Come Looking for Flowers Chapter 5.5 - Pneumothorax

The past held Yoonjo by the ankles. One day, all of a sudden, it would appear without rhyme or reason and forcefully twist Yoonjo’s head, which was trying to look toward the future. It made him look back at the past, not the future.

“Hhh, ugh, ughhhk……”

It was suffocating. He wanted to push away the invisible hand that was tightening around his throat. Everything wrapped around his body felt constricting. Even the air was suffocating.

He threw off the blanket and yanked at his clothes. His desperate struggle to escape the pain continued for a long while.

“Shhh……”

Just as Yoonjo was about to scream himself into unconsciousness, someone gently wrapped their arms around his body. The touch was tender, but the force binding him was firm.

He tried to push them away several times, but it was useless. Yoonjo pushed against the unknown person, struggling to somehow break free from this suffocating feeling.

He thought he might have screamed. Or maybe not, perhaps he had said something. A strong, blue pheromone flowed to the tip of tormented Yoonjo’s nose. Abruptly, all his struggles ceased.

“Baby.”

His widely dilated pupils slowly returned to their normal size. Yoonjo, breathing heavily, had his face drenched and damp with tears. A large hand gently stroked the back of his round head.

“You’re getting more and more clingy, our Yoonjo is.”

The man’s pheromone gently enveloped Yoonjo’s body. A cool scent filled his lungs. The ringing in his ears, the headache, and the terrible memories that had filled his mind slowly faded away.

Haaa, with a long breath, his body went limp. A tear that had clung to the corner of his eye fell. Held in a warm embrace, Yoonjo slowly evened out his ragged breaths.

“Why are you in a bad mood again today, hm?”

The man asked, draping his still-warm coat around Yoonjo. The man immediately lifted Yoonjo’s body, which was now wrapped in the large garment like a blanket.

Held in the man’s arms, Yoonjo didn’t last long before he fell asleep as if fainting. The man’s gaze, as he patted the limp body, instantly turned cold.

“Clean this up.”

“Yes, President.”

The staff who had been on standby bustled about, cleaning up the messy area. Without a single glance back at the commotion, Won Kangho strode out of the glass garden.

The man ceaselessly patted the sleeping Yoonjo, who was breathing evenly and colorfully. Unlike his gentle touch, his expression was utterly cold.

“President.”

Manager Jung, who was waiting at the entrance, called out to the man and bowed. Won Kangho gave a slight nod and entered the house. Manager Jung followed behind him.

The man’s touch was more careful than ever as he laid the limp body on the bed. Suddenly realizing this, Won Kangho let out a dry laugh.

“……This thing is bewitching.”

The man, who had been wiping the damp cheek with the back of his hand, flicked his fingers. As if deep in sleep, Lee Yoonjo only furrowed his brow slightly but did not wake up.

“If you have something to say, say it and leave.”

Won Kangho said without even looking at Manager Jung, who stood by the door. His gaze was stuck on Lee Yoonjo and showed no sign of leaving. His rough fingertips gently stroked the skin that had reddened from just that small touch.

“……Is he asleep?”

It was a question where one could guess the subject without it being explicitly mentioned. Displeasure instantly surfaced on the man’s face.

Won Kangho slowly raised his head. The eyes that turned to look were just like those of a beast of prey. Sweat formed on the palms of Manager Jung who faced him.

“Sejun-ah.”

“Yes, President.”

“Your meddling has gotten quite out of hand, hasn’t it?”

“……I apologize.”

Manager Jung’s head dropped. He continued to speak with his hands clasped behind his back.

“Detective Yoon, what should we do?”

Won Kangho did not answer. He listened to the words that followed while caressing Yoonjo as if handling something precious.

“His treatment is almost complete, and the attending physician is of the opinion that it is fine for him to be discharged. We will proceed as you command.”

A hand full of scars gently caressed the clear cheek. Looking at the person lost in what could be fainting or sleep, Won Kangho thought of Yoon Chaemin.

Won Kangho had not killed Yoon Chaemin right away. He had kept him barely alive, with his breath on the verge of snapping, and had dragged it out until now. The tenacious life had held on for quite a long time.

He dared to touch what was his, so even cutting off his hands would not have been enough, but the man had held back for Lee Yoonjo’s sake. Because he held back, the man was at least still breathing.

“Let him go.”

“……Pardon?”

“Let him go and put a few eyes on him. So he can’t pull any stupid stunts.”

He gently caressed the nape of the neck, where a mark had already formed. There was no strength in his hand at all.

What was this omega, that he was doing things he had never done before in his life. The man organized his thoughts as he filled his eyes with Lee Yoonjo.

