The following days felt like a haze to Joo-won, each moment blending into the next with an unsettling sense of inevitability. Kim Joon-ho's words haunted him, echoing through his mind at the most inopportune times. "Think about how much you want this. How much we both want this." The weight of those words, combined with the desire that had begun to twist inside of him, made it harder to focus on anything else.
Joo-won tried to immerse himself in his work, but the atmosphere at Hanlim Corporation felt different now. Every glance, every encounter with Kim, carried an unspoken tension. It was as if the world around him had shifted, and he was now trapped in a bubble where only Kim existed, where only the pull between them mattered.
The closer he got to the day of the big presentation, the harder it became to maintain his composure. In the meetings leading up to the event, Joo-won found himself hyper-aware of Kim's presence, his every movement under scrutiny. The briefest of touches, the quietest of words exchanged between them sent Joo-won's heart racing. He couldn't help it—he wanted Kim. He needed him.
But it wasn't just about the physical pull. There was something deeper, something Joo-won couldn't quite understand. Kim was the embodiment of everything Joo-won had once feared—a powerful, commanding figure who controlled everything and everyone around him. Yet, there was something in his gaze, something in the way he made Joo-won feel like the most important person in the room, that confused him. Was it real? Was Kim truly interested in him, or was he simply playing a game?
Joo-won's mind couldn't settle. He couldn't make sense of it. He needed answers.
That evening, after everyone else had left the office, Joo-won found himself once again in front of Kim's door. His hand hovered over the handle, uncertainty gnawing at his insides. He had to know. He couldn't keep pretending that he didn't feel the tension, the attraction, the danger of it all.
He opened the door, his heart pounding in his chest. Kim was sitting at his desk, reading through a stack of documents. He didn't look up as Joo-won entered, his focus solely on the papers in front of him.
"Joon-ho," Joo-won's voice was quiet but firm.
Kim looked up, his eyes locking onto Joo-won's. The air between them crackled with unspoken words. For a long moment, neither of them moved. Then, Kim's lips curved into a small, knowing smile.
"You finally decided to come to me." His voice was low, almost teasing, but there was an underlying seriousness to it that made Joo-won's pulse quicken.
Joo-won swallowed, his throat dry. "I can't keep pretending this isn't happening," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "I don't know what to do with these feelings, with this… connection. I don't know if I can keep fighting it."
Kim stood up from his desk and walked toward him slowly, his steps measured, deliberate. His presence filled the room, and Joo-won felt his breath catch in his throat.
"Joo-won," Kim said softly, his voice almost a whisper, "you don't have to fight it. You don't have to pretend anymore. I've seen how you look at me. I've felt it too. And I know you're scared, but that's part of it. The fear, the thrill… it makes everything more real."
Joo-won felt a shiver run down his spine as Kim's hand gently cupped his chin, lifting his face to meet his gaze. There was no escape now. The lines between them had already been blurred, and he was standing on the precipice, unsure if he was ready to leap.
"I'm scared, too," Joo-won admitted, his voice barely audible. "But I can't keep denying what's happening."
Kim's thumb brushed over Joo-won's bottom lip, and he leaned in slowly, his breath warm against Joo-won's skin. "You don't have to. We don't have to hide anymore."
And then, without another word, Kim closed the distance between them, his lips claiming Joo-won's in a kiss that was both soft and urgent. The moment their mouths met, Joo-won's world seemed to fall away. There was no office, no responsibilities, no fear—there was only the taste of Kim, the heat of his body, and the overwhelming desire that had been building between them.
Joo-won's hands moved instinctively, reaching for Kim, pulling him closer, feeling the undeniable pull between them. He felt Kim's arms wrap around him, pulling him tight against his chest as the kiss deepened. Every inch of his body responded to Kim's touch, to his dominance, and he couldn't stop himself.
But just as quickly as it started, Kim pulled back, his hands resting on Joo-won's shoulders as he looked down at him with an unreadable expression.
"This is it," Kim said, his voice steady but intense. "There's no going back now. You have to decide if this is what you really want."
Joo-won's heart raced in his chest as he stared into Kim's eyes. The decision was in his hands now. He could walk away, walk out of the room, and pretend none of this ever happened. But he knew, deep down, that he couldn't. The line had already been crossed.
"I want this," Joo-won whispered, his voice filled with certainty.
Kim's eyes darkened, and he stepped closer once again, his lips brushing against Joo-won's ear. "Then you'll have to accept the consequences," he murmured. "Everything changes from here."
Joo-won nodded, the weight of his decision settling over him like a heavy cloak. He had crossed the line. And there was no turning back.