Without avoiding the gaze that seemed to question whether they had heard correctly, Yeonwoo spoke calmly.
“I know why you called me here. But I also have evidence of what Director Park has done to me. Don’t make me use it, and please handle this issue properly.”
The so-called evidence was mostly the filthy, sexually explicit remarks Park had made. But in the current situation, that would be the biggest problem.
Everyone had told him to ignore it, but as the intensity increased, he felt he had to do something and bought a cheap voice recorder to occasionally record conversations. He never expected to use it like this. Though he didn’t want to listen to that man’s words again, he thought he should check if the recordings were properly saved when he got home, as he looked at the HR representative.
The representative appeared quite flustered. Perhaps they hadn’t expected Yeonwoo to respond this way.
“Now that I’ve spoken like this, will I be fired from here?”
“…No, not at all. Even for part-timers, we can’t dismiss someone overnight.”
“I’m currently working in the logistics team. I don’t think they’ll give me harder work there, but it would be difficult to do several people’s jobs alone. I wanted to mention this just in case.”
“Of course, we would never do such a thing.”
His transfer to the logistics team had also been because of Director Park. It seemed like he wanted to give Yeonwoo difficult work to make him complain, but Yeonwoo had never once mentioned it was hard. Though the representative said that now, there was no telling how things might change later.
It was just a part-time job anyway. He wouldn’t starve immediately if he quit. Remembering the check hidden at the bottom of his wardrobe drawer, Yeonwoo stood up first.
“I don’t think there’s anything more to discuss, so I’ll be going.”
“No, uh, that… okay.”
At the reluctant response, Yeonwoo walked out.
Though it was quitting time, he could feel the gazes of people still at their desks, perhaps with unfinished work. Yeonwoo moved between them at a pace that was neither slow nor fast.
After changing in the employee locker room and gathering his phone and wallet, Yeonwoo exhaled a long breath as soon as he left the mart.
Though he had pretended to be unfazed, he had actually been very nervous.
“…”
…Perhaps he really should quit the mart job.
Although the work was difficult given the size of the neighborhood mart, it was good because they provided meals and many coupons. He could walk there from home, and some of the mothers looked after him well.
The mart job had been perfect since he never knew when he might suddenly need to go to the hospital for his father, or when Lee Jonghoon might look for him.
While putting on the mask he took out from his small eco bag, Yeonwoo recalled his words to the HR representative earlier.
Though it wasn’t something he couldn’t say, it certainly required courage. And the source of Yeonwoo’s courage to speak that way was the check. The money Munbeom had given him was Yeonwoo’s security. With that, he wouldn’t have to worry immediately even if he got fired from the mart.
Yeonwoo raised his head. Across from the mart was a large outlet, and the clothing brand they were currently promoting was one that the Ho Group had imported from overseas. They said they planned to run a major promotion using a famous idol starting from the second quarter.
The Ho Group had so many businesses branching from its massive main body that it seemed they were involved in almost everything now. And the man who was certain to inherit all of that had asked to meet him first. Though it came with the condition that it would only be for a while, he could still meet that alpha several times during that period.
“…It’s strange.”
Even if it wasn’t for pure purposes, it was amazing that such a person had asked to meet him first. Even for a short relationship before breaking up, there must have been plenty of better omegas than him.
Or not. He said it was because it was him.
A single-parent family, in need of money, and easy to handle if problems arose later.
“…”
Hunching his shoulders against the chill that crept into his clothes, Yeonwoo sniffled softly and quickened his pace.
***
Waking to a gentle rocking, Yeonwoo flinched at the unfamiliar scenery visible through the car window. Then he remembered he was on his way to the hospital after finishing his Wednesday morning shift.
He should have visited the previous week, but he couldn’t. Since he had a morning shift today, it would be easier on his mind to make a quick visit. Taking out his phone, Yeonwoo checked the time—2:30 PM—and then the text he had sent to the caregiver.
Despite his sudden announcement that he would visit the hospital today, the caregiver hadn’t shown any displeasure. Rather, she had replied that she hoped his father would be awake when Yeonwoo arrived.
