The heavy doors of the conference room opened with a soft click. Morning light streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows as a hush fell over the table. Executives straightened their suits. Assistants stopped typing. Everyone turned.
Chairman Jang sat at the head of the long glass table, unmoved, his face stoic. To his right sat Hyunwoo, dressed in a tailored black suit, shoulders squared but eyes distant. Opposite them sat the Mayor, relaxed but commanding in his presence.
They were halfway through quarterly reports when the door creaked again.
This time, footsteps echoed.
A man stepped into the room.
He was small-framed, about 22, but carried himself with elegance. Raven-black hair fell just over his brows. His skin glowed like porcelain. Sharp eyes—soft in shape but piercing in emotion. He wore a fitted navy suit, a silver pin on his collar that hinted at high rank. A man you couldn't help but look at.
Hyunwoo's pen slipped from his fingers. A soft clatter.
The young man smiled—genuine, warm, like the sun cutting through winter clouds. His eyes locked onto Hyunwoo's. Something silent passed between them.
But Hyunwoo didn't smile back.
His face stiffened. His eyes turned away, red-rimmed and glassy. He blinked, hard. Once. Twice.
Chairman Jang's expression darkened as if a ghost had entered the room.
"You're... back?" he muttered.
The young man bowed politely to the Mayor. " Thank you for inviting me, Mayor Hwang. I'm honored."
Mayor Hwang grinned warmly.
"I trust you more than anyone."
He continued, "Having you oversee the restructuring is the best decision I've made this year."
Hyunwoo's hands clenched under the table.
Seo Soobin.
That was his name. The man who once held Hyunwoo's heart.
Soobin took a seat near the Mayor, purposely ignoring Chairman Jang's glaring eyes and Hyunwoo's stiff posture. But every now and then, his gaze drifted to the boy across from him—the one who used to smile so easily.
Halfway through the discussion, it happened.
Hyunwoo misread a data point and gave the wrong statistic about a major acquisition's market value.
"1.2 billion won," he said confidently.
Soobin's brows furrowed. That wasn't right.
Mayor Hwang didn't notice, just nodded.
But Chairman Jang... his lips curled slightly, like a beast watching a lamb trip.
When Hyunwoo corrected himself a few seconds later, flustered, Chairman Jang laughed—sharp and sudden.
Chairman Jang's voice was icy as he addressed the room.
"Ah, he's only 18" he said dismissively.
"Mistakes happen. Let's not waste time on it."
The executives chuckled lightly, unsure.
But Hyunwoo's jaw tightened.
Soobin's eyes darted to him again. They softened.
Pain flickered behind them.
Hyunwoo glanced up just once.
Emotionless.
Empty.
Like someone whose soul had been slowly drained.
After the meeting, everyone began to leave. The Mayor patted Soobin's shoulder fondly, murmuring something about lunch. The room slowly emptied until only three remained:
Chairman Jang.
His secretary.
And Hyunwoo.
The door shut behind the last guest.
Silence.
Chairman Jang's smile vanished like mist in sunlight.
He stood.
Walked toward Hyunwoo.
The air grew heavy.
"Abeoji—anio—Hoejangnim, joesonghamnida," (Father—no—Chairman, I'm sorry) Hyunwoo said quickly, rising to his feet.
Too late.
A stack of papers slammed against his face.
Hyunwoo didn't flinch.
He stood still. Head slightly bowed. The skin on his cheek red, a paper cut stinging near his jawline.
Chairman Jang's words cut through the air, his tone frigid and filled with contempt.
"Do you think this is a school project? Playing businessman?"
"Embarrassing me in front of the Mayor?"
The secretary stood frozen, eyes wide.
"Bring it" Chairman Jang barked.
"S-Sir?"
"The stick. Now."
The secretary hesitated, hands trembling.
"I said now!"
He ran—nearly tripping—toward the Chairman's private cabinet.
Seconds later, he returned, gripping a long wooden cane. His hand shook as he offered it.
"I-It's here, sir..."
Chairman Jang snatched it, stepping toward Hyunwoo.
Hyunwoo didn't move.
His eyes were blank.
This wasn't new.
He had stopped resisting years ago.
Just as the cane raised into the air—
THWACK!
But it didn't hit Hyunwoo.
A hand had grabbed it.
Delicate. Slender.
Blood trickled down Soobin's palm, where the edge had scraped his skin.
Hyunwoo gasped, "Hyung—!" [Older brother/term of respect]
Soobin turned, wincing slightly. "Gwaenchana." (I'm okay.)
His voice was gentle, but his eyes—cold. Sharp.
He stared at Chairman Jang, unblinking.
The Chairman growled, "What the hell are you doing here?!"
"I came to stop you" Soobin said plainly.
"You shouldn't be surprised. You'll be seeing me every day from now on."
His tone turned steel. "Get used to it."
Chairman Jang's eyes flared with rage.
Soobin's lips curled into a smile—but it didn't reach his eyes.
"You know how close I am to the Mayor. If you touch Hyunwoo again like this, I'll make sure the Mayor hears every detail."
Chairman Jang said nothing. His nostrils flared. He dropped the cane, storming out with his secretary trailing behind.
The door slammed shut.
Silence.
Only Hyunwoo and Soobin remained.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then—softly—
"Oraenmaniya..." (Long time no see...) Soobin said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Hyunwoo nodded. "Ne. Oraenmaniya." (Yeah. Long time.)
Soobin took a step closer.
His expression shifted—open, vulnerable.
"I missed you," he murmured. "I waited so long just to see your face. To hear your voice. You have no idea how much I—"
Before he could finish, he hugged Hyunwoo tightly.
His arms wrapped around him with the kind of desperation only someone still in love could feel.
Hyunwoo stood still.
Confused.
Frozen.
So many emotions surged at once—pain, longing, anger, regret, confusion.
He missed him too.
But he couldn't say it.
He wouldn't.
So he just stood there.
Letting himself be held.
Because for the first time in years—
He didn't feel alone.