#105
“My companions are here, so I’ll be going now. Everyone, please go in. I’ll call you later.”
“Oh, oh! Okay.”
“I’ll buy drinks for everyone soon. Promise.”
As Eunhong hurriedly said goodbye, trying to divert their attention, Jaeha couldn’t wait any longer and approached, forcefully pulling Eunhong away from Gil Dong-wook. Until that moment, Gil Dong-wook had been unconsciously keeping his arm around Eunhong’s shoulders, but now he flinched away.
“Thank you for escorting him this far. Very considerate of you. I appreciate it.”
Though his perfect lips curved into a smooth smile, his hand that separated them was rough. Gil Dong-wook, pushed away as if being discarded, momentarily flared up and looked at Jaeha, but something startled him and he quickly averted his gaze. Perhaps due to the chilly atmosphere, the three people awkwardly moved like malfunctioning robots, waving at Eunhong as they backed away.
“Take care. Do come visit us.”
After backing up several steps, they turned around as if on cue and quickly disappeared toward the company. There wasn’t even a chance to explain that “my boy doesn’t bite.”
Jaeha draped his arm over Eunhong’s shoulder. Along with the heavy weight pressing down, pheromones poured out abundantly. Even though pheromones don’t actually have temperature, Eunhong’s shoulder felt eerily cool. Eunhong narrowed his eyes and looked up at Jaeha, who shrugged nonchalantly.
“You smell like them.”
“What smell… Oh.”
“Just because I’m not affected doesn’t mean I can’t smell it. Why did you just stand there while he touched you?”
“Just… I wasn’t thinking about it. He’s always like that.”
Gil Dong-wook still didn’t know Eunhong was an omega. Nothing had changed in his behavior since the days when Eunhong was a beta. Having been that way for so long, Eunhong had grown accustomed to him putting his arm around his shoulders, linking arms, and touching him.
Not liking the answer, Jaeha wrinkled his nose and just stared down silently. It seemed almost like a glare.
“How can you have so little caution?”
“He’s just a colleague and friend.”
“We were friends too.”
“…”
“You’re someone who devours your friends. When you devoured me, how much…”
Alarmed, Eunhong raised his hand to cover Jaeha’s mouth. Along with his giggling laughter, an electric current ran through Eunhong’s palm. The feeling of his moist tongue sticking out and licking reminded him of the previous night.
“That’s different. Really…”
Eunhong had become an omega not long ago, so his mannerisms were quite different from other omegas. He lacked the atmosphere that others had cultivated since childhood. He couldn’t just cut off all the relationships he’d known throughout his life. Inside the black lenses, Jaeha’s pupils glistened and shone.
“I really can’t lock this away somewhere.”
It was unclear whether he was joking or serious, his tone ambiguous. Without realizing it, Eunhong frowned, and Jaeha smoothed out the deep creases with his fingertips.
“Don’t provoke me, Bunhong. I’m barely maintaining my sanity right now.”
His touch, as he caressed Eunhong’s cheek, carried a subtle warmth. He came so close their stomachs almost touched, and his breathing was clearly audible. For a moment, it created the illusion that the noisy sound of cars on the main road was fading away. Afraid someone might see, Eunhong lowered his trembling eyelashes.
“Shouldn’t you be careful?”
Mumbling in a voice so quiet it was barely audible, he tried to gently push Jaeha away.
“Why would I do family business? I’m just telling everyone not to touch you.”
Jaeha’s eyes curved as he smiled beautifully. Smiling to reveal his neat white teeth, he looked at Eunhong quietly. His gaze, scanning Eunhong’s face with a smile, was impossibly affectionate.
Knowing why the thick fingers holding his chin were pressing into his skin with subtle desire, Eunhong could no longer push him away. The wrinkled spot felt hot with warmth. Unable to resist that gentle force, he raised his head, and their eyes naturally met. As lips lightly descended, the fine hairs below his earlobe all stood up, sending shivers down his spine.
***
While rolling around on the sofa, Eunhong received a message from Jang Haesung. Looking at his phone with indifference, Eunhong suddenly sat up from his lying position when he heard that Woohyun had borrowed money for dental treatment. It was just the other day that he’d extorted money from Jaeha, so why would he borrow money? It was strange even for Woohyun. The value of the watches he had sold in the past couple of months must have been enormous.
Eunhong glared at his phone for a moment before calling Jang Haesung. Since they had been exchanging messages, the call connected quickly, and Haesung’s concerned voice came through the receiver.
– “Hey, Eunhong. So about this… do you know anything? He won’t say where he got hurt and just keeps asking to borrow money for treatment…”
“I’m done with Woohyun now.”
