09
“It’s because Jo Junghyun-ssi is still young.”
The response made Jo Junghyun’s mouth drop open. He fiddled with his folded sleeve cuff and spoke.
“But I’m an adult.”
“Have you ever heard the saying that the ink on your family register hasn’t even dried yet?”
Ji Seunghyeok’s eyes curved slightly as if amused by his own trite metaphor.
“…I have an ID card too.”
The defensive tone came out a bit grumpy, though that hadn’t been his intention.
“Does being twenty automatically make you an adult?”
“Le-legally, I can even vote.”
Ji Seunghyeok looked at Jo Junghyun with an amused expression as he continued to argue his point. Even that posture somehow gave the impression that he was humoring him, which made Jo Junghyun anxious.
“If we’re talking legally, then I suppose there’s no argument.”
Ji Seunghyeok readily conceded. But his gaze remained fixed on Jo Junghyun.
“Then let me ask you something. Do you think that at the stroke of midnight on January 1st, a child suddenly becomes an adult?”
Jo Junghyun couldn’t answer right away and mumbled incoherently. Ji Seunghyeok wasn’t discussing legal technicalities. Though it was an extreme example, it was certainly true that one doesn’t become an adult with a one-minute difference, so Jo Junghyun could only shake his head. After hearing Jo Junghyun’s response, Ji Seunghyeok continued.
“By my standards, anyone up to twenty-five is still a child.”
Jo Junghyun could only tilt his head at this statement. He cautiously opened his mouth.
“But, isn’t twenty-five obviously an adult?”
“You’ll understand what I mean when you get a bit older.”
Ji Seunghyeok spoke as if concluding the conversation in a gentle voice, and Jo Junghyun twitched his lips.
The question of exactly how old Ji Seunghyeok was rose to the tip of his tongue, but it seemed better not to bring that up in the current situation.
As Ji Seunghyeok added that he should make himself comfortable, Jo Junghyun, who had been looking him in the eye, turned his gaze away and nodded.
“Good night.”
It was a simple greeting, but he felt a bit embarrassed as soon as he finished speaking. He wondered if it had sounded like he was showing off. Jo Junghyun bit his lip, rolling it inward.
Ji Seunghyeok raised one eyebrow.
“You too, Jo Junghyun-ssi.”
Even after exchanging greetings, Ji Seunghyeok didn’t remove his gaze from Jo Junghyun for a moment.
To Jo Junghyun, who tilted his head curiously, Ji Seunghyeok said:
“But it does feel a bit unfair. I think I’ve been consistently kind to Jo Junghyun-ssi.”
“…Ah, yes.”
In Jo Junghyun’s mind, his encounters with Ji Seunghyeok flashed by chronologically from their first meeting. There was a lot he could say, but he chose not to speak and rolled his eyes to the side. It was a very wise decision.
Ji Seunghyeok looked down at Jo Junghyun, who was standing quietly while slightly biting his lip, and said “Well then,” before finally entering his room as if he had finished his business. There was a click as the bedroom door closed.
Left alone, Jo Junghyun went to his room and sat on the bed. The quiet stillness made his mood peculiar. Being in this comfortable space with nice bedding made him think the series of events that had occurred might have been some kind of trance. Jo Junghyun sighed and slowly shook his head.
Though he thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep due to thoughts of his parents, the bed he was lying on after so long was too comfortable and cozy. Jo Junghyun’s consciousness began to flicker, and before long, he fell into a deep sleep.
* * *
Ji Seunghyeok was definitely a busy person.
Jo Junghyun realized this for certain on the first day he stayed at Ji Seunghyeok’s house.
While it was still dark outside, Jo Junghyun woke up to the sound of movement and ran into Ji Seunghyeok, who was neatly dressed and about to put on his shoes to leave.
“Did I wake you?”
“No. …Um, are you going to work now?”
Only after speaking did Jo Junghyun realize it was a stupid question. Why else would he be up at this hour, dressed in a suit and ready to go out? His face heated up a bit, feeling like he had asked something too obvious.
“Um, well, have a good day.”
Ji Seunghyeok gave a brief glance at Jo Junghyun, who was organizing his hair with his hand.
“Yes. Feel free to use anything in the house. And if you need anything—”
Ji Seunghyeok stopped mid-sentence.
He suddenly reached out his hand to Jo Junghyun, who was standing still, wondering what was happening.
Jo Junghyun stared blankly before placing his hand on top of Ji Seunghyeok’s. A sound like air escaping came from Ji Seunghyeok’s mouth.
“No, that’s not what I meant. Jo Junghyun-ssi, can I see your phone for a moment?”
