* * *
“It’s a relief that today seems to be going smoothly…”
I was glad I could attend the shoot without issues today. Moreover, CEO Han was scheduled for dinner at his family’s house, which meant I had the evening free.
Usually, I clung to my phone day and night, ready for his call, but such engagements were a good sign for me.
Of course, from CEO Han’s perspective, it must have been an absolute annoyance, but that wasn’t my concern. After working around the clock 360 days a year, he should give me a break now and then.
Even so, those 5 days are my summer vacation. Others get a full week, but I only get 5 days. The ridiculous excuse was that he couldn’t function without me.
So in the last eight years, I had accumulated a total of 40 days of vacation.
Not quite enough to report to the Human Rights Commission, but it was still a pitiful amount of rest. However, I was merely a grateful servant to the magnanimous CEO Han, who repaid me with money.
Money is powerful.
***
Arriving at the shop, I wrinkled my nose while holding my tablet. This shop was good in every way, except it had too many alphas, which made me uneasy.
Only alphas or betas were allowed as customers, and naturally, the employees were also either alphas or betas. There was no noticeable scent, indicating good pheromone management, but being cautious was never a bad thing.
So, I was the only omega here. While society didn’t openly discriminate against omegas, there were undoubtedly many restrictions. Moreover, CEO Han only hired betas as his secretaries.
Neither an alpha nor an omega, but strictly betas. That’s why I had to hide that I was an omega, pretending to be a beta.
When I first joined the company, I was indeed a beta, so there was no need for a separate report.
Unless someone was going to conduct a test, no one would know. Hiding it was easy, but maintaining it was a tiring job.
I stared blankly at the white ceiling, wondering when I should take another suppressant from my pocket. Looking up at ceilings or floors was the best when you had nothing to do.
At the edge of my vision, I caught sight of black hair. Turning my head, I saw a short-haired woman with elegant red lipstick standing there.
“Oh my, Secretary. It’s been a while.”
“Hello.”
She was the director of this makeup shop. I glanced at her black name tag on her chest and nodded, adding her name a bit late.
“Director So Haeun.”
“I haven’t seen you around lately. Have you been well?”
“I’ve been well. How about you, Director?”
“As for me… Oh dear, what happened here? Are you hurt?”
She hurriedly looked at my cheek and showed a worried expression. Her face contorted with empathy for the pain, making me unconsciously raise my hand to cover my cheek with a slight smile. Smiling had become a habit.
“This happened somehow. It’s nothing to worry about.”
“Nothing? You’re swollen like a balloon!”
Could she not use an animal analogy, please? I laughed awkwardly. So Haeun fussed over me, pushing me towards the staff room.
“Um, Director, I have to see CEO Han…”
“CEO Han still has at least 30 minutes left for hair and makeup. Let’s go for now. If you leave that untreated, it won’t heal properly.”
Since someone else was concerned about me, I couldn’t refuse outright, so I reluctantly moved. Just in case, I craned my neck to look where CEO Han was, but he had his eyes closed while getting his makeup done.
He wouldn’t throw a fit just because I left, right? Still, I had an excuse that I was injured, so I followed So Haeun’s lead.
In the staff room, So Haeun offered me a seat. As soon as I sat on the round stool without a backrest, she brought a first aid kit with a concerned expression.
“Oh my, what is this? Your pretty face is all puffed up like a bun.”
“First I was an animal, now I’m food. Is there no comparison for a human?”
“Then should I say you’ve puffed up like a duck’s butt?”
Her touch was quite delicate as she disinfected my split lip. When I winced at the stinging sensation, So Haeun lightly patted my shoulder, telling me not to be such a baby.
“How’s the inside of your mouth?”
“I can bear it, more or less.”
“Open up, just in case.”
I was quite taken aback because I had never shown my mouth to anyone but the dentist. However, she looked more serious than ever with the ointment in her hand.
A quick glance at the first aid kit revealed it was stocked with various ointments, disinfectants, and bandages.
“Quite a variety of medicines…”
“There are many dangerous items here, Secretary. And don’t change the subject. Open your mouth. If you leave it untreated, it’ll be painful to eat later. Do you want to cry every time you eat kimchi?”
