Salt Society Chapter 9

Because he did not know what to call him, he addressed him that way, and the middle-aged gentleman—who had been wearing a gentle face throughout—stiffened his expression slightly. It seemed that Cho Yeonoh was the only one in this room allowed to call him by such a title. Seeing that, Kihyun simply shut his mouth. He just wanted the man to leave the room as soon as possible.

Cho Yeonoh looked displeased, but fortunately, he remained silent. That is, until Kihyun finally gave him a look signaling him to see the guest out.

Once the Vice Director left the room first, Yeonoh gave Kihyun a look that said he should be grateful for the indulgence, followed him out to finish the send-off, and then returned.

Kihyun felt his energy drain away completely. He hated having strangers in his home to begin with, and having such a situation overlap with his poor physical condition made it even harder. As he lay there blinking, Yeonoh approached him immediately, checked the IV bottle, adjusted the flow rate, and spoke.

“Enduring everything is not the best solution, Mr. So.”

“…”

Spoken by a guy who has no idea what I am actually enduring in my life. Even as he thought this, Kihyun remained silent without arguing, and Yeonoh, glancing down at the bed, spoke again.

“But, you…”

It was a look that showed he was choosing his words carefully, which was rare. When Kihyun just stared back without answering, Yeonoh clicked his tongue and opened his mouth again. He had a face like someone getting through an unwanted homework assignment.

“I have my own pheromone suppressants, but I was wondering what a Beta does.”

“…What?”

Kihyun froze right there. It was because, while he did not immediately understand what he had just heard, a surge of unpleasantness regarding the topic hit him instantly.

“It is all fine, but do not think about doing anything unnecessary. If you are in a rush, meet someone I have picked out for you.”

“…”

No words would come out, so he just stared at Yeonoh. Kihyun blinked his dazed eyes. Perhaps thinking it was just a common reaction one shows while sick, Cho Yeonoh continued speaking while tenderly tucking the blanket over So Kihyun.

“If you absolutely must relieve it, then do so. Just do not go causing trouble where I do not know about it.”

Sparks flew from Kihyun’s eyes. He felt like total shit instantly.

“What, you son of a bitch?”

“Kihyun, do not swear so unrefinedly.”

Kihyun, feeling as if a headache was thumping from the sudden shock, squeezed his eyes shut and opened them before half-raising his body and spitting out a curse. However, Cho Yeonoh replied without even a tremor in his voice.

Even during that, Yeonoh’s gaze was fixed on Kihyun’s wrist. He had a worried face, as if he was concerned that Kihyun’s sudden movement might cause the IV needle to tear the vein. That made it even more miserable. A drained So Kihyun let his words out like a mutter.

“…Then what about you. Are you saying that you are going to relieve it with other people too, right now?”

At those words, the gaze that had been hovering over Kihyun’s wrist returned to meet his eyes. Cho Yeonoh was frowning. As if he had just heard something insulting. Kihyun was at the point where a hollow laugh almost escaped him. Yet, Yeonoh seemed to truly consider Kihyun’s words an insult.

“What kind of bullshit is that. What am I to you?”

That was the question Kihyun wanted to ask. Just what the hell are you to me? What am I to you?

“I am your boyfriend. Why would you say something like that?”

The answer that came back was no different from what Kihyun had expected, which made it even more devastating. Kihyun squeezed his eyes shut and opened them. Cho Yeonoh spoke as if he still found Kihyun’s words absurd.

“Since you and I became like this, I have never met anyone else. You know that. But since those urges are something I cannot help, I am telling you to at least relieve them through a method I know, under my control.”

“…”

Kihyun lost his words. It was because he could not even begin to understand what was being said. Since becoming like this? What exactly is this thing that you and I have become? The relationship Kihyun had cherished so dearly was lumped together with such words.

But what could So Kihyun say to Cho Yeonoh, who claimed he could not help such urges? Toward Kihyun, who was just staring blankly at him, Yeonoh spoke in a light tone.

“Sleep for now and wake up later. Once the IV is finished, I will pull the needle out for you.”

At those tender words, Kihyun’s indigestion felt even harder. But was there any word So Kihyun could say? Kihyun was the ruffian who had ruined their shining friendship.

Perhaps, he thought, he was being punished.

⏳

When he woke up, his body felt quite light. Kihyun shook off all the longings that had pooled on his pillowcase overnight and got up.

