Prologue

Courts are the epitome of the law of the jungle.

Blows are exchanged in the fierce battle atop Lady Justice's shoulders, and upon commencement of the methodical fight between the defenders of justice and truth, the almighty goddess holds up the hand of the strongest.

Here, strength does not mean material wealth or power.

At times, the well-prepared David can defeat Goliath, who underestimated his opponent.

Attorney Yoonshin Do liked this unconventional aspect of this otherwise solemn place.

"Counsel, please proceed with your closing statement." The judge who sat facing the criminal court glanced at the defendant's table. In his dark gray suit and clean dress shirt, Yoonshin stood from his seat on the right of the court and bowed his head respectfully. Then, he stepped out toward the central aisle of the courtroom.

Clack, clack.

Back straight, Yoonshin's figure was sleek and neat as he walked to the podium. His prim face gave a docile impression, but his eyes glinted with intellect and sharpness.

His pale and slim face looked around the public gallery briefly, eyes filled with the tenacious determination to grasp the result that he desired in this arena.

"Your Honor, first, I would like to show my appreciation to the Court—thank you, to the prosecutor who invested the last few months in this trial, and to the public who came to witness this hearing. Now, I would like to address the main issue of this case."

In this case, a famous athlete was assaulted with a weapon by their common-law partner and was brutally murdered. Yoonshin was the defense counsel. The deceased had won numerous gold medals at the Summer Olympics for several years, so he was a national hero. Following that, there was immense interest from the press and average citizens.

When Yoonshin first learned of the case through the news, he thought the motivation would be something relatively common like fidelity or financial issues. After the investigation, there was evidence of minor conflicts and the accused refused to appoint a defense attorney. The suspicions of her guilt started to crystallize.

However, the truth of the matter that Yoonshin coincidentally learned told a different story. Beneath the surface, there were countless mitigating circumstances. For a very long time, the accused suffered severe mental abuse from the complainant to the point that the last remnants of her dignity were obliterated.

From that day onward, Yoonshin visited the woman and persistently attempted to convince her. "I'll help you. You may be sitting in the deep of night now, but you are not there alone."

"This case has some unique features. The tragic situation and facts forced the defendant to pick up and swing a blunt weapon after she was unable to withstand the regular, sadistic abuse incurred by her tormenter. Throughout this trial, I presented the vast amount of evidence of the inhumane treatment suffered by the defendant over the past eight years of cohabitation," Yoonshin carried out his oral argument logically while facing the judge, standing straight. His steady diction and speech were unexpectedly captivating. All ears in the courtroom listened attentively to his words.

While Yoonshin was absorbed in his duties, at the far end of the public gallery, Sehun Kang, a partner at the law firm "Doguk" sat with his legs crossed as he watched Yoonshin intently.

Sehun's frame, firmly built with regular exercise, was quite dashing, draped in his luxurious suit. His elegant visage that looked as if his creator invested long hours to meticulously sculpt blended harmoniously with the arrogant glint in his eyes.

No hint of empathy was directed toward the defendant nor the plaintiff in Sehun's cold eyes. His piercing gaze, callous and made of stone, fixed firmly on Yoonshin like an arrow piercing its target. His large hands stroked his smooth chin as he scanned the defense attorney from head to toe.

“Attorney Yoonshin Do..." he mused.

Yoonshin's trim appearance, tidy attire, composed voice, and sincere attitude were impressive, but above all, what piqued Sehun's interest was the conviction that Yoonshin had in his statement.

This was not a self-imposed illusion to ease one's nerves or useless obstinacy preoccupied with victory. Yoonshin was a lawyer who truly believed in his client's honesty and truthfulness. He knew better than anyone that this was the only way to bring justice to the victim.

Yoonshin's meek face masked his strong sense of responsibility and professional mindset. Even for Sehun, a scathing critic of other people, Yoonshin surpassed Sehun's standard of a lawyer.

Nevertheless, if Sehun were asked if he wanted to take Yoonshin under his wing, the answer was a resounding no.

Sehun's interest was unbeknownst to Yoonshin, who was racing toward the end of his closing statement. Yoonshin's voice grew more vigorous. "Murder is a crime. It deserves punishment. However, our Constitution provides for basic human rights. I respectfully ask that the Court consider this. For eight years, the defendant was subjected to constant abuse behind closed doors, and her actions cannot be likened to just another crime committed in the heat of the moment. Your Honor, have you read Great Expectations by Charles Dickens?"

The presiding judge, who sat in the middle as he listened intently to the closing, nodded. Yoonshin smiled softly as if he was glad to find a commonality with the judge. "It's my favorite piece of literature. This passage appeared in the book, and I paraphrase..."

Then, Yoonshin turned his body to look at the gallery.

At that moment, he was suddenly lost for words. He met eyes with Sehun, who had been fixated on Yoonshin. Yoonshin couldn't count how many times this had happened already.

There was nobody in the profession who didn't know Sehun Kang of the law firm Doguk.

He had many followers and even more rivals.

Yoonshin couldn't understand why someone, who was so busy that he needed to schedule time to breathe, came here. His unexpected attendance and his predatory eyes that vied for a moment to rip him to pieces were honestly uncomfortable.

‘I don't think we would make a good match after all,' Yoonshin thought to himself.

Yoonshin held the sharp stare that he didn't know the meaning to for a moment then turned back to the judge and continued, “’How awful it would be for a man to turn his face up to them as he froze to death, and see no help or pity in all the glittering multitude?' Your Honor, we cannot allow the defendant to freeze to death, alone, in the barren and bitter outdoors. I hope that you can confirm once again that human rights are alive in our law. Thank you."

Upon completing his statement, Yoonshin returned to his seat on the side of the defense. The judge then asked the defendant to stand for the last order of events, the defendant's final statement. Finally, the defendant, whose head was bowed throughout the length of the trial, opened her mouth with difficulty.

While this was happening, Yoonshin gave a look of encouragement to his client before he exchanged a quick glance with another partner from Doguk, Mihee Song.

Sehun, who was watching all of this, leaned down to Mihee and whispered in a low voice. His subdued voice was crisp and clean. "Counsel, do you know that lawyer? It sure looks to be the case."

"Yoonshin Do? Just a little. He takes mostly labor law cases and works at a small law office. It seems like he's doing this case free of charge. In any case, what did you think about the trial? Do you think he's a catch?"

Doguk was a big firm, one of the top five law firms in the Republic of Korea. A talent with a prosecutorial background to lead the litigation group was always direly needed.

Mihee was the head recruitment manager and used this excuse to convince Sehun to accompany her to observe this public trial. She said that she had her eyes on a recruit and wanted him to see him before she recommended him to the director of the firm. Sehun had barely made enough time for this trial, but it was more boring than expected.

"You really want to recruit that prosecutor?" Sehun asked.

"Why, don’t you like him? He seems decent to me."

"He seems decent to you? Did I hear that right?" Sehun looked to be in disbelief and let out a languid sigh before rubbing his face with his hands. Mihee fell silent, so Sehun added dryly, "Reconsider him. I can't let a lawyer like him, who loses to one working pro bono, earn six digits annually. Mihee, you're the one who recruited me to Doguk. Don't embarrass me."

"You're too stingy. Mr. Do was just very well-prepared for this case. Plus, there was a large amount of evidence in his favor," Mihee retorted.

"Evidence is the foundation of a criminal procedure. I squeezed out all the time that I didn't have because I expected to watch a talent neutralize the insurmountable flurry of evidence against him and turn the case on its heels. I'd say it would be a bigger gain if you had instead brought the opposing counsel to our firm."

"Just as I thought, Yoonshin Do is quite talented even in your very particular standards, right?" Mihee asked.

Sehun's eyes, glaring questioningly at Mihee, were brimming with irritation. Then, as if he understood his co-worker's intention by inference, he turned his eyes to the defense sitting on the right side of the courtroom. The one who Mihee truly wanted to show him wasn't the prosecutor but the defense counsel. She must have been aiming for this paradoxical effect.

Capable lawyers can recognize others similar to them. Sehun recognized from first glance that Yoonshin was quite a worthwhile lawyer. However, Yoonshin didn't look desperate enough for his personal success to grit his teeth and weather through Doguk. Even though the eyes of the media were on him, it was evident that he put the defendant first instead of presenting himself in a veneer of sophistication, which confirmed Sehun's hunch.

Plus, he was a lawyer willing to defend the weak and powerless. He was not a good fit for Doguk, which prioritized successful outcomes.

"Help or pity to one who was bound to freeze to death..." Sehun ruminated on the passage he had just heard and fixed his gaze on Yoonshin. "Only affluent people like you could extend that kind of helping hand."

Yoonshin warmly grasped the hand of the defendant, who had just finished her final statement, and as if he felt Sehun's gaze, he looked around and stared back. Sehun could see the perplexity in the other's face, wondering why they kept meeting eyes.

Yoonshin's naive face was so honest that Sehun felt like it could see through the other party. It strangely made a mess of Sehun's mind.

Upon acknowledging that, Sehun knit his brows and quietly picked up his blazer jacket. "I've seen enough. I'm going ahead."

"Wait. So how about Yoonshin, then?" Mihee hurriedly asked.

“Of course, this was her goal," Sehun thought as he got up from his seat. "Seems like you baited me with the prosecutor on purpose because you knew I would throw a wrench in your plans if you showed me the other guy first. I'm even more opposed to that attorney. I loathe people who are smart on top of being just. They're bound to cause trouble. I'm leaving."

"Hey, you only just saw him once... Are you going back to the office? Sehun!"

The two who were discussing in quiet susurrations so as not to disturb the trial were completely split in an instant. Sehun left without so much as a reply, and Mihee shook her head, unable to hold him back.

He strode out of the courtroom without hesitation, and soon, he escaped the somber room.

Chapter 1

As Sehun walked toward the elevator, he could hear the whispers.

"Isn't that Attorney Sehun Kang from Doguk? Is he related to this case?"

"What's he up to? Why's he here?"

"Is there anyone who got a good shot of him entering the building? A full-body one."

Upon discovering Sehun, the flock of reporters camping outside the courtroom murmured amongst themselves as they started to gather around his lean body.

For large-scale law firms, their main source of income was from giving legal advice to corporate dealings rather than from litigations in civil suits. Within corporate dealings, the two most prominent areas of consultation that came with high retainer fees were financial and corporate law, but these two areas were different in substance. The former needed strong analytical thinking while the latter required flexibility in thought. Sehun was exceptional at processing both areas of law. Furthermore, he was adept at various kinds of litigation. He minimized his exposure to the media, but it was a given that reporters who frequented the courts knew him.

Standing nearby, Sehun's chauffeur approached Sehun, who was crowded by people. However, Sehun put up a hand signaling the other to wait and listened to the onslaught of questions pouring out from the reporters.

"Aren't you Doguk's Sehun Kang? If I remember correctly, you don't take on average criminal cases. What brought you here today?"

"This is because you acknowledge that the press is bad for the recent corporate restructuring case, correct? To my knowledge, the displaced workers gathered to protest against the company and Doguk, denouncing your actions!"

"If that's not the case, are you passing the hot potato onto the current interest of the media? If it is, please tell us if this was discussed in advance with the defense counsel!"

Sehun's eye-catching looks and acrimonious parlance were the perfect prey for the media. When needed, he gladly tossed food for the vultures. However, today was not such a day.

Sehun, who had patiently listened, waved his hand elegantly requesting silence, then spoke with gravitas, "I'll get straight to the point. The reason I visited this courthouse was for personal reasons. I did not come here officially on behalf of Doguk. If I come across any speculative articles released, I will have no choice but to pursue legal action against you. That is all. I have no further comments, so please, step aside."

After his brief answer, he gestured for his driver to come over. The man came and opened a path among the field of people. Sehun walked by the reporters and stood in front of the elevator.

Finally, the double-doored elevator opened and the two boarded the lift.

"Mr. Kang, are you leaving like this?" "Say something, Mr. Kang!"

He ignored the desperate calls for him and personally pressed the close button.

Zing. As soon as the doors closed, his poker face collapsed in annoyance. Sehun hated the interest others had in him. In addition, he abhorred the loud voices that provided no benefit to him and pierced his eardrums. Unfortunately, he was plagued with the general majority, contrary to his will.

"Can't people tune down their vocal frequencies to match Yoonshin Do?" Sehun said.

At his random remark, the driver who was covertly checking on Sehun flinched and replied, "Sorry?"

"Hah. I don't know what I'm talking about. It's nothing. Let's go down quietly."

"Yes, sir."

He shouldn't have come here.

Sehun, who was peering at the elevator panel, frowned in irritation.

***

Screech.

The vehicle carrying Yoonshin stopped at a shared basement parking garage of a multi-purpose mixed residential and commercial building complex near the law firm district in Seocho-dong. The garage was densely packed with expensive sedans and supercars.

The entrance leading to the hallway exclusive to the parking lot was fashioned like an art gallery entrance with grandiose patterns decorating the surface. Past the entrance was an extravagant hall reminiscent of a festive Christmas lobby in a renowned hotel. To exaggerate slightly, from the very entrance of the building to the neighborhood park at the back, it seemed like a small, standalone kingdom.

This apartment, lavish even at first glance, was a company residence that belonged to the law firm Doguk.

Doguk employed around four hundred lawyers, one hundred patent attorneys, and other personnel required to maintain intellectual property rights for a total of nearly one thousand full-time professional staff.

If any of their professional personnel wished, they could reside at a unit in the residences, assigned according to their position in the firm. For welfare purposes, the employee's family was allowed, so the three buildings in the residential complex were almost completely filled by over one thousand households. Apparently, Sehun Kang lived in Building A on the "Royal Floor," which had the largest square footage. Yoonshin also moved in recently to this complex.

Yoonshin started to gather the files that were placed in his backseat but paused to pick up and look at his resume.

“Is this really all right? I've never gotten a job from my connections before..." he thought.

A few weeks ago, Yoonshin was contacted by his elder sister.

The siblings' relationship was quite close. Their father raised the two children by himself and his significantly older sister, Ikyung, practically raised Yoonshin like her son. After their father passed away, they were left alone in the world and naturally depended on each other. They were unable to meet frequently after Ikyung got married, but one of the things that Yoonshin was determined to follow was his sister's words.

So, when she asked him to submit a resume to Doguk, he was quite taken aback—even more so when she told him that his spot was already made and announced that all he had to do was walk in. This was quite unprecedented since she had never ordered him to do this or that before.

‘So that was why Mr. Kang came to watch my trial with Senior Attorney Song,' Yoonshin thought. His sister wanted Yoonshin to find a financially stable job instead of working all day and night for very little gain. She advised him that if he had experience at Doguk, he would be able to carry more credibility in court. He could feel her fondness and worry for her lonesome brother.

Yoonshin knew very well about Doguk's reputation. Their clients were only international and domestic corporations that were guaranteed to bring in money, and they didn't even consider consulting average individuals. It was self-evident that if he entered the firm, he would no longer be able to take on public interest cases. Even so, he accepted the offer after long and deep consideration.

This was all because his elder sister asked this of him.

He had never refused her before. That wasn't because he was a docile younger sibling nor because they had a close relationship.

Ikyung was as wise as she was considerate. She didn't disregard Yoonshin because he was young, and she acknowledged her brother's free will. Even when it was difficult for her to accept, she thought long and hard from Yoonshin's perspective, and only afterward, she very carefully suggested other options. That was her personality, so if she suggested something that Yoonshin was unwilling to do, there was bound to be a good reason for it.

However, he was planning on hanging on until she felt at ease before resigning at the right moment. He didn't think he could last very long in that jungle of a firm. If he did the best that he could before resigning, she would understand.

"Hah... I don't know." Yoonshin shoved the document back in its envelope and got out of his car. After that, as he walked toward the regal parking lot lobby that he couldn't get used to despite seeing it constantly over the last few days, he happened to see another man get out of his car.

His slim yet sturdy back was strangely familiar.

`Where did I see him again?' Yoonshin, who was quietly following the man, saw the other lift his keycard to the entrance. His long fingers adorned with neat and well-shaped nails left an impression on Yoonshin. He looked quite sanitary and extremely particular. Additionally, his sharp but clean profile was quite elegant. Yoonshin felt like he had seen the other before.

He was hit with the realization and had to swallow back his gasp.

It was Sehun Kang.

He never thought he would run into Sehun this early on.

The one blessing in this unfortunate situation was that Sehun didn't turn around and see Yoonshin. He merely marched forward.

In the center of the parking lot lobby, the hall split into three paths. This was the junction that led to the different buildings of the apartment complex. Sehun walked up to that point wordlessly before he suddenly turned around and extended his lean arm to block Yoonshin's way.

Yoonshin didn't know when Sehun realized that he was behind him.

Yoonshin was astonished that he was stopped in his tracks out of the blue and stared up at the other. The first thing he saw was the sharp eyes that looked like they could see through another's head and his pallid complexion. The moment their eyes met, Sehun addressed Yoonshin before he could avoid eye contact in awkwardness. "We meet again."

When he said "again," Yoonshin wondered for a moment whether the other was talking about the time they had briefly met a long time back. However, Yoonshin soon realized that was not the case. He quickly recalled that there was another event that happened between then and now. "Right. After we met at the courthouse... we meet again."

"Do you have some time right now?" Sehun's deep and composed voice asking him for a conversation sounded quite charming. However, Yoonshin knew somewhat that, despite his splendid outer appearance, Sehun couldn't be considered beautiful on the inside.

Yoonshin couldn't discern the authenticity of the rumors, but he had overheard that Sehun Kang was an opportunist. Sehun was arrogant, avaricious, and heartless. If it had a semblance of legality, he happily traded under the table with anyone, and sometimes he went against his professional duties and resorted to shortcuts, or so the malicious rumors told. Perhaps it was thanks to that, Sehun rarely lost his game.

"Yes, go ahead." While Yoonshin replied, other residents were coming down to the lobby through the middle doors.

They snuck peeks at the two and the awkward tension surrounding them as they made their way to the parking lot. As long as they were residents of this apartment, they were related to Doguk in some fashion whether deep or shallow, and the passersby seemed to recognize Sehun. Yoonshin cleared his throat uneasily. However, Sehun's expression never changed. He seemed not to mind the eyes of others.

"You know me, right?" Sehun asked.

There was nobody in this profession who worked for a few years who didn't know Sehun. Yoonshin couldn't infer the intention of this sudden question, so he decided to simply nod. "Of course, I know you. You're Mr. Sehun Kang of Doguk."

"Good that you know. I wanted to ask you a few questions."

"I'll gladly answer if I can."

"I was wondering why I had to meet you here, of all places. This is Doguk's residences."

Yoonshin didn't understand why Sehun was asking this when Sehun personally went to watch Yoonshin's trial. It was either because Sehun didn't approve of Yoonshin entering the firm using his sister's influence, or he was trying to test him for another unfathomable reason, so Yoonshin replied in the most roundabout manner possible, "Perhaps this meeting was fate."

He answered appeasingly, in the gentlest way possible. The other's languorous gaze stuck to Yoonshin. His pale visage was filled with amusement.

"Fate, you say. I don't believe in that. Don't you think the cause is too vague?"

"But there is a definitive cause to why we met here... as far as I know."

"Maybe there's something between you and Doguk, but not with me. I was against it," Sehun stated.

Yoonshin thought all the discussions were done and over. Was that not the case?

He was told that Mihee Song and his sister dealt with the matter about his employment at the firm. It was still fresh in his memory that Mihee and Sehun came to watch his trial a few weeks ago, so he had no doubts about it and believed it wholeheartedly. He had already moved to the company residences at this point but hearing that the walking billboard of Doguk was against him was quite a shock.

Yoonshin couldn't say that out loud, so Sehun continued. He sounded composed but his expression and tone were vaguely cynical. "I enjoyed the trial. I also enjoy Charles Dickens. The excerpt from Great Expectations was very fitting. Your arguments were concise."

"Thank y—" The naturally polite Yoonshin almost involuntarily expressed his gratitude.

However, the other cut him off sharply, "Hold your thanks until I'm done talking. You might not want to thank me after."

"I don't have anything personal against you, but in my view, you're not a good fit for a large firm. There are still many people out there who have been pushed to the brink of freezing to death. Helping those people is better suited to your personal sense of ethics, isn't that, right?"

Yoonshin didn't like the sarcastic nuance in Sehun's tone, but there were no holes in his point, so Yoonshin couldn't refute. It was true that working at Doguk conflicted with his personal moral sense and duties.

However, the world didn't revolve around an individual's wishes. Yoonshin didn't get into this firm because he desperately wanted to. There was no way an experienced lawyer like Sehun didn't know this. There was only one reason such a man called out to Yoonshin to say these things to him.

It was a warning of sorts.

"Why tell this to me when my employment has already been decided?"

"I hate when things with no causal link to me happen. I wanted to let you know that I hope that we don't need to see each other on a professional level. Let's keep it to passing by each other infrequently around the apartment—just coincidentally." Apparently, that was all that Sehun had to say because he silently nodded, signaling his departure, and turned to leave. This all happened before Yoonshin could gather his thoughts. Naturally, he missed the right time to reply.

Yoonshin wanted to retaliate since he was suddenly barraged by the other, but he could only bite his lower lip as he watched the other grow farther. Sehun took a few more steps and turned into the hall of Building A. Yoonshin saw him walking toward the elevator beyond the transparent glass door of the hall. Soon after, the double doors of the elevator opened their maws and carried the other away from their short rendezvous.

When Sehun disappeared from his sight and he was now alone, Yoonshin's calm face morphed slowly into one of incredulity.

‘His expression, tone, and audacity... Urgh.' Yoonshin shuddered and looked in the opposite direction from where Sehun disappeared—Building C, Yoonshin's destination.

He grabbed the elevator with patience and finally returned home.

Yoonshin loosened his tie and called his sister's secretary. The person on the other end of the line picked up almost instantly. "Yes, Mr. Do. How can I help you?"

"Hi, it's Yoonshin. I just wanted to ask you something. I ran into Doguk's Sehun Kang in the apartment's parking lot lobby. But he told me he was against bringing me here."

"You see, it seems like there was a slight conflict of opinions between Ms. Song and Mr. Kang, but... Your matter will proceed smoothly. You don't need to worry."

Yoonshin frowned when he heard that.

Back in the lobby, Sehun conveyed a lot of information in just a few words. These were Doguk's private residences. Saying that they should only meet by coincidence meant that Yoonshin's employment matter was already decided, so Sehun would turn a blind eye to it. So, when Sehun said he hoped that they would not need to meet professionally, this implied that coincidentally meeting was Sehun's limit to how far he would tolerate Yoonshin, so Yoonshin should do his best not to get in Sehun's way outside of the residences.

Yoonshin already knew that he wouldn't get along with someone like Sehun. Strictly speaking, Yoonshin got his job through nepotism, so perhaps that was why Sehun—who valued skills and ability —did not approve of Yoonshin. But no matter how unfortunate the circumstances, an almighty partner holding back a small-time lawyer like himself to give him a warning came across as significant.

Sehun clearly did not welcome Yoonshin and reacted quite sensitively.

Yoonshin had originally planned to quietly bear with it for a few years as his sister had hoped, but Yoonshin got a bad feeling about this.

"He didn't seem to like me at all. I heard that the hierarchy in a large firm was very distinct. Do you think he could put me at a disadvantage? I heard that, at Doguk, Attorney Kang's word is the law."

"If you really feel bothered, should I convey this to Mrs. Do? She could come up with a solution," the secretary offered.

"No, I could be placed in an even worse position if they misinterpret me... I'll think about it a bit more. Anyways, is Ikyung doing well? After our last meeting, I haven't really heard from her. How is she?"

The other person, who had answered readily, suddenly fell silent for a moment as if hesitating. Then, Yoonshin heard the calm voice answer, "Of course. Mr. Do, I'm sorry, but if that's all you wanted to ask, could I hang up? I was in the middle of some important business. If there is anything else you need in the future, please feel free to contact me again."

"Oh, I must have interrupted you in the middle of work. I will. Good luck on the rest of your work."

The secretary politely said goodbye to Yoonshin, who was dwelling upon the secretary's answer, then hung up. The secretary clearly hesitated when Yoonshin asked how his sister was doing. Moreover, it seemed like the other was afraid that this topic would continue and rushed to end the conversation. Yoonshin couldn't deduce the exact reason.

Yoonshin tried his best to repress this dubious feeling and went into his study instead of his bedroom. He perched on the edge of his long desk and stared at the acrylic board that was propped up against the wall. The board had a directory of names of the lawyers at Doguk, international lawyers, accountants, and patent attorneys with their profile pictures. He had set this up so he could memorize at least the important people in the firm that had the most power.

"Sehun Kang... He has quite a colorful career." Yoonshin traced his eyes from the bottom to the top and affixed them on the partners right below the director. Sehun was the only young lawyer amongst the middle-aged lawyers. Perhaps it wouldn't be very surprising if he were a young partner in a relatively newer firm, but he was visibly young for a partner at a huge law firm. However, this fact alone proved that Sehun was on the up and up.

After he enrolled as the youngest student at Korea University, he graduated from law school and entered Doguk. For the years after, he stood out with his skills as a junior associate before going to study abroad in America. After he was admitted to the Bar in the state that he was in, his net worth increased significantly by the time he returned.

At the time, most other large law firms attempted to recruit him, but he chose to return to Doguk where Mihee, his senior from his alma mater, was. Afterward, his income was significant enough to swiftly rise to the top as a partner of the firm.

In a law firm, a skilled partner's words were absolute, especially to an associate.

Naturally, Yoonshin thought back to the words aimed at him.

"I hate when something that has no causal link to me happens."

Sehun looked like the type of person to be bothered about it, as he had said. He looked like a cold and rational person who detested all things that couldn't be explained logically. Yoonshin had heard many things about him over the years and wondered if any of them were true, but after meeting him in person and conversing, Yoonshin started to think that Sehun was colder than the rumors claimed.

Yoonshin already knew that he would have a hard time at the firm even if everyone welcomed him there, but for Sehun to have a bad first impression of him made the situation even worse. Sehun was a valuable partner at the firm, so Yoonshin sincerely hoped that he wouldn't run into Sehun at work. On top of that, they lived in different buildings, so as long as the time they went to work didn't overlap, there weren't very many chances for them to cross paths.

Strangely enough, Yoonshin still got a bad feeling about the situation.

"What a predicament."

Yoonshin tapped on Sehun's picture and sighed softly.

***

On the small reception couches in Mihee's office, the room's owner sat across from Sehun. Sehun, watching the other side sitting with her legs crossed, looked completely astonished. Behind his head, the monitor was displaying the news. Onscreen was the sharp and fierce face of the second son of Soohan Group, who was also Yoonshin's brother-in-law.

The reporter's voice flowed out of the screen, "This afternoon, in a conference room in Soohan Group's headquarters in Gangnam, Director Jeongwon Yoo of Soohan Holdings opened a press conference addressing his position regarding the recent controversy on the assault of one employee."

Beep. Mihee turned off the television monitor playing behind Sehun with her remote. Sehun spoke when the tranquility of the room was restored.

"I don't understand why you chose the associate that I would supervise without consulting me first," Sehun spat out in a sluggish tone.

Mihee grinned awkwardly. "Sehun, I heard that Yoonshin is quite meticulous. Not only does he see things through to the end, but he is also detail-oriented, good at finding precedents, and great at reading investigation reports on file. Plus, he says everything he needs to without getting intimidated by seniors with more years of practice. You like associates like that, ones who are good at work and are tenacious."

"Of course, I admit that I do—that is if they understand what I say."

"Sehun, how about having an open mind..."

"If you wanted my mind to be open, you should have asked for my opinion. You already gave him an apartment."

Mihee couldn't retort to that, so she stopped talking. Sehun took that chance to add, "I clearly told you that I didn't want him. If you were going to recruit him while ignoring my opinion, the least you could do is not send him my way. Can't you gauge his personality at all? He can't work under me. 'This is against the law.' `This is against professional ethics.' 'Don't you feel sorry for the other company that will be absorbed in this M&A?' He's going to interfere with each and every little thing. I can't stand an associate on the lookout coming at me and wasting my time like that. Send him away."

"See, that's not possible," Mihee replied.

"Then send him to the litigation group. That, at least, would be a better fit for him. I can't keep him. Is work a joke to you?"

Sehun was coming out pretty strong, and Mihee replied, trying to persuade him, "Senior Attorney Kang—no, Team Leader Sehun Kang. There are jobs for juniors to do in each team. But your team is the only one without any junior lawyers. I repeat, the corporate law group, the most important team in our firm, has no junior associates. Guess why?"

"Because none of the bastards meet my standards."

"Exactly! All the lawyers that I sent to you raised their white flags! Because of your twisted personality, they become unconfident, cry, and quit. It's happened so often that there are no young lawyers, and only durable senior lawyers survived, you know? I recruited and accepted Yoonshin Do because I sized him up, and I think he's a good fit. Don't you think that you need at least a couple of juniors to assign small and tedious tasks to?!"

Sehun wanted to protest, unable to accept the situation, but Mihee raised her hand and stopped him from what he wanted to say. She instead picked up the receiver to the intercom and called her secretary. "Attorney Do is waiting, right? Tell him to sit in Attorney Kang's office. I'll send Attorney Kang down in 10 minutes."

After her short conversation, she placed the receiver back down and made a small flick with her head, pointing at Sehun to leave. He laughed hollowly as he witnessed the situation unfold, "So this was why."

"Sehun, just try him out first. It's not too late to talk about this after. He's a really smart kid."

"This was why. He's the first lawyer to come in with his connections since you brought me here. It must mean that he has some value for you to bring him, although not as valuable as me. But we have more than just a few partners at our firm and over 20 departments, so it's odd to shove him to me, who's unwilling to take him on. There's a reason you need to place him next to me other than his inherent abilities as a lawyer."

It was a bullseye. To begin with, Sehun was quick on the uptake, so Mihee didn't expect to fool him. She could only grin awkwardly in response. Thanks to that, he grew more certain of his conviction. "You're not even trying to hide it."

"Don't be so fussy. From the moment you went with me to test the waters, you knew that he was the son of our former teacher, Professor Do from Korea University Law School, who taught us civil procedure. They're alike in many ways."

"I don't work for sentimental reasons like that. Do you seriously not know my market value?"

"It's not just for sentimental reasons. A lot depends on this. When I say he's the son of Professor Do, it also means he's the only younger brother of Soohan Group's second son's wife, Ikyung Do. You saw Ms. Do at our professor's funeral last time. Don't you remember?"

Sehun reminisced on what happened in his past and suddenly bit down on his lip very hard. He looked slightly uncomfortable for a moment. Mihee noticed that his reaction was different from before and asked, "Sehun Kang. What's the matter?"

"Don't worry about it," Sehun dismissed.

"Anyway, Sehun, you have to bend to this one. It's for the sake of the firm. You know that I don't normally ask you things of this nature. That's how important this is."

Due to the profit-centered structure, the firm couldn't be divorced from business with large corporations. Plus, they were important clients that the firm couldn't afford to lose. What brought money to a law firm were not the lawsuits by individuals. Most of the profit came from resolving disputes between corporations or advising corporations on their investments and selling companies.

Among the domestic companies, the general president of Soohan Group was connected to Mihee's father, the executive director of Doguk. Thanks to that, since the firm's founding, Soohan Group deferred many of their matters to Doguk. In addition, when subsidiary companies needed legal advice for their projects, they were referred to Doguk. With the firm's position in mind, this was a request that they couldn't ignore.

Sehun stared at the woman sitting across from him before he leaned back hard enough to make the couch creak. Perhaps he couldn't express his feelings in their entirety through his knitted brows because his hand gestures were also filled with annoyance. "Was it Soohan? Or Director Ikyung's personal request?"

"Ikyung represents Soohan. I'm the company's corporate lawyer and our firm deals with numerous matters with Soohan and its affiliated companies every year. It's not something to be easily ignored."

"Did they say they would terminate our retainer if we didn't accept her brother?"

"She didn't say that, but it's something we need to be prepared for if we refuse the request. She personally asked that her brother be placed under your wing and that you teach him how to survive hell."

Sehun scoffed out loud. "You think this is school? It's the first time I heard that I have qualifications to be a teacher instead of a lawyer."

"That's the superficial reason, but I think she wanted to protect her brother since he works without taking care of himself. In that aspect, Sehun Kang is a fine shield."

"So, she wanted a babysitter, not an instructor. I don't have a hobby of raising children either."

"Don't be like that. Just run the numbers in your head."

‘Hah...' Sehun sighed in defeat as his eyes clouded over with complicated thoughts.

Mihee promptly read his thoughts and added, "Think about it this way—a corporation hawk like you, taking care of a family member of someone of the Soohan clan. You lose nothing from this deal. You know full well that this practice is practically a battle of information and networking. Following that, a golden goose just landed in your arms. Of course, the company is bound to give us big cases since we have the brother. It's not bad, don't you think?"

Sehun listened patiently up to that point, then he narrowed his eyes. "So, in the end, this is a special favor from Soohan. And a threatening one at that."

"Let's call it a compensatory favor. In exchange for giving him a salary, what we gain is very big."

Yoonshin's character aside, this wasn't a bad deal for Sehun when he only looked at the positive points. With no exception, family was a weakness for all of humanity. Pursuant to that, Sehun would be holding onto Soohan's weakness. Despite the fruit not being ripe for the picking now, he would be sowing the seeds for the future. Since Sehun was one of Professor Do's pupils, he had an even better reason to take this job.

However, there was something that still didn't sit right with him. Rather, he got a nagging feeling about it.

Why him?

As Yoonshin's sister, there was no way she didn't know how straight-laced and proper her brother was. In that aspect, Sehun was not a good tutor nor a good nanny for Yoonshin. "How to survive... Was that the only condition?"

"One more thing—on the condition that he works under you, she wants you to give him mostly pro bono work for the next few months until he gets used to practicing at a big firm. She said that he would be unaccustomed to files that we take here."

"She truly knows her brother well. That makes me even more suspicious as to why she would send him to me."

"She must know about your talent. Every partner needs to complete a certain number of volunteer hours. You didn't fill a single hour yet, so this will be good for you. With a focus on free legal consultation and pro bono files, you can leave your hours for the new kid. Attorney Do's win rate is decent, your name could be placed on the record, and Do could do the legwork and consultation for the trial."

"I can donate money every year. Why do I need to be bothered with volunteering?"

Mihee shrugged. "Unfortunately, that's the firm's internal rules. Qualls rex, tails grex. Don't you know?"

"Change the rules."

"Even if the rules do change, you still need to do it. You'll only be making it better for others. Your last restructuring case displaced a lot more employees than expected, so the press was bad. You need to give the impression to the public that Doguk is reflecting and repenting."

Sehun wanted to ask if they really needed to go this far just to employ Yoonshin Do. Of course, this was reasonable enough in Mihee's perspective. But truth be told, Sehun didn't feel many attachments to Doguk. He could produce as good of an outcome in any other firm. He could just quit if there was something he didn't want to do.

But one thing stopped him. Sehun still was indebted to his senior Mihee, who sponsored him financially throughout his education.

Sehun detested being entangled with others with the likes of loyalty, friendship, or indebtedness. Emotions were a form of weakness. If he listened to her request now, he felt like he could settle all his past debts and return their relationship to zero.

"My job description doesn't include serving a young master. Propose a compromise to me and I'll have a listen," Sehun said.

"How about increasing your dividend? You won't be disappointed," Mihee offered.

"You're going to solve this with money, huh? You don't know how difficult it is to care for a child."

Mihee flew into a rage. "You are the top earner of this law firm. Most things are already in your favor. I had to hard-bargain with my father to convince him to increase your dividend. The partner title isn't free, you know. It's a very expensive title given for investing in the firm."

"I'm not trying to rip other people off. Don't you feel embarrassed for making a big deal about my money? Forget about the dividend. The firm needs to operate too and give associates their salaries."

"Then what do you want?"

"Freedom to do what I want with all my matters within the firm without interference."

Mihee flinched, then clenched and unclenched her dry hands repeatedly. Her hands soon started to sweat. She didn't know how Sehun would use this abstract condition, but deep inside, she knew better than anyone else that he would use this power very effectively. "If I say okay to that, I'm playing into your hands, right?"

"Negotiation is for people who have something to lose. Trying to test me won't help you."

"You scoundrel."

As if waiting for this response, he immediately replied, "Your loss."

He started to get up from his seat when the other quickly waved her hands. "Okay, I get it. But 'all' is subject to interpretation, so..."

"I can send you the details on paper."

Mihee looked resentfully at him before she snapped her fingers, having no other choice. She had already expected that Sehun wouldn't budge if not for some shocking condition, so she wasn't too surprised. As the party who lost the negotiation, she attempted to retain her inner peace and took a deep breath. Sehun observed her carefully, then said in a composed manner, "I'll test him first, then if I think he can be useful, I'll teach him a few things one by one. After all, I'm always in need of excellent human resources."

"Don't just stick him in a mountain of pro bono files. Let him work on some of your team's files. I'll send over the documents soon."

Sehun refuted, telling her there was no need. "No, don't send them over yet. The wife of the Soohan conglomerate picked me, so if I refuse, there's no reason for Yoonshin Do to continue working here. I want to watch him for a couple of months first, then we can talk about it again. Let's write the contract at that time. Just give him his monthly salary until then."

"You can't do that when you're going to make him work."

"I choose my own clients. But Director Do randomly picked me out from the crowd, so I feel a bit uncomfortable with this situation. I'm tolerating this because I'm indebted to you. I can't compromise any more than this."

"Sehun."

"Do you want me to quit? If that's the case, just tell me here and now. Tell me to move out of the apartment, return my investments, and collect my commissions. I can do this in a day." There was no turning back for Sehun—if he said he would do it, he kept his word.

If he was so vocal about his demands, Mihee had no choice but to step back. "Take it easy on him. He's an underclassman from our alma mater and the son of Professor Do, who we both respect."

"I think it's pointless to respect others, so I don't do it. It's a different story if it's about respecting me, though."

"He was the only respectable adult that we knew. The fact that he passed away while defending the victims who suffered extremely poor working conditions perfects his legacy. We may be materially richer than him, but he did work that you nor I could do in our lifetimes. Let's shed some of the debt in our hearts this way, at least."

"I just liquidated the only debt I had. I have no more obligations to anyone. You can go settle your own debts as much as you want, Attorney Song."

Sehun answered coldly. He left the room, seeing no reason to continue the conversation.

Left alone in her office, Mihee shook her head in defeat.

***

Yoonshin was led to Sehun's office by a secretary and warily took a seat on Sehun's office couch. Yoonshin shot the secretary a grateful look and the other man smiled back before quietly slipping out of the office.

Now alone, he could finally observe his surroundings.

Sehun's office was more spacious and comfortable than other partners' offices that he had seen so far. However, Yoonshin strangely felt more at ease in his previous humble office.

He couldn't fathom what his sister was thinking. "Why Sehun Kang of all people?" he asked out loud.

He recalled his favorite Hasidic saying: "Be the master of your will and the slave of your conscience."

Sehun was the type of person who abided by the first half of the proverb but completely ignored the latter half. Although this was the first time they met in a formal setting, Yoonshin had heard a tedious number of rumors about Sehun as a senior at law school. Tales of his deeds were practically urban legends.

They said that Sehun was a snake in a suit or trash who did anything for victory.

The most important addendum was that he always won.

Sometimes, his methods were reasonable, while other times they were low. Basically, Sehun would use any method. Receiving intel about corruption was his hobby and using it to his advantage was his specialty. The most widespread rumor that Yoonshin heard was that, whether it be witnesses, lawyers, prosecutors, or corporation employees, he would dig out their weaknesses and blithely blackmail the other party. Surprisingly, most of Sehun's juniors reproached him, yet they wished to become like him. Yoonshin was part of the minority who decided to hold off their judgment about Sehun.

Yoonshin had no idea that he, a part of the minority, would be sitting here and waiting for Sehun.

From what Attorney Song had told him, his sister strongly requested that Sehun take care of Yoonshin. Of course, there were things that Yoonshin could learn from the other man. But as two polar opposites, he doubted they would be able to tolerate each other for long. As luck would have it, he was warned by the other not to get in his way, so he couldn't help but feel uneasy as to how this unfortunate encounter would advance.

His mind in turmoil, he sat nervously as he looked around. A book lying on Sehun's desk caught his eyes.

It was Charles Dickens's Great Expectations.

“Is it because of me?” Yoonshin slowly started getting up to walk over to the desk, but the door burst open and the wild beast that he was waiting for came in. His eyes were cold today, as always. Yoonshin stood up and bowed deeply. "Hello, I'm Junior Associate Yoonshin Do."

The other walked over, perched on his desk, and observed Yoonshin. He flicked his head, gesturing for Yoonshin to take a seat on the couch, and when he did so, the other wordlessly stared down at Yoonshin. Yoonshin tried to hide his mild panic and locked eyes with the other. Then, the other's pigmented lips slowly and languidly opened. "We keep seeing each other."

Sehun spoke in a more relaxed tone. Yoonshin intuitively felt the difference in power and how small he was in comparison. "I apologize for not being able to fulfill your wish of not meeting professionally."

"Already set on not losing a single word. The road ahead looks bleak."

"Sorr—"

"No need. I'll ask you a few questions first. This situation, is there a reasonable cause for it?”

Sehun thought that the reason Yoonshin was placed in his team instead of one of Doguk's numerous departments was quite suspicious, questionable, and fishy—this all showed in Sehun's well-shaped eyebrows.

Yoonshin calmly chose his words. "I don't think you would find it reasonable."

"I won't? Why not?"

"It wasn't either of our intentions; rather, this was at the will of my sister, a third party. I was told that my sister strongly recommended that I work here with you. And unfortunately, I am an obedient younger sibling. This is the full extent of my knowledge," Yoonshin replied briskly.

Sehun made a complicated face. "Your sister was involved in it, yet you're showing me all your cards. Your statement has too many weak spots. Even if you weren't a good fit for Doguk, I thought you would be quite useful, but I changed my mind. You're disqualified."

"I can adjust my tempo and flow according to the need."

"And you don't have a joker in the deck?"

"I will let you know if I find one."

Yoonshin's seemingly kind and gentle eyes looked directly at Sehun. Just like his upright attitude, his eyes were clear. Instead of simply telling Sehun to trust him, he sent Sehun a respectful look with eyes that reflected his candidness.

Their gazes intersected, and as if planned in advance, both of them closed their lips.

A silence fell over the room.

At that very moment, Yoonshin felt the ever-present cold atmosphere about Sehun flicker. As if confirming this hunch, the other, who was steadfastly sitting on his desk, changed his posture. He crossed his arms and leaned askew on the desk, then he stared intently at Yoonshin, whose eyelids were studded with thick eyelashes.

It felt like around three minutes passed in silence.

Perhaps it was shorter, and Yoonshin only felt that way. As he was contemplating what to do next, Sehun spoke first, "I wonder why Director Ikyung Do sent you to me."

Yoonshin was relieved that the unexpected and peculiar silence was broken and replied, "Her excuse was that she wanted me to be financially independent."

Until now, he was always open to giving free legal advice and his retainer fees were set to the bare minimum to cater to his clients' circumstances, so his income was quite low. However, his mother, who had passed away right after giving birth to Yoonshin, left a significant amount of inheritance, so he didn't feel the need to be motivated by money. His sister also gave him a home and car when needed, so he had even less motivation. Sehun seemed to have guessed that much as well. "I can see that."

"I'm guessing this is all due to my father. My father was also a lawyer like me, and in his later years, he spent his days helping people in difficult situations in more rural areas. Then, he passed away from overworking a few years ago."

The only point in common between the two was Yoonshin's father. A long time ago, on his father's last day of life, they had met at his funeral. Yoonshin hazily recalled that moment whenever he saw Sehun on the news from time to time. But that was really all there was to it. The moment was too brief to reminisce frequently.

In the end, Yoonshin was unintentionally gauging whether Sehun also remembered their brief meeting.

Feeling awkward, Yoonshin stopped talking and stared at the other. The other said, "I also know that well. My condolences."

Yoonshin was nervous as to what that slick person would say, but he felt himself losing a bit of steam. In the brief time that he waited for Sehun's reply, he had wished Sehun would forget the embarrassing side of him that he showed that day. But when he really didn't seem to remember, Yoonshin felt a bit disappointed for some reason.

Indeed, this was a past long gone. Sehun met countless clients every year, and there were more important files and people for Sehun to remember. Of course, Sehun would let an event like that just pass.

Yoonshin hid his disappointment and answered coolly, his lips redder. "She's probably afraid that I'll end up like our father. So, she wants me to learn how to look at reality squarely in the face. She must have felt that the way I chased my ideals was precarious. Perhaps you were the most realistic person that she knew."

"Do you really think that you're an idealist?"

"To a certain extent, but it's not like I have zero sense of reality." Yoonshin was better at knowing his position and knowing the other party than Sehun had thought. He was uncomfortable yet amused by the situation.

Shortly after, Sehun erased his emotions and said in a composed tone, as usual, "There are three things that I have never done for the past few years: pro bono work, ordinary client criminal cases, and all of our firm's volunteer work. You'll be doing those for the time being."

Perhaps this was an offer that he hadn't expected as Yoonshin's eyes sparkled. Sehun didn't miss that. Yoonshin looked bright, willing to do the work that Sehun himself was unwilling to do. As expected, their professional compatibility was not very good.

"I can do them well. I'm quite skilled at understanding victims."

"I don't need an associate with an unprofitable talent like that. I also don't have a hobby of working while serving a younger master-in-law of a rich family. Don't you have a better case record than that?"

"I'm really good at finding precedents. I'm decent at reading quickly, and I have pretty good interpersonal relationships."

"And?"

"I can't list them all... I'm confident that I will fulfill everything you give me well. I must do well so my sister can feel at ease, so I'll give it my all. I'll be happy to do anything you give me."

"So, give you a test-run first? You're confident."

"I understand that you are very adept at calculating your gains and losses. I believe this won't be a loss for you."

‘Calculating gains and losses?' Sehun was at a loss for what to say and laughed flatly. However, Yoonshin didn't say anything wrong, so Sehun didn't criticize or rebuke him. However, he waved his hand for Yoonshin to leave.

As Yoonshin calmly stood up as instructed and politely greeted him, Sehun walked over to the other. Soon, Sehun stood right in front of Yoonshin and grabbed his chin. They both couldn't help but note the other's smooth skin.

Sehun's carefully arranged, harmonious visage observed Yoonshin quite doggedly. He lingered for a particularly long time on Yoonshin's moist and gentle eyes.

Yoonshin couldn't understand Sehun's random action, so he swallowed nervously. He grabbed Sehun's arm unconsciously. Sehun glanced down at Yoonshin's hands that touched his wrist and shook the other off. Then, he took off his hand on Yoonshin's chin.

He glared frostily at Yoonshin. "Don't touch me."

"But you... touched me first. I only exercised my right to defend myself."

"I don't like when others touch me according to their intentions. Only I'm allowed to do that. Not you."

Yoonshin was about to ask what kind of logic that was, but he conceded and apologized. They had only met a few brief times, but his gut feeling told him that he shouldn't try to understand Sehun with logic. "I'm sorry."

"I get the gist of the situation, so scram. I'm going to think about it a bit."

"My office is across from yours. I look forward to working with you." Politeness must have been ingrained in his bones because Yoonshin bowed deeply once more before exiting the room.

The door closed with a click. Through the glass pane of his office door, Sehun watched Yoonshin walk across the reception office on his way to his office. Yoonshin politely greeted the support staff that he came across, perfectly fitting the image of Yoonshin that Sehun had pictured.

Sehun wasn't sure what exactly Yoonshin's sister, Director Ikyung Do of Soohan Group, wanted. However, the most important issue was that Sehun wasn't the one who designed this situation. Sehun had many enemies. He always needed time to review whether there were any traps laid for him.

‘Soohan Group... but I have no files with them this year,' Sehun thought.

As soon as Yoonshin entered his room after he finished greeting the staff, Sehun picked up his office phone. He called his secretary, Mr. Tak, who immediately picked up. Through the window, their eyes met. "Yes, sir, Secretary Tak speaking."

"What's Yoonshin Do's bachelor's degree in? Looks like he went to Korea University for law school."

"He went to Dongguk University. His major was in social work."

"Social work..." He couldn't have chosen a better major.

Sehun clicked his tongue at the banal answer. Then, he asked, "When did he get his license? Call up all his peers, including the ones up to two years above and below his year, to the conference room. And call up the recruit team photographer if he's in the building."

"Understood. Should I call them now?"

"Call them immediately. And bring me every little piece of information about that associate's life, from his basic profile to his family, friends, schoolmates—all of them. All the cases he took so far, his personal interests, shoe size—bring me whatever you can dig up."

"I'll do that. Is there anything you want me to keep in mind?"

Sehun lightly slammed his desk and after a moment of thinking, he said, "Look closely for any of his or the late Professor Do's cases that have even the slightest connection to me."

Across the room, Secretary Tak looked confused, unable to comprehend Sehun's reasons for this instruction. "The two attorneys mostly did public interest cases. I don't think there were any chances for your paths to have crossed. Moreover, if there was anything like that, you would have known."

"Still, look into it. There could be something that I missed. Dig into Director Ikyung Do of Soohan as well. Check if I had any connections with any events, big or small. If you find that I've been inconveniently involved with them, tell Yoonshin that he doesn't need to come to work the next day."

"I understand for now."

After the call ended, Sehun continued to look outside his window. Sehun's room was south-facing and received a lot of sunlight. Yoonshin's office across the hall didn't seem to get much natural light—he had his lights on, but it still felt too dim even to Sehun. Perhaps the window location was ambiguous, but where Sehun was standing, he could easily see Yoonshin sitting at his desk. The other could probably see him too.

While lost in thought, Sehun continued to observe Yoonshin for a time. He recalled the frosty words that Yoonshin left. "Perhaps you were the most realistic person that she knew."

This seemed like a compliment on the surface, but in fact, it was not.

It was an insultingly clear condemnation. It meant that his father, whom he loved and respected greatly, was at odds with Sehun. Yoonshin acknowledged Sehun yet scorned him at the same time. He was fully willing to learn from Sehun but refused to ever respect him.

"I understand that you are very adept at calculating your gains and losses."

Yoonshin said that he could adjust his tempo, but it seemed like he didn't feel the need to hide his inner thoughts in front of Sehun.

"Just where did this fool roll in from?" Sehun mumbled to himself.

Sehun saw Yoonshin taking off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves, preparing to organize his office. Yoonshin's boney wrist snatched Sehun's attention for a moment, but soon after, Sehun's eyes climbed up the steep incline of the other's side silhouette.

His eyes didn't stop when he reached the other's neck and continued upward to the other's lips, pale cheeks, nose. The moment his eyes landed on the other’s; he bit his lip in annoyance. Yoonshin must have felt his gaze as he turned his head Sehun's way, and their eyes met.

Yoonshin tilted his head, perplexed, but still politely nodded at Sehun. The moment Sehun saw that, he picked up and pressed a button on his remote. The blinds noisily shut, and both their spaces and lines of vision were separated. Sehun, now completely alone, suddenly felt angry and threw the remote in his hands.

Crack! The remote control the size of his palm bounced off the wall and landed near his feet.

The object was already broken in two like a capsized ship.

"Damn it." He was used to scathing criticism. One could even say that criticism spurred him to climb up to his present-day position. Scornful remarks were nothing to him because he could ignore most of them and sometimes use them to his advantage when the situation called for it.

However, for some strange reason, he couldn't just pass over Yoonshin's remarks.

`Why do that bastard's words piss me off?'

He stared down at the remote that fell apart and then stomped on it irritably.

***

Slam! Sehun, in his luxurious suit, got out of his sedan when he arrived at the company's parking lot. He skillfully balanced his phone between his ear and shoulder. As he meticulously buttoned his cufflinks, he walked in big strides toward the building.

Secretary Tak, who had been waiting for him at the elevator since before his superior's arrival, handed Sehun a briefcase. He then gestured for Sehun to take the lift that he had caught in advance. Nimbly getting on the elevator, Sehun briefly listened to the person on the other line before he sharply replied, "If you were in such a rush, you should have sent it to the litigation group. I rarely ever handle lawsuits."

"To my knowledge, you sometimes do litigation for people you've advised. Can't you do something about it for me?" the other person on the line pleaded.

"That's why you should have shopped for your lawyer wisely from the get-go. Tell me, do you start eating anything just because you're at a buffet? The standard is to start with the most expensive and delicious dishes."

The client on the line was the representative director at a semiconductor company who became involved in a civil suit while in the process of investing and building his portfolio. He lost significantly during the first trial after he was represented by another law firm, almost the size of Doguk. Since Sehun refused to pick up this client's call, he must have felt anxious because he kept sending people to pester Sehun for the past few days. Presently, Sehun was graciously listening to his case.

However, Sehun didn't seem interested at all even after picking up, so the man started to sound more desperate. "You know that I wanted to retain you from the very get-go, no? I contacted you too. But the other party's director and his wife knew you guys well, so as another businessman, I thought I should retain some good faith. I thought I should go down the right path at least now. Why don't we meet? Please?"

Sehun frowned and waved his hand at Secretary Tak. The prepared secretary showed Sehun his schedule and pointed to a good day for a meeting. Sehun replied upon seeing that, "Let's meet over the weekend. Please visit the firm this Saturday at 12 p.m. I'll schedule a meeting at that time. You'll need to send me all your documents in advance, and that includes the documents already shared and those that are privileged—that means all your evidence and other documents about circumstances that you kept hidden from the court. I need to know everything about how you accumulated your assets. If there are any omissions, I refuse to represent you."

"All right, all right. I believe in you, Attorney Kang. Should I send someone over with the documents?"

"Of course. Oh, and if you call me three times and I don't reply, don't call again. It means I'm intentionally ignoring you, not that I'm unable to take them. I'm doing this for you because you came to me first. I'll be hanging up now," Sehun said coldly, then quickly hung up and tossed his phone to his secretary.

Secretary Tak caught it skillfully and said, "He is quite well advanced in age, so a Hanwoo lunch would be appropriate."

"Do as you see fit. The documents in question will probably be delivered in person tonight, so please organize those into easily readable sections and leave them on my desk by tomorrow at noon. Plus, bring me the record of the recent judgment on the case by noon. Grab an associate with some free time to print out precedents."

An associate with free time? Does our firm even have that? Excluding one person, I mean."

Sehun knew very well what the question between the lines was and retorted, "Not Yoonshin Do. Find one among the juniors of another team. If there are none, just use an intern."

"Do you trust Attorney Do less than a law student? Oh, right. While we're on that topic, here. This document has additional information on the cases that Attorney Do has worked on."

Sehun snatched the document in Secretary Tak's hands and was about to reply when the elevator made a ding as it arrived on the floor of his office.

Sehun briskly walked ahead toward his office as he read through the thick stack of papers. Slightly at his side, Secretary Tak followed close behind. The employees who saw the two bowed respectfully toward Sehun, who ignored all of them. He instead threw a question at his secretary. "Is there anything else that you dug up?"

"No, it's the same as the last report. I looked through everything, but there was nothing where the two of you were related, privately or publicly. I simply summarized the facts that were there."

Sehun investigated Yoonshin through his secretary and personally interviewed the junior lawyers who went to school around the same time as Yoonshin, but he came out with nothing. Even if they were the same lawyers, a big-firm lawyer and a human rights lawyer were in such distinct fields that nobody knew of any specifics. Based on the rumors that the juniors occasionally heard, their impression of Yoonshin was that he was on the smart and staunch side.

Sehun nodded then flipped back to the first page and concentrated on absorbing the information. All the details of Yoonshin's files were printed.

"He's all clean. Will you retract your doubts about him now?" Secretary Tak asked.

"Shut up," Sehun dismissed.

"This is a waste of human resources. You hate wasting manpower and time the most."

"I'd advise you to shut up before I tell you twice."

With the final warning, Secretary Tak closed his lips tightly. Sehun's surroundings grew quiet. He skimmed through the rest of the document.

`Wrongful dismissal, infringement of employment law, workplace accidents...' he read in his head.

Although Yoonshin was still a small fry, his life and career path overlapped those of Sehun's teacher, who was both Yoonshin's father and the Minister of Justice. The father and son couldn't seem to stand watching people in unjust situations.

He's just like his father.' Sehun clicked his tongue and tried to keep advancing, but an obstacle appeared out of the blue in front of him. He stopped and looked up to see Mihee obstructing his way while waving a coffee in each hand.

"Our dear Senior Attorney Kang, you're always exactly on time to work. The other partners need to learn from you," Mihee said.

"What are you doing first thing in the morning?"

"I missed you so much that I waited for you."

"I can't accept a married woman's feelings. There's this thing called ethics in business. Move."

"How cold, Sehun."

If she didn't move, Sehun was going to go around her. He walked past Mihee toward his office. Secretary Tak, who tactfully retrieved the documents from Sehun's hands, rushed ahead. The secretary opened Sehun's firmly closed office door and carefully placed his briefcase, cell phone, and documents on top of his desk.

Finally, the owner of the room entered the office and was about to sit in his seat, completely ready to start working, but once again Mihee barged in and impeded his way about his day. Sehun furrowed his brows.

"I don't care about higher-ups or whatever. I don't discriminate; I'll even yell at those more senior than me. Get out when I'm not yelling."

"You're such a hothead. I'm leaving, okay?"

Mihee looked at Sehun as she would a defiant younger brother and stepped back. She pretended to step back quietly before she briskly walked forward and placed both cups of coffee on the other's desk "Looking forward to hearing good news!"

Sehun had presumed Mihee would do this because he stood still for a moment. He stared at Mihee, who was waving at him, before letting out a deep sigh. At long last, he was going to sit at his desk, but then he saw Yoonshin's brightly lit room, its owner seemingly already at work. Sehun paused.

Soon after, he stared at the neatly placed cups of coffee on his desk. What Mihee said bothered him.

"It's almost been a month since Attorney Yoonshin Do's first day and you haven't called him to your office once, right?"

"One month. One month..." he repeated these words to himself before picking up one of the two disposable cups.

He turned around, exited his office, and moved to the reception room between his and Yoonshin's office. The support staff didn't seem to realize Sehun was approaching as they were busy whispering among themselves. They must have been excitedly chatting about Mihee's early visit to Sehun's office. Disapprovingly, Sehun clapped loudly once and Secretary Tak, who discovered Sehun's presence first, bolted up from his seat. "Oh my Lord. S-senior Attorney, did you need anything else?"

"Secretary Tak. Send the documents that I told you to organize last week to Yoonshin Do's office."

"Both cases? Right now?"

"Then do you want to leave the second one to tomorrow? I can stand here and wait while you happily chat away."

"My mistake. I'll send them right away," Secretary Tak replied.

Without another word, Sehun went straight to Yoonshin's room and pushed the door open. Yoonshin was just turning on his laptop after setting up his workspace, but upon realizing the identity of his uninvited guest, he made a right-angled bow. This was the first time Sehun dropped by his office, so the other was quite surprised. "Sir, did you just arrive at work?"

"Are you in the military? Relax. Sit," Sehun replied tersely, then stood in front of Yoonshin's desk. Staring at the other's blank face, Sehun put down the cup of coffee that Mihee passed on to him with some force. Naturally, Yoonshin's clear eyes were filled with some questions as he looked back up.

"This is..." Yoonshin trailed off. "Coffee," Sehun replied.

"I can see that. Did you perhaps have something to tell me...?"

"Drink that first."

"You're giving this to me?"

"Yeah, I think I'll be less distressed if you drink that."

Yoonshin, at a loss for what to do because of Sehun's piercing gaze, hurriedly took a sip. Then, he tilted his head in confusion. "I don't understand your intentions."

"See, someone keeps badgering me. Anyway, I've done what I needed to." Sehun's explanation was vague, so Yoonshin still couldn't understand what Sehun wanted. Instead of pressing on, he slowly glanced at the black coffee sleeve and pulled the cup closer to him. He silently thanked Sehun with a nod, and Sehun nodded back in acknowledgment before walking over to the couch in Yoonshin's office and leaning against the armrest while gazing intently at the younger lawyer.

Yoonshin made a complex face as he was barraged with Sehun's gaze. He was bewildered because Sehun suddenly barged in for a reason unknown to Yoonshin. To make matters worse, the partner lawyer's stare was so persistent and intense that Yoonshin felt a bit awkward and shy.

Truthfully, staring so openly and directly at another person was not very polite. They had only met a couple of times, and yet each time, the older man was rude. However, Sehun Kang was the instigator, so Yoonshin had no choice but to tolerate it.

While thinking that, he suddenly was hit with a realization.

"Oh, I was a bit short-sighted. I'll quickly buy you coffee too." Yoonshin got up partially.

However, Sehun waved his hand in rejection. "Leave it. You haven't written your contract yet. How much were you promised annually?"

"I've only been practicing for four years, and I don't have a judicial background. I've primarily done small cases, so I practically had no additional factors to consider when I joined this firm. I was told that the firm had a performance-based compensation system starting from third-year associates, so I was offered the average second-year salary. Ms. Song offered to re-negotiate at the end of the year after assessing my performance..."

"What you're saying is that despite being hired through nepotism, you tried to keep your boundaries."

As he fiddled with the coffee cup, Yoonshin neither confirmed nor denied the statement. During that brief silence, someone knocked on his slightly ajar door and pushed the door wide open. Following that, two unfamiliar faces came into the room. They each pushed in a file cart.

The two neatly stacked the immense piles of papers from the carts onto the coffee table before signaling their departure to the composed Sehun and bewildered Yoonshin.

After the door closed with a click, Yoonshin, who was shocked at the sheer number of documents, glared daggers at Sehun. "Senior Attorney, I wonder what those are? You seem to know, judging by your reaction."

"They're two litigation files around the size our third and fourth-year junior lawyers handle. One is civil, the other is criminal."

One of the key responsibilities of a partner lawyer was to collect cases. Sometimes, they took the lead on matters in their specialty or matters that potentially brought in the big bucks, but smaller files were often handed down to associates to handle independently. From decision making to retention as representatives, many law firms had a top-down approach. In turn, a partner lawyer's words were like the law to associates. Doguk seemed to be no different.

Yoonshin could easily tell that these documents before his eyes were related to cases that Sehun obtained.

"These documents must be for the files. Will you assign one of these files to me? Or both?"

Sehun laughed hollowly in disbelief. "You want to do litigation? Do you think you're on the litigation team? You seem better suited for that; do you want me to send you there?"

Yoonshin felt cornered, so he decided to seal his lips. Sehun then added, "Granted that you aren't an idiot, you must have seen the firm's atmosphere in the past month. This is my first test to judge whether you can earn your keep."

"A test? Okay. What do I need to do?"

"I'll give you two days. Read all these without skipping a single word. Then, brief our team's seniors who have no knowledge about this case. They have to understand the entirety of the case based on your brief, and when they ask questions, your answers can't have any gaps or errors. Can you do that?"

Yoonshin supposed that this was all for determining how efficiently he could work in a short period of time. However, there still wasn't enough time to process that extensive volume of documents in two days. "All of this in two days? I also have documents for the pro bono files to look over. Since they were transferred to me urgently, a few of them are in the middle of trial."

Sehun was more used to unconditional acceptance and his eyebrows twitched. He got up and walked back to Yoonshin. He extended both arms, placed them shoulder-width apart on the desk, and leaned down, meeting eyes at an angle with Yoonshin.

Their faces were quite close. Sehun's narrow eyes, placed symmetrically on his smooth face, blinked slowly. He looked somewhat sinister. Yoonshin winced and gripped the cup in his hands a bit tighter.

"Hey, fourth-year associate. See, I'm pretty good at metacognition," Sehun said.

"I can somewhat tell," Yoonshin replied.

"And the most important key to persuading the judge is to maintain the same position from start to finish."

"I know that well too."

"You know both, so why are you acting like this? You said you'd give it your all. If you contradict yourself, as a person with excellent memory, recall what I said: I will feel extremely distressed. Don't you think, Fourth-year?"

"I must do well so my sister can feel at ease, so I'll give it my all," Yoonshin remembered the words that he had said, so he couldn't make an excuse or have a chance to protest. "I'm sorry. I can do it."

Sehun didn't seem to be quite pleased, but in any case, this was an answer that he could accept. He slowly straightened his back and stared down at an intimidating angle. There were no noticeable emotions on his face. However, Yoonshin could glimpse underlying confidence that bordered on arrogance. The partner's life, decorated with victories seized no matter the method, made him the person he was today.

Thanks to that, Yoonshin, physically in a lower position and looking up, fleetingly thought that Sehun Kang was probably the best suited in the world to be looking down on others. He felt like the other wouldn't know what loneliness or humiliation felt like even if he were to die and come back to life.

At that moment, for some reason, he wanted to see Sehun's face showing pain from defeat at least once. Yoonshin had never imagined another person's pained expression before. He thought this was weird of him, so he tried to shake off his thoughts.

Sehun was quick to catch that Yoonshin couldn't concentrate on their conversation, lost deep in his own world, so he snapped his fingers in Yoonshin's face. "Two days from today, this time in the morning. At the main conference room. Any additional questions?"

"Uh, so do I need to give a case brief to just you? And receive questions from the senior lawyers?"

"I tossed this case to the other teams, so I'm not interested. I'm not going. The response rate needs to approach 100% and you can't take longer than two seconds to answer a question. Ultimately, the senior lawyers will give you a score and judge your value. If it's decent, I'll readjust your salary to that of an average fourth-year associate."

"Senior Attorney Song, if you have something to say, just say it instead of hovering around. Don't you know Monday mornings are my busiest?"

"It's almost been a month since Attorney Yoonshin Do's first day and you haven't called him to your office once, right? He's still under your direct supervision, so if you're not going to give him work, at least buy him lunch. A young man is rare on your team."

Sehun knew Mihee would bring this up and he slowly furrowed his brow. "I go as far as dividing up my lunch hour to have one more meeting."

"Hey, you do what you have to do even if you're busy. For your information, I go shopping and have pastimes."

"Isn't it enough to hand him some pro bono files? Why do I have to feed him too? I told you that I'm not into babysitting."

"Then buy him some coffee, you know? I know you pretty well. I know you're pretty much done investigating him. Seeing as you're not dying to kick him out, he has passed your cut-off line. I don't know what exactly you're watching for, but I hope you could chat at least. It's fine even if it's short. I need some results to report to Director Do too. Every time she calls and asks, I have nothing to say and that's embarrassing. I'm not asking for much. Just a coffee. Okay? Coffee."

"Don't order me around. Get out."

"Sehun."

"I don't care about higher-ups or whatever. I don't discriminate; I'll even yell at those more senior than me. Get out when I'm not yelling."

"You're such a hothead. I'm leaving, okay?"

Mihee looked at Sehun as she would a defiant younger brother and stepped back. She pretended to step back quietly before she briskly walked forward and placed both cups of coffee on the other's desk "Looking forward to hearing good news!"

Sehun had presumed Mihee would do this because he stood still for a moment. He stared at Mihee, who was waving at him, before letting out a deep sigh. At long last, he was going to sit at his desk, but then he saw Yoonshin's brightly lit room, its owner seemingly already at work. Sehun paused.

Soon after, he stared at the neatly placed cups of coffee on his desk. What Mihee said bothered him.

"It's almost been a month since Attorney Yoonshin Do's first day and you haven't called him to your office once, right?"

"One month. One month..." he repeated these words to himself before picking up one of the two disposable cups.

He turned around, exited his office, and moved to the reception room between his and Yoonshin's office. The support staff didn't seem to realize Sehun was approaching as they were busy whispering among themselves. They must have been excitedly chatting about Mihee's early visit to Sehun's office. Disapprovingly, Sehun clapped loudly once and Secretary Tak, who discovered Sehun's presence first, bolted up from his seat. "Oh my Lord. S-senior Attorney, did you need anything else?"

"Secretary Tak. Send the documents that I told you to organize last week to Yoonshin Do's office."

"Both cases? Right now?"

"Then do you want to leave the second one to tomorrow? I can stand here and wait while you happily chat away."

"My mistake. I'll send them right away," Secretary Tak replied.

Without another word, Sehun went straight to Yoonshin's room and pushed the door open. Yoonshin was just turning on his laptop after setting up his workspace, but upon realizing the identity of his uninvited guest, he made a right-angled bow. This was the first time Sehun dropped by his office, so the other was quite surprised. "Sir, did you just arrive at work?"

"Are you in the military? Relax. Sit," Sehun replied tersely, then stood in front of Yoonshin's desk. Staring at the other's blank face, Sehun put down the cup of coffee that Mihee passed on to him with some force. Naturally, Yoonshin's clear eyes were filled with some questions as he looked back up.

"This is..." Yoonshin trailed off. "Coffee," Sehun replied.

"I can see that. Did you perhaps have something to tell me...?"

"Drink that first."

"You're giving this to me?"

"Yeah, I think I'll be less distressed if you drink that."

Yoonshin, at a loss for what to do because of Sehun's piercing gaze, hurriedly took a sip. Then, he tilted his head in confusion. "I don't understand your intentions."

"See, someone keeps badgering me. Anyway, I've done what I needed to." Sehun's explanation was vague, so Yoonshin still couldn't understand what Sehun wanted. Instead of pressing on, he slowly glanced at the black coffee sleeve and pulled the cup closer to him. He silently thanked Sehun with a nod, and Sehun nodded back in acknowledgment before walking over to the couch in Yoonshin's office and leaning against the armrest while gazing intently at the younger lawyer.

Yoonshin made a complex face as he was barraged with Sehun's gaze. He was bewildered because Sehun suddenly barged in for a reason unknown to Yoonshin. To make matters worse, the partner lawyer's stare was so persistent and intense that Yoonshin felt a bit awkward and shy.

Truthfully, staring so openly and directly at another person was not very polite. They had only met a couple of times, and yet each time, the older man was rude. However, Sehun Kang was the instigator, so Yoonshin had no choice but to tolerate it.

While thinking that, he suddenly was hit with a realization.

"Oh, I was a bit short-sighted. I'll quickly buy you coffee too." Yoonshin got up partially.

However, Sehun waved his hand in rejection. "Leave it. You haven't written your contract yet. How much were you promised annually?"

"I've only been practicing for four years, and I don't have a judicial background. I've primarily done small cases, so I practically had no additional factors to consider when I joined this firm. I was told that the firm had a performance-based compensation system starting from third-year associates, so I was offered the average second-year salary. Ms. Song offered to re-negotiate at the end of the year after assessing my performance..."

"What you're saying is that despite being hired through nepotism, you tried to keep your boundaries."

As he fiddled with the coffee cup, Yoonshin neither confirmed nor denied the statement. During that brief silence, someone knocked on his slightly ajar door and pushed the door wide open. Following that, two unfamiliar faces came into the room. They each pushed in a file cart.

The two neatly stacked the immense piles of papers from the carts onto the coffee table before signaling their departure to the composed Sehun and bewildered Yoonshin.

After the door closed with a click, Yoonshin, who was shocked at the sheer number of documents, glared daggers at Sehun. "Senior Attorney, I wonder what those are? You seem to know, judging by your reaction."

"They're two litigation files around the size our third and fourth-year junior lawyers handle. One is civil, the other is criminal."

One of the key responsibilities of a partner lawyer was to collect cases. Sometimes, they took the lead on matters in their specialty or matters that potentially brought in the big bucks, but smaller files were often handed down to associates to handle independently. From decision making to retention as representatives, many law firms had a top-down approach. In turn, a partner lawyer's words were like the law to associates. Doguk seemed to be no different.

Yoonshin could easily tell that these documents before his eyes were related to cases that Sehun obtained.

"These documents must be for the files. Will you assign one of these files to me? Or both?"

Sehun laughed hollowly in disbelief. "You want to do litigation? Do you think you're on the litigation team? You seem better suited for that; do you want me to send you there?"

Yoonshin felt cornered, so he decided to seal his lips. Sehun then added, "Granted that you aren't an idiot, you must have seen the firm's atmosphere in the past month. This is my first test to judge whether you can earn your keep."

"A test? Okay. What do I need to do?"

"I'll give you two days. Read all these without skipping a single word. Then, brief our team's seniors who have no knowledge about this case. They have to understand the entirety of the case based on your brief, and when they ask questions, your answers can't have any gaps or errors. Can you do that?"

Yoonshin supposed that this was all for determining how efficiently he could work in a short period of time. However, there still wasn't enough time to process that extensive volume of documents in two days. "All of this in two days? I also have documents for the pro bono files to look over. Since they were transferred to me urgently, a few of them are in the middle of trial."

Sehun was more used to unconditional acceptance and his eyebrows twitched. He got up and walked back to Yoonshin. He extended both arms, placed them shoulder-width apart on the desk, and leaned down, meeting eyes at an angle with Yoonshin.

Their faces were quite close. Sehun's narrow eyes, placed symmetrically on his smooth face, blinked slowly. He looked somewhat sinister. Yoonshin winced and gripped the cup in his hands a bit tighter.

"Hey, fourth-year associate. See, I'm pretty good at metacognition," Sehun said.

"I can somewhat tell," Yoonshin replied.

"And the most important key to persuading the judge is to maintain the same position from start to finish."

"I know that well too."

"You know both, so why are you acting like this? You said you'd give it your all. If you contradict yourself, as a person with excellent memory, recall what I said: I will feel extremely distressed. Don't you think, Fourth-year?"

"I must do well so my sister can feel at ease, so I'll give it my all," Yoonshin remembered the words that he had said, so he couldn't make an excuse or have a chance to protest. "I'm sorry. I can do it."

Sehun didn't seem to be quite pleased, but in any case, this was an answer that he could accept. He slowly straightened his back and stared down at an intimidating angle. There were no noticeable emotions on his face. However, Yoonshin could glimpse underlying confidence that bordered on arrogance. The partner's life, decorated with victories seized no matter the method, made him the person he was today.

Thanks to that, Yoonshin, physically in a lower position and looking up, fleetingly thought that Sehun Kang was probably the best suited in the world to be looking down on others. He felt like the other wouldn't know what loneliness or humiliation felt like even if he were to die and come back to life.

At that moment, for some reason, he wanted to see Sehun's face showing pain from defeat at least once. Yoonshin had never imagined another person's pained expression before. He thought this was weird of him, so he tried to shake off his thoughts.

Sehun was quick to catch that Yoonshin couldn't concentrate on their conversation, lost deep in his own world, so he snapped his fingers in Yoonshin's face. "Two days from today, this time in the morning. At the main conference room. Any additional questions?"

"Uh, so do I need to give a case brief to just you? And receive questions from the senior lawyers?"

"I tossed this case to the other teams, so I'm not interested. I'm not going. The response rate needs to approach 100% and you can't take longer than two seconds to answer a question. Ultimately, the senior lawyers will give you a score and judge your value. If it's decent, I'll readjust your salary to that of an average fourth-year associate."

"What if I say I'm not okay with that?" Yoonshin asked.

"You can't do it?"

"No, but can't you just come?"

Sehun didn't seem to understand the request disguised as an innocent question at all. The biggest reason that Sehun wasn't going to partake in the test and only receive the results was that he didn't want to waste his precious time on something he found no value in. However, there was some intention to give some breathing space to this experienced new recruit.

"I work on a schedule with 10-minute intervals," Sehun replied.

"I know. I only need a little bit of your time. I won't take up too much of it."

"Are you fearless or just brash?"

"I just want to understand your style of doing things. Even though you're always in the building, you're so busy that it's hard to even meet you once."

Sehun narrowed his eyes then. He looked as if he was trying to peek into a solid fortress gate and retorted frostily, Are you crazy? How dare you?"

"I'm not trying to overstep my bounds and judge you. I wanted to know what appeals to you so I can work on that area. I know you find me unsatisfactory, but as long as I choose to remain here, I need to work under you, and I really want to do well."

"You'll regret it. I'm very selective. I won't give you points so easily."

"Regret is something everyone feels. " Yoonshin implied that he was mentally prepared enough. The man himself wanted to be pushed into a corner, so Sehun, as someone with an inherently mean personality, had no reason to deny the younger lawyer some spare time for some entertainment.

However, Yoonshin's attitude kept grating him. The other party was clearly being submissive, groveling on the ground before him. But for some reason, Sehun strangely still felt uprightness and stubbornness from Yoonshin. Sehun could anticipate that Yoonshin, as he was, could potentially upset him.

Sehun ground his teeth and moved his arm impulsively. His long and straight fingers curled around Yoonshin's necktie like claws. Then, he yanked the silky material and the other's skinny upper body was helplessly pulled toward Sehun.

"Ngh... Sir?" Yoonshin asked in surprise.

They were close enough as it was already, but apparently, that wasn't close enough for Sehun. He looked down at Yoonshin menacingly, then leaned in, bringing their faces extremely close.

The frigid gaze that motionlessly observed Yoonshin's face was sharp and defensive.

Tension crawled up from his waist, making Yoonshin astonished. He grew pale. "Why are you suddenly...? Did I do something wrong?"

Despite the careful question, Sehun didn't answer. Instead, he hooked his finger into the narrow knot of the other's tie and pulled it down.

The knot that sat on Yoonshin's neck was undone completely. The younger's neat appearance looked a bit ruffled. Now satisfied, Sehun tossed the accessory on the floor.

Yoonshin finally heard Sehun's reply. "Why do I dislike you so much?"

For some reason, it seemed like Sehun himself didn't know the reason even though he was the one who asked, so Yoonshin couldn't press on.

Yoonshin merely swallowed nervously. He straightened his shirt and answered in a composed manner, "From now on, I'll try for you to like some part of me."

Yoonshin felt his stomach churning as Sehun watched Yoonshin's calm reaction.

Sehun could easily tell what was going on in the other's mind. After he read about Yoonshin's life trajectory, it was even easier. Yoonshin was always a good person to others for his entire life, so he probably had very few chances to have animosity directed at him.

Most people already felt positive about him, so even if he was uncomfortable around Sehun, who everyone considered to be a bad person, Yoonshin's feelings probably would not be hurt significantly.

In other words, Sehun's animosity toward him wasn't really of interest to Yoonshin.

"I dislike that even more," Sehun mumbled to himself.

"By any chance, do you hate everything I do?" Yoonshin asked.

"I'm not interested in you enough for that."

Disliking another person was emotionally taxing. So, Sehun didn't hate his parents who left him behind, the adults in his childhood who passed him around from place to place, or the business relationships who treated him as a rival and swore that they would give him tit for tat. To be more accurate, he didn't care about them.

However, everything about Yoonshin strangely rubbed him the wrong way. More accurately speaking, rather than disliking him, Sehun was extremely conscious of Yoonshin.

A very old memory inevitably invaded his cluttered mind like light.

The memory was of a funeral home—shabbier than the honor he received in life —a variety of groups of visitors, and the strong, upright image of Director Ikyung Do thanking visitors.

In a secluded place all alone, a lone figure in funeral attire was crying. "I'm really sorry, but could you stay with me for a moment? I don't think I can stay here alone."

That day, the two of them said nothing to each other and shared a transient moment together.

Did Yoonshin also remember that day?

"What should I fix? If you let me know..." At that moment, he heard Yoonshin's voice. His musings about the past were washed away and filled once more with present-day thoughts and issues.

Sehun, who almost relaxed, looked stiff again. "Then would you like to quit at least now?"

"No, sorry."

"Then, just do your assignments well." Sehun turned around, unwilling to stay in the room any longer. He looked like he would kick the door open and walk out, so Yoonshin stood up reflectively. At the same time, Sehun turned around, seemingly having something more to say. His sharp gaze pierced through Yoonshin, making the younger man's skinny shoulders flinch.

"I'll also attend the test then." Sehun's tone was cold but ultimately, he obliged Yoonshin's request.

Yoonshin, who was tense, hesitated for a moment before conveying his sincerity. "Thank..."

But the other turned around before he could finish his expression of thanks.

Click. The door closed.

The back that was eye-catching no matter how many times he saw it soon disappeared from sight. Disappointed as he was, Yoonshin continued to follow the image of the other walking away with his eyes. The older man stopped at the reception desk and began giving instructions to Secretary Tak, and in case he turned around, Yoonshin crouched.

As he was crouching, he picked up his necktie from the floor. He redid his tie, but a sudden feeling of being wronged washed over him. "'I dislike that even more...' What exactly does he dislike? Did I make a mistake somewhere? No, I didn't. He could decide to dislike me after giving me a chance to speak with him."

After neglecting him for nearly a month, the words that the partner spat out after he suddenly appeared made Yoonshin's brain a disorganized mess.

The way he got into this firm wasn't the most honest, and everyone was bound to have someone who they were irritated at, so Yoonshin just thought it was the other being uncomfortable for those reasons. Even though the older man had never done anything wrong to him, Yoonshin also didn't like Sehun very much, so he thought he could relate.

However, after watching the older lawyer in proximity for nearly a month, Yoonshin realized that there was a lot to learn from the other. The widespread rumors about Sehun were probably exaggerated because according to them, Sehun committed misdeeds daily and drowned himself in hedonism—shockingly, Sehun was actually holed up in his office all day, doing work.

The partner was buried in an unmanageable volume of documents all day, and amid that, he produced opinion letters and reports. On top of that, he devoted a fixed amount of time to meet with the principal lawyers of a file and with foreign accredited lawyers, and he squeezed out even more time to meet with clients.

Moreover, he always came to work exactly on time and worked overtime almost every day. If there were associates on the file, he at least rested completely for two days during the weekend.

‘Maybe he goes on dates over the weekend. Or maybe he's in a long-distance relationship? He looks like he would have a Korean-American girlfriend,' Yoonshin casually thought to himself, then paused as he finished tying his tie. As he was about to sit back at his desk, he imitated Sehun, stuck his finger in between the knot, and tried to pull it down. Although he tried to undo the knot as skillfully as the other, it wasn't as easy as it seemed.

Meanwhile, all Yoonshin could think about was how Sehun's skin might have brushed by the same spot.

‘So, what if we touched?’ Yoonshin quickly took his hands off his tie and fixed his posture, but he felt a bit embarrassed that he was feeling conscious of another man's touch.

He'll probably get married to a decent woman eventually, right?' He couldn't imagine the other settling down and making a family. Sehun looked like he would treat love as the most useless thing in the world. That made Yoonshin even more curious. Maybe if he was still here around then, he could be invited to the wedding.

As his train of thought continued, he wondered why he was so curious about such meaningless things. Yoonshin rested his eyes on the documents that covered his coffee table. He felt his head spin just looking at the stack of white papers.

"Let's focus on this first," he said to himself out loud.

He hurriedly dragged his acrylic board and timer to the table. He decided to hold off on his work for the pro bono file and moved his seat. He divided the mountain of paperwork into the civil and criminal cases and started reading from the pile on his left.

His supervisor said he would judge him, so Yoonshin was thinking of getting the highest possible mark.

***

Yoonshin's neck was stiff after burying his face in his documents all day. He lifted his head and massaged his neck. He could feel how tight his muscles were. To make matters worse, his eyelids slowly started to close.

"I feel like dying." He glanced outside the window of his office door to check if there was anyone that he could ask to bring coffee, but he sighed after seeing the darkened room. When he checked, the time was already one in the morning.

Time at a law firm wasn't separated between morning and afternoon or day and night. It was divided by the time a lawyer was at work and wasn't at work.

It was the dead of night, but there were still places in the building that were lit up. There were merely a few more unlit spaces than before. The seventh floor, where Yoonshin was, housed the firm's source of funds—it was used by the financial and corporate law teams. The offices were inevitably filled by more senior lawyers, so unless they were at the peak of a case, this floor was darker than others.

On his second day of work, Yoonshin realized that the position of his office was very wrong. Directly opposite of Sehun, his placement seemed to overtake the other senior lawyers in the team.

Senior Attorney Mihee Song instructed this room assignment, so Yoonshin presumed that she decided to take this risk and make a gamble to place Yoonshin close to Sehun. Seeing as Sehun didn’t say much about this arrangement, Yoonshin guessed that perhaps this was also part of his sister's request. Thus, he willingly played along for now.

"Ugh, I really can't stand it." Yoonshin stood up to head for the break room.

Creak. The blinding light escaped the confines of his office through the slightly open door and evanesced into the darkness.

Chapter 2

While Yoonshin walked to the end of the hall, footsteps on the opposite side of the seventh floor grew closer. They belonged to Sehun, who had left the building at around nine in the evening for a last-minute client meeting.

Sehun had only returned because he left something at his office, but upon his return, he realized that Yoonshin's room was still lit and that his door was ajar. Sehun reflexively followed the light.

When he pushed the door wide open, the first thing he saw was the acrylic dry erase board with the timeline of events scrawled on each side. The main events were listed chronologically with key details below; it was as organized as a model student's excellent note-taking habits. All the evidence and issues—including the documents used by the prosecutor at trial, the firm's reply, and the prosecutor's counter-reply documents—were listed in simple and concise language.

Even for Sehun, who knew the general outline of the cases but not the details, the notes were organized in a way that he could see the flow of the case with one glance. To exaggerate slightly, he thought he could study this and make arguments at court with it.

Yoonshin was given merely two days. If he could do this much after looking through thousands of documents by himself, Sehun needed to concede to the truth.

"B+?" Sehun assigned a letter grade like an examiner and then stared quietly at the dry erase board before he corrected himself. "No, A-."

He ambled into the room and grabbed a pile of documents among the ones scattered around the table. Looking at the first page, it seemed like Yoonshin had written his opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of each piece of evidence to be used at trial for each case.

"But his mindset is still that of an outsider. How can I teach him?" he muttered to himself and prepared to flip to the next page.

Clack, clack. The sound of dress shoes approached the room. As the presence drew closer, Sehun turned toward the door. Yoonshin, who was surprised to see this unexpected guest, gripped his mug tightly and his eyes became saucers. He must have washed his face because his skin looked paler, even more like the pearly skin of a child than usual.

"Attorney Kang? What are you doing here, at this time of day...? I thought you went home immediately after your meeting."

"Hey, Fourth-year. Shouldn't you be getting off work?"

"Oh, yes. I think I need to pull an all nighter tonight. My eyelids were getting heavy, so I splashed some water on my face. By the way, how long are you going to continue calling me 'Fourth-year'? You know I have a name. At this rate, everyone will forget it."

Sehun smirked derisively. "I'm just trying my best to be polite since I'm a bit stranger-shy."

"So, you're calling me 'Fourth-year' instead of my name?"

"Nobody at the firm calls you by your name anyways. They all call you the nepotism hire."

It had been a month since Yoonshin entered the firm. Throughout this time, nobody approached him, so initially, he thought that the firm culture was just indifferent. However, as he repeatedly saw groups of people stealing glances at him and whispering amongst each other, he realized that was not the case. He was being ostracized in a way. Just as Sehun had said, it was because he was hired through nepotism. "I guessed as much. Secretary Tak said that on my first day at work, my profile was passed around the entire building. Should I ask for my room to be moved, then?"

"Deal with that issue yourself. And if you want to be called by your name, surprise me."

"Then, I will need some time."

"Sometimes it's interesting that you know your place, very uncharacteristic of a young master like yourself." When he finished talking, Sehun took a few steps toward Yoonshin. Yoonshin didn't know why, but he took a few steps back without thinking. Somehow, his back ended up bumping into the wall. The door beside him was wide open.

Sehun stood mere inches in front of him, and his large hands entered Yoonshin's vision, which soon slammed the door shut.

Slam. Left in the enclosed space together, Yoonshin felt the air in this room grow bizarrely heavier. This wasn't the first time the partner acted like this out of the blue, but Yoonshin was still tense. Unlike before, whatever happened in this room, there was nobody else to look inside.

Nervously, Yoonshin looked up at Sehun, who was standing in front of him. Yoonshin's look didn't bother Sehun as he reached his hand out and touched the younger man's lush eyelashes. There was still some moisture beaded on his lashes Sehun pressed Yoonshin's lips with his fourth finger, wiping off the wetness.

"Urgh, what are you...?" Yoonshin was so surprised by the sudden contact that the mug in his hand ended up slipping, making it drop to the ground.

Shatter!

The cup spun, wobbling like a top losing kinetic energy before tipping over and laying on its side, spilling the black coffee. The liquid trickled to the feet of the men. Yoonshin wanted to crouch down to mop up the puddle of coffee with some tissues, but Sehun reached out and stopped him. "Don't move. I'm not done talking yet."

"But I think this needs to be cleaned up first."

"I decide the order of matters, and an associate follows my orders." Along with his self-righteous reply, Sehun grabbed and lifted Yoonshin's smooth chin and carefully examined Yoonshin's still-moist eyes. The other's gaze was stubborn and tenacious. Yoonshin felt his body tensing everywhere the other's gaze landed on.

Why was this man doing this?

Yoonshin could not understand for the life of him why this man appeared so suddenly and acted like this.

He felt exposed and tried to pacify his growing embarrassment when Sehun threw him a vague question. "It's bloodshot. Why?"

"I don't know. Maybe I'm tired," Yoonshin shot back.

"Is that all?"

"Should I have another reason?"

"I certainly don't know. You should do your own work properly." Sehun narrowed his eyes and released Yoonshin's chin forcefully. However, his gaze remained fixated on the clean face of the younger.

As Yoonshin continued to lock eyes with that sharp gaze, one possibility suddenly occurred to Yoonshin. 'Does he perhaps remember what happened in the past?'

Come to think of it, Yoonshin only assumed Sehun had forgotten, but Sehun had never directly said that he didn't remember.

When they first met each other a few years ago, Yoonshin was crying his eyes out. Sehun leaned against the wall and stood beside Yoonshin for quite a long time. They didn't even know each other's names. The older man probably assumed that Yoonshin was his father's son based on his funeral attire, but Yoonshin learned that the other's name was "Sehun Kang" when he was digging through old newspaper articles quite a while after that day. Yoonshin was so shocked when he found out.

Bewildered, Yoonshin swallowed nervously. Then, he said whatever came to mind to reverse this strange atmosphere.

"S-sir. When I was still in law school, I read a case while preparing for a mock trial on a crime related to business management. It was about the professional negligence of the executive director of a savings bank. You know, it caused quite the commotion around five years ago... Everyone expected that the executive director would definitely be sentenced to jail, but you ultimately lowered the sentence to probation."

Yoonshin rushed to change the topic and soon after, the other seemingly lost interest in the droplets of water in Yoonshin's eyes and took a few steps back to lean against the desk partitions. Sehun nodded slightly. Relieved, Yoonshin continued, "I always wondered. How did you convince his business partner, who fled the country, to come back to appear at court? I dug through and found that the prosecutors thought that the business partner would never come as a witness. If she testified, her own fatal accounting error would be brought to light, and she would be charged instead of the director."

Sehun was listening quietly thus far, but his expression changed subtly.

The memories of that case stretched out like a panorama.

Extraordinary eloquence or amazing persuasive skills were required to push people. What was truly useful was to hold the other party's weakness. The more one needed to protect, the stronger one was—on the flip side, having more generally made one weaker. For example, family, wealth, and reputation—things of that nature only served as avenues to be exploited.

From a young age, Sehun never had a family. He thought it would be convenient if he had wealth and reputation, but he wasn't desperate for it. He had nothing to lose, so that was why he could come this far. Perhaps he didn't love anything in order to climb to the top. But what difference did that make? People only remembered the result.

"With a method that people like you would never use," Sehun replied.

It was also a method that Yoonshin would have to learn if he were to continue working under Sehun. However, Sehun didn't feel the need to say that much.

"Did you offer him money? That does seem to be the easiest way," Yoonshin asked.

Sehun did not answer, leaving the rest to the other's imagination. Yoonshin felt his suspicions were confirmed as he observed Sehun's unremorseful face. Yoonshin said, a bit bitterly, "So you did. As I thought, you do a lot of bad things here."

"We work for money here. Whatever the case may be, the point here is that I dragged the business partner to the court."

"But it's still something you shouldn't do as a lawyer. Because of that, the partner got charged with the crimes of the executive director as well and got sentenced to jail. What about that person's life? I think that you should have used a more equitable method if you were going to make her stand at court, at least."

"She probably got the sentence that she deserved, equivalent to her crimes. And regardless, I saved my client."

"No, if I remember correctly, the partner received nearly two times the sentence she should have, out of spite. You knew that this would end up this way. You simulated this in your head and figured she was a good substitute. The business partner also committed some wrongdoings, so she was a good shield."

"Is that really so regrettable? You should have stepped in like a hero and defended her."

"I was in law school then..."

Sehun, who was rallying with Yoonshin quite sharply, cut the associate off suddenly. Yoonshin was used to this now. "Stop. I knew you would be like this. That's why I was so against hiring you. I don't like kids like you."

“…”

"I'm leaving. Fourth-year, keep giving it your all."

"Attorney Kang?"

Just as suddenly as he came, he turned and left without notice. High-handed as always, Sehun's tempestuous arrogance suited him well, especially since he didn't look like he would have any obstructions in his life. Sehun left Yoonshin's room without hesitation. Then, he went to his own office, lit his room, swiftly found what he was looking for, and then completely left Yoonshin's line of sight.

The momentary light on the other side of the hall hid its presence yet again, and as Sehun disappeared from his vision, Yoonshin could finally sit back in his chair in comfort.

The coffee that he brought over was already cold, and the muddy stream left his floor a splotchy mess.

A sigh escaped Yoonshin's red lips. For no reason, he brushed his lower lip that the other touched before feeling a bit weird and taking his hands off. He changed the topic because he was starting to feel embarrassed in the increasingly strange atmosphere, but he was clumsy in situations like this and had no self-restraint. Thanks to that, he felt like he ruined Sehun's mood.

"It's not like I can turn back time. Shit," Yoonshin muttered to himself. As he thought back to his conversation with Sehun, he felt a surge of curiosity.

If someone were born an enigma, it would be Sehun. Yoonshin had never seen a person who had everything like Sehun. He was tall and slim yet well-built, which made him look stylish in anything. Additionally, he had fine features that appealed to everyone. The cherry on top was that Sehun had exceptional metacognition, quick thinking, a daring personality, and excellent conversational skills—there was nothing he lacked. Really, he was perfect on the surface.

Sehun had so much going for him, yet Yoonshin couldn't figure out why the other was so uncompassionate.

Yoonshin came to Doguk feeling resolute, but things just didn't seem to work out for him even before he could start anything. To begin with, Sehun and Yoonshin had disparate values, and the older man seemed to recognize this fact as well.

"I knew you would be like this. That's why I was so against hiring you."

Yoonshin squatted down to pick up his cracked mug and mumbled to himself, sounding defeated, "I won't get fired in a month, right?"

The face of his sister, who strongly requested that he go to Doguk, floated in his vision, and Yoonshin hung his head.

The main conference room could seat tens of people. In the middle of that room, there was an oval-shaped wooden table that could seat over 20 people. With the projector on one of the long edges of the table, executive office chairs filled with special material lined the opposite side, and in front of each seat on top of the tables was a mic and tablet.

Behind the executive team's seats were two rows of regular leather office chairs for the associates and support staff. Sophisticated-looking amplifiers and other electronic devices flanked the seats, which added to the dignified appearance of the room. Apparently, important meetings requiring the attendance of the firm's partners took place in this room. The costly items that filled this space were as classy as their users.

If that was all there was to this room, Yoonshin, who grew up comfortably and without lacking anything, wouldn't have felt so intimidated.

His complicated feelings were aimed at the abstract artwork hanging on the back wall of the room, behind the central seat of the table.

`Where have I seen that piece before? I'm sure I read an article that it was sold at an auction a few years ago,' Yoonshin thought.

Works by artists so famous that one only heard the news about them from overseas auctions well exceeded several billion dollars at the least. The fact that such an expensive piece was not in the director's office, partner's office, nor any of the reception rooms, but in a mere conference room used only by employees escaped Yoonshin. The formless figures in the piece swirled around and scorned him.

It occurred to him that he was possibly at an important fork in the road, so he felt tenser than when he stood before the court. To stay focused, he pursed his lips and his fingers glided over the trackpad. Then, he opened the simple presentation slides that he had prepared in advance, projecting them onto the screen at the front of the room. The slides presented the evidence related to the cases and organized the issues in a readable format.

Work hadn't officially started for the day yet. Yoonshin came to the conference room in advance to prepare for his test. His face was fraught with fatigue. This excessively extravagant place was psychologically stressful, but the biggest reason was that he was unable to sleep a wink for the past two days and nights.

When he got up slightly, he felt his vision spin. Not only was he unable to sleep, but for all the time as humanly possible, Yoonshin read words and organized the content like crazy, so his fatigue accumulated. He barely managed to straighten his back when the door opened from outside. Secretary Tak entered the room.

Secretary Tak brought the printouts that Yoonshin requested and set one copy at each seat. Then, he handed a piping hot cup of coffee in front of Yoonshin. "Please drink this. I made it extra strong, so you'll feel like you're wide awake."

Yoonshin rubbed his face with his hands and gave the other man an extremely grateful face before taking the cup. "I won't forget your kindness. Please pass along my thanks to the office manager for coming out early to help me as well."

"Don't mention it. I only did what I should."

"But I'm not officially a lawyer at this firm yet. Strictly speaking, you have no reason to help me—not yet at least."

Secretary Tak smiled gently and replied, "But I was wondering, did you read all those documents? There were well over ten thousand sheets of A4 paper. I know because I was the one who prepared all the papers."

"Honestly, the volume of documents was too extensive, so I couldn't read through it completely. I separated them by categories and selectively read the important parts. That's why I'm a bit worried." Yoonshin took a sip after responding, and as he did so, Secretary Tak carefully examined Yoonshin's outfit. The young lawyer's white shirt sleeves were rolled up and his necktie hung awkwardly, making his outfit an overall mess. It could have been okay if that was all, but the true issue was elsewhere.

"You probably didn't sleep that much. It seems like you barely managed to wash in the shower room, right?" Secretary Tak probed.

"Yes. Is there a problem with that? I saw that some people on the upper and lower floors stayed here overnight."

"No, that's not an issue, but I recommend you bring some spare clothes from now on. He can't stand to see people wearing the same thing twice."

"You mean Senior Attorney Kang?" Yoonshin was taken aback because the secretary simply shrugged, implying that there was nobody else he could have been talking about. Knowing Sehun based on what Yoonshin observed, he didn't seem like he would be interested in what the associates wore. "He cares about what an associate lawyer wears?"

"Not particularly, but because his memory is quite good... If he sees someone two days in a row and that person is wearing the same clothes, I think because he processes an extreme amount of work, he feels like he's doing the same work as the other day. Like he's repeating a day, I guess? I remember that he pointed this out to another junior in the past."

"A simple comment?"

"He said, 'Get out of my sight.' Then, the junior got out of his sight, right into the corporate/commercial team."

Yoonshin's face grew so dark that Secretary Tak added quickly, "Well, thankfully he didn't get fired."

"Thank you for the warning."

This jinx of sorts felt very plausible for a busy and temperamental person like Sehun. Yoonshin undid his necktie and shoved it haphazardly in his pocket before straightening out his shirt as neatly as possible. Thankfully, Secretary Tak handed Yoonshin his own necktie. As Yoonshin tied the knot, the image of Sehun's frosty face as he undid his necktie suddenly popped up, so he tightened the tie extremely snugly.

Secretary Tak tilted his head slightly and watched him with amused eyes. "Did you perhaps imagine strangling Attorney Kang...?"

"No, not at all," Yoonshin denied.

"Weird. All the other juniors do that. I sometimes do it too. He gives me too much work."

Yoonshin felt too embarrassed to admit it now, so he changed the topic. "But what's the relationship between you two? You seemed to be pretty comfortable around Attorney Kang."

"Oh, me? I was the middle school underclassman of both Attorney Song and Kang. They're my seniors."

"Oh, is that so? It's the first time I'm hearing this."

"There's quite an age gap, so the three of us never went to school at the same time. Before, Senior Attorney Song gave some financial aid to a few underclassmen who were children in need of protection. Thankfully, Attorney Kang and I were able to receive her assistance, and after that, we learned of each other's existence through the organization. We weren't that close."

Yoonshin's eyes grew wide upon hearing that—a child in need of protection.

Basically, it meant an orphan under the age of 18.

Yoonshin had heard several rumors about Sehun's background. The majority said that Sehun's parents were both doctors at "Doctors Without Borders," or that they were professors at a prominent university overseas. When Sehun decided to become a lawyer instead of a prosecutor, stories started to circulate that Sehun was the illegitimate child of a famous law firm's director. As far as Yoonshin knew, Sehun had never confirmed any of these stories.

"Attorney Kang's parents... aren't with him, it seems?" Yoonshin made an extremely complicated face.

Secretary Tak looked a bit troubled and asked, “Ah, you didn't know? I thought that since you're the brother-in-law to a conglomerate family and Attorney Song personally brought you here and stuck you next to Attorney Kang, you would know this for sure. Did I misspeak?"

"Is this something that Attorney Kang hides?"

"Not necessarily. But he doesn't enjoy talking about it."

"Then, this could be a slip of the tongue. I'll pretend I didn't hear it," Yoonshin assured the other.

The secretary smiled in appreciation. Even so, Yoonshin could tell that the other man seemed concerned that he exposed his superior's personal information without permission, so Yoonshin couldn't continue with this topic. He shifted the subject as naturally as possible. "So, this test. Does everyone go through it?"

Secretary Tak rejoiced and replied, "This is the most basic of them all. I could even call it a rite of passage. When an associate first comes into the firm, their respective teams open a mock trial and humiliate them. They do it to intimidate the newcomers. But Attorney Kang finds that annoying, so he doesn't go as far as a mock trial. Even when he does, he leaves it to the other senior lawyers under him. Right, he's attending today for once. I wonder why?"

"Maybe he's dying to kill some time," a third voice piped in.

In unison, the two who were conversing turned back to look at the source of the voice. Yoonshin had an inkling of a presence coming from far away, but the aforementioned Sehun was standing crookedly at the doorway. As usual, his meticulous three-piece suit befitted him. Even his long shadow stretching out from his toes looked excellent.

Behind Sehun was a long line of senior lawyers in Sehun's team that Yoonshin occasionally ran into. Counting their numbers briefly, it looked like around 10 of the team's lawyers were going to attend. Their ages ranged from the 30s to 50s and they had a spectrum of years of experience and specialties.

Yoonshin snapped to his senses when he saw the lawyers who came to evaluate him. The gravity that stemmed from their sharp attires and solemn faces made all the muscles in Yoonshin's body freeze.

Yoonshin regretted too late that he threw a fit at Sehun to come when the older man held the reins of these experienced lawyers.

"Secretary Tak, uh, could you stay in the conference room during my brief...?" Yoonshin, who naturally felt threatened, reached out to Secretary Tak. However, the secretary cold-heartedly shot a look telling Yoonshin to keep his promise before he quickly slipped out of the conference room. Yoonshin had no choice but to look back at Sehun, who looked immensely displeased for some reason. Yoonshin felt his throat closing up.

Yoonshin coughed dryly, about to address Sehun, but the older lawyer was quicker to talk. “Fourth-year, is clinging onto anyone to stay by your side a hobby of yours?"

"Sorry? No, that couldn't be."

“’That couldn't be' was what I just witnessed."

"Ah, just now it was because I felt like I had no allies here—I don't have any other special reason. Of course, that's not to say that you're an enemy, sir."

"Are you sure about that?" Sehun asked.

"It's really not what you thought."

"Whatever, stop blocking the way and move." Sehun roughly pushed past Yoonshin before the younger man even had the chance to step aside. Sehun took the centermost seat. Then, as if they all waited for the other to move, the other lawyers courteously entered the room and filled the remaining seats.

While the senior lawyers read through the printouts, Yoonshin caught his breath and tried to calm his fluttering heart by reminding himself, 'You prepared to the best of your abilities. Just don't make a mistake.'

Yoonshin took a few deep breaths, then greeted the seniors politely. "It's the first time I'm introducing myself formally. I'm Yoonshin Do."

There was no reply. Most of the seniors were reading through the printout that Yoonshin prepared. In that short time, a few of them seemed to already regard him highly for organizing the main points very well. Sitting crookedly right in front of the abstract painting, Sehun's piercing gaze was fixed on Yoonshin.

Yoonshin was about to continue his preliminary greetings, but Sehun checked his watch and interrupted. "Cut the small talk and start. We're all busy people."

Yoonshin chewed his lips, then he nodded.

After that, he pointed his laser pointer at the screen. "Then, I'll begin. This case is a lawsuit demanding payment for construction. The plaintiff was unable to receive their construction cost and sent a complaint letter to the defendant. The contract with the defendant building owner was not left in writing, so instead the plaintiffs submitted an audio recording of the verbal contract. The construction was performed, and payment was due, but they were not able to receive their payment. All the conditions are met for litigation."

One of the seniors who was flipping through the papers turned on the mic and asked, "The document is well organized. When was the payment due? It's standard practice for the construction balance to be paid in full when the building is delivered to the owner. In this case, the defendant stated that the extension to the building was not completed. Hence, payment was not due; there was no reason to pay the plaintiffs. How will you solve this?"

"Construction was postponed for over six months and is ongoing. During that time, there is clear evidence that shows that the defendant building owner interfered with the construction, preventing the plaintiffs from finishing construction." Yoonshin changed the slide and presented the evidence. There were photos demonstrating that the defendant erected a fence around the building in question and damaged construction materials. The defendant's position was that they did this to keep out wildlife.

Yoonshin pointed at the photos and expounded, "There is a leading case which states that if there is a change in the situation, such as the suspension of construction, the time stipulated in the contract changes, starting from the change in the situation. The payment then becomes due. If you look at the printout..."

Yoonshin's scrawny hands lifted the printout to check the page numbers. However, he was stopped when Sehun's pen, which he was spinning in his fingers, rolled toward Yoonshin. Sehun looked extremely displeased about something.

"Wait."

"Sir?"

"So... You're saying we need to pay?"

"According to what I confirmed about the case, a secured debt exists, and payment is due. In principle, the defendant needs to pay."

Upon hearing that answer, Sehun looked askance. He turned his head with a nuanced face, where he pointed at a senior on the opposite end of the table. "Okay, so question. Are we the plaintiff or the defendant? It's a very easy question."

The lawyer who had hurriedly skimmed through replied confidently, "Plaintiff."

Sehun looked back at Yoonshin, giving him a knowing look. He addressed Yoonshin this time, "He said plaintiff. Why? Because you, the presenter, did not say that this was a case about nonpayment for performance. You said it was a case where the payment was due but not received."

“…”

"What organization do you belong to?"

"Doguk."

"And our firm is?"

Yoonshin hesitated and then spoke. "...We represent the defendant."

"Are you a prosecutor by any chance? A righteous hero—it fits Attorney Yoonshin Do like a glove. Or you could be a judge. Oh, if you're neither, you're just an audience member who follows the rules veeery well. Rules are nice." The longer Sehun continued to talk, the chillier the atmosphere of the room became. It was like Sehun was spraying cold water into the air. Sehun was clearly deriding Yoonshin, and naturally, the other lawyers paid closer attention to Sehun and Yoonshin.

Yoonshin had a good reason to retort and rebutted immediately, "But you didn't ask me to formulate an argument. You told me to summarize and organize the key points of the case. I maintained an objective and neutral lens to prevent being swept away by either side of the argument. The plaintiff's argument that I presented can be dissected for our defense. This process is much needed."

"It is indeed much needed. But do you really think 'we' are the defendant? I'm asking about your mindset. No matter how you see it, someone getting ripped out of millions of dollars, rightfully earned, will feel wronged. I got that feeling from reading your notes last night. Did I misunderstand that? I didn't read it, but this printout seems to be the same."

Yoonshin was at a loss for what to say and pressed his lips together. Sehun was correct without a margin of error. In all the cases Yoonshin worked on so far, he represented people like the plaintiff in this case. Naturally, in the process of organizing the documents, he looked through the lens of the plaintiff, but he couldn't bring himself to admit that.

As the other lawyer fell silent, Sehun, who was facing the front, turned his chair slightly to the side and leaned his head to the side. He glanced at the seniors near him and then pointed at the first two lawyers in sight with his chin. "Hey, you two. I'll ask you a question. You seemed to have understood the case in general by reading the document. In this case, what strategy can the defendant use? It's not a difficult case, so let's just go for the most reasonable route."

The selected senior lawyers answered one by one. "We can terminate the contract. They performed the construction, but we can prove that there was a significant defect in the building. There are bound to be a few flaws stemming from the process of construction. If you can prove there is a defect that can result in additional repair costs, then it's possible to trigger the plaintiff's warranty to repair defects. In this case, I'm aware that there is a leading case which states that you don't need to fully pay for the construction."

"You are correct. I was in charge of a similar case before, but after going through the building with a fine-tooth comb, we found that a portion of the first floor was very slightly slanted. We obtained evidence of the defective area, and through the media, we promoted the danger of such defects in buildings. After the stock value of the construction company dropped temporarily, we ultimately won the case."

After hearing that answer, Sehun turned back to Yoonshin. "Attorney Yoonshin Do."

"Yes, Senior Attorney."

"How are you planning on winning this case? Excluding what the seniors said, give me your answer."

"How about a set off by paying in arrears? In any case, the construction was delayed, and damages were accrued. Both sides have liabilities."

"But you just said there are aggravating factors against the defendant showing that they prevented further construction. How could you ignore that?"

Yoonshin's mind faded to white, and as Sehun continued to corner him by interrogation, Yoonshin's improvisation skills ended up being depleted. The young lawyer tried to come up with an answer, but he drew a blank. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again before answering diffidently, "If you give me some time, I can think of a way starting now."

"I already gave you two days. This is a very simple lawsuit. Juniors with some experience can do this with their eyes closed."

"You gave me two days to read through the cases carefully and present a case brief."

The partner's narrowed eyes looked disappointed as if he knew that Yoonshin would answer that way. "So, you're telling me that you simply did your homework. You memorized the documents, made a slideshow, organized the facts, and created a printout. Do you think you're at law school, preparing for your licensing examination? For the past two days, you never thought about how we can win."

Yoonshin couldn't answer.

"Fourth-year, Doguk doesn't need an objective lawyer. We want lawyers who win. Time? Of course, you ran out. But do you want to say that to the client too? Sir, you only gave me two days. I'm sorry for losing. I believe you must compensate the plaintiff for damages."

Yoonshin's pale face drained completely of blood after hearing the scathing criticism. Everything Sehun said was right. Yoonshin had the unidimensional thought that he would be tested simply on his memorization and summarization skills. He believed that the mean Sehun Kang wanted to stress him out by giving him an immense pile of documents.

But if he thought about it just a bit more carefully and logically, the other lawyer was always busy with no spare time and wouldn't have bothered to do that to him. If one couldn't do simple work, one couldn't step foot in this law firm. Yoonshin should have read between the lines to discern the secondary intention behind his assignment.

"It's been one month since you came into the firm, yet you're still an outsider. How much longer should I wait? Do you need another month?"

"My apologies. I didn't think that far."

"You can keep doing pro bono files. Imitate prosecutors, fight for justice, and help poor people—you can keep doing what you've been doing outside this firm. You'll feel at ease and continue to follow the life that you lived so far as a benevolent, rich young master. If you want that, you can always let me know. I'm not interested in working while humoring associates who can't settle in." After his last utterance, Sehun threw the papers that were placed in front of him into the air. The sheets floated down behind Sehun's head and blocked out parts of the painting on the back wall, then softly landed one by one onto the bare floor.

Yoonshin was upset at Sehun, who threw his suffering of two days like trash. Even so, he maintained his composure and said, "So are you saying you won't listen to me further?"

"You were the one who said that you only need a little of my time. You keep forgetting what you said. That's not a good habit."

"I still have the criminal case left. It's a charge of professional negligence resulting in death."

Sehun had started to get up to leave but stopped. He quietly gazed at Yoonshin, who tried to keep calm and had changed the slide on the screen to the brief about the criminal case.

Their eyes met. Yoonshin's eyelids fluttered in anger, but that was all. He was upset, but Sehun pointed out errors that Yoonshin understood. Sehun faulted Yoonshin for being quick to talk, but he internally rejected the working style of a big law firm. Yoonshin placidly attempted to persuade the partner in a level-headed manner. "You said you would attend my test. Those were your words. And it's still my time. I still have things left to say."

"The same thing will happen."

"I was scolded because I was stupid. However, I still want to finish showing you what I completed."

The senior lawyers stayed silent and studied Sehun's reaction. Sehun's eyebrows twitched, and then, for some reason, he sat back down. He rested one leg over the other and crossed his arms before gesturing with his chin arrogantly. "Try me. I'm looking forward to which role you took this time."

Yoonshin bit down on his lip hard, then gripped his laser pointer tighter. Afterward, he resumed his presentation. Sehun observed Yoonshin very carefully.

The precarious atmosphere grew heavier, sinking deeper and deeper into the floor.

Drip, drip. The droplets of water trickled down his silky chin, falling into the drain. Yoonshin stared back at his reflection; the rims of his eyes were bloodshot and red.

"Nobody at the firm calls you by your name anyways. They all call you the nepotism hire."

Surprisingly, what Sehun told Yoonshin at that time was a hint of sorts. A partner with Sehun's level of influence was apt to need assistance from a junior lawyer on small tasks, but he had never said a single word about work demands for an entire month. Yoonshin wasn't being neglected because he couldn't do work. It was most likely because Sehun wasn't certain if Yoonshin was a man of Doguk yet.

"No wonder he kept calling me Fourth-year this, Fourth-year that." Yoonshin assumed that the older man wanted to damage Yoonshin's pride by using a weird nickname instead of his real name on purpose. However, that was not the case Sehun truly saw Yoonshin as a lawyer who drifted outside the firm for four years. That was quite humiliating.

Yoonshin did his best for the past two days so as not to make an embarrassment out of himself. He really tried. But ultimately, he suffered indescribable humiliation which made him feel like shit. He was partially at fault, but even so, the other's initiation ceremony was too merciless. The afterimage of Sehun inexorably casting aside two days’ worth of Yoonshin's fruits of labor just moments ago lingered in Yoonshin's eyes.

"Sadist," Yoonshin mumbled as he pulled out several sheets of paper towels and dried his hands. For some reason, he suddenly remembered when Sehun wiped away the dampness in his eyelashes and transferred it to his lips. He scrubbed his blameless face ruthlessly.

"If he saw through my thoughts, then he could have gone easy and taught me from the beginning. Is his hobby to humiliate people? Or is he a scumbag to begin with? There should be a limit to how trash someone's personality is."

"Probably both?" another voice interjected.

While Yoonshin was distracted by rubbing his face roughly, someone approached him before he knew it.

At first, Yoonshin thought that the dulcet yet familiar voice was pleasant to the ear, but in a span of a few seconds, his thoughts flipped 180 degrees. He shouldn't hear this voice right here and now. His stiffened neck barely managed to turn to face the source of the voice. Yoonshin saw the sculpted figure of Sehun with his jacket sleeves rolled up and approaching the sink.

`I'm screwed.' Yoonshin turned blue, and his face was full of chaotic emotions.

How much did he hear?

Sadist?

Scumbag?

"Unfortunately, I was here starting from `sadist,’” Sehun, who was washing off his hands stained with fountain pen ink, replied to the unvoiced question.

Yoonshin paled in horror and stared at the other's face in utter devastation. "Senior Attorney, do you perhaps read minds?"

"If I did, my life would have been so much easier. Wipe off your face gently. Your good looks are a weapon that you can use to your advantage. I might have a use for it in the future, so don't waste it."

Yoonshin clenched the wet towel tightly, imagining it was the other, then finished wiping himself up. Soon after, he wordlessly gawked at the other with a complicated face. Sehun must have felt uncomfortable with the gaze because, even though he was ignoring Yoonshin so far, he finally glanced at Yoonshin through the mirror.

The two men exchanged looks with the glass as a medium. The mirror was clear and transparent; it almost felt like it could reflect not only the physical world but also the inner workings of the mind.

At that moment, Sehun frowned, his face contorted even though he was always so composed despite hearing explicit insults. He didn't try to hide his displeasure and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that? I don't like it."

"Because I'm confused."

"I don't know what you mean."

"You're helping me even though you're the root of my problems. You humiliated me just moments ago, and now you're saying you'll use me later."

"You call that help? I see you're easy. I don't get along with easy kids."

"You know, saying that to a person to their face is sadistic."

"At least I'm an honest sadist, unlike you, bad-mouthing people behind their backs."

Oh. Yoonshin recalled what had just happened and apologized immediately, "I'm sorry about that. I just... felt angry. They say anyone can speak ill of their country when nobody is listening, so please forgive me."

"This bastard... I don't know if he's shameless or just brainless," Sehun said to himself and shook his head, unwilling to further associate with the younger man as he dried off his cleanly washed hands on a paper towel. He turned to leave, ignoring Yoonshin.

However, Yoonshin stepped in front of Sehun, blocking his way and making him stop. "If you had instructed me with exactly what you wanted, the result would have been different. You're right that I approached this simplistically, but it's also true that you just wanted to nitpick. That was mean of you."

Surprisingly, Sehun readily admitted to Yoonshin's accusation. "The courts are like that. If you submit evidence, all you do is nitpick, nitpick, and nitpick each other. Winning and losing are decided by who demonstrates their point and refutes the opposing party the most convincingly. That's why I told you it wouldn't be helpful even if I attended. You should have heeded my warning."

"All right. I don't know what will happen in the future, so I'll keep it in mind that it's better to be safe than sorry."

"I don't know. You seem exactly like the type to continue misbehaving. I don't have zero expectations of you. I told you the other day. Just do what you've been assigned to properly. Don't be a nuisance to me," Sehun stated.

Sehun just told him to simply do what he was told, but at other times, he scolded Yoonshin for only doing exactly as told. Yoonshin couldn't figure out how to interpret Sehun's instructions. "Do you want me to just do what I'm told or do other things I'm not told to do? I can't figure out your intentions."

"This is also a test. Find the answer yourself."

Oftentimes, clients lied.

They hid crucial or potentially harmful pieces of information. It was commonplace for clients to confound their lawyers at the last minute when this critical fact was uncovered by the opposing party's lawyer. Clients also couldn't make up their minds even though this was their business and muddy their stance, giving their lawyers a crisis.

Yoonshin presumed that this was Sehun's way of putting Yoonshin into a confusing situation of that sort to see how he would overcome this obstacle. However, Yoonshin was still unskilled in hiding his feelings, and his opponent was too seasoned in this area.

Yoonshin's mind was in chaos as he attempted to compress his doubts and questions about Sehun.

While thoughts flew in his mind, Sehun asked, "Why don't you move aside now?"

"Wait, Sehun Kang sunbae."

Sehun was raising his hand like he was about to push Yoonshin away to get out if the other man refused to move. Then, for some unfathomable reason, he pushed Yoonshin's slender body against the wall without warning.

Thud! Yoonshin's back hit the marble wall and he grimaced. That wasn't all. The other's two large and fair hands roughly clutched his bony shoulders with quite the force. Yoonshin couldn't understand why Sehun was doing this because he remained expressionless.

"Ugh, it hurts!" Yoonshin exclaimed.

Facing Sehun directly, Yoonshin could see that the other was significantly taller. Because of that, Sehun's towering shadow was cast down upon Yoonshin's pale face. Sehun was devoid of emotion, but his voice was more subdued than usual. He warned in a sinister whisper, "Don't call me by my full name. Don't call me sunbae. I never permitted you. Just call me by my work title."

Depending on their circumstances, people could act sensitively to this matter. Yoonshin could understand not wanting to be called by one's full name. He knew the firm's culture was not like that, but the habit from outside this firm kicked in—he had just caught his mistake himself.

However, acting overly defensive after being called sunbae was something he couldn't understand at all. It wasn't only because Sehun was Yoonshin's senior as a lawyer, the older man also graduated from the same law school. Perhaps it was because his quizzical look tangled with the pain on the surface of Yoonshin's face, Sehun loosened his grip and kindly explained, "I don't like defining my relationships on a personal level with someone I don't know very well. You can only call me by three titles: Attorney Kang, Senior Attorney Kang, or Team Leader Kang."

"I-I'll keep that in mind," Yoonshin replied, hands trembling. He clutched the wet towel in his hands tighter for no reason. He glanced down at his wrist, but Sehun saw the other man glancing and quickly took a step back. Still, the distance between the two was close.

"Yesterday, you asked me how I brought the business partner to court, right?" Sehun asked.

At the random question, Yoonshin flashed back to yesterday. When he nodded calmly, Sehun continued, "I didn't give her anything."

"Ridiculous. Going there was crazy, especially if there was nothing to gain."

"Instead, if she didn't appear and tell the truth, I threatened her that I'd send out the evidence that her only son was getting together with the chief officer of the security team. Fourth-year, a mother's love always gives me results far beyond my expectations."

Yoonshin tilted his head in confusion, not understanding Sehun's explanation. He narrowed his eyes, deep in thought until he came to a rational conclusion.

So, instead of bribing her with money, was Sehun saying that he blackmailed her with her family member?

This method forced her to voluntarily step foot into the lion's den to protect her family.

It was a low and dirty method beyond his imagination, so even though Yoonshin thought his expectations were so low that there was nothing more to be disappointed about, he was quite disappointed. 'This piece of trash...'

"Did you have to go as far as to find and use such a weakness?" Yoonshin's clear eyes were full of genuine reproval. Sehun, who was looking down, bit his moist lips. His eyes turned cold as if he had heard the worst, most vulgar insult. His face turned icy. Although it seemed to never waver, his visage was in turmoil.

"What, do you think you're Jesus or someone? If you want to act high and mighty, you should have gone to a religious organization. Why did you come here?" Sehun snapped.

"That's not what I meant! I just mean at least you could have—!" Yoonshin was about to clarify his criticism, but at that moment, the other firmly grasped Yoonshin's tie just like he did a few days ago after barging into his room. Then, he pulled the knot up tightly and threateningly.

"Sir? Urgh!"

"I didn't know you were in a tie-sharing relationship with Secretary Tak."

"How did you—? This is..."

"You want to explain yourself? That's not what I want. Shut up."

Yoonshin's bewildered eyes shook, losing focus. However, Sehun didn't care about the other's panic and simply gripped the fabric in his hands even tighter.

Eventually, instead of the strip of fabric, the pressure given by the rather large hands made Yoonshin distressed. The sturdy back of Sehun's hand pushed on the younger man's Adam's apple. It was futile for Yoonshin to squirm and struggle despite being gradually suffocated. Sehun acted violently without a trace of leniency.

"Please let go first. Urk, I can't breathe!"

"Even if you can't breathe, you can still hear, so listen carefully. 'Going that far' is my way of survival, I had nothing so it was also the only method I could use. If you're so disgusted at these methods, I have nothing to teach you. I'm the native here, and you're the alien. I won't stop you. Get out."

"Ngh, Attorney Kang"

"If you're going to remain here, put away that contempt in your eyes. I feel like crap every time I see them."

‘My eyes?' The warning was completely unforeseen, so Yoonshin stopped thrashing about in pain and stopped himself from coughing. He stared back at the other with dumbstruck eyes, his face reddened from being unable to breathe properly. Sehun slowly released the younger man.

His face gradually returned to normal, but Yoonshin kept quiet instead of reproaching Sehun's outrageous action. It would be more accurate to say that he felt such a mix of emotions that he didn't know what to say.

Amid the stillness, Sehun regained composure first and broke the silence. "I'm going to give you a few days off. Think carefully about what you want to take from me. You can formally sign your contract then. I'll let Attorney Song know of this."

Pat, pat. Some moisture must have remained on Sehun's hand as he lightly patted it on Yoonshin's dry shoulders. Then, Sehun turned on his heels and left without looking back.

Yoonshin rubbed his head against the cold surface of the marble wall that he was leaning against and collected his breath. He stood all by his lonesome before turning his head to the mirror on his left side. He still looked pallid.

"Put away that contempt in your eyes. I feel like crap every time I see them."

Goethe said that man tended to despise what he could not understand.

Yoonshin wasn't aware that he was looking at Sehun in a particular way, but Sehun was probably right. Perhaps Yoonshin constantly had those eyes since he came to the firm. There was no way the experienced lawyer couldn't catch that.

Did the other man read contempt in his eyes for a month?

He had a feeling that it was likely the case.

`What the hell is this feeling?'

No matter how Yoonshin saw it, Sehun was the one in the wrong, a fact which Sehun himself knew very well.

But strangely enough, Yoonshin felt troubled because he felt like he battered Sehun.

There was a saying in the practice.

The best lawyer was one that didn't take the lawsuit to trial.

Yoonshin generally agreed with that saying. He felt accomplished when the two pro bono cases he was working on for two months ended with a successful settlement. But no matter how cut out he was for public interest cases, Yoonshin felt that it was only right for him to stop warming up.

It had been two months since he was hired. There were still no instructions from Sehun.

"He told me to think. What can I think about if he won't even show his face?" Yoonshin grumbled.

Yoonshin was technically a member of Sehun's team, yet he had never actually assisted any of Sehun's cases to date. This time as well, a new pro bono case was sent to his room as soon as his files closed. He had inherited two cases from his other seniors.

Much like the time before he entered the firm, Yoonshin had hoped for another coincidental meeting and loitered around the parking lot and lobby in the morning a few times. The time Sehun got off work was inconsistent, but he generally went to work at the same time, so there were higher chances of running into him in the morning. However, as if the two were nemeses in their past life, disallowed to meet, whenever Yoonshin waited for Sehun, he always missed the other lawyer narrowly.

Yoonshin peeked out his office door window out of habit and rested his eyes on the room across. Demonstrating the cold and unfriendly nature of the other, his door was obscured with blinds. Today was not the only day that this was the case. In passing, Yoonshin once asked Secretary Tak, who replied that Sehun did that frequently. Yoonshin couldn't bring himself to grab Sehun for a chat because he had seen how busy the older lawyer was every day.

‘Somehow, I ended up just waiting to hear from Sehun Kang all month long.' Yoonshin wondered what Sehun wanted to do with him.

Could it be that Sehun wanted to exhaust Yoonshin so he would go away on his own?

His train of thought continued until he reached the worst-case scenario, making him bolt up from his seat. Unwilling to prolong the situation anymore, he exited his office.

It was lunchtime, but thankfully, Secretary Tak was still in his office. Yoonshin casually leaned his arm against the desk partitions. While glancing at Sehun's room, he whispered, "Hey, Secretary Tak. Have you heard anything from Attorney Kang? Do I keep doing pro bono files?"

Secretary Tak tilted his head questioningly and replied, "I know, right? There's no word from him. You clearly passed the first test."

The memory of being humiliated in front of his seniors surfaced and Yoonshin redness bloomed in his cheeks. "That was a pass? I don't need to retake the exam?"

"I guess you don't know Attorney Kang well, huh? He's really ruthless. If you didn't pass, he would have sent you to a different team already. just wait. He'll give you the second test soon."

"Will he though? I waited another month and he never followed up."

Secretary Tak glanced at the worried Yoonshin, then at the covered windows of Sehun's room before he leaned in and whispered, "You look a bit anxious, so I'll tell you something. All the associates in the other teams saw a copy of your printout."

"The one from the last test? How?"

"Apparently, Attorney Kang told one of them to copy it and pass it around. He said it was somewhat decent. He also said that, from now on, everyone should write up the main issues of each case like the printout. You know, lawyers work with a lot of documents, so it requires good writing, but even at our firm, a lot more people than you think write legal documents quite sloppily. Just so you know, none of the other associates have ever received such a compliment from the Senior Attorney before."

"Somewhat decent? That's a compliment?" On the day of, Sehun outright threw the papers in the air, so Yoonshin thought Sehun had a problem. Yoonshin, who was very dumbfounded, was inadvertently loud, but the secretary simply shrugged. "Hmm, he is quite defensive in general, I guess."

"Yeah, I know. He sometimes acts like a piece of his brain has been messed up." Yoonshin's reply that sounded akin to a self-utterance must have come across to the secretary as having multiple overtones because he fell in deep thought momentarily.

Prudently, Secretary Tak replied after a pause, "The senior attorney knows very well what's right or wrong. He may feel uncomfortable about it, but he just ignores it. However, he thinks of himself as the weaker party by birth. Other people give him work, and he does that work. He never said it himself, but I think he feels used. Besides, this is the world where the law of the jungle prevails. If you lose the battle, you lose your value."

When Yoonshin, who felt impatient, heard that, he felt like he stopped breathing for a moment. He couldn't move an inch. He recalled what Sehun had said to him in the past.

The older man was aloof in every situation. Yoonshin wanted to know why Sehun was so shaken up by the contempt in his eyes. This had bothered him all along.

After he heard Secretary Tak's observation, Yoonshin could finally come up with a reasonable explanation. However, it wasn't Sehun's personal opinion, as it was hard for Yoonshin to come to a clear-cut conclusion about Sehun Kang.

Was Sehun a bad person?

With complicated feelings, Yoonshin stared at Secretary Tak. Their eyes met, and Yoonshin noticed that his lips started to move before he realized it. "Secretary Tak, do you like Senior Attorney Kang?"

The other laughed like he heard something absurd. "Of course, I do."

"Is that such an obvious thing?"

"Mr. Kang has his good points. He's very clear about rewards and punishments. Aside from doing your job properly, he doesn't demand anything else. He never asked me to handle anything personal for him. Isn't that the best kind of boss?"

"I just thought it was the first time I heard anyone talk about Senior Attorney Kang like this."

"Well, other people you heard from don't know Senior Attorney Kang well. I'm just telling you my opinion, as someone who has watched him as long as I have. This is my hunch, but I think he has been paying a lot of attention to you."

Yoonshin wasn't sure what the secretary meant by paying attention, but this was probably based on what Sehun told the secretary, so it couldn't all be nonsense. Sehun said that he didn't like Yoonshin. He even warned Yoonshin that he ruined Sehun's mood. This was apparent to others too. Yoonshin tried to shake off his irrelevant thoughts and thanked the secretary. He was about to return to his room when Secretary Tak stood up first. "I was about to head down to the cafeteria. You should eat too. Hope you enjoy it."

"Oh, right, I should. Let's go together."

"Go where? You should eat with Senior Attorney Kang."

This was so out of the blue that puzzlement was written largely on Yoonshin's face. "He's willing to eat with me? When? Where? Why?"

"Didn't you come out to meet him after you heard? He said he would tell you himself. I can confirm with him for you. One moment." Secretary Tak lifted the intercom receiver to double-check when they heard a click.

The subject of the conversation, Sehun, came out from his room. Seeing the two side by side in the secretary's office, he gave a questioning yet subtly irritated and listless look.

Was it Yoonshin's imagination to think that the gaze stung slightly?

"Have lunch with me," Sehun said.

Yoonshin couldn't remember the last time that he heard this baritone voice from this close that he almost felt happy hearing it again. But before he could even convey his positive feelings, Sehun tossed his car keys at Yoonshin. Yoonshin reflexively extended his hands and caught the object. At the same time, he nodded enthusiastically which made Sehun frown slightly.

Slightly shaken, Yoonshin glanced at Secretary Tak to let the other know that he would go on ahead. Chasing after Sehun, he picked up his speed as he got closer to the elevator, bypassed the other man, and quickly pushed the down button.

The two stood next to each other, enveloped by a heavy silence.

The silence made Yoonshin uncomfortable, so he spoke, "Senior Attorney, did you know this is the first time you called me in a month?"

"I don't know if you're asking about my cognitive awareness or if you're reproving the fact that I neglected you for a month, but I'll pass on both of them."

"...I was just trying to start a conversation. Not all people talk to scope the other person out."

Their eyes met in the glass surface of the elevator doors. Yoonshin wasn't sure if he saw right, but there seemed to be pity in Sehun's eyes.

Yoonshin froze—he wasn't trying to hide the fact that he was a bit sad as he looked at Sehun. He was worried that his eyes unintentionally made the other upset again.

About to explain himself in case there was a misunderstanding, Yoonshin turned his head in Sehun's direction, but at that moment, the elevator doors opened.

"I was on the phone all morning, so my mouth is numb. Let’s go quietly, mouths shut," Sehun said grudgingly and entered the elevator, with Yoonshin quickly behind him.

After the doors closed, Yoonshin's eyes, once fixed on the instrument panel of the elevator, started to descend slowly like the floor numbers in the display. His eyes eventually landed on his destination, and while sneaking peeks at the striking curves of Sehun's profile, a thought suddenly occurred to Yoonshin.

Maybe the other man chose to become bad because he didn't want to be weak.

Like walking on eggshells, Yoonshin carefully spoke up. "Um, Attorney Kang. About what you said to me last time..."

"You're definitely trying to scope me out this time. Rejected."

"I didn't even say my point yet. I practically only mentioned the 'o' in opening."

"Whether it's the opening or the closing, you won't hear my answer, so stop staring. I'm not a painting." Sehun growled, causing Yoonshin to flinch. He didn't think that Sehun wouldn't notice his gaze, but he didn't think that he was feeling conscious of it. Yoonshin was flustered. As if caught doing something impertinent behind another's back, he started to feel embarrassed.

Perhaps it was because Sehun told him to quit, but it only made his curiosity-filled eyes try to chase after the other even more. Yoonshin felt troubled by his impulse, so he looked away and bit his pursed lips. While Yoonshin was distracted and diffident, the machine faithfully descended to the lower floors.

The two men were still reflected in the elevator doors, but Sehun was not looking in Yoonshin's direction anymore. The moment this registered in Yoonshin's head, he realized—Sehun was avoiding talking about what happened back then on purpose.

‘Coward.' Yoonshin uttered the two syllables in his head, and his sigh dissipated into his surroundings.

The interior of the private room was like a sturdy sailboat.

It felt like they were floating on calm, rolling waves, and all the while, Yoonshin kept glancing at Sehun. There was no way the other didn't feel the eyes of the younger, but he continued to quietly have his meal.

Time kept ticking.

Sehun dabbed his mouth with a napkin and looked directly at Yoonshin, who was sitting across from him. Yoonshin was sipping his water, but he set it carefully back down. "You have something to say, right? Go ahead. I'm also done eating."

"Then, I'll cut to the chase and ask. What's your relationship with Attorney Song?"

Yoonshin couldn't grasp the intention of the question, so he couldn't help but talk back. "I don't understand what you're asking."

"You met with her three times at a hotel before coming to the firm—once to give your CV and twice for interviews."

"Yes, that's ri— How did you know?"

Sehun's lips twisted wryly, and his overall expression changed. As if to confirm that it wasn't Yoonshin's delusion, Sehun's follow-up question had a hint of prurience despite it being midday. "Did you sleep with her? You met her in a hotel room, Taesan Hotel's suite room."

Yoonshin was fidgeting aimlessly with his napkin, then froze stiffly. He couldn't help but feel the blood rushing to his cheeks. "What in the world do you...?"

Nothing was set in stone at the time, so after searching for a place that avoided the prying eyes of others, they ended up having no choice but to choose a hotel suite room.

Each meeting was around two hours. Yoonshin's sister's secretary was also there each time. As Yoonshin heard about the firm's culture and atmosphere, Attorney Song advised him on how to work at the firm going forward. Yoonshin told the older woman about himself, his sister, his father, and his working style so far. Converse was the only thing they did in that room.

However, it still didn't look good to go back and forth from a hotel with an older woman lawyer with a family, so Yoonshin's sister stopped information about this meeting from leaking. The fact that Sehun found out a closely guarded secret made Yoonshin realize that Sehun's network of information was not to be overlooked.

"Why are you asking this sort of question?" Yoonshin asked, not hiding that he was nonplussed.

Sehun tapped the table and replied nonchalantly, "I'm just asking in case you two were involved privately. Even if you're Professor Do's son and a link to Soohan Group, Attorney Song's choice was strange. Handam, Taesan, Daeyoung—I'm one of the few lawyers who has dealt with all of the corporate giants in this country. Naturally, I know a lot of secrets related to different projects. Yet, to plant a specific company's in-law next to me? Obviously, I would be suspicious."

"Do you think there's a connection between my sister and Attorney Song, and that for Soohan, I sold my body to pluck out information from her?"

"It's quite unlikely, but the possibility is still there. No?"

"So, what if I slept with her?" Yoonshin retorted, sharper than usual. Yoonshin looked agitated. Sehun stared and then leaned back as if he lost some interest. Yoonshin wasn't sure what the other lawyer would say, but whatever it was, he read the truth in Yoonshin's face.

"So, you didn't."

"Should I do it now if it's not too late?"

"Do you want to? That'll be the proof to confirm my suspicions."

It was perfectly reasonable for Sehun to doubt Yoonshin. It was as he said—Sehun was someone who held a lot of confidential information about many companies. If Yoonshin were in Sehun's position, he would have had the same doubts.

However, he couldn't understand why Sehun would doubt Attorney Song, who he knew since his childhood and who financially supported him and think she would stab him in the back.

"What can you do with that evidence?"

"It'll make a good cause to terminate you," Sehun answered without a hint of hesitation, which caused a lump to rise in Yoonshin's throat. It wasn't just from being targeted with an inappropriate and ridiculous question. For some reason, Yoonshin felt disheartened that it was Sehun who questioned who Yoonshin slept with and followed by saying it was a good cause for termination. It seemed like stealing peeks at Sehun every day made Yoonshin one-sidedly feel some sort of friendliness with Sehun.

Maybe that was why Yoonshin impulsively asked a question that might have been better unasked. "Then what if I sleep with you? Who'll get fired between the two of us?"

Even Sehun, who was always prepared for any reply, was thrown off by this question. Sehun opened his mouth to retort, but he let out a burst of wry laughter.

"Why are you laughing?" Yoonshin snapped.

"I think we need to straighten out your misunderstanding first. Unfortunately for you, I'm not a person to get fired. I'm the one who fires people."

"Then I'll be terminated regardless of who I sleep with."

"So, it works out like that. If you want to quit the firm, let me know any time. I'll help."

"I won't quit. I will never sleep with Attorney Song or you."

Yoonshin couldn't figure out what he said that bothered the other, but it was clear that he did leave a scratch somewhere. Sehun's face was placid as always, but Yoonshin instinctively felt the annoyance radiating from behind the calm surface. Even so, he couldn't think of a way to address the situation except for changing the topic. "T-the two of you have an age gap, but I heard that you were very close friends. You're comfortable with each other, and I know that Attorney Mihee Song was the one to scout you to Doguk and allowed you to come this far with her support. Is that not so?"

Thankfully, despite the awkward change in topic, Sehun added his thoughts. "It seems like you get along well with your close friends, and they would never betray you even in death, huh?"

"You don't need to be so extreme."

"I don't have friends. I only have business partners who trust each other's abilities. That person and I just have a long history together. Oh, and now she entrusted me with a piece of baggage."

The way Sehun glanced at Yoonshin's way was graceful. Even though he was saying such cynical things, he was strangely elegant. Yoonshin felt like he was watching a scene in a well-executed, artistic film.

Stupefied like a pitcher hit with a grand slam, the silent Yoonshin stroked his throat with his palm. Then, he looked directly at the other resolutely. "Excuse me, but—"

"You're not excused."

"—When did you start being so twisted?"

"Do you want an opinion letter about why I'm twisted? I could write an entire epic out of it." It was a cold-hearted response, but Sehun didn't seem upset. Yoonshin had an inkling of this since before, but Sehun didn't seem to get upset when a subordinate was outspoken when exchanging opinions—on the condition that they were stating the truth.

As long as he felt like he was right, Yoonshin was the type to say what he wanted and achieve what he sought, regardless of age and the societal position of the other party. However, the practice of law moved vertically. One of the reasons he never considered applying to a large law firm was because he was somewhat uncomfortable with hierarchical relationships. The difference between Sehun and his positions was like night and day, so Sehun's open-minded attitude in his respect always felt unprecedented to Yoonshin.

"I didn't sleep with her. Are you satisfied now?"

"I don't know. I feel more bothered."

"You still doubt me, don't you?" Yoonshin carefully asked, gauging the other.

Sehun didn't seem to mind and replied, "No, you're too simple for me to doubt you."

"That doesn't sound like a compliment..."

"Because it isn't."

Yoonshin bit his lower lip and observed the other. Sehun, who had been kindly looking back, explained indifferently, probably thinking he would have to explain sooner or later. "That was the last shred of suspicion I had of you. Rationally, I don't think you have anything to do with it. But there's a thing called a one in a million chance. You need to be particularly wary of anomalies and variables. Don't forget that."

"There should still be a limit to doubting others."

"You said so yourself, about the professional negligence case five years ago involving a savings bank executive director. You said that the prosecutors thought that the business partner would never appear as a witness. Then what happened?"

After feeling convinced that the partner wouldn't appear, the prosecutor disregarded any possibility that Sehun would bring the business partner and constructed his theory for the litigation. In the end, the prosecutor suffered the humiliation of watching the defendant, who he put in his effort to charge, getting away with probation before his very eyes. Sehun wanted to point out this one in a million chance.

Removing all suspicions with no space for error was a big strength as a lawyer. Double-checking everything, down to the small facts that could easily be overlooked, was truly working for the best interest of the client—this was something that Yoonshin felt like he could learn from Sehun. Looking strictly from the lens of a client, Sehun was the textbook example of a good lawyer.

However, that was limited to work— Yoonshin didn't think that he could bear to live so neurotically in his personal life. Wasn't it normal to trust a dependable, long-time friend?

"I thought so from the beginning, but we're a bit different from each other." Truth be told, Yoonshin wanted to ask if Sehun ever felt lonely living so mentally isolated from others. However, he couldn't bring himself to ask that. Maybe it was because he couldn't fathom how the other man would answer.

"I know that too."

"Wait, then if you say that this was your last shred of doubt, then..."

"When you return to the firm, Secretary Tak will give you a contract. Sign it—of course, if you're willing."

"Are you serious?"

After a short pause, Sehun glanced at Yoonshin. Yoonshin, who was slightly downcast before, looked brighter. The real deal started now. However, compared to the past two months of anxiety while being conscious of Sehun—who didn't even talk, let alone look at him—it was true that Yoonshin finally overcame one hurdle. Time at a law firm was denser than for other people, so two months felt like two years.

"Thank you for accepting me. I'll do my best."

"You're not going to think about it at all? I told you to pick me apart."

"If I was going to have doubts after coming in, I wouldn't have come in the first place."

Sehun nodded knowingly. "See? You're very simple."

It wasn't quite a compliment, but it wasn't an insult. Secretly relieved, Yoonshin grinned to himself, then his eyes widened in realization. Questions were written all over his pale face. "But why are you accepting me all of a sudden?"

"It's not 'all of a sudden.' I was watching all along and simply came to the conclusion that you're decent enough to keep—that's all."

"You didn't even show your face often. I thought I was the only one who missed you." Yoonshin didn't understand why he was complaining as he would to a romantic partner. Despite being the one who said it, he was internally shocked at himself. What he wanted to convey wasn't supposed to have that suggestive nuance, but he kept his mouth shut because trying to explain himself was also weird. Maybe if Sehun said something, the weird situation would have been alleviated, but the older man also must have thought it was suggestive. His eyebrow twitched as he stared at Yoonshin. The mood grew weirder.

Yoonshin cleared his throat and quickly changed the topic again. "Well, then, what do I need to do?"

Sehun checked his watch. He must not have had enough time left because he replied instantly, "There was something I needed to check with you, so I asked you to have lunch with me."

"I'm all ears."

"Fourth-year, as you already know, I sometimes do brazen things. Of course, this is only when needed."

"Yes, I know."

"Do you in detail?"

"I know that you coerce people using their weakness and sometimes topple over an entire company over the course of a day."

Sehun gave an affirmative look and straightened up his attire. He tightened his tie and aligned his cufflinks quite mechanically. Yoonshin didn't want to admit it, but Sehun was dashing in every moment.

"Finding the weakness of a corporation is a given. The opposing party—plaintiff or defendant and their surroundings, including their lawyer, prosecutor, and if necessary, the associate judge of the trial —I find their weakness at any cost. I'm a big fan of bargaining, negotiations, and expediency. Plus, I'm skilled at lying. I didn't hit rock bottom yet to forge evidence, but it's a common ordeal to pretend to not know of existing evidence. It's not against the law to genuinely not know of evidence instead of having it and ignoring it."

"Are you saying that I have to follow your ways from now on?"

Sehun's hands stopped, then he flatly replied, "If you were the kind of person who could do that, I wouldn't have taken you out for lunch when I'm always so busy. You keep working as you do because I'll only give you what you can handle. Of course, I could give you something that you have to follow my tactics for. Even if I do, if you get caught by an outsider, then you will be responsible for your actions. I'm your superior, but I'm not your caretaker. Up to here—did you memorize all that?"

"I did."

"And here's the most important thing—don't you dare question my judgment. You'll never have this chance again. If I decide on it, you have to sleep with me."

Yoonshin understood the gist of what the other wanted to say. It seemed like Sehun wanted to say that a partner's words were an associate's law. However, Yoonshin was a bit startled at the example Sehun gave, so he stayed silent for a moment. Sehun must have read Yoonshin's thoughts because he added, irritably, "Don't make that face. I'm not interested in your lower half."

Looks were exchanged silently as if measuring each other. Yoonshin said what he felt was needed, so he decided to be mindful of Sehun's warning. Sehun seemed to implicitly know that this was Yoonshin's concern because he followed up by saying, "'This is against the law, this is contrary to the principles of morality, this is a violation of a lawyer's professionalism and ethics. Why did you go that far?' I can't stand when people have the sass to say those kinds of things. You'll need to pack your bags if you do."

"So, you hate when someone points out that you're wrong."

"It's not that I don't like to hear it, I have no reason to. I'm never wrong."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Well, this may be the first time I was wrong about something. Taking you in, I mean."

Yoonshin pointed to himself, asking if Sehun was talking about him. Sehun didn't respond, but his reaction was an answer in itself. The younger man smiled awkwardly, which made Sehun knit his brow, seemingly displeased. The outlook of these two antipodal men's journey didn't look like it would be smooth sailing. But whatever the future held, today marked the day they weighed the anchor.

"No matter how I spin it, it's my loss. Do I need to make a new deal?" Sehun muttered to himself.

"Did you make a deal with Senior Attorney Song on the condition that you babysat me? Can I ask what it was?"

"It's something I always wanted. Freedom of sorts."

The answer was abstract, so Yoonshin tried to find the answer himself. One idea immediately came to mind. "Was it about your dividend payout?"

Sehun didn't answer. That only solidified Yoonshin's suspicion. "That means I'm profitable, right? Do you like money?"

"Money is a trophy of victory. I don't hate it."

"It sounds to me like you don't like it either."

"I don't have the time to spend it because I'm busy cleaning up after other people."

Yoonshin pursed his lips and recalled what Secretary Tak said about Sehun feeling like the weaker party by birth. Perhaps he saw through Sehun's true nature and perfectly hit the mark.

Yoonshin sat quietly, overcome with a complicated feeling. Sehun was done saying what he wanted and stood first. Then, he looked at Yoonshin as if he was foolish for not moving. "If you get the point, get going. There's a mountain of documents to read."

Yoonshin got up, collected his jacket and other belongings, and opened the private room door.

Next to the building of Doguk was an annex with the offices of the firm's incorporated association. Yoonshin was currently sitting in the said annex, in the corporate social responsibility team's office.

The incorporated association was approved and founded 10 years ago, and after being granted permission from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, it operated as an organization performing volunteer work and charitable donations. It consistently encouraged the philanthropic activities of the firm's lawyers. Doguk's representative attorney sat as the chairman of the board of directors, and the board of directors was composed of several partner lawyers of Doguk, including Attorney Song and Sehun.

Thus far, Sehun only donated a fixed amount of money yearly, yet he never did volunteer activities. Despite working at the firm for years, it was almost as if he had never set foot in the annex building even once.

The partner didn't make an effort to invest his time into these matters, so his assigned time was being filled by Yoonshin instead. This was the first task that Sehun personally ordered, so to speak.

He gave me a job that fits me, but why do I feel like I'm just being used?' Yoonshin exhaled steadily and recalled the other's fair face before shaking his head. Then, he handed documents to the middle-aged woman sitting across from him.

One day every month, the organization ran a free legal clinic offering consultation and services to the elderly, low-income citizens, women with discontinued careers, and others who fit the legal definition of the socially disadvantaged class. The clinic booked phone and internet appointments in advance, then proceeded with face-to-face interviews. Yoonshin met the woman's eyes and continued his helpful explanation. "Ma'am. So... The domicile—I mean, people who leave where they used to live and aren't likely to return for a long time are called absentees."

The inquiry was simple enough. The woman scraped up all her assets and loaned them to an acquaintance that she thought she knew quite well so he could use it as his business funds. She lost touch with the debtor for a long time, and the debtor went missing. She was asking if there was any way that she could get her money back as it was now. Thankfully, in this case, the debtor owned a piece of commercial property in an apartment building.

Yoonshin opened a window with an explanation of the relevant law on his computer screen.

"If you look here, Article 22 of the Civil Act defines managing the property of an absentee. This allows personal property to be managed temporarily until the absentee returns or until their living status is confirmed. Simply put, this isn't limited to family members. Creditors can also become the administrator."

"Then, if I become the administrator, can I get back the amount that I lent? That old man has a shop in the storefront of the apartment. It's a one-story building. He owns it. I didn't think he would run away leaving that behind, so I lent my money to him... I never imagined not hearing any news of him..."

"That's right. But that doesn't mean you can dispose of the property as his administrator, but you can manage it. You can make an application to the court and request to be appointed as the property administrator. Then you can lease out the building to another tenant and receive the monthly rent."

Seemingly having found the key to reclaiming her money, the middle-aged woman's face brightened. "Can Doguk do it for me? You could do it for me, young mister."

Yoonshin looked apologetic and shook his head. "Our firm doesn't take on cases for individuals. I thought about how I could help and told a lawyer that I know. You can tell him that I told you to go to him. He'll do a good job helping you."

"Oh, but it would've been nice if Doguk did it for me..."

"Perhaps another time."

Yoonshin wrote down the address of the law office he worked with before he came to Doguk as well as the contact information of the office manager and handed it to the lady. She still seemed to be slightly disappointed, but she repeatedly bowed to express her gratitude and left the office.

Yoonshin was left feeling sorry for being unable to help further yet fulfilled about assisting to some degree—the contrasting emotions clashed, and he looked over the next client's documents again. He read it once before he came, but he reviewed the details of the case.

"Living separated... And the man is unemployed long term," he muttered to himself.

Yoonshin opened the legislation he had searched up beforehand and picked up the intercom. He let the secretary know that the next client could come in.

A few seconds later, there was a rap at the door and a man around 30 came in and sat in front of Yoonshin. He greeted the other warmly and got straight to the point like a person of action. "I read through your questionnaire. Your wife agreed to live separated for a certain period, but she still hasn't returned home. How long was your separation?"

"It's been about eight months. Originally, we agreed to try living apart for around four months."

"Hmm, the original period doubled. By any chance, did you leave anything about the agreement in writing?"

The man was pensive for a moment, then answered in a trembling voice. "Nothing of the sort. Oh, but there is an audio recording. There was a lot of conflict at the time about getting a divorce, so I recorded every conversation I had with her just in case. That's probably on my old phone. Do recordings have legal force?"

"Thankfully, recordings between the related patties can be evidence. What was the reason for your separation?"

Chapter 3

"I quit my job and went back to school for a long time. After years of hardships with no results to show, our tension just kept accumulating. So, we decided to take some time for ourselves first, organize our thoughts, then start fresh. I finished collecting myself, so I went back home, but I haven't heard from my wife since. I found out she quit the part-time job she did in her spare time and changed her phone number."

"So, at this point, you haven't put together any documents and your wife one-sidedly... Sir, what do you want to do? I see you wrote down what you want, but it is a bit abstract."

"I want to make her return home. But my wife's family keeps saying that since we decided to live separately, wasn't our relationship over? They started talking about divorce settlements. I don't want to do that."

Hearing the man's story so far, Yoonshin, as he did for the other clients, showed the other man the legislation on his screen. Then, he explained to the other, who was staring at the monitor. "You might have heard of this before. Married couples are obligated to live together. You had agreed to live separately for four months, so because twice the agreed amount of time went by, your wife is not fulfilling her marital duties. Cohabitation has a psychological and physical aspect."

"It means we have to live together, right?"

Yoonshin calmly nodded. "Yes. It seems like your wife has not fulfilled her duties, while you have attempted to. If you don't intend to divorce, you've done well. If you ultimately cannot come to an agreement and go to trial, you will have concrete evidence that you intended to maintain the relationship, so it'll be difficult for your wife to win the litigation."

"Really?"

"But in this case, I recommend trying to have a conversation first. If you try to force your wife to come back because she went against the law, there's a chance that she may retaliate further. Nine times out of 10, the relationship becomes worse. I would advise you to go to a couple's therapy before going to a lawyer. There are a few decent places in your neighborhood." Yoonshin was about to sincerely convince the man without hurting his feelings when he heard an urgent knock. A familiar face popped in through the door soon after—it was a senior lawyer under Sehun. He seemed to have business at the annex.

Yoonshin glanced at the client to excuse himself for a few minutes, but the senior lawyer spoke up first. "Attorney Do, Senior Attorney Kang is looking for you urgently. You need to go back to the main building. He said he'll give you 10 minutes."

"I was just finishing up with my last consultation. Please let him know that I'll go after finishing up."

"I don't mean to meddle, but I don't think that's a good idea. It's better to run when he calls. He has a team meeting shortly."

"A meeting? I didn't hear about that."

"It's not for the entire team. It's corporate/commercial, so he only called a few seniors from each expertise."

Based on when Yoonshin timed himself before, it took about nine minutes to walk from the annex to the main building. He had to take into account the time that passed since he received the senior's directions, plus the time taken in the elevator. If he didn't run at full speed, it would be a close call.

"Oh, then I'm sorry, but could you finish up for me, please? The wife isn't returning after the agreed separation period. He can only contact the in-laws, and this man doesn't want a divorce." As he pointed to the monitor and briefly explained, the experienced senior understood the situation and signaled that he got it. The senior probably agreed because Yoonshin was summoned by Sehun and not that he wanted to do Yoonshin a favor. In any case, Yoonshin was grateful for the assistance. He gave the client a very apologetic look and asked for his understanding. "He's also a lawyer at our firm. He has more experience, so he'll take good care of you. I'm sorry, but I need to leave first."

Thankfully, the client agreed. He bowed respectfully to the two in the interview room and swiftly left the room. Then he slowly started to jog and checked his watch.

"Ten minutes... I'm not sure if I can make it."

His pace quickened, and his breath started to fill his lungs.

The main conference room on the seventh floor was filled with hubbub.

The meeting about their corporate commercial lawsuit was impending, and the team of lawyers was hustling with the preparation.

A certain private equity firm wanted to sue another company, which was a part of a consortium, for damages for failing to exchange shares. The meeting was in preparation for the lawsuit. Normally, it would have gone to the litigation group, but Mihee knew the clients well and personally gave the case to Sehun.

Yoonshin was out of breath by the time he arrived from the annex and stood before the conference room. Sehun wasn't at his office, but he didn't even see the other's shadow in the conference room either. Yoonshin reached out to grab a senior lawyer to ask where Sehun was, but he soon quit that thought. Everyone looked extremely busy. This was no different from a battlefield. However, the room was abuzz with more vitality than he expected.

"Set the damn font for the financial statements in a readable one! C'mon, what's with this readability? Leave ours but reprint Senior Attorney Kang's. Don't you know that he doesn't read and throws the papers on the ground if the font is shit? I'll give you four minutes. Run! And who organized the final document on corporate legislation for Attorney Kang? Final draft on corporate legislation?!"

"I did that! I'm also going to do the briefing. Someone put in a request for more juniors on our team, so we can make them do these tiny, tedious things. Are we at that position to be preparing all these meetings?"

"Precedents! The precedents, the precedents!"

"I'm printing them! Secretary Tak will bring them!"

Yoonshin gawked at the scene, then was overcome with a strange feeling. It felt like a different room than when he did his presentation. He kept feeling this inexplicable feeling since he came to the firm. These were all people who had the same qualifications as him, but they looked like they lived in a different world.

Yoonshin always considered a big law firm to be where lawyers grew fat and a pillar of corporate power and influence in Korea. Following that, he thought this place would be barren as a desert. Contrary to his prejudice, the work of these people was so healthy, so he was bewildered.

Should he go in to help? Was he allowed to butt in without Sehun's permission? If so, he didn't know anything about corporate litigation, so what could he do? Was there a place for him to stand amongst those lawyers? Yoonshin's brain ran at full speed. Entranced, he was about to enter the room to at least help distribute the documents.

Someone grabbed his bony shoulders from behind. He could feel the other party's supple skin over his clothes. Yoonshin gasped audibly and turned around to see Sehun, who he was waiting for. The office manager quickly caught up to the partner and handed him an envelope of documents before leaving on Sehun's request.

"Attorney Kang? Where were you? You weren't in your office."

"And where were you going to go?" "The seniors looked very busy."

"Do you know how much that litigation is worth? It's not your turn to be a part of that yet. Then again, I gave you 10 minutes. Are you late or not?"

Yoonshin admitted to his wrongdoings sheepishly, "I'm four minutes late. I ran fast, but I felt the limit of my stamina..."

The other's handsome brows crumpled slightly. However, since he was also not in his office, he seemed to give Yoonshin some leeway for his tardiness.

"Follow me." Without a second thought, Sehun took his hand off the other's shoulder and beckoned with his finger. Yoonshin stared at Sehun's back, going ahead first. He unconsciously touched his shoulder on the spot where Sehun touched. It felt like the softness of the touch lingered. Then, he snapped out of it and quickly followed.

Sehun haphazardly tossed his documents on his office desk and leaned against it. Then, he stared at Yoonshin, who still didn't quite finish catching his breath. "Fourth-year."

"Yes, Senior Attorney?"

"Where the hell were you? Why weren't you on stand-by at your office? Don't make me look for you."

"Oh, I stopped by the annex. The free consultation clinic is scheduled on the last Friday of every month, which happened to be today."

Sehun didn't respond. He simply fixed his frigid eyes on Yoonshin and crossed his arms. Yoonshin started to feel the pressure of the tenacious and obstinate eyes, so he looked at the hallway through the office window for no reason. Now that he noticed, the blinds that were down nearly every day were raised. After registering that change, he looked back at Sehun, who was still maintaining the same posture and atmosphere.

Yoonshin realized his mistake and excused himself. "I'll stay in my office next time."

"You took one hour—that's three times the amount of time you could use for a quickie. You dropped by the annex? I'm sure you meddled in far more than necessary when you could just give them brief advice. Nobody here does volunteer work as sincerely as you."

"Were you watching me work?"

"Do you think I did? I was at the firm all day."

Sehun just meant that Yoonshin was that obvious.

"Well, I was only trying to work wholeheartedly. They're all struggling people. Moreover, the records will have your name on it, so I thought it would be better than just doing it casually."

"Yeah, I'm so touched. I could even cry. You can spend your time on it overnight and come back to me tomorrow."

"No, I'll use my time appropriately from now on."

Sehun shook his head in defeat, but he didn't reprimand Yoonshin any further. He uncrossed his arms and reached behind. He picked up the envelope that he had tossed and chucked it at Yoonshin. Yoonshin caught it reflexively and gave Sehun a quizzical look. "What is this?"

"Your case."

"Whoa. You're giving me a case?"

Heavy feelings such as trust were crafted carefully and gradually; like weaving fabric, they wouldn't just appear one day because one decided to trust another. The two started to weave their first fabric by putting the warp and the woof in the loom for the first time.

Even though the change was small, Yoonshin was plenty satisfied. Thanks to that, his white face was filled with joy, adding a pink tint to his cheeks.

Yoonshin stood at the boundary of dreams and reality, and all the while, Sehun was observing him. His cheek twitched, barely noticeably, and then he bit his lower lip. Surprisingly, he looked a bit psychologically swamped.

Yoonshin was oblivious to Sehun's reactions. He pulled out the papers in the envelope and scanned its contents. His head snapped up, and at that moment, their eyes locked. Astonishingly, Sehun averted his eyes first. It was the first time this happened.

"Senior Attorney?"

"It's pro bono. Organize it yourself."

"Am I really in charge of this?"

"You've done a few pro bonos here, and you're doing two right now. It's not a big deal."

"But the files I've done so far were just rolling around and dumped on me. This one is a pro bono case that you've personally given to me. I'll do my very best so that I don't cause you any harm," Yoonshin replied.

Sehun squinted, displeased, then suddenly recalled something and said, "While we're on this topic, return the two pro bono files to their original teams. From now on, listen to my instructions only, and do what I give you. You're on my team. You can't transfer departments without my permission."

After saying what he wanted to, Sehun stood up from his desk and straightened his back. Then, he coldly walked by Yoonshin, whose eyes were focused on Sehun like a baby bird. Yoonshin felt that the conversation would end one-sidedly, so he instinctively grabbed the other's arm. The skin of another's palm touched the older man's bony and sturdy wrist. At that moment, Sehun whipped his head around.

Sehun pointed an irritated glower down at his wrist.

Surprised, Yoonshin took his hand off and bowed. "I'm sorry. You told me to not touch you."

Sehun used his other hand to rub off the traces of the other from his wrist that was just released and said, "Did you have questions? I have to go to my meeting. You have 30 seconds to ask."

"Well, Attorney Kang..." Yoonshin babbled.

"25 seconds."

"It hasn't even been five seconds."

"10 seconds."

Yoonshin had something he wanted to say, but the other's hasty countdown made him anxious for no reason, and his mind drew a blank. Yoonshin kept hesitating and then finally opened his mouth to speak. He cautiously rolled his eyes up and realized that Sehun's sleek and sharp eyes were staring attentively. But for some reason, Yoonshin felt like the other's eyes were focused on his lips instead of his eyes.

Was that just his imagination?

It had to be his imagination.

“Um…”

But maybe it wasn't.

"Time's up."

"But 30 seconds haven't passed yet?"

"Is that your question? Time just ended."

Sehun jutted his chin at the clock and walked out of the room in long strides.

The door closed with a click.

In a flash, the guest was left alone in a room without its owner. Yoonshin tried to gather his thoughts. He had a strong desire to look around this room a bit longer.

Two months ago, when he first went to this room to wait for Sehun, he was so nervous that he never looked around fully. Now that he was alone and in a similar situation to last time, he thought back to when he saw the copy of Great Expectations on Sehun's desk. He was overcome with an inexplicable impulse to confirm whether Sehun re-read the book because of Yoonshin.

`What should I do?' Yoonshin glanced at the secretary's office through the office door's window and felt like he was given tacit permission. Perhaps it was because they were preparing for the meeting; Secretary Tak, the office manager, and the office assistant were away from their desks.

Yoonshin hugged the file folder in his arms and checked Sehun's desk. However, all he could see were two laptops and a few volumes of precedents. The book that he was looking for was nowhere to be seen.

‘I guess no matter how busy he is, he could already be done reading it in his spare time in the last two months,’ Yoonshin thought.

He felt somewhat disappointed for some reason. As he turned to leave, he caught sight of Great Expectations on the bookshelf. Mesmerized, he walked toward it and opened the first volume of the two books. Apparently, Sehun was the type to read books cleanly as there were no underlines or sticky notes in sight. Swallowing back his disappointment, Yoonshin started to return the book to its place.

Plop. A golden ribbon hung from the bottom of the book. Yoonshin tugged it, opening where it was placed, and familiar words filled Yoonshin's vision.

“And then I looked at the stars, and considered how awful it would be fora man to turn his face up to them as he froze to death, and see no help or pity in all the glittering multitude."

It was the quote he had used at court.

When he saw that, his face suddenly started burning. He dabbed at his cheek with the back of his hand, hurriedly shoved the book back on the shelf, and ran away from the office. He went back to his room, locked his door, and pulled down the blinds—something he had never done since his arrival.

Only after he was completely isolated, he leaned against the wall, catching his breath.

It could be a coincidence, but all the evidence pointed to one thing.

It could be that there wasn't a grandiose meaning and simply another famous work of literature by a great man of letters. Regardless, Yoonshin felt funny to think that he made Sehun, who was always buried deep in work, do something.

Yoonshin instinctively thought back to just moments ago, when Sehun's gaze fell exactly on his lips. Yoonshin bit his own lips.

"Just why...?"

Why did he feel embarrassed like a secret was uncovered?

The only contact they had was Sehun's wrist, yet he felt like they had kissed.

Yoonshin let out a long and troubled sigh, then swallowed dryly.

Outside the window, it was dusk. Yoonshin got off work past midnight, but instead of going to his cozy abode, he dragged his leaden body to the 24-hour café on the first floor of his apartment.

He ordered a very bitter cup of americano, enough to jolt him awake, and bought a few donuts to pacify his taste buds. Then, he started to study the pro bono file that Sehun personally assigned. He was stuck, trying to understand this case for two days straight. Yet the longer he dwelled on it, Yoonshin's eyebags grew darker.

The case was about the conflict between a president and manager of a mid-sized company. The manager, a married woman, sued the male president for sexual harassment, but due to the lack of evidence, no charges were laid. Except for the complainant's testimony, all the documents submitted were insufficient. The situation ended haphazardly, so in turn, the president sued the manager for libel.

'He must have a reason. Why did he give me this file?' Yoonshin wondered.

Sehun clearly said that he would only give work that Yoonshin was capable of handling. He wasn't giving him mere homework—he was teaching him how to work at the firm going forward in general, so Sehun was most likely being genuine.

But the longer he stared at the investigation report for this case, the more he felt like he wouldn't be able to find the answer on his own. He read through all the documents twice, but it was the same. The accused couldn't be indicted for the crime no matter how hard he looked.

Moreover, libel was difficult to prove, and yet the president counterclaimed. He clearly had concrete evidence showing that the woman's claim was intentional and told falsehoods. One wrong move and the client could be driven into a corner and hurt in the process.

"CCTV footage, texts, testimonies from colleagues, chat history... How could nothing turn up anywhere?" Yoonshin mumbled, exasperated.

Unlike other crimes, in the case of sexual assault, if there was no material evidence but the complainant's testimony was consistent and detailed, there were cases when the accused was indicted. This case was different. All the witness statements excluding that of the complainant were consistent. Most notably, the accused and the other witnesses' testimonies matched.

At this point, Yoonshin wondered whether the woman sued the innocent president for no reason. However, he needed to believe in this person, so he made an effort to shake off that nagging feeling. But that was all. There was a severe lack of evidence, so how could he demonstrate that his client was telling the truth? He still couldn't make a breakthrough.

What would Sehun do in this case?

‘How would you save the client, Sehun?' As those thoughts flashed by, Yoonshin was hit with a reasonable theory. "Is this the second test?"

If Sehun wanted to observe how Yoonshin worked at Doguk, the pieces of the puzzle fit together. Yoonshin was underlining a sentence with his nose practically diving into the papers when he put down the pen with a loud thwack. He looked up, looking troubled.

Yoonshin was sitting in the corner-most seat of the café at a bar-styled table facing a large window. He stared vacantly outside when he suddenly flinched on his stool.

A familiar figure walked by.

"Huh...? Attorney Kang?"

He had just spotted Sehun.

Sehun was wearing casual clothes. The black crew-neck sweater draping his firm upper body and the pair of jeans that accentuated his long legs suited him surprisingly well. He also matched his outfit with white sneakers. Everything he wore seemed to highlight his preference for cleanliness and tidiness. It looked like the snake in a suit had temporarily molted.

The horrible timing that prevented them from meeting by chance not too long ago somehow allowed for the right timing this time. Sehun's perfectly timed appearance was almost uncanny.

Yoonshin bolted up from his seat and knocked on the window.

Sehun must have felt Yoonshin's gaze as he stopped his walking and glanced in Yoonshin's direction. Sehun stared back, so the younger man thought Sehun would either tell him to come out or he would come in himself. If neither was the case, Yoonshin thought Sehun would approach the window, but perhaps he had too high expectations.

"S-sir...?"

Sehun simply stared impassively, then resumed going on his way as if he had never even noticed Yoonshin in the first place. Yoonshin knocked on the window again, but the older man didn't even stop to look this time.

"Wow, the nerve of that guy... There's nothing cute about him," Yoonshin grumbled.

Yoonshin gathered his documents in a rush and returned his tray with his cup and plates to the pick-up counter. Then, he sprinted full speed after Sehun, afraid that he would miss him. After running in the direction Sehun went for a short distance, luckily, he saw the other turning into a darkened street.

He gasped for breath and slowed down to walk beside Sehun. "Hahh... huff... Senior Attorney Kang. Nice w-weather today... hah..."

"Did you gather your things properly? You got out of there quicker than I thought."

"I moved as fast as I could."

"Maintain your class. I'll cut your paycheck if you ruin the firm's image."

Yoonshin grinned, telling Sehun not to worry about that. Then, Sehun finally looked at the younger man. He glanced at the naïve, grinning face and frowned, seemingly annoyed again. Meanwhile, Yoonshin caught his breath and observed the other's unordinary outfit. He carefully asked, "Where are you going at this time of night?"

"Taking a walk."

"You must be the type to think as you walk. Me too. But the apartment's park is that way, not this way." Yoonshin pointed to the road on the left, and Sehun's eyebrow raised slightly.

"Don't you think I would know better, considering I've lived here longer than you?" Sehun replied. Then, to show Yoonshin, he took an exaggerated step to the left. The road on the left passed by an elementary school. Since there were no kids who would be out this late, it was a tranquil road. Additionally, the stores were all closed. It looked like Sehun enjoyed this type of empty and deserted road at night.

Maybe it was because of the languorous atmosphere, but the two walked side by side wordlessly. Eventually, uncomfortable with the heavy silence between the two, Yoonshin was about to break the silence. However, Sehun spoke up first. "Why are you following me? Just get to the point and go away. You're distracting me from my thoughts."

"I'll walk with you only for a while longer. But I have something to confess to you first."

"I'm a very skilled lawyer. Consider that first, then tell me."

"I read a novel from your bookshelf yesterday. There was something that bothered me."

"You've gone crazy. Capital punishment for you."

Yoonshin was shocked that the older man gave him a sentence without even hearing the rest of the story, so he instinctively reached out to Sehun's sleeve. Then, before touching the other, he pulled back and instead asked precipitously, "You're not even going to ask which novel it was?"

"I don't care what you saw in my office. Don't do it again." Sehun retorted.

"But that book..." Yoonshin started.

Sehun interjected, "I don't have it. You don't get it?"

"You want me to shut up now?" "I see you still have a brain."

But Yoonshin's convictions were solidifying. If nothing else, Sehun picked up Great Expectations once more because of him.

It just so happened that the quote he used in his hearing was bookmarked—whether Sehun liked it or not, he naturally ended up bookmarking that page. Yoonshin briefly contemplated whether he should mention that. But seeing as Sehun caught on to what Yoonshin wanted to talk about just by mentioning the novel in Sehun's office, Yoonshin kept it in.

Hesitantly, Yoonshin found another suitable topic and asked, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Sehun looked aghast and countered, annoyed, "What does it matter to you?"

"It doesn't. But I figured sharing the bare minimum of personal information would allow us to show each other a bottom line of consideration... Oh, I don't have one."

"Great. I hate when others are happy for no good reason."

Yoonshin grinned knowingly to himself. Sehun surely didn't read Yoonshin's thoughts, but what he said felt loaded. "And above all, I'm most bothered when you're the one who's happy."

"Why? You don't even know me that well."

"Exactly. I want to know why too. Why do I react so sensitively when it comes to you?"

"In any case, I'm glad that there's something I could help you with."

Sehun suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked down at Yoonshin at a position slightly diagonal to him. So far, Sehun didn't look particularly angry. He didn't look like he was looking down scornfully either. However, Yoonshin felt an inexplicable curiosity coming from Sehun, so he was taken aback. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Is it because you're an affluent young master, or do you just have no sense of fear? You're not afraid of me? Why're you so clingy? This is the first time I've met someone like you, so I'm genuinely curious."

"I don't think it's either, but if I must choose, it's probably closer to the former. The influence of the former probably made me into the latter," Yoonshin replied.

From a young age, Yoonshin grew up without wanting anything. His mother passed away shortly after he was born, so he did feel something was missing, but that was only a fraction of his life. Besides, his sister raised and cared for him well, so he never felt lonely. On top of it all, his prestigious father was always respectable, and the inheritance that his mother left was significant enough that he was never in a financial pinch.

Thanks to Yoonshin's thoughtful personality and his temperament unaffected by inferiority, he was always surrounded by a lot of people. He must have received the good genes because he was intelligent as well as good-looking. He didn't understand defeat, which was similar yet different to Sehun. He never lived walking on eggshells. These circumstances were why Yoonshin could look after the weak and chase after justice.

This was also why he could intuitively see that Sehun thought he was absorbed in his affluence and disliked him.

"Each time, I feel like you're quite perceptive. Annoyingly enough."

"But I do care about what you think. I want to learn more about you. I also want to get closer to you."

"Get closer? Do you do these things to get to know other people better? Disturbing walks? Eliciting small talk?"

It was such an unexpected question that Yoonshin thought about the answer more sincerely and replied, "Rather than that, I start with the school they came from, where they live, and what their parents do."

Yoonshin paused to wait for Sehun's reply and glanced up at the other man. However, the man who had willingly replied now kept his mouth shut.

Yoonshin racked his brain to think whether he misspoke, then swallowed nervously. He felt slightly troubled since he had just recalled that Sehun didn't have parents growing up. "Oh... So, what I meant was... Well..."

Sehun saw how flustered Yoonshin was and saw through the younger lawyer's thoughts. He could probably deduce that Yoonshin indirectly learned of his childhood. "This is why we can't be friends. Just do your work properly."

Yoonshin had simply wanted to have a more personal conversation, starting with the existence of a girlfriend. This was his solution. Yoonshin knew what school Sehun graduated from, they lived in the same building, and he knew that his own father was a mutual connection. From the conversation, Yoonshin hoped that Sehun would bring up his teacher's name and expected the conversation to flow in a more heartfelt direction.

But perhaps it could have been a mistake, depending on the point of view. Yoonshin corrected himself, "Please excuse me. I just thought my father was a mutual topic for conversation. I just wanted to chat with you a bit longer."

The other was increasing the distance between the two but stopped suddenly. Yoonshin also stopped.

They were standing in a secluded corner of an alley. There were no streetlights here.

It seemed like Sehun enjoyed pushing others into both psychological and physical corners. Although he hadn't laid a finger on Yoonshin, just walking toward him steered Yoonshin toward the wall. Yoonshin felt anxious and stepped back; eventually, his skinny frame hit the wall with a thud. At that moment, Sehun stood before him like a looming shadow.

Just as before, he grabbed Yoonshin's chin and leaned toward him, tilting his face. His obstinate eyes were determined to probe the face of the other despite the poor lighting. Yoonshin felt uneasy and swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing.

The way Sehun's red lips slowly opened was quite sensual.

"So, you're saying you found a common topic between us and decided to chat me up?"

It wasn't wrong, but it wasn't quite right either.

"Isn't there another way you can phrase that? Other people could misunderstand if they heard that," Yoonshin replied. He recalled a question that he constantly yet unwittingly carried these days. Sehun didn't give him a special reason, but for some reason, Yoonshin's thoughts somehow kept flowing in a suggestive direction, so he wanted to address it at some point.

Just a few months ago, he had no idea that he would ask this kind of question to the other man. With the back of his hand, he brushed his pink-tinged cheeks and asked, "Senior Attorney, are you interested in me by any chance?"

Sehun looked bemused and simpered. "You're the one who keeps making advances at someone who wants to leave."

Yoonshin humbly conceded—Sehun said nothing false. Not only did he hold Sehun back, who left after ignoring him, but he also disrupted the other's personal time by following him. It wasn't like Yoonshin particularly liked Sehun, but for some reason, he kept chasing after the other.

"But you're the one who made us stand like this. I've only seen this position in movies."

"So, you think that this position is a proceeding for a writ of habeas corpus that shows that I'm interested in you. You know, I hate being indebted. Think about what Soohan Group could do to me if I laid hands on you recklessly. I'm not interested in finding out."

"You keep grabbing my face and taking me apart with your eyes. Why do you do that?"

"I just feel like observing you thoroughly when I see you. That's all."

That was what made it weirder. They didn't have positive feelings for each other, but sometimes, an oddly heated air hung between the two. It was quite confusing.

But it seemed like Sehun couldn't figure out the exact reason either, so Yoonshin gave up on his interrogation. The chilly air of the night felt like it got warmer, so the best he could do was wrap things up. "I get it. I won't take it the wrong way. I only asked just in case."

The expressionless older man stared at Yoonshin's clear face. As his heated gaze continued to linger, Yoonshin, who was trying to calm down, became nervous yet again.

It was because of these moments. Sehun, who seemed uninterested in his surroundings, kept behaving in a way that flustered Yoonshin. Yoonshin silently watched Sehun for two months at the firm, but never saw Sehun behave like this with anyone else. Therefore, he felt more nervous and more conscious of the other. It was all Sehun's fault.

Despite acknowledging that he reacted more sensitively to Yoonshin, Sehun also said he wasn't particularly interested in Yoonshin—Yoonshin had to accept this as it was now. Honestly, it was better for Yoonshin that the older man was disinterested in him.

"Um, Attorney Kang," Yoonshin called the other.

The other didn't answer. Instead, he slowly backed away, retracting his looming shadow, then resumed his walk. Barely releasing his tension, Yoonshin chased after him again. The two were slightly further apart than before as they walked beside each other in the darkened alley.

"So, you know the case you gave me today. This is your second test, right?" Yoonshin carefully asked.

"It's something like that. You've never done a sexual assault case before, correct?"

"Yes, it's my first."

"Formally accepting you into the team is one thing, but I also need to figure out how to use you the most efficiently and what tasks to assign you. Solve it the way you want. I'm just looking at the basics, like what you pay the most attention to, how you interview the client, and how you plan your strategy."

"While we're on that, could I ask you for some advice? More than anything, I also want to learn how you work."

Sehun shot a displeased glare at Yoonshin in disbelief and looked away. "Do you know how much I charge per 10 minutes of advice? Ask after you pay."

‘Not only does he have a bad temper, but he's also mean.'

Yoonshin searched Sehun's face with narrowed eyes, then looked down. As he watched the sleek line along his nose bridge and lips, it occurred to Yoonshin that if Sehun hated this conversation, he would have already sent him away. After all, Sehun had the power to do that.

Feeling braver, Yoonshin asked, "I looked through the documents for the case and found a clear lack of evidence. Plus, the witness statements all match up to each other. Evidence and witnesses are crucial in sexual assault. The accused seemed to have kept that in mind and defended accordingly."

"You're right. The majority consistently and precisely said the same words. Your client was the only inconsistent one."

"Yes, everything seems to be completely against the client, enough to make me think that the lawyer who submitted the claim was a thug wanting to rip out money. Honestly, I was wondering if we should leave it be. I thought that maybe settling at this point mitigates the most risks."

Deciding to drop the charge meant that the prosecutor couldn't find evidence to pursue the charge. The police investigations couldn't uncover evidence that she was sexually harassed. But even at this point of the situation, Yoonshin's client continued to protest that she was being wronged.

"Is there any piece of evidence that you can trust?" Sehun asked.

"Hmm, well the manager is consistent in her statement that she was sexually harassed. She went to see her therapist after every business trip she went with the president. She submitted records of her visit as part of her evidence. However, that is simply her consultation history, so it could be used against her as proof she was intentionally acting out—that she went to get consultations to back up her false claims against the president as revenge."

Sehun sighed in agreement. "This is why the police, and her lawyer didn't believe in the client."

"The complainant was the only one saying something contrary to the majority with no substantial evidence at all to back her claims."

"Do you believe the police disclosure? Rather than your client's words, you seem to believe the conclusion of the government administration."

"But they already investigated it... and if I don't believe the disclosure, I can't do anything as a lawyer. You know that."

"No, sometimes lawyers can do more than the prosecution," Sehun said.

Yoonshin stopped and stared at Sehun. Surprisingly, Sehun also stopped. He leaned against the wall of a building's enclosure and stood crookedly, waiting for Yoonshin to continue. Their eyes were glinting with professionalism. It was then that Yoonshin finally understood why he was given this case. It wasn't as simple as defending the client against libel.

"Do you expect me to completely turn the case on its head? We're at a disadvantage no matter how I see it."

"Therefore, if you show me how you win, your life at the firm will be around 0.1% smoother."

"I also want to believe in my client—I truly do—but what can I do when the court is where evidence speaks for itself? It's plain to see that we're holding back a guiltless person. Of all people, I want to find something."

Unspoken rules and moral exceptions existed in society; however, everything about law relied on evidence. The client was the only one claiming sexual harassment yet couldn't prove it. On the other hand, the president was probably obtaining evidence that demonstrated that the manager was lashing out with vengeance for his counterclaim of libel.

Directionless and deep in thought, Yoonshin gnawed on his bottom lip.

Just then...

Sehun, who was also lost in thought, took one step forward. Then, he staggered like he sprained his ankle. He lost his balance and extended one of his long arms toward the ground. He barely managed to steady himself, but perhaps because he was in an awkward position, he ended up grabbing Yoonshin's bulge over his pants. As if that wasn't enough, he squeezed it with considerable force.

"Gasp, are you okay—what are you, urgh! Are you nuts?!" Yoonshin flinched. The briefcase he was holding dropped loudly. With both hands now free, Yoonshin grabbed the other's firm shoulders to push him away. However, the moment he pressed forward, the hand which grabbed Yoonshin's member rubbed the outline of his shaft over his pants. Yoonshin felt his arms grow weak.

Yoonshin's face grew red, and he gasped. "W-wait, ah, ngh! Senior Attorney!"

Regardless of how bewildered the other was, Sehun kept at it. Confusion filled Yoonshin's eyes as he looked up at Sehun. The other's eyes were void of guilt.

Not knowing what to do, Yoonshin staggered backward. Then, his trembling hands clutched the other's shoulders. The fabric of the older man's sweater crumpled, and its softness tickled his palms.

"Let—go, agh! Angh!" Slap! Yoonshin mustered up all the strength that he had and whacked the other's shoulder. Sehun finally let go without looking very affected. Yoonshin slumped on the ground. He panted heavily, heated breaths escaping his lips.

It was the first time Yoonshin was the target of something like this, so he had no idea what to do. He was so stupefied that he sat there like that for a while. When he could finally get back to his senses, he merely stared at the slim legs in front of him. He slowly looked up and saw Sehun's unabashed face looking down.

Yoonshin clutched his briefcase handle and stood up, bringing himself closer to Sehun's eye level.

"What did you just do? You're out of your mind, right?" Yoonshin said bitterly.

"Fourth-year."

"I want to hear an apology first!"

"Listen carefully. You were just assaulted by me. Now, a question for you."

"Ques— What?"

Yoonshin was appalled while Sehun remained tranquil. He continued steadfastly, "I grabbed your dick without consent. I'll stay consistent and claim that I tripped, and to retain my balance, I reached out and happened to grab you accidentally. Proof? Look—the street is narrow, and the ground is uneven with rocks. The judge will believe my statement."

Rocks?

Seeing the fairly large, jagged rocks that Sehun pointed out, Yoonshin was dumbstruck. He thought back to when he thought Sehun staggered for no reason. "You did it by accident?"

"No, I don't make mistakes." "But then...!"

"But I said that's what I'll claim. Then what can you do?"

Now levelheaded, Yoonshin looked around. This was a very secluded road. The surroundings were so quiet that he wondered whether this neighborhood always had such a quiet road. There were no streetlights. There were also no parked cars. It didn't seem like he could obtain CCTV or dashcam footage as evidence. As mentioned, Sehun knew this neighborhood better because he lived here first.

"There's no evidence. Then I'll have to prove the assault with circumstantial evidence."

"How?"

"You pushed me against the wall on that road over there. You also did it at the firm's bathroom once. Sometimes you stare intently at me when you walk by, and in your office, on my lips..."

Before Yoonshin could finish, Sehun interrupted, "What did I do to your lips? Did I kiss you?"

"Sorry? No."

"Did I grope you anywhere below your collarbone? Did I undo a shirt button?"

"No to that too."

"Did I try making a pass at you usually? Did I send you a suggestive signal? Did I make lewd jokes to you?"

"No, none of that... You never did those. You didn't even really look at me."

As if that was the answer, Sehun snapped his fingers at Yoonshin. "The firm's employees will also say that. I never even looked at you. You're the only one who'll say something different. Plus, since you were groped in a blind spot, there's nothing you can do."

Yoonshin tried to choose his words wisely, but there was no backbone to his claim. Knowing that, Sehun then asked, "Do you think this is unfair?"

Yoonshin's answer was immediate. "Yes." "Your client feels the same."

She also believed that the law would save her and sued, but she never expected that her situation would worsen. There was neither the evidence that could support her claim for what she suffered nor witnesses to testify in her favor—exactly like this current situation.

"Listen carefully, Fourth-year. Sexual assault cases may look simple, but it's a very finicky area. You can't simply try to support a claim as you did so far with your labor law cases with visible evidence. You don't know what the mood of the room felt like at the time of the crime. Only the victim knows. Such things can't be 'proven.' You said that I stared at you intensely. How do you define the degree of intensity? Where's your proof? All judges like proof."

Yoonshin regretted admitting to being conscious of Sehun's gaze and felt embarrassed. His face was pallid.

"Your mouth is the only lively thing. So far, you only represented people who were upset and wronged. It'll be different going forward. Even if it doesn't meet your standards and you think, 'Is this okay? I might get screwed up at this rate,' you might have to follow and respect the firm's position and direction. Otherwise, you will get screwed up. That's why you need to win," Sehun said.

There was always a trail of evidence when a person was wrongfully terminated, unpaid for their labor, or injured from construction. Sehun's words were a warning, telling Yoonshin to take a fundamentally different approach to the cases he took on so far.

Yoonshin nodded slowly, crushed by the composed but firm atmosphere between them. Sehun continued in a low voice, "If you have time to question whether you're going after a guiltless party, I recommend you trace back and investigate how that bastard of a president coordinated all the witness testimonies and just why in the world the investigators couldn't find evidence. Now, back to square one. How do you want to prove that the other party sexually assaulted the client?"

"Should I look for another victim? Sexual assault is an offense likely repeated. I could print the list of employees and search for a person who wasn't able to sue the president yet. Or what if I look for traces of bank transfers of an inordinate amount of money?"

"That's what I call a waste of time. Even if you find something, it's all over if the third party isn't brave enough. The IT industry is small. You may be able to risk your job to live beautifully, but the majority of people can't do that. Can you take responsibility for their livelihood? Then your chances may be increased by 25%."

"Since it's a battle of win or lose, the probability is actually 50%," Yoonshin shot back.

"The lawyer is stupid, so I think I'd better adjust that to 15%," Sehun retorted.

Yoonshin tucked in his bottom lip and sighed.

Blind spot.

He mused about the hint that Sehun gave, then said, "The client said that she was assaulted three times in total. If that's the case, the offense occurred three times, but weirdly, there's no evidence in this day and age. The assailant must have known in advance that the location had a blind spot, just like how you knew."

At a loss for words, Sehun scoffed, yet he didn't deny what Yoonshin said. Instead, he asked, "So, what can you do?"

"The assailant is the president of a company. He doesn't move alone and makes public appearances in various places. There might be someone who told him where all the blind spots are. Should I investigate the correlation?"

"It's been two days since I've given you the file, yet you still haven't done that?" Sehun queried, then raised his left hand. Yoonshin flinched and raised an arm defensively, thinking that the older man was going to touch him again, yet the other man scowled as he simply checked his wristwatch. Yoonshin felt a bit sheepish and averted his eyes. "Oh, I thought you were going to touch me again."

"Your initial approach isn't bad. The investigation in the disclosure is too clean. As you may know, there's rarely a time where all the witnesses of the same incident have the same testimony. This isn't murder, and it isn't robbery, so in the perspective of the police, this case is insignificant, so they didn't dig deep enough. You need to be open to the possibility that there could be gaps in the police investigation."

Above all, it was likely they felt that it was too much work. Yoonshin never handled such a case, but he watched similar things happen from the sidelines. Plus, he didn't say it to Sehun, but it was also possible that another lawyer interfered and made a deal with the prosecution. They were all likely possibilities.

"Okay. I think I can salvage something if I look into it deeper. First, I'll meet the secretaries, especially the ones who personally follow the president."

"He hired a professional security company. The personal secretaries under him all have a close relationship, so instead of them, look into the employees at the security company."

"I really should look at the company cash flow, right?"

"I already taught you everything. It's time to hike down the mountain. I'll be grateful if you write your resignation letter while you're on your way," Sehun said derisively.

Yoonshin thought that Sehun was being too nice. Their conversation looped back to the beginning.

"We didn't even reach the summit yet."

"If you want to keep going, find something first. Then negotiate with or blackmail the president. Pressure the other party so that they retract the counterclaim against your client. While you're at it, make them give some money to the client and apologize. Finally, go comfort your client on a white horse. You like that, playing the hero."

Yoonshin had never threatened or coerced anyone before, but based on the prospective result, Sehun's method was the best option. Even if he found evidence that the client was harmed, it would be the president's first charge, and considering how light the sentence was in proportion to the nature of sexual offenses, the president wouldn't be greatly affected. Ultimately, it was better to be somehow beneficial in substance to the client.

Yoonshin gripped his briefcase and bowed his head in a way ambiguously in between apology and gratitude. Sehun stared intently at Yoonshin's craned neck before he swiftly turned around and walked forth with no further explanation.

Yoonshin made a complicated face as he watched the other go. He was amazed that Sehun knew the case better than he expected. 'I thought he wasn't interested in pro bono cases.'

Sehun was someone who clung desperately to victory; yet he was more helpful to the client than Yoonshin, who was hung up with the evidence he could see. Honestly, it was a shock for Yoonshin, who had unconsciously felt a bit of ethical superiority to Sehun. He felt the tune of his mind transpose uncomfortably from harmony to dissonance.

"Wait for me, Senior Attorney!"

Deep in thought as he watched the other's slim frame grow smaller, Yoonshin chased after Sehun a step later.

Yoonshin went to work earlier than usual to read the file. He made a large arc in the air with his pen wedged between his long fingers. He couldn't sleep well last night. What Sehun had said the other night bothered him and made his throat feel tight.

"You like it, playing the hero."

"How come everything he says is full of himself? That's a talent," Yoonshin muttered.

But in a different light, Sehun hit the nail on the head. With mixed feelings, Yoonshin resumed reviewing his documents. Funnily enough, he felt like he could find the path to the right solution by following the advice from his superior last night.

"I got the list of restaurants and bars that the client went to with the assailant... Checked the point of contact between the security company and the restaurants... I wonder if it's possible to track the bank accounts of the security guards at the company?"

To track a person's bank account, one would need to formally request permission. It was only possible if the investigation authority granted a search warrant. However, Yoonshin wanted to proceed covertly. He knew that the opposing party was the type to be thoroughly prepared when it came to legal issues.

He wondered if it was possible to secretly investigate through the professional investigation unit at a big law firm. He contemplated whether to ask Secretary Tak and looked up. But instead of just Secretary Tak, he also saw Sehun, who was listening to a brief of his schedule upon coming to work. As always, he was in a well-ironed suit. Sehun was perfectly put together at all times.

He was also always busy.

'That sadist is always working except when he sleeps. Does he ever feel out of breath?' Yoonshin felt his thoughts muddle for no reason, so he leaned his chin on his hand and observed Sehun's handsome profile. Just then, Sehun, who was facing the front, suddenly looked at Yoonshin's office.

Yoonshin felt a pang of guilt for peeking, so he turned around and pretended to concentrate on something. At the same time, he heard the other rapping at his window. Feeling troubled, Yoonshin barely managed to lift his head and nod at Sehun. However, it seemed like Sehun wasn't asking for a respectful morning greeting. He remained standing in front of the office door.

`What's he up to first thing in the morning? So, what if I watched him a little bit? He takes me apart in my face,' Yoonshin grumbled internally and stood from his desk. As he did so, the other beckoned with his finger. Yoonshin glanced at Secretary Tak questioningly, but although the secretary clearly was in the know, he simply indicated with his hand to follow Sehun.

With no other choice, he chased after Sehun into his office, and as soon as he stepped foot inside, a yellow envelope was pushed—almost thrown—into his arms. Yoonshin looked down at the envelope. "Ngh... What is this?"

Sehun hung his jacket neatly on a hanger, then started looking at the piles of documents on his desk. He replied disingenuously, "See for yourself."

"Are they related to my file?" Yoonshin pressed on.

"Something like that. It'll help with your negotiation. Don't ask for the source."

"Is it all right for me to open something with dubious origins?"

Sehun didn't look very pleased that Yoonshin was questioning the reliability of the document he gave, so he retorted cynically, "Dangerous documents should be used surreptitiously and silently. Do I need to teach you that too?"

"I see that there's no source, but it's also... dangerous."

Despite explaining in a way Yoonshin could understand, he still looked skeptical. Sehun ended up frowning. "Fourth-year. What did I say my words were?"

"They're an associate's law," Yoonshin answered.

"If you got it, you can leave."

"Yeah... Thank you, even though I don't know what this is and where you got it from. I'll use it significantly and dangerously well." Yoonshin bowed and turned around. He thanked him while wishing Sehun would hold him back, but the older man ignored it despite knowing Yoonshin's wishes.

The sound of paper quickly shuffling continued. Yoonshin took one slow step forward before turning back again. He marched up to the other's desk and received the typical, haughty glare of Sehun.

"What is it this time? There's a mountain of opinion letters I have to read, so I'm busy. Ask fast."

Of course. Sehun didn't hold Yoonshin back even though he knew.

This jerk.

"Have you ever dealt with a sexual assault case before? Or did you always do legal advisory work from the beginning?"

"I was in the corporate law team from day one."

"Does that mean you haven't?"

"I didn't say that. I did a few pro bono cases until I hit my fifth year. Then I went to school overseas."

"Can you tell me how you worked back then? I'll keep it in mind when I plan my approach." Yoonshin was extremely curious about Sehun's past. He hadn't been this curious about anything in years. He was dying to hear Sehun's story, so although the other didn't agree to answer yet, Yoonshin's eyes were already sparkling in anticipation.

Seeing Yoonshin's excitement, Sehun perhaps had a few minutes to spare as he glanced at his watch before leaning back in his chair. "For the most part, I didn't go to trial; instead, I found ways to rip off the most settlement money as possible."

"Oh... settlement."

"Even if you go to court, there's very little in it for the victims. They're only seared with the brand that they're a victim of sexual harassment. Not only that, but that process is very painful. It would be nice if the assailant received a heavy sentence at least. However, as you may know, unless the offense was cruel and unusual, prison sentences are rare."

"But what if the complainant wants a heavy sentence rather than a few more dollars?"

"Fourth-year. There are times when money is the touchstone of justice instead of a high sentence. You have to think of what the ultimate win is for the client. If your client has the wrong idea, then it's your job to persuade and lead them on the right path."

Yoonshin mused on the advice that Sehun was giving casually when one question cropped up. The question inflated like a balloon that was about to explode at any moment. It was hard to imagine the current Sehun doing this, but he had a feeling that perhaps he was different in the past. "By any chance, when you did pro bono work, have you ever sincerely consoled the victims? Since this type of case requires that to some extent compared to others."

As Yoonshin reached the crux of his question, Sehun frowned, failing to understand why he would ask such a ridiculous question. "I don't do that kind of thing. End of discussion. Get out."

"Wait, I'm not done asking..."

"If you're still here in the next minute, I'm going to call the police on you for obstruction of business. What's your move?"

Yoonshin knew that if he stayed, Sehun would carry out his threat. Yoonshin gave a sidelong glance at Sehun, who stared dryly at the younger man with the intercom receiver in his hand. He then gripped the envelope tightly with both hands like he was strangling Sehun and stomped out of the office.

He traversed across the secretary's office back into his room and sat upright at his desk. Then, he gazed at the yellow envelope on his desk and fell into deep thought.

A dangerous document of mysterious origin that would help in the negotiation, huh?' The envelope was Pandora's box. Once opened, Yoonshin felt like he wouldn't be able to turn back.

Whatever was inside seemed like Sehun's shortcut which led to the destination the client wanted. Yoonshin was compromising bit by bit with himself. It wasn't as difficult or unsettling as he had expected.

All people had multifaceted personalities.

Maybe—just maybe—the facet that Yoonshin was looking at could be just one of many. Sehun must have been annoyed by Yoonshin when he disrupted his walk, yet the older man listened attentively, guided him in the right direction, and created a new path for Yoonshin.

Oddly enough, Yoonshin believed that he could somehow win if Sehun stepped forward to help him. Sehun was absolutely on the client's side.

Yoonshin knew that Sehun ultimately wanted personal victory, but true to the saying "the end justifies the means," Yoonshin would hire Sehun if he were the client, no matter how high his fees.

"Your client feels the same," Sehun had said.

Yoonshin thought, ‘He does anything to win. He's also a man of a thousand faces... But maybe one of those faces can empathize with clients who are victims.'

Yoonshin placed one long finger on the end of the envelope and drew a circle over it.

Then, resolutely, he opened the envelope and pulled out a memory card.

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on his door from outside. Preoccupied with reading documents, Yoonshin lifted his head slightly to check the clock. It was already lunchtime. He didn't expect to have time to go down to the cafeteria today, so he asked Secretary Tak in advance to buy a sandwich for him. It seemed like it was Secretary Tak at the door.

"Yes, come in." The door opened, and someone entered the room. Yoonshin waved at the coffee table to tell the person to leave the food there. "If you leave it there, I'll eat it at some point. Thank you and have a nice lunch."

"Honey, are you very busy? Can't I eat with you? I haven't eaten yet either," an unexpected voice said. Surprised, he looked up and saw Mihee with a paper bag containing the packaged sandwich and a drink carrier.

"Attorney Song? What brought you here?"

"I was on my way down when I bumped into Secretary Tak. He told me that you'd be eating in your office. I wanted to have lunch with you, so I bought these myself. Come here if it's all right with you."

Smiling, Yoonshin stood up and approached the older woman. They sat across from each other and took out their sandwiches from the bag. Although it didn't quite exceed Sehun, Attorney Song's workload made her nearly as busy as Sehun. She must have had a specific reason to visit just another junior lawyer. Yoonshin pushed a coffee cup in her direction and asked, "I don't think you came to visit me for fun."

"I just came to chit-chat with you. How's work going so far?"

Yoonshin took a sip from his cup and smoothly replied, "It's all right so far. I'm not in charge of any big files. I'm just doing tasks of various sizes when Attorney Kang asks or skimming through the public interest case that he gave me."

"Your team is corporate, but most of the files are M&A, so a labor law specialist will be useful. You'll be able to participate in team meetings soon. You know what I mean, right?"

"Of course. I'm grateful that he even accepted me and raised my salary to that of a fourth-year associate. I think I would also find it suspicious if a nepotism hire suddenly dropped from the sky. I'm sure he'll call me if he thinks I'll be helpful. I'll just keep going at it." As he replied, he couldn't help but glance out his window for no reason. Yoonshin opened the plastic lid to his disposable cup and inhaled the scent of the coffee. Then, observing him, Mihee asked, "Is your sister doing well?"

"My sister? She seems pretty busy these days. We used to call each other up to twice a week, but I haven't been able to contact her these days. I'm starting to miss her children, but it's not working out."

"To be honest, I was surprised when I was first contacted by Ms. Ikyung. We work closely with Soohan Group, but most of our communications are through their legal department—I didn't have the opportunity to personally meet the second wife. I did see her once in passing at Professor Do's funeral a few years back, but I thought that was the end of our relationship." It was a roundabout question of his sister's intention for sending him here.

Quite frankly, Yoonshin didn't have the answer—only a hunch. "This is just my guess, but I think that my father told my sister about you. He occasionally told us about his most outstanding students when he came home from work and cracked open a bottle of soju. I didn't appreciate what he was talking about at the time, but... In any case, since she contacted you, I suppose she thought that you were trustworthy enough to take care of me."

"Oh, she has a lot of confidence in our firm, then."

That was one thing he knew for sure. Yoonshin was always very near and dear to his sister's heart. His sister felt their mother's warmth until she was in middle school, but Yoonshin had never been held in their mother's arms. She had always felt sorry for Yoonshin and took good care of him.

Yoonshin smiled, affirming Mihee's comment, and took a bite into his sandwich. While he was chewing the contents thoroughly, Mihee grinned and stared at him intently like she was examining him through a microscope. Slightly astonished, Yoonshin wiped the corners of his clean mouth and tilted his head. "Is there something on my face?"

"No, I was just thinking about how Sehun managed to keep you so far. He was quicker to concede than I had expected. I thought he'd bully you persistently for about half a year, yet he gave you the green light in two months. I don't know why he was in such a rush."

"I've never met anyone else who suited the word 'bully' better than Senior Attorney Kang," Yoonshin said.

Mihee clapped enthusiastically in agreement. She laughed heartily. "He's a character, isn't he? He kind of looks like someone who'd be inclined to S&M."

Yoonshin almost spilled the contents of his coffee cup. He attempted to keep a straight face and breathed evenly. He had no idea what face to make in this kind of situation. Mihee didn't pay any mind to Yoonshin's reaction and added, "Attorney Kang makes a lot of money, but you know, he isn't obsessed with material wealth? Did you know that?"

"Can someone be both a high earner and not greedy for money?"

"He's probably just taking money into account because it's the easiest way to confirm his worth since a lawyer's individual net value is important. But Sehun doesn't make deals based on how much he can make. He decides based on how much it stimulates either his desire for accomplishment or his competitiveness. That's why he especially likes taking on appeal cases."

Yoonshin couldn't understand this at all. "He likes appeals?"

"Yep, so when he's drowning in consultations, he brings one of those in. He's not in the litigation group, but it seems like he can't give up on appeal cases. He thinks that everyone works 24 hours just like him, so the team's seniors sometimes curse... Well, he's pretty much asking to be insulted. Anyway, you'll also have to do some tedious work like organizing documents for him because of that."

"I knew he liked fighting the difficult fight, but I thought he would hate picking up things others have touched."

"Think about it this way. There's a charm in turning the tables where another lawyer lost in the trial. He says that's what makes it exciting. To begin with, it's not an easy task."

Yoonshin pondered about it for a moment, then he answered, a bit let down. "Is it for the feeling of superiority? It suits him too well."

"I'm just saying he's perverted."

"That's exactly what I wanted to..." Yoonshin couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence and chuckled awkwardly, and Mihee simply nodded in understanding. If Sehun made people tense, Mihee was the opposite, easing the other person's tension—like unwinding one's fatigue. Yoonshin felt this way since his first interview with her. That was probably why Sehun also returned to Doguk despite his many other options.

Hesitantly, Yoonshin then said, "I want to know what kind of person Attorney Kang is."

"Sehun? He's just as you see him—smart, talented, and handsome."

Yoonshin was going to bounce back lightly with a joke, but then he pursed his lips.

When he heard Mihee's comment, a certain handsome face came to mind. As if the person himself were standing before him, the image was clear and vivid.

Yoonshin wasn't usually interested in other people's appearances and could only clearly recall the faces of his sister, father, and close friends. He realized then—he had stolen peeks at Sehun for no particular reason and thought about him so frequently that he could easily remember the other man's face.

Feeling a bit of anguish, he swallowed dryly and said a beat later, "I think there's a lot more to him than that. There were parts of him that I misunderstood, and I think he's a lot scarier than I had imagined."

"Scary? I heard that Sehun hasn't even shown you anything for real yet. Whatever you saw is just the tip of the iceberg."

"See... Not too long ago, he sent me some files regarding a pro bono case I'm working on."

He didn't know how, but it seemed that Mihee already knew that Sehun took steps to make Yoonshin's work easier. Her eyes gleamed with curiosity, and she leaned forward, showing how eager she was to listen. "What was in it? I heard Attorney Kang used a private investigator. I don't know if you know, but those guys are really difficult to handle and very pricey. They also always meet at different places, so I have never seen their faces before."

"Well, perhaps one should say that it was just a fatal weakness of a mid-sized company that looks trustworthy on the surface. I could also say that it's a vital key to push one man and his family into an abyss in an instant." If Yoonshin threatened to leak the information he received to the media, the opposing party would promptly retract his claim, compensate his client, and hold a press conference in apology. There was a full spectrum of everything from corruption at his company to scandalous stories about the president—it was a matter of Yoonshin choosing what to use.

He beat around the bush, but the woman sitting opposite to him seemed to get a gist of the contents of the information. Mihee looked amused, then lost in thought for a moment, she said calmly, "Sehun always seduces people with the concept of reward and punishment. He probably gave it to you because it was decent enough to give you. Use it well so that it doesn't go to waste. It also looks like he wants to see how you use it, while you're at it. He's not very trusting of others."

"You think so too, right? He gave it to me to use. I guess I'll get in trouble if I don't use it, huh? But the scale is too large. It's only a mid-sized company in name, but it's a longstanding company that most know the name of.”

"It's a skill to cherry-pick the information and use it well."

Yoonshin finally grasped the goal of Sehun, who designed this plan. "So, this is the real test. He's trying to see if I'm ready to dirty my hands."

Mihee simply shrugged, neither confirming nor denying. "Well, following Ms. Do's wish, Attorney Kang is the best teacher to show you how to survive. Just endure under Sehun for two years, then go study overseas."

Yoonshin's eyes became wide. "Will I be sent overseas? I'm asking in case my sister had other plans for me."

"Not necessarily. I only brought it up because it's normal for juniors to study overseas after they hit their fifth year. Why? Do you like it here? Your sister said you'd stay for a few years before you'd want out."

Of course, Yoonshin had this in mind since he first entered the firm. He was planning on listening to his sister's request by staying for a few years until she could appreciate that he had done as much as he could. But he felt slightly bothered to know that his sister expected him to do that. She knew her younger brother better than he had thought.

Since he couldn't readily agree in the face of the daughter of the firm's director and the one who actively recruited him, Yoonshin bit his lower lip. Maybe Mihee knew that he felt conflicted, so she changed the topic. "You siblings take after Professor Do. You must miss him. He was a good man... Sehun pretends he doesn't, but he and I both respect him very much because he was always impartial and considerate."

Sehun Kang respecting someone...

Yoonshin couldn't picture that very well. Even if he somehow sketched the outline, he couldn't add color to it. Yoonshin grinned bitterly. Mihee took a bite of her sandwich, but she tilted her head in confusion. Only after getting that confused look did Yoonshin realize that he smiled. He felt even more troubled than when he realized that his sister read him like an open book.

He feigned composure as best he could to hide his bewilderment. "I do miss him from time to time, but I'm fine since I have my sister. Her kids are also cute. My brother-in-law isn't as bad of a person as other people say he is. After all, my sister chose him."

"I thought this before, but you and your sister are quite close."

"I consider her to be someone to protect. I'm sure my sister thinks the same about me."

"Attorney Kang calls that a weakness—something to protect. He thinks people shouldn't have that."

Perplexed, Yoonshin blinked like a flickering taillight. He thought the opposite—that it was a sign of strength.

Mihee read the question in his eyes and added, "What I mean is that if you want to last long under that guy, don't expose yourself too much. If he needs to attack or control you, he's going to touch that first. There are a few juniors who were shaken off in that way."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. Oh my, did I take too much of your time? Let's eat quickly. This tastes pretty good."

Yoonshin started to dig in, matching Mihee's pace. He ruminated on the conversation they had as he munched on the fresh vegetables in his sandwich.

As someone acquainted with Sehun for a long time, Attorney Song seemed to know a lot about him. Thanks to that, Yoonshin felt that, despite the casual conversation, he indirectly learned a lot about Sehun. Secretary Tak's hints were also greatly helpful.

Clearly, Sehun seemed to be the type to act on his words. If he thought people shouldn't have things to protect, he wouldn't hold anything dear enough to want to protect it.

‘Is that why he's always on the offensive?'

Based on Yoonshin's observations to date, Sehun fit the stereotype of a "smart but bad guy," yet that stereotype also seemed contradictory. Sehun was ruthless, powerful, and merciless, which seemed like defense mechanisms to Yoonshin.

Maybe that was why Yoonshin couldn't help but be concerned about Sehun. Without realizing it, his eyes kept chasing after the other man, and he wanted to know what the other was thinking.

Yoonshin wasn't sure of what he felt. Was it tension in front of his supervisor, consideration from dealing with a person who he fundamentally didn't get along with, or another feeling that he was unaware of?

Like there was a thorn in his side, he continued to feel bothered about his strained relationship with that scathing critic.

Yet again, Yoonshin was buried in documents at the firm until late, only managing to return home near midnight. He felt like he would drive half asleep, so he took a cab. When he got off at the entrance of the apartment, he got a call that stopped him in his tracks. It was quite late at night, so there was only one person who would call him.

When he checked his phone, as expected, it was his sister.

He accepted the call and perched on a nearby bench.

The chilly night air nipped and bit at him a bit painfully, but he felt more awake thanks to that. He enjoyed this refreshing feeling, so he stayed seated. "Ikyung? I didn't hear from you for a while—what made you call so late at night? Are the kids doing well? And my brother-in-law?"

Ikyung replied, sounding hoarse, "Everyone is doing fine. I stocked up your fridge with some side dishes. I told you to hire someone—why didn't you? Your place is a mess. Crack open a window from time to time."

"I don't need a housekeeper for a single man's apartment... I go there just to sleep these days. But when did you visit? You should have contacted me first. Then I would have gotten off work earlier."

"I'm just on my way back from your place. I just got to the garage. I came because I had something to tell you, but you were a lot later than expected. I'll come back next time."

Yoonshin stopped fidgeting with his hands. "What? Then, are you still in the basement?"

"Yep. Are you still at the firm? I only see one of your subcompact cars."

"No, I'm... Wait there for a moment." Yoonshin had stretched out his long legs leisurely, but now, he stood up from the bench and started walking briskly. He was making his way through the entrance, which was fashioned like a triumphal arch with an attic, when he saw a black sedan turning the corner of the garage exit. The number on the license plate was familiar. He waved cheerfully, and the car stopped.

The car shifted to neutral next to the park, and its back windows rolled down.

"Ikyung!" Yoonshin ended his call and looked at his sister in the backseat. Her dark bucket hat was pressed down on her head as it covered her face, her scarf was wrapped several times around her neck, and she was wearing a black face mask. Yoonshin could barely see a square inch of her skin. "You're not going to show me your face? Why're you so hard to see these days?"

Only then, Ikyung finally lifted the brim of her hat slightly to meet her brother's eyes. Yoonshin couldn't be sure since it was dark, but she looked very tired. As he thought, she must have been very busy. Her voice was also cracking unlike usual. He had thought her voice was hoarse over the phone, but it sounded even worse when he heard in the flesh. "Yoonshin, thank goodness—I thought I wouldn't be able to see you before I left. Is work going well for you?"

Yoonshin was quiet but then grabbed onto the edge of the window. "No wonder your voice sounded a bit weird. Did you catch a cold?"

"Yeah. It's nothing serious, so don't worry about me."

"Why did you come over when you're sick? Roll the window back up—cold air will get in. I'll get in the car instead."

"No, stay there and listen. I won't take long before I leave." Ikyung stretched her hands out and forced Yoonshin's hands out of the car. Yoonshin looked shaken after he was suddenly pushed back from his sister's car.

Ikyung wasn't being her usual self. She had never pushed him away like this before. But today, she was clearly refusing her brother's approach. The fact that she averted her eyes after pushing him away seemed to confirm that. To others, it could appear to be just another action with no further meaning, but Yoonshin could feel that this was different because she had never pushed him away like this before.

Frankly, he felt quite disheartened. If she told him to, he was ready to eat foods that weren't to his tastes and wear uncomfortable clothes. Even though it had been a while since they last met, he found it regrettable that she was uncomfortable with Yoonshin getting closer.

Yoonshin was numb from being hit full force with the uncomfortable air between the two, then he warily asked, "Did something happen between you and my brother-in-law?"

"Nothing happened."

"Did he tell you not to go outside without permission again? You fought about that last time. Or is it about the kids? If there's anything I could help..."

"You don't need to worry about me. In any case, Yoonshin..."

Yoonshin got increasingly upset and shoved his hand in the car window again. Then, he gently grasped his sister's shoulder, asking her to look at him while talking. He did this several times when they bickered. But for some reason, his sister was reacting very defensively to his physical contact today and slapped away his arm irritably.

A loud slap rang out as their hands collided. Ikyung's silky scarf caught on Yoonshin's hand and slithered down onto the floor. His sister hurriedly tried to cover her neck again, which Yoonshin thought was very suspicious. "Ikyung?"

There was one thing Yoonshin learned from meeting with the interested parties in several cases over the years. In cases like now, his gut feeling was correct nine times out of ten. People who were injured or suffered monetary damages always tried their best to hide their suffering from the people they cared for the most. They hated the thought of making their loved ones worry. His sister's behavior was a good example of this.

Yoonshin got a bad feeling and glanced at his sister's personal secretary, sitting in the driver's seat. He steadfastly faced the front despite the small commotion in the back.

The good-natured secretary was a university junior who their father trusted. Ikyung took him with her when she got married 10 years ago. Yoonshin had thought that the secretary was hiding something from him last time, and it seemed like what he was trying to hide had to do with his sister.

Now having conviction, Yoonshin yanked off Ikyung's mask while she bent over to pick up her scarf and cast it aside.

"Yoonshin Do! What are you doing?!" Ikyung yelled.

However, unfettered, he turned on his phone's flashlight. The burst of light lit up his sister's face. His sister's condition rendered Yoonshin speechless. Marks from being strangled by an unknown object stood out glaringly on her neck.

"What's all that on your neck? Was your house robbed? Did you go to the hospital? Open the door first—open up!"

As he pulled at the back door, his sister rolled up the window completely. She didn't look like she was going to open the door for him. Devastated, Yoonshin deliberated over what he just witnessed. But no matter how hard he thought, he could only conclude that the marks were traces of abuse.

Chapter 4

If it wasn't a very skilled robber who broke into their highly secured mansion, the only other person who could harm Ikyung was his brother-in-law. He never was one to keep his hands to himself, so he always had bad rumors follow him, but he had never touched his family before. Maybe that wasn't the case anymore.

Upon making that connection, Yoonshin urgently tapped at the window that was rolled up to the top. "Ikyung! Ikyung! I said open the door!"

"Are you not going to keep your voice down? Someone might hear! It's nothing. Just take this first." Ikyung slid out a thin, white envelope through the narrow crack of the window. Instead of taking it, Yoonshin simply stared at it. In her impatience, Ikyung finally opened her door and stepped out, showing herself. The moment Yoonshin was face to face with his sister, his expression crumpled completely.

"Was it my brother-in-law?"

"Yoonshin."

