OCMG Chapter 13

The numerous missed calls must have meant this. The dried pollack soup that Ki Taeryu left at the doorstep might have been his way of surrendering, acknowledging his mistake.

“So, what happened?”

“Only the junior staff got caught up, and they ended up in tears. It was a real mess… If things had gone worse, the CEO might have had to come down himself. I managed to calm them down, saying we’d get in touch with Assistant Yoo as soon as he arrived, and sent them off for now…”

A weary sigh escaped Jiyeon’s lips.

Junhee could guess how much the team must have been stressed. His own expression darkened in sympathy.

“Were there any violations of the contract? Should we inform the CEO and consider revoking his membership?”

“It seems that the company that invested in us in our early days is Moon Doyoung’s father’s company. They still hold a significant share… So, the CEO is being very cautious.”

“Ah, I see.”

Now Junhee understood why Moon Doyoung, despite being a fervent omega, was registered as a VIP.

It wasn’t just about having money at home.

He was literally a member of a shareholder family holding equity in the company.

“So… if you could, would you mind contacting him personally, Assistant Yoo?”

The suggestion had a tone that implied he should try to smooth things over, perhaps by soothing or apologizing.

When Junhee remained silent, Jiyeon added a few more words.

“We really did our best yesterday, apologizing throughout the day, but he insisted he wouldn’t accept any apologies until he met with the person in charge… I know you’re still not feeling well, Manager, and I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize; it’s just work. I should have paid more attention to the meeting, but I haven’t been feeling well since the weekend, so I couldn’t check.”

Junhee tried to smile, though it came out more as a tired grimace.

The team, including Jiyeon, had no reason to apologize to him.

If it were anyone else, maybe Ki Taeryu.

“I’ll personally contact Moon Doyoung and apologize.”

After wrapping up the conversation with Jiyeon, they both left the consultation room.

With a mountain of tasks to do, he set his priorities.

First, he needed to tackle the urgent matters that he couldn’t handle yesterday.

If he finished those quickly, the morning would pass, and after lunch, he could call Moon Doyoung.

Since he was running a gallery, it seemed impolite to call too early.

It would be best to attempt a call when he might be a bit more relaxed, perhaps after a meal when one tends to feel a bit more at ease.

As he handled several urgent tasks and was working on the last document, he heard a commotion.

“A-Assistant! Assistant Yoo…!”

Looking up, he saw Jiyeon standing at her partition with a panicked expression.

When he turned his head in the direction he was subtly pointing with his eyes, he saw someone entering the entrance.

There was no need to ask who it was; the pale faces of the team members told him everything.

It was Moon Doyoung.

“Would you like a warm coffee or an orange juice…?”

“If it’s not drip coffee, I’m not drinking it.”

His clear yet sharp voice cut through.

Before closing the door, Junhee asked the junior staff to go downstairs to the café and get some coffee.

Ethiopian Coffee, specialty.

He made sure to pass on Moon Doyoung’s last precise request.

A heavy silence hung in the closed consultation room. He could clearly feel Moon Doyoung’s sharp gaze scanning every part of him, his upturned eyes searching him thoroughly.

He felt that if he moved his hand even slightly, it might get scratched by his sharp nails.

Choosing his words carefully, Junhee spoke in a calm tone.

“First of all, I apologize for not being able to respond to you immediately yesterday due to personal circumstances.”

“Is that all?”

“And I’m sincerely sorry for making you come all the way here today when I should have contacted you first.”

Junhee’s head slowly bowed forward.

Doyoung looked at his brown hair falling over his forehead and scoffed.

“Do you think I came just to get that apology?”

“…I heard you sent a complaint regarding the previous meeting—”

“Listen, what I made wasn’t a ‘complaint,’ but a ‘claim.’ Do you think I’m just complaining without reason? No, I’m making a legitimate demand regarding my rights. Isn’t that right, Yoo, Jun, Hee, Manager?”

Moon Doyoung’s well-manicured fingernail pointed at the name tag hanging around Junhee’s neck, letter by letter.

The sound of the nail scraping against the plastic was anything but pleasant.

“Yes. I’ll be more mindful of choosing the appropriate words. If you could provide details about your claim, I will listen attentively and do my best to assist you from the member’s perspective.”

