#84

Considering how late it was and the amount of work Secretary Sung Yoojun had been handling lately, the thought actually made a lot of sense. If that really was the case, then I’d feel kind of bad for waking him…… I glanced toward the still-dim window and decided to let him sleep at least until the alarm went off.

Let’s just leave him be and quietly slip out. With that plan in mind, I carefully tried to remove Sung Yoojun’s arm from around my waist. But as if he could sense it even in his sleep, he let out a groggy, irritated sound and only tightened his hold, pulling me closer toward him.

Suddenly finding my nose buried in Sung Yoojun’s chest, I blinked rapidly, trying to figure out how to deal with this situation.

Judging by how sensitive he seemed even in his sleep, blatantly trying to pull away was out of the question—that would definitely wake him up. But moving slowly and subtly like before also wasn’t working; his arm around my waist was wrapped far too tightly. Releasing it would take quite a bit of force, and there was no way I could do that without waking him.

Hmm…… If those two options were out, then there was only one left: stay still until Sung Yoojun woke up on his own. I let out a soft sigh as I carefully pulled my face away from his chest. It wasn’t like I had any other choice—this was the only option left.

Resigning myself to the situation, I wriggled around a bit to find a more comfortable position and eventually ended up right back where I started—resting on Sung Yoojun’s arm. After trying a few things, I realized there really wasn’t a more comfortable position than this one.

Now lying on his arm again, Sung Yoojun’s face naturally came into view. He wore a peaceful expression now, as if that annoyed groan from earlier had never happened.

Come to think of it, this might be the first time I’ve seen him sleeping. That thought struck me out of nowhere, and I took a moment to quietly study his face.

He usually had sharp eyes and a cool demeanor, but with his eyes closed, his features seemed noticeably softer. Of course, that didn’t mean he suddenly looked approachable or anything.

“Maybe it’s because of how strong his features are?”

I whispered just quietly enough that he wouldn’t hear and scanned his thick eyebrows with my eyes. I’d always thought this, but whether it was Tartarus, Secretary Sung Yoojun, or Manager Ahn Siwon, they were all strikingly handsome in a way that really stood out.

Well, I guess that makes sense. They’re the characters who show up the most in the game, so it figures they’d be designed with extra care. As I chuckled quietly to myself at the thought, Sung Yoojun frowned slightly and shifted his head as if something was bothering him. Then, slowly, he opened his eyes.

Did I wake him up? I had whispered, and even the laugh had been barely audible……

Holding my breath anxiously, I watched as his fluttering eyelids fully opened.

“……”

With his eyes open, Sung Yoojun didn’t say a word. He just stared at me blankly. It looked like his eyes were open, but his mind hadn’t fully woken up yet. Maybe if I patted his back or something, he’d fall back asleep? As I hesitated, wiggling my fingers slightly, Secretary Sung Yoojun—who had been blinking slowly and staring straight at my face—finally spoke.

“Why…… already……”

Thanks to the lingering sleepiness in his voice, Sung Yoojun’s words didn’t come out clearly—but it wasn’t hard to guess what he was trying to say.

Why are you already awake? That was probably what he meant to ask.

“I just woke up.”

At my answer, a faint frown creased Sung Yoojun’s brow, displeased. I let out a quiet laugh and reached out to smooth the wrinkle between his brows. But before I could even react to what happened next, he caught my hand.

My hand was suddenly pulled toward him without warning. Sung Yoojun brought my hand down onto his waist and wrapped himself around me in a firm embrace.

“……Sleep some more.”

His low, husky voice tickled my ears, and without thinking, I shrank my neck slightly from the sensation. That’s when I felt a warm, soft touch on my forehead.

It was Sung Yoojun’s lips.

The moment I realized it, I froze completely, unable to react.

Wait—what? I was so startled that my mind stalled completely, and in that brief pause, Sung Yoojun had already slipped back into slumber, his breathing deep and even.

As I listened to the steady rhythm of his peaceful breaths, the frantic pounding of my heart from earlier began to calm down. Once I was sure my heartbeat had returned to normal, I cautiously lifted my head to check Sung Yoojun’s face.

