PO 25

[Lee Woojeong-ssi is going up now.] 09:15 p.m.

After reading the message that appeared on his phone, Han Jaegang quietly lifted his wine glass and brought it to his lips.

On the table in front of the sofa, there were foods to snack on. They were prepared for the one person who would soon arrive.

“It has been a while.”

Woojeong had only come to Snow Reflection Residence a handful of times. Even when he came, all he did was sit quietly on the sofa.

But strangely, many traces of him lingered in this space. Every time Han Jaegang returned late at night and turned on the light in the dark space, he felt a strange emptiness.

It was absurd, one young omega was disturbing his daily life. It had been the same on that day when he had an attack.

The doctor had warned Han Jaegang several times that his current state was like living with a time bomb inside his body. But since there was no fundamental way to resolve it, what could he do? He had grown more and more desensitized to the warnings.

The moments when his heart gave him trouble always came without warning. This time, pain in his chest had started just when he was on his way back from his grandparents’ house. Seizing on the brief lull when the pain lessened, Han Jaegang barely managed to hail a taxi, and as soon as he reached home, he swallowed medicine first.

Just because the chest pain began didn’t mean it immediately turned into a seizure. He picked up his phone and scrolled through his contacts.

At such times, it would have been natural to call Joo Yeongmo or Kim Junghyun first, but Han Jaegang left only a short message for Woojeong, then leaned his body back on the sofa and closed his eyes.

How much time had passed after that? When a sudden wave of intense pain crashed over him, Han Jaegang bent down and clutched his chest. He thought he wouldn’t be able to get through this one with luck.

As he barely held on to consciousness and tried to grab his phone to contact anyone, he heard the sound of knocking at the front door.

–Knock knock.

Swaying from the pain and the medicine, he managed to rise and make his way to the door. When he opened it, Woojeong stood there, carrying his distinct cool scent. What he felt at that moment was difficult to describe in words.

Just like now.

“Hello.”

“You came? Come in.”

Han Jaegang welcomed the guest who had come to the Snow Reflection Residence after a long time. Woojeong stayed guarded against him, but he passed by his side and went in naturally as if he was familiar with this space.

In the place where he had passed, the scent of his pheromones faintly lingered. That refreshing scent vividly brought back the night when he had pushed Woojeong against the wall and buried his face in his neck.

When he had instinctively sought the omega’s pheromones, it had been no different from when he was in rut. Woojeong, frightened by his rough actions, had hidden his pheromones completely, which tormented Han Jaegang.

When he thought he had to take more medicine, his knees were already giving way weakly. His heart pounded as if it would explode, and his consciousness grew dimmer.

With his eyes closed, Han Jaegang listened to Woojeong’s voice that quietly reached him. He was calling him with a trembling tone, and he was asking where he hurt and showing concern.

At the same time, the scent of his pheromones was slowly returning. As he leaned on that fragile and soft scent to ease the pain, Han Jaegang pulled Woojeong’s hand and placed it on his chest.

When the cool touch of his fingers reached his body, which burned with heat, he felt like he could live. His mouth dried from instinctive pull.

“Uh..Director, why are you standing there?”

Woojeong’s voice brought him out of his thoughts. Han Jaegang slowly went back to his seat and told him to sit.

“It is nothing. Sit down.”

“Yes.”

“You must be hungry, so eat.”

Woojeong, who sat properly on the sofa, gave thanks, but he didn’t look like he meant to eat. Han Jaegang offered him alcohol in jest.

“Do you want a glass of wine?”

He thought he would refuse of course, but unexpectedly, Woojeong nodded. When Han Jaegang filled a new glass and handed it, Woojeong received it with both hands.

Then he emptied the wine glass like he was swallowing bitter medicine. Surprised by the unexpected sight, Han Jaegang lifted the bottle and checked it discreetly. It wasn’t as strong as whiskey, but the wine he had poured was fairly high in alcohol content.

“There is plenty of alcohol, so drink slowly.”

When he poured him another glass, Woojeong emptied it once more. After downing several glasses in a row, Woojeong rubbed his lips with the back of his hand. His lips looked redder than before, maybe because the alcohol was working through him.

“Are you alright?”

Woojeong was suddenly acting like this, he always strayed a little from Han Jaegang’s expectations.

Even when Han Jaegang had forced him to recall memories that he couldn’t even remember, instead of giving up, Woojeong had shown effort. When he had lain pretending to be asleep beside him, he had suddenly opened his heart.

Even on that day when Han Jaegang had lost control, Woojeong had stayed near instead of pushing him away and running. Did he even realize what might have happened if the men Joo Yeongmo sent hadn’t knocked at the door.

“How was the workshop class?”

“Everything was just amazing.”

“What was so amazing about it?”

“When I messed up and ruined something, the artists changed the shape completely just by touching it. And to make something directly with such hard metal plates was really….”

Woojeong, who had unknowingly started rambling about the workshop, trailed off. Thinking that he had said something unnecessary, he wrapped up his words roughly.

“…It was fun.”

After that day, Woojeong’s phone had stayed off. At first Han Jaegang had brushed it aside, thinking it had only been switched off briefly, but even after days it hadn’t turned on.

