By Zephyria Even in broad daylight, the interior was completely dark. Blinds were drawn on every window, tightly controlling the sunlight.
Kim Hui-won silently locked the door and turned around. He was about to take a step when his breath caught in his throat. To support his swaying body, he instinctively grabbed the wall.
Wow… what is this?
The trembling in his knees was already ominous. The pheromones filling the space were squeezing Hui-won’s lungs tightly. It was on a different level from the Alpha pheromones Hui-won had experienced so far. The violent aggression seemed to genuinely want to kill its target.
He understood why Kwon Young-je had told him not to come in. This was not a pheromone that an Omega could endure.
In that short moment, he broke into a cold sweat, and the back of his neck was soaked. Hui-won barely managed to catch his breath and raised his head. He saw two Alphas engaged in a fierce battle of wills before his eyes.
He didn’t know if he should be relieved that it hadn’t escalated to a fistfight, but the fact that they were emitting such intense pheromones just by confronting each other meant that trouble was only a matter of time.
It wasn’t as if Kwon Young-ho had only started picking fights today or yesterday, but the fights he had seen so far were mere child’s play. Kwon Young-ho, with his eyes rolled back, looked ready to tear Kwon Young-je to pieces.
In contrast, Kwon Young-je was keenly assessing the situation while suppressing Kwon Young-ho. Kwon Young-ho tried to grapple with him several times, but each time he was blocked and bounced back. He was a man you couldn’t mess with carelessly.
“You think I’ll just take this lying down? You fucked with the wrong person!”
The more he did, the more Kwon Young-ho’s anger intensified. Perhaps realizing he couldn’t win with his physique, he began to hurl vulgar insults. From “son of a bitch” and “motherfucker” to all sorts of depraved and outrageous remarks, they poured out in a single burst. He looked like a possessed person, screaming and thrashing alone.
Hui-won secured a safe distance and observed Kwon Young-je. He had already realized that this was not his place to interfere. Fortunately, the thick corner wall provided a sturdy barrier. He hid himself and quietly held his breath, preparing for any eventuality.
“Still can’t grasp the situation? Kwon Young-ho, you’re a kite with a cut string. The reason you brought this on yourself is because you’re a failure.”
Kwon Young-je slowly scanned the other man’s face with sharp eyes. He no longer treated him as a cousin. He nonchalantly added,
“Why don’t you take care of yourself instead of venting your anger?”
“Think you’ve won? Think the company is yours just because you got rid of me?”
“Well, we’ll have to wait and see about that. But at least it doesn’t look like you’ll be around for long.”
“Don’t make me laugh. I’m not going down alone. Even if I burn in hell, I’ll grab onto your pant leg and drag you down with me.”
Kwon Young-je cast an indifferent gaze, as if to say, “Go ahead and try.” His relaxed and arrogant demeanor once again ignited a fire in Kwon Young-ho’s gut. Kwon Young-ho’s eyes widened, turning bloodshot with rage that seethed like a lava flow. The boiling Alpha pheromones raged in all directions.
“…Ugh.”
Hui-won, hidden in the corner, gagged. He desperately covered his nose with the back of his hand, but there was no way to escape Kwon Young-ho’s pheromones. He was wondering if he should leave now when suddenly,
Kwon Young-ho abruptly twisted his upper body. He scanned the surroundings with bloodshot eyes and strode towards the corner. He picked something up.
“Executive Director! No!”
Seeing Kwon Young-ho pick up the fire extinguisher, Hui-won rushed out without hesitation. He grabbed Kwon Young-ho’s waist to stop him, but he had already pulled the safety pin.
Cheee-!
Compressed gas began to spew from the nozzle aimed at Kwon Young-je. In an instant, white powder erupted, filling the surroundings.
This crazy bastard! Kwon Young-ho was clearly out of his mind. What if they suffocated to death? Hui-won coughed from the fine powder rushing into his respiratory system, but he continued to tighten his grip on Kwon Young-ho’s waist.
“Ughhh! You son of a biiitch!!”
Kwon Young-ho, letting out a scream filled with resentment, finally dropped the fire extinguisher. The interior was already a mess, and the surroundings were filled with smoke-like powder, making it impossible to see where Kwon Young-je was. Only the sound of his coughing confirmed that he was still alive.
