CH 8

Vibrate vibrate vibrate



I slept well for a long time without even dreaming, possibly due to the medication, and woke up to the constant vibration of my phone.



Uncle again?



I was about to become irritated when I noticed the name [Mapo Bridge High School Kid] on the screen. With my eyes closed, I answered the phone.



“What? I’m sleeping, so if it’s not urgent, call me later.”



– Hey, Hyung, what time is it, and you are still sleeping?



When I looked at the time, it was 2:00 PM. I returned early in the morning, so I wasn’t overslept at all. If I’m going to wake up after only a few hours of sleep, the sleeping pills will be a waste.



– Did you sell the watch I gave you?



“No, not yet.”



– What’s written on the back of the watch? Look at it now.



“Damn it, you’re so annoying….”



– Ah, hurry up~



As soon as I woke up at Choi Sung-hyun’s prompt, my head was throbbing and I stopped.



The cold hasn’t changed and my nose is stuffy, so I’m not sure if the inhibitor was effective. At the very least, the fever has subsided.



– Hyung, are you looking at it?



“Oh, wait.”



I walked slowly to retrieve the watch that I had placed on the desk.



“Back?”



– Yeah. What’s the English word say?



I read the embossed letters on the back of the watch.



“Happy 17 -Mom-“



– Ah, damn it. I’m doomed.



“Did you get it as a present?”



– Yes, from my mother.



It looks like it! It says Mom.



– Give it back to me. To be honest, I don’t mind if I don’t have it, but my father does. I’ve been collecting things from my mom since she left.



I paused for a moment before answering.



“Okay. When should I give it to you? I have time today.



-…Hyung, When you aren’t fully awake, your voice is more docile…



“What the heck, do you want me to break your watch?” 



Choi Sung-hyun laughed out loud when I threatened with a cracked voice.



I decided on the time and location and then went into the bathroom. Before I started washing, I grabbed a big brush.



There is a bathtub in our bathroom. My mother was the only one of the four of us who liked lower half-baths. My mother, who owns a stationery store, takes a day off every two weeks to soaks in the bathtub, but on holidays, she always bathed before going out. The day before her day off, my father and brother would take turns to clean the bathtub. I had never cleaned the bathtub before, but now I do it every weekend.



There is no one to use it right now.



‘I’ve been collecting things from my mom since she left.’



I remembered Choi Sung-hyun’s words as I washed the foam in the bathtub with water. The Alpha Brothers’ mother has also passed away.



The psychopath gangster-like man also lost his mother. I began to understand the rude words and actions at the time, thinking that perhaps the sadness had caused a defect in empathy.



My family also took my feelings to the underworld.



Many parts of me disappeared with the death of my family.



Maybe Choi Sung-Hoon is like that…



I went to the appointment wearing only a hood and a coat. Choi Sung-hyun asked me to meet him in front of Nonhyeon-dong restaurant for a meal, but I didn’t have time. I need to do some housework and sleep. There is also the possibility of my heat.



Since I’m facing a dominant Alpha, I used a pheromone remover just in case. It comes in the form of a pill, and when you take it, your body’s pheromone glands stop working for about a day. The symptoms are a high fever and a headache, but my head is only throbbing and my fever is not high. Anyway, I’m a person with extreme heat, so this type of weakness comes naturally to me.



I’d gotten into the habit of arriving at least 10 minutes before the appointment time, so I was on time this time as well. I was standing in front of the restaurant, and the hall was packed because it was almost dinnertime. A couple had just arrived and were sitting in the waiting area. They were flirting with each other while holding each other’s hands. 



Come to think of it, all the people passing by were couples. They were wearing couple mufflers or gloves, hugging each other because it was cold, and kissing each other whether anyone was looking or not. Well, good for you. My sides are cold…



I’ve gone far too long without a lover. I can’t go on living this lonely life. I’m going to have to find a lover sooner rather than later. If anything, among my ex-lovers.



“Are you Seo-yu ssi?”



I was looking at the contact information when two men in black suits suddenly approached me.



“Yes, that’s right.”



“Sung-hyun is waiting for you.”



“We were supposed to meet at this restaurant.”



“Follow me.”



These bad-looking men who were standing next to me tried to drag me away.



When I was told to move into the black Mercedes-Benz parked on the side of the road, I did so with ease and detected the alpha pheromone. It meant that despite my blocked nose, it was strong enough to sniff.



I moistened my lips and clenched my clothes. This is because I suspected Choi Sung-hyun would not be alone in the place where the Mercedes-Benz would arrive.



I unbuttoned the coat and straightened the crumpled hoodie. I also rushed through arranging my damp hair because I hadn’t dried it.



I was thinking about not washing up because I was in a bad condition, but I’m glad I did.



If I, an omega who is suppressing estrus with medication instead of the inhibitor, inhale the dominant Alpha pheromone, the dam that I barely blocked may break.



Nonetheless, neither Choi Sung-hoon nor Choi Sung-hyun has directly exuded pheromones, so everything will be fine. The psychopath older brother and the immature younger brother have are proper manners in that aspect.



If that man runs into me again today, I would say he is 100% interested in me.



Unlike other people, with an unobtrusive attitude, such as ‘You are the first person to speak against me’, or ‘I want to protect you after hearing about your suicide attempts and sad past.’



After all, interest is something that can sprout anytime and for any reason.



