“Executive Director-Appointee Lee Jaeho.”
“Why.”
“…”
“…Why, sir.”
He answered curtly, then, seeing Jaeha’s terrifying look, hastily tacked on honorifics. He darted glances between me and Jang Taegun.
“Why are you acting like that? Come over and greet him.”
“…”
At Jaeha’s words, Lee Jaeho hesitated with an irritated look, then sidled toward Jaeha and Jang Taegun. With two dominant Alphas standing side by side staring at him, his Adam’s apple bobbed as if he were nervous.
Reluctantly, he opened his mouth.
“Good day, brother-in-law. First time since the wedding.”
But as if uninterested in the greeting, Jang Taegun looked back at Lee Jaeha. He seemed about to speak to Jaeha.
That was when Lee Jaeho added, with another sneer,
“But calling you brother-in-law is a little awkward, isn’t it. It’s not like I’m one of your organization.”
“…Lee Jaeho.”
Jaeha spoke his name in a low, sunken voice, but perhaps because he disliked being ignored ever since he’d opened his mouth, Lee Jaeho started posturing like he was tough.
“Come on, think about it. It’s fucking funny.”
He let out a coarse laugh. It didn’t last. Because Jang Taegun started laughing.
Hands shoved in his pockets, head tipped back a little, laughing big—on him it looked incongruous. Even Jaeha turned to stare, blankly.
“…Why are you laughing?”
As Taegun laughed, Jaeho’s mouth slowly flattened and he asked. Taegun answered plainly.
“I laughed to make a good impression, since it sounded like my brother-in-law was joking.”
“…What are you—”
“Isn’t it proper to make a good impression on your spouse’s family? Hey, Myungsoon. Am I wrong?”
From behind, Myungsoon answered in a deep voice, “You’re right, boss.” Lee Jaeho’s face flushed red. Realizing he was being mocked, he looked ready to blow.
Taegun took a step forward. Forced back by the approach, Jaeho retreated.
But the distance was short, and he was caught up quickly. Looking at that, Taegun spoke, face showing no feeling.
“You said it was fucking funny.”
“…”
“Then why am I the only one laughing? Makes me feel fucking left out.”
He stared straight at Jaeho. With the sensation of a predator with palm-sized fangs peering at him from up close, Jaeho’s eyes quivered.
But Taegun didn’t step back. Jaeho had no choice but to drag up the corner of his twitching mouth.
“Ha… ha…”
He forced a laugh. He forgot about his attendants behind him, forgot they were in the middle of a hotel lobby.
All he could think was that if he crossed this man, he’d be crushed to death under his feet. He had only wanted to lightly mock Jaeha and his spouse.
He had wanted to ask if, after all that choosing, this was all he’d picked—a thug bastard. He had wanted to say he’d suck dry that precious Yushin you cherish. Why the sudden marriage. Questions he could have asked Jaeha directly didn’t make it out of his mouth.
But as if mockery had a price, the man was looking down at him with eyes so black and glossy it was frightening.
A human face usually showed expressions with emotions readable there, but his didn’t. Cold sweat prickled on Jaeho. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
Then Jang Taegun thumped his hand on Jaeho’s shoulder.
“Laugh often, brother-in-law.”
“…”
“It’s good for cancer prevention.”
…Did I just get health advice…? He stared at him, blank, and Taegun had already turned, palming Jaeha’s back to usher him along.
By the time shame and humiliation had flushed Jaeho red and blue, only he and the long line of attendants were left in that lobby.
“…Team Manager Jang.”
Jaeha snapped back to himself. He’d been shepherded out of the hotel and was a little rattled.
He hadn’t expected Taegun to respond to Lee Jaeho like that.
Not because Jaeho had been rude, but because it felt like he understood Jaeha’s irritation.
Before he could say a word about Jaeho’s shamelessness and lack of manners, class, and decency, Taegun had stepped in and vented that feeling for him.
Even for Lee Jaeha, who’d lacked for nothing, there was deficiency. Not once had anyone spoken for him.
He had had a fixed station from birth, and keeping such a station was naturally lonely. Even if something unjust happened, bearing it alone was practically a duty.
For such a man, what had just happened was the strangest thing.
Someone speaking in his stead—this was his first time. Of course, he had excellent legal counsel, but they hadn’t spoken for his feelings.
It meant this was the first person to read his feelings and move first. For what he had, he was too easily moved.
If people had known he wanted that, they would have rushed to speak for him; but even he hadn’t known he would be moved by such a thing.
