7 – Truth

‘This is unbelievable.’

That Seo Jeong-woon was the man from that time. Do Yi-hyun, who had found no connection whatsoever between the two, couldn’t help but be shocked. He had half given up on finding the man due to his hazy memory, and he had never dreamed in a million years that his one-night stand would turn out to be his company superior.

“Did you not take the pill back then?”

Seo Jeong-woon tilted his head as if he truly couldn’t understand. But somehow, he didn’t seem puzzled; he looked rather pleased.

“……Didn’t we use a condom?”

Do Yi-hyun, who had been staring blankly at Seo Jeong-woon, blinked and asked the question that had been the biggest mystery all along. That question was tantamount to admitting that the child in his belly was Seo Jeong-woon’s. But if Seo Jeong-woon and that man were truly the same person, there was no reason to hide such an obvious fact.

Do Yi-hyun took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure.

‘……Do they look alike?’

Narrowing his eyes, Do Yi-hyun compared the man from his blurry memory to Seo Jeong-woon. If he deliberately scrutinized them point by point, there did seem to be quite a few similarities. The sparkling impression, the relaxed way of speaking.

“Of course we used one, wait a minute. Yi-hyun, you don’t remember?”

“…….”

Seo Jeong-woon, who had vaguely grasped the reason their conversation kept going in circles, furrowed his brow.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t even know it was me?”

Seo Jeong-woon sat on the edge of the bed and scrutinized Do Yi-hyun’s expression. He seemed to have misunderstood, thinking Do Yi-hyun was too drunk to remember. Do Yi-hyun slowly nodded.

To be precise, he hadn’t recognized Seo Jeong-woon, but in conclusion, it was the same.

“Ha, haha.”

Seo Jeong-woon let out a hollow laugh, abruptly stood up, then sat back down on the bed again. Then, he suddenly leaned his face right up to Do Yi-hyun’s.

“How could you forget my face, of all things? It didn’t even seem like you drank that much.”

As if he couldn’t understand it at all, Seo Jeong-woon let out a deep sigh. It was a line that could come off as narcissistic at a glance, but his plain expression made it seem like he was stating an utterly obvious fact. Do Yi-hyun took the opportunity to carefully look Seo Jeong-woon over again.

Perhaps because he saw him often, the striking features had settled quite quickly in Do Yi-hyun’s mind. Though he still couldn’t confidently say he could recall Seo Jeong-woon’s face if he turned around. It was true he had never met anyone as dazzling as Seo Jeong-woon before.

It might be objectively correct for Seo Jeong-woon to take pride in his appearance. But what was important right now wasn’t how beautiful Seo Jeong-woon was.

“So, you’re saying you used a condom?”

Do Yi-hyun asked, lowering his voice as much as possible. He knew it wasn’t a conversation to have in a hospital emergency room, but he couldn’t just wait silently until the IV drip finished.

“I’m not that unscrupulous of a person……”

Seo Jeong-woon, who had confidently opened his mouth as if astonished, suddenly trailed off and touched the corner of his mouth. It was unclear what he remembered, but he wore a rather troubled expression.

“……We used one. We did, but it tore during. And of all times, we ran out, so we just, did it, a few more times, without.”

Seo Jeong-woon rolled his eyes and explained slowly. There were unnatural pauses scattered throughout.

“But I didn’t feel anything……”

Do Yi-hyun awkwardly lowered his gaze to his lap. On that Monday morning when he had slipped out like a fugitive after rolling around in a hotel with Seo Jeong-woon all weekend, Do Yi-hyun hadn’t felt any sense of incongruity.

“Of course not. I cleaned you up so meticulously. That’s why, why did you run away?”

Seo Jeong-woon shot Do Yi-hyun a look that wasn’t exactly unfriendly. Despite the reproachful content, his tone was nothing but affectionate.

“…….”

Do Yi-hyun silently stroked his lower abdomen repeatedly. If he hadn’t slipped away while Seo Jeong-woon was showering back then, how might things have changed by now? Would he have bought and taken the morning-after pill?

Or……. His head felt dazed from learning too many truths at once. Seo Jeong-woon, who had been watching Do Yi-hyun’s reaction for a moment, gazed at the flat lower abdomen containing the child with an unreadable expression.

“Yi-hyun, so you forgot you were in heat too?”

“……I was in heat?”

Do Yi-hyun tightly shut his eyes and pressed his forehead. Truly, the more he heard Seo Jeong-woon’s story, the more absurd it was. For his heat, which only happened maybe two or three times a year at most, to have hit right at that moment.

There had been no warning signs up until just before. Simultaneously, things he hadn’t been able to understand at all until now finally began to make sense one by one. No matter how much he had overindulged in alcohol, he should have sobered up over time.

It had felt uneasy that his memory remained hazy all weekend, but if it overlapped with his heat, that made sense. At some point, the pointed joke ‘you become a beast during your first estrus’ had become widely popular.

‘First estrus’ had two meanings. One was the literal first estrus experienced after presenting as an Alpha or Omega, and the other was the first estrus spent with another person.

Until now, Do Yi-hyun had been able to carry on with daily life as usual even during his heat by taking strong suppressants. This meant the heat he spent with Seo Jeong-woon was a ‘first estrus.’

Just recalling the short fragments of memory made his lower abdomen ache and his spine tingle—how intense must it have been back then? It was enough to completely lose one’s reason to the intense sexual sensations he had never experienced before. He also naturally realized why he had felt so cozy and comfortable by Seo Jeong-woon’s side.

The doctor had pressed him, asking if he was secretly meeting the baby’s mother, and now it turned out he really had been secretly meeting someone. The problem was it was so secret that even the parties involved, Do Yi-hyun and Seo Jeong-woon, hadn’t known. So, it seemed Seo Jeong-woon’s nonsense about waiting endlessly every Friday also meant he wanted to meet at the bar they’d been to before.

No wonder he had lured him out saying they’d go eat fruit, then persistently bombarded him with meaningless questions like which bar he preferred.

“So, you’ve been hitting on me all this time?”

