Seungmin booked an entire hall for the meeting.
He stepped out of the bathroom in his black suit, adjusting his cuffs with calm precision. Han's eyes lit up as soon as he saw him. He walked closer, set Seungmin's collar straight, and teased with a smile,
"Why is my man so handsome?"
Seungmin's ears turned red at the words, betraying his shyness even though he tried to keep his tough exterior. He cleared his throat and replied, "You look handsome too." Then he leaned closer and placed a soft kiss on Han's head.
Han closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of his lips linger.
Ringing....
Seungmin ignored the call, about to kiss him again, but Han stopped him gently. "Go pick it up. Maybe it's important."
Reluctantly, Seungmin answered. A voice on the other side questioned if it was truly necessary to bring all the members.
His tone dropped cold. "Didn't we already talk about this?" Without waiting for a response, he hung up.
Returning, Seungmin kissed Han's head again, took his hand, and said, "Let's go."
---
Meanwhile, outside the hotel…
The members stood together, whispering.
"Should we tell him?" one asked nervously.
Hanbin shook his head. "I don't know. Seungmin said we're not to talk about the case in front of Han. He also told me to remind you all. We have to act as if it's just for dinner. But if we don't warn Chaewon that Han will be there, what if he slips and says something?"
Winner sighed. "Come on, guys. When he sees them together, I doubt a single word will come out of his mouth."
Mark still looked uneasy. "And if he does? What then? We still need him. Don't forget—we need that company CCTV footage, and he promised to help. We can't afford to make him angry."
Just then, Chaewon won stepped out of the car, having heard everything. His face was heavy.
"You should've told me before leaving the house," he said quietly.
Everyone turned, startled.
"Chaewon, I wanted to," hanbin admitted, "but I didn't know how to say it."
Without another word, Chaewon walked toward the hotel. The others froze, uncertain.
He turned back, eyes sharp. "Why are you just standing there? Do you want that monster to get angry?"
At his words, they hurried after him. Jiwoong placed a hand on Chaewon's shoulder. "You're a strong man." At the compartment door, Chaewon stood first in line. He gripped the handle, took a deep breath, and pushed it open.
Inside, his eyes immediately fell on Han —head resting on Seungmin's shoulder, arms wrapped around his arm, smiling softly.
The sight pierced him.
When han noticed Chaewon, he quickly straightened up, his face shocked. Slowly, the rest of the members filed in.
Han stood up at once, even more stunned as he saw them in suits, looking sharp and composed. His heart skipped—he had never imagined meeting them all together like this. The last time he had seen Chaewon to apologize, only four members were there. At the press conference, only hanbin. This moment felt surreal, almost unreal.