#123
Taemin gently caressed Idam’s cheek.
“For the past three months, I mobilized all available manpower, but Idam was nowhere to be found. Every day felt like hell.”
“…”
“But what worried me the most was the possibility that I might disappear from Idam’s mind. I was afraid. That’s why I exposed myself to the media. I hoped that you would remember me somehow, whether as a bad guy, hating me, or cursing me, no matter where you were.”
His intention was successful.
Idam wanted to forget him, but when he turned on the TV, his face appeared. His articles were visible on the internet, and even cafe customers talked about him, making it impossible to forget. But even without this, Idam wouldn’t have been able to erase Taemin. After all, a life form no different from his alter ego was growing in his belly.
Taemin also looked at Idam’s belly as he continued speaking.
“I expected Idam to visit an obstetrician. So I used Im Hoyoung’s connections to request help from obstetricians nationwide. To contact me if a pregnant extreme heat omega visited.”
“Ah…”
Idam had been reluctant to go to an obstetrician, fearing he might be tracked if the news of his unusual pregnancy spread among doctors and nurses.
But eventually, worried about the baby’s condition, he had to go to the hospital. Still, he thought Taemin would be less diligent in tracking him since he was about to get married, and there were countless obstetricians nationwide, so he didn’t imagine Taemin would go to such lengths.
“However, there was no news of Idam visiting an obstetrician. Time kept passing. I couldn’t stand it anymore. So I thought there would be a change if I released an article saying Idam would marry me.”
“What? You were going to release such an article?”
“Yes. At first, I was going to include Idam’s name. But I decided against it because Idam is a private citizen, and there might be other issues.”
“That… I thought you were marrying someone else.”
“What? You misunderstood that?”
Taemin looked dumbfounded, as if facing something he never imagined. Idam nodded.
“Yes…”
“Ha. If I had known this would happen, I should have at least indirectly mentioned that my marriage partner was Idam. I’m sorry.”
“No… that would have been even more troublesome…”
Idam felt chilled just imagining the moment he would face his name in an article.
“That’s true. Grandfather still doesn’t know my true feelings.”
Taemin’s grandfather. The shadow of the man who signaled the start of the aversion seemed to loom large over Idam.
“Grandfather used extreme heat omegas and then quietly disposed of them. And the same was true for my mother.”
“What? Why your mother, CEO?”
Wasn’t Taemin’s mother a dominant omega? As far as Idam knew, Taemin’s father also seemed to have used an extreme heat omega and then turned his back on her.
“Actually…”
Taemin hesitated before continuing.
“The child of the extreme heat omega I mentioned last time was me.”
Idam was momentarily stunned, unable to comprehend his words, then his eyes widened.
“What? Really? Why… why…”
“It’s true that our family has rejected extreme heat omegas. But father fell in love with mother, whom he kept by his side as a cure. That’s how I was born.”
Idam was also surprised by this unexpected truth.
“To protect mother, father lied that she was a dominant omega when introducing her to grandfather. But grandfather had dealt with extreme heat omegas for a long time and was sharp enough to notice immediately. So he disguised mother as having a chronic illness and killed her.”
“Oh my God…”
Idam felt like a hole was being punched in his chest, as the fate of Taemin’s mother seemed like his own story.
“I only recently learned that grandfather was more of a trash than I had imagined.”
“…”
“I judged that if grandfather knew my feelings, Idam would be in danger. So I pretended to follow his will on the surface.”
Idam suddenly recalled what happened just before going to Cheongdo three months ago. Taemin had tried to persuade him after learning about his pregnancy, and Idam had also expected a married life with him.
But…
‘I won’t disappoint you like father did. I’ll take care of it for sure. Yes, grandfather.’
The subsequent phone call Taemin had with his grandfather drove Idam back to the edge, and he eventually headed to Cheongdo.
“Father tried to protect mother in his own way, but it ended in failure. So I decided to take a different path. I’m going to officially make Idam my wife.”
“…”
“Because I love you.”
The misunderstanding that had been tangled like iron chains was resolved, and he heard the sweet words he had longed to hear from his lips, but Idam couldn’t fully trust him. He kept having doubts bordering on paranoia, wondering if even this was an act to persuade him. It was also evidence of how deep the wounds in his heart were.
“I… I don’t like you, CEO. I can’t trust you… I’m afraid.”
