By Zephyria 
Han Seung-jae moved the phone slightly away from his ear. Seo Yi-kyung’s fingers, which were holding his hand, were neatly trimmed and rounded. Perhaps it was because they were the hands of a painter. They were warm, small, and soft. Seo Yi-kyung’s face looked as though he might collapse if touched even slightly.
Han Seung-jae tapped the palm of Seo Yi-kyung’s hand with his fingers.
“Go up first.”
[Are you even listening to me?]
“I’m listening.”
Han Seung-jae brought the phone back to his ear. He stopped walking, turned around, and sat back down at the table. Han Seung-jae gestured with his head toward Secretary Park. Secretary Park approached Seo Yi-kyung and offered to guide him.
“Please follow me. I will escort you to the room.”
Seo Yi-kyung slowly pushed himself up from the table. He gazed blankly at Han Seung-jae. Han Seung-jae gripped the wine glass in front of him.
He swirled the glass and took a light sip. Han Seung-jae’s brow furrowed. He didn’t usually enjoy drinking wine. He tended to choose whisky, but since Seo Yi-kyung was here today, he had matched his choice. However, Seo Yi-kyung merely looked at the wine and didn’t even touch it.
Han Seung-jae leaned back in his chair, watching Seo Yi-kyung’s receding figure.
[It reminds me of when you two were young.]
Han Yechan’s sentimental voice drifted through the phone. Min Chae-ho was his father’s old friend. It seemed he was with him.
[Seon-woong said he’s coming too, so come over here once your meeting is finished.]
Min Seon-woong was Min Chae-ho’s second son, and he was an Alpha.
“Did you call just to say something so trivial?”
[What?]
As Han Seung-jae set down his empty wine glass, a staff member approached to refill it. However, at a glance from Han Seung-jae, the staff member stopped pouring and retreated.
Han Seung-jae casually brushed back his hair. His eyes were quite sharp.
“The meeting is running long. I don’t think I can make it, so don’t wait for me.”
Han Seung-jae pressed the button on the phone, cutting off the call just as Han Yechan’s voice was continuing to leak through.
Step, step. He reached the elevator, receiving greetings from the staff. As the elevator arrived and the doors opened, Secretary Park pressed the button. The doors closed as Han Seung-jae stepped inside.
“I came down after confirming that you had entered.”
“…….”
Without answering, Han Seung-jae handed the phone he was holding to Secretary Park. Secretary Park took it and placed it in his inner pocket. Han Seung-jae wore a look of deep thought.
“Earlier.”
“Yes.”
Han Seung-jae traced the warmth remaining on his fingertips. Seo Yi-kyung had definitely held his hand and said something. That…
“Did you hear it?”
“Are you referring to President Han’s phone call?”
“No, not that. If you didn’t hear it, forget it.”
Ding. With a clear chime, the elevator doors opened.
“Ah, and send some room service up.”
Han Seung-jae trailed off, recalling the fact that Seo Yi-kyung had eaten nothing—neither wine nor food.
“Understood.”
Han Seung-jae’s stride was confident as he walked down the carpeted hallway. Eventually, he stopped in one place. As he opened the door, the words Seo Yi-kyung had spoken echoed in his ears.
—Don’t go.
Clearly, Seo Yi-kyung had held Han Seung-jae’s hand, looked at him, and said those words.
* * *
Myungjun Financial Group, President’s Office.
“Honestly, I wonder who he takes after to have such a temper.”
Seated on the sofa, Han Yechan held the disconnected phone with a dissatisfied expression. At that, the secretary standing nearby took the phone and placed it back in its spot.
“Who does he take after? Isn’t it because he takes after you?”
Min Chae-ho, who was beside him, let out a laugh. His face and neck were riddled with wrinkles to the point that it was hard to believe he was the same age as Han Yechan.
“Well, you’re not wrong. Not because you’re the one saying it, but when I look at our Seung-jae, I’m reminded of my own youth. At that age, I was fearless and had no dread.”
“Isn’t your nerve still plenty thick even now?”
“I suppose so. Even now, I can easily handle dozens of Omegas in a single night. Come to think of it, Seon-woong takes after you a lot too. He’s still a college student, right?”
Han Yechan and Min Chae-ho exchanged faded stories. Just then, there was a knock, and the secretary approached the door.
The closed door opened, and Min Seon-woong, dressed in a black suit, entered. With a bright expression, he walked in composedly and took a seat next to Min Chae-ho.
“Welcome. We were just talking about you.”
Han Yechan skillfully changed the subject. The secretary placed a coffee in front of Min Seon-woong.
“Have you been well?”
“Of course. I told Seung-jae to come as well, but it seems his meeting is running long today. By the way, didn’t you say there was something you wanted to ask? If you tell me, I’ll pass it on to Seung-jae.”
