Ch 59

Ideun, who had come up from the basement, went straight into the bathroom and washed his face with cold water. The reality he had to face after opening Pandora’s box was devastating. If he spoke to Secretary Baek in his current state, he would ruin everything and end up killing him right then and there. He needed time.

Leaning against the sink, Ideun took out a phone. He had already unlocked everything the moment he subdued Secretary Baek, so there were no restrictions on accessing the device. Finding that old woman’s number wasn’t difficult.

He didn’t go through all the messages, but there was no significant information. It was all just instructions on where to come and go. There was nothing that could be carelessly left in a message—every conversation must have taken place in person.

Without wiping the displeasure off his face, Ideun sent a message saying he had to leave the city for a while due to an urgent matter. He checked that the message was read, but the old woman didn’t reply. That bought him a few days… Now what? Where should he go? Where could he go? There were many places he could go, but only one place he wanted to be.

“Where shall I take you?”

Emerging from the bathroom after barely getting a grip on his emotions, Ideun wordlessly stared at the person who had spoken to him.

“I’ll go on my own. Stay here and wait. How many ways are there to get in and out of the basement?”

“I checked personally and confirmed with the caretaker. There are two access points: the central staircase and the path leading to the backyard behind the kitchen.”

“Strengthen security at both entrances. As of now, no one is to enter the basement without my permission.”

Returning to the car parked in front of the villa, Ideun started the engine without hesitation. When he came back to his senses, the hotel where Ji-an was staying was right in front of him. Was this inevitable? In the end, heading to Ji-an felt like instinct. Regardless of how Ji-an felt, Ideun knew he couldn’t be without him anymore.

Parking in the underground lot, Ideun adjusted his appearance. It was the deep hours of the night, heading into dawn. Ji-an was probably asleep, but there was always that slight hope.

Stepping into the elevator, then down the hallway, he drew closer to Ji-an. He didn’t ring the bell, simply unlocking the door with a keycard. A faint light welcomed him.

The first thing he saw was the living room table stacked with dishes. The stiffness on Ideun’s face eased slightly. Why did he order so much food when he’s alone? As he examined the plates, most of which were barely touched, his gaze landed on a cup of coffee.

You actually drank it.

He wondered if Ji-an had even taken more than a sip. Without thinking, he finished the remaining coffee in one gulp.

Then, he walked toward the open bedroom door. Like the living room, a dim light seeped from within. At the center of the bed lay a small figure, wrapped up tightly in the thick, plush hotel duvet.

“……”

The carpet muffled his footsteps, but Ideun moved even more cautiously along the edge of the bed. The moment he saw Ji-an’s face, he raised a hand to cover his own.

He’d been foolish to feel any relief that Ji-an’s breathing seemed more at ease. Unwiped tears still stained Ji-an’s cheeks.

Ji-an hadn’t slept peacefully tonight either.

And Ideun—who now knew exactly what caused Ji-an’s nightmares, what fueled his quiet sobs—felt his strength drain away.

Kneeling before Ji-an, he reached out slowly.

His trembling fingers stopped just before touching Ji-an’s face.

How could I…

How dare I…

His body froze, unable to pull back, unable to move forward.

Then, the unexpected happened.

A faint smile spread across Ji-an’s tear-streaked face. He moved.

The small hand that had been clutching the duvet shifted, reaching for Ideun’s.

His palm, warm from the fever that tormented him at night, pulled Ideun’s hand toward him. Without even opening his eyes, Ji-an pressed his cheek against Ideun’s palm. His lips curled into a peaceful smile.

He let out a small yawn, shifted positions, but didn’t let go.

Ideun remained silent, watching him slip back into sleep.

He couldn’t hold Ji-an.

But he couldn’t bring himself to shake off the hand that had reached for him first.

The only thing Ideun could do for him now was to release the cursed pheromones he had been suppressing.

