“Sunbae. There he is.”
Yieum, who had been resting with his eyes closed, looked up sharply. Just as Namsu had said, someone was approaching the imported luxury sedan parked ahead of them. Even from a distance, the blood smeared across the man’s face was unmistakable.
They had been trying to meet the head of the organization Yang Taekil belonged to, but the man never showed himself whenever they visited the company. That was why they had ended up tailing him all the way here.
Still, the sight was unexpected.
The man wasn’t some low-level thug. He was powerful enough to be recognized across the country. So who the hell had beaten someone like him badly enough to leave his face like that?
“Looks like somebody beat the shit out of him.”
“Sure does.”
They started the engine and followed the car at a distance.
After driving for a while, the vehicle finally stopped in front of a building with a sign that read Atelier. It was the last place Yang Taekil had visited before his death, and only a few days earlier, the madam who worked there had been brought in for questioning as a witness.
Yieum and Namsu watched from afar.
“This is one of the businesses they run, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then why would he come here?”
Namsu drummed his fingers against the steering wheel.
“Let’s go talk to him while we have the chance. Every time we visit the company, he conveniently disappears.”
After a moment’s thought, Yieum nodded. It would be easier this way.
He reached for his phone and moved to get out of the car, but suddenly his stomach twisted violently.
Ah… what the hell?
The nauseating sensation had actually started back in the parking lot earlier. At first he’d ignored it, assuming it was indigestion from lunch, but now the discomfort had become impossible to brush aside.
He loosened the top button of his shirt, trying to ease the suffocating heat gathering under his skin. Beside him, Jung Namsu stared openly.
“Sunbae-nim.”
“What.”
“You have a really pretty neck.”
Yieum frowned immediately.
“Have you lost your mind?”
“I’m serious.”
Namsu kept rambling, insisting that it was unfair enough for someone to be handsome, but having a handsome neck on top of that was excessive.
Normally, Yieum would’ve laughed it off and told him to quit spewing nonsense. But something about his condition felt wrong enough that he couldn’t even muster the energy.
He hurriedly unbuckled his seatbelt.
“Namsu. Wait here a minute. I’m going to find a restroom.”
“What? Are you sick?”
“I think lunch messed up my stomach. I’ll be back soon, so don’t go in alone. Those people aren’t easy to deal with.”
“I know that. But are you okay? Should I buy you medicine?”
“I’m fine. Just wait.”
Yieum pushed the door open and hurried toward the building.
He searched for a restroom, but none of the doors he checked were unlocked. After going upstairs, he finally spotted a passage connecting to the neighboring building.
Crossing through it, he found an employee restroom with the door ajar.
The moment he stepped inside, he braced both hands against the sink and splashed cold water over his face again and again, trying to steady himself. His entire body trembled uncontrollably, yet at the same time it felt as though heat was burning beneath his skin.
He recognized the symptoms immediately.
Better than anyone.
Yieum pulled a pill from the hidden compartment inside his wallet and swallowed it dry with tap water. The medication didn’t work right away. His knees buckled, and he slid down against the wall.
Why now?
Breathing raggedly, he lowered his head between his knees.
Just then, his phone vibrated.
Assuming it was Namsu, he checked the screen, only to see a blocked number instead. Exhaling slowly, he answered anyway.
“Hello?”
Silence.
“If you called, say something.”
“…”
“Do you need help?”
The call disconnected without a single word.
Yieum stared at the dead screen.
He’d dealt with plenty of threatening calls before—usually from ex-cons holding grudges after serving time—but this was the first time someone had simply listened to his voice and hung up.
He was debating whether to track the number down and scare the idiot straight when the medication finally began to kick in. The feverish heat slowly receded from his body.
After a while, Yieum stood and looked into the mirror above the sink. The redness beneath his eyes had faded back to normal.
Only then did he let out a quiet sigh of relief.
He tore off a paper towel and wiped the water from his face.
At moments like this, he truly appreciated the fact that Namsu was a Beta.
Then again, Yieum’s pheromones were weak to begin with, and his heats were subtle enough that most people never noticed. No Alpha ever had.
No one had ever realized it before.
Thinking that at least was fortunate, he opened the restroom door—
—and froze.
A man stood directly outside.
Yieum’s expression hardened at once. It was one of the subordinates working under the man they had been tailing earlier.
The man lowered his gaze slowly, his eyes traveling from Yieum’s face downward.
Yieum’s stomach churned unpleasantly.
An Alpha?
People always claimed Omegas became weak-kneed the moment they smelled an Alpha’s pheromones. But Yieum couldn’t smell anything at all.
Instead, nausea rolled through him.
Suppressing it, he held his breath and brushed past the man without a word. At this point, it would probably be better to head back for the day.
The next morning, Yieum arrived early at Sehwa Construction and looked up at the towering office building.
Detective Jung climbed out of the driver’s seat beside him, stretching with a loud yawn. The sky overhead was brilliantly clear without a single cloud in sight. Perfect weather for going out.
“Sunbae-nim, is your stomach okay now?”
“How many times are you planning to ask me that?”
“I’m worried. We’re partners. If you’re sick, my heart hurts too. You never appreciate my sincerity.”
“Right.”
