Love Born of Pity Chapter 119

Leaving Do Yeonjae, who was acting as if it was nothing, felt impossible; his feet would not move. As Do Yeonjae walked out of the hospital room with a hesitant Kwon Jiho, he said he would see him soon. He escorted him all the way to the elevator, saying he wanted to take him home but was upset that he could not.

“Go on in.”

“…You too, Director.”

“If there’s anything you want to eat, tell me. Tell anyone.”

Do Yeonjae, who had lightly squeezed and then released his thin shoulder, wore a precarious expression. As the elevator that would take Kwon Jiho seemed about to arrive, he let out a long-held sigh. He dropped his head, his gaze fixed on the hand that was tightly clutching the shopping bag containing his clothes.

“I’m worried you’ll be alone again.”

“…Pardon? Oh, that… I’m fine.”

At the not-unexpected reply, as if such a thing was nothing, Do Yeonjae gave a weak smile. He carefully reached out and gently cupped Kwon Jiho’s cheek. His hand lingered for a moment on the soft skin where the once-plump flesh had vanished without a trace, then pulled away.

“You’re so brave.”

“Please make sure you eat well.”

“Worry about me. A lot. It would be even better if you worry so much you can’t think of anything else.”

The elevator door, announcing its arrival, opened. At the brazen request delivered with a picturesque smile, Kwon Jiho moved his feet without answering. Standing opposite each other, they made awkward eye contact from inside and outside the elevator. He seemed fine, so he had thought he was, but his neatly exposed forehead was damp with a cold sweat.

“Get home safely.”

Do Yeonjae’s rut was steadily beginning. He felt his body growing rapidly hotter as he waved his hand. It was certainly a shame he could not be with Kwon Jiho, but he also felt it was a relief that he was leaving even a minute sooner. Since he could not take suppressants, he felt like his pheromones were leaking out uncontrollably.

“Please get… a lot of rest.”

Do Yeonjae wished that the concerned gaze directed at him would contain a hint of pity. Unfortunately, he could find no such sign. There was only a little bit of regret; there was no part of him that pitied him.

Kwon Jiho watched Do Yeonjae’s face, not missing a thing as it gradually disappeared between the closing elevator doors. Only after the doors were completely shut did he lean his body against one of the walls. Phew, a held-in sigh escaped. His stiffly frozen expression completely crumbled as he recalled the request to worry about him.

Heh. A laugh escaped. Thinking he was a consistently selfish person, he slowly blinked his eyes.

♬⋆.˚

Kwon Jiho took the car Do Seungtae had sent and returned to Do Yeonjae’s family home as if it were the most natural thing to do. Do Seungtae was waiting for him at the main gate. He stood there holding a cardigan Kwon Jiho often wore, and as soon as the vehicle stopped, he personally opened the back seat door.

“I’m back, Grandfather.”

“Welcome, was the journey uncomfortable?”

“I came back comfortably. Thank you.”

“Are you alright? Your pheromones? Did that brat keep them in check properly?”

A worried gaze meticulously scanned his clear face. Kwon Jiho smiled as he slipped his arms into the cardigan he was given.

“I’m fine. A little of the Director’s pheromones did leak out, but it didn’t affect me at all.”

“If you feel even a little strange, you must tell me. I’m not worried about that Yeonjae brat, but you seem so frail, it makes me worry. Let’s go inside.”

Even though he was clearly Do Yeonjae’s family, he felt grateful and touched by Do Seungtae, who always took his side. He told him to come inside quickly, but also urged him not to rush and to walk carefully.

Do Seungtae moved slowly, matching the pace of Kwon Jiho, who was quietly following behind him. As they climbed the stone steps, he casually asked Kwon Jiho what he thought about staying in the main house.

“Ah…”

“I heard you were suffering from morning sickness all afternoon that day, too. There are so many people in this house, yet I feel terrible that we didn’t know until that Yeonjae brat came.”

Do Seungtae recalled the phone call he had with Do Yeonjae before going out to meet Kwon Jiho. In a situation where rational conversation was impossible due to a rut he had not had in months, with some unknown mental fortitude, he had calmly reported what he had seen and said that the boy was suffering like that because Kwon Jiho had been left alone. His tone was polite enough, but the criticism was scathing.

“After that Yeonjae brat came, I thought you would be uncomfortable if I kept checking in on you, so my visits became a little infrequent. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“No, it’s not that. The morning sickness has been getting better and worse all along.”

“I wonder what kind of boisterous child is trying to be born to make you suffer so… So, what I’m saying is, how about staying in the main house for just a week?”

“…Ah. Th-that… You don’t have to be so considerate. I’m really fine. I’m just worried that it might be too… bothersome for you because of me.”

Kwon Jiho just felt sorry that Do Yeonjae’s entire family was spending their time and attention on him, a stranger. While he was grateful for their excessive care and concern, he was also confused because he did not know if this level of care was normal during pregnancy.

“Bothersome? You’re saying things that hurt this old man’s feelings. Don’t you worry about that, and just think about staying in the main house.”

“Thank you for your words. But I’m really fine being alone. Just staying here is more than enough for me… I mean… it’s warm here every day.”

