I also mumbled about Executive Director Ho Munbeom’s pheromones, almost inaudibly. In response, Ho Munbeom raised one corner of his mouth and muttered, “Still calling me Executive Director,” before releasing his own pheromones.
As the heavy yet refreshing scent that cleared his mind touched the tip of his nose, Yeonwoo blinked slowly. Ho Munbeom wasn’t someone comfortable to be with, so Yeonwoo didn’t think he could sleep well lying next to him. But strangely, the moment he smelled the pheromones, he felt sleepy. As Yeonwoo slowly closed his eyes, he also continuously released a small amount of his own pheromones.
Even while falling asleep, he could feel his pheromones dispersing into the air. Almost to a concerning degree. During this time, Yeonwoo fell asleep before Ho Munbeom.
“…”
Ho Munbeom listened to the soft breathing sounds coming from beside him. Until just a while ago, Yeonwoo had been so tense that it seemed he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep at all, but perhaps because he was still young, he fell into a deep sleep immediately after the pheromones were released.
Ho Munbeom was sensitive to others’ pheromones. He hadn’t always been that way. Things from his childhood, which he didn’t want to recall, had made him that way. So even though his grandfather wished for it, he thought he would never find someone with whom he could share pheromones…
Ho Munbeom examined the scab on Yeonwoo’s lips and the yellowish bruise around his cheek.
“…”
After staring persistently at the bruise, Ho Munbeom clicked his tongue briefly and pulled up the sheet covering Yeonwoo to just above his neck.
Yeonwoo woke up early in the dawn. Though the sleep was short, it was deep enough that he didn’t feel tired at all. Sensing both his and Ho Munbeom’s pheromones filling the air, Yeonwoo sat up. He properly adjusted the robe that had slipped down his shoulders and tightly fastened the waist tie that had completely loosened. Then, looking down to his right, there was Ho Munbeom. He was still sleeping.
Yeonwoo gazed down at Ho Munbeom intently.
It was strange and fascinating. Wondering if this man lying next to him was real, he stared at him without blinking. Being like this reminded him of when he first came to Seoul.
Here, no one praised him for doing a good job by saying he was admirable. There were no warm, friendly greetings exchanged when meeting. Even at the mart where Yeonwoo worked, people just bought what they needed and left. Children would chatter noisily in front of Yeonwoo but would leave holding their parents’ hands when they arrived. Occasionally, when people who appeared happy showed up, he would find himself staring at them for a long time without realizing it.
At the beginning of this year, Director Park suddenly appeared. At first, Yeonwoo thought he was making verbal mistakes without knowing, but that wasn’t the case. Director Park and several other employees and customers didn’t hesitate to say things that would make Yeonwoo feel ashamed. If they saw that Yeonwoo had heard their words and felt humiliated, they enjoyed it even more.
At one point, Yeonwoo thought about quitting the mart job and looking for something else.
But there weren’t many job opportunities available for an omega with only a high school education like Yeonwoo. Moreover, since Lee Jonghoon might contact him suddenly one day, a permanent position was difficult.
Of course, this could also be a shabby excuse.
When he knew nothing, he could go into marts and ask if there were any job openings, but it was true that such courage gradually disappeared as he lived in Seoul for some time.
It seemed that as he was pushed around by people for a short time and found each day to be overwhelmingly difficult, he gradually became more withdrawn. He didn’t want to leave the environment he had worked hard to adapt to.
Perhaps that’s why Yeonwoo began to cling to his purpose for coming to Seoul. Ho Munbeom. A meeting with an extremely dominant alpha. It felt like he could escape his suffocating situation, even just a little, if he could have a good meeting with that person. There was no way someone like him could work out with such an alpha. Although he had been consciously avoiding it based on preconceptions, once he could no longer do so, Yeonwoo began to learn about Ho Munbeom. Even if it was just searching on his mobile phone.
Comically, because Ho Munbeom was such a famous alpha, Yeonwoo could learn a lot about him with just a small phone. And the young Yeonwoo was instantly captivated by this accomplished and impressive alpha.
They said even other alphas admired him. They said any omega would inevitably release pheromones around him first. Among the omegas considered to have a high possibility of becoming his partner were the children of major corporate chairmen, ministers, and members of the National Assembly. Occasionally, the names of celebrities known to everyone would come up, but the general sentiment was that it wouldn’t happen.
Of course, they had to be dominant omegas, and factors like appearance, family background, and education were all thoroughly considered. Even after such selective criteria, there were still more potential matches than could be counted on one hand. While each of those omegas boasted impressive credentials, they all paled in comparison to Ho Munbeom.
The more Yeonwoo learned about Ho Munbeom, the more he fell for him.
