FF Chapter 32

She spoke on the phone with a bright smile, looking directly at Lee Hyunjun, her voice much more cheerful and flirtatious than when she had spoken to him moments ago. After turning around, she grabbed her bag and coat from the sofa and left.

Lee Hyunjun stood frozen, unable to hide his anger. He was jolted back to reality by the sound of a message notification. Absentmindedly, he raised his hand to check his phone, then let out a hollow laugh.

The message contained a photo of Choi Muhyeok and Ji Yeonwoo kissing inside what appeared to be Choi Muhyeok’s car.

It felt as though the photo was mocking Lee Hyunjun, taunting him for being stuck in the past.

“Damn it, do they think I can’t touch them?”

His hands trembled as he gripped the phone tightly, before throwing it at the study window. The sound of shattering glass echoed as the phone crashed through the window. Watching the broken glass fall, Lee Hyunjun stormed out of the house.

At that moment, his twisted obsession finally crossed the line.

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“Ah!”

Ji Yeonwoo, who had been absentmindedly drinking water by the water cooler, accidentally dropped the cup in his hand. The glass hit the floor with a loud crash, shattering into pieces.

“Ugh.”

Startled by his own action, Ji Yeonwoo took a step back but immediately winced. He felt a sharp pain in his foot and something wet trickling down. Looking down, he saw dark red blood dripping onto the floor. He must have stepped on a piece of the broken glass.

“Yeonwoo, what—!”

Choi Muhyeok, who had been getting ready for work, rushed into the kitchen at the sound of the glass breaking. He frowned when he saw Ji Yeonwoo standing awkwardly with one foot slightly raised, glass embedded in it.

“Sorry, I dropped the cup by accident.”

The kitchen floor was a mess with shattered glass and spilled water everywhere.

“Don’t move. Stay still. There might be more glass pieces around.”

The floor was a glossy white marble, and the glass shards blended in, almost invisible. The bloodstains on the floor stood out like flaws in the otherwise pristine surface.

Choi Muhyeok quickly turned back and returned with a cordless vacuum cleaner in hand.

“Hold on to me and just stay put.”

“What about the broken cup?”

Choi Muhyeok expertly began cleaning up the shattered glass while supporting the wobbly Ji Yeonwoo with one hand. Even as he moved the vacuum back and forth, his eyes kept darting to Ji Yeonwoo’s injured foot.

“Is the cup really what matters right now?”

“But you said it was made of crystal.”

“Don’t worry about that. We can always buy another one. Ah, the bleeding’s not stopping.”

Seeing the blood continuing to drip, Choi Muhyeok frowned. Once he finished cleaning, he placed the vacuum on the dining table and approached Ji Yeonwoo again.

“Muhyeok, you should put on slippers too.”

“Who’s worrying about who right now?”

Without another word, Choi Muhyeok lifted Ji Yeonwoo in his arms and carried him to the living room. After gently setting him down on the sofa, he retrieved the first aid kit, kneeling in front of Ji Yeonwoo and placing the injured foot on his knee.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

“Just a little.”

“Oh, there’s a piece of glass stuck in here.”

As he wiped away the blood around the wound on Ji Yeonwoo’s pale foot, a shard of glass became visible. Reaching out, Choi Muhyeok grabbed a pair of tweezers and looked up at Ji Yeonwoo, whose face was full of worry.

“It’ll hurt, but you need to bear with it for a bit. We have to get it out or it’ll get worse.”

Holding Ji Yeonwoo’s foot steady with one hand, Choi Muhyeok used the tweezers to carefully remove the shard. Fortunately, aside from a small sting, there was no intense pain.

After setting the glass and tweezers on the table, Choi Muhyeok expertly stopped the bleeding and disinfected the wound. Ji Yeonwoo, watching him work, thought, So this is what it’s like to be involved in the underworld. He’s really good at this.

As he looked at the shard that had been lodged in his foot, Ji Yeonwoo wondered, Why did I drop the glass in the first place?

