* * *
His stomach felt uneasy.
If he went straight home like this, he probably wouldn’t be able to sleep properly.
Dragging his feet, he changed direction toward a convenience store.
“Where can I find antacids?”
“Over there…”
The unenthusiastic part-timer, who hadn’t even lifted their gaze from their phone screen, suddenly looked up and froze.
“You need one? The best brand is the one from A company—it works the fastest.”
Then, their tone softened unexpectedly as they started rambling with unnecessary explanations.
“It looks like you’re feeling hot inside.”
“What?”
“Your cheeks are red.”
“Oh… uh, no. That’s….”
If that wasn’t the case, then fine.
To be honest, Wookyung didn’t think the indoor temperature was particularly high.
But seeing the part-timer’s flushed cheeks, he figured they must have been busy stocking shelves before he arrived.
He walked over to the shelves and picked up the recommended antacid.
Seeing that it was labeled as herbal-based made him trust it a little more.
As he went to pay, the part-timer glanced up at him hesitantly.
“Would you like a receipt?”
Wookyung wasn’t sure why they were so hesitant, but it seemed to be because of the receipt.
“No.”
Then why do they look so disappointed?
“Then, would you like to enter your phone number…?”
“You don’t need to issue a separate cash receipt for card payments.”
It seemed like they were new to the job.
Since they didn’t seem to understand the difference between card and cash transactions, he kindly explained it to them.
“Oh, I see… Here’s your card…”
Clearly embarrassed, they returned his card without even making eye contact.
He quickly took it and turned away.
A sigh drifted from behind him.
“Everyone makes mistakes at first. Hang in there.”
He silently cheered them on and was about to put his card back in his wallet when he froze.
The argument he had with Director Choi an hour and a half ago suddenly came to mind.
Right after finishing their meal, Wookyung had practically thrown the black card back at Director Choi and was about to head to the subway station when he was stopped.
“Let’s take a taxi together.”
“What?”
“I’ll drop you off on the way.”
“Why?”
“I already treated you to dinner.”
How did that justify taking the same taxi?
Wookyung nearly said it out loud but barely held himself back.
He instinctively sensed that it was something he shouldn’t say.
“And I also wasted your time earlier because of the card issue.”
“Wait, hold on.”
Among all the things Director Choi had said so far, pick the most problematic statement:
- Insisting they take a taxi together.
- Insisting on dropping him off at his house.
3.…
Why, just why, was he addressing him like that?!
“Wookyung?!*
Yes! That was the most troubling part.
Since it was now an informal setting after work, Director Choi had suggested they drop the formal titles.
And now he was actually doing it!
And the way he looked at Wookyung, as if expecting him to do the same, was unbearable.
If he wasn’t calling him Director Choi, that left only one option: pronouns.
He’d just call him “hey, you” or “excuse me.”
“Fine. Alright.”
Acting as if he was backing down, Director Choi’s voice was laced with amusement.
Wookyung shot him a glare, but Director Choi only found it more entertaining, grinning from ear to ear.
Seriously, what was wrong with this guy?
“I’ll hail a taxi for you. You go first.”
“No need. The last train hasn’t left yet. I’m going to the subway station!”
He refused his boss’s unnecessary kindness.
That sort of favor always came back tenfold as an uncomfortable debt!
“You’re always so thorough about these things, Wookyung.”
“Agh! Again!”
He flinched before quickly shutting his mouth.
Director Choi seemed to have a special knack for pushing his buttons—effortlessly making him lose his composure.
He had sworn to himself to be careful around his boss, to watch what he said… but now look at him!
“Haha… I never knew you had this side to you. I’ve learned so much about Assistant Manager Wookyung today.”
So he really did change the way he addressed me just to mess with me.
“He’s just playing around with me.”
Did he think being the boss gave him the right to do whatever he wanted?
Why was he so irritating?!
His stomach already felt heavy from dinner, and now his face felt strangely warm and itchy.
He wanted to wipe his face with both hands, but not in front of Director Choi.
“If you really don’t want a taxi, then there’s no other choice. Let’s go.”
“What? Where?”
Director Choi, now free of his teasing smirk, said something even more incomprehensible.
