Seo Jeong-won gently took Kwon Tae-hee’s hand and carefully moved to another spot.
Cleaning up the broken glass was postponed for later, as it wasn’t the top priority.
After seating Kwon Tae-hee in the middle of the living room, Seo Jeong-won busily moved around alone.
“I’ll put on some ointment right away.”
The voice asking repeatedly if it hurt was very gentle.
When Tae-hee exaggerated the pain from this minor wound, Seo Jeong-won believed it firmly and showed concern.
Kwon Tae-hee deliberately made a pained expression, even grimacing more, enjoying the little person scurrying around in front of him.
With his small white hands, he examined the wounded area, blowing softly on it to disinfect.
When his brows furrowed, his dark eyes full of worry flickered.
Seo Jeong-won carefully applied ointment and a bandage.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t feel much.”
“Is it because it hurts too much…?”
“This is the first time I’ve been cut by glass shards. It hurts quite a bit.”
His face turned pale, more than just surprised, at the word ‘first time.’
Tae-hee’s eyes stared straight at Seo Jeong-won.
“It hurts so much, I don’t think I can go. Can I sleep here?”
Despite the obvious trick, Seo Jeong-won, naive enough to be fooled, opened his eyes wide.
His large eyes trembled.
“It hurts so much.”
As Tae-hee repeated the act, his trembling eyes darted busily.
“Shouldn’t you go to the hospital…?”
“It’s not that bad, but it’s quite annoying.”
Kwon Tae-hee alternated his gaze between Seo Jeong-won’s carefully treated finger and his neat face.
“It must be uncomfortable.”
The cut wasn’t deep.
Just a bit deeper than a scratch.
But since it was the first time being cut by glass shards… it really might hurt.
“My house is small, and the bathroom is small too, so…”
“It’s okay. It’s not uncomfortable at all.”
Nodding at his words, Seo Jeong-won avoided Kwon Tae-hee’s persistent gaze and scanned the room, then spoke.
“The executive sleeps on the bed. I’ll sleep on the floor. But I don’t have any big clothes, what should I do?”
At last, with permission given, Kwon Tae-hee smiled.
Since he needed clothes to change into before going to work, he was thinking of having someone bring some.
Preferably with some extras.
“That’s fine, but didn’t you say you’d give me coffee?”
“Oh, right. Just a moment.”
Seo Jeong-won stood up and headed straight to the kitchen.
He wetted a kitchen towel with water and squatted down.
He meticulously cleaned the floor, where glass shards were still scattered.
Only after wiping the floor several times and confirming no sharp fragments remained did he stand up.
He pressed the coffee pot and took out a glass cup.
After shaking out a coffee stick and adding the coffee powder, he glanced at Kwon Tae-hee.
He looked at the bandage wrapped around his finger, then took out his phone.
Although it wasn’t clear, he seemed to be sending a message by tapping the screen.
Then, noticing Seo Jeong-won’s gaze, he quickly turned his head away.
Their eyes met in midair.
Kwon Tae-hee, who had loosened the button of his neatly buttoned-up shirt down to his neck, smiled softly.
At that moment, Seo Jeong-won’s face flushed bright red.
He even imagined the sound of his heartbeat ringing in his ears.
“Uh, it’ll be ready soon.”
“Be careful with your hand.”
His first impression was different from the second, and the third was different from the fourth.
Kwon Tae-hee lightly waved his bandaged hand in the air.
Seo Jeong-won hurriedly nodded, rubbing his cheek with the back of his hand out of habit and filled the glass with warm water.
Forgetting why he chose a tall glass, he stirred the half-filled water with a teaspoon.
Carrying the glass on a small tray, Kwon Tae-hee gave a faintly ambiguous expression as if he somewhat understood.
“Thank you.”
“I’m used to drinking this, but it’s very sweet. I don’t know if you’ll like it.”
“It’s hot.”
“Oh, yes. Hand… Be careful with your hand.”
Until this moment, Seo Jeong-won hadn’t fully understood the meaning behind his caution about the hot glass.
Kwon Tae-hee smiled softly and took a sip of the coffee.
“It’s the first time I’ve tried it; it’s sweet.”
“There are sweeter ones than this.”
“Really?”
Seo Jeong-won focused all his attention on his gentle question and the neat lips cooling the hot coffee.
Watching Kwon Tae-hee leisurely swallow the coffee, he only realized his mistake after he put the glass down.
“Ice…!”
Kwon Tae-hee laughed as if surprised he only noticed now.
Showing off, he shook the glass to cool the hot coffee.
