PHUW 150 (End)

He had been completely blank in this area, so blank that he used to study by looking at adult toy sites, so how was he now doing something this lewd without hesitation? Was this a case for the phrase “blue surpasses blue”? No, was it more like “growing more and more spectacular”? “An eye-opening change”? “A shocking surprise”?

Chup.

Whatever the phrase, did it matter? The once-naive puppy was now sucking his cock with a lewd face.

They had done it before, but back then Jeong Mok had been half out of his mind, and they were inside the safety of their apartment. Now, the time and place were different. It felt like doing something bad in someone else’s house.

Just seeing Haeri between his legs made Jeong Mok’s face burn. He thought he might scream if he wasn’t careful, so he covered his mouth with his hand. Hot breath seeped out between his fingers.

Even knowing he shouldn’t, he couldn’t bring himself to stop Haeri. Instead, the soft tongue lapping gently at his shaft threatened to burn away his reason. And Haeri, oblivious, looked up with defiant eyes, like a naughty pup who caused trouble and refused to repent.

“Uuuhmp.”

“Don’t talk with someone’s cock in your mouth.”

Unable to stand it, Jeong Mok buried his face in his palms and begged.

“Haa. I asked if it feels good.”

To be honest, the hot wet pleasure inside his mouth was incredible. But if he said that out loud, Haeri would probably take things even further beyond imagination, so he couldn’t bring himself to admit it.

Just then.

Knock knock!

Someone rapped on the door from outside.

“Uwaaaagh!”

Startled out of his wits, Haeri shrieked and rolled off the bed.

“Haeri!”

Jeong Mok reached out to catch him but missed by a hair.

“Ouch…”

Groaning in pain, Haeri writhed on the floor. Jeong Mok climbed down from the bed, helped him up, and laid him back onto it.

Knock knock!

“Vice Chairman, is something wrong?”

It was one of the household staff.

“Nothing’s wrong. What is it?”

“The Chairwoman is looking for Mr. Haeri.”

Of course. Jeong Mok answered in his stead that he understood. After making sure the staff retreated, he looked over Haeri, who was still groaning.

“Haeri, does it hurt a lot? Did you hit somewhere?”

“The back of my head. Feels like a lump.”

“Let me see.”

He combed through the springy curls thoroughly. Nothing looked wrong to the eye, but under his fingers was a smooth swelling.

“It’s pretty big. Should we go to the hospital?”

The moment the word hospital left his mouth, Haeri shook his head sharply.

“Didn’t they say the Chairwoman was looking for me?”

“Shouldn’t we go to the hospital first?”

“Where’s a mirror?”

Haeri checked his reflection for his clothes. Then, ignoring Jeong Mok’s repeated talk of hospital, emergency room, or calling a house doctor or nurse, he left the room.

“Where’s the Chairwiman?”

“The study’s this way. But Haeri, the hospital…”

“Oh, so it’s this way to the study.”

Leaving Jeong Mok behind still harping on the hospital, he hurried toward the study.

Haeri went in alone. Looking around the study, so steeped in tradition it seemed fit for a historical drama set, he fidgeted until the Chairwoman beckoned him closer.

“You signed that contract without thinking at all?”

“I thought hyung would change his mind. There’s a too wide gap between us. His wealth, and also the age difference…”

With so many conditions stacked against him, the only thing Haeri could claim was his youth. And even then, it wasn’t like the age gap was so huge, or that being younger was anything grand. In society, being young usually just meant being ignored unless you were lucky. But in relationships, even a single year younger made you more desirable, so he made sure to point out that petty advantage.

“Common sense says someone like Jeong Mok wouldn’t take someone like me seriously. And I also learned recently that when I’d lost my memory, he once even tried to throw me out.”

Still holding some resentment, Haeri tattled to the Chairwoman. The Chairwoman slowly shook her head.

“Most people would think that way. But our family is a little different. We may be indifferent about other matters, but when it comes to private life, especially choosing who we live with, we are extremely stubborn.”

