DOTH Volume 1 Chapter 3.7

Director Yeon reached out, brushing away a snowflake that had landed on Jung Heeyeon’s eyebrow, only to pause briefly. The rare excitement in Jung Heeyeon’s voice and the unfamiliar brightness of his wide smile tugged at something in the man’s mind. Usually, Jung Heeyeon only smiled faintly while eating something he found delicious, but now his clear face was glowing with childlike joy, as if he were a little boy thrilled by his first encounter with snow.

“…”

Suppressing a sudden surge of possessiveness, Director Yeon softened his tone, his voice deliberately gentle.

“Hmmmm, this is your first time?”

“Yes. Whenever it snowed, my butler wouldn’t let me go outside.”

Snowflakes fell onto Jung Heeyeon’s radiant cheeks, and Director Yeon reached out again. When his hand touched Jung Heeyeon’s pale cheek, the omega, like a puppy seeking affection, rubbed against it. The man’s jaw clenched instinctively. Every time Jung Heeyeon acted like this, an inexplicable thirst would rise within him.

“So, you’re saying this is your first time touching snow because he wouldn’t let you outside.”

It wasn’t hard to imagine Jung Heeyeon’s past. He had likely spent his winters trapped in a gilded prison, watching the snowfall through a window. As Director Yeon held the small Omega close to him, he envisioned the butler Jung Heeyeon often mentioned. To think he had dared to lay a hand on this fragile body while refusing to even let him touch snow. It was a contradiction masquerading as overprotection.

No doubt, it had been an excuse to control him. External wounds heal easily, but internal ones do not.

“Yes. That’s why this is my first time experiencing it. It’s nothing much, but it still makes me happy.”

By tomorrow, rumors would start spreading. On Christmas day, Director Yeon had dined at Adelaide with an omega. People would speculate about the omega’s identity, and the rumors would inevitably spread wide.

That was exactly what Director Yeon intended. He needed this news to reach Chairman Jung’s ears. The butler who was fabricating Jung Heeyeon’s alibi had outlived his usefulness. It was time to deal with that beta.

“Heeyeon.”

“Yes?”

“That butler you mentioned. Do you like him?”

It was a sudden question, and Jung Heeyeon began to ponder it seriously. Memories of Lee Yootae, who had raised him from the age of five to nineteen, naturally came to mind. It was a long fifteen years.

Yet, Jung Heeyeon couldn’t answer right away. Hesitation lingered on his lips, which opened slightly but produced no words. He didn’t know how to distinguish between ‘like’ and ‘dislike’.

“I’m not sure…”

“You’re not sure?”

“Yes.”

Director Yeon had no trouble understanding Jung Heeyeon’s uncertainty. There was a time when he, too, didn’t know whether he liked or disliked something. His childhood had been defined not by affection or aversion but by a relentless cycle of hatred and loathing. Those feeling of hatred and loathing were unknown to Jung Heeyeon, so he would never understand Director Yeon. However, that didn’t mean the man couldn’t understand him.

“What about me?”

“Pardon?”

“Do you like this Director?”

Director Yeon smiled, his eyes curving as if putting on an act. The Omega, who had been quietly observing him, fidgeted with his fingers before nodding and answering softly.

“I like you, Director.”

“The baby likes my pheromones, too.”

Jung Heeyeon nodded again. Although he’d only experienced faint traces of Director Yeon’s pheromones, he genuinely liked them.

“Then compare it to that.”

Director Yeon’s intention was to help Jung Heeyeon gauge his feelings, but instead, he frowned slightly. Compared to the director, there was nothing he could confidently say he liked as much. It was an impossibly high standard.

“I don’t like him as much as I like you, Director… And I don’t think I should compare anything to you.”

“Why not?”

“Because I like you the best…”

Director Yeon’s face showed a hint of satisfaction at the honest answer. Even if Jung Heeyeon had said he liked the beta he called his butler, Director Yeon would have dealt with him anyway. But knowing Jung Heeyeon didn’t, he could do so without hesitation.

Then again, perhaps he would have acted even faster if Jung Heeyeon had said he liked the beta. As he looked down at the omega, who openly declared that he liked Director Yeon best, he posed a meaningless question. An advice he needed as he didn’t know the solution.

“Director.”

“Mmhm.”

“Then from now on, should I think about whether I like something based on how it compares to you?”

The snowfall grew heavier. Director Yeon glanced briefly at the snowflakes landing on Jung Heeyeon’s coat.

“No.”

