Flower Fiancé Chapter 26

“….”

Ji Yeonwoo’s sleeping face was serene. It was a face without even a trace of tears, as if asking when he had cried. Looking at his loosely relaxed face, he felt relieved, as if he had become a bit better. On the expressionless face, the long, completely closed eyelashes were like a picture. The red and mottled marks stamped here and there on the white nape of his neck were like blemishes on jade.

Among the marks on the nape, he swept his thumb over the spot with a clear teeth mark.

“Hmm.”

The expressionless face twisted slightly and wriggled. Pausing, Choi Moohyuk’s hand froze in midair.

It was then.

— Buzz.

The noise of the vibration, which had stopped, rang again. Strength entered Choi Moohyuk’s eyes as his hand stopped in midair. Cursing inwardly, wondering what kind of bastard it was, he reached toward the bedside where the vibrating noise was ringing. Groping with his hand without looking, Choi Moohyuk grabbed the phone caught at his fingertips.

Seeing the name on the screen, the eyebrow that had been sharply sensitized went up crookedly.

[ Hyung-nim. Where are you. ]

It was a call from his younger brother, Choi Minhyeok.

“What.”

[ Is there such a thing as going off the grid after causing a huge accident? ]

Even at the blunt response, Minhyeok chattered on as always. Though he wanted to take the call outside the bedroom, he couldn’t move because Ji Yeonwoo was asleep using his arm as a pillow.

[ No, I heard you didn’t even go this time? ]

“….”

[ They called saying it was the first time they’d suffered such an insult, hyung. They made a huge fuss. ]

Glancing at the still-sleeping Ji Yeonwoo, Choi Moohyuk had no choice but to turn his head the other way and lower the call volume to the minimum.

“That’s their situation. Anyway, I’m not in a position to take calls. Just tell me your business.”

[ That’s too much. Your little brother’s been running his ass off cleaning up the accident you caused, and you’re like this? ]

Minhyeok made a groaning sound.

“I didn’t tell you to clean it up.”

[ I didn’t want to either, but I had no choice because it seemed like things would blow up if I stayed still. ]

Minhyeok, who had spoken emphatically word by word with a choked-up voice, ended by grumbling, ‘I should’ve been born the hyung.’

Actually, yesterday there had been a matchmaking meeting arranged by Chairman Choi. This time, it was the eldest daughter of a high-ranking official who had even served as Minister of Justice, and she too was said to be an omega.

Because he hadn’t even attended this time, the situation was distinctly different from the last time.

Choi Moohyuk looked around with the phone to his ear.

[ Where are you? ]

He was craving a cigarette. But he remembered that his jacket with the cigarettes was in the living room. For Choi Moohyuk, who had a routine of absolutely having to smoke a cigarette first thing upon opening his eyes in the morning, it was almost a torturous situation.

[ Doesn’t seem like you’re at home. ]

There was much meaning contained in Minhyeok’s subtly probing words. It meant that Chairman Choi’s underlings, including Choi Minhyeok, had gone as far as to show up at his house to catch him. Fuck, nothing’s going right. Muttering quietly, Choi Moohyuk ruffled the back of his hair.

“If you know, are you going to come raid the place?”

[ I won’t go. I won’t go, so just tell me. ]

“….”

[ hyung. I’m in a position to help you right now, you know? ]

“It’s a place you don’t know. Happy?”

[ What, are we playing hide-and-seek or something? ]

Choi Minhyeok gave a hollow laugh as if dumbfounded. Though he felt sorry for Minhyeok, he didn’t want this current peace to be disturbed. A lot had happened yesterday both for Choi Moohyuk and Minhyeok, and it was something that consumed unnecessary energy. So for now, he just wanted to rest without thinking about anything.

[ The Chairman is very angry. You know that, right? ]

“I’d imagine so.”

[ I’m not joking, hyung. This time it’s really serious. ]

“….”

[ It seems like he’s unleashed the guys to find you immediately and bring you back. ]

“….”

[ Haa, since you’re already hiding, hide well over the weekend. Turn off your phone if possible. ]

“You worry too much, Minhyeok.”

