At the End of That Memory Chapter 41

As it was my first visit, the workshop session felt more like an orientation. Lee Heena explained about the upcoming classes and told me to come see her anytime. When I made an apologetic expression, she formed a circle with her thumb and index finger and squinted, saying, ‘It’s okay. You’ve received a lot of information.’

Kwon Yido really returned before I had dinner. I had been holed up in my room after visiting the workshop, so when I heard the employee’s message, I hurriedly went to the entrance. Just as he was coming in, he paused briefly upon seeing me and warmly greeted me.

“You’re back?”

“….”

His gaze fixed on my face. Wondering why, I tilted my head, and he squinted his eyes, covering his mouth. Then, with a smile that seemed like it might appear but didn’t, he said, “I should have come back earlier.”

Kwon Yido handed the bag to the staff and approached me. His presence, emitting a faint pheromone, relaxed my mood.

“I didn’t expect such a hearty welcome.”

As he said that, Kwon Yido briefly lowered his head toward me.

“….”

For a moment, I thought he was about to kiss me. But the face that came close was directed not towards my lips but my neck. Like welcoming an owner, he curiously asked in an odd tone, “Did you put on perfume?”

“Ah….”

I shrugged my shoulders unnecessarily. Why did I do that? It seems I had a different scent on me.

“No, it’s probably because of the fragrance.”

“Fragrance?”

“Yes, Heena assigned me homework.”

Saying so, I extended my right hand toward him. If there was a scent, it was stronger here than on my neck. He obediently bowed his head and, as if scenting the back of my hand as a dog would, he sniffed.

“It seems the scent got stuck after playing with fragrances all day.”

“I’ll give you an assignment.”

After the workshop session ended, Lee Heena handed me a small brown bottle. Each bottle contained different fragrances, with labels indicating their names. There were a total of 16, and she told me to smell each one and write descriptions, whether it was not just words but also songs, drawings, or even movements, to be as detailed as possible so that someone who hasn’t smelled the scent can distinguish it.

I thought it wouldn’t be too difficult of an assignment, but once I started smelling the scents, I found many confusing parts. It wasn’t that I couldn’t differentiate the differences, but I couldn’t figure out how to explain those differences to others.

“Ah, fragrances….”

Kwon Yido sighed with a meaningless exclamation and lowered his gaze. Then, with an indifferent face, he raised an eyebrow.

“The instructor’s name is Lee Heena?”

“….”

Ah, déjà vu. Didn’t he mention there was a good perfumer? Sensing my bewilderment, he replied in an indifferent tone.

“I don’t even know the name.”

His nonchalant expression was truly shameless. When I chuckled, Kwon Yido mirrored me by slightly raising the corners of his lips. He took a step ahead, loosening his tie.

“I’ll freshen up and come down. Wait for me.”

The dinner with him after such a long time turned out to be more enjoyable than I had imagined. Though there wasn’t much conversation, just the fact that someone was sitting across from me lifted my spirits. Kwon Yido calmly briefed me on the workshop, and if it was okay, he asked to show me his notes on the assignment.

So, as soon as we finished dinner, I grabbed my notebook and headed to Kwon Yido’s room. As expected, his room, where I entered after a long time, was filled with the distinct Alpha male pheromone. It felt a bit hazy, enough that I had to stand in front of the door for a moment.

“This is the note you received from the workshop?”

Kwon Yido carefully went through each page of the notebook where I had written the content. Even though it was something like ‘feels like walking through a rose-filled garden. The smell of clothes dried under the sun on a good day,’ he examined it seriously. Due to his serious expression, I felt tense as if I were submitting a report.

His lowered eyes moved meticulously along the writing. Sitting with one leg crossed, he seemed quite relaxed. His slightly tousled bangs were covering his forehead neatly, unlike when he was working.

“Nicely written.”

It was just a small compliment, but it made me feel excited. His voice, flowing out like a soliloquy, not conscious of me, added to that feeling. After reading up to the sixteenth fragrance, Kwon Yido looked up with a satisfied expression.

“Is the workshop tomorrow?”

“Yes, I plan to go every weekday.”

It’s fortunate to have something to do. First, I decided to learn the basics for about a week. It involves distinguishing scents, blending them in order to create the desired perfume. Lee Heena mentioned that in reality, it’s a more complex process, but for now, we’ll focus on the fun aspect.

“Did you do your homework in your room?”

“Yes, at the table…”

“You might need a study room.”

