The meeting ended, and the staff slowly began packing their things and leaving the office. Seo-jun grabbed his bag, ready to go home, when suddenly Do-hyun came up behind him and hugged him tightly from the back.
"Hey, Seo-jun," he said in a playful voice.
Seo-jun sighed, already tired from the long day. Do-hyun's back hug felt heavy and overbearing. "Boss… back off," Seo-jun muttered, trying to push him away.
Do-hyun only smiled, clearly enjoying teasing him. "Ohh, sorry, sorry," he said, though he didn't sound sorry at all. Instead, he leaned closer and added, "Let's go on a date."
Seo-jun turned his head, frowning. "I don't think you need to go on a date with me."
Do-hyun laughed, ignoring his resistance, and slung an arm casually over his shoulder. "Ahh, it's okay. Just one date."
"You should go home and rest," Seo-jun insisted.
But Do-hyun didn't listen. He grabbed Seo-jun's wrist and started pulling him toward the exit. From behind, Min-jae stood in the hallway, watching them. His jaw clenched, his expression dark. Are they really going on a date? The thought burned in his mind as anger simmered.
Outside, in the parking lot, Do-hyun opened the car door for Seo-jun.
"I should drive," Seo-jun said firmly.
"No," Do-hyun replied, almost mischievously. He gently pushed Seo-jun into the passenger seat before slipping behind the wheel himself. With that, the car pulled out of the lot.
Min-jae stood nearby, watching the taillights fade into the distance. His hands curled into fists as he headed toward his own car. I'm not letting this happen.
Inside Do-hyun's car, Seo-jun sat stiffly, his face showing his irritation. "You know you're forcing me to go on this date."
Do-hyun only smiled, his tone light. "Yeah, I know. But don't you want to go on a date with me?"
Seo-jun turned to him with a sharp look. "No. I don't. I just want to go home."
Do-hyun's smile softened, though his playful tone remained. "That's fine. I'll drop you home after the date."
—
Min-jae's car followed closely behind Do-hyun's. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he trailed them through the streets. For a while, he just stared at the taillights ahead, his chest heavy. Then, suddenly, he pulled his car to the side of the road and stopped.
He leaned back in the seat, running a hand through his hair.Why am I doing this? he thought. If they're going on a date, what's it to me?
But the more he tried to push the thought away, the more it clawed at him. Why do I feel… angry? Am I jealous? No. No way. I shouldn't be jealous. I don't care.
Min-jae let out a frustrated breath, shaking his head. Finally, he turned the wheel, deciding not to follow any further, and drove off in the opposite direction.
Meanwhile, Do-hyun and Seo-jun arrived at an upscale restaurant. The night air was cool, and the place glowed warmly under its lights. Inside, the atmosphere was elegant, expensive, the kind of restaurant people only visited for special occasions.
They took a seat. Do-hyun was cheerful, quickly looking through the menu and placing their order. Seo-jun, however, wasn't paying attention. His eyes had drifted across the room.
Then he froze. At the table directly across from theirs—seated with his back to Do-hyun—was a man Seo-jun instantly recognized. His breath caught. No way… that's Father…?
But the man wasn't alone. Sitting across from him was another man with a familiar face, someone Seo-jun had only seen in old photos. His shock deepened.
Do-hyun noticed the way Seo-jun's gaze lingered. He turned around casually to see what had caught his attention. The moment he saw, his eyes widened too.
"…Father?" Do-hyun said in surprise.
Seo-jun turned to him sharply. "Father? Wait… he's your father?"
Do-hyun nodded, still staring. "Yeah. That's my father."
Joon-ho and Mr. Cha had also noticed them now. Joon-ho's face stiffened, equally shocked. "You two… what are you doing here?"
Seo-jun's eyes darted between Do-hyun and Joon-ho, confusion building. "Wait… you're saying… he's your father?"
Do-hyun exhaled and gave a small, almost awkward smile. "Yeah… he is. He's my father."
Joon-ho set down his glass slowly, his expression unreadable as he looked at them both.