It was certain something had happened for him to close the shop for a day, but since Ian kept his mouth firmly shut, they could only speculate.
Looking at his expression, it didn’t seem like a bad thing, but there was a faint shadow, so they couldn’t be certain.
However, it was also strange to unconditionally oppose it, since Ian was an adult anyway. Above all, without Ganghyuk’s help, much worse things would have happened, and he might not have been able to return here even now.
Most of all…….
A skinny boy who had been particularly taciturn came to Okjeong’s mind. A child whose natural frame was large but whose neck bones protruded because he hadn’t eaten.
If Ganghyuk really was that child as Soyeon speculated, the reason for helping Ian made some sense, which made her wonder what to do.
“You know Executive Director-nim isn’t a bad person. If it weren’t for him, something really bad would have happened to me. I wouldn’t have been able to run my grandfather’s shop like this either.”
Though she hadn’t spoken badly about Ganghyuk, seeing Ian speak with a rather resolute face made her think that human connections were truly mysterious.
“That guy, do you even know how old he is? If the age gap exceeds ten years, he’s a thief. Besides, it’s different from someone in their 30s meeting someone in their 40s. Why would a twenty-year-old meet an alpha over thirty? Alphas in their twenties are strewn all over the streets.”
When she expressed herself a bit more provocatively to probe Ian’s true feelings more, stubbornness appeared in his round eyes.
“What does age matter? It’s fine if I like him. Grandma also calls him oppa when Hong Yeong-ung appears on TV.”
“That’s……”
At the unexpected words, Okjeong let out an empty laugh. Hong Yeong-ung was a trot singer Okjeong liked. Easily twenty years younger than Okjeong.
Though liking someone out of simple fandom and actually dating someone with an age gap were completely different things, hearing it put this way left her speechless.
“Ma’am, didn’t I say? This kid Ian, he’s thoroughly bewitched. At this rate we’ll be called old-fashioned.”
When Soyeon drooped both eyebrows as if hurt, Ian quickly added.
“I know you’re saying all this because you’re worried about me. You can say more. I just…… I just want you to know that Executive Director-nim isn’t a bad person. It’s really not his fault that we couldn’t open the shop.”
Everything was his own choice. That’s why Ian hoped Ganghyuk wouldn’t have regrets either.
“Okay, okay. I understand that Executive Director Tae isn’t a bad person. But still, if he hurts you, you have to tell us right away. Don’t suffer alone in silence.”
Soyeon wrapped up the situation. Telling Okjeong about the relationship between the two and asking for help were all actions done out of worry for Ian.
She knew it was meddlesome. But Ian was still young. He still needed adults who would meddle like this.
For the sake of old man Yeon who couldn’t close his eyes in peace leaving behind his young grandson, Soyeon and Okjeong planned to continue that role for as long as they could.
“I will. The soup’s all cold. Should I bring more?”
“Add another bottle of soju too.”
“Yes.”
Ian, who grinned, rose from where he’d been sitting. He’d safely gotten over one hurdle. Okjeong and Soyeon had let it go more easily than expected.
He wanted to quickly tell the two what kind of relationship he had with Ganghyuk. He wanted to say proudly that they were dating, but so far they’d only had sex once.
To Ian, sex was truly an enormously big deal, and Ganghyuk was even his first partner, but he didn’t know what Ganghyuk thought of last night’s events.
He felt an apologetic heart, but rather that heart hurt Ian. Clearly Ganghyuk wasn’t currently dating anyone either, but whether because of the age difference, he wasn’t actively accepting Ian’s feelings.
‘He said he can’t come home today either.’
Ian’s face sank gloomily as he looked down at his apron pocket. Earlier in the morning, he’d sent Ganghyuk a message asking what time he’d get off work.
The answer came not long after, but it wasn’t the content he’d been waiting for. At the words that he’d stay out overnight because work was busy, he almost asked if it was because he made him uncomfortable, but held back.
If he pestered him with questions and Ganghyuk got fed up, it would be a big loss. So he just wrote that he understood, and that he hoped they could definitely see each other tomorrow.
