By Zephyria 
The floral scent grew stronger. It was because of Lee So-yul.
As the Omega’s distinctive fragrance spread, the tense atmosphere between the two Alphas, which had been palpable just moments before, became unsettled.
Haon found that even more burdensome.
Lee So-yul was smiling, but his eyes weren’t. More precisely, he was looking at Haon with an expression that seemed to be sizing him up once more.
“What are you doing right now?”
He didn’t outright blame him, but it felt like a question with a predetermined answer.
Haon’s lips twitched, but he ultimately kept his mouth shut. Making excuses would only prolong things. Lee So-yul gave Haon another glance as if to confirm his reaction, then opened his mouth to settle the situation.
“Everyone’s here, right? Follow me.”
As Haon slowly moved his feet, he somehow felt the back of his neck tingling.
It was because Lee So-yul’s floral scent seemed a little closer than before. Closer, or rather, it felt more like he was checking Haon’s movements.
It was a boundary. An instinctive line-drawing as an Omega.
Haon felt it but deliberately didn’t show it.
From the start, there was no reason to clear up any misunderstandings with Lee So-yul.
It didn’t matter how he thought of him. He would just accept it.
Meanwhile, Cha Seo-jun kept sticking close by his side.
He nudged his elbow slightly and pressed his shoulder against Haon’s, saying he’d match his walking pace. Whenever Haon made eye contact, he smiled.
There really was no other large dog like him. Compared to Cha Seo-jun, Kim Hyun-gyu was just a human.
Cha Jeong-won didn’t cling to him, but that made Haon even more concerned.
His expression wasn’t good. He was originally a sensitive person, but even though he had seemed a bit more relaxed lately, especially in the morning, he was now completely closed off.
‘Uncomfortable.’
Haon felt as if a stone had been placed on his chest.
＊ ＊ ＊
The meeting room was located inside the art gallery. Beyond the glass wall, preparations for the exhibition were visible, and protective mats were laid on the floor, so footsteps made almost no sound.
Lee So-yul stepped forward holding a tablet.
“Since this is our first meeting today, we’ll just share the current situation. I’ll take questions afterward.”
His voice was on the softer side, but the end of his sentences were firm.
While Haon nodded, Lee So-yul glanced in his direction several times.
More precisely, he was looking at Cha Jeong-won and Cha Seo-jun seated on either side of Haon.
He made a complicated expression, then soon turned on the beam projector. The exhibition plan and blueprints appeared on the white wall.
“Since it’s our first meeting today, I’ll let you know how far we’ve progressed and what we need to do. The artworks haven’t been brought in yet. At this stage, what we’ll be handling is the spatial direction.”
He introduced the art gallery’s staff.
The exhibition hall manager. The operations team. The outsourced manager handling graphic orders. Even the contact person from the installation partner company.
It was different from the project explanations heard in school. The field was indeed the field.
As Lee So-yul swiped the screen, a 3D view of the exhibition hall appeared. The spots where the artworks would be placed were marked. The lighting rails also seemed to have only the spot positions marked like dots. He said there was no need to look at the details yet since nothing was finalized.
“Right now, the visitor flow and graphics are the most urgent. Since it’s a retrospective, the text tone is also sensitive. Once the exhibition hall wall repairs are finished, temporary walls will be installed. After that, graphics will be attached, and the artwork delivery is scheduled for after that.”
The art gallery manager continued.
“Once the artworks come in, the scope of what we can touch will shrink dramatically. So let’s finish what needs to be done before delivery first.”
Lee So-yul nodded.
“These are things we need to check on-site today. It’s not about deciding who does what, but at least we need to keep a record. While we walk through the site, I’ll point out the key areas.”
While everyone nodded, Lee So-yul’s gaze brushed past Haon again. Haon neither pretended not to notice nor overreacted to that gaze.
“Min-jae, follow along with the blueprints and just mark the hazardous areas. Focus on where the temporary walls go, floor level differences, and cable pathways. One mistake, and we all get a headache.”
Suddenly called first, Park Min-jae hurriedly answered, “Yes.”
Lee So-yul then tilted his head slightly.
“And…….”
Knowing it was directed at him, Haon waited for what he would say.
“Rather than designing the flow, look at it from a guidance perspective. Where people will stop, where they’ll want to hear explanations. Also, where visitor questions will most likely arise.”
Those words felt like consideration, but also simultaneously like a limitation—you only go this far.
Haon swallowed a breath inwardly and nodded with a calm face.
“Yes.”
Lee So-yul also raised the corners of his mouth, but his eyes weren’t smiling.
Thus, each person’s assigned tasks were quickly relayed.
“Good. On-site, please refrain from personal actions. Understood?”
