ATGRA 64

Nam Jungyoon looked like he was about to grab the back of his neck and faint. This is why people of the Taeyangin constitution shouldn’t get angry. It all leads to heart and brain diseases.

“Is this how someone who knows acts?”

Anyone would think he was Jung Pureum’s spokesperson. I found Jung Pureum impressive all over again. He’s the deputy director I hired, so why is this bastard on Jung Pureum’s side?

I couldn’t tell if I lacked virtue or if Jung Pureum was just highly respected.

I clicked my tongue and rose from my seat.

“It’s because I know.”

“…”

“Pureum is a national athlete now, you know? If he does well, he’s a kid who could bring glory to the country by winning a gold medal. His future is bright, is what I’m saying.”

So why would I create a stain called ‘me’ in his life? It would be different if Jung Pureum were my mortal enemy, but I like him too.

What if Jung Pureum’s pheromones become unstable again like before, just from being around him without a care? What if they become unstable right before the Olympics and he gets banned from competing? The problems don’t end there. What if a scandal breaks out when commercial offers are flooding in after he wins a gold medal?

Although people are more tolerant of sports stars’ scandals now than in the past, Korea was still conservative in that regard. At least a few of his commercials would be cut. That means a loss in the hundreds of millions of won.

It’s fine if I suffer a loss. I’m used to such losses, and even if someone criticizes me, I can just brush it off by saying, “Yes, next bigot!”

But Jung Pureum can’t suffer a loss.

He has already gone through a mountain of trouble because of me. Starting with his alpha manifestation at the college entrance exam site, he was dragged into training he didn’t need to go to, and on top of that, he was even banned from competing in the selection trials.

“Jungyoon-ah, you’re an alpha too, so you know.”

“…”

“I shouldn’t be a stumbling block in his life, let alone being helpful. It hurts my pride, but I could get Jung Pureum in trouble just by visiting his school once by mistake.”

Saying this out loud made me feel miserable too. Ah! What on earth is this trait that it’s tearing Jung Pureum and me apart!

“…Okay, if that’s what you think, Sunbae, then I can’t help it.”

Nam Jungyoon seemed to be somewhat persuaded by my words. Nam Jungyoon had also been leaving work 30 minutes late because of me and Jung Pureum, so it was understandable why he was being so nosy. It’s natural to be frustrated when you keep getting off work late.

With a heart that embraced everything, I looked at Nam Jungyoon with a pleased expression.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I don’t know, you punk. It’s because I’m proud of you.”

“Forget it, I just feel frustrated whenever I see you, Sunbae.”

Nam Jungyoon, scrunching up his face like a crumpled plastic bottle, pounded his chest. He really seemed frustrated.

“To think that a man who would burn down his entire house to catch a flea is my sunbae…”

What’s with this guy? I was just feeling proud of him, and he ruins it at the very end. He doesn’t give me a chance to end on a heartwarming note.

I immediately started the second round of a childish argument with Nam Jungyoon. A fierce battle of “What do you know!” versus “What don’t I know?” ensued. It was like a battle between a spear that pierces everything and a shield that blocks everything.

“You’re probably the only crazy person in this world who’d go on a blind date thinking they should ruin another alpha’s life rather than Jung Pureum’s…”

“I am pretty amazing.”

“That’s not a compliment.”

“This is why it’s useless to raise a deputy director.”

Of course, the final victor of this meaningless and childish argument was me. I waved at Nam Jungyoon as he withered and walked out of the director’s office.

The blind date my mom introduced was, literally, ‘my mom’s friend’s son.’

He had been famous for being handsome since he was young, had a good personality, and was deeply filial, and on top of that, he was so good at studying that he got into medical school. He was older than me, but he had even opened his own private clinic at a young age.

And on top of that, his specialty was dermatology… As long as K-beauty doesn’t go bankrupt, he’ll never be out of a job. It’s far from the medical romance my mom dreams of, but there’s no doubt that he’s a good catch by anyone’s standards.

First of all, the fact that his dermatology clinic was in the middle of Gangnam was impressive in itself. The rent here must be no joke. I also have specs that I’m not ashamed of anywhere, but I felt a little intimidated.

Bright morning sunlight poured through the front glass window of the cafe. As I drank the coffee of the day, which cost 8,000 won a cup, I slowly began to have doubts about this blind date.

Doubts I didn’t have even when Nam Jungyoon tried to stop me. Now that I was actually here, everything felt unsettling. Especially every time I remembered that my date was a Western medicine doctor, I felt bad. A Western medicine doctor in our family…

I had no intention of getting married, but my grandfather and my mom didn’t seem to mind that my blind date was a Western medicine doctor. How could they? A Western medicine doctor entering a family of oriental doctors is like an invasive fish species entering the Han River, isn’t it?

“Mr. Moon Yeonghwa?”

A pleasant baritone voice called my name, preventing my thoughts from continuing. I just lifted my head and looked at the person who had called me.

…The invasive species is handsome?

For a moment, I doubted my eyes. A guy as handsome as Jung Pureum was looking at me.

