BOYFRIENEMIES

THINKING OFME?

The shadow of his partnership with Chaerin makes Ethan unable to hold his smile, even during a meeting with the planning team from Gold Medical that began an hour ago

The members of the meeting even whispered to each other, talking about how strange their ceo was.

Ethan is usually friendly, and easily smiles in front of his employees. But his smile this time was very different. Everyone knew for sure something good happened and made the man very happy.

"Mr Ethan, what do you think?" A man in an ash suit leaned toward Ethan, waiting for a reply from his superior.

Ethan did not hear what the man had just said.

"About sending medical aid to remote areas of southern Asia" Sean swiftly explained the intent of the question posed to his master.

Ethan nodded in understanding and then sat up straight, leaving behind his crazy thoughts about Chaerin and refocusing on his work.

"You mean the drugs we haven't finished testing yet?"

"Yes, sir, we can send it as an aid, it will increase the reputation of our company, as well as complete our trial phase by seeing if there are any side effects in the use of the drug" the man in the ash suit explained excitedly.

"In my opinion, the way it is also very effective, it will save costs and shorten the time, make us get the test results in a short time" this time the man with a tie patterned monochrome chiming, this time, he was greeted by a nod by all meeting participants except Ethan who was still digesting the purpose of his employee's speech.

"It's a very good idea, our company gets a lot of benefits if it's done, you guys are very smart" Ethan nodded in agreement, a smile on his throw to everyone in the meeting room, make them more confident with their suggestions.

"Sean, take the medicine and share it with them one by one"

Sean immediately executes Ethan's orders and starts going around handing out one drug at a time to the members of the meeting. Everyone in the room was confused by him.

"I thought of a better idea, than I spent a lot of money to send those drugs to South Asia. Why don't I use my employees who are here, I can keep an eye on you every day and find out what side effects the drugs cause, it's more practical and more beneficial" Ethan smiled again with the same smile as before.

But the atmosphere in that place suddenly turned gripping. The members of the meeting took a deep breath and threw it away violently.

"But sir, there's no way we're drinking this, it's not even finished in the trials and maybe still

dangerous if consumed"

The man in the ash suit stood up boldly and began to protest against Ethan. With other participants also starting to boisterously reject the orders of Ethan who asked them to take the drug.

"So that is to say, people in South Asia are immune to dangerous drugs? They deserve to be made guinea pigs on your appeal?" Ethan looked at the man sharply, his eyes looking like sword eyes that were drawing right into the heart of his opponent.

"No, I mean, our team just wants to help the company by making a reasonable proposal, I don't mean to make them guinea pigs or anything" the man talks back to Ethan while stammering.

"As a businessman I like your idea, but as a human being I'm against it" Ethan said confidently, as if he was very kind-hearted.

"Sorry sir"

"It's okay, don't think about it, please put your resignation letters all over my desk no later than this afternoon, or you can send them via email. If it passes from the deadline I set, you will be dishonorably fired"

Things start to get boisterous and everyone questions Ethan's decision to indirectly fire them, just because of their stupid idea.

"You can't do this, we haven't done anything wrong, anyway the plan hasn't

realized at all" a female employee shouted out in protest regardless of her status.

"I only hire humans in this company, I don't need Monsters"

Ethan stands up and walks out of the meeting room, leaving his employees to berate him for his irrational decisions.

Sean follows Ethan behind, occasionally smiling thinly as he remembers Ethan's last words.

"Is there something funny about Sean?" Ethan realizes Sean's behavior, which makes a small laugh behind him.

"They're Monsters? How about us" Sean said as he displayed his innocent smile.

"We? We are monsters too, but big monsters. Big monsters will get rid of smaller monsters like them so they don't bother"

"Monster is too creepy, can I be a dinosaur?"

Ethan smiled amusedly because of the plain words from Sean, seeing Sean acting like a child like this was his own entertainment.

"Sure, remind me to give you a book about dinosaurs so you can learn about them"

"really sir? Thank you" the book is one of the thousands of things Sean loved the most.

Ethan looks down and sees Sean's unattached shoelaces. Actually, he had seen her since the morning when they went to the office, but Ethan ignored her. Over time Ethan himself becomes uncomfortable and worried if Sean might stumble and fall.

Ethan crouches grabbing Sean's loose shoelace and tries to tie it firmly. If people who don't know Ethan or Sean see him, people will think that Sean is the boss.

"Hongjung didn't tie your shoelaces this morning?" Ethan is talking about the waiter he hired specifically to take care of Sean.

"I untied him because I wanted to practice tying him up myself"

"Other times, let Hongjung do it, you might fall and get hurt if your shoelaces aren't tied properly"

Sean nodded quickly. Sean banged himself in the head, trying to punish himself for worrying Ethan.

"Forget it" Ethan shook his hand. "Don't follow me Sean, I'll go somewhere myself"

"You must attend the inauguration party of the new branch of DDshine tonight, building a partnership with Mr. Shine makes us gain a lot of profit, you must not miss this opportunity"

"Look on, I'll attend, I hear Mr. Shine has a beautiful daughter, of course I won't miss it"

Ethan grinned, I don't know what's in his head right now, but I can confirm that it's not a good thing.

*

"Thinking me?"

Chaerin gasped in shock as Ethan suddenly appeared before him.

