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Join the ServerPutting Jung Lee Chae in the position of Operational Director at Legion was undeniably the worst strategic mistake of his life. No, the absolute moment they crossed paths again, he should have locked him away in a secure room where not a single human eye could layout a gaze on him. He should have hidden him away for the rest of his natural life, completely indifferent to whether Lee Chae spent eternity hating his guts. If he had just executed that plan, he wouldn’t be subjected to this utterly pathetic, excruciating mental torture right now…
Sprawled across the pages of a prominent financial magazine, right beneath a bold headline proclaiming him as one of the “Top 10 Most Influential Economic Figures of the Year,” was his precious Jung Lee Chae—wearing a loose V-neck knit shirt that exposed a generous expanse of his collarbone while sporting a radiant, blinding smile.
f*ck, he’s supposed to be a financial titan, so why on earth is he wearing a knit sweater instead of a pristine, fully buttoned three-piece suit and tie? Capturing a photograph with this much skin exposed borders on pornography. Is he actively trying to induce a collective cardiac arrest across the nation? No, wait… neckties are an absolute hazard too. The sight of a pristine, fully buttoned collar radiating that strict, ascetic aura possesses a bizarrely provocative charm of its own! Haa, I should have vetoed the entire photoshoot from the very beginning!
Thud! Thud!
The violent vibrations shaking the executive desk caused Jin-woo, who had entered the office to secure signatures for pending approvals, to aggressively rub at his ears.
“Hey, Representative Cha. Are you genuinely trying to shatter a solid wood desk? Shall I fetch an axe from the armory? Or better yet, why don’t you just activate a skill and incinerate the entire floor?”
“Don’t push your luck today, Jin-woo. My eyes are on the absolute verge of turning upside down from sheer rage.”
Jin-woo let out a long, judgmental click of his tongue. No matter how much time dissolved into the past, this bastard’s obsessive possessiveness showed absolutely zero signs of stabilizing.
“What is the catastrophic crisis this time? If you loathed the financial magazine feature that intensely, you could have easily rejected the proposal when the PR department routed the approval paperwork to your desk.”
“Are you completely insane? Lee Chae was standing right next to me when they presented it! How the f*ck was I supposed to say no?!”
“Ah, I see. You acted like the perfect, supportive husband to save face in front of him, and now that the cameras are off, you’re throwing a massive tantrum behind his back? Man, I am so incredibly tempted to run to his office and spill everything.”
“Don’t you dare. If you trigger another incident like last time… haa.”
Hae-jin let out a profound, exhausted sigh. A violent shiver rippled down his spine just recalling the sheer emotional wreckage of a few weeks ago, when he had barred Lee Chae from attending an overseas buyers’ gala. Lee Chae had wept openly, aggressively demanding to know if Hae-jin’s affection had officially cooled, lamenting that he never anticipated being subjected to such suffocating control, and questioning why on earth his own partner couldn’t offer a shred of baseline trust.
“If you lack the basic courage to voice your grievances to Lee Chae’s face, what is the point of suffering in absolute silence? Besides, that magazine is catering strictly to industry executives. Regular citizens don’t even browse those publications.”
“Exactly! That was the precise logic I used to justify my approval! But look at this shit!”
Without a single word of explanation, Hae-jin aggressively spun his laptop screen around to face Jin-woo. An account belonging to an avid fan of Lee Chae had sourced the magazine scan, broadcasting the photograph onto a public social media platform. Within hours, the image had spread like wildfire across the digital landscape.
The dust from the massive online frenzy generated by Lee Chae’s recent luxury sedan commercial had barely settled, and now, they were plunging straight into a secondary wave of absolute madness. It was a recurring, inescapable pattern: the absolute microsecond Lee Chae stepped outside the corporate walls, he inadvertently managed to completely hypnotize the entire population.
“What exactly are you losing sleep over? Is there a single living soul on this planet who isn’t aware that Jung Lee Chae belongs exclusively to you? Every single time a microphone is shoved in your face, you explicitly and aggressively declare your status as his spouse. It’s physically impossible for anyone to be ignorant.”
“Even so, there are absolute limits to how beautiful he’s allowed to look in public before my anxiety completely redlines.”
“You are terminally ill. Seriously, a lost cause… Stop spouting absolute nonsense and sign the paperwork already.”
