He lifted a slightly larger ring with a careful touch.
“…Director?”
Siwoo hesitated for a moment. He wanted to wear it together. He had thought it would be nice if you put it on for him. With a somewhat empty smile, Siwoo placed the ring directly on his own finger. The ring fit perfectly on his fourth finger. Siwoo clenched his fist tightly. He felt a shallow disgust at himself for secretly desiring that boy like this.
“Please take me to JR Hotel.”
However, the instinctual desire was strong. He needed a place that carried even a hint of that boy’s scent.
***
Siwoo was sitting on the sofa in the large hotel room’s reception area. The days he had spent here with Sanho felt like a mirage. As he sat there idly, the effects of the suppressant began to show little by little. The pheromones that had been wildly swirling started to settle down. Aside from his heart racing, he was managing fairly well.
“…….”
Siwoo quietly leaned back against the sofa. He inhaled lazily, breathing in. He was lost in a futile thought, wondering if there might still be a trace of that boy in the air. He spread his hand wide and raised it toward the ceiling. The ring on his fourth finger sparkled under the light.
The ring was plain. It had just a tiny diamond, no bigger than a grain of rice, embedded in its simple surface. But Siwoo liked it. The unadorned design seemed to suit that boy well.
“……I think it would look good.”
Imagining the ring on Sanho’s slender finger, Siwoo smiled softly. He envisioned a hand wearing the same ring holding his own. His heart thumped wildly, like a foolish adolescent boy who had just awakened to his first love. It was all over the place, like a child who sulks when comforted and then comes back for a hug. It was astonishing to realize he had been ignoring such vivid emotions until now.
Siwoo quietly stood up and headed toward the bedroom. He glanced at the abstract painting hanging opposite the large bed before stepping into the small space next to it. A fairly spacious dressing room followed. It was empty inside.
“…….”
The clothes he had bought for Sanho were hung up here. He vividly remembered the sound of rustling fabric that had filled this space in the mornings. Even the awkward expression on Sanho’s face as he walked out. Now, in the empty space, Siwoo hung up his own suit. It was a deep blue suit. So dark it almost looked black. The fabric, reflecting light, shimmered with a subtle blue hue, looking very luxurious.
Siwoo chuckled softly. It reminded him of a time when he had unconsciously paid attention to choosing clothes. Choosing clothes was something you did when going on a date, right? Back then, he had just tilted his head lightly in confusion. In two days, after sending off the rut safely, he would be able to meet Sanho. He wanted to show his best self then. Siwoo carefully touched the ring that had the same design as his own with his fingertips. Letting out a short breath, he slipped the ring into his jacket pocket.
At that moment, a monotonous doorbell rang.
“…….”
Siwoo’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. Who could it be? There shouldn’t be anyone coming here. The person who naturally came to mind was Manager Jung. But he wouldn’t just come to find him while he was sending off the rut. As Siwoo stepped out of the dressing room, the doorbell rang once more.
“I know you’re inside.”
It was a somewhat unfamiliar voice. Siwoo frowned and stared at the firmly closed door. He could distinctly feel the presence of the person standing beyond the solid door. It was due to the sensitive instincts of an alpha sending off a rut. The person outside was definitely an Omega.
“Not only did you stand me up on the day of the engagement, but you also won’t just send me away, right?”
A voice laced with a hint of sarcasm rang out. Siwoo recognized who it was. A faint sigh escaped him. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly opened the door.
“…….”
Jae-il, the second son of WT, stood there in a light lilac suit, just as he had seen in the live news. His neatly styled hair was combed back. His striking features were tinged with a hint of displeasure.
“…What do you want?”
As Jae-il tried to step into the room, Siwoo blocked the entrance with his body and looked at him. It was a clear indication that he was not welcome. Jae-il pouted slightly and faced Siwoo.
“I don’t think this is something we should discuss in the hotel hallway.”
“I believe we have nothing to talk about.”
Jae-il chuckled as he looked at Siwoo’s stiff expression.
“You’re so blunt, Jin Siwoo. They say you’re quite affectionate. Was that a lie?”
“I made my intentions clear. I said there would be no engagement. I even mentioned that I wouldn’t attend if you forced the ceremony.”
Jae-il shrugged exaggeratedly.
“Well, I heard that. But I really thought you wouldn’t want to tarnish Chairman Jin Tae-seok’s reputation. Even if my pride is hurt, that’s a different matter.”
“I didn’t intend to hurt your pride.”
Siwoo sighed and continued.
“Please go back.”
Jae-il glanced over Siwoo’s shoulder into the room.
“Don’t tell me you’re sending off a rut right now?”
“…….”
“Are you sending off a rut alone after taking a suppressant? Like a chaste woman?”
“…….”
