Ch 56

<56>

 

The Beginning of a New Time (17)

 

After finishing his meal, Yoonjae sipped the tea served as dessert, meeting Isabella’s eyes across the table. He hesitated, concerned about funneling investment funds into Seoin Construction instead of A Second, which had helped him dismantle Yuseong Group.

 

“I’m not sure if Managing Director Kang has informed you, but our company plans to invest 50 billion won in Seoin Construction soon. Since A Second is the second-largest shareholder… it might look a bit…”

 

“I’m aware. It’s only natural.”

 

She cut him off, saying she understood as a fellow businessperson, which eased his mind considerably. Yoonjae set down his teacup and clasped his hands together.

 

“Thank you for understanding. A Second will receive a generous portion of the interim dividend. Fortunately, our performance this year is quite good.”

 

Despite achieving record-breaking results, his humble demeanor earned Isabella’s trust.

 

Choi Yoonjae was a rare, tailor-made leader. His insight rivaled that of seasoned leaders nearing fifty, combined with the vigor of youth. Such a perfect combination was hard to find.

 

After discussing recent economic trends and investment flows, she checked the time and rose to leave. With her wide range of activities, she had to return to the company to attend an afternoon forum.

 

“You must be tired from coming all this way. Rest up and let’s meet again in the evening.”

 

As Isabella and her Secretary left, the table felt empty. Taeoh watched Yoonjae, who clearly wanted to take Eunho upstairs, and offered a wistful smile. He had been envious of how Yoonjae held Eunho’s hand throughout the meal, constantly making eye contact and checking his complexion. A small corner of regret was starting to form.

 

“Daddy, did you buy a doll?”

 

A small, delicate hand grasped and shook Taeoh’s wrist. Realizing that Olivia had noticed his envious gaze, Taeoh’s ears burned.

 

“Of course. Do you want to see it?”

 

“Yes.”

 

How foolish of him to have such thoughts in front of his child. Reproaching himself, Taeoh hugged Olivia and stood up. He turned his back to the two men, saying he needed to show his daughter her gift. Their eyes followed him as he left.

 

After Taeoh left, Yoonjae sat for a while longer, waiting for the dining room to quiet down. Then, he rose and slipped his arms under Eunho’s knees, lifting him into a carry. The shift in weight caused Eunho’s arms to instinctively wrap around Yoonjae’s neck.

 

“You shouldn’t overexert yourself. Put me down.”

 

“Why have you gotten so light?”

 

Yoonjae ignored Eunho’s request to be put down, changing the subject. Even when Eunho patted his back, pleading, Yoonjae pretended not to hear and headed towards the central staircase.

 

Before coming here, Yoonjae had heard from Taeoh that Eunho was staying on the second floor. Reaching the top of the stairs, he saw several doors leading off the living room.

 

“Which room is it?”

 

“The one at the end.”

 

With each stride, the overflowing pheromones settled on the floor. Eunho rubbed his face against Yoonjae’s neck, muttering softly.

 

“I’m heavy.”

 

“I’m telling you, you’ve gotten lighter. How little have you been eating?”

 

He was already thin, but now his back felt like skin stretched over bones. Throughout the flight, Yoonjae had read the prenatal books Chief Yoon had bought. The words about the adverse effects on both mother and fetus when an omega was separated from their alpha during pregnancy had made him anxious. The moment he held Eunho, he released an overwhelming amount of pheromones. Seeing that it even reduced Eunho’s morning sickness, he felt a surge of regret for the month of hardship he had caused.

 

“Ggomyuli doesn’t have much of an appetite. They’re quite picky… I wonder who they takes after.”

 

“I’m not picky.”

 

“Of course, you’re not.”

 

Overjoyed to be reunited, Eunho chattered incessantly. As they walked across the carpet, Yoonjae paused, and Eunho reached out to open a door. It was a guest room larger than Yoonjae’s own, decorated with charming details. But the thought of Eunho spending his time here alone made Yoonjae’s heart ache. He lowered Eunho onto the bed, but Eunho clung to his neck, whining affectionately. He whispered in Yoonjae’s ear.

 

“I want to check the surgery site.”

 

As if it were nothing. Yoonjae nodded and tossed his jacket onto the nearby sofa. He unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the support brace covering his pectoral muscles. Removing the Velcro straps, he exposed the well-defined left pectoral muscle, where a five-centimeter surgical scar was clearly visible. Eunho reached out and gently touched the area. The newly formed, reddish skin felt hard beneath his fingertips.

 

“Was it that day? The day I arrived here?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

Yoonjae silently fluttered his long eyelashes. In truth, Eunho knew why he hadn’t said anything. He didn’t want to cause worry from afar.

 

“Does it hurt?”

 

“It’s okay now.”

 

“…….”

 

“More than that.”

 

In an instant, Yoonjae pinned Eunho down. The ceiling filled Eunho’s vision, followed by Yoonjae. As his head hit the soft bedding, Eunho swallowed hard. He tensed, his fine hairs standing on end like a kitten’s, and Yoonjae smiled faintly.

