Chapter 36
This was bad. Yeonho hadn't expected Min-Hyuk to actually follow him, let alone eavesdrop on a private phone call.
He had been so entirely caught up in pushing Gyeongjae's buttons that he had let his guard down, completely forgetting about the man could be standing right outside the door.
Now that Min-Hyuk had heard everything, the stylist disguise was entirely useless. It was a careless mistake—getting overconfident, underestimating his surroundings, and assuming a public restroom was safe enough for privacy.
'Fuck. He knows.'
Yeonho took a small, cautious step backward. Min-Hyuk didn't seem to notice the movement; his focus was locked entirely on Yeonho's face.
Inside, Yeonho's chest tightened, his pulse hammering so violently he half-feared the sound would echo in the quiet room. His thoughts scrambled, frantically chasing an excuse, a lie, a way out.
'Get it together. Panic will only make it worse.'
But keeping calm was easier said than done when Min-Hyuk was slowly closing the distance between them, a cold, mocking confidence taking over his features as his lips curled into a smirk.
Seeing him approach sent a cold prickle of sweat down the palms of Yeonho's hands.
"So…" Min-Hyuk's voice dropped, dropping the friendly act.
"It really is you. I thought it was strange when Hana introduced a stylist with your exact name, but I have to admit, you almost had me fooled."
Min-Hyuk let out a sharp, disbelief-filled chuckle. Yeonho swallowed hard, forcing himself to remain dead silent.
Despite the adrenaline surging through his veins, he forced his facial muscles to relax, keeping his expression completely blank and impassive.
The moment he showed fear, he lost.
"Say something, Yeonho. Don't tell me you're actually scared now that your little masquerade is over?"
Yeonho didn't answer with words. Instead, a slow, deliberate grin spread across his face. With smooth, unhurried movements, he slid his compact powder and make-up tools back into his bag, then leaned against the counter, meeting Min-Hyuk's gaze directly.
"I think you're confusing me with Ms. Choi's disgraced brother, Mr. Kang. You should keep jokes like that to yourself."
"Don't bother," Min-Hyuk cut him off, his voice hardening.
"I heard everything. I even heard the part where you said I'm your next target. And you…" He trailed off, his jaw tightening.
"Yes?"
"You and Gyeongjae. Did you actually sleep together?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about,"
Yeonho murmured, turning his back to turn on the faucet. He calmly rinsed his hands under the cold water.
Behind him, he could feel the burning weight of Min-Hyuk's glare without even needing to look.
"Stop lying, Yeonho. I heard the whole conversation."
Min-Hyuk leaned back against the adjacent sink, crossing his arms and planting his hands in his pockets as he tracked the stylist's movements.
"You're trying to ruin Hana? Take revenge? You even dragged Gyeongjae into it…"
At those words, Yeonho finally turned off the water. He dried his hands, his calm exterior perfectly intact, and stepped directly into Min-Hyuk's personal space.
He leaned in until their noses were barely an inch apart, his eyes piercing.
"I absolutely slept with Gyeongjae," Yeonho whispered, his voice dripping with casual malice.
"And I am going to take everything from her. Every single thing. Starting with the men she thinks belong to her."
Min-Hyuk's smirk returned, though his eyes flared with a dangerous fascination at the sudden change in attitude.
"You haven't changed a bit. Aren't you worried I'll go straight to Hana with this?"
Of course he was. If Hana found out before the upcoming birthday event, the entire plan would collapse.
But before Yeonho could formulate a response, his phone vibrated violently against the porcelain sink.
He glanced down.
'Woo Gyeongjae...'
A wicked smile lit up Yeonho's face. He swiped the screen and immediately hit the speaker button.
[I'm outside,] Gyeongjae's voice barked through the speaker, raw and furious.
[Get out here right now so we can talk. And I'm warning you—don't you dare touch Hana, Choi Yeonho.]
Yeonho's smile widened as he listened to the rage on the other end, his eyes locked onto Min-Hyuk, who was watching the phone with a deepening frown.
"Where exactly are you?" Yeonho purred into the line.
"I'm still inside, but Hana left a while ago. Though… Kang Min-Hyuk is right here with me. Should I fill him in on our little secret?"
"What truth?" Min-Hyuk demanded aloud, but Gyeongjae's voice cut through the speaker before he could finish.
