20 – Conclusion

[(Breaking News) Taewon Group to tie the knot with AO Pharmaceuticals…]

Being a breaking news article, the headline was almost the entire content. Yi-hyun read the short sentence over and over with his eyes. AO Pharmaceuticals was a company developing Omega suppressants, rumored to have more liquid assets than most large corporations.

[Joo Na-hye: See, what did I tell you. Whether in dramas or reality, chaebols are all the same. Didn’t you hear anything from that bastard?]

An excited Na-hye sent consecutive messages, but Yi-hyun silently stared at the screen. Jeong-woon had an older sister and an older brother above him. It was still too early to assume the article was about Jeong-woon.

[Joo Na-hye: Wow, the article got taken down right away. The company must have blocked it, huh?]

Following Na-hye’s words, when he refreshed the page, the article disappeared like a mirage.

He searched with similar keywords, but nothing appeared—no correction article, nothing.

‘…We can’t rule out the possibility of a false report.’

Yi-hyun slowly sat up, brushing back his disheveled hair. The image of Jeong-woon’s face, smiling affectionately, flickered before his eyes.

‘Marriage. Marriage.’

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The unpleasant throbbing that had started before Jeong-woon left grew louder and more clamorous. Was it because he received unexpected news while his emotions were already on edge? His mind went blank white, a state where calmly assessing the situation wouldn’t be enough.

An inexplicable anxiety tightly clogged his throat. He felt nauseous for no reason. Yi-hyun took a deep breath until his chest felt tight.

Then, he moved his fingers busily. There was no need to ponder complicatedly; he could just ask Jeong-woon directly.

‘That can’t be.’

Yi-hyun muttered silently and clenched his teeth. Just a few hours ago, he had been intimately mixing bodies and sharing pheromones with Jeong-woon. He had even received multiple proposals to live together after the baby was born.

No matter how shameless Jeong-woon was, if something as significant as marriage was involved, wouldn’t he have given some hint earlier?

-Yes, Hyun-ssi.

As always, before the dial tone could even finish, a voice tinged with faint laughter came through.

Jeong-woon always called Yi-hyun’s name with an affectionate tone that could make one’s ears itch. Yi-hyun, who had been holding the phone with a stiffly hardened expression, unconsciously let out a sigh of relief at his composed demeanor.

“Ah…”

Simultaneously, it was as if cold water had been poured over him, and his mind snapped awake.

‘Did I want to hear Jeong-woon say it wasn’t true?’

When Na-hye went on about engagements, affairs, and makjang drama stories, Yi-hyun had replied that he didn’t care. And yet, when it actually became reality and stepped closer, he didn’t want to believe it. Had he caught some so-called ‘body attachment’?

Otherwise, there was no way he would harbor such abnormal feelings. Yi-hyun suddenly felt like a stranger to himself.

-Did you call because you missed me?

Unaware of Yi-hyun’s turbulent emotions, Jeong-woon laughed playfully, his voice ringing.

“By any chance…”

Do Yi-hyun didn’t know how to beat around the bush. The direct question of whether he was getting married surged to the tip of his tongue. But he couldn’t bring himself to spit it out, only his lips twitched.

It wasn’t because he was afraid of the answer that would come from his mouth. Regardless of hoping for a denial, he realized that even if Seo Jeong-woon said no, he wouldn’t be able to believe it. Seo Jeong-woon was skilled at lying.

Even if marriage was imminent, he was someone who could perfectly conceal it.

‘……It’s meaningless.’

Even if all of this was a misunderstanding, what would change? It was something that was bound to happen someday. Even if Seo Jeong-woon announced his engagement tomorrow, it wouldn’t be strange at all.

‘Maybe it’ll be quicker for his interest in me to cool off.’

The corners of Do Yi-hyun’s mouth dropped vertically. Seo Jeong-woon and I are not in any kind of relationship. It’s just temporary help to safely give birth to the child.

It was a shallow relationship that started with Seo Jeong-woon’s stubbornness and interest. If there was no child, we would have turned our backs on each other long ago. The persistent sex, of course, but also the feather-light kisses, and gently holding hands while looking into each other’s eyes.

They were just incidental acts to receive pheromones. Do Yi-hyun didn’t even have the right to question Seo Jeong-woon about anything. Even though it was clearly the line he himself had drawn, his solar plexus ached.

Do Yi-hyun gritted his teeth, trying to swallow an emotion whose identity he couldn’t gauge.

-Is something wrong?

As Do Yi-hyun struggled to continue speaking, Seo Jeong-woon began to worry.

-My bride is looking for…….

Meanwhile, from beyond the receiver, the voice of a stranger flowed out. At the word ‘bride’ that was heard all too clearly, Do Yi-hyun’s head dropped with a thud.

His solar plexus ached.

-It’s an important call. Please tell her to wait a moment.

Seo Jeong-woon dismissed the other party with polite words. Soon, a busy noise arose. It seemed he was moving his location.

Do Yi-hyun staggered his upper body and supported himself with his hand on the floor. His breath was stifled.

-You’re not sick somewhere, are you? You said your stomach was upset a few days ago too. Should I come now?

Seo Jeong-woon lowered his voice and fired off short questions in succession. He showed no sign of mentioning the title ‘bride’. Did he think I didn’t hear it?

Did he judge there was no reason to explain to me? Or was he truly innocent? Do Yi-hyun clenched his fist.

The neatly made sheet was crumpled into a mess. Seo Jeong-woon’s warm concern, no different from usual, was unbearably uncomfortable.

“……It’s nothing. I dialed the wrong number.”

Do Yi-hyun hung up the phone abruptly as if fleeing. Seo Jeong-woon called again, but he rejected it. As the phone fell silent, a noisy stillness filled the bedroom.

Do Yi-hyun blinked blankly, his upper body bent forward.

‘What’s going on?’

