Kim Se-hyun’s Man (2)

He was handsome.

The word “handsome” felt as if it had been coined specifically for this man. I stood there, utterly dazed, staring at a man who could only be described as perfection itself.

I wondered if a human being could truly sparkle this much. As I gazed at him vacantly, my eyes met a pair of familiar blue orbs.

Could it be…

“…Guest?”

He looked as if he had been in the middle of fixing his hair; he stared back at me with both hands frozen in the act of pushing his hair back. Seeing the flash of embarrassment in his eyes, I tried to speak as if I hadn’t seen anything, but…

“…….”

He had been stunning even in casual clothes, but dressed in a sharp suit like that, his appearance radiated a light that would put any celebrity to shame.

The high bridge of his nose, his dark brows, and his slightly full lower lip.

Every single feature was flawless, but his looks were particularly brilliant today because of that hairstyle—his normally curly hair was slicked back. With his forehead and the sharp lines of his eyes fully revealed, he couldn’t have looked more dashing.

“…….”

The slight upward flick at the corners of his eyes was charming, but the reddish tint around his lids gave him a mysterious aura. Moreover, the contrast with his blue eyes made him look strangely seductive and even provocative.

My heart began to race, and amidst the pounding, a strange tremor carved out a space for itself. I was flustered by the unexpected reaction.

“…….”

It was only natural for a human to have their heart race when seeing something beautiful or handsome. Since the guest before me far exceeded the standard of beauty, there was nothing wrong with my heart pounding. However, I could not quite wrap my head around why I felt this fluttering excitement.

The thrill was far more distinct than during our first meeting, accompanied by a hint of shyness and an inexplicable thirst. I suddenly flinched as something poked me in the side.

“Ha-neul-ssi, let’s get off first.”

“Ah, yes.”

I haven’t even stepped out yet.

I had completely forgotten I was still standing inside the elevator. I wanted to move as naturally as possible, but for some reason, my body felt stiff and mechanical. Walking with a rigid gait, I stepped out of the elevator and stopped a short distance away from the guest. When I turned back to look at him, his posture had changed.

“…….”

He had looked great just a moment ago, but standing properly, he looked even better. I stole a glance at him, admiring the way his suit hugged his frame perfectly.

With a body like that, even a cheap suit would probably look like high-end luxury.

With those looks and those proportions, he surely has a lover… right?

“…….”

Someone that exceptional couldn’t possibly have been left alone by those around him. I tried imagining various people by his side, and a sigh escaped me involuntarily.

“Sigh.”

I wished it were the early 2000s. If it were, my only rivals would have been women. No, perhaps now was better. If this weren’t an era where same-s*x relationships were legal, the guest wouldn’t have even spared me a—

“Guest. As you can see, it is impossible to receive the cooperation fee for Hunter Kim Se-hyun today.”

Oh no.

I was so captivated by his appearance that I failed to deliver the necessary information properly. I couldn’t have been more embarrassed by the fact that I had acted like a fool in front of no one else but the Deputy Team Leader. I tried to ignore my burning cheeks and kept fidgeting with the hand holding my bag.

“Why?”

The guest tilted his head and shifted his weight to one leg. Not only that, but the rebellious look in his eyes as he stared at the Deputy Team Leader—along with the words that came out of his mouth—was incredibly disrespectful. I blinked.

“Today is a day where the entire Hunter Department works only the morning shift. Officer Yeon and I are currently on our way home.”

“Even though a guest has arrived?”

“We have already shut down the server access for cooperation fees. Once those servers are closed, they cannot be accessed again on the same day.”

Despite the guest’s informal speech, the Deputy Team Leader guided him as naturally as flowing water. The professional way he answered without a single change in expression was exactly what I expected of him. But my admiration was short-lived. Realizing the guest was still being rude to the Deputy Team Leader while maintaining that crooked posture, I called out to him.

“Guest?”

“Yes, Ha-neul-ssi.”

“…….”

What exactly was this situation?

His demeanor was completely different from the overbearing attitude he had shown toward the Deputy Team Leader. He straightened his posture and looked at me with a gentle expression. I found it difficult to find my voice.

“Ha-neul-ssi, are you heading home now?”

“…Yes.”

Seeing him ask in such a mild voice made me wonder if the previous conversation had even happened. When I answered a beat late, a smile bloomed across his face.

“If I had arrived just a little later, I wouldn’t have seen you, Ha-neul-ssi.”

His tone made it sound less like he had come to collect the fee and more like he had come to see me. I wondered if I was reading too much into a simple greeting. If not, I wouldn’t be having such delusions.

Even though it was just a moment’s delusion, my busy heart began to pick up speed. I tried my best to stay calm.

“Do you live nearby?”

“No, it’s quite a distance.”

“I live in Sector C.”

“…Ah, yes.”

I hadn’t asked, so it was flustering to be told he lived in Sector C. I wondered about his cryptic way of speaking, but only for a moment.

“Do you have plans after work?”

“I don’t have anything special to do, but…”

“Is that so?”

It couldn’t be. Right, there’s no way.

It was likely just another polite greeting.

My heart throbbed once more at him asking about my schedule after work. I gripped the handle of my bag tightly and struggled to maintain my composure.

“In that case, Ha-neul-ssi.”

The guest, having called my name, cleared his throat and stole a glance at me. I swallowed hard at the anticipation visible in his eyes.

“Would you like to go have dinner together?”

“Din…ner?”

“I received help last time. I wanted to treat you as a way of saying thanks.”