[Don't you fucking dare, Yeonho! And Min-Hyuk, you bastard—you said you had a scheduling work overseas. Why the hell are you out on a date with Hana?]
Min-Hyuk leaned down toward the phone, his tone instantly turning competitive.
"Why do you care? Are you jealous? Hana missed me, so I made time for her. Simple as that."
[ You— ]
"Alright, both of you need to shut up about that little bitch," Yeonho interrupted, his voice cutting through their bickering like ice.
"Keep running your mouths about her, and I promise you won't like what I do next."
The line fell dead silent, and Min-Hyuk's eyebrows pulled together, clearly taken aback by how easily Gyeongjae had been muted.
Yeonho didn't give either of them time to recover. He grabbed his bag and walked toward the door, speaking directly into the phone.
"I'm hanging up now. Wait for me outside."
[ Fuck—] Gyeongjae cursed, but Yeonho cut the call.
Yeonho glanced back over his shoulder at the model.
"If you want a front-row seat to our little secret, you'd better start listening to me. Because this involves your precious sweet Hana."
Min-Hyuk's brow twitched. He recalled how abruptly Hana had fled the boutique earlier, clearly terrified of something.
Yeonho held the answers, and as much as Min-Hyuk disliked the Yeonho, his curiosity won out.
"Fine," Min-Hyuk muttered, adjusting his clothes.
"Let's move. You can explain yourself outside."
"With pleasure," Yeonho smiled, a dangerous, expression that left Min-Hyuk feeling deeply irritated.
When they stepped out of the restroom, the workshop was already cleared and locked up.
The remaining staff members were standing near the exit, chatting casually about their evening plans.
Yeonho called out a polite goodbye, his demeanor instantly shifting back into the professional, sweet stylist persona.
The staff smiled and bowed warmly in return. Min-Hyuk watched the performance in silence, amazed by how effortlessly the man wore different faces.
The moment they stepped out of the boutique, the crisp night air hit them, instantly cooling the suffocating tension from the restroom.
Yeonho took a deep, steadying breath, while Min-Hyuk was beside him.
"We need to go somewhere away from the crowd," Yeonho said, guiding them down the pavement.
They walked for a few blocks until they reached a quiet, dimly lit park bordering the city skyline.
The distant rumble of traffic and the neon lights of Seoul made the atmosphere heavy and intimate.
Yeonho knew he had almost ruined everything tonight, but luck was on his side—Min-Hyuk was far more calmer than he appeared.
They stood near the edge of the paved path, watching the occasional car speed by.
Min-Hyuk broke the silence first, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.
"How long have you been back in Korea?"
"A few days," Yeonho replied smoothly.
"You should have stayed in Russia," Min-Hyuk said, shaking his head.
"Whatever you're trying to pull, you're going to fail. Hana was finally living a peaceful life with you gone. Don't ruin it. I'm being nice enough to warn you before I take action."
Yeonho let out a soft, mocking scoff.
"I'll do exactly what I want, Mr. Kang. Nobody is going to stop me. In fact… I'd love to see you try and stop me."
Min-Hyuk turned his head slightly, looking down at him with a mix of disbelief and annoyance.
"You really haven't changed at all. If anything, you've gotten worse. What exactly do you want from me?"
Yeonho's grin returned, sharp and feline. He turned his body fully toward the model.
"Aren't you curious? You should ask Gyeongjae what I want."
"You can't be serious." Min-Hyuk's expression soured. Just the mental image of two men tangled together in bed made his stomach twist with an uncomfortable, unfamiliar heat.
"Look at you," Yeonho teased, stepping closer.
"Are you picturing something vulgar right now? Haha."
Min-Hyuk opened his mouth to snap back, but the words caught in his throat. Yeonho didn't give him space to recover.
Capitalizing on the quiet darkness of the park, he moved in to take control of the man's instincts.
He leaned up, his lips brushing against the shell of Min-Hyuk's ear. Min-Hyuk went entirely rigid, his breath hitching.
"Aren't you the least bit curious how it feels?" Yeonho whispered, his voice a low, seductive purr.
"How desperately Gyeongjae held onto me until dawn?"
