“Thank you for the meal.”
“Sure.”
Jung Heeyeon took a bite of the triangle kimbap. The cold rice had little flavor, but as he slowly chewed, he began to taste something new—an array of strong flavors he had never experienced before. Jung Heeyeon briefly frowned at the filling inside, but then took another bite in the constant slow pace.
Director Yeon quietly observed the omega as he ate the triangle kimbap bit by bit. Though he was likely very hungry, he didn’t eat hastily. His movements were neat, as if he had learned strict table manners. While his small mouth only ate slowly, he seemed to be doing his best to eat diligently.
Every time Jung Heeyeon chewed, his fair cheeks puffed up, then sank back down. Director Yeon reached out to press a finger against one of his rounded cheeks and called him.
“Heeyeon.”
The innocent gaze turned toward him, even as his mouth continued to chew.
“Don’t act so cute around just anyone.”
It was just as soft and squishy as Director Yeon had expected.
***
A faint voice drifted into his ears. Jung Heeyeon slowly lifted his eyelids. His vision was still foggy, like a mist soaked with water, as the drowsiness hadn’t fully lifted. He blinked several times before realizing he had briefly dozed off. After being confined all day in a cold hutch, his body must have relaxed from sitting somewhere warm and soft.
“Tell Chief Nam that.”
Heeyeon, still slouched in the car seat, shifted his gaze slightly. The low voice at his ear seemed to be Director Yeon’s voice, likely on a phone call. Feeling his gaze, Director Yeon tilted his head toward him a bit, his eyes softening lazily as one side of his mouth lifted into a slight smile.
“…No, the baby was just sleeping too soundly.”
Though he was speaking to the person on the other end, Jung Heeyeon had a feeling the words were also meant for him. But as the man’s gaze soon turned away, Ung Heeyeon decided it must have been his imagination and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. The lingering drowsiness clung stubbornly around his eyes, refusing to fully dissipate.
Jung Heeyeon rubbed his eyes slowly, feeling his eyelashes brush against his fingers, and straightened his body from where it was sunken into the seat. When he turned to look out the window, he saw an unfamiliar scenery surrounding him. They seemed to be entering a residential area as the car gradually slowed down. Tall buildings were densely packed, and despite the late hour, many lights were still on. With a blank expression, Jung Heeyeon silently observed the world he didn’t know.
“They say babies make soft breathing sounds when they sleep.”
“Ah…”
Realizing the words were directed at him, he slowly turned his head toward Director Yeon. It was even darker now than when they’d first met. He couldn’t clearly see the man’s face, but he had a feeling he was smiling playfully with one corner of his mouth curled up.
“You really do make little breathy sounds when you sleep.”
Jung Heeyeon parted his lips, but once again, he couldn’t respond right away. Apart from his butler, this was the first time he’d fallen asleep in front of anyone else, and so it was the first time anyone had mentioned his sleeping habits. Even if, as the man said, he had made soft breathy sounds, there was no one who could have told him about such a habit.
For a moment, Jung Heeyeon wondered if his breathing had bothered the man. According to his teachings, he should avoid displeasing an alpha. Furthermore, he would likely need to accommodate even the smallest preferences of the man beside him, but he couldn’t control his breathing while asleep.
“My breathing isn’t something I can control…”
Jung Heeyeon blinked slowly, mumbling his words. His response was quite different from what Director Yeon had expected—he thought Heeyeon would say, as he had hours before, ’I’m not a baby.’. Instead, his fair face looked a little troubled, his brows knitting slightly. Surprised by the unexpected reaction, Director Yeon’s eyes narrowed slightly. Breathing was something he could not control? It took him a moment to understand Heeyeon’s words.
Just hours after he had told him not to act cute, he was doing it again.
“Heeyeon.”
Director Yeon called him in a gentle voice. Unlike his soft voice, his gaze, half-narrowed as if assessing something, pierced through the faintly lit face still shrouded in darkness.
“Yes?”
“You’re going to be a handful, aren’t you?”
Director Yeon leaned his upper body slightly toward Jung Heeyeon, a faint hint of laughter in his kind tone.
