Their arms holding the safe within their hold.

∞

8:55 am

The second week of July; the first day of it, and a suffocating heat throughout Seoul as the upcoming rain was hidden beneath the dark clouds that merged in the sky, covered the blue shade in a gray one, and no ounce of daylight down the city. 

Yet the day needed to be continued; especially, for the pairs bound together for another step towards their purposes. 

A black familiar car was being driven among the others; Lee Kang-min in his navy suit had his hands firm on the steering as he drove carefully towards Choi Myung-Soo's company but now was under the hold of the business partners, as well as life partners, seated behind on the backseat with a silence, a definite surprise for Kang-min since the pair barely keep their mouths shut around each other. 

Yet he could sense something different; a kind of a tension within their silence and them. 

“Hae-Jin has already reached there,” 

Kang-min informed, breaking the thickening ice of tension, as Baekhyun met his eyes through the rear-view mirror; seated in a striped black suit with a white button down, while his silver hair in his formal manner of upward style, to glance at his wife, clad in a v-neck black sleeveless jumpsuit, in a wrapped style with a thin belt, and he had seen her at home in this attire while getting ready in their room yet he wasn't able to take his eyes off again. 

How was she able to look like this without trying as if she didn't need to? 

It was just her. 

Her eyes focused on her phone screen with a frown; a bit of squint in them, as he discerned how she needed her frames at the moment before her head tilted down more for her hair on the front side of her left to hide her side-profile from his eyes in a disturbing manner until she tucked the strands behind her ear to glance at her silver ring of their wedding, and the golden studs in her earlobe matched with a golden coco-crush pendant around her neck, as his eyes traced her rosy lips to the apple of her cheek in an utmost vision. 

“What were you saying, Lee?” 

Baekhyun flinched, and turned away in a flush of warmth within him, and a quick of his heartbeat; damn it, he pledged not to do it, yet he was drowning in her captivation without her doing anything for him. 

He still wasn't able to get that night, and moment out of his mind; he almost lost his sanity there. 

He shouldn't be; he had been erected on his feet, and emotions, yet again, he couldn't win whenever it was about her. 

More after the curiosity about her; more after those words, and her entire existence foremost. 

“Hae-Jin informed me about the employees filling up slowly; the factory workers are informed about their jobs too and the talks are already being talked in the town.”

“Alright.” Iseul nodded. “We checked through the employees resumes last night,” She trailed off, glancing at Baekhyun to find him looking back at her in the moment, as she met his eyes in a sudden warmth of a reminder from that night's moment to feel her cheeks heating up but was quick to compose herself as she looked back at Kang-min through the rear-view. “We still have to check through some of them.”

“Especially the ones who were in charge of handling the marketing, and organization.”

Baekhyun added, as he checked through his Rolex by his elbow placed on the console between them to feel Iseul's bare elbow brushing his forearm as she shoved her phone in her purse with a soft clink of her wristwatch against his knuckles for Iseul to look at him immediately by the action to meet his eyes already on her in an intent manner; she was quick to pull away with a swallow of her sudden dry throat. 

She was feeling strange around him and within her; every bit of surrounding whenever he was around her. 

The moment from that night hadn't let her sleep well; his warm touch lingered around her skin like a burning sensation, and the close proximity of his kept flashing in her head like a chant. 

Not to mention the bladed scar she saw; his way of staring at the food for a good minute before eating, the words of his echoing in her head, and the flashes of their time together from nine years ago reminding her of her closed emotions; his behavior, and their bond, and how he couldn't be the boy who would do that kind of thing after his own father was targeted for this kind of betrayal. 

The more it was slowly doting up to her; the more unpleasant guilt was gripping her heart. 

“We have arrived.”

Kang-min's words echoed; Iseul snapped out, before she could have gotten more in the trance of her drowning thoughts about Baekhyun, as she glanced outside through the window of Baekhyun's side to find a few people walking through the entrance before she felt Baekhyun tilting his head towards her as she met his eyes to find a familiar look of his endeavor. 

“Sweetheart.”

Iseul's forehead creased at his tone yet couldn't neglect the way it sent a warm waver into her system and his head tilted, to find his lips curving up in a knowing smirk. “Let's make a grand entrance together.”

“Of course,” Iseul nodded to herself as she opted to unbuckle her seatbelt, “You wouldn't sleep at night without your grand entrances, darling.”

