Chapter Text
In-ho woke slowly, the morning sunlight filtering through his eyelids like an unwelcome guest. He groaned softly, the weight of last night’s social event settling heavily in his head and stomach. He shifted in bed, trying to ignore the world for a little longer. It was too early. He was still too—
Bang!
The door swung open, snapping him right back out of his drowsy stupor.
“Rise and shine!” came the voice of Seong Gi-hun, his secretary, far too cheerful for the hour. In-ho cracked one eye open to see Gi-hun holding up a freshly ironed suit with the kind of pride usually reserved for new parents. A maid followed with a cart carrying a tea set, a cup of yogurt topped with fruit, and two pills that seemed to judge him silently.
In-ho frowned as Gi-hun poked his head out behind the suit he was holding up and gave him a sly grin.
“Time to get up! Busy day today, your schedule is packed. I took the liberty of preparing your outfit since I knew I’d find you sleeping still. Oh, and prepared some medicine for that hangover of yours.”
In-ho took one look at all the items being presented to him, then closed his eyes. His head was throbbing.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Gi-hun said, hanging the suit on a nearby hook with practiced ease. He strode to the bed and, before In-ho could react, yanked the covers off in one swift motion. The cold air hit In-ho’s bare skin, and he groaned again, this time with feeling.
“Mr. Vice President,” Gi-hun said, his tone light but with an edge that suggested he wasn’t above drastic measures, “if you’re not up in the next three seconds, I’ll have to resort to Plan B. And trust me, you won’t like Plan B. It involves a lot more water than either of us would like at this hour.”
In-ho sat up, giving Gi-hun a look that could wilt flowers. But his secretary was unmoved, already tossing a shirt at him with the precision of someone who had done this far too many times.
“Excellent,” Gi-hun said, his smile just a touch too satisfied. “Get changed and be ready in ten minutes. Your father’s expecting you for breakfast, so I took the liberty of having the chef prepare something light for now. Consider it my gift to you.”
In-ho sighed, rubbing his temples.
In the next few minutes, In-ho had washed up and was buttoning up his shirt as Gi-hun prattled on about his schedule nearby.
“...and at 2 o’clock, you’re meeting with Director Lee to discuss the budget concerns for his upcoming film,” Gi-hun was saying. “Then at 4, you have a networking event to attend right before the premiere at 6. Ah, but don’t forget that I won’t be attending the premiere with you since I’ll be going home early today.”
In-ho hummed absently, his focus barely grazing the surface of the conversation. His mind had already cleared, and he was steeling himself for the day ahead.
Despite the minor… hiccup of waking up hungover, In-ho was determined to maintain his usual air of perfection and precision in his work. As the flawless, talented son of SG Entertainment’s president, Hwang In-ho was always prepared—never a minute late to a meeting, never a flaw in his work, never a hair out of place. He was a master of his craft, effortlessly upholding his impeccable image and striking appearance in everything he did.
The only person who ever saw through this facade, who glimpsed the real In-ho—the flawed, imperfect version the public never saw—was the man standing behind him now: Seong Gi-hun. His secretary had witnessed him at his lowest points, his most vulnerable moments. Yet, for nine years, Gi-hun had stayed by his side, smoothing out those last few rough edges and keeping him in line. He was the perfect assistant, the only one capable of handling In-ho’s cold, demanding nature.
And right now… he was snapping his fingers, trying to pull In-ho back to the present.
“Hey. Hey! Mr. Hwang, are you even listening to me?”
In-ho blinked, refocusing his attention on his assistant.
“Yes, of course. The premiere is tonight. I haven’t forgotten.”
Gi-hun sighed, stepping closer. He took the loose ends of In-ho’s tie and began to knot it for him.
“Right. But first, we have breakfast with your father. Are you ready for that?”
In-ho frowned. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Gi-hun’s brows furrowed as he concentrated on the tie, his hands moving deftly.