When he asked Lee Doyoung in passing about Woojeong’s condition, he dodged with the answer that his younger brother had been unwell lately.

As contact was cut off one-sidedly, Han Jaegang grew restless and set someone to watch Woojeong’s house. They watched day and night for several days, but Woojeong didn’t step out of the house even once.

Han Jaegang used Yoon Hyunjun’s party as an excuse to draw the two of them out. Woojeong, who had been said to be sick, appeared perfectly fine. When asked why he hadn’t been reachable, he said that his phone had broken.

“Adorable.”

Han Jaegang laughed and filled Woojeong’s glass again. Flustered by his words, Woojeong hurriedly raised the wine glass to his lips. This time he had meant to drink only a little, but without realizing it, he emptied the glass.

His head ached, and he felt the intoxication rising. He ignored the word “adorable,” telling himself he had misheard it from being drunk, or that it hadn’t been meant for him.

Woojeong had something he wanted to say to him today. Thanks to the alcohol, his nerves loosened a little, and his words came easier.

“The gallery class… I heard it was arranged by you, Executive Director.”

“There just happened to be a class at the workshop Hyunjun runs, so I mentioned it, that was all.”

“Thanks to you… it was really fun. Thank you.”

To change the subject, Han Jaegang lifted the bottle. At his look that asked if he should pour more, Woojeong silently held out his glass.

The truth was, the reason Woojeong drank here was to create an excuse. When he got home, he planned to say he had met Junho briefly and drunk with him, and that was why he had been late.

Even with that excuse, he would of course be scolded, but it seemed better than saying he was with Han Jaegang

“I am the one who should say thank you.”

“Why?”

“Because that day, you saved me. I called you today to thank you.”

Woojeong thought it was lucky that he had drunk until he was tipsy. Because when Han Jaegang spoke of that day, it became bearable to just sit and listen.

“It may sound irresponsible, but that day my body wasn’t normal. And because you were beside me, I couldn’t control it.”

“……”

“Like when rut comes, there was nothing else in my head. So everything that day was my fault. The fact that we kissed, the fact that we almost crossed the line.”

Woojeong raised his hand and covered one ear. He couldn’t tell if the heat at his ear came from intoxication or embarrassment.

“You made a mistake that day. Because you were sick, that’s why….”

Woojeong busied himself avoiding his gaze, then he lifted his glass and gulped down the wine that remained.

“I never said it was a mistake.”

“What?”

“I don’t have a habit of grabbing just anyone. Even in a moment like that.”

As the wine he swallowed moistened his parched mouth, it caught in his throat, and he suddenly coughed. The glass in his hand shook, and wine spilled over the rim.

“Ah, I am sorry.”

Woojeong hastily set the glass down. But the red wine had already streamed down his hand and soaked the carpet on the floor. Woojeong quickly picked up a napkin to wipe the floor, but he froze when a hand gripped his shoulder.

“Leave it.”

Han Jaegang, who came to his side, seated Woojeong back in place and took the napkin from his hand. After placing the napkin on the table, he picked up a thick wet towel from the tray and carefully wiped Woojeong’s hand.

“Since I couldn’t reach you, I thought you were avoiding me because of that day.”

Holding Woojeong’s hand, he cleaned between his fingers with care. Woojeong, who blankly let him hold his hand, stammered as he tried to explain.

“My phone really broke, so it wasn’t that I avoided you on purpose….”

“Your brother said your health was poor. Were you very sick?”

“… I just caught a cold.”

“I see. It got here too.”

After finishing wiping his hand, he pointed to the wine stain on his pants. When the hand holding the wet towel touched his thigh, Woojeong, startled, grabbed his hand quickly.

At that moment, their eyes met. The atmosphere suddenly became tense and it made Woojeong swallow a breath.

As Han Jaegang blinked slowly, his gaze dropped. He was looking at Woojeong’s lips. Woojeong tried to retreat, but Han Jaegang was faster, holding his wrist.

“You said you weren’t avoiding me.”

“……”

“Do you know a cold passes faster if you spread it?”

Han Jaegang whispered as he moved closer before Woojeong could answer. Soon warm breath fell over Woojeong’s lips. Han Jaegang, looking down at Woojeong’s eyes wide with shock, closed his own.

The scent of wine escaped through Woojeong’s lips, which had parted unconsciously. Each time Han Jaegang tilted his head closer, he felt his warm breath brushing on his face.

When Woojeong didn’t move away, Han Jaegang released the wrist he had been holding. He wrapped his hand around his heated neck and slid the tip of his tongue into Woojeong’s parted lips.

His tongue intertwined with Woojeong. The sensation of biting and releasing his lips, and the feeling of drawing Woojeong’s timid tongue into his own, were ticklish and sweet.

Reluctant to let go, Han Jaegang overlapped their lips several times, stealing Woojeong’s breath. When their joined lips parted with a moist sound, Woojeong let out a trembling breath.

As clarity suddenly returned, his hands began to shake.

“…I want to go home.”

“Now?”

“Yes. I, I am too drunk… I am sorry.”