As the flurry intensified, people began to move. To ensure Jung Heeyeon’s small frame wouldn’t be swept away by the crowd, Director Yeon pulled him entirely into his arms. Jung Heeyeon’s clean forehead rested against Director Yeon’s chest.

“From now on, you just need to keep liking this Director the most.”

Jung Heeyeon tilted his head back slightly, lifting his forehead away from Director Yeon’s chest. As he slowly blinked upward, he saw endless snowflakes falling behind the man’s sharp features. The sight was mesmerizing, as if he were spellbound. Caught up in that spell, Jung Heeyeon spoke without hesitation, saying what had been on his mind.

“I already like you the most, though…?”

“You’re really behaving all pretty.”

“What’s pretty?”

“You are.”

“Oh. Thank you. You’re pretty too, Director.”

Hearing the adjective said to him for the first time, Director Yeon furrowed his eyebrows slightly. Being called ‘pretty’ by Jung Heeyeon was so unexpected that it caught him off guard.

“I’m pretty?”

“Yes.”

As the crowd grew thicker, Director Yeon pulled Jung Heeyeon’s small frame closer still. Without resistance, Jung Heeyeon obediently nestled into the broad expanse of Director Yeon’s chest. His face naturally pressed into the fabric of Director Yeon’s coat, and a familiar scent washed over him. It was the faint pheromone scent that always lingered on the man’s clothes, which he habitually wore. That sense of security felt so comforting that Jung Heeyeon instinctively clutched onto Director Yeon’s coat.

“Heeyeon.”

“Yes?”

“I can’t tell if this is my coat or your comfort blanket.”

Director Yeon chuckled as he glanced at the lapels of his coat, which Jung Heeyeon held tightly in both hands. The omega could be greedy and hold them tightly, but even so, the way Jung Heeyeon held it was so light and careful that the soft fabric hadn’t even wrinkled.

“What does that mean…?”

At Jung Heeyeon’s innocent question, Director Yeon simply laughed and didn’t respond.

As was typical of winter weather, the gentle flurry quickly turned into a storm. Director Yeon, keeping one arm wrapped securely around Jung Heeyeon, checked his watch to confirm their pickup time.

“Let’s go.”

“Are we going home?”

Jung Heeyeon looked somehow disappointed. Despite the snow piling on his hair and clothes, instead of being annoyed like most people would, his voice was filled with lingering attachment to the moment. However, Director Yeon couldn’t let him stay out in this weather with his frail body. If they stayed, he’d undoubtedly catch a cold.

“You said you wanted to have cake.”

Director Yeon skillfully coaxed him.

“…Cake?”

“I made a reservation for it.”

As he gently rubbed the snow-dusted cheek with his hand, Director Yeon whispered soothingly. Jung Heeyeon’s blush grew visibly redder than before.

“Do you want to look at the tree a little longer? We can have the cake later.”

When presented with the two options, Jung Heeyeon lowered his lashes. Director Yeon leisurely waited and watched the round top of Jung Heeyeon’s head as he contemplated.

“I’ll have the cake.”

“Come here.”

The man, who easily got the response he wanted, intertwined his fingers with Jung Heeyeon’s far smaller hand. With so many people around, holding hands seemed the best way to navigate through the crowd. Every time Jung Heeyeon’s fingers twitched, the soft touch sank into the rougher skin of the Alpha’s hand.

“Should I let go?”

Director Yeon asked, as if testing the waters. Even though he already knew Jung Heeyeon’s answer, it was close to a ploy, wanting to hear the words spill from his small lips.

“No… I want to hold your hand, Director.”

His prediction was never wrong.

Instead of entering the bakery, Jung Heeyeon waited outside while Director Yeon went in to pick up the cake. As he stood there, watching snowflakes settle on his open palm, something entered his field of vision. His gaze shifted to a display inside the bakery, toward an ornament on a shelf by the window.

It was a small glass globe containing a miniature log cabin surrounded by tiny trees. White, glittering flakes floated gently inside, as if it were snowing. Though he knew he couldn’t touch it, he found himself tapping the window with his finger.

“Is it pretty?”

He hadn’t even noticed Director Yeon approaching. Still leaning against the window with his finger, Jung Heeyeon turned his head slightly to respond.

“Director, what is this?”

“A snow globe.”

“Snow globe…”

At the base of the snow globe, more flakes had settled than floated. He wondered if shaking it would make them fly up like a snowfall. He tried to shake off the unnecessary curiosity and managed to slowly turn his gaze away.

“Do you want it?”

---

Become a member in my ko-fi to get early releases!

Make me feel happy and supported by leaving a comment!

---