SRSYT C9

Chapter 9

As if the sky had heard his vow that staying uninvolved was best, the next few days passed quietly, with no meetings.

Then today, after dinner, after bathing Euni, after finishing even a picture book, he opened a drawer to sort laundry and found a bankbook.

“What’s this?”

Checking the balance out of light curiosity, Seojin’s mouth fell open.

“What… how many zeros after the two.”

Counting carefully from the back, he confirmed there were nine zeros and blinked several times, unable to believe it.

“Two billion?”

For Seojin, who had never even seen a bank balance in the ten-million range in his life, it was a truly unfamiliar number.

“Really, noona…”

A house. A cute daughter. A job with a commute. And last, a bankbook with two billion in it.

Not a drop of shared blood. Years in a hospital were all they had. The unexpected gift she left warmed his heart and also stabbed somewhere, sharp.

Seojin put the bankbook deep in the drawer and stacked clothes over it, covering it.

I’ll keep this safe and use it for Euni.

It was not money he needed right now anyway, and it was a precious gift from noona. By the time he finished the laundry and cleaned the kitchen and living room, it was well past eleven.

He pressed the nape of his neck, showered quickly, and lay down. When he closed his eyes, for some reason he thought of Yoon Haegang’s gaze, looking at him so steadily.

Please. Give that interest to Shin Seyeong, not me.

It was quiet now, but they had already met twice before the original story even properly started. So he hoped Haegang would pay more attention to Seyeong than to a secretary who barely had any weight.

Wait. In the original, when Haegang takes a liking to Seyeong, what happens?

The first was the location-tracking app. Haegang had not ordered it himself. Manager Kim let something slip, and the secretary handled it alone.

The secretary used that to make sure Haegang ran into Seyeong often.

But later, when the main top found out, he came to Haegang and a loud fight broke out.

The second was a debt problem. Loan sharks stormed Seyeong’s house. It was the organization Haegang had once belonged to.

He had gone there using a gift as an excuse, ran into them, and the main top, arriving late, misunderstood, and the conflict with Haegang grew even deeper.

At this point it just feels like Haegang got shafted for the sake of those two’s romance.

Seojin folded his arms neatly over the blanket and sighed.

No. Get a grip. Haegang isn’t just a secondary top. He’s that famous secondary yandere top.

Later he would kidnap and imprison Seyeong with pheromones. It was also the scene that made readers angriest.

Meanwhile the secretary harassed Seyeong out of jealousy, and all of that became Haegang’s doing too. As expected, it’s better if I don’t step forward.

Then that was one less piece of karma heading for Haegang. He could watch the mood and resign at the right time. Wasn’t that the safest way to part.

Lying there thinking drove sleep away. No matter how he tossed, his mind only grew clearer. Wondering what to do, he suddenly thought of sharp carbonation and alcohol.

Should I have a drink?

Beer, which he had cut off completely after he got sick. It should be fine now.

Seojin took only his phone and went out. How convenient that there was a convenience store right under the villa.

He came back with a six-pack of beer. Afraid the door would wake the child, he closed it carefully and turned.

“Appa, what’s that?”

Euni, who should have long since gone to dreamland, was standing there rubbing her eyes.

“Uh, well, this is just Appa’s drink.”

He could not bring himself to say he had bought alcohol. He mumbled and walked to the kitchen.

“Why did Euni wake up?”

He tried to turn her attention and instead ran into a harder situation.

“Uuung… I’m thirsty. Euni wants a drink too!”

How could he lie more to a daughter looking up so innocently with her hand out.

“This isn’t something Euni can drink.”

“Why?”

“This drink is alcohol. Only grown-ups are supposed to drink it.”

“Why?”

This was bad. The whys had started. Her eyes even shone, curiosity sparked. If he handled this wrong, even Euni’s sleep would vanish. Seojin spoke quickly.

“Mm, daycare teacher said if you eat well you grow tall and get strong, right?”

“Ung!”

“If you drink this, your head hurts and your stomach hurts, so the growing fairy inside your body gets startled and runs away.”

“Huk!”

Euni’s eyes went round and she covered her belly with both hands. Seojin lifted the corner of his mouth and spoke even more cheerfully.

“But a grown-up like Appa already finished growing, so the growing fairy grew up too and Appa can drink it. So Euni drink a warm cup of milk and go back to sleep. Okay?”

Euni nodded firmly. Relieved, Seojin warmed milk and held it out.

“Appa! This is bad for your health, right?”

“Uh, y-yes.”

“Then Appa only drink one a day too! Euni will give you one each time!”

Holding the milk cup tight and speaking so boldly, she was so cute and dear that Seojin nodded hard.

The next day, after sending Euni off in the daycare van, the person Seojin ran into at work was unexpectedly Yoon Haegang.

“Uh… hello, President.”

Haegang sent only a glance and went back to his phone. After that he paid Seojin no attention at all.

If that’s a relief, it’s a relief…

The problem was that Manager Kim was out until lunch, so the two of them were alone in the office.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes?”

Sipping coffee and reviewing client files Manager Kim had left, Seojin lifted his head, wondering what that meant. Haegang was already on his feet.

“Let’s go eat.”

“Uh…”

He hesitated at the completely unexpected words. Haegang flicked an eyebrow as if to hurry him. In the end Seojin turned off the computer and stood.

They left the office and headed for the sundae-guk place they had been to before. It was not even noon yet, and the seats were already full.

Seojin wondered if they would go somewhere else, but Haegang waited at the door as if used to it. What choice was there. He would just wait too.

“Come in!”

After ten minutes of uncomfortable silence, a table finally opened. Haegang sat first. Seojin pulled out the opposite chair with an awkward face.

“One regular, one spicy, right?”

The owner appeared suddenly and set two pots in front of them.

“A small plate too, please.”

Haegang stopped her as she was about to leave. At her questioning look, he jerked his chin toward Seojin across from him.

“He’s a kid, so he can’t eat hot food.”

“Ahh…!”

He was clearly looking after him, so why did it feel so grating. He could have just asked for a plate. Why add that he can’t eat it like a child!

Still, thanks to that Seojin could portion some onto the plate and finish the meal at Haegang’s pace.

“Done?”

“Yes.”

Checking the empty bowls, Haegang stood. Watching him pay the owner in cash, Seojin could not hold back his curiosity.

“Wouldn’t a card be better for expenses?”

“Why bother with pocket change like that?”

And here I thought he was doing it to help the shop. Apparently not. Seojin let it go and followed him outside. Then he suddenly spotted Shin Seyeong walking toward them from across the way.

What. Why again?

He did live nearby, of course. Even so, they should not be seeing each other this often.

He glanced at Haegang without meaning to. Haegang did not even look at Seyeong. Only Seojin gave an awkward nod of greeting and was about to pass by.

“Huh?”

Seojin stopped suddenly and looked back.

“What is it?”

“Ah, well…”

He looked quietly at Seyeong, who was already some distance away.

Did I imagine it?

He tilted his head, then found red roses blooming neatly on a wall.

“Ahh, it must have been that.”

Besides, as Seojin remembered it, Seyeong’s pre-heat symptoms had not started yet.

There was no way a dominant omega would leak pheromones unconsciously.

Look even now. He had thought the sweet scent he caught in passing was Seyeong’s pheromone, but when he turned, roses were blooming.

Embarrassed by the mistake, he rubbed his nose with a finger and turned. Then he ran straight into Yoon Haegang, who was already staring at him.