#55
Idam got out of the taxi and arrived at Daehangno with Hayun. They walked through winding alleys and reached an old motel tucked away in a corner. They got a room, took turns showering, and put on robes.
Hayun opened a bottle of water from the refrigerator with a relieved expression. Idam was also drinking water but felt anxious, wondering if Taemin might have followed them.
“Hayun, we’re moving to a different motel tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah. Let’s just stay here for tonight. I’m scared Taemin might follow us too.”
“Right.”
It was inconvenient, but they had no choice. Idam felt like they were being watched even now.
“You need to buy clothes too. You can’t keep wearing that janitor outfit tomorrow.”
Hayun looked at the clothes Idam had been wearing while drinking water. They were neatly hung on a hanger in case he needed to wear them again.
“You’re right. I should buy some…”
Idam trailed off, feeling conflicted. He didn’t have any money on him at the moment. Even this motel room was paid for by Hayun.
“Hayun, can you lend me some more money? I’ll pay you back later.”
“That’s fine, but don’t you have your phone and wallet?”
“No…”
“Why? Did Taemin confiscate them?”
Taemin had told Idam to leave his wallet behind, saying he wouldn’t need it today. The phone Idam usually used was in Taemin’s possession. The same went for other valuables like the frame with his mother’s photo, bankbook, and important documents.
Idam explained this to Hayun.
“Why is he keeping someone else’s phone? That’s abuse of power. Idam, let’s quickly pay back the money and get you away from that crazy bastard.”
“Yeah…”
Come to think of it, now that Idam was borrowing 350 million won from Hayun, he needed to transfer that money to Taemin. Whether through mobile banking or cash, they’d need to go to a bank. For that, he first needed to retrieve his wallet, bankbook, and phone.
“Hayun, I think I need to meet the CEO again.”
“What?”
“I need to show my intention to pay back the money and discuss how to give it to him.”
“It’s dangerous for you to go alone. Let’s go together.”
“That’s…”
While Hayun disliked Taemin, the feeling was mutual. The last time Idam went to Hayun’s house, Taemin had shown up and greatly despised Hayun for being an omega. Moreover, Taemin was ruthless enough to kill people without hesitation. There was no guarantee Hayun wouldn’t end up like Heo Jitae. That’s why it was best to keep the two of them apart.
“No, it’s okay.”
“Why?”
“There are things we need to discuss alone… Anyway, that’s how it is.”
“You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”
Hayun’s eyes turned sharp, as if he had read Idam’s mind perfectly. Idam felt cold sweat forming on his forehead as he shook his head.
“No… it’s not like that.”
“Then why do you insist on meeting that dangerous person alone?”
“Don’t worry. I plan to meet him in a crowded place.”
“Hmm…”
Hayun lowered his eyes, seemingly not trusting Idam’s answer.
“Didn’t you say he dislikes omegas and doesn’t go to crowded places often? What if he uses that as an excuse to move to a more secluded location?”
Idam hadn’t considered this possibility. After thinking for a moment, he replied:
“Well, I’m fast on my feet. I can run away if the situation calls for it.”
“But the problem is your soft personality.”
“No, I can be firm when I need to be.”
Idam clenched his fists and spoke with determination in his eyes. However, Hayun just sighed repeatedly, as if looking at a child left alone in the marketplace.
“Says the person who got caught by Taemin and is in this mess. Besides…”
Hayun looked at Idam’s mottled neck and asked:
“That guy hates omegas, right? So how is he able to keep you by his side? Surely you couldn’t have hidden your pheromones when he was doing those perverted things?”
“Ah…”
Idam struggled with how to explain this crucial point, but finally managed to speak.
“He’s unique. He likes my pheromones.”
“Huh? He likes your pheromones?”
“Yeah…”
“How is that possible?”
“I don’t know the details either.”
This had been a constant question since learning this fact. But even when asked, Taemin never gave a clear answer. Hayun looked at Idam intently, then leaned forward on the sofa, closing the distance between them.
“I remember something the orphanage director and teacher said a long time ago.”
“Huh?”
“They said there exists an alpha who can handle your pheromones.”
“You heard that?”
It seemed Hayun had also witnessed the conversation between the teachers at the orphanage back then.
At that time, the teacher had said that the alpha who could accept Idam’s pheromones would be from a socially prestigious family. But they were about to say something more, implying these people weren’t normal, when Hayun appeared and the conversation was cut short.
“I should have listened to the rest of what the teachers were saying, but I greeted you happily when I saw you and missed it. After that, I was so curious that I asked the teacher about what kind of family it was.”
“Really?”
“But they acted like they had never said such a thing. It was even more suspicious.”
“I see…”
The teachers had seemed cautious even when Idam witnessed it. So it was natural that asking directly wouldn’t yield results.
“Then is Taemin your prince on a white horse?”
Hayun’s face was full of sarcasm. Idam’s expression hardened as well. He felt goosebumps and scratched his arm.
“I don’t know. And what prince on a white horse? Am I a princess then? That’s so cheesy.”
“I think so too.”
Hayun scratched his arm too as he continued speaking.