I contacted Seo Jeong-woon to resolve this uncomfortable feeling, but it only added to the confusion. Do Yi-hyun buried his face in his hands. The most bewildering thing was himself, feeling a strong sense of emptiness.

No, this was insufficient to describe as mere emptiness. Beyond feeling drained, a smoldering anger rose. It was a very rare occurrence for Do Yi-hyun, who seldom experienced emotional changes.

‘It’s not something to get angry about.’

Do Yi-hyun irritably ran his hand through his hair repeatedly. He wasn’t in a position to do so. It should be Seo Jeong-woon’s fiancée, not me, who gets angry.

Though that existence is still uncertain. No, maybe I just want to believe it’s uncertain.

‘Am I like this because I’m afraid the person I depend on will disappear?’

Do Yi-hyun struggled to analyze his incomprehensible state. Was it a side effect of leaving it be despite harboring the awareness of being excessively swayed by instinct? The anxiety that Seo Jeong-woon might disappear soaked into Do Yi-hyun.

Following that, a stinging sense of disappointment clawed at Do Yi-hyun’s chest. He had vaguely imagined the three of them—the child and them—together, and it seemed he had unconsciously placed expectations on Seo Jeong-woon. Do Yi-hyun closed his eyes.

The image of himself standing beside Seo Jeong-woon darkened, and the form of an unfamiliar Omega bloomed like a heat haze. The figure, whose gender and even face were unclear, was small, delicate, and lovely. Unlike me.

‘……He’s mine.’

Grr. Do Yi-hyun gritted his teeth.

“Ah.”

Then he let out a short sigh. The identity of the emotion filling him from head to toe was a sense of betrayal.

“Haha…….”

Do Yi-hyun let out a hollow laugh and wiped his stiffened face. It was ridiculous. Because Seo Jeong-woon had never been his, not even once.

It wasn’t something taken by someone else. It was anger he shouldn’t have. He had to shake it all off.

“Ugh.”

The moment he urged himself on, his lower abdomen suddenly hurt. Do Yi-hyun wrapped his arms around his lower abdomen and hunched his upper body. He thought it would throb for a moment and stop, but the sharp pain wouldn’t subside.

Instead, it gradually worsened. At first, it felt like being pricked by a needle, but now it felt like being stabbed with an awl.

“Huu…….”

Do Yi-hyun breathed heavily and trembled. With the unrelenting abdominal pain, cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.

‘What do I do?’

It doesn’t matter if I’m in pain. But he was suddenly afraid that something might be wrong with the baby. It seemed like he should even call 119.

Do Yi-hyun fumbled over the mattress, searching for the phone buried in the blankets. His sluggishly moving body was frustrating. Then, a faint sign of someone was heard from the living room.

“Lee Hyun-ssi?”

The sound of urgent footsteps quickly grew closer, and then Seo Jeong-woon suddenly appeared. It was about 20 minutes after he had unilaterally hung up the phone. Do Yi-hyun frowned and barely lifted his head.

Seo Jeong-woon’s neatly groomed appearance came into view. As Seo Jeong-woon entered his sight, a helpless sense of relief welled up.

“Why…….”

He wanted to ask why he came, but his tongue wouldn’t move properly. Do Yi-hyun dropped his head. He didn’t want to show Seo Jeong-woon any more of his pitiful state.

“I knew this would happen.”

At the noticeably pale complexion of Do Yi-hyun, Seo Jeong-woon’s expression hardened stiffly. Seo Jeong-woon, who reached the bed in one stride, hastily released his pheromones. Then, warmly embracing Do Yi-hyun, he slowly stroked his lower abdomen.

It was the Seo Jeong-woon Do Yi-hyun knew well. His body, which had been tense with effort, went limp and naturally sank into the comfortable embrace. Do Yi-hyun unconsciously sought the pheromones and buried his nose in Seo Jeong-woon’s shoulder.

“Ha, haa, haa…….”

Only then could he breathe properly. Simultaneously, a change he hadn’t properly recognized until now became clearly palpable. How much he had relied on Seo Jeong-woon.

How much he needed Seo Jeong-woon. Do Yi-hyun lowered his gaze. It felt like everything was crumbling away distantly.

“We’re going to the hospital now. No, I’ll just call a doctor here.”

Seo Jeong-woon persistently examined Do Yi-hyun’s condition. Do Yi-hyun also watched Seo Jeong-woon’s expression. It was a subtle change, but Seo Jeong-woon briefly frowned.

It was evident that he seemed reluctant to call a doctor to the house, as if there were other circumstances.

“……That’s not necessary.”

Do Yi-hyun shook his head. Just smelling Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromones had significantly eased the pain. It was such an ironic thing.

‘I should draw the line.’

Do Yi-hyun tried, even belatedly, to stiffly straighten his upper body. No strength entered his body. His efforts were in vain as he squirmed and ended up burrowing deeper into Seo Jeong-woon’s embrace.

As the sweet pheromones penetrated his nose, the Omega’s instincts stirred.

“Don’t be stubborn.”

“I’m really fine.”

Do Yi-hyun buried his forehead in Seo Jeong-woon’s shoulder and mumbled with unclear pronunciation. He just wanted to fall asleep deeply like this, without a single thought.

“Lee Hyun-ssi.”

Seo Jeong-woon called Do Yi-hyun in a stern, scolding voice. Almost simultaneously, his phone rang noisily. Do Yi-hyun reflexively jerked his head up.

For an instant, a troubled expression faintly passed over Seo Jeong-woon’s face.

‘Was he just stopping by?’

It seemed he had to go back.

‘I don’t want that.’

Without a moment to suppress it, anger surged up. Do Yi-hyun impulsively grabbed the sleeve of Seo Jeong-woon, who was trying to take out his phone. It was crazy.

If he didn’t know anything, it would be one thing, but now he was aware of the possibility that Seo Jeong-woon might have a fiancée.

