Cherry Cake Chapter 10.2

Suppressant Effects and Side Effects

He had expected a concise list of effects and side effects, but the scroll was strangely long. It seemed to be because of the many images.

1. What are suppressants?

Seo Soohyun immediately scrolled down.

Below that, information on types of suppressants, efficacy, dosage, and precautions continued endlessly. The side effects, which he was most curious about, appeared at the very end.

“Why is there so much useless information?”

The specific information Seo Soohyun was looking for appeared almost at the very last line.

“Impaired consciousness, hypotension, pheromone system abnormalities… Huh!”

The range of side effects was broader and the symptoms more serious than he had expected.

Shouldn’t he go to the emergency room or something? Seo Soohyun glanced back at Gi Taeyeon. The man had tried to grab him again as soon as he left his embrace, so he gave him the pillow he had been using. Gi Taeyeon was now sleeping, hugging the pillow with a somewhat dissatisfied expression.

Pulling his knees onto the bed, Seo Soohyun crawled over and placed his hand on Gi Taeyeon’s forehead. It was hotter than usual, but not to the point of a fever. The sound of his heartbeat, which he could hear when he pressed his ear against his chest, was neither rapid nor slow.

“Is he okay because he’s a dominant…?”

Seo Soohyun picked up his phone again and added the word “dominant” to his search query.

“The results look similar to before… Ah, here it is.”

The title was “Suppressant Side Effects,” but the text below clearly contained the phrase “dominant alpha.” This time, too, the body of the text was full of useless information, but Seo Soohyun slowly scrolled down, concentrating on finding the phrase “dominant alpha.”

So, what happens if a dominant alpha or omega overdoses on suppressants?

He finally found the phrase he was looking for and gulped.

It is said that recessive or normal alphas and omegas may experience the above side effects if they overdose on suppressants.

He had to calm his pounding heart, which was growing increasingly anxious.

Dominant alphas or omegas wouldn’t overdose on suppressants, right? ㅇ_<

“Uh, what is this…?”

We’ve looked at the side effects of suppressant overdose! Next time, I’ll be back with more fun alpha and omega stories! If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe!

#suppressants #suppressant side effects #dominant alpha #dominant omega #alpha #omega

Even after reading to the end, it was all empty words.

He was disappointed, but he had at least gleaned one thing.

“By the way, it seems dominant individuals rarely overdose on suppressants. Is it because everyone wants to be with a dominant?”

Perhaps because dominants were skilled at controlling their pheromones.

As his thoughts trailed off, he became even more confused about why the man had overdosed on suppressants. He was glad that Gi Taeyeon hadn’t met another omega, but that didn’t mean he needed to take several suppressants a day. Usually, one pill a day during their cycle was enough.

Even though the price and efficacy of suppressants varied greatly, he knew that one pill a day was the standard dose. Moreover, with the man’s wealth, getting a prescription for the right suppressant, no matter how expensive, would be a piece of cake, so he couldn’t understand why he would take so many.

Seo Soohyun checked Gi Taeyeon’s complexion again. He was slightly concerned about the faint crease between his brows, but thankfully, he didn’t seem to be in any serious pain.

“It doesn’t seem like he needs to go to the ER…”

He decided to keep a close eye on him and contact Secretary Seo if anything seemed amiss.

Since he has a slight fever, I should at least wipe him down. He was about to turn off his phone to go get a wet towel when a message window popped up over Bokshil’s picture, which was his background image.

Soohyun, it’s Chanseo hyung. You haven’t replied to my messages, so I thought you might have blocked me… I also got a strange text from your number.

It was a message from an unsaved number.

Seo Soohyun blinked at the unexpected word “blocked.” He definitely had Lee Chanseo’s number saved. Blocked? He began to suspect it might be a phishing scam.

Call me when you see this message. I found out where Mister is.

“Oh…”

If it was about Seo Jeonggyun, it couldn’t be a phishing scam. Seo Soohyun immediately replied.

hyungjustsawyourtextnow

He made typos in his haste.

Before he could correct them, a call came in. Seo Soohyun quickly pressed the decline button at the loud ringtone. Another text message arrived immediately.

Can’t you answer the phone?

Worried that he might have woken Gi Taeyeon, Seo Soohyun checked on the man first. His brows were furrowed deeper than before, but he didn’t seem to be awake.

yescanitextyoufornow

His reply was full of typos again. Lee Chanseo, who somehow understood his message, replied.

It’s a bit difficult to just tell you the address. Or do you want to come meet him with me? It might be less dangerous than going alone. I’m also worried about the guy who hit you last time.

With you, hyung?

Yes.

Seo Soohyun hesitated to reply. Wouldn’t it be better to go with the Director than with Chanseo hyung?

He had poured out his heart yesterday, so Gi Taeyeon must know that he had overheard the conversation between him and Seo Jeonggyun. They hadn’t had a proper conversation because of the rut, but they could talk properly after Gi Taeyeon woke up, and then they could reach a conclusion one way or another, whether about the land or his feelings.

‘He wouldn’t have forgotten again, would he? There was no mention of memory loss as a side effect of suppressants.’

Instead of replying, Seo Soohyun put down his phone and quietly observed the sleeping Gi Taeyeon.

He suddenly wondered if it was okay for Gi Taeyeon to accompany him to meet Seo Jeonggyun. If the issue wasn’t about the land but about Seo Jeonggyun himself, Gi Taeyeon was essentially a third party.

‘It’s true that I confessed, so the Director and I should talk…’

Strictly speaking, he was the third party in the matter of the land. Since Seo Jeonggyun had made a deal with the man using the land as collateral, legally, there wasn’t much he could do. But just because he couldn’t do anything about the land didn’t mean he couldn’t confront Seo Jeonggyun.

I’m not a pushover, I have to address what needs to be addressed.

Instead of just listening blankly to Seo Jeonggyun’s words like last time, he had to confront him about why he did what he did. Only then would he feel even slightly better.

As he was pondering what to do, the screen lit up again.

Or do you want to meet briefly? I think it’s better to talk in person. It’s a bit long for text.

Soohyun took a short breath.

Okay, where should we meet?

He felt it was right to resolve this issue on his own.

Seo Soohyun carefully wiped the sleeping Gi Taeyeon’s body with a wrung-out towel. He had been diligently wiping him down when their eyes met, and he had spent another considerable amount of time trapped in the man’s embrace before finally managing to escape.

‘Why are you fidgeting again? Damn it, what is this?’

