Love Born of Pity Chapter 120

It was a nightmarish week. If it hadn’t been for the clothes thoroughly imbued with Kwon Jiho’s scent, it would have surely been far more dreadful. For the first two days after the rut began, he was so seized by lust that he thought it would be better to go mad.

The bedsheets in the hospital room were changed several times a day. When he could move even a little, he would lock himself in the bathroom, dousing himself with cold water to bring down the heat. If that didn’t work, he would imagine having sex with Kwon Jiho in all sorts of lewd positions.

From the third day on, he slowly became capable of other thoughts. In other words, rational thinking became possible. Do Yeonjae slept in short bursts and stayed awake for long periods.

Around the time the feverish excitement began to subside, he mulled over a nickname for the baby growing bigger by the day in Kwon Jiho’s belly. He looked up all the popular nicknames these days, checked their meanings, and even struggled to come up with something special.

“Lemon.”

He heard that people sometimes use fruit names. When he actually said it out loud, it didn’t sound strange. But he wasn’t particularly fond of it either.

Neither the nickname nor the pheromone gland removal surgery yielded any satisfactory results. Yesterday, he had sought advice from the doctor about the possibility of removal in a case like this, but his opinion was skeptical. Instead, the doctor advised that it might be good to expose Kwon Jiho to the pheromones little by little.

He had carefully listened to the doctor’s explanation that from his presentation until just after conception, his development as an omega had been immature. That was why pheromone rejection had appeared, as he couldn’t distinguish a dominant alpha’s pheromones from a foreign invasion. But now, since he was consistently taking supplements, it was worth a try.

Having entered the second trimester, the alpha’s pheromones were also in an absolute situation. The body of a pregnant omega instinctively craves the pheromones of the alpha who gave it the seed.

But what if he used his pheromones and he suffered from side effects again? What if his eyes and ears, which had just gotten better, could no longer see or hear? If he got a nosebleed every time he was exposed to the pheromones… could he really bear to watch that?

The worries that continued throughout his preparations for discharge did not cease even as he left the hospital room.

Chief Kim, who was waiting outside the door, examined his boss, who was a little gaunt but still neat, and asked where they should go. It was a question he asked even though he already knew the answer.

“Let’s go to the main house. Has anything happened while I was away?”

“No, sir. The proposal for the first half of next year was also approved without delay, so we are proceeding as planned. The minutes of the meetings held during your hospitalization have been uploaded to the company network, so you can check them at your convenience.”

“No, Jiho. I’m asking if anything happened with Jiho.”

“…Ah, well. Um… No. Nothing happened. The only thing he said he wanted to eat was lemon shaved ice, so we bought it for him three times a day, and I’m told he also ate small but consistent meals every day.”

Maybe Lemon would be a good nickname after all. He wasn’t particularly fond of it, but he thought it would sound cute when Kwon Jiho said it.

“So he’s been doing well.”

“Yes, according to the reports I received, he has been well.”

“That’s a relief.”

A soft smile appeared on Do Yeonjae’s face as he nodded. He didn’t feel the slightest bit of disappointment at the news that he had been fine without him. He was just proud that he had been well during his absence.

♬⋆.˚

On the way back, he stopped by a cafe and got takeout of the shaved ice that Kwon Jiho supposedly ate three times a day. As he got closer to the main house, his heart raced. Do Yeonjae couldn’t wait for the car to come to a complete stop under the familiar wall and flung open the back seat door. Screech—! The sound of friction echoed as the brakes were slammed. The car came to such an abrupt stop that his body lurched forward.

“CEO!”

“You’re not going in anyway, Chief Kim. It’s just stopping a car, why do you put so much effort into it?”

With those words, Do Yeonjae jumped out. The luggage he had brought from the hospital was left neatly in the trunk; he was lightly holding only the shaved ice.

“Please have the laundry dry-cleaned and brought to me.”

“You could get hurt doing that!”

“I didn’t get hurt, so isn’t that a relief? You may go.”

Thud, the door closed. Chief Kim let out a deep sigh as he recalled the scene of Do Yeonjae jumping out just a moment ago. These days, he was witnessing new sides of the boss he served, a lot, and quite often.

As soon as Do Yeonjae rang the bell, the main gate opened as if someone had been waiting. The past where he was turned away at the door and had to climb the wall was quickly forgotten. He slipped inside the gate and took the stairs several at a time. He didn’t even glance at the main house and immediately turned his body. He hurried his steps, barely acknowledging the gardener’s greeting as he crossed the garden.

As soon as he stopped in front of the annex, his heart began to beat rapidly. The week had felt as long as several years. The thought of soon seeing the face he had longed for all this time sent a tingling sensation to the top of his head. This time, I should take a few pictures without Kwon Jiho knowing. He clicked his tongue at his own stupidity for not having taken a single photo during the rut.