“Can’t you just, stay with me?”

But his mouth blabbered on its own. Do Yi-hyun lowered his gaze. He couldn’t bear to meet Seo Jeong-woon’s eyes.

‘……Because I need the pheromones.’

Do Yi-hyun still clutched his lower abdomen, which throbbed faintly. Fear washed over him that if Seo Jeong-woon left, the terrible pain would start again. Going to the hospital or calling a doctor would be useless.

The only thing Do Yi-hyun needed right now was Seo Jeong-woon.

‘I shouldn’t be like this now.’

While feeling the prick of conscience, he listed petty excuses. He needed to become independent from Seo Jeong-woon now. He knew it in his head, but he couldn’t let go of Seo Jeong-woon at all.

“Of course. That’s only natural.”

He expected Seo Jeong-woon to refuse, saying of course not, but Seo Jeong-woon readily nodded. Do Yi-hyun cautiously lifted his wavering gaze. A soft smile, whose intentions were unfathomable, was directed at him.

“I’ll just contact them saying I can’t go and come back. Wait a moment.”

Seo Jeong-woon gently soothed and stroked the back of Do Yi-hyun’s hand. It meant to let go of his sleeve, but Do Yi-hyun pretended not to know and tightened his fingers.

“If you don’t want to be apart from me, there’s nothing I can do.”

At that sight, Seo Jeong-woon shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. Then, after lightly kissing Do Yi-hyun’s forehead, he finally picked up the incessantly ringing phone.

-Where are you?

He didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but because the distance was so close, the sharp voice of a woman was clearly heard.

“Se-rin-ah, sorry, but something urgent came up, so I can’t go again.”

Seo Jeong-woon flatly informed her while stroking Do Yi-hyun’s cheek. He was unnervingly calm.

-Seo Jeong-woon, you really…….

“Mhm. Sorry. There are plenty of other people to look after you besides me.”

-……The dress…… You’re the one who…….

“Don’t worry. Even if you come looking like a beggar, I won’t mind.”

Seo Jeong-woon affectionately persuaded the other person, who was voicing complaints one after another. Perhaps because they were close, a playful tone was subtly mixed into his speech. At that tone, Do Yi-hyun bit his tongue hard.

He thought Seo Jeong-woon only acted arbitrarily in front of him. Why on earth did he have such a ridiculous delusion?

“I canceled the appointment.”

Not long after, Seo Jeong-woon, who had hung up the phone, thrust his head forward.

“……I’m sorry. Because of me…….”

“Don’t apologize, tell me I did well.”

Seo Jeong-woon smiled brightly as if asking for praise. Now that he looked, his attire was quite formal. He usually preferred comfortable clothes on weekends, so it seemed it was an important appointment.

Could it have been to choose a dress? Do Yi-hyun pressed his lips into a straight line. Seo Jeong-woon felt so unfamiliar.

“Why are you staring so intently? Am I too pretty?”

Seo Jeong-woon rested his chin on the back of his hand, wagged his head left and right, and grinned.

‘Does he intend to keep coming and going like this even after getting married?’

But for a marriage without love, they seemed too intimate.

“Ah, what. Are you jealous? Curious about who it is?”

As Do Yi-hyun just stared blankly, Seo Jeong-woon’s eyes sparkled as he grinned. The radiant smile was so resentful.

“Umm, should I say a friend? We’ve known each other since we were kids, and soon……”

“That’s enough.”

Do Yi-hyun turned his head away abruptly. He didn’t want to hear any more words. His stomach churned as if he had morning sickness again, to the point of feeling nauseous.

“……Aren’t you curious? What our relationship is?”

Seo Jeong-woon, who had quickly wiped the laughter from his face, narrowed his eyes.

“Yes. I’m not curious.”

Do Yi-hyun deliberately denied it more stiffly. He didn’t want to know. Because no matter what he said, nothing would change.

The time to leave Seo Jeong-woon’s side was approaching moment by moment.

“Ah, is that so? Well then.”

Seo Jeong-woon retorted curtly and warmly hugged Do Yi-hyun. In contrast to his sulky expression, an extremely affectionate pheromone completely enveloped Do Yi-hyun.

“Isn’t it about time you started taking an interest in me too?”

Seo Jeong-woon lightly rested his chin on the crown of Do Yi-hyun’s head and continued to mumble.

“Lee Hyun-ssi is so consistent. That’s good, but sometimes it’s also disappointing.”

Do Yi-hyun let Seo Jeong-woon’s muttering flow past his ears and silently closed his eyes. Perhaps because the tension had eased. Despite the sun still being high in the sky, drowsiness washed over him.

Perhaps he hadn’t particularly wanted an answer from Do Yi-hyun, as Seo Jeong-woon let out a deflated sound and laughed faintly.

“Do-dam-ah, you shouldn’t make Daddy suffer.”

Then, stroking Do Yi-hyun’s side, he whispered softly. It seemed he was concerned since Do Yi-hyun kept holding his stomach.

“Thank you for calling me.”

Seo Jeong-woon placed his hand over the back of Do Yi-hyun’s hand. The Alpha’s pheromones drifting around grew even thicker. Do Yi-hyun took a deep breath.

It should be uncomfortable, but it was incomparably comfortable.

‘I should break free now…….’

Since the pain had clearly subsided, there was no more reason to be in Seo Jeong-woon’s embrace. But contrary to his thoughts, his body tightly clutched Seo Jeong-woon’s clothes.

***

Despite falling asleep early, Do Yi-hyun didn’t wake up even once until the next morning.

“Umm…….”

Do Yi-hyun unconsciously followed the warm body temperature and burrowed into the firm chest. Then, a pleasant pressure pressed down on Do Yi-hyun’s back.

‘Feels good.’

The fig-scented pheromones that seeped out in his sleep enveloped Seo Jeong-woon. Do Yi-hyun exhaled satisfied breaths.

