* * *

Ding.

“Good morning, Sir!”

“……”

“Oh, no… You’re not feeling well today, are you…?”

“Just get to work.”

Taekwon shot a withering glare at his secretary’s concern, making them fidget nervously.

With a sharp look, he stepped into his office.

Click.

“Whew…”

As soon as the door closed, a faint smile crossed Taekwon’s face, a sign that he was actually in an excellent mood.

Taekwon had been feeling as light as a feather since morning.

Jinho had patted his backside five times for not being picky with his food.

He’d even received praise the day before for keeping quiet about a certain deal with Baek Saewoo and not telling Yoon Jibeom.

Of course, everything had been exposed in front of the udon shop, but Jinho didn’t seem to know that.

Beep.

“Sir, Director Song is here to see you.”

“Song Hoyoon?”

He hadn’t even taken off his coat yet, but Hoyoon showed up as if he’d been waiting.

Given the recent tension since their last territorial dispute, this sudden visit was far from welcome.

“Shall I send him away?” the secretary whispered when Taekwon didn’t respond immediately.

After a moment of thought, Taekwon decided to be generous.

After all, it was a day he’d been patted five times by Jinho.

Click.

“CEO Ye, it’s been a while.”

Hoyoon’s appearance made Taekwon frown.

Hoyoon wore a striking, fur-lined white mink coat with a floral blouse—completely out of place for this setting.

The sight made Taekwon want to tell him to leave immediately, but Jinho’s influence was strong.

“What do you want?” Taekwon asked curtly, skipping any pleasantries.

Hoyoon, unfazed, glanced around the office before settling on the guest sofa.

“You look as irritable as ever. Haven’t lost that temper, huh?”

“Get to the point.”

“You met with Yoon Jibeom recently, didn’t you?”

“…If it’s about him, I have nothing to say.”

Of course.

Hoyoon’s obsession with Yoon Jibeom was unending.

It had always been this way.

At first, Taekwon wondered if Hoyoon had an inferiority complex, being another feline shifter.

But after so many years, it seemed more like a twisted fascination.

Hoyoon seemed to want to be exactly like Yoon Jibeom.

“Saewoo is really, really adorable.”

But then Hoyoon mentioned Baek Saewoo, not Jibeom.

Any interest Hoyoon had in Saewoo was a bad sign.

Saewoo was Jinho’s close friend, and Taekwon worried that trouble might spill over to Jinho’s relationship.

“Baek Saewoo has nothing to do with me anymore. If you’re so curious, go hire a private investigator.”

“Yeah, I figured. He used to be your first love, right? I hear he recently made a miraculous recovery from an illness and even became a property owner. Funny how a penniless orphan suddenly came into money. Maybe he’s a secret heir to some conglomerate?”

“……”

Hoyoon had likely already investigated through a private detective.

There was no point in dragging this conversation out.

Taekwon shot him a piercing glare.

❀❀❀

“Not sure what you’re planning, but if you so much as lay a finger on my Jinho….”

“Oh, relax. I’m not interested in someone who’s already taken.”

“Well, then by that logic, isn’t Baek Saewoo taken too?”

When Ye Taekwon said this with a disinterested look, Hoyoon’s eyes flashed.

Although the color was different, those eyes were eerily similar to Yoon Jibeom’s.

It was odd, but he dismissed it as just the typical eyes of a predator.

“I have to admit, though… he does have a strong ‘taken’ vibe, enough to make anyone jealous.”

Hoyoon muttered this with a disappointed tone, then stood up from the couch and started walking leisurely around the CEO’s office.

Although his movements were relaxed, Ye Taekwon, who knew of Hoyoon’s fiery personality, was already irritated by his mere presence.

“It’s such a shame Saewoo didn’t catch my eye first. We’re so close, after all. I just came by to confirm that.”

“That’s all?”

Ye Taekwon was incredulous.

All this, just to say a few trivial things this early in the morning?

Did Hoyoon really have nothing better to do?

“Oh, right.”

As if that truly was his only reason for visiting, Hoyoon pulled out his phone, seemingly to show Ye Taekwon something.

But then, after glancing at the screen, he changed his mind.

“Actually… never mind. I’ll keep it to myself.”

“…….”

He pocketed the phone again.

Since Ye Taekwon hadn’t wanted to see it in the first place, he ignored Hoyoon’s sudden change of heart.

“I’m leaving. Take good care of your boyfriend.”

“Get lost.”

Click.

“Oh, leaving so soon?”

Hoyoon exited the CEO’s office, and the secretary, who had been preparing tea, looked flustered.

Hoyoon just winked, saying he’d have it next time, and headed straight to the elevator.

“Hmph, too easy.”

While waiting for the elevator, Hoyoon took out his phone and started scrolling through pictures he’d just taken of the office interior.

“As expected from a bird office, lots of windows….”

