Secretary Baek was taken aback when he heard that Kwon Taejung wanted to greet Yigyeom and waited until he finished his sentence.
“You know, since I have to keep an eye on him and get used to him, I should talk to him sometimes. Wouldn’t that be better? Or am I overreacting?”
“Not at all. I didn’t think that far ahead sir…I’ll escort you there.”
Secretary Baek wrung the door open, and Kwon Taejung stepped outside. He took a cigarette and plunged it into his mouth before recommending one to Secretary Baek.
“I’m good.”
“Ah, Jinwoo. Let’s speak without formalities now. There’s no one here. Now that I think about it, we are not at the office as well, so there is no need for honorifics. We can be formal in front of others but let’s be comfortable among ourselves. If so, will you really not smoke?”
“I’ll puff one later. I heard you stopped by your folks’ this morning. Is the chairman still mad?”
“He is not mad, but has mixed feelings of expectations and worries.”
“Some are expecting that I would proceed with the demolition and return like an undefeated hero while others are worried that I’ll be on the news once again after I mess everything up.”
Secretary Baek chuckled at Kwon Taejung’s remark about his father having mixed emotions of expectations and worries. Baek Jinwoo confirmed the address on the screen of his tablet and walked along the narrow alley. Kwon Taejung followed suit, inhaling his cigarette while surveying the broken windows and crooked doors; judging the houses with a strange expression. It wouldn’t be bizarre if a ghost popped out from there.
“We came empty-handed, without manners. They will think I didn’t receive any etiquette lessons at home.”
Kwon Taejung, who continued devouring his cigarette, took another deep breath before looking for the bell (or lack thereof) to press. Short of options, he coiled his hands into a fist and knocked on the door politely.
“…”
Since he couldn’t comprehend if the people inside the door heard the knock, he thumped the door harder. When the sound against the door got louder, he heard some shuffling inside. When he heard the footsteps get closer, he took out his half-smoked cigarette and tossed it on the floor, trampling on it to crush the flicker.
“…Who is it?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
As his voice perked up, Kwon Taejung quickly adjusted his suit and spoke in his usual tone.
“P wbnfv lc gfmfcais rb P mjwf ab ugffa sbe.”
Ktfgf kjr cb gfqis ogbw atf batfg rlvf. Ktfgf kjr cb kjs atja rbwfbcf kbeiv wbnf lcab atlr kgfmxfv qijmf atja kbeiv yf fgjrfv klatbea j agjmf lc wfgf wbcatr. Lbkfnfg, jc jcrkfg jgglnfv j wbwfca ijafg, alcufv klat vbeya.
“…Moved in?”
“Yes. And I wanted to greet you.”
There was a rattling coming from inside after the loud silence. The front door opened slightly, accompanied by an annoying creaking sound. Possessing a sense of wariness, he could see the boy’s eyes peek through the gap of the opened door, resembling the one he saw in the picture. He bent down to match the boy’s eye level and inched his face towards the gap. The smell of iron and the moss plastered on the wall, along with the musty smell of alleys and old houses made a concoction of a slightly sweet yet sour smell.
“Hello.”
“…”
“I am the resident of that red container.”
“Red container?”
“Yes. The red container. You know it, right? It’s the landmark of this place.”
Kwon Taejung, looking at the bewildered and embarrassed boy, grabbed the door and forced it open. The boy took a step back and looked at Kwon Taejung with wary.
“The picture couldn’t capture your beauty properly.”
“What?”
“Nothing. Do excuse me.”
After the exchange of “mannered” greetings, he pushed himself inside without hesitation, carrying a polite attitude. There was no difference in the houses he caught sight of while he walked down the alley. It was the same old design and the house was so cramped that he wanted to ask them how they lived there. Of course, he wasn’t bothered because he wouldn’t be living there but still, it was too much.
“Right now…what are you trying to do? Who are you to mindlessly intrude…into my house?”
“I told you, I am a new resident.”
“…Get-get out. If you don’t…I’ll rep-report you…”
Hearing the word report, he carefully opened the door and stood in front of Yigyeom before stomping his feet outside.
“I apologize. You must have been surprised. He moved here recently to work on the redevelopment plan. He’s the executive. He wanted to greet the residents face to face but I think he caught you off guard. So sorry.”
“Ah…okay…”
As he watched Secretary Baek handle the situation inside from between the door gap, Kwon Taejung relieved a small sigh. Inside the small room, his grandfather was lying on his bed whilst rice and side dishes were placed on a small dining table.
