By Zephyria 
After finishing a late breakfast, Seo Yi-kyung stood up. Every step sent a stinging pain through his thighs, causing him to let out an involuntary, shallow breath. Haah. His entire body throbbed and tingled. After walking a few steps, Seo Yi-kyung perched himself on the sofa. There was still some time before Jin Seon-yu arrived.
Should he send a message saying he couldn’t paint because he was in too much pain? He was lost in these thoughts when—
“Here you were.”
Having spotted him, Butler Do placed a teacup in front of Seo Yi-kyung, followed by a plate of neatly arranged apple slices.
Seo Yi-kyung smiled bitterly and picked up the teacup, hiding the slight tremble of his lips. It seemed the butler had brought the fruit because he knew Yi-kyung hadn’t eaten.
“Butler Do, there is a guest outside.”
A helper who had come to call for Butler Do spoke as he turned around.
“Without escorting them to the drawing room?”
Butler Do’s question was directed at the helper, but he looked toward Seo Yi-kyung, who was watching with curious eyes.
“Secretary Park mentioned that someone would be coming. He said it was a precious medicinal herb for health recovery, and it seems it has arrived. Please keep drinking your tea. I will check on it and be right back.”
Seo Yi-kyung, with the teacup to his lips, glanced at the apples before finally picking up a fork. The silver fork glistened in the light. Hesitantly, he put a piece of apple in his mouth and chewed. Crunch. Seo Yi-kyung’s expression turned gloomy. Yesterday, it was definitely sweet and delicious…
No, that wasn’t it. In truth, it was sweet and tasted fine now, too. It was simply that Han Seung-jae’s words wouldn’t leave his ears.
As Seo Yi-kyung moved the fork again to eat more apple, he slowly looked around his surroundings.
The paintings on the walls and the expensive ornaments. The scenery, which had felt so foreign when he first saw it, was now quite familiar. It felt comfortable, and occasionally, he felt a sense of peace. There was nothing lacking here; everything was provided.
“Young Master.”
Having finished the apples, Seo Yi-kyung turned around. Butler Do, who had left so leisurely, now looked pale. He approached hurriedly and bowed his upper body. A cold breeze mixed with the air as he leaned toward Seo Yi-kyung’s ear.
* * *
“Welcome.”
Leaving his car outside, Jin Seon-yu entered a shop filled with handmade wagashi. Following a friendly employee, he examined the wagashi packed in boxes. The colorful hues, like flower petals, and the cute shapes caught his eye. Beside them, manju topped with sesame and colorful yanggang were beautifully packaged. Just as Jin Seon-yu was about to scan the wagashi on the opposite side—
“Would you like those?”
When the employee asked, Jin Seon-yu tapped his phone screen. There were many varieties, and from what he had seen, Seo Yi-kyung tended not to eat much. Thus, he thought it would be best to ask if there was anything he wanted before buying.
“Um. Just a moment.”
Vibrate— Jin Seon-yu looked down at the phone in his hand. He answered the call with a bright smile.
“Actually, I was—”
Jin Seon-yu, who was about to say he had been meaning to call, couldn’t finish his sentence. It was because Seo Yi-kyung spoke rapidly.
[I don’t think I can paint today. I’ll contact you again later.]
“….”
Jin Seon-yu pulled the phone away from his ear and looked down at it. Seo Yi-kyung, who had rushed out those short words, had hung up immediately.
“Did something happen?”
It wasn’t like the usually calm and gentle Seo Yi-kyung. He was not one to raise his voice. Originally, a person’s nature is reflected in their painting.
Even when the hand gripping the brush lingered on the canvas, Seo Yi-kyung was the epitome of elegance. Because he was cautious, he thought deeply before drawing a line, taking a deep breath to calm his mind before acting. He was the complete opposite of Jin Seon-yu, who tended to start brushing first.
For such a person to speak in a rush and hang up as if being chased… Jin Seon-yu was worried that something might have happened. He fiddled with his phone, hesitating whether to press the call button. Still, it must be because of something important.
“I’ll take these.”
Lowering his phone, Jin Seon-yu pointed to the wagashi for the employee. He had intended to eat them with tea while painting with Yi-kyung. It was a shame, but he would have to eat them alone at home.
Jin Seon-yu took the shopping bag containing the wagashi and stepped through the automatic doors. He walked toward his parked car. He decided he would try some first, and if they were delicious, he would buy more when he went to see Yi-kyung.
It was just as he opened the driver’s side door. A familiar silhouette was reflected in the car window.