Kwon Yido concluded on his own and nodded. I might not even attend the workshop for long, so there wouldn’t be a need to spare a room. I intended to refuse as it seemed unnecessary, but due to his change of topic, I couldn’t.

“This one, it seems similar to Jung Sejin’s pheromones.”

He pointed to the third fragrance I had written. Following the label on the bottle, I had written ‘White jasmine,’ describing the scent with several figurative expressions. Flipping through the notebook once more, he indicated a page labeled ‘Warm Cotton.’

“This one too.”

“…”

It was a trivial action, yet I couldn’t understand why it made me feel ticklish. Was it because he had a faint smile, or was it his voice, so mellifluous like a dream?

“The one next to it seems similar to Kwon Yido’s pheromones.”

Pointing to the page marked ‘Sandalwood,’ Kwon Yido let out a small laugh. In reality, I just randomly chose the most similar scent; his pheromones were so distinctive that they couldn’t be compared. Just feeling it now was charming enough to melt my thoughts.

For a while, we conversed about the fragrances I had written down. How a greenhouse smelled like this, or a newly brewed tea had that scent. Mixing this and that would create an unbelievable perfume.

It felt like a childish game. Like high school students chattering all day about trivial, meaningless topics. Even engaging in idle chatter without much significance felt surprisingly pleasant in the given opportunity for conversation.

“Are there scents good for insomnia?”

“Well, there are, but…”

Was it lavender that had an actual effect? Despite having tried various scented candles for insomnia, I had only found one that actually helped me sleep.

“The best one is Kwon Yido’s pheromones.”

I didn’t say that hoping he’d spray pheromones. I just mentioned it casually. Thanks to you, I can sleep well tonight. Just a simple expression of gratitude.

“Thanks to today, I’ll sleep soundly.”

When Kwon Yido heard my words, he remained silent. His gaze held various emotions directed at me. Soon, he closed his eyes and spoke softly.

“Even if I’m not here, you can come into my room whenever you want.”

Isn’t that contradictory? He forbade me from entering the study on the second floor, yet he’s allowing me into his room.

“If you can’t sleep, you can even sleep in my bed.”

It was a generous permission, but I couldn’t agree. How ridiculous it would be for Kwon Yido, who had just come back from work, to find me sprawled on his bed. Moreover, it wasn’t appropriate to intrude on his personal space.

“Then where will Kwon Yido sleep?”

I said it jokingly, but his smile became subtle. He raised an eyebrow as if to ask what I meant.

“That’s a sudden remark.”

His gaze shifted to the bed. It was a large enough bed for three people to lie down comfortably.

“Even though the bed is spacious… are you suggesting something intimate now?”

“…”

What’s the point of sharing the same bed even though we’ve rolled around half-naked before? Even though there were memories of entangling bodies, there weren’t any of lying side by side like lovers.

“…Thank you for the offer.”

It was difficult to refuse, but it was also awkward to accept. Trying to cover it up with a laugh, I got a response from him as if he understood.

“I definitely won’t sleep in my own bed.”

At this point, it wasn’t particularly surprising. He quickly grasped what was being implied within a day or two.

“It’s getting late. You might be tired after going out, so let’s call it a night.”

Checking the clock on the wall, Kwon Yido stood up first. Feeling drowsy myself, I silently grabbed the notebook and got up too. But as I was about to leave the room, Kwon Yido suddenly said something unexpected.

“I’ll sleep in my bed.”

“…Yes?”

He casually approached me and took the notebook. Putting the notebook back on the table, he nodded towards the bed.

“The first time is difficult, but after a night or two, even Jung Sejin will get used to it.”

“…”

My empty hands trembled slightly. Unable to find words to reply, I hesitated. Kwon Yido started coaxing me in a subtle tone.

“You’ll have to go back to the workshop tomorrow; it’s better to get a good rest.”

“…”

“You said my pheromones are the best. Are you going to miss this good opportunity?”

Truth be told, if it wasn’t embarrassing, it would be a lie. If it were entering a room without him, there would be no hesitation since he suggested it. However, the only concern was the creeping sense of embarrassment.

“…Will we… sleep together?”

The idea of turning off the lights and getting into bed felt overwhelmingly awkward. It wasn’t like a newlywed couple’s first night or even that of new lovers. Being aware that we’d be sharing a blanket together was an unexpected realization.

“After everything we’ve done together, you’re shy about just that?”

