By Zephyria 
Still, the food Kim Ju-hwan ordered was all delicious. He didn’t know why so much was ordered, but after taking one bite, something new would come out, and then something new again. In truth, he had no intention of eating it all, but seeing so much food made him feel it would be a waste, so he reluctantly tasted each one.
“Is Young-min Sunbae doing well?”
“Well, yes.”
“Given that Sunbae’s personality, he wouldn’t just stay still, but he’s surprisingly quiet?”
“Well, yes.”
“I thought he might even remarry, but seeing as there’s no news yet, he hasn’t.”
Why would I ruin the life of another family’s precious Alpha?
“Well, yes.”
One would normally feel offended by the same repetitive answers, but Kim Ju-hwan, on the contrary, continued to ask as if it were amusing.
“Ah… no matter how long I wait, Sunbae doesn’t ask anything about me. It can’t be helped. I’ll have to tell you myself.”
“Suit yourself.”
He could just let it go in one ear and out the other anyway.
“I successfully received board approval and am currently a Managing Director at cal front. At first, I only handled the German side, but now I’m in charge of Germany, Japan, China, and as of this year, Korea as well. What do you think? Am I not capable?”
He didn’t know how to respond. Even if it were a soulless answer, he didn’t want to praise him, so the words wouldn’t come easily. In the meantime, as if he hadn’t expected anything, Kim Ju-hwan continued to talk about what work he did, how he did it, and the reasons why he sat in that position. The funny thing was, it felt more like a self-introduction than bragging.
“So, upon coming to Korea this time, I became independent. I bought a penthouse in H Village in Gangnam, and it’s quite nice.”
Ah, I heard that place is at least 40 billion won. That’s incredible. Jeong-min, who was merely a doctor, was struggling and working hard to live without touching the money and assets his parents left him, yet he wasn’t at a level where he could buy a single house in Gangnam.
“I don’t have a partner yet. I’m not engaged, and I’m single.”
What is he trying to say? Is he asking to be introduced to Young-min? Ah, so that’s why he kept talking about Young-min. Honestly, from Jeong-min’s perspective, he would welcome it if Kim Ju-hwan met Young-min. They seemed like a well-matched pair of similar types. He hated the idea of them becoming family… but if putting the trash in one bag could make Korea peaceful, he could bear that level of sacrifice.
“I met and had sex with many Omegas in Germany, but as expected, I prefer Asians.”
Jeong-min almost spat out the wine he was drinking. To suddenly go into this kind of story? In the first place, he wasn’t curious about Kim Ju-hwan’s bedroom affairs.
“As soon as I came to Korea, I slept with a few Omegas….”
Did he have to keep listening to this?
“One of them mentioned Sunbae. That they had sex with Shin Jeong-min.”
Jeong-min calmly wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“So? What is it you want to say?”
“Just because. It was interesting. Hearing the stories, it seems Sunbae has had many one-night stands? Changing partners as soon as the relationship seems likely to develop… But strangely, there were more images of you being kind and good rather than a ‘bad boy’ image.”
“Even if it’s a one-night stand, I simply thought that treating the Omega kindly in that moment was what an Alpha should do. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”
“Of course it’s not. It’s just that it’s admirable.”
Kim Ju-hwan continued to talk while swirling his wine glass. A full smile hung on his lips, as if something was very amusing.
“Admirable?”
“Yes, as someone who knows Sunbae’s past, it’s naturally admirable, isn’t it?”
It was unpleasant to hear the word ‘past’ come from Kim Ju-hwan’s mouth. Nothing about it was pleasant. Especially anything related to Kim Ju-hwan. However, he didn’t want to show his displeasure. Jeong-min smiled thinly.
“I’m not sure which past you’re talking about. Was there a past of mine that you would know? It all feels like dust that blew away long ago….”
“Ah, I see. Then let’s do that. You’re right. Clinging to the past is something only fools do. There will be more days to live than the days already lived, and it’s barely enough to prepare for that, so the past… let’s stop talking about that now.”
He was truly shameless to the core. Starting the conversation himself and then stepping back as if it were nothing—he hadn’t changed a bit from before. Even after becoming a Managing Director of such a large company, one would think he’d have matured. He suddenly wondered how Kim Ju-hwan even worked.
“Then, does Sunbae not have a partner now either?”
