THE CEO's PLAYGROUND || JEONGCHEOL||

Jeonghan was practically skipping down the hallway of the top floor of YNH Corporation. The entire building, from the reflective floors to the towering glass windows, screamed professionalism. Every corner was spotless, every piece of furniture meticulously placed to exude the grandeur of success. And yet, the CEO himself, Yoon Jeonghan, was the biggest outlier in this picture.

"Choi Seungcheol!" Jeonghan's voice echoed through the halls as he pushed open the heavy mahogany door to his office. His assistant, seated neatly at his desk, barely looked up from the screen in front of him.

"Yes, sir?" Seungcheol's voice was smooth but firm, his fingers still flying over the keyboard. He had long ago gotten used to the whirlwind that was his boss.

"Guess what I'm thinking right now." Jeonghan leaned against the doorway, a devilish grin spreading across his face.

Seungcheol sighed, finally taking off his glasses to meet Jeonghan's eyes. "Are you thinking about work, sir? We have an important meeting in an hour."

Jeonghan pouted dramatically, pushing off the door and walking over to Seungcheol's desk, his every movement filled with a languid, catlike grace. "Work, work, work. That's all you ever talk about, Seungcheol. Where's your sense of fun?"

"My sense of fun doesn't come with a million-dollar price tag, unlike your impulsive ideas, sir." Seungcheol pushed his chair back, standing tall as Jeonghan sidled closer.

Jeonghan was many things: childish, unpredictable, and infuriatingly charming. But what drove Seungcheol mad the most was how effortlessly Jeonghan could break his composure. Like right now, when the CEO was staring up at him with a look that could either be playful mischief or something more.

"You should loosen up." Jeonghan's voice had dropped an octave, and Seungcheol felt the familiar stir of frustration-or was it something else?-rising inside him.

"I don't have time to loosen up. Someone has to keep this company running while you're busy playing." Seungcheol's voice was sharp, his annoyance slipping through.

Jeonghan's grin only widened. "That's why I hired you, remember? You're my perfect assistant, so reliable, so serious." His words were a tease, but his eyes... those eyes were always saying more than his words ever did.

Seungcheol swallowed, his jaw tightening. "You hired me to keep things in line, but lately, you've been pushing the limits, sir."

Jeonghan tilted his head innocently. "Have I?"

"Canceling meetings at the last second. Planning spontaneous trips in the middle of negotiations. Ignoring investor calls. You can't keep running this company like it's your playground."

Jeonghan stepped even closer, until the space between them practically hummed with tension. "But it is my playground, Seungcheol. And I know exactly how to run it."

Seungcheol's breath hitched. Jeonghan was so close now, too close. He could smell the faint hint of expensive cologne, see the light reflecting in Jeonghan's messy hair, the way his lips curved in that knowing smirk.

Before Seungcheol could pull back, Jeonghan's hand was on his tie, tugging him forward slightly. The playful expression on Jeonghan's face faded into something more serious. His voice dropped lower, almost a whisper.

"But sometimes, Seungcheol, I need someone to remind me where the line is. Maybe..." His fingers played with the knot of Seungcheol's tie. "...maybe you should remind me."

The heat in the room spiked as Jeonghan tugged him closer. Seungcheol's usual sense of control slipped. He could feel Jeonghan testing him, daring him to take charge in the way he'd secretly wanted to for so long.