At the End of That Memory Chapter 15

Kwon Yido was not saying anything, but I could surmise just by looking at him. If I let my guard down like this, it was like he’d do anything to me. A strong premonition seemed to spread through every corner.

“Yes, just now…I took a bath.”

I nodded, looking at him, trying to pretend that nothing had happened. Kwon Yido was watching me obsessively as if he would not miss even the slightest movement. The thin double eyelids of the eyes became thinner and longer.

“Yeah, it looks like it.”

From the eyes to the nose, the nose to the mouth, and the mouth to the chin. The gaze lowered progressively till it touched the nape of my neck. Even though I had put on my robe properly, I felt as though I were naked.

“May I ask why you opened the door like that?”

The soft question was so full of pheromones that even I, who was still, was startled. At some point, a sense of presence seeped out and slowly clung to my entire body. A little while ago, I was distracted by the scent of bath salts. Now I was distracted by Kwon Yido’s scent.

“Why did I open the door like that…?

As I was about to ask again, I quickly realized what Kwon Yido was asking. I was dressed as if I had just come out of the shower, and if someone saw me, I was dressed in a gown that could be seen as tempting, and he asked why I opened the door.

“Just…I opened it right away. It’s not that I have any other intention…”

My throat kept getting dry. I felt like I wanted to gulp down water if I could. But the only thing I could breathe in was pheromones, so I let out a shallow breath and lowered my eyes.

What if he misunderstands?

Although it was an unfair situation, it was also one in which he could have been mistaken. Since I went through a heat cycle yesterday, he might think that my body was acting up.

‘I don’t know what you expected…I’m not going to do what you want, so behave yourself.’

At that moment, the voice I heard in my dream rang in my head. I also remembered the sight of me calmly turning around and leaving as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. I moved my neck again and spoke in as calm a tone as possible.

“I will change and come out.”

“…”

“If you just wait a moment…”

“No, you don’t have to.”

Kwon Yido cut me off with a firm tone. I even missed the doorknob I had grabbed to close the door as he was taking a step closer. He held the doorknob instead of me and gave me a calmer expression.

“The joke went too far. I know you had no particular intention.”

I still felt nervous. This was because the pheromones floating around were tense. Kwon Yido didn’t touch a single hair of my head, but it felt like my whole body was touching him.

“I came here for a moment because I thought you were already asleep. I’ve seen your face, so you can rest now. It’s late, so I’ll leave.”

After saying that, Kwon Yido closed the door without hesitation. I could see him sighing through the slowly closing door. Until the moment the door closed, I stood there frozen, unable to even breathe.

Click, the door was completely closed. The swirling pheromones stopped in an instant. My tense shoulders relaxed, and my breath that had been held came out in an instant.

“Ha.”

As if I was collapsing, I crouched down and buried my forehead in my knees. I couldn’t even lift a finger because all the strength in my body was gone. The long gown that reached below the knees exquisitely covered my awkward areas.

“…Driving me crazy.”

Cursing words rose to the top of my chin. I squeezed my thighs together, but nothing changed. To make matters worse, the pheromones that could not be released were causing my whole body to boil.

I stood up. Even though I was not a high school student and had seen any erotic movies, I became lustful for Kwon Yido’s gaze and pheromones.

The tight, pulling sensation in his lower abdomen was not the kind of desire I would feel at the end of a heat cycle. It was not like I had an erection after ejaculating several times yesterday, and it was not like I was reacting to alpha pheromones, which I usually didn’t notice.

“Ah…”

As if I was possessed by something, I lowered my hand and started tearing through my gown. Thanks to the loose waist strap, it was not difficult to open the front flap. As I held my genitals with my trembling hands, an excited moan escaped me.

“…Mmh…”

At this age, I never thought I would masturbate. That too, for an Alpha I only met for a few days.

I curled up and closed my eyes tightly. Every time I swept down my member, my back twitched and trembled. The remaining Alpha pheromones in the air made my sensitive sexual feelings even more heated.

“Ha…”

Before I knew it, I was lying down on the floor and moving my hands. The waist strap was completely untied, and the floor that touched my forehead was extremely hard. Every time I moved my hand, the slippery precum became sticky and made an obscene sound.

“Ha …”

I think I could ejaculate if I just give it a little more time.

Was yesterday easy because of the heat cycle? Even though I was moving my hands, I felt like it wasn’t enough. Kwon Yido’s tantalizing pheromone did not serve as a decisive medium at the most important moment.

“…Ah…”

Now I could feel that not only the front but also the back was getting wet. The juice leaked out and ran long down my thighs. I kept my thighs close and moved my hands quickly, but I still felt like something was missing.

‘Sejin.’

“…Mmh.”

But funny enough, as soon as I thought of Kwon Yido’s voice, I felt a sense of shame. The voice kissing my ear and whispering sweetly drove me to climax as if it were real.

‘You can come now.’