Do Yi-hyun distorted his neat eyebrows and asked slowly. Until now, Do Yi-hyun hadn’t suspected even a speck of impure intent, no matter how aggressively Seo Jeong-woon came on to him. Because he thought Seo Jeong-woon knew him as an Alpha.

But if he knew he was an Omega, that changed the story. No matter how little interest Do Yi-hyun had in romance, he could distinguish that much of a difference.

“Of course. Otherwise, would I have gone to such lengths and shown such devotion?”As expected, Seo Jeong-woon quickly admitted it. He even tilted his head slightly and gave a faint, teasing smile.

“What’s the reason?”

Do Yi-hyun’s brow furrowed even deeper. Seo Jeong-woon had been quite enthusiastic toward him, saying things like they should get to know each other. He had even approached Yi-hyun first when Yi-hyun was drinking alone at the bar.

Someone like Seo Jeong-woon must have had Omegas expressing interest around him overflowing. Just earlier at the bar was proof enough. So, Yi-hyun couldn’t understand why he would bother paying attention to someone who kept pushing him away.

“Well.”

Seo Jeong-woon, who had been speaking smoothly, paused. Then, he stared intently at Yi-hyun with an unreadable expression.

“……It hurts my pride.”

Suddenly, Seo Jeong-woon crossed his arms and sharply turned his head away. His expression seemed somewhat sulky. Seeing that, Yi-hyun was reminded of a line he’d only heard in dramas.

‘You’re the first person to reject me…….’

“You’re the first person to reject me, Yi-hyun-ssi.”

“Haah.”

Yi-hyun shook his head in disbelief. Of course, it probably wasn’t a lie. Come to think of it, he’d heard a similar story a month ago.

‘He said it was the first time he’d been treated like that, right?’

He hadn’t been interested in Seo Jeong-woon, so he’d let it go in one ear and out the other, and the exact words were fuzzy, but the gist was something like that. Judging by that boundless confidence, Seo Jeong-woon was clearly someone who had done the rejecting, not someone who had ever been rejected. He probably got curious and poked at Yi-hyun, then misunderstood Yi-hyun’s rejection and got fired up with a competitive spirit.

Curiosity and stubborn pride. Only then could Yi-hyun understand the reason for Seo Jeong-woon’s fixation on him.

“I have prosopagnosia.”

Yi-hyun confessed the truth to clear up Seo Jeong-woon’s misunderstanding. Just as he hadn’t gone out of his way to reveal he was an Omega, he hadn’t intentionally hidden his prosopagnosia either. He just hadn’t said anything because revealing it would lead to a lot of hassle.

He had experienced to the point of disgust during his school days how troublesome it could be if people around him knew about his prosopagnosia. Some would force him to memorize their faces, others would change their pins or outerwear and test him to see if he recognized them. Whenever Yi-hyun showed up, people would often whisper.

None of them had any real impact on him, but a hassle was still a hassle. It was better to be evaluated as having an unusually indifferent personality toward others, as he was now. It wasn’t exactly wrong, after all.

The reason he revealed everything to Seo Jeong-woon was to let him know he didn’t need to harbor unnecessary stubborn pride.

“Prosopagnosia… you mean face blindness, right? I heard you can’t remember faces well… Is it severe?”

“If I pay attention, it’s not to the point where I can’t recognize someone.”

“But you just don’t make the effort to recognize them, huh.”

Despite Yi-hyun’s vague reply, Seo Jeong-woon hit the nail on the head right away.

“Do you recognize me?”

“Well.”

Yi-hyun gave an evasive answer implying he didn’t. However, because he packaged it with so little sincerity, Seo Jeong-woon immediately caught on to his real answer.

“So all this time, to Yi-hyun-ssi, I was just some crazy bastard?”

“…….”

Yi-hyun made no effort to deny it and maintained his silence. Seo Jeong-woon let out a deep sigh and ran a hand through his hair. He looked quite deflated.

“Executive Director.”

Yi-hyun calmly called Seo Jeong-woon. Now that he knew the man’s identity was Seo Jeong-woon, he was quite flustered, but upon second thought, it might have been for the best. To protect the child, he needed an Alpha’s—Seo Jeong-woon’s—pheromones.

He still didn’t know much about Seo Jeong-woon, but he was sure of one thing: he wasn’t that cold-hearted. If he talked it out well, there was a high possibility Seo Jeong-woon would be somewhat cooperative in sharing his pheromones.

“Hoo. Let’s rest for now. Don’t think about anything else. Once the IV is done, let’s go back to the hotel, get some sleep, and head straight back to Seoul tomorrow morning. Which hospital do you usually go to, Yi-hyun-ssi? They’d know your condition best, right?”

“The business trip isn’t over yet.”

“What does the business trip matter right now?”

Seo Jeong-woon’s expression turned serious as he widened his eyes. He looked ready to unleash an endless stream of nagging if Yi-hyun said one more word. On the other hand, even in this situation, Yi-hyun began to doubt if this business trip had really been necessary.

Yi-hyun was an incurable workaholic.

“Then I’ll head back to Seoul tonight.”

There was no need to wait until morning. Since Omegas were so prone to getting caught up in incidents and accidents, Omega-specialized hospitals operated 24/7, year-round. It was the first time Yi-hyun had collapsed due to someone else’s pheromones, so he was inwardly worried about the child too.

“Let’s go together. I’ll give you a ride.”

“There’s no need for you to……”

“Yi-hyun-ssi, you just collapsed. Don’t push yourself. And I should know too. What your condition is like. And what our child’s condition is like too.”

Seo Jeong-woon seemed determined to accompany Yi-hyun to the hospital. Our child. Yi-hyun momentarily held his breath at the unfamiliar word that slipped from Seo Jeong-woon’s lips.

To Yi-hyun, the world was a place to live alone. So, he had to protect the child alone too. A strange stirring arose from deep within his chest.

The agitation soon subsided, but the peculiar sensation didn’t completely disappear.

“……Alright.”

Yi-hyun forced a nod. Seo Jeong-woon was right. Whether by plane or train, enduring an hour or two in an enclosed space amidst dozens or hundreds of people was dangerous.