He tried to recall. He was sure he’d slept well, but for some reason, he felt a bit out of it since morning. Perhaps the reason was the dizziness and slight fever that had started again after being quiet for a while, but he wasn’t sure.

“All done. It’s not serious, but you might feel discomfort when walking. How about resting today?”

Ji Yeonwoo smiled softly and shook his head.

“If I close the shop just because of a little injury, we’ll lose all our regular customers.”

“You can’t even walk properly, and you’re planning to work like this?”

“That’s just how it is when you run your own business.”

Choi Muhyeok, swayed by Ji Yeonwoo’s calm tone, couldn’t argue any further.

“If you insist on working, I can’t stop you, but I’m still worried. Oh, didn’t you also say you were going to the hospital today?”

“Yes, I need to go see the results from the test I had last time. I didn’t have time earlier, so I made an appointment for this afternoon.”

“Was it at six?”

“Yes, it’ll probably be one of the last appointments.”

Choi Muhyeok checked the time on his watch and looked conflicted.

“You said you had a prior engagement today?”

Choi Muhyeok gently touched the foot he had just wrapped with bandages.

“It’s not an important meeting, but this time, I need to be there. If I don’t, I might lose something precious.”

Ji Yeonwoo didn’t ask why he had to go or what the meeting was about, even though he didn’t quite understand what that “precious” thing meant.

He didn’t want to make him lose something important over a simple hospital visit.

“I’ll send someone to take you to the hospital at the appointment time. Just use their car.”

“Okay. I’ll do that.”

He didn’t add anything further. He understood fully why Choi Muhyeok couldn’t accompany him and felt no resentment.

In fact, he felt quite pleased to receive Choi Muhyeok’s kindness in this roundabout way.

Being looked after by someone was proof of being loved.

Standing up, Choi Muhyeok cupped Ji Yeonwoo’s face with both hands.

“As soon as I’m done, I’ll head straight to your place. I’ll be there before ten at the latest.”

Leaning into his touch, Ji Yeonwoo tilted his head back to look up at him.

“So, I should wait up for you without falling asleep?”

“…You’re learning.”

Choi Muhyeok looked at Ji Yeonwoo as if he were beautiful, then leaned down to kiss him lightly on the lips.

“And it would be even better if you wait without showering.”

The kiss, with a playful pop sound as they parted, left Choi Muhyeok rubbing his nose and looking into Ji Yeonwoo’s eyes from up close.

“I doubt I could shower on my own anyway, with my foot like this.”

Seeing Ji Yeonwoo groan in mock pain, Choi Muhyeok chuckled as if exasperated. Lately, Ji Yeonwoo had been seeing that rare smile of his more often, which made him happy.

It wasn’t for any reason other than knowing that this smile was something Choi Muhyeok only showed in front of him.

“You’ll have to help me shower, Muhyeok.”

He laughed again. Still holding Ji Yeonwoo’s face, Choi Muhyeok leaned in closer, and as his handsome face neared, Ji Yeonwoo’s eyelids fluttered shut.

“So, come quickly.”

Their lips met again, pressing together warmly, before Choi Muhyeok gently tilted his face, brushing their noses together.

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As the hospital appointment time approached, a man who introduced himself as Choi Muhyeok’s secretary came to pick Ji Yeonwoo up, just as promised. He had expected someone rough-looking and bulky, but the man who appeared was actually quite slim and neatly dressed. His half-rimmed glasses gave his otherwise sharp features a somewhat softer appearance.

“Nice to meet you. I’ve been sent under Managing Director Choi Muhyeok’s orders to escort you.”

“Oh, hello.”

Feeling awkward, Ji Yeonwoo greeted him back. Small actions like these made him feel that what Choi Muhyeok said about working in a somewhat gang-like business might actually be true. And the man standing before him really did seem like one of his subordinates.

The man opened the backseat door for Ji Yeonwoo and helped him in before quickly getting into the driver’s seat.

There was an awkward atmosphere inside the car. Ji Yeonwoo glanced at the man through the rearview mirror, and their eyes met. His almost expressionless face reminded Ji Yeonwoo of when he first met Choi Muhyeok. They even have the same look. He chuckled at the thought, but the man briefly turned his head and spoke over his shoulder.

