Before Ho Jaejung could finish speaking, loud footsteps were heard from outside. Amidst that noise, exclamations like “Oh my!” and “Young master!” could be heard, and in the blink of an eye, Munbeom appeared.
With a few strands of hair falling out of place, suggesting he had been running from somewhere, he immediately stood beside Ho Jaejung and looked down at him.
“What are you doing?”
Nothing could be more threatening than a large, agitated man standing close and glaring. Although there had been various frictions with Ho Munbeom in the past, this was the first time he had shown such hostility toward him. Inwardly, Ho Jaejung thought, “Look at this guy,” but outwardly, he flatly denied any wrongdoing and acted spitefully.
“This child could potentially become my grandson’s wife, so can’t I invite her for a cup of tea?”
“…”
“Why are you looking at me like that? Are you glaring at your grandfather right now??”
No matter what his grandfather was ranting about, Munbeom’s gaze was fixed on Yeonwoo.
Despite the spaciousness of the room, Yeonwoo had his shoulders hunched as if frightened, looking up at him with a pale face. Surely he wasn’t reacting that way because he was surprised to see Munbeom.
Feeling indescribably displeased in that moment, Munbeom gritted his molars and immediately approached Yeonwoo, grasping his shoulder.
“Get up.”
Though it seemed like he was forcefully pulling Yeonwoo, his touch and actions were actually careful. After helping Yeonwoo stand, Munbeom glared at Ho Jaejung and quickly moved outside. Yeonwoo, who was practically being embraced by Munbeom, looked back in confusion, but in the end, couldn’t even manage a farewell to Ho Jaejung.
“Young master, you finally came to visit, but you’re leaving without even having a meal?”
The woman who had brought tea and cookies when Yeonwoo first arrived had followed them to the entrance.
Still awkwardly held by Munbeom while putting on his sneakers, Yeonwoo barely managed to say, “I’m sorry, we need to go.” Right after, Yeonwoo was pulled outside by Munbeom and rapidly blinked at the bright light that stung his eyes.
After walking through the large, well-maintained garden that resembled a botanical garden—which Yeonwoo hadn’t even noticed on his way in—they reached the parking lot where a car was parked, ignoring the parking lines. Standing in front of the car, Munbeom opened the passenger door and finally released Yeonwoo, whom he had been holding in his arms the whole time.
“Get in.”
“…”
From the moment Munbeom appeared, Yeonwoo’s mind had gone blank, unable to think. So he followed Munbeom’s instructions, bending over to sit in the seat. As soon as he sat down, he felt as if an invisible hand was pulling his body backward. Feeling a fatigue that made his vision flicker, Yeonwoo rubbed his shoulder, which Munbeom had been holding the entire time.
As Munbeom got into the driver’s seat, Yeonwoo removed his hand from his shoulder and cautiously looked at him. With a facial expression more rigid than Yeonwoo had ever seen before, Munbeom silently fastened his seatbelt and was about to start the engine when he hesitated and looked at Yeonwoo.
While Yeonwoo was watching him nervously, frozen in surprise, Munbeom fastened Yeonwoo’s seatbelt for him. Only then did Yeonwoo realize he hadn’t put on his belt, and let out a small “Ah.” By that time, Munbeom had straightened up, started the engine, and was driving quickly.
Whether it was good luck or not, they hardly caught any red lights. Thanks to that, Munbeom’s car kept getting faster. Unaccustomed to such speed, Yeonwoo tensed up, fidgeting with his clasped hands before slowly placing a hand on the door.
Just then, a traffic light in the distance changed, and the car gradually slowed down before coming to a stop.
Yeonwoo watched people crossing at the light. Someone who looked like a college student, around his age, was holding coffee in one hand and suddenly burst out laughing as they passed by. Attracted by the sound of laughter and the atmosphere that caught his eye, Yeonwoo’s gaze followed them. As he moved his head slightly, his eyes met Munbeom’s, who had been watching him.
“…”
Looking at him as if entranced, Yeonwoo moved his lips a few times before speaking.
“…I’m sorry.”
“What for?”
He wasn’t quite sure what he was apologizing for.
He had simply received a sudden call from Chairman Ho Jaejung and gone there, where they had various conversations. Every single topic had been painful for Yeonwoo. From his perspective, they were painful, difficult to accept, somewhat shameful, and embarrassing words.
But from Chairman Ho Jaejung’s standpoint, they weren’t unreasonable things to say. For him, Ho Munbeom was precious family, the apple of his eye. Having an omega like Yeonwoo standing beside him wouldn’t even amount to a scandal.
