VDN Ch 20
by STAR“Phew, phew!”
Suddenly, as liquid poured over his head and face, Executive Director Moon furiously wiped it off with his palms and jerked his head up, then shouted.
“Y-y-you, hey, are you crazy? Don’t you know me? I’m an Executive Director at Dae-moon Group!”
“I don’t know about that, but I know you’re a pervert who harasses people when they tell you not to.”
“You crazy bastard! Who are you?!”
At the commotion, the gazes of people in the store turned to them, one by one. The murmuring around them grew louder. Executive Director Moon narrowed his eyes, then wiped the alcohol dripping from his chin again, saying incredulously,
“That’s Kwon Seo-oh, isn’t it? Nam-woon, what’s with this jerk?”
Executive Director Moon again stretched out his arm towards Nam-woon and shouted,
“Come here quickly, get away from that guy!”
However, his outstretched arm didn’t reach Nam-woon at all. Seo-oh was standing tall like a guardian statue, blocking Nam-woon. Seo-oh’s long finger gave Executive Director Moon’s shoulder a light push. Executive Director Moon then took a step back.
“You’re the strange one.”
“You bastard with no roots, who knows where you crawled out from?! Do you want to go to jail? Nam-woon, come to my side quickly!”
Executive Director Moon desperately called for Nam-woon as if searching for family during a warzone, but Nam-woon instead stepped back. Seeing Nam-woon’s disgusted expression, Executive Director Moon raged as if consumed by anger.
“This bastard Kwon Seo-oh, what Nam-woon said about you is true! He said you were a parasite child who lost his father! You’re clearly a worm who can’t even distinguish between a bug and a human!”
“…….”
“…….”
Nam-woon’s face turned pale at the words that came out of Executive Director Moon’s mouth. He could feel Seo-oh in front of him flinch.
Now, in the quiet store, the only one talking was Executive Director Moon.
“Indeed, it seems you’ll go anywhere if it concerns the Seok family. Nam-woon said it himself. A parasite struggling to survive that he’s dying to crush! I feel the same way right now!”
Both Nam-woon and Seo-oh remained frozen, while the whispers of the surrounding people pierced their ears.
“Isn’t that Seok Nam-woon?”
“Wasn’t he a beta?”
“He wanted to be an alpha, but look at him, covered in omega scent. As expected. An alpha, my foot.”
“He’s sucking up to Executive Director Moon. But who’s the man in front of Seok Nam-woon? First time seeing him, but he’s handsome.”
Nam-woon placed a hand on his forehead. His head had been throbbing since earlier. He thought it was a headache from the perfume, but he felt like he was running a fever too.
Executive Director Moon continued to spew harsh words towards Seo-oh, relentlessly. Even Nam-woon found it difficult to listen; how must Kwon Seo-oh be feeling right now?
“Enough already.”
It was the moment Nam-woon opened his mouth. From afar, a man quickly approached and raised his hand to Seo-oh. Smack! Seo-oh’s face, unprepared, was turned sideways.
As if that wasn’t enough, the man Smack the same cheek again. With two slaps from the man, Seo-oh’s cheek began to swell red. There was already a cut at the corner of Kwon Seo-oh’s mouth.
“Are you causing trouble with a customer right now!”
The man spat out as he pointed accusingly at Kwon Seo-oh.
“Are you a thug, huh? I called you here to work and you pour alcohol on a customer? Do you know how important the customers here are?”
Then he groveled apologetically toward Executive Director Moon.
“Sir, I’m really sorry! Are you hurt anywhere…?”
“What’s this, manager? How exactly do you train your staff here!? Where’s Mr. Park!”
Executive Director Moon squawked noisily. Nam-woon moved to step in front of Seo-oh, blocking him. Then he quietly opened his mouth.
“Executive Director Moon.”
“N-Nam-woon.”
Executive Director Moon looked at Nam-woon with tearful eyes. But Nam-woon was no Buddha. WHAM! Nam-woon’s punch sent Executive Director Moon stumbling. He turned his head, clutching his cheek, and looked at Nam-woon with disbelief.
[Warning! The target of violence is incorrect!]
Nam-woon, his hands in his pockets, spoke arrogantly.
“You’re the one who wants to go to jail?”
“Wh-what did you say?”
“I have no interest in a bastard like you. How disgusting must it feel to have someone who says they don’t like it try to embrace you and shove that in your face?”
At Nam-woon’s words, everyone’s gaze turned to Executive Director Moon’s private area. Executive Director Moon’s face turned red and then blue as he covered himself from the cold stares of the people. People whispered behind him.
“Oh my, what’s happening?”
“Hey, it’s so small I didn’t even notice before.”
That’s right. That’s why even Nam-woon, who was standing close to Executive Director Moon, barely noticed it.