He was the type to enjoy things that were challenging, regardless of what. Perhaps due to his habit of surviving a fierce life, he grew easily bored when there was nothing to do. Boredom was something he despised more than anything.
Perhaps that was why he found this moment rather enjoyable. He wasn’t sure himself if it was the satisfaction of being able to manipulate an innocent omega at his whim, or the satisfaction of having the offspring of Chairman Jung completely under his control. He only vaguely thought it might be a little of both.
“I…”
By then, the car had come to a complete stop. Just as Jung Heeyeon’s response was delayed, the car’s interior lights turned on, brightening inside. Director Yeon watched as Heeyeon’s fingers fidgeted anxiously. His fair fingers moved restlessly, as if nervous, and his small fingernails were all a shade of pink.
“I’ll try not to be a burden.”
Director Yeon watched the fidgeting hands for a moment, then shifted his gaze to their owner. The tightly pressed lips made those fair cheeks puff out slightly. Suppressing the urge to poke those cheeks impulsively, he asked in a gentle tone.
“Besides me, who told you that you were a handful?”
“The butler and the Chairman…”
Jung Heeyeon’s words trailed off. Hearing himself being a handful always came with violence afterward.
The omega, who had been looking down at his hands, glanced up at Director Yeon. Contrary to his expectation that the man might wear an angry expression like the butler or the chairman, he was smiling.
It was fortunate the car was now bright inside. Jung Heeyeon, who was quite perceptive, sensed that the alpha’s mood wasn’t exactly bad.
“I see, is that so?”
Director Yeon responded lightly, straightening his upper body. Immediately, the car door opened from the outside. Even in the underground parking lot, the cold winter wind sharply blew in.
Instead of stepping out right away, Director Yeon lightly tapped Jung Heeyeon’s cheek, tilting his head slightly.
“Don’t worry, Heeyeon.”
The man’s lips tilted at an angle, following the tilt of his head. Though Jung Heeyeon felt the man’s large hand touching his cheek, he didn’t pull the hand away; instead, he gazed at the other with soft, calm eyes. His tightly closed lips opened briefly, then shut again.
“I like things that require a lot of attention.”
Director Yeon withdrew his hand from Jung Heeyeon’s cheek, letting out a brief chuckle before turning and stepping out of the car. At the same time, the door on Jung Heeyeon’s side opened, and a cold breeze slipped through his clothes. Yet, rather than stepping out, Jung Heeyeon sat there, only staring blankly at the broad back in front of him.
“Come out.”
Director Yeon commanded shortly as he glanced back at him before shutting the door. Only then did Jung Heeyeon get out of the car.
“Come here.”
With a slight nodding gesture, Director Yeon signaled him forward. Jung Heeyeon, who had been standing there blankly, followed behind the alpha as he walked inside. The driver, seemingly finished with his duties, didn’t follow them; he merely bowed to the man’s back before getting back into the car.
“Never thought I’d have an omega in my home.”
Director Yeon muttered to himself as he pressed the elevator button. Unsure how to respond, Jung Heeyeon focused his gaze on the massive door in front of them. The expansive underground garage full of cars, the securely closed metal door, the display panel changing numbers—all of it was unfamiliar to him.
Soon, the massive door parted.
It opened to reveal a confined space. Jung Heeyeon flinched slightly and shrank his shoulders, feeling uncomfortable. But as Director Yeon stepped inside that space without any concern, Jung Heeyeon followed him into the elevator, carefully observing his behavior.
Contrary to his vague unease, the enclosed space was warm, pleasant, and even had a nice scent.
The doors closed, and the elevator began to rise swiftly.
“…!”
The sudden unexpected movement startled Jung Heeyeon, and unrealizingly, he grasped the hem of Director Yeon’s suit jacket with his fingertips. Although there was a sleek safety bar along the wall, he instinctively grabbed onto the only familiar person nearby.
Jung Heeyeon stared at the display panel, feeling his body being lifted. Although he knew he was in an elevator, this was his first time actually riding one, so the sensation felt oddly strange.
“You really are a baby.”
“Pardon?”
Director Yeon let out a chuckle, his eyes crinkling as he asked.
“Want me to hold your hand, Heeyeon?”
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I hope he doesn’t hurt him