"I asked if it was my brother-in-law."

"Take this first. I told you I had something to tell you." She made Yoonshin take the envelope with his trembling hands and said as she adjusted her clothes, "She's a daughter of a decent family. All the information is summarized in the envelope. Try meeting her."

"You're telling me to go on a blind date? In this situation? Are you kidding me?"

"I think your brother-in-law needs that family. I'm not asking you to marry her right now. Just meet her first. You have to make some sort of move so I have something to report back."

"You came to me looking like that, and you're telling me to go on a blind date because my brother-in-law wants me to? What is this world coming to?!"

"Calm down and listen. This is an opportunity. My husband needs this family. To say differently, if you're connected to this house, you'll be safe no matter what happens. Thankfully, the other side seems to like you very much. They'll contact you first, so if you like her, you can try going out. Even if you're going to reject her, at least go to the first meeting."

Yoonshin was about to protest, but his sister was faster. "And I already ordered from the people I always buy wine from. If you get a call, ask your firm's staff to receive it quietly. It's one bottle for Attorney Kang and one for Attorney Song. I already personally delivered the bottle to the director. They're very expensive wines, so…”

Yoonshin couldn't make sense of what she was saying. He was bewildered. His head throbbed, preparing to explode because he was injected with too much information at once. Yoonshin angrily cut off his sister, "Ikyung, I can't understand a thing!"

"I'm in the middle of collecting evidence!" She was speaking calmly before, but this time she raised her voice. Then, she looked around, worried that someone heard, which Yoonshin felt bad about.

Yoonshin had no choice but to lower his voice. The air going through his throat shook uncontrollably. "He's doing such horrible things to you that you need to collect evidence. Yet you're still telling me to see a woman that the bastard wants me to meet. How bad is it that I at least have to be safe? Please, explain to me."

"I told you, I'm collecting evidence. I wasn't just a sitting duck—I knew and allowed it to happen. He was always one to thirst after love, and he told me that he found someone he loved. He wanted a divorce because he didn't want to cause an uproar at the company with rumors and feared potentially influencing his succession, but I didn't want a clean breakup. Even if I do end up getting a divorce, it'll be a lawsuit. That's why I'm waiting for the right time."

Divorce?

Lawsuit?

Ikyung was wiser and smarter than Yoonshin. Their father always praised her for those traits. His sister always had a purpose for her actions. So when she said that she was going to marry her current husband, their father and Yoonshin both believed in and supported her. Unlike his dirty public image, perhaps there was something else that they couldn't see in his brother-in-law that captivated Ikyung.

His brother-in-law truly loved and cared for Ikyung. The couple's married life was generally smooth sailing. They had minor conflicts, but they were all issues that every married couple had.

But something must have changed.

"The other party is a chaebol. You can't even compare to those people. Just run away when he says he wants to break up."

"I know. It'll be a long battle, and I'll get more hurt than now. Most big law firms won't even take my case. Not only would they stop getting work from Soohan, but Soohan would use every means to bite back. That's why I'm looking at this in the long run. No matter what, I have to get my hands on evidence and ensure. I have my kids to worry about too."

"He won't hand over the kids?"

"For his succession and inheritance, he will do everything to keep the custody and care of the children. I have to fight if I want to keep them."

Despite the rope burns on her neck, his sister's eyes were clear. She was very resolute. Knowing her, she probably already contemplated this and simulated multiple scenarios in her head. Yoonshin knew that he needed to go along with her wishes. In his heart, he wanted to pull her out of that house immediately, but he knew deep inside that he wouldn't be able to do that in the end.

"I'm okay. I'm physically strong, and I'm sturdy. I'm worried about you. I'm worried that you'll get swept up in this."

"Is now the time to be worried for me?"

"But if it's Doguk... Doguk is a good firm. They have a good reputation and a stable foundation. The partners are all very skilled. A lot of them are our father's students. Moreover, Soohan gives a lot of work to the firm, so Doguk holds many of its weaknesses. The company can't go after them so easily. I thought it was the best choice out of all the firms."

Naturally, the events of the past few months flashed in Yoonshin's head.

Once he connected his sister's and his situation these days, everything seemed to fall in place. All his questions seemed to be answered.

One needed to be prepared to give up much more than what they wished to take away from others. There was no way his sister didn't know that. Moreover, her target was the second son of one of the top 10 conglomerates in the country. She had to place Yoonshin in a safe zone before her fight truly started.

"That's why you sent me to Doguk, to shield me? Selling our father's name?"

"If you had continued to do free legal work at Jaeya, that man would have tried to mess with you first. He knows that I care for you deeply. If you care for me at all, make a place for yourself at the firm and pretend that I'm dead to you for a few years. After that, go study overseas. That's how you and I will survive. Learn well from Attorney Kang and take what you can from him. His mind is a treasure trove that you can't buy with money. He also knows more of Soohan's secrets than anyone else."

"That's why you chose Senior Attorney Kang?"

"Even that aside, Sehun Kang is the best person to protect you."

If that was the reason, Yoonshin couldn't comprehend her thought process. "Why would that person protect me?! There's nothing to call a relationship between us. There's no way that would happen."

"Of course he wouldn't actively try to protect you! But you know, Yoonshin, nobody does that. Even so, Sehun Kang will not dismiss you or put you at a disadvantage because of a third party's opinion. He'll simply act according to his standards. And in my judgment, he's the only person in the practice who can do that. You're good at what you do. Just prove that you're worth it. No, I hope you truly do, for my sake."

There was nothing he could say in reply to her words. Her judgment of Sehun was the same as his.

Sehun wouldn't try to protect Yoonshin. He had no reason to. However, he was very competitive and had strong self-assurance —so when external pressures started to mount, he could be the only person who could throw a wrench in those efforts. Yoonshin pleaded in a trembling voice, "Ikyung, I'll help you. I'm a lawyer. If you can't settle, go through mediation—I can get you a lot of alimony if he's a spouse at fault. You don't need to go as far as litigation. I can prepare well for you."

"The opponent is Soohan. Do you know how many employees are in their legal department? They're all former judges and prosecutors, and each individual's experience is more than a decade. Plus, their network is wide. Whatever judge sits at my divorce hearing, they will have a colleague at Soohan. What can you do against those people? It's a piece of cake for Soohan to crush a baby lawyer like you. I lived as a part of Soohan for 10 years, so I know this the best. Don't you get how I feel?"

"Then what about you?!"

"This is my problem. I got married, and this matter is about my family. You have no say in this. Got it?"

His sister drew the line, yet he couldn't protest, which pained him. She knowingly added, "Just live your life. Live comfortably doing something academic in your later years. I'm thinking of asking for a professor position for you at your alma mater as one of my conditions of alimony."

"I don't need any of that! I just want you to be safe. Physical abuse only gets worse. This isn't my opinion but statistics. You have to end it quickly when he's willing to settle, all right? Please?"

Despite his pleas, Ikyung was firm. "I need to do this. I'm saying this again—don't try to butt in. This isn't a warning; it's a declaration. If you interfere by doing something useless, I won't see you ever again. I have to protect my children, but if I also have to protect you, my fight will become more difficult. Please don't make my situation worse."

"But—!"

"Don't say a word to anyone. Got it? Yoonshin, whatever I do, you know nothing about it. This is solely my business, and you have nothing to do with it. You should listen to your sister. You'll do that for me, right? Please, I'm asking you."

He didn't need to ask why she never told him in the first place. However, Ikyung's considerate thoughts hurt Yoonshin even more.

In a way, Sehun's philosophy was correct. The more one had to protect, the more disadvantages they had on the battlefield —just like his sister now. While doing more than she needed to protect Yoonshin and her kids, she considered all her possibilities and chose the path to take.

Yoonshin's face was dark with chaos and denial. Ikyung examined his face with heartbroken eyes and hugged her brother's thin frame. They exchanged warmth to comfort each other's anxious hearts for a few moments.

His sister spoke up first to mark the end of the silence. "Don't worry too much. I'm our father's daughter. I will win. It'll just take a bit of time."

“…”

"I'll be off now."

"Ikyung, don't go." Yoonshin held onto her hand as she pushed his shoulders away, but thus was all. Ikyung passed him and got back in the car. The car quietly went on its way and slowly disappeared from his sight. Yoonshin stood vacantly where he was left behind. Glancing between the empty spot where his sister stood and the position where he stood, he let out a very deep and heavy sigh.

He had seen his sister's face around every two months. So far, it had never once occurred to him that she would be experiencing such things. He never saw any visible scars before. But he saw them today.

This most likely meant that his brother-in-law was growing more violent by the day. From the invisible to the visible, his sister said that she would endure that. Yoonshin couldn't gauge the strength of her resolve.

‘Just when did it start?' The tears that clung to his eyes rolled down his cheek. The stream that started to flow silently surged and drenched his cheeks. His legs trembled in sadness and defeat.

Naturally, he slumped down. He pressed his forehead into his knees.

The crisp but refreshing night breeze now stung him like daggers.

"What do you want me to do when you tie my hands and tell me to ignore it...?"

Yoonshin buried his head and fought back his tears in a corner of the sidewalk. The chilly air circled him, remained for a moment, then blew away elsewhere.

All the while, there was a luxurious sedan black as night, loitering a few meters behind.

The man in the car extended and rested his arms on the steering wheel. He propped his clean-shaven chin on his arms, observing Yoonshin's sorry back for a long time. The voice that seeped out of his well-shaped lips was like the low tide. "What an interesting picture."

A woman shoved an envelope in a man's arms, leaving behind the crying man.

The man whose deep and dark eyes were fixed on the outside was Sehun, who just got off work.

As he was driving at the entrance, he spotted a man and a woman arguing in a narrow road to the side. He was going to ignore it at first, but the man looked familiar. He parked at a safe distance and started to watch the fight. Then, the woman left first, and the man was left alone.

For a short while longer, Sehun watched Yoonshin, who was crying and unable to move, then sat backup. He took out his phone from his inner jacket pocket. It was just past midnight. Then, he called Secretary Tak, who picked up immediately despite the late hour. "Yes, sir. Did your meeting end well?"

"Secretary Tak, I'll send you the details in a message. You'll need to look into a vehicle," Sehun said, getting to the point.

"A vehicle? Right now? Is this urgent?"

"Just let me know in due time. I already have a hunch on who it is, but I just thought it would be better to be clear."

"This is related to the case you're working on, right? I'll note it down, just in case. Which file...?"

"No need to. It's just personal curiosity."

There was no answer for a moment, then the other man asked, "Personal curiosity? What's the occasion?"

"What do you want to know?"

"I think this is the first time you're asking me something of this nature, and I'm more shocked than I thought I would be. Is it a woman?"

"Don't be so interested in my business. I told you already. You're not my type."

"And I told you I'm not gay. You know it's weirder that you react so defensively, right?"

"Tomorrow morning, before work."

"Sure. I'll call you. Sweet dreams," Secretary Tak replied.

Sehun grunted carelessly and hung up. Then, he continued to watch Yoonshin, who was crouching in the corner of the street.

The way Yoonshin curled up into a ball while clutching the envelope tightly with one hand was quite a pitiful sight. The bright and confident image he usually projected was gone without a trace. Inevitably, a very old memory of a certain day overlapped with this image.

A very long time ago, Sehun had seen Yoonshin, who was around 20 at the time, cry just like this. It was at Professor Do's funeral.

Back then, Yoonshin had also crouched in a corner of a hallway at the funeral home while sobbing. Then, he grabbed the hem of Sehun's jacket, who was practically a stranger. Sehun had already offered incense, so he was going to brush the other off to leave, but the hand clutched his jacket so tightly that his knuckles were white. Yoonshin managed to say in his shaking voice, "I'm really sorry, but could you stay with me fora moment? I don't think I can stay here alone."

It looked like Yoonshin wanted to stay next to someone and cry all he wanted, but he didn't want people he knew to see him like that.

Even now, Sehun couldn't understand.

Sehun had believed that he could skillfully deal with any situation that he was met with despite never having seen it before. But back then, for some reason, he couldn't push away the hand that reached out for him.

After a moment's deliberation, Sehun leaned against the wall and stood next to Yoonshin briefly. Neither said a word. After Yoonshin shook away the last drops of his tears, he thanked him, bowed respectfully, and walked into the cafeteria next to the memorial altar. He greeted the other visitors with a smile on his white face and conversed with the elderly who came to the funeral house alone. Sehun turned around after watching the inner strength under the grief.

Sehun didn't know Yoonshin's name until after a few years had passed. He knew that Yoonshin was the son of Professor Do, so if he wanted to, he could have easily found out—yet Sehun didn't do so. He felt like the memory of that day when he stood by a stranger, which was unlike himself, would repeatedly resurface.

People said that the first attachment was the scariest. Sehun wondered if that applied to cases like these.

Moreover, Sehun disliked caring for another person very, very much.

"He's crying alone again." He clicked his tongue but couldn't take his eyes off Yoonshin. His eyes grew fierce and sharp like a bird of prey.

His phone vibrated.

Sehun, who was tying his necktie in front of the mirror of his dressing room, turned to the origin of the sound. His phone, sitting atop a shelf, was vibrating.

Looking at the screen, it was Secretary Tak. He finished straightening out his clothes and picked up the call.

"It's Secretary Tak," the other man on the line said.

"Which one is it?" Even though Sehun went straight to the point without any form of greeting, Secretary Tak wasn't shaken. There was a click of a device before the secretary continued, "It was a vehicle registered under Soohan Group. The true owner is the secretary of the second son's wife—the one working under Director Ikyung Do. Apparently, the car is used when she moves around privately."

It was as he expected. Yoonshin ended up pouring tears at the end of the

conversation, so the other person had to be someone who could elicit such a reaction. Based on what Sehun had read from the report about his relationships, his sister seemed to be the most likely subject.

With women, unless they were extremely tall, it was difficult to differentiate between them solely based on their silhouette. lust in case it was a girlfriend, Sehun wanted to confirm. He already had a hunch that it was Ikyung in the first place. "What else?"

"You only asked to find the registration, so that's as far as I looked into it," Secretary Tak replied.

"You said it was shocking and weird yesterday. Knowing you, you wouldn't have just looked past this. Plus, you had enough time between then and this morning."

"The other party is Soohan. If I wanted to find out more, it would cost a lot. You should formally put in a request to the firm or use your private investigators."

"You would've snagged something that costs less in time and money."

Sehun must have hit the mark because Secretary Tak was wordless for a moment. Then, he said, "I wasn't trying to find out, but when I was asked the investigation unit to look into Attorney Do's surroundings, I picked up something about Soohan's second wife."

"Is this something on the report that you gave me?"

"No. Apparently, her public appearances are very irregular these days. She used to attend the group's events quite regularly, but she's been missing those often. She also used to go to her art gallery every day, but she's been missing work frequently."

"Is this related to Yoonshin Do?" Sehun asked.

"I'm not sure, but it doesn't seem to be the case. If it had anything to do with Attorney Do, it would have probably been a part of the report from the investigation unit."

Was it just his sister's personal affairs? With that in mind, it made sense that Yoonshin reacted so severely when he learned of it.

Sehun mused, leaning against the counter with one arm. He was silent for a moment. Secretary Tak then added, "What should I do? Should I request further investigation at the firm?"

"No, good work. See you in 30 minutes."

"Yes, sir, I'll see you later."

After hanging up, Sehun was expressionless. He recalled the scene he witnessed last night and fell into deep thought. Everything else aside, his sister showing up and personally giving Yoonshin a document was suspicious. There was a high chance that something happened in their family that needed to be managed through documents.

But one thing bothered him. For it to be a simple documentary exchange, Yoonshin's reaction was too abnormal.

"It doesn't seem like a power of attorney," Sehun muttered to himself. He checked his watch and put on his jacket. Following that, he grabbed his briefcase and car keys and left his dressing room.

His train of thought continued as he waited for the elevator.

Whatever happened to the siblings didn't seem like a simple case. Yesterday, Yoonshin cried just like when his father passed away. Sehun was certain that something as shocking as a family member's death hit Yoonshin.

‘So annoying.' He was irritated at himself for continuing to think about Yoonshin. He reached for the back of his neck with his rather large hands. As he massaged the muscles of his neck, the mouth of the elevator opened.

The numbers on the elevator display decreased quickly.

He soon reached the lobby of the parking garage and slipped out of the glass middle door. At that moment, a familiar face popped out of the entrance of Building C -Yoonshin.

Sehun stopped in his tracks and glared at Yoonshin.

Eyes puffy, Yoonshin barely managed to put a smile on his face, just like back then.

"What's so funny, huh?"

He was so shocked that he only now vividly felt the repressed flood of emotions that filled him to the brim. His throat tightened, and soon his eyes felt hot. His pale and bewildered face fell. "What in the world is going on?"

Who first used the phrase "hit with a bolt out of the blue"?

Yoonshin was feeling just that.

He didn't feel this empty inside when his father passed away. It was the saddest moment he had experienced, but he didn't feel this powerless back then. Nearly half of his father's life was spent helping people who were struggling to survive. It felt fitting that he died while doing righteous deeds. However, his sister wasn't like that. She was someone who should live happily, yet she was falling into a bottomless pit, and there was nothing he could do.

By collecting evidence, it probably meant she was collecting the traces of abuse like what he saw just now. His brother-in-law was having an extramarital affair or some other despicable act. If his brother-in-law already brought up divorce, then they probably already fell out of love. Yoonshin didn't know when the conflict started but considering his sister's tendency to mull over her decisions, it didn't seem like it was a recent change.

He had seen his sister's face around every two months. So far, it had never once occurred to him that she would be experiencing such things. He never saw any visible scars before. But he saw them today.

This most likely meant that his brother-in-law was growing more violent by the day. From the invisible to the visible, his sister said that she would endure that. Yoonshin couldn't gauge the strength of her resolve.

‘Just when did it start?' The tears that clung to his eyes rolled down his cheek. The stream that started to flow silently surged and drenched his cheeks. His legs trembled in sadness and defeat.

Naturally, he slumped down. He pressed his forehead into his knees.

The crisp but refreshing night breeze now stung him like daggers.

"What do you want me to do when you tie my hands and tell me to ignore it...?"

Yoonshin buried his head and fought back his tears in a corner of the sidewalk. The chilly air circled him, remained for a moment, then blew away elsewhere.

All the while, there was a luxurious sedan black as night, loitering a few meters behind.

The man in the car extended and rested his arms on the steering wheel. He propped his clean-shaven chin on his arms, observing Yoonshin's sorry back for a long time. The voice that seeped out of his well-shaped lips was like the low tide. "What an interesting picture."

A woman shoved an envelope in a man's arms, leaving behind the crying man.

The man whose deep and dark eyes were fixed on the outside was Sehun, who just got off work.

As he was driving at the entrance, he spotted a man and a woman arguing in a narrow road to the side. He was going to ignore it at first, but the man looked familiar. He parked at a safe distance and started to watch the fight. Then, the woman left first, and the man was left alone.

For a short while longer, Sehun watched Yoonshin, who was crying and unable to move, then sat backup. He took out his phone from his inner jacket pocket. It was just past midnight. Then, he called Secretary Tak, who picked up immediately despite the late hour. "Yes, sir. Did your meeting end well?"

"Secretary Tak, I'll send you the details in a message. You'll need to look into a vehicle," Sehun said, getting to the point.

"A vehicle? Right now? Is this urgent?"

"Just let me know in due time. I already have a hunch on who it is, but I just thought it would be better to be clear."

"This is related to the case you're working on, right? I'll note it down, just in case. Which file...?"

"No need to. It's just personal curiosity."

There was no answer for a moment, then the other man asked, "Personal curiosity? What's the occasion?"

"What do you want to know?"

"I think this is the first time you're asking me something of this nature, and I'm more shocked than I thought I would be. Is it a woman?"

"Don't be so interested in my business. I told you already. You're not my type."

"And I told you I'm not gay. You know it's weirder that you react so defensively, right?"

"Tomorrow morning, before work."

"Sure. I'll call you. Sweet dreams," Secretary Tak replied.

Sehun grunted carelessly and hung up. Then, he continued to watch Yoonshin, who was crouching in the corner of the street.

The way Yoonshin curled up into a ball while clutching the envelope tightly with one hand was quite a pitiful sight. The bright and confident image he usually projected was gone without a trace. Inevitably, a very old memory of a certain day overlapped with this image.

A very long time ago, Sehun had seen Yoonshin, who was around 20 at the time, cry just like this. It was at Professor Do's funeral.

Back then, Yoonshin had also crouched in a corner of a hallway at the funeral home while sobbing. Then, he grabbed the hem of Sehun's jacket, who was practically a stranger. Sehun had already offered incense, so he was going to brush the other off to leave, but the hand clutched his jacket so tightly that his knuckles were white. Yoonshin managed to say in his shaking voice, "I'm really sorry, but could you stay with me fora moment? I don't think I can stay here alone."

It looked like Yoonshin wanted to stay next to someone and cry all he wanted, but he didn't want people he knew to see him like that.

Even now, Sehun couldn't understand.

Sehun had believed that he could skillfully deal with any situation that he was met with despite never having seen it before. But back then, for some reason, he couldn't push away the hand that reached out for him.

After a moment's deliberation, Sehun leaned against the wall and stood next to Yoonshin briefly. Neither said a word. After Yoonshin shook away the last drops of his tears, he thanked him, bowed respectfully, and walked into the cafeteria next to the memorial altar. He greeted the other visitors with a smile on his white face and conversed with the elderly who came to the funeral house alone. Sehun turned around after watching the inner strength under the grief.

Sehun didn't know Yoonshin's name until after a few years had passed. He knew that Yoonshin was the son of Professor Do, so if he wanted to, he could have easily found out—yet Sehun didn't do so. He felt like the memory of that day when he stood by a stranger, which was unlike himself, would repeatedly resurface.

People said that the first attachment was the scariest. Sehun wondered if that applied to cases like these.

Moreover, Sehun disliked caring for another person very, very much.

"He's crying alone again." He clicked his tongue but couldn't take his eyes off Yoonshin. His eyes grew fierce and sharp like a bird of prey.

His phone vibrated.

Sehun, who was tying his necktie in front of the mirror of his dressing room, turned to the origin of the sound. His phone, sitting atop a shelf, was vibrating.

Looking at the screen, it was Secretary Tak. He finished straightening out his clothes and picked up the call.

"It's Secretary Tak," the other man on the line said.

"Which one is it?" Even though Sehun went straight to the point without any form of greeting, Secretary Tak wasn't shaken. There was a click of a device before the secretary continued, "It was a vehicle registered under Soohan Group. The true owner is the secretary of the second son's wife—the one working under Director Ikyung Do. Apparently, the car is used when she moves around privately."

It was as he expected. Yoonshin ended up pouring tears at the end of the

conversation, so the other person had to be someone who could elicit such a reaction. Based on what Sehun had read from the report about his relationships, his sister seemed to be the most likely subject.

With women, unless they were extremely tall, it was difficult to differentiate between them solely based on their silhouette. lust in case it was a girlfriend, Sehun wanted to confirm. He already had a hunch that it was Ikyung in the first place. "What else?"

"You only asked to find the registration, so that's as far as I looked into it," Secretary Tak replied.

"You said it was shocking and weird yesterday. Knowing you, you wouldn't have just looked past this. Plus, you had enough time between then and this morning."

"The other party is Soohan. If I wanted to find out more, it would cost a lot. You should formally put in a request to the firm or use your private investigators."

"You would've snagged something that costs less in time and money."

Sehun must have hit the mark because Secretary Tak was wordless for a moment. Then, he said, "I wasn't trying to find out, but when I was asked the investigation unit to look into Attorney Do's surroundings, I picked up something about Soohan's second wife."

"Is this something on the report that you gave me?"

"No. Apparently, her public appearances are very irregular these days. She used to attend the group's events quite regularly, but she's been missing those often. She also used to go to her art gallery every day, but she's been missing work frequently."

"Is this related to Yoonshin Do?" Sehun asked.

"I'm not sure, but it doesn't seem to be the case. If it had anything to do with Attorney Do, it would have probably been a part of the report from the investigation unit."

Was it just his sister's personal affairs? With that in mind, it made sense that Yoonshin reacted so severely when he learned of it.

Sehun mused, leaning against the counter with one arm. He was silent for a moment. Secretary Tak then added, "What should I do? Should I request further investigation at the firm?"

"No, good work. See you in 30 minutes."

"Yes, sir, I'll see you later."

After hanging up, Sehun was expressionless. He recalled the scene he witnessed last night and fell into deep thought. Everything else aside, his sister showing up and personally giving Yoonshin a document was suspicious. There was a high chance that something happened in their family that needed to be managed through documents.

But one thing bothered him. For it to be a simple documentary exchange, Yoonshin's reaction was too abnormal.

"It doesn't seem like a power of attorney," Sehun muttered to himself. He checked his watch and put on his jacket. Following that, he grabbed his briefcase and car keys and left his dressing room.

His train of thought continued as he waited for the elevator.

Whatever happened to the siblings didn't seem like a simple case. Yesterday, Yoonshin cried just like when his father passed away. Sehun was certain that something as shocking as a family member's death hit Yoonshin.

‘So annoying.' He was irritated at himself for continuing to think about Yoonshin. He reached for the back of his neck with his rather large hands. As he massaged the muscles of his neck, the mouth of the elevator opened.

The numbers on the elevator display decreased quickly.

He soon reached the lobby of the parking garage and slipped out of the glass middle door. At that moment, a familiar face popped out of the entrance of Building C -Yoonshin.

Sehun stopped in his tracks and glared at Yoonshin.

Eyes puffy, Yoonshin barely managed to put a smile on his face, just like back then.

"What's so funny, huh?"

Sehun spoke snarkily. For some reason, Yoonshin's smile got on his nerves.

Yoonshin reacted straightaway, "Then should I cry first thing in the morning?"

"Greetings first. Who do you think you are, being so rude?"

"Oh, right. I'm sorry. Good morning, Senior Attorney. How are you today?" Seeing the younger man rushing to greet him made his insides twist even more. Somehow, the aversion for that face bubbled up from the pit of his stomach. He bit his lower lip irritably and resumed walking.

As they made their way to the shared parking lot, the glass wall reflected the image of the two men. Glancing at Yooshin, Sehun knitted his brow.

He wasn't planning on asking, but his lips moved without thinking. "Why's your face so swollen?"

The question was unexpected, and Yoonshin turned his head slightly to peek at Sehun. "Is it that bad?"

"I asked first."

"I was hungry so I ate some ramen before I went to bed."

"Does your face get this swollen from eating ramen? You should try to improve your health then. How about swimming? It helps with your blood circulation."

"Every day, I go between my house, the firm, my house, the firm like a zombie. How can I find time for exercise? This only happens occasionally if my body is in bad condition."

Since he knew what happened, Sehun scoffed at the sloppy lie being told without so much as a blink of an eye.

"Seeing puffy eyes makes me sleepy. Don't come to work with puffy eyes again, or else."

"Okay... I'll try not to." After glancing one last time at Sehun, Yoonshin didn't try to talk back anymore. Instead, Yoonshin seemed genuinely concerned about how bloated he was and checked his face through the reflection of the glass. The two men continued to walk in long strides. Silence hung between them.

Since Yoonshin took a cab home, one of his cars was still at the firm. He had a backup car, but then he would have to park both cars at work, and his future trips to and from work wouldn't be very efficient. After peeking at Sehun who was walking ahead of him, Yoonshin swerved away from the direction of his other car and chased after his supervisor.

"Um, Senior Attorney, could you give me a ride?"

Sehun stopped mid-step and turned around. He looked nonplussed, unable to understand the situation. The saturation of disbelief in his eyes was like a flash flood during monsoon season. "What?"

"Last night, I took the cab because I thought I would fall asleep at the wheel. But if I take my other car, I would only be taking up space in the firm's parking lot, and since I ran into you this morning..."

Sehun cut Yoonshin off. "Then call another taxi or take the public transit. Or you can call the firm and ask them to send a car. There are many options. Do I need to tell you this? Are you a toddler?"

"You're so—" Yoonshin instinctively was about to protest but closed his mouth. Sehun walked over to Yoonshin, closing the distance between the two swiftly. Yoonshin wanted to find an escape route, but they were already half a meter away from each other.

"Finish your sentence."

"You're so stingy."

`What's with this guy?' Sehun's long eyes seemed to ask. To confirm Yoonshin's suspicion, Sehun let out a long sigh.

It was the first time Sehun met an associate lawyer like Yoonshin. A junior who grabbed a partner going to work to ask for a ride—Sehun had never heard of such a thing before. Even Sehun, who had people call him cocky behind his back, wasn't at this level. He never chased after a partner lawyer and bothered them, let alone talk to some of them. "Really, it's the first time I've met a guy like you. Don't you know I practically control your employment?"

"I know. Is there a problem?"

"You probably don't know this, but if I truly don't want to see someone's face, I fire them. You don't listen to the rumors?"

"I'm a lawyer. I have a lot of experience in wrongful dismissal hearings."

"Then what am I, a cardiac surgeon?"

"I'm not asking for a free ride. You drive yourself to and from work, right? I can drive you."

They were at the peak of the argument. In a subdued voice, Sehun explained, trying to persuade Yoonshin, "The reason I don't use a chauffeur when I go to work, unlike the other partners, is because I don't want anyone to interrupt my time. It takes 15 minutes one way for a total of 30 minutes every day—that's my personal time."

"Can't I just stay quiet on the way? I just felt relieved when I saw a familiar face after being alone all night."

Yoonshin's words threw Sehun's head into turmoil, and he suddenly pressed his lips together. Yoonshin silently observed the other.

When Yoonshin saw Sehun's well-groomed, handsome appearance that morning, he was a bit shaken. So instead of greeting him, he simply smiled and stared at him.

Yoonshin didn't quite understand why he felt so relieved after seeing Sehun. For some weird reason, Sehun felt like the first line of safety in his zone of security. If anyone heard his thoughts, they would laugh that he was chasing shadows.

"Would that be possible?"

Staring down at Yoonshin, Sehun asked, "I'm asking because I can't seem to remember. Have I ever borrowed money from you or ripped you off?"

"No way."

"Have I ever made a huge mistake to your father that I didn't know about?"

"Did you? My father would have forgiven it anyway."

"Did I ever reject your sister in her youth? I don't remember it, but it's not impossible."

"Whatever happened between you and my sister, I wouldn't know."

"Right. I don't have any debts to you, so I have no reason to give you a ride."

Yoonshin was shocked at how he was swept up by Sehun's skillful rejection and fell silent. Instead, he looked up at the grinning Sehun with his puffy face. The other frowned slightly, but he soon turned his back on Yoonshin without another word.

The older man's slim and tall frame walked up to his car. Sehun got in his luxurious sedan and drove out of the parking lot without looking back.

"Attorney Kang!" Yoonshin reflexively took one step forward to chase the car, then gave up. Following someone who concisely expressed his disapproval was no different from stalking. Yoonshin thought they were getting closer, although by a modicum, but Sehun must not have thought the same. Maybe Yoonshin stepped slightly over his bounds to his senior.

Sehun didn't know that Yoonshin couldn't sleep well the other night, so frankly speaking, he had no reason to be considerate. Even if he did know, there was no guarantee that he would be that understanding.

"Yeah, go on then. That's why he doesn't have friends. I was dumb for trying to appeal to him." Yoonshin stood staring at where Sehun's car used to be, then slowly turned around. He was slowly starting to run late, so he walked toward his car. As he was walking past a pillar, a familiar car came back inside, stopping him in his tracks.

Unless his eyes suddenly turned bad, that car was Sehun's.

Sehun honked at the surprised Yoonshin and stopped his car nearby. Not only that, Sehun stepped out of his car, looking very irritated, and glared at Yoonshin, who stood a few meters to the side.

Yoonshin was bewildered. "Did you leave something at home?"

Sehun jutted his chin at the passenger seat, looking extremely displeased.

"Get in."

"Sorry?"

"I said, get in. Don't make me repeat myself. Get in before I change my mind."

Yoonshin didn't know what caused this change of heart, but he decided to hurry. He tactfully got in the passenger seat and fastened his seatbelt, and Sehun returned to his seat as well.

Confused, Yoonshin kept glancing at Sehun. The older lawyer must have felt uncomfortable because he jerked his head at the younger man, telling him to talk. Yoonshin took the bait immediately. "Why did you come back? I thought you would just leave."

"Yeah, I thought I would do that too." Sehun sounded surprised at himself. Just as he did before, Sehun looked like he also didn't understand his own actions, which were unlike himself, so Yoonshin couldn't press on. He quietly sat in the passenger seat and watched the other drive with skillful control.

When Yoonshin thought about it, it was probably the first time Sehun did something like this, as Sehun mentioned. While working at Doguk, Yoonshin could feel from time to time how extraordinary his conditions were when he was recruited to the firm.

Associates aside, even the partners with more years of experience found Sehun difficult. Sehun was the billboard of Doguk and accepted this attitude like it was a given. Yoonshin was told to assist Sehun as a team member by Attorney Song, but even so, using the room across as just another junior was against the unspoken hierarchy and culture of the firm.

"I could have driven you."

"Touch as little as possible in my car. I don't like when other people's fingerprints get on my stuff."

Yoonshin immediately folded his hand on top of his briefcase which he meekly placed over his lap. "It must be the first time you're behind the wheel with an associate as your passenger. You're experiencing something new today."

"You keep forgetting what I told you. That's not a good habit."

"Oh, I'll keep quiet."

"Say one more word and I'll kick you out in the middle of the road."

Intuitively knowing that Sehun would keep his word, Yoonshin pressed his lips in a line and gazed at the other man. Unable to stand it any longer, Sehun whipped his head around while at a stoplight. Their eyes met. The older man glared daggers at Yoonshin's pale face.

"You're not going to keep your eyes to yourself? Your puffy eyelids look so miserable that I hate it."

"Do I look that miserable?"

"There's an invention called a mirror. It was created for people like you to use."

Yoonshin took out his cellphone and examined his face through his camera.

The reddened eye rims and swollen eyelids were that of a person who spent a sleepless night. Considering how perceptive Sehun was, even if he didn't know Yoonshin's exact situation, he would immediately realize that the younger man had cried. Oddly enough, this theory explained why Sehun came back for him.

How very odd.

Yoonshin couldn't call Sehun Kang a good person even if there was a knife at his throat. He could readily call him the opposite. Sehun was generally rude, arrogant, vicious, and heartless. But this man, who could sit across from another while calculating his next move, wasn't bad to Yoonshin.

Yoonshin didn't find Sehun particularly difficult or scary. It wasn't because Yoonshin had nothing to lose. It was the opposite since he needed to stay at Doguk for the time being. Yoonshin could act as he did entirely because of Sehun.

Sehun was surprisingly patient and had good judgment since Yoonshin entered the firm, at the first test, when asking for advice on the pro bono file, and to now.

He was very level-headed, but he also left room for Yoonshin to breathe. When Yoonshin put in a lot of effort, Sehun didn't ignore the efforts and recognized them. Instead of only coldly criticizing his mistakes, he also taught him how to fix them. Sehun was always annoyed, but he was attentive.

It seemed easy enough to do on the surface, but this was a difficult feat for Sehun, who was practically billable by the minute.

Yoonshin could start to see why his sister chose Sehun to be his guardian.

“Most big law firms probably wouldn't take my case." Her composed and resigned tone from last night replayed in his head, and he swallowed dryly. ‘If Sehun Kang took the case, then wouldn't my sister have a chance too? It's Sehun Kang, of all people.'

Ikyung couldn't trust her brother with her case, but maybe she could rely on Sehun if he willingly stepped forth. However, persuading Sehun in the first place would be difficult. The opposing party was a corporate giant, and she was bound to get hurt in the process. A highly reputable and well-earning lawyer didn't need to throw himself into that impending pandemonium.

Moreover, Sehun didn't take on family law cases and other relatively small cases. There had to be something that appealed to him for him to throw himself at it.

‘Is there no way at all? How can I convince him to represent Ikyung?' Yoonshin fidgeted his fingers. He started wanting something from Sehun, so he couldn't bring himself to glance at the older man anymore. Left with no other choice, Yoonshin turned to look outside the window. He watched the leaves waltz away in the wind and filled his vision with the view of the morning hustle.

Yoonshin peered at the laptop screen sincerely.

The memory card he had received from Sehun regarding the pro bono case was a gold mine, so to speak. However, some areas looked more like landmines designed to guard the pots of gold, so he couldn't help but tread carefully.

Starting with easy money from their business partners to a plethora of various derelictions of duty, tax evasion, laundering funds, and illicit solicitation—there was an overwhelming amount of evidence. Not only was there business-related corruption, but there were also a lot of unspeakably scandalous incidents related to the family. If Yoonshin spread any of these to shake up the opposing party, this would become a huge scandal.

"Defrauding an auction using his young daughter... And various other things. It's amazing he never got caught."

Given his track record, it wouldn't be surprising if this wasn't the opposing party's first sexual crime. The level of sophistication that was revealed when they traced back the destruction of evidence confirmed that fact. Yoonshin gave the man's photo a scornful look before flipping to the next page, which listed various counts of the man's abuse of authority.

"Bribery of a high-level official... gift cards, golf clubs, resort passes... Delivery of paintings and precious gems through his wife. It's in the millions. After these funds were passed on... The leader of the ruling party, a long-serving opposition assemblyman, and a minister currently in office," Yoonshin mumbled to himself.

Each link hooked onto each other like a chain, and as he continued to read, faces that he had never imagined seeing popped up like moles in a whack-a-mole game. From assemblymen so well-known that Yoonshin knew their names to party leaders—they were all there. With this information alone, he could cause an uproar in Korea.

Yoonshin wondered if he should just hand this over to the police.

Yoonshin drew a circle in the air like he was circling the faces of familiar politicians and rubbed his chin. This information was indeed a gold mine, but the scale was growing out of proportion. Besides, Sehun didn't give this info for Yoonshin to release it to the public like some hero of justice, but to use it as a sword to earn something for his client. Sehun's warning to use this dangerous material carefully was proof of that. On that note, no matter how hard Yoonshin thought about it, it seemed too dangerous to nose about in the world of politics.

Besides, it wasn't like people didn't spread this because they didn't know. It just showed that political and financial cartels were deep-rooted. The company of the opposing party wasn't a large corporation. Such a sound mid-sized company was involved with this many people of power; a larger company like Soohan would have even more.

"While he's at it, he must want to watch how you use it." Mulling over the hint from Attorney Song, he tried to envision Sehun's method. Sehun had a major in duress, but his minor was in conciliation—that was how skilled the older lawyer was at negotiation. He must have used that skill effectively to arrive at a settlement instead of litigation in the several cases he handled. It wasn't simply a matter of winning; Sehun would have tried to earn a benefit during the process of negotiation.

Deep in thought, Yoonshin decided to call his client first. She picked up after the phone rang three times. Yoonshin cut to the chase and said, "I'm Attorney

Yoonshin Do from Doguk who called you last time."

"Yes, I know. What made you call today? If it's important, should I go to the firm like the first meeting?"

"No, you don't need to. Are you at home by any chance?"

"Right now? I am, but..."

"Great. I'm going to send you a document by courier right now. If you could confirm what you can, return it. Then I was hoping to plan a strategy from there."

"What kind of document is it?"

"It's about corruption at your company. I was thinking of negotiating a settlement using it. Of course, upon your consent."

The woman didn't seem to quite understand Yoonshin. "Settlement? I'm not a whistleblower. I just want a legal affirmation of what happened to me. I want to return to work instead of being indefinitely suspended. Last time, you said you were almost done tracking the president's trail of evidence destruction."

"This might sound cold, but you wouldn't be able to get back at the president as well as you hope to, based on the limits to our country's laws. I considered how a lawsuit would go and concluded that, despite the other side obstructing justice, his sentence will still be disproportionately low because this will be his first offense on paper."

"I heard that sexual assault for a first-time offender once got a jail sentence. The lawyer who helped me file the suit said so," the client said.

"That's only when you have clear-cut evidence. But the law that prescribes that isn't very reliable. This is a matter of which path you choose—you make him miserable for a short time or receive compensation in a different form."

Above all, if the matter closed without scratching the other party at all, it was highly likely that the other party would strike back in a bigger and more covert way before the client could even react. This was possible because the woman was already a heretic in her industry.

There was no way for Yoonshin to help after the matter was closed. He couldn't clean up after this case forever. As Yoonshin deliberated over how to explain this in a rounded manner, the woman said, more agitated than before, "I testified consistently and precisely explained the situation. Are you trying to get me monetary compensation because my statement isn't good enough to prove my injury? Is that what you're telling me?"

"Paying for your damages is implicitly acknowledging the crime. Going through with settlement doesn't nullify your injury," Yoonshin replied calmly.

"Isn't it because you're too lazy to do the hearing because I can't even pay the retainer?"

"There's no way that's the case, ma'am. I'm not bothered by that at all. This case is important to me too."

"Then you should punish that man. I thought you were a nice person, but how could you stab me in the back like this? I thought I met a good lawyer this time..." The dwindling voice of the client conveyed her anger and sorrow. Yoonshin squeezed his eyes shut and genuinely thought about what he should do.

He then said, "If you truly wish to go through with litigation, I can do that. However, you told me you wanted to go back to work. You want to do that because you're innocent, and you want to prove it. I'm simply telling you that you can do that in a different way."

"Just how much are you saying you can get me? Like in the tens of thousands?"

"I can get you more than that. Not just compensation, but I could even get you a public apology."

The client didn't seem to process this as she fell silent. Her heavy breathing evened out, and Yoonshin could hear her calming down. She was probably thinking over his words as she caught her breath. Then she snapped sharply, unable to fully grasp his words, "The law is too weak to punish him properly, but he'll give me a lot of money and apologize? That doesn't make sense at all."

"That's why I called you. The law can't reach him, but the document I'll be sending you can do that, but only if you are willing to help. Could you look over it at least once?"

The client finally seemed to regain her cool and understood the pith of Yoonshin's words. As if recounting the conversation when they first started the call, she mumbled to herself inaudibly. Yoonshin waited patiently instead of pressing her on.

Not long after, she spoke up. "What if I wanted to go through with the trial after I looked over your proposal enough times?"

"Then I'll proceed with the trial." Yoonshin would clearly get failing grades from Sehun if he didn't use the documents. But if this was the client's ultimate instructions, Yoonshin couldn't help it. Yoonshin quietly stared at the windows on his computer screen.

The other person on the line asked in a much more composed tone than before, "Can I trust you?"

Thankfully, she was trying to understand Yoonshin, who was genuinely thinking about her best interests. He held back his sigh and replied, "You don't have to force yourself. It's my job to earn your trust."

"I'm sorry for lashing out earlier. I just felt so upset."

"I understand. It's all right."

"You wanted me to look over the parts that I know about in the document you'll send me, right?"

"Yes, and after I organize the facts, let's brainstorm together about what we can get and how much you want to get from the opposing party. Oh, you have to receive the document personally and return it through the courier that I send, okay?"

"I'll do that. Thank you."

"Then, take care." After hanging up, Yoonshin rang up Secretary Tak. He asked to send the documents, which he prepared in advance, to the client, then he saw the secretary off. Secretary Tak waved his hand reassuringly, and Yoonshin could lean back comfortably in his chair.

Yoonshin let out a deep sigh, and in place of the air that left, useless thoughts started to flood in. He stared at the screen, eyes brimming with apprehension. He couldn't imagine how such crippling information could be obtained in such a short time. The one thing he was sure of was that it wasn't the work of one person.

Sehun always held the reins to these kinds of things—things that could completely bury one person alive.

'My brother-in-law probably has more flaws than this,’ Yoonshin thought.

Soohan Group wasn't the most transparent with their business operations. He could intuit that Soohan Holdings, which his brother-in-law operated, was the same. Yoonshin recalled that was partly why the adults of that family were so assertive and open to becoming in-laws with Yoonshin's father, who had a clean public image.

His father wasn't blind to these circumstances. He retired from all his public positions after his sister's marriage and threw himself into social justice cases at Jaeya. He probably thought that if his social influence diminished whilst his in-laws were benefiting from it, it would ultimately be a detriment to everyone.

After his sister's last visit to his apartment a few days ago, he heard nothing from her. Yoonshin wasn't brave enough to leave a message either. He wanted to find a way to overcome this obstacle together. The desire to help her was brimming, but that was all.

As Sehun once said, Yoonshin was good at knowing his place. He knew that if he jumped in recklessly with determination as his only saving grace, he could make his sister's situation worse, so he couldn't bring himself to do anything. Maybe he could find a way if he learned about the situation in detail, but given how defensive lkyung was, it didn't seem like she would ever tell him the particulars.

‘She should have still told me what exactly is going on.' Yoonshin felt nauseated because there was nothing he could do for now. The feeling of defeat tangled with another uncomfortable feeling. He felt even more unsettled when he recalled Ikyung's messed-up face.

His sister said that it would be a long fight, so there was no other way than to get a sense of the flow of the situation. For the time being, he had to work to survive at this firm.

That was one step in protecting her and himself.

Yoonshin stepped out of the break room and stood in front of the window facing the outside.

The three in the morning view was dark. It was the darkest time before it grew brighter, so it felt a bit more haunting than other hours of the night. It was quite ominous to see the earth's atmosphere stained in such a dark color. Yoonshin felt more chilled since half the offices on his floor were unoccupied.

The skyscrapers in the view had handfuls of lights, glimmering much like this firm's building. He wondered why everyone was working so hard. He also wanted to know what in the world he was doing, standing here. This was the first time in his life that his situation felt so delicate and precarious.

Not only did he not come here despite his wishes, but he also felt bewildered when he learned that he came here upon his sister's decision to protect him from being harmed by her husband of 10 years.

Is there no possibility that Sehun Kang knew everything about this situation? What if he took me in despite knowing?'

Sehun was on nobody's side until the client formally signed a retainer agreement. To phrase it a different way, he could become anyone's ally at any time. And most of the time—no, 100% of the time—he was on the stronger side.

Yoonshin shook his head at the very unlikely possibility and returned to his office. He kept having useless thoughts. Perhaps it would be better for him to drop by his home for some shut eye. He blinked his gritty eyes as he picked up his jacket and bag from his room when he saw Sehun's office with its lights off from across the hallway.

The secretary's office was empty. Nobody was watching.

At that moment, he remembered the time when Sehun gave him the "dangerous" documents and told him not to ask for the source. Unable to ignore this opportunity, he seized the chance and started to make his way to the partner's room.

Yoonshin was overcome by the thought that it was now or never. He knew that he was about to do something bad, but he also thought this was the best he could do since Sehun would never tell him the truth. Even if the partner's words were the law and Yoonshin had to blindly follow it, he couldn't turn a blind eye without knowing about the weapon that he would use for his client. It was only right that he went as far as he could go.

'I'm so sorry. I really am. I'm really, really sorry.' He apologized three times in his heart. He turned the handle of Sehun's office and carefully went inside.

He flinched at the chilly air that surrounded him in the darkened room. He rubbed his face with one hand and looked around.

He turned on his phone's flashlight and saw the array of certificates of Sehun's qualifications on the wall. Next to them was a coat hanger that was around Sehun's eye level, and from it hung several spare suits and ties covered with stiff plastic.

Past the wall, Yoonshin saw Sehun's bookshelf. He was overcome with a strange sense of loneliness. Other lawyers had their family photos or other personal effects to decorate their room, but Sehun had none of that. Everything was all work-related. The only thing that was out of place was Great Expectations on the bookshelf.

"This place feels strangely lonely. Maybe the room takes after the owner," he mumbled to himself before he snapped back to his senses and walked over to the desk. He was hopeful that he could salvage something related to the source of the dangerous information. Although there was no way Sehun would leave anything truly important in his office, perhaps Yoonshin could find some small hint at least.

However, the desk was clean, and the drawers were all designed so that they couldn't be opened without a password. Yoonshin was astonished. "I guess I had too high hopes for Sehun Kang."

Feeling defeated, Yoonshin was about to leave before it was too late when he discovered a desk calendar. He temporarily set aside his original goal as his curiosity about Sehun that crowded his mind resurfaced. He sat in the other's chair and flipped through the calendar. But as expected, everything was about work.

Just as he was disappointed that he didn't find anything of merit, he saw an X the size of a speck on the last page of the calendar. It was the last day of December.

What was this? Was this a birthday?

"I need to find some sort of weakness so I can beg him to please help me." Yoonshin tilted his head then put down the calendar. He was about to turn the flashlight off, but he then realized that his desk was visible from Sehun's room—since he could see Sehun's desk from his desk, he should have known the inverse was true. Yet Yoonshin had never considered this because the other man's room was covered in blinds more days than not.

He wondered if Sehun watched him occasionally.

He extended his hand into the light and cast a shadow, pretending Sehun was patting Yoonshin's head. Then, realizing that he was imagining something ridiculous, he bolted up from the seat.

"Really, what am I doing?" His ears turned pink. He decided to end his adventure and leave the office for real when he spotted a thick object between a gap in the documents next to Sehun's laptop. It was the only thing that stood out, so his eyes naturally fell on it. He pushed his index finger in and something smooth touched his fingertips. As he carefully pulled it out with the traction of his fingers, he discovered that it was a file folder. Its contents were familiar.

'Why is this...?' They were copies of some of the documents that he asked Secretary Tak to retain the originals of earlier the other morning. He saw the main points which he underlined with a pen after reading the documents thoroughly.

Yoonshin couldn't be sure since this case was something that Sehun gave him to begin with, but since before, Sehun seemed to know a lot more details about the case than Yoonshin expected. This was Sehun Kang he was talking about, the ace of Doguk who didn't do any pro bono work. Yoonshin found it a bit suspicious that Sehun had already read the documents that just another associate prepared on the day of.

"What do you think Soohan would want from me if I touched you? I'm not interested."

‘But I think you're interested in me...' He cooled his warm cheeks with the back of his hand. Glancing at the volume of Great Expectations, he put the file folder back in its place.

Following that, he quickly closed the door to the office and left.

The door closed with a click.

At that moment, the motion sensor above the door blinked with a red light then vanished.

Upon coming back to work after the weekend, the first thing Sehun did was turn on his laptop. After that, he asked Secretary Tak for a cup of coffee. As he was pulling out files from his briefcase, he was met with a screen that was different from usual.

Sehun's office had a motion sensor over his door. If someone entered his room while he was away from his office, the camera would activate and start recording. Doguk was a place where any of the employees could enter his room at any time should they put their mind to it, so setting up cameras was the firm's solution to mitigate the risk of leaking sensitive information that the partners held.

Sehun wasn't so careless as to leave very important information in his office, but one in a million chances still existed. They still had to keep the office clean, and he couldn't control everyone, so he agreed to install the system as a formality in the unlikely case of an intruder. This was a fact that most people at the firm knew because the other partners also consented to installing this system.

‘Three in the morning?' There were two alarms on the bottom right corner of the screen. Normally, there was exactly one alarm around six a.m. when the custodians came to clean his room. But today was different. When his card key wasn't in the room, another person visited this office.

This was the first time after it happened once last year when a custodian came back to retrieve the cleaning materials that they accidentally left behind. He quickly accessed the security program and replayed the video from three in the morning.

He saw a fuzzy figure in the darkness.

It was Yoonshin.

Sehun scoffed in disbelief.

"Look at the gall of this bastard."

Resolutely, Yoonshin entered Sehun's office and turned on his flashlight. Then, he looked around the office here and there. It looked like he was looking for something. Sehun turned up the volume just in case, and then he could hear footsteps and Yoonshin talking out loud to himself.

"This place feels strangely lonely. Maybe the room takes after the owner."

Sehun frowned, at a loss for words. On his screen, Yoonshin held his flashlight to walk over to his desk, then flipped through his calendar. That wasn't all. He pointed his flashlight at his own room, then he extended his hand in the stream of light and had a fun time playing with shadow puppets.

"Does he think my office is a playground? I went too easy on him." He gritted his teeth, about to press the button on the intercom to summon Secretary Tak.

Yoonshin said in a troubled voice, making Sehun stop mid-movement, "I need to find some sort of weakness so I can beg him to please help me."

He continued to stare at the screen. He watched the uninvited intruder open a file on his desk, and in a matter of minutes, he set everything back in place and left the room. Furrowing his brow to form a deep crease, Sehun continued to glower at the short video recording that had already ended. A complex look flashed by his cold eyes.

Yoonshin wasn't an idiot; he should have known that there wasn't anything important enough to waltz in and steal. But the fact that he poked around meant that he had some reason to take a risk and dig around, or he used that as an excuse to grasp at straws.

‘Help him... with what?' Sehun tapped his desk at a steady rhythm. As he mulled over the audio that was recorded with the video, the event he witnessed a few days ago near their apartment replayed like a reel of film.

Sehun raised the blinds of the window facing the hallway. He could immediately see Yoonshin through his large window across the hall. He looked very busy—he had the receiver of his phone in one ear, his cellphone against the other ear, and was talking animatedly while moving his hands.

Shortly after, he put down the phone's receiver and continued to talk passionately into the cellphone. It didn't seem like the conversation went well. As he stood up while continuing his phone conversation, he spotted Sehun, who was staring at him from across the hall. Yoonshin silently greeted the older lawyer. Sehun didn't respond and continued to stare.

Yoonshin looked a bit taken aback and grinned awkwardly. He clearly felt guilty about something. It was an obvious reaction since Yoonshin probably didn't need to lie very much. Sehun knew that very well and continued to drill holes into the other with his eyes.

"Of course you'd feel guilty since you did something bad," Sehun's voice slipped out from between his lips, but it didn't reach Yoonshin.

Yoonshin mouthed, "What did you say?" and tilted his head, but Sehun simply shook his head in response. Yoonshin seemed conflicted on whether he should focus on Sehun or his call, so to tell Yoonshin to work, Sehun pulled down his blinds once again.

With his vision blocked from the outside, Sehun's eyes drifted down to the figurine of Dike, the goddess of justice, on his desk. "What shall I do?"

There were two things he could do immediately. "On the left, I could ignore it for now, and on the right, I can screw him over by exposing him to the world at large."

He gnawed on his lip as he touched the moveable scale hanging on one hand of the statue. Then, as if to leave the decision to the goddess, he slightly pushed the circular plate of the scale.

The scale wobbled and bounced from left to right while screeching like a top set to motion with a whip. It bobbed back and forth as if to determine which side was heavier. Despite only starting its work, it quickly lost its momentum and stopped after a few oscillations. And of all things, it tilted to the right. Sehun frowned slightly when he saw that.

"Screw him over." He made an ambiguous face and pushed the scales a bit harder to give it a second chance.

This time again, it creaked sharply as it moved before it slowly came to a stop. However, the scale leaned to the right yet again. Sehun made a complicated face as he stared down at the scale and flicked it again.

"It seems the gods aren't on your side, Yoonshin Do." Sehun knew intuitively that he shouldn't overlook the sides of Yoonshin that he wanted to hide. He felt that his own life would start twisting if he thoughtlessly interfered. It wasn't just a simple feeling but an objective judgment based on his sense of reality.

However, the problem wasn't Yoonshin—it was Sehun who held the power to choose in his hands. He could simply ignore the younger man, just as he ignored others so far, but for some reason, it wasn't easy.

Why did his eyes keep following Yoonshin?

What was so special about him?

While Sehun was furrowing his brows, there was a knock at his door. "It's open."

The door opened cautiously at his answer. Sehun didn't look at the door and continued, "Could you bring some pain meds from the infirmary? I keep having a pain in the neck these days."

"Do you have a headache?" the man at the door asked.

Sehun thought that the visitor must have been Secretary Tak, but it wasn't the case. Yoonshin, who had finished his call at some point, had the coffee that he asked from Secretary Tak in his hand. Sehun leaned back leisurely into his chair and stared silently at Yoonshin at the door. The younger man shrugged. "So, can I come in?"

"Since when did you come in with my permission?" Sehun made a pregnant remark, startling Yoonshin, cheeks turning pink. He seemed a bit ashamed on one hand, and he also looked a bit sorry.

Knowing the other's honest personality, Sehun had a feeling that Yoonshin wanted to apologize for coming into his room at three in the morning. But once Yoonshin was on the receiving end of Sehun's cold gaze, he seemed to be reluctant about bringing it up and squirmed. It was understandable; after all, coming into the room with no owner and spending a fair amount of time in it was quite rude. Plus, Sehun wasn't merciful.

Sehun's voice, as cold as ice, hammered at Yoonshin's eardrums. "Is this about work?"

"Oh, not really," Yoonshin said.

"Then leave that here and go."

Despite the command, Yoonshin didn't look like he was going to budge. Instead, he kept trailing off his sentences. "Well, Senior Attorney..."

Sehun cut him off, his voice cracking, "I said, leave the cup and go. I'm in no condition to listen to you. I'm tired, and I'm starting to get annoyed just looking at you."

Upon hearing that, the younger man's pallid expression slowly turned into concern. Yoonshin's worried gaze transferred into Sehun's sense of touch and tickled his skin.

`Those earnest eyes will one day come back as shackles on your ankles,' Sehun's instincts whispered urgently to him.

"Does your head hurt a lot? Should I go down to the infirmary to get some pain medication? It might be good to get an IV drip."

The cause of his headache was Yoonshin. However, there was no treatment for Sehun.

"Do you want me to repeat my words three times? Go about your way. Don't bother me." After Sehun's prickly reaction,

Yoonshin quickly approached the desk and placed the coffee down. He hurriedly and politely made his way out of the room. Before he closed the door completely, he looked back worriedly, but that was all he could do since Sehun was standing his ground.

The door closed with a click. Now alone, Sehun stared vacantly at the cup that Yoonshin left behind and became lost in thought. The stern and ever so slightly egotistic, dark eyes were directed on the lid. Sehun didn't look very good.

Sehun's life always had a logical structure. Nothing bypassed it. From a young age, he had nothing to his name, so he had to teach himself how to survive the jungle called society. Once he tasted proper victory for the first time, it was so thrilling that he studied all the ways to win and tenaciously climbed to his position now. Everything he did had a start, end, cause, and result.

But every time Yoonshin was involved, Sehun felt his logical structure blur.

It was like that since the beginning. Yoonshin bothered Sehun for no particular reason. As Sehun continued to get swept away, he did things that he never had done before. He carelessly accepted the other into his territory, and now he was giving attention to another person, something which he had never done before.

He gazed at the statue of the goddess and raised his index finger. He poked the scale.

Creak, creak.

The grating sound of metal repeated a few times. Finally, the scale ran out of energy and tilted slightly to the left. "Overlook it for now..."

Sehun tapped the sword that the goddess was carrying in her other hand. Finally satisfied, he opened his files.

Yoonshin was talking with a guest beyond the glass walls of Conference Room A. The other person looked like legal counsel from a certain company. The other lawyer kept turning red and blue; despite not being able to hear the conversation from the outside, the tension in the air was conveyed to the people outside.

Only the back of Yoonshin's head could be seen, but his attitude was opposite to that of his guest. He sat in a composed manner, pointed to several documents, and steadfastly tried to convince the other party.

Sitting at a table on the outside, Sehun meticulously watched every move.

Yoonshin always put his all into everything he did. He clearly had endurance, and based on his observations, he was quite smart. Sehun couldn't stand some aspects of Yoonshin, but that could be summed up as a difference in style. Since Yoonshin was good at understanding his situation, Sehun felt like he could train the younger lawyer to fix that.

‘Should I use him now?' He crossed his arms in deep deliberation as he continued to observe Yoonshin.

Sehun felt the presence of another person at his elbows. He glanced in that direction and saw Secretary Tak holding out a mug of hot tea. Sehun took the mug and savored the scent and flavor of the drink.

"I was wondering what you were watching after coming out of your office so abruptly. It was Attorney Do, huh?" Secretary Tak remarked.

"I'm not watching the Fourth-year but the negotiation by the Fourth-year," Sehun replied.

"How much is the information you gave Attorney Do worth?"

"You'll get hurt if you know."

"I see it's super expensive."

"Anyways, mind your own business. How much did that lawyer bring to the table?"

Secretary Tak seated himself beside Sehun and replied earnestly. "I don't know the details yet. But when I briefly went to bring them tea, it seemed to be in the ten thousands. Compensation for damages, living expenses for the past few months, the expenses for the next half year for the client's re-employment preparation, and a bit of money for non-disclosure. As a side, he demanded a public apology and withdrawal of the action against the client."

Sehun was sipping tea while listening, then narrowed his eyes which were still fixed on Yoonshin's Dale cheeks.

"In the ten thousands, you say... If he only brought that much to the table despite being prodded with some very strong documents here and there, the other lawyer severely underestimated the Fourth-year."

"The rumor that we recruited the in-law of Soohan Group spread across the practice. It seems like he thought that Attorney Do would be incompetent since he came in through nepotism."

The way the other man was treating Yoonshin could have hurt his pride, yet he continued to respond with composure. Amused, Sehun watched on like he was watching a very intense sports match.

"I wonder how much more he can grill the other guy?" Sehun remarked.

"What do you think, Senior Attorney?" Secretary Tak asked.

"I don't know. There's no limit to settlement, so it's up to how much the representative is willing to give. If Fourth-year decides to take a modest deal of ten thousand instead of turning the client's life on its head, then just send him to the litigation group without telling me. Oh, and label him a failure."

"Then, your bright-line test for passing?"

"Ten times."

Secretary Tak turned slightly toward Sehun and chuckled lightly. "This must have been your last test. If it were you, how much would you take?"

"I haven't calculated it before, so I don't know. But if I were in that room, I'd browbeat the other lawyer for a couple million."

Upon hearing that, the secretary flinched in surprise, which Sehun saw from the corner of his eyes.

"What's with that shallow reaction?"

"What in the world did you give him? The offer that the other party brought to the table is already several times more than the typical offer of the same crime."

Sehun shrugged instead of replying.

"Wow... I thought this was a simple pro bono, but it was much bigger than I thought. No wonder you randomly took a pro bono case. You had all this information beforehand, didn't you? The familiar-looking person was the assailant in that case, right?"

"I just happened to come across it when I was helping Senior Attorney Song with a trial a few years ago. Back then, I thought it was a card to throw away, but I never expected to use it like this. It's a bit late, but it seems like it'll be worth it?'

‘Of course,' Secretary Tak nodded as he thought. Then he suddenly asked, "But still, doesn't Attorney Do exceed your expectations?"

"I don't know what you're trying to get at. I don't remember meeting anyone who exceeded my expectations in my life."

"He's good at processing whatever you throw at him. To be honest, I initially thought he wouldn't be flexible, but he was, which surprised me. He used what you gave. The secretaries all were betting whether the rigid and stubborn human rights lawyer would be too prideful to use it."

"Did you win?"

"Seems like I'll get the whole pot."

After a glance at Secretary Tak, he affixed his eyes on Yoonshin in the conference room. Secretary Tak observed Sehun's attentive profile, then he turned to look at Yoonshin, curious to know just what Sehun saw in the younger lawyer.

"Do you trust him or not? Seeing that you gave him the info that you got from your private investigators, you do seem to trust him, but on the other hand, giving it to him to check if he takes the shortcut seems like the opposite is true."

"I don't trust or distrust him. I'm simply checking if the Fourth-year has brains, whether he has an average IQ or not."

"How harsh. He passed the second test easily. You should at least praise him." Most of what Secretary Tak said was correct. He made many excuses, but Sehun wanted to see whether Yoonshin would use the dangerous information from dubious sources. In his view, Yoonshin couldn't let go of his life before Doguk. Unlike other associates who did whatever it took to earn a money-making case, Yoonshin continued to be satisfied with pro bono work.

So Sehun wanted to see if Yoonshin was ready to stain his blank canvas with color, or if he was saying empty words. Besides, this test was rather soft and considerate of the other person's disposition and temperament for Sehun.

"I practically brought the spoon to his lips. He only needed to open his mouth. Do I need to praise him for eating the food that I spoon-fed him?"

"But it's Attorney Do of all people. He was brave enough to immerse himself with our firm. If you don't praise him at all, don't you think he'll be discouraged?"

"If you like raising children, you can take him, sir."

Secretary Tak smiled agreeably. Then, he glanced at the staff hovering behind them and lowered his voice. "I always wanted to ask this, but are you interested in Attorney Do or his sister?"

Sehun took a sip of his warm coffee and scoffed. "What bullshit are you saying? The former is a man, and the latter is a married woman."

"You know you're acting strange these days, right? You asked me to investigate something out of personal curiosity, and you took time out of your hectic workday to watch a lawyer several years your junior. I've never seen you be this curious about another person and caring for them. Really, why are you acting this way?"

Sehun was indeed acting weird. He usually worked every minute of the hour. Putting his work aside and sitting out here was ridiculous, even in Sehun's opinion. That was also probably why he kept feeling the gazes of the other employees glancing at him.

A few meters in front, Yoonshin was still in a heated discussion with the other party. The negotiation seemingly wasn't going so well as he turned his head to the side and sighed deeply.

However, the small show of dissatisfaction by Yoonshin, who was thus far respectful, seemed to push the wrong buttons of the other side. The middle-aged man suddenly started pointing at Yoonshin angrily and huffing.

Secretary Tak hurriedly whispered to Sehun. "Don't you think you should try to calm them down? Or should I go in?"

"Stay put. That's Yoonshin Do's stage." Sehun glared at the conference room as he calmly sipped his coffee. He was adamant that he wouldn't miss a second of what was going on in that room.

Secretary Tak quietly stared at the other man. He soon tilted his head when he realized that the smooth curves of the older man's profile gave off a different feeling than usual. "You reeeaaally care for him a lot."

"He's a pain in the neck whenever I see him." Sehun's slightly off-kilter answer seemed to throw off Secretary Tak.

But the secretary found his calm again and asked, "Why? Because he picked you of all people when he got hired through nepotism?"

"Rather than that, my attacks aren't effective against him. He's the first person like that, so I'm not used to it."

Secretary Tak didn't seem to fully comprehend that, so the silence dragged on. Sehun didn't bother to explain every little detail. He had never done so for anyone. Although, strangely, he ended up doing that frequently for Yoonshin, so he felt nonplussed about it.

Throughout his life, he had met hundreds, if not thousands, of different kinds of people. He could effortlessly see through people like Yoonshin.

But Yoonshin was truly weird. He was always genuine. Everything about him was real—the younger man felt disappointed in Sehun, relied on Sehun, worried for him, got bothered about him, was curious about Sehun, and felt uncomfortable around him. Yoonshin was always faithful to his emotions. He didn't flatter people for no reason, and he didn't bow down to others more than needed. He said everything he wanted, yet he kept the minimal level of respect.

Everything about Yoonshin was so transparent that Sehun's will to attack evaporated.

Most people who Sehun met either started a fight from their very first meeting or groveled and crawled to him—it was one or the other. However, Yoonshin was both yet neither. It was the first time Sehun met anyone who treated him as he was, so that perplexed him even more.

Sehun also fell silent, so Secretary Tak, who seemed to have thought of something, continued his questions. "Do you feel uncomfortable because he's someone you've never dealt with before?"

There was no better way to describe how Sehun was feeling right now. "I think so."

"Honestly speaking, your face right now is exactly that of a person uncomfortable about dirtying a pure person."

Sehun turned to look at Secretary Tak. Sehun, who had been replying languorously, glared irritably. "Everyone has an unclean side to them. What is he, a saint? Saint Do? Look, he's the same as everyone else."

"See?"

"What is it this time?"

"You act defensively whenever you talk about Attorney Do. So it wasn't the married sister but the guy. How should I take this? Well, I guess I'm rooting for you. It's not an easy path to walk."

"Are you writing a novel? What a joke..." Sehun retorted in annoyance. As he was about to go back to his office, just then, the lawyer in the conference room—who kept expressing his anger—bolted up. Yoonshin, who was conversing as composed as he could, stared up at him. He gestured to the other man's seat, politely asking him to take his seat again.

That was when it happened.

The middle-aged man's chunky hand reached for Yoonshin's neck. He was about to grab the younger lawyer by the collar, which the two men outside witnessed.

"Huh? Senior Attorney, don't we have to —" Before Secretary Tak could finish his sentence, Sehun slammed his mug down on the table and stood up, walking straight toward the conference room. He burst in without knocking and grabbed the wrist of the man who was shaking Yoonshin by his shirt collar.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Sir?"

"A-attorney Sehun Kang?"

Yoonshin and the other lawyer recognized Sehun at the same time. The middle-aged man flinched. As Sehun threw the other man's arm off forcefully, the man rubbed his sore wrist and seemed troubled as he tried to make an excuse. "See, this young fellow was being too cocky. He keeps grating at you while acting all polite. You know those unspoken rules in our industry, yet this junior keeps crossing the line—"

"So that's why you decided to act out of line? Yoonshin Do is my associate who I taught. If you think he's being so cocky that negotiation is impossible, you can talk to me, his senior. However, that means your client will lose everything. Yoonshin is at least considerate, but I don't have that."

"Well... Senior Attorney Kang. How about we calm down first?" The middle-aged man looked very troubled now that things started to go awry and glanced at

Yoonshin for help. Yoonshin, who was observing so far and reading the situation, slowly stood up. He stood between the two men and faced Sehun.

"Senior Attorney."

"Can't you see I'm in the middle of a discussion? Don't butt in. Move."

"I know, but... this is my case. Please let me handle this."

Sehun was hit with a realization and narrowed his eyes, then he glanced outside the room. Secretary Tak lifted Sehun's mug. The man outside said nothing, but he seemed to say, "You told me to stay put since this was Attorney Do's stage, no?"

Chapter 5

Realizing too late that he burst into the room without thinking after seeing Yoonshin being shaken by his collar, Sehun let out a hollow laugh. This had never happened in his entire life.

He retorted cynically at Yoonshin, who was waiting for his answer. "Even though you were getting beat up?"

"I didn't get hit yet. And now that you gave a warning, it's not going to happen either. This much help is enough. I can do it."

Sehun made an inexplicably ambiguous face and heavily patted Yoonshin's shoulder. He seemed to bring himself together through his rough contact. Then, he glared at the other lawyer, who was anxious and at a loss for what to do. He glowered long and hard before turning around. The middle-aged man respectfully bowed, and Sehun left the conference room without looking back.

Upon leaving the room, he stomped irritably to his own office. Secretary Tak wanted to follow him but stopped himself upon seeing that Sehun's face was different than usual. He could only look down at the mug left behind.

Yoonshin followed Sehun out of the room. To the slim back getting further, he shouted, "Thank you! I'll wrap things up well. Please take care of yourself as you work. Don't get sick ag—... Senior Attorney Kang!"

Despite being at a range where he could hear, Sehun didn't respond. He stomped away and disappeared into his room. Near the secretary office, Secretary Tak and Yoonshin exchanged looks. Secretary Tak said, "Did Attorney Kang say he felt sick?"

"It seemed like his condition wasn't good for a few days. He said his head hurt. I don't know if he took any pain medication."

"Did he happen to say he had a pain in the neck?"

"Yes, and he asked for medication. Since you didn't know, he must not have taken it. Maybe he's all right then."

The secretary's friendly and sincere eyes pierced through Yoonshin. Then, he smiled kindly and shook his head, indicating that there was no need to worry. Yoonshin felt a bit relieved and asked, "Well, that's that, but did he say anything about me? He seems to keep watching what I do."

"For starters, I think you met his standards. You can consider what just happened as an exception."

"Thank goodness. To be honest, that other lawyer was looking down on me because I didn't have that many years of experience, so the discussion was going nowhere. I started aggravating him slightly, and he came out like that. In any case, I think the rest will go smoothly since Senior Attorney Kang helped me. I'll try my best to the end."

"You've pulled a lot more out of Attorney Kang in a few months than what I've observed in years."

"What are you saying all of a sudden?"

"It's exactly as I said. You're one type of person that he's never experienced before, so he doesn't know how to handle you very well. Really, this is so fun. Please work at our firm for a long time, okay?"

Yoonshin met Secretary Tak's refreshed eyes before the secretary walked away without further explanation. Yoonshin tilted his head in confusion, attempting to decipher the meaning, but the secretary had already returned to his seat and resumed his work. Left standing alone in the hall, Yoonshin's eyes inevitably stopped at Sehun's office.

As he pursed his lips and recounted what Sehun had said back in the room, his cheeks stained pink and twitched.

'My associate... who I taught?' Then, his mood quickly deflated. ‘A type of person he's never seen before...'

Could it be a good thing that the two polar opposites had at least one commonality?

Yoonshin also felt that Sehun was novel. Even though his eyes always chased after the other man, Yoonshin had no idea how to deal with him. He also had no idea why his mind kept straying toward the other.

Maybe Sehun was the same.

For the last time, Yoonshin looked at Sehun's closed door and took a few deep breaths before returning to the conference room.

In a meeting room of the annex, Yoonshin skimmed through the documents relating to the day's free consultation clients and fell into thought.

The law regulated the baseline of ethics.

That was one of the important rules of civil law that Yoonshin learned. To say it a different way, the law didn't prescribe anything more than a modicum of ethics. At times, the world presented several unfair things to people, yet there was no way to help them through civil law. Each time that happened, Yoonshin felt bad about it. This situation reflected in his consultation documents was the same.

"This will probably have to go through litigation. I wonder what the family thinks about it." After he tapped at the paper with his pen, Yoonshin pressed the intercom, ending his deliberation. "Please let the next client in."

Not long after, there was a knock and the door opened. Yoonshin got up slightly and gestured to the other person to sit across from him. The client was a man around his late forties to early fifties. He looked like a nice person, but his face had traces of the many troubles he faced in his life.

"You came to talk about your inheritance, correct? I looked through your note. You took care of your aunt until she passed away."

"Yes, I did. Not her children—but me, her nephew. But she didn't leave a will in the end, so all her assets went to her children, who she was estranged from the very end. But I was the one who took care of her in her later years, for several years. I was wondering if I could ask for a monetary return for my contribution through a claim for a legal portion of an heir."

Where should Yoonshin start?

The man seemed to have picked up bits and pieces of information or found inaccurate information. Yoonshin carefully thought through his words and slowly started his explanation. "Hmm... Frankly speaking, contributions have nothing to do with legal portions as an heir. The 'legal portion' is a legislated share of the deceased's assets set aside for the heirs of an estate. This was made so that qualified heirs can get equal portions of inheritance."

The man snapped back immediately, "Are you saying I'm not qualified? I was the one who lived with my aunt, not her children. My cousins were all busy taking care of their own family and they visited once a year at best. Don't I have a better right to receive inheritance since I contributed to her care? She also told me before that she would give me all her possessions after she passed."

"Do you happen to have any evidence of that in her handwriting or in her voice?"

"How could I ask a sick person to do that? It was all oral..."

Yoonshin felt for the man and said, "Then the children are always first in line. Those are the laws of succession of this country."

"Then what should I do? I'm in a lot of debt for her hospital fees and I was going to repay them when I got my share of the inheritance."

"In these cases, you could negotiate with all the heirs and request payment for performance, or if that doesn't work, you will have to fight with your cousins in a family law court. Even if you litigated it at court and you win the costs for your contributions, this won't be deducted from the legal portion of the heirs. All the children will get a set share of the inheritance. But first, read this. I found a similar case to yours."

Yoonshin turned his screen to the man so he could read the precedent from the Supreme Court. Perhaps it was because Yoonshin summarized it in simple words, the man read it with intense concentration.

As he waited, Yoonshin checked the time on his phone and saw that there was a message from Secretary Tak. It said that the lawyer from the pro bono case was willing to settle for the amount Yoonshin called, along with issuing an apology within his company.

Here and there, the world was full of cases that the law couldn't solve.

Yoonshin swallowed back a bitter sigh.

Upon returning from the annex, Yoonshin went to the library on the second floor of the main building. Nobody had enough free time to waste by reading in this room. Thanks to that, Yoonshin was alone.

Originally, he had planned to snap a few pictures of the pages that he needed but found himself being pulled in a different direction. He leaned against the shelves and flipped through a book of divorce precedents—by the time he looked up, one hour had already passed.

‘Oh my God, look at the time.' Upon checking the time, Yoonshin hurriedly gathered his books and got up. Just then, he heard the door opening. He didn't know who it was, but he was planning on greeting them anyway and moved to the hallway. But the moment he saw the person who came in, he couldn't say anything.

It was Sehun in a clean suit.

Sehun also discovered Yoonshin as he stopped with two books in his hands.

"You look free."

Yoonshin was surprised at this coincidence, but he soon frowned. "You always greet me like that. Yes, I'm happy to see you too."

"As I thought, we should try to avoid each other as much as possible." Sehun moved, about to leave at any moment. Yoonshin quickly caught up to him and grabbed Sehun's shoulder. Yoonshin had stopped Sehun almost instinctively, but after remembering that Sehun told him not to touch him last time, he felt distressed.

Yoonshin swallowed nervously, took his hands off, and was about to apologize. In retaliation, Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's bony wrist and pushed the younger man's skinny frame against the bookshelf.

Yoonshin, with his back to a shelf, looked up quietly.

He considered pushing the other man away, but Sehun's grip was quite strong, and Yoonshin was still holding the divorce precedents in his other hand, so he couldn't move. Moreover, he was the one who made a mistake first, so it didn't feel right to react any more than necessary. "You seem to have a habit of pushing people to the wall. Do you do this to everyone? They'll misinterpret this."

"It's all right. I only do this to you."

"Then I'll misinterpret it. I'll get curious for no reason, and I'll keep thinking of you."

"For example, you'll think that I stare at you too intensely?"

"That was...!" A million replies popped up sporadically in his head, but he was reluctant to say it out loud. Yoonshin couldn't answer in the end and only gawked.

As the silence continued, Sehun maintained his grip and pushed his knees between the younger man's legs, restraining the other's movements completely. Their breaths were too close to each other. Yoonshin awkwardly averted his eyes and carefully changed the topic. "W-what brought you here? You usually ask the secretaries when you need something."

"Donating some books." Sehun waved the two books before Yoonshin's eyes and placed them on the trolley of the library. Yoonshin glanced at the cover and saw that it was Great Expectations. A flurry of emotions swirled in his head. Then, mustering up his courage, Yoonshin looked straight at the other man. As he had expected, Sehun had been gazing down at him all along.

Sehun's deep and subdued eyes scared Yoonshin for the first time. The younger man couldn't say anything and simply pursed his lips. Sehun brought up his now free hand. Then, he brushed Yoonshin's eyelids lightly with his fingertips.

"You look better, not swollen. You look less gloomy."

"Ngh..." Yoonshin flinched and let out a short grunt. Yoonshin had never imagined that his eyelids would be this sensitive, so when he let out that sound, he felt silly and distressed. He squeezed his humiliated eyes shut before he opened them again, only to be met with Sehun's words that threw him into turmoil.

"Why are you so shaken up? I'll be the one to misunderstand you."

"Why are you doing this to me? I just want to know why I'm suffering." Yoonshin questioned.

"Because I feel like it."

"Isn't there a better, more substantial reason...?" Yoonshin was cut off.

"I always end up touching you. I could just ignore you, but I can't when I see you. I really hate this inexplicable, uncomfortable feeling."

Causal links.

Sehun liked when a situation had definitive causes. It gave legal responsibility to the actor. But the things that continued to happen between the two of them did not seem to have clear causes, which made Sehun uneasy. Yoonshin's appearance created anomalies in Sehun's structured life.

"Well, I'm very sorry. But if you hate it that much, isn't it as simple as not touching?"

"If I could, I would have already done that." When Sehun said he couldn't help it, it wasn't a matter of simple physical contact, and Yoonshin could feel that. Sehun seemed to be expending a part of his emotions on Yoonshin. As they continued to bump into each other, Yoonshin felt like they were becoming entangled in each other's territories. Despite not sharing their innermost thoughts, they innately intruded on each other, and there was no way to get around it.

Sehun gazed intently at Yoonshin's fair face, then he rolled his eyes down smoothly like a droplet of water along the younger man's face. They fell upon the divorce precedents which Yoonshin's bony fingers were tightly clutching.

"Whatever—let's end that conversation here. Did you come here to borrow that?"

Feeling Sehun's gaze, Yoonshin glanced at the cover and nodded. "Oh, yes. I thought I would give it a read. Reading precedents helps when my mind feels cluttered."

"You're getting a divorce?"

"I've never been married. Are you that disinterested in me?"

"Even if I were interested in you, you think you can handle me? I'm very persistent. I'll scour through your entire life."

"I haven't received your attention before, so I don't know yet. But, uh... could you let go of me? It hurts," Yoonshin asked quite desperately, and only then, Sehun stared at the younger man's wrist as if he had only just noticed it. Sehun's thoughts were opaque to Yoonshin as he leaned in.

Maybe it was because their distance was too close, or maybe it was because a dizzying fragrance came from the other; Yoonshin felt his heart race faster than usual. His shoulders grew stiff. He was unfamiliar with such feelings—when Yoonshin tried to wriggle out, Sehun rather easily released his grip.

Yoonshin felt a bit defeated that he was freed so easily. He stared down at the red handprint on his wrist before he looked back up at Sehun. Before Yoonshin realized it, Sehun was already two steps back, leaning against the bookshelf across and facing Yoonshin. "How much was the settlement? Why didn't you report it to me?"

"I was going to once I had all the documents in order. It was 10 times the OP's offer. They also withdrew their claim. The case isn't completely over, but the biggest obstacle is out of the way. Thank you for your help. To be honest, my vision turned blank for a moment when that lawyer with so many more years of experience grabbed me by my collar."

More than anything else, if it weren't for Sehun, he would have been stuck with a lawsuit that would most likely end with probation. Yoonshin would have won in any event, but he would have ended up awkwardly comforting himself that he did his best despite not being able to compensate his client proportionately for her suffering.

Sehun taught him several things with only one command. Yoonshin was probably drunk on his own grand ideologies. The older man standing on the other side of the river saw Yoonshin through accurately. The law was excellent and grand, but the truth was not. At times, for reasons like having insufficient evidence, the law couldn't protect the victim for inadequate reasons, and it was a system full of flaws.

Yoonshin needed a different power to truly win. Sometimes, it was the power of authority, and other times it was information from dubious sources, like this case. There were probably many more solutions that existed which Yoonshin never experienced. Sometimes, there was nothing he could do with simply candor to his name.

Yoonshin held back a heavy sigh, and Sehun's bass voice cut through his useless thoughts. "Fourth-year."

"Yes, Senior Attorney?"

"Good job." Sehun's stoic voice was enough to astound Yoonshin. He didn't do anything amazing, but this simple phrase felt like a positive assessment for ignoring all his past precedents and only following this law firm's rules.

While he was fumbling about at the unexpected praise, Sehun cast a sharp glance at Yoonshin and left the younger man. Perhaps he was looking for a book because he walked over to the shelf with commercial law precedents. In Yoonshin's vision, he saw the older man's elegant gait, the slight fluttering of his necktie, and his handsome face earnestly selecting the right book, framed by the spaces between the bookcases.

For some reason, he felt an impulse to catch Sehun pound in his chest. Yet he couldn't bring himself to. With a couple of bookshelves between the two, he simply watched Sehun.

He didn't know how much time passed. Sehun found his book and was about to leave when Yoonshin called to him without thinking. "Senior Attorney Kang."

‘Please stay with me... like back then. No, stay longer than last time.'

Yoonshin hesitated—he couldn't bring himself to say the rest of his thoughts out loud. Sehun, who was about to leave completely, turned around. As if to connect the time that was dragging on, he said in his low but steady voice. "Are you practicing your right to silence? Just say whatever you want to say."

"Well..."

"What?"

"It's nothing. Please go ahead."

Sehun frowned in irritation at the lackluster answer. Yoonshin felt like he could hear the other's retort despite not leaving his mouth. He protested anyways, "Is using a few seconds on me that much of a waste to you?"

"Yeah, it is. It's more of a waste on you than anything else."

"Oh, of course, I'm so very sorry."

"Let's see how much longer you can be that cocky." As Sehun shook his head, he turned to leave but then stopped without being called this time. He looked like he was analyzing something in his head briefly, then he gave Yoonshin quite the shocking offer. "From now on, you'll be working on all my cases with me. Get briefed on all my files from Secretary Tak, and going forward, go to the meetings for the cases I assign to you. Before that, I'm in charge of a trial for a case, so sit in on that first. Of course, that's if you're willing."

Yoonshin brightened up, hugged his book tightly, and nodded enthusiastically. Then, he suddenly recalled what Mihee told him and asked, "Is it an appeal case? I heard you like those."

Sehun frowned, questioning what Yoonshin meant. "No, it's the first trial."

"How many cases do you take on at once? Your body won't last."

"I take enough to last. It's a simple corporate trial that I took as a bit of a service to an old client."

"Simple or not, I'll go even if there's a natural disaster."

"How resolute. If there's a natural disaster, the judge can't come, so just stay put in your house." Sehun clicked his tongue and completely turned around. The doors opened and closed, and Sehun, who exuded the heavy atmosphere of a conqueror, vanished like seafoam. Now left alone, Yoonshin staggered and flumped down wherever he could sit.

Sehun was cold-hearted yet kind.

Yoonshin felt like this antipodal description was difficult for others to understand, but it was true. As Yoonshin thought about what Sehun said, he slowly raised his left hand. He touched his eyelids. He imagined it was the other's soft touch and unconsciously brought his fingertips down and rubbed his lips.

His fingers met his lips like a kiss. Yoonshin's heart leaped, and he felt himself coming back to his senses.

He coughed, choking on air. His entire face grew as red as a tomato. To further confirm that, his entire face felt extremely hot.

`Why did I do that?' He wanted to deny what had happened, but he had to admit that he was feeling sexual attraction. There was no other explanation. If Sehun ever found out, Yoonshin felt like he wouldn't be able to leave in one piece. After all, Sehun was someone who was okay if he did something, but he was intolerant when others did the same thing.

Like a retreating soldier, Yoonshin jumped up and ran out of the room, unable to collect the mess that he was.

The door slammed loudly, closing firmly.

Sehun's case was a corporate lawsuit. It was a claim against an officer of the company for the compensation of damages. Sehun represented the plaintiff corporation which took action against one of its officers who went against the articles of incorporation. Next to Sehun was the managing director, who was elected as the representative by the general meeting of employees, per the Commercial Act.

In the center of the court, the chief justice gestured at the bailiff. The bailiff called the witness a few times, and a man took the witness stand. While that happened, the defendant's lawyer glanced at Sehun, who was preparing his documents, before averting his gaze when their eyes met.

Yoonshin and Secretary Tak were observing from the gallery.

When they first met, it was the opposite—now, Yoonshin had Sehun's permission to watch his trial. He was amazed at how much things had changed.

The first trial of Sehun that Yoonshin watched was like treading on thin ice. It was slippery, and the air was frigid. It felt like the lawyers were duking it out in the middle of a blizzard with little visibility. Sehun dealt the first blow.

"Plaintiff's counsel, proceed with your examination." As soon as the judge permitted, Sehun stood before the witness, wearing his three-piece suit. His eyes were so cold that they looked oppressive as he stared directly at the man on the witness stand.

When the tall man with a sharp expression stood in the center of the court, the eyes and attention of the entire room naturally focused on Sehun. His well-formed lips parted and all the people in the court watched him. "Have you heard about the Commercial Act, Article 399, paragraph 1?"

The man, who was watching Sehun cautiously, nodded. "Yes."

"If a corporation's directors violate the act or go against their articles of incorporation when they neglect to perform their duties, they are jointly and severally liable for damages to the company. Do you recognize this paragraph?"

"Yes."

"Where did you hear of Article 399 of the Commercial Act most recently?"

"See, I already knew about this legislation since it's common knowledge among executive officers of any company."

"I asked where you most recently heard this being said."

Sehun repeated his question, pointing out the witness's mistake. His voice was low but gentle. The witness glanced at the defense attorney and hesitated before finally saying, "Director Jeong said there was such an article, and I heard it when we were both smoking in the conference room together. The director said that if you violate it, the director and auditor are responsible for damages."

"By Director Jeong, are you referring to the defendant?"

"Yes."

"When did you have this conversation with him?"

"It was around early this year... not long after the new year."

"It was around the same time that the defendant incurred the huge damages on the corporation. Even if they are an officer, it's uncommon to rant and talk about the articles and paragraphs of the Commercial Act unless in specific circumstances. Maybe they would but in a summarized fashion. Normally, corporate counsel or people involved in litigation talk about it. Do you think that the defendant had something that pricked his conscience?" As soon as Sehun finished his spiel, the defense lawyer stood up.

"I have an objection. My friend is asking the witness to speculate."

The judge gave Sehun a stern look. "Objection accepted. Counsel, please only examine the witness on facts."

Sehun nodded and continued his cross-examination. "All right, please look here. This recording will prove that this is a fact."

A senior lawyer who worked under Sehun opened a screen. It was surveillance footage of the conference room of the company. The footage was recorded with the consent of all the officers who attended that meeting, but it seemed that an employee accidentally recorded their break as well.

After clearly showing that the defendant was visibly anxious while talking about the Commercial Act, Sehun returned to the witness stand. "You entered the company at the same time as the defendant. It was just the two of you. At the time, the country encountered a foreign exchange crisis, so it was a difficult time for everyone. After preparing furiously during this difficult time, you probably put in your blood, sweat, and tears into your work for the sake of your company. That is how you could sit in your position today."

"You're correct."

"However, you and the defendant have the same position, yet your salaries are different. You have twice the salary, correct?"

"Yes, as far as I know."

"After working so hard, only his colleague got a pay raise while his pay was frozen. What if this was all due to academic background instead of work performance? Naturally, the human psyche would lead to intentionally neglecting..."

"I have an objection!" Before Sehun finished, the defense attorney objected.

Sehun narrowed his eyes and stared at the other party. "I haven't finished yet."

"Cross-examine with closed questions! The court isn't where you speculate."

"I was examining based on material facts. It's a fact that the two officer's salaries are different, and that the defendant neglected their duties, leading to millions of dollars in damages to the corporation which resulted in this lawsuit! What am I speculating? I'm curious to know."

The two lawyers seemed to start a dispute, so the judge stopped them immediately. An indescribably uncomfortable ambiance hung in the air.

Yoonshin watched every moment of the trial unfold and slowly started to realize that the frigid atmosphere that Sehun created was so he could push an emotional narrative.

This case was simply a matter between two parties of unequal power balance, so Sehun didn't need to shake the weakness of the defendant in their face. That was probably why he called it a simple hearing. However, the narrative was that the defendant was angered, so they intentionally caused harm to the company for their differential treatment; Sehun was trying to emotionally stimulate the judiciary and the audience and make them come to one conclusion.

It initially seemed like the defendant was pitiful in getting differential treatment. However, after starting this career, Yoonshin learned that the world didn't run that way.

Surprisingly, as time went by, people tended to favor the stronger side. They neither pitied the weak nor fought for them. Sehun would probably continue to take advantage of this proclivity throughout the hearing.

`That officer probably worked hard their entire life, but they made one mistake... It doesn't feel that great,' Yoonshin thought. Sehun, looking perfect, returned to the center and glanced around the gallery. His eyes met briefly with Yoonshin, who was sitting in the corner. When Yoonshin acknowledged his look, Sehun turned around as if he had never gazed Yoonshin's way in the first place and continued to skillfully cross-examine the witness.

Yoonshin felt wronged for no reason. He bit his lower lip. Just then, he got a call.

When he checked the caller on the screen, he made a complicated face. With a glance, he told Secretary Tak that he would be back soon, then he quietly slipped out of the courtroom.

When he reached an empty hallway, he accepted the call. "This is Yoonshin Do of Doguk speaking."

After listening quietly to the other person on the line, he frowned, looking troubled. However, he sounded as respectful as possible and replied, "Of course. I heard from my sister the other day. Unfortunately, my schedule is full this weekend, so that'll be hard for me. Maybe next week or the week after... Yes, that's fine with me. Yes. Yes, sure. Taesan Hotel? The first Sunday of next month at 6:00 p.m. I'll write the date down."

Yoonshin felt weak and leaned against the wall, pressing a hand on his forehead. He wasn't feeling feverish, but strangely enough, it felt hot where his skin met. He couldn't let the other party on the line notice, so he feigned brightness, "No, probably not. I don't think my sister can attend. I'll go alone. It's not a formal meeting between the families and we're meeting for the first time. I've seen her picture, so I can recognize her. Okay, then I'll see you then."

After the short phone call, Yoonshin let out a deep sigh.

Yoonshin didn't have any fantasies about marriage. He didn't even have any expectations. It wasn't that he was wary of it or avoided it—he just wasn't sure what to think.

He had vague impressions that he would meet the right person when the time came, and he would end up marrying that person. Maybe he would suddenly meet someone one day like his sister did and feel a spark leading to passionate love. He was fine with anything. He was open to anything. Whether his feelings were hot or tepid, his share of destiny would let him meet someone, someday, somehow or another. However, this was not the way he wanted.

Yoonshin was fine with blind dates. If it was truly meant to be, he thought he didn't need to discriminate on the method. However, this relationship was one that his brother-in-law wanted, so his stomach felt like it was in a knot. Despite being in divorce talks, his sister personally delivered the photos, which meant that his brother-in-law was genuinely investing a lot of effort into this matter.

‘I have to meet her at least.'

But whether he felt good about the meeting or not, both cases worried him. If it were the former and his marriage proceeded smoothly, his situation might turn for the worst when his sister split with her husband later. If it were the latter and he just didn't develop any feelings at all, then it would be horrible of him to force himself to maintain the relationship with his blind date.

He felt like a child, unable to do anything. The adults kept their secrets under wraps and proceeded to do what they needed to do while Yoonshin was in the middle, being swept away with nothing to hold onto.

He wanted someone to anchor him so that he didn't fall over.

As he thought that, a certain person's handsome face came to mind.

"What's wrong with me these days? Do I have nobody to rely on? Of all people..." Yoonshin's face turned red in embarrassment as he looked around his surroundings. It was then that Secretary Tak appeared from around the corner. Yoonshin's heart raced like he was caught red-handed while doing something bad. He cooled his rosy cheeks with the back of his hands and walked toward the secretary.

"Oh, Secretary Tak, why are you out here?" Yoonshin asked.

"Why do you have nobody to rely on? What's the matter?"

"No, it's nothing. I was talking to myself."

"Let it be me."

"I'm grateful for your words." Yoonshin managed to smile, genuinely appreciative, and Secretary Tak smiled back.

Then, Secretary Tak said, "Based on how things are moving, it seems like it'll soon be over. The other side just can't compete."

"It seemed like that was the case."

"Oh, right. Senior Attorney Song asked if we wanted to have dinner with her since we're already out. I already asked Senior Attorney Kang, but I forgot to ask you. Will you be free? If you are, I can make the reservation."

"I wouldn't be intruding on the three of you, right?"

"Nah. Me aside, Attorney Kang doesn't have feelings of attachments like that. Besides, if you're going to talk about intruding on people, I would be the intruder. Three lawyers and I'm the only secretary. Is there anything you want to eat?"

"I'm fine with anything."

"That's the hardest answer to cater to." Perhaps Secretary Tak wasn't satisfied with that answer because he wrinkled his brows. Then, nodding in understanding, he turned around. Yoonshin returned to the courtroom, leaving behind Secretary Tak, who was on the phone. Upon returning to his seat, he watched Sehun talking to his client at the plaintiff's table.

Perhaps Sehun felt the dogged stare because he glanced back at Yoonshin while the other lawyer was examining their witness. But seeing Yoonshin sitting limply with only his eyes gleaming at him, Sehun furrowed his brows.

His face was usually as rational as a mathematical equation, but it now mixed with emotions like an impurity. His face was written with 'What's your problem?'

Yoonshin couldn't bring himself to answer his silent question and averted his eyes first.

The dinner that Yoonshin expected to end at the first restaurant continued at a second location. Thanks to Attorney Song calling over a couple of other lawyers who were still at the firm, the party grew in size. The private room of the extravagant bar was lively and bustling.

This was Yoonshin's first time attending something reminiscent of a firm dinner and was taken aback by it. Before Yoonshin's eyes, the people—who always carried themselves rigidly in their suits and were buried in work—were having a good time. Regardless of age and position, they were all engrossed in enjoying the drinking party.

Throughout all of this, Sehun tolerated his conversation with Mihee in a slightly quieter atmosphere, but he seemed a bit too tired to bear the rest. He slipped out to the terrace smoking area in the middle with a cigarette between his lips. He was patting his jacket pockets when Yoonshin, who followed him out, quickly pulled out a disposable lighter. "Here, a light."

Sehun looked down at Yoonshin for a moment, who glided out next to him before he leaned down to let Yoonshin light his cigarette. His red lips barely clamped onto the filter.

"If you have something to say, just say it." "Do you usually stick around at dinners like this? I thought you'd leave soon, but I didn't expect you to stay."

"If you're asking me why I'm not dicking out like usual..."

"I didn't ask in such a vulgar way. What do you see me as?"

Perhaps Sehun was a bit tipsy because he grinned and readily replied, "It's in the appendix of my contract."

"Wow, that must be the work of Attorney Song. I don't know if I should say she had the foresight or simply knew you well."

Sehun didn't reply, but Yoonshin felt that the older man silently agreed to both cases. As they momentarily enjoyed the fresh air in silence, a cold breeze surrounded the two men. Sehun leaned back against the rails with his elbows supporting him. With every breath, a puff of smoke appeared then dissipated. Yoonshin chased after it in futility with his narrowed eyes.

Every moment he was together with Sehun felt like a scene from a novel.

They were engrossed in tranquility when Sehun suddenly pulled himself out of the moment. "Why did you follow me out again? You were with me all day. Let's get a divorce. I'm sick of this."

"You're always fresh to me. I've never met anyone like you before." Yoonshin ended up telling what he had heard from Secretary Tak back to the person in question. Sehun scoffed at Yoonshin's ridiculous reply. Then, with his free hand, he jabbed a finger at Yoonshin's chest. His long finger pushed into Yoonshin's shirt like an arrow, then it slowly lifted itself.

Yoonshin thought that was the end of the physical contact, but Sehun touched Yoonshin's chest again. This time, he didn't take his finger off and slowly dragged it upward, teasing his Adam's apple. That wasn't the end. Going back the way it came from, Sehun drew his finger down at a slow pace. The unhurried trail downward past his solar plexus and gradually toward his buckle felt unbearably erotic.

It was the first time Yoonshin had ever felt so endangered by the same sex. Sehun presented this feeling each time they met.

Yoonshin swallowed nervously. As the older man's hand touched his abdomen, Yoonshin grabbed it.

Despite their skin touching, Sehun didn't get angry. He looked amused as he clamped down on his cigarette. He grabbed the back of Yoonshin's neck, yanking him closer.

"Senior Attorney." Astonished, Yoonshin tried to call the older lawyer, but it was all for naught. Sehun pulled the younger man's skinny frame until he was even closer; then, when they got close enough, he snuffed out his cigarette and blew smoke into the younger man's face. Yoonshin coughed and squinted, his vision filled with Sehun.

"Are you planning on killing me through second-hand smoking?"

"That takes too long. It's also too risky. I wouldn't use that method."

"Are you drunk by any chance? You did seem to drink endlessly."

"I did drink a bit more than usual today."

"Why? Your arguments were good..."

Sehun interrupted Yoonshin mid-sentence. "My head hurts because of you."

"I don't get what you mean all of a sudden. Did I do something wrong?"

"You keep pissing me off."

"..."

"My headaches and insomnia are pretty bad these days. It's all your fault."

Yoonshin didn't recall making the older man irritated at work or in private. To say it another way, Sehun was picking on him for no reason.

Yet strangely, Yoonshin didn't feel upset by it. The pre-existing emotions that the usually seasoned and professional older man kept hidden probably morphed to a different form. Yoonshin didn't know exactly what those feelings were, but he could feel their existence.

The palm that wrapped itself around Yoonshin's neck moved. Sehun rolled his hand over the soft skin of the other, massaging it. Where their skin touched, heat naturally arose. Yoonshin's whole body seemed to heat up along with it.

They were so close to each other that Yoonshin could smell the alcohol mixed with the spicy scent of nicotine in the other's breath. The cologne that the older man frequently wore floated on the top notes.

Yoonshin felt his vision spin, and he pushed Sehun's hand away. Following that, he outstretched his arms, locking Sehun between them. He detained Sehun with his body in all directions. Sehun, who was resting his arms on the rails behind him, stared down at Yoonshin with frosty eyes. "Are you revolting against me? I'm sure I told you not to touch me."

"I did it because you groped me enough to make me feel threatened. I'm not going against you; it's my way of self-defense." Yoonshin couldn't understand the older man. Sehun would approach him, ready to bargain while playing hard to get, but when Yoonshin questioned him, he would back out and feign ignorance. When Yoonshin felt enough was enough and he decided to forget about his misunderstandings, Sehun would approach him again like before and poke around.

Of all people, Sehun Kang didn't need to try to maintain good relations with just another associate lawyer like Yoonshin. Therefore, the accumulation of misunderstandings was Sehun's negligence and liability without fault.

Was Sehun truly not interested in Yoonshin? Sehun denied it, but the harder Yoonshin thought about it, the more convinced he was of his assumptions.

Yoonshin hesitated briefly then borrowed some of his liquid courage. "Andre Gide once said that man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore."

Sehun unexpectedly received the comment well. "What new ocean do you want to discover, Fourth-year?"

"An ocean to save me from my perils."

Hearing that, Sehun must have gotten a hunch of what Yoonshin wanted from him, so he asked in a more relaxed tone, "What dangers are you exposed to?"

"I want you to be clear first. Are you harboring any indecent feelings for me? I'm asking you very sincerely and not because I'm tipsy."

Surprisingly, Sehun didn't jeer at him. He met Yoonshin's eyes very patiently. So despite his growing embarrassment, Yoonshin urged on, filling the air with his voice, "Do you?"

Sehun leered down doggedly like he was stripping the younger man naked, then he retorted, emphasizing each syllable.

His voice was deep and subdued. “And if I do?"

Sehun's deep, monotonous voice lingered in Yoonshin's ears.

Yoonshin winced that instant and swallowed nervously.

Sehun's reply was terse, but those words bounced around until they completely filled Yoonshin's brain. Sehun's calm voice made Yoonshin's bony body tenser than if the older man had yelled at him. He asked after throwing all caution to the wind, but he had never imagined this answer coming from the lips of the cold and self-justified Sehun.

"If you do..." Yoonshin echoed, his face growing warm. Unlike usual, it was difficult to look directly at the other's handsome face.

Yoonshin's mouth felt parched, and his heart pounded in his chest.

"If you do, then... Instead of keeping it to yourself, couldn't you just give it to me? I'm in an urgent situation."

Sehun, who was thus far listening attentively, asked, Are you gay?"

"I never really thought about it. I just assumed that I was straight."

"You're not gay, and you're not interested in, attracted to, or curious about me in that way. Yet you're telling me I can have ulterior motives and that you're hard-pressed for time. This is fun."

Yoonshin felt his cheeks burning and bit his lower lip. All the while, he felt conscious of Sehun's gaze. There was no way Sehun, with his beast-like intuition and judgment, couldn't catch every minute change in Yoonshin's face.

Yoonshin tried to gather himself by taking a few deep breaths to himself. He replied a beat later, "I have respect for you in a professional sense, at least. I sometimes wonder how you could be so self-centered and ultimately win all the time. I wish I could learn that from you, and sometimes I envy you."

‘Sometimes you look a bit lonely, you have good sides that other people don't realize you have, and sometimes you make my heart pound,' Yoonshin thought, but he kept those thoughts to himself for now.

Yoonshin felt ambivalent about Sehun. Sehun was worthy of respect, yet also it wasn't strange for him to receive the arrows of disdain. Yoonshin thought Sehun was a bad person, yet he wanted to get closer. Above all, Yoonshin needed Sehun.

It was fine if Sehun couldn't help him and his sister substantially. He just wanted someone to lean on when he was feeling weary. People said that love didn't feed you. Yoonshin knew that. Money and substantial power brought food to the table. The heart—whether in the form of love, friendship, or something else—was powerless. Even so, there were times when he needed psychological comfort and support.

Now was one of those times.

For the first time in years, Yoonshin felt this impulse, this desire toward Sehun. However, the other man kept sending him mixed signals, making Yoonshin unsure he could cross the first boundary.

"There should be some reason for pushing me into the wall and groping me. Have you still not found the answer? Ridiculous. You probably already know, but you don't want to admit it."

Sehun, who was silent all along, refuted nonchalantly, "Who groped you? I probably just brushed past you."

After coming so far yet still closing his eyes to it, Yoonshin finally snapped, "Who "brushes past" someone while rubbing their chest and neck?"

"Do you have proof?"

Obviously, Yoonshin didn't. Even if there was surveillance footage, Sehun could say that he simply brushed off some dust from Yoonshin's clothes, and people would believe him. But just as Sehun said before, the victim could perceive the strange mood when they were touched one-sidedly. Yoonshin always felt a peculiar sensation whenever the other man acted this way.

"Fine. Let's say that you haven't. Then why do you keep trying me?"

"Since you're too toxic to swallow up right away."

"Is that why you're stewing me up? Are you sure I'm fully cooked?"

"Don't be so curious. The answer won't turn up if I also start to wonder. Covering it up and walking away is best for you."

Upon hearing that, Yoonshin felt the vague pieces in his head coming together to form a clear image. Sehun must have forgotten about it, but he had said that Yoonshin was a so-so, decent lawyer. Since this was about him, Yoonshin couldn't be objective—but he was skilled enough in observation and judgment to understand the situation.

"Are you afraid that you'll come to like me?" Yoonshin asked.

He wasn't sure if it was because he hit the mark or if it was absurd. Unlike his former leisurely attitude, Sehun's face suddenly stiffened, and he pursed his lips. Yoonshin's hands trembled as he felt his insides simmer. Sehun didn't miss the moment Yoonshin was thrown off and flipped him around, making the skinny frame turn against the balcony rails.

Yoonshin's back slammed against the hard structure and was made to stand where Sehun once stood. He looked up at Sehun with some resentment in his eyes. "Urgh! That hurt. Even if I'm a guy, I feel pain, you know."

"Why did you cry back then?" Sehun asked.

It was a topic that Yoonshin never dreamed Sehun would bring, so he stuttered.

"Cr—Wh-who, who cried?"

"Should I start by reciting your date of birth?" Sehun asked sarcastically.

"Just what did you see?"

"I don't know—my associate, crouching in the corner of the street at night eating ramen?"

"How did you...?" Yoonshin attempted to retort without thinking but stopped himself.

Sehun must have seen through his shabby lie in the first place. Inputting the fact that Sehun saw him crying into the equation, what happened the following day made sense. Sehun returned to the parking garage because he was concerned about Yoonshin, who had cried.

Yoonshin assumed that Sehun might suspect that something upset him and that he cried based on his swollen eyelids and bloodshot eyes, but knowing the truth felt different. He wondered if Sehun Kang was truly capable of being thoughtful of others.

"You were bawling your eyes out, crumpled in a corner just like when your father passed away. Do you know how annoyed I was that day because of you? I was sleepless all night." What came out of those red lips was not about the present but the past. Yoonshin, who was confused as to what Sehun was talking about, widened his eyes upon realization.

Not only was it so long ago, but it was such a short moment that he wasn't sure if the older man remembered. "You remembered that?"

"You keep catching my eyes. No, I keep glancing at you secretly because I'm bothered if you'd hole yourself up somewhere and cry."

“…”

"The thought that something other than work is in my head bothers me greatly. It's driving me crazy."

Yoonshin could finally fit the last few pieces of the puzzle together. Sehun also remembered everything, so when he came to watch his trial with Mihee, they kept meeting eyes. Sehun had recognized Yoonshin.

The two men exchanged looks fiercely with each other. Sehun stared at the other's pale face for a while, then unable to bear it any longer, he bit his lip and messed up the knot of his necktie. His breathing was a bit rougher and his face a bit rosier. He grabbed the end of his tie made of soft material and held it out to Yoonshin.

"Kiss this."

Yoonshin's eyes grew round. Redness spread on his face like ink in water. "Whwhat now, all of a sudden?"

"Kiss the tie."

"Why in the world on your tie... and not even on lips? Isn't that a bit cowardly?"

"Shut up and do it. It's an order."

Yoonshin felt irked for some reason, but that was all. Sehun said he didn't want to, so Yoonshin couldn't keep asking why Sehun wasn't expressing his emotions clearly. Moreover, Yoonshin didn't know how he felt about the older man, although he was sure it was more unclear and indefinite than Sehun's feelings for Yoonshin—he had no right to press on.

After some hesitation, Yoonshin made up his mind and exhaled deeply. His reddened cheeks twitched because of the older man's persistent gaze that lingered on his lips. Then, Yoonshin grabbed the end of the tie and rubbed his lips like he was wiping his mouth.

Sehun watched from start to finish, then once Yoonshin lifted his lips off, Sehun rubbed his red lips over the fabric. As if that wasn't enough, he stuck out his tongue and traced over the fabric. Held captive, Yoonshin watched helplessly, unable to resist or react.

Sehun had tilted his head slightly as he kissed his tie. He looked back up at Yoonshin. The moment their eyes met, Yoonshin felt dizzy, and his chin quivered.

Their sensitive skin didn't even touch, yet both sighed at the same time.

Yoonshin had never felt this embarrassed in his life. He couldn't come up with anything to say. While Yoonshin was collecting his breath, Sehun said in his deep voice, "Yoonshin Do."

Sehun called Yoonshin by his full name for the first time.

Yoonshin didn't know why. He heard and saw his name every day, but for the sole reason that Sehun said it, he felt a strong, strange jolt. It sent chills up his spine. He couldn't pinpoint the reason exactly, so he could only gape, dumbfounded.

While he was in disbelief, Sehun leaned in, turning his head slightly. Yoonshin was conflicted on whether he should close his eyes or push him away, but before he could register, his eyelids slowly closed.

Then, Sehun's moist tongue briefly touched Yoonshin's lips.

It was just then.

Someone appeared from the back.

"Attorney Kang! How about we let the young ones enjoy themselves and us partners lea—Oh my, did I disturb you?"

Mihee who burst out onto the terrace saw the two almost embracing each other and stopped in her tracks. After looking back to check, Sehun finally let go of Yoonshin, who had been imprisoned in the older man's arms. They naturally stepped apart. Yoonshin rubbed at his bright red face.

Mihee must have felt that the mood in the terrace was suggestive as she was reluctant to come closer. Then, Sehun said frankly, "Don't misinterpret things. Nothing happened."

"I didn't say anything. It's just that this was quite a new sight for me. I never thought I'd see you with someone in your arms. Attorney Do, if you were uncomfortable, report him to the police. I'll be your witness."

Yoonshin glanced between the two then waved his hands in decline. "No, I liked it."

Then, the two older lawyers gave him strange looks. Sehun frowned, asking him what in the world he was going on about, and Mihee looked amused. He had chosen his words in consideration of the older man, but on second thought, it could sound different only a bit too late depending on the perspective and added, "I meant that I wasn't uncomfortable. I'm used to it because he does it every now and then."

"My word, Sehun does that every now and then? I'm just surprised all over again."

"Fourth year. You could stay silent if you think you'll say bullshit." Sehun, unable to bear him any longer, grabbed Yoonshin by the shoulders and pushed him away, then he faced Mihee. Sehun had just called Yoonshin by his name, but they were back to square one. Yoonshin stared at the back of the older man's head and chewed on his lips. He felt the urge to mess up the well-groomed hair and clenched his fist.

Ignorant to Yoonshin's thoughts, Sehun pretended like there was nobody behind him and walked toward Mihee. "Let's go. And the car?"

"Secretary Tak called a chauffeur. We can take your car. Listen, I think I came at the wrong time given the mood... Is it all right to leave him like that? I'm starting to feel sorry."

"I said you're misunderstanding the situation."

"Still. Leaving like this is rude to Attorney Do. Wrap up the situation, and I'll just go on ahead. Have a restful weekend, and I'll see you Monday, soldiers."

She smiled awkwardly, looking truly apologetic, and waved before running off. Sehun watched for a moment then shook his head, making his way out. Yoonshin felt a bit upset now that he wouldn't even turn back once after pushing him against a hard place.

Just before Sehun disappeared into the corner, Yoonshin snapped back to his senses and hurriedly chased after him. Then, he caught Sehun's wrist as the other was walking toward the parking lot, out of the exit. Normally, Yoonshin would have let go immediately in surprise the moment they touched, but he didn't this time. He grabbed Sehun intentionally. "Wait a moment, Senior Attorney. I have something to tell you."

Sehun glanced down at his caught wrist and frowned. Are you making light of your superior's words?"

"Did our lips touch?" Yoonshin asked anyway.

Sehun retorted, "They didn't."

"But I'm sure your tongue..."

"They did not."

"Are you trying to fool me because my eyes were closed? No way. That's inhumane of you."

"I'm inhumane. Is that what you need to tell me?"

"See? They did touch," Yoonshin burst, then realized that this wasn't the most urgent thing to address. He tried to look composed and continued, "This is just... I'm telling you this, just in case. If you think this has nothing to do with you, you can just forget it. Well, I guess this probably wouldn't impact your life in any case."

"I'll be the one to judge that."

"I'm going on a blind date next Sunday."

That moment, Sehun's brow twitched, unable to hide how perturbed he was.

They were looking at each other, so Yoonshin could see that change. However, Sehun didn't confirm or deny how shaken up he was and simply let the silence trickle like a quiet stream of water. Getting a bit anxious, Yoonshin attempted to maintain his composure and kept going, "Things will probably progress without a blip, and if she's not a bad person, I'll probably go with the flow and get engaged, then I'll get married. My sister said her husband wants to be connected to that family, suggested them to her, and said that it's much needed for everyone. Plus, I listen to my sister very well. To say it another way, I don't have a lot of time."

Yoonshin was cautious, trying to gauge Sehun's feelings. So far, Yoonshin had never considered the possibility of being sexually attracted to the same sex. He mustered up all his courage for this one possibility that the relationship could develop. He was often conscious of Sehun, while Sehun sometimes felt conflicted because of him. For that reason alone, he thought this was the tree to bark up.

Inside, he wanted Sehun to stop him, but there was nothing between the two, so he couldn't bring himself to ask directly. However, if Sehun had any mind to hold onto Yoonshin, even if nothing formed from these feelings immediately, it had to be now. Yoonshin was running out of time. He was sure there was willpower to make this progress, but if they kept measuring each other and missed this moment, there might not be another opportunity. He tried to convey all of this through his eyes.

Sehun quietly gazed down at Yoonshin. However, he replied quite unhurriedly, "Why're you telling me that you have no time?"

Yoonshin's shoulders that were tense instantly relaxed and turned to mush. "Is that all you have to say?"

"Do I need to say more?"

"Forget it if you don't understand."

"Excuse you, but I understood very well." Thanks to Sehun's firm and cold tone, Yoonshin flinched, then he blinked slowly. Reiterating his tone, Sehun dryly added, "Keep yourself together and go on your date. If your brother-in-law wanted it, I'm sure it'll help your lousy career. Oh, I guess it would help our firm too. Best of luck."

Sehun yanked off his wrist from the younger man's grip and walked away. Sehun disappeared from sight, and Yoonshin was left to ponder about the ambiguous answer that wasn't quite encouragement, a greeting, or mockery. Too late, Yoonshin bowed and saw him off, but Sehun didn't see.

Sehun plodded on, now completely out of the corridor.

He saw his car parked in a corner. A driver from the firm, who was standing by, opened the backseat door. Sehun reached the hood of his car and was about to get into the backseat but stopped to glance at the entrance of the bar. As expected, Yoonshin was not there.

Then he slammed his hands on the frame of the car in a high-strung manner. "Bloody hell."

"I'm going on a blind date next Sunday."

When he heard that, he had to acknowledge that he felt more rage bubbling in him than when he saw Yoonshin smile with his swollen eyes.

Sehun was extremely vulnerable to such feelings. He had never been possessive of anyone before, so he had no idea how to get ahold of himself. Plus, what he loathed the most in the world was being unable to control himself. That was why his defense mechanisms activated.

He got in the car after some delay. The driver closed his door, and while he was walking to the driver's seat, Sehun leaned back comfortably and fell into thought. Inevitably, he ruminated on Yoonshin's words.

“Are you afraid that you'll come to like me?"

He glanced down at the necktie that they layered their lips over and ground his teeth. Following that, he yanked off his tie irritably. He hurled it at the passenger seat then closed his eyes in an attempt to push away all his idling thoughts.

But no matter what he tried, Yoonshin's voice continued to linger and pester him.

After meeting Yoonshin Do again, everything was getting twisted and messed up.

Sehun sat in front of his laptop monitor in the study of his apartment and turned on his USB microphone. He snapped his fingers, making the senior lawyers on the screen stop hustling about and focus on Sehun. These lawyers were the manager-level members of a larger group in charge of a company acquisition matter project by Doguk.

Sehun quietly stared at the screen behind the lawyers' heads, then he said, "If you made a partner sit at his study on a Sunday, don't you think you'd need to make my voluntary service worth it? I hope this is a discussion that will help your careers as well."

Then, the most experienced lawyer in the group raised his hand. His face clearly showed his determination not to ruin Sehun's weekend. He inhaled deeply, then he pointed at the lawyers next to him in order. "Starting with me and going clockwise, we determined the key conditions of the contracts signed by the company to be acquired, articles of incorporation and rules for the board of directors, the collective agreement and labor regulations including employee insurance, the status of the assets including chattels and real property, and the status of the human resources of the company. As instructed, we investigated various areas of law and are writing a due diligence report. We thought it would be best to have an interim check-in with you to report a few key points in brief."

Flipping through the printouts, Sehun asked calmly, "In the printed documents that Secretary Tak sent by courier, I see that the details on licenses, IP rights, and taxation are missing. Is Team B doing those?"

"Oh, yes. The various licenses and IP rights are being investigated by Team B. An accounting firm is investigating the tax issues independently, so those will be reported separately tomorrow. Our team is doing its best so that the acquired company can operate smoothly after the deal closes. But we need to finish gathering and organizing within the team first. I was wondering if you were all right to resume the meeting in one hour."

Sehun clapped shut the document and replied, "I also need to look over the additional documents I received today, so I'll give you some leeway."

"Thank—"

"I'll give you 25 minutes," Sehun one-sidedly ended the conversation. He flicked off the switch, muted his mic, and watched the lawyers on the screen running around wildly. He brought over the printouts and a fountain pen, then he sat on his sofa, out of view from the lawyers.

He leaned back comfortably. As he quickly sifted through the documents, his eyes gradually became very focused.

"The likelihood of success or failure of the deal on the line... Why is this opinion letter so verbose? Did they not look at the report written by the Fourth-year?" Sehun muttered to himself. As he flipped through the pages, he marked the relevant points.

Just then.

A page fell from between the documents. Sehun picked it up, and his handsome face wrinkled faintly. It was part of the document submitted by a senior who specialized in labor law. The page was an addendum with charts on issues such as the overdue status of wages and termination pay and on the status of temporary workers. That itself was nothing special. However, the name on the top right corner made his brow knit together.

He stared at the short note in the corner, requesting feedback if there were any errors, along with Yoonshin's name and number.

`The team's assistant manager asked Yoonshin to do work without my permission,' Sehun thought.

It was only Yoonshin's name, yet Sehun felt his throat getting parched. This was probably because this was a trace left by Yoonshin. Sehun threw down the pen and paper roughly and rubbed his face with both hands.

Since the other day, Sehun's time passed a bit differently than usual. Time felt slow like driving over a rough and bumpy, unfinished road, and the next moment, his car would bounce around uncontrollably. This was all thanks to the incident between him and Yoonshin at the bar a few days ago.

He recalled the chilly breeze that blew on the dark terrace, their bodies pressed on each other as if to melt the cold air. The younger man's eyelids slowly closed as Sehun leaned in, his dense eyelashes fell like curtains around his eyes, and his ruby red, moist lips squirmed, nervous because of the impending kiss.

And then, what touched Yoonshin's supple skin...

Sehun's lower half gradually felt tight as he thought back to that day. Sehun grew aware of an electrifying sensation spreading below his waist and bit his lips. He lowered his eyes and saw the bulge of his pants.

He unzipped the front.

The sensual sound of the zipper filled the air.

Sure enough, he saw his member, swelling up in size and pitching a tent.

He was rendered speechless for a moment, then he cursed out loud, "Damn it, what the hell am I doing?"

He bit his bottom lip and removed his hand from his abdomen. He crumpled the paper with Yoonshin's name on it and chucked it behind his sofa.

He heard the ball of paper land, then he relaxed his limbs, letting himself slump like slime. He leaned his head back and took deep breaths to calm down.

So far, he had felt a sort of covetous desire bubbling within him whenever he saw Yoonshin, but this was the first time he felt a wave of lust surging from his lower half.

He didn't suddenly feel this way, and he didn't drink that much then. The feelings that he had bottled up inside boiled over, and he felt it becoming increasingly difficult to keep those feelings in. Sehun was awkward when it came to emotions, but he did know how to differentiate between them.

"Did our lips touch?"

Sehun said no to that question, but they both knew that the tip of Sehun's tongue had touched Yoonshin's lips. If Mihee hadn't come in then, Sehun would have probably done a lot more than that. He wasn't going to deny it on the inside. At that time, he didn't just want to kiss Yoonshin, he wanted to have sex with him. Perhaps even to this day, after two days had passed since then.

At first, he thought this desperate thirst for attention and discomfort stemmed from the trauma when a child, who he treated like his younger sibling, died. He assumed that the small scars left behind when he couldn't take care of those close to him manifested in a vexatious direction when he saw Yoonshin hiding in the corner to cry after losing someone dear to his heart. That was why he was so bothered by Yoonshin. It was almost like, through Yoonshin, he was acknowledging and staring straight into his weakness that he was hiding all along.

But now he knew that wasn't the case. Sehun simply was hyperaware of everything about Yoonshin Do.

As his mind shifted to his present emotions, he suddenly had a thought that made him quite bothered.

`Do I happen to think of that fool in...' As if to cut off his thoughts, he sat up before that thought could be completed.

He couldn't simply shake off the thought. This premonition had to be false. Yet the nagging feeling that the opposite would be true kept swelling up in his throat.

He couldn't explore his feelings any longer. He learned things that he didn't need to know, and he felt like the thoughts that he shouldn't be caught having were going to be exposed.

In the end, he didn't look back and ran away from his study.

Sehun rushed out of his office while looking at his watch but ran into the associate lawyer who was waiting for him at his door. Of all people, it was the person Sehun didn't want to meet the most, so his forehead creased in a frown.

"What?" Sehun snapped.

"Senior Attorney, I heard you were going to a client meeting." Yoonshin looked into Sehun's eyes, who did not welcome the present situation. Yoonshin was asking for a bit of his time. One eyebrow twitched, but Sehun then turned away coldly, treating Yoonshin like he was invisible.

Sehun headed toward the secretary's office and gestured to Secretary Tak. This time, Yoonshin stepped in front of Sehun, completely blocking his way. He waved the envelope in his hands leisurely. "You said you needed this, so I prepared it for you."

"Did my legal secretary change without my knowledge? The operation of this place is a mess."

"I'm sorry, but I'm still a lawyer. I also have something to tell you."

"I'm not that free to have a one-on-one meeting with an associate when they need me. Take your number and line up."

"It'll only be a minute. I'll accompany you to the parking lot instead of Secretary Tak. Your driver is waiting downstairs. After you."

Angrily glowering at Secretary Tak, Sehun passed his briefcase to Yoonshin reluctantly.

Yoonshin barely managed to catch the bag which was pushed roughly into his flat chest. He pattered off behind Sehun, who was walking ahead. After following close behind, he quickened his pace upon seeing the elevator grow closer. Yoonshin then sprinted ahead to catch the elevator. He then gestured for Sehun to get on. Sehun didn't even look in Yoonshin's direction as he got into the elevator.

The two stood side by side, and the door closed firmly.

Until a moment ago in the hallway, busy employees were going about their way, so it didn't feel awkward, but now that they were alone, a strange current flowed between them. This was probably the first time they were together in a closed space after last week's incident at the bar.

Perhaps Sehun wasn't feeling conscious of this situation as he was preoccupied with adjusting his tie. After gauging for a good time to speak, Yoonshin asked, "Senior Attorney, did you chew out the lawyer who made me do research? Secretary Tak seemed stressed out."

"Whether I tell him off or murder him, that's none of your business. I just had a conversation with him. You just focus on doing your work properly," Sehun said.

"Was my opinion letter bad? Was that why you criticized him...? I was bothered about it."

Sehun sighed, then he turned to look at Yoonshin. The numbers on the elevator display continued to descend toward the basement.

"The issue here isn't whether you did a good job or not. It's about whether I instructed you to do that work. Don't do anything that I didn't tell you to do ever again," Sehun said firmly.

"Last time, you said that I could attend meetings for the cases that you assigned, so I thought I was allowed to help," Yoonshin replied.

"I'm looking for a decent case right now. That case isn't the one."

"I'm sorry. I'll be more careful from now on."

Sehun was bothered by the disheartened reply, so he questioned in a sharp tone, "Hey, Fourth-year. Why do you think I gave you these instructions? Because I hate you that much?"

"If you hated me, you would've already murdered me," Yoonshin replied.

"You know that very well. From the moment you managed to crawl into my team, you were mine. I decide what you do and when. Everyone saw the deputy team leader getting his ass handed to him today, so nobody would attempt it in the future, but later, if someone randomly gives you work, refuse it and tell them I said no." Sehun's explanation didn't answer all of Yoonshin's questions, but it hit the key points. Yoonshin understood that Sehun wasn't acting this way merely to put Yoonshin in a bad position. Sehun probably thought that this case was simply not a good fit for Yoonshin.

Yoonshin felt slightly sorry for his senior who was openly shamed in front of his team just because he asked Yoonshin to do a few small favors.

Abashed, Yoonshin hugged the file bag that he was holding securely even tighter. That wasn't the main reason for starting the conversation, so he spoke up again, "So... I'm not trying to rush you, but..."

"I'll give you the right advisory case when the time comes. The more you pester me about it, the longer it'll get delayed. Learn to be patient."

"No, not that. Do I really go on my blind date? It's this Sunday."

Sehun, who was fastening his cufflinks meticulously, looked up. His eyes were sharper than usual. The Adam's apple of his long neck undulated roughly. Yoonshin missed it because he happened to look up at the elevator display at that moment, and just then, the elevator door opened with a ding.

Sehun ultimately didn't answer and walked ahead. As Yoonshin said, the driver, who was standing by, opened the backseat door. Sehun hurriedly got in the car.

Yoonshin, who was following Sehun thoughtlessly, glanced at the driver, asking him to wait, and went into the other side of the seat. Sehun laughed hollowly, not expecting this move. "Are you crazy? I have no time to lose. Get out."

"Just this once. Since that dinner, all along, I..." Yoonshin started.

"I don't want to hear it. You're not getting off?" Sehun's icy voice and chilling glare pierced through Yoonshin like sharp icicles. Feeling the pointed things stabbing at him, Yoonshin felt upset from being stabbed by the other's pointed glare and callously threw the bag and envelopes in his arms. The items scattered carelessly on the luxurious car seat, and Yoonshin got off as if he had never entered in the first place. It was quite an impudent reaction, but instead of reproaching it, Sehun ignored it completely.

Yoonshin now knew what Sehun's reactions were like. Sehun had a natural talent for agitating people. Sehun Kang was ignoring Yoonshin on purpose.

At this point, Yoonshin thought that he needed to say this at least once. He gnawed on the tender skin of his bottom lip as if he were chewing Sehun out, then he bent over and stuck his head back in the car.

"I gave you two chances. Just don't regret it later." After passing off the ball, he slammed the car door shut. He greeted the driver respectfully and turned around without looking back. To be honest, he was a bit disappointed at Sehun for acting like it wasn't his business. Yoonshin couldn't sleep well since the day the other man's lips touched his and wondered how Sehun could act this way despite being the instigator.

Angry, Yoonshin stomped off as fast as he could. But by the time he reached the elevator, he heard a quiet and prudent sound of heels behind him, making him stop. While he stood perplexed, his shoulders were grabbed.

When he turned around, surprisingly, Sehun was standing in front of him.

"Senior Attorney?" Yoonshin asked in surprise.

"Fourth-year. You seem to want an explanation for that day, so I'll give it to you. That was my mistake. Also, I don't want my life to have any flaws."

Yoonshin, shocked by the answer, chuckled hollowly. "Did I ask you to make excuses? I don't need that. I just...!"

"I don't care if you want an excuse or a confession. Regardless of any of that, I'm just telling you not to shake me up. It's getting harder for me to hold back."

His explanation was roundabout, but the main point was simple. Sehun was being shaken up by Yoonshin. Yoonshin didn't quite believe it, but apparently, Sehun was holding back something, and it was hard on him. Sehun's labyrinthian heart was opaque to Yoonshin. And perhaps Yoonshin finally lost his mind because when he heard that, he wanted to know more intimately about the inner workings of the other man's mind.

Yoonshin was dumbstruck from trying to get a grip on his turbulent mind and missed his chance to reply. Sehun calmly added, "Don't forget that you're someone that I can always fire."

Did he mean Yoonshin should never bring this topic up again?

"Are you threatening me?" Yoonshin asked.

"Yeah. If you get it, go back to work."

Just when Yoonshin thought he could finally take a step toward closing the gap between them, Sehun immediately threw him another threat-like warning. Yoonshin wasn't blatantly refused often, so he had no idea how to react after being coldly rejected twice.

Yoonshin swallowed back his humiliation, clenched his jaws, and tried to laugh it off nonchalantly. "Yes, I understand. Have a safe trip."

Yoonshin bowed and stood for a while. Sehun stared at him for a moment, then he walked away. The figure of his flexible back grew smaller until he got in the car and disappeared from Yoonshin's view.

Only after the rumbling motor of the car disappeared from the garage completely did Yoonshin pull down the trembling corners of his lips.

Thinking back to what Sehun said, Yoonshin got enraged too late. "Did he just call me a flaw in my face? What am I, the error of his life?"

Who was the one who shook Yoonshin up by doing things like kissing his necktie in the first place? Sehun did everything as he liked, and now, he called it a mistake?

Yoonshin's judgment of Sehun that he started to carry in his heart was not wrong.

Sehun was a sadist.

"Bastard. Damn you," Yoonshin cursed, then he indignantly got on the elevator that was waiting for him all along.

Yoonshin's face grew dark when he glanced at the calendar on his desk. Tomorrow was the blind date.

He wondered what it would have been like if he hadn't known anything. If he had continued to believe that his sister was still having a peaceful married life, he would have accepted his meeting with a lighter heart. After the first meeting, if he felt that it was a good connection, he would marry her, or if not, he would politely apologize and split up.

But that wasn't the case anymore. Seeing that his sister asked him to do this, she was dealing with her issues with fortitude, but she seemed to be backed into a corner. If this marriage went badly, Yoonshin couldn't begin to imagine how disadvantaged his sister would be. He felt anxious enough to make him want to deal with a passionate first love somewhere.

That was why he was grasping at straws.

"I don't want my life to have any defects."

"I get madder the more I think of it," Yoonshin muttered.

Yoonshin was an accomplice by closing his eyes before kissing, but Sehun initiated it. Yoonshin was upset that Sehun tried to dryly dump all the blame despite remembering everything.

Of course, Sehun was free to reach out to Yoonshin or not. Yoonshin respected other people's autonomy. However, if Sehun was going to turn his back when at a critical point and continue to confuse Yoonshin, that was clearly Sehun's negligence. When Sehun, who never opened even a hair's breadth of his heart to anyone, kept opening the invisible room for possibilities, Yoonshin started to want to rely on him when he was feeling anxious.

Yoonshin took a deep breath to empty his thoughts and fixed his gaze on the laptop monitor. While downloading documents that he needed from the firm's intranet, the personnel directory caught his eyes. When he searched up Sehun, a list of Sehun's academic background, law associations and boards, his case experiences, and specialty areas popped up.

‘Corporate mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, private investments, securities regulations.’ The most recent items on the list were related to his external legal advisor work. However, when he scrolled further down, there were some family matters, which Yoonshin didn't expect. They must have been the pro bono cases that Sehun mentioned at one point.

"He also did a guardianship case. Wills, legal portions, division of estates..." Yoonshin mumbled out loud.

Quite surprisingly, he also worked on matters on the division of property after divorce and lawsuits on parental rights. However, they were all long in the past. Even if Sehun took on Ikyung's divorce matter, he would most likely represent his brother-in-law.

If Yoonshin met Sehun in court, Yoonshin wasn't confident that he would win. Cracking a rock with an egg could be easier.

Just because his sister told him to stay put didn't mean that Yoonshin could take his hands off the matter. He needed to do something on his end. But since he didn't know what the situation was like, his starting point was vague. He was met with an obstacle at the first step.

‘Sehun Kang surely wouldn't share his informants since that's a valuable resource,' Yoonshin thought.

Strict confidentiality meant that it needed to be kept that way. Sehun used some illegal routes contrary to a lawyer's professional ethics since he didn't even show his informants to Mihee. Yoonshin couldn't just go and ask Sehun to look into his sister's domestic situation. Yoonshin would need to offer a proportionate compensation or show his cards to Sehun.

‘Maybe I could just be honest and beg for help,' Yoonshin thought, then he recalled the other's haughty and self-righteous gaze and abandoned the thought. "Like he would help at all."

No matter how talented a lawyer Sehun was, it was a huge venture to turn a conglomerate like Soohan against him. In particular, since the firm was in a close relationship with Soohan, that move would negatively impact the firm.

Chapter 6

If Sehun won the case, he would only gain a slight profit and some recognition from having his name in the news, but Sehun already had enough of both. Yoonshin would have to persuade him with something that Sehun didn't have, but he couldn't put his finger on what Sehun wanted.

Yoonshin had a faint suspicion that Sehun wanted Yoonshin, but despite the flustering experience of sharing an indirect kiss through a tie, Sehun's reaction was quite frosty.

"Don't say a word to anyone. Got it?" Yoonshin recalled his sister's warning, which made it feel riskier to express his concerns to Sehun without collateral. Knowing Sehun, he could always stand on Soohan's side.

Defeated, Yoonshin closed the window and glanced at a certain book on his shelf. It was Great Expectations.

After watching Yoonshin's trial, what did Sehun unearth from the quote that he used from the book?

The main character, Pip, was a laborer, but he inherits an inordinate fortune and changes his life by entering high society. In that process, he comes to understand what is truly important. Values, not gold, were the light of life.

Yoonshin flipped the book to a page where he stuck a sticky tab, and the beautiful prose of Dickens entered his field of vision.

"I am not aware...that to think of any person is to make a great claim upon that person, my dear.... Thinking is easy enough... What is easier, you know?"

This part reminded him of his own mind that circled back to Sehun all the time. After flipping toward the back, he found the page that he dog-eared because he thought it described Sehun perfectly.

"...I have a heart to be stabbed in or shot in, I have no doubt... But you know what I mean. I have no softness there, no –sympathy – sentiment – nonsense."

"Yoonshin Do."

What did Sehun want to tell him back when he called him out in his dashing voice?

Yoonshin closed the cover of the book and put it back in place. Leaning limply forward, he pressed his cheek against the desk protector to cool his cheek that started to burn up from the thought of the other man.

He glanced at his phone, but the palm-sized device did not ring.

After parking in front of the large front gates, Yoonshin opened the passenger door of the car. The woman carefully set foot on the ground and pressed the doorbell. She bid farewell to Yoonshin politely, "Thank you for driving me back. Take care on your way."

Yoonshin wordlessly nodded at his date, who grinned shyly at him. He watched until she disappeared inside the gate of her house before he turned to the driver's seat.

Then, the woman suddenly came back out and grabbed his sleeve. "Attorney Do, won't you ask for a follow-up? Or were you going to ask me by phone?"

Surprised, Yoonshin took a moment before he said, "Oh, right. This was my first blind date."

"I've had several already, so I'll ask. Can we meet again sometime soon? I want to meet again before the year ends," the woman asked.

"Actually, it hasn't been that long since I entered Doguk. I'm a bit busy trying to learn the ropes these days. Could I let you know once I get a feel for my situation? I can't give you an exact date right now."

"Are you refusing my offer?"

"I figured that it's better to approach cautiously rather than being unable to keep my promise. I'll contact you for sure," Yoonshin replied.

She seemed convinced as Yoonshin didn't seem to be lying. After going back into her front door, she waved at Yoonshin. Yoonshin finally got in his car when she completely vanished from sight. Yoonshin's face on the way back home was relieved of all tension.

He learned a lot of things today when he met the woman for the first time. Several months ago, the woman saw the article about Yoonshin defending a famous athlete, who was accused of murdering her husband. Yoonshin was told that she asked around to secure a meeting with the view for marriage, which surprised him.

She then happened to learn that her father's mass media corporation was on good terms with Soohan Group. Plus, her family had a good impression of Yoonshin because Yoonshin's father was a respectable figure in law.

Yoonshin knew well that one meeting wasn't enough to make a judgment on a person's character. Even so, he didn't get a bad feeling from the other person, and they could talk easily with each other. He could also tell that she was greatly interested in him.

It was all good up to that point. The problem was that everything was going too smoothly. She said upfront that she wanted to get to know him slowly and hold the marriage when the time was right. However, Yoonshin felt encumbered because he couldn't disassociate this situation with his sister. His brother-in-law was no longer an ally to Yoonshin.

Yoonshin hoped that he could put out the most pressing fire first, but it was one obstacle after another.

‘Now what do I do?' His throat felt sandy like he caught a cold. He loosened up his faultless necktie and flinched when he felt the silky fabric. He fiddled with the tie unconsciously, then while he was at the stoplight, he pressed his lips on the bottom of the tie. Not surprisingly, he felt nothing.

He was clenching and releasing the fabric like he was crumpling a piece of paper when his cell phone vibrated. He dropped his tie and took the call, hands-free. He felt more anxious as it was from his sister.

"Ikyung?" This was the first time he had a phone call with her since she came over to his apartment.

"Yoonshin, is now an okay time to talk?" Her voice sounded much better, making Yoonshin somewhat relieved.

"I'm driving, but the speed limit is low here, so I can talk. How did you know to call? Did that family tell you that I met her?"

"Yeah. Apparently, she was raving as soon as she got home. How come you never dated anyone when you could captivate a woman's heart like that? You had girlfriends when you were still in school, but you stopped meeting anyone once you became a lawyer."

"Well, that was because I was quite busy. I was younger back then, but meeting someone was too burdensome because I had to also consider marriage."

"You should start to consider that now. She said you were easy to talk with and kind yet manly. She said she liked you a lot. That's great."

"My reaction was probably good because she was also a good person."

Ikyung must have thought this was a positive sign as her voice brightened up. "Do you like her? That's even better."

"She wasn't bad. I could probably marry her, but I don't think I could love her."

As joyful as she was, she found his reply to be odd and asked back, her voice a few decibels higher, "How do you know after one meeting?"

Yoonshin could tell, vaguely. This wasn't the woman's fault. This was completely on him.

Throughout the conversation, Yoonshin could only think of another person. It wasn't charged with like or hate—he simply kept thinking about the other man. He wanted to stop, so he tried to push the other man out of his mind. Yet Sehun filled his brain, completely dominating it. He couldn't begin to express how guilty he felt by thinking of another person while sitting across from his prospective marriage partner.

Yoonshin felt like he would never be able to forget this strange feeling he got today. For as long as he remembered that funny feeling, he wouldn't be able to see the other person who was with him rationally. Yoonshin was slightly more conscientious than the average person in that way.

"I just got the feeling. It's like an intuition of sorts," he said.

Part of it was his sister's situation, but another part was because of Sehun, who littered his mind. Yoonshin didn't tell her that though because he thought it would be overly complicated to explain everything.

"It could change after the second and third meeting. Love isn't all about something glittering at first sight," Ikyung said, trying to persuade her brother.

"I know. But I just kept thinking that this wasn't right. We're not meant to be. I didn't like her enough to ask for a follow-up meeting. I wasn't interested in her at all," Yoonshin continued.

"Yoonshin."

"Don't think that I'm confused because I didn't get an electrifying feeling from the meeting. I know what it feels like to wonder about another person and want that person to be by my side."

Ikyung fell silent for a moment and asked in a noticeably cautious tone, "Do you happen to be seeing something else? I assumed that you weren't, so I never asked."

Upon hearing that question, nobody should have come to mind. After all, Yoonshin had neither a lover nor anyone close enough to call a romantic interest.

But still, Sehun floated in his mind.

The image of Sehun's curved and arched lips, the cold eyes that pierced through him, and his rigid fingers that sometimes touched him all whirled in his head, making a mess of it. Yoonshin hesitated briefly and replied honestly, "I'm not."

"Sorry. I didn't want to burden you. I only wanted to protect you... And you don't usually date anyone. I just thought it was a good opportunity. If you really don't like her, I can reject the offer for you. Still, meet her a few more times, okay?" Ikyung said.

Yoonshin didn't reply. It didn't seem like she was expertly trying to throw a wrench in his plans just yet, so he changed the topic in consideration of Ikyung's complicated feelings. "Are you holding on well? If you showed up like that again, I don't think I could last."

When he brought up his concerns that he had pushed down in his heart, she let out a sigh.

"Worry about yourself. I've only bumped into Attorney Sehun Kang a few times, so I don't know him well, but he's very irritable and cold. But you said you were hanging on well. Attorney Song was praising you to the skies. Although that could just be empty praise to satisfy me."

Yoonshin automatically thought back to the dinner where he saw Mihee and Sehun. Yoonshin looked sincere and tilted his head slightly to the side. He tried to imagine what face his sister would make if he said that his thoughts were chaotic because of Sehun. He didn't think she would be very welcome to that, so he decided not to mention it.

"I have a lot to learn," he said instead.

"That's a relief to hear."

"Hey, Ikyung, I told you this before, but I'm a lawyer too. I know you don't have great faith in me but let me know if you ever need my help," Yoonshin said.

Ikyung chuckled at the sweetness of her brother, which in turn melted Yoonshin's heart with affection.

"That's reassuring. Thank you. Let's hang up now. You should concentrate on driving," Ikyung said.

Yoonshin understood that Ikyung didn't want to continue the topic. He wanted to go against her wishes internally, but as usual, Yoonshin agreed good-naturedly and bid her well, telling her to hang up first, "Okay. It's late. Good night."

"Okay, be careful on your way back," Ikyung said before she hung up.

Upon ending the phone call, Yoonshin's grip on the steering wheel tightened. Palms sweaty, he felt as though a thick fog filled his surroundings, obstructing his vision. He was scared, but there was nothing else he could grip. Yoonshin was feeling this hopeless—his sister must be having it worse. So, he couldn't bring himself to tell her that he didn't want to meet his potential partner anymore.

He was only coming back from a date, but why did he feel like he committed a crime? He felt guilty toward the woman, Sehun, and himself.

He let out a heavy sigh, and his expression grew cloudier. His eyes glazed over with tumult despite trying to concentrate on driving.

Was there any way out?

There was one trick that could solve all his obstacles, but the only person who could do that was very defensive, so Yoonshin couldn't find the right timing to bring it up.

"He said he didn't care whether I wanted an excuse or confession..." As Yoonshin recounted the conversation after Sehun held him back, his thoughts became as chaotic as rush hour where cars were honking in all directions. On one hand, it was understandable that Yoonshin would be confused by Sehun. Sehun, who was always clear-cut about right and wrong, made a critical error. While he said that the risque situation was a mistake, he mentioned that he was being shaken up by Yoonshin.

What were his true feelings?

Yoonshin wasn't sure but figured it was both.

That incident was a terrible mistake made on Sehun's part, and at the same time, it was getting more difficult for him to handle Yoonshin. The cryptic words he left to the silent Yoonshin confirmed that.

"It's getting harder for me to hold back." Sehun had said.

`What part of me is making it hard for him to hold back? He clearly wanted to kiss me...' Yoonshin thought, then it occurred to him, 'Does he want to sleep with me?'

Yoonshin's imagination that was running wildly stained his cheeks red. Perhaps he went a bit too far. Although nobody was watching, he felt embarrassed, so much so that just then, when he saw the company residences, he swerved into the adjacent lane without thinking. He was so flustered and his change of lanes was so abrupt that it warranted the drivers nearby to honk angrily at him.

Beep beep! Beep beep!

"Ack..." Yoonshin gasped.

Even though the speed limit was low, he could have caused an accident. He blinked his emergency lights a few times in apology and took deep breaths before turning to the entrance of the building.

He smoothly glided into the basement parking garage and parked. He felt like clearing his mind with some fresh air, so he headed upstairs via the emergency stairwell.

Upon going outside, he stared up at the extravagant company residence building. He aimed his gaze up at Sehun's floor, then he observed it intently. He tried to shoot some telepathic waves at Sehun, who wouldn't listen to him anyway, then quit, wondering what the point of it was.

Yoonshin headed to the right of the road toward the 24-hour café he frequented. He ordered a coffee and took a seat on the inner side of the café where the counter couldn't see him. The residents of the complex usually used this place, and considering that it was late, there were no people inside.

As he listened to the classical music tickling his ear while fiddling with his mug, Yoonshin took out his phone.

‘He's not going to call till the bitter end, huh?' he thought.

Yoonshin didn't like to leave things hanging, no matter the subject. He found the other's name and hovered his fingers over it before resolutely calling the other man. He didn't have high hopes that the other man would pick up because he rested on the weekends, but Sehun responded quite fast.

"Yes?" Sehun answered.

"Oh, you picked up. I didn't expect you to since I'm calling late on a weekend," Yoonshin replied.

"You weren't calling because of work? Summarize in less than five words," Sehun said callously.

"It's not because of work but personal reasons."

"You called for personal reasons. That's over five words. I see."

"Yes, so I was—" Just then, the call ended abruptly. Yoonshin didn't even get to his main subject. Taken aback, Yoonshin looked at his phone, wondering if his device broke or the battery lost juice, but Sehun truly did hang up on him.

Frustrated, Yoonshin tried to call him again. Sehun didn't pick up despite the call ringing several times, so Yoonshin sent a message as if he had something important and work-related. When he called again, thankfully, Yoonshin heard the other man.

"Say it in five words," was how Sehun answered the call.

Yoonshin counted the words that he wanted to say with his fingers, then he hurriedly replied, "Let's meet up now!"

The other man didn't react for a moment. Then, a beat later, he asked, "Why should I meet you? Today's Sunday."

"Did you have dinner? If you haven't, let's eat together."

"I ate. You would have already eaten too, no?"

"Then, how about coffee? I'll buy you a cup."

"I drank already. My veins are already pulsing with caffeine."

"Then, aren't you going on a walk tonight? The snow piled up on the trees in the park behind the building is very pretty."

"I walk when I need to think. Walking with someone is distracting. Is that all you have to say? Then hang up."

As Sehun was about to one-sidedly hang up again, Yoonshin changed his tactic to the offensive. "This is what people call giving room for opportunity. When I sent you the message, you knew that I didn't have anything work-related to talk about. Yet you still picked up. You're either a suuuuper loose and easy person, or you're interested in me. Isn't the latter more palatable than the former?"

Sehun's appearance was excellent, but he was just that—Yoonshin wasn't gay, to begin with, so he couldn't arouse any other emotion. He was envious of the other's well-stacked career, but knowing the rough trajectory of it, he didn't completely look up to Sehun. Even so, Yoonshin kept being swept up by him. His concern for Sehun evolved, making him want to get more involved with the older man.

Yoonshin's desire was projected in his question, and the other laughed hollowly. That subdued sound was strangely soft and sweet, lingering in Yoonshin's ears and flustering him.

"Narcissism is your hobby, isn't it? Don't you think I might have picked up by giving you the benefit of the doubt and for the possibility that you really had something work-related to say?"

"No, you definitely knew that I wasn't going to talk about work." His second attempt at approaching Sehun was shot down. However, Yoonshin felt like he needed to try one last time to not regret anything. "You're not the only one who's hurting. My head hurts because of you too."

Perhaps that was a more critical hit than anything else he had said because a sigh followed instead of a reply. Yoonshin didn't think he had ever heard such a deep and heavy sigh coming from Sehun before. Yoonshin instinctively knew that this was the prime opportunity to bring up the topic for conversation, so he bit his lower lip. "Did you forget that I had a blind date today?"

"Do I look like a goldfish to you? I remember," Sehun retorted.

"But you didn't call me."

"Was there a rule that said I had to call? You should have told me."

"Did you make me call you on purpose, or do you truly have no interest in me?"

Sehun didn't reply, so Yoonshin pressed on harder, "I just came back from my prospective marriage meeting."

Yoonshin braced himself to hear a defensive retort like, "Do you think I'm your boyfriend or something?" or "Why are you bothering me?" but surprisingly, Sehun had nothing to say. Rather, that was why Yoonshin got the courage to say what he wanted to.

He wasn't sure why it was Sehun Kang. It might be because Sehun accepted everything as it was without any bias and could forget about it all if needed.

"Actually, I don't want to get pushed into marriage like this. There are too many things that bother me about it. But my sister would be put in a bad position if I stopped here because she was the matchmaker. What should I do? You think of all the possibilities and the solutions to them," Yoonshin rambled.

"Fourth-year, how much did I say a 10-minute consultation with me was?"

"Don't look at everything like a potential case to be retained on. It's even in the code of ethics for lawyers. Article One: a lawyer protects and enhances human rights and freedoms..."

Sehun cut him off mid-sentence and threw the solution to Yoonshin irritably, "All right, I'll give you the answer. It's simple. Go study overseas. People usually go in their fifth year, so you could just go a few months in advance. Go get licensed to practice and spend a few years there. When you come back, it'll all be solved."

"I can come up with that much too. But I can't leave Korea any time soon."

"Why not? Do you think you're a patriotic martyr?"

"It's because of my sister." "Yeah, so what about it?"

"I can't tell you the details. There's just a thing like that."

Between the impulse to spill everything against his sister's warning for advice and his rationality telling him not to leak anything without any countermeasures in place, Yoonshin put his palm over the opening of the still-warm mug. While he was appreciating the warmth, Sehun continued in his subdued voice, "I can't take on a case that I don't know all the details of. Think for yourself."

"It's very cold today." Yoonshin looked out the window and stared blankly at the pitch-black sky. The stars were faint, but he could feel that they were glittering brightly. He couldn't see them from where he was, but he imagined that Sehun also glanced out the window then. "And I wish someone was beside me right now. I'm lonely."

"Call the woman you went on a date with," Sehun shot back.

"Hey, we live in the same building, yet you're so cold. Am I that much of an eyesore to you?"

"I don't like the fact that you're earnest about everything. I'm temperamentally unsuited with clean people."

"Aren't you raising me? Your innocent lamb is suffering and slowly dying here."

"I'll bury you at least as a means of staff welfare."

"Can't you just save me instead? I'm in the café in front of the building. The place where we bumped into each other last time."

"Damn it," he heard the other man mutter quietly. Yoonshin wasn't sure he heard correctly because Sehun mumbled with the mic away from him. Yoonshin pressed his device to his ear and fumbled with his mug handle. It felt nice to be rubbing it to the point that it squeaked.

While they spent time individually, silence hung over them both. It went on and on. Yoonshin looked at his screen, worried that Sehun hung up, but that wasn't the case. Sehun seemed to be thinking about it.

"Attorney Kang, how long should I wait? Ten minutes? Fifteen minutes?" Yoonshin asked, unable to maintain the silence longer.

"One hour," Sehun replied tersely.

"You weren't at home right now?"

"I am at home. Still, one hour." After saying what he wanted, Sehun hung up on Yoonshin just like last time.

Dumbfounded, Yoonshin looked down at his now-black screen and wrinkled his brow.

‘If he was going to come down anyway, couldn't he at least say it nicely?' Yoonshin thought but then chuckled at himself for getting used to this irritable man.

"So bad-tempered. It's because it's me that I'm debating whether to pick you up or not. Just know that you're lucky." Yoonshin rapped his knuckles once on his screen, then he went up to the counter. His steps had a light spring to them. As he ordered a drink for Sehun, a grin blossomed on his face.

Sehun, in casual clothes, got off the elevator and checked his wristwatch.

He told the other to wait an hour, but he was the one who couldn't sit still and got out of his house. After following the path that he frequented when he had a lot to think about, he saw Yoonshin sitting at the bar table along the window like last time. What was different from before was that instead of working, he looked deep in thought.

As he approached Yoonshin, the younger man jumped up and greeted Sehun, presumably sooner than he expected. When he saw that innocent smile, Sehun felt his insides twist.

Barely swallowing back his irritation, Sehun went around the building and entered the cafe. Yoonshin must have ordered Sehun's drink in advance because he picked it up from the pick-up counter and waved at Sehun.

Yoonshin said, "Here you go. I put one more shot than my drink because you seem to like it bitter."

Sehun stared at Yoonshin as the younger man placed the coffee on the table before taking the seat next to the younger man. Yoonshin, the one who invited Sehun, spoke first, "You came earlier than I expected."

"You could wait if you like. Do you want to do that?"

As a loss for words, Yoonshin stared at Sehun, then he turned his torso away from Sehun. Then, he took a sip from his already cold drink.

The transparent window reflected the two men's images. Yoonshin was in a neat suit while Sehun was in a thick cable-knit sweater—they contrasted each other. Another silence flowed between them before Yoonshin once again interrupted it. "You dressed so thinly for it being winter. You should have put on a coat."

"Why should I when I'm in my neighborhood?"

"It would be nice if I just—bam!—took off my jacket for you all coolly."

"That's nice. Strip."

"I didn't bring a coat because I came by car, so I'm cold."

"There it is—your superficial respect for me."

"Is it that obvious?"

Sehun scoffed, and Yoonshin smiled along. Then, the younger man asked, "What were you doing?"

"Work."

"At home? Today's an off-day."

"I work in my car, I work in my dreams, and naturally, I work at home."

"Since you're sitting here having coffee with me, that means you made time for me."

Instead of denying it, the older man spun the facts slightly. "I'm doing pro bono work of sorts."

"Can't you be a bit more sincere about my matter then? Why aren't you asking about the details? I met with a prospective marriage partner."

"I'm not curious about a story with a defined ending. You said so yourself that unless there is some unforeseen event, you'd just go with the flow until marriage. I'm not interested in a rally where I can't shift your paradigm."

"Strictly speaking, you're just afraid to cause the shift, or you're just not interested enough to put up with the hassle," Yoonshin retorted.

Sehun turned his head at that. He made such an irritated face, as if all his nerves were inflamed, and glowered at Yoonshin. Despite the glare, Yoonshin had no reason not to look back, so he locked eyes with the older man. The other's pupils, deep as the bottom of the ocean, were filled with Yoonshin.

"Fourth-year, why are you acting like this? You've become strange. I'm not that insensitive that I can't feel that change. Why are you poking at me?" Sehun asked.

There was no way Sehun didn't know that Yoonshin was continuously feeling him out, and Yoonshin was vaguely aware of it. Sehun read that from Yoonshin's quivering eyes and added, "I'm good at reading people. You don't like me—at least, not in that way."

In one way, Sehun was right. However, there was one pitfall. Yoonshin's feelings for Sehun weren't as simple to be summarized in one sentence. Although it was true that he didn't like Sehun "in that way" yet, Sehun was the only one that Yoonshin was currently open to having romantic feelings for.

Yoonshin thought about how to express his ambiguous feelings, then he slowly said, "I am interested in you though. I want to know what kind of person you are. Sometimes... I get confused by you. You must know since you're so good at reading people."

Sehun didn't deny that logic because Yoonshin was right.

Yoonshin felt Sehun's intense stare heating up. When the older man's languid gaze and Yoonshin's tense eyes met, Yoonshin felt a peculiar ache squeezing his heart. Yoonshin said in a low voice, "If I just got married before we could try anything when we had the chance, wouldn't that be a loss for both of us?"

"Why is that my loss?"

"If you're upset about it, you could just say it's my loss. I don't want to lose."

"They're trying to send you off to a well-off family, yet why do you have so many things you don't like? Marriage is also business. Use it to your advantage."

"But... I keep thinking that it's wrong."

Yoonshin couldn't bring himself to explain that feeling and hung his head instead. Sehun watched quietly, then he reached out for the mug, displeased with Yoonshin. After a sip of the steaming hot coffee, he placidly said while staring at the cup in his hands, "You should have expected that much the moment your sister married into Soohan. Resent your father for allowing the marriage and your sister for marrying. I'm not your dear diary."

His long fingers wrapped firmly around the handle of the mug. Upon spitting out his calm and cool words, he took one more sip of coffee. That moment, Yoonshin retorted quietly, quiet enough that he could be talking to himself, "If you were going to be like this, why did you kiss me? You must have felt pressed, pushing in your tongue first like that."

Clunk. Yoonshin's utterance made Sehun lose his grip on the mug, making it slip and fall instead of being set on the table. The wobbling cup dropped on the tray.

Clatter! The mug hit the hard surface and spun like a top. Black liquid tipped and surged in the cup's mouth before it ultimately spilled on Sehun's hand.

Sehun grimaced at the burning sensation on his hand. "Ugh, hot. Damn it."

Surprised, Yoonshin took out a handkerchief from his jacket's inner pocket. He started to wipe off the fluid from Sehun's hand, then Sehun snatched the cloth away and wiped himself off. Still, Yoonshin grabbed the other man's hand and turned it over several times, inspecting it for any burns. He saw that the web between the older man's long index and middle finger was red, so he rubbed that spot with his fingers. "Oh no, are you all right?"

"Let go."

"Does it hurt? Should I go and buy some ointment? There should be some in the convenience store. Or if you have a first aid kit at your place..."

"I'm reaching the limit of my patience, so let my hand go. I told you, it's hard to hold back!"

Yoonshin needed some time to comprehend what Sehun meant. He tried thinking pessimistically, yet it seemed that Sehun's true feelings matched what he had imagined back in the car. Yoonshin grew embarrassed but held onto Sehun's hand for several seconds more before Sehun yanked his hands away.

"Move. I shouldn't have come here," Sehun said.

The older man tossed the handkerchief roughly on the table and left the café. Yoonshin hurriedly put the trays with the cups on the counter and chased after Sehun. He finally processed what the other said. Sehun was clearly shaken up, but he was unaccustomed to and displeased at himself for being so. Yoonshin also felt similarly, so he knew.

Yoonshin felt like he could finally grasp at the other man.

As Yoonshin picked up his pace and went down to the basement, he could see Sehun's lean figure going through the indoor arcade and into the apartment complex. As soon as he saw him, Yoonshin popped his head out to let the other know of his presence. It was meant to implicitly ask why Sehun was ignoring him despite knowing that he was following, but he was immediately shut down. Yoonshin stood up straight and walked beside Sehun.

"By any chance, if the firm has any receivership cases, could you put me on that? Files that get a lot of work in a short timeframe, I could probably buy enough time. I pushed back the second meeting. I thought it would be rude of me to meet that woman when I felt like this." Yoonshin promised the next meeting with a vague timeline, but he couldn't keep pushing it back indefinitely. He thought it would be nice if he had an excuse to hide briefly.

"Not only do we not have cases like that right now, how dare a junior vie for a receivership case without anything to show? No," Sehun said, rejecting Yoonshin's plea.

"The number of years of experience one has isn't everything. You're the prime example of that. There are no other partners with your years in such a large-scale law firm like Doguk. If it's anything like organizing a labor relations log, I can do it well. I'm confident that I can produce a concise application to the court. If not, I'm also happy with doing the most work-intensive file our team has."

"I work with people who can find 10 solutions to one question. Your DNA is still closer to an uptight human rights lawyer. Societal success, massive payback, or immense accomplishment—I'll give you a big one if any of these worldly goals get included in your category of desire. Climb up steadily from the trenches."

"I'm very desperate. I don't want to lie. I just need work that makes me spend all-nighters every day," Yoonshin said.

Sehun finally stopped walking down the tranquil hall and turned to look at Yoonshin. The older man's handsome and formerly expressionless face now had a slight hint of a frown. Looking in the direction against the chilly wind, Yoonshin stared back at Sehun, who stood in front of him.

"You want me to give you work because you want to escape from the reality that you're faced with. Don't you think you would be deceiving the other person? What's different from that and lying? You're already not being honest," Sehun said.

He hit the bull's eye. Yoonshin nodded, admitting to everything Sehun said. Sehun, who was watching Yoonshin earnestly, carefully added his advice. "I'll give you one warning. If you keep glossing things over, you can't solve anything. The core is the essence of the matter, and the essence is the core of the matter. You're not the type to hate having a blind date. You think that any meeting can spark a relationship. The first problem you need to solve is why you don't want that marriage."

"How do I solve it?" Yoonshin asked.

"As I said, you're acting strange these days. I see pent-up frustration in your eyes that I normally don't see in people like you. Plus, your only strengths are being honest and candid, but those are faint. You can start there," Sehun pointed out.

Sehun knew practically nothing about the situation, yet his comment struck at Yoonshin's key concerns. One concern was Sehun, who stood before him, and the other was his sister's situation.

However, the latter was a conflict so massive that it was impossible to solve by himself. Plus, it was technically not Yoonshin's business. He oscillated between telling Sehun and the worry that this would get his sister into a stickier situation. Yoonshin spoke before he knew it. "Senior Attorney, so you see..."

"Don't tell me," Sehun cut him off.

"Why not?"

"I feel like I'll want to listen to your request. I don't want more things to think about."

“…”

"All right, the pro bono ends here."

Sehun was about to turn and leave Yoonshin in the dimly lit corner. Frustrated that all he saw was Sehun's back, Yoonshin tugged at the older man's sleeve. His hands slowly traveled lower. They passed the other's firm and bony wrist before lightly grasping the soft hand of the other. Sehun flinched. He was about to push him away when Yoonshin grabbed the older man's hand firmly.

"What do you think you're doing, Fourth-year?" Sehun asked sharply.

Yoonshin paused momentarily, then he slowly leaned toward Sehun. He leaned his head toward the other's chest and rested his forehead against it.

"Have you heard the saying, that the greatest weakness is the fear of showing your weakness?" Yoonshin asked.

"What's your point?"

"A flaw formed in your life the moment you feared that I would become a flaw in your life."

Sehun didn't reply. Yoonshin stepped closer, leaning in deeper into the older man's chest. Sehun took a sharp intake of breath, and Yoonshin could feel the rise and fall of Sehun's chest. Yoonshin calmly closed his eyes.

Yoonshin felt lonely enduring his difficulties, but Sehun magically appeared before him. Perhaps Yoonshin was the one who searched for Sehun.

"Yoonshin Do," Sehun said in a low voice.

Yoonshin liked the low rumbling tone of the other's voice when he called his name. He felt as though he could hear the other's heart beating loudly, which he also liked. Sehun might not believe it, but Yoonshin also liked how Sehun's hand twitched, conflicted between whether he should turn around and hold the younger man.

When that thought hit him, Yoonshin's initial intention to calm his heart in Sehun's embrace shattered. Yoonshin felt his heart starting to pound. At a loss for what to do, he could only gasp when Sehun pushed the other man away.

Sehun took a few steps back and put distance between them, staring intently at Yoonshin. Sehun's expression slowly grew complex. He seemed a bit diffident and slightly angry.

"Did you just get dumped by a woman you had a crush on for 20 years?" Sehun asked.

It was so out of the blue that Yoonshin tilted his head in confusion. "No, but I did go on a blind date."

Besides, Yoonshin had never had a crush on anyone before.

"Then, did you get severely defrauded? Did you burn through the entirety of the inheritance your father left you?"

"My father didn't leave a lot behind. I did buy a house with my share of my mother's estate and my sister's assistance. That's for the security of my later years in life."

Once Sehun heard that, his face twisted in utter confusion. "Then, why do you look like you'll cry again?"

"Me? I'm not going to cry at all." Yoonshin felt his face with his hand. Unlike Sehun's concern, Yoonshin didn't feel any dampness. However, his vision did seem slightly blurry. He felt hurt when Sehun pushed him and backed away like he was the plague.

Just the other day, Yoonshin thought that it didn't matter what Sehun thought of him. Why was he so upset now? Apparently, his face was showing how bad he felt.

After a few more pats with nothing coming off on his hands, Yoonshin dropped his hands. "It's because you pushed me away. You might think I don't have strong opinions, but I get hurt too."

"That's why you're making that face? Do you expect me to believe that?"

"I can't change the truth."

“…”

"Why am I acting like this? I keep thinking about your feelings. Are you going to continue to reject me?"

During that time, people were passing by the arcade, so Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's hand and pulled him to a more secluded place.

Under the shadows, the two men's hands were still touching. Reacting late, Yoonshin was worried that the older man would push him away again, even though Sehun initiated it this time. He reflexively tried to let go, but Sehun prevented him from doing so by pulling his hand. It wasn't just that. Sehun's fingers interlocked with his, closing the gaps between their fingers.

"What are you...?" Yoonshin was about to ask. Sehun released his hand and wrapped it around the back of Yoonshin's head. He placed his other hand on Yoonshin's back, pulling him closer. Their bodies pressed against each other. Yoonshin's jacket rustled against Sehun's sweater. They each heard the other's heartbeat.

Yoonshin realized Sehun hugged him voluntarily.

All along, Yoonshin needed moments like these—moments where another person comforted him with their warmth.

From the moment he met his sister in front of his home until now, Yoonshin felt so sorrowful and scared.

Although it may be trivial for some, it wasn't to Yoonshin. His sister was the only family he had left. Her children couldn't replace her. When he saw the strangulation marks on her neck, he was scared that she would face greater danger and he would lose her as well. He couldn't tell anyone, so his anxiety only deepened.

"You're warm." There was a hint of tears in Yoonshin's voice. Sehun must have noticed because he pulled the younger man tighter, almost crushing him in his arms. Not only that, but he also pushed his fingers through the younger man's soft hair, stroking it gently. Yoonshin felt the pressures on his body and sighed. "Why are you hugging me? I'll take it the wrong way."

"Because I don't want to see your face."

It was such a Sehun-like answer that Yoonshin chuckled. He managed to raise his limp arms to hug the older man back.

Yoonshin wondered whether Sehun knew that he always acted sincerely with Yoonshin despite claiming that he disliked how Yoonshin was always too sincere. While Yoonshin didn't hide his sincerity, Sehun always hid it. The warmth that confirmed Sehun's feelings just barely surfaced—it meant so much to Yoonshin that he clenched Sehun's clothes tightly.

"You're not going to push me away again, right?" Yoonshin asked.

"I won't."

"Did the sun rise from the other side?"

"No."

"Actually, I knew that."

Sehun chuckled softly and kissed Yoonshin's smooth hair, making the younger man freeze in surprise. Sehun sighed, then he vented in a defeated voice, "This is why I tried to keep this buried. I hate going into a losing game."

Yoonshin assumed that this meant that the weight of their feelings toward each other wasn't equal. Yoonshin couldn't deny it. This stage was leaning against Sehun. But surprisingly enough, Yoonshin was the one who was psychologically more dependent on the other.

Yoonshin somewhat understood what the other meant, but he thought now was a good time to ask for a clear answer. Yoonshin cast his line, slowly and cautiously. "If I'm ever lonely from now on, could you..."

"Don't ask. I won't answer you."

"...remain by my side?" Yoonshin quickly threw the remainder of the question after Sehun interrupted. Yoonshin pursed his lips. At the same time, Sehun sighed. Yoonshin waited for a moment, but the other man didn't answer. Feeling somewhat anxious, Yoonshin added, "You've already shown your cards, so there's no taking them back. You can turn a trial around, but you can't turn me away. I'm at a cul-de-sac."

"No, you've never been at a cul-de-sac. You're just a kid acting like the world is falling apart from a small and insignificant misfortune. I'm sure it won't be that big of a deal once you peel back the layers."

Yoonshin felt upset by Sehun's words and pushed himself away from the older man. Their eyes met.

"Are you done?" Yoonshin snapped.

"I'm planning on being done. I'm going to do something else. I've been wanting to kiss you this whole time, and I've been holding back too long." Sehun yanked at Yoonshin's necktie that was awkwardly hanging over his shirt, leading Yoonshin against the wall. Even if people saw them, Yoonshin would be obscured by Sehun's back. The older man leaned in. It was different from the last time at the bar. Their lips unquestionably overlapped, and Yoonshin witnessed it all, his eyes wide open.

Their lips met, then they pulled apart. Several times, their skin rubbed shallowly yet sensually.

Yoonshin's throat bobbed, holding his breath as he tried to push down the tension that reached its threshold. He wanted to say something, but the moment that his lips parted, Sehun hungrily rushed into his lips. "Senior Attorney, ngh!"

Yoonshin was thrown off by how passionately their lips met, but it was momentary. Yoonshin held onto Sehun's shoulders for balance. Then, so that their lips could fit into each other better, he tilted his head in the opposite direction to Sehun. Their silky skin pattered against each other several times. Sehun tasted both Yoonshin's upper and bottom lip.

Then, he slowly slipped in his tongue between the parting of the other's lips.

"Ngh, mmph...."

Their sultry flesh tangled, filling the gaps between the bumps and ridges of each other's tongues. Fluid saliva mingled with every tryst of their tongues.

Yoonshin's back clattered into the shutters of a store, closed for the night. He felt as though he would succumb to gravity, so he tugged Sehun's arms closer, pulling the older man into a darker and more private corner.

Sehun, making Yoonshin lean against the wall, continued to explore the younger man's glistening lips. Yoonshin wasn't used to being kissed like this—he struggled, feeling breathless. Even so, Sehun refused to let him go, charging voraciously at him repeatedly.

"Ngh, I can't...b-breath...!" Yoonshin clung to Sehun as he tapped at the older man, begging Sehun to let go. Sehun savored the softness of Yoonshin's lips, the titillating sensation of his tongue, and the irresistible sweetness of the young man before finally pulling away. Their faces remained close to each other.

Ragged sighs diffused upon each other's lips. Sehun pecked lightly at Yoonshin's chin, not wasting the time that they were apart.

"You'll drool, your mouth hanging open like that."

Yoonshin, who was catching his uneven breath, closed his mouth in shame. Then, he narrowed his eyes, shooting a glare at Sehun.

"Is diving headfirst your style? You're not going to profess your love before or anything? I need some time to prepare myself mentally, to do this with another man," Yoonshin protested.

Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's chin, not wanting to hear anymore. At the same time, a memory flashed in Yoonshin's head. A few months ago, in Sehun's office, Sehun had grabbed his chin, and his eyes searched Yoonshin's face. Yoonshin wondered if the older man felt a similar impulse back then. Sehun didn't seem to be pleased that Yoonshin was distracted with another thought. He growled, "My style is giving orders as a superior. Open your mouth."

Yoonshin obediently parted his lips. The other roughly pushed his tongue back into the dark and warm cavern of the younger man's mouth. Their flesh swept against each other like it was their first encounter.

Sehun made a mess out of the inside of Yoonshin's mouth. In reply, Yoonshin's arm, with nowhere else to go, clung to Sehun's neck eagerly.

Their deep, indulgent kiss, away from the eyes of others, stretched on and on into the darkest hour of the night.

As Sehun flipped through the pages of the documents, he felt an uncomfortable feeling from a foreign object on his finger. On his forefinger was a bandage with crocodiles. The moment Sehun got to work, Yoonshin barged into his office and changed the bandage on the burn he got the other night. Floating in the white background, the green crocodile's black eyes glinted as it opened its jaws at Sehun.

Sehun felt a bit funny as he stared at it, so he was about to take the bandage off when he heard a knock at his door.

"Yes, come in," he responded. The door opened, and Mihee poked her head in.

"Attorney Kang, do you have some time?" she asked.

Sehun stared at Mihee from his seat. She had two envelopes, one in each hand, and they were probably the reason for Mihee's visit. Both were probably very important.

"It depends on how much you need," Sehun replied.

"I only need a moment."

He gestured for her to come in. She closed the door behind her and sat on his office couch.

"Sehun, I heard you had a meeting with the representative of the business administration consultation in the morning."

"Yeah, I only had time today. But what's up? You're usually the busiest on Mondays."

"Just dropping by on the way. I heard that Secretary Tak picked up some pain medication at the infirmary throughout last week. Since Secretary Tak went himself, I figured that you were the culprit."

Sehun nodded, not feeling the need to hide that. Mihee put on a worried look. "You're healthy, so you don't need medication often. What happened? You have been like that since the dinner. Did something happen between you and Attorney Do? The atmosphere between you two was pretty intense."

"There's no reason anything would happen between me and Attorney Do. Stop being nosy, and let's talk about work. What are those in your hands?"

"Geez, I'm so done with you. Okay, here—two files for your review. Which do you want to open up first?" She raised both hands and waved the envelopes. The envelope in her left hand was very thin. The other envelope was relatively thicker, but it was still on the thin side.

Sehun pointed to the left with his chin. "That one."

"Mrs. Ikyung Do directly sent a letter of direction—here's her retainer agreement. You just need to sign it."

"Directly? To you?"

"Yeah, she sent it by courier to my house last night. I considered contacting you immediately, but it seemed too simple of a matter to bother you on your day off, so I'm handing it to you today."

Sehun finally stood up and approached the couch. He sat on the armrest and took the envelope that Mihee handed to him. He skimmed over the contents of the file, expressionlessly. However, he said in a somewhat subdued tone, "She wants an agent to sign off on purchases of overseas artwork."

"It's what she does as the art gallery director—manage works of art."

"Are you sure these are regular purchases? There's nobody in the industry who doesn't know that Soohan uses artwork for tax evasion. To my knowledge, there's a whole unit dedicated to that in their headquarters."

"Who knows? I guess you'll find out if you talk to her since there's a lot that can't be put to writing. She asked me to arrange a meeting with you. She has probably

wanted to meet you."

This confirmed all of Sehun's presumptions. He didn't understand why Ikyung Do would ask Doguk to act for her when there were people who specialized in this kind of work, making them more efficient and reliable.

"Isn't it weird? Why would she want me to do this?"

"Maybe she wants to ask you to take care of her brother. She specifically asked for you, and her compensation offer is massive. I have never seen that number offered to an individual lawyer before. There's separate compensation upon success as well."

Sehun glanced at Yoonshin's empty room and frowned. Mihee followed Sehun's eyes and observed the office on the other side before turning back to the man. Sehun was skimming through the file as if he had done nothing.

Perhaps he was trying to read beyond the letters printed on the surface of the paper. He concentrated until his brows furrowed deeply. Sehun then tossed the slightly crumpled envelope and its contents on the coffee table. The papers flew out and landed perfectly in front of Mihee.

"I won't take it," Sehun declared.

"The Do siblings are very close. Since Professor Do was quite busy, his sister practically raised him."

"He has long grown up, yet she's practically trying to bribe me at a parent-teacher conference. Wasn't it enough to stick him here? I only accepted him to settle my debt to you. To begin with, I'm not fit for babysitting, but if she's asking me to take responsibility for the child, I have no choice but to cut the deal. If you don't want to lose her business, give it to another partner, or give it to Fourth-year."

"Director Do said to give it to you, specifically."

"I'm not Soohan's pet dog. If the deal doesn't meet my standards, I would even send away Yoonshin Do's grandfather. Turn this one away."

Seeming that there was no way of convincing Sehun, Mihee stared into Sehun's eyes then asked, "Should I really turn it away? You're not even going to think about it?"

"Thinking is for people who have time to do that. If she truly wants to repay me, give me a big one instead of something trivial like this. We recently hired a tax accountant who was formerly the director of the National Tax Service, so maybe a tax case. Or international trade deals—our performance is quite good these days. My favorite, M&As, and international investments sound good. Anything like that where I get paid for doing real work, I'll consider. Next."

Mihee hid her disappointment—she knew that she would only make matters worse the more she pushed. To begin with, she expected this from Sehun. He already had plenty of money. He probably figured that he would be given a bigger and unknown burden if he bit this seemingly charitable bait.

"You'll have to do this one. This was the construction company matter that you've been interested in since last year."

This time, Mihee tossed the yellow envelope in her right hand and crossed her legs. Sehun read through the files carefully, and Mihee watched him, looking amused. Sehun always read texts very seriously. After a few minutes, she presumed that it was enough time for him to know the contents of the files and asked, "Does this stimulate your interest?"

Sehun didn't deny it. He looked up at her and said, "This is an offer to purchase. Is Youngjin Construction putting their company for sale then?"

"Overseas orders aren't coming in, and their domestic growth is stunted. Rumors were going around, but it's pretty much set in stone now. The places that were eyeing the company are going mad. Taesan Construction sniffed this out and wanted to purchase the company. They're asking us to set up the purchase. They gave a hard blow to Youngjin Construction to crash the price to the ground. Should I ask Secretary Tak to schedule a meeting with Taesan?"

"After I look through the documents more. The meeting comes after. I'll ask myself."

Mihee smiled in satisfaction and gathered the handful of papers that Sehun discarded back into its envelope. She was about to get up to leave. "Okay. Then I'll just let Taesan know that you'll most likely take the case. I'll think on Director Do's matter and deal with it. You'll get busy. Good luck."

"Attorney Song, wait." Sehun blocked Mihee by stretching out his hand as she was getting up. Mihee naturally sat back down. She could tell that Sehun had something more to say and stared intently at him.

"What's up with you, holding back a leaving person? It doesn't look like it'll be work-related," Mihee asked.

"About Yoonshin Do..." Sehun started.

When she heard Yoonshin's name, Mihee snapped her fingers as if she suddenly remembered. "Oh, right. I forgot to mention. Attorney Do is downstairs on my order. A client said that they were coming in, and I was supposed to meet them. The conference room, interview room, and consultation room were all being used and the VVIP room wasn't available, so he's in the cafe on the first floor. Sorry for using your associate."

"Client? I didn't give him a new case. I was just about to include him in one of my cases."

"See, he's a personal client. My mom's friend's youngest son got into an accident. I couldn't think of anyone but Attorney Do to take this case. It's an impaired driving accident, and he hit someone at the scene. He was driving slowly, and the accident wasn't too big. But the victim is..."

Sehun, who was listening intently so far, could grasp what the situation was about and knit his brow. If she could only come up with Yoonshin, then it was a case that only he could do.

"An elderly person, pregnant woman, disabled person, or a minor. Which one?" Sehun asked.

"A minor," Mihee replied.

As Sehun mused on the answer, Mihee added, "Plus, he was charged with a hit-and-run. He did return to the scene of the accident shortly after, but he did initially flee the scene. If Attorney Do agrees to take it, I was thinking of making it pro bono."

"He'll need to settle. Money is probably more important than an apology. This kind of thing suits him."

"Well, it's not a tricky case, so I'm sure he can also do the work you give him."

"I understand. That's that, but anyway, about Yoonshin Do..." Sehun glanced at Yoonshin's room again, but there was a different glint to his eyes. Mihee's face also grew complex, unable to grasp why Sehun was peeking at the empty office. Sehun could feel that Mihee was getting a kick out of this, so he frowned in discomfort. "Have you, by any chance, heard anything about him getting married?"

"Attorney Do said that he didn't have a girlfriend when I interviewed him. Why?"

"I think his sister played matchmaker for him not too long ago."

Mihee was perplexed—everything Sehun said was so out of the blue. "This is the first I heard of it... Is Attorney Do getting married?"

"He met a prospective partner."

"I guess he's around the age when he would get offered those. His previous affiliation was the only thing that left much to be desired, but now that he's in a decent firm... Wait. Why do you care about that? Did you guys actually—"

"I told you you're wrong. I just need to know more about him, that's all," Sehun said.

Mihee hummed, trying to pull out as much information from the depths of her brain. Her forehead creased in concentration, and she pursed her lips. However, nothing big seemed to come up.

Sehun asked Mihee only because Yoonshin's skepticism about his blind date bothered him. Sehun waved his hand, having not expected too much from the beginning. "If you don't know anything, it's fine."

"Yeah, I don't know anything about Attorney Do getting married, but..." Mihee said, trailing off.

"But?"

"Speaking of marriage, there's a rumor that there's friction between Ikyung Do and her husband."

Most marriages between wealthy families had some sort of deal between them. However, Ikyung and her husband were one of the few cases where they got married out of love and were treated as an anomaly. The general public paid more attention to their activities for that reason. Perhaps that was why, but even before their wedding bells rang far and wide, several groundless rumors were floating around. Sehun, who knew all of that, wasn't very reactive.

"Aren't there always weird rumors about that family? Nothing big has happened for 10 years since they got married," Sehun said blandly.

Mihee waved her hand. "It's a bit different this time. Attorney Do's brother-in-law—no, Soohan Holding's Director Jeongwon Yoo said himself that it's hard for him to handle his wife."

Upon hearing this new information, Sehun frowned. "Hard to handle... He says that as if he's a victim. Either he is a real victim, or he wants to become one."

"It's weird, isn't it? Director Yoo met a good wife, so he's being presented as a decent human being, but we both know that deep down to the core, he's an elitist bully."

"Don't they have two children?"

"Two sons. Neither of them is elementary school age. I don't think things will turn too sour. They have the kids, they're young, and Ikyung is particularly clever and meticulous, so I don't think she'll act rashly. It's just that since Attorney Do is at our firm, I just can't ignore gossip about that family. You should keep it in mind."

"I will. Okay, you're free to leave," Sehun said.

Mihee patted Sehun's shoulder in encouragement and left his office. When the door closed, Sehun, who was perching on the armrest all along, leaned against his plush sofa. He sat as still as water while his thoughts ran wildly. The strong rays of sun smeared into the office.

Sehun closed the blinds to the outside windows first before dialing an extension on his office phone.

Secretary Tak picked up instantly. "Yes, Attorney Kang."

"Just a moment ago, Senior Attorney Song brought some paperwork for a new file. It's from Taesan Construction about acquiring Youngjin Construction, so make the seniors in the team scrape up some reference material. Also, there'll be a pro bono that Attorney Song assigned to Yoonshin Do. Once he comes up, he'll bring documents from the client. Make a copy for me too," Sehun instructed.

"Understood. Oh, is your headache all right now? You had it all last week. If not for Attorney Do, I wouldn't have known that you were having headaches."

The one who triggered his vertigo of thoughts and prickling pain was Yoonshin. Sehun thought back to the deep kiss they shared the other night and pressed his bottom lip with his finger. The soft sensation of something covering his smooth lips was still vivid as if it had just happened moments ago. The memories of it revived every time he stroked his lips.

He felt blood pooling into his heart and frowned, making his reply delayed. "It's much better. You don't need to worry about it."

"Then I'll just hand over the documents when they're ready. Is there anything else?"

"No, thank you."

Upon hanging up, Sehun surrendered his back to his sofa. Perhaps it was because of the new information that Mihee left. He inevitably recalled when he bumped into Yoonshin in the second-floor library.

Back then, Yoonshin had divorce precedents in his arms. Naturally, he also thought back to when the younger man cried after meeting his sister, his disconcertedness since then, and the anxiety and bitterness festering in Yoonshin's eyes. Sehun felt the pieces to the puzzle were slowly coming together.

"I'm at a cul-de-sac," Yoonshin had said.

Would he use such a dramatic phrase if his sister's family circumstances weren't that serious? If Yoonshin's sister were getting a divorce, the societal rebound would be inevitable, given that the other party was the son of a conglomerate family and because they built an image of a loving couple to the public. But as long as Sehun remained a third party, he could separate himself from the issue upon the onset of pain and suffering.

Ultimately, there were two possibilities. Either Yoonshin was bold but he was helplessly feeble in mental fortitude and morality, or there was another serious issue behind the curtains.

Sehun threw his head back against the couch and looked around his tidy office before closing his eyes.

At the café on the first floor of the firm's building, Yoonshin sat across from the client and was thoroughly looking through the evidence. He came down at Mihee's earnest request, but he wasn't feeling up for this matter.

Sehun often compared their work to shopping. Legal work was a type of service industry. It was easy to think that the customers had absolute power, but that wasn't the case. If the seller didn't want to sell their services, that was that. Matters like this were a type that Yoonshin would never have taken if he were still employed elsewhere.

Honestly, Yoonshin was overcome with the impulse to get up and leave this meeting. He flipped through the papers and then locked eyes with the man in front of him.

"I was just briefed on this as I was coming down. I haven't gotten the chance to properly review the details. So, hmm... You were driving under the influence, hit a child on the road, then fled. You left the child behind. You also tampered with the scene of the accident."

Perhaps Yoonshin sounded dour as the man quietly gave his excuse. "I was just so shocked, and it was dark... But I did go back and report the accident. I have the transcript of my call."

The man flipped the documents for Yoonshin to a page near the back of the package. Yoonshin focused his attention on the paper. The transcript of the recorded phone conversation with the 911 dispatcher was printed. The client must have genuinely been shocked because he was all over the place, and the dispatcher had to repeat questions several times.

"What about CCTV surveillance? Why is that not in the list of evidence? There are usually a few cameras around," Yoonshin asked pointedly.

"It was a national highway on the outskirts of Gyeonggi province. The police said that there were none because it was such a remote location."

"Okay. Then, do you have pictures or videos of the scene of the accident?"

"I didn't think to take any myself, but I do have my car's dashcam. Here—I came here to deliver the original. According to Attorney Song, it won't be all that favorable to me."

Yoonshin dropped the memory card in the file folder. Then, he flipped through the documents again. He snapped a picture of the witness' name and contact information and the contact information of the complainant child's mother.

"This witness saw you flee, right?"

"Yes, and they also saw me coming back to the accident."

"You did well to get the name and contact information of the witness," Yoonshin told the client.

Yoonshin pulled out the picture of the child in between the files and stared at it. "So, it'll take eight weeks for the patient to fully recover... He fractured his bones. His condition isn't great."

"Since he's young, I only bumped into him slightly, but his bone snapped quite easily," the client added.

Once he heard that, Yoonshin glared coldly at the man. "Did you also say that in front of the child's parents? That their child's bones probably broke easily because he's a child?"

"No, I'm just stating the truth," the client said.

"You are clearly at fault here. Your blood alcohol level was on the low side, but you still consumed alcohol, and you did enough things to be mistaken for a hit-and-run. The moment you drove away, you lost their trust. Motor vehicle accidents are personal in nature, so the best you can do is opt for settlement. You can't have that attitude, even more so when apologizing wouldn't be enough."

Settlement for prosecution cases couldn't be solved purely by money, unlike civil suits. It needed more care and attention. Just a year ago, Yoonshin would have been consoling the parents as the child's representative. Attorney Song knew this, so instead of asking other lawyers or taking this herself, she offered it to Yoonshin.

"I'm upset about a few things too. I didn't drink that much, and I was driving slowly. Also, I went back, I personally reported the accident, and I tried to help the kid."

"The parents of an injured child won't see or hear that. Don't feel upset. Someone was hurt because of your mistake. A child has a long future ahead, yet his body was damaged."

"I'll give them however much they want, within reason. I think this kid's house isn't very well off," the client offered.

Yoonshin seethed silently. Not catching on, the man added, "Tell them I'll give them double the amount they have in mind. There's nobody who doesn't like money."

However, Yoonshin was still quiet.

"Mr. Attorney?" the client asked tentatively.

As long as Yoonshin was bound to this law firm, he already learned from Sehun that he couldn't always take on clients with clean hands. When he finally got a handle on his feelings after recalling the older man's low voice, he replied, "Anyway, I'll try to meet with the other party. They might want an apology from you. If you ever have to meet with the family of the complainant, just do as I tell you. Let them get angry at you and let them hit you if they want to. Let them pull your hair out. They'll be able to calm down then and maybe consider your position."

"Do I need to go that far?" the man asked nervously.

"You drove under the influence of alcohol and committed a hit-and-run, but you weren't expecting to do that much? Also, just know that I'm going to calculate the settlement amount considering the long-term effects of the accident."

"O-okay. I'm fine with anything, so just help me deal with this as cleanly as possible. I'm destined for big things."

"Something big—I think you've already done that," Yoonshin muttered.

"Sorry?"

"I'll do my best."

After gazing at the man's face for a moment, Yoonshin repressed his heavy sigh. Then, he pushed forward the retainer agreement for the man to sign.

Yoonshin, swaddling the documents in his arms, called someone at the window of his office floor. Perhaps it was because it was from an unknown caller, but the call's recipient didn't pick up after several rings. When they finally received the call, Yoonshin looked relieved and carefully introduced himself. "Hello, ma'am. I'm Yoonshin Do from Doguk Law. I represent the accused in the recent car accident. I called to ask if you could meet with me sometime soon."

After listening carefully to the response of the other side, Yoonshin replied, "No way. I'm not calling to settle immediately. Your child's recovery is first. Is he all right? He got a fracture when he's not fully developed, so I was really worried."

Yoonshin wedged his phone between his ear and shoulder and awkwardly reached out. He managed to open the creaky window, and the winter wind, as if it were waiting for a chance, blew into this face.

"Of course. I won't bring any documents. Yes, I'm also fine with today. Oh... Then what time should I go? Thank you. I'll let you know before I leave my office. Okay, I will see you then. Take care."

After courteously ending his call,Yoonshin silently gazed out the half-open window. He filled his lungs with fresh air before closing the window with unwilling hands and went about his day.

He mindlessly walked down the hallway, reaching the secretaries' office in no time. Secretary Tak greeted him, at the ready, and stretched out his hands. "Attorney Do, you can give all your documents to me. I'll copy them and return them to you."

Yoonshin obliged, handing over the documents. Trying to disguise his exhaustion, he added, "The memory card for the dashcam is also there—please copy that as well. Could you keep the retainer agreement in storage? And could you look into the backgrounds of the complainant child's parents? I want to know if there is anything in their academic, personal, or familial backgrounds I can use."

"I'll do that," Secretary Tak replied.

"Thank you."

The photocopier started whirring, and Yoonshin leaned his arm on the partition of the office desks. His eyes naturally turned to Sehun's office. The owner of the room was no different from usual.

Sehun, in his perfect attire and posture, focused on his work with a serious face as he rolled his pen in his hand. He looked flawless. Yoonshin was in awe of the perfection of Sehun, unattainable but for his extraordinary combination of genes.

Yoonshin propped his chin with one arm and stared at Sehun. But then, Yoonshin's eyelashes fluttered with a twitch.

‘Are we going out with each other?' he wondered. He leaned further into his hand and narrowed his eyes. 'Or maybe we're not yet?'

They kissed, but Sehun didn't profess his feelings or officially ask him out. To be fair, Yoonshin, who wasn't sure of his feelings yet, didn't either. They weren't children—as adults with the capacity to consent, they could start with a purely physical relationship. All the possibilities were open.

‘Does he even like me?' Yoonshin wanted to know what Sehun thought about him, but he couldn't bring himself to ask, not wanting to add to the already negative impression he gave to Sehun.

‘How do I make him ask me out on a date?' he continued to wonder.

Yoonshin wasn't sure if Sehun Kang was the type of person who could have a passionate romance. Before that, he wasn't even sure if Sehun had the time for any romance at all. For the past few months, Yoonshin saw the other man every day at work, but they had no time to truly get to know each other. They merely observed one another from their offices. Their relationship to each other was formed solely through each other's opinions that were far from the truth.

However, there was one thing for certain. Regardless of who Sehun was as a person and regardless of his feelings, Yoonshin was instinctively attracted to Sehun. Perhaps it was because they were such polar opposites.

Yoonshin didn't enjoy fighting. He became a lawyer simply because he liked untangling problems. Rather than accruing conflict with someone completely different in personality, Yoonshin typically smiled and avoided the other person. He didn't usually chase after others like how he followed Sehun.

The discomfort that Yoonshin always felt around Sehun could have been Yoonshin's animalistic instinct that his feelings could grow in an unimaginable direction.

‘Strangely, I feel like I can rely on you,' Yoonshin said to Sehun in his heart.

Knowing Sehun, he would probably remain aloof, unchanged, and unmoving. He would be difficult and arrogant as ever, yet he would listen to Yoonshin once in a while and give him hints.

Yoonshin's lips trembled, attempting unsuccessfully to suppress a smile as he analyzed Sehun's detailed and refined face. Yoonshin's eyes landed on Sehun biting his red, bottom lip, seemingly frustrated by hitting a block.

Yesterday was the first time he kissed a man. Instead of hating it or feeling repulsed, it was exhilarating.

Upon coming to that thought, a blush stained Yoonshin's cheeks.

At that moment, Secretary Tak finished copying the files and was returning to Yoonshin with the originals and the copies. "Here you go, Attorney Do."

Yoonshin took the papers and leaned in, whispering, "Thank you. Right, did Attorney Kang say anything about any work that he'll assign me? I looked through all the team's matters, but he told me to attend the case meeting for only the ones that he directed me to. He told me to wait, but I can't help but feel a bit impatient."

"Oh, actually, he had some instructions for you this morning. I think you'll be taking on a new matter. Attorney Kang said he's probably going to take an acquisition case."

"Acquisition? Who's selling what?"

"Youngjin Construction is being acquired. Taesan Construction heard the word that Youngjin was finally going to sell and wanted to buy the business. Taesan asked us to frame the circumstances as naturally as possible. Senior Attorney Kang is quite good at designing these. Since it's an M&A of a publicly listed company, he needs a lot of specialists, so he's choosing the members of this project from other teams as well."

"Members? Our team isn't taking it?"

Secretary Tak shook his head at the absurd question. "These things need a lot of specialized knowledge. It'll be so large-scale that even if our entire team went at it, we wouldn't be able to handle it.

There's a mountain of taxation and financial issues like acquisition tax, transfer tax, registration fees, and all sorts of other things. It's better to pick people from different departments."

"I guess it's a special team of sorts then?"

"Yes. He usually does M&As like that. Sometimes, we do it with other law firms. That's where you're involved. Your specialty is in labor law, right? I'll send you the documents by email soon."

The work Yoonshin was doing so far was all from Sehun's individual file load or smaller matters involving a few lawyers, so a large-scale collaboration was new to him. Yoonshin felt like he finally was a part of Doguk. He met Secretary Tak's eyes with anticipation and worry. Yoonshin thought he might as well ask, "I'm just asking snce I feel like you might know well, but December 31—do you know what that day is?"

"December 31? That's the year-end. It's not a weekend this year, so it's not a holiday," Secretary Tak replied.

Yoonshin pressed harder. "I saw it marked with an X in Senior Attorney Kang's desk calendar. It didn't seem like a birthday. Is it the anniversary of his first trial date? Or his parent's date of passing?"

"Ohhh, Senior Attorney Kang. Not as far as I know. It's just a vacation day."

Yoonshin's eyes grew round, unable to comprehend immediately. "So you're saying that he marked a simple vacation day in advance like that?"

"Mmm, well, to be honest, I'm not very sure. He takes that day off every year no matter what. I don't know anything more than that. Maybe he plans on resting thoroughly after a year of hard work and in preparation for the next year."

"So there are things that you don't know, huh?"

"Yeah, right? I can't tell you anything more than that. Honestly, I only talk about work with him. Senior Attorney Song is closer to him on a personal level, so you could ask her."

There was no reason for Yoonshin to loiter any longer. He thanked the secretary for his tips and shook the papers in his hands before returning to his office. Then, feeling reluctant to go back to his office, Yoonshin changed directions. He knocked on Sehun's door and heard a subdued, "Yes?"

Yoonshin very politely opened the door and poked his head in. When his visitor didn't say anything, Sehun raised his head from his documents. Then, the partner lawyer leaned back in his chair, making it squeak.

"Great. Just keep hanging on the doorframe. It's exactly like your life," Sehun commented snarkily.

"Are you calling me ambiguous?"

"Why? Are you offended?"

"Honestly, yes."

While the other was laughing hollowly, Yoonshin came into the room and closed the door behind him, then he walked toward Sehun's desk. With his own documents in his arms, he stood next to Sehun and peeked at the documents Sehun was reading. The older man crossed his arms and legs haughtily and stared intently at Yoonshin.

"If you entered my space, state your business first. Don't steal anything."

"Who stole anything?"

"You don't like stealing things?"

Yoonshin winced at Sehun's comment, fraught with meaning. His cheeks grew faintly pink. It almost sounded as if Sehun knew that Yoonshin had snuck into this office before. He thought he should come clean, yet he didn't want to wipe away the gentle expression Sehun had, testing his honesty.

"So, Senior Attorney," Yoonshin started to say, wanting to confess his wrongdoings after contemplation.

However, Sehun cut off this topic immediately, "What were you going to say? You've interrupted me, so you need to tell me something of equivalent importance."

It was the first time Yoonshin met anyone who was so well-suited for high-handed words. Frankly speaking, Yoonshin got a similar impression from his brother-in-law back in the day. However, if his brother-in-law's arrogance was from the power he held since the day he was born, Sehun's was from confidence born from his efforts. Yoonshin couldn't say there were rights and wrongs to arrogance, but in his eyes, Sehun's attitude was a lot more justified.

Yoonshin took his eyes off the documents and stared at Sehun. Sehun ended up staring just as intently back, whether from the enjoyment of Yoonshin's gaze or discomfort. They were exchanging looks wordlessly, but Yoonshin couldn't understand why he was starting to feel shy. Eventually, Yoonshin raised the white flag first. "I'm going to get off work early to go to the hospital today."

Once he brought up the main point, dropping all the context, Sehun's brows creased slightly. Are you the ill one or someone else?"

"If I'm sick, would you be worried?" Yoonshin answered with another question.

"So, it's someone else."

Yoonshin's shallow attempt was seen through. He leered at the other man. "Why didn't this work on you?"

"My class is different from yours."

Yoonshin couldn't deny that, so the best he could do was change the topic. "Well, you didn't bring it up first, so I'll be the one asking again. Do you want to meet me tonight? I'll buy you coffee."

"Who do you think you are to ask if I want to meet you?"

Yoonshin carefully reviewed what he said for any problem. He asked again, less certain, "Could you... meet with me, please?"

"I'm busy." After the terse answer, Sehun resumed concentrating on his work.

Taken aback, Yoonshin placed his documents on the desk and slammed his hands on the desk, bringing the attention back to him.

The man who said he didn't like gluttons voraciously made out with him last night like a starved person. By virtue of that, Yoonshin felt like he could still feel the other man's tongue inside his mouth. Numbness filled his mouth. He was left with only a slippery sensation after the bumpy papillae of his tongue were rubbed out by repeatedly being crushed against another.

Chapter 7

Sehun, the cause of Yoonshin's outburst, casually played dumb.

"Did you know that you excel at making people want to lash out?" Yoonshin snarled.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Sehun replied coolly.

"Are you planning not to meet me? Are we not going on any dates whatsoever?"

"Why should I go on a date with you?"

"Wow..." Yoonshin exclaimed, struck dumb when he heard exactly what he expected. Sehun had a point though. Their relationship wasn't clear enough to be a sufficient reason for needing to go on a date together.

Last night, Yoonshin felt a thin wire now connected them, allowing a small current of emotive electricity. They had yet to share any deep conversations, and Yoonshin's feelings toward Sehun might not be that big. However, something that cropped up into existence couldn't simply be undone and vanish.

"Do you hate talking to me by any chance?" Yoonshin asked.

"No, I like to," Sehun replied.

"..."

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"No."

"You looked like you did just a moment ago when you exclaimed, `Wow...'"

"I said I don't have a problem."

The word "like."

Yoonshin's lips stuck together in a rigid line as he had never dreamed that the word would come from Sehun's mouth. His face was probably burning up. His thoughts completely froze solid like a water pipe in the winter, so he couldn't come up with an appropriate response in time. While he struggled to hide his astonishment, Sehun waggled his finger at the remote control on the coffee table.

"Fourth-year, close the blinds, lock the door, and come here," he ordered.

Yoonshin wanted to deliberately act difficult just like Sehun sometimes did, but before he knew it, he had walked over to the table and picked up the remote. Before Yoonshin lowered the blinds, he checked the hallway in case anyone noticed anything strange. Thankfully, all the employees were focused on their work and weren't paying attention to Sehun's office.

Upon confirming, Yoonshin locked the door and closed the blinds. He felt the presence of another person from behind him.

It was Sehun.

At some point, Sehun had approached Yoonshin and hugged him from behind. Then, he angled his head slightly to gently kiss Yoonshin's neck. Yoonshin leaned his head against Sehun's shoulder and stretched his arms behind him to pull Sehun closer.

Sehun was the one who instructed Yoonshin to come over after he was done locking the door, yet the older lawyer couldn't wait, pressing his body against Yoonshin. Yoonshin felt the impatience in Sehun's actions, and he felt flattered about it. Even so, he hadn't heard from Sehun how he truly felt about Yoonshin, so he still felt like he was getting the short end of the stick.

"I want to see your face," Yoonshin said breathlessly, wanting to turn his head. Sehun grabbed Yoonshin by the back of his neck and forced him to turn his way. Sehun's fingers brushed teasingly inside his shirt collar. Where Sehun touched, Yoonshin's skin flared up.

Flustered, Yoonshin tried to repress his excitement when he heard Sehun's low, melodious voice vibrating in his eardrums, "Who do you think will say it first?"

Sehun dropped all the context, but Yoonshin knew exactly what he meant. Sehun was talking about who would say he liked the other or express a deeper sort of emotion first. They had already kissed, yet Sehun was still trying to feel out and measure the other. It was just like Sehun to do that.

Yoonshin, who was getting doubly uneasy, asked, "So... Are we actually going out with each other? I think you need to make that clear before I can answer your question."

Sehun's eyebrows scrunched together, baffled as to why Yoonshin would ask that so suddenly. "I didn't ask you?"

"No, you didn't."

"Then, you can ask. I'll consider it heard."

"I didn't ask you either, though?"

"That's why I'll consider it heard. I get it. You want to go out with me."

The desire to refute brimmed to the tip of his tongue, but Yoonshin couldn't since it was the truth. Sehun was right. Yoonshin wanted to define their relationship, preferably in the direction that Sehun mentioned.

Sehun must have led Yoonshin to bring it up first. Yoonshin ended up asking Sehun out first, and Sehun accepted it. Yoonshin tried to hide being upset about playing into Sehun's hand and declared indignantly, "Never in a million years will I like you first."

"Say that again, enunciating every word."

Yoonshin's declaration must have struck a nerve. Sehun's pristine face became stiff as a rock. Yoonshin glanced from the side and winced, but Sehun pushed harder against Yoonshin.

"I won't like—urk!" Yoonshin yelped.

A chilling voice pricked his eardrums. "Earlier, you said that you would never sleep with me. Do you remember that?"

Yoonshin had said that when they ate lunch together for the first time. At that time, he simply used it as a metaphor to express his intent that he wouldn't slip away from Doguk.

"Of course, I do. But what I meant that time was—!"

"You have a lot of things you'll never do with me, don't you? Does that mean we're going out, but we don't like each other yet?"

To confront someone like Sehun, who considered all the possibilities to ultimately incapacitate the opposing party, Yoonshin knew that the weight of his feelings had to be lighter than Sehun's. Moreover, Yoonshin needed to learn how to effectively utilize his relationship with Sehun. If the balance of emotions leaned further to one side, Yoonshin could get swept along in Sehun's pace and be fettered up slowly but surely. Yoonshin didn't want to ruin his situation like that.

"You'll be the one to tell me that you like me first," Yoonshin said with conviction.

"I'll return those words to you. I'm very competitive. You will say it first," Sehun proclaimed flatly, and then he yanked Yoonshin's head by his hairs. He angled Yoonshin's head toward him. In pain, Yoonshin took deep breaths as he turned his head.

At the same time, the older man's eyes glinted guilefully as he leaned in to kiss Yoonshin.

"Ngh! Mmmm."

Their tongues roused a fierce battle in the depths of their mouths, tangling with each other. Sparks seemed to fly in the air as their flesh overlapped.

A sultry atmosphere hung above the two. Their power struggle continued as they pressed onto each other, silently sinking—or perhaps floating to the surface—together.

Yoonshin pulled in the other's hips firmly. He moved around, matching Sehun's movements, and their kiss grew deeper.

Yoonshin already knew that the picky and haughty Sehun Kang wasn't an easy match as his boss and as a lover. There was no turning back.

If one was caught in the rain without an umbrella, one would have to brave through it.

Night had already fallen. The sky grew dark past the evening hours. Cars scuttled busily outside the hospital. The constant influx of cars caused a hubbub, but the energy of the crowd wasn't necessarily lively—rather, it was the opposite.

The temperature drops throughout the day were drastic, chilling the nighttime air. Thoroughly feeling the approach of winter, Yoonshin came out from the inpatient exit. He pulled his jacket closed and perched on the bench in front of the flowerbed.

He sighed, staring blankly at the fog from his mouth, before he called his client. "It's Yoonshin Do from Doguk."

"Mr. Do? You said you were going to the hospital. How did it go?" his client answered.

"I just came out from the hospital. I called to let you know a few things. Are you free to chat right now?"

Once he met with the parents of the victim, Yoonshin saw a faint sign that this could be solved well. He could tell from when the parents first allowed his visitation that they weren't going to be nasty or coldhearted. So, Yoonshin aimed to get friendly with them and searched for a connection.

Thankfully, the mother attended the same elementary school as Yoonshin's younger cousin. In addition, Yoonshin remembered visiting the school when he was younger. They broke the ice while chatting about inane topics such as the small size of the school's field.

Yoonshin was always good at engaging with people like that. He had seen his father and his sister using those skills as well.

"Yes, I have time. You told them I'd give them a lot of money, right?" the other man on the line replied.

Yoonshin grumbled internally that it wasn't always about money.

Yoonshin bit his lip, enraged at the superficial reply, but instead said, "Before that, you'll need to apologize to them in person, sincerely."

"Of course, I would happily do that, if they allow me to. I can go to apologize properly."

"It's great that you're willing to do that. As you mentioned, I think it would be good if you gave them a decent settlement. There's no precise standard, but usually, we calculate the sum per week of recovery time. There is a lot of room for variation. Considering all the circumstances and the hospital costs, I came up with $23,800."

"How about just rounding it up to 25,000?"

"The child's parents would likely be agreeable to that offer. Your sincerity is more important than the amount."

"Well, money equates to sincerity. If it's not enough, you can use more."

Having the client be so willing to spend money was a good thing. Yoonshin gripped his phone tighter and quietly stood from the bench. "Then I'll recalculate with that in consideration. You will need to come to the hospital to apologize. The child's parents want me to visit with you, so let's arrange a date that works. I'll get all the paperwork straight and contact you soon."

"Okay, I'll be looking forward to your call. Thank you for your efforts."

After ending the call, Yoonshin was about to head to hail a cab. He didn't bring his car, so he needed to use some other method of transportation. He lined up at the end of the long taxi line, then he stared at his call history. On the bottom of his screen was the evidence of his call to Sehun the other day.

‘Does that mean we won't see each other today after all?' Yoonshin thought.

In the end, Sehun never replied to Yoonshin's request to meet after work. They kissed again, but Sehun didn't retract his question of why they needed to go on a date.

Of course, he could call Sehun first. However, he didn't want to try to flirt immediately after declaring that he wouldn't say he liked him first. He didn't want to appear desperate.

He tapped on Sehun's name, hiding his disappointment, and tucked his phone in his jacket pocket. He took one step forward, following the person in front of him.

It was then.

Beep beeep. There was a loud honking from the parking lot to Yoonshin's right. Everyone in line turned their heads toward the source of the honk. Yoonshin followed the sound as well. The source of the honk was from a luxurious sedan parked in the lot.

Then, the window to the driver seat silently rolled down and Sehun's face appeared from it, his hands on the handle. Perhaps because of his handsome face, a wave of murmurs swept through the crowd.

"Attorney Kang?" Surprised, Yoonshin made his way through the crowd and ran to Sehun's car. He stood in front of the window and looked at Sehun, preventing the general public from seeing the older man. "What brought you here?"

"Is your hand broken?" Sehun asked, out of the blue.

Yoonshin looked down at both hands and shook his head. Perhaps Sehun was asking backhandedly why Yoonshin didn't call, but that didn't seem to be the case. They never promised to meet, so Yoonshin was quite pleasantly surprised to see Sehun. Yoonshin wasn't sure whether he felt happy to see Sehun because he simply liked Sehun as a person or because of something deeper than that. In any case, he was glad.

"No, I'm fine," Yoonshin replied.

"Good. I can't get out and open the door for you. It's cringy and embarrassing. Get in."

"Do you always have to say things that way? You could have just told me to get in."

"I keep wanting to tease you because it's amusing that you react every time. Quit yapping and get in."

Consciously repressing his pink lips from jutting out, Yoonshin ran to the passenger's side. While Yoonshin got in and stared at Sehun's profile, Sehun rolled up his window and leaned toward the younger man.

Yoonshin knew that nobody would care to stare into the car, but there were still a lot of people around. Regardless, it seemed like Sehun wanted to lean in for a kiss.

Feeling that this was wrong, Yoonshin carefully wrapped his hand around Sehun's wrist.

"Here is a bit..." Yoonshin refused the older man's advances. Sehun narrowed his eyes, then he pulled Yoonshin's belt with his free hand, securely buckling him in. He twisted his arm away from Yoonshin's grip.

When Sehun's hands were both back on the steering wheel, Yoonshin finally grasped the situation. He had misinterpreted the older man's actions. He whipped his head away in mortification. His pale reflection in the window was enough to clearly show how embarrassed he was.

Witnessing Yoonshin's reaction, Sehun tightened his grip on the wheel. He bit his bottom lip, holding back the laughter threatening to explode before letting out an airy sigh, and drove out of the hospital lot. Yoonshin looked a bit relieved; he was worried that Sehun would snicker sarcastically.

They drove like that for quite the distance.

Yoonshin had been merely blinking and breathing as he recovered from his embarrassment. When he recovered somewhat, he mustered up his courage and peeked at Sehun. "Why did you come here?"

"To take you as a hostage."

"What were you hoping to achieve by holding me as your hostage?"

"I don't know. I'm still thinking. Secretary Tak said that you didn't bring your car, so I just dropped by on my way. I was getting off work anyways, and we happened to live in the same building."

"You came to pick me up? You couldn't have known when my meeting would end."

"I just figured you would stay until the end of the visitation hours. It was obvious, knowing you."

He felt like he was in the palm of Sehun's hand. Frankly speaking, Yoonshin already knew that. Yoonshin had nothing to refute, so he changed the subject. "Did you have dinner?"

Sehun was rather nice about responding to his inane question. "Yep. I ate with a client. You?"

"I just grabbed a bite to eat with the kid's parents. But why do I feel like our conversation is going too smoothly? You have a champion-level certificate in sarcasm and snide remarks. Its awkward when you're nice."

Baffled, Sehun finally looked at Yoonshin. "Why are you complaining when I'm treating you decently?"

"Then would you reflect on your usually cold and irritable attitude...?"

"No!"

"I thought you didn't want to be disturbed while you traveled between work and home because you considered it your personal time."

"I still don't like it." Sehun didn't respond that way to make Yoonshin feel bad on purpose. He truly looked and sounded like he was being disturbed on a personal level. Before, Yoonshin was fine when Sehun was cold to him, but now he felt a bit hurt. He felt upset even though he knew that Sehun was merely being honest. Yoonshin was rarely hurt by people, so this was new for him.

Yoonshin's confidence to continue the conversation was depleted. Right before silence settled in the car, Sehun added, sounding somewhat restrained, "You're tolerable."

Yoonshin's shoulders jumped up. This didn't simply mean that Yoonshin was the only exception. Sehun's life was still rolling on as usual, but it meant that now, Yoonshin was a part of it. Sehun permitted this deviation to happen. Yoonshin had heard that one couldn't react when one was too surprised, and this was exactly how he felt right now. Sehun must have known as well; he continued in an even and low voice, "I know what light you see me in. You think I excel at measuring, nitpicking, and hurting others, and that may as well all be true. But the moment I decide on something, I won't renege on my words. We've already gone beyond the boundaries of coworkers. Regardless of what you think of me, I know that this is what I wanted to do."

Entranced, Yoonshin stared at Sehun's side profile. When Sehun looked like he was about to turn his head around, Yoonshin quickly looked down at his knees. He glared lasers at the swell of his kneecaps, jutting out from under his pants. When the older man's eyes turned back to the road, he resumed stealing glances at Sehun's profile. The older man felt his gaze and calmly said, "I'm not used to having a significant other in my life. I've never been with another person. The first time anyone asked me to stay by their side was at a funeral when a certain someone asked me."

This was surely about Yoonshin. Yoonshin wavered to jump in, and in that moment of hesitation, Sehun said, "You're standing at a transition point right now. If you continue to stand there, you'll probably also be swept away by the storm with me."

It sounded like a warning that Sehun might hurt Yoonshin, and both might get exhausted with one another. It also doubled as advice, telling Yoonshin to turn back now if he wasn't confident.

Was he telling Yoonshin long-windedly that he wasn't good at creating significant relationships because he was a lawyer, or because he was scared on the inside?

Perhaps, as Yoonshin had guessed, Sehun could also be a coward.

Yoonshin said, "We didn't even start anything, and you're trying to scare me off. But I'm different from you."

"You're right. In your life, you probably always had someone around. If you prefer to be with me rather than other people this time as well, I think you're tolerable, so you can interrupt my time."

“…”

"Ask away if you're still curious."

It sounded like a sign that he would answer any question as sincerely and honestly as possible. Sehun had suddenly set up the situation in favor of Yoonshin so unexpectedly that Yoonshin's head turned blank—he wasn't sure what to ask first. He breathed in deeply, then he warily asked, "This is a date, right? You came to pick me up when I didn't even ask you to. Am I right?"

"The one who discussed their after-work schedule first should be the one who knows best," Sehun replied.

"You can only answer yes or no."

Instead of a retort, Sehun chuckled. His grin was so refreshing that it was hard to associate it with Sehun. This was the same man as yesterday, yet he was slightly different. He looked like he was enjoying spending time with Yoonshin—enough so that Yoonshin could be certain of his convictions.

Then, the other man checked his watch and said, "It's an awkward time to go anywhere."

"Yes? Or no?" Yoonshin pressed on.

Sehun shook his head, shooting Yoonshin a look wondering why he was being so childish. Yoonshin, feeling a bit pricked in his conscience, took a step back. "Then, buy me coffee in front of our building."

"All right."

"Did you come here because you missed me?"

Sehun fell silent as he changed lanes. His lips pressed together and apart in hesitation. As Yoonshin felt the urge to press his finger to feel the temperature of those lips, Sehun suddenly yanked the younger man's tie.

"Urgh..." Yoonshin groaned.

The younger man's head was yanked toward the driver's seat, and his eyes grew round, slow to process the situation. Sehun was in the middle of driving, so Yoonshin couldn't struggle freely in fear of endangering them both. As he stayed still for a moment, Sehun leaned into his lips as soon as they were stopped at a traffic light.

Sehun's lips compressed onto Yoonshin's in a gelatinous, bouncy kiss.

