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Chapter 06
At that moment, Seonghun’s fingers flinched inward. The calm expression on his face cracked in an instant.
Frowning, Seonghun uncrossed his legs and straightened his posture.
“Have you been drinking?”
“No. I’m more clear-headed than ever.”
“That’s impossible. The Choi Jooyoung I know isn’t someone who’d make a proposal like this sober.”
“……”
I don’t know what “the me you know” even means, based on when you last saw me.
“There are a lot of sides to me that Bae Seonghun doesn’t know. And…”
Trailing off, Jooyoung pulled a tablet PC from her shopping bag.
Seonghun’s expression shifted, as if asking why it was there when she was supposed to have only brought clothes. Yet he said nothing, waiting for Jooyoung to speak first.
Jooyoung placed the tablet PC on the table and lightly tapped the screen with her fingertip.
The tablet, which wasn’t password-protected, quickly displayed the home screen. Jooyoung swiped, making the screen filled with that visible to Seonghun.
Against a pure white background, densely packed black text displayed Jooyoung’s stock holdings.
“I also have many that I keep secret.”
Seonghun was aware of some of Choi Jooyoung’s stocks. But the fact that she secretly owned them?
The moment Seonghun picked up the tablet to check her stock list, a fissure appeared on his face—bigger than the one when she proposed marriage.
“What… is this?”
“The second child probably won’t care about Valerina’s management, and I hear the third one follows you well? No particular ambition.”
“So, what is the point you want to make, Choi Jooyoung?”
The deep voice was soft, but the sensation brushing his earlobe sent a thrill down his spine.
Bae Seonghun was no reckless puppy. He was a predator.
A predator at the top of the food chain, tightening the noose around his prey with casual ease. One wrong word here, and his neck would be torn mercilessly.
“You say you’ll claim the throne, so there won’t be a fraternal conflict. But would your uncle feel the same way?”
“So the reason you quietly bought Seongwoon Trading stocks is that?”
On the tablet Seonghun had placed down, one of the key affiliates of the Seongwoon Group, Seongwoon Trading, was included in her stock list.
Not a massive amount, but enough to exert influence.
“I won’t interfere with your private life, Bae Seonghun.”
Knowing this, Jooyoung had thought of Seonghun as the best option. Among the candidates, he had the cleanest public image and was most likely to agree to a deal.
“If a battle over the throne occurs in the future, the stocks I own will be a great help to you.”
Jooyoung didn’t know love. She wasn’t interested in marriage or expanding her official family.
But if it could protect her memories with her mother, she’d go through marriage a hundred times over.
“If necessary, I can transfer Seongwoon Trading stocks to you. We can even write a contract.”
“……”
“So, Bae Seonghun, marry me. There’s nothing clearer in our world than numbers and contracts, right?”
After that, Jooyoung waited for Seonghun’s answer.
She didn’t expect him to agree to marry her right then. Marriage isn’t a game, and business must be conducted carefully.
He’d likely refuse or ask for more time. Meanwhile, his mind would be busy calculating.
“There’s nothing clearer than numbers and contracts.”
At that moment, Seonghun leaned forward and pressed the tablet’s power button. The light reflecting on his face vanished.
“But even such clear numbers and contracts can deceive someone if you want to cheat.”
“Is that a refusal?”
“I said I’ll consider it.”
Fortunately, Seonghun acted as expected.
“To make your decision easier, I’m willing to offer 1% of the Seongwoon stocks I own.”
Jooyoung boldly bet on the outcome she wanted.
A mere 1% might seem insignificant, but for a top-tier KOSPI company, 1% wasn’t trivial.
Moreover, transferring it unconditionally? Nothing could be a more radical offer.
“Maybe this also makes up for my mistakes with you, Bae Seonghun. Is this enough?”
“Even if I pay, it should be something I receive as a gift. Quite an expensive ‘underwear,’ huh?”
“Then you can reimburse me.”
Jooyoung curved her lips slightly.
A few minutes ago, the events of that day had tipped the balance of power toward Seonghun. Now? The balance was perfectly horizontal.
Jooyoung no longer had to watch Seonghun’s reactions because of that day’s incident. Incredible.
Seonghun exhaled, flustered.
“Understood, Choi Jooyoung.”
He made brief eye contact, collected the tablet, and stood up. His schedule allowed him only this much time.
As they left the office, Seonghun asked,
“How did you get here?”
“I came by car. My secretary drove.”
“The male secretary from before? Where is he now?”
“He’s waiting outside.”
“I’ll escort you only to the first floor then.”
Not necessary, but Jooyoung couldn’t ignore his goodwill. She smiled smoothly and nodded.
They took the executive elevator. Seonghun pressed the button for ‘1,’ and the two were reflected side by side in the mirror.
His gaze lingered on her, intense enough that it wasn’t mere looking.
“……”
Given his past mistakes, it couldn’t be a sign of affection.
Or maybe it could—Jooyoung recalled the lazy look in his eyes.
What is it? Does he have something to say?
The fine hairs on her arms stood on end, but she ignored it.
“Why? Do you have a question for me?”
Seonghun tilted his head, studying her with his naked eyes.
“I do, but I haven’t fully figured out Choi Jooyoung yet.”
“What is it? Ask anything. If I can answer, I will.”
“I’m similar to you in that I dislike beating around the bush. So, if you find a question uncomfortable, you don’t have to answer.”
The unusually long preamble should have been a warning.
“How did you know my underwear size?”
Once she heard that, she knew she’d regret saying to ask anything.
“You didn’t have known male relationships, yet entering a hotel with a man didn’t seem unnatural. And your size choice is reasonable for someone who supposedly doesn’t know men.”
His piercing gaze traced her body, from face to chest, pooling between her thighs.
Where his eyes lingered, a non-sticky trace remained.
His obsidian eyes returned to her face. Jooyoung instinctively held her breath.
“Does not interfering in my private life mean you expect me to stay out of yours as well?”
“If you’re asking if I have a hidden man, no. I don’t.”
“Then how did you know the size?”
His voice carried excitement for some reason.
Jooyoung finally understood a little about Bae Seonghun. He responds to stimulation.
If so, teasing him the way he wants is simple.
“I thought 100 would be enough.”
Jooyoung tilted slightly, eyes sliding diagonally, as if showing what she saw.
Following her gaze, Seonghun couldn’t help but laugh.
She was looking at his butt.
“Was I wrong?”
“The back is fine, but the front is tight.”
Jooyoung, drawn like a magnet, immediately found the front with her eyes.
The only curve in his straight suit pants was between his thighs.
Not the back, but the front…
His large body shifted to one side as if searching for an air passage.
