By Zephyria 
“I’m on my way to eat because I’m hungry. My stomach is going grumble-grumble.”
—You haven’t eaten yet?
“Yeah, I came out right after class. I had some things to buy. Now I’m going to eat. I’m having samgyetang. Driver Lee says he knows a really delicious place.”
—I know a decent place too. Shall we go together later?
“What if I want samgyetang then, too?”
At my retort, Kwon Yi-kang clicked his tongue, saying I was playing hard to get. I don’t know if it was intentional, but I laughed at the sound of his voice, which sounded sulky. While laughing softly, something suddenly occurred to me, so I asked.
“Right. I talked with Father this morning, and he scolded me for staying out overnight so often. While doing that, Father told me to be careful about contraception. Were you using contraception?”
For a moment, the car jolted. Startled, I looked over to see Lee Kyung-jin’s hands gripping the steering wheel with stiff tension.
“I am sorry.”
Lee Kyung-jin apologized urgently in a voice that sounded somewhat stifled. I replied, “It’s okay,” and focused my ear on the phone, but no answer came.
“Hello? What happened? Did the call drop? Hello?”
—No, I’m listening.
“I thought it was cut off. About contraception. I don’t particularly remember doing anything, and it seems you didn’t either. But is there something I need to do? There’s no point in me wearing a condom. Aren’t you the one who should use it?”
—That is…
After clearing his throat a few times, Kwon Yi-kang managed to continue.
—Let’s talk about that later when we meet. It’s a difficult topic to discuss in public.
“Ah, is someone next to you? Then tell me next time.”
I guess it’s not the place to bring up condoms. I laughed as I imagined Kwon Yi-kang’s troubled face. He must have had a quite cute expression.
—But why did that topic suddenly come up? Staying out overnight a lot?
“No, he suddenly told me to go on a blind date. I guess it’s something that was discussed before the accident. Since I look fine now, he’s pushing it on me again.”
—…What?
“You’re flustered too, right? I’m only twenty; what kind of blind date? It’s completely absurd.”
I laughed, but Kwon Yi-kang didn’t. After a brief silence, a stiff response came back: “And so?”
“And so what. I’m just saying. When I asked what kind of blind date at my age, Father said he had me when he was twenty. I was totally shocked.”
—So, what happened with the blind date?
“For now, I told him I have no intention of doing it, so he should push it back two or three months.”
—…You told him to push it back? That means you’ll eventually see them in two or three months. Right?
Haa, a low sigh reached me, and I felt a pang of realization as his emotions were conveyed.
“Because I don’t know what will happen in two or three months.”
—Are you planning to break up with me within two or three months?
“Why do you say it like that. Do you remember… what I said last time? I wasn’t joking.”
—So in the end, you’re saying let’s stop seeing each other.
“Not that!”
Why does he keep talking as if I’m the one asking to break up? I wanted him to remember the part where I said I’d kill someone.
I glanced at Lee Kyung-jin in front of me, feeling conscious, and denied it, but the heavy breathing coming from the phone showed no sign of calming down.
—Do you know something?
“What?”
—Since I met you, my monthly leave has been dwindling rapidly.
“You care about that even though it’s your father’s company? You’re such a model employee.”
He really can’t be compared to the younger one, who skips clinic appointments. This is why there won’t be any gossip later, whether he inherits the company or the hospital. I don’t know what the younger one believes in to act so wildly. He’s only falling further behind the eldest. He’s just a thoughtless guy.
—Let’s meet now, Cha Soo-kyung.
“Now? I… have to eat? I’m hungry…”
I whimpered while clutching my churning stomach, but it seemed Kwon Yi-kang was determined to meet me.
—Tell the driver to give me the location of the restaurant.
“Alright. Driver Lee, where are we going? He wants the location.”
When I asked in a sulky voice, Lee Kyung-jin glanced back.
“If I tell him Cheongsongrim, he will know.”
How would he know just by that? It’s not a restaurant that everyone living in Seoul has been to. Still, since the address comes up immediately when searching on a phone these days, there’s no way he couldn’t find it.
“He says it’s called Cheongsongrim.”
—I know where that is. I’ll make a reservation in my name, so go ahead.
“When are you coming? I’m hungry… do I have to wait long?”
—Go ahead and eat first.
Because Kwon Yi-kang hung up bluntly, I leaned back into the seat in a sulky mood.
“Is it a restaurant everyone in Seoul goes to? How does he know just by the name?”
