Soohyun only opened his mouth slightly but didn’t answer. As expected, he thought something must have happened to his body that day. Because his stomach had hurt so much. Jang Seokhyeon used a terrible method that no one could even imagine, under the pretext of returning Soohyun’s pheromone glands to their original state.
‘Making him thoroughly drenched in multiple alphas’ pheromones’
Jang Seokhyeon, obsessed with Soohyun’s pheromones, did something to Soohyun that should never be done, and after that terrible day, Soohyun lost everything.
“Then… what should I do…”
“If the damage doesn’t heal properly, the pain will get worse. When it becomes unbearable, it might be better to…”
“Better to…?”
“It might be better to remove the uterus.”
Soohyun slowly nodded his head. Actually, he had no attachment to having a baby. After Jeongwon died and he lost his baby too, he had never thought about wanting to carry another’s seed, nor did he want to.
“Anyway, please get checked regularly and receive treatment. Are your pheromone glands still the same?”
At the doctor’s question, Soohyun quietly nodded his head.
* * *
“Soohyun-ah, just keep living with us. How can you live alone?”
“No. I’ve… been too much of a burden already.”
It was Chaeho’s mom who tried to stop Soohyun from leaving the house until the end. Chaeho also found out about what Soohyun had experienced later and was greatly angered, trying to prevent Soohyun from moving out, but Soohyun was stubborn.
“Just helping me is enough. Thank you so much for finding me a place.”
“No, Soohyun-ah. Auntie can’t let you go like this.”
“Auntie…”
Soohyun held her hand and sobbed for a long time. But he couldn’t lean on their kindness anymore. Because his misfortune shouldn’t spread to them. In the end, Soohyun left Chaeho’s house with his aching body.
But Soohyun couldn’t live as before. Meeting people itself was too scary, and he couldn’t even go out for short distances. Even when going to the hospital, he had to receive help from Chaeho’s family.
“I want to die…”
“Hyung!!”
Hearing Soohyun’s words that slipped out carelessly, Chaeho lowered his head tearfully.
“Hyung, please, please hyung… don’t say things like that.”
“Chaeho-ya. Sorry, I’m sorry…”
“What does hyung have to be sorry about? Just… just wait a little, hyung.”
Chaeho came to Soohyun’s house whenever he had time to be his companion, and sometimes slept at Soohyun’s house.
“Chaeho-ya. Aren’t you… overexerting yourself?”
“I study here too. Are you taking your medicine properly, hyung?”
“Yeah…”
The mental illness called panic disorder gradually cornered Soohyun, and his depression also grew worse. Following the doctor’s advice that working would help his health, Chaeho’s parents helped Soohyun, who had been cooped up at home unable to do anything, so he could work from home.
One day, two days, ten days, a month, and 1 year.
The emotional wound that seemed like it would never disappear healed very slowly. Soohyun’s severe panic disorder symptoms also gradually improved. Soohyun, who couldn’t even go outside, was able to walk around the neighborhood after a few years, and with Chaeho’s help, he even learned to ride a bicycle, which expanded his living radius considerably.
And on a certain day in his fifth year of living in the rooftop room, facing his twenty-ninth birthday, Soohyun went out to a far distance that required a very long walk. The place Soohyun headed to was,
The Omega Home Care Service Center.
- Evil Fate (1)
“Soohyun-ssi, I’m back.”
Seojun hurried home earlier than usual. Soohyun’s face looked dark before he left the house, so he was worried all day. Was there something with Director Jang Seokhyeon after all? Seojun’s hand opening the front door was urgent.
“You’re back.”
Soohyun looked like he had just come out of his room. His calmly settled face wasn’t much different from the morning, but Seojun noticed that Soohyun’s eyes were swollen.
“Soohyun-ssi, is something wrong? Your face…”
“No. Seojun-ssi. You don’t need to worry.”
Soohyun avoided Seojun’s eyes. Not wanting to be caught with tear stains by him who was bending his waist and turning his face this way and that to check his face, Soohyun lowered his head deeply.
“You’ve been acting strange since yesterday. I’m worried. Maybe… with that director…”
“What?”
“Didn’t something happen with that director yesterday?”