 

“I missed you so much, you even appeared in my dreams. Didn’t you see me?”

 

Reassuring him that he wasn’t going to do anything, Yoonjae removed one arm from its supporting position and stroked his cheek. Eunho shook his head.

 

“I didn’t see you.”

 

“Really?”

 

“That’s why I missed you more. I wanted to see you so badly.”

 

Despite spending half the day lying down because of Ggomyuli, he had only meaningless dreams. The few photos he had taken before they separated were all he had, so he opened the portal screen and downloaded photos from Choi Yoonjae’s interviews, staring at them until they were worn out. But he never appeared in his dreams, which frustrated him.

 

Their lower bodies pressed together and then separated. Afraid of tiring Eunho with his weight, Yoonjae lay on his side and pulled him close.

 

“Let’s not be apart anymore.”

 

“Even if you don’t say it, I’ll stick to you like a leech.”

 

Eunho’s soft, doughy cheek pressed against Yoonjae’s firm chest. He raised his eyebrows and rolled his round eyes.

 

“Now that we have Ggomyuli, the days of pretending to be single are over. You know I’ve got you completely wrapped around my finger, right?”

 

“I imprinted on you. What are you talking about? And isn’t it the other way around?”

 

Yoonjae reached out his left hand to show Eunho. The proposal ring sparkled on his left ring finger.

 

“All the employees at the company now know who my spouse is.”

 

“Really?”

 

Yoonjae nodded, smiling slyly. In exactly one month, Yoonjae had fulfilled all the promises he had made to Eunho. Publicly revealing his spouse must have been a sensitive issue for Yoonjae, with the general shareholders meeting coming up, but he didn’t seem to mind, which made Eunho grateful.

 

“My eyes are closing.”

 

Yoonjae’s eyes were bloodshot from reading prenatal books throughout the flight. In fact, he had been suffering from insomnia for the past month without Eunho, relying on melatonin to get by. It was almost a miracle for Yoonjae, who was sensitive to his sleeping environment, to fall asleep with someone next to him. But meeting Eunho had shattered that pattern. The sweet scent of his skin made him feel intoxicated, and his eyes closed involuntarily.

 

“I’ll help you sleep.”

 

“Help me sleep? Let’s sleep together.”

 

His eyelids felt heavy. He blinked, looking at Eunho, who silently curved his round eyes into a smile.

 

Just a little, let’s just close our eyes for a bit. Yoonjae banished his insomnia and slowly closed his eyes.

 

It was as if the tension that had been building up in his neck and shoulders had been meticulously released, and the fatigue that had accumulated from the top of his head to his toes was instantly lifted by just two or three hours of sleep.

 

***

 

A peck. A moist warmth touched him. Before transitioning from unconsciousness to consciousness, his hearing opened first, followed by his senses. Soft, moist skin clung to his lips and then pulled away, causing his lips to twitch slightly. He had counted the number of times something had touched his lips since regaining consciousness more than five times. He wanted to pretend he didn’t know how long this would go on, but it wasn’t easy because blood was rushing below his waist, making it feel stiff and hot.

 

“…Are you trying to seduce me?”

 

“Are you awake?”

 

“How are you going to handle the aftermath?”

 

Slowly lifting his lightened eyelids, Yoonjae saw Eunho filling his vision, blushing and hesitating. Yoonjae gazed at him with a languid expression. As the intense gaze rolled over his face, Eunho lowered his head, as if feeling the heat. Reaching out to grab his chin, Yoonjae pulled him up, trapped him in his arms, and lowered his head to caress his lips. A chaste. Moist lips tickled as they gently touched and then separated.

 

“That’s your punishment. Ask Ggomyuli to forgive you for this much.”

 

Yoonjae’s body, which had entered between Eunho’s thighs, rubbed against his lower body. The heat made him gasp.

 

Hiss. A desperate hand, unable to find its way, wandered and then landed on Yoonjae’s cheek. As Yoonjae’s tongue, which had entered through the gap in his lips, traced his teeth and scraped his palate, his anxious breaths were cut short.

 

“Haa.”

 

Yoonjae’s large hand forcefully grabbed their erect members.

 

As blood rushed to his lower body, the heat soared, causing his pulse to throb at the very end of his flesh. Eunho arched his back, moaning. The raw pleasure made his scalp tingle.

 

“Haa, ughh.”

 

Each time Yoonjae’s large hand stroked up and down, the connected members throbbed. As the friction heat, combined with the flick of his wrist, made his waist tingle, Eunho’s body twisted violently. On the verge of climax, Eunho reached out and wrapped his arms around Yoonjae’s neck, desperately seeking his lips. His excited breaths scattered like air escaping, and his flat stomach caved in. The fingertips that had been wrapped around Yoonjae’s neck stood on end.

 

“Heuu, euuht.”

 

A highly viscous fluid splattered onto his chest, soaking his cotton shirt. Only after his toes, which had been curled up as if electrocuted, relaxed and stretched out on the sheet did Eunho’s breathing slowly subside.

