Lee Taeseong really didn’t go back to Kwon Yido. When I told him to come inside because it bothered me seeing him standing there in front of the side door, he just moved to the entryway and stood there blankly instead. It was irritating, but I couldn’t just pretend not to see him and walk back to my room.

“...Let’s go to the greenhouse instead.”

In the end, I headed toward the greenhouse with him in tow, just like always. I didn’t forget to tell the housekeeper who always prepared tea to set out two cups this time. Lee Taeseong glanced at me, his face stiff like a robot, and silently followed behind.

Sure enough, once we arrived at the greenhouse, he stopped right at the entrance and didn’t come in. Standing straight with his hands clasped behind his back, he looked so much like a gatekeeper it was almost comical. Whatever Kwon Yido had ordered him to do, it probably didn’t include standing there like a statue.

“Come in, Mr. Lee.”

“No, I...”

“I feel like I’m being watched, so I’d prefer if you came in.”

When I frowned as if troubled, Lee Taeseong’s cheek twitched. With a face clearly debating what to do, he eventually followed me inside. The brisk way he walked behind me was definitely different from Kwon Yido.

Two teacups were already set on the table, arranged in advance by the housekeeper. In the beginning, she used to follow me in and pour the tea herself, but after I asked her not to, she began leaving everything quietly in place. And yet, the tea was always warm—something I still found oddly impressive.

“Have a seat.”

“...”

I sat down naturally and poured the tea into both my cup and Lee Taeseong’s. The flower in the clear teapot looked like a magnolia. The petals hadn’t discolored at all—it must’ve been kept very fresh.

“Are you going to stand and drink?”

I glanced over at Lee Taeseong and asked. Even after I told him to sit, he avoided my gaze with his eyes lowered.

“I’m fine.”

“Mm...”

On a normal day, I’d coax someone like this into sitting, but Lee Taeseong didn’t seem like the type to be swayed. He had no flexibility—if anything, the nicer I treated him, the more rigid he’d probably become.

“Just sit down. You already know you can’t refuse anyway.”

So I just copied what Kwon Yido would’ve said. Sure enough, it worked instantly. With a face like he’d bitten into something foul, Lee Taeseong sat across from me. Was this the kind of face I made when I was handed that car key? No wonder Kwon Yido found it amusing.

“You’re not allergic to pollen or anything, are you? I think they filtered it all out, but just in case.”

“...No, I’m not.”

He looked thoroughly uncomfortable as he fidgeted with the teacup. The contrast between his large hands and the dainty cup was almost absurd. His hand size seemed similar to Kwon Yido’s—but maybe it was the shape, or maybe I just wasn’t used to it.

“Please, help yourself.”

I took a sip and opened the novel I’d brought with me. It was the final book in the series I’d picked from the shelf. Once I finished this, I’d have read everything in the room, and I’d need to ask Kwon Yido if I could use the study.

“...”

Flip. The sound of the pages turning tickled my ears. I’d turned at least three pages, and Lee Taeseong still hadn’t taken a single sip of tea. Even while reading, I could sense him squirming in his seat like he was sitting on thorns.

This was one of my favorite moments since coming into this house. When the greenhouse was full of floral scents, and the soft aroma of flower tea drifted through the air. When I could sink so deeply into a book that reality seemed to vanish.

Usually I came here in the morning, but today I came in the afternoon, so the light streamed in from a different angle. The sunlight scattered across the cream-colored pages, glittering gently. Thinking it was a bit too bright, I angled the book slightly—when suddenly, Lee Taeseong, who had been silent, spoke.

“...Did you have something you wanted to say? Is that why you made me sit?”

I looked up at him quietly. His awkward gaze was full of discomfort.

“No. I just don’t like making people stand around while I read, that’s all.”

He might have been more comfortable standing, but I didn’t want anyone standing beside me for hours on end. Maybe for one day, but we’d be doing this repeatedly.

“From tomorrow, you should bring a book too. We’ll keep preparing two cups of tea.”

Kwon Yido said we’d talk in more detail after he got off work, but I doubted anything would change. He’d probably force a bodyguard on me one way or another, and if I kept refusing, he’d just send someone new. It was easier to make peace with it and find a compromise.

“I can’t sit around sipping tea while I’m on duty.”

“Then just consider it part of your duty.”

Flip. Another page turned. Human peripheral vision really was impressive—I had my eyes on the book, but I could still see his face contort clearly. I gave up and lowered the book, then smiled at him as I asked:

“Have you had lunch?”

He looked at me like I’d just pulled some kind of cheap trick. His eyes softened a little, but the hostility in them didn’t disappear.

“I have.”

“What did you eat?”