A musky scent, once absent, slowly spread through the room. Before long, a softer, warmer musk mingled with his own.

***

Ji-an, waking from a deep sleep, lay on his stomach and blankly stared at Ideun, who had fallen asleep clutching his hand.

Every time I open my eyes, the scene changes like a drama or a novel. If you were going to come, you should’ve at least showered and slept next to me properly. Why are you still in those clothes, kneeling beside the bed like that?

He did say he’d come at dawn, and he actually did.

Smiling at the scent of musk filling the room, Ji-an stretched one arm. Only then did he realize he had taken up the entire bed, sprawled diagonally across it.

Well, who cares? He could’ve just nudged me over if he wanted to lie down.

Careful not to wake Ideun, Ji-an adjusted his position and studied his face. A broad forehead, thick eyebrows, a sharp nose, tightly closed lips—his expression held a mix of emotions.

Lethargy settled over him. Sleepiness, a dull headache, the simple desire to laze around all day. Thinking deeply about anything felt exhausting. After all, his life was no longer going the way he wanted.

But looking at that handsome face, his lips curled upward.

Whose son is he, anyway? So ridiculously good-looking.

Well, his grandmother was beautiful too, so it makes sense. And on top of that, he’s a dominant alpha. Tsk. He’s got it all.

If he had a kid, they’d probably be so bright and sharp…

A quiet laugh escaped Ji-an’s lips.

This is bad. This guy will never have kids if he stays with me. Wouldn’t that be a waste of good genes? Am I supposed to apologize to humanity?

Recalling how Ideun had once told him to stop overthinking, Ji-an reached out. He traced Ideun’s face with his fingertips, following the same path his eyes had taken.

A perfectly sculpted face, but… is it just me, or does he look especially exhausted today? His hair is messier than usual, his cheeks look a little hollow…

Well, he’s busy with work, and on top of that, there’s the mess I caused. Even if someone else handled the details, he was the one making the final decisions.

Does he actually like me?

I tried so hard to run away, but he found me in just a few days. He knows all the chaos I bring, and he still says he wants to marry me…

Ji-an pushed away the creeping doubts before they could take hold. He touched Ideun’s lips.

Should I at least give him some lip balm?

His mind flitted aimlessly between thoughts.

He chuckled to himself, but then his laughter woke Ideun, and their eyes met.

Ji-an smiled brightly.

“Good morning.”

Their gazes locked. He had nothing to say, but awkward silence made him blurt out a greeting.

Instead of a response, Ideun only furrowed his brows. Ji-an pouted.

“If you were going to come, you should’ve showered and just slept next to me. What, do you feel guilty about something? Anyone would think you were making a formal apology or something.”

“…Yeah. I am.”

As he straightened his posture, Ideun still didn’t let go of Ji-an’s hand. He rubbed his face with his free hand and mumbled in a low voice.

“What did you do so wrong? I’m in an amazing mood right now, so if you confess, I’ll forgive everything.”

Ji-an, lying on his side facing Ideun, intertwined his fingers one by one between Ideun’s clasped fingers. Still half-asleep, he yawned.

As Ideun wiped away the slight tears that had welled up from the yawn, Ji-an, tickled by the touch, buried his face in the blanket and rubbed it roughly.

“Well, it’s not like you did anything wrong. It’s all my fault. Did you eat?”

Even though Ideun had forgiven him, the silence remained, so Ji-an continued talking to himself. Last night, despite knowing that his stomach couldn’t handle too much food, he couldn’t resist ordering everything he wanted as soon as he saw the hotel room service menu.

Like a royal taster sampling a feast, he took just a bite or two of each dish that filled the table and became too full to eat any more. Cleaning it up seemed too overwhelming, and perhaps because it was nighttime, drowsiness took over, and he just fell asleep.

Even as he talked about it, Ideun only looked at him without adding any responses like “Uh-huh,” “Yeah,” or “So?”

