The comfort was close yet hard to embrace.

∞

12:03 pm 

“We have reached, ma'am.”

Iseul heard Mr. Jung speaking after pulling the car by the building; Choi Myung-Soo's company building and with a nod, he had gotten out while Iseul had unbuckled her seatbelt to find her door being opened, and the next second, she had stepped out while Mr. Jung was holding the door for her; she had worn her sunglasses as her eyes roamed around the area to find some workers of his factories doing the petition for the unaware happenings as well as the halt of their expenses. 

Iseul could understand it as for a moment she stared at the loud chaos with a ponder of her strategy in her mind. 

“Make sure no one gets hurt, Mr. Jung.”

Iseul ordered, as the push and pull of the people continued to get out of hands and with a nod, Hae-Jin had gestured to the standing bodyguards as two of them had led Iseul inside the building with their task of not letting her get hurt as well as the people where Iseul continued to walk down the floor loudly enough like her authoritative demeanor while taking off her glasses to feel the stares over her passing by figure. 

The next thing she was approaching the meeting room as Hae-Jin was quick to open the door for her where giving him a nod, she had walked inside to gather the eyes of the business tycoons in the room; seated on their respective chairs on the long wooden table and Iseul gave them a nod of a greeting. 

“Good morning, everyone.”

Her heeled feet walked to her chair taking the head of the table before sitting on it with her usual posture. “Is everyone here?” 

“Yes; you're the only one who arrived last, Ms. Jeon.”

Iseul heard the female familiar voice to find Song Hong-Ju with a smile; the smile of trying to put her down again and Iseul leaned against her chair with a tilt of her head as her chair slightly swung to look at her with a sass. “Best ones sometimes arrive at last, Ms. Hong, I hope you don't mind much about it.”

At the moment, the door opened, and everyone's eyes along with Iseul had found a familiar man stepping in his gray suit, Byun Baekhyun. “I believe I'm also one of the best then.”

Iseul stared at him in confusion; surprised. 

He met her eyes foremost in the room with a knowing look, before giving a nod of his greeting to everyone. “Good morning, everyone,” He trailed off, meeting Iseul's eyes with a playful smirk. “And my gentlewoman.”

Iseul felt all the eyes in the room on her leaving her with a sudden flushing warmth while being known of the reason, but her eyes held his smug filled expression with a poker face as he wriggled his eyebrows for her to tilt her head without giving him any expression and Baekhyun was quick to drag the empty chair placed for the sidelines to take it by the other head of the desk; opposite of Iseul. 

And he had taken the chair with an authoritative demeanor and posture. “We shall begin now.”

“May I ask, what are you doing here, Mr. Byun?” 

Iseul questioned, completely unaware of his doings and this situation while Baekhyun nodded. “To make it simple, I'm here as one of the shareholders, Ms. Jeon.”

Iseul frowned. “Since when?” 

“Since I bought the shares of the ones who didn't want it anymore.”

Baekhyun replied; his hand gesturing to the few business people seated among them as a few gave him a nod, and Iseul was left confused again, he didn't mention this when she had met him a few moments ago, neither his plan of joining the board meeting when they literally had begun their contract on the faithfulness of their cooperation but it seemed like went in a doubt of their own to immediately start the faithful relationship when both of them had been broken from it once. 

“Alright,” Iseul sighed, leaning forward to place her both elbows on the table with her interlocked hands close to her chin. “Let's start the meeting.”

“Mr. Choi has left this whole company and brand in a havoc; we were robbed off by his sweet talks but who knew he was doing so much illegal stuff in the facade of business.”

One of the people stated; Iseul and Baekhyun exchanged a glance before another one had spoken afterwards. 

“This has happened years ago and I'm sure it was Mr. Choi himself but put the whole blame on his worker-”

The man abruptly stopped at the realization of his words; he was talking about the man whose son was literally seated on the head chair as he glanced at Baekhyun to flinch by his sharpened stare yet so intimidating as he gulped, drinking his water before continuing while Iseul observed the scene silently. 