“Is it because you’re an alpha? Even with a suppressant, if your pheromones are leaking this much… it must be quite difficult.”
Siwoo’s eyebrows twitched slightly. His gaze toward Jae-il was distinctly cold.
“Do you want me to help? After all, we’re engaged.”
“Let’s go, that’s enough.”
Jae-il chuckled again.
“I don’t understand why you’re being so difficult.”
He looked up at Siwoo, who was glaring at him, and seemed to realize that Siwoo had no intention of letting him into his space. Licking his thin lips, Jae-il said,
“Jin Siwoo. This is business. If we just get married, it would be easier for both of us. What’s with the stubbornness?”
He continued without waiting for Siwoo’s response.
“Do you want to meet someone else? Go ahead. I don’t care. We just need to take some photos together at official events. Well, it would be nice to have sex occasionally when our cycles align. We can just enjoy our lives as we please.”
“No, that’s not okay.”
At Siwoo’s firm response, Jae-il’s eyes widened for a moment before settling down. Siwoo brushed his hair away from his forehead and spoke.
“Each of us living our own lives is different. I don’t intend to criticize your values, but I can’t do that. I won’t.”
Jae-il’s gaze landed on Siwoo’s left hand, where he was brushing his hair back. Specifically, it was on the fourth finger where the ring was placed. A soft laugh escaped Jae-il’s lips.
“Wearing a ring in front of your fiancé, what kind of etiquette is that?”
Siwoo’s lips pressed tightly together. Jae-il continued to scrutinize Siwoo’s stiff expression.
“I heard rumors that you were terribly bitten by some leech-like Omega. But it seems it wasn’t just a bite; it was mutual?”
Siwoo’s face contorted instantly. A low voice slipped through the tightly closed gap.
“Watch your words.”
“From your reaction, it seems certain.”
Jae-il laughed heartily.
“Oh, this is really humiliating. My stomach hurts so much. Is this what it feels like to see a cheating spouse?”
As Siwoo watched him laugh, he quietly lowered his hand. He no longer felt like talking to him. It wasn’t just displeasure; he was angry. How dare he call someone names? As Siwoo grasped the doorknob, preparing to close the door, Jae-il hurriedly grabbed his wrist.
“I usually have a bit of pride. So I don’t say things like this often, but I’m a little tempted by you, Jin Siwoo. I mean, what Omega wouldn’t want a handsome and capable alpha? Knowing you’re interested in someone else makes me want you even more.”
Siwoo twisted his wrist and roughly shook off Jae-il’s hand. He wanted to push him away even harder, but a thought crossed his mind that he might not be able to control his strength. As his emotions stirred, the pheromones became unstable.
“I originally thought you were trying to break off the engagement because of the rift with Jin Tae-seok. But now it seems it’s not such a simple reason. It’s because of that Omega, right? Everything about the rift with Jin Tae-seok.”
Seeing Siwoo’s hand clench into a fist, Jae-il’s lips curled up slightly.
“I’m getting a bit curious about that Omega. What kind of trash is my fiancé—”
“I told you to watch your words.”
As Siwoo growled, cutting off his own words, Jae-il’s eyes widened slightly. But soon, he burst into laughter.
“Your reaction just makes me more curious.”
Siwoo firmly placed his hand back on the doorknob. He momentarily released the tension he had been holding. The pheromones surged toward Jae-il in an instant. As the alpha’s pheromones suddenly overwhelmed him, Jae-il inhaled sharply and frowned. If he was exposed to the pheromones of an alpha sending off a rut for too long, he would surely be affected as well. He just wanted to get this man out of his sight.
While Jae-il was momentarily dazed, Siwoo slammed the door shut forcefully. As the physical space was blocked, Jae-il’s frustrated breath could be heard from beyond the door.
“I’ll come back tomorrow. You’ve really hurt my pride today. Let’s talk more about what we couldn’t today.”
Siwoo bit his lip and nervously locked the door. The situation where Hyun Jae-il was showing interest in Sanho was bound to create troublesome issues. He didn’t want to create any more dangerous people around Sanho. But now, it would all be over. In just one more day, they would be able to leave together. Siwoo collapsed onto the large bed in the bedroom. Staring at the white ceiling, he slowly regulated his breathing.
“…….”
The pheromones he had been suppressing surged violently. The emotions that had boiled over at the insulting words calling for Sanho affected his control over the pheromones. As if trying to suppress his agitated feelings, Siwoo slowly inhaled and exhaled repeatedly.
“…….”
It was tiresome. The slowly passing time felt unbearably tedious.
“……I miss you.”
Gently stroking the ring on his fourth finger with his thumb, Siwoo closed his eyes. For a long time, until Manager Jung’s urgent phone call rang the next day.
