DOTH Volume 2 Chapter 4.4

“Who?”

“Pardon?”

“Who would you give a peck to, Heeyeon?”

Even with Director Yeon’s openly furrowed brows, Jung Heeyeon looked at him with a calm expression. If it had been the chairman or the butler making that face, Jung Heeyeon might have apologized. But Director Yeon was different. Jung Heeyeon vaguely understood that the director wasn’t angry at him. He didn’t know why Director Yeon was suddenly scowling, but his own curiosity took precedence.

“Pardon? I didn’t mean myself… but you, Director.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Jung Heeyeon’s fair cheeks puffed slightly as if he had asked the question with genuine seriousness. Director Yeon slowly propped his elbow on the armrest of the sofa, resting his chin on his hand as he leaned toward Jung Heeyeon.

“Why? Do you think I’d go around giving pecks to just anyone?”

At the man’s question, question marks seemed to float in Jung Heeyeon’s mind. It sounded like Director Yeon meant he wouldn’t give a peck to just anyone, but then why had he said he’d give a peck to Jung Heeyeon whenever he wanted? It was difficult to understand.

“So… does that mean I’m not ‘just anyone’ to you, Director?”

Jung Heeyeon asked with pure intent. Just as the director wasn’t ‘just anyone’ to him, he hoped he, too, wasn’t ‘just anyone’ to the director.

“Heeyeon.”

The alpha’s eyes curved softly, but there was something dangerous in the gentle arc of his gaze.

“Don’t worry.”

“…”

“I don’t go around acting like an easy catch with just anyone.”

Jung Heeyeon fell into a brief but serious contemplation. His usually expressionless face showed a rare crack. He had never felt frustrated before, but for the first time, he felt a slight frustration in his chest. Although he had grown better at understanding others through interaction, interpreting socially nuanced expressions rather than dictionary definitions remained a difficult challenge.

Standing before a field of untouched snow, Jung Heeyeon hesitated, deep in thought.

So, did that mean the director would give other people a peck or not? Recalling Lee Yootae’s comment about himself being sold for a high price, Jung Heeyeon figured that being ‘expensive’ might be a good thing. If ‘not acting like an easy catch’ meant being expensive, and expensive was good, what did it all mean? 

He thought deeply about it, but the answer to his curiosity didn’t come easily.

Deciding he would ask Kim Jiwon later, Jung Heeyeon brushed aside his swirling questions. For now, he figured it would be better to focus on the snowy field before him. Perhaps that would help clear his thoughts.

Right now, he was standing in a park near Director Yeon’s house. It was the man’s day off, and he had wanted to step on the freshly fallen snow, so they had come out together. Since Jung Heeyeon usually traveled by car, this was his first time stepping into snow deep enough to cover his sneakers.

The snow was so beautifully pristine that it almost felt wrong to step on it. Nevertheless, Jung Heeyeon cautiously placed one foot forward, leaving a neat shoe print in the snow as his foot sank in with a soft ‘poof’.

“Heeyeon.”

“Yes?”

“Do you want me to hold your hand?”

Worried about falling on the slippery surface, Jung Heeyeon hesitated for a moment but eventually shook his head. He felt he should avoid physical contact with the director for the time being. The rational part of him suspected that the strange dream he’d had might have been caused by the peck.

“I’m fine.”

Focused on stepping through the snow, Jung Heeyeon didn’t notice the way Director Yeon’s gaze narrowed slightly. Just then, Director Yeon’s phone began to ring. He answered it while keeping his eyes on Jung Heeyeon.

“Yeah.”

– Sir.

The voice on the other end belonged to Kim Chulwoo, and it sounded like news Director Yeon had been waiting for.

– We’ve roughly pinpointed the location of the items.

“So, Chief Nam’s been running herself ragged, huh?”

It seemed Nam Soohyun had finally tracked down the missing container, as she had promised to resolve the issue quickly.

– Shall I draft a report?

“No. Find the items first, then make the report.”

– Understood.

Ending the call briefly, Director Yeon silently observed Jung Heeyeon’s back. The distance between them was gradually growing, little by little. Director Yeon decided to see how far Jung Heeyeon would wander off on his own.

The park was relatively crowded with people. As he listened to the faint sound of Director Yeon’s voice finishing his phone call, Jung Heeyeon slowly continued his steps. The soft crunch of snow beneath his feet felt pleasant, and it helped clear the perplexity that had been clouding his thoughts moments ago.

