MM 45

“Did you sleep well?”

“Ah, Team Leader… Good morning.”

As soon as he opened the door, what caught Yu-young’s eye was Do-won’s appearance, more formal than usual. Without realizing it, Yu-young stared at him blankly for a moment. Do-won, who typically dressed perfectly for his commute, looked today like his usual chic yet stylish self, but with an extra touch of refinement.

As Yu-young stood there, lost in thought, Do-won casually spoke.

“Did you go to the salon?”

“Huh? Ah, no, I didn’t go. The usual person who does my hair came to see me…”

Yu-young’s face darkened for a moment as he trailed off. A large hand reached out and gently swept aside the few stray hairs on his forehead.

It didn’t stop there—long fingers traced across his smooth, round forehead. Feeling the soft touch of his fingers, Yu-young’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘What… what’s going on…?’

Yu-young’s heart fluttered, startled by the unexpected warmth of the contact. It was one thing for him to brush his hair back, but why his forehead…?

As Yu-young’s eyes widened in shock, Do-won spoke in a calm, measured tone.

“You look handsome today, Han.”

“…Huh? Ah… yes.”

Why was he so casually complimenting him like this? With his heart pounding uncontrollably, Yu-young tried to respond nonchalantly.

Having been complimented on his appearance countless times since he was young, thanks to his small, delicate face, Yu-young had gotten used to it from family and friends. However, Do-won’s compliment felt different, because most alphas had only ever told him that he was “pretty.” Although Yu-young was an omega, he was still a man, so hearing him say “handsome” felt oddly pleasant.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Do-won, the very picture of composure, led the way, and Yu-young followed him into the elevator, feeling like he was under the spell of a midday dream.

“Han, how about you ride with me in my car?”

“Oh, your car?”

“It’ll look more intimate if we go together, and we’re headed to the same place anyway.”

Yu-young nodded. He passed his own car and followed Do-won toward his vehicle. It was the same he’d seen in the underground parking lot before, though it wasn’t exactly a pleasant memory.

Do-won opened the door for him, and Yu-young climbed into the passenger seat. After Do-won got into the driver’s seat, he glanced over to make sure Yu-young had fastened his seatbelt. The engine started, and the car smoothly pulled forward.

‘Ugh, the pheromone smell…’

Yu-young shivered. The air inside the car was thick and dense with pheromones, almost as if they were compressed into a scent diffuser and scattered around the car. It felt like stepping into a private, intimate space, almost like a bedroom.

“It’s uncomfortable, isn’t it? I’ll air it out.”

“…Ah, it’s fine.”

Though Yu-young said it was fine, as the window rolled down with a slight whine, he finally felt he could breathe properly. The fresh air that came in began to dilute the pheromone concentration. Yu-young turned his head toward the window and took a deep breath.

During the drive, Do-won didn’t say much. Yu-young, unsure of what to say, passed the time by fidgeting with his fingers or occasionally glancing at his phone. Then, he found himself distracted by Do-won’s driving.

‘His driving is… surprisingly gentle.’

Unlike Yu-young, whose driving style could vary depending on his mood, Do-won drove with an elegance and skill that matched his usual image. He never seemed rushed, yet he didn’t make his passenger feel like the ride was slow.

Yu-young’s eyes were drawn to the long, graceful knuckles resting on the steering wheel. Along with the accessories hanging from his sleeves and his well-coordinated outfit, the scent of his beautiful pheromones filled the car. His calm, striking face.

Not realizing he had been studying these details, Yu-young quickly turned his face forward, feeling his cheeks heat up.

‘He’s going to get upset if I keep staring.’

Remembering a few unpleasant encounters in the past, Yu-young pouted. It was funny how, despite everything, he found himself riding in Do-won’s car on the way to his house.

It was 11:30, and their appointment was at 12. Based on what he knew, Do-won wouldn’t be late or arrive exactly on time—so Yu-young figured they were getting close. Just as he had guessed, the car was entering a quiet residential area in Seongbuk-dong.

‘As expected… rich people are different.’

Yu-young glanced out the window, thinking to himself. The buildings he saw outside were either those he had seen in articles about celebrities buying properties, or they resembled ones his father had been eyeing.

