Chapter 7

The shame is all mine.

Jiwoon hung his head low, avoiding people’s gazes.

“Ahem, let’s move on to the next segment where we exchange and review our reflection journals. Everyone is logged into the app, right?”

“Yes!”

“Please exchange your journals with your partner and read them carefully. Try to understand the emotions expressed in them.”

Following the divorce counselor’s instructions, the couples exchanged their phones.

Amidst this, a small commotion broke out at one of the tables.

“What is this? Are you kidding me? You really hate me, don’t you?”

“I’m just being honest. What else was I supposed to do? I just wrote it as it is!”

The divorce counselor shook his head as the Alpha and Omega argued.

“Arguing like that will result in a penalty. You should try to focus on the positives.”

Jiwoon felt intimidated by the fierce argument between the couple.

‘Am I going to get scolded too? I tried my best, but I did criticize the director… I remember writing something about him being like an AI or a robot. What should I do?’

“What are you doing? Hurry up and exchange.”

“Oh, yes.”

At the divorce counselor’s urging, Jiwoon hesitantly handed over his phone.

In contrast, Taecheon extended his phone gracefully and calmly.

As Taecheon propped his chin on his hand and read the journal expressionlessly, Jiwoon nervously began to read Taecheon’s journal.

What kind of evaluation did he give me?

With concern, he opened to the most recent entry.

To his surprise, the journal detailed every activity Jiwoon and Taecheon had undertaken together, meticulously logged with specific times.

The records were akin to a business report, using terms like background, objective, progress, and results.

“What is this? A company report?”

– Background: Promote harmony between spouses
– Progress: Initiated dinner (1 hour duration)
– Result: Successfully completed
– Notes: Appears to have a shellfish allergy. Needs adjustment for the next meal.

“Not a single day missed, huh.”

Jiwoon was astonished by Taecheon’s thoroughness.

What a meticulous person, but also quite peculiar.

‘ Yet, he did note my shrimp allergy. Is that why he removed the soy sauce shrimp from in front of me during the last dinner?’

Jiwoon glanced up at Taecheon, who remained impassive.

Indeed, he was an inscrutable robot.

“Have you all finished reading? How do you feel? Have you gained a better understanding of your partner’s inner thoughts?”

“Yes.”

“This week’s task is to write a review of the discussion. Please submit your reports through the reflection journal app. With that, we’ll conclude today’s meeting.”

As people clapped, Jiwoon joined in, still in a daze.

Taecheon clapped precisely, like an actor attending a film festival, even making the applause look stylish.

“Let’s head home.”

“Oh, yes.”

Jiwoon stood up and followed Taecheon, who was already walking ahead.

He overheard other Omegas whispering as they passed by.

“He’s so handsome and dignified. Why is he seeking a divorce?”

“Exactly. He’s nothing like my lousy husband. Why reject an Alpha like him?”

“Who knows? Maybe the Alpha wants to dump him.”

The giggles made Jiwoon angry.

“Excuse me, we’re mutually agreeing to this divorce, okay? No one is dumping anyone!”

His remark silenced the Omegas.

“Hmph!”

‘I’m not the one being dumped!’

Jiwoon lagged behind, scanning the area for Taecheon, who was now talking with the divorce counselor in the distance.

Though he couldn’t hear well, he caught words like “penalty” and “extension.”

Are they talking about extending the reflection period?

“…so if the penalty points reach a certain level…”

“In that case, an extension would…”

Catching snippets of their conversation, Jiwoon guessed what was happening.

Taecheon was meticulously checking to avoid extending their marriage by even a day.

‘But I feel the same way!’

Despite sharing the sentiment, Jiwoon felt strangely bitter.

He didn’t want an extension either, but knowing Taecheon wanted to rid himself of him so quickly left a bad taste in his mouth.

“There you are.”

Just then, Taecheon noticed Jiwoon and walked over briskly.

Jiwoon was momentarily scared he’d been caught eavesdropping.

“Why didn’t you head down first?”

“Oh, I was just… reading this poster!”

Jiwoon pointed to a random poster on the wall.