If he had his way, he wanted to kill him. He felt like breaking his finger bones joint by joint, mincing his tongue, and gouging out his eyes.

However, the omega before him blocked that impulse. There was no need to deliberately provoke and shatter the already fragile boy. If worst came to worst, he could just grab him again and snuff out his life.

“……Yes. Ah, and, about Lee Jooho.”

The man’s eyebrow tilted, as if he did not welcome the conversation growing longer.

“Who is that.”

The man asked back, suppressing the urge to bury his face in the nape marked by his handprint. Manager Jung replied in a monotone voice.

“He is Lee Yoonjo-ssi’s father.”

Thud, all of the man’s movements stopped. His jet-black eyes glinted for a moment.

“He’s been found.”

His vision repeatedly brightened and then darkened. Loud noises painfully pierced his ears, and flashy scenes flickered past his eyes without sequence.

The body heat of the person holding him tightly was scorching. He wanted to look back at the man, but to do so, he would have to turn his head completely around. Worried that his movement might displease the man, Yoonjo couldn’t move rashly.

“You need to focus.”

The man’s voice descended from above his head. His startled body flinched. Kekeke, letting out a laugh, the man buried his lips in the nape of Yoonjo’s neck.

“Is it not fun? I heard babies like this movie.”

“……”

“Instead of watching the movie, should we do something else?”

Goosebumps spread all over his body at the gentle voice. The man did not notice his eyes, unable to find a place to rest, darting around.

Whenever the man showed this side of himself, anxiety took precedence. He was the type to offer such warm words and embrace one moment, only to change without reason and mercilessly cast him aside the next.

After a moment of thought, Yoonjo carefully turned his body around. Of his own will, he faced the man and wrapped his arms around his neck. Won Kangho willingly pulled Yoonjo, who was digging into his embrace, closer.

“Why are you being so clingy again.”

The man’s eyes, as he murmured lowly, shone strangely. He gently gripped the delicate chin and examined the pale face from side to side.

“Are you laying the groundwork to cause trouble?”

A beat later, his head shook. Watching Yoonjo’s denial, the man softened his sharp gaze.

“Stick out your tongue.”

The man whispered in a secretive voice. Like a robot that had been given a command, Yoonjo obediently did as the man told him and stuck out his tongue.

Without hesitation, the man took the pink tongue that peeked out from between the small lips into his mouth. The lewd sound of sucking and smacking rolled around the shell of his ear and fell to the floor.

His lips parted naturally, and the man delved into the gap. He freely indulged in the mouth that held a hot fever, savoring the sweet taste.

The cartoon movie on the large television was no longer in either of their sights. Intoxicated by each other’s body heat and scent, they mixed their tongues and shared their breaths.

The man’s hand naturally slipped into Yoonjo’s homewear pants. Yoonjo lifted his hips to help him take off the pants more easily, craving his breath even more.

What a relief. That the man isn’t in a bad mood. As long as he didn’t do anything that got on his nerves and didn’t displease him, the man would always hold him like this.

The sound of their breathing and the wet sound of their tongues mixing echoed louder than the noisy movie sound that filled the speakers.

“Baby.”

The man called Yoonjo while their lips were still connected. Hazy, unfocused eyes turned towards him. Making direct eye contact, the man continued to speak.

“Is there anything you’re curious about regarding President?”

“……”

“Anything at all.”

Why is he suddenly asking this kind of question in this situation? His eyes, unable to grasp the intention, trembled with anxiety.

The jet-black gaze was clear. The sanpaku eyes were fixed on Yoonjo, pressing for an answer. His softly relaxed body stiffened and began to tremble minutely.

Did I do something wrong? No matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn’t think of anything. Tears quickly welled up in his clear eyes. What had filled them, fell.

“I didn’t say it to make you cry.”

A hint of laughter was laced in the man’s murmuring voice. Yoonjo, seized by immediate terror, did not notice it.

“Shhh……”

The man kissed him again, slowly stroking his back. The corners of the man’s lips were turned up as he willfully rummaged through the mouth that had grown hot with tears.

His swollen eyelids felt heavy. Barely managing to open his eyes, Yoonjo, without even fully shaking off his daze, sat up in his spot.

The place he woke up in was the bedroom, not the playroom. It didn’t matter where he opened his eyes. What was important to Yoonjo right now was the fact that the man was not by his side.

Where did he go? Swallowing the bitter taste that surged up his throat, he stared at the door for a long while. Bolting from his spot was a purely impulsive act.

His bare feet stepped onto the floor. The hard marble held a moderate warmth, but for some reason, his feet felt cold.

