Chapter 62
Maybe he shouldn't have said that. Regretting the outburst almost immediately, Yeonho let out a quiet sigh, holding back his irritation before it ruined his position.
"Look, Seungjo—I mean, Chairman Baek," Yeonho began, catching himself and shifting his tone to sound entirely reasonable. "If you want me to headline this campaign for your company, let me handle my own styling. I can do a much better job on my own. You saw what I did with the Dior shoot, right? I looked flawless. So let me handle my clothes."
Yeonho laid out his case, and to his surprise, it actually worked. Seungjo knew better than to argue with results, considering how effortlessly Yeonho had pulled off the previous campaign.
He had selected a basic, black heavy-knit long turtleneck paired with tailored leather pants and minimal accessories.
A thin silver chain belt rested low on his hips, matched by long, drop earrings that caught the overhead light with every movement.
On anyone else, it would have looked like ordinary streetwear, but on Yeonho, the ensemble carried the weight of a limited-edition designer collection.
Yeonho motioned for two female stylists to step closer, directing them on how to treat his pale hair.
Using a mixture of styling pomade and light setting spray, they worked through the strands until his blonde hair took on a sleek, damp texture that fell loosely around his face.
"How's this look?" Yeonho asked once they finished, checking himself in the full-length mirror.
The stylists hesitated for a split second, surprised by the direct question, but offered their honest feedback.
"It's... perfect. You look stunning, Mr. Choi."
"Thanks." Yeonho flashed them a brief, charming smile before turning his gaze toward the central desk.
"What do you think? You're the boss. I need your opinion."
Seungjo measured Yeonho from head to toe, staying completely silent for a beat. Without giving an answer, he stood up and brushed past him heading toward the door.
"Let's go. We're going down to the studio."
Yeonho blinked at the abrupt response, but fell into step behind him anyway.
Seungjo led him down to the company's private photography studio three floors below.
The second they stepped onto the floor, Yeonho was directed straight to the center stage under the hot studio lights.
The photographer didn't wait, immediately firing off a rapid succession of test shots.
Knowing every eye in the room was pinned on him, Yeonho flipped a switch instantly. His posture shifted, his gaze sharpened, and he effortlessly fell into the rhythm of what he did best, moving from one fluid pose to the next.
Seungjo stood off to the side by the live-feed monitors. He wanted to verify with his own eyes whether Yeonho could deliver the same explosive results here as he had for Dior.
As much as he despised the circumstances surrounding Yeonh—both the solo captures and the duo frames with Min-hyuk—he knew real talent when he saw it.
He had spent years managing high-end talent across the industry, but as he watched Yeonho command the lens, he had to admit the truth: Yeonho possessed one of the most lethal, captivating faces he had ever worked with.
But impressive visuals weren't enough. He needed flawless results.
Promoting Yeonho was a massive risk that could easily blow up his company's reputation, but if it succeeded, he could position Yeonho as the absolute face of the brand, launching him into top-tier popularity across Korea. Even if it meant burying Yeonho's messy history, even if he was Hana's twin brother, and even if they were bitter enemies.
Practically, using Yeonho was a gamble.
All Seungjo needed to do was keep Yeonho under control so he never got close to Hana again, keeping her completely safe. Honestly, it was a winning situation for him on all fronts.
Except Yeonho was entirely unpredictable. He would play along for a moment, only to do something completely unhinged that pushed every single one of Seungjo's buttons—just like last night.
As Seungjo stood lost in thought, Yeonho suddenly shifted his posture, locking his gaze straight onto him.
"That's perfect! Hold that gaze!" the photographer shouted excitedly, the shutter clicking rapidly as the strobe lights flashed.
The intense eye contact instantly dragged Seungjo's mind back to the night before—Yeonho under his desk, the explicit footage on the computer screen, and the vivid image of Yeonho and Min-hyuk getting intimate right in front of him without giving a damn that he was standing right there.
A spike of irritation tightened Seungjo's chest. "I'm heading out," he told the floor manager coldly. "Tell him to go straight back to my office the second he's done."
"Yes, sir," the staff member bowed as Seungjo walked out of the studio, clearly displeased.
