Chapter 4: A Troubling Encounter

Jaehoon glanced at the sizable pile of receipts and cautiously spoke up.

“Seonbaenim, I can do that. Please give them to me.”

“Why should you? It’s my job. What time are you leaving for the shoot?”

“Jeongjin seonbaenim said he’d be here around two… I think we’ll leave as soon as we pack the equipment.”

“I’ll have these sorted for you before then. Let’s go grab some food first.”

Although expense reports were technically the assistant director’s responsibility, Yoonseo had always handled his own.

It was a bit tedious but not difficult, so there was no reason to add to the already heavy workload of his assistant directors.

He felt particularly responsible for Jaehoon, who had filled the vacant AD position left by his own promotion.

Yoonseo patted Jaehoon’s shoulder, gathered the receipts into a neat pile next to his laptop, and grabbed only his wallet from his bag.

Since it was cold, something warm and spicy would be good.

It would also help settle his stomach after drinking so much last night.

However, Jaehoon might have other ideas, so he was about to ask what he wanted to eat.

“Hello.”

Yoonseo’s head snapped up at the unexpected greeting.

Jaehoon, who had been looking down at the pile of receipts Yoonseo had set aside, also jerked his head up.

“As expected, PDs work even on weekends.”

The face that appeared over the partition was strangely familiar.

The clear vitality of his smooth, healthy skin.

A disarming smile, formed by slightly raised lips and crinkled eyes.

A confident demeanor that matched his upright posture.

And a peculiar aura that seemed to subtly prod at his nerves.

Only after processing everything in order did Yoonseo realize who it was.

“Uh… uh… H-Han Taekyung…?”

It was Jaehoon who uttered his name aloud.

As if confirming he was correct, Taekyung smiled upon hearing his name, but he didn’t even glance at Jaehoon, his gaze fixed solely on Yoonseo.

“Don’t tell me you don’t remember me, PD Choi Yoonseo.”

Yoonseo was slightly flustered by the hint of disappointment in Taekyung’s expression.

It wasn’t that he didn’t remember him.

He had received help from Han Taekyung yesterday, but it was a chance event, and most importantly, they had only met for the first time.

They weren’t close enough for him to make such an expression.

“I remember… of course, I do. But what brings you here….”

Yoonseo asked with the gentle smile he usually reserved for others.

In response, Taekyung’s lips curled up a little more.

At first glance, it was a charming smile, but Yoonseo felt an inexplicable pressure.

Jaehoon, standing next to him, was so surprised to see Han Taekyung in person that he could only stare with wide, unblinking eyes.

“I had some business here and just stopped by. I was worried you might not be in since it’s Saturday, but I’m glad you’re here. Did everything go okay after yesterday?”

“Ah… yes, thank you so much for yesterday.”

Yoonseo, trying his best to appear calm, glanced at Jaehoon before answering.

Jaehoon’s eyes were still glued to Han Taekyung.

Taekyung simply stared at Yoonseo.

As if trying to see through the smile to what he was hiding behind it.

Then, with a deliberately playful look, he asked.

“Just with words again today?”

Taekyung flashed a smile that didn’t quite match his words and shrugged at the bewildered Yoonseo.

Yesterday, too, when Yoonseo had thanked him, Taekyung had playfully teased, “Just with words?”

He had no idea what Han Taekyung’s intentions were.

Yoonseo chewed on the inside of his lip several times as he faced the unreadable expression.

It wasn’t unusual for a celebrity to visit the broadcasting station for business, but he couldn’t help but feel suspicious.

Unlike yesterday, Taekyung had called him ‘PD-nim’ and seemed to have sought out his office specifically.

He had only received help; he hadn’t done anything wrong, yet he felt himself shrinking and curling inward.

Yoonseo belatedly realized that he was unconsciously wary of Taekyung.

It was because he was someone who had witnessed a side of the real Choi Yoonseo that he desperately tried to hide behind a smiling face.

Someone who had seen his weakness—fleeing without putting up a proper fight and ultimately relying on someone else for help.

Moreover, Han Taekyung was an Alpha, just like Kim Injun.

Seeing how he possessed pheromones strong enough to easily overpower another Alpha… he was probably a dominant Alpha.

Even though he couldn’t sense any pheromones, his heart was pounding more than necessary, and his whole body felt constricted by pressure.

Just as his expression was beginning to stiffen, Taekyung uttered a single, quiet phrase.

“I’m a little disappointed.”

Taekyung’s eyes drooped sadly as he looked at Yoonseo, who was too lost in his complicated thoughts to respond.

