By Zephyria 
When Hui-won opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the shiny tile floor. He lay there for several minutes after waking up. He tried hard to recall with his hazy mind why he was sprawled in front of his apartment door and how he had gotten home the night before.
“Ugh… my head.”
He slowly pushed himself up, using the ground for support. Kim Hui-won smiled like an idiot at his reflection in the mirrored shoe cabinet. His left cheek, pressed against the tile floor all night, was flattened. He massaged his numb cheek, trying to remember the events of the previous night.
‘If you’re going to leak your damn pheromone, at least stay out of my sight.’
‘Young-je, how long do I have to keep coddling you? And please, grow up.’
Hui-won rubbed his flattened cheek and ruffled his hair. The farce of last night flashed through his mind like a slideshow.
“This is driving me crazy.”
He wished his memory had just cut off, but he remembered the conversation and even Kwon Young-je’s sharp glare. Kwon Young-je must have brought him home. His last memories were fragmented, but he clearly recalled being dumped like a piece of luggage.
If he was going to bring him home, he could have at least put him inside. He’s so consistently heartless.
Hui-won licked his dry lips. He felt like he had made a mistake, but it was ambiguous. When he thought about it, Kwon Young-je had started it, and he was just defending himself.
“Aish, what’s the point now.”
He decided to stop thinking about it. Who cares? He wouldn’t be involved with him anymore anyway, so cutting ties would be better for his mental health. Hui-won dusted himself off and stood up. After lying on the cold floor all night, one of his legs was numb, and he had to limp inside.
* * *
On a weekday afternoon, Hui-won visited Blue Rail headquarters.
He had received help from Secretary Kim before. He decided to take the time to visit her workplace to deliver the hormone stimulant he had promised and to say hello.
Sunlight streamed through the large glass windows. People were constantly coming and going from the coffee shop on the first floor of the headquarters. As he was absentmindedly watching the busy scene, Secretary Kim commented.
“Secretary Kim, you look great.”
Hui-won smiled, his eyes crinkling. He put down the mug in his hand and rubbed his chin self-consciously. He had been hearing that a lot lately whenever he met acquaintances, but it always made him feel awkward.
“Really?”
“Is this the so-called post-retirement therapy I’ve heard so much about?”
“It’s definitely effective.”
“I’m jealous, so jealous.” Secretary Kim muttered sincerely. She wondered when she would be able to enjoy such a thing, sighing inwardly as she took a sip of her coffee. Her gaze landed on Hui-won, who was sitting across from her.
Indeed, Kim Hui-won’s face was glowing. He had always been handsome, but now he had a subtle softness that naturally drew attention. It seemed to be because he was at peace, rather than because he had become an Omega.
Secretary Kim licked the coffee from her lips and let out a heavy sigh.
“All I can offer someone who came all the way here is coffee… I’m sorry, I wish we could have a meal together. I don’t have much time.”
“I appreciate you taking the time to see me despite your busy schedule.”
“You’re not planning on coming back to this industry, are you?”
“It would be difficult, wouldn’t it?”
“Everyone is saying how much they miss you.”
The news of Hui-won’s Omega awakening had already spread in the executive secretary group chat. Rumors had been circulating, but he had revealed the truth himself in the group chat after resigning. There were mixed opinions at the time about whether to congratulate him or offer condolences.
The person in question looked carefree in person. Secretary Kim couldn’t bring herself to look at him with pity, so she put on her familiar smile.
“You’ve worked hard. You’ll do well no matter what you do, Secretary Kim, so I’m not worried.”
“Thank you for everything. I’d like to say goodbye to the other secretaries in person, but I don’t have the time.”
“Who has time? We just have to live thinking no news is good news.”
As executive secretaries who lived according to their superiors’ schedules, they could only interact when they met at external events. Now that Kim Hui-won had resigned, he would no longer attend such events. It was perhaps more likely that they would run into each other on the street.
“I don’t think Executive Director Kwon Young-je has found a new executive secretary yet.”
“Hmm,” Hui-won hummed quietly. He knew this topic would come up. The conversations between executive secretaries were mostly about the people they served.
“He’s a very cautious person. He’ll find someone soon. I don’t know, I’m not going to worry about it.”
“It’s not your problem anymore, is it?”
Secretary Kim chuckled. She took a sip of her moderately cooled coffee and added.
“I wonder what he’s going to do, he seemed very stressed.”