Yeonho assumed Seungjo would return, but thirty-five minutes passed without any sign of him. Once the session wrapped up, an assistant guided Yeonho back toward the executive floor as instructed.
As he strolled down the quiet hallway on his way to the office, a familiar voice echoed from an intersecting corridor.
"Are you sure?" Said by the familiar voice.
Yeonho paused, peeking around the corner. Standing a few yards away was Hana, pacing slightly with a phone pressed to her ear.
'Shit. She's here. She's gonna see me. Fuck, fuck, fuck! I need to hide!'
The distinct click of her high heels began heading in his direction.
'Fuck, she's coming this way!'
Yeonho turned and sprinted down the hallway, heading straight for Seungjo's office.
Hana, who was still mid-conversation, caught a brief glimpse of long blonde hair disappearing around the bend.
"Yeonho...?" she mumbled to herself, freezing in her tracks. She hesitated, unsure if she had actually seen her brother or just someone with a similar hairstyle, but the side profile had looked far too familiar.
"Wait a second," Hana said into the receiver. "Hold the call for a moment."
[ Yes, Ms. Choi. ]
Convinced that it might have been him, Hana quickened her pace toward the turn. But by the time she rounded the corner, the hallway was completely deserted.
The corridor was dead silent, with no one in sight.
"I really should have taken my medicine earlier..." Hana sighed, rubbing her forehead and writing it off as a hallucination brought on by her headache and exhaustion.
"Jihi, I'm hanging up," she said, returning to her call. "Just make sure you inform me the moment you find anything suspicious about Gyeongjae. Got it?"
[ Understood, Ms. Choi. I'll report back immediately if anything comes up. ]
Ending the call, Hana brushed off the lingering doubt and continued walking toward Seungjo's office.
Meanwhile, Yeonho slammed the heavy doors shut and leaned his back against the frame, breathing heavily.
Seungjo looked up from the paperwork on his desk, pausing as he took in Yeonho's flushed, panicked state.
"What now? What kind of trouble did you cause this time?"
Yeonho shook his head rapidly, his expression tense. "She's out there. Why the hell didn't you warn me? Did you break our damn contract already?!"
"What are you talking about?" Seungjo asked, unimpressed. "Speak properly."
Yeonho rushed over to the desk, leaning over the dark wood. "Hana! She's on her way here right now, for God's sake!"
Seungjo leaned back in his leather chair, completely unbothered by the sudden panic. "Why are you so scared? Where'd all that cocky confidence go?"
Yeonho grabbed Seungjo by his suit collar, his grip tightening. "I'm not scared! I just can't face her yet! Not right now… so hide me! Don't forget our damn agreement!"
Seungjo let out a slow, heavy breath, looking down at the floor. He couldn't believe he was about to hide Hana's twin brother under his executive desk for the second time in twenty-four hours.
"Get under the desk," Seungjo ordered, pulling back slightly. "And don't make a single sound, or you're done."
He rolled his chair back a few inches, the small tires making a soft glide across the hardwood. Yeonho dropped down immediately, crawling on his hands and knees to cram himself into the kneehole beneath the desk.
"Again... With a the damn desk," Seungjo pinched the bridge of his nose, already exhausted by the absurd situation.
"What are you doing?" Yeonho hissed from below.
Seungjo glared down between his legs. "Sitting in my chair, obviously."
"Don't sit here!" Yeonho shoved against Seungjo's knees, forcing the rolling chair back another foot.
"You..." Seungjo's jaw tightened. "Can't you see I'm working?"
"I don't care! Just back off for now!"
A crisp knock echoed off the heavy office door, instantly cutting off their argument.
"She's here," Yeonho whispered urgently, shooing Seungjo away with a wave of his hand like he owned the place.
"Get away from the desk before she walks over here. Move!"
"I can't believe I'm doing this..." Seungjo gritted out under his breath.
"Just move your ass before I get caught!"
Seungjo let out one last annoyed breath, but ultimately stood up and walked toward the lounge sofa just as the office door pushed open.
"Hi, Seungjo. Good morning," Hana greeted him, a sweet smile brightening her features as she walked toward him.
Yeonho, unable to contain his curiosity, shifted slightly beneath the dark mahogany desk to peek out through the narrow side gap.