Hae-jin gave the documents Jin-woo presented a cursory, completely distracted glance before scrawling his signature. The standard lecture regarding his lack of administrative diligence completely bounced off his ears; after all, the paperwork was the culmination of weeks of exhaustive corporate strategic meetings, meaning he was already fully briefed on every technical detail.
The moment Jin-woo vacated the room, Hae-jin’s fingers hovered over his phone, driven by a violent urge to contact the publishing house and demand an absolute, nationwide recall of the entire print run. He forced his teeth together, suppressing the impulse. While a physical magazine recall was technically feasible, clawing back an image that had already been permanently uploaded into the digital bloodstream was an impossibility. Engaging in such an irrational stunt would only guarantee an explosive domestic dispute at home.
Having burned through the entirety of his afternoon nurturing a toxic temper, a heavily breathing Hae-jin marched straight toward Lee Chae’s executive office. However, the absolute second he reached the threshold, his gaze sharpened into lethal slits at the sight of massive, meticulously stacked tiers of gift boxes lining the entryway.
“What on earth is the meaning of this layout?”
The receptionist stationed at the desk offered a bright response.
“They are official gifts addressed directly to Director Jung, sir! The PR team is absolutely ecstatic. His media visibility has caused our corporate stock value to surge to an all-time high today. He is truly the ultimate crown jewel of Legion…”
“Haa…”
Releasing a dark, profoundly heavy sigh, Hae-jin aggressively twisted the doorknob. He felt a desperate, localized urgency that if he didn’t crash his lips against Lee Chae’s this exact microsecond, the roaring fire consuming his internal organs would permanently incinerate him. Even if Lee Chae voiced physical resistance, he was fully prepared to forcefully capture his waist and claim his mouth. Yet, the absolute instant the door swung wide, Lee Chae—as if explicitly anticipating his arrival—broke into a radiant, breathtaking smile and advanced toward him.
What kind of tactical trap is he setting now…?
As Hae-jin stood frozen in an absolute state of high alert, Lee Chae closed the distance, affectionately nuzzling his forehead against the center of Hae-jin’s chest.
“Hyung, let’s officially clock out early today.”
…What? Not a request to log overtime hours, nor a suggestion to linger in the executive lounge, but a direct command to abandon company property early? From the mouth of Jung Lee Chae, the textbook definition of a workaholic?
Caught completely off guard by this unprecedented shift in behavior, Hae-jin found himself entirely tongue-tied.
“Why the sudden change?”
“Do you dislike the idea?”
“No, it’s just… the proposal is incredibly abrupt coming from you.”
“It’s simply been an absolute lifetime since we enjoyed a proper, standard date.”
With that single, elementary sentence, the heavy anger that had been bottoming out his mood evaporated into thin air. Lee Chae stepped back a fraction, his eyes gleaming with a highly playful, calculated mischief as his gaze traveled meticulously from Hae-jin’s styled hair down to the soles of his shoes.
“The styling is immaculate, your face looks exceptionally handsome… Perfect. You pass!”
“Wait, what exactly are we executing here…?”
“Save your breath and follow my lead, Representative Cha.”
What kind of sly, adorable scheme is brewing in that brain of his?
As the thought spun through his mind, Hae-jin rapidly scanned his mental archives, terrified that today marked a critical relationship milestone or anniversary that he had completely erased from memory. Yet, no matter how desperately he ransacked his brain, today emerged as a standard, ordinary square on the calendar—possessing zero historical or romantic significance between them.
What on earth is going on?
While his head tilted in absolute bewilderment, Lee Chae firmly laced their fingers together, guiding him out of the suite. After leaving explicit instructions at the reception desk stating they were executing an early departure and that any emergency corporate approvals should be routed directly to the Vice Representative, they migrated down to the executive parking garage.
Expecting Lee Chae to automatically gravitate toward the passenger side, Hae-jin was stunned when the younger man gracefully slipped into the driver’s seat instead.
“What? You’re personally handling the vehicle today?”
“It’s an official surprise package, so I can hardly demand the guest of honor to operate the machinery.”
“Can I… can I genuinely trust your driving navigation?”
Though delivered as a playful jab, the reality was that Lee Chae approached vehicular operation with the exact same hyper-intelligent precision he applied to corporate logistics; his driving skills were fundamentally flawless.
“My navigation parameters are significantly safer than your reckless S-class maneuvering, so discard your anxiety and get in, Hyung.”
