By Zephyria 
“Executive Director.”
Hui-won caught Kwon Young-je only after entering the detached building. He twisted his wrist out of the grasped hand and then very carefully gauged the other man’s mood.
“What’s the matter?”
“…….”
It was rare for Kwon Young-je to show such agitation, so worry was bound to come first. The silence lasted quite a while. As he patiently waited for an answer, Kwon Young-je moved his lips but only ruffled his tie. The touch was laced with undisguised annoyance.
“…Don’t ask. Just follow my instructions this time.”
It was an answer that left him speechless. Kwon Young-je was always the one in control in their relationship, and Kim Hui-won was naturally in a position where he had to follow his instructions. Unable to argue further, he simply nodded.
In the end, it was decided that only the remaining personnel, excluding Hui-won, would attend the signing ceremony. While everyone was busy with last-minute preparations, Kwon Young-je had a face full of tension.
Hui-won silently approached and fixed his crooked tie knot for him. To be so unkempt before a contract… there was definitely something strange about Kwon Young-je right now.
“I’ll be waiting in the room. Please call me if you need anything.”
A sharp gaze stared intently at Hui-won’s face. Kwon Young-je seemed about to say something but bit his lip tightly. Then, a long sigh escaped him. He simply squeezed Hui-won’s shoulder tightly and then released it, using that as his answer.
At exactly 6 p.m., both companies gathered for the license agreement. apex corporation and Fujino Pharmaceuticals faced each other across a long, U-shaped conference table.
“…….”
Kwon Young-je quickly scanned the people gathered in the room. On the Fujino Pharmaceuticals side, only President Takano Yuichi and his staff were present.
“Chairman Takano says he will join us for the evening banquet. You exchanged greetings earlier, I believe?”
President Takano started a light conversation with a smiling voice to ease the subdued atmosphere.
“Yes, I had a brief meeting.”
Kwon Young-je replied concisely, adding a businesslike smile.
So, he’s planning to show his face after all.
He thought it was a good thing he excluded Secretary Kim. Rather than constantly worrying about him, it was better to keep him out of sight. With his mind at ease, his stiff face gradually relaxed. He opened the file of documents to begin the formal contract signing.
At that moment, Hui-won was alone in the room, constantly looking at the clock.
Even if he were at the site, there was nothing a secretary could do to help. He would just be taking up a seat. He knew this in his head, but for some reason, he couldn’t stay still due to anxiety.
It would take at least two hours. Hui-won glanced at the clock once more. Looking at it wouldn’t make time pass faster, but he kept repeating the same foolish act.
Just then, a knock on the doorframe from outside broke his persistent thoughts. When he opened the door, a man who looked to be in his fifties was standing there. He politely bowed to Hui-won.
“I was told that a guest was still here. May I ask what you would like for dinner?”
Fluent Korean and a courteous attitude ingrained in his demeanor. Hui-won guessed that he was probably in the same profession as him. And probably serving someone quite high up.
To take care of it himself when he could have left it to an employee, he must be putting a lot of effort into taking care of his guests. Hui-won bowed respectfully in response.
“I’m fine with dinner. Thank you for your concern.”
“Then how about some tea? We just got some good stuff in. I’d like to offer it to our esteemed guest.”
The man proposed again, so politely that it felt rude to refuse. Hui-won hesitated for a moment before answering.
“I’m in a difficult situation to leave my post… Could you bring it to my room?”
“No problem. I’ll prepare it right away.”
The man left and returned a short while later, knocking on the same sliding doorframe. Assuming that the refreshments had arrived, Hui-won readily opened the door, only to freeze in surprise at the unexpected face.
He couldn’t possibly not recognize the face of Chairman Takano, the de facto decision-maker of Fujino Pharmaceuticals. Before he could even think, his back immediately bent.
[Nice to meet you, I’m Kim Hui-won, the executive secretary.]
The Chairman laughed loudly at his clumsy Japanese greeting. The phlegm-filled laughter was low and hoarse. Hui-won was so tense that he didn’t notice the Chairman’s gleaming gaze.
[I’m an old man with nothing to do, so I came to pass the time. Would you mind having a cup of tea with me?]
The man standing next to him immediately translated the Chairman’s words. How could he say no? Hui-won nodded and stepped back. As the sliding door opened wide, the Chairman strode inside.
An extravagant tea table was set. On top of the black lacquered wooden table were white porcelain teaware and elaborately shaped traditional sweets. There was no time to admire the tea table that fully captured the beauty of tradition. Hui-won repeatedly swallowed dry saliva due to the tension that had risen to the back of his throat.
[Is he a dominant Omega? Indeed, the scent is good.]