“Well,” he said carefully, “Your dad’s been doing better lately, but he’s still very ill.” He tugged the tie a little too tightly, causing In-ho to wince. “Not to mention, the last time you saw him, you called him a deadbeat who contributes nothing to the company and doesn’t deserve to be called president.”
Ah. Right. “Well, it’s not exactly untrue,” In-ho muttered, loosening the tie slightly. “Sick or not, he’s always been like this; dumping all the work on me while he sits back. I’m the one who built this company into what it is today. And yet, he still refuses to hand it over to me, even though he’s practically useless.”
Gi-hun stepped behind him, holding out his coat for In-ho to slip into. “Yeah, and comments like that are exactly why I’m worried. Try to keep those thoughts to yourself this morning, alright?”
In-ho sighed, but acquiesced, sliding his arms into the jacket. It wouldn’t do to start a fight with his father so early in the morning. It could cause too many wrinkles.
Gi-hun stepped back around, starting to smooth his jacket down, but was interrupted suddenly by a loud ringing.
Gi-hun reached over to the counter near them, picking up In-ho’s phone for him.
“Hello, you’ve reached SG Corp’s Vice President—oh, it’s you.” Gi-hun put his hand over the receiver and looked up at In-ho with a falsely pleasant smile. “What a coincidence, it’s another useless person. Want me to handle him?”
From his expression alone, In-ho knew exactly who Gi-hun was speaking to. Choi Han-kyul, In-ho’s close friend and advisor at the company, a man who had a strange persistence in needing to bother In-ho at all hours of the day, trying to appease him like a loyal dog. It was… mildly inconvenient, to say the least, but he was someone that In-ho was rather fond of regardless.
Gi-hun, on the other hand, seemed to deeply despise the man, for reasons In-ho had yet to figure out.
“Tell him I’m busy,” In-ho replied. “Don’t be too—”
“He says to fuck off,” Gi-hun said sweetly. In-ho could hear a string of loud curses get cut off as Gi-hun hit the ‘end call’ button swiftly.
“...harsh.” In-ho finished with a frown.
Gi-hun set the phone down a little too hard, the smile never leaving his face.
“The pest has been handled. Let’s get you to your father’s house, I’ll have your driver pull the car around.”
______
“Gi-hun, my boy!”
Hwang Il-nam greeted In-ho’s secretary with a broad, toothy grin. He moved toward Gi-hun with surprising speed for a man of his age, completely bypassing his son standing right beside him, as if In-ho were invisible.
In-ho frowned as his father ignored him entirely, opting instead to pull Gi-hun into a warm, enthusiastic hug. When had his father become so friendly with his secretary, calling him by his first name and acting so chummy?
Gi-hun looked taken aback and slightly sheepish, but managed a small smile.
“Hello, sir. It’s good to see you again,” he said, returning the hug awkwardly.
Il-nam chuckled and stepped back, his eyes twinkling. “As charming as ever! I hope my son hasn’t been giving you too much trouble.”
“Not any more than usual, sir,” Gi-hun replied with a bright tone. Il-nam laughed warmly, clearly delighted.
In-ho felt his eye twitch at the blatant favoritism unfolding right in front of him.
He cleared his throat pointedly.
“Father.”
Il-nam finally turned to him, raising an eyebrow.
“In-ho. You’ve been avoiding my calls.”
In-ho’s jaw tightened. “I’ve been busy lately.”
Il-nam waved a hand dismissively, shaking his head. “That’s no excuse to ignore your old man. Come, we have matters to discuss.” He turned back to Gi-hun with a smile. “You’re welcome to join us for breakfast.”
Gi-hun raised his hands in polite refusal. “Ah, no, I couldn’t… I don’t want to intrude.”
“Nonsense!” Il-nam clapped him on the shoulder. “You’re practically family at this point. And look at you—so thin! Have you not been eating properly?”
Gi-hun scratched the back of his head, hesitating. “Well…”
Il-nam tsked, already steering him toward the dining room. “That won’t do. We need to feed you! Especially when you’ve been working so hard dealing with my demanding son.”
In-ho’s frown deepened, but he stayed silent as he followed his father. Gi-hun hesitated for a moment longer before trailing behind.