“I’m sorry. If I’d known you weren’t feeling well, I wouldn’t have brought you so far away.”

Seo Jeong-woon apologized and lightly tapped Yi-hyun’s shoulder with his fingertips. Yi-hyun should have brushed off the unnecessary contact, but exhausted, he simply closed his eyes.

***

An hour later, Yi-hyun and Seo Jeong-woon stopped by the hotel briefly before heading to Seoul.

Since they hadn’t brought anything, there was nothing to pack. From the moment they left the hospital, Seo Jeong-woon kept following Yi-hyun with a piercing gaze, but he didn’t initiate conversation separately. The smooth ride lulled Yi-hyun’s highly tense nerves.

No, maybe it wasn’t the ride, but Seo Jeong-woon’s presence. Yi-hyun glanced sideways. He happened to meet Seo Jeong-woon’s eyes directly.

“When did you find out I was an Omega?”Do Yi-hyun slowly parted his lips. That day at the bar, why had Seo Jeong-woon approached him first? A bundle of unresolved curiosity still remained.

“Ever since I first saw you two years ago.”

“Huh?”

“I knew right away. I don’t understand why everyone thinks you’re an Alpha.”

Seo Jeong-woon shrugged shamelessly. It was impossible to tell whether he was lying or telling the truth.

“Then, can I ask you one question too?”

Seo Jeong-woon slowly gauged Do Yi-hyun’s reaction. Do Yi-hyun gave a nonchalant nod.

“How can you be so sure it’s me?”

Seo Jeong-woon asked cautiously, tapping the sheet, seemingly worried it might come across as doubting Do Yi-hyun. But Do Yi-hyun didn’t mind at all.

From Seo Jeong-woon’s perspective, it was natural to have doubts. The intercourse with Seo Jeong-woon was the first and last in Do Yi-hyun’s life, so even if he wanted to mistake him for someone else, he couldn’t. Still, he didn’t feel like explaining the circumstances in detail.

“Because there’s only you, Executive Director.”

Do Yi-hyun spat out only the most crucial words, as Seo Jeong-woon often did.

“But…”

Seo Jeong-woon hesitated with a somewhat uncomfortable expression.

“I’ll believe you. Because I want to believe.”

Then, as if suddenly having decided something, he gave a faint smile. For some reason, Do Yi-hyun couldn’t easily look away from Seo Jeong-woon.

“Cover up.”

Perhaps misunderstanding the intent stare, Seo Jeong-woon took off his own jacket and draped it over Do Yi-hyun. Do Yi-hyun pursed his lips and accepted Seo Jeong-woon’s jacket.

***

“Are you the baby’s mother?”

Upon receiving word that Do Yi-hyun had collapsed, the Doctor rushed to the hospital even at an hour close to dawn. Right after delivering the news that the baby was fine, the Doctor shot a disapproving look at Seo Jeong-woon, who was sitting right next to Do Yi-hyun, and threw out a remark.

“The baby… what did you say?”

Seo Jeong-woon, who had been wearing a faint smile, widened his eyes and asked back. Even the easygoing Seo Jeong-woon seemed flustered by the title ‘baby’s mother.’

“I’m asking if you’re the baby’s mother, why aren’t you answering? Are you not?”

It was obvious to anyone that he was a male Alpha, but the Doctor was picking a fight with Seo Jeong-woon for no reason. Seo Jeong-woon looked back at Do Yi-hyun with a puzzled expression. Do Yi-hyun slowly averted his gaze.

If he had known this would happen, he should have corrected it to ‘baby’s father’ instead of ‘baby’s mother.’ Thinking he would never see that man again, he hadn’t cared what the Doctor called him, but now it seemed to have caused an unnecessary misunderstanding.

“Yes, I am the baby’s mother.”

Though it might have been grating to endure the Doctor’s spite, Seo Jeong-woon narrowed his eyes into crescents and smiled brightly.

“Looking like a pretty-boy parasite, and our Yi-hyun…”

The Doctor looked Seo Jeong-woon up and down, openly criticizing him as if talking to himself. Having watched Do Yi-hyun struggle up close all this time, he seemed thoroughly displeased with Seo Jeong-woon, who had only just appeared now.

“Yi-hyun, how did you get tangled up with a guy like this? Did you fall for that pretty face?”

“I never fell.”

Do Yi-hyun bluntly corrected the Doctor’s misunderstanding.

“Haha. I was the one who fell, for Yi-hyun’s face. He’s just too handsome.”

Just as he was about to explain they weren’t in a relationship, Seo Jeong-woon abruptly cut into the conversation. To casually strike up a conversation with the Doctor, who was radiating displeasure, he certainly had nerve.

‘Is it a habit to give empty compliments?’

Do Yi-hyun narrowed his eyes. Even during their one-night stand, Seo Jeong-woon kept calling him pretty. Do Yi-hyun couldn’t bring himself to trust Seo Jeong-woon’s compliments at all.

The Doctor shot Seo Jeong-woon a dissatisfied glance. Unaware that Seo Jeong-woon was skilled at empty flattery, the Doctor seemed slightly mollified when he praised Do Yi-hyun.

‘Impressive.’

Do Yi-hyun had often heard that Seo Jeong-woon was highly sociable. But watching him easily win favor from someone he was meeting for the first time—someone who, far from being friendly, harbored hostility—was fascinating.

“Get over it, my foot. If that were the case, you shouldn’t have left the kid’s condition to deteriorate to this point.”

However, the doctor soon turned his head away, ignoring Seo Jeong-woon. No matter how he thought about it, Seo Jeong-woon seemed infuriating, as the corners of his wrinkled mouth drooped downward. In response to the doctor’s reaction, Seo Jeong-woon’s expression also turned serious.

“Is Lee Hyun’s condition that bad?”

“You came all the way here without knowing that? The kid has such severe morning sickness he can’t even drink water properly. What do you think?”

The doctor retorted sarcastically, slamming his hand on the desk.

“Doctor. We have no relationship.”

Do Yi-hyun called out as if admonishing the doctor and slowly shook his head. It seemed the doctor had misunderstood something due to Seo Jeong-woon’s mischievous joke. But then Seo Jeong-woon suddenly draped his arm over Do Yi-hyun’s shoulder.