“I mean, the factories have been sealed; workers are already demanding for their expenses, and the whole brand is being boycotted and we're left in a huge loss now but more than us,” He paused, turning to Baekhyun and Iseul. “You both might get the biggest loss since you both are the highest shareholders at the moment.”

Iseul frowned as she met Baekhyun's eyes to find him sipping his water from the bottle nonchalantly while meeting her gaze with a shrug; she understood that he had bought almost everyone's share like she had to hold this company under her name; his mind was working on the same level as hers. 

“If Mr. Choi's daughter was here, she would have been responsible on behalf of him for the payment issues but I have heard she ran away and didn't appear at her father's funeral.”

It was Song Hong-Ju bluffing her venom like words again, and the murmurs continued at the news as Baekhyun rolled his eyes at the boring drama again, but found Iseul slamming the table loudly enough to make them hush, and his forehead creased in amusement, and a hidden impressiveness; she had enough authority within her. 

Iseul's eyes sharpened. “We have gathered to talk about the profit, and loss of the company and if anyone wants to gossip instead of taking the meeting seriously can leave the room right now.”

And everyone was silenced by tone and words; his lips couldn't hide the upside-down curve as he leaned back, bringing his fingers to his lips with a tilt of his head. “How about leaving the company to me?” 

Everyone along with Iseul had looked at him confusingly and Baekhyun sat up straight to elaborate. “It's not like anyone present here is going to take responsibility for the loss and profit is far from catching anymore.”

“Why would you be responsible for the company which is already at a loss?” 

“As long as it's under my name, and guidance, it will never be in a loss.” Baekhyun stated, his demeanor overpowering his confidence as his eyes met Iseul's observing ones; she was doing some strategy in her mind again and he was right when he found the equal confidence in her eyes as her forehead creased. “How about leaving it under my guidance? I'm the highest shareholder.”

“Let me remind you again,” Baekhyun bored his eyes into hers from afar yet intent. “We're equal in the terms of shares, Ms. Jeon.” A slight smirk on his lips. “If you are that interested, give me one reason to give it up.”

A smirk on Iseul's lips. “Why don't you give me one reason to give it up, Mr. Byun?”

And no answer was uttered but a battle of the known pair had started again for having the upper hand in every term; just like before. 

“Aren't you going to be married soon?” 

The question had them jolt in unison to look at the middle-aged man to find him smiling with a genuine interest. “You two appear to be the best business tycoons right now but how about merging it together? Just like your relationship.”

His words definitely left the pair in a flush of warmth within; unexpected it was coming from them as Iseul opted to drink her water while Baekhyun looked at the middle-aged man after he glanced at him to say something. 

“Congratulations beforehand on your marriage; I hope you take this advice with consideration since you both are the best ones in the business industry right now and it would be a loss to lose a great chance of investing in your works.”

“Let's have this meeting again next week.”

The room was getting emptied slowly but Iseul and Baekhyun sat still, in the ponder of the advice with a bit of consideration, before she took another sip to feel him taking his place off with a loud footfalls of his shoes closer to her seated figure until he was standing by her; Iseul's head tilted up to meet his intent eyes as he stood with his pocketed hands. 

Her forehead creased. “What?” 

“Why are you adamant to want it?” Baekhyun questioned with a frown; his lower-back leaned against the table beside her seated figure and Iseul closed the tap of her bottle while maintaining his eye-contact as she leaned back comfortably. “Why are you so adamant on wanting something you had been wanting to destroy?” 

“You think you're aware of my intentions now?”

“I can bet on it.” 

Baekhyun hated how accurate she was with her mind, and work. 

“Like how you bought the highest shares to claim this company after your actions.”

“You did a background check on me?” Iseul's eyes narrowed, and Baekhyun scoffed, his one eyebrow raised. “Don't act like you haven't.”

“You were suspicious.”

“So were you.”

Their eyes bored under the intense gaze of theirs in silence again at their actions; similar yet against. 

A knock on the door had taken their attention to find Kang-min standing by it as he gave Iseul a nod that she reciprocated, and walked in with a smile while standing by them as Iseul stared at him confusingly and Baekhyun gave him a look. “Why are you showing your dimples again?” 

Kang-min rolled his eyes. “You are so jealous of my dimples.”

