PM Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Watching Heeseong roll his eyes as he agonized over it, Daesik slowly rubbed his chin and let out a sigh.

“Actually, I take rut suppressants too.”

“Really?”

So alphas take suppressants too.

Having lived shut away in an orphanage and then worked only at a kimchi factory, Heeseong was a little surprised to learn that rut suppressants even existed.

Thinking about it, omegas always took suppressants, so there was no reason alphas would not. Both of them had cycles, after all.

Not knowing that the number of alphas who took rut suppressants was far smaller compared to omegas who took heat suppressants, Heeseong nodded, finding the explanation reasonable in his own way.

In truth, Daesik did not take anything like that, but he lied without blinking an eye.

“Yeah. They’ve got side effects too, so it’s pretty uncomfortable.”

“Side effects? You have side effects too, boss?”

“Mm.”

Daesik nodded with an almost refreshing expression. Heeseong never once suspected it might be a lie. Instead, he thought the boss must have it hard too, and looked at him with sympathy. Remembering how he had suffered every time his heat cycle came around, Heeseong genuinely felt bad for Daesik and deeply empathized with his pain.

Seeing Heeseong’s worried expression, Daesik smiled to himself in satisfaction. Without missing the chance, he quickly put on a troubled look and casually added,

“That’s why it’d be nice if you stayed here and helped me out, Heeseong.”

“Me?”

Heeseong tilted his head at Daesik’s words. How could he help? An alpha? And not just any alpha, but a dominant one, when he himself was a recessive omega. It was hard to imagine.

“Yeah. Like partners.”

“…What does partner mean?”

“……”

At Heeseong’s question, Daesik’s eyebrow twitching was inevitable. He had seen Kyunghoon’s investigation report, so he had a rough idea of the environment Heeseong came from, but it seemed reality differed even more than what was written.

According to the records, Heeseong had at least completed formal education and had some experience in society, but clearly it had not been a proper life. There were things an adult omega should reasonably know that he did not.

For some reason, Daesik felt his chest grow cold. What kind of fucking bastards were they?

Curses nearly spilled out, but he kept his expression calm and composed.

Instead, he kindly pointed at Heeseong with his index finger, then pointed at himself as he spoke. Something utterly unlike his usual self.

“It’s like this. An alpha and an omega who both have it hard make a promise. To help each other. Like you and me.”

At the explanation, Heeseong opened his mouth slightly. Oh. So that kind of thing existed.

Helping each other still felt hard to picture. His brother had said it was dangerous. Was it really okay? Still uncertain, Heeseong kept his head tilted.

“But I was told alphas are dangerous….”

Daesik grinned at Heeseong’s murmured words. Heeseong did not really understand partner relationships, but at least he knew alphas could be dangerous. That made Daesik feel oddly proud, and a smile slipped out before he could stop it. Running a finger along the smooth curve of his lips, he nodded slowly.

“Yeah. They are dangerous.”

But whether or not Heeseong knew that, Daesik needed to keep him close. It would take less effort, and it would be easier to see what he was really thinking. Wearing an easy smile, he asked casually,

“But Heeseong.”

When he called his name gently, the round eyes behind the glasses fixed on him. Liking that more than he let on, Daesik reached out to the Heeseong sitting beside him.

Brushing aside his messy bangs with his fingertips, a soft texture grazed his skin. With darker eyes, Daesik asked,

“Do I look dangerous to you?”

“……”

Heeseong blinked slowly at the question.

The boss had seemed scary and dangerous at first, but he listened to his requests, did not scold him even when he made mistakes, and did not mock or curse him when he looked ridiculous. And so far, he had never hit him.

So despite appearances, Daesik did not feel dangerous at all. If anything, he felt… different.

And yesterday, too, it had not felt dangerous. Even when Heeseong clung to him while he was just standing there, Daesik had not looked at him strangely, nor had he threatened him or acted roughly. That was why he was not scared. Heeseong slowly shook his head.

“…No….”

As Daesik quietly watched Heeseong answer in a small voice, a faint smile spread across his face. Tilting his head slightly, he spoke as gently as possible in a low voice.

“Then it’d be nice if you helped me a little.”

“……”

As if to show how harmless he was, Daesik deliberately restrained his pheromones. If he released them, Heeseong might panic and hide even more.

Instead, he put on a troubled, worried expression.

“Honestly, it’s really hard.”

Seeing Daesik’s troubled face, Heeseong felt sorry for him. He had already felt bad for him even before, but seeing that expression made it worse. It must really be hard for him.

“You’re having a hard time too, right?”

Remembering his own struggles, Heeseong even nodded at Daesik’s words. Watching that, Daesik laughed inwardly, but kept it off his face as he continued,

“So we just help each other. That’s all.”

Heeseong looked torn. Daesik thought he looked like a timid puppy, hesitating and unsure.

So skittish.

Clicking his tongue inwardly, he coaxed him like one would coax a scared puppy.

“It’s way better than taking suppressants. No side effects either.”

At Daesik’s words, Heeseong tilted his head. Is it… really?

If Daesik was not dangerous, would helping each other really be okay? And if it was better than taking suppressants, his heart leaned a little more toward yes. Still uncertain, he hesitated before cautiously asking,

“Um… if we do this partner thing… does that mean I have to keep… sleeping with you, boss?”

Daesik lifted the corner of his lips, pleased that Heeseong seemed to understand.

“Yeah. You help me, and I do the same.”

Heeseong blinked slowly. Unsure if it was really okay, he pressed his lips together and fidgeted with his fingers.

Watching him quietly, Daesik narrowed his eyes slightly and asked,

“You don’t like it?”

“It’s not that….”

“Then that settles it, right?”

“Huh? Y yes….”

When Daesik grinned and casually wrapped things up, Heeseong found himself nodding in a daze. Watching Heeseong fall for it so easily, Daesik let out a small laugh.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

Now that he mentioned it, maybe he was. Focused on the gnawing hunger in his stomach, Heeseong did not even realize the topic had smoothly changed.

Daesik picked Heeseong up from the sofa again and headed straight for the kitchen.

“You should eat something.”

Just moments ago, Heeseong had been hesitating about becoming partners, yet he naturally leaned into Daesik’s arms. He hesitated a little, but still.

Once Daesik sat him down in a dining chair, Heeseong’s mouth fell open in surprise. There was a refrigerator at least twice as big as the one in his room. When Daesik opened it, Heeseong’s eyes went wide.

It was exactly the scene he had always imagined back at the orphanage, where he lived starving. A fridge filled with delicious food. A warm, cozy home. The very image he had whispered about with his brother. Heeseong covered his mouth.

Oh my god. There’s so much food…!

“Anything you want to eat?”

Seeing Heeseong staring blankly, Daesik snorted softly and lightly poked his soft cheek.

“You like it that much?”

“Yes…. Ah.”

Answering absentmindedly, Heeseong belatedly snapped out of it, shut his mouth, and fidgeted. Daesik chuckled at the sight of Heeseong’s face turning red like a radish.

“So, what do you want?”

“Ah, anything’s fine!”

As long as it was from that fridge, anything would be delicious. Heeseong puffed out his cheeks and grinned widely.

Thinking of how skinny Heeseong was, Daesik decided to feed him properly and started by making something easy on the stomach, soup. In the meantime, he handed Heeseong a fruit salad to cleanse his palate.

The knife and kitchen tools looked small in Daesik’s rough, large hands. It was an oddly mismatched sight, yet Daesik skillfully prepped the ingredients and put together the meal with ease.