RB 96

On the second day of the business trip, Yeorok adjusted the schedule and made about three hours of free time. After thinking about what to do, Eunho decided to go together with him to Soho Street, which he had been interested in.

There was a long escalator installed along a gentle hill. According to the travel guide, it was one of the most famous attractions in Central Hong Kong.

The escalator moved so slowly that anyone impatient would think it frustrating. But for Eunho, the speed was perfect. He stood by the railing and stared without blinking as he looked around at the slowly passing streets of Hong Kong.

Suddenly, he started to think about the person who came with him. When Eunho slightly turned his head back, Yeorok was leaning against the opposite railing and checking his phone.

Both of them had pulled their caps to avoid people’s attention. But even a cap couldn’t hide his high nose bridge and his well-shaped jawline.

Yeorok’s outfit looked more casual than usual. He wore a white linen shirt and slacks, keeping a formal look, but he rolled up his sleeves and left several buttons undone, which gave him a laid-back air.

Because of his tall figure, broad shoulders, and long limbs, he drew attention even when he stood still. In fact, he was the kind of person who would still look good even if he wore just an ordinary T-shirt.

How could a man like this… Eunho still couldn’t believe that he had accepted him.

But to the current Choi Yeorok, what kind of person was he? What part of him did Yeorok like? Did he have any feelings for him too? Eunho had told himself not to get greedy, but his curiosity kept growing no matter how much he tried to stop it.

At some point, he stopped seeing the streets of Hong Kong. He could only stare at Yeorok. There were too many things he wanted to ask. After thinking about it alone for a while, Eunho suddenly spoke without thinking.

“…Chairman, do you happen to like my body?”

Yeorok, who had been focused only on his phone, slowly lifted his head. His face showed complete confusion.

“Why are you suddenly talking nonsense?”

“I might be misunderstanding things, but… there are a few things that bother me.”

“What kind of things?”

“When we do that, Chairman, you get overly excited. You’re always calm usually. Your attitude is so different that from my point of view, I can only think that way…”

“So you’re saying the indifferent guy suddenly loses his mind only when having sex?”

Yeorok put his phone away and crossed his arms lazily. The tall man, almost a head taller, looked down at Eunho. The reproachful look in his eyes made Eunho roll his gaze nervously.

Yeorok’s lips curved into a crooked line. He laughed and answered.

“It’s true that I have a strong sex drive, but I’ve never shown it like this to anyone except you, Sim Eunho-ssi.”

“……”

“Do I look like someone who’d lick another person’s hole?”

Eunho was startled and quickly covered his mouth. His face went pale.

“Why would you say that kind of thing in public?”

Yeorok’s eyes curved playfully. He brushed away Eunho’s hand and said,

“Who’s listening?”

Just like he said, within a one-meter radius, there were only unfamiliar Westerners. Many people were passing by on the nearby stairs, but no one could overhear a murmur between strangers.

But Eunho’s face turned red. Maybe because he wanted to hide it, he leaned close to Yeorok’s chest and whispered,

“So in the end, you mean you enjoy doing it with me.”

“It’s not bad. Our bodies are compatible, and I’ve trained you to my liking.”

“……”

Eunho’s expression fell. Hearing it directly from him hurt more than he had expected. His face kept changing from hopeful to disappointed.

Yeorok curled his fingers and flicked the bridge of Eunho’s nose.

“Ah!”

“Stop thinking nonsense.”

The flick stung enough to make his eyes water. Or maybe, his eyes hurt because he felt upset. Eunho rubbed his nose and stared at him. Yeorok smiled, and he looked so good that it almost made Eunho angry.

“You still don’t know me well.”

“…Of course I don’t.”

“Even though I’m giving up my precious time to be with Sim Eunho-ssi, you’re still talking that nonsense, and it’s ridiculous.”

“……”

“Do you think sightseeing suits me?”

He said he had done everything Eunho wanted, even things he had never done in his life, and now Eunho said things like this. Yeorok grabbed Eunho’s cheek and pulled it as if annoyed. His soft cheek stretched out, and Eunho frowned, clutching his wrist.

“It hurts, it hurts.”

“I guess you still don’t get it, so let’s make it clear now.”

Yeorok whispered in Eunho’s ear.

“Even if you live as Choi Yoonho, don’t ever think about being with another guy.”

“……”

“Do you understand?”

His words were full of warning and threat, but the sweet tone wrapping around Eunho’s ear sounded almost like a love confession. Eunho stared at Yeorok for a long time.

“For life?”

“Are you planning to switch halfway?”

Yeorok smiled. It was a smile so handsome that anyone seeing him for the first time would fall for him immediately. Eunho clenched his fist.

“…No.”

