Flower Fiancé Chapter 29

The moment it vibrated, Ji Yeonwoo looked at the phone almost simultaneously, and his eyes were tinged with disappointment. It was a spam call. Perhaps because he was waiting for a call, he was on edge even over a single spam call that he would normally have declined without a second thought.

Letting out a small breath, Ji Yeonwoo soon tapped the screen of the phone that was placed neatly to one side. Only spam calls or advertising messages came to the phone, but there was no news at all from Choi Moohyuk.

‘Is Managing Director alright?’

Since he had left like that, they hadn’t exchanged contact, so he didn’t know why he had gone or if the situation had improved. He was curious, but he wasn’t so shameless as to contact him first, so he was just anxiously waiting for Choi Moohyuk’s call.

“That makes exactly the 10th time just now.”

Just as he was tapping the blackened screen again, a familiar voice came from beside him. Startled, Ji Yeonwoo turned his head toward where the sound came from. Seo Eungyeom, in a neat suit, was sitting in a chair placed to one side with his legs crossed, looking at him.

Ah, right. Eungyeom was here.

Maybe because his mind was complicated with all sorts of thoughts, he had completely forgotten.

“What do you mean. The 10th time.”

Seo Eungyeom pulled back his sleeve to point at his watch and spoke.

“I counted. You looked at your phone exactly 10 times in one minute.”

“M-me?”

Had he really? He felt like he was checking more often than usual, but he hadn’t perceived it as being that many times. Ji Yeonwoo didn’t usually check his phone often. It was because, when working, his hands were often wet or covered in soil, so there were many situations where he couldn’t touch his phone. Knowing Ji Yeonwoo well, Seo Eungyeom could find it strange that Ji Yeonwoo was checking the screen so frequently as to look 10 times a minute.

Seo Eungyeom got up from his seat, strode right up to him, leaned on the desk, and thrust his face forward.

“So, be honest.”

“About what.”

“You have a lover, don’t you?”

“…What?”

“If not, did you lend money to someone?”

“Hey, don’t be ridiculous.”

His heart sank, but he deliberately managed his expression as if nothing were wrong.

“Later. I’ll tell you later.”

He hurriedly picked up the gardening shears and finished the conditioning work. Seo Eungyeom, standing beside him, didn’t withdraw his suspicious gaze.

“Tsk, seeing that you’re not denying it, it seems you do have one.”

Honestly, I can’t beat him. Ji Yeonwoo, moving his hands busily, glanced at Eungyeom, who was sending suspicious looks. As their eyes met, a smile spread across both their faces.

“You’ll arrange a meeting soon, right?”

“I don’t know. He’s a very busy person.”

“Is it someone I know?”

“You probably wouldn’t know his face? I have talked about him. You know, the person I consulted with over the phone.”

“Really? It worked out with him?”

Eungyeom was so happy he looked like he might jump, asking repeated questions. It was embarrassing that this was something to be so pleased about, but seeing Eungyeom that happy raised his own energy along with it.

“Then is this scent perhaps that person’s pheromones?”

“Scent?”

Eungyeom brought his nose close to Ji Yeonwoo and sniffed.

“You don’t know? Right now, a very dangerous scent is coming from you.”

“Really? I don’t smell anything.”

“How should I put it. It’s very sweet, but on the other hand, should I say it’s a threatening scent that makes you unable to approach?”

“I-is that so?”

“At first, I wondered if it was the scent of flowers that had soaked into you in here? But seeing that you can’t smell it, it’s definitely not a flower scent. I thought it might be alpha pheromones.”

It was unexpected, so blinking his eyes, Ji Yeonwoo looked at Eungyeom, then pulled up his knit sweater and buried his nose in it. As expected, he couldn’t smell the scent Eungyeom mentioned at all. Ji Yeonwoo, who had been pressing his nose to his arm and the back of his hand to smell, paused.

Something briefly crossed his mind. Since he had been with Choi Moohyuk all weekend, could it be that Choi Moohyuk’s pheromones had somehow soaked into his body? Since his body was an omega’s but without pheromones, he thought it wasn’t entirely impossible.