[ Yeah, yeah, as if you wouldn’t handle it yourself. Anyway, I never had this call with hyung-nim. ]

Minhyeok, speaking in his characteristic playfully lilting voice, hung up the phone. What a frivolous kid, anyway. Muttering while looking at the now-black screen, Choi Moohyuk checked his unread messages.

Choi Minhyeok, Secretary Kim, and after a few spam texts, a name caught his eye.

Min Jiwon? He lightly touched the unread message with his thumb.

— Greetings. This is Min Jiwon from Freeze. I am contacting you as the Q4 results have come out. If you let me know a date that’s convenient for Managing Director, I will prepare accordingly.

With a dry gaze, he read down the brief message written with courteous greetings. Not bringing them in person but summoning him—seeing that, the results must be quite decent? Without even sending a reply, Choi Moohyuk turned off the phone’s power and lifted his arm to cover his eyes.

Saturday, Sunday. Just two days.

It was a time-limited escape with a set deadline, but not being alone was a fortune amid misfortune.

That aside….

∞ ∞ ∞

“I wonder if he’ll be horrified when he finds out we have to be together for two days.”

He was curious what kind of face Ji Yeonwoo would make.

Given his personality, he probably wouldn’t openly like it, but at the same time, he wasn’t a person so full of curiosity that he’d persistently press for reasons. He’d probably quietly nod in agreement with a calm face. Well, it was that very face he liked and was dating him for, though.

“…!”

Lost in thought, Choi Moohyuk suddenly sensed a presence. He urgently removed the arm covering his eyes and turned his head.

Somehow, he was meeting eyes with a now-awake Ji Yeonwoo.

“When did you wake?”

“Just a moment ago.”

“I must have woken you.”

“It’s not that. It’s the time I always open my eyes.”

Choi Moohyuk met Ji Yeonwoo’s gaze with tension in his eyes. No drowsiness could be found in the blinking, long corners of his eyes. That meant it had been a while since he woke.

Did he hear the whole call?

It was only a guess, but it was a reasonable suspicion. If so, there would be no need to beat around the bush explaining the situation.

His eyes met Ji Yeonwoo’s, who was quietly looking at him. He reached out and touched his fallen bangs. The moment his fingers touched the hair, Ji Yeonwoo’s eyes, which had been gazing blankly, gently closed then opened. Choi Moohyuk deeply swept back the hair that softly intertwined between his fingers.

“Are you alright now?”

“Yes. About yesterday… I’m sorry.”

The hand that had been sweeping his hair stopped, and their eyes met. Ji Yeonwoo looked at Choi Moohyuk with a face full of worry.

“Were you very surprised?”

“It’s not that I wasn’t surprised, but that doesn’t make it something Mr. Ji Yeonwoo should apologize for. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

At Choi Moohyuk’s voice tinged with firmness, Ji Yeonwoo closed his mouth.

“Anyway, I’m letting it go just this once. Next time, I won’t let it slide just because you lose your senses, so be prepared.”

“Yes….”

“That aside, you’re not saying anything about it?”

Ji Yeonwoo looked at Choi Moohyuk as if wondering what he meant.

“I came into the bedroom as I pleased, didn’t I. I thought you’d give me an earful.”

Only then, as if remembering another part of yesterday’s events, Ji Yeonwoo’s lips rounded into a pout. Embarrassment clouded his face, fresh from just waking up.

“I have a sense of shame too, Managing Director.”

Seeing Ji Yeonwoo turn red, Choi Moohyuk softly raised the corners of his lips. Seeing him say he had a sense of shame, it seemed he didn’t completely not remember yesterday’s events. Though the questions he wanted to ask—what had happened, who had made him that way—were piled up like mountains, he had no intention of bringing them up just now.

He decided not to rush and to slow the tempo a little more. Conquering and savoring one thing at a time seemed like it might be a different kind of fun.

“What do we do now?”

Ji Yeonwoo lazily closed and opened his eyes, letting out a small yawn.

“We should get up. I have to go to work too.”

Seeing him, bare-chested and with his lover who had given him an arm as a pillow right in front of his eyes, innocently saying he had to go to work felt spiteful for some reason.

“Says who?”