He was fast asleep with the most peaceful expression on his face. I reached up and touched the spot on my forehead where his lips had brushed, then let out a long, slow sigh. Just yesterday, I’d kissed Lee Daon’s hair multiple times to comfort him—but it definitely felt different being on the receiving end.

How should I put it? Maybe it makes your heart flutter a bit more when you’re the one being kissed?

With that odd flutter lingering, I pressed my palm firmly against my forehead and let out another sigh before slowly lowering my hand. Then, after a moment’s hesitation about where to place it, I gently rested it where it had been before—on Secretary Sung Yoojun’s waist.

Even though I’d moved so carefully, it seemed Sung Yoojun still felt it—he tightened his arm around me just a little more. That small motion brought our already-close bodies even closer.

With my face once again nestled against his chest, I hesitated for a moment, debating whether I should try to pull away. But in the end, I chose to stay put. He looked so peaceful in his sleep that I didn’t want to disturb him.

Time passed like that, quietly, until a faint light began to filter in from outside the window. That was when Sung Yoojun slowly opened his eyes again. Unlike earlier, he blinked a few times and seemed to come fully awake this time. With a much clearer gaze, he stared at me before speaking.

“Good morning, President.”

“Yes. Good morning.”

“It seems I fell asleep here.”

I thought he’d be more surprised to find me in his arms like this—but his reaction was surprisingly calm.

“I did tell you to go to your room and sleep, didn’t I?”

At some point, his arm slipped from around my waist. Now freed, I sat up on the bed and playfully scolded him. But Sung Yoojun only smiled and let it roll off his back.

“Were you very uncomfortable?”

“Not really. Other than the part where you were hugging me and wouldn’t let go.”

As I spoke, I stretched a bit, trying to ease the stiffness in my back after staying in one position for so long. When a loud cracking sound came from my spine, Sung Yoojun looked apologetic and reached out to gently massage my waist.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

“I’m okay.”

His fingers pressed skillfully along the muscles near my spine, the pressure just right. As I let out a contented breath, his hands slowly moved upward—up my back, neck, and shoulders—working out the stiffness in my upper body. Only once he was done did he finally draw his hands away.

“Thank you. That felt amazing.”

I stretched my now-relaxed shoulders and got out of bed. It seemed like it was time to start getting ready for work.

“Are you planning to get ready for work?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. I have to.”

“I think it might be better for you to rest another day.”

Hearing Sung Yoojun’s concern, I smiled lightly and replied.

“No, I’m fine. My fever’s gone, and I’m not in pain anymore. Besides, there’s a reason I need to go to work today.”

“Is it because you really want to see the recording session?”

“Well, of course. It’s the first album the kids will be making for my company.”

Although Tartarus had released numerous albums already, this was the first album made with me, so I wanted to see it with my own eyes.

“……Understood. Then, I’ll go get ready as well.”

I nodded at Sung Yoojun’s words, watching him leave with a slightly faster pace than usual. As the door closed behind him, I immediately headed to the bathroom. After a quick shower, I got dressed for work and made my way to the dining room.

As usual, the table was filled with delicious food that the housekeeper had prepared. It must be incredibly tiring for her to prepare this much food every day. Plus, she also manages this large house all by herself……

Sitting at the table, I found myself pondering whether the housekeeper’s workload and the compensation she received were truly fair. While I was deep in thought, Sung Yoojun, who had finished his preparations, entered the dining room.

“It seems that Manager Ahn and Tartarus are still not awake.”

He said as he pulled out a chair from the table. I nodded at his words.

“It’s not even 8 yet. Oh, speaking of which, what time does the recording start today?”

“It’s scheduled to begin at 11.”

“That means they can sleep a little longer.”

If the traffic isn’t bad, it’ll take about 30 minutes to get from here to the office, so even with breakfast and preparation time, there’s still about an hour left for them to sleep. I thought as I began to eat, and Sung Yoojun also picked up his spoon.