# 3
“That’s fortunate.”
Eunsol thought he had hidden his true feelings well, but to Hyun-oh, who had dealt with countless people since childhood, it was clear that Eunsol’s words weren’t sincere.
Even so, nothing changed. Hyun-oh knew all too well that Eunsol was in no position to refuse his proposal.
He could simply ignore Eunsol’s true feelings. The reason he had proposed the contract to Eunsol was because it was convenient after considering various factors.
It was just a marriage in form anyway. Caring more than necessary for such a partner didn’t suit Hyun-oh’s personality. It was then that a precise knock was heard from the door.
“Come in.”
“Yes, Director.”
Despite the presence of a third person, Eunsol kept his gaze lowered, his hands still clasped together like an obedient child.
Soon, footsteps approached at a steady pace. Manager Kim bowed to Hyun-oh first, then introduced himself to Eunsol.
“Pleased to meet you. I am Kim Myungjun, serving Director Han Hyun-oh. You may call me Manager Kim.”
“Ah, hello…”
Surprised by the polite greeting, Eunsol quickly stood up. He bowed almost 90 degrees to Kim Myungjun, who was also bowing in greeting.
Then, suddenly aware of his revealing attire, his eyes widened in shock.
“Would you like me to bring you a blanket?”
“…Yes.”
There was no way Eunsol could refuse Manager Kim’s offer. Hyun-oh watched with an indifferent gaze as Eunsol covered his lower body with the blanket Manager Kim had brought.
“Here’s the contract. Read it carefully and sign it.”
Before Eunsol’s flushed face had time to cool down, Hyun-oh pushed forward the contract that Manager Kim had brought.
“Thank you…”
Eunsol carefully extended his hand to receive the contract. The paper in his trembling hands made a rustling noise loud enough to be distracting.
He bit the inside of his lip and tried to steady his hands, but the trembling wouldn’t stop. Even though neither of them was being intimidating toward him, Eunsol couldn’t relax his tense body.
Eunsol tried hard to scan through the contract with wide eyes. However, the contract, filled with legal terms, was difficult for Eunsol to understand without proper education.
Still, Eunsol did his best to interpret the contract, reading it haltingly. The contract began with a statement identifying Hyun-oh as party A and Eunsol as party B. After that, even though it was in Korean, reading it felt like trying to understand a foreign language.
However, one thing:
The content written next to number 7 was something even Eunsol could immediately understand.
‘…In case of pregnancy, all rights regarding the child shall be entrusted to party A.’
His trembling gaze couldn’t move away from the clause about the baby.
‘A baby…’
In the reality of being married off like merchandise, Eunsol hadn’t even considered the possibility of having a baby. After all, he had been waiting quietly in the hotel room, elegantly dressed up like a doll without a will of its own.
“Just to be clear, I don’t want children. We must use protection without fail.”
The cold voice tapped at Eunsol’s ear as he was lost in thought. Eunsol lifted his gaze from the contract clause.
A gaze colder than the voice settled on Eunsol’s face. Though not forceful, Eunsol could clearly feel the line Hyun-oh was drawing with him. His mind snapped to attention as if he’d been doused with cold water.
“…I understand.”
Once, Eunsol had dreamed of meeting someone who would truly love him and getting married.
The fairy tales he read whenever reality became overwhelming and painful all ended with a happy ending. He used to pray with his small hands clasped that such an ending would someday come to his life too.
As he grew older, he realized that the wishes he had dreamed of as a child were difficult to fulfill. Still… Eunsol seemed to have harbored expectations without even realizing it.
‘It stings…’
Hyun-oh’s words and gaze felt like invisible needles stabbing at a corner of his heart.
He had learned countless times that if you don’t expect anything, you won’t be disappointed with any result. Yet his heart always harbored futile hope only to be frustrated. Though it was his own heart, Eunsol found it truly upsetting.
“Should I… sign here?”
“Yes. Here’s a pen.”
Kim Myungjun, who had been standing at attention beside Eunsol and Hyun-oh, handed Eunsol a fountain pen. Eunsol carefully wrote his name in the signature field.
Unaccustomed to writing, his crooked handwriting, quite different from his appearance, remained on the contract.
“Don’t you want to read more? If you wish, we can arrange for you to consult with our attorney.”
Kim Myungjun looked concerned when Eunsol signed without hesitation. In truth, the contract contained many disadvantageous terms for Eunsol.
From matters about children to the division of property. Not a single clause was favorable to Eunsol. That was because Hyun-oh owned so much.
“Even if I read it, I don’t understand well. Even if you explained… I probably wouldn’t understand.”
Eunsol mumbled, curling his trembling fingertips into his fist. Despite it being such an important matter concerning his life, Eunsol seemed accustomed to resignation.