“I see you still imagine me in bed.”

Iseul heard him with a slight chuckle; the sound of his seatbelt being unbuckled echoed, and she scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Why not a coffin?” 

Without answering her; she found him stepping out as she blew out a deep breath to not to lose her calm as she looked at Kang-min through the rear-view for him to give her a tired expression; the look of how he had been enduring this behavior of her husband for years now as she shook her head, and as she had opted to open the door, it was opened by the outside force, and there he was standing with an elegance of his suit. 

“I'd still be y in the coffin, sweetheart.”

His one eyebrow raised contrasting with his words; Iseul couldn't deny it, as she kept her eyes on him for a moment until his left hand was extending towards her with a tilt of his head as if gesturing her that it was the time for their grand entrance, and with a look, she placed her right hand on his palm as a sudden yet familiar warmth rushed into them until she had stepped out, but a surprise to her system at his gesture of holding his other hand by the top of the car above her head in the air as he closed the door behind her. 

Another waver into her chest, and her hand unconsciously tightened against his palm for Baekhyun to glance at it, to meet her eyes and they held confusion, and Iseul opted to pull back only for him to drop down their hands together until he laced their fingers in a firm hold yet sending a warmth throughout. 

Not just her but him as well; together. 

“I don't like this name.”

Baekhyun uttered, glancing at the name of Choi Myung-Soo's company with a bitterness to feel Iseul humming; her shoulder brushing against his upper-arm as she stood straight beside him with her words afterwards. “We can just change it,” She paused, for Baekhyun to meet her eyes; a sass in them. “We're the owners now.”

Baekhyun his lips; damn, she appeared enthralling at the moment, and he nodded, a smirk on his lips. “Right, it's ours now, sweetheart.”

Unlike anything else; this time they agreed on this, and the exchange of their acknowledging glance of a nod was enough to confirm it. 

Baekhyun gave Kang-min a nod; the latter understood his actions of following him suit after giving the guard to park the car as the next minute, the pair had started walking together with their hands in a firm hold, and their backs in the sights of the people staring at them in an enchantment until they had walked through the entrance of the company; their familiar footfalls beneath the marble of the lobby echoed in the same rhythm of their steps, and their demeanor enhanced their elegancy in an empowerment together. 

A few bows of the employees standing for them to reciprocate with a nod, and among those was standing Jung Hae-Jin, as he immediately greeted the pair to be reciprocated as he led them ahead towards the elevator. 

“On which floor is our office organized, Mr. Jung?”

Iseul questioned, walking into the elevator with Baekhyun, as they stood alongside each other against the handrail; their hands still in a hold, before Kang-min and Hae-Jin stood inside for the latter to press the floor button. 

“Fourteenth floor, ma'am.” Hae-Jin said, “Mr. Choi's office was located there but his belongings are not there anymore and so is his name, hence, I arranged both yours, and Mr. Byun's in the same room for now,” He trailed off, blinking, “It happened in a bit of a hurry but I will arrange a different office if you want to, Mr. Byun.”

Baekhyun frowned. “Why me?” 

Iseul had her lips in an upside down curve at Hae-Jin's doings; he was being an excellent secretary, “We left the work to Mr. Jung and he happens to be my secretary,” She trailed off, meeting Baekhyun's confused eyes with a knowing look. “It's obvious that he'd think of for whom he works under for their benefit and it's me, darling,” She paused, to give Hae-Jin a acknowledging nod. “Good work, Mr. Jung.”

Baekhyun had his eyes narrowed at his own secretary; Lee Kang-min had his eyes roamed around the elevator that suddenly appeared beautiful unlike the strong killing gaze of his boss who happened to be his only best friend, and he shot a smile at Hae-Jin. 

“You're such a great secretary, man.”

“Unlike someone I have.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, for Kang-min to shot a look at him while Hae-Jin stood awkward and Iseul sighed at the men; unsurprising for her now. 

Yet she held her breath for a moment, the second Baekhyun's fingers slightly drummed against hers as his fingers grazed her knuckles softly to tighten his hold again. 

It was his habit of holding; whether it was steering or her hand. 

Before Iseul could have given him a look of him thinking of her hand being his steering, the elevator door had opened, and the pair walked out after the two males had stepped out, as their pace continued to the particular office while the employees from the marketing and organization department were in their respective rooms to be interviewed again. 