Surprised, Yoonshin wiped his lips without thinking. Upset, the older man leaned in for a deeper kiss. The tip of his tongue glided in between Yoonshin's lips, tapping the younger's even teeth then pulling away.

Sehun then resumed driving as if nothing had happened. Sehun's response with his body was much easier to understand than his words. Yoonshin felt elated at the feeling that somebody wanted him. Even so, Yoonshin said defensively in shyness, "You should have just used words. What's this about when you're driving? That was dangerous."

"For whose benefit?"

"You said I was a hostage. You need to keep me alive for now."

"Why should I, to someone who wouldn't like me first in a million years?" Hating to enter a losing game, Sehun was quite upset about what Yoonshin said before. He already exacted retribution for that, yet he felt like he needed to reiterate it.

Yoonshin thought that was quite endearing. He chuckled. He felt joy pooling up from the bottom of his heart and giddiness bubbling up to the surface, threatening to overflow.

"That had some other context," Yoonshin replied.

"You seemed resolute when you said that."

"This can be easily solved if you like me first."

"I could like you, but you might never like me back."

"That won't happen."

"Really? Then, you must already like me."

When he heard that placid response, it occurred to Yoonshin that this was not how he wanted the discussion to go. "Wait a minute. You're going to count it as something I said first then, aren't you? I won't fall for it twice."

Sehun didn't deny it and merely shrugged. Yoonshin watched the other man and then turned his head, practicing his right to silence. With his eyes, Yoonshin traced Sehun's outline and faint reflection in the window.

When he was with Sehun, Yoonshin felt peace returning to his heart despite the unresolved tension accumulating between them. Naturally, he wanted to feel at ease in their relationship. The desire to learn more about the other bubbled.

Actually, Yoonshin greatly enjoyed his time with Sehun. He was happy that Sehun came to pick him up. His heart skipped a beat when Sehun didn't forget that Yoonshin wanted to see him in the evening and appeared before him. When Sehun kissed him, his heart started to race. He didn't hate the other's awkwardness. He was grateful for the space for an opportunity that was only granted to him.

His heart was overwhelmed to know that he was the first human to step foot on the rich soil that Sehun tended and kept to himself.

Yoonshin slowly lifted his hand and touched his lips. The sensation of Sehun's lips lingered. Yoonshin's lips felt particularly soft.

"You're tolerable, so you can interrupt my time." Yoonshin recalled Sehun's permission and bit his lips before curling up their corners.

Yoonshin sent Sehun to the cafe before him, saying that he needed to drop by the convenience store, then he came back several minutes later.

Sehun smoked a cigarette before entering the café to order, thinking that he would need to wait a while, only to meet Yoonshin at the counter. The younger man must have sprinted at full speed—despite it being chilly outside, beads of sweat clung to his forehead. Sehun looked speechless and pushed back the hair covering Yoonshin's forehead with his large hands, then he laughed hollowly. "Did you think I would run away?"

Yoonshin gasped for air, trying to even out his breath, then barely managed to say, "I just... felt a bit impatient."

"Were you worried that I would wait too long? Aren't you the angel?"

"No, I was worried you would just leave me here. You would just ruin your first date if it didn't go according to plan... I couldn't let that happen."

"I would what?"

"You didn't know? Sometimes I think you're not good at looking at yourself objectively." Yoonshin then waved the bag from the convenience store, unable to talk any longer, then went to his usual corner seat. Sehun gawked at Yoonshin, carrying over the order. He placed the mug a bit forcefully in front of Yoonshin and intently observed the younger man as he wiped away his sweat with the back of his hands. Then, Sehun said in a very flat voice, "How about you take a nerve conduction study?"

"I'm perfectly healthy. I handed in my physical examination results when I entered the firm."

"No, I wanted to see how inflated your nerves are now. I want to know your results."

Instead of replying, Yoonshin gawked at Sehun. The internal conflict on whether to retort or not raged on. Then, he put aside his thoughts, instead placing the envelope from the convenience store on the tabletop. Inside, there was lemon-flavored throat candy, antibiotic ointment, and bandages. He pocketed the candy in his jacket, unwrapped the medical supplies, and then opened his palm at Sehun.

Sehun stared down at the palm, still red from heat, then tilted his chin at it. "What do you want me to do?"

"Give me your hand. It's time to change your bandage."

"I'm going to go home soon, and I'll take a shower. You don't need to change it now."

"I'll change your dressings now, and I'll be with you for longer than you expect. Hurry up and give me your hand."

Sehun still refused, so Yoonshin became more assertive. Completely disregarding Sehun's previous warning not to touch him, he pulled the large hand toward him. Then, he ripped off the adhesive bandage from the other's long forefinger.

"Where is the one that I gave you earlier? The crocodile one."

"Did you think I would still have the one that I had on in the morning? You must not have a very good sense of personal hygiene."

"Your hands are always so clean and neat. I thought so from the beginning. That means you wash your hands frequently, but your hands are soft despite repeated washing... It doesn't look like you put on any hand cream. Is it just natural?"

The burn on his finger was nearly scabbed over. Relieved, Yoonshin squeezed a small amount of ointment on a cotton swab, then he applied it to the scar. He carefully unwrapped the bandage and covered the other's finger with it. Sehun was quiet all along. Yoonshin was about to let go of the other's hand after securely sticking the bright yellow sticker, but out of impulse, he swept his finger across the other's tidy nails.

He felt the other man flinch. Snapping to his senses, Yoonshin let go, but this time, Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's hand. Their fingers hooked to each other awkwardly, locking together. Sehun pushed his fingers between Yoonshin's and rolled his fingertips on the webs of Yoonshin's hand.

"Senior Attorney?" Yoonshin, his face beet red, reflexively looked around for any people. They were in the corner, so as usual, there were very few people. Behind Sehun's back, there was a young woman who had her laptop open, seemingly studying. They were a few seats apart, and she seemed to be listening to something, so she was unable to hear their conversation. However, Yoonshin thought it was risky to do this in their neighborhood.

Thinking that he needed to push the other away before the other could pick up on this suggestive atmosphere, Yoonshin twisted his hand. Strangely enough, he didn't have the strength in his fingers to pull away.

Yoonshin squeaked in a barely audible voice, "Ngh, let me go now..."

"You're the one who provoked me first," Sehun replied.

Yoonshin wanted to argue that he did not but quickly stopped himself. Depending on the perspective, the totality of what Yoonshin did to Sehun's fingers could suggest that. No, in some aspects, it was absolutely his fault. Thinking back on it, while he was concentrating on changing Sehun's dressings, Sehun was studying him intently.

Yoonshin averted his gaze in astonishment and kept checking beyond Sehun's shoulders. Noticing that he was being wary of something, Sehun also glanced back and let go, displeased. Yoonshin rubbed his wrist for no reason before clearing his throat. He took a sip of his warm coffee that the other ordered for him, but the taste was not what he expected.

His brows narrowed marginally as he complained, "Didn't I ask you to order a hot café latte?"

Sehun savored his americano before he answered nonchalantly. Funnily enough, the yellow band on his finger looked good on him. "You did."

"Then, what's this strong taste of syrup?"

"Do you like it?"

"If I did, would I ask with this face? What's with this way of bullying me? It's so childish."

"I like when kisses taste sweet."

Yoonshin jumped and clamped his hand over Sehun's mouth. Sehun glared questioningly at Yoonshin, prompting the younger man to slowly remove his hand. Before he backed away completely, he felt Sehun's temperature on his forehead to double-check. The older man, who had overlooked the non-consensual contact the first time, didn't do so the second time. He slapped away the younger man's hand. "What are you doing? Don't touch me."

"That sounds like an emotionally charged response."

"It's not, and that's why you're not hurt. Think logically."

"There are people around, but you're pushing the boundaries, so I thought you might be feeling sick somewhere. If your mental state goes back and forth sometimes, then..."

Sehun clucked his tongue at Yoonshin. To clarify the situation, he leaned forward to whisper, "You might think it's over when you take off your hand, but I keep wanting to touch you more. I warned you. I'm not used to being unable to control myself. If I lose control and start to undo your buttons right here and now, then you're partly to blame. Nod if you understand."

Sehun seemed to be saying that he didn't know how fast they were moving, so if Yoonshin felt stressed by him doing this outside, then he shouldn't be pressing his buttons. Yoonshin nodded, then he asked in pure curiosity, "What if I wanted to have a platonic relationship with you?"

"Then you best find another person."

"Have you ever imagined sleeping with me? I've always wondered..."

"I'm imagining it even now."

"What did you say?"

"You've been bare naked in my head since a while ago. And just now, I inserted myself in you."

Yoonshin had assumed this was the case, but he had not expected to hear such a raw answer.

Stunned, Yoonshin pursed his lips firmly. His cheeks grew redder, becoming similar in pigment to his lips. Sehun watched this change and said in a seductive voice,

"Every time I thrust in, you gasp for air and drool dribbles out of your gaping mouth. You must be loving it."

Sehun's gaze was so intense that Yoonshin couldn't meet it. Sehun whispered furtively, but the contents were so explicit that Yoonshin swallowed back his heated breath nervously. His head dropped in bashfulness. Then, Sehun seemed to stop as he sipped his coffee after glancing at Yoonshin's red ears. Perhaps he had to stop at this point. There was silence.

The two, who reached somewhat of a psychological critical point, tried to cool down the erotic atmosphere that built up rapidly. They both twisted their bodies toward the window. Soon, they were both admiring the night view.

Sitting side by side and watching the night sky was more romantic than expected.

Yoonshin's clothes when he first entered the firm were light, but now it was almost winter. Two seasons had passed. A lot of things happened between then and now. As Yoonshin sat, reminiscing about everything that happened thus far, Sehun suddenly said, "What are you planning on doing about the follow-up with your blind date?"

"Oh," Yoonshin sighed softly. He had forgotten about reality, drunk on the sweetness between them. Yoonshin peeked at Sehun then said apologetically, "I'll have to make it like it never happened. But I can't cut her off immediately."

"Why not?"

"I have some circumstances. I need a bit of time before I refuse her offer. I'm truly sorry. I won't meet her again, and I hope you can wait for me."

Considering that they just confirmed each other's feelings, Yoonshin knew that it was right to refuse the blind date partner as soon as possible. No, he should have already cleanly refused that relationship. Yoonshin's innermost feelings weren't exposed yet, but in any case, since the two of them had already passed a point of no return, this was the best he could do for all parties involved.

However, Yoonshin's relationship with the blind date wasn't a simple relationship between a man and a woman. He couldn't bring himself to refuse her while separating this matter from his sister. Unless his sister's position changed overnight, he wasn't sure he could come up with a proper solution.

For someone like Sehun who was clear with beginnings and ends, he would never understand Yoonshin, who ended up in this situation. "You probably don't understand."

Instead of replying, Sehun stayed silent, deep in thought. He seemed to be figuring out why Yoonshin was acting like this. Then, he coolly said, "Seems like there's some special reason for someone like you to be dipping one finger in several pies. You don't look like you're going to explain in further detail, meaning that you're hiding this out of necessity despite usually being very honest. Ergo, you're facing quite a complicated issue."

"Scorn me if you want."

"Because you want to feel better about it?"

He was on the mark. Yoonshin knew from the start that Sehun would see through him.

"I guess that won't be possible, right?" "

I'll exercise my right to silence."

Usually, Sehun would have made some scathing remarks, subtly derided him, or walked out of this situation completely, but Sehun did none of that. He almost made it sound like he understood Yoonshin's cowardice. Either Sehun knew something more, or he was being capricious.

After his vague reply and a sip of coffee, Sehun unhurriedly turned toward Yoonshin. He seemed to have suddenly remembered something.

"You visited the hospital. How's the kid?" he asked.

Yoonshin recalled seeing documents from cases he was working on in Sehun's office. He replied, angling for an answer, "I didn't give you a report about my case yet, but it feels like you already know everything."

"Exactly. It's because you haven't done it already that I need to ask. I'm already busy enough—don't make more work for me and report to me in a timely manner."

Yoonshin was startled. He tilted his head in confusion at Sehun's statement. When he first entered the firm, Secretary Tak told him some rules of the workplace. He recalled the instructions and defended himself, "I was told that I didn't need to report my pro bono work to my superiors."

"I decide on the rules. You have to tell me no matter what."

"Only I do?"

"That's right—only you."

Yoonshin was about to ask why, but before he could say anything, Sehun stole his chance to speak and added, "You were going to ask why. Because I want to know. Report where you're going to go from now on too. For each incident you forget, I'll deduct ten thousand dollars from your annual salary."

"Then you do it too. I won't ask you what you do 24/7. But I want to know where you go out to, at least... When you're on vacation or you're out of the office."

"I'll see, depending on the situation."

"But I have to report to you no matter what? That's unfair."

"If you're upset, you try being a partner lawyer."

"This has nothing to do with positions."

"No, to me, this is an extension of work. You have the duties and obligations to follow my orders."

Frankly, Yoonshin expected Sehun to say something like that. To begin with, Sehun did many things that he did not allow others to do. Yoonshin had decided to conform to this fixed hierarchical relationship and was now acclimated to it. Since Sehun said that he would tell Yoonshin depending on the situation, it wasn't the worst-case scenario. He gave a sidelong glance at Sehun before deciding to compromise.

"The child is fine. The mother of the child went to the same elementary school as my cousin. After talking about that, I mentioned negotiation in the middle. I think it'll be resolved quite smoothly. I'll offer them the highest settlement amount, and I'm planning on delivering a sincere apology to them."

Yoonshin didn't even finish talking, but he could already see the disappointment in Sehun's face. He rubbed his temples like he was in pain. Yoonshin had only simply told him the progress of the matter as it was, so he had no idea what was wrong.

"Why do you look like that?" Yoonshin asked.

"Why are you back at square one?"

"What do you mean?"

"You aren't even cognizant of the problem this time. Was I too lenient with you? I've explained this to you repeatedly over the past few months. You're a member of

Doguk now, so you need to properly identify the parties and your client." Sehun wasn't angry at Yoonshin. Rather, his feelings were closer to indifference. However, his tone was slightly reprimanding.

Upon thinking over it carefully, Yoonshin understood Sehun's thoughts. He had just taught and trained Yoonshin as a big firm lawyer and was about to use him for a corporate advisory project when Yoonshin went back to being victim-centric—he must have felt that his efforts were in vain. Just like how one could be quick to the uptake, Sehun was pointing out the fundamental issue in Yoonshin's attitude.

In his defense, Yoonshin had some excuses. Because it was Attorney Song's request, he wanted to resolve it cleanly, so he thought about the best way to mitigate the situation. At the same time, he wanted to console the victim. However, the result wasn't up to par in Sehun's eyes, and Yoonshin understood that.

"Sorry, but I tried my best..." Yoonshin started, but Sehun interrupted.

"Of course you did—for the victim."

"I also took the client's position into account. I can't help that you don't believe me, but it's the truth."

Sehun sighed. "Can I really let you handle work? This is a small public interest case, but my cases are on a different level."

"I can do it. I'll prove it to you."

Yoonshin could tell that Sehun wanted to retort by saying that regardless of the size of the case, Yoonshin's basic attitude wouldn't be different. However, instead of saying that and turning this inexplicably uncomfortable atmosphere into thin ice, he held himself back. Sehun didn't want to waste their time together that way. This avoidance made Yoonshin truly recognize that he and the older man were going out with each other.

Regardless of this thought process of Yoonshin, Sehun gazed at the younger man for a while then calmly said, "Songsunbae doesn't like being embarrassed. She pretends to be all easygoing, but during critical times, she's a lot more coldhearted than me. Wrap it up well."

Yoonshin ruminated on Sehun's advice then paused, feeling that something was off. "So you call her sunbae."

"Is there a problem with that?"

"She's that close to you, yet you told me that she was someone who could turn her back on you anytime and asked me if I slept with her? Who exactly did you want to go out with?"

Yoonshin expected Sehun to casually ignore the question or answer vaguely as he usually did. Sehun didn't welcome other people being interested in him on a personal level. However, today was different.

The older lawyer stared at himself in the reflection, full of thought. As if that wasn't enough, he leaned his chin on his hand. It seemed like Sehun needed some time, so Yoonshin waited quietly while sipping his overly sweet coffee.

"I like when kisses taste sweet." When he recalled those ambiguous words, his heart grew more tumultuous. It wasn't the most enjoyable, but for some reason, he felt obliged to drink it. The moment he put his lips to the cup again, he put the cup down in diffidence.

As Yoonshin dabbed his lips with a napkin for no reason, Sehun finally said, "I don't know what that feels like—trusting someone."

The Sehun Kang that Yoonshin had seen so far was the prime example of a perfectionist. He trusted himself and had the ability that was proportional to his confidence. To be so perfect that he had never trusted another person—was that poison or an antidote to him?

Yoonshin trusted many people—his father, sister, friends, peers, and teachers. Not only them, when he had just earned his lawyer license, he put faith in his seniors in the industry—who accepted him with open arms—and believed his clients, who were in difficult situations. Yoonshin survived by trusting and believing the people around him. He couldn't begin to fathom what not trusting anyone even felt like.

"Maybe you just didn't realize. I've experienced this myself, but perhaps you didn't realize you trusted someone. People say love is also the same. Sometimes you only realize after it has faded away," Yoonshin explained.

"There's nothing I don't know," Sehun shot back.

"Maybe there are some exceptions?"

"Nope." Sehun nodded to himself in conviction and added in a low voice, "There was one time that I thought that I could leave my matters in another person's hands."

The feeling of being able to leave something in someone's hands—Yoonshin felt this way toward Sehun. He felt a broad boundary of faith in Sehun. Yoonshin could only think of one person who might have made Sehun feel that way. "Attorney Song?"

"Your father," Sehun said.

The words that Yoonshin had never expected to hear made him close his lips.

Just like a sudden gust of wind, the memory of the day he saw his father off flooded in.

Sehun had paid his respects in a sharp black suit and was coming out of the service hall. Yoonshin was bawling so hard that he couldn't greet the visitors. He was crying at the end of the hallway when he impulsively grabbed Sehun.

Throughout the funeral, all his father's visitors had grief etched on their faces. Only Sehun was the exception. His pale face was poised, and his sharp eyes were placid. Perhaps Yoonshin subconsciously thought that Sehun wouldn't collapse emotionally along with him and requested that he stay by his side.

But perhaps his judgment that day was wrong.

"I didn't really have the opportunity though, so that was it. There was no way to turn it into reality," Sehun said flatly, but it had more clarity and certainty than when he was at the podium, where his voice resounded through the court as he pleaded his arguments, bringing all the attention to him. For Sehun of all people— Sehun who distrusted everyone—to say that Yoonshin thought that his father truly led a successful life.

"My father really lived a good life then."

Sehun nodded in agreement. "That was the first time that I attended a funeral with no other special reason. Funerals and weddings—I attended events like those because of the importance or need for the relationship with their host. I was busy as hell at that time because I was a junior, but I canceled an important meeting to attend your father's funeral."

Even though Sehun was composed as he spoke, Yoonshin felt himself choking up, his breath shaking unevenly. He clenched and unclenched his clammy hands and recalled a passage from the novel that he had once read.

"I suppose I must catch it—like a cough."

Perhaps Yoonshin was the same. Just like a cough, he wanted to catch everything about Sehun. Yoonshin could never be an amazingly observant person who could know the world or other people very well. However, he could intuitively catch one thing for sure.

Sehun's life so far was very heavy, dark, tedious, and exhausting. When he was younger, he was a minor in need of protection. When he grew up, he was a lawyer with no heart or tears. The steep steps of the stairs he had to climb forced him to give up something to gain another, turning him into a twisted adult who had never placed his faith in anyone before. This was something like a babe in the woods that Yoonshin could never imagine.

Like a contagious disease, his heart was plagued with the other. Sehun was a strong-willed person to others, but in front of Yoonshin, he was fragile. Yoonshin kept catching Sehun's pathetic sides that nobody else knew. He could somewhat relate to Sehun when he said that Yoonshin kept catching his eyes. Yoonshin had a habit that had both pros and cons—he couldn't leave weak and fragile people alone.

"You did well to attend. You met me there," Yoonshin said.

The other's eyes that were reminiscing bitter and lonely memories had a flash of romanticism go by. It was very faint and transient, but Yoonshin caught it. Nobody would believe him, but it definitely existed.

From the vertigo of the moment, Yoonshin wanted to tell the other that he wanted something more, but Sehun grinned. It was the softest and gentlest smile that Yoonshin had ever seen Sehun make so far. Yoonshin couldn't bring himself to plead for more. If he did, the emotionally defensive Sehun would conceal all the tenderness that he was showing now.

Yoonshin looked behind Sehun quickly. He didn't know when, but the woman who was sitting at the end of the bar table was gone. The moment he was aware of that, he didn't feel the need to hesitate any longer.

Yoonshin grabbed the other's firm wrist and locked eyes with Sehun, who was watching his actions.

At the same time, he squeezed his eyes shut and bumped his lips with the other. The soft sensation of the other's skin overlapped with his before they separated. When Yoonshin opened his eyes again, he had to receive the entirety of the other's persistent gaze, who was watching the whole event unfold.

"Do I taste sweet?" Yoonshin asked.

Sehun's thoughts were completely written on his face.

"How would I know? Stick your tongue out. I'll tell you after I taste that," he said.

"We can't do any more than this here. I'm old-fashioned, aren't I? I know."

Sehun's brows furrowed slightly as he pushed Yoonshin away. "Let's get going now. I have something to do at home."

"Huh? Can't you stay here with me a bit longer? I'll be alone at home."

"It would be better to have a date at home, huh? It's about time we rewrote history."

"We've only been going out for two days. I think it's better for that to stay in your imagination like before..."

"The term old-fashioned is better suited for using it at times like these."

Yoonshin waved his hands with his face red, saying that Sehun was going too fast. He even started to shake his head in fervent refusal. Sehun, looking down as he got up, looked a bit infuriated. "I got it the first time, so no need to emphasize it. Stop, before I change my mind and push you down."

Sehun swiftly placed the mugs back on the tray and pulled the embarrassed Yoonshin up from his seat. Forced to stand, Yoonshin gnawed on his lips, upset that Sehun one-sidedly decided to go home. However, he was unable to properly rebel against his superior, and he meekly followed.

The air outside was chilly, confirming the changing seasons.

They passed the basement arcade and walked quietly down the maze-like hallway connecting the apartments. They did not exchange a single word even as they walked down the long corridor leading to the lobby of the parking garage.

They reached a bend in the hallway where the lights had gone out. Suddenly, Yoonshin was pushed against the wall of the corner. Sehun lifted his chin and crushed his lips.

"Ngh...!" Yoonshin yelped.

Darkness shrouded the two. After shyly colliding, their lips parted. The pair of tongues latched onto each other. They meshed together like the petals of a pair of thistle flowers interlocking.

As their collided flesh intimately pulled apart, a string of clear fluid connected them before snapping off. It all felt very risque to Yoonshin.

Letting out a sigh, Yoonshin pulled Sehun closer and leaned against him. Yoonshin's entire face was on fire. Perhaps Sehun could feel it—Sehun's large hands ran through his hair, stroking the younger man's silky locks several times. Yoonshin thought so before, but Sehun's touches were rather kind and gentle.

They wanted to stick together longer, but unfortunately, they heard someone coming down the hallway.

They smoothly pulled away, and after the other residents walked by, they slowly resumed walking to the building.

When they reached the lobby, Yoonshin could see the glass door where he had met Sehun a few months ago. Yoonshin didn't want to send Sehun away like this, so he grabbed Sehun's hand.

Sehun glanced to the side. "Do you want me to walk you to your house?"

"No, I just wanted to tell you that I enjoyed our first date. I liked being with you even if we weren't doing anything special. Just chatting with you was nice. Although, being scolded by you kind of hurt."

"That's good."

"Did you feel like today was a waste of time?"

"I had fun too. Now that you mention it, it never occurred to me that I was wasting my time. I should have, knowing me. That's weird." Sehun narrowed his eyes, trying to decipher the reason.

Grinning, Yoonshin swerved into the other's lane of thought and added, "Then, that's good enough. I want you to be happy. I want to be happy too."

“…”

"Then, I'll see you tomorrow." Yoonshin wished Sehun good night then finally let go of the other's hand.

Yoonshin stepped through the glass doors of Building C and quickly hopped onto the elevator. He waved enthusiastically to Sehun before he completely disappeared with the closing of the doors.

Standing blankly, Sehun looked down at the hand that Yoonshin had held moments ago.

Yet again, Yoonshin toppled the logical structure of his life. Sehun had thought that dating was utterly useless and for fools who habitually wasted time, but for once, he wanted to try it out sincerely. After his switch was pressed on after persistent restraint and patience, he went completely out of control.

As swiftly as catching a disease, Sehun was already standing in the deep end before he knew it.

Sehun sighed deeply. It wasn't as bad as before, but a strange migraine pulsed in his temple.

Even when he squeezed his eyes shut, the afterimage of Yoonshin haunted his vision.

A black sedan stood parked in a shady and empty lot surrounded by scraggly trees. Sehun sat in its driver seat. He loosened the tie that was throttling the shirt collar of his prim three-piece suit. The bluish silken tie became slightly disheveled within his vest.

Although he told Yoonshin that he didn't use a personal driver between home and work because it was his only personal time, that was an ostensible reason. He used this free time to meet his private investigators. That was partly why he never rode a flamboyant supercar instead of his usual black sedan. He needed to avoid things that would catch attention.

Tap, tap.

His long fingers tapped the steering wheel rhythmically. After several seconds, a similar-looking black sedan appeared. The vehicle slowly came to a halt next to Sehun's car. Sehun rolled down his window and glanced to his left. The passenger window rolled down, and someone greeted Sehun before handing him a flat envelope. "Good morning, sir."

Sehun took the envelope and then asked, "How much is in it?"

"For starters, the recent activities of Director Jeongwon Yoo of Soohan

Holdings and Director Ikyung Do of Soohan Gallery are there. I included brief reports of the people they met during those activities. I excluded records that could easily get me into deep trouble if I got caught—like the company's financial trends. If you need more in-depth information... To be honest, the security in the financial companies is quite tricky," the investigator said passively.

Irked, Sehun replied, "Is it time to switch investigators?"

The other man shook his head immediately. "It's not that I can't, I'm just saying it won't be easy. I can investigate it, but as you know, the fees for a large company like Soohan are steep. I would need to hire a skilled and experienced hacker. Should I dig in deeper?"

"I'll look through this first, then I'll contact you if I need additional information. Anyways, good work." Sehun waved his hand, and the man bowed. The two raised their windows at the same time. The car with the informant left first. Then alone, Sehun took out the memory card in the envelope and connected it to the spare phone in his glove box, looking through the contents of the card.

Sehun couldn't sit still. He was extremely bothered by what Mihee said. She passed off the buzz about the rocky relationship between Soohan Group's second son and his wife as a mere rumor, but Sehun couldn't. Yoonshin's attitude was questionable for it not to be a big deal.

After looking through all the information, the circumstances about Yoonshin's sister were truly out of the ordinary.

The visits that the secretary, recommended by Professor Do when she got married, made were suspicious. He was furtively meeting all the reputable lawyers connected with the deceased Professor Do. Chaebol families had personal family lawyers, so it wasn't all that special to say that he was meeting with a lawyer, but considering the situation, the story was different.

"Soohan has a private home medical center, yet she secretly visited another hospital—not just once, but several times."

There was an exclusive medical center for the family, and there was a large hospital operated by the group, yet Director Ikyung Do went to the private practice of a doctor whom she knew since before her marriage. That was strange no matter how he saw it.

That wasn't the only dubious thing. She also frequented the gallery—her workplace —less and increased her time with her children. Half a year ago, she sent her younger brother to Doguk. Yoonshin himself said that he came according to his sister's wishes, so she probably had some hidden reason.

‘Is it an unwanted pregnancy? Or findings of violence?' Sehun thought, Or it could be something else.'

Then, as he skimmed down the illegally obtained medical records, his eyes narrowed.

He flipped through the documents sternly, and his suspicions solidified. There was clearly an issue between the couple. It was even worse than what Mihee had presumed.

`This side is quite obviously cheating.' Sehun stared at the photos depicting Director Yoo, Yoonshin's brother-in-law, exiting a luxury villa with another woman. He tipped his head, perplexed. 'I'm sure he would have offered a settlement for divorce before the physical violence started.'

Assuming that the husband asked for the divorce first, then the rest followed naturally. The wife would look for another lawyer to defend her instead of going to Soohan's family lawyer, and she obtained several reports about her physical condition. Unlike her husband who neglected his family, she increased her time with her children to strengthen her position on custody, and she started to put her affairs in order.

It was a clear signal that she was prepared to shake up the game to take it to court.

Recently, Soohan entered the stages of successorship of the company. The eldest and second-born sons were currently engaged in a power struggle. The shockwaves of divorce would be immense even if they settled it quietly, but if she were to completely turn the tables like this, the situation wouldn't be favorable for Director Yoo.

Her husband wouldn't let her do that. He would surely retaliate. In that process, he would look for a sacrifice, and someone would get hurt. And more likely than not, the one to get hurt would be the one who started the fight. That was probably why Yoonshin didn't look very bright these days.

After matching pieces of the puzzle of a situation, Sehun could quickly see the big picture. Yoonshin's sister sheltered Yoonshin in Doguk before she started her fight against her husband, and she chose Sehun to be Yoonshin's shield.

"One wrong move and Doguk might get screwed over too," he muttered to himself, then he flipped to the next screen. Sehun's eyes narrowed.

The outlook of the firm, stuck between a billionaire couple's troubles, didn't look too great.

One of Doguk's primary sources of income was legal work from Soohan. Sehun took on a broad variety of projects from Soohan, but Attorney Song and countless other partners had deep ties to Soohan. To put it another way, Doguk couldn't afford to have Soohan turn their backs to them. Wasn't that why Mihee accepted Yoonshin in the first place?

In the worst-case scenario, if Doguk sided with Director Do instead of Soohan, their ties could be completely severed. In an industry where trust was of preceding importance than a person's life, Sehun couldn't overlook the possibility of such a long-term client suspecting that they would be backstabbed. Then, other clients would slowly start to reduce their workflow to the firm. It was a gamble with a 200% chance of loss.

“What new ocean do you want to discover, Fourth-year?"

“An ocean to save me from my perils."

He recalled the conversation he once had with Yoonshin, and his expression grew colder.

‘I thought I was the one who found you, but you were the one who chose me’ he thought.

Sehun's eyes kept following Yoonshin Do because he thought that maybe Yoonshin was different from the rest of humanity. He couldn't take his eyes off the transparent gaze of one who lived honestly, and that bothered him. However, even if Yoonshin was fundamentally a forthcoming individual, in the end, he might be the same as other people.

Ultimately, it could be that what the younger man wanted wasn't Sehun, but an umbrella to shield him. It was reasonable to think that Yoonshin could have grown to like Sehun because he had chosen the older lawyer as his chess piece, rather than from pure attraction. After all, Yoonshin had an earnest attitude toward everything he did.

He felt like everything that he had suspected was just all confirmed, so he felt uncomfortable.

He slammed his hands on the steering wheel and heaved a heavy breath out. Staring out at the dense foliage that surrounded him, Sehun's eyes grew dark.

‘Do you want to use me like other people?'

His sharp eyes glinted as keen as a blade, ready to slice whoever touched him.

Returning to the main building from his free legal consultations, Yoonshin's pocket vibrated loudly. He checked his messages as he got on the elevator. It was a message from the pro bono client for finalizing the date to visit the child in the hospital. As he sent a reply, the elevator lifted him to his office floor.

Ding.

As the double doors opened, he checked the time. He remembered Sehun's orders. Yoonshin was dividing his time and using it as efficiently as he could so that Sehun wouldn't need to search for him when Yoonshin was dealing with public interest matters. Thankfully, he arrived within the acceptable range of time.

"Are they still doing the project meeting?"

Yoonshin glanced at the conference room as he went down the hallway. Through the window, he could tell that the meeting was almost at its end.

However, Sehun—who was sitting at the head of the table and staring sternly into his tablet PC screen—looked like there was something that he didn't like. He was expressionless as always, but Yoonshin studied him every day, so he could see the difference. If it was related to the work he was doing, Sehun would have immediately suspended the meeting or at least burst out of the room. Seeing that it was ongoing, his displeasure must be related to something external.

‘He doesn't look too good. I wonder why.' Yoonshin thought.

Yoonshin stopped in his tracks and lurked, hesitant to return to his office. He wanted to keep peeping on Sehun, but if Yoonshin returned, his view of Sehun would be cut off. He awkwardly looked around and spotted the staff kitchenette in the back.

He entered the room and hurriedly threw a random coffee capsule into the coffee machine. He considered just drinking it black as usual, but he discovered sugar cubes. Picking one up, he didn't want to admit that it was because of a certain someone saying that he liked it when the other tasted sweet.

He unwrapped the sugar and stirred it, melting the cube as he watched Sehun from afar. At the very least, he intended to slowly analyze the other's facial expression, but in a twist of fate, Sehun's meeting ended, and the older lawyer exited the room. With a serious face, Sehun was discussing something with the other partner lawyers. The senior lawyers busily reported to Sehun, occupying his time.

Because he was a head taller than average, Sehun was clearly in the line of sight. As always, he looked excellent in his fine suit. It matched his prim face and frigid eyes. Yoonshin was sure that Sehun would smell good if he was closer to him.

As if he had never felt uncomfortable about anything, he was leading the discussion exceptionally well.

‘Maybe I was mistaken. I thought he was in a bad mood... But he looks fine now.' Yoonshin didn't know if he was just overthinking things or if Sehun's professional mentality was just strong. If it was the former, nothing happened today that bothered Sehun, which would be a relief.

Quite frankly, when Yoonshin was initially probing around, he had shallowly hoped that Sehun could help him solve his sister's problem because he couldn't see a solution, no matter how he looked. But upon careful contemplation, Yoonshin could deduce Sehun's precise reaction would be if he made that request.

Yoonshin knew that Sehun was attracted to him, but that was probably because the older man didn't know Yoonshin's situation. Based on what Yoonshin saw so far, Sehun wasn't a person who could place his emotions before his work. Sehun could completely let go of Yoonshin without looking back. Yoonshin didn't want that anymore. He wanted to know what the other man was as a person thoroughly.

Thus, he needed to hide the misfortunes that had befallen his sister.

Yoonshin thought he did well to heed his sister's warning and avoid telling Sehun her problem.

`If I were Sehun Kang, how would I resolve my sister's situation? Would publicity be the only way after all?'

The media was a double-edged sword. If he used it well, it could be of great help. However, he needed to take into consideration that most of the media companies were closely tied to the wealthy class. It would be good to deliver the truth, but they probably wouldn't let that happen.

To fight back, his sister would need a large law firm or a greatly influential lawyer to adeptly use the media in retaliation, but Yoonshin couldn't handle such a task.

‘Considering the amount of work Soohan gives them, Doguk wouldn't side with her either.'

There was nothing better than Sehun to help calm his tumultuous feelings and seek balance in his mind. Yoonshin continued to stare outside the room. Then, despite the distance, Sehun felt his gaze and turned to look in Yoonshin's direction. He said something to the partners before he approached the kitchenette.

Surprised, Yoonshin looked around for a place to hide. But of course, there was no corner like that in the room.

"What the hell? Why is he coming here?" Not knowing what to do, he scrambled with his cup in his hand. The door to the kitchenette opened.

Standing in the doorway, Sehun beckoned to Yoonshin. Worried that Sehun caught him snooping, Yoonshin pointed to himself and asked, "M-me?"

"Is there anyone else here but you?" Sehun asked back.

"I was only here to make myself a cup of coffee."

"Of course, you must have been, considering the purpose of this room. I didn't say that was wrong." Sehun frowned and shot him a questioning look. Yoonshin shut his mouth and attempted an awkward grin. Sehun merely waved him off and turned, seemingly heading back to his office. Yoonshin hurriedly straightened up his jacket and chased after Sehun with his mug still in his hands.

The destination was indeed Sehun's office. A secretary opened his door for him.

Sehun entered first, then Yoonshin—who greeted the secretary—carefully followed him in.

The moment the door clicked shut, Sehun locked the door and closed the blinds. Hovering near the door, Yoonshin was dumbstruck. "Why... did you lock the door?"

"Why were you staring at me? If you answer me first, I'll tell you."

"I said I went to make myself some coffee."

"Then you could have left after getting a cup. Why did you stare at me so lecherously?"

Yoonshin knew that he was voluntarily dancing on Sehun's palms. Instead of lying about it and making things awkward later, he decided to tell Sehun what was on his mind.

"You looked like you were in a bad mood. I was worried. Did anything happen?"

Like a face one would make after biting into hot cinnamon candy, Sehun's face turned strange. It was difficult to tell whether Yoonshin's assumptions were right just from Sehun's reaction.

Sehun stared down quietly at Yoonshin with unknowable eyes, then he advanced toward him. Sehun pushed Yoonshin toward the table and gripped it, locking Yoonshin in his arms. As Sehun leaned forward, supporting his weight on his hands and leaning into Yoonshin, Yoonshin naturally leaned back. He swallowed tensely.

This atmosphere gave plenty of room for imagination, but just like the time in the car, it could simply be his misunderstanding, so Yoonshin was trepidatious. "If you needed anything, you could ask Secretary Tak..."

"What I need is already here."

"But we're at the office."

"You don't want to?"

"I think my answer will change depending on what you want to do."

"The thing I'll do even if you say you don't want to."

Sehun's answer was somewhat convoluted. But thanks to the increasingly steamy mood, Yoonshin could figure out what he meant. Hesitant, Yoonshin took some breaths to calm himself then replied honestly, "...Sure."

Yoonshin pressed his lips in a line to suppress his embarrassment and looked up at Sehun, who loomed over him. Sehun's intense gaze and his slim but firm build made him look quite intimidating. Yoonshin's eyelashes fluttered unconsciously, and Sehun's face tipped closer to him.

Sehun kissed each eyelid, then he fixed his gaze on Yoonshin's face. The younger man's pale cheeks were blush-pink.

"But as you can see, I'm holding something hot. Please let me put this down first," Yoonshin asked politely.

"Hold onto it tight," the other replied. Despite asking nicely, Sehun didn't seem to want to listen to the request. In addition, Sehun completely trapped Yoonshin between his arms by leaning in further, pressing his body flush to Yoonshin.

Previously, their upper bodies were the only ones close, but now, their lower halves met, coloring Yoonshin's face red. Their members pressed onto each other with only the fabric of their suits between them. Yoonshin could feel a member with a length and girth that wouldn't be easy to handle.

Yoonshin gasped, and his arms shook. He almost dropped the cup, so he tightened his grip. Thanks to that, the other muscles in his body also tensed, including the areas that were in close contact with Sehun.

"Hah, w-wait," Yoonshin gasped.

Sehun must have decided to act contrary to what Yoonshin wanted—he ignored Yoonshin's stuttering pleas. Then, the older man lifted one hand from the table and dragged it up Yoonshin's shirt. Just like before, he hooked his finger into the knot and skillfully pulled the tie loose with sincere eyes. Those eyes also smoldered passionately.

Yoonshin's striped tie slithered off. Sehun undid the button slowly, one by one, from the top of Yoonshin's shirt, still pressed against each other waist down.

Their skin wasn't directly touching, but the act of Sehun stripping Yoonshin and the racy contact between their groins were insanely arousing.

Being grabbed by someone with a stronger grip was novel and nerve-racking, yet it almost made Yoonshin's head spin. A wave of electricity coursed through his spine, making all the hairs on his body rise, especially on his back.

"Hah, ugh, Senior Attorney," Yoonshin groaned.

His unstable hands shook, making the coffee that was filled to three-quarters of the mug slosh around. Sehun leaned down and kissed the fingers that were gripping the cup, then he suggestively traced his fingers along the edge of the younger lawyer's shirt. The placket of the shirt, halfway undone, parted slightly. Sehun slid his hand in between the part and started to caress Yoonshin's chest. Yoonshin couldn't bear it any longer. A gasp slipped from between his lips. "Ahhgnh...! Ah!"

Yoonshin's hand shook violently, struggling to support himself, but he managed to grab Sehun's waist. He crumpled the soft fabric of the shirt in his hands, and Sehun used the momentum of Yoonshin's actions to thrust his hand deeper.

The button at the middle of his torso popped off. While Yoonshin's attention was drawn to the lost button, Sehun used his free hand to snatch the mug out and set it on the table. With his other hand, Sehun nudged Yoonshin's perky nipple.

"Ngh, Attorney Kang... Ah, this feels weird. Mmgh." Yoonshin's gasps filled the surrounding space. The air in the room was taut with tension.

Yoonshin buried his burning face into Sehun's shoulder and blinked hard. Yoonshin could feel that the other's torso muscles were straining from arousal. Sehun showered Yoonshin's hair with a series of soft kisses as he gently stroked the other's nub between his fingers.

All of Yoonshin's cells jumped wildly. The stimulation reached an unbearable pressure—he felt like his body would burst, so he could only squirm. His lips parted slightly, his rosy cheeks twitched, and Yoonshin could only pant. Then, he felt Sehun's member getting stiff, and he bit his lip.

The great Sehun Kang.

Yoonshin thought that only the highest echelons of power and honor could make him hard.

Thanks to that, just feeling the stiffening outline of Sehun's member excited Yoonshin to the point he could probably climax.

"Y-you're hard, right?" Yoonshin squeezed out, trying to hold onto his rationality that was slipping away. Sehun froze. Then, he grabbed Yoonshin's smooth chin and made him meet his eyes.

Instead of answering the question, he merely stared into the other's eyes. Important but untold truths were implanted deep in Sehun's eyes. Sehun didn't plan on telling Yoonshin what they were. Perplexed, Yoonshin called out to the older man, "Senior Attorney?"

Sehun pushed himself away from Yoonshin and took a step back. Yoonshin had no idea what brought about this change, so he could only remain mystified.

"Yoonshin Do." This again—Sehun called his full name. Whenever he did this, complicated thoughts seemed to swirl in Sehun's mind.

This time was the same.

"Is there something you wanted to tell me?" Yoonshin probed.

"What do you want from me?" Sehun asked.

Yoonshin had no idea why Sehun was asking this. "Me? I just..."

Yoonshin wanted Sehun to stay by his side when he felt extremely anxious. It would be great if Sehun could also help with his sister's problem, but thinking about it level-headedly, Yoonshin knew that this was merely his wishful thinking.

"Other people give him work, and he does that work. He never said it himself, but I think he feels used," Secretary Tak once told him. The memory of that conversation resurfaced, which was probably a sign that Yoonshin would deeply regret if he ever used Sehun Kang for his benefit.

He couldn't explain everything, so Yoonshin could only hint at it. "There is something I need."

"And what's that?" Sehun asked sharply.

"You."

"So, I'm the ocean that will save you, stranded at a cul-de-sac?" As if this was the answer that he expected Yoonshin to say, Sehun's brows crinkled. Would it be Yoonshin's imagination to say that Sehun looked somewhat disappointed in him? Some process of Sehun's mind must have gone awry. Yoonshin was merely being honest, so he couldn't find the cause of the mismatch.

"If I were you, I would ask for something when the other is desperate for me. You'd do well to consider the current going price before you throw whatever at me. To give you a hint, now is not the right time."

Yoonshin stared down at his shirt, three buttons undone and one button missing, and fell into deep thought. "You said you don't do platonic."

"Maybe I'm also old-fashioned then. Besides, I'm expensive."

"I know that very well."

"And you're probably costly too."

"What are you trying to say?"

Everything Sehun said after stepping into this room felt like a puzzle. He asked what Yoonshin wanted from him, and now they were talking about the fair market value of their bodies.

Yoonshin could feel that there was a connotation Sehun was making that he was missing. One thing that he surely perceived was that Sehun was casting a word of warning to Yoonshin, who was wandering aimlessly. Yoonshin could be the card that deposed Sehun, but this was not the right time to do that.

Yoonshin couldn't grasp a thread of Sehun's intentions at all. He simply blinked, astonished. At that moment, Sehun kissed Yoonshin in the pit below his earlobes. Then, he shot Yoonshin an unaffected glance, as if he had never touched him provocatively. Not only that, he replaced the mug that he snatched away in Yoonshin's hand.

Yoonshin watched Sehun, then he held him back with his words. "I thought we were exchanging feelings. Were we not? I don't understand why you're suddenly assessing price points."

Sehun, who was now quite a distance away, glanced at the associate coldly. "I don't have time for sentimental divertissements."

Yoonshin frowned. "But you have time to fool around physically? Is there something wrong with your eyes?"

When Yoonshin pointed to his ruffled attire, Sehun frowned in discomfort. He walked back to Yoonshin and buttoned up his shirt. His meticulous fingers restored Yoonshin to his previous state, but his missing button couldn't be fixed. Displeased, Sehun silently stared at the gap in the shirt.

His stare made Yoonshin's blood run cold.

In his head, he knew that Sehun was dealt a bad hand, so he was throwing a strong bluff. In his heart, Yoonshin felt anxious that Sehun would slip away from his grasp. "How do you make people so worked up for you? If you're going to babysit and raise me, you might as well teach me how to do that."

Sehun answered rather voluntarily, "It's because I don't want anything from you. I don't rely on you emotionally, and I don't particularly need you work-wise. My feelings are simple. I simply want you. I want to be with you, kiss you, and have sex with you. You already know that, so I won't deny it."

Sehun implied that, unlike him, Yoonshin expected something more. The one who had more to lose was the one who would cave first. Sehun met Yoonshin's eyes as if confirming this suspicion and added, "Unfortunately, I'm different from all the people that you encountered so far. I'm already used to people using me. Still, I refuse to do things at my expense. If you want something, don't just wait naively until I say something—you say it first. And obviously, you should put an offer out. Then, I'll make the judgment on whether to settle or not."

"Wait a minute. I never said that I wanted to use you. Is it so bad that I just want you to stay by my side when I'm lonely? No, if you're not even going to do that, why are you going out with me? At least I—!"

Sehun didn't allow Yoonshin to completely state his rebuttal and cut him off. "I didn't say that I like you yet. Aren't you the same?"

Yoonshin was enraged. "I can't tell what you're thinking sometimes. Are you sure I could become your weakness?"

"I don't have such a thing."

"You don't know that you won't have one in the future."

"I won't have one."

"You don't always win. Don't you sometimes lose in court?"

Sehun glowered at Yoonshin, grimacing. Yoonshin didn't know whether it was because he was uncomfortable that he was told that he lost sometimes or because Yoonshin was the one who said it. However, despite being incensed, he didn't necessarily refute that. "I do, although it's extremely unlikely."

Yoonshin was about to make a rebuttal when Sehun's phone vibrated. The older man glanced at the screen then pushed Yoonshin's forehead with his palm. "This is an important call. You're distracting. Get out."

Then, he turned his back to Yoonshin, answering his phone, "Yes, this is Sehun Kang speaking."

Yoonshin couldn't even grab his arm because he coldly walked off to the windows, looking outside the building. He glared resentfully at Sehun's slim back, then he felt a stone in his throat when Sehun waved Yoonshin away without even looking at him. Eventually, he picked up the button that was rolling on the floor and quickly got out of the office.

The door closed with a click.

In fear that he would get attention from the secretaries, he quickly absconded like a soldier of a defeated army to his room and sighed. Then, he slammed down the cup that Sehun returned to him and flumped on his sofa. The veins in his body throbbed like they were just freed from immense pressure. He massaged his hands thoughtlessly.

"I thought the mood between us was nice these past few days. Why's he suddenly like that? I have no idea what's going on with that man," Yoonshin muttered.

Yoonshin had witnessed a lot of terrible situations before. They were never his issues, and he could count on his fingers the number of cases where he defended it like it was a personal matter. Life was always a continuous string of skirmishes. He thought that he fought and lived quite well so far, but in Sehun's eyes—who had led a life with more hardships—Yoonshin probably looked like an unseasoned and naive child.

Sehun always toyed with Yoonshin. "That sadist, really," Yoonshin grumbled.

He felt a complicated mix of feelings as he mused on Sehun's enigmatic words.

Even if Sehun had never formed a relationship like theirs before and felt awkward, Yoonshin thought that Sehun showing his claws was a bit too much. It seemed like they both wanted each other in the same way, but Yoonshin couldn't understand why Sehun would suddenly go back to being defensive again. Sehun had already warned that he could hurt Yoonshin, so Yoonshin could push down the desire to grill the older man further. However, the ache in his heart lingered.

Chapter 8

Why did Sehun think that he would hurt Yoonshin even before they even started going out?

Yoonshin couldn't deny it anymore. Sehun's coldness hurt him. And the moment that he accepted that, Yoonshin realized that his feelings for Sehun were already firm.

Sehun always occupied Yoonshin's mind and disturbed him, and at the same time, he was someone Yoonshin could depend on. Yoonshin thought it was possible to date Sehun with these light feelings because it was a sign of attraction.

If he thought about it a bit more rationally, his feelings couldn't be that simple. He had never considered a person of the same sex as a romantic interest before. However, touching Sehun didn't feel gross—rather it was thrilling. Sehun's existence made Yoonshin's heart leap. Just moments ago in the office, Yoonshin was prepared to let the other man go all the way.

All of that was evidence of his true feelings, but he had excluded the big picture because he was unaccustomed to it.

Once he recognized that, Sehun's sharpness pierced him anew.

`Trying to date a twisted person is hard from the get-go,' Yoonshin thought.

He sighed away his frustration as he fiddled with the button in his hands.

Knock, knock.

After the polite knocking, the door opened cautiously from the outside. Yoonshin, who was at his desk, looked up.

Secretary Tak lightly waved some documents for Yoonshin. "Attorney Do, are you busy?"

"Oh, Secretary Tak. No, come on in," Yoonshin replied.

Secretary Tak walked up to the desk and handed the associate a file folder. Just as he was about to read it, Secretary Tak gave the other man a stern look and covered the first page with his hand.

"Wait. Before you read, I have to ask you something. Do you know why Senior Attorney Kang is in such an irritable mood these days?" Secretary Tak asked.

Yoonshin listened intently, prepared to answer, then looked baffled. The secretary had thrown him a question that he had also failed to find the answer to.

"He is a bit irritable these days, isn't he? I've been thinking that was the case since a few days ago. Do you know what happened?"

"I don't know—that's why I'm asking. He's asking for pain meds again."

Naturally, Yoonshin recalled what Sehun had coolly said last time in his office. "I'm already used to people using me."

Yoonshin thought that maybe he did something to irk the other, but he didn't have the slightest clue on what went wrong. Despite musing about it these past few days, he still couldn't find a reason. He didn't recall making any mistakes or misspeaking. Yoonshin became bewildered and lapsed into his thoughts. Secretary Tak noticed this change and disturbed the associate's train of thought by changing the topic. "Didn't you pull me to the side after the meeting about acquiring Youngjin because you wanted to ask me something? You wanted to talk to me the day after."

Yoonshin finally remembered why Secretary Tak visited him. "Oh, right, that meeting. That wasn't an appropriate place to talk to you. It was a complete warzone."

"Right? All the hot-shot lawyers in the firm were gathered there," Secretary Tak agreed.

"Can you give me any tips?"

"Do you want to catch Attorney Kang's eyes?" the secretary offered.

Judging by what Sehun said, that seemed to be solved a long while ago.

"Rather than that, I want to be of actual use," Yoonshin said.

"They're all good at doing what they do, so if you want to leave a strong impression, you need to get your hands on information that is too fatal to reveal, but difficult to hide and cover up. You know what I mean, right?"

Yoonshin could easily come up with that himself. However, exchanging information under the table wasn't his forte. A strong network of information was built on money and resources. He needed the boldness to take risks and the decisiveness to cut people off when needed. Moreover, he needed flexible ethics to turn a blind eye to situations of questionable ethics.

Perhaps the lack of confidence was written all over his face. Secretary Tak continued calmly, "If you can't get those, then... He asks questions occasionally. When you answer, be firm. Try to do things before he tells you to do them, and make sure that the key points of a report are concise and easy to see. Attorney Kang thought your papers and opinion letters were easy to read."

"That's a relief to hear."

"Even if you're among lawyers more senior than you, don't hesitate to raise your concerns and refute their opinions. Attorney Kang doesn't like when people are incorrect, but he dislikes it even more when people hesitate while trying to cater to the tastes of everyone. I've seen around five associates getting kicked out of the conference room doing that."

"I think that ruthless side of him is truly just like Attorney Kang."

Perhaps in agreement, Secretary Tak burst out laughing. Then, he asked, "Other than labor law, do you have another area of practice that could potentially help in an M&A?"

"Environmental law, but only a bit. I've taken on some matters from NGOs. I'm especially knowledgeable on matters regarding the Soil Environment Conservation Act, Wastes Control Act, andthe Act on the Safety Control of Hazardous Substances. I saw that Youngjin had ongoing lawsuits pursuant to those acts."

"That's good. Knowing environmental law is helpful in construction and manufacturing industry matters."

Yoonshin then asked, "There was an environmental lawyer in the special team —the older-looking man. Is it all right for me to butt in?"

"Were you listening to me? Just ask first and worry later. Oh, do you happen to know any surveyors?"

"Surveyors? I thought there was a due diligence team in the firm. Weren't we going to use them?"

"It just so happens that Attorney Kang doesn't quite trust them. The more a company infringes regulations, the more digits you can knock out from their price. If you know anyone, you should tell Attorney Kang to put you in charge." It was a good idea, but it depended on whether he could deliver a satisfactory result to Sehun.

"I wonder how much bashing I would need to do to satisfy him. When I searched the news, I saw that Attorney Kang was a specialist when it came to these acquisitions," Yoonshin pondered.

"Attorney Kang doesn't have specialties. He's good at everything. In the last matter, you'll be surprised to hear how many premiums were attached to the final purchase price. If you compared it to when news of the acquisition first went around, it increased by at least 40%," Secretary Tak stated.

Piqued, Yoonshin asked, "How great was the value?"

"It was a company in the red for two consecutive years."

"Is that even possible?"

"You don't read a lot of business news, do you? You'll get used to it soon."

Yoonshin managed to nod and engraved in his brain that he couldn't judge Sehun by normal standards. Then, he tried to come up with companies that could take environmental surveys. Most of them were his father's connections when he was still living, so they were competent and retained excellent confidentiality. He found their contact information from his phone and wrote it down for Secretary Tak.

"There's one company whose director was friends with my father. I can contact him first. If Attorney Kang allows, then you can contact the higher-ups," he said as he handed over the information.

"Of course, don't worry about it. You know that I do my job well, right?" Secretary Tak quipped.

Yoonshin chuckled. "Thanks a lot. How should I ever repay you for your service?"

"I already told you. Please work at our firm for as long as possible." Secretary Tak smiled and then left Yoonshin's room. Their eyes met beyond the window. Yoonshin waved to the secretary, then he spread out the papers that the secretary left him. After checking the time, he set up his stopwatch and started to read through the document thoroughly.

The document was a bulletin that was given to all the lawyers on the special team.

Apparently, the general frame of the acquisition was drawn out in Sehun's head. Before delving into the matter, he carried out preliminary meetings to check over how to execute the most efficient negotiations and to flag unresolved legal issues.

"Youngjin Construction... Youngjin Construction. I don't think I have any ties to them, but why does it sound familiar?" Yoonshin mumbled.

Yoonshin looked through the papers then searched for the CEO of the construction company on the internet. After staring holes into the CEO's face and brooding about the name, he finally realized why the name sounded so familiar.

He had heard about this man's family while he was catching up with his sister. They discussed abstract questions like whether love was eternal while talking about the man's extramarital affairs. It was just another casual conversation, so the memory of it was vague.

"...You need to get your hands on information that is too fatal to reveal, but difficult to hide and cover up." After suddenly recalling what Secretary Tak had said, he hurriedly called up his sister. Unfortunately, she didn't pick up, but this was a common occurrence these days. He held back his bitter sigh and called her personal secretary, who thankfully picked up immediately.

"Attorney Do? What's the matter? I was going to call you anyway because I thought we may be able to meet in the new year," his sister's secretary said.

"Can my sister go out now?" Yoonshin asked.

"Yes, tell me a date that works for you. I will reserve a location."

"I will double-check my calendar and let you know. My sister isn't picking up again. Is everything all right?" Yoonshin was worried that his brother-in-law's violence worsened her situation again.

The other man must have felt his tension and replied in a low voice, "You must have been worried. She is currently meeting with a friend, so she isn't available. She's in the next room—should I let her know?"

"If that's the case, that's fine. I just wanted to ask you something. I vaguely remember talking about this with my sister. Wonik Cho—the third son of Youngjin Group—he's acquainted with my sister, right?"

"President Wonik Cho? Yes, but it's his wife that Director Do is acquainted with. Actually, that's the friend she's meeting right now. But how did you know to contact—?"

"I was only half right, then. I didn't know she was there. I wanted to confirm something. Could you help me with that? It's off the record, of course. It's related to my work. It could be difficult for you to tell me, but I really need that information."

"Uh, this isn't a good place to talk. I'll contact you as soon as I return to my office. Is that all right with you?"

"Yes. I'll be waiting," Yoonshin answered.

Yoonshin was excited to think that he could be of help to Sehun. He didn't have any information in his hands personally, but he had a resource that gave him the upper hand compared to other lawyers—his sister.

After ending the call, Yoonshin glanced out into the hallway. Beyond the busy secretaries, he stared into Sehun's room, then he swiftly pulled down his blinds. As soon as the room was shut off from the hallway, his room felt more tranquil than before.

Just then, his phone vibrated. Yoonshin picked up. "Yes, speaking."

Yoonshin listened attentively to the secretary on the call, and his eyes started twinkling.

Yoonshin happened to spot a senior lawyer coming out of Sehun’s room at the right time. Just before his door closed, Yoonshin leaned forward as if he was taking the baton from the senior lawyer. After bowing respectfully to the other lawyer, he entered Sehun's office. Sehun made a face, looked slightly taken aback by the new, uninvited guest in his office. He leaned his head to the side.

"I don't recall calling you, Fourth-year," Sehun stated.

"Do you have time?" Yoonshin asked.

Sehun checked his watch, then he beckoned to Yoonshin. Hugging his phone and a stack of papers neatly in his arms, Yoonshin closed the door and approached the senior lawyer's desk.

"Did you read through the documents properly? I was under the impression that you shouldn't have time to chitchat in my office. We have a meeting in an hour."

"I had a first pass at the documents. I had something else to tell you."

Sehun crossed his legs and stared pointblank at the younger man, urging him to say whatever it was he needed to say. If anyone could make someone nervous with just a stare, it was Sehun. Yoonshin felt his palms getting clammy. Sehun snapped his fingers, breaking Yoonshin out of his spell.

Yoonshin finally said, "Youngjin Construction. Their debt ratio is practically the same as last year."

"Even if it's proportionally the same, that's mostly bad debt," Sehun replied.

"That's true. They say that they've hit the ceiling in terms of growth, but their performance isn't zero. It bothered me that they were trying to sell such a large company at this time. So, I looked into it separately, and I found that after restructuring, the grandson of the founding director—Mr. Wonik Cho—had significant influence over the company's operations. You might know this already."

Expressionless, Sehun reacted blandly. "I know that. So what?"

"Not too long ago, Mr. Cho's began a new affair with an actor." Yoonshin turned on the screen to his phone that he was cradling in his hand to show Sehun a photo. Sehun stared at the actor on the screen, then he looked back at Yoonshin. He wanted Yoonshin to continue, which made Yoonshin rather bewildered. "You're not surprised."

"Should I be?" Sehun asked.

"He's having an affair with a man."

"Oh, so you thought I should be surprised that he was cheating with a man and not the fact that he was committing adultery?" Sehun gave him an opaque stare.

Yoonshin suppressed his discomfort and tried to maintain a calm façade. "Since then, this actor has been sponsored quite aggressively. Around 25 million dollars from concealed sources were invested in some movie production companies, and there are more to come. Hardly anyone knows that they're having an affair. President Cho seems to believe that not even his wife knows about it."

"That's reasonable. The two are old friends. Normally, people wouldn't expect two married men to cheat with each other."

"Exactly. But just when their relationship dynamic changed, he put his company for sale and started to spend more on his lover..."

"You think it's suspicious."

"Yes. You could see it as President Cho's intention to obtain liquidity to invest in a different business," Yoonshin concluded.

Sehun hummed and fell silent. He didn't look taken aback by the new information—he must have known something about it. He deliberated on his words, trying to figure out how much of his theory to share with Yoonshin, then Sehun said, "I think he's investing in the entertainment industry. I don't know what rumor he heard, but he must believe that this will be profitable. It must have something to do with his romantic trysts. After hearing what you had to say, the vague ideas I had have become clearer."

"It's in a low right now, but in the long-term, isn't construction better in prospect? Entertainment is too risky."

"Fools don't think about the future. They listen to the sweet nothings that others whisper to them. I think there's a middleman somewhere in this. But how in the world did you know that President Cho had a male lover? You found something I couldn't."

Diffident, Yoonshin answered honestly, "Uh, I guess in game terminology, my cheat code?"

"Your sister?"

"She's friends with President Cho's wife. Apparently, they're quite close."

With those two sentences, Sehun made the connection and nodded. Then, he sat up from his chair that he had been leaning into comfortably. He beckoned Yoonshin to come closer, then he said, "Okay, Fourth-year. We're now holding information in our hands. A same-sex affair will be a critical hit to Youngjin Group, but it won't significantly impact the M&A. Unless they're both hitting rock bottom in some aspect, we can't publicize it. But it's too good to not use. How do you propose that we use this in the most effective way to knock down their price? How would you set it up if it were you? Try to come up with a good design."

Sehun probably already had an answer in mind. He was merely trying to see if the answer he came up with aligned with Yoonshin's. Yoonshin wasn't planning on repeating the same mistake from the first test he took with Sehun. Before he came to Sehun's room, he deliberated on how Doguk could win. He also thought about what Sehun would do in this situation. The answer came to him quickly. "We don't knock down the price."

"You won't? You don't want to earn money?" Sehun rejoindered.

"That is, only at first."

Sehun's eyes narrowed at Yoonshin's unanticipated answer. Whether it was because of the content of the answer or because Yoonshin had no hesitation, Yoonshin didn't know. It could have been because of a different reason that Yoonshin couldn't think of on the spot.

"More details," Sehun urged.

"Youngjin Group isn't some corner store. They're a well-established company. A law firm shaking them up with a scandal would impact their stock value momentarily, but they will quickly go on the defensive, more so when the company is impending sale. This information will become completely worthless if you use it that way."

Sehun gazed at Yoonshin with agreement in his eyes. Yoonshin knew that meant he wanted him to continue, so he said, "I was thinking we could offer a premium price under the table. When Youngjin writes us their price, we can tell them we'll put in a bid for them with an added premium. Instead, we can negotiate for conditions in our favor."

"Then, you want to lower their book value and knock down the bidding price."

A construction company's value fluctuated with government policies and regulations. Put simply, if someone external to the company was determined to shake up a company, they could easily achieve such a result. When the terms and conditions of the purchase were close to finalization, they could borrow Taesan's power and use it aptly so that Youngjin would have no choice but to compromise. Then, Sehun would probably have enough methods to push other bidders away.

While considering the uniqueness of the situation to synthesize this new proposal, Yoonshin had imitated Sehun, yet Sehun didn't react much. He merely rubbed his face with one hand.

Sehun slowly lowered his hand. When he stared at Yoonshin again, his eyes were icy. Yoonshin almost thought that it was the usual poker face, but he noticed that it was slightly different. In a subdued voice, Sehun said, "You look pretty excited talking about stabbing someone in the back."

"It's just one possible scheme of many. I don't feel particularly good or bad about it," Yoonshin replied.

"Okay, I understand. I'll think about how useful this could be."

"Does my answer meet the cutoff?"

"It's simple. There is a limit to a good person trying to do something bad. It's a flop." The frost in Sehun's stare had disappeared. His eyes were now colorless and neutral.

Still, Yoonshin felt like those cold eyes were needling him more than necessary. He didn't know exactly why. He felt the need to air out this awkward mood. Yoonshin handed Sehun the documents that he was carrying and pointed to the first page. "This here."

Sehun took the papers and read carefully through the page. "What about it?"

"This lawsuit filed against Youngjin Construction is pending trial. There's an environmental issue here, contrary to the Soil Environment Conservation Act. I wanted to join and try my hand at this case. I know enough environmental law to handle this," Yoonshin explained.

"The damages for this lawsuit may or may not have to be paid out by the purchasing company. We would need to fight it out in court. If so, I was thinking of deeming this as a liability of Youngjin Construction."

"It's small, but I think it's worth engaging the media with it. If we say that Youngjin was polluting the environment, people won't be interested, but if we tell them that the pollutant seeped into the soil and infringed on public health, it'll be different."

Spinning the truth and throwing the bone to the media was a method that Sehun used occasionally. Yoonshin considered raising a media circus as Sehun's specialty. As far as Yoonshin knew, Sehun put in a lot of effort by frequently meeting with senior managers of news companies. If he saw any holes in the opposing party's defense during a bout of media warfare, he would dig in underhandedly to claim victory.

Yoonshin had watched Sehun use this whenever he took on a case big enough for the news to report on it. He was a sort of bench marker.

However, Sehun didn't seem to like this proposal either. Yoonshin pressed his lips together, starting to believe that he gave the wrong answer. Then, Sehun let out a deep sigh and connected to the intercom, his voice echoing in the settled space. "Secretary Tak, contact Taesan and ask them to send someone over by six tonight."

After simply giving his instructions, he hung up gracefully and stared at Yoonshin. "Public opinion isn't something that forms overnight. You have to build it up. Do you want to try drafting an environmental opinion article?"

"Can I?"

"I'll take a look at it and decide whether to include you in the case."

"Thank you." Yoonshin bowed and was about to turn to leave when Sehun waggled his fingers, telling him not to leave just yet.

"Let me ask you one thing. If this scandal spreads, the family of your sister's friend won't be the only thing to fall apart—all the lives of those involved will be crushed. They'll be displayed like meat hanging in a butcher shop. Didn't you feel guilty when you gave it to me?" Sehun asked.

"I know you're not going to use it like that. This information is more valuable when you keep it hidden," Yoonshin replied.

"I'm asking about how you felt when you brought this to me."

It was true that he didn't feel great. He had just handed over someone else's misfortunes as a footstool for victory. After hearing what his sister's secretary had to say, his sister and the wife of Wonik Cho became friends because of how similar their situations were.

They both were considering divorce, but they found it difficult to fight against a large corporation as an individual—they could relate to each other for that reason. Yoonshin was ultimately encroaching on their predicament, which made him even more uncomfortable.

However, this was his job. Even if it was small, sharing his cards with Doguk to help them win was the right thing to do. For the past while, he restructured his thoughts and steeled his heart. Yoonshin decided that he might as well try to hold out properly instead of just coasting along by hanging on.

Yoonshin perceived that Sehun was still trying to test Yoonshin's limits, so he replied with as much composure as possible. "That family already has an unamendable, deep rift. To my knowledge, the wife is already considering divorce. Perhaps this could help her case."

"Okay, that's that, but what about the employees of Youngjin Construction who're going to get swallowed up by another corporation out of the blue? I'm going to cut down the price as much as I can. That's what Taesan wants from me. There will be a mass termination in this process... A few months ago, you would have thought about them first. Now, you're working on my team—wholeheartedly at that."

"You were the one who told me to abide by the rules of Doguk when in Doguk," Yoonshin retorted.

Sehun pursed his lips, at a loss for words, then he leaned into his chair. The backrest of the chair made a grating noise like someone slamming on the brakes of a car. There was a short interval of nerve-racking silence. Sehun broke the silence first. "Prepare two drafts—low and high impact—for press releases and leave it on my desk by 8:59 a.m. tomorrow. I'll call you after I skim through."

"Understood." Yoonshin bowed deeply then left with light steps. Whatever the means, he was pleased that Sehun had started to give him proper work. He was delighted that he was of some use.

Sehun watched as Yoonshin returned to his office, then he picked up his pen. He checked off the key points in the documents on his desk.

After some time, he suddenly threw down his pen in exasperation. His vexation manifested in his fingers like sweat seeping out during sweltering heat. His poker face crumbled apart.

He scowled and chewed his tongue. The furrow in his brow deepened significantly. He threw his head back against his chair and bit his red lips.

Sehun had thought that his headache had improved, but it relapsed. Yoonshin was the cause.

"You do work by the book and really well... but why do I feel like shit?" he muttered to himself.

Sehun had wanted Yoonshin to act like this all along. He constantly reprimanded Yoonshin for his lack of action several times. Yoonshin Do was doing everything properly. Perhaps Yoonshin was good at adapting because, after a few mistakes, he was doing a decent job at imitating Sehun.

Yet, everything that he could ignore so far was reflected clearly like a looking glass. Yoonshin's unsophistication made him crueler and more merciless.

Sehun wondered—what he had wanted came true, but now that the result was right before him, it ate away at his heart.

Ironically, the possibility that this wasn't what he truly wanted occurred to him. He had never wavered like this before, so he was bewildered.

"Damn it," he snarled between his teeth. He tried to shake off his thoughts about Yoonshin, who was quickly taking after him, and focused on his documents.

For once, Yoonshin had taken the cab home. He thanked the driver and got off. In his hand was an opaque plastic bag with a few bottles of carbonated drinks, snacks, headache medication, and lemon-flavored candy. He scanned the contents of the bag before unwrapping a lemon candy, popping it into his mouth.

Just then, a strong gust of cold air blasted against him, so he gathered the front of his jacket more snugly. The earth had nearly gone full circle around the sun and was racing toward the end of December.

"Ugh, it's so cold," he mumbled.

Yoonshin braved the cold with his phone clutched in his hands. He tapped out a message with a date when he was relatively free. It was past midnight, but he and his sister had often contacted each other in the dead of night, so he didn't think he would be bothering her. Shameful as it was, he thought this was the right time to bring up the marriage meeting again.

He had already messaged his blind date, telling her that he had recently started a new project and wouldn't have time to meet any time soon. While he stalled for time, he was going to talk this issue out with his sister to send his blind date a polite rejection. However, his plans to meet Ikyung were pushed back indefinitely by his sister, and before he knew it, they were already near the end of the year.

She needed time to straighten out the situation, so it would be meaningless for her to delay it any further.

Yoonshin was about to send his message when he saw a black car driving into the narrow road to his left. It was an expensive sedan, a common model in the area, so he didn't think much of it at first.

But once he saw the license plate, he changed his mind.

It was Sehun's car.

"Attorney Kang? Attorney Kang!"

Yoonshin waved at the car belatedly, and the car drove past him indifferently. Knowing Sehun's personality, Sehun might have driven by despite seeing the younger man, but Yoonshin's intuition told him that Sehun truly didn't see him.

Yoonshin quickly triangulated the distance between him, the garage, and the lobby and calculated the speed he would need to run to catch Sehun. Yoonshin decided to just sprint to the building's entrance. He dashed at full speed into Building A, where Sehun lived. Although he had never been to Building A, the layout of it was the same, so he could easily figure out his trajectory.

Yoonshin checked the display panel of the elevator heading upstairs. He happened to see the numbers blinking on one elevator, coming up from the second basement floor.

He stabbed at the button, and the cabin opened in time. Inside, Sehun was leaning askance against the wall and had his eyes closed. He looked unusually tired. Unlike when he saw him when he felt ambivalent toward Sehun, seeing him so tired made Yoonshin feel bad.

Thinking that it was strange that the doors opened yet nobody came in, Sehun finally opened his eyes and stared at the door. When he realized that it was Yoonshin, he tilted his head, nonplussed. "Did I come to the wrong building? That can't be."

"No, you're in Building A. Nice to see you," Yoonshin said with a nod after intently listening to the voice as deep as the ocean. Then, he got on the bulky elevator. He rolled the shrinking orb of sugar in his mouth, then he peeked at Sehun. "You're late today. I thought you left early."

"I met with people from Taesan Construction. Why are you on this elevator?" Sehun asked.

Yoonshin didn't answer. Sehun angled his face, glancing to his side, then added, "I asked why you got on. Did you have something to discuss with me?"

"Did you know that you're stingy about sharing your personal information?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything, from head to toe, from the cradle to the grave."

Sehun laughed hollowly. Yoonshin shamelessly shrugged, and Sehun just chuckled again. He didn't seem to hate Yoonshin's boldness.

"Why is the Fourth-year coming here at this time?" Sehun asked instead.

"Because there's something that I need to submit to my superior by 8:59 tomorrow. I came in the middle of looking at it, so I need to pull an all-nighter when I get home." Yoonshin anxiously watched the numbers increase, and when he hit his main point, he turned his body sharply. Then, he leaned gently against Sehun. Sehun looked down then stroked Yoonshin's soft hair. Showering him with short pecks on the top of his head was an added bonus.

Despite his affectionate reaction to Yoonshin's winsome gesture, Sehun seemed uncomfortable about the situation. Sehun was unused to behavior like this. "I'm not your sister or your father. You're barking up the wrong tree."

Yoonshin knew that better than anyone. His sister and father wouldn't be this cold to him. Initially, Yoonshin was immune to Sehun's stabs, but now, he felt hurt each time, which he thought was a big problem. For the first time in his life, Yoonshin was thirsty for affection. This dismayed him.

"I wish you would get used to it. I'm used to being pampered since I'm the youngest in my family," Yoonshin pouted.

"What do you want? Tell me, so I can resolve it before this door opens."

"Can you hug me tight? You know that you've been cold to me these days, right?"

Upon requesting a hug, Yoonshin reached out and hugged Sehun's waist before Sehun could even react. Then, he leaned forward, detaining Sehun where he was. The moment Yoonshin became cognizant of how Sehun's pale face was staring down at him, his instincts told him that he wanted a more intimate type of contact. Sehun's eyes were telling him that he was thinking the same.

"Is there anything that you want, Senior Attorney?" Yoonshin asked coyly.

"If I do...?"

"Then you can do it."

And as expected...

Sehun pulled Yoonshin's waist and engaged in a deep kiss.

"Ngh, mmm..." Yoonshin groaned.

Sehun's free hand caressed Yoonshin's smooth chin and pushed on the corner of his mouth with his thumb. The younger man's lips opened naturally, and Sehun shoved in his tongue, entangling with the other.

They exchanged a warmth hot enough to forget the cold weather.

Their tongues rubbed against each other, and their fluids mingled. Yoonshin writhed, and the older man pulled the trembling younger man closer, exploring his warm cavern endlessly. With every jolt, the plastic bag rustled against the fabric of Yoonshin's pants, adding to the erotic mood. Heat started to simmer from the soles of their feet, spreading up and across their entire bodies.

Time seemed to fly by.

Before they knew it, the elevator doors opened with a ding. Upon hearing that, Yoonshin evaded the other's tongue and instead shoved the remainder of his candy into the other's mouth before pulling away. A clear string of fluid connected them before it snapped off. As he lapped up the remnants of their connection, he blearily looked up at Sehun. Sehun rolled with candy in his mouth, looking quite nonplussed.

"You should get off now," Yoonshin told Sehun.

"What's this?" Sehun asked.

"Is it good? It's my favorite."

"You're toying with me, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't dare. Oh, right—here. I was wondering how to pass it on to you, but what perfect timing." Yoonshin pulled out the medicine from his bag and slid it into Sehun's jacket pocket as he pushed the older man out of the elevator. "I heard you were taking medicine again. Don't get sick. I'm worried about you. You should consider going to the hospital. Prescription meds are more effective."

“…”

“Anyways, I’m going to go back home to finish my work. Dream of me and see you tomorrow," Yoonshin rattled off his goodbyes while Sehun merely gawked, mere minutes after they met.

The doors to the elevator closed slowly, obstructing Sehun's view of Yoonshin. The kind-hearted face that was waving to him disappeared. He glanced at the panel, indicating the descent of the elevator.

Sehun stood frozen in front of the elevator, unable to go home. He deliberated on his next move and crunched on the round candy, only half the size it had originally been. It was sweet and citrusy, leaving a tangy aftertaste—just like Yoonshin Do.

The moment Yoonshin crossed his mind, Sehun couldn't hold back any longer.

It was the first time that he was determined to do something pointless.

He didn't want to care anymore—que sera, sera.

"Hah... Shit," he muttered.

He repeatedly jabbed the elevator button and swiftly got on an elevator that happened to be going down.

The moment the door opened on the ground floor, he sprung out. He didn't take long to act and luck was in his favor—thankfully, he spotted Yoonshin as he was about to enter the hallway leading to Building C. Upon finding the familiar back, Sehun grabbed the younger man's wrist. Yoonshin jumped in surprise and had to stop himself from screaming after he saw who had grabbed him.

"Senior Attorney?" Yoonshin exclaimed in bewilderment.

Sehun calculated whether his house or Yoonshin's was closer. Then, he stomped toward the elevator facing him, still holding onto the other's wrist. Due to the lateness of the hour, an empty elevator opened before long. They naturally both got on.

"Senior Attorney, why are you—?" Yoonshin started to ask.

Thud. Before Yoonshin could finish, he was pushed forcefully against the wall. Sehun crushed his lips over the other's, both hands fixing Yoonshin's face to his. The kiss poured down tempestuous and rough like torrential rain.

"Ngh! Attorney—mmph, go slower—ngh!" Yoonshin gasped.

The bag in Yoonshin's hand dropped to the floor. He draped his arms around the older man's neck to stop himself from tipping over. Upon giving Sehun full access to his lips, Sehun roughly explored the inside of Yoonshin's mouth, claiming it as his. While they were engrossed in each other, the elevator steadfastly took them up to Yoonshin's house.

"Undo it," Sehun rasped between their kiss. He pushed Yoonshin closer to the wall, pointing to the necktie with his chin. Yoonshin loosened the knot of his tie with trembling hands, and Sehun snatched the fabric away, shoving it into Yoonshin's linty sweater. Then, he lifted Yoonshin.

Instinctively, Yoonshin crossed his legs around Sehun's back and thrust his fingers into Sehun's hair, absorbed by their intimate exchange. Heat bloomed between their pressed lips, and fluid dribbled from the gaps between their frenzied kisses.

Then, the elevator doors opened. They were still locked in an intense exchange. Sehun easily carried Yoonshin and exited the elevator, making his way in front of the door to an apartment. In swift coordination, Yoonshin reached out and felt out the keypad combination, unlocking the front door.

The door opened with a bright beep, and the two tumbled to the ground inside.

Yoonshin lay beneath Sehun, and the older man supported himself over Yoonshin. Filled with carnal desire, their eyes met, gazes crashing into each other.

Their hot sighs tickled each other's chin, spreading their excitement.

"How did you know this was my place?" Yoonshin breathed.

"I can recite the address of your other residence," Sehun replied, sounding husky.

Yoonshin had already figured that Sehun wouldn't have taken anyone under his wing without checking their background in the first place.

"I have some things left to do later. How far are you planning on going?" Yoonshin asked.

"Do you have any condoms?" the other asked instead.

"No."

"Then as far as I can go without one. If you don't want to, refuse me now."

"Are you going to not do it if I refuse?" "No, I think I must do it anyway."

They stared at each other, trying to sate their hunger for one another, before locking lips again. Sehun's words were the signal flare that instigated a flurry of touches, desperately stripping each other of their clothes.

The coats of the homeowner and the guest lay abandoned in a clump on the living room floor.

A trail of clothes was scattered about, leading to the couch in the middle of the room. Their jackets, ties, and Sehun's vest matching his jacket created a long and narrow road.

"Attorney Kang, wait, I'm falling—urgh!" Yoonshin, who was practically dragged along as they kissed, tripped on his legs and swayed. Thanks to that, the two couldn't make it to their destination, the couch, and instead fell on the coffee table.

Sehun was outstanding—he could turn all perils into opportunities. Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's waist and hoisted him, straddling him perilously over his firm thighs.

Yoonshin kneeled awkwardly over the other's legs, gripping the other's broad shoulders to continue to allow Sehun access to his lips. As if their flesh was one from the start, their passionate kiss continued with no sign of ending.

"Ngh, mmnh." Gasps seeped out from Yoonshin's lips.

Their rough tongues meshed into each other. Because of how voraciously Sehun was digging into the younger man, Yoonshin couldn't help but jolt and squirm. The slick and moist flesh filled the younger man, hauling him to an unbearable threshold. Yoonshin felt moderately ashamed by the lascivious moans escaping his lips.

Since his first kiss with Sehun, Yoonshin had felt awkward and abashed by intimate contact with another man. These feelings persisted. Yet, the reason he could momentarily set them aside was due to Sehun's fluid and skillful movements. As Sehun repeatedly crashed into him like undulating waves, Yoonshin's stagnated thoughts washed away, leaving only Sehun on his shores.

Sehun salaciously devoured the world inside Yoonshin's mouth. Tirelessly probing the younger man with his tongue, Sehun was almost like a different person from when he was working. He sucked and bit his tongue, meticulously tracing his tongue over Yoonshin's even teeth and soft gums. Yoonshin almost believed that his mouth belonged to Sehun.

"Mm, ha, I can't breathe," the younger man groaned.

"Is this the extent of your lung capacity? Open your mouth more," Sehun ordered.

Yoonshin felt like he was slowly being throttled. Dismayed, Yoonshin wound his arms around Sehun's neck. Sehun finally pulled away and looked up at Yoonshin, the rim of his eyes-stained red at the edges. The gaze came across as enticing Yoonshin—instinctively realized that Sehun was seducing him.

Exhilaration enveloped him like the wind, and Yoonshin couldn't close his mouth. He panted, catching his breath. He managed to ask, "W-what about the candy?"

The reply came in a deep and subdued voice. "It melted away. You lapped it all up."

Sehun wiped Yoonshin's wet chin with his fingers, and as if marking Yoonshin's lips as his, he lightly thumbed the other's delicate skin. That touch was as stimulating to Yoonshin as the deep sharing of their warmth. They shed half their clothes already, and Yoonshin's partially bare body trembled from the exposure to the air. Acknowledging that, Sehun lowered his large hands, fitting Yoonshin's nubs under his dress shirt between his fingers.

"Haugh! Ah!" Yoonshin reacted.

Sehun rolled his fingertips over the other's shirt, getting Yoonshin accustomed to the gentle stimulation, then pinched the buds, making him jolt in shock. The difference in the temperature of the touches astonished Yoonshin, who bit his lip, suppressed moans breaking free from their restraints.

Yoonshin had never imagined that he would have these thoughts in his lifetime. Yet here he was, having such thoughts.

He wanted Sehun to touch him more roughly over his bare skin.

"Ngh, nngh, Senior Attorney, I don't like this," Yoonshin begged.

"Tell me clearly what you want. Are you going to be like this at court too? `judge, I don't like this.—

"St—please, hngh!"

As the younger man clung desperately onto him, Sehun seemed to have read Yoonshin's mind. His long fingers slowly moved, grazing his sensitive buds and tipping Yoonshin to the edge. Yoonshin's thighs shook. Naturally, this vibration transferred to the rest of his leg, making it shake terribly.

Yoonshin wanted to shift into a more comfortable position to enjoy this sensual atmosphere, but the other man continued to firmly fix Yoonshin in his awkward hover, making it difficult to move to a better position. Yoonshin, wanting to sit properly, ran his fingers through Sehun's hair, disheveling it, then pulled lightly. He poured kisses all over the older man's cheek.

When their eyes met again, Sehun's piercing stare told Yoonshin that he wasn't as relaxed as his actions implied, which made Yoonshin relieved.

"I want to touch your skin, Senior Attorney," Yoonshin whispered after mustering his courage, grabbing Sehun's hand and leading them under his dress shirt. Sehun gritted his teeth and practically ripped off Yoonshin's shirt. He swallowed up Yoonshin's nubs, grazing at them with his teeth quite ferociously.

Yoonshin couldn't hold back his voice. "Hngh! Ahhgnh! Mmph!"

Sehun nibbled mercilessly at one bundle of nerves and skillfully moved his hands, thumbing the other nipple and scraping it gently with his well-groomed nails. Yoonshin watched as the other's saliva doused his chest, and then he thrust his spinning head back as he moaned. His gasps revealed his excitement, leading Sehun's touches to grow more exacerbated and confident.

"Yoonshin Do, lift your hips," Sehun ordered, and Yoonshin immediately lifted his hips obediently and looked down. Unable to do anything else with himself, he buried his lips in Sehun's hair and rolled his thumbs around his head. In response, Sehun fondled every inch of Yoonshin's torso. The older man scratched at the protruding hills of the younger's rib bones, stimulating them.

Yoonshin's burning body quivered. "Haah! It tickles. It feels weird."

"How unfortunate. I'm going to be doing something that feels even weirder," he replied, indifferent to what Yoonshin had to endure, and kissed Yoonshin's lips again. As he did the first time, he held Yoonshin's waist with both hands then dragged the younger man down against himself.

Yoonshin let out another groan, "Ah, mmph!"

Their lower halves ground against each other. At their point of contact, they could feel each other's unmistakably stiff bulges. Sehun aimed his hard member against Yoonshin's perineum underneath his suit pants. He pounded into Yoonshin, rocking him up and down several times, hard enough to make loud slamming noises.

The two men's arousals chafed against each other like magnets. Moans and sighs erupted from Yoonshin's lips. He surprised himself by nearly screaming, yet he left his body in the hands of Sehun.

Gaining momentum, Sehun, who was bouncing Yoonshin on top of him, breathed in. He leaned back naturally, his back touching the couch. At this, Yoonshin also fell forward.

As the two took a moment to catch their breaths, Yoonshin broke the silence first.

"I'm so sorry, Senior Attorney. I think I'm hard..."

Sehun glanced at Yoonshin's groin and narrowed his eyes. He flicked his fingers at Yoonshin's front. Yoonshin swallowed dryly in embarrassment. This time, they pulled away. Yoonshin frantically grabbed the other's shirt, anxious that the older man would leave after arousing him like this. Surprisingly, Sehun eased him by gently kissing his forehead. Instead of leaving, he helped Yoonshin and sat back on the couch.

After that, Sehun helped Yoonshin up as well, making the younger man stand with his knees against the edge of the couch. Instantly, Yoonshin ended up exposing his tented groin in Sehun's face, making Yoonshin flinch in surprise. Redness slowly rose to his cheeks. Yoonshin could imagine what would come next and knew very well his imaginations would become a reality soon.

"Wh-what are you going to do?" he asked anyway.

"Take it off yourself," Sehun instructed him instead.

"There's a surveillance camera at the front door for security. You should know because you also have one in your house. Should I still take this off?" Yoonshin asked in a roundabout manner.

There was no way that Sehun, who was quick on the uptake, would not know why Yoonshin suddenly mentioned the camera. Sehun always kept an escape route for himself—his loophole of evidence—but this time, he couldn't circumvent the situation. Sehun voluntarily intruded into Yoonshin's abode and was in the middle of kissing him. If the time they spent so far was a battle of scoping each other out, then this defined the beginning of a more definite relationship.

As expected, Sehun completely understood the consequences of his actions. He pointed to Yoonshin's pants with his chin. "Strip."

Reluctantly, Yoonshin carefully undid the buckle of his pants. He pulled down his zipper and spread open the flap of his pants. Above the band of his exposed underwear, the head of his member peeked out. Sehun, the front seat audience, saw this plainly.

His face beet-red, Yoonshin's hand hovered over his underwear in hesitancy. Sehun gently brushed his fingers up from the base of the younger man's shaft to the tip and encouraged him. "Show me more. Are you just going to show off your underwear?"

Yoonshin squeezed his eyes shut before pulling down his undergarments. His erect member sprung out shyly into the air. Sehun's eyes stroked every corner of his privates, from his balls to his shaft. Then, he leaned forward, pressing his lips on the younger man's scratchy pubic hairs. Yoonshin jumped in surprise, and Sehun stopped him from tipping over by supporting the other's bottom and back with an arm.

That wasn't the end of it. Sehun grabbed the hardened shaft with one hand and slipped the tip inside his mouth.

"Ahh! Ugh! W-wait, ugh, Senior Attorney, hgnh!" In disbelief, Yoonshin called the other, but Sehun continued to push the member deeper into his mouth and mumbled something. Yoonshin couldn't make out what he said exactly—since Sehun replied with the head in his mouth, Yoonshin's sensitive skin was grazed by the other's tongue and teeth. Yoonshin gasped sharply and limply fell forward. At the same time, he clutched at the older man's firm back, crumpling his impeccably pressed shirt.

"Nhg, mmph... N-no," Yoonshin whined.

Perhaps the refusal itself was the cause, but Sehun caressed the cock more intently. He pushed it deep into his throat before pulling out, pushing Yoonshin to the edge of ejaculation. Sehun wrapped his hands around the younger man's beads, arousing them. As his tip traversed the narrow passageway of Sehun's throat, Yoonshin felt his desire to release pooling up in the pit of his stomach.

Yoonshin's mouth gaped, but nothing comprehensible came out. He merely gripped Sehun's shirt tighter. The veins in his hands protruded out. Regardless, Sehun pushed Yoonshin to the edge of release with his mouth. The squelching of saliva on flesh accompanied the repeated thrusts into the older man's throat.

"Ngh, stop! S-stop!" Yoonshin's hips trembled. The sadistic urge to thrust with abandon into Sehun's mouth swept over him. He couldn't endure it any longer and yanked Sehun's head back by his hairs.

After his narrow escape from the constricted cavern, his cock twitched in the air, all the veins popping out. Redness spread all over Yoonshin's face, neck, and ears. He hurriedly opened Sehun's fly, and Sehun matched his movements expectantly. Their hands overlapped several times, and each time, electricity flowed. Without order, they continued to exchange a flutter of kisses.

After an indeterminate number of collisions, Yoonshin finally thrust his hands into Sehun's underwear, pulling the older man's member out into the open. Sehun's member was bigger, longer, and harder than Yoonshin's, making it difficult to grab with one hand. When the skin of his shaft met Yoonshin's soft hands, Sehun growled and swore under his breath, "Hah... Damn it."

Sehun, who had been caressing Yoonshin with feigned leisure, was also at his limit. He suddenly grabbed Yoonshin, threw him on the couch, and slotted himself between Yoonshin's legs. Then, he spread his legs, pulling down Yoonshin's pants further. Yoonshin's vision blurred, so he blinked several times so he could observe this side of Sehun as best as he could.

"Senior Attorney, I-I think I'm going to go now," Yoonshin protested.

"So, you had fun by yourself, huh? Wait. I still have a long way to go."

Sehun pressed the opening of Yoonshin's urethra with his thumb, blocking it completely just before he came. The pressure was more intense than expected, and Yoonshin gasped, not knowing what to do. Sehun's girthy member sprang onto Yoonshin's pale and milky inner thighs.

Sehun crossed Yoonshin's ankles over each other, grabbing them both tightly before lifting them into the air. He gathered Yoonshin's slim legs and slung them over his broad and firm shoulder, then he pecked at Yoonshin's ankle bones a few times. He positioned his member between the gap of the younger's thighs and vigorously thrust in.

Sehun's thick shaft touched the delicate skin of his perineum, rubbing against his balls and his member. Yoonshin saw patches of black in his vision. "Ngh! Ah! Ah!"

The increasing intensity made Yoonshin rock his hips along with the other's movements. More blood gathered up his already swollen front, making his hips and thighs buck. Sehun caught on and started to massage the swollen member to ease him to release. All the while, he never stopped moving back and forth between Yoonshin's legs.

Yoonshin writhed, feeling the urge to come. He shook, telling Sehun with his body that yearned to be embraced. With his rationality slipping away, he could easily picture Sehun thrusting as he wished and gushing all over Yoonshin's perineum, making a mess out of him.

Unexpectedly, he pulled down Yoonshin's legs and sat him up, leaning him comfortably against him. Then, he grabbed both their dicks in his hands.

"Mmm, ngh, hnngh... Senior Attorney, ugh, it feels good. Can I go now?" Yoonshin asked carefully, his chin quivering.

Yoonshin was bewildered by the explicitness of the consecutive events but being in Sehun's arms soothed him. As always, Yoonshin was instilled with the confidence that Sehun would do whatever Yoonshin wanted. Upon Yoonshin's plea, Sehun used his lips to wipe away the tears that came out naturally, asking back in a husky voice, "Why do you keep crying?"

"Because I'm so happy. These are tears of joy..." Yoonshin replied.

"You can do whatever you want to, just like this," Sehun cooed.

"Ah! Ah! Mmmh," Yoonshin moaned.

Sehun had climbed to his peak as well. He had immediately dived into a deep kiss, muffling Yoonshin's moans. He slipped his tongue into Yoonshin's damp cave and ran it around the walls as if to snatch away all the heat in his mouth. At the same time, he started to adeptly stroke both their members with one hand. The protruding veins exuded heat and chafed against each other, creating frictional heat.

Sehun led them both to the brink of release. Yoonshin's flat stomach twitched. Yoonshin was especially overwhelmed by an unbearable need to release.

Precum gushed from their tips. The translucent beads dribbled down their shafts. Sehun continued to stroke their overly sensitive skin, pumping their combined pillars until they released at almost the same time.

"Ahhngh...!" Yoonshin cried.

Sehun growled, "Fuck... urgh!"

Seminal fluid spattered on Yoonshin's stomach and trickled down. The stickiness of Yoonshin sprayed all over Sehun's shirt and pants made of fine fabric.

Yoonshin panted laboriously and leaned forward into Sehun's shoulder. The older man held him close and stroked his back. Sehun fluidly supported Yoonshin's trembling body as they both lay back on the couch. Yoonshin was practically lying on top of Sehun, pressing into the older man's sleek and slim body, and he sighed humidly into the crook between the other's well-built shoulder and neck. They were quite close, so they could feel every breath, every rise and fall of their chests.

Where Yoonshin's abdomen and Sehun's shirt met, and where their members lay next to each other were sticky.

Yoonshin hid his diffident face and whispered, "I'll return your shirt after I wash it off."

"Can you clean it?"

"Of course I can..."

"No, with your mouth," Sehun said suggestively. Yoonshin wasn't so innocent as to misinterpret that. After some deliberation, Yoonshin slowly propped up his exhausted body. He had wanted to try servicing the other after Sehun blew him. He felt like nothing could stop him since Sehun even set the table for him. However, as he was about to reach out and grasp the other's dick, which was growing flaccid after release, Sehun pushed Yoonshin's hand away. Instead, he pulled the younger man back into his arms.

Yoonshin flopped against Sehun, and his ears pressed against Sehun's thumping heart. The vividness of his heart pounding against his chest made Yoonshin feel a bit sheepish.

"Why'd you stop me when I was willing to do it? Did you change your mind?" Yoonshin asked.

"Let's stop here today," Sehun replied.

"I'm okay even if you don't use a condom."

"I'm not okay with that. I came here on impulse, so I'm not done figuring things out."

Perhaps Sehun was still balancing his odds.

Judging from the fact that he wasn't explaining anything to Yoonshin yet, he was still internally conflicted. If Sehun couldn't precisely tell Yoonshin what he was contemplating about, he wanted Sehun to at least be clear that he was musing on something. However, Sehun didn't look like he was about to tell Yoonshin that either.

Yoonshin, whose upper body was slightly propped, exchanged gazes with Sehun. The red rims of his still passionate eyes, basking in their fervor, left an impression on Yoonshin.

"So, this is how you look after you come. You're hot," Yoonshin stated his observations.

"Do you like my face?" Sehun asked.

"Your face is perfect. I like the proportions of your features. I think anyone would like it." Yoonshin's minuscule movements as he talked stirred up Sehun yet again. Yoonshin could feel the other's member twitching awake below his waist. Yoonshin was in awe, yet he felt unaccustomed to the fact that he was the subject of Sehun's arousal. Yoonshin clamped his mouth shut, overwhelmed, and Sehun sat up.

A bit taken aback, Yoonshin grabbed Sehun’s shirt again. “Why are you getting up? I want to stay like this for a bit longer.”

Sehun wiped off the remnants of their spent seed and unceremoniously pulled up Yoonshin's pants. Then, he put himself back together in his clothes and replied, "I need to go now. Don't you have something left to do? As you may already know, I'm a bit of a tough judge. It'll be best if you try hard."

"Could you extend my deadline... to noon?" Yoonshin asked.

"I've never extended a deadline for an associate before. How about referring to that?" Sehun suggested.

After dwelling on that answer, Yoonshin replied, "But I'm different from other associates."

"How so?"

"Well..." Yoonshin trailed off.

Sehun had already gotten up and picked up his vest. He glanced down at Yoonshin, who was sitting idly on the couch. Yoonshin's exposed torso must have bothered Sehun as he pulled up the disheveled shirt that was draped around Yoonshin's waist back on his shoulders. Yoonshin looked down at the fabric that covered his upper body and then up at Sehun.

Yoonshin wanted to say that he was different because he was Sehun's lover or because they were going out. There were a lot of things he wanted to say and could have said, but he wasn't sure if he should. The best he could do was to repeat himself. "I'm different."

Sehun couldn't refute it either, so his brow creased slightly. He gently guided Yoonshin's chin to look up at him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Yoonshin's eyes fluttered closed and opened when the other's soft lips pulled away.

"Is this your answer?" Yoonshin asked.

"I'm thinking about it. Whether I should allow myself to be used or not."

"You're not even willing to give me special treatment for trivial things like extending my deadline. Why do you keep saying that I'm using you...? So, are you really going to just leave like this? Can't you sleep over? I'll do my work, and you can sleep on my bed."

"Why should I? I can't find one, so give me a well-grounded reason."

"It's upsetting seeing you get up unfazed after sex."

Sehun glanced at his watch, calculating the time he had left, then shook his head. "Are you telling me I should laze around while you work? I have things to do too. I also want to hurry up and get clean."

‘But there are bathrooms here too. Three at that,' Yoonshin wanted to say, but how resistant Sehun was despite his pleas made a lump rise to Yoonshin's throat, stopping the words from coming out. He felt like he was the only one who wanted to be together with Sehun, so he felt a little hurt as well.

As Yoonshin pressed his lips in a firm line and the color cooled down from his cheeks, Sehun observed the younger man's reaction, then he asked, "Does this upset you?"

"A bit. What am I, a dumping place for your sexual frustration? Since you're leaving right after you came," Yoonshin complained.

"You came on my clothes, so aren't we even?"

"Whatever. Just go. You said you have things to do. I know that work is the only important thing in your life."

Sehun gazed at Yoonshin with a very complicated face.

Yoonshin didn't know what Sehun was thinking, but Sehun leaned forward once again. Instead of a short peck like before, he engaged in longer, more affectionate gestures. He kissed the younger man's cheeks, lips, on each eyelid, and forehead in a clockwise motion, stamping his scent on Yoonshin's face, and lastly, he bumped their noses together.

Then, Sehun said in a tender tone that he clearly put effort into, "I just don't think I'll be able to do any work if I stay here longer. I'm leaving while my head is clear."

Yoonshin grinned, feeling a lot better. Then, he gently grasped Sehun's hand. The firmness of the older man's hands always felt good.

Sehun pulled the other's hand to his lips, pressing onto the silken skin of the other's hand, then pulled away.

"Include 'feeling frustrated' in a statement of claim and send it over."

"Why a statement of claim, so randomly?"

"You have something that you want from me. So put it on your statement and send it. Of course, you'll need to consider the current market, so I can compensate for your damages. If you're going to rip me off, I'm rejecting it. I'm leaving now."

As Yoonshin sat speechless at the puzzling remark, a knowing look faintly flashed by Sehun's face. He simply turned his back to Yoonshin. In Yoonshin's eyes, Sehun's back seemed to glow and sparkle for some reason, just like yesterday. Yoonshin wondered why. However, his heart ached because he was seeing the back and not Sehun's face. He reached out too late.

Sehun had already picked up his coat and was walking toward the front door.

Yoonshin hesitantly opened his mouth in an attempt to hold Sehun back with his words, but the door opened and closed with a bright beep. Sehun left. On the living room floor was the half-finished trail of Yoonshin's clothes.

Following the trail with his eyes led to his disheveled self. He threw off the shirt that Sehun hung over his shoulders and stood to take a shower when he discovered remnants of the other remaining on his belly. His face throbbed with heat.

He wiped the residue off with a tissue, then he started to brood over the echoes that Sehun left behind.

"A statement of claim..." he muttered to himself.

Yoonshin stared at the door partitioning the living space from the front foyer, and his eyebrows angled into sharp slopes.

'Why did he keep saying that? Is he that troubled that I'm relying on him?' Yoonshin thought.

He wondered why Sehun was treating this relationship as some sort of transaction. Sehun assessed their value as a ransom, decided that Yoonshin was using Sehun, and offered an exchange of emotions and actions.

Yoonshin was acting strong because they hadn't yet completely exchanged their feelings, but Yoonshin genuinely wanted to advance their romantic relationship. Yoonshin thought that Sehun might be awkward in expressing himself but that he had resolved to do the same.

However, Sehun's enigmatic words bothered him. There were too many dubious points to say that it was simply because Sehun was unaccustomed to romantic affairs. His partner was Sehun Kang, a veteran who had gone through hell and high water. It would make more sense if Sehun came at Yoonshin more skillfully and craftily. No matter how unfamiliar he was with romance, being this defensive was just weird to Yoonshin.

Sehun didn't seem to be toying with Yoonshin. Sehun quite obviously treated Yoonshin differently from others. Yoonshin could sense that the older man wanted to hide his affection for Yoonshin, but it seeped out. Yoonshin couldn't measure how big the older man's feelings were, but he was sure that Sehun liked him.

‘Then, is this his style of dating? Do I have to match his steps?' Yoonshin tilted his head and recalled the oddly hurtful remarks from Sehun. He clicked his tongue. ‘If he tells me to write up a statement of claim, does he think that I won't?'

Yoonshin crumpled the shirt in his hand, then he sighed before going into his bedroom.

At a multiplex cinema near the firm, the lawyers of Doguk and other related parties gathered. They had all made time to attend the private screening catered to the advisory committee that was consulted pro bono for a public interest movie, Principia.

The movie was directed by a renowned film director who had won several awards at various international film festivals. On top of that, a famous movie star, Uigun Shin, starred in the show for no guarantee, which raised a lot of publicity. Inevitably, the press and the public were keenly interested in the film.

Originally, this was supposed to be just another holiday season volunteering activity by the firm's incorporated association, but for those reasons, the executive director of Doguk announced that he would attend the screening for a news publication. In the end, it snowballed into a big event where most of the partners and associates gathered.

Inside the crowded theater, Yoonshin looked around for Sehun. He was about to sit in the end seat of the last row when he heard a familiar voice near the back exit. "Attorney Yoonshin Do?"

He turned around and saw Mihee. Sehun was with her. The moment they both appeared, the other lawyers turned around to greet them, and Yoonshin did the same. However, in his head, he had a somewhat cheeky thought. 'Did they come in the same car? Just the two of them?'

"Hello, Senior Attorney Song. Did you come with Attorney Kang?" Yoonshin asked instead.

"Yep. It was a waste not to, in this country that doesn't produce a single drop of oil. I came in Sehun's car," Mihee replied.

"Oh... Is that so?" he asked back, his eyes fixed on Sehun's lean body as he headed down to the front rows where all the partners sat. As if Yoonshin was invisible to Sehun, he didn't once look Yoonshin's way. The way he chatted with the other partners down at the front was coldhearted.

Mihee noticed that Yoonshin was preoccupied with the front row. She brought his attention back to her by asking, "Why are you alone here? This row is the extra seating, reserved for the office managers and other management staff."

"Oh, yes, because I have the least years of experience compared to everyone else on the team," Yoonshin replied.

Mihee shook her head after glancing at Yoonshin's seat. She didn't seem to comprehend the treatment that he was receiving. "If it was by team, then you should be way up front. The corporate law department is always first in gross profit by a landslide. Are you being bullied by the other associates and staff by any chance?"

Truth be told, Yoonshin knew that he was being ignored, outcasted, and treated like a pro bono lawyer because he was sown into the firm by his wealthy family. However, in a broad sense, he truly was hired through nepotism, so he couldn't complain openly about it.

Moreover, he was directly assigned under Sehun's care, and the partner lawyer had—in some aspect—approved of his utility, so it was inevitable that the other associates detested Yoonshin. Yoonshin grinned awkwardly and replied, "I think it's better that I'm a bit further from my seniors. Thank you for your thoughts, but I will sit here today. You should go to your seat. Everyone is waiting for you."

Yoonshin covertly sent a look, indicating his discomfort about talking so openly with her in front of his colleagues. Mihee, an expert at handling people, immediately caught on and gave him a look back. "Oh dear, I didn't notice. Okay, since there are a lot of watchful eyes, let's do as you wish. If there's anything that you want to consult with me, I'm always free to talk."

She patted his shoulders in encouragement and seated herself next to Sehun.

When the seat next to him was filled, Sehun finally turned to look in Yoonshin's direction. Naturally, his eyes met with Yoonshin, who was looking in his direction.

At that moment, Yoonshin felt anger surging in him. He averted his eyes. He thought, 'Who was the one who said that he didn't want fingerprints on his things so told me to not touch anything in his car?'

Of course, this was a long time ago, and Sehun didn't treat Yoonshin like that anymore. But the moment he became aware of the difference in treatment of Yoonshin and Attorney Song, he felt more upset than he thought he would be. Yoonshin's face turned mildly downcast.

He knew that Mihee and Sehun had a long history together and that they were close. He didn't know the details, but he had heard stories from Secretary Tak.

Mihee used her mother's family foundation to financially support her junior, Sehun, since he was young. He never forgot her support, so in return, he chose to enter Doguk. Based on that, Yoonshin could extrapolate that they were quite special to one another. But Yoonshin was hit with the urge to know the particulars of their relationship.

When they were dining together for the first time, Sehun had tried to sound him out by asking if he had slept with Mihee. Perhaps he simply asked that to feel out what truly happened between Mihee and Yoonshin, but thinking about it another way, it was quite a baseless question. Yoonshin couldn't ignore the possibility that this could be a very important hint.

‘Did they go out with each other in the past?' Yoonshin thought.

Once he started to open his heart to Sehun, all sorts of petty things bothered him.

Yoonshin grumbled to himself and dropped his eyes, kneading his palms for no reason.

Just then, the people near the stairs started to murmur, and Yoonshin felt someone come close to him.

His row was in the corner of the theater and had only four seats, and Yoonshin was surrounded in all directions by empty seats. He expected nobody else to sit in his row. He was about to ignore the person who came up to him, but he flinched when a familiar fragrance tickled his nose. When he turned his head, the person on his mind was standing next to him.

Sehun.

Yoonshin stared up at the partner lawyer. Sehun looked slightly frustrated at Yoonshin's reaction and frowned. "Stop gawking and move."

"Oh, yes, sorry." Perplexed, Yoonshin finally tucked his legs. Sehun sat to Yoonshin's left. The central seat of the front row next to Attorney Song, which supposedly was Sehun's, was empty. As Sehun moved to the furthest row to the back, Yoonshin could feel the attention of everyone swarming his way. Although they couldn't stare blatantly, the interest that buzzed in the air was uncomfortable enough.

Feeling awkward, Yoonshin rubbed his slender neck with his palm, then he leaned toward Sehun and whispered in a low voice, "Why did you come here? All the others are staring this way because of you."

"Should I leave then?" Sehun challenged.

"Do you need to say it like that?"

"Too late, I already said it like that."

Spurred by Sehun's response, Yoonshin didn't feel like backing out. He had felt this since the start, but Sehun oddly provoked his competitive side. "So, why did you come here? Because of me?"

Sehun, who had finally glanced at Yoonshin, looked impassive. He seemed to have already come to an answer internally but was debating whether to tell Yoonshin. Eventually, he made up his mind and replied with a short sigh, "To begin with, I wasn't supposed to be able to come here. I made time that I didn't have to see you, so it would be meaningless if you were sitting so far away. Why are you asking something so obvious? I don't understand."

‘Because dating is about those processes and asking those questions,' Yoonshin wanted to tell him but dropped the thought. Instead, he asked what he wanted to hear the answer of more than anything, "Then, why did you ignore me and go downstairs at first?"

"I'm not like you, who came to enjoy yourself, right? Everyone here is busy, so it's not easy for the head of each department to gather like this. I went because I had things to talk about," Sehun explained.

"You came here to see me even though you had other things to do? Why?"

"Why do you think? I wanted to see you for a moment. Are you going to keep asking me these kinds of questions?"

"Not everyone is as smart as you."

"You're asking even though you know the answer. You look anxious. Did something happen?"

Yoonshin wondered how he should explain his worries to Sehun.

Something must have happened, but not to him. Yoonshin wanted to know about the events that might have happened to Sehun Kang. Sehun and Mihee looked like they knew each other very well—almost too well. Naturally, couldn't something have sparked between them as man and woman?

After deliberation, Yoonshin couldn't keep it in any longer and spilled his curiosity. His whispering voice grew slightly loud. Being conscious of that, the end of his sentence cracked slightly. "Have you ever been in a relationship with Senior Attorney Song?"

When he heard this, Sehun grimaced in disbelief and scoffed. Then, he asked back, "Are you sick somewhere?"

"Depending on your answer, my heart could hurt or not."

Sehun and Mihee had an age gap, but Sehun tended to see things to the end once he set his mind to it, so it wasn't an impossible relationship.

Before, Sehun had asked almost jokingly if he had rejected Yoonshin's sister once, and now he was sparking a secret relationship with him. Sehun didn't seem to be the type to have strict boundaries for dating, but he didn't seem particularly gay either.

Yoonshin thought that, despite being picky about external factors, Sehun seemed to be the type to ignore invariable factors like age and gender if he liked the person and they met his standards.

"Why are you like this today?" Sehun asked, baffled.

"Answer me first," Yoonshin held out.

"No, never. Okay, since I answered, it's your turn now. Were you jealous?"

Yoonshin replied candidly, "Yes. I don't like when the two of you are alone together."

Other people aside, Yoonshin was a bit bothered by Mihee because she knew Sehun the best.

Upon answering sincerely, Yoonshin saw Sehun's eyes narrow. There was a brief silence. Sehun must not have expected Yoonshin to acknowledge it so coolly that he was rendered speechless for a moment.

As he stared intently at Yoonshin, several thoughts and feelings seemed to cross Sehun's face. He didn't say anything, but Yoonshin could perceive the meaning of his expressions. Sehun looked like he was observing a child who was a handful, and he also seemed to be bracing his heart with some sort of resolution.

Staring back, Yoonshin felt a bit embarrassed at his own complaints and changed the topic first.

He thought back to the calendar he once saw on Sehun's desk and asked, "What are you doing tomorrow? If it's all right, we could—"

Before he even finished, Sehun turned his body toward the screen and tersely replied, "There's a place I need to visit, so I used a whole vacation day. We'll only see each other in the new year."

The seats to the theater had gradually filled up. The surrounding grew darker, and advertisements started playing on the screen. Yoonshin stared at Sehun's profile and fell into deep thought amidst the darkness. 'We didn't make any promises, but why did I think that he would stay with me?'

Tomorrow was December 31. Taking a leap of faith, Yoonshin put in for a half-day off. It was the first time he did so after he entered the firm.

In the morning, he was going to hold a lecture at a nearby high school to fill volunteer hours with the incorporated association in Sehun's stead. Since it was the winter holidays, only the students who wanted to attend the small special lecture could attend on a first-come-first-served basis. After that, he was thinking of meeting Sehun in the afternoon to greet the new year together.

There was nothing new about the end of the year that fell upon the world annually, but Yoonshin didn't want to be buried in work on a day like that. His sister said that she took her kids to a ski resort, which gave Yoonshin a pretty good excuse. If Yoonshin told Sehun that he was lonely, he felt like Sehun would stay beside him.

Even if Sehun didn't tell him, Yoonshin had heard from Secretary Tak that this was a day that the other man always took off. Yoonshin naturally thought that they would end up spending time together. He figured that he was the only person that Sehun would meet on such a day.

But he was wrong.

`What the heck is tomorrow anyway?' Yoonshin hesitated to ask, feeling bewildered. From the side, Sehun looked so unyielding that Yoonshin couldn't bring himself to ask what the occasion was tomorrow and if he could stay with Yoonshin instead. Staring blankly, he turned to hide the blush that had risen on his face. He was relieved that the darkness completely shrouded them at this point.

As the surroundings were submerged in darkness, Sehun's hand stretched out to Yoonshin. He firmly grasped Yoonshin's soft cheeks and swiftly stole a kiss on his lips. It happened so quickly that by the time the light flooded the screen, Sehun was already back in place, his back straight, staring at the front.

Sehun felt barely in Yoonshin's reach, brushing at his fingertips teasingly, and Yoonshin couldn't contain the flurry of complex emotions that came with that feeling. He hid the anxiety rising to his face and reached out under the armrest.

Yoonshin grabbed the other's right hand, bumpy with veins, and swept his thumb across the other's neat and clean nails. Instead of pushing him away, Sehun kneaded the webs of Yoonshin's fingers in reply. Yoonshin bit his lips, his cheeks twitching as he tried to push down the corners of his lips.

When he was about to lean against the other's shoulders, the other glanced down at Yoonshin.

Their eyes met, and Sehun grinned in defeat.

Yoonshin froze completely, unable to move a single muscle.

‘Really, he drives me crazy.'

The greed of wanting to grasp Sehun crashed over him. Yoonshin's heart felt like it would burst.

The high school near the firm was quiet. There were no students, and as the last day of the year, there was a very tranquil serenity hanging in the air. The small lecture hall was the only space filled with people. Yoonshin was surrounded by teens. He looked around the students who encircled him, gazing up at him with sparkling eyes, and announced the end of the special lecture.

"Okay, I'll take a few questions and we can wrap up. Any questions?" Yoonshin asked warmly.

One girl raised her hand and asked, "The trials that I see in dramas and movies are extremely intense. Do prosecutors and lawyers fight like that in real life?"

Yoonshin mused about his answer for a moment then said, "Hmm, it depends on the case, but it's rare to have people stating their arguments so strongly and fighting for it like on TV. We're all in the same practice, so we're careful with our words. Let's take a criminal trial, for example. If the defendant stands at their trial, this usually means that the police investigations are over and that they were handed over to the prosecution, who will formally press charges. Generally, this means that the prosecution has evidence that this person could be guilty."

Yoonshin met eyes with his attentive students. He continued, "Prosecutors are extremely busy people. As such, when they hand a case over to trial with some certainty that they are guilty of the crimes they committed, the defense lawyer then tries to decrease the sentence instead of trying to prove the innocence of their client. It's quite rare for the defense to turn the case on its head. Has anyone watched a real trial before?"

Most of the students shook their heads.

"The courts are mostly open to the public. As long as a trial isn't closed to the public, anyone can attend. When you have the chance, it would be good to watch for yourself. If you send an application to our incorporated association, we would probably be happy to accompany you on your trip."

A boy who was thinking about Yoonshin's answer then asked playfully.

"Your Honor! Why do you say that? It sounds kind of lame.”

Yoonshin, not denying it, chuckled. "We don't actually say it as often as they do in dramas. Rather, we use it more often as an address in written hearings and letters. The formal reason is that the judge makes the ultimate ruling. The ruling will be based on the law, but judges are people too. The main objective is to make the trier of law feel respected. Even if it sounds lame to you, it's the right thing to say. Are there any other questions?"

Chapter 9

The room was silent. Yoonshin recalled that, when he was younger, he couldn't come up with questions when asked for them. He was watching the children fondly when one girl pushed up her glasses and asked somberly, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Sehun's face came to mind, causing a warm smile to form. Not too long ago, when he was asked the same by his sister, he had denied it since they weren't going out back then. Now he was contemplating a different answer. He wasn't hesitant anymore. "Yeah, well, I have something like that."

"So do you have someone you're going out with or not?"

"I have someone I like. I'm saying that I do have a significant other." After answering more firmly, he checked his watch. The girls whose eyes were gleaming before looked somewhat disappointed, and they started whispering amongst themselves, which he ignored.

"All right, shall we head out for lunch now? I have a prior appointment, so I can't accompany you, but I'll pay for anything you want. You can eat however much you like."

The youths acted their age. As if they had never been disappointed, the girls became excited, and the boys—who had looked bored of waiting for the lecture to end—simply showed their satisfaction and picked up their jackets. Yoonshin chuckled as he watched the students put on their unofficial uniform—the generic, black puffer coats—and then called over the president of their club, instructing him to contact Yoonshin after ordering their food at the restaurant.

The teen nodded, and Yoonshin ruffled his hair. Yoonshin then waved to each student as they left. The pitter-patter of their feet grew further. Yoonshin grabbed his coat and suitcase last and also left the room.

"It's chilly." He hunched his shoulders. Looking out the window in the hallway, he saw that the sun was still hanging high.

`What was Sehun Kang doing right now?' he wondered.

Sehun didn't give Yoonshin time on Christmas Eve nor the day of, but Yoonshin wasn't greatly frustrated by it. After all, Yoonshin knew what the other man was doing and where he was.

On the eve of the day, Sehun couldn't leave the office due to a series of meetings starting in the morning and stretching out to the evening. On Christmas, despite it being a holiday, he met a client with a foreign-licensed lawyer at Mihee's request. Yoonshin left a text message past midnight but fell asleep while waiting for a reply. He remembered waking up the next day to check for the older man's reply.

Yoonshin had patiently overlooked these absences but neglecting him even on this day made him quite frustrated.

‘Is there no concept of an anniversary in his head?' Yoonshin sulked.

Yoonshin took out his phone and momentarily lapsed into thought. Just what was the significance of today? Sehun normally didn't use vacation days and instead immersed himself in work. Yoonshin had never seen him resting other than on dedicated rest days such as the weekend. Sehun didn't use additional vacation days other than the week that all the firm's lawyers were given.

The curiosity that he was suppressing rose to the tip of his tongue. He ended up calling Sehun.

"This is Sehun of Doguk speaking..." Sehun said.

Fortunately, the other man picked up quickly. However, Yoonshin didn't have high expectations, so he had yet to organize his thoughts. Thanks to that, he ended up asking the question that he had been holding in thus far. "What day is December 31?"

Sehun must have been astonished that he was cut off by such a direct question. After some silence, he laughed in incredulity. "Where's your phone call etiquette gone? Tell me if you've been ripped off somewhere. You know our firm has an internal remedial service."

"I saw it on the calendar on your desk," Yoonshin continued.

Sehun didn't answer for a moment. A loaded silence ensued, then he said, And when did you see that? You didn't have time to be casually peeking when you were in my office."

"Well, stuff happened," Yoonshin said ambiguously.

"It's my off-day. Didn't this conversation end yesterday?"

"It ends when I've understood. Where are you going? You didn't spend Christmas Eve or Christmas with me. I waited instead of complaining. But if you're going to set me aside today as well, don't you think that's a bit cold-hearted of you? You can't neglect me just because I'm a guy. We're going out right now. I'll tell you especially because you might not know how dating works, but couples usually meet on days like today."

"Are you saying that we should go on a date in the stifling sea of people?"

Yoonshin, in disappointment, let out a dry laugh. "Well, isn't that a given? I have a half-day off today. I just finished work too. I'll buy you an expensive lunch. Come out."

"Not today. I recall that I explained that I needed to go somewhere today."

"Where is that place then? You never go out, but where do you need to go today?"

"You don't need to know," Sehun replied tersely.

"Don't I have the most right to know?" Yoonshin asked imperiously.

"Hey, you're... Never mind. I'm hanging up."

Thinking that Sehun wasn't being serious, Yoonshin was about to reply. However, Sehun had heartlessly hung up. Incredulous, Yoonshin tried to call again, but the other man refused to pick up this time. Yoonshin stared down at the dark screen, looking dumbfounded.

"Rude as always. Remedial services, my ass. Your personality can't be remedied."

His rage reached a boiling point, and he roughly pushed back his bangs. The surface area of skin in contact with the cold air increased, yet his face was still burning.

If Yoonshin dropped the hint that he was free this afternoon, Sehun could have asked to have dinner together, or if Sehun was very busy, he could have asked to have a drink together later that night, just to see each other. Yoonshin even offered to buy him lunch, but he was neatly rejected.

Yoonshin had no idea what in the world the older man had to do to make him so busy at the end of the year. It could just be his gut feeling, but Yoonshin felt like Sehun was hiding his whereabouts, which fueled his curiosity.

"What, how much more is he planning on earning? Fine, keep working your ass off and become rich then," Yoonshin said bitterly.

Yoonshin irritably shoved his phone into his coat pocket and stomped away. Resolute that he wouldn't take Sehun's calls even if he called later, Yoonshin took his phone back out and turned the power off.

Upon arriving at the parking garage, Yoonshin looked around the spacious second basement floor. He was about to head to the central lobby but seeing that Sehun's car was still in Building A's designated parking area, he stopped in his tracks. According to Secretary Tak and his sister's secretary, all of Sehun's cars were suspiciously black.

"One Mercedes Benz, one Ford, a Ferrari, a McLaren..." Yoonshin counted the cars in the order they were parked and stopped when he counted seven of them.

All of Sehun's cars were parked in their place.

‘Did he use public transit? Or does he have a car that I don't know about?' Yoonshin thought.

The latter was more likely than the former. To add to the list of possibilities, he conjectured that Sehun might still be at home. Yoonshin unthinkingly thrust his hand in his coat pocket and fumbled with his phone, lingering with regret.

Yoonshin reconsidered contacting Sehun again and just took out his phone from his pocket when the headlights of the car in front of him flashed on. Following that, he heard the engine starting. Surprised, he looked around. The owner of the car was walking toward him in a suit as black as night.

Sehun must have been at home. Yoonshin watched as the figure grew closer. However, something bothered him.

Sehun was in all-black attire and had a black overcoat draped on his arm. Over his dress shirt was a dapper and snugly tied black necktie. His outfit was very solemn. Images that related to this sort of attire cropped up. They were images of moments that Yoonshin didn't want to think about.

‘That man has never worn a black tie in over half a year,’ Yoonshin noted.

Yoonshin had an exceptional memory, and he truly did not recall Sehun ever wearing a black tie. He swallowed back his questions, and Sehun stopped right in front of him. Yoonshin was the one who spoke first. "Are you leaving now?"

"Are you stalking me? This isn't your building's parking area. What are you doing here?"

"I was doing something similar on impulse," Yoonshin replied straightforwardly.

"And?"

"I believe there may be a reasonable cause on why you and I met like this right now."

"What is it? Let me in on it too."

"I thought deeply about it for a while, but I think we're destined to be," Yoonshin stated confidently.

Sehun cast a wordless stare at Yoonshin. Then, he walked by with disinterest, throwing an insincere reply, "Too cringeworthy. Move."

Yoonshin couldn't send the other man away like that. It wasn't just because of Sehun's dreary outfit. It was because Sehun looked overburdened, an expression he had never seen the older man make before.

He wasn't sure if Sehun was caught off-guard or if he was voluntarily showing this face to Yoonshin. In any case, it was clear that this situation was out of the ordinary. Based on his observations of Sehun so far, no matter how busy he was, he was always mentally and emotionally relaxed. But right now, something about Sehun gave Yoonshin the impression that the older man didn't know what to do in this situation.

As a workaholic, Sehun wouldn't have taken the entire day off if he had to leave just past noon. Yoonshin was hit with the imaginative speculation that perhaps Sehun sacrificed this entire day because he didn't want to show this side of himself to others. Spontaneously, he clutched onto Sehun's sleeve before dropping his hand to hold the other's hand.

"What are you doing?" Sehun asked.

"Are you going on a blind date? I don't like the thought of that, but since I also went on one, I'll overlook it just this once. I can wait at home," Yoonshin replied.

Sehun looked flummoxed. "Why would I go on a blind date? I'm not planning on getting married."

"Not even with me?"

"With you, it's not that I won't, it's that I can't."

"Then, if that's not the case..." Yoonshin looked dark, unable to bring the other possibility to his lips.

One only ever wore such a black tie with a pitch-black suit on sad occasions—occasions like when his father died, when his friends or their parents passed away, or when his client passed away due to a tragic accident or took extreme measures. Each time, his heart ached and hurt.

Given that Sehun had recorded it on his calendar for several years, it probably wasn't marking a future event. According to Secretary Tak, Sehun had always taken this day off, so this was probably a repeated event since a long while back. When he came to this conclusion, Yoonshin hesitated, then he carefully asked in a depressed voice, "You were also wearing something like this when we first met. I remember that well."

Instead of replying, Sehun merely gazed at the younger man. However, the words that never came out of his mouth were written all over his ashen face.

Mustering up more courage, Yoonshin continued, Are you going to a columbarium? I'm sorry for asking, but I really wanted to know."

Yoonshin knew he should offer his condolences here, but because Sehun didn't tell him anything, he didn't want to gloss this over.

As Yoonshin expected, a more definite emotion rose to Sehun's face as he stared at Yoonshin. But despite being face-to-face with Sehun, Yoonshin couldn't read his exact feelings. Sehun was probably feeling a myriad of complex emotions. The fact that he didn't pull away from Yoonshin's touch was proof of that.

"Sir?" Yoonshin called.

Sehun didn't reply, so Yoonshin called him a bit louder, "Attorney Kang."

"Fourth-year. A columbarium is a place where you can store urns for several decades, where people who had enough financial resources go after they die. You were a wealthy young master your entire life, so that's the limit of your imagination."

"Yes, I know that my imagination is limited. I only asked because you don't look very good. I've never seen you make this face before."

“…”

"Should I go back? I'll listen to you this time. If you want to be alone, I'll let you be."

Sehun listened very quietly and asked, his voice faintly cracking, "If I asked you, just like you did, to stay with me, what would you do?"

"I'm really sorry, but could you stay with me fora moment? I don't think I can stay here alone." What he had said to Sehun before was a string of language that expressed that he was on the verge of breaking down.

Yoonshin calmly stared into Sehun's eyes before he released the other's hand. Distress flashed by the older man's face, which Yoonshin did not miss.

A single action was more effective in expressing his feelings rather than a hundred words. Yoonshin left Sehun behind, walked up to the passenger seat of Sehun's idling car, and got in. He buckled up and stared straight at Sehun, who was watching. Would it be too farfetched to say that Yoonshin saw a hint of relief within that straight face of Sehun?

As he originally intended to do, Sehun also got in the driver's seat. He gazed at Yoonshin with indecipherable eyes for a long time. Then, without saying anything, he skillfully drove out of the garage.

The day turned to evening, and as the dusk and the shadows grew alike, the air became incomparably cold to when the sun beat down on the earth. It felt even colder because they were standing at the waterfront.

The rural riverside where there was nothing but the river to see was quite desolate and eerie. The bone-chilling landscape fit to feature in a crime thriller movie stretched on. Surprisingly, this seemed to be Sehun's destination today. It was a place that didn't suit his extravagant life.

The atmosphere around their erubescent surroundings was chilly. The only thing nearby was the narrow rural highway, so there were few people here. In the summer, there might have been a lot of visitors since it was the riverside, but the view of the river in the winter wasn't so spectacular to attract visitors. Yoonshin could only speculate as to why Sehun came to this solitary river, yet he did not know any specifics.

Yoonshin looked around, then he gazed at Sehun's lonely back as he stood facing the river. If Sehun wasn't here in this tranquil and vast, forsaken space, then he would have felt unbearably lonely.

Did Sehun always come here, forlorn?

"Where is this?" asked Yoonshin, who had been gazing at Sehun with worry in his eyes, as he walked up to the older man. Sehun turned away from the rolling waters of the flowing river. Fixed onto Yoonshin's gaze as if he were a safe haven, Sehun's eyes seemed a bit moist in the corners.

The voice that flew out of the birdcage of his red lips was lower than usual. An environmentally friendly columbarium."

Once his expectations were confirmed, Yoonshin tried to sound brighter. "Isn't that illegal? There are no fish farms nearby, but this is less than five kilometers away from the land."

"You're wrong. According to several commercial laws, this act isn't particularly illegal."

"I see you've enjoyed using loopholes since way back."

Sehun grinned at his joke, and his nervousness that Yoonshin saw back at their apartment's parking lot was almost gone. Sehun had no words as he drove, but thankfully, his mood seemed to have alleviated now.

From up close, Sehun seemed unperturbed. To be more exact, he looked like he had given up on many things that he could have obtained in his life. Perhaps that was why Yoonshin felt his heart sinking. The bright face that he had tried to maintain disappeared like candlelight being blown out. Sehun watched the change of expression, and the faint smile that was playing on his lips had all but disappeared.

They merely gazed at each other.

Their surroundings were wide open. However, the two that were quite alike in many ways exchanged intense looks as if they were the only ones holding onto and supporting each other in a tight and small circle. For some reason, Sehun angled his head. Thinking that the older man was leaning into a kiss, Yoonshin closed his eyes.

However, several seconds passed, and Yoonshin never felt the sensation of the other's skin on his.

"Open your eyes. I want to see them," Sehun demanded. Although it was ambiguous whether it was a request or a command, Yoonshin slowly opened his eyes. Sehun had kept his eyes on the younger man's eyes, and when they opened, he kissed Yoonshin's forehead, making a small noise, and then stared beyond Yoonshin's head.

Sehun looked up at the red sky before darkness completely fell. The curvature of his face was graceful. Yoonshin indulged himself in the other's silence and mirrored Sehun's actions.

Then, Sehun angled his head once more. Determined not to fall for the same thing twice, Yoonshin kept his eyes round and open. This time, the other kissed him on the lips. Surprised, Yoonshin looked up. The other's deep eyes were filled with him, Yoonshin Do, as if he was the only one that existed in Sehun's world, which made Yoonshin feel slightly shy.

Sehun's defenses were low. Yoonshin felt like this was the right time to ask questions. "Whose ashes did you scatter here?"

Sehun answered quite readily. "My younger sibling."

"You had a sibling? A boy or a girl?"

"A brother. He died when he was young."

Upon hearing the answer, Yoonshin asked, feeling anxious, "You're not projecting your younger brother on me, are you? People with trauma tend to do that."

"Are you filming some French movie?"

"Never mind if I'm wrong."

Sehun frowned and gave him a cold stare, then he shook his head. Yoonshin felt sheepish and shifted to Sehun's side. He swayed slightly side to side, lightly bumping into the older man. Perhaps that annoyed him or maybe he wanted to do this from the start, but Sehun's hand sprung out toward him.

"Come here." Sehun hugged him from the back. Their gazes overlapped as they stared at the same vanishing point on the horizon. Sehun looked at the darkened river for a while, then he slowly leaned forward. He pecked at Yoonshin's cheek and earlobe then rubbed the tip of his nose near Yoonshin's jaw. His affectionate gestures tugged at Yoonshin's heart.

Yoonshin wanted to know more about Sehun. He had always thought so, but it was the first time that this desire surged in him so strongly.

As if yearning for something to hold, Yoonshin's hand covered Sehun's hand that had wound itself around Yoonshin's waist. He waited for the right timing as they silently exchanged warmth, but surprisingly, Sehun spoke up first. "He wasn't blood-related—just a boy who looked up to me. Our situations were similar. We both lived in small one-rooms in the same small town, and although our parents didn't live with us, they were alive somewhere on this earth, so we both couldn't go to an orphanage. They said it wasn't allowed, legally."

"Can I ask why he died?" Yoonshin asked.

"From bodily injury."

Put crudely, he had died after being assaulted.

Yoonshin gasped sharply, then he turned his head slightly to look at the other. "By who?"

"Probably the neighborhood thugs, but the town didn't have a lot of surveillance cameras around. The incident happened in the middle of the night, so there were no witnesses. The police didn't investigate properly because he was a kid with no parents. I was also young at the time. There was a body but no killer."

Sehun didn't know who exactly the perpetrator was. Yoonshin felt at times that death was not equal to everyone. He didn't have too many experiences, but he could tell the difference at least. While on one hand there were people like his father whose death was mourned by many, there were also lives that were extinguished miserably without a known cause.

Their silence added to the solitude of the landscape. Their breathing was their only movement in this deserted space. The frosty wind blew, the unclean river trickled downstream, and the gust from the cars zooming behind them filled the emptiness around them.

At the center of it all, Sehun said calmly, his steady voice as tranquil as the flow of water and so resigned that it was almost sad, "No place accepted the bones of a child who was already dead. I thought about sending him to the cemetery for unclaimed bodies, but I was told I couldn't if his parents were still alive. I couldn't keep his urn anywhere, so I scattered his ashes here. I heard people saying that it was illegal, so I couldn't spread it without shame. I was scared, so I did it without anyone knowing, alone at night."

“…”

"My childhood home is quite far from here. I walked as fast as I could late at night, but it probably took around five or six hours. I spread his ashes in a hurry. It was so late at night, and I was so out of my mind that I'm not sure where exactly I scattered him. Just, hereabouts? I regretted it after earning a lot of money. After all, I couldn't gather what I scattered into the water. I should have stored his ashes for longer."

Now, he was probably carried downstream somewhere. The eyes that were staring at the river were still.

His calm and unaffected voice was lonelier than anything else Yoonshin had heard from the older man. Heart-wrenched, Yoonshin gazed at Sehun's profile before he turned his head. He quietly watched the profluent river carrying itself pompously and peacefully as it always had. The faint scattering of light glistened on the surface of the river, inconsiderate to tragedy.

The thought about resting in a place like this felt overwhelmingly forlorn. All the molecules of water on the surface and subsurface had long forgotten the past. Perhaps the short, scrawny trees and the gravel under their feet remembered and mourned that night with Sehun. To shoulder the duty of remembrance all by himself for a long time was a very lonesome task.

"You have a sentimental side, surprisingly. Do you come here to commemorate your brother every year?"

"It's the opposite. It's so I can remember."

"Isn't that the same difference?" Yoonshin asked.

"I've earned enough wealth and honor, and life is livable. I forget him sometimes. I deliberately forget how shitty of a life I led up to now because now, I have many things to remember and think about. So, before the new year starts again, I always remind myself here: 'Right, I came this far after a childhood like that. Let's not forget.'"

"Let's not forget." To Yoonshin, the phrase sounded like a mantra for programming Sehun himself to not grow any weaker.

All this time, Sehun had no one else to rely on but the unrelated boy who was placed in a similar situation to him. As time passed, he met benefactors like Mihee. Even more time flew by, and Sehun met others like Secretary Tak, who saw him with compassionate eyes. Yet even in the end, the only one Sehun could emotionally depend on was his childhood friend who had already passed away.

Although these fond memories spurred him on in life, the subject no longer existed in this world—consequently, his friend couldn't become Sehun's weakness.

Yoonshin could finally catch the strings as to why Sehun Kang could only be a coward. Compared to the older man, Yoonshin had lived a smooth and untroubled childhood, so as an adult with that background, Yoonshin couldn't understand perfectly how Sehun felt. One could only understand what one had experienced. Everything else was but imitation.

Still, Yoonshin wanted to console Sehun in whatever way he could.

He rubbed at the other's long and firm fingers, then he slowly said, "They say the water always flows back to where it first started."

Sehun didn't reply. However, Yoonshin knew that he was listening more intently than ever before. "Just as you came here every year, he would have always returned. If you were lucky, perhaps your paths crossed once."

Wordlessly, Sehun tilted his head. Yoonshin angled his head in the opposite direction and exchanged glances with Sehun as he continued, "Do you still hate when there is no cause to the effect? It doesn't hurt to think positively. Especially in cases like these where there is no correct answer."

"I think you're misunderstanding something, but those who have already died and disappeared have no power. I didn't come here because I missed him so much that it hurt. I visited to wrap up my year and reaffirm my resolutions," Sehun responded.

"You're saying that your life isn't so easy or smooth-sailing that you have to reaffirm your heart regularly. You also find it hard to carry on. You're surrounded by the enemy, you're stacked with work, and you can't trust people so easily. You're actually very bitter and lonely, aren't you?"

“…”

"But isn't it all right now that you have me?"

Sehun's brows wrinkled, at a loss for words. Yoonshin pulled up the corner of his lips, smiling for the two of them, and created a smooth and gentle curve. Eventually, Sehun let out air and chuckled in defeat. "I had a feeling you'd prattle on if I brought you along."

Sehun lightly flicked Yoonshin's forehead then pulled his body away. He cast a brief glance at the water, then he headed back to his car, which was parked at the embankment of the river. One thing was different from when they arrived—it was a very subtle difference, but Sehun looked more relaxed than before.

Yoonshin pondered whether this change was because of him or not, then he chased after the older lawyer.

"Where are we having dinner tonight?" Yoonshin asked.

"Every man for himself."

"The timing is a bit awkward to make dinner after getting home. Let's just eat on the way back. I saw a kalguksu restaurant while we were on the way here—how does that sound? I'll forgive the assault you incurred to my forehead if you do."

"Beg. Then, I'll consider between kalguksu and sujebi."

"Buy me dinner, Sehun-sunbae," Yoonshin pleaded.

Sehun's shoulders shook, then he bent his head and kissed Yoonshin. It seemed like he was given permission. Yoonshin, who had been chasing after him smiling, stopped in his tracks. He couldn't move because of all the emotional states that jumped out of his bag of feelings. Sehun started the engine from outside his car and slowly turned to look at Yoonshin, who was frozen to the spot.

"Aren't you getting in? I'll leave you," Sehun stated.

"You're not getting angry this time," Yoonshin said.

"What do I need to get angry about? You've made more than one mistake."

"Can I call you by your name now?"

Sehun, who had only been glancing at Yoonshin, now lightly tapped on his vehicle. He wasn't judging the rights and wrongs in Yoonshin's remark but was contemplating why Yoonshin said what he did. After combing through their conversations, Sehun merely gestured to the passenger seat.

Yoonshin hurried into the car and fastened his seatbelt. He stared at Sehun, who was still outside. There was something unusual about Sehun's reaction, so Yoonshin felt slightly perturbed. Sehun, after watching Yoonshin from outside, bent over. He grabbed Yoonshin's cheeks with both hands and stamped his lips firmly on Yoonshin's.

Their eyes met, sending sparks flying within their close distance.

After the lengthy, pregnant silence, Yoonshin blurted, "If you say that I'm not allowed to, I won't. I just felt good when you called me by my name, so..."

"You can." Sehun's permission was granted so easily that Yoonshin was rather astonished.

Yoonshin stuttered, "N-no taking back."

"Okay."

Yoonshin's hands fidgeted, his heart leaping wildly. Noticing the younger man's anxiety, Sehun brought Yoonshin's right hand to his lips, planting a kiss on the back of his hand. He then whispered, his voice swathing Yoonshin's eardrums like silk, "I'll buy you dinner at a nice place, Yoonshin Do."

Blood rose to Yoonshin's face. He nodded.

Perhaps because it was the end of the year, the roads were more congested than expected. By the time they finished dinner and were close to the apartment, the power struggle between night and day had ended with the victory of darkness.

Yoonshin looked up at the dark sky from the window near their apartment, then he lightly grabbed onto Sehun's wrist as he was driving. Sehun turned his head slightly, questioning what Yoonshin wanted. However, Yoonshin's eyes were glued to the window.

"Please let me off here," Yoonshin demanded.

"We're almost home. Where are you thinking of going?" Sehun asked.

"There's something that I need to buy. Could you wait here for a moment? I'll be right back, so don't leave me stranded."

After making Sehun stop his car on the side of the road, Yoonshin got off without hesitation—he didn't turn around once. Sehun considered getting off as well but decided to remain in the car. Instead, he watched Yoonshin.

After persistently chasing Yoonshin with his eyes, he saw the younger man go to a shopping complex that housed mostly clothing stores. His destination seemed to be the flower shop in the innermost corner of the arcade of stores. Sehun had always gotten off work late, so he never saw that shop open, but due to the year-end rush for the holidays, the shop was open until now.

Sehun watched Yoonshin beyond the large shop windows. He saw the younger man ask the florist something before he disappeared into a deeper corner of the building, escaping Sehun's sight.

Sehun checked the time on his watch then lightly tapped on the wheel. Several minutes later, Yoonshin reappeared. There was a single white flower in his hand.

"You have quite genteel tastes."

"Isn't it pretty?" Yoonshin, who had gotten back in the passenger side of the car, clutched the single bloom carefully near his heart. The younger man brought the flower to his nose. It looked like a scene from a fairy tale. Sehun watched entranced like an audience captivated by a scene from a movie, then he restarted the car. They had already been near their home, so he reached the parking garage in no time.

The two got out of the car and didn't exchange words at all. They merely made their way toward the lobby in the path familiar to them. When they saw the doors leading to each building and where they usually parted, Yoonshin said, "Do you know what this flower is?"

"Isn't it a lily?" Sehun replied.

"It is."

Are you going to stick it in a vase at home?"

"No." Of course not, Yoonshin seemed to say as he stuck out the flower toward Sehun.

Sehun looked down at it incredulously and frowned. "Why're you giving this to me?"

"I had thought that you were going to an average columbarium and assumed that there would be a flower shop on the way there. But the roads were mostly gravel, and it bothered me that I couldn't buy anything. Next time, take something like this with you. If you don't want something obvious like a white chrysanthemum, I heard that white lilies are often used in funerals overseas. Roses are fine too."

"I don't need things like this."

"I'm giving it to your brother, not you, in honor of meeting him. You're just the messenger. And this is my present."

When one thought of flowers, one would naturally recall that they wilted quickly, but Yoonshin believed the opposite. Flowers represented life. When he went to meet his father, he always bought at least one flower, sometimes many, depending on his mood.

Despite your absence, this Dower bloomed beautifully and magnificently. Despite its fate of wilting and fading away, I will live fully and completely like these wide-open blooms.' When he delivered that message via the flower, his sadness faded away. Yoonshin wanted Sehun to know about the strength of that one life.

Instead of ignoring Yoonshin's feelings, Sehun slowly took the flower. lust as Yoonshin did, he smelled the flower. As he did so, Yoonshin snapped out of his thoughts and continued, "You know that thing from last time..."

"That thing?" Sehun asked back.

Yoonshin looked all around, then he stopped walking. Thankfully, there was nobody around at that moment.

"The statement of claim. You wanted me to send you one."

The hand that held the flower lost some of its strength, lowering from his face. lust a moment ago, Sehun didn't look too moody, but now his face was stiff as he stared at Yoonshin. Yoonshin merely continued to express his thoughts, not knowing what was going on in the other's head, "I'll write one now."

"You need to tell me what you want from me first."

"Come closer first. The lobby is rarely so empty on a day like today when everyone wants to go out."

Sehun walked forward unhesitatingly, challenging Yoonshin on what he was going to do. In the middle of the lobby, two men in suits stood facing each other. Yoonshin double-checked whether the elevator was about to open, then he extended out his arms. He embraced Sehun's firm upper body, trapping the other in his arms. It was difficult to reach his hands because the other was taller and broader-shouldered, but he barely managed to hug the older man's body completely.

"Is this your statement of claim?"

"No, my request is that you not laugh at what I say next." Yoonshin tightened his grip, crushing Sehun in his arms. Perhaps this claim was adjusted to what Sehun considered the fair market value as he stayed still. Consequently, Yoonshin could express himself perspicuously amid Sehun's silence. "I lost the game."

“…”

"I like you, Senior Attorney," Yoonshin said.

His earnest words rang clear in the air, and Sehun was wordless throughout. Sehun merely stood stiff and straight, continuing to hold his silence. Yoonshin waited patiently. He knew, without a doubt, that Sehun's heart was wavering because of him. However, it was a different issue whether Sehun would take a step toward a value so abstract as a deep and meaningful relationship with another person.

In one aspect, this would mean Sehun would have to put down his way of life so far—it had to be a tough decision to make. From what Yoonshin observed so far, he could begin to understand Sehun's defensiveness and why he couldn't readily open up to Yoonshin. Sehun had been alone since he was young, and he was used to that. He finally started to tolerate solitude, his old friend, but he was apprehensive about dragging a stranger into his life.

Still, Yoonshin was an honest person. He wasn't one for hiding things. Hence, this issue was easily solved when the person who wasn't skilled at hiding his feelings raised the flag first.

"Yoonshin Do." The rumbling in Sehun's chest as he called out Yoonshin's name, the out-of-character affection leaking out, his steady breathing—Yoonshin liked them all. Through the lens of general moral standards, Sehun might not be a great person. But Yoonshin already started to like him. He was too far along to turn back.

Just then, they heard a ding, and the doors to the elevator of Building B opened. Yoonshin let go of Sehun and met the eyes of Sehun, deep and still as a lake.

"We're already dating, and I know your feelings, so I'm not that anxious. I'll wait until you're ready to tell it back to me. You'll probably want to be alone this evening, so I'll see you next year."

Sehun, who had been frozen to his spot, looked down at the flower in his hand. While he was distracted, Yoonshin pushed Sehun's back toward the doors of Building A.

Yoonshin walked backward, his eyes fixed on Sehun, and noticed that Sehun's expression was different than usual. Yoonshin didn't think that this was the first confession Sehun received, but Yoonshin could tell that the older man was clearly being affected by his clumsy confession. Once again, he reaffirmed that Sehun liked him back and that their hearts were already connected.

"Happy new year and dream of me tonight." Yoonshin nodded his head lightly and people came into the lobby. He disappeared behind the surge of bodies.

Sehun stood vacantly and started to go back creakily like an unoiled robot.

When he got back home, he walked to his dressing room and tossed the single bloom on a shelf. He was about to take off his coat when he paused.

Sehun leaned against his wardrobe and stared pensively at the white petals of the lily. A deep and distant feeling tolled in his head like the bells signifying the end of the year. It almost felt like the soft fragrance of the lily wafted to Sehun, tickling his nose.

Sehun had thought all along that Yoonshin would make the most out of Sehun's feelings. He had thought that Yoonshin would use their mutual, honest feelings to make Sehun act for him. Sehun was extremely uncomfortable about that, yet he didn't want to sever their connection just yet. He had always been stuck in limbo between his desire to approach Yoonshin and his pride in not wanting to be treated as a tool.

Frankly speaking, Sehun had thought that Yoonshin would bring up the topic of his sister's marital problems back in the lobby. Sehun mentioned a statement of claim because he wanted to straighten out this situation—he laid a trap of sorts. Yoonshin was bad at fooling others, so he would raise the white flag. If the younger man had requested help as a willing hostage, Sehun was considering throwing away his values just this once to help him. Yoonshin was worthy of that.

However, the other threw a curveball at him, deeply shaking Sehun.

"I like you, Senior Attorney."

Sehun always questioned everything, but conversely, he could come to sharp and quick decisions.

He wasn't so foolish to not know that "I like you" was the only statement that Yoonshin wanted to say to him at that moment.

Sehun couldn't understand how Yoonshin could always be so confident, never doubting any of his feelings even once. The younger man didn't hide his feelings or try to cover them up. He wasn't uncomfortable about them at all. When he was unsure about his feelings, he said so, and when he gained faith in his heart, he unwaveringly told the other person. Sometimes, Yoonshin seemed calculating, but at others, he didn't seem to calculate anything at all.

Yoonshin was different from Sehun, who always analyzed his gains and losses and acted accordingly. Sehun couldn't wrap his head around Yoonshin, who had frequently deviated from his expected course of action. This only heightened his attraction toward Yoonshin—to the point that Sehun would willingly be used by the other.

Sehun glared lasers into the lily, then he realized how awkward it was of him to be having such thoughts and scoffed at himself. He glanced at his watch. If he went back the way he came from back to the river, it would be the deep of night, but he didn't like to be in possession of other people's presents for too long.

"Do you still hate when there is no cause to the effect?"

Yoonshin was the condition on the table, but Sehun surprisingly didn't hate that anymore. He started to think that, sometimes, incidents without a causal link might be fine. It was fine—as long as the result was Yoonshin.

"You did well to attend. You met me there." As Sehun recalled the tender voice, he picked up his coat again.

Then, he picked up the lily delicately, as if it was Yoonshin, and left his house.

Sehun and Yoonshin sat side by side in the office, the coffee table in front of them. The two were having a one-on-one meeting in advance of the acquisition of Youngjin Construction. Yoonshin was the least experienced on the special team, so he had to help with operational and management tasks aside from his primary duties. Since this was Yoonshin's first time on a job like this, he was afraid that he would make a mistake, so he sent Sehun an SOS signal. Sehun ended up helping Yoonshin despite being the one who instructed him in the first place.

Stacks of documents were everywhere, and there were three laptops connected to one another in front of them. Yoonshin was staring at the monitor in the middle, while Sehun was flipping through the papers and reading the key points of the documents. Then, at the same time, they both reached out for their mugs, which were unfortunately right next to each other.

Their hands bumped into each other. Their bubble of concentration burst, and the two exchanged looks. Yoonshin retracted his hand sheepishly, but Sehun hooked his fingers on Yoonshin's hand.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Sehun asked.

"I'm not avoiding you. If you're thirsty, go ahead."

Sehun frowned, displeased, and stared at Yoonshin before pulling away. His throat bobbed as he swallowed a long and slow sip of water.

Sehun was in this state for the past few days. Every time they worked together; the older lawyer seemed to move awkwardly. Yoonshin got the impression that Sehun was overcome with the urge to tear down the barrier between work and personal life, which didn't suit him. He was very affected by Yoonshin's confession. Perceiving this, Yoonshin felt good for some reason. He grinned, but scared that he would be caught, he hid the traces of his pleasure and went back to business.

"We've obtained the letters of intent for takeover from the interested potential purchasers other than Taesan Construction. The structure of the deal, the transaction schedule, and the letters of intent are listed briefly here. Most of these aren't firm since we've obtained the info by asking around. Wouldn't it be better to wait until you get firm information before going into the meeting?" Yoonshin said as he pointed to the monitor.

Sehun shook his head. "The letter of intent isn't legally binding anyway. The important things are the confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements... As far as I know, they haven't exchanged any of the likes with anyone. Other law firms are probably doing the same thing as us. It's too late to start designing this all in our favor. lust go with this."

"Don't you usually submit a letter with this?"

"Normally, yes. The company selling already submitted an IM. Yet, even with such an appetizing dish laid out in front of them, the potential buyers are all reacting blandly. This means that the sale has yet to become official. Ultimately, there's a lot of buzz, but nothing is proceeding. What would this mean, then?"

"Everyone is hesitating," Yoonshin answered.

Sehun snapped his fingers and continued Yoonshin's thoughts. "Because the rumor going around is that Taesan will call a high price."

"Once they all start to express their interest, they're worried that the price will skyrocket, so they're all being careful."

"Taesan has the highest chances, but we can't neglect to address the rest. We need to consider all scenarios. This is the task of the corporate commercial senior lawyers, but I'll give you a chance too. Come up with a defense for Taesan and bring me a first draft of the report by nine in the morning next Monday. If you're any later, I'll toss it even if you submit the report."

"Understood. Oh, right. What do you think about shaking up Youngjin once before going into the real deal?"

"Don't say something so naïve. I've done this for years now, and wherever I go, the other company hates me. If I make a move..." Sehun was about to put his foot down when he stopped mid-sentence. He seemed to deliberate on something, then he changed his mind, suddenly considering the attempt.

"This project is already going down a different path than my usual style of shaking them by the collar and yelling at them, so the other party would have already prepared for that. Maybe there is a need for pretending to poke them with a stick while letting them in on the gist of how this will go." As soon as he concluded, he pressed the intercom and summoned Secretary Tak.

"Yes, sir?" his secretary answered.

"President Wonik Cho of Youngjin Construction. I'd like to meet him separately. Very secretly," Sehun stated.

"Just the two of you? He'll probably be on guard. One wrong word and he knows you'll grab his weakness. He probably won't come unless you come alone while he brings five of his lawyers along."

"Tell him that he can if he wants to. He can even come with 10. Ask Senior

Attorney Song just in case. She has a lot of connections to financial circles, so she might be able to connect me quickly."

"I'll ask first."

After ending the call, Sehun grabbed his stack of papers. Then, he extended his hand to Yoonshin. Yoonshin thought Sehun was just reaching for him, but he wrapped his hand around his shoulders, pulling him to Sehun, and caressed Yoonshin's right cheek. Surprised, Yoonshin looked up at the other. Sehun's actions must have been unconscious because the older man merely lowered his hand while ignoring Yoonshin staring daggers into him.

The tip of Sehun's long and straight middle finger intruded into Yoonshin's parted lips. His finger curled, hooking into Yoonshin's mouth, and prodded the soft flesh. Sehun quickly found all Yoonshin's sensitive spots and ravaged them with only the tip of his finger, and then he moved on to stroke the other's teeth.

"Ngh, Senior Attorney?" Yoonshin called.

Across from them was the window facing the secretary's office. They wouldn't be seen unless somebody walked up to the window to peer in, but the risk was real. Yoonshin's hands hung midair, lost for a moment, then grabbed Sehun's arms, finally making the other look at him.

"What?" Sehun asked.

"Well, the location. I thought this wasn't a good place," Yoonshin explained.

"This is my office."

"I know that it's your private space, but if you look at it with a wide lens, we're still at work..."

The roundabout rejection must have soured his mood. Sehun shuttered down the blinds with his remote, pushed out the papers in between them, and partly clambered on top of Yoonshin. He pushed his knee between the younger man's thighs and placed both hands next to Yoonshin's head, blocking all pathways of escape.

Yoonshin, who had ended up lying askance on the sofa in a flash, locked eyes with the other man. His cheeks twitched. He wasn't as innocent to not know what would happen next. Still, he thought that he should ask anyway. "What are you thinking of doing?"

Are you going to keep your eyes open?" Sehun asked instead.

"You're the one who said you wanted to see my eyes last time."

"This time you should close them."

They were surrounded by silence. Sehun lightly grasped Yoonshin's chin and angled his head. The moment their lips brushed against each other, Yoonshin's eyelids gently closed, hiding his pupils. Naturally, they ended up clutching onto each other. As the younger man's slender arms pulled him close, Sehun responded by pushing in his plump tongue inside the other's mouth.

"Mmmh, hmmm..." Despite breathing out laboriously, Yoonshin didn't push him away, so riding that momentum, Sehun plunged his tongue in deeper, more intimately. He carefully explored every corner of the inside of his mouth and mixed their fluids as if trying to push his own down Yoonshin's throat.

Yoonshin wound his arms around the other's long neck. Afraid of falling back completely on the seats of the sofa, he clutched onto the other's clothes, making them rustle under his touch. Veins popped out from the back of his hands.

Instead of letting him go, Sehun pushed Yoonshin to his limits. He dipped his tongue to the deepest crevices and pulled back out suggestively. He caressed Yoonshin's slim neck and pulled him closer, so close that their wet chins pressed onto each other.

"Hmph, mmh, please be gentle," Yoonshin pleaded in the brief moment that their lips pulled apart. Sehun pretended to listen to him, but it didn't translate to his actions.

The older man's lips collided with Yoonshin's again. This time, he probed around more vigorously. Yoonshin, breathing hard, shoved his hands into the other's hair, grabbing a fistful. The mild pain must have aroused him as Sehun moved more aggressively.

"Ngh, mmph! Ngh!" Yoonshin groaned.

The erotic sound of flesh squelching overwhelmed him. He didn't know whose, but clear fluid trickled down his jaw. Yoonshin gasped for air as he scratched at the other's neck with his shortly trimmed nails. Sehun, unable to bear any longer, undid a button on the younger man's shirt and started to fondle his neck. Yoonshin twisted, resisting the urge to throw his head back.

Just then, there was a knock from the outside. Yoonshin jolted in surprise, and his eyes fluttered open. Sehun, who was immersed in his passionate kiss, slowly opened his eyes as well. At the same time, Yoonshin pushed Sehun with all his might. While Sehun looked incredulous that he was pushed away, Yoonshin glared while redoing his shirt button.

"What's with that dirty glare?" Sehun asked.

"Don't you hear the knocking?" Yoonshin replied.

"I do," Sehun said to his partner, who was still recovering from the aftermath of their kiss. Then, he said a bit louder to the guest outside his door while staring at Yoonshin with narrowed eyes, "Yes, come in."

Yoonshin shot him a reproachful glare, his eyes asking why Sehun would let another person in so soon. When the door opened, Yoonshin bent over, pretending to pick up some documents on the ground as he wiped off the saliva that dribbled down his chin.

When Yoonshin looked up, he saw the uninvited guest—Secretary Tak. The secretary smirked as he saw Yoonshin stare absently with his face red. "Is it that hot inside? If you press this button, you can lower the temperature."

Embarrassed, Yoonshin snapped back, "I'm fine. I just choked on water... I'm really all right."

Secretary Tak looked at Yoonshin, doubt in his eyes, but shortly after, he turned to look at Sehun instead. "Attorney Song is asking if you can meet her for a moment. She's in the VVIP meeting room upon finishing her meeting."

"She wants to see me separately? So there must be something that she wants to tell me alone."

"I requested for her to set up the meeting with Youngjin over the intercom just now, and she asked that you prepare a report about the acquisition and come up to the room. She said she'll listen to what you have to say first before deciding to help."

"As I expected, nothing is free with Attorney Song. I got it. You can go now."

After bowing, Secretary Tak left and closed the door behind him. Yoonshin, who was unable to cool the heat in his cheeks until then, gave Sehun a dirty look. Sehun haughtily nodded his chin at him, challenging him what was wrong.

"You should at least give me a warning so I can gather myself. Aren't you too... Ugh!" Yoonshin started but was interrupted.

Sehun flexibly reached out and grabbed Yoonshin's face, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. Suddenly caught off-guard by his attack again, Yoonshin was frustrated, so he slapped the other's arm with the file folder. Sehun let himself be hit for a while, then when Yoonshin's actions started to dwindle, he frowned. "What's with this rebellion?"

"My entire mouth was drenched—what if Secretary Tak thought it was weird?! He's really quick to catch onto things!"

"What do you think? You would be embarrassed. Why did you drool like that in the first place?"

At a loss for words, Yoonshin let out air in incredulity. "Wow. Seriously, wow... So, this is how selfish a person can be. Even a narcissist would do better than you. I'm realizing once again that I'm going down a rough and thorny path."

Staring at Yoonshin with a straight face, Sehun chuckled.

The VVIP meeting room on the highest floor of the firm's building was decorated more lavishly and elegantly than the rest of the firm's interior. The intention to prevent information from leaking out was materialized in the sealed and windowless room. This space was usually reserved for important clients where the ultimate claim amount reached the billions. This was also where Sehun and Mihee were sitting side by side with a table in front of them.

They called it a chat, but it was a sort of deal. Mihee looked like a very amenable and amicable person, but she never acted to her detriment. That didn't mean she was a bad person. Strictly speaking, she was a colleague that Sehun was thankful for. However, her analysis of gains and losses was strict, so Sehun had never once thought that she was completely on his side.

"Here. You're also an expert, so instead of explaining orally, it'll be better for you to read." Sehun turned his tablet PC to Mihee. Mihee thoroughly read the pages, scrolling to the bottom of the document. As she did so, Sehun felt his phone vibrating. It was from Yoonshin.

"I'm going to the hospital for the pro bono case. I heard that the child was all right, so I'm thinking of wrapping up the settlement I'll wrap it up nicely so no harm goes to you or Attorney Song. —Yoonshin Do"

Sehun replied briefly, acknowledging receipt, then set his phone to the side when he saw that Mihee was watching him with delight in her eyes.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Sehun asked, on guard.

"Say, how did Attorney Do know that President Cho started an affair with his same-sex friend? I tried to poke around here and there, but nobody seemed to know. My, my."

"Directly from Soohan's second son's wife. And I also had some info in my hands."

Mihee took a sip of coffee, glanced at the screen again, and added, "Then, this is from a verified source. Director Do doesn't say empty words. Now, I've seen it all. What did the wife do wrong? Wow, but this is the work of Attorney Do, right? I heard that you made the other associates read his summaries. Every time I read his writing, I think it's a piece of art. Right, last time, I happened to meet his high school friend, and even back when they were in high school, all the students passed around his notes to study."

"To pass around his notes at an international school like public property... So the fool who shared his weapons with others was right under my nose."

"Even though he let others see, Yoonshin Do was still ranked top of his class. Isn't that fine then?"

"Despite taking the entire elite package, I still don't understand why he chose to be a human rights lawyer."

"He's just that kind of person, and that's why you like him—because he's someone who would do what you would never do. Well, I guess opposites attract. I also like Attorney Do the more I see him."

Sehun didn't deny it. He brought his coffee mug to his lips. The brown fluid tasted more bitter than usual. The unpleasant flavor lingered in his mouth, making him grimace. His bad mood went unmissed by Mihee.

"What exactly is bothering you?" Mihee asked pointedly.

"I feel uncomfortable working with him," Sehun replied.

"You were doing fine for a while, so why now again?"

"I feel like I'm doing something horribly wrong, and I hate that feeling."

"Excuse me, Attorney Kang, I just can't believe what I heard. Could you repeat that?" Mihee asked dramatically, in disbelief that Sehun admitted that he was feeling guilty of doing something wrong.

On the other hand, Sehun only said out loud something that he had thought about for a long time. Since some time ago, Sehun was bothered that Yoonshin was growing more similar to him. Although he had never formed a deep, trusting relationship with Yoonshin's father, Professor Do, he kept getting a nagging feeling that he was doing the professor wrong too.

Sehun knew that Yoonshin did not want to learn and imitate Sehun's methods. The associate lawyer simply wanted to integrate into this firm and was struggling to survive. The firm was always a battlefield, and Yoonshin had to survive without a decent weapon to rely on, so it was natural that he followed the commands of his superior, Sehun. But Sehun knew that if Yoonshin was repeatedly exposed to similar situations, eventually, this would form part of his sincere intentions.

Sehun recalled a passage from the book that Yoonshin read quite deeply, Great Expectations.

"All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers."

The delusion that he acclimatized and the misperception that he became more skilled—Yoonshin would certainly fool himself that way. Yoonshin would feel much better; guilt was too leaden of a feeling. Sehun knew that Yoonshin was always earnest in whatever he did, so Sehun could easily picture how burned out the younger man would become.

This was the path that Sehun walked before Yoonshin followed, and at times, he felt incredibly isolated. Sehun was worried that a draining fate would loom over Yoonshin. He knew that worrying was useless, but he couldn't stop himself.

"Don't you feel anything at all, Attorney Song? You liked Professor Do a lot," Sehun said, turning the table against Mihee.

"Okay, that's that, but this is totally unlike you," Mihee replied.

"What about?"

"For once, your moral response to another person is quite normal. Although I might interpret it slightly differently depending on whether this is directed toward the professor or Attorney Do."

"The incident at that dinner was your misunderstanding. You still don't believe me. I wouldn't feel so wronged about that if I did something then."

"Let's say that you didn't do anything last time. I don't know if you did anything after."

Sehun shook his head at Mihee in disbelief.

"Don't try me. We didn't do it," he retorted.

Mihee raised her voice. "Hey, Sehun Kang. What do you mean, you 'didn't do it'? Who do you think you're fooling? Do you realize how long I've known you? You have interest, curiosity, and indecent feelings for him. I'm sure you've stripped and devoured him in your head a thousand times already."

"If stabbing in the dark is your hobby, open up a psychic reading shop instead of staying at a law firm."

"Stabbing in the dark? My conclusion is backed up with evidence. Do you really think I don't know how lenient you are with him? You're a snake in a suit. The lawyers under you now are the ones who just managed to survive by avoiding your venomous bite. Why is Yoonshin Do the exception? Why is he the only one to rouse your long-buried guilty conscience? What's so special about him? Bring me up to speed."

Sehun didn't answer, and Mihee—gaining momentum in her logic—said firmly and conclusively, "I'm the recruitment manager as well as the associate lawyer manager. Yoonshin Do has been cast out by the junior lawyers for over half a year. All your cases are billed hourly, so he's earning money just by attending each meeting, and as long as he stays in your favor, he's guaranteed success. If it were me, I would be absolutely livid with envy."

"I'm only using him everywhere because he's so useful. You should know since you've seen his work."

"You mean that's one of several reasons. You're obviously very lenient with Attorney Do. Something is different here."

After mulling over her reply, Sehun answered calmly but somewhat defeatedly, "I received a flower. It was too pricey of a bribe."

"A flower? What the hell are you going on about? Did he promise you some rare precious stones? I don't think Attorney Do is the type to do that."

What Yoonshin had given him was truly priceless. It was a gift of incomparable value to gems or anything else of the like. Thanks to that, Sehun felt an overwhelming tidal wave of emotions, threatening to sweep him away even with a wave of a hand by Yoonshin.

Everything Mihee said was right. From the beginning, Sehun's attitude and perception of Yoonshin were different. This firm was a jungle. Some would die while others would survive. Sehun knew that there was no way Mihee wouldn't know about his dynamic with Yoonshin because she was always hyperaware of her environment. That was probably why she could bring this topic up in the first place.

"Whatever. Let's stop talking about this. If you understand the situation, can you set up a meeting with me and President Cho of Youngjin Construction? I'll take that as a yes and head out," Sehun concluded.

To further demonstrate his intention to end this topic, Sehun stood up. He was about to take back his tablet PC when Mihee pressed down her palm on the screen, preventing him from taking back his device.

"Wait. Let's have dinner together sometime. I'm going to meet Director Ikyung Do. I already checked your schedule for this week with Secretary Tak and managed to find a time that worked for everyone, so don't refuse," Mihee said.

"Why so suddenly?"

"I didn't tell you? The art purchase matter that you refused last time, I decided to take that on. Since you refused, I thought that if I gave it to anyone working under you, they would feel uncomfortable about it. I was the best card in that situation."

"Did you really have to? Snap out of it, Senior Attorney Song. That's not a handout. The difficulty of the task is bound to be reflected in the price that you pay later. Do you have no experience at all? She's definitely going to ask for something big later."

"I know, but how could I refuse goodwill? The other party wants to meet you even though you refused her work. She wants to treat you to a good meal, so let's go."

A thousand thoughts flickered through Sehun's mind. The most prominent thought that wound itself in his memories was Yoonshin, crying in the middle of the street. He then recalled the time when Yoonshin was searching for an ocean to save him, and the information from Sehun's investigation on Yoonshin's sister's marriage—they all bubbled up and burst on the surface of his mind.

Judging by the fact that Mihee accepted Director Do's goodwill without deep thought, she didn't seem to know about such extenuating circumstances. However, thinking that the turning point for Yoonshin could be at that dinner, Sehun couldn't bring himself to refuse.

He sighed once, then he begrudgingly nodded.

Mihee had left the table for an important work call. Sehun and Ikyung were left alone in the quiet, private room. Ikyung peeked up at Sehun, then she courteously refilled his teacup. Sehun merely looked down at the elegant cup, yet he didn't touch it. As if she knew that he would react that way, she grinned bitterly then said, "Is a cup of tea too much to take?"

Sehun's immediate reply was frigid, "The tea itself is fine, but I don't know if I feel
the same about what you're about to tell me.”

Not denying it, Ikyung calmly answered, "I heard that you were difficult to meet last minute. Thank you for coming here today."

"It depends on who the client is since there are clients who I absolutely need to see even if it means sacrificing my time."

"You're quite a good salesman, just as I've heard."

"I merely hope for the best shopping experience for my clients," he said, then Ikyung fell silent again. Sehun could feel that she was mildly upset, so he said, incitingly, "This is how I teach Yoonshin Do. A lawyer works in the service industry. Do you still not regret sending him to me?"

"It's too early to tell. Now that you mention him, how is Yoonshin? He's a smart boy, but I was too easy-going on him, so sometimes he's a bit naïve on the ways of the world. But thanks to that, he listens to me quite well, so I somehow convinced him to go to Doguk... Honestly, I'm very worried if he's adjusting all right."

"He's good at adjusting and doing his work. Much better than my expectations."

"Thank you for seeing him in such a positive light."

Sehun wasn't intentionally looking at him in a good light. Yoonshin's fundamental values may differ from those of a large law firm, but Sehun couldn't deny that Yoonshin was a good lawyer ready to work for the right reasons.

Unlike judges and prosecutors who received a monthly salary proportionate to their years of experience, a lawyer's hourly rate was everything. In some respects, it was much like an athlete who was valued based on their annual net worth. Someone with Yoonshin's moral values and experiences was a rarity in this superficial market. Yet ironically, the world ran smoothly only when people like Yoonshin existed.

Even Sehun, who lived the completely opposite life on the spectrum, knew that. There was no way Ikyung Do didn't know that either.

"If I were his elder brother, I wouldn't send him to me. That would be like staining a blank canvas with bad water. You've made a grave mistake," Sehun said coldly.

There was an indescribably hostile silence between the two. Sehun was adamantly and pertinaciously criticizing Ikyung. Ikyung must have perceived that because her calm facade crumbled and grew dark.

Wordlessly, the two glared daggers at each other. Since they met anyway, Sehun figured that he might as well settle the situation once and for all.

"Now let me ask you. What exactly do you want from me?" Sehun asked.

Ikyung's composed yet turbulent dark eyes were fixed on Sehun as she slowly reached her hand out. The anxiety in her eyes must have transmitted to her fingertips as her hands were trembling as she picked up her teacup and took a sip of the warm beverage. She remained silent for several more seconds to collect herself, then she said, "After I die, I'm thinking of donating all my assets to the incorporated association of your firm. As a member of Soohan for 10 years, I'm going to direct as many cases as possible to the firm, using the network I built over the years. I'm sure this would be of great assistance to the firm."

"Just get to the point. Don't make your point vague. I hate beating around the bush."

Ikyung must have thought that Sehun would bolt out of the room at any moment because her hesitation was gone, instead replaced with anxiety. She continued, "Please continue to be responsible for Yoonshin and keep him employed."

"Why should I be responsible for him? Did I give birth to him?"

"I'm just asking you to save him."

Sehun scoffed. "Is Yoonshin Do dying? I didn't kill him, so why would he die? I'm the only one who can kill him. You're not making any sense to me."

"I was... trying to prepare various things under the radar to the best of my abilities. I really tried."

Sehun closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh, then he opened his eyes again. She had only uttered a few anxious sentences, but that was enough. Because he already knew of her situation, he could figure out the rest.

"Since we don't have much time, I'll ask directly. You're preparing a divorce lawsuit. Did Director Yoo find out?" Sehun asked.

The teacup in Ikyung's hand slipped, clattering on impact. She was so shocked that Sehun had seen through her situation. The cup rattled around in its saucer before it stopped moving. Taking her reaction as affirmation, he frowned slightly.

This reaction was understandable. No matter how great his informational network was, he could only find out so much as an individual. He couldn't possibly rival that of a large corporation like Soohan Group. Yet if this was something that Sehun himself could find out so easily, as long as there were some basic sources, her husband could find out with a wave of his hand.

"Did Yoonshin tell you? I told him to keep it secret. He's not the kind of kid to go against my words. Something is wrong here. Did my husband pressure the firm or...?"

"He didn't say a word. He's still your obedient younger brother. It's something that I personally found out. You've never pushed to meet me before, yet you suddenly requested to see me assertively, so I merely guessed that your situation worsened."

He implied that the firm wasn't impacted yet, and her anxious face relaxed somewhat. Still, her voice trembled slightly, showing her unease.

"That man will slowly throttle my brother to death. That's the kind of man he is. Yoonshin knows the gist of the situation, but he doesn't know what kind of person my husband is. He treats people who he has lost interest in cruelly beyond imagination. He knows that Yoonshin is my weakness, so the angrier he gets with me, the more he fixates on Yoonshin. I had thought that this day would come, but it came earlier than I had expected. That was why I asked to meet you," Ikyung said.

“…”

"Instead of letting him slowly self- destruct, please take care of him until he knows how to bite back at others and survive. Then, I'll do everything that I had said I would do just now. Please help me. I beg you."

Sehun, who had been listening quietly, finally reached for his tea. He picked up the cup that he had only been glaring at so far and took a sip of its contents. lkyung was momentarily distracted by his poise, then she made a pained smile, seemingly comforted by Sehun's aloof attitude. Sehun didn't react and savored the fragrance of the tea before placing it back in its saucer.

Sehun said quite icily, "Yoonshin Do is smarter and more clever than you think. He already knows how to survive. He knew, but he simply lived feigning ignorance. Do you know how big of a big difference that makes? He's very strong—in some respects, stronger than I am."

“…”

"How about you rely on him a little? That will be better for your brother as well."

"But what if he gets hurt in the process? He won't hesitate to throw himself in the fire for me. He's a good kid."

"If he gets hurt, then so be it—it just means he was unlucky to have you as his sister."

Ikyung had expected to get cornered by Soohan like this from the start, so she had tried to send Yoonshin under an umbrella of safety—she couldn't rebut anything he said. She also knew that a mere umbrella couldn't shield her brother from a cannonball. She fell silent, tacitly resigning to take all the arrows of contrite. So, Sehun had to continue his speech.

Being a busybody wasn't his thing, but the person sitting in front of him was Yoonshin's sister. He felt the need to instill some awareness in advance. Naturally, his tone grew sharp. "You're up against Soohan Group. I feel terrible saying this, but because I need to inform you of your reality, I'll be frank about it. Our firm can't beat Soohan. I wish your issue could end with a simple warning, but based on your statement that Attorney Do is your Achilles' heel, it's highly unlikely it will end there. Your parents have passed away, so with no other place to pressure, it seems like Soohan will go for us next."

"To my knowledge, Soohan's subsidiaries are clients of Doguk. They can't just destroy a law firm because of a single lawyer. That was why I also choose your firm."

"I don't know how to break this to you, but we're a bunch that does a lot of dubious things behind the scenes. Of course, if possible, they're all seemingly within the boundaries of the law, but the process to reach that point isn't always so lawful. We're a hive, so to speak. Let's say that I'm fine. But will I really stand by and watch the executive director and the other partners getting into this potentially dangerous situation?"

"But Senior Attorney, if Yoonshin and I are separated, maybe things will work out," Ikyung said.

In one way, being optimistic and hoping for a better future might be advantageous. Hope was the driving force to convert thoughts to actions. However, Sehun didn't work that way. He always thought of the worst-case scenario. Optimism may be better for one's mental health, but it was the worst for determining the chances of victory.

"Things will work out? You're going to get a divorce, ultimately," Sehun pointed out.

"Yes, I will go through with that," Ikyung readily agreed.

"Will you be the only one to escape that family? That would make the story much simpler."

"No, I'm taking my kids and a modest alimony."

"I have never seen any wealthy chaebol family willingly giving the leaving party rights to custody. You'll end up fighting in court."

She replied adamantly, "I will if I must."

"Then, there's even less reason for Doguk to accept Yoonshin Do. No partner lawyer will agree to it."

"But if it's Attorney Song..."

"Attorney Song is a good person; I admit that. However, she's also next in line to be the executive director of a big law firm. What if she doesn't help? Where is that hopeless optimistic naivety coming from that makes you think that your only plan will work? You should have thought of a backup plan and a third alternate, just in case. How are you going to win against your husband when you're so complacent?"

"It's not that I don't know. I simply wanted to find a shelter for Yoonshin to stay under before I go through with the lawsuit, and no matter how hard I thought, the only answer was Doguk. I'm not going to sign the divorce papers just like that. I need to protect my children!" Ikyung raised her voice, getting overly excited.

Just then, the door opened, and Mihee—who had left for a phone call—stood in the door frame. From the fact that she had barged in without knocking to her dumbstruck look, all pointed to the fact that Mihee had overheard their conversation.

Realizing his mistake, Sehun looked up at Mihee, who briskly walked over and sat next to him. She said to lkyung, sitting across from her, in a respectful but reproachful tone, "Director Do, what do you mean by all of this? A lawsuit? Are you saying that you'll publicly make your nationally well-known husband a guilty spouse? Plus, in the middle of his battle for succession? Despite this all, did you deceive us and send your brother to our firm?"

Thoroughly shocked, Ikyung looked to Sehun for help. Sehun wanted to keep the circumstances around Yoonshin under wraps, if possible, because he knew how Mihee and the firm would react. Sehun was willfully neglecting this fact; however, the sister sent him an SOS signal first, so he couldn't remain as a bystander. His brow furrowed, and he answered as calmly as possible, "So, about Yoonshin Do…”

"Yes, Sehun, did I hear this right?" Mihee urged immediately after Sehun's remark as she stared daggers at Sehun. Her cheeks were red, showing that she was trying to cool her agitation.

Witnessing her state, he clicked his tongue and said in a low voice, "You had thought he was a pot of gold... But he was a ticking time bomb."

A horrendous silence was shared between the three, each lost in their own thoughts.

It was late.

The two lawyers returned to the firm without exchanging a single word, and as if they had promised in advance, they both headed to Attorney Song's office. The moment they stepped inside, Mihee shut the blinds and slammed her hands on her desk in fury. Her handprints were imprinted into her desk mat.

Sehun indifferently sat at the couch with his legs crossed. Watching his leisurely attitude, Mihee couldn't help but scoff. "You knew all of this, didn't you, Sehun? I could tell by your reaction."

Sehun didn't think he needed to lie about it. "I just happened to."

He had replied so casually that Mihee yelled back, "And you hid that from me too? Since when? Is that why you didn't agree to Director Do's request?"

"I didn't know the details when I refused that matter. I learned about this recently."

"Oh my God. To think that their marital problems weren't a mere rumor. Damn it, no wonder it bothered me when I heard that Director Yoo himself said that he couldn't handle his wife. I was just played by Director Do without knowing anything. It was all my fault." Mihee gnawed on her lips, then she went over to the couch and sat across from Sehun. No hint of calmness remained in her tone anymore. "Attorney Kang. We can't just let this be. This is a law firm—a place where we deal with the law. Director Do is getting a divorce? This isn't your average divorce proceeding between your typical upper-class couple. Those two had always flaunted how well they got along in front of the entire country. If they get into a lawsuit, the whole country will get loud. There will be blows in the courtroom, criticisms in the media—and if we keep Director Do's brother in this situation?"

"We would either take her divorce matter or, in the least, we'll look like we're turning our back against Soohan," Sehun answered.

She glared at him, agreeing with his answer, then said more conclusively, "In the worst case, it won't end with Soohan simply turning their backs on us. All the big and small subsidiaries and affiliated corporations will cut off their flow of work to us. This is bound to happen. Director Yoo of Soohan Holdings... We both know very well that once he doesn't like someone, he will pettily and ruthlessly trample on them to the ends of hell."

"Thanks for the kind reminder."

"Moreover, lkyung doesn't have anyone else to depend on but her brother. We will be the target. I don't even want to imagine how much Director Yoo will harass us whenever he gets a sting from other people."

Sehun didn't reply; he had known that Mihee would react this way. Everything she mentioned sounded plausible. Normally, one might doubt that anyone would do such a thing, but some people would, and Director Do's husband was very much the perfect fit for that group of petty people.

Even so, instead of agreeing right away, Sehun leaned back, allowing the backrest to envelop his body. He didn't hide his exhaustion and rubbed his forehead.

To be honest, after hearing the situation directly from Director lkyung Do, his head felt clearer. He liked this feeling—it felt like a ray of light piercing through the darkness and fog clearing up. The situation grew more complicated, but he was lucid.

"Hey, Sehun, say something," Mihee impatiently urged.

"Weren't you the one who welcomed him with open arms? Why so anxious now?" Sehun pointed out.

"Back then, I thought Attorney Do would continue being the brother-in-law to Soohan."

"Don't you remember how you used Professor Do against me while trying to convince me?"

Mihee was convinced that Sehun knew the answer she was asking for, but seeing him talking back, she couldn't contain her agitation and yelled, "Sehun Kang, Doguk is practically my life. Did you forget how I grew our firm? I did it while tactfully watching for my father's reactions, catering to the other partners, and while tolerating your temper! I came this far with a steely heart. I'm this close to getting the executive director position, but this issue is just too big."

"Oh, right. You've worked hard. Congrats in advance."

"Sehun Rang!"

"So what?"

"Let's kick Attorney Do out."

Sehun had expected everything up to this point. This was why he didn't want to obtain a weakness. Doguk was Mihee's weakness. Sehun seemed in deep contemplation yet didn't give her a firm answer, so even the patient Mihee started to complain.

Chapter 10

"Let's take our hands off from this before it gets loud. I'm sorry to the professor, but this is the best we can do. I don't want to touch that marital dispute with a six-foot pole. Attorney Do works under you, so come up with a reasonable excuse to kick him out. Isn't that your specialty?"

"Wait for now," Sehun said.

"We don't have time for that. First, let's inform Secretary Tak and tell him to start cutting off Attorney Do's access to our firm's internal system... You boot him from that M&A project that you're doing," Mihee said.

As she spoke, she reached out for the intercom button. Sehun, who had merely been sitting this whole time, moved. He blocked Mihee's arm and snatched the receiver from her hand, returning it to its cradle. Mihee gave him a questioning look, and Sehun repeated amenably, "I told you to wait."

"Do you have a better idea than mine?"

"Not yet. I'm thinking of how to defend him right now."

Sehun's statement wasn't earth-shattering, but she looked shocked as if she heard something revolutionary. No matter how positive of a light she saw Yoonshin in, hearing Sehun of all people saying that he would continue to carry Yoonshin in his team was completely beyond her. As far as she knew, Sehun had no concept of protecting anyone in his entire life.

"Are you nuts? This isn't something to decide on an impulse!"

"I never said this was impulsive. I've been thinking about this for a while."

Ever since Yoonshin entered the firm, Sehun had been feeling conflicted. At first, he contemplated between kicking Yoonshin out or keeping him. Next, Sehun wondered whether he should allow himself to be used voluntarily or turn a blind eye to the other. In the big picture, everything was based on the fundamental question of whether he would keep Yoonshin at any cost.

He had dissected his and Yoonshin's positions whenever he had free time to the point he was sick of thinking about it. Finally, his head had become clear. He thought this was for the best.

"We don't know the future. We might not need to do anything against Soohan. Director Do also hoped for that," Sehun stated.

"You aren't thinking of keeping Attorney Do, are you? That's practically a double suicide. You're not one for betting everything on an opaque future. It's only right to eliminate all risks," Mihee tried to persuade him.

"Let's do this then. If Soohan starts to pressure you, then I'll leave Doguk with Yoonshin Do. So don't tell the other partners yet. Those old codgers will throw a fit."

Mihee had thought that Sehun would be on the same page as her, so she looked completely lost. She looked aghast—devastated, almost. The sharpness in her tone dulled down. Are you out of your mind? Did you lose your marbles? Maybe you need to book a doctor's appointment first."

"Unfortunately, I'll be quite well off in any other firm even if it's not here. The only reason I'm here and not at the top law firm in the country is because you—my upperclassman Mihee Song, who sponsored me from middle school to law school and paid for all my tuition and living expenses—had asked me. I think I've liquidated all my debts to you at this point. From now on, you and I are independent of each other. If Doguk needs me, the firm should cater to me."

This situation seemed to be completely beyond Mihee. She couldn't accept his proposition. Sehun was the top moneymaker of the firm. At times, his presence changed the result of a matter. There was absolutely no reason for the firm to let go of such an invaluable asset.

"You're a partner lawyer who invested capital into the firm. This honor, this position—don't you want to keep them? Why are you acting like this? Why are you going so far as to protect him? Are you two going out or something?"

"As you mentioned, I have interest, curiosity, and indecent feelings for him. I don't want to send him out because he lost his value."

"To begin with, Attorney Do was an outsider!"

"If nobody protects him, he'll be alone. I don't want to make him lonely, with nobody at his side. I know better than anyone how crappy that feels."

Mihee flinched and stopped talking. Mouth firmly shut, Sehun stared at her pursed, pink lips.

They both knew that Sehun and Yoonshin couldn't be compared. They also knew that Yoonshin was not a child. However, their default reaction to shock and bitterness would differ vastly. If he experienced something similar, Sehun would easily defeat it and find a different way of life. However, Yoonshin would be unable to do so. That was why Sehun felt for Yoonshin.

The fact that Director Do reached out to Sehun meant that her situation wasn't looking great. Despite being a pillar in Yoonshin's life so far, she would no longer have the resources to look after her brother in her upcoming battle. Yoonshin was already anxious because of that and was trying to lean against Sehun for support. Sehun was aware of this.

Yoonshin would drop to the middle of a battlefield like a kite without strings, and Sehun didn't want to watch Yoonshin endure his brother-in-law's onslaught. Sehun couldn't put to words how terrible he felt just imagining that.

"Stop being so calculative and have some compassion for our teacher's children."

"Yeah, you might as well try to hide the elephant in the room. I had no idea that I would hear this from Sehun Kang. Can I laugh at you?"

"Didn't you laugh already? Laugh more if you'd like."

After saying everything that he wanted to, Sehun stood up. Mihee's eyes followed him up from the bottom of his lean and slim body to his face, looking defeated. Sehun gestured his chin at her, challenging her to say what she wanted. She took the offer.

"Things to protect become one's weakness, and that weakness will surely come back to eat away at one," she quoted a phrase that Sehun frequently said. Sehun merely looked down at her. Mihee ignored his firm glance and continued, "So, one must work hard for the money but not be controlled by materialism. If one enters a relationship, one shouldn't wear one's heart on one's sleeve. One must be in full possession of one's heart. If it were to get stolen, that would be the start of one's decline. These are all things that you've said. Did you forget?"

Sehun looked bored, unwilling to hear anymore. He retorted coldly, "Don't you know that I have the highest IQ in this firm? I remember saying them. Then, let me ask you something. Did you forget the deal that you made with me when you accepted Yoonshin? Are you going to make me use that condition against you for such a trivial dispute? Are you?"

Upon being asked what he wanted, he had said, "Freedom to do what I want with all my matters within the firm without interference."

Mihee recalled that conversation and flinched. However, she knew that if she were to lose to Sehun from the start like this, she would continue to lose to him until the end, so she said firmly, "Sehun Kang. You know how much that could cost. Are you going to use that condition to protect an associate?"

"I already own a lot of things. I can carry on even without that condition."

"I hope it won't happen, but if Soohan steps up, I might have to cast you aside. I could void that agreement and ask for damages. Can you handle that?"

Mihee knew how cold-hearted Sehun could be. Despite not having high hopes of exchanging meaningful and personal exchanges with him, he replied instantly enough to make her feel dejected. "You focus on protecting Doguk that you love. I'll do what I need to do."

"Sehun."

"I'll take it that the conversation is over. I'm leaving first." Sehun gave her a dry glance. Mihee frowned, not wanting to deal with stubborn Sehun anymore, and waved her hand for him to leave.

Tense as a tautly pulled bowstring, the two lawyers' fundamental opinions couldn't merge to an intercept. Mihee knew better than anyone that Sehun's absence at the firm would be critical and seemed to accede to giving the matter more time to see how Soohan came out before she had to decide.

The door clicked shut as Sehun left. It was late in the evening, so there were a few empty desks in the secretary's office. Secretary Tak saw Sehun coming down from the hallway. As Secretary Tak gathered up a few items, Sehun passed by his partition and followed after the lawyer.

When Sehun sat at his desk, he glanced at Yoonshin's office. Seeing as all the lights were off, the associate must have gone home. Secretary Tak stepped in Sehun's line of vision, looking curious.

"Senior Attorney?" Secretary Tak asked.

"What do you want to know?"

"My friend in the financial department secretarial team told me that he could hear you and Senior Attorney Song yelling at each other from outside. He asked me if something bad happened between you."

"Isn't it a common occurrence that I fight back? I'm getting along well with her, so if you have time to be gossiping, do your work properly."

"That's a relief to hear. Oh, Daeyoung Daily, the press company that I reported about— subsidiary to Daeyoung Group—is holding their 70th-anniversary party this Friday evening. The formal invitation came. You must attend." Secretary Tak pulled out the card from his arms and placed it on Sehun's desk. Sehun glanced at the card with annoyance, then he asked, "Isn't there another partner who can go in my stead? Ask around. I'm sure they'll all want to attend."

"Unless you're not going at all, there's no way you can send someone else instead. It's a small-scale event where they only invite VVIPs. You know, you've taken on a lawsuit for the pilot, Mr. Taeju Han from Daeyoung Airlines, before. Apparently, this invitation came from that connection. Even Attorney Song didn't get invited."

If it were any other time, Sehun would have gladly attended. However, there was such a big issue right in front of him, so he didn't feel like going to some party external to the firm. In most cases, these small events were places for networking, so he would need to mingle with different people and would have to exchange small talk about politics and finance.

Sehun thought his mental health would better benefit by being simply holed up in his office, buried in work. Sehun couldn't come to a decision so easily, and Secretary Tak waited for his answer. Then, coming up with the best solution, he pushed the card to Secretary Tak. "Give this to Yoonshin Do when he comes to work tomorrow. Tell him to free up his schedule accordingly."

"Are you going to send him instead? I told you, you can't."

"He's coming with me. I might as well fetch something while I'm there. What's the dress code?" Sehun's reasons for going with Yoonshin were quite ambiguous, so puzzlement flashed by the secretary's face. However, being an experienced secretary, he focused on his job.

"Blue. Just as an accent. Shall I prepare a tie? Or a pocket square?" Secretary Tak offered.

"It's fine. I'll take care of that myself. You can go now. And if you're done with work for the day, you can go home," Sehun said.

"Understood," Secretary Tak replied.

After Secretary Tak left, Sehun sprawled out into a relaxed posture. His vision spun like he was hit with a general anesthetic. He felt like he would blackout at any moment. He had hidden how shaken up he felt in front of Mihee, but he was unfamiliar with this side of himself. It was the first time in his life that he had stepped forward to protect another person.

"Stop hitting the numbers on your calculator and have some compassion for the children of our teacher."

Sehun couldn't believe those words came out of his mouth.

Did he finally go crazy after overworking himself?

Whether it was from embarrassment or mortification, Sehun's face grew warm.

‘He's really making me do all sorts of crazy things.' Sehun couldn't believe that he was being so influenced by another person. He lost his cool and rubbed his face with his hands.

The spacious hotel hall, the event venue, was quite crowded. Yoonshin hadn't been to an event like this, packed with distinguished figures from all spheres of society, in 10 years at his sister's marriage.

Despite having been there for two hours, Yoonshin—who had been a bit dazed all along—was still shy and awkward. On the other hand, Sehun looked extremely accustomed to events like these. Watching him conversing with seniors in their field and figures in finance, politics, and the press skillfully, Yoonshin could truly get a sense that he and Sehun lived in two different worlds.

As he followed Sehun and greeted people, some showed interest in Yoonshin. At first, they were curious as to who Sehun—of all people—brought as his junior, and then when he revealed that he was Soohan Group's brother-in-law and Professor Do's son, they openly expressed their amity.

Whenever people talked about his sister, Yoonshin's facial muscles twitched from his forced smile. Physically, he was still full of energy, but the more he heard about his family, the more his heart grew weary. When he finally found it hard to take, Yoonshin pulled at Sehun's sleeve. He grabbed him cautiously, avoiding the eyes of people.

"Senior Attorney, do you have a moment?" Yoonshin whispered.

After signaling to his conversation partner, Sehun turned around. He briefly inspected Yoonshin's face, then catching the crux of the situation, he asked, "Tired?"

"No joke, I'm completely drained," Yoonshin tried to sound bright in his answer.

Sehun scanned the hall once, then determining that this was probably enough, he nodded. "I've greeted most people and picked up some useful information. We can get going."

"Is that all right?"

"Sure. If you're very tired, should we take a break upstairs before we head out?" His tone was exceptionally sweet. Yoonshin had been getting a strange feeling that Sehun was different these days, but Sehun's attitude at this all was markedly different. He had kept Yoonshin right at his side for the entirety of the event and allowed him to listen in on all his conversations. When the other party showed interest, he personally introduced Yoonshin to them.

When he first heard that Sehun wanted him to accompany him to the party, Yoonshin had thought that Sehun wanted him to do small chores as needed, but Yoonshin was completely wrong. On the contrary, Sehun didn't take his eyes off Yoonshin once and monitored him throughout. Rather, Yoonshin felt looked after. Sehun acted as if he brought Yoonshin to the party not as a work colleague but as his lover. So, when Yoonshin was asked if he wanted to rest upstairs, his mind naturally flowed in a more suggestive direction.

"Wouldn't it look weird if we went to a room together?" Yoonshin suddenly lowered his voice into a whisper, his cheeks flushed pink and his head tilted acutely. Sehun stared at the flushed face and bit his lower lip. Yoonshin realized then that he must have overthought the situation again.

"Am I wrong?" Fiddling with Sehun's sleeve, Yoonshin felt a bit sheepish.

Yoonshin thought that Sehun would make fun of him for his mind being in the gutter, but Sehun simply corrected him, "Let's take a breather up in the lounge over tea. If you're really tired, we can take a break in a room."

"N-no, I'm all right. I'm just mentally drained, not physically tired. Besides, Secretary Tak told me to see you off to the end. He said you need to review and organize the information you gained today. We can continue our date later."

Sehun read the sincerity in the quietly blinking Yoonshin and gestured to the exit. On the way out, he met eyes with every person he had talked to and signaled his departure. Yoonshin thought it was a great skill to be so sociable without getting annoyed or angry even once despite not looking like the type to enjoy social events.

Yoonshin quietly followed after Sehun. When they got to the elevator, he checked their surroundings. They were alone. Relieved, he leaned to the side, against Sehun. Strangely enough, Sehun seemed to tolerate Yoonshin acting spoiled. He picked up the end of Yoonshin's tie, pressing his lips on the blue fabric. Both recalled a certain incident between them a while back and let out a soft chuckle in unison.

At that moment, they heard people approaching from behind. Yoonshin straightened his posture and looked straight ahead. Sehun seemed a bit annoyed, feeling as though he had lost this trivial game, and leaned in and whispered, "Should we just book a room?"

"What will you do after you book one?" Yoonshin asked.

"What you imagined just a moment ago."

Yoonshin was about to retort on reflex but closed his lips. He did indeed imagine several things. He didn't hate the thought of it. He also knew the other's feelings very well. However, Yoonshin had asked Sehun out and confessed his feelings first, so he at least wanted to hear back from Sehun about how he felt concerning Yoonshin. He felt a bit diffident about explaining his complex feelings, so he changed the topic. "You know that you've been weird these days?"

"What do you mean?" Sehun asked.

"You're restless around me and cosseting me. It doesn't suit you at all."

"You always complain when I treat you well. You're taking this all for granted. You should feel lucky that I'm patient."

"That's what I want to say to you. Be honest, you agree with me, don't you?"

Sehun tapped Yoonshin's forehead, neither confirming nor denying, then stepped into the elevator when the doors opened. The group behind them must have wanted to go to the upper-floor lounge instead of downstairs, so they didn't get on the elevator.

After the doors closed, they were alone in the confined space. His heart and his body exhausted, Yoonshin rested his head against Sehun. Yoonshin couldn't exactly say that the other's sharp and bony shoulders were comfortable, but he felt oddly at ease.

"Why did you bring me here today? Wasn't it annoying to keep me at your side throughout?" Yoonshin asked.

"Just so I can get you taking baby steps," Sehun replied.

"When did I grow up so much?"

"Since it was a press company event, I introduced mostly the prominent figures with news anchor backgrounds. Don't forget the faces of the people you greeted today and send individual messages to them to establish a connection. Of course, nothing will be free, but you might need to join forces with them in the future based on mutual needs. Soohan has as many enemies as they have allies. Using that to your advantage is also a skill."

"As many enemies as allies. That's just like you, Attorney Kang."

As thankful that Yoonshin was to Sehun for teaching and leading him through everything, Yoonshin was also embarrassed and sheepish about it. He felt like a spoon-fed, small animal. Although he had tried to answer as nonchalantly as possible, Yoonshin pulled away from Sehun to stare at him, but Sehun wasn't looking at him. However, Yoonshin wasn't so imperceptive as to not know that Sehun's full attention was on him.

Generally, the enemy's enemy could be one's ally. Yoonshin felt odd because it felt like Sehun was prophesying that he would one day ally himself with Soohan's enemies. Yoonshin had never really mentioned his sister's situation to the older man before. She had told him to keep silent about it, but that wasn't the only reason he kept quiet. Yoonshin was scared that if he mentioned this to Sehun, the older lawyer would back away from their relationship to protect his own interests.

Yoonshin was uneasy, worried that a rumor had started to circulate without him knowing. How many things happened without his knowledge? Was that why Sehun continued to press for a statement of claim, mentioned that he was used to being used by others, and drew a line between him and Yoonshin? However, he couldn't interrogate the other with just a hunch and no material evidence, so he hesitated. "Attorney Kang."

"Let's go."

In a great trick of fate, the doors of the elevator opened just as Yoonshin was about to ask Sehun. They arrived at the basement parking garage. The firm-affiliated driver spotted them, stepped out of the car, and opened the doors to the back seat.

Sehun got in first and Yoonshin after him.

There were a lot of things Yoonshin wanted, but Sehun started to focus on his work, so Yoonshin couldn't bring himself to interrupt. Few words were exchanged between the two on their return trip. An unfamiliar silence weighed down on their shoulders.

Sehun had stepped outside to go on a late-night walk. He walked for so long that he nearly forgot about the cold weather. He only wore the black pants that encased his long legs, his thick turtleneck knit sweater over his built torso, and the coat draping his shoulders. He continued to walk, not paying mind to the temperature. After about an hour, he was back near the apartment complex.

He let out a sigh, then he stopped and looked up. The bright moon looked like it was locked into the black sky. He glanced at the apartment right in front of them, then he checked the commercial building next to it. He decided to drop by the convenience store first.

He picked out some condoms, lube, and a bottle of carbonated beverage, setting them down on the counter.

"A pack of cigarettes, too." He pointed at the brand that he smoked from time to time, then he passed his card to the employee. Suddenly remembering something, he scanned the snack shelf. He found the lemon-flavored candy that Yoonshin had pushed into his mouth one time. He paid for the bag of candy as well and exited the store.

He never realized how cold it was until a strong wintery gust of wind ambushed his exposed head. It wasn't that the temperature suddenly dropped. Sehun knew that this change in perception occurred because his destination was the warmest place imaginable—he was simply anticipating the warmth.

Sehun smirked at himself and headed to his destination. He entered the building that he didn't live in and stood in front of the door of the apartment that he had once visited. After pushing the doorbell, he could hear rustling inside of the homeowner checking who it was on the doorbell camera. The door burst open.

"Senior Attorney Kang? What brings you here at this time of day?" Yoonshin asked, looking pleasantly surprised.

"I'm here to see you. Do you have a moment?"

"I do have time, but... you should have contacted me in advance. I would have cleaned up a little. My apartment is a mess right now."

Yoonshin seemed to have washed up before going to bed. The younger man answered his door in light-colored pajamas. His bangs must have bothered him—they were pinned up with a yellow hair clip.

Sehun's eyes slowly trailed along the younger man's forehead to the soft clump of hair pinned to his head. Following the older man's eyes, Yoonshin realized late what he was looking at and fumbled awkwardly. "Oh, this, m-my nephew gave this to me a while back. Since my hair keeps poking my eyes."

Just when Yoonshin was about to take it off, Sehun stopped him by grasping his wrist. Then, Sehun poked the younger man's moisturized cheek with a finger and kissed it. He whispered in his ears, sounding a bit excited, "It's cute. Keep it on.”

"What?" Yoonshin asked back, surprised.

"I said it's cute," Sehun said more firmly, grasping both sides of the younger man's face and showering him with several kisses on his moisturized lips.

"Ngh, huh? Senior attorney!"

Sehun had shown up late at night with no warning and started to pour his affection. This was so unlike him that Yoonshin was taken completely off-guard. He coughed and frowned. The moment he dropped his eyes to Sehun's hands, he recognized a familiar brand of soda from the opaque convenience store bag. Upon spotting it, he asked, filled with conviction, "Were you drinking before coming here?"

"I was coming back from a walk. It's very cold outside," Sehun replied coolly.

"No, seriously, what's with you today? You're so weird these days. Did the hospital tell you that you have an incurable illness? Did the doctor tell you to repent for all the wrongdoings you've committed in your lifetime and spend the rest of your days in peace?"

"You're getting ahead of yourself. When will you stop monkeying around, you greenhorn?" Sehun laughed hollowly, but he didn't look offended. On one hand, he looked as if he resigned himself to something, but on the other hand, he looked like he came to a firm resolution. Ironically, Yoonshin felt those contrasting emotional states from Sehun standing in the front foyer.

"Since it's a new year, I'm now five years in. I'm not a greenhorn at all. Please concede to the changes."

"Adding a year from the start of the year is a weird way of counting. Are you going to say that we've now dated for two years then?"

Yoonshin was rendered speechless for a moment and merely stared at the other man. Sehun bent forward slightly, reaching Yoonshin's eye level, and asked in a languid tone, "So, are you not going to let me in because your house is a mess?"

"Oh," Yoonshin exclaimed and finally moved aside to allow Sehun in, extending a guiding hand. Sehun didn't refuse and headed inside. He moved as if this was his personal space, and he seemed used to doing that. The homeowner who closed the door and followed looked more uneasy than the guest.

"You're wearing such thin layers in the freezing weather that it's no shocker that you're cold. Should I make you a cup of tea? I have green, black, and citron. I have most teas," Yoonshin offered.

"Yep, anything is fine."

"Then, I'll make you some green tea. I have some tea leaves that my sister gave me."

"Not green. Oh, and not black either."

"That's not anything. I'll make citron tea then."

"Not that either. I don't like strongly flavored teas."

Yoonshin stopped in his tracks and looked back at the other man with incredulity. "Then what should I give you? Water?"

"Coffee. If you don't have that, then it's fine."

"I do have some. Why didn't you say so from the start? You're so weird," Yoonshin grumbled and headed to the kitchen. Sehun grinned and made his way to the living room. He tossed the bag on the coffee table and took off his coat. Then, he glanced at the stack of documents, books, and notebooks. On the printed material were divorce precedents. There must have been thousands of cases printed out.

As he waited for Yoonshin, he skimmed through the documents. There were index stickers everywhere, and judging from that, Yoonshin seemed to be trying to find a way to help despite not being asked directly by his sister. Yoonshin barely rested on the weekends and poured all his energy into his work, so there was no way that he had read through all this overnight. Yoonshin must have read precedents whenever he had some spare time.

Sehun sat with his legs crossed as he hummed out loud and read through the notes that Yoonshin took. Precedents were of utmost importance in divorce lawsuits, more than any other suit. Yoonshin zoned in on the right starting point.

In the meantime, Yoonshin appeared with Sehun's coffee. The younger man saw that Sehun's eyes were fixed on the papers he had left out. He froze for a second in bewilderment before he placed the cup on the table. Looking up at Yoonshin, Sehun asked for an explanation. "Is someone getting divorced?"

Yoonshin was conflicted between telling Sehun the truth or glossing over it, then he decided on the latter and averted his eyes. "Well, you know that I help out with the work that the incorporated association does? I do free consultations and sometimes get follow-up requests."

Sehun didn't say anything, so Yoonshin continued to rattle on without being aware of it, "So, I voluntarily just... There are a lot of pages, but it's not too much. And I read them occasionally anyway. It's not going to be a hindrance to my work at all."

"You're saying this is a continuation of your free consultations. lust for a string of divorces? Even if it was for your own divorce, I don't think you'd need to read this many precedents. lust how many cases are these?"

"I just thought it'd be nice to help out and see things through to the end since I started. I'm not going to represent them in court anyway. The law isn't always that accessible to normal people, so I thought I might as well keep helping out with consultations if possible."

He was long-winded but didn't sound too confident. Eventually, Yoonshin lost his momentum to continue lying and stopped. Sehun made an oddly entertained face and replied, sounding amused, "Let me give you a tip. Normally, lies tend to proliferate from themselves. When you make up a story, say the main point and stop talking. Otherwise, you start to ramble, just like now."

Yoonshin winced and stared blankly at the older man. Sehun added, "If you understand, come over here."

“…”

"I won't press you further, so come here." Sehun beckoned him over with his hand and Yoonshin gave in, taking one step toward him. Sehun's crossed legs and crooked posture exuded haughtiness. He acted as if this was his home. The only issue Yoonshin had with that was it felt too natural.

Yoonshin felt sheepish that his innermost thoughts were uncovered by Sehun, who remained casual; Yoonshin wanted to rebel against him, so he stopped walking and asked, "Why?"

"Why? A partner is telling you, and you question it? Do you not know who's earning your six-figure annual salary and sticking it in your bank account? I've been feeding you after working like a dog, but I see that I've been raising someone who doesn't even know what gratitude is," Sehun shot back.

"Are you here as a lawyer of the firm?" Yoonshin asked.

"I'm here as your boyfriend. I wanted to see you. Are you coming over or not?"

Yoonshin couldn't say he did it many times, but so far, he was always the one who played the role of the boyfriend. But he didn't hate this novel feeling from the same word they used.

Slightly dejected yet pleased at the same time, Yoonshin grinned softly and flumped next to Sehun on the couch. He hugged the upper body of the man, who still emanated coldness from the air outside, and buried his face into his shoulder, hiding his expression.

"Your clothes are cold," Yoonshin mumbled.

"Then rub against me a bit—to create frictional heat."

Upon obediently rubbing his forehead and cheeks against Sehun's sweater, Yoonshin sighed deeply. At that moment, Sehun lifted the younger man's skinny body, seated him on his thighs, and stared at Yoonshin directly. Soon, their lips locked, their heads angled slightly so they could fit, and they pulled apart after a short kiss.

"Have you ever received a blank check?"

"What's with that, out of the blue? Are you going to give one to me? You're going to talk about repayment after, right? I won't take it."

"Don't regret it later and answer my question honestly. Who do you like better: me or your sister?"

Yoonshin was taken aback by such a childish question and replied concisely, "You're in completely different categories. I don't sit on my sister's lap like this. Why do you keep asking me these random questions?"

"I met your sister not too long ago. She asked me to take care of you for a while, that her relationship with her husband isn't very good."

Yoonshin felt his heart plummeting to the pit of his stomach and grew tense. The pinkness in his cheeks from his contact with Sehun swiftly drained to white.

The vague words that Sehun left him at the hotel the other day and this story fit like puzzle pieces, leading to a conclusion of sorts. He wasn't sure what, but there must have been some change to his sister's situation. It also seemed like Sehun had a better idea of the big picture than he did.

"My sister said that to you herself? What did she... Did she say anything else?" Yoonshin asked, anxiously.

"Did she need to say anything else?"

"I don't know. I don't know much about anything at all. How much do you know? My sister won't tell me anything. She must think that I'm still a child. I don't know what my sister said to you, but you don't need to feel obliged to do anything for me, so rest easy. I can deal with my issues myself."

“…”

"W-we're not breaking up, right?" The younger man's eyes that were glistening with affection and shyness turned dark like they were stained with murky watercolors. Yoonshin was convinced that Sehun knew enough about the situation that his anxious, honest thoughts seeped out. Sehun stared at the antsy Yoonshin with an impassive face. His face was impassive, but he was very prudent and genuine.

At least, Sehun was looking directly at Yoonshin with all his attention.

"Of course not," Sehun replied. Yoonshin felt relieved. Sehun added, "My first impression of you when you entered the firm still stands."

"Your first impression?"

"You're a total naive fool. To begin with, you should have opened up about everything. Is your sister's word the law? Lawyers can't divulge information from their consultations in the first place. There's no way that I would tell your sister even if you told me. Are you an idiot or something?"

"How could I have trusted someone like you? How would I know that you wouldn't strike a deal with my brother-in-law? And what would I do with myself if you dumped me because this all became a hindrance to you?"

Now, Yoonshin depended on and trusted Sehun a lot more, but just a few months ago, Yoonshin thought that, although Sehun was competent, Yoonshin couldn't depend on the older lawyer. Sehun must have known that and frowned in disapproval. He pinched Yoonshin's cheeks, pulling them. "Right back at you. Who's the one who trespassed into my office in the dead of the night like a stray cat?"

Yoonshin jumped in surprise.

No wonder. Yoonshin had thought that Sehun occasionally said enigmatic things, but it seemed like he had known about this from the start.

"That one is a misunderstanding. I didn't go in because of my sister's issue. That was about the file that you gave me. I wondered how on earth you acquired them."

"Are you sure I'm misunderstanding?" Sehun challenged.

"What do you think I am?" Yoonshin asked, incredulous.

"A petty thief."

The urge to defend himself surged. Yoonshin wanted to wave his hands in denial but realizing that he wasn't completely innocent on this matter, he slowly nodded in understanding.

"I got nothing from that incident, so I wouldn't say I'm a petty thief... How about calling it attempted theft?" Yoonshin suggested.

"Are you saying that your conscience is clear because you didn't take anything?" Sehun retorted.

A writer once said that a weak man has doubts before a decision; a strong man has them afterwards.

The moment their eyes met, Yoonshin realized that Sehun had already decided to accept the younger man's past action. Yoonshin felt even more conflicted because of that.

"No way. I was going to apologize for that. I just missed the right timing, so I wasn't sure if I should mention it at all. You have high standards, and I was worried that you would dump me when we just managed to get closer, so I couldn't bring it up," Yoonshin said.

"Excellent. Now's the time for deep repentance."

"I'm sorry."

Sehun's large hands patted Yoonshin over his pajamas as if praising him. As the older man calmly stroked the other's back and waist, he hugged Yoonshin's waist, pulling him in closer. Their bodies pressed flush against each other. Yoonshin straightened his complicated thoughts one by one while he was in the older man's arms.

All Yoonshin's assumptions had become a reality. He felt like the threads of the tangled mess of events were unraveling themselves one by one. He had a feeling that Sehun had known and simply watched over Yoonshin since a while ago. Yoonshin thought that he might as well apologize for any other misgivings that Sehun had while he was at it.

"You must have thought that I was simply trying to use you. That was why you asked me to fill out the statement of claim," Yoonshin said.

"Was I wrong?" Sehun asked.

"I did think about it briefly before I came to like you. I wished that you could help me... I didn't know any lawyer better than you in the country. You're strong in litigation, and you can move the press. But I never considered it afterward. Although, I don't know what my sister said to you..."

"Unfortunately, I already rejected her offer."

Yoonshin winced severely, making his pajamas rustle against Sehun's clothing.

"Am I too troublesome for you to keep after all?" the younger man asked tentatively.

"You should ask for requests like these yourself. It's not like I'm going out with your sister."

Yoonshin squirmed his lips hesitantly, then he said in a firm voice as he pulled the older man in closer, "lust stay by my side. Then I'll try to weather through this."

Sehun didn't reply and merely stayed quiet.

The older man was still unfamiliar with feeling responsible for another person. He was alone his entire life. He solved his issues and cleaned up after himself-that was what he was used to. Protecting and taking care of others was fundamentally contrary to his nature and habits. Plus, to be honest, he didn't like everything about Yoonshin.

Sometimes, when he looked at Yoonshin, Sehun felt his blood boiling. At times, he felt uncomfortable that Yoonshin was stubborn to the point of inefficiency. Sehun was exasperated at Yoonshin's naive thoughtfulness in keeping his sister's problem a secret because she asked him, even though it could have been solved quicker if he had said something. Moreover, he was annoyed at Yoonshin's candidness in reciting a manual fit for antagonists when Sehun had instructed him, which induced a headache.

However, Sehun distinctly felt that he had the patience to tolerate all of these aspects of Yoonshin.

He humbly admitted that his sympathy for Yoonshin came from liking him.

Sehun gently peeled Yoonshin away from him and met the younger man's eyes.

"Okay-I'm going to give you a blank check now. You need to write down the amount. It won't be free, of course," Sehun said.

"What do I need to do for you?" Yoonshin asked.

"The ultimate confession you could make as lovers. I think it'll be a fair market value then."

One phrase came to mind, but Yoonshin froze in dismay. "I've never said that to anyone before."

"You can pass up on the check then. I'm not losing anything.”

“W-wait. I I-“ Yoonshin started, but he caught himself partway through.

Eyes unfathomably deep stared at Yoonshin. Yoonshin couldn't bring himself to continue. His face flushed red, he muttered quietly, "I'll say it when I feel like it. I'm not sure right now."

"Why are you so uncompromising despite being at a dead-end?" Sehun asked.

"We've only known each other for half a year. How could it be love? Senior Attorney, do you love me?"

"That's just a matter of time; it's bound to happen. Say it in advance."

"Why?"

"I want to hear it from you now. I need at least that much guarantee to throw myself into this. Do you think I'm some social activist?"

This wasn't just a matter of pride. Yoonshin was the first to ask Sehun out and to tell him that he liked him. But if he told Sehun this first as well, Yoonshin felt like he was loving the older man one-sidedly, so he didn't feel up for it.

"You like me too. Is it really too much to stay next to someone you like? If the offer is disproportionate, the fair trade commission won't accept it," Yoonshin said.

Yoonshin realized that he must have missed the point. Sehun, who had been watching with narrowed eyes, graciously decided to give a hint by overlapping Yoonshin's pouting red lips with his.

Sehun swallowed the other's lower lip and then upper lip, gently blowing into the parted lips of the younger man. Yoonshin flinched and clenched the sweater of the other tighter. Gaining momentum, Sehun thrust his hands into the younger man's pajamas and stroked his back.

"Yoonshin Do. Have you been listening to me at all? You can write anything in that blank check. You're not appreciating how much that's worth. What are you hesitating for?" Sehun was being very vague and enigmatic. There was no way he would say anything for no reason. There was always a deeper implication behind everything important that he said. After cycling through several thoughts, an important possibility struck Yoonshin.

Yoonshin stared back, not hiding his bewilderment, and Sehun returned his look. Yoonshin hesitated, clutching at the older man's sweater as if it would stop his shaking. Like he was unwrapping a treasure that he had kept tucked away, he said carefully, "It won't be easy. You have too many things already. There's nothing more that you can gain from this... All I ask is that you stay by my side. I don't think I can bear watching you regret your actions."

Sehun stamped his lips on Yoonshin's forehead firmly like engraving a seal and rubbed their noses. They were so close together; they filled each other's vision. His voice, reminiscent of the deep sea, was more sincere than ever before. "I would get you."

“…”

"That's all I need."

Yoonshin had hoped that he would hear this from Sehun one day. However, he didn't expect it to be now, so Yoonshin could only gape.

There was no time for Yoonshin to cool down his burning cheeks. The desire that boiled up from the lowest and deepest point within him made him restless. Although he was honest, he knew shame-he had never imagined that he would say this, and yet Yoonshin said, "I want to have sex with you."

With a somber and intense gaze, Sehun reached out behind Yoonshin. He grabbed the box of condoms and lubricant from the rustling plastic bag, shoved his hands inside Yoonshin's pajamas again, and stood up.

"You gotta do what you want."

The two men, wrapped in each other's embrace, hungrily kissed each other.

With its double curtains drawn, the room was extremely dark. The only light they could rely on was from the living room, seeping in from the open crack of the bedroom door. They moved to the bed while their lips were still pressed against each other. They flopped onto the mattress together. The condoms and lube fell onto the bed out of Yoonshin's pajama shirt.

