KBC | Chapter 1.1

Ugh, what’s going on this morning?

Suhyun, who was crossing the lobby, glanced over at the sudden commotion. A large man, who seemed to be a fellow employee, was causing a scene in front of the reception desk. The security guards rushed over, but the two short guards, who seemed past retirement age, were no match for the man’s excitement.

Should I intervene or not?

Suhyun rolled his eyes and took a sip from the straw in his iced Americano. Although he was much younger and taller than the guards, the size difference was such that if the man swung a punch, his glasses would break, and he’d get a nosebleed.

Still, sigh. I can’t just ignore it.

“Oh, my fate.”

Suhyun checked his watch, which showed 15 minutes before work started, and sighed as he stepped into the noisy scene. Suddenly, a loud voice from a third party rang out.

“Team Leader Cha! What are you doing there! Aren’t you going out for work?”

Suhyun wasn’t surprised this time. It was a familiar voice. The team leader of the chemical sales team. Suhyun stopped in his tracks and took another sip from his straw. He felt the dopamine rush with the caffeine.

So that guy’s also an employee here. But why is he fighting at the reception desk?

Suhyun watched the situation with interest.

The sales team leader walked briskly over and yelled at the man flanked by the guards. Despite the height difference, he even stood on tiptoe and gave the man’s shoulder a firm pat, almost like a hit.

When the team leader threw something, the man reflexively caught it. It looked like car keys. The team leader hooked his arm over the man’s shoulder and started dragging him away. The man resisted a few times but reluctantly moved when the team leader smacked the back of his head. The team leader’s hearty laughter faded into the distance.

Must have had a big company dinner last night.

Suhyun, who was internally munching on popcorn, wondering if the man might slap the team leader, turned his eyes away indifferently.

“Ah, I need to catch the elevator quickly.”

He wasted 5 minutes watching. As it got closer to 9 o’clock, more people boarded the elevator from the underground parking lot, so by the time it reached the lobby, there were often only a few spots left.

Suhyun quickly scanned his employee ID and passed through the gate to secure a spot. It was Wednesday, the most tiring day of the week, but a smile lingered on his lips.

His current job felt like heaven compared to his previous one.

Geumpyeong Construction. That was Suhyun’s former workplace. Originally, it was also the name of a gangster faction. The leader of that gang had set up a decent company with dirty money, and after he retired, the one who officially turned it into a legitimate construction company was Chairman’s grandson, Geum Taemu.

And Suhyun was Geum Taemu’s secretary.

Though he had quit now.

Suhyun quickly stifled a laugh and took a sip from his straw. Just thinking about it still made him chuckle.

He didn’t get his severance pay, nor his last month’s salary, but it didn’t matter.

There was no way he could receive those while running away.

I wonder how pissed our CEO Geum was when two guys ran away overnight.

“Snort!”

“Oh, Assistant Manager, you’re here.”

Someone called out to Suhyun in the now less crowded elevator, thanks to people getting off at various stops. Suhyun quickly composed his expression and smiled.

“Good morning, Yubin.”

“Did something good happen?”

“Do I look like it?”

“Yes, you seem to be in a good mood.”

“Maybe it’s because I slept well last night.”

Yubin, who found Suhyun’s clear and pleasant voice nice to hear, smiled and sighed.

“Ah, I’m feeling down this morning.”

“Why?”

“I thought today was Thursday.”

“Oh, that’s really disappointing.”

“Right! Why is it still Wednesday?”

“But the director is going out for a meeting this afternoon, so if you just hang in there until the morning, it’s like a holiday.”

Encouraged by Suhyun’s kind words, Yubin nodded. Suhyun also softened his gaze at the sight of his diligent junior.

Yubin had joined right after graduating, so he was still only twenty-four. Suhyun recalled a face even younger and more innocent than Yubin’s. He was said to be just twenty, but he looked so fragile that he could be mistaken for a teenager.

❤︎ • ❤︎ • ❤︎

“Ugh, ah, stop….”

“Stop? This place is begging for more.”

They’re really going at it. Sitting in the passenger seat, Suhyun tried not to twitch an eyebrow at the sounds coming from the back seat and focused on his phone.

His phone was filled with CEO Geum Taemu’s daily schedule and matters to report.

Playing with a soft, young thing wasn’t on the CEO’s agenda.

Ah, don’t think about it. I am a rock. A tree. The wind. An inanimate object.

“Stop, mister….”

“We agreed on a million won for today. How much do you think this is worth, huh?”

“Ugh, ah.”

“Ask Secretary Seo, kid. How much did I spend?”

A slapping sound came from the back. Despite being skinny, Do Eunsu’s butt, which Geum Taemu had in his grip, must have turned red.

“Quick, go ask him.”

“Eek!”

