FF Chapter 33

Upon closer consideration, he was not only Ji Yeonwoo’s reliable bodyguard, but also Choi Muhyeok’s eyes, who wasn’t present at the moment. Knowing that everything Ji Yeonwoo said and did would eventually be relayed to Choi Muhyeok made him cautious of every word and action. Clenching his teeth at the thought of not showing any weakness, he stepped inside the entrance.

As he pressed the elevator button and waited, he peeked outside through the entrance, catching a glimpse of the red taillights of a car leaving the officetel entrance. He’s leaving. Only then did a bit of the tension subside.

From the stranger sent by Choi Muhyeok to the doctor’s words at the hospital.

The day had been one of constant tension, leaving his body completely drained of strength. Stepping wearily into the arriving elevator, Ji Yeonwoo grabbed the railing and felt a wave of nausea as the elevator ascended. The feeling of being lifted into the air was particularly unpleasant today, so he forced himself to suppress the queasiness. Once he got off the elevator, he hurriedly walked toward his apartment.

All he could think about was lying down as quickly as possible. He punched in the code and opened the door to his home, but suddenly, he froze at the presence he felt behind him.

A dark shadow rushed toward him.

“…Mmph!”

He let out a startled cry, but the figure swiftly covered his mouth.

“If you scream, you won’t like what happens next.”

The man, holding Ji Yeonwoo’s mouth shut, spoke with a threatening tone. Ji Yeonwoo’s eyes shook wildly at the sound of his voice.

‘This voice, no way…!’

The moment he realized who it was, his body stiffened, and his breath quickened. His mind went blank. Although his mouth was covered, he could have screamed, but something lodged in his throat, and no sound came out. Overcome by fear, his breath came out in shallow gasps between the fingers covering his mouth.

Ignoring Ji Yeonwoo’s reaction, the man pressed closer, still covering his mouth. As Ji Yeonwoo stumbled backward in sync with the man’s steps, they both ended up inside the apartment, and the door closed behind them.

— Click, beep.

The sound of the door locking echoed, and the man removed his hand from Ji Yeonwoo’s mouth, staring directly into his eyes. Watching Ji Yeonwoo’s trembling breaths, he twisted his lips into a calm smirk.

“It’s been a while, Yeonwoo.”

He pulled back the deep black hood he had been wearing. Under the bright sensor light at the entrance, the man’s face emerged, his black baseball cap pulled low over his eyes.

“Why…?”

Ji Yeonwoo, unable to comprehend the situation, forced out the words as he stared at him.

“I told you, if you don’t want to see me, answer your phone.”

Lee Hyunjun, whom Ji Yeonwoo had forgotten while living under Choi Muhyeok’s protection, had reappeared before him.

Lee Hyunjun shoved Ji Yeonwoo against the wall in the entryway, standing so close that there was barely enough room for a fist between them. As they stood like that, the sensor light flickered off, plunging the area into complete darkness.

Even in the darkness, Ji Yeonwoo could feel the weight of Lee Hyunjun’s gaze bearing down on him. He began to regain his composure, bit by bit. When Lee Hyunjun had first called, he’d been too shocked to respond, but now there was no reason for him to feel that way. Lee Hyunjun was no longer someone who mattered to him, and there was no reason to cry or beg in front of him.

Crying or showing fear here would only fuel his cruelty, just as it had in the past.

After staring for a long moment, Lee Hyunjun glanced inside the apartment. Seizing the moment when his attention was elsewhere, Ji Yeonwoo cautiously pulled out his phone from his pocket.

“Haa, Yeonwoo.”

But Lee Hyunjun, having noticed the movement, snatched the phone from Ji Yeonwoo’s hand and threw it aside. The phone flew helplessly and landed somewhere in the living room with a dull thud.

“What are you doing? I just want to have a conversation, is that really so bad?”

With even the faintest thread of hope slipping away, Ji Yeonwoo felt dizzy.

“What were you planning to do with that phone? Call the police?”

“Isn’t that obvious? You’re in someone else’s home without permission. You know that, right?”

“How can you call me a stranger? After everything we’ve been through together, are we strangers just because we’ve been apart for a bit?”

“Have you lost your mind? You show up in front of me and act so shamelessly…?”

The anger he had been holding back exploded all at once. He had thought, at some point in his life, that they might meet again. But never had he imagined it would be in such a rude and forceful way.

He was sick of it, utterly fed up. He thought he had escaped it all, but now it felt like he was right back where he started, like a hamster running on a wheel. His chest tightened with frustration.

“A conversation? What could I possibly have to say to you?”

“Ji Yeonwoo.”

“Get out. I don’t even want to see your face.”

“…Get out?”