In other words, obsession ran in the bloodline. Haeri already understood that well enough, only now realizing it was a family trait.

“You can trust that contract. He’s responsible enough. But if by any chance he changes his mind first, contact me.”

The Chairwoman handed him a card. The front, embossed only with the Hangul name Noh Seongjae, was otherwise blank. On the back, in handwritten script, was a single phone number.

“That’s my direct line. If I don’t answer, leave a message. I’ll take care the necessary measures.”

“Measures…?”

What measures. Did that mean the Chairwoman was declaring she would personally cover it up?

Seeing Haeri’s dazed look, the Chairwoman chuckled.

“You can’t handle Jeong Mok alone.”

Ah. When Jeong Mok snapped, who could handle him anyway?

“That’s what I called you for. Business is done, you can go.”

“Yes! Thank you!”

In any case, Haeri had smoothly cleared the hidden event of a private audience with the Chairwoman and even gained an item before leaving the study.

As soon as he stepped out, Jeong Mok was waiting.

“What did you talk about with the Chairwoman?”

“She just told me to get along with you. And she gave me a card.”

Jeong Mok looked surprised at the card.

“That’s the best kind. She doesn’t hand that to just anyone. Plenty of executives at headquarters don’t have one. Wherever you go in the subsidiaries, show that card and you’ll have a free pass. Especially overseas. If you show it at a local branch, they’ll help you with anything. Of course, within legal limits.”

“Really?”

No wonder the card carried such presence. It felt like he had suddenly become higher ranked than an executive, and he was thrilled.

Having learned his lesson from the sudden knock incident, Haeri went to bed quietly that night. Around dawn, some sly hands belonging to a certain Vice Chairman did roam his body, but he ignored them.

Morning came, and the same group as yesterday gathered again at the dining table. Sharing meals repeatedly with several people made him feel strange. Not that he disliked it. It just felt unsettling, as though he really had a family now.

“So how did you even get that contract out of him? My husband cried his eyes out when I made him promise responsibility, but you’re a little different.”

Choi Jieon asked.

“I’ve lived a life with no one to rely on… when I worked part-time, there were a lot of times I didn’t sign a contract and then didn’t get paid.”

“There are still such crooked bosses nowadays?”

What kind of divine comment is that, noona. Well, she really was from the heavens.

“They don’t just exist, they’re everywhere.”

“You’re smart though. When I heard you dropped out in middle school and couldn’t even write the alphabet properly, I thought you were really dumb. But you just didn’t study.”

…Why was even Jeong Mok’s noona hearing about this.

Haeri shot a glare at Jeong Mok next to him. He frantically shook his head. That left only one suspect. Sure enough, across diagonally sat the Professor, who avoided his eyes. Ah, Professor. He hadn’t thought you were so loose-lipped.

“You’re really charming. No wonder Moki fell for you.”

“Really?”

“Moki always liked people with a temper. Song-i was like that too. Back then there was no one with a nastier temper, and there still isn’t.”

He had just tossed out a polite reaction, but Jieon actually took it seriously and brought up Jeong Mok’s past.

“Song-i?”

Baek Seunghyeon, sitting nearby, asked.

“Oh. Jeong Mok’s ex-girlfriend.”

“You said you never had a girlfriend! You lied?”

Haeri knew already it wasn’t true, but deliberately snapped. Jeong Mok panicked.

“No, Song-i wasn’t like that…”

“Don’t tease him too much. He’ll cry again.”

The Professor intervened, standing up and fetching a frame from somewhere. Inside was the Song-i they had seen before at Janggun’s house, alongside an elementary schooler. That was Jeong Mok? Haeri stared hard at the boy in the picture. His height and build were so small as to be unrecognizable compared to now. But the blunt expression was the same.

“That’s Song-i. Companion and emotional support dog.”

“What’s an emotional support dog?”

At Haeri’s question, Jeong Mok answered.

“A dog trained to help stabilize people with mental illness.”

“Ah.”

