Just earlier, when he’d momentarily mistaken Alexander’s companion for a lover, Yeon Yiseo had felt it with certainty—there was definitely something strange and ambiguous about his relationship with Alexander.
Even if he’d only acted that way because he got swept up in the moment, it was clear now that he shouldn’t continue doing so. He needed to put more distance between himself and Alexander.
“Do you have anything else to say?”
“I don’t.”
“Then I’ll take my leave. Please enjoy the rest of your evening.”
Yeon Yiseo spoke clearly, gave a polite nod to Alexander, and turned to walk away.
***
He hadn’t expected to attend a company-hosted party at Scott Industries, but it turned out that assumption was wrong. Even in the defense industry, there were plenty of partners—and many of them were nation-level entities.
While the event didn’t feature glamorous invitees like those at Dymine’s gatherings, it was filled with far more important figures. If Dymine’s parties drew celebrities from entertainment shows, Scott Industries’ event was filled with people typically seen on the news.
Still, it wasn’t an overly formal occasion. As long as attendees didn’t make any serious mistakes or act rudely, employees could enjoy themselves to a certain extent. Most of the secretarial staff were in attendance, so Yeon Yiseo also had to show his face.
At least, unlike at Dymine, he wasn’t in charge of running the whole thing. That responsibility fell to Janet, who, as the senior secretary, handled the core duties.
For Yeon Yiseo and the other staff, the event was less about corporate obligation and more like light-duty with a bit of entertainment mixed in. Yeon Yiseo felt that if things stayed this relaxed, he might actually enjoy it. That’s why he allowed himself a cocktail or two.
Recalling the moment in Don’t Look for the Sickly Villain when Seo Eunwoo had attended this exact event and ran into one of the romance targets, Yeon Yiseo made his way to a corner, somewhere out of sight from most of the crowd.
Leaning his back against the wall, sitting with a drink in hand, sipping quietly—it was actually kind of nice.
Still, he reminded himself that this was technically still work. He reluctantly set down the glass, resisting the urge for another. As he made his way to the restroom, someone suddenly called out to him.
“So it was you. Yiseo.”
Hearing his name spoken fairly accurately, Yeon Yiseo felt a chill race down his spine.
He turned cautiously. Standing there was someone he hadn’t expected to see—though, considering the setting, perhaps he should’ve. As their eyes met, Yeon Yiseo said nothing. He’d gone out of his way to stay in the background and avoid encounters like this. All that effort, wasted.
“Mr. Muhammad.”
“So what’s going on? Since when does Dymine attend these kinds of parties?”
“I don’t work for Dymine anymore. I transferred to Scott Industries.”
“…Oh.”
Tamir narrowed his eyes at Yeon Yiseo.
“You’ve manifested, haven’t you?”
As an extreme-dominant Alpha, Tamir seemed to sense the change immediately. His gaze sharpened with interest. Yeon Yiseo gave a small nod in confirmation. There wasn’t really a reason to hide it.
“Today was my last day in the States. I told myself if I didn’t see you before I left, that would be the end of it. But now… this has to be fate, a gift from the divine.”
“…Ah. I’m honored you think so.”
He struggled to come up with a suitable response, but Tamir wasn’t someone he could speak to casually. So he settled on a polite, neutral reply. Tamir, after all, was a romance target in Don’t Look for the Sickly Villain. Every word had to be chosen carefully.
The man was royalty. A single misstep could lead to irreversible consequences. Yeon Yiseo absolutely had to avoid that.
Still, something felt off. Tamir was acting as if they’d met several times before, despite this being their first real encounter.
“Are you feeling unwell at all? Do you need anything?”
Yeon Yiseo kept his tone strictly professional, trying to create distance under the pretext of staff concern. But Tamir wasn’t buying it.
“Unwell? Not at all. Just speaking with you makes this party perfect.”
Tamir stepped in closer and took Yeon Yiseo’s hand. The sudden gesture made Yeon Yiseo flinch. A bad feeling flashed through his mind.
“I’ve never met anyone like you before. Someone who doesn’t flatter or submit to me.”
