By Zephyria 
He lightly pushed the bracelet Seo Yi-kyung had set down forward.
“I didn’t realize it because I’ve been by Seung-jae’s side all this time, but I realized it clearly yesterday.”
To be precise, it was at this very moment. Throughout the conversation, Seo Yi-kyung maintained a very calm expression. He felt Min Ra-hyeon staring at him, but he didn’t mind.
Does a person become this cold and detached when facing death? He felt no need to pay attention to anything else.
“My mother taught me. She said Alpha pheromones are more effective at preventing morning sickness.”
Min Ra-hyeon slowly turned his head to look at Han Seung-jae. His gaze lingered on the bracelet resting on Seo Yi-kyung’s rounded, well-groomed fingertips. Suddenly, Han Seung-jae lifted his eyes to look at Seo Yi-kyung.
“It seems those words are true. I couldn’t eat properly after leaving this house yesterday.”
Seo Yi-kyung took his hand off the bracelet and picked up his chopsticks. He put a mouthful of steaming white rice into his mouth. As he had said, he felt it was easier than when he ate at Han Seung-jae’s family home.
Han Seung-jae stood up. As Seo Yi-kyung’s gaze naturally followed him, he reached out his long arm and picked up the bracelet lying on the table. Han Seung-jae’s fingers felt cool as they touched Seo Yi-kyung’s slender wrist.
“Wear it when I’m not around.”
Seo Yi-kyung fiddled with the bracelet that had returned to his wrist. He nodded and stood up following Han Seung-jae.
Han Seung-jae stepped into the dressing room and came back out. Dressed in a flawless suit with a black coat draped over his shoulders, he brushed past Seo Yi-kyung. Seo Yi-kyung took a few steps after him and then stopped.
When Secretary Park, who had come out of the drawing room, bowed, Seo Yi-kyung responded with a smile. Everything looked peaceful and routine.
Once Han Seung-jae disappeared from sight, Seo Yi-kyung turned on his heel. He passed by the back of Min Ra-hyeon, who was still sitting in the dining room, and headed straight for the painting studio.
* * *
Min Ra-hyeon was seized by an inexplicable emotion. The image of the two of them he had imagined was not like this. More accurately, Han Seung-jae’s attitude fell outside his expected range.
The Han Seung-jae he knew was devoid of emotion, and nothing ever showed on the surface. Even when he had snatched a glass from his drinking mother and the glass broke, making his hand bleed, he would maintain a face as cold and terrifying as ice. He acted like a person who didn’t even know his own hand was bleeding.
The Han Seung-jae in Min Ra-hyeon’s memory was not someone who tenderly fastened jewelry onto Seo Yi-kyung’s arm. Based on his estimation of Han Seung-jae’s personality, he had assumed that since it was an arranged marriage brokered by their parents, there would be no affection between the couple. But listening to their conversation just now…
“Ah, were you still eating? I apologize for not realizing.”
Butler Do, who had entered out of habit, looked down at Min Ra-hyeon’s food, which had barely been touched. He then dismissed all the helpers following behind him. They retraced their steps.
“Please let me know if there is anything else you need.”
Min Ra-hyeon was someone Han Seung-jae had invited to this house. Thus, Butler Do was simply fulfilling his duties. It was just as Butler Do was about to turn away.
Min Ra-hyeon slowly stood up, clutching his aching stomach.
“Clear it away.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Butler Do straightened his posture and looked at Min Ra-hyeon. Then, Min Ra-hyeon’s eyes became quite piercing as he stared at the empty seat where Seo Yi-kyung had been sitting. Butler Do looked at the same spot and then asked Min Ra-hyeon.
“Do you have anything else to say?”
“Starting tomorrow, please prepare my breakfast as well.”
Butler Do folded his hands in front of him and replied politely.
“Yes, I understand.”
However, Min Ra-hyeon’s words did not end there.
“If I don’t wake up, call me, even if you have to knock on the door.”
“Pardon?”
“And if I still don’t wake up, come in and wake me. If I’m not seen, go look for me—just like you did for Yi-kyung. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?”
While a bewildered Butler Do struggled to find the right words to respond, Min Ra-hyeon, having said his piece, turned away abruptly.
He entered his room and ripped off the long shirt he was wearing, flinging it onto the floor. It was a vintage-style, free-spirited piece of clothing he had cherished, but standing between those two, the sleeves looked worn and shabby, making it seem slovenly. He must have felt his pride wounded and felt humiliated because of this cheap garment. Therefore, he had no need for such a shirt.