But the pair had another plan to execute; the storage room. 

“Is this the office?” 

Baekhyun asked, looking at the room with a hardening gaze; he was really standing with an ownership of the man's company where his father used to work, and got himself targeted with a claim of a traitor, but he had claimed it under his name, and the man was no longer in this world, as his eyes narrowed through the glass wall to look at the cityscape; the dark shade of sky was still in an indication of a rain. 

But what will it bring this time? 

“What about the name plates?” 

The moment Iseul's voice echoed; his ears perked, and he immediately glanced at her direction beside his standing figure to find her seated on the plushy couch, her leg over other with a leaned back position as she had her eyes on her secretary for Baekhyun to glance at him with his pocketed hands while turning around; his eyes discerning the emptiness of their names on the glass desk. 

“It will arrive in a few minutes.”

“Better be.” Iseul had her eyes sharpened. “I will not tolerate the irresponsible behavior of them again; it's been a week, and it should have been done by yesterday.”

Hae-Jin nodded. “Yes, ma'am.”

Baekhyun and Kang-min exchanged a glance; it wasn't the first time they were seeing the bossy side of Iseul, yet it was something unimaginable, as Baekhyun had his head tilted with a lingering gaze on his wife, and a question again; what had happened exactly in the past nine years for her to be this distant, and cold towards the world? 

Was it her father's demise? 

Was it the confusing and kind of distressing words of Ji-eun for her? 

Or was it her own words from that night? 

This time with a curiosity; he wanted to be aware of the reasons, he shouldn't be but he couldn't help it yet again. 

“How about keeping this one for good?” 

Kang-min suggested, taking attention of Baekhyun and Iseul, as her forehead creased where Kang-min shrugged. “It's not like you both will work together everyday,” He trailed off, stepping closer to the desk. “Even if we're merging the business together; you both still have your own to run, I suggest to let it be, and visit the office with turns.”

“What about their name plates?” 

Hae-Jin questioned, and Kang-min gave him a smile, “They are married, Hae-Jin.” He trailed off, giving a teasing smile to both of his friends; the married pair. “Their names are attached together, name plates would hardly be the concern, isn't so?” 

Iseul gave him a stern look, and Baekhyun rolled his eyes at his usual antics. 

“If you're done with your suggestions, can we start the meeting, Mr. Lee?” 

Iseul's tone sharp like her eyes; a quick nod of Kang-min and Hae-Jin under her hell fire gaze where Baekhyun stood still for Iseul to give him a look, as if he understood her words with her eyes of; if he was waiting for an invitation, and with a sigh, he had taken a seat beside her on the couch; closer. 

“Firstly, we're going to change the name of the company and the brand foremost.”

Baekhyun stated, as Kang-min and Hae-Jin seated across from the pair nodded at his statement, while Iseul had her eyes in an agreement towards him and unwittingly in a trance, her eyes locked on his sudden change of professional demeanor; the one opted with an authoritative, because it was also the first time she's seeing a side of his professionalism with an cooperation with her. 

Something first but something familiar yet an hidden unchanged admiration for the past years was again with a knock at her system and being behold with her eyes. 

“Have you thought of any names?” 

Kang-min questioned, and Baekhyun shook his head, with a familiar feeling of being stared, and his eyes instinctively met Iseul's eyes who had turned away for him to gulp at the realization of her eyes on him; something she's been doing lately yet he wasn't able to get a hold of it without feeling warm as he cleared his throat. 

“Not really.”

“The company is under our hold; the name should be labeled to show our cooperation as well.” 

Iseul suggested, and the men in the room nodded at her statement, before Kang-min had his head tilted with his eyes squinted in a pondering manner until his eyes lit up as he leaned forward; his arms on his thighs. 

“How about B&J?” 

Baekhyun and Iseul frowned together; their words being questioned in unison. “B&J?” 

“Byun and Jeon,” Kang-min pointed out their last names with a gesture of his hand to the pair as his forehead creased. “It has your last names together and a perfect name for the company; B&J Cooperation.”

Baekhyun and Iseul glanced at each other; a look of agreement, and acknowledgement at the name as both of them nodded before Baekhyun had his lips in an upside-down curve towards Kang-min. “Not bad, Lee.”