There was a moment of silence on the other end. Eunhong leaned his head back against the sofa headrest. He briefly glanced at the chandelier hanging from the high ceiling before continuing.
“Seriously, Haesung. I don’t want to hear about Woohyun anymore.”
– “…Hey, no matter how much you fought…”
“I hit him. And he has plenty of money. …I gave him enough, no, more than enough for treatment.”
– “Oh…”
“So don’t lend him money. I don’t know what he’s spending it on, but it’s not my business… Just don’t get involved.”
Haesung remained silent for a while, perhaps choosing his response. It must be surprising that the always quiet Eunhong had hit someone, and that Woohyun had been hit. Eunhong sat silently, waiting for Haesung’s answer. He was also curious about the assessment from someone who had witnessed their relationship up close for many years.
– “There must be some circumstances.”
“…Circumstances?”
– “No matter how angry you were, you shouldn’t have hit him.”
“…”
– “His face was a mess. He’s already going through a lot lately, Eunhong. The alpha he’s meeting now…”
“Right. I shouldn’t have hit him.”
Eunhong regretted it with self-deprecating words. Hitting him had given Woohyun an excuse. Eunhong made up an excuse about being busy and said he would call later, hanging up without waiting for a response. He didn’t want to hear any more explanations about Woohyun’s circumstances.
He hadn’t brought it up expecting Haesung to childishly take his side, but after hearing the response, he felt empty in one corner of his heart. It seemed he had been, to them, just a foreign substance friend with a different nature, never fully integrated.
“Hong student! Why are you so spaced out? I’ve called you several times!”
Lost in thought, he hadn’t heard Mrs. Ham calling him multiple times. Startled, he got up as she approached with quick steps, wiping her hands on her apron.
“The Chairman is here. He’s in the parking lot downstairs…”
Before Eunhong could finish his response to Mrs. Ham’s words, the door opened, and Chairman Lee appeared with his attendants, looking no different than before. As Eunhong was surprised and headed toward the entrance, the Chairman raised his hand to stop him.
“You’re not feeling well, no need for that.”
Chairman Lee took Eunhong’s hand as he bowed respectfully and led him inside.
“I came to have lunch together, but is it awkward that this old man came without making an appointment? I thought about it after I got here. These days, young people prefer arrangements made in advance.”
In response to his words, delivered with an embarrassed laugh, Eunhong awkwardly shook his head.
“No, it’s fine.”
At the sudden appearance, Eunhong instinctively thought of Jaeha. He would hate to know that Chairman Lee had come to the house looking for him. No… he might have already sensed it and be rushing over now. Eunhong glanced nervously at the front door.
“Did you have other plans today?”
“…No.”
At his lukewarm response, Chairman Lee smiled faintly. He had noticed that Eunhong wasn’t speaking his true mind. Mrs. Ham approached with a friendly smile and asked about the Chairman’s intention.
“I was already preparing, but would you like to have your meal right away, Chairman?”
“Yes, I brought something with me.”
At Chairman Lee’s gesture, his attendant handed a square bundle to Mrs. Ham. When Eunhong looked on with curious eyes, Chairman Lee carefully examined his face.
“I heard you were injured, so I brought something to help you recover. How’s your arm doing, child?”
“I don’t feel any pain, and it’s fine. They said it’ll heal if I just leave it alone.”
“Oh, that’s good. I’m relieved. But it must be inconvenient since it’s your right hand. Is Jaeha helping you a lot with daily activities?”
“Yes. I’m living without any inconvenience.”
Chairman Lee nodded with a smile-filled face every time Eunhong spoke. His expression was like that of someone watching a five-year-old speaking impressively.
“I hate the greed my grandfather has for me…”
Jaeha’s lamenting words came to mind. He would make a scene if he knew Eunhong had lunch with Chairman Lee today. But Eunhong didn’t dislike the Chairman. Perhaps it was because he didn’t know his true nature, but at least he had never given Eunhong a bad impression. Besides, it wasn’t right to turn away an elder who had come to visit.
Deciding to enjoy the meal since things had come to this, Eunhong raised his cheeks and smiled brightly.
He sat across from Chairman Lee at a well-prepared table. He had thought it would be less awkward if everyone ate together, but Mrs. Ham and the attendants had disappeared somewhere, leaving only the two of them at the table with silence descending. Perhaps the Chairman had sent them away. What could he want to talk about… Eunhong clumsily worked his fork and carefully observed the Chairman’s expression.
“I’m sorry, child.”
“*cough*”
At the first words breaking the silence, Eunhong coughed slightly. Already feeling awkward at the meal, the coughing made him flustered until his face turned red. Chairman Lee calmly waited for Eunhong to drink water, wipe his mouth, and compose himself before continuing.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
