RACA 18

“Hmm…”

Eunsol sipped the fish cake broth he’d prepared beforehand to soothe his numb tongue. The seasoning was so fiery that a few spoonfuls barely made a dent.

“Ahh, that’s better.”

Only after lifting the bowl and drinking half the broth did the heat finally subside. Then he found the courage to tackle the remaining tteokbokki. Picking up a rice cake and popping it into his mouth, he tilted his head in puzzlement several times. This really wasn’t like him.

After finishing his meal, he began cleaning as usual. He’d become fairly proficient by now and had developed his own routine.

First, he threw open all the windows. Next, he tidied up the living room and then moved from room to room, organizing things. After that, he’d finally get to use the cordless vacuum cleaner he’d been pestering Jaebeom to buy.

When Eunsol complained that there was only a broom at home and his back hurt every time he swept, Jaebeom gave him a look that said, “What a strange thing to say.”

Then he immediately ordered his subordinate to buy his a cordless vacuum cleaner that emptied its own dustbin and could even mop floors.

Eunsol, who secretly wanted a robot that cleaned on its own, casually mentioned it. This time, an even more absurd response came back.

“No way. Riding that thing around is dangerous.”

Recalling that moment, Eunsol’s brows furrowed.

“What the hell does he take me for!”

After teasing me about being seven last time, does he really think I’m a little kid?!

“Then are you a pervert?!”

Eunsol stomped his foot, recalling how Pyo Jaebeom dragged him into bed every night. Then he darted his eyes around, checking his surroundings.

“Ugh, seriously. What am I saying…”

He blushed at his own imagination and rubbed his cheeks with his hands. It wasn’t just his imagination, Pyo Jaebeom had indeed been making him move every single night since that day.

At first, Eunsol had been awkward and flustered, letting him lead the way. But now he wasn’t just being swept along; he could even keep up with his rhythm to some extent.

“No way! It’s all because of pheromones.”

Why compare Alphas and Omegas to beasts? Because they’re dominated by pheromones. It means he couldn’t refuse him not because he had feelings beyond mere attraction.

Yes, Eunsol had harbored a one-sided crush on Pyo Jaebeom for a long time. Of course, he’d simply realized his feelings long ago, he never intended to express them.

“Haaah…”

He tried desperately to make excuses, but the embarrassing events that unfolded night after night for a week remained unchanged, so Eunsol let out a long sigh.

Why must my thoughts drift there again!

Shaking his head vigorously, he turned on the vacuum cleaner.

Wiiiiiir

He hoped the racket would blow away those unwanted thoughts as he zipped around the entire house. After cleaning, stumbling over to the sofa and collapsing was another part of Eunsol’s routine.

“This is weird. Why am I so sleepy no matter how much I sleep…”

Haaah.

He blinked his eyes while yawning. This had been repeating for days now, and his fatigue grew heavier with each passing day.

“It’s all because of… CEO Pyo!”

Even when complaining, Eunsol consciously adjusted his speech for the camera, pouting his lips as he switched titles at the right moment.

Sure, he was just lounging around at home, but what kind of stamina did Pyo Jaebeom have? Once they started in bed, it was almost guaranteed to go past midnight.

On bad days, they’d go until just before dawn, and seeing him eat breakfast and head to work perfectly refreshed afterward was nothing short of miraculous.

“Are dominant alphas all like this?”

Having little chance to observe traits bearers up close, and with his knowledge limited to what he’d gleaned from the media at best, he lacked the basis to determine what was accurate.

“At this rate, my bones will rot away.”

It seemed his craving for spicy food stemmed from physical exhaustion. Somehow, that conclusion had slipped into place.

“Wait, if that’s the case, shouldn’t I be eating nourishing foods?”

Like eel, or steamed crucian carp, or at the very least, samgyetang!

“But I’m not craving any of that.”

In fact, imagining it made his stomach churn slightly. That realization made Eunsol, who had been stomping his feet in frustration, slump limply. His eyelids felt impossibly heavy.

Closing them now would surely send h him straight to sleep. With nothing else to do anyway, a quick nap wouldn’t hurt. Unable to resist the temptation, Eunsol lowered his eyelids, and soon his breaths came in soft, even waves.

‎

‎

How long had it been? Suddenly, he thought he heard the sound of a door closing. Eunsol opened his eyes, still groggy.

