By Zephyria Unsurprisingly, Kwon Tae-hee finished his meal first. Seo Jeong-won spent more time staring at him than putting the porridge in his mouth.
Kwon Tae-hee, having put down his spoon and emptied his water glass, turned to look at Seo Jeong-won. His gaze then fell on the bowl of porridge in front of him.
“Should I ask them to bring you something else?”
“Huh? Oh, no, I was enjoying it. It was just hot, so I was letting it cool down.”
Seo Jeong-won scooped up a large spoonful of porridge and stuffed it into his mouth. Kwon Tae-hee silently watched him eat, lost in thought. While he was mindlessly entangled with Seo Jeong-won due to the Rut, Seo Gyu-won had woken up. After being in a coma for so long, he had expected that even if he regained consciousness, he wouldn’t be in a normal state. However, he was able to communicate simply by blinking his hands and eyes.
“I’m done now. I’m full.”
“……”
“Executive Director?”
He said he had something to say, but why was he just staring? Anxiety welled up like a lake. Seo Jeong-won frantically debated how to explain if Kwon Tae-hee asked about his Pheromone. Would it be too cowardly to say he didn’t tell him because of Song Hae-seop? It seemed like too flimsy of an excuse to say he didn’t know. But just how much did Kwon Tae-hee know? He knew about the suppressants, so did he also know about the birth control pills?
“Don’t be alarmed when you hear this.”
“……Yes?”
“The hospital called.”
“Yes? What suddenly, what call? Is he in critical condition?”
Seo Jeong-won, who had been sitting, jumped to his feet. It was the first time he had raised his voice in front of Kwon Tae-hee. He started to get angry at Kwon Tae-hee’s attitude, who just stared at him without saying anything more.
“What is it, is there something wrong with Hyung? Why now… why are you telling me something so important now!”
Seo Jeong-won roughly wiped his flushed face, panting. The sound of his pounding heart echoed in his ears. Unable to hide his emotions, he glared at the person in front of him before abruptly turning away.
“Seo Jeong-won.”
“You should have told me right away… Haa. Holding Hyung hostage like that, sob.”
Kwon Tae-hee hurriedly chased after Seo Jeong-won and turned him around. His cheeks were already soaked with tears. He couldn’t hide his resentment and blamed Kwon Tae-hee, asking how he could do that.
“Ha. Seo Jeong-won.”
“Casually letting me, eat… It’s not a big deal if I skip a meal!”
His voice, laced with sobs, grew louder again. Seo Jeong-won reacted as if he had been told that Seo Gyu-won had died. Kwon Tae-hee was dumbfounded and appalled by the sight.
“Did I say Seo Gyu-won died?”
“……”
“Or did I say Seo Gyu-won is dying? What’s the reason for acting like this just because I said the hospital called?”
Seo Jeong-won met his cold and detached gaze without backing down. He glared with tearful eyes and opened his mouth.
“Then, then you should have told me sooner. Me eating, sob, eating… that’s— sob, not important at all. It’s not important!”
Kwon Tae-hee sighed irritably. He reminded himself of the age difference between him and Seo Jeong-won and told himself to act like an adult. He tried to respond calmly, but he failed. Shit. No matter how hard he tried to control his emotions, he couldn’t hide his shitty mood.
“Seo Gyu-won woke up. That was three days ago.”
“……Yes?”
“That’s good, your wish came true, Seo Jeong-won. Although it’s thanks to my Pheromone. So, what should you do now?”
At the chilling question, Seo Jeong-won raised his hand to cover his mouth. The tears that were about to burst out were blocked. He pitifully shrugged his shoulders and blinked. Each time, tears like glass beads streamed down his cheeks.
“I, sob, I, it’s not that… sob, I thought something, something bad happened to Hyung.”
“I don’t understand anything Seo Jeong-won is saying right now, so come upstairs to the second floor when you can apologize properly.”
Kwon Tae-hee changed his plan to go to the hospital as soon as Seo Jeong-won finished eating. The way he mumbled his apology made him frown involuntarily.
“When to Hyung…!”
“I think I gave you the answer, but Seo Jeong-won is always slow to understand.”
Kwon Tae-hee, having released the wrist he was holding, left the dining room without hesitation. He heard Seo Jeong-won following him, but he didn’t stop walking. He went up the stairs without looking back, and the footsteps chasing him stopped.
“I… it’s not that.”
Seo Jeong-won stared blankly at the place where Kwon Tae-hee had disappeared. Tears dripped down, leaving spots at his feet. He couldn’t stop crying, and only the sound of his sobs scattered forlornly.
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Kwon Tae-hee sat in his study, anticipating when the door would open. It wouldn’t take more than 30 minutes at most. He might want to go alone, but Seo Jeong-won knew very well that Seo Gyu-won needed him, not his brother.