“…….”
[A dominant Omega in heat has a scent that is several times more concentrated. It’s one of the things I’m crazy about. No matter how delicious the food, it can’t compare to it. There’s no greater delicacy.]
Chairman Takano said, wetting his lips with tea. He had been chattering away in Japanese since earlier, but Hui-won couldn’t understand a word. He glanced at the man presumed to be his secretary, but the man ignored him even after sensing his gaze. For some reason, he didn’t translate.
Even if he is the Chairman, this is not an appropriate attitude to treat a guest. Hui-won clenched his fist on his lap and opened his mouth with difficulty.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not fluent in Japanese, so it’s difficult for me to understand what you’re saying. Excuse me, but may I use a translation app?”
Then, Chairman Takano chuckled lightly. Surprisingly, he understood Hui-won’s words and replied.
[Put your phone away. I hate conversations held in front of such machines.]
“He says he’s uncomfortable. Please refrain from using your phone.”
The man then conveyed the Chairman’s words.
Hui-won slowly raised his lowered gaze. Chairman Takano seemed to understand at least some Korean. The only man who could be his channel of communication was filtering the Chairman’s words. What was the reason for this? Was he saying something he shouldn’t hear?
What was clear was that the current situation was quite unsettling for Hui-won. He narrowed his eyes to grasp the Chairman’s hidden intentions.
[I like your eyes. I like that you’re not easily swayed.]
The Chairman smiled, stretching his thin lips. The wrinkled eyes narrowed as thinly as his lips. He withdrew his snakelike gaze and said.
[I met with Executive Director Kwon Young-je earlier and had a chat. He seems to cherish you quite a bit. I asked if I could borrow you for a night, and he got very angry. Are you two secretly having an affair?]
“He asks if you have a special relationship with Executive Director Kwon Young-je.”
“…Ha, you do translate this.”
“…….”
Hui-won retorted with an unknowingly sharp voice. The man didn’t even show a hint of embarrassment.
He was dumbfounded by the man’s brazen attitude, but he took a deep breath, thinking he shouldn’t get agitated.
“No, I’m just an executive secretary.”
[That’s a relief. Then it will be easier for me to make a proposal.]
The Chairman replied immediately.
It was an incomprehensible way of conversing. He had been uncomfortable in this place for a long time.
Hui-won kept feeling thirsty and drank the tea repeatedly. The heavy taste of the tea pressing down on his tongue was not enough to relieve his stuffy feelings. The bigger problem was that he couldn’t dare to show his displeasure.
[Bring it out.]
At the Chairman’s instruction, the man placed a separately prepared teaware on the table. As he blankly watched the scene, Chairman Takano smiled generously and tilted the teapot.
[It’s called Yuhwacho. It’s a medicinal herb known for promoting smooth energy flow. It’s also an ingredient in Novagen.]
The yellowish tea was poured into a new cup. The Chairman poured the new tea only for Kim Hui-won.
[I’d like to smell your pheromones a little more. Of course, I don’t have any other intentions. Just think of it as a small pleasure for an old man. I’ve met an Omega I like, so I just want to comfortably enjoy the scent.]
As soon as the Chairman finished speaking, Hui-won stared intently at the man sitting diagonally across from him, as if asking him to translate.
The man, who had been maintaining a poker face all along, slowly met his gaze. He said with an inscrutable face.
“Please release your pheromones.”
“…Excuse me?”
“The Chairman says he likes you very much. He wants to smell an even stronger scent than now. Drinking the tea in front of you will help with pheromone release.”
“…….”
That old man. He was spouting perverted nonsense in front of him.
Hui-won barely swallowed the curse that had risen to his uvula. As he glared sharply at the other man, the old, worn-out face smiled as if pleased. From the beginning, he had been uncomfortable with the Chairman’s gaze. His instincts were right.
“Am I allowed to refuse?”
“Of course. We’re not forcing you. However, considering the relationship between the two companies, we hope you’ll accept it positively.”
“It seems no different from offering sexual favors. Even considering that we are in a subordinate position, it’s a very rude request.”
“Well, it may seem that way from your perspective. It’s just pheromones, not asking for a night together, so it shouldn’t be too difficult, right?”
“That’s probably how it is from your perspective.”
From the beginning, he had a separate purpose for coming to him. Did Kwon Young-je know this fact? He must have known. That’s why he was so angry earlier.
Even though he finally understood the whole situation, his head became even more complicated. Hui-won didn’t say anything for a while and just stared at the teacup in front of him.
The path of choice was open. There was only refusal and acceptance, a binary choice, but his lips wouldn’t fall easily.