The car soon turned into the driveway of a large mansion, complete with a vast garden. Yu-young prepared to get out, but just as he was about to unbuckle his seatbelt, Do-won suddenly spoke up.

“Han.”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

“I wasn’t sure if I needed to say anything, but I think it’s better if you know now, so I’ll tell you.”

Do-won, who had called Yu-young, carefully chose his words for a moment.

“My biological mother passed away when I was young, and the woman inside is my stepmother.”

“Ah…”

“I’m saying this because it might help when pretending to be a couple, considering we’re thinking about marriage.”

Speaking in a quick and businesslike manner, as if discussing someone else’s family, Do-won continued.

“I don’t have a great relationship with my mother. So, there might be things that seem strange to you. She probably wouldn’t be thrilled about me getting married and settling down, so she might act a bit hostile toward you.”

It wasn’t something Yu-young understood immediately. Wasn’t he being pressured to get married? Why would his mother dislike the idea of marriage?

He didn’t know the details, but hearing Do-won’s words, Yu-young inexplicably felt a desire to help him. Smiling mischievously, Yu-young looked at Do-won.

“Team Leader, don’t worry. I’ve got a strong mentality, you know.”

“…”

“I don’t think I’ll have trouble pretending. I’ll play the role of your lover perfectly, so don’t worry.”

For a moment, Do-won’s gaze, which had been resting on Yu-young, drifted toward the house outside the window. As he slowly scanned the building with his eyes, he carefully chose his words before speaking.

“Han.”

“Yes.”

“We’ve only known each other for a short time, so it’s okay that we don’t know much about each other. I can cover for things like that. What I’m concerned about is your feelings.”

Surprised, Yu-young looked at Do-won. His words were unexpectedly emotional for someone like him, and it was the first time Do-won had shown such concern for him.

“I don’t know the exact reason why you’re trying to avoid marriage so much that you’re pretending to be my partner, but I’m also in a situation where I want to avoid marriage. No, to be more precise, I’m trying to avoid an arranged marriage that my family is pushing for.”

“…”

“But, even though you and I are temporarily in an alliance because we need each other’s help, I don’t want you to be hurt because of my family.”

Speaking slowly in a soft tone, Do-won briefly stopped, licking his lips with his tongue.

“If the atmosphere becomes uncomfortable, I’ll leave immediately. My main purpose is to make sure my family sees you, so if you feel uncomfortable, you don’t need to stay.”

“Team Leader.”

Calling him again, Yu-young hesitated for a moment before reaching out and grabbing his wrist. Do-won’s eyes widened slightly. Yu-young’s face had become serious as he held onto his thick and firm wrist, which barely fit into his grasp.

“Well, both you and I… we all have something we’re trying to hide, something we don’t want others to understand, right? Not just us, but others too.”

Yu-young paused for a moment before speaking firmly.

“Uh… it might not be as bad as your situation, but I grew up in a somewhat similar environment. So, I think I have a rough idea of what your family expects from you.”

“…”

“So, don’t worry too much. And like I said earlier, I’m not easily hurt. I have a strong mentality, really! You know how I am.”

Yu-young wasn’t sure why he wanted to comfort him so much. Wasn’t Do-won just an annoying guy from the house next door and a bothersome boss at work? Hadn’t he been that way? Had he started to develop some sort of affection after a few shared moments and words? Or perhaps he had grown some respect while working under him, someone exceptional in his work?

Yu-young thought that even he didn’t fully understand his own feelings. But the words of comfort that had slipped out didn’t make him feel regretful or like he had said them in vain. After finishing his sentence, Yu-young simply continued to stare at Do-won. It didn’t matter how he interpreted Yu-young’s words. Yu-young had expressed his feelings honestly, and that was enough.

A lengthy silence passed. Yu-young couldn’t tell what Do-won was thinking. But he didn’t look away, continuing to study his face, trying to understand what was going on inside.

After a long time of gazing at Yu-young, Do-won suddenly raised his hand slowly and gently brushed Yu-young’s cheek and jaw. With the warmth of his touch came a wave of his pheromones, making Yu-young’s eyes widen. This was the softest and most soothing scent he had ever felt from him.

In a soft voice, just as smooth and gentle as his pheromones, Do-won spoke.

“Let’s finish and go in. Kiss.”