Ch 23

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Four Months Before That Day (10)

 

Eunho, who had been watching Yoonjae snatch the phone and block the sender, didn’t get angry or stop him, but muttered quietly.

 

“…I blocked the number… how did this get through?”

 

Just a few lines of text were enough to make the food he’d just eaten feel like it was coming back up. Eunho ran his hands over his face, then suddenly felt dizzy and slumped onto the sofa. He was trying to empty his mind, bit by bit, to forget, but the unexpected hostility stirred up his insides. Being hit defenselessly made him feel hurt, bitter, and wanting to cry.

 

He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, as if meditating, to suppress the pain. I’m in front of Choi Yoonjae. Don’t show him any more ugly sides, just get through this quietly. Please. Yoonjae approached Eunho, who was trying to soothe his broken insides. He wordlessly wrapped his arms around Eunho and patted his back.

 

Huu, huu. His emotions intensified. Contrary to his desire to brush it off, his body reacted violently. He thought he had known everything all along, but facing Hyunjun’s other side was unbelievably painful. He felt wronged and humiliated for having coddled and worried about such a petty human being, not knowing he was like this.

 

Eunho’s unstable breathing didn’t subside and gradually became more erratic. Yoonjae, realizing he couldn’t let it continue, released his pheromones to the maximum. As high-density pheromones flooded the area, Eunho’s panting stopped and he simply leaned into Yoonjae’s embrace.

 

When emotions exceed a certain threshold, they torment the body and make the flesh ache. Yoonjae couldn’t bear to watch Eunho cross that line. For now, the best he could do was to keep pumping stable pheromones to dilute the bad memories until Eunho fell asleep.

 

Once Eunho entered a sleep state, his breathing became so shallow that you’d have to put a finger under his nose to notice. As even his rapidly beating pulse returned to normal, Yoonjae reined in the surging pheromones and gently wiped the damp, dark eyelashes with his finger, watching over Eunho.

 

“I didn’t want to go this far.”

 

It was the first time since puberty that he’d wielded his pheromones without the other person’s permission. Yoonjae carried Eunho to the bedroom. He carefully laid him down, placing a hand behind his head, then gently wrapped his arm around Eunho’s neck. In the meantime, shadows deepened on Eunho’s face. He didn’t want to show that he was struggling after the breakup, so he forced himself to eat when he was with others, but when no one was watching, he didn’t take care of himself and had noticeably lost weight.

 

Yoonjae ground his teeth, recalling the contents of the message from earlier. He planned to start by kicking Hyunjun out of the monthly rental he had barely managed to keep afloat with Eunho’s help, and then check his loan records to tighten the noose around his neck.

 

***

 

A red glow rippled across his eyelids. Eunho, now awake, blinked a few times at the exquisitely beautiful sunlight falling on his eyelids. What happened yesterday? Eunho stared blankly at the ceiling, then turned his head to the side and saw Yoonjae watching him, and was so surprised he couldn’t speak.

 

“Did you sleep well?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

How long had he been watching? He remembered receiving the message from Hyunjun and collapsing on the sofa, but then he suddenly lost consciousness. Did he faint from the shock? That couldn’t be.

 

“I… I don’t know what happened yesterday.”

 

“You fell asleep crying.”

 

While he calmly lied to Eunho, he was prepared to tell him the truth and apologize if he noticed anything. But fortunately, Eunho didn’t seem to realize, so Yoonjae secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

 

“How do you feel?”

 

“I’m okay.”

 

He had induced forced sleep during the meal, so he was worried that Eunho might be suffering from digestive issues. He held him all night, constantly propping up his upper body.

 

Eunho tilted his head, looking at Yoonjae’s haggard, bare face.

 

“Did you… not sleep well?”

 

“A little.”

 

Yoonjae had released pheromones again to maintain a deep and comfortable sleep, worried that Eunho might have nightmares from the shock. He held Eunho in his arms and only managed to catch a few winks of sleep towards dawn. Fortunately, Yoonjae’s efforts seemed to have paid off, as Eunho seemed to have largely recovered from the shock of last night after a good sleep.

 

Eunho habitually reached for his phone, then realized it wasn’t nearby and asked for the time.

 

“What time is it?”

 

“6:47.”

 

“Ah…”

 

Realizing he had plenty of time before work, Eunho wanted to laze in bed a little longer. He reached out and swept Yoonjae’s disheveled bangs back, and Yoonjae, who had been quietly watching, carefully spoke.

 

“Do you want to… change your phone number?”