He had already heard that Jeong Mok had gone to child psychiatry for a long time. The fact that there were dogs that helped with psychiatric treatment just made him think it was admirable. But the looks people gave him were complicated.

“Why are you all looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?”

“No. Nothing.”

Choi Jieon shook her head. Jeong Mok also said it was nothing.

“But doesn’t he look similar?”

Baek Seunghyeon, feeding milk to the baby, compared the photo of Song-i with Haeri.

“True.”

“I thought only the fur was familiar, but the temper’s the same too.”

Even the Chairwoman added.

“Our Mok’s a pine tree. Didn’t realize, but he’s been standing tall and alone.”

Jieon burst out laughing, then suddenly grew serious.

“Don’t tell me you liked Song-i that way?”

“You’re insane…!”

Jeong Mok shouted, then hurriedly lowered his voice. Luckily, the baby wasn’t startled.

“Stop with the disgusting talk. Song-i’s my little sister.”

“Then that’s fine.”

“Watch your mouth. It’s embarrassing in front of the new family.”

“She can’t understand speech yet.”

Jieon shrugged about her child.

“She’s not the only new family.”

The Chairwoman gave Haeri a look.

“Um, can I take this photo?”

“Why?”

Jeong Mok asked.

“Because I like it.”

Bzzzz. A phone vibrated. Everyone naturally checked their own, and the lucky one was Jieon.

“Oppa! Big news!”

Though the caller was someone else, Jieon was the one to make a fuss first.

“Jeong Mok’s all grown up now! Aaadult! Who would’ve thought. I thought my baby cousin would stay soft and fluffy forever, but when did he turn into such a dark, burly man? Do you know who it is with? Yes, that’s right. It’s him. Ahn Haeri. Shocking, right? Surprising, isn’t it? Ha, should’ve noticed long ago it was going this way.”

“Wait a minute.”

Flustered, Jeong Mok stood up from his seat. But Jieon was faster. She slipped out of the sofa and ran, but with his overwhelming advantage in leg length, Jeong Mok quickly caught her.

“Hey! Choi Jieon!”

He rushed up and clamped a hand over her mouth.

“Mmff! Mmph!”

“You’re dead, seriously.”

Jieon pounded on his arms locked around her from behind.

“When will my kids ever grow up. It’s embarrassing to act this way in front of the new family.”

The Chairwoman sighed. Next to her, the Professor chuckled.

It really was a mess of a household, hardly like a chaebol family. But Haeri didn’t dislike it. On the contrary, he liked it. So this was what family was.

“Why are you smiling?”

The fool who had just won the childish phone tussle asked, looking at Haeri.

“Nothing. I just like it.”

“Really? If you like it, then I like it too.”

Then, right in front of everyone, Jeong Mok kissed Haeri with a smacking peck.

“Ugh! What are you doing in front of family!”

Jieon recoiled.

“Do that when it’s just the two of you. Ruins my appetite.”

The Chairwoman grumbled after.

“Why? Looks fine to me. Should we try it too?”

The Professor broke character at the Chairwoman.

“If you want a kiss, start by asking me out first.”

Even the Chairwoman was out of her mind.

Waaah.

The Hyeonsan third generation, who had been quietly drinking milk until now, suddenly made her presence known. At that, the rookie father Baek Seunghyeon flustered, “Our princess! Did you poop nice and clean?”

Bzzz. Bzzzzz.

On the table, Jeong Mok’s phone rang. The caller ID read “Scam Fugitive.” His face scrunched as he hit the receive button and said, “Yeah, hyung.”

It was complete chaos.

Watching the dizzying scene, Haeri realized that from now on he would never again have a day of being alone and lonely in his life.

For the first time, he was glad he had been born.

He was glad he had stubbornly survived against the world’s constant blows.

He was so very lucky that day to have been struck by Jeong Mok’s crowbar.

…Or maybe not? Cancel that.

Anyway, meeting Jeong Mok made him genuinely happy.

Ahn Haeri, accident magnet and abandoned orphan, had finally found his happy ending.

<End>