DOTH Volume 1 Chapter 3.4

“You’re planning to take down Chairman Jung completely, right? That’s what I’ve heard.”

“I’m now bored with him. And Chief Nam’s patience has run out too.”

“What are you planning to do with this one?”

Kang Seoui gestured subtly toward Jung Heeyeon with his chin, his tone laced with an ambiguous nuance.

“Managing Director Kang.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t do business trades on humans.”

“So, you’re planning to keep him by your side? An omega?”

At the sudden mention of the word ’omega’, Jung Heeyeon lifted his head.

“Hic!”

A small hiccup escaped his lips, and his soft eyes widened in surprise. Startled by the sudden hiccup, his docile expression became even more childlike. Director Yeon chuckled quietly and pressed the rim of a now-cooled teacup to Jung Heeyeon’s lips.

“Heeyeon.”

“Hic—yes?”

“Are you going to go to another Alpha?”

As Jung Heeyeon took the teacup, Director Yeon tilted his head and asked, a faint pout forming as if he were genuinely upset. In Kang Seoui’s eyes, Director Yeon’s expression was nothing short of obnoxiously fake. But Jung Heeyeon, oblivious to Director Yeon’s true intentions, fidgeted with the teacup as if deep in thought. His neat brows furrowed as if he were seriously considering the question, his hiccups punctuating his actions. Each time, his lips pressed together, and his pale cheeks puffed out and deflated in rhythm.

“Will you… Hic, send me to another Alpha?” 

“I won’t send you away. But do you want to go?”

“I like being with you, Director…”

Jung Heeyeon kept fiddling with the teacup, his pink fingernails tracing the white porcelain with nervousness. The faint, intermittent sound of his hiccups added to his demeanor.

“Then I guess I’ll have to keep Heeyeon with me.” 

At Director Yeon’s casual declaration, Kang Seoui let out a breathless laugh, flabbergasted. He had already heard rumors about the alpha keeping an omega by his side and knew that the partner in question was Chairman Jung’s grandson. However, he never imagined Director Yeon would adore him to this extent. Blood ties might not carry blame, but seeing Director Yeon dote so openly on someone connected to Chairman Jung was nothing short of fascinating.

“My baby says so, Managing Director Kang.”

“No, uh…”

“I’ll be considering your proposal.”

Director Yeon cut him off as he rose from his seat.

“But first, you’ll need to show me you have the capability to handle the lobbying issue. Empty promises aren’t worth much, are they?”

“It looks like I’ll have to bust my ass running around to meet your satisfaction, Director.”

“Do as you please.”

Director Yeon flashed a thin smile and reached out his hand toward the omega who had stood to follow him.

“Goodbye.”

Jung Heeyeon bowed politely toward Kang Seoui. Caught off guard by the unexpected greeting from the other, Kang Seoui waved back without thinking, though his movements were awkward and stiff.

“Managing Director Kang Seoui.”

Contrary to Kang Seoui’s assumption that Jung Heeyeon would simply turn away, the Omega parted his lips and spoke hesitantly.

“The director said he wouldn’t devour me…”

It was an odd thing to say, seemingly out of the blue. Kang Seoui frowned, not understanding the meaning behind the comment—until he suddenly remembered what he himself had said earlier.

‘Are you taking care of him to devour him later?’ 

While Kang Seoui stood frozen, mouth agape and face blank, Jung Heeyeon’s expression remained utterly indifferent.

“Y-Yeah…”

Despite his words, Jung Heeyeon’s calm demeanor made it clear he didn’t fully grasp the implications of ‘taking care to devour someone’. His face looked so innocent that Kang Seoui felt guilty for thinking about the actual meaning of it. In the end, Kang Seo-ui could only give an awkward response. By the time he finally managed to answer, the guests were already stepping out the door.

“Managing Director Kang.”

Director Yeon, having sent Jung Heeyeon ahead, turned his head just slightly to meet the room owner’s gaze with a curved smile.

“Don’t cross the line.”

The door began to slowly close, framing the broad back that shifted in tandem with Director Yeon’s movements. Until the very last moment, the man’s eyes traced a soft curve. For someone who had rendered another person unable to move, his face seemed surprisingly gentle. Holding one’s breath was an instinctive response for prey standing before a predator.

The door shut—very slowly.

“Ha!”

