The sliding door shifted slightly, and the sound of it closing broke the moment. Jung Heeyeon turned to thank the staff member who had closed it, bowing politely before turning back to face the room. The spacious room had a luxurious dining table and floor chairs neatly arranged. Ceramic plates, water glasses, and utensils had already been set out, aligned perfectly opposite each other. As he expected from the silence, there was no one else inside.
His gaze naturally drifted to the large window, though it was more like a door leading outside. It was another sliding panel, framed in dark wood with fine hanji paper applied over it.
Through the open panels, he could see a wide garden—likely the one he had glimpsed on the way in. The sound of rain pattering down added to the tranquil atmosphere.
Jung Heeyeon hesitated for a moment but then chose to walk toward the window instead of sitting down. Approaching it, he took in the full view of the garden. A stone path wound its way through well-manicured trees, and a small pond in the center of the garden rippled as raindrops continually fell. The gentle, rhythmic sound of rain mixed with snow wasn’t unpleasant.
Despite being midwinter, the beautifully landscaped garden still held a hint of greenery. The wet ground from the rain likely explained the absence of people outside. Perhaps the garden was purely ornamental, he thought.
He stood quietly, watching the rain fall over the garden. After taking a step outside to the world, this would be the first time he had been left alone in an unfamiliar place without Director Yeon, but it didn’t make him feel uneasy.
Over the sound of the rain, he heard the door open behind him. Jung Heeyeon instinctively turned around.
“Hi.”
A stranger greeted him with a faint smile. From a glance, it was easy to tell the person was an omega.
“Hello, Teacher.”
Jung Heeyeon responded, bowing deeply before approaching the man, Lee Haejin. His polite address seemed to amuse Lee Haejin, who let out a soft laugh. A faint warmth touched his otherwise somber, handsome face.
“Teacher?”
Lee Haejin repeated, gesturing for Jung Heeyeon to take a seat across from him. Like an obedient child, Jung Heeyeon sat down quietly, though he looked puzzled, unsure why the calm-looking Lee Haejin was laughing.
“Did I make a mistake?”
Jung Heeyeon eventually asked, nervously fidgeting with the water glass. He worried he might have done something wrong in this first meeting, even though he knew he wouldn’t face the same strict discipline he had in the past. He wanted to avoid mistakes, especially with a fellow omega and his teacher.
“No, it’s just that the title feels a bit much. I’m no teacher.”
“Isn’t a person who teaches others called ‘Teacher’?”
Only after saying it did Jung Heeyeon realize he might have been getting ahead of himself. Clutching his water glass tightly, he quickly continued.
“Ah… It’s alright if you’re going to turn down becoming my teacher.”
“What?”
“Because you told me not to call you teacher. You might want to refuse becoming my teacher, and I might have gotten ahead of myself. I’m sorry.”
If Lee Haejin refused to act as a mentor, it would be troubling, but Jung Heeyeon said it would be fine. He was excited about learning how to handle pheromones and asking questions he’d been curious about. However, if Lee Haejin declined, there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t force him to take on the role, nor was it appropriate to do so.
Jung Heeyeon calmed his inner disappointment, setting down the water glass and lowering his hands. He shouldn’t feel so let down over a simple rejection, but perhaps he’d grown too accustomed to Director Yeon always indulging him. As a result, even small things now left him feeling wistful.
Lee Haejin, observing his expression, let out a faint smile. The omega across from him still looked indifferent on the surface, but his half-lowered gaze hinted at clear disappointment.
“It’s not that.”
Lee Haejin said, pouring warm tea into the empty glass in front of Jung Heeyeon to comfort him.
“Then can I call you ‘teacher’?”
“Could you call me ‘hyung’ instead? I’m not such an impressive person to deserve being called a teacher; it feels a bit embarrassing.”