“Yes, Mother.”

A slightly muffled voice was heard from the bedside. Seo Jeong-woon adjusted his hold on Do Yi-hyun and gently stroked his lower back.

“What excuse are you calling me for so suddenly again today? No matter what, isn’t meeting too often before getting married? If you end up being disliked by Se-rin because of this, I won’t know.”

Marriage. Se-rin. At the words that stabbed his ears deeply, his blood ran cold.

The sleepiness vanished completely, but his body was so limp he didn’t even have the strength to move a finger.

“I’ve told you several times it’s not that kind of relationship yet, Mother. I’ll handle it well on my own.”

Seo Jeong-woon gently admonished the other person while pressing his lips to Do Yi-hyun’s hair. The sound of hair flowing tickled his ear. He wanted to push away Seo Jeong-woon, who was calmly kissing him.

Simultaneously, he hesitated, afraid that if he moved even a little, Seo Jeong-woon might detach him.

“I call you Mother. What on earth are you disappointed about…… Okay, Mom. You don’t say anything to Noona and Hyung.”

Seo Jeong-woon playfully sighed. Being the youngest, it seemed he was raised with abundant love, as his tone towards his mother was full of affection.

“Anyway, absolutely not today. There’s a circumstance. ……Yes, there was a similar circumstance yesterday.”

Seo Jeong-woon, who had refused quite firmly, became noticeably cautious when yesterday’s story came up. It seemed it was indeed an important appointment he shouldn’t have skipped arbitrarily, as a troubled expression flowed out. Amidst it all, Seo Jeong-woon gently tickled the nape of Do Yi-hyun’s neck with his finger.

“Wow, bringing Grandmother into this is too mean.”

Seo Jeong-woon grumbled with an nuance of having had enough. Seo Jeong-woon’s grandmother would be the Chairman of Taewon Group.

‘So he’s going out today too.’

I don’t want that. Do Yi-hyun twitched his lips in his sleep. As Do Yi-hyun squirmed, Seo Jeong-woon fiddled with his earlobe as if to soothe him.

“Eek…….”

Finally, Do Yi-hyun couldn’t bear the tickling and hunched his shoulders.

“I understand for now. I’ll think about it.”

As Do Yi-hyun woke up, Seo Jeong-woon immediately put down his phone. Then, beaming with a smile, he pressed his forehead against Do Yi-hyun’s.

“Did you sleep well, Darling? How’s your condition?”

Seo Jeong-woon examined Do Yi-hyun with a meticulous gaze. Unlike yesterday when he looked pale enough to collapse at any moment, there was a faint return of color. Seo Jeong-woon looked at Do Yi-hyun, who was blinking blankly, and smiled with relief.

“Why are you wearing clothes…….”

Do Yi-hyun mumbled blankly. Seo Jeong-woon was wearing the white shirt he had worn out yesterday. He had loosened his tie, but it looked quite uncomfortable.

“Because Lee Hyun-ssi wouldn’t let go.”

Seo Jeong-woon curled up one corner of his mouth and tapped his waist. Only then did Do Yi-hyun realize he was clutching Seo Jeong-woon’s clothes. It meant that Seo Jeong-woon hadn’t left his side for a single moment the entire time he was asleep.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

When Do Yi-hyun hastily let go, Seo Jeong-woon tilted his head. Then he pulled Do Yi-hyun’s wrist and placed it on his own waist. When Do Yi-hyun kept trying to withdraw his arm, Jeong-woon simply interlocked their fingers.

“You must be hungry. Just wait a little…”

Seo Jeong-woon tried to kiss Do Yi-hyun’s cheek out of habit. Do Yi-hyun, who had been quietly looking down, barely turned his head away just before Jeong-woon’s lips touched him.

‘I can’t do this anymore.’

He almost mindlessly accepted the kiss. Do Yi-hyun bit down hard on the soft flesh inside his mouth and twisted his wrist. But Seo Jeong-woon wouldn’t easily let go.

“…Did I do something wrong?”

Seo Jeong-woon blinked his big eyes, his body stiff. It seemed he was quite shocked that Do Yi-hyun, who had been accepting most skinship lately, was clearly refusing.

“…”

“Hm?”

When Do Yi-hyun said nothing, Seo Jeong-woon pressed anxiously. He grabbed Do Yi-hyun’s chin, turned it toward himself, and stared intently. Hurt was rising in his grayish-brown eyes.

“Or is it because of the call earlier? I’m sorry. I want to be with you and our Do-dam too.”

Seo Jeong-woon apologized with a deeply troubled expression. Do Yi-hyun frowned. There was no reason to accept the apology, so he felt pointlessly upset.

“It’s not that.”

Do Yi-hyun pushed Seo Jeong-woon’s chest away with an indifferent expression. As their closely pressed bodies separated, a chilly air swirled around them.

‘If I tell him not to go this time too, will he not go?’

Forbidden thoughts he shouldn’t entertain kept surging. Just as he had kept mixing their bodies due to an inexplicable anxiety, he wanted to confirm, even through such methods, that Seo Jeong-woon prioritized the child. It was a twisted desire.

“From today onward, I’ll restrain myself until I meet Do-dam. Don’t be angry, Lee Hyun.”

Despite the icy, chilly attitude, Seo Jeong-woon persisted playfully and clingily. However, he couldn’t completely dispel the awkward atmosphere Do Yi-hyun was exuding. He apologized a couple more times before going to prepare breakfast.

Do Yi-hyun, who followed him to the kitchen, sipped the warm milk Jeong-woon handed him while lowering his gaze. Seo Jeong-woon was such an affectionate person. The thought that he wasn’t the only one treated this affectionately kept twisting his guts.

‘…I should have at least asked what their relationship is.’

He thought it didn’t matter whether the person named Se-rin was Seo Jeong-woon’s fiancée or not. But rather than making all sorts of assumptions, it seemed better to clearly confirm the facts. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to ask again.