He felt embarrassed at the man’s gaze fixed on the pillow he had given him as a substitute.

‘I wanted to get up because I was thirsty, but I didn’t want to wake you, Director… And since I was up, I washed up. I felt bad about washing up alone, so I’m wiping you down.’

‘Taking care of an old man?’

‘It’s not like that… You carried me to the bathroom and washed me before, Director. But I’m not strong enough to carry you, and I’d have to carry you on my back to move you, but my back hurts too much. But I thought you’d feel uncomfortable if I just left you like that, so I’m wiping you down.’

‘Just stay still.’

The man, just woken up, was surprisingly strong.

As a result, Seo Soohyun found himself lying on the bed again, practically crushed under Gi Taeyeon.

‘Are you feeling unwell? Should I call Secretary Seo? I heard there are side effects like hypotension and impaired consciousness from suppressants. You said you took a lot of suppressants.’

‘I’ll feel better after I sleep a little. Just keep chattering. My head doesn’t hurt as much now.’

‘You have a headache too? I didn’t see that symptom listed…’

Still, Seo Soohyun chattered as much as possible. He regretted not telling him about meeting Lee Chanseo.

But he felt it wasn’t the right time to bring it up when the man had a headache. Just a few days ago, hadn’t he gotten excessively angry because he had met Chanseo hyung? Today, he was just meeting him briefly nearby because of Seo Jeonggyun, so it shouldn’t be a big deal.

“It’s almost time for my appointment.”

Seo Soohyun muttered to himself after carefully wiping Gi Taeyeon down, making sure not to wake him. He found the man’s penis, which was erect again despite their earlier activities, a bit unsettling, but he had at least wiped down all the accessible areas.

Even though he only wiped the exposed areas because it was difficult to turn the muscular body over, he felt a sense of accomplishment. Of course, he had to try very hard to ignore the erect penis.

It had only been a few minutes ago that he had thoughtlessly tried to wipe the penis as well. Even then, it was slightly erect, so he had dismissed it as a morning erection. Seo Soohyun, being a man himself, knew it was a natural physiological phenomenon, so he didn’t feel embarrassed. However, the moment he touched it to wipe it thoroughly, the penis twitched and became fully erect. It was only natural for the man to stir.

‘…W-why is it getting even harder?’

Flustered, Soohyun quickly pulled his hand away. He felt like something terrible would happen if he touched it any longer. He deliberately looked away, thinking it would subside if he left it alone, but the penis remained stubbornly erect.

“It’ll go down after a while.”

Seo Soohyun got out of bed, pretending not to notice.

After putting the towel in the washing machine and pressing the start button, he went to the kitchen and took a dacquoise from the refrigerator. He was hungry because he hadn’t eaten lunch, wanting to eat with Gi Taeyeon. He still wanted to have a meal with the man, so he had only been snacking since Gi Taeyeon woke up.

“Wow, this really tastes like injeolmi.”

Remembering Lee Chanseo’s words about his number being blocked, he struggled to find the blocked list while putting the dacquoise in his mouth, and he was surprised by the taste. Seo Soohyun placed his phone on the table and examined the snack in his hand. He had grabbed it randomly, so he had simply thought it was interesting that there was such a thing as an “Injeolmi Dried Persimmon Dacquoise,” but it truly tasted like injeolmi.

This time, he stuck his tongue out and licked the outside. It wasn’t his imagination; he could taste the distinct flavor of soybean powder used in injeolmi.

“Delicious.”

It was his first time trying a dacquoise, and not only was the soybean powder delicious, but the texture was also excellent – crispy on the outside, yet chewy on the inside. Moreover, it was filled with cream and dried persimmon. The dried persimmon was delicious, of course, and the cream tasted similar to the corn ice cream sold at the supermarket, perfectly suiting his taste.

Since he had been confined to the house, snacks were often delivered along with his meals. Since he hadn’t chosen them himself, he often received desserts he didn’t even know existed. The dacquoise he was currently eating was delivered yesterday with lunch. There were other snacks besides the Injeolmi Dacquoise, so he could have more if he was hungry.

“Ah, my phone.”

Seo Soohyun finally managed to find and open the spam folder. He rarely used his phone for anything other than calls, internet, and the camera, so it took him a while even though it shouldn’t have. As Lee Chanseo had said, his name was clearly listed in the blocked numbers. Below that, he saw Secretary Seo Jihwan’s name as well.

Why was the Secretary’s number blocked? After unblocking all the numbers, Soohyun opened the spam messages folder. Lee Chanseo had said he sent him text messages, but there were none. It was unlikely that multiple messages were sent by mistake, so it seemed the man had deleted them.

“Why did he delete them…?”

He had just finished the small yet undoubtedly expensive dacquoise and gotten up to clean the soybean powder that had fallen on the table when his phone rang. After hurriedly turning off the alarm, Seo Soohyun finished cleaning and headed to the bedroom.

Gi Taeyeon was still asleep.

“Well, I’ll be back soon.”

He felt it would be better to leave a note, just in case.

After returning to the kitchen and writing a note, Seo Soohyun attached it to the front door, not the dining table, and carefully opened the door.

“Huh?”

Contrary to his expectations, the front door, which had been firmly shut for days, slid open. He cautiously peeked his head out; the hallway was empty.

He had been prepared to lie and say he had gotten permission from the Director if anyone was there, so this was a relief.

Seo Soohyun carefully put his phone in his pocket and stepped out.

He planned to meet Lee Chanseo first to find out Seo Jeonggyun’s whereabouts, then return home and have a serious conversation with Gi Taeyeon. The topic of conversation would be whether or not the man would accept his confession.

“Soohyun!”

Seo Soohyun stopped at the unexpected call of his name. He had seen the car and thought nothing of it, but Lee Chanseo was calling him while opening the back door.

He had come out because they had agreed to meet near his house. He had expected Lee Chanseo to be waiting nearby, but he hadn’t expected him to be in an unfamiliar car, in the back seat, so Seo Soohyun’s eyes widened.

“Hyung.”

“Get in first.”

He knew Lee Chanseo was the type to act decisively once he made up his mind, and it seemed he was serious about meeting Seo Jeonggyun. He felt sorry that he was only there to listen, but he had to get in the car, so Seo Soohyun obediently got into the back seat.

“Hello.”

There was a driver in the driver’s seat. He bowed his head in greeting, and the driver bowed back.

“How did you know I lived here?”

