#93
Taemin had simply said those words thinking he must have said something bad to Idam.
“…”
But Idam, unaware of Taemin’s intention, felt like he was crumbling. Tears welled up in his eyes, and his small lips quivered.
“I… I’m bad…”
Though a small and fragile voice, it was clear to Taemin’s ears. He became even more convinced that he must have done something terrible to Idam during the night. Taemin closely examined Idam’s appearance.
He was wearing the veil and stockings that Taemin had prepared for a birthday event. The stockings were torn and in disarray in several places. Especially the inner thighs were in tatters. Moreover, Idam’s nape was marked with red traces, teeth marks, blood stains, and even scabs.
His chest, nipples, abdomen, waist, and buttocks all showed severe congestion, and the scratch marks looked alarmingly deep. Taemin knew he could be quite forceful during his rut cycle. But it seemed he had done things far beyond what he had imagined.
“Idam. I… just…”
“It’s fine.”
Idam cut off Taemin’s words, afraid of what he might say next. He quickly removed the veil and got off the bed. His whole body ached from the intense sex. Because of this, he lost his balance and fell. When Taemin approached to help him up, Idam avoided his touch and stood up on his own. Then, wiping away his falling tears with the back of his hand, he went into the bathroom.
Taemin immediately followed to the bathroom door. He grabbed the doorknob, but it was locked from the inside.
“Idam. Please open the door.”
Taemin, feeling increasingly anxious, knocked on the door desperately. He wanted to talk more with Idam. He wanted to know in detail what he had done last night. But there was no movement from inside. Gradually, Taemin’s gaze sharpened.
“If you don’t, I’ll break down the door.”
“I want to be alone… Please… Don’t do that.”
Idam’s sobbing voice came back. Taemin sensed that if he broke down this door now, it would lead to irreversible consequences. He sighed and pushed back his bangs.
“Alright. I’m sorry.”
Idam’s silence followed Taemin’s apology. Growing impatient, Taemin tried to remember by touching and tapping his head, but to no avail.
“Hah…”
Just as he let out a sigh, there was a knock at the door.
“CEO, please answer the phone.”
At the male employee’s report, Taemin was puzzled. Why was he interfering with his phone?
“The Chairman keeps calling.”
Moreover, “Chairman” meant Taemin’s father, Ji Hyeongman. Tilting his head at the strange situation, he opened the door.
“Gasp!”
The employee seemed startled by Taemin’s nakedness but quickly composed himself and held out the phone.
“I found your phone while cleaning the study. Please check it.”
“Alright.”
Taemin took the phone dryly. However, the screen was cracked, with spider-web-like cracks, and the image quality was blurry. He wondered why his phone was in this state. He became even more certain that he had caused several accidents while out of his mind yesterday.
Taemin was about to answer the call immediately but thought there might be sensitive conversations that Idam shouldn’t hear, so he went out to the balcony.
“What’s the occasion?”
[It’s been a while.]
It seemed he was saying this because their last interaction was just a brief encounter at the restaurant.
“Yes.”
[Father… that is, your grandfather told me. I heard you’re in Jihwado now, is that right?]
“That’s correct.”
[I heard you found an extremely hot omega that’s compatible with you, is that true?]
It seemed grandfather had informed his father about Idam’s existence.
“Yes, that’s right.”
[So, has it been effective? How’s the rejection syndrome?]
Although he was now completely cured, he had to hide it. His father might immediately force him into marriage and arrange meetings. But the biggest problem was the danger that could befall Idam. He didn’t want Idam to meet the same fate as the extremely hot omegas his father and grandfather had dealt with in the past.
He needed to keep Idam by his side.
“Well, there hasn’t been any noticeable improvement.”
He decided to hide this fact until he could determine how to make Idam take root by his side.
[Is that so? How long have you had him?]
“It’s been about two months.”
[Well, it’s still early. It took me about 4 months back then.]
This was proof that Taemin’s recovery was unusually fast.
[How long will you be there?]
“I plan to return to Korea next week.”
[I see. I have a meeting to attend now. Let’s meet when you’re back in Korea.]
“Yes…”
The troublesome call ended. Taemin sighed and went back into the bedroom. Idam had not yet come out of the bathroom. Judging by the sound of water from behind the door, he seemed to be showering.
Taemin’s heart felt incredibly heavy. What on earth had he said while he was crazed during his rut cycle? Even when he tried to recall, it was blank as if erased with an eraser. Feeling stifled, he thought maybe splashing some water on himself might help. Normally, he would have showered with Idam, but today that seemed impossible.