Kim Myungjun glanced at Hyun-oh, parted his lips, but ultimately said nothing and neatly stored the signed contract in an envelope.
The contract already had Hyun-oh’s signature. If Eunsol had mentioned the unfair clauses, there was a willingness to modify some of them.
The person who was to become his master’s spouse seemed more submissive than expected. It was good for Hyun-oh, but somehow Kim Myungjun felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
“Then I’ll… take my leave now.”
Eunsol’s attire subtly indicated that this place was meant for intimate activities. Kim Myungjun hurriedly left.
After Kim Myungjun’s departure, a strange silence fell between Eunsol and Hyun-oh.
Hyun-oh was already refilling his empty glass with whiskey, while Eunsol just silently stared at his knees. His neatly trimmed nails scratched at the tender flesh of his fingers.
“We’ll register the marriage tomorrow.”
“…Yes.”
It was Hyun-oh who broke the long silence. Hyun-oh only stood up after emptying an entire bottle of whiskey.
Eunsol kept his eyes down to avoid looking at his body and answered in a moist voice. There was nothing he could do of his own will.
If Hyun-oh told him to leave this room, he had to leave; if Hyun-oh told him to get on the bed, he had to do so.
“Now let’s really get some sleep.”
Hyun-oh gestured to Eunsol as he walked towards the bed. Eunsol, his shoulders trembling slightly, slowly walked towards the bed.
By the time Eunsol’s knees hit the edge of the bed, Hyun-oh was already lying on it with his eyes closed. The pillow, which had been dampened by his wet hair, had returned to its original state.
“I won’t touch you, so just lie down. Since we’re going to be married anyway, shouldn’t you get used to sharing a bed?”
At Hyun-oh’s words, spoken without even opening his eyes, Eunsol finally lay down beside him. The bed was large enough for five or six grown men to roll around on.
Moreover, with Eunsol lying pressed against the edge, the distance between them was so great that they wouldn’t touch even if they stretched out their arms.
Eunsol quietly listened. He felt he could only close his eyes after Hyun-oh fell asleep. The room was still heavily saturated with Hyun-oh’s pheromones.
Influenced by this, the omega pheromones that Eunsol had released also lingered faintly, wandering around the room.
His body, which had wilted from tension and embarrassment, began to respond with slight trembles, regardless of Eunsol’s true feelings.
‘Please don’t respond…’
Eunsol tightly closed his eyes and bit his lips, holding out. He suppressed his instincts by recalling Hyun-oh’s cold gaze directed at him.
Previously, he had never directly encountered an alpha’s pheromones except for his father’s. His father’s pheromones only instilled fear the moment he recognized them, but Hyun-oh’s seemed to constantly try to control Eunsol’s body at will.
“…Pheromones.”
A low, husky voice scratched at Eunsol’s ear. Just as Eunsol couldn’t fall asleep, Hyun-oh had only closed his eyes while his mind remained clear. With all that had happened today, he had thought he would fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
But once he recognized Eunsol’s pheromones, his entire body began responding sensitively.
The fact that he had warned Eunsol not to release pheromones was proof that he was being affected by Eunsol.
It was different from the pheromones of omegas he had smelled before. It was puzzling why such a faint scent, one that lower-ranked alphas might not even detect, was so difficult to ignore.
He could hear Eunsol’s frightened breathing. Hyun-oh finally opened his closed eyes and got up. Eunsol also hesitantly rose from his position.
“Sleep comfortably in this room. I’ll sleep in another room.”
It was strange.
If Eunsol’s presence was bothersome, he could have driven him out, but unconsciously, Hyun-oh chose to remove himself.
“I-I’ll… leave.”
Even if Eunsol left this place, there was nowhere for him to go. Manager Do had brought him here with nothing and only given him the inappropriate nightwear before disappearing.
Eunsol had no phone, no cards, no cash. He had been transported from his home under Manager Do’s guidance, delivered like a package. But it made no sense for Hyun-oh to vacate the room because of him.
It was then, as Eunsol urgently moved his body without even noticing that his clothes were in disarray, that Hyun-oh, brushing up his disheveled hair, grabbed Eunsol’s wrist and seated him on the bed.
From the moment Hyun-oh’s body heat touched his own, Eunsol stopped all movement and obediently yielded to his touch.
“You probably have nowhere to go. Just stay here. I’ve already booked the adjacent room anyway.”
What Eunsol didn’t know was that Chairman Han Chihun had reserved all the rooms on the same floor as the current room. It was typical of the old man who was obsessively concerned about his safety.
“But…”
“Let’s meet again tomorrow morning.”
With those words, Hyun-oh left the room wearing only a robe. The only trace of his sudden disappearance was the alpha pheromones that still pounded against Eunsol’s entire body.