 

“…I will.”

 

For some reason, Eunho didn’t want to contradict him. Looking back, everything he had said was right. It wasn’t like he had many people in his contacts, and he didn’t want to be hurt by bomb messages like yesterday.

 

Yoonjae gently stroked Eunho’s forehead, then slowly got out of bed and opened a drawer, taking something out. Eunho could immediately tell it was a phone just by the logo on the case.

 

“A gift. Go to the store and change the number and the device. Ask them to remove the existing number connection service.”

 

Eunho just stared blankly without doing anything, so Yoonjae took his hand and placed the phone in his palm.

 

Eunho suddenly thought of the 20-liter garbage bag he had left in front of the door. They had dated for three years, but all that was left was a bag that wasn’t even half full of his belongings. But things would be different if he went to Hyunjun’s house. Most of the things in his house were as good as bought by Eunho. He felt uneasy about Yoonjae’s actions, which were so different from Hyunjun, who only ever received. Eunho didn’t even think about opening the new phone case and just fiddled with it. Yoonjae, who had been quietly watching, came and sat next to him.

 

“Don’t you like it? It’s the same as mine.”

 

“No, it’s not that.”

 

He saw his past self in Yoonjae’s actions, and his heart ached. He was filled with the desire to treat him well, but he hadn’t actually done anything.

 

“I haven’t done anything for Executive Director-nim…”

 

“You shouldn’t worry about things like that.”

 

He knew what he was trying to say, so he cut him off.

 

“Don’t even think about it.”

 

Yoonjae’s large hand cupped Eunho’s neck. His lips lightly touched Eunho’s soft upper lip and then pulled away. Eunho closed his eyes without realizing it, then opened them and smiled faintly, following Yoonjae’s gentle smile.

 

***

 

Five seasons had already passed since Chairman Choi began staying on the top floor of Korea University Hospital. As the heavy elevator doors opened, the sound of shoes walking along the long corridor echoed coldly against the cold marble floor. The bodyguard standing in front of the hospital room saw Yoonjae and immediately turned to knock, but Yoonjae stopped him, saying he would go in a little later, and turned to walk towards the window.

 

His eyes were deeply sunken, as cold as his tightly closed lips. Was it right to ignore the visitor who had arrived first and go in? Choi Seryeong’s pheromones filled the entire corridor, and even leaked through the cracks of the closed hospital room door.

 

“You should have secured more shares of Yuseong Venture Capital from the start. Why did you only take care of Youngjae?”

 

“You know how much talk there was at the time, even with Youngjae’s shareholding rate.”

 

“Still, you should have raised it more. When I think about it then…”

 

Chairman Choi, who was famous for his robust physique, had succumbed to the ravages of time and illness, leaving only gaunt bones and dry skin. His lifeless, dark, and dry skin was pathetic, clearly showing that he didn’t have much time left. Chairman Choi, whose breathing was constantly interrupted by a metallic sound, struggled to look up at Seryeong and slowly spoke.

 

“Seryeong-ah.”

 

His phlegm-filled, panting breath was precarious, as if he could die any day. Chairman Choi, whose symptoms of delirium were becoming increasingly severe, had to convey what he wanted to say as much as possible while he was still mentally sound, so he slowly raised his weak head.

 

“Don’t turn your back on Yoonjae. You must not… make him an enemy.”

 

“Father!”

 

“Youngjae is not the one, he is not… capable enough.”

 

Chairman Choi had stepped down from his duties long ago and was treated as a has-been, but his eye for talent was as sharp as ever. He foresaw the downfall of the Yuseong Group and couldn’t help but lament it. The Yuseong Group, which once wielded great influence even within the top 5 of the business world, was now closer to a ‘setting sun,’ barely managing to maintain its position in the top 20.

 

The biggest problem for the Yuseong Group, which was on the path to decline, was the lack of organizational control by its leader.

 

In the first place, they should have placed professional managers at the top instead of their own children, but Chairman Choi, unable to let go of his desire for power, placed the incompetent Seryeong and Youngjae in the positions of top decision-makers, causing the company to shrink significantly.

 

Lack of communication, lack of objective insight, loss of direction. As the company, which had been passed down for two generations, faced the threat of collapsing in the third generation, Chairman Choi became desperate and promoted professional managers to president and demoted Seryeong and Youngjae to vice president and Executive Director, but the already lax discipline was not easily restored and gradually deteriorated.

