Words That Cut Back

Seha’s expression was so polite and neat that the faintly mocking tone came across even more clearly.

Flustered, Donghyeon hurriedly nodded and spoke before Jeongyun—who was just as stunned—could open his mouth.

“Huh?

Ah, y-yes.

Then I, uh… breakfast….”

“What did you just say?”

Only then did Jeongyun fully process Seha’s words.

He sharply furrowed his brow again and snapped viciously.

But this time as well, Seha paid him no mind.

He slowly started walking toward his room while answering Donghyeon.

“I thought it’d be better if I stayed out of the young master’s sight.

Call me when he goes in to wash up.

I’ll eat quickly then.”

He was speaking almost in a whisper.

But there was no way Donghyeon could hear it without Jeongyun hearing it too.

Stunned, Jeongyun barked out, “What?” as if having a fit.

But Seha was already far away.

“Pfft…!”

Donghyeon burst out laughing.

He’d heard they’d clashed badly while he was gone yesterday, so he’d expected Seha to be quite shaken.

But seeing him now, he looked completely unfazed.

If anything, the one who couldn’t rein in his emotions and was fuming was his young master.

Even without factoring in that Jin Seha was older, the difference was obvious.

Jin Seha, who had become the head of his household at a young age and been through all kinds of hardships.

Versus Cha Jeongyun, born a chaebol heir and raised protected in a greenhouse, his body weak.

Comparing their ways of handling things was almost embarrassing.

“Is this funny to you right now?”

“I’m sorry, young master.”

“You don’t look sorry at all.”

Thinking that pushing further might cause Jin Seha even more trouble, Donghyeon quickly cleared his throat and forced his expression back into place.

“Let’s get ready first.

Today’s your workout day.”

“After hearing that bastard talk like that, aren’t you pissed?”

Jeongyun raised his voice, feeling like he was about to explode.

At a time like this, Seha should’ve been groveling on the floor.

What was with that attitude.

At Jeongyun’s heated voice, Donghyeon gently steered him toward the bathroom and nodded.

“I am.

I’m pissed too.

Who does he think he is.”

“Then why are you putting up with him?”

“Hah… Cha Jeongyun, please give me a break.

This was a special order from the Chairwoman.

What exactly can a mere secretary do?”

“…….”

“Manager Kim personally told me to make sure I do my job properly.”

In situations like this, playing the victim was the fastest route.

Jeongyun was sensitive, prickly, and sometimes downright nasty.

But since he’d had almost no friends growing up, he had a surprisingly soft spot for the few people close to him.

Donghyeon—close enough to speak casually with him—was one of those people.

Sure enough, once Jeongyun understood Donghyeon’s unspoken message—If you don’t get along with Jin Seha, I’ll be the one getting scolded—his momentum dropped immediately.

With a sulky, childlike expression, Jeongyun grumbled.

“I’m the one saying I hate him.

Why does Manager Kim have to give you a hard time over it.

He knows I’m not someone who listens to people.”

Donghyeon found Jeongyun a little cute—and a little pitiful—when he folded so quickly after a bit of whining.

That was why, no matter how prickly he was, Donghyeon couldn’t bring himself to hate him.

Besides, Jeongyun never took his bad temper out on Donghyeon.

Aside from occasionally collapsing and nearly giving people heart attacks, he was actually an easy boss to deal with.

“That doesn’t mean Manager Kim can scold you, either.

Anyway… let’s just wash up and get ready first.

We’ll be late at this rate.”

“…Fine.”

Jeongyun couldn’t bring himself to argue further and obediently headed toward the bathroom.

As he did, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

Spinning around, Jeongyun glared at Donghyeon and asked,

“Don’t tell me… he has to come too.”

“Chairwoman’s orders.”

Donghyeon could only answer with the same apologetic look.

It felt exactly like sitting on a bed of thorns.

That was how Seha felt, sitting in the passenger seat of the car Donghyeon was driving.

From the back seat, Jeongyun’s stare felt like it was drilling straight through the headrest into the back of his skull.

The three of them were on their way to the personal training gym where Jeongyun worked out.

He’d been told to stick close to Jeongyun wherever he went.

But actually tagging along even to the gym felt strangely awkward.

Feeling uncomfortable riding in Donghyeon’s car, Seha had offered to drive himself.

But Donghyeon refused for safety reasons.

He couldn’t entrust the car carrying the young master to someone unverified.

When you thought about it, it made sense.

In the end, Seha couldn’t insist and had no choice but to sit quietly in the passenger seat.

It was the kind of luxury car he’d probably never ride in his life otherwise.

And someone else was even driving it for him.

