Chapter 135
“I’m working here.”
“That’s why I’m asking, why here of all places? What’s your intention?”
To Ju-on who kept repeating incomprehensible words, Hyeon-woo spoke in a calm tone.
“The pay is good here.”
“…What?”
“It’s the easiest job I’ve ever had. The work hours are regular, and there’s no overtime. I don’t have to worry about losing fingers to machines, and holidays are guaranteed. It’s hard to find a job like this. Of course, you probably don’t know much about this world.”
There was no trace of pretense or lies in Hyeon-woo’s demeanor as he said this. This made Ju-on the flustered one.
“…No, I mean. How, I mean how did you, no, no.”
Hyeon-woo smiled bitterly at Ju-on, who was uncharacteristically fumbling for words, trying not to make a mistake.
“It’s been about 4 years since I returned to Korea after both my parents died in a car accident. Our investment immigration failed.”
“What?!”
Ju-on, who had jolted in surprise, quickly composed himself, looking embarrassed.
“My father was identified as the perpetrator of the car accident. Most of our assets went to lawyer fees and compensation. The investment immigration failed too, so we couldn’t get anything back. I returned to Korea with just the deposit from the store my mother ran.”
Ju-on’s face, painted with shock, looked comical. He seemed confused, unable to process what he had just heard. However, Hyeon-woo didn’t wait for Ju-on and immediately stated his business.
“Now it’s my turn to ask.”
“……”
“What business do you have here?”
Hyeon-woo prompted once more to Ju-on, who remained silent with his mouth tightly shut.
“Answer me.”
But it was the same this time too. Ju-on’s hand gestures, repeatedly gripping and releasing the steering wheel, were filled with confusion, impatience, and tension.
Ju-on, his face deeply furrowed with some unknown distress, lifted his head and stared intently at Hyeon-woo’s face.
Transparent eyes containing only truth. Through those eyes, Ju-on finally felt he understood the source of the scent of hardship he had sensed from Hyeon-woo.
It seemed he had really crawled into this tiger’s den on his own, knowing nothing. And purely for the sake of compensation for labor.
…How is this possible?
Finding the situation hard to comprehend, Ju-on let out a hollow laugh as if in disbelief.
He had thought Hyeon-woo had intentionally hidden in this mansion with some purpose, but that wasn’t the case. Ordinary people don’t even know of the mansion’s existence. Since they only hire people privately through acquaintances’ recommendations, it’s not a job one could get even if they wanted to.
The fact that after returning from America, he happened to settle in this rural area, and that Han Hyeon-woo, an omega who shouldn’t even be able to apply, was hired as an employee through someone’s recommendation to this mansion – it was incalculable how many tens of thousands, no, tens of millions to one odds had to be overcome for this current situation to be possible.
Ju-on, who had lived his entire life according to his own convictions and conscience and thus never thought about God, couldn’t help but think of God’s existence at this moment. Because otherwise, he didn’t know how to accept this mind-boggling situation.
…Hah.
Ju-on looked at Hyeon-woo, rubbing his brow and letting out a deep sigh.
“If you’re going to run away, do it now. This is your last chance. A chance to live without knowing anything.”
“……”
“It’s impossible to escape midway. What will you do?”
Hyeon-woo, who seemed confused for a moment, replied firmly.
“Tell me. I want to hear it.”
Ju-on clicked his tongue at the clear demand.
“I clearly gave you a chance. You’re the one who kicked it away. I don’t know how the truth you’re about to learn will impact your life. You chose this. So don’t blame me later.”
After confirming Hyeon-woo’s nod, Ju-on reluctantly opened his mouth.
“…You asked why I’m here, right?”
“Yes.”
“I was deceived by my father’s lie. I rushed here in the middle of booking a flight to England, hearing that someone in this mansion was critically ill.”
“…Is that critically ill person perhaps in the east wing?”
“Yeah.”
Hyeon-woo nodded at this.
“I see. I knew someone was staying there.”
“……”
“How many people are there? What kind of illness? Is it some contagious disease? Is that why they’re isolated? Or is something illegal happening in the east wing…?”
Ju-on frowned at Hyeon-woo’s wild speculations.
“…You, don’t you know which family owns this mansion?”
“No.”
“It’s Taeryeong’s. Not just the mansion, but this entire Neungra Mountain.”
“……”
“And in the east wing, there’s one half-paralyzed alpha.”