Ethan looks different from the last time Chaerin saw him. The man cut his hair shorter, and combed it back with a bit of hair that fell over his forehead, making him more charismatic. In addition, he wears a casual dress in the form of a long-sleeved shirt.

Ethan smiled very widely, the man was very happy to meet Chaerin in between his busy life.

"Am I so dazzling that you even find it hard to blink?"

Hearing Ethan's words, Chaerin immediately averted his gaze. It cannot be denied, Chaerin indeed

fascinated on Ethan for a while.

"Why are you here? It's not a proper place for a gentleman like you" again a sarcastic remark came out of Chaerin's mouth.

Chaerin doesn't want to talk rudely to Ethan, but somehow every word comes out

from his mouth it certainly seems unfriendly. Her uneasy life made her grow up to be a rough woman.

"I wanted to meet you, but I couldn't because George is now giving you a kitchen assignment, not a guest service anymore" Ethan said in a disappointed tone.

"Yes this is better, than I have to serve a bastard out there. There are many beautiful women ready to serve you outside, so you better get out of here than your clothes are dirty"

"I don't want anything else, I just want to meet you, so I'll help you, so that your work can be done quickly and you can accompany me"

Ethan grabs the pink rubber glove hanging beside the sink.with no discomfort at all in the hand, tugging at the tips of his fingers so that it makes a small squeaking sound.

Ethan smiled, proudly showing his hands wrapped in gloves.

Ethan's behavior makes Chaerin smile, but quickly the smile disappears, replaced with a face full of regret.

This was probably his first smile after all this time. A cruel life made him unable to smile freely, especially after the death of his mother.

Every time he wanted to smile, his mother's face always flashed across his head, making him swallow that smile bitterly.

Chaerin felt guilty for his mother, because she had lived happily alone, while his mother had to feel the coldness of the prison floor for 20 years before finally being executed for mistakes that he never did. It didn't feel like Chaerin was shedding his tears.

The splash of tap water that Ethan accidentally splashed resuscitated Chaerin from his daydream.

Chaerin looked at Ethan with an annoyed look, now his face and clothes were wet because of Ethan. How dare the man next to her water him.

Rich men do not have manners and treat someone according to his wishes.

"Don't show your cry in front of others, don't let others think you're weak, you say this place is full of your enemies right?" Ethan looked at Chaerin with his shady eyes.

Chaerin's frustration with Ethan evaporates and disappears when she hears his touching words. It turns out that there's a reason why Ethan is being so brash, even though Chaerin still feels a little upset.

"Who do you think you are, can water me huh"

Chaerin's hand slowly reached for the water hose without Ethan noticing. And suddenly he sprayed it on Ethan. Make the man step back and cover his face with his hands.

"Hey stop! You said you didn't want my clothes to get dirty!" Ethan still tried to cover his face so as not to get wet, although in vain, of course his body and face remained wet.

"You have to bathe clean!"

A dishwasher sponge still filled with foam landed right on Ethan's head. Chaerin laughed

open, looking at the soaked Ethan before him with a dishwasher sponge over his head.

Ethan walked up to Chaerin who was still laughing with his release. He caught Chaerin's hand and grabbed the hose held by the woman and then threw it at random.

"I said stop, I have to go somewhere after this, I can't possibly go with this"

Ethan looked at Chaerin sharply while still holding his hand. The distance between the two was only a few centimeters apart, making Ethan able to feel Chaerin's breath, and vice versa.

Ethan leads Chaerin's hand closer to his chest, puts it there and lets Chaerin feel a heartbeat he can't control.

"You feel it?"

Chaerin lifted his face and looked at Ethan with a confused face, what the man meant.

"Since I met you, it's been weird with me, my heart beats faster than usual, my face heats up, and I can't control myself"

Ethan looks at Chaerin right in the bead of his eye, hoping that the woman before him catches the love statement he utters.

Chaerin pushes Ethan away and gives him a deadly look that can intimidate anyone.

"Are you a drug addict? It's not because of me, but it looks like you're sick! Damn you can usually blame me for your illness" Chaerin snorted as he crossed his arms.

Ethan is surprised and confused by the reaction shown by Chaerin, Chaerin's reaction now

this was completely beyond his expectations.

"He's too plain or stupid"

"Yes you're right, it seems like I'm really sick, and it's getting worse being around you"

Ethan smiled forcedly, he felt embarrassed because he had spoken nonsense that was not understood by women

in front of him that.

"Good, that means you need to stay away from me because I could've killed you"

"Please kill me slowly"

Ethan again makes Chaerin smile.

"You said you had to go somewhere, if you leave now, you might still have time to change clothes" Chaerin said with a smile.

"You're right, I'm leaving right now, I don't know when I can get back here, so take care of yourself" Ethan took off the rubber gloves he wore and put them next to the sink, he hasn't even used the gloves to wash anything.

Ethan touches Chaerin's head, pets him for a bit and then turns to leave.

Chaerin stared at Ethan's back which slowly disappeared behind the kitchen door.

He puts his hand to his chest and feels his heart beating which has not been felt since Ethan first appeared, the same beating he felt on Ethan's chest.

"Agh shit, I can't like it!"

　

　

　

　

　

　

*Author Note

Why do you think Chae can't like Ethan?

A. Ethan is not Chaerin

B. Ethan is too good

C. Ethan is a rich man

D. Chaerin wants to focus on washing the dishes first