PO 5

Woojeong, who thought he would never return to this place, clasped his hands together anxiously.

The lawyer, who had been tapping at a tablet in front of the parked car, slipped it into his bag and shut the door.

“Let’s go.”

The lawyer led him inside, not through the main entrance but through a small side door of the building. When Woojeong saw the familiar hallway and the elevator, his nerves spiked even more.

“Please get on and go straight up to the third floor.”

After pressing the call button, the lawyer gestured inside the open elevator and stepped back.

“You’re not coming with me?”

“I was only instructed to escort you this far. Once you arrive on the third floor, someone will guide you.”

Hearing that he would have to go alone, Woojeong froze with his hand still pressed against the open button. Even though the lawyer was someone he had only met today, going up without him made him restless.

As the doors closed and the elevator began to rise, Woojeong pressed himself against the wall. There was no time to steady himself before it quickly reached the third floor.

“Mr. Lee Woojeong?”

“…Yes.”

“Welcome. My name is Joo Yeongmo, I serve as secretary to the Executive Director.”

Just as the lawyer had said, another man was waiting in front of the elevator. After confirming Woojeong’s name and introducing himself, he offered a polite escort.

“This way, please.”

The man guided Woojeong toward the room in question. He opened the door with a key card, and once they stepped inside, the broad space that Woojeong faintly remembered unfolded before his eyes.

“Please have a seat for a moment. He’ll be with you shortly.”

“Who is coming?”

Woojeong, glancing around nervously, gathered courage and asked. He had come here to apologize for his mistake, so every move of his was careful.

“The person who asked to see you. He is also the owner of the Snow Reflection Residence.”

“Snow Reflection Residence?”

“Yes. That is the name of this building. You seem very tense, so I’ll bring you something warm to drink.”

The man left before Woojeong could refuse and returned with a teacup, which he set in front of him before leaving again.

As on the day he had collapsed and woken up here, Woojeong was left alone in this unfamiliar place. Perched on the edge of the sofa, he fidgeted with his nails.

What kind of person had called him here? The lawyer had said there would be no legal action, but if the other man wished, things could change at any time.

“Ah.”

He tore at a hangnail without thinking, and blood welled up quickly. The sting jolted him. While he blew on the sore spot, he heard the sound of a lock disengaging.

“…….”

The door opened slowly, and a man stepped inside with the bright light as background.

He paused at the entrance, changed into indoor slippers, and when he lifted his head, Woojeong’s heartbeat surged to its limit.

The man was taller than average and broad-built. He was neatly dressed, but his presence carried such weight that Woojeong felt he would have avoided him instinctively had they crossed paths on the street.

As though he didn’t notice Woojeong, the man walked slowly into the living room. Standing before the sofa, he undid his jacket buttons and loosened his tie knot, and the way he did it seemed to stretch like a slow reel of film.

He sat silently on the sofa across from Woojeong. Leaning against the backrest and crossing his legs, he fixed his gaze on Woojeong. He looked at him without pause like he was observing a subject, and raised one eyebrow.

“Ah, hello.”

The cold expression made Woojeong come back to his senses, he stood up and bowed quickly. When he raised his head, the man gave him a signal to sit with his eyes.

The polished sheen of his suit and his styled hair made him look like a model from an advertisement. His thick eyebrows, deep-set eyes, straight nose, and sharply defined lips combined to form a cold expression that made Woojeong drop his gaze rather than meet it.

“Are you an omega?”

The man’s unexpected question caught him off guard, but Woojeong kept his composure and answered.

“…Yes.”

“You came in here, took your medication, and slept, is that right?”

“Yes.”

“And after that?”

“I don’t remember well.”

“That’s an amusing thing to say.”

The man raised the corner of his mouth. While his gaze rested on the teacup on the table, he suddenly stood up. He slipped off his jacket and tossed it onto the sofa, then moved to a table against the wall. With his back turned, he twisted his head and asked,

“Would you like a drink?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Silence filled the room, and the sound of liquor pouring into a glass rang. The man returned holding a crystal glass filled with brown liquid and sat down in front of Woojeong.

The moment he sat, a faint fragrance spread around them, and Woojeong lifted his head. It was a scent he found strangely familiar.

“You’re the first person to come in here without permission.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“There are many things in this world that can’t be resolved by an apology.”

The man raised his glass and took a sip. The movement with which he set the half-empty glass back on the table was controlled.

“Were you drunk?”

“No…”

Woojeong swallowed and pressed his dry lips together.

“If you weren’t drunk, then what purpose did you have?”

“……”

“You must have had your own reasons. Tell me. What did you do after sneaking into a house with no owner present?”