The car started as soon as he closed the door.

“I heard it from Mister.”

“Mister? …My dad?”

“Yeah. You’re surprised, right? I wanted to see you because of that, and because there’s a lot to talk about.”

Seo Soohyun finally understood why Lee Chanseo had insisted on meeting. He hadn’t imagined that he had learned his address from Seo Jeonggyun of all people.

He was looking at Lee Chanseo, trying to focus on what he was saying, when the man, who had been wearing a welcoming expression, suddenly frowned. He leaned closer and touched the nape of Soohyun’s neck.

“What’s this?”

Soohyun instinctively hunched his shoulders and raised his hand to cover his neck. He was belatedly worried that the marks the man had left might be visible. He wasn’t the type to pay much attention to his clothes, even after sex with Gi Taeyeon, so he had put on whatever he was wearing out of habit. It seemed the red marks were clearly visible.

I should have looked in the mirror.

“I, I think I got bitten by a bug.”

“A bug? It’s not even summer yet.”

“The Director has a field at his other house. I’m growing doraji these days, and I think I got bitten while watering them.”

Seo Soohyun made up a plausible excuse. It wasn’t a complete lie, as he did see bugs occasionally. He felt a pang of guilt, but no one would openly admit to having had sex.

Moreover, Lee Chanseo was a beta, so he might be repulsed by the idea of two men sleeping together. Even though it was rare these days, considering what the elderly in his neighborhood sometimes gossiped about, it wasn’t like there was no one who found it indecent.

“You should put some medicine on it. And disinfect it.”

Fortunately, Lee Chanseo seemed to believe his lie. He clicked his tongue, sounding slightly irritated, but that was all.

“Yeah. I’ll do it when I get home. Anyway, what did you mean you heard it from my dad?”

“It’s a bit of a long story… Soohyun, do you know that Mister gambles?”

Seo Soohyun nodded. He would have been surprised if this was the first time he was hearing it, but thanks to overhearing Gi Taeyeon’s conversation, he managed to stay calm.

“You knew. I told you before, when we last met, that I had someone keeping an eye on Mister.”

“Yes.”

“This is something I did without telling you… Actually, I intentionally gave him money after I found out he was gambling.”

“Huh?”

Why would he give money to someone who gambles? Seo Soohyun blinked in confusion. Lee Chanseo chuckled awkwardly and rubbed his cheek.

“I heard that when a big game happens, they stay there for days. So I gave him money to keep him tied down.”

“Ah…”

He understood. Lee Chanseo had provided the money to keep Seo Jeonggyun occupied at the gambling table, preventing him from wandering around.

“Sorry. I went a bit overboard. From your perspective, Soohyun, it might be upsetting that I gave more money to your father who’s gambling.”

“I’m not upset. I didn’t know you were looking out for me like that, so I’m rather sorry.”

“It’s an important issue, so we need to resolve it quickly.”

He suddenly wondered how much Lee Chanseo knew. The fact that Seo Jeonggyun had made a deal with the man was a personal matter, so it was likely that Lee Chanseo didn’t know. However, considering that he was aware of the gambling and Seo Jeonggyun’s movements, it was also possible that he knew.

But that speculation was short-lived.

‘If he knew that my grandmother’s land was used as collateral, he wouldn’t be helping me find Seo Jeonggyun, but helping me get the land back.’

It seemed he didn’t know about the deal with Gi Taeyeon yet.

“Anyway, he’s quick-witted, maybe because he used to be in business. He figured out that someone was giving him money, so I met him directly.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. I told him I was a neighborhood hyung who was close to you, Soohyun. When he asked why I was giving him money, I told him to stay away from you. Those kinds of people usually use that as leverage for blackmail. I didn’t really care about the money, and if he asked me for money, it would be easier to track his location, so I approached him on purpose.”

“I see…”

Seo Soohyun fidgeted with his hands. He felt very sorry towards Lee Chanseo.

“But it seems the game he’s playing this time is really big. My grandfather said that a few people disappearing from a gambling house is nothing… I contacted you because I thought I should tell you before Mister goes there. I think we need to act fast. By the way, why didn’t you answer my call this morning?”

He had already made up the excuse about the bug bites for the marks on his neck, so it was difficult to bring up Gi Taeyeon.

“I dropped my phone and I think it’s broken. I couldn’t hear the calls properly. I think that’s why I didn’t see your text message either.”

Seo Soohyun took out his phone from his pocket. The cracked screen seemed to convince Lee Chanseo.

“Should I get you a new one on the way? I think we have time.”

“It’s okay. It’s not urgent, I’ll get a new one later. But where are we going now?”

“Huh? To meet Mister, of course. The house opens tonight. We need to meet him before then to resolve this.”

“Oh…”

He had planned to just ask Lee Chanseo for the location and quickly return home, so he found it difficult to readily agree.

“Why? Do you have something more urgent?”

“Not really…”

“Then let’s go quickly. I’ve prepared the documents, so we just need Mister’s signature. I don’t care what happens to him at the gambling house, but we need to get your share before he uses it as collateral.”

The words “even if you get his signature, it’s useless” rose to the tip of his tongue, but Seo Soohyun swallowed them. Hearing Lee Chanseo’s words, he felt a sense of urgency, realizing that today might be his last chance to face that man. In that case, it wouldn’t be bad to see things through since he was already out.

“Will it take long to get there? I can’t be away from home for too long…”

“It won’t take long. It’s nearby.”

He had thought gambling dens were only found in remote mountains, but it seemed that wasn’t always the case.

“Okay.”

Seo Soohyun put his phone back in his pocket and leaned back. He had left the note on the front door, and the man would be tracking his location anyway, so he didn’t need to worry even if he came home late.

🍑

“Uh…”

Soohyun’s eyes fluttered open. He saw unfamiliar walls and sat up in a daze, realizing he was lying on a long sofa. Where was this place?

He was hungry because he hadn’t eaten, so Lee Chanseo had stopped the car at some point. His last memory was eating a sandwich and orange juice that the driver had bought. Perhaps he had dozed off from exhaustion after being tormented all night.

“Ah, I need to contact the Director.”

Fortunately, his phone was safely tucked in his pocket.

Seo Soohyun took out his phone and touched the home screen. The phone rang just then. The caller was, as expected, Gi Taeyeon.

He must be awake. Just as he was about to answer the phone, thinking he would be scolded, he heard a loud bang.

Slam!

The door flew open, and a sleazy-looking man sauntered in, followed by a smaller man.

