DS Ch12

“Ah, well…”

Even after boarding the elevator that had just arrived, Joo Taehyun remained rooted to the spot.

What’s going on?

Seo Baekhan leaned forward slightly to press the open button, staring intently at the motionless Joo Taehyun.

He was planning to make an excuse and leave if there continued to be no movement, but unfortunately, Joo Taehyun seemed to come to his senses and quickly stepped into the elevator. His mumbled apology lacked the energy it had just moments ago.

What is really going on…?

Seo Baekhan furrowed his brow slightly. The quietness of Joo Taehyun that he had found comfortable before now became somewhat irritating. This guy who supposedly took Switch to roll around with other alphas, surely he wouldn’t be embarrassed at being called a sex partner… Could it be that he hadn’t expected to be asked about the person he was meeting? Is he upset now thinking his privacy is being invaded?

“Joo Taehyun.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t think your liking me is a reason for you to lower yourself in front of me.”

“Ah… What? Wait a minute, hyung. I never did that? Oh, I don’t like you. That’s all in the past-”

“Oh, right. Let’s say that’s the case.”

Seo Baekhan stubbornly stared straight ahead. Not that it mattered much, since the elevator interior was surrounded by mirrors on all sides, naturally bringing into view Joo Taehyun’s slightly dazed face looking at him. Joo Taehyun, who had taken half a step back, seemed to fumble for words to retort a few times before finally setting his lips firmly.

“Even if I were to marry you, you having other partners? I wouldn’t mind at all as long as it’s kept clean. Appropriate sex can even help manage heat cycles.”

“…”

“That’s why I’m asking, I need to know roughly what level your partners are at so I can take it into account. Do you choose one-night stands each time, or do you have someone you meet regularly, or perhaps you even pay sometimes, and if so, to what extent?”

“…”

“There’s no need for you to be embarrassed or feel inferior bringing this up in front of me.”

In the mirrors scattered around, one of the fragmented images of Joo Taehyun caught his eye. Thanks to this, he could observe the subtle changes in his expression slowly, as if watching a video set to slow playback.

Watching the process of Joo Taehyun gently biting his lip, tensing his jaw slightly, hardening his face resolutely, and setting his eyes with determination was, well. Yes. Quite interesting.

This time, Seo Baekhan definitely gave Joo Taehyun bonus points. Unlike just before when he couldn’t hide his joy and excitement, the gradually calming Joo Taehyun now seemed perfectly capable of containing his emotions.

“The reason I’ve come to consider your proposal somewhat positively is because the attitude you’ve shown up until now matches the behavior I expect from a spouse.”

“…”

“The fact that you can deny it even though you still seem to like me, that you proposed marriage based on several grounds for me to understand the situation rather than your emotions, and that you manage your expressions well while doing so… It’s all not bad.”

It would be fine even if Joo Taehyun had made up any excuse because he couldn’t give up his feelings for him. It was quite plausible for a hastily concocted reason.

It would be even better if he had prioritized his own situation over his feelings for Seo Baekhan. In fact, Seo Baekhan preferred this scenario. Someone who is willing to marry a person who would never look back at them despite having liked them alone for a long time, in order to create a favorable situation for themselves? Very welcome.

“Yes, that’s it. That face you sometimes make in news photos.”

“…”

“I like it when you make that expression.”

Was it because he’s young? Though his skin was soft, Seo Baekhan gently tapped Joo Taehyun’s cheek that had frozen as if turned to ice. When Seo Baekhan’s hand touched him, the tension in his stiff lips eased slightly, making him look much better.

Standing blankly and receiving Seo Baekhan’s touch, Joo Taehyun belatedly fumbled to caress his own face. As if trying to remember one by one what state Seo Baekhan had just praised.

“Oh, and when you list your partner’s details, include what type of Switch you take. It’s not the dirty kind, right?”

The elevator doors opened as they arrived at the first floor with perfect timing. Seo Baekhan, who got out before the sluggish Joo Taehyun, suddenly realized he couldn’t hear the same footsteps as before. Thinking it strange even if Joo Taehyun walked as gracefully as a nobleman, he turned back to find him still standing woodenly in the square box.

“Joo Taehyun.”

Quickly wedging his shoe in the closing gap and repeatedly pressing the open button, Joo Taehyun’s dazed face appeared as if in a dream.

“What are you doing?”

“…Ah.”

When Seo Baekhan chided him without hiding his somewhat exasperated tone, Joo Taehyun awkwardly twitched the corners of his mouth. After doing this a few times, he was finally able to make the exact same expression that Seo Baekhan had just caressed. Though it hadn’t taken that long, to Seo Baekhan’s eyes, the scene seemed to unfold unusually slowly.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I was thinking about the materials to prepare. So… My academic plan and partner… list, and the list of Switches I’ve taken so far. Is that what I should bring?”