After finishing their late breakfast, Seo Jeong-woon busily prepared to go out. To distract himself, Do Yi-hyun picked up any book and sat on the sofa. But he couldn’t turn the pages easily.

While idly wasting time, Seo Jeong-woon, neatly dressed, approached. Just like yesterday, he was impeccably dressed in a three-piece suit.

“Don’t open the door for anyone, no matter who comes.”

Seo Jeong-woon sat right next to Do Yi-hyun and seriously advised. Do Yi-hyun, who had been staring blankly at the black letters he couldn’t even see, furrowed his thick eyebrows and turned his head.

“And don’t answer calls from unknown numbers either. Got it?”

He thought it was another nonsensical joke, but Seo Jeong-woon looked very serious. Was he treating him like a child? Do Yi-hyun slightly twisted his tightly closed lips.

“…Should I just come with you?”

Seo Jeong-woon, who had hesitated for a moment under the sharp gaze, gently stroked Do Yi-hyun’s knee and subtly asked.

“Isn’t it a family gathering?”

“That’s right. Since I’ve met your mother, it should be fine, right?”

Seo Jeong-woon quickly nodded and spouted absurd sophistry. Do Yi-hyun let out a hollow laugh. What on earth does he plan to say to explain taking me along?

“I don’t want to be taken away.”

Do Yi-hyun pushed Seo Jeong-woon’s hand away and replied coldly. Once again, anger from an unknown cause surged fiercely.

“Huh? What would be taken away?”

Seo Jeong-woon tilted his head in confusion.

“Didn’t you say if your family finds out, they’ll take the child away?”

“Ah, that’s right.”

When explained bluntly, Seo Jeong-woon muttered softly and shook his head. It seemed he had completely forgotten. Do Yi-hyun grimaced.

He didn’t like his lighthearted attitude.

“Sigh. I guess there’s no choice.”

Seeing that Do Yi-hyun wouldn’t be persuaded, Seo Jeong-woon let out a deep sigh.

“I’ll be back.”

Seo Jeong-woon shamelessly planted a smacking kiss on Do Yi-hyun’s lips.

“Stop it…”

As Do Yi-hyun tried to voice his complaint, Seo Jeong-woon’s lips descended again. A ticklish sensation deep in his solar plexus made him want to scratch his chest hard. Smack, smack.

As the light kisses continued, the corner of Do Yi-hyun’s mouth twitched. He wanted to stick out his tongue and explore his mouth. How wonderful would it be to inhale deeply of his rich pheromones?

“Stop it, please.”

Do Yi-hyun barely suppressed his desire and pushed Seo Jeong-woon’s shoulder away. The words ‘don’t go’ rose to the tip of his tongue, but it was something he shouldn’t utter. Do Yi-hyun, who had been rubbing his mouth with the back of his hand, impulsively messed up Seo Jeong-woon’s hair.

If it’s a family gathering, does he really need to dress up this prettily? The neatly combed hair now stuck out in all directions following the rough touch.

“Ouch, ouch.”

Seo Jeong-woon pretended to be hurt and clung to Do Yi-hyun’s waist. Do Yi-hyun flinched and withdrew his hand. He had acted impulsively again.

“Oh dear.”

Seo Jeong-woon made a troubled expression and roughly smoothed his hair. Expecting him to tidy it up neatly again, Seo Jeong-woon met his eyes, grinned, and just left.

“…Annoying.”

Do Yi-hyun muttered softly and dropped the book he had been stubbornly holding onto the sofa. He repeatedly swept his face with his dry palm, then fiddled with his lips that still retained a soft sensation. Do Yi-hyun was a person with clear boundaries.

Once he decided, he didn’t hesitate. The moment he clearly recognized that his relationship with Seo Jeong-woon had an end, he should have packed his bags and left this house. So why was he still here?

Especially when it came to matters related to Seo Jeong-woon, he found himself taking ambiguous stances. Were all these exceptions entirely due to Omega instincts? He couldn’t grasp it at all.

‘…What do I want to do?’

Do Yi-hyun tapped his mouth anxiously. His heart began to churn.

‘Me and Seo Jeong-woon…’

Following the faint pheromones of Seo Jeong-woon drifting in the air, he gropingly continued his thoughts when suddenly his phone rang noisily. Do Yi-hyun immediately stood up and snatched his phone. But on the screen was an unfamiliar number, not Seo Jeong-woon’s name.

“Hah.”

Realizing he was disappointed, Do Yi-hyun let out a bitter laugh. What had he expected this time? Knowing he needed to cut ties with Seo Jeong-woon, he kept hesitating.

Do Yi-hyun glared at the innocent screen. Seo Jeong-woon’s advice not to answer calls from unknown numbers suddenly came to mind. In a fit of petty spite, Do Yi-hyun answered the call anyway.

“Hello.”

Hello, Do Yi-hyun. I’m Jeong-woon’s mother.

But soon he realized Seo Jeong-woon hadn’t given unnecessary advice.

At the gentle and elegant voice, Do Yi-hyun took a sharp breath.

I’m sorry for contacting you suddenly. If it’s not too much trouble, could we meet briefly?

Seo Jeong-woon went out due to his mother’s summons.

The fact that she contacted me at that timing meant she called Seo Jeong-woon out separately because she wanted to meet me. Creak, creak. He heard the sound of cracks forming in his already unstable daily life.

***

After pacing around the dressing room for a long time, deep in thought, Do Yi-hyun chose a loose but thick knit to wear. If he was just careful, he thought he could hide his protruding belly. Do Yi-hyun frowned and put on his coat.

It was hard to gauge whether Seo Jeong-woon’s mother knew about the child or called him for another reason.

‘…Should I contact him?’

