My Bloody Valentine - 11

A cool and poisonous gaze, like that of a snake, seemed to meticulously scan Han’s body.

Layer by layer, the protective shield covering his body was stripped away, and Han felt as if his body was being exposed to the piercing gaze. He tightly bit his bitten lips and rushed into the shop as if escaping from them.

As Han passed by, Jina gave him a sly glance and smiled faintly.

“Living… really surprising. Seems like that guy has some hidden talents.”

“Talents?”

“The one who just left, Director Wilhelmina Sunwoo-hee. The daughter-in-law of Daesung Group. She usually doesn’t pay much attention to the guys and always flirts with them, picking one on each side. But today, she tied that guy solo for six hours.”

“…”

The end of Taesin’s cigarette, burned down to the filter, pressed against the wall.

A little earlier, when their eyes met as Han turned after seeing off the guest and his white teeth, which had a bewildered expression when he noticed her, bit down on his plump lower lip, Taesin once again felt that sensation.

A feeling of itching somewhere unreachable.

Not knowing the cause or solution made it more worrisome. Taesin, feeling a discomfort as if his insides were turning upside down, asked Jina.

“Who’s the most popular guy among the guys here?”

“The ace is probably Hajun.”

“The one who sells the best to male customers?”

“That’s also Hajun. In terms of beauty, there’s no distinction between men and women.”

“…That guy. Send her to my room. Right now.”

With those words, Taesin left. Only Jina, left alone, watched Taesin’s back with an unknowable gaze.

Located in the heart of the city, Lime Hotel is a business hotel with a convenience store and a restaurant on the first floor and a Type 1 establishment on the two underground floors.

The entire building, constructed by Cheongsong Construction, had passed into the name of Jang Taesin earlier this year. At the age of his twenties, he had already become a billionaire.

People knew that he obtained this hotel as a reward for accepting the position of executive director at Cheongsong Construction. While it was somewhat true, Taesin was a somewhat special existence to the chairman of Cheongsong Construction, Bae Jeonggil.

When Bae, the chairman, who had grown up from an orphanage, from multilevel marketing to usury, went to a place for entertainment to entertain guests, he met seventeen-year-old Taesin, who was working as a guard. And it was as if he had caught sight of his own childhood. Since then, he had watched Taesin’s growth for ten years. To him, who had lost his wife early and had no children, Taesin became like a son he had never had. Despite Taesin seeming to have no interest other than the money he offered.

On the 15th floor, the top floor of the hotel, there were four suite rooms. Among them, the innermost room was where Taesin resided.

Upon opening the door, there was a corridor leading to the living room. Passing through the corridor, the front of the living room, beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass window, offered a panoramic view of downtown Seoul.

The spacious area, made up of monotones, was neat with no unnecessary items. In the living room with a huge gray fabric sofa, there was a black desk for simple office work, and Taesin sat on the desk, smoking a cigarette.

An indescribable anxiety dried up his mouth. And as he lit his second cigarette, a bell sound rang, and a man sent by Jina arrived.

With calm steps, the well-built man entered and stood in front of Taesin. Taesin’s gaze swept over the man’s face and body as if examining him.

“Hello, Director.”

Hajun, who had met people of all kinds, regardless of age or gender, couldn’t help but feel nervous at the mention of being summoned by Director Jang Taesin.

Due to hearing several times not to encounter Director Taesin on a rainy day, as if it were some kind of superstition, he first checked the weather. However, the weather, transitioning into full autumn, was not humid but rather dry and clear.

How many times had he been caught skimming off the money from occupying the table? Well, it was just a few hundred… Director Taesin’s obsession with money was well-known among those working in this environment, making Hajun’s thoughts even more complicated.

“Are you Hajun?”

“Yes. I’m Park Hajun.”

“…”

Most players here were around 180-185cm tall. The guests who came here rarely had a preference for a rugged style, and most preferred someone sleek and model-like. Those in their twenties and thirties were the most popular.

Hajun, who, at the age of twenty-six, worked as a part-time fitting model for an online shopping mall, satisfied all these conditions.

The smoke that seeped through Taesin’s lips scattered into the air like slow motion. His slightly raised eyes continued to scrutinize Hajun as if assessing him.

Although Hajun had come here following the scent of money after shedding the label of a minor, just that gaze was enough to make him shrink. Even the flow of the air seemed to slow down.

Taesin loosely commanded by lighting his cigarette through the door crack.

“Take off your clothes.”

“…Yes.”

After a brief hesitation, Hajun began to undress. As he removed each piece, shirt, pants, and underwear, a well-maintained body like a ballet dancer was revealed.

Hajun, who poured millions of won each month into personal training and pilates, creating a body focused on lines rather than volume, revealed a body where small muscles adhered, firm yet curvaceous, which appealed well to both women and men. Even the meticulously waxed genitals were smoothly groomed.