“Morning sickness? Lee Hyun has lost weight lately.”

Then he tilted his head at the unfamiliar term. No matter how severe the morning sickness was, Lee Hyun had eaten well in front of Seo Jeong-woon, so it was understandable he was puzzled.

“How bad do you think his condition is for me to prescribe another Alpha’s pheromones when he already has an Alpha who sowed his seed, huh?”

The doctor raised his voice as if losing his temper. Seo Jeong-woon seemed genuinely surprised, his expression stiffening as he looked at Do Yi-hyun. A complex emotion lingered in his distinct features.

If anything, he looked apologetic, but Do Yi-hyun was certain he was mistaken. There was absolutely no reason for Seo Jeong-woon to feel sorry toward him.

“What good are pretty words? An Omega with pheromone rejection symptoms, tsk tsk. To call yourself an Alpha with no sense of responsibility…”

“Let’s stop there, Doctor.”

Do Yi-hyun restrained the doctor again. He understood the doctor’s feelings, but it was uncomfortable to see excessive criticism directed at Seo Jeong-woon.

“He also has pheromone rejection symptoms?”

Seo Jeong-woon furrowed his brow and let out a sigh. Then, as if angry, he bit his lower lip tightly. Do Yi-hyun saw many varied expressions from Seo Jeong-woon today.

Others probably only knew Seo Jeong-woon’s smiling face. Thinking that the sides of Seo Jeong-woon only he knew would all evaporate from memory, he felt a subtle regret. As Seo Jeong-woon showed intense reactions with every word, the doctor glared at him with a look that said,

‘What exactly do you know?’

“Whether Alpha or Omega, just being exposed to pheromones makes it hard to breathe properly, and with morning sickness, he even retches. In severe cases, it can lead to seizures.”

“Then when he collapsed earlier…”

As the doctor explained step by step, Seo Jeong-woon’s complexion darkened. He could easily guess that Do Yi-hyun’s collapse was due to the young Omega who approached him at the hotel bar. Moreover, Taeun Mulsan was famous for having an unusually high number of Alphas and Omegas due to its well-established welfare system based on traits.

About 30% of the total population were Alphas and Omegas, but at Taeun Mulsan, it was nearly half. That was why even riding the elevator had been difficult for Do Yi-hyun.

“Now do you understand how hard it’s been for our Lee Hyun?”

“It was bearable.”

“That sturdy kid was wasting away, how do you think I felt?”

“He wasn’t wasting away.”

Do Yi-hyun refuted the doctor’s absurd statements one by one. As Do Yi-hyun kept interjecting, the doctor, who had been glaring at Seo Jeong-woon, turned his head sharply.

“Are you making a fuss even when someone’s taking your side?”

“Distorting facts is wrong.”

Unlike the doctor or Seo Jeong-woon, Do Yi-hyun’s tone was utterly calm.

“It’s not distortion, it’s exaggeration! And if it had been just a week, no, a day or two later, it could have been really dangerous! The kid who was taken to the emergency room has a lot to say!”

The highly agitated doctor pointed into the air while scolding Do Yi-hyun.

“……”

Do Yi-hyun let the doctor’s angry shouts go in one ear and out the other, sipping his water indifferently. Experience taught him that staying quiet in such situations was best.

“……Am I doing this for my own good? That guy…”

After grumbling for a while, the doctor soon muttered something incomprehensible under his breath. The doctor crossed his arms and sneakily glanced at Do Yi-hyun’s expression. Seo Jeong-woon, who had been stroking his chin in deep thought, also watched their squabble with interest from the sidelines.

“You two have a good relationship. Like grandfather and grandson.”

“Ahem.”

The doctor cleared his throat unnecessarily and glanced sharply at Seo Jeong-woon, who was grinning like a tongue in his mouth. But he didn’t seem to dislike being compared to a grandfather and grandson.

“You rascal, what about this person’s pheromones? Were they okay?”

“Well…”

Do Yi-hyun was about to answer that he didn’t know since he had never smelled Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromones.

“Yes, there was no rejection to my pheromones.”

But Seo Jeong-woon cut off Do Yi-hyun’s words and declared confidently.

“……Have I ever smelled your pheromones, Head of Section?”

“You mean you haven’t?”

Seo Jeong-woon slightly furrowed his elegant eyes, seemingly not expecting Do Yi-hyun to question it.

“After getting pregnant, I mean.”

“Exactly. Of course I have.”

At Seo Jeong-woon’s bold answer, Do Yi-hyun blinked this time. He had no memory of ever smelling Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromones. He didn’t even know what scent they were.

When the word ‘Head of Section’ came from Do Yi-hyun’s mouth, the doctor’s eyes grew even sharper.

“Is this guy that superior of yours?”

“……”

Do Yi-hyun swallowed a sigh. No matter how he thought about it, bringing Seo Jeong-woon to the hospital seemed unnecessary. It only caused a bunch of unnecessary misunderstandings and fully exposed his unstable condition.

He could have just gotten the diagnosis and shown the certificate afterward. But regret always comes too late.

“Wow, Lee Hyun, did you tell the doctor about me? What did you say?”

Seo Jeong-woon’s eyes sparkled as he nudged Do Yi-hyun’s shoulder.

“Nothing much.”

Do Yi-hyun subtly twisted his upper body to disengage his shoulder and replied indifferently. The doctor clicked his tongue, but since it was the truth, he didn’t add anything else. Seo Jeong-woon twisted his neat lips with a hint of disappointment.

“First, get another IV drip. I’ll give you a private room, so you, get a lot of this guy’s pheromones here. You’re an Alpha, so you should know how to handle pheromones, right?”

The doctor grumbled irritably while tapping the keyboard. He was clearly deliberately misaddressing Seo Jeong-woon.

“Of course.”

Seo Jeong-woon should have been offended, but he maintained a beaming smile without batting an eye.

“Mr. Superior. Lee Hyun’s biggest problem is a lack of Alpha pheromones, so stay close as much as possible and release plenty of pheromones. Take good care of his meals. I’m counting on you.”