“Ah.”

The help he mentioned likely referred to that lunch. Since I wasn’t the one who had paid for that meal, I didn’t feel the need to be treated by the guest. Moreover, as a civil servant, it wasn’t an easy thing to accept a free meal from someone. I suppressed my regret and was about to decline when the Deputy Team Leader suddenly stepped between us, causing me to miss my timing.

“I’m sorry, but Officer Yeon cannot participate in outside activities for a while.”

“…I am talking to Ha-neul-ssi right now.”

“As you know, because of certain laws, civil servants must be very careful about having meals with outsiders. Furthermore, our Officer Yeon has only just started his life as a civil servant, so he is in a position where he needs to be even more cautious. What can we do? That certain law pushed for by the Association is just how things are. You’ll have to be understanding.”

“…….”

“Ah, if you want to argue, you can turn right around, go to the Association, and take it up with them.”

Had the Deputy Team Leader ever been this sharp? No, never.

Looking past his shoulder, I saw the guest staring at the Deputy Team Leader with glinting eyes before curling one corner of his mouth upward.

“It seems there’s someone here with a bit of intuition.”

“Normally I might not care, but with so much information coming in, I can’t help but notice.”

“If that’s the case, there shouldn’t be a reason to block me.”

A smile played on the man’s face as if he had discovered something amusing. I couldn’t see the Deputy Team Leader’s expression, but he showed no sign of backing down.

“…….”

The longer this confrontation lasted, the worse it was for us. Recalling the conversation I had heard in the elevator, I stepped out from behind the Deputy Team Leader and took a step forward.

“Um, Guest.”

“Yes, Ha-neul-ssi.”

Where had that sharp attitude toward the Deputy Team Leader gone? He looked at me with eyes as mild as could be. I had seen it just moments ago, but it was still a difficult transition to get used to. After choosing my words carefully, I spoke.

“I’m sorry, Guest. There is a matter that requires me to be cautious for a while.”

“Is something wrong?”

“Since it is an internal departmental matter, it is difficult for me to say.”

The culprit had not been caught yet. Furthermore, since this was a matter within the Hunter Department, it wasn’t appropriate to leak it to the outside. Even though he was someone who visited the department whenever there was business—and even though he was handsome—the guest was ultimately just someone I was meeting for the second time today.

“…….”

He looked somewhat stunned, as if he hadn’t expected those words, which made me feel a bit guilty. With an awkward smile, I explained the situation to him once more.

“I will process Hunter Kim Se-hyun’s cooperation fee immediately if you come by tomorrow. If you are busy, you can come by some other time.”

I mentioned “next time,” but I secretly hoped he would collect it soon. It was better to get unpleasant tasks out of the way early.

When I finished speaking, the Deputy Team Leader patted my back. I looked to the side to find him grinning at me with a gaze full of pride.

“…….”

I had only said what needed to be said, so receiving such a look was embarrassing. My face began to heat up as he made no effort to hide how impressed he was. If it got any hotter, my face felt like it might actually catch fire. Clearing my throat, I brought my hand to my mouth and watched as he, after a few more pats on my back, took a step forward.

“Well then, we shall be on our way.”

His voice was a pitch higher than usual. Yes, he was definitely feeling proud. After delivering the words, the Deputy Team Leader signaled for us to go. I offered my farewell to the guest.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Wait a moment!”

“…Yes?”

I didn’t expect him to suddenly grab my wrist. Stopping in my tracks, I looked up to see the guest roughly ruffling his own hair.

“…Gil!”

“Yes, Guest.”

He seemed to have said something, but I couldn’t hear it well. When I turned to face him fully, he seemed to hesitate before opening his mouth. I leaned in to listen.

“Give me your number.”

“Which number are you referring to?”

“Your cell phone number.”

“…My number?”

“Yes.”

I was curious about his intention behind suddenly asking for my phone number. While I was failing to hide my bewilderment, my gaze was stolen by him asking for the number once more.

If anyone saw us right now, they might mistakenly think there were two squids hovering around a handsome man. I had a brief, ridiculous thought about what it must be like to live as someone so good-looking before snapping back to my senses as the hand holding my wrist let go.

I didn’t even know when my phone had been handed over to the guest. After typing in a number and even placing a confirmation call, he held the phone out to me. Still feeling dazed, I took the phone back.

“I’ll be in touch, Ha-neul-ssi.”

“Oh… yes.”

He walked out of the building leisurely, as if his business were finished. I stared vacantly at his retreating back before meeting the eyes of the Deputy Team Leader, who looked like he had a lot to say.

“How about changing your number?”

“It’s a number I’ve used for a long time.”

“Please consider it seriously.”

“Haha.”

I wondered if such a situation would actually arise. Even if a situation came where I absolutely had to change it, I had no intention of doing so. It was one of the few remaining traces of contact I had with my late parents.

The phone in my inner coat pocket felt heavier than usual. Pretending to straighten my clothes, I stroked the phone, took a deep breath, and stood up straight.

It seemed I had gotten too deep into my thoughts while leaving the Deputy Team Leader standing there. I spoke to him with a smile.

“Shall we go then?”

“Let’s. Get some good rest when you get home.”

“Yes, Deputy Team Leader.”

I was already planning to spend time on my bed after tidying up the housework. It was an ordinary routine, but there was nothing better.

The Deputy Team Leader, who had been watching me silently, gave a nod. I nodded back and immediately set off on the way home with him.

…Completely unaware of the extraordinary event that would be waiting for me at home.