DFLT 42

“I behaved disgracefully. I am truly sorry.”

“Do you even remember?”

“To be ho, honest, not really….”

“Forget it, then.”

He was sure he must have done something…. On top of that, Heonyoung had said they should not get involved personally, but because of him, that did not even last a few days. Yeonoh lowered his head and was just fidgeting with his fingers.

“Oh, Yeonoh, you are awake?”

Along with the sound of the digital door lock from the front entrance, Dojin’s voice could be heard as he came in after his workout. Yeonoh erased the worried expression from his face and headed toward the entryway hallway.

“Ah, sunbae. I am sorry about yesterday. You went through a lot of trouble because of me….”

At that, Dojin laughed playfully and clapped his hands.

“Wow, even a winter yellowtail would not flop around that much. A human yellowtail, that is what you were.”

“……”

“I held your legs and Seo Heonyoung held your torso, and we barely managed to move you.”

“I am so, sorry….”

Just as Yeonoh was on the verge of tears, Dojin soothed him.

“I am kidding, I am kidding. The important thing is you got here safely. We should eat breakfast, right?”

“Ah, I am fine, but….”

“I ordered breakfast, so it will be here soon. In the meantime, you should go wash up too, Yeonoh. Put your clothes in the clothing care system like last time. You know where it is, right?”

“Yes, yes. Thank you.”

A similar thing had happened before when he had been drinking with Dojin. There was no greater nuisance than this. After giving a brief nod to Heonyoung, who was sitting on the sofa, to indicate he would be back, he returned to the guest room.

“Did I cry….”

He examined his own miserable state in the bathroom mirror, and his eyes were severely swollen. On top of that, the rims of his eyes were red, just like someone who had been crying. Tilting his head in confusion, he put the clothes he had been wearing into the clothing care system, set it on a cycle that included sanitizing and steam pressing, and started his shower.

“Remember, Ji Yeonoh. Remember.”

Yeonoh muttered to himself as he felt the warm water pouring over the crown of his head. He had flopped around so much that two alphas had to struggle with him; just how much of a scene had he caused for Dojin to even mention a yellowtail?

However, even by the time he finished his shower and completely dried his hair, no memories returned. Yeonoh put on the sweatshirt and shorts that Dojin had folded for him. Due to the physical characteristics of an alpha, Dojin was tall, so there was no way that the long pants he wore comfortably would be the right length for him.

It seemed Dojin had prepared shorts with that in mind. But even though they were shorts, the hem fell below his knees. The sweatshirt he wore on his hopelessly thin body was so large that he had to roll up the sleeves several times just to see his hands. It definitely did not look like this when Dojin wore something similar.

There were about 30 minutes left until the styling cycle was complete. He awkwardly opened the door and went out to the living room, where he came face to face with a residence staff member who was leaving after setting up food on the table. Yeonoh gave a light nod of greeting and approached where the two men were.

“Ah, I am all washed up….”

At his words, the two men looked at Yeonoh at the same time, but their gazes lingered for quite a while. He could feel Heonyoung, with a stiff expression, scanning him from top to bottom. It seemed he was taken aback by how much more pathetic he looked than expected.

Well, I must admit I look pretty ridiculous. For a moment, his face flushed hot with embarrassment. Dojin also glanced at Yeonoh’s legs, exposed below the shorts, before quickly turning his head away.

“Ye, Yeonoh, you are all washed up? Come and sit.”

Dojin patted the seat next to him and called for Yeonoh. Heonyoung, who was sitting across from Dojin, still had no expression on his face. Dojin glanced back and forth between the hesitant Yeonoh and Heonyoung.

“Is it because you are uncomfortable because of him? Hey, you can go.”

“…What?”

“N, no! I am not uncomfortable at all! Haha.”

As Heonyoung glared resentfully at Dojin for kicking him out so mercilessly, Yeonoh waved his hands frantically and sat down next to Dojin. Once he was seated, Heonyoung’s gaze fell on his cheek, making it impossible for Yeonoh to meet his eyes. He pretended to be looking elsewhere and clapped his hands at the food set out before him.

“Wow, that looks delicious.”

It seemed this residence had a room service that delivered breakfast directly. In place of beef, there was a spicy pollack roe and radish soup and fluffy rolled omelets, along with various other side dishes. Although his appetite was stimulated, he could not easily pick up his spoon, perhaps because of what he had done yesterday.

“Why are you not eating?”

“This… has it already been paid for?”

“It will be charged to the management fee anyway, so I guess you could say that?”

“Well, I wanted to treat you to a meal….”

“You, Yeonoh?”

“Yes, you have done so much for me, and you went through a lot of trouble yesterday too.”

Dojin smiled sheepishly as if embarrassed and scratched the back of his neck.