Do Yi-hyun considered leaving a message for Seo Jeong-woon but simply left the house. He had no obligation to report his every move to him. Seo Jeong-woon’s mother called Do Yi-hyun to a small café near the house.

Inside the quaintly decorated café were five tables, only one of which was occupied.

“…Nice to meet you. I’m Do Yi-hyun.”

Do Yi-hyun strode over and greeted her. The middle-aged woman who had been looking out the window slowly turned her head. Though her face was unfamiliar, there was a somehow familiar air about her.

It seemed Seo Jeong-woon took a lot after his mother.

“Oh my.”

Seo Jeong-woon’s mother opened her eyes wide upon seeing Do Yi-hyun. Though she tried not to show it, she seemed quite surprised by his un-Omega-like tall stature and large build.

“Nice to meet you.”

But Seo Jeong-woon’s mother soon smiled brightly and extended her hand. The inscrutable smile was exactly like Seo Jeong-woon’s. Do Yi-hyun swallowed dryly.

He kept seeing Seo Jeong-woon in his mother. Do Yi-hyun shook hands briefly and quickly took a seat. His belly kept bothering him, and he unconsciously tried to cover his lower abdomen before stopping himself.

“I didn’t know what you’d like, so I ordered an Americano. Is that okay? Should I order something else?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Do Yi-hyun wrapped his hands around the warm mug placed before him. It wasn’t like anything would go down his throat anyway.

“…”

An awkward silence settled over the table. Do Yi-hyun looked down at his hands indifferently. Though he wasn’t naturally warm-hearted to begin with, since they weren’t on terms to exchange pleasantries, no words came out.

“I won’t drag this out. You know what this means, right?”

Seo Jeong-woon’s mother calmly observed Do Yi-hyun, then took out a neat white envelope from her bag. Staring at the object placed on the table, Do Yi-hyun gritted his teeth. From the fiancée to the money envelope, everything was proceeding exactly as Joo Na-hye had said.

It was absurd. Do Yi-hyun slowly raised his gaze. Seo Jeong-woon’s mother still wore a warm smile even in this situation.

It was as if Seo Jeong-woon was right in front of him. Seo Jeong-woon would probably make that same expression when notifying him of the end.

‘…Why on earth did I come all the way here to hear this?’

Do Yi-hyun mocked himself. It was Seo Jeong-woon who stirred up someone who was just living quietly and asked to live together. It was Seo Jeong-woon who said he wanted to watch the child grow. So why did he have to hear these things?

Beyond hurt pride, a strong sense of powerlessness washed over him. Yet he didn’t want to blame Seo Jeong-woon’s mother either. From her perspective, it was only natural.

Do Yi-hyun tightly clenched the hands resting on his thighs. It was also Seo Jeong-woon who shook up someone who was just staying still. It was Seo Jeong-woon who forcibly continued the relationship even when he said he’d raise the child quietly alone. It was Seo Jeong-woon who acted with such utmost sincerity, as if giving his all, making him dependent. It was Seo Jeong-woon who made him, who had no imagination, briefly dream of a future for the three of them.

‘But why do I…’

Have to let go? Sticky obsession surged ominously. He felt a sudden surge of anger toward his mother, who was trying to come between him and Seo Jeong-woon.

But he could distinguish that it must never show on the surface. Do Yi-hyun slightly bowed his head to hide his trembling gaze. The pitch-black liquid filling the mug seemed exactly like himself.

As days passed, the frequency and intensity of his emotional turbulence had rapidly worsened. He couldn’t control it at all. It felt like living with a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

“I’m sorry. I’ve always wanted to say something like this at least once in my life.”

Seo Jeong-woon’s mother whispered affectionately with a shy smile. Suddenly, Seo Jeong-woon seemed to overlap with her. He couldn’t even bring himself to resent her.

‘Sigh…’

Do Yi-hyun’s energy drained completely. If the time to announce the end ever came, it was clear Seo Jeong-woon would also smile brightly and speak calmly like his mother. Even in that moment, he would gently cup Do Yi-hyun’s cheek or pull him into a hug.

Just imagining it made his blood boil. Perhaps hearing it from his mother was much better than hearing it directly from Seo Jeong-woon.

‘…You knew, didn’t you?’

Do Yi-hyun gritted his teeth. Though he hadn’t anticipated it would unfold like this, he was aware he had to leave Seo Jeong-woon’s side. Do Yi-hyun dreamed of a perfect family.

A complete family that would never separate. On the other hand, Seo Jeong-woon was not someone who would be held onto, no matter how tightly Do Yi-hyun clung. The truth he had turned away from, wanting to settle in the present, rushed at him.

‘He doesn’t suit me.’

For Do Yi-hyun, who disliked uncertainty or change and preferred stability, the capricious and self-willed Seo Jeong-woon was not the right match. It was practically a predetermined future. It was fortunate it was now.

If it were at a point when his instinctive obsession had deepened further, he might not have accepted that it was the end and denied it. He might have clung to Seo Jeong-woon pathetically. It was time for Do Yi-hyun to repeatedly suppress the emotions surging like a tidal wave.

Swish. Seo Jeong-woon’s mother pushed the white envelope toward Do Yi-hyun. Ironically, that small movement pushed Do Yi-hyun’s patience to its limit.

The anxiety and impatience that had been on the verge of overflowing burst forth like a broken dam. His fingertips trembled, and his breath caught. A little over a second felt like an eternity.

In the place where the seething emotions vanished, resignation remained.

“With this, please break off with our Jeong-woon…”

“I understand.”

Do Yi-hyun abruptly stood up from his seat. He didn’t want to bear the words that would follow.

“Huh?”

Seo Jeong-woon’s mother looked up at Do Yi-hyun with a surprised expression.

“There’s no need to worry. I have no relationship with the Vice President. I’ll gratefully accept what you’ve given.”

Do Yi-hyun clearly stated the truth and bowed in greeting. Then he snatched up the white envelope as if grabbing it and turned away. The neat envelope was mercilessly crumpled.

