The elevator chimed.
Chae Hyungwon stepped in, heart steady, face unreadable—just like he'd practiced. His suit was one size too big, his shoes slightly scuffed. Just enough to look harmless. Forgettable.
But he wasn't.
Not to them. And especially not to Shin Hoseok.
The doors slid open to the top floor—silent, sleek, suffocating. Marble floors, glass walls, and the scent of expensive leather. This was power. Cold, polished, dangerous power.
And at the center of it stood the man himself.
Shin Hoseok.
CEO. Billionaire. Untouchable.
Black suit, black shirt, black eyes. Everything about him screamed control. And right now, those eyes were fixed on Hyungwon like he was a glitch in the system.
"You're late," he said flatly.
Hyungwon bowed his head slightly. "Apologies, sir. The traffic—"
"Spare me the excuse." Hoseok stepped closer, slow, deliberate. "If you're going to work under me, learn this: I don't tolerate delays. Or lies."
Hyungwon swallowed the retort burning in his throat. He wasn't here to fight.
Not yet.
"I understand, sir."
Hoseok's gaze dropped—subtle, but sharp. "Do you?"
He walked around Hyungwon like he was inspecting a new acquisition. "Your file says you're competent. Quiet. Efficient. But I don't trust files. People lie."
Hyungwon didn't flinch.
"Then why hire me?"
A flicker of amusement—gone in a second.
"Because sometimes," Hoseok murmured, voice low and dangerous, "I enjoy watching people fail."
He stepped in close—too close. Hyungwon could smell his cologne. Warm. Spicy. Expensive. The kind that clung to your skin even after he left the room.
"Tell me, Assistant Chae," Hoseok said softly. "Are you going to disappoint me?"
Hyungwon met his gaze for the first time.
Calm. Quiet. But something flickered behind his eyes—something Hoseok couldn't quite place.
"I don't plan to," he replied. "But I don't make promises either."
The silence stretched. Tense. Charged.
Then—unexpectedly—Hoseok smirked. "Good."
He turned away, voice sharp again. "My schedule's on your desk. Don't mess it up. And remember—"
He paused at the door to his office, not looking back.
"You belong to me now."
Click. The door shut.
And Hyungwon... smiled.
Not the kind of smile meant to be seen.
Tbc...