 

“You’re all out of energy.”

 

After climaxing, his eyes were glazed over, and his soul was gone. His mind was temporarily blank. Watching Eunho, who had become one with the sheet, Yoonjae slowly curved his lips into a smile.

 

“Wash me. I’m too weak to get up.”

 

“I’m sure you are.”

 

After removing his awkwardly hanging bottoms, he wrapped the limp Eunho in a blanket and lifted him up. Each time a weak, giggling laugh scattered from Yoonjae’s shoulder, his body shook as he laughed along with Eunho. How long had it been since he had such a relaxing time? Yoonjae was once again captivated by the brown eyes that looked up at him and smiled brightly.

 

After dinner, Eunho grabbed his laptop to help Yoonjae with his work, but he was nodding off in less than 30 minutes. Yoonjae, who had been checking the stock prices of Kang Taeoh and Yuseong Group and planning future strategies, turned his head when he noticed a swaying figure at the edge of his vision.

 

“Shall we go in?”

 

The unexpected expenditure of energy had taken a toll. Startled, Eunho wiped the drool that was about to escape and smiled sheepishly.

 

“No, I’ll check a little more.”

 

He glared at the laptop again, tapping his fingers as if he had a motor attached. When Eunho gestured for him to ignore him and continue his story, Yoonjae frowned and turned his gaze back to Taeoh.

 

“The company will leak an article in two days stating that it will invest 50 billion won in Seoin Construction. I plan to meet with Chairman Kang as soon as I return to Korea, but I thought it would be better to let you know in advance.”

 

“My father is aware of the general situation.”

 

In the past, Yuseong Group Chairman Choi and Seoin Construction Chairman Kang had been quite close, so he had expected Chairman Kang to be unhappy with the idea of attacking Yuseong Group. But to Yoonjae’s surprise, Chairman Kang had readily agreed, leaving Yoonjae feeling rather awkward. He had momentarily forgotten the basic premise of a capitalist market economy: the weak are eaten by the strong. Lost in thought, his gaze unfocused, Taeoh tapped the table to bring Yoonjae back to reality. His lips curved into a soft smile, instructing him to look at Eunho.

 

“I should take him upstairs.”

 

“You should. Oh, are you going to move as planned tomorrow?”

 

“Yes, I’ve come all this way, I should go.”

 

“I’ll assign some bodyguards, so feel free to go.”

 

Eunho was nodding off so much that meaningless English was densely written on the laptop monitor. As his hand, which was resting on the keyboard, kept pressing the wrong keys, Yoonjae gently removed his hand and woke him up.

 

“Eunho.”

 

Half-awake, Eunho realized that he was once again the center of attention and grabbed his laptop, getting up. As his body swayed unsteadily, a strong arm wrapped around him, snatching the laptop away.

 

“Then I’ll go in.”

 

When he tried to hug him, Eunho shook his head, refusing, conscious of Taeoh. Stop being such a show-off. He didn’t say it, but his half-closed eyes were saying just that.

 

As he wrapped his arm around his waist and climbed the stairs, Eunho pushed Yoonjae’s arm away, saying he was fine, and went up to the second floor first.

 

He was so worried that he would stumble and fall in his drowsy state. On the way to the hallway past the second-floor living room, a small chest of drawers about thigh-high caught Yoonjae’s eye. Judging that Eunho might bump into it and get bruised, he reached out and steered Eunho slightly to the left.

 

“You have to watch where you’re going.”

 

Hearing the gentle voice, Eunho looked up at Yoonjae and then continued walking forward. He arrived in the room with a listless gait that seemed to have no energy left, and went straight into the bathroom.

 

“Cough.”

 

He found it endearing that he had gone in to brush his teeth even in his sleepy state, and burst out laughing. After rinsing thoroughly, Eunho seemed to have come to his senses and called out to Yoonjae, who was sitting on the sofa, with puppy-like eyes as he slipped into bed.

 

“Aren’t you sleeping?”

 

“Uh… I have some work to check, you go to sleep first.”

 

Judging by the amount of reports coming in, he could picture Chief Yoon’s face, buried in overtime. With CEO Han being dismissed at the general shareholders meeting and his line of staff resigning one after another, organizational restructuring was urgent. Looking at the times on the reports coming from the Management Support Division and the Secretary’s Office, he felt guilty for enjoying a vacation all by himself.

 

He turned on only one auxiliary lamp for Eunho’s sleep and sat at his bedside. As he brushed the disheveled brown hair upwards, his white forehead was revealed. He lightly pressed his lips to his forehead and then pulled away. His eyes, which had been blinking aimlessly, slowly closed.

 

Yoonjae tried to imprint every detail of Eunho’s appearance into his mind once again. They said you were wearing rose-colored glasses if everything looked pretty and lovely, and that was exactly how he felt now. Yoonjae watched Eunho fall asleep for a long time, and only after confirming that he had fallen into a deep sleep did he get up and walk to the table sofa.