02 – Distorted Memories

Eun-soo entered the hospital today, as he did every day. After taking the elevator and pressing the top floor, he checked his phone. There were no particular messages. For instance, a message saying that Do-kwon had returned to ‘normal.’ He had wondered if Myeong-hui, Ki-ho, or perhaps Do-kwon himself had contacted him.

He knew it was a pathetic hope. Less than twelve hours had passed; how much could have changed? Still, just a little—perhaps even a fingernail’s worth—things might have changed. He couldn’t let go of the hope that Do-kwon might have recalled even a fragment of a memory.

The hospital room door was open. He couldn’t tell if a doctor had just visited or if a guest had come.

Wondering if it might be an important guest, Eun-soo peeked his head inside to check. He saw Do-kwon half-reclining on the bed and a man standing before him. A neat suit, a height that was quite tall though not as much as Do-kwon’s, and a familiar hairstyle.

The corners of Eun-soo’s mouth curled upward.

It was Do-kwon’s secretary. Since he was the person who managed Do-kwon’s every move, he was acquainted with Eun-soo. And, envy-inducingly, since he had been with Do-kwon for ten years, their bond would still be strong, whether before or after the memory loss.

Just as Eun-soo was observing the atmosphere between the two and about to step into the room, Do-kwon suddenly looked toward the door. It was as if he alone had heard Eun-soo’s footsteps, despite Eun-soo making no sound.

Eun-soo smiled awkwardly and raised his hand. Do-kwon did not react. From that desolate gaze, Eun-soo realized that he still did not remember him. The usual Do-kwon would never have looked at him so coldly.

Unable to hide his disappointment, Eun-soo slowly lowered his hand. Do-kwon did not take his eyes off him. Secretary Jeong followed the gaze toward the door. Upon discovering Eun-soo, he wore a bright smile.

That smile somehow made Eun-soo feel warm. He stepped into the room. Secretary Jeong also strode across the room to welcome him.

“Hello, Secretary Jeong.”

Eun-soo gave a small nod.

“Hello, Team Leader Yoo.”

Secretary Jeong also gave a polite bow. He stepped half a pace closer to Eun-soo. Then, lowering his handsome eyebrows, he showed concern.

“Are you feeling alright? I came right after the accident, but there was so much work to handle on the Director’s behalf that I haven’t been able to stop by the hospital until now. I did receive word that you were discharged.”

“Ah, yes. I wasn’t seriously injured… so I’m okay.”

“Still, it was a car accident.”

“Well… occasionally my body aches here and there, like a grandfather’s.”

Eun-soo hunched his spine and patted his back, mimicking an old man. At this, Secretary Jeong covered his mouth and laughed. Eun-soo also laughed, his eyes curving.

Do-kwon stared intently at the sight. The sunlight streaming through the window clung to Eun-soo. His eyes didn’t leave the rounded cheekbones, the gently folded corners of his eyes, and the lips forming a pretty arc. His clear smile looked incredibly pure.

And the more he looked at that face, the more his head began to ache. Do-kwon pressed his temples firmly with his thumb and middle finger.

“And the baby?”

Secretary Jeong asked Eun-soo.

“They said it’s fine at this hospital. I haven’t been to a specialized OB-GYN yet, but… now that I think of it, I should go today.”

Eun-soo stroked his stomach over his coat. He had heard that there are many things to be careful of during early pregnancy. However, he hadn’t heard specifically what those things were. Before it got any later, he had to go to the OB-GYN today.

“Shall I drive you?”

Secretary Jeong subtly offered his kindness. Occasionally, when Do-kwon had business, he would take Eun-soo to him, or take Eun-soo home after their meetings. Thus, acting as a driver was nothing to him. Moreover, since it was an OB-GYN and nowhere else, he felt a bit sorry to let him go alone.

However, Eun-soo shook his head.

“I… I can’t ride in a car.”

“Why? Ah, could it be because of the accident…?”

“Yes. I’ll just take the subway.”

“Sigh… what on earth is happening.”

“It’ll be okay soon. Very soon, it’ll be okay.”

Eun-soo smiled faintly. Secretary Jeong looked at him with pity. As he said, it would be wonderful if things became okay soon, but Do-kwon’s condition was not okay at all.

Eun-soo lowered his head slightly. Then, he lightly stroked the smooth nape of his neck. It was an unconscious action.

However, seeing this, Do-kwon took a sharp breath. An unfamiliar scent pierced his nostrils and instantly spread to the depths of his lungs. His face froze coldly. Then, it crumpled like a crushed aluminum can.

“Ugh…”

At the short groan, the gazes of Eun-soo and Secretary Jeong whipped toward Do-kwon. Eun-soo, who hadn’t yet wiped the smile from his face, locked eyes with Do-kwon. In that instant, Do-kwon clutched his head and rolled off the bed.

“Do-kwon!”

“Director!”

Eun-soo and Secretary Jeong rushed toward Do-kwon. Do-kwon curled his massive body into a ball and writhed on the floor.

“Do-kwon. Do-kwon, please wake up.”

Eun-soo tried to support him. His elbows, shoulders, and ankles hitting the hard marble floor looked painfully jarring.

“Don’t touch me!”

However, Do-kwon pushed Eun-soo away, making it impossible to get close.

“Get away from me!”

Do-kwon glared at Eun-soo with bloodshot eyes. He ground his teeth as if in severe pain, and the veins in the hand clutching his head bulged. His body trembled violently.

Even in that state, he glared at Eun-soo as if he were a mortal enemy, and for a moment, Eun-soo felt as if he were being strangled.

“Do-kwon…”

Eun-soo shrank his shoulders. It was the first time he had seen Do-kwon make such a face. It was an expression as if someone were striking his head with an axe.

Eun-soo backed away on his heels. It was because he instinctively realized that he was the one causing Do-kwon pain. Just then, a thick stream of blood trickled down from Do-kwon’s nose.

Eun-soo’s eyelashes shot up. Blood, it was blood. Quickly approaching Do-kwon, he wiped the nosebleed with the back of his hand.

“…”

Do-kwon stopped breathing.

“…”

Eun-soo gasped.

For a moment, silence fell. The only sound was the noise of Secretary Jeong repeatedly pressing the emergency bell. Then, Eun-soo unconsciously let out a long breath.

The bridge of Do-kwon’s nose twitched. Then, he violently slapped Eun-soo’s hand away. Feeling the sting on the back of his hand, Eun-soo quickly withdrew it as if he had touched something hot.

Do-kwon glared at Eun-soo, his jaw trembling. At that heartless gaze, Eun-soo felt a pain as if his chest were being gouged out.

By the time Do-kwon’s face was completely consumed by anger and pain, the doctors rushed into the room.

Do-kwon was lifted back onto the bed by hands that were as much restraining as they were supporting. Painkillers and sedatives entered the IV, and alcohol swabs wiped away the blood. A penlight examined Do-kwon’s twitching pupils, and his limbs, twisting as if in a seizure, were restrained by sturdy nurses.

Eun-soo steadied his trembling legs and stood up. As he tried to approach Do-kwon, a nurse blocked him.

“Guardian, please step outside for a moment.”

“Why, why? Am I not allowed to be here?”

“It’s for the patient’s stability. Please step out for a moment.”

The nurse urged Eun-soo with a smile. While doing so, she subtly pushed him back, a touch that felt as if she were pushing away a shameless intruder. Since she said nothing to Secretary Jeong, who was standing to one side, he couldn’t help but feel that way.

Thus, Eun-soo came out of the room, half-voluntarily and half-forced. The nurse, holding the doorknob, smiled at him.

It was a smile without any particular meaning. A smile commonly used in professional life, the kind of common smile a nurse uses when dealing with patients or guardians. Then, she closed the door without hesitation.

“…”

Eun-soo stared blankly at the closed door. From beyond the door, he could faintly hear Do-kwon’s groans. Listening to them, he stroked the back of his hand. The hand stained with Do-kwon’s blood.

‘Don’t touch me!’

‘Get away from me!’

Do-kwon’s shouts echoed in his ears. And the red eyes that had glared at him, and the bridge of the nose that had wrinkled as if his scent were disgusting, dominated his vision.

Eun-soo rubbed the back of his hand harder. He rubbed and rubbed until the entire back of his hand was red, to the point where Do-kwon’s blood and his own skin were indistinguishable.

Surely it’s not.

Surely your pain isn’t because of me.

What did I do? What kind of memory was I to you? Why does the time we spent together make you suffer so much?

Why do you look at me as if I’m so disgusting? Why won’t you look at me with those tender eyes like before?

Eun-soo went beyond rubbing and began to scratch the back of his hand with his nails. Only after a long while did he feel the stinging pain. The skin was unsightly and raw. He looked down at it quietly and then turned away.

He had a place to go.

* * *

The week right before the accident. It was a peaceful and languid weekend. Eun-soo was lying face down on the carpet in Do-kwon’s living room, looking at his laptop. Although it was Sunday, he had to submit the results by Monday, so he was reviewing them one last time.

Do-kwon hugged Eun-soo from the side, rubbing his face against the nape of his neck. In the early stages of their relationship, they had promised not to work on days off, but since Eun-soo was a team leader and Do-kwon was a director, that wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

So now, they tended to be understanding as long as it didn’t interfere with their time together. Of course, Do-kwon would occasionally pout and mutter things that would be headline news as ‘power abuse,’ saying he would fire everyone who gave Eun-soo work.

But today, for some reason, he waited without complaint for Eun-soo to finish his work. He promised a generous reward, saying he’d give him a deep kiss once he was done, praising him for being a good boy.

It was while Eun-soo was writing the final email. Do-kwon gently caressed Eun-soo’s waist and called him.

“Eun-soo.”

“Yes.”

“Are you perhaps feeling sick somewhere?”

“Huh? Me? No?”

Eun-soo raised an eyebrow at the sudden question. He had slept in today, eaten delicious food, and his work was almost finished. His condition was as good as it could possibly be.

However, Do-kwon did not let go of his mysterious worry. He buried his nose behind Eun-soo’s ear and sniffed quite fussily.

“Really? It feels a bit strange…”

“What is?”

“Your scent has changed a bit. It feels similar to when you’re in heat… but your heat cycle passed a while ago, right? I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it’s different from usual.”

Eun-soo smelled his own wrist. But he couldn’t detect any particular scent. It was natural, as one cannot smell their own pheromones. He could only smell Do-kwon’s scent clinging to various parts of his skin.

“It’s probably just your imagination.”

Eun-soo spoke dismissively and finished writing the email. However, the serious expression on Do-kwon’s face did not fade.