He reached out a faintly trembling hand and opened the door. It would have been nice to wait for him to open it, but it was early in the morning, a time when Kwon Jiho would be fast asleep. The house he entered quietly was silent. It was filled with the scent that had kept him in a state of arousal throughout his rut, a scent he never tired of.

He took off his shoes, carefully placed the ice cream in the freezer, and headed straight for the bedroom. The door was ajar by a finger’s breadth. He slid it open without making a sound and went in, where he saw Kwon Jiho sleeping soundly on the bed. He was curled up in a ball, clutching something dark in his hand.

What… is that?

He was puzzled, unable to guess what it was even as he got closer. It was too dark around to identify it. But when he reached the bedside, he knew for sure what Kwon Jiho was wrapped in, what he was clutching so tightly lest he let go in his sleep. A wave of satisfaction washed over him.

“Ha.”

It was clothes. His clothes, which he had forced into his reluctant hands. Even when he took a deep breath, he could only faintly smell anything other than the scent coming from Kwon Jiho, but the sight of him clinging to it as if it were a lifeline filled him with satisfaction from the tips of his toes.

A hand that had reached out of its own accord gently stroked Kwon Jiho’s hair. The fine, soft hair scattered here and there as he touched it. When he touched his round forehead, his eyebrows, which were elegantly shaped as if drawn, furrowed. Long eyelashes cast a shadow on his white cheek.

“Jiho.”

“…”

“Mr. Kwon Jiho.”

At the sound of his name, his eyelids fluttered as if he were about to wake up. He pulled the clothes he was clutching by habit and buried his face in them. He heard a mumbling sound, but it was hard to make out what he was saying. But he looked so incredibly lovable right now, and even the air felt peaceful.

“I’m going crazy.”

The jacket he had buried his face in was all wrinkled. The sleeves were so creased. He loved it so much that a laugh escaped him like a madman.

It was then. Perhaps the sound of his laughter was too loud, Kwon Jiho’s eyes fluttered open. His eyes, not yet fully awake, held a hazy light as they confirmed it was Do Yeonjae.

“…Ah.”

A raspy grunt, a dazed expression that soon softened. His eyes closed and his lips curved gently. The voice that called, “Director,” was sweet. He reached out an arm he had been hiding under the covers and pulled Do Yeonjae toward him. A warm body heat instantly enveloped him. From the moist breath spreading on the nape of his neck and the gradually steadying breathing, he knew that Kwon Jiho was not fully awake.

Do Yeonjae, who had been standing completely still, moved his hands and hugged Kwon Jiho back. It was a sweetness he didn’t want to let go of even if he were to die right then. As he slowly stroked his thin back, Kwon Jiho soon went limp in his arms.

How long had they been in that awkward, crumpled position, oblivious to the discomfort? Kwon Jiho’s body twitched. His steady breathing also stopped for a moment. The body that had been limply hanging without any strength instantly stiffened.

As a hand, which had been fumbling on the bed, cautiously reached out and pushed Do Yeonjae’s shoulder, he released his arm from around his back. Without sitting up completely, he looked into the now clear eyes and opened his mouth.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Wh-when…”

“Just now.”

“…You should have woken me.”

Kwon Jiho, looking surprised, rubbed the side of his mouth. Then his gaze lingered for a moment on the jacket he was holding. He quickly hid what he hadn’t let go of even in his sleep under the covers. I saw everything. Should I pretend I didn’t?

“What time…”

The distance was too close, and Kwon Jiho subtly tried to pull away as he asked. There was no clock in the bedroom. The window had blackout curtains, so it was dark except for the mood lamp. The light-colored eyes, holding a soft glow, rolled from side to side. Thinking he didn’t know why he was staring so intently, he moved again, and Do Yeonjae smiled as if disappointed and moved back.

“…I’m not sure. I didn’t look at the time when I came. I think it’s around 8.”

“You’re here early.”

“Because I missed you.”

At the calmly delivered heartfelt words, Kwon Jiho’s face turned red. His lips moved as if to say something, but no answer came out. Flustered, Kwon Jiho completely pulled away and lowered his feet to the floor.

“H-have you eaten?”

“Not yet. Is there anything you want to eat? What about the morning sickness? I heard it’s gotten better.”

Kwon Jiho, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, subtly tried to get up and move a little further away from Do Yeonjae. Do Yeonjae, without realizing it, reached out a hand toward the ever-distancing Kwon Jiho. He grabbed his slender wrist and pulled him closer, pressing their bodies together. He hugged Kwon Jiho, whose warm body heat had not yet cooled, and once again revealed his feelings that could no longer be hidden.

“I thought I was going to go crazy because I missed you.”