Stopping at a point not far from Director Yeon, Jung Heeyeon looked around and noticed snowmen scattered here and there. They were interesting, but he didn’t feel particularly compelled to make one himself.

Just as he considered returning to the director, something in a nearby flower bed caught his eye—a row of snow ducks neatly lined up where snow should have been gently piled. How did someone make them so prettily? Curious, Jung Heeyeon noticed someone nearby crafting the snow ducks.

“…?”

Though he knew he shouldn’t stare at others, he couldn’t help but be intrigued. Using a yellow duck-shaped tool, the person scooped up snow, and with a ‘pop’, out came a perfect snow duck. Keeping an eye on the distant Director Yeon, Jung Heeyeon cautiously approached the flower bed. Up close, he saw that they really were shaped like ducks.

Sensing a curious gaze, the woman making the snowmen turned to glance back. She looked like a young student.

“Do you want to try this? It’s fun.”

“Can I try it?”

“Yes.”

Jung Heeyeon looked back and forth between Director Yeon, who was now quite far away, and the snow ducks before finally accepting the yellow tool the student held out.

“See where the snow is piled up? You just gather it like this.”

She demonstrated by clenching her hands into fists and bringing them together, explaining as she mimicked the action. Jung Heeyeon thanked her politely and followed her instructions. However, the snow duck he made was clumsy and misshapen.

“Ah, no, it’s like this.”

The student took the tool back and demonstrated slowly how to make a proper snow duck. With a cheerful smile, she handed the tool back to Jung Heeyeon. It seemed like she was having fun. 

“Oh, I see now. Thank you for showing me.”

It took Jung Heeyeon three tries to create a properly shaped snow duck.

“It’s fun, right? Do you want to make more?”

“No, that’s okay. Thank you. It was fun borrowing it.”

When Jung Heeyeon gave a polite bow, the student bowed back before heading off toward another snowy flower bed. Left alone, Jung Heeyeon stared at his final try, a well-made snow duck for a while. Its rounded shape and particularly its beak were adorably cute. After gazing at it for a few minutes, Jung Heeyeon carefully picked up the best-looking duck and placed it in his palm. 

Thinking that he should show it to the Director, he turned around, but his foot suddenly slipped, throwing his balance off.

“Uh…!”

He instinctively reached for the edge of the flower bed, but he twisted his ankle and felt himself start to fall. The snow duck in his hand shattered onto the snow before him, and he braced himself for the inevitable fall. He squeezed his eyes shut, knowing full well he didn’t have the fast reflexes to stop himself.

But just before he could hit the snow, a strong arm wrapped tightly around his waist.

“Heeyeon.”

“Ah…”

“Didn’t this Director tell you to hold hands?”

With a firm grip, Director Yeon pulled Jung Heeyeon’s body upright, even lifting him slightly off the ground. Contrary to his expectation of falling, Jung Heeyeon found himself caught in the air. His tightly shut eyes opened reflexively, and without thinking, he placed his hand on the arm wrapped around his waist. Though separated by a coat, he could feel the strength in Director Yeon’s arm.

Still holding him from behind, Director Yeon carefully set Jung Heeyeon back on his feet. Even after his feet touched the ground, Jung Heeyeon’s small hand remained clinging to Director Yeon’s arm, as if unable to let go.

“Did you get startled?”

Director Yeon’s brief question prompted Jung Heeyeon to tilt his head back to look at him. For someone startled, Jung Heeyeon’s face was surprisingly calm. Director Yeon reached out with his free hand and smoothed down Jung Heeyeon’s tousled brown hair. Like a puppy being petted, Jung Heeyeon closed his eyes obediently, not resisting in the slightest. He was so willing to shut his eyes, trusting the man without knowing what might happen next.

After Director Yeon’s fingers lightly brushed along his eyelashes, Jung Heeyeon finally lowered his gaze back to the snow.

“Oh… it’s smashed. A moment ago, someone lent me a tool to make snowmen, and I made some. I wanted to show the nicest one to you, Director…”

Naturally, the snow duck he had held was now scattered into pieces on the soft snow below.

“Hmmm, you wanted to show it to me?”

“Yes. I couldn’t make the rest very well, but…”

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