“Uh… you’re here?”

“You didn’t actually sleep here, did you?”

Pyo Jaebeom, crossing the living room, asked with apparent bewilderment. Still half-dazed, Eunsol stared blankly up at him.

“Yes, I dozed off for a bit because I was sleepy.”

As he spoke, he rubbed his heavy eyelids with the back of his hand. Strangely, his body felt even heavier.

Deciding he needed cold water to sober up, Eunsol stumbled to his feet.

“Just a little while?”

“Huh?”

What was that? He looked back at Pyo Jaebeom, his voice dripping with sarcasm. His expression grew even more incredulous as he pulled his phone from his pocket and turned the screen toward his.

「9:34 PM」

The brightened screen displayed the time in large, bold numbers.

“See?”

“Huh?”

Wh-what was this? Startled, Eunsol instinctively took a step forward to get a closer look at the time.

“Eeeeeh…”

But suddenly, a dizzying sensation made his knees buckle, sending his upper body tumbling forward.

“Eunsol!”

The moment his name was called, a strong arm caught his stomach and wrapped around his waist. Instantly pulled backward, his body slammed against a solid, sturdy wall.

“Huff.”

Eunsol, who had briefly blacked out before regaining consciousness, swallowed a short, hollow breath. His eyelids fluttered rapidly in disorientation.

“What’s wrong?”

“Uh, yeah… I don’t know.”

Eunsol was just as flustered, having never experienced anything like this before. His body rarely got sick, at most, he’d catch a nasty cold once a year.

“I don’t even have allergies…”

The gaze fixed on him seemed to ask, Why is this happening now? Eunsol rolled his eyes.

But it was true. People had even joked he should enlist in the military, wondering how he could be so physically robust with such strong immunity.

While the guaranteed housing and meals were appealing, his reason for entering society was the desire to get closer to the person right in front of him.

‘It’s not like I’m aiming to be some great actor.’

He just hoped they could work together on something, even briefly. He never imagined it would happen this way.

“Um, I guess my legs just went limp from waking up.”

So he had this tiny hope he might let go now, but Pyo Jaebeom showed no sign of listening.

“Eek!”

Suddenly lifted off the ground, Eunsol instinctively clung to him like a koala.

“Wh-wh-what are you doing?”

“Stay still.”

“No, I mean, if you could just put me down…”

I’ll walk on my own two feet! He protested, but it fell on deaf ears again. Wherever they were going, the surprising destination turned out to be Eunsol’s room.

“Ugh!”

Tossed onto the bed, Eunsol quickly sat up. Then he blurted out.

“Well, well, even Mount Kumgang must wait until after eating!” Korean proverb No matter how important, urgent, or attractive something is, eating comes first.

“What?”

Pyo Jaebeom, who had been loosening his tie, raised his eyebrows, his expression asking what on earth he was talking about. Seeing his fierce look, Eunsol realized he had blurted out something completely out of the blue.

“Ah, no, it’s just… I… um, I mean, even when we… you know… we should eat first…”

“Huh?”

Pyo Jaebeom’s gaze pierced his face like a blade. Eunsol couldn’t bear to meet it and quietly averted his eyes.

Watching his reaction, Jaebeom finally understood what the Omega had meant.

“Ah, so you meant even when we’re having sex, let’s eat first?”

‎

‎

“Lee Eunsol.”

Eunsol, who had been scooping up a ladleful of red broth, suddenly turned his head up at the name. Tonight’s dinner was hangover soup, piled high with beef, bracken, bean sprouts, and mushrooms.

After lunch, he’d diligently prepared the ingredients, brought it to a rolling boil, then added chili powder, soy sauce, minced garlic, black pepper, chili oil, and every seasoning imaginable. Simmered for hours until it was hot and spicy, the flavor was guaranteed.

“Huh? What?”

But why that look of disappointment?

‘Is it too salty?’

He slurped some broth. The intense heat wrapped around his tongue, warming his from the inside out.

It wasn’t too salty or bland, perfect for his taste. Or was it?

“Be honest.”

“Huh? What?”

Did I really do something wrong?! Eunsol quickly replayed today’s events in his mind. The first thing that came to mind was his frantic search for the CCTV.

“Well, about that in the living room… I was just, um, looking for something…”

“What? Do I look like I’m spying on you or something?”