Seeing that the IV bottle had been cleared away and the house was empty, it seemed the third-generation chaebol, who was busy to death, had already left for work.

Kihyun, who had been sitting blankly, also left the house for work.

He was about to head straight to the office, but forgetting that he had suffered from indigestion, he walked into a twenty-four-hour fast food restaurant. He wanted to eat the deluxe breakfast set, but thinking it would be better to behave himself after the fuss yesterday, he ordered a sausage egg muffin. After swapping the coffee for sparkling water and sitting down, he felt sleepy even though he had been awake for a while.

Because he had low blood pressure, he was the type who found it difficult to wake up fully. Even today, his mind would only become clear around 10:00 AM. Until then, it was better to supply his brain with something. Only then…

—Since you and I became like this, I have never met anyone else. You know that. But since those urges are something I cannot help, I am telling you to at least relieve them through a method I know, under my control.

…Only then would he have the strength to contemplate those garbage words.

Kihyun peeled the thin wrapper off the muffin and took a bite. When his chest felt tight, he drank the sparkling water and finished the whole thing. Kihyun then stood up, threw the wrapper and napkins into the trash, and ordered coffee again. For a fast food place, the coffee here did not taste bad.

When he asked the clerk to put it in the tumbler he brought, the coffee came out quickly. He closed the lid and turned around. Every time he walked, the sound of ice clinking came from inside the tumbler.

Walking while holding it, he thought that Cho Yeonoh had always been that kind of guy. A guy who likes to keep the things he likes under his control.

It was the same when they were young. Because their biological mothers were close, So Kihyun and Cho Yeonoh were able to meet frequently since they were about two years old. The problem started after Kihyun’s mother passed away early. Kihyun’s father, who did not think of his own faults, declared he would never show his grandson again and severed ties with the mother’s side of the family, and Kihyun had to move.

It was only natural that communication with Yeonoh’s mother, who was his mother’s friend, was also cut off. Kihyun, who had just turned ten, could not rebel against his father. However, Yeonoh did not understand him.

—Why do I have to part ways with you?

—…They said the place we are moving to is far away.

—So.

—…

—So, for a reason like that, you are not going to see me?

He had not said he would not see him. He was about to tell him to please wait just a little. However, Cho Yeonoh had not listened to Kihyun’s words. In the end, they parted just like that, and Yeonoh never once answered Kihyun’s calls until they entered the same high school.

“Now that I think about it… what a garbage personality.”

Kihyun sighed and pushed open the hospital door. Despite having ignored all of Kihyun’s calls like that, Cho Yeonoh sought Kihyun out one day out of the blue.

—Why are you close with Lee Bumhee?

He got along well with Bumhee, who attended the same academy. The rather noisy Lee Bumhee was the type who actually became calm when they were alone, so that fit well. But he did not know that he would end up speaking with Cho Yeonoh again because of that.

I think that was the problem. Should we have not met again? Kihyun massaged his stiff neck, greeted the nurses passing by with a morning greeting, and went into the dressing room to change into his treatment uniform.

After that, things were hectically busy. A call came from a senior trainer who was dispatched to a figure skater. It was a request to have the Chief of Internal Medicine check if a certain medication would trigger a doping test. Once he settled that, a line of athletes waiting to be seen had piled up behind him. In the end, he was only able to finish his morning duties ten minutes into the lunch break.

He ate his meal in three minutes again and slept through the break. His indigestion had cleared up completely. It seemed the IV was truly good. Since it was a drip administered by no less than the Vice Director of Haeseong Hospital, it was only natural that it was effective. Regardless, he slept well.

“Mr. So, wake up already. You are completely out of it.”

“Ah… thank you.”

When he woke up, his head was foggy and it was hard to regain his senses for a while. Finally, he came to his senses only after his foot was stepped on by an elementary school Taekwondo athlete who had come down to start the afternoon rehabilitation routine.

“Hansung. Is it okay for you to just step on Teacher’s foot like that?”

“Hey, I was passing by and Teacher was just standing there!”

“So you are saying it is Teacher’s fault, is that it?”

To the athlete kid who said “Yeees!”, he jokingly put him in a headlock and made him do planks, having to point out each one whose butt was sticking up high like a mountain.

Even after finishing the preparations for afternoon exercise, there was a mountain of work, so he could not even attend the meeting before leaving work and had to give a massage to one athlete. After soothing the guy who was whining that it hurt and checking his range of motion, he sent him up to the ward.