“Is that him?”

“Yes. As you specifically requested.”

Smack, smack.

The man, loudly chewing gum, grinned and waved his hand.

“Baby, come here.”

He was holding something that looked like a syringe.

Despite the confusing situation, Seo Soohyun calmly moved his fingers, slipping his phone into the crevice of the sofa. He had lowered his hand in surprise at the sound of the door opening, so fortunately, they didn’t seem to notice the phone. If they had, they would have rushed over to take it.

I hope I pressed the call button… He must have pressed something, considering there was no ringing, but since he had moved his fingers without looking, he wasn’t sure if he had pressed the call button or the decline button. I should have used my phone more often.

Seo Soohyun, regretting his lack of phone usage for the first time, watched the men approaching. He still didn’t fully grasp the situation, but he knew he had to stay calm.

“Who are you?”

“Us? We work here, obviously.”

The sleazy-looking man shrugged and replied nonchalantly, as if humming a tune. The syringe in his hand was suspicious. What if it was drugs? He remembered news reports about strange people injecting unsuspecting victims with drugs.

‘…This isn’t an ordinary place after all.’

Just a moment ago, he had assumed that Lee Chanseo had simply moved him here while he slept and gone to fetch Seo Jeonggyun. He had attributed the darkness of the room to the gambling den. But it seemed the situation wasn’t that safe.

He felt that escaping this room was his top priority and shifted his weight to his toes to get up.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

The sleazy man, who had handed the syringe to the smaller man, noticed his movement and strode towards him.

“Ouch!”

Seo Soohyun tried to run, but he was caught by the man just a hair’s breadth away.

The room had a long sofa arranged in a U-shape along the walls, except for the side with the door. A large rectangular table occupied the center, making escape difficult. If it weren’t for the table, he could have run across the room.

“Ugh, let go of me!”

“We’re giving you something good, why are you being like this?”

“Hey, Manager, you can’t be rough with him!”

“I know, I know.”

His head was grabbed from behind, and he was slammed onto the sofa. Seo Soohyun struggled violently, trying to break free, but the heavy knee pressing down on his back made it impossible. No matter how hard he thrashed his legs, his pinned body wouldn’t budge.

“If it’s so good, then do it yourself!”

Whatever that injection was, they wouldn’t be giving it to him for free if it was truly something good.

“Look at this brat’s manners. Hey, bring it quickly.”

“Ugh!”

As he struggled even more violently, someone pressed down hard on his calves. It seemed to be the smaller man who had come in after the sleazy one. Seo Soohyun twisted his head, even though his face was pressed against the sofa. He saw the man with the syringe removing the cap with his teeth, and goosebumps erupted on his arms.

“I don’t like seeing blood, so let’s go quietly, baby. Okay?”

He hadn’t minded when the elderly or Gi Taeyeon called him “baby,” but hearing it from that ugly face made it even more horrifying.

“I’m not lying, it’s really good stuff. Omegas melt after getting this, you know? And I heard you’re a recessive. This is your chance to feel like a dominant. Do you even know how expensive this is?”

“Ah!”

His elbow was grabbed, and his entire arm was pulled back, causing a sharp pain in his shoulder. Before he could fight back against the rising panic, the sharp needle pierced his skin. His limited field of vision prevented him from seeing clearly, but he definitely felt the familiar sting of a needle.

“Is it all in?”

“Yeah. Set him up and bring him in later when he’s out of it.”

“Yes.”

As if they thought he wouldn’t resist anymore, the knee and hand pressing him down were removed. Seo Soohyun hurriedly pulled his knees up and moved away. He huddled in the corner of the sofa, on guard. The sleazy-looking man grinned, tossed the empty syringe into the trash can, and disappeared out the door. The smaller man, instead of following, closed the door and turned around, his gaze fixed on Seo Soohyun.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

Seo Soohyun huddled further into the corner and asked. Whether the call had connected or not, he was certain that Gi Taeyeon was awake, so he had to hold on until he arrived. He asked the question to buy time, but the smaller man remained silent, as if he couldn’t hear.

Faced with the man’s stubborn silence, Seo Soohyun gave up on talking and examined the arm where he had been injected. There was no mark, so he couldn’t even tell where the needle had pierced his skin.

What kind of drug was it? The only consolation was that it didn’t seem to be a narcotic. He had never taken drugs, but if the injected substance had been a narcotic, he wouldn’t be so lucid.

But his lack of symptoms was short-lived.

He was mentally calculating how long it would take for the Director to get here when he started to shiver.

Seo Soohyun recognized this sensation. He had experienced similar chills before his first proper heat.

A heat inducer or something? Now that he thought about it, the man had mentioned something about feeling like a dominant…

He couldn’t understand why they were doing this to him, but Seo Soohyun struggled to maintain his composure. The best way to do that was to keep his mind active.

“Heuk…”

What happened to Chanseo hyung?

He didn’t know why he was here, and he had no way of knowing what had happened to Lee Chanseo.

Did he get into a car accident on the way to see Seo Jeonggyun? The thought briefly crossed his mind, but Seo Soohyun quickly dismissed it.

If there had been a car accident, he would be in a hospital, not this strange place. It would be a different story if someone had deliberately caused an accident to bring him here, but he couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to go to such lengths to do this to him. What was he to them?

‘Or…’

As he repeatedly went over his thoughts to stay alert, Seo Jeonggyun suddenly came to mind. At the same time, he remembered a piece of gossip he had overheard from the elderly in his neighborhood.

They had talked about people buying and selling alphas and omegas in the city. They had said it was a story from long ago, before some law was enacted, but perhaps similar human trafficking still existed.

But I’m a recessive, so I’m useless…

Even as his thoughts became muddled, like an old television with static, questions arose.

“The drug is starting to kick in. Let’s go.”

“Let go…”

He was repeatedly dropping and jerking his head up like a drowsy animal when the man approached, his steps languid. He casually grabbed Soohyun’s arm and pulled. Soohyun tried to resist by digging his toes into the ground, but his limp body wouldn’t cooperate.

Still, Seo Soohyun flailed his arms with all his might. His movements, slow as if underwater, were far too weak to ward off the man’s touch.

“Ugh.”

Seeing his futile struggle despite his inability to control his body, the man sighed deeply, wrapped an arm around his waist, and hoisted him over his shoulder.

“Put me down!”

Seo Soohyun pounded the man’s back with his clenched fists and struggled. But his sluggish movements, slow as a turtle, failed to inflict any damage.

