#74

Jung-hyun suppressed a laugh as he listened to the quiet sound of breathing. Had he teased him too much? Especially someone who was already struggling just to offer formal greetings to a partner he felt awkward around.

“Seeing as the number is an international call, I assume you’re still in Hokkaido. You could have used VoiceTalk; why did you call internationally? Doesn’t that cost money?”

Jung-hyun changed the subject as if doing him a favor. It was a return gesture for the belated Christmas greeting.

─Does it matter? It’s my money anyway.

“The person receiving the call might be charged too.”

─What? Huh…? Really?

A clattering sound echoed from the other end of the phone. It sounded as if he had jumped up and knocked over a chair. Then, he could hear him urgently asking someone, “Do you pay for receiving international calls too?”

He couldn’t hear the other person’s answer, but seeing how his voice became completely crestfallen, it seemed he had received the same answer.

─…I’m sorry. I called because I thought only I would be charged. It wasn’t on purpose, it’s just that VoiceTalk seemed a bit… cheap. Ah, please pretend you didn’t hear that. Ah…

The rambling voice sounded remarkably youthful over the phone.

Hearing only his voice like this, he seemed almost cute—a complete contrast to the person who usually wore a sullen expression and picked only the meanest words to say.

“We should probably keep this call short if you don’t want to get hit with a massive phone bill.”

In truth, it didn’t matter to him at all, but for some reason, he felt like teasing him further, so he said it. As expected, Shin Ho-jae’s voice became even more discouraged.

─…Yes, I’m sorry. Oh.

─Is that CEO Jung-hyun? CEO!

Suddenly, a bright female voice was heard.

─It’s so, so great here! I’m having a blast with my mom and everyone! I got to see Shin Ho-jae too!

“Yeon-jae? Are you with him right now?”

─Yes! I’m on break, so I came with my mom and the family. It’s my first time in Japan. There’s so much snow piled up here. Ah, why are you doing this? I’m on the phone with the CEO. Ah, damn. I’m sorry, Shin Ho-jae is throwing a fit telling me to stop.

─CEO? It must be chaotic. I’m sorry. Shin Yeon-jae went to a beer factory and got drunk…

Jung-hyun smiled softly. Even without seeing it, the scene painted itself in his mind. As he had hoped, Shin Ho-jae seemed to be at the away game with his family.

“I see you brought your mother and brother to this match.”

─Ah, yes. The club said they would provide support…

“You did well. Take everything you can while they’re offering.”

─…Is that something a CEO should be saying?

“I’m saying it because I’m the CEO.”

Shin Ho-jae was silent for a moment. Instead of his voice, ambient noise flowed through the receiver.

The sound of Shin Yeon-jae chatting away, his mother’s slightly excited voice responding, the sound of cars and camera shutters, and even music drifting from far away.

Though he had spent the last few weeks confined to his bed at home, for a brief moment, he felt as if he were in Hokkaido with his family.

─By any chance, are you still busy next week?

It was a short while before Shin Ho-jae’s voice returned.

Jung-hyun recalled the Blue Wolves’ match schedule in his head. After the final match of the year on December 31st, the Asia League would have a two-week break. Then, the second half of the league would begin in earnest from mid-January.

“Next week is a home game for the first time in a while, so I should go watch.”

─Then… I’ll see you that day.

“Yes. Have a wonderful time.”

─…Yes, thank you.

The hesitant call ended with those words. It had been a long conversation, lasting a full 29 minutes and 13 seconds.

Jung-hyun stared at the darkened screen of his phone for a long time before pushing himself up. He felt like he could eat some porridge if it had been simmered for a long time. Perhaps it was because he had spoken for so long, but he finally had an appetite.

* * *

“An engagement? This quickly?”

Kwon Ki-hyuk frowned as he looked at his father. It was a sudden, out-of-the-blue announcement immediately following their breakfast meeting. Kwon Jung-hyun getting engaged.

And that, without a single word to seek his consent. Anger simmered and boiled inside him.

“There are still four months left. And wasn’t I the one who was supposed to look for Kwon Jung-hyun’s partner?”

“The other side is rushing it, so there’s no reason to refuse. Keep that in mind.”

“Does Kwon Jung-hyun know?”

“His mother probably handled it.”

Kwon Myung-chul sat at his desk and picked up some approval documents as if it were nothing. Kwon Ki-hyuk strode toward him, planting both hands on the desk and leaning in. A large shadow fell across the desk.

“Father. How can you handle things this way?”

Kwon Myung-chul stopped signing and looked up. Ki-hyuk was looking down at him with a face full of irritation.