“…”
One of the side effects of pheromone elevation disorder was hypersomnia. In severe cases, sleeping for days in a row weakened the patient’s muscles and caused decreased immunity, bedsores, and various skin conditions. Yeonwoo’s father, Younghwa, had also experienced mild memory impairment. For a few months, even when awake, he would just spend time in a daze.
It would have been hopeless if he had remained in that state, but recently his memory seemed to have returned significantly. Thanks to that, these days he seemed to want to do something during his waking hours. So Yeonwoo, despite his self-consciousness, had asked the caregiver to ensure his father received physical therapy whenever he was awake.
That incurred additional costs, but it was only a difference of a few hundred thousand won. The nearly three million won that went out monthly had become so familiar that it didn’t bother him anymore. Normally, such an amount should feel like a huge sum to someone who had just become an adult.
Hospital bills gave him a headache whenever he thought about them. Yeonwoo took a candy from his bag and put it in his mouth. As he chewed and rolled it around in his mouth, a sweet taste immediately spread.
Even eating this wouldn’t ease his hunger. If he had known this would happen, he should have eaten at the restaurant before coming. No, that’s not right—going up there would just make him a spectacle for people.
“…”
Even after being called to the HR team, he had continued working as usual, but he sensed gazes subtly glancing at him.
At first, he thought it was just his imagination. He wondered if the things people were gathering to discuss were related to him, but today he had clearly heard it. His name had come up among people’s whispers.
He had thought about quitting the mart job if things got harder, but not like this. He already had many things to worry about, and it seemed the situation around him was becoming more complicated.
Staring blankly at his phone, Yeonwoo pressed some numbers. The 11 digits that appeared on the screen were the number Munbeom had given him.
If he pressed call, would it really connect to that person?
Yeonwoo’s thumb lingered over the screen several times before quickly erasing the number and pushing the phone into his pocket. Hugging his bag, his expression gradually relaxed as the street scenery became more familiar.
Perhaps because it was a place he used to visit once a month to get omega suppressant prescriptions before his father was hospitalized, it felt familiar. He had always come with his father then, and his father would buy him tteokbokki at the snack shop near the hospital. When it was cold, they’d buy fish-shaped pastries, and in hot weather, ice cream.
Though it was a distant memory from long ago, just recalling it made Yeonwoo’s lips curl up in happiness.
“Hello.”
“Oh my, look who it is.”
Before going up to the hospital room, Yeonwoo first visited the nursing station. After getting off the bus, he had bought two packs of strawberries and bananas at a nearby fruit store, and he set them down beside the desk, saying they should eat them. The nurses asked why he bothered bringing such things, but soon inquired about Yeonwoo’s recent well-being.
“Let’s see how much more handsome you’ve become. Hmm, still the same.”
“What is there to see? What would happen if Yeonwoo’s looks improved even more? He’s already so pretty.”
“You seem more sophisticated than before, but have you lost weight? That’s not good. You need to eat well when you’re growing. Are you eating properly?”
They were all people who had worked at the hospital for over five years and were familiar with Yeonwoo. Among them were many who felt sorry for Yeonwoo, who had struggled alone to save his father. They all knew that Yeonwoo had sold his house and liquidated all his savings to cover surgery and hospital fees, and that he had stayed at an omega center because he had nowhere else to go.
That’s why everyone was happy when the first surgery went well, and when unexpected side effects appeared afterward, they all worried about Yeonwoo. How could a child handle this alone?
Then one day, when Yeonwoo said he was going to Seoul because someone had agreed to help him, they all had complicated thoughts.
Yeonwoo stood out wherever he went. He had a slender body, good proportions, and a very pretty face. A newly-turned adult omega in financial difficulties was easy prey for criminals. Though it seemed unlikely, some nurses who couldn’t help having negative thoughts called Yeonwoo and carefully asked why he was suddenly going to Seoul, wondering if something bad had happened.
Knowing their concerns, Yeonwoo candidly explained that he had been contacted by his other father, and that he could receive help from him. But he added that his father didn’t know about this, and even if he found out, Yeonwoo wanted to tell him directly once he was healthy.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
