Correction Chapter 48

“Ji sunbae.”

Jungmin waited for Ji Soohan to arrive at work from early in the morning. If he didn’t do this, he wouldn’t be able to meet him at all.

Just as he’d expected, he could sense the pheromones of an omega on his body. Fortunately, it seemed he hadn’t come straight from a hotel, as only a very faint trace remained.

“Let’s talk.”

Seeing Ji Soohan’s face stiffen the moment he saw him, Jungmin’s heart grew heavy. He needed to discuss Sooeun-ssi’s situation too… He was worried if they could even have a proper conversation. Jungmin led him to his own office. The offices in the alpha department where Soohan worked were all clustered together, making it difficult to have a long talk, whereas Jungmin’s office was in a slightly more secluded area, making it suitable for a conversation.

“Hyung, did I do something wrong?”

“What are you talking about? There’s nothing like that.”

“Then why does it feel like you’re avoiding me?”

He was finally able to ask the question that had been weighing on his mind.

“If I did something wrong, tell me. I’ll fix it.”

“It’s not that. It’s just… my mind has been a bit complicated lately.”

He was avoiding his eyes again. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t looking at him at all.

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

If he was saying this much, it must be true. If so, that was a relief, but….

“Is it… not something I can help with?”

“…No. I’m sorry for making you worry. But this is my problem. I’ll handle it.”

“Okay…. But still, it would be good to cut back on the one-night stands a little. Sooeun-ssi was worried.”

“Right… I should.”

He ran a hand through his hair, looking exhausted. Something must really be going on. His pheromones seemed a bit heavy lately, too.

“It’s been a while since you’ve talked with Sooeun-ssi.”

“That’s right. I haven’t been able to talk much with her lately.”

“Yesterday, Sooeun-ssi and I met up and we were both very worried about you, hyung.”

“You met with Sooeun, just the two of you?”

“Yes, after work.”

“Why?”

“Pardon?”

“Why did the two of you meet?”

“I told you. We met because we were worried about you. And also….”

Jungmin told him what he had heard from Sooeun-ssi yesterday. After hearing the whole story, Soohan seemed relieved for some reason.

“Right, I’ll have to get our stories straight with Sooeun.”

“Yes, I’m planning to make some preparations too.”

Jungmin enthusiastically explained that he was adjusting his schedule for the days off. It felt good to be having a real conversation with Soohan after such a long time. Then, suddenly feeling a gaze on him, he lifted his head to find Soohan looking straight at him.

“Hyung, what is it?”

It had been a while. Making eye contact and talking like this.

“I can’t understand why you’re doing all this for Sooeun.”

“Isn’t that discussion already over? Why bring it up again all of a sudden?”

“You’re at too much of a disadvantage.”

“I don’t think so. Sooeun-ssi is a good person…. and thanks to her, I got to become close with you, hyung. I’ve gained more than I’ve lost. Besides, there isn’t much time left anyway. What’s the big deal? If anything, thanks to you and Sooeun-ssi, I’m actually enjoying my difficult hospital life. I haven’t thought about wanting to go home even once lately. In fact, I want to stay longer.”

Jungmin said with a smile. That smile was so bright… Soohan gazed at Jungmin for a long time.

✽✽✽

“Thank you, Jungmin-ssi.”

The day before she was to leave for the hotel, after all the preparations were done, Ji Sooeun thanked Jungmin and gave him a tight hug.

A lovely omega scent came from Sooeun. As an alpha, he felt a sense of stability.

‘I’m envious.’

What Jungmin envied was her omega scent. The scent of an omega in love…. a scent that calmed alphas and was fragrant no matter when you smelled it. It made Jungmin sigh, but he soon shook his head and returned to his daily routine.

From the next day, Sooeun didn’t come to the hospital in order to spend time with her beloved partner. Jungmin also took a leave from the hospital and packed his bags for the two nights and three days.

“Jungmin, are you going on a trip?”

Seeing her son packing, his mother wore a puzzled expression. Jungmin smiled sheepishly.

“Ah, well… It’s Sooeun-ssi’s heat cycle, so we decided to spend it together.”

It pained him to lie to his parents, but since he had promised to protect her, he had to do everything he could.

If he acted carelessly and raised suspicion, causing everything to fall apart, it would only create more hurting people.

