Chapter Four : Summoned by the CEO
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Jeongin exhaled as he stepped out of the washroom, his mind still reeling from the sudden reappearance of Minho in his life. He needed to focus. He needed to push everything aside and keep things professional.
But just as he turned the corner, he bumped into someone.
"Oh—" Hyunjin stepped back, blinking in surprise. "Jeongin?"
Jeongin quickly steadied himself, looking up to see Hyunjin eyeing him with curiosity.
"You okay?" Hyunjin asked, tilting his head. "You look a little…" He trailed off, searching for the right word.
Jeongin straightened his posture, his expression quickly shifting back to his usual calm demeanor. "I’m fine," he said simply.
Hyunjin raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"
"Yes," Jeongin replied, already stepping past him. "I need to get back to work."
Hyunjin watched as Jeongin walked away, his lips pressing into a thin line. weird. He could’ve sworn something was off. Jeongin had looked… shaken. But if he didn’t want to talk about it, there wasn’t much Hyunjin could do.
With a sigh, he let it go and returned to his own desk.
**─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───**
For the rest of the day, things went smoothly. Jeongin focused on his tasks, refusing to let his thoughts drift to Minho. He buried himself in reports, emails, anything that could keep his mind occupied.
But peace never lasted long.
The door to the office opened, and the manager walked in. "Jeongin," he called out.
Jeongin looked up from his desk. "Yes?"
The manager crossed his arms. "The CEO is looking for you. He wants to see you in his office now."
The office went silent. A few employees exchanged glances, and Hyunjin turned his head toward Jeongin with interest.
Jeongin let out a quiet sigh. He had expected this. Minho wouldn’t just ignore him.
With a calm expression, he stood up.
Keep it professional. Don't let him get to you
"Got it," Jeongin said before heading toward the CEO’s office.
☆
Jeongin took a deep breath before knocking on the door.
"Come in," came a deep voice from inside.
Swallowing the irritation already bubbling inside him, Jeongin pushed open the door and stepped in. His expression was calm as he bowed slightly in greeting. "You called for me, sir."
Minho, who was seated behind the large office desk, leaned back in his chair and smirked.
"Innie," he drawled, his tone dripping with amusement. "Aren’t you gonna hug me?"
Jeongin swore his fingers twitched at the urge to wipe that smug look off Minho’s face.
Instead, he straightened his posture and replied in a cold, professional tone, "We're in an office, CEO lee. It would be more appropriate to discuss work matters rather than personal ones."
Minho chuckled darkly, shaking his head as if Jeongin’s reaction was exactly what he expected.
Slowly, he stood up. Jeongin’s eyes flickered away, choosing to focus on anything but the approaching man. But Minho, of course, wasn’t one to be ignored.
"Oh, Innie," Minho murmured, stepping dangerously close. "You know, I missed you so fucking much."
Before Jeongin could react, he was suddenly pushed against the wall.
His breath hitched as Minho pinned him there, their faces too close for comfort. The scent of Minho’s expensive cologne filled his senses, but all Jeongin could feel was anger.
Enough.
Jeongin clenched his fists and glared. "At first, you tried to kill Yeonjun—" his voice shook slightly, but he powered through, "—then you just left me. Without a word. No calls. Nothing. And now you come back just to say this?" His teeth clenched. "You have no right to say you missed me when you were the one who left."
For the first time since the meeting, Minho’s smirk faded. His jaw tensed, and something flickered in his eyes.
A silence stretched between them before Minho exhaled sharply. His hand moved, gripping Jeongin’s face—not harshly, but firm enough to make Jeongin meet his gaze.
"I came back for you," Minho said quietly, his voice lower, more serious. "And I’m not leaving without you."
Jeongin’s breath stilled for a second. But then the anger returned.
With a forceful push, he shoved Minho away. "You’re unbelievable," he spat before turning and storming out of the office.
His hands were shaking, his breath unsteady. He barely made it down the hall before his knees felt weak, and he slid down against the wall.
Everything was crashing down at once, and he needed a moment to breathe.
To remind himself that he wouldn’t let Minho ruin him again.