Each time Sehun shifted his body, the bed creaked suggestively.

Their intense kiss was endless. The heat from each other's lips permeated into each other. Yoonshin granted Sehun absolute access to his mouth-saliva dribbled down his chin. Either Sehun was going easy on the breathless Yoonshin or he had a different goal because Sehun pulled away from Yoonshin. The older man buried his nose into the crook of the other's neck and inhaled deeply, trying to consume all of Yoonshin's scent.

"Hnngh. It tickles," Yoonshin moaned as he hugged Sehun's head. Sehun took that as a signal to undo the buttons of the younger's pajama shirt. After stripping Yoonshin from his shirt, Sehun pulled down Yoonshin's pajama pants and took off his own sweater, throwing them all off the bed. That wasn't all. He pulled Yoonshin's hand to the tent in his pants and made him rub it.

The hardness of the bulge made Yoonshin shy, staining his pale face red. He could feel that the member of the other was hefty, hard to its maximum capacity.

At first, Yoonshin hesitated to move because of his embarrassment. However, he couldn't suppress his impulses and assertively started to massage the other. Thinking back to the last time he held the other's flesh, Yoonshin hurriedly undid the other's buckle and unzipped his fly.

Sehun's penis swelled up, finally escaping its confines. Yoonshin was already breathless in anticipation as he touched the member on top of the other's underwear.

"What will you do first? I-I should know what I'm getting into," Yoonshin gasped.

"I'll give you the choice. What do you want me to do to you first?" Sehun whispered, impatience in his heated voice. With his answer, he flipped Yoonshin over in one go and whispered into his ear, "Regardless of the order, you'll get all of it eventually."

He thrust his hand under Yoonshin's flat stomach and propped up his legs. Yoonshin's upper body was pressed flat on the bed as he stuck his bottom in the air. He glanced back, and Sehun came at him like a beast. The older man leaned his weight into the lower half of Yoonshin and covered the younger man with his body, kissing him boisterously. Sehun stripped Yoonshin's undergarments.

Finally, Sehun threw off his unbuckled pants and underwear. He pushed himself against the other's lower half. At the same time, his member positioned itself in between the cheeks of the other's bottom. Yoonshin shivered. "Hagh, S-Senior Attorney! Ah!"

The louder the younger man moaned, the more persistent the older man became. Sehun started to grind his stiff shaft between the valley of the other's bottom. Everything felt overwhelmingly erotic.

Yoonshin, barely managing to keep himself together, glanced down at the bottom of the bed. His vision was blurry, so he blinked several times, but he found his pajamas, Sehun's clothes, and both their underwear in a messy heap on the floor. Even the fact that their undergarments were on top of each other was provocative.

It finally hit Yoonshin that they were going to sleep with each other. Suddenly being hit with reality, Yoonshin hesitated.

Sehun then realized that Yoonshin was looking at something else other than him-it irritated him, so he forced his naked body even closer to Yoonshin. As if that wasn't enough, he pushed the tip of his dick at Yoonshin's perineum.

"Where are you looking? Aren't you going to concentrate?" Sehun growled.

"Mmph, I-I wasn't looking elsewhere," Yoonshin protested.

Yoonshin felt more parched the wider his mouth was pried open. Fire spread within, spiking his temperature. Sehun, the arsonist, stood behind him, blanketing him while smoothly trailing his hands down the curves of Yoonshin's shoulders to his chest. Sehun stopped at Yoonshin's arms, massaging them. The slow smolder of Sehun's gestures in contrast with the passion in his eyes added fuel to Yoonshin's excitement.

Yoonshin felt bothered by Sehun's discerning gaze, watching all of Yoonshin's twitches and spasms. He could feel the older man's heated gaze sweep down from the back of his head to his ankles. Pleasure swelled in his body, and embarrassment tickled his thighs at the same time.

"Please, do something about me..." Yoonshin squeaked. His pleas dispersed through the air from his red lips. As if he was waiting for this moment, Sehun bent over and buried his face into Yoonshin's armpit. He bit into the soft flesh and stuck his tongue out, sweeping the pointed tip down slowly. The wet flesh was much like a paintbrush, drawing a long line down the curves and valleys of Yoonshin's side.

Sehun's tongue stopped at Yoonshin's narrow waist. Sehun nibbled at Yoonshin's smooth sides. At the same time, he didn't forget to give attention to the flat abdomen and hardened member of the other. After giving love to both sides of Yoonshin's waist, he flipped Yoonshin around to face him again.

Yoonshin, now facing the ceiling, gasped for air and stretched both arms to Sehun. Sehun leaned in closer so that the younger man could grab onto his shoulders and tenderly met his lips. Soon after, he launched an assault on every part of Yoonshin.

With all his might, Sehun sank his perfectly aligned teeth into Yoonshin's neck.

"Hah, hangh! Urgh!" Yoonshin groaned.

The older man bit so hard that he instantly left teeth marks. Immense pain swept over Yoonshin, and his jaws trembled. Yoonshin's instincts told him to protect his body as his legs pressed together.

Not letting it slide, Sehun pushed his knee in between, prying the younger man's legs apart. At the same time, he licked the red and angry teeth marks that he left and Yoonshin's Adam's apple. As if notifying Yoonshin that this was only the beginning, Sehun dropped himself further down.

Sehun slammed his hand above the pillow, looming over Yoonshin. Then, he started to unrelentingly bite Yoonshin's shoulders. Almost as if he wanted to tear Yoonshin apart, Sehun was aggressive and vicious. Suddenly overcome with fear, Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's arm.

"Calm down. It hurts," Yoonshin said.

Sehun breathed out heavily, then he finally stared into Yoonshin's lucid eyes. Upon their eyes meeting, Yoonshin realized that Sehun's face had a very dark and dangerous gleam. He became keenly aware of Sehun's lust, and that upon trying to find a way to relieve his mounting desires, this was how it manifested. Yoonshin was hit with the desire to release. Yoonshin bit his lower lip then added, "I don't hate it. It just hurts."

Sehun's eyes meandered down Yoonshin's neck and shoulder, the tender skin glistening with his saliva and splotchy with teeth marks and handprints. He exhaled, collecting himself. Then, he planted a kiss on Yoonshin's forehead, which was still exposed from his hair being pinned up. The older man seemed to have trouble suppressing his own urges.

Thankfully, he calmed down slightly because when he resumed, his touches were a hint sweeter. His lips found their way down and swallowed one perky nipple. The older man enveloped the nub with his moist mouth and grazed his teeth over it, stimulating Yoonshin's sensitive nerves.

At the same time, he persistently kneaded the other nipple with his hand. After rolling the stiff nub in his fingers, he drew a circle around the areola. Yoonshin's lower half was already stiff, but it grew harder, his blood vessels protruding. Naturally, their hard members brushed against each other's thighs. Yoonshin's hips trembled.

"Hah, ngh, I want to touch myself," Yoonshin breathed.

Sehun let go of the nubs that he was badgering and glanced down. Their twitching members were fully standing, pointing to their bellies. He frowned. Sehun turned his eyes back to Yoonshin, who was looking down, and pecked at Yoonshin's face. He cast a downpour of kisses on the younger man's forehead, eyelids, temples, cheeks, the tip of his nose, and his lips and chin.

By the time their eyes met again, Sehun grabbed both of Yoonshin's wrists, pinned them over his head, and shook his head. "Hold it in."

"Ah, wait, let me go. I want to do it," Yoonshin pleaded.

"Obviously, I won't want to let you do it the more you ask."

Dumbstruck, Yoonshin burst out, "That's not obvious at all!"

"Suffer a bit longer," Sehun whispered in a sultry tone, then he placed his meat over Yoonshin's. Slowly and precariously, the shafts started to chafe against each other. Already at the threshold of sensitivity, Yoonshin's flesh started to touch the evidence of Sehun's excitement. Yoonshin felt like he would pass out. He wanted to urinate, and the urge to ejaculate crashed into him like a wave. However, something felt lacking.

"Ugh, I don't want... Do it harder," Yoonshin begged.

Perhaps intending to be contrary, Sehun's hip movements grew slower. He merely let their members bump into each other, yet he didn't touch or allow Yoonshin to touch himself. Sehun's cock was so hard that it wouldn't be a surprise if he came right away, but his patience was also commendable.

Yoonshin threw his head back and moaned, squeezing his eyes shut before opening them again. He desperately wanted to stick closer to the other and rub roughly against him. He couldn't take it any longer, and his hips bounced up, rubbing against the older man. When he did so, Sehun pulled back, escaping Yoonshin's touch.

"Mmmh, Senior Attorney, pl-please!"

"Come like this. I want to see you come."

Sehun's skillful hands kneading his nipple was so stimulating that Yoonshin felt like he would go insane.

"Ah...! Aghnhg!" Yoonshin's legs wrenched, he twitched, and despite not being touched properly, the tip of his cock spilled out precum. Soon after, he ejaculated. Milky fluid spattered over Sehun's member that had yet to come and his firm stomach. Sehun finally released Yoonshin's wrists as he lay weak and panting, then he made Yoonshin wipe the semen that he spilled on the older man with his own fingers.

"Lick it," Sehun ordered.

Thinking that Sehun was telling him to lick hands that were covered in cum, Yoonshin was about to suck his index and middle fingers.

Sehun yanked the back of his head and repeated his order, "I said lick it, not suck."

Not fully understanding, Yoonshin stared at the other but stuck his tongue to the left side of his index finger. Sehun lowered his face and licked the right side. Naturally, the tips of their tongues met with Yoonshin's finger in the middle. The squishy texture of the flesh felt more indecent and lewder than any other feeling. This unextraordinary kiss was so exhilarating that Yoonshin felt like he would get hard again.

Yoonshin kept licking, his eyes slightly out of focus. The older man yanked Yoonshin's wrist down, unable to take it anymore, and roughly entangled himself with the

younger man's tongue.

"Ngh! Mmh!" Yoonshin moaned.

Despite doing many things at once, Sehun's movements were fluid and well-practiced. While he was kissing Yoonshin, Sehun rubbed his hard and yet-to-come lower half against Yoonshin. He slotted himself between Yoonshin's thighs and poked his tip against Yoonshin. Yoonshin was slapped by the other's swaying balls and the tip. Thanks to that, Yoonshin's member stiffened just like before.

Noticing this reaction, Sehun pulled his lips away. Yoonshin panted heavily, and Sehun stuck his middle finger into Yoonshin's lips. He prodded at the younger man's tongue and swirled his finger around, coating it with Yoonshin's saliva. Then, he pulled it out of Yoonshin's mouth and sucked off his slick finger. As he watched this all with half-lidded eyes, Yoonshin grew intensely red.

"Hah... Do you... usually have such dirty sex?" Yoonshin shot at him.

"I'm glad you like it. I'll try harder," Sehun replied.

Yoonshin shot the other man a glare, but he couldn't retort back. His silence seemed to be answer enough for Sehun. As if rekindling the sultry atmosphere, Sehun lifted Yoonshin's slender legs into the air. From Yoonshin's ankles to thighs, Sehun swept his palms down and rubbed at Yoonshin's legs.

By the time he reached Yoonshin's hips, Yoonshin's legs were spread open.

Yoonshin took a sharp intake of breath and covered his mouth with his hand. He sent a signal with his eyes that he was mildly embarrassed about this. However, he knew that Sehun wouldn't listen to his pleas. Sehun's attitude became more blatant, confirming to Yoonshin that the man in his bed was indeed Sehun.

"You don't seem to learn from your actions. I don't want to listen to your pleas."

Yoonshin took his hands off his mouth and protested, "That's why I didn't say anything!"

"Your eyes speak sometimes."

"You're just doing as you please."

"Open your legs a bit wider. Is this the extent of your flexibility?"

The dirty reply in his ear and the vulgar touches all over his body made Yoonshin close his legs by reflex. However, Sehun wasn't planning on just watching. He forced Yoonshin open at a wider angle like spreading open a book, making Yoonshin prop his knees up. Sehun's burning eyes fixed themselves at the entrance between Yoonshin's legs.

The fact that those sharp and piercing eyes were staring at his groin made Yoonshin's head spin. He laid his hands on Sehun's shoulders in bewilderment. He felt the dense muscles of Sehun's shoulder blades and back, making his face throb with heat.

"Stop staring," Yoonshin whispered.

As if that was the kick to the engine, Sehun pressed his lips against Yoonshin's entrance. He stuck out his tongue and expanded his territory to Yoonshin's perineum and beyond. Sehun licked the younger man's testes, closed his lips on the base of Yoonshin's shaft, and took a mouthful of Yoonshin's pubic hairs, wetting the area.

"Mmph, ngh, ugh!" Unable to watch any more, Yoonshin covered his face with both hands. With every moan in pleasure and embarrassment, Yoonshin bit his lips to dampen his screams from spreading any further.

Yoonshin had no idea how much time had passed. Sehun seemed to have poured sticky oil over his perineum as he felt a cold and slippery sensation on his groin. He pulled his hands halfway down his face, only covering his mouth, and peeked below. Sehun was ripping open the wrapper to a condom from the box. Yoonshin thought that the older man was going to cover his member with it. He reached down to help, but Sehun pushed him away.

Sehun ignored the questioning look from Yoonshin and wore the condom on the fingers that he had shoved in Yoonshin's mouth. He wrapped the tip of the condom and securely held it with his thumb before pouring oil over it. Yoonshin could easily imagine what came next and was about to say something. Sehun's eyes gleamed and not allowing the other man to say anything, he thrust his finger into the secretive entrance of the other.

"Ngh! Ha! Ahgngh!" Yoonshin's cries that he couldn't repress grew higher in pitch. Hearing that, Sehun's hand movements grew incredibly rougher and faster. His fingers invaded deeper, further inside, and Yoonshin could feel from the tip of the older man's fingers how aroused Sehun was.

With his rationality half-gone, Sehun stretched open Yoonshin's narrow passageway with one finger. Feeling impatient, he pulled out completely. He stripped off the condom from his finger, then bypassing two fingers, he poured oil on three fingers and plunged them into Yoonshin.

"Ah! Hngh, ngh!" the younger man screamed.

Sehun thrust in and out like a piston. He put his weight on and off his hand repeatedly. It effectively loosened Yoonshin as well as stimulated him. However, Yoonshin's opening wasn't wide enough to take Sehun's member in yet—it seemed impossible at the moment. There was no other choice but to distract him from the pain.

Astutely, Sehun switched tactics and started to feel around in the direction of Yoonshin's bladder to find his prostate.

"Theoretically, it should be around... here. It's not too far, but it's not that close. Am I right?" Sehun asked.

"W-what about?" Yoonshin asked back, confused.

"If you feel good, let me know. Around here?"

"Oh! Oh! S-s-sunbae, there, wait!"

The moment the tip of his finger pressed one part. firmly, Yoonshin's entire body shuddered. He gasped, unable to breathe, which aroused Sehun's interest as evident by his face. Soon after, he pushed on that spot more bluntly. Yoonshin spasmed, helpless and unable to control his pleasure. "No, ah, ngh! Hngh! I can't! Oh!"

"What do you mean? You look like you're enjoying it."

"Senior Attorney, please, please go slower...!"

"You're not telling me to stop. You really must be enjoying it. Having fun by yourself? Hmm, Yoonshin?"

"Ah, sunbae... Sehun-sunbae!"

Unlike his leisurely tone, Sehun's hands were impatient. He roughly thrust deep inside, his carnal desires unrepressed. Even so, he diligently watched Yoonshin writhing and squirming until the end.

"Did you know? When you called my name, I almost came," Sehun said.

Yoonshin screamed incoherently, "Ohh! Oh! Ah!"

Yoonshin seemingly registered Sehun's remark as his pliant body jolted in response despite the mounting pressure of pleasure. An electric shock rode throughout his body, starting from the tip of the straight and long fingers of the other—Yoonshin couldn't keep ahold of himself. He wanted a stronger stimulation than this. He already felt like he was going insane just from the older man's fingers; he started to imagine what taking in the other's hard and big member would feel like.

Just fantasizing about it was so tantalizing that he felt sick to the stomach in anticipation.

Yoonshin reached out to Sehun instinctively, to beg for him to thrust harder, and grabbed Sehun's waist. But because Sehun had done the opposite to what Yoonshin wanted thus far, he was reluctant to plead aloud. He parted his panting lips, threw his head back, and clear fluid trickled down his lips.

Not missing that, Sehun leaned forward and lapped away the other's saliva. At the same time, he pushed on the spot that made Yoonshin feel good. Yoonshin, who was suppressing his lust, ended up losing to Sehun's persistence.

"Stop bullying me and... please," Yoonshin begged.

By the time he came to regret saying that, it was too late.

From that moment on, Sehun started to avoid that spot and started to widen Yoonshin's entrance. Yoonshin's restlessness doubled; he tried to lead the other's fingers to the spot he wanted, yet Sehun teasingly pressed slightly askew. Each time, his gaping and puckering insides wrapped themselves around Sehun's fingers. Miserable, Yoonshin moaned, "What do I need to do? Don't do this to me. You're also having a hard time."

"Beg. I'll listen and decide."

"Hurry inside me."

"I want to hear something more sexy. For example, something like 'I want you to pound your cock into my hole.'" Sehun kissed Yoonshin's sensitive ear and whispered, "Or fill me up with your cum until it overflows."

"Ngh, mmh, Hngh!"

"Or fuck me until you rip me, or rub your dick against my thighs. How are those? Anything is fine with me."

Sehun kept teasing him by touching him, avoiding the spot that stimulated Yoonshin the most. Yoonshin couldn't control his rage.

"Do you think I have the wits to say any of that right now? Hurry up and shove your hard dick inside, you fucking bastard!" Through his trembling red lips, his urgent voice seeped out and rang out unstably.

After Yoonshin shouted, the corner of Sehun's lips twitched, almost in a smile. He twisted his neck from side to side, relaxing his muscles, and pulled his fingers out of Yoonshin. Sehun grabbed a new condom and unrolled it onto his agitated and angry member.

Yoonshin had propped himself up awkwardly and watched him with concern and anticipation in his eyes. Sehun grabbed the back of Yoonshin's neck and threw him back on the bed.

"Ugh...!" the younger man yelped.

Sehun climbed on top of Yoonshin, like a beast that successfully hunted his prey, and positioned the tip of his member at Yoonshin's entrance. Then, in a low and rumbling voice, he asked as if he was quizzing Yoonshin, "My name."

"Sehun Kang... Sehun-sunbae, hurry. Put yours inside me," Yoonshin keened.

Sehun ground his teeth and grabbed Yoonshin's shaft. He pumped Yoonshin's member to arouse the younger man even more. While Yoonshin was distracted by the pleasure on his front, Sehun powerfully thrust into the other hole that was coated with oil.

"Augh...!"

The other's penis slammed halfway in. Yoonshin's insides were narrow, and Sehun was too big—going deeper was difficult. It was especially hard on Yoonshin, who was penetrated. Sehun crushed Yoonshin's prostate, the position of which he memorized, with his cock. Groans of pain transformed into screams of pleasure. "Ah! Oh! Oh! Senior Attorney! Ah!"

Sehun thrust back and forth slowly, testing the waters. Then, he thrust himself deep into the other. In one swift movement, he was buried to the hilt. Yoonshin's breath hitched, and his legs trembled. His legs hovered in midair, lost as to where to go, then finally finding their destination, he wrapped his legs around Sehun's waist.

Finally in a comfortable position, as if they had coordinated in advance, they clung to each other and kissed. They explored each other's mouths, determined to make the other's flesh swell in soreness.

As their rhythm synchronized, their movements grew rough. The sturdy bed started to creak noisily. Despite burying himself to his hilt, Sehun didn't feel like it was enough and pushed deeper into the depths of Yoonshin's insides. He pulled his hips backward, then he pounded roughly into Yoonshin. Naturally, his balls slapped against Yoonshin's bottom.

"Ahgngh! Oh! You're too deep," Yoonshin groaned.

"Go deeper?" Sehun asked breathlessly.

"No, you're too deep! It hurts."

"Go further in. Do you feel good there? I'll push with the head of my cock. Devour me. It's all yours."

"Ngh! Hah...! Ugh!" They were immersed in each other. As intercourse with Sehun grew more intense, Yoonshin's moans grew louder.

Yoonshin struggled, not knowing what to do with himself. With half his rationality gone, Sehun tore apart Yoonshin's tower as it fell. Each time they slammed into each other, the sound of flesh and bones colliding against one another surrounded them. As they started to perspire, their skin became slippery upon contact.

After the rough exercise, Sehun pulled out from deep within. Yoonshin looked at him with restless eyes. The older man showered Yoonshin's face with kisses and flipped the younger man over on his stomach. He grabbed Yoonshin's hair and pulled him forcefully, giving him pain and diverting Yoonshin's attention to it, then roughly slammed back inside.

Sehun's dick went in better than the first time.

"Urgh! Oh!" Yoonshin interjected once, then his mouth gaped open. Sehun had reached far deeper than when they were doing it facing each other. Penetrated, Yoonshin felt the odd sensation of his intestines being pushed up in his abdominal cavity. Frightening and thrilling at the same time, the sensation turned his brain into mush. The mild scent of semen that hung in the air was stifling. Yoonshin's eyelids quivered and yet he blinked, trying to keep his eyes open to remember this moment. A drop of sweat rolled down his forehead.

The moment the clear drop of sweat wetted the pillowcase, Sehun started to pound into Yoonshin relentlessly like a beast in heat.

"Ha, Yoonshin! Fuck! I want to shove my tongue into your mouth. Open your mouth," Sehun gasped in excitement.

"Slower! You're too fast! Oh!" Yoonshin panted.

Sehun thrust his tongue into Yoonshin's parted lips. The older man firmly grasped his waist and thrust his hips against Yoonshin, forcing his member inside.

"Mmph! Nghk!" Yoonshin, who was supporting himself with his knees, groped around, trying to find support. He grabbed the headboard of the bed and allowed himself to be swayed and shaken by the penetrative movements of the other, and when he couldn't take it any longer, he opened his eyes slightly. When their sensitive lips pulled apart, Sehun—who was concentrating with all his passion—met eyes with Yoonshin.

Sehun's eyes, drenched in lust, looked like those of a different man.

Sehun always maintained his cool, his prickly attitude, and his indifference around other people. He buttoned up his shirt to the top and tied his necktie properly. These images flashed through Yoonshin's head like a reel of film. All of Sehun's typical mannerisms seemed like an illusion.

The fact that Yoonshin induced this face from Sehun gave him immense satisfaction. He felt he would suffocate from that feeling. He felt his abdominal muscles tense and the urge to release despite not being touched. Naturally, his intestines squeezed tighter. Yoonshin clenched his insides without being aware. The pressure of this tightness spurred on Sehun. He growled, "Hah, urgh, fuck!"

Surprised, Yoonshin looked down and gasped. Sehun pulled Yoonshin's head back and made him look at his face.

"Is there something on the bed?" Sehun asked.

"I just felt embarrassed... It hurts. Let go of my head."

"Don't hide your face. You need to show me your face when you cum from being penetrated by me."

Sehun ground his penis, veins protruding, in the tender inner walls of Yoonshin. While the older man poked at the adherent flesh, he inevitably pressed the other's prostate. Yoonshin saw stars, and precum flowed from the tip of his cock.

As the fluid gushed out in spurts, he felt dizzy. Bewildered, Yoonshin tried to restrain the moans escaping his lips. In the meantime, Sehun pushed his firm body further into the other.

Naturally, Yoonshin's body folded in half, and he was swathed in Sehun's shadow. The skin on Yoonshin's bottom was raw and stinging from the thrusting of Sehun's irate member between his open thighs. As if expanding his territory, the head of the older man's member pounded in. Yoonshin could vividly feel the shape of the tip.

"Ah, Ahmph! Oh!" the younger man moaned.

Yoonshin's swinging member spat out semen every time his prostate was stimulated. Sehun went into the last stretch of his marathon and repeatedly pumped in and out, on the verge of pushing in the base of his shaft and testes. His hip movements grew increasingly aggressive; Yoonshin, who was enduring below the older man, felt like his knees would get scraped raw.

As a last resort, Yoonshin thrust his hands backward and grabbed Sehun's waist. But it only seemed to tempt Sehun more as his movements grew rougher.

Their hips met, letting out loud, squelching noises. The groans that they produced and their breathing mixed luridly. Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's sweat-drenched neck firmly and made Yoonshin look his way. He kissed him hungrily like he was starved for days on end.

At the same time, he made a face and thrust in once very deeply.

"Mmph, sunbae, don't... don't shake me so much. Aught" Yoonshin yelped.

"Urgh! Hah..." the older man groaned.

The moment Sehun came, their bodies pressed together and flopped on the bed at the same time.

Exhausted from the rough sex, Yoonshin almost felt like he couldn't feel the lower half of his body. He got embarrassed when he felt the other's member still inside and twitching. A heavy feeling pressed into him. Yoonshin felt the spurts of semen welling into the condom. The inflation inside him aroused Yoonshin-he shuddered.

Yoonshin tried to catch his breath to cool down his burning face while feeling the warmth of the older man at his back. Sehun then pulled out from their point of connection. Sehun ripped off his used condom and cast it away. He rubbed the wet tip of his cock in between Yoonshin's thighs a few times. They could both feel their members standing again.

Sehun unwrapped another condom. Yoonshin knew that Sehun had a lot of stamina, but he never expected the older man to be this vigorous. In desperation, Yoonshin glanced askance at Sehun.

"We're not taking a break?" Yoonshin asked.

"Do you feel that leisurely about this?"

"I'm exhausted. We can take a break first..."

"You can lay still. Rest while getting fucked."

Because Yoonshin's fluids were scattered everywhere, the sheets were partly soiled. Noticing that, Sehun shifted Yoonshin over to the cleaner, right side of the bed. Then, he made the younger man lie on his back, slotted himself between the younger man's legs in a straddle, and pulled Yoonshin down.

As the head of the cock slowly entered the hole, the entrance that was already opened once welcomed the older man by puckering, inviting the shaft inside. Sehun teasingly moved, stimulating the younger man with his shaft, which remembered the texture of Yoonshin. He connected them by only putting his tip inside the entrance and rolling his hips around. Yoonshin eventually let out a heated sigh from his glistening lips. "Ngh, mmh..."

Sehun furrowed his brow and propped Yoonshin up, making him sit on his thighs.

Apparently, when Sehun said that Yoonshin would get everything anyway, he wasn't lying; he escalated the difficulty and switched positions. From missionary to doggy style, and now making Yoonshin ride him-every time the intensity increased, Yoonshin could feel Sehun's shape more vividly. Thanks to that, Yoonshin had ejaculated multiple times, yet his member continued to get hard.

Looking down at his rising pillar, Yoonshin was incredulous. His lips parted. Not hiding his perplexity, he stared at Sehun in the uncomfortable position that he was in.

At times like these, Sehun didn't answer with words-he replied with his actions. With Yoonshin in his arms, he licked away the saliva that was dribbling down his chin and kissed him. At the same time, he thrust up into Yoonshin. That wasn't all. He reached his hand down and started to stroke Yoonshin's member that was at half-mast.

"Ah... You're too deep in this position," Yoonshin gasped.

"Do you like that?" Sehun asked.

"You mean that you like it so much that you're melting. Do you like me that much?" Yoonshin teased.

Every time Sehun rammed his cock in, their hips and bottoms slammed together. Their slick, naked bodies slapped against each other, and each time, a jolt of electricity coursed down their spines. Yoonshin allowed himself to bob along and then leaned his tired body while winding his arms around Sehun's neck. Their joined bodies rocked together.

Their eyes met.

Sehun didn't answer, so Yoonshin repeated himself. This time, he asked more concisely, "Do you like me that much, Sehun Kang?"

Sehun's lips were firmly pressed together, so Yoonshin thought he wouldn't be able to hear the answer. However, unexpectedly, Sehun gazed at him with entranced eyes and replied in a low voice, "I like you."

The blood from the combination of pain and pleasure rushed into Yoonshin's pale cheek. His spindly and pale arms pulled Sehun tighter.

They didn't need any more conversation. Their world was filled with each other, and they lost themselves in each other. The more aggressive Sehun's movements became, the louder the bed creaked. Yoonshin's panting and moaning and Sehun's heavy sighs blended into each other. The sheets rustled messily, yet the two did not pay any mind to it.

`Why couldn't we ignore each other?' A question flashed through their heads.

Two individuals' lives were reconciled together; this sensation brought anxiety and anticipation to both their minds at the same time.

Their physical conversation, confirming their feelings, went on.

On Sunday morning, Yoonshin opened his eyes late into the day. Sehun wasn't lying beside him. Despite engaging in a battle overnight, they needed to sleep, so they fumbled to change the sheets and fell fast asleep.

Did he leave?' Yoonshin glanced at the floor, which was still a mess. His pajamas, underwear, a box of tissues, and condoms were thrown aside, littering the floor. Yoonshin didn't expect the older man to be so generous as to wash Yoonshin and lay him in bed like in a movie or a drama. He had thought that Sehun would at least dispose of the used condoms, but looking at the subpar state of the room, Yoonshin could only laugh hollowly.

Compared to his body's state, the room was much better. The places that Sehun licked, bit, and gnawed on made scars all over his body. There were red and blue bruises, abrasions, and handprints-it looked like all the bugs in the neighborhood had attacked him. He looked pathetic. More than anything, his hips felt like they would snap. On top of that, Yoonshin's clothes were in a heap on the floor, yet Sehun's were all gone, which made him bitter.

‘So, he did everything he wanted, then left me here alone, huh?' Yoonshin thought bitterly. He said out loud, "Wow, this is not even funny."

The theoretical and the practical were as different as heaven and earth. As he sat up, he felt sorely numb. He tried to reach his toes to the bottom of the bed. His legs were shaking, but he could still stand.

His throat was so parched that it felt torn. However, washing up was his priority. He wobbled his way into the bathroom and showered in the most efficient way possible. Mercifully, Sehun had stopped and let Yoonshin go as soon as he ran out of condoms, so Yoonshin didn't need to scrape anything out.

After his struggle in the shower, Yoonshin walked out, naked. He had no energy to dry his hair or put a bathrobe on himself, so he came out of the bathroom still dripping. He only took a few steps, but after that, he couldn't move at all. He collapsed on his pajamas that were thrown on the floor.

"Damn it. Do I need to shower again?" He nodded his head in fatigue and sprawled out on the floor. He stared up at the blank ceiling and felt frustration brimming inside. "Bastard. How could he leave me like this? What am I, a sex toy? Yeah, go ahead and leave then."

He leaned and rubbed his hair against the pajamas and sighed angrily when he felt the presence of someone outside his room. Was it a robber? Or his sister? He was so shocked that he couldn't even jump up to greet the person and merely lifted his head.

Lo and behold.

A very large shadow stood at the door that was ajar. The person who appeared past the doorframe was, to Yoonshin's surprise, Sehun. He was wearing casual clothes, different from the ones that he was wearing last night. He must have stopped by his house. Yoonshin rushed to gather his pajamas to cover himself. He asked, "Attorney Kang?"

"Sounds like the bastard is me. Are you the sex toy?" Sehun said.

Sheepish, Yoonshin replied awkwardly, "I guess it's better to have it the other way around, isn't it? You can be the sex-whatever... Be whatever suits your fancy."

Sehun frowned in incredulity. "You grow cheekier with every breathing second. Didn't I catch you the last time you insulted me behind my back?"

"That was a long time ago," Yoonshin said defensively.

"So, you've never done it since?" Sehun challenged.

Yoonshin did curse at Sehun internally and out loud to himself almost every day, so he couldn't make any more excuses. Yoonshin changed the topic quite unnaturally. "Didn't you leave? I almost started to sulk."

"I did leave. I went back home to shower and change because I felt gross. I returned after buying some breakfast. When I came back, you were washing up, so I called the cleaning lady as I waited for you. She'll come to clean in an hour. Should I fuck off now, then? It seems like you desperately want that."

Yoonshin replied instantaneously, "No, don't leave."

“…”

"Don't leave me," Yoonshin repeated.

Sehun clicked his tongue and took one more step into the room. He bent over and fixed his eyes between Yoonshin's legs. Sehun didn't touch the younger man, but Yoonshin felt his skin prickle where Sehun's eyes swept over. That was how sensual and obscene Sehun's gaze was. It was persistent and tenacious. Yoonshin felt like his body would heat up just from the gaze.

"What are you doing? You look like a pervert right now," Yoonshin said in diffidence.

"I can see between your legs clearly. Looking at it in the light, the shape of your ass is really a piece of artwork," Sehun remarked.

Yoonshin's hands twitched, wanting to cover up his lower half even more. Sehun advanced toward him and snatched away the pajamas that were covering him. Not only that, Sehun rolled up the bedsheets and threw them across the room. Suddenly left with nothing to cover himself, Yoonshin curled into a ball.

Chapter 11

"I still think you're a sadist," Yoonshin said.

"Whatever you say." Sehun shrugged.

Sehun was staring at him directly, so Yoonshin couldn't move.

"You could step out of the room or give me something to cover myself. Being in this state, I am very embarrassed," Yoonshin finally said.

"Why should I? You look great right now. `David' of the bedroom."

"I love you," Yoonshin blurted out.

The confession popped out of the blue, so Sehun didn't react for a moment. He merely stared down at Yoonshin. Thousands of words were contained in his deep eyes, yet Sehun merely pushed back his astonishment and kept quiet.

As he received the other's tranquil gaze, Yoonshin didn't avert his eyes. He merely furrowed his brow slightly in embarrassment. Strangely enough, this was the phrase he wanted to say the most at this moment. He still felt bothered that he was the one who said it first this time as well, but he didn't regret it.

"Say something," Yoonshin pressed.

Sehun's subdued and cracked voice came in response. "You were playing all hard to get. So easy."

"You're right. Even I think that it came out too easily. I'm usually not like this, I swear."

"Was I that good? So good that you're overflowing with love?"

This time, Yoonshin kept quiet and stared at the other. Then, he said barely audibly, "Yes. You were a bit rough, but I felt good."

“…”

"What about me? Was I good?"

Sehun let out a laugh in dumbfoundedness, then he shrugged. Yoonshin's eyes were sparkling in anticipation of compliments, but he was left dejected. He bit on his lower lip and sulked.

Sehun looked down affectionately, then he sat on the edge of the bed, extending his arms. Yoonshin laboriously sat up and pulled himself into Sehun's arms. Sehun lifted the younger man's slim body and seated him on his lap. Yoonshin leaned against the older one. In response, Sehun crushed Yoonshin's still wet, naked body in his arms and flopped on the bed.

"You have two options now. You can shower again or eat breakfast in the kitchen," Sehun said gently.

"Will you wash me?"

"Do you think I'm your parent?"

"You always say things like that even though you're going to do it when I ask anyway."

After Yoonshin hit the bullseye, Sehun pulled his head back. Yoonshin smiled and kissed the other's collarbone. Feeling tickled, Sehun gently rubbed Yoonshin's waist.

"I'm really doing the unimaginable these days. If you can't contact me, it means that I've died doing things that I normally don't do, so just know that."

"Sehun-sunbae."

"Yeah, Yoonshin?"

"Don't die and leave me behind."

“…”

"Thank you, for not throwing me away," Yoonshin's voice didn't tremble as he said so. However, countless emotions that couldn't be contained by mere words were stacked up, and Sehun sensed that. The older man pressed his lips on Yoonshin's wet hair and sighed. Feeling like that wasn't enough, he hugged Yoonshin in his arms even tighter and massaged the other's neck.

"I think eating breakfast would be best after all. You're too skinny," Sehun said.

Yoonshin nodded, agreeing to Sehun's proposition. Yoonshin clung to Sehun like a baby koala in his broad arms.

Yoonshin didn't want Sehun to get hurt at all. However, there was no better person than Sehun to face his adversaries despite the low chances of winning. There was no other who would be as dependable or write Yoonshin a blank check to his detriment. Yoonshin trusted nobody, without any regrets, more than Sehun.

Gratitude and sorriness brewed within, and suppressing that, a new feeling emerged.

That emotion was relief that Yoonshin wasn't alone anymore.

Yoonshin leaned into the older man and quietly breathed out wet air as he cried quietly. Noticing this change, Sehun's sighs dissipated like a bygone dream.

"This kind of pisses me off," Sehun muttered.

"I'm not crying," Yoonshin retorted.

Each time Yoonshin was caught crying, he had faced a difficult hurdle. However, that wasn't the case this time. Tears came because he felt relieved. Being alone this whole time was hard. He was scared, but he had nowhere to turn. He felt anxious and awkward inside. Because he never really had difficulties in life, he wanted support to lean on even more. He needed someone by his side all along.

Yoonshin tried to feign leisure and poured his energy into work while simultaneously being constantly overcome with worry.

Was sitting out and looking out for himself as his sister asked truly his best option? Wouldn't her in-laws seize power and try to crush her life? What if, in the worst-case scenario, he was unable to meet his nephews forever? Would his safety even be guaranteed? His brother-in-law was someone who could do anything in his power.

He didn't know why, but Sehun seemed to understand all of his insecurities. The fingers that touched him and the lips that met him all conveyed sympathetic feelings. Inevitably, he felt overwhelmed, and sounds of sobbing leaked out. Sehun breathed deeply as he patted Yoonshin's back.

"Looking at you closely, you really cry like a child," Sehun said.

Sehun picked up the yellow hair clip that had fallen near the pillow and grabbed Yoonshin's shoulders. He swept up the hair in Yoonshin's face and pinned it on the top of his head.

With his face drenched with tears, Yoonshin felt his eyes shake violently. Sehun licked off the tears and kissed his eyelids.

"This is why your eyes get puffy," Sehun said.

Time passed, trapped in this emotive atmosphere. They felt as though they were the only two people in the universe. With the light on their backs, Yoonshin almost thought he was embracing another source of light in his arms. Yoonshin felt the tears surge up again. He hugged Sehun tightly, not wanting to let go and lose him, as he caught his breath. Sehun's patient hands stroking his back were so gentle that Yoonshin almost brought tears to his eyes again.

Yoonshin knew that no matter how well he described the warmth he felt from Sehun at that moment, nobody would believe him. Nobody would ever imagine that Sehun was capable of such warmth. The moment was invaluable and priceless, and Yoonshin liked it. This was something that only he would know.

Sehun Kang was actually a kind person— perhaps more than anybody else. People just didn’t know.

Yoonshin liked that side of Sehun.

His feelings were so overwhelmingly hot that Yoonshin's body felt feverish and throbbed as if he was burned.

The news was being broadcasted from the wall-mounted TV.

Apparently, Director Jeongwon Yoo of Soohan Holdings was going to start restructuring unessential subsidiaries. He said he was hopeful that it would reaffirm the values of the group and secure the sanctity of the business, but in reality, it was a power move signifying that he would shake up the business just because he could. It was proof that the authority was being transferred from his father's generation to the second son of the next generation.

Sehun sat quietly on the living room sofa, stroking his chin slowly as he listened to the report. Then, when the headline changed, he got up and moved to the desk. His eyes pierced through the acrylic whiteboard with the brief summary of Ikyung's situation, written courtesy of Yoonshin.

‘Is the main goal the children? Or money? If it's both, things will get more complicated.' Sehun was lost in thought when Yoonshin returned from his brief outing. The cold weather colored his cheeks and the tip of his nose red. Yoonshin walked up next to Sehun and followed Sehun's eyes. Then, determined to slather on the coldness, he rubbed his soft cheeks onto the older man and angled his head for a kiss.

"Where did you go off to, ditching your guest here?" Sehun asked sharply.

"I told you that I was going to drop off the laundry," Yoonshin pouted.

"So what if you had some semen on your sheets? You're being dramatic."

"No, you're being ridiculous. You said that she comes to your apartment every day save the weekends. She could bump into me again—how could I show something so embarrassing to the housekeeper lady?"

"What's the harm if you do? If you're really that embarrassed, just tell her I jerked off."

"It's even weirder to say that you jerked off in my room. I can't talk sense to you. Anyway, while I was downstairs, I picked up some coffee from the cafe on the ground floor. Here."

Sehun gestured with his chin, indicating to Yoonshin to set the coffee down wherever he wanted to, then he perched on the edge of the desk. While still staring at the acrylic board, Sehun asked, "How much do you know? Let's pool our knowledge."

"As I mentioned, I don't know much. The things written here aren't what my sister told me but information that I found on my own."

"What's the likelihood that Director Do will compromise prodigiously for settling early or going through mediation? In that case, this whole thing would be quick and easy. Well, I'm not asking with high hopes, so don't stress out about that."

"Knowing my sister, once she sets her mind to it, she won't back off so easily."

"I think so too. We should start working on this with litigation as the end goal." Sehun lightly patted the space on his side. Yoonshin tactfully took off his jacket and sat next to Sehun. The older man's large hands thrust into his crewneck sweater.

The older man's arm wound around the younger's narrow waist, pulling him closer, and rubbed Yoonshin's other side. That wasn't all. The hands inched up touched Yoonshin's nipples. With the stiff nubs slotted between his fingers, he twisted—at that moment, the younger man's lanky body tipped forward. "Hngh. Ngh."

Yoonshin's reactions must have amused Sehun because his touches grew bolder. He flicked his thumb over the stiff nipples then kneaded Yoonshin's chest with his hands. Yoonshin instinctively jerked his hips and fumbled to grab Sehun's firm forearms.

"Hah... What are you doing?"

Sehun frowned slightly. "I didn't think you were so innocent that you needed to ask every single time. Is the person I slept with sleeping in the bedroom? Who are you?"

Yoonshin jumped in anger. "I'm only asking because you keep groping me. I like you, and I get hard if you touch me."

"You know very well then. I did it to turn you on. Why did you ask? You're purely being coy."

"Wow... How could you make a person so mad with just a few words? Does it kill you if you're not sarcastic? Hands off." Finding the other unbelievable, Yoonshin pushed the other's hand away. He slapped the hand loudly.

Sehun smirked and waved his red hand in Yoonshin's face, then he pointed to the acrylic board. "Before structuring the plan, there are a few things I need to go over with you. As you know, precedents are extremely critical in divorce lawsuits."

"Since the sections on divorce in the Civil Act tend to have theoretical and abstract interpretations. I'm reading through quite diligently?"

Depending on how the judges interpreted the law, the results of divorce hearings differed vastly. Yoonshin knew that it wasn't enough to simply read up on precedents. He needed to be more thorough and comb out all the issues that could be brought up. He also needed to strategize according to the tendencies of the judiciary who would sit in Ikyung's lawsuit.

In his head, Yoonshin knew that the best he could do was shut the other side down with all the precedents to date, but he wasn't sure if he could handle the sheer volume of them.

"The one thing that we need to keep in mind is that the judge and the court will not be on our side. We have to assume that they will be on Soohan's side. For all we know, the judge could take off their judicial robes after their judgment, only to wear the suit of Soohan's in-house counsel team and that would be it. It's a completely plausible deal."

It would be ideal if the court could always stand on the right and just side, but there were times when they did not. While there were protectors of justice, there were plenty of others who sought to protect other values. Yoonshin couldn't expect every judge to be equally righteous. Especially if the case dealt with an influential conglomerate, there were under-the-table deals, and the court could side with the company. Starting from the first step, they needed to be wary.

Thus far, Sehun probably stood in the court where the court was an implicit ally. Yoonshin was different. He knew what Sehun was concerned about, and Yoonshin was confident that he wouldn't break down. "I know that, at least. I'm scared because I know, but I'm not going to give up?'

"That's all we need then. Even if we switch to unconventional tactics later, let's start with the standard theory of the case. To be honest, I don't think you know the finer details of what's going on in that household, but I'll still ask." Sehun plucked a magnet from the bottom edge of the board and fixed the photos of Yoonshin's two nephews and his brother-in-law onto it.

"What do you want to know? About the children?" Yoonshin offered.

"Do the kids like their dad?"

Yoonshin mulled over it, combing his memory, and eventually replied, "Of course... They like him. I still think they have a stronger bond with my sister. They're still young, so they wouldn't be able to calculate and choose which parent would be more beneficial if they were asked."

"If they were told their parents were going to get divorced, would they take their mother's side? I'm wondering if they would whine and cry that they want to live with their mom more than their dad."

Yoonshin wasn't sure about that. Children generally couldn't imagine living without their parents. Yoonshin didn't relate to that only because his mother wasn't there since he was extremely young, but he probably wouldn't be able to handle the truth if she had passed away in the middle of his childhood. It was likely that the young children wouldn't take either side over the other.

Plus, even if they took their mother's side now, children were frivolous and could switch over to their father's side with a quick change of heart.

"I don't think they know what divorce is... I don't think their testimony will be significant in court. Still, should I meet them and ask what they think of their dad in passing? I haven't seen them in a while anyway."

"Do that. I don't expect to get some confirmation of the truth, but I want you to make them take your sister's side. Meet them from time to time from now on and suggest it to the kids. If you're too obvious, Director Yoo will probably ban you from meeting the kids, so do it in moderation. Well, if he blocks you from meeting them, that could also be good in its own way. He's essentially taking away your right to see your nephews, so it could be a useful card in the deck."

Yoonshin nodded in understanding and sent a text to his sister. Last time, he was going to secure a meeting with her through text, but he couldn't because he met Sehun in front of their apartment. Time passed, and before he knew it, it was the new year. Ikyung must have assumed that Yoonshin was busy because he didn't hear from her.

While Yoonshin was texting, Sehun picked up a pen that was rolling on the desk and pointed to the acrylic board.

"Now, Attorney Yoonshin Do. You've organized this well. There are four key issues at law—cause for divorce, alimony, division of property, and custody of the children. Let's go in order, one by one. First—cause for divorce. Is there a judicial cause for the court to order a divorce? There are six causes that the law prescribed, pursuant to the Civil Act, Article 840, Subparagraph 1. I'll give you 10 seconds. Go."

“Ikyung, it’s the anniversary of our father's death soon, so let's go to—" Caught off-guard, Yoonshin sent the message prematurely and quickly recited the answer. "Failure to act in chastity, abandonment, missing and uncertain whether alive or dead, maltreatment by the spouse or their lineal ascendants, maltreatment of the spouse's family by the other spouse, and any other serious cause?'

After answering the rapid-fire question, Yoonshin sent the rest of his text. "—the shrine with the kids. If you let me know what time works for you this week, I'll free up my schedule for then. Sorry for texting you so late."

"And which causes apply to this case?"

There was one thing that came to mind, but Yoonshin was reluctant to say it out loud. He just didn't want to say it. After some hesitation, he said with some difficulty, "Domestic violence. I saw the bruises from her being strangled myself. I tried strangling myself to see just how hard one has to choke someone to leave those marks, but it's difficult to make those bruises normally."

Sehun looked slightly horrified, then he let out a hollow laugh. "Well, aren't you dedicated. Amazing."

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"You got it."

Yoonshin gave him a sidelong glance, then he muttered in a low voice, "He's a

certified expert in sarcasm, seriously."

"I can hear you."

"I wanted you to hear. Oh, and..."

Sehun finished Yoonshin's sentence. "Adultery. That's included in failure to oblige to marital duties."

"How did you know that? Do you search behind everyone's back or—" Yoonshin was perplexed, but he soon remembered that this was Sehun Kang that he was talking to and stopped. When their heads angled acutely toward each other, their eyes met and sparks flew between them.

Sehun's face was impassive even as he was criticized in his face. He merely stared intently at Yoonshin's lips before giving them a light peck. They were quite close, so feeling slightly bashful, Yoonshin passed over Sehun's cooling coffee in Sehun's pretty hands and took a sip from his own cup. Sehun laughed wryly and turned back to the front. "Keep going."

"Anyway, she said that she was gathering evidence. My sister is smarter than I am. The cause for divorce is probably the least of our concerns. It's the credibility of the evidence that's the issue."

"Your sister's activities are limited compared to the average person. She probably doesn't have evidence of her husband's adultery yet. I can prepare that just in case."

"Can you collect private information like that?" Yoonshin said somewhat loudly in surprise.

Sehun's brow creased slightly. "There's nothing a lawyer can't get his hands on."

"How in the world do you collect that? Do you pay the people around them? Like a housekeeper or a hotel staff..."

"Sometimes, but when that's too risky, there are other methods. The easiest method is this."

"What is it?"

"Have you heard that a person's garbage reflects their lifestyle? From the trash of 10 random hotel rooms, nine of them have used condoms and seven of them have a business card with fingerprints."

Yoonshin had a fleeting doubt on whether they needed to go that far but then decided to empty his head. He already had an idea of what Sehun asked his investigators to do, so as surprised as Yoonshin was right now, it wasn't anything revolutionary. Sehun was capable of doing dirtier things just to win a trial.

"I guess it's better to ask my sister though, right?"

"Yeah, you do that."

Perplexed, Yoonshin tilted his head. "Me? You're not going to meet my sister yourself?"

"I didn't get retained yet, and I wasn't asked to either. Since you're the agent, you can give her your advice and get a list of the evidence. While you're at it, you might as well also get a firm answer that she will carry through to the end."

A lawsuit of this scale could take up to two years on the short side and several years at the most. The retained lawyer only provided services, but they weren't going to be working on it all the time. Ultimately, it was the endurance of the parties that mattered.

Yoonshin mulled over Sehun's instructions, biting his lower lip, then lowered his face to lick Sehun's lips. Quite frankly, Yoonshin was simply happy to see Sehun in his home and wanted to do this since before.

The moment his lips landed lightly on the other's, both their lids shut softly. They stole each other's warmth as they pulled apart and opened their eyes.

The transparent eyes that gazed at Sehun's had already braced themselves for the upcoming turbulence. Despite being resolved, Yoonshin was still worried. Sehun rolled his thumb over the corners of the eyes submerged with concern and said, "Nasty remarks exchanged while fighting don't count. The precedents don't accept that. She has to have suffered serious damages. It's better if the damage is repetitive. You mentioned evidence of strangulation—find evidence of confinement and of Director Yoo insulting your parents in front of your sister. Those are all good."

Yoonshin thought that it was unfortunate that his sister had to collect all the shreds of evidence, proving that her husband was an utter asshole to win the lawsuit. He wondered what the point of marriage was.

"I wonder how much useful evidence we can collect. The doctors in that family won't be on her side," Yoonshin asked sincerely.

Sehun replied indifferently, "There are records of doctor appointments. Thankfully, it looks like she consistently told two doctors that her marks were from domestic abuse. She could press criminal charges with this evidence. If criminal DV can be found, that would be an aggravating factor working in her favor. It would have been nice if there were police reports associated with these records, but there were none. In any case, obtaining the medical records ourselves will invalidate the evidence, so get it from your sister yourself."

As he sat, listening and memorizing what he needed to do, Yoonshin suddenly froze. He was used to Sehun knowing confidential information, but Sehun knew Ikyung's situation overly well. He even knew things that Yoonshin himself didn't know. Something was fishy. "Since when did you know about this? It doesn't look like you found out after meeting my sister."

Sehun ignored Yoonshin's pointed question and instead said, "One more thing—there's a chance that the medical records can change. If they pay off the doctor, it's game over."

"These records aren't something that you can mess with easily. How could they...?"

"It's entirely possible. Soohan owns a hospital, so it's even easier. If the doctors confess that some wife of a rich family put them under duress, people will doubt the records and their reliability will plummet. Ask if she has any photos of the injuries or videos of any assaults. If there are none, she could try to stage and incite one."

Was Sehun asking Ikyung to suffer through another nightmare to gain the advantage?

In his head, Yoonshin knew better than anyone that this all boiled down to a battle of evidence, but given that this involved someone close to him, his heart didn't follow his rationality. He remembered the frail neck with the ghastly bruises, and his face contorted horribly.

"Oh right-you were this kind of person," Yoonshin mumbled.

"Don't you want to win? We're already severely outgunned, and we need something to win. Sit out if you're going to keep pretending to be naive and righteous this far in the game. You'll be a distraction."

"You always have to say it like that? What a turn off."

"You wanted me for who I am. Get turned on again."

Yoonshin gnawed on his lip, casting an upset look at Sehun. Then, he whipped his head away, showing his surrender. Yoonshin knew full well that aside from the correctness of the substance, Sehun was giving the solution. Sehun also knew that Yoonshin was merely venting his anger and frustration for no reason. The fact that Sehun was accepting Yoonshin's temper without complaint was proof that Sehun knew.

"Perverse sexual inclinations, child abuse, lack of affection, clash of personalities, morbid jealousy, dipsomania-all of these are accepted as other serious causes according to the precedents. Would having any of those help us?" Yoonshin asked, back on topic.

"Of course. If the precedents hold those to be good law, even the tiniest flaw will help. Don't leave a single stone unturned. If there's nothing, create it and bring it. Simple cooling of love over time won't help though. The law doesn't take that for a reason," Sehun replied.

"It would be perfect if there was a witness —like the housekeeper, the gardener, or even staff at the art gallery."

"Whoever it may be, they won't willingly side with Ikyung. We still need to investigate that matter, so get a list."

As Yoonshin thought, he and Sehun were on the same page. There were plenty of people who could potentially testify, but they wouldn't be allies. "Got it. I'll contact her secretary."

"So, now we're onto issue two, alimony, and issue three, division of property," Sehun said, moving on through the issues.

"They're both about money."

"I've read through this, and everything you wrote is wrong. I'll reorganize this." Sehun took one sip, put down his paper cup, and then stood and walked toward the acrylic board. He picked up a white marker and crossed out all of Yoonshin's notes in one long diagonal swoop. When he turned back to Yoonshin, Sehun saw the younger man looking stern.

"They were married for a bit less than 10 years, so they won't accept a division of property, and she'll receive alimony if she wins the suit. I considered it all. What did I get wrong?" Yoonshin asked gravely.

"You need to make them fill the 10-year mark. I'll count the dates and push off applying for settlement mediation till then. It's 50/50 after 10 years, so why give that up? This is exactly why your brother-in-law wants to get a divorce as soon as possible. Your sister is probably also holding on for that very reason. Let's compensate the client for the time that they suffered."

Upon changing his perspective, Yoonshin could now understand why his sister was weathering through all that pain for so long. Yoonshin thought that although she must want to escape her situation as fast as possible, she was doing it for the custodial rights, but apparently, it seemed like that wasn't all there was to it. She was aiming to get back at her husband by taking as much as she could from him.

This must be what she meant when she resolutely said she would shake him up. Maybe Yoonshin didn't know Ikyung as well as Sehun did.

"You have observed this marriage since the beginning. Try to look at it from an objective lens, and that'll be the base for me to fight subjectively," Sehun said.

"You keep saying you'll do it all yourself. So, what should I do now? C'mon, use me."

"You meet your sister first and receive what you need. Then, arrange a private meeting for me and your sister. Fortunately, since you're in our firm, even if Soohan notices that we met, they won't immediately think that she retained me. That'll probably buy us some time."

"Yes, because my brother-in-law would never imagine that Attorney Sehun Kang would make such a moronic move," Yoonshin said in a self-deprecatory tone. Yoonshin's tone must have bothered Sehun. Sehun walked up to Yoonshin and planted a kiss on Yoonshin's troubled face while setting aside the cup in the younger man's hand. Then, he opened his arms wide as if telling Yoonshin to hug him.

Yoonshin was hesitant because he felt sorry for adding cumbersome issues to Sehun's plate, but then Yoonshin finally leaped into Sehun's broad arms. Sehun calmly stroked the younger man's round head, down to his neck, shoulders, and back.

Sehun's caresses were gentle-so gentle that it was soporific. Yoonshin felt like he reverted to being a child and nuzzled deeper into Sehun. He felt the older man's lips meeting the crown of his head.

"There's one more thing you need to do. This one is super urgent," Sehun said.

"Wh-what is it?" Yoonshin asked, getting tense.

"Reject your blind date. How much longer do I need to wait? How dare you make me bring this up?"

"Oh my God, you're right. I remembered that I promised to meet her, but I completely forgot why. One moment." Yoonshin forcefully pushed Sehun away and whipped out his cellphone. Then, he opened his sister's chat inbox and added another message. "Also, I have something important to tell you about the blind date. Anyway, text me soon."

After sending the text, Yoonshin stared up at Sehun. He looked like he wanted to be praised, but he also looked apologetic for the delay. It might have been both.

In response, Sehun, who was watching with narrow eyes and pursed lips, wrapped his palms softly around Yoonshin's cheeks.

His lips landed softly on those of the other. Their soft skin initially brushed past each other, but the contact grew more and more passionate. Sehun's moist tongue intruded between Yoonshin's slightly parted lips. Yoonshin felt jolts of electricity when the two moist pieces of flesh tangled with each other in his mouth.

Sehun leaned deeper into Yoonshin's skinny frame, casting a shadow over him. He rubbed Yoonshin's groin as he savored and explored the sensitive membranes of Yoonshin's mouth. Naturally, they both became hard.

"Hmmm..." Yoonshin moaned in arousal, closed his eyes, and wrapped his arms around Sehun's neck, pulling him in tighter.

The color of twilight was reminiscent of the deep indigo of the winter ocean. The stars glittering like quicksilver and the pale impression of the moon stitched the darkness together with patches of light. The luminescent glimpses shone down serenely upon the sleeping earth.

Yoonshin sat on the swings of an abandoned playground. He was gazing at the crepuscular view as if searching for the distant horizon, but he looked down when he felt a warm gaze on his chin. The gaze belonged to Sehun, who was sitting with his long legs extended on the low metal bars opposite Yoonshin.

Yoonshin felt diffident for no reason and kicked at the sand underfoot. As if that wasn't enough, he rocked his body a few times, spurring the pendulum of the swings again.

Creak, creak. The friction of the rusty metal chains resounded through the tranquil air of the playground.

Watching Yoonshin's abashment, Sehun opened his handsome lips. Are you enjoying yourself, sir?"

"Are you bored?" Yoonshin asked back.

"I can't believe you wanted to go on the swings in the middle of the night. Seriously, you're making me chase my tail."

"Just think of this as a date. You're hanging out with me."

Perhaps Sehun didn't hate that idea as he played along quite willingly. "Then, why couldn't we just have that date indoors? Why is weather not a factor for your consideration? If you like swings that much, I'll buy you an expensive one. We can hang it at home."

"I just wanted to know how far you'll go for me. I was testing it out.”

"What? You, testing me?"

"I was under the impression that you were the type of person to hate wasting time by staring at someone without doing anything. But you did it for me. You must really like me, huh?" Yoonshin said honestly and glanced at Sehun to see how he reacted. However, the older man merely continued to stare wordlessly at him.

Sehun willingly obliged when Yoonshin shook him awake right as Sehun was nodding off and whined to go outside with him, when Yoonshin suddenly wanted to go to the playground on their way back from their walk, and when he told Sehun to just sit and watch him go on the swings.

Yoonshin could have asked Sehun to go on the swings with him, but he didn't. Sehun hated tedious things because he revered time, yet he willingly did everything that he was normally disinclined to do. That only made Yoonshin want more from Sehun.

Yoonshin was biting on his moist bottom lip, then he asked in a low and suggestive voice, "Wanna ride with me, babe?"

But that was the limit to Sehun's tolerance. "You're pretty impertinent for someone still a junior associate."

Yoonshin realized his mistake and immediately changed his attitude. "Senior Attorney, come sit on the swings with me. It's more fun than you'd think."

"I don't want to. It's cold. If you're done testing me, let's go back inside."

"I want to sit a bit longer. If you really don't want to stay, just leave me and go inside first."

Sehun glared at Yoonshin with narrow eyes then sighed deeply, shaking his head. Then, he crossed his arms. He seemed to be saying that he would watch a bit longer since he was already playing along.

As expected, Sehun merely watched Yoonshin on the swings. The dark sky and the stars that embroidered its fabric, the chilly yet refreshing air-Sehun could have turned his attention to any one of them momentarily, but he steadfastly observed his lover. And surprisingly, he looked like he was enjoying it. In evidence of that, a faint arch painted his lips as he quietly gazed at Yoonshin.

There was a streetlight near Sehun. Thanks to that, Yoonshin could see where Sehun was very well. Noticing the older man's persistent gaze and bright smile, Yoonshin slowed down. A few swings later, the swing lost momentum and stopped.

Once the piercing noise of the device stopped, only the wind could be heard. The tranquil air playfully danced above the two. Yoonshin spoke up first. "I'm so glad that you've rarely liked anyone so passionately."

"Why? Am I not allowed to be happy because I have a champion-level certificate in sarcasm?"

"I think I would have been very jealous. I'm jealous even now despite knowing that I'm special to you. Did you know that you're a very warmhearted person?"

Sehun looked quite astonished at that remark. He looked utterly flummoxed a face that Yoonshin had never seen Sehun make in his time at Doguk.

"Me?" Sehun asked in shock.

"So you didn't know."

“…”

"You really were clueless. Seems like you're not good at seeing yourself objectively. So there were things that Sehun Kang couldn't do after all."

Their eyes met and stared at each other. Amid the solitude of night where the darkness of winter and the twinkling myriad blanketed the world, two pairs of eyes exchanged warmth. The two felt sequestered in a secluded street, filled with stillness after a night's worth of snow.

Yoonshin was hit with the urge to touch the other man. He was about to stand up, but they must have thought the same thing as Sehun was one step faster than Yoonshin-he had gotten up and walked across the sand toward Yoonshin.

In a few paces, Sehun was staring down at Yoonshin, who was sitting on the swings.

Everywhere Sehun's eyes landed, Yoonshin's skin prickled in inflammation, tricking Yoonshin into thinking that he had a mild fever. As Yoonshin tried to think of how to extricate his feelings, Sehun's face drew closer. The older man's low voice resonated in his ears. "Is this the time to open your eyes or close them? Your guess."

As the answer to Sehun's question, Yoonshin docilely closed his eyes and clutched at the other's jacket with his cold hands. Rewarding him, Sehun covered Yoonshin's top and bottom lips, gently bit down on them, and blew air into his mouth. Yoonshin flinched and trembled. The older man playfully nibbled on Yoonshin's sensitive skin slightly harder.

The chilly air nipped and cooled their skin, but the friction and the heat slowly melted them down. Sehun sucked at Yoonshin's softened lips, then he speared his tongue between the lips.

"Nngh..." Yoonshin wriggled and moaned as the other's wet mass burrowed into his mouth unheedingly. The older man started to explore the inside more tenaciously. His kiss was violent, violating the thin, sensitive membranes aggressively as if wanting to rub them raw in one moment—then in the next, tenderly and fluidly sweeping through.

They tangled their tongues several more times.

A blissful atmosphere settled between them as they shared their intimate kiss, leaving no room for the blustery winds to cut through them.

Yoonshin was writhing, edging on his seat as he grew more aroused.

It was then...

Sehun pulled away first. Yoonshin bolted up, disappointed that they were pried apart, and followed Sehun to try to maintain contact with him. Sehun took a measured step back, leaning against the underside of the slides.

Yoonshin grabbed the edges of Sehun's coat and buried his face into Sehun's chest. Soon after, he clung to the older man in an attempt to increase their area of contact. He clasped his hands behind the older man's back, locking the older man's slim yet firm torso in his arms. Their long legs tangled suggestively with each other.

"I'm so happy that you like me."

Instead of a reply, Sehun lifted his chin to kiss Yoonshin's forehead. Then, he played with Yoonshin's cold earlobes. Whether it was because of the cold or in embarrassment, Yoonshin's cheeks were flaming red, and Sehun thought it was sweet.

"How are you so uncalculating and open about everything? It must be easy being simple like you."

Throughout his life, Sehun was surrounded by people who took from him as equally as Sehun gave. Yoonshin was frank and sincere first and foremost, so Sehun was attracted to him. He was attracted to Yoonshin's words, his face, his actions, and sometimes just his gaze.

As if he read Sehun's feelings, Yoonshin squirmed in Sehun's embrace and looked up to meet eyes. Still basking in the aftermath of the kiss, Yoonshin looked desirous as he grazed his teeth lightly against Sehun's bottom lip.

"Do I need to keep treating you like my boss? I'll be informal only when we're alone."

"Do you realize how many more years of experience in the profession I have?"

"In terms of experience, you skipped a grade and graduated early while I didn't. You're not that much older than me. A six-year age gap makes us practically peers."

"No, I can't stand an associate being all chummy with me. And if anyone sees that? That's even more unacceptable. If you want me to dig out and burn the eyeballs of any witnesses, you're welcome to try."

"But I'm not just any old associate. I'll be sure not to be caught at work. Let that be my birthday present. Or a present for our 100-day milestone. Or our first-anniversary gift."

Sehun looked baffled for a moment, then he languorously said, "We're still a ways off from our first anniversary."

"According to your logic, it's bound to come at some point, so isn't it fine?"

"Hah, aren't you an opportunistic little brat."

"How about a trial period...?"

Thwack! His lips pursed, Sehun flicked Yoonshin's bare forehead. Still, even in the end, Sehun didn't outright say no.

This time as well, Yoonshin knew that Sehun was allowing him to do as he wanted. Understanding the implicit permission, Yoonshin showered kisses on every corner of Sehun's face. Eventually, Sehun chuckled in defeat.

The children were fast asleep in Yoonshin's bed.

In their black funeral attire, the siblings sat across from each other in the living room and sipped their tea.

It was their father's firm wishes that they held a simple funeral for him, so the only place to commemorate his life was in the public temple shrine next to their mother's ashes. The two didn't make a huge deal on each anniversary either. They merely got together on that day to visit the shrine. Perhaps because of his father's many connections, there were always a few white chrysanthemums placed before they arrived. This year was no different.

Until last year, Ikyung's entire family visited the shrine. But this time, her husband was on a business trip, so just the four of them went. As bitter as it was to admit, the timing was good-it was the perfect chance to discuss some important matters between them. lkyung must have thought the same as she carefully started the discussion. "Did your firm say

anything to you by any chance?"

"That you met Senior Attorney Kang? I heard it briefly. I heard you told him about our situation."

She let out a long sigh, and her face grew stormy. "Your brother-in-law found out what I was doing behind his back, and feeling cornered, I asked to meet Attorney Kang. He's truly not an easy man. Still, Attorney Song said that she would keep you on for now. I'm really grateful to her."

"While we're talking about me, Ikyung, I... don't think I'll meet with the person I went on the blind marriage date. Could you help me end things with her? I'll apologize to her personally. I'm sorry for bringing it up so late," Yoonshin said.

lkyung intuitively knew that once determined, it was impossible to persuade Yoonshin, so she replied with silence. Surprisingly, she didn't ask a single question or criticize him in any way. Rather, she seemed to sympathize with Yoonshin. "I had a feeling. Are you going out with someone these days?"

"Well... Yeah."

"Last time, you said you weren't, so something must have happened in between then. So that was why you were so reluctant to agree. Sorry about that. This also bothered me. I didn't think that this was a good way to meet anyone in the first place. I'll try to wrap it up nicely."

Once Yoonshin refused officially, this news was probably also going to reach his brother-in-law. Yoonshin felt sorry that his sister would have to be the one to bear his rage, so he quickly brought up the topic that he wanted to talk about. "About the divorce lawsuit. You're preparing for that, right?" Yoonshin jumped to the main point—perhaps too fast because lkyung drew the line immediately.

She even looked infuriated, and she was firm with him. "I told you not to bring that up. I'll handle it myself. This is my fight. You just focus on settling into your position and finding your way. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"What if Attorney Sehun Kang were to represent you? What do you think about that? I heard that all the big law firms that your secretary contacted refused to take your case. I heard that was how your husband found out."

She stayed silent for a long time. After being lost in deep thought, she finally asked, her voice sounding slightly hoarse, "What do you mean, Attorney Sehun Kang?"

"Just think of it as a hypothetical."

Ikyung shook her head in firm disbelief. "Don't you know what kind of man he is? Attorney Kang is strictly on the side of the powerful. What's the use if he's sharp-witted? He only uses his brains for people who can win."

"Ikyung."

"That means that he's the least likely person to represent me at your firm. That's also why I placed you there. My husband's arrows won't fly in Sehun Kang's way."

Yoonshin bit his lip and asked, trying to be poised, "What if there was a chance? You know that once your lawsuit starts, it's important to make the public remember you. You need someone to bring that noise and attention to you. There's nobody better at that than Attorney Sehun Kang."

"Yoonshin, as you said, all the other big firms turned me down. It's not just about winning or losing. It's because they know that, on the surface, they'll be seen as the enemy of Soohan Group. Why would Attorney Kang help me when he knows that there's such a big risk? Plus, Doguk and Soohan have a good relationship right now."

Ikyung knew her current situation precisely and was rational about it. She knew that while Sehun was her best bet, he would never take her case. Yoonshin agreed with his sister for the most part. Not too long ago, she would have been entirely correct. However, now there was an unexpected variable-Sehun's feelings for Yoonshin.

However, Sehun's feelings weren't tangible or visible to the eye, and they were definitely not something Yoonshin could show Ikyung. Yoonshin ran a few simulations in his head about the best way to persuade his sister, then he grasped his sister's thin hands gently. "Ikyung, Sehun Kang will take the case. He said so himself."

As expected, it must have sounded unreasonable as Ikyung retorted quickly. "What are you saying? Why would Sehun Kang do that?"

"I can't tell you in detail, but I heard him say it myself. I know. He'll take it."

Yoonshin was Sehun's weakness.

Only Sehun and Yoonshin knew this, but it was plain and true.

"Yoonshin," Ikyung called her brother quietly, but Yoonshin could hear her voice shake ever so slightly. His incomplete explanation failed to make her understand the situation, but she seemed somewhat overwhelmed at the faint sanguinity of the situation.

"If you want to retain him, he said that you have to brace yourself to see this to the bitter end. But you're ready to fight, Ikyung. That's what I remember you telling me. Was I wrong?"

She still didn't seem to be entirely convinced, but gaining some faith in Yoonshin's adamant attitude, she asked carefully, "What if... my husband convinced Attorney Kang to destroy our lives?"

She must have found out a lot of things about Sehun thus far, and she witnessed many more things personally, so her fears were valid. Honestly, if Yoonshin were in her shoes, he would have been suspicious of the offer as well. Moreover, she was in a state of tension and would have thought that nobody was on her side-her skepticism was nothing surprising. However, Yoonshin could put his foot down and definitively say that this was not the case she feared it was. "No, it's not like that at all. I trust him. But I understand that you can't believe what I told you right away. You can test the waters before sailing across them. Senior Attorney Kang also asked me to arrange a private meeting in secret with you. You can decide once you meet him."

"Can I do that?"

"Of course. Oh, and once you decide, you need to get the evidence for adultery and abuse ready. Anything is good, even if it's small, if it can be confirmed. Attorney Kang will make it convincing no matter what. Like, if your husband tried to force himself on you, anything like that... Sorry for suggesting things like that. But this is an important issue at law to address."

"No, you can say that as a lawyer."

"Whatever your husband did to you, don't think of them as humiliating moments to hide. They're not insignificant or embarrassing. They are evidence you can use at court."

Ikyung covered her shaking hand with another and nodded furiously. Then, in a desperate tone, she told her story. She had always been on edge and had never brought up her issues to her lips to Yoonshin as if they were inaccessible files, but she seemed to have quickly accepted that her situation had changed. Her willingness to speak was proof that she saw the light of hope and was also the manifestation of her desire to grasp at straws.

"If it's evidence, I have a lot. Medical records, videos of the abuse, photos of my injuries-I have them all. I didn't retaliate at all on purpose too. I asked someone I know, and they said that I have so much that it's impossible for me to lose. But all the lawyers with some degree of reputation refused me. To fight with Soohan, using the press is important. I thought that I had no way to win at all, and I felt so frustrated I would explode."

"There's a limitation period for evidence like that. Beyond that period, they can lose some reliability in some cases. Once you come to a decision, could you send them over as soon as possible? By courier."

"Okay, I'll do that. But can I keep the kids with just this? And can I get my share of the family property and my alimony with that? The wife of Youngjin Construction had her economic autonomy taken away before she even started litigation. Now they'll probably tell the court that she has no resources to take care of the kids. I don't expect the trial to be the end of it. I can see myself going through the same."

Yoonshin held his sister's hand as she talked nonstop in a single breath, which was unlike her. Ikyung finally met his eyes and blinked hard. She seemed to have understood that he wanted her to relax.

"Ikyung, this is Sehun Kang we're talking about. As long as the evidence stands, he'll win the lawsuit no matter what."

"You're right. Oh... Maybe our father is helping us from heaven. What on earth is this? Sehun Kang of all people. Can I trust him? C-could you arrange a meeting for us soon? I need to talk to him myself."

Yoonshin nodded, gazing at his sister with sympathetic eyes. Then, he moved next to her and pulled her shoulders toward him. He patted her trembling back, and a million thoughts raced in his head.

Her tepid and somewhat obstinate attitude toward Yoonshin changed so much at Sehun Kang's name. He realized then that to protect what was dear to him, he needed to become stronger first.

He was glad that Sehun was by his side.

When Yoonshin thought that, he wanted to see Sehun badly.

The night was deep.

Darkness seeped in through the glass windows of the meeting room. Sehun glanced at the dusky exterior once, then he checked his watch before he stood up, being the first to rise.

"That's it for today. See you tomorrow, everyone," Sehun announced, marking the end of the meeting from the head of the table where he sat. He walked past Yoonshin, who sat at the very end of the table, without so much of a glance and exited.

After Sehun left, the people who remained released their moans and groans. They were special team members made up of a few lawyers from the corporate team as well as lawyers from other departments as needed. They worked day and night on the matter of acquiring Youngjin Construction.

Now that the head of the team was gone, the other lawyers finally stood, looking exhausted. They massaged their necks, blinked hard, and filed out of the room one by one.

"Good work today. Thank you for your hard work," Yoonshin, the youngest and last to leave, greeted everyone as they left. Once he was alone, he gathered his belongings and turned the lights off.

On the way back to his office, Yoonshin glanced into Sehun's still-illuminated office. Sehun was standing while talking to someone on his phone. He had rolled up the sleeves of the shirt that accentuated his physique. Yoonshin's mind drifted to Sehun's naked body then felt sheepish for doing so. As he stood in self-shame, he glanced at his watch. It was late-way past 11. Yoonshin wondered who Sehun was talking to.

‘He's probably not having a personal phone call...' Riddled with curiosity, Yoonshin waved both his arms in an attempt to attract the older man's attention. But no matter how hard he signaled, Sehun had his body turned away and was focusing solely on his call.

‘He didn't look at me once during the meeting, and he's still doing that.'

Sehun was too strict with his boundaries to the point that it upset Yoonshin. Yoonshin thought that he might get heartsick from being deprived of affection. When they were closed off together, Sehun let down his guard. Yet, if there was a slight chance of being seen, Sehun

changed completely. Even as coworkers, he didn't even give Yoonshin a speck of attention. He even acted quite touchy and difficult.

If someone with Sehun's seniority had an inkling of personal interest in a rookie, it would undoubtedly look weird to anyone. In his head, Yoonshin knew that well, but in his heart, he wanted special treatment from Sehun, which kept making him want the impossible from Sehun.

‘If only he looked at me.'

‘If he rushed to me and kissed me like he was starving for me.'

‘If he could strip all my clothes and push me down on the desk...'

"Wow, what's wrong with me? What am I, a horny teen? Stop it."

Yoonshin forcibly shut down his thoughts, and blushing hard, he turned his head away from Sehun. He shook his head and then turned to go back to his office, which was across from that of Sehun.

Just then.

Tap, tap.

Yoonshin heard the sound of someone knocking on the window. When he turned around, Sehun had his ears against his phone and was beckoning to Yoonshin. Yoonshin pointed at himself, and Sehun pointed to his door, telling him to come in.

Even the waggle of Sehun's finger filled him with giddiness. Yoonshin bit his lip, hugged the documents in his arms, and softly stepped into the partner's office. Sehun's call must have ended since he tossed his phone on his chair, then he leaned on the edge of his desk. Sehun tilted his head to one side and stared at Yoonshin, who stood awkwardly at his door. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry? You told me to come in, so I did. Should I go back out?" Yoonshin said.

Sehun frowned, not understanding what Yoonshin was going on about, then he grinned. "I'm asking why you're standing there like a statue. You should have come to me."

Sehun's dulcet tenor was easy on Yoonshin's ears. The timbre of the other's low voice replayed over again in Yoonshin's mind before he cleared his throat and reached behind him. Yoonshin locked the door, shut the blinds to the door, and dashed to Sehun, jumping into his arms. Without so much of a stagger, Sehun caught Yoonshin firmly. He snatched the documents from Yoonshin and placed them on the desk, then he tightly embraced the younger man's slim body.

Finally in Sehun's arms, Yoonshin's heart found peace. Yoonshin rubbed Sehun's waist and caught his breath. He rubbed his soft cheek against the older man and nibbled at his shirt like a teething child. In response, Sehun grabbed the younger man's flushed face and kissed his lips lightly a few times.

"Why are you being so needy again?" Sehun asked.

"Whose fault do you think it is?" Yoonshin shot back.

"You try to blame me for everything, you know that?"

"I almost forgot that you like me, Senior Attorney."

With Yoonshin's round head in his hands, Sehun was kissing his hair and forehead when he stopped. Sehun pulled back and locked eyes with Yoonshin. "What bullshit is that?"

"You didn't even glance at me once today. I almost forgot that we were going out."

"Did you also get certified in sarcasm? Just be your usual self."

Yoonshin didn't reply. His eyes wandered, mesmerized by the sharp eyes, tall nose, and hot lips on the older man's smooth face. Yoonshin then planted a short peck on Sehun's lips. "I can earn one in an intensive course, so treat me well."

"What's upsetting you this time?"

"You're neglecting me too much. What's the fun of dating someone at work? It's about smiling in secret when our eyes meet and following each other to have coffee together, and when we go out for business once in a while..."

"Have car sex?"

"I'd love that."

"You'll suggest doing it in the office at this rate."

"Well, if you really want to..." He agreed immediately, but Yoonshin suddenly felt embarrassed and gaped for a moment. Then, he awkwardly took back his words. "I'm just saying that we could have done something out of all the possibilities. But you don't even look at me in passing. Do you know how many times I peeked at you during the meeting because I wanted our eyes to meet?"

"Of course I do."

Yoonshin flew in a fit. "You avoided me even though you knew? That just makes me mad."

"Did you know that a workplace fling is one of those things where, no matter how hard the couple tries to hide it, nobody is fooled by them?"

"Who would imagine that between us when we're both men...? They're more likely to think that you ate something weird."

Sehun laughed wryly. Still, he didn't flatly refuse Yoonshin who expressed his complaints in a formal venue.

"So you're asking me to look at you more often. I got it. Now you'll get my questions at every meeting."

"You're so mean."

"You're not confident?" As if returning the kiss, Sehun smooched Yoonshin's lips loudly and childishly and pulled Yoonshin closer to him. Sehun stroked the long and thin neck of the younger man and slowly moved down to his back. His hands glided smoothly down the highway of Yoonshin's back and massaged the younger man's hips.

Then, as if determined not to leave a single gap, Sehun pressed their bodies close together. Naturally, their chest, limbs, and lower halves rubbed against each other.

Responding to the sensual touches, Yoonshin rolled his palms on Sehun's shoulder blades. When he felt the older man's member over their clothes, he let out a low moan.

"Hahh... Feels good. Please give me more." Yoonshin's breathing grew uncontrollably rougher. Sehun kept rubbing against his lower half, so Yoonshin felt like he would get hard soon. He looked up with his half-lidded eyes outside the window beyond Sehun's shoulders. Lit-up rooms were interspersed among the floors of the surrounding skyscrapers.

"I want to touch yours." Yoonshin rubbed his face against Sehun's shoulder and lowered his hands. Sehun wasn't hard yet, but his member was sizable and made a vivid outline once Yoonshin pressed on it. Yoonshin traced Sehun's member over his pants, then he undid the other's zipper and thrust his hand in. At that moment, Sehun's phone started to vibrate noisily.

Sehun heard the noise and pulled his torso away to pick his phone up. Unwilling to part even for a moment, Yoonshin clung closer and showered Sehun's ears and neck with kisses. Sehun liked seeing things through to the end, yet this time, he was adamant that he picked up his call. Once he checked the screen, he pushed Yoonshin completely away.

Dumbfounded, Yoonshin's round eyes stared at Sehun. "Why? Did something happen?"

"There's something you need to know," Sehun said.

"Is it more important than me touching you?"

"Director Ikyung Do sent me a retainer via courier before the meeting."

Yoonshin swallowed tensely then stepped backward. He plopped down on the couch in Sehun's office for guests.

Yoonshin knew that the two met in secret a few days ago. But that was all. He was the person who set them up, yet he didn't know where they actually met or what they talked about. After that day, neither Sehun nor lkyung mentioned the meeting at all. Yoonshin waited patiently for one of them to tell him first.

She had said that she would decide after she met, and her choice was to accept this offer. Yoonshin felt like he could sense the strong relief she felt during this process drifting over to him.

"And the evidence that my sister collected?" Yoonshin asked.

"All the originals came with it. She said that she would keep the copies," Sehun replied.

"Then, the call just now..."

"Director Do's secretary."

And the message just now?"

"Your sister. She asked me to tell you because she can't bring herself to."

Yoonshin wished he could react with something other than gnawing on his lips nervously, but it wasn't easy to do. The real fight was going to start, and it would be a very long and treacherous process.

Yoonshin hung his head, dwelling on the look on Ikyung's face and her unstable tone before he lifted it. From the beginning, Sehun was watching Yoonshin quietly from where he sat. Yoonshin realized that the moment their eyes met. A smile rose to his face. "When I met my sister, she had refused to listen to everything I said, but when I mentioned your name, she was suddenly so eager to talk."

"Probably because she won't meet a better opportunity than me."

"Yes. Honestly, depending on the perspective, divorce isn't that big of a deal. I know because I've been through mediation and litigation—it really is just a process of breaking a relationship and becoming strangers once again. Nobody dies in the process, it's not an earth-shattering disaster, and it shouldn't make much of a difference if I represent her... but for some reason, this one feels complicated."

"I'm going to publicize this and keep the noise going. With Soohan Group's ability to mobilize the mass media in mind, I'd say that fending them off logically is near impossible. So I'm going to focus on reducing physical and material damage. According to Ikyung, her evidence is solid, so she could win the battle if she can hold on. But holding on won't be easy because the other side will go all out on her," Sehun said.

The public's eyes and interest had to stay on Yoonshin's sister so her husband couldn't do anything drastic—like hurting her to the point that her capacity was questioned or coercing her to give up on a major point. Sehun meant that he was going to reduce all the risk of physical injury to her.

"Yes, I know. My sister is also bracing for it. And I'm also..." Yoonshin trailed off, unable to finish his thought, and pursed his lips.

The fact that his sister refused Yoonshin's help meant that this litigation was going to be different from other proceedings whereby two people became strangers. It was going to be a more extreme and perilous journey. Yoonshin felt like he dumped all this risk and burden on Sehun and stepped back, so he felt incredibly apologetic.

Yoonshin gave the older man a contrite glance, and Sehun leaned forward, stamping his lips on Yoonshin's forehead. Sehun seemed to understand Yoonshin's sorriness and gratitude even without expressly putting it into words.

A heavy silence ensued.

Then, Sehun stood from the desk. He walked over to the hanger where his suit jacket and coat were, then he put them on. He picked up his briefcase and approached Yoonshin, who was watching him blankly. "I'm going to get off work now. What are you going to do? Overtime?"

"We've already been working overtime."

"But are you going to do more? Then, I'll leave first."

"I'm going too. I'll review the meeting minutes at home." Yoonshin stood up, showing that he would go home too. He picked up the documents that were placed on the desk.

But before he could drop by his office to gather his belongings, Yoonshin stopped in his tracks because Sehun said, "Sure, whatever suits you. See you tomorrow."

It seemed like Sehun was going to leave Yoonshin behind, making Yoonshin feel flummoxed. Dumbstruck, Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's sleeve, pulling him toward him. Sehun frowned. "What?"

"See you tomorrow? You said the same thing to the other lawyers."

"If you insist, I can see you the day after tomorrow."

Yoonshin ground his teeth and threw Sehun's wrist away irritably. Grabbing and letting go of Sehun were both initiated by Yoonshin. Astonished, Sehun's reply was to twitch his brows. Then, Sehun shrugged, gave Yoonshin a questioning look, and said, "That hurts."

"That hurts? That's not what you should say now. Should I give you a ride or should we take your car? Do you want to have a coffee on the way home? I don't want to part ways with you. Do you want to sleep over? I want to stay with you. How could you not ask or say any one of these?"

"I'm a busy man."

"And I must be idle. Why do I have to ask every time?"

"Because I can just sit patiently, and you'll do it since you're restless. You must want to do all of them, huh?" Sehun said indifferently, without a distinct emotion on his face. However, in a brief instant, Yoonshin could see a mischievous look flash by Sehun's handsome features. He realized that he was fooled. Sehun was making fun of him.

"Go to hell."

"What should we do first? Choose your priority."

"Are you going to do them all in order? Yeah, right."

"No, so I can do them in the reverse order of what you said." Sehun didn't refuse to do them. Yoonshin held back a bothered sigh and chuckled, slapping Sehun's arm with the stack of documents in his hands.

"You're such a pervert. I'm worried that nobody will marry you."

"Thankfully, I'm not a proponent of marriage."

Yoonshin thought that maybe this would have been a good time for Sehun to have said that it didn't matter since he was going to marry Yoonshin.

"Wow, yes, you're amazing. You've saved one woman's life."

"I'll give you a ride home."

"No thanks."

"Sleep in my bed tonight so I can watch you sleep."

"Why would you want to do that?"

"Why wouldn't I? I want to look after you to see what dreams you dream and if you're sleeping soundly," Sehun said, making Yoonshin choke on air. Yoonshin had always wanted Sehun to whisper sweet nothings to him-sweet and romantic fluff.

But to Yoonshin, Sehun's nonchalant remarks like wanting to watch over Yoonshin as he slept sounded like a more substantial expression of his affection because Yoonshin knew what it meant for Sehun to pass his time without doing anything productive. Yoonshin's heart raced so fast that he couldn't say anything in response.

As Yoonshin stood gawking in place, Sehun took one step toward the younger man. He leaned his face toward Yoonshin and kissed the younger man's red lips and both cheeks. Sehun's lips lifted off, yet his face was still close. Their mingled breaths tickled their skin.

"Yoonshin Do, are you mad? I was teasing you because you're cute."

Yoonshin knew rationally that he shouldn't forgive Sehun this easily, but his heart was blind to his thoughts. Yoonshin's lips kept creeping up into a smile, and he felt giddy.

Yoonshin had to admit—Sehun had him in the palm of his hands, rolling and massaging him as he wished. The problem was that Yoonshin didn't hate it at all. He felt like he lost before he stepped into the ring. But he didn't hate that feeling of defeat either.

Yoonshin carefully reached out and grabbed the fabric of the other's soft coat. He closed his eyes and opened them, meeting Sehun's expectant gaze.

"Let's go home, quickly."

Sehun nodded calmly.

After showering, Yoonshin looked around the bedroom. Sehun was nowhere in sight. Sehun had already washed up and went to his study for a moment. He didn't go into details, but it seemed like Sehun was looking at the contents of the data that Ikyung sent, which he had been pushing off because of the meeting.

Yoonshin couldn't bring himself to review them with him, so he sat on the bed but eventually stood up. He respectfully knocked on the study door and heard a small sound from inside-probably Sehun's voice.

Creak. When he opened the door, he saw Sehun leaning forward into the laptop screen at his desk. Yoonshin knocked the inside of the door again. Sehun glanced at Yoonshin. "I told you to sleep first. You have a meeting tomorrow morning."

"You're not going to sleep with me?"

"I need to review one more thing. I'll be there soon."

"Then can I look at it with you? You're reading through my sister's evidence, right?"

Sehun contemplated for a moment, then he beckoned to Yoonshin. Yoonshin quickly hopped over and hugged the older man from behind. The younger man's eyes landed on what Sehun was looking at. Put simply, the storage device contained a diverse assortment of documents, videos, and photos. Sehun must have already gone through a good chunk of them. The older man's finger glided across the trackpad, and he scanned through the medical records with a serious face.

Yoonshin, who was clinging to the older man's back, poked his head out from Sehun's left side.

"Did you skim through them all? How does it look?"

"Hmmm, how does it look, you ask? That's the hardest question I heard all year."

"I meant if you thought any of them would be useful in court?"

"If that's what you mean, then these are excellent-no, perfect. Judging by the date, she seemed to have been collecting them one by one for a very long time. Legally speaking, this is a game that we can't lose." Despite the optimistic remark, Sehun's face didn't look so bright. His face was usually placid in the first place, but his emotions shone through that. The air about him screamed pessimism.

Yoonshin felt like he could understand and quietly spoke up. "Yes, my sister secretly met a few lawyers, and they all said the same thing. The lawyer representing her would be holding my brother-in-law's moments of shame hostage and would decide whether to use these in court or reveal them to the public. Ultimately, that lawyer would become the enemy of Soohan, so they all felt quite pressured."

In agreement, Sehun added in a calm and indifferent voice, "Unfortunately, I've never seen a lawyer going up solo against a large conglomerate and winning."

"Since they're a match that's tough to win. But you can do it."

“…”

"Let's say that we do win. Then, what about outside the courtroom? The fight doesn't end in the court. That's why no law firm was willing to take the matter. You know that."

"Your sister will become tattered, socially. Once the press battle starts, there's no way that Soohan will sit back and watch. They will surely strike at the most sensitive topics. They will damage her dignity as a person and could obstruct all her future prospects."

Yoonshin knew that when Sehun said that Ikyung would have to hold on, it wasn't just the litigation but the public attacks outside the confines of the law.

At a loss for words, Yoonshin thought about the various potential issues in his head. When he was gathering documents and resources for himself, he simulated the scenarios in his head. He was a welcomed guest of Soohan for nearly 10 years, so even if it wasn't exact, he had a good idea of what tactics his brother-in-law and his family used. Even if they won the lawsuit, what followed was a bigger concern. No matter what result he predicted, they all involved Ikyung being battered.

The damage to dignity that Sehun mentioned was a simple thing to do. They could pick at the relationship between Ikyung and her secretary, who followed closely every day. They were going to lead the media into thinking that she was an unfaithful wife and criticize her for not being supportive as the wife of Soohan Holdings. Plus, they were going to imply that she wasn't a dutiful and good mother to her two children.

Not only that, but they could block Yoonshin's future opportunities and isolate her. In the worst case, they could alter the narrative of their deceased father's achievements into those of a man who ambitiously pursued honor and fame.

If it wasn't simple, a divorce lawsuit could take months to years. In this case, there was a lot on the line, so it would take much longer than the average divorce proceeding. The process would be mutable because the custody of the children was involved, and if they were unlucky, it would take years longer than initially projected. Yoonshin couldn't even imagine how Ikyung's life would change over that time.

“And you."

"Me?"

"I have no idea what would happen to you. So I'm thinking about it. Whether I should carry you along or leave you out.”

Yoonshin squeezed him tight instead of saying anything, and Sehun slowly turned around. Face to face in each other's arms, Sehun kissed Yoonshin's damp hair.

"A lawyer can only help on the lawsuit itself. Even if she hangs on until then, after the end of the litigation, people's attention will dwindle, and your sister will be left alone to face the stark reality. It's plain to me that your sister's career and your father's reputation will be tarnished in the future. People who know how to make money can't stand being indebted to someone."

Sehun seemed to imply that Ikyung would have to keep fighting in a place unknown and unseen by the public. Yoonshin agreed completely. The more concrete her evidence, the more meaningless the lawsuit would become for the other side, meaning there would be skirmishes elsewhere. In the process, Ikyung's life would become more disastrous.

The reason that Sehun brought it up to Yoonshin, who knew this all very well, was to warn Yoonshin to steel himself for the worst.

Feeling distraught, Yoonshin tried to distract himself with something else, reaching out from behind Sehun to turn on a video. The video that played over Sehun's shoulder was a scene where various household objects shattered with Ikyung sitting stoutly in the middle of it all. That wasn't all. Things that he didn't want to ever bring to his lips were being replayed in front of his very eyes too vividly.

Yoonshin gasped and immediately closed the window.

"I'll watch the rest of it, so you go to bed first."

"Let's sleep together. I also want to see you sleeping."

Sehun silently watched Yoonshin's dismayed face and warned him in a somewhat cold tone, "Don't be like that. If I need to, I will readily reveal all of these videos to the press. Don't act like an amateur."

"Why don't we just sleep together? We're in for the long haul anyway, so you can watch the rest tomorrow. In any case, her husband needs to file a response first before anything starts moving."

"Yoonshin Do."

"Do it tomorrow. It's way too late. It's already one in the morning."

Despite Sehun's frigid warning, Yoonshin didn't back down. Sehun seemed like he wanted to say something more, but he didn't. Unable to be firm with Yoonshin, Sehun merely reached out and closed the lid of his laptop. Then, with all his strength, he hugged Yoonshin, whose shoulders were trembling slightly. Sehun finally managed to reply, sighing in sympathy, "Huh... okay. Let's go to bed."

Sehun lifted the other's slender body with ease and carried him out of the study. Yoonshin wrapped his legs around the other's firm waist and clung tightly to the other neck. By the time they reached the bedroom, Yoonshin whispered in the older man's ears, "Now that I think about it, we used up all the condoms here. Should I pop by my place?"

Sehun laid Yoonshin on the bed and slipped in a pillow underneath the other's head. His fingers brushed the younger man's forehead, then he lay next to Yoonshin. They hugged each other close.

"Just sleep for tonight."

Their limbs tangled together. Yoonshin, who lay slightly angled, caressed Sehun's face. His sensitive fingertips fondled Sehun's lips suggestively. Electricity ran between them, enabling them to temporarily forget the harsh reality.

Unable to bear with it any longer, Yoonshin bolted upright. However, Sehun pulled him back down onto his body, making Yoonshin's efforts to get up in vain. "Lie down. You're being distracting."

Yoonshin's body was pulled down, colliding with the other's sturdy torso. Yoonshin squirmed and clambered on top of Sehun. Yoonshin rested on top and rubbed his chin and nose against the older man's. This time, Sehun, who was patiently holding back, hugged Yoonshin's waist tightly and rolled over, switching their positions so that Sehun was on top of Yoonshin.

If Yoonshin wasn't imagining the redness around Sehun's eyes, it must be the signs of desire.

After mulling it over for a moment, Yoonshin quietly lifted his leg. He rubbed Sehun's groin with his thigh. The twitching member was proof that Sehun was already starting to get hard. Yoonshin could feel it in real-time as Sehun's member perked its head up. "Are you hard? You got bigger."

"You're not going to sleep?"

"You can do it."

"What do you expect me to do with a guy who has 'I feel like shit' written all over his face? Your sister is the only thing in your head right now. Sleep when I'm trying to put you to bed. Don't make me stick my hard dick in between your legs."

To be honest, Yoonshin came here intending to go all the way, but the last video made him feel guilty. Still, he didn't want to waste his precious time with Sehun. Both he and Sehun were always busy, so there weren't many days when they could spend the night together like this.

"Do you want me to suck you off? I want to see you cum. I think I'll sleep well if I do…”

"If you egg me on, I'll want to do it. Stop messing around."

"Your breathing and moaning are so hot, they turn me on."

Sehun chuckled hollowly, and Yoonshin pushed the older man's shoulder, switching their positions yet again. Yoonshin placed his hand on top of Sehun's pajama pants and pulled them down. He wrapped his palms around the erect bulge, which was on the verge of bursting.

Yoonshin slid his soft hand from the base to the tip, and Sehun threw his head back slightly. Seeing the difficult Sehun feeling good under his touch, Yoonshin felt more aroused.

Breathing shallowly, Yoonshin massaged the other's shaft and rubbed all the veins and bumps with his fingers. He stroked it up and down a few more times before bending down. His moist lips kissed Sehun's urethra before he took in the head of Sehun's penis.

At that moment, Sehun cursed and moaned, "Ngh, fuck."

Hearing Sehun swear always turned Yoonshin on. Yoonshin felt his own member swelling up and pushed the other's erection deeper into his throat.

The wet and soft membranes of Yoonshin's mouth wrapped around the long and hefty member of the other. Yoonshin stuck his tongue out and lapped up the other's skin and sucked at the other's veins that he had rubbed moments ago. The shaft that he didn't think could grow anymore became harder as it stood tall and upright, filling his mouth up. The heat of Sehun's twitching cock spread into Yoonshin's mouth, which was growing hotter.

However, the size was too much for Yoonshin. He was unable to take it up to the base. The other's member twitched as it remained halfway in Yoonshin's mouth. Unsatisfied by it, Sehun suddenly grabbed Yoonshin's head roughly then thrust his hips up as if prepared to shove himself balls-deep into Yoonshin's mouth.

"Mnrph! Mmmph!" Because of the pressure of the member prodding at his throat, Yoonshin grabbed the other's firm thighs for support, yet he didn't try to pull away. Yoonshin tried his best to receive the other as Sehun thrust rhythmically. It was painful, but he also tingled with pleasure. As Sehun edged to climax, Yoonshin's member grew harder.

Meanwhile, Sehun's member rubbed Yoonshin's mouth raw. Sehun moved his hips more aggressively. He eventually sat up and pushed Yoonshin's head hard into his groin.

"Knrgh! Urmph, ngh!"

Sehun thrust deep into Yoonshin's throat and then pulled out slightly before burying himself again. Sensual and wet sounds dampened the air. Yoonshin's pale face became blotchy and red. Sehun was also flushed in excitement.

Sehun thrust energetically, fucking Yoonshin's throat as he would his ass. He then reached down to Yoonshin's lower half. He peeled off Yoonshin's pants and underwear midway down his thighs and pulled himself out of Yoonshin's warm mouth.

"Hahh... Hah..." Yoonshin's face was on fire and clear fluid dribbled out from his lips. Sehun wrinkled his brow and made Yoonshin turn around and bend over. He squeezed Yoonshin's thighs together and thrust his penis in between the younger man's legs.

"Ngh, mmh, Senior Attorney, I think I'm going to cum."

"Wait." Sehun's brow was wrinkled in misery. Frowning, Sehun reached out to Yoonshin's front and grasped Yoonshin's member. Then, as he pounded in and out, he stroked Yoonshin to the rhythm. Both were at their limit.

Sehun moved his hips and passed through the narrow passage of Yoonshin's thighs, slapping wetly each time. The head of Sehun's member chafed against Yoonshin's perineum and scrotum. Sehun turned Yoonshin's chin toward him and made him meet his eyes before hungrily kissing him. Their saliva dribbled over each other's chin, but neither of them cared.

Sehun thrust powerfully against the underside of Yoonshin's thighs, sending Yoonshin into ecstasy. Yoonshin's ass clenched and shuddered. In his final spurt, Sehun increased his speed and force.

Finally, both reached climax. They spilled precum before they ejaculated.

"Ahh! Oh! Ngh!"

"Hmgh, shit!"

Sehun ground the head of his member against Yoonshin's balls, and white fluid spattered out. The fluid rolled down from the younger man's thighs, dripping onto the sheets. Yoonshin's member was already dribbling fluid. This meant they definitely couldn't sleep on those sheets tonight.

After squeezing out the last of their semen, they both flopped onto the wet bed. With their bottoms stripped awkwardly, they faced each other and laughed wryly at their state.

Their sultry breathing evened out into their usual rhythm.

Yoonshin spoke up first. "Which was hotter? My mouth or between my legs? So I know for next time when I want to tempt you."

Yoonshin asked, fiddling with Sehun's top. An indecent gaze on his refined face, Sehun angled his head. He bit Yoonshin's earlobe hard enough to be slightly painful and whispered in a sultry tone, "I'm most aroused when your hole clamps so tight that I can't pull out."

"Yet you still won't do it now?"

"Sex isn't a panacea. I think sleep will help the most in weeding out the useless thoughts and calming down. So stop trying to aggravate me. Anyway, we can't sleep here because it's too wet. Let's sleep in a different room."

Chapter 12

Sehun got up first and put on his clothes, then he spread his arms wide open and gestured to Yoonshin.

Yoonshin could feel the older man's uncharacteristic kindness. As he watched Sehun, Yoonshin blinked slowly and then hugged the other's neck tightly.

Clutching his documents, Yoonshin stepped off the elevator. He wanted to confirm with Sehun before he sent his memorandum. Apparently, the partner lawyer was in the VVIP meeting room at the moment.

Their meeting was soon, and they would both need to go back to their offices before that, so Yoonshin thought he could be efficient by waiting for Sehun before going down together while having his documents reviewed.

However, when he reached the VVIP meeting room on the uppermost floor, it was disconcertingly quiet. If Sehun was meeting a client, Yoonshin expected to see at least the secretary or the bodyguard of the client, or one or two other members of Doguk, but the floor was encased in silence. Perplexed, Yoonshin pushed the door to the VVIP meeting room slightly, only to discover a completely empty room.

‘Is his meeting already over?' He thought as he walked briskly back to the elevator. They must have missed each other because the only elevator that went down was the only one he came up on. Disappointed at the miss, he was about to go down, but the elevators must have been fully loaded on the lower floors because none came up no matter how long he waited.

Yoonshin glanced down at his documents and then headed toward the emergency stairwell. It was faster to go down by foot. He quietly opened the door and was going down when he heard two people yelling not far below.

At first, he thought they were two custodial staff arguing about something. Most of the employees at the firm didn't use the stairwell. But the longer he heard the voices, he realized that he was wrong.

Are you out of your mind? You knew, and yet you agreed to keep Attorney Do here?" This well-enunciated and clear voice most definitely belonged to Attorney Song.

"I'm of a perfectly sound mind. Will you believe me if I hand you a capacity assessment?" And this nonchalant voice was unmistakably that of Sehun. There must have been a conflict between the two, who usually got along quite well. Mihee was uncharacteristically on edge, and Sehun was retorting more snidely than usual.

After some thought, Yoonshin leaned against the cold wall and hugged his documents tighter. He tried to mute all the noises he could make and tiptoed quietly in an attempt to slip out from the exit he came, but then he froze in his tracks.

…All because he heard a very familiar name.

"Sehun, Ikyung Do already filed for mediation to the court without telling her in-laws. She applied after narrowly passing the 10-year mark to meet the asset division requirement. Soohan is saying that she was very invidious. Of course. I would think so too. I need to check the details to know better, but still..."

Sehun cut her off in the middle. "Director Ikyung Do is going to go to court no matter what. The mediation application was simply to exhaust administrative remedies, but litigation was the end goal. Oh, and there's no need to check up on it separately. If you don't know something, you can just ask me."

"What? Why would I ask you that?"

"I'm her lawyer."

Mihee scoffed. She sounded like she heard the most ridiculous thing in the world. Yoonshin had never heard her sound so neurotic before. "You're representing her? A divorce lawsuit is a wrestle. Your attack is grappling the opposing party by their belts and wrangling them! You're going to go down together! You did this without even consulting me... How could you create such a big mess like this?! Since I heard it, it's only a matter of time before the other partners hear about it. What are you going to do?!"

"I've already decided on what I'm going to do. I also got her directions. Since when did you meddle with my matters? I choose my own clients. That was my only condition when I stepped into this firm. You didn't forget that, right?"

"Sehun Kang, this is different. Why should you take on this divorce case? If you really had to, you should have been on Director Yoo's side. We work with Soohan the most in this country. Leaving you aside, what about the other partners? What about the completely new associates?! Do you realize how many lawyers you have under you? Hundreds! lust considering the money that we have to collect from Soohan and its subsidiaries with our firm this year, it's almost ten million. If our relationship goes sour, we're all dead!"

"I already told you. If you need to, just cut me off from the firm. I'm prepared to be terminated with prejudice."

Upon hearing that, Yoonshin flinched. It seemed Sehun and Mihee already exchanged a series of conflicts and proposed solutions. And Sehun must have put his job on the betting table for a matter unknown to Yoonshin.

Inevitably, Yoonshin thought back to what Mihee just said, "You knew and yet you agreed to keep Attorney Do here?"

‘Did he put something on the line because of me?' Yoonshin fidgetted and then squeezed his files tighter, crinkling the papers. Worried that the two below him heard, Yoonshin broke out into a cold sweat.

Thankfully, they were still yelling at each other, so they didn't hear.

"Sehun, do you suddenly feel like you're Lady Justice incarnate? Is that what it is? You don't care if your career gets ruined?"

"It won't get ruined. My track record won't become losses if I take this case."

"Being a lawyer is a client service job. Your job is to sell yourself. This is about your reputation. I know you're smart. I know better than anyone that you're the cream of the crop. But you are an individual, and Soohan is a multimillion-dollar corporation. Your specialty is corporate/commercial, but if you put your hands on this, your flow of business will dry up. Aren't you scared of that?"

"You're right. This is my business, so I'll handle it myself-whether I am burned at the stake or buried alive. Happy?"

"How is this just your business? You're the face of Doguk! This is why I said that we should let go of Yoonshin Do from the get-go. I should have been more adamant in my position when you covered for him and said you'd be responsible for him...! See, this is what happened when you didn't send away someone when you had the chance to! Is this the result that you wanted by taking him in with your position on the line?"

Yoonshin wasn't surprised.

With his hunch confirmed, Yoonshin felt his blood run cold.

"Still, Attorney Song said that she would keep you on for now. I'm really grateful to her." This was different from what Ikyung said. Yoonshin remembered every word distinctly. Perhaps Attorney Song was merely a mouthpiece for Sehun. Yoonshin never considered that because Sehun never brought it up but looking back at Sehun's actions and words as of late, this was entirely possible.

Yoonshin's thoughts were a tangled mess, and he tried to calm himself as he started to tremble, but it wasn't easy. Regardless of his feelings, the two people's conversation one flight down continued. Sehun, who was more poised than Mihee, started to get riled up, and his voice grew louder.

"If you were born with intelligence, use it to remember things too. You're the one who wanted to bring Yoonshin Do."

"That! Things were different then. I didn't know Director Do would come out like this."

"Situations change, Mihee. It would've been great if we continued being strangers, but you just had to bring that guy in. Why did you force him under my care and make me do this? You know, I decided to live the life that I considered to be the most pathetic and miserable way of living. I'm the one who feels like crap! Do you get that? Every moment, I doubt myself a thousand times on whether I'm doing the right thing, but the result is always the same. So, what else can I do?"

Are you writing a love letter or something? Wow, I'm so moved that I'll cry. You're quite the sentimental teen girl."

Sehun responded to her sarcasm with his own acerbic remark. "Piss off, Mihee."

"So why does that have to be you?! Why didn't you just keep on living as a son of a bitch, bigoted asshole as you always have?!"

"Because I'm the only asshole that can do this!"

At a loss for words, Mihee fell quiet. Sehun said in an arid yet adamant tone, "You're known to be an amicable lawyer, and yet even you, at this critical time, are suggesting that we ignore our teacher's son and daughter. My life isn't at risk by doing this, and I won't starve to death. I've been suggesting that we pull out of all the companies related to Soohan because I'm worried that all our work will be cut off."

"Am I bad? Am I bad for trying to protect my life, my firm? That's what we've all been trying to do this whole time! What you're saying just sounds lousy and superficial, so don't be a hypocrite."

"I know. You're the normal one here. Nobody is going to point their fingers at you. Professor Do probably wouldn't either. He might feel a bit bummed out, but it would've been momentary."

"Then you could also turn a blind eye! Partners aren't just people who get their slice of profits. If there's damage, we're the ones to patch up the liabilities. I'm just telling you to fulfill your responsibilities as a partner."

"I went to that river with Yoonshin Do."

'That river?' Yoonshin blinked hard, his eyelashes quivering like bubbling, boiling water. It seemed to him that Sehun was talking about that lonely riverbed that he visited with Sehun on the last day of the year. The two didn't share many memorable events yet, so the only river Yoonshin could think of was that desolate one.

Judging by the fact that there weren't any more descriptions about it, Mihee seemed to know what river Sehun was talking about. Unlike the uncomfortable quiescence before, this one was more subdued and depressive. Yoonshin felt the shift even from upstairs. Sehun continued, sounding more choked up than before. "When I visited that river, Yoonshin gave me a white lily on the way back. He said that you should bring one when you go visit the deceased. Thinking back on it, I never brought over a single flower, not once. So I went back in the small hours of that morning to float in the river. I'm just paying him back for the value of the flower. It's just expensive—that's all."

"I was wondering why you were going on about some flower that day... Sehun. Stop pretending to be sentimental. It's not like you. Just ignore him. You're good at ignoring people who bring you trouble. Please? Close your eyes just this once!"

"I'll put my letter of resignation on your desk, so if this is too much for you to handle, just deal with it however you see fit. As long as you leave him here. Yoonshin Do is still inexperienced, and he needs to be protected. I worked my ass off in this firm for over 10 years, so I think I have the right to have a small request heard, at least."

"Sehun Kang! Please!"

"I don't have anything more to say. I'll be going down first."

The clacking of his dress shoes disappeared. Mihee's high heels clicked against the stairs cantankerously. Those too faded out. A substantial silence weighed down on the shoulders of the uninvited guest who overheard their entire conversation. Yoonshin leaned his head against the hard wall, and his legs gave in, causing him to slide down against the wall.

In Yoonshin's mind, Sehun Kang was strong, smart, and always victorious in everything, so Yoonshin took it for granted that Sehun could do everything for him. Yoonshin believed that most of his problems would be solved if Sehun became directly involved. But Sehun had given up more things, way beyond Yoonshin's expectations, to hold on to Yoonshin.

“I decided to live the life that I considered to be the most pathetic and miserable way of living"

Mihee most likely interpreted this as Sehun choosing to be altruistic out of the goodness of his heart, but to Yoonshin, Sehun's answer transcended the bounds of goodwill. Yoonshin knew that what Sehun meant by 'pathetic way of life' was Sehun liking Yoonshin. Sehun considered love to be the fatal weakness of humans, and after much internal conflict, he attained that weakness with his very hands.

Yoonshin had never thought deeply about how Sehun must have felt as he did so. Every time, Yoonshin only prioritized his feelings and his position.

He regretted all the moments when he whined that Sehun didn't shower him with love or express his feelings to him.

Sehun was already rejecting his way of life and struggling with his ideals while caring for and embracing Yoonshin.

Yoonshin was overwhelmed with sadness, and he bit his lips.

His vision was unfocused and blotchy thanks to the dim lighting of the bar. He blinked a few times and stared at the cool-white lightbulb above him, getting increasingly tipsy. His mind felt clear, but his body grew heavy. He thought that he should go home before it got too late, but he didn't feel like moving at all-it was a dilemma.

Upon realizing that the bottle of fragrant wine he was drinking from was empty, he mulled over it before ordering one more drink. The staff brought over a new bottle to Yoonshin, who sat alone in the corner-most spot. Then, he poured the acrid fluid into his glass and drank it in one shot.

Maybe because he wasn't fully intoxicated yet, his mind was cacophonous, continuously recalling the conversation from before.

"This is what happened when you didn't send away someone when you had the chance to! Is this the result that you wanted by taking him in with your position on the line?"

The more he thought about what Mihee said, the more he felt things were just wrong. His sister said that Doguk was a good place for Yoonshin to be sheltered. Doguk held a lot of Soohan's secrets, so Ikyung thought that they would maintain their relationship.

However, the next director in line thought differently. And if she thought that, then so be it. This was her firm, her workplace that she poured her heart and soul into for over a decade, and her future. If she thought that Yoonshin was cumbersome, it was only right for him to leave.

He thought about it for the past few days, but he always came to the same conclusion. His sister told him to weather through the rough times at Doguk, but for the sake of Sehun who willingly became his shield, Yoonshin needed to make a critical decision.

Yoonshin picked up the bottle again and poured another glass. He took another sip. The fluid was bitter, making him frown. "Ugh, my head hurts."

Yoonshin leaned his head forward and nodded, then he looked to his right. The view outside the window was dark, and white snow created a soft cottony blanket on the streets. Maybe because it was the weekend, but he saw couples with their linked arms and families walking back home together.

The interior of the bar was boisterous as well. Every seat had dividers up, so he couldn't see very well, but it seemed like he was the only one here alone.

Yoonshin let out a long sigh, then he slumped over the table, his cheek against the table. At that moment, someone reached out and forcibly lifted his head. Shocked, Yoonshin's eyes grew round, and he looked up at the owner of the hand. "What are you—?!"

However, the most unexpected person was standing right next to the table. Yoonshin felt more astounded than if a stranger had caressed his cheeks. "Oh my God, Senior Attorney?"

Sehun, wearing his refined and luxurious coat, filled Yoonshin's vision. The older man scanned the empty bottles and the snacks untouched by Yoonshin, then he took the seat across.

Despite sitting across from him, Yoonshin felt the cold night air drifting over to him. Perhaps it was because Sehun's face was frostier than usual.

Sehun stayed silent. Yoonshin tilted his head in confusion and asked, "How did you find me?"

"Weren't you sitting here to advertise that you want to be found?" Sehun glanced at the window and then pulled Yoonshin's glass toward him. He filled the glass with wine and slowly emptied the contents. His gestures were imbued with annoyance and languor and were strangely erotic.

Sehun didn't look like the type of person to share utensils with anyone, but whenever he lowered his guard and let Yoonshin within his boundaries, Yoonshin felt gratification on a similar level to when they were touching each other sensually. Sehun, who had once said that he didn't like when other people's fingerprints got on his items, now let Yoonshin within his personal space.

Yoonshin watched Sehun with his chin leaning against his hands, and Sehun frowned and asked touchily, "Having fun watching?"

"Because your explanation wasn't logical. I was just giving you a questioning look."

This bar was on the first floor of the arcade right next to the apartment buildings that they lived in, and it was indeed on their way back home. The window-side seat that Yoonshin sat in was easy to spot from the outside. However, the one thing that couldn't be explained was that Yoonshin could only be spotted from the road that Sehun never used because he usually used the opposite entrance from the direction of this bar.

Sehun knew fully that this was what Yoonshin was pointing out, so he replied in a much softer tone.

"Fine. Then, choose the most logical explanation out of these choices. One, I planted a GPS tracker on you."

"Unlikely. If you did that for me, I wouldn't be so needy for your attention."

"Should I plant one on you now?"

"I think it'll be more exciting if you did it without my knowledge. Then, you could be caught by me one day. I'll cry, get mad at you, and ban you from having sex. Then you'd be so impatient that, while I'm sleeping..."

"Are you filming porn? Stop that." Sehun frowned and pursed his lips in disbelief. Then, he continued, "I keep thinking that you're a bit unhinged. Anyway, two—I saw you purely coincidentally."

"I don't think so."

"Three."

"It's the third one." Yoonshin jumped enthusiastically at the third choice.

Sehun laughed hollowly. "You don't know what choice three is. I didn't even say it yet."

"Three, you looked for me. So as you scoured the area... you found me here. My car was parked in the garage so you deduced that I would be close to home."

Sehun didn't deny it, probably because this was the correct answer.

Before they both knew it, going home together became an unspoken rule. They were together on weekdays when they had a chance. If they didn't try to make time for each other, they were too busy that they had no time to spare.

Of course, there were times when one side was busier than the other. Then, they didn't meet and spent their alone time, but they at least sent each other texts explaining their situation. However, when the day ended today, Sehun didn't receive any message from Yoonshin. Yoonshin could easily picture the older man setting out to find him.

"Did you look everywhere despite the cold? My place? The first-floor café? The neighborhood park? Or all of them?"

"Why did you skip the coin laundromat?"

“Oh…”

"I didn't think you'd make me visit the laundromat. I haven't been there in 10 years."

Yoonshin blinked sheepishly and yet continued to observe Sehun with his chin on his hands. Yoonshin's eyes were filled with affection. Perhaps the other felt the infatuation as he placidly received the gaze. Some minutes passed by, but it wasn't boring. This time, Sehun was the one who broke the silence, "Why did you turn your phone off?"

"So you'd worry like now."

"Right, how simple is that? I agree with it. Next time, if I want to make you worry, I'll do the same thing."

Horrified at the thought, Yoonshin waved his white flag immediately. "Wait, surly. I won't do it again."

"No, I'm sure you will. Just tell me why. I'll interpret and understand it on my own."

"Actually, I just couldn't bring myself to face you," Yoonshin replied. He dragged back the glass from Sehun, pouring himself another drink and drinking it in one go. As Yoonshin set the glass down firmly on the table to pour himself another drink, Sehun stopped him.

The manly hands took away the bottle from him and rubbed Yoonshin's wrist. "What happened?"

Yet, instead of acting needy for love and attention like usual, Yoonshin pushed away Sehun's large hands. Yoonshin was truly acting like he didn't believe he had the right to be touching Sehun. Sehun couldn't understand this situation and crossed his arms. "Attorney Yoonshin Do. I use many different methods to get the other side to open their mouths. Spill it when I'm being soft and asking you nicely."

Yoonshin hesitated then finally spoke up. He wasn't the type to brood over things to himself anyway. He also didn't want to keep secrets from Sehun. "A few days ago... I overheard the conversation between the two of you."

"Two of you? I had six one-on-one meetings this week."

"With you and Attorney Song."

Then, able to put a finger on one particular instance, Sehun pursed his lips firmly. His slightly creased brows and subdued eyes looked quite serious. "Go on."

"I didn't do it on purpose, but when I recognized who you were talking about, I just ended up overhearing. You two sounded like you were fighting."

"How much did you hear?"

"Well, most of the important bits... I think."

Sehun roughly rubbed his face, then he leaned into the seat. He glared at Yoonshin's face like he would rip him apart. On one hand, he looked like he was carefully selecting his words, but on the other hand, he looked like he was suppressing his anger. The clamorous atmosphere of the bar contrasted severely with the silence that hung over them.

Quietude, reticence, and prolonged silence prevailed.

Quite some time passed. Sehun said in a muted tone, "Yoonshin Do, why do these convenient coincidences keep happening to you? Ones that help you in your life at that?"

There was a reason why ignorance was bliss. Yoonshin had a high sense of morality and he wasn't so shameless that he would ignore a situation where he knew that he would become a burden and a nuisance. There was a difference of heaven and earth between burying something despite having a hunch about it, and reality that he heard with his own ears.

"They're not helpful at all. I just feel sorry about it."

"So that's why you avoided me all week saying that you were busy."

"I didn't lie to you. I was really busy."

"You were probably just wasting your time brooding over something useless by yourself. And today you were probably jumping to some conclusion over drinks. Then eventually, you probably thought that the best solution is for you to leave Doguk. Am I right?"

Sehun was absolutely correct. Yoonshin had always thought so, but either Sehun was extremely good at reading Yoonshin or Yoonshin was just an open book. The answer was probably one of the two or somewhere in between.

"I'll submit my resignation letter instead of you. Don't do it yourself, please-I beg of you," Yoonshin pleaded.

Sehun, who was simply staring at Yoonshin, glanced behind them. After scanning their surroundings, the height of the dividers, and the angles where they could be seen, he waved for Yoonshin to come to him. Yoonshin meekly obliged and sat next to Sehun.

Yoonshin awkwardly eyed Sehun from the side, and Sehun wrapped his arm around the younger man, kissing the crown of his head. Their eyes met. The lighting dimly illuminated the two sitting side by side.

"Listen carefully. I know Attorney Song well. Although she said it like that, she'll bear with it until she can't. Not just because of me, but because of your late father as well. Well, if she can't bear it, she'll cast us aside, but I also don't want her to risk everything just to protect you because, eventually, everything will come back as debt."

“But…”

Sehun immediately cut Yoonshin off. "You're pretty cocky for an associate to say 'but' to me. If I need you to resign, I'll fire you accordingly, so don't overthink it. You still haven't grown out of your junior status. You need to be sheltered."

"Then, don't submit your resignation letter either."

"I'll deal with my own problems."

"Why should I be the only one to listen? Are you saying you won't listen to me?"

"Nope."

Yoonshin gnawed on his lips, then in indignation and contrition, he bit Sehun's cheek hard. Yoonshin left a sheen of saliva and teeth marks on Sehun's clean and fair skin.

Sehun frowned from the slight pain, then he pointed to his slobbery cheek, dumbstruck. "What's the meaning of this? Lick it."

"Don't want to."

"Lick it. Before I make you suck me off all night."

Yoonshin hesitated, staring blankly at the fogged-up windowpane behind Sehun's back, then tentatively stuck out his tongue and licked the reddening skin. Feeling defiant again, he was about to bite Sehun's cheek again, but this time, Sehun turned his head and kissed him on the lips.

Sparks flew between their eyes, and they ravenously kissed each other. They sucked at each other's lips, then they rubbed their tongues. Yoonshin grabbed the other man's cheeks and jaw and desperately shared his warmth. In response, Sehun pulled the younger man's lean body close and frantically devoured the other's mouth.

Even though they were in a loud and boisterous shop and in a segregated booth, they were outside their homes. As such, Yoonshin's breathing and voice were muted. Moans started to leak out. "Nngh, ngh."

Perhaps Sehun was aroused by these nasal moans because he started to fondle Yoonshin's lean body everywhere. Sehun's hand traveled down Yoonshin's bony shoulder blades and flat back. Yoonshin's breathing grew rougher.

The two clung to each other and kissed for a while, and eventually, Yoonshin slowly pushed away, panting.

While they caught their breaths, the other's warm exhalation tickled their lips, making them feel deeply satiated. Perhaps because of the danger that they could be caught, they also felt thrilled. Yoonshin rubbed his cheek against Sehun and then stared at him and said, "I like you."

In response, Sehun lightly kissed Yoonshin's forehead and nodded. "I know."

"Do you like me too?"

They both knew how the other felt very well. Even so, Yoonshin asking Sehun to confirm meant that he was still anxious. Perhaps this was because he intuitively knew that Yoonshin's existence itself could be a burden on Sehun's shoulders.

Although Sehun must have known this, he didn't reply readily. Because of this, Yoonshin was growing afraid of what Sehun was thinking. Perhaps as Mihee said, he might be contemplating hundreds and thousands of times, wondering if he was doing the right thing. If that was the case, Yoonshin needed to leave an opening for Sehun to slip out. "You can answer after you think about it a thousand times."

Sehun, who was listening seriously, broke out into a smile. "You really overheard every little thing."

"I'm sorry."

"What if I refused you after I thought about it?" Sehun asked, but the answer was predetermined because Yoonshin already knew Sehun's feelings. Consequently, he had never even considered that possibility. Yoonshin tried to think on his feet, but he couldn't come up with anything.

Yoonshin just thought that he would cry for a very long time. Then, he would probably start an unrequited love.

Yoonshin pouted at the upsetting thought, pursed his lips, and then bit his bottom lip. Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's chin and pulled the skin down, forcing Yoonshin's lips to part again.

"How did this fall into my arms?" Sehun muttered.

"That wasn't intentional."

"I'm glad that you came to me."

Yoonshin looked depressed and dejected so far, but with that one comment, he brightened up in an instant and giggled. The upward arc of Yoonshin's lips was smooth. It was so refreshing that Sehun almost thought that it would smell like green apples. He kissed both corners of Yoonshin's smile and pushed back Yoonshin's smooth hair. Then, he pecked Yoonshin's exposed, smooth forehead and stamped his lips on Yoonshin's.

"Stop having useless thoughts and just follow me."

Yoonshin pushed down his complicated feelings, mixed with relief and pertinence.

Yoonshin leaned his forehead, still warm from Sehun's touch, against the older man's shoulder and sighed.

The languorous air of a Saturday afternoon filled the study. Sitting on the sofa, Yoonshin was silently watching Sehun, who was sitting at his desk doing his work. Then, he looked around the mountainous stack of clothes around him.

There were winter sweaters, pants, and suits with matching ties strewn out on display along the stretch of the sofa. Around lunchtime, a personal shopper dropped by and left all of these.

Even Yoonshin, who had lived frugally, recognized all these brands. On this very couch, without a single accessory, was an array of clothes that were all worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Yoonshin touched the soft silk necktie, and unable to keep in his curiosity, asked, "This is all mine? You never mentioned anything."

Sehun flipped a page and then casually said, "They said I needed to use a certain amount with my card. So, I told them your size and a few colors that I thought would suit you, and they just brought me that. Wear them."

"So, you bought me stuff instead of buying things for yourself?"

Sehun nodded but didn't look at Yoonshin. His eyes and attention were glued to the monitor and documents on it.

On the surface, Yoonshin should have been glad that Sehun bought him a gift with Yoonshin in mind because it was so out of character for Sehun to buy something for someone for no reason. However, it didn't seem to Yoonshin that this was the only reason.

"Excuse me, sir."

"Yes, go ahead."

"I'll keep it to the point since you look busy. Do I look shoddy?"

Sehun frowned, not comprehending why Yoonshin was saying that. Still, his gaze never shifted to Yoonshin. Yoonshin was starting to grow upset. Perhaps because of that, he raised his voice. "Do I? Do I look so cheap and unseemly that you're embarrassed to take me out anywhere?"

"In this vein, if I bought you a house, you'll ask me if I was so embarrassed to show you that I wanted to confine you there."

"I'll say that once you buy me one."

"My financial manager called me up to use this month's budget, and I thought of you. So that's why I bought it. My thought process was very simple. If you have any objections..."

"If I do?"

"Then keep it buried deep inside your heart. Keep your mouth shut. You're loud. I can't concentrate."

Hearing Sehun's answer, Yoonshin tilted his head in confusion. "You don't even have time to shop, so you must have gotten these calls from time to time. What did you do in the past?"

"Sometimes I bought a painting or a statue, and I think I've also bought wine or spirits, and sometimes I bought a resort membership. Oh, the ski resort is telling me to use my membership pass by this month. Do you want to go?"

Yoonshin almost brightened up at the news and was about to answer, but then he stopped himself. He felt like it wasn't the right time for him to take Sehun up on that. It wasn't just because of his sister's lawsuit. They had braced themselves for a marathon, and it was only right for them to treat it as a sliver of their work while living their own life. However, he thought of Sehun. Mihee's words pierced into his throat like fish spines. "Since I heard it, it's only a matter of time before the other partners hear about it. What are you going to do?!"

If Sehun bought a membership, then the ski resort ought to be high-class, and if they were unlucky, someone would see the two together. Yoonshin couldn't imagine how and when this rumor would spread to the partner lawyers. Yoonshin didn't know when Sehun's position in the firm would grow precarious, and he didn't want to supplement that with rumors like that.

"Next time."

"Winter is almost over, but next time?"

"Still, next time. Don't ask thrice. I'll waver." Yoonshin forced himself to look at the luxurious, knit sweaters, then he put one of them against his torso. Eventually, he took a liking to a navy round-neck sweater the most and unwrapped it. The plastic crinkled as he took it out and put it on over his shirt.

The soft texture of the fabric felt comforting to the touch. He rubbed his fingers against it several times, then he snapped at Sehun. "How does it look? Do I look good in it?"

Yoonshin tried to attract Sehun's attention, yet the older man still didn't look his way. He said calmly, "Mhmm, looks good on you."

"Wow, in the movies, the male lead buys a bunch of things, makes their romantic interest wear them, and exclaims in awe."

"I'm telling you, it looks good on you."

"You don't even know what I wore. How about you say that after you look at me?"

Sehun, eyes still fixed on his documents, said indifferently, "Sweater."

"And the color?"

“Navy”

“…”

"It looks good on you. I've said it three times now."

Sehun hadn't looked at Yoonshin once since he stepped into this room. Was Sehun aware of that?

Eventually, Yoonshin flew into a fit. "Hey, Sehun Kang."

This rather strong reaction must have had some impact because Sehun stopped rolling his pen in his fingers. Then, he turned around and looked at Yoonshin. Their eyes met. Perhaps blind to the fury boiling under Yoonshin's pale face, Sehun tossed his pen on his desk in defeat and answered insouciantly, "What?"

"You called me over. If you called over a person who wanted to quietly stay at home in fear that I'd bother you, then you should at least glance my way. How could you not look at me even once?"

Despite deciding that he wasn't going to act indigently to Sehun who was showing his affection through his actions, there were a few things that Yoonshin wasn't willing to compromise.

In Great Expectations, real love was "blind devotion, unquestioning self-humiliation, utter submission, trust and belief against yourself and against the whole world, giving up your whole heart and soul to the smiter."

Even though it wasn't so ardent, Yoonshin wished Sehun would be more possessive, desire him a bit more, and express those feelings. Was that too much to ask?

Yoonshin couldn't hide his disappointment, and Sehun replied tersely, "Okay, I looked. You're very beautiful."

"That's all? You don't want to do anything with me? You're just gonna keep me sitting?"

"I wanna have sex with you. Happy now?"

"I'll be happy if you put it to action."

Sehun looked at Yoonshin with entertained eyes and licked his lips. His menacing gaze changed instantly. His piercing eyes shined with a seductive glint. Thrown off by the sudden change, Yoonshin looked around, then he added in a much more respectful tone. "Since you got me these gifts, I thought I might as well wear them in front of you. I just wanted you to look at me once before I went away quietly. But I got worked up that you didn't look at me until the end..."

"I was focusing on work because I was stressed. And once I start, I need to see it through to the end. Didn't you know that?"

"I know. Sorry for acting so childish. I'll take these clothes and step out."

"Who said you could leave? I told you to come in, but I never ordered the opposite."

"Should I stay? You're in the middle of work. Besides, I also have some things to do…”

Sehun raised his hand, interrupting Yoonshin, and beckoned for the younger man to come over. Yoonshin clammed up and then walked up to Sehun in a trance. Sehun grabbed one of Yoonshin's ass cheeks and squeezed it. He then shoved his long finger down Yoonshin's perineum, rubbing it over Yoonshin's pants. Yoonshin grabbed the older man's shoulder and let out a sigh. "Hah..."

"You're the one who came downstairs 30 minutes early in the first place. Now, what are you going to do? I only needed five more minutes, but I don't feel like finishing up now."

Sehun fondled the crevice between Yoonshin's legs, then he pulled the younger man's waist closely, making the slim man sit on his lap. They were so close that the only thing in their vision was each other. Their lips met gently, and they breathed, blowing warm wind into their mouths.

Yoonshin pulled away and tilted his head. Following Sehun's explanation, Yoonshin could extrapolate Sehun's actions and their reasons, but one thing stuck out to him. "Why're you working when you're stressed out? Aren't you reading case law right now?"

In turn, Sehun looked like he didn't understand the question. His sharp, predatory eyes permeated with the fundamental question of the pith of the problem. "I always do that. You said you also read cases when you have too much to think about."

"That's different. Destressing through work makes you look insane."

"Do you normally talk without thinking?"

"I did think."

"You might want to think a bit more."

It wasn't to say that this method was wrong, but Yoonshin thought that the innate oppression that Sehun felt about work slowly accumulated without Sehun knowing it.

Relieving stress by sweating it out, sleeping it off, or rewatching a movie or musical that he liked were standard methods. Sehun had many cars and enjoyed the thrill of speed, so it would have been fine for him to take one of his cars out for a spin. Aside from those, there were plenty of other methods for relieving stress, but Yoonshin couldn't understand why he chose work of all things. If this was the only way that Sehun knew because of his way of life so far, Yoonshin wanted to teach him that there were other ways.

"You're almost done, you said?"

"I need five more minutes."

"You can do that after you come back home. Let's go out on a date."

Sehun raised an eyebrow. "You're the one who had something to do tonight, so we pushed back our date to tomorrow."

"I changed my mind. I know this place with really, really good Einspanner. It's a cafe that my friend runs. If I let him know a couple of hours in advance, I'm sure he'll close the store for us. He owes me one since I helped him a lot when he was starting out."

Yoonshin babbled on in excitement, then he felt himself tipping forward. It wasn't that he lost his balance, but Sehun pulled him into his arms by tugging Yoonshin's wrist.

Their lower halves met, and Yoonshin felt the outline of the other's shaft. Maybe that turned Sehun on because he thrust his hand into Yoonshin's navy blue sweater and rubbed his hard nipples. He rolled the nubs in his fingers, pinched them, and then rubbed around the areola. Yoonshin's skinny frame jolted and trembled. "Hnngh..."

"Can we have sex in the shop?"

Yoonshin was starting to breathe roughly, then he looked at Sehun in bewilderment. "T-there?"

"You don't want to?" Sehun was so flat about it that Yoonshin's heart and mouth grew restless. He truly didn't hate the thought of it, but there were some troubling logistical issues.

Yoonshin protested in hopes that Sehun would understand. "Don't you think there are CCTVs in the store? In the worst case, our social reputation would be very damaged. If we're unlucky, there'll be a few articles about us. Imagine the headlines—Mr. John Doe, lawyer of a famous big firm, having public sex with his same-sex partner at his friend's workplace..."

"So you don't want to."

"No, it's not that I don't want to... Okay, all right. Let's do it."

"At your friend's cafe?" Sehun asked, his face oddly looking playful.

Reading the mischief, Yoonshin suddenly felt like he fell for it again. "Wait, are you teasing me by any chance?"

"So slow. What can you do with reflexes like that? A race with a sloth?"

Yoonshin slapped the other's firm forearms in spite, then he hugged the other's neck. He rubbed his cheek against Sehun's cheek and ears.

Thanks to that, the hands inside Yoonshin's sweater grew more sensual. Sehun pinched Yoonshin's nipples until they hurt, then he rubbed them so lightly that it was ticklish. Yoonshin grew more aroused at Sehun's skillful caresses. He tousled up Sehun's silky hair and moaned. "Mmmgh, hngh."

"Yoonshin Do."

"Mmm? Be a bit gentler there... it hurts when you pinch."

"I've never pushed back any task to the next day. So I have no idea how to take this." Sehun probably meant to ask if it was all right for Yoonshin to go out today.

His work aside, Sehun must have been bothered that Yoonshin said that he had something to do. It didn't seem to fit with Sehun's normally cold and arrogant personality, so while Yoonshin moaned, Sehun chuckled. Yoonshin slowly pushed away and exchanged gazes with Sehun.

One by one, Sehun learned about caring for another person, and that made Yoonshin overwhelmed with each passing day. Who would believe Yoonshin if he said that Sehun was this kind and thoughtful?

Yoonshin wrapped his palms around Sehun's smooth cheeks and nipped and sucked at his upper lip. Realizing that this was Yoonshin's answer, Sehun responded by doing the same to Yoonshin's bottom lip.

The two rubbed their noses, sighing, and burst into a peal of laughter.

The mood between them was great up to the moment they were drinking coffee at the cafe. However, everything started going awry.

It all started with news of Yoonshin's ex-girlfriend from university.

Yoonshin's friend, who was obviously in the dark that Yoonshin and Sehun were in a relationship, started to convey news about people whom Yoonshin barely remembered anymore. One of them happened to reunite with Yoonshin's cafe owner friend and entered a serious relationship with her. It had been a while since Yoonshin went to visit his friend, so he had no idea that he would have to sit through uncomfortable news.

Yoonshin tried to drop several hints that he wasn't curious at all and for his friend to go away, but it was useless. Ultimately, this was the result.

On their way home, an awkward tension ran between them. Sehun didn't get outright angry, but he didn't look very pleased. Yoonshin also felt guilty.

Sehun got off the elevator first and marched forth. Yoonshin quickly followed and grabbed Sehun's jacket. "Senior Attorney."

Standing in front of his door, Sehun glanced back at Yoonshin. Seizing the opportunity, Yoonshin quickly defended himself. "I wasn't mad or jealous that those two were going out with each other. But I personally found it disturbing—friends dating the same girl."

Sehun agreed readily. "Yeah, it is."

"Yes, that's why I was like that. I don't even remember what she looks like anymore."

"Did you sleep with her? Then, that's really gross."

Yoonshin didn't know the exact reason. Maybe it was because this was what he hoped for a while. When he heard this question, Yoonshin strangely felt like he wanted to incite Sehun's jealousy a bit more. And when he came to, he was already doing that. He said very vaguely, "Do I have to tell you that too? Isn't it better to keep this from each other?"

Yoonshin tried to gloss over the topic, and all emotions were wiped from Sehun's face. Noticing the frigidity, Yoonshin pushed down the blood rising to his face and lightly grasped Sehun's jacket. "Sunbae, you know..."

"You said this was a way of destressing."

"Yes, well..."

"I think I'm more stressed. I'm so thankful. Leaving this in your hands in the future, Attorney Yoonshin Do."

Sehun said wryly, then he strode into his home. Yoonshin silently followed and once Sehun threw his jacket off in his dressing room, Yoonshin hugged Sehun from behind.

Yoonshin knew that no matter how beneficial honesty was in a relationship, issues like these should be approached with caution. He knew that merely hearing stories could be distressing—at least Yoonshin knew he would be.

Yoonshin didn't ask Sehun about his past because he thought that he would forever be jealous. Even if this was Sehun's first time that he was infatuated with someone, that didn't mean that this was his first relationship. Rather, Yoonshin thought it made less sense if this was Sehun's first relationship, so he was planning on never asking.

He could completely empathize with Sehun's feelings. Yet, on the other hand, he was also delighted at Sehun's jealousy. Yoonshin's hands, which were placed on Sehun's sides, slowly glided forward. He started to undo Sehun's dress shirt, and somewhat tired and defeated, Sehun weakly pushed Yoonshin's hands away.

But because of Yoonshin's next question, his motions froze like a still picture.

"Are you jealous?" Yoonshin asked.

Sehun exhaled deeply. His reply was a bit despondent. "I feel like crap."

Yoonshin knitted his brow, hearing direct confirmation from Sehun. The power of his words was stronger than his expectations. "Sunbae, I want to have sex with you right now."

Sehun laughed hollowly. From behind, Yoonshin finished unbuttoning Sehun's shirt and stripped it off. He didn't stop there. He placed his hand over the buckle of Sehun's pants, undid it, and pulled down the zipper.

The moment obscene sounds that fed into deep, dangerous fantasies filled the room, Yoonshin's fingers slipped underneath the fabric of Sehun's pants. He massaged Sehun's penis over his undergarments. With a few strokes, the older man grew hard.

"It's not a good idea to touch me right now," Sehun growled.

"I like when you're rough too."

"You'll regret it. I've never had rough sex with you before."

"Then teach me how rough you can be today."

"Yoonshin Do."

“Hurry.”

Sehun sighed, and no longer tolerating Yoonshin's advances, he turned around in annoyance.

Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's wrists, crossed them over each other, and then pushed the thin man against the display shelves.

"Urgh...!" Yoonshin, who had hung his head instinctively, looked up at Sehun. He didn't realize it because he was behind Sehun, but the older man looked quite frosty. Ironically, there was an indescribable layer of fervor on Sehun's cold face. As Yoonshin stood without saying anything, Sehun pushed a bit harder. The older man kept both wrists in one hand and blocked Yoonshin from moving freely by pushing his knee between the younger man's legs. Then, he grabbed Yoonshin by the back of his head with his free hand and yanked it back.

"Ah! Ahghl"

Sehun shoved Yoonshin roughly to the floor and tore off his watch with his teeth. Yoonshin frowned in pain, his eyes wandering, when Sehun violently pushed down on Yoonshin's shoulders.

"Hngh, ouch. Don't push like that."

"Why are you so desperate for affection? You wouldn't even be able to handle it if I showed you everything."

"Sunbae... ngh, urk!"

"If I hear about any of your ex-girlfriends one more time, I'll call up all your friends and make them listen to you scream and cum from being penetrated by me. You hear that?"

Sehun unceremoniously let go of Yoonshin's shoulder. Yoonshin nodded as Sehun unrelentingly stripped off Yoonshin's clothes. The other's body bare, Sehun spread open Yoonshin's legs like a flourishing bloom. Under the bright light, Yoonshin felt humiliated and placed his hand on Sehun's body.

"Can't we go to your room?"

However, Sehun was merciless. He slapped away Yoonshin's hand and splayed his legs even wider, then he dropped his hand in between the younger man's groin. Without any warning or lubrication, he thrust his finger in Yoonshin's hole.

"Augh! Hrghk! Urk!" Yoonshin gasped and writhed in surprise, but it was to no avail. Sehun forcibly expanded Yoonshin's insides, creating room for Sehun to go inside in quick and rough movements. Yoonshin wriggled and begged Sehun to embrace him, but the older man lightly ignored the pleas and focused on widening his territory.

"Hmmgh, ngh! Ah! Attorney Kang, ah! I don't like-! Ngh!"

The number of fingers and speed at which Sehun's digits forced themselves inside increased. Sehun narrowly avoided the spot that he always found for Yoonshin as he persistently widened the area. Yoonshin's gaping insides puckered aimlessly and wrapped themselves around Sehun's long fingers. Sehun's mechanical movements remained fierce and aggressive.

Finally, upon loosening up Yoonshin's hole insufficiently, he pulled out his fingers.

Sehun pulled out his penis, fully engorged and raring to go, from his underwear. The member that sprung out was twitching, with all its veins protruding.

While Yoonshin was in awe at the size that he always thought that it was too much to handle, Sehun picked up a condom that had fallen out of his jacket pocket. He viciously ripped the packaging with his teeth and rolled it onto his rigid, upright member.

Then, he positioned himself at Yoonshin's entrance.

Yoonshin felt his vision spin and asked incredulously, "I-just like this?"

"You need more?"

"Will it fit? If you used some lube..."

"Then I'd go in smoother. But I want you to hurt."

"Don't expect to be able to walk home tonight."

Unable to answer, Yoonshin carefully placed his hand on Sehun's shoulder, and just then, Sehun slammed into Yoonshin. The powerful thrust embedded his entire member up to the base.

"Ah...!" Yoonshin moaned in a flurry of sensations, unable to differentiate between pleasure and pain.

The expensive sofa in the dressing room was a mess. After using all their condoms, they had an unspoken rule that they didn't touch each other even if they wanted more, but today was different. Right now, the flesh that was traversing in and out of Yoonshin was raw, nothing covering it. Thanks to that, all of Yoonshin's fluids as well as the fluid Sehun spilled inside Yoonshin were dribbling down Yoonshin's lean thighs.

The comfy leather seats were abandoned for the rug, where they overlapped their bodies. Their nakedness chafed against each other. Yoonshin was barely supporting himself with his knees and arms, and behind him, Sehun was pounding into him like a starved beast.

Sehun was truly keeping his word. Thanks to that, Yoonshin couldn't keep track of how many times they had done it so far. Their positions shifted at least four times and they cummed countless more times. Sehun vowed that he wouldn't let Yoonshin walk out of his home, and he was indeed pushing Yoonshin to the point that his thighs and calves were weak and trembling violently.

"Hahngh, ha! Oh! Oh!"

"Spread your legs properly."

Whenever Yoonshin's knees buckled and almost fell forward, Sehun scooped up Yoonshin by his waist to keep the younger man standing. Perhaps that wasn't enough because the aggressive and rough pounding continued. Every time their bodies collided, the squelches and Yoonshin's pained moans meshed together and filled the air.

"Urgh, mmph, I'm... I'm so tired. I feel like I'll pass out..." Yoonshin begged, yet the ruthless Sehun was unmoved. Rather, he slapped Yoonshin's ass.

"Lift your ass."

"Ngh! Senior Attorney, please."

Are you not going to tense your knees? I'll make you cum as many times you collapse, so keep count."

This intercourse was devoid of soft touches and the usually gentle and soothing sensations. Sehun was immersed in the crude act of sex without a touch of generosity.

Sehun grabbed the bony hips of the younger man. Then, he thrust in and out roughly, shoving in his hard cock repeatedly. Yoonshin keened as he was penetrated and hung his head, looking at his half-hard dick.

Yoonshin's lower half was squeezed dry, so he thought that nothing more could come out, but every time Sehun stabbed at his prostate, he felt like he would get hard again, driving him over the edge. However, instead of pressing at his spot firmly, Sehun rubbed slightly off-mark, making Yoonshin miserable from the ambiguous sensation.

Normally, Yoonshin was always excluded from Sehun's cruel treatment. Yet, this was reversed in bed, and he was the only one who was being exploited roughly. Yoonshin didn't know whether he should be happy about it or not.

"Mmngh, sunbae, sunbae, it hurts. Not there, but a bit below, at the back..."

"Shut up. It's a turn-off."

"Hnngh, ngh! Nigh!"

Sehun had gripped Yoonshin so firmly that the younger man's skinny and fair body was red with handprints. Sehun had seized and pushed Yoonshin so hard that the graphic splotches of color told it all. His hips, waist, and bottom were especially red. His right outer thigh was even starting to bruise.

That wasn't all. As if he was a carnivore tearing up his prey, Sehun left violent teeth marks and scratches that mottled Yoonshin's skin. Perhaps a bit of skin tore around his perineum while he was being penetrated, but there was a thin line of blood drying up.

Sehun had said he was never rough in bed with Yoonshin, and he was right. Compared to this aggressive coitus, the sex they had so far was docile.

Sehun slammed into Yoonshin faster. Yoonshin barely held on, and his legs trembled. Eventually, he collapsed on the floor, and Sehun stopped.

"I told you to count." Sehun pressed hard into an askew spot inside and then pulled out completely. He reached forward, leaving Yoonshin's empty insides to contract, and touched the younger man in the front, encouraging him to ejaculate. He was planning on compelling Yoonshin to climax before making him hard again and bullying him in that state.

Yoonshin trembled and then said tearfully, "I can't cum anymore."

"Really? Then, what's this white stuff?"

"Hngh, hmph! Ah!"

Sehun prodded his member against Yoonshin's perineum and stroked Yoonshin from the base to the head swiftly. Yoonshin's urethra twitched, then a much-diluted opaque fluid spattered out.

Yoonshin saw the fluid that wetted the rug with bleary eyes and rolled over to his side. Sehun jumped on that chance to slot himself in between Yoonshin's legs. He interlocked himself between Yoonshin's legs and slung his slim leg over his shoulder firmly. Then, he plunged his shaft between Yoonshin's legs.

"Hah, ngh! Go slower!"

"I'm only halfway in. Take me to the hilt."

"SI-slower! Please, I'm exhausted."

"You're the one eating me up hungrily with your loose hole."

`That's because you've been fucking me non-stop for hours already,' Yoonshin thought with his jaws clenched and blinked hard. He needlessly incited Sehun and was facing the consequences. He learned his lesson.

Still unsatisfied, Sehun thrust in, penetrating Yoonshin up to the hilt of his member. After that, he beat into Yoonshin's hyper-sensitive insides. Every time he thrust in rhythmically, he embedded himself deep into the younger man. Adjusting his position once, Sehun rammed against Yoonshin so hard that Yoonshin thought the older man's scrotum might go inside.

Sehun, who had targeted every spot other than Yoonshin's prostate, now conquered the spot that made Yoonshin scream in pleasure. It was a repeating pattern. Sehun made Yoonshin aroused when he was starting to get flaccid, and when Yoonshin was fully erect, he would neglect the younger man. It was torturous. This time was no different.

"More, right there! Oh! Please give me more, please, mmmh!"

The round head of Sehun's penis roughed up Yoonshin's inner walls, and Yoonshin started to react-that was when Sehun shifted his target. As if he was trying to expand the already stretched area, he ground into Yoonshin, ravaging him. Sehun's waves of advances and retreats pushed Yoonshin's blotchy body, making him inch up until his head hit the bottom of the sofa.

Finally, the top of his head roughly hit the leg of the sofa, and at that instant, Sehun yanked Yoonshin by his sweat-drenched hair. Sehun kissed him ravenously and quickened his spurt.

"Unph, nnf!"

Yoonshin swallowed back painful gasps from the strain of his legs being spread open to the limit. The domineering dictator looming over him restricted Yoonshin from doing anything, so Yoonshin had no time to be in pain. While moaning, their tongues meshed, and they exchanged each other's saliva. The heated sighs that leaked from the gaps between their lips and the indecent moans, which were the vestiges of passion, pervaded deep into each other's bodies.

After the sultry kiss, Sehun pulled his moist lips away and grabbed Yoonshin's jaw. His peremptory orders continued. "Open your mouth wider."

Yoonshin's eyelashes fluttered as he blinked and meekly opened his mouth. Sehun spat, aiming straight into Yoonshin's mouth and down the narrow tunnel of his throat. "Swallow it all."

"Hngh, ngh." Yoonshin swallowed a glob of the fluid. Sehun watched the younger man's throat bob, etching it into his vision, then grabbed Yoonshin's neck viciously. He threw the other aside brusquely, which caused Yoonshin to moan. "Ngh...!"

Yoonshin momentarily lost his balance, but somehow he grabbed himself a cushion to lean on. lust then, Sehun pulled out completely. Once the massive object that filled him disappeared, Yoonshin's insides squeezed and puckered, trying to latch on and prevent the fleshy mass from leaving. Naturally, Sehun's brow creased. "Well, aren't you quite wanton? Are you normally this unrestrained?"

"Hnnn, n-no, I'm not." As he shook his head, Yoonshin gasped for air, but Sehun wasn't looking at him anymore. Sehun lifted both of Yoonshin's slim legs and placed them over his shoulders. He saw the dried blood between Yoonshin's legs. He peered down with a strangely gratified gaze, and then resolute, he positioned the tip of his veiny member at Yoonshin's entrance. His member twitched as if it would release at any moment.

At that moment, Sehun penetrated Yoonshin so forcefully that it made a loud slam. At that same time, Yoonshin's inner walls clamped down on the older man's long and girthy member.

"Ah! Oh!"

"Hah, fuck, is this still not enough for you? Look at you, clenching tight." Sehun mounted himself so that he was pushing his weight down on Yoonshin and started to pick up speed. As his hard shaft pushed into the younger man's squishy insides, the squelching sounds of impact filled the humid room. Sehun's sweat dripped on Yoonshin.

The more Yoonshin writhed underneath him, the more savage Sehun's actions became.

As the aroused Sehun carried out the passionate intercourse, the skinny frame pinned underneath shook like a leaf.

Slap! Slap! Dirty, vulgar sounds settled around them, enveloping their surroundings.

"It hurts, it hurts. Mmmh, sunbae..."

Sehun was edging to his climax, and he finally jabbed Yoonshin in the spot that he liked. He prodded and pounded at the spot with the head of his cock, inducing a feeling of euphoria in Yoonshin.

"Ah! Ohhh! A bit more! Oh!" Yoonshin's throat trembled as he screamed in pleasure. His stamina and moisture had all but been depleted, so he couldn't react any more than that. All the while, he wanted to hold hands, so he reached toward Sehun's arms, but the older man slapped his hands away, making Yoonshin disheartened.

Yoonshin was reaching his climax, and Sehun's firm thighs and hips were spasming as well. With one goal in mind, Sehun thrust up vigorously. With a loud slam, his hips met with Yoonshin's ass, their wet flesh smacking in an undignified manner.

Sehun let out a groan. One second later, Yoonshin also emitted pearly fluid.

After that, Sehun collapsed on top of Yoonshin. "Hah... fuck..."

“Ah, hahh... I feel like I'm gonna die." Yoonshin weakly lifted his hand and lightly stroked Sehun's drenched back. However, his arms lost all of their strength and flopped down, losing to gravity. He glanced at his limp hands and saw that they were coated with red blood.

He recalled that at one point, he was scratching at Sehun's smooth back with his nails. He did it to withstand the pain, but it seemed like the older man was also injured in the process.

He wanted to see for himself how much he unconsciously scratched up Sehun's back, but he couldn't bring himself to. Still laying on top of Yoonshin, Sehun also didn't seem like he would budge any time soon.

"Your back seems all scratched up. I thought I did that a while ago, but you're still bleeding. I want to check."

"You're ripped up between your legs. Let's just call it even." Sehun replied indifferently.

Once he heard that, Yoonshin felt the pain returning. Upset, Yoonshin set aside his concern for Sehun and said sarcastically, "Yes, I know. You did it in the end. You saw blood. You're truly amazing."

"You're the one who asked me to teach you what rough sex with me was like. Why do you always contradict yourself?"

"That was...!" Yoonshin admitted that he said that, but he didn't expect Sehun to go berserk like this. Even though Sehun said he would be rough, Yoonshin expected to feel somewhat good in the act, but apparently, he didn't know Sehun well enough. Incensed, Yoonshin didn't reply and clammed up. For some reason, Sehun pulled out and pushed himself off Yoonshin.

Once the pressure of the large member slipped out, Yoonshin felt empty. He was lying on his back, yet he felt the semen flowing out between his legs. In embarrassment, he flinched, trying to sit up, but he couldn't move. It was impossible. He merely twitched on the rug.

Sehun gazed down at the mess he made out of Yoonshin. Then, he rubbed the tip of his dick on Yoonshin's wet thighs, wiping off the remaining semen from his member. He didn't stop there and rubbed slowly against the smooth skin of the young man. He used his member like a blunt pencil to draw pictures on the canvas—Yoonshin's body.

Yoonshin moaned, and his lids calmly shut. When he opened them again, Sehun's shadow was looming over him, surprising him. "What are you doing? I can't do it anymore."

"That's what you think."

"I'll pass out at this rate."

"You didn't pass out yet. Suck me off."

Sehun had moved up to Yoonshin's head, and he rubbed the head of his member against Yoonshin's soft, moisturized lips. He urged Yoonshin to open his lips and pushed his shaft inside. Before he knew it, Yoonshin took in the other's member deep inside his mouth and writhed. Sehun continued to rub his member against Yoonshin's hot mouth, letting it swell up in size once more.

"Hah, rub your tongue against it."

Yoonshin glared at Sehun, but he started to awkwardly lick Sehun's member. Then, Sehun thrust his penis into Yoonshin's throat.

Yoonshin's eyes grew red as he was unexpectedly fucked in the throat. Despite all the vessels in his eyes bursting, his vision grew redder. Tears filled his eyes in a physiological reaction. The older man looked down at him like an omniscient and omnipotent god and continued to brutishly thrust inside.

"Nph! Ugh! Mph! Krgh!" Finding it too much to handle, Yoonshin summoned his primordial strength and grabbed Sehun's thighs. Whether to bestow some mercy or to attain some other goal, Sehun pulled out abruptly. His member had grown to its full length inside Yoonshin's mouth.

Finally free, Yoonshin hacked loudly. Even in that while, Sehun didn't stop. He shifted over again, and this time, he spread the other's lean legs wide and reached for Yoonshin's hole. He shoved his fingers inside and swirled around, scraping out all the sticky, pooled-up fluid.

Each time the long fingers passed in and out of the entrance, Yoonshin clenched his ass instinctively. Every time he did so, Sehun slapped Yoonshin's ass. For some reason, this felt more humiliating to Yoonshin than when Sehun was acting oppressively. Yoonshin's suppressed feelings of upset from when they were having sex suddenly burst out. Yoonshin mumbled to himself quietly and almost incomprehensibly, "You fucking maniac."

"Say it louder. Is that all the bravery you got?"

"I can't anymore! It hurts."

"You're too loud. Every time you say something useless, the number of times we have sex increases by one. It's a simple rule. Got it? If you want to sleep for at least an hour, you better watch it."

"How do you have so much stamina? You're not human. You're a beast. I'll seriously shoot you in the head."

"Too bad—we're doing it one more time."

Sehun grabbed Yoonshin by the head and forced him to sit up. Then, he hoisted Yoonshin like a ragdoll over the sofa—making the younger man stand on his knees—positioned himself behind, and slotted his tip at the entrance. By now, Yoonshin knew to keep quiet rather than speak to his detriment. So while Yoonshin hesitated and refrained from speaking, Sehun bit Yoonshin's red ears.

"Urgh...!"

Following that, Sehun said, his subdued voice plunging into Yoonshin's ears, "Yoonshin Do, you shouldn't agitate me with women of all things."

"I had no idea that my friend would blab about that. I didn't do it on purpose."

"No, you did it on purpose."

Of course, his ambiguous, shallowly thought-out responses were intended to induce jealousy in Sehun. Yoonshin was aware that Sehun knew that. However, Yoonshin had a rebuttal. "I didn't sleep with her! You must have already noticed. Even if my friend can't take a hint for shit, he wouldn't consider marrying her and telling me that news if he knew that I was in a serious relationship with her before. I just wanted you to get jealous, so I said some vague things, but is that a reason for you to go this far? I asked to have sex, not get into a wrestling match."

"Your mouth is still lively. I guess you don't want any shut-eye. Fine, let's try it. The night is long."

Sehun shoved Yoonshin's head into the sofa and slammed his penis into Yoonshin's hole. The entrance was loosened over the last couple of hours, so it was wide open as if it was a hole made for Sehun to fit inside. He plunged in, up to the hilt. Their lips parted, and heated sighs escaped them.

“Ahgnh…!”

"Hahhh, shit."

Still weak and sensitive from abrasions, Yoonshin's insides were filled up again. It was as if Sehun was humiliating Yoonshin like this on purpose. Sehun's movements were dirty and crude like he was a beast in heat.

He unrelentingly shoved his member to the base and pulled out almost completely before plunging back in. The act was sensual to the point that it was purely vulgar. Yoonshin let out a miserable moan and collapsed onto the sofa. Stuck on the sofa, his skin was rubbed raw, swollen, and bruised.

"Ngh, mmh!" Yoonshin felt like his insides were tattered. His skin felt white-hot and prickled. He felt like his inner membranes were inflamed and swollen. Each time he vividly felt Sehun's member pounding in, he felt pain from the friction of skin on his abrasions. But given the usual pattern so far, when Yoonshin was pushed to the threshold of unbearableness, Sehun immediately started to press Yoonshin's pleasure spots, arousing him. Yoonshin truly felt like was being pushed over the edge of insanity.

Yoonshin had never imagined that this highly cognitive and devious act was what Sehun meant by rough sex. Like a limp rag, Yoonshin allowed himself to be swayed in whatever way Sehun moved.

Yoonshin was normally skin and bones, so when Sehun's long and thick dick plunged deep inside, his abdomen bulged. Sehun squeezed the place where it bulged with his large hand. Attacked on both sides, Yoonshin writhed. "Hnngh, ngh-stop! Wait! That hurts!"

"Did you forget the rule?"

"I love you... Oh! Oh!" Thankfully, his remark was apparently not useless this time. Sehun twitched inside Yoonshin and started to pound into him more aggressively.

He urged Yoonshin to repeat. "That's hot. Say that, say it more."

"I love you."

"One more time."

"I love... I seriously want to shoot you in the head. Ow!"

Forced to experience pain and pleasure simultaneously, Yoonshin finally broke into tears. He gasped as the wet mess of his face rubbed against the leather seats. Sensing that Yoonshin was at his limit, Sehun gently grabbed Yoonshin's neck, making the younger man turn his head toward him. He thoroughly and lovingly kissed Yoonshin as he focused on hitting the younger man's prostate.

Sloshing, squelching sounds surrounded them. Realizing that they were finally back to an intensity that he was familiar with, Yoonshin started to bawl loudly. Sehun slammed hard into one spot, making Yoonshin spill tears as well as moan loudly.

"Ugh, oh! Th-there. I think I'll cum." On the verge of ejaculation, Yoonshin extended his hand behind him. Sehun, who had slapped away his hand, denying him of his warmth all night, finally clasped hands with Yoonshin. Relieved, Yoonshin's hips trembled, and he cummed on the sofa. "Oh! Ah, mm..."

Soon after, Sehun increased his speed. He grabbed Yoonshin's hips firmly and skillfully pounded into him. Finally, semen spilled from his member, drenching Yoonshin's ass.

"Hah... fuck." Frowning, Sehun ejaculated inside Yoonshin, then he collapsed on top of the skinny man.

Sehun rested on top of Yoonshin for a while until he felt the man underneath panting. He pulled out and embraced the thin body tightly in his arms.

Yoonshin collapsed weakly on Sehun's sculpted chest. Nearly passed out, he didn't react much. His eyes were a wet mess with tear stains. Sehun kissed Yoonshin around his eyes and then massaged the naked young man.

"Yoonshin Do," Sehun said.

Perhaps Yoonshin wasn't completely unconscious because his hand twitched when Sehun called him. He snuggled closer as if telling Sehun to hug him tighter. Sehun sighed and stroked the younger man's hair before giving him a crushing hug. Then, Yoonshin flopped, becoming absolutely mush, but he had enough energy to spit out one remark. "Go to hell."

Sehun replied coolly, "I don't expect to go to a good place after I die."

"Sadist... I knew it."

Sehun grinned wryly. He tenderly stroked Yoonshin's sweat-drenched hair.

The agitation in the air of the dressing room settled down softly.

Their exhausted panting settled further yet.

Yoonshin sat up from the bed, and the sheets over his shoulders slipped off. His torso, mottled with bruises and red marks, was exposed.

With some struggle, Yoonshin leaned against the head of the bed only to contort his face. A devastating pain washed over him, almost making him think that somebody had battered him mercilessly with a steel pipe overnight. He ached and throbbed all over-he couldn't find a spot that didn't hurt. Not to mention, the pain in his lower half was indescribable. He glared at his darned assailant.

The older man must have retained a modicum of conscience because when Yoonshin turned his head to shoot a glare, Sehun was working at the tea table instead of his study. Sehun must have heard Yoonshin rustling awake because he was silently watching him.

They merely stared at each other for a moment.

Sehun spoke up first. "Are you feeling okay?"

Yoonshin's face was so puffy from tears and fatigue that he had to force his stiff lips to twist up into a wry smirk. "That's a funny question. You're hilarious."

Watching Yoonshin react, Sehun narrowed his eyes and then asked, "Why're you picking a fight first thing in the morning?"

"I was cursing at you even when my eyes were closed. Didn't I sleep talk?"

"You did."

"You might as well just snip open a new one with some scissors. That would have been much more peaceful."

"That's one solution. I'll keep it in mind."

Yoonshin scowled and retorted, "Sure, go ahead. I'll chop your dick off in exchange!"

"But we fucked. How was it? Are you satisfied?" Sehun gave an indecent glance and nodded at Yoonshin's penis. Sehun's ever-prideful actions even in this situation made Yoonshin seethe.

"Do you think I look satisfied? It hurts like hell! I can't even go to the hospital. What would I say if I went? I have no idea whether I made love with Sehun Kang or if I just had a quick and hard fuck with your lower half last night!"

The more he talked, the more cracked and hoarse his voice became. Yoonshin, who was fervently disparaging Sehun, was surprised by his voice and grabbed his throat. His skin was hot. He was also all washed up. Eventually, he started to notice the condition of his body in finer detail.

The bed was very clean. His body was the same. His skin was blotchy, but overall, he was neat and tidy like he was washed up. Plus, it seemed like his injuries were

treated with ointment.

Yoonshin hesitated, then tentatively asked, "Did you treat me between my legs too? The, uh, the entrance?"

"Yeah, I slathered ointment on the condom. You slept like the dead. You can't be satisfied with just fingers now, huh?"

With his suspicions confirmed, Yoonshin's face flushed red in embarrassment. It wasn't the first time that Sehun saw Yoonshin's naked body, but the degree and context of exposure were different. Imagining Sehun in a brightly lit place, shoving his fingers inside his ass to put on medication made Yoonshin feel faint.

Yoonshin couldn't bring himself to look Sehun in the face, so he forced himself to sit up properly. He was naked under the sheets, but this wasn't the time to be picky about that. He wanted to go to the bathroom to inspect himself properly.

Yoonshin glanced at Sehun and placed his feet on the ground. He thought that he could stand if he gathered all his strength, but that was a serious miscalculation. His trembling legs didn't function at all, consequently collapsing to the ground. Yoonshin flopped on the floor with his legs apart, right in front of Sehun to see all.

Yoonshin gasped.

He tried to stand up again, but he couldn't. He needed somebody's assistance, and the only person who could was Sehun. However, Sehun was merely stroking his chin, staring between Yoonshin's legs with his legs crossed.

"You've shown me that a lot these days," Sehun observed.

"Since I've shown you mine several times first, you should show me yours too."

"Keep doing what you're doing. Crawl, if you're tired."

In all honesty, Yoonshin thought that if he kept sitting like that, Sehun would come over to help. It was a natural train of thought, considering that Sehun had cleaned every corner of Yoonshin carefully and treated his wounds when he was passed out. But as always-without failSehun Kang exceeded all of Yoonshin's expectations. He sat haughtily, gazing languidly and relaxedly at Yoonshin, which made Yoonshin hit the ceiling. "You fucking bastard. Come here this instant!"

"How about saying please?"

"Please come here, you fucking bastard."

Sehun raised both his hands in surrender and then approached Yoonshin. He helped Yoonshin stand, seating him back on the bed, and sat across from him. He caressed Yoonshin's bony shoulders with affection. His low voice calling Yoonshin's name was also brimming with emotion. "Yoonshin Do."

Yoonshin wrapped himself with the clean sheets like a cape and then replied coldly, "What?"

"I'm starting to get scared."

For a moment, Yoonshin doubted that Sehun had just said that. Stupefied, Yoonshin clammed up. Sehun, in understanding, added indifferently, "Is liking someone supposed to be like this? When I imagine you kissing someone else, I get so pissed off that I want to hurt you. I couldn't control myself."

"Did you forget that you asked me if I slept with Attorney Song? You came up with that pretty easily."

"No, with someone that you used to like. I've never considered it before."

“…”

"I hated it so much that it made me sick. Truth be told, I'm still angry. What should I do? What can I do?"

Yoonshin had never imagined a situation where Sehun questioned himself and asked Yoonshin what he should do. Yoonshin was unsure of how to react. He merely closed his lips and fell into deep thought.

Before, Yoonshin had a simple and cherry-picked outlook on dating, but perhaps being in a relationship was more complicated than he thought. Sehun was new and he fumbled, but he learned quickly. This time, he learned jealousy, and he immediately expressed it. Next time, he would learn another emotion which he would express soon after in his own way. Yoonshin could withstand physical pain, but he thought that they could both be hurt emotionally next time.

Yoonshin honestly still felt miffed at Sehun. But on the other hand, he intuitively knew that he should hug him right that instant. Following that, he reached out without further hesitation.

He lifted the sheets, leading Sehun to come in. Once Sehun was close enough, Yoonshin embraced him. The other man eagerly clutched him, impassioned. Every time Sehun stroked Yoonshin's body, the sheets rustled noisily.

"Say something," Sehun urged.

"You know you went over the top, right? I asked to have rough sex, not to treat me cruelly."

"I know."

"I want to make this clear, but I'm still mad at you."

"I love you."

Yoonshin thought that he should edify his thoughts. Catching a cough wasn't enough to describe love. Love was a motor vehicle accident.

He realized only after getting injured-that there was no turning back.

The warm, heartfelt confession made time stop momentarily for both of them.

Chapter 13

Silence hung in the air, and like a film still, time seemed to freeze. Sehun took that gap in time to exhale slowly. In a more subdued voice, he said, "I know that too."

"Then that's enough. If you're jealous, just be jealous. Instead, tell me too because I want to hear that sometimes. Then, I'll tell you however many times as you need that the one I like is Sehun Kang."

Yoonshin ran his fingers through Sehun's silky hair, ruffling it before smoothing it out gently. Sehun was rather compliant and merely held the lanky man in his arms.

With prolonged contact, Yoonshin's agitation relaxed as his head cooled. His anger started to subside gradually. Sehun was used to being an expert at self-control, but when he was suddenly unable to restrain himself, he must have been utterly bewildered.

After being in each other's arms for a while, Yoonshin raised his head from the other's shoulders. Unwilling to pull away, Sehun kissed Yoonshin's head several times before finally letting him go.

"I have quite a lot to do. I need to write a due diligence report and two opinion letters."

Picking up on what Yoonshin wanted to say, Sehun narrowed his eyes.

"You'll help, right? If you look over it while I do it, you won't need to review it as many times later."

"All right. And...?"

"What time is it right now?"

Sehun checked his watch and lightly replied, "Nine A.M."

"Then make me breakfast. Oh, and don't think about calling the housekeeper."

"Sure."

"And do it modestly covered up with an apron."

Sehun was about to consent, but upon hearing that, he bit his lower lip. Yoonshin shrugged. Sehun was unmoved, so Yoonshin lowered the sheets slightly, displaying his wounds all over his body while hiding his member. Sehun finally conceded. "Okay."

"Do you have a pink one? The housekeeper must have bought a few."

"I don't."

"Are you sure? Not that you don't know because you never cook at home?"

“…”

"Then forget about the pink apron. How about being naked under the apron?"

Sehun flatly rejected that idea, firm that this he could never do. "No."

"I knew it. Then, whatever you choose."

Yoonshin was clearly teasing Sehun, but the older man didn't complain. Sehun Kang being docile was extremely, extraordinarily, and incredibly rare. It was almost like playing pretend with a doll—Yoonshin found it amusing and thought he might as well ask while he was at it. "And the Youngjin Construction acquisition project. I'm supposed to attend the meeting with the person in charge of dealing with the employee promotion matter, but I heard he was difficult to deal with. Could you give me some tips about the best way to approach him? You'd find it better if I could be useful too."

"I was going to tell you even if you didn't ask."

And also..."

"Yeah, I'll do it for you." Sehun consented without even hearing what Yoonshin had to say, making the younger man stop. Yoonshin's next request was predictable, but Yoonshin felt unfamiliar yet pleased that Sehun kept throwing him blank checks despite liking certainty. He consented to so many requests that Yoonshin was hopeful that maybe Sehun would listen to his next wish as well.

He hesitated and said carefully, "You can't ask me to break up with you first. I'm never breaking up with you anyway, but if we need to part, then let me be the one to say it. If you dump me, I won't ever be able to recover."

Yoonshin was sure that he entered this relationship with lighter feelings. In the beginning, he surely did. However, over the past few months, as he learned more about Sehun's inner workings, Yoonshin grew more fond of him.

Rather than a difference in the size or quantity of their feelings, there was a difference in the pith—the heart of their emotions. Yoonshin was always ready to give his love to anyone but had yet to meet someone he could pour his heart to, while Sehun had shuttered the doors to his heart tightly until one day, he met someone like an unforeseen flurry of snow.

Because of this difference in nature, Yoonshin asked without expecting a clear response from Sehun, but surprisingly, Sehun readily nodded. Yoonshin had no idea what Sehun was thinking. However, Sehun had no reason to bluff to Yoonshin, so if he was truly unconfident, he would have shaken his head. Yoonshin lifted his leaden arms and pulled Sehun's neck.

Sehun seemed to figure out where he could touch Yoonshin on his bruised body before opting to stroke and pat his less injured back. They pulled each other in their arms for a while, and then Yoonshin recalled what Sehun had said before. Back then, he didn't listen properly because he had no energy to, but now that he recalled it, his heartstrings pulled, and he felt overwhelmed.

"I don't expect to go to a good place after I die."

It hurt Yoonshin even more because Sehun said that after Yoonshin cursed at him.

"Senior Attorney."

"Yeah, Yoonshin?"

"I take back what I said yesterday."

"Which profanity out of the hundreds that said to me yesterday?"

"I didn't cuss that much."

"I included your sleep talking and everything that you kept to yourself."

Yoonshin frowned, remembering what he said, and clutched the other's neck tighter. "You mind reader."

"Sure."

"Don't leave me behind."

"Don't die before me." Sehun recalled another time when Yoonshin had said something similar and pursed his lips.

Yoonshin must have thought this was a negative reaction as he pressed Sehun to reply. "Hurry up and promise."

Finally, Sehun nodded calmly. There was no reason for him not to. "Okay."

Then, as if sealing the promise, Sehun stamped his lips on Yoonshin's smooth hair countless times. They embraced each other tightly, stuck firmly together.

On one side of the presentation room, the wall clock pointed to eight o'clock sharp.

Darkness befell the world outside their window. Yoonshin and Secretary Tak, who had come to help him, were sitting side by side, staring at the large projector screen across from them. On the screen, the headlines for the evening news flashed. A photo of Yoonshin's sister and her husband smiling at each other, taken at her mother-in-law's event, flashed by.

Not long ago, Soohan Group formally announced to the public that they were going to respond to the mediation application regarding the second son's divorce. After retaining silence to lkyung's attacks, they were finally taking action.

Most news companies treated it as a top news story for days. Yoonshin figured that they needed to gather the headlines along with the internet articles to plan the best approach to the media. However, he had no time to do this during his regular work hours, which was why he was staying behind to do this.

"They're all treating this as top news. Internet articles are flooding out like crazy. Understandable, since everyone thought they were living a fairly happy life before this sudden divorce mediation. Director Do will really become food for the vultures now," Secretary Tak said bitterly as he shifted his focus from the large screen to his laptop monitor.

Yoonshin nodded in agreement and replied, "We expected that. It's advantageous for my sister if they keep up the buzz."

"You must be devastated though."

It wasn't uncommon to know someone who went through a divorce in life. But in this case, being blasted every hour with Ikyung's face wasn't enjoyable. Plus, it was even harder to watch and read every instance of it to summarize the contents. Perhaps sympathizing with Yoonshin, Secretary Tak volunteered to tackle this together.

There were many news companies, and Yoonshin was only one person, so he needed all the help he could get. Yoonshin was incredibly thankful for the secretary's generosity. Once the firm heard about his sister, everyone was incredibly reluctant to get remotely involved with the divorce, so Yoonshin almost had to do everything by himself. Secretary Tak's assistance was a godsend. "Thank you for helping me, Secretary Tak. I'll be sure to repay you."

"This is nothing, really. It's tedious work involving a lot of elbow grease, but I do it often anyways. In any case, I wish they'd all keep their neutrality, but they somehow criticize Director Do. Are they advertising that Soohan has paid them off?"

"I find that unfortunate as well."

"Well, this is still going according to Senior Attorney Kang's plans. He'll make it all work out for you somehow."

Secretary Tak gave Yoonshin a firm squeeze on his shoulder before focusing on his task. Yoonshin fixed his gaze on the large screen. He flipped the channel, where another broadcasting company was delivering similar news. The courthouse where Ikyung applied for divorce mediation flashed by, followed by an image of the company building of Soohan Holdings, before finally showing Sehun being interviewed in front of the courthouse.

Yoonshin quickly turned up the volume.

Despite being in the spotlight, Sehun didn't lose his cool. Yoonshin was in awe of his leisurely attitude.

To every question from the reporters, Sehun answered calmly in his low voice.

"Attorney Kang, the news that Ms. Ikyung Do had applied for mediation came late. Today, the court announced a date for the first mediation sitting. Please, a word on that."

"The mediation is scheduled two months from now. At this stage, there has been no reconciliation of opinions about custody and access. I believe that this is a matter for continued conversation and negotiation."

"The most prominent opinion is that this will eventually go to litigation. What is your take on this as her lawyer?"

"Unfortunately, there is very little I can say on that matter. In time, that will be revealed. That's all."

Dressed in a bluish dark gray suit, Sehun stepped down the stairs. Footage of him getting into his car rolled before flashing back to the courthouse, marking the end of the coverage. Yoonshin lowered the volume again and then turned his attention to the laptop.

Secretary Tak glanced at Yoonshin and then casually asked, "So, you're not going to ask for compensation for adultery? Why isn't he asking to prepare that?"

"Oh, I actually asked him about that, but he had his reservations about it because Soohan Group wants us to tackle that."

"Is that possible considering adultery is the main reason for divorce, and they're clearly in the wrong?"

"Yes. Soohan's legal department was the one that publicized that Ikyung applied for mediation. They did that with the view to reveal the reason for divorce. If we emphasize the affair at this stage, the tables will turn against us. More serious issues like domestic abuse will just get buried."

This wasn't a fight among the common folk-they always needed to consider the intervention of the press. Sehun said that Soohan planned to frame this as a catfight, pitting the two women against each other and making the husband's presence fade away from public attention. Sehun said he would have used this tactic if this were him.

Yoonshin agreed with Sehun's opinion. The more stimulating the content, the more self-proclaimed judges would add their two-bits, eventually wiping the true wrongdoings from the headlines-it was a common occurrence. Corporate counsel frequently used this tactic.

Despite the short explanation, Secretary Tak seemed to understand, meeting Yoonshin's eyes and smiling softly. "True, that makes sense. Oh, I sent over the list of reporters who wrote about the mediation. There's quite a lot. I'll keep monitoring the articles that pop up from now until tomorrow afternoon and give you an addendum. Most of the posts after the evening news are probably transcripts from the broadcasted coverage, so checking them in real-time is a waste of time."

"If you could do that, that would be great. I won't keep you any longer." Yoonshin clasped his hands together in thanks, then he waved to the secretary, gesturing for him to leave first. Secretary Tak closed his laptop and started to gather his things when he suddenly stopped. Then, he grabbed Yoonshin's arm, with his sleeves rolled up. Yoonshin slowly turned away from the screen and looked at the other man. "What's the matter?"

"Even if a good chunk of them might have been hired by Soohan, not every article from this flood is their work. I had contacted a reporter that I'm acquainted with, and he said that he wrote his article because just mentioning the couple was clickbait. The coverage is only going to grow for a while."

They had expected this from the start. "I'm sure it will. It's better for us that way."

"Plus, Attorney Kang is quite... you know? Once he gets the press involved, it gets loud." Once he made a full stop to his sentence, Secretary Tak cupped his chin in his palms, fingers framing the sides of his face.

Yoonshin immediately knew what he wanted to say and chuckled. "Yes, well, I heard that death row inmates get fans if they're good-looking. It has nothing to do with the skills and talent of a lawyer, but appearances honestly do help."

"Shall I book an aesthetician for you?"

"Thanks, but next time. I'm pretty busy," Yoonshin replied jokingly.

Secretary Tak grinned back at Yoonshin. "Anyway, that was why he only worked behind the scenes and never made any press appearances. There was one case where the matter should have been resolved quietly, but the lawyer kept being emphasized, and the case flopped. This time, we were at a disadvantage, so we needed someone to attract the spotlight. It seems that he stepped forth to be that bait."

"I'm grateful for that." Despite Yoonshin's reply, the secretary shot a look asking Yoonshin to elaborate, prickling Yoonshin's skin. Not because it was a cold glare, but it was sharp. Yoonshin rubbed his neck sheepishly and then quickly said, "Looks like there's something you want to hear."

"I can't say that I don't."

Yoonshin felt some dread, having a feeling that he knew what the other man was going to ask. But because Secretary Tak gave up his personal time to help him out, he couldn't flatly refuse him. Interpreting Yoonshin's silence as permission, Secretary Tak asked, "Why in the world did he take this case?"

Yoonshin saw this coming. He had expected the question, but he still hadn't decided how to reply, so he maintained his silence. Secretary Tak interpreted Yoonshin's silence in his own way this time as well. "The firm's atmosphere is super tense right now. Everyone is waiting for Soohan to crush us... Our firm messaging app is on fire every day."

At the moment, Sehun was the shield for any spite and criticism, but Yoonshin felt the stinging gazes and uncomfortable air around him better than anyone.

He thought that this truly was the right time to quit, so he delivered his resignation letter to Mihee. He knew that Sehun would oppose whatever Yoonshin didn't consult with him. However, that very morning, the letter that he had given to Attorney Song, the head of associate lawyers, was in Sehun's hands.

It was only yesterday that Sehun summoned him to his office to coldly rebuke him for being unable to handle this amount of strain and for being a disappointment. In retaliation, Yoonshin snatched back the letter and stomped out.

"I noticed. I know the gist of it."

"The Senior Attorney Kang that I know would never have taken this case, even if Hell froze over. This is between the two of us, but when I heard this news, I thought Attorney Kang went insane from overworking."

That was because Yoonshin knew a different side of Sehun Kang that Secretary Tak didn't know. Yoonshin couldn't figure out how to convey that to the secretary without causing a misunderstanding. He was worried about how much Secretary Tak could deduce from a few words since he was extremely quick on the uptake. Because of that, Yoonshin could only pass it off as a joke.

"Then maybe... Hell froze over?"

"You don't want to tell me, huh? Either that, or you can't tell me."

"Sorry."

"So it's both. Okay. I got it. He must have his reasons since he's not one to do things without one."

Finally, Secretary Tak stood and headed toward the door.

Just then.

The topic of the conversation, Sehun, barged into the room. As he had a manilla envelope in his hands, it seemed like he had just come directly after meeting a client. Secretary Tak silently greeted Sehun and slipped out. Sehun nodded in response and entered.

As soon as Sehun came in, he tossed the envelope on the oval table and frowned. Then, he yanked his tie loose and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He must have been incredibly uncomfortable during his meeting. He sat next to Yoonshin in a much more disheveled state than when he first came in. Then, he casually checked their surroundings and then slowly leaned toward Yoonshin, planting a kiss on his forehead.

"Extra work?"

"Yes, I thought I'd gather some stats about the current state of the media. What about you? Did your meeting end well? It was the deadline for the pre-bid, right?"

Sehun leaned back, stretching his neck from side to side, and then calmly replied, "To start with, the due diligence report is strong, and the company has a huge load of contingent liabilities, so I think we can get in touch with any potential competition and persuade them to take their hands off this takeover. Warding off the small fries is a piece of cake. Taesan will slowly start gathering press attention."

"They didn't say anything about you taking on my sister's divorce? You're in the spotlight these days."

"Taesan? They were rather enthusiastic about it. Anyway, I'll explain the rest of the outcome at tomorrow's meeting. I'm completely drained-the project manager is a foreigner, so I had to explain the same thing twice."

"Then what will you do now?" Yoonshin asked.

As he usually did, Sehun didn't reply with words. Instead, he opened his arms. Yoonshin glanced at the door and quickly hopped over to lock the door. Sehun grinned, and Yoonshin jumped into his arms. He rubbed his cheeks on the other's well-built body that was accentuated by his shirt. He could almost smell Sehun's scent. He felt like his depression from seeing news about his sister's divorce this entire time lifted.

"Do you sleep these days?"

"When I have spare time."

"Really now? Whenever you get the time you and I..."

"We have sex."

Yoonshin slapped Sehun's back and pushed away from Sehun. Regardless of Yoonshin pushing away, Sehun leaned forward, craning his head and kissing Yoonshin on the lips. Sehun's warmth slowly pulled away, making Yoonshin crave for more, but instead, he clutched at Sehun's shirt and hesitated. Sehun intuitively knew that Yoonshin wanted to say something, so he caressed Yoonshin's cheeks, urging him to go on. "What is it?"

"Everyone thinks it's weird that you took my sister's case. Just now, Secretary Tak asked me."

"It's nothing new. Anyone would think it's weird. Did you only realize now?"

"Why do you say things 10 times more annoying than average?"

"Because you're cute when you're simmering with anger. You get cuter every day."

Yoonshin tended to be honest about his thoughts and feelings. While he couldn't do the same in his professional life, to the people he met on a personal level, Yoonshin preferred being transparent instead of reserved. Likewise, he wanted others to do the same. He was more comfortable with that.

But for some reason, when Sehun was so candid about his feelings, Yoonshin felt a bit bashful. He didn't hate it, but he felt shy, and it troubled him. Yoonshin cleared his throat awkwardly and changed the topic. "I know that the other partners are asking to meet you privately."

"Those nagging geezers make me so pissed off that I feel like I'll keel over and die."

"It's inevitable that they're worried that my sister's matter will impact Doguk in the future. Is there anything I can do? I feel uncomfortable about it."

"About what, eating at the cafeteria?"

"Secretary Tak usually eats with me. I'm fine with people murmuring and staring at

"Then, drinking coffee in the lounge?"

Yoonshin bit his lips, unsure why Sehun was pretending not to know what Yoonshin was talking about. Then, Sehun shrugged, finally indicating that he got it. "Even though we're just another law firm, it's a big gamble for Soohan to turn against our entire firm. There are too many things that we've been involved with over the years. If you and I weren't here, Soohan wouldn't need to poke at Doguk. They could just crush me as an individual or your sister. So if they try to exercise that power, I can just take responsibility and quit. What I mean is that you don't need to hang your head."

Sehun brushed his fingers across Yoonshin's well-shaped, full eyebrows and added, "If that time comes, you probably wouldn't be able to stay here either. We'll need to quit together."

The one silver lining as they were beleaguered was that Sehun, who practically had a minor in lying, never hid anything from Yoonshin anymore.

If Yoonshin asked, Sehun told him everything, down to things that he believed Yoonshin didn't need to know. He explained all the uncomfortable bits, the troubling parts, and the difficult situations.

Well aware of that, Yoonshin urged for further explanation by grabbing Sehun's hands. "Together?"

"We'll each need to take responsibility for our actions. Weren't you prepared to do that from the start?"

"No, that's not what I'm talking about. You said together. You're planning on taking me with you."

"Is there a problem with that?"

At first, Sehun considered leaving Yoonshin in Doguk. Mihee could shelter Yoonshin to some degree, but as a last resort, Sehun considered leaving together as the best option. However, the plan changed to Sehun simply taking Yoonshin with him from the beginning. It was a small change on the surface, but there were a lot of nuanced subcutaneous layers. At least, Yoonshin had enough tact to catch on to all of that.

Once he went through that thought process, all of Sehun's actions became readable like an open book. Yoonshin's voice grew low as he muttered his interpretation. "The other partner lawyers are saying to send me away soon while telling you to remain. So you set yourself up as the hostage so I could last in this firm for one more day—just in case my brother-in-law targets me first. Right?"

Sehun frowned slightly. "I barely said anything. How did you figure all of that out?"

"Because I can read between the lines," Yoonshin replied.

"You're too smart for your own good. It would've been nice if you were a bit dumb," Sehun said.

Yoonshin scoffed. Are you being serious? What am I, a child? You're being overprotective. I can take responsibility for my actions. It'll be quick and easy if you just accept my resignation letter."

"I told you that's a no. This is part of my design. Don't mess with it as you wish. Moreover, it's within my power to deal with your resignation letter. Try skipping your immediate superior one more time. I'll take that as you ignoring me and take disciplinary action."

"Senior Attorney!"

"For your information, I take bribes." Sehun's long finger tapped his red lips, ordering Yoonshin to kiss him. Yoonshin pressed his lips slightly against the other's moist ones and then watched the depressed skin rise again. Yoonshin hesitated to say anything further.

Yoonshin knew that he would be a nuisance, but he had already come too far to turn back. He wanted to stay in the firm until he couldn't and then leave with all the burden, but Sehun wouldn't allow it-he ensnared Yoonshin with fine threads of destiny. Still, Yoonshin always tried to disobey Sehun. Yet, if Sehun opposed so strongly, Yoonshin couldn't act rashly, putting him in a Catch-22.

Finally, Yoonshin bolted up, grabbed Sehun's chair armrests, and roughly kissed him. Sehun naturally angled his head in the opposite direction to Yoonshin. Their mouths fell open at the same time and allowed easy access to their heated, wet flesh. Sehun followed along with the unskillful yet meticulous kiss. As they searched for each other's warmth and fluids, their lips met and fit together.

"Hnngh, ngh..." Yoonshin was the one who initiated it, but before he knew it, Sehun started to lead. Naturally, a thin moan leaked out from between Yoonshin's lips.

Sehun's hand slipped into Yoonshin's dress shirt and stroked his back, and with the other hand, he rubbed at Yoonshin's bulge. Surprised at the touch, he grabbed Sehun by the shoulders. Then, he slowly untangled himself from Sehun's mouth. By the time their lips pulled away, his bottom lip was glistening with saliva.

Sehun licked around Yoonshin's lip and then made Yoonshin sit on his lap. "I found out recently about this surprising aspect of me, but I like my current situation."

In disbelief, Yoonshin retorted right away. "Getting a weakness? You said you questioned yourself a thousand times about whether you were doing the right thing."

"No matter how much I brooded over it, dissected it, and analyzed it, the conclusion was the same. It's clear. It's the first time I've solved a problem with only one answer. There was no reason to create scenarios or make assumptions. There was no reason to develop an equation to calculate it. It was the easiest thing for me to do. It was so simple—like a no-brainer, freebie question on a test."

Yoonshin stopped himself from asking whether Sehun regretted this at all despite this being the conclusion he reached. Yoonshin felt that asking this when they were only at the starting stages of their relationship was too cowardly of him. In addition, he was afraid that Sehun would tell him an honest answer he didn't want to hear.

If Sehun said he did regret it, Yoonshin would need to do something about it, but he had no courage to let go of Sehun at all. He wanted Sehun too much to step back from him.

Yoonshin kept quiet to hide his anxiety, and thankfully, Sehun continued, "Stay with me over the weekend."

"Do you have time? You were busy all week. You probably have a bunch of things to do."

"Still. So I can keep busy next to you."

Yoonshin tilted his head in confusion, not immediately understanding Sehun. After confirming their feelings for each other, they spent several weekends together. So far, he only could spend time when Sehun said it was okay or when Sehun called out of necessity. Sehun was always buried in work, and Yoonshin wasn't that different, so he was used to and comfortable with this schedule.

However, Sehun was trying to change the routine that they maintained.

"You said that you can't concentrate if I'm hanging around," Yoonshin said.

"I think I'd like the interference and disrupted concentration."

"Then, would you like to come over to my place?"

"That sounds good."

"Do you not want to be away from me for even a second? Do you like me that much?"

"Yeah." He answered so readily that Yoonshin was rendered speechless.

"Instead of just me being there for you, I want you to be here for me too."

Yoonshin thought it was too much to ask for if he wanted to share Sehun's entire life rather than a small slice of it. Of course, at times, Yoonshin confessed his feelings with his eyes, his gestures, his body, and his attitude toward life, but Sehun's life so far was incredibly independent, so he would need constant time and effort to change that. They were compromising bit by bit toward each other. However, Sehun was different these days. He was acting outright needy and impatient.

It seemed that he was prepared to completely shatter the way of life he had lived thus far.

Yoonshin felt astounded yet so delighted that he didn't know what to do. He averted his eyes and squirmed. Then, returning to Sehun's face, he stared into his eyes.

Sehun received Yoonshin's gaze. Yoonshin would never know everything, but from the start, Sehun probably never looked away from Yoonshin once. Thinking about that made Yoonshin feel reticent.

"Is my face red by any chance?"

And no surprise there.

Sehun quietly nodded.

Yoonshin clenched and unclenched his hand and then touched Sehun's long and straight fingers.

The more he touched the older man, the warmer and redder Yoonshin's porcelain skin grew.

Yoonshin's desk in his living room was stacked with documents and devices. There were three laptops, four tablet PCs, various file folders, and an acrylic board next to the desk. He was using his space quite efficiently, and yet there was no space to sit or stand.

Sehun had pulled over a rolling chair and sat in front of the board. Then, he watched Yoonshin's back as he was scrawling something on the acrylic surface.

They were still in mediation, but the two were preparing for Ikyung's lawsuit. Yoonshin wanted to participate in all stages, so whenever possible, the two made time to review their documents.

"If the other side takes the position as we expect... My sister will have to verify that she's not in a relationship with her secretary. The wife of Youngjin Construction said that she would testify to this…”

Yoonshin took a step back to look at the block of text that he wrote.

At that moment, Sehun snaked his hand around Yoonshin's slim waist. The moment that Yoonshin was caught off guard, Sehun slowly pulled him back toward him. Yoonshin hurriedly capped the markers and had no choice but to sit on Sehun's lap. Sehun idly stroked Yoonshin's skinny body that was flush against him and noisily kissed Yoonshin's shoulder and back.

Sehun let out a deep sigh and then unbuckled Yoonshin's pants. He unzipped them, pulled down the front, and thrust his hand into the opening.

He slowly stroked the shaft laying on the side, and Yoonshin—who was sitting on the other's firm thighs—jolted in surprise. Yoonshin looked a bit troubled, unlike other times when he reacted immediately to Sehun's touches.

"Attorney Kang."

"Not that."

"Sunbae."

"That's better."

"Stop. You promised that you wouldn't do it here. We're right in front of a picture of my sister and her kids."

Yoonshin reached back and lifted Sehun's chin. Then, he turned Sehun's head in the direction of the pictures. Sehun's eyes landed on the photo of Ikyung with her husband and kids. Regardless of that, Sehun thrust his hands deeper into the opening of Yoonshin's pants. Yoonshin let go of Sehun's chin and instead grabbed Sehun's hand.

"Hngh, ah..."

As Sehun started to casually trace the outline of the younger man's member, the sensitive flesh started to rise to his skillful hands, hoisting a white flag of surrender.

The flaccid shaft stood upright to the point that it seemed like it could tear through the underwear. Feeling this all, Sehun took this chance to pull out Yoonshin's penis.

One hand was teasing Yoonshin's nipples, and his other hand was fondling the hardened member. He rubbed the opening of the urethra, then he rubbed Yoonshin's shaft up and down with his palm.

The two men's breathing grew rougher.

"I don't... I don't like this. Mmmh, wait."

"You're the one who can't wait. Are you sure you don't like it?"

"No, but wait. Oh!"

The two sitting on top of each other were vaguely reflected against the acrylic surface. Yoonshin kept noticing their reflection and the photo. The family in the photo was like the audience of this television show. Yoonshin met Ikyung's smiling eyes, and unable to take it, he brusquely pushed the board away. It had wheels on its legs, so with a sharp screech, part of the board tilted slightly.

Finally, Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's thighs from underneath him and rubbed his bottom against the older man. In response, Sehun pushed his member against Yoonshin over his clothes, pulled away, and repeated that, arousing each other more. The faster Sehun stimulated Yoonshin, the more Yoonshin's grip on Sehun's thigh tightened.

"Ah, sunbae... Can't we go to the bed?"

"Or I could penetrate you here," Sehun whispered seductively into Yoonshin's ears.

Yoonshin shook his head, red-faced, yet out loud he granted permission. "Ngh, hnnn. Okay, please do it."

"Wait right here. I'll bring some condoms."

"No, just do it raw. Put it in immediately. You can scrape out your cum with your fingers later."

"Huh.." Sehun sighed.

Yoonshin forced himself to lean back, pulling up his upper body that kept

tipping forward, and moved his hand. He moved both his hands behind his back and undid Sehun's pants.

The sound of the zipper undoing was so titillating, giving Yoonshin chills. Not long after, his hand grabbed the other's hard member. just as Yoonshin was about to free the penis swathed in fabric...

Vrrr. Vrrrr.

Somebody's cell phone on the desk started to vibrate loudly. Seeing that the vibrations went on for a while, it must have been a call. Both of them froze at the same time. Yoonshin managed to pull his hand away from Sehun's undergarment and sighed, leaning against Sehun's chest. "Is it yours?"

"No, it looks like it's yours," Sehun said.

Yoonshin glanced back, and once he checked who the caller was, he flinched terribly.

He shot Sehun an apologetic look and stood from Sehun's lap. However, as he picked up the phone while leaning toward the desk, Sehun yanked the pants that were hanging precariously on Yoonshin's hips down. As if that wasn't enough, he buried his face between the cleft of Yoonshin's ass cheeks and licked around the area.

Yoonshin's mouth fell open in surprise when he heard his sister's voice on the other side of the line.

"Yoonshin? Are you there?"

"Yeah, Ikyung—" Yoonshin gasped loudly.

"Yoonshin?"

The older man's pointed tongue conquered Yoonshin's hole, determined to penetrate the inner walls, and Yoonshin couldn't keep his composure. He struggled to push Sehun away, but to no avail—Sehun's grip was stronger. With no other choice, Yoonshin gathered up all the scraps of his strength and escaped the clutches of the other. He cursed with his eyes at Sehun, who simply sat and smirked at him.

Sehun rested his chin in his hands and narrowed his eyes, contemplating attacking Yoonshin again. Perceiving the danger, Yoonshin put up his hand, asking Sehun to wait. Regardless, Sehun approached him. He grabbed Yoonshin's jaw and kissed him, finally managing to completely strip Yoonshin's bottoms that hung around his calves.

Sehun tossed the clothes toward the couch and grabbed Yoonshin's member. Just as he did before, he rimmed Yoonshin's entrance. Surprised, Yoonshin wriggled and bit Sehun's wrist with all his might.

"Ugh..." While Sehun inspected the teeth marks on his skin, Yoonshin quickly ran over and put on his pants. Finally coming back to his senses and putting the phone next to his ear, Sehun had made his way over, licked his lips, and mouthed, "Yum."

Yoonshin frowned, to which Sehun shrugged before going back to sit in front of the desk.

"Yoonshin! Yoonshin, are you okay?" Yoonshin heard his sister call out to him.

Yoonshin glared at the unabashed Sehun and ground his teeth. He took a few steps backward and plopped down on the edge of the couch. He angled himself away from Sehun. "Sorry, Ikyung. I just spilled something and was picking it up. I'm okay. What's up?"

"When you go to work tomorrow, could you ask Attorney Kang to contact me? It's nothing urgent, but I have some additional documents for him. I know that Senior Attorney Kang doesn't pick up calls from clients over the weekend, so I didn't call him. I also wanted to hear your voice, so I called."

"Oh... to Attorney Kang. Okay, will do."

Yoonshin felt a pang of guilt talking about Sehun as if he weren't in the room. He glanced at Sehun, who remained seated but with his eyes glued to the tablet PC monitor. Sehun surely knew that he was being talked about, but seeing as he didn't look Yoonshin's way, he probably had a good idea of what the conversation was about.

Angling his head to the side as he stared at Sehun's profile, he felt a surge of overwhelming fondness and lightly bit his lips. But he quickly became distracted because Ikyung continued, Are you eating properly as you work?"

"Of course I am," Yoonshin replied.

"Let me know if there's anything you need. I'll try to get it for you."

"I will. How are the kids?"

"They're sleeping after their snack."

Yoonshin contemplated asking about his brother-in-law, but in the end, he decided not to mention him—this was a recurring concern these days. All they did was exchange mundane remarks.

Considering that she lived in a palatial house, if she tried hard enough, she wouldn't cross paths with her husband. Even so, she must be uncomfortable living in the same house as someone she was separating from. Yoonshin could empathize with her feelings, so he couldn't help but filter his words.

"Um, Ikyung. I was actually in the middle of working. How about we meet up to talk about the important things?"

"But it's the weekend. You should rest."

"I'll try."

"Anyway, okay. Can we meet next week? I feel like you get thinner every time I see you, so I'll treat you to something good."

"I'll let your secretary know of a day I'm free. I'll see you then."

"Okay, work hard—but with breaks. Take care now."

"Sure," Yoonshin replied and Ikyung hung up. Yoonshin peered down at the now dark screen, zoning out briefly before snapping out of it. He walked over to Sehun.

Only then did the older man look at him, documents in his hands. He wasn't immersed in teasing Yoonshin anymore. His eyes were placid as if nothing had happened. Sehun was always like that when he was absorbed in his work. That side of Sehun sometimes made Yoonshin feel downhearted, but he generally thought that Sehun looked cool. Feeling sheepish that he thought so, he quickly said, "Let me see your wrist. Did it leave a mark?"

Sehun willingly showed his left hand. Yoonshin carefully inspected the other's sturdy wrist. To his relief, the marks weren't deep and looked like they would go away soon.

"What were you thinking, doing that while I was on the phone? You could have continued after my call."

"I lost steam. What did your sister say?"

"She wants you to call tomorrow. She had more documents for you. Were you reading the reply from Soohan just now? You already read through it all."

"It's flawless even though I reviewed it again. It's true to the style of Soohan's legal counsel. They left in only the necessary bits."

"Maybe because all the cases are similar, but the family court judges particularly love concise writing."

"Documents make up half of a divorce proceeding. That means writing is half the battle. You're going to have a hard time controlling your tone when you draft for this matter. You'll be fine though since your writing is simple and easy to read. Oh, sit here for a moment."

Sehun put down the document in his hands and pointed to the stool. Yoonshin, who was awkwardly standing next to Sehun, sat down. Sehun immediately continued, "The mediation is out of formality, but the other side is also preparing for litigation. According to my prediction, we'll win the first trial. However, even if your brother-in-law loses, he's going to use up all the available channels, including an action for alimony and division of family property."

"Well, the division of property is something that the guilty spouse can initiate."

"They know they're going to lose, so winning isn't their goal. Their goal is to give as little as possible. For that to happen, Ikyung Do needs to be an evil woman. You might already know that they're starting to damage her reputation before the lawsuit starts."

Instead of putting it to words, Yoonshin merely nodded.

"Other than the things we put together; do you have any other idea of what could be used to harm her?" Sehun asked.

Yoonshin started to furiously comb through his memory, fishing out all the moments that he had considered before. He needed to know what his brother-in-law would attack to prepare a proper response, so he had already thought of all possible ways that he could use to mar his sister's reputation. In fact, Soohan was starting to use those methods to stitch together gossipy articles for women's magazines and such, attacking Ikyung's name.

Most of the articles were about trivial things, like moments when she was somewhat negligent to her husband's request because of her duties—resulting in her mother-in-law attending family events in her place—or times when the family told her that her secretary was annoying, but she refused to dismiss him because he was her father's friend whom she trusted.

"Not that I can think of. The strongest point is probably the refusal to sleep with her husband which I told you last time. It happened not long after her second son—she had some mild postnatal depression, which is supported by her medical records. As long as they don't fabricate a tale, I don't think there's anything else."

"No, they will definitely make something out of nothing. The legal department of a conglomerate is a creative bunch."

“…”

"I think you said you're meeting her soon, so double-check if there's anything that you missed. It'll be easier for her to respond to you rather than me. It's fine even if it's something very trivial. We need to know everything that they could possibly use in advance. Let's remove all risks as much as we can."

"Okay."

"Great. Then, before we delve into the real deal, with the initial hearings in mind, would you like to draft an affidavit?"

Torn between surprise and joy, Yoonshin pointed at himself. "Me?"

"You don't want to?"

"Not that I don't want to..."

"Write it as best you can. I'll use it to run some simulations in my head."

After failing to settle by the end of the mediation process, the first hearing date would be scheduled. Each party would need to make their submissions along with evidence to support their claims to try and lead to a favorable judgment. Sehun left Yoonshin in charge of such a critical starting point.

Yoonshin didn't fully understand it himself, but he was so happy that he was scared. "But that's the most important part."

As expected, the merciless Sehun immediately retracted his words. "Forget it if you can't do it."

"No, wait. Are you sure I can do it? I'm scared."

"If this scares you, how did you argue in court all by your lonesome until now?"

"Because it feels more real when you're involved. Then, if I write an initial draft of the prospective affidavit..." Despite having a motive, he couldn't bring it up and trailed off.

As if reading Yoonshin's mind, Sehun answered, "Just write it first, I'll edit it and point out any problems, so don't feel too pressured."

"Is it fine if I write a poor draft?"

"You can't write poorly. If you can't do your job properly and we lose something that we can't lose, then you, me, your sister, and possibly Doguk are all fucked over. Got it?"

"You said no pressure."

"You'll do fine. You're already doing well."

Perhaps because this was coming from Sehun, whose praise was few and far between, Yoonshin felt like he was flying. He wasn't sure, but he definitely felt that this was singing praises of wonder compared to when Secretary Tak said that "so-so" was a compliment. It could all be lip service to make him feel better, but Sehun wasn't one to say empty words completely out of flattery.

Yoonshin hesitated and then stretched out his arms, asking for a hug. Sehun pulled Yoonshin's stool closer to him. Then, he picked off a stray eyelash from Yoonshin's cheeks and crushed him in his arms.

Naturally, they both leaned in, their lips meeting. Their soft flesh entwined, and they kissed passionately, meshing their tongues together. As if they were trying to complete a task they pushed back, they tried to strip each other of their clothes. Suddenly, Sehun's phone started to vibrate.

The two pulled apart their moist lips, and their gazes both fell on the desk. Before it was Yoonshin's sister who interrupted their intimate contact, but this time it was Secretary Tak.

"Maybe today's not the day for us. You should pick it up."

"That makes me want to do it even more."

"Me too."

"I'll hang up soon, so don't put your clothes back on and wait for me naked."

Sehun said jokingly and then picked up his phone. He glanced at the screen before accepting the call. "Yeah, Secretary Tak."

"Is now a good time to chat? I have some urgent news to share with you. If you're outside, I think it'll be best if you find someplace private to have this conversation. It's about the internal affairs of the firm," Secretary Tak said.

Unlike usual, the secretary sounded cautious—as if he were an undercover agent reporting his progress clandestinely. Sehun could sense the undertones of anxiety and tension. Intuitively, he realized that whether big or small, there was an issue to resolve. Sehun glanced at Yoonshin and replied calmly, "It's fine. Go ahead."

"The thing is, I somehow got to read a message that Attorney Song sent to the firm. It seems like Soohan started to assert their force on us because of the divorce that you're handling right now. They terminated their retainer for a fairly high-stakes matter out of the blue. She blew her top and summoned all the partners except for you."

Upon hearing that, Sehun caressed Yoonshin's cheek and replied listlessly, "Oh, really? Wait on the line for a moment."

Soohan started to put pressure on Doguk. Taking back a whole file was their demonstration that if Doguk didn't listen, then they'd retract all the food that they gave.

Sehun concluded that it wasn't wise to continue this conversation with Yoonshin in the room. As the younger man attentively watched Sehun carry on his conversation, Sehun stroked Yoonshin's forehead. Then, he covered the mic with his hand and whispered to Yoonshin. "It's about the acquisition. I have to drop by my place to check some documents."

Yoonshin stared back bright-eyed as if saying that he could pick up the documents he needed instead, but upon seeing Sehun's firm expression, he nodded in understanding. Rewarding Yoonshin for being docile, he pulled up his chin, kissed his lips, and stood up.

Yoonshin quickly retrieved Sehun's jacket and draped it over the older man's shoulders. On his way out of the apartment, Sehun wore his coat properly and walked down the hall.

He entered the outdoor smoking area and was exposed to the chilly air. He lit a cigarette that he pulled from his breast pocket and stuck it between his lips, then he said, "Which team did they take the case away from? Considering that I haven't heard of it, it doesn't seem like it was corporate or commercial."

"Finance. They said this is just the beginning."

Sehun already knew that Soohan saw Doguk as a mere contractor that they could order around. With that in mind, he passed over some reports to Mihee not too long ago. On the day that he put pen to paper that he would voluntarily resign when issues began to arise for Doguk, he gave Mihee a report about the anticipated order Soohan would take to oppress Doguk. Exactly as written, the first target was finance law.

Mihee was in charge of this area, so she could probably negotiate a deal on her end, but the issue could continue to the other partner's departments, including taxation or mergers and acquisitions consultation. At that time, the corporate tax corporation and customs tariff corporation within Doguk would leave with some of the lawyers. Sehun would have to quit the firm before that happened.

"What's Attorney Song conspiring with the partners? Kicking out Yoonshin Do?"

"No, you're the target. I think they're trying to catch you for breaching the Attorney-at-law Act."

Sehun exhaled, injecting his sigh into the night air. He replied nonchalantly, "Ohhh, really?"

If they were determined to find something, there were a few things that he would get caught on. On the contrary, if Sehun was determined, there was plenty of room for him to slip out.

Mihee's thought process was quite simple. Even at a great loss to the firm, she was going to incapacitate him with trivial issues. She was obviously trying to preoccupy him with patching up his mistakes that he had no time to deal with the divorce.

"You're pretty unperturbed about this. Are you not even worried?"

"I'm the top-earning lawyer in the firm. Their bravado won't last very long."

"Senior Attorney! You know that's not the point. This will kill the team. It's unfair."

"When's the gathering?"

"Tonight at 10 at the reception hall where the partners have their external meetings. Are you going?"

Depending on his actions, the meeting could go as scheduled or be canceled.

"Why would an uninvited guest like me go? I'm going to meet Senior Attorney Song, the mastermind. I'm hanging up."

"Please resolve this well. I'll hope for the best. I'll see you tomorrow," Secretary Tak said with a worried tone, and Sehun hung up. He felt for his car keys in his pocket. Thankfully, he didn't need to waste time and energy by going to his home.

He strode over to the elevator and sent Yoonshin a message that he was going to be late. Then, he checked the time. The meeting was at 10 p.m. which meant that Mihee was probably at home now.

Mihee wasn't one to make many mistakes. There was no way that she accidentally let Secretary Tak read about such an important get-together. She knew that the secretary was amicable to Sehun and wanted Sehun to hear this news. Thus, there was all the more reason that she was waiting for him to come to her.

Sehun toyed with the car key. When the elevator arrived at the basement, he got off, immediately got into one of his sedans, and grabbed the wheel. Until now, he had feigned a poised air, but his patience ended here.

Sehun clenched the steering wheel tightly and furrowed his brows. "Damn it. Is she asking for a fight?"

Sehun bit his lower lip and started to drive quite aggressively.

It took 15 minutes by foot to go to Mihee's place. It was even faster by car. In that short distance, Sehun's driving was quite aggressive. He wasn't furious because his position within the firm was threatened. In the worst case where he couldn't make a living as a lawyer anymore, he could start over from square one in any other field. Sehun devoted all his effort to every moment of work, but he wasn't particularly attached to the job.

Sehun was extremely disappointed in Attorney Song's lofty choice in her method to obstruct Sehun and control the situation. The only person other than himself who could move him to action was Yoonshin Do. She was wrong to have disregarded that.

Screech. Sehun slammed his brakes in front of Mihee's driveway and made a beeline to her front door. He jabbed the doorbell irritably, and not long after, the door opened, and he was greeted by a familiar face. Mihee checked her watch and then gestured for Sehun to come in. "You came, Attorney Kang. You were earlier than expected."

Without replying, he strode ahead of her and took a seat on her living room couch. To the back of Sehun's head, Mihee asked, "Would you like some tea?"

"I don't have the mind space to be sipping tea because there's a sharp pain in my back. Just sit."

"Sehun."

"Sit." His low growl sounded different than usual. She had no choice but to sit across from him. Sehun, leaning back casually into the couch, said coldly, "I told you that I would leave the firm if there was an issue. I told you multiple times. I thought that was the end of our discussion, so why are you trying to screw me over now? I have to do this lawsuit. I already decided that I would. If my presence is a nuisance, then process my resignation letter instead of holding me back with cheap tricks like this."

"I won't give up on you. You know how much you're worth. If you don't want to be bothered with this, take your hands off the divorce."

Sehun spat out each syllable between his teeth. "Is this Mihee Song's opinion? I'm presuming that it's not the case."

She mulled over it, contemplating whether or not to come out honestly to him, then she calmly shook her head. She did so knowing that she couldn't fool Sehun.

"It's half and half. I got contacted by Soohan's legal department. They said they could turn a blind eye to us keeping Attorney Do and taking on Ikyung Do's litigation. They seem to know that you already have your hands on several pieces of evidence... They could overlook the fact that our firm has a handle on the matter, but they don't want you to be the one doing it."

Sehun scoffed at the ridiculousness of this. "All of my opposing parties hate me. Even half of my own clients don't like me—because I'm insolent and expensive despite working on their money. What's news to you here?"

"They really don't like it. You're too eye-catching and Soohan knows how you work. Sehun. This isn't just a warning. Can't you do something about it? I'll compromise too. We can take on the matter, but you could give it to another associate. Please? You know all our lawyers are smart."

"And would those smart lawyers do their job properly? No, even if you gave this to a partner, wouldn't they do a slipshod job on it?"

"Hah... You really shouldn't do this to me."

"The moment that I took Yoonshin Do as my associate, all my debts to you were cleared. Say that to something that still needs to repay their debts and favors."

She looked a bit hurt from his frigid refusal, then she raised her voice. "You're making me hate you. How long will I stay a stranger to you? How could you be so cold despite knowing each other for 20 years?"

"We're strangers even if we've known each other for two hundred years."

"Maybe for you because you're a douche, but not to me! If you really can't give up, then ask me for help! Then, even if I resent you until I die, I could bite the bullet and overlook it. How come your solution is just leaving Doguk? Can't we work together on this at all? I'm good at calculating my benefits and losses, but sometimes, I can blindly jump off the bridge for a long-time friend. Please, just look around you for once."

Sehun didn't retort even though he perceived her upset feelings. Instead, he retained his silence. It seemed like he was brooding over a possibility that he had never thought of. After rattling out all that she had to say, she took a few deep breaths to calm herself.

After Sehun's contemplation and Mihee's breathing evened, the silence prolonged for a while.

At the end of the heavy silence, Sehun said, "What do you want? That I beg you for help? You're not going to be satisfied with that."

Finding her composure again, Mihee replied sincerely, "Of course, I might need another contingent condition. But my point is that, in consideration of our friendship, I could be a bit more generous and broad-minded to you."

It was obvious what Mihee, who considered Doguk like her life, wanted from Sehun. She wanted to make their firm renowned and increase its name value. She wanted to create the top firm in the industry—so much so that they wouldn't shake or topple even if an external force were to try. She desperately wanted Sehun's assistance to achieve that. However, she needed him to stay in Doguk for a very long time to do that.

And to no surprise, she stated her condition. "Seven years."

Sehun froze, down to his minute movements, and stared at her. Mihee continued, "I want you to stay in the firm until I'm properly settled in as the director —so, seven years. If you could anchor yourself in the firm with Attorney Do for seven years, then... I'll help you with the lawsuit with all of the firm's resources. Of course, I'll be fine with you taking the lead."

Incredulous, Sehun interrupted her and scoffed. "You need a slave or something?"

"You know that's not what I mean."

"Just because I drudge along like one doesn't mean I'm a workhorse. I hate being restrained and bridled. Just a moment ago, you asked me if we were strangers despite knowing each other for 20 years, but are you sure you know me well enough?"

"You're right. I know you well—that was why I made our agreement so that you could leave whenever you changed your mind. But after getting your resignation letter, I lost sleep, worrying that you'd switch over to another firm. If your new firm clashed with ours, you'd stop at nothing to completely raze Doguk to the ground. I couldn't bear watching that."

"So you're saying that you'll help with the lawsuit, so I should zip it and stay put in Doguk for seven years."

"Attorney Kang. I'm saying we should keep 10 years in view—in that time, the potential loss of income from Soohan and its subsidiaries is approximately in the billions. I'm saying that I'm exchanging that all for you—because you're worth it. You're also comfortable working at Doguk."

Since he worked there for so long, as she had said, he was extremely comfortable at Doguk. Because there was so much he contributed to the firm, the firm environment was completely optimized for him. Considering the conditions alone, it wasn't a bad deal for Sehun. In fact, he could say that Mihee was bending over backward for him.

However, he didn't like the idea of being held back for a specific reason. Being fettered and controlled was one of the things that Sehun abhorred the most. Plus, he had never done anything that he didn't want to do—aside from fatefully falling in love with Yoonshin.

He traced his index finger along his lips and fell into deep thought.

Then, he suddenly stood up. "I don't think this is something that I should decide on the spot. Let's continue this discussion tomorrow," he announced coldly and turned to leave. Mihee hurriedly followed after him. As he tried to exit her house quickly, she chased after him as closely as possible.

While seeing him out, she used every opportunity to drive her point home. "I'm going to cancel the partner meeting. Give me your answer after sleeping on it. I'll wait for good news."

Sehun didn't reply. He didn't look back once and coldly left Mihee's house. He got in his car, looking more conflicted than before.