“Just gimbap... Why are you asking?”

He wasn’t some wild animal, but the more I asked, the more on edge he became. His sharp, defined features seemed even more bristled.

“I thought we could have a little conversation. You seemed uncomfortable just sitting there.”

“...”

“Is the work hard?”

The more I smiled, the worse his expression got. Judging by his face alone, I was practically the source of his suffering.

“It’s manageable.”

“That’s impressive. It can’t be easy becoming a team leader at your age.”

By appearance, he seemed like he was in his early to mid-thirties. To be part of Kwon Yido’s security team, and a team leader at that—he must’ve been highly competent.

“...I’m not a team leader anymore.”

He replied with a sigh, rubbing his face with one large hand and furrowing his brow.

“I was demoted after an incident. So please don’t call me ‘Team Leader.’”

“...”

For a moment, a thought crossed my mind. Did he step down because of me? Is that why he’s acting so hostile? But Lee Taeseong continued in a serious tone.

“I made a mistake and got demoted.”

“...So you’re calling being assigned to me a demotion?”

“...”

The moment our eyes met, he seemed to realize what he’d said. A trained bodyguard, yet his reaction was unnecessarily honest. He lowered his head like a scolded child.

“I’m sorry. That was out of line.”

“It’s fine. I was joking. No need to apologize so seriously.”

And honestly, it wasn’t even inaccurate.

“Drink your tea. It’s getting cold.”

“...”

Silence fell again. I didn’t feel like continuing the conversation, but this time it was Lee Taeseong who spoke first.

“...Aren’t you going to ask?”

“Ask what?”

The greenhouse was warm, so the tea still retained its heat. I cupped the glass in my hands and took a sip, the magnolia aroma still lingering. Only after I set it down did Lee Taeseong finally bring it up.

“What kind of mistake I made...”

The way he trailed off told me he didn’t want to talk about it. I didn’t know why he was bringing it up at all. Him and Kwon Yido both.

“Are you one of those people too? Who don’t want to be asked but get itchy when no one asks anyway?”

“...”

Sure enough, he fell silent. I must’ve hit the nail on the head.

“I’m not that curious. Even if you want to say it, just hold it in.”

I planned to make this arrangement moderately tolerable—not dig into anyone’s personal history. Topics that started like this usually led to unpleasant conversations nine times out of ten.

“...Most people ask, so I assumed you would too. I didn’t plan on telling you.”

Thankfully, he took the hint and ended the conversation himself. He turned his head and let out a sigh, like he was slightly relieved. Awkward or not, I guess it was an uncomfortable topic for him.

We didn’t exchange any more words after that. I went back to my book, and Lee Taeseong continued to shift uncomfortably, glancing at me now and then. He kept twitching like he wanted to get up, but I never gave him permission to.

About an hour later, he finally started drinking his tea. It had long since gone cold. He took a sip and grimaced. His expression made it clear he didn’t like it, but he drank the rest in one go like it was poison.

“Director.”

“...?”

I flinched. It was a familiar title, but hearing it in this setting felt strangely out of place. I slowly lifted my eyes from the book. There was Lee Taeseong, still with that stiff expression.

“...You tell me not to call you ‘Team Leader,’ but I’m still ‘Director’?”

He must’ve known I’d resigned. Using my old title felt unnecessarily harsh. Suddenly, I felt a little guilty for calling him ‘Team Leader.’

“I apologize. I just didn’t know what else to call you.”

“You can just call me by name.”

“...No, I can’t do that.”

“Well... If you insist, I suppose it can’t be helped.”

When I replied casually, he nodded. I flipped the last few pages of my book and said offhandedly:

“Go ahead, Mr. Lee.”

“...”

His expression looked like he was about to curse. Since he couldn’t, I guess that was the best he could manage.

“...It’s time for dinner.”

“Oh.”

I gave a small exclamation and took out my phone to check the time. No wonder the light had dimmed—it was already past six. I hadn’t realized because the days were longer lately and I wasn’t hungry.

“Guess it’s time to eat.”

As I gathered my book and phone and stood, Lee Taeseong stood too. He even let out a quiet sigh of relief. We’d only just met today, but he really wasn’t a flexible person.

“If possible, I’d like you to eat your meals on time.”

“...Why is that your concern, Mr. Lee?”

I asked sincerely, unable to understand. I highly doubted even Kwon Yido would’ve told him to check on my meals. Why would an escort care about that?

“If you skip meals, the Executive Director worries.”

Thud. The book I’d been holding slipped from my hands. The pages rustled as they hit the stone floor, crumpling slightly. Lee Taeseong picked it up quickly without showing much surprise.

