Chapter 66: That’s the Face of a Man in Love

Baek Eun-hoo spoke to Mo Jun-young.

“How are you planning to repay today’s special favor?”

‘A special favor?’

As Baek Eun-hoo merely blinked silently, Mo Jun-young openly sneered.

“Isn’t the one indebted to me you, Mr. Baek Eun-hoo? Now, who was it that desperately begged me this morning again?”

Earlier he had defended Baek Eun-hoo, saying he never expected him to act that way, but now in front of the actual person, he sounded sharp enough that it wouldn’t have been strange if they started fighting immediately.

They weren’t teenagers, so why did they argue every single time they met? Seriously, it was driving Ju-an crazy.

“Hah, perhaps I should go tell Eun Soo-jung our deal is off. I really don’t know why I should endure such a sacrifice for someone.”

At Baek Eun-hoo’s attitude, which looked as though he might cancel the negotiation with Eun Soo-jung at any moment, Ju-an flinched slightly.

The entire party would benefit from this arrangement, so if he canceled it just because he was annoyed, everyone would lose out. Ju-an had to stop him somehow.

But Mo Jun-young, who had been defending him earlier, deliberately provoked him instead.

“A sacrifice, huh… I didn’t realize giving up half a day with Seong Ju-an was grand enough to deserve the word ‘sacrifice.’ Sounds just like Gong Se-yoon.”

Baek Eun-hoo glared at Mo Jun-young as though he had taken a direct hit.

This time, in many ways, Mo Jun-young had the upper hand.

Before one of them exploded, Ju-an desperately wished they would stop already.

‘Then it’d be better to separate them, right?’

Thinking that, Seong Ju-an quickly searched for Eun Soo-jung with his eyes. The moment their gazes met, Ju-an subtly pointed a finger toward Baek Eun-hoo.

Quick-witted as ever, Eun Soo-jung approached and looped her arm through Baek Eun-hoo’s.

“Guildmaster, what are you doing over here leaving me all alone?”

“…Ha.”

“I’ll be upset if you do this.”

With a frustrated expression over being unable to retort to Mo Jun-young, Baek Eun-hoo was dragged away by Eun Soo-jung.

Watching him, Mo Jun-young’s face bloomed as brightly as a flower.

“Mr. Mo Jun-young, I didn’t think you had such a nasty hobby.”

“Isn’t it entertaining? Watching a villain gradually become human.”

“…Yeah, it sure is entertaining, Mr. Geumgang Bulgoe.”

The smile instantly vanished from Mo Jun-young’s face.

By now he should’ve gotten used to the teasing, but every time Ju-an called him “Geumgang Bulgoe,” he reacted like someone had pressed a self-destruct button.

‘Honestly, it was pretty funny.’

“How long are you planning to call me that? I truly hate it.”

Mo Jun-young tilted the glass in his hand before placing it onto a passing server’s tray.

“And when are you planning to become friendly with Baek Eun-hoo, Mr. Mo Jun-young?”

Ju-an fired back without losing ground, and Mo Jun-young scoffed.

“That sounds very much like a threat to keep teasing me until I get along with Baek Eun-hoo.”

“That’s right. If you don’t want to be teased, then stop already. You’re grown adults, not children. Quit acting so immature.”

Judging by the sharp look in his eyes, Mo Jun-young looked ready to continue the argument, but just then someone approached nearby, and his expression softened.

“…You’re Buffer Seong Ju-an, right?”

Turning toward the voice, Ju-an saw a woman dressed similarly to Eun Soo-jung.

His eyes lingered on the strands of hair trailing along her neck beneath her elegant updo before he finally answered.

“Yes, hello?”

The woman extended her hand first for a handshake, but Mo Jun-young intercepted it instead.

“Hello. Assemblywoman Kim Seong-hee, I’m Mo Jun-young, Director of the Awakened Management Center.”

The woman looked briefly troubled before smiling and shaking his hand.

“Yes, hello. If it’s not too much trouble, may I take a picture with Buffer Seong Ju-an?”

At the restaurant before, Mo Jun-young had rejected requests outright, but this time he released Assemblywoman Kim’s hand and stepped back.

Apparently refusing a member of the National Assembly was difficult.

Still, what kind of lawmaker was this young and beautiful?

Feeling oddly excited, Seong Ju-an stood beside her for the photo.

His flushed expression was probably captured clearly.

“Thank you for agreeing. I hope we meet again.”

As Ju-an watched her retreating figure, slightly bowing her head in farewell, he suddenly felt a chilly stare and turned around.

Mo Jun-young was looking at him with obvious displeasure.

“If you’re going to say something weird again, don’t.”

“What did I even say?”

More than anything, Ju-an began wondering when this party would finally end.

Even though the uniform fit properly, wearing it for so long was uncomfortable, and every now and then he could feel Baek Eun-hoo glaring at him.

That stare almost seemed to say, I sacrificed myself today, so you’d better repay me later.

****

People gradually began leaving as the sun started to set.

During that time, Seong Ju-an spent it dining with Mo Jun-young and occasionally exchanging conversations with various guests.

Just as he thought it was finally ending and was about to stand up, Eun Soo-jung suggested an afterparty.

Everyone looked eager to escape, but rejecting the proposal of someone so powerful wasn’t exactly easy.

One glass, then two.

Before he realized it, they had consumed quite a lot of alcohol.