“No. Do you think I’d mistake your scent because of a mood?”

“…”

Eun-soo didn’t answer. Of course, he was concerned. Not that he was worried something was wrong with his body, but something else.

Tapping away at the laptop keyboard, Eun-soo asked without taking his eyes off the screen.

“Is the scent, like, bad?”

“What?”

“No, since you said it’s strange…”

“…”

“I wondered if it smells like spoiled milk, or a drain, or exhaust fumes, or something like that…”

At Eun-soo’s weakly trailing words, Do-kwon’s jaw dropped. Eun-soo stole a glance at him and then looked back at the monitor. Do-kwon pulled Eun-soo’s chin, forcing him to look at him.

“Eun-soo.”

“…Yes.”

“Why would you say such a thing? I almost got angry at you.”

“But still…”

“Your scent is better than any scent I’ve ever smelled in my entire life.”

“…”

“It is now. And it always will be.”

Do-kwon pressed his lips firmly against Eun-soo’s cheek and then pulled away. Then, as if to prove it, he buried his face deep into the nape of Eun-soo’s neck and inhaled. There was a soft, calm, yet sweet scent. It was a scent that could truly be described as experiencing heaven.

It was an ecstatic scent that could not possibly be placed on the same level as things like spoiled milk or drain smells.

Do-kwon’s calmly waving hair tickled Eun-soo’s chin. At that tickle, Eun-soo let out a giggle.

“Really?”

“Of course.”

Do-kwon met Eun-soo’s eyes and smiled brightly.

And the next day. At a hospital he visited just in case, Eun-soo learned that he was pregnant.

Eun-soo wondered if some change had occurred in his body again, just like then. There must be a reason why Do-kwon was wrinkling his nose so much and finding his scent so pungent.

That’s why he came to the OB-GYN. It was a small clinic. He couldn’t take a car, he was in a hurry, and since he just came to the nearest OB-GYN around him, this is how it turned out. There was an OB-GYN he used to go to with Do-kwon, but it was far from the subway station, making it quite difficult to visit.

As Eun-soo, having finished the registration, stared blankly at the back of his raw hand,

“Pregnant Omega Yoo Eun-soo. Please come in.”

Eun-soo’s name was called. Eun-soo quickly stood up and entered the consultation room.

The examination proceeded smoothly. The doctor was a woman with her hair tied high in a ponytail, and she was quite young. Because of her sharp jawline and rimless glasses, she looked very strict. She diagnosed Eun-soo’s condition, her moderately pink lips moving.

Eun-soo barely listened to her words. They were things he had already heard several times at the previous hospital, and since he had something specific he wanted to ask, he just waited for the doctor’s conventional remarks to end.

“Since you are an Omega, you don’t need to worry much about miscarriage. Omegas generally have smooth deliveries. Moreover, since you are young, you’ll be fine. Now, do you have any questions?”

The doctor finished speaking in a monotonous voice. Eun-soo quickly pulled his chair closer and spoke.

“By any chance.”

“Yes.”

“By any chance, because I’m pregnant… could the baby’s father perceive my pheromones a bit differently?”

“…Pardon?”

“It seems like he perceives them differently than before. If that’s the case, ah, if the baby is gone… would it become okay?”

“…”

The doctor was momentarily stunned. It was unclear if she was shocked by the inhuman words or felt disgust at the ignorance.

However, Eun-soo didn’t care about that reaction at all. It was because he was already half out of his mind. He was in a state where he wasn’t even aware of what he was saying or how he was saying it.

If Do-kwon had simply forgotten him due to memory loss, it would have been okay. It would have been bitter and sad, but he could have endured it.

Because it wouldn’t have been much different from meeting the Do-kwon of two years ago, who used to go in and out of the 14th floor holding a mug.

But now, Do-kwon hated him and avoided him. That certainly wasn’t caused by memory loss. There was definitely another reason.

Lately, every day and every moment were overwhelming for Eun-soo. He felt as if his entire life were being shaken.

It was like the feeling when you get a call from a cousin you don’t keep in touch with. The feeling when that cousin tells you your parents have passed away.

He was desperately afraid that a despair just as great as that was waiting for him.

The doctor stared quietly at the pale Eun-soo. Then, leaning her upper body slightly forward like Eun-soo, she spoke softly.

“Pregnant Omega. By any chance, has the baby’s father been treating you poorly since the baby was conceived?”

“…What?”

“Is he forcing you to terminate the pregnancy, or demanding a breakup or divorce?”

“…”

“In such cases, if you report it, the state can provide help…”

“No, no. It’s not like that.”

Eun-soo shook his head vigorously. Then, he sighed, rubbing his face hard.

As the doctor said, if Do-kwon had rather told him to get rid of the baby, said he hated the child, and demanded a breakup, things would have been much easier.

Son of a bitch. Bastard. After pouring out curses like that, I probably would have gotten rid of the baby, or maybe I would have steeled my heart and lived while raising the child.

But right now, he couldn’t reach a conclusion about the situation. Because Do-kwon might come back. He heard that recovery could happen in as little as a week. He could endure that much.

However, he was terrified that even after Do-kwon regained all his memories, he would still find his scent disgusting.

“It’s just… because you said my pheromones feel different than before…”

“Of course they feel different. One perceives the scent of the Omega they impregnated as particularly clear and prominent. Because that is the Omega they must protect.”

“Ah…”

Clear and prominent. Yes, it seemed so. When he had entered the hospital room without making a sound, Do-kwon had looked at him as if he had known he was coming. He had wrinkled his nose as if the smell were piercing him.

So it was because he felt the scent too strongly. He finally understood.

Eun-soo’s stiff shoulders suddenly relaxed. He had been afraid it was a rejection without reason. Now that he had found a reason, he felt as if he could finally breathe.

“But it’s not a difference large enough to interfere with daily life. It’s just that if you were mixed among several Omegas, the Alpha would recognize your scent first.”

“…”

“Naturally, there are individual differences. Dominant Alphas perceive it more clearly, while recessives are a bit duller.”

“Then… he might… hate it? Like how diffusers or perfumes are nice when they’re subtle, but feel nauseating when they’re too strong.”

“Uh… no. You shouldn’t compare an instinctive scent to those artificial fragrances. An Alpha detects that Omega’s scent more clearly specifically to protect their Omega. However… that too depends on the individual, so it’s difficult to give you a definitive answer.”

“…”

Eun-soo nodded meaninglessly. Fidgeting with his fingers as he organized his thoughts, he belatedly remembered the reason he had come here.

“Please prescribe me some pheromone suppressants.”

“Yes. Do you need any more vitamins or supplements?”

“Ah, I have those.”

Thinking of the pill bottles stacked by the box in a corner of his house, Eun-soo shuddered. When they found out about the pregnancy, not only Do-kwon, but Myeong-hui and Ki-ho had made a huge fuss and bought everything imaginable. Even Secretary Jeong had gifted him supplements for pregnant Omegas to congratulate him.

He could probably survive for nearly a year without food if he just took the medicine.

“I’ll give you one bottle of suppressants for now,” the doctor said while typing this and that.

“Can’t you give me more?” Eun-soo asked abruptly.

The doctor shook his head.

“No, I can’t. Please come to the hospital periodically to receive them. Pharmacies won’t dispense them without a prescription, so don’t even think about getting them separately.”

“…It’s just a suppressant?”

Eun-soo tilted his head. To an Omega, suppressants were like water. Something they lived with every day, for their entire lives. Yet he was only being given one bottle. Moreover, he couldn’t easily obtain them. It wasn’t like it was some kind of drug…

“You are a pregnant Omega. Suppressing the pheromones that naturally emerge is very bad for a pregnant Omega.”

“Ah…”

“It’s best not to take them at all, but it’s inevitable if you want to maintain your daily life. Therefore, take a maximum of four pills a day, and no more. During your heat cycle, pills won’t be enough, so please visit us again,” the doctor said firmly.

Eun-soo nodded slowly. Four pills a day. He chewed over those words in his mind.

* * *

Eun-soo went straight home from the OB-GYN and rested. Being at the clinic had made the fact that he was pregnant feel quite new. Seeing people with large bellies tenderly stroking them made him feel as if he had been hit hard in the back of the head.

He had to take care of his body. No matter how much he was an Omega created for the purpose of getting pregnant, he should do the basics.

No, actually… it was to have a time of atonement and self-reflection for the harsh words he had spat out.

‘If that’s the case, ah, if the baby disappears… will it be okay?’

To say such a thing. He was crazy, absolutely crazy.

Eun-soo had thought that the emotion of wanting to do everything and sacrifice everything for a child appeared instantly, like magic, once a child was conceived.

But it turned out that the fact of having a child and the sprouting of paternal love were slightly different issues.

Because of Do-kwon’s sensitive nose, Eun-soo had found out about the pregnancy before any symptoms appeared in his body, and since the accident happened before he could fully perceive and accept that fact, there had been no room for paternal love to sprout.

That was why the child in his womb didn’t feel that endearing or precious. He was still in a daze.

However, what he had said at the OB-GYN was clearly wrong. He had gone too far. There are things one says and things one does not. No matter how out of his mind he had been, to say such a thing… If Do-kwon had known—that is, if the Do-kwon who loved him had known—he would have been greatly disappointed and saddened.

Upon returning home, Eun-soo ate immediately. He took out every side dish in the house and even grilled the galbi that Do-kwon had secretly brought home, eating a hearty meal. Then, he searched the internet, took the appropriate supplements, and drank caffeine-free tea.

Eating well and resting well. That was the only way he knew how to apologize to the child.

And to aid digestion, he handled his overdue emails. Between the sudden accident and the sudden leave, it had been a full two weeks since he had let go of his company work. Since he hadn’t even finished the tasks he was working on, he felt incredibly sorry for his team members.

After working for about three hours, he fell asleep early, hugging Do-kwon’s coat.

And the next day. As always, Eun-soo stood in front of Do-kwon’s hospital room.

The door was tightly closed. Eun-soo took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He clenched and unclenched his hands for no reason and shifted his heels. He was so nervous that he could hear his heartbeat in his ears.

After hesitating for several minutes, Eun-soo finally opened the door. But for some reason, the room was empty.

Eun-soo let out a sigh of relief without realizing it. Then, he scoffed at his own pathetic state. To feel relieved because Do-kwon wasn’t there when he had come to see him. It was absurd.

Eun-soo stepped carefully into the room. He quietly scanned the silent space. He smelled Do-kwon. It was a scent far deeper and more vivid than the one from the coat he had wrapped around his pillow in his bedroom.

