At the End of That Memory Chapter 9

It was Friday morning. It began to rain heavily, as not mentioned by the weather forecast. It might be because the humidity in the air had increased, but it was a day when Kwon Yido’s pheromones were particularly vivid. The heavy and mellow pheromone stuck to my skin densely even while I was eating breakfast.

“I might be a little late today.”

Kwon Yido stood in front of the front door again today, dressed perfectly and ready to go to work. The suit, made of dark gray fabric with a high waistline, went very well with the bluish tie. Even the slightly frowning appearance of his beautiful eyes looked like a well-taken pictorial.

“Just in case, I ordered for the second floor to remain empty and you can call me if anything happens.”

“…?”

Why the second floor? I wanted to ask that, but there was something I had to say first. It was something I had been thinking about saying for the past few days, but couldn’t say.

“I don’t even know your number.”

I don’t know Kwon Yido’s number. He told me to contact him, but I had no means of doing so. Earlier, he once informed Chief Kim that he would send a car but after that, we ended up staying at the same place. The employee might know or not, but even if I asked them his number, wouldn’t it look strange?

“You don’t know my number? It can’t be…”

Even after saying his words, he hesitated for a moment. He flinched, and his frowning face was filled with a look of regret.

“…I guess it can.”

It was not even a skit, but I wondered what on earth to do. As I chuckled, Kwon Yido’s expression softened. He rolled up his sleeve, checked the time, and nodded.

“Give me your cell phone.”

“Oh, I left it in my room…I’ll punch in my number”

When eating breakfast, I didn’t bring my phone. No one would be calling me, and it was cumbersome to carry around. But since I couldn’t go up and down, it would be better to give him my number.

“Please give me your phone…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…Kwon Yido?”

I gently waved his outstretched hand. Kwon Yido, who was looking at my palm from afar, quietly frowned from the corners of his eyes. He took his phone out of his pocket and unlocked it instead of handing it to me. It was a different model from the one I saw in the car last time.

“What is your number?”

“010…”

The screen was not visible. Only after calling all 11 digits, a vibrating sound could be heard. Kwon Yido hung up the phone without asking twice and put his cell phone back in his pocket.

“I gave you a call, so you can check later.”

“Yes, well…”

Kwon Yido didn’t save my number. As soon as I thought about it, he added as if it were an excuse.

“I’ll save your number in the car.”

It was a questionable answer. The expression on his face was quite calm, but there was something about the atmosphere that couldn’t be explained in words. A person with a poker face was second to none, but sometimes his true feelings could be read clearly like this.

“I’ll come as soon as possible, so you can rest in your room. If you’re having a hard time, you can come to my room. If possible, please avoid going to the greenhouse.”

Kwon Yido looked at me blankly, as if waiting for an answer. Part of me wanted to say I understood, but all that came to mind was a question.

“Do you have something to do today?”

It felt like we were lovers who forgot their anniversary. When I saw Kwon Yido like this, I wondered if there was a problem, but unfortunately, I couldn’t guess anything. Why would the second floor remain empty, and why would I go to Kwon Yido’s room if I am having a hard time?

“You’re more worried than usual…So I am wondering if there is something you should tell me.”

Worry. After saying that word, I felt like I realized it too late. The reason Kwon Yido looked at me until now was because of worry, not regret. Even though there was nothing for him to worry about with me at home.

“Jung Sejin, today…”

He fiddled with his neatly worn tie as if he felt something uncomfortable. Beneath his long, straight fingers, prominent veins appeared on the back of his hand. Perhaps because he was tall, his hands were also very large.

“Your heat cycle starts today, doesn’t it?”

“Yes?”

Our eyes met. Dark brown eyes looked at me without wavering. The thin double eyelids, even the downturned eyelashes, looked sensual.

“What…”

Heat cycle, all of a sudden? There was a memory that passed through my mind along with that thought.

“I’m a man, so the chances of pregnancy aren’t high, but since I’m dominant, it’ll be okay as long as we match my heat cycle. There is only a week left for my heat cycle…”

Ah, that…

“Not today, but the day after tomorrow. Two days later.”

I answered calmly and estimated the date in my head. Dominant Omega’s heat cycle was generally accurate, and I never deviated from the expected date. Thanks to that, I was able to take sick leave from work in advance for the past few years.

“Two days?”

However, Kwon Yido looked out his window with a somewhat nervous expression. Even though he was a dominant Alpha as well, he might have not been aware of how accurate it was, but the sight of him gazing at the rainy landscape was refreshing.

“…Okay.”

