“…I’m such an inadequate person… even though I have nothing to give Seojun-ssi, you’re consistent. Thank you and thank you again.”
Seojun’s pupils grew moist. His heart felt moved by his sincere gaze.
“Because I’m feeling Seojun-ssi’s sincerity too. Just a little… just a little more…”
Seojun pulled Soohyun’s body tightly into his arms. As he said, he was still clumsy, but he was trying to respond to his sincerity. His heart warmed because he was so beautiful. Actually, even if Soohyun didn’t say it in words, Seojun had noticed from his softened gaze and beautiful smile, compared to the beginning, that he was opening his heart to him.
How wonderful would it be if he could hear the confession “I love you” from that pretty mouth? Seojun always dreamed of it.
“I know. Soohyun-ssi. I… couldn’t not know.”
“…”
“Just opening your heart like this is enough. Because I can wait as long as it takes.”
“Seojun-ssi…”
Could words about waiting make his heart resonate this much? He thought he was a person like a sparkling star. Because he thought he was someone who would never have any connection with him, even when he despised him, his body trembled but he could avoid being deeply hurt.
“I love you. Soohyun-ssi. I… I really love Soohyun-ssi.”
Such a person was speaking of love to him. How many times had he heard this confession already? His confession reassured Soohyun who was trembling with anxiety.
As Seojun’s face came closer, Soohyun’s eyelids gently closed. It was a kiss they had shared yesterday and the day before and even this morning, but whenever their skin touched, his heart pounded like a boy having his first love. The feeling of blood rushing to his cheeks and heating up was vivid.
“I want to hold you today. Soohyun-ssi.”
After the sweet kiss ended, Seojun whispered shyly in Soohyun’s ear. Soohyun nodded his head very slowly.
* * *
“Hoo… right…”
After Seojun left, Soohyun held his cell phone and hesitated for a long time. While Seojun was asleep, he quietly got up and organized in his mind what he had to say to Jang Seokhyeon. Like 5 years ago, he couldn’t be swayed by him like a fool.
Because both then and now, he hadn’t done anything wrong.
[Soohyun-ah.]
“Jang Seokhyeon-ssi. I called because I have something to say.”
[Really? I want to talk while seeing your face, not on the phone.]
“Let’s meet. Let’s meet and talk.”
[Okay. Then shall we meet in an hour? I’ll come. You seem to ride Choi Seojun’s car… My car…]
“There’s no… reason for me to ride your car.”
Soohyun clenched his fist along with his trembling. After finishing the call with Seokhyeon, Soohyun hurried to prepare. He wanted to show the most calm and neat appearance possible. He never wanted to show that man a collapsing figure again.
* * *
“Seojun-ah, nothing special happening lately?”
“Huh? Special? What special thing?”
Jinwoo, who was holding the steering wheel, asked Seojun in a very worried tone. Seojun’s gaze was focused on the script before filming. Seojun, who wanted to understand the work overall before the full-scale filming began, looked at the scenario and flipped through the script whenever he had time.
“No… it’s just that the company received some strange tip-off.”
“Tip-off? It sounds too weird when you say tip-off. It’s not like I committed some crime.”
Only then did Seojun turn his gaze to the rearview mirror. Jinwoo looked at Seojun with a slightly suspicious face, then shook his head.
“No. It doesn’t seem like a big deal. It was almost at the level of stock market tabloids.”
“So what is it?”
Jinwoo hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth with difficulty.
“Well… your name didn’t come up. But there was something like, famous actor Mr. A made it seem like he hated omegas but is actually living with an omega… But of course it has nothing to do with you. Haha… Hahaha.”
“…What?”
Seojun couldn’t hide his flustered expression. It was fortunate that Jinwoo wasn’t looking at the rearview mirror.
“Well, it’s just a tabloid. The company isn’t paying attention to it. But I’m… a little concerned about Lee Soohyun-ssi…”
“Hyung! It’s not like that. No need to worry unnecessarily.”
Seojun quickly denied it, trying to act nonchalant. Jinwoo also nodded and tapped the steering wheel with his finger.
“Right. That doesn’t make sense. Lee Soohyun-ssi only works briefly when you’re not there, Seojun. Plus, you’ve been so busy lately that there’s no way you’d even run into Lee Soohyun-ssi, right?”
