"Did you heard that gossip?" 

 

"What do you mean?" 

 

"Oh my god, you didn't? Other employees say that our CEO is weird!"

 

"Weird? You mean some mental health issue?" 

 

"You can call it like that, tho. You know, people say that CEO Cha likes boys!"

 

Hongbin was silently standing in the small kitchen for employees with a coffee mug in his hand. He didn't let them know but he was listening to everything they were saying. It's not like he cared about CEO's uality, and he didn't even want to care. Those two should concentrate more at their work not gossiping about their CEO. They'll get themselves fired for sure.

 

He shook his head and left the room. He still had to finish some papers and handle them to Secretary Lee. You don't want to be late with your work, not even a second. He sat at his chair in front of the computer and looked at empty one on his right side. There used to be a man that was once late by ten minutes with his work. You see. He used to sit there. Not anymore.

 

"Miss Eun, Miss Kwon, can I get your paperwork? I need to finish mine with your reports," he turned to those two gossiping chickens as they walked around him giggling. "I guess you're done when you have time to chitchat so much," yes, Hongbin was deeply sarcastic and shot them cold glare but it worked pretty well. They hurried to their seat and soon he heard the silent sound of keyboard keys.

 

Okay, he has to admit, they still had time, but he just felt so irritated. Why can't they do it at home? In private? Plus, as far as Hongbin knew, both of them were single. He wished they would talk about someone he didn't know rather than CEO himself. 

 

Those two handled their reports to him within an hour and he was able to finish what he wanted. But now he got to go to Lee Jaehwan, man that could possibly be a devil's secretary. Every time he went to his desk he felt this dangerous aura around him, like blue flames. He would bet his whole belonging that even proper exorcism ritual won't help. Hopefully, he will be in good mood. He looked like a normal human when he was.

 

Hongbin stood up and walked away, founding those two gossiping again. He ignored whatever they said and left to Secretary Lee. Lee Jaehwan. CEO's right hand and a good friend. Basically, man, that is seemingly only a secretary but has similar power in the company like CEO himself.

 

Hongbin was used to expecting anything and everything when he went to him. He even prepared himself to be fired each time he got there. But he was left surprised when he saw Secretary Lee's desk empty. That was weird because he basically never left his desk. Not while CEO was in the company. And Hongbin was hundred percent sure CEO didn't leave work yet so where is that man? He looked around and was already prepared to leave when he heard some weird noise from CEO's room.

 

He shouldn't. He knew he'll have problems if he does, but curiosity took over him and he walked to door's and placed his ear on the cold wooden door.

 

"Three days Jaehwan. My mother will come here in three days! How am I supposed to solve it so fast?"

 

"But I still don't know what's the problem. Why are you fussing so much?"

 

"You know my mother, from the moment my business started to get bigger she didn't stop talking about settling down and having a family."

 

"You're already thirty, Hakyeon. It's normal she ask you to settle down." 

 

"That's not the main problem here. It would be fine if she was just talking about it but she said that since I'm not showing any interest in marriage she'll bring some daughter of her friend or whatever for me to court her. But I truly have no intention of marrying some random female my mother approve!"

 

That mad voice must've belonged to CEO, Hongbin was sure of it, and second, calmer one, must belong to secretary Lee. Who would think that he could sound so calm? 

 

"Then tell your mother you already have a lover."

 

"That won't work. She would want to see her."

 

"Than just take whoever with you so your mother will assume you are indeed dating. You still can say you just broke up."

 

"Oh come on! Poor girl will get so scared of my mother she would do whatever my mother wants. And my mother wants me to get married!"

 

"So your mother will make sure you'll get married to your fake lover?"

 

"For sure. No other options."

 

Hongbin was so into eavesdropping that when he heard elevator ringing he pushed against doorknob and literally fell inside the CEO's room. It didn't take him long to realize what just happened and to easily figure out that he just made himself an ex-employee. If he wasn't so embarrassed he would slap himself.

 

He quickly stood up and bowed as deeply as he could. "I'm really sorry for my shameless behavior. I wanted to hand reports to Secretary Lee in the first place and I should go back and not eavesdrop. I'm really sorry. I will fully understand if you'll fire me," at least he apologized. Hongbin knew that lies and excuses would make his situation even worse. He wouldn't dare to do so.

 

He kept on being bent down, papers tightly pressed to his chest. He became more and more nervous they weren't saying anything. He peaked up to check what's happening and got even scared when he saw a smugly face on both, his boss and secretary.

 

"Straighten yourself," he heard CEO to say and he did that immediately, avoiding any eye contact with those two.

 

"Yes sir," Hongbin squeezed those papers even tighter.

 

"Normally, you would be fired..."

 

"I know sir, I'm sorry"

 

"... But I have a deal for you."

 

Hongbin looked up completely surprised. What does his boss mean? Does it mean he's not fired? What does he mean by that?

 

"May I ask what deal are you talking about?" Hongbin felt so small under his boss gaze. His secretary was a devil but this man was king of the hell. He guesses even whole religion would be powerless towards him.

