* * *
“Hey, Saheon.”
Wookyung was staring at the liquor swirling in his glass when he suddenly spoke up.
His eyes were hazier than usual, the light making them glimmer strangely.
He’d called Saheon over, only to fall silent again, lost in thought.
‘It’s almost funny.’
He hadn’t really felt anything right after speaking with CEO Choi or during the call with Saheon.
Honestly, all he could think about then was how much he wanted to grab a drink at the pojangmacha.
But now, sitting across from him, chatting over drinks—it hit him.
‘How did I even end up talking to CEO Choi like that?’
Thinking about it, it felt like something straight out of a novel.
The kind of conversation Manager Shin might’ve had with CEO Choi.
A plotline fit for someone like them.
‘But those two are the main characters. They’re fighting against all odds in a grand, fated love. And the CEO is the mother of Director Min, no less.’
But him? He was just a nobody.
Practically an extra.
Who would’ve thought he’d meet CEO Choi in that kind of situation?
“I wasn’t going to say this, but…”
Before going to the café, his head had been full of every kind of thought.
What she might say to him.
What expression she’d wear.
How she’d behave.
And if she told him to break up—what would he say in return?
It was absurd, really.
They hadn’t even started anything properly, and yet here he was, worrying about the end already.
He even had a reply prepared, just in case she got forceful and asked what he planned to do next.
“To be honest, if CEO Choi had told me right then to break up with you…”
He looked across the table, meeting the alpha’s eyes.
Saheon just gazed back calmly, as if to say ‘I’m listening’.
That faint smile actually helped Wookyung relax, so he continued.
“I would’ve said—‘It’s not like we even know if we’re going to last forever. We’ll probably just date for a while and then go our separate ways. So don’t make this any harder than it needs to be. Don’t worry about it.’”
But when CEO Choi actually said something along those lines, he just couldn’t bring himself to respond.
He pictured Saheon waiting outside the café, vividly remembering the support Saheon had given him.
To be honest, he had no idea what their future would look like, and with that uncertainty, he couldn’t bring himself to say something just to reassure CEO Choi.
“Is that what you said?”
Saheon finally asked.
His voice was calm, composed.
Wookyung looked up to meet his gaze again—his expression hadn’t changed at all.
No… maybe there was a hint of concern.
Did Saheon really think he’d say something like that?
It hadn’t been long since they started getting to know each other.
So it was natural that trust between them was still a bit fragile.
Even so, he should know what kind of person he was by now, right?
And yet, with eyes like that, a bit of defensiveness almost slipped out.
“No.”
“I figured.”
Only when Wookyung saw the soft smile spread across his face did the sharpness he’d felt moments ago melt away like snow.
This was serious.
Just one change in Saheon’s expression and his mood was all over the place.
Still, all that drama was just in his head.
In reality, all Wookyung said was a simple, “Yes.”
At the time, Wookyung couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“Act in a way that doesn’t disappoint.”
What was Wookyung supposed to say to something like that?
Honestly, anything more would’ve been pointless, and he knew that.
That was the truth.
“I’m sorry, Wookyung.”
“For what?”
“For putting you in such an uncomfortable situation.”
“If you hadn’t stepped in and I didn’t go, I bet something even worse would’ve happened afterward.”
Saheon must’ve known that too.
That’s probably why he didn’t stop Wookyung from meeting with CEO Choi.
“I won’t let something like this happen again.”
His firm tone made Wookyung smile faintly.
He trusted Saheon.
But still, didn’t CEO Choi once say it was she who had looked after the young Saheon like a parent?
Someone like that—he couldn’t just reject her outright.
Wookyung understood just how much influence adults could have on teenagers.
“I may not look it, but I’ve got a bit of experience handling stuff like this. I’ll deal with her properly.”
He had great role models in Manager Shin and Director Min, after all.
Wookyung planned to use them as examples in how to handle CEO Choi going forward.
He said it confidently—but maybe Saheon wasn’t reassured.
“No. Really, Wookyung, there’s nothing you need to worry about.”
Saheon spoke firmly and took Wookyung’s hand.
