#36
“Haah….”
With a sigh, Yeoul’s eyelids lifted like curtains. The hospital room came into view. For some reason, the world felt refreshingly clear, and his body seemed much lighter too. It was definitely different from the sex they’d had last time.
“How strange….”
Yeoul gazed blankly at his own fingers. They seemed full of vitality. He easily raised his upper body as well. His body was definitely lighter. And as he caught a fresh scent from his hair, he confirmed that his body was dressed in crisp white pajamas.
It seemed Eun Sajun had washed his body again and even changed him into pajamas. As he kept being indebted to him repeatedly, Yeoul felt embarrassed. But since it was something he couldn’t do to the end while sober, it couldn’t be helped.
But this time, he didn’t know why it felt sweeter and more pleasant than before.
“Why is it like this?”
He didn’t feel like the self he knew. It felt like something else had grown inside him. Yeoul couldn’t figure out what this was at all. According to Eun Sajun, it was called a heat cycle…. But for an extremely recessive omega, a heat cycle was like an impossible illusion, so what could it be?
‘You…. Don’t tell me you imprinted with Eun Sajun?’
Shin Taeon’s voice echoed in his mind. Even thinking about it again, it was absurd and seemed like crazy talk.
Imprinting.
He had heard about it through Yeojin. It referred to the communion between an alpha and omega, an act that was established when they became mentally and physically connected.
Once imprinted, alphas or omegas couldn’t sense other people’s pheromones and could only sense each other’s pheromones, gaining communion through that. So sexual relations were the same too. If they mixed flesh with someone else, physical rejection would come and if it went wrong, it could even lead to death.
But since this imprinting couldn’t be undone for life once it happened, there was the saying that one had to be careful. So unless couples were head-over-heels crazy about each other, many couples would marry but not imprint, and he’d heard there were many cases of regret after doing it.
As an extremely recessive omega, Yeoul thought it was a story from another dimension. So Shin Taeon’s question asking if he had imprinted with Eun Sajun was too absurd.
Shin Taeon sometimes said nonsense. Once, he looked at him and asked how many children he wanted. So his statement didn’t feel genuine this time either.
“He’s really a strange person.”
Yeoul sighed and shook his head. First, he wanted to check if Shin Taeon had properly verified the code. Whether he could now release him and Yeojin. He had to contact him again. Yeoul looked around.
He couldn’t sense any presence of Eun Sajun or anyone else.
Where had he gone? As he wondered, his phone on the nightstand came into view. He hadn’t seen it last time, so why was it here now? Had he just failed to find it then? Yeoul picked up the phone, puzzled.
He thought about contacting him with this phone again, but held back because he didn’t want to leave Shin Taeon’s number behind. But if he was going to make a call, now was the opportunity. Yeoul’s eyes flashed with determination.
He had to go somewhere with a payphone.
First, he put the phone in his pocket. He planned to use it as an emergency backup in case he couldn’t use the payphone. He opened the hospital room door. An empty corridor was visible. He couldn’t sense anyone’s presence or shadow.
It seemed even more like now was the opportunity, so he started walking quickly. He took the elevator and arrived at the first-floor lobby. He reached the payphone once more. As he fumbled through the patient gown pants he was wearing to insert coins, he realized with a start.
“Ah….”
He had brought his phone but hadn’t brought any coins. Yeoul sighed in frustration. Just as he was about to return to the hospital room, a shadow fell in front of him.
“Huh? Baby-nim.”
It was Song Hobin, the bodyguard. Yeoul’s eyes widened at his unexpected appearance.
“What brings you here?”
“Ah…. Hello….”
Yeoul seemed somewhat startled by his sudden appearance. Song Hobin also looked awkward when Yeoul was surprised.
“Oh, some family members came to visit and left, so I was just coming back from seeing them off.”
“Ah…. I see….”
“But what are you doing here again?”
Yesterday they had also met in front of the payphone, and now they were meeting in the same place again.
“I wanted to make a phone call….”
“Don’t you have a phone?”
Song Hobin seemed to find it strange that Yeoul was in the same spot yesterday and today.
“Ah, well….”
Since he couldn’t tell the truth about his situation, he awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
“Yes…. There are circumstances.”
“Hmm, then use mine.”
Song Hobin suddenly held out his phone.
Huh?
“Isn’t the payphone inconvenient…?”
Yeoul hesitated for a moment. Actually, he hadn’t brought coins and every second was urgent. But he also had his own phone, Song Hobin was Eun Sajun’s employee, and leaving Shin Taeon’s contact information with someone made him uneasy.