Soon, the three of them were seated around Il-nam’s oversized dining table. Servants moved in and out of the room, bringing an array of dishes. Gi-hun sat quietly, looking slightly out of place as someone poured him tea. He remained silent throughout the meal while In-ho and his father discussed company matters.
Finally, Il-nam turned his attention to Gi-hun.
"You know, you're a great influence on my son," he said with a broad grin. "Getting him to come here after weeks of ignoring me. Really, what would my son do without you?"
"Ah," Gi-hun had been pushing food around on his plate, looking somewhat nervous. "It's nothing, sir."
"I'm serious!" Il-nam insisted. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to my hard-headed son. In-ho, when was the last time you gave your lovely secretary a raise for all his great effort?"
Gi-hun looked even more uncomfortable now. "That's... not necessary. Really."
In-ho's eyes narrowed. "I pay him plenty, father. Please stop bothering my secretary."
Il-nam cast an annoyed look at him. "You couldn't pay anyone enough to have to put up with you." He smiled back at Gi-hun. "You're very lucky to have such a wonderful person who is willing to deal with your stubbornness. Gi-hun, you're a saint. Thank you for taking such good care of my son."
In-ho wanted to roll his eyes. Gi-hun, for his part, looked a bit troubled, but grateful.
"It's really nothing. Just doing my job."
As breakfast was cleared away, In-ho and Gi-hun made their way to leave, with some resistance from Il-nam, who continued to chat up a storm for much longer than was necessary, insisting that In-ho come back soon and bring Gi-hun with him again. After agreeing to do so, they were finally able to leave and start the day's schedule.
______
At four, the two of them headed to a networking event together. In-ho despised these gatherings. They were always filled with people desperate to talk to him, eager for even the slightest chance to achieve fame and fortune through his influence. He attended these events to meet industry professionals, build connections, and scout potential talent: directors or actors he believed could be valuable assets to his company. However, In-ho was notorious for being exceedingly selective about who he chose to work with. Most of the people at these events struck him as utterly hopeless, so he simply went through the motions, pretending to socialize while coldly dismissing those he deemed unworthy of his company.
He worked tirelessly to maintain absolute perfection for his brand. Anything less was unacceptable.
At the moment, In-ho was trapped in a tedious, one-sided conversation with a man from the States, who was droning on in English about his accomplishments. In-ho was barely listening, offering only hums or one-word responses, his gaze wandering the room in a daze. That’s when he caught sight of his secretary. Gi-hun was standing near the refreshments table on the far side of the room. In-ho’s brow furrowed slightly as he noticed a man approaching Gi-hun, standing a little too close for comfort and saying something In-ho couldn’t hear. His frown deepened as the man stepped even closer, placing a hand, subtle but imposing, on Gi-hun’s forearm, making him visibly uncomfortable.
In-ho’s eyes narrowed. It seemed one of the pests here had the audacity to bother his secretary, which, by extension, meant they were bothering him. This couldn’t stand.
Without hesitation, he turned abruptly, muttering a quick “Excuse me” to the man still rambling at him, and ignored the man’s spluttered protests as he strode purposefully toward Gi-hun.
By the time he got there, however, he quickly realized his interference was not necessary.
“...you here with anyone?” the man was asking Gi-hun with a slimy grin on his face.
“Yes, actually,” Gi-hun replied brightly, with a slight edge to his tone. “My husband was just here a few minutes ago.”
He made a point of lifting his left hand to tuck a stray piece of hair behind his ear, and In-ho caught a glimpse of something there: a silver wedding band, glinting brightly on his finger.
The man froze for a moment, but then recovered. “O-oh? Is that right?” He cleared his throat, then smiled again. “Well, I don’t mind—”
“Oh look! There he is now,” Gi-hun smiled in In-ho’s direction.
The man followed his gaze, and his face instantly drained of color.
“V-vice President Hwang!?”
“Hello,” In-ho cut in smoothly, moving to Gi-hun’s side and placing a hand on his back gently. “Is this man bothering you, dear?”
