NAME 47

“You really worked hard today. Your explanation was so thorough that there wasn’t a single point of concern. I look forward to working with you.”

“We look forward to working with you as well.”

Seowon smiled smoothly and shook the hand the President offered. Although he had barely managed to eat lunch because he was dining with Baek Kanghyun, the meeting with Haewang Industry was a great success. Since there wasn’t a single part of the documents from start to finish that Seowon hadn’t touched, he assisted Baek Kanghyun by answering questions without hesitation from the President, the section manager in charge, and others who chimed in frequently.

“Assistant Manager Jeong, was it? For someone so young, you work very cleanly. Team Leader Baek as well. It’s very good to see.”

“Thank you.”

While Seowon tended to fumble and get flustered when he was with Baek Kanghyun, he shone brightly when he was with others. He was polite, formal, and sociable. Consequently, when he went on field assignments, there were occasionally people who showed interest in him.

“Since you’ve come all this way, it’s a shame to just let you go. If your time allows, please join us for a meal before you head out.”

Today was no different. The President, who had been glancing at Seowon from the start of the meeting until the end, subtly made a move. Since it was hard to tell if the words of the President—who looked easily sixty—were a joke or serious, Seowon avoided giving a direct answer by simply smiling moderately.

No, he intended to, but he suddenly remembered Baek Kanghyun’s words about going to his house after work. He wondered if he could avoid the man today if he had dinner with the people from Haewang Industry. Or, even if he couldn’t avoid him entirely, a clever scheme occurred to him that he might at least be able to delay it a little.

“I’m sorry, but a meal is…”

While Seowon was racking his brain, Baek Kanghyun stepped forward first, signaling a refusal. Seowon felt a sense of urgency. Right, it’s not like it’s a drinking session, it’s just dinner, so what could happen? Although the President’s gaze toward him was suspicious, he judged it would be better than having sex with Baek Kanghyun.

“A meal sounds great.”

So, he quickly cut in while Baek Kanghyun was speaking. He knew well that as a mere Assistant Manager, it wasn’t his place to step forward when the Team Leader was right there, but he had no choice. That was how desperate he was.

“Wow, thank you. I have no intention of taking up the time of busy people. There’s a nice restaurant right in front of the company. Let’s go there then.”

The meal was decided by the President’s declaration. There was no time at all for Baek Kanghyun to correct it. Seowon, who was watching the back of the President leaving the conference room with a laugh in the blink of an eye, felt a gaze piercing the back of his head and slowly turned his body.

He came face to face with Baek Kanghyun’s distorted face, which seemed to be asking what on earth he thought he was doing. Standing crookedly with his arms crossed, the man gave off a chilling aura.

“What do you think you’re doing right now?”

He muttered lowly and glared fiercely at Seowon. Narrowing his brow, he let out a sharp, heavy breath. Avoiding the man who was closing the distance as if he were using supernatural speed, Seowon slowly backed away. However, the man, who growled like a beast, grabbed the arm of the fleeing Seowon. His brow furrowed involuntarily at the excessive grip strength.

“Team Leader, it hurts.”

“I asked what you think you’re doing.”

His body trembled at the man’s anger, which was directed solely at him. The difference in physique, the pheromones, and even the fear from past trauma weighed down on Seowon. However, even if he was afraid of him, he did not regret this situation. He didn’t feel the need to stay on his good side or maintain a good relationship. He thought that just as the man did as he pleased, Seowon also had the right to do as he pleased.

“I’m just trying to have a meal. I thought it was a decent proposal.”

Seowon forced a bright smile.

“Ha, is that so?”

On the other hand, Baek Kanghyun twisted his lips forcefully as if his stomach were turning.

“You don’t think I’m ignorant of your ulterior motives, do you?”

“Well. I don’t particularly have any ulterior motives.”

He knew it was a stubborn, groundless claim. However, Seowon decided to act shamelessly until the end.

“Fine, go ahead and do as you please. I’ll be watching.”

After a small nod, he pushed past Seowon. Just then, a person from Haewang Industry who had been at the meeting earlier approached and spoke to Baek Kanghyun. Since it seemed they were going to guide them to the dining location, Seowon swallowed hard and quietly followed behind the two of them.

‘Did I do the right thing?’

He had acted on impulse to put out an immediate fire, but his heart was uneasy.

“Now, now, the glass is empty. Hurry and drink.”

“Ah, thank you.”

