Swoosh—
A luxury sedan smoothly entered the quiet alley. With its jet-black surface gleaming without a single scratch, it was a car that didn’t match this location at all. As is typical of alleys away from the city center, only low, refined buildings stood sparsely here and there, and even those were all galleries or showrooms, creating an atmosphere that made one instinctively lower their voice. However, the man who would soon get out of the sedan was not someone constrained by such things.
Rather, if anything, he led the atmosphere.
“Please get out.”
A man in a dark suit opened the rear door. Then the man slowly stepped onto the ground, showing off his characteristically long legs. The movement was elegant and upright, as if receiving another’s assistance was ingrained in his body.
“Hmm……”
The man looked up at the white building before him. The leisurely gesture of stroking his chin evoked a subtle appreciation. However, what was implied in the man’s gaze was by no means favorable interest.
Soon the right hand that had been touching his chin went into the slash pocket. It meant his assessment of the level of the opponent who would be obediently waiting for him was complete.
He called the man standing half a step behind him with a chin gesture.
“The item?”
All these actions were truly arrogant beyond measure.
“Director Do, did you get the painting?”
And the identity of that arrogant man was Seonha.
Although his appearance was quite different from what Hongdan remembered recently. Rather, would he have to dig up a much older memory?
The classic-fit three-piece suit emphasized Seonha’s solid yet graceful body lines as it fell smoothly. The shirt slightly visible between them also covered half his wrists, adding restraint. Among them, the Oxford shoes shining neatly under the sunlight were especially spectacular.
Director Do quietly looked over Seonha like that.
Even though this should be a familiar sight to him, he couldn’t shake off a strange sense of incongruity. Nevertheless, just bowing his head out of habit was his job.
“Secretary Lee is bringing it from Artist Moon’s residence right now. Should I tell him to hurry?”
“No need. Anyway, that bastard will be dying to spend even one more minute with me. The later the better.”
“Yes, then this way.”
“Fuck, it’s so damn stuffy trying to dress like this after so long.”
Fortunately, Seonha quickly crushed that sense of incongruity.
***
“Oh my!”
Ah…… Should I just flip everything and leave?
That was the first impression he had upon seeing that frivolous omega. To prevent his expression from crumpling, Seonha chose to smile brightly instead.
“Hello, Director Cha. I’m Yeon Seonha.”
He even willingly extended his hand. Repeating to himself that this brief handshake would absolutely be the first and last skinship he’d bestow upon this cheap thing.
“Ah, yes yes! Haha, just a moment. My hands are a bit on the wet side.”
Cha Jaewon reddened his face to an unpleasant degree and wiped his hand on his pants three or four times. Of all places, the position where he rubbed his hand was near his buttocks, so Seonha had to pull up the corners of his mouth even more. Inside, he chewed out curses dozens more times.
Cha Jaewon’s cheap intentions were tearfully pathetic.
“I’m Cha Jaewon.”
This pervert bastard really wants to die.
“……”
Pheromones.
On Cha Jaewon’s hand that he extended while fidgeting, his pheromones were smeared all over.
Seonha had been practicing abstinence that was completely out of character recently, and in that state, an omega’s pheromones he was meeting after several months should have been welcome. But it just felt so annoyingly unpleasant. Arousal, my ass—the smell was also as disgusting as if he were smelling another alpha’s pheromones.
He missed Hongdan’s fluffy and fresh pheromones.
He was already on the weak side when it came to pheromones, and he was even skilled at controlling them. Unless he deliberately released them, it was difficult to even find traces of his pheromones. Because of this, Seonha would whine at every opportunity for Hongdan to release his pheromones and bury his nose in his nape. Then Hongdan would refuse exactly twice, saying it was annoying. After that, he would stroke Seonha’s head and wrap him in subtle pheromones.
……He felt thirsty.
Seonha secretly swallowed dry saliva and lowered his gaze.
Feeling like there was an even more sordid energy, Cha Jaewon was already fondling Seonha’s right hand. He even poked between his fingers with his fingertips as if he wanted to try interlocking fingers at this opportunity.
At that moment, Seonha truly felt murderous intent.
Fortunately, Director Do, who had been watching his expression before he could commit the act, intervened.