Kang-min grinned; his dimples visible. “I know, boss.”

“What about the brand?” 

It was Hae-Jin's question, and the trio looked at him with a stare. 

“It will be a clothing line, Mr. Jung.”

Iseul uttered her words while leaning to her side by her habit; her fingers interlocked, unconsciously leaning towards her husband's side closer than he already was and for her to acknowledge the moment she felt her bare forearm brushing the fabric of his suit by his arm as with a thud behind her chest, she glanced at the action to find his hand gripped on his knee to look at him leaned onto his other armchair with his fingers to his lips until he met her eyes in a glance. 

A thud behind her chest; she was getting frustrated with this happenings around her and he happened to be the center of it. 

Baekhyun found her glancing away with the bite of her lips; she was frustrated again but for what? 

Yet that action of hers ignited a warmth within him; something tempting and he had turned away with a swallow of his dry throat. 

“Have you always thought of running a clothing line, lady boss?”

“I had a plan for it,” Iseul nodded. “But I didn't think of taking over this building and company but now that I am, why not?” 

“Can I suggest something?” 

The trio turned to Hae-Jin who had a rather hesitant expression yet Iseul nodded towards him. “Every suggestion is welcomed, Mr. Jung.”

“If Mr. Byun and you both opted for the clothing line; how about the merge of Shimmer, and The One together with it?” 

“You mean,” Baekhyun tilted his head, “My brand, and my wife's brand to work together with the clothing line for the newest collection if we're opting for it, Mr. Jung?” 

Hae-Jin nodded. “Yes, Mr. Byun.”

“That's not a bad idea,” Kang-min leaned back as he gave an impressive smile to Hae-Jin with a smile. “That's such a great idea, Hae-Jin!”

Iseul slammed the coffee table. “Mr. Lee.”

Kang-min slightly flinched to sit straight with a secret glance towards Baekhyun with a look; the one he understood of how his wife wasn't letting him be for Baekhyun to shrug, before Iseul gave a nod to Hae-Jin. “The idea is a good one; if we merge three brands together for the first collection, it will be a good start for it, Mr. Jung.”

“What to name the brand?” 

“The name should enhance the product; the clothing line is it, and it should connect to the ones buying it.”

Iseul voiced out her words with a pondering manner; the duo of the secretaries nodded slowly and Baekhyun had his frown deepened at her words, and in a ponder of a word in his mind as he his lips, “Clothing line; it should have a connection to the fabrics or related to it,” He trailed off, leaning his arm from his lips to his knee as his fingers drummed on it. “Threads,” 

Iseul heard his mumble in a catchy tone as her mind began to click with his words to bring her fisted hand against her chin, “If it should connect the buyers,” Her head tilted and her eyes in a glint of twinkle. “Treasure.”

And a sudden meeting of their eyes in a jolt. 

“Threads and treasure.” Kang-min mused with a nod to himself. “That's a catchy name,” He trailed off, looking at the pair who turned to him with an exchange glance towards Hae-Jin who nodded back. “It's a good name and we can shorten it with the initials; T&T.”

Baekhyun and Iseul exchanged another glance; a sudden flashback of theirs in a familiarity and an awkwardness of this sudden moment as both of them turned away where Iseul had gotten another glimpse of his young self in a questioning manner against her turmoil beliefs, and the happenings. 

The one pulling her towards him and her heart again in an unpleasant pierce. 

“Since we have come to this decision,” Baekhyun said, “Let's start the preparation for the brand, and the company's name to be launched,” He trailed off, glancing at Iseul for a second to look at Kang-min and Hae-Jin again. “Have you looked through the storage room, Mr. Jung?”

“Yes, Mr. Byun.” Hae-Jin nodded, and Iseul turned to Baekhyun with a confused frown to listen to Hae-Jin's words. “It's on the tenth floor by the end of the hallway.”

“Thank you; let's end this meeting now.”

Baekhyun gave Kang-min a gesture of following him to the door as the latter stood up not before gesturing to his wife with his raised eyebrows for Iseul to give him a nod, as the duo got up while Iseul stood up; her hands behind her back with an authority again. 

“Mr. Jung.”

“Yes, ma'am?” 

“Has my mother reached her workplace?” 

“Yes.”