A strong suspicion arose that the reason for saying such a thing might be because of Cha Jeong-won.
Just then, Cha Seo-jun suddenly raised his hand. The timing was so precise that Haon almost swore inwardly.
“Me. What should I do?”
Lee So-yul shifted his gaze.
The wariness directed at Cha Seo-jun was shallower than that directed at Haon. The instinctive sharpness as an Omega was less.
“Seo-jun, follow the installation partner company and just check the equipment delivery route. There’s no moving things today, just where they come in and where they exit. That’s all.”
“Can’t I do it with Hyung?”
Because Cha Seo-jun pointed at Haon so naturally, the air rippled for a very brief moment. Haon closed and opened his eyes, counting numbers inwardly.
One, two, three. He had to endure now.
Lee So-yul’s smile stiffened very briefly before returning.
“The field isn’t a place where you only do what you want.”
The way he subdued Cha Seo-jun and settled the situation was very characteristic of Lee So-yul. Pressing softly while drawing a line. Watching that, Haon understood why Lee So-yul kept sizing him up.
It wasn’t his problem. It was because Haon was someone who attracted the attention of two Alphas.
That was dangerous in an Omega’s eyes. Especially with Cha Jeong-won involved.
Cha Jeong-won had been silent all this time. But from the moment Cha Seo-jun pointed at Haon, his gaze hardened noticeably.
Lee So-yul concluded.
“Good. Then let’s take a walk around the exhibition hall now.”
＊ ＊ ＊
As the meeting ended, people streamed out.
Haon stayed in the hallway for a moment to catch his breath.
The lights left on in the exhibition hall reflected on the glass wall. The sight looked quite classic and cool. A cautious voice came from behind.
“Haon.”
It was Park Min-jae. Park Min-jae looked around once, then lowered his voice to ask.
“Hey. But are you really dating Senior Cha Jeong-won?”
This question was bound to come eventually.
Well, he’d seen them holding hands, so it was natural.
“Does it look like that?”
“It does look like that. When Senior Lee So-yul came to school, it was like that. Today too.”
Park Min-jae was sparing with his words but looked at him with a confident gaze.
Haon looked at his face. Kim Pilsu, who became part of the same team, had said he wanted to get close even before Cha Jeong-won arrived.
But what about Park Min-jae?
He wasn’t that conspicuous, but he wasn’t completely uninterested either.
Haon thought he understood the reason.
Park Min-jae wasn’t interested in Cha Jeong-won himself; he just enjoyed the rumors.
Getting into a lengthy explanation here would be a quagmire.
Cha Jeong-won wasn’t the type to go around explaining his relationship with Haon in the first place. He shouldn’t try to explain with words; he had to face it head-on.
Just then, Cha Seo-jun appeared walking from the opposite end of the hallway holding two paper cups.
“Hyung, coffee! Hyung likes sweet stuff. This one is less sweet.”
“Hey, Cha Seo-jun.”
Haon beckoned with a flick of his finger. Cha Seo-jun came close so quickly it felt like an illusion of a wagging tail.
“Yeah, Haon Hyung.”
Haon didn’t take the coffee. Instead, he firmly grabbed Cha Seo-jun’s hand.
He slid his fingers between Cha Seo-jun’s. It was interlocking fingers.
Park Min-jae’s eyes widened.
Cha Seo-jun didn’t miss that moment, interlocking their fingers even deeper and smiling brightly.
“Hyung, why all of a sudden?”
Haon looked at Park Min-jae and spoke with a very calm face.
“Is holding hands difficult? Want me to do it with you too?”
When Haon tossed it out casually, Park Min-jae’s face flushed red and he waved his hands.
“No, no. That’s not what I meant. I just…….”
Cha Seo-jun poured oil on the fire from the side.
“Hyung, I’m good at this, right? I’m confident about holding hands.”
“Did you hold hands to show off?”
“Showing off and being with Hyung.”
Haon bit his lip to hold back a laugh. Park Min-jae was only looking for a chance to escape.
That’s when it happened.
“What are you doing right now.”
A low, rough voice sharply cut through the hallway air.
Haon slowly raised his head.
Cha Jeong-won was standing there. His expression wasn’t good. It was originally not good, but now it was even worse.
The moment Haon saw that, strangely, he felt relieved. That sensitivity being directed at Haon, not others, meant he cared about him that much.
Haon didn’t unlink their fingers. Instead, he acted even more nonchalant. If he unlinked them here for no reason, it would look like he was being mindful of Cha Jeong-won.
“Answering a junior’s question.”
“Why do you need hands for a question.”
“Well, showing an example is faster for understanding.”
81 – NOT 81