“I’m Do Jaehyuk. If you have any business to contact the Young Master in the future, you can reach me here.”
Jaehyuk even pulled out a business card he didn’t usually take out often, to separate the hand that was acting presumptuously without knowing its place.
Cha Jaewon’s brow openly crumpled.
“Ah, yes……”
He seemed to be trying not to show it, but his gesture of taking the business card with his index finger was full of dissatisfaction.
Cha Jaewon roughly crumpled the small rectangular piece of paper into his back pocket, then glanced up at Seonha. On his protruding cheekbones, an unclean flush spread again.
“Um…… But you could have come alone……”
Why should I? Is there any reason for me to wander around alone and get eaten by a gloomy bastard like you?
“Ah, our staff member is quite the fusspot.”
Perhaps gaining a bit more courage from Seonha’s subtle criticism of Director Do, Cha Jaewon stuck out his lips conspicuously.
“……Yes, he does seem that way. Actually, I’m a bit shy. Even though my appearance is this intense, haha.”
Intense, bullshit, fuck. You just look like a flounder run over by a dump truck.
“Anyway, Director Do won’t have any reason to interrupt our conversation now, so just think of him as a big chair.”
“Ah, really! President Yeon, your wit is so my taste. I think we match quite well, right-“
I’d rather take ten uppercuts from Tyson than match with you.
This beggar-like one-on-one wasn’t completely without harvest. Seonha acquired the skill of spitting out words exactly opposite to his inner thoughts. This seemed like it would be quite helpful in living with Hongdan in the future.
How could every single thing he said, every single action look so vulgar?
Only 5 minutes had passed since coming here, but Seonha already felt like the corners of his mouth were throbbing. Only one thought came to his mind.
I want to see Choi Hongdan, really.
***
Was a day always this long?
His head had spun around and he’d committed a blunder, but unfortunately it didn’t seem to be enough to receive a suspension. Hongdan became a sack of barley brought in for nothing. Sitting at his desk, just spacing out while looking at the pitch-black monitor screen for about six hours. The repertoire of imagining being sucked into it like a common fantasy movie and exploring an unknown world was slowly running out.
Hongdan stuck his head out slightly and looked around. Fortunately, there were no pitying glances toward him, nor glares trying to find fault thinking this was a good catch.
Hmm, an appropriate timing to confess past transgressions to the cold marble chair.
The saying that kids these days are rude was just something old fogeys said without really knowing.
Last night, the kids in the monitor who seemed easily ten-some years younger than Hongdan had taken care of, pushed along, and handed guns to an immature adult no matter how much he didn’t act his age. The future of the Republic of Korea couldn’t be brighter.
So moved by that reality, Hongdan even binge-ate, something he didn’t usually do. Thanks to that, thunder and lightning were about to strike in his intestines right now. Hongdan once again glanced around and turned his chair halfway.
But then.
Knock knock—
An entirely unwelcome tense plosive sound was heard. Due to repeated negative experiences, he was now almost developing post-traumatic stress disorder. Nevertheless, Hongdan raised his gaze with a smile equipped as a proper working adult.
“Yes, Team Leader.”
As expected.
“Reporter Choi, come see me for a moment.”
He’d harbored a sliver of hope, but Team Leader Shim’s expression was mercilessly cold. It definitely wasn’t going to be good news that would make him want to binge-eat again tonight.
Ah, would a lowly commoner who dared to touch a precious Young Master once now not even be allowed to perform excretory activities freely?
Hongdan couldn’t hide his grief at this damnable class society. Even if it was the master’s house that paid him, interfering with basic human needs was a more fundamental problem.
“Yes.”
If it came to it, resolving to sue this ‘medieval’ company to the Human Rights Commission and emigrate, Hongdan followed Team Leader Shim out.
But that resolution crumbled in less than a minute.
“What?”
Team Leader Shim’s words passed through without going through his brain. He couldn’t help but make a stupid expression. Fortunately, he was a kind superior who could say the same thing two or three times.
“Reporter Choi’s disciplinary committee has been canceled.”
“No, why……”
“How should I know. The Editor-in-Chief just said this.”
“What……”
“Reporter Choi’s backing, it’s incomparably bigger than Director Cha Jaewon’s backing?”