Iseul tilted her head as she watched them before standing up to bump her knees against Baekhyun's who had met her eyes by the action with a realization at how awfully chatty they were a moment ago; a sudden flush through their system at another realization of how close they were in proximity, as their eyes bored for a moment silently. 

Kang-min had an impressive expression at their actions until it dropped with exhaustion at Iseul's words. “I'm not going to give it up.”

Baekhyun shrugged. “Neither me.”

“How about merging it together?”

Both of them turned to Kang-min who gave them a shrug. “It's beneficial this way.”

“No.”

Both of them uttered in unison and Kang-min groaned, and rolled his eyes. “Aren't you both already in a contract? So what's the problem?” 

“Ask your boss the reason behind.”

Iseul narrowed her eyes at Baekhyun who rolled his eyes before yelping as she almost knocked his knee with her purse after passing by his leaned figure while Kang-min had stepped aside as to not to get pushed and both of them flinched together after she closed the door with a loud thud. 

“Lady boss is angry, boss.”

“What?” Baekhyun gave a weird expression to Kang-min at his way of addressing Iseul, and him, while the latter gave him a playful shrug as if enjoying the drama already before Baekhyun huffed, walking past his figure unconscious of his own words. “This boss is angry too.”

Kang-min had a knowing smirk on his lips as he chuckled. “They are so alike.”

Iseul walked down the floor of the empty building; the bankruptcy of Choi Myung-Soo's brand had snatched the employees jobs, and their essence of expenses as Iseul's mind began to think about the opportunity of getting this brand completely demolished, and renew it with her own launching brand and it will benefit the employees as well as her because her reputation was good enough to get good of shares from the same shareholders. 

“Mr. Jung.”

Iseul glanced at Hae-Jin who had been waiting for the meeting to end, and stood in front of her with her eyes spotting Song Hong-Ju having a phone call as meeting Iseul's eyes she rolled her eyes away and Iseul scoffed in amusement at her actions before she heard the footfalls approaching her from behind, and found Song Hong-Ju's eyes sparkling over the person behind her. 

Iseul frowned, and before she could have turned around, Baekhyun was standing beside her with his pocketed hands as she met his confused eyes with her own narrowed ones. 

“Mr. Byun.”

Baekhyun turned to the familiar but unlikable woman in front of her as she gave him a polite smile. “If you need any help with shares or regarding the company profits, you can always count on me.”

“Pardon me, but I don't recall your name-” 

“It won't be necessary.”

Baekhyun found Iseul stating as his eyes caught her side-profile and his system flinched, her hands interlocked around his pocketed arm as she leaned to his side; her shoulder against his in a sudden warmth as his eyes looked down at her hold, and back to peer at her eyes sassy towards the woman. 

“I'm here to guide and help my husband with necessary things.”

He felt another jolt in his system the second she met his eyes; her head tilted, and closer to his proximity as her forehead creased. “Isn't it so, darling?” 

Baekhyun felt a thud behind his chest; a heat rushed through his system as her actions, and the freaking nickname she's had uttered with a soft emphasis as for a second, he stood still, boring his slightly stunned eyes into her nonchalant ones but found a flustered glint in her eyes even if it wasn't shown on her face; damn, her eyes doing things again. 

Iseul had felt herself being flustered at her own actions; she didn't like how Song Hong-Ju talked to him in a flirting manner even knowing about the news and Iseul couldn't stay still to let her be and she had found herself doing this disastrous actions to him, and she hoped for him to cooperate as her eyes peered sharply into his intrusive ones as if trying to read her actions. 

And her heart jolted at his actions of tilting his head; a corner of his lips upwards as he nodded while pulling her closer by his pocketed arm. 

“Of course, sweetheart.”

A shudder went through her system at how deep his tone went emphasizing the nickname he called out for her enough to warm her system; the nickname was despised, and she gave him a lip-tight smile. “Don't.”

“Why not?” 

Baekhyun could tell how she disliked it, and more for him to do it; sweetheart it is now. 

Unaware of the pair's surroundings; the men behind them, Kang-min and Hae-Jin had watched the scene with a gaped look of shock, and surprise as Hae-Jin blinked. “Ms. Jeon can do this too?” 