“Mm.”

He nodded in affirmation.

In fact, if Seo Baekhan wanted to, he could obtain that level of information on his own. Of course, it would be difficult to grasp the intimate details as thoroughly as the documents Joo Taehyun would hand over, but he didn’t have the desire to know that much in the first place. There was no need. It’s not like they were about to write a formal marriage contract, they were just acquaintances who had decided to meet once more on a whim.

He simply wanted to see how well Joo Taehyun understood his words, and how he would handle such a commanding request.

“Did you drive here, hyung?”

“Yeah. What about you?”

There was no time to hear Joo Taehyun’s answer. As they approached the valet parking booth, the staff moved to both sides without being asked. Judging by the number of people who came out, Joo Taehyun must have driven himself too? It was unexpected, if anything, given the image that he wouldn’t go out without a chauffeur.

“…I’m not used to driving in Korea yet.”

With cheeks already reddened by the winter wind, Joo Taehyun rambled on about things that weren’t even asked. Like a couple in love whose words speed up as the bus they need to catch comes into view.

“So I’m trying to get behind the wheel whenever I can. My brothers and sister… keep teasing me about it.”

“Ah.”

It seemed like a random thing to say, but apparently Joo Taehyun was aware of his own image. Seeing how naturally he dropped the reason for not having a chauffeur, this probably wasn’t his first time in such a situation.

Seo Baekhan ended the conversation with Joo Taehyun by showing no particular reaction. An awkward silence fell between the two. For Seo Baekhan, this level of discomfort that gave a sense of appropriate distance was rather pleasing.

“Oh, your car came out first, hyung.”

Joo Taehyun said casually, watching the car slide towards them. It’s natural to assume it’s the other person’s vehicle when there are two people waiting and it’s not your own, but… Seo Baekhan guessed that Joo Taehyun already knew the make of his car and even the license plate number. Joo Taehyun might feel wronged if he heard this, but Seo Baekhan considered it a reasonable suspicion. For someone who had somehow found out that he was planning to meet an alpha, despite not many people knowing yet, he would surely have memorized basic information like a license plate number.

At the same time, a slight regret washed over him. If this guy was already being so bothersome after just a few conversations, maybe it was a mistake to suggest meeting one more time to talk.

“I’m going.”

“Yes. Um, hyung! There’s… a number written at the top of the document, that’s my personal number. The one I used to contact you before was for work.”

After hesitating briefly, Joo Taehyun added that if there was any need to contact him, please use the personal number, as he could respond quickly that way.

This time, there was no reply or any particular reaction. It wasn’t that far off, being next Sunday, and he didn’t want to become close enough to use Joo Taehyun’s private number.

“Then I’ll see you on Sunday, hyung.”

Undeterred by Seo Baekhan’s lukewarm response, Joo Taehyun greeted him once more. How should he put it? It was a voice that seemed to have squeezed out the last remaining courage.

He thought about responding this time since Joo Taehyun was greeting him so earnestly, but the timing was lost as Joo Taehyun’s car was promptly brought out.

Seo Baekhan got into the driver’s seat and opened his frequently used navigation app to enter the next destination. Fortunately, it was a dinner appointment with relatively comfortable acquaintances including Choi Yeonjun. Though it couldn’t be called an entirely relaxed gathering, as the main topics would likely be the upcoming antique auction in the next quarter and talks of tax evasion by Crown Prince.

Even when Seo Baekhan was fully prepared to depart, Joo Taehyun was still standing outside. Seeing him craning his neck slightly and peering this way in the side mirror, Seo Baekhan finally lowered the window.

He substituted a greeting with just a silent nod, but Joo Taehyun was delighted. The staff standing nearby probably didn’t notice his change at all, but it was clearly visible to Seo Baekhan now.

“Tsk.”

He clicked his tongue lightly as he gripped the steering wheel. Would Joo Taehyun have kept standing there until his car disappeared? He couldn’t know for sure since he didn’t bother to check, but he thought that was probably the case.

One week later.

On Christmas Day, after visiting the National Museum of Korea exhibition, the two continued their stiff meetings.

For the most part, it was Seo Baekhan unilaterally calling out Joo Taehyun to ask various questions and hear his answers.

Seo Baekhan’s tone had become friendlier than before, but was still indifferent, while Joo Taehyun remained unchanged. With a calm and gloomy face, he would bow slightly in greeting, then reveal his emotions faintly enough for only Seo Baekhan to barely notice before quickly hiding them again.

After several such peculiar meetings that were neither dates nor matchmaking, more like pressured interviews, the two mutually agreed to become each other’s legal spouses before the Lunar New Year.

Apart from the prenuptial agreement written with both families, they secretly shared a single document with various formidable clauses, including one that tacitly allowed each other’s rut partners.