CH 13

I hurry down to the first floor so I can get off work on time. Because it’s so close to a deadline for them, the General Affairs department is extremely busy. I notice Department Head Lim running. I wave my hand at him, but he doesn’t seem to notice. Instead, the faces that protruded like moles stared at me. I’m embarrassed.

“Who are you…?”

“Ah, I’m Kim Joo-hyuk from Customer Management Team 1. I’ve come to find Ha Won-ssi.”

“Oh, Ha Won-ssi.”

The employee looked me up and down and gestured. It’s rude to scan people so openly. I groan inwardly and follow the employee.

Ha Won has an inner cubicle. One partition has something resembling a small dog figure attached to it. Pink and yellow post-it notes are also attached in a cute way. Employees in the area are sneaking a peek around Ha Won. Ha Won’s head is thumping on the desk, seemingly lost in his work.

“Ha Won-ssi. You have a guest.”

“Oh, Deputy Kim!”

Ha Won raised his head. There are chocolates and snacks on Ha Won’s desk. Ha Won looks embarrassed and puts the snacks aside.

“Are you done already? I’ll be done soon as well…” 

“Should I wait outside?”

Ha Won shook his head. The employee who guided me tapped Ha Won on the shoulder and said,

“Ha Won-ssi, you can go now. The rest can be done tomorrow.”

“Yes, then I’ll go first…”

“Deputy Kim Joo-hyuk…”

The employee scrutinized me once more. And he then snorted. He touched Ha Won’s shoulders with a proud look and huffed,

“A Beta?”

At least I know that this guy isn’t a Beta. Only Alphas look down on Betas this way.

Sometimes there are Alphas like this. The supremacists that look down on Betas and Omegas. I don’t understand their logic. However, it appears that such people believe that Betas are incompetent and that Omegas are subordinate to Alphas.

That’s a stupid idea. Alphas, and even Omegas, can live prosperously. So can Betas. 

A Beta’s life compared to an Alpha and an Omega is extremely stable. They are not influenced by pheromones, they lead a rational life without estrus, and they pay a small amount of health insurance.

Betas are the standard.

“Then you must be an Omega.”

I purposefully say what Alphas despise the most. My opponent bit his lips, indicating that my provocation was successful. I deliberately take a step closer to the person. He is shorter than me. I notice my opponent flinching.

“Take good care of your pheromones.”

I notice Ha Won hastily packing his belongings. Ha Won’s bangs cover his eyes. I inadvertently brushed Ha Won’s bangs to the side. Ha Won raised his head to look at me. We exchange friendly smiles. He reminds me of my gorilla at home.

“I’m a Beta so I wouldn’t know how.”

“All right, let’s go. Let’s get going, Deputy Kim.”

Ha Won pushed my back. Ha Won pushed me out of the General Affairs department. I can see him taking a deep breath.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“Oh, why did you do that? He’s a really scary chief.”

“How would I know that?”

Ha Won grabbed my sleeve and dragged me out of the room. I laugh as I walk across the lobby.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I did it because it seemed like he was looking down on me as a Beta.”

“Good job.”

The nape of Ha Won, who took the lead, had turned crimson red. Ha Won’s skin quickly became red because of his white skin. Ha Won dragged me aside and asked,

“How did you know he was an Omega?”

“Omega? I thought he was an Alpha.”

“You also look like an Alpha.”

Ha Won looked back at me. A smile was forming on his lips.

“Do you take the subway to your house?”

“Yes. I take Line 2.”

“There must be a lot of people right now. Let’s go eat something delicious first.”

Ha Won hooked onto my arm. I just walk out of the revolving door. I can see the top of Ha Won’s head right in front of me.

“I really hate Alphas.”

“That’s not hard to do.”

“But I was thinking earlier that it would be nice if Deputy Kim was an Alpha.”

Ha Won leaned his shoulder on my arm before pulling away.

“Then I thought it would be easy to start at least.”

Ha-won raised his head to look at me. His light brown eyes glistened.

I’m taking Ha Won home today.

I hope I didn’t make the wrong decision. I’m just trying to help Ha Won, who has a stalker. I’m really just trying to help.

Ha Won and I are still staring at each other when I hear a honking sound. We turn our gaze to the source. A dark vehicle pulled over to the side of the road. It’s a well-known sedan. This is an executive car.

As expected, Director Lee walked out of the car. The way he brushed his hair back is like a painting. He walks up to us with his long legs.

“Are you off work now?”

“Director, are you going home now as well?”

“I was waiting for someone.”

