“I’ll take that to heart.”
“You dare to covet my company? Hmph. Grow up fast. There’s no coming in late just because you worked overtime.”
“Good night.”
“Hmph!”
Why was he acting like this? It was impossible to keep up with his moods. According to Pyeonghwa, he was going through male menopause and his emotions were all over the place. It must be true.
***
The world felt absurdly unfair.
I worked yesterday, and I have to work today. I have to work tomorrow too. And the day after tomorrow as well…
Saebyeok, carrying yesterday’s fatigue to work, tried hard to suppress a yawn.
Team Manager Dok, who looked even more tired than him, greeted him first.
“You came in early even though you left late yesterday.”
He said I couldn’t respect personal space, but it hadn’t been that long since he’d said it, and now he was putting his arm around my shoulder and pressing close.
“Aren’t you tired?”
It didn’t seem serious enough to push him away with a stern face, and he was my superior after all. This much skinship between men is… common, I guess. Saebyeok smiled and gave a moderate response.
“Intern Shin smells nice. Do you use citrus cologne?”
Ah, this is too much.
I could feel his breath on my neck. This isn’t something men usually do with each other, is it?
“I don’t use cologne.”
When Saebyeok answered awkwardly, Team Manager Dok kept his nose close to his neck. As he sniffed openly and deliberately, Saebyeok felt tense for no reason.
He didn’t feel discomfort from any sexual intention. Instead, he felt confused and nervous, like a drug-sniffing dog burying its nose in his travel bag during immigration inspection.
“There’s definitely a smell.”
This isn’t just ignoring personal space, it’s scary.
“It might be my body wash…”
“Is Intern Shin an omega?”
“…”
***
Fortunately? Should I call it fortunate? As soon as working hours began, he packed up without hesitation and left for a meeting.
I thought he was a work cyborg.
Anyway, he said I smell? Saebyeok buried his nose in his own body and sniffed. Indeed, very faintly, he could detect Gong Pyeonghwa’s pheromones, just a tiny, tiny, tiiiny bit. The scent was as familiar as oxygen to Saebyeok, making it hard to notice.
Did it rub off on me after our short date yesterday? I’ll have to spray pheromone neutralizer frequently for a while.
Fortunately, since my in-laws are all betas, they probably haven’t noticed that I met with Gong Pyeonghwa… But my boss is a special type.
Being an omega isn’t shameful or something to hide, but there’s no reason to advertise it either. It’s more convenient to be a beta than an omega.
“Oh my goodness. Let’s stop working and go eat.”
Today’s cafeteria menu was omurice with grilled short ribs.
It wasn’t bad, but Gong Pyeonghwa’s omurice was much tastier.
Pyeonghwa put plenty of bacon instead of chicken breast in the fried rice, added aged kimchi while stir-frying, and made the egg much thicker and moister.
‘I want to eat Gong Pyeonghwa-style omurice.’
The fact that I’m thinking about wanting to eat different food while eating must mean I’ve joined the ranks of food lovers.
“What’s wrong? Doesn’t it taste good? I think it’s delicious.”
Gong Jeong sat across from me with his tray and asked. Saebyeok, who had been nibbling at his food, straightened his back with tension.
“No, it’s delicious.”
“Then why are you eating with such a gloomy face? Didn’t your date go well yesterday? With that despicable monkey Gong Pyeonghwa.”
“Pyeonghwa isn’t a monkey, is he?”
Even Shin Saebyeok, the yes-man who only knew how to say yes to his in-laws, couldn’t hold back his sincere opinion this time.
“If I were to compare Pyeonghwa to an animal, I’d say he’s more like a puma or a black-footed cat.”
“…Right, dating Gong Pyeonghwa couldn’t possibly be normal.”
Gong Jeong, blood relative of Gong Pyeonghwa, put down his spoon in disgust at this baseless idealization of Gong Pyeonghwa.
Saebyeok was dumbfounded. Not only did he disparage his own brother as a monkey (though Gong Pyeonghwa divided his blood relatives into gorillas and orangutans), he also called his brother abnormal (though Gong Pyeonghwa defined his blood relatives as psychos and weirdos), and even when corrected properly, he wouldn’t accept it!
“Well, anyway, nothing happened, right? That damn, I mean, my dearly beloved brother Gong Pyeonghwa was barking orders to feed you well because your face looks thinner.”
“Ah…”
My Pyeonghwa is worried about me like that again. Saebyeok vigorously ate the omurice that didn’t suit his taste.
Using his husband’s love as seasoning, it was somewhat tolerable.
“Anyway, you don’t have any issues, right?”
At Gong Jeong’s question, Saebyeok suddenly thought of Team Manager Dok.
Saebyeok carefully asked about Team Manager Dok.
“Um, I wanted to ask something about Team Manager Dok.”
“Is Team Manager Dok bullying you?”
“No, that’s not it…”
When Saebyeok hesitated, Gong Jeong took him to a nearby cafe.
“What? What did Team Manager Dok say?”
