DOTH Volume 1 Chapter 3.10

Once the visitor left, the house quickly became quiet again. Feeling a little down, Jung Heeyeon lowered his gaze.

“An omega the Director knows…”

Suddenly, he recalled what the butler had once taught him: that an Alpha needs an Omega. 

It was only natural for Director Yeon to know an Omega, so why did it make him feel so sad?

Jung Heeyeon let out a deep sigh and went back to his room. He briefly thought about the porridge Kim Jiwon had brought, but he didn’t feel like eating anything at this time.

After sleeping a little longer, Jung Heeyeon woke up and headed to the kitchen. He still wasn’t hungry, but the thought of going all day without eating might upset the Director.

He heated the porridge in the microwave. After debating for a while whether to scoop some out or eat it directly, he shook his head. He had a strong feeling he’d spill it if he tried to scoop it.

He placed the warmed porridge gently on the dining table. Then, he took out the separately packed side dishes. The contents of the containers revealed themselves as he lifted the lids. It was a strange-looking porridge.

“Why are there chunks in porridge…?”

Up until now, the only porridge Heeyeon had eaten was plain white porridge. This looked unfamiliar and odd for porridge, but since it was unlikely that Kim Jiwon had brought anything strange, he decided to give it a try. Instead of stirring it, he cautiously took a small spoonful from the surface, blowing on it before taking a bite. Meat and seafood textures greeted his palate simultaneously.

“…?”

The taste was a first for him, but as he chewed, it tasted quite delicious. Slowly, Jung Heeyeon began eating the porridge. After about three spoonfuls, the doorbell rang. Reflexively, he checked the time, but it wasn’t time for Director Yeon to come home yet.

“Who could it be…?”

It had only been a few hours since Kim Jiwon left. Puzzled, Jung Heeyeon walked toward the door. He reached out to open it but froze mid-motion. Kim Jiwon’s words from earlier flashed through his mind, to not open the door for anyone else.

“Oh…”

The doorbell rang again. However, it might be Kim Jiwon.

“But the Director said to open the door for him…”

He hesitated, unsure what to do. After several seconds of contemplation, Jung Heeyeon unlocked the door. It wasn’t that he distrusted Doctor Kim Jiwon, but he preferred following the Director’s words.

The first thing that entered his view was the visitor’s legs. The bottom was totally different from the jeans Kim Jiwon wore earlier. Instead, dress pants peeked out from beneath a black coat that resembled one Director Yeon had.

“What’s this fluffy-looking omega doing here?”

Jung Heeyeon slowly lifted his head. A woman he had never seen before was looking down at him. Though he couldn’t sense any pheromones, he instinctively realized that the woman in front of him was an alpha.

“Fluffy…?”

He repeated the word the woman had just said. How could a person look ‘fluffy’?

“Yeah, you. You look fluffy.”

“Me…?”

The woman poked his cheek. Jung Heeyeon let her do so without resistance, then asked belatedly.

“Who are you?”

His voice carried a hint of caution. The woman flipped her hair back behind her neck and smirked slyly.

“Nam Soohyun.”

Jung Heeyeon looked blankly at her, unfamiliar with the name.

“You don’t know me?”

“No… I don’t. I’m sorry.”

The woman stepped inside the entrance, a grin spreading across her face.

“What about ‘Chief Nam’? Does that ring a bell?”

Chief Nam. Jung Heeyeon repeated the familiar title in his head, rolling it over his tongue. He’d heard that title before—definitely from Director Yeon. So this was Chief Nam, he realized. Jung Heeyeon quietly followed behind Nam Soohyun as she entered naturally, without even brushing his sleeve.

“Where’s Director Yeon? Why are you alone here?”

“The director has gone to work…”

“What?”

Nam Soohyun frowned and let out a dry laugh, shrugging off her coat.

“I stopped by the office on my way here, and Kim Chulwoo definitely said he wasn’t there.”

“Secretary Kim doesn’t lie…”

“That’s true only to Director Yeon. He must be doing this on purpose.”

Annoyed at having come all this way for nothing, Nam Soohyun paced around in frustration. As her irritation built, her gaze randomly landed on the porridge sitting on the dining table.

“Porridge?”