He needed Won Kangho. Because once his senses were further awakened, the pain would start again, so he had to be there. The fingertips of the one wandering in the darkness trembled anxiously.

“……Bring Ryu over here.”

It was just as he passed the hallway and was nearing the living room. A familiar, low voice flew over in a faint shape. Urgency clung to his steps as he moved forward, leaning on the wall.

“There’s not much to clean up, is there. Just take care of it however.”

The man was standing in the spot where Yoonjo always used to sit and look outside. And next to him was Manager Jung, who followed him around like his shadow.

At the presence of the unexpected person, his advancing steps froze. Stumble, he stepped back and hid his form in the darkness.

“Yes. Ah, and Lee Jooho has been placed in the walk-in freezer. The decomposition is a bit severe, but what should we do?”

Lee Jooho? It was a familiar name. As Yoonjo’s mind searched for the existence of someone named Lee Jooho, the man’s voice continued into his ear.

“That’s just how it goes for bastards who lose their necks gambling, isn’t it.”

Hoo, the breath the man exhaled became white smoke and scattered around. A strange light slowly seeped into the eyes of Yoonjo, who was watching him while leaning against the wall.

His ears felt blocked. Did I hear that correctly? The trembling created by the shock spread from his hands to his entire body.

“Get the paperwork done first.”

“Yes, President.”

Manager Jung, who bowed his waist deeply, turned around. At the same time, his eyes met Yoonjo’s, and his advancing steps stopped.

Won Kangho, who had been smoking a cigarette, followed his gaze. Yoonjo, standing at the end of that gaze, couldn’t move an inch and met those black eyes.

“……”

“……”

The man, who had only turned his head, now turned his entire body. Taking Yoonjo in with his eyes, Won Kangho repeatedly sucked on the filter.

His legs trembled violently. His weakened body collapsed right there. Manager Jung flinched but did not approach. A strange silence flowed among the three people.

Hoo, with a long breath, the half-burnt cigarette was plunged headfirst into an ashtray. A pungent smoke was left behind like a trail, following the man’s trajectory as he moved.

The man strode over and stood right in front of Yoonjo. He bent his legs to sit down and gazed blankly at the pale face.

“Sejun-ah.”

“……Yes, President.”

“Go and do your work.”

The man commanded, his gaze still fixed on the one who had collapsed before him. There wasn’t a hint of wavering in his eyes.

After giving a polite bow, Manager Jung quickly left the room. Thump, with the sound of the door closing, the tears that had pooled finally dropped.

“Looks like you heard everything.”

The man tilted his head slightly. His gaze moved along the endless trail of tears.

The man’s eyes, bathed in the moonlight, glinted. A hand reached out and cupped his cheek. The thumb gently wiped at the damp corner of his eye.

“I didn’t really plan on hiding it, though.”

A trembling hand grabbed the man’s wrist. Something rising from the pit of his stomach felt like it would burst out of his mouth at any moment.

Did you kill him? The question that filled his mind could not escape his lips.

A horrifying scene he didn’t even want to imagine was drawn in his mind. The trembling gradually worsened, shaking even the sound of his breath.

Please, please let it not be what I’m thinking. Please let it be that, as he said, my stupid head has reached an absurd conclusion. Yoonjo prayed and prayed inwardly.

“Our poor Yoonjo. Your one remaining family member is dead now.”

That desperate wish, Won Kangho mercilessly trampled on it. The reality he didn’t want to believe finally descended upon Yoonjo.

From the moment his family’s fortunes began to decline, all ties with relatives and everyone around him were severed. After his mother passed away like that, the only person left for Yoonjo was his father.

He was said to be crazy about gambling. He understood.

He received threats that were not quite threats, telling him to pay off the debt in his father’s place. He understood that as well.

Everything was for the sake of his future, which would one day see the light.

He understood. He had to understand. Because denying it changed nothing, and it was easier to reach a state of resignation and accept it.

But his state right now was, literally, that of a fool.

“It seems a fight broke out at the gambling den. A fight started, and they say it happened while they were having a knife fight among themselves.”

“Hh, hhhh……”

Once the tears started, they showed no sign of stopping easily. Licking away the ceaseless tears, the man took in all of Yoonjo’s reactions.

The man’s face, as he spoke of a person’s death, was no different from usual. Rather, his lips curved as if he were enjoying it.

Something was wrong. He realized too late that something was terribly, terribly wrong. A thick dread slowly coiled up from beneath his feet.

“Stop crying. You already cried a lot earlier.”