“What kind of reaction is that? At least look disgusted. Tell me I’m creepy.”
“Are you some kind of pervert? Enjoying that sort of thing?”
“Everyone has at least one secret preference hidden in their heart. Don’t you?”
“No.”
“You sure? Think carefully.”
Trading pointless banter, they entered through the main doors and crossed the spacious lobby.
As they approached the information desk, the employee they’d met several days ago immediately recognized them and offered a polished professional smile. Her lips curved pleasantly, but her eyes remained guarded.
“Hello. We met the other day.”
“Yes, of course. What brings you here today?”
“You know Executive Director Park Changsik resigned recently, right? We’d like to briefly speak with the employees who worked under him. Ten minutes at most.”
“I’m sorry, but that won’t be possible.”
Namsu stepped forward with a troubled look.
“Come on, help us out a little. We said it won’t take long. Or at least tell us where they are. We can go ourselves.”
“If you bring a warrant, someone will escort you upstairs.”
The employee smiled sweetly the entire time.
Namsu turned away muttering under his breath.
“Shit. Does she think warrants grow on trees?”
Just as Yieum was about to step in and try again, the phone in his pocket rang.
He checked the screen.
Team Leader Oh.
“Yes, Team Leader.”
As he listened silently, Yieum’s expression gradually darkened.
After ending the call, he turned immediately toward Namsu.
“Detective Jung. We’re heading back.”
“What? Why? Did something happen?”
“I’ll explain on the way.”
Yieum strode quickly toward the exit, with Namsu hurrying after him.
As they stepped through the revolving doors, the sound of hurried footsteps erupted behind them.
Turning back, Yieum saw several men in black suits moving briskly across the lobby.
Before he could make sense of it, a black sedan pulled up outside. The men immediately split apart into two lines and bowed deeply.
Namsu snorted.
“What is this, some kind of presidential visit?”
Yieum watched silently as the car door opened.
A long leg emerged first.
Then the man stepped out.
He was tall enough to dwarf the heavily built men surrounding him, with broad shoulders and a solid frame that stood out instantly.
“Namsu. Get in the car. Team Leader’s waiting.”
Even after Yieum reached the driver’s side and opened the door, Jung Namsu remained rooted to the spot.
“Hey, Jung Namsu!”
Namsu pointed blankly toward the man.
“Sunbae-nim… doesn’t he look familiar?”
“What are you talking about?”
“That guy. Look closely.”
Yieum narrowed his eyes.
Among the black suits, one figure stood a head taller than the rest. His hair was slicked neatly back with wax as he strode confidently toward the building, employees trailing behind him in a nervous flock.
“Who does he remind you of?”
“You know. From the other day. The amnesiac. Youngsik.”
Yieum let out a disbelieving laugh.
“Why would he be here? He probably already went home. Quit talking nonsense and get in the car. I said it’s urgent.”
Pressed again, Namsu reluctantly turned around—
“Lieutenant Kim.”
A voice called from behind them.
Yieum turned.
The man who had been surrounded moments earlier was now walking toward them alone, having left the employees behind.
As he drew closer, disbelief spread across Yieum’s face, while Namsu whispered excitedly beside him.
“See? I told you!”
The man stopped directly in front of them.
Dressed in a black suit, he smiled lazily, one corner of his mouth lifting.
“Nice seeing you again. I didn’t expect to run into you here.”
Yieum stared at him speechlessly.
“I assume you’re not here to arrest me over 150,000 won.”
“…”
“And I doubt you came because you missed me.”
“…”
Still too stunned to answer, Yieum simply stood there as though he’d seen a ghost.
The man pulled a business card from his wallet and held it out. Since Yieum remained frozen, Jung Namsu accepted it instead.
“CEO Choi Wonjoon…?”
The moment Namsu casually read the name aloud, Yieum suddenly remembered something his older brother had once said.
[You have no idea how vicious those Sehwa bastards are. If they want something, they’ll do whatever it takes to get it.]
[Are you sure money was the only thing he stole? Look properly. The memory loss was suspicious from the beginning.]
“You seem surprised.”
When Yieum still failed to respond, Namsu jumped in casually from the side.
“It really is you, Youngsik. Seriously, what is going on? You said you went home, and now we run into you here. This is insane. Right, sunbae-nim?”
Choi Wonjoon never took his eyes off Yieum.
“It seems you came here on business. Since you’re already here, would you like to come inside for a moment?”
Yieum finally recovered enough to speak.
“Ah… no. We have to return to the station immediately. We should get going.”
After a brief farewell, he got into the driver’s seat. Namsu quickly climbed into the passenger side beside him.
As the engine started, Yieum glanced through the windshield.
Choi Wonjoon remained standing exactly where they had left him, one hand tucked into his pocket as he watched their car drive away.
Namsu shook his head repeatedly in disbelief.
“Holy shit. This feels like a hidden camera prank.”
Yieum kept his mouth firmly shut, staring straight ahead at the road.
Thoughts crashed through his mind one after another.
Back at home, inside the safe containing his case files, there was still the material his brother had gathered while investigating Sehwa Group last year.
Surely not.
But no matter how much he tried to dismiss it, suspicion continued to coil tighter inside him.