Even after the vehicle cleared the garage and merged into the afternoon traffic, Hae-jin’s eyes kept darting suspiciously toward Lee Chae’s profile. Come to think of it, Lee Chae’s presentation since the early morning hours had been highly anomalous.
He had intentionally selected a pristine, sharply tailored designer suit over his standard corporate wear, and had even fastened a luxury timepiece around his wrist—an item he routinely abandoned in the vault, claiming it was entirely too exorbitant for daily use.
Witnessing that layout this morning, Hae-jin had internally ground his teeth into dust, bitterly concluding that Lee Chae was merely dressing to impress the massive influx of public admirers generated by his surging popularity.
Was there a completely separate agenda hidden beneath the wardrobe?
Observing the soft, continuous smile playing at the corners of Lee Chae’s lips as he navigated the streets, Hae-jin felt an intense, unfamiliar flutter shake his chest. This specific atmosphere… it mirrored the exact aesthetic of a nervous man en route to deliver a formal marriage proposal. No, there’s absolutely no way… why would he bother? Though they hadn’t organized a formal public ceremony, their cohabitation and bond were already structurally identical to a permanent marriage…
Hae-jin aggressively shook his head to dismantle the escalating spiral of fantasy. Throughout his entire life, every single time he had arrogantly counted his chickens before they hatched, reality had served him a cold plate of disappointment. To preserve his sanity, it was infinitely safer to maintain absolute zero expectations.
While Lee Chae continued to smile and Hae-jin remained entirely trapped in a web of wild theories, the sedan smoothly glided into the subterranean parking structure of a luxury five-star hotel.
A… a hotel… If this entire setup turns out to be a massive misunderstanding, I swear to God I am going to ruthlessly dismantle Jung Lee Chae tonight.
The moment he prepared to push his door open, Lee Chae—who had already exited the vehicle with extreme agility—swung the passenger door wide, offering a mock bow.
“Oh… the level of hospitality today is truly exceptional.”
“This is merely the baseline introductory service.”
“In that case, I highly suggest we secure a heavy meal first. I’m going to require a massive reservoir of physical stamina if we’re planning to burn calories later.”
Faced with the highly suggestive probe, Lee Chae let out a soft laugh, instantly shattering Hae-jin’s grand delusions into a million pieces.
“We aren’t securing a private suite today, Hyung. We are strictly here to consume dinner.”
I knew it. Expected as much. Still, escaping the corporate prison early was a massive victory in its own right. Meticulously consoling his bruised ego with that logic, Hae-jin followed closely behind Lee Chae’s retreating figure.
Hae-jin found himself completely incapable of suppressing the massive, goofy smile stretching across his face. To think that a wild, unhinged fantasy could actually manifest into absolute reality…
Even when a lavish, pre-arranged full-course tasting menu began to materialize at their table without them uttering a single order, he had simply assumed Lee Chae had developed a sudden craving for high-end gastronomy. However, the exact microsecond the final dessert course was presented—a magnificent, pristine celebratory cake—and Lee Chae’s face violently flushed a deep crimson, Hae-jin knew with absolute, undeniable certainty that his wild theories were entirely accurate.
Appearing thoroughly flustered and out of his depth, Lee Chae’s fingers trembled visibly as he reached into his breast pocket to extract a small object. It was, without a single shadow of a doubt, a premium velvet ring box.
Hae-jin’s grin practically sliced his face from ear to ear.
“H-honestly… I spent an immense amount of time wondering if this kind of traditional gesture possessed any real structural meaning between us, but…”
His verbal cadence was exceptionally sluggish today, dragging out every syllable. Hae-jin anchored his eyes strictly onto Lee Chae’s moving lips, exercising an unprecedented reservoir of patience.
“During my media interview, the reporter casually mentioned something… They noted that even if a couple shares an absolute life together under cohabitation, failing to receive a formal, explicit proposal can leave a quiet ache in a partner’s heart… It was a conversational tangent triggered by our corporate sponsorship of that wedding conglomerate. Regardless… I became terrified that you might have been harboring a secret, quiet resentment over the matter, Hyung…”
“And so? What is the final thesis of this presentation? Hmm?”
“Ha, this is driving me completely insane. What I’m trying to say is… Ah, forget the speech!”
Abandoning the narrative entirely, Lee Chae snapped the velvet case open, extracting a magnificent ring.
“Is the visual layout insufficient for your comprehension? Give me your hand already.”