Where are we going…?

His vision swayed wildly as his body was jostled by the man’s footsteps leaving the room. The dimly lit hallway wavered like watered-down paint, making him feel nauseous.

“Heuk…”

Seo Soohyun came to his senses when the man carrying him entered another room. He blinked blankly, too weak to resist, as the man who had brought him here grabbed his cheeks and forced his mouth open to pour water down his throat.

“Cough, cough!”

The water was poured faster than he could swallow, causing him to cough. The man didn’t care and made Seo Soohyun drink the entire bottle of cold water.

“Cough! Ugh…”

He hadn’t drunk it willingly, but the cold water seemed to revive him somewhat. It felt as if his muddled and shrunken brain was rapidly expanding.

Seo Soohyun only snapped to attention after hearing the man close the door and leave, as if he was finished with his business. He realized there was someone else in the room with him right after he looked around to assess the situation.

“Uh…”

Soohyun blinked at the unexpected sight.

“Hyung. Hyung, ugh, why are you here? Were you caught too? Did they inject you with something too?”

Lee Chanseo was sitting in the main seat, observing him intently with his chin resting on his hand. Why didn’t he stop that person from force-feeding me water when he was here?

Seo Soohyun couldn’t immediately comprehend the reality before him. The drugs and the completely unexpected situation left him bewildered.

“Soohyun.”

Then, Lee Chanseo slowly rose and approached the sofa where Soohyun was sitting. Seo Soohyun instinctively reached behind him, groping for something to support himself. It was a gesture to retreat, but his limp body, heavy like a waterlogged sponge, wouldn’t obey.

“Why did you have to act like a whore?”

Act like a whore? Not understanding what he meant, Seo Soohyun simply blinked.

“Do you know how long I waited for you to become an adult? I’m almost in law school, and you couldn’t even wait those few months? Are you a prostitute?”

Insulting words he had never heard before, even from the foul-mouthed Gi Taeyeon, spilled from Lee Chanseo’s well-formed lips.

“Ah!”

As he sat there stunned, simply gasping for air, Lee Chanseo suddenly grabbed him by the collar and pushed him onto the sofa.

“And because of you, I have to do all this troublesome…”

Soohyun, panting, simply stared blankly at Lee Chanseo, who straddled him, trapping him between his thighs. It was definitely Lee Chanseo’s face. The voice was also definitely his. He didn’t think he was hallucinating because of the drugs, but he couldn’t understand why Lee Chanseo was doing this to him.

“Haa, I can finally smell your pheromones.”

As Lee Chanseo nuzzled his nose against his neck as if sniffing him, Seo Soohyun instinctively recoiled. The man’s breath against his skin felt like bugs crawling on him, filling him with disgust. He shuddered, thinking not of the cute caterpillars he often saw in the field, but of the many-legged bugs that occasionally appeared in the bathroom.

“S-stop…”

“You barely smelled of anything, so I thought, are all recessives like this? You should have been like this from the start. I was being considerate of you, going to the hospital to receive treatments to enhance my pheromone sensitivity. While I was suffering, you were busy whoring around.”

“Ugh, heuk, hyung, you’re not an alpha.”

“Who? Me?”

He was so terrified by the sudden change in the person he thought he knew so well that his body trembled. Seo Soohyun, tears welling up in his eyes, could only manage ragged breaths.

“You believed that? How naive.”

“The, the sex test, heuk, said you were a beta… You even showed it to me.”

“There’s nothing money can’t buy in this world.”

He was so shocked that he started hiccuping.

“If you or your grandmother knew I was an alpha, you’d be wary of me, so I had to hide it well. I never intended to reveal it like this. I was afraid you’d react like this. So, haa, fuck, it would have been better if you had agreed to live with me back then. Right?”

He wanted to fight back, but his body was weak, much to his frustration. His mind was muddled, and his strength drained away. He cursed his penis, which was trying to become erect because of the strange drug, while his body, as if yearning for an alpha, was burning up.

“If you had, I would have revealed that I’m an alpha and we would be dating. You could have lived comfortably using my money. Why do you have to make things so complicated?”

“Haa, huh…”

“And after I get into law school, we’ll get married. Well, it might be difficult for you to get pregnant since you’re a recessive, but we’re still young, so it’s not entirely impossible.”

The future Lee Chanseo was describing, a future he hadn’t considered in the slightest, filled him with disgust. He couldn’t even imagine dating him, let alone marriage and pregnancy. He felt nauseated by the repulsive thought of what kind of delusions the man had been harboring.

“Soohyun, it’s a good opportunity for you too. When else would you have a chance to be connected to a family like mine? It’s a bit embarrassing for a recessive to enter our family, but since my grandfather approved, there’s no problem… Fuck, do you know how many years I’ve endured, not touching you during school, waiting for my grandfather’s approval?”

“Ugh.”

“That’s why I didn’t reveal I was an alpha earlier. My grandfather said he would allow us to get married right after I got into law school, so I kept my mouth shut… The reason I didn’t visit you after you went to college was because I thought I wouldn’t be able to control myself if I saw you.”

Lee Chanseo, who had been rambling incoherently, suddenly became angry, gritting his teeth as he grabbed his clothes.

“But you couldn’t even wait and you turned your body into a rag?”

“Uh, stop it!”

“When you said you’d live with that gangster, I let you go thinking you’d come crawling back to me after getting a taste of what it’s like to be under a dirty bastard… But I never imagined you’d actually be enjoying yourself with him. It’s strange, Gi Taeyeon said he doesn’t do recessives.”

“Let go of me!”

“I thought your pheromones would at least get stronger from being with a dominant, but that’s not the case either. I guess drugs are the only answer for recessives.”

Despite his resistance, his t-shirt was easily lifted by the force from above. Lee Chanseo’s gaze fell on his exposed stomach.

“A snowfield is only beautiful when it’s untouched, tsk.”

His bloodshot eyes seemed crazed. Perhaps he had been drinking, as a strong smell of alcohol emanated from him with every word.

“But I’ll understand. A dirty body can be cleaned with disinfectant.”

Seo Soohyun grabbed Lee Chanseo’s arm, hoping that his words were the result of intoxication, not his true feelings.

“Heuk, hyung, come to your senses… We, we were supposed to go see my dad.”

“Ah, that.”

Lee Chanseo closed his mouth for a moment, as if questioning what he was talking about, then grinned.

“I paid a good price for your body.”