He felt an arm around his shoulder to find Kang-min speaking. “My words.”

Song Hong-Ju stood silent; her eyes witnessing the lovey-dovey sight with annoyance and question of how did they get this closer in a few weeks to get married; and how Jeon Iseul was able to get a man like Byun Baekhyun, more because what did he see in the woman? 

Whatever it was; she was annoyed by it. 

“Well, that's a pity but good luck with it.”

Baekhyun and Iseul turned to her and Iseul had a smug expression at her bitter expression as she tilted her head. “Aren't you going to congratulate us?” 

Hong-Ju smiled; insincere. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Iseul gave her a nod. “I heard you're launching a gallery business; congrats in advance.”

“I didn't know you kept your interest in my businesses.”

“Hardly.” Iseul raised her eyebrows. “Who has more interest clearly shows; I'm merely celebrating losing a not-so-business rival.”

Hong-Ju smirked. “I'm not gone; rivalry is still on, Ms. Jeon.”

“I'll be waiting for it, Ms. Song.”

Baekhyun read the room between the women with a quick conclusion and Iseul felt him leaning in closer enough to feel his warmth through her ear. “We don't like her?” 

He found her twisting her lips unconsciously but a familiar habit of hers. “No.”

“I'll take my leave; see you next week.”

She was gone in the elevator and Iseul was quick to retreat her hold from his arm while maintaining a distance between them as Baekhyun watched her with amusement at the split seconds change of her actions to meet her sharp eyes yet again. 

“We shall have a talk.” 

Baekhyun watched her getting into the elevator; not ignoring how it felt familiar with his own similar action as he followed suit to stand beside her and gestured Kang-min to get inside but Iseul found him pushing the confused Hae-Jin to the other elevator with a smile. 

“We'll meet you in the lobby.”

The pair was left alone as Baekhyun leaned back against the handrail with his pocketed hands watching Iseul pressing the down floor button before turning around with her crossed arms; her questioning yet narrowed eyes peering at him. 

His forehead creased. “Talk?” 

“Don't give me that nonchalant attitude right now, Baekhyun.”

His lips twitched in a smirk as he peered his eyes into hers. “Isn't it darling, sweetheart?” 

Iseul felt a flush within her; an embarrassing action she occurred a few minutes ago but giving him the opportunity to make fun of it wasn't something she'd enjoy or tolerate as she tilted her head. “Don't get too friendly with me right now.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “Fine.”

“I thought it was faithful cooperation but I was unaware of your actions.” Iseul's eyes frowned at him, and Baekhyun found her tone in disappointment by his actions and his forehead creased. “You also didn't let me know about this meeting.”

“It was a board meeting.”

“Whatever is related to Choi Myung-Soo is in my interest.”

“What about the shares?” Iseul crossed her arms and Baekhyun shrugged. “Money is attractive, sweetheart.”

“Stop with that name.”

Iseul glared at him; the name was already despising and it sounded more strange and foreign coming from his mouth in the most chilling down her spine strange feeling and Baekhyun being himself was good at noticing her dislikes to use it against her as he had his lips pressed for his cheeks to puffed up as if wondering about it in a pretense before shaking his head. “Nah.”

And he enjoyed the sight of her huffing in annoyance; how fancy.

“I can already see my life going in havoc.”

Iseul stood beside him in the distance and heard him snickering as he left his words afterwards. “Correction, my life is going to be havoc and yours in full entertainment.”

Iseul gave him a lip-tight smile. “I don't want to be your entertainment.”

“No, you'd be entertained in the boring life of yours by my existence and mine will still be in a havoc.”

“I'll make it more havoc for you, Mr. Entertainment.”

“Uh uh,” He trailed off, shaking his index finger, giving her a knowing look. “Darling, sweetheart.”

“Shut up.”

“Nope.”

Iseul huffed as she waited for the lobby floor to arrive and Baekhyun stared at her for a moment; his nonchalance gone. “Why were you following Choi Myung-Soo to the central jail?” 

Iseul met his eyes; serious. “He was going to give me information.”

“How did you convince him?” 