“That is not why I did it.”

“For someone who says that, you are grinning from ear to ear.”

When Seo Heonyoung spoke with an indifferent face, Dojin’s upper lip twitched as he huffed at Heonyoung.

“Ah, what do you want me to do? If you are going to pick a fight, go home. I did not even invite you, why are you here making a fuss?”

“And you have always come to my place because I invited you?”

They said they had known each other since elementary school, and the bickering between the two of them seemed as if time had stopped back then. In particular, Heonyoung’s demeanor, which was so different from the sternness he showed at the company, was even refreshing. Yeonoh drew a line with his lips, desperately holding back his laughter.

“Ah, then you could have just called before you came!”

“Pfft…!”

As the indignant Dojin shouted, Yeonoh, who had been listening quietly, finally burst out laughing.

“Yeonoh, did you just laugh?”

Dojin interrogated Yeonoh with hurt eyes. He quickly brought his hands together to cover his mouth, but it was after he had already broadcast a wide grin in all directions.

“Ah, I am, I am sorry….”

Yeonoh, belatedly realizing the mood, erased his smile and apologized.

“I am kidding. You can laugh as much as you want, Yeonoh. It is getting cold. Let us eat quickly.”

“…Thank you for the food.”

And so, they began their meal.

The spicy pollack roe and radish soup soothed his rather sore stomach. The soup was quite tasty after one sip, so Yeonoh continuously scooped it up with his spoon. To be honest, he also coveted the fluffy-looking rolled omelet, but he did not want to eat it so badly that he would have to awkwardly stretch his arm far out. So, he just glanced at it, taking the frugal spirit of the ancestor who supposedly ate his meal while looking at a salted croaker as his side dish.

The pickled cucumbers were also savory and delicious, and the crunchy and nutty seasoned bean sprouts suited his taste. So you can eat a luxurious breakfast if you live in a place like this. Since it was not a common opportunity, Yeonoh, like a squirrel burying acorns in a hole, put small portions of the side dishes on his plate and tasted various things.

“There is a reason I came all the way here.”

“What is it?”

“I have been looking into ways to acquire your company.”

Yeonoh slowly lessened the chewing motion in his mouth and listened intently to their conversation. Is Heonyoung planning to acquire the startup company that Dojin just established? Come to think of it, he suddenly remembered Heonyoung at the Hankuk University alumni reunion, having a long conversation with someone who was said to be an M&A expert.

“To get straight to the point, it is next to impossible. Because of the DW Group shares you received from your grandfather….”

As the conversation turned to business matters, Yeonoh deliberately lowered his gaze to his rice bowl. It would be better to mind his own business and just eat than to butt in presumptuously.

“Well, it cannot be helped. I will have to change my course toward a partnership.”

I want to eat the rolled omelet. Should I sneak a piece while the two of them are focused on their conversation? No, if I interrupt the flow, that will be embarrassing in its own way. Let us just eat rice.

“Right. Let us start by signing an MOU for now.”

Just then, the dull sound characteristic of a marble dining table came from in front of him. When he turned his gaze from his rice bowl, the plate of rolled omelets he had so wanted to eat was sitting there. Yeonoh, who had been sucking on his chopsticks, stared with wide eyes, sneaking glances back and forth between Heonyoung and Dojin, who were deep in conversation.

Could Dojin have given it to me? No, if he had, Dojin’s hand, who is sitting right next to me, would have been in my line of sight. Then, was it Heonyoung…? But he is in the middle of a conversation with Dojin, as if nothing happened.

How on earth did Seo Heonyoung, who had not looked his way even once, notice him drooling over the rolled omelet?

Why am I getting flutters for no reason? In an instant, Yeonoh’s face became hot, and he bowed his head.

“Yeonoh, are you sick?”

“What? Ah, no. I almost dropped my chopsticks. Haha.”

“Ah, really? That is a relief then.”

The two men, not thinking much of it, resumed their conversation. Yeonoh, with his chopsticks in his mouth, stealthily glanced at Heonyoung out of the corner of his eye. He had neatly folded his shirt sleeve once, as if the long sleeve was bothering him, and the hand connected to his straight forearm was holding the chopsticks correctly.

Yeonoh picked up a piece of the rolled omelet and put it in his mouth. Just as its appearance suggested, it was soft, seasoned appropriately, and the taste of the finely chopped vegetables, like green onions, was even refreshing. It was a perfect rolled omelet. Yeonoh swallowed the whole piece and was about to pick up another one.

“Ji Yeonoh.”

“Yes, yessir?”

Like Pavlov’s dog, he instinctively put down his chopsticks at Seo Heonyoung’s call and answered. It seemed the rule was one piece of rolled omelet per person.