His palm felt warmer than usual.
He wasn’t just asking for blind trust.
He had a strong card up his sleeve—one that could keep CEO Choi out of the picture entirely.
He’d simply decided it wasn’t time to use it yet, so he had only called in Chief Secretary Ahn for now.
“Okay. I’ll trust you.”
Wookyung stared at him for a moment, then nodded.
He knew Saheon was trying not to worry him.
There was no reason to be stubborn anymore.
After that, they each downed two more bottles of beer before leaving the pojangmacha.
As if it were a routine, they strolled through a nearby park, and just like always, Saheon called a driver and made sure Wookyung got home first.
“Would you… like to come in for some tea?”
What had changed was that he blurted it out—an impulsive invitation.
“Ah…”
And then Wookyung suddenly remembered—the one driving wasn’t Saheon, but the hired driver. Embarrassed, he bit his tongue.
Clearly, today had taken more of a toll than he’d thought.
He must’ve drunk a little too much, to forget something so basic.
“Sure.”
But surprisingly, Saheon readily agreed.
“Never mind. The driver’s waiting—let’s just call it a night.”
Wookyung quickly waved him off.
It had been a slip-up on his part, but Saheon shouldn’t indulge it.
Sure, the driver was being paid, but still—how could he keep him waiting like that?
Of course, Saheon would probably compensate him well, but even so, it didn’t feel right.
“I’m feeling a little tired anyway.”
Mumbling as he tried to recover from his own awkwardness, Wookyung seemed flustered.
Saheon watched him for a moment, then smiled warmly.
“Got it. Go get some rest. I’ll call once I’m home.”
He gently guided Wookyung’s back with a hand, taking care not to push too hard.
Even now, his expression barely changed.
To outsiders, Wookyung probably seemed no different from usual.
But those tiny shifts—only Saheon noticed them.
And that gave him a strange sense of satisfaction.
Because he was the only one who could read Wookyung’s subtle reactions.
And perhaps that’s why a small pang of guilt rose in him—for not telling Wookyung the full truth.
The man in the driver’s seat wasn’t just a driver.
He was someone Saheon had hired in advance to be on standby.
If Wookyung had only shown a little more willingness, he could’ve followed Saheon home without hesitation.
Even imagining it, he could almost taste that faintly sweet and tart scent again.
His mouth watered.
A warm flush spread through him.
“Yes. You head home too, Saheon. Text me when you get in.”
Wookyung’s voice pulled him out of his drifting thoughts.
He snapped back to reality.
His imagination had run too far.
“Okay.”
Because Wookyung wouldn’t leave unless he did, Saheon climbed into the back seat with no choice.
“Let’s go.”
At his command, the car started moving.
He looked back.
Wookyung was still standing there.
For some reason, seeing him alone like that tugged at something inside.
‘I should’ve just asked him to marry me.’
The thought came out of nowhere.
And with that reckless, premature desire, Saheon’s expression hardened.
“Marriage…”
Yeah, if he had said that, maybe it would’ve shut everything else down.
While waiting for Wookyung, Saheon had already traced how their story ended up reaching CEO Choi.
It was all because of a single post on an anonymous message board.
While Chief Secretary Ahn was away, another secretary reported it to CEO Choi, which led to her pushing for the meeting with Wookyung.
“She should focus on managing her own kid.”
Saheon understood why she had overreacted.
The first reason was Director Min.
She didn’t approve of Director Min’s relationship with Manager Shin.
But because of the whole “prime omega” thing, she couldn’t easily cut ties either—a contradiction she couldn’t resolve.
And on top of that, Saheon had Chairman Choi’s attention.
Or more accurately, he had shares the chairman had given him out of pity, which played a big part.
“In that case…”
If they just got married, there wouldn’t be anything left to say.
Of course, that was just his own idea. Saheon had never intended to pressure Wookyung into anything—not under any circumstances.
He only hoped that Wookyung wouldn’t be swayed by anyone else’s words.
‘I need to clear the board around us first.’
For now, he needed to redirect CEO Choi’s attention elsewhere.
* * *