“Don’t worry.”

Finally, the doctor calmly and earnestly advised Seo Jeong-woon. Seo Jeong-woon nodded and turned to Do Yi-hyun with a bright smile.

“Come together again next time.”

The doctor lightly patted Do Yi-hyun’s shoulder. A look of relief appeared on his wrinkled face as he let out a faint sigh. Do Yi-hyun couldn’t guarantee he’d come with Seo Jeong-woon next time, but feeling grateful and sorry, he pursed his lips and nodded.

Leaving the examination room, Do Yi-hyun followed the nurse’s guidance and walked briskly as usual.

“Be careful, Lee Hyun.”

But Seo Jeong-woon came close and wrapped his arm around Do Yi-hyun’s waist. It was a scene that could be mistaken for a deeply devoted couple.

“Oh my.”

The passing nurses and pregnant women noticed the two, blushed, and hurried past with quick steps. Do Yi-hyun furrowed his brow and pushed Seo Jeong-woon’s side with his elbow, but Seo Jeong-woon maintained a smooth smile and stubbornly held on.

“Sigh.”

Do Yi-hyun had no choice but to head toward the private room as is. Two grown men couldn’t stand in the middle of a hospital corridor having a staring contest.

“He didn’t mean it with ill intent.”

Do Yi-hyun paused to choose his words, trying to explain the doctor’s rather intense words and actions.

“Yes, I know. The doctor seems to care a lot about you, Lee Hyun.”

But before Do Yi-hyun could properly explain, Seo Jeong-woon shook his head. He looked quite pleased despite being unfairly scolded. The two soon arrived at the private room.

The private room wasn’t much. It was just a moderately sized room with a single bed. Do Yi-hyun lay neatly on the bed and offered his left arm to the nurse.

A thick needle pierced his pale skin.

“If you need anything, please press the call bell.”

After the nurse left, Seo Jeong-woon, who had been silently watching from a few steps away, approached. Seo Jeong-woon brought a chair and sat by Do Yi-hyun’s bedside.

“I’ll release my pheromones.”

At Seo Jeong-woon’s whisper, Do Yi-hyun swallowed dryly. Every time he sensed an Alpha’s pheromones, he felt excruciating pain, so his hands and feet reflexively turned cold. Do Yi-hyun clenched his fists and breathed cautiously.

But as time passed, there was no change. Only the faint floral scent that always lingered around Seo Jeong-woon grew distinctly stronger.

“Could this floral scent be your pheromones, Head of Section?”

“You didn’t know, Lee Hyun?”

When Do Yi-hyun asked in surprise, Seo Jeong-woon let out a hollow laugh.

“So that’s why you asked what perfume I was wearing?”

Seo Jeong-woon rested his chin on the back of his hand and gazed steadily at Do Yi-hyun. Do Yi-hyun pressed his lips into a tight line. Not being able to distinguish between perfume and pheromones…

Even though he knew Seo Jeong-woon didn’t mean it maliciously, he felt an unwarranted sense of inadequacy. Before pregnancy, he couldn’t sense pheromones well, and after pregnancy, he had rejection reactions even to faint pheromones. Since the floral scent from Seo Jeong-woon was the only one that didn’t bother him, he naturally assumed it was perfume.

‘Should I even mention that I’m a half-breed Omega?’

Do Yi-hyun ran his tongue over the roof of his mouth. His stoic, burly subordinate, who showed no Omega-like traits, was already bewildered enough by the fact that he was carrying his child; revealing that he was an atypical Omega would be quite awkward.

“It’s really okay, right? Tell me if it’s hard.”

While Do Yi-hyun hesitated, the fragrant floral scent filled the room. Soon, a bitter woody scent mixed in.

‘What is this?’

As Do Yi-hyun furrowed his brow, Seo Jeong-woon chuckled softly.

“My pheromones are a bit unusual. They’re a mix of two scents.”

Seo Jeong-woon wiggled both index fingers left and right. Do Yi-hyun slowly closed his eyelids. It felt like lying under a lushly blooming flowering tree.

“Do you like it?”

“……”

Normally, he would have retorted that it was just necessary, so what did it matter whether he liked it or not. But he didn’t want to break this peace. He wanted to remain quietly immersed in the rich pheromones like this.

“Aren’t you thirsty? Should I buy you something to drink? It’s okay if I step out for a bit, right?”

Seo Jeong-woon clung to the bed and brushed back Do Yi-hyun’s disheveled hair. He had vaguely sensed it since the emergency room—Seo Jeong-woon was suddenly acting excessively affectionate.

“……You don’t need to do this, Head of Section.”

Do Yi-hyun slowly opened his eyes. Seo Jeong-woon had come right up to his face. The fluorescent light pouring from behind looked like a bright halo.

“Ah, you don’t need a drink? Should I just stay here?”

Quick-witted Seo Jeong-woon must have known that wasn’t what Do Yi-hyun meant, but he deliberately changed the subject and smiled brightly.

“I have no intention of dating you, Head of Section. I won’t ask you to take responsibility for the child either.”

Do Yi-hyun expressed his intention in a serious tone to prevent Seo Jeong-woon from interfering. It was all for Seo Jeong-woon’s sake. Objectively speaking, he was a jagged stone that had rolled into Seo Jeong-woon’s life.

He didn’t want to intrude into someone else’s life unnecessarily. More precisely, he didn’t want to be treated like a rolling stone.

“Didn’t you hear what the doctor said? You’re in danger without my pheromones, Lee Hyun.”

“……If you could help until the stabilization period, I’ll manage on my own after that.”

Of course, he couldn’t deny needing Seo Jeong-woon’s help, but beyond that, he wanted nothing else. Occasionally releasing pheromones like now would be enough. If Seo Jeong-woon found regular meetings burdensome, a pheromone prescription would also be fine.

After all, Do Yi-hyun’s plans wouldn’t change without Seo Jeong-woon. From the beginning, Seo Jeong-woon wasn’t part of Do Yi-hyun’s plans.

