NB | Chapter 24

Seo Woohyun’s expression turned quite comical due to the awkward twitching of the muscles around his lips. Kang Jiwon, who saw him, was covering his lower face with his hand, and it was obvious that there was a smile hidden beneath his palm. However, Woohyun wasn’t done talking yet.

“But I obviously don’t like the idea of being a sponsor, and I don’t really like the term ‘lover’ either.”

Since he had said that he was just changing the word to make it sound better, it was up to him what to call their relationship.

Perhaps thinking the same thing, Kang Jiwon nodded calmly. Before continuing, Woohyun laughed inwardly. Now, Kang Jiwon wouldn’t be able to remain so relaxed.

“I will be your weakness, Director. So, you have to protect me well so that others can’t mess with me. Of course, you won’t be able to treat me carelessly either. The more ridiculous the weakness, the more unpredictable it is when it might explode.”

As expected, the relaxed look in Kang Jiwon’s eyes peeled away. The true nature revealed beneath seemed quite rough. Woohyun could easily read from his face how much he thought of him as a troublesome guy.

Once again, the man’s large hand seemed to cover his mouth, then slowly swept down his face as if washing it dry. Having gathered all the emotions he had been showing with a short gesture, he casually dismissed what Woohyun had just said.

“So, in short, you’re asking to be treated like a prince.”

“What?”

“Alright. I’ll do my best.”

“Did you really hear what I said?”

“Enjoy it while you can. When else will Seo Woohyun get to boss me around?”

He almost replied, “That’s true, but…” without realizing it.

As he pressed his lips together and lowered his head, he felt the persistent gaze on the back of his neck. Even though Kang Jiwon’s pheromones were perfectly hidden, it somehow felt like sweat was seeping into his skin.

He wanted to wipe away the gaze with his hand, but he didn’t want to reveal that he was conscious of him.

While Woohyun was trying hard to maintain his composure, Kang Jiwon, who had been silent for a moment, slowly opened his mouth.

“What made you suddenly change your mind?”

Woohyun tried to guess the intention behind those words. Was it because now that they were truly in the same boat, there should be no secrets?

From Kang Jiwon’s perspective, it would seem strange that he, who seemed unlikely to agree to the contract, suddenly changed his mind, so he would be curious about the reason.

It wasn’t much, just that he calmed down and thought rationally again. In fact, the most decisive factor was believing that Park Sejin had given him a pheromone stimulant.

In his heart, he felt that he should hold Kang Jiwon accountable for sending him there without a hint, knowing full well, but after searching the internet, it seemed insufficient as grounds for a lawsuit.

And there were still Seo Minhyun’s belongings at home that he hadn’t been able to throw away. If Seo Minhyun came back home after ringing the buzzer, he wouldn’t understand, right?

This time, it really felt different. It seemed like if they tried a little harder, they could live a normal life together. Woohyun, who was trying to express similar reasons in a different way, felt embarrassed. He thought he was more used to living alone, but he realized it was purely self-consolation.

Maybe all of this was just a vain hope created by his loneliness. But this time, he felt like he could believe it. If Seo Minhyun ran away again, the countdown would start again with a big cleanup, and then he could really move or do whatever he wanted.

Anyway, since he didn’t intend to bring up such personal stories, Woohyun came up with a suitable excuse.

“There’s a drama I’ve been watching lately. In it, a corporate executive proposes sponsorship to an unknown actor and then suddenly asks them to take off their clothes.”

Recently, Woohyun’s hobby was watching dramas. He realized that analyzing other actors’ performances by watching and listening was a lifelong task.

Of course, the episode about sponsorship in the drama was purely coincidental, but through that scene, Woohyun realized that Director Kang Jiwon maintained a rather gentlemanly attitude.

“I was so focused on the contract dating on paper that I didn’t realize it wasn’t really like that. Director Kang isn’t forcing me to do anything illegal or inappropriate. And I can receive fair compensation for my work. As someone affiliated with Newon, I just hope you successfully acquire the American production company.”

It was a perfect model answer. So flawless that it almost felt suspicious.

There were many ways to pressure Seo Woohyun, but it wasn’t because he was scared of the threat of disadvantage that he changed his mind.

Every industry has its dirty side, and if you don’t want to get your hands dirty, you can just leave. In that sense, Seo Woohyun seemed like someone who could leave whenever he wanted.

He liked money, but he didn’t seem to be swayed by it unconditionally.

Jiwon decided to ignore this subtly uncomfortable feeling for now. Since he was willing to come in on his own, there was no need to stir up unnecessary feelings and ruin things.

So Jiwon crossed his long legs and smiled brightly. The complicated thoughts that had been lingering in his mind were all hidden behind his relaxed face.

“So, if I were to define my role in one word, would it be an internal whistleblower? An industrial spy? Something like that?”

“Is the drama you’re watching these days a political thriller about corporate scandals?”

If you only looked at the plot where the protagonist, who suffered unreasonable harm from a major corporation and lost his family and future, later creates allies to fight back, it was somewhat similar to his guess.

“Using such words makes it sound like I’m the villain.”

“Oh, right. You would be the protagonist, Director.”