No, I’d rather not. Hesitant, I carefully opened my mouth. Her gloved hand went inside and inspected the split.
She sighed softly, suggesting it was more serious than I felt. I was suddenly glad I hadn’t looked in the mirror.
“Who hit you like this? Surely not CEO Han?”
“…”
“Now that I think about it, I still don’t know your name properly. It’s been three years, and calling you ‘Secretary’ seems odd, doesn’t it?”
After applying the ointment thoroughly, she handed it to me and removed her gloves.
She then gently placed a cooling patch on my cheek and smiled brightly. Her smile was like a flower blooming, and I responded calmly to her questions.
“If CEO Han hit me, I’d have resigned and gone straight to the human rights commission. And my name is Seonyul.”
“Is it just one character?”
“Yes. But you can just call me by my full name. Just ‘Yul’ sounds a bit weird.”
I suddenly noticed noise outside. Worried, I glanced at So Haeun and then stood up.
“Thank you for the treatment.”
“If you’re grateful, buy me a meal next time.”
Her request made me pause. It wasn’t a problem to buy her a meal, but the issue was that I wasn’t interested in her that way.
Her clear intentions made my mind race, but I managed a polite social smile and bowed slightly.
“Thank you for the treatment.”
As I opened the staff room door, the scene outside was exactly as I imagined.
“If you’re just going to stand there doing nothing, why bother wasting time? Why are you even breathing and taking up air?”
An irate employer.
“Well, he was just here a moment ago… Maybe he went to the restroom. If you wait a moment, he should be back soon…”
“Is this how you work? There are people all over the hallway, and you can’t even find one person?”
“I’m sorry…”
A staff member at a loss.
Her name tag was white. She was new. I wasn’t chivalrous, but I couldn’t stand by and watch a fellow worker get scolded like that.
With a resolute expression, I tightened my grip on my tablet and stepped forward like a soldier heading into battle with only a shield.
“CEO Han, I’m here.”
“Secretary Seonyul, didn’t I tell you to let me know where you’re going?”
This was like dealing with a child with separation anxiety. His voice made it sound like I’d be executed if I left even to go to the bathroom in an emergency.
“How many times do I have to tell you?”
CEO Han’s long legs strode toward me. The perfectly tailored pants swayed lightly.
A fresh, ocean-like scent wafted from him as he approached. It wasn’t pheromones; it was just CEO Han’s favorite perfume.
“Where do you think you…”
His gaze was blatant. His eyes asked where the patch on my cheek came from. As an eight-year secretary, I knew his temper well and responded with a capitalist smile.
“Director So Haeun treated me.”
“So my secretary has the luxury to walk around smiling while in pain. Is laughter cheaper than medical bills?”
Did he think just because he had a mouth, he could say anything? While laughing might be more cost-effective than medical treatment, it wasn’t something to say to someone injured.
“If my laughter were cheap, you’d have bought a country by now.”
Actually, my laughter was the cheapest thing around. As evidence, I was smiling even now. With my cheek muscles straining from the effort, I carefully watched CEO Han’s reaction.
My previous comment was definitely crossing the line, so my heart skipped a beat, but fortunately, he didn’t seem too upset. There wasn’t much change in his expression.
“If you can’t speak properly…”
CEO Han clicked his tongue lightly and grabbed my chin, turning it from side to side. It was like he was inspecting merchandise, not precious jewels, but more like vegetables at a market stall.
As I quietly lowered my eyes, CEO Han’s hand fell away. He put his hands in his pockets, stood askew, and looked at me for a moment before heading outside.
When I finally looked up, I saw the back of his neatly trimmed head. Unlike when he visited the main office, his hairstyle was a bit more relaxed.
“You’re done earlier than expected?”
So Haeun, who was right behind me, murmured. I agreed with her. He had certainly been getting his makeup done…
As I thought about it, I urgently asked So Haeun.
“Can you show me the makeup tools used today?”
“Oh, of course. This way.”
The makeup tools So Haeun showed me were quite ordinary. I recognized some well-known brands. It didn’t take long to find the reason for the quick makeup session.
* * *
Oh my my
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