"Choi Yeonho… step back right now, or—"
"Shh… just imagine it," Yeonho murmured, his hand gently tracing the lapel of Min-Hyuk's coat.
"Imagine how perfectly you'd fit inside me."
Without warning, Yeonho dragged the tip of his tongue along the sensitive curve of
Min-Hyuk's earlobe.
Min-Hyuk flinched violently, a jolt of pure electricity striking his spine. He shoved Yeonho back, clenching his jaw as he pressed a hand over his tingling ear. He stared at Yeonho, his eyes dark with conflict.
"Disgusting…"
"And yet, you're hard," Yeonho laughed softly, his eyes dropping intentionally.
Min-Hyuk followed his gaze down, his breath catching in surprise. Beneath his tailored trousers, a distinct, heavy bulge was straining against the fabric.
His body had betrayed him, completely turned on by the malicious, forbidden provocation.
Min-Hyuk couldn't find his voice. Yeonho's smile widened, thoroughly enjoying the intense waves of embarrassment and desire rolling off the model.
In the original novel, Min-Hyuk was a model and player who knows not to sway women's hearts for fun. Giving him a taste of his own medicine was intoxicating.
Yeonho giggled, closing the distance between them once more.
"Mr. Kang Min-Hyuk, I really am a huge fan," Yeonho mocked, his voice sweet and dripping with sarcasm. "Please treat me gently."
Min-Hyuk remained frozen, his eyes dark as he stared down at him.
Expecting a violent outburst or a defensive retort, Yeonho rolled his eyes when
Min-hyuk remained silent. The flat reaction was starting to bore him.
"Fine, I apologize for licking your ear. Don't just stand there like a statue. It's annoying."
He turned to walk away, but before he could take a single step, Min-Hyuk's hand shot out.
His fingers clamped tightly around Yeonho's forearm, pulling him back violently.
Before Yeonho could react, Min-Hyuk's other arm snaked around his slim waist, locking him securely against his chest.
The entire time Yeonho had been talking, the illicit imagery had been burned into
Min-Hyuk's brain.
At first, the concept had felt entirely foreign, disgusting, but then he looked past the stylist's temporary disguise and pictured the striking, blonde beauty of Choi Yeonho.
Hana was undeniably beautiful, but Yeonho possessed a fragile, dangerous allure that completely overpass her. Everyone knew it, but they had always been too distracted by the Yeonho's volatile attitude to admit it.
Cradled tightly against the Min-Hyuk's broad chest, Yeonho didn't panic. Instead, his expression shifted into one of absolute triumph.
Even behind the colored contact lenses, his bright blue eyes shone with a piercing light.
Yeonho slowly brought his hands up, resting them against Min-Hyuk's shoulders.
He leaned in, letting their lower bodies flush together, ensuring Min-Hyuk's heavy length pressed directly against his thigh.
"I know you're curious," Yeonho whispered, his lips inches from Min-Hyuk's.
"Why don't you actually do something about it?"
"This is cheating…" Min-Hyuk rasped, his gaze dropping to the Yeonho's lips.
"No," Yeonho murmured, his fingers gently sliding up to caress the nape of Min-Hyuk's neck, pulling him down a fraction of an inch.
"You're just satisfying a craving. It doesn't count."
Min-Hyuk's restraint was completely fraying. Hana's lips had never looked this flushed, this tempting.
"Do you want to kiss me?" Yeonho asked, a soft, breathless giggle escaping him as their chests pressed tighter together.
The height difference was perfect, forcing Yeonho to look up through his lashes.
"I've never kissed a man before…" Min-Hyuk
whispered, his grip on Yeonho's waist tightening until it was almost bruising.
"Now you will," Yeonho breathed.
It was wrong. It was entirely toxic. Just hours ago, Min-Hyuk had been treating Hana to a romantic date, and now he was completely enslaved by the touch of her twin brother.
But just like Gyeongjae, the toxic curiosity was too strong to fight.
Slowly, deliberately, Min-Hyuk tilted his head, his eyes tracking the slight parting of Yeonho's lips as he leaned down to claim them.
"What the hell is going on here, Choi Yeonho?"
The sharp, furious roar shattered the silence of the park.
Both of them froze instantly, their lips brushing but not crossing the line, as their heads snapped toward the dark shadow standing at the edge of the path.
.
.
.
.
.