Chapter 19: A Difficult Conversation with the Association President’s Son

Cheongshin, whose mouth was covered by Doyoo’s hand, seemed to ponder for a moment. Then, he clasped Doyoo’s hand, which was muffling his mouth, with his own.

Doyoo, who had been watching Cheongshin, wondering what he intended to do, flinched at the sensation of his palm being licked. He tried to pull his hand away, but Cheongshin’s grip held firm, and he failed.

“Let go!”

Cheongshin reluctantly released Doyoo’s hand, making his disappointment obvious.

“I wanted to lick it more. And other places too, if possible.”

“Team Leader, may we depart?”

Realizing that ignoring him was the only option, Doyoo wiped his palm against his uniform.

Seong Heeyu watched the two of them with amused eyes before nodding. With permission to depart, Doyoo swiftly grabbed the steering wheel and started the car.

“Even when you’re driving, Senior, you look beautiful.”

“……”

“Haa, now that I see it like this, your hair is lighter than it looked in the room. It feels like it would melt in my mouth.”

“……”

“Did you perhaps wear contact lenses normally?”

“…I did not. This is my natural eye color.”

Although he had consistently ignored Cheongshin’s murmured comments, he couldn’t disregard a direct question.

In the current situation, having been summoned by the Association President, he couldn’t risk further irritating the President’s son; doing so could literally cost him his head. Then, Cheongshin’s voice, filled with admiration, reached him.

“I only asked because you look exceptionally beautiful today. Now I see, Senior, you’ve simply become even more stunning.”

“Tha… Thank you…?”

Doyoo earnestly wished Cheongshin would finally close his mouth.

It was all the more embarrassing because Seong Heeyu was observing him through the rearview mirror with an expression as if watching an incredibly entertaining comedy film.

He wished Seong Heeyu would intervene and engage Cheongshin in conversation, but Seong Heeyu merely kept his mouth shut, content to observe.

“Speaking of which, I shouldn’t call you Senior anymore, should I? Since you wasted your efforts ‘because of me,’ you’ll be quitting the academy, won’t you?”

“The academy… I don’t know. And I didn’t waste my efforts because of you, Lee Cheongshin-nim. It was merely my own inadequacy and mistake, and I… I didn’t know your… your feelings when I did it. So, it’s not your fault, Lee Cheongshin-nim.”

“Then, can I call you Doyoo Hyung?”

“Yes, yes. Please call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”

As an employee who had no choice but to bow before authority, Doyoo found himself acting subserviently.

“If I can call you whatever I’m comfortable with, can I call you ‘darling’?”

“…That would be difficult.”

At Cheongshin’s audacious nonsense, the frantic pounding of Doyoo’s heart and the trembling in his hands, which had been caught in Cheongshin’s rhythm, suddenly ceased. Having regained his composure, Doyoo glared ahead with frigid eyes.

“What a shame. But Doyoo Hyung, earlier I told you not to use ‘ssi,’ but you’re using ‘nim.’ It’s the same thing.”

“What are you talking about?”

“If you use honorifics like ‘ssi’ or ‘nim’ one more time, I’ll immediately pin you down and—”

“Understood! Then what should I call you?”

“Just call me Cheongshin-ah, like usual. And don’t use honorifics either. It’s incredibly exciting.”

“Okay, Cheongshin-ah.”

Cheongshin smiled contentedly, seemingly pleased with the immediate reply. Doyoo heard Seong Heeyu burst into laughter the moment he responded, but he chose to ignore it.

There was no alternative. The Lee Cheongshin he had observed thus far was truly a man of his word, someone who would follow through on his threats.

****

Doyoo had never had the opportunity to meet the Association President. He had only ever seen her during inaugural and closing ceremonies.

Had he been in another department, he might have seen her while deployed for escort duty at meetings of the association’s executives, such as board meetings. However, Special Division Team 1 was not a unit assigned to such events.

Even if he had been deployed, merely seeing a photograph at Cheongshin’s house wouldn’t have been enough for him to recognize her. The reason was simple: the Association President always wore a mask, obscuring her face.

No one knew why. Some speculated it was due to a large scar on her face, yet Doyoo, who had seen her face when he first arrived at headquarters as a child, knew she bore no such marks.

“It has been a long time since I’ve seen you like this, Seo Doyoo-ssi.”

“Greetings.”

Doyoo bowed his head deeply. She, still masked, greeted Doyoo and Cheongshin with an unruffled demeanor, despite the deep hour of the night.

If Seong Heeyu had accompanied him, Doyoo could have observed his actions and maintained a proper level of decorum. Unfortunately, it was Cheongshin who was with Doyoo in this situation.

Cheongshin merely offered a slight bow to Association President Song Yoowon, saying nothing further.