“I'd like to add one more thing,” Iseul began to stride towards the door with Hae-Jin behind her. “I want you to contact someone from her workplace; keep me updated about her and if something happens, call me immediately.”

Hae-Jin nodded. “Alright.”

“About the interviews for the employees,” Iseul stood by the door to stand beside Baekhyun as he held the door open as if waiting for her to have her frown at him and for him to shrug, as she turned to Hae-Jin. “You can do that on our behalf until we return; check it, and let us know your opinions about it.”

“Right away, ma'am.”

The four of them walked out of the office; Kang-min and Baekhyun were ahead as the males chatted, “You can inform Madre and Mr. Park beforehand,” Baekhyun trailed off, pocketing his hands as he walked alongside Kang-min. “We'll check through the files, if we find out, I'll handle the address to you and for Madre to look for it.”

Kang-min nodded but chuckled the moment Iseul had joined the duo. “Okay.”

Iseul and Baekhyun gave him a look at his usual starting antics as Baekhyun tilted his head. “What now?” 

“I was reminded of the time Ji-eun showed her hacking skills to me,” Kang-min started, glancing at the pair standing together with a smile as he looked at Iseul, “Don't you remember, lady boss? We literally ran to the security room to get the surveillance recording in secrecy for this man,” He paused, looking at Baekhyun with a look as he sighed. “It was hell of an experience, all because of you, and because of her.”

Iseul and Baekhyun met each other's eyes with a reminder of that moment; the time she had helped him when he was being accused of something he didn't do, and how he didn't like it because no one ever did it for him, and the moment of their unpleasant memory crossed their mind, followed by that night's confrontation, Iseul was coming to realize that there was a moment she didn't believe him, and accused him, and now was in the turmoil of her doings in the battle of her beliefs. 

The same piercing pain went through her heart unpleasantly the moment she found the same glint of conflict in his eyes. 

As if his eyes had a sorrow for her doings to him. 

“I don't remember any of it, Lee.”

Baekhyun blinked away the sting in his eyes as he walked away with a unpleasant pierce in his heart, and Iseul stared at his back in a retreating sight again with her own painful pierce in her heart as she felt the sting in her eyes to clench her jaw and her eyes narrowed at Kang-min who was standing awkward now after the sudden past reminder. 

“We'll be back.”

Kang-min nodded towards her as he watched her in a retreating sight towards the elevator where Baekhyun was already standing by; he stared at the pair a bit more with a concentration of how their younger selves would have been like if that one obstacle of a misunderstanding hadn't had happened, yet realizing how a mere misunderstanding could ruin a wholesome relationship in a minute but he hoped it would be sort out for them; between them. 

They didn't deserve this pain of something done by someone else. 

“I could have done this alone.”

Iseul stood in the space of the elevator with Baekhyun; it was going down to the tenth floor, as after the constant, and continuous reminder of the past happenings, she wanted to be alone, and a bit away from him yet the more she was trying to get away, the more he was around her before glancing at him to find him looking back at her with a shrug. “Two is better than one; it makes the work faster, sweetheart.”

A thickening silence of tension erupted again and the close space of the elevator wasn't helping either. 

“What if the people saw us together in the storage room?” Iseul had her arms crossed; a disturbed frown, and Baekhyun's forehead creased as he leaned against the handrail while his arm brushing her bare upper-arm with a tingle as she met his eyes with a warm thud of her heart. “We're married; there's nothing wrong for married people to be in the storage room alone, sweetheart.”

Iseul tilted her head with a confused look, and Baekhyun gave her a knowing look, for her lips to part at the realization with a warmth to her cheeks, and a scoff towards him. 

“You're such a ert.”

“I am?” Baekhyun pointed at himself before pointing at her with his chin; a teasing smirk on his lips. “You're the one who keeps talking about me being in bed-” 

“Don't twist my words!”

The elevator opened, and Iseul had stepped out of it with a warmth in her system unaware of Baekhyun's smile on his lips at her actions until he realized, and straightened himself as he followed her. 

Iseul walked down the hallway; her heels clicked against the marble floor with a loud sound of authority as she nodded off at the employees for their greeting to notice them doing it again that she assumed that her husband was right behind her as she heard his footfalls approaching her from behind until she was standing in front the door of the storage room to feel Baekhyun standing beside her. 

“Are we going to do another grand entrance?” 

