Pheromone Off Chapter 33

“But… Sayoung still loves you. It’s not like feelings can be sorted out that easily….”

“I suppose so. After all, the two of you dated for quite a long time.”

“You understand too, right?”

Seong Yeonwoo shifted his gaze slightly and threw the question at Hajin. Caught off guard by the sudden question, Hajin froze and subconsciously looked toward Madam Shim. How was she viewing him? Well, he thought it was obvious. A wicked kid who stole his brother’s lover. An ungrateful brat. If that kind of person answered no to that question, what would happen? How would Madam Shim’s gaze, which was already looking at him, twist even further? Even now, it wasn’t pleasant.

“…Yeah.”

Hajin replied reluctantly. After all, he was the villain, and it seemed they wanted that picture. Since he was responsible for things turning out this way, he felt he had to accept all of that responsibility and resentment entirely.

“Right, Yeonwoo, you must need time too. You’ve lost so much weight in your face. Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes, Mother. Thank you for your concern. But I’m fine. Since Sayoung was my friend before he was my lover, we decided to make an effort together.”

“You truly are a deep child.”

Madam Shim affectionately caressed Seong Yeonwoo’s face, seemingly impressed by how Seong Yeonwoo smiled and showed consideration even in an frustrating situation.

“Sayoung is supposed to arrive soon anyway, should we have lunch together?”

“Uh… would that be okay?”

Seong Yeonwoo pretended to gauge his reaction slightly this time as well. He must have been displeased by the very situation of having to ask him that, but in front of Madam Shim, he was putting on a bit of an act, pretending to walk on eggshells around him. As if he were in any position to permit such a situation.

“Why on earth are you walking on eggshells? It’s not like we’re in a relationship where we can’t even share a meal. Just as you said, we’ll keep seeing each other in the future anyway.”

Madam Shim answered instead, lightly chiding the other for being overly polite. At the same time, Madam Shim’s driver, who had been waiting outside, quietly stepped in and delivered the news that Kwon Sayoung had arrived. Before long, he approached this way while adjusting his clothes. Perhaps because of his long legs, the distance closed drastically with every single step he took. He looked more like a model than professional models. He was perfect from head to toe, without a single flaw.

“I’m sorry, Mother. The road was blocked, so I’m a bit late.”

Kwon Sayoung was formal and respectful to Madam Shim. It was the exact opposite of Kwon Sabin, who called her ‘Mom, Mom.’

“You’re here?”

The first one to welcome him was Seong Yeonwoo. The way Seong Yeonwoo greeted him while taking his place right next to Madam Shim was incredibly natural.

“Why are you here?”

Seeing Seong Yeonwoo’s presence the moment he arrived, he also seemed briefly surprised. But that was only for a moment; he accepted the situation calmly and continued the conversation.

“I came to get some clothes fitted too, and since they said you were here, Mother, I dropped by to say hello.”

“Really? Good timing.”

“Exactly. Mother said we should have lunch together.”

“Let’s do that. I already reserved the restaurant.”

“By any chance, the French restaurant nearby?”

“That’s right.”

“It was pretty good there. I was planning to make a reservation there too.”

It was very, very natural.

“Sayoung, as for your outfit, Mom set aside a few choices, so you just have to make the final selection.”

“The ones the director set aside separately outside?”

“Yeah, did you see them?”

“Yes. Black was better than navy. Go with that.”

Seong Yeonwoo tossed out advice familiarly, as if he had already looked over his outfits beforehand.

“Your fit is so good that everything suits you well anyway, but black had a more sophisticated silhouette.”

Seong Yeonwoo added, touching his collar once as if they were a couple. Every single one of those serial actions suited them so well and was taken for granted. Those images were a daily routine. Until not long ago. He knew it too. That those images were the wheel that originally should have kept turning normally.

Hajin was watching that scene from a distance. Like an outsider. The real family, the real household, seemed to be them. Somehow, his own self, who had tried to do well since this morning, felt wretched. And looked miserable too. He had anticipated it. He had started this knowing that if he continued this fake relationship with Kwon Sayoung, he would become miserable and grow small over and over again at scenes like this. He had made an effort to lessen the damage by anticipating it. One doesn’t get hurt because they want to get hurt. You just get stabbed carelessly.

Hajin quietly faltered. Somehow, his motivation had completely dropped ever since Seong Yeonwoo appeared. It was then.

“What about you.”

A nonchalant voice was thrown out. At first, Hajin didn’t know it was directed at him, so he feigned innocence by just staring at the models’ outfits.

“Seong Hajin.”

At the low call, Hajin flinched in sudden surprise and turned back to look at him.

