Beneath the Surface I Seungsung [✓]

Chapter 18

Seungmin couldn’t focus. For the first time in years, his meticulous work ethic was failing him. Sitting in his office, he stared at the same financial report for hours, the words blurring together.

Jisung had left three messages in the past two days, none of which Seungmin had responded to. Each message was a mix of teasing and subtle annoyance:

"You’re avoiding me again, aren’t you? Typical."

"Don’t forget who you belong to, Seungmin."

"I know you’re thinking about me. Stop pretending you’re not."

Seungmin hated how those messages made his chest tighten. He hated how his mind replayed the moments they’d spent together, his body betraying him with every lingering memory.

But most of all, he hated how he was starting to crave more.

---

At the Han Corporation, Jisung paced his office, irritation etched across his face. He was used to control—to having things his way. Yet, with Seungmin, nothing ever went as planned.

“Is it business-related?” Chan asked, leaning against the desk. “You’ve been brooding all day.”

“It’s nothing,” Jisung snapped.

Chan raised an eyebrow. “If you say so. But whatever it is, figure it out before tomorrow’s board meeting. We can’t afford distractions.”

Jisung waved him off, but his frustration only grew. Seungmin was supposed to be his distraction—not the other way around.

---

That evening, Seungmin sat in his empty apartment, staring at the untouched dinner on the table. He hated how quiet his life felt, how hollow. As much as he resented Jisung for invading his thoughts, he couldn’t deny that their encounters—twisted and toxic as they were—had given him a thrill he hadn’t felt in years.

His phone buzzed, breaking the silence.

Jisung: "Are you going to keep hiding, or are you going to face me like an adult?"

Seungmin hesitated, his fingers hovering over the screen. Before he could second-guess himself, he replied:

"Meet me tomorrow. Same place."

---

The next night, they met in the dimly lit hotel suite that had become their routine. Jisung was already there, leaning casually against the wall, his sharp suit and confident smirk in place.

“You finally decided to show up,” Jisung drawled, his tone a mix of amusement and irritation.

“Don’t get used to it,” Seungmin said coldly, but his voice lacked the usual bite.

Jisung stepped closer, his presence overwhelming as always. “You’re terrible at lying, Seungmin.”

Seungmin opened his mouth to retort, but Jisung didn’t give him the chance. In a swift motion, he pulled Seungmin closer, their bodies colliding in a heated kiss.

For a moment, Seungmin let himself get lost in it—the taste of Jisung, the way his hands gripped him like he was something precious. But when they broke apart, reality came crashing down.

“This… isn’t sustainable,” Seungmin said, his voice barely a whisper.

Jisung frowned, his usual confidence faltering. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I can’t keep doing this. It’s messing with my head. With everything.”

For the first time, Jisung looked genuinely unsettled. “You think you’re the only one struggling with this?”

Seungmin froze. “What are you talking about?”

Jisung stepped back, running a hand through his hair. “I’m saying… you’re not just some distraction to me, Seungmin. I thought I could keep it simple, but you’ve complicated everything.”

The words hung between them, heavy and unexpected.

For the first time, Seungmin saw a crack in Jisung’s armor—a vulnerability he hadn’t thought possible. And in that moment, he realized that maybe, just maybe, they weren’t as different as he’d thought.

I know I use "for the first time" a lot but please bear with me ಥ⁠_⁠ಥ

Hope you have a good day today (⁠づ⁠￣⁠ ⁠³⁠￣⁠)⁠づ