Episode 13

New clothes and even new  shoes. He bought quite a lot of things, but Seung-hyun’s hands were light. Most of the luggage had already been moved to Jae-young’s car, and even the cardigan he impulsively bought a moment ago was held by Jae-young, not Seung-hyun.

“What food do you like?”

“Nothing in particular… There are foods I dislike, but no outstandingly favorite ones.”

“Then what foods do you dislike?”

“Well… let’s see. Nuts?”

Seung-hyun was the type to eat well without being picky about food. The only thing he avoided was nuts, but even that, he could eat  if he really had to.

“I’ll have to consider that when choosing.”

“Please come this way.”

Soon, the elevator arrived on the 22nd floor, and the two were guided to the inner room. It was a room with a cool view, with one side made entirely of windows.

“Two of Course A. Oh, and please exclude nuts for one of them.”

“Understood. What drinks would you like us to prepare?”

“Could I get a recommendation for a good wine?”

“Ah, I don’t drink alcohol.”

Seung-hyun interjected while quietly watching Jae-young order. Life was limited as it was, and he had no intention of shortening it himself.

Moreover, he got involved with Jae-young by drinking too much, so who knew what would happen  if he drank again.

“If you want to drink, drink alone.”

“Is it because of last time? One or two glasses should be fine.”

“Forget it. I’ve decided to abstain for life.”

“Hmm, well. That method does suit you, Director Han. Then I’ll just have a non-alcoholic drink too.”

Not knowing the circumstances, Jae-young simply thought it was a choice that fit well with Seung-hyun’s usual personality, and casually ordered his own drink. The course started with simple appetizers, and the paused conversation resumed.

***

“For now, at least this…”

In the worst situation, the staff changed the room and brought Jae-young a spare pair of  shoes they had on hand. Jae-young sighed as he watched Seung-hyun, whose expression had hardened, still looking for alcohol.

‘Should I film him making a fool of himself drunk? Seriously. He was going on about having a poker face, and now this.’

“Ugh… sob.”

“Excuse me? Director Han?”

Should I just film him being drunk and ditch him. As he was contemplating, the groaning sound from behind evolved into sobbing.

“Wah…”

“Excuse me. Are you okay?”

Maybe he’s not feeling well. Come to think of it, his face seemed to have gotten even paler than before. Instead of doing this, should I send him to the hospital? As he seriously pondered and grabbed his cell phone, a bony, slender hand grabbed Jae-young’s wrist.

“Where are you going? You said you’d drink with me…”

“You’re in no condition to drink alcohol right now.”

“I’m completely, hic. Fine.”

Even  if you say that while shedding tears. Jae-young made a troubled face and looked at Seung-hyun, then sat down. Judging by his nonsensical words, it didn’t seem like there was a big problem.

“Drink this instead.”

Jae-young tapped the orange juice placed in front of Seung-hyun. Seung-hyun, who had been blankly staring at the glass, started drinking the juice.

“Is it tasty?”

“Yes.”

Why is he so obsessed with alcohol when he can’t even distinguish between alcohol and juice? Ah, is that addiction? Jae-young thought about meaningless things while looking at Seung-hyun.

“Because I’m not drinking alone…”

But then Seung-hyun spoke with dazed eyes. The sight of him sipping juice was quite different from the prickly impression he had seen in photos and reports.

Even when he first saw him, and the Director Han Seung-hyun he had seen while searching for information, didn’t have that kind of look. That was the case even setting aside the fact that he was simply drinking and causing trouble.

The appearance of him with his hair neatly pulled back and wearing subtly different colored suits. The face that never loses that annoying smile in any situation. It was so creepily identical in every photo that one could believe it was photoshopped, but that expression was nowhere to be seen now.

The bangs covering his forehead, the flushed cheeks from the heat. Above all, the eyes that showed no hint of malice and the water droplets stopped on his cheeks made Seung-hyun seem unfamiliar.

“Did you come to the bar because you didn’t want to drink alone?”

“That’s not it.”

“Then why did you come out?”

“…Because I wanted to.”

Seung-hyun muttered while sipping juice, as  if he had never sobbed. Jae-young asked again to Seung-hyun who was mumbling as  if he was about to eat the cup too.

“I didn’t hear you well.”

“I wanted to sleep with a handsome man for once.”

“Pardon?”

This time he clearly heard it, but it was a remark that made him doubt his ears even after hearing it. However, unlike Jae-young who had frozen in shock, Seung-hyun had a nonchalant face even after dropping the bomb remark.

