DOTH Volume 1 Chapter 2.6

“Your levels are much more stable compared to the first test. The medication seems to be working well.”

“Thank you.” 

Jung Heeyeon gave his gratitude towards Kim Jiwon. He missed the timing to thank him properly when stepping off the examination chair and moved to bow deeply now, but Kim Jiwon waved his hand with a laugh.

“Haha, Heeyeon-ssi, you don’t need to bow so formally every time!”

“Formally…? What do you mean?”

“You know, bowing deeply with a ‘Thank you,’ like you just did.”

“Oh… I thought that’s what I was supposed to do.”

“No, no, it’s fine to not do that. Besides, there’s no need to thank me.”

“But you prescribed the medicine for me, Doctor.”

“That’s just my job. I get paid plenty for it, so don’t worry about it.”

Kim Jiwon shrugged casually, throwing in a light-hearted joke as Jung Heeyeon settled onto the sofa.

In this building full of alphas, Junh Heeyeon always stood out. It wasn’t just his nature or appearance—there was an indescribable atmosphere about him. Even if he were a beta, Kim Jiwon was certain he’d still attract attention.

Rumors had already begun circulating because Director Yeon was always with him. Whispers about ‘that’ Director Yeon walking around with an omega. It was a small rumor, but one that could snowball and eventually overwhelm the oblivious omega.

And Director Yeon likely knew this fact. Perhaps that’s why he kept Jung Heeyeon very close.

As Kim Jiwon reviewed Jung Heeyeon’s results, he broached the subject cautiously.

“Has something happened between you and the Director?”

“Something happened?” 

Jung Heeyeon tilted his head slightly, his wide eyes growing even rounder in confusion. His naturally gentle expression became rounded into soft curves.

Feeling as though he had asked an unnecessarily harsh question to an innocent Omega, Kim Jiwon couldn’t help but feel a faint twinge of guilt.

“Well, never mind. The Director isn’t such a shameless person, after all.”

“Shameless…?”

Jung Heeyeon frowned faintly, unable to understand why Kim Jiwon used such a word. What could have happened to prompt such a word? Though the doctor immediately brushed it off, Jung Heeyeon couldn’t think of a single instance where Director Yeon had acted improperly toward him.

“What I meant is… You’re unable to regulate your pheromones yet, Heeyeon-ssi.”

“Yes.”

“That’s common for newly presented young omegas, but most learn how to manage them soon after. Besides, younger omegas usually have weaker pheromones, so it’s not a big issue.”

“Oh…”

Jung Heeyeon nodded, internalizing the fact that he had a problem.

“But don’t stress over it too much. It’s not an uncommon case. That’s why we use medication in situations like yours. Medicine has advanced a lot these days, so there’s nothing to worry about. Although, there’s a better solution.”

“What’s that?”

At that moment, Kim Jiwon’s phone buzzed. Standing up, he smiled mischievously.

“Being exposed to the pheromones of a person with the opposite trait. And what do you think is the best way to do that?”

At the doctor’s straightforward answer, Jung Heeyeon recalled what he had learned from Lee Yootae. He had been told that he needed to do well once he became an adult, but he hadn’t been taught anything specific. Even so, he wasn’t so oblivious as to not understand what it meant.

“But I’m not in that kind of relationship with the Director.”

“I know. For someone in this field, the Director is surprisingly sensible. He may look like he’d be a total player, but he’s unexpectedly restrained.”

Kim Jiwon opened the office door with a shrug, his final remark more to himself than to Jung Heeyeon, thus he didn’t hear any.

As Jung Heeyeon watched Kim Jiwon leave the room, something seemed to dawn on the latter. He suddenly leaned back into the room and said.

“Oh! Pheromones can stabilize depending on your mental state. That must be why your pheromone levels have evened out. Forget about what I asked earlier!”

With that, Kim Jiwon disappeared in a flash, leaving the room instantly quiet.

Sitting alone in Kim Jiwon’s office, Jung Heeyeon mulled over the words the owner of the room had thrown out before leaving.

“So my levels stabilized because of the medication…”

Even after hearing such an explanation, Jung Heeyeon still couldn’t really sense the changes in himself. He hadn’t even realized when his pheromones were flowing out, so understanding his current state now seemed equally impossible.

He lowered his gaze to his knees, fiddling absentmindedly with his small fingernails.

His current life was much better than when he lived inside the walls. He could enjoy delicious and exciting foods without fear, there was no more beating. He no longer had to tremble in anxiety over punishments he would get. Most of all, he loved how the Director called his name with such a gentle voice.

‘Heeyeon.’

