Business Partners | A Novel ❖

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Seonghwa felt sick.

He could, not, believe, that he had slept with someone on his first night in China.

Slept with a man.

Laying on his bed, he smacked his head back into his pillow repeatedly, feeling nauseous. How in the fuck had he ended up fucking another male in a bathroom cubicle? Surely the alcohol couldn't have made him do it... He hadn't even drunk that much...

Just then, his alarm on his phone started buzzing - an alarm he'd set to make sure he'd at least get a few hours sleep before he'd need to get up and get ready for work.

Fucking fuck, he swore to himself. How?!

But it didn't matter how.

It had happened.

And there was no changing the fact.

Maybe, with a bit of luck, he'd feel better as the morning went on...

~~~

Seonghwa still felt sick.

He'd been at work for hours, but he still felt that filthy disgust every time that guy's pornographic moans broke into his thoughts as he'd fucked him into the bathroom door...

Suddenly, his phone started buzzing in his hand, and Seonghwa thanked god for the distraction.

Picking it up, he saw that it was his roommate. He answered, swallowing back his sickness. 'Wooyoung,' he said simply. 'You still coming to the country?'

He listened to Wooyoung take control of the conversation. 'Hwa, I know I said my plane arrives tonight, but I am going to say this once, and only once. Do not call me. Do not come and pick me up from the airport, and do not contact me, for at least 24 hours. I swear to god, I am going to be MIA, do not disturb me at all, and I swear to god even if you ring, I will not be answering.'

Seonghwa rolled his eyes before putting the phone back to his ear. 'I get it. You're going to be busy with extracurriculars. No need to explain.'

'Just making sure you know.'

'Got it, loud and clear. Oop- my boss is coming. Call me when you're done fucking.'

'Oo, boss man. Have fun...' 👀

Seonghwa choked. Something about his voice... 'Wait what was that supposed to mea-' A dial tone cut him off, and good thing it did, because just at that moment, his boss raised an eyebrow at him as he walked up and stood before him. Seonghwa put his mobile down awkwardly and nodded.

It was quiet in the lobby of the hotel, and the heels of Mr. Kang's dress shoes slicked on the polished tile floor as he walked up.

'Good morning Park,' he said, very obviously looking him up and down.

Seonghwa shifted his weight on his feet, uncomfortable under his scrutinous gaze. 'Good morning...'

Mr. Kang very slowly blinked as he watched Seonghwa. A cunning expression crossed his face before he put his hands in his pockets. 'Looks like someone had some fun last night.'

Seonghwa's eyes widened. He couldn't possibly mean...

His boss lifted one hand to tap the skin on his own neck before he smirked. 'You've got a bit of...' His sentence trailed off, and as Seonghwa lifted his hand to touch his own neck, his fingers reached a tender spot...

His soul left his body.

Hickey.

Mr. Kang tsked his tongue. 'Deary me. In future, no marks above the collar line. Is that clear?'

Seonghwa gulped, nodding. 'Y-yes.'

'Yes what?' he snapped back.

Seonghwa quickly stammered to correct his mistake. 'Yes, Mr. Kang.'

He narrowed his eyes, unimpressed. 'Good. Let's go.'

Seonghwa forced his feet to carry him after his boss who was striding towards the elevators. 'We have three business proposals to attend today, and afterwards we need to have the details for tomorrow's meeting flawless. We cannot risk looking like laymen.'

Seonghwa nodded, wondering who on earth had been able to get Mr. Kang all flustered and stressed... It wasn't like him to be anything less than perfectly calm, collected and charismatic. And so it felt weird to see him on edge...

'I trust you are on your game?' Mr. Kang suddenly asked.

But Seonghwa was guilty of having drifted off for a moment, taken over by the sudden image of the bathroom, sparked by the discovery of his hickey out on display.

Seonghwa had never worn a hickey to work. Ever. But suddenly, he was so incredibly conscious that it was making him physically ill...

Mr. Kang suddenly stopped, causing Seonghwa to almost run into his back. 'Park,' he snapped harshly, bringing him from his panic. He turned to face him, his eyes narrowed. 'If you weren't prepared to bear the consequences of your exotic pastimes in the workplace, then perhaps you should have refrained from engaging,' he said sternly, yet terrifyingly.

And Seonghwa shivered. 'Y-Yes...'

'Don't stutter! Yes what?'

Seonghwa gulped. 'Yes, boss.'

~~~

It was late. So goddamn late. But Mr. Kang had not left the office yet, and therefore, he couldn't either.

Padding up to his office, Seonghwa felt extremely anxious. The door itself was a power statement, with absolutely no way of seeing inside and getting a peek of what scene might face him.

Just do it.

He won't kill you.

Just do it...

...

Knock knock...

'Mmm.'

Taking that as a 'come in,' Seonghwa pushed the heavy door open and peeked inside.

There behind his desk, Kang Yeosang was standing with his back to him with a ledger in his hands. His jacket was strewn on the couch near the door, and his sleeves were rolled to his elbows.

As he turned around, his expression was unable to be read. 'Seonghwa. What a surprise. You're still here. I would have thought you'd've gone back for the night. How can I help you?'

Stepping inside, the moment the door shut, Seonghwa flinched. 'I- I was wondering whether there was anything I could do to be of assistance.' A kind way of saying, how can I help you finish your fucking work so we can go home?

Mr. Kang raised an eyebrow. 'Intriguing question. Are you prepared to hold to that?'

Seonghwa felt an unexplained shiver tear down his spine. 'Of course. That is why I asked.'

Mr. Kang nodded slowly, watching with those calculating eyes. 'Whatever I need?'

Seonghwa nodded, gulping. Why had that sounded so... suspicious...?

'What I really need...' he paused, biting his lip for a moment as he looked Seonghwa up and down. 'What I need from you, Seonghwa, is for you to go back to the hotel and sleep. We have an important meeting tomorrow morning and I need you on your game.'

Seonghwa almost choked. He didn't know why he was so nervous all of a sudden. 'No that's oka-'

'Go home.' His voice was stern and final. It rang through the room as cold as iron, and Seonghwa jolted. 'That was not a request.'

Seonghwa nodded, gulping. 'Okay. I'll see you tomorrow.'

His boss nodded. 'Goodnight, Seonghwa.'

~~~