‘It’s heavy.’

Do Yi-hyun furrowed his eyebrows. It was just a few sheets of paper, but he felt the illusion that his shoulder might dislocate. He wanted to throw it away immediately.

But he had to accept even this so that, if nothing else, out of shame, he wouldn’t approach Seo Jeong-woon again. He didn’t want to make excuses about Omega instincts or whatever anymore.

“W-wait a moment. Lee Hyun.”

Seo Jeong-woon’s mother urgently called Do Yi-hyun to stop. But Do Yi-hyun didn’t halt his steps. He knew it was rude, but he had nothing more to hear from his mother.

The weather was particularly clear today. Stepping outside the café, Do Yi-hyun walked briskly, basking in the warm winter sunlight. The surroundings were utterly peaceful.

Because of that, the series of conversations he had just exchanged didn’t feel real. His mind was numb. To think things could change so much in just a day or two.

The fact that he could have held Seo Jeong-woon in his arms just by reaching out felt like a distant dream.

‘No. It was creaking from the start.’

From personality and disposition to values. Do Yi-hyun and Seo Jeong-woon differed in every single way. It was just that from some point on, he had mistakenly thought they might be compatible.

The rift that had been accumulating subconsciously had now revealed itself. Bzz, bzz. Do Yi-hyun’s phone rang incessantly.

It was Seo Jeong-woon’s mother. There was no reason to answer anymore, so he ignored it. Yet the calls kept coming one after another.

Do Yi-hyun looked at his phone with mixed feelings. Did she have more to say?

‘Don’t tell me.’

Do Yi-hyun reflexively grabbed his belly. Did she know about the child too? He hadn’t sensed any such indication, but you never know.

Do Yi-hyun turned off his phone completely. He couldn’t lose the child after losing Seo Jeong-woon. Upon arriving home, Do Yi-hyun immediately started packing.

He intended to leave before Seo Jeong-woon returned. If he faced him, he felt he would be swayed again and end up sitting down indecisively. But wandering from this room to that, nothing in particular caught his eye to pack.

At some point, Do Yi-hyun had been wearing everything from head to toe that Seo Jeong-woon bought for him. He intended to leave behind everything that wasn’t his.

“Sigh.”

Do Yi-hyun swept his hand over his forehead irritably. Was it because of the sweet pheromones filling the air everywhere? While moving around here and there to pack, only useless memories of being with Seo Jeong-woon kept vividly resurfacing.

‘I have to cut it all off.’

Do Yi-hyun steeled his resolve. He planned to excise everything, starting from the overgrown instinct, to the excessive obsession, to the memories related to Seo Jeong-woon. It’s nothing.

It’s just a return to the past. He searched the entire large house, but the only things that could be considered Do Yi-hyun’s belongings were a few handkerchiefs he had received as gifts for emergencies. He once again felt how shallow the connection between Seo Jeong-woon and himself was.

Do Yi-hyun hesitated, then picked up one of the neatly folded baby vests Seo Jeong-woon had left. The white garment was at most the size of a palm. He vividly recalled Seo Jeong-woon’s amazed expression when he saw it in person, saying, “Is it really this small?”

Clutching the small paper bag, he slowly headed toward the entrance. Once he opened that door and stepped out, it would all be over. He would never set foot in this place again.

Yet, his feet refused to move. Do Yi-hyun stared blankly at the front door. It felt as if Seo Jeong-woon would return at any moment, smiling brightly.

He wondered how Seo Jeong-woon would react when he realized he was gone. Would he come looking for him obsessively, like before? Or would he think it was for the best, since he was gradually becoming a nuisance?

Perhaps they would return to the relationship of a superior and subordinate as if nothing had ever happened between them. The thought of Seo Jeong-woon treating him with the same polite but distant attitude he showed others made his chest ache. It would be better not to see his face at all.

Lost in thought for a moment, Do Yi-hyun decided to use his annual leave to start his maternity leave early. He had been advised to do so many times before but had never felt the need.

‘……Maybe I should just change companies.’

With vague worries, he left Seo Jeong-woon’s house. Once outside, he felt lost about where to go. He didn’t want to return to the house he lived in alone, in case Seo Jeong-woon came looking for him.

But he also didn’t feel like going to his mother’s place or staying at a hotel. That left only one option.

***

“You’re here?”

Even though he showed up unannounced, Joo Na-hye greeted Do Yi-hyun calmly. Judging by her hair tied back loosely with a headband, she seemed to have been working. Dark circles under her eyes suggested she had stayed up all night.

“Hmm. You look like you’ve run away, but you don’t have any luggage. Did you just come to hang out?”

As soon as she saw Do Yi-hyun, Joo Na-hye looked him up and down, tilting her head.

“I left.”

Do Yi-hyun replied curtly, his face stiff. He knew Joo Na-hye would keep pestering him until she got the answers she wanted, so it was easier to speak up first.

“Really? You left for good? Because of that article? Wait, I didn’t know, but isn’t he said to have two siblings, not being an only child? Is that article really about him?”

Even though he skipped all the explanations, Joo Na-hye roughly understood and fired off questions without pause. It hadn’t even been five minutes since he arrived, and his ears were already ringing. Do Yi-hyun kept his mouth shut and headed to the sofa.

“So, he was just playing with you? Did you get an apology from that bastard?”

Joo Na-hye plopped down on the floor opposite Do Yi-hyun. Her deeply furrowed brow looked anything but ordinary. It seemed like she was ready to rush at Seo Jeong-woon and grab him by the collar at any moment.

“I don’t know.”

Do Yi-hyun muttered indifferently.

“……You left without even checking? Why?”

Joo Na-hye asked back with a dumbfounded expression. Do Yi-hyun was not the type to lie. Knowing that he wasn’t feigning ignorance to avoid the situation but literally didn’t know, Joo Na-hye felt quite flustered.