The man leaned back against the sofa in leisure, waiting for Woojeong’s reply.

To explain, Woojeong would have to admit that he had entered because of his heat cycle and taken a suppressant. But admitting that he had been in estrus in someone else’s private space could only make the man more displeased. After a long time of hesitation, Woojeong forced his lips to move.

“…I hurried into the bathroom to take my medication. I must have fallen asleep while trying to catch my breath after swallowing it, because when I opened my eyes, I was on this sofa.”

“……”

“I’m truly sorry. But after I woke, I didn’t do anything. I was startled… I immediately just ran out.”

Even though he sincerely apologized and explained himself, Han Jaegang stared at him in silence. His gaze was deep and relentless, probing straight through Woojeong’s heart. Then, while turning his glass slowly, he spoke.

“Let’s say this was your house, Lee Woojeong. And someone slipped inside, stayed there for a long moment, and then claimed they had done nothing harmful. What would you do in that case? How would you respond?”

Woojeong had no reply. Even if he had ten mouths, he couldn’t justify it.

“Moreover, this place isn’t just a residence. I work here. There are plenty of company documents that require strict security.”

“I… I didn’t touch anything. I swear…”

“The Night of Charity is held every year. If someone had intended to intrude, there would have been enough time to prepare beforehand. And of all times, the moment you passed by, no guard happened to be there, and the door was left open. Were you sent by someone?”

What the man said was reasonable, while everything Woojeong said sounded like flimsy excuses. His words faltered, and alongside the frustration he felt, tears started pooling in his eyes.

“You truly have no memory of what happened before you woke on the sofa?”

“…I’m not sure. I thought I felt someone in the bathroom, but I can’t remember clearly…”

Hearing Woojeong stumble through his words, the man slowly curved one side of his mouth. A smile appeared on his handsome face, but it felt colder than anger, and Woojeong grew fearful again.

The man took another sip and rotated the glass gently, as though melting ice or savoring the aroma. After a long moment of silence, he spoke.

“When I said I had no intent to pursue punishment, it was on the condition that you confessed everything honestly. If that isn’t the case, then you’ll pay the price you deserve.”

“I, I…”

“Then remember it properly and explain it to me. If I call you, you’ll come here. Mr. Lee Woojeong, that’s your duty and obligation.”

Did he just say that whenever he called, Woojeong had to come here…?

The man delivered the notification while staring at Woojeong, who was too startled to speak. He was smiling, but there was no trace of laughter in his eyes.

•••

The convenience store owner let out a heavy sigh after hearing Woojeong’s words. He couldn’t hide his disappointment at Woojeong suddenly saying he would quit after working without trouble until now.

“Boss, thank you so much for everything.”

“Alright. You should study now and get into college. You’ve done well all this time.”

They agreed that Woojeong would receive his part-time pay separately through transfer. Woojeong bowed deeply to the owner and stepped out of the store. Snowflakes were starting to scatter down from the sky that had been clouded since morning.

Instead of heading straight home, Woojeong turned his steps toward a nearby park. He shoved his hands into his jumper pockets and sat on a bench, staring blankly ahead.

The winter park was bleak and gray. The temperature had dropped suddenly, so there were hardly any people out for a walk. Woojeong thought maybe being in an open space would lighten the heaviness in his chest, but nothing changed.

He pulled the folded paper from his pocket and carefully opened it. His eyes dimmed as he read over the words he had already seen so many times that he nearly memorized them.

“I’ll help you remember. Wouldn’t it help if you stayed in the same environment as that day? So come here, and recall your memory.”

At first, he thought it was a sarcastic remark. Telling him to come to the Snow Reflection Residence to recall memories he wanted to forget didn’t sound sincere. But he realized it wasn’t idle talk the moment he left the room and encountered the man’s secretary.

The secretary handed Woojeong a stack of documents. The papers, which referred to Woojeong as “the second party,” neatly summarized what the man had carelessly mentioned.

The “Statement of Facts” detailed the incident of unlawful entry on that day. Attached to the document that laid out Woojeong’s movements by the hour was CCTV footage showing him, serving as evidence. The other side already had a full grasp of Woojeong’s movements that night.

There were legal provisions listed that could apply in cases of unlawful trespass, but Woojeong couldn’t bear to read through them and flipped to the next page.

The next was the “Agreement.” Beneath the line declaring that “the second party shall faithfully fulfill the requests of the first party,” several items were listed. In summary, the second party promised to come to Snow Reflection Residence at times the first party desired and to perform the actions the first party desired.