Startled by the unexpected words and expression, Yoonseo’s eyes widened, and his mouth opened and closed silently a few times.

When he finally snapped out of it, the words that came out were somewhat lukewarm.

“…Then, I’ll buy you a coffee.”

The thought that his thank you to someone who had shown him kindness had been ungracious came to him belatedly.

It was surprising that Han Taekyung was harping on it, but since he knew nothing about him, he decided not to make any rash judgments.

Yoonseo gazed at Taekyung with a mask-like smile that concealed all his thoughts and feelings.

Taekyung slowly curved his lips, as if to say that was the right answer.

“I have a prior engagement today, so that’s a bit difficult. Do you have a business card you could give me?”

“Ah, yes… just a moment.”

Yoonseo opened his desk drawer, took out a plastic case of business cards, and immediately handed a crisp one to Taekyung.

The white card had the UBS logo on the top left and the program’s name, ‘Today Live,’ in a relatively large logo on the right.

Taekyung’s eyes scanned the name, title, and phone number written below, and finally, he stared intently at Yoonseo’s face.

As if he were waiting for Yoonseo to say something.

However, Yoonseo couldn’t properly interpret Han Taekyung’s reaction and only managed an awkward smile.

Han Taekyung chuckled as if there was no other choice.

“I’ll contact you later. See you next time.”

With a light nod, he casually left the office.

Yoonseo, still unable to process the sudden event, could only stare blankly at his retreating back.

Everything about Han Taekyung was a mystery.

“Wow… he’s seriously handsome…”

Jaehoon’s awe-struck voice might have sounded comical, but Yoonseo couldn’t react.

It was because of the anxious thumping of his heart, pounding loudly in his chest.

The quiet of the small meeting room, occasionally broken only by the rustle of turning pages, was interrupted by an alien noise.

Bzzzt, bzzzt.

Startled by the grating vibration, Jinhyung glanced at Taekyung and hastily picked up his phone.

As he checked the screen, Jinhyung’s eyes shook with anxiety.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

“Uh… it’s the Chairman…?”

Jinhyung juggled the phone between his hands as if it were a hot piece of iron.

Taekyung, who had been calmly looking over the script, chuckled at the timid voice.

He then turned another page with a clean, effortless gesture.

Jinhyung’s face was already on the verge of tears, as if anticipating trouble.

“Answer it.”

“What is it this time, hyung… I told you to let me know when you go somewhere…”

“I haven’t gone anywhere by myself recently, have I?”

“Then do you think the Chairman is calling to ask how I am?”

“Hmm… it seems the reporters have decided to target my father instead of the CEO now. Is there a rumor going around that he’s buying their silence with money?”

Jinhyung’s shoulders slumped helplessly as he looked at the nonchalant Taekyung, sighing heavily.

Ever since he became Taekyung’s manager, he hadn’t had a single day of peace; he was losing weight, and the dark circles under his eyes were getting darker by the day, yet Taekyung himself seemed to think it was no big deal, which made him feel a little hurt.

The reason his phone was blowing up right now was all because of Taekyung.

Taekyung rarely answered Chairman Han’s calls on time; more often than not, he would deliberately ignore them even when he knew they were coming.

He had probably set his phone to silent or turned it off completely.

“Yeees, Chairman…”

With a deep sigh, Jinhyung had no choice but to answer the call.

Taekyung glanced sideways at Jinhyung, who was even bowing his head as if he were in the Chairman’s actual presence, and stifled a laugh.

“Ah… well, hyung is a bit busy preparing for his next project… Yes, yeees… That is true… Yeeeees… Oh, not at all! Hyung treats me well, so it’s fine. Haha…”

Jinhyung, holding the phone politely with both hands, started to look so pitiful that Taekyung began to feel sorry for him.

Taekyung set the script down for a moment and reached a hand toward Jinhyung.

He made a light beckoning gesture with his finger, and Jinhyung’s face immediately brightened.

“J-Just a moment! I’ll put hyung on right away!”

Jinhyung, even bowing deeply, handed the phone to Taekyung, who couldn’t hold back his laughter.

Taekyung put the phone to his ear while his eyes scanned the script.

It was an action that clearly revealed his complete lack of interest in the conversation.

“Father, why do you keep bothering Jinhyung? I told you to call me directly.”

Seeing Taekyung utter such a shameless lie without a change in expression, Jinhyung’s jaw dropped.

He couldn’t help but be amazed by the audacity to respond so calmly after ignoring all of Chairman Han’s calls.