“Using his daughter,” She shrugged, looking at the floor numbers while feeling his intent gaze on her. “I convinced him that I would find her for him; he was forced to get her in the mess by saving her from harming her and I took advantage of his weakness.”

Baekhyun stared at her with amazement; he had used the same method with him after concluding his weakness by his first question being about his daughter's whereabouts before frowning. “Were you?” 

“Nope; I was bluffing and he was buying it.”

Iseul turned to him to find him staring at her still through his intense eyes as she felt weird within her system but recovered. “What about you?” 

“I used the same method.”

Iseul's eyes held a question. “As in doing the opposite of it?”

“Precisely.” He shrugged; his eyes held a strange emotion. “And I was not bluffing.”

That's when Iseul was realizing; this man beside her had more in his mind, and maybe, he was capable of doing dangerous things if one got in his way that left her in a sudden chill, and a realization of how changed he appeared from the boy she had been with years ago. 

“What was her fault?” 

“What was my fault?” Baekhyun questioned; his tone changing as if one wrong question and he'll burst out yet he continued with his eyes glinting a wave of rage. “What was my parents' fault? What was your fault? What was your father's fault? Nothing; they were honest people yet were the target of criminals because power and money has the upper hand in this world to change things in a minute and get their work done and there's no justice whatsoever to hold them either.”

“So I will do things my way; if you don't agree, you can terminate the contract right now and I won't mind it.”

Iseul listened to him; his words, and emotions through it had held her in the turmoil of her thoughts, and how accurate it sounded because she couldn't trust the police at the moment after the message being sent to her instead of the police itself, and how her hunch had held her back from informing it to them, and how her father was the most honest but probably had fought a battle against the criminals and for her to find the reason behind it. 

How Baekhyun had pledged to do it. 

“I'm not terminating it; we're together in this.”

Baekhyun found determination in her eyes and tone as he nodded. “We shall cooperate faithfully this time.”

The elevator door opened, and the pair had walked out until a message pinged in Iseul's phone for to fish it out from her purse and found a message from her mother; she was asking her to meet her along with Baekhyun since after the surprising announcement of theirs she couldn't tell her the actual reason and she was aware of Baekhyun and his history regarding his father's incident for her to meet him as a mother yet Iseul couldn't feel like it. 

Shoving back the phone; she had opted to walk ahead only to feel his hand slipping through hers in a hold and Iseul flinched, her eyes looking down at their hands to see him lacing his fingers through hers sending a wave of strange feeling within her. 

Her eyes narrowed. “What do you think you're doing?” 

“If we're doing this,” He trailed off, meeting her eyes with a knowing look with a closer pull of his figure against her. “We should do it properly, sweetheart.”

Iseul stared at him for a moment and he held her intent gaze silently before Baekhyun felt her fingers lacing back through his in a firm hold, but sent a wave of strange chill within his system as he his lips with a quick swallow to find her nodding and with a nod back, they had begun to walk down the floor together; a walk of their elegance demeanor. 

“I have to talk about something.”

Baekhyun heard her as they walked out to find the crowd of workers still on the petition task, and found the bodyguards leading them out of the mess as their cars stood outside and Iseul found him leaning in a bit. “There's a Café down the road; let's go there.”

Soon they had left in their own cars and found themselves in the Café. 

“Hae-Jin and I will get your orders in a few minutes.”

Kang-min stated, as he gestured to Hae-Jin to meet him by the counter where Baekhyun settled himself comfortably by the window table and Iseul gave Kang-min a confused look as her eyes narrowed. “Since when you are comfortable with my secretary, Mr. Lee?”

“Since we met.” Kang-min smiled his happy grin; his dimples visible again. “That man is such a great person to chat with and he's so smart; I wonder how you got such a good secretary for yourself.”

Iseul gave him a sass of a nod. “Just like I wondered about you for him.”

Baekhyun found himself being pointed at for the third time in the day as he frowned at her to find Kang-min hiding his smile to narrow his gaze. “Do you want your salary to be deducted, Lee?” 

“Lady boss is dissing you, not me, boss.”

Kang-min gave him a sass look before turning away to get the order leaving Baekhyun with his closed eyes by the names and Iseul frowned yet again. “What did he call me?” 