Taesin’s gaze moved from Hajun’s face to his neck, shoulders, quite firm-looking chest, then to his stomach with beautifully carved abs, near the genitals, the straight and firm legs, finally reaching his toes.

With a click, Taesin, who crushed the cigarette butt into the ashtray, straightened up from his leaning posture and approached Hajun.

He was more than ten centimeters taller than Hajun, who was 184cm tall. Although Hajun felt extremely tense, he tried not to show it.

Taesin, who approached closely, lifted Hajun’s chin with his hand and scrutinized him as if disassembling him piece by piece.

Even though Hajun undoubtedly possessed a beautiful appearance that anyone would admire, Taesin seemed unimpressed. It was the kind of feeling that tickled somewhere delicate like a feather.

Turning Hajun’s face in various angles for observation, it seemed like Taesin lost interest. He pushed Hajun’s face away with a poke, as if dismantling it.

“…Enough. Go out.”

Hajun, momentarily showing a bewildered expression at the clear expression of refusal, quickly gathered his clothes. Ignoring Hajun, Taesin went to the window, showing his back to him.

It was 9 a.m., a time when the day was dawning on the Han River, and the road next to the flowing river was filled with a lineup of cars hurrying to work.

Hajun, who had managed to put on his pants and grabbed his upper garment, bowed toward Taesin’s back.

“Then, I’ll go.”

Unable to confirm anything, Taesin, who was about to twist and pull down his tie knot with a sense of oppression, hesitated for a moment.

“Ah… wait a moment.”

Han went straight to his room, stripped off his clothes, and entered the bathroom. While taking a shower, he washed away the wax and stifling makeup from his hair thoroughly.

Emerging from the bathroom with a refreshed body, he changed into casual clothes and headed back to the men’s waiting room to return the rental shirt he had worn today. He needed to return it to its original place by 10 a.m. for the laundry collection. If not, he would have to pay late fees.

While putting his clothes into the laundry collection bin, Han encountered Jaegu, who was still there before his shift ended. Even though he had seen his face several times, it felt quite pleasant to meet someone familiar.

Jaegu inquired about how he had been these past few days, not having seen him around. However, when he heard about Han going shopping with Yujung a few days ago, Jaegu’s expression turned sulky, like a deflated marimo.

“So… you went with Yujung, just the two of you? Without me?”

“Huh? Uh… well…”

Suddenly, Jaegu changed his stance and started prying more aggressively. It was like watching a normal person transform into a zombie.

“Oh, really? Are you serious? How could you do that to me, Hyung? How did I take care of you on the first day!”

“Uh?”

“Did you have a meal? Did you two eat or not?”

“We did eat…”

“Ah, Hyung!”

Jaegu was angry. Yujung, who was she? She was the girl who, with caution, confessed her own confession to him, revealing her own confession about her disgust with the players here. However, who went shopping with her? And ate a meal, just the two of them?

Han, who had extended a hand first, saying, “Let’s get along well from the first day,” felt the atmosphere of repayment and estrangement. However, Jaegu thought of Yujung again.

“…Next time, take me with you.”

“Yeah. Next time, I’ll definitely go with you for shopping.”

“No, that’s not what I mean. If you have anything to do, like eating with Yujung, take me with you.”

Yujung was pretty, and beauty was an unchanging truth, so there were many people who recognized it.

She immediately called the bouncers and blacklisted the guests when she showed a little attitude. The guests went crazy and wanted to spend time with Yujung.

A few days ago, Jaegu witnessed a high-ranking executive from a large company who came and said, “Junga, my brother will take good care of you,” gently patting her as if coaxing her. Jaegu blocked her without a second thought when she talked about her own confession.

“Ah, okay, okay. But Jaegu, do you… by any chance, like Jungi?”

“…”

Do you really have to ask that? It’s ridiculous. Jaegu’s gaze, which looked at Han as if he were absurd, was fixed on Han’s face.

Oh, right? Now that I think about it, Han is pretty. A white face that could be covered with just one fist, large pupils like go pieces placed on it, and a gentle face with slightly drooping long eye tails. Damn, are pretty people flocking together like that?

Jaegu glanced at the mirror absentmindedly. He sighed.

At that moment, the waiting room door creaked open, and Hajun entered. If Yujung was the top among the female staff, undoubtedly, Hajun was the top among the players.

Whether he had to take off his clothes or not, as he pulled down his T-shirt while entering, Jaegu sighed again at the faintly visible abs of Hajun.

Hajun, who had entered the waiting room, looked around.

“Is there someone named Lee Han here? Who is Lee Han?”

“Me? I’m here.”

Han raised one hand like a student answering the teacher.

“Director Jang is looking for you. Room 1501.”

“…!”

Han’s hand, which was raised, fell abruptly. His bewildered eyes swayed aimlessly. Like someone who received a death sentence.