He coldly slammed his door shut and quickly backed out of the driveway. Once he got out onto the main street, thoughts fell and accumulated in his head like snowflakes.

Frankly speaking, to take on responsibility for this entire mess, he was thinking that he would cut ties with Doguk by the end of the year. Sehun, who considered all possibilities, had a blueprint for the litigation as well as his life. Once he was determined that he would include Yoonshin as another main character in his life, it was about time to restructure everything.

However, Soohan was aiming their loaded bowstring at Doguk faster than expected. The firm fell into internal strife, and his plans went awry.

He thought about Mihee's offer, and his face slowly grew stony. 'Seven years, she said...'

Was Attorney Song the only person to rely on after all?

Unlike when he was the lone traveler on a winding road, Yoonshin's existence intertwined with his. It was like getting caught in a complex spider web, and now, his roadmap took him to steep roads.

"This pain in the ass has got me thinking about all the weirdest things..." In an effort to calmly blow away the anxious air around him, Sehun chuckled wryly and sighed.

Ding.

The heavy doors of the elevator slowly opened. Like Ali Baba standing before the cave full of treasures, Yoonshin stared at the display panel before he reached his floor and calmly stepped off. At that moment, Secretary Tak greeted him as if he were waiting for him in front of the machine. Yoonshin was about to bypass him, but Secretary Tak stood flush behind him. Pushing Yoonshin's back, the other man led Yoonshin down the hallway.

Before he knew it, Yoonshin found himself walking toward a corner of the hallway. He frowned. "Did something happen?"

"Attorney Do, do you have some time right now?"

"Yes, did you have something to tell me?"

As if that was the answer, Secretary Tak looked around their surroundings, then he stood right next to Yoonshin. Diagonally from where they stood was Attorney Song's office. It was a few feet away, but they were standing at a spot that would make them easily noticeable if Mihee opened the door.

In his head, Yoonshin registered the fact that the office door was shut, and the blinds were all down. Naturally, he realized that there was a guest in the office. He could finally grasp the reason Secretary Tak had ambushed him so early in the morning.

"What exactly do you want to know?"

"It depends on what you know. Right now, Attorney Kang is in Attorney Song's room. According to what her secretary said, the two senior attorneys came to work one hour early as if they planned it."

Yoonshin already knew that because he was with Sehun until the moment he left for work. However, Yoonshin tried to reply as insouciantly as possible. "Doesn't he do that sometimes?"

"Their meetings usually last about 10 minutes-they're very quick-but it's been one hour since he went in there. It means this isn't an ordinary matter. The last time Attorney Song did this was when she was firing a partner."

Yoonshin, who had managed to feign composure, slowly lost his cool.

Yoonshin couldn't sleep well last night because of what happened the other day. After Sehun picked up Secretary Tak's phone and said that he was going back to his house, he returned several hours later. When he came back, he reeked of bitter nicotine. In addition, Sehun looked at him with complicated eyes.

He didn't ask, but based on Sehun's unusual reaction, Yoonshin already figured out what kind of conversations occurred. He knew that it wasn't about work, at least. He wasn't sure exactly what went between them, but it was probably about Yoonshin, something else between Mihee and Sehun, or about all of them in general—it had to be one of those three. That suspicion was confirmed when Sehun went to work an hour early and said that he was going to meet Mihee.

Yoonshin rubbed his face and then leaned against the cold wall. Secretary Tak leaned toward him.

"Your reaction is pretty ambiguous. Do you know or not?"

Yoonshin knew, and yet he didn't. The best way to describe his situation was that he was turning a blind eye to the issue because he was afraid of the truth.

Yoonshin changed the subject. "Then how much do you know? I know that you contacted Attorney Rang yesterday. I thought you'd know more than me."

"I only gave him a slight warning of what could happen in the near future, but I have no idea what happened over the weekend. We'll only truly know if Senior Attorney Kang steps out of that room..."

For a moment, there was a tacit understanding between the two. They both stared at the firmly closed door in silence. Then, thinking that Yoonshin looked anxious, Secretary Tak muttered in a low voice, "Sometimes, Senior Attorney Song is more levelheaded than Attorney Kang. But on the flip side, she's strangely very weak to people she considers dear. She says no to them, but she'll probably help eventually. Well, at least, that's my opinion."

Yoonshin looked slightly better upon hearing that and turned to look at Secretary Tak. Internally, he was looking for someone to tell him that, but because he heard it from an unexpected place, he was excited. "Do you really think so?"

"Yes. Actually, putting loyalty aside, if she weathers through this issue, she'll gain as many things as she lost. If people see her protecting you and Attorney Kang before officially taking the director seat, she'll earn the loyalty of the other employees of the firm. And we'll be able to rake in the matters from the competitors of Soohan since most large companies are at odds with each other."

Playing along, Yoonshin replied with a much brighter voice. And realistically, Attorney Kang is too valuable to lose."

"Of course. And to be completely honest with you, aside from domestic companies, if we just take on an intensive load of international M&As, we'd rake in an immense profit in one year. And you..." Secretary Tak hesitated.

Yoonshin said in a self-deprecating tone. "I don't mesh well with Doguk."

"But you're definitely a good lawyer. Whether they like you or not, everyone acknowledges that. They say your best friend changes every 10 years. It's about time Doguk changed, I guess."

After hearing a slew of optimistic remarks, Yoonshin felt a bit nihilistic in some respects. If things resolved this easily, he would appreciate it, but he already knew that the world wasn't so kind to mere mortals. It was more cold and cruel than that. And most people who made up this firm already were alert to that.

In any case, what Secretary Tak said was the situation that satisfied Yoonshin the most.

With mixed feelings of anxiety and anticipation, he was staring at Mihee's door when it unexpectedly burst open. Astonished, Yoonshin tried to hide, but unfortunately, he was at the dead-end of the hallway.

Before the two were able to make their escape, Sehun exited the room. Inevitably, Sehun's sharp gaze landed on the two. They weren't too close, but the glower was so obvious that his skin prickled. Hesitantly, Yoonshin said in an awkward stance, "Uh... Secretary Tak, what do you think I should do?"

"Sorry, I'm busy trying to cover my ass too. How about you try saying something?"

Yoonshin exchanged gazes with Sehun, and when he glanced back at his neighbor, Secretary Tak nodded to him in an attempt to convey courage to him. Yoonshin acknowledged it, and the secretary slipped away in the opposite direction of Mihee's office.

Now alone, Sehun approached Yoonshin. While he did so, Sehun merely stared at him. Today, Sehun's face was particularly unreadable.

Finally, Sehun stopped in front of him. He glanced at his watch and furrowed his brow. The way Sehun's glabella creased in concern, the long and frigid eyes slowly curving before returning to normal, the red lips that slowly parted, and Sehun's presence that radiated in the air—Yoonshin liked everything.

"You're five minutes late."

"I did arrive on time. I did all the dishes before coming here."

"Who told you to do that? Doing the dishes, shit-talking..."

"I didn't shit talk"

"What do you mean you didn't? I have eyes, you know."

"We were talking about productive things, in a way... Okay, fine. I did a bit behind your back. We were wondering what you were talking about in that room."

The moment Yoonshin brought up the topic that he couldn't ask about at home, Sehun pursed his lips into a fine line. Yoonshin felt that this was the prime time to muster up his courage, and he passed the ball to Sehun. "Should I ask? Or do you want to tell me?"

"Seems like you have an idea of what this is about."

“Sometimes my brain is fast for no good reason."

“…”

"What will happen to me-no, to us? Do we have to leave Doguk?"

Sehun stroked his chin lightly with his large hands and stared at Yoonshin's innocent face. Then, he leaned forward and whispered into Yoonshin's ear, "There's something you need to hear, but not here. How about we have coffee upstairs?"

Twisting the grip of his briefcase, Yoonshin nodded.

The lights to the VVIP meeting room on the uppermost floor were turned on. After locking the door to the room, they sat side by side on the couch in the corner of the room. In front of them, there were two disposable cups of coffee. When they first brought them up, the surface was so hot that they were impossible to touch without a sleeve, but now the liquid was mostly cooled and lukewarm. Until then, the room was blanketed with silence.

Yoonshin took a sip of the bitter coffee and glanced at Sehun, who looked lost in thought. Then, feeling Yoonshin's gaze, he looked at the younger man with uncharacteristically tender eyes. Yoonshin bit his bottom lip and said, "I'm fine. Ever since you returned my resignation letter, I've been carrying it around every day."

Yoonshin opened his briefcase and pulled out an envelope. He pushed it along the table, toward Sehun. The older man pulled out the paper printed with rows of jet-black characters.

"I'm just worried about you. You must be having more hardships since you started dating me."

"Hardships, my ass. I told you not to do shit like this. Are my orders a joke to you?" Sehun tossed the document back on the table and crossed his legs. He angled himself toward Yoonshin and stared at him disapprovingly. His prideful yet agitated gaze was just like way back when.

Yoonshin was slightly thrown off by Sehun's reactive response. "Was I wrong?"

"You always think too much. You're wrong, stupid." Sehun closed his eyes, touched his forehead, and then looked at Yoonshin again. "Attorney Song made a deal with me."

Was Sehun going to tell him something as optimistic as Secretary Tak hoped for or the opposite? Yoonshin didn't hide the worry ridden on his face and gazed back at Sehun. Sehun said, "Doguk could protect you."

"No, not me, what about you? Tell me that first."

"I'm talking about myself."

Yoonshin tilted his head, unable to follow the disjointed conversation they were having before finally understanding what Sehun was getting at. Sehun said that he and Yoonshin were in one boat. That was probably what Sehun was trying to reference.

"Did she ask us both to stay here?"

"Yeah. Senior Attorney Song said that she wanted me to remain as a partner lawyer here until she became the firm's director. And I want you. Those are the conditions that we each asked for."

Yoonshin nodded in agreement, his face turning pink. They were in the middle of a serious conversation, and he knew that this was not the right time to be distracted, but whenever he heard pieces of Sehun's feelings actualized through words, he always felt giddy. He rubbed his thumb against Sehun's smooth hand, along the rolling hills of bones and knuckles.

Sehun continued, "She has a lot of connections with other companies, so even if our relationship with Soohan goes sour, she's planning on doing whatever she can to mitigate it. Well, it will take time to build up the relationships with other companies to a similar level as with Soohan, but she said she would take that risk. She probably thought that it was a waste to not use the information that I'm holding, too. I didn't think I'd reaffirm my net worth in this way."

"I don't understand. I heard Attorney Song being angry with you that time. Why did she have a change of heart? There's no reason for her to. Our situation is only getting worse, and it'll just go downhill from here."

Sehun seemed to ponder about it, combing his memories, and said in a low voice. "Because I asked her to help me."

"No way. You're lying." Yoonshin responded automatically, but still, he couldn't understand what made sense and what didn't—the fact that Sehun sent a message for help to someone else, or the fact that Mihee took that as a good reason to take such a big gamble and carry both of them. They were both too surreal.

As he processed his thoughts one by one like traversing stepping stones across a river, he came up with several possibilities.

It was possible that Mihee truly thought it was a waste to throw Sehun away, enough for her to give up other things. Another possibility was that she wanted to show Sehun the existence of loyalty and trust between people, something that Sehun was skeptical about. The problem was what compromises they made in this process. In some ways, Mihee seemed like the type of person to cover her risks more than Sehun.

"What do I need to do?" Yoonshin asked.

"Have resolve."

"For what...?"

"Song-sunbae said that in exchange for Doguk covering your sister's lawsuit and sheltering you within Doguk, you and I can't switch firms for the next seven years. Whoever we work with, she means for us to recoup as much of our potential losses from losing Soohan as we can. Of course, Soohan might not try to touch us during that time, but that possibility is looking faint right now. They started to put pressure on the firm already."

This topic probably made up the bulk of Sehun and Mihee's discussion that morning.

"Seven years?"

"Yeah. You were planning on hanging around for a few years before leaving, right? You don't fit with the firm culture."

"At first, I was."

"Is it any different now?" Sehun's sharp and sincere eyes were fixed on Yoonshin. Yoonshin couldn't fool Sehun and had no intention to, so he accepted the gaze.

"Sorry, I still do. When the situation clears up a bit... I figured I was a big nuisance."

"I'm telling you to make a sacrifice for me.”

Sacrifices were difficult, and in this context, the word was misleading.

As Sehun said, Doguk's values didn't match Yoonshin's personal ideals. However, he did learn a lot from watching others in the firm work. The initial reason for coming to the firm was his sister's badgering, but he had planned on sticking around for a few years anyway, and he figured that he could probably make it through somehow.

Of course, seven years was a lot longer than he thought. It was longer than the time that he was a lawyer. Still, it wasn't impossible. Rather, it was too simple.

Plus, Yoonshin learned one thing during his time at Doguk so far. It was that an ideal condition, advantageous only to him, was too good to be true. He knew that someone else was going to pay the costs instead. "Sacrifice is what you're doing right now. How could me maintaining the status quo be it...? She said she'd listen to you after you asked for help? Do you think we're in some buddy film? What's the other condition that I don't know about?"

"There's no—"

"There probably is. Don't lie to me. Just how many unconditional offers have you given to me?"

Every single word that Yoonshin said was right, and Sehun furrowed his brow. "Can't you be slower on the uptake?"

"How much will you be ripped off for seven years?"

"I don't know yet. I'll know when the time comes."

"That's too vague. Have you ever tackled anything like that in your life?" The more he talked, the mare Yoonshin's voice trembled. Sehun sympathized and stroked Yoonshin's throat.

"I haven't."

"I can't stand it anymore. The mediation is almost at its end, and I'll take the lead in the litigation. You step out of it."

"What the hell are you saying? You're going to fire me? I've never had that happen to me before. I can't accept it."

"You know that I'm not a complete dunce. I wasn't a well-paid lawyer, but I know how to win. I can do it. I can manage this just fine. This is between us siblings anyway. Take your hands off this now."

"Yoonshin Do."

"I can't stand watching you take on all the burden right in front of my eyes and pretending not to see it. Don't ask other people for help either! You've never even done that before. Just keep being an egotistical asshole like you always have—that suits you better."

Sehun frowned and clicked his tongue. Then, seeing the tears in Yoonshin's eyes, he bit his lips in irritation. "Don't cry."

"I'm not that special... Why are you doing this, seriously?"

"I said don't cry. It pisses me off."

His emotions becoming more tumultuous, Yoonshin eventually broke out into tears despite Sehun's order.

Yoonshin liked being with Sehun. Whenever he felt disheartened that nobody was by his side, Sehun stoically came and stood by him, which was a source of great support and comfort.

However, Yoonshin wasn't sure if it was right for him to be so deeply involved and so reliant on Sehun for everything. Several factors helped make up Sehun's foolish decision, and all of those factors probably involved Yoonshin only.

There was a huge difference between ignorance and feigning it.

This was Yoonshin's limit.

"In the end, you really... You, come here."

Yoonshin bawled dolefully, and Sehun wrapped his arms around the sobbing man. Yoonshin's skinny body swayed before falling into the older man's body. The usually impatient Sehun quietly patted the other's back and consoled him until his tears stopped. Perhaps because Sehun caught Yoonshin crying a few times, he was now adept at consoling Yoonshin. His light pats were rhythmical like a lullaby without a melody.

Sehun's shirt silently became stained with tears. He felt his shoulder getting drenched, and he kissed Yoonshin's head.

The minutes marched on. Yoonshin's shoulders stopped shaking, and his breathing was even in Sehun's arms. Only then, Sehun asked in a low voice, "Do you really think I'm that altruistic?"

Sniffling, Yoonshin said in a hoarse voice. "You look like a person who likes me a lot."

“…”

"I told you already. I like how I am now. My life moved inertially so far, but now, I'm experiencing the most joy and fun I've had in my life. I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster. It's exhilarating and delightful."

"There's no such thing as a sacrifice free from selfish desires. Everything I do is for self-satisfaction. We just need to make that equal sacrifice." Sehun persuaded Yoonshin calmly and persistently.

However, Yoonshin wasn't so easily convinced. "It's not equal at all."

"Yoonshin Do."

"Plus, you get dizzy after you ride a rollercoaster."

"But you want to ride it again—like slightly rough sex."

Once he heard the answer, Yoonshin pushed away Sehun's shoulder and stared intently at the older man. Yoonshin's nose and cheeks were as red as a tomato, and his eyes were bloodshot, yet he shot a deprecatory look at Sehun.

As if he could read all Yoonshin's thoughts through his eyes, Sehun tapped the other's nose and grinned.

Yoonshin asked in a more mollified tone. "Can you like me for seven years?"

"Who knows. I don't know because I haven't tried that yet either. Can I get back to you in seven years?"

This was probably as true and genuine of a reply that Yoonshin would get.

"Still, I'll take on the lawsuit. I think that's only right. My sister is relying on me a lot more these days too."

"You weren't able to convince Ikyung, but I was. Director Do retained me, so this is my job. Even if it's you, I can't sit and watch you steal my income."

Chapter 14

"Can't you just turn a blind eye?"

"All the more reason not to. I'll get mad if you keep doing things that you don't need to," Sehun said in a firmer tone than ever, and then he kissed Yoonshin's two puffy eyelids. He caressed every corner of Yoonshin's face, which was blotchy from crying. Yoonshin sat patiently for a moment before pulling down Sehun's solid hand.

"I always get the feeling that I keep making unexpected twists and turns in your life, and I don't know what to do. You don't let me do anything that I say I will."

"You didn't make anything. I just accepted you. Nowadays, I think of you when I open my eyes. And when I look to my side, you're sleeping next to me." Sehun tenderly combed back Yoonshin's hair with his fingers. "Having someone to protect feels better than I expected."

Sehun's mellifluous words were so saccharine that Yoonshin's blood felt even more viscous. They pumped through his veins and gradually consumed Yoonshin.

Yoonshin slumped his head onto Sehun's hard shoulders, and Sehun lifted Yoonshin by his hips. As Yoonshin wiggled, Sehun seated the younger man on his thighs, making them face each other. Yoonshin wrapped his legs around the other's waist and slung his arms around the older man's long neck, trapping the other man in his limbs.

Yoonshin had a feeling that he knew why they had to come upstairs instead of their office block where secretaries hustled down the hallways. They were the only two in this secluded and segregated space —almost like they were the only ones left in the world.

"Still, I..."

"Say that you'll sign off on it."

"Hah, you're seriously driving me crazy. Why are you so damn bullheaded?"

"I don't like waiting. Quick."

Yoonshin felt like he should put his foot down and look back at his opinion, but he knew that Sehun didn't want that, making Yoonshin hesitant.

Yoonshin let out a deep sigh and then waved his white flag of surrender. "Okay, let's try it together."

Pleased, Sehun's eyebrows twitched and then he changed their positions, pushing Yoonshin onto the couch.

Then, their lips locked into a frenzied kiss.

The interview room in the office was open. Yoonshin poked his head inside. The staff from a broadcasting company were setting up their camera equipment busily. This company had maintained close ties with Doguk. They came today to interview Mihee, Sehun, and Yoonshin. They had each finished their individual interviews in their offices.

This was Yoonshin's idea. Before Soohan could suggest that Yoonshin was involved in the improper solicitation W of the law firm, Yoonshin was going to present to the mass media that they had a deep relationship since before. Yoonshin's father was an important commonality between them, and he planned to use this. He wanted to create a documentary film illustrating the life of his father, who had used his whole life to help other people, and publicize this connection.

Already, there were extremely malicious rumors surrounding Ikyung these days. If bad rumors about Yoonshin were to circulate as well, their situations would only worsen. So he decided to take on some psychological burden and use his late father instead.

He was hovering around the door, wondering whether he should wait there or go in, when he spotted Sehun and Mihee coming toward him while discussing something. Mihee went in first, leaving Sehun and Yoonshin to stand face to face.

"What's with that face? You're the one who suggested filming a documentary about your father," Sehun asked.

Yoonshin glanced at the interview questions in Sehun's hand and curled his lips into a grin. He replied, "I did, but I didn't think that you'd do these trivial things for me."

"I figured out one of your characteristics, Yoonshin Do."

Yoonshin tilted his head, confused at the digression from the rally of their conversation. "You were studying me? What is it?"

"You're very consistent." "Is... that a compliment?" "Not telling."

"I see, you're insulting me. Of course. I'm not even surprised."

"Move. Someone might think we're homos."

Yoonshin bit his lip and then scoffed. Whenever Sehun came out like this, Yoonshin's competitive spirit poked its head out. "But we are. Mr. Sehun Kang, you're thoroughly and perfectly gay. You like a man, you're in a relationship with a man, you go on dates with a man, and you have sex with a man. You're 100% homosexual. A perfect score of gay."

Sehun stared incredulously at Yoonshin and then simply shrugged. He walked past the slim man into the interview room. Yoonshin gave him a disparaging glance and chased after him.

Sitting on the sofa before them, Mihee was reading the script. Sehun sat across and pointed to the seat next to him for Yoonshin to sit. Yoonshin meekly did as Sehun told and stole glances at the man sitting next to him. Sensing this, Sehun looked at Yoonshin. "What now?"

There were many more watchful eyes, so Yoonshin leaned in and whispered forebodingly, "If the accounts with the most money disappear, it's me."

"Can you even differentiate between them? I usually put my savings under a borrowed name."

"That's illegal—!" Unable to continue, Yoonshin covered his mouth with his hand and stared at Sehun. Before he knew it, Sehun was looking at his papers nonchalantly, concentrating on reading the text.

How a lawyer funambulated in and out of the reaches of the law so unfazed, Yoonshin couldn't understand. He liked this man, but at times, Sehun's chain of thoughts was opaque to him.

In instances like these, ignorance was bliss. Yoonshin shook his head, pretending that he never heard what Sehun said, and started to read the questions in front of him. While he did so, the audiovisual setup was complete and the producer-director who was the interviewer sat before them.

The door closed from inside.

The producer-director greeted the three individually and started her introductory spiel. As you know, we've already recorded your individual interviews in your offices. During this group interview, we'll ask about your memories of Professor Do and your relationships with each other, so please relax. Instead of the camera, look at me."

After her brief explanation, the assistant director hit the slate. Everyone positioned themselves, and the camera started to roll.

The atmosphere during the interview was congenial. The interviewer led the conversation proficiently, and Sehun and Mihee were experts. Stuck in the middle, Yoonshin enjoyed himself by listening to their stories.

He liked that he was able to learn about new aspects of his father. The other two knew of events that transpired during the years that his father worked at the law school that he didn't know as his son.

He didn't know exactly how much time had passed.

Once the mood was ripe, the producer-director finally brought up the relationship between the three. These questions were specifically designed to give the impression that Yoonshin didn't pay his way into Doguk. Mihee started by saying that she once saw Yoonshin as a child with his sister and father.

Sehun received the baton next. However, what he said was slightly different from the script that they had planned in advance. "The first time I saw him was at Professor Do's funeral, and the second time was at court."

The producer-director followed up immediately. "Which court was that?"

As if recalling that day, Sehun's bland expression hinted at delight. "It was the criminal court. We needed a new associate lawyer around that time. I heard there was a talented young lawyer, who just happened to be Professor Do's son. There was no reason not to, so I went to watch."

"How was he? On my search, I found out that Attorney Do was quite the rising star. His courthouse reputation was especially good."

"In his closing argument, he used a passage from Great Expectations. To be honest, it's my least favorite book. The author used the characters' voices to preach about the wrongs of his views and methods. Seeing as he quoted the book, Attorney Yoonshin Do must have been quite impressed with it. That's when I thought that he and I wouldn't get along with each other."

At that moment, Yoonshin immediately wanted to turn his head to look at Sehun. However, several cameras were rolling, and he knew that this was all being recorded, so he couldn't. He fidgeted with his hands and merely listened to the older man's soothing voice.

Thinking back, Yoonshin also thought the same when he saw Sehun at the court. Their personalities and values were completely polarizing, but surprisingly, they thought the same thing at the same moment in the same place. When he realized that, his tension eased and he could grin.

The producer then asked, "Do you still have the same opinion as then?"

"Yes, as I thought, he and I are oil and water. Attorney Do is too..." Sehun paused and glanced at Yoonshin. Despite the cameras being there, he didn't care at all. Even down to this point, the two contrasted each other.

"...Honest. And consistent. He's earnest and genuine with everything, and he always aspires to reach for an absolute, ideal right. On the other hand, I think that one way to solve an issue is to bet on a seemingly irrational possibility. In other words, my thinking is a bit more flexible," Sehun added the last bit jokingly, and Mihee and the others in the room laughed. Ironically, the only one who didn't laugh was Yoonshin, who was suddenly put under fire. Only then did Yoonshin glance at Sehun's profile. Sehun had conviction in his face.

"Under my instruction, Attorney Do started to learn my methods, but I found that uncomfortable. That was when I realized—Yoonshin Do was right, and I was wrong. It was the first time I learned something outside of school."

Sehun was staring at the interviewer in front of them, and Yoonshin was looking at Sehun. But at that moment, he felt a connection between them. It wasn't visible, but it clearly existed.

Sehun's deep voice was strong. People focused on it. Yoonshin was the same. Well aware of that, he said what Yoonshin wanted to hear most. "People like Attorney Do change this world, not people like me. That's the legacy that Professor Do left behind. His son learned his way of life, and that son... will probably teach someone rightness through his actions. lust how I learned. I find it regrettable that my time with Professor Do was so short-lived."

Hearing Sehun admit out loud that he was wrong, Mihee's eyes grew round. However, she agreed with the overall comment, so she nodded. On the other hand, Yoonshin couldn't react at all—freezing like a statue, he became lost in thought.

Yoonshin had thought that he was right all along. He had never imagined being wrong. He inherited his life values from his father, and to Yoonshin, his father was always right.

However, getting to know Sehun and watching the comings and goings of the firm, Yoonshin started to doubt his ideals. Instead of having faith in Yoonshin, who lived an honest life, his sister believed in Sehun—that was the final blow. Through Sehun, he had learned that the way of life he and his father shared might not be the only right way the world worked, yet Sehun Rang said that he Teamed the opposite from Yoonshin.

Sehun wasn't the protagonist of a classic novel. Yoonshin knew that Sehun wasn't going to learn and grow after becoming cognizant of societal issues like Pip from Great Expectations. Sehun was already fully developed, and he would live through and through just like he had. But thinking that he had impacted Sehun's life in some way, Yoonshin felt overwhelmed.

‘Maybe we were supplementing each other's shortcomings.'

‘Were we perhaps completing each other's imperfections?'

The more he thought about that, the more he wanted to touch Sehun—to the point that he almost grabbed the older man's hand. He was struck with the impulsive desire to ride a rollercoaster.

‘I want to kiss him.' Yoonshin barely managed to push down his desires. In the meantime, there were a few more questions directed at Mihee and Sehun. Yoonshin couldn't remember how he lasted throughout the rest of the interview.

Finally, the interview ended.

They saw off the film crew. The people busily packed up their equipment and soon left. The three also left the interview room. Sehun and Mihee chatted briefly before Mihee followed after the producer-director. She stopped and looked back at Sehun. "I'll see them off. Senior Attorney Kang, in 10 minutes, see me in my office for a moment. Good job today, Attorney Do."

Sehun nodded, and Yoonshin silently bowed his head.

After everyone disappeared, they were the only two left in the hallway. Unable to contain himself any longer, Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's wrist, stopping Sehun, who was heading to his office. Sehun looked back at him. "What? Did you have something to say to a thoroughly and perfectly homosexual man?"

"Senior Attorney, give me your free 10 minutes."

Sehun narrowed his eyes and scanned Yoonshin. He saw the younger man's rosy cheeks, his rueful eyes, and squirming lips. Sehun realized what the other man wanted and twisted his wrist to firmly grip the younger's hand. He pushed Yoonshin back into the interview room.

Click. The entranceway closed.

Yoonshin's back was pressed against the door, and he yanked Sehun's necktie toward him. The taller man leaned forward, and their eyes met. Yoonshin's quivering eyes were pointed only at him, and he hurriedly met lips.

They stuck their tongues out and roughly rubbed their flesh together. The papillae on their tongues crushed together with a destructive force, and their hands traveled across each other's clothed bodies. Sehun twisted Yoonshin's nipples over his shirt. Their bulges rubbed against each other a few times, and they reacted more dramatically than usual.

"Ngh! Hngh, mmh!"

"Isn't that fun? You're like a cat in heat. Why are you so intoxicated?"

"Feels good. Give me more."

Sehun was a bit mystified, but he didn't ignore Yoonshin's request. Their pants were quickly undone and their members bumped into each other. Yoonshin's lanky frame quivered violently.

"We only have 10 minutes. Hurry."

Sehun's brow furrowed, and he clenched his teeth. Soon after, he yanked Yoonshin's chin up, made him open his mouth, and spat inside.

Swallowing the fluid, the younger man's throat bobbed. As if that wasn't enough, his lips parted again, and he begged, “More…”

"Damn it. Why are you acting like this so suddenly?" Eventually, Sehun's grip on his rationality snapped. He aggressively pulled back Yoonshin's head by his hair, forcing him to look up.

Yoonshin grimaced. "Urk! It hurts."

"Open your mouth."

"Haugh..."

"Wider."

According to the orders, Yoonshin's mouth opened wider. Sehun saw the red tongue and throat that elicited dangerous fantasies.

They didn't have enough time, yet Yoonshin's enthusiasm made Sehun feel dizzy. He swallowed dryly. He gnawed on his lips, almost drawing blood, yet his thirst wasn't quenched. He already knew the only way to satiate his thirst.

Sehun's eyes flashed cruelly, and he plunged his tongue deep into Yoonshin's narrow passageway like he was penetrating Yoonshin with his shaft.

"Ngh...!" At that same time, Yoonshin closed his eyes and rubbed himself against Sehun. He let out a heated moan.

In the client meeting room of the firm's incorporated association building, Yoonshin was sitting across from a man.

Despite the series of unsettling events, time marched on, and the needle of his life's compass spun around the cardinal directions. lust like last month, Yoonshin was spending the last Friday of this month doing free legal consultations.

"You repaid your common-law spouse's debts. And the amount was..." Yoonshin read through the form and glanced up at the man sitting across from him.

The client repaid his common-law spouse's debt, but he wanted his spouse to repay him.

"Fifty thousand is not a small amount of money."

"Yes, I borrowed it interest-free from a person I know well."

"You repaid debt with more debt."

"We're already living together. We didn't have a ceremony, but I thought we had an implicit agreement to marry, so I repaid her debt in her stead. We started living together with marriage in mind."

"But conclusively, you didn't register your marriage. You're not legally bound to each other." Yoonshin calmly pointed out the facts.

The man flinched. "That's true, but..."

"Unregistered common-law relationships are not legally binding in most cases." Yoonshin pulled out the case law and legislation that he had printed out in advance. Then, he pushed them toward the man across from him, who was looking at him anxiously.

"I looked it up, and there was a case that was very similar to yours. In this case, the relevant law is the Civil Act, Article 598, right here—this defines the law for loans for consumption." Yoonshin pointed to the section that he underlined, and the man briefly read the contents. Yoonshin had interpreted and noted it down in as simple terms as possible, but perhaps the man couldn't comprehend it fully.

The man burst out at Yoonshin. "This is too hard. I requested a consultation so I could understand this easier."

Yoonshin rubbed the back of his neck, then he replied as calmly as possible, "So, hmm, to put this in simpler terms, when you repay your common-law spouse's debt, there are two ways the law can see it —you loaned or donated the amount."

"Donated? That means I gave it to her. That's ridiculous. I lent the money to her believing that she was the woman that I'd marry."

"Yes, in the case of a loan, you must have either expressly entered into a loan agreement or received a promissory note, which establishes the loan and allows you to reclaim that money. Based on your facts, you did neither, right?"

The client got agitated and retorted with a shaking voice. "Is getting it back impossible if I don't have an agreement?"

"Legally speaking, yes. It's hard to prove that there was an agreement."

The man let out a loud sigh and crumpled the paper in front of him. He shot a cold glare at the faultless Yoonshin. Even if he glared at him, the law didn't change, so Yoonshin couldn't do anything about it. Yoonshin merely stared back, and the man bolted up with his bag. "I'm going to have to go to a different law firm. You're not taking this seriously because you're such a big firm, huh? You're not even going to take my case anyway."

"Well, that's not what I'm saying. To begin with, there was no—"

"Whatever—I'm done here."

The man kicked the chair and stormed out of the room, and Yoonshin couldn't stop him. His advice cut short and suddenly left alone, Yoonshin got up and picked up the toppled chair. He then leaned against his desk and rubbed his temples.

"The other places will say the same thing, you know," he muttered under his breath and shook his head before pressing the button of the intercom. "I'll take a five-minute break, then you can let the next client in."

All right," the secretary outside said.

Yoonshin pushed away his pity and left the room. He felt parched, so he headed to the break room but then spotted the people in the waiting room watching the news being played on the wall-mounted television. Then, a familiar face flashed on the screen.

Why did the things relevant to him always stick out in his eyes and ears?

Yoonshin stopped in his tracks and glued his eyes to the large monitor. As they were nearing the end of the mediation, the news of her and her husband was spreading all over the country.

The subtitles on the bottom of the screen read as follows: "Soohan Holdings' Director Jeongwon Yoo and Ikyung Do are ultimately moving for a divorce suit. On the verge of breakup, the main issues at law are the division of property and custody of children."

`Why'd they leave out alimony?' The reason they left out the alimony that guilty spouses were bound to pay was probably not a mistake but Soohan's influence. They were trying to imply that this wasn't the fault of the husband but an issue between the two of them.

‘I'm glad that the kids are still young.' His sister was already thoroughly being wrecked by the press and the internet. Rumors that she was having an affair with her secretary and that she was evading taxes through art in her gallery—they were all bad rumors within Yoonshin's prediction. They were all anticipated, but the impact was still huge.

A snapshot of her at work even turned her into an unscrupulous person who lashed out at her employees with verbal abuse. Clipped and edited videos and text messages were all over the internet, and defending her actions seemed meaningless. In response, what Sehun chose to do wasn't refutation but a counterattack.

He started to reveal the other party's dirty laundry starting from the weakest links. If they couldn't block the attacks, they were going to use similar tactics and muddy the waters. Fortunately, or not, his brother-in-law was short-tempered and had a gold mine of faults. Thanks to that, Jeongwon Yoo was placed in a difficult position in the internal succession battle.

Ultimately, their fight lost the last shred of sophistication, becoming a dirty battle of exposing each other's secrets.

Rather than excuses, assertions were more entertaining. The public seemed to enjoy the debate about who committed the greater wrong. They expected that if the masses continued to be interested, the public opinion would firm up once they ultimately won the trial.

Pulling himself together, Yoonshin was about to pass by the waiting room when he heard the voices of a few elderly clients speaking rather loudly.

"Are these two going to court after all? No matter how I see it, that woman is the victim."

"I heard she asked for hundreds of thousands of dollars just dividing their property. Even if she's the victim, isn't that Ikyung Do or whatever too greedy? She went into the marriage penniless, and she's leaving with thousands. I wouldn't give her anything. She asked for custody of the kids too. She's just a thief, that girl."

"I heard she had an affair with the secretary. Plus, she used all her husband's authority wherever she could. And her brother isn't the brightest, so she paid off a firm to stick him in. I heard that firm was here."

"Here? Doguk?"

Hearing that, Yoonshin bit his lower lip. He came out of his room to have a sip of water, but he didn't feel like it anymore. He took one more look at the older people who were having the conversation and returned to his room and adjusted his shirt. He looked at the documents for the next consultee and pushed the intercom button. "Please let the next person in."

"Understood," the secretary replied tersely.

Soon after, there was a knock on the door. The person who came in was one of the people who were gossiping in the waiting room moments ago. Yoonshin grinned wryly but greeted the elder warmly and gestured to the seat in front. "Please have a seat. Based on your application, your landlord wouldn't return your deposit?"

The elderly person nodded nervously, and Yoonshin grinned softly in return.

Yoonshin slouched on his living room couch and jumped when he heard the buzzer to his apartment ring.

The only person he expected was Sehun. However, the older man had a client meeting outside the firm today. Yoonshin checked his watch. It was slightly early for Sehun to be done, but his early return wasn't an impossibility, making him all the more perplexed.

‘If it's Sehun-sunbae, he wouldn't ring the doorbell. He would just come in...' Something wasn't right. Eventually, he got up and checked the screen of the wall-mounted tablet screen. As expected, the person being recorded wasn't Sehun. Yoonshin gasped in horror.

Why was his sister here?

He had already met her last week, so he had never dreamed that she would show up without contacting him first.

He looked around and grew pale. The living room was like a landfill. It only took a few minutes for one to come up to his floor via the elevator. He had to do something before then.

Yoonshin hurriedly gathered the documents that were sprayed across the room, making space to sit, and shoved his dirty laundry into the washing machine. He tried to move in haste, but Ikyung must have already arrived as he heard the door opening.

"Ugh, I'm in trouble." He was about to move the acrylic board but it seemed too late.

The digital lock opened with a bright beep, and he heard footsteps coming in through the second set of doors. His sister appeared, and at the same time, she saw the mess of the living room he was in and stopped.

"What is all this? Do you live like this? You weren't like this before," she said.

Truth be told, he went back and forth between his place and Sehun's, so the boundary of personal living space quickly blurred. Yoonshin spent his free time in Sehun's house, so in his apartment, the laundry piled up, and his messes only increased. All he did was crack open a window and run the vacuum occasionally, whenever he remembered.

"Oh, see, I had a lot of work these days," he replied awkwardly.

Ikyung stared at her younger brother. She walked up to him and put down the shopping bags that she had in both hands near the couch. "Still, no matter how busy you are, make sure to stay sharp."

"Of course. You brought a lot of stuff. You didn't need to."

"You looked too thin the last time I saw you. I just picked up some vitamins on the way and some snacks..." Ikyung looked around the house and pursed her lips. All around the room, traces of her last marriage were displayed. The good and the bad of her life surrounded her. Yoonshin hurriedly tried to hide as much as he could, but heaps of evidence remained.

Ikyung scanned her eyes across the pictures of lkyung and her husband, and her eyes glinted with longing or regret—Yoonshin wasn't sure—and she said in a vague tone, "So the saga of my marriage is all here. These are all so fresh in my memory."

Ikyung walked over to the acrylic whiteboard and read through the events written in chronological order. There were pictures of her kids there as well. Yoonshin had nothing to say, so he stayed quiet. His sister seemed to be reminiscing, and he felt weird consoling her while she did so.

Thousands of feelings swirled internally as he saw her back. He couldn't bear to watch anymore, so he turned his head, and saw a photo of his graduation on the display shelf. With Ikyung on his left and their father on the right, he was wearing a mortarboard hat. Only then was he finally able to find some inner peace.

When he looked back at his sister, she had taken a seat on the couch. Yoonshin sat calmly next to her. "Did you come here because you were feeling unsettled? You're practically holed up in your house these days."

"A bit. I couldn't recklessly go anywhere, so I thought I'd get some fresh air, and I thought of you. This was the only place that I go with an easy heart." She fiddled with the pieces of paper in front of her and then added, suddenly remembering. "Oh, right, I called Attorney Kang in the morning. He suggested that we start by suing for defamation. Since we let them attack a bit, we did need to retaliate to some degree."

"I'm preparing that. I'm in charge of managing and monitoring the press coverage."

These days, especially with the deluge of articles, Ikyung knew that her life from here on out would be bumpy. Soohan was very good at branding those at odds with them with scarlet letters. Ikyung knew this better than anyone else.

As expected, she said in a resigned tone, "Will you be participating in the litigation too, then?"

"Yeah. Since we weren't able to settle, we'll need to file the action within two weeks. Senior Attorney Kang will be in charge, and I'll be assisting him. You have nothing to worry about."

Understanding in her eyes, Ikyung met Yoonshin's gaze and pulled his hand closer to her. She covered the back of his hands with her palms and gave them a squeeze.

"Senior Attorney Kang said that you're building the framework for this lawsuit. You thoroughly read all the precedents, the evidence, the statements, and the replies—everything goes through you. He said that you did so well that there were no flaws to point out. He complimented you, saying that he didn't need to fix or review anything in particular."

Yoonshin furrowed his brow slightly—he couldn't believe that such high praise came from Sehun. Sehun sometimes waved the carrot in front of Yoonshin to increase his efficiency, but Yoonshin had never expected Sehun would praise him in front of others like this.

"He said that? If you're flattering me to make me feel better, you don't have to."

"It's all true. Your boss sees you for who you are better than family. When was it again? There was one time that I saw Senior Attorneys Kang and Song."

Yoonshin had an idea of when that was. It was when Sehun and his relationship wasn't as developed. Back then, they were precariously balancing on a tightrope, and Yoonshin recalled hearing that they had met. Yoonshin replied with silence, and lkyung added casually, "He said back then that you were smarter and more clever than I thought you were and suggested that I rely on you a bit more. He said that you knew how to survive in this dog-eat-dog world, but you lived like you didn't. I honestly didn't believe him back then. To me, you were still a child."

The fact that she used the past tense meant that her opinion was different now. Fortunately, it seemed that Yoonshin was genuinely helpful to his sister to some degree. Of course, this was possible because Sehun was the bridge, but Yoonshin was satisfied with this result. He pushed down his reticence and changed the subject. "It's hard, isn't it?"

"Rather than that, I regret it sometimes. I guess I wasn't that good of a judge of character."

"Why do you think divorce lawyers exist? It's because everyone lives through trial and error."

"If you say that, I feel a bit less sorry for myself. You, Attorney Kang, and Doguk—I'm so indebted to you all. I'll do whatever I can to remunerate you."

lkyung smiled gracefully and then looked around again. She must have gotten the impression that she was disturbing Yoonshin in the middle of work. She let go of Yoonshin and stood up. "Anyways, I think it'll be better if I leave now. Make sure you eat."

"You're leaving now?"

"Weren't you working? I'll see you again some other day."

Yoonshin didn't want to part just yet, so he followed her to see her off at the parking garage.

Just when they left the inner door before the entryway, he heard someone inputting the passcode from outside.

The lock unlocked with a bright beep and a slim figure with his sleek suit appeared. It was Sehun no matter how he saw it. He spotted the women's shoes in the mudroom and slowly looked up. Yoonshin and lkyung were standing side by side.

"You had a guest," Sehun said, his voice slightly raspy.

When she heard the subdued voice, lkyung bowed her head in greeting. At that brief moment, Yoonshin and Sehun's eyes clashed in the air. It was too brief to explain the situation, so all he could do was request help with his eyes. He was worried that Sehun coming to his place so easily looked suspicious. To solve that, he used his quick wits to ask with his eyes.

Sehun looked into Yoonshin's eyes and seemed to understand the situation. He accepted the silent request. "Attorney Do, I dropped by to pick up something I left behind. I'll find it myself, so you can go see your sister off."

Yoonshin didn't know how she interpreted it, but lkyung stared at her brother. There was reproval in her eyes. Yoonshin's cheeks twitched. His conscience pricked, Yoonshin said with an oddly quivering voice, "Wh-why are you looking at me like that?"

"Yoonshin, does Senior Attorney Kang visit your place often?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess—since we work on a lot of projects together."

"How could you leave your house in such a mess? Seriously, clean up when you can. I'm so embarrassed."

"Ow... all right."

Ikyung slapped Yoonshin's back and shot an apologetic look at Sehun. Sehun didn't answer—he merely shrugged. In Yoonshin's stead, lkyung took on a humble and apologetic attitude and changed the subject.

"I didn't think this was a good topic to discuss over the phone, but I've heard from my acquaintances that the firm situation isn't looking too good," she mentioned carefully.

Sehun replied quite frankly, "Yes, Soohan is taking away files one by one. It's pandemonium.”

“Oh…”

"Still, I expected the prosecution to come with a search and seizure warrant, but I don't see the signs of that as of yet. This isn't the worst."

Because he was so forward with what he said, there was a brief silence. Troubled, lkyung broke the silence first with her concerned yet firm tone. "Is there any way I can make it up for you? There are a few people in the industry who don't get along with my husband. If Doguk is all right with it, I want to connect you with them. I was going to do that from the start in return for taking in Yoonshin, so I already have a list of them."

"That would be better for you to do after you win the lawsuit. Given the current situation, we might as well use it to our advantage. We need to be the victim right now. You should just sound out your intention to Attorney Song in passing."

"I will."

"Oh, and one more thing. You should attend on the day of the opening argument. Attorney Song will probably tell you more details... but you should show a somber face to the judge and the press."

lkyung seemed to know that the real fight would start now. Yoonshin massaged his sister's tense shoulders. She placed her hand over Yoonshin's, adding to his warmth, and then asked the two men while looking at Sehun, "Oh, right. Attorney Song said that moving out of the house immediately before or after the lawsuit is a good way of showing my resolution to carry out the divorce. We're already sleeping in separate rooms and... it's like treading on thin ice right now."

Yoonshin, who was sitting out the conversation, jumped in and asked, "Do you want to get out of that house? You said you would stay."

"I have a few houses in my name, and they're not that far from here. I could see you more often, Yoonshin."

As soon as she finished her statement, Sehun replied this time, "It's possible. But your case is special—both of you are quite famous, so there are a few points to consider carefully. Are you planning on taking the children too?"

"Of course, I have to."

"That's like showing your belly to the enemy. Soohan will say that you're treating your children like possessions."

"Then, are you saying that I should leave them there? I can't do that."

"That's also just more bait for the sharks. Right now, Soohan's team of lawyers is spinning tall tales out of the mundane. The media is writing down Soohan's narrative word for word. There's a right time for everything. The nation is currently focusing on your household, so I'm just saying that now is not the right time."

Ultimately, Sehun was trying to say that she couldn't get out of the house now. He probably beat around the bush with a reasonable explanation, knowing that lkyung was difficult to persuade once she set her mind to it.

Yoonshin watched in silence, and Ilcyung asked, "Then when...?"

"I don't think this is something for me to decide on my own. How about I discuss this with Attorney Do and get back to you later?"

Generally, the more important the case was, the organizational scheme became more vertical—this was especially the case in Sehun's team. All final decisions came top-down. It was the most efficient method, and the chances of success were higher. But this time, Sehun said that he would hear Yoonshin's opinion first, which felt unusual and special to Yoonshin.

"Sure, if you could do that, I'd appreciate it. Then, I'll really get going." His sister accepted Sehun's opinion and took a step toward the front door. Before she completely stepped out, Ikyung silently bade farewell to Sehun as he made his way into the entryway doors. Yoonshin followed close behind, but he stopped for a moment. He kept his hand on the ajar door and lightly kissed Sehun on the lips. They said nothing but exchanged telepathic looks before Yoonshin quickly stepped out.

lkyung was already waiting for the elevator. When she spotted her brother, she smiled awkwardly. "I'll wait to hear back from you. You don't have to follow me downstairs. You shouldn't leave guests alone for too long."

Yoonshin, who couldn't quite call Sehun a guest, clammed up.

The elevator dinged promptly, opening its maws. Ikyung waved to Yoonshin, telling him not to follow her, and got on the elevator. Yoonshin waved goodbye.

When the double doors closed, Yoonshin dashed back into his home at the speed of light. Sehun was already well into his house as the entryway was empty. When Yoonshin came running into the living room, he saw Sehun sling his jacket on the back of the couch and look back at him. "You're back faster than I thought."

"That's what I want to say to you. You're early."

Yoonshin approached Sehun and undid his vest for him. He pulled the necktie loose and carefully placed it on top of the older man's jacket, pushing the sturdy shoulders toward the sofa. Without resistance, Sehun flopped onto the plush cushions. Yoonshin climbed on top of him. They exchanged heated gazes, and Yoonshin—his cheeks on fire—angled his head for a kiss. However, Sehun grabbed his neck, preventing their lips from touching.

"Ugh, what's the matter?" Yoonshin protested.

"Don't let strange women into your house anymore.'

Hearing that Yoonshin was completely dumbfounded at the ludicrousness of Sehun's demand. "Strange...? She's my blood-related sister. You're being ridiculous now."

"I don't like seeing women's heels in houses that I frequent. From now on, try to meet her outside."

While Yoonshin couldn't reply because he was at such a loss for words, Sehun interpreted his silence as acceptance and started to undo the buttons of his shirt one by one. Yoonshin stared vacantly, then thinking that it was in-character of Sehun to ask, he ended up accepting the request.

"Yes, sure, why not. Since it's better to be even-handed on matters like this, I'll look for another venue to contact her."

"I thought you'd put up more of a fight because this is about your sister. What's malting you listen to me in one cue?"

"Since you don't ask anything of me, I want to listen to all your requests."

When he heard that, Sehun didn't reply. He merely became lost in thought. It seemed like he wanted to say something, and finally, he opened his mouth.

Sehun's unchanging poker face, the sharpness that Yoonshin saw beyond the mask, and the passion toward Yoonshin reflected in those eyes were all quintessentially Sehun. However, the topic that Sehun brought up was completely out of the scope of Yoonshin's imagination.

"Did you know that Director Do is being treated for mild depression these days?" Sehun asked.

Yoonshin didn't, so he merely bit his lower lip. He couldn't react any more than that because he was using up all his energy just thinking. He managed to empty his thoughts and glanced at the shopping bag with his supplements and snacks. As she mentioned, it seemed like she needed a change of pace.

Feeling sorry for her, Yoonshin couldn't find words. Sehun ran his hand down Yoonshin's back and said, "I heard she stays cooped up at home."

"As far as I know. But it seems like she's having a rough time being in the same bomb shelter of a mansion as her husband on top of everything. And there's not much that I can do... What should I do? It's not good for her to leave that house right now."

"We're trying to go through a divorce lawsuit, not a criminal one. Your sister didn't commit a crime—you should tell her that. lust like you said, there's not much we can do for her right now."

"...I got it."

"Outside, not here."

"I said I got it." Yoonshin grinned weakly and then stroked Sehun's throat. The wrongs were done by the other side, and they were setting things right. Divorce was common, but he couldn't understand why they continued to face one thing after another.

Needing solace, Yoonshin stared into Sehun's eyes. The older man's pupils were only small dots, so they weren't easy to look into, but Yoonshin knew that a wave of stability existed inside, filled with Yoonshin. He wanted to rid himself of all worries and embrace Sehun tightly.

Yoonshin leaned his skinny frame comfortably against the older man. The older man's largish hands touched all over Yoonshin's body and shared his warmth. Sehun didn't change clothes yet, so Yoonshin vividly felt the softness of the older man's dress shirt and dress pants through his comfortable clothes. The fact that Yoonshin was in comfy clothes and Sehun was still in his suit strangely stoked Yoonshin's fire.

"You look great in suits, Senior Attorney." Yoonshin extended his arms and slung them over Sehun's broad shoulders. Then, he pushed away from the torso that he was sticking close to and exchanged looks. "Everyone says that there's a snake underneath."

"Strip me and check."

Yoonshin slowly stroked the other man's firm back, enveloped in his shirt, and Sehun raised one eyebrow. His face, both displeased and tainted with indecent desires, was quite alluring. Yoonshin started to expand past Sehun's torso with initiative. Everywhere his fingers brushed, he could sense the cells underneath Sehun's skin jumping. Feeling that, he felt more restless.

Yoonshin didn't want to put pressure on Sehun, but he ended up bringing it up before he knew it. He knew that Sehun wasn't going to be enthusiastic about it, so Yoonshin averted his gaze and asked, "Later on, can I officially introduce you to my sister?"

"Your sister and I already know each other."

Yoonshin used his index finger and traced a line from his shoulder, past his chest, and down to his abdomen, and rubbed along the edge of his pants. "That I'm going out with you. Even if others don't know, I want to tell Ilcyung. She might not welcome it with open arms, but she'll accept it."

"You must have lived in a beautiful world that was kind and amiable to you so far. It's quite like you."

"My sister is all right. If we have lunch or something with her..."

"What is this, a formal marriage meeting between families? I don't like it—it makes me cringe. I'll pass on becoming officially gay."

Even if he didn't expect Sehun to willingly agree, Yoonshin thought it would end with just a few words of refusal. However, he showed a subpar reaction. He refused so blatantly that Yoonshin felt upset and gripped the other's shoulders, shaking them. He wanted to make Sehun dizzy, but it didn't seem to affect Sehun, which made Yoonshin all the more enraged.

"How could you be so constantly infuriating? You have quite the extraordinary talent—how about you pass down your secrets to me? I think it's a stellar skill to make the other party so pissed off that I'll pass this along to my descendants," Yoonshin retorted sarcastically.

Sehun frowned. "How dare you think about having lineal descendants, despite being Yoonshin Do? Your seed is useless for the propagation of humankind. It's just good for my single-use consumption."

"Then why won't you agree to have a formal marriage meeting?"

"So it was really a formal meeting? Do you think I'm insane? Why would I do that? Why don't you just spread the word to everyone then? We're homosexual!"

"Maybe I want to. What are you afraid of? Do you think your seed is useful for the propagation of humankind, Mr. Sehun Kang?"

"Look at this brat go."

"So what?"

They argued childishly, and both of them clammed up from mortification at the same time. Yoonshin's face in particular was filled with shame. Sehun was probably equally outraged, but it wasn't apparent from his expression.

Honestly, Yoonshin wasn't thinking of seriously coming out. He just felt a bit stifled that he couldn't tell anyone that he liked Sehun. Later, when things all resolved well, he wanted to at least come clean to his eternal ally, his sister, and show off Sehun.

Yoonshin got carried away and backed himself into a corner. He became sorely aware of the topic of their conversation and turned beet-red. Yoonshin lightly slapped Sehun's firm chest and changed the topic. "You're sleeping over tonight, right?"

Sehun scoffed. He tilted his head back and replied calmly, "I'm going to sleep over. I'm also going to do meaningless acts that aren't helpful for the proliferation of humankind."

Sehun pecked Yoonshin's rosy cheeks and then licked Yoonshin's pale face and neck. Eyes closed, Yoonshin savored Sehun's warmth before he opened his eyes when Sehun pulled away.

The moment their eyes met, Sehun moved the lean Yoonshin aside and stood up to go to the shower. As he walked toward the bedroom, he unbuttoned his shirt. Yoonshin watched blankly as the lithe man walked before he sprung up to follow Sehun.

They entered the bedroom. Yoonshin grabbed a bathrobe from the shelves of the powder room, handed it to Sehun, and asked, "Aren't you hungry? I made some fruit salad for you. Should I bring it over?"

"That sounds nice. Bring it over and wait for me on the bed, naked. Make sure you spread your legs properly."

Yoonshin gasped.

Sehun thrust his hand between Yoonshin's groin and grabbed his crotch over his clothes. His hand then slithered up, rubbing Yoonshin's abdomen and groin. "Put the salad right here."

"Are you cr— How do you expect me to do that? Why are you such a lecher?"

"But you're gonna do it."

"No, I'm not.”

"You should do this if you want a smooth career at the firm," Sehun replied, and then stopped at the bathroom door. Then, he yanked Yoonshin's lanky body by the collar of his sweater. Helplessly dragged toward Sehun, Yoonshin stared up at the older man's handsome face, who then whispered in his ear. His deep and raspy voice was very sexy in Yoonshin's ear. "One more complaint, and I'll add another condition. Do you want to wait with the fruit on your body or with a dildo up your ass?"

Yoonshin flinched and swallowed nervously. Knowing that Yoonshin was shaken up, Sehun nibbled on the younger man's red earlobes and then threw him a sinister warning in a frigid tone. "Remember this. Your sperm is useless anthropologically speaking. If you stick your dick around as you please, then I'll bury you in my bedroom wall and write your epitaph myself. If you don't want to be buried alive, I suggest you stay sharp."

Unable to reply, Yoonshin nodded. Finally satisfied, Sehun turned around and left Yoonshin for the bathroom.

The door clicked shut right in front of his eyes, segregating Yoonshin from the older man. Not long after, he heard the water pattering against the shower booth walls.

After loitering in front of the bathroom, Yoonshin went to the dining room to bring the salad bowl into the bedroom. He sat on the bed and fumbled with his clothes.

‘Naked... How in the world is he going to eat this, then?' He took off his soft sweater and folded it neatly and then fiddled with the bottom of his t-shirt underneath. Whenever he had intercourse with Sehun, he was stark naked, but exposing himself under the bright light according to Sehun's orders was embarrassing.

‘But do I even own a dildo?' Yoonshin looked around his room, trying to figure out where someone could have hidden a dildo, and then cleared his throat awkwardly. He then toyed with the buckle of his pants. Unable to bring himself to undo it, he continuously played with his pants. Yoonshin felt his face burning. His breathing gradually grew shallow.

He stared down at the front of his pants and grabbed the zipper, but he still couldn't bring himself to strip. To distract himself, he thought about what Sehun said to him. Only then did he realize it was ridiculous.

"Then again, why did he say that he likes me in such a weird way? So creepy. Has he never said it to anyone before?" Yoonshin grumbled and then stared at the bathroom door, still firmly shut. Thinking about it more, he could only come to one conclusion.

"Has he never?" He tilted his head from side to side, but aside from the things Sehun did to him, he didn't think that Sehun, in all his life, would have told anyone he liked them. Coming to that conclusion, Yoonshin's lips pulled up into a smile. "Of course, he hasn't..."

Yoonshin gnawed on his poor lips and rubbed his flaming red face. Every time he realized how much Sehun liked him, he felt as if someone was grabbing his heart and crushing it with all their strength. After liking Sehun, he learned that if one felt so elated, one's heart didn't just flutter or pound—rather, it could feel crushing pain.

Yoonshin felt like he was floating on cloud nine and giggled, flopping down and rolling on the plush bed.

One philosopher said that all things excellent were as difficult as they were rare, and to Yoonshin, Sehun was excellent. He also hoped that he was as excellent to Sehun as Sehun was to him.

"I like Sehun Kang so much."

For the first time in his life, Yoonshin's heart burst with the desire to possess someone absolutely.

The date of the trial came.

On both sides of the Seoul Family Court, the legal representatives took their place. On the defendant's side, one sly-looking lawyer set down his materials, cleared his throat, and then walked over to the plaintiff's side. He cleared his throat lightly next to Sehun, making Sehun look up from the materials he was reviewing. Then, the two went to a corner to converse.

Watching this unfold, Yoonshin automatically looked behind him. Ikyung, who was wearing a scarf, felt his gaze and awkwardly pulled up the corners of her lips. Once she was actually in the courthouse, she began to feel nervous. She couldn't bring herself to smile sincerely, so she sighed. The contagious sigh affected Yoonshin, who sighed before he approached her. Are you nervous?"

Ikyung glanced back at the nearly empty gallery and cautiously nodded. "Despite this being a closed trial, strangely enough, I feel like I'm standing in the nude in front of everyone."

"You don't need to worry too much. As I explained on the way, nothing special happens on the first court date. It's basically a day to check all the documents on each side. Each side puts out their arguments and counterarguments, and then they submit any applications and motions to the judges."

"You said that the witness list on the other side included our former housekeeping employees. They all worked for us in the past and had since quit. We got along when they worked for us, so what surprises will they pull? Will they be detrimental to my case?"

Yoonshin wanted to assure her that they wouldn't pull a fast one on her, but he needed to be completely open with her. "Senior Attorney Kang said that the other side might have trained the witnesses somewhat. I also think that they will testify to Jeongwon's advantage. We've prepared arguments to refute their testimony, but in the worst case, they commit perjury."

"Does that mean they could make up things?"

"Yeah, but that's the worst case. If that happens, our plans might become a bit hampered. The trial will drag on for longer."

"They wouldn't go that far, would they? What would they need to be promised to perjure themselves at court?"

"Probably money. But even then, that only becomes their weak point," Yoonshin said, full of confidence. Finally, her tense shoulders seemed to relax somewhat. As if telling her that there was no need to be anxious, Yoonshin massaged her shoulders. "Even if you hear something different from the truth, don't be surprised or thrown off. We have reams of material evidence. Even if they try to lead us astray, all we have to do is go about our own way, and we'll win."

At some point, Mihee had reviewed all the evidence that Ikyung had collected over time and exclaimed in awe that this was the first time that she saw such a well-prepared client. Her videos, photos, audio recordings, and medical records all hit the jackpot. It was possible because she had watched and learned from her law professional father all her life.

Since everything was so solid on her end, once she decided to go through with the divorce, it was only too obvious that the other side would try to frame her in extreme ways—that she was a home-wrecker. She had even prepared records with a family physician and psychologist addressing that point, and Yoonshin formulated an argument based on that.

"Everything will go well," Yoonshin said more gently than ever to ease her tension. After squeezing her hand, he went back to his seat.

Entry to the courtroom must have been restricted now as the bailiff entered. At the same time, Sehun and the other lawyer returned to their places. The one thing that Yoonshin found odd was that the other lawyer looked purple with rage.

Yoonshin and Sehun stood side by side on the plaintiff's table. Yoonshin leaned toward Sehun and whispered, "My brother-in-law didn't even show up during the mediation. It looks like he won't show up on the first day of trial as well."

"Those fellows who can't be bothered to budge for the court generally tend to do that because they have something to hide. It's a good sign for us."

"That's good then. But what did the opposing party say? He doesn't look too happy."

"He asked to lower the alimony. He threatened that your sister's life won't be so easy after the litigation if we don't agree."

A million thoughts cluttering his mind, Yoonshin glanced back at Ikyung and then leaned back toward Sehun. They all knew that the trial wasn't the end and that the events that transpired afterward were the real war for his sister. Even so, she was willing to take that risk and Yoonshin was helping her meet that goal.

"Randomly? Now? Even the bailiff could guess that my sister's life will be miserable after the trial ends. What's their deal all of the sudden?

"Who knows? Bluffing? There's probably no big meaning to it—just a shot in the dark. We'll see when the arguments start."

"So what did you say to him?"

"To piss off."

It shouldn't have been funny at all, but imagining Sehun saying that flippantly with his impenetrable poker face, Yoonshin ended up chuckling. Thanks to that, his nerves relaxed somewhat. Then, wondering if it was all right to go on like this, he asked, confused, "Is that all right? He's several years your senior."

"From the outset, you have to make them angry so that they trip over their feet. And everyone is equal in the courtroom, except for the judge."

"Oh, then we're equals here too. Right, Sehun?"

"If you're casual with me, you'll see yourself having a rough time later on. I have quite a lot of interest in what's between your legs, you see."

Due to the eyes of the others in the room, all Yoonshin could do was send a suggestive gaze at Sehun. Their joking around didn't completely destroy all the fundamental worries Yoonshin had, so he palpated his hand repeatedly. Knowing that, Sehun lightly patted Yoonshin on the back.

At that time, the bailiff bellowed. "All rise!"

As his voice carried to all corners of the courtroom, the judges entered from the front door. The robed judges seated themselves, and the trial started.

The presiding judge in the middle started by confirming the identities of the

plaintiff and the defendant. Ikyung first declared that she was who she claimed to be, and the representative from the other side, still splotchy from fury, confirmed his identity. Afterward, a judge gestured to Sehun first. "Plaintiff's counsel, you may start your opening statement."

Sehun stood from his seat. Then, he looked at the panel of judges, glanced at Ikyung with her scarf, and then signaling Yoonshin with his eyes, he said, "Just submitting documentary evidence is boring, so make it impactful. You have a photo of her bruise from being strangled, right? Exhibit 7. Stick it between the documents. And tell your sister to wrap her scarf tighter."

"I got it. But my sister's neck is fine right now."

"That's why she should wrap her neck. If there's nothing to show, you can cover up what's not there instead. Planting the seeds of doubt is good enough." Then, he straightened his posture and began his statement. His hand gestures were unhurried, and his tone was sagacious. "Your Honor, the 10-year-long marriage between Plaintiff, Ikyung Do, and Defendant, Jeongwon Yoo, has broken down for the following reasons..."

As Sehun carried on his speech in his dependable, tenor voice, Mihee, who came in late, sat next to Ikyung and held her hand for her. The two women sitting next to each other were in similar outfits.

Yoonshin glanced at them, feeling relieved, and organized the documents to submit to the judges. On top of these were the countless array of weapons to attack the spouse that Ikyung had lived with for 10 years. Looking down at them, a thousand feelings crossed his mind, so he looked to Sehun's back for support.

Yoonshin's mind jumped to the time he asked Sehun if he could like Yoonshin for seven years, and Sehun replied that he would answer that question seven years later.

‘What will we be like in seven years' time?' Hundreds of pairs, who once believed they were meant for each other, closed the chapter of their relationship every day. On top of that, Yoonshin and Sehun couldn't guarantee each other anything, and legal shackles didn't exist for them, so they couldn't overly rely on each other. Yoonshin couldn't imagine what their relationship would be like 10 years later or, even further, 15 years later.

But strangely enough, he felt like he knew why people loved each other despite the possibility of failure.

Like how Pip from Great Expectations thought that—even if he lived in a shabby inn—he would be happy all his life if he were with the one he loved, Yoonshin thought that liking someone could be a never-ending delusion.

‘In seven years, we'd probably even know our subconscious habits.' Imagining the time ahead that he would share with Sehun, Yoonshin was smiling softly to himself when Sehun's argument ended, and he sat back down. While the opposing lawyer started his opening statement, Sehun threw an intense look at Yoonshin.

His sharp and direct eyes seemed to be accusing him of imagining something useless.

Instead of sheepishly admitting that he pictured their future together, Yoonshin merely shrugged.

As they headed out of the courthouse, Sehun and Yoonshin were surrounded by tens of reporters.

At the back door, Ikyung was standing by with her secretary. Meanwhile, as if they were protecting their client, Yoonshin and Sehun were guarding Mihee, who was wearing a deep bucket hat over her head. Mihee came dressed in similar clothes to those of Yoonshin's sister to divert the reporters from Ikyung. Mihee had graciously offered first.

Yoonshin wrapped his arm around her shoulder, then his gaze locked with Sehun's. Sehun signaled with his eyes, and then maintaining his composure despite the barrage of flashing cameras, he listened to the reporters.

"Mr. Rang! The first arguments have ended. It's only just the beginning, but what do you think the result will be?"

Sehun made a slight but confident smile and calmly replied, "The judges will make that decision. We'll get to know the results on the day they come to a judgment. However, I would like to convey my opinion through a quote from the Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations. 'Take nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence. There's no better rule. That's all I have to say. The rest will be delivered as a press release."

His tone was flat, but he emphasized the words and swam through the crowd of people, making room for Yoonshin and Mihee disguised as Ikyung to follow quietly.

"Sir! Attorney Rang! Please, a word on the future proceedings!"

"Director Do! Director Jeongwon Yoo announced his public position. Do you agree that you are at fault for the breakdown of the marriage?! That you lack morals, as he said?! Are you not going to make a statement other than the legal one through your lawyers?"

"Attorney Yoonshin Do! You took on your sister's divorce—how do you feel about that?! Do you still have nothing to say about the debate about your improper solicitation to the firm?"

The reporters threw pointed questions at the three, but including Mihee who couldn't speak for Ikyung, Sehun was unresponsive, keeping his word from earlier. Naturally, Yoonshin also kept his mouth shut. They soon reached the parkade of black sedans and signaled to their drivers. The two men managed to send Mihee off ahead in the car first in line and were finally able to breathe easy.

Half the cameramen chased after the car that left first. Even so, there was a sea of people around Sehun and Yoonshin. The reporters kept shoving their cameras in Yoonshin's face and touching him, making him uncomfortable. Just before getting in the car, he twisted his arm away.

Just then, two reporters who were pulling at his jacket staggered, losing their balance. Bewildered, Yoonshin turned around when someone else pulled down his jacket halfway. Awkwardly wearing his jacket half off, people gripped his elbow and his wrist and shoved a mic in his face.

Eventually, Yoonshin was completely encircled by the reporters.

‘Damn it,’ he cursed to himself and froze completely. He could use all his strength to break out, but numerous cameras surrounded him. One rash action and he could see himself being all over the papers.

As he stood awkwardly, not knowing what to do, Sehun—who was on the other side of the car and was about to get in—slammed his door. In contrast, there was a composed and gentle smile on his face.

"Please let go. Grabbing him without consent and when he's clearly uncomfortable is tortious," Sehun warned in a low voice, already around the hood of the car. He pushed the reporter's hand that was on Yoonshin's back and pulled up Yoonshin's jacket again.

While the reporters were stepping off and exchanging looks for a moment, Sehun wrapped his arm around Yoonshin, pushing him into the car. With the reporters still shoving their phones at Sehun's back to the point that it was distasteful, Sehun also got in the car and closed the door.

Finally, the car started to drive through the crowd.

The two lawyers sat beside each other in the back seat and didn't speak for a moment. When the car got on the main road, Sehun finally leaned his head back against the seat and sighed irritably. Yoonshin looked askance at Sehun's side. "Are you all right?"

Sehun furrowed his brow and then gradually turned to look at Yoonshin. "Shouldn't I be asking that to you? Let me see."

Sehun pulled over Yoonshin's right wrist and pulled up the sleeve, inspecting it. Yoonshin was grabbed over his shirt, but the red handprint of another person remained on Yoonshin's skin. The temperature of Sehun's already frigid eyes dropped even more. His agitation didn't rise to the surface of his face, but Yoonshin knew that Sehun was about to blow his top. Yoonshin peeked at the driver who was taciturnly driving and then carefully wrapped his hands around Sehun's in an attempt to soothe him. "I'm fine."

"Sure, of course you are."

"I really am."

Sehun was about to retort in disbelief when Yoonshin's phone started vibrating from inside his bag. When he checked, there were messages from Mihee, Ikyung, and Secretary Tak.

The first two messages were similar. Mihee and Ikyung escaped unscathed, told Yoonshin not to worry, and said to pass that message along to Sehun. In Ikyung's case, she couldn't go back home straight away, and she would stay at her vacation house for a few days.

"Mihee and Ikyung seem to have both given the reporters the slip."

Sehun nodded and then frowned in annoyance. He must have felt uncomfortable as he loosened his tie and threw off his jacket. Meanwhile, Yoonshin turned on his tablet PC.

At the firm, Secretary Tak had selected articles that were posted since the start of today's hearing and was sending them in one-hour intervals. He was keeping up so well that the picture of Sehun and Yoonshin from a moment ago was attached as well. Yoonshin placed the laptop in between him and Sehun so that the older man could see, and then he lightly struck Sehun's shoulder. "Today's articles—Secretary Tak had been compiling and sending them to me."

Sehun wrapped his large hand around his smooth jaw and scanned the headlines. Once he quickly skimmed through earnestly, he said, "What about our press release? I don't see our position in the headlines."

"If you look here..." Yoonshin opened up the search portal to show Sehun the feed of the news page and added, "Soohan is trying to cover up the articles that show up from searching Ikyung and Jeongwon's names by endlessly posting useless news. Intermittently, our side also makes the search results, but I don't think it'll be easy with the sheer quantity of articles."

"The judges are sensitive to the public opinion. Be prepared for a few all-nighters over the next few days, and use all the resources of the PR agency. Tell them to take over all social media, video-sharing websites, and online communities. We don't need to release only articles."

"I'll tell Secretary Tak."

If the judges were going to be so easily swayed by the sentiments of the public, Yoonshin wasn't sure why the court of law existed. However, it was bound to happen as long as people stood on top of the law. Yoonshin nodded and sent a message to Secretary Tak. Then, he tried to steal a glance at Sehun, but their eyes metSehun was also looking at Yoonshin. As if they had coordinated in advance, their lips met. Silence surrounded them.

Yoonshin could now discern the meanings of the faint glint in Sehun's eyes. Sehun looked like he wanted to kiss Yoonshin, so he let himself be carried away by that mood. He cleared his throat and turned his head to the window, only to see the reflection of Sehun's well-developed features, making Yoonshin self-conscious.

Yoonshin rubbed his hand restlessly on the stiff seat before sounding out his thoughts. "Oh, right. Before you came out, you chatted briefly with the other lawyer. Ikyung also listened in, and she looked dark. I asked her, but she told me to hear it from you... What was it?"

Sehun nodded, glad that Yoonshin brought it up. "I was going to tell you this at some point. The next hearing date is..."

"...Two months later."

"You probably caught the gist of it already, but the second hearing will be short. Judging by the documents and the list of witnesses the other side submitted, the defendants will most likely have a brand new argument next time. Then, the judges will give them time, with the reasoning that they need to review the statements. While that happens, they're planning on pouring all the resources into the press battle."

"Did he try to say that it would be more detrimental to us the longer the litigation dragged on?"

Sehun nodded in affirmation. "You should meet Director Do separately some time."

"For what reason this time? Should I talk about alimony again?"

"No, this time it's about the children. The other side apparently tried to gauge our artillery before deciding whether to negotiate. They were being obsequious for once. They implied that they could give her the full custodial rights to raise the kids. Looked like they thought that one wrong move and the elder brother could get the upper hand in the succession battle."

Luckily for them, their proceedings happened to be well-timed. It also meant that they had endured well thus far.

"Just the custodial rights? What about parental rights? They're usually granted together."

"The parental rights have to stay with Director Yoo for him to pass on the company later. They believe that this is another form of division of property. They're trying to tell us to compromise our case for the future of the children."

"What do they want in exchange for that?"

"They want us to end the lawsuit here. They want to settle it outside the court."

Thinking back to Ikyung's face before she headed to the back door of the courthouse, Yoonshin could guess why she looked troubled. She must have been somewhat persuaded by the other side, and no matter how steeled her heart was, she must have been shaken up at the mention of her children.

Ever since her unwilling exposure to the public, Yoonshin could start to see that his sister was beginning to be disquieted by how long the lawsuit would drag on. She was becoming a mother with flaws. Although she could weather this through due to her resolve, her kids would enter elementary school soon, and she was worried that her public image would impact them.

"I think my sister feels swayed."

"We're going to be doing this for the next one to two years or longer. You and I aren't the parties to the lawsuit, so we can work like usual, prepare free from interruption, and attend court once every few months, but your sister is different. She needs to raise her growing kids. She will inevitably be swayed."

If she negotiated and settled at an appropriate halfway point, she would become free from malicious attacks. Not only that, but Sehun would wheedle out the best possible conditions for her on the negotiation table, so if Ikyung were to give up everything now, Yoonshin, as her brother, would feel more emotionally and physically at ease.

However, too many other factors stopped her from jumping at the opportunity. She knew how much Sehun and Doguk sacrificed for her case.

Ambivalent, Yoonshin hesitated to say anything. Noticing Yoonshin's clashing feelings, Sehun said, "They say that no party comes out of a divorce proceeding as the winner or loser; only the lawyers win or lose. Everything is a matter of choice. After the next hearing, if she wants to go into mediation again, the judge will gladly set a date for that."

"Asking me to meet her separately means that you want me to persuade my sister, right? You want to go through with this lawsuit to the end, right?" Yoonshin asked tentatively.

Sehun let out an exasperated sigh. Once again, Sehun didn't deny it. "Convincing her will be faster than persuading me."

“…”

"If she receives an astronomical amount in alimony and net property, then the children won't need to go to school to become socialized. There's this excellent system called homeschooling. Or she could send them to school overseas."

A smile cracked through Yoonshin's stony face. If Sehun had told him that sometimes giving up was the better option and threw Yoonshin into internal strife, then he would have helplessly struggled in that current. Everyone involved was having a rough time, gradually getting more exhausted.

However, unwilling to give in, Sehun drew the line for them, which relieved

Yoonshin. Once Ikyung knew that this was Sehun's decision, she would be able to reaffirm her decision and stay afloat. Yoonshin as well had faith in Sehun Kang.

Yoonshin shifted closer to Sehun and bumped his arms and legs against Sehun. Then he angled his head and whispered into Sehun's ears in a low and seductive tone, inaudible to the driver, "Then, take me out for dinner tonight—I want something expensive."

Playing along, Sehun also leaned down and whispered, "Attorney Yoonshin Do has a sister complex, though. Your sister will have a rough night. Are you all right with going on a date?"

"We're going to have to eat at some point anyway."

"If you have dinner with me, you'll end up having sex with me too. After seeing you just pass out like a log for the last few days, I think I need to do it tonight."

Ikyung left Yoonshin for her children, who were waiting for her in her other house anyway.

"We're in for the long haul anyway, so that's that. We should focus on our relationship."

Staring down at Yoonshin's smooth face, Sehun played with the blue necktie on Yoonshin's neck. Yoonshin thought that Sehun would just fiddle with it for a while, but then, Sehun raised the wide end of the tie to his lips. Naturally, Yoonshin recalled a day sometime in the past when something similar happened, and his face grew red.

He didn't feel the sensation directly on his skin, and yet, he felt anxious that he couldn't touch Sehun right this instant. While the driver was distracted as he took a left turn, Yoonshin brought over the spot of the fabric that Sehun kissed to his lips. Then, he stared intently at Sehun.

Observing this transpire without a word, Sehun's throat bobbed.

The way his Adam's apple slowly moved down and up stimulated Yoonshin. Every time Sehun, who was indifferent to all, showed that he longed for Yoonshin, Yoonshin felt exhilarated.

Feeling good, Yoonshin chuckled.

Creak, creak.

Yoonshin spread his slim legs as wide as they would go, and his body chafed against the desk. His hips jolted and jumped like a fish out of water, and along with it, the desk moved.

The one who made this skinny body leap and jolt was the tyrant, who dominated over Yoonshin. Sehun's long fingers were coated with oil, roughly shoving themselves between Yoonshin's legs, into the tight entrance. Every time he mechanically thrust in and out, there was a squelching sound, striking their eardrums and spurring their appetite.

Sehun's fingers firmly plunged into the narrow insides. Yoonshin's puckering hole clenched down on the other's flesh. The supple feeling inspired Sehun to change his tactics from widening the passageway. He started to aggressively thrust at the prostate, not too far from the entrance. He crushed the spot, and Yoonshin's body trembled.

"Ngh, sunbae! Mmmh! Th-there! Hngh!" Without betraying Yoonshin's expectations, Sehun persistently caressed that spot. With his free hand, he twisted Yoonshin's sensitive nubs, and with the other, he forcefully bullied the spot below. Eventually, Yoonshin threw his head back, gasping. His straight and slim calves quivered. Yoonshin moaned, and the tip of his member spilled opaque fluid. "Ah! Ahgnh!"

The viscous fluid spattered all over Sehun's torso. Sehun had his face lowered near Yoonshin's member, so some fluid got on his lips and chin. He licked up the juices near his mouth. Watching with half-lidded eyes and basking in the afterglow, Yoonshin was horrified at the sight. Sehun had said that his bodily fluids were for his one-time consumption, and he truly kept his word.

Embarrassed, Yoonshin covered his face with his hands, rubbing it. Just then, he felt a strange sensation between his legs. Peeling his hands off his face and looking down, Sehun had Yoonshin's penis, slightly flaccid after cumming, in his mouth. Not only that, but he was also sucking it off very explicitly. He took everything from the head to the shaft into his mouth like he was sucking on a popsicle before he shoved it deep into his throat.

The tightness of Sehun's throat aroused Yoonshin once again, and his ass jerked uncontrollably. "Ah, sunbae. Oh... I think I'll get hard again... No more."

With his mouth full from Yoonshin's penis, Sehun said something. What he said was muffled, but Yoonshin thought he said something like, "Just get hard then."

His face red, Yoonshin tried to pull back his hips, but Sehun grabbed both ass cheeks with his hand and fondled them. He sucked Yoonshin's balls, rolling them in his mouth and stimulating Yoonshin evenly.

Sehun didn't stop there. He kissed Yoonshin's perineum and rimmed the entrance, shoving his tongue inside. Yoonshin shuddered in pleasure. The younger man had cummed not too long ago, yet ignorant to its past, Yoonshin's member stood stiff and tall. "Ugh, hnnn, don't do that. Oh, nnh!"

Yoonshin didn't know how many times he had become erect. Yoonshin just wanted Sehun to enter him now. Rather than with his tongue or his fingers, he knew that Sehun's member gave him the most mind-blowing pleasure. Sehun must have felt uncomfortable being rock-hard throughout it all, yet, from some time ago, he was pouring all his efforts into pleasuring Yoonshin.

At times, Sehun would use this method when he wanted to bully Yoonshin. It was a punishment in character with the disagreeable and contrary Sehun. Sometimes, he had a distinct reason, but at other times, he bestowed sugar-coated oppression because he felt like it. This time, it was probably punishment for forcing them to sleep separately for the last few days. After a few lessons learned, Yoonshin now knew how to remedy this.

Yoonshin sighed deeply and then lifted his legs. He crossed his ankles, wrapping his legs around Sehun's neck, and then grabbed Sehun's hair. "I was busy preparing documents. But I faithfully came every night and slept next to you."

Sehun, who was sticking his tongue into Yoonshin's hole, lifted his head. The passion in his eyes was so fervid that Yoonshin thought the heat would transfer to him. He was sure that Sehun was also at his limit.

"Is that all you have to say?"

"Sehun-sunbae, I love you. Hurry. I can't wait anymore."

Sehun was weak to Yoonshin calling his name. He became even softer when Yoonshin told him that he loved him. Yoonshin used both at the same time and trembled in desire. Sehun bit his lips. Soon after, he positioned his pulsing dick at Yoonshin's entrance.

He rubbed the tip of his member against the hole, wet and loose from being rimmed and licked. Yoonshin, shivering from anticipation, grabbed Sehun's shoulder, and as if that was the green light, Sehun powerfully thrust into the slick, oiled hole.

Chapter 15

Sehun thrust in powerfully, filling Yoonshin up with most of his member in one go.

"Ahgnh! Oh!"

His member didn't plunge in completely. Sehun glanced down at his stiff shaft with its veins protruding. While Yoonshin was gasping, he shoved in the remainder.

"Ngh! Nnnh...!"

"Can you feel that? Your hole and dick are trembling in delight from being fucked by me. This is pure pornography."

"Hngh, so... so good."

"Open your eyes and look at how lewd your face is."

Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's jaw and forced it around, making him stare at their reflection in the window. The darkness outside allowed Yoonshin to clearly see their point of connection between their naked bodies. lust as Sehun commanded, Yoonshin saw the very vivid reflection of his dazed face from being penetrated by Sehun.

Yoonshin squeezed his eyes shut before opening them again. As he shuddered, his mouth gaped. Are you saying that I'm dirty for feeling it too much?"

"Can't you see for yourself?"

"But why are you getting bigger? Oh! Oh!"

At that moment, instead of replying, Sehun swirled and ground his fully inserted dick inside. His aggressive thrusting started then. At times, Sehun was more honest with his body—this was one such time. With such forceful movements that the heavy desk rattled, Sehun aggressively rammed his penis in Yoonshin's hole.

Sehun was holding up Yoonshin's leg with his hands, but they were starting to get in the way. Sehun instead slung the younger man's ankles over his shoulder. Then, he grabbed Yoonshin's narrow waist and thrust deeply into the younger man's inner walls. Sehun's member reached deeper than before, eliciting Yoonshin's screams of pleasure. "Oh! Sunbae! Ssunbae!"

Yoonshin wasn't sure if he was imagining the sensation or not, but he felt like his internal organs were being pushed upward. Every time Sehun hit an unfathomable depth, Yoonshin's breath hitched, and he grew faint from pleasure.

As he exercised the penetrative activity, Sehun's robust hips became taut with arousal. His well-built back muscles twitched more than usual. He drilled into Yoonshin and pulled back as much as he could—continuing that pattern, both of their bodies inched up on the desk. The files on either side of them started to flutter down to the floor.

Intercourse with Sehun was quite aggressive as he hammered into Yoonshin. Wet flesh slapped against each other, and humid sounds filled the room. As he slammed into Yoonshin's supple hips, sweat dripped from Sehun's forehead.

"Sunbae, my thighs are pulling. Ow!"

"Describe where my dick is. Then I'll change positions."

"Inside, mmh, it's inside me."

"Who's fucking you right now?"

"Sehun-sunbae, ah, I said it hurts! Help me up."

As if he were finishing up a last-minute assignment, Sehun pounded roughly and frantically, but with no other choice, he lowered Yoonshin's leg and fixed their positions. After making Yoonshin wrap his arms around his neck, Sehun stood, lifting the slim man. His penis drove in deeper than before, and instinctively, Yoonshin crossed his legs around Sehun's firm hips.

"N-no... Oh! You're too deep. Wait, go back a bit! Oh!"

Once their position became less stable, Sehun switched places and headed toward the wall. He must have been aiming to shove the entirety of his genitalia into Yoonshin as he ground into Yoonshin with fervor, slamming him down onto his hips. Yoonshin thought that there was no more space for Sehun to fit, but he was wrong. The long and thick shaft continued to fill Yoonshin's cave.

"Ngh! Nnngh!" Frightened, Yoonshin couldn't even scream—he could only scratch Sehun's neck and back. At the same time, his inner walls clenched, tightening on the other's member. The intensity made Sehun shudder. He put Yoonshin down and then shoved the younger man against the wall.

Yoonshin placed his hands against the hard wall. Meanwhile, Sehun put one hand on the younger man's stomach and the other hand on his pelvis, supporting Yoonshin, and started to propel his member again into the other's hole. He penetrated deep, and Yoonshin's back flinched. Without missing a moment, Sehun thrust the head of his member into the innermost spot he could reach.

"Hnngh, mmgh... I think I'll go. Sunbae, I think I'm gonna cum."

The other man's penis wasn't as deep as it was before, but instead, the spot that Yoonshin felt the most was pressed hard. Sehun knew this and dropped his hand from Yoonshin's stomach further down. He started to stroke and fondle the erect and swinging penis. Stimulated front and back, Yoonshin's adherent insides started to contract rhythmically. "Oh, I'm gonna cum... Ah! The wall will get dirty! Wait! Wait, move back!"

"It's okay, just cum."

"No—ngh! What should I say to the housekeeper then?!"

"Just shut up and do it. If you make me say it three times, I'll make you lick up all the semen on the wall."

Yoonshin knew that Sehun always kept his word, so he leaned his weight into Sehun. At the same time, Sehun was also struck with the desire to release. He picked up the pace and pounded in like a beast, not neglecting Yoonshin's front. Drenched in sweat, the two collided wetly against each other.

The two released at nearly the same time.

"Ah! Ohhh!"

"Hah, fuck... Ngh!"

Viscous fluid spilled out from Sehun's member and filled up Yoonshin. He wasn't wearing a condom, so his fluids and oil mixed, and Yoonshin vividly felt the slick slipperiness inside. Dilute semen from Yoonshin spattered on the wall.

Yoonshin's legs shook violently from the aftermath of the rough sex.

Exhausted, Yoonshin collapsed to the ground, and Sehun, still inside Yoonshin, kneeled as well. The older man slowly pulled out and covered himself on top of the lanky man, limp from having all his energy sucked out. Yoonshin had no strength to wipe the fluid that leaked from between his legs. He merely rested comfortably against Sehun.

They rubbed each other playfully and basked in the afterglow. Sehun squeezed Yoonshin's ass and dropped kisses, fluffy and light as cotton candy, on Yoonshin's chin and jaw. Feeling tickled, Yoonshin laughed. Sehun looked at him questioningly. "Why are you laughing?"

"I was going to post a mean comment about you when you were doing it painfully. But all my spite melted away from your kiss. I'm really easy, huh?"

“…”

"I'm only easy to you, so don't take it the wrong way."

Sehun exhaled. He must have liked the sound of that as he crushed Yoonshin in his arms. Soon after, he shifted positions so he could penetrate Yoonshin again. Climbing on top of the younger man, he bequeathed sultry kisses and rubbed their manhoods together. Yoonshin felt like he would get hard again, so he pushed the other's firm shoulders away.

"Can we continue after we eat something? I'm all out of strength. I'm hungry."

Sehun stared at him hungrily and slipped his hand in between Yoonshin's legs. He shoved two fingers into Yoonshin's hole and swirled them. He scraped up the remaining spunk out, and Yoonshin gasped, grabbed the older man's arm, and shook his head. "Mmmmh, nnh..."

"You binged this much all by yourself, and yet you're still hungry?"

Eventually, the seed that was pushed out by Sehun's fingers oozed out between Yoonshin's legs. As Yoonshin's mind reeled from the pleasure, Sehun stuck his finger—slick with semen—into his lips, sucking it clean. Yoonshin's face grew red as a tomato, and he slapped Sehun's torso. "Are you nuts? Ugh! What are you doing?"

Sehun smirked and tried to stick his fingers inside Yoonshin again, but the younger man gathered up all his primordial strength and rolled over to the side. He found Sehun's dress shirt among the scattered clothing, hung it over his shoulders, and stood up. His legs staggered unsteadily, but he managed to stand with the support of the desk.

Sehun, who was watching while lying down, sat up unwillingly. "Let's wash up first and order food after."

Sehun stepped over the clothes on the floor, but Yoonshin grabbed his arm. "Cook for me."

"I'll buy you something others have cooked."

"You keep playing hard to get when you're going to do it anyway. How much did you inflate your value like this?"

"Playing hard to get? Don't you have any respect for your boss?"

"According to Han Feizi, all people are equal before the law. It means that you, Sehun Kang, and I are equals."

At a loss for words, Sehun flicked the other man's forehead, which was glistening with sweat. However, his eyes were brimming with insurmountable affection for Yoonshin. He didn't criticize Yoonshin—rather, he looked at him with visible fondness. Yoonshin felt like he could whine a bit more and grew delighted at the thought. "You'll do it, right? I've never seen you cook, so I want to see it. Plus, you promised me you'd wear an apron last time, but you didn't..."

"I show you my naked body just like this every day instead—with no apron."

"But that's different. I also showed you my naked self. It's a world of a difference compared to when you're watching me clothed, isn't it?"

"Why in the world do you want to see that?"

"You don't want to see me wearing an apron, naked?"

Sehun mulled over it carefully, then he frowned and refused to speak any more. He must have wanted to see Yoonshin, nude and in an apron, after all.

Yoonshin shrugged in victory, and Sehun furrowed his brow before he let out a deep and exaggerated sigh. In the end, he was weak for Yoonshin and did as the younger man wished. With his subdued voice, he said almost mechanically, "Taking your order. Answer in five seconds, or else I'm shuttering the place. Five, four..."

"Rice! Rice with egg omelet and doenjang chigae."

Yoonshin raised his hand like an honors student who knew the answer to the question.

Sehun gazed at Yoonshin like he was appreciating art in a gallery. Unable to hold himself back, he extended his hand.

From the beginning and even now, Sehun had always liked this lively and energetic face. All the cells of his skin that touched Yoonshin's cheek as he caressed it lovingly jumped with excitement and joy. Surprisingly, his heart that was still for others pounded whenever he looked at Yoonshin.

Perhaps since their beginning, Sehun wanted to touch this smooth and clear face at least once.

In defeat, Sehun said in exasperation, "Fine, I'll do it."

The corners of Yoonshin's lips curled up, and he lept into Sehun's arms. Sehun hoisted the slender man up in his arms. Their lips met in dappled intervals as they left the study for the bedroom.

Click, the door to the bedroom ensuite closed firmly behind them.

Yoonshin was flipping through some documents in front of the secretary's office when he heard someone approaching him. He turned around—it was Mihee. She most have had some business with Secretary Tak because she was coming directly in Yoonshin's way. Their eyes met, and she greeted him with a smile in her eyes, then she waved over the desk partitions. "Secretary Tak, Did you courier my documents to Taesan Construction, in the care of the administrative director? I asked our office manager, who told me that you compiled everything and sent it along."

"Yes, I did. I just got confirmation of receipt from them and left you a message about that, actually."

"Oh, really? I'll check when I get back to my office. Thanks. Attorney Do—keep up the good work too."

She waved to the rest of the employees and gave some firm pats on Yoonshin's shoulder. Before the staff stood to see her off, she rushed toward the other side of the building.

Yoonshin watched as her figure grew smaller until she disappeared around the corner. He leaned on the desk with one arm and casually asked Secretary Tak, "Attorney Song—no, Director Song came to see me, right?"

Secretary Tak nodded, confirming that Yoonshin hit the mark. "Lucky you for getting the full attention of the director."

"But I'm really fine without it."

"Sometimes, it's better to accept gifts when you're given them. Do your best while she's supporting you. She's doing that because she feels sorry."

After recently succeeding her father and becoming the newly appointed director of the firm, Mihee started to show Yoonshin her attention and interest frequently.

Mihee still felt bad about creating a minor conflict with Sehun about keeping Yoonshin or kicking him out. Her way of expressing it was to keep acknowledging and showing interest in Yoonshin. Mihee knew that rumors spread fast in the secretary's office, and the word that the director was taking notice of Yoonshin would spread like wildfire amongst the associates. She figured that if Yoonshin was going to be outcasted by his peers anyway, she might as well support him with the power from her authority.

Her attention wasn't only because Sehun and Yoonshin took many risks and compromised to stay at the firm. Recently, Doguk was being sought after by many corporations. Soohan's rivals knew that Doguk's relationship with Soohan went sour, and after circling each other tensely and warily, they started to leave a few matters at a time to the firm. It just so happened that Sehun had made Taesan Construction the preferred bidder on the takeover of Youngjin Construction, contributing to a successful acquisition of the company, which gave good justification for Soohan's rivals.

That matter gave the new corporate clients faith in Doguk's competitive edge, but it was also a big demonstration for Soohan Group to see. In any case, this was of great benefit to the firm and also a blessing in disguise in a way.

"Seeing that Director Song came down, the partner meeting must be over. Attorney Kang should come down any time now," Secretary Tak added, and Yoonshin's head turned immediately toward the hallway. However, Sehun was nowhere in sight yet.

Yoonshin glued his eyes to the corner where the elevators were before prying his eyes away, dripping with disappointment. Then, he happened to meet eyes with Secretary Tak, who was watching him. Yoonshin, feeling a bit self-conscious, stuttered, "Wh-why are you looking at me like that?"

"Are you that excited to see him? You're really one of a kind."

"What's so weird about an associate waiting for a partner to greet him?"

"Yes, that's pretty weird. It's even weirder that you're waiting for Senior Attorney Kang of all people. Don't you ever get scared at all? Even the lawyers with more experience than you don't like to cross paths with Attorney Kang."

Sehun was still as razor-sharp as ever at work. At times, Yoonshin heard such bitterly cold criticisms after a mistake that it brought tears to his eyes. Because Sehun always expected perfection, all the deficiencies must have caught Sehun's eyes.

Sehun would probably continue being particularly harsh to Yoonshin. The partner lawyer didn't like mixing his personal and professional lives. At first, Yoonshin was a bit glum about it, but now he understood. He could reflect on his mistakes and fix the incorrect results.

"Oh, Secretary Tak, I'm going to be doing this pro bono matter. I got Senior Attorney Kang's permission," Yoonshin said, trying to change the subject, and handed over a folder to Secretary Tak, who skimmed through the contents.

To survive at the firm, Yoonshin devised a two-pronged approach. He would help Sehun to the best of his abilities when Sehun needed manpower, and if there were some fruits to his labor, then as a prize, Yoonshin would tag along on cases that he could do and he felt bad about not doing. Sehun readily allowed Yoonshin to take his prize because he must have thought this would positively contribute to the efficiency of his workflow.

"I was told that too. You can go ahead with it. Let me know if you need anything from me."

"Thank you. For starters, could you schedule a meeting with the client for me?"

"Sure thing. Oh, and this is the date that the judgment comes out for your sister's divorce. You know, right?" Secretary Tak pointed to a day on his desk calendar.

"Of course, I know. I was going to drop by."

"You were going in person? They'll send the judgment electronically anyways."

"Yes, since this is something we toiled toward for a year, I want to see it end with my own eyes."

After frantically racing toward the finish line, his sister's divorce lawsuit was finally slowing down to a lull.

Soohan kept spinning tall tales and spreading fake news, so Sehun used &Yung's public statement to raise the stakes by revealing strong evidence to refute all of them.

Originally, to make her case more favorable for her and in consideration of her growing children and her own career, Ikyung was hesitant to appear in public. However, to prevent the further spread of the ludicrous tales poised as if they were real, Sehun decided to one-up the opposing party with an extreme move.

In addition to staying fresh in the minds of the public in that process, there was one unexpected benefit they reaped. Although many people were growing tired of the couple's debate, after enduring the beating, lkyung's sympathizers rebounded, and support for her grew stronger. At first, most of the sympathy for her was washed away by the other side, but now, the public opinion in favor of her started to form naturally.

"Then, I guess it's D-Day in a way? According to the family lawyers at our firm, as long as the world doesn't end tomorrow, they see it as a surefire win. The PR team is also preparing the press release."

"Yes, if we win the trial, my sister will get the strength to endure longer."

"True, there was so much effort poured into this. The ace of our firm, Attorney Kang, and Director Song all had their shot at this, so we can't lose. What does Director Do think?"

"She said that she'll feel weird. They were together for 10 years. Whatever the final order, she will have to leave that house. She has tenaciously lasted well so far."

"She must have had a hard time. Tell her congratulations in advance," Secretary Tak said in a sympathetic tone.

Smiling, Yoonshin replied, "I will."

Just then, a voice stated, "Attorney Yoonshin Do needs to learn the basics again." Sehun threw a wrench in their easy-flowing conversation. While they were distracted, the elevator reached their floor. Sehun passed along his instructions to the senior lawyers and then walked toward Yoonshin and Secretary Tak.

Sehun waved away his subordinates, who were following him tensely, and then walked up next to Yoonshin. Secretary Tak and the other secretaries stood to greet him. Yoonshin hugged his documents and turned toward Sehun. "Welcome back, Senior Attorney. How was the management meeting?"

"Yes, I'm back. Don't change the topic."

Yoonshin winced at the frostiness of the tone. After some hesitation, he confessed his own wrongs. "I know. I shouldn't release my tension till the end."

"You knew and still?"

"I'll rectify my answer."

"What do you keep rectifying things for? You'll end up on your deathbed before you know it while you keep rectifying yourself. Don't celebrate your win before you actually win. You'll jinx it. Don't you know our industry's rules?"

Yoonshin nodded fervently, and Sehun looked at him with pitying eyes before handing a business card to Secretary Talc The secretary scanned the front and back and returned it. At that moment, Sehun said, "You, follow me."

Secretary Tak, who had quickly chased after Sehun to open his door, awkwardly stood and pointed to himself. "Me?"

"No, not you," Sehun said indifferently and nodded in Yoonshin's direction. "Yoonshin."

Once he said so, the room grew dead silent. Everyone looked at Sehun, bewildered, but the partner couldn't care less. Sehun's eyes were fixed on Yoonshin until he checked his watch and frowned. "Hey, I need to get on a call, so come in four minutes with a 10-second margin of error."

This time, he didn't look at Yoonshin and beckoned him with his finger before disappearing into his office. Left behind in the secretary's office, Yoonshin was frozen, looking dumbstruck.

Once Sehun's low voice and poised footsteps disappeared, Yoonshin was surrounded by silence again. Nobody said a word. Only the sound of keyboards clacking could be heard.

Before Yoonshin realized it, Secretary Tak had returned to his spot. He started the stopwatch on his phone and showed it to Yoonshin. On top of that, Secretary Tak poked the dazed Yoonshin in his side. "Is he sick somewhere?"

Finally snapping out of it, Yoonshin asked back, just like Secretary Tak had to Sehun, "Me?"

"No, Attorney Kang. He called you by your name so sweetly. Since when were you two that close? I have never in my life heard him call anyone like that. I've never been called by my name..."

Yoonshin carefully chose his words, but none of them felt right to say. "Since when...? I don't know. I don't remember."

"It must have been a while, then? Oh, you live at the company residence too, right? You two must have gotten really close."

"No, actually, this is the first time I've heard him call me like that. So he knows how to call me by just my first name. I didn't know he could do that."

Silence surrounded them, similar to when Sehun was there, as if on repeat. Yoonshin had never imagined that Sehun would call him by his first name like that. If he had known that Sehun was capable of such things, he would have begged for it already.

"Yoonshin."

Imagining Sehun's dulcet tenor calling his name tenderly, Yoonshin felt like he was speeding furiously in a car with no speed limit. He could start to understand why Sehun became pliant when his name was called. Others might not put significance to name-calling, but it wasn't that simple to Yoonshin.

It was just Yoonshin's assumption, but he had a feeling that Sehun had probably never called anyone like he just called Yoonshin. What was important to Yoonshin was that this was Sehun's first in everything, and Yoonshin was the recipient. The incomplete combustion of Sehun Kang's life was nearing perfection, and Yoonshin felt like he was watching this change in real-time. Every time he became cognizant that he was special to Sehun, he was thrilled.

Yoonshin swallowed back the emotions brimming and threatening to spill from his lips, wrapping his hand around his throat.

At that moment, another person's voice shattered his sweet reverie.

"Me either. That's interesting—you've achieved in two years what I couldn't in 10. Also, it's three minutes and 20 seconds now." Along with his reply, Secretary Tak showed Yoonshin his phone and gestured to Sehun's office. Finally coming back to his senses, Yoonshin bowed his head in farewell and walked toward the partner's office.

After a deep breath, he counted to 10 before knocking on the door and cautiously opening it.

Perched on the edge of his desk, Sehun set down his phone, just finishing his call. He checked his watch and looked up at Yoonshin with entertainment in his eyes. "Did you start a stopwatch? You're right on the clock. Come in."

Once permission to enter was granted, Yoonshin approached him, closing the door behind him. The small commotion at the secretary's office gathered some attention to Sehun's office, so Yoonshin couldn't shut the blinds or lock the door.

Indifferent to the outside, Sehun angled his head to the side acutely and scanned Yoonshin from head to toe. Noticing Yoonshin's awkward gait, he knitted his brow slightly.

"Why are your legs and arms moving discordantly? Are you sick?"

"People are watching outside."

Unable to comprehend, Sehun leaned his head in confusion. "Is that news to you?"

"Urn, could you call me by my name?" Yoonshin requested, without any notice.

Surprisingly, Sehun obliged quite readily. "Yoonshin Do."

"Not like that."

"Do you have a different name?"

"That's not... whatever. Let's talk about this next time. Did you have something to tell me?"

Sehun stared at Yoonshin for a while, leaning on his desk. Then, he said, "One of the items on today's partner meeting agenda was you. I put the decision on hold because I wanted to ask you about your thoughts."

Yoonshin presumed that he had risen to the chopping board of several preceding partner meetings. Whenever there was a hitch in his sister's matter, Yoonshin could all too easily picture the other partners cornering Sehun. It was easy to guess that Sehun had been Yoonshin's shield in the middle of it all. Yet, Sehun had never mentioned the meetings to Yoonshin before. Bringing it up now was unwarranted and out of the blue.

"Is this about my sister?"

"No, it's about you. Have you thought about moving departments?"

This topic was completely out of the realm of Yoonshin's expectations, so he felt numb. He also felt quite upset. Telling him that Sehun was going to send Yoonshin to a different team meant that Sehun wouldn't be his direct superior. His reply sounded louder than he intended. "You're planning on sending me to a different team?"

"The conditions are good, and the timing is appropriate—this will be good for your career. I think it's a good idea."

"Am I bad at my job?"

"I'm just suggesting that we find a way to make work more enjoyable for you."

"Or do you still not like my work style? I was trying my best to match you."

"Yoonshin Do, are you listening to me?"

"Are you sure this is something I have a say on? Is it not already decided?"

"Don't get carried away. I told you I wanted to hear your thoughts. I said it a few seconds ago, but it seems that you forgot."

If this came up at the partners' meeting, then Yoonshin's move was deemed beneficial for the firm. In his head, Yoonshin knew that he shouldn't be obstinate or whine about it.

Sehun had only just suggested the move, and yet, Yoonshin felt himself getting more upset. Yoonshin didn't expect him to protect him despite keeping him at the firm. Yoonshin wished Sehun didn't egg him on by saying it was a good idea, but he was doing that. lust a moment ago, Yoonshin felt like he was soaring because he was special to Sehun, but now he felt like he was stuck in a pit of mud. His mood plummeted from an extreme high to an abysmal low.

"You might already know, but you're not a good fit for corporate consultations. You're much better at litigation. Our litigation experts are mostly former judges and prosecutors, so they have similar values to you. No matter how I think of it, being my associate isn't the right fit for you."

"That sounds like an excuse."

"All right. I'll be franker with you. I don't want you to become like me, and I hate that I'm being wary of my actions because I find the thought of you becoming like me infuriating. We're too different. Let's just admit what's true. Don't become like me."

“…”

"Come closer."

Yoonshin neither replied nor got closer, so Sehun lightly grasped Yoonshin's wrist. He pulled, coaxing him to come closer, and Yoonshin allowed himself to be pulled along. From closer, the sincere glint in Sehun's eyes was apparent.

"Even if you move teams, you can't keep doing things for the benefit of others. You have to continuously prove your worth as a lawyer to Doguk. Still, I thought that this was a good idea because you could do something you'll do well in and feel accomplishment from. The other partners support it because they think this will bring the firm more money, so this is the perfect chance."

Sehun seemed like he genuinely wanted to persuade Yoonshin. His tone and voice were gentler than usual, so Yoonshin's heart softened quickly. Knowing that, Sehun grabbed an envelope from his desk and pulled out a photo. It was of a celebrity couple that most people knew. Sehun slipped it into his hands, and Yoonshin stared down at the happy-looking couple and asked, "Why are you giving this to me?"

"Watching you from the side made me realize your newfound interest in this area. Was I wrong?"

Upon hearing that, Yoonshin had a vague idea of what Sehun was trying to say. "Are they getting divorced, by any chance?"

"Apparently, they are. The client chose you out of all the lawyers in Doguk. They probably want to use the reputation you've earned thanks to your sister's case. I also agree—this will sell well to the masses. Once you put your sister's victory in your pocket, your name value will rise."

So far, Yoonshin had worked as a subordinate to Sehun, a partner lawyer—but from this, Sehun seemed to imply that Yoonshin should let his name be known as a lawyer with expertise. Ultimately, it meant that they should separate their practices. Yoonshin knew that while working with Sehun, Sehun didn't feel the most comfortable, which made it harder for Yoonshin to refuse the offer.

The one thing that came as a relief was that Sehun came to this decision because he wanted to maintain their relationship for longer.

"But if I become a part of a different team..."

"I know what you're worried about. You can keep using the same office. I would also like it if you were there because it's easy to see what you're doing when I look up.”

Yoonshin was just about to mention that the office was the one thing he didn't want to lose, so he was relieved that Sehun said that he could do that.

"Then, all I have to do is switch my affiliation to the family law team, right?"

"If that's your decision."

And you're sure that I can keep using that room?"

"You can use it until you become a partner."

Sehun was absolutely right. Ever since taking on his sister's case, Yoonshin became interested in divorce litigation. The matters that Sehun took were high-stakes corporate advice—it was very risky, and many people became hurt in the process. Sehun generally won, so Yoonshin always became an accessory to the injury of others. Sehun could tell that Yoonshin always felt guilty about it.

Yoonshin sighed and then grabbed Sehun's sleeve with a doleful face. Worried that someone would see from outside, he couldn't do more and quickly let go of the fabric. His anxiety about being seen was amplified because his back was to the window. Yoonshin merely stared at Sehun before accepting Sehun's request. "Okay, I'll do it. I can't refuse anyway, so I might as well be good and listen."

"Good thinking."

"But which one is my client? I like this actress. Is it her?"

To air out the heavy mood, Yoonshin pointed at the actress' face, but Sehun's eyes narrowed as he shot a glare at him. His affectionate face all but disappeared, and agitation replaced it.

"You, what?"

Yoonshin flinched and retorted, "Celebrities are just celebrities. I have feelings purely as a fan..."

"Really? I see, so that's how it is." Sehun's exaggerated reaction stuck out to Yoonshin. Sehun's mood must have soured, so Yoonshin tried to understand by putting himself in Sehun's shoes. For some reason, if Sehun told Yoonshin something similar, Yoonshin felt like he would be much more affected than Sehun.

Yoonshin couldn't imagine Sehun liking a singer or an actor. However, if he did end up liking someone, Yoonshin felt like Sehun would try to put them in his grasp, no matter the method. He could easily see what his face would be like if Sehun told him that he liked someone else.

Eventually, Yoonshin surrendered. "Pretend I never said anything. Forget it. I was paying lip service of sorts."

"Why, you can keep on liking her. Our client is the woman. Good—you don't have a goalkeeper."

"I won't say that. Seriously. So tell me I'm the only one for you."

“…”

"Come on, hurry up and tell me. You're too handsome for your own good, and I get anxious."

Sehun's leisurely gaze filled Yoonshins' vision. As if half of his listlessness was a joke, he chuckled. Sehun's composed voice continued, "What do you think it means that she picked you herself?"

That wasn't a hard question to answer. "She wanted to use the fact that I'm Ikyung's brother. The couple is either in a similar situation as Ikyung, or they want me to gather attention instead."

Sehun rubbed Yoonshin's wrist, telling him that it was the right answer. As his hand slowly slid down, his fingers brushed Yoonshin. Reflexively, Yoonshin almost turned back, but Sehun—who had a better view of the windows—squeezed him tighter to tell him that this was okay. Thankfully, it didn't seem like there were people blatantly staring.

"Should I get the documents and materials from Secretary Tak?"

"Yep. As long as you use that room, you can share your tasks with Secretary Tak. He can handle a wide range of areas."

"I'll do my best."

"I know."

"How do you know when I haven't even started yet?"

"I know because I've seen you work. Even in your sister's lawsuit, I practically just lent you my name, and you prepared everything. You're good at your job, hardworking, and responsible. I'm also reluctant to send you away. For real."

Hearing Sehun's true feelings directly made Yoonshin's heart flutter. Yoonshin squirmed and hesitated, and with rosy cheeks, he replied, "I love you too."

Then, Sehun let go of Yoonshin's hand and frowned playfully. "Weird use of an adverb. I never said anything like that to you."

"Wow, how are you backing out now? Coward. Are you a man?"

"I probably am. You should know."

He jutted his chin at Yoonshin's groin and then locked eyes with Yoonshin. Yoonshin was dumbstruck and paralyzed. Sehun added nonchalantly, "Do you have anything more to say to me? You can leave if you don't. I've said all I needed to."

"1-just like this?" Yoonshin asked, stuttering in bewilderment.

"Should I be doing something more?"

They had just been discussing a serious matter of moving teams, and Yoonshin felt disappointed that Sehun was sending him away so casually. In revolt, Yoonshin took a step back. Not hiding his feelings, he turned and walked to the door before turning around at the last minute.

Sehun was staring at him, looking speechless and with one eyebrow raised. He was poised to return to his seat and his work. Feeling a surge of emotion, Yoonshin was about to approach the older man again, but Sehun's eyes were asking the younger man why he wasn't leaving.

Biting his lower lip, Yoonshin grabbed the door handle. "Sure, go ahead. Work hard and become filthy rich."

"I'll buy you a lot of good food."

"It's fine—I make money too. Why don't you have sex with work then? Why do that with me?" Yoonshin flung the door open and stomped out of the office.

The door shut heavily, and the space Yoonshin once filled was empty, leaving a stark void.

Sehun, who was pretending to concentrate on his work, stared at the empty spot where Yoonshin once stood. He twirled the long body of his pen in his fingers. The twirling baton stopped abruptly, wedged vertically between his long fingers. Sehun casually tossed it on his desk, and his placid mask dissolved.

He chuckled, and a leisurely and serene smile danced on his lips.

Even until a few years ago, to Yoonshin, divorce was just another legal proceeding. However, after going through many things, his thoughts about it changed. The breakdown of the marriage marked the end but also a new beginning. He became interested in facilitating this process. There were more gray zones in this area of law than others, and his sister's case acted as a strong vaccine to immunize him with confidence to do better next time.

Yoonshin thought that Sehun also noticed this change, so he found Yoonshin this opportunity.

Yoonshin reviewed the materials from the client late into the night. He took one step back from the whiteboard in his office, taking in the big picture of the points he outlined. After summarizing the entire case, it seemed like his client would not end at mediation but would pursue litigation, just like his sister.

"Their marriage completely failed, but the husband doesn't want to get a divorce... And the wife is willing to take the risk to go as far as litigation. I guess the main reason for divorce is the husband's delusional jealousy, but there are no medical records about that."

After staring at the whiteboard for a moment, Yoonshin began writing down all the material evidence that he needed the client to get as soon as possible. "A list of public events and activities that the husband participated in the last year... Witnesses to testify that she received psychological abuse. Their credit card statements, phone records..."

Yoonshin picked up a stack of documents and started to read through them. The couple's phone records were printed, but he didn't have any records from the manager, who worked closely with the husband. It wouldn't be easy for a well-known actor to move around freely, so snooping around behind the wife's back was most likely done through the manager. Yoonshin had a feeling that if he turned the agency upside down and shook them hard enough, something would be revealed. "The agency's operational expenses for the husband. Okay. That's about it for now."

Yoonshin firmly put down the marker, and to request information, he dialed an internal number. Nobody picked up. Finally, he sheepishly checked the time which indicated that it was already past 10. Realizing that it was way past the end of the day, he hurriedly picked up his cell phone. There was no message from Sehun, which was strange. Glancing across the hallway, the older lawyer's office lights were turned off.

‘Did he leave ahead of me? He would have told me then’ he wondered. He was about to call when the door burst open at the same time. lumping in fright, Yoonshin dropped his phone. "God, you scared me."

The man in question, Sehun, was standing in the open doorframe. He had happened to be walking from the other side of the hall, which put him in a blind spot. Yoonshin exhaled to calm himself and picked up his phone, putting it back on his desk. He said, sounding a bit deflated and shaken, "You're really not a gentleman."

"How dare you form crude thoughts about your insurmountable senior with that tiny head of yours."

"You're not asking me what kind of crude thoughts? They were pretty hardcore."

"They're probably softcore compared to how I think of you in my head."

Redness spread instantly through Yoonshin's face, and Sehun tapped the flushed cheek with his finger and said, "Are you getting off work now? Then, we can take my car."

"Can I?" Brightened, Yoonshin pushed the whiteboard to the side and gathered his belongings. He stuffed only the documents that he needed in his file bag and then wore his jacket. Sehun waited patiently for him, and when Yoonshin got out of the office, Sehun turned off the lights and closed the office for the younger man.

They walked side by side down the quiet corridor. It was late, but there were still a few people left behind, so they kept their thoughts to themselves. Throughout the elevator ride and until they reached the basement parking garage, the trend of silence continued.

Finally, Yoonshin jumped into the passenger seat of the car before Sehun got in. He waited patiently, and as soon as Sehun sat in the driver's seat, he leaned forward and kissed Sehun loudly on his cheek. That wasn't enough—Yoonshin took a large bite into the older man's cheek.

Sehun let out air, amused at the sight he saw through his rearview mirror. Then, he started to drive smoothly. Yoonshin had strapped on his seatbelt by then. He angled his head toward Sehun and said to the older man, "I asked the head of the family litigation team and heard that this case originally came to you first. The client asked for you, and after you refused, she picked me."

"Yeah, she did. Is it going well?"

"I'm identifying the main issues. But did you happen to know the client personally?"

Sehun could put his finger on what Yoonshin was trying to get at from just a few remarks. He replied insouciantly, "You must have heard something somewhere again. Stop beating around the bush—you're really bad at doing that. Just ask."

Sehun was right on the mark. Yoonshin's new boss told him that Sehun had taken on the client's defamation case a long time ago. However, that connection was several years old, and Sehun no longer took on litigation of that nature. Ikyung's case was atypical for him and still in progress.

The news still made noise about this matter, yet the actress came to Sehun for help despite it, which probably meant that she had some expectations of him. Coming to that conclusion, Yoonshin became so bothered about it that he couldn't concentrate on any other work, focusing solely on this case for the past few days.

Jumping at the chance that he was waiting for, Yoonshin took the bait. "Has anything ever sparked between you and a client—male or female? You like doing things that you're not supposed to do, so I thought that if you were in the right mood, you would have played with fire for one night."

"How in the world do you see me? I'm very strict with my boundaries. Why? You're the one who liked that actress, but are you jealous because she knows me?"

"Are you really going to be like that? She knew you several years ago, and your position has changed, so if she asked for you again, it must mean that you two had a fairly decent relationship. You must have been as nice to her as you are to me."

"We didn't get along. I don't get along with anyone because I'm bad-tempered." Sehun replied coolly.

The response was so unconcerned that Yoonshin's reaction grew twice as blunt. "How do you expect me to believe that? You didn't know me back then, so you could just fool me."

"What do you want to hear? Tell me—I'll say it."

"Then tell me that you like me. Three times."

"I like you, I like you, I like you."

"Only me."

"Of course, I only like you. Can you tell by the fact that I have sex with you and not my work?"

Yoonshin wanted to hear that he was the only one for Sehun. Because Sehun was acting like a well-behaved child for once, Yoonshin had to hold in his laughter. Sehun didn't smile at all, but Yoonshin could tell that Sehun was enjoying this moment with Yoonshin.

Given that he extorted such a rare confession of love, Yoonshin leaned briefly on Sehun's shoulder before pulling away. Sehun didn't miss that moment and quickly pecked the crown of Yoonshin's head. While they were at the stoplight, they turned their heads toward each other and kissed. Sehun spoke up first. "If you want to discuss work, say it now. You won't be able to talk about it when we get back home."

Yoonshin hummed, mulling about it, and started carefully, "After my client meeting, I was making some notes about what I guess I could call the chronicle of their domestic disputes for the last two days. The husband found out about her intimate relationships before marriage which sparked the conflict, leading to the breakdown of the marriage. What era does he think we're in for him to expect abstinence before marriage?"

"And your arsenal?"

"To prove that he was always overly dependent and possessive. She found out after they got married, and it's serious enough that continuing the marriage is impossible. Witness testimony is probably the safest way to go, wouldn't it? The managers, the agency director and employees, their celebrity acquaintances and other industry-related people, and the ex-girlfriends."

"Is that all? Don't you feel like something is missing? You should."

Clueless as to what Sehun was trying to get at, Yoonshin tilted his head. "Should I? I thought this would be plenty enough."

"I don't think it is."

Yoonshin quickly thought on his feet and realized what answer Sehun wanted. "Did he also date men? For how long? How many?"

"He might have psychologically abused her, but there's a high chance that he physically abused his male lovers. Realistically, the most useful evidence to present to the court is visible and material ones."

"Would it be convincing? Both of them are actors, the divorce will attract attention, and one wrong move could end up outing the boyfriend against his will."

After working on Ikyung's divorce all year long, Yoonshin knew that the media was an opportunistic, hungry hyena. Sehun read the concern in Yoonshin's face, and putting more pressure on him on purpose, Sehun incited Yoonshin's competitive spirit. "I don't know—I want to see Attorney Yoonshin Do making it through. Could I have high hopes for you?"

"Do you have any tips for me?"

"Yoonshin Do, you're a 21st-century human. Why are you trying to solve everything at the stuffy old court?"

Yoonshin searched Sehun's angular jaws for the answer and then snapped his fingers. "What if I found his past victims and elicited a narrative about their feelings online or on a video-sharing site? We can rely on the anonymity of the internet. But since it'll be true, the husband will feel psychologically oppressed. It won't be valid evidence at the mediation, but since both of them are celebrities and are sensitive to the public view, this will probably influence the final judgment if we use it well."

"You're developing into a bad guy pretty smoothly.”

Strictly speaking, Yoonshin's client was the victim, so what he was trying to do was throw her a life jacket. Reading this excuse on Yoonshin's face, Sehun added indifferently, "I keep thinking that you should have become a prosecutor. You could try applying now if you'd like."

"Too bad, I'm going to keep using the office next door to you?

Pleased with the answer, Sehun tapped on his steering wheel with his palm and glanced at Yoonshin. In response to the gaze, Yoonshin leaned on Sehun's strong arm. Every time Yoonshin felt like he wanted to express himself, he was glad that Sehun and not anyone else was the one beside him. Yoonshin was filled with gratitude whenever he saw Sehun next to him with his unchanging attitude.

Empathizing with Yoonshin completely, Sehun gently lifted the arm with the younger man's head to pet his smooth hair. His hand slid down Yoonshin's temple, ears, and cheeks. His rigid hand was cool to the touch, and Yoonshin's eyes gently closed.

"My sister's final order will be passed soon —would you like to go with me? I know that you don't need to, but... Just because..." Yoonshin asked apprehensively.

It was extremely common for the lawyers not to attend the court date for the final order. Because they knew that they were almost certainly going to win the lawsuit that they had toiled through and because Sehun was so busy, Yoonshin felt sorry about asking Sehun to come. Sehun willingly replied, but his response didn't sound pure. "How many bottles of wine do you have at home? Let's smear it on and drink it. Then I'll go with you."

"Smear what? The liquid? Where?"

Without warning, Sehun's hand reached down to Yoonshin's crotch and pressed firmly. Yoonshin gasped and looked at the older man with quivering eyes, and Sehun blatantly grabbed the shaft through the fabric, twisting it gently in his hands. It would have been better if Sehun had stopped there.

"Or we can pour it inside and drink," Sehun said suggestively and stuck out his middle finger, jabbing Yoonshin's perineum. He rolled his fingertip like he wanted to plunge his finger inside, and the skinny man shuddered and keeled forward. If it weren't for his seatbelt, Yoonshin would have hit his head on the glove box.

Belatedly, Yoonshin got ahold of his sense of reason and slapped away Sehun's hand. Sehun backed away without a fight rather easily. But that didn't mean that he stopped talking. "White or red?"

"I won't drink with you!"

"Hmm, you probably have rosé too."

"I said I won't!"

"Who said you'll be drinking? I'm going to be the one drinking. You're just the wine glass. I thought it tasted much better when your semen mixed with the salad that time."

Yoonshin bit his lip and slapped Sehun's arm with quite some force. "Urgh, you must be out of your mind."

Sehun smirked playfully and then burst out into hearty laughter.

On the day of the final order, a heavy air shrouded the courthouse.

Usually, on the day the judgment came out, the judge's role was merely conveying the order, and the parties and their lawyers rarely ever showed up. However, today, Yoonshin participated with Sehun. Since her eldest child was entering elementary school this year, lkyung felt uncomfortable with her face being plastered in the headlines of the news again. In place of her absence, the two lawyers were attending.

As they were seated, the judge started to recite the order in a monotonous voice in front of them. "We hereby declare that the plaintiff lkyung Do and defendant Jeongwon Yoo are divorced."

The panel of judges ordered the defendant to pay the plaintiff alimony, and the total divided assets were worth more than ten million.

The fault lay with the husband, and Ikyung was better prepared with her evidence than Soohan's legal team expected. Not only that, Sehun and his team of lawyers used said evidence exceptionally well, fantastically humiliating the other side in the face of the media, but other than that, there weren't any particular troubles. The defendant's property was valued in the billions, so at first, they had expected an astronomical equalization of property.

However, once the hearing results were becoming more crystallized, Sehun suddenly tried to negotiate with the other side. This was Ikyung's request. In exchange for drastically lowering the compensation, she asked that they give up their right to appeal and all public and private attacks on her and give up visitation rights and decision-making rights. After their initial resistance and much consideration, Soohan eventually accepted the terms. Most of the defendant's property was in the form of Soohan Group's securities, so if they were to divide the assets according to the law, then Jeongwon's control of the company would be compromised.

Ikyung had only wanted exclusive custodial and parental rights, more than the average amount of alimony, and a guarantee to live peacefully with her children—this was a satisfactory result for her. It seemed like Sehun was somewhat disappointed, but he gave in since his client strongly wished for it.

"This court appoints the plaintiff to be the exclusive parent and custodian of the children. The defendant Jeongwon Yoo is to pay the plaintiff child support starting the day after this order is made until the two children are of the age of majority, every last day of the month..."

Yoonshin, who was carefully listening to the contents of the order, quietly stood in the middle of the recitation. He exited the courtroom, leaving Sehun behind. He avoided running into anyone and went to the bathroom to wash his face with cold water. He rubbed away the moisture with a rough paper towel and locked eyes with his clear reflection.

He wasn't sure if he could savor the victory of the litigation. Yoonshin decided that if he could physically smile, he would simply let himself be happy about it and tried to bring up the corners of his lips. To his relief, a smile hung gracefully on his lips.

He considered sending a message to his sister, but he knew that she didn't watch the news on purpose, choosing that time to spend with the children. After the detailed order came, he would tell her the news, letting her read and mull over all the reasons for their judgment herself.

Yoonshin exhaled deeply and then exited the bathroom—or, he tried to. He just so happened to run right into Sehun, who was coming his way, and Yoonshin froze in the drafty room.

He contemplated how to start the conversation, but no light bulbs flashed in his head. He merely ended up throwing a trite question. "Do you think there'll be a lot of reporters outside the courthouse? I came here relying on Soohan's word that they would control the press, but some people must have gotten wind that we were going to come here because I saw some reporters on the way in."

"I don't know. There will probably be just as many outside as inside."

"Do we have to stay until the end of the judgment?"

"No, they're done reading the verdict. That's why I'm also out. Let's go back."

Yoonshin was mildly bummed out that had to go back to the firm instead of home because they still had work left to do. Yoonshin needed to publish lkyung's position on her order. He also needed to monitor if Soohan kept their promise by compiling articles. It all showed on Yoonshin's face. Sehun casually asked, "Did you contact your sister yet?"

"I was going to do that closer to the evening. I thought it would be better to call after the kids were in bed."

"Tell her that she still needs to do one more interview for an article. We'll prepare the questions and the answers."

"She finds it good enough that she could protect her children from her ex-husband's violence, and she doesn't need anything else. Part of the assets she receives will be donated to a charitable organization, and just like her late father's wishes, she will live humbly. Right?"

"Yes. Tell her to cry when she meets the reporters. It's appropriate to cry now."

Yoonshin nodded in understanding and then suddenly asked with worry spreading across his face, "Jeongwon won't appeal like promised, right? I'm not sure if we should trust him."

"Domestic issues are a minus to him as well. It's especially disadvantageous because he's in the last leg of the succession race. I'll manage the follow-up, so there's no need to worry."

After gazing down at the relief written on Yoonshin's fair face, Sehun turned his back. He walked toward the basement parking lot, and naturally, Yoonshin followed. As they walked, Yoonshin gazed at Sehun's broad and dependable back. Inevitably, he recalled something Sehun had said before. "They say that no party comes out of a divorce proceeding as the winner or loser; only the lawyers win or lose."

As he walked, Yoonshin said quietly, "Congratulations."

"You too. You worked hard." Sehun's terse answer was relaxed and tender.

In no time, they arrived in the basement. Yoonshin opened the passenger seat door of Sehun's car and then halted. Sensing the hesitation, Sehun stopped as well. With the car separating them, their eyes met.

Yoonshin had always wanted to tell Sehun. No matter how many times he said it, it wouldn't be enough. The closer they got, the harder it was to convey these small tokens of gratitude, so he couldn't show Sehun everything he held in his heart. "Thank you. I could hang on this long thanks to you."

Sehun quietly stared at him and replied like he heard something silly, "You did all the heavy lifting."

"People might believe that. I heard that's what you told my sister."

"Because it's true."

Sehun was redirecting all the achievements to Yoonshin, but both of them knew best that this was far from the truth. Among all the documents and issues between them and Soohan, there wasn't a single thing that didn't go through Sehun. He had always been struggling to win the tug of war with the other side's lawyer, and he fueled the fire of the media to prevent the loss of interest of the public.

More than anything, even if the weapons he held were powerful, fighting alone was unimaginably hard. The profound loneliness and fear of a person left alone in the deep dark night quickly incapacitated a person, making them vulnerable. Ikyung needed someone to be on her side, and Sehun was the one to extend his hand. If Yoonshin was the one who offered, his sister would have refused to the bitter end.

After exchanging looks for a while, they finally got in the car. While Yoonshin budded his seatbelt, Sehun grabbed the steering wheel. Until they slipped out of the courthouse, they didn't utter a word. In fact, Yoonshin was still on guard in case a reporter ambushed them—he stared out the window and firmly pressed his lips together.

The car smoothly drove out past the main road in Gangnam toward the firm building.

With all the tension leaving his body, Yoonshin finally managed to say, "It feels weird."

"Why? Is this your first victory?"

Unable to hide his confused look, Yoonshin articulated sharply, "I'm not about to teach a fish how to swim, but I've had my fair share of wins."

"I never knew that I had such an eminent man in my passenger seat."

"I won't have any cases with you anymore now, will I?"

When they were at a light, Sehun—who had been massaging the wheel and joking around—turned to look at Yoonshin. While Yoonshin had been exchanging light remarks, he had at some point turned to look outside again. Engrossed in his thoughts, he seemed fraught with worry as he counted the passing streetlights.

Catching a glimpse of Sehun's reflection staring at him, Yoonshin calmly decided to verbalize his rationale. There was such composure in his attitude and tone that Sehun could feel the turbulent emotions suppressed and churning under the surface. "It was fun working with you—well, even though the case itself wasn't that delightful."

Sehun's brow wrinkled slightly. Are you immigrating to some other country?"

"If I leave, who'll entertain you?"

"Then why are you acting like this?"

"I'm really sorry to my sister, but now that this case is done, I feel like one excuse for us to be together is gone. You're always busy, and I'm not exactly free either. What excuse should we make to get off work together now? So far, we did all our projects together, so people didn't look at us weirdly. Now they'll think it's strange if I catch a ride with you—even though this seat is mine."

"That seat won't go anywhere."

"Not only that, I have to hide all the signs that we met over the weekend."

After listening carefully to everything Yoonshin said, Sehun laughed. "I guess I'm the one leaving the country."

"I'm being serious."

"We see each other every day."

He was right in theory, but the theory was far from the truth. Their work routines and usage of time were quite different. In fact, when they didn't have a project together, they would go to work at the same time and not speak at all until nighttime.

Not only that, both of them usually lived buried in work, so making time for each other wasn't an easy feat. They were only able to stick to each other seven days a week for the past few months because of the acquisition matter, Ikyung's divorce, and most of their shared projects. Hence, it was only possible because there were no boundaries in work between them.

"Sehun Kong's personal and professional time was all mine, but I'm bitter that only your personal life is mine."

Screech.

Before Yoonshin could finish, Sehun swerved into a different lane. He pulled over on the side of an isolated road and suddenly got out of the car. He walked around the hood and opened the passenger seat door. Yoonshin looked up at him, dumbstruck. "What are you doing?"

"Get out."

"Was my whining annoying? I was just about done."

"It wasn't annoying at all. I thought this wasn't a conversation to have while driving. Get off."

Yoonshin's eyes grew round, confused by Sehun's abrupt actions. He merely sat there, not knowing how to react, and Sehun urged him on by tapping the frame of the car. It was written all over Sehun's face that he had a lot to say. Usually, Yoonshin was the one making that face, so it was a new sight. Yoonshin looked around and finally got out of the car.

This was near an empty lot, so there weren't many people. Only a few high school students across the road were playing basketball. Turning their backs to the students, they slipped in between the buildings. They stopped and faced each other in the narrow alley.

Sehun stared intently at Yoonshin, then he gently pulled Yoonshin's wrist to lead him into his arms. Then, he showered kisses on the crown of his head. Enjoying the nice feeling, Yoonshin blinked comfortably.

"Yoonshin." At the end of the shower, Sehun called Yoonshin's name. Yoonshin flinched, and his lips fell open. Sehun's tone, his voice, his warmth, and his hand gestures—Yoonshin loved them so much that he wanted to ask Sehun to bestow him that moment again, but the sincere atmosphere prevented him from asking. Unable to reply, Yoonshin stared blankly at the wall. Sehun continued, "Asking you to move teams wasn't because you were a burden or that I wanted to separate you from me."

"I understood that all. I also feel the same."

"I thought you understood too, but looking at you now, you didn't get a thing. If you need any advice from me, I will always give it to you. If I need help, I'll ask you first. If our schedules match, we'll go home in the same car. We'll spend the weekend together. Now and in the future, that seat is yours. Nothing will change."

Yoonshin slid away from Sehun's torso and locked eyes with the older man.

"I was being selfish because I like the way you are now and I want you to stay that way. It's not because you're useless to me. I told you. You're a good lawyer."

After hearing Sehun's patient and thorough explanation, Yoonshin thought that he shouldn't complain and pretend he didn't understand Sehun anymore. But it wasn't easy for him to assent out loud. His anxiety must have surfaced on his face because Sehun looked oddly unsatisfied as if he had an itch he couldn't reach. "If you truly want, you can come back to my team. Do you want to do that?"

"If you say it like that, what does that make me?"

"You don't have confidence in me?"

"It's weird to be completely confident when you like someone. I'm always anxious."

If truth be told, Sehun Kang was the only inexplicable unknown in Yoonshin's life. Yoonshin just couldn't interpret everything relating to Sehun logically. As Sehun once said, the causal link to the beginning of their relationship was vague, so just as enigmatic as their beginning, Yoonshin felt like their relationship could go awry for no good reason.

Their physical distance would remain close, but reducing their commonalities could be the start of the end. Yoonshin was essentially spilling those worries to Sehun.

"Let's find a good solution. Leave it to me." Sehun's direct eyes fixed themselves on Yoonshin. As he sometimes did, Sehun was trying to convey his feelings through his eyes. Yoonshin did his best to read it all and nodded quietly.

They had made a mad dash to the finish line, making short work of all their tasks, so Yoonshin could start to think more deeply after it was all done. This was an obstacle they had to come across at some point. Sehun didn't treat Yoonshin's complaints lightly and always tried to understand them earnestly, which made Yoonshin feel more sorry.

Yoonshin yanked at Sehun's dark tie. In concert with the momentum of the pull, he pressed his lower half against the older man.

Head against Sehun's shoulder, Yoonshin pulled in the older man's waist, and Sehun crushed Yoonshin's torso in his arms in response. As if that wasn't enough for Sehun, he angled his head and kissed Yoonshin's ear and temples several times, tousling the smooth hair. Yoonshin closed his eyes, savoring the touches, and said, "I'm sorry for acting so dumb."

"I already knew that you were an idiot."

Before Sehun could continue, Yoonshin's eyes flashed open, and he smacked the older man's chest loudly. His hand had enough force that Sehun should have felt pain, but he continued to pour his attention into hugging Yoonshin. Yoonshin struggled to break free, so Sehun flipped him against the wall and pulled him closer into his embrace. He also crossed his anus in a vice grip, sealing off all escape.

After wriggling a bit, Yoonshin gave up. "Ask me out on a date. Then, I'll let you off."

"Have dinner with me after work."

"If I have time."

"I really want to eat with you though."

"I'll think about it. When will you tell me that you love me? Why am I always the one to say it?"

"I'll say it when you're smart enough to meet my standards."

Flabbergasted, Yoonshin was about to pinch Sehun's side, but he abandoned that thought. He liked this moment when they were overlapping each other. Yoonshin pecked at Sehun's angular jaws and looked up at him. His eyes instantly met with those of Sehun, who was slightly looking down. His sharp eyes contained hundreds and thousands of ineffable emotions.

Yoonshin then closed his eyes, begging for a kiss with his actions. Right away,

Sehun's large hands slid from his back and shoulders to his smooth cheeks.

Sehun grabbed the soft cheeks of the younger man and covered Yoonshin's lips with his. Kissing Sehun was as natural as breathing now, and Yoonshin parted his lips for the older man. Sehun's bumpy and warm tongue licked his skin and then entered Yoonshin's mouth, sending electricity to the younger's toes. The flesh that explored all the insides of his mouth warmed Yoonshin.

"Hnnn, mrnmh..." Yoonshin let out a hot sigh and clung closer to Sehun.

The most surprising aspect of Sehun was that he made Yoonshin like him more than the previous day.

From the lips that kissed him, his shoulders causing friction, and to his dangerously close throat, everywhere that Sehun touched felt good. Yoonshin wanted to let Sehun know how he felt. As he felt the hot flesh burrowing in his mouth, Yoonshin dragged his hand along every corner of the older man's built body. Yoonshin raised his hand, tangling his fingers into the other's hair and grabbing it.

Excited, Sehun grazed his teeth over Yoonshin's lips. He grabbed the younger man's shoulder and pulled away. Their sensitive lips were connected by a thin and transparent thread. Sehun stuck his tongue out to lick away the thread, and his eyes glinted dangerously. Thirst brimmed in his eyes. "Should we do more?"

"Here?"

"It just so happens that we're near a hotel. How about that place behind you?" Sehun sighed and checked the time. In the meantime, Yoonshin looked behind him at the tall hotel building and blushed.

Then, he grabbed Sehun's jacket with both hands and rubbed his cheeks on the other's chest.

The 24-hour cafe near their apartment was quiet with only a few customers as usual. The two were dressed comfortably, sitting side by side in their usual spot and looking out the window where the wintry winds blew. Wearing a warm winter hat to cover his ears, Yoonshin cradled a mug in his hands. He traced the edge of the mug with his fingers.

Sehun was drinking a hot americano, and Yoonshin's mug of earl gray tea wafted with a faint lemony fragrance. He glanced at the mug of coffee that was half full and pulled it over for a sip.

Now that he thought of it, Sehun's selection never varied. Yoonshin wasn't sure if it was just a preference or a habit. "Why do you always drink the same thing?"

Sehun had his chin in one arm, simply gazing at Yoonshin the whole time, and said unconcernedly, "Because it's the fastest. They only need to pour one espresso shot."

Yoonshin couldn't tell if Sehun was being serious or if this was a joke. He wanted to believe that Sehun was joking, but the other man sounded dead serious. If he thought about it, the only beverages that Sehun bought other than alcohol were americanos or carbonated water and nothing else. Both of those menu items were almost instant and simple to order.

A question that he shouldn't ask for an honest answer popped up in his mind. Yoonshin hesitated and then asked tentatively as if he was opening Pandora's box, "Have you ever felt like going on dates with me was a waste of your precious time? Since we pass time like this occasionally."

"What do you think?"

"I don't know, but I think you should choose your answer wisely."

"When I'm with you, I always think time is precious. There's never enough time."

It wasn't the A-, answer that he was looking for, but it was close enough. Yoonshin smiled, telling Sehun he passed the test.

Sehun grabbed the mug with his sculpted hands, took a sip of the bitter coffee, and placed it back down. Yoonshin doggedly caught every moment of it.

"Do you know what coffee tastes like? You're decent at cooking though."

"I know that it tastes different from your spit."

Yoonshin jumped at the completely unexpected response and hurriedly looked around, only to see that there were only a few people despite it being past midnight. Yoonshin had his back to them, but Sehun fully knew that there were still people around. Yoonshin was amazed at the audacity of Sehun talking dirty in public despite this knowledge with a straight face.

His voice was low and raspy, and there was quite the distance between the tables, so nobody probably heard. But Yoonshin just couldn't ignore the one-in-a-million chance that someone heard. He quickly gathered the cups, moved them to the pickup counter, and grabbed Sehun's hand, pulling the man who stared back at him incredulously. Sehun stood awkwardly at Yoonshin's urging, and Yoonshin then whispered into the older man's ears, "Enough is enough. Let's go."

"But you said you wanted the tea here," Sehun said.

"So why did you say something so weird? What if someone heard? Hurry, get up."

"What if what? We'd just be nothing more than a gay couple, that's what."

"How about we take a walk while we talk?"

"Too much effort. And it's cold."

"Please!" Yoonshin dragged the older man toward the exit, and Sehun followed somewhat readily. With the firm wrist still in his grip, Yoonshin started to head in the opposite direction of the cafe and quietly walked for a while. Once they were completely out of the plaza, Yoonshin sighed.

He didn't intend it, but they were out on the sidewalk of the main streets. He saw the bus stop. No more buses were running, so there was nobody there.

Just like a brief break during a hike on a tall mountain, Yoonshin thought the two of them needed a breather like this. With that in mind, Yoonshin sat on the bench of the bus stop. Sehun looked at the bench in disapproval, and then in resignation, he sat next to Yoonshin. He crossed his legs, leaned toward Yoonshin, and kissed his lips.

The bus lines stopped operating, but there were still cars zooming past them. Shocked, Yoonshin slapped Sehun's chest. "You're so hopeless. Why are you like this today?"

"It's just one of those days."

Sehun leaned in for another kiss, but this time, Yoonshin quickly covered his mouth. Sehun narrowed his eyes, his mood dampened by the interruption. Then, he slowly leaned back. Yoonshin was still on guard, shielding his lips.

"Yoonshin Do, I think I've said this about 20 times, but I don't like this kind of mutiny."

"So what?"

"Move your hand."

Finally, Yoonshin obediently lowered his hand and protested, "We're not in a dark alley. Cars are speeding down this road and—ngh!"

At that moment, Sehun seized his chance to crush his lips on Yoonshin's. He pulled away, looking smug. Yoonshin wanted to badger him but ended up laughing. "You're surprisingly playful. Did you know that?"

"Thanks to you, I do."

"You can't use this on anyone else. I found it for you, so it's mine."

Sehun nodded in agreement and pulled Yoonshin's coat collar close. Yoonshin silently watched his caring gesture. Suddenly curious, he asked, "Other than during your childhood, have you ever sat in a bus shelter like this before?"

"I haven't—even when I was young. I walked to most places when I could. If I had the money to ride the bus, I saved it instead for food. An affluent young master like you can't imagine a penny-pinching lifestyle like that, can you?" Sehun replied, his face turning stony as he reminisced about his past. None of his childhood memories gave joy to Sehun, and Yoonshin felt sad as a helpless bystander. He brooded over it, wanting to empathize with Sehun, but it wasn't easy.

Yoonshin shook his head morosely. "I want to understand you better, but sometimes it doesn't work out the way I want it to."

"They're not good memories, so you don't have to."

"I still want to know everything about you. We still have many things that we don't know about each other."

"I've seen through you entirely."

"Me? No way. I'm such a multifaceted person."

"I can even draw your nude body. Down to every little vein. I scrutinize every square inch of you whenever I strip you."

Yoonshin coughed, choking on his spit, and glared at Sehun. Yoonshin wasn't so rational to absorb that sort of information when he had intercourse with Sehun. He was too busy moaning as he was penetrated. He shot a resentful glare at Sehun. Sehun said insouciantly, "Do you want me to give you time to observe me?"

"Given the particular place we're in, I will refuse the half below the waist."

"But that's the half I like."

"You'll be detained for public indecency. I want to stare at your face. I feel good when I do."

Feeling invincible, Yoonshin shifted his body toward Sehun. Then, he stared, pulling apart every little feature in Sehun's handsome face.

Like he was sketching over them, Yoonshin traced his fingers over Sehun's full, well-shaped eyebrows; his big, long eyes that gave Sehun his sharp impression; his sharp nose; and his lips harmoniously placed amongst his features. Sehun patiently sat through it, and the moment Yoonshin touched his lips, Sehun kissed the younger man's neat fingernails.

Before he was aware of it, Yoonshin carefully pushed his fingers between Sehun's lips and rolled his index and middle finger over Sehun's tongue. Surprised at the erotic sensation, he yanked his hand away. Astonished at his own actions done in the middle of the street—not even in a secluded corner—Yoonshin looked around and then felt the impassioned stare on his cheek and bolted up.

Just like at the cafe, Yoonshin pulled Sehun up and walked. This time as well, Sehun followed without complaint.

In the background, tires hit the asphalt as they walked around the neighborhood. Yoonshin felt the urge to hold hands. Once he checked that there was nobody around, he tried to slip his hand into Sehun's, but because the older man—who was slightly walking ahead—suddenly changed directions, their hands only brushed.

Their walk continued. As the night grew longer, the dim lights were drowned out by the darkness.

The two ambled down the bicycle path covered in fallen leaves. This tranquil moment as they walked side by side felt incredibly precious. Yoonshin was certain that Sehun thought the same.

They walked for a while just like that.

Before long, they reached their residential building. The arches of the resident entrance were illuminated, and lights were installed on the entire structure, creating a luminaria. The arches illuminated the night, pouring their light down on the pathway underneath. As they walked from the darkness toward the vista in the light, Sehun broke the silence. "You mentioned this before—that we don't have any cases together anymore."

Yoonshin recalled that time, and feeling sheepish, he bit his lips once and replied, "Oh, don't worry about that. I just had a lot to think about, so I was being childish and needy. I think I was just anxious because I don't have many allies in the firm."

"It just so happened that Director Song was planning on opening a research group for divorce issues. Good or bad, our firm is the talk of the town, so she wants to use that to her advantage. Of course, your family team will be in charge of it, but until that research center stabilizes, I'm thinking of helping out for the next year or two."

Yoonshin stopped in the middle of the bridge, trying to buy time to interpret this situation. He blinked rapidly several times. Sehun said to leave it to him, and it seemed like this was the solution he found. Yoonshin had presumed that Sehun was going to find a way to release his anxieties more emotionally, so he was thankful and bewildered. "But you don't have time to do that. If it's because of me... I feel bad because you're so busy."

"It's in place of the pro bono work I'm supposed to do. The guy taking care of my pro bono stuff went off to a different team."

With his free hand, Yoonshin pointed at himself. Instead of disappointing the hopeful face, Sehun readily affirmed. "If I have to do it anyway, I'd rather do it where I can see you."

"Seriously? Is this for real?"

Sehun nodded lightly and then ruthlessly ambushed Yoonshin with a familiar quote. "To the last hour of my life, you cannot choose but remain part of my character, part of the little good in me... part of the evil."

"Hey, that's..."

"Can you recognize that?"

Thousands of thoughts cluttered his mind. Yoonshin quickly pulled out the records in his memory, and his eyes sparkled. It was a phrase from his favorite novel. "Pip said that

"You're right." Sehun smiled tenderly. Sehun was always dry and frigid, but in front of Yoonshin, that all fell apart.

Sehun was unable to see all of Yoonshin's past, but he could outline Yoonshin's life with his eyes closed.

They both stood on a battlefield. The battles were different, and a difference in the resources and scale of the fight existed, but they were both standing in the middle of it. But unlike Sehun, Yoonshin always put others before himself. He thought about the most peaceful approach, how to minimize the injury to others, if he was taking things too far, and if he could win without conflict. He constantly mulled over those things.

On the other hand, if he needed to, Sehun could use other people and dirty tactics beyond ordinary comprehension. If there was no other option, he would resort to expedient and cheat tactics; otherwise, he would use tactics that bordered on illegal or that circumvented the law. Without so much as a stab of guilt, he did this all very easily. He had lived all his life that way, and it was the only way of life he knew. He claimed victories like that and would continue on that way.

That was why Sehun wanted Yoonshin to stay by his side. "You're my mirror, and I need you to reflect deeply into myself."

Yoonshin felt sweat accumulating in his hands and swallowed dryly. He wanted to reply more eloquently, but he could only come up with a trite response. "I like you too."

Sehun grinned. For a moment, he stood as still as a tranquil lake, staring at the clear and undiluted Yoonshin. Then, as if he still needed to tell Yoonshin something important, Sehun earnestly and carefully pulled out a small box from his jacket pocket. He looked at Yoonshin in the eyes and pried open the cleft of the box.

Inside the box that readily opened its jaws was a delicate metal band.

Astonished, Yoonshin felt his lips drying up. He couldn't vocalize his thoughts and stood dumbstruck, so Sehun explained himself. "I don't have a matching ring. I couldn't bring myself to—I cringed when I tried to buy one for myself. This is just some evidence before I send you off to a different team. It's exhibit number one, in a way."

Yoonshin, who finally managed to pry his lips open, asked in a trembling voice, "What does this demonstrate?"

"The sine qua non that I'm yours."

Upon hearing that, Yoonshin felt completely exposed by Sehun, and his ears grew red. He denied it out loud before because he thought Sehun would worry, but Sehun seemed to already know that Yoonshin felt anxious and disappointed by being separated from him. "Sunbae..."

"Let's keep increasing the pieces of evidence from now on—since we have all the time in the world."

"I'm so embarrassed."

"You look like it."

"But I'm also so happy."

"I can see that as well. Give me your hand."

Yoonshin had never imagined the pessimistic Sehun would say such optimistic and forward-looking things—that they were both bound to each other and that they should increase the evidence of their bond one by one. Yoonshin was so astonished that he stood there, dazed with his cheeks-stained red. Unable to wait for Yoonshin any longer, Sehun walked up to the younger man and pulled up his bony left hand.

Sehun tenderly stroked the top of Yoonshin's fingers and slid the ring that fit too perfectly on his ring finger. Looking down at his ring finger, Yoonshin's eyelashes fluttered.

"Can I keep wearing it at the firm? Wait, you don't need to give me permission. I'll do what I want since it's mine."

"Do as you wish."

"Can I say that my significant other gave it to me if anyone asks? No, wait. I don't need your permission on that either."

Sehun chuckled in defeat and then grabbed Yoonshin's hand, pulling the other toward him. Yoonshin trailed behind naturally.

Yoonshin shook his captured hand because it was dangerous for them to do this in public, but when Sehun traced his thumb over the ring, Yoonshin bit his lip. If someone were intent on observing them, one might find the two men suspicious. However, because it was so late and there was nobody outside, Yoonshin wanted to let this little digression slide for the both of them.

Walking side by side, the two crossed the bridge over the manmade pond toward the entrance of their residence.

In the dark night, the twinkling, kaleidoscopic light bulbs grew closer.

As they passed under the arches of light, Yoonshin felt the glow on his head and looked down. Just as expected, the prismatic lights illuminated where they stood. Mesmerized, he stared and then looked up to meet Sehun's eyes. "Sunbae, did you know we're walking on the light right now?"

Finally, Sehun's eyes pointed down to the ground. They were indeed treading on the light. The dazzling reflection of those glittering globes on the water's surface was quite picturesque.

"After the darkness, the light appears— isn't this so dramatic?"

Sehun replied blandly, not fully in agreement. "You're more dramatic for being sentimental with every little thing. Are you a teenager?"

"But it's pretty."

"Is there anything more dramatic than you appearing in my life?"

Yoonshin grew stiff and walked mechanically, joints practically creaking.

This was Sehun's way of professing his love. No matter how hard he tried to pass it off, this could only be a confession. Sehun was acknowledging Yoonshin's existence within Sehun's heart wholly.

Perhaps it was a part of his good and a part of his evil.

Yoonshin was as astonished as when he received the ring, so he had no idea how to react. To hide his sheepishness, he shrugged and replied teasingly, "Yes, I love you too."

Before he knew it, the lights faded away. However, Sehun's eyes still seemed to hold the light. Sehun walked slowly, stared at Yoonshin's perfect profile, and then agreed, not feeling the need to correct him. "Right, I guess I do that thing too."

Yoonshin's cheek twitched—he had never expected Sehun to say that. "Sehun—sunbae...?"

"Let's go in quickly. It's cold." Sehun gently kissed the cheeks that were growing rosy once again. Then, he let go of Yoonshin's hand and wrapped his arm around the angular shoulders.

As they entered the building, the image of the backs of the two men hung partway in the rotating door before they disappeared together, out of sight.

Epilogue

Not Guilty

In a small conference room in the family court, an acrimonious and volatile atmosphere hung between Yoonshin and the opposing party's lawyer. Yoonshin was usually temperate in the courthouse and especially so in front of the judge, but unable to get through to the other man, the sound of his frustration was sharp and on edge. "Do you have to go this far?"

The man beside him slapped the table and glared daggers at him. "Exactly! Yoonshin Do, why are you charging at me tooth and nail?"

"What do you mean, charging at you? To begin with, the husband unilaterally and fraudulently sold the property, foreseeing the property equalization. To put it simply, he stashed it away. We just want to set that straight. We're not saying we oppose the divorce—we just want you to declare the correct contributory amount of property. Don't you think it's a simple formula?"

"No, but you got an order for the preliminary injunction against the disposal of the rest of the property. Take that. Nobody's stopping you. There's nothing else to set straight."

"Of course, we'll take it. But the point is that the husband dealt with a significant portion of the property without the wife's consent. Attorney Kim, according to Civil Act, Article 406, Subparagraph 1, we can cancel and restore everything to how it was before. But if we do that, don't you think it will complicate things for both of us?" Yoonshin expounded, enunciating every word.

Looking flummoxed, the other lawyer pulled at his tie. He said, agitated, "Are you —a completely young greenhorn lawyer—trying to teach me law? Do you think I don't know the law?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not so young that I would be considered a greenhorn. Plus, I'm gently reminding you because you seem to be pretending to be ignorant of the law."

"My God, Your Honor, look at what I have to deal with—this cocky junior lawyer."

Yoonshin was the one who wanted to tell the judge of the struggles of trying to work with an insolent senior lawyer, but because the other side said it first, he could only scoff. This remark was definitely not something to be said by a person who flaunted his seniority from outside the court—despite their equal standing as lawyers in court—and spoke rudely and with profanities in front of the mediation committee.

Yoonshin exhaled, trying to maintain his composure, and then said calmly, "Attorney Kim, if we start an action exercising the obligee's right of revocation, our side will win. It doesn't matter whether you give it then or now—we're saying that we'll only receive what we're entitled to anyway. Let's settle this before everyone becomes a wreck."

"See now, there's no legal issue in the first place. It wasn't a fraudulent sale. Lawsuit? Try it on me."

Incredulous at the opposing party who refused to acknowledge the fundamental issue, Yoonshin buried his head in his hands. The results were palpable—Yoonshin had no idea why the other side was being so obstinate. At times, bluffing could eventually yield some results, but this wasn't one of those occasions. There was very solid and clear-cut evidence that the husband quite illegally sold off at least half of his assets. If they went to the lawsuit, the other side would be at a complete disadvantage.

Unable to take it any longer, Yoonshin turned to look at the judge, who was watching them silently. The judge didn't seem to have any intention to intervene. Yoonshin didn't expect much from him, given that the judge was the defense lawyer's law school classmate. Still, this was an appropriate time to at least try to reconcile the two.

Very cognizant of it all, the judge shook his head and said, "Why are the two legal representatives fighting here? Do you have the intention to reconcile and negotiate at all? In my eyes, it doesn't look like it."

"Yeah, Attorney Yoonshin Do is being uncooperative!" The riled-up man turned toward Yoonshin as if he wanted to say something more.

Then, the judge put out his hand to stop his classmate and warned both of them. "That's enough. I think I chose a bad day for this. How about we set a date for you two to settle your differences? However, if you continue this attitude next time, it will reflect poorly on you. Today, I will penalize you both."

Yoonshin was extremely upset that he was lumped together with the likes of the other lawyer, but he recalled that his client wanted to get a divorce peacefully if she could and clenched his jaws in self-restraint.

After unilaterally ending the situation, the judge slipped out of the small conference room, leaving the two lawyers behind.

Their conflict was terminated forcefully, so without any other choice, Yoonshin quietly gathered his belongings. At that moment, he heard a soft thunk. A ball of tissue landed in front of him. Yoonshin stared at the haphazardly crumpled object and bit his lips. Unless it fell from the sky, it was clearly thrown by the man to harass him.

In his head, Yoonshin knew that the man was intentionally aggravating him. Nothing good came out of upsetting Yoonshin, so he couldn't put his finger on why the other side was being so childish. When Yoonshin saw the trash chucked at him, he couldn't ignore his belligerence anymore.

Eventually, Yoonshin raised his voice, "This is extremely disrespectful of you. Do you think this is elementary school?"

Despite Yoonshin's openly infuriated tone, the other man was casual. He sat in his conference room chair, shoulders shaking in laughter as he replied flippantly, "Disrespectful? Attorney Yoonshin Do, you really shoot your mouth off."

"How about reflecting on your own careless actions first?"

"Would you look at that? Did you learn that shitty attitude from Sehun Kang too? Yeah, I can see that."

Yoonshin winced and forced his head around to stare at the man. He couldn't understand why any of this was happening, but this in particular was impossible to comprehend. "Why are you bringing up Attorney Sehun Kang here? I'm not his associate anymore."

"Because he's our only point in common. Oh, you didn't know, did you? He and I are law school buddies. You have zero understanding about your opponent."

Yoonshin had been wondering why the other lawyer was trying to grate at his nerves more than necessary, but hearing that, he could see why. This man didn't have any personal feelings against Yoonshin; rather, he felt animosity toward Sehun. And these feelings didn't materialize spontaneously. There must have been a reason.

After looking up and down at the man still sitting in his conference chair, Yoonshin asked in a more pliant and knowing tone. "So you knew Attorney Kang. Were you close?"

"He wasn't close to anyone. You know, he's kind of a prick."

"I see you didn't have a good relationship with him. Your opinion of him is quite poor."

"That guy wasn't friends with anyone. Everyone hated him because he was so full of himself."

Yoonshin hummed in response and then asked in an insinuating tone, "Did you happen to lose to him in grades despite him being so much younger than you?"

"What?"

"Or was your resume rejected by Doguk? I'm thinking that the only other reason you'd lash out at a faultless junior lawyer is your inferiority complex." Unlike his gentle tone, Yoonshin's questions were frigid and vicious. The man listened with a smile at first, but soon his brow furrowed into a scowl. One of the two seemed to have hit the mark.

The other lawyer stopped swinging playfully in his chair and stood up. As if to grab Yoonshin by the collar, he stomped close. However, upon seeing Yoonshin keeping his ground and staring back without so much of a blink, he made an entertained face. "I guess you don't want to hear me insult your new brother-in-law?"

‘Of course.' Yoonshin was wondering why he didn't bring it up already, but before his doubt subsided, the man gave him the predictable answer. Yoonshin swallowed once to try to compose himself. This wasn't anything new to him.

Recently, Director Yoo of Soohan Holdings was retaliating with very underhanded tricks. The arrows weren't pointed at his ex-wife but at her legal representative, Sehun. Jeongwon Yoo couldn't attack lkyung directly because of their legally binding agreement, so he instead changed his target to Ikyung's shield.

The very petty method they chose was to throw Sehun in the middle of a sea of spurious rumors. Before they knew it, Sehun became a shameless man who wrecked a peaceful family because he fell in love with Ikyung.

According to the rumors, Sehun and lkyung met thanks to her father, and their relationship became serious over the years, leading to Sehun instigating Ikyung into a divorce lawsuit and a breakdown of their marriage. After getting the alimony and divided property, they were going to wait a few years before getting married at Taesan Hotel.

On top of that, Yoonshin lived in the same building and was pulled in as the perfect disguise for their trysts. Very detailed tall tales woven in with pieces of truths circulated. No matter how many times one told them it was just the firm's residence, people believed whatever sounded more amusing.

"I don't have a brother-in-law."

"Yeah right. Gossip spreads like wildfire in our profession. I heard your sister regularly visits Sehun Kong's apartment building? She practically shacked up with him."

These days, his sister rarely visited Yoonshin. Sehun didn't like it, so they met outside or at her house. Moreover, the one who was practically living with Sehun was Yoonshin.

Irked, Yoonshin held back the words he couldn't say and replied coolly, "That's the firm's residence, so I live there as well. My sister visits me. Those are false accusations."

"If you're so upset, why don't you sue me, Mr. Attorney."

This groundless and malicious rumor was well-received among the legal profession, not just the average folks. Those who knew Sehun somewhat presumed deep down that this was probably not true, but they talked about it like a joke. By the time it reached Yoonshin's ears, Sehun already knew about the situation.

However, Sehun was more amused than anything. He said that Director Yoo was seemingly harassing Sehun but ultimately attacking his ex-wife. In addition, apparently, the methods were so ingenious and devious that they were good study material.

Sehun had laughed it off at that time, so Yoonshin overlooked it, but he still felt upset. It was as if someone took a hammer and crushed his heart. He wished that the aftermath was something that he could handle, but he was disheartened that Sehun was the one to be involved instead.

"Don't make disgusting jokes about my sister."

"Same with Senior Attorney Kang. Please don't make this lawsuit personal." Yoonshin's head was ice cold, and his tone was more frigid than before. The other lawyer had only met Yoonshin a few times, yet he could sense this change of attitude and stopped talking.

A chilly atmosphere settled in the room instantly. Yoonshin finished gathering his things and shoved them into his briefcase. Then, he walked past the other man, who was in his way, bumping hard into his shoulder. "It looks like you have no intention to mediate, so I'll see you in court next time."

"Hey, Yoonshin Do! Oi”

Yoonshin ignored the yells of the other man and slipped out of the mediation room. The weather was getting warmer, so the temperature difference indoors and outdoors was drastic. With his lips pursed, Yoonshin walked down to the basement parking garage.

Once in his car, Yoonshin smacked his steering wheel. He glanced at his steely face in the rearview mirror. Then, in the reflection, he saw a glimpse of the other lawyer, who came down after him, and ground his teeth.

In all honesty, he already developed a personal grudge in his lawsuit.

If that man had failed to consider one thing, it was that Yoonshin had learned from Sehun, just as the other lawyer said.

"I'll show you what charging at you tooth and nail means." Yoonshin clutched his steering wheel and started to drive back, firming the resolution in his heart.

After his client meeting, Yoonshin walked down the firm's darkened hallway. It was quite late, so some rooms were dark. With a reduced number of people, the building was tranquil. He listened to his own footsteps, and before he knew it, he was in front of his office.

Instinctively, he glanced at Sehun's room first. The blinds were down, so he couldn't see inside.

Currently, Sehun was at a law seminar in Hong Kong. The conference itself was three days, but after the event, he needed to meet the people in charge of a merger case that he was handling. He was scheduled to stay there for over a week.

Yoonshin heard that Sehun was supposed to return on the redeye plane the next morning. For the past week, time seemed to crawl, and today, the seconds seemed to tick by painfully slow in particular. He had finished all of his work, but knowing that he wouldn't be spending with Sehun even if he dragged his exhausted body home, he returned to the firm.

Yoonshin held back a disappointed sigh and grabbed his door handle. His room had the blinds down as well. However, one difference was that he could see the light slipping out from the cracks of the blinds. Perplexed, Yoonshin stopped in his tracks.

‘That's weird. I thought I turned off my lights before I left. Did something trip the sensor?' Yoonshin tilted his head in confusion and then opened the door.

At that moment, he saw someone sitting at his desk and freaked out. Yoonshin's coat and blazer that were on his arm dropped to the floor.

Yoonshin gasped loudly.

If he didn't cover his mouth, Yoonshin would have surely screamed. He observed the man properly. Unless Yoonshin's facial recognition skills were damaged, the person who had his legs crossed, staring right at Yoonshin, was none other than Sehun. Yoonshin was shocked and bewildered, but more than anything, he was glad to see Sehun. A big smile hung ear to ear on Yoonshin's face. He didn't look back—he shut the door and briskly walked over to the older man.

On cue, Sehun extended his arms and wrapped them around the slim waist of the younger man. Then, he seated the lean man on his lap and crushed him in his arms. Yoonshin stretched his legs on one side of Sehun and twisted his upper body to add his warmth to the temperature of the other.

"When did you get back?"

"Not too long ago."

"Did you move up your flight?"

"Yeah. Using the bed alone feels weird now. There was a ticket for an earlier time, so I got it and came back."

Yoonshin wound his arms around Sehun's back and kissed the other man's face. Sehun watched, his eyes narrowed. Then, once Yoonshin's kisses started to subside, Sehun stroked the back with the hills of his spines protruding.

"Have you eaten yet?"

"Yes, with a client. It was Korean food, and it was so-so. What about you?"

"I just had an in-flight meal. Right, I heard that you're having a hard time because of the other lawyer. He's quite bullheaded, I heard. Can you manage him?"

Yoonshin pulled away slightly from Sehun's embrace, and his eyes grew round. This was something he had wanted to ask when Sehun came back, so he was surprised that the older man brought it up first.

"Who told you that? I was going to ask about him anyway." After he asked, Yoonshin found the answer himself. He was in a different team than Sehun, but they were still using the same secretaries, so they exchanged news and conversation. Secretary Tak must have told Sehun. "It was Secretary Tak, wasn't it?"

Sehun's eyes affirmed the question. Yoonshin added, "I can win. No, I will win for sure."

"Why are you being so unnecessarily solemn?"

"I have my reasons," Yoonshin answered vaguely. He thought Sehun would ask why, but Sehun responded with silence. After staring for a moment, Yoonshin asked impatiently, "Why aren't you trying to dig deeper? I can only answer if you ask. That way, I can ask you back."

"He was in the same year as me in law school. I don't need to hear it to know. Oh, the judge is also my classmate."

"I know. That's why I was concerned. No matter how fair he tries to be, he'll naturally have a bias toward his acquaintances..."

"And your opponent submitted his resume to Doguk and was rejected. Twice."

"I was right? I aggravated him with that. His pride must have been scratched."

"Guess who rejected him?"

Just like when he came into the room, Yoonshin gasped and covered his mouth, his pupils quaking violently. When he was able to speak again, his voice was trembling ever so slightly. His voice had hints of regret, astonishment, and refreshment—expressing an emotion somewhere in between them all. "Was it you?"

Sehun shrugged.

"Both times?"

Instead of verbalizing an answer, Sehun shrugged again and rubbed at Yoonshin's hips. He narrowed his eyes and replied in a speculative tone, "The best way to bother you was probably your sister and my scandal. You must be in a fix. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Without it needing to be explained, the older lawyer must have presumed Yoonshin's situation. Eventually, Yoonshin gave in and let out his thoughts. "It's all right. I'm always forthcoming with my thoughts and feelings."

"That I know very well."

"What do we do? You've become a homewrecker overnight. You're going out with me, but I'm kind of mad that people think you're going out with my sister. And I feel sorry about that too."

"What more is there to do? Weren't you going to take responsibility for me?"

"Don't worry about that part. I can support us both. I won't let you starve."

Listening sincerely, Sehun chuckled like he didn't understand. "Since when did free legal advice and minimum rates prove the economic fitness of a lawyer?"

"I've earned a fair amount after coming to Doguk."

"How much do you donate every year?"

"...A lot?"

"I look forward to it—our penniless newlywed life."

"Frugality is the virtue of the modern lifestyle." Yoonshin's eyes seemed to permit Sehun to spend as much as he wanted in lieu of the smaller quantity. Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's cheeks and kissed him. It was an antiquated seal of Yoonshin's vow, but Sehun seemed to be satisfied with it.

Telling Yoonshin there was no need to worry, Sehun said in a gentle, reassuring tone, "Yoonshin Do, I'm really unaffected by it. There were always rumors about me in the first place. You should know—you must have heard a few things about me."

"Those rumors were based on your deeds. This time... is different."

"To me, this and that are the same."

Feeling sorry once again, Yoonshin leaned closer to Sehun. He felt every muscle through the thin fabric of Sehun's shirt. Sehun was at the conference for a week, and Yoonshin was busy for the few days preceding the trip, so Yoonshin's body quickly grew aflame with desire.

Using the finger that Sehun himself had put the ring on, Yoonshin pressed against the older man's red bottom lip. Then, he stuck his tongue into the crevice that he made. He poked in and out, and Sehun played along, opening and closing his lips and squeezing down on Yoonshin's tongue.

Yoonshin blew a sigh into Sehun's mouth and shifted to a more comfortable position. Sehun caressed Yoonshin's cheek gingerly and took the baton, biting quite hard at Yoonshin's upper and lower lips one by one before finally locking his moist lips over Yoonshin's.

“Mmm…”

Yoonshin initiated it, but Sehun took the lead. Sehun skillfully entangled their flesh and pushed Yoonshin to the edge. His tongue, coveting Yoonshin's mouth, was rough yet tender.

It had been a while since they last shared such a slow-burning kiss—the two quickly grew aroused. They sucked at each other's tongues in a frenzy, desiring each other.

Greatly aroused, Yoonshin felt like all the papillae on his tongue were standing. Yoonshin's breathing grew more hitched, and he writhed, not wanting to separate from the other man.

Finally, their lips pulled away from the rough kiss. Sehun licked up the thin and long string of saliva that connected them and then hungrily licked Yoonshin's jaw and neck. Yoonshin threw his head back slightly as he hummed and lightly rubbed over Sehun's shirt buttons. His fingers brushed past the older man's chest against his nipples and then slowly traveled southbound.

Yoonshin reached Sehun's taut abdomen and reached his belt buckle.

"I've done all my work today. Let's do it here and now."

Yoonshin ground lightly against Sehun's legs. Sehun's situation didn't seem much better than Yoonshin's as he took a sharp intake of breath. The older man's eyes gleamed with lust as he stared at Yoonshin. Under that gaze, Yoonshin sighed in Sehun's ear and was about to touch the front of Sehun's pants.

At that moment, Sehun snatched Yoonshin's skinny wrist and gave the younger man a sharp look. Sehun looked as if he wanted to make a mess out of Yoonshin, so Yoonshin had no idea why Sehun was stopping him. They exchanged gazes for a moment before Yoonshin reluctantly said, "Let go. I want to touch you."

"I came here because I had a request to ask you. I want to handle that first. Let's take our time at home."

"A request? To me? From Mr. Sehun Kang?"

There weren't many things that Sehun would ask of Yoonshin. More likely than not, Sehun ordered Yoonshin instead of asking, so the fact that Sehun was tentatively asking Yoonshin for something was strange. Naturally, this sparked Yoonshin's curiosity. He took a few breaths to calm down his excitement, and when Yoonshin looked at Sehun with interest, Sehun checked his watch before setting Yoonshin off his lap. Then, he stood and walked toward the door. "Follow me. I have something to show you."

After walking out of Yoonshin's office, Sehun walked across the hall into his own office. Yoonshin checked their surroundings to see if anyone was around before following. After going in, Sehun took out a file folder from his desk drawer. Then, he sat on his long couch and patted the spot next to him. After closing the door after him, Yoonshin sat next to Sehun and leaned against the older man. He glanced at the documents that Sehun handed to him.

Inside, there was a brief record of someone's personal history and background.

Upon seeing her picture attached to the record, Yoonshin recognized that the subject was a famous politician. "She has one son... I didn't know she was a single mom. Oh, she was widowed a few years ago."

After scrutinizing the document, Yoonshin glanced over at the man beside him. "Why did I have to read this?"

"I have an investigator. Could you receive some documents from him the day after tomorrow? You'll need to check in situ that he's given you the right information, so I'm showing you the profile in advance for your knowledge. You don't need to know any more details than that."

It wasn't the most generous explanation, but Yoonshin understood the intention immediately. Sehun was currently working with a foreign lawyer on an international company acquisition. That was why Sehun had been traveling to and from Hong Kong since before. This seemed to be information related to that.

Yoonshin didn't know exactly how this would be used, but he had a vague idea of it because Sehun meeting an investigator meant that he was handling the matter in an opaque fashion. However, Sehun had not spoken about business of this nature to Yoonshin for a while. Yoonshin had a feeling that Sehun didn't want to let the younger lawyer know about his under-the-table operations, which was why this stuck out at Yoonshin. "Why are you asking me...? Are you going somewhere the day after tomorrow?"

"I have an urgent three-way meeting with a client and the bank manager in the afternoon."

"It's the weekend, and you need to wind down. Wouldn't it be better to rest at home?"

"I tried, but both parties couldn't book another time. I thought about leaving this to Secretary Tak at first, but I don't trust him."

Highly competent investigators were somewhat of an intangible fixed asset, and nothing good came from exposing that to other people. Therefore, this was very like Sehun, who still trusted nobody, to make that decision. Yoonshin felt like he was told indirectly that he was the only person that Sehun trusted, so he felt sheepish. He bit his lip, not knowing how to react, and after some hesitation, he said, "I guess you trust me though."

Sehun gazed at Yoonshin intently as if he had expected Yoonshin to say that. He didn't confirm or deny it, but Yoonshin felt like he already heard Sehun's answer. He looked up and kissed Sehun's cheek and put the folder aside.

Sehun used one arm to pull Yoonshin's lanky body closer. Yoonshin merely leaned against him, breathing quietly, and then slowly started to rub Sehun's thighs. Rather than enticing, it was careful and concerned.

It wasn't a hard request. However, there was one thing that didn't sit right with Yoonshin. He wanted to bring it up at some point, yet he found the timing hard to grasp. This seemed to be the right moment. "The thing I'm to receive, is it something suspicious?"

"Do I have to answer?"

"So it is."

"It's better that you don't know more. Take my car and be the courier. After you deliver it to me, just brush it off as if nothing happened. That's your task."

"Sunbae, you treat me like a kindergartener sometimes," Yoonshin said.

Sehun already knew what Yoonshin wanted to say. He sighed softly. His chest rose and fell slightly. Completely leaning against the older man, Yoonshin felt the entire sequence of movements. Sehun's calm breathing told Yoonshin that Sehun was listening to him.

"Tell me when difficult things happen. Vent to me if you're frustrated and lean on me if you're feeling exhausted. lust like how I do to you," Yoonshin continued.

"It's good enough that you do it."

"We should both do it. I want us to do everything together. I don't like when you hide things from me. I like you, knowing that you're a bad guy."

Yoonshin closed his eyes gently and rubbed his head against Sehun. His silky hair rustled against the stiff fabric of his shirt. They listened to each other's breathing and let some time pass by like that. Yoonshin rubbed at Sehun's neat nails and then continued, "Where should I go two days from now?"

"The theme park that we went to last time. Park at the location that I sent you at 2 p.m. Then, the other person will recognize you. You just need to stay in the car. Let's meet up for dinner after that."

"There'll be a lot of people there—can you just give and take info out in the open?"

"We're trying to take advantage of the crowd this time, so it's fine."

In his head, Yoonshin nodded as he registered the things that Sehun was saying, but he then froze. Yoonshin sat up, pushing Sehun away, and then glared reproachfully at the man sitting next to him. "Wait a minute. The place we went on a date two weeks ago?"

Sehun looked clueless about the issue, which angered Yoonshin even more. "Don't tell me that you used me to scope out good places to exchange information."

Sehun's eyes told Yoonshin that he wanted to say something in his defense. A moment later, he said, "It's possible that I picked the location after I went there with you."

"Yeah sure, let's say that's true, but even so, you're corrupting the place of our beautiful memories." Yoonshin came to this conclusion as he spoke and scooted away from Sehun, turning toward him at a distance. Sehun reached out again, and his pull was stronger than Yoonshin's resistance. Perhaps it might have been the difference in willpower.

Sehun trapped Yoonshin in his arms even closer than before. In a tight hug, he showered Yoonshin's ears, neck, and other places with kisses, and then they met eyes. Yoonshin had tried to push Sehun away, but now his willpower was plucked out helplessly like a flower. In his arms, Yoonshin continued his condemnation, "How could you do this?"

"Is that so wrong? Can't I go to a place where we've been together with someone else?"

"Wow, isn't that obvious? You can't go with anyone else for no reason, but all the more reason not to go if it's for work. Look —to me, up until today, that place was where we went on a date and where we kissed, but now it'll become a place where I went to do a menial task of investigating someone's dirty laundry."

Sehun was crushing Yoonshin in his arms so tightly that Yoonshin couldn't budge even as he squirmed. All he could do was look up slightly and glance askance at the older man. Looking closely, Sehun looked like he was going through a dilemma. He frowned in perplexity and then stared into Yoonshin's eyes, almost grasping why Yoonshin was mad but narrowly missing the point.

In any case, Yoonshin was making a big fuss, so Sehun must have felt the need to resolve this issue. "I won't do that from now on."

"You didn't mean to say, 'I won't get caught,' right?"

"I just figured that it would be better to send you to a place you knew."

Yoonshin knew that Sehun indeed selected that location without any bad intentions, so he lost the drive to stay angry at Sehun. "I'll look over it this time."

"You're more sensitive than I thought, Attorney Yoonshin Do."

"You're just callous. Think about it the other way."

"You're always considerate, so you wouldn't do what I did in the first place. I don't need to think the opposite way."

Sehun was right---Yoonshin had nothing to say. Their basic values were completely different, a fact which distressed Yoonshin. He slapped Sehun's stomach with the back of his hand and twisted around to sling his arm around Sehun's neck. Yoonshin had missed Sehun too much to stay separated over something trivial like this.

Sehun must have thought the same as he reciprocated by ruffling the back of Yoonshin's head. Then, he lifted Yoonshin back onto his lap.

With the scrawny man in his lap, he started rubbing Yoonshin's crotch. Yoonshin adjusted his position by dropping his arms down to pull Sehun closer by his waist. Sehun smoothly undid Yoonshin's pants and shoved his hand in.

"Ngh, you said to continue when we get home."

Sehun grabbed the shaft that tented up in Yoonshin's underwear and kissed his ear as he whispered, "I am, but I was afraid he would be shy since it's been a while, so I'm asking if he's been well. Hello."

Sehun lightly flicked Yoonshin's member.

Yoonshin frowned. "Ugh... it's at these times I think you're such a pervert."

Sehun's husky voice in his ears sounded particularly deep and erotic. "How many times did you masturbate? I don't think I've said hi in 10 days."

"I didn't. I was busy. I passed out the moment my head hit the pillow. Ack! W-wait."

Sehun's cold but gentle hands started to steadily wrap around Yoonshin's shaft. Then, he started to fondle it skillfully.

Perhaps it was because their skin wasn't touching, but Yoonshin felt like he was doing something naughty and felt his mind trying to escape. Yoonshin breathed heavily. Sehun then tightened his grip and whispered suggestively in the other's ear in a low and leisurely voice, "Are you sure?"

"Moms, sunbae... oh..."

"Oh, right, you like being penetrated. You didn't touch this place either?"

He shoved his hand deeper and prodded at Yoonshin's smooth perineum. He rubbed the rim of Yoonshin's hole and poked at it through the fabric a few times, causing Yoonshin's thighs to tremble.

"I said I didn't! Ngh, mmm!"

"Who knows? If you're honest, maybe I'll rub my dick on your thighs."

Yoonshin was seeing stars, and a heated breath escaped his lips, scattering into the air. His abstinence was unexpectedly extended, so every time Sehun touched him, his excitement brimmed over. His penis stood erect in no time, twitching angrily like it would tear through the fabric at any moment. Sehun teased the erect shaft by tracing its outline. Yoonshin's arms around Sehun trembled.

"Sunbae, hahh... I-I can't hold it in."

"You don't need to."

Sehun yanked down the band of Yoonshin's underwear and grabbed the younger man's exposed and flushed member in one hand. He slowly stroked the hard shaft and rolled his fingers around it. Yoonshin's member was locked in the tight cylinder of Sehun's hand and was rubbed. Eventually, Yoonshin's thigh spasmed.

Soon reaching his limit, the tip of Yoonshin's member glistened. Sehun pushed Yoonshin to the brink of climax before he took his hand off. Then, he shoved his fingers deeper into the younger man's briefs, stroking Yoonshin's perineum before rolling his longest finger at the entrance of his hole.

"No, ngh, don't touch me there yet."

"I should at least say hello since I haven't seen him in a while too."

"Don't—oh!"

The finger entered Yoonshin without lubricant and quickly penetrated the interior. They hadn't had intercourse in a while, so it was slightly difficult for Yoonshin, yet Sehun continued his lewd acts as usual.

Sehun found Yoonshin's prostate, and when he pushed that spot, Yoonshin's mouth fell open, and he gasped, releasing precum. Gaining momentum, Sehun pressed harder, making Yoonshin ejaculate. "Ngh! Hargh! Hnn..."

Completely red in the face, Yoonshin unfurled his curled-up body. With half-lidded eyes, unable to open them properly, Yoonshin exchanged looks with Sehun. Maybe it was his imagination, but Yoonshin thought Sehun's eyes as he pulled out of Yoonshin were quite sultry.

Yoonshin tried to look at Sehun properly, but unable to do so, he gave up and closed his eyes. He slumped forward against Sehun. The older man's luxurious shirt and pants were spattered with opaque fluid, which bothered him, but he didn't have the energy to do anything about it. He couldn't even tuck his member back in or pull up his pants.

Sehun reached to the side, and with a silken handkerchief, he wiped off Yoonshin's member. Then, he dabbed off the spattered cum on his clothes and hugged Yoonshin tightly as if they were one.

"Yoonshin."

"Yeah...?"

"Let's go home quickly. I want to give you some love with my dick"

Listening quietly with his eyes closed, Yoonshin responded to Sehun's passionate feelings by reaching out to hug Sehun with all his heart.

Outside the window of the car, the picturesque clouds were painted in white onto the blue sky. As he stared, several thoughts crossed Yoonshin's mind. Most of them were conversations that he had with Sehun the last time they walked around this theme park.

As the time he shared with Sehun increased, Yoonshin started to learn more about Sehun as a person and came to know many things. The most prominent point that he noticed was that they were all too different. Thanks to that, he realized why Sehun was willing to go through trivial discomforts to stay with him.

Just like how he confessed placidly through a quote from a book, Yoonshin was Sehun's frontliner. He was perhaps Sehun's introspective mirror and the pendulum of his clock. Sehun needed someone who was a polar opposite to him like Yoonshin to keep himself centered and grounded without losing himself.

‘I have no idea if he's bad at relationships or if he's an expert.'

Yoonshin wondered what made him so focused on one person.

So far, Yoonshin had never known that he was capable of loving someone so deeply. He just figured that he would meet a decent person at the right time. Every time he imagined who it would be, none of them had anything in common with Sehun. Despite that, Yoonshin felt like Sehun was the only one for him.

He came here to do something dishonest, and yet he was reminiscing about his time with Sehun. Yoonshin found it mildly unsettling.

"I'm never coming back here."

He tried to divert his thoughts elsewhere by glancing at his watch, which indicated that it was the promised time.

The spot that Sehun inputted into Yoonshin's map was a roadside near an interchange. Not only was it near a subway station, but it was also a weekend afternoon, so several cars and people were passing by. Each passerby had a goal of their own. Sehun said that he would use this to their advantage, and it was indeed an excellent choice. As long as nothing big happened, nobody here would remember who did what.

Yoonshin was anxiously tapping his finger against the steering wheel when somebody parked behind him. Someone dressed in casual clothes like the crowd and wearing a baseball cap got out. He approached the driver's side of Yoonshin's car and knocked on the window.

Yoonshin rolled his window down, and the chilly air hit him in the face. The man outside handed over an envelope to Yoonshin the moment he saw him. He tapped at the bill of his cap as a sort of signal and quickly walked away, making Yoonshin miss the chance to say anything to the man. "Excuse me, wai—! He's gone."

The other man quickly disappeared into his car but didn't leave. Yoonshin watched the man through his rearview mirror and then rolled up his window. He connected the chip from the envelope to the spare phone and skimmed through the information he received. It was about the person that Sehun had shown him in his office. Aside from that, there were several other indices and images, but he didn't look at them and closed the window.

‘Now what do I do? Can I just leave?' He didn't hear what he had to do after he checked the information. Yoonshin returned the memory card into its envelope and shuffled in his seat a few times. Somehow, the man in the car behind him took it as a signal and zoomed off.

Yoonshin released his tension, and a sigh of relief escaped his lips.

All Yoonshin did was receive information from a private investigator, but his heart felt heavy. He didn't know how Sehun shook away this burden as he dealt with tasks that decided the fate of corporations and the assets of several people.

In any case, Yoonshin sent a message to Sehun to let him know that he received the proper information. Despite being in an important meeting with a client, Sehun made time to reply.

"Good job. See you at that place later at dinner. I'll buy you something good."

Yoonshin could almost hear Sehun's low voice though the message.

Yoonshin kissed the text through the screen and looked around, discreetly slipping into the cars on the street.

Yoonshin waited, and waited, and waited.

Yoonshin and Sehun had agreed to meet at this restaurant around six. It was eight o'clock now. Sehun had reserved a room, so there was nobody to look at Yoonshin strangely, but he was just as lonely in the isolated room. He couldn't waste his time, so he tried to do some work while waiting, but his thoughts kept wandering elsewhere.

At first, Sehun pushed back the dinner by 30 minutes, so Yoonshin figured that Sehun's meeting wasn't going well. Sehun allotted time in a very measured way, especially for work. Yoonshin figured that whatever happened was completely out of Sehun's hands, and he waited patiently for the older man.

But when an hour passed, Sehun contacted Yoonshin. He couldn't get out of the meeting.

Yoonshin recalled the last text messages he received from Sehun.

“Are you still waiting? I think I'll be late. You should eat first and go home."

Yoonshin could make several responses. However, there was only one that Yoonshin wanted to do. "It's okay. I'll wait."

Yoonshin's endless waiting stretched to one and a half hours, which became two. Yoonshin was beginning to think that maybe he should have gone home as Sehun suggested. Still, it seemed like something tricky happened on Sehun's end, so Yoonshin kept hanging on. At some point, he couldn't contact Sehun at all, which worried Yoonshin.

Yoonshin tried calling, but he couldn't get through. He had no choice but to message Secretary Tak to see if he knew anything. He didn't receive a reply yet.

"Seriously, what's going on?"

He grabbed the cup of water before him and started to swirl its contents when there was a knock on the door. Yoonshin sat up, straightening himself from his slumped posture, and stared at the door.

However, the one who opened the door and came in wasn't the person that he was waiting for. It was the smartly dressed manager of the restaurant. The president of this restaurant was acquainted with Mihee, so Sehun frequented it. Consequently, Yoonshin visited the place several times and grew familiar with the restaurant manager.

"Sir, the last order for our restaurant is nine. What would you like to do?"

Yoonshin couldn't leave empty-handed from this high-end restaurant where one meal could range from tens to hundreds of dollars after sitting in a private room for a few hours. Yoonshin replied without looking at the menu, "Oh, I'm sorry. Could you get me the most expensive menu item? Not a course but an entree."

"Attorney Kang ordered wine when he was reserving the room."

"Then I'll have that as well."

"I shall get those ready for you."

Yoonshin saw off the manager. When the door closed, he slouched back on the table, pressing his face against the icy tablecloth.

If Sehun faced some personal problem, he would have contacted Yoonshin. Seeing that it wasn't, Yoonshin figured that something dangerous happened during the meeting. He couldn't pester Sehun while knowing that, so he felt frustrated.

Based on the fluid and unpredictable nature of their occupation, Yoonshin had also experienced situations like these. Sehun had never bothered Yoonshin about it, so Yoonshin should reciprocate by doing the same, but he wanted to be selfish, which made him feel conflicted.

Putting himself back together, Yoonshin shook his head and pulled over the tablet PC that he had set aside. He read through the documents that he needed for the upcoming divorce trial that he had to stand and tried to empty his thoughts of Sehun.

After some time had passed, his phone vibrated loudly on the table.

Surprised, Yoonshin looked at the screen. However, the anticipation that filled his face soon deflated and chilled. It was Secretary Tak.

"Secretary Tak?" Yoonshin answered the phone.

"Hi, it's me. I saw your message. I had to deal with something, so I only got to reply now."

"Sorry to bother you on a weekend. I had plans to meet Attorney Kang today, but I couldn't contact him at all for some time. I didn't know who else to call since I'm not on the corporate team anymore. I was wondering if you knew anything."

Before he replied, Secretary Tak let out a long sigh, conveying how much of a pain in the neck the secretary was dealing with. "You know he had a client meeting, right?"

"Somewhat."

"Director Song had to go to that meeting just now. I'm sitting in front of my desk after getting an urgent call from the director. It seems like while Senior Attorney Kang was away for a few minutes, our client decided to assault the bank manager. As luck may have it, there were a few prominent reporters from a broadcasting company at the restaurant, so it seems like that place became a complete disaster."

Yoonshin couldn't know the exact situation, but if Mihee also went to the scene, the issue must have shown signs of growing bigger than necessary.

Rather than the safety of strangers, Yoonshin was more worried about Sehun, who would be put in a tight spot due to this issue. He rubbed the back of his bone-white hand on his cheek and then asked, "Attorney Kang didn't get hurt anywhere, did he?"

"No way. Anyway, Senior Attorney Kang isn't in a good place to call right now. I was told that he was extremely busy. You should leave a message and go home today."

"I think that's for the best. Thank you."

"No problem. Should I pass along a message for you if I can get in touch?"

"No, that's fine. I'll contact him directly."

"All right then. Have a nice weekend."

After ending the call, Yoonshin stared quietly at the darkened screen. He had sent a message saying that he would have dinner and return home, so not to worry, and then stared at the texts that he sent before. Not long after, Yoonshin heard a knock at the door. A restaurant staff came with the dish that he ordered.

A delectable-looking steak was placed in front of him, and the staff poured wine for Yoonshin. After placing the wine in a chilled bowl, the staff member left courteously.

Looking down at the food after all his appetite disappeared, Yoonshin was crestfallen. He thought that he would finally be able to enjoy a date, but his plans were frustrated, which was disappointing. Plus, because it was neither Sehun nor Yoonshin's fault, he couldn't complain about it to anyone, so he felt even more upset.

After staring at the night horizon, lights blanketed the ground just like that night when the sidewalk near their apartment complex was illuminated. As he stared at the lights, he felt a sense of duty to eat as well as he could before going home.

He sliced through the tender meat and took a bite, chewing it thoroughly and taking a sip of the wine. It was a red that paired well with the steak—a brand that he begged Sehun to buy again because he found it delicious.

"The location is excellent, and the fact that Sehun Kang remembered this is romantic, but the protagonist isn't here."

Yoonshin savored the clean aftertaste of the wine and took another sip.

Before, he had thought that the wine was sweet, but oddly, it tasted more bitter than usual today.

After a shower, Yoonshin was leaning against the head of the bed in his bathrobe. He checked his phone that was sitting on the nightstand, but there were no new messages from Sehun. With no other choice, he took out some documents from his drawer. He felt like Sehun would come over to Yoonshin no matter how late, so he was planning on staying up until then.

With Yoonshin in the center, he spread the papers in a semicircle around him and started to read the documents in order of priority. He checked the important points with his pen, and time passed quickly.

"An application to waive the divorce consideration period... I need a diagnosis of bodily harm." He was looking for the medical records of the applicant on his left-hand side when the phone that was under his lamp started to vibrate. He had continued to anticipate the caller, but he was immediately disappointed several times, so he let go of all expectations and looked at the screen. However, Sehun's name greeted him.

Yoonshin, who had been slouched forward, quickly snatched the phone and put it to his ear. The low voice that he so desperately wanted to hear resonated in his ears.

"Yoonshin, you're still awake."

"How could I sleep?"

"Are you at home? Which one?"

"My place. Which place will you come to?"

"Where you are."

Yoonshin mulled over Sehun's reply and then scooped up the papers that were blanketing his body to the side. He made space for him to stretch his legs and turned on his lamp. He lowered the luminosity of the lights in the room, dimming them to a warm yellow instead of the bright lights he was in.

"As I mentioned, I retrieved the data properly. It's on your desk at your place."

"Okay. Thanks for that."

"Did everything resolve well? I heard the gist of the situation from Secretary Tak."

"Mostly, yes."

"And you're really not hurt anywhere?"

"Thankfully. You must have waited for a while. I told you to go home early."

"I waited because I wanted to. I had to drink the wine that you ordered for me. It's more expensive than my monthly pay after all."

Over the phone, Yoonshin heard Sehun chuckling. "How was it? The taste of the wine when you drank alone."

"It was very bitter. Let's drink together next time."

"Of course."

"And next time, I hope you can explain the situation to me yourself."

Yoonshin was more accustomed to expressing his honest feelings instead of twisting his words to create discord. He knew that Sehun liked that aspect of him, so Yoonshin decided to say what he felt this time as well. Sehun was silent, seemingly in thought, and then he slowly said, "The moment I tried to call you, I got swept up by the situation, so I missed the chance to. By the time I had a chance to call, I heard that you had asked Secretary Tak what had happened. You can ask me if you want to know anything."

"What exactly happened?"

Sehun breathed calmly as if recalling the situation that happened and started to recount it listlessly, "My client broke his plate and swung it around like a weapon. The bank manager was injured quite seriously, and just when the manager was exiting the private room, bleeding, some reporters who had just arrived happened to witness it. The manager was sent to the hospital, the client and I went to the police, and Director Song came to talk to the reporters. It was pandemonium."

After hearing the details, Yoonshin could picture it like a scene from a novel. The situation was serious, so the police had to come, and since it was something that his client did, Sehun couldn't act rashly because of the concern for the destruction of evidence. They couldn't cover up the situation because there were many witnesses, so Mihee was deployed.

"I get why you couldn't contact me now."

Sehun sighed. "I'm glad you're a lawyer."

Sehun must have perceived that Yoonshin was now feeling better after feeling disappointed. His sigh conveyed that. Sehun said in a lighter tone, "I'm on my way, but I called because I wanted to hear your voice badly. Where are you now? The bed?"

"Yes, my bed... Wait, you're coming over now?"

"Yep, I'm in the car. I'm almost there. I'll be there in 10 minutes."

"You're almost here?" Yoonshin quickly looked around at his bed and was aghast at the mess. If Sehun saw the bed scattered with all these papers, all sorts of desires would cool down. Sehun liked clean and tidy spaces, and Yoonshin didn't want to see Sehun frowning at his room.

Yoonshin bolted upright, wedged his phone between his ear and shoulder, and started to gather up the scattered documents in neat stacks. While Yoonshin was shoving them all back in the drawer, Sehun continued, Are you lying in bed?"

"Uh... no? I was just about to." Yoonshin checked the bottom drawer for the condoms and lube and closed up his robe before laying back in bed. He was debating whether it would be better to wait with the lights off or on and decided to turn off most of the lights. He brightened the lamp on the nightstand instead.

The bedroom's atmosphere changed instantly, and listening to Sehun's husky voice made Yoonshin feel weird. He felt his palms grow sweaty for no reason. He felt as if his lips were getting parched, so he licked them.

For some reason, Yoonshin felt like Sehun was controlling this situation even though he couldn't be seen. Sehun's words that followed after confirmed that. "You turned off the lights and turned on the lamp."

"H-how did you know?"

"Your behavior is predictable. You must be in a bathrobe. The one that slips off easily."

Yoonshin glanced down at the bathrobe that Sehun gave him and coughed awkwardly. In response, Sehun's breathing felt a bit heavy. The red-hot passion and desire coiled itself inside each breath, making Yoonshin's cheeks flush red. "I mean, I am."

"Put your hand in your robe."

"Just hurry up and come. Do it when you're here."

"I'm going to start now."

Yoonshin gulped tensely and hesitated with his face still red. He was reluctant because he felt like there were watchful eyes even though he was in his room by himself. Yoonshin ended up turning off the nightstand lamp that was dimly illuminating the room and then fiddled with the edge of the gown.

Sehun knew better than anyone that Yoonshin was hesitating in his bashfulness and enticed Yoonshin with his sweet words.

"Yoonshin, I want to touch you."

"Sunbae..."

"I'm already hard. Are you going to leave me hanging like this?" Sehun's voice caressed Yoonshin's ears, seemingly enhancing the younger man's sensitivity.

Eventually, half on his own accord and half not, Yoonshin pushed his hand into his robes. When he felt his smooth skin, he felt embarrassed. His head kept drooping lower. He said in a tiny voice, "I put it in."

"Imagine it's my hand and twist your nipples between your fingers just like how I do it. You remember how I touch you, right?"

Yoonshin closed his eyes, slotted the sensitive nub between his index and middle fingers, and squeezed them, rolling it in a circular fashion just as Sehun did.

Imagining that Sehun was the one touching him, Yoonshin felt his excitement swell, and he thrust his head back. His throat bobbed in the air. He sighed hotly, and his lips felt like they were burning up. Perhaps it was because of the cool air in the room, but the places where he touched himself felt particularly scorching. "Hahh... Sunbae... Oh."

"You should touch the other side too. I'll suck the stiff places."

Yoonshin's breathing grew rough. Every time he jolted and flinched; he felt the hard headboard on his back.

Instinctively, he opened his eyes a sliver, and despite the dark, he discovered that his nipples were perked up and bit his lips. He imagined Sehun sucking one, and he touched his other nipple. As he continued to touch himself while fantasizing about Sehun, his member started to swell. "Sunbae, it tickles. Mmmh."

"Say what you want clearly. I'll do everything you want."

"Bite me."

"Good job."

Upon hearing Sehun's praise, Yoonshin pinched and scratched his nipple and then released it. As his member rose, he felt pressure on his lower half. Uncomfortable, Yoonshin clutched at the sheets. Sehun's drawl in his ear was enough fuel, but it wasn't as good as Sehun in person—Yoonshin was mildly disappointed.

"I want to kiss you," Yoonshin sighed.

"You can. Open your mouth."

"Hnngh... Mmh..."

"I'm going to shove my tongue in, deep. I'll suck you so roughly that your skin gets abrased."

"Spit in me."

"You need to wait for a reward."

Now, even if Sehun didn't describe his commands, Yoonshin wanted to relieve his lust and started to act assertively.

He narrowed his eyes, squirmed, and then brought up one of his hands that was clutching at the sheets. He shoved his fingers into his mouth, mimicking Sehun's tongue, and wetted his fingers thoroughly. His skin squelched with the wet membrane of his mouth.

He touched his nipples with his right hand and sucked his left fingers deep in his mouth, which would have been quite a sight.

In a trance, Yoonshin was now imagining Sehun exploring his tongue, the roof of his mouth, and the tender walls of his mouth. At some point, he sucked eagerly, craving the older man's saliva.

He was breathless and in agony. His twitching member hardened to the point that it could pierce through the robes. His senses were already overstimulated, but because there was nobody to touch him, he kept curling himself inward.

"When are you coming? Hurry... Hurry up and do something about me."

"How should I fuck you? From the back? You like it because I can fuck you deeper."

"Hngh, ngh, mmph."

"If you want my dick, you should make the way. Since your fingers are wet, you can use that. Put them in."

Panting, Yoonshin tipped forward and fell on his bed. Maybe it was because of the mood, but despite not cumming, he felt like the tip of his member was wetting the spot where it met the robe.

They had sex frequently, whenever they had the time. Sex with Sehun was good, but Yoonshin begged for it because it was something they could do together. Yoonshin was somewhat chaste when it came to sexual acts, so he had never touched himself from the back before. However, he couldn't hold it in right now.

As ordered, he shoved his drenched fingers down into the hole. He lay prone with his hips in the air as he stimulated the skin around his entrance. As he revived the memories of when Sehun thrust into him, he shoved his longest finger into his hole.

"Ungh...!" At the same time, he dropped the phone that was between his shoulder and ear. However, he didn't have even a speck of leisure to be concerned about the fallen phone.

Yoonshin rubbed his rigid dick against the sheets and shoved his fingers deep behind. He tried to find the spot that Sehun found for him, but it wasn't easy to do in his uncomfortable posture. He could only widen his hole so that the other man's member could easily access it later.

He wasn't used to this act, so he couldn't give himself the stimulation that Sehun usually gave him. His thirst wasn't quenched, and he merely writhed miserably. His misery did not resolve any of his problems. He could only wait for Sehun to arrive. Yoonshin's moans grew more desperate. "Ngh, hurry, quickly..."

Just then, Yoonshin heard someone at the door. If he didn't hear wrong, they were footsteps. The hurried footsteps stopped at the door. Soon after, the person burst into the room. The light in the living room seeped into the darkened bedroom.

Frozen at the doorway, Sehun frowned when he saw Yoonshin with his fingers stuck in his ass. Then, he threw off the jacket he was wearing, roughly cast away his tie, and approached the bed. He didn't look like he had the patience to undo his shirt buttons. He hurriedly undid his pants and pulled out his member at full mast.

Then, like a beast in heat, he stuck closely to Yoonshin's back. The bed creaked at the sudden increase in weight. Naturally, Yoonshin's fingers slipped out.

"You said you wanted to kiss," Sehun growled and grabbed Yoonshin's jaws, forcing his face around toward him. Like he was going to suck away all of the moisture in Yoonshin's mouth, the older man kissed him roughly. Sehun grabbed both of their members and started to rub them together.

"Why are you so late? Ngh, mmh!"

The friction in the front and back made both of them more aroused. Sehun massaged their two cocks together a few more times before ripping open Yoonshin's robe, which was barely closed in the first place. He moved down to face Yoonshin's ass.

Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's ass cheeks and spread them open. With his tongue, he traced Yoonshin's perineum to his entrance. Yoonshin, who was standing on his knees, jerked and twitched like a fish back in water. "Hmmph, sunbae. Oh! Ahh!"

Each time Sehun licked his testicles, he made obscene sounds. Perhaps it was because Yonshin couldn't see what was happening, but he was more excited than before. It was as if all the cells in his body were jumping and dancing. Something welled up inside, and he desperately wanted release.

Soon, Sehun's tongue started to dig inside. Moaning, Yoonshin reached back, stroking Sehun's face and wherever else he could reach. "Ngh! N-now—"

His fingers rubbed the smooth hair of the older man, and Sehun willingly took his lips off Yoonshin's bottom.

Sehun positioned his rigid penis in the awkwardly widened space and firmly grasped the slim waist of the younger man. "We still have to do all that we need to, even if we're in a rush."

Sehun leaned down, kissed Yoonshin's shoulder, and then grabbed Yoonshin by the hair. His head forcibly pulled back, Yoonshin trembled and begged, "Please put it in..."

"Good boy."

With an energetic thrust, Sehun pounded into Yoonshin. He thrust in his full length at once, so neither could say anything for a while. They merely gasped at the sensations that they couldn't differentiate between pleasure and pain.

"Oh...! Hngh!"

"Ngh... Relax a little."

Yoonshin, who was stark naked, contrasted with Sehun, who climbed behind him fully dressed. Below their knees, the soft bathrobe that Yoonshin had been wearing was spread out. Every time they moved; the fabric slipped to the side until it finally fell off the bed.

With no more interference, Sehun kissed Yoonshin as he started to viciously thrust in and out of Yoonshin. Every time he pounded his member in the deepest part of Yoonshin, the sensitive and delicate membrane wrapped around his member and stimulated him. They made loud slaps as his member, bulging with veins, carved itself in Yoonshin. Every time he hit Yoonshin's good spot, Yoonshin moaned in pleasure with his mouth open. "Oh, oh, more there. Oh!"

Yoonshin's succulent inner walls clenched down on Sehun's member. Every time he pulled back, Yoonshin's walls wrapped around him like he didn't want to let go, forming dimples in Yoonshin's ass. When Yoonshin clamped down on Sehun's sensitive spot, Sehun frowned. "Ugh, hah. Fuck, I almost cummed. Do you like it that much?"

"I do, I like it. I was waiting for you all this time."

Perhaps in response to Yonshin's desire, Sehun penetrated the deepest spot of Yoonshin. The base of his penis hit Yoonshin's entrance. Sehun's hips slapped against Yoonshin's firm ass as they pressed close together. Sehun's testicles rubbed against Yoonshin's skin. They both moaned at the same time.

Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's hips with both hands and started to thrust fervently into Yoonshin. Sehun was so rough that the sturdy bed started to creak. Yoonshin's head shook with the movement, making the crown of his head hit the headboard a few times. His legs shook so badly that it was hard for him to keep standing. However, all while his skinny body was being swept away helplessly by the rough waters, he received all of Sehun's ferocious and aggressive hip movements.

"Did you feel good touching yourself in the back? Hmm?"

"It wasn't enough, oh! Oh!"

"You were pretty good at it. Did you imagine that it was my dick? You must have felt good. You love it when I fuck you."

"I did, but I couldn't reach... Mmmh."

"How far did you reach? Here?"

Sehun thrust up at a deep spot inside. Yoonshin gasped sharply. "Ngh! No, not there."

"Here then?"

"Not the—Sunbae, I think I'll go."

"I made you wait a long time, so I should reward you properly. Move your hips. I'll hit your good spots." Sehun moved his hips back slightly. He fixed his penis in an awkward place. He ground the head of his member and then started to roughly pound one spot. He started to slam into that one spot relentlessly with his tip, and cum spattered out of Yoonshin's member.

"Hngh, ngh! Ahh!" At wit's end, Yoonshin keened and trembled. He jolted and writhed as if he was struck by lightning. Sehun was still rubbing his inner walls with his dick, and Yoonshin gasped, squeezing the last drops of his fluids and spilling tears.

"Hnph, hmmph... You're killing me. Ugh..." All his energy drained, Yoonshin slumped forward. His tears and sweat dropped on the sheets. Sehun, pressed close to his dry back, lapped up all of Yoonshin's moisture and started to pick up the pace for the last stretch.

Sehun, who was enjoying the tightness that wrapped around his penis, was nearing his climax as his hips trembled slightly.

Finally, precum spurted out of the tip of his member. Before he filled up Yoonshin with his load, Sehun pulled out and flipped the younger man on his back. With Yoonshin now facing the ceiling, Sehun tapped his member against Yoonshin's lips. "Open wide. It's time to swallow it all."

Yoonshin opened his mouth, allowing access, and took in the head of Sehun's member. As he sucked on the shaft like a straw, Sehun clenched his jaws and started to thrust into the back of Yoonshin's throat. Finally, he reached his peak and released his milky white fluid.

"Mmph..." Yoonshin coughed.

Yoonshin swallowed everything that was released in his mouth and looked up at Sehun with narrowed eyes. As if admiring a piece of art, Sehun gazed down at Yoonshin and then leaned down to hungrily swallow his lips. The semen that remained in the younger man's mouth gathered at each other's tongues and disappeared bit by bit each time they swallowed.

Yoonshin lifted his limp hands and yanked off Sehun's tie. He cast it away on the floor and sat upright to switch their positions.

Yoonshin flopped on Sehun's firm abdomen and looked down at the older man domineeringly. He pecked at Sehun's lips and then pried open Sehun's shapely lips with his fingers. Then, he gathered the fluid in his mouth and spit in Sehun's mouth.

The moment Sehun swallowed it, Yoonshin looked at him expectantly. "Sehun Kang, does it taste good?"

Sehun frowned. "It tastes like corn."

"Because it is yours. I was the only one who showed their shameful side. Let me have my revenge."

"What do you want that for? If you tell me 'I love you,' I'll probably do everything that you tell me to."

Sometimes, Sehun showed Yoonshin how much he yearned for the other at unexpected moments like now. Even if Yoonshin was prepared for it, he probably wouldn't have been able to respond deftly. In any case, they were always random, which made Yoonshin's heart leap and broil over. Yoonshin wiped off his face wet from tears and sweat and then kissed Sehun's forehead with a loud smooch. "I love you, so don't get hurt. I was so worried when I heard what happened."

“…”

"Let's do it in this position this time. Instead, you'll need to take a penalty. You have to stay still. I'm going to watch your face as you feel good and cum. This is the prime time to make use of your handsome face."

"Just for your benefit only?"

"Yep, for me only."

Sehun narrowed his eyes in amusement and then licked his lips. "How fun."

Then, he said, "Strip me."

As if on cue, Yoonshin hastily undid Sehun's shirt buttons.

Sitting at the tea table, Sehun was staring into the screen of his laptop with a very serious face. Yoonshin was coming out of the dressing room, fully dressed with a new necktie in hand. He discovered Sehun looking grave, and just by looking at his sincere face, Yoonshin immediately knew that Sehun was probably looking through the data that he received the other day.

Yoonshin sat across from the older man, cupping his chin in both hands and observing Sehun intently. The older man, who was brooding over something as he glared at the screen, must have noticed Yoonshin's intent gaze as he looked up at the younger man. Are you all ready?"

"Yes, but I couldn't find any of your ties here. You don't usually go to work without one."

Yoonshin sat back up as he pointed to Sehun's long neck, and Sehun swiped his throat lightly.

While Sehun was away on his business trip, they had sent all of Sehun's neckties for cleaning. There was nothing left that Sehun could wear immediately.

"I could drop by my place as we head out.”

"Can't you wear one of my ties instead?"

"If you want to make me a philanderer who sleeps with both siblings, then go ahead."

They weren't explicit about it, but each secretarial office at the firm monitored what the lawyers wore. It was to prevent the situation where the lawyer would wear the same suit consecutively to see the same client. Yoonshin knew this and was also careful not to wear the same accessories as Sehun by accident.

"It's new. I bought this at the mall with my sister last time. I bought it saying that it was for me, but I actually wanted to give it to you and left it sitting in my closet. Here."

Yoonshin offered the bright gray tie in his hand. Sehun shut the laptop lid and nodded. Yoonshin pulled over his chair to sit next to Sehun and then lifted Sehun's collar. Silently observing Yoonshin lean down, Sehun pecked at his face.

They pecked at each other's lips playfully, closing their eyes each time they met, and then slowly pulled apart.

Hanging the tie around Sehun's neck, Yoonshin firmly knotted the fabric. Sehun stared at Yoonshin the entire time. Neither of them could explain how good they felt when Sehun was focused solely on Yoonshin like this. Yoonshin also couldn't tell how elated he actually felt.

"We should have breakfast. It's a bit of an awkward time to make something ourselves... Should we just grab a bite from the cafe downstairs? Coffee and a sandwich?"

After finishing the knot, Yoonshin yanked the tie, bringing Sehun closer. Sehun didn't resist and their lips met. Sehun nibbled at the younger man's upper lip, then the lower lip, and then he stuck his tongue between Yoonshin's lips, brushing his tongue against the younger man's well-aligned teeth. Yoonshin's hand on Sehun's tie trembled.

After Sehun traced along all of Yoonshin's teeth, he slowly slipped out. Yoonshin's eyelids fluttered open, and Sehun was leaning right in front of him.

Right about the time when Yoonshin started to think that Sehun's voluptuous lips parting looked sensual, Sehun said in his low, husky voice that always turned Yoonshin on, "I made you breakfast."

The moment Yoonshin heard that, he let go of the tie in surprise. "When?"

"When you were washing up."

"What did you make?"

"Coffee and sandwiches."

“Whoa…”

While Yoonshin stumbled half-asleep into the bathroom, Sehun was already clean and in his bathrobe, putting on his moisturizers. By the time Yoonshin emerged from the bathroom again, Sehun was all suited up, save for his tie, and was looking through his documents. By the time Yoonshin re-entered the bedroom after dressing up, Sehun was busily talking to someone on the phone because of the incident yesterday.

The last time Yoonshin saw Sehun was when he was focusing on his laptop. Sehun must have gone to the dining room at some point in between.

Yoonshin exclaimed in awe and then showered Sehun's cheek with kisses. The older man patiently sat and accepted the kisses and then turned his head. Naturally, their lips met instead. Yoonshin chuckled. "Do you have 10 bodies or what?"

"Just one. It's pretty pricey, so use it wisely." Sehun said calmly, but Yoonshin felt a prick of his conscience.

He raised his voice slightly. "You're saying that like I was wasting you or something. You're the one who's hornier."

After that, there was a brief silence. Yoonshin thought too late that maybe he went a bit too far and sealed his lips, but Sehun was already knitting his brow and gazing with a loaded look at Yoonshin. "That's not what I was talking about."

Yoonshin's face flushed red, and he retorted with a tiny voice, "I know that

"Your mind is in the gutter. It's only seven in the morning, you know?"

"My thoughts are less dirty than yours. Your entire body is inappropriate. You can't keep your hands to yourself."

"Really? You know that the court is evidence-based. Let's talk about who's dirtier with evidence." Sehun stretched out his long arms and pulled Yoonshin's chair closer. Then, he grabbed the back of the seat, blocking off all the routes of escape, and wrapped his arm around Yoonshin's slim frame. He gently stroked his arms.

Sehun's hand slid down Yoonshin's shirt collar and below. He rubbed Yoonshin's nipples over the thin fabric of the younger man's shirt. In response, Yoonshin twisted his lower half around to rub against Sehun's thighs. A heated sigh escaped his lips.

"See, this is proof. You can't keep your hands off me."

"I'm just turning your fantasies into reality."

"I didn't fantasize about this."

"That's why we need a trial to decide what's right."

"Don't we need to go to work?"

Sehun glanced at his watch, falling into thought. It seemed like he was calculating the free time they had to spend on their personal affairs before going to work. Yoonshin's head was filled with similar thoughts. Coming to one conclusion, Yoonshin pushed away Sehun's shoulders before Sehun could touch him more. He pulled his legs away and scooted his chair back.

"You admit that you're more of a pervert, right?"

"I don't. I won't."

"Then, we'll see who begs the other person first. No sex for the time being."

Sehun frowned as if this condition couldn't hold water from the start. "You're going to regret it."

"I'll return the same to you, word for word. You're going to regret it."

Seeing Sehun amused, Yoonshin realized that a deal had been struck. Yoonshin stood up first, and Sehun tightened his tie and did the same. They exchanged gazes wordlessly and then left the bedroom at the same time.

On the way to the dining room, Sehun shoved his hand in the back of Yoonshin's head. As if that wasn't enough, he brought down his hand, rubbed the other's earlobe, and rolled his finger in Yoonshin's narrow ear canal. Yoonshin glared at the older man, telling him this was a foul. Are we allowed to touch each other? Isn't this cheating?"

"You do it too if you're so inclined." Sehun shrugged and entered the dining room first. Yoonshin followed, suddenly feeling like something was wrong. He declared war ostentatiously, but for some reason, he could picture his absolute loss. However, Sehun, who was extremely competitive, went easy on Yoonshin. Knowing that, Yoonshin shook his head to free himself from his foreboding thoughts and sat at the table.

Sehun took the sandwiches he had prepared out of the fridge and brewed coffee. As he did so, Yoonshin's eyes were fixed on Sehun's structured back. Like most people, knowing something was now off-limits made Yoonshin want the forbidden fruit even more. Becoming aware that he wasn't allowed to want Sehun made him thirst for him.

Yoonshin chugged the water at the table when Sehun brought over two glasses of iced coffee and sat across from Yoonshin.

Sehun sipped his coffee first. Yoonshin turned his attention to the sandwich before him.

Sehun probably never picked it up from anyone, but he had a good sense for aesthetics. Yoonshin took a bite of the well-plated sandwich and looked up at Sehun as he chewed. He suddenly wondered what it felt like to be the dark fluid that slipped between Sehun's red lips. Sehun merely cast an uninterested look at Yoonshin.

Sehun's possessiveness was, at times, excessive. He also had a strong libido. Those dry eyes were clearly picking a fight with Yoonshin. Within a few minutes of waiting, Yoonshin was already feeling weak for Sehun. "Can't you just admit it? What do you get by winning over me?"

"Already being hot for me is proof that you're the horny one. Am I wrong? You admit it."

"I'm not." Yoonshin didn't know how long he could last, but Sehun provoked his competitiveness, and now, he didn't want to lose. Yoonshin averted his eyes and changed the topic. "Have you heard? After Secretary Tak broke up with his girlfriend, he submitted his profile to a marriage bureau."

Sehun's brow knitted, questioning why in the world Yoonshin was bringing this up at the table. "Do I need to know that?"

"This is why Secretary Tak gets upset."

"Do you really want me to give attention to other people?"

Usually, Sehun was antagonistic and Yoonshin was on the good side. Sometimes, when Sehun was callous to his surroundings, Yoonshin approved of it. Yoonshin generally liked when Sehun wasn't interested in other people at all. "I think you're doing very well right now."

"Don't pay attention to other people either. I won't tolerate it."

"I was just bringing it up to ask you about it. Do you want to make it so obvious that you lack social skills?"

Sehun didn't deny Yoonshin's comment and simply gestured to Yoonshin to continue. Yoonshin continued excitedly.