“Shall we head straight to the hospital?”

“Yes. Since it’s the last time slot, we should hurry.”

“Understood. I’ll take you right away…”

As he confirmed the destination, the man’s attention shifted to his phone vibrating nearby. It was mounted on the dashboard, and the caller ID read “Boss.”

“I’ll just take this call before we leave.”

Glancing at Ji Yeonwoo in the backseat for permission through the rearview mirror, the man answered the phone.

“It’s Park Jincheol speaking.”

His tone shifted to something much more formal compared to when he’d spoken to Ji Yeonwoo. Watching Park Jincheol straighten his posture, Ji Yeonwoo found it fascinating how his demeanor had changed just by answering the phone.

“Yes, he just got into the car, and we’re about to head to the hospital. Ah, one moment, please.”

Park Jincheol glanced at Ji Yeonwoo again before turning around.

“They’d like you to take the call for a moment.”

Surprised, Ji Yeonwoo looked at him curiously as Park Jincheol handed him the phone.

“Hello? Muhyeok?”

When Ji Yeonwoo answered the phone, awkwardly eyeing the word “Boss” on the screen, a soft chuckle came from the other end. It was Choi Muhyeok’s distinct low, resonant laugh.

[Yes, it’s me.]

The moment Ji Yeonwoo heard Choi Muhyeok’s voice, the tension that had been gripping his body finally loosened.

In truth, he had been on edge ever since the man arrived. Although Muhyeok had said he would send someone, Yeonwoo couldn’t be entirely certain that the person truly came on his behalf. The man’s excessively neat appearance didn’t align with the usual image of someone connected to the underworld, adding to his unease.

[I couldn’t accompany you, so I sent a subordinate I trust deeply. You know how people say ‘right-hand man’? Think of him as someone on that level.]

As if sensing Ji Yeonwoo’s concerns, Muhyeok’s call immediately washed away all his worries.

[He’s skilled, by the way—he’s a 9th dan in Taekwondo, Aikido, and Judo combined. So, there’s no need to worry about your safety.]

“I understand. You said you’re busy, right? Don’t mind me—just take care of your business.”

Thinking about how Muhyeok had somehow managed to squeeze in time to share all this information with him, despite his important prior engagements, made Ji Yeonwoo chuckle.

[Have a good visit to the hospital. And let me know the results when you get them.]

“I will. See you later. I’m hanging up.”

Ji Yeonwoo stared at the phone screen, where “Boss” was displayed, for a moment with a hint of reluctance before pressing the end button with his thumb.

“Thanks for letting me use your phone.”

He handed the phone back to Park Jinchul, who was sitting in the driver’s seat. Jinchul gave a slight nod as he took the phone and started the car.

Thanks to Park Jinchul’s quick driving, they arrived at the hospital a little earlier than the scheduled appointment time. The real challenge came after that. Ji Yeonwoo had to struggle to convince Jinchul to stay behind when he insisted on accompanying him into the hospital.

It felt awkward to visit the hospital with someone he didn’t know well—especially someone other than Choi Muhyeok.

After a long back-and-forth, Yeonwoo finally left Jinchul in the underground parking lot and went up to the hospital alone. He sat down in front of the consultation room, waiting for his turn.

“Ji Yeonwoo, please come in.”

Before long, a voice called his name. Since it was the last appointment slot, everything seemed to be moving faster than usual. If he had waited too long, he might have gotten anxious, but things moved quickly, giving him no time to feel nervous.

“Yes.”

As he stood up awkwardly, the nurse directed him, “Please go to Consultation Room 2.” Following her instructions, Yeonwoo entered the room. A doctor in a white coat turned from the monitor and greeted him.

“Mr. Ji Yeonwoo, please have a seat.”

He perched lightly on the round stool, feeling sweat gathering in his palms. He rubbed his hands on his pants, trying to ease the discomfort.

“You are a dominant Omega, but you’re currently experiencing pheromone depletion.”