“……”

As Do Yi-hyun’s words continued, the smile gradually faded from Seo Jeong-woon’s lips. His cold, ashen-gray eyes painfully pierced Do Yi-hyun.

“I won’t make unreasonable demands using the child as leverage, so you don’t need to worry. If you wish, I’m fully willing to draft a contract. I won’t tell the child about you either. So…”

“Lee Hyun, wait a moment.”

“……Let’s return to an ordinary superior-subordinate relationship like before. Just acquaintances who exchange greetings when we occasionally meet.”

Despite Seo Jeong-woon’s interruption, Do Yi-hyun stubbornly continued what he had to say. Although a series of coincidences led to an unexpected pregnancy, ultimately, Do Yi-hyun’s mistake was the biggest. He meant there was no need to argue over right and wrong and make each other awkward.

“Are you saying that seriously right now?”

“Yes.”

As Do Yi-hyun stood firm, Seo Jeong-woon irritably swept back his hair. Do Yi-hyun looked at Seo Jeong-woon calmly. Wondering if he had grown fond of Seo Jeong-woon without realizing it, he felt a slight regret at the thought of returning to a time when they had no connection.

“You’re really consistent, Lee Hyun.”

Seo Jeong-woon shook his head dejectedly. Unable to gauge the meaning, Do Yi-hyun remained silent out of habit.

“I’m the child’s mother.”

Then Seo Jeong-woon, who had brought his face closer, spat out with a thoroughly sulky expression. Do Yi-hyun pressed the corners of his sore eyes with his fingertips. Whether his eyes were mistaken, Seo Jeong-woon seemed hurt.

“Head of Section, that’s…”

“It’s my child too, not just yours, Lee Hyun. I’ll take responsibility.”

Just as Do Yi-hyun was about to carefully explain the circumstances behind the incorrect title of ‘child’s mother,’ Seo Jeong-woon cut him off as if uninterested.

‘Take responsibility? Why, when I said it’s unnecessary?’

Do Yi-hyun frowned as he looked up at Seo Jeong-woon, who was being strangely stubborn. He had no idea at which point Seo Jeong-woon’s judgment had become twisted again.

“You’re not the child’s mother.”

“Ah, do you want to be the child’s mother, Lee Hyun? I don’t mind either way.”

“……”

“You don’t like it? Then I’ll be the child’s mother.”

Do Yi-hyun pointed out that the premise itself was flawed to cut off Seo Jeong-woon’s obstinacy. Instead, an absurd conversation devoid of logic ensued. He was left speechless.

“The doctor said to come together next time too. I don’t want to get scolded again.”

As Do Yi-hyun’s expression stiffened, Seo Jeong-woon quickly changed tactics. Mentioning the doctor’s advice, Seo Jeong-woon lowered his long eyelashes, pretending to be pitiful.

“It was just something he said…”

“I know it wasn’t.”

Seo Jeong-woon refused to back down. He knew, but it was truly self-willed. How could he speak of taking responsibility out of mere stubbornness over something as significant as having a child?

Do Yi-hyun was not at all pleased with Seo Jeong-woon’s careless attitude. How long would his interest in him and the child last? A month?

Half a year? If he wasn’t going to be a parent for a lifetime, it would be much more helpful if he stayed out of it from the start.

“Sigh. What do you mean by taking responsibility? Are you saying you’ll even marry me?”

Unable to bear it, Do Yi-hyun rebuked him. No matter how laid-back he seemed, Seo Jeong-woon was a legitimate chaebol heir. He would never accept a marriage that offered no merit, let alone love.

It was a euphemistic refusal, telling him to stop with the nonsensical talk.

“Ah, should I?”

But far from being embarrassed, Seo Jeong-woon asked back breezily. He even smiled brightly as if it were welcome news.

“Are you insane?”

Do Yi-hyun glared at Seo Jeong-woon in disgust.

“There’s no need to be that horrified.”

Seo Jeong-woon pouted slightly and shrugged his shoulders. His relaxed attitude suggested he had anticipated Do Yi-hyun’s reaction.

“I’m not joking.”

Do Yi-hyun pressed his full lips tightly together. This was a matter that would determine the rest of his life. Seo Jeong-woon’s casual, teasing attitude was utterly infuriating.

“I know.”

Seo Jeong-woon also wiped the smile from his face.

“You won’t listen to me no matter how much I try to persuade you right now, will you?”

“No.”

As Do Yi-hyun took a firm stance, Seo Jeong-woon made an inscrutable expression. After a brief pause, Seo Jeong-woon rested his chin on the back of his hand and gently curved the corners of his mouth.

“But you see, Mr. Lee Hyun. My family has had few children for generations. If they find out you’re carrying my child, they won’t just sit back and do nothing.”

“……What do you mean by that?”

‘Is he saying they’ll even take the child away?’ Do Yi-hyun reflexively wrapped his arms around his stomach and leaned his upper body back. If Taewon Group was truly determined, there was realistically no way to protect the child.

‘No.’

Do Yi-hyun’s already pale complexion turned completely ashen.

“Yeah, so don’t push me away too much. You need me to protect the child. I’ll help you.”

Seo Jeong-woon reached out and gently stroked Do Yi-hyun’s firm cheek. After threatening him with a smiling face, he immediately clung to him again as if pleading. Do Yi-hyun, not even registering Seo Jeong-woon’s touch, fell into deep contemplation.

Then, he suddenly remembered what Kim Yu-min had been chattering about.

“……But, Executive Director, don’t you have two siblings?”

Seo Jeong-woon had one older sister and one older brother. The credibility of his claim about the family having few children seemed questionable.

“What’s this? You knew? Looks like you were interested in me too, Mr. Lee Hyun?”

A flushed Seo Jeong-woon leaned his upper body forward. They were so close that if he bowed his head just a little more, their lips would touch. Only then did Do Yi-hyun push Seo Jeong-woon’s arm and shoulder away and cast a suspicious glance at him.

He had momentarily forgotten that Seo Jeong-woon was someone who could lie without batting an eye.

“Three were born into a family with few children, so my grandmother was overjoyed. My parents worked very hard.”