“Oh! Ah, just a second.”
So it was about his phone.
He understood why Ji Seunghyeok was bewildered after he had misunderstood and placed his hand on top of his.
His face immediately began to burn with embarrassment. The sleepiness instantly vanished from his foggy mind. Jo Junghyun sighed with embarrassment as he retrieved his phone from the room.
“Here it is.”
He handed over the phone without properly making eye contact. It occurred to him belatedly that he hadn’t even asked why Ji Seunghyeok wanted his phone.
Beep-beep—
When Jo Junghyun looked up, he saw Ji Seunghyeok holding both his own phone and Jo Junghyun’s in each hand.
“This is my phone number. Save it. If you need anything, don’t go out but call this number. If I don’t answer, leave a message. I’ll check it, even if it’s late.”
“Ah. Yes.”
Jo Junghyun looked at the screen after getting his phone back.
“You said you were looking into factories and gas stations, right?”
“What? Yes…”
“Don’t do jobs with obvious wages, and just stay at home. Omegas can face rough treatment in such places. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Ji Seunghyeok left with a “Rest well” to Jo Junghyun.
There wasn’t even time to ask what he meant.
There was a sound of the elevator doors opening, and through the transparent window, Jo Junghyun could see Ji Seunghyeok getting in.
Was he saying not to earn money? Well, even if he worked hard and saved every penny of his salary, it would be nearly impossible to repay such a large amount. But that was entirely different from not making an effort at all. Jo Junghyun scratched the back of his head.
“But how did he know I’m an omega?”
He muttered quietly. How did he know when Jo Junghyun hadn’t carelessly leaked any pheromones? Jo Junghyun checked his pheromone state once more. Although he was a recessive omega, he had been praised for having nearly perfect control over his pheromones. There was no way he would have leaked pheromones like someone unskilled in control.
If Ji Seunghyeok was an alpha, he could tell Jo Junghyun was an omega. But the same was true in reverse. If Ji Seunghyeok was an alpha, Jo Junghyun should be able to tell too. However, he hadn’t sensed any hint from Ji Seunghyeok. That’s why he thought he was a beta.
Jo Junghyun tilted his head, then made a small sound, “Ah.” Of course, there were other ways he could have known. His parents might have disclosed it in those documents.
For now, it seemed best to follow his advice and stay at home.
Unlike omegas, alphas were rare but could be encountered. Jo Junghyun had learned enough at school about how society viewed alphas and omegas, who were overwhelmingly fewer than betas.
Ji Seunghyeok was exactly right.
While staying at the office, he couldn’t consult with anyone and, like someone backed into a corner, had been fixated on the idea of repaying the debt, looking for a place where he could work and stay. It seemed like his only option. But looking back, it clearly didn’t make sense.
What if, while staying in such a place, he encountered an alpha in rut, or worse, if Jo Junghyun himself entered a heat cycle? At that thought, Jo Junghyun unconsciously rubbed his shoulders.
The sound of Jo Junghyun’s footsteps, alone in the spacious house, was faintly audible. He went to his room, illuminated his phone screen, and stared at it.
That was because he couldn’t immediately decide how to save Ji Seunghyeok’s name.
Calling him “Ji Seunghyeok-ssi” felt too disrespectful, but using “CEO” also seemed awkward.
After contemplating for a long time, Jo Junghyun eventually settled for the safe choice and saved the name as “CEO.”
5:12 AM.
It was a time when he would normally be deep in dreamland. Jo Junghyun lay back down to sleep, but perhaps because his mind was wide awake from the embarrassing incident earlier, he couldn’t fall asleep. It also didn’t feel right for a guest to be lazily sprawled out while the homeowner had gone to work.
When he had asked about cleaning, Ji Seunghyeok hadn’t given a positive response. But doing nothing at all seemed even worse.
There must be something to do.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to do something rather than just sitting around? Nodding to himself, Jo Junghyun went to the bathroom to wash his face and prepare to greet the morning in Ji Seunghyeok’s house.
Ji Seunghyeok’s image had clearly changed from when he first saw him.
At first, he seemed like someone who wouldn’t bleed even if you stabbed him. Despite his respectful speech pattern using formal language, he had clear boundaries.
The most surprising thing was seeing him casually clean up after eating chicken. He looked like someone who wouldn’t lift a finger for such things.
Come to think of it, he belatedly wondered if he should have taken the initiative to clean up himself. The color drained from Jo Junghyun’s face. He was restless. It was good that he hadn’t just stayed lying in bed. He needed to find at least one thing to do.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