“But the teacher said it wasn’t a normal family, right? That means there’s nothing to gain by getting involved. There must be other normal alphas out there.”
Idam couldn’t readily agree with Hayun’s fanciful words. Honestly, he felt that Taemin might be the only alpha who could find his pheromones sweet.
“Life is so hard. I thought things might get a little better when we turned 20. But it feels like there’s no end to the mountains we have to climb.”
Hayun sighed. His expression suggested he had his own circumstances, which made Idam feel heavy-hearted.
“Did something happen to you too? Did that stalker do something to you?”
“Huh? No, no. It turns out that person wasn’t a stalker. They said he was the boyfriend of the neighbor. I just misunderstood. So don’t worry.”
“That’s a relief then.”
Idam felt his chest lighten.
“Plus, I got scouted.”
“Huh? Scouted? For what?”
“Yeah. I got an offer to model for a clothing brand.”
As soon as Hayun finished his shy reply, Idam’s eyes and mouth rounded in surprise.
“Really? Wow! That’s amazing. That means you might appear on TV or have your face on shopping mall buildings, right?”
Idam looked Hayun up and down admiringly. Suddenly, Hayun’s beauty seemed to stand out even more.
“Come on, it’s too early to say that. I haven’t signed the contract yet.”
Hayun scratched the back of his head bashfully.
“I have a meeting with the brand’s CEO tomorrow, so I’ll need to go out for a bit. I’ll transfer the money to you once you get your phone and bankbook back.”
“Thank you, Hayun.”
Idam looked at Hayun with affection.
“What are you thanking me for? This is what friends do for each other. I’m planning to go to Jeju Island after this modeling job is over. You should go down there ahead of me.”
“You don’t have to go to Jeju Island.”
Idam felt he couldn’t impose further by going to Jeju Island when he was already in enormous debt just by borrowing 350 million won.
“Why not? Let’s just go.”
“Don’t you need to stay in Seoul if you’re going to seriously pursue modeling?”
“The work isn’t constant; there are off-seasons. I plan to stay in Jeju during those times. I’d be lonely staying alone, and you could find a new job there too.”
Hayun, noticing Idam’s burden, suggested a solution.
“I guess that could work.”
Idam wanted to work and contribute at least a little to Hayun.
“Ah, I’m suddenly hungry.”
Hayun rubbed his stomach, seemingly trying to change the topic in case Idam changed his mind.
“Let’s order some chicken.”
“Okay, sure.”
Idam nodded. Hayun picked up his phone to look at a delivery app. A hopeful aura emanated from him as he faced a new beginning. Idam envied Hayun. He thought that he too should plan a new life once things were settled with Taemin.
But why did a corner of his heart feel uneasy? It felt like something inexplicable was stuck in his throat.
* * *
The next day, Hayun and Idam moved to a new motel.
After borrowing money from Hayun, Idam bought a white shirt and jeans from a nearby clothing store. He also visited a shoe store and bought sneakers. He felt uncomfortable continuing to wear the loafers Taemin had chosen for him, as they were extremely expensive.
He bought shoe polish and cleaned those loafers, and sent the suit to the dry cleaners. Even though things were ending with Taemin, he wanted to return the borrowed clothes and shoes in a neat condition.
Now, to meet Taemin, he needed to set up an appointment first. So Idam walked to find a public phone. He didn’t have a phone now. He didn’t want to use Hayun’s phone as it would expose Hayun’s number to Taemin. He was also afraid to use the phone in the motel room as Taemin might use that number as a clue to find them. So he decided to use a public phone.
However, Idam had never used a public phone before. He had only seen pictures of them in textbooks. But Hayun, having started working earlier than Idam, knew more about such things. When Idam said he wanted to use a public phone, Hayun explained how to use it. It was simpler than he thought.
So now, Idam was walking the streets looking for a public phone booth. He had heard that before he was born, public phones were common. But as mobile phones became widespread and times changed, they were gradually disappearing. Would Taemin know about public phones? He probably would. Though Idam didn’t know his exact age, Taemin looked at least ten years older than him.
“Ah…”
He wondered why he was thinking about Taemin when he was just trying to find a public phone. Idam shook his head to clear his thoughts of Taemin and focused on walking.
Soon, a police station came into view. There seemed to be an event as people in Podori and Posuni mascot costumes were waving at the entrance, surrounded by kindergarteners.
Idam looked around. His gaze fixed on a cafe across the street. After looking at it meaningfully for a moment, just as he was about to start walking again, he spotted a public phone booth. It was right next to the police station.
“Thank goodness.”
Idam quickly entered the booth. He picked up the receiver and took out the coins he had borrowed from Hayun from his pocket.
“Let’s see, where to insert the coins…”
Idam fumbled to insert the coins and then dialed Taemin’s number, which he had memorized under threat. His heart felt like it would burst from tension at the thought of reconnecting with Taemin after cutting ties.
[Hello.]
Taemin’s voice was heard before the connection tone even finished. Idam’s racing heart filled with heat, and he found it hard to speak now that he actually heard Taemin’s voice. It was maddening.
[Is this Idam?]
Taemin uncannily recognized Idam and called him out directly. This made Idam even more tense, and his palms began to sweat.