In the spacious room, the place where his scent lingered most was, naturally, the bed. As if possessed, Eun-soo approached the bed.

On the bed, a tablet PC—presumably the one Do-kwon had been using—and a thick knit sweater were strewn about haphazardly. Had he been working? If he was looking at things like this, it seemed yesterday’s seizure hadn’t continued into today.

What a relief.

With a faint smile, Eun-soo placed the tablet on the nightstand. He tidied the rumpled blanket and tried to hang the knit on the hanger in the corner.

“…”

At that moment, a wicked thought occurred to him.

This knit would have more of Do-kwon’s scent on it. It would smell much stronger than the scent floating in the air. That was the thought.

His throat went dry. Conversely, saliva pooled between his molars. The soft, thick knit felt like a coveted treasure. He wondered if Adam had felt this way while looking up at the forbidden fruit.

Biting his lower lip, Eun-soo eventually succumbed to desire.

Well, it wasn’t a big deal. He was just smelling it. It wasn’t some stranger’s scent; it was the scent of the father of the child in his womb. Surely this much was okay? He reasoned with himself.

Eun-soo buried his nose in the knit. Then, he took a deep breath. As expected, Do-kwon’s scent filled him. It was a scent beyond good—it was ecstatic. It was also the scent Eun-soo loved most in the world.

The corners of Eun-soo’s mouth curled upward. Until the accident, it was a scent he smelled every day. He had fallen asleep embraced by this scent and woken up to it. It had only been a short while, yet that time felt very distant.

Eun-soo lost track of time, hugging Do-kwon’s knit.

“What are you doing?”

If that cold voice hadn’t sliced through the nape of his neck, he might have frozen into stone. Startled, Eun-soo dropped the knit. Surprised a second time, he hurriedly picked up the knit and hung it on the hanger.

“I, I was just tidying up.”

Eun-soo didn’t bother to turn around to check the owner of the presence. He was a person whose identity he could recognize by voice alone.

Even after hanging the knit, Eun-soo needlessly fiddled with the sleeve and the fabric. He had come to see Do-kwon, but for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to turn around. Then, Do-kwon let out a short, mocking laugh.

“While stealing my scent?”

At those words, Eun-soo stopped breathing for a moment. Then, he clenched his fists tightly. The bandage on the back of his hand twisted with a creak. Eun-soo felt irritated. He really didn’t like how Do-kwon was treating him like a shameless thief.

Eun-soo pressed the bandage down firmly with his palm to re-stick it. Then, he turned around and spoke nonchalantly.

“Yes. I smelled it every day, so when I couldn’t, I just couldn’t stand it.”

He even wondered if it was a withdrawal symptom. Eun-soo passed by Do-kwon as if nothing were wrong. Then, he took a seat in the small chair next to the bed as if it were his own spot.

His behavior was utterly confident, but his insides were not. He was shaking so much that he worried Do-kwon might notice.

“…”

Do-kwon just stared at Eun-soo for a while without saying anything particular. He didn’t come to the bed but sat on the sofa. Since the sofa had its back to the wall, it was a vantage point where their eyes would meet if he just lifted his head. However, Do-kwon kept his gaze fixed on the mountain of newspapers piled next to the sofa.

Thanks to that, Eun-soo could observe Do-kwon to his heart’s content. He looked fine. He was still wearing patient clothes, but his expressionless face showed no signs of headache or post-accident aftereffects.

Eun-soo was a little happy. He felt like the effect of the suppressants was working. Hadn’t Do-kwon wrinkled his face as much as possible the moment he entered the room yesterday?

He figured he could just piece things back together one by one. Then, he thought, someday they could return to how they were before.

“I took the suppressants. I went to the OB-GYN yesterday. You won’t smell it now.”

Eun-soo spoke while staring at Do-kwon’s fingers gripping the newspaper. The hands, without a single scar, were large and handsome, befitting an Alpha. He couldn’t take his eyes off the protruding bones and prominent knuckles.

When he held those hands, he couldn’t even feel the midwinter cold. They were firm, warm, and gentle hands.

Especially during sex, one hand could grip his entire thigh…

“It still smells. Quite pungently.”

Eun-soo, who had been having inappropriate imaginations, shuddered. Then, tactlessly, he rubbed his reddened cheekbones as if washing his face. Was he crazy? After regaining his composure for a moment, Eun-soo belatedly processed Do-kwon’s words.

“Hmm…”

Resting his chin on the bed, Eun-soo groaned. Do-kwon’s scent rose faintly from the sheets. It’s so good. Surely Do-kwon would also find his scent fragrant. To call it pungent. He found it spiteful that Do-kwon only picked the meanest words.

“Just endure it, then.”

“…What?”

“I said endure it. This is the maximum I can suppress. I’ve done as much as I can, so the rest is up to you, Mr. Do-kwon.”

“Ha…”

Do-kwon let out a short, incredulous laugh. Regardless, Eun-soo focused on inhaling Do-kwon’s scent.

Do-kwon was probably bewildered. An Omega he had never seen in his life appears, buries his face in his clothes, and then tells him to endure it because he hates the smell. Being confused enough by the memory loss, he must find it irritating and annoying to be constantly stimulated.

However, Eun-soo felt he had every right to say such things. They had been lovers for two years, and his child was sprouting in his womb. And Eun-soo was just as bewildered as Do-kwon by the lover who had forgotten him overnight.

Until now, due to the shock that Do-kwon had forgotten him, he had wavered at a single word or expression, but not anymore.

Eun-soo intended to get the old Do-kwon back no matter what. And he would form a happy family with him, himself, and the child in his womb.

After visiting the OB-GYN yesterday, he had vowed to do so, and he had promised the child.

Eun-soo looked at Do-kwon with a determined expression. Do-kwon also looked directly at Eun-soo. The two of them locked eyes for a while. Then, it was Do-kwon who spoke first.

“You said earlier. That you smelled my scent every day. That means we met every day. Was that just something you said, or did I really meet you every day?”

“We met every day.”

At Eun-soo’s firm answer, Do-kwon’s eyes narrowed slightly. He had an expression that suggested he didn’t believe Eun-soo’s words. It was understandable. Do-kwon was a very busy man. He was a director and Myeong-hui’s only son, so his schedule was always packed, split into hourly increments.

In the midst of that, to meet an unremarkable Omega every day. It was reasonable to find it strange.

But Eun-soo continued, as if he didn’t find it strange at all.

“We had lunch together, and we had dinner together. You rejected every meal-cum-meeting just to eat with me, so Secretary Jeong had a hard time.”

Do-kwon laughed again. No matter how enchanted he might have been by an Omega, there was no way he would have acted like that, unable to distinguish between public and private life. If he only listened to Eun-soo, he would be no different from a dog in heat.

Do-kwon snapped the newspaper shut. It was something Secretary Jeong had selected for him to fill the four years of economic data that had evaporated from his mind, so he had to read it quickly. To do that, it seemed he first had to get Eun-soo out of his sight.

Do-kwon crossed his legs diagonally and stared at Eun-soo.

“According to my mother, we met at the company.”

“Yes.”

“Then you must have known well who I am and whose son I am.”

“Yes. Since I’m a team leader, I naturally knew the executives’ information.”

“Knew it?”

“Because I had the obligation to greet you warmly even if I happened to meet you by chance.”

“…”

“Actually, even if I weren’t a team leader, I would have known. Anyone with a slight interest in economics knows which company’s only son you are.”

Eun-soo spoke indifferently. He wasn’t particularly interested in Do-kwon’s background, so he didn’t enjoy talking about this. In this time, reciting memories they shared would be much more helpful in recovering his memory.

But unlike Eun-soo, Do-kwon’s eyes gleamed. He tapped the armrest of the sofa with his index finger.

“By any chance, is it money you want?”

“…What?”

Eun-soo asked back as if he had misheard. He was stunned. It was a sentence that froze his complicated mind the moment he heard it.

At Eun-soo’s vivid reaction, a smirk bloomed on Do-kwon’s lips. It seemed he had poked a sore spot. Do-kwon rubbed his chin and glanced at Eun-soo.

“Is that why you suddenly got pregnant before marriage? My mother and father are head over heels for you. You must be quite skilled in that area.”

“…”

Eun-soo blinked slowly. He remained silent for a while. He just stared blankly into the air over Do-kwon’s shoulder. He looked as if he were organizing his thoughts.

To Do-kwon, that looked like nothing more than a cunning act of using his brain to find a way out of the situation. Do-kwon thought he could use this moment as an opportunity to shake Eun-soo off. Just as he was about to speak again, Eun-soo suddenly stood up. Then, he walked steadily toward Do-kwon.

Eun-soo’s shadow, with the light behind him, cast over Do-kwon.

“Mr. Do-kwon. I have plenty of money,” Eun-soo said quietly.

“Pfft, what?”

Do-kwon let out a hollow laugh. Plenty of money. Plenty of money. He didn’t look like it. Did he win the lottery or something? Even if that were true, to say that in front of him. It was beyond absurd; it was laughable.

However, Eun-soo continued regardless.

“Of course, it’s less than yours, with your trillions in assets, but I have enough money to buy what I want to buy and eat what I want to eat.”

“…”

“I have a house in Seoul, and a car. I invest, and I save diligently. That too might be an insignificant amount to you, but it’s enough for me.”

“So now—”

“Yes. I don’t need your money.”

Eun-soo’s voice was firm. Having finished speaking, he let out a long sigh through his nose. Then, he looked quietly at Do-kwon. Even though he was wearing hospital clothes that looked like loungewear, Do-kwon was still, truly, handsome. His hair, which fell softly unlike when he was at the company, was very much Eun-soo’s style.

Eun-soo reached out toward Do-kwon’s face. Do-kwon’s eyebrows twitched. He thought Eun-soo was about to slap him. But unexpectedly, Eun-soo gently and softly caressed his cheek.

“If you had just asked if what I wanted was your handsome face or your body, I would have answered yes.”

“What?”

“I like your face, Do-kwon. I like your body, and many other physical attributes as well.”

Eun-soo stroked Do-kwon’s chin with his thumb. The thumb, which had been tracing the smoothly angled jawline, moved toward the full lower lip. It was a lip that opened wide and revealed even teeth when he smiled. Lips that were always warm and soft.

It had already been over two weeks since he had last touched these lips. Before, they had touched dozens of times a day. There were times they had skipped meals because they spent the entire lunch hour rubbing their lips together in the director’s office.

Eun-soo’s thumb was just about to touch Do-kwon’s lips. Do-kwon irritably brushed his hand away. Eun-soo stepped back obediently. He also straightened his back, which he had bent to touch Do-kwon’s face.

