AOA 90

“What’s this about?”

Baek Mugyeong had reserved a conference room in the lounge of the hotel where he was staying. Since it was a public meeting space, one wall and the door were glass, making the inside clearly visible.

He had arrived first, and the moment I stepped in and closed the door, he cut straight to the point.

The man didn’t even sit down. The atmosphere made it clear he wanted to get this over with and leave. I remembered how he had threatened me last week to run away. Compared to that, this was a very mild attitude.

I didn’t sit either. We stood on opposite sides of a long table, facing each other. It struck me again how tall and broad Baek Mugyeong was.

Physically, I had no chance of winning in a fight with him. But more than that, what got to me was the pressure he exuded as an alpha. Other alphas’ pheromones just came across as scents, but for some reason, his always made me react more intensely.

Even so, I didn’t want to look scared. This was exactly the kind of moment when I had to speak up properly.

My heart pounded with tension. Still, I had practiced what I wanted to say over and over for this moment. Steeling myself, I looked Baek Mugyeong straight in the eyes.

“About what you said, about going overseas. Did you mean that?”

“Yes.”

His answer came firm and unwavering.

“What if I say I won’t go?”

“Jeong Minchae. What exactly are you trying to do?”

“It’s not just about my brother’s medical bills. My biological father, he might try to hurt my brother or aunt. Please take care of that. Then I’ll go abroad like you want. Hiring bodyguards isn’t enough. They can’t stop a hit-and-run. He could come at them with a motorbike or something.”

This was the bare minimum. My father was cruel enough to threaten lives to get what he wanted. He was the kind of man who’d hurt my brother or aunt just to lure me back from a long stay abroad.

“What about studying abroad? With your aunt?”

“I asked my brother. He said no. He doesn’t speak English and doesn’t want to live somewhere with no friends. I know it sounds like he’s being picky, but still, making my brother leave Korea just because you don’t want to sleep with me, that’s messed up, isn’t it?”

Right now, I was bluffing.

Baek Mugyeong had more power and money than my biological father. If he were the kind of person to use that power to threaten lives, I wouldn’t even be arguing right now. I’d already be on a plane with my brother and aunt.

But thankfully, Baek Mugyeong wasn’t that bad. He was rational, even kind, as Jaeha had once said.

I was counting on that and boldly stating my conditions. If he wanted to send me abroad, then he should find a way to guarantee my brother’s safety.

I kept my eyes steady and locked on his. Baek Mugyeong’s lips curved up slightly, in amusement, not mockery.

“Do you understand what you’re asking of me right now?”

“The safety of my brother and aunt.”

“You’re asking me to make sure Chairman Jeong doesn’t step out of line.”

I was startled by his words. But when I thought about it, he was right. And honestly, it was a good idea. If anyone could keep my father in check, it was Baek Mugyeong.

“Exactly. Don’t tell me you can’t.”

I intentionally provoked him. If he pushed back and said it wasn’t his problem, that would be the end of it.

I kept my tone steady, but my heart was still racing. This was the time to be shamelessly persistent, but it wasn’t easy.

“Is that supposed to be a provocation?”

“Uh, yeah.”

He gave me a strange look, somewhere between a frown and a smile.

“There’s evidence that Jeong Guhyeon has used drugs. You asked me for it before. I could just use force, but honestly, the drug charge will be more effective.”

“Oh…!”

“He’s in the US right now, but this will still work.”

“That’s great.”

I remembered the time I broke down crying in front of Baek Mugyeong and begged him to find evidence of my father’s drug use. I had completely forgotten about it. But it seemed he had come through.

I almost smiled at my own foresight. Still, I worked hard to keep my expression in check so I wouldn’t look weird.

“But… is it okay to use it now? Drug use is something he can prepare for, given time.”

“Well… it’s not like he can quit cold turkey, so it’s fine.”

Even if we used the drug charge now, as Baek Mugyeong said, my father would eventually find a way to counter it. But I couldn’t say that out loud. Highly addictive drugs would always be a weakness. It meant we could use it again later.

