PIA 57
by Sorai“…Hyung-nim?”
Jeong Hee-seo blocked Ji-an’s path and raised his voice.
Taken aback by the slap, Jeong Han-joo’s face immediately contorted with displeasure. Not only did his brother suddenly appear and interrupt their conversation, but he had even hit him. What’s more, Ji-an and Secretary Yoon had witnessed everything.
In an instant, Jeong Han-joo’s eyes reddened with anger. The Jeong Hee-seo obstructing him glanced at Ji-an and spoke calmly,
“If you feel uncomfortable, stay behind me.”
He quickly examined Ji-an’s complexion with cold eyes.
“What are you doing, hyung? Butting in like this?”
Jeong Hee-seo had to catch his breath not to shout at his younger brother in front of his subordinates. His heart was pounding wildly as he had just seen Jeong Han-joo put his hand on Ji-an’s face and move closer, and then see Ji-an stumble.
Jeong Hee-seo spoke coldly with gritted teeth.
“Your pheromones. Isn’t controlling the pheromones of a dominant alpha one of the basics at the workplace?”
“What did I…pheromones, you say…”
“Can’t even manage that?”
“No, why is this…”
In the midst of angrily protesting, Jeong Han-joo finally recognized his own pheromones leaking out uncontrollably and was greatly flustered.
“No matter how much you belong to the owner’s family, this isn’t even a street, Han-joo. You should be careful. I know you’re not good at the basics of work, but leaking pheromones in the workplace is unacceptable.”
“No!”
Jeong Han-joo, who was about to shout that it was a misunderstanding, bit his lip and backed away. Anyone could see that it was his own pheromones flowing out, so there was no excuse. Gritting his teeth in vexation, his eyes met Ji-an standing behind Jeong Hee-seo. Seeing Ji-an’s pallid face covered in cold sweat, his mood plummeted.
“…I’m sorry. It seems I made a mistake.”
Ji-an’s face darkened at Jeong Han-joo’s apology. He knew full well that it was his own fault. It was probably because of the damn possession perk, devilish pheromones or something. Despite taking medication and claiming to have it under control, his potent hormones seemed to have caused an uncontrollable leak like a faulty faucet.
The one who should apologize was Ji-an himself. He felt too embarrassed and awkward to even look up properly.
“…”
“…”
Heavy silence hung between them.
‘Did no one notice my pheromones?’
Ji-an was restless and looked at Jeong Han-joo’s reaction with a pale drained face. Then, sensing another gaze, he turned to see Jeong Hee-seo staring at him intently.
Ji-an instinctively realized the great restraint Jeong Hee-seo, who had not emitted a single pheromone, was exhibiting to look at him that way.
The brothers already had a poor relationship, and now Ji-an had poured gasoline on the fire and fanned the flames.
Ji-an was also not unaware of the possessive instinct that an Alpha feels towards an Omega carrying his child and the instinct to be wary of other Alpha pheromones.
He personally experienced the negative effects of other Alpha pheromones today.
Ji-an slowly regained stability and straightened his back.
“No, Hyung-nim. I think not only Han-joo hyung made a mistake, but I also made the same mistake. Sorry.”
Whether it was the cursed possession, the devilish pheromones, or him being recessive, or even being pregnant, none of them were his fault, but he couldn’t exactly advertise ‘I’m pregnant’ here.
It was better to defuse the situation and leave before sowing seeds of suspicion in Jeong Han-joo’s mind by pushing further.
After observing Ji-an’s fumbling apology with a stony expression for a few seconds, Jeong Hee-seo let out a sigh-like chuckle.
“Seo Ji-an, what are you apologizing for?”
Jeong Hee-seo rubbed the area around his eyes with his neat fingers as if he were tired.
“…”
“…”
An awkward energy flowed between the three people. Jeong Hee-seo’s long sigh brought the situation to an end, as if cutting a tangled rope.
“Jeong Han-joo, you should return to your seat immediately.”
Jeong Hee-seo waved off Jeong Han-joo’s attempt to make further excuses and turned to leave.
Ji-an bowed to Jeong Han-joo, who was biting his lip, and turned around. As he moved to follow Secretary Yoon, Jeong Hee-seo came to walk so close beside him that Ji-an could feel his body heat. Even as they exited down the hallway side-by-side, Jeong Han-joo’s tenacious gaze seemed to bore into the back of his head.
Ji-an tried to ignore it and held the back of his neck.