When Ji Yeonwoo spoke in a firm tone, Lee Hyunjun let out a breath and turned his gaze to the air.

“That’s right. This is my house. If the homeowner tells you to leave three times and you still stay, it’s clearly trespassing. So get out, right now.”

Lee Hyunjun turned back and stared straight at Ji Yeonwoo.

“Didn’t you hear me?”

Lee Hyunjun didn’t move an inch. The moment Ji Yeonwoo met his eyes, memories he had desperately tried to forget started to flash through his mind like a reel of film. As those memories resurfaced, his body began to tremble uncontrollably in fear, against his will.

Lee Hyunjun looked him over and let out a deflating laugh.

“Why… are you laughing? Do you think this is funny?”

Ji Yeonwoo frowned in disbelief, a chill running down his spine. He couldn’t understand Lee Hyunjun’s behavior at all.

“Even after everything I did, you still call me ‘senior.’”

Lee Hyunjun mumbled to himself, then took another step closer. Noticing his movement, Ji Yeonwoo flinched and pressed himself harder against the wall. The light from the sensor reflected off the dark shadows under Lee Hyunjun’s eyes.

“To be honest, I thought you’d slap me the moment you saw me. But seeing that we’re able to talk like this, I feel a bit more at ease.”

“…What?”

“See? You haven’t changed one bit. You still have that unnecessary compassion.”

As time passed, Lee Hyunjun seemed to become calmer, but Ji Yeonwoo’s heart began to race even faster.

“Why did I come? Obviously, I came to see you. I realized there’s no one I’ve ever liked as much as you.”

Fear washed over Ji Yeonwoo, so intense that he wanted to flee from the house immediately. He was beginning to understand what Lee Hyunjun wanted. He had a feeling that if they stayed face-to-face any longer, something terrible might happen.

“Stop with the nonsense. You’d better leave now. My boyfriend will be here soon.”

Ji Yeonwoo glanced at the clock on the wall, trying to keep his expression calm. It was only just before 8 o’clock. Choi Muhyeok wouldn’t arrive for at least two more hours, but Ji Yeonwoo pretended he would be there any minute. He hoped that the knowledge someone else was coming would stop Lee Hyunjun from doing anything reckless.

However, Lee Hyunjun just smiled, as if he already knew everything. It was a mocking smile, like he was in on a secret.

“You know what Choi Muhyeok is doing right now, don’t you?”

“…What?”

“You know he’s not coming, right?”

“……!”

Ji Yeonwoo’s eyes widened in shock. His heart pounded uncontrollably. The fact that Lee Hyunjun knew Muhyeok’s name, as well as the way he spoke as if he knew everything, left Ji Yeonwoo completely bewildered.

“He probably didn’t tell you, right? About what he’s doing today?”

“…How do you know Muhyeok?”

“Does it matter that I know him? Isn’t it more important what that bastard is doing?”

Lee Hyunjun’s tone was grating, but Ji Yeonwoo couldn’t refute it. He was right. Choi Muhyeok had told him that he had an important appointment today. He had mentioned that not attending could put someone important in danger, but Ji Yeonwoo hadn’t asked for more details.

“Choi Muhyeok is at the 00 Hotel right now.”

The moment he heard those words, Ji Yeonwoo’s heart sank. He had prepared himself not to be shaken, but the word “hotel” made his mind go completely blank.

“A hotel? Why would he be there…?”

“If you don’t believe me, go ahead and ask him. See if I’m lying.”

“No, there’s no way…”

“Don’t you wonder why he’s at a hotel? Aren’t you curious?”

“I don’t want to hear it from you.”

Lee Hyunjun twisted his lips into a sneer and continued speaking, even though Ji Yeonwoo clearly didn’t want to hear it.

“He’s probably at that hotel with the eldest daughter of Assemblyman Park.”

At that, any shred of denial Ji Yeonwoo had been clinging to vanished completely.

“Don’t you get it? He’s meeting her for a matchmaking date, right now.”

“…A date?”

“That’s right. Oh, you do know why they chose a hotel for the date, don’t you?”

Ji Yeonwoo’s eyes trembled slightly.

“They use hotels for dates so that, if they hit it off, they can head straight up to the rooms. I bet they’ve already reserved a suite.”

The human heart is a treacherous thing. Ji Yeonwoo knew Choi Muhyeok wasn’t that kind of man, yet he found himself swayed by how convincing Lee Hyunjun’s words sounded. He felt disgusted with himself for doubting.

“That’s how relationships work for your kind. An elite Alpha like Choi Muhyeok can’t possibly be satisfied with someone like you—someone who doesn’t even emit pheromones.”