“Hyung? But anyone who teaches is a teacher…”
Lee Haejin could understand why Jung Heeyeon was so fixated on the exact meanings of words. It was due to his long years of confinement. Having had no social interactions, he clung to dictionary definitions and asked seemingly trivial questions like a child would.
At the same time, Lee Haejin thought it was clear how much Director Yeon adored Jung Heeyeon. If that man hadn’t indulged such minor questions and answered them one by one, Jung Heeyeon wouldn’t behave this way right now. It was fascinating to see how protective Director Yeon was of him, considering the man‘s personality wasn’t known for being particularly kind.
“It’s true that people who teach are called teachers, but you don’t have to always call them teachers.”
Lee Haejin explained gently. Jung Heeyeon leaned forward slightly, as if to listen more intently. Lee Haejin chuckled again. He could now understand why Nam Soohyun, who had visited a few days earlier, had called Jung Heeyeon adorable and remarked how little he resembled Chairman Jung.
“For people you’re close to, calling them ‘hyung’ is fine. I want us to get along well, so I’d prefer if you called me that.”
“Yes, then I’ll call you hyung.”
Jung Heeyeon agreed, nodding. He noted that it wasn’t strictly necessary to use the title ‘teacher’. He briefly wondered if he should also call the other team leaders he was close to with ’hyung’, but shook his head. They seemed to appreciate being addressed as “team leader,” so he figured he should stick to that.
“Shall we talk over dinner? Are you hungry?”
Lee Haejin asked. Jung Heeyeon nodded again, though he wasn’t particularly hungry since he’d had some pie earlier. Still, it was dinnertime, so having a meal would be right.
“Is there anything you like in particular? Director Yeon seems like someone who would pay attention to your meals.”
“Pay attention?”
“He’s picky about food. I’ve heard he avoids instant meals entirely and insists on cooking himself because of it.”
Jung Heeyeon reflected on his usual meals. Lunch was often indulgent and spicy, given he usually ate with Kim Jiwon, who had similar tastes. Breakfast and dinner, however, were typically home-cooked meals prepared by Director Yeon.
But he had never thought of him as being picky. The man always ordered whatever he wanted, even greasy, sweet, or spicy foods. Though he wouldn’t touch them himself.
“But the director gives me anything I ask for…”
“Even instant noodles?”
“Yes. We even go to convenience stores often…”
Lee Haejin found this surprising but could understand the general reasoning behind Director Yeon’s actions. Chairman Jung had likely raised Jung Heeyeon because he was a dominant Omega. The plan was likely to sell him off to an Alpha who desired children, and for that, he needed to be raised in a way that made him physically fit for childbearing. Naturally, his diet would have been restricted—entirely composed of perfectly balanced, healthy meals
Director Yeon must be letting him enjoy the things he was deprived of before, Lee Haejin mused as he asked another question.
“Then is there anything you don’t eat or can’t eat?”
“I’m not picky about food.”
“Really, anything is fine?”
“…I’m not great with spicy food.”
Jung Heeyeon admitted after a moment’s hesitation. Lee Haejin pressed the call button, and the sliding door opened soundlessly a short while later.
“Sir, did you call for me?”
“Prepare the meal. Bring everything out at once; no need to serve it course by course.”
“Understood.”
The owner of the place known as Suryeo was Lee Haejin. At first glance, it appeared to be a high-end restaurant, but calling it an ordinary dining establishment would be misleading. Operating by reservation only, this was a space where unclean dealings took place. Conglomerates, lawmakers, celebrities, journalists—money and information flowed through here, some of it channeled through Lee Haejin himself.
The person who bought Lee Haejin from Chairman Jung wasn’t an alpha but an omega.
Sold into this life, while he didn’t have to face the unwanted occurence of pregnancy, instead, he inherited her responsibilities. This wasn’t the only venue under his management; he also oversaw upscale bars in affluent areas and discreet restaurants in hidden locations. The more he managed, the more information flowed into his hands.
One such piece of information was about Jung Heeyeon.
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