“And unfortunately… you were the one who put in the effort—talking to me first, visiting me, buying me meals, buying me drinks, and sending me messages.”

“…If you’re just blurting things out because I can’t remember, you’re going to be very embarrassed later.”

As if displeased, Do-kwon irritably rubbed the cheek where Eun-soo’s hand had touched.

Eun-soo looked down at Do-kwon’s deeply furrowed brow with a dry gaze. During their long two-year relationship, he had never seen Do-kwon scream, get angry, or even act irritated.

Lately, however, he saw that distorted face far too often. No matter how much this Do-kwon was not that Do-kwon, he couldn’t help the bitterness in his heart.

Eun-soo curled his hand into a fist, feeling the faint warmth of Do-kwon remaining on his palm. Then, he spoke in a flat voice.

“No. You’re the one who will be embarrassed.”

“Me? What would I be embarrassed about?”

“Talking to me like that.”

“What?”

“Treating me so carelessly. Treating me like someone who only cares about money. Regarding me as some empty-headed Omega spraying pheromones. You’ll regret it deeply later.”

At Eun-soo’s sudden torrent of words, Do-kwon’s mouth twitched. He stared blankly at Eun-soo’s hardened expression. Then, he suddenly burst into laughter. He found it so funny and fascinating that he even clapped his hands.

“Wow, did I love you enough for you to be able to say things like that?”

“You did.”

“And you’re certain that I’ll continue to love you even after I fully recover my memories?”

“Yes. I am.”

There was no gap in Eun-soo’s answer. It was like a very sturdy, solid wall. Do-kwon unconsciously swallowed hard.

Eun-soo crouched down in front of Do-kwon. Do-kwon flinched at the sudden proximity of their faces. Fortunately, Eun-soo did not move any closer. However, a thick scent of pheromones pricked Do-kwon’s entire body like needles.

Do-kwon wrinkled his nose with a look of displeasure. It was a deliberate action. Yet, even seeing that face, Eun-soo did not back down. Fearlessly, he even grabbed Do-kwon’s hand. Do-kwon tried to shake off Eun-soo’s hand immediately.

But,

“You know we were in the same car when the accident happened, right?”

The sudden mention of the accident made him miss his timing. Do-kwon’s pupils sank dark.

“I heard it from Secretary Jeong.”

“But have you ever wondered why I’m perfectly fine, while you were injured so badly that you were in a coma for several weeks?”

“….”

Why wouldn’t he? Of course he had. His own body had been shattered, and even his memories were fragmented. He had wondered why Eun-soo was walking around so unscathed. He had even suspected that Eun-soo might have intentionally caused the accident to create this situation.

That was why he hadn’t expected the topic of the accident to come from Eun-soo first.

“…What are you trying to say?”

“The moment the dump truck hit the car, you unbuckled your seatbelt.”

“I did? Were you trying to commit sui—”

“And you hugged me, who was in the passenger seat.”

“….”

Do-kwon’s mouth fell open. Unbuckling his seatbelt to hug Eun-soo. In other words, he had done it to save Eun-soo. Was he supposed to believe that now?

Ridiculous.

Do-kwon stood up and pulled his hand away from Eun-soo’s grip. But Eun-soo grabbed his hand again. He squeezed tightly, refusing to let go of Do-kwon’s hand.

Even so, it was a trivial amount of strength. There was no way an Omega could overpower an Alpha, let alone a Dominant Alpha. As Do-kwon cynically sneered and twisted his wrist, Eun-soo slowly stood up. Then, he locked eyes with Do-kwon intensely.

“Do-kwon. Thank you for saving me. Thanks to you, both I and the baby are safe. I wanted to tell you that.”

“….”

“But since you aren’t the Do-kwon who saved me, I can’t say those words to you now.”

Eun-soo let go of Do-kwon’s hand.

He hadn’t held it for long, yet the skin where his hand had rested felt burning hot. Do-kwon quickly covered the back of the hand that had been held with his other hand. He didn’t know why he did it. Was he trying to erase Eun-soo’s trace? Or did he hate the feeling of Eun-soo’s warmth evaporating?

While Do-kwon stood there frozen, Eun-soo buttoned up the coat he had left open.

“I’ll be going now. I thought about having lunch together, but I don’t think I’d be able to digest anything…”

Eun-soo headed straight for the door without waiting for Do-kwon’s farewell. He didn’t think Do-kwon would kindly wish him a safe trip.

And so, Eun-soo crossed a long distance, took the subway, and walked home.

And once he got home,

“Waaaaah…”

He clutched Do-kwon’s coat and sobbed loudly like a young child.

It would have been heartbreaking enough if Do-kwon only doubted Eun-soo’s love. But for Do-kwon to doubt his own love as well made it feel as if the world were collapsing.

* * *

Eun-soo’s vacation—which didn’t feel like a vacation—ended. Which meant it was time to go back to work.

Eun-soo had almost never hated going to work. Except for the occasional cruel weather or a touch of a cold, he generally enjoyed commuting.

But today was different.

Upon arriving at the company, Eun-soo let out a long sigh. It was a day that made him realize poignantly how arduous and sorrowful a commute without a car could be.

The company he had entered and exited smoothly every day now felt like the peak of Mount Baekdu. Why were there so many people on the subway? Where did they all appear from, and where did they disappear to? And why was his house so far from the office? He stared blankly at the station’s electronic display, then stared blankly again, but [Yeoksam Station] didn’t seem to get any closer.

What if he missed his stop? What if he was late? He checked his watch, watched the people, and looked for a gap. But to his embarrassment, most of the people poured out at Yeoksam. Swept away by the bursting wave of humans, Eun-soo managed to get off at Yeoksam, partly by his own will and partly by force.

Then, he pushed through the crowds to exit the subway. Fortunately, the company wasn’t far from Yeoksam Station, so walking wasn’t too much of a burden.

By the time he finally made it to work, he was completely drained. Was there anyone among his team members who didn’t have a car? Who was it? He had a trivial thought that he should buy them a large coffee to offer both consolation and praise when he saw them.

Arriving at the 14th floor, the dedicated floor for the Design Team, Eun-soo took a deep breath. The air was warm yet slightly stifling. The bustling people. And the smell of shampoo and perfume that could only be smelled in the morning.

It was his first time coming to the office in several weeks since the accident. He couldn’t help but be glad. Others might think he was crazy, but Eun-soo loved the company.

Before meeting Do-kwon, the company was the only place where he could feel the warmth and presence of other people. It was the only place where there were people moving busily, and people who sought him out, calling him “Team Leader” or “Eun-soo-ssi.”

If he didn’t work at the company, Eun-soo was completely disconnected from the world, entirely alone.

His parents had passed away, and because he went to university abroad, he had lost contact with his school friends. He wasn’t the type of person to be proactive enough to join clubs or gatherings to find people.

The company was just right. And after meeting Do-kwon there, he liked it even more.

Eun-soo adjusted his tie and headed toward his desk. The team members who spotted him waved their hands frantically and approached. With their eyes glistening and lips pouting, they seemed extremely happy to see him.

“Team Leader!”

“Team Leader, you’re here!”

“Are you feeling okay?”

“My goodness, a car accident. How could this happen?”

“I heard it was a huge accident. It was even on the news.”

“The driver was a complete psycho, right?”

“Exactly. Drunk driving. If he wanted to die, he should have died alone. I heard there were more than one or two victims.”

“But is it really okay for you to come back already?”

The characteristic high-pitched voices tickled Eun-soo’s ears noisily. For some reason, he felt as if he had returned to his hometown. Eun-soo’s eyes curved into a smile as he hung his coat on the rack.

“I’m fine.”

Seeing his normal voice and movements, the team members’ shoulders, which had been tense up to their ears, relaxed. Eun-soo sat at his desk. Sitting at his desk after a long time brought back a flood of emotions. The wide monitor, the pen tablet, the keyboard, the neatly organized post-its and writing utensils.

As Eun-soo turned on the computer and wiped the desk with a wet wipe,

“What about the Director? Is the Director okay too?”

One of the team members asked. Eun-soo flinched and froze.

There was no one in the company who didn’t know about the relationship between Eun-soo and Do-kwon. At first, Eun-soo had suggested they restrain themselves within the company because of the eyes on them. Do-kwon had agreed, saying he would do so if Eun-soo disliked it.

However, things like waiting in front of the 14th floor with a beaming smile ten minutes before lunch, suddenly distributing expensive desserts to the UI Design Team, replacing only the 14th floor’s air purifiers with the latest models, or standing beside him with an angry face—like someone who had been slapped—whenever he worked overtime for an hour or two… He had done such things countless times that they had unintentionally entered a public relationship.

“Uh… yes. He was badly injured and had surgery, but he’s almost fully recovered now,” Eun-soo said, forcing a smile. He couldn’t bring himself to mention the gaps in Do-kwon’s memory and acted as if everything was fine, but shadows fell over the team members’ faces.

“Surgery…”

“Surely he didn’t injure his face?”

“That face is something that couldn’t be recreated even with plastic surgery.”

“Ah, that driver is truly a piece of work.”

The team members clenched their fists. “You’re right. He is a bad person,” Eun-soo nodded in agreement.

If it weren’t for that driver, none of this would have happened. Do-kwon wouldn’t have been hurt, and Do-kwon wouldn’t have forgotten him. Eun-soo let out a secret sigh and rubbed his eyes.

Just then, a sharp-eyed team member poked her head in.

“Uh… but Team Leader, your eyes are bloodshot. Did you not sleep?”

“Ah, I’m just a bit tired.”

Eun-soo quickly lowered his hand. In truth, they were red because he had cried his eyes out yesterday, but since he was indeed tired from fighting the brutal morning subway war, it wasn’t a complete lie.

“You’re tired even after taking a break?”

“Are you not feeling well?”

“Should I make you some coffee?”

“No, I’m fine without coffee.”

Eun-soo quickly declined. Caffeine was a no-go during pregnancy. He hadn’t informed the team members about the pregnancy yet. It wasn’t that he was intentionally hiding it; he just hadn’t had the chance to say it. But given the situation, it seemed better to keep it a secret for the time being.

Eun-soo tossed the wet wipe into the trash and smiled awkwardly.

“Actually… I commuted by subway.”

At those words, the team members’ heads tilted in unison.

“What? Why?”

“Is your car broken? Because of the accident?”

“Weren’t you in the Director’s car when the accident happened?”

“Ah, perhaps… is it PTSD? Is that why you can’t ride in a car?”

“…Yes.”