“Ignore him.”

Iseul huffed. “Wish I could do the same with you.”

“You led us here, sweetheart.”

“Stop calling me by that name!” 

Iseul whisper-yelled, her eyes glaring at him and Baekhyun rolled his eyes completely unfazed by it, yet enjoying it. “What was the talk about?”

“My mother wants to meet you.” Iseul sighed and Baekhyun gave her a confused look as if mistaken if heard her correctly as his eyes went small. “Who and what?” 

“You heard me.” She gave her a look, and he sighed, shaking his head. “I'm already getting into the soap opera; life is wonderful.”

“If you don't want more soap operas in your wonderful life then let's get done with this and focus on our goal.”

Iseul stated, and Baekhyun stared at her for a moment silently before nodding. “When?”

“This evening.”

His eyes rounded. “What the hell?” 

“Where did your confidence go now?” Iseul's eyes twitched in a sass and Baekhyun shrugged. “I got it but we both are aware of your mother's fondness for me.”

He was being sarcastic but he had understood years ago by her one look of dislike towards him after seeing Iseul with him and Iseul telling how she was forbidden by her mother to meet him and Iseul stared at him understanding his words, and she found herself questioning about their happenings which had brought them here again. 

And now meeting her mother was surely not going to be a good meeting for him; for her because she wasn't in a good relationship with her since years of her father's demise. 

Yet being her mother she had the right to meet, and greet her soon-to-be husband. 

“.”

Iseul unconsciously cursed softly at her thoughts; the husband word getting through her in a realization and a warmth to her face and Baekhyun looked at her surprised. “Did you just curse me, sweetheart?” 

“It's all because of you.”

Baekhyun was left confused. “What, again?” 

“Nothing.”

“Here is your order.”

Kang-min put the tray on the table. “Enjoy; I will enjoy my time with Hae-Jin.”

“Date him.”

“Thank you.”

Iseul shook her head at their behavior again as Kang-min walked away and found Baekhyun having a bite of his muffin; a memory hitting her of him being fond of mild sweetness to shook her head at her thoughts before sipping her black coffee until her system stopped with a jolt of her heart; the familiar haunting music echoed through the walls again. 

She bit her lips hard to hold her emotions like her tightened hands on the plastic mug as her heart sank anxiously where Baekhyun glanced at her to stop his munches and frowned at her odd expression and he couldn't help but ask. 

“What?” 

“Are they out of music playlists now?” 

The only answer he got from her; the next second, he watched her getting up abruptly as she walked past his seated figure. “I'll call you.”

“Seriously?” 

Baekhyun twisted his torso to find her walking out of the Café with her secretary rushing behind her as he met Kang-min's confused look for Baekhyun to shrug as he was perplexed by her actions too; she was down by the music. 

Merry go round of life. 

But confusion was that it used to be her favorite music; her ballet favorite music. 

A strange emotion rushed through him; his heart in a jitter and in a question again about her not doing ballet again and something within him didn't feel right. 

He shrugged his thoughts away not liking where it was going. “She shouldn't be my concern.”

And no matter how much they tried to shrug it off their thoughts, hearts were never ready for it. 

________________________

6:06 pm 

“Why are we here instead of a restaurant, sweetheart?” 

Baekhyun questioned as he stood outside a house; Iseul's old home that he was seeing for the first time in his life because they had never exchanged any personal things with each other before and turned to find her beside her with her blank eyes staring at the building silently yet something was in her eyes that he couldn't help but be curious. 

“Mom didn't want to deal with reporters; it's better this way too.”

Iseul told, without looking away from the place of a house; a home it used to be until her father left her alone and it was just a house for her and home was nowhere to be found, it had been years since she last visited and the unpleasant memories rushed through her head like a sinking heart, and piercing pain as her hands fisted enough to hold back her emotions threatening through her eyes. 

“Let's go.”

“After you, sweetheart.”

Iseul gave him a look, and Baekhyun shrugged. 

Gulping down a lump, her heeled feet walked down the ground to the gate of her house with Baekhyun trailing behind her with his pocketed ha