Late at night, Seo-jun tossed restlessly in his sleep. His breaths grew heavy, almost painful, as if something pressed down on his chest. In the dream, smoke filled the air. A baby's sharp cry echoed through the night. A car lay wrecked, metal twisted and broken.
Through the haze, he saw a man covered in blood, his head bleeding badly. Little Seo-jun's own scream rang in his ears—high, panicked, desperate.
With a sharp gasp, Seo-jun's eyes flew open. He sat up quickly, clutching his chest, trying to catch his breath. Sweat dampened his forehead. He pressed a shaky hand to his head, whispering to himself.
"Why this dream again? …Did it really happen to me? No… I don't think so…"
A sudden knock at the door made him flinch.
"Seo-jun? What was that noise? Are you alright?" It was Hye-mi's voice.
Seo-jun quickly straightened his back, forcing his voice to sound steady. "Yeah… I'm fine."
The door creaked open. Hye-mi stepped inside, concern clear on his face. "Nightmares again?"
Seo-jun only nodded, his lips pressed tight.
Hye-mi walked closer, sat on the edge of the bed, and gently placed a hand on his head, rubbing it softly like he used to when they were kids. "Do you want me to sleep here with you?"
Seo-jun hesitated, silence hanging in the air. Hye-mi sighed and started to stand, but just as he turned away, Seo-jun's trembling hand reached out, clutching his shirt.
"Please… stay," Seo-jun whispered, voice shaking. "I… I'm scared."
His face was pale, his body still trembling, sweat shining faintly on his temples.
Hye-mi looked down at him, heart aching. "Alright," he said quietly.
He lay down beside Seo-jun, pulling the blanket over them both. His voice was calm, steady, like a protective shield. "Close your eyes. Don't think about it anymore. Just rest. You'll forget it by morning."
Seo-jun's breathing slowly began to ease as he pressed closer, comforted by the warmth at his side.
—
Morning, 10 AM.
Seo-jun sat at his desk, papers spread out neatly in front of him as he worked through the outline of a new project. His pen moved steadily, brows furrowed in focus.
The office door suddenly opened without a knock.
"Hey, Seo-jun," a playful voice chimed.
Do-hyun strolled in with his usual smile, walking straight over to Seo-jun's chair. Without warning, he leaned down and wrapped his arms around him from behind.
"What are you doing?" he asked, grinning.
Seo-jun stiffened and quickly pushed him away. "Please act like a Co-CEO," he muttered.
Do-hyun pouted, making a mock angry face. "Why are you always like that?"
"Because," Seo-jun replied firmly, "you're supposed to be responsible. You need to act like a boss—like Mr. Min-jae does."
Do-hyun blinked, tilting his head in disbelief. "Huh? Me!!" He ruffled his own hair dramatically. "But I am trying to do my best."
Seo-jun let out a sigh, annoyance clear in his tone. "Then let me do my work, alright?"
Do-hyun laughed, raising his hands in surrender. "Yeah, yeah, sure."
But just as he turned toward the door, someone else walked by.
Through the glass wall, Cha Min-jae paused. His sharp eyes narrowed at the sight of Seo-jun and Do-hyun standing close together. Something cold flickered across his expression.
Min-jae opened the door and stepped in, his presence instantly shifting the air.
"Brother," Do-hyun greeted, trying to sound casual.
"Let him do his work," Min-jae cut in, voice low and firm. His gaze didn't leave Seo-jun. "I need that project finished on time."
Seo-jun quickly nodded. "Don't worry. I'll have it completed."
Do-hyun, unfazed, smirked and headed for the door. "Seo-jun, I'll see you on our date," he said playfully, throwing a wink before leaving.
Seo-jun froze. Date!? His mind spun in shock.
Min-jae's eyes darkened. He turned without a word and walked out, shutting the door behind him with a heavy click.
Back in his own office, Min-jae's temper burned. His thoughts raced like fire. Meet you on a date? Are they going on a date? His jaw clenched tight, fury rising in his chest.
"I'm not going to let this happen," he muttered under his breath, heat radiating off him.
—
On the golf course at Joon-ho's house, the sound of the club hitting the ball echoed across the green. Joon-ho swung confidently, and the ball rolled straight into the hole.
The man standing beside him watched with a soft gaze. "You're still as good as ever, Mr. Han," he said warmly.
Joon-ho smiled, brushing a bit of sweat from his forehead. "Thanks, Mr. Cha."
It was Cha's turn. He lined up, swung, and with perfect precision, the ball landed neatly in the hole.
Joon-ho clapped with genuine excitement. "That's the man I remember from twenty years ago."
Cha chuckled, his eyes lingering on Joon-ho. "Oh? I thought I had changed a little."
Stepping closer, his voice lowered. "If you hadn't married Soo-yeon, I would've married you instead."
Joon-ho blinked in surprise, then laughed softly. "Really? Is that so?"
Cha smirked, pretending to brush it off. "I'm kidding… or maybe not."
Their heads leaned closer, almost touching, the tension hanging in the air. Cha's voice dropped to a whisper. "I'd like to invite you on a date."
Joon-ho stepped back, his expression caught between shock and amusement. "Yeah, sure. I'll be there."