PAO 80

“…”

“Then it’s a bad thing.”

Seowon patted Junghoo’s head and got up. Now that they’ve signed the contract, Hangyeol should be able to stay with a peaceful mind.

As he was about to go into his room, Seowon remembered something and looked back at Junghoo.

“Aren’t you getting pheromone treatment?”

Junghoo, who had been staring blankly at Seowon, shot to his feet.

“Can I get it completely naked? Hey, Seowon, will you get naked too? Or should we both get naked?”

That guy… It seemed he had changed his method to being clingy after Seowon placed so many restrictions on him.

“It’s been a while, Mister. You too, Father.”

Seowon, who had gone to a Korean set-menu restaurant he used to frequent as a child, greeted the two men who had arrived first. At that, Yoo Younghan and Han Sucheol, who were sitting across from each other at the table, welcomed Seowon and Junghoo, who followed behind him.

“Welcome, Seowon. You too, Junghoo.”

Yoo Younghan waved his hand, beckoning them to come in. Han Sucheol was also smiling, happy to see his son, which made Seowon feel good as well.

He thought it was a good thing he hadn’t refused the Mister’s call asking to have a meal together. Just as Seowon was about to step inside, Junghoo, who was behind him, went ahead and approached Han Sucheol.

“I missed you, Mister.”

As Junghoo naturally sat down in the seat next to Han Sucheol and started talking to him, Seowon froze awkwardly.

That kid, really…

Seowon had no choice but to sit next to Yoo Younghan and wondered if this was right, but soon he felt it didn’t matter. No, this was better. If he sat next to his own father, it might feel like a formal meeting between families.

“Seowon, it must have been hard getting here, right? Here, drink some water.”

“Thank you.”

“Next time, I’ll send a car, so take that. My wife was just… No, never mind, just drink.”

Yoo Younghan held out a glass of water and greeted him, but then realized his mistake and changed his words. Seowon knew he was being considerate about his mother’s passing and gave a faint smile.

“Next time, you don’t have to come alone. You can come together.”

Seowon said as he took the glass of water Yoo Younghan offered. Even without specifying who, Yoo Younghan would know he was talking about his wife, the Madam.

“I miss the Madam.”

“Alright, I’ll bring her with me next time. She misses you a lot, so that works out well.”

While Seowon finished drinking his water, Junghoo had already said five or six things to Han Sucheol.

“The weather’s still hot. But it gets chilly at night, so you are dressing warmly, right? Are you eating well every day, by any chance? What about exercise? You said your knees ache? Ah, I know an oriental medicine clinic I go to, should I introduce it to you?”

The smile on Han Sucheol’s face gradually faded.

It was an ordinary time. They gathered for the first time in a while and ate, sharing stories about their daily lives. Because they had met often since they were very young, the long gap didn’t make things awkward, and they blended together well.

Junghoo’s changed atmosphere played a part. He was no longer the sensitive person who always looked pale, but had a lively face for the first time in a long while, which put everyone at ease.

“You like grilled short-rib patties, right, Father-in-law? No, Mister.”

When Junghoo quickly corrected himself, saying he had misspoken, Han Sucheol shook his head.

“It’s fine. Call me that from now on. No, it’s fine even if you call me Father.”

“Should I?”

As Junghoo happily accepted, Seowon watched with an incredulous look. He was doing that on purpose. He had definitely called him Father-in-law before, when he was talking about the debt Seowon owed him.

As he watched Junghoo pretend that wasn’t the case, finding it funny, Yoo Younghan next to him covered his mouth with his fist to stifle a cough. Since he couldn’t hide his whole face, revealing a gaze that looked at his son as if he were an unfilial child, Seowon quietly offered him a glass of water.

“Have some, Father.”

It was a considerate gesture from Seowon, who thought he might have been upset that Junghoo called his father “Father-in-law.” If Junghoo was going to be his father’s son, then he might as well be the Mister’s son.

“…Thank you, my son.”

Yoo Younghan answered in a choked voice as if he had a lump in his throat.

“Do you like it?”

Seeing Yoo Younghan’s moved expression, his biological son Junghoo teased him in a calm voice.

“…Seowon, don’t play with Junghoo today.”

Finding Junghoo’s behavior outrageous, Yoo Younghan made it obvious he was sulking. It was a childish thing to say for a grown man, but…

“Okay.”

Seowon played along. Thanks to that, Yoo Younghan got to see Junghoo look chagrined and was able to finish his meal with a sense of satisfaction.

After they had more or less finished eating, Junghoo was the first to get up.

“We’ve finished eating, so we can go now, right?”

Junghoo, who had been antsy like a puppy that needed to poop, grabbed Seowon’s arm and pulled him up before Yoo Younghan could stop him.

“I haven’t had my water yet.”