"So, have you submitted your profile before? You have great natural traits, you're handsome, you make a lot of money, and you have a great educational and professional background. You're overqualified in all aspects, so maybe there wouldn't be a lot of partners who could equal you..."

Sehun took another sip, savoring the aromas, and then asked, perplexed, "Why'd you leave out the part that I'm an orphan?"

"Women like that. Life is much better without nagging in-laws. At least, that's what my sister said."

"That's why I'm asking you why you left that out. Also, can't you do anything about your sister complex? At this rate, you're going to start talking about your sister in bed. Sunbae, fuck me. My sister said you can put it in now."

Sehun abhorred mentioning other people, and Yoonshin didn't hate that. However, using it against him like this was something else. Freaking out, he retorted immediately.

"Why would I bring her up in bed? And I told you, it's not some weird obsession, but it's called natural love and affection..."

"Why're you building up your natural love and affection with other people when I'm right here?"

"Ikyung is my sister."

"I have no family. That's not fair. You should only like me too."

"Nevermind. I forgot that you were Sehun Kong, with no faith or love for humanity. Forget that I brought up the marriage bureau."

Yoonshin clicked his tongue and stared at Sehun with a keen eye, observing him to see if there were any slip-ups he could catch. He felt like he lost this battle when he saw Sehun eating neatly, but there had to be some flaws or weaknesses if he searched thoroughly.

"You're probably not a great husband. You're completely buried in work, your personality is shit, you're inflexible, and you do a lot of shady and dishonest things. You're rough in sex, and you smoke when you get pissed off! You don't even contribute to the housework, so you'll neglect your children."

"You told me to forget that you mentioned it. What're you dissing me in front of my face for?"

"I just thought of this after the fact. I could add a hundred more."

Sehun seemed to agree with everything that Yoonshin brought up. He nodded and asked with a stern face, "Do I really have that many shortcomings?"

"I like your flaws too. Besides, most of those can be solved if you have money,"

Yoonshin, who was a lousy liar, answered reluctantly. Sehun grinned fondly at Yoonshin. Sehun's smile was always a feast for Yoonshin's eyes. His mood immediately became better, but wanting to hide that, he didn't say anything more.

The waves of Sehun's voice disturbed the silent air. "Then you could take me home. Like now."

At that moment, Yoonshin felt like he could observe the two of them properly, dissociated from the tense battle that he alone was engaged in. He observed their relationship a step away, like a third-party observer, before delving back deeply as the subject of observation and viewing his surroundings.

They had breakfast and spent their nights with each other. When Sehun left for a trip, he always returned to Yoonshin, and Yoonshin, left behind, waited for Sehun's return. If they were opposite genders, the law would have told them that they were common-law partners. All of this felt surreal, but Yoonshin knew better than anyone that this was their reality.

Overwhelmed with feelings for Sehun, Yoonshin replied tenderly, "Sometimes, I feel like we're married. Are you still against that social construct?"

"Yep, I don't really like being bound just like that."

"Even with me?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"If cohabitation laws aren't enacted in the next five years... then, how about we do this? I'll propose to you since I was the one who asked you out, said that I liked you, and confessed that I loved you first."

Sehun put his coffee down. It clattered against the plate, slightly off the intended course. Yoonshin's eyes widened, catching a mistake unlike Sehun. Sehun swallowed dryly and said, "You just cheated too."

Yoonshin had a feeling he knew why Sehun reacted this way, so his pale cheek twitched.

Sehun slowly stood up. He leaned across the table and kissed Yoonshin's lips and sat back down.

In unison, they merely stared at each other for a while. A slightly tense but not uncomfortable silence surrounded them. Yoonshin liked sharing these moments of doing nothing with Sehun because they could focus on each other. Yoonshin hesitated, wondering if he should ask Sehun for another kiss when Sehun broke the silence first. All right. I lost. I'm a pervert, I'm lewd, and I'm the dirty one."

Yoonshin had expected Sehun to admit his defeat soon. It was a matter of whether Yoonshin could wait patiently until then or not. However, he didn't think that Sehun would admit his surrender so easily. Yoonshin jumped on his chance to reply immediately, "I know."

"Lift the ban on sex. If you don't, I'll probably shrivel up and die."

"I just did."

"Not that you never banned it in the first place?"

This time, Yoonshin was the one who bit his lower lip. Seeing that, Sehun chuckled and leaned back comfortably, chin in hand as he stared across the table at the younger man.

Yoonshin, victorious in their short skirmish, took another bite of the sandwich that Sehun made for him as he accepted the older man's gaze. He chuckled without realizing it as he munched the crisp vegetables in his mouth. As if the smile was infectious, Sehun laughed out loud.

It was a peaceful morning.

After lunch with a client, Yoonshin was walking past the cafe on the first floor of the firm building when he spotted Secretary Tak at the pick-up counter. When the secretary saw him approaching, Secretary Tak greeted Yoonshin enthusiastically, waving at him—he must have needed a hand.

To no surprise, the secretary bought snacks and drinks and needed to carry four trays and five paper bags. Glancing at the staff behind the counter busily preparing other goods, Yoonshin asked, "Why did you order so much? Is there a special visitor?"

"Attorney Kang is buying this for his secretaries as thanks for working over the weekend."

Yoonshin recalled his call with Secretary Tak yesterday and nodded. "Ohhh... that."

"There's something for you too. That cafe latte there. Oh, right, Attorney Kang passed me his credit card, so we're going to have dinner together. Would you like to come too?"

"Oh, no, that's all right. I didn't do anything—I shouldn't butt in."

"Everyone will be glad to see you."

But Sehun wouldn't like it. Unable to go into details, Yoonshin grinned sheepishly instead.

As they waited for all the drinks to come out, they started to talk about the incident from the other day. Yoonshin had a lot of questions, so he asked, "How's that thing from yesterday going? I saw Senior Attorney Kang on the phone this morning because of that. I didn't have the heart to interrogate him for all the finer details since he's already encumbered by it."

Yoonshin waited for an answer, but Secretary Tak threw him an ambiguous look instead. Secretary Tak did most things competently, but he wasn't good at hiding his curiosity. He took a stab at Yoonshin immediately. "You heard Senior Attorney Kang on the phone this morning?"

As soon as he heard that, Yoonshin realized that the secretary could probably deduce something from Yoonshin's words. Secretary Tak was one of the few people who knew most of Sehun's official schedule. He must have known who the older man was talking to before getting to work, and Yoonshin knowing it might have seemed suspicious.

He tried to come up with an excuse but couldn't find a good one. He could only diffuse the situation by using his personal connection to Sehun. "I met him early in the morning today."

"Oh, is that so? Ohhh, right. You're both living in the firm residence. Senior Attorney Kang seemed to be particularly bothered by you in the beginning, and now you're quite close, aren't you? It's a wonder every time I see it."

Yoonshin laughed awkwardly and changed the subject. "But will he be really all right? I checked early today and couldn't find any articles yet."

"They're blocking the articles for a few days for now, but once the charges are pressed, that won't be possible anymore. Attorney Kang is trying to come up with all sorts of solutions. It's too bad that the client made a mishap that was the perfect prey for the press... Still, the one good thing is that our client and the bank manager seemed to be friends for a long time, so they struck up a settlement. They're pretty close. If this resolves well, this will be somewhat under wraps."

Yoonshin nodded in relief. While they were chatting, all the drinks and snacks were ready to pick up. He and Secretary Tak split the load evenly, and they headed up.

As they walked across the lobby, Yoonshin suddenly remembered something and brought it up. "Oh, right, about my case. Could you look into the husband for me?"

Immediately picking up on what Yoonshin wanted, Secretary Tak willingly obliged. "His credit card transactions?"

"Yes, when you pull that up, please look for any records related to traveling in and out of the country. Hotel deposits and payments to travel agencies are fine too. It's pretty clear that he laundered money overseas, so I didn't touch it thinking that it would be taken into consideration and equalized accordingly, but the other side seems to think that we can't find the husband's cash flow. They keep trying to obstruct our case."

"It's the case that Senior Attorney Kong's schoolmate is in charge of, right? The one where the husband bought a building behind the wife's back before he got divorced?"

"Right. I want to win by a landslide in this case."

"There's a lot between us and that lawyer. Anyways, I got it. I'll bring it over to you soon."

Yoonshin shot Secretary Tak a grateful look and grinned. As they were headed toward the elevator in silence, a man wearing a shabby coat who looked around Yoonshin's age plodded over to the info desk in the middle of the lobby and gestured with his arms and legs, asking something fervently. The desk staff pointed to the building on the opposite side, and the man headed over—he seemed to be a visitor to the annex.

In order for the man to head to the annex, he needed to walk past Yoonshin and Secretary Tak. Thanks to that, the two could see his face clearly. He looked very gloomy and dismal.

Secretary Tak must have also been distracted by the man's face as he said to Yoonshin as soon as the man was out of sight, "Since we share the main entrance, we occasionally have people who mistake our building for the annex."

"If he came to the incorporated association, would he be here for a legal consultation?"

"Oh right, the consultation days changed to Mondays. It could be a client of yours."

Yoonshin had the habit of reviewing the applications for consultation, even if he did them for free. He searched up the laws and precedents that he needed for each case accordingly. Yoonshin didn't do that today despite this being his consultation day. It was because he was buried in work and had forgotten about it. Now that he thought of it, he had been lax in that part of his work these days.

Despite knowing that Secretary Tak couldn't give him the answer, Yoonshin hid his bitterness and asked, "The consultations are at three today. If he's my client, I wonder why he's already here?"

"Maybe he's in that much of a rush. He looked terrible too. You saw."

"I know, right? I feel bad for him. I've seen previous clients make that face before."

"You must have. You still won for them, right?"

"I do feel like I won many times, but I wonder why I can only think of the times that I couldn't do anything."

Secretary Tak nodded in sympathy. By that time, they were already in front of the elevator.

The two boarded the elevator. Noticing that Yoonshin was deep in thought, Secretary Tak didn't interrupt his train of thought and pressed the button silently.

The numbers increased steadily. Soon, they reached their floor and got out of the elevator. Yoonshin set down the load at the secretary's office and took his share of the coffee. He stared at Sehun's office intently before saying goodbye to Secretary Tak and the office manager and returning to his office.

He shut his door with a click and scoured through the documents on his desk. After searching the mountain of divorce documents, he finally found the applications for free consultations. They were crumpled in parts. After pulling them out, he felt conflicted. 'Why were these on the bottom? I couldn't even see them well.'

Before, free consultations and pro bono cases were his priority, but now, he was different. Sehun Kang was at the top of his list, and then next in line was his work officially assigned to him.

Strictly speaking, as a lawyer at Doguk, the work that he did under the written directions of a client and the work he did to give back to society were different in priority and nature, but Yoonshin wanted to maintain a balance of sorts. Sehun liked that part of Yoonshin, and Yoonshin didn't want to lose this side of himself.

Sitting back in his rolling chair, Yoonshin checked the time on his wrist. Fortunately, he had a little bit of time left.

"The Civil Act, Article 390, nonperformance of obligations and illegal acts..." Yoonshin pulled out his fountain pen and noted the contents of the consultation application as he carefully read through it.

Yoonshin lifted his head as he sat in the meeting room at the annex. The man around his age whom he saw earlier in the lobby was cautiously entering the room. Yoonshin felt mixed feelings, thinking that this man was waiting over two hours for this short consultation.

The man looked weary. Yoonshin didn't know what this man used to look like, but he looked feeble and worse for wear. Yoonshin knew that face very well. Before working for Doguk, some clients, who considered Yoonshin to be their last hope, wore that face.

Among those tired clients, he vividly recalled one person in particular. They were one of the few people who forced Yoonshin into a black suit and tie.

Yoonshin had thought he was doing his best, but the client must not have seen any hope at all as they decided to take their life while the trial was ongoing. Yoonshin fell into a slump after that and seriously reconsidered his career choice. He recalled the helplessness that he felt then.

"Please have a seat. You must have waited a while."

Yoonshin gestured to the seat across from him. The man looked nervous as he sat and averted his gaze. In an effort to ease the anxiety in the room and of the man, Yoonshin pushed a glass of cold water to the client. The man stared at it for a moment before carefully taking a sip, stealing a glance at Yoonshin. Yoonshin looked the man in the eye and took out his application. "I had a quick look at it. Hmm, so you were terminated by your company, and you've already gone through one trial with them. You asked for an annulment of the termination and demanded your pay, and ultimately you got an order in your favor."

The man must have intuitively known that Yoonshin would listen to what he had to say and nodded ardently. "Yes, the court calculated the wages that I should receive from the day I was fired to the day I was supposed to return to work. They ordered the company to pay me. But the company is refusing to reinstate me."

"Even after the decision?"

The man's voice trembled audibly as he clasped the cup in both hands. `I didn't hear back from them for a while, so I went to the office. But my spot was gone and replaced with a copy machine, and they treated me like air. My colleagues ignored me. Everyone looked at me like I was the plague... It's probably because I caused trouble for the company. Only the general manager whom I respected greeted me."

"Sir, please calm down. I'll listen to everything you have to say, so tell me from the start, one by one."

"At first, I sued the company by preparing by myself, so I thought that was why the company wasn't acting as they were ordered. I thought I'd find help from a law firm this time. When I looked through online forums for victims, I saw your name pop up a lot. They said that rather than the city solicitors or the duty counsel at the court, this place was better and that lkyung Do's brother was the friendliest..."

After mentioning Ikyung, the man stopped himself, feeling like he had misspoken. Yoonshin patted the man's trembling hand in encouragement and then opened up a precedent he found on the screen for clients. Thankfully, the man snapped out of his panic and stared at the screen. "What is this?"

"In this case, the main cause of action would be to seek performance for the company's failure to perform their obligation of reinstating you, and the alternative claim would be to seek compensation for damages for their nonperformance. 'Main cause of action' means your primary claim and the 'alternative claim' is the claim in the alternative that your main claim cannot be fulfilled. Have a read."

The man hastily read through the text as if he was wolfing down cold water on a hot summer day. "I don't get it completely, but that situation looks a lot like mine."

"You're right. The Supreme Court heard a very similar case to yours. The chances of you winning are quite high. But why did you self-represent initially? It must have been difficult."

The man looked at Yoonshin again.

"The legal fees... Even if I won, I was told that I couldn't ask for 100% of the damage from the other side."

"Yes, according to the rules for remuneration, you can only receive a part of it. Hmm, I see—you had a financial reason." Yoonshin was lost in thought for a moment. The man's eyes on Yoonshin were very sincere. Yoonshin asked, treading carefully, "By any chance, is your financial situation not very good right now?"

"I didn't look for a new job while waiting to return, so I used up all my savings. That was unexpectedly prolonged... After I went to the company, they didn't treat me like a person, so my self-confidence plummeted. I started to get psychological help, and I couldn't bring myself to find part-time work. It was just a bad cycle."

Perhaps it was a good thing, but the client wasn't too cognizant of his emotional state yet. He vented for a while but clammed up once he felt like he got too worked up. Yoonshin said as calmly as possible to ease the client, "It will be difficult to return your position to you, but I believe that your financial situation could be alleviated."

"H-how?"

"The trial itself is favorable to you, but the company has already gone against the orders of the court. The second time will be easier. The court made that decision, but they don't enforce it so thoroughly. In my opinion, you might be better off negotiating with the company outside the court rather than going to trial again."

"They won't listen to the court, so how can I solve this outside through a negotiation?"

"At Doguk, there's this pro bono—so, a team that works on cases for the public benefit. They don't just do litigation, but they also take on clients for settling situations as the client's legal representative. If you wish, I could try to put your case as a pro bono case. How is that? Would you like to leave it to me? I just so happen to be an employment lawyer."

Yoonshin didn't think about it for long, but when he thought about this case and the man's face, he established a theory of his own. Plus, he felt that he could take a shot at it.

Yoonshin sounded trustworthy, and the man's face that was as dreary as winter brightened up. A glimmer of hope rekindled in his eyes.

Yoonshin felt relieved at this small change. Work like this was more up his alley. He couldn't celebrate it right away, but if things worked out, he could also probably wash away some of his trauma hiding under his subconscious like the bottom of an iceberg.

"Thank you. Thank you so much, Attorney Do."

"I'm only doing my job. Now, I'll need to register your information here, so please fill out your personal information. After that, let's talk about the finer details. Do you have some time now?"

The man nodded. He hurriedly took the pen and started to fill out the form that Yoonshin handed him.

As he watched, Yoonshin's discomfort started to alleviate, and his heart felt lighter.

With a small beep, the headlights of Sehun's black sedan turned on. Yoonshin was waiting, leaning against the wall of the parking garage. He pushed away from the wall when he saw the lean figure approaching from the elevator. In his bespoke suit, Sehun walked up to him. The bright gray tie on his neck complemented the older man's somewhat cold and cynical impression.

"You're finally out."

"I am indeed. I thought you left first. That's what Secretary Tak told me."

"How dare I leave first? I simply decided to leave at a different time in fear that the secretary office would think oddly of me."

Even though Yoonshin's excuse lacked details, Sehun extrapolated what had happened. "You must have misspoken in front of Secretary Tak."

However, Yoonshin had no idea how Sehun deduced that based on what he said. "How did you know?"

"Because you lied when you usually don't."

‘Oh.’ Yoonshin finally caught onto the other's thought process. "Just a small white lie. I accidentally spilled to Secretary Tak that I heard you talking on the phone this morning."

"Secretary Tak is exceptionally perceptive, but you don't need to worry about him too much. He likes me a lot."

"You knew?"

"How could I not?"

Suddenly envious of Sehun's long relationship with Secretary Tak, Yoonshin started to rock side to side. Sehun watched wordlessly. His narrowed eyes scanned Yoonshin's clear face as if he was licking up every corner of it with his tongue. His intense and blunt gaze made Yoonshin embarrassed. The younger man checked their surroundings for people and then lightly hit Sehun's chest with his briefcase. "Why are you hitting on me in the parking lot?"

"Something good happened, right? Your worries ended too soon."

"There's nothing like that," Yoonshin retorted insouciantly, and perhaps because of his blasé response, Sehun let out a sigh-like chuckle.

Sehun leaned against the car with one arm and opened the passenger side door for Yoonshin, gesturing for him to get in. Sehun had once firmly declared to Yoonshin that he wouldn't embarrass himself by doing things like opening the door for Yoonshin, but now he naturally executed these actions without being asked to. Yoonshin managed to push down his impulse to kiss Sehun on the lips. He was about to get in, but he froze when Sehun suddenly said, "Why didn't something good happen? You're projecting your desires through Doguk."

Yoonshin had wanted to tell Sehun personally when they were alone. Deflated, Yoonshin grumbled, "Do you even know what it's about?"

"I wonder if there's anything that I don't know?"

"Why do things spread like wildfire here? You don't even have a lot of friends at the firm, but you hear all the rumors first."

"That's why you should be careful so as not to get caught in a scandal with me. You'll get kicked out. Not everyone is on my side like Secretary Tak. Always beware."

Unable to comprehend this line of logic, Yoonshin burst out angrily, "People aren't on your side, so why would I be kicked out?"

"Because I make a whole load of money for the firm. You're some sort of pervert who likes pro bono and the like. I thought that you were working pretty hard on the family law work, but that only lasted a year. One year. Great going, Yoonshin Do."

Sehun slapped the frame of his car and gently shoved Yoonshin into the seat. Allowing himself to be pushed in, Yoonshin strapped on his seatbelt, and Sehun walked around the hood of the car to the driver's seat. Soon after, he started to drive. Yoonshin turned his body and stared intently at him. "I'm ready to answer your questions."

Sehun grinned at Yoonshin's cute antics, but he didn't say what Yoonshin wanted to hear. "You must mean that you're dying to hear me ask. I don't feel like doing things when the other person wants it so much."

"You're really so twisted. So, are you really not going to ask?"

"Pay up the consultation fee first." Sehun tapped his pale cheek. Without thinking twice, Yoonshin leaned toward Sehun and kissed his smooth face. They happened to be stopped at a light, so Sehun turned his face. They covered each other's lips for a few seconds before separating from each other.

Perhaps deciding that the price was right, Sehun asked, "What was special?"

"Special? I didn't take the case because it was unique."

"From what I know, there were a few pro bono cases that were right up your alley so far. What was so different about that man's issue that set you to action?"

`Oh, special in that way.' Yoonshin didn't deny it. After mulling over it for a moment, he threw a somewhat off-kilter question. "Are you jealous?"

"Did you want me to be?" Yoonshin didn't reply, but Sehun volunteered, "You have the right to misunderstand, and I have no obligation to clear up your misunderstandings."

"So you did. You always pretend that you don't. When you pretend, you actually 100% did."

This time, Sehun didn't ask, but Yoonshin moved first. He pulled the tie that he gave Sehun this morning and gently pressed his lips on the bottom of the fabric. As if that wasn't enough, he crushed Sehun's ears and cheeks with his lips. After rubbing his nose against his sharp jaws, Yoonshin sat back and faced the front.

There was a stretch of silence as Yoonshin reminisced about a situation from a while back that was similar to the present.

"I once had a client who committed suicide. It was when I was in my second year of practice at the firm of a lawyer acquainted with my father. I couldn't do anything for a while and took a break for over a month."

It was a heavy topic, so Sehun didn't respond. He simply listened. Knowing well that Sehun paid closer attention to Yoonshin's voice than anyone else, Yoonshin placed his hand over Sehun's hand, which was resting on the gear of the car, and rubbed his fingers. Evenly and placidly, he continued, "They said they walked aimlessly, they talked, but it felt incomprehensible. They didn't have anyone to rely on but continued to protect something indistinct. They needed to make money, but no matter how they worked, there was no escape from it. Nothing was enjoyable, and they couldn't find the strength to go on. They felt helpless. They always lacked energy. They felt sleepy all the time."

"Did they have depression?"

"Yes. That was basically what was written in at least 10 pages of their suicide letter. Their letter came to me instead of their family. Apparently, I was the only person who ever listened."

"That man and the client who passed away must have given you the same feeling."

That wasn't all there was to it—there was a more fundamental reason that made Yoonshin act. "When I was younger, my father used to occasionally drink with me and my sister at the table. I don't remember it in detail because it happened a very long time ago."

Thankfully, it was a topic that Sehun seemed to be keenly interested in as he listened without questioning Yoonshin.

"I was so young that I didn't understand what he was saying. My sister seemed to know but didn't explain it to me. We conversed with him while drinking cola or pop. When I passed my bar exam, my sister told me for the first time what our father always said when he got drunk."

"What did he say?"

"That he was so ashamed..."

“…”

"I didn't understand what he was always so embarrassed about, but I felt that way just now." The work at the family law team was fun, and he felt accomplishment—it sat better with him than the work he did before at Doguk. His relationship with Sehun was going smoothly, and Ikyung was settling into her new life. Perhaps that was why, but Yoonshin was becoming somewhat complacent. When he saw the client, he got the feeling that he was slowly forgetting his reasons for becoming a lawyer in the first place.

Sehun's reaction was ambivalent to whether he agreed or not. Yoonshin added, "So I thought I'd get a great deal for that client. A grand sum."

The case itself was fairly simple. Although it was simple for Yoonshin, it wasn't the case for a person who lived through it. It was a critical issue, bound to be a big deviation from his life. Yoonshin wanted to help the client.

Sehun glanced at Yoonshin and then nodded knowingly. "You look the most satisfied with your job this whole year."

Yoonshin looked into the mirror and replied in a defeated tone, "I guess I'm not meant to earn a lot. I think I'll just live off the inheritance from my mother."

"Do you still have some of that left?"

"I've told you before, but I used it all up in buying my house. I'm sorry—I told you I wouldn't let you starve. Still, if I earn a thousand dollars, I'll let you use eight hundred of it. Material evidence is important in common-law marriages, so I'm okay with you recording what I said."

"Common-law? Where'd the marriage proposal go?"

"That's something for five years from now."

Sehun tapped the wheel with his fingers, and a handsome smile decorated his lips.

Slam!

Yoonshin threw his coat and briefcase on the table haphazardly and paced around the couch. His repetitive actions seemed to help him piece together his shattered feelings and calm down. Sehun was reading a book on the living room couch—something he hadn't done in a while. He flipped a page and stated, "You're being distracting. Do it at your house."

Jumping on the chance, Yoonshin leaned forward against the back of the couch. Sehun's gaze was fixed on the book, and he didn't throw a look in Yoonshin's way. So this time, Yoonshin moved to the front of the couch. He sat on the table across from Sehun, placed the bookmark on the page that the other was reading, and moved the book to the side.

Yoonshin didn't forget to check the cover of the book to see what his boyfriend was concentrating on. He scoffed at Sehun's choice of reading. "Being and Time... Are you more focused on Heidegger than me? To this Nazi? Your choices say a lot about you, huh?"

Sehun was dumbstruck that his possession was snatched away in the blink of an eye, but he then looked at Yoonshin, egging him on to go on. "Okay, all right. What do I need to say?"

"Dearest Yoonshin, what's the matter? What's on your mind?"

"What's your problem, Attorney Yoonshin Do?"

"Geez, you're not even willing to ask that for me. Even though there are only..." Yoonshin counted the words on his fingers and then said, "...Nine words in that statement?"

"So, what's wrong? Just say it. You're very distracting."

No matter how long he held out Yoonshin knew that once Sehun firmly put his foot down on something, he would never bend, so the best option was to come to a middle ground. If it were the usual, Yoonshin would have found small joys in these arguments, but right now, Yoonshin had too many things to say. "I just came back from work again. The pro bono that I told you about not too long ago. You once said that history starts from the place of the incident, so I went there in person."

As if he had already presumed this was the case, Sehun's sharp eyes narrowed. Yoonshin added casually, "Do you know what they said?"

"What did they say?"

"They said they'd give us the amount that we called as soon as we go ahead with the proper procedure. I asked for a larger sum than the calculated value, which includes various factors, but they didn't even try to pick at it."

Sehun looked like he expected this as well. Yoonshin couldn't look past it this time. "Did you know this would happen? Your face says it all."

"I thought that it was highly likely that this would happen. Good for you. This is what you wanted."

"Wasn't it too easy? Weirdly, they jumped on the chance as soon as it was presented. I need your wisdom. I thought about it on the way here, but I wanted to know if my theory matches your thoughts."

To know how the bad guys thought, it was easier to ask Sehun instead of squeezing his imagination dry. Sehun read the desperation in Yoonshin's eyes and said sincerely, "Yoonshin Do, your client went to a furniture company with a stable internal structure."

Sehun pulled out a tablet from under the table and tamed the screen on. He opened a file with numbers demonstrating the size and scale of the business. Yoonshin read through the document sincerely. He had prepared quite thoroughly, so these were facts that he had already read before.

He couldn't say the same for Sehun. The fact that Sehun received this from Secretary Tak and read this at least once despite his work showed that Sehun was keenly interested in Yoonshin and his affairs. Yoonshin's iffy feeling was alleviated. "When did you look at these? You like me a lot, huh?"

Sehun, now used to the younger man pointing out the obvious, ignored Yoonshin and said, "As you know, it took a year and a half from the termination to the litigation. After that, your client waited indefinitely for his reinstatement, which means two and a half years passed. He's still not back to his old job. If you do simple math on the amount, he should have gotten for three years, it comes to about $75,000, and if you add damages to that, you could maybe get two or three times more than that. It's not a small sum, but it's a sum that this scale of a company can hand out."

"Yes, that's why it's even more ridiculous. It's just like an ex-spouse refusing to give alimony or child support."

"Suddenly, the company decides to hand out the money that they refused to give once a big firm lawyer accompanies the client. Why would that be? Because they suddenly reflected on their actions? Or they're now afraid of the court?"

Sehun knew the unspoken answer. Yoonshin had a feeling he knew what it was without thinking for too long. He had this theory all throughout the way here, which was crystallized with Sehun's words. Yoonshin had hoped that this wasn't the case, but it seemed like this was the right answer. The theory grew clear in his head these past few days of visiting the company's legal department and a few of the in-house counsel.

"Money wasn't the issue. They had the ability to pay the client, but they didn't want to follow the reinstatement order, so they stalled."

Sehun readily agreed. "If they follow the order, they won't be able to fire him again until the client quits on his own. I'm guessing that there's deeper internal strife that led to the termination in the first place. It might have to do with interpersonal relationships or trade secrets. The client was very distraught after his termination, so he doesn't seem to know the reason. What do you think?"

"For the last two days, I talked to the in-house counsel off the record, and the client's reputation wasn't bad. But it seems like the general manager that the client respected spearheaded the client's ostracization. The other employees couldn't say it outright, but I got that feeling from them. I can't say I condone their choices, but it's pretty common in corporate life."

"Was he good at his job?"

"Yes, they say he was good and efficient at what he did on the public relations team."

"Then the reason for the termination is there. That general manager person."

Yoonshin mulled over it, nearly grasping the answer but just missing it.

"But he's not the CEO or anything. Isn't it ridiculous that a whole company played along just because a higher management officer of the company hated a mere employee? Did he happen to learn a major issue that several people were involved with?"

"Or that general manager is good at office politics. Your client said he respected him. That must mean the manager has an outwardly trustworthy side. It means that he's twisted inside."

It wasn't for long, but Yoonshin also met the general manager. It was impossible to judge someone with a short exchange, but Yoonshin's intuition flashed warning lights. Sehun's theory sounded very plausible.

"So my client is being bullied by the general manager that he respects. He said that the general manager was the only one who acknowledged his presence."

"But these are all presumptions. Do you have evidence? Did any of his former colleagues offer to testify?"

"No, but..."

"In the end, the only thing for sure is that the company is reluctant to take back the client. They were prepared for damages and went against court orders. You said that they were willing to offer a lot of money for compensation. In this situation, there's nothing for you to lose. Even if your client goes back, he'll only be bullied."

"What would you do if you were in my place? Would you fight to the bitter end? Or cover it up when you deem it's appropriate?" Both options were in the interest of the client, but Yoonshin didn't know what was right.

"I don't take on small cases like this. Even if I do, I'd be on the side of the company."

Yoonshin smacked Sehun's chest and asked again, "I'm asking you, what if."

"What more should I do than get a lot of money for the client? I'm a lawyer, not a parent."

"I have no idea if you're helpful or not At a loss for words, Yoonshin slumped forward against Sehun. Sehun stretched his arms out, pulled Yoonshin in closer, and made him sit on his lap. Yoonshin rested his forehead against Sehun's broad shoulders and sighed. The older man stroked Yoonshin's back like he was putting a child to sleep.

Just as Sehun said, there was nothing for Yoonshin to lose by the company willingly cooperating. Yoonshin advised the client that, since it seemed like the client wasn't a good fit for the company in the first place, getting the compensation, ending the situation, and looking for another job was the best option. However, knowing that there was a victim who was unaware that he was an outcast for three years and letting things end like that didn't sit right with Yoonshin.

His client was now very faint-hearted, so Yoonshin wasn't sure if the man could last another grueling lawsuit. He was already suffering from the wounds from other people, and it didn't seem like a good idea to add fuel to the fire.

"How should I explain how I got the money so easily? That his company doesn't like him?"

"Just say that you're an extremely competent lawyer. They all get knocked out by your words."

"Only you get knocked out."

"If I do, then everyone else does."

Yoonshin thought Sehun would deny it, but seeing him agreeing made him feel better.

"How should he find a decent place to work? Do you know a place that's stable with good pay?"

Sehun, who was fondling Yoonshin's body, stopped like a broken clock.

"You're not a high school teacher writing reference letters for your graduating students."

"Some other lawyers also do follow-up care—just like how you do simple lawsuits after."

"What do you know about that person for you to find jobs for him?"

"I don't really know him well. He's just desperate to get his life back. It's fine if I'm wrong. I'm willing to help him despite it all. It's for my mental health. You said all sacrifices stem from selfishness."

"Yoonshin Do."

"I'm not saying that I'll plant him in some company. I want to give him a chance. His self-confidence is too low. You should have seen his face."

If he walked under the sun every day, met other people, and gained new responsibilities, the possibility that he would impulsively think of bad things would get lower. After putting in a certain amount of labor and effort into a task, receiving a proportional compensation, and feeling accomplishment through that, he would be able to stand on his own two feet again.

Sehun must have read Yoonshin's thoughts as he didn't oppose it too much. "Isn't your sister better for that?"

At first, Yoonshin thought Sehun was making fun of the fact that Ikyung helped him get into Doguk, so he was about to glare at Sehun but realized that he didn't need to. Yoonshin realized that she was indeed better for that purpose.

Not too long ago, Ikyung had used a chunk of her alimony to set up a small art gallery. He recalled that she needed some more staff. Yoonshin bolted up. "I think I need to call my sister."

He was about to walk past Sehun, but the older man shook his head firmly, telling Yoonshin that he couldn't leave, and pulled him back into his arms. Sitting back on his lap, Yoonshin's brow arched. Sehun replied, "Don't go. I don't like when you talk about things I don't know where I can't hear you."

Yoonshin wanted to retort that Sehun knew what Yoonshin would talk about but abandoned the thought. His desire to control and possess all of Yoonshin's attention sometimes didn't allow leeway for his familial relationships.

Yoonshin wrapped his arms around Sehun's neck and kissed his cheek and nose. After his thin and sensitive skin departed from Sehun, their sweet gazes met. They stared only at each other, pulling the bowstring and aiming at the other.

Once cognizant that Sehun was completely focused on him only, Yoonshin felt emotions bubble up within the depths of his heart. "I hope you keep wanting to monopolize me."

Sehun did not agree to or deny this. He merely pushed Yoonshin over on the couch. He loomed over Yoonshin like a curtain draping over him, and his arms on either side of Yoonshin's head were the bars of his cage. He slowly leaned down. The two slowly were trapped in the cage of Sehun's embrace.

A moment later, Sehun replied, "If I keep doing this, you'll suffocate. You're fearless."

Sehun started to unbutton Yoonshin's shirt. Yoonshin tossed his head back slightly and inhaled deeply. He wrapped his palms around Sehun's built back. Their torsos pressed closely together, and each of their taut lower halves touched. When the older man skillfully rubbed against Yoonshin, their members chafed against each other with fabric separating them.

Yoonshin sighed, and Sehun's actions grew more sultry. The way Sehun's hips rolled against Yoonshin was particularly arousing.

"Call later, okay? Let's say tomorrow morning?"

A smile crept up on Yoonshin's face, and he responded to Sehun's request by opening his mouth, begging for a kiss.

The formula prescribed by the law for compensation for damages was quite simple. Most damages could be compensated with money. Whatever the injury, regardless of the type, money could solve it all.

Whether one had severe physical injuries or minor to major psychological injury, it was the same. In the extreme, the court ordered monetary damages to

compensate for death. Yoonshin had also represented a family who received damages for a fatal car accident that resulted in the loss of the breadwinner of that family.

He wondered who first put a number to the life of a person.

Looking down at the documents, Yoonshin had mixed feelings. 'So this person's three years only came to this much.'

Time was money, but they weren't all of the same value. For example, Sehun's three years were not equal to Yoonshin's three years. Yoonshin had asked for the maximum value considering the client's annual income and compensation for damages, but he still felt like there was more he could have done.

Still, he might feel better after helping the man get back on his feet. If this all ended well, Yoonshin would also forgive himself for the incident from way back and the embarrassment that he felt in recent times.

Yoonshin took out his phone and called his sister. He had already gone through one round of calls with her yesterday morning and sent her the client's resume since she asked for it. He was asked to call back later at night after she discussed it with her staff. He heard her bright voice. "Yoonshin! You called just at the right time."

"Are you okay to talk now? Isn't it too late at night? I was busy—I just finished work."

"No, I put the kids to bed and was having a cup of tea. You called to ask about the thing from yesterday, right?"

"I was worried that it was too abrupt. If it's too much, you can refuse. I'll look for something else."

"I talked to the vice-director who said that we should interview him to see what kind of person he is, and if we like him, we could offer him a six-month internship. I agreed because it seemed reasonable to review the contract later rather than hiring him full-time to reduce risk. He was from a decent furniture company's PR team, so everyone liked him after they saw his resume."

Yoonshin listened carefully and leaned into his chair, making it creak. He let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you. If you think he's too lax after you meet him, you don't have to force yourself to hire him. I also don't feel comfortable pushing someone who can barely stand to run while causing trouble for others. But he has some personal barriers, so go easy on him. He's not very confident in himself."

"Of course. It's a favor for you after all."

Yoonshin didn't need to give his client special treatment. What Yoonshin wanted to give to the client wasn't just a job but a reason to go on. This was all so Yoonshin didn't repeat the tragedy from his past. He explained this thoroughly to his sister yesterday, so his wise and considerate sister would take appropriate action. "Thanks. You're really the best. Oh, tell the kids that I love them too and that I'll go to see them after Christmas."

"After? You're not coming on the day of?"

"Huh? On that day..." Yoonshin had a date with Sehun on Christmas Eve and Christmas. They normally didn't set a day to meet and instead met when they could, but Yoonshin wanted to be with Sehun on that day no matter what, so he asked Sehun out first.

When Yoonshin couldn't reply right away, his sister chuckled. "You gotta spend it with your girlfriend. I always tease you the same way, but you fall for it every time."

Once relieved, he released his tension. Yoonshin shook his leg and then glanced out of his room. Sehun's room was brightly lit, but because of the height of his office window, he could only see Sehun's bookshelf. With no other choice, he walked over to his window and saw Sehun talking on the phone at his desk.

Was it fame and reputation that he aspired to attain by working nonstop? Or was it for another value? Yoonshin thought Sehun might be chasing after something intangible and wondered if the older man ever felt anxious about it. How could he keep advancing forward so steadfastly without being shaken once? Yoonshin wanted to know what drove Sehun and considered this one of Sehun's merits.

"The kids wanted to see you. Come over on the 26th. Let's have dinner together."

"Okay. What should I buy? Did they want anything?"

"I'm not sure. Oh, but don't buy any gaming consoles like last time."

"Sure. I'll think about it."

As he observed Sehun like a thief observing the target home, it seemed like the business call wasn't going well as the older man started to bite his lips. His carefully sculpted face crumpled into a grimace. That face came to Yoonshin as oddly sensual.

‘He surely knows that he's handsome, but why is he wasting it holed up in his office?'

Yoonshin repeated the same thoughts that he always had and then moved for better viewing. Sehun balanced his phone between his ear and shoulder and lit a cigarette. He must have felt a dogged gaze because he looked at Yoonshin. When their eyes met, Yoonshin waved to him fervently. Yoonshin was still on the phone with his sister and couldn't talk, but he was gesturing to ask why Sehun was smoking in his office.

The gestures were awkward, but Sehun must have understood it as he cold-heartedly shuttered his blinds.

"Wow, that son of a gun."

"Yoonshin? Is someone with you?"

Yoonshin wasn't with Sehun and his view was obstructed. Yoonshin collected himself quickly. Then, he responded nonchalantly, "It's nothing. lkyung, then that man's interview date..."

"Yep, well let him know. But are you still at the firm? You work too late every day. Your vacation days keep stacking up, but why do I feel like you are working more and more?"

"I was just about to get off work."

"Go home soon. Right, is Senior Attorney Kong well? I've been wondering for a while." lkyung was trying to sound as casual as possible, but Yoonshin could tell she felt sorry. lkyung knew about the scandal between her and Sehun, so she was always reluctant to mention him. She must have been worried that the issue would be an obstacle for Sehun professionally or personally.

Yoonshin knew that, but Sehun didn't like the idea of telling her about their relationship, so there was little Yoonshin could say to comfort her.

Given Sehun's personality, he wasn't worried about lkyung's opinion even if she was strongly opposed to their relationship. It would be more accurate to say that, aside from Yoonshin, Sehun didn't want to let other people into his solitary life, whether friends, colleagues, his lovers family, or acquaintanceships. Yoonshin replied vaguely, "He's the same as always."

"That's good to hear. Right, the person you're going out with. How is she? When are you going to introduce me to her?"

"Right? I want to show off to you, but no matter how I whine, I can't get perm—"

"Hmm?"

lkyung wasn't aware, but because they were talking about a person they knew in common, Yoonshin replied without thinking. He stopped himself mid-sentence and tried to see through Sehun's blinds while he changed the topic, "No, uh, can I let you two meet later?"

"Sure. Let me know when she's ready. I guess she's very shy, huh?"

Yoonshin tried to connect shyness to Sehun but soon gave up. Sehun would never understand any feeling remotely close to shyness even if he were to die the next day. He grinned. "Yeah... Sure, I guess so.”

"Your relationships have never lasted very long, but you've been going out with her for a long time. I thought you were sick of dating people since you didn't meet anyone for a while."

It was the opposite for Yoonshin—going out with Sehun gave him such joy that it was a problem. It was fun to just sit with their legs intertwined and chat about unproductive things. Yoonshin felt diffident and decided to stay silent. lkyung thought that Yoonshin might be uncomfortable, so she continued, "Anyway, let's talk after the interview. I'll hang up for now. Go home soon."

"Yeah, okay. Call me later. Good night."

Her voice was soon cut off and replaced by beeping, marking the end of the call. Yoonshin looked down at the dark screen. Thinking back to her bright voice, his mind was plagued with thoughts. Based on his experience, lkyung knew what happiness was, and even though she took the long way, he was relieved that she had found it again.

After his call, Sehun was the only one left for Yoonshin. Yoonshin cleaned up his desk and prepared to leave. It was late, so there were very few employees left in the office. Just an hour ago, the office manager had left to do some task and was absent. Yoonshin had the feeling that she had actually gone home.

Yoonshin cautiously knocked on Sehun's office door and heard the others low voice telling him to come in.

When he carefully opened the door, Sehun glanced up at Yoonshin from his documents. He massaged his neck and sent him a look—as if he had known all along that it was Yoonshin who knocked. Yoonshin shrugged and closed the door, standing in Sehun's plain view. "Why did you pull down the blinds when I was admiring you?"

"Aren't you going to lock the door?"

"There's nobody outside. It's already 10. Shouldn't we get off work too?"

"We should, but before that, it's good that you came in. Come sit here," Sehun said suggestively and patted his lap. Yoonshin placed his briefcase and jacket on the couch and approached the older man.

"Being a perv is part of your personality, right? Were you born with pervy instincts?" Yoonshin said brazenly.

Sehun shook his head at the ridiculous comment. "You're lucky that there's someone who thinks your nonsense is cute."

Yoonshin's face brightened. "You?"

"Your sister."

"No, it's you."

"Of course, it's me. Why ask the obvious?" Sehun wrapped his fingers around Yoonshin's wrist. He pulled him slightly toward him, and Yoonshin willingly followed the lead, sitting on Sehun's firm lap. Sehun pointed at the documents on his desk, and they both turned their attention to the tablet PC.

The contents were new to Yoonshin, but the watermark on the PDF was a logo that Yoonshin was very familiar with.

"It's from the business that I introduced last time. So you still leave work to them."

Pointing to the map on the right, Sehun agreed. "Yep, they're thorough and precise. This is the environmental pollution survey around the factory site. Have a look."

"Why? It doesn't look like it has an issue..." Before Yoonshin could finish, Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's jaw. He turned Yoonshin's face toward him and kissed the younger man a few times. Yoonshin felt as if Sehun would carry him away, so he pushed the other's arm away.

He started to read through each page of the report when he noticed that something was off. It wasn't obvious at first glance, but it was so normal that it was odd. It was like he was looking at food replicas displayed in the windows of restaurants. "Wait a minute, the numbers are all normal, almost like a sample made to seem like nothing was wrong. This graph... looks like a curve that I've seen before."

"It looks like that to me too. What's with this deja vu? The numbers are too normal."

This meant that the company Sehun had asked to look into was following the laws and regulations as they should or that there was something wrong with the report. Yoonshin couldn't jump to conclusions, but the investigation company was a long-time friend of his father—considering the personality of the president, it seemed more likely that it was the former.

"It would be bad for us if this company was good at addressing pollution issues, right?"

"I would say so."

"Do you need my help?"

"I was going to do it myself, but I have a bunch of other reports to read, so I don't have time to flip through this one. Read it more thoroughly and send me a draft memorandum."

"Without consideration?"

"I'll buy you whatever you want, whether it be a watch, a car, or a house."

Yoonshin twisted his body, grabbed Sehun's collar, and replied with no abandon, "Buy me Sehun Kang."

"Not what you already have." Sehun was so averse to saying things like that at first, but now he said them willingly. This was a better reply than he had expected, which motivated Yoonshin enough that he could work willingly all night.

Yoonshin snickered, elbowed Sehun, and then sent the documents on the tablet to himself. He got up, thinking that it was about time to head back home. But when he was halfway up, Sehun grabbed his waist and yanked him back down on his lap.

Sehun pulled Yoonshin down hard against him like he was inserting his member, making their lower halves meet flush against each other. He ground against Yoonshin, rubbing against the familiar shape. Yoonshin felt the member rubbing against the cleft of his ass a few more times.

Yoonshin sighed deeply and grabbed the desk, but that was a mistake. Before he knew it, he was sitting on Sehun in a very sexual position, making it seem like Yoonshin was extremely eager for Sehun to penetrate him.

Yoonshin swallowed tensely, and his arms trembled. "Wh-what's the meaning of this?"

Sehun didn't reply. He merely stayed quiet and then leaned his forehead on Yoonshin's back and laughed. Yoonshin always made Sehun laugh out loud. While Yoonshin was proud of that, at times like these, he felt more embarrassed about it than anything.

"Why are you laughing? Stop laughing. I want to make this clear, but you started this, and I was only reacting in fear that I'd fall forward as usual."

"Did you want it that much?"

Yoonshin squeezed his eyes and then berated himself. Why couldn't he lie without batting an eye like Sehun? "A bit."

Unlike his expectations, Sehun wasn't laughing anymore. Instead, he ground harder against Yoonshin's bottom. Then, he stuck his upper body close to Yoonshin's quivering back. He licked Yoonshin's red ears and growled, "I want to lick and suck you."

Sehun's hands dropped from Yoonshin's waist, down to his groin, and started to rub at Yoonshin's front. His long fingers drew circles and then stroked up and down the outline of Yoonshin's member. Yoonshin's arms finally dropped from the desk. Unable to contain himself, the younger man forced his body around to face Sehun.

They hugged each other tightly and kissed. Their tongues passed between moist lips and explored red flesh, entangling and stimulating each other. The agitated papillae of their tongues caused so much friction that they felt like they would wear down, and their fluids mixed, making wet sounds.

"Hmm, mmh, hnnnph..." Yoonshin's member started to grow hard, making him wriggle in Sehun's arm. Noticing the reaction, Sehun lifted Yoonshin and made him sit on the desk. Then, he pushed Yoonshin down. Yoonshin's legs writhed.

Sehun planted his lips over Yoonshin's pants and took the younger man's shaft in his mouth. He spread Yoonshin's legs and buried his head in between. He fondled the other's perineum and entrance over his clothes, and because of the indirect contact, Yoonshin flinched, wanting more. "Ah, hnph, Sunbae. Not this—something else."

Yoonshin guided Sehun's hand over his pants buckle. Sehun had long lost his cool and gladly undid the younger man's zipper. Sehun pushed his tongue between the open flaps and traced along Yoonshin's underwear. Yoonshin gasped. "Oh! Ngh! Not—!"

"No need to rush me. You know I'll do everything that you want."

Sehun's angry member poked against Yoonshin's skinny thighs. His face red, Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's clothes in desperation. Glancing down, the other man's front was tented so fiercely that it was about to burst through the fabric. When their eyes met, they immediately knew what each other wanted. Sehun rummaged through his jacket and found his wallet. He pulled out a condom and put it in Yoonshin's mouth.

While Yoonshin held the wrapped condom in between his wet lips, Sehun pulled down Yoonshin's pants and briefs down to his knees. Then, Sehun sucked the erect member. Yoonshin threw his head back and jerked his hips. The moans he was suppressing burst out, making the condom between his lips fall between the sticky notes on the desk. "Mmmh, ngh!"

Sehun's tongue wrapped around the pink head of the younger man's member, and he swallowed the shaft deep into his mouth, enveloping the entire length with the wet membrane of his mouth. The lanky body under Sehun trembling uncontrollably.

Just when Sehun took his member deep into his throat, there was a knock at Sehun's office door.

Soon after, they heard the office manager. "Attorney Kang, I have something urgent to report to you.

Horrified, Yoonshin's mouth fell open. He whispered as quietly to Sehun as possible, "I-I didn't lock the door."

Sehun, his partner in crime, didn't look fazed. He calmly redressed himself and replied, "I know."

"I thought the office manager went home for the day."

"Apparently not. What do you want to do? Come out of the closet? It's about time, I'd say."

"What do you mean?! Stop being ridiculous. How can you joke around in a situation like this? Just tell her to come in."

At the same time, Yoonshin slinked under Sehun's desk. In coordination, Sehun threw his coat to hide Yoonshin's lower half and sat at his desk. He answered the door, telling the office manager to come in. She was holding the translated documents that Sehun wanted by tomorrow morning. "The special team associate lawyers completed their translation. I figured that it was better to give this to you sooner than later. I sent it via email, and this is the print copy."

"Oh, that. Just leave it on my desk."

Click clack. The sound of low heels grew closer. The office manager's voice grew closer as well. "Oh, right. You have a dinner event held by Taesan's Senior VP Yeonwoo Jin on Friday two weeks from now. The dress code is gray. Should I ask Secretary Tak to prepare your outfit for that day?"

"No, I was given a tie not too long ago. I'll wear that. If that's all, feel free to go home."

While Yoonshin was crouching, holding his breath, the office manager set down the thick folder of documents and turned around. She must have bowed as

Yoonshin heard rustling before the door closed once again.

Yoonshin had been clamping his mouth shut with both hands in fear that the office manager would notice. Once she left, he exhaled deeply. Relaxed, he leaned his cheek against Sehun's knees. Sehun glanced down and raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think we should finish up what we were doing?"

"Do what?! Snap out of it." Yoonshin slapped Sehun's legs and slipped out from under the desk, dressing up. He cooled off his heated cheeks with the back of his hands while Sehun rubbed his face. Yoonshin initially thought that the other was doing that to relax his tense facial muscles, but seeing Sehun's quivering shoulders, he realized that Sehun was holding in his laughter.

Yoonshin sat on the desk across from Sehun and chewed his lower lip. Sehun lowered his hand to his chin and, cupping it, looked up at Yoonshin. The corners of his lips were pulled up, unable to hide his amusement and mirth.

Sehun had laughed openly, which was unlike him, so the suggestive atmosphere between them turned warm and comfortable, filled with understanding for each other.

"Is this situation funny to you? I was scared out of my wits. How could you be so blasé about this?"

"If you go through as many obstacles as me, this will happen to you too."

"No matter how many hurdles I jump over, I don't think I'll ever be like you. Ugh, I don't want to stay here any longer. I want to go home."

"Of course, I must make haste and escort the young master home."

Sehun stood up, changing their eye levels. The older man leaned down, kissed Yoonshin's cheek, and offered a hand. After grabbing it, Yoonshin hopped off the desk and then picked up Sehun's coat from the floor, dusting it off before checking their surroundings. Yoonshin saw the back of the office manager leaving, finally going home for the day.

In the meantime, Sehun had finished cleaning up his desk and picked up his briefcase.

Before leaving, Yoonshin suddenly recalled something and grabbed Sehun's hand. They exchanged looks in front of the door for a few seconds. Sehun pulled Yoonshin into his arms, and the younger man closed his eyes and kissed his ears. They lightly brushed their lips against each other before pulling apart.

After the silence, Yoonshin asked, "That event two weeks from now. Does that end late?"

"Why do you ask?"

"The day after is that day. December 31."

"You have a trial date that week. I told you that you don't need to worry about that."

"Let's go together. We might as well spend the night there this year. We can watch the sunrise together."

Yoonshin was adamant, and Sehun also clearly wanted it, so on the last day of every year, they visited the environmentally friendly ossuary together.

Sehun had once said that he wrapped up his year and collected himself for the next year there, but Yoonshin wished that Sehun didn't do that anymore.

Yoonshin wanted to be the only motive for Sehun to affirm his resolutions. He hoped that when Sehun felt any guilt or questioned himself, he would come to Yoonshin for consolation. When Sehun had a premonition that he shouldn't go somewhere, he wanted Sehun to slam the brakes with Yoonshin in mind. Yoonshin wanted Sehun to share all his worries and happy moments with him.

On matters of the heart, Yoonshin wanted everything for himself since he was already doing the same to Sehun.

Sehun wasn't the only possessive one.

"I'll buy the expensive flowers this year as well." Yoonshin didn't hear the other answer, but he was satisfied with the tacit response. Sehun caressed Yoonshin's cheek, and his eyes contained the totality of Sehun's universe.

Sehun never said anything in the end, but Yoonshin replied kindly, "I love you too."

Sehun grinned and rubbed the skin under Yoonshin's eyes.

Then, he wrapped his hands around Yoonshin's cheek and stamped his lips over the younger man's lips.

Guests started to file into the reception hall of Taesan Group for the dinner. Various prominent figures of political and financial circles, as well as people in the legal profession with connections to Taesan, came. Regardless of political alignment, influential figures of the press all took their places in the luxuriously decorated venue. Yoonshin, who had followed Sehun, was one of those guests.

To be frank, Yoonshin felt uncomfortable in these networking events. If the other guests gave him a piece of information, he needed to reciprocate by giving them info that was worth just as much, but he didn't have much of that. After lkyung's divorce, he had been avoiding meeting anyone related to the media, so even if Sehun created the opportunity for him, he rarely ever attended.

This time was different. The judge who was sitting the divorce trial that Yoonshin was working on was attending, so he made the time to tag along. The defendant's lawyer had connected with the judge on the fact that they graduated in the same year, but Yoonshin didn't have anything. He thought that wasn't fair and figured this was a good chance.

If they didn't have anything in common, he needed the judge's weakness at least. Even if he kept quiet about it without using it, the other side would know that he had a card up his sleeves and be wary of his actions. It was the most dangerous and risky thing that he had learned from Sehun, but it was also the most useful.

"Well, I'm surprised to see you here." Yoonshin looked around and spotted the judge sitting at a circular table, greeting several people. Even though this was a strictly private event, it wasn't very wise for the judge to show his face at an event like this. Knowing that very well, the judge looked grim as Yoonshin approached him.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Attorney Do. Did you accompany Attorney Kang?"

"Yes, but I should be saying the same for you. I didn't think I would see you here, Your Honor... This would be bad if the court knew, wouldn't it?"

"Are you trying to start something? Judges are humans too. This will impact your trial negatively."

"Don't you need to measure the pros and cons a bit more thoroughly to see which side would be more disadvantaged? As you know, the worst I would face is a loss at the trial, but you..."

"Hey now, Attorney Do."

"True, you could simply be an impartial judge. No harm in getting a heads up on which company's stock will hit an unprecedented ceiling next quarter at this party," Yoonshin said subtle words of threat with a smile. The judge almost burst out in outrage, but wary of his surroundings, he grinned back awkwardly. He must have felt humiliated by a lawyer so much younger than him that his jaws quivered visibly.

It seemed like agitating the judge more in a place with as many people as this would backfire. He figured that this was a good time to step back, so he returned to the guest room where Sehun was.

In the room, a crafty-looking, middle-aged man was conversing with Sehun. Yoonshin recognized the middle-aged man as the president of a well-esteemed corporation. Yoonshin took a seat at the table behind Sehun. Since he was pretty close, he could clearly hear their conversation.

"Businessmen like me need to have a close, commensal relationship with lawyers, you see. It would be great if an excellent lawyer like you could lead my legal department. You're a man who needs to move onto better things than Doguk."

"I don't know—Doguk is an excellent firm."

"But you're not the number one in the industry. You're the one who took the bull by the horns and led Doguk this high, so you've done your part. I could fill your pockets pretty sufficiently. I could treat you to a benefits package at the level of a director of a subsidiary. I could make your dream team with the size and talents of your desire, so it'll be more comfortable working with me." The man was blatantly on a fishing expedition. He was trying to recruit Sehun.

Of course, they hadn't even fulfilled half of the seven years promised to Mihee. However, this was an arbitrary period that he agreed to in case the firm was put in danger.

There was a time when Doguk swayed because all the work from Soohan was cut off, but after Doguk reorganized, it could attempt to surpass the stronghold of the top three firms in their industry. Some of the businesses formed a sort of anti-Soohan spearhead and left various matters with them. Sehun and the other lawyers exceeded their expectations. Basically, they turned the tables around in a way.

If Sehun acted capriciously here, Director Song would not be able to act obstinately against him. With that in mind, Yoonshin anxiously focused on what Sehun would say.

"Thank you for your kind words every time, but I won't move based on materialistic conditions. Plus, if I had to associate myself with an organization, I prefer to be with a firm than a corporation. I can do a lot more variety of work there."

"That's too bad. You're always so adamant."

"How about we meet as lawyer and client? Just like now."

It was a prime opportunity but throwing it straight out the window was just like Sehun. Yoonshin thought that maybe he was one of the reasons Sehun rejected the offer. A smile spread across his face.

If he was right, then he would feel good, but even if he was wrong, that was fine too. Yoonshin couldn't take a ruler to their level of affection. Yoonshin had wished that Sehun would like him more, but now, he didn't care if he liked the older man more.

"Now that I remember, I heard that you were quite busy these days. Could I also add to your plate? I can't find any good lawyers who do international mergers and acquisitions. If you're fine with it, I want to visit you at your firm."

"The business owner doesn't need to come to the firm for a project. You can send an agent."

"How could I send an agent when I'm going to meet you, Attorney Kang? I'll go myself."

"Then, I'll ask my secretary to schedule a time."

"If you could find the time for me, I'd be grateful."

The man patted Sehun's shoulders in encouragement, and with the help of an attendant, he moved over to a different room. Only then did Sehun sit next to Yoonshin. He returned the greetings of other people and glanced Yoonshin's way before he leaned over and discretely whispered, "Did you nudge the judge to tell him that he's fucked if he fucks over the trial?"

"To His Honor? Yep, his jaws trembled terribly."

The older man leaned forward to listen to Yoonshin's story, and his bright gray tie fluttered forward along with his movement. Yoonshin felt the impulse to yank the tie and do bad things to Sehun, so he averted his eyes. Unwilling to tolerate Yoonshin's evasive gaze for even a second, Sehun snapped his fingers in Yoonshin's face.

"What, did you feel guilty after threatening a man?"

"No, I needed some ground to stand on anyway. It was too unfair for me so far."

"Then, why are you avoiding me?"

Yoonshin hesitated. He looked around before lowering his voice. "I wanted to tie you up with that necktie."

Sehun's face turned strange. Abashed, Yoonshin turned his gaze elsewhere. Just then, he saw a familiar face and winced. Noticing the chance, Sehun followed Yoonshin's gaze to see who it was.

The man who was shaking hands with people at the entrance was Director Yoo of Soohan Holdings. Yoonshin had checked the guest list right before they came here and saw that he wasn't invited. He had many enemies and didn't have a great relationship with Taesan Group as well. He must have foregone the trouble and came uninvited just to grate at Sehun's nerves.

Presuming the same as Yoonshin, Sehun squeezed Yoonshin's shoulders as if trying to relax them. At that time, Director Yoo discovered them as he walked up to their table. Conscious of Yoonshin's presence, Director Yoo greeted Sehun in an exaggerated manner, "Well, isn't this Attorney Sehun Kang of Doguk? Oh, since you're my ex-wife's boyfriend... Should I say that you're a brother of sorts? What should I call you then?"

When his taunts started, the murmuring crowd grew dead silent.

As figures who were all at the top of their expertise, they knew very well the relationship dynamics of Sehun and Director Yoo. Nobody watched outright, but the silence clearly told Yoonshin that they were all paying attention to this commotion. Yoonshin grabbed a corner of Sehun's jacket and wanted to tell him that they should move seats, but Sehun was faster, foiling Yoonshin's plans.

"You can just call me by my title—Attorney Kang or Senior Attorney Kang. I guess you asked because you truly didn't know... If your brain doesn't function properly, how about hiring someone to play poker with you? It'll stimulate your cognitive abilities," Sehun said sarcastically with a smile on his face. His slow and steady words filled with disdain made Director Yoo very irate. Unable to hide his irritation, the other man pressed his lips shut.

Then, Director Yoo started to vent his rage on Yoonshin and Sehun. "One is a bastard who thinks he's part of high society because people are willing to invite him based on his somewhat decent pedigree, and the other... is related to the woman I find the most dreadful. How horrible."

Yoonshin could stand people insulting him to his face, but he couldn't stand others insulting Sehun.

Yoonshin, who had been holding in his rage, burst out, "You realize this is defamation. Did you want to be on the front pages again?"

"Oh, since rumors of Attorney Kang shacking up with my wife were so widespread, I got a bit angry... Is that such a big issue, dear brother-in-law?"

"I'm not your brother-in-law anymore. Besides, does anyone not know who spread those rumors in the first place?"

"Attorney Yoonshin Do, there are too many ears here," Sehun intervened in the snappy exchange and stopped Yoonshin. However, he wasn't looking at the younger man. He was staring at Director Yoo with a face more composed than ever. Yoonshin couldn't tell at all what he was thinking.

Yoonshin looked around their surroundings. As he scanned the room, people started to resume their conversations as if nothing happened. He could still feel their attention, but it was better than when they were surrounded by silence.

At that moment, Sehun walked up to Director Yoo. A serious look on his face, he pushed the other man against the sheltered side of a pillar, away from the eyes of others. The other man stepped back, his back against the wall, and glared at Sehun. "What? If you have something to say, say it there."

"I'm not particularly interested in Gallery Director lkyung Do, but I'm more interested in you, who has wealth and power."

"What?" Director Yoo looked stupefied.

Sehun leaned into whisper, "Do you have any inclination to get in my pants? I might feel a bit sick, but I can turn a blind eye just once and screw you."

Not expecting to hear such vulgar words in a place like this, Director Yoo's eyes grew big, doubting what he had heard. He looked around, searching for anyone in the vicinity who could help him. However, Sehun was in front, and behind him were Yoonshin and his own secretaries isolating them.

Sehun might have intentionally calculated the angle he was standing in, but that was unclear to Yoonshin. In any case, from where Yoonshin was, he could very clearly see what Sehun's hands were doing.

Sehun reached out and grabbed the other man's private parts.

Director Yoo gasped.

By the time the secretaries rushed over, it was too late. Director Yoo's mouth fell open in shock, and Sehun squeezed the other's member harder. Not only that, as if he was feeling for the size, he massaged it somewhat suggestively.

Seeing this ridiculous moment happening right before his eyes, Yoonshin bit his lips hard. He was in a predicament—he felt like he would burst out laughing. He could only see the back of Sehun's head, but he could picture Sehun's somewhat disgusted face.

"Ugh, you crazy bastard! Let go!" Director Yoo, who had been stiff in shock, snapped out of his stupefaction and twisted away. He yelled as he pushed Sehun aggressively. This was probably the first time he had been treated this way by another man, so it seemed like he panicked. Yoonshin could tell from the other man's reaction that he was extremely mortified and confused.

The secretaries, who had been running around uncoordinated, eventually made a barricade separating Sehun from their boss. Sehun then raised both hands in surrender and backed away. Then, he said quietly enough that only they could hear.

"Are you going to hold a press conference? 'A man touched my dick. The man in question is my ex-wife's boyfriend."'

"You bastard. Do you want to commit social suicide? If I publicize this, you and Doguk—!"

"Do you have proof?"

"In this room—!" He looked up, but obviously, there were no cameras. This was an event hall that Taesan Group was maintaining meticulously, so secrets were guaranteed. Director Yoo pursed his lips.

Staring right at Director Yoo, Sehun added blithely with a guileless face, "Don't worry too much—I am not going out with your ex-wife. Please contact me anytime. As you said, aren't I a stud with a good pedigree for breeding?"

Realizing that he was utterly swept up by Sehun, Director Yoo's face grew red and purple, and he wordlessly left the guest room. The terrified secretaries followed closely after. The two left behind watched, and then their gazes clashed against one another.

Sehun shrugged and touched Yoonshin's shoulder. He gestured that they should go back to their table. Yoonshin's shoulders were shaking, trying to hold in his laughter. Unable to do so, he grabbed Sehun's wrist. Yoonshin signaled that they should step out of the room for a moment. Even though he only sent Sehun a look, the older man caught on. They changed course and slipped out of the room.

Past the humid hallway, they arrived at an empty guest room.

Yoonshin stood facing Sehun, his red face covered with his hands. His shoulders were still quivering.

Sehun was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and he scoffed. "Was it that fun to watch?"

Yoonshin finally lowered his hands, revealing his red face, and said breathily, "Wow, why didn't I think of that first? His pride is sky-high, so he probably can't go around telling people about this. He's probably seething internally. Plus, there were no security cameras anywhere, so there's no proof, and that area was in a blind spot, so the secretaries and I were the only witnesses."

"It's the merits of the rule of law."

"On top of that, the people in that room will only remember that Director Yoo showed up uninvited, only to try to aggravate us. I feel like 10 years' worth of bad feelings have been lifted off my chest,'" Yoonshin said excitedly, then stopped. What was fun was all well and good, but he got worried that this would have negative consequences for Sehun down the line. "What if he tries to seek revenge from behind the scenes? He's not one to stand being humiliated like this."

"If he was going to do that, he had better opportunities for that. He knows that we have a great hand, so he can't fight back at all. Your sister gave me a lot of excellent cards."

Sehun reached out and touched Yoonshin's lips as if telling him not to worry. Yoonshin flinched and froze, and Sehun frowned, wondering what Yoonshin was thinking.

"This isn't that hand."

"Sorry. Just thinking about it grosses me out."

Sehun frowned, then snickered. The two interlocked their sensitive hands together for a moment in the empty room and then stepped apart. They were tense, cautious that someone might walk in. Yoonshin bit his lips and fiddled with the necktie that he gave Sehun.

"I'm sorry that you had to hear that from him."

"I had fun. Plus, it obscured our relationship, so it was for the better. You're safe at least"

Yoonshin had thought this many times, but Sehun often showed his tender side in the most unexpected times and the most unimaginable ways. Yoonshin knew that this aspect of Sehun was only shown to him, so he wanted to preserve these moments in his memories as if engraving them in stone.

Just like other moments when they expressed their interest in one another, Yoonshin lifted Sehun's tie. He rolled it up and carefully kissed the wide end of the tie.

Their warm and fond gazes met each other.

Sehun kneaded Yoonshin's earlobe. "I think the tie is an excellent restraint."

Yoonshin could only squirm wordlessly.

On the last day for arguments of the trial, the client attended the court for the first time. As the divorce that she expected to end at the mediation stage dragged on to litigation, she was unable to handle the pressure. She must have mustered up the courage to attend near the end.

Near the last stages of the trial, the defendant's lawyer wanted to argue about one last issue, but the judge shook his head.

"Despite the finding of liability for compensatory damages, this seems to be irrelevant to the divorce. We find it difficult to accept the defense's arguments. We deny the additional application. We will read our final order on the next date, set on March 3o at 2 p.m."

After setting the next date, the judge left the courtroom.

Yoonshin and his client exchanged looks, and he smiled at her. After maintaining her composure throughout the trial, she finally burst into tears.

"Why are you crying? We can't be overly optimistic just yet, but this trial was in our favor, as you saw today. The points that we proved; the other side couldn't argue back."

"Thank you, Attorney Do. How can I show you my gratitude for all you've done for me? You put in so much effort, like this was your own issue."

"This is my job after all. Oh, you don't need to show up on the date of the final order. The order will be sent to us. I'll contact you then. Today, you should go home and rest easy. You look very exhausted."

"Yes, please let me know."

The defendant and his lawyer had already left at that point, and the onlookers had also filed out. The client showed her thanks to Yoonshin several times, and with her young daughter's hand in hers, she also left the courthouse.

In the deserted room, only Yoonshin was left. To be exact, Sehun who was in the gallery was left as well. He slowly walked over to Yoonshin, who was gathering his belongings. Naturally, Yoonshin's eyes landed on Sehun.

Whenever Sehun approached him from afar, he always got the same feeling.

Sehun was taller than Yoonshin, had long legs, was well-built, had a lithe and firm body, was always clad in luxurious suits, and had a sharp impression. Everything around Sehun confirmed that the person Yoonshin was going out with was no doubt a man. However, from the very beginning, he had never felt any sort of discomfort with that.

Yoonshin had wondered multiple times whether he would have felt the same if the other party was a different person. However, he couldn't imagine himself falling in love with any other person than Sehun, so he always failed that thought experiment. So, Yoonshin sometimes thought that perhaps he still didn't know what his sexual orientation was.

While he was swimming in his thoughts, Sehun had reached the plaintiff's box, pushed back Yoonshin's hair over his ears, and asked, "What are you thinking about so hard?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Yoonshin replied in a very sincere tone, "I was thinking about whether I'm gay."

"You look like you haven't reached your answer."

"Yes, because I can't imagine myself... being with another man who's not you."

"Be more specific."

"Just in all aspects. Dating itself and sex. Everything."

After speaking honestly, Yoonshin clammed up. Sehun's face looked complicated. He looked somewhat stern, but a part of his face seemed to twitch. It was a very Sehun-like reaction to be disgusted to imagine him liking anyone else. Based on the fact that the returning reply sounded hoarse, Sehun looked very displeased. "So you imagined that all, huh?"

"My conclusion was that I couldn't picture it very well. You must have missed that part."

"But you made an attempt," Sehun retorted.

"I didn't assign any particular characteristics and only contemplated whether I could be with another person of the same gender, but it didn't work."

Realizing that this was a somewhat metaphysical thought experiment, Sehun's rage ebbed away. "Why did you need to contemplate that?"

"Honestly, every time I see you, I just realize time and again that my lover is a man. A very dashing and charming man, yet a man all the same."

"Is it because of our positions in bed?"

"That also confuses me sometimes, but it's something more emotional than that. For example, my sexuality? Not whether I like homosexual people or heterosexual people, but just, I wonder sometimes—what exactly am I?"

Yoonshin considered this to be one of his more complicated concerns, but Sehun's answer was surprisingly simple. "If you ask if you're also dashing and charming, it's the same for me. And you're a man."

“…”

"You're Yoonshin Do. To me, it's more important that you're Yoonshin Do than your gender."

Yoonshin looked up, wondering if these were empty words of comfort, but once he did, he could intuitively tell that Sehun was being sincere. Yoonshin must have been a decent human being in Sehun's eyes. Perhaps decent enough that Sehun, who had never shown his heart to anyone, fell in love with him.

Yoonshin then chuckled. "Really?"

"Do you think you would have liked me even if I were a woman?"

"Yes."

Yoonshin replied immediately, and at that moment, he felt relief as though he finally found the answer to a long-festering question. Instead of trying to solve the question with a general majority in mind, he only needed to think about Sehun. Yoonshin was attracted to Sehun Kang who was arrogant, clever, lonely, and above all, loved Yoonshin back. Yoonshin would have fallen for Sehun whether he was a man, woman, or any other gender.

"Maybe I don't really have a distinct orientation. I would have just liked the person that I ended up liking, and that person would be you."

If either of them were the opposite sex, they might have gotten married, had kids, and watched them grow up—they would have shared a normal life just like others and gotten closer than they were now. Yoonshin, who had imagined this nondescript sort of future, was surprisingly okay with his current situation.

Sehun Kang was the biggest stroke of serendipity in his life. He was the largest deviation and the best decision of Yoonshin's life.

"That's a fine conclusion."

"I think so too."

Yoonshin glanced at the door, worried that the court officer would show up, before getting up on his tiptoes. As they usually did when left alone together, he smooched Sehun on the lips and gathered the remainder of his belongings. He had brought a lot of documents, so he had an armful of papers. Sehun scooped them up for Yoonshin and pointed to the door. The two ambled down to the basement parking garage.

"Good work. It seemed like the other side wouldn't appeal."

"The results will come as expected, right? Oh, when did you arrive? When I saw you sitting in the gallery, I was pretty surprised."

"I figured we could go home together."

Yoonshin brightened up visibly. "For real?"

"Today's Valentine's Day."

Yoonshin had never dreamed that the words "Valentine's Day" would come from Sehun. Yoonshin was usually the one finding by in the trivial events of life like a special day or an anniversary. Those days, Yoonshin would ask Sehun to do various things and Sehun would play along. Yoonshin was extremely thankful for Sehun to say that, given his personality.

"You got off work early to hang out with me? Seriously?"

"Can't I do that too?"

"Of course, you can. I had plans for today. First, well have dinner at the place you reserved and hang out at home. We can pop that bottle of champagne you bought for me last time."

"I see. I also wanted to try something today. Let's each do what the other wants."

"What is it? I'll definitely do whatever you want me to."

In the elevator, Yoonshin's eyes gleamed with eagerness. He turned his body toward Sehun in his anticipation.

Sehun pressed the button and said, "I'll tie your wrists loosely with my necktie and slather you in chocolate. Then, I'll lick it all off. To be specific, it'll be down there." His vicious-looking eyes folded slightly into a smile. He glanced down and pointed his chin at Yoonshin's crotch.

Yoonshin, who was quite taken aback, covered his mouth with his hand.

The elevator door closed with a zing.

Creak, creak.

Yoonshin's body was halfway on the table and was being rocked back and forth. His wrists were crossed and tied firmly with the necktie. With every movement, it loosened. In front of him, his member was covered with melted chocolate, and Sehun was carefully licking away it all. In his warm mouth, Yoonshin grew hard, and his member twitched. Unfazed, Sehun was lapping away at the sweet fluid.

"Hnnn, Sehun-sunbae... Enough now..."

"There's still some left here." He lifted the younger man's slim two legs and stared intently at Yoonshin's groin. Then, he squeezed out more of the chocolate from the pastry bag onto Yoonshin's balls. Then, he rolled each of them one by one in his mouth, sucking up the chocolate.

Each time he sucked on Yoonshin's privates and pulled away, white chocolate smeared like watercolors on Yoonshin's skinny thighs and stomach. Sehun's mouth was dirtied with white chocolate. Because of the slippery and slimy texture, it looked like cum was around his lips. Unable to stand the embarrassment, Yoonshin writhed. He twisted his arms with all his might.

The tie undid itself and dropped on the floor. Finally free, Yoonshin yanked Sehun by his collar. Unable to tolerate the mess around Sehun's mouth, he licked up the chocolate that was on Sehun's skin. "Stop, for real now. This is all too sweet."

"Try begging me to make your other hole sweet and melty. Who knows? I might poke at it."

"Sunbae, mmph. Don't be like that."

"The more you hesitate, you know that I grow more stubborn, right? You should know this by now."

At times, actions spoke louder than words, and this was one of those times. Yoonshin stopped hesitating and reached below, stroking Sehun's member. His pants were already open, so Yoonshin could easily feel the member that was just about to rip through the older man's underwear.

He fondled it with his sweaty palms and then dragged his hands down over the fabric. He stroked Sehun painstakingly slowly, which immediately brought out a reaction.

Sehun shoved Yoonshin down, positioning himself at the younger man's entrance. He had already loosened the hole and rubbed viciously as if he would enter immediately. Yoonshin grabbed the edge of the table and spread his legs. The older man jumped on the moment, grabbed the slender waist with one hand, and guided his member into Yoonshin.

Slam!

Sehun pounded into Yoonshin up to his hilt in one swoop. His bony hips collided aggressively with Yoonshin's ass. The skinny body writhed in pain and pleasure. Yoonshin let out a hoarse moan. "Oh...! Ugh!"

His legs shook so hard that he was unable to maintain his balance. Yoonshin's lower half shook violently. Sehun, who was closely in contact, could clearly feel it, so he lifted the slim legs and slung them over his shoulders. After that, he grabbed the younger man's waist with both hands and pulled it down, fixing him in position before starting to thrust his hips.

With every thrust, the skin of Sehun's penis was wrapped tightly by Yoonshin's inner membranes. It stimulated Sehun, so his movements grew increasingly rough. The hefty table clattered and shook like a ship on turbulent waters.

With a force strong enough to plant himself inside Yoonshin, their supple skins slapped against each other, spreading chocolate all over. The white fluid solidified and rubbed roughly against them. The splotches of chocolate looked like patches of cement, making Yoonshin feel faint. He squeezed his eyes shut.

However, Sehun did not want to tolerate that. "Open your eyes."

"Oh! Ah! Nnngh! Oh!"

"I said, open your eyes properly."

The older man moved one of his hands from Yoonshin's waist to his fluttering eyelids and pushed his forehead forcefully. Then, he pushed Yoonshin's bangs upward.

The younger man's eyes naturally opened, revealing his clear gaze. Sehun liked licking the surface of it. When Yoonshin started to spill tears, the older man would often go berserk.

This time was no different. He lightly licked the moisture on the surface of Yoonshin's eyeball. In reflex, Yoonshin tried to close his eyes, rolling his hips in the process. He must have clamped down unconsciously as Sehun's breath hitched, and he groaned. "Hah, damn it. Urk!"

At the same time, Sehun put more force on his hands as he pounded into Yoonshin. His member penetrated deep into Yoonshin and threatened to dominate everything about Yoonshin, filling him up.

Feeling dizzy, Yoonshin screamed, "Sunbae! I'm all filled up, wait—oh! Oh!"

Yoonshin swung his arms out aimlessly, knocking the chocolate and other bowls off the table. However, the loud clattering of the objects and the necktie being drenched with the sticky substances were the least of the couple's worries.

Managing to aim his arms properly this time, Yoonshin reached out. Sehun bent forward, allowing the younger man to cling desperately to him. Their bodies locked into one and rocked together.

Oftentimes, when they had sex, Sehun behaved particularly aggressively like this. He thrust in deep until he was wrapped to the hilt and watched Yoonshin writhe miserably. If it was just painful, Yoonshin could tell Sehun to stop, but Sehun skillfully found all the spots that Yoonshin liked and stimulated him, so he was always swept away as Sehun wanted.

The head of Sehun's member drew a circle in one spot. After that, he pulled back and thrust at that place, rubbing his shaft to stimulate Yoonshin's prostate.

"Ngh! There, there... Rub it more with yours."

"Here?"

"Oh! Oh! It still hurts. Do it gentler."

"Keep being in pain. When you're in pain, my dick twitches. It turns me on."

"Sehun Kang! Wai—hnngh!"

‘He really is a sadist.'

Sehun always pretended not to listen to Yoonshin's opinions, but on the bed, he was ruthless. He didn't bend to Yoonshin. It was good if he pretended to listen then.

Sehun liked when Yoonshin felt pleasure, but he also liked violating the sensitive and covetous spots of Yoonshin when the younger man was in pain. When Yoonshin started to cry, Sehun didn't let go until the younger man was exhausted and couldn't move anymore.

The sweet exploitation carried on today like any other day.

Sehun thrust up as much as he wanted, heating up the air around them.

"Hold me..." Yoonshin said as he gasped and clung to Sehun like a child trying to lessen his pain. He was lifted off the hard surface of the table, and Sehun easily carried the lanky body. The older man wrapped the other's limp legs around his waist.

Their faces were close to each other. Sehun gave him a look, and Yoonshin opened his mouth. Their lips collided and their flesh meshed together. With that as a signal, Sehun increased his spurt.

He started to slam into Yoonshin, and every time he did so, Yoonshin's member was pressed down by Sehun's weight. As Sehun started to pound with gusto into the younger man's prostate, Sehun's front and back were stimulated and precum spilled out of his member. Soon after, opaque white fluid spattered out, clumping with the chocolate that was coagulating and drying on their skin.

"Ohl Sunbae! Aghh!"

Sweat, semen, and chocolate mixed together, sticking to their bodies. Regardless of that, Sehun continued his aggressive thrusting and then sucked at Yoonshin's tongue ravenously like a beast that had been starved for several days. Sehun was also near his climax, and intuiting that, Yoonshin hugged him tightly. Perhaps reacting to this, Sehun finally released his load.

With the skinny man still in his arms, Sehun collapsed on the table and breathed roughly. His sultry gasps showered Yoonshin like the rain. Sehun's fluids filled Yoonshin, making his hips twitch. Then, Sehun slowly pulled out of Yoonshin.

With no energy to lift a finger, Yoonshin stared up at Sehun. Despite also expending energy, Sehun didn't look tired at all. Moreover, he was pouring kisses all over Yoonshin, who was basking in the afterglow of release. That wasn't all. He made Yoonshin spread his legs and bent over to lick up all the moisture on every inch of Yoonshin's perineum like engraving his warmth in Yoonshin.

"Hnngh, what are you doing?" Perplexed, Yonshin glanced down, but by then, it was already game over. Sehun widened Yoonshin's entrance with his finger. He shoved them into the gap that he made and scraped out the semen that was inside. The fluid dribbled out, pooling up on the table. Yoonshin felt abashed. "Are you nuts? Ngh, oh!"

Yoonshin gathered up the last of his energy to swing his legs in resistance, but it was futile. Sehun's long fingers exploited Yoonshin's insides. He shoved his middle finger in as far as it would go and curled it up, pushing a certain spot behind Yoonshin's member. His spot stimulated, Yoonshin's member started to twitch back to full mast.

Sehun had already overtaxed Yoonshin, so the younger man didn't have enough energy to move his body anymore. Barely managing to prop himself up with his elbows, he looked at the older man, and Sehun leaned over Yoonshin to kiss. When their members brushed past each other, Yoonshin could tell that Sehun, who had also released not too long ago, was already aroused again.

Yoonshin smirked in defeat and laid back down, swinging his legs. "When did you get hard again? By any chance, do you get hard just by thinking of me?"

"Do you think I'm some teenager going through puberty to get hard just thinking about my lover?"

"So you do."

Sehun pursed his lips and frowned, not wanting to answer. Then, he finally replied, "Sometimes."

"I don't think it's 'sometimes.' Do you masturbate too? Now that I think about it, I'm the only one who showed you, but I've never seen you touching yourself."

“…”

"You do that too? Wow, how could you hide this from me? Show me too."

"How about zipping that mouth now?" Sehun rubbed his hardened member against Yoonshin's entrance and slotted himself into position like matching nuts and bolts. It hadn't been long since it accepted a visitor, so Yoonshin's hole puckered and pulsed like it was breathing. Before Sehun jumped the gun, he grabbed Yoonshin's hair and pulled the younger man toward him to distract Yoonshin from the other pain.

"Nngh! Hgnh!" When Yoonshin's mouth fell open to moan, the older man thrust deep into Yoonshin.

The two lower halves met together smoother than before. The second time was much easier—whether it was because the cum that was still inside acted as lubrication or because Sehun's violent thrusts expanded Yoonshin's inner walls more than necessary.

Once Sehun started to fill Yoonshin's insides up and move his hips, the pressure snatched the words away from Yoonshin. He gasped for oxygen. He lay limp like a newborn and swayed along to Sehun's movements. Finally, Yoonshin pulled Sehun into his arms. When he felt the shoulder blades of the other man, the fact that Sehun was completely immersed and focused on him replaced his queasiness with excitement.

"Do you feel good doing it with me? It's better than masturbating, right?"

"It's good, damn. I feel like I'll go insane."

"Go slower. Yours is a complete weapon. It's too big."

"This weapon gives you pleasure."

"Goo—hmph! Ohl Oh!"

Every time Sehun's balls slapped against Yoonshin, and every time his bottom rubbed against Sehun's firm thighs, Sehun's penis was thrust so deep that moans refluxed up Yoonshin's throat. Sehun was mounting him so wildly that Yoonshin's body started to tilt at an awkward angle. He bore with it for a while, and then unable to take it, Yoonshin snatched Sehun by his neck.

Yoonshin's flushed face looked Sehun directly in his eyes. He opened his eyes wide and licked his lips, conveying his thoughts. Thankfully, Sehun squeezed his eyes shut before opening them and decreased his speed so they could both match each other's rhythm. The aggressive movements were still ongoing, but Sehun was steadier, so Yoonshin was able to maintain his balance.

He reached down to Yoonshin's smooth chest and twisted his nipple. With his other hand, he caressed Yoonshin's member. At the same time, he didn't stop his vicious hip movements. Every time he thrust in and out, the younger man's elastic insides contracted. His member with its bulging veins pulled halfway out before pounding back into Yoonshin, pitching a fastball.

Wet slaps and their rough panting filled the wide dining room.

"Hah, I think I'm cumming. I think I'm gonna cum now. Tell me you like me." Thinking back to it, Yoonshin was always the one who told Sehun that he loved him. However, Yoonshin never urged Sehun. He knew Sehun's feelings and understood that Sehun was awkward in expressing his emotions. Still, he usually told Yoonshin that he liked him, but today for some reason, Sehun didn't reply.

"Mm? Sunbae." At his limit, Yoonshin begged in a more desirous tone, but Sehun was still silent. He simply moved aggressively and continued their intercourse. Yoonshin swayed like a leaf in the wind. When Sehun pressed his spot, Yoonshin orgasmed again. "Ahhgnh! Oh! I love you."

"Ngh, god damn it!"

"I love you..."

Sehun grimaced, and a bead of sweat dropped from his forehead. At the same time, he must have shot his load as Yoonshin felt fluid spreading slowly inside. Yoonshin thought that it would take Sehun a bit longer—perplexed, Yoonshin caught his breath and observed Sehun. As usual, Sehun's face was flushed after climaxing. They gazed at each other before Sehun pulled out.

Yoonshin felt empty in an instant and squirmed. Sehun wiped away the semen between Yoonshin's legs and lifted the younger man in his arms. He laid down on the floor that was dirtied with chocolate and placed Yoonshin on top like a blanket.

Yoonshin pushed Sehun's chin with his own and squirmed like a baby in his arms. He wiggled up and met eyes with Sehun. "Senior Attorney."

"Call me by my name."

"Sehun-sunbae, I want to take a shower. My body reeks of chocolate and semen."

Instead of replying, Sehun tightened his arms around Yoonshin's waist. The erotic atmosphere between them remained. However, Yoonshin felt that Sehun wanted to share this short, idle moment with him. Noticing that, Yoonshin leaned his cheek against the older man to give Sehun the time that he wanted. He heard Sehun's heart beating quickly against his chest.

"Your heart is beating pretty fast. Is it because of me?"

"It's because I ate chocolate."

"When will you be honest? You're good at saying cheesy things sometimes."

Sehun chuckled, pushed back Yoonshin's sweat-drenched hair, and then kissed it. Yoonshin savored Sehun's cool touch and looked out the door of the dining room, at the window of the hallway leading to the living room. He was gazing afar with no purpose, but noticing a strangeness, he blinked. He then lifted his torso off Sehun.

"Sunbae, it's snowing outside." Yoonshin looked down at Sehun in an uncomfortable position, and their eyes met. Sehun's eyes were fixed on Yoonshin from the start.

"Sunbae?"

Sehun stayed silent for a while. His face was oddly dark. Getting anxious, Yoonshin was about to ask when Sehun's hoarse voice showed itself to the world. "This is something that I never imagined that I would say..."

"What? You're scaring me."

"Yoonshin."

"Are you breaking up with me? We concluded that this wasn't something you could do."

"I love you."

It was often said that one couldn't react when they were extremely surprised, and Yoonshin was in that state. He couldn't say a word and merely blinked his big, round eyes. He had no idea how to process this heavy confession and if that was even possible.

More affected than ever before, Yoonshin's eyelashes started to quiver. After that, his cheek twitched and trembled. His cheeks flushed red, and then he felt himself getting breathless. He couldn't seem to control his body.

When he finally replied, he sounded fretful, although he didn't mean it. The soundwaves of his voice reverberated wildly. "How could you pull this on me all of a sudden? I'm not even wearing clothes. You should have told me when I was more presentable."

"I like this appearance the best."

He wiped the edges of Yoonshin's reddening eyes and wrapped his hand around the back of Yoonshin's neck. Then he slowly pulled him down to his lips and rubbed them on his nape. "Thank you for making someone like me like another person."

Perhaps the person who was always prepared to love another person wasn't Yoonshin but Sehun. He was stronger than anyone but was more afraid than any other person. Yoonshin wanted to thank him for allowing Yoonshin to pull Sehun out of his shell.

However, he didn't know how to collect and connect sentences that made sense to express this, so he merely swallowed dryly and stuttered, "I-is today my birthday?"

"It's Valentine's Day. Because I couldn't prepare a bouquet for you, is this to your satisfaction?"

"These flowers are too expensive." Yoonshin had no idea that he would receive such a romantic present. More than hearing any other phrase, he felt thrilled and overwhelmed. He felt like he was on top of the world. There probably wouldn't be a better confession of love than this.

Unlike Sehun, Yoonshin frequently told Sehun that he loved him. He confessed every time he wanted to express it. So, this time, he wanted to convey his words in a composed manner to give Sehun the gift of stability and comfort—just like how Yoonshin felt every time he was with Sehun.

Yoonshin cooled his rosy cheeks with the back of his hands and collapsed into Sehun's embrace.

His large hands calmly stroked Yoonshin's bony back.

It was one deep night where fluffy snow drifted down outside and blanketed the earth.

Side Story 1

Yoonshin's late father once said that what divided winners from losers was who made the other party feel like they lost out more.

"It's about time he came out." Recalling his fathers warning, Yoonshin rested his chin against one arm in his office. He looked out of his office window, thinking that it was about time that the board meeting was over.

As he expected, a familiar silhouette grew near.

It was Sehun Kang.

Walking with two other senior lawyers toward his office, Sehun was clad in a three-piece suit and looked flawless as always. His handsome face as he listened to his colleagues looked quite indifferent.

Yoonshin was delighted to know that Sehun belonged to Yoonshin. Sehun's white dress shirt and his gray silk necktie with faint pinstripes were all selected by Yoonshin last night. Thinking that nobody else would know that made Yoonshin feel even happier.

Sehun gestured to the senior lawyers to pause their report and started to instruct the staff at the secretary's office. With both hands cupping his face, Yoonshin observed Sehun intently. However, Sehun didn't cast a single look in Yoonshin's way. That made Yoonshin crave his attention even more.

‘I should just spread the word about who picked that tie for him.'

Imagining slipping his lips and tongue between Sehun's well-shaped lips that were ordering other people, he felt his lower half starting to tighten.

The last time the two had penetrative sex was exactly one month ago. Of course, they shared honeyed kisses, but that was all. Feeling that once they started, they'd be uncontrollable, Yoonshin gave up touching Sehun. Yoonshin did it with Sehun in mind, but since a week into his resolution, he had been constantly regretting his decision.

Yoonshin had his reasons to refrain from touching Sehun. Sehun was particularly busy after working on this project. This was the most intensive workload he saw Sehun manage in all these years. He came home in the early twilight hours and left before the sun rose. The corporate/commercial team was always in a state of emergency and was treading on thin ice.

After Doguk started to cooperate with several overseas firms on international mergers and acquisitions, Sehun became the overall project head. However, when the government of one of the corporations started to poke its head into the deal, the job got complicated. All the M&A experts who represented several corporations had all their nerves on edge and carefully listened to Sehun's orders.

Sehun, a perfectionist who needed to present only his best, started to work like a madman while going in and out of the country. That was why Yoonshin made the strong move so that he wouldn't distract Sehun.

Sehun, who gave it his all in his work, was very handsome. Yoonshin liked that aspect of him.

However... ‘I want to have sex with sunbae...'

Yoonshin badly wanted Sehun to pant roughly in his arousal in his ears as he swallowed all of Yoonshin's fluids, so much so that he would go mad. Still, he didn't pester or plead with the older man and instead waited patiently today, the day of the last stretch of the project. Perhaps finding it commendable and as the price of making Yoonshin lonely, Sehun gave Yoonshin an offer. He would listen to three of Yoonshin's wishes unconditionally.

There was a time difference between where the deal was, so the most critical situation ended in the early morning. The more trivial administrative work was the task of those lower in seniority, and Sehun only needed to tie the loose ends—Yoonshin only needed to wait a bit longer.

Today was the day their separation ended. From that point, Sehun wasn't the possession of his work or the law firm but solely Yoonshin's. Yoonshin was thinking of using his wishes very wisely then.

Before that, he wanted his eyes to meet the older man and was staring outside, but instead of Sehun, Secretary Tak who was listening to Sehun's instructions looked Yoonshin's way. Yoonshin flinched, quickly dropped his head, and stared at his documents. Despite his efforts, there was a knock at his door. "I'm not okay at all. Don't come in."

Unfortunately, the door opened carefully. Secretary Tak poked his head in. Yoonshin smiled awkwardly and said, "Secretary Tak, I said I'm not okay..."

"Aww, don't be a stranger. I know you're waiting for the result of the project. All that's left is for the article to be posted in the other country. Everyone is waiting to read that. The live news will start soon, so you can check too."

"Why are you telling that to me...?"

'Was I so obvious?'

"Do you seriously not want me to tell you? You kept asking the office manager since a few days ago when the project would end."

"Does Senior Attorney Kang know that I showed interest in his team's work?"

As if questioning why Yoonshin was asking the obvious, Secretary Tak's expression grew playful. "Is there anything that he doesn't know? Do you want to come back to the corporate/commercial team? Attorney Kang just happens to be outside, and his mood is quite good because of his huge win, so you could appeal your interest now."

Although he appreciated Secretary Tak's desire to help, Yoonshin honestly wanted to cling to Sehun Kang. He wanted something more furtive, personal, and sexual.

For better or for worse, Secretary Tak's nosiness caused Sehun to send the senior lawyers away and, before going into his office, look Yoonshin's way.

Licking his dry bottom lip, Yoonshin accepted the signal and stood up. Sehun leaned against the partition of the desk and beckoned Yoonshin to come out with his finger.

When the younger man came out, Sehun nodded his head to ask if Yoonshin had anything to say. "Speak."

"Well... Congratulations. You've won again."

Sehun, listening quietly, knitted his brow slightly. "When will you activate your brain cells?"

Enraged, Yoonshin shot him a glare. Sehun arched an eyebrow at Yoonshin's audacity. Yoonshin breathed deeply and then admitted, "You taught me that you shouldn't congratulate yourself until the results are clear."

"Seeing that you remember, you seem to have your brain attached properly," Sehun replied as his eyes searched Yoonshin's face doggedly. It was slightly different from usual, where Sehun would act more difficult and colder to Yoonshin in the firm when people were watching. He was more on edge because of several recent circumstances.

One of the reasons was the large-scale merger that he was currently on, but there was also his thirst from neglecting Yoonshin while buried in work. When he got home from work in the deep of night, he would lock the sleeping Yoonshin in his arms, unsure of what to do with himself. Yoonshin usually woke up from his sleep during those moments.

However, he couldn't tell Sehun that he was awake because after two—sometimes one—hours of sleep, the older man would have to go back to work.

Now, Yoonshin wanted to tell Sehun that he too craved to touch every single one of Sehun's jumping and twitching muscles.

"Are you still very busy?"

"The most urgent issues are settled, but I'm not completely free. If our discussion will drag on, come to my office."

Before Sehun could calmly turn his back, Yoonshin replied anxiously, "No, here is fine. Senior Attorney, I'll use my first wish now."

A few of the administrative staff who were listening into their conversation clandestinely flinched. The word "wish" might suit Yoonshin, but they couldn't match it with Sehun.

Yoonshin knew that they would whisper amongst themselves about what was going on between the two of them, but Yoonshin wanted to deal with this now. He was in a rush. Sehun knew this as well, so after gazing intently, he asked to confirm, "Now?"

"Yes, it's not that difficult of a request to listen to."

"Tell me."

Yoonshin glanced at Secretary Tak and the other staff looking at them with anticipation and walked up to Sehun. Then, he said in a low voice like it was something important, "Not in the office, but somewhere quieter."

Sehun looked down at Yoonshin with narrowed eyes and checked his watch. Then, seemingly having some time, he walked in the opposite direction to his office. Yoonshin was about to follow after, but before he did, he whispered to Secretary Tak, "We'll only be an hour. He'll be away from his desk, so if anyone looks for Senior Attorney Kang..."

"Don't worry about that. But what's going on? What's with wishes and what not?"

"He's indebted to me big time because of this project. I'm just getting it back."

"I see. Anyway, see you later."

Yoonshin bade farewell and quickly followed after Sehun. When they turned the corner away from the eyes of other people, Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's wrist as he moved to push the elevator button. Sehun glanced back, and before he could say anything, Yoonshin pulled the older man to the emergency stairwell, and Sehun readily followed.

They didn't need words.

Leading him upstairs, Yoonshin slammed open the door to the sleeping room. An empty room greeted them.

After closing the door and locking it, Yoonshin pushed Sehun against the wall. As if he expected this all, Sehun propped up one knee and slid it between Yoonshin's legs. He lifted his thigh and rubbed Yoonshin's crotch.

"What do you want? I'll only know if you tell me."

"This place is free for one hour. Ngh, because an hour later, the janitors come to clean. Mmmph."

Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's hard shoulders to support himself, and in response to the lewd movements, he hung his head and moaned. He leaned closer against Sehun so their bodies would be flush and rub closer together. Sehun's large hands wrapped around his back, and he showered kisses all over Yoonshin's head.

"Will an hour be enough for us?"

Every time Sehun's lips kissed Yoonshin's nice smelling hair, they made kissing sounds, and Sehun's thighs moved along. Sehun stimulated the crevice, brushing dangerously close to Yoonshin's perineum. Eventually, Yoonshin broke down completely. "Sunbae, mmh... I can't hold it in anymore."

As if he was waiting for this, Sehun rubbed their hips sensually against each other.

Yoonshin felt Sehun's member through the fabric. He shook his head and moaned. With the palm of his hands, he massaged Sehun's firm body. Picturing Sehun's nakedness, hidden underneath his sharp suit, Yoonshin could no longer hold himself back.

Sehun turned Yoonshin over, and their positions immediately shifted. Facing the white wall, Yoonshin gripped the cold surface with his hands. Sehun ground his swelling penis against Yoonshin's bottom as if he wanted to insert it then and there.

"Hngh, nnh..."

"Is this your wish? Not reunification of the country or wealth and honor but my dick?"

'You don't like doing it in d-dirty places. Where other people were using... hmmph."

"How about using your wishes on something more constructive?" Sehun poked at Yoonshin insistently as if asking "Are you truly not going to rethink this?" which made Yoonshin sigh shallowly. He was miserable with the lust that threatened to boil over from his lower half. He didn't think there was a more constructive use for his wishes than this. All he could do was reach behind his back and pull the other closer so that their hips were flush together.

"You're hard."

"It's because I couldn't sleep."

"If you're tired, you should be flaccid, not erect. I won't be fooled."

Sehun neither confirmed nor denied it. Instead, he guided Yoonshin toward the bed.

Sehun flopped on the bed, backside first. After that he seated Yoonshin on his lap.

At the same time, Yoonshin stripped the older man of his vest. When the warm gray tie began to peek out, he showered the wide end with kisses and ground his hips. Sehun, who was undoing Yoonshin's pants, looked up at the younger man, frowning.

Despite acting indifferently, Sehun was as hungry—possibly more starved—than Yoonshin. The younger man could read that from the face Sehun made and his eyes, which were saturated with desire.

Yoonshin had to squeeze out the last of his self-restraint. He undid Sehun's shirt buttons as slowly as possible. By the time he reached the third button, he pushed himself off Sehun's chest, shifted positions, and then lowered his upper body. With their lower halves pressed close, he licked Sehun's smooth cheek and sharp jaw.

Sehun let out a repressed sigh, "Hah, damn it."

Enjoying Sehun's volatile reaction, Yoonshin pointed his tongue and licked Sehun's earlobe and ear canal. He could feel Sehun's clenching his abdomen and his already hard member stiffen more. Yoonshin was as thrilled as when Sehun cummed inside Yoonshin.

Yoonshin blew into Sehun's ear and whispered, "Is that all? It's been a month, try making yourself harder."

"Don't incite me. Don't you always end up regretting it after?"

"I already regret saying that I wouldn't bother you until your project was done. Oh... I'm so turned on."

"Fuck."

The clumsy provocation worked, and Sehun moved, wanting to sit up and switch their positions. Sensing that, Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's shoulders. He sat up, meeting his eyes and warning him sternly to tell him which movements were forbidden.

"Don't move your hands. Don't touch me."

Sehun's brows furrowed. He scoffed at the uncalled-for revolt. "What the fuck are you saying now?"

"Didn't you hear? I'll say it again. Don't touch me."

"We're still in the firm. I'm your boss. Won't you regret this?"

"Still, you're not my team leader."

Yoonshin's work was still in the sphere of influence of Sehun, as a partner lawyer, but the same couldn't be said for Sehun—his work was out of range to Yoonshin, who had just earned the senior title. Yoonshin figured he would vent the disappointment and frustration he felt every time he was reminded of it, and when he did so, Sehun also seemed upset.

"My?" Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's waist and dragged Yoonshin down on his member forcefully.

"Ahh!" Yoonshin groaned in pleasure and panted.

However, it wasn't enough to stop Sehun, who became rampant with emotional hunger. "You should use the correct personal pronouns if you're a lawyer. Do I need to teach you this too?"

"Hngh, ngh! Sunbae! Wait, wa—"

"My?" Regardless of Yoonshin's cries, Sehun was unstoppable. He had no intention of bestowing mercy upon Yoonshin. Sehun thrust up against Yoonshin more persistently and roughly.

Slam!

“Oh…!”

"Fuck... my?"

Yoonshin felt the other's stiff member pound strongly against his perineum. His legs trembled. He anticipated more direct contact, but more than that, because it had been so long since he touched Sehun, he became easily aroused from the tiniest stimulation. His underwear was soon soaked in precum, and Yoonshin raised his white flag. He grabbed the older man's open shirt.

"I-I'm sorry..." His trembling hands wrapped around Sehun's neck and pulled him slightly up from the bed. Sehun's deep eyes were simmering with dark lust, wanting to shove himself deep inside. Yoonshin licked the other's lips and sent him a look before he added, "Still, don't touch me."

Sehun could not understand why Yoonshin was asking for this at all.

"Fine, let's do it on this gross bed in the sleeping room, on these sheets and pillows that others have used. I'll tolerate it all, okay?"

"I don't think you realize, but my brain is functioning properly. I wouldn't use such an invaluable wish so simply. Don't do anything while you penetrate me and sit tight. That's my wish."

"Do what? No—don't do what?"

"You said to use it constructively."

Sehun looked completely dumbstruck for a second. Sehun had given Yoonshin a stone, and Yoonshin was trying to kill two birds with it. He couldn't believe it.

However, he was Sehun Kang. While he was thrown off, he used that time to think on his feet. He quickly ascertained Yoonshin's intentions and pushed the younger man's neck away with the back of his hand before Yoonshin's tongue moved down to Sehun's neck. Their eyes met again.

"The rule is that I don't touch you. So if I touch you, is it back to square one?"

Sehun was correct.

If Sehun broke the rule, then Yoonshin would be able to use his three wishes again. It didn't matter even if Sehun didn't break the rule. Sehun wouldn't be able to stand this unsanitary place and fuck Yoonshin, so both sides would be satisfied.

His shallow trick seen through, Yoonshin honestly replied, "You're going to accept it, right?"

"If I can't hold back and keep coming at you, you can use your wish infinitely."

Yoonshin felt guilty, so he didn't think of using such a crafty method. "...I didn't think that far. You get hate from everyone because you're so sly like this."

"Call me sensible. That's why I'm successful."

"So will you agree or not?"

Even Sehun Kang, who defeated his opponents strategically, had times when he was aware of the trap but fell for it anyway. For as long as the independent variable called Yoonshin Do existed in Sehun's universe and as long as Sehun desired Yoonshin, this cycle would repeat.

Knowing that well, Yoonshin rubbed his ass against the other's penis. Sehun leaned his head back against the pillow used by God-knows-who and let out a long sigh. Tolerating this space considering his germaphobe tendencies meant that Sehun had already lost, and both of them knew that.

"My father said that what divides winners from losers is who makes the other side feel like they lost out more. I missed you so much last month, so don't make me lonely anymore."

Yoonshin was sure that he lost to Sehun every day.

However, the important thing was that Sehun Kang lost to Yoonshin every day as well.

Yoonshin pulled out two condoms from his back pocket and waved them at Sehun. Sehun chuckled. "Why are there only two?" "One for you and one for me. The cleaning ladies will come in soon, and we can't dirty the sheets."

Sehun, who was enduring well so far, ground his teeth and snatched the condom away. "No, if we use this here, it's two for you. I'll cum inside and you cum in here."

Then, after tossing both on the sheets, Sehun continued, "I accept. Come closer."

Yoonshin obediently leaned in closer. He bit hard on the moist lips of the other. He could sense that Sehun was frowning. He also felt Sehun's hands twitching, wanting to touch Yoonshin.

Amused, Yoonshin gained momentum and continued to push ahead.

His tongue crawled down the other's neck and down to his shirt. Then, he moved back up and took a bite into Sehun's Adam's apple. He grazed the skin with his teeth and slurped at it.

Then, he undid the rest of Sehun's shirt and rubbed his face against Sehun's tightly woven muscles. He sighed, "Sehun Kang, hah…”

Perhaps because of his breaths, his voice, or both, Sehun twitched and propped up a knee. The older man exhaled shallowly. Yoonshin could feel through his skin that the older man was gradually finding it difficult to bear this sultry, scarlet atmosphere.

Yoonshin wanted Sehun to penetrate him right that instant, but on the other hand, he persevered through it, wanting to enjoy the thrill of making Sehun yearn for him this much. Even if Yoonshin didn't go wild, Sehun would reach his tipping point and move.

Yoonshin stroked the front of Sehun's pants. The zipper went down, and Sehun's fully erect member sprung out of his briefs. Yoonshin pressed his cheeks against it and then pulled Sehun's bottoms to his mid-thighs.

Fully clothed on top and bottoms dangling on his legs, Yoonshin climbed on Sehun's lap. Sehun's member flinched against his perineum desperately. It was such a sorry sight that Yoonshin felt like he would lose his mind.

"Hnngh... Senior Attorney. Oh..."

Yoonshin had tried to move as slowly as possible, but he was now finding it difficult to restrain himself. As his groin rubbed painfully against the other's scantily covered member, Yoonshin's pale face grew flushed. They were already touching so much, but he wanted to touch the other more. Yoonshin bent over and kissed Sehun deeply. A low rumble rolled in Sehun's throat as he allowed access to his mouth.

Yoonshin nibbled Sehun's soft lips and shoved his tongue into the cavern of Sehun's mouth.

His tongue was greeted with the other's aligned teeth and warmth, then their wet flesh intermingled. He scoured the concavity, determined to wear out the tender membranes.

However, Yoonshin's movements on the top and bottom were somewhat clumsy.

Tantalized, Sehun was unable to take it longer and started to jounce his hips along.

Sensing that Sehun was about to cheat, Yoonshin lowered his arms to the other's pelvis and kissed him deeper. He angled his head more so he could knock on the roof of Sehun's mouth.

Sehun, who had been passively receiving Yoonshin's touches until then, suddenly started to suck Yoonshin's tongue vigorously, then bit it.

"Ungh, hnngh!" Surprised, Yoonshin tried to retract his tongue, but then, Sehun pushed his heat into Yoonshin's mouth. Sehun swallowed Yoonshin's tongue as if sucking out all of the moisture and then started to roll his hips sensually, prodding the younger man with his member.

Eventually forced to take on the defensive, Yoonshin had to push himself away from Sehun. Instead, he shifted down toward Sehun's thighs. He thumbed the urethral opening of the other's member that was poking out of his garments.

"You fuck—ngh: Sehun groaned, his voice cracking. Yoonshin felt like he would climax prematurely, so he took some deep breaths. He covered the other's veiny member with his palms and stroked it. Naturally, Seheun's pubis started to quiver.

"Do you feel good?"

"Shut up—I'll want to fuck you."

"Give it up. I can't hold back longer."

Yoonshin had to make a decision in order to keep stoking the older man's fire.

With the older man's shaft in his hands, Yoonshin decided to take the head into his mouth. Sehun grabbed the younger man's smooth hair at the same time, pulling the younger man toward him. Yoonshin choked, almost biting the other's shaft.

Yoonshin took deep breaths, forcing down the pain, and then stuck out his tongue to thoroughly lick his skin. Then, he pried off Sehun's hand as if telling him to let go or surrender.

Yoonshin could see the conflict in Sehun's eyes as he watched the younger man. As Sehun faced his clashing desires, Yoonshin caressed the older man's agitated member. It gradually got soaked with slick. Every time it slid in and back out from Yoonshin's lips, his member glistened.

Yoonshin felt like his jaws would dislocate.

Sehun was too big to fit in his mouth. He couldn't take the entire length and instead stroked the base with his hands as he slurped the head to mid-shaft with difficulty. Yoonshin concentrated on this act as if it were the most important task in the world, which was erotic in Sehun's eyes.

Just then, Sehun squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them again, yanking Yoonshin by his waist. He pulled Yoonshin toward him, placing Yoonshin's ass over his face, and started to lap at Yoonshin's member through his underwear.

Instinctively, Yoonshin grabbed the headboard so he wouldn't collapse. He hovered over Sehun as he gasped, "Sunbae, I don't li—wait, be... ngh!"

Sehun indulged in Yoonshin's lower half ravenously, and his eyes burned in vicious passion. Unlike Yoonshin, who fumbled with his tongue, Sehun was quite deft. His adroit and sultry movements made the legs on either side of Sehun's face tremble.

Yoonshin clung to the headboard with shaking arms, scratching it. He moaned in misery, "N-no... You just broke the rule. Admit it, quickly... Mmph!"

Sehun dragged down Yoonshin by his shirt collar and thrust his tongue into

Yoonshin's narrow oral cavity. "I got it, so suck."

Finally reaching a dramatic breakthrough, Yoonshin diligently sucked Sehun's long fingers. He ground his tongue at it, planning on making them drenched. As he did so, he guided the fingers to touch the sensitive spots in his mouth.

In the meantime, Sehun pulled down Yoonshin's pants and underwear that barely contained the younger man. He pulled out his wet fingers from Yoonshin's mouth and dragged them over his perineum.

Neither of them had the leisure to engage in the usual foreplay. They were in such a rush that Sehun forewent massaging Yoonshin's heated skin and exploring his body lovingly. Yoonshin was in much the same situation. He didn't care that Sehun didn't play with his nipples or lick the protruding joints along his body—he simply wanted Sehun to penetrate him right that moment.

Sehun sucked Yoonshin's balls as he shoved his finger in the younger man's hole, swirling them inside. Conquering the insides, he pressed a spot in the deep of Yoonshin with his middle finger.

“Hngh…”

They hadn't had intercourse in a month, but considering that, the older man's fingers slid in quite effortlessly. To add to the evidence that the younger man had loosened his hole not too long ago, the inner walls were slightly swollen. Sehun was familiar with this sensation.

Sehun spat out the other's testicles from his mouth and licked the base of the shaft. He asked in a low growl, "Yoonshin Do, you…”

Knowing all too well what Sehun was going to ask, Yoonshin was rather flustered. He stuttered, "S-stop talking."

However, he wouldn't be Sehun Kang if he were one to stop talking when asked.

"You never touched yourself here unless I told you to."

"I just prepped myself. Can't I do that?"

"Prep? Oh, you were hoping that I fuck you in the firm since before you came to work."

Very embarrassed, Yoonshin grabbed the pillow and covered Sehun's face with it. Now that he couldn't see, he added another finger and thrust it into the younger man's hole.

His smooth and longer fingers moved in his hole more dextrously than usual. As if that wasn't enough, Sehun found Yoonshin's prostate in no time and pressed the bump powerfully. The muscles in Yoonshin's body tensed. Feeling the contractions, Sehun threw away the pillow over his face.

"Your hole wanted to eat up my dick, right?"

"...Hnnn, ngh!"

Sehun insistently crushed the spot that made Yoonshin writhe in pleasure.

"You fingered yourself in the morning and waited for my work to end, all swollen like this. What were you thinking?"

"Ngh! Hnph. Senior Attorney, it feels g-good there."

One word was enough for the wise—Sehun pumped his fingers arrhythmically and traced his perineum with his tongue to raise Yoonshin's arousal.

Sehun didn't touch Yoonshin's frontside properly, and yet it was bobbing, threatening to release its fluids. Wanting to climax soon, Yoonshin's hips jolted above Sehun's face and writhed.

Eventually, Sehun sat up, sending Yoonshin, who was leaning forward while straddling Sehun's face, down on the bed in the opposite direction. That wasn't enough—Sehun pulled Yoonshin so that his hips were perched precariously on the edge of the bed. Sehun stood firmly on the ground.

He kicked away the pillow that was at his feet and stripped the pants and underwear that were dangling at Yoonshin's knees, casting them away. He pulled up the slim trembling legs in the air, gathered them together, and securely wrapped them around his hips in a smooth motion.

Sehun's tenacious gaze landed between Yoonshin's legs, which were splayed wide open. He positioned himself and slowly rubbed his member between the cleft of Yoonshin's ass. He paid careful attention to the other's penis that were leaking precum and his puckering entrance. His sharp and focused eyes were much like those of a villain from the movies.

Yoonshin felt abashed that Sehun's full attention was on his lower half, and his hips jolted. Sehun wiped off the cum that was spilling from the tip and then sucked his finger, taunting him. "Do you see yourself dribbling?"

"Don't... stare so hard."

"I didn't even touch your dick, yet you're already so wet. Do you realize that?"

"Don't say stuff like that too..."

"Look at you twitch. This means that you can't cum without my dick now, Yoonshin. Seeing your life screwed over by me like this makes me want to cum."

He dropped his eyes to the puckering, narrow entrance. He stared intently and leaned over, teasing Yoonshin by dampening just the entrance and perineum.

Climbing steadily toward orgasm, Yoonshin's legs swung in the air aimlessly. Sehun had to know this, yet he shoved his tongue inside Yoonshin's hole, pushing in and out and teasing Yoonshin tenaciously.

"Hah, mmh, e-enough now."

Reaching his limit, Yoonshin's urethra twitched. Sehun pulled his tongue out and grabbed a condom from the sheet, rolling it over Yoonshin's penis. Then, he surreptitiously shoved against the prostate.

"Ohh, sunbae, ah—!" Instantly reaching climax, Yoonshin threw his head back, his limbs flailing.

Yoonshin's member that was bobbing in the air all too easily spattered its fluids out.

Yoonshin evened his ragged pants. Sehun pulled off the condom and then wiped away the wet member with Yoonshin's shirt. Then, he squeezed off the semen from the condom on his palms and slathered it over his own member.

Then, he put on a new condom for Yoonshin, and as if intending to arouse him again, he slapped the head of his shaft on Yoonshin's entrance and loomed down at him.

He jabbed at the younger man's flinching perineum, making Yoonshin's face so red that it could explode. Yoonshin could feel Sehun's member pulsing, which drove him crazy. Sehun's ragged breathing echoed in his ears, making his heart burst. That was already enough to send blood down his penis, and before he knew it, he was getting erect again.

"You only brought two even though you knew this would happen?" Sehun lightly flicked Yoonshin's standing member to humiliate him.

Embarrassed, Yoonshin groped the bed for a pillow to hide his crotch. However, there was nothing within his reach. Sehun grabbed both of the younger man's wrists, securing them in place. He pressed down on the younger man's body to restrict all movement.

Due to that, the member that was loitering at the entrance slid in slightly.

Yoonshin gasped.

His inner walls, which were contracting and relaxing, tightened on the intruder that was the tip of Sehun's shaft.

Sehun found himself frowning in response. Still, he shoved his member further inside and then whispered, "How should I fuck you? You must have imagined something while fingering yourself."

"Ngh, gently... enter me slowly."

"I want to mess you up and ravish you, but would you be satisfied with doing it gently?"

“…”

"I fell in love with your honesty, Yoonshin Do."

It was just as Sehun said. Yoonshin liked soft and gentle sex, but funnily enough, he felt more aroused with rougher intercourse. He knew what the older man wanted to hear and knew that only Sehun could fulfill his wishes. Sehun Kang had trained him well. Perhaps it was true that only Sehun could satisfy him in more ways than one.

"Fuck me."

"How?"

"Do it rough..."

Sehun kissed Yoonshin's lips, praising him for doing a good job, and then pulled his hips back. With brute strength, Sehun flipped the limp younger man over.

"Urgh," Yoonshin groaned in mild pain as his knees collided while he was flipped over. Sehun yanked Yoonshin's hair back and used his other hand to secure his hips before starting to aggressively pump into Yoonshin's sensitive inner walls.

In a powerful thrust, Sehun slammed his member hilt-deep into the younger man. Yoonshin's bottom and Sehun's testicles slapped wetly.

"Hnn, hngh. Mmphl" Yoonshin felt faint, melting in pain and pleasure. Sehun gave Yoonshin's perky ass a hard slap.

"Oh...! Oh! Oh!" Yoonshin's moans played in the background as Sehun's hips drummed at him vigorously. Sehun grimaced. He moved uncontrollably and then grabbed Yoonshin's head as he flopped limply like a sheet of paper, forcing it back. The younger man's mouth fell open, and Sehun, with redness around his eyes from excitement, thrust his tongue into the other's slightly open lips.

With every thrust into the springy inner walls, their tongues intertwined closely. Yoonshin clamped down on Sehun's tongue and penis at the same time.

Sehun, aroused to his limit, pushed his weight down on Yoonshin on the bed.

Yoonshin's body was stuck flat on the sheets, stomach-side down.

Sehun compressed Yoonshin with his entire body against the bed, then gathered Yoonshin's trembling legs together to the side. Then, he started to vigorously stimulate the younger man's prostate.

Yoonshin cried in pleasure, "Ngh! Hngh! F-feels so good."

"Relax your ass and move your hips more. That way I can hit your good spots. Did you forget already?"

Sehun was tender and sweet yet aggressive and wild at the same time.

After his magnanimous whispers, he continued his vicious thrusting. Their bodies rocked together aggressively. The two, succumbing to the heat of passion, fit together perfectly. Dust rose around them in their ardent exercise, but surprisingly, neither of them cared.

The squelching sounds and other explicit sexual noises merged together with their panting to create one soundtrack. On top of that were notes of their clothes rustling, the bed creaking, and their skin slapping against each other, all molding together in a symphony that sounded like a battle for domination.

Sehun's lower half slapped against Yoonshin furiously as if he was going to bury himself inside the younger man. A vein popped out on Sehun's otherwise smooth forehead.

Sehun, who had always shown superb patience to tease and humiliate Yoonshin, couldn't enjoy this act with leisure. His rhythmical movements were unrelenting.

He was unable to grind in deep before bouncing Yoonshin, teasing around Yoonshin's prostate and very slowly making Yoonshin beg for him. Only then would he go all out—he merely hit Yoonshin's pleasure spots and carried out the unforgiving intercourse.

It was then that Sehun's balls slammed against Yoonshin's ass cheeks, burying himself to the root. Yoonshin gasped, miserable from the foreign object filling him deep in his stomach. "Hnph, ngh, sunbae, oh... you're in too deep. This hurts."

"I want to reach deep into your insides. Let's go deeper, Yoonshin, okay?"

"You can't go further, I don't—I like—I don't —I don't know..."

"Say that I can."

'You're going to do it even if I say you can't!' Yoonshin thought. Instead of saying it out loud, he exhaled, "Do it... do it slowly."

It wasn't easy to walk the fine line on the distinct boundaries between pain and pleasure. Yoonshin felt as though a long and sharp object was digging into his guts, but on the other hand, he felt the vertigo of pleasure.

Yoonshin felt faint, worried that he would scream. He kept biting his lips until he was unable to stand it longer. He grabbed the sheets to shove them in his mouth. However, Sehun's desire to monopolize the younger man didn't tolerate that. He took Yoonshin by the neck, pulling him away from the thin fabric.

"I'm the only one you can put in your mouth right now."

"I think I'm going to scream at this rate. Hngh!"

Sehun shoved his finger into Yoonshin and coaxed, "If it hurts, bite this."

"But then, I'll hurt you. I don't want to."

"Injure me. It's fine." Sehun kissed Yoonshin's hair and cosseted him to say that it was okay. Yoonshin eventually took Sehun's finger in his mouth and bit hard. Feeling the sharp pain, Sehun unintentionally jerked his hips to return the pain to Yoonshin.

Despite knowing that Yoonshin would be in as much pain as pleasure, Sehun couldn't stop himself. He couldn't sate himself by teasing around the prostate. He crammed himself inside, up to his hilt. Bliss spread on Sehun's face.

"Ngh, mmph! Nnph!" Every time Sehun's penis was driven into Yoonshin, Yoonshin's ass cheeks convulsed. He groaned, and the moment Yoonshin bit down on Sehun's fingers, the younger man cummed as well. His member that was oppressed against the sheets by Sehun spat out milky white semen into the condom.

Yoonshin let out a long, breathy moan. Without letting Yoonshin bask in the afterglow, Sehun thrust into Yoonshin again.

The more Sehun pushed into Yoonshin, the more the younger man's body chafed roughly against the sheets. Every time the older man's hips slapped against his bottom, his angry penis twitched and hit all of Yoonshin's pleasure spots in his sensitive inner walls. The hard shaft naturally kept hitting Yoonshin's prostate. The messy and licentious intercourse continued as they picked up the pace.

Even though he had just released his load, Yoonshin's voice grew louder from the excitement. He felt Sehun's skin getting punctured by his teeth, but he couldn't stop himself.

Finally, the girthy penis rammed in without abandon, then Sehun buried himself in pleasure, reaching his heated climax. The older man embraced Yoonshin's body tightly, crushing him in his arms. He put his weight on Yoonshin, kissed him lewdly in his ears, and whispered, "I fucked you hard, so you should make me happy too."

"Hnn, hah, nnph."

"I want to cum while hearing you say it." Sehun signaled his release and retracted his fingers from Yoonshin's mouth.

"I love you, ngh."

Despite hearing it all the time, Sehun never grew tired of this.

Blood trickled from Sehun's wounds. He didn't seem to mind at all and instead interlocked his fingers over Yoonshin's left hand. With the other hand, he grabbed Yoonshin's wet cheeks to turn his head, kissed him, and cummed deep inside the younger man.

Slippery fluids spilled into Yoonshin, and feeling that strange sensation, Yoonshin collapsed first. Then, Sehun fell on top, spreading himself evenly on top of Yoonshin like cream on a cake and pecking Yoonshin's cheeks. He ground his member, swirling his fluids to macerate Yoonshin's insides.

Exhausted, Yoonshin stuck out his lips to tell Sehun to kiss him there too. Sehun gladly obliged and kissed him lightly.

"I shouldn't get used to this kind of dirty sex. I'll want bigger stimulation. It uses up a lot of energy too."

"One more round for a greater stimulation?" Sehun's member, still buried inside, twitched.

Freaking out, Yoonshin's eyes grew round. "We have no more condoms, and timewise... You cummed inside, so I need to take a half day."

"That's why two was never enough."

Yoonshin glared at the man behind him for a moment and then hesitantly said, "Senior Attorney, I..."

There was something Yoonshin wanted, but he didn't want to waste a wish on it. If it were the usual, he could simply make these requests, but since they were conditional, he was sad that he couldn't ask. Yoonshin trailed off, and Sehun generously took a step back, knowing what Yoonshin wanted. "I'll get off work early today then. I might as well teach the younger master how to count while I'm at it."

Not disinclined to the idea, Yoonshin sounded mollified. "Wash me up too, please."

Instead of replying verbally that he would, Sehun kissed him. Not disliking that, Yoonshin lightly jabbed the other with his elbow and burst into laughter.

At a glance, the documents were a disorganized heap, but there was an order to the chaos.

On his messy desk, Yoonshin felt around and found exactly what he was looking for —a thick bundle of papers. He balanced the phone in between his ear and shoulder and replied, "So it's been exactly three years this month?"

"Yes, it's been three years since the day last Monday." The other person on the line was a star lecturer at a famous language school downtown in the Jongno district. Not too long ago, he had called because it had been three years since his wife left their home.

His spouse left a note telling him not to look for her one day, and he lost contact with her completely, but because of his reputation and fame, he couldn't look for her openly. A lot of time had passed since.

Yoonshin had heard this lecturer's name when he was a university student—that was how famous this person was. He was highly educated and had a lot to lose. He was in a position where he was worried that his net worth would plummet from malicious rumors, so he was passive in approaching the matter. Yoonshin could understand that concern.

However, what he couldn't understand was this neglectful attitude. The person who cut contact wasn't a friend or colleague—it was his spouse, to whom he promised good times and bad. There were many ways that he could have attempted to find her covertly, but there had to be some reason for leaving her as is and not searching for this long.

What the man said after confirmed this. "I read that it was three years. If the spouse's vital status is ambiguous for three years or more, it's possible to go through with the divorce proceeding. That's why I contacted you, Attorney Do, because you're well known in this area."

Yoonshin couldn't say that he was an expert judge of character in all people, but because he met such a diverse mix of clients every day, Yoonshin could size people up decently well.

This man had probably considered divorce since his wife left the house. Moreover, this man was probably the root cause of his spouse's abscondment.

Taking on only innocent clients was a luxury that was practically unattainable in Doguk. Yoonshin wasn't so enthusiastic, but he circled the part on the intake form indicating that he would take the case.

"You're right. The law prescribes three years. It's in the Civil Act, Article 840, Subparagraph 5."

"By any chance, if I can't get in touch for a longer time, is there anything that cancels the marriage?"

"As long as she hasn't passed away, there is nothing in our laws that prescribes that. Since this is a promise you made according to this country's system, if you want to annul the marriage, you must go through a lawsuit."

"What if I can't locate her but know she's alive? What happens then?"

Yoonshin stopped in the middle of flipping the page. It was because he saw Sehun returning to his office after his meeting.

Secretary Tak opened Sehun's door. Seeing that they continued to talk, the secretary was probably briefing Sehun about calls he received or important matters. Sehun instructed the secretary afterward, sending Secretary Tak away, and entered his room.

Wanting to observe the older man more thoroughly, Yoonshin stood up slightly. He perched on his desk, wishing Sehun would look his way. Finally, Sehun turned around and met eyes with him. His gaze was transfixed on Yoonshin.

Brightening up, Yoonshin waved. However, Sehun pulled down his blinds.

The slats of the blinds clattered loudly—Yoonshin could almost hear it in his office.

‘Geez, you have such a stick-in-the-mud attitude.'

The problem was that Yoonshin found Sehun's heartlessness so endearing that it was unbearable.

'I like him so much, damn it,' Yoonshin thought to himself and calmly replied to the man on the line.

"You're asking if you don't know where exactly she is, but you have evidence suggesting that she is alive? Hmm, then that reason for divorce wouldn't apply. You may need to pursue a lawsuit based on malicious abandonment."

"You've been so clear-cut about this. So, in your opinion, Attorney Yoonshin Do, is it possible for me to commence a lawsuit even without my wife? Since I don't know where she is."

When Yoonshin heard his name and the comment requesting clarity, Yoonshin realized that this man was recording their call. If there was an issue, it was so the man could blame the lawyer. Or he could be recording the audio so that even if he found out where his wife was, he could find a way out.

Yoonshin had met clients like this man a few times, so he developed some tactics and immunity.

Yoonshin frowned, then responded polyvalently in a terse but innocuous tone, "Yes, since it may be difficult to serve the notice of action and we can't guarantee the other party's attendance, we need to prove that her life or death was ambiguous for three years. In cases like that, the court registrar will serve by publication, and the court usually proceeds in absentia of the spouse and renders a default judgment."

The inability to discern the vital status of a spouse was proof that the spouse was unable to commit to the relationship, so it was considered to be a serious reason for divorce. Even if the spouse reappeared and objected to the divorce, the marriage wouldn't revive. Because of the weight, the remaining spouse had to satisfy strict evidentiary requirements to prove that it was difficult to confirm the life or death of the spouse.

"Then, what do I need to do? I've printed out things like her credit card statement."

This client had already prepared evidence in advance.

"One of our administrative staff will send you a list. I would like you to gather all the information that you can provide to us from that list and send it to me by next week. After I look through the contents, I will contact you again. Let's meet formally at that time at our office."

"Thank you, I'll leave this in your care."

"Sure. Take care now." After his call ended, Yoonshin stared at his darkened screen and sighed.

Sometimes, he had to do not-so-honest things like this. He didn't have a good reason to refuse this matter. It wasn't that the client was particularly a bad person. Still, every time he took on cases that gave him an unpleasant aftertaste, he felt a bit down.

He shook his head and stood up, taking the document that he circled.

When he headed toward the secretarial office, the office manager stood to ask what Yoonshin needed.

"Oh, you don't need to get up." Yoonshin approached the partitions of the desks and handed over the documents. "This person. Could you send him the information collection manual? Let me know if he replies."

"Missing spouse... Huh, you're going to start with this first? I gave you several files that I thought you might be more interested in. There's a domestic abuse case and a few other urgent cases. Won't you do them?"

"He's pretty famous, so the team lead told me to do this first. I'll do the rest one by one."

"Oh, the family-law team leader. I sometimes wonder if they're too sensitive to fame and reputation. It feels like these days, you're only taking on these types of cases."

"I know, right?"

"Anyways, I got it."

The administrative staff now knew Yoonshin's predispositions better and brought him cases that he would probably enjoy. But if there were instructions from the top down, he needed to push those cases to the side.

He thanked the office manager for her thoughtfulness and then looked around before he approached Sehun's office as casually as possible. When he knocked cautiously, he heard a low voice answer.

He opened the door, popped his head in through the crack, and stared at Sehun, who was immersed in reading his documents.

When his visitor didn't come in after a few seconds and he only felt watchful eyes silently observing him, Sehun lifted his head to look at Yoonshin. “I knew it was you" was written in his cold eyes.

It seemed to mean that Yoonshin was the only one who would open the door like this to Sehun's office and waste time in this way. The younger lawyer didn't bend to the silent criticism and puckered his lips out. Sehun looked at the younger man, dumbfounded, and then turned his eyes back to his desk.

Already rejected once by the blinds, Yoonshin felt upset. Unwilling to lose, he closed his eyes, begging for a kiss. He couldn't see beyond his eyelids, but he was sure that Sehun glanced his way at least one more time.

And as he expected, Sehun slammed down the pen. Yoonshin peeked through the slivers of his eyelids.

Sehun leaned back into his chair and stared haughtily at Yoonshin.

"Stop fooling around and come in. Close the door behind you."

Reveling in his victory, Yoonshin came in, closing the door behind him. He walked up to Sehun, yet the older man didn't touch him, seeing through all of Yoonshin's thoughts and tricks.

"What do you need to say? You may already know, but keep it concise, key points only."

"If you asked me to come in, you should grope me everywhere."

"I desperately want to, but not now. I'll be your playmate in two hours. Your business?"

"Are you very busy? I thought you're freer this week."

"I'm generally okay. Something urgent happened to crop up in the middle."

Considering his crowded schedule, the younger man knew that Sehun was being as tolerant as possible of Yoonshin's interruption. Yoonshin realized that his timing was bad.

Now that their teams were different, Sehun would have issues pop up and needed time to resolve them, yet Yoonshin wouldn't know immediately. Consequently, this happened occasionally. Feeling anxious, Yoonshin brought up the reason he was here. "I'll use my first wish today. Let's get off work together today."

Sehun crossed his arms, and his brow creased slightly. "Is this the prelude to the self-proliferating wishes? I need some mental preparation before being stripped and devoured."

Because he broke the rules of the first wish last time, Yoonshin had three wishes again. It was natural that the genie of the lamp wanted to know whether this would continue to propagate.

"No, I'll use just three from now on."

At the unexpected answer, Sehun arched his eyebrows. "Cheating makes your life so much easier, you know that, right?"

"Since I have a conscience... or rather, when I thought about it, you're always too generous to me. I think I'm really dumb. I know I am, but I forget. Every second is precious, but you're holding back, right?"

"I am"

"I'm sorry."

"Why do you think I'm holding back?"

"Well... because you love me too much?"

“…”

"I don't think staying silent at this time will help you in your life at all."

"Of course, it is. Even if you're dumb, don't forget that" It seemed like Sehun truly wanted Yoonshin to know that his cold attitude right now wasn't because Yoonshin was being a bother.

Words like these made Yoonshin's heart leap. His mood didn't usually swing dramatically, but Sehun Kang achieved that easily. At times, he didn't need to express it directly. His roundabout expressions and passive agreements by borrowing Yoonshin's words were all difficult confessions for Sehun to make as someone who had never loved before. So, every one of Sehun's words was precious to Yoonshin.

Yoonshin grinned, feeling like he was on top of the world. "I love you much more. I'll stop being a bother and leave. Keep working. I'll see you later."

He kept wanting to delay his departure every second, so he hurriedly turned his back on Sehun. However, Sehun called him back, "Yoonshin."

"Is there anything you need? I'll let the office manager know on the way out."

"Didn't you forget something?"

Yoonshin looked clueless, so Sehun gave him a direct hint He beckoned to Yoonshin and tapped his lips with his long index fingers.

'Oh.' Realizing late, Yoonshin skipped over to Sehun. He grabbed the older man's pale cheeks and stamped his ownership on his lips. Hovering proximally, he flicked his tongue over Sehun's lips and then bowed respectfully.

As a sign that he wasn't going to distract the senior partner anymore, Yoonshin whipped around and left. Left behind, Sehun watched silently in his office.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Sehun picked up his fountain pen, only to drop it again. He looked down at it vacantly and rubbed his face in agitation.

Yoonshin was already gone, but Sehun could still see the younger man poke his head in the slightly ajar door, squeezing his eyes shut. Sehun's throat felt so parched that it itched. With his finger, he traced along where Yoonshin's lips lightly pressed against his and pushed that finger between his lips.

He was about to push in deeper when he stopped himself.

"I'm out of my mind." Unsettled at himself, he shook his head.

Yoonshin thoroughly considered all his options.

Frankly speaking, Sehun listened to most of Yoonshin's requests, save for certain things that Sehun refused to do no matter what.

For example, Sehun refused to tell lkyung about their relationship, unite their homes by moving in despite the inconvenience of switching between their individual apartments, or make proper matching rings. Yoonshin figured that this was his chance to clear some of the less difficult favors among Sehun's world of hidden pitfalls.

While he mused about it, one place came to mind.

Yoonshin figured that this was it.

Therefore, the two were currently sitting in the parking garage of a warehouse-styled superstore some distance away from their residence.

Sehun glanced outside and gripped the wheel tightly in disbelief. Predictably, he rejected the idea. "No."

Yoonshin saw this coming.

Yoonshin undid his seatbelt and replied nonchalantly, it's my wish. You can't take it back now. I chose something mild and soft by my standards."

"This isn't soft at all. This is like gore to me, you know?"

"When you do everything except for trivial things like this, it makes me want to do this even more. You always tell your clients to do this well, but why won't you do it?"

"This and that aren't—why should two fully grown men drag a cart around to shop for household commodities? To begin with, I've never been to a supermarket like this. Pick something else."

For some reason, Yoonshin felt like Sehun was keeping another answer to himself, so he probed, "You have something in mind regardless of what I want, right?"

"I had my eye on some real estate. I was going to buy it under a different name first, then transfer it to another alias. Before you make a fuss that it's a loophole or it's illegal, I'm going to pay all the taxes that the National Tax Service tells me to."

Real estate he had been eyeing?

Hooked by that keyword, Yoonshin's eyes twinkled. Expectations that Sehun was going to propose that they should move out of the company residence and live together swelled within him. The residences were near the firm and were well-maintained, but the downside was that they had to watch their every move and word in public.

Even with a mere glance at Yoonshin's face, Sehun could read what was going on. He expounded further, "It's for investment purposes. Try making some of your own."

Yoonshin earned way above the average among his peers. Of course, he couldn't compare to Sehun, but Sehun's actions didn't stem from their difference in income.

Not too long ago, Yoonshin's sister traded in his second car for a new one. He had used it for quite a while and it was his birthday, so she made the switch. Sehun didn't seem too pleased with it, so this was perhaps from the same line of thought.

He didn't like when lkyung materially influenced Yoonshin who was "his."

"Forget that—how about just living together with me?"

"I'm practically doing that already."

"It's not the same with our apartments. Hey, were fully grown men stripping naked and getting down and dirty, so what's wrong with living together? Whatever—let's go grocery shopping. That's my wish. It's non-negotiable."

"Yoon—"

"It's win-lose. Get out."

Sehun attempted to call the other's name before Yoonshin cut him off. Disallowing further pushback, Yoonshin stepped out of the car first. Internally conflicted, Sehun bit his bottom lip and grudgingly got out.

Yoonshin pulled out a cart from the row of carts at the corner of the basement parking garage and then waved to Sehun. Feeling somewhat iffy, Sehun approached and stroked his chin with a complicated look on his face. "If you're planning on turning me into a househusband, try another method."

"Don't worry, being a lawyer suits you much better."

"Then, how about leaving me alone so I can hire a housekeeper to do the chores?"

The housekeeper Sehun had hired only purchased specific brands from high-end grocery stores or department stores. Other than having the brands identified, she received no other instructions from her rich employer who had a knack for growing his wealth.

Yoonshin would have understood if Sehun didn't like buying mass-produced items in warehouse-style superstores, but that wasn't the case. When Yoonshin bought items from a nearby grocery store or convenience store, Sehun used them without complaint.

Said another way, this man was completely disinterested in the realm of basic household goods.

"Just think that we're trying out this while we have the chance."

"Are you dissatisfied with having an extremely successful lover? Don't you think you should count your blessings?"

"Why do you think the saying 'no good deed goes unpunished' exists? It means that I'm not the only one who acts like this. Here, push this." Yoonshin handed the cart to Sehun. The older man looked down uncomfortably at the cart touched by many strangers, then moved in surrender.

"The things you do... Move." Sehun pushed the cart, walking ahead of Yoonshin. The younger man chased after, grinning to himself.

Yoonshin asked, "Why do you hate the idea so much? Does it bring unpleasant memories? You said you'd never been to a store like this."

"I find this kind of peaceful environment unsettling."

While it was very in character for Sehun, it was also unexpected.

"Because you're busy but everyone else looks laid back?"

"Rather than that, it's because I think I'll start to know what it feels like to worry about what to cook for lunch tomorrow, whether we've run out of shampoo, which laundry detergent washes clothes the best, or how many boxes of tissue we have left. That's too..." Sehun couldn't finish, mind busy with thoughts. However, Yoonshin felt like he understood the things Sehun left unsaid. He must have felt that this wasn't the place where he, who fought for survival day by day, belonged.

"If this is happiness, that would mean that I lived all my life in misery," Sehun eventually said.

“…”

"That's why I don't like when others look too happy for no reason."

If Sehun didn't loathe the idea, instead feeling uncomfortable and unfamiliar or fearing that he would get used to this feeling, Yoonshin could teach him these things one by one starting now. He regretted not being more adamant and not bringing Sehun sooner. He twirled his fingers around Sehun's.

It was late and almost closing time, so the store wasn't busy. Yoonshin looked around, and before getting on the escalator, he took advantage of a blind spot and kissed Sehun's cheek.

"Did you know that Voltaire said that he will become happy? Why? Because it was good for his health. Uh-oh, bad news, Sehun Kang. You're going to be healthy and strong. Even though you're already a monster in stamina..."

Sehun gave Yoonshin a look that clearly said 'What the heck?' and then smirked, turning his face the other way so Yoonshin had access to the other cheek. Yoonshin looked around again and kissed the other side, and to wrap things up, Sehun concluded the sequence with a kiss on the lips.

Sehun wasn't completely unaware of the small wishes that accompanied Yoonshin's wish to shop together.

Yoonshin had always wanted to do things of this nature.

His cheeks were already flushed from anticipation, and before the redness subsided, Yoonshin took out his phone and hopped on the escalator. Sehun followed, and with their foreheads close together, they looked at the screen.

"Sunbae, look at this. This is our shopping list for the day, things that we don't have at home right now."

Sehun read through the list quite thoroughly.

In the list were the following: Buy milk after checking the best-before date, choose Senior Attorney's soft drinks after checking the ingredients, pick up low-calorie butter and cheddar cheese, and buy cereal with granola.

Sehun placidly read through the list and then scowled. Judging by his reaction, Yoonshin figured out how far down the list he was. Yoonshin grabbed the frame of the cart at the opposite end and grinned sheepishly. "Would they be possible?"

Instead of answering the question, Sehun read out in a gruff tone what Yoonshin wrote on the list, "Senior Attorney should stop me if I buy booze."

"...We can't?"

"If Senior Attorney picks fruit, tell him off that it isn't fresh."

"I'm pretty confident I can do that."

"When I compare the prices of buy-one get-one shampoo and put it in the cart, Senior Attorney should switch products because his choice smells nicer. Senior Attorney should offer to lift the bag of rice into the cart because it's heavy... I can't read anymore."

Sehun handed Yoonshin's phone back, slapping it back in his hands, unable to go further. That wasn't enough to relieve his shock as he shoved the cart with his abdomen. Yoonshin was pushed, helplessly like a ball-jointed doll, and once they got off the escalator, he glared at Sehun. "Don't you think you're exploiting the fact that I'm a man?"

"Still, why would you backstep like that? You should resist. You'll trip. Come here."

As if Sehun hadn't just shoved him, when Yoonshin took a step back and lost his balance, he thrust his hand out for Yoonshin to grab. Staring at the neatly trimmed nails of the other's pretty hands, Yoonshin grabbed the hand and stood next to Sehun. Yoonshin felt his heart pounding so hard it would burst.

To think that he would hear Sehun Kang treat someone like a child and say something like "You'll trip. Come here."

Yoonshin liked going out with Sehun for moments like those. When he thought he knew Sehun well enough, Sehun would reveal another fact while firmly reminding Yoonshin that he was receiving special treatment.

Perhaps because people recognized Sehun or were simply interested in his good looks, people kept glancing at the two. Sehun casually wrapped his arm around Yoonshin's shoulders and pushed the cart with the other.

He whispered in Yoonshin's tense ears, "What's our concept? Newlyweds?"

As always, Yoonshin confessed readily, "Of course it is. But people are staring even though we came all the way out here on purpose. Do you think they recognize you?"

"We can't help it. It's high risk and high return. Oh, the produce section is over here."

Avoiding the gazes of others, Yoonshin moved to the shelf of fruit and placed a bag of cherries in the cart. Then, he glanced at Sehun. He was observing Yoonshin as he thoughtfully picked the fruit.

The housekeeper regularly stocked the fridge, so Yoonshin never needed to give any mind to groceries. He had a vague idea of what good fruit looked like, but he couldn't tell exactly what was good from bad. He pretended to select the fruit with a keen eye, yet Sehun gave him a knowing look.

"Yoonshin Do, you don't know how to pick fruit, do you?"

"These are the fresh and sweet ones."

"Are you sure?"

"They... might not be fresh, but I'm sure they'll taste good."

Yoonshin held up the plastic-wrapped apple, red but slightly bruised and soft, and Sehun sighed. The older man picked up an apple with a golden underside and deep-set stem. He also checked the firmness before switching it with the one Yoonshin picked.

"If you're going to write a screenplay, shouldn't you do the proper research beforehand?"

In the heat of the moment, Yoonshin picked up the apple that he had selected and retorted, "What if I made the right choice? You're making a huge mistake here."

"I don't make mistakes. Put it down."

“Okay…”

Adamantly shaking his head, Sehun moved on to the vegetable aisle. Sheepishly, Yoonshin put the apple back on its shelf and followed Sehun. Now that he thought about it, the roles were switched, but they were still staying true to Yoonshin's shopping list. Cheerful, Yoonshin leaned against Sehun and acted cute. Sehun chuckled.

The two selected salad greens and chose a few different dressings. Sehun's selections were all flavors that Yoonshin enjoyed regularly. Yoonshin's choices were the exact opposite of that. It was interesting to see that they both knew each other's tastes and choices. He was also glad to see how attentive Sehun was to him.

As they shopped, they found out that Yoonshin was surprisingly clumsy while Sehun was quite proficient.

While Yoonshin scrolled through the consumer reviews on brands that he had never seen before, Sehun compared the nutritional facts. They had chosen grains, meats, and frozen goods, filling the cart up in no time.

"Let's go upstairs now," Yoonshin then said.

"Did you get everything you need here?"

"Yes. We're out of shampoo. We also need to go to the dairy section."

As they rode the escalator up, Sehun pulled Yoonshin's hand toward him. There were a few people on the other escalator going down, but Sehun boldly grabbed the other's hand. Yoonshin was wary, in fear of being seen, and his hand flinched. Sehun squeezed the other's hand stronger and then weaved their fingers together. Yoonshin turned his head toward the wall, his face as red as a tomato.

They reached the corner with the body wash and other hygiene products, and unlike the lower floor, fragrant scents tickled their noses. Yoonshin sniffed each shampoo carefully. He made Sehun smell them too, picking up two of the most reasonably priced bottles in each hand.

"This is the one I usually use," Yoonshin made Sehun sniff the scent of a purple bottle, then showed Sehun the sky-blue bottle on the other hand. "But I'm thinking of using this one this time. How is it? You're going to use it too, so I'm taking your feedback."

Sehun nosed the second shampoo as well but fell silent. He merely stared at Yoonshin. Perplexed, Yoonshin's head tipped acutely. "Is it because this isn't the usual expensive brand that you use? I'm buying this for my place, so how about you just settle for one or the other?"

His lips still pressed together, Sehun took a lock of Yoonshin's hair without warning. He angled his head to inhale the scent, and their bodies naturally pressed together. Yoonshin quickly looked around for any passersby, and while Sehun was taking in Yoonshin's scent, the younger man smooched the other's long neck and asked, "What is it so suddenly?"

Sehun still had no words as he moved his hand behind Yoonshin's head. Then, he opened the lid of a beige bottle and brought it to Yoonshin's nose. It was one of the shampoos that Yoonshin made Sehun sniff, which had fresh and muted notes.

Sehun removed the purple and blue bottles from Yoonshin's hands and put them back in their places, instead dropping the bottle he chose in the cart. He said, "Scents like this suit you better."

Inevitably, Yoonshin recalled the shopping list that he wrote.

"Senior Attorney should switch products because his choice smells nicer"

A smile more delightful than the scent of the shampoo spread across Yoonshin's face. Then, it faded away like petals scattering away. Not knowing the reason for the sudden change in mood, Sehun asked in a slightly raspy voice, "Why—did you want to discuss our concept again?"

"No, I like it a lot. I truly like it so much."

"By the way, that scent really suits you better."

"I'm only going to use that shampoo from now on."

Sehun was too gentle, but he was only kind to Yoonshin, and Yoonshin was the only one who knew this.

Yoonshin liked that very much.

A flood of emotions overwhelmed him, throwing him into turmoil.

Yoonshin wanted Sehun in a more legally binding and definite way. He wanted everyone to know that Sehun Kang was Yoonshin's and that Sehun was such a generous and kind person to him. Instead of kissing behind people's backs after the crowd had passed, he wanted to walk, holding hands and holding each other's waists despite getting looks.

When love blossomed between lovers, it was natural that they would imagine a future together. Yoonshin always had something like engagement or marriage in mind. However, he was also acutely aware that this would never become a reality.

Because of that, he had only considered marriage to be a happy fantasy that served as a lighthearted topic between the two, further deepening their relationship. But suddenly, unbearable anxiety and impulsion bubbled up from the core of his being, telling him that he absolutely needed to have Sehun for himself.

Yoonshin swallowed and dragged Sehun over to the dairy section, trying to wipe his gloom off his face.

"I want to go grocery shopping with you like this sometimes," Yoonshin suddenly said, and Sehun stopped choosing the butter.

Now that he experienced it, he must have thought this wasn't bad because he nodded.

"Sure, let's do that."

"What about you? Is there something you'd like to do? I can listen to everything, but why won't you open up about it?"

Sehun would never refuse whatever Yoonshin wanted to do. He might verbally say no, but he rarely disliked it deep down, and even if he was truly opposed to it, when it came to it, he would concede to Yoonshin.

Just like this moment, today.

Yoonshin could do the same for Sehun, but for some reason, Sehun was reluctant to express his wishes. This felt like the last centimeter of distance that Sehun left between them, and Yoonshin wanted to do away with it.

Sensing that Yoonshin was slightly off, Sehun put down the product in his hands and met Yoonshin's eyes. "You have too many thoughts going on in your head."

"It's funny that I'm being told that by you."

"You're already fulfilling everything that I want, and..." With the cart in between them, Sehun stared at Yoonshin. He then lightly thumbed Yoonshin's rosy cheeks. Unfulfilled affection lingered under his warm touches. "I don't know. I think I really want to get married to you."

As if Sehun had peered into Yoonshin's thought processes, he told Yoonshin what he truly wanted to hear. Yoonshin froze in response, paralyzed from his feet up to his neck.

Sehun Kang always loved Yoonshin with his whole heart and oftentimes let the younger man be aware of that, yet hearing this directly expressed in words was on another level. Yoonshin felt so enthralled that he felt numb.

He was so happy that he almost wanted to pass it off playfully.

Perhaps it was because it was like a mirage.

"Remember when you said that you were skeptical of that system?"

"I know, right? I don't think we should come here often. Let's limit it to once every two months."

Sehun carelessly picked out butter, cheddar cheese, and milk, tossing them in the cart haphazardly, then pulled Yoonshin by his wrist. Then, he made Yoonshin hold the cart and pushed Yoonshin from behind. They started to walk around again.

As they headed toward the cereal section, Yoonshin's brain was filled with Sehun Kang. Yoonshin was always the one who brought these topics up playfully, and it was the first time that Sehun voluntarily brought one up himself. It was a day worth remembering.

Could he tie down this man a bit more?

In a more physical way...

Of course, as long as they lived in Korea, two men wouldn't be able to throw a grand ceremony in celebration of their relationship. That was why Yoonshin had suggested matching rings as a de minimis way of binding one another. He recalled that Sehun refused very flatly, saying that he was uncomfortable with it.

If Sehun showed up one day with a ring to the firm, it was clear as day that he would be fettered with malicious rumors and remarks throughout the legal profession that he was finally marrying lkyung. Others might say he had found another woman to leech off, so Yoonshin couldn't bother him about it. He could see this flopping immediately.

But if Sehun also wanted it, wouldn't that change matters?

"Um, Senior—no, Sehun-sunbae," Yoonshin said with a serious face, stopping in front of the ramen, udon, and other instant foods. Sehun turned nonchalantly, waiting for Yoonshin to continue.

Yoonshin took a few deep breaths, and just when he was about to say his thoughts out loud, he discovered the row of cup noodles behind Sehun's head and winced.

This was the least romantic place to bring the topic up.

"Go ahead," Sehun urged him.

"...What? Oh, h-have you tried r-ramen before?"

At the ridiculous question, Sehun stared at Yoonshin and then answered quite normally, "I've tried, but I don't foresee myself eating it in the future. If you're gonna have some, just buy it for yourself."

Yoonshin felt crestfallen, disappointed in himself, and then jerked his head back up. "Wait, why? This convenient product of our civilization... Mr. Sehun Kang, you're missing out on one of the biggest delights of life."

"I'm an instant-food hater. Things like these are an invention of human laziness."

"Now, acting like this will put you in a bad spot."

"What bad spot? How much simpler can I get?"

"I'll want to bully you because it's so cute that you're being picky about your food."

Sehun frowned, unable to understand at all. "Do people usually call this being a picky eater? Academically speaking."

"Anyways. Sometimes you need to be a bit lazier in life."

Yoonshin threw a bundle of instant ramen in the cart in front of Sehun's face and shrugged. Sehun seemed to have given up on pushing back at this playing house. "Sure, fool around to your heart's content. If you don't know what the consequences are, then keep messing around and learn with your body."

Then, as an old couple strolled by and a gap in surveillance appeared, Sehun pushed Yoonshin against the shelves and kissed his forehead. Then, as if nothing had ever happened, he pushed the cart away.

Watching the sleek figure walk away, Yoonshin looked down at the single ring on his fourth finger. He grinned to himself before chasing after the older man.

lkyung greeted Yoonshin at her front door. From behind her, Yoonshin's nephew, as tall as Yoonshin's waist, popped out and hugged him. Yoonshin put down the shopping bags that were in both hands and lifted the child, spinning him around.

Missing someone wasn't always sad and nostalgic. The reunion was always more joyous than one was anticipating.

As if confirming that, Yoonshin's face was effervescent with joy when he saw his nephew after spending a long time away.

"You always get bigger every time I see you. Did you miss me?"

The innocent child nodded and tightened his arms around Yoonshin's neck. This child was his younger nephew who had given him the hair clip with the stuffed animal after noticing Yoonshin's bangs getting long. Yoonshin fixed the child in his arms and followed after his sister, who took the bags to the living room.

While walking, lkyung thoroughly inspected what her younger brother had brought. Yoonshin turned his attention to her and asked, "Why's there only one kiddo?"

"Yeonjae? Off at his cram school classes. Yeonjin, go give a kissy to your uncle and play in your room."

The second little one unstuck himself from Yoonshin. Then, as usual, he puckered up to kiss Yoonshin's lips. Yoonshin looked at the child fondly and then turned his left cheek to the child. "On here today."

After receiving the kiss, Yoonshin put Yeonjin down. His youngest nephew clutched lkyung's hand, curious about what his uncle bought. lkyung must have determined that these were items fit for her children as she passed on a few boxes from the bags and waved to the house helper who worked at their home.

"Please put the presents away and prepare tea for Yoonshin. What do you want to have, Yoonshin?" lkyung asked.

Yoonshin told the house helper, "I'd like lemon tea—from the syrup that my sister made. She showed off some photos to me not long ago."

The house helper nodded and ushered Yeonjin away to his room.

lkyung guided Yoonshin to one side of the dining room. It was an open living room with one wall of glass, looking down at the Hangang River. Her face and behavior emanated delight from reuniting with her brother after a long time away from each other.

"There's no way to contact you without calling you first, right? At this rate, I'll forget how you look."

"You know I'm busy. How are you? Both you and the kids."

The scene of the river at sunset filled the windows. The light shimmered on the surface of the water like gems. Yoonshin was captivated for a moment and then sat on the couch. lkyung took a seat opposite Yoonshin.

"At first they didn't, but the kids are starting to miss their dad. Yeonjae especially—apparently, his classmates at school tease him and ask him why he lives apart from his dad since that man appears in the news sometimes. I still don't know what to say to them. Maybe I should have gone overseas as Attorney Kang advised."

Yoonshin's eldest nephew was currently going to an elementary school nearby. The younger one would enroll there next year.

She could have done many things differently, given that she was well off, but Yoonshin could tell that she had thought long and hard about it and wanted to raise her kids as normally as possible. Perhaps she was regretting her choices now.

Even though the love that was everything to her evaporated and she was left alone in a world of broken glass, lkyung was resilient enough that she could overcome all her trials and tribulations. Yoonshin was heartbroken that his strong sister felt guilty toward her young children.

"The kids probably don't have any bad intentions. They're only repeating what their parents are saying."

"I think so too. They're mimicking what they hear from the adults. Maybe I should attend the school parents' assembly."

"If you go, they'll only talk more behind your back."

"You think so too?"

"Should I look into a different school in a better region? Or how about the school we attended?"

"It's not that serious yet. If I really need your help, I'll let you know. Anyway, enough about that..." lkyung's face brightened up at the change in topic. It was a rare sight from lkyung, whose feelings didn't show through too much on her face. She had been enjoying this situation since before she brought it up.

Yoonshin was curious as to what she wanted to say. Ikyung leaned toward Yoonshin and asked, "Why can't they kiss you on the lips?"

Yoonshin had felt this coming at some point. He replied calmly, "It's not that they can't. I just wanted a kiss on my cheek today."

"Lies. You were making out with your girlfriend before you came over, weren't you?"

Yoonshin's shoulders stiffened, and his ears turned red. Ikyung had hit the bullseye.

It took zo minutes by car from his apartment to lkyung's house. Therefore, at least that amount of time had passed since his lips last touched Sehun.

However, he didn't want the part that was in contact with Sehun to be touched by someone else, even if that other person was his nephew, whom he loved as much as his sister.

Maybe he was growing similar to Sehun Kang.

"Didn't you feel embarrassed asking that? I didn't see you as that kind of person."

"Isn't that a tactic Attorney Kang uses? Using an ad hominem attack if there's nothing substantially wrong with what they said. I've fought Soohan's press manipulation for the last few years. That won't work on me."

Her judgment on the situation was so on point that Yoonshin couldn't come up with anything more to say.

Yoonshin pursed his lips. lkyung chuckled and asked, "Your girlfriend is cute. Is she jealous of your nephews?"

Not only his nephews, but Sehun was also jealous of his sister, the clients who brushed past him, the colleagues at work who greeted him in passing, and anything that touched his hands. Sehun asked if Yoonshin ever felt suffocated if he kept restricting the younger man, but in all honesty, Yoonshin was completely fine.

"I like that so much."

"Still, you shouldn't be too thrilled about that. You've been neglecting me and the kids because you've been dating, you know?"

There was a critical flaw to going out with Sehun. It was that he couldn't talk about how much he liked Sehun to anyone else, which was frustrating. With a slight nudge from his sister, the floodgates to Yoonshin's overbearing dam burst open.

"I know, but I don't know what else to do. Despite being indifferent to everything else, my partner doesn't hide jealousy. I think my partner really hates it."

“…”

"That person is used to making people wait, so when I think that that person will wait for me, I can't help but fret, and I want to see that person badly..."

Ikyung made a strange face, unsure whether to laugh or be upset at Yoonshin. She looked a bit dumbstruck, but she eventually chuckled and replied, "Maybe it's time that you get married."

"Will this mellow out if I get married?"

"Who knows? Now that were on that topic, can't I see her too? Are you two secret agents or something? How could you secretly have a relationship for years? You're so attached to each other because you're doing it all behind everyone's backs."

Yoonshin had only told her that they were dating carefully, but he hid all the details, so it was natural that lkyung would react like this.

He had never told her what his partner did for a living, how old they were, where they lived, or what they looked like. He had been extremely careful to make everything vague so as not to have their tracks uncovered by anyone.

lkyung trusted Yoonshin's decisions in general and didn't pry too much, but as family, Yoonshin knew that she was very curious about his lover. Even so, he tried to keep as much information from her as possible. Because he was bad at lying, he might end up admitting certain facts, and his clever sister would deduce that his partner was Sehun.

Perplexed that her younger brother suddenly clammed up after excitedly chattering away not too long ago, Ikyung tilted her head.

Then, she asked cautiously, "Is she someone who does shady work? I won't be surprised, so you can be honest with me. If you say that she's the only one for you, then I'll give you material and emotional support."

"It's not like that. That person is good and in the same profession as me."

‘Only to me,' he failed to add. Yoonshin wasn't planning on revealing that this person was Sehun Kang anytime soon. Sehun would most likely not agree to disclose this information, and if Sehun wasn't keen on it, Yoonshin wanted to respect the other's wishes.

Thinking that this made sense for someone very busy like Yoonshin to meet, Ikyung nodded. "I figured. How old is she? You're always so defensive, so I only got around to asking this now."

"The gap isn't so big that you'd be horrified."

"So the girl is older, huh? She isn't being persistent about marriage?"

"I don't know, I think I really want to marry you now"

He mused about what Sehun said not long ago, and Yoonshin looked sincere. "I'm thinking of asking soon."

"Really? My goodness, that's good news. I won't be an evil sister-in-law. We can meet just twice a year—our father's and mothers death anniversaries. We don't need to hold memorial services together or spend the holidays. You two can just take a holiday overseas. I'll pay for the entire trip. Then, will I meet nieces or nephews in a few years?"

After their parents passed away, they were the only two left in the family. They had a few relatives, but contact was practically all lost. When their father was in a public position, he kept his distance in fear that they would use his position to their advantage and create messes, and after Ikyung got married, he was worried that they would cause problems for the in-laws. Now that lkyung was divorced and Yoonshin was not married, she must have felt lonely when they visited their resting places.

Yoonshin had mentioned this with a light heart while considering an exchange of rings with Sehun, yet Ikyung grounded him back to reality, taking the words away from him.

Her expectations gave Yoonshin all the more reason not to tell her that he was going out with Sehun.

Yoonshin didn't want to turn Sehun, who shone brilliantly wherever we went, into an unwelcome guest.

"I'm not saying immediately. I need to hear the other side first."

"If you two are very busy, I could prepare in your stead—the studio, dress, makeup, all of it. I'll make your wife the prettiest bride in the world."

Even though she failed once, she didn't seem to be disenchanted by this system. It must have been lkyung's certainty that even if her marriage failed, her love hadn't failed as well.

Yoonshin was the same. He wanted to hold on to Sehun and be together longer than the seven years that they promised at me urging of Director Song. Even if he witnessed countless failures every day, he unironically wanted to get married. Love was always a bundle of surprises.

Yoonshin pulled up the corners of his lips. He changed the topic, thinking that they shouldn't continue this conversation for longer. "I'll let you know if I need your help. Oh, but why did you want to see me today?"

This time, Yoonshin was the one who brought lkyung back to reality. Her face, filled with joyful thoughts, darkened. She must have called him to talk about something unpleasant.

"Oh, right. I wanted to introduce you to someone. I'm being a bit of a busybody, but I couldn't leave her alone because her situation was so similar to mine."

"Is it because of a lawsuit?"

"Yeah. I mentioned it to you before, you know? That one of my gallery staff quit when she got married."

"The one who got married to a famous author? Do they want to get divorced? They seemed to be getting along well according to the news."

"You know that there's more than meets the eye. Her husband hates when she goes out anywhere, so he opened a small workshop for her and keeps her there all day. His delusional jealousy seems pretty serious. See this?" lkyung pointed to the round earrings in her earlobes. "She made these for me. She said that she spends all her time making small handicrafts like these. She's afraid to do anything because her husband is so well-known to the public. She contacted me not too long ago and bawled, asking me what she should do... Could you take this case? Or would it be hard because of your firm's policies?"

Ikyung pulled out a business card from the table drawer and placed the cardstock in front of Yoonshin. At that moment, the house helper came into the room with the tea. Ikyung helped her set up and poured the tea into their cups, while Yoonshin carefully examined the card.

Then, the faded text on the back listing her certifications caught his eyes.

"U.S. Jewelry Appraiser and Korean Gemologist/Appraiser."

"Jewelry Designer"

"No, you did well to contact me. My team leader will probably like this case. I'll try to meet her first." With that response, Yoonshin gracefully picked up the teacup fragrant with lemons.

Yoonshin's pale face looked mixed as he rode the elevator. He leaned against the walls and then pulled out the business card he had received from his sister.

Could he handmake jewelry at a workshop?

He had thought for a while that he wanted to give a matching set of rings that he had made himself. It was the quickest and easiest way to stamp and seal Sehun as his. He had only failed because Sehun refused.

Strictly speaking, there was a clear hurdle in Sehun and his relationship—the limits prescribed by reality.

Even if their relationship continued, they couldn't hold a ceremony with all their friends, and they couldn't sign marriage papers. The best they could do was maintain their current lifestyle of spending time in each others' homes. Sometimes, their thoughts and personalities were so different that they bickered, but they understood their feelings for each other. Despite the minor discomfort of being unable to have privacy, they couldn't fall asleep without one another—that kind of lifestyle.

Nothing else in their lives would change drastically going forward.

To say that another way, if they were to break up for some reason, their lives wouldn't change too much from their current state.

Nobody would ask either of them if they had broken up.

They loved each other, but Yoonshin hated that there were no footprints of their love.

"The problem is how to make him wear it."

As he mulled, the elevators opened with a mechanical buzz. He slipped the business card into his jacket pocket and stepped off.

When he entered Sehun's house, it was dead silent. He recalled that Sehun had said that he had a lot of reports to read, so he went to the study. Unsurprisingly, the lights were on.

He knocked, and before Sehun answered, he opened the door slightly. Sehun, who was flipping pages, slowly looked at the time before giving Yoonshin his attention.

"Yoonshin Do, don't you have a lot of spare time? It's my first free weekend in five weeks, yet you had time to go meet your sister."

Yoonshin grinned and briskly walked over to Sehun. Still standing, Yoonshin hugged Sehun, who was sitting in a comfortable chair. The other wrapped his arms around the waist of his lover, who ran in with the scent of fresh air.

Yoonshin buried his nose in the older man's hair and kissed the crown of his head, then grabbed Sehun by his cheeks. Then, he kneeled over his thighs and kissed him hungrily. Sehun received it adeptly and pulled off Yoonshin's jacket.

The ivory business card poked out of his outerwear, which had fallen carelessly on the floor. Sehun glanced at the tiny letters on the card. Intolerant to Sehun's distraction, Yoonshin turned the other's handsome face toward him. 'Where do you think you're looking?"

"I was reading something. You'll ruin my flow. Go wash up or wait for me outside."

"You're the leisurely one, Sehun Kang. I have no more patience. Open your mouth."

Sehun licked his moist lower lip. Amused by Yoonshin's rebellion, he wrinkled his brow. Then, he tilted his head slightly and opened his mouth.

Impatiently, Yoonshin shoved his tongue into the space. The flesh that easily entered tangled with Sehun's. He turned his head by the slightest angle and shoved his tongue in deeply as if he wanted to insert his tongue up to its base. Sehun participated more assertively.

Yoonshin moaned, "Hmm. Hngh..."

Wetness aroused them both. Soon excited, Yoonshin felt his knees tremble. With his reddened knees, he felt Sehun's girthy member. Yoonshin pushed his tongue in until his cheeks became concave. Sehun responded by caressing Yoonshin's body.

His large hands invaded the inside of Yoonshin's shirt. He groped the skin at the edge of his shirt and gently followed the path of his spine. Aroused, Yoonshin groaned in Sehun's mouth. Then, as if telling him that this was as far as Sehun could go, Yoonshin shook Sehun's hands off.

The atmosphere dropped below zero in an instant.

Sehun pulled away. The saliva that Yoonshin clumsily pushed in coated his lips. He lapped it all up as he glared dangerously at the other. Kissing each eyelid that covered Sehun's piercing eyes, Yoonshin got up from Sehun's legs.

"I want to use my second wish here."

Sehun closed his eyes firmly before opening them again. There must have been a situation that had to happen here and now that he could put his finger on. Yoonshin grinned, already delighted, and yanked Sehun by the opening of his pants toward him. Yoonshin pecked at Sehun's chin and whispered, "Show me how you touch yourself."

“…”

"You obviously have to cum on my face."

Sehun didn't look surprised. Rather, he looked like he had seen this coming.

"Be honest—you knew that I was going to ask you to do this: Yoonshin said.

"You're an open book."

"That's why you should've just shown me already. Then, I would have made a different wish. I'll make sure you feel embarrassed."

Yoonshin pushed the documents on Sehun's desk to either side and forced Sehun to get up. Sehun reluctantly perched on the edge of the desk with his back to his dual monitors. Yoonshin pulled up the rolling chair and sat it in, looking up at him.

Sehun was fraught with extremely mixed feelings. Then, he must have decided to try to persuade Yoonshin otherwise. "Why don't you talk about your meeting with your sister?"

"Someone she knows wants to get divorced. She'll come to the firm soon. The end. Pull down your zipper."

"Attorney Yoonshin Do." The voice calling his name was stern.

However, through many years of experience, Yoonshin knew he just needed to give a little extra nudge. "We're not at the firm here. I won't fall for it, no matter what you say. When I think that I might die without ever seeing this, I could probably wake up from my grave."

Yoonshin wanted to see this so much. How could Sehun not show Yoonshin even once?

They practically lived together for several years, so he should have been caught at some point, but Sehun was so careful that he still hadn't been walked in by Yoonshin. Sehun rarely became disheveled in front of Yoonshin. Even during sex, when Yoonshin became a mess, Sehun was still full of leisure. Yoonshin wanted to see Sehun being the one panting at least once.

It was strange—Yoonshin normally couldn't stand when other people were miserable. He wanted to do whatever he could to alleviate their situation. If he couldn't, he would keep being concerned for them.

Sehun was the exception. Yoonshin sometimes had the wicked urge to push Sehun into a corner, to only think of Yoonshin.

Sehun was leaning at a slight angle with his legs extended. Yoonshin rubbed the pit of the other's knee, fondling the skin veiled in the black fabric of the pants. Sehun sighed in agitation, and his legs twitched.

While observing Sehun's indecent appearance, Yoonshin's own cheeks became more flushed. The moist corners of his eyes were red with excitement; Sehun saw it and laughed once. He then pulled out a cigarette from the corner of his desk and stuck it between his lips. The fingers that flicked the lighter on were filled with turmoil.

Sehun Kang probably decided to admit defeat this time as well.

After all, he smoked whenever he was annoyed.

Sehun exhaled, taking the filter out of his mouth and prying off Yoonshin's hands. He seemed to want to go to their bedroom. Before Sehun escaped Yoonshin's personal space, Yoonshin hurriedly grabbed the older man's legs. "Where are you going?"

"Come to the bedroom."

"Do it here."

Sehun peered down, and then in surrender, he leaned against the desk once again. Brightening up, Yoonshin assertively caressed his thighs and said, "Get it up with me. I'll let you touch me."

"There's a better way. First, kiss me here." With a free hand, Sehun pointed downward, pushing down Yoonshin's head. He guided the younger man's face to his front. Yoonshin kissed the bulge in Sehun's pants. Then, he rolled his eyes up to look at Sehun.

Cigarette between his lips, the older man moved it between his fingers and continued to instruct Yoonshin. "Good job. Now, rub your cheek on my thigh."

Yoonshin gulped and moved his head lower, between Sehun's crotch, and rubbed his face against Sehun's inner thighs. For some reason, although Sehun was fulfilling Yoonshin's wishes, the younger man felt like he was being tricked.

However, the most important goal was in front of his eyes, so he missed the right time to object.

Yoonshin rubbed his face in Sehun's privates, which was pitching a sizeable tent thanks to the volume of the other's member. Sehun scowled and let out a suppressed groan. "Hah..."

Consequently, Yoonshin's level of arousal peaked exponentially. Sehun was gripping the back of Yoonshin's head and inflicting rough friction against his genitals, so

Yoonshin's body was starting to react too.

After rubbing Yoonshin's cheeks a few times along his shaft to his head, Sehun let go of Yoonshin's hair. Then, his elegant, clean fingers undid his pants. He pulled down the zipper and flaps, revealing his black boxer briefs.

The fabric of Sehun's undergarments stuck to the outline of the sizable visitor of Yoonshin's insides, accentuating it. Yoonshin gulped air, breathing unsteadily, and looked up at Sehun. His chin slightly lifted, and Sehun sighed. Gazes were exchanged, and Sehun's frosty eyes were boiling sub-surface with a dark desire to ravish Yoonshin.

"Pull it down," Sehun said, gesturing haughtily with his chin. Yoonshin stretched his hand out, but Sehun pushed Yoonshin's chin up, stopping him.

"Are you trying to pull a fast one on me? Do it with your mouth."

Yoonshin was used to fulfilling Sehun's orders. His trembling hands held onto Sehun's legs, and he used his teeth to pull down the undergarments. Sehun's bristly pubic hairs were revealed first, and then the half-hard member sprung out, slapping Yoonshin's cheek.

As he pulled the thin fabric further down, Sehun's scrotum was exposed.

At the same time that Yoonshin breathed deeply, Sehun gave his final order. "Blow me."

Yoonshin couldn't help but challenge Sehun this time. "That's not masturbating."

"Didn't you want to see me wanking off?"

"Yes, that's right, but..."

"Then, blow me."

Yoonshin bit his lip, then began to lick from the urethral opening without further resistance. He traced down the protruding vein of the other's member down to the base. Sehun's member jerked and twitched as it swelled into full erection.

It was the first time that Yoonshin witnessed the changes that happened to Sehun's member up close. At other times, getting too excited, Sehun wouldn't let Yoonshin simply watch.

Observing the shaft that swelled up right before his eyes, the shape that it took on, the veins that protruded from the sensitive skin, and the pubic hairs and balls that always aroused Yoonshin when they slapped against him, Yoonshin's blood started to pump. However, there was one obstacle left. He pushed back his diffidence, and feigning composure, he pulled his chair closer.

When he started to lick Sehun's base and scrotum seriously, Sehun's long legs tapped his calves. Sehun stroked Yoonshin's jaws and snuffed out his cigarette, telling him that Yoonshin had done enough.

"Watch closely. I'll make you write a report on your impressions after."

Sehun's large right hand with its protruding veins lightly grasped his member. His fingers wrapped around the shaft and gripped it tightly with a force equivalent to when they entangled tongues when they kissed.

As if he had never been noncommittal about the act, once Sehun started, he was inexorable.

He rubbed his member roughly up and down, picking up speed. His movements mirrored when Sehun penetrated Yoonshin. After caressing his member gently, he squeezed hard as he moved in the opposite direction. He touched himself like he was teasing Yoonshin. He grasped his length and stroked his glans, then brought his fist down to the hilt, pumping his shaft in a way more arousing than porn to Yoonshin.

The older man's firm thighs twitched under Yoonshin's fingers. Beet-red, Yoonshin was being stimulated by the spasms of the other's muscles under his touch and by the visual stimulus. He flinched. "Ngh..."

Sehun's free left hand snaked into the younger man's ear canal. His fingertip tried to force itself into the narrow passageway, just like when he was trying to enter Yoonshin's hole before he was fully loosened up.

Yoonshin's eyelashes fluttered, and his grip on Sehun's thighs grew tighter. The touches must have spurred on Sehun as his right hand, which was slow so Yoonshin could observe, started to move increasingly faster.

"Hah, fuck. Open your mouth."

Sehun's eyes were fixed on Yoonshin's reluctant, slightly parted lips. Perhaps imagining that the red flesh inside was locking with his, his dogged gaze didn't leave. As he masturbated with his eyes fixed on the inner flesh, his member grew more rigid, twitching as if it would burst. Thanks to that, Yoonshin's palms grew clammy.

Dissatisfied with just looking, Sehun shoved his fingers inside Yoonshin's lips.

"Sunbae—mmph..."

His fingers, which rubbed on top and under Yoonshin's tongue, had the bitter taste of nicotine. Yoonshin's hips jerked. The younger man was playing along because he wanted to watch Sehun leisurely, but Yoonshin also got so turned on that he wanted to release.

Sehun masturbating was so sexy that it was bad for Yoonshin's heart.

Yoonshin felt a sadistic urge to do something—anything—to Sehun.

‘Damn it. This is driving me crazy' Yoonshin panted shallowly, and sensual sighs kept escaping his lips. As if this was what he was waiting for, Sehun thrust his fingers more tenaciously and rubbed the membranes of Yoonshin's mouth. He rolled his fingers around the base of the younger man's tongue and reached deep into the entrance of his throat, but triggering his gag reflex, Yoonshin closed  his eyes and coughed. "Ugh, hngh, hnph."

"Open your eyes."

"Hnnn, ngh."

"I'll be climaxing now, so watch carefully. You wanted me to cum on your face." Sehun exhaled deeply, suppressing his desires that threatened to crawl out from the pit of his stomach. Yoonshin thought he could feel Sehun's tension in his abdominal muscles.

Sehun grimaced and started to rub from the tip of his member, spitting precum, to his shaft. Fluids started to moisten the member, covering his entire length down to the hilt. With every movement, there was a wet slosh; the erotic background sounds penetrated Yoonshin's ears.

Finally, the tip of his penis started to quiver. Yoonshin opened his mouth, wanting to wrap his lips around the other's member. However, that was all in vain as Sehun pulled Yoonshin's hair back into the air. "Ack!"

"Tilt your head back properly."

"I wanna do it."

"You said that wouldn't be masturbating."

"But it's mine."

"Do you want to suck me off, Yoonshin Do?"

Yoonshin hurriedly nodded, his face as red as a ripe pomegranate. With a frown, Sehun ordered authoritatively, "Beg."

"I want to suck you off."

"More."

"I want to suck this... Let me put it in." Yoonshin yanked Sehun's hands off his head and kneeled on the ground before the older man. He grasped the others thighs and pleaded, rubbing his moist lips against Sehun's shaft. Finally, Sehun pointed his member at Yoonshin's lips.

Sehun was slow at first, keeping the minimum speed limit, but when he was halfway in, he thrust deep inside rough enough to make a noise.

"Urgh...I"

Sehun was slightly rougher when he was on the edge of orgasm. He thrust aggressively up into Yoonshin's throat, free of guilt. Yoonshin looked up and closed his trembling jaws, wrapping his mouth around Sehun's member. Despite feeling discomfort and mild nausea, seeing Sehun Kang's face in bliss as he was buried deep inside sent sparks in Yoonshin's head, driving him to the edge.

The older man's wet and hard member twitched inside Yoonshin's mouth. The volume that filled up Yoonshin prevented him from saying anything. He merely looked up with his slightly bloodshot eyes and bobbed his head up and down, pumping the other's cock in place of Sehun.

Sehun, who was looking down, was also feeling vertigo. He, who had only chased after success, had always failed time and time again when he was in front of Yoonshin. He matched Yoonshin's pace and pounded in Yoonshin's mouth.

His balls nearly slapped Yoonshin's chin, and he finally reached climax. The moment he pulled out his member prodding at the most profound spot of Yoonshin's throat, his member spattered opaque cum on Yoonshin's face.

Yoonshin hacked and gasped laboriously.

Sehun sighed. "Open your mouth."

He stroked up his shaft, squeezing out the remaining fluid into Yoonshin's open mouth. The younger man obediently swallowed it.

The exertion was just as tiring as anal penetration and made Yoonshin drowsy. Yoonshin gulped loudly and then staggered in his daze. Just when he was about to collapse on the floor, Sehun shoved a leg in between Yoonshin's legs, rubbing the younger man's perineum. He rubbed slowly and painstakingly, and both of them felt the wet spot on Yoonshin's pants when the younger man came without realizing it.

As they both panted roughly, no words were exchanged.

Sehun spoke up first. 'You're all wet, without giving me the chance to blow you."

While abashed, Yoonshin hugged Sehun's leg and plopped down limply. Sehun pulled up his pants and collapsed on top of Yoonshin. With the younger man in his arms, Sehun rolled on the floor of the study once.

They lay flat on top of one another and exchanged looks, drenched in the afterglow. Sehun leaned down into Yoonshin's pale face and pecked at his lips. Yoonshin closed his eyes and savored the sweet gifts that Sehun gave and said in a trance, "I want to watch it again. Let's do this again."

"Use a wish."

"One year of aftercare at no cost"

"I generally hate phrases that imply a lack of substance—like no charge, no cost, and no thoughts."

"Whenever I think that I'm going to drive such excellent genetic material to extinction, I feel like I'm committing a crime against humanity."

Sehun, who had been listening sincerely, frowned as if he heard something completely absurd. "Are you cum drunk or something?"

"You told me to write a report on my thoughts."

Sehun seemed to get genuinely annoyed. "Cut the crap and come over. Let's go wash up."

"I'm weak. Carry me."

Sehun scoffed, but he couldn't leave Yoonshin with both his arms extended in the air. He pulled Yoonshin's leaden body in his embrace and got up.

Then, he kissed Yoonshin's sweaty hair and left the study.

Yoonshin was reading through the application for a public interest case with a serious face. The client was in a difficult spot and had requested assistance because of the financial burden of taking care of their mother with dementia. In cases like this, the client could not dip into the mother's finances at all, but it looked like they could use the guardianship system prescribed by the law to earn the right to use her money.

"The Civil Act... Civil Act, where is it?" Standing up, Yoonshin scanned through the thick books on the bookcase. Then, he spotted Secretary Tak opening Sehun's office door through his window. However, his eager eyes caught sight of a woman. Her hair was in a straight bob cut, and following the secretary's guidance, she entered the office.

'Is she a client of Senior Attorney Kang?'

The woman was quite tall. Her two-piece set was luxurious. Yoonshin didn't see her face, so in curiosity, he tilted his head to the left. As if she sensed his curiosity, the woman looked back briefly.

Yoonshin winced then.

Despite only catching a glimpse, he could see that the woman was quite the eye-catching beauty. Her distinct features and vivacious expressions complemented her image. She left a deep impression on Yoonshin because she was the perfect image of someone whom Yoonshin once considered to be the type of woman Sehun Kang would go out with.

This bothered him, so pretending to select a book, he observed the other side closer. He was standing while they sat, so he had an oblique view of them. He could clearly see Sehun's face as he sat across from the woman.

Now, Yoonshin could get a good idea of Sehun's feelings from reading his facial muscles. The older man wasn't all that keen on the visitor. Naturally, the atmosphere between them wasn't friendly. But ironically, this made Yoonshin feel like there was some unresolved tension in the air.

His mood plummeting, Yoonshin quit pretending to search for a title and left his room. He wanted to meet Secretary Tak, but he wasn't at his seat, perhaps off preparing tea. With no other choice, he approached the office manager.

"Who's the lady who just went into Attorney Kang's office?"

Today wasn't the only day Yoonshin was curious about Sehun's comings and goings, big or small. Unfazed, the office manager casually replied, "Oh, this must be the first time you've seen her. You know that Attorney Kang worked on a pharmaceutical company's share purchase deal earlier this year, right? She's the only daughter of that company's owner."

"The daughter?"

It was quite a terse retort, but it was loaded with curiosity that couldn't be contained. That meant Sehun only had a connection to the woman's parents and had no reason to personally be involved with the woman, so why she came to see Sehun was a mystery.

Trained through the years of reading the minds of the firm's lawyers, the office manager understood Yoonshin's reaction and further replied, "Not just any daughter, but she was involved with the project. She came back after being the financial officer in the American branch. Apparently, she knew Senior Attorney Kang from before."

"Oh... So they knew each other from before. Do you happen to know how exactly they know each other?"

"Well, I guess they must have crossed paths while working. We don't know the details. But her approach was something different."

"What, did she ask Attorney Kang on a date or something?"

"Yes, that was the hot topic of the secretarial office for a while."

Yoonshin had only asked lightly, disbelieving the possibility that the woman would have done that with Sehun as the subject, so he was quite shocked. Yoonshin's eyes twitched. It was difficult for him to maintain composure. He couldn't keep the poker face that he easily wore in court at all. His voice trembled slightly. "For real? Why am I hearing this for the first time?"

"Oh my, you didn't know? Maybe this was when you went to a seminar? It was in January."

"If this happened in the second week of January, then... yes."

"Senior Attorney Kang publicly and formally rejected her private request anyways. She was pretty humiliated. I didn't think she'd come again, but here she is. How brave of her."

Or perhaps she wanted to win over Sehun Kang, a formidable target, despite the embarrassment.

It was probably both.

The share purchase matter for the pharmaceutical corporation happened a few months ago. However, he heard nothing of that nature from Sehun. Of course, Sehun wasn't the type to talk about all the nitty-gritty details of his work. But if that woman tried to contact him personally beyond work, it wasn't a simple issue—Sehun should have told Yoonshin.

How could he be the only one who didn't know of an incident that all of the secretarial team knew?

There were many things he wanted to know immediately. He managed to collect himself and asked smoothly, "What about her approach was so different?"

"How could I express that in words? You know, it was a woman's intuition. All the unmarried women in our office agreed that this lady wanted to pursue Sehun because there was no news of him being in a relationship. It was for the thrill of making such a stoic man fall for you."

Yoonshin numbly gnawed on his lips. The office manager must have interpreted his silence and the chain of reactions in her own way—she leaned toward Yoonshin, who stood beyond the partition, and whispered, "There was talk that Senior Attorney Kang fell for her. I heard they see each other occasionally. Do you think that's true? Is there anything that you know?"

Yoonshin's shoulders were tense—from anger or disappointment, he didn't know—but they soon deflated.

That was ridiculous.

He was annoyed that Sehun didn't tell Yoonshin that someone else had been eyeing him, but he didn't doubt the older man.

Most women who met Sehun showed their interest anyway. Yoonshin comforted himself by thinking that it would be incredibly tiring for Sehun to report every single incident. But the most embarrassing part was that Yoonshin had told Sehun each time someone flirted with Yoonshin because he wanted Sehun to be jealous, yet Sehun Kang had never once mentioned anything of the sort.

This man was always constant in some aspects.

"Attorney Do, what are you doing here?" While Yoonshin was drowning in a sea of complicated thoughts, he heard someone calling him. When he turned around, Secretary Tak had come to the office with a wooden tray in his hands. Two glasses were brimming with what looked to be iced americanos.

"Since it looked like Senior Attorney Kang had a visitor I didn't know."

Extrapolating from Yoonshin's reply and the office managers intrigued face, Secretary Tak clicked his tongue and walked toward the senior partner's office. "Office Manager, do you still not know Senior Attorney Kang? I told you, he has absolutely no interest in her as a person. If he did, he would show extreme concern and bully them a lot. Look—here's the prime example."

His eyes pointed to Yoonshin before knocking on the door. Yoonshin exchanged looks with the office manager, who nodded and agreed tacitly.

When he had occasionally gone to Sehun for advice for his work at Doguk's divorce clinic, he was scolded so badly that the secretarial staff who knew broke out in giggles.

Meanwhile, Secretary Tak looked perplexed and knocked again. There was no response from the room. All eyes were on the door, the same as Yoonshin.

Anxious for some reason, he glanced at the window. Sehun bolted up in Yoonshin's frame of vision.

Sehun strode to the door, yanking the door open, and gestured outside. He didn't say it out loud, but he was unmistakably kicking the guest out.

The woman, who was still in her seat, slowly stood up. She didn't hide her discomfort and stepped out of the room.

The two stood facing each other. Honestly, Yoonshin thought they made a pretty picture together. He watched with his arm resting on the partition as if watching a movie with two good-looking actors.

Of course, if Sehun didn't draw a clear line, he was planning on making him sleep separately for to days or so.

Then, Sehun's red lips parted. His husky voice was melodic to Yoonshin's ears. "I'm a very busy person. Don't request a private meeting for something so trivial next time. I hire people like him to deal with issues like today. Despite his large paycheck, he has plenty of free time."

Sehun jutted his chin in Yoonshin's direction. Yoonshin froze as he was abruptly promoted from a third-party observer to a supporting actor on the stage.

'That sadist,' Yoonshin muttered internally, directing a spectrum of colorful phrases at the older man. When Sehun's gaze turned back to the woman opposite him, Yoonshin breathed calmly.

The woman replied, "You never answer my calls, so I had to use work as an excuse to see you. Is it so hard to watch a show with me?"

"There's something I tell my clients occasionally... If you call three times and there is no return call, don't call anymore. It means I won't take your call."

"Senior Attorney Kang."

"Watch your show with someone else."

"Senior Attorney Sehun Kang!"

"Goodbye." He pointed to the exit with his chin haughtily. The woman hesitated, wanting to say more, but she stomped away, aware that there were too many witnesses in the secretarial office.

When her footsteps faded away, Sehun slammed his door shut not wanting to waste more time.

There was a brief silence. Soon, the room was filled with the boisterous clattering of the keyboards.

Secretary Tak, who was observing the entire situation unfold, was about to turn back with the tray when Yoonshin held him back. "Are you going to toss those?"

"I should. He didn't ask for it, but I just thought I'd take it in. Would you like a glass'?"

"Yes, please. I'll have them with the senior attorney."

"Uh, will you be all right going in now? You know that he hates dabbling in personal meetings within his professional affairs."

Yoonshin agreed wholly. The sarcasm in Sehun's tone conveyed that he was annoyed that his time was wasted, despite always being pressed for time. In fact, when a drinking party unfolded under the guise of a business meeting and when personal discussions started irrelevant to work, Sehun always left the scene.

Yoonshin loved Sehun a lot, but if it weren't for the older man's extraordinary talents, he might have been snuffed out by the industry for his flawed personality and lack of social skills.

Instead of Sehun being eye-catching, Yoonshin would have been fine with that.

Perhaps Sehun Kang experienced this feeling of madness every day.

"That's why I need something cold. After all, I'm Senior Attorney's happy pill."

Yoonshin adeptly took the tray and knocked on the door. As soon as he heard the low voice inside, he stepped inside. Sehun was sitting on the couch with his forehead pressed against his fingers. With his eyes closed, he waved over Yoonshin as if he knew that it was him without looking.

Yoonshin set the tray down on the coffee table and sat across, and Sehun slowly lifted his lids. His pupils were particularly deep and dark. He looked a bit tired. "Ask away. I'll give you five minutes."

"I'm only going to ask three questions. I only need two minutes."

Sehun must have been surprised at this. Looking doubtful, he gazed at Yoonshin to discern the truth from his face. However, Yoonshin was truly only curious about the situation itself and didn't wonder about the small details. Yoonshin knew that Sehun wouldn't see the woman on a personal level after today's incident.

After checking on Sehun and pushing a glass toward Sehun for him to drink, Yoonshin asked, "First question: have a lot of incidents like this happened? I would have never known if I hadn't witnessed it today."

"Didn't we tacitly agree never to ask each other what happened in the past? Ask only about what you saw. Next," Sehun replied and then took a sip of coffee, glancing at Yoonshin as if to urge him to go on.

Yoonshin had no reason not to.

"Then, second question. Are you sure you've refused her clearly?"

"I'm going to do that to everyone going forward too, in an obvious way so you won't get confused about it. Next."

"I'm the one you'll love going forward too, right?"

Sehun sighed lightly and met Yoonshin's eyes earnestly. He replied, "It will be you—that's why I'm explaining myself for the peace and stability of this household."

"Great. You get a hundred. Enjoy the rest of your drink."

"Don't you feel jealous? You said yourself that it's weird to feel certainty about the other person's feelings when in love."

"Of course, I'm very jealous. But I know very well that I'm the only one in your arid and solitary life. I'll get mad when I really need to. We can fight it out then."

Excuses, justifications, and explanations.

Those were the three things that Sehun never did because he never made mistakes. Notwithstanding, Sehun was prepared to give an explanation and told Yoonshin to ask questions first. He even willingly responded in the affirmative to a question about the vague and imprecise future.

Even though the heart was fickle and, therefore, Sehun had always scoped out all possibilities before acting on anything, Sehun spoke on behalf of his future and chose Yoonshin.

There couldn't be a better reply. "I've given you too much faith." "You reap what you sow."

Sehun didn't deny that and grinned. His eyes for Yoonshin were overflowing with love that couldn't be hidden.

Yoonshin had said everything he needed to and got up, bowing to Sehun yet not responding to the lovelorn gaze. Sehun clearly thought Yoonshin was being absurd—it showed in his eyes.

Unless something as trivial as this incident happened, it became increasingly uncommon for Yoonshin to spend time in this office. Knowing that well, Sehun found it baffling that Yoonshin was leaving a few minutes after he barged in.

"Are you leaving like that? Not even three minutes have passed since you came."

"I earn tens of thousands every year and don't have much free time. I'm busier than you think I am. I work so hard, you know."

"You're sulking. That's cute."

"Please continue to reflect on your actions and give me the rest of your attention after work."

The blinds were up, so they couldn't touch each other. With his back to the window, Yoonshin kissed the air, then turned to leave the room.

After silently acknowledging the secretaries with his eyes, he returned to his office and took out the business card that was resting in his desk drawer.

Yoonshin only found out about this because it happened right in front of his eyes. He knew Sehun wouldn't alert Yoonshin about future pursuers. He was probably going to deal with them accordingly because he knew that Yoonshin trusted his no-nonsense attitude.

Still, Yoonshin didn't like what he saw.

"...This lady wanted to pursue Sehun because there was no news of him being in a relationship."

Yoonshin thought back to what the office manager said and grew dour. He was planning on generating that news for Sehun in any case. Now that he had a decent excuse, he felt like the entire universe was urging him to go ahead.

He wanted to shout to the world that Sehun had a partner.

'But I'll need to know his ring size... If I touch his hands outright, he'll catch on right away.' After musing, Yoonshin called the number on the card.

The careful and timid voice of the other picked up soon. "Yes, hello?"

"I'm Attorney Yoonshin Do from the firm Doguk. I'm contacting you after receiving your business card from Director lkyung Do from her gallery, Sansa. Is right now a good time to talk?"

Yoonshin put the card down and sat properly in front of his laptop to make call notes.

In a client meeting room, dimmed in advance for the peace and comfort of the client, Yoonshin's guest was waiting for him. Yoonshin brought his laptop and a few documents from his office and soon arrived to meet her.

After a knock, Yoonshin came in. The woman in her mid-thirties with a large hat covering her face greeted him. Her appearance overlapped with lkyung, who had once come to his home all covered. He tried to recall the feeling of desperation he felt back then, but for some reason, it escaped him. It felt like an event from a past so long gone that he realized how well he and his sister were these days.

"Did you wait long? It's good to see you." Yoonshin pushed his business card toward her and sat across from her.

The woman took her hat off and introduced herself once again. "I came on the director's introduction. You're her brother, Attorney Do, correct?"

"Yes, that's right. You sound much better than when we chatted over the phone the day before yesterday."

"I felt relieved after I heard that Doguk would help me. I appreciate it so much."

Yoonshin calmly placed a document in front of her and began to ask some questions. "The car you came in..."

"As you advised, I turned my car the other way and took a cab. My car will be heading toward the workshop. My husband will think that I'm there right now." she replied and pulled the papers toward her, and as if swapping goods, she handed Yoonshin a memory card. Passing the finger-sized item to Yoonshin, she added, "I've copied all the things you asked me to prepare. Please check the contents."

Although this was only the beginning, his intuition was telling him that this person was going to be an exemplary client. He scanned the contents of the USB on his laptop and then met the client's eyes. He started to move on to the purpose of their meeting. "I've heard the general story. You suspect your spouse is having an affair?"

"Yes, I say suspicion, but I'm pretty certain at this point. I have been to a few smaller firms, but they keep telling me to write down the substance of my suspicions... They told me to put down my opinion, but I never had too much to write other than that I think my husband is committing adultery and his verbal abuse is bad. So I quit."

There were quite a few lawyers who burdened the client with more tasks than necessary just because they were too lazy to do everything from start to finish. She was unlucky.

"We can't start a lawsuit based on suspicions. Evidence is the most important. How much do you have?"

"Actually... I was scolded by Director Do because of that. I have nothing in my possession."

Yoonshin tapped the table lightly and fell silent. He had heard from his sister beforehand that this was the case.

It was unfortunate, but if he took this to court in such an unfavorable situation, he couldn't guarantee success. The chances of victory were near zero. Yoonshin turned the laptop screen toward the woman and opened an image on the screen.

The client looked at the full-screen picture in confusion. "What is this?"

"As you know, the court talks with evidence. If we don't establish our case properly, we could be attacked by the other side."

"You're saying that it'll be hard to prepare for litigation immediately, right?"

"Yes. You want to get a divorce, not go through with a losing lawsuit. These are the things that you have to search for and bring to me. Please, take a look."

Finally, the woman started to move the trackpad and flip through the images. They were all examples of evidence that the court had once accepted based on the precedents. They included images such as the spouse and the affair partner going into a hotel or being intimate in the car.

As the woman looked through seriously, Yoonshin continued, "You see the images of the two going into a hotel or motel? You can see the license plate and their faces. If you happen to spot the two together, you need to leave video or photo evidence of it."

The woman listened carefully, and then asked, suddenly recalling something, "I heard that you used evidence like this to win against the director's husband—no, her ex-husband. She said that Doguk obtained a photo of him having sex in the car."

That was evidence that they obtained through Sehun's private investigators. The evidence that he collected was so straightforward that it was extremely useful in court. Yoonshin didn't usually go that far for clients.

However, this was a special case. The client requested assistance through his sister, and Yoonshin also had a request, so the stage was somewhat set.

"The firm doesn't do that directly. Director lkyung Do hired a security firm, and they helped track down people. If you consent to it, I can put in a request to them separately. It could be costly."

"I'll do it. I have to. Is there anything else I should do?"

"Not on that end, but you do need to search for evidence of the affair in the blindspots of your home or his office. We can get the evidence for future events, but you're the only one who can collect evidence of past events. That's why you should copy the memory cards of your husband's dashcam."

The woman nodded, determined to do whatever she could in her power.

"It'll be helpful to find conversations shared with the extramarital partner. Messages with pet names, flirtatious texts, confessions of love, or that they want to sleep with each other."

"So you mean emails or text messages? I'll try."

"The best thing is to record your spouse confessing that he committed adultery. This might be difficult, but it's something you should consider."

"I already started to record everything at home according to Director Do's advice."

Yoonshin wasn't sure if he should be upset that it was his sister who advised this based on her own experience or glad because this was helpful for him as a lawyer. He pushed back his complicated feelings inside and changed the topic. "So there was no physical abuse?"

"Yes, but the verbal abuse is terrible. I accepted when he apologized in tears since he's our kid's father."

This was common for couples who were getting a divorce. The husband probably persuaded her to overlook his actions for the sake of their child.

This was the most finicky—when the phenomenon existed but a record of it did not, especially when Yoonshin needed it most.

"Are there any witnesses to him yelling? Perhaps your child?"

"No, my child might have seen it, but we've never talked about it..."

"If your child witnessed it, we could have them testify or prepare an affidavit. How old is your kid?"

"Just entering kindergarten. Five years old."

The child was too young.

Yoonshin recalled his nephew who hadn't started school yet and replied evenly, "I should meet the child. It'll be too much to bring your child to the firm, so how about I meet you two elsewhere?"

"If its for evidence, I don't mind if I bear with it longer."

"I don't really recommend doing that."

"My husband is quite tenacious and has delusional jealousy. Isn't it better to be certain?"

What would Sehun Kang do in this case?

Spouses in conflict meant war in court. If they tried to attack the other side without a weapon in hand, there was a high chance that the allies would suffer more injuries than the enemy. To prevent that, Sehun would use the most efficient method possible—this method would be the closest to the proposition of certain victory.

Enticed by that option, Yoonshin fell into deep contemplation.

Then, he found the intersection between Sehun's method and his.

"I think... due to the lack of evidence, there is a need to agitate your husband. If we can prove the delusional jealousy first, the rest will come out like a string of sausages. Even so, you don't deserve to suffer from verbal abuse. I'll think of a way to turn the blame to another party while obtaining evidence."

The client's face, which looked relaxed when they first met, darkened throughout the meeting. Fear dawned on her that she could be conversely put at a bigger disadvantage as their meeting went on. She twiddled her fingers and fidgeted with the documents Yoonshin gave her.

After observing her silently, Yoonshin averted his gaze to make the room more comfortable for her. At times like these, it was better to feign ignorance rather than act like a know-it-all.

Yoonshin turned the laptop back toward him and checked the documents that the client provided. Then, he said, "You didn't do anything wrong, so don't feel daunted by this. Even if your spouse finds out, don't be discouraged. If anything happens, call the police and me."

"I will."

"If you consent to share these documents, then I'll pass these on to the investigators to track down your husband's whereabouts. You've diligently drafted the documents that I asked you to provide..."

Yoonshin had asked for information about the division of domestic duties, childcare, support and care of each of their parents, and monthly income. This information was needed to determine the exact alimony and division of property, which were calculated with a formula based on precedents.

The client understood Yoonshin's intentions and thoroughly prepared what he asked, which indicated to Yoonshin that her intentions were clear. This came as a relief to Yoonshin.

"While the third-party firm investigates your husband, I'll confirm the division of property, alimony, and the like."

"You can plan things according to your schedule. But what was the thing you mentioned over the phone last time? You said that you need my assistance as well, so I shouldn't feel pressured to come. I got the courage to meet you because of that."

Yoonshin didn't think this was an appropriate topic for this meeting, so he was about to stay quiet about it, but the client asked first. He couldn't help but talk about the remainder. Yoonshin's cheeks grew rosy with diffidence, and he swiped his chin with the back of his hand as he replied, "Urn, actually, I wanted to design a personalized pair of rings, but I'm completely clueless in that field... And you happened to design jewelry."

"Yes, I make earrings, rings, and even invitation cards. Are they wedding rings...?"

"No, just a matching set for a couple."

"It's funny that a divorce lawyer is saying this, right?" Yoonshin twisted the ring on his left hand and hesitantly asked. Seeing that, the client grinned, and the sharp atmosphere rounded out.

"Not at all. I'm starting to trust you more."

"Well, I want the designs to be different. How long would that take?"

"There's a vast difference depending on the material and the designs. Silver is the quickest and simplest, but I don't think you'd want to make a matching pair in silver."

"Yes, I'd like it to be long-lasting. Oh, and could you keep this a secret from my sister?"

"Of course. You'll be keeping my secret, so of course, I'll do that too."

With a secret between the two, they exchanged looks. They laughed at the same time.

One very tense senior corporate lawyer was ardently presenting to Sehun, sitting at the head of the table. Sehun, a few team leaders, mid-level lawyers with many years of experience under their belt, and associates filled the room.

Light from the screen glowed within the dimly lit room.

"Since a consortium is trying to jointly purchase the corporation in question, there needs to be a clause about withdrawal of investments."

Arms crossed, Sehun said, "Skip the parts we all know. Team A said that going public was the best. Team B, thoughts?"

"Going the standard route into the public securities market would be okay, but our team's opinion is that the purchaser finds this unstable. We aren't considering it."

"Then, you'll need an alternative to respond to that."

"The purchaser in this project is more passive than expected. They all think it's important to make a stable deal. Our team recommended a put option 10. We have the financial capacity to buy the shares, so it has the best chance. The clients also seem satisfied with that."

"Did you prepare the FSC bi investment guidelines?"

At Sehun's question, another senior lawyer interjected, "I've prepared a summary with only the key points."

The tablets in front of each person lit up. Just as Sehun looked up to lay his eyes on the device, he caught sight of Yoonshin chatting away amicably with a woman as they walked down the hallway.

Sehun had never seen Yoonshin looking so bashful while dealing with a client—this was a first for him.

He glared doggedly through the window. When they disappeared, he turned his focus back to the tablet. At first, he was able to concentrate, but eventually, he slammed the desk and got up.

The crowd of lawyers looked at Sehun, awaiting his reaction with bated breath. Sehun slowly said, "I can't concentrate. Let's take a to-minute break."

"A whole to minutes?" The senior lawyer who was presenting the information stopped Sehun, perplexed at Sehun's strange behavior. The other lawyer could not believe that Sehun had just said that he couldn't concentrate.

Sehun halted and replied cynically, "There's always a blockhead once in a while. I'm your boss. If you don't want to listen to orders, you can go home and never come back. Should I open the door for you?"

"No, I thought that I might have made a mistake in my presentation... If there is an issue, I'll fix it."

Of course, there were plenty of parts that Sehun didn't like about that lawyer's presentation. But right now, Sehun was the issue, not the other lawyer. Sehun looked around and added, "I'll return in to minutes, so fix whatever you need to."

Then, he turned his back to all the bewildered faces and exited the room.

Without any hesitation, he headed to the elevator when he bumped into Yoonshin, who was returning after sending the client off, around the corner. Yoonshin was sending a message on his phone, so didn't see Sehun and almost walked past him. Sehun stood directly in front, and only then did Yoonshin recognize Sehun's shoes and look up.

"Senior Attorney?"

"Who was that?"

Yoonshin glanced back, his brain working full speed. Realizing he was the only person Sehun could be asking, Yoonshin understood what Sehun was asking about.

"Oh, did you see me during your meeting? My client. I mentioned her to you last time —the one whom my sister referred."

"Designer Jeongah Kim."

"How did you know her name...? I didn't pass her retainer agreement to Secretary Tak yet."

Yoonshin responded in shock and then recalled the time when he used his second wish in Sehun's study. Sehun had glanced at the corner of the business card that had poked out of Yoonshin's jacket pocket.

"Are you a camera? How did you remember from a glance?"

"What did you talk about while walking down the hallway?"

"We talked about the lawsuit. What else would we talk about?"

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking. Spill it."

Although he didn't tell her who, they talked about the other person who would receive the ring. Because he was truly in the dark about handicrafts, he felt like he needed to tell the designer the receiving party's preferences for an appropriate design.

Yoonshin told her that his partner liked simple and clean designs in general, sat in front of a desk for long periods of time, and frequently met others with difficult relationships. He usually used fountain pens when taking notes and frequently had to type. He didn't like the smell of cigarettes getting on his hands, so he washed his hands frequently. While Yoonshin shared stories, he found himself enjoying the moment.

But he didn't know how to tell Sehun, so the best he could do was try to gloss over it. "Just, chatting about the lawsuit."

"No, you talked about something else."

Sometimes, Sehun had inhuman instincts.

Sehun's impassive eyes looked down at Yoonshin, taken aback. He didn't get angry or mock him. Without any emotion, he said placidly, "I lie as often as I twist my words. I also think that ifs a given that other people lie too. I strategize with the possibility that the other person will lie in mind so I can interfere with their lies."

"I know."

"But I can't stand when you lie. You shouldn't hide things from me. Don't do it."

"If you try to cover it up again, I'll get mad. I'll ask again. What did you talk about?"

Yoonshin bit his lip and pinched Sehun's sleeve carefully. "You know I'm a bad liar."

"Do you think I don't know that?"

"Can't I tell you later? I'll tell you everything. If you keep asking me now, I'll have to continue lying. I'll explain to you later why I had to lie afterward."

Perhaps reading the plea reflected in Yoonshin's clear and honest eyes, Sehun stroked Yoonshin's silky hair. Then, he sighed and ruffled up that hair. "I got it. Get going then."

Yoonshin nodded and walked past Sehun. He took a few composed steps and then looked back. His handsome lover was still standing there, watching as always.

Sehun was as still as a rock where he stood. Yoonshin couldn't bring himself to take another step forth. He went back to Sehun and looked around. In a split second, Yoonshin pulled Sehun's tie and kissed the wide end of it.

"You came out in the middle of your meeting, right? How many more minutes do you have?"

As if knowing that this would happen, Sehun stroked Yoonshin's cheek and checked the watch on his other wrist. "Five."

"That's enough then. Over here."

Yoonshin grabbed the other's sturdy hands, and as if enacting a secret mission, he dashed to the storage room to the right of the elevator. He pushed Sehun into the room with stacks of letter paper and other stationery. He checked their surroundings to see if anyone saw them going in.

After that, he closed the door behind him with a click.

Yoonshin pushed Sehun to the desk with a thin layer of dust and hugged the other's neck. Sehun deftly pulled Yoonshin in by the waist and supported him in place.

Their faces clashed, and their lips overlapped. Just like a stack of ingredients in a sandwich, they stacked their flesh atop each other. They lapped and sucked at each other. Then, Yoonshin plunged his tongue between the other's soft lips.

Yoonshin slipped his tongue in, seeking to wind into Sehun's tongue. The flesh of the two squelched and meshed together at a familiar spot. Yoonshin explored around freely before pulling away to catch his breath. Determined to use the five minutes given to them as efficiently as possible, he planted kisses all over Sehun's face.

Short smacks followed the spots where Yoonshin's soft lips met skin. The other's hands that were resting on Yoonshin's waist snaked up to the back of his head, and returning the gestures, Sehun kissed Yoonshin on the forehead. Then, he brought his left wrist up and checked the time. "Four minutes have passed."

Resenting himself from four minutes ago when he said that was enough time, Yoonshin snuggled deeper into Sehun's embrace. Sehun coldly pushed Yoonshin's forehead away with a finger and fixed his disheveled clothes. Yoonshin perched on the table that Sehun was sitting on and observed Sehun with disappointment on his face.

"Wow, you're so merciless when it comes to work. Sometimes, you really..." Yoonshin stopped mid-sentence and pursed his lips.

"Finish what you started to say."

"I shall be wise and keep my thoughts to myself."

"You have this habit of saying everything you need to, then feigning ignorance."

Sehun also had the habit of peering into Yoonshin's mind yet acting fussy and difficult.

Whenever that happened, instead of clashing head on head, Yoonshin wanted to whisper more of his love beyond Sehun's expectations.

"Can't you stay longer? Just one more minute."

"Do you know how much money was lost per minute of mine and everyone in that conference room? I've lost thousands just by following you like an idiot. Come out three minutes after me."

Sehun finished putting himself together and rubbed his lips on Yoonshin's forehead. Despite the kiss, Sehun was ultimately abandoning Yoonshin. As he watched Sehun's broad back grow further, Yoonshin confessed impulsively, wanting to shake the other up. "I love you—even though you're an asshole sometimes."

Sehun froze when he was about to turn the door handle. His hands slipped. He stared down at the back of his hand and creased his brow slightly. Then, he grew silent as if he briefly slipped into thought.

To take a deeper jab at Sehun, Yoonshin added, "Make lots of money, babe."

Sehun sighed deeply, its meaning opaque to Yoonshin, and surprisingly replied, "... Okay."

The door closed without further hesitation.

Unlike the other times when Yoonshin changed his pet name and Sehun showed a mediocre reaction, he replied clearly to Yoonshin this time.

What was that just now?

Okay?

Okay???

Even though Sehun hated things like that because he thought they were cringeworthy, he tried his best to play along. The older man pretended not to, but he was bothered that he was leaving behind Yoonshin. Yoonshin shook both his ears, still in disbelief at what he heard before his face grew pink.

He liked the awkward yet affectionate Sehun so much that he didn't know what to do with himself.

Lest he yell Sehun's full name out loud, he had to cover his face with both hands. He flailed and kicked as quietly as he could.

Beep. Sehun pressed his smart key and walked toward the basement garage lobby. He checked the screen of his phone by habit. It was significantly past one in the morning.

His client meeting was unexpectedly extended, so he missed Yoonshin, who left work on time. That was why his message that he would arrive soon wasn't replied to.

Yoonshin would wait at Sehun's house when they didn't have special plans by default. Sehun turned to Building A when the elevator to Building C opened. The heavy doors heaved open and revealed none other than Yoonshin.

"Yoonshin Do?"

Yoonshin looked just as surprised to see the older man and briskly walked up to Sehun. "If I were a bit later, I would have missed you. Maybe because it's so late at night, but you came back earlier than expected."

"Why are you coming from there? Did you drop by your place?"

"Yes, I needed to check on something. You're tired, aren't you?"

Sehun nodded and stroked the younger man's cheeks. Yoonshin snatched Sehun's briefcase away, crossing his arms over it. As if that wasn't enough, Yoonshin stuck to Sehun's side and pulled in the older man's waist.

Because this was the firm's residence, the residents were always careful around each other even though there were many units. That was why the public areas were unpopulated at later times of the day. The same applied to this lobby. Still, they couldn't throw all caution to the wind. They didn't know who might pop out of a corner.

Knowing that well, the two usually were hyper-aware of their surroundings and enjoyed the thrill of behaving in a risque manner. However, there was something different today. Yoonshin seemed to be unwilling to part with Sehun.

Noticing that subtle difference intuitively, Sehun embraced Yoonshin and stood in front of the elevator of Building A. He held the key card against the sensor, and the machine, already in the basement, opened its maws.

The two naturally stepped in together.

Sehun stared intently at Yoonshin's reflection on the elevator door, then angled his head to kiss the crown of the younger man's head. He asked casually, "You said you had a meeting outside of the firm."

"Yes, I got off early to meet my client."

With that answer, Yoonshin was about to nuzzle deeper into Sehun's side when the elevator suddenly stopped.

Yoonshin swiftly unstuck himself from Sehun, and the doors opened. Outside was the man with cigarettes and a lighter in hand. Running the database of personnel in his head, Yoonshin quickly figured out that it was a veteran tax accountant who was recently recruited to the tax corporation within Doguk. He must have been on the way to the rooftop terrace to smoke.

The man recognized Sehun first and greeted him. Sehun responded with a short nod.

Unlike the other firm staff who knew that Sehun and Yoonshin were quite close, the new recruit might have found it odd that Yoonshin was going up to Building A with Sehun. Feeling troubled, Yoonshin bowed respectively to the accountant and tightened his hold on Sehun's briefcase. Observing from the beginning, Sehun lightly flicked Yoonshin's forehead.

It seemed like Sehun was telling Yoonshin that he would solve any issues that came up, so he shouldn't worry needlessly. Yoonshin's tense shoulders started to relax. With just a flick of the other's hand, Yoonshin felt more relieved to be under Sehun's care and protection than anyone else.

"So, what did the client say'?"

"Sorry? Oh... I came back after meeting the person my sister introduced. The roads were bumpy from the start, but I think they will resolve neatly. I'm using you as a benchmark as I plan out my strategy."

While they were chatting, the elevator reached Sehun's floor. They got off together. They entered the apartment together and walked through the hallway side by side. All the while, Sehun analyzed Yoonshin's every expression and movement.

Upon reaching the dressing room, Sehun took off his jacket and stated, "You have something to tell me, don't you?"

Taking the jacket, Yoonshin placed it on the shelves with the briefcase. Then, he watched as Sehun undid his cuff links, vest, and necktie. When Sehun touched the top button of his shirt, Yoonshin pushed Sehun's hand away to undo his button. Willingly accepting Yoonshin's goodwill, Sehun asked again, "Do you want to tell me or not? Choose what you want to do."

"I'm figuring out which is better—whether I'm low for telling this to you or if I can solve this by myself. And whether this is truly my best option."

"Did you get into trouble at the firm? Do you need help handling it?"

Undoing the second button, Yoonshin replied leisurely, "What sort of trouble would a competent and hard-working lawyer like me get into?"

Then, Sehun's face turned more dubious than ever before. "Tell me when I ask. The sooner you tell me, the easier it is to sort out."

"I'm telling you, it's not what you think."

"If you can't tell me, should I tell you?"

Yoonshin, who was holding the third button, flinched. Yoonshin felt like if he looked into Sehun's eyes right now, his thoughts would be read, so he fixed his eyes on Sehun's collarbones. Sehun gently lifted Yoonshin's chin to force the younger man to meet his eyes. He added, "I personally taught you before letting you go, but why do I need to hear that the family law team leader is berating you?"

Yoonshin had a feeling that Sehun already knew this. He was usually quick to hear the things going around the firm, but he was faster on the news because this was about Yoonshin, to whom he paid keen attention more than any other topic.

Instead of undoing the rest of the shirt, Yoonshin leaned into Sehun's chest, rubbed his cheek against the older man's shoulder bones, and breathed evenly.

He eventually spilled it as if he had no choice. "I know that it's only right to follow the ways of the leader as long as I'm in the same team. But what if that method is wrong? The team leader wants to spread my case to news companies because it's something the media will like."

Yoonshin could tolerate taking on cases in the order of fame and reputation. He could be discriminating against the other clients involuntarily, but ultimately, they were all his clients, all the same. However, using the case to obtain additional benefits was undoubtedly wrong.

"Don't they want to protect the identity of the client but use the fame of the spouse?"

"Yes."

"It's probably for the promotion of the Divorce Clinic. It's the season for trying to raise performance. Everyone does that. If you're saying that's wrong, I can't take your side."

"But the law firm shouldn't do that voluntarily. There's also not enough evidence right now. If there's noise already, it's not good for the client. The deputy team leader was also of the same opinion as me."