“Yes.”

“You mentioned that the symptoms began about four years ago, correct?”

“Yes, that’s what I remember.”

“Hmm. When was the last time you had a phenotype test?”

The doctor, who had been looking at the monitor intently, turned to Yeonwoo and asked.

“The last time I had one was four years ago. But why…?”

Yeonwoo’s face tensed. From the first question, he could sense that something was off.

“I think it would be best for you to undergo a thorough examination at a larger hospital.”

As the doctor continued, Yeonwoo felt like his heart sank. Fighting the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm him, he managed to ask,

“Is there a problem?”

His voice trembled as he spoke. The doctor turned the monitor toward Yeonwoo.

“Here, do you see these numbers on the screen? This is from your first phenotype test. As you can see, the values were perfectly aligned with a dominant Omega’s standards. Now, look at these numbers from four years ago—notice how they’ve dropped to nearly Beta levels. And now, these are the results from your most recent test…”

The doctor clicked through to the final screen, and Yeonwoo inhaled sharply.

“You’ll see that the values have fallen even below those of a recessive Omega.”

Yeonwoo stared at the cursor on the screen, his eyes shaking.

“Six years ago, when your values were at their peak, you were considered a highly exceptional dominant Omega. I’ve never encountered a case where a dominant Omega experienced such drastic pheromone depletion. The bigger concern is that the recovery process seems extremely slow.”

“So… are you saying it’s gotten worse?”

His voice wavered uncontrollably as he clenched his damp palms beneath the desk.

“It’s too soon to say anything definitively. This is just my interpretation of the data, based on the test results. That’s why I recommend you go to a larger hospital for a comprehensive examination.”

Yeonwoo had already suspected something was wrong, given how unwell he’d been feeling. The fact that these symptoms mirrored what happened when he first lost his pheromones only added to his unease. Hearing it confirmed by the doctor made him feel even more unsettled.

On the way home, Yeonwoo remained silent, staring out the window.

Oddly enough, the first person that came to mind when he heard the doctor’s words wasn’t his parents—it was Choi Muhyeok.

Regret gnawed at him. If only he had kept up with regular check-ups and taken better care of himself. He regretted ignoring his parents’ advice to visit the hospital regularly, stubbornly brushing off their concerns.

‘How am I going to explain this to Muhyeok?’

He had lived recklessly, insisting he wouldn’t love anyone again and convincing himself that living like a Beta was easier. But now, that complacency had come back to haunt him like a boomerang.

The doctor said it was too early to conclude anything, but Ji Yeonwoo knew exactly what it meant. The sluggish recovery of his levels and the doctor’s momentary hesitation before answering told him everything he needed to know.

‘How will Choi Muhyeok react if he finds out I might have to live the rest of my life like a Beta? Could someone like him—who is practically a dominant Alpha—ever be satisfied with someone like me, who is no different from a Beta now? If I could at least recover to the level of a recessive Omega, there might be a slim chance I could get pregnant… but if I stay like this…’

The more he thought about it, the more hopeless it felt. Lost in these despairing thoughts, Ji Yeonwoo finally shut his eyes tightly.

Once again, dizziness and nausea overwhelmed him.

“Um… we’ve arrived.”

The sudden voice pulled him back, and he opened his eyes, lifting his head. The familiar view outside the darkened window greeted him.

They had already arrived at the parking lot of the officetel where he lived.

“Oh, sorry. I was just lost in thought for a moment…”

“Are you all right? You don’t look well.”

Park Jinchul turned toward the back seat and asked, concern evident in his voice. Had it been that obvious? Embarrassed, Ji Yeonwoo quickly averted his gaze.

“It’s nothing. Thank you for today. Drive safely.”

With those words, Ji Yeonwoo opened the door and stepped out of the back seat. He had barely taken a few steps when the world spun around him.

“Ah…”

With a short gasp, he stumbled, barely managing to steady himself.

Sensing someone’s gaze, he turned his head to the side. Park Jinchul, who had gotten out of the driver’s seat, was quietly observing him with a concerned look.