“Maybe it would be better to break down the door and drag out the person inside.”
The omega took off the top they were wearing. Their plan was to smash through the door, go inside, wrap the person with this garment, and carry them out as quickly as possible. They needed to get to the hospital as soon as possible for medication or whatever treatment was needed. Of course, the fastest and most effective way to calm an omega in heat was something else entirely, but they didn’t even mention that.
However, the team leader expressed reluctance.
“If you get hurt, it would be a serious problem…”
The team leader recalled the person who had given them instructions.
They had said that under no circumstances should Lee Yeonwoo, that person in particular, be harmed—not even a finger or a strand of hair. Though the voice had been calm when saying this, the look in their eyes was different. When an employer gives such instructions, one should follow them as closely as possible. At that moment, the omega team member urgently said, “Hurry up.”
“If we waste time, the person inside will suffer more.”
“…Everyone step back.”
Instead of breaking the door inward, let’s tear it outward.
Having made this decision, the team leader firmly grasped the handle with both hands and pulled back. As the handle was pulled, the door shook loudly. Seeing this, one of the group took out brass knuckles from their pocket and began striking the hinges connecting the door to the wall. After applying force a couple of times, the joints of the handle seemed about to tear off, and then a sharp scream was heard from inside.
They hesitated upon hearing the scream interspersed with crying and shouts of “Don’t do it.”
“Don’t do it, don’t do it…!!”
The breaths mixed between the trembling voice were weak. As choking sobs that sounded like they might collapse at any moment joined in, the startled team leader knelt on one knee.
“Mr. Lee Yeonwoo, I know you’re frightened. But we really are here to help you.”
At this soothing voice, the voice from inside the bathroom grew louder. Embarrassed at seeming to have caused crying, the team leader closed their mouth. The omega team member who had gripped their shoulder exhaled a long breath and spoke in the gentlest voice possible.
“Mr. Lee Yeonwoo, my name is Park Jeongwoo. I work for a security company affiliated with Ho Moon Group. We’ve been looking for you under Executive Director Ho Munbeom’s orders.”
At that moment, the crying from inside seemed to subside.
“The people who brought you here are all somewhere else now. We will safely take you to the hospital without encountering them. You know your own condition better than anyone, don’t you? The longer we delay, the harder it will be for you.”
Unlike before, this time there was no pushing back with crying or screaming. Sensing that Yeonwoo was listening to him, Park Jeongwoo placed his hand on the door and began, “Mr. Yeonwoo.”
“If you come out, I will escort you. I’m an omega too. Once we get you to the hospital for treatment, the Executive Director will come…”
Just then, a very small voice was heard saying, “Why?”
“…Pardon?”
Thinking he might have misheard, Park Jeongwoo asked again, and an even smaller voice was heard.
Why is that person looking for me, it said.
“…”
Hearing the small sobbing mixed with tears, Park Jeongwoo looked at his team leader. After briefly exchanging glances, they couldn’t immediately find the right words and just mumbled, “Uh,” trailing off.
They had never been told why Munbeom was looking for Yeonwoo in the first place; they had only been instructed to safely protect Yeonwoo once found. While they were struggling to find the right words, Yeonwoo’s condition was steadily worsening.
By now, his entire body was so hot that he couldn’t tell where the heat was coming from. The heat invaded his mind, making clear thinking impossible. Compared to the heats he had experienced before, this one was on another level—his body felt like it didn’t belong to him anymore, boiling intensely. His senses became so heightened he couldn’t control them, causing him to dry heave, but Yeonwoo tried to focus on the sounds outside.
After behaving as if they would tear down the door any second, things had quieted down. Still unable to feel at ease, Yeonwoo desperately clung to the handle, panting as if he had just run a long-distance race, and again muttered, “Why?”
Why would Ho Munbeom, that person, be looking for him?
Then he remembered they had promised to meet again. Their previous parting wasn’t meant to be the last. He was trying to keep his promise to meet again.
Until now, Yeonwoo had never refused when Munbeom asked to meet. Even if he had other matters, he might have postponed them to go see Munbeom. But not this time. Just this once, he wanted to postpone their meeting.