“Hff…”

The moment an unknown voice whispered, a thin liquid burst out. I ejaculated several times yesterday, so the semen was transparent and had a small amount.

I laid my body on my side and took a deep breath. The lingering feeling of pleasure that spread gently was stimulating enough to make my lower back tremble. My rapidly beating heart made a strong sound.

However, as soon as the overwhelming impulse subsided, self-deprecating awareness washed over me like a flood.

“…Ha.”

How can I face Kwon Yido like this? How will I enter the room full of pheromones every night from now on? While we should be sitting across from each other and having breakfast right away, I wondered why I was acting so foolishly.

“…”

The semen scattered on the floor was embarrassing as if I had urinated. The desire was once satisfied, but now it was time to face another problem.

My lower body which didn’t have the intention to subside and the guilt I felt towards Kwon Yido.

* * *

Contrary to many concerns, I woke up after a deep sleep as usual. I didn’t have any nightmares and I never woke up in the middle of my sleep. As expected, pheromones were better than sleeping pills. It was already too late to turn back the sense of stability I had once again realized.

Kwon Yido, who didn’t know what I had done, ate breakfast dressed immaculately as usual. Even though it was Sunday, he was going to work today as well. I was about to ask if he had any days off, but I was embarrassed by the fact that while he had only a day off in a week, I was resting by myself every day, so I decided not to.

The breakfast menu was seaweed soup with tender beef. The moderately seasoned soup went very well with the fluffy rice. Unlike yesterday, he spoke to me in a casual tone as I ate my meal steadily.

“As expected, Korean food is better.”

Kwon Yido’s gaze was not directed at me but at the half-empty bowl of rice. For some reason, he seemed to think it was a good thing that I was eating well, so I felt a little embarrassed.

“Rice is best.”

I squinted my eyes and tried to smile naturally. Since I was confident in pretending like nothing was wrong, I planned to treat Kwon Yido as usual. If I just keep my mouth shut, this person wouldn’t know anything anyway.

“So, was having an attendant uncomfortable?”

Fortunately, Kwon Yido did not appear to be bothered by my presence. I knew because he quickly glanced away and moved on to another issue. The trouble was that such a subject was also not particularly appealing.

“It’s not uncomfortable…I can’t just be alone.”

“Once you get used to it, you’ll be fine. I told them to be as inconspicuous as possible.”

“… Don’t do that.”

What on earth does this person think of his guards? Just because they didn’t stand out didn’t mean they didn’t exist. Was Kwon Yido comfortable with that? For some reason, I felt like the answer would be ‘yes’ if I asked, so I decided not to bother checking.

“If he’s not good at his duties, I’ll talk to him. It’s not difficult to change to someone else.”

“It’s okay. I like him.”

“…”

At that moment, Kwon Yido’s expression hardened. His gaze seemed to have sunken somewhere as if he was offended. Soon, he held a glass of water in his hand with that cold expression on his face.

“What part do you particularly like?”

“Well, in many ways….”

As expected, are our hands similar in size? His fingers were so firm, that I believed Kwon Yido’s grip on his glass was distinct.

 

“It’s amazing. He even became a team leader at that age.”

“… What are you talking about?”

I said that because I didn’t have anything that immediately came to mind, but Kwon Yido immediately changed his mind and asked back. For a moment, I thought my words were strange, but the next sentence explained why his expression changed.

“Director Jung Sejin.”

“…”

Ah, I never thought I would hear this title again today.

“I’m not even the Director anymore.”

In the first place, the position of Director was not an achievement I achieved through hard work. It went to show that my father didn’t discriminate externally and that he probably didn’t have high expectations either. Even if Kwon Yido had not told me to quit, I would have succumbed to the pressure at some point.

“I guess you’re disappointed. Quitting your job as the Director, that is.”

I looked at Kwon Yido without saying a word. Kwon Yido, who was still holding the glass of water, looked down and took a sip of water. The way his Adam’s apple moved was like a scene from a carefully made movie.

“It’s not that disappointing.”

It wasn’t a pity. It’s just that I feel a little empty.

“Being a Director wasn’t a good fit.”

It could have been a coincidence that I ended up in that position, but everything I did there was entirely voluntary. Achievements obtained directly, colleagues in whom I had faith, and even performance that was improving.

“The newly appointed Director will do well, I think.”

Of course, because I felt empty didn’t mean I wanted to go back. It was that something I’d become accustomed to had disappeared and I needed something else to replace it.

“Okay.”

Kwon Yido nodded without saying anything. If he had sympathized, it would have felt like deception, but the dry, indifferent answer felt like comfort in a way.

“Jung Sejin, what do you think suits your aptitude?”

“…”

I didn’t know why that question reminded me of a future hope I had forgotten about. It’d been a long time since I’d forgotten it, and I only remembered it on the day of the engagement ceremony.

“Well, I don’t know…Kwon Yido, are you suited to what you are doing now?”