In the end, the ambiguous tone ended the conversation roughly. He looked at his watch and me, wondering if it was time to leave, then turned toward the front door. He would probably take the elevator outside the gate and go down to the garage in the basement.

“Anyway… call me. I’ll answer your number right away.”

I think the public was evaluating Kwon Yido incorrectly. According to what the media said, he was a person with high pride and a picky person, as much as his reputation. However, the current Kwon Yido was far from such an impression.

‘Do you think I’m suggesting this?’

“…”

Well, it wasn’t that far at all.

Raindrops fell on the scenery outside the window. It was sunny until yesterday. It was so sudden that it wasn’t even a shower. Looking at the sky being so black, it didn’t look like it would stop any time soon.

“Should I read a book in the greenhouse…”

What I could do while Kwon Yido was away was extremely limited. Rest in my room, or take care of the greenhouse. If I had time, I could go to the swimming pool or fitness room, but I couldn’t freely enjoy a space that didn’t belong to me.

I would stop by my room, take my book and cell phone, and go to the greenhouse. If I finish reading the novel I started reading yesterday, I might kill a couple of hours. Afterward, I planned on taking care of the flowers and then watching the rain.

‘I might be a little late today.’

Also, the thought of having to spend the day made me feel uncomfortable. It had been so long since I moved into this house that I already felt bored without Kwon. Even though humans were creatures of adaptation, I think this situation was a bit excessive.

“How late will he be?”

I hoped he could come back as soon as possible. I had something to say to him before my heat cycle would start. The fact that I was a useless Omega and that I had flaws that he might have already noticed.

* * *

Kwon Yido’s house where I was staying was the most luxurious mansion he owned. It was bigger than the family home I lived in as a child, and it was so vast that it would take half a day to look at the entire place. I didn’t look at everything, but even the garden with careful landscaping was as large as most parks.

If I passed through the garden and walked along the stone paved path, I would reach the greenhouse that Kwon Yido talked about. It was a small house with a frame made of pure white wood, and walls and ceilings made of glass, which at first glance could have been seen as a cafe. There were not only flowers but also tables and chairs, making it a perfect place to spend time.

One umbrella and a novel.

Today, I arrived at the greenhouse following the sound of rain and it was as peaceful as usual. There were cute flowers planted on the left and right, and if I went a little deeper, there were trees that reached my waist. The table in the center had a marble top and was decorated with vases and stands.

I used to spend most of my time sunbathing here in the greenhouse. Since I didn’t have to take care of the flowers he planted, I could kill time by looking around and reading a book. Three days ago, according to Kwon Yido’s instructions, the employee even brought a different type of flower tea every day.

“…Hm.”

It was when I took a few steps inside holding an umbrella that was dripping with water. At this time, I felt an unknown presence in the greenhouse, where I was supposed to be alone. I told them there was no need for refreshments because it was going to rain today. The rustling sound made me stop for a moment. The moment I turned my head, I made eye contact with the person crouching near the flower bed.

“…”

“…”

An awkward silence fell. His eyes were wary and conscious, and they stayed in that same spot for a long time. In the awkward atmosphere, I was the first to open my mouth.

“…Hello.”

Muddy work gloves and a dirty apron. I think he was about 50 years old. He was a man with a cool look and healthy skin. There was no way a thief would break into this well-secured house, and there was no reason to come in and steal the flowers, so it was obvious who he was.

“Nice to meet you. You’re the one who manages the greenhouse, right?”

“Oh my.”

He groaned and struggled to his feet. He looked very embarrassed as he kept saying “Oh my” over and over again. He brushed the dirt off his hands and hurriedly organized the items lying around him.

“Yes, yes. I am the gardener of this greenhouse. Oh, I heard you won’t be coming today…”

It was sudden, but it wasn’t that surprising. Even though he could be fooling around, he was diligently tidying up the dirt. The nuance was that he was tending the flower bed because he thought I wouldn’t come.

“Just a moment. I’ll clean it up soon, so please wait a moment.”

“No worries, please take your time…”

“Oh no, no. I’m so sorry.”

As I listened to his apologetic voice, I suddenly remembered the scene I saw a while ago. On the day of getting dressed for the engagement ceremony, the employees kept apologizing to Minjae.

“Hm..”

I couldn’t find anything to say and scraped the floor with the umbrella in my hand. When I said I was going to the greenhouse, my employer gave me a long umbrella, asking me not to get caught in the rain. The large, black umbrella was brand new with no signs of use.

“Ah, why is this like this…”

Why are people here making it so difficult for me?