It was then.

— Buzz.

The phone placed on the desk vibrated. Ji Yeonwoo’s gaze hurriedly went to the phone. On the screen, along with the words ‘Managing Director Choi Moohyuk,’ a phone number was displayed.

A smile quickly spread across Ji Yeonwoo’s face.

“Eungyeom, I need to take this call.”

And then, picking up his phone, he walked with quick steps toward the door. Pushing the glass door open with his hand, he pressed the green call button.

“Hello? Managing Director.”

Opening the glass door and going out, Ji Yeonwoo brought the phone to his ear.

[ Have you eaten? ]

From beyond the phone came a voice that was a low-mid tone as usual, but soft. Ji Yeonwoo, who had moved one step to the side from the entrance, stood with his back against the clear glass window. It was still winter, but perhaps because he had just come out, he didn’t think it was that cold.

“Yes. What about Managing Director?”

[ Not yet. It’s before dinner. ]

“It seems you haven’t left work yet.”

[ I suppose so. I’m a bit busy. ]

As they were making small talk, the sound of loud music was suddenly heard from beyond the phone. Huh? Isn’t he at the office? But the fact that he said he hadn’t left work bothered him. It wasn’t the kind of music you’d typically hear in an office. The thumping, reverberating music was similar to what would play in a club. He didn’t think Choi Moohyuk was lying, but the strangeness couldn’t be erased.

[ Ah, it’s not the company, I’m out at another place. It’s a place I operate personally, but, hmm… how should I explain this. ]

Even at a glance, a sense of difficulty could be felt.

“It’s alright. If it’s difficult, you don’t have to explain.”

Ji Yeonwoo waved his hand at the empty air where no one was watching.

[ Rather than difficult, I’m in the process of finding an answer that Mr. Ji Yeonwoo won’t misunderstand. ]

“….”

[ Because I don’t want to be misunderstood as a strange person. ]

“Rest assured, whatever you say, I won’t misunderstand Managing Director.”

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t curious, but since Choi Moohyuk was saying this much, he didn’t want to press the question as if urging him. What Ji Yeonwoo was really curious about wasn’t that.

“…More than that, you’re alright, aren’t you?”

[ What are you referring to? ]

Choi Moohyuk asked back as if puzzled. It was embarrassing to bring it up first, but it was something he had been continuously curious about, so he couldn’t postpone it.

“The situation wasn’t good, was it. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I heard everything when you were on the phone.”

[ Ah. Is that so? ]

“….”

[ Well, it’s alright. For now. ]

Ji Yeonwoo focused on the voice coming from the phone. Was it just words to reassure him, or was it really alright? As always, he couldn’t gauge Choi Moohyuk’s true feelings from his voice.

[ If I get kicked out, Mr. Ji Yeonwoo will have to take responsibility. ]

“You’ve seen my place, so you know. With Managing Director there, it felt quite full.”

Maybe that’s why, after Managing Director was there and then gone, it felt more empty. Ji Yeonwoo swallowed the words he couldn’t bring himself to say.

The longer he stayed outside the shop, the more he felt the chill bit by bit. The reason was that he had come out hastily in just a thin knit and pants to answer the phone.

“Do you live with your parents?”

Even so, not wanting to hang up like this, he curled up and continued speaking.

[ No. I also live alone. ]

“Ah… you live alone.”

Cruelly, the wind began to blow strongly. At the sudden rush of cold air, he broke out in goosebumps. It was cold enough to make his teeth chatter.

[ It seems you’re cold. Your voice is trembling. ]

Choi Moohyuk didn’t miss even that small tremor. Regrettably, it was time to hang up now.

“I came outside briefly to take the call. A friend is here in the shop.”

[ I see. Go back inside. You shouldn’t catch a cold. ]

“Yes. Please also be careful leaving work, Managing Director.”

With a face full of lingering attachment, he only stared at the phone after the call had ended. If only the wind hadn’t been blowing so hard in that situation, they could have talked a little longer. He felt resentful toward the weather for suddenly turning cold for no reason.