“Secretary Kim… how do you know that?”
Hui-won widened his eyes and asked Secretary Kim. It was true that Kwon Young-je was troubled because of him, but he wasn’t the type to show his inner feelings, and even the secretarial staff didn’t know what Secretary Kim was saying.
Secretary Kim rested her chin on her hand and began to recount what she had seen and heard.
“There was an event hosted by the Chamber of Commerce recently, and there was a lot of talk there. About Secretary Kim’s Omega awakening.”
“…….”
“You know… how Alphas talk. It’s obvious, right?”
Hui-won nodded. He had attended many such events and knew that the level of conversation dropped significantly when the topic of Omegas came up.
“There was a debate about whether or not an Omega could be used as a secretary. Actually, it wasn’t even a debate, they were just giggling and gossiping, and Executive Director Kwon Young-je got really pissed off. The man who was always so refined got so angry that he confronted them… it was sexy.”
“…Excuse me?”
“What? It’s true that Executive Director Kwon Young-je is sexy.”
“No, that’s not what I meant… he confronted them? Who?”
He was so dumbfounded that he asked again. Secretary Kim narrowed her eyes as if trying to remember.
“President Kim Tae-jong of NeoTex, CEO Seok Moon-ho of Finans Financial, and Head Yoo Sang-jin of Samjung Group? That Alpha group, you know?”
Hui-won felt dizzy at the mention of such prominent figures. Kwon Young-je must be crazy. Why was he doing something he never did? He couldn’t imagine him raising his voice in a formal setting, which made his head spin even more.
“He almost got into a fight with Executive Director Kwon Young-ho? Wow, he was scary when he was angry. They’ve never gotten along, have they?”
Hui-won couldn’t say anything. He covered his mouth and looked down at the table. Secretary Kim, sensing his discomfort, carefully added her opinion.
“But it was a bit much. Even I was embarrassed. People seem to talk too carelessly about Omegas. They don’t hesitate to sexually harass them… I guess Executive Director Kwon Young-je couldn’t stand it.”
“…….”
“It means he cares about Secretary Kim that much. How often do you have a boss who gets angry on your behalf?”
Secretary Kim, who had been talking to herself, suddenly snapped back to reality when her phone rang.
“Oh, they’re looking for me again. Secretary Kim, I’m sorry, but I have to go.”
“…Yes, take care.”
“Let’s keep in touch!”
Hui-won watched her hurrying away and took out his phone. He went to a site that updated important event schedules and searched for ‘Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry’. He easily found the event that Kwon Young-je was expected to attend. It was last Thursday, the very day he had drinks with Im Jaegyu.
‘Are you out of your mind?’
He remembered Kwon Young-je grabbing his collar and yelling at him. At the time, he thought he was crazy, but now that he knew the situation, he could understand Kwon Young-je’s feelings a little better.
The conversation that took place at the time was obvious. Secretary Kim didn’t bother to mention it, but there must have been all sorts of nasty things said about him. Was there no insult to Kwon Young-je in those words? He had been subjected to ridicule that he wouldn’t have experienced otherwise because of him….
Hoo, Hui-won sighed deeply. He had been cursing Executive Director Kwon a lot, but his resentment suddenly vanished.
He fiddled with the phone in his hand for a moment. Kwon Young-je’s number was still saved on his phone, and he could contact him whenever he wanted. The decision was entirely up to him.
“…….”
After much deliberation, Hui-won put his phone down again. What’s the point now? It would be ridiculous to contact him over something so trivial when they had decided to go their separate ways.
A lingering feeling remained in a corner of his heart, but he suppressed it. Hui-won turned his head and looked out the window. He felt a strange bitterness in his mouth.
* * *
“What are you going to do?”
Kwon Young-je asked again, as if he wasn’t sure he had heard correctly. The lawyer standing next to him in a respectful posture pushed up his glasses, which had slipped down to the bridge of his nose.
“He says he’s going to sue you for workplace harassment and insult.”
Only then did Kwon Young-je’s gaze turn to the lawyer. A sneer gradually spread across his coldly hardened face.
“Interesting.”
The lawyer didn’t find it interesting at all. He was sweating profusely, his forehead and temples completely soaked. He took a deep breath and handed over the documents he was holding.
“The other party seems to have prepared quite meticulously. This could be a more serious case than we thought.”
“I don’t even remember his face. I doubt I even spoke to him.”