The man held Yoonjo in his arms as if handling something precious. His voice, soothing and cajoling, was gentle. Those words gradually became muffled.

Dad is dead. The man delivered that news.

Did you kill him? The unasked question rolled around in his mouth once more. He couldn’t believe the man’s words about a fight breaking out. Because if it were this man, he was more than capable of killing someone himself and then lying about it shamelessly.

“Heok……”

His lungs clenched tightly. It was suffocating, as if someone were forcefully choking him.

The hand that had been pushing the man away gripped his own throat. He scratched at his neck with his short nails and then squeezed harder once more. Gasp, gasp, along with the sound of choking, blood rushed to his face.

“Oh my, it seems the shock was quite severe.”

The man was not fazed. He leisurely released his pheromones and gently enveloped the omega who was trying to escape his embrace. The blue scent billowed, surrounding the two of them.

“It would be good for you to get some sleep.”

A large hand covered his eyes. The man’s hand became wet with tears. Stroking the back of Yoonjo, who was trying to even out his rough breathing, the man poured his pheromones into him.

Horrifyingly, the moment he smelled the man’s pheromones, his airway cleared. His own personal abyss had saved him once again. It was a brilliant hell.

The one last hope he had was now completely shattered. Having lost everything, Yoonjo fell into a death-like sleep.

He spent his time in a state where he didn’t know if he was mourning his father’s death or pitying his own abandoned situation. At least when he was asleep, he could be free of all thoughts.

His father was dead. The end of a gambler was miserable. No one felt sorry for the death of a gambler.

While Yoonjo locked himself in the prison of sleep, the man did not touch him. He simply acted as he always had.

As always, he would take Yoonjo to the playroom before leaving the house, and upon returning home, he would pick him up again and put him down in the bedroom. This meaningless act continued for several days.

It had been a while since he had woken up during sunlit hours. His eyes, having absorbed the sunlight, were dull. The sound of dripping water came from the bathroom connected to the bedroom.

Blink, blink. His eyelids rolled up and then fell back down repeatedly. The opaque film that had covered his eyes slowly lifted.

This was the first time since that day that he had moved with any intention. Slowly sitting up, Yoonjo stared blankly out the window. The bright blue sky filled his vision.

“Come here.”

The man opened his arms towards Yoonjo. Yoonjo willingly threw himself into the embrace of the man, who was perfectly dressed in a three-piece suit.

Nothing had changed. While holding Yoonjo, the man headed to the dining room, and on the dining table, a meal for two was set, just as it always had been.

The helper seemed surprised to see Yoonjo but didn’t dare to speak to him, likely because of Won Kangho. Yoonjo did not notice her furtive glances.

The meal proceeded in silence. Yoonjo’s expression was emotionless as he swallowed the bland food, like thin white porridge, plain white kimchi, and small-cut steamed cabbage.

During the meal, on the way to the playroom after the meal, and even after entering it, there were no words between the two.

After stroking the lifeless hair once, the man immediately stood up. With the sound of fabric brushing against fabric, the man disappeared. Yoonjo followed him.

“Why are you out here.”

“……”

“Do you have something to say?”

The man turned around only after Yoonjo had followed him all the way to the entrance. He asked with his head tilted, but there was no reply.

Instead of an answer, Yoonjo scratched his wrist. Over the hideously discolored wrist, nail marks were drawn again and again.

A foot in a polished shoe and a pale, bare foot stood facing each other. The man, who had been gazing at Yoonjo as if trying to gauge his intention, suddenly moved closer.

“Ugh, mph……!”

A large hand gripped his cheek. The man took his faint breaths as if it were nothing. Grabbing the man’s wrist, Yoonjo obediently opened his mouth.

The wet sound of tongues mixing rolled across the floor of the entrance. With half-lidded eyes, Yoonjo took in everything about the man.

The sharp shape of his eyes and his dark eyebrows, even the bridge of his nose that brushed past whenever he tilted his head. Thanks to his lowered eyelids, their eyes never met.

Chuup, with an embarrassing sound, their lips parted. Haaa, as Yoonjo let out a long breath, the man pressed his forehead against Yoonjo’s. His whispering voice was grim.

“Baby.”

The man’s voice rippled. Unlike the affectionate call, his gaze was fierce.

Yoonjo did not avoid the eyes that seemed to see through everything and met them. Then, slightly lowering his eyelids, he was the first to give the man a short kiss.

“Haha.”

The man, whose face had hardened for a moment, let out a disbelieving laugh. Trembling eyelashes followed his eyelids upwards.

“Lee Yoonjo.”

He blinked once, as if in response.

“This isn’t a dream.”