“He seems to do a lot of entertaining or dining there. Actually, ordinary people don’t know it well. The price range is too high for a casual meal.”
Aha, it’s a restaurant mainly for wealthy people. Well, almost every place Lee Kyung-jin took me was like that. Extremely expensive, mostly consisting of private rooms so you can eat without being noticed by others, and very luxurious restaurants that tend to be quiet rather than crowded.
“I think he’s angry. I don’t know why he’s coming when he’s probably already eaten.”
“Could it be because you mentioned… a blind date?”
“I didn’t say I’d go on one; I just said let’s talk about it again in two or three months and pushed it back.”
“I think he might be angry that you didn’t refuse it outright, even though you’re seeing someone.”
“I did refuse. Since it wasn’t working, I just used an excuse to postpone it.”
It’s not like I’m going on a blind date right now, nor am I getting married. Is that something to be so angry about that he’d come find me immediately?
Honestly, he’s in the same boat regarding blind date offers. He knows well what it’s like when parents keep insisting and pushing them even if they say no. It’s unfair to be angry at me for that.
“Perhaps he is thinking a bit further ahead.”
“Further? About what?”
“I mean… marriage. I wonder if he is thinking about marrying you, young master.”
“Eh, no way.”
I laughed and waved my hand at Lee Kyung-jin’s cautious question.
“Were you just seeing him casually?”
“…It’s not that. But marriage feels like a story from a distant land. I’ve never particularly thought about it.”
“Shouldn’t you think about it? As you may know, Omegas tend to marry early. In the case of the people I served or their families who were Omegas, they usually married by the time they graduated from university at the latest.”
I guess it’s really not just my family. Hearing Lee Kyung-jin’s words, it felt as if the thing called marriage had approached right before my eyes.
∞ ∞ ∞
“You’re here?”
Because Kwon Yi-kang was coming, I couldn’t eat with Lee Kyung-jin and had entered the room alone, where I was happily gnawing on a chicken leg from the samgyetang that had come out first.
Kwon Yi-kang, who opened the door and entered, flinched for a moment upon seeing me sucking on a leg bone, then sat opposite me with an expressionless face.
“The meal?”
“Look at the time. I already ate.”
“Then why follow someone to where they’re eating?”
I gave a small reproach, and a staff member brought a cup of tea, perhaps because he had ordered upon entering. After taking a silent sip and swallowing, Kwon Yi-kang stared at me intently.
“I know what you want to talk about. But this isn’t something to be angry about. You said you were staying at a hotel because you couldn’t beat your father’s stubbornness. It’s the same. I said I didn’t want to. I clearly stated that I’m too young to talk about marriage and that I’m seeing someone. But they won’t listen to me. So I just pushed it back to talk again in two or three months.”
I preempted him and quickly made my excuse before Kwon Yi-kang could open his mouth. No, this wasn’t an excuse, but an explanation. An excuse feels like a detailed explanation of one’s fault, but even putting my hand on my heart, I had done absolutely nothing wrong.
“And right now, things like marriage or blind dates aren’t important to me at all. I don’t know if you think it’s just a joke, but what I said back then was sincere. Once I actually do that work, I can’t guarantee what will happen to me next month, let alone in two or three months.”
“What can’t you guarantee?”
It’s really hard to get a single word out of him. Kwon Yi-kang, who finally spoke, asked in a pressed voice.
“I’ll probably go to prison.”
“That won’t happen.”
“Maybe not.”
If I can’t have certainty. If I can’t do anything. But that wasn’t the result I wanted. Even if I end up in prison, I want to find the real culprit, and I want to punish them with my own hands.
“I want to do this. You might not understand, but… I… I believe this is the reason I survived without dying. Above all, this work is important.”
“Then what am I?”
“You’re… a bonus? Like a lottery ticket. You broke through an incredibly small possibility and let me feel emotions that might never have existed in my life.”
For some reason, saying it with just my mouth felt a bit embarrassing and cheesy, so I put down the clean chicken leg bone and wiped my grease-covered fingers.
“I like you. But I can’t imagine a future for you and me.”
No, not a future for you and me, but I just can’t see my own future. Right now, I want to be with you, but I don’t think that’s something possible in the future.
“You like me?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think I’ll be in your future?”
“Yes.”
“By any chance… do you want to marry me?”
“Marriage? Not just marriage, I’m going to do everything in the future with you.”