“Where else? You said you were taking the subway.”
“I did?”
When did I ever say I was going with you?!
How did he even interpret it like that?
Had he ever been told he had poor reading comprehension back in school?
‘…No way. He was a prodigy who graduated early from every school he attended.’
This world was so unfair.
How could an Alpha, who already ranked in the top 7% genetically, also get all the best traits?
Education, business, medicine, law, administration, politics—Alphas dominated every field.
The only exception was the arts, literature, and fashion, where Omegas tended to excel.
But that didn’t stop Wookyung from grumbling to himself, conveniently ignoring the fact that he was one of those genetically gifted people too.
“It’s late. Director Choi, you should just take a taxi. Oh! There’s one right there!”
Salvation!
A taxi with its sign brightly lit was approaching.
Wookyung ran to the curb and frantically waved both hands to make sure the driver saw him.
He thought he heard a small chuckle behind him, but he ignored it.
Whatever.
As long as he could get rid of this annoying man, he didn’t care.
But then, as the taxi got closer, an unfortunate message came into view.
[Reserved]
Damn it. Someone had already booked it.
This was the problem with a smarter world—if someone claimed something first, others couldn’t use it.
But more than that, the real issue was that he still hadn’t gotten rid of Director Choi.
He stared at the approaching taxi, feeling a deep sense of regret… until it unexpectedly stopped right in front of him.
“Huh?”
“There you are. I called for it earlier.”
“You reserved this?”
“Yeah.”
Then what was all that talk about taking the subway?!
Did he seriously just mess with me?!
Wookyung barely held back a glare.
No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t openly scowl at his boss—even if they were off the clock.
Well… maybe he already had a history of doing just that.
“Get in. I’ll drop you off near your place.”
Director Choi was nothing if not persistent.
No matter what, he always got his way.
“Aren’t you getting in?”
Even the taxi driver was urging him now.
Wookyung had no choice but to climb in.
And thus began a deeply uncomfortable ride.
No matter how comfortable his body was, his mind refused to relax.
He pressed himself against the farthest corner of the seat, making sure not to let his thigh touch Director Choi’s.
He also stared out the window like a foreigner marveling at Korea’s night scenery for the first time.
He wanted to jump out, but that would only shock the driver.
“Here! Let me off here!”
It had been maybe ten minutes—far shorter than it would’ve taken by subway.
As soon as they reached a familiar part of his neighborhood, he practically shouted for the driver to stop.
The veteran driver braked immediately.
“Why are you getting out?”
But instead of Wookyung, Director Choi was the one who opened the door first.
“Your door doesn’t open from the inside, remember?”
“Oh….”
Right. That’s right.
Wookyung was so focused on escaping from the Director that he completely forgot—taxis often had their rear passenger doors locked for safety reasons.
It happened just as he was getting out of the car.
“Oh, come to think of it, I didn’t lock the rear door today. Haha…”
The taxi driver casually dropped that ridiculous piece of information.
Shouldn’t he have mentioned that earlier?
If Wookyung had known, he wouldn’t have ended up face-to-face with Director Choi like this.
But, of course, there was no point in complaining to the driver.
“Get home safely, Wookyung. See you tomorrow.”
Just as Wookyung was wondering how to endure another awkward moment, Director Choi thankfully took the initiative to say goodbye first.
Why did he have to call Wookyung’s name like that and make his blood boil?
Whatever.
As long as he was leaving, that was all that mattered.
“Yes, Director Choi. Thanks for dinner. Get home safely and have a good night.”
Wookyung deliberately ignored the “See you tomorrow.”
He didn’t want to see him.
In fact, he hoped—no, he desperately hoped—that he wouldn’t have to.
He wanted Director Choi to pick up on that sentiment, but… who knew if he did.
Probably not.
“Alright. Sleep well.”
With a smile as sweet as the spring night air, Director Choi got into the taxi and disappeared.
‘What the hell is that?’
What was that smile supposed to mean?
And why was he even thinking about how Director Choi looked when he smiled?
While Wookyung was busy recoiling from his own thoughts, Director Choi’s taxi drove off into the distance.
* * *
