Business Partners | A Novel ❖

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Seonghwa had been in his boss's hotel room for hours now, going over papers with him in the dim orange glow of the lamp. Ties and jackets had been long ago cast aside, and top buttons undone. An important meeting was to be held tomorrow, requiring a mile of paperwork to be completed.

Everything needed to be flawless.

And so Seonghwa had kept his nose stuck so diligently in his files, that he startled when movement behind him broke through his concentration.

Heart beating a little stronger with surprise, he looked up to find his boss walking over towards him with two glasses of water, one of which he gladly accepted. He idly watched Mr. Kang move to sit on the edge of his bed while he sipped from his glass, and perhaps it was just because it was late and he was tired, but suddenly, Seonghwa found his gaze gatching on the way his throat moved as he swallowed...

Mr. Kang's eyes immediately narrowed. 'See something intriguing?' He reached over and put his glass on the bedside table, leaning back on his hands as he watched him.

Gulping, Seonghwa realised he'd been staring and stuttered. 'I-I uh, umm...'

'Words,' he snapped. There was such a strong air of authority to his voice, and it made him shiver... 'I have told you before that when you speak to me, you use your words.' He levelled his eyes.

Seonghwa had absolutely no idea what to say. It must have been the sleep deprivation... Somehow, his demanding words were affecting him differently to expected...

'Correct yourself. One...'

Glancing at his throat, his eyes slid down a little to the swatch of skin showing where the neck of his shirt parted...

'Two...'

Mr. Kang stood up and walked over to where he was sitting at the desk, taking his chin roughly in his hand and forcing him to look up at him. His eyes were piercing as he stared down at him with that demanding look.

Suddenly, Seonghwa couldn't speak...

And he didn't want to...

'Three...'

When words didn't surface, Kang nodded, accepting that he had made his decision. 'You just disobeyed my instruction. Do you know that?'

He gulped, chin still being held firmly. 'Mhm...'

His grip suddenly tightened substantially, and his eyes hardened. 'Words.'

'Y-yes.'

'Yes what?'

'Yes Sir-'

Mr. Kang nodded. 'Would you say I am a respectable boss?'

'U-uh-'

'Don't stutter.'

'Yes, Sir.'

'Then I should take disciplinary action, don't you think?'

'Yes... Sir...' He gulped.

And Kang nodded, retracting his hand. 'I wasn't going to do this, but you make it quite difficult to restrain from...'

Confused, Seonghwa watched him take a step back.

But suddenly, when he spoke, he felt his heart stop.

'Take your shirt off.'

'I-I- What?'

'Stop stuttering and use your words to question me.' He glanced at his watch before taking it off and tossing it onto the top of the bedside table, clinking as it hit the water glass. 'It is past work hours and you are free to go. Or, you can stay right here, and receive punishment for disobeying me. The choice is yours.'