Not only the person who first showed me to the room but also the chef and the gardener in front of me now. All the employees at Kwon Yido’s house tended to be overly cautious of me. I could tell by the way they didn’t approach me more than a certain distance away, or they hurriedly left if I happened to encounter them.

“That…I will leave, so please rest here comfortably. Excuse me.”

The gardener quickly cleaned up his surroundings and bowed. He held a bunch of tools in his hands and walked quickly as if he was running away. It was still raining heavily outside the greenhouse, and even after scanning around, looking for an umbrella or raincoat, I couldn’t find it.

“Wait a minute.”

“Yes?”

Suddenly, the gardener shook his shoulders. As if he didn’t know I was going to call him, a look of embarrassment appeared on his face. It was a very excessive reaction, considering that I wasn’t going to eat him up.

“It’s raining a lot…Don’t you have an umbrella? Or something like a raincoat.”

I spoke with a friendly smile. Anyway, he was overly nervous, so my intention was for him to let his guard down, even if a little. The gardener frowned awkwardly, then cleared his throat.

“Yes, yes. I’m in charge of the greenhouse, so I don’t have a raincoat…I can get caught in the rain, it’s okay.”

“How did you come here?”

“Ah, it didn’t rain much back then…”

In the end, it was said that he was drenched in the rain when he came. It was up to him whether he wanted to use an umbrella or not, but it was difficult to go while it was raining.

“First, let’s organize what you’re holding.”

I put the novel and umbrella by my side and took all the tools out of his hands. It was to help him tidy up, but as soon as my hand touched him, his face turned into a contemplative look.

“Oh my, you will be covered in dirt! No, what to do…”

I only took his spray bottle and the trowel, but he was acting like I had touched poop. It wasn’t a good look to see him fidgeting and struggling. Seeing him so shocked, I felt like I had sinned for no reason.

“I will hold it for you, so please put it in your bag one by one. It all goes in that bag, right?”

“Yes, yes, just wait…Oh my…”

With fumbling hands, he opened the bag on his waist. It seemed quite bulky, and it seemed like it was a bag that could hold all of the gardening tools. If there was something like this, he should have put the tools here before. Amid meaningless thoughts, he organized the tools that were in my hands at lightning speed.

“Oh, these dirty tools…”

It wasn’t that dirty. There was a water tap inside, so I could wash my clothes there.

“Now take this before you go.”

I forced him to take the umbrella from me. Since he was wearing work gloves, the black handle was covered in dried dirt. The gardener looked at my hand and face alternately, his eyes wide as if they were about to pop out.

“No, if you give me this, our sir…No, our boss…”

Since he was the boss. It was a title that showed signs of concern. He looked like a Beta and considering I was a man engaged to a man, it meant to be awkward.

“It’s okay, you can have it.”

“How can I…”

“I will have someone pick me up”

I intentionally did not mention who. If I contacted them, one of those many employees would come pick me up. There was the problem of not knowing how to contact them, but that was something the gardener didn’t need to know.

“I’m fine.”

“Ah…”

The kind eyes rolled back and forth. He looked out the window, then looked at the umbrella again. The reason he couldn’t return the umbrella right away seemed to be because his handle was dirty.

“Well, the boss will be late today…”

“…”

…Boss?

“Of course, he will come when you will call him, but still….”

The blurry words were hard to hear. The word, ‘Boss’ brought a lot of doubts. I was sure he wasn’t calling me with such a title. So what he was saying was that Kwon Yido would come if I called him?

“…If you keep doing this, I will become embarrassed too. It’s okay.”

When I spoke curtly, he closed his mouth. I couldn’t even respond to the fact he would be returning my umbrella next time. I left him out, saying I had to read a book, and shook the dirt off my hands.

‘I heard you wouldn’t come today…’

I didn’t have to think too deeply about who he heard it from. There was only one person who could know whether I would come to the greenhouse or not.

“My image…how…?”

Come to think of it, even on the first day I came to this house, Kwon Yido instructed the employee not to bother me. In short, everyone couldn’t be careful, so he might have heard a different pledge.

From the beginning, the way they avoided me seemed closer to a feeling of reluctance than ignoring me. If they were rude to me, it would be a big deal and I would have smoke coming from my ears…

“Ostracizing…I don’t think it’s that.”

I was used to reading the atmosphere. At home and work. I faced all kinds of hostility. The sense of heterogeneity of not being related by blood and the stigma of being a nepo-baby were like scars that could not be erased.

The only thing I learned in that process was how to closely examine other’s evaluations of myself. Things like whether they find me difficult, uncomfortable, or dislike me. It was to show an attitude appropriate to my position, and also to understand myself accurately.

In this house, I was truly being treated like his fiancé.