While a tiny fraction of his mind wanted to loudly complain about how uncharacteristically aggressive and unromantic this proposal execution was, the sheer volume of happiness flooding his system caused him to obediently extend his right hand. Lee Chae snatched his wrist with a firm grip, meticulously sliding off the casual couple ring that had previously occupied the digit, replacing it with the newly procured band.
Mirroring Lee Chae’s personal aesthetic, the ring featured a clean, elegant, and perfectly cut solitaire diamond that fractured the ambient light into a dazzling spectrum.
Alright. Now, deliver the core proposal line.
As Hae-jin’s eyes sparkled with intense, childlike anticipation, Lee Chae placed a hand over his own racing chest, his lips parting as he forced the words out.
“We are already locked into a permanent, lifelong commitment… but, l-let’s officially organize a wedding ceremony!”
Huh? What did he just say?
He had anticipated a standard, sweet declaration of love at best, but a formal wedding ceremony?
“I… I personally never ascribed much institutional value to a public wedding, but this is a milestone that occurs only once across a human life cycle. You explicitly voiced a desire to walk down an aisle in the past, and I realize I have been entirely too dismissive and cold regarding your feelings over the years. I’m incredibly sorry.”
“Wow…”
Hae-jin’s jaw dropped completely open as he stared at the man across the table. There was an old superstition suggesting that if an individual abruptly completely overhauled their core personality overnight, their death was imminent—surely this wasn’t a fatal symptom? Whichever anonymous journalist had managed to completely re-engineer Jung Lee Chae’s philosophy across a single afternoon deserved a national security medal.
Lee Chae rapidly retrieved his smartphone, projecting the screen toward Hae-jin to launch into a highly organized technical presentation. He began pointing out various venues—noting which location possessed superior interior architectural layouts, which catering service maintained elite culinary standards, and which venue directory belonged to a corporate partner who heavily utilized Legion’s logistics, making a booking economically advantageous. It was a comprehensive, hyper-detailed wedding blueprint that perfectly encapsulated Jung Lee Chae’s operational mind.
Honestly, this was a sacred declaration announcing to the entire universe that they were officially, structurally unified as husbands; what on earth did the geographical location matter?
To soothe the wild, chaotic hammering in his chest, Hae-jin drained his wine glass in a single, deep swallow before finally articulating his thoughts.
“Every single option is absolute perfection to me. As long as the end result involves me standing at an altar exchanging vows with Jung Lee Chae, I could not care less about the logistics.”
Witnessing the profoundly dreamy, glazed expression in Hae-jin’s eyes, Lee Chae reached across the table and delivered a sharp slap to his shoulder.
“Stop skimming the data and select a definitive candidate with absolute precision. This ceremony is no longer a localized event concerning strictly the two of us. The entire corporate roster will be in attendance, alongside an elite tier of external political and economic VIPs. Treat this with the appropriate business gravity.”
“…Must you aggressively inject corporate synergy into our romantic proposal atmosphere?”
“If we are executing a project anyway, maximizing the overall utility and output is a basic necessity.”
“How on earth did my sweet, fragile little hamster evolve into such a cold, calculating corporate executive? This is entirely my fault. I ruined you.”
“Precisely. You were the one who permanently installed me as the Director of Operations. My entire job description revolves around executing cold financial calculations to weigh profit margins against operational loss.”
“Fair point.”
The two shifted their chairs closer, bringing their heads together over the glowing screen resting at the center of the table. As they meticulously filtered through elite wedding halls and debated the styling of their respective tuxedos, continuous bursts of soft, shared laughter echoed through the space.
The historic day Jung Lee Chae demanded a formal wedding from Cha Hae-jin.
A block of time that Hae-jin had initially categorized as just another ordinary, passing square on the calendar had permanently transformed within his soul into an immortal, unforgettable anchor.
Looking at his lover under the soft ambiance of the restaurant, a profound, quiet realization washed over Hae-jin’s heart.
How incredibly fortunate I am… that my absolute first and final love in this universe turned out to be you—someone so deeply warm, compassionate, and enduring. If there is a single execution I managed flawlessly across my entire existence on this earth, it was falling completely in love with you at first sight and ruthlessly refusing to abandon the pursuit until you were permanently mine.
Perched at the absolute apex of the luxury hotel, beneath the endless expanse of the night sky, the eyes of the two lovers reflecting a shared, radiantly happy future sparkled with an intensity that entirely outshone the sprawling galaxy of city lights below.
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