“Let’s go straight to a cafe. You can drink there.”

As Junghoo pulled at him to hurry, Seowon let himself be dragged along, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Yoo Younghan and Han Sucheol, and gave them an awkward bow of his head.

“I’ll see you again.”

The two men just watched their two sons leave, without any thought of stopping them.

After leaving the Korean restaurant, Seowon stared blankly at Junghoo’s back. The kid who had been smiling brightly throughout the meal had his expression change the moment the adults were gone. Even though there wasn’t a face on the back of his head, he knew by looking at his stiff back.

“Where are you trying to go?”

Seowon asked, wondering what he was so sulky about, and Junghoo came to a sudden halt. Seowon moved closer and looked up at his face.

Judging by Junghoo’s gaze as he scanned the street, his earlier mention of a cafe was just something he said because Seowon had mentioned being thirsty.

“Let’s go.”

Instead of pulling his arm free from Junghoo’s grasp, Seowon took his hand. Had the air conditioner been on when they were eating? His hand was quite cold.

“Let’s just walk.”

“You said you were thirsty.”

“I’m not.”

Are you really going to point that out at a time like this? Seowon casually brushed it off and walked side-by-side with Junghoo.

“Tell me anytime if you’re having a hard time.”

“If I say I’m having a hard time on the street, will you release your pheromones?”

“Then we’ll have to go into whatever place we see.”

Following Seowon’s gaze, Junghoo saw a sign that read “Motel.”

“I’m fine with that.”

“What’s important is that nothing happens before then… No, it’s fine if something happens.”

If it was something he had to experience at some point anyway, Seowon’s opinion was that it was better for it to happen from time to time so he could practice in advance.

“So tell me anytime.”

Seowon said it like a vow, hoping Junghoo wouldn’t feel burdened.

“I’m your…”

“Um…”

Someone cut in, and Seowon stopped talking and looked at the person. It was a man with a pretty face. He was slightly shorter than Seowon, but because his face was small, his proportions were good… an omega.

“I’ve been watching you for a while. May I ask what the relationship is between you two?”

The man’s reason for approaching was clear, and Seowon’s gaze hardened. When Yoo Junghoo walked down the street, people would turn to look because of his polished face, but even so, it was too much to approach him like this.

“If you don’t mind…”

“His medicine.”

“Pardon?”

The man took out a business card case to hand it to Junghoo, but Seowon intercepted it mid-air.

Perhaps because not only had he intervened, but he had also given an unexpected answer, the man asked again, flustered.

“His medicine. The medicine that will consume Yoo Junghoo’s exclusive pheromones.”

“Th-that’s…”

“I’m the person who has been waiting and waiting for him to present like this.”

Seowon spoke very firmly to block the omega who was showing interest in Junghoo. He might have held it in and just watched in the past, but he didn’t want to do that anymore.

He’s my alpha.
He’s my lover.

“So don’t hit on him.”

Seowon shot a final warning at the man and took Junghoo away.

“I don’t think we can walk around. Let’s just go home.”

That’s the only way to be safe.

Junghoo quietly followed wherever Seowon led. The man, left alone, was still holding his business card with a bewildered look.

“I mean, it’s true I approached him because he was handsome… and it’s true I was hitting on him, but…”

The man muttered as if wronged. The words “CEO of 〇〇 Entertainment” stamped on his business card were particularly crumpled.

Returning home, Seowon immediately turned toward Junghoo. And he cupped Junghoo’s face in both hands, even before Junghoo had taken off his shoes.

“Why are you so cold?”

It was autumn, when the wind was quite cool but the sunlight was sharp. As if to mock the fact that they had walked under all that sunlight, Junghoo’s face was incredibly cold.

Seowon had sensed this while holding Junghoo’s hand on the way, so he had immediately touched his face to check, and now he frowned in displeasure.

“Are you going to warm me up?”

Junghoo tilted his head and played along smoothly, but Seowon looked at his face with the same expression as before. He even stroked his face with his index finger.

“Touching Yoo Junghoo feels cool and refreshing.”

At Seowon’s words, Junghoo’s eyebrows knitted and then relaxed.

“My heart is hot. It’s burning up with feelings of liking and loving Han Seowon.”

At the confession delivered without missing a beat, Seowon smiled pleasantly and returned it with physical affection.

“Then can I touch you more? I want to touch you because I like you so much.”

Even before Junghoo’s permission was given, Seowon’s hands, which had already turned proactive, began to touch his body. They went from his face down to his neck, and then touched his shoulders.

“Your whole body is cold.”

“You’re hot.”

“I think this is…”

Having suspected and suspected, Seowon felt the pheromones flowing from Junghoo’s body and became certain.

“It’s time to take your medicine.”

Let’s take your medicine, Junghoo.

Seowon willingly kissed Junghoo.