Nam-woon pointed precisely at the center part that Executive Director Moon tried so hard to cover.
“If you touch me even once more, I’ll make sure you can never use it again.”
Nam-woon turned his head and pointed at the manager.
“And you.”
“…Uh, yes?”
“The apology should be directed here, not there.”
Nam-woon tilted his head and pointed at Seo-oh, but the manager didn’t seem to understand, muttering, “Wh-what do you mean?” and looking around. Nam-woon strode towards him.
Smack!
“Uh, ugh…”
The manager clutched the side of his face that Nam-woon had hit and began to tear up.
“Do you know what happens to you if you mess with Chairman Seok Jin-cheol’s people?”
“Seok, Seok Jin-cheol…”
The manager finally glanced at Kwon Seo-oh and started trembling. He had just thought he was a good-looking employee, but he was one of the notorious Seok Jin-cheol’s people.
“Even I can’t touch him because he’s too precious. Even if you’re a manager, is it okay to hit people like this?”
Hic. The manager gasped at Nam-woon’s words. He was now pale with fear and couldn’t even look at Nam-woon properly.
“I’m, I’m sorry.”
Nam-woon yanked the manager’s collar close to his face and whispered in his ear.
“If you touch him one more time, you’ll disappear without a trace.”
It was a whisper so small that others couldn’t hear. The manager, knowing Seok Nam-woon was famous for his terrible personality, was in a panic, almost wetting himself. He nodded wildly. Seok Nam-woon stared at the manager expressionlessly, then turned and grabbed Seo-oh’s wrist.
“Let’s go out.”
Seo-oh did not meet Nam-woon’s gaze. The two, having exited to the back of the shop, were silent for a moment.
He seemed to have gotten hurt when he was slapped earlier.
Nam-woon looked up. Kwon Seo-oh was looking down.
“Kwon Seo-oh. Look up.”
“……”
“Quickly.”
But he remained standing with his head down, only clenching his fists. Nam-woon said, “Just a moment,” and gently put his hand on Seo-oh’s chin. He tried to lift his head, but then, thwack. His hand was slapped away violently. Seo-oh’s eyes, looking at Nam-woon, were incredibly cold.
“Let me see the wound.”
Seo-oh remained silent. Nam-woon sighed and said,
“Why did you just stand there earlier?”
“…What?”
“Why did you just let the manager hit you like that? You’re so good at swearing at me. You should have at least dodged when he was hitting you like that.”
At that, Seo-oh let out a hollow laugh. Then he looked down fiercely at Nam-woon.
“That’s what you want, isn’t it?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Me getting beaten up, rolling around. That’s what you wanted, right?”
Nam-woon was at a loss for words. Seo-oh smirked and continued,
“Why am I getting hit? Is that something that should come out of your mouth?”
“……”
“Yes, I’m a parasite. It’s natural for parasites and bugs to be stepped on by people.”
“…I never called you that.”
“Shut up.”
Nam-woon moved his lips, but no words came out. It was because Nam-woon had tormented the defenseless child to death.
“Now, what, do you feel sorry for me?”
“Kwon Seo-oh.”
“Are you suddenly feeling human emotions because you’re coming and going from our house and seeing Se-han?”
Seo-oh gnashed his teeth, as if filled with rage.
“What do you plan to do by even tricking Se-han, damn it, are you really trying to take Se-han from me too?”
“I never did that! You might not believe me in this situation, but I don’t have any bad feelings towards you. I just wanted to be good to you…”
That’s when it happened. Red letters appeared before his eyes.
[You have ignored the warning!]
[Support activated!]
[Pheromone Sensitivity: 70%]
“Agh… Ugh….”
Suddenly, a chill swept through his body. He had a headache for some time and now he was shivering. Now it was hard to stand still. A pained voice escaped through his gritted teeth. But I could not groan and leave this place in front of Kwon Seo-oh so he clenched his teeth and endured it. Just standing still was hard enough so he couldn’t face Seo-oh any longer. Nam-woon stood with his head hung low.
Seo-oh, who did not notice Nam-woon’s state, let out an angry voice.
“I don’t care what you think of me…”
A cold gaze pierced through him.
“If you touch Se-han or hurt him, you, Seok Nam-woon, will be the one to pay.”
Seo-oh turned away. Nam-woon remained frozen in place, unable to say anything. He endured the pain while listening to the sound of his footsteps getting further and further away and red liquid dropped to the floor.
“Ah….”
When I wiped my forehead, blood smeared on my hand. After being hit on the forehead by Director Moon’s swinging hand, I felt a fever in my head and it seems that the wound finally burst open. Nam-woon covered his forehead with his hand and tried to walk but suddenly, everything spun around.
“Huh?”
And then everything went black.