“You scared me!”
Jin Seon-yu turned around with a startled face. Kwon Gwi-jun, dressed in a neat suit, was looking down at him. Jin Seon-yu stopped opening the car door and muttered.
“You really do keep track of every single mealtime, don’t you? You’re always saying you’re busy. You’re more serious about eating than I am.”
The shopping bag in Jin Seon-yu’s hand swayed back and forth. During their school days, Kwon Gwi-jun had a habit of constantly saying he was busy. Yet, whenever Gyu-ho and he tried to drink alone, Gwi-jun would tactlessly barge in. Of course, other Omegas had barged in too. Come to think of it, who was the tactless one? To think he’d say such a thing to me. For some reason, he was reminded of Ham Gyu-ho, whom he had been trying to forget.
Irritated, Jin Seon-yu turned back and grabbed the car handle.
“Why are you avoiding my calls?”
Kwon Gwi-jun’s face, reflected in the window, remained calm. Because of that, Jin Seon-yu felt it was unfair that he was the only one who had spent time agonizing over it. Why did he say such strange things in the first place?
—I don’t dislike you.
After scolding him for being tactless, and acting indifferent or saying he was busy whenever asked anything, what on earth was the intention behind saying that now?
If he doesn’t dislike me, does that mean he likes me, or what?
Jin Seon-yu turned his head back irritably. A secretary approached behind Kwon Gwi-jun, checked his watch, and spoke.
“Director Kwon, you must leave now. If you delay any further, the deal might fall through.”
Hearing this, Jin Seon-yu chimed in.
“He says the deal will fall through. Can’t you hear? Just go.”
However, Kwon Gwi-jun stood there without budging. Director Kwon. Jin Seon-yu looked at the troubled secretary and spoke.
“I’ll take the call, so just go quickly.”
“….”
Jin Seon-yu couldn’t ignore the anxious secretary. Seeing him reminded him of Secretary Go Su-hwan, who assisted his second hyung, Jin Seok-young. In Jin Seon-yu’s eyes, it looked like Go Su-hwan was merely cleaning up after Jin Seok-young. That was how impatient and aggressive Jin Seok-young’s personality was.
“I’ll listen in, so just wrap things up well so the deal doesn’t fall through, and then contact me.”
Jin Seon-yu grabbed the car handle. Kwon Gwi-jun watched him get into the car and then turned away. Jin Seon-yu gripped the steering wheel and backed the car out. After moving forward and backward once, he drove off leisurely.
* * *
“Young Master.”
Looking at Seo Yi-kyung sitting on the sofa, Butler Do, who had approached from a distance looking pale, bowed his upper body.
“Who came?”
At Seo Yi-kyung’s question, Butler Do spoke emphatically.
“The Madam has arrived.”
Step, step. As Seo Yi-kyung headed toward the drawing room in his slippers, he was so frantic that he forgot his physical pain.
He shoved the phone he was holding into his back pocket and walked hurriedly. He didn’t forget to send a quick message before Jin Seon-yu arrived. Meanwhile, he checked his clothes. He was wearing simple attire with a cardigan.
Seo Yi-kyung touched the turtleneck wrapping around his neck. Should he have changed his clothes? But there was no time. She was already here waiting.
Entering the drawing room, Seo Yi-kyung looked at Yeon So-jeong sitting on the sofa. Her face was veiled, and she wore an elegant hat. However, since he had met her at a family banquet before, there was no way he wouldn’t recognize her.
“….”
At the sound of approaching footsteps, Yeon So-jeong turned her head. Wearing a sparkling brooch on her chest, she took off her hat. The face that had been shrouded in the veil was fully revealed.
When he had seen her at the family banquet, her hair had been elegantly swept up and she wore a glamorous dress that exposed her shoulders, but now, with her long straight hair flowing down, she looked clear and transparent like a watercolor painting. She was still a stunning beauty.
Yeon So-jeong placed the hat she was holding on the sofa.
“Mother. H-how…”
No, that wasn’t what he intended to say, but due to the completely unexpected visit, he was so confused that the words came out wrong. It wasn’t as if she, Han Seung-jae’s mother, couldn’t come here.
Nevertheless, Yeon So-jeong smiled and took Seo Yi-kyung’s hand. Her warm, soft hand was smaller than his.
“Seung-jae said he was busy.”
Yeon So-jeong’s eyes slowly drifted down, lingering around Seo Yi-kyung’s abdomen, hidden by the cardigan. She continued with a smile.
“So I came to see for myself.”