HYDP C13

Chapter 13

“I’ve stored up a thick load down here just for you. It’s killing me that I never get a chance to use it.”

The gold ring on his left index finger flashed. He tapped Sanhong’s cheek with that finger. Slowly, very slowly, reason returned to him. None of the man’s words entered his ears.

Seo Kang-jo deliberately chose only hard liquor to hand him. But fortunately—or unfortunately—he wasn’t weak to alcohol. His clear-headedness became Seo’s headache. Apparently not expecting him to hold out this well, Seo let out a hollow laugh and quietly tucked away the brazen part of his intent.

Just then, a white bag was set beside him.

Looking closely, it was the convenience store bag he’d tossed down on his way in. He quietly pulled it to his chest and rummaged inside. Thankfully, the hot bar was ready-to-eat. He carefully tore the edge of the wrapper, pulled out the cold sausage, and bit in without hesitation.

The tough meatiness filled his mouth.

To settle the hollow in his gut, he had to put something—anything—down there first. Right now, that was this cold hot bar.

“Hungry?”

“Yes.”

He answered briefly, then added at once:

“Don’t talk to me while I’m eating.”

He gagged Seo in advance, guessing what he might say. With a look that said “unbelievable,” Seo still pushed a fruit plate in front of him. But he didn’t like fruit. More precisely, he didn’t eat it.

Leaning on his arm, unhurried, Seo watched him chomp at the hot bar. The wordless upward curl of his lips mixed interest with mockery.

Then his suit pocket vibrated.

Casually taking out the phone, Seo frowned the instant he saw the caller ID. Pretending to focus on his food, he angled away; his ears, however, were more locked onto the call than ever.

“Yeah, what.”

At first his voice was cool. But as the caller went on, his expression slowly hardened. The laughter drained from his eyes, which flickered briefly.

“…Tch. This is why I don’t deal with pen-pushers.”

“……”

His voice dropped, but the tendon standing out at his nape said his nerves were up. Even without hearing it out, it was clear there was a problem with his business. He popped the rest of the hot bar in his mouth and spun the stick in his fingers.

“Fine. Don’t move. Stay right there. I’m coming now.”

He cut the call and dropped the phone onto the table. The feral glance said wheels were turning. Then he looked at him again and forced a smile.

“What timing. I wanted to see you nice and full before I went. No one ever helps, do they?”

He ordered more liquor and set it in front of him, telling him to eat up. For a gambling den, it was pricey.

“See you next time.”

“Go ahead.”

“Next time we meet, have your back door nicely loosened.”

He tilted his chin once, then rose and left the den.

Afterward, he poured all the booze Seo had ordered onto the floor. Startled, Seong-gyu muttered, “Ah… what a waste…,” but on seeing his sharp face, shut up and slipped away toward the window.

By the time he stepped outside, it was already two in the morning.

He traded quick farewells with the men he’d come with and headed alone for the pawnshop.

He didn’t let go of the convenience store bag until he got home. The moment he stepped in, he tossed it onto the table and dropped onto the sofa.

His eyes fell shut on their own.

With the heat cycle just ended, rest was nonnegotiable. His body and mind were still in recovery and hard to hold upright. Fatigue washed over his face.

Who knew how much time passed. He jerked up from his comfortable slouch. Then he hurriedly inspected the brightly colored sofa here and there. The vivid pink couch was exactly his taste. Above all, he loved the material. During cleaning, he lavished more care on it than anything else. After carefully checking it over and finding nothing wrong, he could finally lie down again.

When he opened his eyes, the clock showed 10 a.m.

He was well past the pawnshop’s opening time.

Only then did he realize he’d drunk too much the night before. He’d gotten tipsy so naturally he forgot. Thinking back, he’d accepted every drink handed to him. Thanks to that, he’d slept like the dead—wouldn’t have noticed a beating.

First, he got up and flung every window wide open. In case any customer came by and smelled alcohol. Then he headed to the bathroom and showered in warm water. As the hot water struck his sluggish body, the fatigue seemed to melt.

Soon, he decided, he’d go to an Omega-only massage shop, get the pheromones released, and rest properly.

Dominant Omegas had to discharge a large amount of pheromones once a month, or once every two months at the least. Otherwise, toxins built up in the body—bad for health. Especially for someone like him, who meticulously bottled his scent to prevent leaks, it was even more necessary.

He came out of the shower, toweling his hair. The weather had turned mild; he thought he could start dressing lighter.

The pawnshop door opened.

“Delivery!”

“…Didn’t order anything.”

“The boss told me to bring it. Said you wouldn’t have eaten yet.”

“How’d he know?”

“He figured you overslept because the windows weren’t open.”

It was the part-timer from Horang Ban-jeom across the street. Every morning, opening the window, he and the owner traded greetings; not seeing him today, the owner guessed he’d slept in and sent food.

“How much?”

“Boss said to just eat. If I take money, I’m dead. Hyung, I’m gonna have some water.”

Like he’d done it a hundred times, the kid headed to the dispenser and gulped cold water. Meanwhile, he looked down at the jjajangmyeon and tangsuyuk on the table and smacked his lips. He realized he was peckish after all. Without hesitation he picked up chopsticks.

At that moment, the kid’s eyes fell on him.

Beautiful, as always. Definitely an Omega, yet he somehow looked stronger than the Alpha himself. As the boy’s gaze caught the bare legs under his shorts, he jerked his eyes away.

“What. You getting hard?”

“Why would you say that?”

“It’s funny when you sneak peeks.”

He laughed as he twirled off the plastic wrap covering the jjajang. Flustered, the kid waved his hands.

“Don’t look at some old guy like me. Look at someone your age.”

“How are you an old guy? Don’t be gross.”

“Eight years is ‘uncle,’ isn’t it? Or ‘older brother’?”

He mixed the jjajangmyeon—properly springy noodles, heavy with meat.

“You’re too pretty to be called an old guy. It’s messed up.”

“Thanks.”

Seeing zero sexual interest in the man’s manner, the kid shelved his hopes in a hurry. He knew that when the man said no, it meant no.

“As an Omega, you’ve got to be extra careful. Always keep the door locked.”

“Gotta run the pawnshop.”

“Then only open up when a customer comes.”

“That’s a hassle.”

He picked up a mountain of danmuji and popped it in. The crisp sweetness circled his tongue. He’d thought no food would go down right after waking, but it was going better than expected. Nodding, he thought: no matter how little appetite in the morning, good food breaks through.

“You don’t watch the news these days? There are tons of crimes against Omegas.”

“Yeah. Of course I watch.”

“They target dominants!”

“Uh-huh. But this jjajang is really good.”

Beaming at him, he murmured lightly not to worry about him. The kid shook his head and said, “Forget it,” then gathered the emptied dishes and stood.

“If something happens later, I won’t help.”

“Okay. I won’t ask.”

“…Are you always this careless?”

His eyes swept the outfit once. Bare legs out in the open, sitting in front of an Alpha… shocking, honestly.

“Can you even take me down?”

“…What.”

“Or are you still a virgin? Am I naked right now?”

“……”

He found the reaction amusing. Unlike most kids these days, there was something naive about him. His friends didn’t look particularly innocent, but still. The eerie déjà vu—then he realized: same disposition as Juyoung.

“Bring the tangsuyuk dish back after you eat!”

“Okay.”

“Hyung, you know my name, right?”

“Sure. Minseok.”