Since this was a feeling Yeonwoo had never experienced before, he couldn’t pretend not to know or ignore it. Yeonwoo came to like Ho Munbeom. He didn’t even dream about the meeting going well. He just thought it would be nice if he could see this alpha with his own eyes under the pretext of a meeting.
He had only thought that way, but…
“…”
From the moment Ho Munbeom appeared, Yeonwoo couldn’t think of anything else.
More tense than usual, Yeonwoo was in a state where it was difficult to properly control his pheromones. To be more honest, it seemed that his undeniable attraction was revealed through his pheromones.
Was it because Ho Munbeom didn’t find that unpleasant that they could be in the same bed like this?
From their first meeting until now, all these memories would remain vividly within him for many years to come.
While staring at the sleeping Ho Munbeom without blinking, Yeonwoo slowly lowered his head. His lips touched and then separated, and Yeonwoo lay back down on the bed, pulling the sheet as if he had never stolen a kiss. He looked at Ho Munbeom lying beside him, raised the corners of his mouth, and then closed his eyes.
He tried to go back to sleep, but his eyes opened again in less than an hour. In that time, Ho Munbeom had woken up, and the sound of water came from outside, suggesting he was washing. Sitting up, Yeonwoo rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand but then paused. Suspecting something, he touched his left cheek and found it moist. The cream he had applied before sleeping should have dried completely by now; the fact that it was this moist meant someone had reapplied it.
“…”
He would have to wipe it all off when washing.
Could he wash while covering just that side of his face? Might there be a way to manage it?
As Yeonwoo was touching his cheek, the sound of water stopped, and he quickly got off the bed. Slipping into the shower room in the bedroom, Yeonwoo washed his face and brushed his teeth, avoiding the area where the cream was applied, just as he had planned. Then he changed into the clothes he had taken off the day before. When he opened the door, he saw Ho Munbeom, who had almost finished dressing.
As if he had eyes on his back too, Ho Munbeom, who was fastening his sleeve buttons, turned to look at Yeonwoo.
“It would be nice to have breakfast together, but something came up. I think I need to leave right away, is that okay?”
“Yes.”
After answering, Yeonwoo fidgeted with the robe that was draped over one arm. Ho Munbeom, with a tie hanging over one shoulder, took Yeonwoo’s robe and casually tossed it onto a nearby table.
“Let’s go.”
Yeonwoo followed behind Ho Munbeom.
At first, he was needlessly anxious about bumping into someone. But after coming here two or three times, it seemed he had gradually become accustomed. Or perhaps it was reassuring not to be alone.
While watching Ho Munbeom walking ahead, Yeonwoo lightly touched his left cheek with his fingertips. It was still moist. Resisting the urge to keep touching it because it felt good, he clenched his hand.
Waiting for the two of them in the parking lot was Secretary Kang.
When Yeonwoo greeted the secretary, whom he had become familiar with after meeting a few times, the secretary also bowed politely. Before Yeonwoo could be taken aback by the excessively courteous greeting, Ho Munbeom gestured to the secretary.
Secretary Kang then walked toward Yeonwoo with a shopping bag in hand.
“One is the dessert we had yesterday, and the other is the contract. Check it again when you get home, and if there’s anything strange, let me know. I’ll make corrections.”
“…Thank you.”
Yeonwoo seemed focused on the dessert, paying no attention to the contract. Seeing this, Ho Munbeom firmly held Yeonwoo’s hand that was holding the shopping bag before letting go, and then lifted another shopping bag that Secretary Kang was handing over.
“And this contains Yeonwoo’s clothes that were left at the store before. They’ve been laundered, so they should be clean.”
“…What?”
Shifting his gaze from the dessert, Yeonwoo looked at Ho Munbeom.
His wide-open eyes showed that he had no idea what Ho Munbeom was talking about. Seeing this, Ho Munbeom said, “Don’t forget to take good care of it,” and opened the back door of the car, placing the shopping bag inside.
“I’ve also included a few creams for your face. Don’t forget to apply them continuously. Wearing a mask all the time must be uncomfortable.”
He straightened up and looked down at Yeonwoo.
Still somewhat dazed, Yeonwoo slightly moved his lips to say, “Thank you.” In response, Ho Munbeom’s eyes narrowed, and one corner of his mouth turned up.
“You’re welcome.”
“…”
“See you next time, Yeonwoo.”
Nodding his head, Yeonwoo replied, “Yes.” With a hand naturally guiding him into the car, Yeonwoo got in, and only after the door closed did he take a deep breath and raise his head.
With the shopping bag containing the dessert and contract on his lap, Yeonwoo set it aside and looked down at the shopping bag that Ho Munbeom had given him.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