“No, it’s not that… well, it is but it isn’t… Anyway, you mentioned before that Team Manager Dok often ignores personal space?”
“Ah.”
At Saebyeok’s question, Gong Jeong nodded as if he understood.
“Well, honestly, how would I, an executive, or my father, the CEO, know about a mere team manager? It’s just that there’s a famous incident that explains it all.”
Gong Jeong found it both infuriating and laughably absurd whenever he thought about it.
It was during an important game that would determine whether the TK Tigers could advance to the fall baseball season.
Gong Jeong didn’t particularly want to go, but Chairman Gong complained about being lonely and even threatened to extend his vacation, so he enthusiastically went along.
Team Manager Dok, either out of exceptional company loyalty or baseball mania, had used his annual leave to come watch the baseball game.
Gong Jeong internally celebrated his luck and left Chairman Gong with Team Manager Dok while he went to enjoy chicken and beer alone.
The game was going better than expected, and Gong Jeong enjoyed a peaceful evening of chicken and beer for once. Yes, up to this point was the peaceful everyday part.
As the game heated up, people’s faces started appearing on the big screen.
Yes, it was kiss time.
And the ones caught on screen were Gong Jeong, Team Manager Dok, and Chairman Gong.
Gong Jeong naturally had no intention of kissing. Chairman Gong probably felt the same way.
But the stubborn, socially inept, and single-minded Team Manager Dok was driven by materialistic desires to win the Best Couple prize and receive a personally signed ball…
The Gong father and son had their lips stolen by Mr. Dokgo on live broadcast.
“I really thought he was crazy.”
He really was crazy, wasn’t he?
Kissing a company executive and company representative vs. not getting a signed baseball.
Unless you’d die without a personally signed baseball, choosing such an action could only be explained by insanity.
“I thought he was aspiring to quit, but he wasn’t. He just doesn’t understand the concept of personal space? He tends to ignore society’s implicit rules? He lacks tact and sometimes manners… but work-wise, he’s a fine salesman.”
“If I may ask, how did he get hired…”
“He definitely seemed normal during the interview…”
He probably didn’t kiss the interviewers, so they couldn’t have known about his hidden passionate side.
“Anyway, he’s that kind of person. Did he harass or sexually assault you? Report it. Report it.”
“No, nothing like that. I was just wondering if Team Manager Dok might be a special type.”
“Ah. I think I heard he’s an alpha. Are alphas uncomfortable for you? Should I transfer him?”
No, not at all. Saebyeok waved his hands.
“No, no. I was just curious. I’m not particularly uncomfortable or sexually harassed. He was just sniffing me today, so I wondered.”
“What? Isn’t sniffing sexual harassment?”
“I wasn’t suddenly and forcefully kissed without consent like you or the Chairman.”
“Ah. So I was the victim…”
Gong Jeong, who held a social position that would normally prevent him from being a victim in South Korea, belatedly realized he had been sexually harassed.
Saebyeok, having informed Gong Jeong of the sexual harassment, returned to the office with a somewhat lighter heart.
‘Whew. I thought it was sexual harassment, but he’s just a crazy person?’
It wasn’t something to be relieved about, but Saebyeok felt reassured and focused back on his work.
After working so hard that his face felt hot from just breathing, it was soon time to go home.
Today I’ll have a date with Pyeonghwa again. Date. Date.
Even though I’m tired, it’s worth enduring the fatigue.
♥My Husband♥
ã… ã… I’ll be a bit late ã… ã… Noeul came late so I don’t have anyone to shield me! Tell Iseul to go to sleep ã… ã…
It’s okay. I have some documents to review too. Let me know when you’re nearby
♥My Husband♥
Ok ã… ã… I’m eating I’m worried you look like you’ve lost weight ã… ã…
The cafeteria food was good today, wasn’t it? ã…‹
How did you know that?
Still, Public Peace omurice is tastier
♥My Husband♥
Sigh… I’m bringing a frying pan, burner, rice cooker, and eggs. Don’t stop me
ã…‹ã…‹ It’s fine, just come quickly. I miss you
♥My Husband♥
Aww I’ll wait ã… ã…
Why is even Gong Pyeonghwa’s texting cute? Saebyeok stared seriously at his phone.
That didn’t reveal the secret to his cuteness. He was just cute.
The name saved without choice, ‘My Husband.’ With deep hearts on both sides, it was cute too.
Living so childishly and adorably, who would possibly take him away? Hello, it’s me.
Maybe it was from working too hard, but Saebyeok smiled at thoughts he would never normally have. He found his own thoughts ridiculous.
Feeling sudden fatigue, Saebyeok buried his head on his desk and closed his eyes to rest and conserve energy before the real date.
I’ll sleep for just 30 minutes. Just 30 minutes. Just 30 minutes.
***
“Gasp.”
Something, it felt like I had an incredible dream? I don’t remember it well, but I definitely had some incredible dream. But suddenly someone poked me in the dream and woke me up…
“Aren’t you going home?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
