42
The flashy thumbnail displayed the sentence, “Does compatibility matter regardless of dominant or recessive status?!”
Jo Junghyun stared at the screen for a long time. His hand moved automatically to play the video. Since he was in a hospital waiting room, he couldn’t listen at a high volume, but he could infer the content from the subtitles.
Reading a viewer’s concern about meeting another dominant but not finding their pheromones as appealing as expected, the streamer firmly stated that just because dominants meet doesn’t automatically mean their pheromone compatibility would be good. Subtitles appeared saying that a dominant alpha and a recessive omega with good compatibility, or vice versa, could have better chemistry than a poorly matched dominant alpha and dominant omega.
Just as the explanation about the reason was about to begin, the door to the examination room opened and Ji Seunghyeok emerged. Seeing him from a distance, Jo Junghyun was struck anew by how eye-catching he was. Ji Seunghyeok had a superior physique even among alphas. With his tall height, broad shoulders, and slim waist, he almost created a sense of dissonance, like a well-rendered graphic pasted into reality.
Ji Seunghyeok found Jo Junghyun without difficulty. Taking just a few strides with his long legs to approach, Ji Seunghyeok smiled and spoke. Whether it was his imagination or not, Ji Seunghyeok seemed a bit under the weather.
“Did you wait long?”
“Ah, not at all.”
Jo Junghyun stopped the video that was playing and stood up from the chair. When Ji Seunghyeok asked what he had been watching on his phone, Jo Junghyun vaguely replied, “Just watching YouTube.” He didn’t want to reveal that he had been watching a video about pheromone compatibility.
When Ji Seunghyeok asked if they should go, they left the place together without either needing to lead.
Jo Junghyun glanced at Ji Seunghyeok. His face had returned to its usual expression.
He was curious about why Ji Seunghyeok had consulted with the doctor separately but wasn’t sure if he should ask. If it had been something Jo Junghyun should know, Ji Seunghyeok probably wouldn’t have asked him to leave first.
Only after boarding the elevator heading down to the parking lot did Ji Seunghyeok speak.
“Aren’t you going to ask what it was about?”
Jo Junghyun looked at Ji Seunghyeok’s reflection in the shiny, well-polished elevator door. They made eye contact through their reflections.
“I wasn’t sure if I should ask. Isn’t that why you had me leave first? Please tell me when you’re comfortable, Hyung.”
After he quietly finished his answer, Ji Seunghyeok turned his body toward Jo Junghyun. As the gaze fell intensely on one cheek, Jo Junghyun also turned his head to face him. Ji Seunghyeok didn’t say anything, but Jo Junghyun could tell he found his answer amusing.
“All right. I understand.”
Just as he finished those words, as if perfectly timed, the elevator doors opened at their destination.
Ji Seunghyeok gently took Jo Junghyun’s hand. Most of Jo Junghyun’s hand was hidden in Ji Seunghyeok’s large, warm palm. While thinking the silly thought that regardless of their size difference, was such a difference in hand size really necessary, Jo Junghyun stepped out of the elevator following him.
Jo Junghyun firmly held Ji Seunghyeok’s hand that was holding his, and while tugging it slightly, he spoke.
“Um, but, Hyung. The hospital bill, how much was it—no, it was expensive, right?”
“Why are you suddenly curious about that?”
Ji Seunghyeok stopped walking and looked at Jo Junghyun.
“I saw it was marked VIP earlier. I was wondering if it might be very expensive.”
“That’s something Junghyun doesn’t need to worry about.”
“Still, though. There’s also my parents’ debt.”
“Junghyun-ah.”
He called his name softly.
“Why are you suddenly talking about that?”
“…It might be difficult to pay back quickly, but it’s still my parents’ debt.”
It wasn’t wrong. Like it or not, it was debt his parents had incurred. He could have ignored it, but morally, it didn’t seem right. While it was an enormous amount, he couldn’t just give up without even trying. Even if it was a bit late now.
Still, no matter what, he couldn’t handle the accumulated interest. He had thought that if he asked Ji Seunghyeok nicely, it might be possible to repay just the principal, but then became cautious as it seemed too much like a cheap trick no matter how he thought about it.
As Jo Junghyun hesitated over how to bring up the subject, Ji Seunghyeok said:
“Then why don’t you live with me forever, Junghyun?”
Jo Junghyun’s eyes widened and his mouth opened.
His heart began asserting itself, announcing its presence. After opening and closing his mouth several times, Jo Junghyun finally managed to produce coherent words.
“Am I, am I being sold off?”
Ji Seunghyeok’s brow furrowed slightly, as if displeased with Jo Junghyun’s choice of words.
“How does asking you to live together turn into being sold off?”