Luxury didn’t get much better than this.

But Seha found himself wishing he’d just taken the bus.

His body might’ve been more tired, but his mind would’ve been at ease.

The oppressive atmosphere aside, the muttered comments drifting from the back—

“Shameless bastard….”

—made him deeply uncomfortable.

If I’d known it’d be like this, I shouldn’t have talked back this morning.

Seha regretted it belatedly.

He hadn’t meant to.

But maybe some lingering resentment from being thrown aside last night after trying to help had slipped out as sarcasm.

Even in the morning, his wrist was still throbbing.

That only made him more irritable.

Normally, Seha wasn’t someone whose composure wavered easily.

But today, he was unusually sensitive.

Something to reflect on.

“Did you sleep well?”

Just as the awkward tension felt suffocating, Donghyeon spoke to Seha.

Whether he spoke or stayed silent felt burdensome either way.

Still, Donghyeon’s small kindness helped ease Seha’s nerves.

With a polite, gentle smile, Seha replied.

“Yes.

Thanks to your consideration.”

“That’s good to hear.

Sometimes it’s hard to sleep when your sleeping environment changes.”

“The room’s great, and the bed’s really comfortable.”

“Bullshit.”

Naturally, the one who barged into the smooth conversation like a thrown brick was the precious young master, his mood twisted from the start.

“Young master.”

Ignoring Donghyeon’s attempt to stop him, Jeongyun continued.

“You know that bastard sneaked into my room at dawn like a rat?”

“What?”

Caught completely off guard, Donghyeon exclaimed.

Seha’s face turned pale.

Seeing that, Jeongyun finally looked satisfied as he went on.

“If I hadn’t woken up in time, who knows what he would’ve done.

Hell, I haven’t even searched my room properly yet.

Maybe something’s already missing without me knowing.”

“That’s not true.”

Flustered, Seha hurriedly denied it.

Being labeled a cultist or a scammer out of spite was one thing.

But being called a thief was another matter entirely.

If things went wrong, he wouldn’t just be kicked out of the house.

He could end up going back and forth to a police station.

He hadn’t stolen anything.

But someone in Jeongyun’s position could easily brand him a criminal and harass him relentlessly.

Even if his innocence were proven, the process would be brutal.

And Seha’s household—where he was the sole provider—would take a devastating hit.

“That’s not what happened, Secretary.”

Seha looked at Donghyeon as if clinging to a lifeline.

Thinking rationally, it should be obvious that someone earning ten million won a month just by staying put wouldn’t steal.

But Donghyeon addressed Seha in a somewhat stiff tone.

“I did tell you not to enter the young master’s room without permission.”

“Yes.

I know.

I do, but….”

“Was there a reason?”

“I heard… a groaning sound….”

Seha answered honestly.

It wouldn’t be a valid justification.

He’d already been instructed not to intervene unless it was a special situation, even if Jeongyun had sleep paralysis.

Still, it was the truth.

There was nothing else he could use as an excuse.

Trying to stay calm, Seha continued.

“I remember being told not to go in even if there were signs like that.

I really do.

But hearing him struggling in the middle of the night made me worry.

I thought, what if it got worse….”

“Hmm.”

“I’m sorry.

I should’ve followed instructions properly.

It was my fault.

He just looked like he was in so much pain, and I wanted to wake him up as quickly as possible.

I get sleep paralysis too, so I know how hard it is.”

Donghyeon nodded.

He had broken instructions, but it wasn’t an incomprehensible reason.

Anyone would be alarmed hearing someone groan in pain in the dead of night.

If anything, Donghyeon saw Seha in a new light.

He’d assumed he was only in it for the money.

But knowing he’d stepped in out of concern for Jeongyun, even expecting to be scolded, felt unexpectedly warm.

Jeongyun, too, fell silent at Seha’s explanation.

He knew Seha had woken him from sleep paralysis.

But it hadn’t felt grateful.

If anything, he’d been more annoyed at having shown such an ugly side of himself.

Still, hearing directly from Seha what he’d felt in that moment stirred something strange.

Not something that could be called good.

Not something that could be called bad.

An ambiguous feeling.

That ambiguity made Jeongyun uncomfortable.

He hurriedly spoke.

“Your excuses are impressive.”

But he couldn’t add anything more.

Not because he had nothing to say, but because the bizarre sensation from last night resurfaced.

The force that had pulled him out of his nightmare in an instant.

The indescribable feeling that had lingered in his body even after he woke up.

Jeongyun reflexively touched the arm Seha’s hand had been on the night before.

By then, his urge to press Jin Seha any further had completely vanished.

So Jeongyun simply shut his mouth.