Seojun couldn’t contain his curiosity. Even though he thought there was no way Jang Seokhyeon and Soohyun knew each other, he couldn’t shake the thought of ‘what if…’
“Wha-what do you mean? Director?”
“The person who came yesterday. Director Jang Seokhyeon. Do you know him, Soohyun-ssi?”
Soohyun was still avoiding Seojun’s gaze. He absolutely didn’t want to reveal his connection with him to Seojun. Even if it wasn’t his fault, he didn’t want to tell Seojun about what happened between him and that man.
“Of course not. It was the first time I met him. You know I’m shy around strangers, Seojun-ssi.”
“I know. Since yesterday… Soohyun-ssi seemed uncomfortable. I’m worried.”
Seojun touched Soohyun’s hair with his fingertips. The feeling of the thin hair wrapping around his fingertips was nice. Seojun’s hand that was rubbing his hair touched Soohyun’s cheek. Soohyun rubbed his cheek against his palm with his eyes closed.
“I was just… a little nervous. Sorry for making you worry.”
“No. I’m glad if that’s the case.”
Jang Seokhyeon had approached Soohyun with lies, but Seojun was different. Rather, because he had been wary of and despised Soohyun, Soohyun didn’t want to disappoint Seojun. If everything Seokhyeon had shown Soohyun was a lie, then at least everything Seojun had shown was the truth.
When Seojun said he fell for him in 3 seconds, it reminded him of Jang Seokhyeon and he had treated him coldly, but Seojun was always consistent, and he didn’t try to know about him or show any obsession. Soohyun seeped into such a person. He hoped that this good person wouldn’t be hurt or harmed because of him.
Even if he couldn’t confess “I love you” to him, he didn’t want to return his sincerity in that way.
“You came a bit early today… so dinner isn’t ready yet. You’ll have to wait a bit…”
“Don’t worry about that. I hurried because I was worried about Soohyun-ssi. Then let’s prepare together. I’ll help.”
Only then did Soohyun raise his head and show a faint smile on his lips. Until just before, his head had been confused only with thoughts about ‘Jang Seokhyeon’… Seeing Seojun smiling warmly while looking at him, he could forget that vicious man for a moment.
“But what’s the dinner menu today?”
“I bought some fish. The salted mackerel was fresh.”
“Wow. I like mackerel!”
While Seojun trimmed vegetables, Soohyun washed the salted fish and placed it on a tray. Watching him put lemongrass leaves and even lemons in the oven container and put it in the air fryer, Seojun watched Soohyun’s back with his mouth wide open.
“…Seojun-ssi. If I just do that now…?”
“Soohyun-ssi.”
Seojun, who had been at the sink, was already standing behind Soohyun. As soon as Soohyun turned around, Seojun gently grabbed Soohyun’s waist, placed his forehead against Soohyun’s, and smiled affectionately.
“I should come early every day. It’s so nice preparing dinner together.”
“It’s my job though.”
“Once filming starts, I’ll really be busy. Before that, I want to spend quality time with Soohyun-ssi.”
At Seojun’s happy smile, Soohyun also smiled, slightly crinkling his eyes.
Right, I must protect at least this person’s smiling face. I must make sure he doesn’t suffer because of me. Because he’s this… affectionate. Because this person truly cares for me and loves me.
“Seojun-ssi.”
“Yes?”
Soohyun gently grabbed Seojun’s wrist. Could he have just a little courage? He wanted to convey his feelings to this person, even if awkwardly.
“Always… thank you.”
Soohyun moved his fingers. And as he touched his wrist as if tickling it, he made eye contact with Seojun, who was looking at him with wide eyes.
“Soohyun-ssi…?”
“I hope things go well for Seojun-ssi. Even now there’s nothing particularly wrong. But I hope things go even better.”
“It’s kind of awkward when Soohyun-ssi says things like that.”
“Because I’m clumsy… Seojun-ssi.”
“Yes?”
He had only thought it was a handsome face, but Seojun’s face was this affectionate. He had always been looking at him with such eyes, so warm as if he was truly lovely. Soohyun wanted to show him one piece of his heart that he had hidden deep in his chest.
“I’m thinking that… I’m glad I met Seojun-ssi.”
“…!!”