I know. If I knew this was a dream, I would never have done this. His mind was clearer than it had ever been. The man continued.

“It’s time to wake up from the dream.”

“……”

“Wake up, and come to President.”

The cajoling, soothing voice was chillingly tender. The hand that had left his cheek lightly gripped Yoonjo’s wrist. The man pressed his lips deeply against the scar on the wrist. Their intertwined gazes were thick.

See you later. Leaving this farewell, the man immediately walked out of the entrance. Thump. The door closed with a loud sound. Even after the man was gone, Yoonjo stood motionless in that spot for a long time, as if nailed to the floor.

He mulled over the man’s words. He let out a long breath and stared blankly at the door where the man had disappeared.

‘It’s time to wake up from the dream.’

“I will.”

His voice was so clear and distinct it was hard to believe he was someone who had not spoken for a long time. Yoonjo’s gaze, as he looked at the closed door, was still clear.

As the man said, it was time to leave the dream.

The eyebrows of the man scanning the documents were tilted. A photo of an alpha, who looked both similar and dissimilar to his omega, was placed at the top of the document like a funeral portrait.

“The kid.”

“He is said to be resting.”

Even though Won Kangho was looking at the figure curled up on the sofa on the monitor screen with his own two eyes, he wanted to hear the information through Manager Jung’s mouth.

His mind was completely filled with thoughts of Lee Yoonjo. It had been that way ever since he entered his office. Tap, tap, his fingertips tapped his temple at a steady pace.

The man’s gaze was fierce as he recalled what happened this morning. From some point on, Lee Yoonjo had come to occupy a large part of the man’s day.

He did something he never does, today.

Lee Yoonjo, who had been sleeping as if dead for his entire life, for some reason got up of his own will today. Not only that, he had even personally come to the entrance to see him off.

What kind of change of heart is this? There must be something I don’t know. His displeasure was written all over his face.

Lee Jooho was dead. And that fact had broken Lee Yoonjo.

The thin glass that had been barely holding on finally shattered. It was a work of art born from the man’s hands.

“Word came that he ate his meal without skipping it. After that, he has been in the playroom the whole time.”

It was certainly the exact picture he had wanted. Lee Yoonjo had finally fallen into the man’s hands, and now there was no one else in this world for Lee Yoonjo to rely on but himself.

So why did he feel so unwell? A sense of displeasure wrapped around his whole body, clinging to him tenaciously.

The Lee Yoonjo of the past and the Lee Yoonjo of now were so very different. The sight of him with his thoughts plain on his face could no longer be found.

He was a man who lived by digging into people’s insides and taking their blood and flesh. But right now, there was not a single crack in Lee Yoonjo. There was no hole to dig into.

“It would be nice to go out on a day like today. As it happens, you have no schedule this evening, so how about having dinner together?”

Manager Jung’s words did not reach the man. His gaze, fixed on the small body on the screen, was obsessive.

Something was strange. The Lee Yoonjo he knew would not have acted like he did today. Furthermore, hadn’t he been the one to initiate the kiss at the end?

The way he had readily offered his gaze without being called, the way he had followed him to the entrance with those small feet as if to see him off, kept replaying in his mind.

What in the world was this feeling? From some point on, every one of Lee Yoonjo’s actions, every expression, got on his nerves. Today’s eccentric behavior was even more so.

The man squeezed his eyes shut once then opened them and rose from his seat. Manager Jung, quick on the uptake, followed close behind him.

The massive doors opened, and the man and his secretary exited through them. On the desk of the now empty office, on the monitor screen that only the man could see, the small figure quietly sat up.

The face of the one just waking up and sitting up was peaceful. The room, without a single window, was filled with artificial light.

It was the same. Just as it had been since morning, today there was no headache, no chill, no auditory hallucinations or feelings of depression. His mind was clearer and more lucid than ever before.

The times he had been helpless and trembling with fear felt like a distant past. The foul smell from his body was still there, but it didn’t seem as nauseating as before.

A white foot stepped onto the floor. A plush rug softly enveloped his foot. There was no hesitation in his steps.

Yoonjo bustled around the room, searching for an object that would “help” him. He rummaged through drawers and idly fiddled with the covers of thick, hardcover books.

No matter how much he searched, he couldn’t find anything that would be of help. The man, who had replaced all the tableware, would not have left any sharp objects in this room.

It has to be today. It absolutely had to be today. No, it had to be right now. Because he didn’t know when this kind of courage would surge up again.

His lips, which he had been biting without realizing, were covered in blood. Yoonjo, anxiously chewing on the already broken wound, caught sight of something.