Muttering to himself, Hoyoon idly flicked through the photos, then his gaze stopped on the last one saved—a photo of a teary-eyed Sparrow.

A satisfied grin spread across his face.

“I wonder when I’ll get to see our little sparrow again?”

His blue eyes gleamed with a mischievous glint as he looked at the picture.

°❀•°❀°•❀°

“Wow, the photos….”

“How are they? Pretty good, right?”

“Yeah, a professional definitely makes a difference.”

Click, click.

Saewoo’s admiration was followed by the sound of the camera shutter clicking busily around the room.

The photographer even lay on the floor, trying different angles to get the best shots.

Saewoo was glad he’d thoroughly cleaned the place before the shoot, praising himself for his foresight.

For the past two days, he had been meticulously preparing to list his room with a real estate agent.

He’d cleaned every corner of his one-room studio on the second floor and double-checked for any damages.

Deciding a fresh paint job wasn’t necessary, he’d scheduled the photographer.

Initially, he’d planned to take the pictures himself with his phone, but at the recommendation of a ferret from the neighboring building, he’d found a reasonably priced photographer.

He’d contacted a fox student from the photography department at Gumiho University through a marketplace app, who happened to resemble Minho, so he’d hired him right away.

“Will the photos be ready today?”

“Yes, of course. I’ll make sure to retouch them nicely, too. I can even make the room look a bit more spacious if you’d like.”

“Really? With some kind of software?”

“Yes, though that’ll cost a bit extra….”

Judging by his hesitation, it seemed to be quite pricey.

Still, Saewoo wanted the room to look as big and appealing as possible, so he was willing to pay the additional fee if needed.

Buzz, buzz.

Just then, Saewoo’s phone vibrated.

“Uh, one moment.”

Saewoo stepped outside the studio so as not to disturb the photoshoot.

Checking the caller ID at the stairwell, he saw it was Jibeom.

[Ji(=｀ᾥ´=)beom]

“…….”

Instead of answering, Saewoo just stared at the screen.

I’ll call you.

That day, a very, very long day.

Saewoo still felt guilty towards Jibeom.

He wanted to talk, to finally have a conversation they hadn’t had yet, and planned to call as soon as he got home.

Saewoo.

But after being driven home by Jinho, his perspective had shifted.

Saewoo, as a friend, I’ll always support you, no matter who you end up with.

Honestly.

But as family… I’m worried about you. Truly….

Since becoming part of this novel’s world, Saewoo had always been grateful to have Jinho as his friend.

Jinho never said anything thoughtlessly.

Despite his small frame, he was always ready to stand up against injustice and express his feelings openly.

Although that forthrightness had caused him trouble with the main character, he had stayed true to himself till the end of the novel, which Saewoo respected.

Saewoo, what do you really feel?

Jibeom seems to be serious about you.

Jinho had prioritized Saewoo’s feelings over any past conflicts or old ties.

Even though he didn’t know all the details, he could see that Saewoo seemed to be at Jibeom’s mercy, swayed back and forth.

If Jinho knew what Saewoo truly felt, he probably wouldn’t have said anything more.

I….

That day, Saewoo couldn’t bring himself to answer.

He couldn’t answer Jibeom’s call, either.

All he did was send a brief text.

‘With Jibeom….’

He felt more at ease around him.

At first, just being in the same space had scared him, making him want to run away.

But that day, he had fallen into a deep, restful sleep in Jibeom’s arms.

Even the typical predator scent Jibeom carried didn’t bother him.

Sometimes, it even smelled nice….

But what kind of relationship was this?

A casual fling?

A primal connection?

He was a predator, but he was the closest non-human to him.

They even exchanged scents occasionally through kisses….

‘Right, we kissed way too much. Whenever, wherever…. And sometimes, I even initiated….’

“Ah…!”

At that moment, Saewoo finally realized how strange this relationship was and blushed fiercely.

No matter how casually Jibeom initiated kisses like they were nothing, why had he kissed first?

Thump, thump.

Saewoo’s heart raced, that all-too-familiar pounding that he once thought was a heart condition.

You only go into rut when you’ve found a definite mate.

“No way…!”

Saewoo shook his head, recalling the doctor’s words.

A mate?

That was impossible.

Jibeom wasn’t even the same species, much less the same gender.

No way they could be a pair.

‘It’s… it’s the kisses! It’s all because of those kisses…!’

It had to be the fault of that shameless predator who insisted on kissing to leave his scent.

Denying it, Saewoo shook his head vigorously.

Beep.

Finally, he looked at his phone, only to see Jibeom’s call had ended.

Feeling a pang of regret, he stared at the darkened screen in silence.

“Mr. Sparrow!”

“Huh?”

Just then, a cheerful voice called out to him from somewhere.

Saewoo peeked out the stairwell window and saw Minho waving up at him from the building entrance with a bright smile.

* * *