Kwon Tae-hee, leaning against the desk without sitting in the chair, raised his wrist to check the time. Had he been too lenient? His habits were getting worse and worse. He had to correct his habits this time. Otherwise, he felt like he would climb endlessly, so he intended to be firm.
Kwon Tae-hee checked the view outside the window with an indifferent expression. The sun set faster and faster as winter approached. Already, the sky was dyed a purplish color mixed with red. It was then. A small sound of knocking echoed.
Before he could even give permission to enter, the door opened. Seo Jeong-won appeared through the narrow opening. His hair was wet as if he had washed his face, and his eyes were still red, but he wasn’t crying.
“……Executive Director.”
“Did I tell you to come in?”
“I, arbitrarily… opened the door.”
His pale face crumpled. Seo Jeong-won muttered that he was wrong. Kwon Tae-hee looked at his mouth repeating the same words like a parrot and thought there was no sincerity.
“What did you do wrong?”
As if that question was permission to come closer, Seo Jeong-won began to move his feet and approach.
“I, misunderstood Executive Director without permission, didn’t trust you… and got angry. I’m sorry.”
“I don’t feel the sincerity. It doesn’t seem like you’re really sorry… So, would you like to beg?”
“Yes?”
Seo Jeong-won, who had stopped a few steps away, looked at Kwon Tae-hee with a surprised expression.
“Beg. Because I don’t believe you, either.”
It wasn’t a word game, and he hadn’t misheard. Seo Jeong-won, who was blinking blankly, raised his trembling hand and wiped his mouth. He had never thought he would hear the word “beg” in his life. So, his thoughts stopped as if he had broken down for a moment.
Was he supposed to beg on his hands and knees like he had vaguely seen in movies or dramas? If he was told what to do, he would do it, but doing things on his own without being told was always burdensome.
“It doesn’t seem like you’re sincere. Just leave.”
“……Yes?”
“Get out.”
“No, no. I’m sorry, I… I was wrong.”
Seo Jeong-won quickly knelt down at the order to leave without hesitation. He crawled on his knees and clung to Kwon Tae-hee’s legs. He begged incoherently and rubbed his forehead against his shin.
“Please forgive me. I… I was wrong. I won’t do it again. I’ll never, never do it again. I’ll never do it.”
Seo Jeong-won clung to him, his face pale with fear that Kwon Tae-hee would say he wouldn’t go to the hospital. He was afraid that he would say he wouldn’t help him with his Pheromone anymore because he was upset. The thought that Seo Gyu-won might suffer the consequences of his reckless anger made him tremble all over.
If it had been that critical, he would have told him. He resented himself for getting angry without knowing properly.
“I was wrong. Please forgive me just once, please… I won’t do it again, I won’t do it.”
“I don’t think Jeong-won is aware that he’s receiving my help.”
“Ah, no. I know. I’m always grateful. I really am… I really am.”
“But why did you do that? I don’t understand. Did I spoil Seo Jeong-won too much?”
Seo Jeong-won lifted his terrified face and shook his head. He denied it, begged not to do it again, and rubbed his forehead against his knee again.
“Thank you. Thank you, Executive Director. I sincerely thank you for your help. I won’t do that again, I won’t. I’ll never be rude again. I’ll never do it.”
“……”
“Please forgive me. I was wrong.”
Kwon Tae-hee felt his anger subside as he looked at Seo Jeong-won begging so pathetically that it was almost miserable. He was going to get angrier, but he couldn’t because his heart softened quickly when he saw his face. Seo Jeong-won was holding onto his legs in a ridiculous state and gradually slipped down, eventually falling to the floor.
“Jeong-won.”
“Yes, yes, Executive Director.”
“Whatever I say, listen to it properly from now on.”
“Yes, I will. I will never judge and think on my own again.”
Seo Jeong-won slightly lifted his head, which he had been burying, at the sound of a voice that had softened a little. He saw a more relaxed expression than when he first came in. Was he forgiving him?
“Get up.”
“Executive Director.”
At the gaze that looked up without rashly raising his body, Kwon Tae-hee bent down and reached out his arm. When he pulled Seo Jeong-won up, he staggered as if his legs had lost strength.
“I was wrong. I’ll never… I’ll never do it again.”
Seo Jeong-won clung to Kwon Tae-hee’s arms and burrowed into his solid embrace. He leaned his face against the remaining Pheromone on his body and thanked him several times. His mind was full of thoughts of wanting to go to the hospital, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it first.
“Shall we get ready and go to the hospital?”
“……Yes, yes. I want to go to Hyung.”
Seo Jeong-won’s voice trembled. He buried his face deeply in Kwon Tae-hee’s chest to try to hold back his tears. A little moisture that squeezed out of his tightly closed eyes left dirty marks on his clean shirt.