Junhee recited the manual-like response almost mechanically but maintained a polite attitude. Just because a customer was rude or angry with him, he couldn’t retaliate in kind.

Perhaps his understanding of difficult customers had broadened after dealing with someone like Ki Taeryu. The world is vast, and there are many troublesome people. But if he had to choose one particularly troublesome person…

At least the person in front of him wasn’t one of them.

“Why do you think I came?”

Moon Doyoung crossed his arms and lowered his gaze. his long lashes cast shadows under his eyes.

“I’m guessing it’s because of the date…”

“Do you know what that guy said to me the first time we met?”

“…No, I don’t.”

Moon Doyoung’s face, flushed with anger, leaned closer.

He was a striking figure, different from Ki Taeryu, almost like a character stepping out of a work of art.

If Ki Taeryu was a perfect yet rigid masterpiece painted on canvas, Moon Doyoung resembled a god statue intricately sculpted with delicate hands.

The scent was strong as he got close—an intoxicating mix of faint pheromone and layers of artificial perfume.

“He said I was ugly for an omega.”

“…”

Of course, Ki Taeryu never failed to exceed expectations in the worst way.

What was it that Junhee heard the first time he met Taeryu?

“You look just like a dominant omega.”

Was that supposed to be a compliment? On second thought, it felt even more disturbing.

“I apologize on his behalf…”

“Excuse me, Yoo Junhee. Am I ugly?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

The cat-like eyes stared straight at him, waiting for an answer.

“To be honest…”

As Junhee paused for a moment, tension flickered in his unusually clear pupils.

“If I look at you this closely, you’re so beautiful that it makes me nervous.”

A “huh” sound escaped from Moon Doyoung’s lips.

Then he leaned back and ran his hand through his hair.

His sideways glance was no longer as hostile as before.

“Assistant Yoo Junhee, have you dated an Omega before?”

“No.”

“Then what, are you just good with words?”

“It wasn’t flattery.”

“Well, anyway, here’s the thing.”

Moon Doyoung, with a somewhat softened demeanor, lowered his voice a bit and motioned for Junhee to come closer.

When he leaned in, what he whispered was quite unexpected.

“Set up another date for me. With Mr. Ki Taeryu.”

“…Pardon?”

He asked again, thinking he must have heard wrong, but Moon Doyoung’s expression looked more serious than ever.

“No, listen, Yoo Junhee. I’ve turned men down before, but this is the first time I’ve been rejected, and it really hurt my pride, you know? But the more I think about it, the more I like him.”

“…I see.”

“For an omega like me to marry a man, he’d have to be an alpha of that caliber. The harder it is to conquer, the more thrilling it is when you finally do. That enticing and deep pheromone scent… God, I can’t remember the last time my heart reacted like this. Oh, are you a beta, Junhee?”

“Yes.”

“Ah, it’s kind of a pity to think you’ll never know that scent in your life. Anyway, I was a bit sensitive yesterday because of the heat cycle, so please understand.”

‘How am I supposed to take this?’

The situation was turning out so differently from what he had expected that he was even feeling a bit flustered.

He never imagined that there would actually be someone who liked a crazy guy like Ki Taeryu.

While he was trying to think of an appropriate response, there was a knock at the door.

“Excuse me, Assistant Manager, the coffee…”

A voice leaked through the crack in the door, and when he opened it, he saw the newest junior staff member holding the drip coffee he had asked for earlier.

She seemed hesitant to come in fully, only poking his head around the door, looking a bit pitiful.

“Oh? It’s my manager. Were you mad at me yesterday?”

“Huh? Oh, um, no. It’s… it’s fine.”

The junior staff member, startled when he met Doyoung’s eyes, became dazed upon hearing his apology.

After all, just yesterday, Doyoung had berated her so harshly he ended up crying.

As Junhee handed over the coffee he had brought, tearing off a flat straw along with it, Doyoung inhaled the aroma deeply instead of tasting it and then spoke.

“So, Junhee. You can set up another meeting, right?”

“…I should probably check my client’s intentions first.”

“No, what did you think I meant just now? I told you Ki Taeryu turned me down.”

“Then…”

Junhee hesitated for a moment, swallowing dryly.

He wasn’t confident, but it seemed worth a try.