He was certain there would never be such a thing. He was already completely bound to Choi Yeorok, and he could only live the rest of his life looking at this man.

“Chairman… someday you’ll get married though.”

“I don’t plan to. Fortunately, there’s no one who’ll force me to.”

Yeorok spoke carelessly. The cheek he had pinched earlier had turned slightly red. He gently brushed that warm cheek with his fingertips.

“The Choi family line will end with me. I have no intention of spreading this gene.”

“……”

“If Sim Eunho-ssi stays with me, I won’t have to feel lonely. We’re family anyway, and no one will find it strange even if we stay together for life.”

Yeorok always had to get what he wanted. His desire to possess Sim Eunho wasn’t something that appeared for a moment and faded away. He didn’t regret his decision. He had already made a thorough calculation.

Yeorok lowered his gaze. Eunho’s dazed face looked so pitiful that the corners of his eyes curved gently.

“Isn’t that a decent future?”

Eunho heard Yeorok’s inner thoughts. The sudden and unexpected words made his mind spin in confusion.

He wasn’t the type to have poor understanding, but even so, he wasn’t sure if he had understood correctly. He bit his lip and spoke.

“Chairman, I’m sorry, but I’m confused right now, so I don’t really understand. So, are you saying you like me, or that you want us to be together as lovers? Could you please say it clearly just once?”

“Interpret it on your own.”

“……”

“You messed up all my plans, so you should at least take that as punishment.”

Yeorok’s smile deepened. Because of the curve of his lips, he looked like a sly villain. But Eunho couldn’t resist being completely drawn to that villain.

***

Seo Taehwa sat blankly all day. The shock that Eunho had followed Choi Yeorok on his business trip was so great that he couldn’t come to terms with it, even though he had packed Eunho’s luggage himself.

What was Choi Yeorok thinking? He couldn’t figure it out.

Something was clogging his throat, and it felt suffocating. Even Seo Taehwa knew that what he was feeling was jealousy.

“…Ha.”

He felt pathetic and filthy for being jealous of Eunho. He sighed, it had become a habit, and rubbed his face roughly.

Would time make things better? Eunho would disappear soon anyway. It was a cruel thought, but it was the only thing that gave him comfort.

He’s just playing with him for a while.

Now that Choi Yeorok could sleep with a man, he couldn’t even say it was entirely bad. He would stay by Yeorok’s side anyway, so maybe if he waited, his own chance would come someday.

He tried his best to calm his heart. After wrestling with his thoughts for a long time, Seo Taehwa finally kicked off the sofa and went up to the second floor. He thought if he moved his body, he could stop thinking so much. He opened the windows wide for once and started organizing the dressing room.

Since the season was changing, he pulled out light spring clothes and placed them where his hands could easily reach. Then his eyes caught something unfamiliar.

The black padded jacket was clearly not Eunho’s size. If his memory was right, this jacket had been in Yeorok’s dressing room for a long time.

“…Why is this here?”

He suddenly remembered Eunho coming home late one night. He wasn’t sure, but it seemed like he had worn a similar jacket that day.

He buried his nose inside the padding, and he caught a whiff of the subtle scent of Yeorok’s room. Only then did he become certain of the owner. He searched the pockets out of habit and felt something dry and rough. He pulled it out in disbelief. It was a used condom.

“Ah… fuck.”

The curse escaped Seo Taehwa’s mouth. He had known their relationship was close, but seeing the evidence in front of him snapped the last thread of reason he had barely held on to.

He went straight to the mansion. It was cleaning hour, so the employees greeted him warmly, but he completely ignored them and climbed the stairs.

He searched Yeorok’s private study, bathroom, dressing room, and even bedroom. Condoms filled every drawer. It was as if he had prepared to sleep with someone anytime he wanted.

Seeing it with his own eyes made fire burn in his stomach. Without knowing what he was thinking, he ran to the garage and got into Yeorok’s car.

“The sixteenth… the sixteenth…”

He muttered like a madman and searched through the black box records. His fingers on the screen trembled.

The black box camera also recorded the inside of the car. He could find out what had happened the night Eunho went out late.

But soon, he realized that only that day’s footage had been deleted.

Choi Yeorok, that vile bastard…

Seo Taehwa muttered and clenched his teeth. After thinking for a moment, he pulled the memory card out of the black box.

There was still one day left before Yeorok returned. Seo Taehwa gripped the memory card and called a specialist he knew.

“Hey, it’s me. Can you recover deleted black box footage? It’s not fully formatted, only partly erased. It’s urgent.”

He was holding it so tightly that the hard edge of the memory card dug into his palm. But that pain was nothing compared to what he felt.

This was just a precaution. If he wanted to have Choi Yeorok, he had to keep at least one form of insurance.