Come to think of it, your younger brother is Suhwan’s fiancé, right?”
Yunhyun broached the subject as if it had just occurred to him. Jaehyun nodded.
“That’s right.”
He recalled Suhwan’s appearance when he visited the lab with Seunghyun earlier. Jaehyun had only seen him in a suit before, but today he was wearing casual clothes, perhaps because it was after work. A white hoodie, jeans, and the same white sneakers as Seunghyun. He looked not like an office worker but like a freshman who had just entered university.
Well, he has started working at a company but hasn’t graduated yet, so he is still a student in a way. Jaehyun thought to himself as he drank his tea.
“Your brother often comes to the company to pick up Suhwan, and they seem to get along very well.”
“Often?”
“Yes. Quite… frequently.”
“Haha.”
As I thought. That guy must have been jealous even before marriage. Jaehyun snorted as he recalled the incident at the Korean restaurant.
At this rate, they might break up before getting married. If it were him, he would lose all affection if his fiancé was so possessive even before marriage. It would be creepy if someone was waiting on the first floor every day to pick him up after research.
But remembering how Suhwan smiled while holding Seunghyun’s hand as they entered the lab, it didn’t seem like they would break up anytime soon. Birds of a feather flock together, as they say. In the end, in Jaehyun’s mind, they became a pair of formidable cockroaches.
“Seunghyun tends to act peculiarly. He wasn’t like that originally.”
Jaehyun muttered, then tilted his head.
Was he not?
Jaehyun thought about Seunghyun when he was younger. Since they were separated when Seunghyun was very young, he didn’t remember well what his brother was like back then. At that time, he just thought Seunghyun seemed obedient and had a gentle personality. Looking at him now, that didn’t seem to be the case at all.
After clicking his tongue, he drank all the remaining tea. Unlike Jaehyun, Yunhyun, who was smiling warmly, spoke in a bright tone.
“Why? I thought they looked good together. I was actually envious.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
To think he could feel envious looking at that sight. What a carefree mind he must have. But everyone thinks differently. Jaehyun didn’t make much of it. He had more important things to do.
“Did you just come today to introduce yourself?”
“Ah, no, that’s not it.”
“Good.”
It was a remark that implied, “I’m dying of fatigue, so just say what you need to say and get out.” He didn’t think the alpha in front of him would understand the subtle nuance, but there seemed to be a hint of irritation in his tone. However, Yunhyun smiled brightly with an unbothered face.
“I understand, Professor.”
And for some reason, he looked pleased. Jaehyun stared at Yunhyun, feeling an inexplicable discomfort.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
