Ah, someone definitely poked me.
Saebyeok rubbed his nape and looked up at the person with dazed eyes.
It was Team Manager Dok, who had gone to a meeting and hadn’t returned by the end of the workday.
“I was just about to leave. Shouldn’t you be heading home too, Team Manager?”
“I’m going to review some reports before I go. You go ahead. Go sleep at home, not here.”
“…Yes. I’ll head out first then.”
Saebyeok bowed politely, trying to hide his embarrassment, and left.
Fortunately, Gong Pyeonghwa had said he’d be in front of the company. Saebyeok shook off his embarrassment and power-walked with a light heart.
He recalled the dream he had during his brief nap.
A dream of a cute black-footed cat bringing him gold!
Surely it meant that his date with Gong Pyeonghwa was as precious as gold?
Just then, his golden husband Gong Pyeonghwa appeared in sight. Even from a distance, even with his cap on backward, Saebyeok could recognize him instantly. He carefully approached and hugged Pyeonghwa from behind.
“Did you wait long?”
“No, I just got here too.”
Gong Pyeonghwa placed his hands over Saebyeok’s, which were wrapped around him.
He gently pulled Saebyeok’s small head that barely reached his shoulder. Just as Gong Pyeonghwa’s lips were about to touch his cheek, “By the way, Saebyeok, why do you smell like another alpha?”
Instead of warm comfort, a chilly voice scratched Saebyeok’s ear.
“Alpha scent?”
Saebyeok sniffed himself. Now that it was mentioned, there did seem to be one foreign scent mixed in?
He hadn’t had physical contact with anyone today…
Ah. Could it be Team Manager Dok?
Since Saebyeok had realized that Team Manager Dok was just a crazy person, he hadn’t paid much attention to it.
“Ah. It’s probably my team manager.”
“Why would your team manager leave pheromones on you?”
Gong Pyeonghwa questioned with a serious face.
“Hey, why so serious… There’s this Team Manager Dok in our team, who seems to be an alpha. He doesn’t respect personal space and can be quite rude sometimes, but he’s really good at his job. Ask your brother. It’s true.”
“Why would someone who doesn’t respect personal space and has no manners be good at their job? Is this like those people who act normal outside but are psychos at home? If they can function normally in society, why not at the company? They can do it but choose not to. That’s worse.”
That was a fair point.
“It’s really nothing. Don’t get so angry.”
“Hey. Wouldn’t you be angry if you saw me arm-in-arm with an alpha woman or male omega or whoever! Going grocery shopping?”
“Are you crazy? Do you want to die? Both you and the other person would be torn apart by my hands that very day.”
Although Saebyeok had a gentle personality, romantic Saebyeok was also the embodiment of jealousy.
“That’s exactly how I feel right now. What kind of crazy bastard smears ‘Would you like to meet me sometime?’ type of pheromones all over someone else’s husband? And on the nape too. Who the hell is it? You said a team manager?”
Wait, is that what happened? Saebyeok, who had been blinded by jealousy, came to his senses and focused again. The pheromones felt more sluggish than usual.
And just as Gong Pyeonghwa said, they were somewhat abrasive pheromones with clearly felt intentions.
“Has that bastard left work yet?”
“No. Let me go tear him apart.”
The excited couple glared fiercely at the Taekang Electronics building before simultaneously snickering with a deflating sound.
“Should I really go tear him apart?”
“It’s okay. I feel better now. Just hug me.”
Saebyeok embraced Gong Pyeonghwa’s thick waist again. He buried his nose in his chest and inhaled his scent deeply.
“It must be close to cycle time. We’re both getting sensitive. Both you and me.”
“Ah. Is it time?”
Gong Pyeonghwa buried his nose in Saebyeok’s nape, similarly inhaling his scent. A pungent durian smell was mixed with the cool pheromones reminiscent of dawn air in winter.
This doesn’t feel good.
Gong Pyeonghwa, sensitive from hunger, complained of nausea from the durian pheromones.
Saebyeok stroked Gong Pyeonghwa’s cheek and asked gently, as if soothing him.
“How’s Iseul?”
“Ah. Right.”
Gong Pyeonghwa took Saebyeok to the parking lot. A familiar, or rather, inevitably familiar car was visible.
For good reason,
“Oppa!”
“Dad!”
Wait, why are Iseul and Noeul here?
“Hello…”
Who are you? An unfamiliar man greeted him.
“Since you don’t have a car, it’s really inconvenient, and you seemed tired, so I thought we could go for a drive. Plus, you miss Iseul, don’t you?”
That’s true, but… I’m touched, but… who is that person?
“That’s Noeul’s boyfriend.”
