Pheromone Off Chapter 21

The role he held was a minor, small bit part in a movie. The company president who had suggested he try acting didn’t really know what kind of person he was, and none of the people on the working set knew either. He found that fact incredibly comforting, and his only wish was that no one would know him in the future as well.

“…I see. If you ever need your grandfather’s help with anything, tell me right away.”

Chairman Kwon seemed ultimately displeased by Hajin saying he didn’t need any of it, but at the sight of Hajin smiling brightly for the first time in a while, Chairman Kwon did not press the matter further.

࣪˖ ִֶָ🍇་༘

Though he had spoken confidently, in reality, acting wasn’t all that simple. He didn’t actually think it suited his aptitude, nor did he think he possessed any talent, but he had stepped into it solely trusting the words of the person who had street-cast him. Attracted by the claim that he could earn a living with nothing but that face. He thought he had been lured in by the phrase ‘earning a living’.

Hajin had already been waiting for three hours straight. Sitting near the set, he was tearing off and eating a piece of bread that a staff member had given him for lunch.

The role he had been assigned was a minor bit part with very little screen time. Today’s lines consisted of just three rows.

They were only three rows of lines, but because even those mere three rows had been obtained entirely through his own effort, they were precious. It was by no means an easy thing for an incompetent Beta to survive among those damn, grand Alphas and Omegas. The top-tier actors and celebrities, who were referred to as the new nobility, were entirely made up of Alphas and Omegas. Even if there were occasionally successful Betas, it was difficult for them to rival the Alphas or Omegas. After all, they possessed literally superior genes. In appearance, and in ability.

“What’s this. Seong Hajin?”

Right at that moment, as he was squatting under the blazing sun tearing off and eating his bread, a familiar voice dropped down. Seong Hajin paused at that voice. Suddenly?

“What are you doing right now. In that beggar-like state?”

A casually tossed-out tone, a voice dripping with arrogance. Arrogant and obnoxious from start to finish.

“Don’t tell me you’re working a part-time job?”

Seong Hajin lifted his head to look at that obnoxious face. A face that resembled Kwon Sayoung’s but was completely different was looking down at him askance.

“Are you doing manual labor?”

Did he even know what manual labor meant when he said that? Hajin swallowed his response and merely smacked his lips. He looked blankly at him as if telling him to go ahead and chatter to his heart’s content.

“Or are you…”

“…”

“Don’t tell me you’re appearing in this?”

Even without a single answer, the barrage of words didn’t stop. Seong Hajin calmly replied while continuing to eat his bread.

“…Who are you.”

He knew, roughly who he was. Probably everyone in South Korea knew. Because currently in South Korea, even among Alpha actors, he was the most successful and boasted the highest guarantee. On top of that, since he had the prominent HK Group and the great Kwon Sayoung as his background, there was no one who wouldn’t know him. He was Kwon Sabin, the youngest son of HK Group and Kwon Sayoung’s younger brother. So it was only natural to know him well. With so much coming and going between their families, it was impossible not to know.

“Argh, this guy.”

At the nonchalant reaction, Kwon Sabin asked back with an exasperated face.

“It’s that nonsense again, this.”

As if Kwon Sabin’s sharp, shrill voice was familiar, Hajin stared straight ahead and put the rest of the bread into his mouth. At that indifferent face, Kwon Sabin severely distorted his expression and suddenly raised his voice.

“Hey, can’t you hear me?”

Kwon Sabin was just as childish as his obnoxious personality.

“Seriously, this—, hey, what do you mean actor, an actor my foot.”

“…”

“Do you think just anyone can be an actor? Do you think it all works out just because your face is somewhat decent?”

“…I know. I know it all, so could you please leave.”

Seong Hajin showed a small amount of irritation toward Kwon Sabin, who wasn’t leaving the spot easily. Whether he disliked Hajin’s attitude, Kwon Sabin kicked at him with a dissatisfied face. It wasn’t like he was eating a feast, but he was in the middle of a meal regardless, so being unpleasantly nudged provoked irritation all the same.

“I’m eating.”

“You’ve grown a lot, Seong Hajin. Keeping yourself on equal footing with me.”

“…Ah, my apologies.”

Hajin responded to those childish words as if it were a hassle and averted his gaze. Whether that casual attitude made him flare up even more, Kwon Sabin’s fine face kept twitching.

“Argh, seriously… Hey, what role are you. What’s your part.”

“…”

“Ah, what is it!”

Kwon Sabin asked while nudging Hajin once more. At the bothersome behavior, Hajin let out a short sigh and showed him the script.

“Company Colleague 3.”

“What?”

“Three rows of lines. Satisfied?”

When he answered as if telling him to please leave now that he knew, Kwon Sabin burst out laughing with a pfft. As he burst into a roaring laughter, everyone nearby glanced over with startled faces. Hajin covered his face and quietly swallowed the rest of his bread.