‘That’s right. Why?’

Do Yi-hyun pressed his lips together and lowered his gaze. Looking back now, it would have been right to at least confirm the facts. But at the time, he really didn’t want to hear Seo Jeong-woon’s answer.

Truthfully, he still didn’t want to hear it.

“But at the very least, you should have asked……”

“I met the Executive Director’s mother.”

“What?”

At Do Yi-hyun’s abrupt statement, Joo Na-hye gasped, her mouth agape. It was rare for Do Yi-hyun to bring up a topic first before being asked, but the sudden leap in the conversation was even more surprising.

“When? Did you meet her today? What did she say? Is that why you left? Does that bastard know?”

Excited, Joo Na-hye’s words sped up. Her wide eyes held a mix of concern and curiosity.

“……I received an envelope of money.”

Do Yi-hyun explained as succinctly and indifferently as possible. But his voice trembled ever so slightly at the end. He glanced at the paper bag he had placed beside him.

Inside were handkerchiefs with Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromones, a baby vest, and the envelope of money he received from Seo Jeong-woon’s mother.

“Are you insane? Did she tell you to break up? But you’re not even dating that bastard. If anything, he’s the one clinging to you. Ah, did she know you’re pregnant?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Hey, hey……”

At the continued vague answers, Joo Na-hye seemed at a loss for words, her lips just moving soundlessly. Do Yi-hyun checked the clock on the wall with an expressionless face. When would Seo Jeong-woon find out?

He was greatly affected by Seo Jeong-woon’s absence, but how would Seo Jeong-woon accept his absence? He knew he should leave a message saying he was leaving, but he didn’t want to turn his phone back on. His own behavior, avoiding the situation instead of clearly resolving the problem at hand, felt unfamiliar.

Until now, he had always been able to find solutions to any problem without much difficulty. But when it came to matters involving Seo Jeong-woon, he had no idea how to handle them.

“……How much money was in it?”

“I didn’t open it.”

“Sigh. Do Yi-hyun.”

Joo Na-hye looked at Do Yi-hyun with a complex, subtle gaze.

“……I never thought I’d say this to you in my life, but why are you being so emotional?”

“……”

Hit right on the mark, Do Yi-hyun could neither affirm nor deny it. Joo Na-hye watched him for a long time. A long silence flowed between them.

But unlike before, it wasn’t uncomfortable. Do Yi-hyun silently clasped his hands together.

“Do you like that bas— no, that person?”

After pondering for a while, Joo Na-hye cautiously opened her mouth.

‘Do I like Seo Jeong-woon?’

At the completely unexpected question, Do Yi-hyun drew in a sharp breath. His heart, which had felt numb and dulled, sank with a thud.

“……No.”

It took Do Yi-hyun a while to finally spit out the answer. It couldn’t be. Finding stability by Seo Jeong-woon’s side, pretending to give in to his persistence—it was all because his Omega instincts were running wild.

‘If that’s not it……’

As he vaguely continued his train of thought, Do Yi-hyun hurriedly stopped.

“Do Yi-hyun, you……”

Joo Na-hye moved her lips as if she had a lot to say, then let out a deep sigh.

“Do you not know what kind of face you’re making right now?”

“What do you mean?”

“Never mind, never mind. It’s no use me telling you now.”

Joo Na-hye shook her head from side to side. Then, she looked at Do Yi-hyun with a more serious expression.

“Judging by this, it seems like you left without saying anything to that person, right? What are you going to do now? Don’t you need pheromones to give birth to our niece/nephew healthy?”

When the practical issue came up, Do Yi-hyun stiffly stroked his belly with a rigid expression. It was the biggest problem he faced immediately.

“I’ll be hospitalized.”

Do Yi-hyun muttered quietly. There were only about two months left until the due date. He would endure it by any means necessary.

‘……I’ll protect you.’

Do Yi-hyun whispered silently. Now, he was the child’s only parent. He had intended to have the child alone from the start.

Even without Seo Jeong-woon, he would endure.

***

After staying at Joo Na-hye’s house for a day, Do Yi-hyun headed straight to the hospital. And on the way, he briefly turned on his phone to resolve the leave issue.

Only half a day had passed, but there were hundreds of missed calls. Seeing Seo Jeong-woon’s name listed endlessly as he scrolled, Do Yi-hyun felt an indescribable emotion.

‘……Am I happy?’

Do Yi-hyun slightly furrowed his brow. At the very least, he was satisfied that Seo Jeong-woon wasn’t pleased by his absence. It seemed Seo Jeong-woon still hadn’t come to his senses.

Even while on the call with his superior, calls from Seo Jeong-woon kept coming in. It kept distracting him, and he almost made the mistake of calling his superior ‘Executive Director’.

“Then, I’ll leave it in your hands.”

Do Yi-hyun ended the call with his superior indifferently. As soon as the phone screen went dark, another call from Seo Jeong-woon came in.

‘Has he gotten his nerve back?’

Do Yi-hyun twitched his thumb. He hadn’t expected him to be this persistent, so he found it a bit surprising. He wanted to answer the call and hear what he had to say.

But instead of pressing the screen, Do Yi-hyun reached out and grabbed the paper bag containing the money envelope. Even if he went back now, being by Seo Jeong-woon’s side wouldn’t be as comfortable as before. It was foolish to keep going down a dead-end road knowing it was blocked.

Do Yi-hyun kept rejecting the incoming calls and then sent a short message.

[Thank you for everything.]

Even while composing the few-word sentence, three or four more calls came in.

[Executive Director Seo Jeong-woon: Where are you now? Please answer the phone. Why are you suddenly acting like this, Lee Hyun-ssi? I think I’m really going crazy.]

Ignoring the flood of messages, Do Yi-hyun turned off his phone again. His eyes, gazing out the window, darkened and sank.