“What?”

“He accepted readily. Anyway, I’ve settled everything with him, so don’t worry about getting our families’ approval.”

Seo Soohyun finally realized that every word Lee Chanseo had spoken was sincere. The affection he had built up over years of knowing him shattered in an instant.

He had willingly followed Lee Chanseo because he believed they were going to meet Seo Jeonggyun.

And there was no reason for his trust. They had known each other for a long time, and although they had some differences, Lee Chanseo was generally kind to him and others, so there was no reason not to trust him. That was why he had accepted the offered favor. It was excessive consideration, but based on what he had seen of Lee Chanseo, he was the type of person who would show such care.

No one would suspect that someone they had known for years would harbor such dark thoughts and feelings towards them.

‘I should have listened to the Director.’

Seo Soohyun had also been driven by his own desire not to meet Seo Jeonggyun through Gi Taeyeon. He had confessed his feelings, so he wanted to show a mature side by resolving his own problems. Regardless of needing to talk with the man, there were still unresolved issues between him and Seo Jeonggyun.

But even though he had been driven by his desire to appear mature, it didn’t mean he deserved to be treated like this.

“So, Soohyun, all you have to do is open your body to me.”

Seo Soohyun had a habit of killing cockroaches without hesitation the moment he saw them. So, if a person was no different from a cockroach, it would be better for his mental and physical health to sever ties completely.

“Crazy bastard.”

As soon as he removed Lee Chanseo from the mental list of good people, a curse word he rarely used slipped out.

Despite the contempt in his voice, Lee Chanseo simply smiled endearingly, as if his lover was being coy. That was even more chilling, so Seo Soohyun bit his lip.

“Yes, I’m crazy about you. But I didn’t originally plan to go this far. It’s true that I called you here in a hurry because Seo Jeonggyun suddenly disappeared without a trace. If he had fallen into the hands of that gangster, he would have definitely mentioned me, so I had to bring you here before that. Who knows what he would demand from me or my family, using you as a hostage.”

“You’re out of your mind…”

“But seeing the bite marks on your neck made me so furious. I thought the alpha scent on you was just from living in the same space as that bastard.”

He could feel the grip on his clothes tightening.

“The place is like this because I had to prepare in a hurry after seeing your state today… It’s a shame, but we have to disinfect what another alpha touched first. But hyung prepared expensive drugs for you, Soohyun. I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to feel it properly because you’re too tense. I’m also angry right now, so I might be rough… But you’ll feel good.”

Lee Chanseo fiddled with his waistband, chattering as if for Soohyun’s benefit.

“My grandfather won’t be able to object if you get pregnant. Are you wet already?”

“Heuk, don’t touch me!”

Even with his body sluggish from the drug, his first instinct was to resist. It was a similar situation to when he had encountered the drugged man before, but the revulsion he felt now was incomparable. He suddenly remembered his grandmother’s words.

‘If a bastard tries to force himself on you, grab his balls and rip them off. Got it?’

Lee Chanseo was straddling him as if to pounce. Fortunately, there was enough room to move his knees. Seo Soohyun clenched his teeth to focus. Then, without hesitation, he put all his strength into his knees and swung his legs violently.

Thwack!

“Keuk!”

A sickening sound, especially for another man to hear, echoed.

But Seo Soohyun, ignoring Lee Chanseo’s groans of pain, quickly sat up while the man faltered. He reached out blindly towards the table, his fingers brushing against something cold. Gripping the object tightly, he swung it with all his might.

Crack!

“Ugh! You, you little…!”

The sturdy whiskey bottle didn’t shatter like a soju bottle, but it created enough of an opening for Lee Chanseo to lose his composure. Seo Soohyun pushed him away with all his might and got off the sofa. He was about to run for the door, forcing his trembling legs to move, when…

“Ah!”

Lee Chanseo reached out and yanked his hair. His balance faltered, and he fell backwards. Before he even registered the fall, a sharp pain shot through his shoulder.

“Heuk…”

Fortunately, he avoided hitting his head on the floor, but the impact of the fall was considerable. Even as he writhed in pain, a desperate urge to escape surged, and Seo Soohyun pushed himself up with his elbows.

“Get away from me!”

Lee Chanseo was just a little faster.

“I should nip this habit of hitting your boyfriend in the bud, Soohyun.”

As the man, blood dripping from his forehead, raised his hand in fury, Seo Soohyun instinctively closed his eyes. He called out the name that filled his subconscious.

“Director!”

Click.

As soon as he finished speaking, a small sound, like a doorknob turning, echoed in his ears.

Huh…? Seo Soohyun opened his eyes, forgetting about Lee Chanseo trying to hit him. Because he was lying on the floor with his head twisted, the first thing he saw were large shoes.

Large, black, sturdy shoes, bigger than Bokshil.

He was about to part his lips to call out to him when the shoes stepped forward. He didn’t even have time to lift his head. The man, who had approached with long strides, mercilessly kicked Lee Chanseo.

Crash!

He instinctively tried to look towards the sound when large hands slipped under his armpits and lifted him.

“Heuk, Director.”

Time, which had been moving sluggishly, seemed to return to its normal pace. Seo Soohyun clung to the familiar embrace, calling out to Gi Taeyeon. He hadn’t felt particularly scared, even though the man had cracked someone’s head before, and he himself had been trying to escape just moments ago. Perhaps it was because the person he longed to see had appeared, but tears welled up, and he felt a sense of relief wash over him.

“Why did you leave the house and put yourself through this?”

“I, I didn’t leave, ugh… I left a note.”

Seo Soohyun quickly corrected him, as he hadn’t intended to leave. Gi Taeyeon smirked, perhaps finding his retort amusing even in this situation. He looked angry, but the hand stroking the back of his head was incredibly gentle, so Seo Soohyun didn’t cower.

“Ugh, f-fuck… Aren’t you going to let go of him?”

He saw Lee Chanseo struggling to get up over the man’s shoulder. Bright red blood trickled down his forehead.

“Haa.”

Gi Taeyeon sighed openly as if annoyed and slowly walked away, seemingly oblivious to Seo Soohyun’s worry that Lee Chanseo might attack. Instead of taking Seo Soohyun outside, he sat him on the sofa and cupped his face, turning his small face this way and that, checking for injuries.

“D-Director, what if he attacks from behind…”

“Nothing to use against a kid.”

Instead of addressing his concern, a cryptic mutter was his reply.

“Huh?”