I asked back slyly, but Kwon Yido just laughed. He was laughing, but the reason was in what he said next.

“I guess you don’t want to answer.”

“…”

My expression almost collapsed. Why does this person know so much about me? No, are you good at understanding people?

“My aptitude…I’ve never thought about that, but if I want to be honest, I’m not a good fit for the position of Managing Director.”

“…Okay.”

My response was exactly how Kwon Yido said. It was a surprise that he responded seriously, but it was even more startling to learn that he was not a suitable fit for the position of Managing Director. This individual, in my perspective, was a natural businessman.

“Maybe it would be better to be vice president.”

“…”

Well, I’d say he’s ambitious.

“Which affiliate do you think is the main star of Seonho Group now?”

It was an unexpected question, but I quickly considered an affiliate. Anyone who knew Seonho would have offered the same response.

“Isn’t it Seonho Products?”

I couldn’t count the number of affiliates for Seonho Group on one hand. Seonho Trading, Seonho Electronics, Seonho Electric, Seonho Life, and associated firms, Myeongseong Hotel, and advertising firm Yooil Planning were all part of the Seonho Group. The foundation also operated kindergartens and art galleries, although the major focus was Seonho Products.

“That’s right. Most people think that way. It is the place which brings in the largest capital.”

But Kwon Yido shook his head as if what I said was wrong. He spoke in a monotonous voice as if evaluating a meal menu.

“However, if the Seonho Group disintegrates, the first one to become an arena for competition is Seonho Trading. After the power hierarchy is separated, Seonho Electronics will become the core business, and then I will become the vice president and the top person in the name.”

It wasn’t that difficult, but my mind was slow to understand it. It was because I could not understand the first assumption he made.

“…Why would the Seonho Group disintegrate?”

There wasn’t a company that never failed. Except for the Seonho Group.

Among several significant firms in Korea, Seonho Group was chosen as the best. It was not a joke to warn that if the Seonho Group failed, the country would implode. They were a tyrant with complete control over the economy.

But to think such a company might disintegrate.

“It’s not that surprising. People fully expected it, and it came up a few times in the house. It has grown so much, and even the chairman is looking forward to it, so it’s not that difficult for the group to split up.”

“No, wait a minute, Kwon Yido.”

I hastily cut off Kwon Yido’s conversation. It was a reflexive action, but I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t even think that I shouldn’t have done this. I spoke while looking at Kwon Yido, unable to hide my troubled expression.

“I think this is something I shouldn’t hear.”

It was clear that the ‘Chairman’ that Kwon Yido was referring to was Kwon Byeongwook, the top manager of Seonho Group. I heard that he stopped his external activities about two years ago and was currently recuperating.

Although it was heard that he was on the verge of dying, hearing his actual grandson, Kwon Yido, say, ‘He is looking forward to it,’ carried a different weight.

“I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear it…”

“Even if Jung Sejin is not curious, Chairman Jung Cheolho will be curious.”

“…”

For a moment, I burst into laughter. It was not because I was dumbfounded, but because I had nothing to refute.

“Shouldn’t Jung Sejin also have a gift for his father?”

“…Do you want me to tell my father about this?”

“Well, that’s Jung Sejin’s choice.”

It was said strangely, but in the end, he wanted me to relay that message. It meant he had the confidence that he would become the Vice President. What benefit would Kwon Yido have if my father found out?

First and foremost, even if Chairman Kwon Byeongwook died and Kwon Sangmi took over as chairman, Kwon Yido had two additional siblings. Apart from his older brother, Kwon Yijung, his older sister, Kwon Yikyung, was not someone who would quickly relinquish the office of Vice President. As Kwon Yido stated, obtaining everything was difficult.

“…I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.”

Business was a battle of information, but a blank page was better than a wrong answer. It might be safer to remain silent than to convey uncertain information.

“You don’t completely trust me.”

Kwon Yido stretched out his mouth, clearly disappointed. That expression didn’t move me because, no matter how I looked at it, it was an act. Anyone who had seen Kwon Yido thus far would know that he intended me not to share such information with anyone else.

“Let’s stop talking about boring aptitudes and go back to talking about the bodyguard. Do you like him?”

When I wondered why this story came up, I realized that it was the beginning. He was talking about Lee Taeseong. I didn’t know if the first nuance was that subtle.

“Rather than saying I like him…It’s not worth changing to someone else.”

Lee Taeseong was rather calm and simple to deal with, so he didn’t appear to be an issue. Even though he appeared to be uncomfortable with me, it wasn’t a terrible thing that he didn’t try to hide it. He couldn’t disguise it, to be precise, but whatever.

“Great. Let me know later if you like him.”

I nodded my head absentmindedly but stopped moving because I thought something was strange. ‘Why?’ I asked Kwon Yido, who raised one side of his mouth at an angle.

“Since he’s so amazing, I should take him back as the Team Leader.”