"So the deputy is the same level as you. I'll keep that in mind for HR purposes."

Yoonshin poked Sehun's firm abdomen and tried to calmly persuade the other. "This isn't a simple matter of protecting the client's identity but winning the lawsuit."

After his explanation, Yoonshin looked up and bit Sehun's chin. Then, he candidly requested while meeting the frosty eyes of the other. "The team leader can't be persuaded at all. Even the deputy leader raised the white flag. Can't you help me? I've also made backup plans in case I made the wrong decision. But this is really wrong. I'm right."

This was the first request Yoonshin made in the three years since he moved teams.

It was at times like this that Sehun was unexpectedly struck by Yoonshin's cute habits—the result of being a child born in his father's later years and being taken care of by a sister with a large age gap.

Side Story 2

Surprisingly, Yoonshin wasn't dependent on Sehun at all when it came to work. He seemed to be more accustomed to solving and handling things himself. He rarely complained or whined about the difficulty of his work. He enjoyed working.

They could be habits he picked up when he started this line of work, but his strong pride and competitive nature made that possible.

Yet, this apparently was too difficult to handle through his standard route, evidenced by the fact that instead of using the formal and normal approach of putting out his objections, he was trying to cheat by using his connection with Sehun. Sehun liked when Yoonshin only used the proper way and kept within the lines, but he also didn't hate the idea of Yoonshin suppressing his pride until he couldn't take it any longer and using Sehun as a tool to fix the problem.

Sehun had never imagined that he would enjoy being the means to someone's end.

Sehun leaned against the display cases, pulled in Yoonshin's back with his hands, and replied, "Tell me in detail how you want me to help. I'll decide after I hear it."

"I want to try resolving this case my way. Please stop the articles."

"I could reform the team leader to your preference. Why take the long way when there's a shortcut?"

"He's not a bad person. He's a reasonable boss, but sometimes our opinions clash."

"I don't know, they seem to clash quite frequently." Sehun hit the crux of the issue.

Yoonshin tried to retort logically, "It's healthy to have a difference of opinions between the chain of command at the workplace. It means it's going bottom-up."

Instead of replying immediately, Sehun narrowed his eyes, and his cheek twitched. He would be advocating the management strategy opposite to his usual top-down method. Noticing that, Yoonshin rubbed against Sehun coyly and met his eyes. Sehun then asked, "If I help you, what will you provide me?"

"I don't know. One of the things I like is working free of charge for the better good..."

"I told you I don't like that. I'm a proponent of neoliberalism."

"Then, how about you think of this as a pro bono case? Wow, so this is why people always rave about networking and connections."

Sehun scoffed, but as always, he couldn't ignore his lover's request. He pulled the other man tighter against him and stroked his back slowly.

Yoonshin's skin touched the other's through the open shirt. They remained in each other's arms for a few more moments, enjoying each other's breaths. Then, Sehun pushed his fingers into Yoonshin's shirt. He massaged Yoonshin's hips, and Yoonshin's lower half twitched tensely.

"It's past one now. Aren't you tired?"

"It's not past two yet."

"You would've said that even if it were two, right? That it isn't past three yet."

"I'm simply trying to teach you that nothing is free in life. You need my guidance and encouragement," Sehun whispered in Yoonshin's burning earlobes and nibbled them, their breaths turning shallow. The air in the dressing room was tinted in a rosy color. Sehun's touches grew more seductive. He trailed down Yoonshin's spine and then wiggled into the gap in Yoonshin's pants and underwear.

The fingers that intruded the cleft of Yoonshin's bottom rolled around the entrance. Yoonshin clung to Sehun like a koala and moaned. Sehun teased Yoonshin by barely going in and rubbing around; Yoonshin twitched against Sehun's body. Their breathing grew rougher.

"What are you going to teach me first?"

"What do you want to learn first?"

Yoonshin clutched at Sehun's shirt that covered his broad back and brought one hand forth. He rubbed his fingers against his lips and pushed the tip in.

"Hngh. Here."

Pushing deeper beyond the aligned teeth, he touched the roof and the sensitive skin of Sehun's mouth. Sehun chased after Yoonshin's fingers and drenched the surface with his saliva.

Then, Yoonshin pulled out the index and middle fingers that swirled playfully in Sehun's mouth and tilted his head. "Hah. Sunbae, I want to kiss you. Can you open your mouth?"

"Put your tongue in. I'll eat you up."

Following Sehun's instructions, Yoonshin stuck out his red and wet tongue and was about to push it between Sehun's lips when Sehun stopped him. "Put your finger in first and your tongue on top of it."

As Sehun commanded, Yoonshin put his finger back in and shoved half of his tongue in. Sehun sucked at the finger and tongue. Yoonshin felt a current flow through him. It was only a twist to the kiss they usually shared, but strangely enough, his lower half tensed and his skin seemed to pulse with an electrifying thrill.

The wet flesh collided in the cavernous insides. Because of Yoonshin's finger, they couldn't overlap perfectly, which made Yoonshin crave Sehun more.

"Hnngh, hmm, ngh." Yoonshin writhed, feeling like melting. Unable to take it any longer, he pulled his finger out. Then, as he tried to kiss Sehun deeply, he stripped Sehun of his shirt.

He unbuttoned the rest of the shirt, dropped it, and drew an arc over Sehun's firm arms. He pushed his hand up from the abs to the chest. He felt Sehun's skin and tense muscles continually jump and jolt under his palms as they caused friction against Sehun's torso.

The slightly awkward foreplay quickly aroused Sehun. Eventually, his prominent Adam's apple bobbed violently as Sehun swallowed a sharp breath of air, and he aggressively undid Yoonshin's buttons. Through the half-open gap, he shoved his hands in and pinched Yoonshin's erect nipples.

"Ngh...!" Yoonshin surrendered to the apt and skillful touches of the other, twisting his legs and rubbing his lower half against the older man. His head was spinning from seeing the hefty mass that was ready to stand.

"Mmmh, I like you."

"Really? How much?"

"More than you could imagine. Come in deeper."

Sehun clenched his jaws and twisted Yoonshin's sensitive nubs, shoving his tongue deep into Yoonshin's mouth at the same time.

"Mmph, ngh!"

After that, they both frantically touched each other. They groped each other's pants, pulled down the zippers, and started to touch each other's members, which had started to stand.

The two shafts that emerged into the air were about to meet and frot together when there was a sound.

Yoonshin's phone started to vibrate in his pants pocket. Yoonshin writhed painfully against Sehun as he moaned in staccato. As if stalling to tease Yoonshin, Sehun stood upright with his arms around Yoonshin's waist.

Sehun leaned against the shelves and looked displeased. His large hands were lightly resting on Yoonshin's hips. "The firm?"

If anyone tried to get in touch with Yoonshin at this time, that was the most likely case.

"Probably... huh? Its not." However, it wasn't. Yoonshin checked the screen and shook his head, adding to his explanation. "It's my client, Mrs. Jeongah Kim. I told her to contact me regardless of the time of day if she found herself in a dangerous situation. She's not as unreasonable as to contact me at this time of day—something must have happened to her."

At this point, Sehun started to get irritated. "That woman again?"

When he saw them down the hall a few days ago and saw Yoonshin laughing and when Yoonshin used her case to request Sehun to do something, he patiently tolerated it. However, when the interruptions continued deep into the night, it got on his nerves.

"Wash up. I'll follow in right after."

Yoonshin stamped his lips on Sehun's in apology and turned around. Sehun stood properly and stripped his remaining garments, pulling out a thick bathrobe and draping it on his shoulders, and headed to the bathroom.

The moment Yoonshin picked up his phone, the door closed with a click. "Yes, this is Yoonshin Do."

Yoonshin stared longingly at the door that hid Sehun's presence and answered as he pulled his clothes together. Then, he slipped out of the dressing room.

Click clack.

Sehun was typing up an opinion letter with his eyebrows knitted together. His

beautiful face was tainted with discomfort as if there was something that was grating on his nerves.

After a while of clattering at the keyboard, he instinctively reached out for his cigarettes. However, he ran out of his cigarettes not long ago. He discarded the empty box beyond the desk.

He was leaning against his chair and threw his head back. He sighed deeply. His hand was on his forehead and gripped it tightly, the veins on the back of his hands growing more apparent.

He turned his head side to side to relieve his creaky and stiff neck, relaxing his muscles, and checked the time. It was six in the evening. There was also a message that arrived on his phone, so he peered at it.

He read the short message over and over, his face contorting into a scowl.

"I'm getting off work early today I'll see you at home tonight. — Yoonshin Do.

"Getting off work?"

He pulled up his blinds immediately and checked the room across from him. Yoonshin must have already gathered his things and left because the lights were off.

Yoonshin was always like this these days. Put simply, he had neglected Sehun for over a week.

Every day was peak season for divorce litigation. In other words, it was usually possible to predict when and how much a lawyer worked. However, it was the first time that he couldn't predict Yoonshin's schedule. He got off work exactly on time for the last few days, always heading to a place other than home.

He wasn't as bad as Sehun, but Yoonshin was also always buried in work. He worked overtime like breathing air. Even if his superiors didn't tell him to, he gave up his weekends. He sometimes got off work early, but even then, he had completed most of his work for the day. But it seemed like he didn't even do that these days as the lights of the study were on deep into the night.

Sehun couldn't understand this current situation at all.

If he had to pick out a turning point, this began the day Yoonshin received the phone call at Sehun's dressing room late at night.

That day, Yoonshin didn't return until well after Sehun had finished washing up. He appeared when Sehun was putting toner on his face, merely telling him that he had to drop by some place for a moment. It seemed like the client had domestic troubles. Sehun knew Yoonshin's dedication and avidity for work, so he passed it off as one of those cases at the time.

But as the days went by, he began to think that this wasn't right. Yoonshin shouldn't neglect Sehun for this long without so much a word. If he were to, he should have given Sehun an explanation. Even though they were both busy, they understood how busy the other was. If this was work-related, Sehun could absolutely understand. Even so, Yoonshin didn't give any effort to make Sehun understand.

He read the message again. This one was clearly different compared to the others that he had sent. Unlike the other times when Yoonshin would explain why, where, what he was doing, and when he would be back, this was just a declaration that he would be gone.

"I guess I should reeducate him, starting with the Five Ws and How."

He slammed down his phone in irritation and picked up the internal phone receiver. He pressed a button and heard a familiar voice on the other side. "Yes sir, Secretary Tak speaking."

"Where did Yoonshin go now?" Sehun asked.

"He went out to meet a client. The workshop of that novelist's wife."

There again.

Sehun stayed silent, and Secretary Tak tactfully added, "If you had instructions for Attorney Do, please let me know. I can pass it along to him."

If Yoonshin was trying to do something shady, his whereabouts should have been opaque. However, the younger lawyer was very transparent about where he was going to the administrative staff. Sehun could tell that Yoonshin wanted to leave a trail of information crumbs, most likely to bait the client's spouse. He said that they didn't have enough evidence and was using Sehun as a benchmark in his strategies.

The issue was why Yoonshin didn't tell Sehun about his plans.

‘The jewelry workshop...' Sehun thought.

Yoonshin undoubtedly had plans of his own. Putting Yoonshin's attitude toward Sehun and his conversations together with this situation, Sehun could easily come to a conclusion. Since the woman was a jewelry designer, his hunch seemed more credible.

Even though Sehun could come close to the answer, he couldn't stand it. Thinking that Yoonshin was using all the free time he didn't have in the afternoon, expending his energy to be alone with a woman, drove Sehun to the peak of anxiety. His self-hate and the absence of Yoonshin made the stark emptiness of his heart more pronounced and messed with his head.

"I know very well that I'm the only one in your arid and solitary life."

...Especially because Sehun wasn't the only person in Yoonshin's rich and abundant life.

To Sehun, love was like a well that never filled up no matter how much was poured into it. Even though he knew that his partner poured in his overflowing love to Sehun only, Sehun was still thirsty and sometimes felt out of breath.

Could Yoonshin really tolerate Sehun to the end? Could Yoonshin continue being with Sehun?

Sehun looked down at the finger that had never been fitted with a band and tasted a bitter aftertaste in his throat.

"So he opened up his schedule to the secretaries."

'Yes, but isn't there a chance that the husband will harass Attorney Do? I don't know what he's thinking. Should I try to advise against it?"

Sehun rubbed his face roughly. In a low and gravelly voice, he responded frigidly to Secretary Tak "Are you looking down on Yoonshin Do because he's younger than you?"

"What? How could you say that? I'm just worried for him. We're super close."

'Yoonshin Do, aren't you lucky to be grouped into "we" so often?'Sehun bit his lip hard and then retorted coldly, "The conclusion you can reach in three minutes based on a brief observation of him is something Yoonshin can come up with in three seconds. Advise someone who needs it."

Secretary Tak caught on to what Sehun was trying to say. He seemed to realize the possibility that Yoonshin was doing this on purpose. "Oh... True. I doubted it because Attorney Do usually used orthodox solutions. He's a pro now. My thoughts were short."

"You have to think with the bigger picture in mind. How many times do I have to tell you...? Whatever. If Mihee-sunbae is still at work, ask if I can meet. I'll go to her office."

"Understood. Anything else?"

"Cigarettes."

"I brought you a pack this morning—did you already finish them? How about smoking in moderation?"

"Hang up if you're going to nag."

Sehun hung up and felt the edge of his cell phone for a moment. He truly wished that he wasn't made to investigate Yoonshin behind his back. Sehun stood in the divide between his strong desire to control Yoonshin and his faith in Yoonshin's feelings for him. Summoning up inordinate patience, he eventually put down his phone.

Just when he was about to concentrate on his work again, he heard a knock.

"Come in." He stretched out his hand, indicating that the secretary should drop the cigarettes in his hand, but looking up, he saw Mihee. She had a thin envelope in her hands. She also must have had some business with Sehun.

"What? Do you want a high-five or something?"

"Didn't Secretary Tak tell you that I'd go up to your office?"

"I was on my way down to you. Should I keep standing here?"

Sehun massaged around his fatigued eyes and waved to the couch. While Mihee took a seat, Sehun also sat in the seat across from her.

Facing each other, they were surrounded by a familiar silence. As the one to accept the meeting first, Mihee spoke first.

"Secretary Tak was sweating. Did you yell at him? Why?"

"How about not nosing into another team's business?"

"He's good at his job, and you rarely get mad at him. It's fun to watch."

"Shove it—anyway, what business do you have with me?"

"Oh, yeah. I'll go first. Could you review this?"

There was a package in the envelope that Mihee handed over. As he started to calmly read through the contents, Mihee continued her explanation, "I'm the firm's director, but I don't know why I feel so anxious if nobody looks over my work. I can't even tell anyone else because it's embarrassing..."

The paper was a summary of the cases of financial disputes that the financial law team was currently handling. On the next page was an annex outlining a plan to organize a task force for the related project. There was a list of names of select experts in each field, including financial dealings, litigation, and international trade experts.

The pages rustled as Sehun flipped through, and his eyes shone with prudence.

"A member of the Advisory Committee for the Ministry of Justice... We need someone with this title since the government seems to want to throw a wrench into this plan. But there are no members of the Financial Supervisory Service or the Korea Customs Service. Why are they excluded?"

"The financial team lawyers didn't have enough manpower that I could take away from. Everyone is busy this quarter."

"What are you saying? You need to put together the essentials. These are all former chief prosecutors. Are you trying to pick a fight?"

"Does it look like that to you too?" "This list is trash. Who made this?" "Redo it."

He collected the papers with the envelope and tossed them on the table. Mihee picked it up, looking relieved as if she already knew that he would reject it the moment he saw it.

"There was nobody left after I handed each of them a case to work on. Do you think I'm doing this because I want to?"

"Wring them dry. That's the ability of the director."

"Would you rather oversee some of the financial law matters?"

"It's much quicker to recruit a new person. How about asking the head of recruitment?"

"If the financial law work doesn't float your boat, how about being co-directors with me?"

Sehun stopped when he heard this. He stared at Mihee objectively with narrowed eyes. Mihee shrugged at his dubious glare. Based on her reaction, Sehun must have heard her right the first time.

Even though Sehun contributed a large chunk to building up Doguk to what it was now, fundamentally, it was a garden that Mihee's father had carefully tended to. With that circumstance in consideration along with the reputation and scale of the firm, even if the recruitment subject was Sehun, it was quite an unconventional choice.

Mihee added mildly and persuasively, "No matter what gathering I go to, I'm the director, but all they talk about is you. The funny thing is that I don't even feel bothered by it because everything they say is true. In that case, sharing the crown with you is much more beneficial—even for me."

Since he was quite good at seeing himself with an objective lens, Sehun didn't deny it.

He could tell from her eyes that this wasn't just an offer made on a whim. There were some things that he could pick up on because they knew each other for a long time. Unlike when the shadow of her father was always looming over her, her current situation and the burden on her shoulders were quite difficult to handle. In actuality, she relied more on Sehun than before for her choices and decisions. He was sure that this offer branched from that same line of reasoning.

"Thinking back on it, seven years was too short. I feel like I'm doing a countdown at the end of every year."

"I appreciate the offer, but this is too sudden."

Mihee nodded, understanding where Sehun was coming from. "I know. You don't like being tied down, and you don't like when there's no chase to the hunt. But still, if it's Doguk... isn't it worth holding onto even if you're not interested? We're number two in our industry. We'll be number one soon."

"You don't care that were going to be splitting the pie?"

"As long as you don't stab me in the back, I don't care about that. Competent people deserve to take more."

"Do you trust me? How do you know I won't topple the firm that you value as much as your life?"

"I don't trust you absolutely, just like how you don't trust me absolutely. But Sehun, I know your weakness now. If you deal a blow to Doguk, I'll ruin him instead of you. It's a piece of cake to crush one man."

Displeased that he was attacked in a way he never foresaw, he glared coldly at Mihee. Mihee was one of the very few people who knew about Sehun and Yoonshin's relationship. Sehun had never told her outright about it, but based on what they went through, they both knew that Mihee was aware of the relationship.

As if telling Sehun there was no need to be so on edge, Mihee said, "I'm just saying we should opt for symbiosis. If you become the director of a firm of this scale, the geezers might make a fuss because of your age, but it's not a problem at all because everyone knows how competent you are as a lawyer. If I show them the numbers, the board will consent."

A long time ago, when Mihee asked Sehun if he would like to become a partner of Doguk, Sehun willingly dived into the equity, not just for the position, but also because he was annoyed that he had to tolerate the two bits of everyone else around him. Ultimately, Sehun was always right. However, he felt like the whole process of convincing his superiors until then was a waste of energy and time.

He didn't feel too hindered or uncomfortable working where he was right now, and he didn't need such a heavy title. Moreover, if he were to be a director jointly with Mihee, then he wouldn't be able to leave Doguk for the rest of his life as a lawyer.

Despite the negatives, there were high stakes in question as Mihee said, so he was indeed intrigued by it as a person who found accomplishment and appeal in victory.

Seeing his ambiguous response, Mihee continued as if she knew that he would react this way, "Sleep on it. I'll sound it out when you come to a decision. That's all I have to say for now. What did you want from me?"

It was Sehun's request, but it was actually about Yoonshin.

The team leaders of Doguk usually went on rotation. Each lawyer had their own specialties, but once they had enough years under their belt, there were many overlaps in the larger scale of the law, so a rotation wasn't difficult to do.

Sehun never thought that the family law team leader, who changed a year ago, would get along with Yoonshin. He wasn't a bad person, but their principles and values contrasted sharply. Plus, that lawyer wasn't a bottom-up kind of person like what Yoonshin framed. Sehun could tell that Yoonshin only said that lightly so Sehun wouldn't meddle.

Sehun hoped Yoonshin could enjoy the work that he did because that suited Yoonshin.

"Switching the family law team leader."

Mihee tilted her head, as if not understanding the basis of his request. "The family law team leader? He doesn't do the best work, but he's not bad at it. What's your reason? It's going to have to be reasonable."

Sehun responded immediately, "We.'"

"...What do you mean?"

"I don't like this 'we' that he refers to."

It was a very irrational reason. Mihee tried to understand it, but it was so random, she couldn't. But because Sehun was the speaker, Mihee was oddly convinced. "I heard that you stopped the PR team's news release not too long ago. Is he fighting back because of it? No, that shouldn't be it. Nobody fights back against you in this firm, except Yoonshin Do."

“…”

"Ohh, did Director Ikyung Do ask? To look after your boyfriend—oh no, I meant her brother?"

"Having a blast?"

"I could almost say that I'm highly disappointed that I spent the last few decades not knowing this joy in life."

Sehun snapped back—this was something he wanted to bring up at some point. "Speaking of which, Director Song, could you not be so obvious that you're in on some secret in front of Yoonshin? He barely has any friends in the firm, so don't make him stay alert and wary around you."

"But his reactions are pretty cute."

"Have you ever considered your position as the superior to a mere senior lawyer?"

"Is he so precious to you that it drives you crazy? You're so ready to jump to his defense. This is so weird."

"Why do you care, ma'am?"

Mihee gave Sehun a sideways look and then nodded. However, the conversation still revolved around the same topic like a satellite.

"All right then, what are you going to do for your dear Yoonshin this time?"

"My what Yoonshin? Must be tiring spewing bullshit all the time. I'm starting to get annoyed. Keep in line, won't you?”

Despite the colorful reply, Mihee wasn't affected. She smirked and asked, "Demotion?"

If he could, he would, but Sehun knew the boundaries of his private affairs from his professional life. The lawyer in question didn't cause any harm to the firm, so that wasn't an appropriate solution. First of all, the lawyer wouldn't understand the reasons enough to accept his punishment, and second of all, it would look bad to the other lawyers. The firm's morale would go down. Above all, Yoonshin wouldn't want that result. Then, it was better to wave the carrot instead of taking the whip.

"Since you said he's not bad at work, send him to the financial law side. You said they were busy anyways. That place is teeming with experienced people, so it'll be no problem if a team leader-level lawyer goes there. If he's ambitious, then he'll be satisfied with that placement. You can promote the deputy head of that team to fill in the empty team leader spot."

"The deputy? Why the sudden promotion? It's not even promotion season."

"I like the cut of his jib."

As if she had heard something bizarre, a strange expression rose to Mihee's face. She seemed to be in disbelief that this came out of Sehun's mouth. Moreso because the deputy team leader had never worked under Sehun before—they had no point of contact.

She had many questions due to that but from the past few years of experience, Mihee knew that Sehun wouldn't explain thoroughly if Yoonshin was even slightly on the line.

"Well... You don't usually ask for these kinds of things, so you must have a valid reason, right? I got it. I should try to curry favor at times like these. I'll bring this up for discussion. I'll see you later."

The two stood at the same time, and each went their separate ways. Mihee slipped out of the office, and Sehun sat back in front of his desk.

Looking out the window, he could see that darkness was gently settling down.

"If the financial law work doesn't float your boat, how about being co-directors with me?" Recalling the offer that Mihee left behind, for some reason, he felt like he needed Yoonshin by his side. Nowadays, when he decided what path to take in life, Sehun thought of Yoonshin. Sehun, who always used to do everything in life by himself, became more accustomed to thinking, being conflicted, and deciding everything together.

He wanted to hear Yoonshin's opinion on this matter.

But Yoonshin, who was always in the vicinity when he looked up, wasn't in sight, and honestly, this got on his nerves.

'Co-directors, she said…’

He stroked the ring finger of his left hand with the index finger and thumb of the opposite hand, mimicking the movement of putting on a ring before turning back to his monitor.

At that time in another place, Yoonshin glanced out the window but looked back, hearing a presence. As clients for each other, Jeongah appeared holding a sample in her hands. Yoonshin sat up and observed the model of the rings in her hands. They were still in the form of basic white rings with no details or polishing.

"Are these what the shapes will look like?"

"Yes, the basic metal work is done. Ultimately, I'll be adjusting the ring sizes at this stage. I'll be grinding this part down to make it like the design I showed you. Would you like to go forward with this?"

One of the designs was a clean white-gold ring with smooth curves and one indented corner. He considered decorating the exterior with diamonds, but since this was something Sehun would wear on a regular basis, he figured it would be best to keep the outside surface smooth and clean. That was why they left some space on the edge to embed small diamonds.

The other ring was Yoonshin's. The metal was the same, but he couldn't make the shape the same, so he made them completely different on purpose. He embedded many diamonds on one side of the white-gold ring. Then, when they put the two rings together, they fit together. Their names were also engraved in a spot unseen to others.

"You don't know your partner's ring size yet, right?"

"Yes. If I just curl my fingers like this... about this big?" Yoonshin rolled his finger in a circle.

Jeongah laughed. "I made it big on purpose. I can't make something small bigger, but shrinking something is possible."

"Then, could you have the edge diamonds bigger than the side diamonds? How long would that take?"

"I do all the work myself, so it's not something I can do overnight. Still, I think I can give it to you next week. I'll contact you as soon as possible."

He had already spent several days just designing the rings. Choosing the right size of diamonds and ordering them also pushed back their schedule by another day.

After their first meeting at Yoonshin's father's funeral, the next biggest impression of Sehun was at their reunion at the firm's residence.

The beautiful hands with neatly trimmed nails were still vivid in his eyes. His long fingers and the veins along the back of his hand added to the image. Yoonshin would never be able to forget that moment.

Thanks to that, Yoonshin felt like anything would suit Sehun, and his musings grew deeper. Last week, he spent all his time in an empty workshop squeezing out his brain while looking at other rings before finally putting pen to paper. He had only passed along the completed design to Jeongah three days ago.

"Then I'll be waiting for you to contact me. Thank you. Oh, and the security firm got back to me."

"Really?"

"Yes, last time when you called in the night, you left such a good video and audio recording. I think we only need that and a few more pieces of evidence. We can get ready for litigation soon."

"Thank goodness... But my husband clearly is aware now that you have been coming in and out of this workshop. Will you be all right?"

"If you want to claim that you suspect delusional jealousy, we need some proof of that, which we don't have."

"But he might not go to your firm. If he projects it in a different way..."

There were specific behavioral patterns that mentally disturbed people took. Especially after taking on cases and compiling information about spouses with paranoia or delusional jealousy, they normally were within Yoonshin's prediction.

"Don't worry too much. I'll be hiring security guards just in case. Then, I'll be going now."

Jeongah nodded and saw Yoonshin off. He waved back at her again and got in his car.

Behind the driver's seat, Yoonshin started driving through the streets lined with residential buildings.

Just then, his phone vibrated. Upon checking, it was Sehun.

Excited at the thought that he could give the rings soon, Yoonshin received the call with a bright voice, "Yes, Sunbae."

"Where are you?"

"Oh, I came to meet my client."

"Again?"

For some reason, Sehun's voice sounded more subdued and husky than usual. He almost felt like he had dipped into the deep sea for a moment. He realized that Sehun was upset that they didn't spend time with each other for a while now. Honestly, Yoonshin was feeling his limits as well. Yoonshin wanted to see Sehun quickly, so he stepped slightly harder on the gas pedal.

"I just came out. Are you at home?"

"Yeah, I am indeed. Should I pick you up?"

"No, I'm in my car now. I'll be home soon."

"Yoonshin."

"Yes?"

Silence, pregnant with many things Sehun wanted to say, stretched on. He seemed to want to tell Yoonshin something important, but after calling Yoonshin's name, Sehun didn't say anything. Feeling strange, he wanted to urge Sehun to say whatever he wanted to when Sehun spoke before him. "No, it's nothing. Hurry home. I miss you."

Sehun's confessions were mellifluous as always.

Yoonshin found himself holding his breath and then managed to reply, "I love you too. I'll go home at the speed of light."

Sehun chuckled at Yoonshin's cute antics. Sehun normally had no reason to laugh, so whenever Sehun acted like this, Yoonshin felt like he was on top of the world.

He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, happiness spreading across his face.

Yoonshin tiptoed into the bedroom, treading carefully like he was sneaking in.

He approached the bed that Sehun was asleep on and quietly crouched next to it. He wanted to get closer, but if the bedding shuffled, he was afraid he would wake Sehun up.

Today was going to be a very special day for him. He needed to see this man in advance in order to start his day with confidence.

Yoonshin breathed out calmly and examined Sehun, who was fast asleep. The day hadn't broken yet so he had to rely on the moonlight. Thankfully, there was enough light that he could see the subtle changes in Sehun's face at their current proximity.

'He sleeps so soundly'

Sehun had once said, "Why wouldn't I? I want to look after you to see what dreams you dream and if you're sleeping soundly"

When he was told that, Yoonshin was overjoyed. However, he didn't know how Sehun had felt since Yoonshin had never done the same before. Now, he finally understood why Sehun had said that back then.

These moments of not doing anything at all were so precious to him. The day he became cognizant of that, he was hit with the realization that he was already waist-deep in the pit hole. The funny part was that back then and to this day, he never considered escape.

‘Did the creator spend all night making him?'

Yoonshin's eyes traced the curves of Sehun's side figure and moved down. Past Sehun's long neck and Adam's apple, he saw Sehun's angular shoulders. They were full of scars. Some were fresh and some were old and healed. They were all wounds of honor, made when Yoonshin was withstanding pain. Sehun's back was probably in a worse state as Yoonshin clung to him and scratched all over the surface.

Who would imagine that indecent marks littered his skin underneath his shirt, prudently buttoned to the top?

Yoonshin wanted to treat those wounds, but Sehun woke up whenever he felt anything that wasn't Yoonshin's skin. Not only that, he awoke at the softest decibel of noise like the opening and closing of the door, the faint footsteps of the housekeeper, or the mild alarm from the wall-mounted tablet that the management office rang in.

At first, Yoonshin thought this was all because Sehun was a difficult person since he knew that some people were more hypersensitive than others. He thought this suited Sehun.

But as the time he spent with Sehun grew longer, he realized that this wasn't because the other man was sensitive to sound. Rather, it was simply because he couldn't fall asleep deeply. Even in the privacy of his own home, he was always tense or uncomfortable. Either way, Yoonshin felt bad for Sehun.

Surprisingly, when Sehun fell asleep with Yoonshin in his arms, he didn't wake up until the morning. That was why Yoonshin tried to always wake up as late as he could. The fact that he wasn't able to do this for the last few weeks bothered him.

‘I’ll be busy only till today'

Today, he was going to work early so he could drop by his client's workshop in Ilsan during the day. He couldn't afford to have a setback in work, so he was sacrificing his personal time.

His client told him that his rings were finished. Yoonshin had been waiting for this day.

This deed wasn't a simple sharing of rings like other couples. His partner was Sehun Kang. Their relationship was about Sehun tying down Yoonshin in all ways, and there were a few things that Sehun didn't allow the other way around. Therefore, what Yoonshin was about to do was deal the blow that would completely topple the impregnable fortress.

Yoonshin, who was crouching uncomfortably, pulled his knees in tighter. Thoughts filled his head.

Yoonshin looked fondly at Sehun, who had never been comfortable in his own bed, so defenseless and sound asleep. He deeply loved and valued the peaceful slices of life in his personal space which permitted Yoonshin's intrusion. Yoonshin wanted all of Sehun's little moments of happiness and perhaps fear.

He wondered what Sehun dreamed about.

For some reason, Yoonshin felt like he wanted to cry as he watched the other man.

"Are you dreaming of me?" he whispered, unable to contain his feelings. Sehun tossed in his sleep, then frowned like he was having a nightmare.

But wait a minute...

It was fine up to the point where Sehun turned toward Yoonshin in his sleep. His lush eyelashes, clear skin, smooth eyelids, and sharp nose were well in sight. The shadows on his profile highlighted his face beautifully. But at that moment, Sehun frowned like he was cringing, and that bothered Yoonshin.

It would have been so nice if he weren't so skilled at shattering the moment.

Yoonshin felt a short surge of emotions and carefully reached out. He pressed the crease between Sehun's brow, ironing it out. He did it awkwardly, afraid that he would wake Sehun up, but thankfully, the other's frown eased. He looked slightly more comfortable.

Yoonshin chuckled. He placed his arms back on his knees, watching Sehun with his chin on his arms.

The longer he studied the older man, the wider his smile grew.

"When you're asleep, I'll protect you. So sleep tight."

This time, Sehun didn't frown.

Yoonshin turned his head from side to side, observing the handsome face, and then checked the time before getting up.

Afraid that Sehun would hear the sound of the door closing, he left the door slightly ajar. Yoonshin grew more and more distant from the gap in the door.

Beep.

The faint sound of the electronic lock closing was heard. Sehun's eyes lifted, blinking slowly. There was no trace of drowsiness in his eyes—rather, they were bright and awake.

Actually, Sehun was awake since Yoonshin got up from his arms to wash up. Now, Sehun had the habit of starting the day by pulling Yoonshin snugly in his arms, so when the soft skin of the other wasn't in his reach, he woke up instantly.

Sehun sat up, and the sheets slithered down his torso. Scratches striped his half-naked body, all over the place. Sehun rubbed his face roughly and then looked at the empty spot next to him.

At times like this, Yoonshin Do only knew one side of the story but not the other.

"When you're asleep, I'll protect you."

"You should stick close to me instead."

He threw the pillow to the floor, projecting his upset feelings and annoyance. "Damn it. Is he melting an iceberg in the arctic into rings or what?"

This absurdity continued for two weeks.

It had already been two weeks since Yoonshin, who was always within his control, created a loophole and snuck out of his bounds. He wasn't sure how far Yoonshin would test Sehun. He was stretching his patience to the maximum. Sehun had been waiting patiently because he didn't want to ruin Yoonshin's fun, but he could feel the limits to the tolerance creeping on him.

He was on the verge of exploding.

Sehun's day began with a spoiled mood at rock bottom, and he headed to the bathroom.

After his meeting, Sehun's face was sunken and hollow in exhaustion.

Consequently, the secretarial office was on edge like the calm before a storm.

All the administrative staff knew that Sehun was the possessor of stamina and endurance so great that he could spend a couple of nights without sleep. Therefore, when they realized that Sehun's condition was particularly bad, they warned the members of Sehun's project about his condition before their meeting.

Thankfully, it seemed like their notice in advance was helpful—the faces of the lawyers who slipped out of the room after Sehun looked relieved.

Tense, Secretary Tak quickly overtook Sehun, who was approaching his office after leaving his team members behind. He opened the office door and waited, but Sehun suddenly stopped before going in, staring at Yoonshin's empty office. Secretary Tak could read the following words in his stormy eyes: 'Seriously again? This is the last straw'

Secretary Tak asked Sehun who was staring wordlessly at the darkened room, "Is there something you need? If you let me know..."

"Where is Yoonshin Do? There again?"

"He said that he would drop by during his lunchtime."

Sehun's frigid tone was harsher than usual. "Ohhh, now he's going during work hours instead of after work. In plain sight"

"Well... He said that there was something he had to finish early. He's signed off on everything he needed to... It's not affecting his work. He told me not long ago that he arrived at the firm."

So that was why he headed out early.

The veins popped on Sehun's hand that was gripping the desk partition. He felt his stress spike up like a spike in blood sugar. He felt like he could destroy everything in his surroundings.

He didn't like this reversal of positions. He had never felt this way when he was so busy with his work and couldn't touch Yoonshin properly for a month.

Restlessness, fretfulness, anxiety, impatience.

And a touch of suspicion.

He couldn't imagine how Yoonshin withstood all of these feelings. Even if they promised rewards proportional to the wait, how did Yoonshin patiently sit through all these negative emotions without complaining once?

Was it a difference in the depth of affection?

Or was Sehun simply in a state of obsessive compulsion?

Both seemed equally likely.

Grinding his teeth, Sehun let go of the partition. Just when he was about to step into his office, Secretary Tak whispered to Sehun, only audible to the partner lawyer, "I was alerted that his car just entered the parking garage. He'll be upstairs soon."

Sehun's eyes on Secretary Tak grew pointed. He glared at the other man with a look as scathing as the bitter wind, then turned around without hesitation. He strode to the elevator as if he couldn't wait for another second, his head seething with anger.

Clack, clack.

Only the sound of his heels rang in the hall, accompanying his relentless steps. When he reached the corner of the central lobby, Yoonshin was coming in Sehun's way with a small envelope in his hands. Delight flashed in Yoonshin's face when he spotted Sehun before he bowed respectfully. Then, he stopped, looking like he wanted to tell Sehun something but was unsure how to start.

At the end of the tranquil hallway, the two stood, facing each other.

Sehun looked at Yoonshin with disapproval in his eyes. Yoonshin, perplexed at the look, tilted his head to the side. At the same time, both of their lips parted.

"Why are you out here?"

"What's your deal?"

Sehun didn't move, but Yoonshin's shoulders flinched.

The cold voice, the frigid stare, and the confrontational attitude concerned Yoonshin. Yoonshin was very familiar when Sehun pushed the younger man away despite not hating it deep down, so this confused him. Sehun was truly upset with him right now.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't come up with what he did wrong. He had finished everything that was urgent before he left. If there was something that didn't meet the senior attorney's standards, he could fix that.

Not knowing the issue, he decided to ask for Sehun's answer. "Why are you mad?"

At the same time, Yoonshin caressed the envelope in his arms like it was something precious. There was a bandage on one finger. The characters of Toy Story were floating around the white background of the piece of plastic.

Seeing that, Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's wrist. Then, he pushed Yoonshin to the wall and pressed close against him.

Thud.

His back hit the hard wall. Yoonshin frowned in pain. The pain was one thing and Sehun's irritable mood was another, but what sent alarm bells ringing in Yoonshin's head was the fact that they were at work.

This was different from the residences where everyone was cautious. People walked these halls every few minutes. It wouldn't be weird if someone got off the elevator at any moment. Conscious of that, Yoonshin tried to twist his arm away from Sehun's grip. "If you have something to say, let's go somewhere quiet."

"Answer me first. What the hell is your deal?"

"I don't understand why you're asking."

"What's with this ugly thing here?"

"Urk...!"

Sehun forcibly yanked up the finger with the bandage, Yoonshin’s large eyes merely blinked. It was covering a burn from when he touched a long platinum stick before it was sufficiently cooled off in the workshop when he went to retrieve his rings.

Explaining that would take some time, so while he was trying to figure out a way to tell Sehun, he heard the elevator opening.

Jumping in surprise, Yoonshin pushed Sehun away with all his might. Just when they got some distance between them, a few lawyers came out of the elevator behind them. They bowed respectively to Sehun, but Sehun's eyes were fixed on Yoonshin, ignoring the others.

Sehun Kang was a live volcano, ready to erupt at the drop of a hat. He was volatile. Sehun didn't show any signs of bursting until this morning, so this came as a surprise to Yoonshin. They couldn't keep facing off like this, so Yoonshin pulled the older man toward the storage room where they had made out.

"Let's go in there first." Once he checked that it was empty, he locked himself and Sehun in the room.

Yoonshin was upset that they were in a conflict of unknown causes at a place where they once shared a heated confirmation of their feelings. He tried to maintain his cool by retaining his silence. However, that only seemed to fan the flames of Sehun's rage all the more.

"So you're going to stay quiet?"

Sehun ripped off the bandage on Yoonshin's finger. When the adhesive plastic unstuck from Yoonshin, it exposed his red and raw finger. Sehun frowned. "Why is this all raw? Someone must have sucked it raw, huh?"

Yoonshin found this situation ridiculous, but Sehun's suspicions were completely absurd. "Who else, other than a pervert like yourself, would suck my finger until all the skin would come off?"

"I clearly warned you. I won't let you off easily if you go screwing around elsewhere. Did you think I was joking?"

"Screwing... hah!" Yoonshin scoffed after hearing the most ridiculous accusation yet. He was so enraged that his eyes and cheeks twitched. Yoonshin was generally meek, but he couldn't sit quietly when he was being wronged.

"Maybe you're going cuckoo from all your work. How about going on a getaway to convalesce? Should I accompany you?" Yoonshin twisted his words as sardonically as he could, yet it didn't seem to affect Sehun.

The older man ignored the aggression and said only what he wanted. "I've never doubted you so far. I never imagined that you'd do anything foolish outside. Why? Because you don't lie or hide things. You always spilled everything like a vending machine before I even asked—what you were going to do and when, who you were going to meet, why you were meeting! That you thought about fucking me there! Or whether you didn't!"

"Someone might hear! Seriously, what's with you today?!"

Even if they were in the supply room, it was risky to raise their voices more. Worried about various situations, Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's shirt.

However, Sehun was unmoved. "That was how easy and simple to read you were, Yoonshin Do. You should have continued being easy and simple. Why are you making things so difficult?"

"What's your point? I have no idea why you're acting like this. I want to know what I did wrong before getting into this argument."

"I feel like going crazy because of you! Something is wrong with me. You trust me, but I can't trust you. Why can't I do something that even you can do?"

Yoonshin's face grew stony. First and foremost, he was shocked. He thought back, searching for anything he did that could be misunderstood, but there was nothing. However, there was one thing that bothered him.

Regardless of the turbulence within Yoonshin, Sehun's emotions intensified, which was unbefitting his nature, and he added with rancor, "Your absence makes me anxious. I hate it. Why do I have to feel this shitty about something that didn't happen?"

"Sunbae, are you... by any chance—?"

"But why are you neglecting me without so much an explanation? Just how many years have we gone out? Did you not know that I can't stand this? If you're all chummy with a woman at the workshop and make me a ring, did you think I'd be grateful for the gift after waiting, crumpled up in the corner of my room? Is that what you thought?"

Yoonshin froze, his shoulders perking up from time to time. He never expected that Sehun wouldn't know that he was making rings. His whereabouts were within Sehun's reach. He thought that Sehun was turning a blind eye to him, so he didn't expect his partner to make him spill his secrets like this.

Yoonshin had no idea where to start and what the right answer was. He merely blinked. Just moments ago, he pictured them happily confirming and strengthening their love when he returned to the firm. Now, he wondered what in the world happened in those to short minutes.

He held on tightly to Sehun's shirt. The older man gazed down at Yoonshin's hands and coldly slapped them away. That act was hurtful to both him and Yoonshin.

After hesitation, Yoonshin inched closer to Sehun. He had been rejected once, so he couldn't hug him. With their gap closed slightly, he tried to talk to Sehun calmly. "I didn't do anything that would cause misunderstanding. We weren't together for very long stretches of time. We were always acting separately other than when we needed to exchange information. I was only trying to kill a few birds with one stone. And I thought that you'd know, as usual."

Yoonshin was trying to reason with Sehun instead of getting angry because he felt Sehun's emotions at his fingertips. Sehun must have grown afraid of losing Yoonshin.

It was most likely because their roles flipped without notice. Yoonshin was usually the one waiting for Sehun. Sehun was always busier. Naturally, he fine-tuned their relationship and made decisions after deliberating all matters. Plus, Sehun was always the one, and would always be the one, to give Yoonshin things.

While Sehun thought he had everything about this relationship in his grasp, he realized that this stability was possible only because Yoonshin was sitting rock-still within his boundaries.

Ultimately, Yoonshin had some responsibility for escalating this situation. He should have always kept in mind that Yoonshin was the only one in Sehun's life, that Sehun knew that too, yet unskillfully tried to keep Yoonshin dancing on his palms in his anxiety. Yoonshin had pushed it off in his own haste.

With that thought, he extended his arms to hug Sehun, but the older man once again pushed Yoonshin away. They walked on eggshells, taking them back to the past when Sehun pushed Yoonshin away despite his feelings for him.

"Why did you hold back for two weeks? I thought you were okay since you didn't say anything."

"Are you saying that I should have ruined your plans because I couldn't hold back?"

"Yes, of course, why not? Trampling and ruining things is your specialty."

Sehun scoffed. "Are you going to keep being cocky?"

"Yes, I'm going to do everything that I want to. So you can do that to me too. If my plans were foiled, I would have gotten mad for a moment or done whatever. I can think on my feet."

“…”

"Why can't you do something I can? Because Sehun Kang is more of a coward than I am. You're the best lawyer in Korea - you shouldn't run away from such a plain fact. I can't hide things from you anyways, so you know how much I like you."

Sehun wasn't anxious because Sehun liked Yoonshin more, or because Yoonshin had many other things to lose in his life. Sehun had to admit this, even though he didn't want to. He knew it deep down in his heart - Yoonshin had also long given his entire being to Sehun.

"Damn it," Sehun muttered under his breath as if to confirm what Yoonshin said and sighed wearily. He was about to retort to Yoonshin when Yoonshin's phone started to vibrate in his blazer pocket.

The atmosphere that had just started to go slack grew taut again.

Sehun shot Yoonshin an exasperated look as if to ask "again?" and said between his teeth, "You should chase after her again. Take the call."

Yoonshin had a flashback to when they were interrupted in the deep hours in their own time, so he grew sheepish, having no excuse.

Now that he thought of it, he was the one who sowed the seeds of conflict. Even so, Sehun was the one who nurtured it until it flourished and bloomed.

"After we finish our conversation."

"I thought this was going to reach a tipping point today anyway. I understand what you say in my head, but hearing that god damned vibration gets me angry again. I need time to cool my head. Let's talk again later."

Sehun announced and left the room, not giving Yoonshin time to hold him back. He threw the door open and briskly walked away. Yoonshin tried to follow after, but the elevator opened, and a crowd obstructed him. Unable to chase after Sehun, he was left behind.

He couldn't leave Sehun alone in his current state.

Yoonshin grew anxious that Sehun would turn the corner at any time. Eventually, he swam through the sea of employees and followed the other lawyer—at least he tried to.

He thought he felt the gaze of someone who was looking around, and soon, some man cut his way through the people and grabbed Yoonshin's hand.

"You bastard, where do you think you're going?"

"Ugh...!" As luck would have it, the place that was grabbed included the blistered finger, so pain shot up his arm. Surprised, Yoonshin looked back and saw a familiar face. It was a tall man with disheveled hair and horned-rimmed glasses. It was his client's husband.

The call just now was then probably not the client but the security firm to let him know that the man was coming his way. They must have called him because they couldn't follow him freely into the firm.

Recognizing that the time had come with the man's appearance, Yoonshin said as placidly as possible, "What brings you—ugh!"

Before he could finish, the man's bony hands grabbed Yoonshin by the collar. "You're Yoonshin Do, right? lkyung Do's brother. I can recognize you right away. I don't need to go up to your room. Perfect."

He tried to avoid the man instinctively, but the man who already held the upper hand was quicker to act. Completely defenseless, Yoonshin was pushed roughly. He lost balance, and all he could do was stagger backward.

"Ugh, nghk. Could you... let go first?"

"What are you up to with my wife? Huh? You brat."

Instead of replying, Yoonshin glanced at the ceiling to check the surveillance cameras and looked dismayed. He purposely leaked information to the man that he met frequently with the client. He even met their five-year-old child. The man was impulsive and emotional, and Yoonshin wanted the man to put himself in this situation. However, the location wasn't ideal.

If a dispute happened here, the scene from moments before would also be included as evidence from the firm, and just a moment ago, Yoonshin and Sehun came out of the supply storage room around the corner.

If it were just Yoonshin, it might have made sense, but Sehun Kang wasn't the type of person to go into a supply room.

‘Damn it. What should I do?' Yoonshin's mind was already cluttered with Sehun; it was too much for him to think on the spot and defend himself. Even if the man harmed Yoonshin, Yoonshin couldn't assault his client's spouse. In addition, the employees who came out of the elevator with the man didn't do anything to help and merely watched with intrigue.

He knew that he wasn't well-liked, but he didn't think it was to this extent.

Yoonshin squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them. He was about to yell at the top of his lungs for Secretary Tak.

Suddenly, somebody intercepted and forced the man to let go of Yoonshin's shirt.

"What the hell is this now?!" the man yelled at Yoonshin's rescuer.

Yoonshin caught his breath and bowed to the person who had saved him in his gratitude. He gasped, "Th-thank you..."

However, the long legs fitted in luxurious fabric and the toecap of the shoes looked familiar. When Yoonshin looked up to see the face of his hero, he was shocked to see the overly familiar face.

"Senior Attorney?"

"Did someone else other than me have a grudge against you?"

Yoonshin's helping hand was none other than Sehun. He must have stopped and returned when he heard the commotion.

He left as if he wouldn't come back, but then, he always couldn't go far and turned back.

Yoonshin suddenly felt sorrowful. To hide that, he looked around to discover more onlookers.

With annoyance, Sehun glanced at Yoonshin, who was averting his eyes, and the shocked novelist. Then, he grabbed both of the man's wrists in one hand. He twisted his arms to his back, restrained the man by crossing his wrists like he was slapping on handcuffs, and pushed the man's upper body against the wall.

The man's body slammed into the surface and he groaned in pain. "Ugh, this—who are you?! This is no place for you to butt in!"

Sehun glanced at the back of the man's head and creased his brow slightly. "That's new."

"What are you on about, you bastard? Let go!”

"You're the first person to tell me in this firm that this isn't my place. Let me have a good look at your face. Look this way."

Despite the resistance of the man, Sehun grabbed the jaws of the other man. He forced the novelist's face and took a good look at the man's profile before he clicked his tongue. It was a knowing face. He seemed to recognize the face instantly as the restrained man was quite a prolific writer.

"Attorney Yoonshin Do, are you personally involved in some sort of romantic rivalry?"

In the midst of that, Sehun saw through the situation and started to lay out the foundation so Yoonshin could use this in court. Here, they had evidence and witnesses.

"My apologies. I'm not. I am preparing a lawsuit according to the instructions of this man's spouse."

"You're apologizing and saying this isn't a lover's spat... What the hell are you guys all watching for? Why aren't you calling security? You."

Sehun jutted his chin at the closest lawyer. The junior associate who was put on the spot jumped and picked up his phone to call the security team.

Meanwhile, the detained man tried to wriggle out of Sehun's grasp while he was distracted. Sensing the movement under his grasp, Sehun used his free hand to grab the other man's head, pulling it back before crushing the other man's neck against the wall.

Naturally, the man groaned painfully. "Let go—urgh, unf..."

"Sir, you attempted to assault Attorney Yoonshin Do of the law firm Doguk first, and my actions are to defend and protect our firm staff."

Sehun's face was ashen as he restrained the other man. His stiff and monotonous tone contrasted with his frosty and gleaming eyes toward Yoonshin. He was criticizing Yoonshin with his eyes. The onlookers increased, so Director Song also arrived. All hell had broken loose.

Somehow hearing about the ruckus, Sehun's secretaries who worked at the furthest end of the hallway also showed up. Secretary Tak made his way through the crowd first and approached them. "Senior Attorney Kang! Attorney Do! Are you two all right? Wait, this man... isn't he that writer?"

"Why isn't security doing their job?"

"They must have thought that he was a client since this writer is famous. I'll rectify them right away with proper instructions. I'll take care of him. Please hand him over to me."

"How come Secretary Tak was the only person who stepped forward to help while a partner lawyer is in this situation? Everyone piss off before I match your faces to your names and kick your asses."

Most of the staff who were watching quickly paid their respects to Sehun and other senior lawyers and all slipped back to their places. Soon, the only people left were the three who were the center of the ruckus, Sehun's secretaries, Mihee, and a few partner lawyers who were in the same level of seniority as Sehun.

After Secretary Tak took control over the man, the man struggled harder to slip away, feeling less oppression.

"Let go! I'm going to sue you all!"

Sehun looked up at the sign that said Doguk, sighed deeply, and muttered, "... Fuck, what a shitshow."

He might have heard Sehun swear, but the man's resistance grew more aggressive. Yoonshin wanted to stop the man, but Sehun pulled him away by the hand.

"Don't fan the flames."

Everyone's eyes were on the two. While most people thought that Sehun meant Yoonshin not to agitate the novelist, Yoonshin knew that Sehun was referring to himself. Sehun's eyes which were glued to Yoonshin's crumpled collar shirt were proof of that.

Sehun seemed extremely furious that Yoonshin was treated this way by his client's spouse. The fact that this was the man of the client whom he felt was stealing Yoonshin away from him probably incensed him more. Above all, even though Sehun wanted to enact retribution, this was a situation that Yoonshin orchestrated, so he couldn't ruin it. He was dissatisfied that he couldn't do what he wanted.

Yoonshin nodded meekly when the doors opened with the security staff inside. The secretaries passed the man off to the security team and got on the stopped elevator.

Behind them, Secretary Tak and a couple of other secretaries followed to handle the situation. As the representative, Secretary Tak announced to their superiors, "We'll pass this man to the police and prepare the documents. We'll also obtain the security footage to submit as evidence. We can sort out the situation on our end at that time."

‘Security footage?' Yoonshin gasped. 'Oh no.'

Yoonshin, who was deeply contemplating how best to use this situation, winced at the phrase. He was about to chase after the group when Mihee stepped in front of him after sending the other partners back away. She waved to him as if to tell him that there was something else to solve first. "It's standard practice to pass this to the police first before we handle it ourselves. It's faster that way too. Leave it to the secretaries. You have some explaining to do, don't you think?"

"Urn, Director, I need to look at the footage first."

"Why can't the secretaries do it? It's their job."

Although he took this position, he couldn't give a reason, so Yoonshin looked to Sehun. He formed a message of help and transmitted it to Sehun with his eyes. Sehun met that gaze with disapproval and turned his head away. Then, he turned his back to get away from the scene.

Was Sehun telling Yoonshin to solve it himself since this was his problem?

Yoonshin needed Sehun's help more than ever since Sehun was also a party to this problem.

One could say that Sehun Kang laid the cornerstone of his career as a lawyer at Doguk and built it to the top from there. Yoonshin didn't want to ruin that because of their relationship. He needed to obtain the footage first. Yoonshin threw a pleading look, and even though he knew that Mihee was watching, Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's sleeve. "Sehun-sunbae."

"How dare you casually call a partner lawyer's name? Do you want to be fired?"

Yoonshin had heard this repertory before.

"I need a smoke. Let go." Sehun slapped Yoonshin away and rummaged in his inner pockets for his cigarettes. He found his packet and lighter and coldly walked past Yoonshin, grabbing an elevator.

Yoonshin merely watched the doors of the elevator close with tearful eyes. Mihee, who was watching, came over and patted his back. After many years in the legal profession, she was quick and sharp on the uptake, which was a relief to Yoonshin.

"You must be worried about something in the footage—go down and check it out first."

"Thank you, director." Yoonshin pushed the button to catch another elevator.

Mihee added, "Attorney Do, you know Senior Attorney Kang wasn't being serious, right? His tongue is always sharp."

"I know. I still get scolded by him every day."

Yoonshin knew that better than anyone.

"I never thought I'd see Sehun intervene in this situation. It was a good watch. The internal messenger is going to be overloaded and laggy today."

Yoonshin also agreed fully.

Instead of saying it out loud, Yoonshin silently agreed with a bow.

Mihee finally left, leaving Yoonshin alone in the lobby, and a jumble of thoughts flashed by his head.

With the envelope with rings instead of paper cradled in his arms, Yoonshin stared at the index finger where Sehun peeled off his bandage. The red skin was more swollen than before. Yoonshin's face was distorted into a grimace like a lost child.

Today could have been the happiest day of his life.

But a sudden downpour made a mess of him, smearing his clothes with muddy water.

After tying up the loose ends to the situation, Yoonshin headed to Sehun's office. However, the owner of the room was nowhere to be seen. Only a stack of papers was waiting for his return. When he asked the office manager who was holding down the fort at the secretarial office, she said she wasn't sure, but she thought that he could probably be upstairs again.

Hearing that, Yoonshin could tell immediately.

Whenever he needed time to think, Yoonshin headed to the highest floor of the building. There was a break room on every floor of the firm, so there weren't many visitors to the rooftop of the firm. Yoonshin preferred the tranquility up there. He had once mentioned this to Sehun in passing, but Sehun must have remembered it.

Yoonshin took the elevator to the topmost floor and turned the doorknob.

Creak.

Yoonshin opened the door, went inside, and then promptly looked around.

'He's here.'

With his back to Yoonshin, Sehun was leaning with his elbows on the railing and smoking. Upon confirming that it was his lover, Yoonshin locked the door behind him.

"Sehun-sunbae."

Even though Sehun surely felt Yoonshin's presence and heard him, it didn't look like he would turn around. Sehun was just a few steps away, but Yoonshin felt anxious and ran toward the older man. Catching his breath, Yoonshin hugged Sehun from behind.

He figured that he'd latch on tight in case he was pushed away like before, but surprisingly, Sehun was still.

Several seconds went by with their bodies pressed against each other. Sehun sucked in air through the cigarette filter and then exhaled. Yoonshin felt the other's rib cage calmly rise and fall.

Yoonshin embraced him and comfortably leaned against the older man, clasping his fingers at Sehun's abs. He pulled the older man in as if locking him in the small world of his arms and closed his eyes. With his cheek against the broad back's muscles, he felt secure and stable.

The breeze danced, playing with their hair.

Yoonshin's red lips parted like a slowly unfurling flower. "When did you come up here?"

Sehun still didn't reply to Yoonshin's soft tone.

"You don't want to talk to me?"

Sehun was still radio silent. However, Yoonshin knew very well that even though Sehun was gazing at the surrounding skyscrapers, his entire attention was on Yoonshin, who was chatting behind him. Yoonshin rubbed his face against the other's wide back and continued calmly, now sounding more confident, "I retrieved the original footage from the control room. I thought I needed to edit the front part, so I told them I'd pass the footage on myself. I need your testimony, but you... won't help me, right?"

Sehun sighed deeply, his shoulders undulated like a low tide rolling in.

Back then, Sehun's body must have moved on its own given the situation, but now that it was wrapped up, Sehun didn't feel like helping. Yoonshin didn't expect his help anyway.

"Anyway, I'm going to make that man spend a good chunk of his day at the police station."

Pretending not to listen, Sehun exhaled deeply once more and rubbed out his cigarette stub. Then, he pulled out another from the box on the railing, lit it, and brought it to his lips. While he was burning another stick, Yoonshin paused his story for a moment. He was about to continue reporting how the situation was unfolding when his clasped hands were wrenched away.

This infuriated Yoonshin for some reason, so he intentionally pushed his arms back between Sehun's arms and sides, waving his hands in Sehun's face. This time again, Sehun pushed his hands away.

"Wow... You know you're so—huh?" Yoonshin was about to give Sehun a good talking to, since Sehun rejected the younger man after he went that far, when Sehun pulled Yoonshin's slim arms toward him. He squeezed Yoonshin into the very tight gap between himself and the railing, putting himself face to face with Yoonshin in close quarters.

Sehun breathed out a cloud of smoke, and Yoonshin took it directly in his face. He slapped Sehun's shoulders. "My eyes sting."

Sehun leaned in and kissed Yoonshin on the lips once and stuck the cigarette back between his lips.

"Can I do it too?"

"Say something. I miss your voice."

Instead of a reply, Sehun pushed out a cheek. Yoonshin kissed the cheek before him and hugged the other.

Their already close bodies pressed closer. They stayed like that for a while. Yoonshin patiently waited for Sehun to talk first, and finally, the voice that he wanted to hear rang in the air. "Yoonshin."

"Oh, it's so nice hearing your voice. Yes, I'm all ears for you."

"I was asked to be the co-director of the firm."

Yoonshin leaned back and met Sehun's eyes. Sehun leaned forward like before and kissed Yoonshin's lips. He repeated that as if he was planning on embedding the bitter taste of nicotine on Yoonshin's lips, and then he snuffed his smoke out on the railing.

After watching Sehun numbly, Yoonshin asked, "When? Did Director Song offer it? What are the conditions? Isn't this quite unprecedented?"

"It's been a few days. It was Miheesunbae's verbal offer. I don't know the conditions yet, and yes, it's unprecedented. If this goes through, the profession is going to be noisy for a while about whether I'm qualified for the position."

"Why are you telling me this only now? You should have had time to tell me something this important!"

Sehun replied flatly, "Was there really?"

"Like when we spent some time together last night, or Sunday in the morning when we woke up together..."

There were so many emotions that couldn't be put to words in Sehun's gaze at Yoonshin. Even if they counted the moments and their duration, Sehun had left Yoonshin alone more than the other way around. However, Yoonshin couldn't bring that up now. They had always explained each other's situations thoroughly at those times, and they sought out the other's consent even if their circumstances couldn't be changed, but Yoonshin didn't do that this time.

This was why people shouldn't try to cheat.

"..And then what?"

"Isn't this weird?"

"Even if the profession flips out over it, it's because this profession is more conservative compared to the rest of society. Everyone will probably think it's reasonable deep down. I was also shocked, but I understand Director Song's decision."

Yoonshin knew better than anyone in the world how reassuring it was to have someone as intelligent and reliable as Sehun Kang by his side.

"Not that."

"Then, what? Are you still awkward about discussing your future with me?"

Sehun briefly mused on an answer but then only admitted to half of that statement. "That part doesn't come quite like second nature yet, but I'm more used to it now."

"I'm talking about settling down and making commitments in life again. I made too many people cry, so I thought that I didn't deserve a place to return to and rest."

Yoonshin pursed his lips. He felt like he knew where Sehun was coming from.

Sehun was always epiphytic, floating in the air, unable to give his heart to a specific place or person. But recently, he started to lodge his roots deep, wanting to absorb nutrients from the ground. Sehun didn't say this, but it was clear that Yoonshin was the one who instigated it.

Sehun's life so far had been a battle of endurance. It was a process of fighting, winning, and ultimately surviving. If he was pushed back, it was the end. Life was a battle where the losers were eliminated.

After leading a life like that, Sehun finally got something to protect. He submitted to the experience of protecting something and was faced with the fear of losing something, so he must have wanted Yoonshin to be next to him even more these past few days. Coming to that assumption, Yoonshin felt like both his and Sehun's timings were very bad.

Yoonshin stroked Sehun's hard shoulders. He stared directly into Sehun's eyes. "Trees with the deeper roots survive the longest. You know that, right?"

"You've grown up, seeing that you're teaching me lessons."

"It sounds like you want to accept that offer."

"Probably."

"And you wanted to discuss and decide this with me, but I wasn't there?"

"That's certain."

That was why Sehun looked mixed. He must have felt anxious that Yoonshin wasn't by his side when he needed him to be as he reached a milestone in life.

Sehun was angry at Yoonshin. Yoonshin was ironically very delighted, thinking that Sehun's life concerns were stained with Yoonshin.

"I thought I'd be the one to propose marriage to you. How could you intercept me and propose first?"

"What are you saying? I didn't say that."

Yoonshin clicked his tongue in dismay. "You just proposed to me, you know? Ask a hundred random strangers—all of them will agree with me. Your future includes me, and that was why you needed my opinion."

The man himself didn't agree, and his eyes narrowed into slits. "You've grown up, probably, and that's certain—how did you get to that from those words?"

After living together with him for years, Yoonshin became an expert at handling Sehun, who always pushed Yoonshin to the edge of the cliff before feigning ignorance.

"Pervert, sadist, coward."

"Attorney Yoonshin Do. Are you picking a fight with me?"

"Why are you asking that out of the blue? Pervert, sadist, coward—how did you get to that from those words? Are you admitting to those accusations?”

Hit with the counterattack of having his own words served back at him, Sehun chuckled. He rubbed his nose against Yoonshin's.

At moments like these, it showed that they knew each other very well after dating for a while. They moved their heads to fit each other perfectly as they kissed. Their thin and sensitive membranes met lightly like cotton candy.

Sehun slotted Yoonshin's lower lip and then his upper hp once to rub them between his lips and reached out behind his back. Sehun caressed the back of Yoonshin's head gently. He poured a shower of kisses on Yoonshin's hair that was flying in the wind.

Yoonshin stood, compliantly receiving the older man's soft touches, and then pushed away from Sehun. He wanted to see Sehun's face. Sehun must have thought the same as he stared at Yoonshin like a cat blinking kisses with his eyes.

"You said you wanted me to stay by your side now. Don't worry. I'll stick close to you."

"I might become busier and worse than now."

That would probably be the case. If Sehun accepted Mihee's offer, then his life would have more to protect than Yoonshin's. Of course, he wouldn't be able to control and sway the firm like a director of a normal corporation, but the symbolism of the title of director would make Sehun more defensive and aggressive.

"I can't expose you to the outside more than now."

Yoonshin had been prepared for that the moment he chose to be with Sehun.

"I know what you can't do for me, so tell me what you can do for me," Yoonshin said.

Sehun searched Yoonshin's eyes from his pupils to his whites, and after contemplation, he replied simply, "I won't regret finding you."

His low rumbling voice reverberated in Yoonshin's ears harmoniously.

Sehun added to clarify further, "I won't let you regret choosing me either."

Humidity settled down, surrounding them like the tranquility of the ocean at night.

Yoonshin knew that Sehun had an unexpectedly romantic side to him. However, he didn't expect Sehun to confirm that at this moment and in this form.

Yoonshin's frozen eyelids blinked slowly. His tremulous, glassy eyes stared squarely at Sehun. The gazes overlapped just like how their shadows overlapped to the tips.

Completely defenseless in front of Sehun, Yoonshin hesitated to speak up. He was swept with an impulse to not take one step out of the boundaries that Sehun had set. He wanted to say something, but his willpower didn't transmit into sound.

As if knowing that well, Sehun said in his subdued voice to urge Yoonshin, "Tell me that you love me too. You usually say it so readily."

"I didn't expect that you'd say that. You always ask me what I want you to buy. You keep getting a perfect score these days."

"And you have the sass to keep grading me." Sehun returned to his usual self, and finally, Yoonshin could relax. He smiled gently.

Yoonshin locked lips with Sehun. They merely pressed their skin together for a while instead of tangling with each other, then pulled away slightly. Yoonshin pulled out the crinkled, folded envelope from his pocket. He opened it and shook the contents in his hands, dropping two silvery rings into his soft palms.

Yoonshin didn't plan to give the rings like this. He thought long and hard about a nice way to deliver them and reserved a restaurant with a beautiful night view. They wouldn't be able to hold a real ceremony, and he wanted this to happen at a splendid location.

But standing here, he was starting to think that the desolate and deserted rooftop at the firm where he met Sehun wasn't a bad choice. It felt very fitting of them to have a huge argument and then come upstairs to exchange a promise with Sehun.

"They're matching rings. Wear it every day from now on. It's only hard in the beginning—you'll get used to it soon."

"For this one little thing, you—just what do these rings prove, that you spent two weeks neglecting me to make them? Couldn't you just buy something ready-made?"

"The sine qua non that I'm yours."

Yoonshin was delighted to say the words that Sehun once said back to the other as he slipped the ring on his fingers. "It's the sine qua non that we belong to each other. You don't need to be lonely anymore."

Sehun gazed at Yoonshin and then smiled softly. The corners of his lips curled up into a perfect arch. "I like that 'we."'

Sehun reached out to the rings. Since they had just fought, Yoonshin expected to use his last wish. Things worked out better than he had thought, giving him a strange feeling.

Sehun picked up the narrower band, seemingly wanting to put the ring on Yoonshin first. He stepped back and took Yoonshin's left hand. He kissed the simple ring that he had given Yoonshin a few years ago, then pulled it off, putting it between Yoonshin's lips.

While Yoonshin patiently held onto the ring between his lips, Sehun saw the initials on the inside of the ring and narrowed his brow.

Then, Sehun slid the ring on Yoonshin's long and straight ring finger. The shiny, luxurious platinum ring fit perfectly. Yoonshin beamed down at it, then pocketed the ring that was between his lips for safekeeping.

Yoonshin found it amazing that Sehun didn't ruin the mood by complaining about sharing rings when it was enough to know their feelings for each other. It showed that Sehun was doing his best right now.

As Yoonshin stared at Sehun with a slight grin on his face, Sehun suddenly asked, "Does mine have our initials too?"

"Of course it does. That's the most important part. It means that I won't be the only one to be buried alive if you do anything funny outside. Beware of that."

Sehun shrugged at the comment as if telling Yoonshin to do as he liked. Fortunately, he was very cooperative today with the displays of affection.

Yoonshin observed Sehun's hand. His hands with knuckles protruding at every joint were so flawless that he was in awe. Like all the other times when Yoonshin held Sehun's hands, he stroked Sehun's tightly trimmed nails and carefully pushed the ring down his ring finger.

Fortunately, the ring with the pointed corner facing the top slid on well. But when he finished pushing down the ring to the base of his finger, the back of the ring rolled around. The pointed corner was rotated to the side of Sehun's finger.

Yoonshin stared dourly at the ring finger then. Sehun was watching Yoonshin, and his lips twitched in the opposite direction to Yoonshin. Eventually, he pulled

Yoonshin tight, poured kisses over his ears, and burst into laughter. Ashamed, Yoonshin explained, "She said she couldn't expand a small ring but could shrink a big one... I measured it when you were asleep. There's no way I would get it right since I measured with my hands."

"Did it not occur to you to use something called a measuring tape?"

"I would wake you up then."

"...When you're asleep, I'll protect you"

Yoonshin stopped all expenditure of energy through fidgeting. He was utterly shocked. The cringe-worthy line that came from Sehun's lips was one that he whispered to Sehun this morning.

Therefore, this meant that Sehun was awake at that time.

If Sehun was awake when Yoonshin said this, it also meant that he felt the tenacious gaze of Yoonshin, who was crouching beside him to examine his face. Yoonshin's face reflected the colors of the sunset.

This was why one shouldn't write letters in the early hours of the morning.

"I thought you were sleeping—you weren't?"

"How could I not wake up to your rustling? And in case you didn't know, when you wake up, I always wake up. I wake up no matter what, so you can just move about freely."

"Wasn't there a time when you... didn't wake up?"

"Never. I was just hugging you with my eyes closed."

"Why?"

"Because you do cute things, thinking that I'm asleep."

Yoonshin tried to think back to every instance over the past few years, but there were too many that he couldn't come up with the statistics. He had touched the other's lush eyelashes and rubbed his cheeks on the older man's. He had frequently poked and touched the other's morning wood with his fingers, inhaled the scent of shampoo in his hair, and kissed Sehun's fingertips.

Yoonshin's face turned red. "How could you not tell me once over the years? How could you be so mean?"

Now that he knew Sehun felt everything he did, he wanted to hide in a corner.

However, Sehun had Yoonshin confined, blocking Yoonshin's routes of escape.

He was embarrassed and dejected. He was elated to think that he was the exception to Sehun's sensitivities, but it wasn't the case. "I was happy because I thought that you were a pervert who only tolerated my touches and sounds... I guess my presence and the noises I made weren't exceptions."

Sehun, who was enjoying teasing

Yoonshin, crumpled his brow. "What, did you think I was some sort of cold-blooded animal? Sometimes I think you're really out of your mind."

"If you're bothered by me moving around, should we use separate beds?"

"Cut the bullshit. You sleep next to me no matter what."

"But you said you wake up right away."

"I feel at ease when you're next to me when I wake up. Your noise is an exception."

Sehun jabbed his chin on the top of Yoonshin's head, then turned his body around, leaning against the railing. Sehun's show of affection made Yoonshin feel better. Grinning, he leaned on the railing next to Sehun and raised his left hand. His hand drawn over the backdrop of the sunset was quite picturesque.

The skyscrapers were their wedding guests, the orange-tinted clouds in the sky created the wedding hall, and the billowing wind was whistling the wedding march. They didn't need an officiant.

Staring at the view and deep in his happy thoughts, Yoonshin suddenly remembered something and said, "You know, they use platinum in pacemakers. It's an inert metal to put inside the body. Platinum is also hypoallergenic. It's safe, so you can't take it off."

Sehun listened to Yoonshin attentively, then muttered, "Seeing that you put my ring on, you're thinking of wearing yours on your neck."

To no surprise, Sehun read Yoonshin very well.

Although the designs were different, they both had sleek, silvery rings with diamonds. Stacked together, the two looked like a layered set of rings.

Yoonshin knew in his head that it was extremely unlikely that someone would try to put together the rings that the two had coincidentally taken off at the same time, but their relationship was such that they couldn't take chances. It wasn't a bad idea to be cautious in order to love each other more safely and for longer.

"Yes, I'm only going to wear mine when I'm not going to work. But you have to wear yours every day."

"Just wear yours too." Sehun was reckless at times like this.

"What if someone catches on?"

"Then we'll just accept it, like catching a cough." [2]

"There are so many things we can't do, and I don't want to hide this as well."

Yoonshin grinned, recalling the book that acted as their common denominator. He turned his head, and their eyes met. They smiled at each other. Yoonshin was mesmerized once again by Sehun's charming smile.

This face of Sehun—Yoonshin knew that he was the only one who could induce this expression. He wanted to continue enjoying these happy moments going forward. As if reading his mind, Sehun brought the back of Yoonshin's hand to his lips and stamped them for a while.

'Until death do us part...'Even without vows like that, even if this relationship wasn't legally binding, even if the people around them didn't know, this was enough.

From this day forward, nothing in their lives would change. Even if Sehun became the co-director and Yoonshin became whatever he may be—they would remain unchanged.

They would both go downstairs after this and finish their work. Sehun wasted his entire day on two weeks' worth of accumulated self-hatred and jealousy, so he would work into the weekend. Yoonshin needed to deal with the mess he made, so his situation wasn't much different.

Still, they would fall asleep in the same bed and get up together. Their prosaic, ordinary days would repeat.

Yoonshin was once again in his happy fantasies when Sehun reached out, unable to tolerate the brief escapade of the other. His arms snaked around the younger man's waist, spinning him toward him and putting them face to face. Sehun pulled the other tight.

He angled his head, about to kiss

Yoonshin as a token of their promise, when Yoonshin blocked Sehun with his left hand. "Try calling me babe. Then, I'll let you kiss me."

Sehun retorted, "I told you not to try to rip me off. Offer a better condition."

"Even now, at this moment—even though today is our anniversary!"

"How's this? Do whatever I want you to do
tonight when we have sex. Then I'll say it."

But you do whatever the fuck you want, even if the world ended the next day' Yoonshin thought with his reproachful glare at Sehun. The older man pressed harder against the hand on his lips. The back of Yoonshin's hands touched his lips, making him unable to talk anymore. He blinked. Sehun gazed unaffectedly at Yoonshin, then angled his head in a more comfortable position.

With Yoonshin's hand between them, Sehun rammed his tongue forcefully at the palm, moving suggestively. Bewildered, Yoonshin yanked his hand out. Then, Sehun's tongue fleetingly touched Yoonshin's lips.

"Ngh. I didn't use my last wish. I'll use that."

"Are you all right with using it on something so simple?"

Yoonshin was clever enough to learn one thing and apply it to many other applications. Now that he found a way to wheedle satisfactory compensation for Sehun's neglect, he used it thriftily when Sehun left Yoonshin alone.

"Because ifs almost peak season for you." Yoonshin gave Sehun a triumphant look.

Sehun looked down at Yoonshin, telling him that he was still dancing in his palms.

Then, he replied in a low and languid tone, "Open your mouth, babe."

Yoonshin gasped, his facial muscles freezing and cheeks ablaze. He hadn't expected Sehun to say it right away. Sehun Kang had a bad personality and frequently teased Yoonshin before doing what he was asked to do.

This happened while Yoonshin was distracted, so he longed for more. If only he could press the repeat button for that moment, he would.

He reacted a second later because he was so surprised. Between his slowly parting lips, he let out a sharp exclamation, "Wow, holy shit! Sehun Kang actually did whatmmph!"

At that moment, Sehun covered Yoonshin's lips, silencing the younger man and

entering deep inside.

In a place filled with dusk, wet sounds leaked through their lips as their tongues invaded each other's space.

"Ngh, rnmm..."

After tracing the bumps of the younger man's teeth, Sehun's tongue met

Yoonshin's. The intense reaction mellowed out.

Their tongues engaged painstakingly slowly, then accelerated to knot with each other. Their movements were sultry. They burrowed into each other deeply,

swallowing the other's tongue. Sehun led Yoonshin adeptly, his tongue dripping with possessiveness. The hands that pulled in the bony back curled and extended, moving like dry straw burning.

The kiss grew deeper. The intensity heightened along with it. As the two focused on each other, the evening sky hanging above them grew rustier, and the darkness started to settle.

Sehun's tongue and saliva were sweeter than usual. Yoonshin wondered if Sehun thought the same.

Yoonshin threw his arms over the older man's shoulders, clinging to him.

Transparent diamonds sparkled on the side of the left hand that combed through Sehun's silky hair. The inside of the left hand that pulled Yoonshin in, supporting his back, glimmered the same.

In the bathtub, Yoonshin pulled in his knees, his cheeks rosy. He had been sitting there for a while, so the back of his mouth felt stale. He could sprout gills thanks to the humidity of the room.

In his head, he knew that he should get out now. But for some reason, the moment he stepped into the bedroom, he felt like he would suffer all sorts of humiliation, so he couldn't bring himself to move. When he looked down at the metal wrapped around his damp finger, his heart started to race, making it harder to muster up the courage.

Today, they fought, made up, shared rings, and did nothing else. Yet strangely, it almost felt like their first night, which was wild to Yoonshin.

His mind ambled to when they first had sex, and he felt weird. He had a feeling that he would grow to like Sehun more, but he had never imagined that their relationship would evolve into something as significant as this. This was Sehun Kang he was talking about.

Splash .

Embarrassed, Yoonshin submerged his head in the clear water and blinked underwater.

Just then, he heard a presence above his head. When he whipped his head back up and looked in the direction of the sound, he saw Sehun in a bathrobe, standing at the doorway. He was leaning against the frame, arms crossed, and throwing a loaded look at Yoonshin.

"Do you think you'll taste better if you soak up all the water?" Sehun asked.

"I'm not food."

"Or do you think you'll taste good if you starve me?"

"Stop making fun of me. I was just about to get out."

Yoonshin had meant that Sehun should wait outside as he dried himself off, but he omitted too many words. Sehun was motionless and stared at Yoonshin. The lust exposed in his eyes was a familiar wavelength.

Embarrassed, Yoonshin's ears and neck flushed red. Suppressing his bashfulness, the younger man expressed his wishes more directly, "Can't you wait for me outside?"

"I can't. Stand up just like that."

Seeing each other's naked bodies wasn't new. However, a distinctiveness of location and uniqueness of situation existed.

Yoonshin was stark naked and drenched with water. On the other hand, the observer, Sehun, was wearing a silk gown. The bathroom lights were warm and dim, and most importantly, Yoonshin felt particularly diffident about all of this.

Instead of standing up as he was told, Yoonshin slapped the surface of the water, using his finger to swirl circles in the water. The water whirled along, and when Yoonshin stopped, the ripples faded out.

Sehun approached the tub and perched on the edge of it. He grabbed Yoonshin's wet hair, dropping his hand to play with Yoonshin's earlobe before moving further down to his cheeks. When he reached the younger man's lips, he stroked it with his thumb, teasing his intrusion on the opening of his mouth. Yoonshin's lips naturally parted, and he finally pushed his thumb in, stimulating the sensitive inner flesh.

"Hnn, hmmm..."

Yoonshin's tongue chased after Sehun's thumb, which was doggedly disturbing the inside of his mouth. Sehun played tag along with Yoonshin and added, "I read there was research indicating that the higher the intelligence, the weaker a person is to pleasure. Have you heard that before?"

"I-is that scientifically proven? Hngh, nnh."

"I don't know. Seems to be the case on my end. I didn't know that I liked sex this much."

"Ngh, mmmh."

"Strawberry cake is waiting for you outside. Get up."

After violating the delicate skin, Sehun pulled out his finger. He shoved his hands under Yoonshin's armpits and lifted the younger man, who was limp like wet laundry. Yoonshin struggled in surprise. Sehun ignored the slight resistance, and with the younger man now vertical, he scanned Yoonshin's soaked body.

Feeling embarrassed, Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's arms on both sides. He leaned forward, hanging his head, and water dripped on the luxurious fabric of Sehun's robes. "Stop staring."

"Can't you get hard as soon as you see me? Your dick is too well behaved. I feel offended."

"Not even teenagers do that."

"I can. Is it different since mine is an adult?"

Yoonshin chuckled hollowly and looked at Sehun's robes. As he said, the older man's lower half was slightly standing. Sehun was the one turned on, but Yoonshin's cheeks were the ones on fire. "That's because I'm naked. And you're a highly educated, highly intelligent sadist."

Sehun didn't seem to be interested in Yoonshin's reply in the first place. Regardless of what Yoonshin said, Sehun's actions were decided.

Without warning, Sehun's hands reached out to Yoonshin's lower half. Anticipating the next actions, Yoonshin tried to stop the older man but to no avail. Sehun succeeded in touching the wet and limp pubic hairs of Yoonshin with the back of his finger. Yoonshin flinched, and ignoring that reaction, Sehun pushed down all the way to the base of Yoonshin's penis.

"Sunbae, hnngh, stop."

Sehun stroked the twitching shaft, bringing his hand down and moving his warmth to the head. Worried that he would let out a moan, Yoonshin pressed his lips together and grabbed Sehun, the veins on his hands starting to pop.

"How about if I strip as well? Then, will you get hard?"

Truth be told, it was easy for Yoonshin to get excited from looking at Sehun's well-built body, but Yoonshin couldn't find the right time to say that. Sehun kept grazing his member, and his skin twitched and jolted, making him more embarrassed. "Stop, stop that. Ngh, nnh."

Yoonshin had kept his knees together in the tub, and Sehun was providing bits of stimulation instead of giving him a strong dose, so it was hard for Yoonshin to find balance. His legs started to tremble. Noticing that, Sehun stopped teasing Yoonshin and stood from the edge of the tub. Yoonshin was still inside the bathtub, but their eye levels were now the same.

Sehun offered his hands for Yoonshin to take. "Come out, I'll dry you off."

Hesitantly, Yoonshin held the other's hands and stepped out. Under the influence of gravitational forces, the droplets of water started to wet the floor of the bathroom.

Sehun used a large towel to dry off the tepid dampness of Yoonshin's body. He dried off the younger man's wet hair tenderly and gently wiped off the wet skin from his neck, torso, and lower half. Then, he lifted a slender leg and kissed the back of his feet. A million thoughts swept through Yoonshin as he stood and obediently received Sehun's tender touches.

Finally, he reached out to touch Sehun's cheek as the older man was drying off his ankles. However, this failed when Sehun suddenly grabbed Yoonshin's penis.

The plush towel plopped to the floor. Yoonshin moaned shallowly, "Hnn, ahgnh!"

It seemed like Sehun wasn't going to use any tools and hand-dry Yoonshin. His soft palms wrapped around Yoonshin's member, slotted his scrotum between his fingers, and scraped off the moisture with his hands. Yoonshin shivered and hugged Sehun's neck. Sehun got up from his awkward crouch and responded to the hug.

A voice so deep and subdued that it sent shivers down Yoonshin's spine engraved itself in his eardrums.

"I was going to dry you off with my hands here. Is this uncomfortable?"

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

"Did you only catch on now?"

"Stop tormenting me. I'll get out..."

"Good thinking."

Sehun smooched Yoonshin's red ear and lifted the younger man's nude body in his arms. Yoonshin hid his face behind Sehun's cheeks and then chewed on the older man's cheek, sending the message of consent. Gladly accepting the pain of being bitten, Sehun pulled the younger man tighter. Stepping over the towel that he had been using to wipe off Yoonshin until moments ago, he traversed the powder room, striding off directly to their bedroom.

Sehun dumped Yoonshin on the bed and dragged the cake that was on the bedside table over to the pillow.

It was their anniversary cake that they managed to pick up from the restaurant.

A few unexpected issues popped up, so although they tried to get off work on time, they were delayed. By the time they arrived at the restaurant that Yoonshin reserved, they had already taken the last order of the night. With no other choice, they picked up the cake that Yoonshin had requested in advance, stored the wine at the restaurant for the next time, and returned home.

"Open wide."

Sehun apparently didn't have plans on using any sort of utensils tonight.

Using his fingers instead of a fork, he scooped up a glob of pink strawberry cream and nudged it on Yoonshin's lips. Then, he rubbed the dense cream on his lips. Despite feeling bashful, Yoonshin opened his lips, granting entry to his mouth. He licked the slippery cream and was about to swallow it when Sehun bent over to kiss Yoonshin.

"Ngh... hnngh."

While Yoonshin was immobilized by the physical force Sehun was surmounting, Sehun started to invade the inside of Yoonshin's mouth. Their tongues met, smooshing the cream.

Yoonshin had a feeling Sehun would do something like this the moment the older man placed the cake box in the backseat. Despite that, he didn't stop him for many reasons.

One was that he didn't hate the idea.

Yoonshin signed and grasped the lapels of Sehun's robe. In turn, Sehun asked, "Does it taste good?"

"It's sweet. Hnph, mmmh..."

At times, a deep kiss was as exciting as sex. Yoonshin blinked hard, feeling the cream going down his throat. Sehun licked away the remainder of the cream from his mouth and this time, as if proffering Yoonshin to have a taste of his flesh, Sehun thrust his tongue deep into the younger man's mouth.

The bumps of their tongues collided, creating sensual friction. Inevitably, Yoonshin's mouth felt confined as sweetness and springy textures filled his mouth. Their spit mixed and squelched, rousing an indecent cacophony.

Sehun's movements were as erotic as they appeared to be. He led Yoonshin toward the center of the bed and pulled the cake along with him. Then, he started to fondle Yoonshin's now-dry skin.

When they pulled apart, they were connected by a thin string of saliva, which soon snapped.

His face red with excitement, Yoonshin stared at Sehun with unfocused eyes, brimming with desire. Sehun kissed Yoonshin's trembling chin to soothe him and slowly started to make his way downward.

Sehun jabbed a finger once again into the dome-shaped cake, and with a generous dollop of cream on his fingers, he rubbed it against Yoonshin's nipples.

"Ohl Ah, ngh. It's slippery. It doesn't feel good."

"Do it to the other side too? That's how I hear it."

"No—oh..."

Sehun rolled his fingers in a circular fashion on one nub, then did the same for the opposite. He slotted the bundle of nerves between his fingers and kneaded it, making Yoonshin's hips shake.

Yoonshin's areola was smeared with pink cream. Sehun gazed down at his work like an artist who just completed his painting. His eyes were adherent like melted snow. Sehun took a deep breath, then latched on a nipple with his mouth.

With one bud in his mouth, Sehun grazed it with his teeth. He pinched and rubbed the other nipple and gently flicked the sensitive skin with his nails, consequently inflaming the area.

"Hngh! Sunbae, hmmgh."

Sehun was only touching his upper body, but Yoonshin felt like his entire body became an erogenous zone, and his member grew erect. The area between his legs became sensitive and needed something to depend on. Eventually, Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's hair and let out a long keen. Sehun paid close attention, disallowing any reaction from going past him, and put more care into giving love to Yoonshin's chest.

Yoonshin's erect nipples were glistening, red, and swollen. His skin had faint traces of pink cream and Sehun's saliva. Sehun looked up and wiped his chin with the back of his hand, smearing cream on his sharp jaws.

Yoonshin panted as he looked at Sehun's erotic appearance. He extended one leg, shoving it through the opening on the bottom edge of the robes that were falling apart. He touched Sehun's groin with the back of his foot that the older man had kissed earlier. The member that was standing at half-mast in the bathroom was now taut and fully risen.

"Ngh, damn it."

Sehun reacted to the stimulation on his penis. He supported his body weight with his arms on the bed and ground his hips against Yoonshin's smooth foot a few times. With every rough thrust, the bottom part of the dark-colored robes bulged and nodded.

Sehun let out a suppressed moan, then grabbed another handful of the icing and sprinkled clumps on Yoonshin's body. Cream plopped on Yoonshin's tense abdomen and member. The emulsified fluid melted and dripped below, between his crotch. The faint pink stained Yoonshin between his legs.

Regaining control, it was obvious what Sehun would do next. He stared at the member, inevitably rigid, and the slightly parted legs. Then, he grabbed Yoonshin's ankle. The leftover cream from Sehun's hand transferred to his ankles naturally.

Every time Yoonshin moved, the pink emulsion spattered on Sehun's robes. It was meaningless to see where the cake was scattered as their bodies and the bed were a mess.

With both ankles firmly grasped, Sehun spread Yoonshin's legs apart and poised himself securely in between. He made Yoonshin lift his ass and scanned the area. Then, he started to apply the cream over the exposed but bashful perineum, taking from the dollops all over his stomach.

"Ngh, hnn. It feels weird. Feels like it's wriggling."

It wasn't just a weird feeling—it felt oddly sacrilegious. He was tormented by the feeling that they were doing something that they shouldn't. However, Sehun wasn't concerned with Yoonshin's feelings and continued to slather cream evenly across Yoonshin's skin with his entire palm. The urethral opening of Yoonshin's standing member started to twitch, and his entire shaft started to bob as if anticipating release. His abs trembled, and his limbs flinched faintly.

Yoonshin needed stronger stimulation for release, so he reached down. He wanted to grab his shaft to start pumping it, but Sehun slapped it sharply away.

"Not yet."

"I want to touch myself." "I said you can't cum yet." "Touch me, Sunbae."

After a disjointed conversation, Sehun eventually raised the white flag first. Not betraying expectations, he started to massage Yoonshin's member, conquering his perineum.

His persistent touches continued. The macerated rose-colored cream drenched the valley of Yoonshin's bottom, moist like the ground after the rain.

Sehun, who was controlling Yoonshin's lower half with a tight grip on his ankles, slung Voonshin's legs over his shoulders. He leaned forward and, with his tongue pointed, started to lap up the skin between Yoonshin's legs. Sensual sounds akin to slapping dough rang out. The explicit noises fueled their arousal.

Yoonshin's vision grew blurred, and he struggled to grab Sehun's shoulders. The silk fabric brushed past his fingers, falling off Sehun's shoulders. Staring at Sehun's firm shoulders from a distance, he grabbed Sehun's wet hair and shoved his head over his member.

"Ohl Oh... Can't you put it in now?"

The muscles of his lower half convulsed, and he couldn't stand it anymore. However, as if Sehun decided to stick to his zero-tolerance principle of ignoring Yoonshin, he acted slowly.

Even though the hefty member poked through the robes as if it would pierce through the fabric, Sehun maintained his composure to achieve his goal, and Yoonshin found the others selective patience almost fearsome.

"Don't beg. I'll start after I eat this all."

"Hngh, ngh! Oh!"

Sehun licked Yoonshin's perineum and then lifted his fingers. Then, he scraped all the cream into one pile and started to rub around the rim of the entrance. Even though his actions had clear intentions, Yoonshin couldn't resist. Yoonshin was anxious that if he uttered anything, Sehun would delay the following actions, namely penetration.

With no other choice, Yoonshin used his trembling hands to rub around Sehun's ears and hair. Sehun allowed Yoonshin to do all of that and yet put more force in his fingertips. His fingers glided over Yoonshin's perineum as smoothly as skates on ice, and then he shoved his finger with accumulated cream into the younger man's hole.

The consistency of the cream was different from oil or lube, making Yoonshin's insides feel uncomfortable.

"Ah! It went in—take it out. Please, take it out."

Despite the pleas, Sehun ostentatiously shoved his fingers in deeper and started to conquer the insides. He thrust his fingers, burying deep inside. The inner walls that Yoonshin had loosened during his bath adhered to Sehun as if they had been waiting for his intrusion all along.

Sehun felt the sensations on his fingers and frowned. 'Your lips below and above are saying two different things. How about coming to an agreement first?"

Yoonshin's face turned red, and he was about to retort. Sehun's hands were quicker to move. He swiftly and easily found the prostate and pressed it.

Yoonshin gasped, and his throat bobbed. With his shaky hands, he grabbed Sehun's shoulders. The firmness under his palms drove him to the edge. Yoonshin's mouth gaped silently. Enjoying these reactions, Sehun pressed the prostate harder, leaning his weight into it.

Sehun put more force on his fingers as he prodded at it, driving Yoonshin to the edge. Yoonshin wished that the older man would press harder, but it didn't look like Sehun wanted to.

After his member was strained to its limit, unable to get any harder, Yoonshin glanced at his front that was desperately awaiting ejaculation and grabbed Sehun's elbows, making him push deeper into him. "Not there. You know..."

"Ohhh, take it out?"

"That's not what I mean—no, don't take it out. Oh!"

"It's my bad for putting whipped cream in. You must have been surprised."

"Ngh, you said you didn't make mistakes."

Yoonshin glared at Sehun, who had pulled out. Sehun sent kisses to Yoonshin with his eyes and started to rub Voonshin's perineum again. Yoonshin knew that the other man was teasing him on purpose, but he still felt more and more desperate for him. His puckering entrance twitched as it waited for Sehun to cease, but Sehun maintained his extraordinary patience even with his fully erect penis.

After rubbing Yoonshin's perineum just like in the beginning, Sehun then shoved even more of the cream that was on Yoonshin's crotch into his hole.

"Urgh, hgnh!"

The unpleasant feeling entered him and soiled his entrance. His moist and springy insides contracted, wrapping themselves firmly around Sehun's finger. Sehun patted Yoonshin's ass and then pulled his fingers out again.

Yoonshin was confounded by Sehun's lewd and devious act. "Are you seriously going to be like this?"

"You neglected me for two weeks, so you should expect a punishment of this caliber. Lift your hips. Watch how I eat this cake."

Apparently, Sehun's anger hadn't abated yet. As if this was just the warm-up, Sehun's eyes grew dark and dangerous.

He lifted Yoonshin's legs higher, and firmly grasping his thighs, he leaned forward. He shoved his tongue into the hole, prepared to suck out all the cream that he stashed inside.

Yoonshin felt faint. He bit his lips and held back the profanities that he almost yelled. Sehun's tongue swirled around his entrance and started to suck out the cream that he had stored inside. Yoonshin's private area was quite sensitive, so he felt every single sensation that Sehun gave him.

Who else but he could teeter between shame and exhilaration?

He hated it, but he liked it.

Yoonshin writhed in displeasure, but Sehun became more persistent and lewd. Dirty sound effects from sucking the cream continued to be generated from between Yoonshin's legs.

This was happening between his legs, but he was mortified and bashful that Sehun had a better view of what was going on than Yoonshin.

"Oh, feels goo—ah, no, stop that!"

Yoonshin knew that Sehun would seek revenge like this on the bed for the past two weeks of neglect. Yoonshin was sorrowful, embarrassed, and infuriated, but he also hated himself for feeling pleasure at this moment. This wasn't the first time that Sehun put something inside him and took it back out like this. Every time he did, Yoonshin felt the same way as now. He was humiliated to death, but at the same time, he was utterly excited.

He was afraid that he had become a sexual deviant, but on the other hand, he was thrilled that he was doing something that wasn't allowed secretly with Sehun Kang.

It was the same now. Precum was flowing out of the tip of Yoonshin's member, and he wanted to bite his tongue. His limbs writhed, but ultimately, he felt so sorrowful that he started to sob. "Sehun Kang, you fucker..."

Even though Yoonshin was crying, Sehun didn't pay him any mind. Even though Sehun couldn't stand Voonshin crying at other times, in bed was the only exception. Yoonshin cried and gasped, his emotions dotted with both excitement and grief. He gasped in the air as he felt every moment of Sehun's tongue thrusting inside him.

After licking up the cream with the bumpy and rough flesh, Sehun slowly pulled out.

Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's waist and pulled him toward him, positioning his veiny member between Yoonshin's ass. He secured the jolting hips in a more stable position and prodded at the entrance with his firmed glans. Yoonshin, who was sobbing, placed his hands over Sehun's on his waist. Then, he linked his fingers with Sehun's, begging the older man to enter him.

"Enough of that now. Enter me."

Sehun bent forward and licked Yoonshin's tear-drenched cheek. He pried apart Yoonshin's lips, and Yoonshin willingly opened his mouth to share his warmth with Sehun. Their flesh meshed together countless times and pulled away, creating a line of saliva between them. Sehun stuck out his tongue to lap the fluid away.

'You want me to fuck you?"

"You have to do something in exchange."

Sehun didn't mean that Yoonshin should implement an economic exchange. Sehun Kang was taunting him. The problem was that Voonshin didn't have the energy or willpower to resist.

Yoonshin stopped his tears, determined to do anything, and sent a pleading gaze at Sehun. Then, the older man suddenly lifted Yoonshin's limp body. He made Yoonshin stand on his knees and stood firmly behind Yoonshin.

Yoonshin didn't know what Sehun was going to do at first. However, when he saw the mess of the half-remaining cake, he realized what Sehun was going to do right away.

Not surprisingly, Sehun pulled the cake toward them. He kissed Yoonshin's ears in a staccato rhythm, then bit painfully into his earlobes.

"Urk...!"

"We don't have condoms for you today, Yoonshin. I guess you have to cum on this."

Startled, Yoonshin threw his hands behind him. Sehun hugged him from behind, grasped Yoonshin's hips, and withstood the force, unwilling to be pulled down. The older man brought his hands in front and started to stroke Yoonshin's member, from the head of the member—which was a sticky mess of precum—to the nodding length of the shaft. Yoonshin's penis was moments from shooting its load, and the assertive touches made the shaft tremble as it was about to spew out semen.

Sehun bent Yoonshin's body slightly forward. Consequently, Yoonshin's stiff member free-fell into the cream of the cake.

"Hnph! Oh! Sunbae... oh!"

Just like when Sehun slammed his member deep inside and cummed, cum spattered out of Voonshin's tip. The opaque and sticky fluid pooled between the sheets of the cake. Sehun squeezed Yoonshin to the last drop, rubbing Yoonshin's member deeper into the cream and grazing by his testicles. His tension released, Yoonshin felt the afterglow of the release and started to tip forward.

Sehun must have thought that Yoonshin wanted to escape from him.

Sehun supported Yoonshin's stomach and pulled the younger man toward him. "Don't run away."

"I'm not going anywhere—urgh!"

"Don't go, Yoonshin."

Yoonshin let out an exhausted sigh. He pulled Sehun's ring finger to his lips and kissed it. Even though his body was becoming a mess from being toyed with, Sehun was the only one in his eyes. "Huh... I'm yours, Sunbae."

"Then show me. So I'm not anxious."

Mustering all the energy that he had, Yoonshin stood back up and rubbed against Sehun, the silken fabric in between them. He slotted the other's member that poked out from the robes between his ass cheeks.

He rubbed vertically and shook his hips to the side, and Sehun let out a heated sigh. Finally, as if responding to the indecent action, he rubbed his rigid shaft between the cleft very crudely and whispered, "Do you feel good?"

In response, Yoonshin turned his head to the side with some difficulty and kissed Sehun on the lips. Sehun wasn't satisfied with that. He grabbed Yoonshin's throat with a hand, supporting it as he engaged in an aggressive kiss. He fondled Yoonshin's body, which was a mess of cream, with the other hand. Yoonshin's member, which had ejaculated not too long ago, started to perk up again.

Yoonshin moaned with his eyes closed and accepted his entry. Their flesh overlapped each other in their mouths. Sehun's hip movements of jabbing his penis between Yoonshin's bottom grew rougher. Their breathing turned to uneven pants.

Just then, Sehun pushed Yoonshin forward with all his might and fell forward on top of the younger man.

"Ngh...!" Yoonshin fell face-first into the cake. Pink cream dirtied his face. He tried to look back but stopped. Sehun had completely thrown his gown and covered Yoonshin's body with his now-naked one. The intricate muscles on Yoonshin's skin felt good.

That wasn't all. Sehun buried his lips in the slice of strawberry and the crumbs of cake on Yoonshin's face.

Yoonshin said hollowly, "Of course you'd eat that."

"It's not bad. Semen-filled honeymoon cake."

Yoonshin wondered why the older man went ham in bed after pushing away Yoonshin for more than half the 24 hours of the day—he was a subject worth researching.

Yoonshin completely surrendered. "Do you know that you're a total pervert sometimes?"

"It's because you're cute. I want to make a mess of you. It's your fault." Sehun licked away the cream on Yoonshin's ear and whispered, "It's delicious, Yoonshin."

"Still, it's a no. You have to do it gently today... Since it's an important day."

"I'll eat you up from head to toe."

"Are you listening to me?"

"I love you, Yoonshin."

"I love you."

Sehun was someone who used loopholes to the best of his ability, and here he was yet again, cheating.

At first, Yoonshin thought Sehun was teasing him so he would go rough on him, but hearing Sehun's awkward confessions, Yoonshin could intuitively tell that Sehun's feelings were quite intense right now, unlike his usual. And as always, Yoonshin was always weak to Sehun's words, regardless of time or place.

Yoonshin knew that it was too much to wish for any more than this, but in all honesty, he wanted Sehun to say those words more even if the price was pain or tears.

If only every day was like their anniversary.

He bent his arm back awkwardly and stroked Sehun's hair, and Sehun let out a deep sigh.

Hearing Sehun's ragged breathing made filthy urges brim to the surface of his mind. He couldn't keep secrets from his partner, so he honestly told him his thoughts. He sometimes hated the part of him that had to be honest even though he wanted to hide something. "I wish you'd never have anyone next to you and always stay lonely."

"I want all of you to myself. I'm sorry..."

After all, even if they fought because Yoonshin was in the wrong, even if they said hurtful things without meaning it deep inside, and even if Yoonshin pushed Sehun away, eventually Sehun would return to him because Yoonshin was the only one in his life.

He didn't explain his selfish and mean desire in detail, but he was certain Sehun had read it all.

Instead of replying, Sehun kissed Yoonshin's forehead, which was sticky with cream, and aimed his penis at Yoonshin's entrance. Yoonshin took a deep breath, tense with his inflated anticipation and the fear that always accompanied sex with Sehun. He went on all fours like a beast and accepted Sehun's lower half. Sehun poked the tip of his member more explicitly at Voonshin's entrance.

"I'm putting it in." Sehun grabbed

Yoonshin's shoulder in one hand, and with the other, he grasped the shaft of his member.

Then, he flung forward, plunging into Yoonshin's hole.

Yoonshin's hole was already loosened, drenched with the fruity cream and Sehun's saliva, so it accepted Sehun's swollen member with ease. The girthy shaft penetrated halfway through in one thrust.

Even though the entry was easier than usual, it didn't mean there was no pain. Yoonshin's lower half was uncomfortable and he let out a scream. His cheeks were flushed, and unable to open his eyes properly, his eyelids trembled.

Sehun fixed his posture into one where he could penetrate Yoonshin more easily, and while Yoonshin couldn't react in his misery, Sehun vigorously shoved the remainder of his shaft into Yoonshin up to the hilt.

With a powerful thrust, the member embedded itself deep into Yoonshin, and the younger man fell forward. Sehun quickly supported the man beneath him and pressed himself flush against the other's body.

Sehun grabbed Yoonshin's hips. Soon after, he started to pound aggressively. Bouncing at Sehun's hips, Yoonshin trembled, feeling like Sehun reached deeper because of how slippery his inner walls were. He wasn't sure if this was his imagination or not.

"Ohl Oh! Oh!"

He continued to tip forward, being pushed by Sehun. Yoonshin's forehead collided with the headboard of the bed. Seeing Yoonshin's head thudding against the surface, Sehun reached out, grabbing the area that was hitting the younger man's forehead. Bumping into Sehun's hand was much better.

Sehun rubbed his glans around the rim and then shoved his member deep inside. Then, he withdrew his entire length and thrust shallowly.

Sehun hit Yoonshin's prostate with every thrust, giving Yoonshin throes of pleasure. He could no longer hold on to his sense of reason and struggled to keep up with Sehun's irregular tempo. All Yoonshin could do was feel shame as his inner walls followed Sehun's member as he pulled out.

Sehun's movements as he slammed against Yoonshin grew more vicious and wild. The dizziness from being penetrated and the tingling feeling from their union turned both of their minds to mush. Yoonshin's vision turned white. He couldn't think at all. He was merely being penetrated and rocked. He felt so good that he felt fear suddenly overcome him. His breathing grew uneven and shallow, and redness pervaded up to his neck.

"Hngh! Oh! Ohh! Sunbae, there! Ngh!"

"I wanna crush your intestines with my dick."

They quickly found the positions they liked, and in synchrony, they both burst, going out of control. Sehun's lengthy and girthy member invaded the clandestine interior, rampaging about the wild and lawless territory. Yoonshin rocked his hips frantically against the other man.

Every time Sehun pounded into him, Yoonshin saw Sehun's loose ring dangling. The back of Sehun's hand on the headboard with its veins bulging was quite lascivious.

With the additional visual stimulus, Yoonshin felt faint as if he was floating in the air. Miserable, Yoonshin clenched down on the other's member. In response, Sehun roughly banged into him with enough gusto that his entire nether region felt like it would enter Yoonshin.

The older man's movements were so vigorous that dimples formed in his ass cheeks.

"Fuck! Ugh!" Sehun's deep, strained voice lingered around Voonshin's ears. Then, like a snake slithering through a gap, it embedded itself deep into his eardrums. Sehun lowered the younger man further against the bed. With their left hands overlapped, he completely pressed down Yoonshin's body with his own.

Sehun locked his fingers between Yoonshin and raised his spurt, focusing on his hip movements. Immersed in sex, a bead of sweat dropped on Yoonshin's shoulder.

Yoonshin wasn't able to move the cake in time, and his member, which had already once ejaculated, was smothered in the cake again. The cake rubbed against his abs down to his scrotum and felt icky. To make matters worse, his penetrated insides felt uncomfortably plugged.

Due to the older man's increasingly unruly hip movements, Yoonshin could tell that Sehun wasn't too far from release. The sensation of Sehun's balls slapping against Yoonshin's bottom and the friction of his pubic hairs against his skin sent excitement up to his brain. Sehun gradually lost accuracy in plunging his member into the deepest spots.

Yoonshin stuck his tongue toward Sehun's hand that was clasping his. He licked the ring, breathless, and Sehun, who was pounding into him passionately, pulled Yoonshin upright. He sat Yoonshin on his lap, making their flushed faces look toward each other.

"Stay like this." Sehun slid his erect member back in and dragged Yoonshin down, crushing him on his lap.

"Urgh, Sunbae. Hngh."

Instead of responding, Sehun loudly smooched Yoonshin's face all over. The younger man caressed Sehun's sweaty face as he sat on his thighs. The rims of Sehun's eyes were red. The older man proceeded to pull Yoonshin harder to bury himself deeper. With his member inside, he responded by meeting Yoonshin's gaze.

Moments passed with only each other in their eyes.

Sehun soon lightly bumped the tip of his member against Yoonshin's prostate. Yoonshin's member twitched as it awaited the end.

"I-I think I'll—"

Sehun must have also reached his limit as he tenaciously meshed his tongue with the younger man's. Yoonshin too sucked at Sehun's tongue, elevating his arousal.

As Sehun bounced Yoonshin on his lap, the cream squelched between them lewdly. However, Yoonshin gasped, his sense of embarrassment replaced with pleasure.

Sehun thrust up voraciously like a famished lion, interlinking their flesh intimately and intentionally inducing both of their climaxes.

With a powerful thrust, Sehun's testicles collided with Yoonshin's bottom, burying his member to the hilt. He ground his member inside, crushing the inner walls.

A knot of pleasure rose from the pit of Yoonshin's stomach to his head, firing stars in his vision. Yoonshin felt as if he was floating in the air, reaching orgasm first. He spattered his juices on Sehun's muscular abs and the sheets. "Ah! Oh! So good... ah!Ack."

Sehun cummed shortly after, sighing. "Damn it. Hahh..."

At long last, viscous fluid filled Yoonshin inside. The fluid slowly spread within the younger man's innermost areas.

Drained, Yoonshin glanced down at his body. They had rubbed and ground against each other, so Sehun's entire body was a mess of pink cream as well. After a deep sigh, Yoonshin leaned his entire weight against the other, who gladly received him.

Pressed against each other, they embraced each other with all their remaining energy.

Sehun's member was still inside Yoonshin.

While they caught their breaths, tranquility unbefitting of either of them ticked by. After basking in the afterglow, Sehun lifted his left hand first. He showed his loose ring to Yoonshin, whose cheek grew pink in sheepishness.

Upon seeing that, the older man bounced Yoonshin once on his member, still hard even after cumming.

"Your insides are tight."

"Ngh, wait..."

"But the top is loose."

Oddly enough, Yoonshin felt so

embarrassed that he didn't even have the energy to explain himself.

"I'll have the ring adjusted this weekend," Yoonshin replied meekly, hugging the other's neck tightly and nodding vigorously as if to convey his determination. Sehun grasped the round back of Yoonshin's head, pulled him away, and shoved his left ring finger into Yoonshin's parted lips.

"You'll have to measure my ring size properly first."

Resolute, Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's wrist with both hands and started to lick and suck Sehun's finger.

Sehun poured countless kisses over Yoonshin's head.

Anxiously checking his watch, Secretary Tak was waiting in the basement parking garage. Once he spotted Sehun's car approaching from afar, he bowed.

Sehun got out of the car and walked calmly toward the elevator. Secretary Tak handed over the tablet with his brief of the day to his superior. He took the other's briefcase, guiding the partner lawyer to the elevator he prepared in advance. Sehun got on first and then Secretary Tak followed.

Sehun scanned the screen and narrowed his eyes. He didn't look too pleased about the contents. After checking the other man's face, Secretary Tak explained, "Because it's impossible to find all the legal issues in the deal. Due to the restraints in time and location, they said just checking the documents sent by the other side was too overwhelming."

"They have no shame while they babble about others not doing their jobs properly. Did the company send the documents properly?"

"Yes, the corporate law associates are reading through them together."

"Sounds like with the remaining time, well have to ask the sellers for the representations and warranties to induce them to disclose information. This project was a fucking trainwreck from its inception. Are they trying to test my patience?"

"This is just my personal opinion, but I think it's time that our firm reconsider partnerships."

"I agree with you. Anyway, I got it. I'll consider that matter too."

As they conversed, the elevator reached their floor with a ding, and the double doors opened. Sehun got out first, returning the tablet to the secretary. However, as Secretary Tak thoughtlessly received the device, he saw the platinum ring on Sehun's fourth finger of his left hand. In shock, he dropped the device, sending the palm-sized device plummeting to the floor.

Sehun stopped in his tracks, looking down at the tablet on the floor. He then looked Secretary Tak in the eyes. "What's this foolishness about? I don't have time. Pick it up."

"Sorry? Oh... Yes, I'm sorry. Urn... My apologies." Secretary Tak fumbled and picked up the tablet. He ran after Sehun down the long hallway.

"And s-so... What was I going to say again?"

Sehun, who was striding down the hall, stopped again, perplexed. Secretary Tak usually never blundered, so he looked quite apprehensive. "Do you not want to work anymore? Or do you want a raise? Be clear about what you want already."

"No, uh... That's not my intention. I was so stunned that I'm drawing a blank. I'm sorry, truly. The ring on your finger... It was so shocking to me, I don't know how others will take it."

Finally realizing what caused this reaction, Sehun furrowed his brow. "Stop being dramatic. If you've seen it, spread some rumors."

"Rumors? Are you trying to set the stage to terminate me?"

Sehun bit his lip in frustration and added, "If rumors are going to spread, I'd rather you spread it. Flesh it up moderately. Say it's a super-rich older woman. Or call me trash for seducing a barely legal 20-yearold"

It sounded like an order to direct all the focus to Sehun while obscuring the identity of his partner. Sehun wanted to hide and protect his partner behind the other's back. At times, a bad image that invited imagination could be a useful shield to protect the truth.

Secretary Tak thought to himself, then replied, "I'll make you feel proud to have a secretary who's quick on his feet."

"How about letting me feel proud in the professional setting too? If you're back to your senses, finish your brief."

Remembering his duties, Secretary Tak gestured to the front and resumed walking.

"Oh, yes. The matter of taking up joint directorship. We put an internal embargo on the firm. Attorney Song started to gather up the partner lawyers and will put out her deal to them. Our secretarial team will arrange the administrative procedures, news reports, and your speech. Those plans are what we have in the works for now."

"When I step in, well implement the new service protocols. You're going to have a lot of work for a while."

"I'll be prepared for that. Around when do you think you will officially accede...?"

"The goal is the first half of the next year. Of course, there could be changes depending on my project timelines, so account for that as well."

"Understood."

The two had reached Sehun's office and saw Yoonshin signing off on a document presented by administrative staff.

Everyone greeted Sehun, but as usual, Sehun ignored them. He was about to walk straight into his office when Yoonshin held back the older lawyer. "Senior Attorney Kang, one moment, please. Apparently, you need to sign off on something. It's about the supplementary budget for the secretarial office."

After shooting a grateful glance at Yoonshin, the office manager bolted up to present a file folder to Sehun while adding to Yoonshin's explanation. "Attorney Do doesn't have a lot of expenses and disbursements, so our office always benefits from the excess budget. But we need your permission to use that excess. Could you authorize it?"

Sehun approached the office manager, perused the document, and grabbed the folder with his left hand to sign with his dominant hand. His hand movements were precise and measured. Even the scratching of the pen against the paper felt clean.

While he moved gracefully, the office manager caught sight of Sehun's hand amid his fluid motions and her eyes grew round. Yoonshin had expected this reaction and glanced at Sehun's face. He signed the document indifferently. As he returned the folder to the office manager, Sehun met Yoonshin's gaze.

"Do you have business with me too? If you do, be quick. I don't have time for you until three."

Yoonshin shook his head, but his eyes contained an impulse to tell Sehun that he loved him. Sehun could read Yoonshin's thoughts from just the younger man's face and said impassively, "Say it out loud instead of just shaking your head."

Yoonshin knew the older man would react this way, but because his expectations were too on point, Yoonshin winced. To be honest, when Sehun was sarcastic with an apathetic air, Yoonshin still got pissed off. He was even more incensed when he thought about all the times that Sehun returned his confessions of love in his own way.

Yoonshin glared lasers of reproach at Sehun and hung his head. "...I don't. I'm sorry."

Sehun coldly turned his back to Yoonshin and walked to his office, the door of which was being held open by Secretary Tak. The secretary must have had things left to brief Sehun on as he closed the door, following behind him.

As Sehun disappeared into his office, Yoonshin's eyes narrowed. Miffed, he glared at the closed door but eventually chuckled to himself. Yoonshin loved even this part of Sehun, who was acute as if showing his kindness in public was a disaster, to bits—he was truly a lost cause. There was one incident in the past where Sehun had called Yoonshin by his first name, which threw the firm into chaos, so in the long run, Sehun's judgment was wise.

Yoonshin turned his attention back to the document he had to approve. He signed all the places he needed to and was about to return it to the office manager. Still frozen awkwardly to the spot, she stuttered in utter bewilderment, "Did you see that, Attorney Do?"

"See what?"

"There was a ring on Attorney Kang's hand!"

The staff who overheard looked at each other in disbelief. Yoonshin, who was bad at lying and fooling others, glanced at Sehun's room and replied awkwardly, "Really?"

"I saw it, I'm sure. You guys, you didn't see that?" the office manager, who was usually calm and composed, burst out, impassioned.

Unfortunately, the other employees were all minding their own business and didn't witness it. They each shook their heads and a couple replied, "Are you sure you weren't seeing things? Attorney Kang doesn't seem like the type of person to wear rings."

"If there was any indication that he was seeing someone, we would have known. Does the Senior Attorney have time to go on dates?"

"Why not? Honestly, isn't it more unbelievable that he's single with his spectacular career? Maybe he found a significant other. He could always make time. The lawyers at this firm are all busy, but they have relationships and get married."

"Hey, not all workloads are the same intensity at this firm. Senior Attorney Kang is a special case. He's a workaholic, and he has too many responsibilities. His burden is on a different level."

The newly hired paralegal who said that Sehun could always make time was closest to the answer.

Surprisingly, if he planned well, Sehun could carve out a decent chunk of time. Plus, the fact that they were each other's pastimes and spent more than half the day in the same building helped to reduce the time wasted.

"No, I saw it! I'm telling you I did! Did you all not see? You too, Attorney Do?"

Troubled, Yoonshin tried to gloss over the topic and was about to head back to his office when Secretary Tak came out of Sehun's office. "I saw it, Office Manager."

Except Secretary Tak looked at Yoonshin, and their eyes met, startling Yoonshin who was turned halfway.

Neither Sehun nor Yoonshin told anyone directly. However, Yoonshin intuitively knew that Director Song and Secretary Tak had an inkling about Sehun and his relationship—no, Yoonshin was almost sure they knew. The suspicious look the secretary was sending him confirmed that.

Other people didn't know Sehun and Yoonshin personally, but Mihee and Secretary Tak were different. On top of that, Secretary Tak was very perceptive, so he could probably tell that Yoonshin's ring had changed. Caught off balance, Yoonshin swallowed nervously and tried to hide his hand, but Secretary Tak sent a sly signal with his eyes to say that only made Yoonshin look suspicious.

He should have argued that he would wear it on a chain.

Secretary Tak's faithfulness to Sehun was bizarrely high. He wasn't a person to say something weird in front of others. However, there was a thing called chance, which made Yoonshin anxious.

While Yoonshin was feeling disquieted, Secretary Tak said tersely, like a judge reading out his final orders. Yoonshin, the office manager, and the staff all paid close attention. "Here's my brief. Senior Attorney Kang has a ring on his left ring finger. It's a white metal, round with a corner. We all know that he has no time to go on dates... So I'm thinking it's a long-term girlfriend, and they can leave each other alone for long stretches of time, don't you? That's what I think at least."

Just imagining Sehun flaunting the symbol of his possession and neglecting him was horrible. Yoonshin ground his teeth silently.

The office manager retorted after listening carefully. She was surprised at her first impression of seeing the ring, but thinking about it level-headedly, she must have noticed a few odd points. "Rather than that, don't you think he wore anything to fend off people who keep trying to have a pass at him? It looks too plain to be a matching ring for Attorney Kang. Plus, it seems very abrupt, since we see him every day aside from the weekends."

Secretary Tak agreed with her nonchalantly. "That's what I thought too at first, but I guess only time will tell. Even if he gets married, we won't get invited. Only Director Song will probably receive an invitation. Now, I'll give you five minutes to spread the news through the internal messenger. Let's vent it out and get to work."

As Secretary Tak walked behind Yoonshin who was beyond the partitions, he gave the younger lawyer a profound look. It was as if he were telling Yoonshin, "You're going to participate in this too, so this isn't a problem for me to say, right?"

Thrown off again, Yoonshin bowed silently to the secretary, returning to his room. He closed the door and peeked outside the window to see the staff all excitedly tapping at their keyboards. He could almost hear the fervor of typing from beyond his walls.

He wondered if a ring was that much to get excited over, but he could understand, considering that the subject was Sehun.

Yoonshin burst out into a peal of laughter and sat at his desk.

Then, he carefully brought his lips to the band on his left hand and started yet another normal day.

Today was finally a day when both could leisurely spend time together. Sehun was wearing comfortable loungewear and sitting on the couch, kissed by the warm rays of sunlight. Yoonshin was leaning comfortably against the older man.

Fitting into each other, they flipped through a thin booklet of art by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Every time the thick and stiff paper was flipped, Sehun kissed the other's silky hair.

Yoonshin wanted to see Sehun's face but also wanted to leave that to the realm of imagination. He knew that Sehun would be making a face reflecting the fact that he let down all his defenses around Yoonshin, despite always being on edge around others. If Yoonshin turned around to face Sehun, he would feel so overwhelmed by his love for Sehun that he would burn away all of Sehun Kang's leisure that he was enjoying.

But the longer he imagined, the more he wanted to see that he couldn't stand it.

Eventually, Yoonshin turned his head around instead of leaning on Sehun's shoulder and receiving kisses. He made the thin skin of their lips meet.

Acting independent of Yoonshin's wishes, after Sehun casually kissed Yoonshin on the lips, he grabbed Yoonshin's chin to turn it back to face the front.

"You're so slow in flipping the page. Face the front."

"You're weird for turning enjoying art into a race."

"You read slowly too."

"I've never lost in speed reading elsewhere. You're abnormal in that aspect too."

"I miss the Yoonshin Do who'd boast about his speed-reading skills."

That was from a very long time ago. Yoonshin recalled the time when he met Sehun for the first time in Sehun's office at the firm and fidgeted. He was suddenly overcome with curiosity.

Now that he thought about it, he didn't know why they never talked about this before.

"Sunbae, when did you start liking me?"

Sehun hummed, in deep thought, and replied placidly, "I don't remember."

"Liar. Remember when you bragged about your excellent metacognition skills?"

"I really don't remember."

Yoonshin was sure it was the opposite.

Yoonshin leaned his head back to bump his head against Sehun's chin, then shifted to a comfortable position. Sehun must not have wanted to tell Yoonshin. Judging by this reaction, Yoonshin thought that perhaps he would never know the exact moment when Sehun fell in love. However, he could deduce one thing.

Sehun Kang liked Yoonshin first.

If Yoonshin liked Sehun first, Sehun's answer wouldn't have been "I don't remember" at least.

Yoonshin chuckled mirthfully and leaned back further into Sehun's arms. Then, his eyes followed Sehun's elegant fingers along the paintings.

This oil painting on cardboard held by the Musee d'Orsay captivated Yoonshin. Two women with pixie cuts were asleep in a bed together. The two looked very comfortable and filled with trust in each other. They surely were having sweet dreams.

Yoonshin wished Sehun's face was as peaceful as this when lying next to him. When Sehun pulled Yoonshin close and fell asleep, he looked the most relaxed. However, it looked like they still had a long way to go before Sehun could fall asleep in complete comfort. On the bright side, they now had all the time in the world to contemplate modest but great changes.

Yoonshin fidgeted in Sehun's embrace a bit more before bringing up a suggestion.

"How about we go on a honeymoon? Do you think the Orsay will have this painting up? I've never been to France before," Yoonshin said as he rubbed his head against Sehun, and Sehun was silent for a moment.

It wasn't Sehun if he didn't play hard to get.

When Sehun pretended to reject Yoonshin, it only fired up his desire to win. Yoonshin glanced down at Sehun's left hand, and as if he saw this reaction coming, he added, "Overseas in a nearby country is okay too."

"I think domestic travel could be acceptable too. Instead, we have to go to the seaside. With an option for a villa with a pool: Yoonshin offered. He was about to turn a page when Sehun stopped

Yoonshin. The younger man didn't want to be brushed over like this, so he emphasized, "If you don't want to call it a honeymoon, then how about we just travel for the sake of traveling? How about agreeing now?"

After Yoonshin attempted to batter down the others defenses, Sehun eventually gave in. "Sure. Let's try to make time in the near future."

Sehun agreed more readily than he thought, so Yoonshin's head whipped around. "...Really?"

"To wherever you want to go."

"For real?"

"For whatever purpose you wish."

The warmth of Sehun's lips as he stamped on the token of his promise pulled Yoonshin's heartstrings. Yoonshin closed his eyes while the lips landed on him before opening them again.

Their eyes met, exchanging gazes.

Suddenly, Yoonshin recalled the story about the blue rose that he had read somewhere.

Sometimes, he thought about that flower when he saw Sehun, who was in love with him.

At first, the meaning of the blue rose was "impossibility." There were no genes to produce the blue pigment in the rose, so they could only dye white roses blue. But after one person's extended research into genetic engineering, they eventually produced blue flowers, and the meaning changed to "miracle: which was quite the romantic outcome.

Sehun's tiny world had expanded, and Yoonshin was inside that universe. Yoonshin's expansive world had shrunk, but inside, Sehun existed. The blue rose that they had blossomed together was in each other's hands.

Yoonshin locked his hand with Sehun's hands with prominent veins. He shifted positions so that they were back in the same position as before, with Yoonshin comfortably leaning against Sehun. Their clasped hands held love in a million forms, more than Yoonshin, who was always honest and expressive, could ever put to words.

Silently feeling their temperatures, Sehun said in a subdued voice, reluctantly squeezing out a secret that he wanted to hide, "I think it was love at first sight for me. Even though I didn't know until we met again."

Yoonshin gasped loudly.

He whipped his head around, eyes wide as he stared at Sehun.

Sehun kissed Yoonshin's hair as usual, then turned Yoonshin's head back to the front. He smiled as he flipped another page.

Side Story 3

On a languid early spring day, with the sun draping its warm embrace over the earth, the office building of Doguk Law Firm was a scene of controlled chaos, reminiscent of a train caught in the throes of a malfunction. The air was filled with a cacophony of ringing telephones and whirring printing machines, sounds that reverberated from every corner. Remarkably, amid this bedlam, the staff handling these disturbances moved with an extraordinary restraint.

They navigated the late hours and hectic environment with an ease born of habit.

The two co-CEOs of Doguk, Sehun and Mihee, epitomized this composure.

Emerging from a marathon meeting that had stretched for hours, they were silently shadowed by a procession of attorneys, clad in sharp suits.

Mihee, with a dismissive wave of her hand, signaled the end of the day's demands. She then leaned closer to Sehun, her voice a hushed murmur.

"Didn't they mention a desire to meet us soon? It appears they're eager to introduce their daughter to you."

Sehun remained silent until the attorneys had offered polite farewells and departed. As the corridor settled into a quieter rhythm, punctuated only by the diligent employees, he finally spoke, his expression one of sheer disbelief.

"Isn't their daughter still in law school?" he queried, his voice tinted with incredulity.

"Right," Mihee confirmed, her tone echoing remembrance.

"Another favor, then? President Song seems to be clinging to old habits," Sehun remarked, a hint of resignation in his voice.

Mihee's incredulity mirrored his own as she faced him, her expression laden with a need for clarification. "Changed his ways? When was the last time I arranged a placement in the firm?" she countered.

"Well, I won't be part of it. Tell them to let her graduate and follow the official hiring process. No shortcuts."

Mihee's response was swift, "Sorry to break it to you, but this isn't about a job favor."

At her words, Sehun halted, turning to face her with a sharpness in his tone and an unmistakable annoyance in his gaze, barely veiling his disdain. "If it's not a favor, then it's something worse. Has President Song lost his mind?" he demanded, his voice tinged with exasperation.

"Isn't it typical for affluent families to arrange marriages for their offspring?" she retorted.

"Why drag me into such transactions? I'm not a commodity to be bartered."

"Oh, right. You're already spoken for, aren't you? I keep forgetting," she teased with a smirk.

Sehun, poised to reply, instead bit his lower lip and leveled a piercing gaze at Mihee. She nonchalantly motioned towards the ring adorning his left ring finger, her face alight with mischief.

In reality, Sehun found such ludicrous propositions distasteful, so Mihee often handled or deflected them herself. There had to be a reason she raised the topic now.

Resuming his stride, he signaled his reluctance to pursue the discussion.

Mihee, evidently entertained, hastened to keep pace with him. Such exchanges had become sporadic yet familiar between the two executives. Whenever Sehun pressed her about work, Mihee's subtle retaliation involved mentioning Yoonshin.

Despite his adeptness in managing myriad complex issues, Sehun invariably found himself floundering in these trivial skirmishes.

"Ah, this is delightful. Who would have thought I'd gain the upper hand over Sehun Kang? It's quite invigorating."

"I've been compiling a list of reasons to dislike you, senior. Let's see how extensive it can get."

"Yet, you seem unusually cheerful these days."

"That's merely because irking you has become a source of amusement. Let's end this here. Don't trail behind me anymore."

With those words marking the conclusion of their exchange, Sehun strode forward, each step resonating with resolve. Meanwhile, Mihee, trailing a bit behind, allowed a soft chuckle to escape her lips.

Although Sehun had ascended to the position of executive, his office remained nestled in its familiar location, the same space he had occupied as a partner.

Perched in the prime spot of the firm, spacious and boasting an impressive view, there was little incentive to relocate.

Mihee had envisioned an office makeover or an expansion to reflect the prestige of an executive, but Sehun had declined, citing stability and comfort in the current setup. Consequently, the transformation of Sehun's office, post-promotion, was limited to the doorplate and nameplate changes.

Executive / Lawyer Sehun Kang

Surveying the new doorplate, Sehun made his way towards his office. He couldn't help but notice the secretariat staff in a flurry of unusual activity.

Typically, they would compose themselves and offer greetings from afar, but today, their attention seemed divided. About half appeared preoccupied, and even Secretary Tak seemed engulfed in confusion and agitation. This unusual scene drew Sehun closer, his brow creased in concern.

Mihee, initially heading towards her own office, seemed to resonate with his curiosity and adjusted her path to join Sehun. Together, the two executives advanced towards the bustling secretariat.

Sehun broke the silence. "Is this a bazaar? Secretary Tak, what's causing this commotion?"

Secretary Tak, previously juggling a cellphone and an internal phone receiver, hastily placed them down as Sehun neared. "Executive Kang! You've been unreachable. I was about to come looking for you."

"A phone call? Did you get a call, Sehun?"

Recognizing Mihee, Secretary Tak nodded in her direction and gestured forward, signaling something significant for both executives to witness.

Sehun, seizing the moment, checked his phone, which he'd set to silent. Just then, Mihee, positioned to Sehun's right, abruptly grasped his shoulder. Given his known aversion to unexpected physical contact, her action spoke volumes of the urgency.

Sehun, visibly puzzled, turned towards her.

"Let go, what's this about?"

"Executive Kang, you need to see this." Her finger pointed towards the direction indicated by Secretary Tak.

The employees, sensing the gravity, parted ways, presenting Sehun with a clear view. His expression solidified like frost as his eyes landed on the large monitor ahead.

"Unbelievable, who would do this," Mihee exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief and a sharp intake of breath.

Sehun, eyes unwavering, intently scrutinized the video clips and subtitles rolling across the news channel.

The dashcam footage, likely leaked by a whistleblower, captured a chilling scene: a black mid-sized car brutally rear-ended by a large SUV.

[Attorney from Law Firm Doguk]

[Involved in Collision on Gangnam-daero after Exiting Seoul Family

Court]

This incident, unfolding right outside the Family Court, had been captured live by several journalists. The broadcast wrapped up with the reporter noting that police were delving into the accident's specifics.

Throughout the broadcast, Sehun struggled to maintain composure, clinging to a faint hope that Yoonshin Do wasn't the victim.

Secretary Tak, facing Sehun, broke the grim silence with a voice heavy with concern. "The vehicle is the one assigned to Attorney Do for work-related travel. The police have already reached out to our firm."

At that revelation, Sehun's grip on his phone intensified, his knuckles whitening and veins standing out starkly. His face drained of color, and his eyes, usually so impassive, deepened into a troubled, darkened shade. This stark contrast to Mihee's visibly shaken state only amplified the gravity of the moment.

The entire room, picking up on Sehun's unusually muted yet intense reaction, held their breath. No one dared to equate his silence with fear. Sehun was not one to mistake anger for terror.

In the midst of the heavy atmosphere, Secretary Tak, discerning the depth of Sehun's turmoil, stepped closer with a message delivered in a low, urgent tone. "It's natural to feel anger, especially when someone you care about is harmed. Everyone knows you and Yoonshin Do share a close bond."

The notion of someone he cared for being injured struck Sehun with an intensity he couldn't articulate. In his world, there wasn't just 'someone he cared about' - there was only Yoonshin.

While Sehun grappled with his tightly controlled fury, Mihee seemed compelled to take action, her voice tinged with rising emotion.

"What's the status of his condition? What precisely occurred? The reports mentioned he was conscious before the ambulance took him. Who would target one of our own like this?" Mihee's voice swelled with concern and indignation.

Journalists rely on concrete evidence for their stories. The fact that they were framing this incident as an attack on a lawyer from a prestigious firm, despite him being the victim, suggested this was no mere accident. The circumstances were evidently more sinister and complex than a straightforward traffic collision.

As Mihee rapidly sought answers to her barrage of questions, Sehun silently contended with his own turmoil. Sehun's hand trembled slightly as he brushed it across his mouth, a gesture betraying his internal struggle. Despite the improbability, he compulsively checked his phone again, hoping for some missed detail. The list of missed calls was just as empty as before, save for Secretary Tak's attempts to reach him.

The realization that he had been left uninformed about such a critical incident, only learning of it through a news broadcast, gnawed at him.

Mihee, noticing Sehun's uncharacteristic silence, snapped her fingers in front of him to regain his attention. "... Kang, Executive Kang! Haven't you received any information? Aren't you and Attorney Do closely connected?"

Sehun's response came in a voice so low, it seemed to carry the weight of an unexpected burden, "No." The difficulty he faced in voicing even that single word was palpable.

Mihee reeled back slightly at his brief, uncharacteristic answer. "... Why not?

Shouldn't they have informed you?"

His mind was besieged by the same question. Why, in a situation as dire as Yoonshin Do being attacked and injured while on duty, and remaining conscious after the incident, had he, her close colleague and partner, been left completely out of the loop until the news made it public? The omission was as baffling as it was unsettling.

Taking several deep breaths, Sehun extended his hand to Secretary Tak. "Car keys."

Secretary Tak, who had been waiting for Sehun's reaction, quickly emerged from behind the desk partitions.

"The police said the ambulance went straight to Hanguk University, into the operating room. We need to wait for more details, but his injuries weren't life-threatening, so please don't-"

"Car keys!" Sehun's yell dampened the atmosphere into complete silence.

Sehun was not one to raise his voice, typically preferring to exploit others' vulnerabilities and crush them. Seeing him lose his cool and struggle to regain control was unfamiliar to all the staff.

The news of the accident drew the attention of employees on the other side of the hallway, splintering their focus towards the tumultuous secretarial office.

Tactfully, Secretary Tak attempted to change the atmosphere by swiftly retrieving the smart key from his desk drawer.

"Director, it will take at least 10 minutes to find a chauffeur. Could I drive for you instead?"

After being appointed as director, Sehun rarely drove himself to work like he did in the past. Part of it was to maximize his time, but mostly due to Mihee's heartfelt request to never publicly drive a vehicle given his position.

Was Sehun in a good mental state to drive? He wasn't sure he could make it to Hanguk University Hospital in one piece without crashing into the guardrails. Uncertain, Sehun simply turned and started to walk down the hallway empty-handed. Secretary Tak handed his tablet to another secretary and quickly followed Sehun to the elevator.

Watching it all unfold, Mihee tried to hide her worries and shouted to the two, "Attorney Do will be all right. I'll wrap things up here and meet you there. Secretary Tak, you let me know what the situation is like there!"

While the people he left behind scurried to collect themselves, Sehun strode down the hallway. Employees who met him stopped and bowed respectfully.

He ignored all the signs from the firm's executives lined up for him.

Was it normal to feel like laughing when one was so infuriated? At least, Sehun felt that way.

Sehun let out a scoff and stomped straight to the elevator, exclusively for executives. Secretary Tak quickly followed and pressed the button. Sehun only stared straight ahead. He needed to somehow summon reason and good judgment within him.

Sensing the elevator descending, Sehun took a long breath and asked somberly, "Who can we contact immediately at Hanguk University Hospital?"

"We can contact both the president and the chairman, but the chairman would be easier to persuade. Especially since you advised them on the hospital foundation's property tax litigation, on the recommendation of our benefactor."

"Call him immediately. I'll speak to him myself."

"Yes, sir."

"And if it was a surprise attack, there must be someone behind it. Find out who was behind it before the police do."

Secretary Tak stopped mid-scroll through his contacts list. He glanced at Sehun's agitated side profile and decided to tread carefully around this topic.

"Um... What are you planning to do? If they had a grudge against Attorney Do, then they must have some sort of relationship with our firm. If they have deep pockets, then they could easily evade the eyes of the police. It would be risky to do anything to them physically at this moment."

"That's why I'm telling you to find them before I do and deal with them. You need to buy me some time so I can come up with a legal way to handle that scoundrel. I'm this close to exploding, so just say yes."

After a momentary pause, Secretary Tak conceded. "Yes, I understand. I will find them as soon as possible."

Dissatisfied with the sincere affirmation, Sehun clenched his jaw.

The elevator finally reached the parking garage, and the doors opened with a soft mechanical whir.

Despite his unwavering steps, Sehun appeared unstable, unlike his usual self.

Secretary Tak gnawed his lips in worry for his superior but quickly followed suit.

***

Sehun stood outside the hospital room, phone pressed to his ear, kneading the stiff muscles in his neck. His day had passed in a chaotic blur, evident in his subdued voice.

"Okay, call me after you confirm. No, I probably won't be able to sleep. You can call me whenever. Mhm."

The window across the hallway revealed the lateness of the hour. Sehun let out a deep sigh upon ending his call, briefly gazing at the lonely cityscape bathed in nighttime before quietly making his way back to the patient room.

Entering the threshold, he found Yoonshin soundly asleep. Carefully approaching the bed, he settled himself next to the sleeping man.

The events of a few hours ago, which had nearly driven him to insanity, felt like a distant and tedious nightmare. Sehun still couldn't fully grasp the reality of the situation. Reflecting on how he had arrived here, what he had done upon arrival, and the emotions he had experienced, he marveled at having survived it all.

Though he hadn't measured his temperature, he felt it—that the news had caused the blood in his body to drop a few degrees. A wave of fatigue washed over him in the aftermath.

"He's sleeping so peacefully. Even though he nearly drove me to insanity,"

Sehun mused.

Thankfully, Yoonshin's injuries were not severe. His fingers and leg were fractured, requiring surgery. He complained of hip pain, but the prognosis deemed it not severe enough for surgery. While Yoonshin's injuries were more than minor, they were not life-threatening, a huge relief for Sehun. The doctors strongly advised rest for Yoonshin, prompting Sehun to have him moved to one of the private rooms, normally reserved for VVIP patients, offering the best views.

Sehun couldn't tell whether the assailant had intended only this level of injury. If they truly wanted to kill Yoonshin, they wouldn't have rear-ended his car in the middle of a crowded city street. There were no personal or professional links between Yoonshin and the assailant. In other words, it was likely that the driver was hired for the purpose. The mastermind behind it all wanted to send a message of warning or threat.

Yoonshin slept deeply, almost unnaturally so. After gazing at his still form for a moment, Sehun's eyes shook with anxiety.

Unable to hide his fear, he hurriedly pressed his ear against Yoonshin's chest.

Sehun felt the steady rise and fall of the other man's breath and the soft thumps of his heartbeat with all his senses.

Yoonshin was alive.

He was not dead. He was undoubtedly, unquestionably alive.

Sehun clenched his fists and let out a sigh of relief.

"Yoonshin Do," he called out in his mind. Why had he ever entertained the thought of losing him?

Sehun had never once considered the possibility of losing Yoonshin. They both lived in the present, and Yoonshin was firmly rooted in it. Yoonshin never let Sehun starve for love or gave room for doubt in their relationship.

So, hours earlier, when Sehun felt his entire being freeze up, he was terrified.

He had never felt like this in his life.

The abundant and unconditional trust and faith Yoonshin gave him were not simply shallow professions of love.

Sehun's rigid expression softened, and he sat back up. Then, he noticed the matching ring that Yoonshin had to take off for surgery on the bedside table.

"Keep it on properly. How dare you pretend to be single?"

Sehun brought the ring over and carefully slid it onto Yoonshin's left ring finger. It still fit snugly. Overwhelmed by a passionate impulse, Sehun leaned in and kissed the ring. Stirred awake by the motion, Yoonshin's leaden lids lifted slowly.

Yoonshin seemed to be assessing the situation.

Silence hung between them.

Sehun waited patiently, and in response, Yoonshin squeezed out his voice.

"Sehun..?"

Yoonshin's voice cracked, gravelly from disuse. Sehun clearly heard, but for some reason, he didn't answer. His expression, usually resolute, now betrayed indecision. One thing was clear-Sehun's nerves were taut.

Yoonshin peered up at him, lying down before deciding it would be better to sit up and talk face-to-face. But he lacked the strength to bring himself up.

Watching the infirmed man struggle, Sehun finally sighed. He helped Yoonshin sit up in a comfortable position. Sehun's hands gently supported Yoonshin into a seated position but then retreated, cold and distant.

Finally at eye level with the other man, Yoonshin sounded troubled.

"They said I wasn't hurt badly. The car was sturdy and helped protect me..."

Yoonshin sounded weaker than usual, but his clear and gentle manner of speaking confirmed his reality. Sehun contemplated Yoonshin's words and gazed at the younger man's guileless face. He stared into Yoonshin's bright, alert eyes for a few moments before speaking, his tone unremarkably dull after a pregnant pause.

"Yeah, I heard from the physician. You must have been shocked."

"I was pretty shocked. I've rarely felt someone be so malicious towards me, wanting to harm me... Well, I guess it comes with the territory of the work we do. Sometimes, we have to be somebody's antagonist out of necessity."

Yoonshin stoutly accepted his situation, his expression clear of negativity. Part of it was his attempt to relieve some of the tension from Sehun's face, though it seemed ineffective.

With the same air of indifference, Sehun said, "I investigated while you were asleep. You're still very swollen from the surgery. How is your pain?"

"Maybe it's because I just woke up, but I feel fine. I feel lucid."

"Long-term effects from motor vehicle collisions are common. You need to pay close attention to any difference, no matter how slight, and if you feel any difference, consult a doctor..." In the middle of his advice, Sehun's calm voice faltered. He couldn't finish his sentence.

His patience, used up in pretending to be okay, had finally run thin.

He tried to form words so that Yoonshin wouldn't worry about him. But despite repeated attempts, he found it impossible to make a sound. He could only sigh, the sigh laden with a complex tangle of worry and relief.

He had thought he had finally calmed down, but he had been mistaken. The terror he felt when he heard about the accident still gripped him, choking him

-Sehun felt this intimately. He had only just escaped its grasp and truly felt relieved when he learned that Yoonshin was alive and well-sitting, looking, and talking to him in his usual gentle voice.

"Sehun..? Are you okay?"

Truth be told, Sehun was not quite okay.

Sehun fixed his gaze on Yoonshin, silently urging him to let him hear Yoonshin's voice more than his own.

Yoonshin, always attuned to Sehun's needs, caught the message. "You seem more shaken than I am. Look, I'm talking to you just like always. I'm okay."

Unable to find words to respond to Yoonshin's thoughtful attempt at comfort, Sehun only clenched his fist tighter.

Sensing the need for a change in conversation, Yoonshin brightened his tone, sounding more cheerful than usual. "What about my sister? I thought I saw her before I passed out. I asked her to come because they said they needed someone to consent for my surgery."

Thankfully, Sehun picked up on Yoonshin's attempt to shift the mood. After steadying his breath, he replied softly, "She went back home to tuck her kids into bed. She said she'll arrange for someone to look after them for the next few days, so she'll be back tomorrow morning."

"What about you?"

"I..."

"You?"

The answer Yoonshin sought was evident from the patient expression on Sehun's face. Despite understanding it, Sehun hesitated to answer too quickly.

The questions that had been suppressed while he battled his own anxiety and worry finally spilled out in disorganized fragments once he was certain of Yoonshin's safety.

When he could finally speak, Sehun's tone was subdued and tinged with sadness. "Are you at all curious about where I'll be tonight?"

Yoonshin nervously bit his well-moisturized lower lip.

He knew the inevitable moment had arrived.

The moment their eyes met in the hospital room, Yoonshin sensed that Sehun was behaving differently than usual. He could see the unspoken questions swirling in Sehun's mind, yet restrained out of concern for Yoonshin's well-being.

Undeterred, Yoonshin extended his left hand-the one not in a cast-towards Sehun. Despite their closeness, Sehun hesitated to reciprocate Yoonshin's touch. Yoonshin wanted to convey through his gesture that it was okay to reach out, that he wasn't going to vanish. He wanted his warmth to reassure Sehun.

However, Sehun's reaction was unexpected. He stared but didn't return the gesture. In fact, he seemed to actively avoid Yoonshin's touch.

Yoonshin was accustomed to Sehun's hesitant responses, born from Sehun's unfamiliarity with such displays of affection. But this rejection felt different - it was laden with Sehun's emotions. Sehun Kang had always reciprocated Yoonshin's affection, albeit in his own unique way. Yoonshin had always felt Sehun's love, expressed in various forms.

"You must be angry that I got hurt."

"Does that matter to you?"

"How can you say that? You mean everything to me. Can you put everything else aside for a moment and just hug me? I've missed you."

Sehun took a few deep breaths, rendered speechless by Yoonshin's honesty even in the midst of being questioned. Unfolding his arms, Sehun rubbed his face wearily before meeting Yoonshin's gaze with his piercing eyes.

"Am I important to you?" Sehun asked.

"Is that even a question? Of course, you are."

"And what about you? What do you think you are to me?"

"Of course, I would be the most important to you. Wow, you made me say that out loud myself. That's amazing, even for you." Yoonshin attempted to diffuse the tension with a joke, but it fell flat.

Sehun swiftly shut down the attempt with a sharp interjection. "Really? You say that, but I don't think you mean it."

"What's wrong? Why are you saying that..?"

"Right after your accident, it seems you contacted Director Ikyung Do instead of me. You needed her to act as your guardian for the surgery. The hospital reached out to her, and the police contacted the firm's secretary's office.

Meanwhile, I found out about what happened through the news. Does any of this make sense to you? Because it doesn't to me. Can you help me understand?"

Was it resentment? No, it felt less like that; more like an uncomfortable inquiry. Perhaps it was a complaint, albeit a stronger one. Yet beneath it all, there simmered an undercurrent of frustration and anger in Sehun's unusually somber tone.

Upon hearing this, Yoonshin finally grasped the root of the issue.

Yoonshin had questioned whether Sehun could handle additional responsibilities on top of his already hectic schedule, yet the older lawyer managed to do so. Yoonshin had felt helpless, unable to contribute much, and thus, he endeavored not to burden Sehun further. However, that didn't mean Yoonshin excluded Sehun from his affairs-he needed to rectify this misunderstanding.

Armed with an explanation, Yoonshin began to persuade Sehun. "You had an important meeting today."

"A meeting..?"

"Yes, I did check your schedule before I left this morning. I was hoping we could grab dinner together tonight."

"If you wanted to have dinner with me, you should have just asked me directly, not consulted my schedule."

"Well, it seemed like you were busy ..."

"What makes you think you get to decide that? What does that have to do with my schedule? If you wanted to dine together, you should have insisted.

You should have reminded me that even in the midst of my busy schedule, I could make time for you. Who else will stand up for your rights if you don't?

I'm yours-did you forget that?"

Perhaps when Yoonshin saw Sehun's packed schedule and resigned himself to not having dinner with his partner, he momentarily forgot that fact. Yoonshin had thought he shouldn't even be a minor obstacle in Sehun's path.

Yoonshin was left speechless as Sehun continued, "So, to sum it up, you didn't inform me that you were hit in the street because I was in a crucial meeting. Because I was working and you didn't want to disturb me."

Yoonshin nodded meekly. Sehun was at a loss for words. Yoonshin's logical decision seemed to infuriate Sehun. His expression twisted as if he had heard the exact opposite of what he wanted.

"Right, a disturbance. Yeah, you shouldn't disturb me. If you were to pass away during my business trip, just inform me after the funeral. It would be too much of a distraction if I found out you had passed away while I was working, right?"

"How could I burden someone as busy as you with everything? I can't bother you with every little thing. You've taken on so much responsibility that I can't complain about the small stuff."

Sehun clenched his jaw, his voice rising for the first time since entering the room.

He was seething, an indescribable anger coursing through him.

"Trivial..?" Even after shouting, Sehun felt so overwhelmed that he stood up. He couldn't grasp what to say next, pacing around the bed. Realizing that being near Yoonshin wouldn't help, he perched on the windowsill, bathed in moonlight.

The terror of the moment the car crashed into him was etched into Yoonshin's memory. Yoonshin was hurt and weary, longing for Sehun's comfort. But with Sehun pushing him away, Yoonshin began to feel a deep sense of desolation.

He bit his bottom lip, a silent plea for Sehun's consolation. Yet Sehun seemed intent on keeping his distance.

Dejected, Yoonshin clutched the thin hospital sheets. He glanced down, noticing that Sehun had put on his ring for him, a gesture that flooded him with conflicting emotions. He was upset because he understood why Sehun was angry with him. He lifted his head to peek at Sehun, only to find the other man watching him with a pallid face.

"Why are you sulking when you were in the wrong?"

"If you had just told me you love me, I would have known you were worried."

"Are you flaunting your intelligence in front of me? If you had any sense, you wouldn't do that."

"Should I apologize? Should I get on my knees and beg?"

"Don't you dare."

"Then come here. As you can see, I can't come to you."

Yoonshin patted his bed with his free hand, and Sehun slowly pushed himself off the windowsill with his arms. He closed the distance he had created between them and soon sat on the edge of the bed. Sehun tenderly caressed Yoonshin's soft cheek, gently turning the younger man's head to meet his gaze.

Yoonshin's flustered eyes willingly met Sehun's, but Sehun refrained from offering immediate comfort to his sullen lover. He wanted to make a point clear, speaking in a much calmer tone.

"Yoonshin Do."

"Yes, Sehun?"

"It seems you still don't understand, so let me make it clear. There's nothing trivial about you."

"..."

"Nothing about you is insignificant or trivial to me. So..." Sehun couldn't finish his sentence. The depth of his unspoken concerns was beyond Yoonshin's comprehension. Sehun's stoic facade crumbled, revealing his true emotions. His unwavering gaze conveyed the certainty of his feelings, embedding a silent confession deep into Yoonshin's heart.

As always, Yoonshin grasped the underlying message hidden within Sehun's words. He understood that nothing mattered more to Sehun than him, and every small detail was precious. Sehun's seemingly considerate gestures were not in his best interest; they were expressions of his profound love. Yoonshin realized this simple truth.

The reason Sehun was so shaken was because Yoonshin had underestimated his own significance in Sehun's life.

Overwhelmed by emotion, Yoonshin leaned into Sehun's palms, seeking solace in the touch of his skin, finding stability and security in the warmth of his embrace.

"Did it upset you, not being able to be with me when I was scared?" Yoonshin asked, searching Sehun's face for an answer.

Sehun remained silent, but Yoonshin understood the weight of his silence.

Countless worries must have plagued Sehun's mind while Yoonshin was unconscious. It pained Yoonshin to witness Sehun grappling with new and unfamiliar emotions like fear and anxiety. He longed to shield Sehun from such distressing feelings, yet he grappled with the complexity of knowing that Sehun was experiencing them because of him.

Meeting Yoonshin's gaze with understanding, Sehun resumed his interrupted thoughts. "I can manage my work one way or another. You can be as self-centered as you wish, and I will gladly comply with your every desire. Don't allow me to leave you feeling lonely when you're in pain or sorrow. Consider this not as a warning..."

"Then, as a threat?"

"I'm simply asking this of you."

Yoonshin fell into a tense silence, grappling with Sehun's unexpected vulnerability. "So I hope you'll heed it. With the depth of my feelings, I could almost kneel and beg you to comply."

Orders and directives seemed more fitting for Sehun than humble requests.

Throughout the years of their relationship, Yoonshin had never witnessed Sehun making requests of anyone. Sehun had always occupied a position where requests were unnecessary in his adult life. The arrangement between him and Director Song regarding Yoonshin's sister had been more of a transaction than a request, devoid of any genuine consideration. Perhaps this was the first instance where Sehun truly submitted to someone.

Lost for words, Yoonshin stumbled over his response. "Alright, I understand.

I'll request your permission for everything I wish to do with you, and I'll inform you first whenever something happens. I promise all of that... but could you refrain from making it a request?"

Feeling that a mere question wouldn't suffice, Yoonshin gently guided Sehun's hand away from his cheek. Placing Sehun's left hand on the bed, Yoonshin covered it with his own, intertwining their fingers. The rings they wore, each of a different design, chimed softly as they touched. In that moment, Sehun's expression softened, a silent acknowledgment of Yoonshin's pledge, warming Yoonshin's heart. It seemed now was the time for mutual comfort.

"Embrace me, please," Yoonshin whispered.

Sehun tenderly brushed aside Yoonshin's soft bangs, planting kisses on both eyelids before gently pressing his lips to Yoonshin's, then wrapping his arms around his injured lover who lay helpless in the hospital bed. Fearing that even the slightest breeze might carry Yoonshin away or a small amount of pressure might harm him, Sehun couldn't hold him tightly. Instead, he cradled Yoonshin's head against his chest, stroking the back of his lover's head with care.

He peppered kisses on Yoonshin's disheveled locks, but it wasn't enough.

Sehun tilted his head, pressing kisses to Yoonshin's forehead, cheeks, eyebrows, and the rest of his face. Yoonshin lifted his face, and their lips met in another tender kiss.

Yet, their longing remained unquenched. Eventually, Yoonshin sought to deepen the kiss, slipping his tongue between Sehun's lips. Sehun teased the tip of Yoonshin's tongue before pulling away, shaking his head.

"No, that's enough. Stop tempting me."

"Why?" Yoonshin questioned softly.

"You can't engage in sex for now," Sehun explained gently.

"But I think we could.. if we're careful with the positions. And if you're not rough with me."

"See? You know why we shouldn't."

"..."

"Even though we might find ways to be careful with positions and avoid roughness, you're still recovering. You almost died, and you need rest. I think you should sleep some more."

Yoonshin felt Sehun's caring gaze upon him, silently assuring him that they would address everything else later. But for now? Yoonshin couldn't fathom how long "for now" would last. Determined to recover quickly, he rubbed the spots that had made contact with Sehun in a playful protest.

"I woke up because of you. So put me back to sleep," Yoonshin teased.

"I will. Give me your hand," Sehun responded with a hint of amusement.

"What am I, a child?" Yoonshin retorted.

"Yes, of course you are. You're basically a baby. Hand, please."

Not minding the playful banter, Yoonshin raised his free hand obediently.

Sehun gently guided it to his neck, wrapping it around himself before helping Yoonshin lie down comfortably. With his injuries, Yoonshin had no choice but to remain on his back, unable to shift position. He turned his head, attempting to look at Sehun more comfortably with his eyes.

Failing to find a comfortable position, Yoonshin couldn't help but complain,

"For some reason, I feel like I'm being tortured."

Sehun chuckled, brushing Yoonshin's hair away from his forehead. Planting a kiss on the bare skin, he made a loud smooching sound, causing Yoonshin's face to flush red immediately, much to Sehun's delight. With Sehun leaning over him, Yoonshin lightly tugged at the older man's tie, drawing him closer.

The air between them thickened with sweetness as their lips met, their kisses soft and gentle, as if savoring the delicate touch of each other's skin rather than delving into each other's mouths. Their sighs mingled on their glistening lips, enveloping them in an intimate moment.

Resisting the urge to deepen the kiss, Sehun pulled away, sending a firm message to Yoonshin with his eyes. Yoonshin's lips twisted in dissatisfaction, silently pleading for more, but Sehun remained steadfast, standing upright.

To break the tension, Yoonshin diverted the conversation. "When you heard I was hurt, you didn't become overly agitated, vent your anger on someone else, or run around in confusion, did you?"

Sehun's past actions flashed through his mind. He had indeed been extremely worked up, lashing out at the innocent Secretary Tak, and fluttering about in distress. Admitting to these shameful moments would mean acknowledging that he had fulfilled Yoonshin's expectations.

Yet, his conflicted expression quickly faded, replaced by nonchalance.

"I remained composed throughout. Very calm," he asserted.

"Really? That's a shame," Yoonshin remarked with a hint of disappointment.

"Why, are you disappointed?" Sehun asked.

"A little, honestly, but today isn't the day for me to say that. I plan to sulk in a few days," Yoonshin replied with a soft smile.

Sehun chuckled, patting Yoonshin's chest gently. "Sleep now, truly. I want to see you resting peacefully."

"How long will you stay?" Yoonshin asked.

"As long as I can," Sehun answered sincerely.

The night sky outside the window seemed grayer than usual. Sehun leaned in closer to Yoonshin, ensuring the younger man couldn't see. With gentle hands, he closed Yoonshin's eyelids, shrouding his vision in darkness.

No more words were exchanged. Yielding to the other's wishes, Yoonshin meekly allowed his eyes to be veiled in darkness.

The hospital room filled with the slow, steady rhythm of their breathing. The tranquility between them was as natural and soothing as oxygen.

It wasn't often, but whenever he had the chance, Sehun enjoyed observing Yoonshin's sleeping figure. This reminded him that he hadn't done this in a while-hadn't had the leisure of watching Yoonshin for a long time. In that interval, Yoonshin must have harbored many concerns as he watched Sehun grow busier by the day. Today was the culmination of that. So, to apportion the blame, Yoonshin was merely being reasonably considerate, and Sehun was at fault.

With a gentle kiss on the tip of Yoonshin's nose, Sehun pulled away completely, allowing Yoonshin to sink into a deeper slumber. Moonlight filtered through the window, casting a gentle glow upon the couple.

Just then, a long message arrived in Sehun's inbox: "We found the mastermind."

Sehun read the message with sharp focus, biting his lip in contemplation.

Setting his phone aside on the bedside table, he returned his gaze to Yoonshin.

***

The sun had yet to rise above the horizon.

Sehun checked his watch before rising to his feet. Five minutes to five...

He had hurried to the hospital immediately after his meeting, leaving him with a backlog of work that he hadn't had time to finish the night before.

While he had delegated most urgent tasks to Secretary Tak, there were a few approvals he had postponed.

Although he had chosen this voluntarily, Sehun still couldn't believe he had pushed back tasks to the next day. Regardless, if he wanted to visit his home to freshen up before leaving, he needed to go to work earlier than usual to complete these tasks. With Ikyung Do set to return past six in the morning, he couldn't linger any longer at the hospital.

As he turned to depart, Sehun hesitated. Should he kiss Yoonshin goodbye?

But he worried the younger man might wake up. Silently slipping out, he adjusted his disheveled suit and left the room. The hallways were deserted, the ambiguous twilight devoid of any signs of life. Approaching the elevator, Sehun was caught off guard when someone else arrived on the floor.

With a soft ding, the elevator doors opened, revealing the woman he had encountered earlier that morning-Ikyung.

"Oh, Director Kang. You were... still here?" she greeted, surprise evident in her voice.

Sehun could read the confusion on Ikyung's surprised face. It was obvious that she would be shocked and confused. Sehun was ridiculously busy and it would make no sense for him to kill time from the night previous to the morning in his junior's hospital ward.

Starting from the moment Ikyung bumped into Sehun in the hospital, seeing the director of a law firm come to the hospital for a senior associate, summoning both the chairman and president to check on Yoonshin, and handling everything from the attending physician to the type of room, Ikyung felt that Sehun was excessive. She knew that the two had overcome several obstacles and hardships, resulting in their closeness. She hoped that Sehun's care for Yoonshin stemmed from their senior-junior relationship.

But meeting Sehun here at this time of day was no doubt, extremely suspicious.

Despite reading the suspicion on Ikyung's face, he dealt with the situation unperturbed. "I thought you said that you would return past six."

Although their meeting was unexpected, Sehun looked unfazed, which puzzled Ikyung.

"Yes, but the kids' babysitter came early. I had time to spare... How is Yoonshin?"

"He fell back asleep not too long ago. He won't be able to sleep again if you wake him up, so stay quiet."

"Oh, yes. I understand. But were you here until now?"

"That's why we bumped into each other, no?"

"I guess you're right..."

"Do you have further business with me?"

"No... not really."

"Great. I had things to take care of. Well, then." Sehun nodded to Ikyung and walked past her.

On the surface, he had asked for permission, but it was ultimately a refusal to continue the conversation. His exit was so smooth that Ikyung went with the flow, but her brain quickly caught up, analyzing this situation. No matter how much she thought about it, she could not find the answer. She had questions about why Sehun was here until this time, but the most perplexing point was Sehun's warning as if he knew that Yoonshin was a light sleeper.

Unable to let him leave with so many unanswered questions, Ikyung ran to the elevator which was just about to close, pressed the button, and called Sehun, "Excuse me, Director Kang?"

Sehun was adjusting his jacket sleeve and glanced up. "What is it?"

Ikyung had a lot to say. Her mouth felt full of words that wanted to burst out.

To be exact, she had many questions. Most of them—no, all of them —were related to Yoonshin.

But now that Sehun was in front of her, she could not bring herself to ask anything. She shoved her most desperate questions back in her mind and instead brought up something that Sehun could willingly answer, where the answer was something Ikyung could be comfortable hearing.

"I heard that the perpetrator was taken into police custody, but you said that there might be someone else behind the attack. That you didn't think that the driver did this because he had a grudge against Yoonshin. I heard that they wouldn't be able to catch the mastermind."

"I don't know. The police are still investigating, so maybe they will find something."

"Working at the firm... isn't dangerous, right? After this incident, I'm worried. This is completely on a different level from the novelist incident... You only see someone purposely rear-ending another car in the movies. If there is anything I could do, please let me know."

A complicated look crossed Sehun's face.

Sehun wanted to say something to the effect of "Don't even think about taking away Yoonshin from me because you think his work is dangerous." He also wanted to advise her that he would be solely in charge of paying back for what happened today. To completely abridge his words, he felt a strong urge to warn her that Yoonshin was his, so she should mind her own business.

But ever the careful man, Sehun did not blurt out his thoughts and instead replied calmly, "It's rare, but there are occasions when there is a risk to our physical security, so I can't make any promises. That's why we have a security team. Depending on the need, we could use attacks like these to start a media circus in our favor."

"Director, Yoonshin respects you a lot. Saying something so cold and detached like that is—"

"You're the one who forced Yoonshin into Doguk."

Ikyung couldn't deny that she played a part in that. It was true. Ikyung could not hold back Sehun any longer, as he was being uncooperative. She smiled kindly and replied in a self-reflective manner.

"Since blaming others is the easy way out. I'm sorry about that."

"Is there anything else?"

"No, take care on your way out. I will see you later. Thank you very much for taking care of everything the other day."

Sehun pressed the close button. Ikyung bowed respectfully and watched the doors slide shut. When the doors were completely closed, Ikyung stared at her reflection on the doors and fell deep into thought.

Mihee had called her to send her regards and best wishes and offered several accommodations for Yoonshin. The family law team lead and deputy lead also visited briefly and gave their wishes for a speedy recovery. Secretary Tak had come in and out of the hospital until late into the night. But why could she not accept Sehun's concern with an open heart?

All the doubts she had collected over the years that she couldn't vocalize because the subject was Sehun, ironically were explicable because it was about Sehun.

Like a spine stuck in her neck, the silhouette of the handsome man bothered Ikyung.

Ikyung buried her burning questions and desire to dig to the bottom of the mystery deep inside, like every other day.

"No, let's not doubt them. They could be very close, that's all."

This was Pandora's box.

One that Ikyung never dared to open while suppressing the plethora of uncomfortable and suspicious thoughts.

Side Story 4

Secretary Tak silently drove, eyes glued on the road, before he covertly glanced to the side. In the rearview mirror, Sehun was scrolling through his tablet.

He had requested a chauffeur because he wanted to discuss an important matter with his boss, but when Sehun came out, he seemed annoyed at something. It was hard to find the right time to speak up. Sehun didn't show it on his face, but Secretary Tak knew from experience-Sehun had stayed up all night.

When he spotted Sehun sighing, Secretary Tak sensed an opportunity.

"I was also surprised," he said.

Sehun's reflection in the mirror showed his disbelief. He tapped on the tablet in agreement with Secretary Tak. Even in his tapping, Secretary Tak could hear Sehun's annoyance.

Sehun read through the information about a certain lawsuit. If he remembered correctly, Yoonshin was in charge of this one. The lawsuit had completely concluded half a year ago.

"So, you're telling me that Yoonshin was attacked in revenge for a four billion dollar divorce? Not 400 billion-just a mere four billion. And this was all the work of Chairman Won of COP Group?"

COP was a medium-sized business in the food industry, dealing with processing food ingredients and food services. They owned more than 20 subsidiary companies. Although they were not global scale, they were famous in the country for contributing to a fair share of the domestic demand.

About a year ago, Yoonshin received the request from the wife of Chairman Won and took charge of the couple's divorce. They had only been married for a short period and the wife did not contribute much to their joint properties, but she was rewarded with quite a large sum. Sehun remembered Yoonshin being proud of that.

"Well, that's the presumption... If we presume them to be innocent until proven guilty, then..."

"Great, keep on teaching me like that. How nice, feels terrible being taught the law from my secretary."

"I'm sorry... But I heard that Chairman Won was a miser. He was always talking about money."

"I remember Yoonshin telling me that the wife was trembling even when she spent $10. For a miser, four billion is a lot."

"Yes, I was told secretly through a secretary at the chairman's lawyers that he was waiting to get his hands on Yoonshin. Plus, as you can see, there was a suspicious call record left on the burner phone that the driver of the SUV was carrying right before the crash, and it can be traced to the secretarial office of that law firm. The police do not know about this yet."

Growing more on edge, Sehun clutched his tablet. He squeezed his eyes shut, keeping in the surging rage, before opening them to an icy calmness. Sehun returned to his expressionless mask in no time.

"Was there any signs of this? You work with Yoonshin sometimes."

"No, there was nothing special. Their bluffs were quite grand, but Attorney Do handled that courteously. As far as I know, we made no mistakes."

"Then, this is really about the money."

Although he could not speak conclusively to Chairman Won's intentions, Sehun could see the overall sequence of events. Seeing that he did not attack Yoonshin immediately, the attack was closer to a vent than vengeance. Perhaps the anger he had against his ex-wife was redirected to Doguk instead.

Whatever the reason, Sehun had no intention of passing this off. He turned to the next page on the screen and meticulously read through the man's profile.

"I don't think Yoonshin Do would be able to trace back the attacker to this company right away. Don't tell him until he asks," Sehun added.

"The police have launched an investigation. Wouldn't he eventually find out?"

"They caused an accident in the middle of the street. COP plans to pay off the police. There's a chance that the mastermind won't be revealed.

"Oh... that makes sense. Yes, I understand. Is that enough evidence?"

Sehun did not need further evidence that Chairman Won was behind this attack. Sometimes, there was enough circumstantial evidence to explain a situation. Besides, the information Sehun now needed would be difficult for Secretary Tak to procure.

"You've done your part. I'm going to hire a third party now, so make sure you keep your lips sealed."

"What are you planning to do? If it's all right with you, I want to assist you as best as I can. This whole ordeal is ridiculous."

"What else? I'll pay them back as much as I received." Sehun's voice was calm, but his words forewarned that he would make the perpetrator so miserable that he wanted to die.

Upon hearing that, Secretary Tak choked on his breath, leaning into the steering wheel. When he leaned back, he stole a glance at the man in the rearview mirror. Sehun was back to quietly perusing his files.

A few seconds passed in silence.

Sensing the secretary's gaze, Sehun waved at him without lifting his eyes.

Secretary Tak startled and quickly resumed his proper posture.

Sehun stated, "When I signal you, arrange a meeting for me with the director of the National Tax Service. Ask him to bring his Investigation Bureau Section Chief Kim, discreetly."

"I see you're launching your counterattack with tax law, knowing the opposing party's penchant for money."

Secretary Tak hit the nail on the head.

Sehun's initial move on the chessboard was taxation law. While he seldom delved into this arena, he possessed a keen interest in tax affairs, making it one of his strengths.

For businessmen, a tax audit was their worst nightmare. Once under scrutiny by the tax service, they became cautious about expanding or entering major deals. Sehun intended to exploit this fear to his advantage. If Chairman Won's attachment to money was indelible, targeting taxes was a logical starting point.

Some individuals were so shortsighted that they acted first and realized their folly later, often deeply regretting their actions. Sehun typically avoided dealing with such people, but this situation warranted an exception.

"I've rarely seen a miser dutifully pay their taxes. I'll begin with taxation law and conclude with criminal prosecution."

"That man picked the wrong adversary... a relentless one at that. I won't offer my sympathies."

"Oh, and keep Section Chief Kim's attendance confidential. He's aligned with Doguk, but the rest of the staff are unaware. This remains between us, including my strategies concerning Chairman Won."

"To Attorney Do as well? Are you certain you want to keep him in the dark?

He'll be displeased."

"Did Yoonshin decide to withhold information with my approval?"

"What? Not informing you about his accident wasn't secrecy... more like... he did it out of consideration for you..?"

"Eyes on the road."

"Understood," Secretary Tak replied, refocusing on driving. There were few cars on the road at this early hour, but their number was slowly increasing.

Surrounded by silence, Sehun continued reviewing his materials before eventually glancing outside.

Everyone had a sensitive spot that shouldn't be prodded.

Sehun's sensitive spot used to be his pride. He never took lightly to those who wounded it. But now, despite someone once having bruised his ego, Sehun couldn't quite recall how he felt while defending himself. He remembered all the other details, but the emotions seemed distant.

As he pondered this contradiction, Sehun realized that a stronger memory had overwritten his past one. In essence, he'd found something more significant than his pride, which had been his entire identity at the time.

This realization infuriated Sehun.

He intended to strip everything away from the man responsible for the incident, someone who couldn't stomach losing four billion dollars.

He shouldn't have crossed that line, Sehun mused as he rubbed his lips with his large hands.

Despite the day only just beginning, it felt interminably long. Suppressing his urge to return to someone's embrace and meet their lips was always a challenge.

Sehun took a deep breath and returned to his files.

The patient lounge buzzed with activity. Several patients, clad in hospital-issued uniforms, surrounded Yoonshin, who occupied a seat at the central table. He met the gaze of a middle-aged woman seated across from him.

"I've thoroughly reviewed the documents you provided," Yoonshin remarked.

Having spent an extended period in the hospital following his accident, Yoonshin had recovered to the point where he could move around comfortably. A whole season had passed during his stay.

Despite nearly full recovery in his legs and hips, Yoonshin's fractured fingers continued to bother him. However, it wasn't severe enough to hinder his return to work. Only Sehun seemed unwilling to accept this reality.

Disregarding doctors' opinions that Yoonshin could be discharged, Sehun insisted on regular changes to Yoonshin's cast, prolonging his hospital stay.

Yoonshin preferred not to dwell on the cost of the VVIP room, which boasted services akin to luxury hotel suites.

Initially, following his accident, Yoonshin had asked for his clients' understanding and distributed his files among his team members. Now, however, he found himself poring over most of his files in his hospital room.

Yet, Yoonshin felt that this wasn't enough. He yearned to return to the security of his workplace, but he remained uncertain when Sehun would permit it. Consequently, he had taken up the hobby of providing legal consultations pro bono to his fellow patients.

Doguk felt like ill-fitting shoes to him, yet he had never imagined-even in his wildest dreams-that he would one day long to return.

"If there was a flaw in the ingredients, taking administrative measures is the minimum recourse, and you could even pursue legal action. However, litigation can be lengthy, and compensation awarded in Food Sanitation Act cases is often minimal. Instead of lawsuits, it's advisable to utilize the arbitration system established by the government."

The woman facing him had suffered food poisoning after dining at a restaurant. Yoonshin approached her case with the same dedication as any pro bono work for the firm. His words flowed softly, sculpting gentle arcs and lines with his lips.

"I'm not dictating your actions, but have you considered reaching out to others affected? Claims tend to gain more strength when backed by a collective effort."

"So you're suggesting it's a matter of legality, correct?"

"Yes, by addressing all the issues surrounding your injury and assigning blame, you could potentially pursue a negligence claim." Yoonshin offered a gentle smile to the 40-year-old woman before something behind her captured his attention. As he turned his head, the onlookers followed suit, directing their gazes in the same direction.

On the large screen mounted on one side of the wall, the news broadcast caught Yoonshin's eye. Though he couldn't hear everything over the room's din, he gleaned the gist from the headlines scrolling across the bottom of the screen.

A man on the screen faced a barrage of questions from reporters. He was the son of the founder and current chairman of the renowned food product company, COP.

Yoonshin recognized the man with a pang of familiarity.

This man was also the former spouse of one of his clients who had recently prevailed in her divorce lawsuit.

Yoonshin had heard of the string of misfortunes and scandals plaguing Chairman Won's company. From personal scandals involving the owner to issues spanning production, distribution, and sales of food ingredients and products by COP, the truth about the company was coming to light. Moreover, the Fair Trade Commission had issued multiple warnings regarding false advertising, reporting discrepancies by subsidiaries, and other infractions.

Yoonshin could discern the root of it all.

What puzzled him, however, were the actions of the National Tax Service (NTS). It appeared they were poised to launch a special tax audit on COP, alleging underreporting of taxes and the creation of a slush fund. If true, COP would face penalties amounting to billions. Judging by the current circumstances, it seemed the NTS had compelling evidence.

Typically, when a company of COP's stature underwent an audit, it was preceded by ample warning. Companies that generated profits and contributed reasonable tax revenues were beneficial to the economy. Unless there was gross mismanagement, the NTS would alert the company to an impending audit. Yet, with COP in disarray, it was evident to the entire nation that the special audit had been initiated without prior notice.

Everything seemed to be unfolding within the boundaries of the law, leaving Yoonshin with little to say. Yet, he couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that lingered. It wasn't just the timing, intensity, and method that troubled him; it was the systematic erosion of COP's brand value, reminiscent of Sehun Kang's approach to mergers and acquisitions.

Yoonshin couldn't help but entertain the thought that Chairman Won might consider suicide soon.

The chairman seemed besieged from all sides, as if an unseen force were determined to strip him of everything he possessed. The calculated manner in which his downfall was being orchestrated was both cruel and chilling to witness. If the situation continued to deteriorate, the chairman would be left permanently incapacitated with no hope of recovery.

Another nagging concern weighed on Yoonshin's mind-the results of the police investigation into his attack.

Initially, the police had hinted at the possibility of someone else orchestrating the crash. However, they ultimately concluded that the SUV driver had acted alone. Unlike his usual persistence, Sehun had seemed satisfied with this outcome, urging Yoonshin to move on from the incident. At the time, Yoonshin had attributed Sehun's attitude to a desire to erase unpleasant memories, and he had agreed to let it go. But in light of recent events, Sehun's behavior appeared highly suspicious.

In the legal system, sentences were standardized based on the severity of the crime—a societal pact. If the news report about COP was Sehun's way of punishing Yoonshin's assailant, then Yoonshin understood -Sehun showed no mercy.

"Why would someone go to such lengths for money? Looks like the company's downfall is imminent. I wonder if another company is eyeing an acquisition of COP?"

"I heard he went through a divorce not too long ago. Maybe he needs some kind of intervention.."

"What for? There's no redemption for someone playing games with food safety. He's getting what he deserves. Just look at him. He seems like a nasty piece of work anyway."

The room buzzed with chatter about Chairman Won, yet Yoonshin remained oblivious, his gaze fixed on the screen.

The report concluded with grim predictions for the chairman's future.

Suddenly, clips from the divorce proceedings flashed across the screen, drawing the attention of everyone in the lounge to Yoonshin. The footage depicted Chairman Won alongside his ex-wife, descending the courthouse steps, flanked by her lawyer.

"Yes... That's me..." Yoonshin offered an awkward grin.

He attempted to distract attention by rifling through the snacks before him, but to no avail. One gaze, in particular, bore into his cheek with unwavering intensity. Turning to face its source, Yoonshin encountered a young female patient in her mid-twenties, studying him with a determined gaze, her chin propped up on her hand.

Sensing her impending approach, Yoonshin instinctively leaned back and asked, "Is there something on my face?"

"You're much better looking in person."

"Oh... do I not look good on screen?"

"No! You look good on screen too. You resemble your sister a lot. No wonder you looked familiar."

"I did get lucky with the genetic jackpot. My sister is quite the beauty."

"Ikyung Do is dating that lawyer, right? The extremely handsome one at Doguk."

Yoonshin froze, his lips twitching. After years of meeting people, he could usually muster a natural smile no matter how dull the conversation, but it was hard for him to keep up the smile on this topic.

"Oh. I don't think it's my place to talk about my sister's personal life..." Yoonshin said, giving a vague answer with a forced polite smile. He wanted to end the conversation here.

Not too far away, someone brashly knocked on the lounge door. The white noise of conversation in the lounge grew quiet as all eyes turned to the source of the sound. Yoonshin was no exception. To his surprise, Sehun was there, his eyes keen and tense. It seemed like he was the one slamming the door with his palm.

"Huh?"

Pleasantly surprised to see Sehun, Yoonshin beamed as he waved at him. The woman next to Yoonshin also seemed surprised to see the said "extremely handsome lawyer" there as she gasped. A look of confirmation crossed her face, and then her eyes twinkled, promising to keep Ikyung's secret. Several complicated thoughts passed through Yoonshin's head as he saw the woman's reaction.

"He's involved with me, not my sister," he wanted to say, but hesitated to speak it aloud.

This time, Sehun pounded the door once with his fist.

The lounge fell into complete silence.

Sehun's usually impassive mask betrayed a hint of emotion. Rarely did he smile noticeably, but at this moment, he appeared more perturbed than ever.

Sensing that something was amiss, Yoonshin was given no chance to defend himself. Sehun haughtily gestured for Yoonshin to follow and then coldly turned his back on him. Yoonshin watched the slim figure recede and stood up to follow.

"Then, I'll end the consultations here. I have a visitor." The other patients were sad to see him go, but Yoonshin bid his goodbyes and quickened his steps to catch up to Sehun.

Sehun had departed as if he intended to leave Yoonshin far behind, but he was walking slower than usual, mindful of Yoonshin's still-recovering leg. Thanks to that, Yoonshin could quickly catch up. He caught his breath before lightly elbowing Sehun's arm.

"When did you get here? I thought you wouldn't be here for another hour."

"It seems you're doing late-night pro bono in the general ward."

"Since there aren't many people in the VVIP ward and they don't allow me to walk around later in the evening... I thought I would volunteer my skills for the time being. I'm very bored but I have too much free time these days."

"I can see what you're trying to say, so stop that. Going to work is still a no for me."

Yoonshin expected that response. Sheepishly, he glanced down at his finger cast, then stuck close to Sehun, peeking up at the other man. Sehun didn't push him away and replied fairly readily, but he still seemed quite upset about something.

Now was the time to prove his innocence-before they reached a secluded area in the hospital.

"So, what happened just now in the lounge... I'm innocent."

"You were very innocently grinning."

"Because we were talking about my sister."

"I don't know—I think that ticks me off more. You were smiling while thinking about some woman. Isn't that cheating?"

"Of course—!"

Of course, Yoonshin didn't think so.

No, objectively, that couldn't be considered cheating.

Yoonshin pondered how to defend himself this time, but he gave up. When faced with illogical arguments from his partner, Yoonshin found himself twisted up and confused when he tried to reason with words. He had a better chance of winning if he saved his breath.

Setting that aside, Yoonshin longed to touch Sehun, skin to skin. He suppressed his desire, chewing on his bottom lip, and massaging Sehun's muscular arm through his suit as they walked. They continued down the hall like that, crossing the skyway between the hospital buildings until they arrived at the VVIP building. Unlike the building they had left, the air here was pleasant and fresh, but it also enveloped them in an inexplicable silence.

Fewer people wandered the somber hallways.

As they continued their journey, the two fell into silence.

Sehun pulled himself out of his thoughts and asked, as if the question had been bothering him the whole time, "You looked like you were giving out advice. You didn't hand out your business card already, did you?"

Yoonshin wasn't sure who he was talking about, so he asked, "Who do you mean?"

Sehun stopped in front of Yoonshin, blocking his way.

They stood in front of the emergency stairwell that led to Yoonshin's private room.

In a dangerously low voice and icy glare, Sehun repeated Yoonshin's question in utter disbelief, "Who do you mean?"

"Well, no..."

"So you gave your card to several people?"

"No! Just one..."

"So you did give out your business card?"

"I suppose that's how it is...?"

"If I hadn't asked, I would have never known. Since you would have kept your lips shut. Right?"

Yoonshin flinched, at a loss for words.

Accepting the silence as confirmation, Sehun scolded Yoonshin harshly,

"Yoonshin Do. It hasn't been that long since you almost died in a car crash and here you are, giving away your contact info. Are you protesting because I won't let you go to work? Or are you trying to get on my nerves because I interrupted you having a good time volunteering your skills? Did I read between the lines right?"

"Oh... Should I not have done that?"

"You can, but do I have to keep asking? Who?"

"You see..."

"Answer this first. Who?"

Perhaps Yoonshin made a mistake. He had sensed that Sehun was becoming extremely touchy about letting Yoonshin go out in public. He could tell by the way Sehun prevented him from going to work. However, he didn't give out his business card to protest against Sehun. He thought Sehun would accept that much.

The person in question was a victim of an industrial accident whom he had encountered several times in the general patient lounge. Yoonshin couldn't listen to all the legal troubles of everyone he met. But as a professional in labor laws, he couldn't bring himself to turn a blind eye to an industrial accident case.

Yoonshin fidgeted with his finger cast and cautiously said, "It was an industrial accident victim. He fell on site—I gave my contact info to him. He's in his 50s….. and wasn't in the lounge today."

"Industrial accident? Not the woman looking at you with cloying eyes?"

Yoonshin lost his temper at that. "Of course not!"

Yoonshin resisted the urge to tell him that the woman was more interested in the rumors about Ikyung rather than himself, realizing it would only fan the flames, so he stopped himself.

After Yoonshin's explanation, Sehun seemed to soften up slightly. Yoonshin couldn't miss this opportunity. He added, "Should I tell him to return the card? I could refer him elsewhere.."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course. Your feelings are most important to me. If you don't like it, I won't do it."

Quickly checking his surroundings, Yoonshin executed his final move, attacking and defending himself at once. He leaned in with a smile. Sehun stared down at Yoonshin, narrowing his black eyes.

"You've become more cunning... But make sure to verify and authenticate his identity. Give his info to Secretary Tak."

"I knew you'd allow this."

Sehun couldn't help but acknowledge that, yet smirked at Yoonshin, "What do you know?"

"I know that my boyfriend is overflowing with love for me," Yoonshin replied.

"Is he in his right mind?"

Yoonshin giggled bashfully, tugging at Sehun's jacket. Sehun still seemed upset that Yoonshin was surrounded by a crowd and had smiled at a strange woman, but he remained standoffish. Confirming Yoonshin's suspicions, Sehun headed straight toward the elevators where a couple of people were waiting. Yoonshin instead pointed to the stairwell, wanting to walk without interference.

Sehun looked at Yoonshin, then pinched the soft cheek of the younger man.

He pushed open the door to the stairs. When they were finally alone, he scooped up Yoonshin in his arms.

Despite Yoonshin's resistance, Sehun insisted, "I'm being plenty careful.

You're so slow that it's driving me insane. Cooperate."

If Sehun was being careful, he shouldn't have been carrying his boyfriend in a place where anyone could pop out. Yoonshin could have pointed that out, but he chose not to. Sehun wanted to do this, and Yoonshin wasn't against it either, so there was no reason to stop Sehun.

Fortunately, Yoonshin was also admitted for a motor vehicle accident, which provided an excellent excuse for this situation.

Moreover, being carried in Sehun's arms like this brought great joy to Yoonshin.

"When I'm with you... I'm so happy that I get scared sometimes."

Sehun flinched but didn't stop his steps or reply. He didn't ask what Yoonshin meant, but Yoonshin felt like Sehun's silence gave him the answer. The fingers wrapped around his body, the breaths tickling his ears, and the rhythmical beating of Sehun's heart intensified.

Yoonshin clung tightly to Sehun's neck, but it left him wanting more. He buried his face in the other man's broad shoulders.

The two arrived safely at Yoonshin's hospital room.

After locking the door, Sehun gently placed Yoonshin on the bed and then headed to the attached bathroom, presumably to wash his hands. Yoonshin waited patiently for Sehun's return until he noticed a box on the bedside table. He tilted his head in confusion, recognizing a familiar dessert box.

Yoonshin quickly realized that Sehun had stopped by his room first before going to the general ward when he didn't find Yoonshin there. Sehun must have bought it.

That morning, during their morning calls before work, Yoonshin had mentioned wanting a pumpkin pie from a nearby pie shop. Sehun had acknowledged it but hadn't added anything to the conversation. Yoonshin had forgotten about it all day, but seeing that Sehun had stopped at the pie shop touched his heart.

"How did you manage to buy this?"

Sehun glanced behind him where the voice came from as he washed his hands. Yoonshin stood, showing the dessert box to him.

After putting the box back down, Yoonshin continued, "Is that shop still open? Wait, were there still pies left? This shop sells out quickly, so I can only have it on days off."

Sehun patted his hands dry thoroughly, then returned to the room, tugging at his tie in disbelief at himself. "I reserved it immediately after our call. You're the only one I would buy a pie for on the way home."

"You shouldn't do that for anyone else."

Sehun chuckled and walked up to Yoonshin. He lifted the other man's hospital Town, checking ye the sumi: on his leg and scars on other parts of his body.

"Where are you looking, you pervert?" Yoonshin warned.

Sehun brushed off the comment. "You said you didn't like it because it was too sweet. Why did you suddenly want it now?"

"I don't know. It just suddenly came to mind. Maybe the memories of when we ate it came up. Do you remember when we first had that pie?"

"I do. I said I didn't want to have something sweet, but you forced me to take the first bite. I don't know who's the perverted one here."

The word "memory" was a simple way to describe the fact that they were together at the same time and place, doing something enjoyable. This shared memory worked its magic, transporting the two back to that moment.

As Yoonshin reminisced about that time, Sehun pressed his lips to Yoonshin's disheveled bangs.

"You and I did countless things, but I remember each moment clearly, down to how I felt in that moment," Sehun said.

"How did you feel that day?"

"I was happy being with you."

Yoonshin, who was ready to chatter, fell silent. He felt so overwhelmed with feelings that he didn't know what to do. He merely stared at Sehun with complex emotions until Sehun opened his arms.

Yoonshin allowed himself to fall into the other man's embrace and pulled Sehun's firm waist close to him. Sehun leaned closer, inviting Yoonshin to step backward.

After a few steps, Yoonshin's thighs hit the bed frame. He slid his hands down to Sehun's hips, and when Sehun didn't resist, he used his left hand to grasp Sehun's substantial flesh at the front.

"Until when are we abstaining?"

"Don't you remember that your leg and hips were injured? You can carry on with your day-to-day, but you haven't fully recovered."

"First, they didn't snap, per se, and second, I'm almost fully recovered. Third, I'm okay with petting and frotting... but I want you to penetrate me, not just my mouth. Could you stop teasing me and do a little more today?"

"A little more? How much is that, exactly?"

"Like just the tip..? You're teasing me."

"Just the tip— do you think that's possible? I'm not sure if I can manage it."

"You're worried you might get too rough, aren't you? I'll give you a signal if I think things are going too far. Then you can calm down and stop before it gets out of hand."

"What's the point? I don't know if I'll listen. Let's wait until your hips are completely healed-ugh."

Yoonshin squeezed Sehun's erection to silence him. In response, Sehun extended both arms, supporting himself on the bed and leaning into Yoonshin's touch. In an awkward position, trapping Yoonshin in his embrace, he gazed intently at Yoonshin's innocent face.

Meanwhile, Yoonshin continued to massage Sehun's member. The shaft, too thick to grip in one hand, was challenging to pleasure through their clothes.

Stroking the length between his fingers with varying pressure, the thick organ swelled until it threatened to burst through the fabric.

"Hah ... Yoonshin Do. Let go."

"I don't want to."

"So? This is sexual harassment."

"If you consent, it's not harassment. Just relax."

Sehun didn't push Yoonshin away, so Yoonshin took it as consent and continued with his actions.

The air in the room grew heated quickly. Sehun allowed Yoonshin to continue for a few more moments, his veins bulging from clenching his fist. Sehun's breath became ragged and lustful. Unable to restrain himself any longer, Sehun flipped Yoonshin over.

Yoonshin supported himself with both arms extended on the bed, with Sehun pressed closely against him. Sehun clasped his left hand over Yoonshin's, intertwining their fingers, and with his other hand, he pulled down the elastic band of Yoonshin's pants. He then undid his own buckle and pulled out his erection, rubbing his firm member between Yoonshin's smooth thighs.

"Hngh! Sehun... mmm..."

Sehun's erection slid against Yoonshin's sensitive perineum. The stiff shaft passed between the other man's supple thighs, stimulating Yoonshin's testicles and the base of his own penis. As Sehun moved back and forth, their erections rubbed against each other, causing their overlapped palms to grow damp with sweat.

Sehun gripped Yoonshin's slender waist with his free hand and suddenly seized Yoonshin by the hair, pulling his head back. Yoonshin's flushed face showed excitement as he gazed back at Sehun.

Sehun ran his tongue over Yoonshin's reddened cheeks and said in a low voice, "You want more?"

"Ngh ... hngh, ugh..."

"Do you truly understand what it means to be teased? You don't."

"Sehun, it... hurts a little.." Yoonshin groaned.

"I told you, I get excited when I see you in pain. That's why we can't go all the way. Take advantage of my patience."

In his excitement, Sehun yanked back Yoonshin's head again, eagerly kissing Yoonshin's parted lips.

Their pants were only partially pulled down in their haste, but the air between them was hot and charged. Yoonshin gasped in pleasure. Sehun held the other man's chin firmly and increased the pace of their kiss, plunging his tongue into Yoonshin's mouth and swirling it around, mimicking what he would do with Yoonshin's other opening.

Sehun's lower body never stopped moving as they kissed. He expertly rubbed their erections together with skillful movements. Yoonshin's vision blurred as he grabbed Sehun's hips. A sadistic gleam flashed in Sehun's eyes as he watched Yoonshin writhe in pleasure.

Releasing Yoonshin's face, Sehun leaned in to bite Yoonshin's neck, sinking his teeth just below the collar of the gown. He pulled away just in time, reminding himself that Yoonshin was still a patient. He exhaled deeply and leaned forward.

"Urk!" Yoonshin groaned as his upper body collapsed onto the bed. His arms splayed out on the neatly made bed, and Sehun leaned on top of him. Both of their lower halves sank toward the ground, both kneeling.

Remembering Yoonshin's injured leg, Sehun trapped Yoonshin between his legs, providing support. In return, Yoonshin crossed his calves over Sehun's legs.

Yoonshin's upper body hung from the edge of the bed, swaying with every thrust like sheets on a laundry line.

Rewarding himself for refraining from biting Yoonshin's neck, Sehun overlapped his arms with Yoonshin's, gripping the younger man's wrists.

Whether intentional or not, Yoonshin shivered in delight.

"Ah, hngh. More, please."

Sehun gladly complied.

He thrust his member relentlessly between Yoonshin's tightly squeezed thighs. Aroused, Yoonshin's own member stood erect, dribbling out precum.

Their shafts rubbed together, their lower halves slapping against each other.

Sehun delicately ran his tongue around Yoonshin's ear, whispering soothingly,

"Stop begging for more. I won't be able to hold back."

Their bodies slapped against each other rhythmically. Sehun's milky fluid dribbled between Yoonshin's legs, mingling with Yoonshin's own fluids that soaked the bed frame.

With his legs partially bent and draped over Sehun, Yoonshin clung to the bed with his core strength, enduring the stimulation to his lower half. He gasped in heated passion.

"No... please, put it in..."

"Yoonshin, I hope you'll fully recover soon, okay?"

"Ah, yes!"

"If you want me to keep satisfying you until you're completely spent, you need to get better soon."

"Oh, it feels so good. I think I'm climaxing. Please, make love to me?"

Sehun fervently wished to thrust himself inside, exerting his weight onto Yoonshin.

Summoning the shreds of his tattered rationality, Sehun shifted his posture.

He inserted his middle finger into Yoonshin's mouth, moistening it before penetrating Yoonshin's hole. With skill, he located Yoonshin's pleasure spot, kneading it and eliciting waves of pleasure.

Pressing on Yoonshin's pleasure spot in rolling motions, Sehun heated him up, gradually adding more fingers until four digits were inside. Sehun's firm movements stimulated Yoonshin's prostate, sending jolts up his hips and shivers down his thighs. Sehun desired this reaction—he thrust his fingers deep until they reached the boundary between his fingers and palm.

Yoonshin cried out in pleasure. "Oh! Yes! Sehun—ah!"

Yoonshin's cries of pleasure grew louder. Flush with humiliation, his face and neck reddened. His hand, gripping the sheets, trembled. If Sehun hadn't been holding his left hand, Yoonshin might have left deep, long scratches on Sehun's body with his nails.

Sehun was nearing his climax, his movements growing frenzied. Both knew what came next, from experience. They didn't need to hold back their voices, thanks to the soundproofed room. Yoonshin's entire body shuddered, his eyes unfocused. Sehun thrust his penis between Yoonshin's thighs forcefully, rubbing against the younger man's own member. Simultaneously, he pounded his fingers into Yoonshin's tight hole.

Their muscles contracted, their bodies curling together in pleasure.

In his final surge, Sehun synchronized his thrusts with his fingers. With each withdrawal, the flesh of Yoonshin's soft thighs clung to Sehun's penis.

The intense sensations overwhelmed Yoonshin, causing him to cry out first.

"Oh! Oh, I'm... I'm going to... Ah!"

White fluid spurted from Yoonshin's urethra. Almost simultaneously, thick fluid erupted from Sehun's penis. They both panted, wordlessly acknowledging each other, before turning their heads simultaneously. They realized the absurdity of their actions and laughed.

"I don't know why we did this standing when the bed was right there. I should have asked you to lie down."

Instead of replying, Sehun kissed Yoonshin's rosy cheek, playfully tapping his member that was still nestled between Yoonshin's thighs. After teasing Yoonshin for a moment, Sehun lifted him off the ground and placed him on the bed, leaning him against the headboard.

Sehun then removed his watch and drawled, "Want to practice before we change the sheets?"

Yoonshin wondered what more there was to practice between a couple with countless moments of experience. "Practice what?"

"Let's practice that. See if I can enter and withdraw slowly."

"Will you put it in?" Yoonshin gestured to Sehun's exposed member.

Sehun glanced at his penis and then shrugged. "Yeah, just the tip."

"But you said no because you might be rough."

"Exactly why we should try."

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

Sehun positioned himself between Yoonshin's legs, pulling down the younger man's pants to his knees and inspecting his thighs, now glistening with cum.

His gaze, especially focused when it reached Yoonshin's hole, was stern and studious.

Yoonshin found being scrutinized in such an intimate manner more humiliating than he anticipated. Embarrassed, he attempted to close his thighs, but Sehun caught his legs before they could shut. Sehun spread them further apart and began to explore the area between Yoonshin's legs with his eyes. Not content with just looking, he prodded Yoonshin's hole with his finger, examining it closely.

Sehun spoke belatedly, "I didn't prepare you properly, but I could fit in four fingers. Did you feel that?"

"W-well, that's..."

"You were fingering yourself, weren't you?"

Yoonshin's face flushed red as he hastily defended himself. He was genuinely innocent. "No, I was just getting ready because you said you were staying over..."

"You only stretched it? Seriously?"

"..."

"Just because it's on your body doesn't mean it's yours-it's my property. I could have you arrested for trespassing, but I'll settle for giving you my dick, so count yourself lucky."

"Where ... did you learn such crude language?"

"Do you think I have time to go out and learn? Although, you must have all the time in the world for ... self-pleasure."

Despite his usual ease with dirty talk, Yoonshin's face turned crimson. "I told you, I didn't! I wouldn't deny it if it were true!"

While preparing himself, Yoonshin did indeed brush past his pleasure spot.

However, it paled in comparison to the pleasure Sehun's girthy length provided, only increasing Yoonshin's desire for him. Knowing Sehun would tease him mercilessly if he admitted his true feelings, Yoonshin remained silent.

Instead, Yoonshin tried to push Sehun away with his leg, but Sehun merely laughed in ridicule and effortlessly scooped Yoonshin up in his arms. He held down the struggling man and carried him straight to the bathroom.

Sehun placed Yoonshin on the edge of the bathtub and turned on the hot water. Yoonshin, whose struggle was fueled by embarrassment, gradually calmed down.

As the hot water filled the tub, Sehun peeled off their soiled hospital gown and undergarments. After testing the water temperature with his hand, Sehun gently lowered Yoonshin into the tub.

Yoonshin noticed Sehun glancing at the shower booth—he had just returned from work and wanted to clean up. Watching Sehun unbutton his shirt, Yoonshin met his gaze. Sehun squeezed Yoonshin's face with his hands and planted a kiss on his head.

"Sit tight. I'll shower quickly," Sehun said, knowing Yoonshin's response already.

"Come join me."

"..."

"Please. I don't want to be apart even for a moment. Don't make me beg." Yoonshin lightly splashed the water's surface, signaling for Sehun to join him.

Sehun looked down and slowly undressed himself.

"It's still a no."

"You're putting me in the bathtub even though I'm covered in cum."

"That's different. Just wait."

"Fine. But you're still sleeping here, right?"

Ikyung had been visiting Yoonshin's room frequently lately. Yoonshin assumed it was to catch up, given his extended break. Consequently, Sehun mostly visited during darker hours, often arriving and leaving early in the morning.

However, today, Ikyung informed Yoonshin she had an appointment and couldn't visit, so Yoonshin persuaded Sehun to stay overnight. Otherwise, he'd consider being discharged from the hospital. Sehun agreed to the terms and agreed to stay.

Yoonshin was secretly pleased that Sehun was willing to stay overnight in the hospital to comfort him, but he kept his joy hidden, fearing it might prolong his hospital stay.

Lost in thought, Yoonshin watched as Sehun tossed his dress shirt aside and began to lower his pants.

"Yeah, I'll head to work from here. I stopped by my place earlier to get changed," Sehun said.

"Not because you needed to pick up the pie? You could have asked your housekeeper to bring your clothes," Yoonshin remarked.

"I thought I could kill two birds with one stone."

"Sehun."

"Don't tempt me—I might give in. I'll shower quickly."

"That's not it. I wanted to talk about the recent gossip-the Chairman Won scandal at COP."

Sehun paused halfway through removing his pants, his gaze fixed on Yoonshin, who was crouched in the tub, observing him. Yoonshin had curled up, feeling shy about being naked under the bright hospital lights.

"How did that name come up?"

"It seems like all the COP companies are under scrutiny."

"Why bring that up now, when we're alone, naked in the bathroom?"

"I could tell it was your doing from the start. I'm not that oblivious. Is Chairman Won the one who ordered the hit-and-run on me? It would explain everything— the lack of proper police investigation, your indifference to it, and Chairman Won's current predicament."

Processing Yoonshin's analysis, Sehun resumed undressing, feeling defeated.

If a sigh could be conveyed through one's eyes, Sehun's gaze would have done it.

"Why do you assume it's me whenever someone goes out of business? It could've been inevitable," Sehun retorted.

"Are you suggesting that a successful man nearing his sixties would systematically encounter disasters and go under?" Yoonshin asked, skeptical.

"Isn't that just life?"

"I didn't realize you were a philosopher."

"Sorry, but I'm a lawyer. You're the one with a background in social work— don't project your degree onto me."

Sehun playfully pinched Yoonshin's cheeks, stretching them, before stepping into the shower booth.

Soon, the sound of water pouring from the showerhead echoed against the glass walls of the booth. The droplets splattered and fragmented upon impact, adding to the cacophony. Yoonshin watched Sehun's silhouette through the steam, feeling dubious.

Sehun had a knack for cornering his targets, exploiting every flaw, big or small, suffocating them, and then stripping them of everything. He would sustain their existence but make their lives unbearable. This tactic was Sehun's trademark, whether in litigation or corporate dealings. He was also fair in a twisted way, always repaying in kind

Yoonshin thought he understood Sehun better than anyone. Yet, Sehun's denial left him unsettled. It could mean either Sehun was innocent or he didn't want Yoonshin to know his involvement. Regardless, Yoonshin decided it was best to feign forgetfulness and not press further.

Yoonshin continued to watch Sehun shower for a while before glancing back at his own small tub. He decided he wanted to fill it up more and reached for the faucet, but he was startled by a faint noise in the distance.

A phone call? Yoonshin wondered.

The sound was barely audible over the splashing in the tub and the shower.

Since Sehun was still occupied, Yoonshin stood up, drying himself hastily with a large bath towel, and wrapped it around his body. He headed towards the door, intending to investigate. Pressing his ear against it, he confirmed the faint vibration.

It's a ringtone.

It must be Sehun's phone. A call at this hour meant it was likely significant.

Planning to bring the phone to Sehun, Yoonshin opened the door. However, Sehun seemed to sense Yoonshin's movements and swiftly flung the door open, motioning for him to stay.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Water dripped from Sehun's chiseled physique-a sight Yoonshin always found captivating. Although he had seen Sehun's sensual form before, Yoonshin felt oddly self-conscious. He attempted to avert his gaze and focus on the door instead.

"I'm not trying to escape," Yoonshin replied.

"We're both naked, and you're looking elsewhere. You lack tension, huh?"

"But you're receiving a call."

Sehun finally noticed the vibrations and fell silent. Without missing a beat, he responded, maintaining his previous demeanor, "It's none of your concern."

"Only your most important clients have your personal cell number. If they're calling now, it must be urgent. Stay here—I'll fetch your phone."

Before Sehun could respond, Yoonshin dashed out of the bathroom, shivering as the cold air conditioning hit him. He found Sehun's phone sitting on the bedside table and quickly retrieved it. Returning to the bathroom, he saw Sehun vigorously drying his hair with a towel and handed him the phone.

At that moment, Yoonshin's own phone rang, its sharp tones piercing the air.

They exchanged surprised glances, sensing that something significant was unfolding. The gravity of the situation was evident in their eyes. Sehun checked the screen of his phone before answering it with irritation.

"Director Song, do you have no sense of timing? I told you not to call unless the firm was bombed overnight—"

Sehun stopped abruptly, his expression turning serious as he listened intently.

Yoonshin watched with concern, but quickly refocused, retrieving his phone from the room and returning to the bathroom. The caller was Secretary Tak.

Skeptical, Yoonshin was about to answer the call when Sehun snatched his phone from his grasp. He momentarily set aside his own call to address Yoonshin's.

"Tak, I'm currently on a call with Director Song. Please refrain from calling this number. How could you pester a sick patient with calls at this hour?"

Sehun abruptly ended the call after reprimanding the secretary, then resumed his conversation.

"I'm not sick, though," Yoonshin mouthed, but Sehun silenced him with a finger to his lips.

Sehun deftly balanced his phone between his ear and shoulder as he searched for a bathrobe. Slipping into the plush robes over his still-damp body, he walked out of the bathroom without offering any further explanation.

Though Sehun had barely left the bathroom, Yoonshin's intuition whispered a different story. He feared Sehun might simply leave the hospital and return to Doguk. He hoped Sehun could resolve whatever was happening over the phone. Gripped by anxiety, Yoonshin did something he had never done during one of Sehun's work-related calls.

Grabbing Sehun's wrist, marked with faint teeth imprints, Yoonshin said,

"You promised you'd stay here tonight."

Sehun covered the microphone with his hand and whispered, "I'm not leaving.

I'm just stepping out to take the call. I'll be back."

"..."

"I'll return soon."

Sehun pressed a loving kiss to Yoonshin's forehead before slipping out of the humid room. Despite knowing Sehun's intentions weren't cold, Yoonshin felt a bitter pang as Sehun's back disappeared into the distance. He heard the click of the door closing and returned to the tub, sinking into the water, lost in thought.

What could Director Song and Secretary Tak need to discuss with Sehun at this hour? Sehun had explicitly warned them not to contact him, yet they had no choice but to call. What could it possibly be?

Whatever it was, it seemed that Doguk required Sehun Kang.

But I need Sehun too, Yoonshin grumbled inwardly.

Such situations had become increasingly common since Sehun had become a director. The demands of his position often took him away from Yoonshin.

Now, Yoonshin was beginning to grasp the true weight of Sehun's role at Doguk.

Yoonshin sighed and continued to complain internally, He's mine though ...

Despite his upset feelings, Yoonshin knew he shouldn't resent Sehun for this.

He had been forewarned and had supported Sehun's decision wholeheartedly.

Yoonshin had always been proud of Sehun, envied by many and needed by all.

He had even encouraged Sehun to answer the call assertively. He wanted to be a supportive and considerate partner. His emotions were conflicting, but they were both genuine.

There were moments when Yoonshin felt lonely in Sehun's absence, yet simultaneously frustrated because he wanted to help Sehun in some way but didn't know how.

Grumbling to himself, Yoonshin nodded, then remembered the pumpkin pie sitting on his bedside table. It seemed he would have to eat it alone. His instincts were seldom wrong. Yoonshin didn't mention this to Sehun, but the memory of the first time they shared the pie was vivid in his mind. Sehun had been reluctant, but eventually gave in to Yoonshin's persistence. They had shared the same sentiments then.

Yoonshin simply liked Sehun; that was all.

Leaning back into the warm water, Yoonshin turned off the faucet. He submerged himself in the water, feeling as though he was sinking into a deep pool of thoughts.

Side Story 5

Sehun and Yoonshin entered the elevator, both silent. Another patient was inside. Sehun looked sharp in his suit, much like when he had come to collect Yoonshin from the general ward. His expression remained impassive, as usual, though this suit was intended for the following day. Yoonshin, on the other hand, was still in a hospital gown.

They waited until they were alone. Fortunately, the other patient exited first, leaving them alone until they reached the basement parking garage. With the stranger gone, Yoonshin spoke first.

"You said you wouldn't leave," Yoonshin said, attempting to maintain composure.

"I returned to the bathroom, so it wasn't entirely untrue," Sehun replied.

"Couldn't you have let me be discharged instead? I would have given up returning to work and rested at home."

"You wouldn't stay put if I took you home. Isn't that true?"

Yoonshin couldn't deny it. As he remained silent, Sehun continued, "I can already picture the stress of imagining you running around the city freely. No, if you want to leave the hospital, focus on fully recovering your finger."

"This ... Seriously, Mr. Sehun Kang?"

Yoonshin waved his right index finger, encased in a cast, in front of Sehun's face, disbelief evident. Sehun nodded assertively.

Sehun's overprotectiveness was evident, though neither of them mentioned it explicitly. Yoonshin found solace in knowing that Sehun was conflicted about it. He also wanted to honor Sehun's wishes because, despite his stoic demeanor, Yoonshin knew the older man was deeply affected by his accident.

Expressing his reluctance to see Sehun leave, Yoonshin leaned on Sehun's shoulder, and Sehun responded by patting him gently. The touch conveyed Sehun's own discomfort with the forced separation, reassuring Yoonshin.

Contemplating whether to inquire about Sehun's sudden return to work, Yoonshin ultimately decided against it. He sensed there was a reason Sehun hadn't elaborated on, and even if he knew, he doubted there was much he could do to help Sehun in this situation.

As Sehun tenderly caressed Yoonshin, who nestled against him, the elevator reached its destination. The doors opened, and the warm, humid air of the parking garage enveloped them. Unlike the crisp chill of the hospital air, the garage felt sticky and damp.

They walked down the long corridor leading to the exclusive parking lot for VVIPs. Yoonshin realized that no driver had contacted them since their arrival.

He had grown accustomed to Sehun being driven rather than driving himself.

"What about the chauffeur? Didn't you arrange for one?" Yoonshin asked, puzzled.

"What for? It's just a short drive."

"But you're heading to the firm. Didn't Director Song practically beg you to stop?"

"I don't listen to her anyway. Especially not now."

Yoonshin nodded in agreement and chuckled, staying close to Sehun. "When I'm out of the hospital, should I be your personal chauffeur? I'll give you a discount. You can call me 'babe' for each ride."

Sehun immediately dismissed the idea. "T'll pass. Director Song, Secretary Tak, and everyone else are already struggling to ignore our relationship-I don't want to add fuel to the fire with a scandal."

"Stop playing hard to get."

"I'm not. I've thought about it. You're the one who wants to drive me and be called by that term of endearment. What's in it for me?"

"Do you know how much of a discount that is? You wouldn't agree even if I asked you to say you love me. That's a big concession from me."

"Why do you assume I wouldn't? Did you even ask?"

Huh?

Yoonshin inhaled sharply, pressing his wildly thumping heart with his palm as he looked up at Sehun. His heart fluttered as if someone had splashed soda over it. Sensing the unusual tension, Sehun halted in the corridor and turned back to face Yoonshin.

Both men looked at each other, speechless for different reasons.

"You would have agreed if I asked? Seriously?" Yoonshin questioned.

"Of course not," Sehun replied firmly.

Experiencing a whirlwind of emotions in mere seconds, Yoonshin was left speechless. "What? Are you playing with me?"

"I get extremely anxious when you're behind the wheel."

"Why? Everyone else does it."

"I worry. It's always made me uneasy, but it's even worse now. And I hate feeling that way. I just want you to avoid anything risky," Sehun explained.

"But I'll consider giving my chauffeur a break positively. Plus, I'd like to spend more time with you. Of course, I'll handle the driving. Any questions?"

"You've given a perfect response with a sensible reason and a practical solution."

"I know," Sehun replied confidently.

Yoonshin couldn't tell if Sehun had adapted or if he was genuinely kind-hearted, but he had become adept at soothing Yoonshin's concerns

He's so cunning. I don't want him to leave... Yoonshin thought, a hint of pink tinting his cheeks as he wrestled with his emotions.

He resumed walking, and this time, Sehun matched his pace. Their steps were slow, graceful, like a pair of dancers gliding through the lobby. They relished the comfortable silence between them.

Uncertain of Sehun's feelings, Yoonshin knew their peaceful moment was fleeting. He debated between maintaining the tranquility and striking up a conversation. Eventually, he chose the latter, breaking the silence with the sound of his voice.

"Could you call me after you're done with work?"

If Sehun left tonight, Yoonshin wouldn't see him until the following day.

Sehun wasn't one to be bothered by trivial matters. It would take a significant event to draw him back to work. Judging by Sehun's reaction to the call, it seemed to be an unpleasant development.

Sehun appeared to understand why Yoonshin had requested the call.

As they walked down the hallway, passing by other people, Sehun guided Yoonshin to a quieter area, away from prying eyes. Stopping in front of double glass doors, Sehun brushed Yoonshin's unruly bangs aside, securing them with his grip. He placed a tender kiss on Yoonshin's exposed forehead.

"Will that suffice?"

"Um... could you video call me?"

"Is that all?"

"Um... could you call twice? Once in the morning and once at noon."

Sehun narrowed his eyes, questioning if calls would be enough. "Seriously, that's it? Honestly, if you had pushed a bit more, I might have agreed to let you go back to work."

Sehun scrutinized Yoonshin's expression, puzzled by the younger man's lack of insistence on Sehun returning to work.

Yoonshin's eyes widened, his expression fluctuating as he tried to decipher the truth behind Sehun's words. Sehun grinned at Yoonshin's puzzled expression, indicating that he wasn't retracting his statement.

Realizing this, Yoonshin's face lit up. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Get discharged, and you can return to work next week. But you'll need to provide a doctor's note every week certifying that you're in perfect condition and must maintain the same level of health as before your accident. And I'll arrange for additional security guards for when you come and go from work.

Can you handle that?" Sehun asked.

"No problem. I'll be extra careful. Should I ask my team lead to assign me back my cases? Hmm? Should I?" Yoonshin replied eagerly.

"Since I'm heading to the firm anyway, I'll inform them," Sehun confirmed.

Unable to contain his excitement, Yoonshin grinned. Checking their surroundings, he showered Sehun's cheeks with a series of kisses.

After the impromptu display of affection, Yoonshin beamed brightly. Sehun couldn't help but be struck by Yoonshin's radiant smile, moist lips, longing gaze, and rosy cheeks. What surprised Sehun the most was that Yoonshin always looked the same as when they first fell in love.

An indescribable feeling washed over Sehun. Just as he was about to speak, they noticed some people approaching. Sensing the strangers, Yoonshin smoothly stepped back. Sehun, feeling a rare pang of disappointment, inadvertently upset Yoonshin, whose lips turned downward at the corners.

An unspoken sense of connection passed between them as they resumed walking.

Finally reaching the parking lot, they sensed another presence in the distance, hearing the sound of something being dropped. Both turned towards the direction of the noise, but when the surroundings fell silent, they turned away.

They didn't want the moment to end, and if it had to end, they wished to prolong it for as long as possible. But time showed no mercy. They halted in front of Sehun's car.

Despite opening the driver's seat door, Sehun hesitated to leave. He looked at Yoonshin with conflicting emotions.

"I'm not used to this feeling," Sehun confessed.

"What feeling?" Yoonshin inquired.

"I don't want to go to work."

Unable to contain his dismay, Yoonshin's expression soured. "Why are you like this today? I don't want to see you go.."

Yoonshin silently pleaded with Sehun, hoping he wouldn't have to resort to whining like an immature boyfriend. He lightly nudged Sehun's shoulder, and Sehun didn't resist. As he prepared to enter his car, Sehun gestured towards the elevator.

"You should go ahead," Sehun suggested.

"I want to see you off," Yoonshin insisted.

"I don't want you to see me go."

Sehun never liked showing his back to anyone, but he particularly disliked doing so to Yoonshin. Perhaps it was simply because he didn't want Yoonshin to witness his departure, but Yoonshin suspected there was more to it. Maybe Sehun feared that Yoonshin would uncover a more intimate side of him, hidden beneath his authority, talent, power, and reputation. Yoonshin yearned to discover, coax out, and embrace the depths of Sehun's heart.

Understanding the sentiment, Yoonshin stepped back. Instead, he smoothed out the wrinkles in Sehun's suit and slowly retreated. Sehun's atypical and uncharacteristic comment lingered in the air, unsettling Yoonshin.

There was one final thing he wanted to convey to Sehun.

"If you're struggling, talk to me. You're always there for me, but you look exhausted from doing things you don't want to," Yoonshin expressed.

"If you're struggling, talk to me. You're always there for me, but you look exhausted from doing things you don't want to," Yoonshin expressed.

Yoonshin knew Sehun was perpetually stoic. Regardless of the challenges he faced, Sehun never made excuses. But that didn't mean everything was effortless for him.

Yoonshin understood he wasn't as reliable or steadfast as Sehun, but he still wanted to offer his support. He wanted Sehun to lean on him from time to time, which is why he brought it up. Without needing further explanation, Yoonshin knew Sehun would grasp the depth of his message. Sehun's gentle smile confirmed his understanding.

Encouraged by Sehun's response, Yoonshin beamed. "You trust me, right?"

"Walk properly-you'll hurt yourself," Sehun cautioned.

"I love you," Yoonshin declared.

"I know," Sehun replied.

Following Sehun's instruction, Yoonshin reluctantly made his way towards the elevator, but leaving Sehun behind didn't sit well with him. He took a few steps back, then turned around. He didn't get very far before glancing back once more. Sehun watched his hospital-gowned lover wave until he disappeared into the lobby. As Yoonshin vanished from sight, Sehun's smile faded away.

Sehun glanced at his watch, realizing he had spent more time than anticipated assisting Yoonshin with the cleanup. As he prepared to step into his car, a nagging feeling tugged at him. He turned, scanning the area where the noise had originated. All he encountered was eerie silence, akin to the calm preceding a storm.

His instincts, sharp as ever, prickled with unease. Sensing something amiss, he decided it prudent to investigate further. Ordinarily, whoever had caused the disturbance would have revealed themselves by now. The lingering absence raised suspicion in Sehun's mind, prompting him to delve deeper into the matter.