Kwon Jiho gently pressed the area around his chest, expressing his feelings. Do Seungtae felt a lump in his throat for no reason. It was pitiful that the young boy would say he felt warm from just this much kindness. On top of that, he was the complete opposite of Do Yeonjae, who had never expressed gratitude in his entire life, so he felt even more for him.

“When I brought Hyunsu into my home, I didn’t feel sorry for him, but I don’t know why I feel so sorry for you. This is all because of that Yeonjae brat. He’s committed quite a few sins. Tsk… Your father-in-law might just strike Yeonjae with lightning. For treating a precious child like you that way, he deserves to be hit. Really… I can’t show my face.”

His voice was a mixture of self-reproach and guilt. Do Seungtae, who had thanked Kwon Jiho several times on the walk to the main house, reached out his hand to open the door. The door opened before he could even grasp the handle.

“Oh…?”

Chief Kim burst out from inside. He looked bewildered upon seeing Chairman Do Seungtae and Kwon Jiho as soon as he came out, and then hid what he was holding in his hand behind his back.

“Chairman. Good day.”

Chief Kim, who immediately bowed, came down from the landing. He gave an awkward smile and gave a slight nod to Kwon Jiho as well.

“What brings you here?”

“I stopped by for a moment on the CEO’s orders.”

“Orders?”

“…Th-yes. He said he had released some pheromones back then. So I was just checking the cleaning status to see if any remained… I did what I was told.”

Chief Kim smiled awkwardly. Do Seungtae, who had quickly grasped the situation, clicked his tongue. As if he did not even want to acknowledge it, he turned his body after telling him to be careful on his way.

Only Kwon Jiho stood there bewildered, seeing Do Seungtae off and making eye contact with Chief Kim. A question, as if to ask what he was really doing here, filled his innocent eyes.

“Have you eaten?”

“Yes, I have. It feels like it’s been a while. Have you been well?”

At the kind inquiry, Kwon Jiho nodded his head. He replied that he had been well, and without realizing it, he dropped his gaze. Of course, he was not the type to take things from inside without permission, but it still bothered him that he seemed to have brought something out.

“Ah, so.”

Chief Kim, as if pricked by his conscience, held out the hand he had hidden behind his back. He slightly opened a thickly bulging shopping bag to show the inside, and Kwon Jiho’s face instantly turned bright red.

“He told me to bring the laundry. Not to pick and choose, but to bring everything in the laundry basket as is… I’m sorry. If I had known we would run into each other like this, I would have waited inside for a bit.”

Chief Kim had anticipated that an embarrassing situation might arise from his perverted-like act of rummaging through the laundry in an empty house. So, he had planned to put the luggage he had packed with the entire contents of the laundry basket in the car and wait for Kwon Jiho, but… running into him like this was quite uncomfortable.

Furthermore, Do Yeonjae had pestered him to be sure to get the clothes he was wearing now, so he had to ask him to take them off, but he could not bring himself to say it. According to his plan, Kwon Jiho would think he was only taking one set of clothes, so it would have been worth trying with his eyes shut, but… now, no matter how you looked at it, he was just an accomplice helping a pervert.

“I’m sorry, but.”

“Yes?”

“The CEO told me to be sure to get the clothes you are wearing now. He said he had already told you… I’m sorry.”

The tips of Chief Kim’s ears were red as he lowered his gaze. Kwon Jiho, too, was just as flustered and embarrassed, and his face instantly flushed.

“Ah, th-… Yes. If you could just wait a moment, I’ll bring them right out.”

Kwon Jiho, bowing his head several times, quickly went inside the house. He practically ran to the bedroom and closed the door. He put the shopping bag he had brought with him on the floor and took a long breath to calm his pounding heart.

“He really… told him to get them…”

His face was hot. He had not thought he was being serious, so he was embarrassed and felt strange. He forced his hands, which were trembling uncontrollably, to move and took off the clothes he was wearing one by one. Kwon Jiho, looking down at the clothes that had fallen at his feet, paused as he saw his now quite plump lower belly.

“…Hah.”

He still did not know what he wanted to do with Do Yeonjae. He felt he knew exactly what he wanted to do, but his own feelings changed every day, every moment. He wanted to act as if he had forgotten everything he had done to him, but he also wanted to push him away harshly, as if he had never once forgotten. He wanted to reveal his wounds completely and be comforted, but he also wanted to resent and get angry at him.

Even this ambivalence that plagued him whenever he was alone like this would all evaporate into thin air in front of him, but…

“…What do you… want to do? To be honest, I don’t hate him that much anymore. So… I’m upset.”

Kwon Jiho, who had whispered the monologue that flowed out like a sigh, slowly moved his feet. He changed into some light clothes in the dressing room and picked up the clothes scattered on the floor, folding them one by one. When he brought them out in the shopping bag, Chief Kim smiled with an anxious face.

“He is scheduled to be hospitalized for about a week, but since he has suppressed his rut for quite a long time, the period may be extended.”

“Yes, thank you for letting me know.”

“Please rest well. I will deliver this to the CEO.”

Chief Kim, who had been standing up straight, bowed deeply and then walked away.

One week.

He hoped that his heart, which had been filled with fluffy, cloud-like emotions, would not become too empty, and that the time without Do Yeonjae would not be entirely lonely.