Ju-on watched Hyeon-woo’s expression after throwing out this meaningful statement. He secretly expected Hyeon-woo’s face to contort with shock at the crucial clue he had given, but contrary to expectations, Hyeon-woo’s expression remained unchanged.
The face that had been painted with shock and confusion when he discovered Hyeon-woo at the mansion was now inexplicably calm at this moment.
…Is he saying this person is no longer relevant to him?
Well, it would be stranger if any affection remained after going through all that. Given that the whole family had decided to emigrate, Hyeon-woo’s reaction was understandable in a way. Hadn’t he gone through too many trials because of one ill-fated relationship?
However, regardless of understanding Hyeon-woo, Ju-on couldn’t help feeling uneasy. Knowing that the relationship that was merely an ill fate for Hyeon-woo was someone else’s entire life worth giving up their life for, Ju-on felt somewhat resentful towards Hyeon-woo for being so cold and indifferent.
But this was better. He had repeatedly warned that Hyeon-woo’s decision to hear the truth might drag the rest of his life into the mud again, but with this attitude, it didn’t seem like the concerns would come to pass.
Just as Ju-on was pulling himself together, thinking this was for the best…
“So who’s this alpha in the east wing?”
Ju-on’s brow furrowed at Hyeon-woo’s question.
“…What?”
“Is it someone I know?”
Ju-on could hardly hide his bewilderment. This was a completely unexpected response.
Now he understood why Hyeon-woo had seemed calm. The possibility that Tae-geon might be here had never even entered Hyeon-woo’s mind in the first place.
Ju-on recalled the moment he first encountered Hyeon-woo at the mansion. Strong emotions of surprise, bewilderment, and confusion had swirled intensely in Hyeon-woo’s wide-open eyes. Some intuition had clearly been shaking Hyeon-woo.
And now this attitude?
“You already know who it is.”
“I don’t.”
“…You don’t know?”
“At least it’s not Choi Tae-geon. That’s for sure.”
Ha…!
The corner of Ju-on’s mouth twitched as if about to explode.
“Was my words too difficult? Should I spell it out for you? It’s Choi Tae-geon, the alpha in the east wing, it’s Tae-geon hyung!”
“No, that’s impossible.”
“Han Hyeon-woo! You clearly promised not to run away! How is denying like this any different from running away!”
“It can’t be Tae-geon. I saw him. There was, there was a fiancée beside him too.”
“…What ancient story are you babbling about?!”
Ju-on shouted in frustration.
“That engagement fell through long ago! Even if they had gotten married! Do you think their married life would have been normal with a body imprinted on you? It was a meaningless engagement to Tae-geon hyung from the start!”
“…Imprint?”
Hyeon-woo blankly asked back, looking as if he had heard something strange.
“Yes! Imprint! Tae-geon hyung imprinted on you!”
“That’s not possi-”
“It’s not possible? The man who had only you in his mind even after nearly dying didn’t imprint on you?!”
…It’s not possible. It can’t be.
Hyeon-woo’s face was filled with confusion as he blankly repeated the same words like someone who had lost their mind. Ju-on, barely calming his excitement after taking deep breaths, opened his mouth again.
“…There was a car accident. It was about 4 years ago.”
“……”
“When the car submerged in the sea was salvaged, Tae-geon hyung was already in a comatose state. Do you know when he regained consciousness after lying like a corpse for years?”
Ju-on’s hand gripping the steering wheel trembled slightly.
“It was when his rut came. Even in that moment when all he could see was pitch-black darkness, he was overjoyed like a madman at his own erect genitals. Even after miraculously returning from the brink of death, all he could think about was your well-being!”
Ju-on shuddered as he recalled the bizarre scene from that day. It still gave him goosebumps just thinking about it.
Tae-geon was diagnosed with blindness while unconscious, his corneas damaged by shattered glass from the car.
One day, as he lay in bed like a corpse in a comatose state, Tae-geon, who had been suffering from an unexplained high fever, barely regained consciousness and the first thing he did was fondle his own erect member.
‘…I’m alive. I’m alive…!’
Then he let out incomprehensible cheers and laughed.
Ju-on thought Tae-geon had gone mad. Probably everyone in that room thought the same.
Even the fiancée who had stood by his bedside without breaking off the engagement despite Tae-geon’s comatose state ran out of the room having a fit at that sight, and that night, a notice of engagement cancellation arrived.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