“Baby. Should you listen to adults, or not?”

“Heuk, I should…”

When the sleazy-looking man had called him “baby,” it had only made his skin crawl, but hearing Gi Taeyeon call him that brought a wave of relief, and Seo Soohyun sniffled as he obediently answered.

“Then close your eyes.”

He squeezed his eyes shut as instructed.

“Get away from him! Fucking thief, stealing what’s mine!”

His eyes fluttered open involuntarily at Lee Chanseo’s outburst.

“I told you to close your eyes.”

But the person in his view wasn’t Lee Chanseo, but Gi Taeyeon. His dark eyes stared down at him intently. The cool-colored eyes, like the scales of a black snake, were unwavering, like a predator before a hunt.

At the commanding tone, unlike the gentle coaxing from before, Seo Soohyun quickly closed his eyes again. He kept them closed even when he heard the sound of something heavy being swung forcefully.

“Keuk!”

As soon as Seo Soohyun closed his eyes, Gi Taeyeon turned around. He had spent his entire life using his body; if he let some pampered young master crack his head open with a whiskey bottle, it would be time for him to retire.

Without hesitation, he grabbed Lee Chanseo by the throat and slammed him to the floor. The sound of the back of his head hitting the floor was nothing to him.

“Keuheuk, keuk…”

Ah, too bad. It didn’t crack.

Gi Taeyeon simply rolled his eyes as Lee Chanseo frantically scratched at his wrist with his fingernails. He noticed the whiskey bottle rolling on the floor. The seemingly heavy bottle was covered in blood, staining its dark, curved surface. Seo Soohyun was unharmed, and this brat’s forehead was bleeding, so it was obvious whose blood it was.

Judging by the situation, it seemed Seo Soohyun had swung the bottle again, and Gi Taeyeon chuckled softly. He would have to discipline him for leaving the house without permission, but he had to praise him for this.

He’s always doing the cutest things.

“What are you looking at, uh, keuheuk!”

Gi Taeyeon reached out and grabbed the neck of the whiskey bottle with his free hand. He looked down at the pale Lee Chanseo and smirked.

“Our baby cracked the young master’s head open nicely.”

“Keut, let, go…!”

“I don’t think I need to touch him anymore, since he’s already a masterpiece.”

More importantly, he wasn’t confident he could control his strength enough to avoid killing him, unlike usual.

“Cough, cough!”

Gi Taeyeon deliberately loosened his grip on Lee Chanseo’s throat. When a constricted airway suddenly opened, the instinct was to gasp for air, tilting the head back and turning the shoulders. Lee Chanseo was no exception. Gi Taeyeon raised his arm with an impassive expression. His left hand still lightly held the man’s throat.

Crack!

“Aaack!”

Following the earsplitting sound, the heavy bottle slammed against his shoulder. As Lee Chanseo writhed, clutching his left shoulder, Gi Taeyeon whistled and pinned his right wrist to the floor. It was a remarkably delicate movement, with the palm facing down and the back of the hand facing up.

“Keuh, heuk, wh-what are you… Aack!”

The whiskey bottle that had struck his shoulder now slammed against the back of his hand. The thin skin tore, blood spurting, but Gi Taeyeon repeated the same action several times more with an indifferent expression before slowly getting up.

“Huu, h, huu, my, my hand…”

The whistling had long stopped.

“Hmm.”

His expression now cold and hard, he stared at the bloodied hand, then placed the heel of his shoe on Lee Chanseo’s side and pressed down with his weight. He bent down and grabbed the knee that was jutting out due to the man’s writhing.

“Keuh, y-you, f-fucking, bastard…”

Lee Chanseo thrashed his upper body and moved his thigh as if to resist, but there was no way he could overcome Gi Taeyeon’s grip. Gi Taeyeon lifted his heel, which had been pinning Lee Chanseo to the floor, and placed his shoe directly on the man’s stomach, pressing down with his weight.

“Keuheok! G-gangster, bastard, heuk, keuk, you think you can get away with this…!”

With every word Lee Chanseo uttered, his stomach, pinned under Gi Taeyeon’s shoe, heaved violently. But Gi Taeyeon, as if he was hearing a dog bark, simply extended his arm and grabbed the man’s calf.

Crack!

Immediately after, the hard, rounded object struck the protruding kneecap.

“Aaack! Aack!”

There was a cracking sound, but it was unclear whether it was the sound of bone breaking or the whiskey bottle hitting the knee again.

“Keuheuk, keuuu…”

“Haa…”

As if he was finished with the legs, the man lightly brushed off the calf he had been holding and ran a hand through his hair with a low sigh. Lee Chanseo screamed and writhed like a bug, but the perpetrator looked bored, as if watching a silent film.

But his indifferent expression was short-lived.

His sharp eyebrows furrowed slightly, a deep crease forming between them. His lips parted slightly, and a low voice escaped.

“Hey, young master.”

The toe of his shoe lightly touched the blood-soaked side.

“I am a gangster…”

“Keuk!”

Thwack! A dull thud, as if kicking a piece of meat, filled the spacious room.

“But what does that have to do with this situation?”

“Keueok, keuk!”

“You messed with, my, baby, like this…”

With every pause in his calm voice, the sound of something cracking mixed with the muffled groans that couldn’t quite become screams. But Gi Taeyeon’s tone remained slow and deliberate.

“You should be thankful I’m a gangster.”

“Heueok, heueok, heok…”

“I’m being nice and just beating you up, so you don’t die.”

Gi Taeyeon knelt in front of the battered Lee Chanseo, who couldn’t even move properly. He lowered his body, his thighs spread wide, and grabbed Lee Chanseo by the collar. Then, he slapped the dangling face with his large hand.

“Huh?”

Whether he still had some pride left, or he was drunk and out of his mind, Lee Chanseo twisted his lips into a sneer.

“Should have, keuh, fucked him, sooner…”

“…”

“Then he wouldn’t be, keuk, a rag, given to a, gangster…”

Just as the hand that had been slapping his cheek was about to clench into a fist,

“Director! Stop, ugh, stop it.”

Gi Taeyeon instinctively turned his head at the hand tugging on his waist. Seo Soohyun, as if not wanting to miss the opportunity, pulled the man towards him with all his might.

“Let’s go, quickly, huh… We have to go…”

He felt like something terrible would happen if they stayed any longer.

“Huaang. What if the police come?”

He had intended to sit still until Gi Taeyeon told him to open his eyes, but he couldn’t just stand by, worried about the man.

