* * *

Jin Sejun forced a bitter smile and continued his explanation.

“If we harvest follicles from the back of your head, the incision method is cheaper but leaves scars. From the initial procedure to post-op care, here’s the schedule… If you feel the density isn’t sufficient, you can request additional sessions.”

The schedule detailed responsibilities for both the hospital and patient from the surgery day to one year post-op.

Kwon Juwan nodded absentmindedly as he stared at the paper, and Jin Sejun busied himself punching numbers into a calculator.

“Here’s the pricing. This is for the incision method. But since we’re running a promotion…”

“The incision method is much cheaper.”

“Well, follicle extraction is simpler that way.”

“Hmm, I think I’ll go with the non-incision method here. You seem trustworthy, Manager.”

What? Already?

He should’ve been happy about an easy sale, but he wasn’t.

The decision seemed rushed, and the lack of questions gnawed at him.

“Maybe you should consult with the surgeon first…”

“No need. I feel confident after speaking with you.”

“……”

Sure, his older brother was skilled, but this was facial surgery.

A snap decision didn’t seem right.

Struggling to keep his expression neutral, Jin Sejun cautiously asked.

“Have you consulted any other clinics?”

“No, this is my first.”

He’s more impulsive than he looks… He could probably fry beans over a lightning strike.

Sighing internally, Jin Sejun neatly packed the schedule, estimate, and his business card into an envelope with the clinic’s logo.

But instead of handing it over, he hesitated and looked at Kwon Juwan.

“…You said you trust my judgment, right?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. You’re the expert.”

“Then think of it as hospital shopping. How about meeting with me a few more times before deciding?”

“With you?”

Kwon Juwan’s tone was filled with doubt, and rightfully so. Waving his hands, Jin Sejun quickly clarified.

“Oh, it’s just that this is a lifelong decision. You seemed to decide too quickly. To be honest, when I said it wasn’t perfect, I was just being polite. If I were you, I wouldn’t bother.”

If his older brother had heard that, he would’ve grabbed a fistful of Jin Sejun’s thick hair and yanked.

Plenty of clients had made quick decisions and paid just as quickly.

Yet here he was, pleading with a first-time Beta client not to get surgery.

Because he’s already perfect as is!

But Kwon Juwan didn’t seem particularly flattered.

Instead, he stared at Jin Sejun’s eyes—or just above them—and asked with an odd expression.

“Did you get your hairline done?”

“Wha—? No, I didn’t.”

Had he gone too far?

Normally, when sympathetic clients asked about it, he’d just laugh it off.

But for some reason, he’d lost all composure in front of this tall, handsome client with perfect hair.

“Then… you’re just naturally so good-looking you probably don’t understand what it’s like to worry about appearances.”

Is he insane?

The contrast between Kwon Juwan’s subtly upturned lips and his heavy, downcast eyes was stark.

How could someone say such self-deprecating words with such a smooth smile?

Yet the more he denied it, the more Jin Sejun felt a stubborn urge to convince him otherwise.

‘I know I’m handsome, but so are you. You’re already perfect!’

Swallowing his retort, Jin Sejun pulled a business card from the envelope and handed it over.

“Feel free to contact me whenever you’re uncertain. Honestly, sending you away would be a loss for me, so why would I say this if I didn’t mean it?”

“……”

“After continuing the conversation, if you’re still unsatisfied and unsure, I’ll help you schedule the surgery right away.”

“Why are you going to such lengths…?”

“…….”

Right, why indeed?

Sejun couldn’t remember what awkward excuse he mumbled in response.

After sending Kwon Juwan on his way and nearing the end of his shift, Sejun couldn’t shake the feeling that if he didn’t stop the man here, Juwan would probably end up on an operating table at another clinic in no time.

Later, while having dinner, a message popped up on his phone:

010-XXXX-XXXX: Hello, this is Kwon Juwan. I saw you this afternoon and left with just your business card. Have you had dinner yet?

Sejun stared at the message.

“Dinner?” he muttered under his breath.

What, was Juwan going to ask him to eat together if he said no?

Dinner seemed a bit like a date, didn’t it?

Maybe Juwan thought it would be good to have more conversations with him too.

Did Juwan find him interesting?

“Sejun, shut up~,” he scolded himself.

He quickly saved Juwan’s number and slapped his cheeks a couple of times before typing out a reply.

Sejun: Hello, Juwan. Did you enjoy your dinner too? ^^

Client Kwon Juwan (Beta): Yes, I did.

Sejun frowned.

What was that?

If Juwan had already eaten, why ask him?

Despite all the fuss Sejun had made in his head about how handsome Juwan was, he couldn’t quite recall the man’s face clearly.

The only impression left was those gloomy eyes—oddly out of place with his beaming smile and cheerful tone.

If Sejun wasn’t planning to pursue this, why hadn’t he just let Juwan go?

Was it because his second brother had teased him about flirting with clients?

If he’d really wanted to send Juwan off, he could have just said it wasn’t necessary and stopped caring.

So why had he bothered giving Juwan his business card and telling him to reach out?

Maybe Sejun was just bored with life lately—feeling empty.

And since dating wasn’t an option, making a friend wouldn’t hurt, would it?

A fleeting, dirty thought had crossed his mind too, but that was nothing new.

Most of all, the fact that Juwan was a Beta made it easy to feel at ease.

Sejun wasn’t considering him as a romantic prospect, but even if Juwan came into contact with his half-hearted pheromones, it wouldn’t lead to anything strange.

Sejun: Has anyone other than that Omega friend of yours ever criticized your looks like that?

Client Kwon Juwan (Beta): No, not really. But that friend is the most honest.

“Honest? More like rude,” Sejun muttered, smirking as he burrowed into his blanket while still in his outdoor clothes.

Sejun: People tell me I’m brutally honest too. Want to take a chance and trust me?

The “read” receipt popped up, but Juwan’s reply was slow.

After typing and deleting a few things repeatedly, Sejun finally sent another message.

Sejun: Plus, I’m a professional. You said you’d trust the expert, didn’t you?

When the silence dragged on, Sejun’s patience started to wane.

He felt like he was being too pushy, but Juwan came across so much like a sloth… or a bear… that Sejun couldn’t resist pressing one more time.

Sejun: Give it a shot for just one month.

Client Kwon Juwan (Beta): Alright, I’ll trust you, Chief.

That was the spirit.

After that, they exchanged light, casual banter.

The more they talked, the more Sejun found the corners of his lips twitching upward as he hugged his pillow.

It had been ages since Sejun had spent so long chatting with someone on his phone—excluding raunchy late-night conversations in his wilder social circles, of course.

The phone warmed in his hand, a pleasant change from his usual dull routine.

* * *