“……”

Slowly, one step at a time, he approached it. There was no hesitation, no wavering.

His steps stopped in front of a canvas on an easel. On the pure white fabric, the line the man had playfully drawn while holding Yoonjo’s hand over his was still there.

And below it, as always, a single, well-sharpened pencil lay neatly, looking up at Yoonjo.

His gaze, which had been fixed on the pencil, turned to the door. His heart pounded as if it were racing. His eyes, having seen hope, sparkled.

“Director Won, please, just consider my situation, huh? We have a bond we’ve built up over the years. If you just give me a little more time, I’ll somehow manage to get it, okay?”

The tip of a well-polished shoe tapped. In front of Won Kangho, who had barged into another’s office and confidently occupied the seat of honor, a fat man knelt, rubbing his hands together so hard they made a sound as he begged.

The sound of pleading did not reach Won Kangho’s ears. His mind was completely filled with thoughts of Lee Yoonjo.

It’s grating. A sharp gaze turns to the fat man kneeling before him. The startled man prostrated himself flat.

“I’m begging you like this……”

The man pleaded with a fervor that suggested he would shove his face into the ground. The face of the man watching the back of the neck, where cold sweat was trickling down, was emotionless.

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand Lee Yoonjo’s bizarre behavior today. The Lee Yoonjo of today was like someone acting the part of a perfectly normal person.

The Lee Yoonjo he had seen before coming to the site was the same as ever. It was to the point he wondered if the kiss had been a dream; he was still just sleeping, not speaking, and barely breathing.

Then what in the world was the identity of this unease? Pungent smoke escaped from between the man’s lips.

“You should have brought the interest in the time you spent begging.”

“O-one week! Just give me one more week. Huh?”

“President.”

A familiar voice cut in. Manager Jung approached with a slightly stiff face. The jet-black gaze moved along with the sound. Standing close, Manager Jung reported in a small voice into Won Kangho’s ear.

“……What?”

“I believe you must go and see.”

For the first time, a crack appeared on the face that had been unresponsive the whole time. Won Kangho’s eyebrow tilted crookedly.

As Won Kangho stood up immediately, the fat man grabbed him. The hand clutching the well-ironed trouser leg was chubby.

“Di-Director Won! Wh-what am I to do if you leave like this!”

The man looked down at the one who had grabbed him as if looking at a bug. Even with the murderous expression, the man did not release his grip.

“You’ll extend the deadline, right? Right?”

“Ha……”

Won Kangho’s gaze changed in an instant as he let out a deep breath. He cracked his neck once, then shook his leg, violently shaking off the thick hand.

“Aaargh!”

A torrent of violent kicks rained down on the man who had been thrown off. Groans of pain and the terrible sounds of bones breaking and blood spurting filled the small office.

Among the men in black standing against the wall, no one stopped him. The men, standing ramrod straight like soldiers, showed no sign of agitation.

“Fuck, what a fucking piece of shit……”

The voice he spat out while fixing his disheveled hair was grim. Around the fat man who lay limp as if dead, blood and knocked-out teeth were scattered messily.

As if that wasn’t enough to quell his anger, Won Kangho kicked the man’s stomach several more times.

Under his black dress shoe, a broken tooth made a crunching sound. Won Kangho’s gaze was murderous as he wiped the blood that had splattered on his face.

“We’re going home.”

“Yes, President.”

Won Kangho and Manager Jung exited the office, and the men who had been standing against the wall swarmed toward the fat man like a pack of beasts rushing toward blood.

Won Kangho’s face, as he left the office, was distorted, radiating killing intent. A hand covered in scars roughly loosened his tie.

‘It seems a problem has occurred with Lee Yoonjo-ssi.’

Manager Jung’s voice brushed past his ear once more. His already foul mood became a complete mess.

Thick, black clouds gathered in the sky. The sun was hidden, and darkness swept in. The world was damp, as if it would start pouring rain at any moment.

The hand clenched into a tight fist turned white. The facial muscles, trying hard to pretend to be alright, kept twitching against his will.

Yoonjo slowly opened the door, his hands hidden in the sleeves of his cardigan. Before he could even survey the situation outside, his face showed panic as he came face to face with the helper who was approaching.

“Yoonjo-ssi. Are you going to wash up?”

He hastily hid his hands behind his back. The helper smiled a good-natured smile as she looked at Yoonjo, who was nodding awkwardly.

“I was going to ask if there was anything you wanted to eat. I’m going to the mart just in front. We’ve run out of soy sauce, you see.”

“……”

“If you think of anything later, just text me right away. Oh, I’ve filled the tub with water.”