Seo Jeong-woon said with a sly smile, stringing together words that were somewhere between an excuse and an explanation.

“You said you’d write up a contract earlier, right? Fine. Let’s make a contract. But on the condition that we cooperate with each other until the child is born. You want to protect the child, and I want to take responsibility for you. Our interests align, don’t they? How about it?”

“……”

Do Yi-hyun stared intently at Seo Jeong-woon. If they stipulated in the contract that he would receive a steady supply of pheromones until entering the stabilization period, there was nothing bad about it for Do Yi-hyun. No, it was actually welcome news.

But he couldn’t gauge what benefit Seo Jeong-woon would gain from this.

“……Until the child is born, you say.”

“Yes. We can think about what to do after that later.”

“Then what about other conditions……”

For the first time, Do Yi-hyun showed a positive reaction to Seo Jeong-woon’s proposal. By the time the child was born, there would be more than enough time for that inexplicable obsession to disappear.

“Let’s talk about the details later. When you’re feeling better, Mr. Lee Hyun. It’s not urgent right now. Do you know how pale you look right now?”

Seo Jeong-woon narrowed his eyes and nagged, then suddenly grabbed Do Yi-hyun’s hand.

“What are you doing?”

“It’s a waste. Letting the pheromones go to waste.”

Seo Jeong-woon glanced at the empty air and then even rested his cheek against the back of Do Yi-hyun’s hand.

“……”

Do Yi-hyun couldn’t bring himself to deny it and closed his mouth. It was indeed much more efficient to be in contact than to spray pheromones into the air while staying far apart. Especially the larger the area of contact, the more so.

He glared at Seo Jeong-woon with his pitch-black eyes. He was quite dissatisfied with how he was being helplessly swayed by Seo Jeong-woon since earlier. Despite Do Yi-hyun’s hostile expression, Seo Jeong-woon smiled brightly.

“And today, come to my place and sleep together.”

Seo Jeong-woon pressed his lips against the back of Do Yi-hyun’s hand and mumbled. The breath that brushed and scattered against his skin tickled, making Do Yi-hyun twitch his fingers.

“Why should I go there?”

Do Yi-hyun didn’t hide his wariness and showed it plainly.

“Mr. Lee Hyun, you said you’re severely lacking in my pheromones, right? You even collapsed because of it. I’m just worried, that’s all. I won’t do anything weird. I promise. We have to think of the baby.”

Despite Seo Jeong-woon’s earnest request, Do Yi-hyun intended to refuse outright. The pheromones he had just shared should be sufficient for the time being. But at Seo Jeong-woon’s final added words, he reluctantly nodded slowly.

***

“Think of it as your own home and make yourself comfortable.”

Seo Jeong-woon opened the large front door wide and smiled softly. Do Yi-hyun listened to the affectionate voice and looked down awkwardly. Seo Jeong-woon hadn’t let go of Do Yi-hyun’s waist since leaving the hospital.

If Do Yi-hyun showed any opening, he seemed ready to pick him up and carry him, not even letting him walk. It was confusing whether he had an overprotective tendency or was simply doing this because he found Do Yi-hyun’s reactions amusing. He could have stopped him, but he let it be purely because of the faint, sweet pheromones lingering around his nose.

Do Yi-hyun took a deep breath as he entered Seo Jeong-woon’s house. He could feel Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromones subtly permeating the space itself. Though he didn’t want to admit it, it was comfortable.

He had said he lived alone, but Seo Jeong-woon’s house was much larger than the hotel he had stayed at in Busan. At this size, one could truly get lost inside.

“Shall I get you something to drink? Is there anything you want to eat?”

“……Do you have orange juice?”

Do Yi-hyun sat on the sofa and answered slowly. He kept craving something refreshing.

“Hmm, I’ll go buy some. Wait a moment.”

Seo Jeong-woon made a troubled expression, rolling his grayish-brown eyes, then picked up the coat he had just taken off.

“Then water is fine.”

“No. I’ll be right back, so just rest. You can look around too.”

Seo Jeong-woon left in a flash without giving him a chance to stop him. Do Yi-hyun looked at Seo Jeong-woon’s empty spot and slightly furrowed his brow. He didn’t understand how he was supposed to rest comfortably when the homeowner wasn’t even here.

Without moving from his seat, he looked around the room once. The excessively open view felt rather awkward and uncomfortable. Do Yi-hyun tapped the soft sofa leather a few times, then gently closed his eyes.

Since he had come all the way here because of the pheromones, he was determined to get his fill before leaving.

‘Who knows when he might change his mind again.’

Do Yi-hyun did not trust the fickle Seo Jeong-woon. Even if they stamped a contract, he wouldn’t be able to trust him to the end. Perhaps it was because he had once smelled Seo Jeong-woon’s intensely flowing pheromones.

Do Yi-hyun could easily detect the subtly mixed woody scent within the fragrant floral aroma. The tightly set corners of Do Yi-hyun’s mouth relaxed loosely. It felt a bit awkward, as if he were being held in Seo Jeong-woon’s embrace, but it wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

The quiet peace didn’t last long. Seo Jeong-woon really returned in less than ten minutes. Carrying a heavy paper bag filled in both hands.

“I didn’t know what you’d like, so I just bought everything.”

Seo Jeong-woon arranged the contents of the paper bag on the living room table with a shy smile. Do Yi-hyun was speechless as he watched the endless stream of items. There were six types of orange juice alone, and juices ranging from apple juice to ones made from fruits he had never seen or heard of.

“This is enough.”

Do Yi-hyun picked up the orange juice closest to him with a weary face.

“Do you like that one?”

Seo Jeong-woon’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the product Do Yi-hyun had picked up.

“No.”

Do Yi-hyun answered indifferently. He wasn’t particularly picky. Orange juice was orange juice; what difference could there be?

As he was about to roughly open the packaging, Seo Jeong-woon snatched the orange juice Do Yi-hyun was holding.

“You don’t seem to have anything you like, Mr. Lee Hyun.”

Seo Jeong-woon grumbled and opened the packaging for him instead. Then he even stuck in a straw before handing it back to Do Yi-hyun.

