By Zephyria 
Secretary Park merely checked the rearview mirror, acting as if he heard nothing. For some reason, Han Seung-jae’s attitude today was unusual. It might have been related to the events of the morning.
“Clear your schedule.”
Recalling the exhibition schedule he had seen on the electronic display, Secretary Park quickly checked Han Seung-jae’s calendar.
“On the 16th, it looks like you’ll be available for about two hours—”
“No. Clear your schedule for this evening.”
As Han Seung-jae spoke, the sedan came to a halt in front of the towering Myung-jun Group building. Secretary Park stepped out of the passenger seat and opened the rear door. He did not ask Han Seung-jae a second time. Rather, he couldn’t. Whenever he met those eyes, his lips would instinctively snap shut.
As Han Seung-jae emerged, dressed in a dark suit, people bowed their waists. His gaze, cutting through the crowd, suddenly caught on something.
A man, who had been arguing with employees in front of the revolving door, looked back.
“Director Han!”
He rushed forward frantically, thrusting a stack of documents held in both hands.
“Please read this!”
The edges were curled and crumpled, as if he had been carrying them for a long time. He spoke urgently, as if being chased.
“If you look at this, you’ll know my words aren’t nonsense. Please, just help me once so I can explore for natural gas!”
“What are you all doing?”
Secretary Park stepped forward to block the man. Staff members strongly pulled the man away. After entering the building, Han Seung-jae brushed the sleeve of his suit where the man’s hand had touched.
Receiving greetings from the employees, Han Seung-jae stepped into the elevator. Secretary Park followed behind him. The doors closed, leaving only the two of them inside.
“Why do they all beg me to believe them, to help them? Without even thinking to prove themselves first so that I can believe them. Don’t you think?”
Secretary Park, who had been staring at the elevator doors, took on a tense expression. Looking at Han Seung-jae’s face—filled with displeasure—reflected in the door, he answered cautiously.
“Yes, that is correct.”
* * *
Stepping out of the shower booth, Seo Yi-kyung reached out.
He wiped the remaining moisture from his body clean with a long towel and slipped his arms into a robe. He looked down at the robe wrapping around his calves before moving his feet. He lightly tied the string at his waist.
After washing, he felt as though his mind had cleared, if only for a moment. Moreover, as the white sandalwood scent pheromones of Han Seung-jae, which had lingered on his body, faded, the feeling of being suppressed lessened.
Partly due to his small stature, but the white sandalwood scent emanating from Han Seung-jae’s body made him feel a particularly strong sense of pressure.
He was reminded once again that the ‘Omega’s World’ he was currently in was a world driven by superior Alphas. Since an Alpha’s status determined an Omega’s position, Omegas were especially dependent on pheromones.
Seo Yi-kyung approached a painting on the wall. He stared blankly at the painting he had seen this morning, depicting lush trees by a dark-colored river.
“Hmm…”
No matter how much he looked, he couldn’t tell. Whether he looked closely or stepped back to appreciate it, he felt nothing.
“I can’t tell if this painting is good or bad.”
Seo Yi-kyung had no particular expertise in art. Nevertheless, he examined the tastes of the ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ who shared his name.
Knock, knock.
At the sound of the door, Seo Yi-kyung gave a short reply. “Yes, you may come in.” Then the door opened, and Butler Do entered carrying a tray.
“You didn’t eat breakfast this morning.”
Seo Yi-kyung moved and sat at the table while still wearing his shower robe. A plate with orange juice and bread was placed in front of him.
Butler Do watched Seo Yi-kyung eating the bread with his hands and asked.
“Are you alright?”
Seo Yi-kyung, with one cheek puffed out, looked up. Bread crumbs were stuck to the corner of his mouth.
“About what?”
“Well…”
Butler Do trailed off. It was hard to put a finger on it, but Seo Yi-kyung’s behavior and manner of speaking were somehow different.
“I mean your wrist. I was reckless this morning.”
Seo Yi-kyung wouldn’t be the only one in this house walking on eggshells around Han Seung-jae. He could tell that Butler Do wanted him to adapt and blend in like water more than anyone else.
As if answering those inner thoughts, a faint smile played on Seo Yi-kyung’s lips. Then, he raised his arm, revealing the wrist that had been hidden by the shower robe. The bread in his hand dangled.
“I don’t think it’ll bruise.”
