I Fell For My Contract Partner

Chapter 6.2 Sean POV : A Shared Room At Night

I followed Caleb, who was walking faster than usual, his hand gripping mine tightly, while Gavin walked beside us at the same pace. Both of them looked tense.

I don’t know what exactly happened, but from their faces, I could tell this was something unpleasant.

As we walked out of the apartment building, I saw a swarm of people lurking inside, with a woman standing in front of them.

“Speak of the devil, she’s already here…” Caleb muttered, his jaw tightening. He turned back toward the building and pulled me with him.

“We should take another route,” he said, hastening his pace and glancing back for a couple of times.

“I’ll call the driver,” Gavin said while talking on the phone.

The three of us rushed through the back route of the apartment building, and a white taxi pulled up just in time.

“That was fast…” I said, impressed.

“Nice job, Gavin,” Caleb said as he stepped forward and opened the door. “Get in.” He glanced at me, waiting.

I didn't wait and go inside first, Caleb following right after, while Gavin took the front seat.

“Where are we going, sir?” The driver asked as the car pulled away from the apartment complex.

The two men exchanged a look.

Both man looked at each other as if they hadn’t thought about it, and now reality was slapping them in the face.

The driver gave a little cough, glancing at them as he said, “Excuse me, gentlemen? I need a decision right now…”

These two idiots really had no idea where to go.

“I think it would be better to stay at a hotel if you want to avoid your mother for a while,” I said, suggesting it to Caleb.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea! Let’s go to Marion or another good place around the central city!” Gavin suddenly lightened up, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “They have a nice club night, y’know…” Then he grinned, and I could tell why he was so worked up about this idea.

But Caleb stayed silent. He lowered his gaze slightly and crossed his arms over his chest, as if thinking it over carefully.

“Nah, we can’t go around there…” Caleb said without hesitation, shaking his head. “She will definitely find us if we go there.”

“I guess you’re right…” Gavin nodded in agreement, becoming tense again.

I just stared at both of them, trying to process the situation, and questions began to spin through my head: Is this really as bad as it feels? What would happen if Caleb’s mother ever found us? Chaos? Or something far more frightening?

Meanwhile, the taxi glided along the road with no clear destination.

“Let’s head to Shore Pacific,” Caleb said finally.

“But that’s quite a long way…” the driver replied, sounding hesitant.

“Just drive. I’ll cover the cost, no matter what it is.” Caleb shot him a sharp glare—one that made the driver flinch in surprise.

“Y-yes, sir! R-right away!” he stammered, quickly turning the steering wheel. Behind us, Gavin let out a quiet laugh at the man’s reaction.

“Shut up, Gavin…” Caleb snapped, shifting his gaze and giving him the same piercing look. But it had no effect; Gavin just chuckled softly anyway.

The atmosphere became quiet for a moment; neither Gavin nor Caleb spoke a word. I felt bored, sighed, and leaned back while gazing out the window.

“I wonder how my dad’s doing right now…” I muttered softly.

My eyes felt heavy suddenly. I blinked a few times, trying to keep myself awake, but I couldn’t fight the drowsiness.

Before I knew it, my eyes had already closed, and everything turned dark…

“Sean… wake up…” A soft voice reached my ears, followed by a gentle touch as he slowly shook my shoulder.

My eyelids fluttered open, and I saw Caleb’s face right beside me, his dark eyes fixed on me, deep and sharp.

“Are we there already?” I asked, still half-conscious, trying to fix my posture.

“Yeah… c’mon…” He nodded slightly and got out of the car.

I followed him, stepping out of the car and looking around.

"Let's go..." He called me to hurried.

I quickened my pace, followed him behind who's walked fast ahead of me and moved inside the hotel building.

Cool, fresh air and a faint hint of lavender wrapped around us the second we stepped into the hotel lobby.

It wasn’t nearly as large as the Marion Hotel downtown—quieter, more peaceful, with soft white and blue tones everywhere. The decor was simple yet neatly arranged, giving it a distinct feel unlike any other place I’d seen. I had a feeling this spot was perfect for anyone looking for a quiet escape.

But what caught my eye most was the massive aquarium built right behind the reception desk—especially while Caleb was busy signing the register.

I stared at it as if I were looking right at my idol—straight in front of my eyes, without blinking. Even the receptionist let out a soft laugh when she saw me like that.

Off to the side, Caleb, who was filling out the registration book, glanced over at me briefly.

“Okay, done,” he said in a stern voice.

“Here are your keys, sir. Welcome, and please enjoy your stay,” she said warmly with a polite smile.

So I ended up sharing a room with Caleb, while Gavin had his own room alone.

I sighed a little as I stepped inside, glanced at Caleb, and asked him, “Why didn’t you let me stay in a different room?”

“What’s wrong with that? The bed’s big enough for both of us,” he replied casually, stepping toward the bed and studying it as if it were something dangerous he needed to watch out for.

“That bed isn’t going to hurt you, Caleb—you don’t have to glare at it…” I chuckled softly.

He turned to look at me, shot me a sharp look, and said, “I know…”

I stepped inside—since I had no choice and walked carefully toward the bed. There, right in front of me without warning, was Caleb, unbuttoning his long‑sleeve shirt and pulling it off.

I froze instantly, feeling heat rushing to my face. I quickly lowered my gaze before he could notice the sudden change in my expression.

“I’m going to take a shower,” he said, walking over to the white wardrobe and grabbing a towel.

I stayed still, only nodding slightly, and kept my head down until I heard the bathroom door click shut with a soft thud.

“Hhh…” I let out a long breath of relief.

I placed a hand over my chest—it was beating so fast.

What’s going on with me…? Why is my heart racing like crazy just because I saw him half‑naked like that?

Confused, I wrestled with my own thoughts.

“No… it’s not like I like him or anything…” I shook my head. “It’s just…”

I sat down on the bed, staring at nothing as I tried to find a reason for my strange reaction.

Maybe I was just surprised by how sudden it was… right?

Yeah, that must be it.

I kept telling myself that, still pressing my hand against my chest to calm down.

A soft creak and his voice startled me. “Aren’t you going to take a shower?”

“Y‑yeah… I guess so…” I felt flustered, stood up quickly, and hurried to the wardrobe to look for another towel.

Don’t come closer… don’t come closer…

I kept repeating the words in my head, hoping Caleb would keep his distance—just so I wouldn’t have to look at him.

But his footsteps drew nearer, and I cursed silently.

“By the way, what do you want for dinner?” He asked, stopping right beside me.

“Anything’s fine,” I answered, finally finding a spare towel and grabbing it.

“Are you sure?” His tone sounded a little concerned.

“Yeah…”

I walked past him with my head down, avoiding his eyes, and stepped quickly into the bathroom.

"Huff…" I leaned against the closed door and let out a long breath.

My mind began to drift as I remembered his build, and how droplets of water ran down from his chest to his torso.

Wait… since when did I start paying so much attention to his body?

No—I shouldn’t hold onto that image. I had to push it out of my head.

“This isn’t right… I need to clear my mind right now,” I muttered, then turned on the shower and let the water pour over me, soaking every part of my body—especially my head.

I washed quickly. A few minutes later I stepped out, a towel wrapped only around my waist, feeling a little fresher.

But the moment I crossed the threshold, Caleb was standing right there, watching me. Somehow, his gaze made me feel as if I’d been stripped bare.

"Why is he looking at me like that…?" I whispered, filled with hesitation.