“My goodness. Really? The hotel? Where are you going? You booked a nice place, right? You can’t make Sooeun-ssi’s time difficult. You have to love her a lot. Got it?”

Jungmin’s parents were naturally overjoyed. His father laughed heartily, asking if he could expect to see a grandchild. His heart felt heavy, but Jungmin forced himself to say he would try his best and left the house.

The place Jungmin would be staying for two nights and three days was Soohan’s house. When he first asked, Soohan had frowned slightly. Seeing his expression stiffen for a brief moment, Jungmin thought he must dislike the idea and said he would just look for a separate hotel, but Soohan had smiled again and smacked Jungmin on the back, asking where else he would go but his place. Reassured, Jungmin was able to rely on Soohan’s hospitality.

Actually, he had considered just leaving his luggage at Soohan’s place and traveling around the country for a bit, but he decided to just stay put quietly in Soohan’s house, as it would be a headache if he was spotted by someone while wandering around.

While Soohan was at work, he’d flip through the TV channels, stopping if something interesting was on, and if there was nothing to watch, he’d surf the internet for a bit and laze around… He also ordered food for delivery. At one point, he did wonder what he was doing, but it was his own choice, so he had no regrets.

“Haah….”

After lazing around to his heart’s content, he rubbed his sleepy eyes and got up to get a glass of water when his phone rang. Wondering if it was Soohan, he looked at the screen and saw it was Joohwan. Jungmin firmly put the phone down. Soon, the vibration stopped and a text notification sounded. This time, there was a message from Kim Joohwan. He debated whether to look at it or not, but flinched at the preview text.

‘Hotel with your fiancée?’

What? What on earth does that mean? As Jungmin frowned, trying to figure out its meaning, the phone rang again. This time, he couldn’t ignore it.

“Hello.”

─sunbae.

“Yes.”

─Are you at a hotel?

“Huh?”

─Or is it a pension?

Ah, could it be… he knows? He could know. If it’s this guy.

“It’s a hotel. How did you know?”

─Your fiancée’s family is spreading the news all over town.

“I see.”

So the plan is working.

─By the way, you seem quite relaxed.

“What?”

─To be answering the phone during your fiancée’s first heat cycle. I thought you wouldn’t pick up.

He could feel the sneer from the other side of the receiver. Jungmin felt that answering this call had been a mistake. He thought he should hang up quickly, but he didn’t know how to start, so only silence passed between them.

─Why aren’t you answering?

“Right, she’s calling for me. Let’s hang up.”

─Where are you?

“What?”

─Which hotel?

“Look it up. You can find it, can’t you? But even if you find it, don’t interfere. This is an important day for me. You know, right? If I’m willing to get engaged to her and even spend her heat cycle with her, you know how I feel right now. How much I cherish her. I think you’d understand. Since you’re an alpha too.”

─…….

“I’m hanging up. You should hurry up and find someone good for yourself too. Stop talking nonsense. Ah, and don’t call me after this either. I won’t answer your calls. I won’t read your texts. Got it?”

Jungmin seized the initiative, rattled off everything he wanted to say, and then hung up, finally blocking Kim Joohwan’s phone number and messages.

“Hoo.”

Talking with Kim Joohwan always left him tired, but today, he felt strangely refreshed. He hadn’t said much, but why did it feel like he had landed a solid punch?

“So childish. Me too.”

Jungmin flopped back down on the sofa. In the quiet house, only the ticking of the clock’s second hand echoed. Just then, a text message arrived. It was from Soohan.

‘Company dinner today. Will be late.’

He had a company dinner yesterday too, and ended up so drunk he didn’t even come home and slept at the hospital instead…. Still, he had thought that while he was here, he could drink with him and talk a lot like they used to, but it seemed there would be no such opportunity, which felt bitter. When they talked a few days ago, he had hoped, Maybe it’ll be okay from now on? Maybe we can go back to how we were before? but it seemed that wasn’t the case either. He wasn’t unaware that the reason he wasn’t coming home was to avoid him.

“Did I come here for nothing?”

Looking up at the ceiling, it felt strangely unfamiliar. That’s right. This wasn’t a place he was supposed to be. Thinking that, he suddenly felt lonely. Jungmin curled his body up tightly and closed his eyes. Though this was his situation, he hoped that at least Sooeun-ssi was spending a happy time with the person she loved.