“……”

Do Yi-hyun stared at Seo Jeong-woon with an incredulous face, then reluctantly took the juice. It was cool, sweet, and sour, quite to his liking.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

Seo Jeong-woon sat on the sofa and gestured with his chin towards the suit Do Yi-hyun was wearing. Despite the spacious area that could easily seat ten people, Seo Jeong-woon insisted on sticking right next to Do Yi-hyun. Do Yi-hyun, who had reflexively tried to move away, stayed silent in his spot due to the now stronger pheromones.

“……I’m fine.”

“You can’t sleep in that.”

Seo Jeong-woon smiled strangely and suddenly reached for Do Yi-hyun’s vest. The first button came undone with surprising ease.

“What are you doing?”

“It’s the clothes I gifted you.”

Seo Jeong-woon looked Do Yi-hyun up and down with a very satisfied expression. He even seemed somewhat proud for a moment.

‘What does that have to do with anything?’

Was he trying to show off now? Do Yi-hyun grabbed Seo Jeong-woon’s wrist.

“Mr. Lee Hyun, don’t tell me you don’t know? The reason for gifting clothes.”

Seo Jeong-woon blinked his eyes with clear intent.

“How would I know?”

“Hahaha.”

When Do Yi-hyun retorted coldly, Seo Jeong-woon burst into a hearty laugh. Come to think of it, Seo Jeong-woon laughed easily at strange points.

“I’ll let it slide just this once. Because you’re cute, Mr. Lee Hyun.”

Seo Jeong-woon chuckled and spouted nonsense, then brought a set of pajamas. They were ordinary navy blue pajamas with vertical stripes.

“……I’ll change into them a little later.”

Do Yi-hyun hesitated, then placed the pajamas beside the sofa. The two had seen each other at their best and worst during the long night they spent together. It might seem silly to be reserved now, but to Do Yi-hyun, Seo Jeong-woon still held a stronger image as his superior.

For Do Yi-hyun, who strictly separated work and personal matters, it was psychologically difficult to be in a defenseless state of dress in front of his superior.

“Do as you like.”

Seo Jeong-woon rested his arm on the back of the sofa and gazed intently at Do Yi-hyun. An awkward silence fell. Do Yi-hyun fiddled with the empty orange juice bottle for no reason.

“Can I touch it?”

Seo Jeong-woon threw out a sudden question.

‘What does he mean?’

Turning his head curiously, Do Yi-hyun noticed that Seo Jeong-woon’s gaze was fixed on his stomach.

“There’s no fetal movement or anything like that yet.”

“Still.”

“You promised you wouldn’t do anything weird.”

As Do Yi-hyun showed wariness again, Seo Jeong-woon slumped his shoulders with a hurt expression.

“Is this something weird? The baby’s mom saying hello to the baby?”

“……Executive Director.”

Every time Seo Jeong-woon brought up the baby, Do Yi-hyun’s heart softened uncharacteristically. He was aware of it, but he couldn’t bring himself to refuse harshly.

“I even asked for permission, right? Huh? Just once.”

Seo Jeong-woon tilted his head and looked up at Do Yi-hyun, pleading. Somehow, he felt like he would become trash if he refused that request.

“……Just once.”

Do Yi-hyun gave a dry cough and agreed as if in pain. He thought Seo Jeong-woon would reach out abruptly, but instead, Seo Jeong-woon carefully placed just his fingertips on Do Yi-hyun’s lower abdomen. Tap, tap.

Seo Jeong-woon lightly tapped over the clothes as if playing or sending a signal, then slowly placed his palm. It was a cautious touch, as if afraid it might break if handled wrongly.

‘It tickles.’

Do Yi-hyun gritted his teeth. Being on the sturdy side, he wasn’t used to this ticklish treatment. The body heat warming his lower abdomen was also unfamiliar.

“Hello, baby. It’s Mommy.”

Seo Jeong-woon bowed his head and whispered to Do Yi-hyun’s lower abdomen. Do Yi-hyun was irresistibly drawn to the gentle smile on Seo Jeong-woon’s lips.

“……How long do you intend to use that ‘Mommy’ title?”

Do Yi-hyun was momentarily dazed, then a beat later, he frowned.

“You don’t like it?”

“It’s not that……”

At Seo Jeong-woon’s shameless retort, Do Yi-hyun vaguely trailed off. He meant it was because he wasn’t the baby’s mother. But afraid that saying something unnecessary might provoke Seo Jeong-woon, he quietly closed his mouth.

Just as his patience was nearing its limit, Seo Jeong-woon pulled his hand away with a very regretful expression. Only then did Do Yi-hyun let out the breath he had been holding up to his chin. He hadn’t realized at all that he had been holding his breath until that moment.

“Mr. Lee Hyun, it’s true that you don’t get morning sickness when you’re with me, right?”

Do Yi-hyun glanced at Seo Jeong-woon, who had been beaming since earlier. He couldn’t understand the intention behind asking for confirmation again when he already knew from the doctor.

“That’s a relief. Is there anything you want to eat?”

Without any answer, Seo Jeong-woon shook his head on his own.

“There isn’t.”

“Don’t be like that.”

“……Really, there isn’t.”

Do Yi-hyun’s speech gradually slowed. It was because sleepiness was overwhelming him. His eyelids began to feel heavy and droop.

“Haha.”

Seo Jeong-woon laughed softly and gently touched Do Yi-hyun’s hair. Do Yi-hyun twitched his fingers, but the touch was so tender, as if handling something precious, that he couldn’t bring himself to push it away. In that short moment, it seemed Seo Jeong-woon had figured out exactly how to act to make Do Yi-hyun soften.

For Do Yi-hyun, that was not good news.

“Sleep well, Mr. Lee Hyun.”

Seo Jeong-woon whispered in a gentle voice. Instantly, Do Yi-hyun helplessly fell into sleep. In his drowsy state, he felt a floating sensation as if his body were levitating in the air.

Do Yi-hyun’s arm, which had been habitually wrapped around his stomach, went slack. Do Yi-hyun took a sweet breath. It seemed like he could finally sleep very soundly after a long time.