It sparked love, out of the blue.
Before, he had only wanted to have him; now, he found him lovable. Those mountain-like shoulders walking just ahead. A faint wild-rose scent drifted on the breeze.
Drawing a breath, he spoke to Taegun. He felt that he shouldn’t just let him go like this.
He wanted to be a little brave. He was grateful that, sensing his displeasure, Taegun had driven off Jaeho.
He could have handled that on his own, but Lee Jaeha’s world consisted only of things he could do; in such a world, someone who stepped in for him, even when he could, became precious.
“Um, Team Manager Jang. Are you headed somewhere?”
Only then did the Alpha walking ahead turn back to him.
His face read, Ah, right. You were there. As if he had just now remembered Jaeha existed. Jaeha faltered a bit, then decided to be a little braver.
He knew Taegun disliked him for the backroom dealing with Jang Changsik, but today felt different.
Taegun stopped walking and asked him,
“Why. You want to come along?”
“Ah, not that…”
He wanted to suggest dinner together.
His heart felt like it would burst, and the words wouldn’t come easily; still, he thought he should at least try to say it once. He worried he looked strangely nervous for once.
Watching his lips part, Taegun waited with patience. Or seemed to.
Just as the pounding in his chest settled a bit and Jaeha was about to continue—
“How can you leave me behind, Team Manager Jang.”
It was that Omega from before. He’d stopped paying attention because he hadn’t seen him for a while, but suddenly he came up, grabbing Taegun’s forearm, and it made Jaeha feel odd.
“Why cling. You’re annoying.”
Taegun said it without expression. He didn’t look annoyed at all. Jaeha tried to find even a hair’s breadth of irritation on his face but saw none.
All he did, with that same unbroken blank face, was peel the Omega’s hand off his arm. Then he looked back at Jaeha and asked,
“Why start talking and stop. Dying of curiosity or what.”
“Ah, no, it’s not that…”
He absolutely didn’t mean die. A little flustered, he shook his head and parted his lips. The man drew a faint line between his brows and came in close.
The distance between them shrank in an instant. What reached him first was the wild-rose scent.
Jaeha felt a little dizzy without meaning to. Looking down at him, Taegun spoke in a low voice.
“Then what. You don’t even want to come with me, so why keep calling me.”
Ah… So I shouldn’t call him? Drunk on his scent, head a little fogged, Jaeha thought that.
Somehow, in front of Jang Taegun, he felt a little dumber than usual. Struggling to collect himself, he moved his lips and, mustering courage, said,
“…If you have time, maybe we could have dinner together…”
“Okay.”
The answer came before he finished. He was about to ask, I suppose you can’t? and bit his tongue.
Even though it stung, whether he’d really heard that mattered more. Startled, he looked up at Taegun; the man was staring straight at him with a blank face.
Eyes narrowed as if in suspicion.
“Was that bullshit?”
“N-no.”
Bullshit? Absolutely not. Flustered, he shook his head. Taegun gave a short nod and added,
“If you’re done here, go home and wait. I’ll be off soon too.”
“…Yes.”
He nodded and answered. Then clicked his tongue at himself—why do something so inefficient.
A nod or an answer—either would have done. But Taegun looked down at him with an unreadable face and hummed in his throat.
“Hey, Myungsoon.”
“Yes, boss.”
“See your brother-in-law home. Make sure he doesn’t stray anywhere.”
…Brother-in-law? Does he mean me. Jaeha went a little faint at that but answered before he knew it.
“It’s all right; I’ve got attendants with me too…”
“So what. They don’t have eyes?”
Well… they do. Why…? Blinking at the senseless question, he couldn’t make out the meaning.
Without looking at him, Taegun pulled a pack from his pocket and bit down a cigarette. His dry-looking fingers were nicked with small cuts. They were more the hands of a site laborer or a carpenter than those of a mid-tier company manager.
Hands that had held tools a long time. They gripped the white stem of the cigarette. Jaeha swallowed and exhaled a tiny breath, as if someone had taken him by the nape.
Jeonggil, who had been standing behind the whole time, suddenly thrust out both hands. His fists were so big they’d hidden it, but there was a Zippo lighter inside. A small flame jumped in his palm.
He lit the tip, drew in until dimples formed in his cheeks, and breathed smoke as he said,
“Right. They’ve all got eyes. And you look especially pretty today, so for safety’s sake, take Myungsoon’s car.”
“…Pardon?”
“Go straight home and stay put. Your spouse is off to make money.”