Director Lee smiles as he looks at me. If there is an answer to good looks, Director Lee fits it to a T. I think I’m getting a headache.

All of this would have thrilled me if I was an Omega. A handsome Alpha waiting for me. But I’m a Beta. A boss waiting for me. It’s hell.

Director Lee, who was smiling, lowered his gaze.

“Looks like you have a companion?”

Ha Won came between Director Lee and me.

“What.”

I put my hand over Ha Won’s mouth. Because he is a contract worker, it seems that he does not know Director Lee. He is the one who pays your salary, you know.

“Ha Won-ssi, you can’t do that.”

I lower my head and whisper something into Ha Won’s ear. Ha Won pulls my hand off his mouth.

“Director, this is…”

“I know. Ha Won. Dongwoo Food Group’s famous Omega.”

An unexpected word came out of Director Lee’s mouth, and a halo appears behind Ha Won. It’s the halo of wealth. Then Ha Won suddenly punches Director Lee on the side with his fist.

“What is busy Alpha doing here?”

Director Lee quickly recovered and pushed Ha Won’s forehead with his finger.

“You’re speaking like a scoundrel. I was waiting for you. Why aren’t you answering your phone?”

Oh, he was waiting for Ha Won, not me. My face heated up. This must be the thumping heart disease Ki-do mentioned before.

Ha Won shot a glare at Director Lee.

“I’m busy, Si-hyun hyung.”

The two seem to be having a little staring contest, while at the same time avoiding eye contact. Director Lee smirked. Dozens of romance movies play in my head. An Alpha waiting for the Omega. Are they dating?

Director Lee said he likes me.

Is he thinking of having an affair with Ha Won right in front of me? I’m not familiar with Alpha’s sexual tendencies; however, given the precedent of Department Head Seo, it is not impossible.

I haven’t heard that Ha Won has a lover… but he seems to hate Alphas.

Perhaps there was a different story behind it. The movie theater in my head is now playing a noir movie at 10x speed. It turns out that the largest shareholder of our company is Dongwoo Foods. Director Lee Si-hyun battles the forces of darkness that control and shake our company’s funds. Ha Won the Omega is one of them. The bloodbath of the business world.

Ha Won appeared in the scene. How should I say it, he had been a coworker up until this point, but it turns out he wasn’t. I sensed an aura that I couldn’t grasp. He had the appearance of a boss.

Come to think of it, it was weird. A contract employee suddenly came during the off-season. The chief had left, but a new employee had been hired. Furthermore, it was an Omega. A huge puzzle was being put together in my head.

Ha Won may be an important person. No, he must be an important person. Maybe an industrial spy. Perhaps my imagination is going too far.

“You don’t have to do this here. Let’s go for now.”

Ha Won meekly walked over to Director Lee’s car. Looks like Director Lee will accompany him regardless of my intentions. Who wants to listen to my opinion? I want to go home now. Allow the two people to be alone.

Ha Won naturally opened the back seat door.

“Please go in first.”

“Kim Joo-hyuk likes the passenger seat.”

Director Lee opened the passenger door. I use my social skills to the best of my ability and nod my head.

“I’ll sit in the passenger seat.”

The answer will always be power. I better follow my boss. Though, Ha Won looks like he is sulking.

“Let’s go, get in the passenger seat. You like the passenger seat, right?”

Director Lee urges me by emphasizing the passenger seat. As I get into the car, the dead air suffocates me. Ha Won crossed both his arms and legs. It appears that he is dissatisfied with the arrangement. Director Lee made eye contact with Ha Won through the mirror.

“Where are you going? Home?”

“… ”

“Where are you going? Ha Won.”

“He is going to my house. Today, Ha Won will be sleeping at my house.”

Director Lee is staring at me with widened eyes. The car moves forward with ease.

“Uhm, Director, you should look to the front…”

“Oh, right. I have to look ahead. Safe driving. Penalty. Are you two close?”

“Yeah, well… We are getting along well.”

“Won, you didn’t cause any trouble, did you?”

“Ah, hyung!”

Ha Won grabbed the back of the driver’s seat.

“Why is Ha Won going to Kim Joo-hyuk’s house today?”

When Director Lee asked that question, it did not feel like a question. More like a demand. Ha Won responded in hushed tones.

“Because of the stalker…”

“Then why are you going to Kim Joo-hyuk’s house?”

Director Lee asked again. Ha Won was shifting in his seat as he looked in the rearview mirror. I had no idea they were so close.

“This hyung already decided to investigate about the stalker problem.”

“Why, hyung?”