Resisting the urge to dismiss it as a triviality, Sehun shut his car door and retraced his steps toward the source of the noise. Before he could take another stride, his phone erupted with vibrations, interrupting his progress. He answered, his frustration evident in his voice. "What now?"

"This is Secretary Tak. Are you en route? Urgent. His condition has deteriorated."

Sehun sighed, tension furrowing his brow. Clutching the phone tightly, he responded, "Where's Attorney Song? Has she left? She must remain. We'll strategize and act accordingly. Inform her to hold position."

"She's still here, but she's in a state of panic. Waiting for your guidance. It appears the press has caught wind. Should we be concerned about our firm's luck this year?"

"Mind your words. Instruct Attorney Song to maintain composure. I'll be there shortly."

Upon ending the call, Sehun's gaze flicked towards the pillar. Seeing nothing amiss, he pivoted back towards his car, irritation simmering beneath the surface. Skillfully maneuvering out of the parking garage, the squeak of his tires gradually faded into the distance.

Moments stretched into what felt like an eternity.

In the secluded corner of the silent VVIP parking lot, the abrupt sound of a body hitting the ground reverberated through the air.

It emanated from the very spot Sehun had intended to investigate.

With a hand pressed against her mouth, Ikyung slumped against the pillar, her strength waning as she collapsed onto the concrete. Abandoning all pretense of grace, her face flushed crimson with embarrassment. Though she had always exuded elegance, now she appeared on the brink of a meltdown.

Frantically searching the ground for the thermos containing the soup she had prepared for Yoonshin, Ikyung's fingers trembled as she attempted to contain the chaos already unleashed.

Simultaneously overwhelmed by despair, she realized there was no turning back.

Sehun perched on the edge of his cluttered desk, surrounded by a sea of files.

His gaze flicked towards Mihee, who occupied the armrest of the nearby couch.

Mihee, having rushed around in a frenzy to assess the situation, finally found respite in Sehun's office. Despite his steadfast demeanor, she could sense the strain weighing heavily upon him. Looking up, drained and jittery, she couldn't contain the torrent of emotions bubbling within her. Nervously picking at the skin around her nails, she launched into a tirade, her voice teetering on the edge of hysteria.

"Don't give me that look. I know I should calm down! But I just can't help it!" she exclaimed, her tone tinged with desperation.

Sehun responded with a hint of cynicism, "Even if you can't, you must."

"Why now? This is a crucial juncture for our firm-how could he disrupt everything like this? Such a reckless move from a junior... We've worked tirelessly to establish stability within our co-directorship structure. What more could I have done? Did I alienate him? We were on the brink of securing the top spot in the industry, and this betrayal..." Her voice trailed off into frustration.

Sehun, arms crossed, shook his head in understanding. "There's nothing more you could have done. He's a seasoned lawyer— do you think he acted without considering the repercussions? He's deliberately sabotaged us, leading us straight into chaos. But we can't afford to dwell on it. We need to gather our resolve and navigate through this ordeal."

"Believe me, I want to do just that!" Mihee exclaimed.

A junior lawyer at Doguk had attempted suicide and was discovered in his home just hours ago. Despite being in critical condition, by the time the police contacted Doguk, the patient had tragically passed away in the emergency room.

While such occurrences were not unheard of, they were always deeply saddening. No workplace, regardless of its size or industry, could completely shield itself from the harsh realities of mental health struggles.

The lawyer had left behind a suicide note on the internet, filled with incendiary and sensational language. This elevated the situation from a private tragedy to a public spectacle, ensuring it would not be easily forgotten.

The note, typical of lawyerly prose, was verbose and brimming with grievances. The author lamented his overwhelming workload and expressed frustration at being overlooked by Director Sehun Kang, with rare opportunities to communicate. He also detailed feeling ostracized by colleagues and, despite approaching Director Mihee Song, found no solace, only exacerbation. All his accusations pointed squarely at Doguk, the firm, which was already facing public scrutiny due to Yoonshin's predicament-a particularly inopportune time.

"Did he seek your counsel when facing rejection and isolation from his peers?"

"Yes."

"What was your response? Was it documented?"

"No, but I recall my actions. I extended special attention to him, even instructing a team leader to support him. It's uncommon for a director to engage with a junior lawyer outside of formal meetings, but I mentored him on occasion."

"You went above and beyond."

"That's precisely my point. What more could I have done? Am I expected to mother him? This isn't school-I can't reprimand his peers for excluding him.

Perhaps my approach was flawed, but did I deserve betrayal? Even from Attorney Do—!" Mihee paused, collecting herself.

Through the raised blinds, she observed secretaries bustling about from Thursday evening into Friday morning. Remembering Sehun's advice, she took several deep breaths before resuming in a composed manner.

"Even when Attorney Do was suffering alone, I couldn't offer him half the support I did for this junior colleague. I know you're not one for looking after others. I thought I should step in, but I couldn't shake off my awareness of our surroundings."

"..."

"Wow... when the reporters were thrusting their cameras in my face, I couldn't control my expression. When you face them later, make sure you appear somber."

Sehun was puzzled. "How can I look sad when I'm not sad at all?"

"We can't both be portrayed as psychopaths!"

"It's not a big issue; it's plausible but poorly timed. The deceased lawyer wasn't top-tier, and we're not social workers. If we make a fuss, we'll seem like we have something to hide. Just handle it tactfully. Don't overdo it."

Normally composed, Mihee couldn't contain her frustration. "Then, tell me what your plan is. I'm so angry I can't think straight!"

"When I reviewed his medical records, he was once prescribed antidepressants. He was also a heavy drinker, so let's tie that in. Anxiety, depression, delusional disorder, suicide-they're all potential consequences of alcoholism. Emphasize his chronic depression and shift the focus of his death onto him."

Sehun remained unfazed, his demeanor unchanged. Mihee listened to Sehun's plan defensively, feeling taken aback. While she knew Sehun to be dependable and consistent, a small seed of doubt crept in, wary that one day, he might turn his cold gaze towards her.

"How does one prescription lead to chronic depression? And how does a preference become an addiction?"

"Why not? Do you feel guilty for fabricating stories? You know as well as I do that there's no other way out. If you're not up for it, you can take the fall alone. I'll handle Doguk myself, thank you."

"That's harsh."

"Let's attend the funeral home separately. I'll go in the morning, and you follow afterward. I'll draw attention to myself, then we'll bring in our reporters in the evening to capture you consoling the family members."

Sehun's solution seemed the most practical at the moment. In situations like this, public perception mattered more than legal obligations. They bore no legal responsibility to the deceased but could face moral condemnation. The truth held little importance; the public was swayed by the sensational words of the suicide note and unlikely to believe Doguk's refined defense.

Mihee, her composure now restored after a brief lapse into fury and betrayal, gazed at Sehun with a mix of admiration and surprise. "I sometimes wonder if anything could make you lose your cool. Perhaps if Attorney Do disappeared?

Would that finally rattle the mighty Sehun Kang?"

Sehun was displeased that Mihee brought up Yoonshin in their conversation.

He shot her a glare but refrained from further comment. Instead, he remarked,

"He won't disappear."

"So, you two live together after all?"

"I'm considering it. I'm going to smoke. Should I crack a window for you?"

Mihee seemed on the verge of speaking but stopped short, a gasp escaping her lips as she realized something. She knew Sehun only turned to cigarettes when weighed down by stress. She waved off the need for an open window, then cautiously ventured, "Oh my... Are you serious? Your buildings are already close by. Why the sudden change of heart?"

Sehun ignited the cigarette between his lips.

He exhaled, the smoke mingling with the acrid haze of burnt tobacco leaves.

To Mihee, this decision seemed abrupt, but Sehun had pondered it for a while.

He had deliberated over the pros and cons for some time, never reaching a conclusion until now.

Sehun trusted Yoonshin, yet he harbored doubts about the permanence of love. Having witnessed humanity's darkest facets too often, he couldn't embrace love without reservation. That's why he wrestled with conflicting emotions. If their relationship faced adversity in the future, could Yoonshin weather the storm? Could Sehun patiently wait without suffocating him?

Presently, they enjoyed separate living spaces, free to visit each other at will— a refuge always available. But cohabitation would eliminate that escape route.

Sehun desired it for Yoonshin's sake, granting him breathing space.

Now, Sehun harbored no intention of ever letting Yoonshin slip away.

Even if a day arrived when Yoonshin couldn't bear him, Sehun refused to entertain the notion of separation.

This was Sehun's selfish longing veiled beneath an air of benevolence and concern.

Following Yoonshin's accident, Sehun felt a gnawing fear that drove him to secure Yoonshin in the safest, most sheltered environment he could provide.

His decision solidified then. Yoonshin couldn't vanish like sea foam from his sight.

"It's not a sudden decision. Anyway, just so you're aware, we're vacating both units. Thought you should know," Sehun stated.

Sehun's commitment to domestic stability hinted at his prolonged stay at Doguk, which delighted Mihee. Despite his role as co-director, she had always feared Sehun might depart the firm. For a brief moment, a satisfied grin crossed her face, but she quickly suppressed it, realizing the inappropriateness of shifting focus to Sehun's personal affairs. She composed herself into a stony expression.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? Because I can't dictate that?"

Mihee questioned

"No matter what you try, I won't be under your thumb. And yes, I'm telling you deliberately," Sehun affirmed.

"I'm oddly relieved. I've sunk to a low, I guess. Not sure if it's inherent or adaptive," Mihee confessed.

Sehun was momentarily at a loss for words, even his cigarette-holding fingers appearing puzzled. "What do you mean, 'you too?"

"You know what I mean. Previously, I couldn't grasp your perspective, but now I do. It's not sadness; it's exasperation. I hate that I'm more concerned about my leadership being scrutinized than grieving the loss of a junior lawyer. How did I become this way? I thought I was more compassionate than you."

A law firm resembled a prison with open gates-freedom to depart but with the stigma of desertion shadowing one's career. It wasn't unique to Doguk; all top law firms in the country had their share of lawyers ending their lives.

Disaster always loomed, ready to strike without warning. Observing Sehun's unshakeable composure, Mihee finally regained her own stride. She rose from the armrest, adjusting her attire and smoothing out her blouse's hem as she watched Sehun extinguish his cigarette.

"Thank you, and I apologize for casting you in the antagonistic role. Your confidence in the plan makes me feel more grounded," Mihee expressed.

"I'm relieved you've stopped complaining. I was tempted to kick you out,"

Sehun quipped.

"Now that I've regained my composure, I'll take my leave. See you at the meeting. Oh, the partners will likely want to exploit Attorney Do's situation in the media battle. How do you plan to deflect them? Fill me in," Mihee inquired.

Sehun, preparing to return to his desk as Mihee appeared ready to depart, halted at her question. He leveled a serious gaze at her.

Sehun had anticipated the executive board's desire to leverage Yoonshin's incident before any scrutiny could tarnish Doguk's reputation. With Yoonshin yet to release a statement post-accident, tabloids began speculating it was a vendetta orchestrated by Ikyung Do's former partner.

Given Yoonshin's positive public image, someone would inevitably suggest portraying him as the innocent victim-a ploy to swiftly gain public sympathy.

Mihee likely raised this issue knowing Sehun's protective stance regarding Yoonshin.

"I don't want Yoonshin to be dragged into cleaning up after me," Sehun declared firmly.

"I don't want to use him as a shield either. That's why I'm asking. Those elders will argue that the firm went above and beyond for Yoonshin."

"What exactly did Doguk do for him? Did they provide him with a loan behind my back?"

"If you don't have a solution, I thought I would take the fall for you this time.

So you don't feel indebted or uncomfortable, I'm doing this voluntarily. Not for your sake, but for Attorney Do's."

"What connection do you have with Yoonshin Do that makes you willing to play the villain?"

"I'm your longtime friend."

Sehun paused, then emitted a wry chuckle. "I don't understand how your logic works."

"I'll take that as a green light. See you later," Mihee said.

As Mihee departed, she muttered to herself, pondering whether she had left her black suit for dry cleaning and its whereabouts. Sehun, the office owner, sighed inwardly.

Though subtle, Yoonshin Do had influenced many aspects of Sehun's life. Just moments ago, Sehun had wanted to reassure Mihee that the lawyer's death wasn't her fault. He could sense her guilt morphing into anger. Once distrustful of everyone, Sehun now navigated an upper-lowerclassman relationship with Yoonshin based on friendship and goodwill, a realization that left him feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Sehun clicked his tongue and pivoted to reach for his office phone.

Upon raising the receiver to his ear, Secretary Tak promptly responded. "Yes, sir. I saw Director Song leave. Did you have a productive discussion with her?

What's our next move?"

"I'll brief you on the specifics post-executive meeting. We're maintaining a low-profile narrative and refraining from dramatic actions, so ensure the junior lawyers and staff remain composed. Warn both direct and indirect parties involved thoroughly."

"So, you're suggesting that aside from the firm's official stance, we shouldn't discuss this case at all?"

"Exactly. If any staff member gives interviews claiming close ties or anything of the sort, they're done for. We have no shortage of lawyers and can easily replace those with loose lips. Make sure they understand that."

"Understood. I'll stress that point."

"Also, discreetly obtain security camera footage from the VVIP parking lot of Hanguk University Hospital. Specifically, for last night around 11:38 PM, for a duration of 10 minutes."

This directive seemed unrelated to the firm's situation, leaving Secretary Tak puzzled. "Security footage? Obtaining footage from the VIP ward might be simpler-the VVIP ward is highly exclusive, and they might be hesitant to release it. If any VVIP patients catch wind that a third party viewed the footage, they could raise privacy concerns. What if I face legal action?"

"That's why discretion is crucial. This is a personal matter, so keep it separate from the firm. The location is.." Sehun visualized the area where he heard the noise and calculated the coordinates. "B19, fourth parking lot, behind the pillar. There should be a camera pointed in that direction. You can see the lobby's glass doors from the side. Anyone there would be captured by the camera."

Secretary Tak sighed. "If I get sued, will you represent me?"

"I don't need a secretary who can't keep things under wraps and gets caught.

If you mess up and get sued, you're out as a secretary to a law firm director.

This is the least you can do after all I've done to promote you as the youngest head secretary in our firm's history, going against those stubborn old dinosaurs."

Before Secretary Tak could respond, Sehun terminated the call.

The youngest head secretary, on the other end of Sehun's office windows, shrugged and gestured towards the phone, asking if he should redial. Sehun declined, closing the blinds in his office.

Alone in his office for the first time since returning to the firm building, Sehun finally relaxed into his chair, feeling the tension drain from his body with each breath.

Not long ago, Sehun would have been like the other partners, detachedly observing events unfold from the sidelines. If Mihee needed his help, he would have assisted when asked, rather than assertively taking on the role. He had no time to worry about the firm's image; he preferred to dedicate that time to work. But now, he was busier than ever, deeply involved in both internal and external affairs of the firm.

Every day felt like a test, as he carefully navigated the delicate balance between work and politics.

The younger man watched Sehun closely, and Sehun was certain that Yoonshin sensed his struggles. Perhaps that's why Yoonshin encouraged Sehun to lean on him more during tough times.

Sehun pondered over every word of Yoonshin's comfort, absorbing them.

The upcoming meeting, scheduled in an hour, promised to be lengthy. Sehun considered calling Yoonshin, if only to hear his voice, but decided against it as it was getting late.

"He'll probably show up at work later anyway," Sehun mused.

Although Sehun had warned Yoonshin to return to work next week, his sudden departure left no way for Yoonshin to heed the advice. While Yoonshin usually followed Sehun's instructions strictly, Sehun knew that if given the chance, Yoonshin would do as he pleased. Deciphering Yoonshin's motives proved more challenging for Sehun than he anticipated. He accepted it, much like he accepted the moment he fell in love. Yoonshin likely felt the same way.

Sehun still wasn't used to associating a specific person with his emotional and mental exhaustion. Yet, it wasn't an unwelcome feeling.

He missed Yoonshin.

Feeling a bit uneasy about longing to see Yoonshin despite their recent interaction, Sehun rubbed his face and reclined in his chair.

The meeting that began at dawn stretched on until the sun was high.

Although the agenda was brief, the debates on those few topics were intense.

As anticipated, two of the executive directors brought up the idea of utilizing Yoonshin. Mihee adeptly countered all attacks on the matter. Reflecting on those moments, Sehun once again marveled at Mihee's defenses. He shook his head as he strode down the hallway.

The early-bird staff members lined up to greet him, their expressions tense.

The news of the death must have reached them. Secretary Tak quickly trailed after Sehun, holding the door to his office open. Both men were dressed in black suits. Secretary Tak wore a black tie, while Sehun had yet to fasten his own.

"Director, the car is ready for you. I just received the minutes of the meeting, and the secretarial planning team is drafting an internal circulation notice," Secretary Tak informed.

"Have you arranged the partner lawyers?"

"Yes, I was considering dividing them evenly between you and Director Song."

"No, they should all accompany me. Director Song will go alone. It would appear more sincere if she went solo, quietly. I'll accept any criticism that we're trying to shirk responsibility by making a big fuss first thing in the morning, while Director Song will offer consolation to the surviving family and pledge adequate financial support and compensation."

"Are you suggesting a good cop, bad cop approach? And what about the press.."

"They'll likely be camped outside all day. Ensure Attorney Song is thoroughly briefed before she goes. She mentioned struggling to hide her emotions during the morning interview, so we must handle this delicately. Circulate photos of her appearing grief-stricken. Oh-and switch her car to a domestic brand, a mid-sized sedan. That's crucial."

"But she's a director of one of the biggest law firms in the country. Wouldn't it be more appropriate for her to use her personal vehicle? We still need to maintain her dignity," Secretary Tak interjected.

Sehun halted, causing Secretary Tak to stop alongside him. The nearby executives and employees tensed up.

"Do you know the value of her car?" Sehun asked.

"I'm not sure. Director Song's secretarial office handles that... but I do know it's quite pricey. Wasn't it a gift from you, as a token of appreciation for her help in the last acquisition?" Secretary Tak responded.

"So you're not aware. Let her take her car, and you'll find out through the articles later. People will chatter about the price of her luxurious vehicle, how many were imported, who gave it to her —maybe even how much I paid in gift taxes."

Secretary Tak paused. "I'm sure we can find a domestic brand sedan for her to use. When will you be leaving?"

Sehun checked his watch as he finally entered his office. Glancing out the window, he noticed that the cleaning staff had already come and gone, leaving the blinds open once more. Naturally, he could see the silhouette of the man in the office across from his.

The real reason Sehun resisted switching offices, despite Mihee's strong urging, was because he enjoyed this side view. He claimed it was because he liked the current furniture arrangement, but he knew it was merely an excuse, far from the truth.

Yoonshin was on the phone, seemingly offering consolation to someone on the other end of the line. He rose slightly from his seat, then settled back down, frantically rifling through documents in search of something to aid his client. Yoonshin's eyes sparkled with vitality in such moments. Sehun observed Yoonshin's busy movements before closing his blinds once again.

"How early did he arrive?" Sehun asked of his secretary.

"He got in about 40 minutes ago."

Yoonshin must have been unable to go back to sleep after all. Sehun had anticipated as much, but he had hoped Yoonshin would find some peace.

Yoonshin tended to act in accordance with Sehun's expectations while simultaneously contradicting them.

"I've inadvertently caused a problem for myself. I'll be leaving in 30 minutes.

Let Yoonshin know to come to my office once he's off the call."

"Understood," Secretary Tak replied, exiting and closing the door behind him.

Sehun made his way to the closet at one end of his office. Most employees at the firm had a closet stocked with suits for all occasions. Sehun selected a tie, the color of the abyss, and placed it on his desk, gazing at it thoughtfully.

Time passed, and soon, there was a knock on his office door.

Upon Sehun's invitation, Yoonshin cautiously poked his head in through the crack of the door. Yoonshin's call had ended just in time.

"Director, you called?" Yoonshin inquired.

"I see you're back at work, Attorney Yoonshin Do. You must have come straight from the hospital," Sehun remarked with a smile.

Yoonshin returned the smile awkwardly, stumbling slightly over his words.

"Oh, uh... Since you gave me permission yesterday..."

"Why the hesitation? Feeling guilty?" Sehun teased.

"Your sarcastic kindness is quite effective.."

"I said next week. Perhaps you're confused between this week and next. Shall we start with reviewing your vocabulary or your grammar?"

"I... was worried," Yoonshin admitted.

"Right, I underestimated you. Come in," Sehun invited Yoonshin, devoid of any disappointment, as if he had anticipated Yoonshin's actions.

Then, he glanced away.

Yoonshin closed the door behind him, his eyes falling on the necktie resting on Sehun's desk. Without a word exchanged between them, they both understood the silent ritual about to unfold.

Slipping between Sehun's chair and desk, Yoonshin guided Sehun to perch on the edge of the desk. Sehun complied, and soon they were eye to eye.

Yoonshin gently wrapped the tie around Sehun's neck, tying it with a tender touch. His gaze carried a solemn weight as he broached a difficult subject.

"The atmosphere at the firm is tense. I immediately understood why you left without informing me," Yoonshin began.

"You would have found out eventually, but I had hoped you could have slept peacefully last night. It seems you didn't, though," Sehun remarked.

"It's nothing new. I haven't been sleeping well lately, not without you by my side ..."

"Yoonshin, can I share a secret with you?"

"What is it?"

"Sometimes, in the middle of the night, I wake up and reach out to feel the space next to me on the bed."

Sehun's steady gaze searched Yoonshin's face, conveying the sincerity in his words.

Yoonshin wasn't prepared for such a romantic confession from Sehun.

Feeling a rush of emotion, Yoonshin clenched his hands. He always craved Sehun's affection, but now that Sehun was expressing his feelings, Yoonshin didn't know how to respond. Instead of hiding his surprise, Yoonshin pulled Sehun towards him by his tie. He grinned shyly, his smile contagious, prompting a gentle smile to bloom on Sehun's lips. Leaning forward, Sehun pressed a tender kiss to Yoonshin's lips.

As Sehun pulled away, disappointed that the moment had ended, Yoonshin leaned in this time, initiating a kiss. While their lips met, Yoonshin skillfully finished tying the knot of the tie before drawing back.

"It seems like each team will take turns offering condolences. Those unable to attend will contribute to the condolence fund, and those who go will deliver the money when they visit. I just read that in the meeting minutes," Yoonshin relayed.

"Considering you personalized the attendees, I assume you'll be going?"

"Is that surprising? Honestly, I never met the deceased."

The firm was sizable, with work divided into different departments and teams.

Unless they collaborated on a project, members from different teams rarely crossed paths.

"Who can stop you from meddling? Do as you please," Sehun replied

Yoonshin couldn't hide his delight, though he attempted to suppress a smile.

"You're going in the morning, right? Will you accompany the other partners?"

"Yes, that's the plan. It's only proper for a director to lead a delegation to offer condolences," Sehun affirmed.

"In that case, I suppose I won't get a chance later."

"For what?"

"I just felt bad leaving you like that last night," Yoonshin muttered almost to himself.

Before Sehun could inquire further, Yoonshin reached into his pocket, pulling out a clear-wrapped bandage. The bandage was adorned with blue cats.

Anticipating the gesture, Sehun extended his arm towards Yoonshin.

Yoonshin grasped the outstretched arm and rolled up the sleeve. Carefully, he unwrapped the bandage and applied it to the bite mark on Sehun's wrist—a mark Sehun had inflicted on himself to prevent from hurting Yoonshin.

Yoonshin patted the dressing, indicating that his treatment was complete.

Sehun brought his wrist closer to inspect the pattern on the bandage. It was even more whimsical than he had expected.

"Did you sneak into the pediatric ward? Why choose such a whimsical pattern?" Sehun remarked, clearly amused.

"Does it remind you of anything?"

"Like what? The day of your blind date?" Sehun teased.

Recalling that memory amused Sehun, but Yoonshin shook his head, indicating that wasn't the answer he was looking for.

"Perhaps you mean the day I pointed out when we shared our first kiss?"

"Our first kiss? Wasn't that at the condo's basement arcade?" Sehun questioned.

"Not according to my memory. It was at the firm dinner," Yoonshin corrected.

"That's not how I remember it. I distinctly recall our lips not touching that time," Sehun countered.

Yoonshin raised his hand, as if to slap Sehun playfully, but remembering his injured hip, he stopped himself mid-motion. This caused him to lose balance, and Sehun swiftly reached out to catch him, pulling him closer to prevent him from colliding with the desk. Yoonshin ended up leaning against Sehun's shoulder, then slowly straightened up, meeting Sehun's gaze.

In a moment of unspoken agreement, they both leaned in for a kiss.

"You must have a busy day ahead, Director Kang," Yoonshin remarked.

"Yeah, and I should hold you tight when we sleep tonight. See you at Building A later," Sehun replied.

"Oh, right. We don't have to sleep in separate rooms now, do we? Don't say no, now that I've been formally discharged. I've informed my sister and moved out of the hospital room."

"Yes, see you at home," Sehun said. "Oh, speaking of which, our housing-"

"Hm? Housing?"

Anything Sehun said always piqued Yoonshin's interest. Yoonshin blinked with curiosity sparkling in his eyes, silently urging Sehun to continue. Sehun reconsidered telling Yoonshin but decided it wasn't the right time to discuss their private matters. Perhaps he wanted to witness Yoonshin's genuine happiness when he finally shared his decision.

"Nevermind. Let's discuss it later."

"Why did you stop mid-sentence? I want to know."

"I'll tell you if you agree that our first kiss was at the arcade in our condo complex."

"..."

Reluctantly, Yoonshin tightly pursed his lips. If Sehun said so, he would eventually share the story, and in that case, Yoonshin didn't feel the need to press further. In a small act of revenge, Yoonshin adjusted the other man's necktie and straightened himself up. Sehun supported him to prevent straining his injuries. Smoothly arranging the fabric of Sehun's black suit, Yoonshin pouted.

"You're not supposed to look this handsome in mourning clothes. I get nervous whenever you go out in public."

Sehun didn't reply, unsure if Yoonshin could understand that he was also genuinely anxious. Their silence lingered-although such peaceful moments were common between them, this silence had a different quality.

Reluctant to part, Yoonshin asked, "Sehun, what were you just thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking of anything."

"You know how to do that?"

"I do. I was just admiring you, the one I like, Yoonshin Do."

Surprise and delight flickered in Yoonshin's eyes.

Unbeknownst to Yoonshin, Sehun briefly deliberated on proposing living together to him.

When would be the best time and place, and what would be the perfect words to make Yoonshin ecstatic?

And why was Sehun so content that simple joys were becoming the focus of his life?

One thought led to another, and Sehun realized that his life revolved around Yoonshin. As he acknowledged this, Sehun's impassioned gaze traced Yoonshin's features, lingering on the soft skin hidden beneath his shirt.

"Sehun?" Yoonshin flinched in surprise.

Though their skin didn't touch, the distance between them felt tantalizing.

Yoonshin yearned to invite Sehun to deepen their intimacy, to surrender to him completely.

Because Sehun's eyes were bewitching him.

Yoonshin couldn't bear it any longer.

Their coworker had just passed away, and they hadn't even attended the funeral service yet. Yoonshin couldn't let his desires hold Sehun back, not for his own sake, but for Sehun's. Sehun had been occupied since the previous night, and he would be busy for the rest of the day. Yoonshin stepped back hurriedly, walking effortlessly to show Sehun that his leg was fine.

"I shouldn't linger here any longer. Have a safe trip. See you later!"

"If anyone else sees this and it jeopardizes my authority, it'll be on you."

Sehun glanced at the bandaid on his wrist. Yoonshin waved, accepting the responsibility, and slipped out of the office.

The door clicked shut, but Yoonshin gripped the handle tightly, his cheerful facade slipping away. He glanced at the nameplate on Sehun's office door, and the reflection revealed the concern etched on Yoonshin's face. He hadn't fully grasped the weight of Sehun's position before, but lately, whether he liked it or not, he couldn't help but be attuned to Sehun's reality.

Sehun slept less, his workload increased, and the burden of responsibility within the firm grew heavier. And now, Sehun needed Yoonshin. He sought Yoonshin's presence before facing the death of another colleague. Sehun was resilient and proud, never openly asking for moral support, but Yoonshin sensed it nonetheless. Until now, Sehun had borne the weight of his responsibilities alone, but now he relied on Yoonshin for support.

Though he was glad to be there for Sehun, Yoonshin felt a whirlwind of emotions. He yearned to do more for Sehun than just adjusting his necktie, applying a bandaid, and bringing a smile to his face. Yoonshin was the only one who could decipher Sehun's silent call for help, and he longed to assist in any way he could.

There must be something I can do ... he thought.

Yoonshin was on his way to his office when he abruptly changed direction. He headed to the window in the hallway, where an unseasonably humid breeze wafted in. Peering down, he saw a throng of reporters clamoring to enter the main doors of the firm. Their complaints carried a tone of reproach-it must have appeared to them that Doguk was indeed an exploitative law firm, as the deceased lawyer's final note had asserted.

As the saying goes, revenge is a dish best served cold. Yoonshin often contemplated the significance of that phrase. When he was gearing up for litigation, he agreed with its sentiment. He could sense the calculated patience and precision in the deceased lawyer's testament, which had spread like wildfire online and led to this debacle. He could also detect the underlying desire for Doguk's downfall in those words.

Of course, this storm would eventually pass. Once the initial fervor subsided, the news would lose its heat, and eventually, everything would settle back into its rightful place. Doguk was too entrenched in economic interests to be toppled by the death of one individual. Nevertheless, both sides would inevitably suffer in this process.

Pushing aside his disquietude, Yoonshin was about to return to his office when he spotted a familiar figure down the hall, waving as they approached.

"Attorney Do! Perfect timing."

"Team lead? Why didn't you just call me?"

"I needed to speak with you in person. It's urgent. Do you have a moment?"

Confirming the urgency, the family law team leader glanced around discreetly, checking for any prying eyes. It was normal for a team leader to converse with their team members, but the other lawyer's behavior seemed suspicious to Yoonshin. Gesturing toward his office, he suggested, "Should we relocate?"

"Well, we are relocating, but not to your office. Upstairs."

"Upstairs?"

"The senior lawyers want to see you."

"Me..? Why?"

"I'm not at liberty to disclose the details here, and I've been instructed to discreetly escort you upstairs. You need to hear it firsthand. Let's go."

Perplexed, Yoonshin glanced behind him almost instinctively. The firm bustled with activity, with staff diligently attending to their tasks despite the late hour.

Everyone seemed engrossed in the myriad external pressures, ensuring that they all faced long and challenging days ahead.

Yoonshin's gaze lingered on Sehun's office momentarily, but he knew he had no choice but to heed his team leader's anxious urging to follow him.

Side Story 6

It was late, well past midnight, and the funeral service was entering its second day.

Sehun had accompanied several partners and staff members to the funeral home. It was Doguk's first public reaction to the tragedy, so all eyes were on Sehun. His image was broadcasted across the news, capturing the somber event. Even in the funeral home, a muted television monitor displayed Sehun's face. While he had made appearances at formal events since becoming director, this was one of the first times he publicly acknowledged his role as the new owner of Doguk.

The atmosphere at the funeral service for someone who had taken their own life was typically more subdued than for other deaths. While a few visitors and guests were still present, many had already paid their respects and were now quietly conversing or eating. Amidst the hushed crowd and the grief-stricken parents of the deceased, Yoonshin spotted a familiar face: Mihee.

"Director Song?" Yoonshin called out.

Mihee appeared weary as she turned from her conversation to weakly wave at Yoonshin. She was engaged in a discussion with a young man dressed casually, his strikingly handsome face catching Yoonshin's attention.

Approaching cautiously, Yoonshin waited for their conversation to conclude.

As Mihee signaled for him to come closer, he walked towards her but accidentally brushed against the man she had been speaking with, who was rising to leave.

"Oh, I'm sorry-" Yoonshin began to apologize, but his words were cut off by another suited man engaged in conversation nearby.

Yoonshin recognized him.

Isn't that... Dojin Sa?

Dojin pulled the casually dressed man away by the back of his collar, as if trying to shield him from Yoonshin, leaving her slightly bewildered.

Yoonshin approached Mihee's table and took a seat across from her.

"Wasn't that Senior Superintendent Dojin Sa? Does he have any connection to the deceased? Or maybe not, considering the age gap."

"I suppose so. You and Senior Superintendent Sa are acquainted, right?"

"No, I'm aware of him, but I'm not sure if he knows me... But who was the man with you? The one who was talking to you."

"Oh, you don't know? He's Hyejun Nam, a cop who heads the Central Police Agency's criminal investigation division. The situation got blown out of proportion, so it seemed like the police station in charge requested an additional investigation from the CID before the cremation. Just in case they needed an autopsy."

"Oh..." Yoonshin glanced back and saw the policeman offering condolences to the deceased's family. From his expression, it seemed like he was expressing sympathy. Senior Superintendent Dojin Sa stood nearby, watching the scene with an odd expression. Shaking off the strange feeling, Yoonshin turned back to Mihee.

"Are you alright?"

"I wish I could say yes, but I'm not. It's honestly challenging for me. I didn't realize I was so emotional. I should feel sorry for the loss, but I also feel resentment. I feel like a terrible person. I don't know how Sehun manages to deal with this."

Yoonshin couldn't fully agree or disagree, so he chose to remain silent.

According to the deceased's final letter, both co-directors were the targets.

Sehun was handling the situation with detached grace, but Mihee was struggling to stay composed. She looked visibly worn out. Perhaps their differing perspectives played a role-while Sehun saw directorship as a career step, Mihee viewed the position as part of her destiny and life goal.

It was understandable that she would harbor resentment and anxiety over how this situation could negatively affect Doguk. Yoonshin could empathize— he, too, never wanted to see those close to him hurt.

Yoonshin smiled sympathetically, and finally, Mihee mirrored his smile.

"A lot has been weighing on my mind since coming here. If I were to pass away, I suppose Attorney Kang would prepare my eulogy. If he hesitates, could you push him into doing it by saying that otherwise, my soul won't rest in peace?"

Both of them imagined Attorney Kang with his stern and aloof demeanor, reading the speech. They knew Sehun was reserved but fulfilled all his moral duties. They exchanged knowing looks.

Yoonshin chuckled, then glanced around. His presence had attracted a small group of people, eager to speak with Mihee. Yoonshin realized he needed to broach his business soon.

After a moment's pause, he said, "Director Song, I have something to discuss with you." Yoonshin lowered his voice for privacy. In addition to his usual tone, he leaned forward and added, "The atmosphere in the firm is dismal. I haven't seen morale this low since I joined. As I bear some responsibility for dampening spirits... I've been considering ways I could contribute to lifting the firm up, and some of the senior members have approached me..."

While she initially listened attentively, Mihee quickly caught on. Her eyes displayed exasperation towards the partner lawyers who had disregarded her warning.

Mihee was a significantly more flexible and understanding leader compared to Sehun. There were many things she could overlook if it benefited the firm overall. Since Mihee had rejected the proposal instead of the stern Sehun, the other partners must have decided to approach Yoonshin directly.

She interrupted Yoonshin, knowing exactly what he was about to say. "No."

"Director Song."

"I think I know what you're going to suggest. This was already discussed in the executive board meeting, and I was the one who vetoed it. Sehun was against it too. I remain opposed. Do you want to get entangled with Soohan again? They just want to divert attention from the real issue everyone wants to know about. Soohan is to blame. Doguk is the victim. I don't want you to take the fall for us like that."

"I can persuade Sehun. I just need your approval."

"I said no. Director Kang would prefer to resign than owe you a favor. It's too big a loss for me. I appreciate the sentiment, but that's the end of it. Let it go."

"I can convince him, I swear. Please, just give me a chance. I don't want him to take the long way around when there's a quicker solution just to protect me. That's not his style."

Yoonshin brimmed with confidence that he could sway Sehun; he looked victorious already. Mihee observed the determination on Yoonshin's face, then remembered that Sehun was planning to move out of the firm's residences soon.

Yoonshin's words carried undeniable credibility. Having spent a significant amount of time together, he was someone Sehun— who detested others meddling with his affairs- considered as officially cohabiting with.

Yoonshin was Sehun's sole confidant at life's crossroads.

"Attorney Do, I still disagree. I value Sehun's opinions. I don't want to damage our relationships."

"Then…. how about we try this?"

Yoonshin already anticipated Mihee's resistance. He grinned knowingly. Mihee positioned herself, willing to listen but still skeptical. Yoonshin began outlining his plan step by step.

Mihee's worried gaze met Yoonshin's twinkling eyes.

Sehun was engrossed in reviewing the profiles of the candidates for the head manager position in their developing corporate law research team when he glanced up.

Secretary Tak approached with an envelope and a file folder, wearing a mischievous expression.

"Which one should I show you first? One is a woman, and the other is a man.

I can guarantee that one of them will pique your interest."

Sehun gazed at the secretary, his weariness evident. "Can't you see my head is about to explode from all these disparate matters? Every time I attempt to hire someone, they fail to meet my standards, and it drives me crazy. Convince me why I should indulge in your antics. I'm dying to know."

"You still need to choose. You'll have to hear about both eventually."

One of them would surely catch Sehun's attention.

Given that news about the man likely concerned Yoonshin, Sehun opted to hear about the opposite first.

With a sigh, Sehun replied, "The woman."

"It's about the security camera footage from Hanguk University Hospital. We previously reported that a woman was seated on the ground. Since we only had her profile and back view, I had someone enhance the video quality."

Sehun tapped his desk surface rhythmically, then inquired, "Have you identified her?"

"Yes, and we also traced the license plate of the car she was sitting next to and cross-verified it."

"From the expression you're wearing, I must be acquainted with this person."

"You should see for yourself,"

Secretary Tak slid the slim envelope toward Sehun. It was a B5 envelope.

Sehun picked it up and extracted a stack of photos on thick color-printed paper. His gaze intensified as he examined the images before him.

As Sehun flipped through the photos, he couldn't help but emit a hollow laugh. He had anticipated this revelation from the moment he learned the individual making the noise was a woman.

"It's Ikyung Do."

"Yes, it is."

He knew that Ikyung harbored suspicions about their relationship. She wasn't oblivious, nor was she foolish. She must have realized that her suspicions were gradually being confirmed. However, Yoonshin remained silent, so she appeared to drop the subject as well. Sehun noticed that every time she encountered him, she seemed to have much on her mind but always kept her thoughts to herself, indicating she had caught on.

So this is how this unfolds, he thought.

From Ikyung's perspective, Sehun wasn't an ideal partner for Yoonshin.

Yoonshin seemed to mistakenly assume that she would support their relationship, but Sehun knew better. Ikyung Do was different from her brother. She was more worldly compared to Yoonshin, who remained pure despite life's challenges.

Sehun had anticipated this revelation eventually. There were numerous reasons for doubt, and Ikyung held the key to resolving them. In fact, he believed it was long overdue. If she had wanted to, she could have exposed them earlier. Her decision to overlook her suspicions likely stemmed from respect for her brother's choices and partly from deliberate ignorance.

Confronting the truth could be difficult and frightening at times.

I wanted to postpone this confrontation if possible, Sehun thought, perturbed.

Secretary Tak observed Sehun for a moment before deciding to change the subject, sensing his inner conflict.

"By the way, Attorney Do has agreed to an interview. Did you know that?

Thanks to that, Doguk has shifted the narrative from an oppressive organization that drove someone to suicide to a law firm that fully supports its lawyers. The individuals assisted by Attorney Do have been sharing the article on social media and leaving positive comments. It's incredibly beneficial for the firm," Secretary Tak informed him.

With a slightly awkward grin, he pushed forward a file folder containing printed articles. Yoonshin's interview had officially been featured in three articles by major news outlets, with others starting to replicate the original pieces. These replicated articles had spread widely across the vast sea of information, overwhelming the PR team's efforts to process them all for errors and misrepresentations.

Sehun was already aware of this situation, and he wondered why Secretary Tak felt the need to bring it up again.

"Why are you stressing something I already know? Get to the point," Sehun said, his voice tinged with irritation.

"You should consider taking disciplinary action against Attorney Do."

Sehun clenched his teeth and asked, his voice a mixture of frustration and resignation, "Tak, do I need to argue with you? You, of all people in the firm, should at least support him."

"I'm your secretary, Director. Everything I do is in service to you. If you don't take action, there will be repercussions."

Sehun quickly understood why his secretary risked his ire by offering unsolicited advice. An internal memo had been circulated stating that discussing the incident without permission would result in punishment— Sehun's directive. If Yoonshin received special treatment despite disregarding the director's order, other staff members would complain about unfairness.

"It's not the first time people have talked behind my back. I'm not bothered," Sehun replied wearily.

"I'm also suggesting this with Attorney Do in mind. He's become the target of envy, especially because his annual salary negotiations are exceptional... People might misinterpret your intentions."

If everyone performed as well as Yoonshin Do, they could also enjoy similar benefits. Their annual salary reviews were among the most transparent in the industry. Furthermore, Doguk had always been generous with financial support and investments in its human resources since its establishment.

Yoonshin's salary reflected his accomplishments and recognized his value as a lawyer. The final approval came from the directors, but the review and analysis were conducted by the human resources team. While the directors might have had differing attitudes toward Yoonshin in trivial matters, neither had granted him special treatment in terms of professional achievement or corresponding compensation.

"Am I to blame for Yoonshin's performance?" Sehun scoffed.

"You've always treated him fairly, so you can't make an exception now. From an outsider's perspective, Attorney Do disobeyed your orders. You should take action. I'm suggesting this out of loyalty and trust in you. You know I rarely speak discourteously to you."

Rumors about Yoonshin were common throughout the firm. Despite his individual accomplishments, many believed that Sehun was the one guiding him. Some seemed unwilling to accept that someone hired through connections could outperform them, while others were simply envious of Yoonshin. Additionally, there was still speculation about a romantic relationship between Ikyung and Sehun.

Sehun ran his hand over his face, his white gold ring catching the light. His exhausted expression was visible between his long fingers. Finally, he relented. "I'm considering putting him on probation."

"How about a more significant penalty?" Secretary Tak suggested.

"Probation."

"Director, that's hardly a punishment. You could at least deduct points-"

"Probation. I've terminated anyone who made me repeat myself, and you're no exception."

Secretary Tak fell silent.

Yoonshin's interview had been immensely beneficial to the firm. Considering the advantages, Sehun reasoned that it wouldn't be fair to penalize Yoonshin simply for disobeying orders.

No-this was all just an excuse. Sehun admitted to himself that he simply wanted to protect Yoonshin. If it had been someone else who had disobeyed, he might have imposed a harsher penalty.

Sehun hadn't anticipated events unfolding as they had. But looking back, he had a gut feeling that something like this might happen. On the day the topic was discussed, he had remained silent during the meeting.

Usually, Sehun would voice his opinions, which would then form the basis for a bulletin or policy. Now he understood why his instincts had stopped him from speaking up. Every fiber of his being remembered Yoonshin Do's character.

Concerned about Sehun's lenient punishment, Secretary Tak cautiously asked,

"Will that suffice?"

"Of course not. I'll accept the consequences since Yoonshin did it to help me.

Let the other lawyers know that I authorized Yoonshin to do the interview, and I'll confirm that in the executive caucus. Doguk strategically used Yoonshin Do to their advantage. They can't deny that Yoonshin was helpful. If you understand, you may leave."

"Yes... I understand," Secretary Tak replied. Although he had advocated for a harsher penalty, he wasn't opposed to Sehun's lenient approach. The faint smile on Secretary Tak's face indicated as much.

Sehun glared at his inconsistent secretary with irritation and arrogantly motioned towards the door, dismissing Secretary Tak. Just before the secretary disappeared from view, Sehun snapped his fingers. "Oh, when is Yoonshin's meeting?"

"The family law meeting? It's in two hours. Should I inform them to expect your attendance?"

"No, leave it. I'll go in without notice, so clear my schedule for that time."

"Very well, then," Secretary Tak replied, closing the door behind him.

Alone at last, Sehun pushed the file folder to the side of his desk and scrutinized the picture of Ikyung Do. The photos were alongside the articles, which were the two matters he had to address- essentially revolving around Ikyung and Yoonshin. Yoonshin's interview also made occasional mention of his sister.

Sehun had a sinking feeling ever since he suspected Ikyung might be in the parking garage.

To Ikyung, this interview might seem like Doguk was exploiting Yoonshin.

Ultimately, Doguk represented Sehun Kang. It could appear as though he was benefiting from Yoonshin. Ikyung knew that Yoonshin disliked being the subject of gossip. Simply put, the timing of events couldn't have been worse.

"I'm caught between those siblings-the rock and the hard place.."

Yoonshin's interview had been timely and the content was positive. The articles had played their part in reshaping public opinion. Yoonshin's commendable character had been highlighted, particularly since Ikyung faced criticism for hiring Doguk. Given the credible messenger, the message was convincing.

The issue lay in the interview's details. The essence of it portrayed Yoonshin as highly content with his tenure at Doguk, learning from talented colleagues, and highlighting a different firm culture from public perception. He expressed condolences for his late colleague and conveyed a message about the societal issue of depression affecting young adults.

His responses were impeccable and professional.

So professional, it was almost startling.

"He's quite the smooth talker for someone who's been ostracized for years."

Sehun hadn't expected Yoonshin to be such a convincing liar.

The way Yoonshin masterfully dealt with the press was beyond Sehun's teachings. He was not sure that he should commend Yoonshin or reprimand him. Sehun's head started to hurt.

Sehun shoved the photos and the papers haphazardly in his drawer and pulled out his painkillers.

This was extremely bizarre.

The PR team started to circulate my interview? Yoonshin thought.

That was difficult to logically reconcile. Yoonshin tilted his head in confusion as he read the report from the secretarial office.

That means... Sehun allowed my interview to go through.

Yoonshin committed this independently. He disobeyed Sehun's orders and ignored Mihee's announcements, so Yoonshin had expected some disciplinary action. However, his superiors' reactions were unexpected, so this situation thoroughly confounded Yoonshin.

It was extremely rare and unprecedented for Sehun to overturn his own orders.

Why did he take on that risk? He should have just punished me, Yoonshin pondered.

Whatever the case may be, since Sehun decided to go this route, Yoonshin would do his best to play along.

To be frank, it was not easy to talk about the law firm and his sister in the interview. He needed to mix about one part truth and nine parts lie. He constantly second-guessed himself throughout the process. Despite his good intentions, there was a chance that the results would not be as expected and that could in turn be to Sehun's detriment.

Fortunately, his interview seemed to shield the firm's image from being tarnished further.

One thing still bothered him.

I'm a bit sorry for my sister.

Since Yoonshin was taking the defensive front in the battle for Doguk's reputation, Ikyung's divorce resurfaced. He had asked for Ikyung's consent beforehand, but he knew that she didn't consent with open arms. However, she was thriving independently, and Yoonshin did not hide his affection for her in the interview, so he had a feeling that she would be secretly content.

The overall results were not bad.

Yoonshin wanted to be of assistance to Sehun. Sehun was always the supportive figure and sometimes, Yoonshin wanted to take the weight from Sehun's shoulders.

Yoonshin's expression softened. He had to get up to go to the family law meeting.

Stepping out of his office, Yoonshin habitually glanced at Sehun's office, then collected himself to go to the small meeting room. When he arrived at the meeting room, he flinched at the unexpected encounter with a towering man.

"You're in charge of today's presentation, aren't you?" the man asked.

Yoonshin audibly gasped.

Yoonshin recognized this suited figure very well. He slowly looked up, confirming that Sehun was staring down at him. Yoonshin couldn't tell if he was imagining things, but Sehun seemed colder than usual. Sehun's default was cold indifference, so it was hard to tell.

Yoonshin spotted Secretary Tak greeting him from behind Sehun. Secretary Tak's eyes seemed to be telling Yoonshin something important about Sehun's current mood, but it was hard to read without any words.

Eager to find out, Yoonshin answered Sehun first. "Yes, I'm the presenter. Will you be attending the family law team meeting?"

Sehun nodded uninterestedly. Thinking he was going to walk past, Yoonshin involuntarily grabbed Sehun's wrist. It was truly out of instinct. Sehun looked down at his grabbed wrist and stared directly at Yoonshin.

"What do I look like to you, Attorney Do?" Sehun asked.

"You look like Director Sehun Kang."

"No, you think I'm a door handle."

"Oh... I'm sorry."

The two usually kept a professional boundary within the office and respected each other's positions. Many times, that boundary was crossed, but only when they were alone. In situations like these, the most they would do is discreetly brush past each other's hands, and that in itself was rare. Yoonshin was also used to Sehun's sharp tongue abrading his nerves.

But today, the temperature between them was different. Studying Sehun's face, Yoonshin could see that he looked somewhat strained.

It seemed to be because of Yoonshin's interview. It was possible.

Sehun's expression was difficult to describe. Yoonshin couldn't quite pinpoint it. Sehun appeared irritated yet not entirely displeased, and he seemed unsure how to handle the situation. It mirrored the expressions he wore before he and Yoonshin had connected emotionally.

"Why do you look so awful?"

"And why are you asking?"

"Sorry? You just seem like you have a headache."

"The nerve to ask when you know..."

"..."

"What are you doing? Move."

Sehun avoided answering, only heightening Yoonshin's curiosity, and coldly concluded the conversation as he entered the boardroom.

The family law team wasn't as large or as crucial as the corporate acquisitions, corporate restructuring, or tax law teams. They sat there, stunned. Never in their wildest dreams did they expect the director to barge into their meeting.

Given the current atmosphere in the firm, Sehun's timing couldn't have been worse. Sehun watched as the junior lawyers scrambled in a panicked flurry to prepare for the meeting. He turned to Yoonshin irritably. "Looks like the family law team is functioning smoothly. Congratulations."

Yoonshin couldn't reply. Any response would have been seen as disrespectful towards Sehun and would reflect poorly on him with his colleagues. Secretary Tak tactfully intervened, positioning himself between the two taciturn lawyers. He pulled out the conference chair at the far end of the table and quietly exited. As Sehun took his seat, the family law team regrouped swiftly and began the meeting preparations.

Still lingering near the exit, Yoonshin nervously toyed with the laser pointer he intended to use for his presentation, then entered the well-lit room. As the junior lawyers finished setting up and settled into their seats, Yoonshin took the remote from the wall to dim the boardroom lights. He then proceeded to present his materials with composure.

"Director Kang, thank you for joining our meeting. Today, I will brief you on three cases that our team will be litigating. These have all been approved by our team leader. Let's begin."

Yoonshin flipped to the next slide and gestured towards the tablets in front of the attendees.

"The first case involves a claim for a legal reserve of inheritance. The son inherited his grandparents' estate via succession per stirpes, as his parents, who were joint beneficiaries, passed away before the grandparents. However, there are allegations that the son, who was adopted years ago by his parents and is the ultimate beneficiary, may have been involved in their deaths."

Yoonshin aimed his laser pointer at the screen, his gaze briefly meeting Sehun's stern look with crossed arms. Sehun was never lenient during meetings, but his demeanor today was particularly intense. It seemed he was ready to scrutinize every detail. Sehun must have come prepared to address Yoonshin's interview. Given the circumstances, it appeared Sehun was here to show the audience he was ready to conclude business with Yoonshin.

Yoonshin sighed inwardly, feeling weighed down by the thought that he had further complicated things for Sehun. Pushing aside these concerns, he continued his presentation steadfastly.

Yoonshin bowed deeply to Sehun under the spotlight.

"If there are no further questions, I will conclude my brief here. Thank you."

The family law team leader glanced at Sehun for his final word, and Sehun nodded, arms still crossed. Sehun's silence also implied there were no faults to criticize.

The lawyers in the room collectively sighed in relief and awaited Sehun's next instructions. Normally, they would pack up and leave after stowing their equipment, but with Sehun still present, they hesitated to move. Sensing the tension, Yoonshin cautiously addressed Sehun, "Excuse me, Director Kang?"

Sehun, who had been glaring at Yoonshin, finally gestured for the other lawyers to leave. The team shifted uncomfortably, and once their leader began packing up, they filed out of the room one by one. Yoonshin debated his next move, deciding to pack up his belongings when Sehun interrupted him.

"Attorney Do."

"Yes, Director?"

"Stay."

The room grew noticeably chilly. Sensing the frostiness in Sehun's tone, the remaining individuals hurriedly exited the boardroom.

The small space was engulfed in heavy silence. The harsh brightness of the lights left no shadows to retreat into. Under the unforgiving glare, Yoonshin spoke first, recalling Sehun's demeanor before the meeting and anticipating this moment. "Did you want to speak with me?"

"I know you don't lie to me, but you need to be completely honest now.

Depending on your answer, my attitude may change. So, tell me the truth as it is."

"Please ask."

"Your interview —were you forced into it against your will by the partners?"

Yoonshin's prediction was spot on. This was their only secret between them.

Yoonshin hadn't informed Sehun beforehand, so it was natural for the older man to be infuriated. From scheduling the interview to the day of, Yoonshin worried about revealing his plan to Sehun. He knew Sehun would oppose it.

Luckily, Sehun was so busy that Yoonshin didn't need to deceive his lover.

"No, they suggested it, but I chose to do it voluntarily."

"What about Attorney Song? In the last meeting, it seemed like you collaborated with her."

"She refused the idea repeatedly, so I made a deal. I asked her to reverse any punishment you might decide. She couldn't refuse, so she's not at fault."

"So you're saying... you decided on your own despite knowing my orders. I made it clear that all communications must go through the PR team via official channels. Was that a joke to you?"

Sehun understood the situation well. Yoonshin expected Sehun to penalize him, but instead, Sehun went against his own directives and supported Yoonshin. Yoonshin didn't know the exact reasons, but that was his interpretation of the situation.

Sehun's decision differed from assisting Ikyung's divorce lawsuit or sacrificing some of his future opportunities. The former was within Sehun's legal capacity, while the latter was an act as Yoonshin's partner. However, this time, Sehun's actions as a leader in the law firm were unacceptable. Sehun himself should recognize the hypocrisy in his words. This was incomprehensible to Yoonshin.

"Of course not," Yoonshin replied, hanging his head.

Sehun retorted sharply, "Did you think that just because there are two directors, you only need to listen to one? Have I taught you so poorly? I warned everyone that I would terminate them. We don't need a lawyer like that in this firm."

"I apologize. I made a mistake."

"If a simple apology could resolve this, why do we need lawyers?"

"Sehun... what's wrong? Are you very upset?"

"How dare you try to brush this aside? Do you think I kept you here because I love you?"

Yoonshin was tempted to retort that yes, Sehun did love him. Yet, he managed to suppress his emotions.

"I did it because I was concerned about you. I know I was wrong, but I was worried!"

"Why are you worried about me?" Sehun shouted.

The face of diplomatic concern morphed into a grimace. No matter what Sehun said and no matter what he did, Yoonshin was never hurt because he sensed Sehun's true feelings underneath it all. At times, he knew that Sehun would say or do things out of his uncontrollable affection for Yoonshin. But despite being receptive to everything Sehun threw at him, Yoonshin could not understand this sentiment. He could not stop himself from wryly talking back.

"Who else would worry about you except me? Do you happen to have a side fling? If you do, bring them to me. Let me twist their neck."

"I'll solve my problems myself. Don't butt in, you got that?"

"Butt in..." For a moment Yoonshin doubted his ears.

He replayed what Sehun said several times in his head and acceded that he had heard correctly.

"Don't butt in?" Yoonshin repeated.

"Do I need to tell you twice? Yeah, don't butt in."

Yoonshin finally blew his top. "Sehun Kang, you're a real asshole. I knew that since before, but you're a real piece of work."

"What's with that tone? Don't you talk to me like that."

"Who are you to say that when your tone is the nastiest? How about you practice what you preach?"

Sehun usually kept his cool, but some things just floored him-like now, leaving him utterly speechless. He scoffed, disbelief coloring his hollow laughs, as he gripped the desk tightly.

His eyes filled with skepticism.

Had Yoonshin lost his mind?

Seated and looking up at Yoonshin with arrogance, Sehun reached his breaking point. He stood up. Unfazed, Yoonshin raised his hand, halting Sehun's advance. He spread his fingers, the ring on his fourth finger catching the light. As Sehun's gaze fixed on the ring, Yoonshin pointed at it before lowering his arms.

"This is our matching ring. I'm reminding you because it seems you've forgotten," Yoonshin said.

"Are you being sarcastic or genuinely questioning my memory?"

"Both. I ignored your commands, not expecting thanks or forgiveness. Even if it meant disciplinary action, I was prepared, considering you should be unbiased in your new role. Did you think I was clueless, defying you without cause? This was my last resort!"

"Then you shouldn't have done it!"

"I was trying to be useful in your life!"

"..."

"Yes, I'm sorry for what I did. But was shouting really necessary? You should've been upset that I disobeyed, not that I interfered. I would've understood that."

Yoonshin thought Sehun would reprimand him in his official capacity as director, but on a personal level, he believed Sehun's arms would be wide open.

Perhaps Yoonshin was mistaken. Or maybe Sehun was mishandling the situation. Sehun's response was the opposite of what Yoonshin had expected; he supported Yoonshin as a director but scolded him as a lover. This reaction was completely at odds with the behavior Yoonshin had observed over the years.

"I'm only saying you don't need to make sacrifices for me. Why should you?

You deserve only the best. Are you worried about me? That's fine, but don't get involved."

"How can anyone only experience the good things in life? Then you'd have to handle all the hardships alone. It torments me to see you like that. You say there's no sacrifice without selfish intent. Can't I do this for my own satisfaction?"

"Yoon—"

"I'm not done talking!"

Sehun's brow twitched. He couldn't tell if he was angry that his subordinate was losing control, speechless that his lover was having an outburst, or overwhelmed by a mix of emotions. This was probably their first heated argument. Yoonshin didn't care; he was beyond caring.

"Have I ever complained when you canceled our plans for work, came home late, or neglected me for weeks? I kept quiet because I wanted to be a supportive boyfriend. I waited patiently every day, missing you. But now you tell me not to meddle in your life?"

"Yoonshin Do, calm down. That's not what I mean."

"Why isn't it? It sounds exactly like what you mean. According to you, I shouldn't do anything for you. You want me to just smile foolishly, even though I see how worn out you are. If that's what you want, why don't you just date a doll?"

Yoonshin was more cynical than ever. Sehun was stunned by his sharpness.

Sehun couldn't just sit back and listen to Yoonshin's criticisms without responding.

He sighed heavily and retorted through clenched teeth, "Do you think you're the only one I'll be indebted to? Don't you see your sister is involved too?

How do you expect me to face her? Do you know how much pressure is on me? I don't want her to find out about this!"

With Ikyung mentioned, Yoonshin started to piece together Sehun's thought process. He had been puzzled by Sehun's unusual approach, but now it clicked. A dry laugh escaped him, tinged with disappointment.

"Are you that averse to my sister finding out about us?"

"Yoonshin."

"I didn't think you'd despise the idea so much. So, you really hated it every time I brought it up?"

The drop in his tone masked the storm of emotions inside him. Yoonshin's discontent had been building over the years. Despite his typically cheerful demeanor, he harbored some deep grievances against Sehun. It was a ticking time bomb. His voice dropped even lower, "Just give me the proper punishment. Please. And I'm sorry for intruding into your solitary life. You were better off alone, but I was too blind to see it."

Yoonshin bowed respectfully, as he would to a stranger in a superior position.

He turned to leave, but Sehun was quick to act, grabbing Yoonshin's wrist before he reached the door. Sensing Yoonshin's attempt to shake him off, Sehun pressed his hand against the door and slammed his other hand against the wall, effectively trapping Yoonshin in his embrace.

"I'm not done either. Listen to me, Yoonshin. What I meant was.."

Taking a deep, long breath, Yoonshin turned his head to throw a defiant glare at Sehun. Their eyes locked. Normally, at this proximity, the two would share a kiss. Their bodies remembered that intimacy, and they both inhaled sharply.

Sehun realized there was a serious miscommunication and wanted to clarify his words. He hadn't meant to push Yoonshin away or to keep Ikyung from finding out-they were all misunderstandings. Yet, he struggled to find the right words to begin.

Yoonshin, who had secretly held onto hope, felt a wave of disappointment when Sehun fell silent. To him, the silence was nothing but avoidance. He studied Sehun's face, then gathered his composure.

"I don't get hurt by words, unless they're yours. I'm very upset right now, so you must be even more upset. You just don't know how to show it," Yoonshin said, his voice calm.

"Don't leave if you know that."

"I'm leaving because I know. I want you to feel what I'm feeling."

"Yoon—"

Caught off guard, Sehun was shoved away as Yoonshin made a swift exit.

Sehun couldn't chase after him without drawing the attention of the onlookers in the hallway.

Sehun bit his lip and slammed the door shut. He stormed over to the window and yanked his tie loose, feeling suffocated and a lump forming in his throat.

Yoonshin's parting words felt like needles in his heart.

Yoonshin had nailed it. Whenever Sehun canceled their plans, spent nights at the office, or neglected Yoonshin for weeks, Yoonshin always accepted his explanations with a smile. He never complained but suggested they go on a date next time, asked Sehun to come home earlier, or sought extra affection to make up for lost time. Yoonshin never pressed Sehun to keep his promises.

In contrast, when Yoonshin made Sehun feel lonely, Sehun expected him to compensate significantly.

Had Yoonshin never met Sehun, perhaps he would have achieved all he wanted. But as their relationship progressed, Yoonshin became accustomed to compromising, resigning, and sacrificing his own feelings.

Sehun knew he couldn't let Ikyung find out about these sacrifices.

Sehun didn't want Ikyung to take Yoonshin away from him.

"Damn it."

By an unfortunate coincidence, Ikyung had witnessed their relationship dynamic at a critical moment when Doguk was rescued from danger by Yoonshin. Sehun was anxious about how Ikyung perceived the situation. He hadn't intended to hurt Yoonshin, but his pointed yet misdirected words had backfired spectacularly. Had Yoonshin ever resisted this vehemently before?

Not in Sehun's memory, which meant this was the first severe pushback he had received from Yoonshin. This time, Yoonshin was deeply hurt.

Sehun rubbed his face and leaned back against the desk.

Sehun rubbed his face and leaned back against the desk.

Despite his sharp deductive skills, Yoonshin Do wasn't a mind reader.

They needed a long, honest conversation.

Side Story 7

The air was sweltering, the kind that made your skin feel like it was melting right off. It was after working hours, and Yoonshin was wrapping up his menial tasks in the chilled office. He fiddled with his mug—a hot brew of tea meant to warm him in the cool environment, but the tea had also gone cold.

When he checked the time, he realized it was already midnight.

Yoonshin sighed and massaged his stiff neck. Standing up, he gathered his files and turned off his monitor. His reflection showed a haggard man. A few buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing a red welt that Sehun had left on his neck days ago. Yoonshin poked at the mark, suppressing the sweet memories associated with it. He resumed packing his belongings into his briefcase, preparing to head home.

Just then, there was a knock at his office door. Only a few people would come knocking at this hour. Plus, not many executives stayed this late unless their work was critical, so Yoonshin had a hunch about who it might be. He didn't respond, yet the visitor flung the door open, confirming his suspicion.

"Yoonshin Do," the familiar voice said. Yoonshin bowed to the man, a familiar figure looming in the doorway.

"Yes, Director," Yoonshin replied.

"You still sound distant. Are you still sulking?"

"Would you call this sulking? I'm just giving you the silent treatment."

"Right. Are we still not on speaking terms? You're usually quick to forgive and forget."

That depended on the situation. If Sehun was upset with Yoonshin for anything other than disobedience, Yoonshin would have understood. It would have been reasonable if Sehun had scolded him out of concern, and Yoonshin was prepared to reflect on his actions. Instead, he was chastised for overstepping. Even though Yoonshin usually couldn't stop grinning in front of Sehun, this time, Sehun's attitude stung.

Yoonshin wasn't ready to let this go. His anger hadn't subsided, and he didn't want to pretend otherwise. He wanted Sehun to understand just how angry he was. So, Yoonshin chose silence.

Sehun seemed to grasp Yoonshin's thoughts without prying further.

"Why are you working so late when you just got out of the hospital?"

"That's why I'm leaving now."

"Great. Let's talk. Do you want to ride with me?"

Yoonshin paused his packing, then snapped his bag shut and faced Sehun. He grabbed the top handles of his bag with force.

"Looks like I could squeeze into that car, huh? I feel so bad, so I'll pass. I'll take my car."

"Then, we can go together in your car."

"Oh, so I'm the only one who can't invade your space? You can intrude whenever you want?" Yoonshin retorted sarcastically. Sehun's comment seemed to have caught him off guard, as his tone carried an uncharacteristic sharpness.

Sehun imagined how Yoonshin would react if he chuckled at how adorable Yoonshin was. Maintaining a serious expression, he replied, "You'll get mad if I touch you now, right?"

"Yes."

"And if I say you're cute..."

"Yes."

"But you are."

"No."

"If you keep saying no, I might just force it."

"Do... what?" Yoonshin caught himself, almost falling into Sehun's rhythm again. Whatever the situation, he knew he needed to stand his ground. "No."

"I see," Sehun responded coolly, making no further move on Yoonshin.

Yoonshin had planned to get angry if Sehun touched him, but he found himself even angrier when Sehun refrained.

Was Sehun seriously not going to touch him?

Confused about his own feelings, Yoonshin knew staying longer might lead to another argument. He grabbed his bag from the table and stomped towards the door. Just as he was about to bypass Sehun, Sehun extended his arm, blocking Yoonshin's path. Sehun couldn't let Yoonshin walk away this time.

Clutching the handles of his bag tightly, Yoonshin glared up at Sehun, his expression tense.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"I wanted to tell you earlier, but the timing didn't seem right. I'm moving out of my apartment soon. I've already informed Director Song."

"Why so suddenly? Are you planning to move far away without telling me?"

"I'm not sure yet. What neighborhood would you like to live in? It might be better if we had some distance from the firm, don't you think? Then we could go out to eat on weekends and take evening walks in the park."

Sehun's words were straightforward, but Yoonshin struggled to process them.

The answer came quickly, but he was unsure if it was the right one. Unable to discern Sehun's intentions, Yoonshin hesitated. Sehun then clarified himself.

"What's with that reaction? Aren't you pleased? You asked me to take you away."

Yoonshin couldn't deny it. "I am happy. Honestly, I'm ecstatic. But why bring this up now?"

"I have no ulterior motives. It's just as I said."

Even now, they lived practically just around the corner from each other.

Admittedly, it wasn't always convenient to travel between apartments, but their cautious behavior had kept them under the radar. The privacy of their apartment complex and their frequent late hours meant they usually managed to avoid detection by others.

Yoonshin had previously begged Sehun to consider living together, but after sensing Sehun's reluctance, he had stopped pushing and no longer expected an answer. Cohabitation hadn't been on the table for discussion in recent months. This sudden proposal seemed linked to their recent argument.

"Is it because of what I said? That you managed fine on your own? Are you trying to prove that's not true by living with me?"

"No, I've been planning to tell you about this. I was just looking for the right moment. I didn't expect to bring it up in such a lackluster way."

Yoonshin studied Sehun's handsome face for a moment. Rather than admiring his features, he tried to read the truth in them. Having met hundreds of clients and witnessed their lies, he thought he was good at discerning truth from falsehood, but with Sehun, he wasn't so sure.

"I'm sorry. I refuse."

Sehun was taken aback by the unexpected response. "What..?"

"I can't shake the feeling that you're forcing yourself to live with me just to make up for our argument about my sister. I don't want to pressure you into this. I want you to live with me because you can't bear to be apart from me."

Yoonshin had to confront a harsh truth about himself. He had convinced himself that pushing for the interview was for Sehun's benefit, that it was an act of love, regardless of the consequences. But deep down, he simply craved Sehun's approval, believing Sehun would endorse whatever he did. In his ambition, he had flown too close to the sun.

Yoonshin mattered a great deal to Sehun. Despite his tendency to act independently, Yoonshin trusted that Sehun would be momentarily exasperated but would eventually laugh it off. Since Sehun hadn't reacted that way, Yoonshin was hurt, which confirmed his suspicions. This belief that Sehun had a soft spot for him also fueled the confidence he displayed towards Mihee. Looking back, he was embarrassed by his past arrogance.

"Yoonshin, do you really think I'd force myself to live with you just to make you happy? Don't you know me by now?"

"I don't want to do this either. I want to handle it maturely, but it's hard. I keep saying harsh things. I'm scared you'll get tired of me if I continue like this."

"There's no way I would. Don't be ridiculous."

"I need to stop this conversation because I feel like I'll keep saying things I regret. Honestly, I'm embarrassed. I need some time to calm down, please."

Yoonshin tried to walk past Sehun again, but Sehun held him more firmly this time, intertwining their fingers and gently rubbing Yoonshin's ring. Yoonshin shot him a look of refusal, but Sehun didn't let go. His grip was gentle enough for Yoonshin to slip away easily, yet Yoonshin didn't want to force his way out.

Yoonshin was upset, embarrassed, and a bit frustrated. He wanted Sehun to understand these feelings; he didn't want to damage their relationship further.

"Let's talk. I'll clarify what I meant. Let's go somewhere else first," Sehun suggested.

"Do I have to do everything you say? I'm not in the mood for that," Yoonshin resisted.

"Yes, you do. I'm your boss."

"What if I absolutely, positively do not want to?"

"There's no question about it. You have to."

"Even sex?"

Sehun hesitated and replied vaguely, "If you're curious, follow me."

"I said I don't want to—!" Yoonshin protested, but was abruptly cut off.

"Director Kang! Thank goodness you're here. Oh, Attorney Do, are you heading home now?"

Just as Sehun was about to lead Yoonshin out, he was interrupted by a familiar female voice. He turned toward the voice, and while he was distracted, Yoonshin quickly twisted his wrist out of Sehun's grasp and made a beeline for the door before the other man. The unwitting intervener was Mihee, who was aware of their relationship. Holding a file folder, she clearly had business matters to discuss with Sehun. She must have waited to catch Sehun before he left for the night.

Seeing her opportunity to talk to Sehun, Mihee glanced between the two men and raised an eyebrow at Yoonshin, silently asking for privacy.

Seizing his opportunity to escape, Yoonshin didn't hesitate.

"I'll leave you two to talk. I'm heading out. Goodbye," Yoonshin said swiftly.

"Huh? Attorney Do! Attorney Do, it won't take long!" Mihee called out, but it was too late. Yoonshin had already turned off his office lights and was quickly walking toward the elevator.

"Unbelievable."

Briefly, Sehun considered catching up to Yoonshin, who limped away with his still-healing leg but held back, remembering Yoonshin was headed home.

Usually, it was clear Yoonshin wanted Sehun to come after him. Today was different. Yoonshin's desires seemed contradictory-whether Sehun closed the gap or not, Yoonshin would be upset either way.

Reluctantly, Sehun decided to give Yoonshin more time to think.

Unless Yoonshin had booked a hotel, he would be at their apartment complex, and Sehun had free access to Yoonshin's private quarters. Sehun reminded himself of this fact to quell his urge to follow. With a troubled expression, he turned back to Mihee.

"What's up? Is it urgent?" Sehun asked.

"A bit? But is he mad at you? That's cute," Mihee replied.

"Why do you think he's acting this way?"

"Huh? I can't believe you, of all people, are asking me that..."

Mihee's gaze swept over Sehun's grim face and she recoiled. "Oh geez, you ended up arguing about that, huh? Sorry, I'll act like I didn't hear it. Anyway, about the head manager for the corporate law research team—I think a former Supreme Court justice would be ideal, like you suggested. I've got a shortlist of names. Can you spare ten minutes?"

Sehun glared at Mihee, then firmly shut Yoonshin's office door.

He grazed the handle with his thumb, seeking traces of his lover's warmth.

Regretting this unconscious action, he quickly walked to his office with Mihee.

Yoonshin's front door was eerily quiet, as if protesting in silence; not even the usual ambient noise permeated the air.

Just last night, they had stayed at Sehun's place and left together for work in the morning. If Yoonshin had returned here, something about the apartment must have changed since they last visited a few days ago. Yet everything appeared untouched. The foyer lights were off, and Yoonshin's shoes were notably absent from the mudroom.

The consistency of habit was always startling. Even if Yoonshin returned home in a different emotional state, Sehun knew he would've neatly aligned his shoes in their usual spot.

"Yoonshin," Sehun called out. As he stepped inside, the motion sensor flicked on the lights above, but the apartment remained still, enveloped in silence.

After ensuring that no one was in the living room, dressing room, bedroom, or bathroom, an unusual wave of anxiety swept over Sehun. It wasn't rare for Yoonshin to be out when Sehun returned, but today, his absence felt particularly unsettling and strange.

This thought intensified Sehun's anxiety. Why hadn't he addressed their issues sooner? He regretted the days spent brooding over a future that might never unfold.

If Yoonshin wasn't here, he might still be in Building A. Sehun's desire to find Yoonshin, to touch him and pull him close, was overwhelming.

Sehun pulled out his phone and checked the visitor logs for his apartment— nothing notable except for an entry from that morning. He then moved to the tablet mounted on Yoonshin's wall to review the security records, only to find the history as uneventful as his own.

Sehun called Yoonshin and restlessly checked his watch. It was already one in the morning.

"Where did you go?" Sehun muttered under his breath.

The phone continued to ring, unanswered. Finally, an automated message informed him that the person on the line was not available. He dialed Yoonshin again, only to reach the same message. Frustrated, Sehun grabbed his car keys and rushed out, dialing Yoonshin for the third time. This time, the voice he desperately needed to hear answered.

"Hello, sir, why are you calling at this late hour? Is there something you need?" Yoonshin's voice was calm.

"I'm on the edge of losing my patience, so cut the act. Why is your place empty? Where are you?" Sehun demanded.

"Why do you want to know?"

Sehun entered the elevator he had just summoned, tapping his foot as he waited for the numbers to descend. Time dragged until the heavy elevator doors finally opened. Before they were fully ajar, Sehun sprinted out, dashing to the garage. He swung open his car door and slid into the driver's seat, his voice edged with desperation. "You should have been home by now. Where did you go? Tell me, and I'll come there."

"Oh. I'm not going home tonight."

Sehun had just settled into his car, ready to shut the door, but he paused, stunned. He was usually adept at decoding the hidden meanings in people's words after just one listen. But this time, Yoonshin's statement eluded him.

Time seemed to stand still as Sehun's silence filled the airwaves. Slowly, he regained his composure. Yoonshin's words were straightforward yet incomprehensible to Sehun.

"What did you say?" Sehun asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"I'm not going home."

Another pause. "What?"

"I said, I'm not going home. Do I need to say it again? I'm not going," Yoonshin articulated each word sharply.

"What are you saying..? Yoonshin Do. What is this nonsense? The only right way to say 'I'm not going' is, 'I'm not going to fit in there! Come back, now."

"I'm too weak around you, so if I'm near, I'll want to go to you."

"Then just come to me."

"I don't want to. I'm staying over at my sister's tonight. I'm ready for bed.

We'll talk later," Yoonshin said, then abruptly hung up before Sehun could respond.

Yoonshin was hesitant to answer, but knowing Sehun would spend the night searching for him, he picked up to disclose his whereabouts. Flabbergasted, Sehun tried calling again, even though he knew Yoonshin wouldn't answer. As expected, there was no response.

Sehun clenched the steering wheel, recalling Mihee's earlier question about what could drive him to despair. He remembered confidently asserting that Yoonshin would never leave home like this.

Sehun gritted his teeth and slammed on the gas pedal.

His driving mirrored his inner turmoil.

More agitated than usual, he took the corner sharply.

"How dare he just leave like that?" Sehun muttered angrily.

The tires screeched and the car frame shuddered as Sehun tore through the night.

This was Sehun's first time in Ikyung's home.

He didn't know the layout, yet he entered as if familiar with the place.

It was nearly two in the morning-an unseemly hour for unsolicited visits.

Sehun was aware of this breach of etiquette, but his focus was singularly on his objective. As he remained silent about his intentions, the puzzled homeowner felt compelled to inquire.

"Director Kang, don't you think it's rather late for a visit?" Ikyung asked.

"I do," Sehun responded curtly. Without missing a beat, he strode forward purposefully, and a bewildered Ikyung hurried after him.

"Is... that all?" she managed, still trying to grasp the situation.

"Doesn't my barging in, despite knowing how inappropriate it is, suggest I'm desperate? Please, excuse my manners. Yoonshin Do is here, isn't he?"

Ikyung paused, hesitating as she trailed a few steps behind her uninvited guest. Sehun stopped in the center of her living room, facing the hallway, and turned to her with a tense expression. His eyes were sharp, his face pale, as he struggled to contain his mounting anger.

"Um, Director.."

"Are you planning on hiding Yoonshin? That would be unwise."

"I'm still thinking about it."

"If I have to find him myself, the situation will escalate. You'll witness something unpleasant, and I'd rather not expose you to that. Are you still considering it?" Sehun's tone was urgent, his impatience thinly veiled.

"But..."

"If you were unsure, you shouldn't have let me in," Sehun interjected sharply.

Ikyung felt a sting of offense. "You looked ready to force your way in if I hadn't."

"Exactly. You made the smart choice by opening the door. I hope you'll continue to be sensible," Sehun replied, his voice firm but strained.

Dismayed yet resigned, Ikyung realized her input mattered little in the ongoing conflict between the two men. She felt completely sidelined in their emotional turmoil. Left with no viable alternative, she led the way, accepting the inevitable.

This time, she took the initiative. Guiding Sehun down the hallway, she stopped in front of a door on the left. After indicating the door, Ikyung stepped back, allowing Sehun to approach. He moved forward until he was nearly pressing against it, his presence imposing.

"Yoonshin Do," Sehun called, knocking on the door. Despite his repeated knocks and shouts, Yoonshin remained silent. There was no way Yoonshin hadn't heard unless the entire hallway was soundproofed. Ikyung, sensing something was off, carefully intervened.

"Wouldn't it be better to come back tomorrow? It's getting very late," Ikyung suggested.

"I know you have a lot to say, but I'll contact you later to discuss. For now, open this door."

"Yoonshin locked the door after seeing you on the tablet. He's not opening up despite hearing you. Those are his wishes, so I can't go against them."

Sehun wasn't surprised. From the moment he realized Yoonshin had tried to run away to now, his mind was racing with fury. His mental agitation was as intense as physical stimulation, without the pleasure. His thoughts churned with such efficiency that he was losing his composure.

"No, you're afraid Yoonshin will eventually open the door. You're probably hoping we break up in the meantime. Don't be a hypocrite. I find that disgusting."

Ikyung was left speechless, feeling exposed. Sehun could easily read her disapproval of him as Yoonshin's partner. While he had anticipated this reaction, he was more concerned about the aftermath. He feared Ikyung would force Yoonshin to break up with him, damaging their relationship.

Yoonshin was his.

That was a constant-past, present, and future.

"This is your second warning. Open the door now. Just so you know, breaking open a room door is easier than the front door."

Despite Sehun's warning, Ikyung remained unmoved. Yoonshin must have heard the commotion outside but stayed as quiet as a mouse.

Left with no other option, Sehun scanned his surroundings with a wild look in his eyes. Ikyung didn't notice the derangement as she stepped away. Sehun approached her tea table, grabbed a sturdy stainless steel tumbler, tightened the lid, and hefted it in his hand.

Sehun returned to Yoonshin's door and shook the tumbler in front of Ikyung.

"Send the invoice for the door replacement to the firm. I'll pay you tenfold.

Along with the cost of this," Sehun said.

Before Ikyung could respond, Sehun gripped the uniquely emblazoned door handle with one hand and lifted the tumbler above his head with the other.

Moments before he struck the handle, Ikyung screamed, "W-wait!"

Sehun glanced at Ikyung, halting his action. At her wit's end, she floundered, then dashed off and returned with a key ring adorned with several keys. She sorted through them by their markings and finally picked out the correct one, inserting it into the keyhole.

The vintage-inspired door handle turned with a click. Sehun stepped into the room, tumbler still in hand. Yoonshin, curled up on his bed and hugging a pillow, watched as Sehun strode in. Seeing Sehun's imposing presence, Yoonshin curled himself tighter and glanced at the tumbler, pointing at it with his chin.

"Were you going to break the door handle with that?"

Sehun quickly glanced at the tumbler and set it down on the nearest flat surface.

"Why? Do you think I can't break in with this?"

"I'm only asking because you'll make it happen anyway."

"Looks like your brain's still working. I wonder why it stopped when you ran away. You should have done some thinking then," Sehun said coldly. He then turned to Ikyung, frozen outside the room. "Could you give us some space?"

Though Sehun addressed Ikyung, the response came from Yoonshin.

"This is her house. Where are you telling her to go?"

Sehun ignored Yoonshin's comment and continued to speak to Ikyung.

"We're going to discuss things you're better off not knowing. I'm warning you for your own good-there's nothing more to it," Sehun said, as if offering a well-intentioned caution.

He locked eyes with Ikyung and then shut the door in her face.

Now cut off from the hallway, Sehun walked toward Yoonshin.

Yoonshin watched Sehun approach as if he were facing the grim reaper. Yet, he didn't try to run. He only shrank further into himself. His thoughts raced, and as he tried to compose himself, he realized that Sehun and Ikyung's interaction had a subtext he was unaware of. Yoonshin raised his head to look up at Sehun.

It seemed nonsensical for someone to come uninvited to a close junior colleague's family home just to bring that colleague back. Yet, Sehun had done just that, and Ikyung hadn't questioned it, which baffled Yoonshin.

Reflecting on it, Yoonshin recalled some dubious aspects during his hospitalization. The favors Sehun had granted him were too significant to overlook. Ikyung hadn't seemed to fully believe Yoonshin's claim that these services were part of the firm's benefits. Everything about it struck Yoonshin as deeply suspicious.

"What was that between you two? Do you contact each other behind my back?"

Sehun had much to say but held back his complaints. Instead, he sat near the headboard Yoonshin was leaning against. Meeting Yoonshin's gaze, Sehun neplied, "Were you seriously planning to sleep here and leave me alone all

"Yes, if you didn't come to fetch me."

Yoonshin's curt response was enough for Sehun. His rage bubbled to the surface, glinting dangerously in his eyes.

"How could you test me like that? Was it a test to see if I would come?"

"I knew you would come. It's confirmation. Now it's your turn. What was that just now?"

Sehun was uncooperative. Eager to kiss Yoonshin, he was unwilling to settle for a simple kiss. Yoonshin rejected him, grabbing Sehun by the shoulders and giving him a firm look of refusal.

"Don't do that."

Yoonshin's refusal was clear, but then he noticed something in Sehun's expression that made him waver.

There was something unsettling about Sehun's face.

Yoonshin had never seen Sehun make that expression before.

"Sehun..?" Yoonshin called out.

"You don't want to kiss me?" Sehun asked.

"I don't want to resolve this issue with a kiss."

"Do you regret choosing me?"

Yoonshin was taken aback by Sehun's foolish question. "Why are you asking that out of the blue?"

"Answer me first. This is very important to me."

The question echoed the one Sehun had asked when Yoonshin gave him the handmade ring. Sehun had promised that Yoonshin wouldn't regret dating him, making this question seem out of place. Yoonshin sensed the urgency and knew he couldn't avoid or refuse to answer.

"I've never regretted my choice."

"Not once?"

"Not a single time."

Sehun pried Yoonshin's hands away and gently caressed his face. Despite the initial refusal, he leaned in and pressed his lips to Yoonshin's pink ones. He sucked on the younger man's lips, and in the heat of the moment, Yoonshin reciprocated. Sehun's tongue slid between Yoonshin's lips.

Yoonshin moaned into the kiss. Sehun skillfully explored the cavern of Yoonshin's mouth, savoring each moment. Though skilled, he couldn't hide his anxiety. Only when he noticed Yoonshin was running out of air did he slowly pull away from the kiss. He licked away the string of saliva connecting them before sitting upright.

Sehun sighed, observing Yoonshin's flushed face, then turned his back. He lacked the restraint to stay face-to-face with him.

Sehun extended his left hand, gently grasping Yoonshin's, and said, "I don't like that woman."

Yoonshin was taken aback. He hadn't expected Sehun to say that. Studying Sehun's profile, Yoonshin replied, "I've told you multiple times I don't have a sister complex. It's a misunderstanding."

"You love that woman," Sehun said.

"Of course I do! I can't not love my family... Do you hate that so much?"

"That's exactly why I hate her. She's the only family you have left. She's the most special person to you. No matter what happens, you and she will always be connected. I can't compete with that."

What did he mean by not being able to compete with her?

Yoonshin was confused. Sehun Kang never lost to anyone. Sehun, Yoonshin, and Ikyung all knew that.

Yoonshin knew the other man found his sister uncomfortable, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly why. He had been complacent, thinking Sehun wouldn't view Ikyung too negatively since she was his sister, but the reality was different from his expectations.

Yoonshin didn't need to explain that Sehun had no reason to be jealous, that Sehun was the one he loved, and these feelings were unique to him. Sehun knew that. There must be another reason Sehun brought this up, so Yoonshin waited patiently for him to explain. Sehun squeezed Yoonshin's hand and continued, "That's why I didn't want to tell her about our relationship."

"Is this your explanation for what you said earlier? That you didn't want to be seen by my sister?" Yoonshin asked.

"Just a confirmation—no, it's an excuse, really."

"Do you think you've made a mistake?"

"I don't make mistakes. But since I hurt your feelings, I thought I was careless. I should have elaborated. That wasn't my intention."

A slow silence settled between them. Yoonshin studied Sehun's profile, then tilted his head. Sehun picked up on the motion and continued, still avoiding eye contact with Yoonshin.

His voice, deep and unfathomable as the ocean, had a calming effect.

"I'm so busy that I can't be a good boyfriend right now. This pattern will likely continue for the foreseeable future. You'll sacrifice what's important to you without complaint for my sake, while thinking you can't do anything to support me. Meanwhile, I'll continue to accept your solitude."

"..."

"Even if you hadn't met me, you would have found someone eventually and loved them dearly. You're different from me, who would have been colorless and lifeless without you. Director Do would quickly see that you're too good for me. And unfortunately, I'm not the right fit to make you the happiest man alive."

It sounded like both a resigned confession of love and a confession of repentance. Yoonshin sat quietly for Sehun to finish but couldn't help but criticize the last point Sehun made.

"What do you mean? I don't agree with that."

"Just because you don't accept it doesn't change the hard truth. That's why I didn't want to tell her. The thought of it distressed me greatly. I was afraid that if she learned I couldn't do much for you, she might steal you away from me."

After his long admissions of weakness, Sehun finally turned to look at Yoonshin. Despite the wavering in his eyes, Sehun only clutched Yoonshin's hand tightly, not attempting any further touch. Yet, his pleas hit Yoonshin like a shockwave, enveloping him and reaching deep into his heart.

Yoonshin wondered if he had ever understood the normally defensive and reserved Sehun's true feelings this well.

"I won't let anyone take you away from me. Not even you can take yourself away from me," Sehun said with conviction, his eyes searching Yoonshin for confirmation.

Sometimes, Sehun grappled with issues Yoonshin had never considered. This was one of those times. More than feeling sympathy for Sehun, Yoonshin was angry.

"Do you think that if my sister disapproved of us, I would listen to her?"

Sehun scoffed at the notion and let out a hollow laugh. "The moment you agree with your sister's opinions, I will never let you step foot outside. Don't even think of it, unless you want me to ruin both your life and hers."

"I ..." Yoonshin trailed off.

"You?"

"I was going to get angry if you thought I would listen to her..."

"I don't think that."

Yoonshin nodded, accepting that easily. Sehun bit his lips, then, unable to contain himself, leaned forward and kissed Yoonshin. When they pulled away, they gazed at each other, just inches apart.

"I'm not saying I'd let you go for a better future. I want to say that I realize I sometimes need to explain myself to you. And you might have already noticed, but... yes, your sister knows about our relationship." Sehun's calm tone concealed a heavy truth, pulling them both into a mire of thoughts.

Yoonshin took a deep breath, feeling puzzled. Based on previous conversations and actions from Ikyung, he had no idea she knew.

"How? Did you tell her?" Yoonshin asked.

"No, we were caught. She saw us in the parking lot when you were still in the hospital."

"But she never mentioned it..."

"She probably couldn't bring it up, since you were trying to keep it hidden."

"..."

"You had a feeling this was the case, didn't you? You suspected she was suspicious of our relationship. There was no way you wouldn't have known."

Unable to deny it, Yoonshin stayed silent.

Yoonshin had wondered why Ikyung ignored the scandal between her and Sehun despite several chances to refute it. He had hoped that his sister was protecting him by feigning ignorance of their relationship, and he had taken advantage of this situation.

Ikyung's knowledge of their relationship was the missing piece in their current dispute, and everything now made sense. Yoonshin could even deduce Sehun's concerns after learning she knew. He could understand Sehun's frustration at the firm. Sehun must have believed Ikyung would oppose their relationship, a thought deeply rooted in him-perhaps from the very start.

Sehun must have felt like he was treading on eggshells, knowing Ikyung knew yet not probing further. When he discovered she had seen them together, he must have felt the inevitable had happened. At the same time, Sehun must have felt dismayed, especially as Yoonshin was doing what he least liked to help Doguk out of trouble. Sehun did not want Ikyung to see those aspects of their relationship.

Yoonshin twisted his hand in Sehun's grasp and interlaced their fingers, feeling internally penitent.

Yoonshin had been clueless all day yesterday. In retrospect, if he had given Sehun a chance, this was a simple matter that they could have resolved by talking.

Yoonshin searched for words as many thoughts crossed his mind, but Sehun turned to lock eyes with him.

"Thank you for lifting a burden off my shoulders. I'm very grateful for that.

But Yoonshin, don't ever do that again," Sehun said emphatically.

Sehun's gaze conveyed that Yoonshin was sacrificing much for him. Although it might seem like Sehun was doing more for Yoonshin on the surface, that wasn't the case.

"You should do what you want and like. That's what would help me. You want to help people who trip on the side of the road, not defend a capitalistic organization by lying to the media. Stay true to yourself, and I'll be your rock... and that way, we can overcome your sister. Do you get what I'm saying?" Sehun continued, "More than anything, I want to see you change the world, slowly but surely. You're doing what I can't. We promised, remember?"

Yoonshin didn't think about how to react after hearing that. His body moved first.

Yoonshin, having received Sehun's sincere gaze, crawled toward him and jumped into his embrace. A mere hug wasn't enough, so he draped his arms around Sehun's neck and pulled him closer. Sehun's confessions were calm and still, but his words were weighty and earnest, hitting deeply in Yoonshin's heart.

Words of promise were easy to say, but Yoonshin couldn't bring himself to affirm them. He wanted to honor Sehun's request, but he feared he might act the same way in a similar situation in the future.

Because Yoonshin loved Sehun tremendously.

Perhaps Sehun expected this from Yoonshin.

As Yoonshin suspected, Sehun read Yoonshin's response through the silent embrace. He sighed in resignation and said, "Yes, I love you too."

Unused to hearing the phrase returned, Yoonshin pulled back to stare at Sehun incredulously. Joy bubbled up from his stomach and tickled his heart.

Keenly aware of Yoonshin's feelings, Sehun shrugged carelessly. Knowing Sehun understood his emotions, Yoonshin begged, "Say that one more time."

"I don't repeat my words," Sehun said smoothly. He pulled Yoonshin onto his lap and tilted his head. Yoonshin closed his eyes patiently. They shared a tender kiss, like two boys sharing their first kiss. Their soft lips met in a meaningful and pure kiss before they pulled apart.

Yoonshin's eyelids lifted as he observed Sehun's expression. He brushed Sehun's hair away and traced his fingers over his eyebrows.

Their eyes were filled with love and passion for each other.

Although their contact was simple and sweet, Yoonshin's feelings sparked some lascivious thoughts. Overwhelmed by his burning passion, Yoonshin pushed Sehun down onto the bed when the older man least expected it. He straddled Sehun's hips and grabbed him by the arms to ensure he couldn't refuse. For some reason, Sehun willingly followed Yoonshin's lead.

Encouraged, Yoonshin removed Sehun's tie and started unbuttoning his shirt.

Yoonshin's nimble fingers halted, and his entire body went rigid.

Sehun watched Yoonshin's sudden stop and asked, "Why?"

"Back then, when you said I have to follow everything you said, does that include sex? You didn't give me a clear answer."

"Hm, you must be dying to know. Since Attorney Do has never refused sex before."

Yoonshin paused. "Then, if I want it rough, can I pretend I don't want to do it?"

"..."

"Tell me—if I refuse, will you take it at face value or force me?"

The average person would be put off by forced intimate acts, but for some reason, Yoonshin looked expectant. Sehun's raw reaction showed on his face as he glanced at his eager lover and then shook his head.

"You're consistently out of your mind..."

"Why are you avoiding the questions? That's not like you."

"If you're curious, you could try refusing."

"You're good at dodging this like a lawyer. One more question. I need a definitive answer."

Yoonshin pressed down on Sehun's shoulders, preventing him from sitting up.

Yoonshin wasn't applying much force, so Sehun could rise if he wanted, but he sensed that Yoonshin was about to ask an important question.

Yoonshin licked his lips nervously and asked gravely, stretching his words for emphasis, "Moving out... Was that truly your idea?"

Yoonshin's eyes sparkled like stars, full of childlike eagerness. It was rare for him to be this excited. His face was earnest, and the answer he wanted was clearly written on his face.

Sehun saw that look and sat up. Their eyes met again. He kissed Yoonshin's lips, twitching with impatience because he couldn't hear what he desperately wanted to hear. Sehun's response was to return the bone-crushing hug from before.

Their hearts beat incredibly close.

An unfamiliar scent then reached Sehun's nose. Annoyed, he turned his head toward Yoonshin and covered the stranger's scent by kissing Yoonshin's soft hair, his nape, and his flushed ears. He smothered each spot he could reach with audible kisses until their eyes finally met.

"Don't use unfamiliar shampoo again. I'm annoyed that my scent has come off you," Sehun warned, his expression serious. Before Yoonshin could respond, Sehun pulled him back into his embrace.

"I can't wait for the life partnership act to be legalized. Let's live together," Sehun said, his low voice sweeping over Yoonshin like the currents of love, causing ripples in his heart.

Yoonshin grew rigid in Sehun's embrace, doubting his ears.

Yoonshin had always known he would eventually hear Sehun say this, but he imagined it would be on a calm day far in the future. He never expected it during such turbulent times. Sehun had so much more on his plate than just their romantic relationship, yet he gave this matter so much thought despite the other burdens. Yoonshin felt an outpouring of love and gratitude.

Living together officially wouldn't drastically alter their routines or lifestyles, but Sehun's shift in attitude toward cohabitation and marriage was significant.

This proposal meant Sehun had seriously considered it and come to this conclusion.

There was no need to hesitate. Yoonshin only needed to say what he had been preparing to propose for years.

"Then, Sehun, would you marr—mmph."

Yoonshin's attempt at proposing was cut short by Sehun's hand. The older man grabbed Yoonshin's shoulders with his other hand, an unmistakable sign of deterrence. Despite Yoonshin's struggles, Sehun physically obstructed him and stared down at him. "No, you snake. Don't propose to me."

"Mmph! Nngh!"

"You're so impatient. Why do you think I wouldn't say that to you?"

Yoonshin froze, staring back at Sehun without resistance.

Yoonshin knew he was the only one for Sehun. He knew Sehun's open secret that his feelings for Yoonshin might be greater than Yoonshin could imagine.

Still, Yoonshin felt he should be the one to define their relationship.

Yoonshin was always the one to bravely take Sehun's hand and take the first step. He did it because Sehun would be overwhelmed by each step of their journey, particularly the radical changes to his life. For a headstrong and rigid man like Sehun, turning his world upside down was no small feat.

Yet, surprisingly, when they faced deep waters on their journey, Sehun was always the one to hold the panicking Yoonshin.

Sehun was generally dissident, perpetually cynical, and meticulous, but ultimately more passionate than anyone else.

All these emotions were for Yoonshin.

Seeing the ripples of thoughts in Yoonshin's eyes, Sehun loosened his grip on Yoonshin's shoulders.

"Were you anxious that I wasn't within your grasp?" Sehun asked calmly.

Yoonshin shook his head.

"Then you can wait a little. Until I ask you that unhinged question," Sehun continued.

Yoonshin's cheeks turned pink, and he nodded slightly.

Sehun grinned proudly and drove the point home. "Let's start with living together."

Wanting to mark the end of the dispute, Yoonshin twisted his head out of Sehun's grip and shouted, "Okay!"

His face was flushed with delight and energy. Breathless, Yoonshin took a moment to steady his breathing. He wanted to shout over and over that he wanted to live with Sehun.

Sehun had said he couldn't make Yoonshin happy, but Yoonshin disagreed entirely. He was this happy because he was with Sehun. He had never felt more fulfilled in his life. This was one of many firsts with Sehun.

Yoonshin knew he wouldn't feel this ecstatic if someone else asked him to live with them. His joy came from understanding the significance of Sehun's decision. Sehun, distrustful of the world, trusted Yoonshin completely and envisioned a future with him. That exhilarated Yoonshin. He felt no regret about his decision to stay with Sehun.

Sehun Kang was the perfect match for Yoonshin.

Breathless, Yoonshin clutched Sehun's dress shirt, crumpling the fabric on his back.

Yoonshin tried to regain his composure and replied with a collected tone, "I want to live with you. I would love that. Let's start with that."

"..."

"I love you so much..."

Yoonshin could wait as long as needed. He was already in bliss. He was pleased that Sehun had found the confidence to embrace a life together with Yoonshin, moving past his previous isolation.

Perhaps Yoonshin's intense feelings were evident in his grip. Sehun rocked Yoonshin on his thighs as if cradling a baby, a subtle smile playing on his lips.

Slowly, he pulled Yoonshin away and adopted a passive attitude.

"I think you answered too eagerly. Didn't you say you needed time to think? I can give you some time," Sehun teased. Yoonshin's clear eyes flickered with disdain, as if accusing Sehun of being a sadist.

"I don't need that," Yoonshin snapped.

Sehun chuckled at the response he had anticipated. He reached out to stroke Yoonshin's rosy cheeks, but Yoonshin grabbed his hand mid-air, blocking Sehun's touch.

"What are you doing?" Sehun protested.

"We shouldn't be doing this here. Let's go home," Yoonshin said.

"Now, of all times, after you've run away from home?"

"Oh, come on," Yoonshin urged.

Yoonshin stood up and pulled Sehun by the hands. He gathered his scattered belongings and, seeing Sehun rise, dragged him out of his room, forgetting he was still in pajamas.

In the quiet hallway, Yoonshin noticed that Ikyung must have returned to her room, as she was nowhere to be seen. Not wanting to risk an awkward encounter, Yoonshin texted her to let her know he was leaving. Texting with one hand was awkward, but Yoonshin had no intention of releasing Sehun's hand.

Sehun asked no questions-he didn't inquire about the text's content, whether Ikyung had read it, or why she stayed in her room if she had. He simply allowed Yoonshin to pull him along, casting only a brief glance at the closed bedroom door, presumably Ikyung's.

Unhappy with Sehun's distracted gaze, Yoonshin shook their joined hands.

"What are you doing? Hurry," Yoonshin urged.

Sehun shifted his gaze back to Yoonshin, looking troubled.

"Are you going out like this?" he asked.

"It's late, and we're driving. Hurry," Yoonshin said.

Yoonshin was focused on getting them both home as quickly as possible.

Sehun felt the tightening grip and wrapped his arm around Yoonshin's shoulder, surrendering. Together, they quietly slipped out of Ikyung's home.

Side Story 8

Returning from his meeting with the PR team leader, Yoonshin lingered around the secretarial office. He waited for Secretary Tak to finish his phone call and, once he did, knocked solemnly on the secretary's desk partition.

"Excuse me, Secretary Tak," Yoonshin said.

"Oh, Attorney Do. Did your meeting go well? What did the PR team leader say?" Secretary Tak asked.

"They want to release the firm's stance on handling the bad press. They're wondering if I can do another interview."

"Are they trying to make things worse? It's not wise to push too hard, especially when things are calming down."

"I told them I'd check with Director Kang and get back to them by email. But it seems he's not here."

Since Sehun became a director, the secretarial office had seen a major turnover. They needed to hire more staff to support a director's expanding duties. Because of this, Yoonshin was more mindful of his behavior in the office.

Today was no different. He kept glancing at Sehun's office but didn't intrude unannounced like he used to. Sehun had been absent from his office frequently. Yoonshin hadn't seen him before his meeting with the PR team, which meant the office had been empty for a few hours.

"Oh, did you try contacting him? He'd be more likely to notice your messages, even if he's busy," Secretary Tak said, surprised.

"I'm concerned he might be distracted from something important."

Secretary Tak oversaw all of Sehun's activities in the firm. Yoonshin was trying to gauge any unknown developments, and for some reason, the secretary seemed uneasy. Yoonshin leaned into the narrow reception desk, his apprehension evident.

"You have something to tell me, don't you?" Yoonshin asked, watching closely.

Secretary Tak leaned forward, unsure whether to reveal what he knew. After a moment's hesitation, he chose to remain silent. Yoonshin's impatience grew, and he quickly moved behind Secretary Tak, guiding him toward the end of the usually vacant hallway.

Secretary Tak offered little resistance, signaling he was ready to talk. Once alone, Yoonshin faced him.

"So, what is it?" Yoonshin asked, curiosity piqued.

Secretary Tak sighed. "I know this isn't my place, but..."

"But you understand that sometimes a third party can help resolve issues."

Secretary Tak nodded in agreement.

"Actually, someone from Sansa just came by."

Sansa was the gallery owned and operated by Ikyung.

There could be many reasons for their visit. Yoonshin remained silent, while Secretary Tak's concerns continued.

"As far as I know, there weren't any formal meeting requests from Sansa.

Unless they're a firm member, the director never meets outsiders without an appointment. In all my years working for him, I've never seen this happen.

But today... he went willingly."

As Secretary Tak said, Sehun rarely engaged with people who didn't show mutual respect. Regardless of the client's status, if they didn't contact him in advance, he'd refuse to meet them. Special treatment was not in Sehun's vocabulary. Even Mihee's father, the previous director and founder of the firm, had to book an appointment with Sehun after retiring.

This implied one of two things: either Sehun had a personal connection with Ikyung, or he was making an exception for Ikyung's discourtesy. Either way, Yoonshin felt uncomfortable and anxious about their meeting.

Deep down, Yoonshin hoped Sehun's assumptions about Ikyung were wrong.

He couldn't bear to crush the hope that Ikyung would accept their relationship graciously. But since Sehun had fetched Yoonshin from Ikyung's house, Ikyung had blocked all attempts to discuss that day. Yoonshin had no choice but to accept the reality.

I thought my sister would understand, Yoonshin thought.

What Yoonshin had thought were simple matters were actually complicating their relationship.

He had planned to address these issues eventually, but it seemed that day would be today.

"Secretary Tak, I'm leaving work early. Could you handle my schedule?"

"Don't worry. I'll mark it as a meeting elsewhere."

"And arrange for a car, please."

"Oh, right, you didn't drive today. I'll send a driver. Also, could you keep this conversation confidential?"

Yoonshin spun on his heels and dashed to his room, waving to acknowledge Secretary Tak's request.

"Attorney Do! Watch your leg...! Don't run—!"

Secretary Tak watched the lawyer's unstable gait with concern before returning to his seat to arrange a sedan for Yoonshin.

The ice in Sehun's coffee had long melted, diluting the brew.

Ikyung sat completely still, as if in deep contemplation. Her resolute eyes and sternly pursed lips indicated a serious discussion was at hand. Sehun, sitting directly across from her, casually hooked his finger into the cup handle, leaned back, and sipped his watered-down drink.

The two were in the director's office at Sansa Art Gallery.

Fourteen minutes passed, and Sehun mentally counted the seconds, debating whether to speak first. This was the longest he had waited for someone other than Yoonshin since becoming an attorney. After some thought, he decided to wait one more minute and took another sip.

Just as he considered speaking, Ikyung said clearly, "Both Yoonshin and I are very indebted to you. We'll repay those debts in time. But that's beside the point. This is something else."

Sehun took another sip of his cold, bland coffee. He replied nonchalantly,

"Normally, someone in debt who tries to bite the hand that feeds them starts their story like you. Go on."

Ikyung froze momentarily. Fearing she might fall into the man's rhythm, she decided to finish her statements. She was determined to lead the conversation away from the blunt and incisive man, whose candidness mirrored Yoonshin's.

"You're both men. Is there a future?"

"I'm no prophet. We'll see when we get there. For now, both parties in this relationship consent to continue."

"The outcome is obvious. I urge you to reconsider this relationship before it's too late. You're a sensible man."

Sehun deliberately set down his glass with a clatter. His sharp gaze locked onto Ikyung. Sehun had a way of commanding attention with every small movement and gesture. Realizing she was once again ensnared by his charisma, Ikyung tried to regain control of the conversation. But Sehun's calm yet authoritative voice seized the initiative.

"That's not an option," Sehun replied.

"Even if I'm against it?"

"Do you think that matters to me? Are you out of touch or simply unfamiliar with me?"

"I know Yoonshin well. He's a good boy who listens to his sister. He's always heeded my opinions. Both he and I won't deny that I raised him like my son. If I oppose his decisions strongly for the first time, he'll surely realize this is wrong."

Ikyung's response was somewhat near the truth-it wasn't entirely accurate but was logical. Sehun didn't contest every point she made. However, Ikyung had overlooked a crucial factor: she was unaware of the history between Sehun and Yoonshin, the painstaking effort to sustain their relationship over the years. She had no influence over this critical aspect.

"Then why did you feign ignorance despite your doubts?" Sehun challenged.

"Because Yoonshin.." Ikyung stopped mid-sentence, struggling to articulate her thoughts.

Sehun, already reaching the limit of his patience with Yoonshin's sister, continued, "You want to say, for example, that if I love Yoonshin, I should let him go so he can live a better life, rather than sink together."

"Yes, exactly. I knew we spoke the same language."

"No, we don't. I will drag Yoonshin down to the depths with me."

Ikyung yelled in bewilderment, "Is that something you should say to Yoonshin's sister?"

Sehun remained unfazed. He gave her a blasé admonishment. "Ms. Do, as a courtesy, let me warn you. I'll gladly throw Yoonshin into a rotting sewage dump if I need to."

"Are you implying you know me and my brother, and how to manipulate us?"

"If I'm stuck in the depths of hell, Yoonshin will willingly join me. So, don't piss me off, or I'll drag him to rock bottom with me. Your approach to persuading me is wrong if you want him to stay in the light," Sehun said.

Crossing his legs, Sehun took another sip of his coffee. His arrogant body language was a clear threat to Ikyung. He had successfully countered her attempt to use Yoonshin to blackmail him. She could only gape in defeat.

Ikyung felt frustration and anger pulse through her. She thought she knew Sehun well over the years. It was typical for Sehun to make a deal with Yoonshin on the table. His indiscriminate tactics were classic Sehun. However, his methods were beyond Ikyung's comprehension.

This was why she opposed them. Her rage taking over, she asked resentfully,

"How could you say this about someone you love? Could you say it to Yoonshin's face?"

As expected, he remained unaffected by her attack. He looked as if he would never budge, maintaining his composure despite the slander she threw at him.

Yoonshin had heard all kinds of vulgarities from Sehun, especially in bed. If Ikyung knew, her jaw would drop in horror.

"In short, this is like King Solomon's judgment. We're each pulling on Yoonshin's arms. Who will be miserable if you try to take him away from me?

Me? No, Yoonshin will be the one who gets hurt. I won't let anyone take him from me, even if it means he loses an arm."

"Why are you being so obstinate? It's just a relationship that will end someday."

"Who says it's just a relationship? Do you know how far I plan to go with him? Why are you so confident about something you don't understand?"

Just then, someone entered the room—a gallery staff member. Seeing the icy tension, they hesitated but informed their boss that a guest had arrived.

Ikyung told them to send the guest away. As soon as the staff left, she continued disparaging Sehun.

"A man... I'll be honest; I would find it hard to understand and uncomfortable, but I could tolerate a male lover if Yoonshin liked him. No matter how poor or uneducated, if Yoonshin chose him, I would have to accept that. But not you."

"I'm wealthy, well-educated, and have a good reputation. Can you explain your logic?"

"I've failed in love and marriage, so I know how harsh reality is. Life throws many obstacles at you, and you need to compromise countless times. You're a poor loser, aren't you?"

Sehun lounged arrogantly on the couch, legs crossed. He crossed his arms upon hearing Ikyung's ridiculous assumption and scoffed. "You're saying you won't approve because I've won too many times? Unbelievable."

At that moment, faint rustling sounded outside the door. The noise of footsteps grew closer. Ikyung, hitting the ceiling in frustration, waved them away angrily without checking who it was. She repeatedly commanded them to send the guest away, her hands showing annoyance. After a few waves, she replied to Sehun, "That's not all. You've been alone your entire life. You don't trust anyone around you."

For the first time, Sehun dropped his nonchalance and hesitated.

Taking advantage of his pause, Ikyung continued, "He's different from you. He can't be left alone. I'm sorry, but you're the type to let your lover feel lonely. It

himself. Is that too much to ask?"

Sehun stared at the beads of condensation on his glass, his brow furrowed. He agreed with parts of Ikyung's criticism, but it seemed she viewed these as Sehun's personal faults, ones he could control. Her emotions were escalating.

"This time is no different. You'd use acts of terrorism in your defense if it benefited you. You didn't take precautions when Yoonshin got hurt and even used him as a shield! Can you even sleep at night? Because I couldn't. Yes, I believe you'll take him even if he loses an arm."

Sehun remained silent, contemplating. When he heard Ikyung huff in anger, he smiled wryly. His silence wasn't a counter-offensive but a genuine lack of response. Meanwhile, his tangled thoughts began to unravel and neatly organize themselves.

He wiped the condensation from his glass with his left hand and stared straight ahead.

At that moment, he saw the person approaching them.

Unless his eyesight had suddenly deteriorated, the figure walking towards them despite Ikyung's dismissive wave was Yoonshin.

Finally registering the presence, Ikyung turned around and shouted, "Don't you see I'm meeting an important guest? Send them away-"

Ikyung's hand froze mid-air as she recognized the person standing in front of the coffee table. It appeared the staff couldn't force out or send away the uninvited guest, as he was the director's younger brother. She couldn't fault her staff or their training for this oversight.

Realizing her mistake, kyung turned and exchanged looks with Sehun. He was about to tell her he hadn't anticipated this, but Yoonshin seized the opportunity to speak.

"I was the one who wanted to do that. Director Kang opposed, and I did it behind his back," Yoonshin said calmly, meeting his sister's eyes with disappointment.

Yoonshin had no way of knowing the details of their conversation-he only caught the last few exchanges from outside the door. Those comments were now etched in his mind, loud and clear. This day could become one of the most humiliating and unforgettable moments in Sehun's life, as he was being rejected for things he couldn't control.

Yoonshin's blood boiled to the point where he saw white. Sehun sat silently through disparagement he never deserved simply because he loved Yoonshin.

Thousands of thoughts raced through Yoonshin's mind as he watched Sehun endure criticism when he would normally have walked out and retaliated tenfold.

Yoonshin stared at Ikyung, but his words were for Sehun. "Why aren't you defending yourself? Sehun, you're a lawyer who always wins."

Sehun hadn't anticipated this situation escalating. He sighed in frustration.

He rubbed his face, exasperated. Looking up at Yoonshin, his eyes seemed to ask if Yoonshin was genuinely unaware of the situation. He glanced at the furious Yoonshin and the bewildered Ikyung, then recalled a conversation from long ago.

"Then why won't you have a marriage meeting between families?"

We did this thing in the end, he thought, massaging his temples. He finally responded to Yoonshin.

"I was thinking about how to address factual statements."

"Don't make me laugh. What's true about that? Why are you holding back?

Since when did you sit through criticism like this?"

"Did I look like I was holding back? You should have barged in earlier. You would have seen me rebutting statements."

Yoonshin couldn't stand Sehun's reluctance to refute Ikyung. He grabbed Sehun's wrist and pulled him up.

"Get up," Yoonshin said.

For a moment, Yoonshin thought Sehun was complying willingly. However, Sehun looked at Yoonshin's pale hands and slowly pried them off. He stood up, smoothing his suit. While Yoonshin's appearance was unexpected, Sehun knew the siblings would have to confront each other about this matter eventually, so he saw no need to intervene in their conversation.

Truthfully, Ikyung was behaving more reasonably than Sehun had anticipated.

Over the years of suspicion, she must have prepared herself for this moment.

Sehun's role in her divorce likely influenced her behavior. Ikyung had probably wanted to avoid this confrontation, but with confirmation, she felt compelled to intervene.

Ikyung scratched at her nails. Sehun glanced at her, then motioned toward Yoonshin with a nod.

"I think I've heard enough. Do you need to talk to your brother? Yoonshin looks like he wants to say something," Sehun asked.

"I do need to talk to him. Could you step out so I can speak with him?"

"Sure, go ahead," Sehun replied calmly, then looked at Yoonshin. He resisted the urge to touch those bewildered eyes and instead gently tucked Yoonshin's stray hairs behind his ears.

"T've stirred things up enough and caused some trouble in your absence.

Don't say things you don't mean and know when to draw the line. I'll be waiting in the parking lot, so wrap it up quickly. I can't wait too long," Sehun said.

"Se-" Before Yoonshin could call him, Sehun walked out, leaving Yoonshin staring at his back as the door closed behind him.

The room fell silent. Yoonshin turned to his sister, who gestured for him to sit. Facing Ikyung, Yoonshin conveyed his disappointment with his expression, body language, eyes, and tone. "Are you serious?"

"Did you expect me to welcome this with open arms?"

"Did you think I actually liked my br-Director Yoo, that bastard?"

"Jungwon's immediate and extended family are all alive and well. He has several close friends he depends on. Half of his friends might have wished him dead, but at least he never used me to save himself," Ikyung said.

Yoonshin realized then. He had been wrong, and Sehun had been right. When Sehun explained his reaction to Yoonshin's interview, Yoonshin understood but didn't fully accept the reasoning. Now faced with reality, he saw that Sehun was the type to exploit others without a second thought, while Yoonshin was not. Sehun knew Ikyung would misunderstand the interview situation.

Maybe Yoonshin had a confirmation bias. He had always believed his sister would be understanding. He thought her wisdom and generosity would extend to his relationship. Even if she disapproved, Yoonshin expected her reasons to be different from what she had just said.

He anticipated she might be against the relationship because Sehun was cold-hearted, too busy, involved in shady activities, or had too much to lose. Yet, she told Sehun directly that she disapproved because Yoonshin would be too lonely. Yoonshin couldn't accept that. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn't have pressured Sehun to meet Ikyung and reveal their relationship.

"I was the one with tunnel vision all along."

"Yoonshin."

"Who said I was being used? Do you think I was so blinded by love that I'd let myself be taken advantage of like an idiot?"

"It wouldn't matter even if you weren't being used. You said you felt how uncomfortable and awful it was to be exposed to the media and recognized.

Yet, you put yourself out there to help Attorney Kang. Bad beginnings lead to bad endings. That's why I never wanted to know. Why Sehun Kang? Don't you know what kind of person he is?"

"Ikyung, I'm parentless now. What's your issue with him?"

"I'm afraid your decision will make you miserable. What will you do when your love fades? Didn't you see what happened to me? I could at least file for divorce. If Attorney Kang intends to crush you, you'd become the most pitiful and miserable person I know. After all these years of avoiding trouble, how could you cause such a disaster and make me so exasperated?"

As Sehun said, Ikyung seemed to firmly believe that Yoonshin could have had a better life without him. Yoonshin disagreed-his current life was the best he could imagine. However, seeing Ikyung's agitation, he knew convincing her would be a tough fight.

Sehun usually had a knack for avoiding conflicts, so he could have easily bypassed Ikyung. But since he didn't, Yoonshin felt conflicted. It was heartbreaking to see Sehun seemingly agreeing with Ikyung. Yoonshin didn't want Sehun to be left alone, but he also felt a strong urge to defend him, preventing him from leaving the room.

"Ikyung, Sehun's reluctance to keep people close isn't because he's cold. It's his survival mechanism.""If it were anyone else, I wouldn't be so against it. You won't find a man better than Sehun. But in your case, it's different. I know how kind and gentle you are. Even though I couldn't see this through to the end today, my answer won't change. You're the one who will end up compromising your entire life for him. I can't let you be with someone who only takes from your sacrifices."

Ikyung was severely misunderstanding the situation. She was completely wrong

Yoonshin found it hard to accept that Ikyung, of all people, was so misled. Not just because she was his sister, but also because the Do siblings owed Sehun so much.

"Do you know why Sehun was trapped in Doguk for seven years?"

"Seven years?"

"He made a deal with Director Song. The remaining time was extended indefinitely when he became a director."

"Yoonshin, this isn't the time for that. I know Director Kang is a capable lawyer."

"This is exactly the time to talk about it. Who do you think risked his career to provide you with the decent lifestyle you enjoy now?"

"The litigation costs? I've already paid that off. Besides, you also helped!"

Yoonshin grinned bitterly. She skipped over the middle process before Doguk took her case. There was no way she had forgotten how everyone had initially refused her case, but she was acting as if that part of her memory had been erased.

"Do you really think I could have led such a large-scale lawsuit? I was just a junior lawyer. When did you become so naive? Compromise? Sacrifice? This is so embarrassing."

Yoonshin stood from the sofa and looked down at his sister. His cryptic words left Ikyung with questions. She still had so much more to say and ask, but sensing Yoonshin's intent to leave, she reached out to him. Yoonshin paused near Ikyung, feeling he still had something to address.

"Why do you think it's okay to hurt Sehun when it's not okay to hurt me?"

Ikyung was left speechless. Yoonshin realized then that she had only a vague understanding of the depth of his relationship with Sehun, and how they each compromised and sacrificed for each other. She was simply biased toward Yoonshin and egotistical. Yoonshin couldn't blame her entirely; he had influenced her, as had their deceased parents. He could understand her perspective, though. If their roles were reversed, he might have acted like her. She was coming from a place of not wanting her brother to repeat her mistakes and suffer her misfortunes. However, her approach was misguided.

"I won't change my mind, so change yours. Contact me when you're ready.

See you."

Ikyung smiled bitterly, squeezing Yoonshin's hand before letting him go. She didn't watch as he left, allowing the door to shut with a click.

She let out a heavy sigh, her face pale.

Conflicting thoughts swirled in her mind.

During her divorce preparations, Yoonshin had told her that Sehun had some sort of weakness and agreed to take on her case. She thought they had grown closer and their relationship developed from then, but it seemed Sehun had taken her case because of their connection.

"That means they must have been seeing each other for a while now..."

At first, it was nice to see Yoonshin dedicated to a relationship when he was generally so non-committal. As time passed, Ikyung grew suspicious but was afraid to confirm who Yoonshin's partner was, so she avoided asking. Years went by, and memories accumulated.

As she recalled the times her brother's cheeks flushed whenever he talked about his partner, a warm smile spread across Ikyung's face.

She pieced together her memories and finally reached the conversation she just had with Sehun.

"Then, why did you feign ignorance despite your doubts?"

"That's because Yoonshin..."

That was because Yoonshin looked happy.

Ikyung traced her finger along the rim of her cup, then picked it up for the first time today. She swallowed the melted iced coffee, her eyes growing contemplative as she wondered how bitter it was for Sehun.

The silence in the car was particularly heavy. The ride was smooth and comfortable, but Yoonshin's mood had soured like sand soaked in water. His boiling blood had cooled to the point where the fury he felt seemed like a distant memory.

After staring out the window for a while, Yoonshin felt the need to break the silence. He gazed outside at the blue evening sky of the fine summer day.

"You're not going to cancel our cohabitation because of what my sister said, are you?"

Sehun merely tapped his finger on the steering wheel. Yoonshin heard a soft chuckle from the older man, so he turned his head toward Sehun. Sehun glanced at Yoonshin before returning his gaze to the road. His body language showed no sign of negativity.

"Don't laugh at me. I want a firm answer. I'm anxious."

"Of course not. Why would I back out? I'm not doing this to please anyone else."

Yoonshin sighed in relief and asked more relaxed, "So, our love remains unchanged despite my sister's strong disapproval, right?"

"Why? Did you change your mind?"

"I feel the same as before, so as long as you don't change your mind, I'm fine.

And.. I'm sorry you had to hear that. I know this won't make you feel better, but I'm really upset right now."

"I had a feeling this would happen. I didn't want you to be upset over this."

The car made a smooth left turn. Yoonshin took the opportunity to lean toward the driver's seat and rested his forehead on Sehun's arm. Sehun didn't seem to mind, as Yoonshin heard him sigh.

Yoonshin hesitantly looked up at Sehun, tilting his head.

Feeling the gaze, Sehun turned and kissed the crown of Yoonshin's head. He said, "If you have something else to say, just say it instead of stealing glances at me."

"I wasn't stealing glances. I was just quietly observing."

"Ask whatever you want."

"Are you okay?"

Sehun didn't respond this time either. However, Yoonshin could often read Sehun's thoughts and feelings just by looking at his face. After some observation, Yoonshin got a sense of what Sehun was thinking. Sehun seemed like he wanted to clarify or confirm something.

As Yoonshin expected, Sehun asked, "You upset your sister, didn't you?"

"Well... it depends on your point of view, I guess."

"You only heard one side of the conversation. You'll regret what you said. You should have heeded my warning."

"Ugh, I know, I should have. But there's one thing you got wrong."

Sehun stared in disbelief. "How could I be wrong about anything?"

"No, you were wrong. Turns out I'm quite good at sarcasm-I was just overshadowed by you. I was surprised when talking to my sister, too. I stuck around long enough and picked up some new tricks..."

At the next red light, Sehun shot an incredulous look at Yoonshin. Yoonshin pulled his cheek from Sehun's shoulder and sat up straight. Both knew there was truth beneath the lighthearted exchange. Yoonshin wanted to admit he had unwittingly hurt Ikyung with his sharp tongue. Understanding this, Sehun shook his head and resumed driving.

"I'm scared I'll end up with a son like you."

"Why talk about kids? We agreed to end our bloodlines."

Sehun's relaxed, smiling demeanor was something Yoonshin cherished.

Yoonshin savored Sehun's smile, then leaned in to kiss Sehun's cheek before returning to gaze out the window. Sehun glanced at his troubled reflection, trying to piece together the conversation between Yoonshin and Ikyung after he left. Though there was room for error, he grasped the gist of what happened.

"Director Do was only worried about you. She feared you'd end up like her."

"I know. She's had her love end badly. But she doesn't know how kind and loving you are. She didn't want me to hurt, so she transferred that hurt to you. That was low of her."

"It was, but her words didn't hurt me as much as you fear. This was something we had to face eventually, and I needed to hear it from her today."

"I knew that. But she must have touched on a sensitive spot."

"That doesn't mean my feelings were hurt. I'm not trying to be tough, but I was relieved to hear it."

"You were?"

"I think your sister won't oppose our relationship if she can understand just one thing….. probably."

"Probably," Sehun said, not entirely certain. But if he felt comfortable with the thought, it might turn into certainty.

"One thing?"

"Don't follow in her steps. Time will solve that for you."

Ikyung's main concern was that Sehun and Yoonshin's love would fade, causing them to hurt each other. Ideally, she didn't want anyone to get hurt, but if it came to that, she'd prefer it be Sehun. In short, she wanted Yoonshin to be happy. So, saying that time would solve this issue meant Sehun would have to work hard for Yoonshin, continuing to love him no matter how tough things got or how isolated Yoonshin might become.

Despite everything, Yoonshin would have a place in Sehun's life.

At times, like an echo, the air, or a shadow.

Sehun planned to make Yoonshin a constant presence in his life, no matter the location. This resonated deeply with Yoonshin, who knew how solitary and independent Sehun usually was.

"Can you take responsibility for your words?"

"I even went through a tedious premarital family meeting for you. Isn't that being responsible?"

"Oh, right."

Yoonshin realized that this meeting resembled a pre-marriage family gathering. He grinned shyly, then, realizing this wasn't the meeting he envisioned, bumped his head against the window in despair. He knocked his forehead against the glass. Unable to keep up with Yoonshin's shifting moods, Sehun frowned and refocused on driving.

A few minutes later, Sehun brought up a new topic. "That reminds me, Yoonshin, how did you know I was there?"

Despite his apparent disinterest, Yoonshin paid close attention to Sehun's every move. Yoonshin flinched. "Huh…? W-why do you want to know?"

"Was it Secretary Tak?"

"Mm... no?"

Yoonshin's tone rose at the end, sounding like a question. Knowing Yoonshin's honesty, Sehun could already guess what happened from Yoonshin's awkward evasion. Only a few secretarial staff knew Sehun was visiting Sansa today.

Realizing this, Sehun said gravely, "Given the circumstances, it has to be Secretary Tak."

"That's ... not it, though."

"I can't stand you keeping secrets with others behind my back," Sehun emphasized

"Really, that's not it..."

"When I hear from Secretary Tak, you'll share the blame too. Consider what's economical and efficient for you."

Yoonshin scrambled to find a way to save his friend in the few seconds that passed. Despite wracking his brain, he couldn't come up with anything.

Eventually, he decided to come clean. "Don't scold him too much.."

"He shouldn't have caused trouble if he didn't want to get into trouble."

"He was only trying to help us."

"More like he couldn't separate his personal and professional life."

"But ..."

"Don't take another man's side. I can't stand that even more."

Sehun's attitude offered no hope for leniency.

I'm sorry, Secretary Tak, Yoonshin apologized in his heart, his lips pursed. He pulled out his phone and drafted a text, admitting he couldn't keep their non-disclosure agreement and summarizing Sehun's reactions. As soon as he sent it, the reply came back instantly.

Secretary Heewon Tak: ??????

Secretary Heewon Tak: ??????????

Secretary Heewon Tak: T_T

Yoonshin stared at the screen, then slipped his phone back into his pocket. He blinked sheepishly.

Side Story 9

Yoonshin adjusted his loose tie in the mirror as he sat in the passenger seat.

He checked that all his shirt buttons were done up correctly, fixed his collar, and then put on his blazer.

The trees outside the window were turning yellow, signaling the end of the hot season and the approach of cooler weather.

Facing forward, he saw the entire Doguk building. He glanced at the driver, perfectly attired and composed, in stark contrast to how disheveled Yoonshin had been moments before. He felt wronged.

Yoonshin's nipples were raw and sore, the discomfort likely to last for a few more hours. The problem was that only one nipple was sore and sensitive, sending jolts of pain to his hips. Knowing he'd have to endure this for at least half a day, Yoonshin exploded.

"How could you do that?"

Sehun remained unfazed.

"I wanted to suck on your nipples on the way to work, so I did. Is there a problem?"

Sehun seemed deliberately vulgar. Yoonshin froze momentarily but quickly shifted his focus to complaining.

"I've never gotten in trouble with my team leader," Yoonshin whined.

"Experience helps develop the brain."

"I'm not a kid. This isn't your problem. You're 99% to blame for this. Help me if I get in trouble. You know my team leader is strict about time."

"Handle your family law team issues within the team. I don't show favoritism."

"Wow, why are you so mean today?"

"Is that new to you? Your memory is already terrible, so you need more experience to fill that gap."

"I'm saying the cause of the issue should take responsibility."

"I don't know. Why don't you ask that junior lawyer who's been sticking out?

You look close."

Yoonshin's eyes narrowed at the comment. As expected, this was the issue.

If Sehun wanted to please Yoonshin and feel good himself, he would have sucked on both nipples, not just one. He would have also provided a solution for the meeting Yoonshin would be late to, but he refused to do that as well.

The man in the driver's seat seemed to be in a bad mood.

Yoonshin's lips curved slightly in realization before he pressed them down. He was pleased that Sehun was showing jealousy, but the way Sehun expressed it was putting Yoonshin in a difficult position. Unlike Sehun, who was above everyone, Yoonshin was still on the hook and could face reprimands from several superiors.

What am I supposed to say if I'm asked why I'm late? Yoonshin thought. He glanced at Sehun, angry and delighted at the same time as he recalled what had just happened.

Recently, Yoonshin and Sehun's shared car rides had become infrequent. It made little sense for a high-ranking director of a major law firm to be carpooling with someone else. They had no excuses, so they stopped arranging it. However, after their promise last summer in the hospital, Sehun would occasionally take the wheel when he had the chance. Today was one of those rare days.

Sehun even left earlier than usual to match Yoonshin's schedule. Everything was fine until their conversation took a turn. While discussing work, Sehun's questions became increasingly persistent and pointed. Yoonshin mentioned that one of the new junior lawyer recruits was particularly clever and piqued his interest. At that point, Sehun veered into an isolated alley, parked, and proceeded to remove Yoonshin's jacket.

Yoonshin, astonished and fumbling, watched as Sehun deftly unbuttoned his shirt. For the next half hour, Sehun buried his face in Yoonshin's left chest, nipping and sucking at his nipple, turning it raw. At first, Yoonshin was intrigued by the sudden intensity, but as his left nipple began to feel numb and sore, he realized something was off.

"Why are you doing this? No matter how hard you suck, nothing will come out," Yoonshin grumbled. His chest was so tender that even the slightest touch was painful. He fanned his nipple with his shirt, careful not to let the fabric graze it.

Sehun looked taken aback. "Do you have no shame saying that out loud?"

"I think the one who sucked on a man's nipple first thing in the morning for thirty minutes should do some self-reflection."

"Why should I reflect when I'm sucking on something that's mine? I don't waste my time on things that aren't worthwhile. It would be easier to extort money from me."

"I want your opinion, not your money. I'm going to be late to my meeting because of you."

Grudgingly, Sehun conceded. Yoonshin quickly grabbed the tablet he had thrown onto the backseat and opened the documents for his upcoming meeting. He was set to meet with other senior lawyers to discuss tasks for their juniors. Yoonshin already had an answer in mind but wanted Sehun's input since they were together -though he had digressed for too long.

Yoonshin assumed Sehun would remember the first half of the document they discussed before their pit stop, so he began dictating the other half.

"The fourth case is... a married man started a relationship after lying that he was divorced. He forged his marital status certificate. The man is a famous hairstylist on social media, and if we take this case, we'll represent the complainants."

"First, there's forgery, then interference with the complainant's right to decide, and you can file for damages. It's a sure win."

"Yes, that's a textbook answer."

"Nope. Pass. Next."

Yoonshin anticipated Sehun's response.

"Then... there's been a breakdown in the marriage, but the spouse at fault is the one requesting the divorce."

"Who's the client?"

"The spouse at fault. He's a Buddhist monk. A very, very famous one."

Sehun's face contorted in disbelief. After confirming he hadn't misheard, he asked, "A monk got married? Are they from a sect that allows that?"

"No, I don't know how they never got caught. If we take the case, we'll find out."

"According to Supreme Court precedent, even if there's been a breakdown in the marriage, the spouse at fault can't initiate the divorce."

"Yes, on the surface, we have a slim chance of winning. Publicizing this would cost him his monk status, but he must be desperate to get divorced since he personally submitted his request to our firm. This will stir up a lot of noise."

"Doguk only needs lawyers who win."

Doguk's building was an eye-catching landmark among the skyscrapers in the city. They soon reached the entrance and slid into the basement parking lot.

Sehun smoothly turned the wheel and gave Yoonshin a look, signaling his approval.

Understanding the glance, Yoonshin nodded and shared his thoughts.

"I already decided on this case. I wanted your validation."

"Family law seniors usually keep big cases like this for themselves instead of passing them to juniors, unlike you."

"Yes, you know that well. I needed some courage to face the opposition. Once this is approved, I'm thinking of giving it to that smart junior. I'm curious to see how he structures-"

The car screeched to a halt. Sehun had slammed the brakes abruptly, causing Yoonshin to be jolted sideways. The aggressive driving had pushed him to the side despite the sedan's stability, making Yoonshin question why Sehun was speeding in the parking garage.

Yoonshin gasped, his elbow bumping into the window as he stared at Sehun in disbelief. Parked aggressively in the director's spot, Sehun kept his eyes fixed ahead, gripping the steering wheel so tightly that the veins on his hands were prominent. Yoonshin flinched, sensing a threat, and tried to steady his breath.

"... this case and," Yoonshin began to continue.

Sehun turned to glare at Yoonshin, his growling tone warning him to tread carefully. "You've mentioned the same man twice now. If you bring him up a third time, he's going to die. Act wisely."

"I'm only saying I'll give the case to him..."

"I told you, he'll die."

"That's all ... I swear."

Though they were in the firm's parking garage, Sehun wasn't likely to act out here. The director's corner was isolated and rarely visited unless someone was specifically called. They were cautious here, but the risk of Sehun laying a hand on Yoonshin was minimal. Still, Yoonshin glanced around and carefully explained himself to avoid further misunderstanding.

"As I gain experience, I'll eventually become a team leader. It would be beneficial to have skilled team members. I want to help grow the firm you direct. That's all I meant."

"Is it common for excuses to become more elaborate than necessary?"

"Isn't this more like persuasion than an excuse?"

"Since when did you become so loyal to Doguk?"

Yoonshin had indeed grown loyal to the firm over time. When he first joined on his sister's recommendation, he had expected to leave eventually, never fitting in or growing fond of the place. But things had changed. Doguk had become special to him, primarily because Sehun Kang was part of it.

Yoonshin unbuckled his seatbelt and smiled warmly at Sehun.

"Doguk needs to operate smoothly. As your legal representative, I'll have a headache if anything goes wrong here. Oh, and you need to be my legal representative too, no matter what."

"Isn't that too much of a loss for me? I won't take cases with no actual profit."

"I'm expensive too. I'm hard to meet."

Sehun snorted. "Pro bono clients can meet you with a single call. You even go to them."

Yoonshin fell silent-Sehun wasn't wrong. The longer their exchanges went on, Yoonshin always seemed to lose out. Retreating was his best option.

They had reached the firm's building, and Yoonshin was cutting it close to his meeting time. He quickly packed his belongings before darting out of the car.

As Yoonshin was about to step out, Sehun held him back. Yoonshin leaned into the car and looked at Sehun, extending a hand to stop the older man who was about to get out.

"Oh, wait. Don't get off yet."

Sehun seemed to understand. He nodded and turned his right cheek toward Yoonshin. Yoonshin chuckled and leaned in to kiss Sehun's cheek. As he was pulling away, Sehun grabbed his chin and pressed a kiss to his lips. Yoonshin flushed red

Kissed with his eyes wide open, Yoonshin closed them a second too late, his eyelashes fluttering in astonishment.

As Yoonshin was still caught off guard, Sehun picked up his bag to get out of the car. Seeing this, Yoonshin waved his hand to stop Sehun again. At this point, Sehun realized Yoonshin had another reason for stopping him.

"What are you trying with me?"

"It's suspicious if we go up together. Come up in ten minutes, okay?"

"Ten... I think I misheard. Repeat that."

"Yes, I said to waste ten minutes here."

"Hey, do you know how expensive a minute of my time is? Plus, Secretary Tak probably saw my car and is waiting for me."

"Normally, I'd be waiting in the car, but I have a meeting to get to. And again, when I say someone is clever or smart, I just mean they pick things up quickly, not that they're cute. You know what I mean, right? I love you. See you later!" Yoonshin rattled on, then closed the car door and took a step back. Reluctant to leave, he walked backward, waving and looking sad.

Sehun leaned back comfortably, watching Yoonshin with a hint of pity. He tapped his watch, causing Yoonshin to jump and sprint toward the entrance.

Sehun chuckled at the absurdity of it all.

"How would I know what you mean?"

Sehun wondered if Yoonshin was worried he might discover the junior lawyer's name and do something about it. He considered whether Yoonshin realized that his final excuse was the most audacious of all.

Tick tock.

The seconds ticked by.

Checking the time, Sehun decided he'd waited long enough and muttered,

"This is good enough."

After just three minutes, not the ten Yoonshin had requested, Sehun exited his car.

He boarded his personal elevator, which whisked him to his office floor in no time. Secretary Tak and four other secretarial staff had clearly been waiting since his car arrived. They greeted him.

"Director, you're earlier than usual. I've placed the corporate law research manager documents on your desk. They need a wet ink signature; electronic ones aren't accepted."

"I'll review them soon. Where's Yoonshin Do? Did he head straight to his meeting?"

"No, the family law team lead dropped by his office, so I told him to go there first."

"Really? Good timing."

"Do you have a message for him?"

"A message... Not for Yoonshin Do, but for the family law team leader."

Sehun's secretaries exchanged puzzled looks. Ignoring their curiosity, Sehun walked past them. His employees followed, taking his briefcase and briefing him on his schedule for the day.

Sehun mentally recorded the information as he headed toward his office.

When he arrived, the office manager and paralegals stood and bowed. He waved them off and turned towards Yoonshin's office. The remaining administrative staff, who hadn't been informed, looked on in confusion.

Everyone in the vicinity watched with bated breath.

Sehun stopped in front of Yoonshin's office, hearing the muffled yelling of the family law team leader from outside.

He listened for a moment, then burst in without knocking.

"Team Lead Jung."

"Yes, sir!"

Taken aback by the unexpected appearance of the firm's director, Team Leader Jung jumped up and greeted Sehun. Yoonshin, who had been standing rigidly during the shouting, also turned to look. Both those inside and outside the room awaited Sehun's next move. Yoonshin's eyes questioned why Sehun had arrived so early. Ignoring the other lawyer's intense gaze, Sehun addressed the family law team leader.

"Yoonshin was entertaining me this morning, so don't blame him for being late."

"Oh, yes... I under-" The team leader began but froze, realizing something was off.

"Pardon? Wh-what do you mean?"

Sehun replied nonchalantly, "Team Leader Jung, did you hurt your head or ears? Which part should I repeat?"

"Never mind. Yes, I understand."

The team leader bowed deeply, and Sehun dismissed his subordinates with a wave. He turned and left the room. Yoonshin felt a surge of anger as his face turned red and blue, glaring daggers into Sehun's back. Yoonshin was probably cursing Sehun internally, but Sehun felt the intensity of the glare without turning back.

Sehun walked past the stunned secretarial staff. Their eyes darted between each other, trying to make sense of Sehun's words. Ignoring the confusion, Sehun casually entered his office. Secretary Tak followed and closed the door behind him.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you? To unsettle him. I felt some malicious intent from you."

Sehun glanced up from his files. Secretary Tak noticed the look as he placed Sehun's briefcase in its usual spot and approached the desk. Sehun replied in a bureaucratic tone, "Malicious intent? Since when did you talk to me like that?"

Secretary Tak paused. "My apologies. But you've never helped Attorney Do like that before. You were harsher and left him to fend for himself. Did you two have a disagreement this morning?"

Sehun's fountain pen halted mid-air. He was surprised by Secretary Tak's reaction.

"Do you think Yoonshin would be a match for me?"

"Well, you'd win all the arguments, of course."

Sehun pondered, his pen cap half unscrewed. He analyzed Secretary Tak's assumption. After a moment of silence, Sehun chuckled. His scoff was a response, though Secretary Tak couldn't tell if it was a confirmation or denial.

Instead of addressing his confused secretary further, Sehun turned away and uncapped his pen. He skimmed the document before signing it. The nib scratched the paper with a bright, whimsical sound.

Secretary Tak watched quietly before asking, "So... should I go assist Attorney Do?"

Sehun's response was brief and immediate. "No, just let him be."

"Everyone in the secretarial office is in a frenzy. Attorney Do will have a tough time answering questions all day about what happened with you this morning."

Secretary Tak gestured toward the windows, indicating the silent battlefield outside. Hyenas, including the family law team leader and other executives, watched Yoonshin with curious eyes. Sehun scanned them and shook his head.

"Good," he said.

"Beg your pardon?"

"Don't you dare help him. I want him to be exhausted from explaining all day.

That way, he won't have the energy to do something foolish."

"So you did do that on purpose."

"Do I ever act without intention? If you're satisfied with that answer, leave.

You're distracting."

Secretary Tak, though worried Yoonshin might be overly fatigued, did not mind the situation. He took the signed documents, smiled, and respectfully took his leave.

The door clicked shut behind him. Sehun felt a gaze from outside, one that didn't seem to belong to Secretary Tak. This brazen stare couldn't be from anyone on the secretarial team.

Sehun looked up and met Yoonshin's reproachful gaze from the hallway, halfway to the boardroom. Yoonshin's eyes challenged Sehun, questioning whether he was aware of the impact of his words. Sehun smirked arrogantly.

"You asked for my help. I showed you favoritism. Got a problem with that?" Sehun said out loud, knowing Yoonshin wouldn't hear him.

Yoonshin twitched, trying to interpret Sehun's lips. Sehun pressed his remote, shutting the blinds to his office windows. He could almost see Yoonshin's bewildered eyes widen through the cracks.

Sehun tossed the fountain pen on his desk and leaned back comfortably in his chair.

His nonchalant facade crumpled into a frown.

"Interested in your clever junior lawyer?" Sehun clicked his tongue in annoyance.

Secretary Tak followed closely behind Sehun and Mihee. They had just emerged from a board meeting focused on postmortem items after one of their firm's lawyers gained fame through drastic measures. The firm defended itself well, with Yoonshin playing a positive role. The situation concluded favorably.

Sehun was heading to an out-of-office meeting. Mihee said she would see him off to the parking garage, implying she had something to discuss. Sehun noticed but didn't ask. Mihee exchanged a furtive look with Secretary Tak and whispered, "Attorney Kang, how's your move going? I heard the interior renovations are done. You must have been in a rush to get it all done so quickly."

Mihee waved her hand at Secretary Tak behind her. The secretary mechanically responded, "Oh, right, all the related documents are ready for you. Just give me a sign."

Sehun realized that Mihee and Secretary Tak were eager to discuss Yoonshin and his cohabitation. He drew the line. Staring directly at Mihee, he pointed toward her office. "Leave."

"Aww, come on, Sehun. Don't be like that. We should have a housewarming.

I'll bring over some expensive wine and a piece of art as a gift."

"Don't be rude and call me by my first name. Use my title. Leave."

"You're so cold. Are you really not going to have a housewarming? Everyone else does it."

"I won't, and don't ask about this at work. What do you think the firm is, a playground?"

Sehun walked past the grumbling Mihee, whose plan had failed. Secretary Tak, anticipating this outcome, exchanged looks of consolation with Mihee before catching up with Sehun. They got into the same elevator and tried again to discuss the move.

"Since you two are reserved and keep to yourselves, leaving the apartments empty won't be an issue. I can create a document indicating that you're still living there. The real problem is moving your belongings... What's your plan?" Secretary Tak asked.

"We'll move our important belongings gradually and leave the furniture behind."

Sehun and Yoonshin intended to keep their move secret. If two lawyers known to be close moved out simultaneously, it would attract too much attention.

The last thing they wanted was a moving truck seen around the apartment.

They planned to keep their primary residences separate on paper and visit their apartments occasionally. They'd mention each lawyer moved out six months to a year apart. It was a tedious process, but crucial for maintaining their privacy.

"Oh, then what about your furniture?" the secretary asked.

"Destroy it. Tear down the wallpaper too."

"All of that? Considering depreciation, your furniture is extremely valuable.

That's such a waste. How about donating it to the firm? We could sell it and donate the proceeds-"

"I can't allow other people to use the items with my fingerprints on them.

Destroy them all. The same with Yoonshin's house," Sehun ordered, cutting off Secretary Tak.

"Understood," Secretary Tak replied courteously. The elevator doors then opened

The trio stepped out and headed toward Sehun's car. As they walked, they discussed a few other topics until a figure leaped from the shadows of a nearby pillar, interrupting their conversation.

"Director!" the intruder-Yoonshin-shouted.

Sehun was taken aback. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you were off to a meeting. I needed some help... I just heard that you two were going out now."

Noticing the bundle of files in Yoonshin's arms, Sehun quickly realized that the younger man sought his advice. He also understood why Yoonshin had come to him instead of his immediate superior. Sehun flicked his wristwatch, glanced at it, and said coolly, "You show up unannounced and expect me to take time out for you?"

"Are you very busy? Should I come by later?" Yoonshin asked, stepping back but looking disappointed.

Sehun softened his stern expression and smiled. "I never said I wouldn't listen to your concerns."

Seeing that Sehun was teasing him, Yoonshin relaxed with a sigh of relief.

Jokingly, he asked, "Are you aiming for an award for the meanest way of speaking?"

"Not really, but I can spare you ten minutes."

"That might work."

"Get in."

Sensing the situation, Secretary Tak headed to the car first. He opened the backseat door for Sehun, while Yoonshin opened the door on the other side, giving the secretary a grateful nod. Secretary Tak closed the door and bowed silently before stepping away to give them privacy. Yoonshin guessed he was also keeping an eye out for anyone else.

Yoonshin watched until Secretary Tak disappeared behind the walls, then slowly turned to Sehun. The older man was already scrolling through his tablet.

"Weren't you going to listen to my problem?"

"My ears are open. Go ahead. My ten minutes include the time I spend looking at my files."

Oh, Yoonshin thought.

Sehun never went to meetings early. He arrived precisely when needed and made others wait at other times. When he said he could scrape together ten minutes, he meant it literally.

Snapping out of his trance, Yoonshin presented the bundle of papers in his arms. The file was well-organized -Yoonshin had used index tabs to highlight key points. Sehun glanced at it, then returned to his tablet. Despite his sharp memory and cognitive skills, Sehun knew that a two-second glance at a document's cover wasn't enough to grasp its details. He would need to read it.

"You're not going to read it? Or at least skim through?" Yoonshin asked.

"Knowing the matter number is enough," Sehun replied.

"No, it isn't," Yoonshin countered.

"It's a criminal case. I get briefed on the matters you oversee. Isn't this the one where the original judgment was overturned?"

Yoonshin had expected to feel disheartened but was instead struck by awe. He hadn't thought Sehun still paid attention to his cases. He was impressed.

When Yoonshin first joined the family team, he faced numerous trials and errors. Now, he rarely bothered Sehun with his cases, handling them independently. He was surprised to learn that Sehun was still updated on his work.

Even more surprising was that Yoonshin wasn't formally retained for this case; he was merely given the paper file. It wasn't a family law case but a pro bono file.

Yoonshin wondered how Sehun managed to stay so discreet about this.

"You're right," Yoonshin said softly after a pause.

"Why do you sound so subdued all of a sudden?"

"I was just wondering if I could ever win against you."

Sehun slowly looked up from his tablet, studying Yoonshin with a complex expression-one that blended agreement and disagreement. As Sehun's gaze settled on him, Yoonshin set aside his documents.

"It's as you said. The original decision was overturned, and the defendant received a harsher sentence," Yoonshin continued.

In this case, the couple was in the middle of a mediated divorce when the wife crashed her car into her husband's, killing his family. The prosecutor deemed the original sentence too lenient and appealed. The wife pleaded guilty to all charges and received a harsher sentence without offering any defense. A junior on Yoonshin's team found this case unusual and asked Yoonshin to review it with him.

"So, why are you holding onto a case that's over? We haven't even been retained for this. I've read the hospital report about the treatment of the victims. They died because of the crash. It was intentional. The sentence seems reasonable."

"Yes, it appeared she hit the other car intentionally. She probably meant to kill everyone, but only the husband survived. What bothers me is why, if their mediation was going well, she suddenly targeted the car with the husband and his family? Something doesn't add up."

"What do you think caused this?"

"From what we know, the husband didn't commit adultery and fulfilled his marital duties. He just wanted a divorce. It's abnormal for the wife to have suddenly lost control. There must be something else, some hidden fault of the husband that triggered this."

"For example, what? Gaslighting?"

Yoonshin nodded vigorously. It could be anything— the wife might have been in a cult, suffered from the husband's gaslighting throughout their marriage, or endured extreme hardships from her in-laws.

While the reverse scenario might not hold, when a woman kills a man, especially her spouse, there's often a reason behind her actions.

If the husband was involved in the crime, the wife could have received a reduced sentence. But abandoning that possibility was unusual. Normally, she would have pressured her lawyers to fight for her freedom. Yoonshin had only worked with clients who fought for their rights, so this case was beyond his experience.

"While I was reading the decision, it seemed as if the defendant wanted the maximum sentence. Have you seen anything like this before?"

Sehun hummed, thinking for a moment. He replied briefly, "It's rare, but some people want to be punished beyond what's necessary."

"I have a feeling there's more to this. If I can figure out why she felt she had no choice but to make this decision, we might find some blame on the husband and shift the balance in her favor. Even if she can't avoid prison, we could argue for mitigating factors to lessen her sentence"

"You want to know if reducing the sentence is in the client's best interest, don't you?" Sehun interrupted, hitting the nail on the head.

Yoonshin hesitated, gripping his papers tightly. If it were just a work issue, he wouldn't have sought Sehun's help. He needed validation for his moral dilemma, not a shortcut to the answer. Despite Sehun's questionable actions at times, he understood moral boundaries better than anyone else Yoonshin knew.

Sehun was aware of this too, evident in his gentle tone.

"Attorney Yoonshin Do. One person is in serious condition and two people are dead. This is a murder case," he said.

"I know," Yoonshin replied after a pause.

"A lawyer shouldn't shoulder their client's guilt. I'm sorry."

"If I go against this person's wishes and help-"

"This person wouldn't cooperate, and in my experience, this could lead to their death in the worst case. If you want them to live, let them live incarcerated."

Yoonshin stared at his papers, crumpling the edges tightly. He was coming to terms with the fact that this wasn't a case he should take on. Accepting Sehun's advice made him feel slightly better-perhaps giving up was the best course of action.

"I guess I should shred all this."

"If you're really curious, I could investigate why that woman went so far,"

Sehun offered.

"I'd rather not know. If I did, I'd want to do something for her."

"I guess you'll have trouble sleeping tonight."

"Yeah. Thanks, though. I'll be on my way now. Take care." Disheartened,

Yoonshin grasped the door handles as he said his farewell.

Sehun watched Yoonshin's dejected shoulders and set aside his tablet. He pulled Yoonshin into a tight embrace and kissed his neck several times.

With flushed cheeks, Yoonshin tried to look back at Sehun, but the older man tightened his grip, preventing him. Sehun sank his teeth into Yoonshin's neck as a warning.

Yoonshin grunted. "Are you sure we should be doing this in the parking garage? Secretary Tak is just a few feet away."

"Of course, you can't do anything dirty at work."

Despite his words, Sehun couldn't control his instinctual urges. He cupped Yoonshin's jaw and trailed kisses along his jawline, ears, and cheeks. Yoonshin received the affection with a shy demeanor, though his eyes darted around nervously.

Sehun savored Yoonshin's soft skin for a while, then slowly pulled away. As Yoonshin felt the warmth of Sehun's breath receding, he turned to look back at him.

"Come to my place to sleep tonight."

"No, let's meet somewhere else."

"Your place?"

"The place you and I will live in. We should drop by at least once."

Yoonshin froze, left speechless.

After Sehun agreed to live together, they bought a unit in a luxury low-rise apartment in a neighborhood Yoonshin liked. They wanted to avoid scandals, so they searched for a duplex unit and found the perfect building. The buildings were spaced widely apart, minimizing the chance of encountering neighbors, and the property was designed with a strong focus on privacy and security. They quickly decided on this property.

They combined the two floors and installed a new elevator, causing delays in renovations. Now, Yoonshin knew the construction was nearly complete.

Since they planned to move out at different times, Yoonshin figured he could take his time.

"Can we go? Is the construction done?"

"It is, but not all the furnishings are in place. I think today is still the best day to go. The passcode is..."

"My birthday?"

"The day of our first kiss."

"It better be the day of the company dinner. It's about time you conceded."

As always, Sehun stood his ground.

"I don't know. If you know the correct date, you'll surely be able to get into the house."

Yoonshin glanced sidelong at Sehun, checked his surroundings, and quickly stole a kiss from the older man.

The kiss was unexpectedly comforting and perfect.

Yoonshin's dismay was completely overshadowed by the happiness this man brought him. Joy sparkled in Sehun's eyes as he watched Yoonshin's contentment. Yoonshin was about to caress Sehun's cheeks when Sehun pushed him away, quite coldly.

"All right, the consultation is over. It's been ten minutes."

Yoonshin's eyes widened in astonishment. "Wow, you have no mercy at all."

"Let's continue this at home. I'll see you there after work."

"Our ... matrimonial home?"

Both of them knew which home Sehun meant, yet Yoonshin sought confirmation through feigned ignorance.

Sehun didn't give in easily. He enunciated each word, "Yeah, the home that you and I will live in."

"Why call it that when there's a perfectly good word for it? We live in a fast and efficient world these days."

"Since we're not formally married yet. I'm just being realistic."

"But we will be one day. We're just cohabiting first. I'm being pragmatic."

Sehun couldn't argue with that. He had nothing to counter Yoonshin but didn't want to concede.

"You're not going to leave the car if I don't say that, are you?"

"You'll find out if you keep resisting. I've got plenty of time. Where's your meeting? I can tag along. It sounds like a private affair if you're only bringing Secretary Tak..."

Yoonshin grinned unbothered. Sehun studied his lover's smiling face and recalled what Yoonshin's tentative ally had said with certainty. "Well, of course, it would be your complete victory."

He also recalled the criticism he'd heard from Yoonshin's kryptonite. "You're a bad loser, aren't you?"

Yoonshin's words from moments ago echoed in his mind. "I was just wondering if I could ever win against you."

Even Sehun couldn't believe it. For years, he had never won against Yoonshin.

He had an ongoing losing streak. Who would have guessed?

The oblivious winner was blissfully unaware-or perhaps pretending to be-of his winning streak against someone far superior and more experienced in life.

Sehun clicked his tongue, trying to push away his complex feelings. He leaned in and opened the door on Yoonshin's side.

"Right, our matrimonial home," Sehun said after a pause.

Yoonshin didn't reply.

"Get out."

Yoonshin beamed, unable to contain his overwhelming joy. He wanted to grab Sehun's face and kiss him, but with the door open, he knew he shouldn't.

Instead, he rubbed his fingers on his lips and pressed them gently against Sehun's.

Stepping out of the car, Yoonshin's cheeks were rosy pink. He didn't want to turn his back on Sehun-or perhaps didn't want to miss a second of looking at him-so he walked backward into the building with lighthearted steps.

"See you later," Yoonshin said, waving. He then turned around the pillar where Secretary Tak would be waiting.

"Yes, see you," Sehun replied. Watching his lover even after he turned the corner, a smile played on Sehun's lips, catching Yoonshin's contagious smile.

Yoonshin studied the electronic door lock with a stern look. He cracked his knuckles and then massaged them gently.

The passcode could be six or eight numbers, but given the strict security measures they'd gone through before reaching the building, the code was more likely to be the less secure option of four digits.

Yoonshin took a deep breath and carefully pressed four numbers, each accompanied by a beep.

Soon, the satisfying sound of the door unlocking echoed.

"I knew it."

Yoonshin couldn't hold back his laughter as he grasped the door handle. He stepped inside, aware that someone had been there before him but not shocked. Sehun had already messaged him, saying his meeting was shorter than expected and he would arrive at their home first. The other person was probably Sehun.

The interior had been renovated, and some basic furniture was installed. The home was far from finished, but it was still livable. Yoonshin was used to sharing space with Sehun, but imagining their life together in their co-owned home made him giddy with excitement. Trying to calm his fluttering heart, Yoonshin walked down the long corridor, following a sound.

The faint noise was coming from the study, whose door was open. Sehun had suggested they each have a home office since they had plenty of rooms.

Yoonshin had rejected that idea immediately. Sehun would spend most of his time in the study, and Yoonshin didn't want to feel like a distracting intruder every time. After some thought, Sehun agreed to make the study a shared space.

Since Yoonshin heard Sehun making noise inside, Sehun likely heard him coming in as well. Yoonshin peeked into the room and scanned for Sehun, who was closer than expected. The older man waved him over and pointed at the empty bookshelf.

"Do you want the top or the bottom?"

"You're talking about shelves for the books, right?"

"Did you think I was talking about positions? What's going on in that gutter brain of yours?"

Startled by the unexpectedly dirty reply, Yoonshin chose carelessly. "No, not really. Uh... the bottom shelf. I'll take the bottom."

"You're still good at understanding your place. You're right. You're the bottom."

You're totally talking about sexual positions, Yoonshin thought, conveying this sentiment through his gaze.

Sehun replied with a straight face.

"Just to let you know, you don't need to pick top or bottom for positions because we can do it in all the cardinal directions."

"Seriously?"

"No need to ask again. Just think back a little."

Yoonshin recalled all his sexual encounters with Sehun. His face turned beet red as he burst into laughter. He took a step closer and hugged Sehun's back.

Sehun gently massaged Yoonshin's arms that were crossed over his abdomen.

"You should move in your daily necessities bit by bit. After you move in completely, I will empty our apartments. Our official cohabitation will begin after I move out too. As we've discussed, let's leave at least one car at the apartment and visit the building at least once a week," Sehun said.

Yoonshin didn't react after Sehun's generously lengthy explanation. Sehun was somewhat confused that Yoonshin's reactions were not as expected. He adeptly spun around to face the younger man and gently lifted Yoonshin's chin before he burrowed himself into Sehun's chest. Their eyes met at a slightly different angle than usual.

Upon peering deep into Yoonshin's eyes, Sehun realized why Yoonshin was reacting the way he was. In a gentle tone exclusive to Yoonshin, Sehun asked,

"Are you scared?"

Yoonshin nodded, readily acknowledging his trepidation.

Fear was not the only thing he felt at this moment. But if he were to describe a feeling that encompassed the myriad of emotions he was feeling now, feeling scared would be the most appropriate.

Yoonshin was unrestricted and assertive in his wants because his partner carefully considered every suggestion. From touching each other to cohabitation and marriage, when Yoonshin chattered away about the mundane things in relationships that he wanted to do, Sehun would make all of those wishes into a reality. Sehun would always choose the best option in all cases and opt for methods that would not hurt each other.

Thanks to that, no matter how ridiculous the request, Sehun would somehow fulfill them all and Yoonshin would be unharmed. However, there was one thing that Yoonshin learned from their situation with his sister. Just because Yoonshin was never affected, it didn't mean that Sehun was not affected at all.

At times, Yoonshin acted naively to balance their relationship, but by no means was Yoonshin unaware of his situation. He grew afraid that his selfish wish would hurt Sehun one day.

"I realized that having separate units kept us protected."

"So you're afraid now that we have nowhere to hide? Do you want to call it quits?"

"No, but..."

"I've thought this through extensively, so I'm not backing out. You're trapped in my clutches. You've brought this on yourself."

"We have no means of escape now. But what if someone uses our relationship against us? What if you're criticized again because of me?"

There was only one entrance to the home. The parking lot was shared between Yoonshin and Sehun, and they would share the same front door and passcode. They were going to share their offices during the day and the bedroom at night. Yoonshin was acutely aware of all this, but seeing it in person gave him a new perspective.

Not everyone accepted their type of relationship, no matter how close they seemed. Mihee and Secretary Tak supported them silently, and Yoonshin had expected his sister to accept them, so he hadn't considered the possibility of rejection. But now, he was out from behind Sehun's protective shadow and facing reality. Sehun had too many enemies for Yoonshin to stay in this house with naive optimism.

"Is this about your sister? You're being too obvious."

"Let's just say I've become more sensible."

"I have no choice."

"Of what?"

"I have to make it non-refundable."

"What?"

Yoonshin couldn't follow Sehun's meaning. They couldn't return a house but could sell it. It seemed Sehun was being figurative. Without warning, Sehun lifted Yoonshin, not cradling him but slinging him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. As Sehun walked out of the study, Yoonshin kicked in resistance.

"What are you doing?"

Sehun slapped Yoonshin's buttocks, a warning to stay alert. He moved to another room, which Yoonshin recognized as the master bedroom, the most spacious in the house. They had agreed to install a custom-made, extra-large bed. Sehun tossed Yoonshin onto the mattress, which was about double the size of a regular one. The older man pressed himself onto the struggling Yoonshin, preventing him from running away.

As Sehun crossed the threshold, Yoonshin realized his intentions. He grabbed Sehun's fly.

"Are you sure you want to do this on a bare mattress with no sheets?"

Yoonshin asked.

"I figured we could have an inaugural ritual while we're here," Sehun replied.

"What about my hip pain?"

"I won't strip you."

"Will you be satisfied with that?"

"I'll go easy on you."

Sehun was trustworthy in most things, but not in bed. While he kept his promises outside the bedroom, in bed, he was unpredictable. Some days, he kept his promises; other days, he ignored them completely. The chances were 50/50. Moreover, Sehun didn't know how to be gentle, and even if he did, he'd pretend not to. He had admitted this when Yoonshin was hospitalized. So Yoonshin was certain of one fact.

"You're not going to go easy on me," Yoonshin said.

"Don't be too scared. I can't handle another few months of just petting."

"There's nothing for lubrication here..."

"We did it a lot last night, so I bet you're still loose."

"Loo-is that all you have to say? No!"

"We can check."

Yoonshin gasped, caught off guard. Sehun stripped him of his pants in the blink of an eye. The older man peered at Yoonshin's underwear, then bent over, drawing a long line along Yoonshin's perineum over the thin fabric.

Still feeling awkward in the unfamiliar space, Yoonshin let out a suppressed moan. At the same time, he recalled his current physical state and the next day's schedule, paying attention to Sehun's self-restraint and his own arousal.

Yoonshin couldn't think anymore.

"You're going to be gentle, right..?"

Sehun paused. "I won't break you."

"Wait, that's different from what you promised," Yoonshin yelled.

From then on, everything progressed like clockwork. Sehun pulled down Yoonshin's underwear and lifted his legs, resting them on his shoulders. He placed his hands between Yoonshin's groin, spreading him with his thumbs before pushing his fingers in, eliciting a groan from Yoonshin.

Normally, Sehun would insert another finger, but he was impatient. He thrust his tongue into Yoonshin's hole. Concerned that Yoonshin's tender skin was still sore from last night's rough activity, he meticulously massaged the inner flesh with his tongue.

Dangling from Shun's shoulder, Yoonshin's legs quivered. He threw his head back and yelped in pleasure, writhing and grabbing Sehun's hair. Each time Sehun's tongue buried itself deep inside, Yoonshin was left breathless.

In the years he dated Sehun, Yoonshin had experienced countless unspeakable acts. Yet, he could never get used to this one. He felt uncomfortable and embarrassed but didn't hate it. Unable to tell Sehun to stop, he yelped and groaned. Sehun was spurred on by Yoonshin's tolerance. The older man's heightened excitement was subtle but clear to Yoonshin. Sehun was extremely aroused just by making a mess of Yoonshin with his mouth.

"Sehun, hnngh..."

"I think I can put it in. You're still soft."

"Do you have a condom? I don't have one."

Sehun lifted his head from between Yoonshin's legs, pressed his torso against Yoonshin's, and whispered in his ear.

"I don't want to let anything come between us."

Yoonshin's cheeks flushed red. Instead of saying anything, he swung his feet.

Sehun seemed to understand what Yoonshin wanted to say.

Sehun was an expert at teasing Yoonshin sweetly, perhaps because he knew him too well. Using a sweet and gentle tone felt like cheating.

Feeling somewhat miffed, Yoonshin swung his arms, hoping they would land somewhere. Sehun shrugged and responded with action.

"I knew you'd like that. Lift your hips," Sehun ordered.

Following the command, Sehun lifted Yoonshin's hips and tucked a folded jacket under him. He then grabbed Yoonshin's wrists and guided his hands to stroke Sehun's length. The air between them grew heated. With each touch, they sighed, releasing their suppressed passion. Their intense desires soon filled the room.

Sehun guided Yoonshin's hands as he rubbed Sehun's dick from the base to the tip. Yoonshin took a more assertive position, sitting up awkwardly to undo Sehun's fly. The other man's arousal was at its peak, threatening to spring out.

Just knowing that this was going to penetrate him soon sent shivers down Yoonshin's body. He collected his breaths, trying to calm his excitement, and then tugged on the band of Sehun's underwear.

It wasn't easy to pull out Sehun's arousal today-it was stiffer than usual.

Yoonshin's struggling and clumsy touches seemed to excite Sehun as he closed his eyes, took deep breaths, and bit his bottom lip.

"You're taking forever," Sehun said with a sigh.

"This is our first night here...so I'm nervous for no reason. I'm almost there."

Sehun wanted to respond but found himself at a loss for words. He seemed anxious to Yoonshin. Finally, Yoonshin had freed Sehun's entire length up to his scrotum and looked up at him. When their eyes met, Sehun spread Yoonshin's legs and slotted himself between them in a frenzy.

"The first night, you say? Isn't it more traditional to consummate on a honeymoon?"

Yoonshin had been relaxing his muscles to accept Sehun but grew rigid at the comment. His ankles were resting on Sehun's shoulders, and Sehun had only pulled down the fabric around his penis, positioning it for insertion. They stared at each other in that position.

"Holiday..?" Yoonshin asked hesitantly.

"We couldn't go last time because I was suddenly swamped with work. I thought you'd be more upset, but you weren't, so I felt bad about it instead.

Why are you so considerate? It makes me feel like the bad guy," Sehun said.

"C-can you make time? We're going for real this time, right?"

"How about France?"

"France? Are you sure you can go that far?"

"Let's go see Toulouse-Lautrec."

Yoonshin gaped, speechless.

"Be more surprised. I'm seriously suggesting a honeymoon vacation. We're both so busy that having a honeymoon before our marriage makes sense. It's practical."

Yoonshin couldn't believe his ears-had Sehun really said that?

Yoonshin didn't know what to do with himself. Sehun was saying things Yoonshin usually had to nag him about. Unprepared for what Sehun might say next, Yoonshin was caught off guard.

"Se-ngh! Ah!" Yoonshin was caught off guard by Sehun's sudden move.

While Yoonshin was still stunned and awestruck, Sehun seized the moment.

Sehun thrust fully into Yoonshin in one go. His glans surged aggressively inside Yoonshin, still loose from the previous night, filling him up once more.

Despite Yoonshin's muscles being relaxed from the other day, Sehun's size was overwhelming. Yoonshin gasped, breathless from the pain, counting the seconds until the sharpness of the intrusion faded.

Finally, he panted sharply. Yoonshin cried out, "Ow! Sehun Kang, that hurts..!"

Sehun's size was too much for Yoonshin to handle all at once. When Sehun pushed himself to the hilt without warning, Yoonshin was always left breathless.

"It hurts less if you push it all in at once. This is all for your sake," Sehun said.

"Easier said than—! Ah! Ngh, mmh!"

Before Yoonshin finished complaining, Sehun began to move, as if to silence him. Yoonshin could only sway with Sehun's powerful thrusts.

Throughout it all, Yoonshin felt the message Sehun was sending with his body, rather than his words.

They had faced many obstacles, and as Yoonshin feared, they would encounter countless more challenges after leaving their separate apartments. Still, Sehun extended his hand, asking Yoonshin to navigate the troubled waters and reach their unmarked destination together.

Sehun's desire to stay together in the coming years outweighed the dangers they faced.

Yoonshin struggled to reach out, feeling the intense sensation of Sehun's flesh pounding into him, and grabbed Sehun's forearm. His fingers trembled and his energy was drained, but he clung to Sehun's arm desperately. His fingers tugged at Sehun's sleeve, quivering. Sehun must have felt it too, the desperate and passionate love Yoonshin had for him, as Yoonshin felt Sehun's tumultuous emotions.

Each thrust overwhelmed Yoonshin's senses. Sehun had taught him the pleasures of climax. In this moment, Yoonshin's heart raced with excitement

-both from pleasure and from being deeply moved. If he had to name this feeling, it would be happiness.

"Hngh, ah... I'm too dry. G-go slower .."

"Are you aroused? You're feeling it well."

"Mmm, I love ... when you do it slowly... Ah."

"It's hard to be gentle. It's so ... agonizing."

"Hmm, ngh. Feels so good."

"Are you less anxious now? I want to see you happy."

In hindsight, they had moved from a conversation in the study to the bedroom and sex. Sehun knew that Yoonshin felt most at ease in his arms, so he chose the most drastic yet effective approach. Yoonshin lifted his heavy lids, not hiding his flushed cheeks, tear-streaked eyes, lovestruck gaze, and hesitant lips.

"I love you too," he confessed. He felt as if he hadn't expressed his love like this in ages, and indeed, Sehun had become better at showing affection these days.

Sehun froze, perhaps surprised by Yoonshin's confession. Soon after, he pressed down on Yoonshin with the weight of his lower body and sighed in surrender.

"Hah ... Seriously, you drive me crazy."

Yoonshin wanted to say the same to Sehun.

"Wait, you're in too deep. I-it hurts—mmph."

Sehun, his hips rolling at a slower pace than usual, could no longer restrain himself. He kissed Yoonshin, who surrendered to the kiss, momentarily forgetting the pain from being stretched beyond his usual limits. Their hot breaths mingled, and their tongues intertwined as they stayed connected.

They explored and savored their spontaneous intimacy, with nothing between them.

The sturdy new bedframe creaked.

The space where they would write their countless stories was filled with the sweetness of their deepening love.

Side Story 10 [Series Finale]

The director of Doguk had to go on an overseas trip at least once a year. The firm called it a "schedule," but it was really a vacation. Last year, Mihee took a week off, while Sehun worked nonstop every day, except for weekends. This year, it was Sehun's turn, and he wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by.

It seemed like the vacation was meant to be-Yoonshin had a lot of vacation days left. He applied to use them all at once, telling HR it made more sense to use them now rather than waiting for the year-end. They planned their vacation, taking advantage of the weekend in between. To avoid suspicion from their colleagues about their matching schedules, they aligned their time off with Ikyung's gallery opening and Sansa's special day off. Secretary Tak would cover the rest.

As Yoonshin looked out at the cloudy night sky from the plane, he couldn't help but smile. He was about to lean his head against Sehun, who was sitting next to him and reviewing documents on his tablet. Noticing Sehun's lack of attention, Yoonshin poked his side.

"What are you looking at?" Yoonshin asked.

"Looking at what I need to."

Sehun's reply was vague, leaving Yoonshin pouting slightly. Sehun's inattention was making him want to tease him. There was one surefire way to do that.

Since it was nighttime in Korea, the plane's lights were dimmed. With several passengers asleep around them, Yoonshin whispered just in case.

"You were the lawyer for this plane's pilot in his lawsuit before, right?"

"Mhm, I was."

"What's he like? Secretary Tak said he was good-looking."

Sehun's eyes slowly shifted from the screen to Yoonshin, a glint of irritation in his gaze.

Yoonshin grinned, knowing he had finally caught Sehun's attention. Though Sehun was a challenging man to deal with, he was surprisingly easy to manipulate in some ways. Sehun had already picked up on Yoonshin's deliberate attempt to stir up jealousy. Even though they both knew it was a game, Sehun still fell for it—an example of how people always repeat history.

"Why do you want to know that?"

"I don't."

"Then why are you provoking me? Do you have a death wish, or are you trying to get the pilot killed?"

"I'm against both."

"Do you want to see Korean Airlines go down?"

"Oh, I guess you bring down companies if you don't like them. Just like... COP?"

Recently, Chairman Won of COP had announced his resignation, acknowledging his responsibility for the company's risks. Unlike many chaebols who claimed to retire but continued to pull the strings, Chairman Won's resignation seemed genuine. Rumors in the financial district hinted at a potential M&A.

Yoonshin wasn't aware of the full details. He didn't know if the M&A rumors were accurate. All he knew was that Chairman Won's resignation was a move for the company's sake. Sehun likely understood the intricacies of the situation better. His revenge had just begun-his true target was Chairman Won, not the company itself.

Sehun saw through Yoonshin's assumptions. Examining the younger man's face with a sharp gaze, Sehun countered firmly, "I told you, that wasn't me."

"I know it wasn't you. So pay attention to me. We're both on vacation-how can you work? You should relax and enjoy yourself."

Sehun considered the suggestion for a moment before shaking his head.

Yoonshin leaned closer despite his lukewarm response. Seeing Yoonshin's playful attempt to charm him, Sehun gave in, letting a handsome smile curve his lips.

As usual, Sehun responded with actions rather than words. With the other passengers asleep and flight attendants stationed, Sehun leaned in and kissed Yoonshin. Then he straightened up, returning to his reading as if nothing had happened.

Yoonshin, forcing a frown, turned back to stare out the window.

The views from the plane were phenomenal. The sky and earth stretched out in dark, endless expanses. The jet-black atmosphere blended seamlessly into the horizon, while the land below sparkled with tiny lights. It was a feast for Yoonshin's eyes, but soon, the repetition grew monotonous. Sehun, seated next to him, was a more engaging sight. However, Yoonshin's brief enjoyment of the view was interrupted by a creeping sense of unease.

He couldn't shake the faintest feeling of apprehension about Sehun's behavior.

No matter how much of a workaholic he is, Sehun would pour all his attention and time on me after getting off the plane, right? Yoonshin thought.

This vacation was special-Sehun, whose time was usually gold, was the one who proposed it.

"Are you busy even after we land?"

"I'm working on this now so I won't be busy there. I'm listening, so feel free to talk to me."

"That's a relief to hear."

Yoonshin hummed to himself and leaned his head against Sehun's shoulder.

Sehun reached over and played with Yoonshin's hair. With his eyes closed, Yoonshin's anticipation for their travels grew.

They would be landing late at night, so their plans officially began the next day. A long-haul flight would likely exhaust them, making it probable that they would check in and rest at the hotel.

Their recent intimacy had led to plans to visit the Musée d'Orsay the following morning. Although the museum would be crowded with tourists, few would recognize them as they would in Korea. The pair would be free to enjoy themselves as travelers in the city of romance.

Yoonshin fell into deep thought, rubbing his ring with his opposite hand. He then looked up at Sehun.

"Remember Toulouse-Lautrec's *Le Lit*?" he asked.

Sehun, as promised, kept his ears open. He scoffed at Yoonshin's question.

"What's your point? Are you worried I won't remember? Shouldn't you be more concerned about the opposite?"

"I read that those two women were a lesbian couple who worked at a brothel."

"Tell them that two gays working at a law firm are coming to meet them. That would be something."

Yoonshin couldn't tell if Sehun was joking or serious. He pressed his lips together to stifle a laugh, clearing his throat instead.

It was amusing to think that this man had denied being gay years ago. Sehun's nonchalant way of dropping bombshells without a change in expression entertained Yoonshin. He whispered even quieter, "Do you know what those two women were doing just before?"

"I don't know. Maybe they debated what position to use that night. West?

East? You did it in all directions last night," Sehun replied, though his tone was far from serious.

Yoonshin couldn't suppress his laughter and ended up biting his lips to keep it in. He pinched his knees, stifling his giggles as he watched Sehun, who seemed focused on his work. Despite his concentration, Sehun had managed to make his response seem genuine. Yoonshin realized he should take Sehun's comments seriously.

Maybe Sehun was excited too.

"They probably kissed. There's a series of bed paintings, and I saw them kissing in another piece."

The mention of "kiss" seemed to capture Sehun's attention.

Or maybe he just wanted to look at Yoonshin again.

Sehun leaned forward, unable to ignore the anticipation in Yoonshin's eyes.

They shared a kiss, hidden from the other passengers. This time, their lips lingered longer.

Yoonshin's heart raced at the kiss. The dimly lit cabin felt like a dark room reserved just for their secret conversation. Yoonshin felt shy, like a teenager sneaking a kiss with his high school sweetheart under a streetlamp, away from prying eyes.

When Sehun gently pulled away, he bit Yoonshin's lips.

"Urk," Yoonshin groaned, trying to keep quiet. He licked his lips to ease the sting. Sehun watched him for a few seconds before setting aside his tablet and turning his body toward the window seat. This positioning effectively blocked anyone from seeing Yoonshin if they peeked over. Yoonshin glanced over Sehun's shoulder, then shifted himself to mirror Sehun's position, leaning into his seat.

"I heard you know French. When I told Secretary Tak that I had never been to France, he mentioned it."

Sehun, stroking Yoonshin's cheek, asked in mild disbelief, "There are people who can't speak French?"

Yoonshin paused. "Well, I can't. Wait, that's not a typical language skill."

"You'll be in big trouble if you get lost there. Follow me closely."

"Okay, that's not important. You never told me you were fluent in French."

"You never asked. And I only know basic conversational French."

Sehun's English was near-native fluency from studying abroad and earning certifications quickly. Yoonshin knew this without asking. He was also aware of Sehun's conversational skills in Russian, Italian, and Spanish. Sehun had mentioned that while he read court cases to relieve stress, he used to learn languages for future use. It wasn't surprising-the extreme dedication and tenacity were typical of Sehun.

Sehun set a high bar for himself. He called his language skills basic, but Yoonshin knew he could converse effortlessly with locals, just as he did in other languages.

"Is there anything else that Secretary Tak and Director Song know that I don't?"

Sehun genuinely considered the question.

"I'm not sure. You know the most about me now, but those two are quite sneaky, so I can't say for certain."

"That can't be right. Think harder."

"If you want to know something about me, just ask directly. You have the right to know. I'll do my best to avoid keeping secrets unless they might harm you. When I asked you to live with me, I meant that I want to share my life with you-both my past and my future."

Sehun had a way of making Yoonshin's heart flutter. Yoonshin's lips curved into a smile, and his cheeks warmed. He let himself sink into his seat, savoring Sehun's words. Sehun noticed and chuckled, pulling Yoonshin back to reality with his laughter.

"COP..." Yoonshin mumbled.

"Stop right there. It wasn't me," Sehun quickly replied.

"You told me to ask," Yoonshin said.

"That's why I'm responding. You should believe me. I also said I'll try my best; I didn't say l'd tell you everything."

Sehun's playful attitude was a stark contrast to his usual demeanor. It was evident that he was in high spirits about the trip, even if he didn't overtly display it. Yoonshin wanted to hear Sehun admit it out loud.

"You look happy right now," Yoonshin said.

Sehun didn't hesitate to admit it. "I am. Because I'm with you."

Their excitement for the trip was palpable, similar to the anticipation they felt when they had a rare afternoon alone together.

They exchanged several secret kisses, leaning into each other whenever they could. However, their intimate moments were interrupted when a flight attendant appeared near the cockpit.

Startled, Yoonshin quickly pulled out his art gallery brochure, while Sehun nonchalantly retrieved his tablet. The flight attendant, careful not to disturb the sleeping passengers, glanced around before moving to the economy

section.

Once they were alone again, Yoonshin and Sehun leaned in for another kiss.

Their noses brushed together as they shared a smile, savoring their private moments amidst the darkened cabin.

This was a serious matter worth contemplating.

The issue was about the man who had come on a special trip but was sitting in front of the coffee table in the hotel suite, working on the first night.

Sehun's papers and tablet were spread out, and he was on the phone, freshly bathed and in his bathrobe.

Yoonshin had initially doubted this situation.

He had worried briefly while flying out from Incheon, but Yoonshin had trusted Sehun's assurance that he wouldn't be working.

Yet Sehun was fully absorbed in his work in a foreign hotel.

Yoonshin was left speechless by Sehun's dedication.

"Did you get in touch with them? Hah... Attorney Song. It's natural to regret selling stocks at a lower price when they rise right after. This can't go to litigation. Make the contract proceed as planned," Sehun rebuked Mihee over the phone, frustration evident in his voice.

"What do you mean, what do you do? If you can't persuade them, threaten them. Go to the task force manager and-what? Are you kidding me? How can he sit around eating breakfast after a mess like that? Tell him to come to you if he doesn't want to get fired. This is ridiculous."

From the conversation, it was clear there was a significant issue with the task force team on the new project launched earlier this year. Yoonshin didn't want to hear the details, so he poured deep red wine into a quarter of his glass and downed it in one gulp. The bitter tannins lingered on his palate. He continued to glare at Sehun from behind, sitting on a table across the room. Yoonshin drilled holes into Sehun's back as the other man continued to argue on the phone, annoyance radiating from him.

When Sehun sensed the man hovering over him suddenly disappear, he reached back for Yoonshin.

Yoonshin hesitated for a moment but then relented. Until a few minutes ago when Mihee called, Sehun had kept his promise, so he could be forgiven for now. Yoonshin walked over to Sehun, who pulled him onto his lap.

"This is why I told you we can't trust just anyone with this takeover battle.

That chairman is too easily swayed by whoever he talks to. You can't relax until it's over. Hah.. Okay. Where are you now? The opposing party's firm.

Oh, there. That litigation boutique."

Sehun scribbled some notes on paper, then tossed the pen aside. He reached into Yoonshin's bathrobe, finding bare skin underneath. Sehun's large hands quickly located Yoonshin's sensitive spots. Without looking, he stroked Yoonshin's body, making him tremble with anticipation.

Yoonshin gasped as Sehun's fingers traced a line from his neck to his shoulder, then circled his nipples. He flinched and bit his lip to suppress his voice. Sehun teased the stiffening nub before moving to Yoonshin's chest. His hand descended to Yoonshin's abdomen, pausing briefly at the belly button before dropping lower.

Sehun's fingers played with Yoonshin's pubic hair before exploring further.

Without warning, Sehun grasped Yoonshin's penis.

A moan escaped Yoonshin's lips. He quickly covered his mouth, worried the sound might carry through Sehun's phone. To stifle his noise, Yoonshin bent forward, resting his upper body on the table. Sehun continued to massage Yoonshin's erection, building it up.

The friction between Sehun's palm and Yoonshin's genitals created a heat that intensified the pleasure. Sehun's breath grew ragged with excitement.

"I got it. Send me their business card. I'll call them directly. Yeah. What now?

No, don't call again. Just tell me now."

Sehun rushed to end the call but was interrupted. Mihee had brought up an issue he couldn't dismiss. Even Sehun's hand on Yoonshin's penis came to a halt. Though Yoonshin couldn't hear the conversation, it was clearly an important administrative matter.

Frustrated by his partner's inability to set aside work, Yoonshin yanked up Sehun's robes and straddled one of his thighs. Up to that point, Sehun had been on the phone with Yoonshin sitting on his lap.

"Ugh, seriously? Bad mistakes will haunt you in the future. Maybe it's for the best that this happened now. We'll have to go to the backup plan. No. We're discussing who will be the first leader of the corporate law research group.

Better safe than sorry. Yeah, if they were recently the National Elections Committee Chair, they're a safe bet. Email that to me. I'll review it again and meet them when I'm back—ugh."

Before Sehun could finish his sentence, his body jerked, muscles tensing. It was an unusual reaction for him. He stared in shock as Yoonshin rolled his hips against Sehun's left leg. Each thrust made Sehun feel Yoonshin's tender skin rubbing against his muscular thigh, touching his testicles, the length of his shaft, and his glans.

Yoonshin covered his mouth with his hands, worried Mihee might hear.

Despite his concern, he didn't stop. He leaned heavily against the table, humping Sehun's leg as if it were a toy.

Yoonshin rocked slowly against Sehun's thigh, causing a faint, wet slap as his stiff cock slapped against Sehun's leg.

Sehun's deep black eyes reflected disbelief and a strong desire to jump on Yoonshin. His grip on his phone tightened as he listened to Mihee. His voice was deep and gravelly, strained.

"Okay. I'll meet them. You're done, right? I'm hanging up."

Sehun tossed his phone aside and pulled Yoonshin off his thigh, ending the round of self-pleasure. He lifted Yoonshin and threw him onto the bed.

The mattress sank deeply as Yoonshin landed, his robes splayed open. Sehun untied the loose knot and climbed over Yoonshin, his skin peeking out from the bathrobes. The bright hotel lights illuminated them.

"Yoonshin Do, do you think I'm your toy?"

Yoonshin rubbed his head against the sheets, looking languidly up at Sehun.

"That's for working on vacation."

"You could've waited five minutes. Do you know how much that M&A is worth?"

"You never called Director Song when she was on her overseas schedule. You shouldn't have answered then."

"You're not going to reflect on using me like a tool to masturbate, are you?"

"I didn't get to cum, so I can't call you a tool. You're just ... you."

Sehun's face hardened. He asked in a grave tone, "How humiliating. Are you serious?"

"I'm not ignorant enough to admit that to your face."

"You'll regret saying that."

"I don't know. I tend not to regret my actions." Yoonshin looked at Sehun with a self-satisfied smirk. Sehun's expression shifted to mischievous, a rare sight. Yoonshin noticed the change without looking away.

"Huh? Uh, Sehun, you're making a weird face right now."

"What's so weird about my face? Did you want to rub against me that badly?"

"Uh ... your face is getting weirder ..."

"I got it. I'll let you hump me until you cum. Come here."

Yoonshin felt a surge of panic and fear.

I might die if I go over there now, his instincts told him.

Despite aggravating Sehun, Yoonshin suddenly hesitated when Sehun matched his intensity. Sensing the danger, Yoonshin pulled back. His gown slipped off, and Sehun threw it to the ground.

Now more exposed than before, Yoonshin retreated further. Sehun, also disrobed with his bathrobes scattered on the floor, crawled onto the bed. He captured Yoonshin by the hips with a vice grip, pulling him onto his thighs.

Yoonshin had no chance to refuse. Sehun was soon leaning against the headboard, Yoonshin straddling his abdomen.

"Huh? Wait-ngh."

Confused, Yoonshin tried to push Sehun away, but Sehun resisted, pulling Yoonshin closer. He pressed him against his chest from the cowgirl position.

Yoonshin's ass, perineum, and penis slid over Sehun's pectorals and collarbones, heightening his arousal. Forced into an awkward position, Yoonshin had to grip the headboard above Sehun's head to stay balanced. As he clutched the board with trembling hands, Sehun responded by squeezing his bottom.

Their breaths grew ragged.

Sehun's target was now inches away from his face.

The tip of Yoonshin's penis brushed Sehun's chin, briefly giving him false hope that Sehun might take him in his mouth. That hope quickly faded.

"Come closer and sit," Sehun said.

"Wh-where do you mean?" Yoonshin asked, bewildered.

"On top."

"On top of where?"

"What are you waiting for?"

The only place left for Yoonshin to move was Shun's face. He felt a wave of dizziness.

"I-I don't want to. I won't do that," Yoonshin protested.

"Oh, remember last time when you asked what I'd do if you refused to have sex with me? I'll show you now."

"Wa—mmph!"

Sehun yanked Yoonshin's hips up, forcing him to sit directly on his face. He pressed Yoonshin's tailbone down, pressing the younger man's sensitive skin against his features.

"Ah, please, pl

—oh!"

The firm tip of Sehun's nose and soft lips on Yoonshin's private areas made him squirm, trying to get off. However, Sehun's strong arms held him in place, denying escape. The friction only intensified, making Yoonshin's legs weak

What Yoonshin was feeling now was far different from rubbing against Sehun's leg. Mortified, he tensed his arms, attempting to create distance between his crotch and Sehun's face. But Sehun, sensing the retreat, pulled him down harder, deepening their contact and making Yoonshin's efforts futile.

Sehun guided Yoonshin's hips, making him grind his swollen flesh against Sehun's face.

"Oh... Oh! Mmm.." Yoonshin moaned as his sensitive skin rubbed against Sehun's long lashes, sharp nose, and the tongue that peeked out from between his moist lips.

If only the lights had been off, Yoonshin might have felt less shame. Although they had seen each other naked before, being exposed to Sehun's scrutiny under the bright lights heightened his embarrassment. Yoonshin's heart struggled to handle the intense sensation.

"Hngh... C-could you at least... turn off the lights?" Yoonshin begged.

Sehun exhaled deeply. "I can't. This position is too good. I can see you clearly."

"Hngh? Ngh!"

"Move your hips properly. Make your expensive toy worth the price."

Yoonshin had only meant to tease Sehun a little. He never imagined it would escalate like this. It was overwhelming.

The thought of rubbing against the face he saw every day was mortifying.

Sehun's handsome face was meant to be admired, not subjected to this.

Yoonshin had spent countless minutes admiring his lover's artful visage because he liked it.

He knew he'd remember this day every time he looked at Sehun's face.

Sehun's dirty talk only made it harder for Yoonshin to bear.

"Sehun..." Yoonshin moaned.

His arms were growing weak from gripping the headboard, and his trembling legs were giving out. Still, he couldn't put all his weight on Sehun. Yoonshin's head spun with humiliation, and he dreaded letting gravity pull him fully onto Sehun's face. If he did, he'd probably lie awake all night, consumed by shame.

Sehun, on the other hand, seemed to savor Yoonshin's humiliation. His actions grew more assertive and indecent. He had Yoonshin sliding along the contours of his face, now probing Yoonshin's scrotum with his nose and teasing his hole with his tongue whenever it passed by. Yoonshin shook violently, like a child in a blizzard, and finally gave in.

"I-just put it in now..."

"But I neglected you for five minutes on this crucial day. I need to reflect on my actions," Sehun said, though he had no intention of reflecting.

"Ngh, please... please, I was wrong, so just put it in.." Yoonshin begged.

Sehun's touches heightened Yoonshin's arousal, overwhelming him. Despite not being touched directly, Yoonshin's erection was at its limit.

"No, I'm sorry, but I can't," Sehun said with a hollow apology. He continued to rub Yoonshin's lower half against his face, letting the sensitive skin feel the surface but avoiding direct contact. Sehun was reaching his own limit, beginning to pant. His rough breaths, which had previously brushed against Yoonshin's lips, cheeks, or ears, were now focused between his legs, intensifying Yoonshin's shame.

Yoonshin was torn between taking drastic measures for relief and enduring the situation, but then Sehun changed his approach.

Sehun tightened his grip on Yoonshin's hips and forced him down, making his lower half bounce on Sehun's face.

Ack, are you kidding—?! Yoonshin panicked internally, his face burning in embarrassment.

Yoonshin bounced on Sehun's face a few more times. Each movement made the sound of his delicate skin pressing against Sehun's face only heighten Yoonshin's desire to disappear.

His astonishment and shock stifled the moans caught in his throat.

As his bottom jounced, his erect penis swung with the motion, slapping Sehun's face. Sehun responded with careful service, teasing, and rubbing.

But it didn't end there. Pressing Yoonshin's lower half firmly against his face, Sehun's tongue traced from Yoonshin's scrotum to the rim of his anus, slurping at the sensitive skin. The loud, sultry sounds of wetting the dry, soft perineal area filled the room. Sehun seemed determined to push Yoonshin to the brink with his attentions.

"Oh, Sehun, I don't —I don't like this!" Yoonshin protested, gasping for air as his body felt like it was melting. He was so mortified that the arousal left his mind in tatters.

Despite Yoonshin's protests, Sehun showed no mercy. Instead, he grew more relentless, spreading Yoonshin's ass cheeks and thrusting his tongue into his hole, sucking loudly at the entrance. Yoonshin felt certain Sehun was doing this deliberately. Unable to protest further, Yoonshin's face flushed with shame, his eyes watery and on the verge of tears.

Reaching the peak of his shame, Yoonshin felt debilitated. He wanted to surrender and let Sehun take control.

Eventually, Yoonshin begged for forgiveness for wrongs he hadn't committed.

"I-I'm sorry, I was wrong. I feel like cumming-huh? Enough, now...!"

Ignoring Yoonshin's pleas, Sehun continued to explore Yoonshin's insides with his tongue, rolling it in wide circles while squeezing Yoonshin's bottom cheeks.

With a sigh of resignation, Yoonshin let Sehun take charge. A sensation similar to the urge to urinate hit Yoonshin, and his trembling hips signaled his impending climax. Unable to hold back any longer, he experienced a throe of pleasure. Precum leaked from the tip of his member, soon followed by seminal fluid splattering onto the headboard and surrounding areas.

Recognizing the sound Yoonshin made when he came, Sehun pulled out and gently smoothed Yoonshin's genitalia, supporting his weight with his arms— Sehun's version of generosity.

Sehun's hand kept Yoonshin's trembling legs from collapsing. His guidance as he lowered Yoonshin onto his chest was surprisingly gentle. Still gripping the headboard, Yoonshin hung his head in shame, unable to meet Sehun's gaze.

When he finally looked up, his eyes were filled with resentment, but Sehun merely raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Are you satisfied with your product?" Sehun asked.

"You sadist."

"Give me a review. You came while being rimmed and sucked off. Mention that the suction and vibration functions were excellent."

"You jerk..." Yoonshin glared down at him, met with Sehun's leisurely eyes.

"Are you still mad? Should we continue? You're right—I need to do more reflecting."

"No! You win. I take it all back. I'm sorry." Yoonshin quickly retreated, waving his hands, afraid Sehun would ignore him again.

Securing his victory, Sehun asked gracefully, "Then, you're not angry anymore?"

"I wasn't mad at you. I didn't like that you were talking to someone else when we came all the way out here," Yoonshin explained.

Sehun gave him a knowing look. He moved Yoonshin closer to his abdomen and sat up, then shifted him onto the bed. Leaning against Yoonshin's slender back, Sehun whispered in his ear, "You and I have a lot to talk about."

Yoonshin held his breath.

"How about we start by talking with our bodies?" Sehun suggested.

Although they were already engaged in physical conversation, Yoonshin turned to glance at Sehun and replied with a kiss on the lips.

With the green light given, Sehun tensed his fingers and pushed them into the spot his tongue had teased moments before. The delicate internal walls enveloped his digits, pulling him deeper. With each thrust, his fingers were drawn further in.

Searching for a familiar spot, Sehun's fingers finally found the bump of Yoonshin's prostate. Delighted by the discovery, he pressed it with precision.

Yoonshin, already an aroused mess, writhed and begged for penetration.

Sehun, mindful of his size, needed to make sure there was enough room for it to fit. Both men were frustrated, but Yoonshin had ejaculated once already.

Each press on his spot elicited moans from his throat, and his cock, glistening with fluids, began to grow firm again. "Hngh, ngh! Mgh!"

Sehun pressed firmly on Yoonshin's inner walls, straining to open them for entry. A vein popped on Sehun's forehead as his own arousal reached a point where he could no longer delay his needs. His erect penis twitched and bobbed, veins pulsing with its strength. He took deep breaths, pulling out of the younger man's loosened inner walls faster than expected, positioning himself between Yoonshin's legs.

Sehun grabbed the lubricant from the bedside table, applying it generously to the point of connection. He coated his shaft with the slippery fluid and slowly rubbed it between the mounds of Yoonshin's ass. Anticipating the next move, Yoonshin clenched the sheets. Sehun observed his partner's hands and bent over, his chest pressing firmly against Yoonshin's back.

Their ring-bearing hands overlapped, a sign of what was to come.

Noticing Sehun's hand covering his, Yoonshin's ears turned red. This had become one of Sehun's habits during sex.

"You like doing this these days," Yoonshin noted.

Sehun kissed Yoonshin's pink ears and responded with a honeyed, warm tone,

"You're right, I like you."

The sudden confession shocked Yoonshin, leaving his entire body, including his hips, trembling.

Yoonshin was overcome with the urge to look at Sehun again. Despite being pressed so close together, he missed Sehun. Desperate, Yoonshin turned to face him, but Sehun's glans pushed into Yoonshin's hole, halting his attempt.

To ease the shock of penetration, Sehun anesthetized Yoonshin with sweet words. Although Yoonshin had grown accustomed to Sehun's playful consideration, he wondered why it always affected him so deeply.

A raspy groan escaped Yoonshin's tightly clenched teeth as he hung his head, his limbs tensing to accommodate all of Sehun. No matter how much Sehun prepared him, it was never enough for his girth. This was why Sehun preferred to push in as deeply as possible in one movement. His innermost membranes, familiar with Sehun's shape, welcomed his penis, making way despite the rough battering to come. Yoonshin's body betrayed him, twitching in anticipation, and though he only grunted, Sehun was determined to push in the rest of his length.

With a powerful thrust, Sehun's member tore through the delicate tunnel.

Yoonshin endured the initial pain, his eyes watery and red, but finally, sounds escaped his lips.

"Ugh! Too big—! It hurts!" Yoonshin's head hung, as if retching. Sehun kissed along Yoonshin's neck, rewarding him for his patience. His member, with the aid of lube, was fully embedded inside. He began to rock gently back and forth, preparing Yoonshin. He moved as slowly as he could.

The slow waves didn't last long. Each thrust grew more forceful, intent on melding Yoonshin's flesh with his own. Excitement surged through Yoonshin, his vision flickering between black. His face had been crimson for a while, and his panting was labored, almost hyperventilating. Each pass over his prostate made his veins dilate, blood rushing, and cells bursting with stimulation.

"Hngh! Oh! Don't-don't go too deep... It hurts, and... I want to cum again."

Did his pain surpass his pleasure, or was it the other way around?

If he had any shred of reason left, Yoonshin might have been able to answer that, but he was left with only a fuzzy sense of cognition. All he could feel was a blend of pain and pleasure.

Yoonshin let himself be carried along by Sehun's vigorous thrusts, stretching his hand backward to touch Sehun's sculpted hips, asking him to slow down.

The continuous, intense stimulation sparked fireworks in Yoonshin's vision, lowering his defenses and making him cum again. But Sehun wasn't about to relent; it would be a miracle if it didn't spur him on further.

As feared, Sehun was consumed by the frenzy, and the contact unlocked the last bit of restraint he had. Sehun pulled Yoonshin by his hair, forcing him to look at him, all while not stopping his thrusts.

Their eyes locked, and in unison, they reached for each other.

Sehun's eyes glinted dangerously as he swallowed Yoonshin's tongue, sucking at its juices. Yoonshin responded eagerly, their tongues tangling in a deeper, more passionate kiss.

The heat of their friction would not cool for hours to come.

Approaching climax, Yoonshin struggled to maintain their current position.

With no other option, Sehun pulled out, released Yoonshin's hands, and laid him on his side. He brought Yoonshin's knees to his chest and wrapped his body around Yoonshin's side.

Sehun's member moved within him as Yoonshin reclined on his side. Being fucked in this new position left Yoonshin clutching the sheets. Sehun exhaled roughly and pushed his erect member back into Yoonshin's hole.

"When will I ever get tired of this? Hmm? I'll never get tired of fucking you in the same spot every day."

He plunged deep into Yoonshin. Without hesitation, Sehun buried himself completely, the tip of his member reaching a depth he had rarely explored.

When his glans encountered the tightness of an unexplored depth, Yoonshin jolted and moaned.

Yoonshin writhed, trying to escape the mind-numbing pleasure, but Sehun showed no mercy. He drove himself deeper, leaving Yoonshin quivering helplessly. Saliva dribbled from Yoonshin's gaping mouth, soaking the sheets, but he was oblivious to it in his daze. Sehun rarely reached this depth inside Yoonshin, as the younger man was terrified of the overwhelming sensation.

Sehun's excitement had taken over, rendering him uncontrollable.

"Ha, urk-oh! No, take it out! From behind-!" Yoonshin protested.

"I like it here, Yoonshin. Say you like it too," Sehun coaxed.

"Oh! Oh, Sehun, I don't—"

"I won't pull out, even if you say that. I'm going to shove it deeper. It'll be harder for you. Just say you like it."

"Ah, I l-like-I don't, it feels weird..."

Sultry gasps lingered on each other's lips, over their shoulders, and around their heads.

Sehun thrust his hips with abandon. His focused gaze was locked on Yoonshin's ecstasy-dazed eyes. The fusion of pain and pleasure left Yoonshin's face a dazed mess, a sight that tightened Sehun's lower belly. His desire to release brimmed painfully.

At that point, Sehun fell into a trance, losing all self-control and pounding mindlessly. Their sweat connected them in a perfect coital union.

Their bodies interlocked, creating a harmony of sounds. Yoonshin couldn't bear to listen to the squelching of his insides with Sehun's member. Panting accompanied their raw, bestial intercourse, and the sturdy bed creaked like a rusty ship. Their symphony of lovemaking surrounded them.

With each thrust, Sehun's penis carved its shape into Yoonshin. Yoonshin moaned, his nipples stiffening with each sound. Sehun's brow furrowed with concentration. Their arousal was in sync, and their collective excitement only grew.

Instinctively realizing Yoonshin was about to cum, Sehun pulled the body beneath him tighter and pressed his thumb, blocking Yoonshin's urethra.

Yoonshin shuddered, obstructed from his impending release.

"Agh! Let go-oh!"

Sehun exhaled. "Let's cum together."

Yoonshin's trembling eyes met Sehun's, his lips parted but no words came.

Sehun kissed him deeply, and their gazes locked. They had spent countless hours together, understanding each other without words. Their love ran so deep that their eyes spoke volumes beyond verbal expression. They both felt the intense desire for climax.

After that, conversation was sparse.

The muscular man thrust forcefully into Yoonshin's eager body. Every time Sehun entered him, Yoonshin trembled and moaned, lost in a wave of pleasure. In his final thrust, Sehun lifted Yoonshin's legs, holding his ankles with one hand as he pinned him in a side-lying position.

Tossed in the tumultuous waves, Yoonshin managed to glance at Sehun with narrow eyes. They shared looks of deep connection as Sehun's hips moved, neither wanting to miss this intimate moment or their lover's expressions.

Their exchange was filled with a desperate warmth.

Their eyes chased each other, locking with intense need.

Sehun withdrew his hand from Yoonshin's urethra without warning.

As Yoonshin's restraints loosened, his moans grew higher. "Augh! Oh—!"

Yoonshin's fluids splattered onto the sheets and himself. Sehun, on the brink of climax, targeted a specific spot. His veined flesh pressed against Yoonshin's prostate, eliciting silent screams of pleasure. Every muscle in Yoonshin's body tensed with electric waves of sensation. Sehun drew him close and released inside.

Stars seemed to twinkle in Yoonshin's vision, and tears formed in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Sehun, enveloped in the afterglow, collapsed on top of him.

Without withdrawing, Sehun turned onto his side, facing Yoonshin. He pulled Yoonshin's knees to his chest and held him close. Yoonshin's flushed face and tear-streaked eyes, coupled with his panting, were so endearing that Sehun was breathless.

Their breaths slowly synchronized, merging into a shared calm that filled the room.

"Sehun..." Yoonshin said, trying to steady his heartbeat. His voice was hoarse, strained from moaning and crying. Although he knew the answer, Yoonshin wanted Sehun to say it out loud. "How much do you love me?"

"Are you asking because you genuinely don't know or just want to hear it?"

"Just because..."

Sehun let out a deep breath, pulling Yoonshin close. "Better you don't know.

The truth is too heavy for you."

"How heavy is it?"

"You might run away if I tell you."

Yoonshin knew, but hearing Sehun whisper his love was unparalleled.

Yoonshin touched Sehun's shoulders, wanting to see his face. Sehun pulled back and pressed his lips against Yoonshin's damp forehead.

Sehun's penis remained inside, and Yoonshin felt it twitch.

They looked at each other. Yoonshin decided to back down this time.

"You're doing it again? I'm tired," Yoonshin said.

"Too bad. I'm not."

"Isn't that unfair?"

"I'm going to fuck you until your hole is raw today. I'll keep going even if you cry, fall asleep, or faint, and I'll fill you with my juices until you reek of my cum."

Yoonshin sighed, defeat in his tone.

Once Sehun was set on something, Yoonshin had no choice but to concede.

The acceptance and defeat in Yoonshin's sigh was a silent agreement to Sehun's wishes. Yoonshin was physically exhausted but not emotionally deterred. If Yoonshin reached a point of complete exhaustion, he believed Sehun would handle things in some way or another.

With consent in mind, Sehun eagerly pushed against Yoonshin's internal walls with the head of his member, holding him tightly.

Sehun thrust vigorously, driving deep into Yoonshin. The first round had left Yoonshin relaxed, granting smooth access to his depths. Sehun pounded into him, pressing Yoonshin's curled body close. He buried his face in Yoonshin's neck, silently expressing all the words he couldn't bring himself to say aloud.

I love you, I like you a lot. I'm so thankful that you chose me. Being with you gives me such joy. I'm so happy because I'm with you at this very moment ...

There were a million things Sehun wanted to say, but he could only vocalize one: "Yoonshin."

"Ngh, mhm?"

"Yoonshin Do."

"Hngh, yeah?"

"Yoonshin.." Sehun repeated Yoonshin's name with each thrust. Though he could only speak that single word, Yoonshin felt as if he heard countless unsaid confessions. Sehun's lack of skill and awkwardness with his feelings were obvious to Yoonshin.

In his heart, Yoonshin echoed the sentiment, loving Sehun in return. He wrapped his arms around the man, signaling his acceptance. The signal dropped, and Sehun began moving rapidly and turbulently. His member slid slickly within Yoonshin, ravaging his insides. As Sehun's shaft grew to full volume, Yoonshin felt a mix of anticipation and awe, holding his commanding lover close. They shared a heated kiss.

Time was on their side this first night of their holiday.

Their night might turn out to be sleepless.

Pulling away, Sehun gazed into Yoonshin's eyes with clarity, driving in with renewed fervor.

After a brief lull, the sturdy bedframe resumed its creaking as their passion intensified.

Morning sunlight filtered through the curtain cracks. The sun was rising.

Sehun did not need to adjust to the new time zone. As he released Yoonshin just before dawn, his eyes opened with the sun. His routine was so ingrained that he couldn't sleep in on vacation, leaving him with complex feelings.

In Sehun's arms, Yoonshin slept soundly. A smile, warm as autumn sunshine, graced Sehun's face. If Yoonshin could see him now, he would be overwhelmed with love, likely making an extravagant display of his feelings.

Sehun lifted his hand to brush the stray hairs from Yoonshin's peacefully sleeping face. Just then, his phone vibrated loudly. He quickly silenced it to avoid waking Yoonshin and checked the screen. Given the early morning call, he assumed it might be Secretary Tak or Mihee. To his surprise, it was neither; the name on his screen belonged to an infrequent but all-too-familiar caller.

Did he not tell her we were going on vacation? Sehun thought.

After that day, Sehun noticed Yoonshin distancing himself from his sister, but he chose to ignore it. It was a sibling matter, and although Sehun had never liked their closeness, he was willing to reap the unintended benefits of their falling out.

Gently setting Yoonshin on the bed, Sehun sat up, draping his robe over his bare body and tying the belt loosely. Annoyed by the absence of the warmth that had embraced him, Yoonshin grunted in his sleep. Sehun placed a fleeting kiss on Yoonshin's hair and stepped out of their suite with his phone.

Sunlight streamed beautifully into the living room. The morning cityscape of Paris greeted him as he stretched his neck before finally answering the call.

"Sehun Kang speaking," he said into the phone.

"This is Ikyung Do. Is this a good time to call? It's morning there, right?"

Ikyung asked.

Sehun glanced back at the bedroom. Thankfully, it seemed Yoonshin had informed her that they were away.

"Could I ask why you called? If you were trying to reach Yoonshin.." Sehun began, but Ikyung's answer was negative.

"No, I wanted to ask you something."

"Hm, go ahead."

Ikyung, who had made the call, was suddenly quiet. Sehun heard her taking a series of breaths, contemplating whether to press her to get to the point.

However, he was on vacation, the caller was Ikyung, and he intended to enjoy a perfect day with Yoonshin. Instead of spoiling it, he remained silent. After a moment, Ikyung spoke up.

"As Yoonshin's sister, I wanted to invite you to a homemade meal at my house."

Sehun sighed, already expecting this.

"Ingratiating yourself with me won't work."

"Oh, to be clear, that's not my intention..."

"No need to beat around the bush. Just get to the point."

"All right, I'll be concise. Let's have a family dinner. Simple, right?"

Surprise froze on his face, faintly reflected in the window glass.

One word stood out sharply. An unpleasant sensation tugged at his throat, as if something was stuck. Sehun cleared his throat reflexively and nearly fumbled with his necktie, which he wasn't wearing.

Interpreting Sehun's cryptic silence on her own, Ikyung continued calmly, "It's a bad habit of mine-treating Yoonshin as if he's still my baby brother instead of the adult he's become. I wanted to be his mother figure growing up. He never saw her after puberty. He must have chosen you after many challenges and difficulties... but even if he regrets it, those are the consequences of his decisions to face alone. I'm just a helper."

Sehun remained silent.

"I know I was rude at times, but I see them as growing pains we had to endure. You came to Sansa with a resigned, knowing face... So could you please accept my apology and make peace? If you can, I'd like you to accept my invitation," Ikyung said.

Sehun slowly rubbed his tense neck and sighed.

They exchanged nothing but breaths. Ikyung didn't break the silence.

However, Sehun knew they were both more focused on the silence than ever.

Finally, Sehun broke the quiet, his low voice resonating as if from another world. "I'll contact you when we're back in the country."

Ikyung paused briefly. "Thank you. I'm relieved. Enjoy your trip, and I'll see you when you return."

The brief conversation ended there. The loose ends were tied. Sehun stared at his darkened screen and then gazed far into the distance.

Family... Sehun mused.

Memories of his own past were so distant that he couldn't recall the emotions associated with those bygone times.

Complicated feelings muddled his ability to find the right words.

Lost in thought, staring blankly into space, he suddenly heard movement from the bedroom. Upset that the bed was empty, Yoonshin was grumbling about Sehun. Sehun caught snippets of Yoonshin's complaints about whether Sehun was at work or showing off his stamina at the gym so early. Bewildered, Sehun returned to the bedroom.

As Sehun stepped into view, Yoonshin, who had been lying in bed and protesting, jumped with a start. His eyelids were so swollen from crying all night that he could barely open his eyes, and even glancing at Sehun through his half-closed lids seemed exhausting.

"What? You were there?"

"Huh, looks like I was. I heard your complaints about your boyfriend. Sounds like a complete asshole, huh?"

"Not completely, but a little?"

"Break up and come to me."

Yoonshin seemed genuinely conflicted by Sehun's suggestion. Unable to choose, he replied, "Um... What about two-timing? Polyamory?"

Sehun let out a hollow laugh. "You were seriously considering it?"

"You shouldn't have left. You should have stayed by my side."

Sehun waved his phone and then tossed it onto the media console. Yoonshin sat up, leaned against the headboard, and shot Sehun a knowing look.

"Work again? I knew it. I should toss that phone into the Seine," Yoonshin said.

"I'm relieved you didn't say you'd throw me into the river," Sehun joked.

Yoonshin, only half-serious, let out breathy chuckles. "I won't throw you.

You're too valuable.."

"Wow, thanks. I'm so touched I want to jump into the Seine myself."

"Might as well jump into my arms instead. You're heavy, but I'll bear your weight with love."

"You want me to crush you? Hmm, interesting. Was last night not enough for you?"

"Uh... I can't do more than that. Nope, not a chance. That's like telling me not to go anywhere."

Yoonshin grabbed Sehun's arm and jostled it, signaling him not to step away.

Sehun let his arm move along with Yoonshin's grip.

"You should have slept longer. Aren't you tired?" Sehun asked.

"Yeah, I should have. I'm still a bit tired. What time is it?"

"Eight."

"Urgh... I only slept an hour and a half. I can't believe I can't sleep in on vacation. Our circadian rhythm betrayed us."

Sehun chuckled and sat on the edge of the bed to be at eye level with Yoonshin. He neatly arranged Yoonshin's tousled hair. He replied softly,

"What do you want to do today? We came without an itinerary since you didn't want to plan anything except for the Musée d'Orsay."

They had a chance to experience more in France, arriving as a blank canvas. If Yoonshin had listed various activities, Sehun would have arranged a bunch, but Yoonshin wanted spontaneity for this special trip.

Yoonshin was excited by the unpredictability and curious about how Sehun— who detested the unpredictable but was quick-witted and adaptive-would handle it. Anticipation lit up Yoonshin's face, and after considering some options, his eyes sparkled.

"The indoor pool here looked great-let's go night-swimming there. And today... Oh, I want to take a nice walk since the sun is out. I don't remember the last time we took a walk together on a sunny day."

It had been a long time since they had taken a carefree daytime walk. They would occasionally drive to a distant town and stroll through a quiet park, but those moments were rare.

To make up for it, they often walked around the apartment late at night, away from prying eyes, but they had stopped completely since Yoonshin's interview.

They remained vigilant, aware that anyone could be watching. The thought of a daytime walk, left as an unfulfilled desire, brightened Yoonshin's eyes.

"All right. What else?"

"What should we have for lunch? Let's keep walking and find the nearest restaurant by noon. How's that? We can decide the rest outside."

"What if it doesn't taste good? I told you we should make reservations. Bad food on vacation is the worst."

"If it's bad, we just accept it. It's not the worst—it's a memory."

"Do you usually go on trips like this? You might as well spin the bottle."

"Oh, should I do that? Sounds fun. Should we use an app for it?"

Sehun was dumbstruck. He couldn't hide his astonishment at Yoonshin's spontaneity. "I'm shocked. We could at least plan a general route for the area."

"What's the fun in planning?"

"It gives you as much joy as the anticipation of the plan."

"Let's just let loose. Without thinking about anything. Just trust me."

"Unfortunately, I'm suggesting a plan because I can't trust you."

Yoonshin glanced at Sehun and shook his head. Sehun tried to stay firm but eventually chuckled in surrender. From the start, he had planned on doing whatever Yoonshin wanted on this trip.

"But Sehun, who called you?"

Sehun briefly considered whether to mention his conversation with Ikyung but decided against it.

Family.

He pondered that one word instead of answering. He gazed at Yoonshin. Until now, Sehun had never truly known loneliness. He was aware of it but had turned a blind eye. Now, he could no longer ignore that crushing feeling. If Yoonshin were to disappear from his side, Sehun couldn't fathom how he'd cope. It felt like an incomprehensible, unfathomable burden.

Noticing Sehun's intense, wordless gaze, Yoonshin grew curious. "Why are you looking at me like that? Was it Director Song? Did she ask you to come back quickly?"

"Yoonshin," Sehun said softly.

"Yeah?"

"I know what loneliness feels like now. So even if you dislike me sometimes... don't leave me."

Sehun couldn't imagine living without Yoonshin.

The message was clear.

Yoonshin hesitated. "Sehun, did something happen?"

Sehun remained silent.

Yoonshin, filled with concern, reached out to comfort his lover. He extended his pinky, and Sehun linked his pinky with Yoonshin's. Yoonshin savored the firm, soft connection and then threw himself into Sehun's arms, hugging him with his tired body from last night's activities.

"I love you, Sehun Kang. I'll stay by your side for life," Yoonshin said. "I promise."

Yoonshin's words were simple but heartfelt. Sehun was deeply moved by his response.

Despite life's challenges, Sehun knew he could weather any storm as long as he had Yoonshin by his side.

Sehun tilted his head and kissed Yoonshin's hair, then embraced him tightly.

The bright, warm sunlight of Paris bathed their loving embrace.

Another day began for the two men, drawn together by an irresistible force of attraction.

It was just another morning in November.

End of Side Story: Not The End