The dining location prepared by the Haewang side was closer to a bar than a restaurant. In particular, the Haewang President, who seemed accustomed to dining accompanied by drinking, repeatedly encouraged Seowon and Baek Kanghyun to drink. Because of that, Seowon’s plan to just eat moderately and drag out the time went greatly awry. He intended to only eat and avoid drinking as much as possible, but because the President persistently urged him, he ended up drinking bit by bit.

“I’ve been watching you since earlier, and Assistant Manager Jeong, you seem like quite a decent person.”

Furthermore, the old President, who had been sending Seowon unusual looks throughout the meeting, gradually revealed his true colors once the alcohol kicked in. Not only did he sit right next to Seowon, but he also kept teasing Seowon, who barely drank.

“Thank you for viewing me favorably.”

“Yes, there are no people like this among the young generation these days.”

As time passed, the President kept leaning his body toward Seowon. Starting with touching shoulders, he subtly brushed against his thigh, and even tried to hold his hand. Although he was dodging skillfully for now, he couldn’t help but become increasingly flustered.

“President, I think we should be heading out soon. We have to go to work tomorrow.”

“Already? Then just one last glass, let’s have just one last glass.”

Despite Seowon showing signs of discomfort, the drunken old Alpha overtly gave off pheromones. It was a disgusting smell reminiscent of old cigarettes. His already uneasy stomach churned violently, and he felt a surge of nausea. The smiling face he had managed to maintain throughout the meal gradually dissolved. Seowon barely managed to perch his buttocks on the edge of the chair to avoid the man leaning toward him.

‘Disgusting bastard.’

He thought the man would know how to keep some kind of line since he was a client, but the President’s unsightly behavior only grew worse. One of the Haewang employees, noticing Seowon’s discomfort, tried to restrain him, but it had no particular effect. If he had known the man would act this disgustingly, he would have refused the meal or anything else. It was a case of meeting a monster while trying to avoid a ghost.

“No, President. I can’t do any more.”

Seowon completely changed his expression and even held out his hand to make his refusal clear. However, the President, whose judgment was blurred, could no longer see reason.

“Assistant Manager Jeong, why are you being so serious? I didn’t ask for anything grand, did I? Then just pour one glass for me. I’ll let you off with that.”

The words asking what he was going to let him off for surged up. The President let out a greasy laugh and forced a liquor bottle into Seowon’s hand. Even in that brief moment, he went as far as massaging Seowon’s hand. He didn’t want to break the atmosphere where everyone was laughing and chatting, but Seowon’s patience reached its limit. Just as he was about to shake off the captured hand, the President asked in an insidious tone.

“Assistant Manager Jeong, are you an Omega for sure?”

“…Pardon?”

A wrinkled hand crawled up onto the thigh of the frozen Seowon. It was right before a string of curses burst through his lips. Since manifesting as an Omega, he had received various kinds of advances, but this was the first time he had faced such overt sexual harassment.

“President, what are you doing right now…”

Before Seowon could finish his sentence, someone snatched away the bottle he was holding in his hand. The gazes of Seowon and the President were fixed on the person who took the bottle.

“Oh my, Team Leader, were you also planning to receive a glass from Assistant Manager Jeong?”

It was Baek Kanghyun. He had been sitting across from them and just watching while Seowon was being harassed by the President, but for some reason, he finally intervened. While Seowon let out a sigh of relief, he held out the bottle toward the President.

“Ah, then I will receive a glass. I look forward to it.”

Only then did the President withdraw the hand that was pawing at Seowon and lifted his glass with a hollow laugh.

“…”

The glass, which was quickly filled, was on the verge of overflowing. Even so, Baek Kanghyun did not withdraw the bottle and let the glass overflow. As the overflowing liquor began to spill down onto the table, the complexion of the President, who had been reeling from drunkenness, gradually hardened, and the people around who had been talking loudly suddenly clamped their mouths shut. Baek Kanghyun, expressionless, did not stop until the bottle was empty, staring intently at the President.

“Te—Team Leader, are you perhaps drunk? It seems your heart is overflowing too much.”

It was the President who broke the murderous silence hanging around the table. With a servile smile, entirely different from when he dealt with Seowon, he spoke as if joking while holding the brimming glass.

“…”

However, Baek Kanghyun did not give any reply. Tossing the empty bottle onto the table, he leaned back in his chair and glared at the President. The President, who had been busy encroaching no matter how much Seowon tried to avoid him, withdrew his body on his own. Then, completely erasing any sign of drunkenness, he sat upright and watched Baek Kanghyun’s reaction.