“…Talking about food is making me hungry again. I should just eat the leftovers.”

With nothing more to say, Ji-an tried to pull his hand away from Ideun’s and get up, but Ideun tightened his grip. Ji-an, halfway up, paused and looked at him.

“Order something new. What do you want? I’ll do it.”

“Oh, come on. Why order something new? I only had a bite of each; it’s practically fresh. Besides, it’s only been a short time. It’s winter, not summer. It’d be a waste.”

“I’ll eat all the leftovers, so you order something new.”

For someone who had been as silent as a mute, Ideun was suddenly being so serious about food that Ji-an couldn’t help but laugh again.

“Why would you eat what I left? Did you not have dinner yesterday? I’ll eat what’s already there, so you order something new. Ah… and while you’re at it, coffee too. I ordered it yesterday, but I only had a sip because of what you said.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“There are plenty of other drinks.”

“My insomnia’s gone lately, so it’s fine if I drink a little. If anything, I get drowsy all the time and fall asleep the moment my head touches something—that’s the bigger problem. You saw it yesterday. I got sleepy right after eating and just knocked out without even cleaning up.”

“Then order decaf.”

“…If I’m going to do that, what’s the point of drinking coffee? I drink it to replace my blood with caffeine and wake myself up.”

“It’s bad for you.”

Hearing Ideun say this without even meeting his eyes, Ji-an clicked his tongue.

“I mean, sure, I might not be in perfect health, but still! Just because I caught a cold, I can’t even drink a cup of coffee? It’s not like it’s alcohol or cigarettes!”

“Ji-an.”

“Yeah.”

“Seo Ji-an.”

“Yeah!”

What, is coffee poisoned or something? Why is the mood getting so heavy just because I said I wanted a cup? Ideun even added his last name when calling him, looking straight into his eyes with a serious expression, making Ji-an instinctively respond with a stubborn “Yeah” like he was arguing back.

“I imprinted on you.”

“…….”

“Baby, I imprinted on you.”

He heard it clearly. Not once, but twice—Ideun said it slowly and deliberately. But Ji-an couldn’t easily comprehend it. Imprinted? He imprinted on me? Is that even possible? Does it just happen from biting my neck a few times? Then… what does that mean?

The sudden revelation left Ji-an blinking in confusion, his face gradually turning pale. His heart plummeted, and his hands trembled as if he were about to clench his fists—until he saw his own hand still held in Ideun’s grip.

“And we have a baby. A baby.”

His mind, still stuck on the word “imprint,” completely stalled at the next words. Ji-an stared blankly at Ideun, unable to process what he had just heard.

A baby? A baby? Ideun’s baby? Who? Not me, right?

Ah… that’s why Ideun’s eyes look so sad. That’s why he’s practically on his knees apologizing. That’s why he hesitated even when I pressed him to talk…

Ji-an tried to laugh. Just a few hours ago, Ideun had asked him to marry him—of course, saying that was easy, but actually following through wouldn’t be. And I—why did I get excited over that? I knew from the start he wasn’t mine, so I told myself not to be greedy. But still, he was the one who made me think it was okay to be.

He smiled, for sure. He lifted the corners of his lips, and his eyes probably curved too—but then, tears suddenly spilled over, falling onto the blanket. Startled, Ji-an hid his face under it.

Idiot. Fool. When have I ever had good luck?

Even though Ideun had clearly stated he imprinted him and called it “our baby,” Ji-an’s deep-seated insecurities and pessimism took over, drowning out everything else.

“Seo Ji-an.”

“Ah… oh. Um… Sorry. I just… uh… I mean, I was just surprised. And… congratulations. Also… this hand. Let go of my hand.”

When he woke up, their hands had just been naturally clasped, but now, it was time to let go of their interlocked fingers. Ji-an tried twisting and pulling away, but Ideun wouldn’t let go. Still hiding his face in the blanket, Ji-an barely managed to speak.