“I do.”
“You do?”
“Yes. I think we’ll be engaged soon. Or perhaps go straight to marriage.”
“That’s strange. I heard until very recently that you didn’t have a special partner.”
“You never know how life goes; it can happen in a single day.”
“Ah, it’s a partner arranged by your family. Well, given your age, that’s understandable… Sunbae, you know, right? According to research, the easier an Omega’s pregnancy becomes depends on how strong the Alpha’s sperm is. There are differences based on dominant or recessive traits, but the most important thing is age. Omegas have no problem. All the problems lie with the Alpha. Since Sunbae is now in his 30s, you’ll have to start having children soon. Oh, by the way, there’s a drug that makes sperm motility active for a short while; shall I introduce it to you?”
“I’m sorry, but don’t talk as if you’re sharing great knowledge when it’s something taught in elementary school. And it’s not that it happens as soon as you hit 30, but that it progresses slowly from the 30s onward; sperm activity doesn’t just drop the moment you turn 30. Above all, I don’t need that drug. I’ll have children if the partner wants them, and if not, I don’t have to.”
“That’s a shame. I’d like to see a child that looks like Sunbae. Hmm, still, I can give you the drug anytime, so please feel free to tell me. Not the ones distributed in Korea, but I’ll send you the ones distributed in Germany.”
“Sure, thanks for saying that.”
Hah, how tiring. When on earth will this food end? Now that the meat has come out, it seems this is the main dish.
“No, I’m not joking. Any kind of drug Sunbae needs… I can procure them all. If you want, I’ll even make them for you.”
Why is he talking so seriously? Since Jeong-min was a doctor, there was no drug he couldn’t obtain. But because he spoke as if he were offering to make illegal drugs, it felt a bit strange.
“Uh, but I don’t think that will be necessary.”
“Haha, that’s for the best.”
Kim Ju-hwan laughed and cut the meat, putting it in his mouth. Every one of his movements was slow. As if he were enjoying the flow of time.
“Come to think of it, today is Sunbae’s birthday.”
“Hmm?”
Ah, that’s right. Today is his birthday. That’s why Young-min had been whining this morning to give him a birthday present, and he had thrown him a card.
“That’s right.”
“Did you have no birthday plans?”
“I didn’t.”
“That’s a relief. It means I didn’t interfere with a date.”
Even if he had a date, he would have had to cancel it and come here regardless. To say such things knowing all that… was indeed typical of Kim Ju-hwan.
“I actually prepared a gift for Sunbae.”
“Forget it.”
“It’s disappointing when you say that. Do you know how much effort I put into preparing this gift?”
“Haa… Fine, then let me see that gift you put so much effort into preparing. It must be something impressive, right?”
He could just throw it away after leaving the hotel anyway.
“It hasn’t arrived yet. I’ll give it to you once it does, so please wait a little longer.”
Is he kidding me?
“It reminds me of that day. It was your birthday when Young-min sunbae and Shin-woo sunbae got engaged, wasn’t it?”
“I don’t know why you’re bringing that up now.”
“It was such an intense moment that I can’t forget it. After all, you awakened because of the drug I gave you back then.”
“Well, I’m not so sure about that. Maybe I was meant to awaken anyway… or maybe it was the drug you gave me. Isn’t everything just a matter of hindsight?”
“I suppose so.”
“And as I said before, let’s stop talking about the past. I have no desire to discuss such things with you—”
“Shin-woo!”
At the sound of a single word echoing from a distance, Shin Jeong-min’s hand froze. His eyes, which had been fixed on the food to avoid meeting Kim Ju-hwan’s gaze, slowly lifted, and they trembled as he looked past Kim Ju-hwan. Meanwhile, Kim Ju-hwan closed his eyes and slowly, very leisurely, swirled his wine glass.
“It’s been a long time, Uncle.”
The moment Jeong-min saw the face of the man slowly entering the restaurant, his breath hitched. He thought he had forgotten. That face… that voice….
Jeong-min placed the fork and knife he was holding onto the table. Then, he bolted upright from his seat, brushed past Kim Ju-hwan, and ran toward the man.
“The gift arrived right on time.”
Listening to the sound of desperate breathing, Kim Ju-hwan opened his eyes and murmured lowly.
“Happy birthday, Shin Jeong-min sunbae.”