“…Pardon?”

“I’m asking what you think.”

To the words he was about to carelessly blurt out asking what he meant, Hajin pondered for a moment and caught on quickly. He was asking for his opinion. Regarding his outfit. His opinion.

In that moment, he realized that the man was playing his role. He knew. That it was simply a contract, a promise, and things they agreed to do. To act well with each other. He knew it, but even so, he was wretchedly a little happy. He was grateful for his words asking for his opinion, without any pride. Even if he felt that mind was pitiful, he couldn’t help it. Emotions are faster than a rational brain.

“…I choose navy.”

He had checked his outfit the moment he walked in. It was because Madam Shim had checked his outfit first. While watching, Hajin had looked intently too. Because it was his outfit. No matter how fake it was… it was the clothes he would wear on the day of the engagement ceremony they would hold. Actually, he had felt a little overwhelmed by himself. No matter how resigned his feelings were, he was harboring a one-sided love for him.

“Let’s go with that then.”

He accepted his opinion immediately. Instantly, an inexplicable silence fell. Hajin could feel that Seong Yeonwoo’s face, which had been smiling brightly the entire time he was here, twisted subtly. Even if others didn’t know, he knew.

“You don’t need to look at it yourself?”

When Madam Shim asked, Kwon Sayoung nodded.

“Yes, it’s fine. Did you choose?”

Kwon Sayoung asked Hajin again. Hajin shook his head slowly. At that, Kwon Sayoung scanned Hajin up and down as he still stood there like a mannequin, and then snapped his fingers toward the male model standing right in the center.

“Go with that one.”

It was a white suit, but because it was blended with silk material, a blue tint hovered faintly when reflected by the lighting. Actually, it was an outfit Hajin had kept his eye on too. Everything was more or less similar, but he had thought to himself alone that if the man wore that navy suit, wouldn’t that outfit be the best for him?

“How is it.”

He kept asking for his opinion. Hajin smiled faintly and nodded.

“Yes. …I like it.”

Once he arrived, everything was sorted out in one go. At Kwon Sayoung’s order, the manager immediately dismissed the models and listened intently to Kwon Sayoung giving the rest of the detailed orders. Then suddenly, he felt Seong Yeonwoo’s gaze. Firmly closed lips, and a gaze where a chill lingered. It was directed toward him.

࣪˖ ִֶָ🍇་༘

The uncomfortable gathering continued. With the atmosphere carrying over all the way to the restaurant, Hajin had to feel the hair-raising tension all by himself. Seong Yeonwoo who was resenting him, those two lovers who were still dating but hiding it, and himself who was outwardly Kwon Sayoung’s fiancé.

“Come to think of it, Yeonwoo, has the date for your recital been set?”

“Yes. I was actually planning to send you an invitation, Mother.”

Casual conversations flowed. Mostly the topic was about Seong Yeonwoo, but Hajin tried to accept this atmosphere with indifference.

“The Chairman won’t be able to go because his health is poor. Don’t be upset.”

“Upset, not at all. I’m worried as it is. Because Grandfather’s complexion seems to keep getting worse lately.”

Those kinds of words felt hypocritical to Hajin for some reason. To bring up such words when he clearly knew that Grandfather was practically living on borrowed time. However, since he himself knew but couldn’t say anything, he was in no position to speak. Hajin didn’t even want to bring it out of his mouth. He just wanted to pretend not to know and let Grandfather do as he wished.

“He’d be hale and hearty, then he’d get worse. He’s completely up and down, so my husband and I have a lot of worries.”

Madam Shim had quite a worried look on her face.

“Recital? Was it in two months?”

“Yeah. You’ll come, right?”

“I have to go. It feels like it’s been a while since you performed in Korea.”

“Right. I rested a bit too, and during that time I only traveled abroad. I was grateful that you took a private jet to come every time.”

Hajin had never once actually seen him perform. A recital? A concert? He had never been invited to such places either. Suddenly, an image of Seong Yeonwoo receiving a bouquet of flowers from Kwon Sayoung with a happy face while being applauded by everyone came to mind. It was an image of imagination, but he thought it probably wouldn’t be different from reality.

“I should go. It must be hard for you outside by yourself anyway.”

“Mother. Sayoung appears indifferent on the outside, but he’s really affectionate.”

“I know. Our son is surprisingly a genuine person. It’s just that he acts cold-hearted sometimes.”

It was happening again. Becoming a space where only the three of them existed, excluding him. Hajin picked at the garnishes with his fork meaninglessly. It wasn’t that he lacked an appetite. But since he was the type to get indigestion easily, he felt he would definitely get indigestion if he ate in this atmosphere.