Her attention now turned to the omega, who was left alone at Director Yeon’s house. Nam Soohyun’s sharp eyes noticed his flushed cheeks.

“Are you sick?”

“No. It’s because of pheromones…”

“Pheromones?”

Jung Heeyeon hesitated, unsure how to explain, and stammered his words. Nam Soohyun tilted her head toward him, sniffing slightly as if to detect a scent, then placed her hand on his forehead.

“That bastard Chairman Jung must have not taught you on purpose.”

The somewhat harsh word that escaped those elegant lips made Jung Heeyeon blink. If it weren’t for the fact that neither Director Yeon nor the other alphas from Jiwoo typically used such vulgar language, he might have been even more surprised.

Unconcerned with Jung Heeyeon’s wide-eyed gaze directed at her, Nam Soohyun mumbled to herself before grabbing his arm and seating him at the dining table. Her grip was gentle, lacking forcefulness.

“You were eating, weren’t you? Don’t mind me and just eat.”

“Would you like some too, Chief Nam Soohyun?”

Out of habit, Jung Heeyeon offered to share his food. But he realized a beat too late that he had already eaten a portion of the meal. What if Chief Nam found it offensive to be offered leftovers? He began to worry.

“Me? Did you just offer it to me?”

“Yes. I haven’t touched this part…”

Jung Heeyeon pointed to a portion of the porridge that was untouched, trailing off. He had only taken two small spoonfuls from the surface without stirring it, so it should be fine to scoop out a clean portion for her.

Caught off guard by the unexpected offer, Nam Soohyun blinked. She couldn’t believe an omega, someone who wasn’t even her partner, would make such an offer.

“No thanks. At this age, why would I take food from a baby?”

“I’m not a baby…”

The experienced alpha immediately picked up on what Jung Heeyeon was trying to say with that one line.

“You don’t want me to call you a baby?”

“Yes.”

“Director Yeon mentions ‘baby’ all the time, so I figured you were called that.”

Nam Soohyun casually brought up Director Yeon as she sat down across from Jung Heeyeon, leaving him slightly flustered. 

He worried that Chief Nam might feel upset knowing only Director Yeon could call him that. What if she thought he was treating her unfavorably? But he had promised the Director to make sure no one else called him ‘baby’.

When Jung Heeyeon hesitated, unable to answer, Nam Soohyun folded her arms and leaned forward knowingly.

“Why? Did Director Yeon tell you to make sure no one else calls you that?”

She spoke as though she knew Director Yeon all too well. Feeling like the conversation was veering toward criticism of the Director, Jung Heeyeon clamped his lips shut. Nam Soohyun, noticing his reaction, shrugged.

“Figures. Fine. I’ll call you by your name instead. I don’t want to deal with Director Yeon’s bullshit either.”

“Yes…”

Jung Heeyeon at least understood that the word ’bullshit’ carried a negative connotation. He wanted to argue that the Director didn’t do any bullshit at all, but instead, he chose to quietly focus on eating his porridge. Somehow, he felt like nothing he said would get through to Nam Soohyun.

Unbothered by Jung Heeyeon’s thoughts, Nam Soohyun rested her chin on her hand and openly studied him from across the table.

“Why… do you keep staring at me?”

Jung Heeyeon, diligently eating his porridge, paused as if sensing her gaze. After swallowing his food, he cautiously asked. He was used to being watched during meals, so Nam Soohyun’s scrutiny wasn’t particularly burdensome. But he couldn’t figure out why she was staring at him.

“I was just wondering how long it’d take you to finish eating at that slow pace.”

“I see. However, I can’t finish all of this anyway.”

Nam Soohyun leaned in a bit closer, observing the omega who answered so innocently. There really wasn’t any hint of resemblance to Chairman Jung. Then again, it made sense—Jung Heeyeon wasn’t his direct descendant but rather the child of the son who had fled from that bastard.

She’d heard from Kim Chulwoo that the Alphas at Jiwoo cared for Jung Heeyeon deeply. At the time, her reaction was one of incredulity. How could anyone care about someone related to Chairman Jung? But now, seeing Jung Heeyeon in person, she thought she could understand why. He was nothing like that bastard.

Well, of course, there couldn’t be anyone in this world resembling that person, she mused, her expression turning sour.

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