After seeing off Okjeong and Soyeon, who had emptied an additional bottle of soju, he cleaned up the shop. Holding a dishcloth in his hand, he went to the door and glanced outside to see a familiar black sedan.
The thought that even though he couldn’t come into the house, he was still protecting him, improved his gloomy mood a bit. He cleaned the shop thoroughly and headed to the second floor.
As soon as he opened the front door and entered, he caught Ganghyuk’s pheromone scent. The aftermath of the rut cycle was definitely remarkable. Even though quite a long time had passed since Ganghyuk had left the house, the pheromones felt strong as if he were nearby.
Reflexively strength entered his buttocks, and Ian cleared his throat while reddening his nape.
He came out after showering and prepared a late dinner. Actually it was closer to a late-night snack than dinner, but since it was his first meal since lunch, it was as good as dinner.
Too lazy to cook anything, he boiled two instant ramyeon and sat at the table. When he let the steaming ramyeon cool on the lid before eating, belated hunger rushed over him.
He finished both ramyeon in an instant and even mixed rice into the remaining broth. After finishing the dishes cleanly, he missed Ganghyuk.
Looking at the time, it was already close to midnight. He firmly suppressed the urge to call and instead lay on the bed holding Ganghyuk’s photo. Studying went out the window again today. He’d boasted loudly to Ganghyuk that he’d work at the shop while studying hard, but stamina was the problem.
He grinned at the appearance so different from now no matter how much he looked at it, then drowsiness gradually rolled in and he closed his eyes. The light he’d left brightly on because he was afraid to fall asleep alone stabbed at his eyelids.
Even as he fell asleep, the presence of the photo he clutched felt reassuring. A moment later, only the sound of Ian’s sleep talking echoed in the room.
“Executive Director-nim, run away…… No…… Jiji……”
The true feelings he couldn’t say to his face poured out unconsciously.
ლ
While Ian desperately searched for Ganghyuk even in his sleep, Ganghyuk sat facing Tae Minjae, whose eyes were full of venom.
“You’re thinking about the consequences before starting this, right?”
At Minjae’s words pointing to his subordinates collapsed around them, Ganghyuk put a cigarette in his mouth. The sight of him slightly closing his eyes as he lit it with a lighter was leisurely.
After sucking in the cigarette until his cheeks hollowed, he held the cigarette between his fingers and slowly exhaled the smoke. Ganghyuk, who tilted his neck slightly back, cast a languid gaze at Minjae through the gap where the smoke flowed.
The cigarette smoke made Minjae’s facial outline blurry. Unlike those who had collapsed bleeding, Minjae’s face was still clean.
Not a single article of clothing was disheveled, and his eyes were intense too. At the sight of his spirit not dampened at all, Ganghyuk burst into a chuckle.
“……Is this situation funny to you?”
And that sight properly provoked Minjae. Minjae, who jumped up from his seat, grabbed the ashtray that had been on the table and swung it toward Ganghyuk’s head.
“Ahhk!”
But before the ashtray could even touch Ganghyuk, rough strength twisted Minjae’s arm backward. Sucheol, who subdued Minjae in an instant, sent a look to Ganghyuk. It was asking permission whether he should just break the arm completely.
As soon as Ganghyuk nodded slightly, a crunching sound came from Minjae’s shoulder.
In the pain of his shoulder dislocating, Minjae groaned this time without even being able to scream. The ashtray he’d been holding in his hand made a dull sound as it rolled across the floor.
“Ugh, fuck……”
At the pain he was experiencing for the first time in his life, his mind went white for a moment. Though he’d tormented others, he’d never been on the opposite end, so his anger rose to the top of his head at the absurd situation.
“Tae Ganghyuk! Do you think, ugh, you’ll be safe after doing this?”
At the third-rate villain-like line, Sucheol shook his head. At Ganghyuk’s eye signal, he released Minjae’s arm and stepped back again, clasping his hands behind his back.