Eun-soo nodded slowly. He felt there was no need to hide the fact that he couldn’t ride in a car. Even if he did, he felt it would be discovered soon. Since his heart hammered just by seeing passing cars, he didn’t know when he would be able to ride in one again.

Sympathy filled the team members’ eyes. Eun-soo smiled bitterly. Not being able to ride in a car meant he couldn’t use his own car, taxis, or even buses. It was indeed something to be pitied.

Just as the team members’ lips were twisting with further worry, the air suddenly twisted awkwardly. People who had been exchanging morning greetings and preparing to start work all shut their mouths at once.

Sensing the unusual atmosphere, Eun-soo and the team members craned their necks and looked around. Then, upon spotting someone walking between the partitions, they straightened their bodies like recruits.

“Eun-soo—no, Team Leader Yoo.”

It was Myeong-hui. Myeong-hui, Do-kwon’s mother and the Chairperson of the Seong-jin Group. Dressed in a sleek suit and accompanied by a swarm of secretaries, she radiated the aura of a Chairperson without reservation.

Thanks to that, the employees couldn’t even breathe freely. They had been stressed enough by the company director visiting every day, but now even the Chairperson had appeared. The 14th floor must be cursed.

“Yes, Chairperson.”

Eun-soo quickly stepped to her side.

“Could you come see me for a moment?”

“Yes.”

Eun-soo followed her without a word. The team members stared at Eun-soo with their mouths agape. They would likely gossip incessantly once the two disappeared. If he had to guess, it would probably be something like, “Poor Team Leader Yoo, already suffering under his in-laws.”

Eun-soo came to the top floor of the company. Specifically, to the Chairperson’s office on the top floor. It wasn’t his first time. About three months after he started dating Do-kwon, Myeong-hui had summoned him.

At the time, he had been worried about all sorts of things. Would she throw water in his face and ask who he thought he was to covet her precious son? Would she hand him a thick envelope of money and tell him to get lost to another country? He had imagined such third-rate melodrama.

But it was a needless worry. Myeong-hui had looked at Eun-soo as if he were a fascinating alien or a unicorn and treated him with even greater care. She had said she never expected Do-kwon to get a lover and told him to let her know whenever he needed anything or if Do-kwon ever hurt his feelings.

He had visited often since then. They drank tea and had trivial chats. Looking at the tea and refreshments neatly placed on the table, today seemed no different.

“Dear. I told you to rest more. Why on earth did you come to work?”

Myeong-hui said, her sharply drawn eyebrows furrowed. Eun-soo’s eyes curved as he picked up a chocolate-covered cookie.

“I’m fine. I’ve recovered, and my work has piled up… I don’t have any more vacation days to use.”

“I told you not to worry about things like that. Did you use vacation days to play? It was because of an accident, so you can rest more.”

“I’m really fine, Mother.”

Eun-soo munched on the cookie. He had been struggling on the subway all morning, so his blood sugar had dropped. He couldn’t have been happier to see the sweet cookies. He didn’t have a habit of eating in the morning, but it seemed he really was pregnant.

Sipping his tea, Eun-soo immediately reached for another cookie. Seeing this, Myeong-hui shifted restlessly.

“Did you not eat breakfast? Should I have some hot soup ordered? No, there’s a place at the intersection that does great galbitang. I think they serve breakfast. Shall we go eat that?”

“I had porridge for breakfast. If you tell me the location of the galbitang place, I’ll try going there with my team members for lunch today.”

Eun-soo smiled and declined her kindness. A brief silence followed. Myeong-hui’s lips, painted with bright red lipstick, twitched. However, no words came out.

Seeing this, Eun-soo tentatively opened the conversation first.

“Did you call me here to scold me for coming to work?”

“No. It’s not that…”

“Then why?”

Eun-soo picked up another cookie. It was delicious. He thought he should ask the secretary what kind of cookies these were on his way out. It was then that Myeong-hui hesitantly let a name slip.

“Do-kwon…”

“Yes.”

“He’s being discharged today.”

“…What?”

Eun-soo dropped his cookie.

His eyes blinked rapidly. Discharged? Already? Why? He hadn’t heard anything like that yesterday… Just as he thought this, he recalled how he had left the hospital room yesterday and bit the inside of his cheek. It hadn’t been a situation where they could exchange words about being discharged or not, and there was no way Do-kwon would have personally told him.

While Eun-soo was momentarily dazed, Myeong-hui clicked her tongue.

“He says he hates the hospital. He says he’s fully recovered and feels like he’s trapped, so he hates it.”

“Ah… That’s… possible.”

“How can that be? What’s the point of the body recovering if the head is broken…?”

“Mother.”

“Right, the head is broken. Isn’t that so?”

“…….”

“Anyway, that boy—I didn’t even raise him to be spoiled, yet he grew up to be so willful on his own…”

Myeong-hui shook her head. Eun-soo couldn’t bring himself to agree or disagree, wearing only an ambiguous smile.

Discharging from the hospital was easy enough. Do-kwon was an adult and likely had a grasp of his own physical condition. What worried Eun-soo was how he was supposed to see him now.

Visiting the hospital was simple enough—he could just show up—but a home was different.

Of course, he knew the address. In fact, Eun-soo’s fingerprints were even registered on the door lock. Still, visiting a hospital and visiting a home were entirely different matters. He felt that being turned away at the door would be truly heartbreaking.

He could meet him at the company. But there were too many eyes. If the Director, who used to visit the 14th floor several times a day, suddenly stopped appearing, unpleasant rumors would surely circulate. Furthermore, if Do-kwon didn’t come to him, the reasons for Eun-soo to see him were drastically reduced.

A design team leader and a director. The distance between them was vast.

With a blank expression, Eun-soo picked up a cookie and put it in his mouth. The cookie, which had tasted delicious just a moment ago, now felt dry and cloying. It was so dry that it felt as if it were clogging his throat.

* * *

After work, Eun-soo’s phone rarely rang. Even when it did, it was usually Do-kwon. And since they spent most of their time together, even those calls were rare. But today, just as he lay down to sleep, his phone rang.

It was Secretary Jeong.

The moment he saw the caller, he had a bad feeling. Sure enough, Do-kwon had been found collapsed at home. Eun-soo rushed out of the house and hailed another taxi.

After stating the destination, he buried his face between his knees. The roar of the engine and the cars blurring past the window felt more terrifying than a blood-soaked ghost.

Whenever a horn blared, he had to bite his lip and suppress the tears leaking out. This was already the second time he had taken a taxi because of Do-kwon. He wondered if Do-kwon was doing this on purpose to help him get used to cars.

Eun-soo only arrived in front of the hospital room once his spine had become damp with cold sweat.

The hospital room, which had become as familiar as his own home, was crowded again today. Through the gaps in the crowd, he caught glimpses of Do-kwon.

Do-kwon was sitting on the sofa, not the bed. Contrary to expectations, he looked quite fine. His eyes were wide open, he was sitting up on his own, and there were no ventilators or bandages in sight.

Eun-soo let out a sigh of relief. At that moment, Do-kwon’s eyes flashed through the crowd, glaring at Eun-soo. He was definitely glaring.

As Eun-soo gasped at the cold, sharp gaze,

“Oh! Oh, Eun-soo.”

Ki-ho spotted him. At that shout, everyone, including the doctor, looked at Eun-soo. However, for some reason, their eyes all looked dull. He didn’t expect them to be happy in this situation, but it was strange that they treated him like an unwelcome guest.

Eun-soo instinctively took a step back. Then, a doctor and Myeong-hui quickly stepped out of the room. They stood surrounding him as if to block him from entering. Whether they actually intended to or not, that was how Eun-soo felt.

“Why? What happened? Why did Do-kwon suddenly collapse?”

Eun-soo asked, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. At those words, Myeong-hui kept her mouth shut, and the doctor’s narrow lips twitched.

“There are too many traces of Mr. Eun-soo in the patient’s home.”

“……What?”

Eun-soo asked back with a foolish expression. The doctor cleared his throat and spoke in a flat, robot-like voice.

“It started as a mild headache, but it gradually worsened, leading to nosebleeds and eventually loss of consciousness.”

“So… you’re saying it’s because of me?”

“To be precise, it’s because of the traces of Mr. Eun-soo. Seeing them likely triggered something to resurface.”

“Then isn’t that a good thing? It means he can recover his memories.”

“A mild headache would be fine. But fainting is a completely different situation.”

“How is it different?”

“When pain of such high intensity is repeated, an avoidance phenomenon occurs. A fear associated with Mr. Eun-soo develops. Naturally, he will want to avoid it and reject it. The process of recovering memories will also slow down.”

Eun-soo bit his lip. It was the moment he understood why Do-kwon had glared at him as if he wanted to kill him.

Having lived as a Dominant Alpha, Do-kwon likely had no idea what it meant to be sick, to be in pain, or to black out. To experience that every day, and for the reason to be him—how could Do-kwon not hate him?

Still, still… this wasn’t right. What had he done to make Do-kwon suffer? What wrong had he committed that he wasn’t even allowed to stand before Do-kwon?

Eun-soo clenched his fists. With bloodshot eyes, he glared at the doctor.

“So? Are you telling me to stay away until his lost memories return?”

“We will continue with medication and counseling. Please leave it to us.”

Eun-soo gritted his teeth at the doctor’s cliché response. He knew it wasn’t right to be angry at the doctor. He knew the direction of the anger surging through him, making his head feel hot, was misplaced.

But he was just so angry. He felt so disappointed and sorrowful. As Eun-soo glared at the doctor with a flushed face,

“Dear.”

Myeong-hui grabbed Eun-soo’s wrist. Eun-soo looked at Myeong-hui with eyes full of resentment.

“You can meet periodically by making appointments. They say we must allow Do-kwon to be sufficiently prepared.”

“…….”

“They said about twice a week would be best.”

Myeong-hui reasoned with Eun-soo gently. However, it wasn’t very effective. Twice a week. Even then, it would probably drag on for an hour or two, like a forced blind date or an uncomfortable job interview.

Eun-soo knew that was the best they could do. What could he do if Do-kwon was in pain? It couldn’t be helped. He understood rationally. They were smart doctors, so they would handle it well. He knew this wasn’t happening because Do-kwon hated him, a man he now had no memory of.

He really… knew. He knew very well.

But accepting it was too difficult. Eun-soo rubbed his burning eyelids vigorously.

The doctor, looking at Eun-soo with pity, added,

“The patient hasn’t just forgotten Mr. Eun-soo; he has forgotten everything. And he won’t feel like he has forgotten; he will feel like the world has changed.”

“…….”