Suddenly, Do Eunsu’s moan came from beside Suhyun’s head. Geum Taemu had grabbed Do Eunsu by the nape and pushed him into the space between the front seats.

Do Eunsu, panting with a flushed face, peeked between the driver and Secretary Seo. The rest of his naked body, covered only by Geum Taemu’s jacket, trembled in front of Geum Taemu’s face.

Suhyun glanced up to check CEO Geum in the rearview mirror. Geum Taemu smirked at the feast before him and leaned forward.

“Ahhh!”

As the squelching sound intensified from the back, Do Eunsu let out a loud moan.

Ugh, my ears. Suhyun, who had involuntarily frowned, quickly lowered his gaze before meeting Geum Taemu’s eyes. After a few more slapping sounds, Geum Taemu ordered.

“Kid. Ask him.”

“Ugh, uh, Secretary….”

Dragging in an unwilling subordinate. Suhyun swallowed a sigh and maintained a blank expression. Do Eunsu, panting pitifully, opened his mouth.

“How, how much did it go down, ahh!”

“What did I say, kid? Speak properly.”

“Sob… ugh….”

Do Eunsu shook his head, his face flushed red. Yet, his lower body, engaged with Geum Taemu’s hand, showed no resistance. If it were me, I’d kick him. Suhyun dismissed the futile thought.

Eventually, Do Eunsu recited the line Geum Taemu had designated. Suhyun waited for his boss’s reaction.

Fortunately, Geum Taemu soon burst into laughter, pulled Do Eunsu onto his lap, and unbuckled his belt. Shortly after, Do Eunsu’s moans flowed like a waterfall. Suhyun, relieved that his forced participation ended there, glanced at Do Eunsu’s debt data.

…Did “kid” start a startup in Pangyo Techno Valley or something?

Confirming the debt amounting to 5.246 billion won, Suhyun rubbed his throbbing temples and picked up his phone. While the CEO handled urgent matters, Suhyun had plenty to do.

The morning meeting… won’t end in an hour, right? Better postpone it until after lunch.

Since Executive Director Hwang is on a business trip to Gwangju, I need to tell Manager Kim to change the train time quickly.

Do Eunsu’s confinement… I mean, the officetel for him to reside in under the CEO’s name—install CCTV in every room, purchase through the general affairs team, and charge it to the company’s maintenance expenses…

While organizing his tasks in his head, Suhyun realized the car had stopped and turned to look. The driver gave him a helpless look. The back seat was still in full swing. Suhyun signaled the driver to quietly get out and opened the door without making a sound.

Feels like a disco pang pang. Glancing at the expensive foreign car shaking wildly, Suhyun resisted the urge to shake his head and stood straight by the parking pillar. He never knew when CEO Geum might roll down the window and give him instructions.

“Secretary, are you going to stay here?”

The driver asked in a somewhat sly tone. Though called a driver, he was actually a junior gangster under Geum Taemu. Suhyun nodded at him through his glasses.

“I’ll let you know if the afternoon schedule changes, so stay on standby.”

“Yes.”

The driver, who had answered promptly, awkwardly straightened up and grinned.

“How can I hold it in without taking a leak?”

Seeing the driver’s hand adjust his bulging lower half, Suhyun made a face of disgust and quickly turned away. The driver chuckled and headed to the public restroom inside the parking lot.

After a while, a young man, who looked like a new hire, parked a small compact car far from where Suhyun stood and got out.

Suhyun, who had unintentionally noticed the man, watched him. Small build, big eyes, and oddly red lips, even though he probably wasn’t wearing makeup. Suhyun frowned.

Do Eunsu overload. Though his features weren’t similar, Suhyun had a hunch. He was almost fed up with the delicate beauties whose very scent was like fresh apples and the predator-like men who hunted them.

“Excuse me.”

Suhyun called out to the man, who was walking with quick steps. The man turned around, startled like a rabbit.

Suhyun gestured with his chin toward the back.

“If it’s not urgent, use the restroom upstairs.”

“Yes, ah….”

The man looked at Suhyun with troubled eyes and then smiled bashfully.

“Thank you, but I’m in a bit of a hurry….”

“Even if you’re in a hurry, it’s better to—”

“Oh, I’ll just….”

The man, who had hesitated with his lanky legs, blushed and hurried into the restroom.

Tsk. Suhyun briefly frowned and closed his eyes. At times like this, he wished he had learned to smoke. He couldn’t even listen to music since he never knew when CEO Geum might call.

Soon, a commotion echoed from the restroom, followed by faint whimpering. Suhyun glanced at the still vigorously shaking CEO’s car and quickly headed toward the restroom. Though the outcome was obvious, as the only sane person in this world, Suhyun needed to confirm it for his conscience.