Maybe it’s all in vain and there’s only a bunch of high school kids who have no idea how scary the world is. I’m sure that my instincts are correct in this regard.



Of course, it wasn’t in vain.



The Mercedes-Benz arrived in front of a building with an English sign that was difficult to read due to the cursive writing. When I got out of the car, an elderly secretary I’d seen before greeted me, and as I walked inside the building (which felt like a luxury club under his supervision), a large room appeared.



It was a room with red carpeting. On the right, there was an exhibition hall with a poker table and a billiard table, and on the left, various wines and champagne were displayed.



Choi Sung-hoon sat cross-legged on the leather sofa, looking straight ahead, as usual, with his bodyguards in black suits surrounding him as if protecting him.



Choi Sung-hyun was nowhere to be seen.



Also… 



This man is interested in me.



I love people’s casual interest in me.



I sat across from him smiling.



“Hello. Nice to see you again. Sung-hyun’s older brother. You must have come instead of  Sung-hyun.”



Then he nodded and shifted his gaze to the air in front of me, which wasn’t exactly me.



What is it?



“Have you eaten?”



“No, I haven’t.”



“Let’s eat salmon. You ate deliciously last time.”



“What? When did you see me eat? I like it but…”



“I’ll be the one to pay for it.”



“Thank you for buying it.”



I could hear a low laugh.



This is the first time I’ve seen this person laugh. I don’t know why he was laughing.



“Then I’ll hang up now. Please take good care of Director Kang.”



I soon found out why he was laughing.



Choi Sung-hoon pulled out the wireless earphones that were plugged into his ears with a smile hanging from his lips.



There is only one thing I can do in this desperate situation.



I found a string to hang myself on.



I got up from my seat, took off my muffler, wrapped it around my neck, and walked around looking for a place where I could hang it. 



Choi Sung-hoon asked, “What are you doing now?”



“Hold on a minute. I’m going to kill myself.”



Another low laughter was heard.



“Do you like salmon dishes?”



“Don’t make fun of me. You’re going to make this kind of mistake someday in your lives.”



“I’m not teasing you.”



Choi Sung-hoon, who quickly returned with an expressionless face as if he had never laughed, brushed aside my suspicions and commanded his bodyguards.



“Tell them to add salmon dishes.”



“…Yes, boss”



That’s right. There were not only us in this space but also a lot of bodyguards. I will remember every face of the people who saw my ugliness and erase my memories of today by beating myself up late at night…



I raised my head to look for any signs of laughter on their faces, but to my surprise, they were not laughing. They were surprised and confused, so they exited the room to carry out the instructions.



What had them so surprised? Is it because it’s strange for the cold boss to meet such an idiot?



“Now sit down. Don’t kill yourself…”



“… If you forget about it, I’ll sit down.”



“I can’t promise you  that.”



Fuck… It would be fine if you just say yes.



I grumbled as I sat in my seat. The fever, which had only just subside began to rise and I fanned my hands.



“What happened to Choi Seong-hyun, and why did Hyung-nim come?”



“I heard he was locked up at home. My father must be very angry.”



“Ah…”



It must be because of the watch.



Although it is not my fault, I am saddened. I quickly took the watch box out of the crossbody bag.



“I’ll return this to you. For your information, I had no idea his mother had given it to him.”



“Yes, I know. This is Choi Seong-hyun’s watch.”



In exchange for the watch box, Choi Sung-hoon offered me paper envelopes.



Is this a gift card because I said I couldn’t afford car repairs with cash?



I glanced inside. one is placed in a bag



I peeked inside. It looked like a gift card, but I couldn’t see it well. It’s kind of bad to take it out right away and check it, so I put it in my bag for now.



When I looked up and saw Choi Sung-hoon throwing the watch box roughly to the sofa over there. I was freaked out.



“Handle it with care! He said it was given to him by his deceased mother.”



“You mean this watch?”



“Yes, but what happens if it gets scratched? Even though it’s still in the box…”



“My deceased mother?” 



When Choi Sung-hoon raised one eyebrow, I felt it.



I’ll be ashamed of myself again.



“Choi Sung-hyun said that his mother had gone away…so your father collects items given by your mother.”



“… She went on the world trip with her college friends. She is currently in Germany.”



“My father is someone who cannot live without my mother, so he tries to comfort himself with things from my mother.”



Shit… The father of such a ruthless gangster is a pitiful husband who can’t even wait for his wife to return from her vacation!



In an instant, a fever surged from my neck. Choi Sung-hoon gazed at my reddened face and then turned his head for a little while. He then pressed his clenched hand against his lips.



Is he trying to hide his smile? Is he holding back his laughter?



“You could be mistaken. Are you going to kill yourself again?”



“No!”



I exclaimed and made a hasty excuse.



“It’s because I caught a cold. The cold is so bad that I have a fever and can’t stop coughing.”



Choi Sung-hoon nodded calmly, but I was prepared to run if I was asked what the shameful things I had done in a row and what a cold had to do with it.



“I understand. You have a cold. That’s possible.”



This man, he’s not very rude.



“Hmm. However, if you have a cold, you will not be able to drink today. It’s a shame because I had something good prepared.”



Choi Sung-hoon raised his big body and walked to the wine display case. He took out a wine that looked luxurious and shook it slightly at me as if asking how does it sound.



Of course, even if he recommended makgeolli, I was going to say yes.