 

On the other hand, Yuseong Venture Capital, which started as a venture company and had now grown so large that there was no one in the investment world who didn’t know it. Yuseong Venture Capital, whose capital turnover and corporate cash reserves were incomparable to those of the Yuseong Group, was the last card Chairman Choi had, and the savior who would be responsible for the Yuseong Group.

 

“You have to… catch that child.”

 

Chairman Choi had noticed Yoonjae’s extraordinary energy since he was a child, and after his younger brother and his wife died in an accident, he put the orphaned Yoonjae to the test. In Chairman Choi’s experienced opinion, Yoonjae was a born businessman.

 

When Yoonjae was twenty-six years old, Chairman Choi deliberately gave him a team leader position in an isolated location and watched how he would handle it. It was to verify for sure whether he was a true talent. But Yoonjae unified the organization as if to show off, absorbed even the surrounding organizations, and sprinted forward. Chairman Choi was proud of him, but on the other hand, he was disappointed that he wasn’t his own child.

 

A knock was heard, and Yoonjae entered the hospital room. His impeccable suit was both threatening and outstanding enough to overwhelm those around him with just his appearance.

 

“What are you doing here!”

 

“I called him.”

 

Chairman Choi stopped Seryeong, who was snarling and glaring sharply, and waved his hand. He could feel Seryeong’s fierce gaze, aimed directly at the top of his head. But Yoonjae politely greeted him and slowly raised his head.

 

Unlike Yoonjae, who was sending a cold gaze, Seryeong, who had been pouring out her fierce energy, looked down at her father, bit her lip, and left the hospital room. The rough sound of the door and the clatter of heels created a chaotic noise.

 

“Yoonjae-ya.”

 

“Yes, Grandfather.”

 

Chairman Choi had been calling him more frequently lately. He had been completely excluded from inheritance issues, so there was no reason to call him often, but Chairman Choi called Yoonjae frequently. He wanted to use Yoonjae to return the Yuseong Group to its former glorious heyday.

 

“Even when your father was alive… I thought dozens of times that I wished you were my son.”

 

“…”

 

“You were always bright.”

 

Yoonjae had caught his eye around the age of seven. Unlike Seryeong and Youngjae, who were enthusiastic about education, Yoonjae understood all the business details of the adults even without special instruction, and Chairman Choi had a special interest in Yoonjae, who asked questions about the direction from various angles.

 

“Seryeong treats you harshly, but… her true feelings may not be that way.”

 

He had to persuade Yoonjae. They were still connected because of blood ties, but the moment he passed away, Yoonjae would cut ties with the Yuseong Group. He had to catch him before that happened.

 

He was a beast hiding his claws. He was hiding them because there was no reason to reveal them, but he had sharp claws that could cut off his breath once he made up his mind.

 

Seryeong had always ignored Yoonjae, but Chairman Choi saw things differently. He was deliberately giving in. He was being considerate because of the Choi family title, but if he was determined, he was the kind of guy who would step on his opponent until they were unrecognizable.

 

“Yoonjae-ya.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Don’t let go of the Yuseong Group.”

 

Yoonjae took the hand that was only bones and skin with both hands as it was lifted into the air. The hand, with even its warmth faint, wrapped around Yoonjae’s hand.

 

“Seryeong and Youngjae… they’ve only gotten older, they can’t see as far as you can.”

 

“…”

 

“…Please.”

 

He clung to Yoonjae. He knew it wouldn’t work, but he had no other choice but to cling. Yoonjae stiffened his jaw and nodded slightly.

 

***

 

Eunho, whose activities after work had decreased due to the driving ban, headed to a small pub near the cafe to meet Suyeong.

 

“What’s wrong with your face?”

 

Suyeong, who had come right up to Eunho’s face and scanned it, her face pale from weight loss, clicked her tongue and frowned.

 

“What’s wrong? Or are you dieting?”

 

“I broke up with Hyunjun.”

 

Suyeong froze like a paused screen at the word “broke up,” her mouth just gaping open. She had a lot to say, but she seemed confused because she couldn’t prioritize what to ask first. Finally, Suyeong said.

 

“The exam is coming up soon.”

 

“He got a new boyfriend.”

 

“That  son of a bitch! That crazy bastard.”

 

Suyeong emptied the beer she was holding in one gulp at the news that Hyunjun had a new boyfriend and pressed the bell.

 

“Here, give me another 500cc.”

 

As she listened to the terrible story of the day they broke up, Suyeong kept pouring out meaningless exclamations like “Oh, my,” “Wow,” and “Son of a bitch,” as if she was speechless and her nose was blocked. She repeatedly stroked Eunho’s dry, parched face with pitiful eyes.