He left the bedroom to go to another bathroom.
* * *
Idam let the water from the shower head fall on him. His whole body was soaked, but the tears flowing down his cheeks were too heavy to be hidden by the shower water.
‘Whatever I said, it wasn’t sincere, so don’t worry about it. I’m sorry.’
Taemin’s answer kept echoing in his ears. It felt like a dagger piercing his heart.
Yesterday, Idam had confessed to Taemin, only to confirm that he didn’t share the same feelings. So his heart was crumpled and aching from the pain of rejection. While nursing that bruised heart, Taemin came back to him. He showed sweet pheromones and even whispered that he loved him.
At first, Idam couldn’t believe Taemin’s attitude had changed so drastically. But just as he had wandered before realizing his feelings for Taemin, he thought Taemin had also hesitated before awakening to his true feelings. That’s why Idam had fallen for it completely and opened his body.
Thinking about it now, Taemin’s condition had been different from usual since last night. The moist gaze, deep and affectionate voice, concentrated pheromones. That was a different person created by the rut cycle.
“I’m such a fool.”
Sometimes people judge others based on their own standards. Idam’s mistake was projecting his own feelings onto Taemin.
Objectively thinking, there was no reason for Taemin to like him.
The huge age difference. Coming from an orphanage and dropping out of high school. Average looks. Not particularly smart either.
His traits included being an extremely hot omega with a pheromone disorder.
The words he said last night were just a midsummer night’s dream.
“I shouldn’t have misunderstood…”
Idam was merely a fake wife to avoid Taemin’s strategic marriage and an omega with pheromones that could cure his genetic disease.
Idam’s round eyes sank into deep disappointment. He decided to slowly push away his feelings for Taemin. He was afraid of the pain he might experience again and felt troubled by his greedy desire for something he couldn’t have. It was just the obvious reality, but he couldn’t understand why his heart felt so hurt and why he was starting to hate Taemin. Yet his heart still fluttered, creating truly foolish mixed emotions.
By the way, why was his stomach so hot? When he touched it, it felt like something was squirming. It was a sensation he had never felt before despite having been intimate with Taemin many times. He decided to call the doctor if it got worse or more painful.
* * *
After showering, Idam dried his hair with a hairdryer in the bathroom and wiped his body. On the floor, he saw the fishnet stockings he had taken off earlier. Taemin’s passionate whispers from last night replayed in his mind.
‘Idam. I love you.’
‘I love you so much.’
The heart he had just tried to close off caught fire again. It felt like unnecessary lingering feelings were growing and eating away at him. Idam bit down on his molars and shook his head. He barely managed to harden his softening heart. He wanted to quickly put on a robe and leave this place. But he realized that the robe that was always hanging there was gone.
Taemin would be outside the door now, but he would have to go out completely naked. In fact, Taemin had seen every corner of his body, so it shouldn’t be anything new. Sighing, Idam grabbed a towel and opened the door.
As expected, Taemin was sitting on the sofa, looking at him. It seemed he had also showered while Idam was washing, as he was now dressed and his hair was more tidied. Their eyes met.
Thump, thump, thump.
His foolish heart started beating again. Idam turned his head away, trying hard to suppress his heated feelings. Just as he was about to go to the dressing room, Taemin followed and suddenly hugged him from behind.
“Ah!”
Idam let out a moan and dropped the towel he was holding. Taemin buried his lips in the nape of Idam’s neck. He explored Idam’s skin, gently playing with his tongue as if soothing and caressing him.
“I’m sorry I can’t remember. I’ll try my best to recover my memories as soon as possible.”
“…”
Memories…
Suddenly, Idam had this thought. Even if Taemin recovered his memories, wouldn’t it be no different from this current situation?
Rather, it felt like he would only hear more apologies for saying such things.
“You don’t have to remember.”
He was afraid of the moment when Taemin would apologize, saying that all his words of love were a mistake.
“I… I’m fine. Just… I’ll forget too.”
Idam, feeling like he might burst into tears at any moment, barely managed to squeeze out the words. Then he unwrapped Taemin’s arms from around his waist. Just as he was about to head to the dressing room, Taemin grabbed his arm. And turned him around.
In his view, he saw Idam with eyes brimming with tears. The blind, warm eyes that had been directed at him recently were now filled with resentment, pain, and sadness.
Taemin felt his heart throbbing intensely. Eventually, Idam shook off Taemin’s hand and quickly entered the dressing room, closing the door. Of course, the sound of locking from the inside was heard again, just like before.
Taemin’s heavy heart sank even deeper.
“What the hell did I say? Fuck.”