“No…. I’ll handle it myself.”
At the same time, Song Hobin’s gaze turned cold. Yeoul felt goosebumps and took a slight step back.
“Did…. Did I make some mistake?”
“No…. No.”
Song Hobin’s eyes became kind again as he took out coins from his pocket.
“Then use these for the payphone.”
“Ah.”
Yeoul hesitated for a moment. Well, using the payphone should be fine.
“I’ll pay you back for the money later.”
“It’s fine. How much could it be….”
“No. I’ll give it to you.”
After speaking firmly, Yeoul went back to the payphone. And he made the call. But only the dial tone continued and Shin Taeon didn’t answer.
Maybe…. Did he run away?
Madness flashed in Yeoul’s gentle eyes.
What about the debt forgiveness? What about Yeojin?
His hands trembled with bewilderment. The signal cut off and the coin dropped again. Yeoul made another call with stubborn eyes. But he didn’t answer.
Yeoul’s fingers holding the receiver trembled. Shin Taeon didn’t really run away like this, did he? If so….
“Um. Baby-nim?”
Perhaps sensing something ominous from Yeoul, Song Hobin tensed up. Yeoul immediately turned away from him and started running toward outside the lobby.
“Hey?”
Song Hobin also seemed flustered as he followed after Yeoul.
* * *
Coming out of the hospital, Yeoul instinctively headed toward the bus stop. It was to go to the capital office that Shin Taeon operated. But soon Yeoul felt the wall of reality. Right now, he didn’t have enough money in his possession to pay for a taxi. It was a disaster. But going back to the hospital meant he didn’t have confidence he could escape from Eun Sajun’s fence again.
“What should I do….”
“Baby-nim, what are you doing suddenly coming out like this?”
“What?”
At the sudden voice, Yeoul turned around. Song Hobin was following him.
“Why are you here?”
“Why? Because I’m worried. I have a duty to protect Baby-nim.”
“Hah….”
Yeoul was dumbfounded. It was annoying and troublesome. But…. He remembered Song Hobin’s behavior earlier at the payphone, trying to help him continuously.
“Um…. Then could you lend me some more money?”
Although it was awkward to make such a request, in this urgent situation, he wasn’t in a position to be picky about hot or cold rice.
“Money?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I have somewhere urgent to go right now, so could you lend me taxi fare?”
“What? Where are you going? Let’s go together.”
Song Hobin even rolled up his right sleeve suddenly.
“No…. I…. That would be difficult….”
“I’m Baby-nim’s bodyguard, you know.”
He was showing stubborn insistence. He didn’t know why he was acting like this.
“Hah….”
Yeoul was dumbfounded. But in the current situation where he had to meet Shin Taeon, he couldn’t waste time wrestling with Song Hobin.
“Fine. Let’s go together.”
Yeoul had to answer with a sigh.
* * *
The taxi carrying the two people drove on. Yeoul, sitting in the back seat, clenched his fists anxiously.
Shin Taeon…. If he really ran away…. I’ll never let it slide. Logically, he should release Yeojin!
Yeoul ground his molars. Song Hobin beside him looked at Yeoul with great tension. He seemed to want to say something, but was holding back even more because he was being mindful of Yeoul.
How long had they driven? A familiar alley unfolded and old buildings appeared in succession. Soon after, the sign of Shin Taeon’s company came into view. Since he often left the office empty chasing after debtors, there was a high possibility it was vacant now too. But today he planned to wait even if he had to stay up all night.
“Please stop here.”
The building had gotten close before they knew it. The taxi driver gradually slowed down and stopped. Yeoul got out first. And when Song Hobin was about to get out too, Yeoul stopped him.
“Um…. Just please go back to the hospital.”
“What?”
“I have some personal business to take care of…. I don’t want to expose it to the bodyguard-nim.”
“Ah…. But….”
“Please, I’m begging you….”
Yeoul looked at him pleadingly. Song Hobin frowned slightly and then gave his answer.
“Then I’ll wait here.”
“What?”
“I can’t go back leaving Baby-nim alone like this because I’m too worried.”
“Ah….”
“Or I’ll accompany you.”
Stubbornness could be felt in Song Hobin’s eyes. Yeoul didn’t want to make things bigger for now, so he had to nod at his suggestion.
* * *
“Hah…. Where did he go again?”
Eun Sajun, who had entered the hospital room, furrowed his brow sharply. Then he took out his phone and made a call. The dial tone continued and soon Eun Sajun’s lips moved roughly.
“Secretary Kim, Geum Yeoul has disappeared. Track where he went.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
