#119
“…An establishment?”
Eunhong could easily infer from context what Han Jeongwook meant by an establishment that only served alpha customers. Perplexed, he just bit his lip, when Jeongwook added another comment with a calm expression.
“Your friend looks like he’s struggling, so you should comfort him. I’ll drive.”
Indeed, Jang Haesung was shaking severely. Eunhong narrowed his eyes and scrunched his face. Jeongwook pulled out another warm can of coffee and placed it in Eunhong’s hand.
“If there’s someone unrelated to the situation, they might be useful as a witness. In case the baby’s father gets into a fight there.”
Jeongwook gestured with his chin at Haesung, who was caressing his belly.
“The baby in the womb probably doesn’t want its father to go to the police station either.”
In the end, Eunhong succumbed to Jeongwook’s persuasion. Jeongwook’s red sedan, carrying the two of them, roared down the road with a frightening engine sound. Sitting in the back seat, Eunhong held the handle with one hand and patted Haesung’s shoulder with the other.
Kang Hanjae had immediately identified the establishment after seeing the alpha’s social media post. Despite only a small part of the background being visible in the photo, he recognized it instantly. During the drive, Haesung, who had regained some composure, belatedly became angry about this fact.
“What do you think it means that he knew what kind of place that bar is and where it’s located?”
“I guess it’s a famous place.”
Not knowing how to respond, Eunhong tried to brush it off, but Jeongwook tactlessly interjected.
“Those places are usually membership-based with no signage. Just to be clear, I know this because I heard about it from a patient. It’s famous, as Eunhong said. In that world.”
“…Ah.”
Haesung started to reply but ended up biting his lip. Eunhong tightly gripped the handle to suppress the urge to smack the back of Jeongwook’s head. It was incomprehensible why he would say something so unnecessary. Haesung, feeling anxious, leaned against Eunhong in an uncharacteristic manner.
After driving for a while in awkward silence, Jeongwook parked the car a bit off the main road. They seemed to have arrived near the establishment Hanjae had mentioned. The surroundings were a quiet, ordinary residential area. It was indeed strange that Hanjae would know about a hidden, members-only adult establishment somewhere in these streets.
“Eunhong, wait here with your friend. I’ll check it out and bring him back.”
Jeongwook stopped Eunhong, who was trying to get out of the car. His eyes seemed to say, “You’re an omega too, where do you think you’re going?”
“I don’t plan to go inside the establishment either. Just to get close…”
“Your face doesn’t look good either. Just stay seated in the car.”
Jeongwook firmly pressed down on Eunhong’s shoulder, put him back in the car, and closed the door. Eunhong, forced to sit, watched through the window to see which building Jeongwook entered. He intended to follow if necessary.
Fortunately, Haesung accepted without suspicion that Eunhong wasn’t going along. He was solely focused on thoughts of his partner.
“I’m so annoyed I could die. What am I supposed to do when he behaves like this? Doesn’t he think about me?”
Eunhong fidgeted with his watch needlessly.
“Jeongwook went to check things out, so he’ll quietly bring him back.”
“What if he’s already gotten into a fight and been taken by the police?”
“If that happened, you would have been contacted by now.”
“They probably wouldn’t contact me since we’re not married yet. I’m neither family nor anything.”
Haesung sighed but still kept checking his phone.
Eunhong found himself checking his own phone as well. He wondered if there might be any messages from Jaeha, but his inbox was filled with other notifications.
He must know I’m here.
Suddenly, he felt like a child causing trouble to get attention. Like a child who breaks a honey jar and waits on tiptoes, half excited and half afraid, for their parents to come running.
With his lips jutting out, Eunhong opened the message input field.
[I came to catch Kang Hanjae.]
After contemplating for a long time about what content to send, repeatedly typing and deleting, Eunhong finally sent these eight short characters.
His crumpled face reflected on the black screen. As Jeongwook had said, his expression wasn’t good. When he slightly raised his head to check his face in the rearview mirror, he saw he looked pale. Haesung, observing him, added a comment.
“Your face really doesn’t look good. Don’t worry too much.”
I’m not worried about Kang Hanjae. Eunhong wondered as he rubbed his face. His hands felt particularly cold. Perhaps the hastily eaten meal had given him indigestion.
“Should we just report it?”
“Should we just call the police?”
They both laughed as they simultaneously said the same thing with a sigh.