“…How did you find out?”
As soon as Ji-an asked, he realized before getting an answer – Secretary Yoon must have contacted him. Ji-an recalled him furiously tapping away earlier instead of acknowledging him. So he had been trying to help in his own way.
“You were stumbling earlier.”
The chill in Jeong Hee-seo’s gaze remained.
“It’s okay. I just felt a little nauseous for a moment.”
“It’s because of Jeong Han-joo’s pheromones.”
Jeong Hee-seo did not hide his displeasure. He was no different from any other Alpha, so he instinctively refused to allow an Omega who had his child to become entangled with another Alpha.
“It was nothing. I only caught a whiff of pheromones…I was just overly sensitive. Han-joo hyung didn’t mean anything by it either. I felt bad that you two argued because of me.”
“It’s true that Jeong Han-joo did something wrong.”
“Still, I should have had more control first. If we dug deeper there, it would have gotten complicated. I know why you were angry, but…”
“Instead of returning to the office, go to the hospital now.”
“No, I’m really okay.”
Ji-an grabbed Jeong Hee-seo’s arm urgently in protest. He simply looked down at Ji-an’s hand grasping him with an unchanging expression.
“…Then go rest in my room.”
Jeong Hee-seo’s naturally sturdy frame seemed like solid steel today. Perhaps it was because his expression disappeared, making him look like an inanimate object. Ji-an shrank back from the cold aura surrounding his tightly sealed lips, but knowing his intentions, he obediently bowed his head.
Ji-an was a guy who gets sensitive even when he eats his own food, but seeing him gag from another Alpha’s pheromones was enough to make Jeong Hee-seo angry.
“I’ll do as you say, Hyung-nim.”
“Very well.”
Jeong Hee-seo replied expressionlessly.
After sending Secretary Yoon away to attend to CEO Kim who he had left in the meeting room, the two headed towards the elevator. Ji-an inwardly apologized again to Secretary Yoon, who walked away with a face full of things left unsaid. In the short time since arriving here, not even half a day, so many incidents requiring apology had piled up.
“You said you didn’t like being touched.”
“Yes?”
Ji-an asked back, unsure of what he’d heard, but Jeong Hee-seo didn’t respond. Ji-an bit his lip at the curt responses repeating from earlier. In the silence, the elevator arrived, and though feeling uneasy, Ji-an boarded first at Jeong Hee-seo’s gesture.
“I should have just broken Jeong Han-joo’s wrist…”
Ji-an’s eyes widened because the cold recitation he was making while standing next to him was not something he could just ignore.
“Why are you being so scary? Break whose wrist?”
“Bad habits need to be corrected.”
No, why was he suddenly acting this way? Just for touching Ji-an’s face a little, to bring up ‘bad habits’ was going too far. Ji-an understood he was angry, but was this reason to get so riled up? Whether intentionally or not, Jeong Hee-seo began emitting pheromones in wisps.
Ji-an grew rapidly uneasy. If someone else boarded the elevator at this rate, the situation would truly look strange.
“Hyung-nim, your pheromones…you just said not to do this at work.”
The alpha pheromones flooding out and making the hair on his nape stand were abruptly reined in.
“If you don’t like it, then I won’t do it.”
“It’s not that I dislike it. But we’re at the company. If someone else notices, it’ll become troublesome for you…”
“Seo Ji-an.”
Jeong Hee-seo leaned down, whispering in a penetrating tone.
“Make your attitude clear. Stop confusing people.”
“…”
“Whether you dislike it or like it…even I have my limits.”
Jeong Hee-seo’s eyes glinted sharply above his shadowed features. Feeling like those eyes could pierce through him, Ji-an felt a chill down his spine.
He understood the implication. Ji-an himself was well aware that while he didn’t want marriage and dating, his eyes, nose, and mouth expressed not disliking Jeong Hee-seo. He knew it was wrong, that it made him seem crazy.
What was certain was that he disliked Jeong Hee-seo looking down at him with those cold distanced gazes.
For a moment, Ji-an felt so hurt he nearly teared up. He had been in the wrong, but the thought of pleading ‘Don’t look at me like that’ made him fear bursting into an ugly cry, so he bit his lip hard until it turned white.
“…I’ll make sure to watch my attitude from now on.”
Feeling like he might burst into tears if he kept looking into Jeong Hee-seo’s eyes, he hurriedly averted his gaze.