By Zephyria At the same time, Kwon Tae-hee was watching the two of them intently. It was dark, with no streetlights, and Kang Da-hyun and Seo Jeong-won weren’t paying much attention to their surroundings, so they didn’t notice anyone was watching them.
In the dark surroundings, only their vicinity was brightly lit as if a spotlight was on them, making it all too clear that Seo Jeong-won was nestled in his arms. Seo Jeong-won tilted his head slightly, perhaps in conversation, and his expression was unusually distinct even in the night.
He had expected that Seo Jeong-won would be withering away, unable to receive the Alpha pheromone shower he desperately needed and only barely holding on with supplements. But to be honest, Seo Jeong-won looked much brighter and more comfortable than when he was with him. No, to be precise, he had thought Seo Jeong-won looked the same as when he was by his side until the afternoon, but as soon as that clumsy Alpha arrived, his complexion brightened.
Seo Jeong-won running out without even putting on his shoes properly and Kang Da-hyun jumping out of the driver’s seat were etched into his eyes as clearly as if they were engraved. Anyone who saw them would easily mistake them for lovers. They even looked as if they had been forcibly separated and reunited, so affectionate were they. The way they looked into each other’s eyes and smiled was so natural.
Seo Jeong-won didn’t even look hurt when he was pulled away from the embrace. Instead, he looked like he wanted to soothe the embarrassed Alpha. It was unfamiliar. The emotions he had never shown him were so clearly visible.
The two went into the house side by side and then came out again. Before getting into the car, Seo Jeong-won burst into a big laugh. He was curious. What on earth had been said to make him laugh so brightly?
He had expected them to just go out for some sashimi when they drove into the city, but the menu was king crab. He heard them picking and choosing in front of the tank, asking for the biggest ones to be caught. The ridiculous behavior made his blood rush to his head, and he couldn’t help but frown. He naturally put a cigarette in his mouth, something he had almost stopped doing since meeting Seo Jeong-won.
Which of the two should he beat to a pulp? It would be that brat, of course. The answer was already decided, but he pretended to consider it for a moment, like other people would.
“Ha.”
Did he still have lingering feelings even after seeing that? He seemed to have already forgotten how Seo Jeong-won clung to him, moaning. That must be why he had come running at Seo Jeong-won’s single phone call. Because he still liked him. Maybe he should have shown them having sex instead of just kissing.
He didn’t even notice the cigarette in his mouth burning down to the filter. Kwon Tae-hee naturally took out another cigarette and put it in his mouth. While he repeated the action of inhaling and shaking off the ashes, he received news that they had finished their meal quite aggressively.
According to what he had observed, Seo Jeong-won had eaten the king crab without frowning once. He had eaten so much rice and ramen that he was worried he would get indigestion. He had heard that he couldn’t even put anything with a strong smell in his mouth due to his constant morning sickness, but he seemed to have no problem with steamed seafood.
“Executive Director, shall we head back now?” Chief Jung asked.
“No, let’s watch them go into the house.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Kwon Tae-hee noticed that Chief Jung’s eyes held a hint of worry that he might be caught, but he wanted to follow the two of them conspicuously. He felt a crude emotion rising within him towards Seo Jeong-won, who suspected nothing.
Even now, you don’t know? Even now, you really don’t know?
How can you not know this much? Shouldn’t you realize by now who is protecting you? Everything is so perfectly unnatural. It’s as if it was made just for me.
His initial thought that Seo Jeong-won should never find out had completely changed. Now, he wished he would find out as soon as possible. Even if he was oblivious, he shouldn’t be doing so well without him. It made him feel petty, a vulgar expression, but there was no more accurate word to describe his feelings. He had wanted to comfort Seo Jeong-won when he was cornered and collapsing in front of him, but now the ground beneath his own feet was collapsing as he watched him.
“Ah, they’re coming out.”
“Follow them slowly.”
“Yes.”