“Huh? Right. When I go home, there’s only a dinner table. Hahaha…”
“Right. With the commercials and the movie, there are penalty clauses too. You have to be careful. Plus, you’ve never had any dirty scandals until now. If you get caught up in one wrong… Ahyu. I don’t even want to think about it! Anyway… got it.”
But after that, Seojun couldn’t hear Jinwoo’s voice properly. He realized anew that he had forgotten what his situation was like because his time with Soohyun had been so happy.
‘I should… be careful. I don’t think there’s any chance of getting caught but…’
Seojun swallowed dry saliva without Jinwoo knowing.
* * *
‘Don’t be nervous. Breathe slowly. Lee Soohyun.’
Soohyun arrived 20 minutes early at the place he had agreed to meet Seokhyeon. He waited for that demon-like man to enter while suppressing his anxiety. In his pocket was a small pill bottle.
Tinkle—
Soohyun chose a meeting place about four bus stops away from Seojun’s house. Soohyun’s body, gradually healing from receiving Seojun’s love, could now travel distances about 7-8 stops away by bus.
“Soohyun-ah.”
Jang Seokhyeon sat across from Soohyun with a very friendly face. Even when he first saw him, he had thought he was pure and good. Now, looking at his face again, it was hypocritical and utterly ugly.
“…Jang Seokhyeon-ssi.”
“Hm?”
“You already seem to know everything, so I’ll just get to the point.”
“Okay. Good.”
A twisted arc formed at the corner of Seokhyeon’s mouth. He had a face that was greatly looking forward to what story Soohyun would tell. Just looking at Jang Seokhyeon’s face made Soohyun feel like throwing up, but he forcibly swallowed it along with his anger and disgust. There was something he had to say for Seojun’s sake.
“I think you know very well… what you did to me.”
“Yeah. But that…”
“I tried to die. I wanted to die. But it was a life that Jeongwon-ssi protected. So I lived. I didn’t want to throw away the life he protected because I was hurt by someone like you.”
“…”
As Jeongwon’s name popped out of Soohyun’s mouth, the corner of Jang Seokhyeon’s mouth twitched unpleasantly. Soohyun noticed that he was very upset. Seokhyeon extremely hated Jeongwon who had imprinted on Soohyun. Even though he knew that he had died in place of Soohyun, he resented the fact that he had left traces on Soohyun faster than himself. But there was nothing he could do about someone who was already dead, and the madness completely turned toward Soohyun.
“You know I work at the Omega Home Care Center. You probably also know what kind of work omegas do there.”
“Lee Soohyun. What are you trying to say right now?”
Seokhyeon’s expression, which had been full of leisure, instantly turned cold. But Soohyun rather liked that Seokhyeon made that face. Because he knew that all of his kind-looking face was a lie. Because he knew all too well that the cold eyes now, the mouth twitching with anger, were this man’s truth. Soohyun felt a little bit exhilarated.
“Choi Seojun-ssi and I are just an employee and employer relationship. As you know, it’s hard to make ends meet right now, and all that’s left is this body, so what can I do? What could I possibly do?”
“Lee Soohyun!!”
Because he’s a man who hates having his things taken away more than death. Because he’s a man who terribly hates things not going his way. Soohyun decided to lie to Seokhyeon. That he wasn’t in a deep relationship with Seojun. That he was just selling his body on his own. That Seojun’s feelings were only to that extent. He wanted to deceive this man. Even if there were photos, he wouldn’t know what conversations the two had.
“Soohyun-ah, because of money? You can’t think I’d believe that?”
“I need money. Enough to worry about my livelihood right now. Thanks to you, I couldn’t do anything for 5 years. I barely lived, just keeping food on the table. I survived with difficulty. What Jeongwon-ssi left behind…!”
Bang—!!
For a moment, the inside of the store became quiet. Jang Seokhyeon struck the table hard with his thick fist. His heart went cold for a moment at the veins bulging viciously on the back of his hand, but he couldn’t stop.
“Can’t you stop talking about Lee Jeongwon?”
“Jang Seokhyeon-ssi. Choi Seojun-ssi and I have no relationship.”
“But will people think that way?”
“…What?”
“If it becomes known that Choi Seojun is living with someone from the Omega Home Care Service Center who does filthy things, what do you think people will think?”