Seo Woohyun’s face was so calm that it was hard to tell if he was being sarcastic or sincere. Jiwon, who was glaring at him with a look of disbelief, added.

“What Seo Woohyun needs to do is keep an eye on Park Sejin and catch evidence by chance.”

“By chance? No, more importantly, you want me to monitor Sejin hyung?”

“It’s still just a suspicion, but it could become a problem, so we need to know for sure. Park Sejin is relatively easy to approach me because of our internal and external connections. There might be information that slips out of his mouth unconsciously.”

“But you two are engaged…”

Recalling the relationship he had heard about before, Woohyun suddenly frowned.

“So, I’m the homewrecker in this scenario.”

“We’re not engaged. The other side is just pushing for it unilaterally. So, Seo Woohyun, you’re not a homewrecker; you’re a lover.”

Having heard the word “lover” so many times, it felt like if he heard it a few more times, he might actually believe they were dating. Woohyun shook his head quickly to clear his mind.

“I’ll say this in advance so you don’t get jealous, but I have no personal feelings for Park Sejin. Externally, he’s just an actor at Newon, and internally, he’s a friend’s younger brother. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“I’m not jealous.”

“Then let’s say I preemptively took action so that Seo Woohyun doesn’t have to worry.”

Kang Jiwon was smiling brightly, as if he found something amusing. His smiling face was as handsome as any famous actor, but to Woohyun, it just looked annoying. Whether Park Sejin was a friend’s younger brother or was pushing for an engagement, what did it matter to him?

“Anyway, if Sejin hyung is pushing for an engagement, it means he likes you, right? So why would he do something that disadvantages you?”

“He’s probably confused about whether he likes me or dislikes me by now. He’s not the type to have deep feelings for a long unrequited love. To me, it seems like liking me is a matter of pride for him.”

It’s clear that Kang Jiwon has no feelings for Park Sejin. So if Park Sejin is indeed the one leaking business information, it means he’s deliberately causing trouble to get his attention.

It’s still just a guess, but if it’s true… how could someone torment the person they like in such a way? The image of Park Sejin that Woohyun knew and the one he recently discovered were so different that it was confusing.

“Do you know that Park Sejin is appearing as a supporting role in ‘Portrait of a Meteor’?”

“…No. We don’t really talk about such things, so I just found out.”

“Since the article hasn’t been published yet, that makes sense. Anyway, Park Sejin is quite dissatisfied because his role is reduced due to the character you’re going to play. What do you think will happen if your casting is announced in this situation?”

“Will the backlash… come to me?”

Nodding as if that was the correct answer, Kang Jiwon said.

“The fact that Park Sejin hasn’t shown his true colors in front of you yet means he still has a favorable impression of you.”

“You’ve been talking as if Sejin hyung has a split personality.”

“I hope the day never comes when Seo Woohyun finds out his true nature. This is the time to coax him well and get something out of it, isn’t it?”

Woohyun wanted to ask Park Sejin directly about what happened at the birthday party, but he hadn’t been answering any calls since that day. In fact, he still didn’t really know what kind of person Park Sejin was.

The Park Sejin he knew was a kind industry sunbae who shared snacks and stories from the field whenever they met, helping him in various ways. Based on the image he had shown so far, it was hard to believe that he had malicious intentions and drugged him.

Jiwon quickly noticed Woohyun’s complex expression. Although there was a shadow of concern, it didn’t seem to be about his own safety.

It seemed like Park Sejin had managed to win over Seo Woohyun quite well. That was Park Sejin’s way, after all. Approaching with a seemingly harmless face that showed no aggression, breaking down the other person’s guard.

Some crazy guy even mistook it for love, claiming that Park Sejin had done nothing wrong even after being affected. Well, it probably helped him discover his new preferences.

If he told Seo Woohyun that Park Sejin had a tendency to rush in without thinking, his expression would be quite a sight. However, it would be better for him to hear it directly from the person involved to back it up.

Trying to persuade him now would only backfire. He had already experienced Seo Woohyun’s rebellious nature enough to know. He might even ask why he was telling him that Alphas could enjoy it from behind.

It was about time to wrap up the conversation. Jiwon, who had reached the time limit he could allocate to Seo Woohyun, stood up first. Woohyun still looked uneasy, but he had no choice but to follow suit.

As Jiwon escorted him to the office door, he suddenly stopped as if he had just remembered something. Looking up at him, wondering if he had something more to say, the man smiled gently and spoke lightly.

“Since you said to cherish weaknesses, I’ll formally invite you to my house.”

“You’re moving fast.”

“It’ll be better than you expect.”

Even with a nonchalant expression, Kang Jiwon never backed down. Feeling like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Woohyun grumbled with a nasal sound.

“Will I be asked to take off my clothes there too?”

“If you want to undress, go ahead.”

“Just me?”

“If you ask me to undress, I’ll do it too.”

“No, that’s…”

His casual tone reminded him of waking up in his bed. Momentarily flustered, Woohyun was left speechless, his lips moving silently, and eventually let out a sigh of resignation. He just wanted to get out of this space as soon as possible.

“No, it’s nothing.”