Strategic Mating Partner Chapter 16

“Come this way.”

As usual, Sejin glanced at Taehyun with an expressionless face before heading toward the entrance. Unable to decipher what was going through that pristine face, Taehyun felt awkward as he stepped inside. He took off his shoes in a foyer that was practically the size of someone else’s living room and passed through the inner door, revealing a living

living room with a double-story ceiling.

“Wow… nice house.”

Before he could even feel a pang of inferiority, admiration slipped out first. So, this is really how chairmen live. The interior, straight out of a movie set for a chaebol family, left Taehyun momentarily stunned, but his attention was soon drawn to a painting on the wall that felt oddly familiar. Even for someone like Taehyun, who had no real knowledge of art, the style seemed recognizable. As he stared at the painting, transfixed, Sejin spoke first.

“It’s a Philip Kellian piece, apparently. My grandfather is interested in collecting art.”

“Oh.”

That’s when Taehyun realized where he’d seen it. The work of a modern art master, it had been featured in the textbooks he’d half-slept through during art class, used as his de facto nap time. The idea that a painting worth billions was casually hanging in a private home felt like stepping into another world. Of course, if he said this to Sejin, he’d probably respond with a soulless, “It’s not even mine.” It was humbling to think that just four years ago, Taehyun had assumed they weren’t so different, perhaps even raised in similar environments.

“It suits the house.”

Staring blankly and just nodding felt a bit lame, so he tossed out a comment, but Sejin didn’t seem to care. In the awkward atmosphere, Taehyun followed Sejin toward the sofa, where Sejin glanced at the right side and gestured.

“Sit.”

“Okay.”

Taehyun obediently took a seat as instructed, and silence settled in again. If you’re going to invite someone into your house, say something, anything. Taehyun was sweating bullets down his back, trying to gauge Sejin’s mood. He wasn’t usually the type to be so conscious of others or feel this lost, but because it was Sejin, he felt like he was walking on thin ice. Still, they couldn’t just sit like this forever. Taking a deep breath internally, Taehyun spoke up.

“About what we talked about last time.”

“Yes.”

The curt, dry response to his opening words made Taehyun’s heart race as if he were committing a crime, but it also brought a strange sense of relief. If Sejin was his accomplice in this secretive, potentially scandalous affair, the things Taehyun feared probably wouldn’t come to pass.

“When should we start? I think it’d be good to stabilize things before entering the athletes’ village, so we can be sure it’s working.”

Sejin looked at Taehyun quietly for a moment in response to the hard-won sentence. Damn it. Back at the hotel, Taehyun had made it painfully obvious he was uncomfortable with the idea of doing this with Sejin, and now bringing it up again made his face burn with embarrassment. But there was no helping it. Taehyun was in a desperate state, grasping at straws, willing to try anything as long as it wasn’t a disqualifying offense under IOC rules. After a brief silence, Sejin answered.

“Whatever’s convenient for you, hyung.”

That sentence made Taehyun feel even more uneasy. It would be better if Sejin just clearly stated what he wanted and how he wanted to proceed. But knowing Sejin’s personality, both then and now, he was never going to be that straightforward. Taehyun swallowed another sigh internally.

“Well, first… we need to check pheromone levels. We need to see how much they drop after one session and how long the effect lasts to adjust for the competition period…”

The conclusion was that they’d have to confirm it physically. With about a month left before the intensive group training for the Olympic pre-camp began, they needed to establish a pattern with measurable data to continue mating seamlessly after entering the camp. Unlike Taehyun, who’d struggled to broach the topic, Sejin remained utterly impassive.

“Then let’s do it.”

But we haven’t even specified what, when, or how. Taehyun’s head buzzed, but he pushed through and continued.

“So, when would be good? I think we need to try it once to figure out the rest.”

To confirm how far pheromones dropped and how long the effect lasted, a prerequisite step was unavoidable. They’d need to actually do it to gauge its efficacy. Unable to bring himself to ask, “So, when do you want to do it?” outright, Taehyun hedged, and Sejin responded with a calm, direct shot.

“Right now is fine with me.”

You’re talking about sex like it’s deciding today’s lunch menu for everyone. Taehyun was so shocked he nearly spat out nothing, his mouth empty.

“No, that’s not what I came here for…”

For one, it was kind of late. Sure, sex at night might feel more fitting than in broad daylight, but he wasn’t mentally prepared yet. Plus, he hadn’t brought condoms or lube. This guy, living with his parents, probably wasn’t the type to keep that stuff around, so Taehyun trailed off, signaling his reluctance, only for Sejin to say something that struck a nerve.

“Are you scared of doing it with me?”

What kind of nonsense is this? The moment those disbelief-inducing words slipped from Sejin’s lips, Taehyun’s brow furrowed.

“What?”

When Taehyun reflexively raised his voice, Sejin explained with a composed expression.

“You’ve seemed like you wanted to avoid this since last time.”

No, it’s because I’m uncomfortable with this, not scared. How could he say that after spilling blood on my back? Taehyun, narrowing his eyes, shot back.

“I just thought you…”

“You’re worried about me? You don’t need to be.”

“…….”

God, look at that cheeky attitude. Taehyun couldn’t help but think like some old fogy, clicking his tongue. Do I seem like I’m scared of you? I’m worried you might get hurt because of this relationship. His own feelings didn’t even factor in. He’d already messed up relationships multiple times, dealing with annoyance, bitterness, and hurt, but Sejin wasn’t like that. Was it okay to use a kid who seemed to have only ever known sports, with a faint sense of guilt nagging at him?

But what? Scared? Taehyun, exasperated, twisted his lips into a smirk.

“Fine, since we’re here, want to just do it now? Got condoms at home?”

No sooner had Taehyun spat out the words in a burst of irritation than Sejin took the bait, as if he’d set a trap.

“Should we? I bought some just in case.”

“Huh? Uh, uh…”

Damn it. Taehyun immediately regretted his words. I’m not mentally ready yet. But it was too late to back out now. Saying it wasn’t the right time would be admitting he was scared of going through with it. Ugh. Regret came far too late.

“My mom’s on a business trip and won’t be back until next month.”

It was early in the month, so that meant Sejin would have this huge house to himself for quite a while. Was he implying that if they were going to keep doing this, they should do it here? Taehyun wondered if he was overinterpreting or if Sejin was deliberately dropping hints, then reconsidered whether Sejin was even that nuanced. The Sejin he remembered was all sharp edges, bristling with defiance, brandishing a sword at the world and standing alone. He had a cold, serene face like an ice prince, but beneath it, he seemed fragile, like he could shatter at any moment.

The current Sejin was similar yet slightly different. Perhaps the ice had hardened a bit more. Four years had passed, and it was natural for people to change, but Taehyun was still confused, unable to discern what had stayed the same and what had shifted. Am I still seeing him as that eighteen-year-old kid? Before Taehyun could reach a conclusion, Sejin stirred the waters again.

“So, are we doing it today?”

Taehyun glanced up to study Sejin’s expression. As always, it was an unreadable blank.