The man spluttered, immediately stepping back to put distance between himself and Gi-hun.
“Mr. Vice President, I-I’m sorry, I—”
“Don’t worry,” Gi-hun said cheerfully. “He was just leaving. He’s only trying to make some strong connections here, get into the good graces of influential circles. Right?”
“I- I…” the man’s gaze darted back and forth between him and In-ho nervously.
“Hmm,” In-ho hummed, his eyes narrowing at the man. “Is that right? Well, I imagine that would be quite difficult for you.”
The man visibly deflated, defeated. “A-again, I’m very sorry, sir…”
In-ho dismissed him with nothing more than a glance, gently taking his secretary’s arm and guiding him away.
Once they were out of earshot, a faint smile tugged at In-ho’s lips as he glanced at Gi-hun.
“Husband?” His tone carried a subtle hint of amusement. “You’re not trying to stir up any unsavory rumors about me, are you, Mr. Seong?”
“Oh, please,” Gi-hun grinned. “As if that guy has any influence to spread rumors. I’d love to see his face when he finds out you’ve been a single bachelor for years.”
In-ho chuckled at that.
Gi-hun’s smile grew. He pulled away from In-ho’s hold, and for a moment, he felt a brief flicker of disappointment.
“You should get back to your… friends, over there. They seem to be waiting for you.”
In-ho fought to hold in a groan. “And watch them flounder for my attention even more? I’d rather stay here with you.”
Gi-hun’s smile faded for a moment before he let out a soft chuckle.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Mr. Vice President. Now, go.”
He turned and walked away, leaving In-ho staring after him for a moment.
The moment was interrupted as a new group of people approached him eagerly, their excitement palpable. In-ho sighed, slipping effortlessly back into his polished socialite demeanor, and turned to greet his admirers with a practiced smile.
______
At 5:45, the two of them sat in the back of In-ho’s car, enveloped in a comfortable silence. After a moment, In-ho spoke up.
“You handled yourself very well back there,” In-ho remarked, his tone measured. “It was quite impressive.”
“Thank you,” Gi-hun replied pleasantly. “It comes with the years of experience working for you.”
In-ho nodded, his expression thoughtful. "That ring of yours..."
"I won it from a claw machine," Gi-hun responded smoothly, plucking said band off his finger. "See? Plastic."
In-ho grinned at that. "Not bad. You've clearly mastered the art of navigating high-class social circles.”
"Thank you, sir." Gi-hun's voice was pleasant, but detached. In-ho continued on, unbothered.
“You’ve proven yourself to be exceptionally reliable over the past nine years. The work you do is crucial. I’m glad it’s you managing it.”
Gi-hun hummed noncommittally, turning his gaze to the car window beside him. They returned to a comfortable silence as the vehicle moved steadily through the streets. Then, Gi-hun broke the quiet.
“About that,” he began, his tone casual, “you should put up a wanted ad soon.”
“Hmm?” In-ho paused, unsure if he’d heard correctly.
Gi-hun turned back to face him directly.
“A wanted ad,” he repeated. “You should make one.”
In-ho blinked, staring at him blankly as the words sank in.
“...What?”
“After today,” Gi-hun continued, his smile still pleasant despite the weight of his words, “I quit.”
Another moment passed. In-ho’s mind reeled to a halt, struggling to process the statement.
Finally, he managed to muster a response.
“Oh,” he said mildly. “Okay.”
Gi-hun tilted his head, almost cutely. “Is it okay?”
“Yes,” In-ho replied, his voice calm. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
Gi-hun studied him for a moment longer before turning back to the window. “Good. Ah, here’s my stop,” he said, signaling to the driver to pull over. “I’ll get off here. See you tomorrow, Mr. Vice President.”
With that, he stepped out of the car, his demeanor carefree and unbothered. In-ho watched him go in silence.
As soon as Gi-hun was out of sight, In-ho’s composure shattered. He buried his face in his hands, his mind spinning in a whirlwind of distress and confusion.
What the fuck??