While he hadn’t expected a tender greeting between mother and son, Doyoo had secretly thought Cheongshin, with his affectionate nature, might behave similarly towards his own mother, which made him a little surprised.

“Come here and sit down.”

Following Song Yoowon’s invitation, Doyoo sat on the long sofa, and as if he had been waiting for this exact moment, Cheongshin immediately settled beside him.

Doyoo attempted to distance himself from Cheongshin. However, before he could act, he saw Song Yoowon reaching to pour the tea she must have prepared, and he quickly spoke.

“Association President, allow me.”

“It’s quite alright. This is something I can do.”

Doyoo wanted to tell her not to. Who in this world could casually accept tea poured directly by their boss? Cheongshin gazed at Doyoo, then moved his hand.

“My mother taught me not to use magic for such trivial matters, but…”

As Cheongshin spoke, tea spontaneously filled the three empty teacups.

“Since Doyoo Hyung seems uncomfortable, I’ll pour it.”

Once the tea reached an appropriate level, the teacups moved on their own, settling before each of the three individuals. It felt as if an invisible hand had guided them. Doyoo was inwardly astonished.

He knew better than anyone that Cheongshin was an exceptional magician. However, to manipulate pure magical power to achieve such a feat required incredibly delicate control and extensive experience.

Even for a genius magician, it was a difficult feat, yet Cheongshin had accomplished it without any sign of strain.

“Cheongshin-ah.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“I didn’t call for you.”

“Yes, I know. I only came because Doyoo Hyung is here, so you don’t need to worry about me.”

“Leave before I have to expel you.”

“If Mother agrees to overlook Doyoo Hyung’s ‘mistake,’ then I’ll gladly leave.”

“Didn’t you hear that through Team Leader Seong Heeyu? That Seo Doyoo-ssi would not be punished?”

“I’m referring to the entire Special Division, Mother.”

A brief silence descended. Doyoo felt as if he were sitting on a bed of thorns. In the midst of it all, he was grateful that Cheongshin was trying to protect him.

Seong Heeyu had admitted to Doyoo that the incident occurred due to his own misjudgment as team leader and a lack of information, and he had expressed his willingness to accept the punishment.

However, Doyoo couldn’t feel at ease with those words. Not only would there be punishment for the Special Division’s team leader, but there would also be pressure from above concerning other Special Division teams due to this incident.

The Special Division itself was a ticking time bomb within Kardan, and Team 1 was regarded as being on the verge of detonation.

Seizing this opportunity, those who had always wanted to eliminate Team 1, viewing them as a persistent thorn in their side, would raise their voices, picking apart every fault.

While both options were bleak, Doyoo began to fret, agonizing over a way to prevent harm to Seong Heeyu and the team members. It was then that Cheongshin spoke again.

“I believe the biggest cause of this incident was the information concealment and manipulation Mother undertook to protect me. Of course, I also bear some fault. If I were just a little less handsome, or perhaps foolish, or lacking, Doyoo Hyung wouldn’t have suspected me.”

“……?”

Doyoo involuntarily glanced at Cheongshin.

While it was technically true, hearing Cheongshin say it himself felt oddly bland. Meanwhile, Song Yoowon nodded, signifying her agreement.

“I concede. You are right. Had you been even slightly less capable, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Right? So, please keep this incident a secret. I heard that all the individuals dispatched this time were members of Special Division Team 1 anyway. As for the consumed artifacts, we can just have Eunha Hyung manipulate the records.”

Song Yoowon remained silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. Eventually, she shook her head from side to side.

“Complete concealment is not permissible. Doing as you suggest would violate Kardan’s regulations.”

“Then I will accept the punishment meant for the Special Division.”

“What?”

It was Doyoo who retorted. Cheongshin smiled reassuringly and squeezed Doyoo’s hand tightly. Doyoo couldn’t even think of shaking it off.

“Why are you taking the blame for my mistake? I simply made a mistake and was wrong. Association President, this incident occurred because I misunderstood the target. Please punish me.”

“Doyoo Hyung.”

The hand gripping his felt tingly. Doyoo looked at the hand, which was now exerting force, then turned his head to face Cheongshin. The smile had vanished from Cheongshin’s face.

“Do I seem so indifferent to Kardan that I wouldn’t know what it means for a single member of Special Division Team 1 to receive punishment ‘alone’?”

“No, I just—”

“Are you aware that the board of directors has recently been racking their empty brains, specifically trying to eliminate Team 1 among the Special Divisions? In such a situation, if it becomes known that you identified and attacked me, the Association President’s son, as the culprit, and Doyoo Hyung takes all the responsibility, you’ll be fired from the Special Division and immediately sentenced to death.”