My mom’s friend’s son was not only the director of a dermatology clinic in the middle of Gangnam, but he was also handsome. Seeing the glossy shine on his skin, I could see why the dermatology clinic he ran was doing so well. It was insane. If the director’s skin looks like this, of course, customers would trust him.

I suddenly remembered the dermatology clinic Lee Seolwoo had introduced me to. They were good there too, but the director’s face didn’t inspire this much confidence.

While I was inwardly thinking, ‘Isn’t my mom’s friend’s son a scam?’, the handsome invasive species extended his hand to me.

“I’m Park Sungjin. You’re early. I thought I’d be the first to arrive.”

Fortunately, his name was ordinary. I would have been freaked out if the handsome invasive species’ name had also been flashy. I shook hands with Park Sungjin as a matter of courtesy.

I had also arrived about an hour earlier than the appointment time, but Park Sungjin had also arrived about 30 minutes early. For an alpha who looks like that, is a dermatology director, and is also mannerly. I became a little confused. What is this? Is this guy not an alpha?

“Ah, I should have bought the coffee.”

“Not at all. I’m the one who came early.”

“Please let me buy dinner. I should have come a little earlier. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”

Park Sungjin sat down in front of me as if he were used to it and led the conversation.

I thought I would just show my face, check my condition, and then leave, saying something like, “What, you have an emergency patient? How could that happen!”, but contrary to my expectations, the blind date wasn’t very uncomfortable.

It wasn’t as comfortable as when I was with Jung Pureum, but Park Sungjin also seemed like a pretty good person. Well, he was my mom’s friend’s son, so he was a guaranteed human being.

“You’re an oriental doctor, right? I saw you on the Gongjindan broadcast.”

“Ah, yes.”

“I thought you were amazing when I saw the broadcast. I’ve always been interested in oriental medicine… The fact that you developed such a Gongjindan was really impressive.”

“I see.”

“It’s an honor to be able to meet you like this.”

Park Sungjin was also very sociable. Thanks to him, I became more and more confused. The appearance of a decent alpha following Jung Pureum and Nam Jungyoon. There are three unicorns in the world? This was a sign of the apocalypse. Did global warming get so bad that alphas came to their senses?

The more I recognized that Park Sungjin was a good person, the more uncomfortable this situation became. Because even though all the conditions were good, I didn’t feel any romantic attraction to Park Sungjin.

In fact, even with Park Sungjin in front of me, Jung Pureum’s face came to mind. Looking closely, I still thought Jung Pureum was better looking.

“Did I, by any chance, make you uncomfortable?”

When I started shaking my leg without realizing it, Park Sungjin keenly noticed my state. I quickly shook my head. Since Park Sungjin was my mom’s friend’s son, I couldn’t tarnish my own mom’s reputation.

“It’s not that… It’s just that this is my first time in a situation like this. I’m sorry.”

“Not at all. It’s my first time too.”

Seeing the good-naturedly smiling Park Sungjin made my chest feel tight.

Just then, as if it had guessed my feelings, my phone, which was on the cafe table, vibrated. The three words ‘Jung Pureum’ appeared on the screen.

I pressed the reject call button. Seeing as he called me out of the blue at this hour, it seemed he had finally found out about my blind date. There was no way Ms. Kim Miyoung or Nam Jungyoon would have kept this a secret from Jung Pureum.

“If it’s an urgent call, it’s okay to take it.”

“It’s not. It’s just a call from an acquaintance.”

After that, I continued to move awkwardly like a broken robot. If Park Sungjin had been a little more passive, this blind date would have been a disaster because of me.

However, Park Sungjin visibly took a liking to me. It was a strange thing. I wasn’t a dominant omega, and I clearly didn’t have a likable personality. But he was consistently kind to me.

It’s true that I take after my mom and am quite handsome, but compared to other omegas who could pass for idols, I was about average. If you were to compare Park Sungjin and me on the same level, objectively speaking, I was lacking.

“By the way, your scent is very nice.”

“Pardon?”

“…Ah, it’s not that strong, but your pheromones seem to be unstable. Since we’re sitting face to face, I can smell it. Is it sandalwood?”

Moreover, it seemed I was still clumsy at controlling my pheromones. Either that, or it was a side effect of overdosing on the herbal medicine that completely suppresses the heat cycle.

I smiled awkwardly and slid my chair back slightly. Regardless of what I did, Park Sungjin still had a smiling face.

“Shall we move now? I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I made a reservation at a restaurant I frequent. Is a Korean set meal okay with you?”

“Yes…”

I was fine when Jung Pureum said I smelled like sandalwood. But when Park Sungjin mentioned my pheromones, my mood soured drastically.

Thanks to that, as time went on, everything became clearer.

…It seems I’m screwed.

Looking at it this way, it became certain. I didn’t like Jung Pureum because he suddenly turned into an alpha. Even with a guy who was handsome, from a good family, a dominant alpha, and even had good manners in front of me, my heart didn’t flutter. I didn’t feel any attraction due to his trait or hierarchy.

I liked Jung Pureum just because he was Jung Pureum. To think something like this could happen in the world.