His voice clearly carried displeasure. However, Ji Seunghyeok soon erased that mood with a short sigh.
“Sometimes I can’t follow our Junghyun’s train of thought.”
Jo Junghyun was even more at a loss by this merciless assessment delivered with a shrug.
“Uh, no… Well. Um, I mean.”
Jo Junghyun worked hard to restart his frozen brain. Stammering words flowed from between his lips.
“No, that’s an enormous advantage for me. Is that really okay?”
“Why do you think that’s an advantage just for you? I said forever.”
The pleasing baritone touched his eardrums. A careful hand gently caressed Jo Junghyun’s cheek. Jo Junghyun bit his lip once and carefully answered.
“But, Hyung, you said I was worth 600 million to you.”
“No, that’s.”
Ji Seunghyeok rarely lost for words. After seemingly searching for what to say for a moment, Ji Seunghyeok let out a soft sigh.
“Our Junghyun unexpectedly holds grudges.”
“What? No, that’s not it, Hyung…”
He tried to explain that he meant Ji Seunghyeok would be at a disadvantage and he would benefit, but Ji Seunghyeok covered Jo Junghyun’s mouth with his hand as if he had decided to use force. While covering his mouth didn’t prevent him from speaking, in this situation, it seemed wise to keep quiet.
“I was wrong. Please forget what I said then.”
Ji Seunghyeok spoke in a subtle tone and then quietly waited for something while staring at Jo Junghyun’s eyes. Jo Junghyun looked up at the man silently and lowered his eyebrows. Nodding his head to answer, Jo Junghyun gently moved aside the man’s hand covering his mouth. He held that large hand and fidgeted with it.
“Hyung, you’re really kind.”
“…Me?”
Ji Seunghyeok made a face like someone who had just been told, “Actually, you’ve been invisible all along.”
“What if you get taken advantage of somewhere?”
“I think our Junghyun is the only one who worries about such things.”
His tone was slightly incredulous. Ji Seunghyeok stared at Jo Junghyun for a moment.
Thinking about it, Jo Junghyun felt his words might have been somewhat inappropriate. Ji Seunghyeok was undoubtedly a very competent and flawless person. If he had been just a simple, naive good person, it would have been impossible for him to use an entire floor of such a nice building as his office.
While it seemed he had worried excessively, correcting himself now would look strange.
“Well, but you’re not even demanding repayment from me.”
Jo Junghyun just stated the fact he knew.
“That’s a debt your parents incurred.”
“But still, there’s the cer-certificate.”
While he didn’t know the details, he knew that contracts had legal effect.
“I can simply choose not to accept that.”
Ji Seunghyeok laughed through his nose and cut off the conversation as if it wasn’t worth discussing further.
Jo Junghyun wondered if that was possible and thought deeply about it, but having no relevant knowledge, he couldn’t say anything. He realized that while he had looked up food recipes on his phone, he had never searched about such legal matters. It was true that he had never even thought to question the fundamentals because he had assumed everything had already been decided according to legal procedures.
It was a bit embarrassing how thoughtlessly he had lived.
Ji Seunghyeok called Jo Junghyun’s name as he was lost in his own thoughts.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Huh? No, just…”
As Jo Junghyun fumbled with his answer, Ji Seunghyeok spoke in a rather hurt voice.
“Don’t think about other things, think about me. Are you not going to worry about me anymore because I said that?”
What was this suddenly about? Why such a leap in reasoning? Jo Junghyun didn’t know what pace to dance to.
“No, that’s not it. …I am worried about you. Just, I had some other thoughts.”
“I’ll take care of all of Junghyun’s worries, so Junghyun just worry about me. Keep only me in your head. Okay?”
What is this? A choo-choo train of worries?
With the strange feeling that it seemed both sensible and nonsensical, Jo Junghyun looked at Ji Seunghyeok for a moment. But honestly, Jo Junghyun wanted to give Ji Seunghyeok everything he wanted. There was no reason not to listen to the man who was throwing a tantrum saying he would do everything for him if only Jo Junghyun would worry about him.
Jo Junghyun nodded and replied with a soft “Yes.”
A satisfied smile gently spread across Ji Seunghyeok’s lips.
“Worry about me more.”
“Hyung, I really am worried about you.”
Jo Junghyun puffed his cheeks as if dissatisfied.
“I know.”
Taking Jo Junghyun’s hand and bringing it to his cheek, Ji Seunghyeok rubbed it slightly and then kissed his palm with his lips.
“Actually, you’re the first person who worries about me without expecting anything in return. I’ve always done everything alone. But this feels nice too.”
“Ah, that’s not true. I want a lot.”
“Do you? Like what?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