When Hana stopped in front of Seungjo, he leaned down slightly, planting a gentle kiss on her cheek.
Yeonho rolled his eyes so hard it almost hurt, thoroughly disgusted by Hana's presence. It wasn't just Hana that annoyed him— but by how Seungjo turn into a completely different guy the second she was around.
The man became a totally different person—soft, gentle, and absurdly attentive.
Guiding Hana by her waist, Seungjo sat down beside her on the plush sofa. Their backs were turned toward the desk, but because of the room's layout, Yeonho could still see their side profiles clearly.
"How's your morning going?" Hana asked softly. "You said you were busy last night and hung up so suddenly... You said it was work, but you sounded so serious that I thought something terrible happened. I was worried, so I came by to check on you."
Hana lowered her gaze, putting on a vulnerable, hurt expression. Seungjo immediately reached out, gently lifting her chin with immense care.
'Ugh, here we go with the cheesy drama,' Yeonho thought, bracing himself for the sickeningly sweet routine he was forced to watch.
"Something came up," Seungjo reassured her softly. "You don't need to worry about it, Hana. Forgive me for making you feel bad by cutting the call short."
"No, it's fine," she murmured, offering a faint smile. "I was just worried, that's all."
Seungjo's hand shifted, his fingers gently caressing her cheek as he studied her face. "You seem in better spirits today. Did something good happen?"
"My birthday is coming up," she replied, her eyes lighting up slightly. "I'm just excited that the preparations are almost done."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah... but honestly, I've been feeling a little lonely," Hana admitted softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with a gentle, innocent gesture. "You had to leave so abruptly during our lunch date the other day... I just really love spending time with you, Seungjo."
Watching her act so sweet and defenseless, Yeonho felt an overwhelming urge to march out from under the desk and slap that fake expression right off her face.
'Fucking snake... trying to play him with that innocent act', Yeonho thought, his mood souring by the second.
His annoyance hit a peak when Seungjo spoke again, his voice dropping into a tender tone. "Hana... I really care about you. You know that, right?"
"I know..." Hana replied shyly, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I feel the same way about you, Seungjo."
A quiet stillness settled between them.
Looking at Hana's innocent face, all of Seungjo's stress seemed to vanish.
All his life, Seungjo had struggled to trust anyone, constantly analyzing the hidden motives of those around him.
To him, she was pure, gentle, and needed protection—the one person who made his cold world feel warm.
"Seungjo...?" Hana blinked up at him innocently.
His heart beat calmly as he held her gaze. Her face looked so much like Yeonho's, yet he loved her for who she was. He leaned in closer, aiming for her lips—
—and suddenly, Yeonho's face flashed right in front of his eyes.
He remembered Yeonho down on his knees under this exact desk, those teary blue eyes looking up at him while greedily sucking his cock, and the raw, wrecked expression on his face while Min-hyuk had his way with him.
Seungjo's hand froze against Hana's cheek.
He abruptly pulled back, turning his head away as his throat went dry.
Hana, who had already closed her eyes expecting a kiss, opened them wide in shock. She quickly smoothed her expression, but the embarrassment was written all over her face.
An awkward silence settled between them.
Under the desk, Yeonho had to slap a hand over his own mouth to choke back a laugh at the stupid look on Hana's face.
Trying to break the uncomfortable tension, Seungjo cleared his throat and brought up a neutral topic.
"Hana... you mentioned before that you hired a personal stylist named Choi Yeonho."
Hana blinked, surprised by the sudden subject change. "Yes. What about him?"
"Are you sure he's not your brother?"
Hana quickly shook her head, waving her hand in dismissal. "Oh, don't worry! It's definitely not him. He looks completely different and he's way nicer. Lots of people share similar names."
"Nice?" Seungjo repeated, a subtle twitch forming near his brow.
"Yes, he's a very sweet guy," Hana insisted softly. "Oh, wait! Speaking of him, I should call him right now to adjust my schedule for tomorrow."
Unaware that the very person she was talking about was hiding less than ten feet away under the desk, Hana reached into her handbag and pulled out her phone, immediately dialing Yeonho's number.
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