Seo Soohyun had been obediently keeping his eyes closed as Gi Taeyeon had instructed. He had kept them closed even when the sounds of violence, far more brutal than anything in movies, assaulted his ears.

But he hadn’t felt scared or the urge to run out of the room. The perpetrator of the violence was Gi Taeyeon, and he already knew that the man did that kind of work. That meant the one being beaten up wasn’t Gi Taeyeon, so he was simply relieved.

The problem was, keeping his eyes closed had filled his mind with unnecessary worries.

‘On TV, the police always show up at times like these…’

If the police showed up, it would be disadvantageous for Gi Taeyeon. He wasn’t sure if this suspicious place had CCTV cameras, but the man was clearly assaulting Lee Chanseo. Moreover, even though the man had the respectable title of a construction company director, considering that his grandmother in Seoul had called him a gangster, it was clear that he also engaged in illegal activities.

A gangster and the grandson of a legal family. He could clearly see what would happen if they got involved with the police.

Thinking that far, he couldn’t just wait around foolishly.

Just as the man had come to save him, he had to save Gi Taeyeon.

“Heuk, let’s go…”

His voice choked with tears as his emotions overwhelmed him. But Seo Soohyun clung to the much larger and thicker body, pulling him with all his might. He knew that Gi Taeyeon, even in his precarious kneeling position, wouldn’t be moved by such a weak force, but he did it anyway.

How many times did he pull at the man? Whether it was because of his persistence or because he found him pitiful, Gi Taeyeon sighed deeply and stood up.

Seo Soohyun instinctively got up with him and checked on Lee Chanseo, who was sprawled on the floor. He looked truly awful. He wasn’t covered in blood, but he looked so battered that Seo Soohyun thought that might have been better. A bleeding wound would be preferable to mangled hands and knees.

“Seo Soohyun.”

Gi Taeyeon cupped his cheek. Their eyes met, and the man smirked, tilting his head.

“Are you scared now that you’ve seen him like that?”

He hadn’t looked at Lee Chanseo out of concern. He had checked on him to assess the extent of his injuries so that he could defend Gi Taeyeon later. Of course, defending was a lawyer’s job, not his, but since Lee Chanseo had initiated the assault, he might be able to testify that the man’s response was justified.

“Suddenly horrified?”

Seo Soohyun shook his head, even though he could feel the grip on his cheek tightening.

“I’m not scared of you, Director…”

“Not scared of me.”

The tears that had momentarily stopped welled up again as he imagined the unpleasant future.

“I’m scared, heuk, that you’ll be arrested.”

Even in a world where everything could be resolved with money, with injuries like that, Gi Taeyeon could very likely go to jail for assault.

“Director, uh, what if you go to jail?”

“Jail?”

“Prison. Heuk, we don’t know how long you’ll be there.”

The thought of not knowing how many years the man would be locked up made him even more distressed.

Seo Soohyun unconsciously tugged on Gi Taeyeon’s shirt as if asking for a hug. He continued to cry and ramble even as Gi Taeyeon lifted him into his arms.

“I, heuk, like you, Director… I want to date you, and go see flowers, but, ugh, what if the police show up? If we run into them now, heuk, you’ll be arrested on the spot, Director.”

As the elders would say, he would be caught red-handed.

“And, heuk, I told you that Chanseo hyung’s family is a legal family, ugh… I don’t know for sure, but I heard judges give harsher sentences if they’ve been personally wronged, keuk… If they know Chanseo hyung’s grandfather, and give you a harsh sentence, we won’t know how many years you’ll be in there.”

Seo Soohyun knew the world wasn’t fair.

He wouldn’t have been so worried if Lee Chanseo came from an ordinary family. Judges and prosecutors could be bribed, and Gi Taeyeon was more than capable of bribing them.

But Lee Chanseo’s influential family was a different matter.

He liked Gi Taeyeon and wanted to date him, but the thought that he might not be able to because of prison filled him with anxiety.

“I’m still young, heuk… I can wait for you, Director, but dating a Director in his thirties, uh, is a bit different from dating a Director in his forties.”

Gi Taeyeon had never said he liked him. But Seo Soohyun had already made up his mind. He would seduce the man, even if he didn’t like him.

But if he went to prison, his resolution would crumble, not by his own will. It would be incredibly frustrating, like drawing a sword but not being able to swing it.

“I want both, heuk, a Director in his thirties and forties… So I want to date you starting this spring, uh… And, huaang, I also want to eat the strawberry cake I bought last time. I didn’t eat any of it because I wanted to eat it with you… Heuk, I even left the cherry blossoms that fell on the box, keuk…”

His cheeks flushed, both from the drug’s effects and from crying. His thoughts, swirling in his muddled mind, started pouring out. He knew he should be careful with his words, but he felt like he had to say everything he wanted to say.

Seo Soohyun continued to speak his mind without even bothering to wipe his tears. As a result, he didn’t have time to check the man’s expression.

“So, heuk, stop it and let’s go. And, heuk, my body feels strange, and I’m scared…”

He had been too shocked when he encountered Lee Chanseo, and then too busy struggling to escape to notice anything strange with his body. It had been the same when Gi Taeyeon opened the door. But after being held in the man’s arms for a while, his tension seemed to dissipate, and he felt a tingling sensation in his stomach. It felt like he was going into heat.

“Director, hht, release your pheromones…”

Seo Soohyun pleaded, rubbing his forehead against the man’s shoulder, even though he knew his tears were staining Gi Taeyeon’s clothes. Even though he knew it wasn’t the right time, his body was burning up, and he acted like a child with a fever.

“You really have a knack for turning me on.”

Along with the exasperated remark, a familiar pheromone scent slowly filled his nose.

Soohyun continued to sniffle even as Gi Taeyeon opened the door and led him outside. He thought he heard Lee Chanseo calling out to him, but he wasn’t sure as he didn’t pay attention.

“Director.”

“What happened.”

“We’re taking care of it and moving him to the workshop. What should we do with the inside?”

Even though Gi Taeyeon was stroking his hair, his trembling showed no signs of stopping. Seo Soohyun kept wiggling his toes, trying to wake his unresponsive body.

“That young master needs to learn a lesson for relying on his grandpa’s connections.”

“I’ll make the call.”

“What about the drug he injected the kid with?”

“It’s similar to a heat inducer. It seems to be the kind circulated in the drug market.”

“So there’s no antidote. What are the side effects?”