“Kwon Jung-hyun is mine. Then you should have gotten my permission. Isn’t that why we agreed to settle him in Korea?”

Myung-chul snapped the clipboard shut and took off his glasses.

“We did. But the situation has changed. This is actually for the best. Ki-hyuk, take this opportunity to let go of your obsession with your brother.”

“Obsession…?”

“Yes. How long are you going to act like an 18-year-old? You’ll be a father soon; shouldn’t you become a father your son won’t be ashamed of?”

Ki-hyuk let out a hollow laugh.

“Who do you think is responsible for me acting like an 18-year-old?”

“Kwon Ki-hyuk.”

“It’s all because of you, Father, who abandoned your own son just to protect this great family!”

Kwon Ki-hyuk huffed and slammed his fist onto Myung-chul’s desk. With a loud bang, the items on the desk trembled.

Kwon Myung-chul looked down at them with a displeased expression and only spoke after the vibrations had completely subsided.

“That’s enough. There’s a limit to my patience. Don’t forget that you exist because that family exists. Chief Lee, bring that here.”

Kwon Myung-chul cut him off as if he didn’t want to hear any more and pressed the intercom button to call the Chief of Staff outside. The door opened behind the panting, anger-swallowing Kwon Ki-hyuk.

Chief Lee entered the room carrying a heavy-looking box.

“What is this?”

“I had some herbal medicine prepared for your wife. Take it and tell So-hyun to take two pouches a day without fail.”

“Herbal medicine?”

“It contains ingredients that help with the Alpha manifestation of the fetus. Chief Lee ordered it based on the expected due date.”

“Ha….”

“Since you’re a recessive, you have to put in several times the effort of others.”

Ki-hyuk’s lips twitched, and he stormed out of the room.

The person who quietly opened the door again after it had been slammed shut was Kwon Ki-hyuk’s secretary. He bowed to Myung-chul and the Chief of Staff in the president’s office, then took the box of medicine and left.

Click, click.

Kwon Ki-hyuk cursed under his breath as he flicked the lighter wheel several times. Perhaps the wheel was frozen from the cold, as the flame wouldn’t catch. In a fit of rage, he threw the lighter as hard as he could.

The disposable lighter hit the wall and landed in a corner. He snapped the cigarette, whose filter was damp, in two and crushed it under his shoe.

“Fuck.”

What? Because he’s a recessive, he has to put in more effort? Who was the one who sired a recessive in the first place? He really has a talent for saying things in the most fucked-up way possible.

Anyway, if you scatter your seed here and there, one of them is bound to hit the mark. Isn’t that right? Just as his father had done.

Ki-hyuk glared into the void.

Kwon Jung-hyun is getting engaged. He didn’t know why, but seeing as the other side was rushing, they might be planning to hold the wedding as soon as April comes.

He didn’t like it one bit.

He had intended to personally pick some stupid woman from a suitable family to pair with Kwon Jung-hyun. That way, even after marriage, Jung-hyun would continue to act as his shadow.

But the son of a Vice Minister? He didn’t know where this random bone had rolled in from, but this was problematic. Ki-hyuk did not want his younger brother to escape his influence and become a free man.

Kwon Jung-hyun had to seek forgiveness at his feet forever. For the crime of daring to covet his position. For the crime of daring to take everything away from him.

“Secretary Kim.”

“Yes, Vice President.”

The secretary, who had been quietly standing by his side, bowed and stepped closer.

“How is that thing going? The Omega pheromones my dear brother is receiving.”

After instructing Kwon Jung-hyun to switch to Omega pheromones, he had watched with interest for a while, but it had become boring as there were no changes. He had forgotten about it for a while because he found receiving reports tedious, but the matter suddenly came back to him.

The secretary immediately operated his phone and showed him a message window exchanged with a female nurse at the center. There, the amount of Omega pheromones administered to Jung-hyun each week and the resulting values were recorded.

“The last one is the most recent value.”

“…When was this value tested?”

“Three weeks ago.”

Ki-hyuk’s eyes narrowed significantly. His brow furrowed, and the corners of his mouth curled up in a twist.

“What is this? Does this stuff actually work?”

“They said Mr. Jung-hyun seems to be a slightly unusual case.”

“Haha!”

On the screen was written Kwon Jung-hyun’s Omega pheromone level. It wasn’t yet a level that would allow him to be called an Omega, but it was a number far removed from the average value of Betas.

Ki-hyuk asked with a twisted smile on his face.

“Where is our dear brother right now?”

75 – Puck Drop