The brown liquid swirled in the glass, leaving a cloudy mark.
“I’ll bring you another one.”
Kwon Tae-hee stopped Seo Jeong-won, who was about to hurriedly get up.
He sat him down beside him again and burst out laughing.
His nicely shaped lips curved prettily.
“No, it’s okay. Two cups would be too sweet.”
Because the house was small, they had to talk at a close distance, which felt very awkward, as if whispering in one another’s ear.
Unconsciously scratching his ear, Seo Jeong-won awkwardly lowered the little raised buttocks back to the floor.
Then, quietly watching the coffee Kwon Tae-hee was drinking decrease.
Seeing his once pale cheek turn a little reddish, she lowered the air conditioner temperature, thinking it was hot.
“Thank you.”
He didn’t miss even the smallest movement from Seo Jeong-won and thanked him.
She felt a bit embarrassed.
It would be nice if she could prepare clothes for him to change into.
The suit, tailored perfectly to his long, well-built body, somehow looked uncomfortable.
Looking at his straight fingers holding the glass, she recalled if there was a spare toothbrush at home.
She thought it would be better to buy one for him and tried to get up again.
“I think I need to go out for a bit.”
At this sudden announcement, Kwon Tae-hee’s gaze turned to Seo Jeong-won.
He quietly put down the emptied glass and raised his eyebrows slightly.
“Why?”
“I don’t have a toothbrush to use. And… a razor too.”
“Oh, Jeong-won, you don’t have a beard, do you?”
Pretending not to hear the pointed remark, Seo Jeong-won stood up.
“I’ll be back soon.”
His actions were rushed.
Kwon Tae-hee, who had no time to stop him, smiled as if surprised.
The little one was fast.
Seeing him already leaving the entrance, he thought.
Though tired, she was doing well pretending otherwise.
Kwon Tae-hee looked curiously at the bandage on his hand and got up.
He cleared the glass and tray away and went back to Seo Jeong-won’s room.
He sat at the desk and checked a few more workbooks she had left open, then opened a bill.
It wasn’t a delinquent notice.
She had paid his taxes more diligently than he had thought.
The well-worn desk made him wonder if it wasn’t a bit too small for Seo Jeong-won to use.
The chair was also too stiff.
He judged that it would be difficult to sit on it for a long time.
After organizing the furniture and appliances that needed to be replaced in his mind, he looked around the small room and stood up from his seat.
If he suggested moving, Seo Jeong-won would probably get scared right away, so maybe it would be better to just redo the interior.
He was enjoying this thought when—
His phone, which had been carelessly placed on the living room floor, vibrated.
He thought it was a message that what he had requested had been brought, but an unfamiliar name appeared on the screen.
Had he ever talked with Song Hae-seop before?
If there was something to relay, it was all supposed to go through Manager Jeong, so he was puzzled.
“Hello.”
“—Hello? It’s me.”
“Yes.”
“—Well… I was wondering when you would come. I’ve been waiting to have dinner together. If you’re not going to be too late—”
“Go ahead and eat first.”
“—I took a hit inducer today. I thought it’d be good if you came early, so I’m letting you know.”
No wonder the voice on the phone had a lot of nasality.
Kwon Tae-hee sighed.
“Even if I say I’m coming, it won’t burst, right? Don’t wait and take the suppressant.”
He found this unnecessary meddling bothersome.
Without saying he was hanging up, Kwon Tae-hee ended the call.
He didn’t understand why taking the inducer was such a big deal that it warranted a phone call.
It wasn’t even the heat cycle period.
Could it be that seeing Seo Jeong-won made him feel threatened?
That was amusing in itself.
He briefly talked with Manager Jeong and told him to bring the suppressant to Song Hae-seop and make sure he takes it.
After waiting a bit longer, the door opened.
Seo Jeong-won came in, his cheeks flushed as if he had been running.
He caught his breath and took off his slippers.
“You really came quickly.”
“Yes, I ran. I bought a toothbrush and a razor… and just in case, shaving cream too.”
“Thank you.”
At almost the same time as Seo Jeong-won’s arrival, he got a message that what he had asked for had been brought.
Kwon Tae-hee checked the received message and stood up from his seat.
“Wait a moment.”
Seo Jeong-won, who was watching Kwon Tae-hee leave the house with curiosity, asked where he was going.
“I have to pick something up.”
After saying that, Kwon Tae-hee put on his shoes.
Seo Jeong-won stared blankly at him as he pushed open the front door and wondered what exactly he was going to get.