“…Mr. Muhammad, your proximity is a bit—”
The difference between the game and reality was stark. In the game, royalty could be admired from afar. But for someone like Yeon Yiseo, having to deal with royalty was suffocating and terrifying. There was no joy in it, no romantic fantasy.
Especially when that royalty was an extreme-dominant Alpha quietly releasing pheromones.
“Mr. Muhammad…?”
He couldn’t just shove him away and run. Tamir’s pheromones were triggering a response from Yeon Yiseo’s own, and the man murmured in admiration, “So you’re an Omega.”
Just like that, Tamir’s pheromones vanished without a trace.
He must’ve been testing what secondary gender Yeon Yiseo had. If he had just asked, Yiseo would’ve told him—but the way he chose to confirm it showed the unchecked nature of his power.
“I was hesitant because you were a Beta before, but now that you’re an Omega, there’s no reason to resist.”
It was all happening so fast that Yeon Yiseo could only blink, dumbfounded.
“I can’t offer the position of first consort, but I can make you my second.”
Yeon Yiseo scowled. Did Tamir actually think he’d be happy to hear that? Was that why he sounded so proud of himself? Sure, there were probably people out there who’d jump at the chance.
But Yeon Yiseo wasn’t one of them.
“Mr. Muhammad, please calm down. First, let me say this—I don’t really know much about you. Second, I don’t think of you that way.”
“Ah, so you’re suggesting we spend time getting to know each other. I’ve no objections.”
At that point, Yeon Yiseo clicked his tongue mentally. He’d thought he was being direct, but Tamir somehow twisted it into something positive. In a way, it was a skill. A very stubborn, relentless kind of skill.
The romance targets all seemed more unhinged than they’d been in the game. As far as Yeon Yiseo remembered, none of them had pushed this aggressively.
Maybe it was because he was filling in for Seo Eunwoo. Maybe his presence was distorting things.
That seemed like the most plausible theory.
Right now, though, the top priority was figuring out how to shake off Tamir. Last time, Alexander had stepped in to help. But back then, he’d been a guest. Now, as the host, he was tied up entertaining VIPs.
Worse, Tamir was a client of Scott Industries. If Yeon Yiseo responded poorly and offended him, the fallout could be catastrophic.
Still, that didn’t mean Yeon Yiseo was going to sacrifice himself. Not a chance.
And yet, a bitter thought suddenly crept in. Did he really need to live like this? Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to settle down with just one romance target and live a comfortable life. He looked at the man in front of him.
…But no. If it had to be someone, it sure as hell wasn’t going to be Tamir.
Oblivious to Yeon Yiseo’s internal rejection, Tamir grabbed his arm.
“Let’s leave and talk somewhere more private.”
The guy was clearly trying to make his move. This was bad.
“I’m afraid I can’t. I’m still on duty.”
“Hm, worried about work? Want me to take care of that for you?”
Tamir spoke as if it were no big deal. And why wouldn’t he? He was royalty, wealthy, and an extreme-dominant Alpha. He probably hadn’t heard “no” very often in his life.
“Where’s the representative of Scott Industries?”
He turned to a nearby man and asked.
“Mr. Muhammad, really, it’s fine.”
“When you spoke about my eye color, I felt an intense pull toward you, Yiseo.”
So that was it. Yeon Yiseo wanted to bite his tongue. He’d commented on Tamir’s eyes before—how striking and unusual they were. Just a passing remark because they’d caught his attention. But apparently, it had left a deep impression.
Now that he thought about it, Tamir’s eye color was a controversial topic in the game. It didn’t match the rest of his family and had led to gossip.
If only he hadn’t said anything. He wouldn’t be in this mess. He regretted it deeply, but it was too late now. He was trapped.
Then, suddenly, his phone rang. The number was unfamiliar, but it felt like a lifeline.
“Excuse me. It’s a work call.”
He looked to Tamir as if asking for permission, and Tamir gestured upward with his palm—go ahead. Yeon Yiseo turned away and answered the call. Even if it was a spam or telemarketer, he’d take it.
“Hello?”
—Yeon Yiseo.
It was Alexander.