Eunhong closed his eyes and leaned his head against the seat. It wasn’t right to mock Hanjae for overreacting. Coming here for nothing… Suddenly fatigue washed over him.
“At least drink this.”
Haesung handed him the now cold canned coffee.
“Thanks.”
Eunhong opened his eyes and loosened his stiff neck, turning his gaze outward. He thought about getting out of the car to stretch due to the stuffiness.
At that moment, a familiar figure walked out of the building Jeongwook had entered.
Not immediately certain, Eunhong stared for a while. Wondering if it was the alpha from the social media post, he followed the man with his eyes as the man took out car keys from his pocket and twirled them ostentatiously. Eunhong was suddenly seized by the desire to confirm if it was really him.
“Take this.”
“Hmm?”
Haesung looked puzzled as he accepted the canned coffee Eunhong handed him.
Leaving Haesung in the car, Eunhong stepped outside decisively. The closer he got, the stronger his conviction grew that he had recognized correctly. Eunhong turned on his phone’s recording function, put it in his jacket’s inner pocket, hardened his expression, and approached the man.
One step, two steps, with each step closer, his heart pounded. There were two things he wanted to confirm from the man. As his mouth dried from tension, he rolled his tongue, when suddenly the alpha ahead of him cursed and whirled around.
As Eunhong flinched and stopped, the alpha took a large step forward. Just as he was wondering why the man’s expression switched from a scowling face spewing curses to an oily, shameless smile, the alpha addressed Eunhong in a smooth tone.
“Can I help you? I thought you were a debt collector since you were quietly following me. Are you lost?”
“You must have many debt collectors following you.”
Eunhong was surprised by the man’s slick smile. He stepped back half a step and examined the alpha’s face. The more the man artificially raised the corners of his mouth to form a smile, the more certain Eunhong became that this was the face he had seen on social media.
“Why are you looking at me like that, licking me with your eyes? Want to hook up with me? Are you new at the establishment?”
The alpha exclaimed in admiration, saying that although he seemed like a recessive who couldn’t emit pheromones, his face made up for it. Wiggling his slug-like tongue and licking his lips, he began to gradually release pheromones. When Eunhong wrinkled his nose and frowned, the alpha laughed out loud.
“What? Are you hung up on the debt collector talk? Don’t worry, I’ve got plenty of money.”
With a coldly frozen expression, Eunhong asked distinctly:
“You know An Woohyun, don’t you?”
The alpha flinched, his expression distorting momentarily before immediately changing his tone.
“…Who the hell are you?”
At that moment, Eunhong’s gaze was fixed on the alpha’s left wrist. Though partially obscured by the jacket sleeve, it looked like his watch. The man, keenly noticing Eunhong’s gaze, covered his wrist and muttered fiercely.
“Fuck, did that bastard An Woohyun send you?”
“That watch. You got it from Woohyun, or rather, took it from him, right?”
“You’re a funny bastard. Did you think I’d answer just because you asked like that?”
The alpha’s expression became increasingly hostile. Thinking that An Woohyun had changed his mind and sent someone to confront him, he reacted sensitively to the mention of the watch. Taking another step closer to Eunhong, he released a strong wave of sour pheromones.
Being someone who regularly dealt with unsavory situations, he wasn’t the type to respond submissively to someone picking a fight with him. He was also quick-witted, immediately piecing together the situation just from glancing at the watch.
“There’s been this guy contacting me about buying the watch lately. Is he working with you?”
The threatening pheromones he released showered over Eunhong. As Eunhong staggered and stepped back, the man split his face in an ugly grin. He had just begun to sense the faint pheromones starting to emanate from Eunhong. Thinking that for a recessive, the scent was quite usable, he licked his lips.
“I thought I’d have to fuck by just looking at your face since you were defective with no pheromones, but you’re not bad?”
Eunhong’s face contorted with disgust.
“Name… What’s your name?”
Suddenly, a bitter taste filled his mouth. He felt nauseated. The man’s pheromones were too repulsive. Weren’t pheromones supposed to stimulate sexual arousal? Eunhong felt, for the first time in his life, the urge to spit on the street.
As Eunhong bent over in discomfort, the man looked around cautiously. It was a gesture to check if there was anyone else around, or if Eunhong had any companions. After confirming that there was only the good-looking, white face in front of him, he smiled with satisfaction, as if suddenly salivating.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