He entered the bathroom and stood before the sink. As he carelessly stripped off his shirt, his tied-back hair slipped down, framing his jaw.
Min Ra-hyeon brushed past the toothbrush, soap, fragrant towels, and luxury robes, circling back to the bed. He rummaged through his suitcase, searching incessantly for something among the haphazardly placed items. Soon, Min Ra-hyeon gripped a cold piece of metal and entered the bathroom.
He completely undid his tied hair. The cascading strands brushed against the underside of his chin.
Snip, snip.
Following the tip of the blade he held, the severed hair fell in heaps onto the white sink.
* * *
Myeongjun Financial Group, Director’s Office.
Seated at his desk, Han Seung-jae reviewed documents that had been organized and sent up from various departments. A branch manager stood before him.
“Sales revenue rose sharply in the second half of the year, and the department Director Han prioritized had the highest performance…”
As he continued speaking, he glanced at Han Seung-jae’s hand, which had been moving sluggishly for a while and had now stopped completely.
Eventually, he looked toward Secretary Park, who was standing a step aside, seeking help. However, Secretary Park, with his hand in his inner pocket, put a vibrating phone to his ear and stepped out of the room.
Click.
Only then did Han Seung-jae, who had been motionless, lift his head and look at the branch manager.
“And? Why did you stop talking in the middle of a sentence?”
“Ah— were you listening?”
Breaking into a cold sweat, the branch manager continued his report regarding the operating profit graph Han Seung-jae was staring at.
A short while later, Secretary Park, who had returned after finishing the call, approached the desk while looking at the branch manager’s back, whose dress shirt was completely soaked with sweat around the shoulder blades.
The branch manager barely managed to get Han Seung-jae’s signature and took back the approval folder. He bowed deeply and turned to leave. As if crossing paths, Secretary Park put his phone back into his inner pocket and spoke.
“Director Han, Head of Department Jin Seok-young from Chae-eon Foods asked to confirm if you will be attending today’s gathering.”
Without even glancing at him, Han Seung-jae pulled out another approval folder and said,
“Didn’t I already answer that question before? I believe I said I wouldn’t go because they’ll just be drinking anyway.”
“I conveyed that as well.”
Han Seung-jae slowly lifted his head. Although Secretary Park had spoken with Jin Seok-young, the organizer of the Alphas’ gathering was Executive Director Jin Tae-won. Since he was the eldest, it had naturally come to be that way. And no one had any complaints about it.
Being the organizer was mostly just the tedious task of asking and conveying whether people were attending. Thus, Executive Director Jin Tae-won likely delegated it to Jin Seok-young.
Secretary Park recalled the words Jin Seok-young had said during the call. He had said:
“Executive Director Jin Tae-won said he wishes to repay the debt he owes from last time.”
“Debt?”
Han Seung-jae leaned back loosely in his chair. He was the type of person who never forgot something he was owed by others. No matter how trivial, he created meticulous contracts and ensured he received it within the deadline. Losing out was impossible for him.
“Was there something I was owed by Executive Director Jin Tae-won?”
And it was always Secretary Park’s job to assist Han Seung-jae when he seemed to be searching his memory. However, this was a matter that had to be brought up with extreme caution.
“There was an unpleasant incident at the Alpha Club, was there not?”
He had only said that much, yet a look of displeasure already clouded Han Seung-jae’s brow. His eyes changed completely from a moment ago. A chill descended that was incomparable to before. This was because the image of Seo Yi-kyung lying on a table, pinned under someone else at the Alpha Club, unfolded in his mind.
After that incident, Secretary Park had visited Executive Director Jin Tae-won under Han Seung-jae’s instructions.
—I have come because Director Han sent me.
Jin Tae-won took the envelope Secretary Park handed him. Inside the thin envelope were only a few sheets of paper. Without any formal cover page, the words ‘Invoice’ were written at the top.
—Since Seon-yu caused the damage, we will handle this on our end.
Jin Tae-won crushed his cigarette in the ashtray.
—Tell Director Han that this situation was unfortunate. And that I owe him one.
* * *
As evening approached, snow began to fall from the sky. This added a touch of elegance to the Ivory Pavilion, where red lanterns were hung. Cars entered in a steady stream and stopped in front of it.
Following them, a black sedan slowly pulled up. Secretary Park, stepping out from the passenger seat, opened the rear door. Then, a pair of sleek shoes appeared first.
“You have arrived. Everyone is waiting inside.”
A snowflake brushed across the manager’s tip of the nose. Guided by him, Han Seung-jae stepped out of the car and walked forward.