Heavy Rain Chapter 67

He had already known it before even realizing the imprinting. The impulse that had made him abruptly bring Haejin back and flatly give him that room clearly meant this.

He already knew that there was nothing more important in this mansion than Haejin.

Looking back, there had been other strange occurrences during the five years the fellow stayed here. The amount allocated to guests in the mansion budget had risen conspicuously every year. While investigating the corruption of the servants recently, he had felt a slight sense of doubt upon seeing those numbers. He wondered if the amount he had allocated was truly this much.

However, Lyle, who provided all of this, did not know. Haejin, who received it, knew even less.

Having fallen into a state of mind he could not describe, he briefly toyed with the corner of his mouth. Since no answer came, Haejin’s gaze remained fixed on Lyle.

Amidst a violent urge to keep receiving this gaze, Lyle barely managed to open his mouth.

“Because you are the most important guest of this mansion.”

“I see.”

Upon hearing that, Haejin showed no particular reaction. Lyle, who had been keenly observing Haejin’s reactions for a while now, could easily realize it. The fellow was regarding it as no big deal, thinking it was just because he happened to be the only guest.

He had made him react this way. He had made him dismiss any interest toward him as nothing, as something without any special meaning.

“In any case, I have already moved, so wouldn’t it be unnecessary to go back? It doesn’t matter to me where it is.”

He could not leave Haejin in a place like that small storage room. Recalling the cramped, sunless room he used to use, Lyle began to grow anxious.

It was possible he simply didn’t like the convenience he provided. But what if Haejin thought he was being mistreated again?

What if he thinks that nightmare-like time is continuing?

“It will be most convenient for the servants’ movement patterns if you stay where you originally were.”

“I see.”

The excuse he cautiously put forward after much agonizing was still nothing but foolish. To hide his mouth, which was stained with self-loathing, Lyle lowered his head and covered his lips.

As if his business ended there, Haejin nodded. Then, walking precariously, he brushed past him. The fact that he could not even support the fellow recklessly felt strangely painful.

“Ah.”

“What is it.”

Something similar to hope glittered in Lyle’s chest. To Lyle, who answered almost reflexively, Haejin turned back slightly and said.

“Then, I would like you to erase all the pheromones remaining in that room.”

The small, glittering spark scattered futiley into the air. Just as the fellow feared, Lyle’s body scent would be clinging all over that room. He knew perfectly well, of course, that it would be uncomfortable.

Nevertheless, at this moment, he could not shake the feeling of being rejected in his entirety by Haejin. Thanks to this, he realized the effects of this imprinting heart-wrenchingly.

That he would no longer be able to refuse anything Haejin said he would do.

“I will take care of it.”

From his mouth, which ended up twisted, only a voice of self-derision flowed out.

A few important tasks, rare in Lyle’s life, had arisen.

“…”

His instincts were craving Haejin endlessly. Even in a situation where he could not dare to hope for him to remain by his side, he needed Haejin.

Lyle could not ultimately understand the primary physician’s claim that imprinting was the result of emotions. Regardless, the imprinting that had already occurred could not be undone. He even felt confused by the sense of stability he felt from the fact that there was no going back.

In any case, the important thing now was Haejin. There was no way he could hastily imprison the fellow again. So, at the very least, he wanted to let Haejin know that he was a very important person to Lyle.

The fact that the fellow did not know that truth even now made Lyle shudder.

“Is Jin awake?”

“Yes. We plan to escort him to the dining room for breakfast shortly. Will you go with him?”

“…Yes.”

Before the rut came, he had made the fellow eat alone for several days because he was struggling in a tsunami of agony. At that time, Haejin’s food intake had decreased subtly again. He didn’t know if the fellow was aware of that.

So Lyle simply could not leave him alone. He loathed himself for being delighted by the fact that he now had an excuse to seek him out.

While heading to the dining room, Lyle passed the inner courtyard and narrowed his eyes. The weather had already turned cold, so it had become difficult to eat in the courtyard now. No matter how many heaters were placed, it was dangerous weather for the physically weak Haejin.

Then, he suddenly recalled the fact that there was also a greenhouse in his mansion.

“Mark.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Does the greenhouse my mother used to tend still remain?”

Surely that greenhouse had been abandoned and left unmanaged when he devastated the gardens on the outskirts. This was because he had gotten rid of the outer gardens, which were the starting point of his headaches, as if venting his anger.

“The foundation remains, young master.”

“Have it decorated again. …Neatly enough to be able to have a meal.”

Mark nodded benevolently as usual.

At the end of his increasingly fast footsteps, Lyle entered Haejin’s room. A slightly startled face was etched into his eyes. Lyle, who had habitually started to check for any reactions, fell into a miserable state of agonizing.

Was it a mistake to have come?

“…If it is uncomfortable because I came, I will leave. Do not worry.”

He should have contacted him in advance. Lyle, who only now felt his mistake keenly, stepped back hesitantly and asked. Haejin, who was staring at him intently from somewhere, slightly turned his head. Every time that gaze bypassed him and retreated, he felt as if his heart were being torn into shreds.

“No. I just thought you wouldn’t be coming anymore, so it was a bit unexpected.”

Haejin, who acted as if surprised for a moment, soon took on his characteristic expressionless face. Lyle suddenly realized that he had not seen many expressions on that face.

Because the most he had managed to draw out was a smile that scattered like the wind.

“…I will be coming every day now.”

Perhaps Haejin might hate these words even more. He was just at a loss for what to do if he were to declare not to do so.

However, the fellow awkwardly distorted his eyes and said nothing. Lyle could guess that what Haejin had just swallowed was the question ‘why’.

Barely pretending not to know that, the two headed toward the dining room side by side. Matching Haejin’s pace.

On the way to the dining room, Lyle discovered an unexpected fact. Perhaps they were going to change shifts, but the security team personnel guarding the back of the mansion were moving across the hallway. And among them, several Alphas were mixed in.

It was common for Alphas with superior physical abilities to be engaged in security or protection work. Of course, the servants residing and working in his mansion were all Betas.

Suddenly, Lyle wondered if Alphas among the security personnel frequently came in and out of the mansion like this.

“…”

Tapping on the desk that resembled Haejin’s hair, Lyle was lost in thought. This was because the curiosity that had occurred to him earlier continued to torment him.

Even in the past, he had once been bothered by an Alpha who was temporarily standing guard inside the mansion. It was a fact he had known since then, but it stimulated him anew.

“Come in for a moment.”

In the end, unable to bear it, he called for his secretary.

The secretary, who entered hurriedly, waited for his words in tension. He was hectically busy recently due to the matter of the merger and acquisition of an affiliate. It had been decided to ultimately liquidate one of the affiliates whose performance was sluggish.

Lyle’s uncle, Daniel Vermouth, was largely to blame for this decision. It wasn’t just that the business was sluggish; it had threatened the financial health of other linked affiliates.

Furthermore, Uncle Daniel resisted violently against the business being forcibly liquidated. Lyle certainly could not tolerate his shameless logic that they could just pull the budget intended for other businesses to help him.

Thanks to that, the secretary, who had become busy in turn, had recently just sent out a new recruitment notice. Replenishing personnel was urgent.

“How many Alphas are in the mansion security team?”

“Pardon? I will check. Well…, there are no Omega types at all.”