 

“So, you saw that and couldn’t even throw a punch?”

 

“I would have gotten beaten up if I had.”

 

Hyunjun’s new boyfriend, whom he had seen that day, was bigger than Eunho. If it weren’t for the omega pheromones, he would have thought he was an alpha, as his frame was good. Omegas tend to have high estrogen levels, so their bones are thin and their lines are soft, but he had trained, so he felt different from ordinary omegas. At the time, he had been so blind that he had even sarcastically thanked him for taking out the trash, but if he had to do it again, he would be terrified because the other person was so threatening and scary.

 

“Hey, give me the address. I’ll go and grab him by the hair.”

 

“It’s okay. I blocked him anyway.”

 

“Ah! So that’s why you changed your number?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Eunho, who had received a new number when he opened his phone, contacted Yoonjae first, followed by sending the changed contact information to the company employees in a team message. After updating the employee information, he realized that the only people left were his family and a few friends, so he sent individual messages on the bus on the way home, saying that his number had changed.

 

“You’ve been through a lot, haa. Crazy bastard. That bastard will definitely be punished by heaven.”

 

“I just hope he doesn’t contact me.”

 

Eunho didn’t even touch the assorted snacks he had ordered and only reached for the dry puffed rice.

 

“That’s why you don’t gain weight.”

 

Suyeong quickly cleared away the almost empty bowl of puffed rice and put a chicken leg on his plate. Eunho smiled awkwardly, grateful for Suyeong’s concern.

 

“Actually, Executive Director Choi Yoonjae seems to like me.”

 

“See! I told you so?”

 

The situation wasn’t that bad, but Suyeong, who saw him as the hero of a tragic love story, needed some countermeasures. When he cautiously brought up Yoonjae’s story, Suyeong’s expression, which had been huffing and puffing, changed in an instant.

 

“Wow, what happened?”

 

Eunho checked the time on his phone once at the barrage of questions and briefly explained what had happened.

 

“Hey! It looks like a Benz came to scrap your old car. Crazy bastard, he didn’t recognize a diamond.”

 

Maybe that’s why he brought up Yoonjae’s story, because he wanted to hear those words. That he wasn’t unattractive, that there was someone who liked him.

 

Eunho was embarrassed even after saying it and neatly emptied the beer he was holding. But his mouth was bitter. Everything tasted bitter and bad. When they broke up, he was struggling with the complex and subtle emotions of first love, but since the message last night, unpleasant and insulting feelings had taken root deeply.

 

“It’s getting better, but… haa, I don’t know. It wasn’t a good breakup, and I was betrayed and broke up in a dirty way, so why is it so hard?”

 

“Is three years a joke?”

 

First love, first breakup. Eunho suddenly felt that the word “first” was too precious to waste. When he thought about it, he had placed too much meaning on the word “first,” so he had endured with stubbornness even when he was tired and lonely. Looking back, it was nothing, but why had he clung to it so desperately and anxiously?

 

“Before I met Hyukpil Sunbae, I had a crazy guy I dated since high school. It was really hard when I broke up with him too.”

 

“Ah, right.”

 

“I lost 10kg back then. Now that I think about it, he’s a set with that bastard. Cheating on me.”

 

Suyeong, whom Eunho met during new employee OJT after joining Samjeong Trading Company, had garnered attention due to her delicate figure with a waist that looked like it would be blown away by the wind. He later learned that she had lost weight rapidly due to the shock of breaking up with her long-term boyfriend at the time.

 

Suyeong chewed on a cold french fry.

 

“Time will heal everything. You’ll probably forget him quickly once you get a new boyfriend.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

“But don’t let Executive Director Choi know you broke up.”

 

“He already knows.”

 

“He already knows?”

 

Suyeong, who was staring with wide eyes, hesitated at the end of her sentence, moistened her throat with beer again, and raised the corners of her mouth ambiguously.

 

“If he likes you even knowing that, he’s no ordinary person.”

 

“But, I’m going to try to show him only my good side now.”

 

“Hey, I don’t think that’s a good idea. You’re terrible at acting artificially.”

 

Suyeong wagged her index finger from side to side, telling him not to do that, then crossed her arms and leaned forward. A bright smile over her affectionate gaze made Eunho’s heart ache.

 

“Just do whatever your heart tells you.”

 

Eunho was lost in thought for a moment, then slowly nodded as if agreeing with her words.