“Why don't you do it?” Iseul replied with another question as she tilted her head towards him with a sass. “You're fond of grand entrances anyway.”

“Always in a grumpy mood.”

“Always in an annoying mood.”

Without listening to him further; Iseul had walked inside while cupping her nose and mouth as the dust was a definite sight inside the room, as her steps paced further after turning on the lights that after a few flickers to hear her husband following suit and her eyes roamed around the metal shelves with the files on them. 

“Don't close the door-” 

Her words abruptly halted the moment she heard the sound of the door being shut; a turn of her figure, and there Baekhyun was standing with a dumbfounded expression as he had his hand on the knob after closing the door. “I closed it.”

“Fantastic.” Iseul gave him a sarcastic look before her eyes narrowed. “I clearly told you not to, darling.”

“Are we supposed to show everyone what we're doing inside, sweetheart?” He tilted his head; his hands on his hips after opening the button of his blazer, and Iseul huffed, pointing at the door. “The door opens from outside; Mr. Jung informed me earlier.”

“You could've just told me.”

“I was telling you to not to close it but do you even listen to me?” 

“Tone it down, sweetheart!” He whisper-yelled, and Iseul gave him a sharp gaze; her arms crossed. “Do you really think I care about that right now?!”

Baekhyun held back his threatening smile at her whisper-yell tone and Iseul kept her sharp eyes on his actions for him shrug, “How would I know that Choi Myung-Soo's door was just like him,” He trailed off, slightly hitting the door. “Lousy,” He paused, with a sigh, “We should repair everything in the building; who knows what else is broken,” His words abruptly halted the moment he met his wife's glaring down eyes at him as he cleared his throat. “I can call Kang-min after we're done with our work, sweetheart.”

“Why do you think, Mrs. Jeon and Mr. Byun went inside?”

A feminine voice echoed in a distant manner from outside; Iseul and Baekhyun's attention on it, as Baekhyun shot a much excited look toward his wife standing with a not-so-interested expression while pointing his thumb towards the door to place his palm against the door with his pocketed hand as he stood nearby the door to listen to the chatters. 

“It's a storage room plus they are married; they can do whatever they want to, it's not like dating is banned here.”

A male voice replied, and Baekhyun had his forehead creased with his lips in an upside-down curve as he gave another knowing look to his wife, shooting glares at his doings; they were here to work yet this man had another excitement of being a gossiper. 

What has happened to him? 

“I didn't think Ice-queen would be this bold.”

Iseul frowned at the name; Baekhyun was quick to point towards her with his chin as if easing her confusion with a teasing smirk, and Iseul scoffed, rolling her eyes to march towards him as she glared at him while standing in front of him unwittingly closer to his proximity. 

“Are you here to-”

Her words abruptly halted; his forefinger against her parted lips, and her heartbeat paced behind her chest as his eyes glanced at her lips with an unwavering intense gaze that a warmth crawled through her as she gulped, to realize how close he was standing before her, and her hands fisted in a squeeze at the wavering sensation in her system as he met her eyes with the same intensity; the night in the kitchen crossed her mind like a chilling jolt in her system. 

“Marriage changes people.”

The next thing she had pushed his hand down; her breath uneven. 

Baekhyun noticed it; her action of averting his eyes to her body language, and a warmth in his system as he glanced at his forefinger to find a mark of her gloss on his skin, and realized how her lips felt soft against his skin, and how he was unable to look away as if it held a temptation within. 

The night of their tensioning moment crossed his mind; the same thing was happening again. 

The silence in the small space of the room felt like a warm pool of suffocation yet drowning them in the moment. 

The sound of the people's steps in a retreat erupted in a faint as if they had left, and Iseul was quick to grab Baekhyun's lapel of his blazer with a push so he was standing against the door while she was standing before him; her eyes held an assertiveness and his eyes held a slight surprise yet hidden anticipation. 

“Why did you follow me if you're going to act like a gossiper?” Her frown deepened as she tried to tuck away the strands stuck in her eye while he was staring at her actions in a trance of her behold captivation to hear her speak as his eyes glanced at her rosy lips. “We have to get our work done before it gets late.”

“That's exactly what I'm doing, Ice-queen.”

Baekhyun uttered, his tone in a slight whisper as he reached out, and Iseul felt his hand opting to tuck her strands away from her almost stinging eye where she should be stepping back from his sudden action of touching her yet her steps erected, and felt him opting for her strands only to stop him with the back of her hand for him to hold it. 