The final document was the “Pledge.” It stipulated that Woojeong would never disclose to anyone what he saw or heard in the Snow Reflection Residence and that he would not raise any objection to what was already agreed upon. If he broke this pledge, he would bear the corresponding responsibility. The phrasing was formal.

Woojeong wrote his name where the secretary pointed. Though it was just a few sheets of paper, they felt like a chain tightening around his ankle. The only way to free himself was to recall the memory he had forgotten and explain it properly.

He already had no one he could rightfully consult, and with this pledge, he now couldn’t tell anyone at all.

Woojeong read through the papers over and over until his hands froze, then carefully folded them and tucked them back into his pocket. He rubbed his cold cheeks roughly and stood up to walk slowly across the park.

At that moment, there was no other choice but to comply with what the other side demanded. The best he could do was to recall the memory of that day as quickly as possible and settle the matter quietly.

•••

As Woojeong stepped into the main hall, he heard Kang Eonju’s boisterous laughter. She had been in high spirits lately. Whenever she laughed that loudly, Lee Doyoung was usually at her side.

“I’m back.”

Woojeong greeted as he stepped inside, but not one person turned to look. He was about to head straight up to the third floor when he peeked into the kitchen and greeted, only for Madam Kwak to wave him over.

“Did you eat?”

“I don’t really feel like it.”

“You don’t eat with thoughts. Wash your hands and come take a spoon.”

When Woojeong came back after washing quickly, the two were still glued together in the living room. Kang Eonju laughed shrilly with her phone in hand.

“At the last gathering, she acted all high and mighty, so I bragged that our Doyoung is meeting someone from Hansae Group. Then her face twisted up miserably.”

“Mom, weren’t you close with her?”

“Close? She always went on about how her family has history and pedigree, acting so stuck-up. And didn’t her precious son just make a fool of himself and get divorced? I swear, it felt like a decade’s worth of indigestion cleared right then.”

“Serves her right.”

“There’s nothing else I want except for you to succeed. You know that, right?”

Madam Kwak, who was setting side dishes on the table, cast a quick glance toward the living room.

“Madam seems in a good mood tonight. Looks like Mr. Doyoung really might be getting married.”

“Yes. It looks like it’s going well.”

Even before meeting the arranged partner, Lee Doyoung had already taken a liking to him, and lately he was completely absorbed in him. He sometimes came into Woojeong’s room and poured out stories, so Woojeong at least knew that the two were continuing to meet.

“If it really happens, Madam will make a huge fuss. She’s overjoyed.” Madam Kwak whispered as she lowered a bowl of hot radish soup in front of Woojeong. Steam rose in thick white curls, carrying a savory scent.

“Thank you for the meal.”

“I’ll go check the laundry, so eat.”

He could hear the living room conversation from the kitchen where he ate alone. The arranged partner was a figure impressive enough by presence alone, but he didn’t seem like someone easily handled.

Doyoung, who had never once been the one in the weaker position in any relationship, seemed very dissatisfied with that point.

“I don’t know. He’s too busy. It’s hard enough even setting up meetings, and he already postponed several times. Does he run the whole company by himself or something?”

“Do you think being an executive at such a big company is easy? Do you know how hard it is to run a company?”

“But canceling plans like that over and over is too much. We hardly meet, so how are we supposed to have any proper talk?”

“You shouldn’t think like that. I looked into it, and the projects Executive Director Han is handling now are what will feed that company in the future. If they go through, it’s only a matter of time before he takes over as Chairman Han’s successor.”

“Really? Mom, things will go well for me, right?”

“Doyoung, you’re the only one Executive Director Han asked to see again. Trust your mom.”

Since childhood, Kang Eonju had guarded Doyoung as if he would fly away if left alone, or explode if held too tight. That attitude hadn’t changed even now that he was grown. She coaxed and soothed him with a tender voice Woojeong had never once heard from her.

Woojeong scooped a little rice into his mouth and stirred the soup with his spoon. He chewed, but it didn’t go down smoothly.

The desire for affection was instinct, yet Woojeong had long since abandoned that kind of feeling. Being alone was something he was used to, but at times the fact that there was no one by his side felt crushing.

–Ding.

Just as he forced himself to move his spoon out of respect for Madam Kwak’s care, his phone chimed. His heart dropped. He couldn’t bring himself to check the pop-up on the screen as it flickered and faded, but he finally pick it up.

[This is Joo Yeongmo. Please come by today by 10 PM. Contact me if there are any special circumstances.] 19:01

The moment he read the message, the food he had barely managed to swallow threatened to come back up. Woojeong gulped down cold water in large mouthfuls.