Chapter 7 Part 1

His breath tickled Lee Jun’s forehead. At a dangerously close distance, Lee Jun wondered if he could escape Chaeheon. First, he couldn’t leave without acknowledging Chaeheon’s words.

“I’ll reject your confession.”

Anything was fine, as long as it wasn’t dating him as compensation for having interrupted him.

“That’s harsh.”

“We’ve already broken up, what’s there to be harsh about?”

Lee Jun saw the men standing behind Chaeheon. They were pretending not to, but they were listening closely to them.

“But what should I do? I have no intention of letting this opportunity slip away.”

Chaeheon’s wide smile looked good, apart from the situation, which was going terribly.

“It bothered me immensely that you just announced a breakup to your partner who wanted to study abroad together, disappeared, and then treated it as a past relationship.”

Lee Jun closed his mouth. Chaeheon was right. He was the one who had rejected the idea of studying abroad together.

“What was the reason for breaking up? Was my sudden suggestion to study abroad too much pressure? Or was there another reason?”

Lee Jun felt as if Chaeheon’s voice had dropped even lower.

“Was your affection for me all a lie? If we meet again, can I ask you? Or should I return what I received?”

Lee Jun hastily bit his lower lip. If he hadn’t, he felt he would have said it wasn’t true. But he couldn’t escalate the situation just to vent his wronged feelings.

Just as he was about to open his mouth, thinking it would be better to say he didn’t like him, Chaeheon moved.

‘Huh?’

He saw Chaeheon’s leg descending. He thought he might be able to escape if he pushed a little harder… but Chaeheon’s leg came between his own.

Lee Jun tried to close his legs, but Chaeheon’s leg didn’t budge. Chaeheon lowered his head, wanting to look closely into Lee Jun’s eyes. As their gazes met at close range, Lee Jun couldn’t avoid Chaeheon’s eyes.

“But now that I’ve met you in person, I’m having different thoughts. Ah, you haven’t changed, Lee Jun. Still, you’re beautiful.”

Those were words Lee Jun had absolutely not wanted to hear. Chaeheon lifted Lee Jun’s chin.

Lee Jun tried to shake his head, but the grip on his chin was formidable.

“I told you, didn’t I? It’s not a choice.”

He wanted to say he didn’t want it from the start, but his mouth wouldn’t open. Chaeheon’s sharp gaze made him feel like he would be devoured the moment his lips moved. Chaeheon chuckled and put his hand around the back of Lee Jun’s neck.

Chaeheon, so close that he seemed about to kiss him, parted his lips.

“I’ll make the sacrifice. If that doesn’t sound good, then how about I say I’ll love you for life?”

How about it?

Chaeheon asked a question with a predetermined answer, giving Lee Jun no escape. Lee Jun felt a chill down his spine from Chaeheon’s aura, which he had never felt before. As a price for uncovering secrets he wouldn’t have known if it weren’t for today, he kept nervously swallowing.

Lee Jun pushed Chaeheon’s hand away as if striking it. He just wanted to push everything about Chaeheon away from him.

He didn’t want to get involved with Chaeheon.

“I don’t want to.”

Lee Jun expressed strong rejection towards him.

“Really? Then there’s nothing I can do. Executive Secretary. That man who left earlier…”

Knowing that the man Chaeheon was referring to was Park Dong-hu, Lee Jun held his breath.

“Bring him. I will personally hold him accountable.”

“Chaeheon!”

Lee Jun raised his voice. With the sudden mention of Park Dong-hu, he couldn’t keep his wits about him. Then he flinched at Chaeheon’s cold gaze looking down at him. He clearly felt that while Chaeheon might confess to him, he wouldn’t do the same for Park Dong-hu. Lee Jun’s gaze swept over the men behind Chaeheon, who exuded a dangerous aura. If Dong-hu was caught by those men, could he escape?

“Let Dong-hu… alone.”

“Executive Secretary, his name is Dong-hu.”

He listened to Lee Jun’s voice, but he didn’t grant what Lee Jun wanted. Chaeheon was warning him. It was as if he would be lenient with Lee Jun, but had no reason to be with Park Dong-hu.

“…do it.”

Chaeheon, who had been looking at his Executive Secretary, missed Lee Jun’s words and lowered his head towards him.

“Say that again.”

“I don’t want to date you.”

Chaeheon’s brow furrowed, as he had expected to hear the answer he wanted, but Lee Jun spoke with difficulty, with great difficulty.

“I won’t… push you away.”

This was the best he could say.

“Hmm, then I’m a little disappointed…”

Chaeheon fell into deliberation, wondering whether to accept it or not. It was clear he was deliberately trying to draw out Lee Jun’s impatience, but Lee Jun couldn’t stop him. Then, as if something occurred to him, Chaeheon spoke in a much softer voice.

“Should I keep using formal speech?”

He thought Chaeheon was already doing as he pleased, but…

“No.”

As Chaeheon entered the classroom, he unconsciously scanned the room. When he saw the round head of the person he was looking for, a subtle smile played on Chaeheon’s lips. Whereas just last week he had been filled with displeasure, he felt better as soon as he found Lee Jun.

“Chaeheon hyung.”

Ignoring Kim Gyeong-hun, who raised his hand towards him, Chaeheon slowly approached Lee Jun. Whether Kim Gyeong-hun’s eyes widened or not, Chaeheon’s only concern right now was Lee Jun.

‘He probably won’t let me get close easily.’

Having observed Lee Jun for a few days, Chaeheon knew he would never give him an opening. So, Chaeheon decided to create that opening himself. First, he went and put his bag down next to Lee Jun. At Chaeheon’s presence, Lee Jun, who had been reading a book, turned his head. As their eyes met, Chaeheon gave a complete smile.

“Did you sleep well?”

Lee Jun pretended not to hear Chaeheon’s fluttering greeting and fixed his gaze forward. He had said he wouldn’t push Chaeheon away, so it seemed he was trying to ignore him, but that wouldn’t do.

Chaeheon deliberately leaned his upper body towards Lee Jun. As he got closer, as if to tell a secret, the furrow in Lee Jun’s brow became more apparent. Lee Jun wanted to move away as much as Chaeheon approached, but resisting out of pride felt ridiculous.

“We’ll be spending time together from now on, so what will you do if you’re so stiff?”

Chaeheon said with a seemingly regretful tone, as if he was concerned for Lee Jun. Lee Jun’s mouth dropped open, as if Chaeheon’s words were absurd. Chaeheon was only looking at him, as if he couldn’t hear the voices calling ‘Hyung, Hyung’ from behind.

“I didn’t say I’d spend time with you.”