“I wanted to see Hyung’s face and tell him myself.”
Min Chae-ho lifted the coffee cup in front of him to his lips. After taking a sip of the slightly cooled coffee, he stared at Min Seon-woong, who was smiling brightly.
“I want to join the Alpha gathering too.”
“The Alpha gathering?”
Han Yechan asked as if questioning. Min Chae-ho chimed in.
“Apparently, there’s a gathering for socializing. After hearing about it, Seon-woong has been pestering me for days to let him meet Seung-jae because he wants to join. Honestly, this boy.”
Min Chae-ho clicked his tongue in a short sigh. Nevertheless, Min Seon-woong added while looking at Han Yechan.
“Yes. Please make sure to tell Seung-jae Hyung to let me in.”
Han Yechan seemed to fall into thought for a moment, then spoke casually.
“Sure, sure. It’s not like that’s a difficult task. I’ll tell Seung-jae.”
“Thank you. I’ll just be in the restroom for a moment.”
Min Seon-woong opened the door and stepped outside. The long hallway was filled with silence. The only sound was the noise of his shoes as he walked.
The Seeum Global Trading Company, where his father Min Chae-ho served as President, was a building incomparably tall and large. Furthermore, the marble floor he stepped on was so polished and free of dust that Min Seon-woong’s face was reflected in it.
Min Seon-woong entered the elevator. He boldly pressed a random floor and stepped out. Unlike the upper floors where the President’s office was located, he watched the people bustling back and forth. Throughout his walk, no one paid him any attention.
Suddenly, an employee heading toward the elevator was flipping through documents while holding a phone against their shoulder.
“Are you sure you gave it to me? I can’t find it anywhere.”
Min Seon-woong casually extended his elbow and bumped the arm of the man walking toward him, causing the documents he was holding and the phone pressed to his shoulder to scatter across the floor.
Hurriedly leaning down, the employee said,
“Ah, I’m sorry. I was on the phone and didn’t see where I was going.”
Min Seon-woong brushed his elbow. The employee, who was frantically picking up the documents from the marble floor, looked at the phone with a cracked screen. Min Seon-woong picked up a piece of paper beneath his foot and handed it to him.
“It’s okay. Just be careful next time.”
Min Seon-woong walked away leisurely. Behind him, the employee stared at the clear shoe print stamped on the document, then looked at the shattered screen with a devastated expression.
* * *
Swoosh—
Seo Yi-kyung, standing in the shower booth, let the warm water wash over his entire body. His unfocused eyes captured the city skyline visible through the window, which had already grown dark.
Seo Yi-kyung lowered his head and stroked his flat stomach. With the naked eye, there was no way he could find any change. Nevertheless, Seo Yi-kyung continued to stroke the same spot for a while.
How long had he been doing that? Seo Yi-kyung stepped out of the shower booth with a gloomy face. He had been to the hospital, he had heard those words from the doctor, so why wouldn’t those words come out in front of Han Seung-jae?
Seo Yi-kyung put on a bathrobe and draped a towel over his wet hair. He slowly tied the belt once. It seemed like it would come undone if he just pulled it, but he could just change into clothes as soon as he went out.
Leaving the bathroom, Seo Yi-kyung passed the bar lined with liquor. The long bar table was decorated with fresh flowers, and baskets held various types of fruit.
Seo Yi-kyung’s gaze suddenly landed on the fruit. He reached out and picked up an apple. He had no appetite, but he realized he hadn’t eaten anything all day. That was likely why he felt so weak. He felt he had to eat something.
Just as he was about to continue walking while taking a bite of the apple, Seo Yi-kyung’s legs came to a sudden halt.
His eyes locked with Han Seung-jae, who was also wearing a bathrobe and sitting on the sofa. Moisture still remained in his hair. He shook the whisky glass he was holding. The ice clinked against the glass, making a crystalline sound.
“Come here.”
The tips of Seo Yi-kyung’s toes, hidden by slippers, hesitated. However, he soon pulled down the towel covering his head and placed it on the bar table along with the apple.
Han Seung-jae admired the sight of Seo Yi-kyung approaching as he sipped his whisky. Wet strands of hair clung to his white forehead. His eyebrows were thin, and his lips, paired with a delicate nose, were reddish. So much so that he wanted to swallow him in one bite.
Han Seung-jae savored the whisky while watching Seo Yi-kyung, who walked a bit slowly.
Han Seung-jae transferred the glass to his left hand, then reached out with his right hand and pulled the robe belt that Seo Yi-kyung had loosely tied around his waist.
The front of the robe parted, and the hidden white body was revealed starkly. The nipples on his lean upper body were close to a pale pink. Perhaps because he had just showered, droplets of water flowing from his hair drenched his neck down to his nipples.