Siwoo raised his eyes and looked through the glass at the office. Asking if the call was okay meant he wanted to pass the surroundings. Since Sanho had taken his seat, the office seemed eerily still. Siwoo slowly opened his mouth.
“Yes, it’s fine. Go ahead.”
– I’ve confirmed the location of the Omega broker.
“Ah.”
– It’s at the P Club.
Siwoo’s eyebrows furrowed immediately. The P Club was the most notorious among Omega clubs. It was disguised as a luxurious club for selected individuals, but its essence was more vicious and cunning than a cheap brothel. Siwoo bit his lip hard.
– If it’s unpleasant, I can arrange a separate place…
“No.”
Siwoo pressed his furrowed brow and spoke.
“Please contact me again if you leave before 8.”
As the call ended, Siwoo stared blankly at his wristwatch. It was almost time to leave work. Realizing he wouldn’t be able to have dinner with Sanho today, an inexplicable sense of regret washed over him.
“Thank you for your hard work!”
The male staff member who had kindly guided Sanho to his seat bowed slightly in greeting. Siwoo nodded back and turned to look at Sanho. Sanho was sitting, staring up at Siwoo. Siwoo smiled brightly and reached out his hand to Sanho.
“Let’s go.”
“…Yes.”
“We have to leave together, just like you insisted.”
Sanho hesitated, lowering his gaze. A slight flush appeared on Sanho’s face as he fiddled with the bandaged tip of his finger. Siwoo pretended not to notice and casually tapped Sanho’s desk.
“Quickly.”
At Siwoo’s urging, Sanho hurriedly stuffed his belongings into his bag. A palm-sized notebook, a cellphone, and a small pill container. Once the sparse items were packed, Sanho stood up. Seeing Sanho in a rush made Siwoo laugh out loud.
“……”
The two stood shoulder to shoulder. The white sneakers and black shoes walked in sync.
A black sedan smoothly approached in front of the JR Hotel. Siwoo, who had stopped the luxurious car at the grand entrance, slowly unbuckled Sanho’s seatbelt. As Sanho tilted his head, about to open the passenger door, he looked at Siwoo with a puzzled expression.
“Hyung?”
“…Sanho.”
An awkward smile appeared on Siwoo’s face. He was at a loss for how to convey that he had come all the way to the hotel just to leave work together with Sanho. Sanho, who had removed his hand from the door handle, faced Siwoo. His lips were tightly pressed together.
“I have somewhere to go today.”
“……”
“Do you want to go up first?”
“……”
“I’ll tell them to prepare dinner.”
Sanho, who had been keeping his lips sealed, asked curiously.
“Where are you going?”
Siwoo’s eyes narrowed slightly. Although he was smiling, the awkwardness was more pronounced.
“Um, it’s for work.”
“What kind of work?”
Sanho tilted his head slightly, frowning. His expression was quite serious. That face looked rather absurd again. Siwoo chuckled softly.
“Why? Are you curious?”
“Yes.”
“What’s so—”
“I’m curious about everything regarding you, Hyung.”
He’s mine. Watching Sanho’s lips remain tightly shut, Siwoo slowly replied in a very gentle voice.
“Um, then… not now, but I’ll definitely tell you next time.”
“Really…?”
“Yes. Really.”
Sanho nodded slightly. With a click, he opened the passenger door and got out of the car. As the passenger window rolled down with a whir, Siwoo bent down to look up at Sanho. His round, curved eyes greeted him warmly. Sanho silently gripped the strap of his bag on his shoulder and met Siwoo’s kind gaze. Soon, with a soft purring sound, the black sedan started moving. Watching the car’s rear as it left the wide road in front of the hotel, Sanho bit his lip hard.
***
A loud music sound erupted from the large speakers, vibrating with intensity. It was the hall located in the basement of the P Club. Unlike the luxurious rooms on the upper floors, the lounge in the basement had a rather casual atmosphere. However, it was just as unpleasant. The remnants of pheromones thickly filled the air, making one’s nerves fray. Siwoo, trying hard to erase his displeasure, strode across the lounge.
“Hey, isn’t that Siwoo?”
“Why is that guy here?”
The P Club was a place frequently visited by the notorious offspring of wealthy families. Some of the people who recognized Siwoo among the crowd showed blatant interest. Knowing how much he despised such places, it was undoubtedly intriguing for them. It was common for them to stare at Siwoo’s face without any attempt to hide their curiosity, and some even approached as if to grab his shoulder. Siwoo walked without turning his gaze, slightly furrowing his eyebrows. Throughout his walk toward the bar at the end of the lounge, unpleasant stares clung to him just as stubbornly as the chaotic pheromones. Ignoring the gazes directed at him, Siwoo came to a halt in front of the bar, precisely in front of a large man who was chuckling.
“……”
The large man seemed to sense Siwoo’s presence and abruptly lifted his head.
“What’s this—”
The man’s gaze shot up toward Siwoo, who stood tall. Siwoo’s eye level was a good hand’s breadth higher. The man’s expression changed rapidly as he recognized Siwoo. First, surprise, then confusion, followed by a mix of excitement and slight fear. After a moment, the man’s mouth twisted into a crooked grin.
“Oh, isn’t this the senior who saved Baek Sanho? My school senior.”
“……”
“I was upset that I couldn’t find you, but I’m grateful you came to me.”
His voice was light and airy. Siwoo stared blankly at the man with a neutral expression. The man pretended to nudge Siwoo’s arm with his elbow in a playful manner. From the way he acted, it seemed like he was treating Siwoo like an old friend. Siwoo frowned deeply, feeling displeased. The man raised the corners of his mouth in a crooked smile.
“Hey, isn’t it a bit awkward here? With the Omega’s scent making everyone riled up.”