It was only after meeting the man that Jung Heeyeon realized how soft his own name could sound.

“What is the Director’s name?”

He knew Kim Chulwoo, the Director’s secretary, and Kim Jiwon, the doctor, by name. Yet, Director Yeon’s name remained a mystery.

I’m curious…

Although curiosity bubbled up within him, the thought of asking never crossed his mind. Even if he knew the name, he wouldn’t have any reason to call him by it. Feeling a tinge of disappointment, Jung Heeyeon let out a soft sigh.

He continued fidgeting with his fingers on his lap, then leaned his face slightly toward his shoulder, as though sniffing something. His fair nose wrinkled subtly. Though he was wearing Director Yeon’s clothes, he couldn’t sense any pheromone scent.

It seemed like something in him was broken.

“Ta-da!”

Just as he was contemplating asking Dr. Kim Jiwon about it, the latter burst back into the room with a playful flourish. In his hand was a white plastic bag, its contents visible through the transparent material: a plastic container and a paper bag.

“What is that?”

“Tteokbokki!”

Recently, Jung Heeyeon had become Kim Jiwon’s lunch companion.

At Jiwoo, the security company run by Director Yeon, most of the staff were alphas. Though not all alphas involved in rough jobs were necessarily health-conscious, there wasn’t anyone else with a similar palate to Kim Jiwon. When the omega who began arriving at the office with Director Yeon showed a clear interest in his meals, Kim Jiwon eagerly seized the opportunity.

“Tteokbokki?”

Jung Heeyeon repeated the word, hesitantly moving his lips.

“I’m not good with spicy food… Sorry.”

“This isn’t spicy at all. Don’t you remember I got scolded by the Director last time?”

“You got scolded?”

“I got chewed out for giving a baby spicy food.”

Kim Jiwon exaggeratedly sighed as he unpacked the tteokbokki.

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize! This one really isn’t spicy. Look, doesn’t it look tasty?”

Jung Heeyeon glanced at the tteokbokki Kim Jiwon had ordered. It looked different from the one he’d tried last time. The rice cakes were incredibly long, and instead of cheese, the dish was topped with a generous amount of green vegetables. When Kim Jiwon tore open the bag beside him, it revealed crispy french fries.

Why are there french fries with tteokbokki?

He pondered the odd pairing, and then Kim Jiwon poured something over the bright red tteokbokki. It was unmistakably meat.

Why is there meat in tteokbokki?

“Why did meat get added to the tteokbokki? The last one only had rice cakes and fish cakes…”

“You still have a lot to learn, Heeyeon-ssi. This is beef brisket tteokbokki.”

”Yes.”

I see. Jung Heeyeon nodded, following Kim Jiwon’s lead as he transferred the rice cakes to a plate. The rice cakes were so long they kept slipping from his chopsticks.

“Should I cut it for you?”

“No, I’ll just eat it like this. Thank you for the meal.”

Jung Heeyeon shook his head and grabbed a rice cake to eat. Since it was too long to hold in the middle, he grasped the end instead and took a small bite, cautious that it might be spicy like the last time. To his relief, a sweet sauce spread across his tongue.

“It’s not spicy, right?”

“No, it’s delicious.”

Feeling proud, Kim Jiwon straightened his posture and watched the omega seated beside him. Jung Heeyeon nibbled at the long rice cakes little by little, resembling a hamster chewing on a stick-shaped snack. Cutting it into smaller pieces would make it easier to eat, but it seemed Jung Heeyeon thought he was supposed to eat it as it was after seeing how Kim Jiwon ate. Even if Kim Jiwon handed him scissors, Jung Heeyeon would probably struggle with them anyway.

Out of habit as a doctor, Kim Jiwon often checked on Jung Heeyeon’s condition. This led him to notice small habits and quirks, one being Jung Heeyeon’s clumsiness with his hands.

While he hadn’t been told the details of Jung Heeyeon’s past, it wasn’t hard to piece together. Most of Director Yeon’s close associates likely had a similar understanding, including Kim Jiwon himself. They shared similar backgrounds with the director, which meant they were familiar with Chairman Jung’s methods.

Jung Heeyeon had been raised as an omega to be sold off to a chaebol conglomerate family. He was undoubtedly shielded from anything that might damage his appearance, as even a callus on his fingers would lower his value. Naturally, his activities must have been restricted, leaving him unaccustomed to manual tasks. While he handled chopsticks reasonably well, Kim Jiwon doubted he’d ever used sharp tools like knives or scissors.

The thought left a bitter taste in Kim Jiwon’s mouth, so he stuffed a piece of tteokbokki into it.

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