* * *
Kang Dohee stood in the hallway, waiting for Yeo Woohee to arrive.
A few students who recognized him gave a polite nod before entering the lecture hall.
Growing restless, he paced in circles.
He had gone to every class Yeo Woohee was supposed to attend, yet he was still nowhere to be seen.
Had he somehow missed him?
Dohee peeked inside the lecture hall.
No sign of Yeo Woohee.
Na Taejoon sat at his desk, anxiously bouncing his leg and biting his nails.
Their schedules were similar, so he must have noticed something was off too.
Yesterday, they had planned to study together in their group chat at 8 PM.
But the last message was a call at 9 PM, where Woohee said he was late because he had stopped by the bookstore.
After that, Woohee hadn’t logged into the chat again.
He hadn’t picked up any of Dohee’s calls either.
Dohee had planned to ask him in person at school today, but Woohee hadn’t shown up.
A growing sense of unease gripped him.
Could Yeo Jinwoo have done something to Woohee?
If Jinwoo had killed his own brother to take over the company, Dohee would release the fire footage online.
No matter what kind of retaliation OL Group came up with, he wouldn’t back down.
Clenching his fist, he solidified his resolve.
Just then, the professor for ‘History of Fashion Culture’, a mandatory course for first-year fashion design students, entered the lecture hall.
He tapped the podium with a long pointer to draw the students’ attention.
“Quiet. Quiet. From today, Yeo Woohee won’t be coming to school, so the class rep should clean out his locker. He collapsed yesterday. He’s not accepting visitors, so don’t bother him and make things worse.”
“What? Professor, why would Woohee collapse?”
Na Taejoon shot up from his seat.
“How should I know? Poor kid is sick. Damn it. The heavens always take good people too soon.”
“Why the hell are you talking like he’s already dead?!”
Taejoon snapped, then stormed out of the lecture hall.
He ran into Dohee, who was still standing in the hallway.
“Move. You’re in the way.”
Taejoon pulled out his phone and immediately called Woohee.
The ringtone droned on, but no one picked up.
“Shit. Why won’t he answer?”
Dohee couldn’t believe it. Just yesterday, Woohee had seemed perfectly fine, and now he was too sick to come to school?
Dohee dialed Woohee’s phone, but again, there was no answer. In a panic, he called Chairman Yeo.
The chairman picked up, probably because Dohee held leverage over his eldest son, Yeo Jinwoo.
“Hello, Chairman. I heard Woohee’s sick. How bad is it? Huh? What hospital is he in?”
— Kang Dohee. This is awfully rude for so early in the morning.
“I’m sorry, sir. I’m just really worried about Woohee. Is there anything I can do to help?”
— Why would you help? He’s my son, not yours. No need to visit. He’s in no condition to see anyone.
The chairman abruptly ended the call.
Dohee tried calling again, but he didn’t pick up.
“Damn it, Yeo Woohee…”
Frustrated, Dohee stomped his foot.
It might be a burden to a sick person, but he had to see Woohee with his own eyes.
Otherwise, he’d lose his mind.
He immediately called one of his subordinates.
“It’s me. Find out which hospital Yeo Woohee is in.”
— Got it, hyungnim.
Dohee ended the call and exhaled deeply, rubbing his face in frustration.
Just then, Taejoon, who Dohee had assumed had gone home, came rushing back.
“You’re going to visit Woohee, aren’t you? Take me with you.”
Dohee roughly wiped the tears forming in his eyes and shot Taejoon a sharp look.
“You went to the bookstore with him yesterday?”
“Yeah.”
“What did you two do?”
Taejoon thought of how Woohee had stocked up on tablets and let out a faint smile.
But that memory wasn’t something he could share with Dohee.
“We bought workbooks, ate cake at a café, and drank Americanos. Why?”
“…Goddamn it. Then why the hell…? Fuck.”
Dohee’s eyes turned red as he choked up again.
Taejoon, realizing that Woohee—who had spent an ordinary day with him just yesterday—was now suddenly sick, felt the same sinking feeling and teared up as well.
“Ugh… Fuck this. This shitty god must really hate me.”
Dohee felt the same.
Why would fate be so cruel to someone as kind as Yeo Woohee?
As the two cried in the hallway, Dohee’s phone rang, snapping them back to reality.
“Where is he?”
— OL University Hospital. VIP ward.
“Got it. Thanks.”
Of course, the heir of OL Group would be treated at a hospital run by their own foundation.
It was obvious, yet in his panic, Dohee hadn’t even considered it. He had wasted enough time.
He needed to get there as fast as possible.
Hanging up, Dohee strode down the hallway with long, purposeful steps.
Taejoon hurried to keep up.
Yeo Woohee winced as he opened his eyes, feeling a terrible pain shooting through his body.
An IV was in his wrist, and this wasn’t his house.
Looking around, he realized he was in a VIP hospital room—something he had only ever seen in reincarnation dramas.
The latest television model, a luxurious leather sofa, a bed for visitors, and even a fridge—it felt more like a hotel suite than a hospital room.
“You’re awake? How do you feel?”
Yeo Jinwoo hadn’t gone to the office and was sitting beside him instead.
Woohee felt ridiculous for being bedridden just from getting hit ten times with a plastic ruler and once with a belt.
Carrying heavy bags around all the time had done nothing for his stamina.
How was he supposed to handle a proper caning in the future?
What if his master refused to punish him again?
His heart felt like it could take a hundred lashes, but his body wasn’t keeping up, which frustrated him.
Tears welled up in his eyes, his red-rimmed gaze trembling. Jinwoo gently wiped them away with his thumb.
“My Woohee, does it hurt a lot?”
“Sniff… No. It doesn’t hurt at all. Not even a little.”
Terrified that his weak body would mean he’d never be punished again, Woohee desperately denied the pain.
Jinwoo found his pitiful lie adorable and pulled him into a tight embrace.
“If you just listen to me from now on, you won’t have to go through this again.”
“Hic! No… I don’t want that… sniff… Nooo…”
Woohee sobbed, wailing so loudly it felt like the hospital might collapse.
No matter how handsome he was or how big his dick was, he couldn’t accept someone kind as his master.
He would rather have a man with a smaller dick but a huge dildo to lord over him instead.
Jinwoo’s expression darkened.
He misunderstood, thinking Woohee was crying because he didn’t want to be in his arms.
His gaze turned sharp as he grabbed himself over the blanket.
“Ah!”
“Yeo Woohee. Stop crying. Don’t piss me off. Just rest and prepare for the SAT.”
“…Huh? I’m studying abroad?”
Woohee blinked up at him.
Jinwoo finally let go of his grip on himself.
“Don’t talk back. Just do as you’re told.”
Jinwoo was making arrangements to solidify Woohee’s status.
Studying abroad was just one part of the plan.
The moment Woohee’s pheromones started to emerge, Jinwoo planned to claim him immediately.
No matter how much Woohee resisted marriage now, once he was pregnant, he’d walk down the aisle on his own two feet.
* * *