His forehead almost in a brush against hers; a silence around them, and his eyes meeting hers in a warmth of their closeness. 

A sudden flicker of the light had Iseul flinch and she was quick to retreat with a realization of her odd doings, as she gulped, with her quick heartbeat. 

“Did you just call me, Ice-queen?” A frown towards him and his shrug towards her. “They called you that, sweetheart.”

“Why don't you just join the gossipers?” Iseul tilted her head with a look; her arms crossed as her eyes sharpened as Baekhyun rolled his eyes at her words while watching her fishing into her pocket, “I know a very good place for you instead of here,” She trailed off, taking the clipper, “A restaurant where the gossiper join in together.”

“How do you know that place?” 

Baekhyun questioned to his interest yet his sudden interest was in her actions of placing the clipper between her teeth while grabbing the handful of her hair in a bun behind her nape as she clipped it; he stood still, staring at her in a deep concentration as his eyes traced the curve of her neck under the light in a shine contrasting her features to look into her eyes to realize her habit of clipping her hair up whenever she was up to do something worth serious. 

“Because I have been there.”

Iseul turned around to look through the shelves with a frown before hearing him behind her. “You're the one who likes being around gossipers, sweetheart.”

“Not me,” She paced around the shelves to look for the years. “But I have to be at that societal place for a show.”

“For whom?” 

“For my mother.”

Iseul halted her actions of grabbing the file as she realized her words; she was being awful chatty with him, and in the flow, she was letting her inner thoughts and her doings share with him just like before as she gulped, and turned around to find him right behind her; a flinch through her system as he towered her figure while his eyes holding hers had a curiosity and confusion. 

Iseul stepped back; his deep intrusive eyes had her heart warm yet somehow welling up as she gulped. “Let's not waste time.”

Baekhyun nodded as the next minute, both of them had paced around the shelves to find the year; Iseul had pointed towards the shelf, as they had gone through the several files of the employees, “Choi Myung-Soo's secretary has been working for him from the time he had started his business,” 

“The time my father was working under him.”

Baekhyun completed her sentence as he met Iseul's eyes for her to nod, while checking through the files and Baekhyun flipped the pages of the file until he halted at the page with a familiar name. “Kang Dong-chan.”

“You got it?”

“Yeah.”

Baekhyun was quick to tear the page as after folding it, he had shoved it in his pocket, but found Iseul still flipping the pages for him to frown as the next minute, he was standing beside her to look at the file. 

“What are you looking for, sweetheart?” 

“It's strange,” Iseul flipped the pages with a conflict in her system. “This is the file of the factory workers; strangely I can't find the one who was the witness of Choi Myung-Soo's illegal doings and your father's witness as well,” She paused, with a hitch of her breath as she felt Baekhyun leaning closer to dip his head further as his chin hovered over her while his eyes focused on the file. “Maybe someone got rid of it.”

Iseul's fingers halted at a particular page; his father's info, and her eyes glanced at Baekhyun to find him looking at the page with a deep stare yet unlikable and strangely yet frustratingly Iseul couldn't digest it to her like as the next thing she slammed the file close. 

“Let's get out of here; It's suffocating enough.”

Iseul put the file back on the shelf but could feel his strong lingering gaze on her; Baekhyun had his eyes on her in a confusion of her doings, was she looking out for him just now? 

She was doing everything she was claiming in the opposite manner; he was left confused, and his mind was being messed up. 

“Come on.”

Iseul let her hair loose down; a stare of his at her actions before he nodded, as he looked at the door for Iseul to give him a look, and he was quick to shove his hand into his pocket for his phone to send a message to Kang-min until a strange sound erupted beneath the last shelf, flinching the pair as both of them turned to it with an alert, while Iseul felt Baekhyun standing in front of her in a flow as her broad back was in her sight and the familiar feeling of being shielded went through her heart again. 

“Do you really think there would be a person?” 

Iseul questioned, tilting her head to look over his shoulder with a weird expression and Baekhyun looked over his shoulder to meet her eyes with a knowing look. “Aren't we here, sweetheart?”

“Step aside; let me check.”

Iseul grabbed his shoulder to shove him aside but Baekhyun had his arm stretched to block h