I gave Baek Mugyeong a look, like, ‘right?’ and he smiled again, faintly. It was surprisingly expressive for a man usually so stoic and indifferent.

“Are we done here?”

It sounded like he was telling me to leave now. But I’d said everything I came to say. And since he agreed to stop my father, there was nothing left to fight over.

So I should’ve just said goodbye and walked out. But there was still one more thing I wanted to ask.

Was it okay to ask this?

It might piss him off. But if I didn’t ask now, I might never get the chance.

“I have one more question.”

“Go ahead.”

“The reason I have to leave Korea… is it really because you don’t want to have sex with me?”

“…Jeong Minchae.”

Baek Mugyeong said my name in a warning tone. But his reaction was delayed. He must have been caught off guard.

“I just want to be clear.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to have sex with you. It’s that I do.”

“Wait… what?”

“I’m asking because I’m genuinely curious. You seriously can’t control yourself?”

“Jeong Minchae.”

“You could just sleep with another omega. Someone safe, like you mentioned. Isn’t that enough?”

The second warning was sharper than before. But I didn’t let it stop me. I said what I needed to say.

Ever since I parted ways with Baek Mugyeong last weekend, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I kept trying to convince myself that I had no choice but to leave Korea, but it was infuriating.

This was Baek Mugyeong’s problem. He got aroused when he saw me, lost control because of pheromones. That wasn’t my fault.

And trying to solve that by pushing me out of the picture? That was tyrannical. Shouldn’t he be the one to deal with his own issues?

As I let my frustrations out, Baek Mugyeong furrowed his brow. He clearly didn’t like hearing this.

“Other omegas… ha… if your goal was to piss me off, congratulations. You did.”

“I don’t want to go somewhere I don’t speak the language or know anyone either. But I get it, I have to. And I’m sorry I told you to sleep with someone else. I was just really upset.”

I had said everything I wanted, but I finally backed down when Baek Mugyeong stared at me with a stone-cold expression. If he changed his mind and decided to be cruel, things would get really hard for me.

“Jeong Minchae.”

“Yes.”

I responded to his third call. This time, I figured he’d tell me to leave for real.

“I don’t cheat either.”

“Okay.”

“And I don’t get aroused by other omegas.”

“Okay. …Wait, what?”

I was so shocked I repeated myself like an idiot. I must have looked completely dumbfounded.

He doesn’t get aroused by other omegas?

That felt… significant. It was only natural that a question popped into my head.

“Do you like me?”

“…”

As soon as I said it, I knew I’d messed up. I wasn’t the kind of person to blurt things like that. Especially after regressing, I’d been trying so hard to be careful about everything.

But I was so shocked that it just slipped out.

Oh no. Oh god!

I screamed in my head. This was one of those moments you remember and cringe over for years.

“That was nonsense. Just pretend you didn’t hear it.”

“I don’t like you. I like your body.”

“…?”

What kind of weird answer was that to a dumb question? I blinked in confusion.

“Uh…”

Sure, there’s a difference between liking someone and liking their body.

Even if I could accept that logically, embarrassment washed over me again. My face burned with the urge to crawl into a hole.

“Th-then you should just sleep with me. I mean, it’s not like you hate it. And then I wouldn’t have to leave the country…”

I was so flustered I just started saying anything. But once I said it, it didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

We had already slept together a few times. It was always under unavoidable circumstances, but the sex itself hadn’t been unpleasant. No, to be honest, I’d enjoyed it.

So couldn’t we just keep doing it every couple of months?

What the hell am I even saying right now? It felt like I’d lost all control. But once the words were out, there was no taking them back.

“Wouldn’t that… be okay? Can’t we?”

I added softly, just in case.

Baek Mugyeong moved.

He came around the long table in a few long strides. I stupidly wondered if he was heading for the door to let me out.

But instead of grabbing the door handle, he took my hand.

“Um…?”

“Do you think I was just talking nonsense when I told you to run?”