 

"I'm sure you heard most of our conversation so you have an image of what I'm trying to solve. My mother will come in three days from today and will stay for a week," he walked to his chair and sat into it, like it was his personal throne and with whole honesty Hongbin must've admitted he gave off an impression of the sovereign of darkness. "I want you to become my lover for the time till my mother will be here."

 

Hongbin must've heard bad. Or he was still hallucinating from the shock of being fired. Actually, he'd rather be fired than this right?

 

"Plus," there is some plus? Could there be something worse? "You will be working directly under Secretary Lee. You'll become the director of your department."

 

This man is mad.

 

He is a madman if he things Hongbin will agree to be his boss' lover.

 

No.

 

Never.

 

~~~

 

.

 

Why did he nod? Why did he agree? What's wrong with Lee Hongbin? How can he possibly act like his boss' lover? And yet here he was, packing some of his belonging into luggage to move it into his boss' apartment. He could clearly hear his voice. 

 

*"Make sure to bring some of your personal stuff to my apartment. If there will be nothing, it will be weird. Plus pack some clothes as well. We have to act like living together so for the next three days you'll live with me. No objections. You should be ready till 8 PM today. My driver will pick you up at your apartment at that time. Tomorrow we'll go to take some photos and make them framed. There should be something looking like our memories together.*

 

Hongbin couldn't imagine two of them taking pictures. How could he, really? That dark aura was making him so scary, he would never feel comfortable around older.

 

Hongbin sighed and continue packing. Just a week. Ten days. He had to admit that positives overweight negatives. To imagine that he'll become a director of the department that he was working at was tempting. Yes, he found it difficult to play a lover to a man, but maybe if he acted like a best friend or something it will be just as persuading as if they were lovers, right?

 

He looked at the clock. It was almost time to leave to hell. He was sure that place would be hell. How can he act like a friend with his boss? Man, that wears only suit each time Hongbin could steal a glance and each time he did he was coldly firing someone. He was just lucky for such situations.

 

He closed his luggage and exited his cozy apartment. He kept on saying to himself that its just for ten days, he will get back really soon. He believed it. But he will miss his place, he had to admit.

 

Just as his boss said, a driver was waiting for him in front of the building. He took his luggage, putting it into the car and opened the door for him. He sat in and took a last glance at his home.

 

Hongbin wasn't a person who would be super sad or super excited. He just wanted to have a peaceful life with steady work. Yes, he should find a girlfriend and back at school he used to date but now it was just him and his work. He didn't really think about the future. He was satisfied with how it was now and didn't expect anything more. When you expect you're just disappointed later on.

 

The driver stopped at one of the most expensive buildings in Seoul. How not surprising. Of course, his boss would live here, not in a simple home similar to his. Hongbin opened the door and stepped out. Servants took his luggage and showed him the way to Mister Cha apartment complex. At some point, servants stopped in front of the door and didn't go in.

 

"Please enter. Master doesn't allow servants to enter his personal living space behind this door while he's there," one maid said and Hongbin looked a bit confused. Will he really be living with his boss under one roof completely alone? That was even more terrifying. He imagined CEO Cha Hakyeon in the suit looking with a dangerous glare at Hongbin and he just had to shook his head to get rid of it. Maybe agreeing with this mad plan was a really bad decision.

 

He slowly opened the door and get in. He looked around in awe. Space was nicely arranged, big and opened. Living room, dining room, and kitchen looked like pieces of the same room. And the kitchen looked the best. But Hongbin didn't have enough time to look more around.

 

"Here you are," he heard Cha Hakyeon and his head automatically looked at him. Hongbin was staring at his boss in shock. He imagined a lot of scenarios when he was on the way there but most definitely not what he had in front of his eyes. His boss was barefooted, in gray sweatpants and shirt with long sleeves looking at Hongbin. He must've exited the shower just a moment ago because he had a towel over his wet hair. "Close your mouth."

 

Hongbin realized his mouth was hanging open while he stared at him. He quickly closed his mouth and looked away. "I'm sorry."

 

"Come with me," he ordered and Hongbin followed him. His luggage was suddenly so loud here, he wanted to hide it somewhere. "You'll be sleeping here. I don't think it will be a good idea to sleep in one bed tho. We can save that for when my mother'll come."

 

Hongbin looked surprised at him. "Wait. We will be sleeping in one bed?" For a whole week? He must be kidding.

 

He looked at Hongbin like he was an idiot. "And how did you imagined we will look like lovers?"

 

"I-" Hongbin just sighed. He was right, normal lovers sleep in one bed. What did he get himself into?

 

"If it's clear," he turned away from Hongbin, "You'll be sleeping here. This place should be just right for you. Please, put your stuff in the bathroom and other rooms in the apartment so we won't have to worry about that later on."

 

And Hongbin did as he was told. He did everything his boss told him during the next three days. They didn't spend much time together, though they lived in the same space. They still had to go to work and Hongbin was slowly starting to get to used to fact Hakyeon ordered the driver to pick him up to work and from work and get him where he needed. Another thing that was weirder for him to do and also the hardest order he got from him was to call him by his name, Hakyeon. Hongbin still had a deep respect for older and calling him this familiarly was so unusual. Of course, he was allowed to do so only when they were in Hakyeon's apartment. As sad as it sounds he felt completely free in work. There he was himself.

 

But those three days went b