Strategic Mating Partner Chapter 35

Taehyun continued to look at Sejin with his mature smile. Sejin was angry. He could clearly see the condescending treatment and couldn’t stand it unless he drove Taehyun away. But before Sejin could do so, Taehyun quickly bolted.

“See you tomorrow.”

And in a flash, he opened the door and fled. Left behind like a dog chasing a chicken, Sejin could only tremble with rage, glaring at the space where Taehyun had disappeared. What the hell is with that guy? Who said he could come here? He was a type of person Sejin had never encountered in his eighteen years of life.

“…….”

Annoying. Frustrating. I wish he would just disappear. But the most unsettling thing was something else. He found himself subconsciously wondering what time Taehyun would come tomorrow and what time he would leave the training room.

Meanwhile, Taehyun, having escaped from Sejin, noticed a missed call from Hoyong. He saw it only after arriving home and called back. The call connected after a few rings.

“Hi, Hyung. What’s up?”

Taehyun inquired casually about the reason for the call, and Hoyong responded with an anxious tone.

I was just worried, wondering how you’re doing. How’s Sejin? Is he still not communicating?

At Hoyong’s concerned question, Taehyun chuckled lightly and replied.

“Just as I expected. Young, still doesn’t know what’s good for him. He’s just like a kid, so I’m not angry.”

Taehyun spoke truthfully. He disliked adults who acted immaturely. While he considered himself still young, he tended to be particularly lenient with juniors younger than himself. Everyone tended to think simplistically until they experienced things firsthand. He was understanding because younger people simply hadn’t had as many opportunities to learn. On the other hand, when older people acted childishly and caused trouble for others, he tended to despise them for wasting their age, but that wasn’t important right now.

*If he lashes out at you or anything, let me know. You don’t have to push yourself…. *

Hoyong had entrusted Sejin to Taehyun because he knew Taehyun was well-liked, good at taking care of others, and genuinely liked doing so. But it seemed he was still uneasy, as Taehyun was an athlete, not a manager. Taehyun immediately shook his head and replied.

“He hasn’t been that bad. It’s fine, so don’t worry too much.”

Taehyun’s gentle, reassuring response eased Hoyong’s mind somewhat, but he was still anxious.

Don’t overdo it.

“I’m not overdoing it. It’s actually kind of fun.”

……?

Hoyong was taken aback by Taehyun’s unexpected words. Fun? What…. Taehyun continued, a smirk playing on his lips.

“I have a reputation for being a bit mean. When someone’s prickly like him, it makes me want to tease them more. I’m not stressed, so you really don’t have to worry.”

Now, Taehyun was starting to feel competitive. If there had been no progress at all, it would have been one thing, but they had gone from Sejin treating him like a ghost and trying to shoo him away in a language he didn’t understand to Sejin responding in Korean and even eating with him. Taehyun suddenly wondered how Sejin treated people he was close to.

Alright, let’s see who wins, you or me. Taehyun chuckled, picturing Sejin trembling with anger. This is bad. Finding the sight of this prickly, vulnerable boy demanding to be left alone endearing was a sign that his bad habit had become serious. As they said, even kindness could be a sickness, and that was exactly his case.

°❀•°❀°•❀°

And the next day, Taehyun showed up at the private training room with his usual brazen face.

“Morning. How are you feeling today?”

He didn’t forget to greet Sejin casually. Sejin, instead of replying, turned his head away, as if determined to ignore him again. That obvious behavior was amusing. If he were truly indifferent, it would have been one thing. But Taehyun could sense Sejin constantly glancing at him, checking whether he was looking or doing something else. He was acting like a child. Which, technically, he was.

Every time Sejin glanced at him, Taehyun would simply smile back. Once, he playfully raised an eyebrow and winked, which seemed to have dealt a significant blow to Sejin’s pride, as he hurriedly turned his head away, flustered, a sight Taehyun couldn’t help but find amusing. What’s the point of turning away now? Does it erase the fact that you were staring at me until now? He’s not a grouse burying its head in the leaves, thinking no one can see it.

Taehyun simply spent time by Sejin’s side, gradually accustoming him to his presence. While Sejin still seemed to struggle to adapt to Taehyun, he seemed to have accepted that Taehyun wasn’t someone he could shoo away just for being a bit rude.

‘That’s good enough. As long as he’s not throwing punches at me….’

He probably wouldn’t have been doing anything other than lazing around at home anyway. Taehyun shrugged and spent time in the same space as Sejin, leaving promptly when he got bored. This pattern continued for a week. Then, an unexpected disruption occurred in Taehyun’s routine.

‘Wow, when did my place get this messy?’

Using his injured leg as an excuse, he had been putting off chores, and his apartment was now a complete mess. Clothes piled up everywhere, unfolded blankets, a rumpled rug, and a floor that hadn’t been mopped in weeks. Staying in this state wouldn’t be relaxing; it would feel like being attacked by his own filth. He finally rolled up his sleeves.

First, air the place out. He bustled around, dusting, tidying up the clutter, and the surroundings became much more pleasant. Since he had already started, he decided to clean the veranda as well. And it would be nice to scrub the bathroom clean.

He carefully wrapped his cast to keep it dry and washed down everything he could with water. Satisfied with the refreshing feeling, like a weight had been lifted, he suddenly realized that three hours had passed since the time he usually went to see Sejin.

I wonder if he’s finished training and gone home by now. Since he always left before Sejin, he didn’t know exactly when Sejin’s routine ended. He didn’t seem like the type to slack off or be careless. He could tell just from watching Sejin’s warm-up that he wasn’t lenient with himself.

Well, it can’t be helped if I miss him today. With a nonchalant attitude, Taehyun got dressed and headed to the center. Knock, knock. He lightly knocked on the door just in case before entering the training room. There, looking startled as if he had been waiting for Taehyun, was Sejin.

“Sorry, did I surprise you? I had some things to do today, so I’m late. I was a little bummed that I might not see you.”

Sejin frowned again at Taehyun’s casual greeting. His expression clearly said, Why would you be bummed about not seeing me? Taehyun bit his lip, trying to suppress his laughter.

“How you interpret it isn’t something I can control. I’m just worried about you. I’m not trying to tease you or anything, I just want to make sure you’re doing okay, so don’t worry too much.”

The explanation only confused Sejin further. Why? What does he gain from this? Or did the agency promise him a bonus? He could at least understand if it were for the money. But judging by Taehyun’s past records, he wasn’t someone who needed money. He had filmed dozens of commercials. Why would someone among the top-earning athletes, even in a non-professional sport, bother with this menial task?

Sejin was capable of objectively assessing his own situation. Taehyun was already an established star, while he, despite his achievements in various youth and championship competitions, was still a rookie with little experience in major international events like the Olympics that garnered global attention. It was obvious that no one would offer a significant reward to a successful sports star to look after a rookie like him.