TCBW C52

Chapter 52

“But… who said you don’t even have a chance? Worst case, nothing changes. Have you even tried telling him you like him?”

Such a thing was impossible.

Raised as an exorcistic offering, he had never once imagined himself capable of expressing affection to someone.

Not even if that feeling was toward Dowoon.

“Just try. Run straight into it.”

Seojun lightly patted his shoulder.

“And if he coldly rejects you, then I’ll comfort you properly. Got it? So go back. Face him. Tell him how you feel.”

With his head lowered, Suhoe gave the smallest nod.

“Good. Put your clothes on first. I’m going to wash up real quick.”

Once inside the bathroom, Seojun shut the door and leaned his forehead against the cold tile.

“Hah… doesn’t feel great, honestly.”

Inside Dowoon’s office, thick with acrid cigarette smoke,

Among the dense white haze lay something far more suffocating—summer-night pheromones so overwhelming they poisoned the air.

Normally, that scent might have been refreshing. Now, laced with killing intent, it made even Haeon, a fellow Alpha, feel as if his throat were being strangled.

In that suffocating air, Haeon desperately searched his memory for the exact point everything had gone wrong.

He remembered—right after Dowoon returned to the company from his grandmother Chwigyeon’s funeral.

The chauffeur who was supposed to escort Suhoe home was still in the building for some inexplicable reason.

Not only that—when Dowoon asked, voice cold enough to freeze bone, where Suhoe was, the driver only trembled in fear, stammering, “I—I don’t know,” again and again like a broken parrot.

Dowoon’s fury detonated the moment he heard it.

Haeon felt every cell in his body shrink in terror under the catastrophic release of pheromones, but the chauffeur before him seemed seconds away from fainting, so Haeon forced his face still and focused solely on soothing him.

“So, you’re saying—you did escort Suhoe-ssi to the company, but have no idea where he went after?”

“Y-yes. Actually… by the time Suhoe-ssi asked me to take him to the office, it was already past five.”

“Five?”

Haeon echoed quietly.

Beside him, Dowoon said nothing—only stared at the driver, gaze smoldering like the lit end of a cigarette.

He might not have realized it, but that silence was far more terrifying to those standing in front of him.

“Y-yes. Since Suhoe-ssi reported to work late, I assumed he would leave late as well. I didn’t think much of it.”

“Then why didn’t you report that he was late leaving?”

“T-that… Suhoe-ssi has been coughing often and running a light fever lately, so he sometimes starts late and finishes late. I thought today was the same…”

Knock knock.

At that moment, the office door opened, and another secretary entered cautiously.

“President, we attempted multiple times to contact Manager Jang Gyubeom to confirm whether Suhoe-ssi may be with the janitorial staff, but he is not answering.”

“…We’ll get results faster contacting other staff.”

The moment Dowoon spoke quietly from where he leaned against the black leather sofa, Haeon bowed, sweating coldly.

“M-my apologies. All janitorial personnel report directly to Manager Jang; we don’t have their personal contact information.”

Dowoon raked a hand through his hair, restraining himself.

“…Check all bars nearby.”

Then he lit a new cigarette.

Meanwhile, Haeon hurried to relay orders—when a message popped up from Mrs. Kim at the residence:

[Photo attached – The medication Suhoe-ssi takes daily. It was left untouched on the breakfast table this morning.]

The photo clearly showed Suhoe’s pheromone suppressant pills.

Haeon’s face went pale. He glanced at Dowoon, who released smoke like a king of the underworld risen from hell.

He knew instantly—he must never reveal this to Dowoon.

He prayed hard—prayed that Suhoe was safe.

Soon, his phone rang.

Sender: [Jang Gyubeom (Janitorial Manager)]

Haeon answered almost with a scream.

“Manager Jang! Where are you right now?!”

—Oh dear, Secretary-nim. I didn’t realize you called so many times. I’m near the office having drinks with staff…

Jang’s voice was drunkenly slurred. Before he could even say the location, Dowoon was already standing and moving toward the door.

“Is… is Suhoe with you?”

—Huh? Suhoe? Ah, he was a little drunk so one of our staff took him home.

“Home?”

Haeon’s voice visibly broke.

—Yes, likely. Don’t worry, that staff member is very respon—

What a disaster.

Not only was Suhoe drunk, but he had left with another employee alone. Even without hearing the name, Haeon already knew. His vision darkened.

He pressed his thumb to his brow, trying to stay still.

Jang belatedly sensed the seriousness of the situation and babbled that he would contact the staff immediately, but Haeon cut the call after receiving the number.

Of course—the number belonged to Seojun.

Haeon could not bring himself to speak. Terrified, he lifted his gaze—just in time to see Dowoon leaving the office with a face like a demon.

Haeon followed on instinct alone, praying tonight would not end in blood.

After splashing cold water on his face to steady himself, Seojun returned to the living room. The scene hadn’t changed—Suhoe sat curled on the bed’s edge, head hanging, motionless as if asleep.

“I said get dressed. Huh?”

Seojun froze mid-step.

A suffocating burst of greenery-sweet scent hit his nose—Suhoe’s chest heaving, breath ragged.

His pheromones were so thick they flooded the entire room.

This was not normal.

“You… your pheromones are leaking. You know that?”

No answer.

“…Suhoe, you—”

No, this wasn’t just excessive pheromones.

Eyes dazed, body burning, pheromones lethal in concentration—only one phrase shot through Seojun’s mind.

Heat cycle.

Seojun yanked up his sleeve to cover his nose and mouth.

Why didn’t I notice sooner? The whole place reeks of pheromones!

Self-blame jabbed him—his dulled senses from drinking had failed him.

Suddenly, Suhoe’s body swayed dangerously to the side.

He would slam his head on the table—Seojun lunged and caught him in time.

“Damn it. Hey, wake up!”

“…Mm.”

His reply was barely a whimper.

“Medicine? Do you have heat suppressants?”

His consciousness grew hazy, and he collapsed. Seojun cradled his head and sank with him.

“This is crazy. Hey—hey!”

Suhoe burned like fire. Even through thin jeans, he was visibly swollen hard.

Even just holding him, the pheromones and the feel of his yielding body made Seojun bite his lip.

“Damn it… I don’t have heat suppressants!”

“D… Dowoon…”

That one blurred murmur snapped Seojun back to sanity.

“…Wow. Thanks for that.”

Because he knew—this extreme Omega pheromone release would only intensify, pushing Seojun to lose control soon.

He braced himself, kneeling upright, trying to think. His only real hope was—

Someone. Anyone. Please come.

And in that moment, as if fate heard him, the old metal front door violently burst open.

With a surge of overwhelming Alpha pheromones, a shadow stepped inside the dim, broken-lit apartment.

Seojun turned toward the entryway, breath trembling—and instinctively swallowed at the threat radiating in the air.

Who… would come at this hour?

He didn’t know who it was, but the power rolling off him made it clear—Alpha.

“Hah.”

Just a quiet exhale, yet it froze Seojun’s limbs like ice.

“…Who the hell are you?”