Although he hadn’t always been in perfect condition when meeting him, he didn’t want to reveal such a terrible state. I don’t want to show him something this miserable.
He was a kind person. Regardless of what he might think inside, he was the type who would accommodate if Yeonwoo asked or begged. Perhaps those people outside really were sent by Munbeom. But even knowing that, he couldn’t go out.
By now, Yeonwoo, half-collapsed on the bathroom floor, felt his pants completely soaked. His overheated body seemed to be melting. His vision was blurry, and his tongue felt stiff. Barely enduring the urge to lose consciousness, he struggled to move his lips.
At first, he didn’t even know what he was saying.
When he came to his senses and listened, all he heard was himself saying, “I don’t want to.”
How ridiculous to say he didn’t want this in a situation where he couldn’t even protect himself. It was absurd, but Yeonwoo was desperate. That was truly what he wanted from the bottom of his heart.
Thinking sincerely that he really, truly didn’t want this, Yeonwoo slowly closed and opened his eyes.
“Yeonwoo.”
Yeonwoo hunched his shoulders and remained frozen. Then, as another wave of heat stirred his insides, he panted and coughed several times as if choking. Covering his mouth with his hand and holding his breath, he again heard the voice saying, “Mr. Yeonwoo.”
Lifting his head from where it had been pressed against the tiles, Yeonwoo looked at the closed door.
“Mr. Yeonwoo, are you in there?”
“…”
It was an unmistakable voice.
After staying silent for a moment, he blinked a couple of times, causing the tears gathered at the corners of his eyes to drop. He rubbed his face with the back of his hand, but it was already wet with what might have been sweat or tears. And why was it so hot? As he rubbed below his nose and chin with the back of his hand, this time there was a knock-knock sound.
“If it’s okay, I’m going to open this door. If you’re in front of the door, please step back a little.”
“…”
“Yeonwoo, you are in there, right? Can you hear my voice right now?”
His vision was blurry, and his overheated mind felt mushy. Though he couldn’t think properly, Munbeom’s voice came through clearly. The way he spoke with concern was a bit strange but also pleasant. As the tension suddenly drained away, Yeonwoo dropped his head again, took a deep breath, exhaled, and swallowed dryly. His throat was hot too, making his lips tremble. But only labored breathing came through; he couldn’t say anything.
Again, knock-knock, accompanied by the voice saying “Mr. Yeonwoo.”
He truly was a caring person. There was nothing good for him in getting involved with someone like Yeonwoo, yet he had come all this way, proving he was really a good person.
If only he had known this would happen, he would have gone out when they told him to earlier. He would have gone to the hospital for treatment or whatever else, as they suggested. Then Munbeom wouldn’t have had to come all this way. What if he got caught up in something strange because of him? What if he lost interest after seeing him in such a mess?
The relationship was unlikely to last long anyway.
If it ended like this, if that person lost interest in him…
He didn’t want the last memory to be of him in such a miserable, pathetic state.
“…”
His eyes stung. His head throbbed, and his physical condition was deteriorating. How many days would this last? If someone would just tie him up somewhere, he probably wouldn’t do anything strange even if he lost consciousness. Maybe he should ask. Tell him that he was fine, not to worry, and just leave him here. He just needed to endure alone for a few days…
Just then, there was a thump followed by the cracking sound of something being torn apart. Yeonwoo, who had been lying completely collapsed and breathing heavily, raised his head slightly in surprise. Then, seeing the open door and familiar pheromones flowing through the gap, he instinctively covered his nose and mouth with both hands.
But his omega instincts were craving the strong, attractive alpha. He felt like he might unconsciously cling to Munbeom. With veins popping on the backs of his hands from pressing so hard against his nose and mouth, Yeonwoo desperately backed away. Despite the bathroom being no bigger than a palm, making it impossible to properly hide, he still tried.
That’s when something large covered Yeonwoo’s body like a blanket. While Yeonwoo held his breath in surprise, it thoroughly wrapped around his body, and soon a large hand touched his back.
Silently, it just stroked his back.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