The helper, who had never once left her post, was saying she was leaving the house. And of all times, now, when he stood at a crossroads of decision.

Instead of a reply, he lowered his head deeply. The helper’s eyes held pity, but only for a fleeting moment. Soon, leaving behind words that she would be back quickly, the helper leisurely left the place.

The excessively large penthouse was soon filled with silence. Yoonjo, who had been standing quietly at its edge, only placed his hand on the bathroom doorknob after a long while. He could not turn it.

He had to hurry up and open this door and go inside, but for some reason, he found himself hesitating. He couldn’t even understand his own unmoving feet.

It was then that he felt the presence of something approaching. His head, following the sound, turned toward the hallway.

A black dog came running quickly toward Yoonjo. Tadak tadak, the sound of its claws hitting the marble was cheerful. The black dog, which had reached Yoonjo’s side in an instant, panted with its tongue out, smiling.

As the dog nudged its head against his hand, Yoonjo hastily hid his arm behind his back. With the hand he had taken off the doorknob, he pushed the dog away.

The dog did not budge an inch against the incredibly weak force. As if protesting Yoonjo’s refusal to pet it, it bit his clothes and pulled.

“Let go of this……!”

His trembling voice was pathetic. He tried to pull his clothes away from the dog, but Yoonjo’s strength was no match for it.

In the end, he had no choice but to take off the clothes he was wearing. It would be cold, but only for a moment, so his small hands undid the large buttons one by one. Tuk, tuk. As the buttons slipped out of the buttonholes, the garment opened. In tune with that, Yoonjo steeled his heart.

The dog looked up at Yoonjo with the cardigan in its mouth. A faint smile appeared on Yoonjo’s lips as he looked at it.

“Goodbye.”

The tip of a dry finger tapped the bridge of the dog’s nose, and at the same time, the cardigan fell from the dog’s mouth. Worried it might grab him again, Yoonjo opened the bathroom door with some haste and slipped inside.

He tried his best to ignore the dog’s whining. As if he couldn’t hear anything, Yoonjo stood with his back to the door and gazed at the scenery inside. There was no place that didn’t have a trace of the man.

‘Baby, Yoonjo-yah.’

The affectionate names and the sometimes cold voice. Strangely, that voice kept coming to mind.

Click, after locking the door, he slowly took a step. As he passed the powder room attached to the bathroom, he tried to recall good memories, but it was in vain. Because there was no way such things remained.

Just before entering the bathroom, Yoonjo stopped in front of a glass display cabinet.

The man enjoyed alcohol. Whenever he washed up after rolling around with Yoonjo, he would sit in the bathtub, holding Yoonjo in his arms, and swallow strong liquor without diluting it. This cabinet was for the man who enjoyed alcohol while bathing.

Yoonjo took out one of the bottles lined up in the cabinet and held it in his hand. He opened the lid, put his mouth to the opening, and quickly gulped down the liquid inside.

‘Behave prettily, Yoonjo-yah.’

The man’s voice echoed in his ear. The eyelashes hanging on his eyelids trembled.

‘Because I’ll cherish you to my heart’s content.’

“Ugh……”

What he couldn’t swallow trickled down the corner of his mouth. The effect of the alcohol spread quickly through his body, and his body, which had no tolerance for alcohol, could not withstand it.

His vision spun, and the world swayed. The strength drained from the hand that was barely holding the liquor bottle. Thump, the fallen object made a dull sound.

The remaining liquor in the bottle spilled out and soaked the floor. Pheromones filled with fear flickered anxiously.

I have to go now. He steeled his resolve, again and again. There was no more time to delay.

Clinging to his hazy consciousness, he slowly dragged his feet. Even as he fell and got up again several times, he never let go of the one thing he had been holding in his hand since the moment he left the room.

His whole body was stained with colors. Yellow, blue, red, it was the state of a messy palette smudged with paint.

I have to wash. I have to wash my dirty body clean, and now, I have to go. I have to get out of here. The voice of his heart, cajoling and soothing himself, continued without end.

Slowly, he lowered his body into the bathtub. The water the helper had drawn was warm.

The clothes he hadn’t taken off got wet. His stained body was instantly submerged up to his neck.

Leaning the back of his head on the edge of the tub, Yoonjo caught his breath for a moment. The sound of his heart pounding filled his ears.

His eyelids slowly rolled up. Yoonjo, who had been staring blankly at the ceiling, pulled the thing he had been holding in his hand out of the water.

A water-soaked pencil was dragged out powerlessly as if by the scruff of its neck. Its sharp tip gleamed.

‘If you really wanted to die, Yoonjo-yah.’