“That is a relief.”
Watching Butler Do look visibly relieved, Seo Yi-kyung asked.
“By the way, is this all the paintings there are?”
Seo Yi-kyung looked around while munching on the bread.
“I saw the paintings hanging on the walls on the first floor, but…”
“Paintings?”
“Yes.”
At Butler Do’s words, Seo Yi-kyung’s eyes shimmered. He originally wore his most joyful expression when talking about art.
Watching this, Butler Do hummed. It seemed that the feeling that something was different had been his imagination after all. Besides, the young master had even fallen ill due to the change in environment.
As if remembering something, Butler Do spoke kindly.
“Would you like to visit the painting studio? I’ve prepared one in a room that is incomparably larger than the one you had at the main house. The tools are all new. Of course, I’ve brought everything you used previously, so you don’t have to worry.”
“….”
“Aren’t you happy?”
He had expected that upon hearing this, the young master would be the first to say he wanted to go see it. However, Seo Yi-kyung’s expression upon hearing Butler Do’s words was different from his expectations. Instead, he seemed to think for a moment and then shook his head.
“I’ll see it later. I’m a bit tired today.”
Butler Do took the tray and left the room. Once the door closed, Seo Yi-kyung stood up, walked to the bed, and flopped down. Then, he slowly closed his eyes.
The painting studio was the last place ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ had stayed.
That night, in the early hours of the dawn, ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ had looked at a painting alone and made his final choice. What would it feel like to press cold metal against one’s own head? It must have been chilling and terrifying.
In the original work, ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ was a kind and gentle person.
But watching that, Seo Yi-kyung felt frustrated. He couldn’t even say he disliked something properly, and he just conceded everything. To put it nicely, it was conceding; in reality, it was no different from being robbed. He always stepped back one pace and just watched.
What would I have done…
“…Young Master, Young Master.”
Seo Yi-kyung opened his closed eyes. The surroundings had turned dim. It seemed he had fallen asleep for a moment. Butler Do murmured with a troubled face.
“A car has arrived outside.”
“…?”
Lying on the bed, Seo Yi-kyung blinked in confusion. Butler Do added worriedly.
“Director Han is waiting and asked for you to be brought to him.”
* * *
Stepping out of the car, Seo Yi-kyung looked up at the tall building. Butler Do, who was hurrying ahead, looked back. He checked the time on his wristwatch.
“You must hurry.”
Between waking the sleeping Seo Yi-kyung, washing him, and dressing him in a suit, a lot of time had already passed. Whether he knew Butler Do’s inner turmoil or not, Seo Yi-kyung’s pace was sluggish.
The two of them got off on the 15th floor. Secretary Park, who had been waiting in front of the elevator after receiving prior notice, gave a slight bow. Unable to suppress his anxiety, Butler Do tentatively spoke.
“How long has Director Han been waiting?”
In truth, they had only received a notification to come to the appointment location. They didn’t know exactly what time he had arrived or how long he had been waiting.
However, the face he had shown this morning was clearly indicative of a foul mood. Therefore, if he had waited a long time, wouldn’t he face Seo Yi-kyung with an even more displeased expression? It was no wonder Butler Do was worried.
Secretary Park seemed to glance at Seo Yi-kyung and then held his tongue.
“Let’s just go for now.”
He couldn’t bring himself to say that he had been waiting for about an hour upon seeing that innocent face. He thought it might be better for the young master not to know.
Dressed in a cream-colored suit, Seo Yi-kyung followed Secretary Park. He looked around, scanning the people moving in and out of the high-end Chinese restaurant. Then, Secretary Park stopped.
“It’s here.”
Secretary Park knocked and opened the door.
“You’ve just arrived—”
“Director Han!”
The moment the door opened, someone rushed toward Seo Yi-kyung from behind. Thump. Due to the sudden action of the man holding a stack of documents in both hands, Seo Yi-kyung’s body was pushed.
I’m going to fall… Before he could do anything, Seo Yi-kyung’s body swayed violently. If it had been his original body, he would have kept his balance, but his current body was merely thin and slender.
Looking down at the floor, Seo Yi-kyung was aghast.
‘Is this body made of paper?’
Just then, a long arm clad in a dark suit reached out and wrapped around Seo Yi-kyung’s body. His pale face was buried deep into a firm chest.