It wasn’t until the door clicked shut that Kang Seoui could move his body again. Letting out a series of dry laughs, he staggered back, overwhelmed by the subtle but crushing weight of Director Yeon’s threatening pheromones.

Just minutes ago, much like Jung Heeyeon had done, Kang Seoeui raised his hands to cover his face. His legs felt weak, as if he might collapse at any moment. It was undoubtedly a warning regarding him releasing pheromones toward Jung Heeyeon.

“So he didn’t let it slide after all…”

Kang Seoui fully realized that he had crossed the line. Whatever Director Yeon’s reasons were for covering Jung Heeyeon with his pheromones, the fact remained that Kang Seoui had carelessly let his own pheromones seep out toward the omega.

“Haha!”

The Alpha, utterly crushed by Director Yeon’s stance, suddenly burst into laughter.

“Of course.”

It had been unexpected that the man agreed to his request to meet with Jung Heeyeon together, but now he realized that the man hadn’t actually agreed at all.

“He brought him here on purpose.”

It was intentional. Director Yeon had brought Jung Heeyeon along deliberately, flaunting his control over him as if to send a clear message to Kang Seoui, the illegitimate child of Sunha Group.

“I’m curious to see how this all plays out.”

The blatant display of intent wasn’t entirely unpleasant. After all, Kang Seoui wanted to become allies with Director Yeon. If enduring such displays was the price of gaining his cooperation, it was a price worth paying.

“We’re just using each other.”

Propping himself up on his shaky knees, Kang Seoui murmured to himself. To secure Director Yeon as an ally, he would need to produce satisfying results first.

–

“Heeyeon.”

“Hic—yes?”

Only after getting into the car did Director Yeon finally call out to Jung Heeyeon. Despite having consumed a lot of water earlier, the occasional hiccup still escaped Jung Heeyeon.

“Are you alright?”

“About what, hic?”

“Managing Director Kang let out his pheromones on you.”

“Oh…”

As if recalling the incident, Jung Heeyeon fidgeted with his fingers before answering.

“I was fine…”

Director Yeon narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression lazy yet sharp, as though he were trying to gauge something. He had fully expected Jung Heeyeon to say it had been unpleasant.

“Did you like it?”

He masked his faint irritation completely, adopting a gentle tone as he asked, ensuring that Jung Heeyeon wouldn’t get startled.

“Pardon? No.”

“But you said you were fine.”

“Oh, that’s not it… I was okay because your scent was on my clothes.”

The sharpness in Director Yeon’s eyes subtly softened, his gaze forming a smooth curve.

“I see. It was like that?”

Jung Heeyeon toyed with the sleeve of the cardigan covering his hands before cautiously parting his lips.

“…That earlier—was that your pheromone, Director?”

Recalling everyone’s words about how the director abhorred releasing his pheromones, Jung Heeyeon hesitantly asked.

“Yeah.”

“I see.”

“Why? Did you like it?”

“Yes.”

At the quick words of approval, Director Yeon chuckled softly, but his movement froze at the gentle voice that followed.

“I like your pheromones, Director…”

The veins in the back of his hand became visibly taut.

“Heeyeon.”

Clenching and unclenching his veined hand, Director Yeon called out again, his voice masked in feigned gentleness couldn’t hide an undercurrent of aggression.

“I told you….”

Jung Heeyeon blinked up at him, his mild gaze mirroring the moment serene colors of a setting sun earlier. It was a look that suited Jung Heeyeon perfectly—but not the slightest for Director Yeon. 

“I wouldn’t devour you.”

Director Yeon murmured as he cupped both of Jung Heeyeon’s cheeks with one hand. The soft, supple flesh pressed against his fingers.

“So…”

His long index finger brushed lightly under Jung Heeyeon’s eye, the gesture incongruously tender despite the rough edge to his voice.

“Don’t tempt me into wanting to.”

His eyes, with their long downward slant and relaxed facade, remained as kind as ever. However, there was a subtle hint of ferocity lingering there, as if suppressing something.

Meeting the Alpha’s pitch-black gaze, Jung Heeyeon’s hiccups abruptly stopped.

“Yes.”

Without fully grasping the meaning behind Director Yeon’s words, Jung Heeyeon obediently nodded. 

He couldn’t shake the strange feeling that his hiccups might return at any moment, his chest thumping erratically of its own accord.

***

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