“I wanted to talk with people like me too. A place like a gay bar… I wanted to go at least once.”

A place like a gay bar. There are often typists who believe Alphas and Omegas, and Betas and Betas should only meet each other, but few people make an issue of gender.

Jae-young tilted his head for a moment at the sight of him talking as  if it were a big deal. But soon he thought that it might be such a big deal for Seung-hyun, even  if others might not know, and asked again.

“Well, did you want to… try rebelling or something like that?”

“It doesn’t matter anymore anyway… I just… want to sleep with a handsome man with a nice body for once…”

It was a remark that didn’t match the sentimental face. For a moment, Jae-young’s thought circuit stopped as if a system error had occurred.

“So I came. I have nothing to do anyway.”

“Why do you have nothing to do? You’re a busy person, aren’t you? The company…”

“I won’t work. I don’t care what happens to the company. Managing Director Han Tae-sung will lead it well. It’s that kind of world.”

Seung-hyun said while tilting the half-empty glass of juice back and forth. Seung-hyun was just thinking about nothing, but Jae-young was trying to infer the reason for that action.

‘Wasn’t it said that at the recent shareholders’ meeting, Chairman Han blatantly compared Managing Director Han Tae-sung and Director Han, humiliating him.’

 If you think about it that way, the behavior was understandable. Is he doing this for that reason? Jae-young, who thought Seung-hyun was a bit pitiful, unconsciously stroked Seung-hyun’s hair slightly.

“…?”

‘Oops. Was that too rude?’

At the sudden stroking of his hair, Seung-hyun raised his head with a puzzled face. The flustered Jae-young hurriedly tried to pull his hand out, but Seung-hyun grabbed that hand.

“Mmm…”

As  if the cold hand felt good, Seung-hyun rubbed his face against Jae-young’s hand. Jae-young’s body trembled at the pheromones that began to leak out little by little.

“Pheromones are coming out.”

“Pheromones?”

But Seung-hyun, who was not yet familiar with pheromones, only tilted his head, not even knowing that he was emitting pheromones. Unlike Omega pheromones, there was no sweetness at all, but the sensation of it weakly pricking the skin felt just like Seung-hyun.

“I guess it’s because I feel good.”

The face pressing against the cold hand was hot, with a nonchalant expression. Alphas tend to avoid each other’s pheromones, but maybe because Seung-hyun was a rut, it wasn’t unpleasant to the point of being disliked.

“I don’t care what happens to the company. I’m just… going to do everything I want and live.”

“What do you want to do so badly?”

“Hands…”

“I heard that a lot, so besides that.”

Seung-hyun, who had put down the glass that contained the juice, rested his chin on his hand and fell into thought. Things he wanted to do. There were so many that it was a problem.

“…I want to spend money recklessly, I want to have a hotel vacation in the most expensive room.”

For now, trivial things came to mind first. Things that could be done with Han Seung-hyun’s limitless card. 

“I want to laze around at home all day without doing anything or worrying about anything. I want to go on a trip without any plans. Right. The ocean, it’s been a long time since I’ve been to the ocean, to a place with a pretty ocean…”

Next, things that could be done  if he had time came to mind. Nunnunnanna*. Even on the day he went to meet that damn guy, he had to find a part-time replacement and barely made time. 

(*T/N: Not sure what this means)

“And… I wish I had a friend who is similar to me. Someone I can pour my heart out to. I want to date too. I don’t really like being alone.”

And then next, things that couldn’t be done with his own strength alone. But things that could be achieved  if he tried.

“Also… I want to live happily like that for a long, long time.”

Lastly, something came to mind that would be difficult to achieve even with someone’s help. A wish that could never come true now that he had become Han Seung-hyun.

“For a long, long time…”

Seung-hyun, who became even more depressed for no reason, lowered his head with eyes full of tears. Fortunately, Jae-young didn’t find that strange. He just thought the drunk Seung-hyun was being sentimental.

“Why do you hate being alone?”

“Because being alone is lonely. Playing alone is no fun either. Also…”

“Also?” 

“I don’t expect understanding anyway, but still,  if you’re at least by my side… then it would be a little less lonely.”

Seung-hyun spoke in a creeping voice. He only drank juice here, but maybe because he ate it thinking it was alcohol, his face seemed a little redder than before.

“…Then should I stay with you?”

The reason Jae-young said such a thing was purely out of impulse. But somehow, he had a feeling he wouldn’t regret it.