It seemed Kwon Yido noticed my thoughts. He raised an eyebrow in puzzlement, covering his mouth while letting out a slight exhale. His cool gaze softly curved, a sight that never seemed to settle well with me.

“I’m sorry if I got your hopes up, but I have something left to do today.”

“…”

Disappointment… perhaps? The momentarily inflated feeling deflated. There was a sense of relief mixed with an inexplicable feeling of regret. The problem was, Kwon Yido precisely caught onto those expressions.

“…Jung Sejin.”

He gently smiled and reached out towards me. His cautious touch grazed my cheek, ear, and neck one after the other.

“Why are you acting so cute today?”

“What…”

My neck felt like it was heating up. I tried to turn my head, but he lightly kissed my lips, keeping my head in place. With a gentle touch, our lips met with a slight gap in between.

“…”

I closed my eyelids slowly. As I shivered slightly, he playfully ran his tongue between my lips, teasing the gap.

It was a dizzying sensation, enough to weaken my legs. Had he not encircled my waist with his other hand, I might have stumbled much earlier. Holding me firmly, he continued a teasingly intimate kiss as if signaling that he would do everything he hadn’t done before.

When I came to my senses, I found myself holding onto his neck too. Tilting his head, he mischievously nibbled on my tongue. It was a teasing sensation, a slight discomfort followed by a gentle soothing action.

Despite being surrounded by fragrant perfumes all day, his pheromones seemed the most exquisite. His breath carried a tranquil pheromone, encapsulating both Kwon Yido’s characteristic solidity and sweetness simultaneously.

“Mhm…”

Unconsciously, a muffled sound escaped me. He was making me hypersensitive to every sensation. Yet, it was just a kiss. My heart raced as if we’d fervently intertwined our bodies.

Ah, the heat cycle was about to start again.

Just as I thought that, he slowly parted his lips. The moist sound as our lips separated seemed reluctant, repeating a few times in the same spot as if regretting the unfinished action. He gently brushed my hair aside, settling with a resigned tone.

“I’m going to sleep. I’ll be back after work.”

This time, there was no reason to refuse. So, I simply nodded, and Kwon Yido seemed content to release me. His Alpha pheromones pervaded my whole body, offering a cozy reassurance from deep within my stomach.

***

Contrary to the anticipated discomfort, as soon as I lay down on his bed, I fell into a deep slumber. It felt like lying comfortably in a forest during a gentle autumn rain, surrounded by soft bedding and the rich scent of wood. Despite being fairly dry, his pheromone emitted such a dense and intriguing fragrance.

After falling asleep like that, I didn’t encounter any common nightmares. The haunting visions that had troubled me during these sleepless nights vanished without a trace. Even after taking a sleeping pill, the scenes that tormented me disappeared completely thanks to Kwon Yido’s pheromones.

If only I could experience such refreshing sleep every day. The quality of sleep directly affected my life, as I noticed a significant change in my body even after a single good night’s rest. I almost felt like I could visit his room every day despite any reservations.

How long had it been since I’d slept so peacefully? When I woke up with such thoughts, someone was gently stroking my head. They cautiously brushed aside the strands of my tousled hair that had fallen onto my forehead.

“…”

Unconsciously, I leaned my face into that hand. Rolling my body to the side, I reached for the retreating hand and pulled it closer. As I brought my forehead closer, a soft chuckle resonated.

“Are you teasing…”

Though it was a small voice, it felt vividly clear in my ears. His deep voice resonated with a unique timbre as he traced my facial lines softly from my forehead, over my eyebrows, past my half-closed eyes, down my cheek, and to my jawline.

“Sleep a little more until breakfast.”

“…”

Was he leaving already? Through my drowsy vision, I saw him dressed in formal attire. He hadn’t tied his tie, and unusually, he had left a few buttons of his shirt undone.

“…You didn’t sleep?”

He didn’t appear like someone who had just woken up. His complexion seemed normal, but an instinctive sensation indicated otherwise. He was preparing for work without even a sigh, while I remained in bed.

“Well… it wasn’t intentional.”

As expected, Kwon Yido casually replied. I wondered if my presence had made him uncomfortable, but his soft gaze suggested otherwise. He delicately traced each feature of my face, gently lowering his eyes.

“I was just pondering on something.”

What could he have been thinking about all night? His usually flawless face appeared particularly gentle today. Perhaps it was the neatly aligned and elongated eyelashes or the beauty in his gently sealed lips.

Kwon Yido spoke with his usual composed tone, “I wanted to save some sleeping time to think about things.”