“...Ah, thank you.”

I instinctively averted my gaze. Not because I was embarrassed about dropping the book—but because of what his words reminded me of: the phone call with Kwon Yido.

“I am worried.”

There’s no way pheromones could travel through a phone, but the moment I heard those words, my chest stirred. His heavy voice had carried through the receiver, deep into my gut. The way my throat tightened and my stomach clenched—it was something I’d never even felt when my father praised me.

It wasn’t the first time Kwon Yido had said he was worried. He’d used the word without hesitation when I ate dinner alone. But this time, the weight behind it was fundamentally different.

I should’ve felt burdened. It should’ve been strange, or at least unfamiliar. Like when he handed me the car key—I should’ve found it baffling.

“If I skip meals... Mr. Kwon gets worried?”

But no matter how awkward it felt, I couldn’t say it was unpleasant. Maybe it was satisfaction, or expectation—or even a little excitement. Like I’d been waiting for him to worry all along.

“Yes. Just hearing that you skipped lunch yesterday made the Executive Director come home early.”

“Yesterday...”

I gripped the book tightly, frowning faintly. Yesterday was the day he’d found me in the greenhouse, after my heat cycle had suddenly triggered. He’d said he’d be late—but came home shortly after lunch instead.

“You mean... Mr. Kwon was notified?”

Surprised, I asked, and Lee Taeseong fell silent. He must’ve sensed something odd in my reaction. I brushed the back of my neck as naturally as I could to reassure him.

“Even so... I doubt he came home just because I skipped one meal. Maybe you misunderstood, Mr. Lee?”

I was half-serious. There’s no way he came all that way just because I missed a single meal.

“...No, I’m certain. He asked if you’d eaten, and as soon as he heard you hadn’t, he left right away.”

Then why? His eyes seemed to ask that question. Like I was a clueless child. Now I understood why this man didn’t like me.

“...Then I guess I shouldn’t skip meals anymore.”

It was the only thing I could say. Smile like nothing’s wrong and move on. I couldn’t afford to show my confusion.

“Let’s go. You should eat too, Mr. Lee.”

I felt his eyes following me. I stepped out of the greenhouse first, barely keeping my thoughts in order. In my mind, the image of Kwon Yido from the previous day kept surfacing.

***

After dinner, I filled the bathtub and soaked in the water. I hadn’t originally planned on doing that, but the housekeeper had gone so far as to add the bath bomb herself, so there was no backing out. I hadn’t realized that ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) asking “Will you be taking a bath?” was actually code for I’ll get everything ready for you.

The bath bomb, a soft white pearl mixed with subtle and sweet fragrance, dissolved gently in the water. A blend of rose and jasmine—floral in essence, light yet comforting. It was so pleasant, I regretted not using it sooner.

I stayed in the water for quite a while before stepping out wrapped in a bathrobe. Maybe because I’d stayed in the warm water too long, my body felt pleasantly heavy—just the right amount to fall asleep immediately if I lay down.

Now that I thought of it, Kwon Yido probably hadn’t come home yet. If I soaked in his pheromones for even an hour, I might really fall into a deep sleep.

“...”

No, since when did I start relying on that?

It seemed I’d become too used to nights without nightmares. Even the insomnia I thought would worsen after coming here had improved. It wasn’t unreasonable to start expecting his pheromones. The sleeping pills I used to take one by one remained untouched.

“Get a grip...”

Shaking out my damp hair, I crossed the center of the room. When I checked the wall clock, more time had passed than I’d thought.

Was I in there that long? I blinked in surprise at the realization—just as a soft knock came at the door.

“Mr. Jung Sejin, are you in there?”

It was Kwon Yido. His low voice came through the door, unmistakably his. So he’d come back while I was in the bath, after all. Flustered, I quickly walked to the door.

“Just a moment.”

Click. Without hesitation, I opened the door. Through the crack, I saw Kwon Yido dressed in comfortable loungewear. Ah, I really had been in there too long. I’d stayed in the bath doing nothing all the way until he got home and showered.

“I didn’t hear anything because I was bathing...”

“...”

“...Mr. Kwon?” 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Click. Our eyes met. It was the exact moment I instinctively looked up. In his dark pupils, my face reflected clearly. He blinked slowly.

“Ah.”

With a soft exhale, his gaze slowly swept down and up. His dark eyes were still and heavy, so quiet it felt suffocating. His lips moved slowly.

“...Did you just get out of the bath?”

“...”

I didn’t even think to respond. Without realizing it, I swallowed dryly, and his gaze deepened. Beneath his calmly brushed-down hair, his usual elegant eyes stared directly at me.

It felt like his gaze was touching me.