Deep End | Hyunlix

54

The city hadn't even fully woken when Hyunjin dragged himself back into his office at HH Art. The sun was still low on the horizon, spilling pale streaks of light that bled through the floor-to-ceiling windows and across the polished hardwood floors. Morning should have felt like renewal, but for him, it only clawed at his already frayed nerves.

His body ached with exhaustion, but his mind refused to stop. Every memory of the night clung to him like smoke, Felix's warmth pressed against him, the grounding weight of his arms, the soft words that had soothed cracks Hyunjin hadn't realized were splitting open. And then, the sharp contrast of leaving. Of looking into Felix's eyes, seeing not only desire but something more dangerous: conviction.

Hyunjin's jaw tightened as he stalked toward the liquor cabinet tucked in the corner of his office. He didn't even bother with a glass at first, just unscrewed the cap and poured until the burn slid down his throat, dulling the tightness in his chest. He set the tumbler down harder than he intended, the echo startling in the stillness of the morning.

One drink turned to another. He tried to steady his hands, tried to quiet his thoughts, but Felix's face lingered no matter how much amber he swallowed. The reassurance in his touch, the overwhelming pleasure that had nearly broken him apart, and then, the look in Felix's eyes when Hyunjin had pushed him away.

It was unbearable.

Hyunjin poured again, staring out the wide pane of glass that framed the city below. Streets slowly stirred alive, cars flowing like veins through arteries of asphalt, people hurrying toward their routines. They had no idea what it was like to live with shadows pressing at your heels, to know that every decision was laced with threat. He envied them.

He had just drained the last swallow of his glass when a sharp knock interrupted his solitude. Hyunjin froze, irritation flickering in his chest.

The door opened before he could answer. Lee Know stepped inside.

Hyunjin turned slowly, his expression schooled into icy composure, but his gaze locked on the older man with deliberate sharpness. Lee Know bowed as custom demanded, though the movement carried an edge of reluctance that did not escape Hyunjin's notice.

"You disappeared last night," Lee Know said as he straightened, his tone deceptively neutral.

Hyunjin set his glass down on the desk with a soft clink, the sound almost mocking in the silence between them. His voice came out smooth but laced with authority that tolerated no challenge.

"I didn't realize I needed to report my movements to you."

The air thickened instantly. The weight of Hyunjin's authority was undeniable, but Lee Know didn't flinch. His dark eyes remained steady, assessing, careful.

"You don't," he conceded after a beat, his words measured. "But we had a shipment come in, and no one could reach you. I was...worried."

Hyunjin's eyes narrowed, a slow burn behind his gaze. Worry? He almost laughed. The word rang hollow, a poor disguise for suspicion. He knew Lee Know well enough to see through the lie, the older wasn't worried about him, not truly. Concern in this world was never so selfless. It was always about leverage, control, appearances.

"Your concern is noted," Hyunjin said finally, his tone cutting, meant to remind Lee Know that he was not to be trifled with. "But I'm here now. Give me a status update."

Lee Know straightened his shoulders, bowing his head briefly in acknowledgment before stepping forward. He pulled a folder from under his arm and laid it on the desk, flipping it open with precise fingers.

"The shipment arrived on schedule," he began. "Most of the product was accounted for, but there was an issue with customs. We had to reroute some crates to the secondary dock. It caused delays."