“From the people around him to himself, even the president has changed, and the company situation has changed. There is a vast amount of information he needs to relearn. Among those, the biggest changes are his partner, Mr. Eun-soo, and the child in the womb.”

“…….”

“Therefore, you must give him time and approach him slowly. One-sided and forced learning can easily lead to overload.”

It was a thorough persuasion and a soothing of his emotions at the same time. The tone and voice were exactly like someone calming a throwing-a-tantrum child. Thus, Eun-soo had no choice but to nod.

“Then for today… I’ll go back for now.”

As he turned to leave,

“Eun-soo, about that…”

Myeong-hui did not let go of his wrist.

“What do I need to clear out?”

Eun-soo asked, looking at Do-kwon reflected in the hospital elevator mirror.

“Every trace of you. Everything you used.”

Do-kwon answered with a face overflowing with fatigue.

Eun-soo was asked to clear out his belongings from Do-kwon’s house. Do-kwon couldn’t distinguish what was his and what belonged to Eun-soo, and neither could his parents or Secretary Jeong, so Eun-soo had to do it himself.

“Do we… really have to go this far?”

Eun-soo asked in a sorrowful voice.

“Otherwise, I might black out ten times a day, so yes, we really have to go this far. It’s not as if I can throw away the entire house.”

Do-kwon replied in a heavy bass. Eun-soo let out a hollow laugh. He found it absurd and hateful that Do-kwon would rather throw away the house than keep his traces.

Do-kwon tilted his head slightly to look down at Eun-soo.

“If it’s too much trouble, I’ll just move. That’s even more troublesome, but if you hate this, it can’t be helped.”

“……I’ll do it.”

Eun-soo wiped his face with his hands. As he did, he tried to gauge what of his belongings were in Do-kwon’s house.

Nothing came to mind except his toothbrush. Did he really have to replace everything that held a memory? Then he’d have to throw away the bed and sofa they rolled around in, the table where they ate, and even the bathtub they soaked in together.

In that case, as Do-kwon said, moving would be better.

Eun-soo’s expression sank seriously.

Around then, the elevator stopped at the underground parking lot with a cheerful ‘ding’. Secretary Jeong, who had been riding with them, stepped out first. Do-kwon followed him, and Eun-soo,

“…….”

Froze in place. The underground parking lot. Did that mean they were taking a car? Eun-soo’s mouth hung open.

The heartless elevator didn’t wait for the frozen Eun-soo and tried to close its doors. If Do-kwon hadn’t stuck his hand in, Eun-soo would have descended further underground.

“What are you doing?”

Do-kwon asked irritably.

“Are you… taking the car?”

Eun-soo asked in a trembling voice.

“Then are you walking?”

Do-kwon asked back with an expression that questioned why he was asking such a strange question.

“…….”

Eun-soo couldn’t give any answer. Right. Even while riding the elevator down, he hadn’t thought about how to get to Do-kwon’s house. It would be strange to take the subway side-by-side with him.

As Eun-soo chewed his lip, not knowing what to do, Do-kwon’s brow furrowed further at the dragging conversation.

“Why? Did you bring a separate car? Then come to the house. Do you know the address?”

“O-oh, no. I’ll go with you.”

Eun-soo quickly stepped out of the elevator. He’d just try to endure it this time. He probably could. Just imagining being in a car made his thighs shake, but he thought that if he just kept enduring and enduring, he’d eventually be okay.

Enduring blindly and stubbornly. Eun-soo was quite immune to that.

The car the three of them would board was one familiar to Eun-soo. A luxury sedan with a thick, black body that looked almost clunky. It was the car Do-kwon used for official business and company work.

Secretary Jeong opened the driver’s side door. Do-kwon also opened the rear door. Eun-soo swallowed hard. Just then, Secretary Jeong’s eyes widened as if he had realized a critical fact.

“Ah, Team Leader Yoo. You said you couldn’t ride in cars, right?”

“Can’t ride in cars? Why?”

Do-kwon quickly turned his head to look at Eun-soo. A faint irritation rippled across his face. ‘What a load of nonsense.’ That was exactly the expression he wore.

Facing that expression head-on, Eun-soo scratched the back of his hand with his nails. It was the same hand that had wiped Do-kwon’s nosebleed a few days ago. The hand that had been pushed away by him, and the hand that had been gripped roughly by him.

“I heard it was aftereffects from a car accident. That’s why you took the subway when you came to the hospital last time…”

Secretary Jeong said in a troubled voice. It was already late at night. He wasn’t sure if the subway was still running. Even if it was, it would take quite a while to get to Do-kwon’s house from here.

It was just as Secretary Jeong lit up his phone to search for the subway schedule.

“I’m fine, I’m fine now!”

Eun-soo shouted in a loud voice. The quiet underground parking lot echoed loudly. Secretary Jeong almost dropped his phone, and Do-kwon crumpled his face as much as possible.

At that reaction, Eun-soo murmured almost inaudibly.

“I really am. I took a taxi when I came to the hospital.”

“…….”

Do-kwon said nothing. He simply looked at Eun-soo for a moment and then got into the car.

Instead, Secretary Jeong asked with drooping eyes if he was really okay. Eun-soo smiled ambiguously and, as if to show off, opened the car door and sat down next to Do-kwon.

Secretary Jeong, feeling flustered, had no choice but to start the car.

Eun-soo stared out the window with unfocused eyes. The car passed the parking lot and entered a dark tunnel. Until then, he was okay. Because there were no other moving cars around.

However, it was different once they hit the road.

Seoul’s night is not like a night. It was bright everywhere and crowded with cars at all times. Since it was close to midnight, there were fewer than during the day, but dozens of glowing headlights whizzed past with the sound of wind.

Unable to withstand those bold attacks, Eun-soo finally squeezed his eyes shut. Immediately, the fear that had been waiting for a gap poured in like a rainstorm. His body trembled. Along with a throbbing pain, a chill ran down his spine.

The engine sounds of the cars, which he could barely hear, hammered against his eardrums. Whenever a car stopped at a signal or started again, he felt as if he were about to gag.

Eun-soo scratched the back of his hand again. Not only that, but he also rubbed his shoulders and chest. The pain of the seatbelt crushing him at the time of the accident was vivid.

Then, he felt a heavy gaze. Eun-soo stiffened. In his deep fear, he had forgotten who was sitting next to him. It was a stupid mistake.

Belatedly, Eun-soo straightened his back, pretending to be calm. Then, acting expressionless, he looked at Do-kwon.

“Do-kwon… you seem to be… okay with riding in cars.”

“I have no memory of the accident, so I have no reason to be afraid.”

“Ah… I see…”

Eun-soo wore a bitter smile. He was glad Do-kwon was okay. He must already be confused enough; it would have been terrible if he were afraid of cars too. Regardless of other things, the accident was something that didn’t need to be remembered, so forgetting it was much better.

Eun-soo haphazardly swept back his bangs, which were damp with cold sweat. The orange glow of the streetlights lightly brushed over Eun-soo’s round forehead and smooth bridge of his nose.

Do-kwon’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“You, on the other hand, look like you’re struggling a lot.”

“No. I’m, I’m okay.”

“You don’t look okay.”

Do-kwon said in a voice devoid of emotion.

Eun-soo let out a hollow laugh. Why ask that all of a sudden? The current Do-kwon didn’t seem like he would care whether he was actually okay or not. He even wondered if he suddenly passed out, Do-kwon would just throw him out of the car with an annoyed expression.

Eun-soo buried his face deep between his legs and mumbled.

“You’re right. I’m not okay. I feel like… suddenly a dump truck will… whew… appear and crush the car.”

“…….”

“But I’m trying my best to endure it, so just… pretend you don’t notice.”

“…….”

Do-kwon didn’t give any answer. Eun-soo wasn’t particularly expecting one, so it was fine. Meanwhile, the car continued to move. Every time the car hit a speed bump, Eun-soo’s spine shuddered.

Then, Eun-soo tilted his head slightly to look at Do-kwon. He murmured with a faint smile.

“Still, I’m glad. That you don’t remember it, Do-kwon…”

What expression did Do-kwon make then? He thought he saw the corners of his mouth twitch, but he couldn’t see because the car happened to enter an underground road.

It was the first time in a full month that he was visiting Do-kwon’s house. Yet, nothing had changed. The luxurious yet simple interior was the same, and it was still spotless without a single speck of dust thanks to the diligent housekeeper.

Secretary Jeong left after dropping Do-kwon off. He offered to help with the organizing, but Eun-soo sent him away, saying it wasn’t right to use a subordinate for personal reasons at this late hour. Secretary Jeong didn’t refuse the consideration and left.

Leaving behind a Do-kwon who looked as if to ask ‘Who do you think you are to send my secretary away?’, Eun-soo familiarly found and put on his home slippers.

Before the car accident, most of their dates took place at Eun-soo’s house. This was because Do-kwon preferred it. He said that because the house was small, Eun-soo’s scent was stronger. Eun-soo found it absurd that he described his house, which was well over thirty pyeong, as ‘small’, but he just went along with it.

That didn’t mean Eun-soo had visited Do-kwon’s house infrequently. Since Do-kwon’s house was much closer to the company, he had stopped by often for various reasons.

For instance, when they were skipping work, or when rubbing lips made them want to do more. Thus, he couldn’t help but be familiar with this luxurious home.

Do-kwon let out a hollow laugh at Eun-soo’s action of swinging open the shoe rack—where handles were hard to find at a glance—and putting in his sneakers. He had suspected it because there were traces throughout the house that clearly didn’t belong to him. It seemed they all belonged to Eun-soo.

Ha, to think he had actually been in that kind of relationship with this Omega. He couldn’t believe it.

But that was then, and now is now. Unless he suddenly regained his memories as if struck by lightning, he currently felt absolutely nothing for Eun-soo.

Just… occasionally, very occasionally, he thought that Eun-soo was surprisingly pretty, or that the way he moved so busily was like a little white cat. That was all.

“Let’s start by tidying up the living room.”

Do-kwon passed Eun-soo and stepped into the entryway hallway. But Eun-soo brushed past Do-kwon with a cold shoulder.

“I’m going to drink some water first.”

Having announced this, he disappeared down the small hallway leading to the kitchen with light, pitter-patter steps.

“…….”

Left alone in an instant, Do-kwon let out a long sigh and rubbed his face with his hands.

There were far more traces of Eun-soo than he had anticipated.

A two-year relationship. One could say it was long, but… it wasn’t that long, so he didn’t understand why there was so much stuff. Then again, they had hardly spent a single day apart for two years, so it made sense.