“Should I just turn a blind eye when my dongsaeng said he was being stalked? I got a call from Aunty and she said she is worried.”

“You can just report it to the police.”

He already reported it to the police. Ha Won was being stubborn. Seeing them quarreling, they seemed like pretty close friends.

“Then why are you going to Kim Joo-hyuk’s house? He is a Beta… never mind.”

“Be quiet.”

“Come to my house today. Don’t bother Kim Joo-hyuk.”

“… ”

Ha Won leaned against the backrest. I raise my head and speak up.

“How do you two know each other?”

“Oh, Ha Won is my cousin. My cousin.”

I nod as I look back at Ha Won. I need to stop playing movies in my head! It’s more ordinary than I expected. Among the school ties, regionalism, and blood ties, turns out it really is blood ties. Money flows through their blood.

“Everyone in my house is an Alpha except for my mother. Strangely, only Alphas were born. I’m an only child. Alpha. All of my cousins ​​are Alphas. But…”

“I’m the only Omega,” Ha Won said in a dissatisfied voice.

“Thanks to that, he received a lot of love, and the family spoiled him a lot. That’s why I think his personality is a bit crooked.”

Director Lee laughed. I think it’s the right time to laugh together, but I can’t. My face muscles are tense. I want to go home.

“You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Since it’s like this, Joo-hyuk-ssi, would you like to go to the restaurant that we were planning to go to on the weekend?”

“You two were going to meet this weekend?”

Ha Won poked his head forward. Director Lee warned Ha Won that it’s dangerous. Ha Won and Director Lee appeared much younger than usual.

I can’t think of anything to say. I’m indebted to Director Lee. But I decided to repay it by getting him a meal. There is no logic. I don’t know what I’m supposed to say about this bizarre situation.

“Because I wanted to eat together. Kim Joo-hyuk and I decided to become friends. Right?”

“Did I say that?”

“We were drinking. You said you want to be friends with me. And then I said let’s do that. Don’t you remember?”

“I did?”

I don’t remember at all. Director Lee was smiling. He may be lying. But I didn’t say anything about that. There’s no way I would ask Director Lee, who isn’t even a deputy, to be my friend. That’s a level of courage I can’t get with just alcohol.

“Did you two have a drink together?” Ha Won asked. 

The topic kept shifting towards me. I’m going to change the topic. A story that will catch the two’s attention…

“I think having a stalker is a bigger problem.”

Somehow, the words began to come out with a harsher tone than I intended. My spine tingled with dread. I’d rather discuss dinner. We talked about Hawaiian food for dinner, right? I’m really looking forward to it. I like shrimp. Shrimp. I think I was a whale in my previous life.

“Shouldn’t you solve that problem first?”

Maybe calling the police. However, the police said they are unable to help. That’s a really big problem. Then you have to solve the problem yourself.

It’s too late. I’m at a loss. I’m at a loss for words. There is no one here to help me. We must put an end to it in some way.

“What would be the best solution?”

Please feel free to present your opinion. It’s quite a show. It is not a news program. I should not have opened my mouth at all. I heard that if you stay still, you’ll end up in the middle, but I’m not sure how far I got. Ha Won makes me nervous. Ha Won has his gaze fixed on me. Maybe Ha Won knows how I feel. My heart was beating uncontrollably while trying to change the subject.

“I think it’s someone you know,” Director Lee said calmly.

“Hyung!”

“Don’t you remember that time? There was a guy who liked you and said he’d die without you.”

“Ah, hyung!”

Director Lee smiled as he looked at me.

“Joo-hyuk is here too, and I shouldn’t have said that. Maybe it’s because our Won is so beautiful that bad things sometimes happen.”

“That’s a big problem.”

“There were people who rushed to imprint on you… Maybe that’s why you like Betas more than Alphas. All of your ex-lovers were Betas, right?”

Ha Won’s expression in the room mirror is solemn. I think it’s odd. Ha Won’s preferences had already been determined. I’m not the type to gossip about other people’s preferences. Only as long as I’m not the intended target.

Director Lee looked into the room mirror and grinned.

“Do you want me to be quiet?”

“Please.”

A smirk formed on Director Lee’s face. Kim Joo-young comes to mind. I’m going to ask her what she bought with her allowance. If I don’t ask, she won’t talk. It’s pointless to raise a younger sister.

“We’re almost there. By the way, speaking of dating, do you know what, Won?”

Director Lee changed the subject, his lips still curved in a smile.

“Kim Joo-hyuk has said that he will never date.”

Director Lee looked me in the eyes. Front, front, please look in front.

“Never.”