The man’s voice echoed in his head. White front teeth bit down on trembling lips. The wound burst, and blood flowed.

Where did it all go wrong? What on earth did I do so wrong to end up here?

Sorrowful sobs mixed with the water. The fact that this was the only decision he could make was terribly sad and miserable.

But there was no other way. To escape from Won Kangho, this was the only way.

This too is a choice, if it is a choice. Yoonjo wanted to make at least this choice himself.

It was time to escape. He wanted to leave this suffocating cage and fly freely. He missed his parents so much too.

‘Not by slitting.’

The man’s advice became his compass. Following the man’s words, he slowly raised his arm. He brought the sharply sharpened pencil tip to his neck and squeezed his eyes shut. A tear fell.

This alone was his own, complete choice. It was the only conclusion he could reach. He wanted to believe so.

‘You should have stabbed.’

He recalled that moment when the man’s fingertips had touched him. As if taking a running start, his hand pulled back for a moment. There was no hesitation. The intoxication brought on by the strong alcohol gave Yoonjo something called courage.

The tip of the pencil flew toward its target. Gush, a hot liquid burst out from the pierced hole.

His neck and hands were quickly soaked in blood. Thump, thump, thump, a loud sound painfully tore through his ears. A pained breath flowed between his blood-red lips.

Down, down, what fell down stained the water in the tub pink. The tears mixed within it, surely no one would ever know.

“Hh, hhhh…… gack……”

The blood-soaked corners of his lips twisted bizarrely upwards. In this moment, Yoonjo was happier than he had ever been.

I did it. He would be able to escape this terrible place before the flowers in the garden.

No longer would he struggle through the pain of nights sleeping without the man, no longer would an unknown chill and auditory hallucinations torment him, and now, nothing could imprison him.

Unlike the searing pain in his throat, his heart was at peace. The tears of one who had regained his freedom were chillingly cold. Blood gushed out with a gurgling sound. His blood-soaked hand was hot, as if on fire.

He was alive. At least, for now. And now…….

Drowsiness washes over him. His vision gradually blurs, and his stomach turns. Yoonjo did not bother to check if what was gushing and bursting out was blood or something else.

Gradually, all his senses grow numb. As his eyelids drooped, what had pooled flowed down the corner of his eye. Tok, what fell sank down with its owner.

Behind the man, men in black suits followed. Only the sound of their dress shoes hitting the floor filled the hallway.

“Leo kept barking, which I found strange, so I came to check, and it has been like this the whole time. No matter how much I knock on the door, he won’t come out.”

His gaze, fixed on the bathroom door, was blazing. The dog standing next to him whined and scratched at the door.

The men could not move without the man’s order. That was the same even in this penthouse. Especially regarding anything related to Lee Yoonjo, Director Won acted sensitively.

Beneath the dog lay a familiar piece of clothing. The cardigan that Lee Yoonjo pathologically wore everywhere. It was thoroughly soaked in Won Kangho’s pheromones.

“Open it.”

“Pardon? Ah, yes……!”

What power could a firmly locked door have against a small piece of iron? Click, the lock came undone with a sound. As soon as the door was opened, the dog darted through the gap.

What was visible as soon as the door opened was a liquor bottle rolling on the floor and the amber liquid spilled beneath it. And lingering near it were fragments of the omega’s pheromones. And.

“Everyone, turn around.”

What is this smell? The corner of the man’s eye crumpled before returning to its original shape.

The man strode into the bathroom. Between the strong smell of liquor and the sweet pheromones, a strange smell that should not be in this house was mixed in. The man’s face grew harder and harder as he followed the pheromones.

The dog is barking. That sound is so damn annoying. The smell that brushes past his nose right now paints an absurd scene in his mind.

No way. Could that smoke-like thing have done such a thing? He couldn’t be certain. That’s why he felt even more foul.

The sliding door separating the bathroom and the powder room was fully opened by the man’s hand. At the same time, the scenery contained within it filled the man’s vision.

“……Haha.”

The sneer that immediately erupted was as sharp as if he were holding a knife in his mouth. The tongue that moistened his dry lips was red.

The man’s gaze sank coldly. The red scenery filled his jet-black eyes.

The inside of the tub was entirely blood-red, as if all the blood in his body had been poured out, and even now, blood was still trickling from around the pencil embedded in the neck of the person lying within.

Won Kangho took in every detail of the shattered Lee Yoonjo. He just stood there, frozen, for a long time.

So that glass-like thing finally broke.

With a mere pencil like that. How dare he.

The jet-black eyes gradually sank. The dog’s howling echoed through the bathroom. The mournful sound continued for a long while.