“……”
“Want to step outside? We can have a smoke.”
“……”
“Why are you keeping your mouth shut? You must have come here to say something too.”
The man chuckled and pointed behind the bar. An emergency exit door, likely used by the staff, was slightly ajar.
The place connected to the emergency exit was a secluded alley behind the club. As is often the case with the glamorous facade, this area was dirty and cramped. Black garbage bags were piled up, and cigarette butts were scattered everywhere. On the uneven asphalt, broken bottles and spilled liquids glimmered. Under the neon lights, the vibrant glow looked exceedingly unnatural.
“Does our senior smoke too?”
The man pulled out a bare cigarette pack from his pocket. He picked up a thin cigarette from the plain, unmarked pack. Offering it to Siwoo, the man grinned.
“……”
Siwoo quietly looked down at it. His lips moved silently. Pheromone agent. When Siwoo raised his eyes again, the warm brown of his irises reflected the neon lights, turning red. The man seemed to have noticed it too. Perhaps he had read the words Siwoo had silently formed with his lips. The man smiled lazily and pulled his hand back.
“Oh, this isn’t working. Baek Sanho thought it was real and got tricked.”
“…It’s you, after all.”
Finally, Siwoo spoke. The man’s previously carefree smile suddenly twisted.
“Ugh, ugh.”
A heavy wave of pheromones scattered into the air. The warm scent of earth swelled. The massive wave of pheromones poured down like a collapsing mountain, engulfing the man in an instant. The man bent over, gagging. Cough, cough. The man barely managed to speak through his coughing.
“Hey, hey. Ugh. Calm down. I can’t breathe.”
The man flailed his arms desperately.
“Cough. If you came to talk, you should at least let me breathe.”
Siwoo tilted his head slightly. As he continued to stare at the man, the pheromones gradually settled.
“Yang Joo-cheol.”
It was the name confirmed from the information about the Omega broker given to him by Manager Jung. The man, who had been coughing and shedding tears, turned his head toward Siwoo.
“Cough. You know my name?”
As the pheromones began to disperse into the air, Joo-cheol finally seemed to catch his breath, panting heavily. Although he still appeared to be in pain, a mocking expression slowly emerged on his face.
“I’m uncomfortable knowing you know my name. So I want to forget it quickly.”
Siwoo spoke in a languid voice. Various emotions flickered across Joo-cheol’s face, rising and falling as he realized that Siwoo knew his name. Staring at that expression, Siwoo opened his mouth again.
“So don’t let me see you again. Don’t let me hear you either.”
Specifically, not in front of me, but in front of Sanho. The last words were swallowed between his tightly pressed lips. Joo-cheol slowly straightened his bent back and flashed a sly smile.
“Ah, don’t worry. I won’t show up in front of you. No, I can’t.”
“……”
“Hey, I’m scared to death right now. You’re the JR prince, right? Plus, an Alpha.”
“……”
“But I can still hover around Baek Sanho, not you.”
Seeing Siwoo’s eyes narrow, Joo-cheol seemed to gain confidence. His vulgar voice rose in pitch.
“It’s hard to approach you, but Baek Sanho is easy. It’s common sense, right?”
“Why?”
“Why? Don’t you know that villains usually target the hero’s lover?”
“Then why?”
Why does it have to be Sanho? Joo-cheol grinned.
“You’re completely out of your mind. Or are you just incredibly naive? You’re clinging to Baek Sanho’s scent. You didn’t notice your eyes turning wild when his name came up.”
Licking his lower lip, Joo-cheol continued.
“Originally, I was thinking of using Baek Sanho for a while and then selling him off in a club like this to make some money… but then you suddenly showed up. Hey, I thought I heard the Hallelujah bell ringing. Where would I find someone like you, overflowing with money and ripe for the picking? Plus, you have a glaring weakness.”
“……”
“Baek Sanho is just a tool. The important thing now is you. If you touch him, you’ll have a fit just like now, and that’s what matters. What’s the point of touching an Omega with nothing to offer? It’s just a waste of time.”
A gleam of lowly anticipation sparkled in Joo-cheol’s eyes as he looked at Siwoo.
“Still, I’m a bit grateful to him. He made it possible for you to get riled up without laying a finger on you, thanks to Baek Sanho. Isn’t that great?”
Joo-cheol laughed artificially, glancing up. But upon meeting Siwoo’s expressionless face, he seemed to feel a hint of unease and took a step back, continuing to speak.
“Why is someone like you, who has everything, so captivated by an Omega? Well, Baek Sanho does have a knack for charming people.”
Listening silently to Joo-cheol’s words, Siwoo suddenly burst into laughter. It seemed to make Joo-cheol even more anxious. Hesitating, Joo-cheol finally backed up against the dirty wall. As Joo-cheol retreated in fear, Siwoo stepped closer to him. The pheromones Siwoo had been holding back began to seep out thinly. It wasn’t as threatening as before, leaving one to wonder whether this was intentional or a result of losing control over his emotions.
“I think you’re mistaken about something.”
“W-What mistake…?”
Siwoo placed his large hand on Joo-cheol’s thick shoulder. The weight of the hand slowly began to apply pressure.
“I think you’ve misjudged my weakness.”
“……”
“Why do you think an Omega would mean anything to me?”
The pressure from Siwoo’s hand tightened around Joo-cheol’s shoulder. A sound echoed from the joint of his collarbone.
“Holding an Omega means nothing to me.”
Siwoo smiled slightly, narrowing his brows. Joo-cheol’s face turned pale. The grip on his shoulder was painfully tight, and he gasped in agony, his face contorting in pain. However, Joo-cheol was not the type to back down easily. Biting his lip hard, he shouted.
“It’s nothing, huh? Then what’s the point of coming all the way here?!”