In the hazy smoke, Hui-won groped for the door, guided by the structure. His only thought was to get help somehow. He barely reached the door and grabbed the handle when a rough hand seized his shoulder. Before he could react, he was turned around.
“Secretary Kim, you came just in time? I had so much to say to you.”
“Director Kwon, cough, ugh!”
At the same time as Kwon Young-ho forcefully pressed on Hui-won’s Adam’s apple, he slammed his shoulder against the wall. Kwon Young-ho’s eyes, staring down at Hui-won’s pale face, were filled with venom and gleamed eerily.
“Park Chan-dae PD, he’s your Seonbae from university, isn’t he? You cunning bastard. Did you think I’d let you get away with pretending to be innocent?”
“Ugh, cough!”
“I’m going to make sure I crush you extra thoroughly.”
As if he really intended to kill Hui-won, he applied even more fervent force to the hand gripping his neck. The sound of his grinding teeth was similar to the sound of a bone cracking, making it even more chilling.
A murderous pheromone was pouring directly into his face. Sharp pain, like being stabbed with dozens of needles, tore at his entire body. The heels of Hui-won’s shoes slipped on the slick floor. He struggled to tear Kwon Young-ho’s hand away, but it was no use.
“Ugh, heuk!”
A faint metallic smell of blood rose from his throat. He didn’t know if his breath was being cut off because of the strangulation or the violent pheromones. His vision blurred, and the veins in his neck bulged and throbbed. Suddenly, Hui-won’s eyes rolled back. At the same time as he convulsed, his knees buckled. Just as his body, pinned against the wall, was sliding down,
Kwon Young-ho’s nape was also violently grabbed. Kwon Young-je slammed his large body to the floor, pressing his angry chest down with his knee. With a thud, Kwon Young-ho’s face was forced towards the floor. The intensity of the punches was so destructive that blood splattered on the white floor.
Kwon Young-ho coughed and spat out clotted blood. Mixed in with the thick blood were fragments of a broken molar.
“If you’re going to go crazy, at least go crazy quietly.”
Kwon Young-je’s voice was low and subdued. The anger contained within was immeasurable. Like a bowstring drawn taut, ready to snap at any moment, it was eerily crushing the air.
Kwon Young-ho, who had been struck evenly on both cheeks, twitched his limbs and then went limp. Kwon Young-je casually tossed aside the unconscious man and got to his feet. He immediately went to check on his man.
“Secretary Kim. Wake up.”
No matter how many times he called out, Hui-won only trembled all over and couldn’t respond. His pale face was like a corpse. The skin he briefly touched was ice-cold.
“Kim Hui-won!”
Kwon Young-je slapped his cheeks quite sharply. He repeatedly slapped him and called his name loudly, but he didn’t open his eyes. Eventually, Kwon Young-je forcibly pried open Hui-won’s eyelids.
Completely rolled-back whites of his eyes, a wildly racing pulse. Kwon Young-je knew what these symptoms meant. He was experiencing pheromone shock.
Just then, the door opened, and security team members rushed in. The interior, covered in white powder as if it were a snowfield, and two people lying collapsed inside. The sight of the catastrophic scene filled everyone with horror.
Amidst it all, Kwon Young-je, the only one unharmed, glared at the security team and gave a sharp order.
“Get rid of that.”
“That” referred to Kwon Young-ho. Two burly security team members each slung one of Kwon Young-ho’s arms over their shoulders. As they dragged him out, the remaining member stood frozen, waiting for Executive Director Kwon Young-je’s next instruction.
Haa, Kwon Young-je covered his forehead and let out a sigh filled with exhaustion. He, too, was overwhelmed with how to handle this situation. With even the slightest movement, the white powder piled on his body fell off.
“First, open the windows. And could you bring me some water?”
“Yes, Executive Director.”
The security team member quickly moved to carry out the instructions. He not only opened the windows wide but also obtained two bottles of mineral water from outside and handed them over respectfully.
Kwon Young-je twisted open the bottle of mineral water, but paused for a moment and said to the security team member standing before him,
“Get out.”
“Excuse me?”
“Lock the door and leave. And don’t let anyone in until I say so.”