Still, there was only one thing in the living room. A thick blanket that Eun-soo would cling to whenever he came to Do-kwon’s house, as if it were a security blanket. In truth, the blanket belonged to Do-kwon, but since Eun-soo was the one who mostly used it, he decided to just pack it up.

Next was the kitchen. This space was a bit ambiguous. It was because Eun-soo hadn’t bought a single thing. The cup he used often belonged to Do-kwon, the grapefruit-flavored sparkling water in the fridge was something Eun-soo drank but Do-kwon had bought, and the macaron ice cream filling the freezer was the same. The piles of cafe latte coffee capsules and the soft butter cookies too.

Under Do-kwon’s strict surveillance, Eun-soo, who had been rummaging through various things, glanced at him.

“I’m the one who eats them, but what about the things you bought, Do-kwon?”

“Take it all. Or put it in the trash can over there.”

Do-kwon gestured with his chin toward the trash can in the corner.

Pouting, Eun-soo packed the cookies and sparkling water. He couldn’t drink the cafe lattes because of the caffeine, but he left them there because he didn’t want to throw them away. He hoped that one day, Do-kwon—who wouldn’t touch anything unless it was black coffee—would accidentally drink a cafe latte and scowl.

The kitchen was finished. Next, they stopped by the study. There, Eun-soo packed his laptop, wireless mouse, USB drives, and other items. He also stopped by the bathroom. There wasn’t much to take other than the electric toothbrush standing neatly next to Do-kwon’s. He had used Do-kwon’s shower supplies and lotions as well.

Just in case, Eun-soo opened the cabinet and looked through it. He had intentionally left a few traces in other places, but he couldn’t do that in the bathroom. If Do-kwon were to faint in a place like this, he might get seriously injured.

It was just as Eun-soo, finding nothing special, shut the cabinet with a click.

“I suppose you didn’t take your suppressant today.”

A voice, agonizingly low, tickled the shell of his ear. The sound echoing in the bathroom sent shivers down his spine. Startled, Eun-soo quickly turned his head.

Do-kwon was standing right behind him.

Eun-soo stared blankly at Do-kwon. He didn’t know how long it had been since he’d seen Do-kwon this close. No, there were times they were close, but it hadn’t been this quiet. Do-kwon had either been unconscious, having a seizure, or they had been engaged in some petty power struggle.

Facing him quietly like this, it felt as if they had returned to the past. Do-kwon’s untrimmed hair and languidly sunken eyes exuded a sultry atmosphere. It was the characteristic sex appeal of an Alpha.

In the past, he would have been captivated by that face and those pheromones and burrowed into his embrace.

Floating in the past for a moment, Eun-soo belatedly snapped back to reality. He quickly covered the nape of his neck. Not that doing so would hide his pheromones. It was a habit. A habit most Omegas had.

“Ah… I, I came in a hurry.”

“In a hurry?”

“It was time to sleep. I just threw on a coat and left after getting the call from Secretary Jeong…”

Eun-soo took a half-step back. In his heart, he wanted to flee one step—no, three steps—but he couldn’t because the wall was right behind him.

But for some reason, Do-kwon took a step closer. Thanks to that, the distance became much closer than before. If Eun-soo lowered his head just a bit, his face would be buried in Do-kwon’s chest.

“…….”

“…….”

A heavy silence flowed. While clutching his neck, Eun-soo’s eyes darted around. Unable to bring himself to look at Do-kwon’s face, he stared straight ahead, and his gaze caught the broad, contoured chest and wide shoulders beneath the knit sweater.

Feeling as if he were doing something wrong for no reason, Eun-soo let out a long breath and tried to turn his body. At that moment, he felt Do-kwon inhale. Startled by this, Eun-soo abruptly pushed Do-kwon away.

“You can’t!”

Due to the surprisingly strong force, Do-kwon was pushed back a step.

“……What can’t I do?”

Do-kwon asked, his brow deeply furrowed. Being pushed suddenly made him feel like some shameless pervert. After claiming my face and body were his taste, now he’s acting modest?

As one of Do-kwon’s eyebrows arched crookedly, Eun-soo looked distressed.

“What if you faint again after smelling me? The bathroom floor is tile, so if you fall the wrong way, you could crack your head open.”

“Are you saying… you pushed me because you were worried my head would crack?”

“You said my scent gives you a headache. That it’s… intense. Last time, you even had a nosebleed.”

So move. Eun-soo pushed Do-kwon away again. He was so tall that it felt like a giant mountain was blocking the way. He even blocked the light, making the vision dim.

Having barely escaped Do-kwon, Eun-soo tried to leave the bathroom with quick steps. Just as he gripped the handle of the half-open door, an arm reached out from behind his ear and—SLAM! The door shut.

Eun-soo’s breath hitched. His knees trembled at the presence pressed tightly against his back and the thick pheromones being emitted. Just as Eun-soo was about to ask him to move with trembling lips, Do-kwon buried his nose in the nape of Eun-soo’s neck.

A firm nose. A body temperature cooler than the nape of the neck. A slow breath. Eun-soo froze like a rock. Compared to the countless times they had rubbed their bodies together, this kind of skinship was nothing, but perhaps because it had been so long, his heart was pounding wildly.

“Mo… move.”

“I don’t want to. Wouldn’t it be better if I got used to your scent?”

As if to show off, Do-kwon wrapped his arms around Eun-soo’s waist. Every time he spoke, his hot breath gently tickled the skin. Eun-soo shrunk his neck and looked down at Do-kwon’s hand encircling his waist.

“……You won’t faint?”

“I can’t guarantee that.”

“Then you can’t.”

Clenching his teeth, Eun-soo tried to pry Do-kwon’s hand away. However, Do-kwon’s hand didn’t budge. Instead, it slid slowly under the hem of Eun-soo’s clothes.

“Don’t play hard to get. I heard you had sex. I heard you even got pregnant with my child.”

Eun-soo’s body stiffened. He didn’t know why Do-kwon was suddenly acting like this. After treating his scent like a disgusting stench. Even telling him to clear away his traces because he hated them, and bringing him all the way here.

Is this fun? Is he mocking him?

Eun-soo let out a long sigh and murmured in a voice that was barely audible.

“……It’s because I hate it.”

“What? I can’t hear you.”

“I said I hate it when you’re in pain.”

“…….”

“It’s sad enough that you find my scent dis… gusting, but it’s even sadder when you’re in pain.”

At that quiet voice, Do-kwon’s hand, which had been lingering around Eun-soo’s stomach, stopped abruptly. Then, he quickly withdrew his hand. The breath brushing against the nape of the neck also vanished. However, his hand was still blocking the door. Eun-soo pulled his sleeve to move the hand away.

“I’ll tidy up the bedroom now.”

Then, with a face as if nothing had happened, he left the bathroom.

The bedroom was the place where Eun-soo had stayed the longest and most often in this house. Accordingly, there would be many traces.

Eun-soo first searched the drawer next to the bed. But for some reason, everything in there was… that kind of thing. You know, condoms, gel, things like that. Things Eun-soo and Do-kwon used almost every day. Or things they used several of in a single night.

Eun-soo pondered for a moment. Was this also his trace? Even though Do-kwon had bought them. Eun-soo glanced at Do-kwon. Do-kwon was leaning against the wall, his brow deeply furrowed. It seemed something else was displeasing him.

Pouting, Eun-soo closed the drawer without taking anything. Then, after looking around, he tried to head toward the dressing room to pack his underwear and a few pieces of clothing.

At that moment, Do-kwon blocked Eun-soo’s path.

“This is enough, so just leave.”

“……What?”

“I said… just leave.”

Eun-soo jutted his chin forward. Going back and forth like this, he didn’t know what he was supposed to do. He had never felt that Do-kwon was an indecisive person. Was the thirty-year-old version of him originally this unpredictable?

However, Do-kwon was also in a distressing situation in his own way. The moment Eun-soo entered the bedroom—or more accurately, the moment he saw Eun-soo in his bedroom—a massive headache surged. It was a pain so intense he wondered if this is what it felt like to have one’s temples pierced with a drill.

‘Do-kwon. Sleep well.’

‘Loosen your grip on my arm. I can’t breathe…’

‘Ah… I want to sleep a little more. Just a little… please?’

‘I’m hungry. What should we eat for breakfast?’

‘Ah… Do-kwon, mmm, stop right there…’

The sporadic bursts of memory fragments made his eyes sting. Simultaneously, Eun-soo’s scent, which he had felt was quite acceptable in the bathroom, began to stab at his brain like needles. It felt as if someone were hammering his bridge of the nose.

“Just… go.”

Covering his forehead with his hand, Do-kwon spoke in a suppressed voice. Realizing the situation was serious, Eun-soo lightly gripped Do-kwon’s elbow.

“Does it hurt again? Your head? Should we go to the hospital?”

“No… forget it.”

Do-kwon irritably brushed Eun-soo’s hand away. Then, he glared at him with eyes filled with pain.

“I think I’ll be fine as long as you disappear from my sight. So just… get lost.”

At those words, Eun-soo pressed his lips tight. He knew that what Do-kwon was saying now wasn’t because he hated him. If he was to the point of fainting from a headache, the magnitude of that pain must be enormous.

However, understanding and being hurt are two entirely different matters.

Eun-soo’s eyelashes trembled. He wanted to ask, ‘Why do I make you hurt so much?’, but he couldn’t because Do-kwon’s condition was severe.

If he stubbornly insisted on being recognized for being hurt, Do-kwon might be rushed to the hospital again. He couldn’t let him ride an ambulance twice in one day when once was already shocking enough.

Eun-soo whipped around and left the bedroom. Then, as if chased by something, he headed for the entryway. The box full of belongings was heavy, but he had no time to worry about that. He hurriedly shoved his feet into his sneakers and left Do-kwon’s house.

Not stopping there, he only managed to halt his steps after taking the elevator and exiting the apartment building.

Eun-soo slumped down on a bench. He dropped the heavy box on the ground as if throwing it. He looked exactly like someone who had been kicked out of the house. It was utterly ridiculous.

Eun-soo steadied his breathing in the cold wind. It wasn’t the first or second time Do-kwon had been in pain because of him, but he still couldn’t get used to it. His throat felt bitter, thinking that he might not be able to see him often in the future due to the obstacle of treatment.

How long had he been sitting on that dim bench? A chilly wind whipped against his body. The weather, having just entered spring, was still fierce. Especially at night, well past midnight. White breath escaped from between his lips.

Eun-soo picked up the box and stood up. He walked out to the main road without much thought, only to remember.

That he couldn’t ride in a car.

Watching the occasional cars pass by, he let out a hollow laugh.