Still, their relationship wasn’t that serious.
They were merely in a relationship where they would meet when Munbeom contacted him, eat together, spend time together, and mix bodies. Yeonwoo was quite content with just that relationship. He had never been greedy or wanted more, but looking at the current situation, it felt like he was committing a grave mistake just by sitting next to him like this.
Again feeling pain as if his solar plexus was being constricted, Yeonwoo furrowed his brow. Though he didn’t want to show any discomfort, the pain was so intense that he pressed his stomach, and a large hand grasped Yeonwoo’s.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Yeonwoo looked at Munbeom’s large hand that was enveloping his own hand on his stomach. For a moment, feeling as if the tension in his body was releasing, Yeonwoo blinked rapidly. As he raised his head, the traffic light was about to change. When Yeonwoo called out, “Executive Director,” Munbeom leaned towards him. Embarrassed by Munbeom’s movement, as if he thought Yeonwoo was calling him because he had something to say, Yeonwoo looked up.
“The light.”
As he added, “It’s changed,” Munbeom turned his head. Seeming like he might furrow his brow, he squeezed Yeonwoo’s hand firmly before letting go and grabbing the steering wheel. The car started moving again, but at a slower pace than before.
***
Secretary Kang couldn’t hold out for long and confessed everything.
“The Chairman is contacting Mr. Yeonwoo and meeting with him separately.”
The moment he heard those words, Munbeom had to feel extremely displeased. Why on earth would his grandfather do that? Hadn’t his interest in Yeonwoo died down after their last meeting?
Regardless of the suddenness of his grandfather’s actions, Munbeom didn’t think he would do anything strange to Yeonwoo. Nevertheless, without thinking twice, he immediately headed to the family home. The place where he had lived for several years after his parents’ divorce. Upon arriving at this familiar yet uncomfortable place, he immediately searched for Yeonwoo.
His grandfather always called people to the family home when he wanted to handle matters discreetly, and this time was no different. The moment Munbeom spotted the small, round head sitting next to his grandfather, he exhaled a long breath. As he approached, Yeonwoo’s eyes, looking up at him, were filled with surprise.
His face showed complete incomprehension as to why he was there.
Seeing that, Munbeom felt a difficult-to-explain emotion. That’s why he didn’t engage further with his grandfather and took Yeonwoo away. He hadn’t specifically decided what to do next. First, he needed a place where he could talk quietly with Yeonwoo. A place where they wouldn’t be noticed by others and where it would be safe for just the two of them. While mentally selecting such a place, Yeonwoo didn’t seem to be doing well.
Come to think of it, Yeonwoo and his grandfather had been sitting uncomfortably close together. He couldn’t know what conversation they had while he wasn’t there, and besides, his grandfather wasn’t someone Yeonwoo could comfortably interact with. Even in a good atmosphere, it would have been uncomfortable, and suddenly meeting like this must have been shocking and very tense.
Munbeom turned the car toward his own house.
Yeonwoo didn’t ask once where they were going. Sitting quietly in the passenger seat, he remained silent from the moment they entered the parking garage guarded by a security guard in a suit until they reached the elevator that only served their floor. It was only when they got off at a corridor as spacious as a lobby that Yeonwoo looked up at Munbeom. His eyes held the question, “Where is this?”
“My house.”
It was a place he had secured while he was abroad. Except for a few employees who worked at the family home, no one had ever visited. He had brought Yeonwoo to such a place. Though he hesitated momentarily at the thought that crossed his mind, Munbeom quickly dismissed it and looked down at Yeonwoo while holding the door that had opened with fingerprint recognition.
“…Excuse me for intruding.”
Unsure if it was really okay to enter, Yeonwoo took careful steps. Seeing Yeonwoo take off his sneakers and about to step up barefoot, Munbeom said, “Just a moment,” and took out slippers from the shoe cabinet, placing them at Yeonwoo’s feet.
“Wear these.”
“…Thank you.”
His feet looked small in the slippers. They were visibly loose and oversized, so Munbeom couldn’t take his eyes off Yeonwoo’s feet in the slippers. Perhaps conscious of this attention, Yeonwoo’s toes wiggled slightly. Seeing this, Munbeom finally raised his head to check Yeonwoo’s complexion.
At least he didn’t seem uncomfortable like before. Straightening his back, Munbeom pointed toward the end of the long corridor.
“Make yourself comfortable. I’ll just finish one call and come back.”
After checking where Munbeom was pointing, Yeonwoo nodded slightly.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