“How to Safely Navigate Rut-Heat Cycles – Try These Tips!”

It was a national campaign poster.

‘Why did I have to point at this? Damn it.’

Jiwoon cursed his finger but the damage was done.

“Hmm. I didn’t know you were interested in cycle management.”

Taecheon stared intently at the poster, his tone neutral.

“Oh, no, that’s not…”

“I’ll gather relevant information and take necessary actions. Living together, you never know what might happen.”

Taecheon’s nonchalant response only made Jiwoon feel more awkward.

The ride home was filled with silence and awkwardness, broken only by Taecheon.

“Is there anything you’d like to eat?”

Jiwoon wasn’t particularly hungry but didn’t want to skip a meal.

He thought about what was in the fridge.

Some side dishes, a bit of sausage, we already had the Hanwoo beef last time…

“The fridge is pretty empty.”

“How about grilled short rib patties? The housekeeper texted that she made some and left them in the fridge.”

“Oh, really?”

The housekeeper, who regularly took care of their household chores, had informed Taecheon.

“Grilled short rib patties sound good.”

“Let’s have that, then.”

Lee Jiwoon was craving grilled short rib patties and wanted to hurry home.

When he arrived, Seo Taecheon volunteered to cook.

“Take it easy, Assistant Lee. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”

“Really?”

“Why not?”

‘At times like this, he seemed considerate, but other times, it felt like he was afraid I’d wreck the kitchen… I don’t know.’

Lee Jiwoon shrugged and went into the bedroom.

He washed his hands and feet in the bathroom and then sprawled out on the bed.

Staring at the ceiling, he suddenly remembered the painting he received as a gift earlier.

He rummaged through his bag and quickly found the artistic painting.

“Is this really how I look? No way. I’m insanely handsome. No, beautiful, absolutely beautiful.”

‘I always thought I was average-looking, but this… this isn’t just about looks, it’s oddly seductive… Wait. What am I even saying? Talking about seduction like this.’

“Dinner’s ready, Assistant Lee.”

There was a knock at the door.

Startled, Lee Jiwoon quickly stuffed the painting into his desk drawer and went outside.

After eating until he was full, Lee Jiwoon patted his belly and lay down on the bed in the bedroom to write his counseling review assignment.

But when he tried to reach 1,000 characters, he found it hard to think of anything to write.

“Well, I can’t even get to 100 characters, let alone 1,000.”

While Lee Jiwoon was racking his brains, Seo Taecheon sat on the sofa next to the bed, reading a book.

“Director, aren’t you going to write your review?”

“I have to take a call first, then I’ll write it.”

As soon as he finished speaking, his phone vibrated.

“Yes, Mom. What’s up?”

Oh? It’s his mother. Why is she calling?

Seeing Lee Jiwoon’s curious expression, Seo Taecheon got up and went outside.

***

“You’re in Korea? You didn’t tell me.”

-You got married without telling me, too.

“There were some circumstances.”

-What circumstances? Weren’t you a sworn bachelor? How could you just get married out of nowhere?

“I’ll explain everything later.”

Since his mother wasn’t wrong, Seo Taecheon found it hard to argue.

For 31 years, Seo Taecheon had advocated bachelorhood.

He did go on a few arranged dates under parental pressure but always declined politely by his standards, though others found him cold and intimidating.

The trauma of witnessing his parents’ divorce as a child was significant, and he genuinely enjoyed his work. I have to build the company. I’m married to my work and will live alone.

He’d thought that way for so long that marriage never seemed appealing.

Despite questions about why someone with his looks, body, and career wasn’t married, Seo Taecheon remained indifferent.

‘What can I do if I’m not interested in marriage?’

According to his life plan, he should have remained single forever.

But one day, something ridiculous happened.

When Lee Jiwoon nervously walked into his office holding a family registry certificate, he was flabbergasted.

Marriage didn’t require dating or meetings.

Just one administrative error was enough.

Yet he had spent the entire day drawing that omega’s face.

The omega now lying on the bed.

“Life is unpredictable.”

Seo Taecheon muttered after ending the call.

A faint smile appeared on his otherwise expressionless face.