Setting the box down again, Eun-soo took out his phone. 1 AM. Naturally, there were no subways. He felt he should take a taxi, but he didn’t have the confidence to ride in a car anymore today. He had already ridden in one twice. If he did it again, he felt he would be the one ending up in the hospital instead of Do-kwon.

In a pinch, Eun-soo searched for motels and hotels. However, since it was an area where luxury apartment complexes were gathered, there were no motels or hotels. Even if there were, they were a 30-minute walk away.

Thirty minutes. The thought of wandering the cold night streets with this box made him feel nauseous.

Then, a great idea flashed through his mind.

The company. The company was a 15-minute walk away.

* * *

By the time he arrived at the company, Eun-soo’s hair was damp with sweat. It wasn’t easy walking while carrying the box. Even though he had stopped to rest at bus stops or flower beds along the way, he was exhausted.

And from the moment he entered the company, his body cooled down rapidly. As the sweat dried, he felt chills. Eun-soo crossed the company lobby, his teeth chattering.

“Oh, Team Leader Yoo?”

A security guard he was acquainted with greeted Eun-soo with a surprised face. Eun-soo smiled awkwardly and answered a question that hadn’t been asked.

“I left something behind.”

And fearing the guard might strike up a conversation, he hurriedly pressed the elevator button repeatedly. The elevator, which had been on a high floor, began to descend.

First, he’d stop at the 14th floor to drop off his things and simply wash his face. Then, he’d stay in front of the space heater until early dawn, take the subway home, and then come back to work.

Eun-soo made a plan while watching the approaching elevator. Soon, with a ‘ding’ alarm, the doors opened. Without even checking the inside, Eun-soo stepped blindly inside. But the box hit the wall with a thud. It felt as if the wall had moved closer. Had the elevator shrunk?

Eun-soo tilted his head and looked forward. And,

“Uh…”

“…Uh.”

He came face-to-face with an unexpected person.

“Director—no, Executive Director?”

“Eun-soo?”

It was Seong-heon. The Executive Director of Seong-jin and Do-kwon’s cousin. That alone made them a special relationship, but he had a deep connection with Eun-soo for other reasons.

The first time he met him was when Eun-soo came for a job interview. Unlike the elderly and strict-looking interviewers, he was a man with a genial impression and a wonderful smile.

He had felt relieved by the appearance that somehow eased his tension, but Seong-heon had left a vivid mark in his mind by asking only very sharp and piercing questions.

Then, after joining the company, they met again by chance. At the time, Seong-heon was a Director, yet he ate at the company cafeteria despite his rank. Just as Eun-soo was thinking he was a fascinating person, Seong-heon greeted him first. He said the interview had been impressive. That he remembered him. That he congratulated him on joining the company.

He was a good person. They met often after that.

It wasn’t that romantic feelings had been exchanged; rather, it would be best to describe him as a mentor or a senior. Moreover, Eun-soo was an Omega and he was a Beta. Of course, there was no law saying an Omega and a Beta couldn’t meet, but regardless, he didn’t have that kind of relationship with Seong-heon.

They had meals together, drank coffee, and Eun-soo had consulted and learned many things from him regarding work, the company, human relationships, and social life.

He always gave good answers, and thanks to those answers, Eun-soo was able to become a team leader at a young age.

Seong-heon was a good boss and a wonderful friend.

But after somehow getting together with Do-kwon, he hadn’t been able to contact him. They hadn’t met frequently before, but they had still seen each other once or twice a month.

Ah, right. Around the time he had just started dating Do-kwon, Seong-heon had gone on a long business trip to an overseas branch for nearly two years. He had vaguely heard the news that he had returned. To think he would meet him like this.

Eun-soo instinctively took a step back. Meeting him for the first time in a long while in this state was incredibly embarrassing.

Then, his heel caught in the elevator gap, and his body wobbled. The box he was holding jolted violently, sending the contents flying backward. Among them, the light wireless mouse and USB drive fell to the floor with a clatter.

Seong-heon grabbed Eun-soo’s forearm to help him regain his balance. Then, he personally bent over to pick up the items that had fallen.

“Did you resign?”

He asked in a surprised voice.

“No! I didn’t resign!”

Eun-soo answered in an even more surprised voice.

“Then what is all this?”

“Ah, I’m not taking them out; I’m bringing them in to put them away.”

“At this hour?”

“Yes. At this hour. I wanted to put them away right now.”

“…In pajamas?”

Seong-heon glanced at Eun-soo’s attire. The clothes visible beneath the coat were definitely pajamas. A matching dark green set with a soft texture. And his shoes were sneakers.

Coat, pajamas, sneakers—not a single thing matched. For Eun-soo, who had a great sense of fashion as a design major, to come to work at this hour in this attire was excessively strange.

Under the gaze full of doubt, Eun-soo squeezed his eyes shut and opened them. Then, he mumbled in a voice that was barely audible.

“Could you… just not ask me anything…?”

“Well… alright. But let me ask one more thing.”

“……What is it?”

“It’s true that you’re in a situation where you need help right now, isn’t it?”

At the gentle voice, Eun-soo gave a slight nod. Seong-heon smiled brightly and deftly took the box from Eun-soo’s hand.

Eun-soo stepped into Seong-heon’s executive office. First the chairman’s office, then the director’s office, and now he was drifting in and out of the executive office. He wondered what kind of fate this was.

“Latte?”

Seong-heon asked. Eun-soo quickly shook his head.

“No. Just water, please. Warm water.”

Seong-heon said he understood and left the office. Seong-heon also didn’t know about Eun-soo’s pregnancy. This was because Do-kwon had suggested they only tell his parents for the time being.

He had said that letting the pregnancy be known to the outside world would only lead to tedious troubles. He claimed that all sorts of rumors would cling to them and eat away at Eun-soo—starting from whether the life budding in Eun-soo’s womb was a boy or a girl, an Alpha or an Omega, to when the two had started dating, when they planned to marry, or if there were perhaps other lovers.

Recalling that conversation, Eun-soo let out a long sigh. Whew…

Back when they were discussing those things, he had been simply happy. He felt that Do-kwon truly cherished him and the baby.

But now, not disclosing the pregnancy felt like a relief in a different sense. If Do-kwon’s memory loss became known, all sorts of pity and attention would pour over him.

Eun-soo massaged his calves, which had suffered from walking the night streets. The muscles had grown stiff and knotted in the meantime. His neck was stiff, and his eyes felt dry.

Whether it was an aftereffect of the car accident or because of his pregnant body, he could clearly feel that his stamina had decreased significantly lately. No matter how much of an Omega he was, he hadn’t felt fatigued by such trivial things before.

Well… it was perhaps too much to dismiss as a ‘trivial thing,’ given how much had happened today.

‘I think I’ll be fine as long as you disappear from my sight. So just, get lost.’

Just as Eun-soo let out a long sigh through his nose, recalling Do-kwon’s voice that sounded as if it were boiling over, the door opened and Seong-heon entered. He placed a glass of water, from which white steam was softly rising, in front of Eun-soo.

“Thank you.”

Eun-soo wrapped both hands around the mug. A smile naturally bloomed on his lips at the warm temperature.

While Eun-soo drank half the water, Seong-heon sat quietly on the opposite sofa without asking anything. However, though he remained silent, he stared intently at Eun-soo, exerting a silent pressure.

“It’s… it’s been a while, Executive Director.”

Eun-soo smiled awkwardly and offered a very belated greeting.

“Yes, it has been a while, Eun-soo.”

Seong-heon smiled, mimicking Eun-soo’s tone. Eun-soo worked hard to keep the corners of his mouth lifted. If they had met at a normal time, looking normal, he would have been jumping for joy just to see him. He resented the situation that made that impossible.

“Things are hectic lately, right? Because Do-kwon is hurt.”

Seong-heon asked.

“Ah… well… just…”

Eun-soo stammered, trailing off. He had been asked by Myeong-hui and Ki-ho to keep the details of where and how badly Do-kwon was injured, as well as his current condition, a strict secret. Especially the part about the memory issues. It was obvious that revealing it would only make the company atmosphere chaotic.

But since Seong-heon was Do-kwon’s relative, would it be okay to tell him? If it were him, as always, he would tell Eun-soo how to endure and navigate this situation.

However, the fact that he didn’t know until now meant that the family, including Myeong-hui, had not told him anything.

Therefore, Eun-soo also decided to remain silent about Do-kwon’s condition.

“The surgery ended well, and he’s recovering.”

“Well, he is an Alpha. He’ll get better soon. Still, it’s surprising. I guess Do-kwon is human after all.”

“……Excuse me?”

Eun-soo tilted his head at the strangely odd remark. At that, Seong-heon chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

“No, I mean, he’s a Dominant Alpha. I don’t know how to put it, but I thought he wouldn’t get a single scratch even if he collided with a car.”

“Ah….”

Eun-soo let out a meaningless exclamation. Right, Seong-heon was a Beta. Betas, who didn’t know what Alphas and Omegas were truly like, often treated them as entirely different species. It was less so for Omegas, but the prejudice against Alphas was severe.

Handsome looks, a brilliant mind, and a healthy body. They were beings who were easily targets of both admiration and jealousy.

“Still, I’m glad you’re okay, Eun-soo. It seems you weren’t seriously injured.”

“It’s thanks to Do-kwon.”

“……Thanks to him?”

“Yes. When the accident happened, Do-kwon hugged me, so I’m fine, but Do-kwon was badly hurt.”

“……Do-kwon did?”

Seong-heon’s eyes widened. He blinked his eyelids repeatedly. It was an expression that didn’t suit his sophisticated image at all. It seemed he was greatly surprised by something.

After admiring in silence for dozens of seconds, he punctuated it with a low laugh.

“Wow…. I only heard rumors while I was in the States. Do-kwon must really love you, Eun-soo.”

“Yes. I guess so.”

Eun-soo nodded with a slight smile. He felt a bit foolish for smiling happily when he had been kicked out by Do-kwon barely an hour ago. But what could he do when he truly loved him?

Every single minute of the time they had built together over the past two years was so precious that he had no intention of resenting or hating Do-kwon for words the ‘real Do-kwon’ never would have said.

As Eun-soo tapped his knee with his fingertips, the phone he had practically thrown into the box collided with the mug and vibrated noisily. With a puzzled face, Eun-soo picked up the phone. Who would be calling at this hour…

The sender was someone completely unexpected.

[Is this Yoo Eun-soo’s phone?]

[Did you get home safely?]

[I’m sorry about today.]

[I’ve never been sick in my life, so I have no immunity to things like headaches.]

[Let’s have a meal together this weekend.]

It was Do-kwon.