“Wow, unbelievable. Are you seriously doing this just to do that little thing right now?”

“…”

“Sure, well, try your best. Don’t pretend to know me hoping some crumbs might fall off. Got it?”

Who’s pretending to know whom. When he was the one who initiated the conversation.

Hajin looked at him displeasedly as he acted mean, and instead of an answer, he stuffed the rest of the bread into his mouth. Whether Kwon Sabin quite liked the sight of Hajin merely glaring without being able to make a peep, he let out a smirk and leisurely vanished, taking his staff members with him. Hajin let out a hollow laugh and stared fixedly at the receding back of Kwon Sabin.

“Is he someone you know?”

One of the staff members, who was trailing right behind him holding a large umbrella so Kwon Sabin wouldn’t get sunburned, asked him. He took long strides and snorted.

“Me, with a kid like that?”

At the answer that flatly denied knowing him after being the one to strike up a conversation first, the staff members shrugged their shoulders in bewilderment.

࣪˖ ִֶָ🍇་༘

Having finished filming only when it became late at night, Hajin left the set with an exhausted face. The waiting time took up more than half of it, but at his current level of experience, even that was part of the job. The set was outdoors, around the outskirts of Seoul. Because the surroundings needed to be quiet and traffic issues had to be minimal, it was a secluded place with as few people as possible.

Leaving the set, Hajin was walking across the outdoor parking lot. He casually checked the time on his phone. It was a quite late hour, so he worried for a moment that maybe Kwon Sayoung would say something about him coming home late or whatever, but he suddenly recalled the phone call he had overheard this morning. It seemed he had plans in the evening anyway, so thinking that he too would be late, he relaxed his mind a bit.

Simultaneously with that thought, as he imagined the two people who would be meeting, his mouth somehow began to taste bitter again. They must be on a date. Just because Hajin had feelings for him didn’t mean he utterly hated the sight of them dating. Rather, he had thought they were a good-looking couple. Starting out as long-time childhood friends and becoming lovers was a sight not commonly seen around them. For the most part, Alphas or Omegas of chaebol families lightly enjoyed meetings with various people before going on arranged blind dates, or entered into an affectionless business marriage with a partner connected by their parents.

In that sense, they looked a little special. Not swayed by traits, not swept away by pheromones, but staying together solely through the time they shared and their affection. Perhaps that was why Kwon Sayoung looked even more special. Omega, woman, rut, heat. His appearance of not being easily shaken by any of those things.

“Are you going home?”

Around the time he was trudging along with a face full of thoughts by himself, a casually tossed-out voice reached him. Turning his head toward the sound, a startled Hajin saw the figure of Kwon Sabin, who had opened the door to the back seat of a van and was vaping an electronic cigarette.

Despite telling him not to pretend to know him, it was Kwon Sabin who struck up a conversation first again. Hajin naturally ignored his words and passed him by. His body was exhausted. He was mentally and physically too tired to engage in another pointless, awkward bickering with him.

“Ignoring my words again, this guy.”

As he ignored him and passed by, he heard the sound of footsteps following close behind. As Kwon Sabin trailed right behind Hajin, the gaze of the people around them looking at them strangely could be felt.

“…You told me not to pretend to know you.”

Hajin answered half-heartedly while looking straight ahead. He hated the persistent stalking even more.

“It’s not okay for you to pretend to know me. It’s fine if I do it.”

The nonsense is starting again. It was a characteristic of Kwon Sabin, who was famous for being insolent. What others couldn’t do, he could. He was the very definition of a hypocrite.

Feeling that there wasn’t even a need to respond, Hajin exited the parking lot the way he was going.

“I asked if you’re going home.”

“…”

“Are you going to keep insolently ignoring my words?”

“…”

“Hey, it seems you can’t read the room, shouldn’t you actually be trying to look good to me right now? I’m the lead of this movie. If I just say a few words to the director, the scene you appear in right away—.”

“I’m leaving.”

The moment he cut off Kwon Sabin’s rambling words and also stopped his steps, Kwon Sabin’s body bumped right into his back.

“Ouch!”

As he stopped his steps abruptly, Kwon Sabin, who bumped his shoulder, let out an exaggerated groan.

Always making a fuss.

Hajin glared at Kwon Sabin expressionlessly and continued to speak.

“I’m leaving, so stop following me.”

He absolutely hated standing out, but because Kwon Sabin was following him around like a puppy, more gazes were locking onto them. He could even feel the gaze of the director, who had been reviewing the filmed footage.

“Shit. What do you mean stopping suddenly like that? I almost got hurt!”

At the reaction of making a big deal out of merely bumping one shoulder, Hajin looked at a distant mountain with a tired face.