Seeing him cherish Seo Jeong-won as he helped him into the passenger seat made a fire blaze in his chest. He couldn’t control his emotions, even though he knew Chief Jung was watching him. Uncontrolled pheromones overflowed. Kwon Tae-hee opened the window as if he was suffocating. At the same time, he secretly hoped that his pheromones would be carried by the wind and reach Seo Jeong-won.
“Acting like he’s dating my Omega, how presumptuous.”
While he was opening the window and cooling down the heat with the cold wind, the car’s speed gradually slowed down and then sped up again. He was on edge, wondering if the brat had been drinking.
“Ah…! I’m sorry.”
Chief Jung’s exclamation and apology followed. When he turned his head, he saw that the car carrying Seo Jeong-won had suddenly pulled into a convenience store parking lot. Chief Jung, having missed the timing, couldn’t turn the steering wheel and drove straight past.
“Good job. Let’s go home.”
“Yes, I’ll take you to Seoul.”
“I said, go to Seo Jeong-won’s house.”
“Ah, yes. I understand.”
Chief Jung parked the car not far from Seo Jeong-won’s house. It was a place where the streetlights didn’t reach. The road, with no passing cars, was as empty as a vacant lot. Kwon Tae-hee impulsively got out of the car, feeling suffocated. He wondered how long he had been listening to the sound of crashing waves when he saw the faint headlights of a familiar car entering the parking lot.
Kwon Tae-hee watched the car with indifferent eyes. The driver’s side door opened, and Kang Da-hyun got out. As he opened the passenger door with a rather urgent gesture, Seo Jeong-won got out of the car, leaning on him as if he was pouring out. A shitty feeling welled up like dirty water. Kwon Tae-hee nervously swept back his hair.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
The excessively close distance was unbearably irritating. In the otherwise silent place, the laughter of the two could be heard. Seo Jeong-won was still in Kang Da-hyun’s arms. Why was he doing that when his legs weren’t broken? Did his feet hurt? Fuck. How long was that bastard going to hold Seo Jeong-won? At that moment, Kwon Tae-hee understood exactly what it felt like to have his vision turn red.
Unable to hear the conversation they were having, his mind made up its own content. The crude imagination made him feel nauseous.
Seo Jeong-won eventually moved with support until the end. The front door opened, and the two disappeared into the house. Kwon Tae-hee’s gaze couldn’t leave the closed door. It was as if someone would reappear if he kept watching. He was so focused that he didn’t even notice someone standing next to him.
“Executive Director.”
“Ah.”
“You’ve been out here for too long. I’m worried about your health.”
“I guess so. It’s really harmful.”
Kwon Tae-hee didn’t know that he had become a harmful presence to Seo Jeong-won until he left his side. No, to be honest, he didn’t realize it even after he left. Only after the physical distance became clear and he confirmed that Seo Jeong-won’s face was noticeably more comfortable than when he was by his side did he come to admit it. That his existence was harmful to Seo Jeong-won.
And similarly, Seo Jeong-won, whom he could only watch, had become harmful to him. The longer he was away from him, the harder it became to stay sane. At the same time, the violent and absurd fantasies targeting Seo Jeong-won became more and more elaborate and detailed. Impulses surged at any time, and sometimes they were difficult to control. That’s why he would leave the house late at night or early in the morning without any plan. Then, when he came to his senses, he was always in front of Seo Jeong-won’s house.
“I wish he would come back soon, but I can’t think of a way to do it.”
His mind was so hot that he couldn’t think straight. Kwon Tae-hee, who had taken his eyes off the house he had been watching for a while, moved slowly. Then, he stood in front of the open car door for a long time. He was afraid that Seo Jeong-won would become even more desperate, that he would lose control of himself and finally show himself in front of him.
Like Seo Jeong-won, who had wanted to cling to him and beg, he was afraid that he would cling to Seo Jeong-won and beg, saying that it was all his fault.
Kwon Tae-hee looked at the place wrapped in warm light with lingering eyes, as pathetic as could be, before finally squeezing himself into the car as if in resignation.