In truth, saying he didn’t like him was a lie. His body quickly found comfort in Taemin’s embrace, and his heart tingled. He still loved him. But he didn’t want to reveal this feeling again, fearing it would become a weakness and cause pain. He only wanted to know Taemin’s ‘true heart’.
“…”
In Taemin’s eyes as he faced Idam, there was a sticky heat, anxiety, and an abnormal thought process running. His blue gaze was directed at Idam’s right ankle.
“Then…”
Just as Taemin was about to finish his sentence,
“CEO!”
The rooftop door burst open roughly, and Secretary Kang and other employees rushed in, out of breath.
“Are you alright?!”
“Ah…”
Taemin felt his excitement quickly deflate at the unwelcome appearance of these people. Moreover, when Secretary Kang saw Idam, he offered an even more exaggerated greeting.
“Oh… oh? It’s… it’s been a while, madam.”
“Yes…”
Idam also awkwardly bowed to Secretary Kang. Although he had once worn the title of Taemin’s wife, he was now just a fugitive, which made it even more awkward. Other employees followed suit, greeting Idam. As this happened, his body moved slightly away from Taemin. Taemin, perhaps anxious that Idam might run away again, grasped his hand.
“CEO, you were climbing the building earlier. Are you sure you’re not hurt anywhere?”
Secretary Kang fussed, examining Taemin from various angles.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Answering half-heartedly, he picked up Idam like a princess.
“Let’s go down and continue our conversation.”
“Huh?”
Suddenly losing his balance, Idam hurriedly wrapped his arms around Taemin’s neck. But with the gazes of Secretary Kang and other employees fixed on him, he couldn’t remain calm. Cold sweat formed on his forehead.
“Um… I can just walk. I want to go down.”
Idam awkwardly wriggled his body. But Taemin’s arms didn’t let go of Idam.
“I’m doing this because I’m tired.”
“What? Then you should put me down even more. I’m heavy.”
He felt embarrassed because the baby was growing bigger and he had been eating well recently, so his weight had increased.
“You’re not heavy at all. Our Idam must not have been eating properly. Your face has become half its size.”
Idam thought Taemin was talking nonsense. The sundaeguk (blood sausage soup), boiled pork, and bread he had eaten for lunch today flashed through his mind. If anything, it was Taemin who had lost weight.
“Um… I’ve been eating well all this time.”
“No, you’ve lost a lot of weight. Let’s go to Seoul and eat something delicious.”
At Taemin’s suggestion, Idam’s round eyes hardened.
“I… I don’t intend to go back with you yet, CEO.”
“Then, are you saying you’ll continue to stay in that dirty goshiwon?”
“Huh? You know about that too?”
As soon as he asked, he felt embarrassed for saying something so foolish. It was obvious that Taemin would have figured everything out by the time he found him.
“I can’t leave you in such a dangerous and dirty place any longer.”
“It’s a comfortable space for me.”
“Just come with me.”
“…”
“I’ll overlook the fact that you ran away after falling for Eun Sujeong.”
Taemin seemed to be clenching his molars as he mentioned Eun Sujeong.
“I’m not in that kind of relationship with Sujeong. We’re just friends.”
Idam firmly denied it.
“Really?”
“Yes… So please don’t misunderstand. And Sujeong went on a blind date recently.”
The blind date was actually a lie, but Idam had to make it up because Taemin kept looking at him with suspicious eyes.
“Alright. I’ll believe you.”
Taemin’s face relaxed a bit, perhaps believing Idam’s lie.
“Then we should go to Seoul even more. What if that blind date partner misunderstands about Idam?”
“But I need to help with the cafe work.”
If he left, Sujeong and her brother would have to work too hard. Taemin seemed to read Idam’s concern and turned to Secretary Kang.
“Secretary Kang. Find two people to work at that cafe right now.”
“Yes, sir.”
Secretary Kang, who answered respectfully, immediately picked up his phone and made a call somewhere.
“Mr. Kim, we’re in Cheongdo. Could you send us two capable workers?”
Idam was taken aback by his swift action, as quick as frying beans in lightning.
“Suhan hyung, they don’t have enough money to pay salaries for two more people.”
“I’ll take responsibility for the salaries, so don’t worry.”
“What? Why would you, CEO?”
“Because it’s something I obviously should do.”
Taemin’s lips curled up mysteriously.
“Idam, from now on, use me as you please.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
