Beneath the Surface I Seungsung

Chapter 10

Seungmin sat at his desk, the glow of his computer screen reflecting off his glasses as he stared at the contract from Jisung. The terms were clear, generous even. A rare concession from the man who was known for playing hardball, especially in the corporate world. This wasn’t just business anymore—it was personal.

A gesture of goodwill? Seungmin scoffed bitterly. Since when did Jisung do anything out of goodwill? He always had a reason, a plan. The thought sent a chill down Seungmin’s spine.

His phone buzzed again, another message from Jisung.

Jisung: You don’t have to say anything. Just take the deal. It’s better for both of us.

Seungmin's fingers tightened around his phone as he read the message, his mind still racing. He hated this—the way Jisung always seemed one step ahead, always so sure of himself. Jisung knew exactly how to push him, how to unbalance him, and this merger was no exception.

He leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling, trying to make sense of the situation. They were enemies. Competitors. Yet, the nights they spent together, the tension between them, had become something far more complicated than he could have ever anticipated.

Why was Jisung doing this?

Seungmin's heart pounded in his chest, the familiar tug of desire mixed with anger. He hated that Jisung had this effect on him. Hated how even now, with all the logic and rationality telling him to stay away, he couldn’t ignore the way his body reacted whenever Jisung was involved.

With a frustrated sigh, Seungmin tapped out a response.

Seungmin: Why are you doing this?

He pressed send before he could overthink it, the question hanging heavily in the air. He didn’t want to play these games anymore. He needed answers.

A few moments later, his phone vibrated in his hand.

Jisung: Because I can. And because you want me to.

Seungmin’s jaw clenched, his frustration mounting. That wasn’t an answer, not a real one. Jisung always had a way of skirting around the truth, giving just enough to keep Seungmin hooked but never enough to satisfy his need for clarity.

But was Jisung right? Did Seungmin want him to?

He shook his head, trying to push the thought away. This wasn’t about desire, or about whatever twisted connection had formed between them. This was about business. About control. And Seungmin needed to take that control back.

Without thinking, Seungmin stood, grabbing his coat. He couldn’t sit here any longer, couldn’t let Jisung play him like this. If Jisung wanted to make this personal, then Seungmin would confront him on his own terms.

---

The sleek, glass-walled office tower of Han Corp loomed over the city as Seungmin stepped out of his car, his jaw set in determination. He had no appointment, no scheduled meeting. But Seungmin knew he wouldn’t be turned away. After all, Jisung would be expecting him.

Inside the lobby, the receptionist looked surprised when Seungmin approached, but quickly waved him through after a short call upstairs. Of course, Jisung had anticipated this.

As the elevator ascended to the top floor, Seungmin’s thoughts churned. He was walking into enemy territory, into Jisung’s domain, but this was no longer about the business deal. This was about them—the unspoken, dangerous thing they’d been dancing around for months.

The doors slid open, revealing the pristine, minimalist office Jisung called his own. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the skyline, but Seungmin’s eyes locked immediately on the figure standing at the desk, facing the view.

Jisung turned slowly, his expression unreadable but a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He looked composed, as always—perfectly in control, as though he hadn’t just upended everything with one contract.

“Seungmin,” Jisung greeted, his tone casual, as if they weren’t rivals, as if they hadn’t spent the past months at each other’s throats in more ways than one.

Seungmin didn’t respond right away. He crossed the room, each step measured, until he stood directly in front of Jisung. The tension between them crackled like static electricity, a palpable energy that neither of them could deny.

“Why?” Seungmin demanded, his voice low but sharp. “Why the deal, Jisung? You’ve never given anyone a break before, so why me?”

Jisung’s gaze held his, dark and piercing. “Because I’m tired of pretending.”

Seungmin blinked, momentarily thrown off by the bluntness of the admission. “Pretending?”

Jisung stepped closer, closing the gap between them, his presence overwhelming. “Pretending that this,” he gestured between them, “isn’t more than just competition. You think I can keep going like this? Fighting you at every turn, and then—” His voice dropped, rough with something unspoken. “—wanting you every night?”

Seungmin’s breath hitched, the words hitting him like a punch. The raw honesty in Jisung’s voice was disarming, and for a moment, Seungmin didn’t know how to respond. He had always assumed this was nothing more than lust for Jisung, the physical release that came with their heated encounters. But now, seeing Jisung like this—vulnerable in a way he never was—it threw Seungmin off balance.

“I…” Seungmin faltered, his mind racing to catch up with his emotions. “We’re enemies, Jisung. This can’t work. It was never supposed to.”

Jisung’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. “I know. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s real. I can’t stop thinking about you, and it’s driving me insane.”

Seungmin’s chest tightened, the weight of Jisung’s words sinking in. He could feel the same pull, the same inescapable tension that had been building between them for months. But admitting that—to himself, and to Jisung—meant acknowledging that this wasn’t just a fling, that it had become something far more dangerous.

“What do you want from me?” Seungmin whispered, his voice barely audible.

Jisung’s eyes softened, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he dropped the façade. “I want you. Not just for tonight, not just for the next deal. I want… more.”

Seungmin’s heart raced, his mind torn between the fear of what this meant and the undeniable desire that had been building inside him. Could he allow himself to give in to Jisung—to let go of the animosity and let something deeper take its place?

For once, Seungmin didn’t have an answer.

But as Jisung reached for him, closing the distance between them, Seungmin didn’t pull away.

And maybe, for the first time, he didn’t want to.