“…Still, barging in like this is a bit…”
Closing the door behind him, Kwon Taejung strode close to Yigyeom and once again bent his body to meet Yigyeom’s eyes. The whiff of that same sweet and sour smell brushed the tip of his nose. Even though he thought he was mistaken earlier, he unconsciously released his pheromones as the same smell surrounded him.
In the information column he saw yesterday, he was definitely listed as a beta. Kwon Taejung remembered himself being relieved at the fact that Yigyeom was a beta and not an omega. But if he really was a beta, he wouldn’t be affected by the pheromones that he was releasing right now, like Secretary Baek wasn’t.
“…I have to head out now…so…”
The sweet and sour smell was more concentrated now and Kwon Taejung’s eyes flickered at the reddened ear tips and fingertips of Yigyeom. He always appeared weak but seeing how he crumbled down he was while facing Kwon Taejung’s pheromones, he laughed, thinking it was funny.
What is this? He is an omega.
Of course, his response differed from other normal omegas. That being said, if it were any other omega being exposed to a dominant alpha’s pheromones, firstly, they wouldn’t have been so calm. His bottom would begin to get wet and he would be unable to think straight. He would have clung on to him while his whole body flushed.
Since Kwon Taejung didn’t exude his pheromones that intensely, the reciprocation of it was hence weak. Of course, if it was any other alpha, they wouldn’t have been able to sense he was an omega at all.
Of course, a dominant alpha like Kwon Taejung was different from others. Kwon Taejung wasn’t sure about the other alphas, but it was impossible to deceive him. As Yigyeom mumbled something, Kwon Taejung straightened his body and tilted his head.
“Are you hot?”
“…No…”
Even though Yigyeom denied it, his cheeks were burning up. Kwon Taejung, on the other hand, was going mad with curiosity. Why was an omega bluffing as a beta? And even if he wasn’t attempting to keep up the act from the beginning, what made him sought out to do so? But to know that, Kwon Taejung had to touch his hand and release more pheromones. But if he did that, it might result in something unwanted. Therefore, for now, he would keep him under his surveillance.
What irked Kwon Taejung was the prospect of a new title appearing on the news flash, “Taesun Group’s third son now invading private lives,” which gave him a headache. Kwon Taejung, who retracted his pheromones, now looked at Yigyeom, whose smell along with his pheromones dissipated and withered out.
However, his cheeks and ears were still blushing red. The crude thought of wanting to check if his bottom was drenched caught Kwom Taejung off-guard.
It was a given that an alpha would be influenced by an omega’s pheromones. Foul thoughts like that would cloud their mind often. But from childhood, they were given strict training under his father’s instructions so that Kwon Taejung, Kwon Yoojung and Kwon Kijung wouldn’t be swayed by an omega’s pheromones easily. It was because of the accidents that frequently broke out and they wouldn’t be forgiven if they got wrapped in something similar. His patience, hence, was not weak and he wouldn’t jump at the mere sight of an omega.
Living as a dominant alpha, he came across several omegas. They were persistent, constantly releasing their pheromones and chased down the dominant alphas after recognizing their distinct smell.
Some expressed frankly that they wanted to have sex, throwing away their honour and self-respect out the window. They drooled and begged alphas to fuck them once.
Kwon Tajeung, who valued self-respect and honour, could not bear to become the object of an omega’s excitement. In his opinion, to lose his reason and throw himself at the sight of pheromones was filthy and disgusting. He wouldn’t be able to face the ugly side of himself that he couldn’t see but had the chance of turning into one.
However, Yigyeom, who was standing in front of him was different. He was swayed, let alone his reddened cheeks, by his pheromones. Thus, Kwon Taejung was curious about Yigyeom. Omegas, he could care less about. But for some reason, Yigyeom was different.
“Sorry, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Kwon Taejung tried to suppress the sudden curiosity and sultry, impure thoughts as he tried to calm himself down. Yet, he could sense Yigyeom letting his guard down. Kwon Taejung smiled and climbed out of the front gate. He bid farewell to Yigyeom who was still standing inside, as though he was close to Yigyeom.
“See you next time.”
Yigyeom, whose eyes followed Kwon Taejung helplessly, met the latter’s gaze but Kwon Taejung continued walking down the path without hesitance. Kwon Taejung could feel a weak gaze stuck on his back but he didn’t spare him a look.
Kwon Taejung was careful because if he made eye contact with Yigyeom, he would run back to act on his impure thought of checking his bottom. Those thoughts that never infiltrated his mind before when he was with other omegas, persisted him to no end now.
Then walk straight… It’s not proper to do that, good sir…. 👀😓
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