“What?”
Saebyeok glared at the man, awkwardness be damned. Noeul, who was ten years younger than him, wasn’t just an ordinary younger sister who could tease him about being an orangutan.
She was a sister he wanted to cherish, protect, and even raise—exaggerating a bit, she was like Iseul to him.
“They’ve been dating for 100 days.”
“106 days.”
The guy corrected. 106 days? 106 days? This dark guy with my precious little sister?
Though Saebyeok wasn’t pleased, he got in the car for now.
***
There was something that couldn’t be missed while enjoying night views during a drive.
That’s right, a rest stop.
Gong Pyeonghwa fed Saebyeok some steamed potatoes while explaining the situation. Throughout the drive, it was obvious that Saebyeok kept focusing on Noeul’s boyfriend sitting in the back seat.
“…so Noeul became my alibi in this sort of collaborative relationship. I need Noeul to be able to take the car out…”
I understand that, but what does this dark guy have to do with anything?
“Noeul said she wouldn’t cooperate unless her boyfriend came along…”
“…Still, the boyfriend’s face doesn’t look…”
“Want to hear something shocking?”
“I’ve already exceeded my shock quota for today.”
My little sister, whom I half-raised since she’s 10 years younger, has a long-armed monkey-like guy as her boyfriend? Boyfriend? Huh?
“He’s two years younger than Noeul.”
A younger man.
“Stop lying.”
“It’s true. By the way, you’re eating really well today. Didn’t they feed you at the company?”
I thought I was just opening my mouth, but somehow I’ve already finished the steamed potatoes and tteokbokki.
“I guess I was hungry.”
“They don’t feed you when you work late? Their welfare system is trash. Quit.”
“It’s your company.”
And it was fake overtime anyway.
Whether considering fake overtime as real overtime or not, my body was screaming for more nutrients.
Saebyeok bought a bag of walnut cakes, intending to share with Gong Pyeonghwa.
“Let me take Iseul so you can eat comfortably.”
“It’s fine. Iseul has gotten much heavier. I’d better hold her. What strength would an office worker who sits all day have?”
That was a sudden jab. Kind of hurts.
Gong Pyeonghwa held Iseul securely while eating the walnut cake.
“These don’t taste as good as the ones we had last time.”
“Really?”
If Gong Pyeonghwa says so, it must be true, but Saebyeok couldn’t feel much difference.
“The filling seems to have a raw smell, it’s a bit dry, and the dough seems to have a fishy smell. The walnuts are too small too.”
Is that so? I can’t really tell. It just tastes good to me.
“Hah… If your mother had made these walnut cakes, they’d taste better.”
I see, his palate has just become more refined.
“I ate it, but I’m not happy…”
His cycle must be coming soon. Saebyeok gently pinched Gong Pyeonghwa’s cheek and said in a soothing tone.
“Our Pyeonghwa seems a bit sensitive today. Iseul, ask if daddy is okay.”
“Dad, me too!”
What a filial daughter. Trying to steal what her dads are eating.
“You should say ‘please give me.’ Please give me.”
“Give!”
Ah, look at those cute manners. Gong Pyeonghwa split the walnut cake, removed the walnuts, and fed her just the dough and filling.
As a father, I want to feed you something even more delicious than this. Will you understand, Iseul?
Iseul just ate happily, as if oblivious to such thoughts.
What’s this? Am I the only one who finds it tasteless? Gong Pyeonghwa frowned slightly and asked Saebyeok.
“Saebyeok, is there anything you need?”
“Need?”
All I need is the well-being and peace of my family, and the affection of my husband named Pyeonghwa.
“Nothing. This is enough.”
Saebyeok held Gong Pyeonghwa’s hand tightly.
Whatever meaning Gong Pyeonghwa took from that, his eyes welled up with tears. I thought he’d be happy? That was quite romantic just now? That was Pyeonghwa’s style of sentimentality?
Instead of the expected excitement, only his pupils trembled sadly. But he quickly shook off the melancholy and burned with enthusiasm.
“Just trust me.”
Trust you with what? It seemed like we were completely missing each other’s point. An uneasy feeling crept over him, but since enthusiasm was better than depression, Saebyeok could only say that he trusted him.
***
He wanted to be by Saebyeok’s side somehow, but that damn contract. How could a mere piece of paper separate them?
What could he do for Saebyeok? What could he do right now?
Gong Pyeonghwa had been thinking about it since yesterday.
What rebellion could someone with nothing do?
Gong Pyeonghwa pondered endlessly and came up with a last resort.
A final method that might not work with his own parents, but could work with his father-in-law and mother-in-law.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