Meanwhile, Mo Jun-young and Baek Eun-hoo kept emptying glasses as though competing to see who could drink more.

After moving to sit beside Ju-an, Eun Soo-jung spoke in a more casual tone.

“It’s really strange.”

“What is?”

“I’ve known Baek Eun-hoo for a long time, but this is the first time I’ve seen him like this.”

“What exactly do you mean…?”

Ju-an couldn’t understand what she was referring to.

Baek Eun-hoo and Mo Jun-young always acted like this around him.

“How should I put it… he’s become a little childish? Normally, if this were the usual Eun-hoo, instead of continuously drinking like that, he’d either joke around slyly or leave the scene entirely…”

‘Come to think of it, she might be right.’

“I noticed it even during our phone call. He’s definitely changed. He actually seems a bit human now.”

Even while saying that, Eun Soo-jung kept smiling mysteriously as she watched Baek Eun-hoo.

She seemed both fascinated and oddly proud.

After staring at him for a while, she refilled Ju-an’s glass.

“Forget those two. Let’s just drink.”

“Ah, okay!”

As they clinked glasses and drank, Ju-an felt someone staring.

Turning his head, he saw Baek Eun-hoo glancing back and forth between him and Mo Jun-young.

“If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve worn my dress uniform too. You two look like you’re wearing matching couple outfits. It’s irritating.”

Eun Soo-jung burst into giggles.

“You like him that much?”

“…What?”

Leaning toward Baek Eun-hoo, mischief sparkled in Eun Soo-jung’s eyes.

“You don’t realize how you look at Ju-an, do you?”

“…”

“You look at him like you want to devour him but are barely holding yourself back. Narrowing your eyes, licking your lips. And you fight with Mr. Jun-young over him too, don’t you? Competing over who gets to keep him.”

Baek Eun-hoo immediately snapped back.

“That’s nonsense. Whatever misunderstanding you’ve got, Seong Ju-an and I are in a business relationship. We use each other for our own goals.”

Ju-an appreciated him trying to prevent unnecessary misunderstandings.

But hearing him coldly describe their relationship as nothing more than business, even after entrusting each other with their lives, left him strangely hurt.

‘Please. Like I wanted to build friendship with you anyway. Let’s keep it business then. Fine.’

Thinking bitterly to himself, Seong Ju-an clinked glasses with Mo Jun-young beside him.

“Heh.”

Eun Soo-jung scoffed with an expression that said how ridiculous.

Truthfully, she’d started suspecting something the moment Baek Eun-hoo reacted so strongly to her request to borrow Seong Ju-an for a day.

She had known Baek Eun-hoo for years, after all.

And after watching the way he looked at Seong Ju-an tonight, she became certain.

‘That’s definitely the expression of someone wanting to date.’

Even if he himself didn’t realize it.

Swallowing back those thoughts, Soo-jung moved closer to Baek Eun-hoo and whispered quietly enough that only he could hear.

“You must be nervous, Eun-hoo.”

“What nonsense are you talking about now?”

His stubborn refusal to admit it was hilarious.

She’d thought she’d never have a chance to tease him in her lifetime, but now she finally had one.

And Eun Soo-jung had no intention of missing such an opportunity.

“Didn’t you see how people reacted earlier? Assemblywoman Kim Seong-hee was practically seducing him openly. And Ju-an didn’t exactly seem against it either.”

“If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll leave right now, afterparty or not.”

“So you really have no feelings for him?”

Baek Eun-hoo nodded firmly.

Meanwhile, Mo Jun-young had already moved seats and was drinking with Seong Ju-an.

Baek Eun-hoo’s gaze kept drifting toward them.

‘And yet he still pretends otherwise. This is hilarious.’

Barely suppressing her laughter, Eun Soo-jung spoke seriously.

“Then if you don’t have feelings for Ju-an, can I have him?”

“Don’t say ridiculous things.”

“No, the party stays together. I don’t mean as a buffer. I mean dating him as a man. If you’re not interested, then I can pursue him, right?”

Bang!

At her provocation, Baek Eun-hoo slammed his glass down loudly onto the table.

The only ones startled were Mo Jun-young and Seong Ju-an across from them.

Eun Soo-jung didn’t even blink.

Instead, she gracefully rose to her feet and patted Baek Eun-hoo’s shoulder as if cheering him on.

Baek Eun-hoo let out a deep sigh.

He hadn’t wanted anyone to notice, yet in the end he’d been completely exposed.

And to that hundred-year-old fox of all people.

‘Anyone would covet him?’

‘Would that still be true even if Seong Ju-an weren’t a buffer?’

Baek Eun-hoo’s gaze naturally drifted toward Ju-an.

At some point, the neatly tied tie he’d fixed earlier had loosened again, and the top button of his shirt was undone, exposing pale skin beneath.

Carelessly disheveled, smiling brightly at Mo Jun-young like he didn’t have a care in the world.

For some reason, it irritated him endlessly.

“Eun Soo-jung, that’s enough for tonight.”

“Sure. Thanks for fulfilling your side of the deal today.”

Immediately rising from his seat, Baek Eun-hoo strode over to Seong Ju-an.

He practically yanked Ju-an to his feet by the arm and headed quickly toward the door without even saying goodbye to Mo Jun-young.

Ju-an was nearly dragged along behind him.

“W-wait a second. I haven’t even said goodbye properly-”

“I did it for you. Security gets weaker at night, so it’s better if we leave quickly.”

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