“Stop talking nonsense. The Managing Director… Muhyeok isn’t like that….”

“You know it, don’t you? That’s why you’re so anxious. You’re scared, thinking about how long he’ll stay by your side, when you don’t even give off pheromones.”

“That’s not… I’m not….”

“Yeonwoo, anyway, people with secondary genders are driven by pheromones. How many Alphas do you think can resist an Omega charging at them once the pheromones are released?”

“……”

“Do you really think a dominant Alpha like Choi Muhyeok, who isn’t affected by your lack of pheromones, will stay by your side for long? In the end, you’ll be abandoned in an even more miserable way than when you were with me.”

Ji Yeonwoo clenched his trembling hands tightly, forcing himself to steady his shaking heart. He had to keep his mind clear. He thought hard about why this person had come all the way here to talk about Choi Muhyeok.

Even with wavering eyes, he tried to recall the kind words Choi Muhyeok had shown him so far.

I can’t crumble. I can’t show any weakness.

If I collapse here, all the time I endured with gritted teeth will turn into nothing in an instant. I can’t let that happen.

“Don’t talk about Choi Muhyeok with that mouth. Do you think Choi Muhyeok is someone like you? No matter what, he’s a far better person than you could ever be.”

As Ji Yeonwoo regained his composure, Lee Hyunjun’s expression began to distort. It was as if he had expected Yeonwoo to break down crying, like before, just by mentioning Choi Muhyeok.

“What do you mean, someone like me? Yeonwoo, at least I never resorted to violence.”

“Yeah, you didn’t use violence. Instead, you did something even more shameless and disgusting.”

Ji Yeonwoo glared at Lee Hyunjun, his eyes filling with tears. Lee Hyunjun’s expression hardened under the weight of that gaze.

“If you think I’m going to falter, you’re wrong. I trust Muhyeok.”

“Are you an idiot? Choi Muhyeok is already looking for someone else behind your back.”

“Even if that’s true, there must have been a reason why he couldn’t tell me.”

“Hey—”

“Even if Muhyeok eventually abandons me….”

As he spoke, Ji Yeonwoo felt tears well up. He clenched his teeth, trying to hold them back, biting the inside of his cheek to endure the pain. He swallowed the tears several times, his throat bobbing, before continuing.

“Even if his heart changes and I end up alone, it won’t be worse than every moment I spent with you. Do you understand?”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, I’m serious. That’s why I want to stop being involved with you.”

Lee Hyunjun’s eyebrows twitched as he listened silently.

“You’re married, right? And you’re doing fine, aren’t you? So why are you doing this to me?”

“Hah….”

“Please, get out of my life. I’m begging you.”

Lee Hyunjun took a sharp breath, cursing under his breath as he averted his gaze.

“Sh*t, this is really messing me up.”

Staring off into space, Lee Hyunjun ran his hand through his hair, muttering. When he turned back to look at Ji Yeonwoo, his eyes had lost all reason.

“I underestimated you. I miscalculated. If I knew this would happen, I should’ve just kidnapped you from the hospital.”

Hearing those words, Yeonwoo couldn’t control his expression.

“Did you… follow me?”

“I thought things would calm down if we talked at home. But I really underestimated you.”

As if his true nature was surfacing, Lee Hyunjun’s expression shifted. When Ji Yeonwoo instinctively stepped back, Lee Hyunjun grabbed his arm.

“Why did you get so tough? Are you really the same innocent Ji Yeonwoo?”

The moment Yeonwoo reflexively tried to shake off his arm, Lee Hyunjun pushed him against the wall, pressing his body tightly against him. The feeling of something half-erect pressing into him sent chills down Yeonwoo’s spine.

“M-move. What are you doing? Get away from me!”

He could already picture what might happen next. Gripped by extreme fear, Yeonwoo flailed his hands and feet, trying to push Hyunjun away. But Hyunjun caught both of his hands and pinned them above his head.

As Hyunjun forced his lips closer, Yeonwoo clenched his lips tightly, desperately turning his head from side to side to avoid him. Hyunjun shifted both wrists into one hand, then grabbed a fistful of Yeonwoo’s hair with the other.

“Agh!”

A scream escaped as pain shot through Yeonwoo’s scalp.

“Yeonwoo, you were always the prettiest when you cried under me. So why….”

With his grip on Yeonwoo’s hair, Hyunjun brought his face closer.

“How dare you get even prettier without pheromones, making me lose my mind? Huh?”

“Ah… h-hic….”

“You should’ve been crying, clinging to me. If your skin looks this smooth and soft, how do you expect me not to want you?”

“Hnngh….”

“Is Choi Muhyeok good to you? How good? Does he keep you up all night holding you? Then all your holes must be loose by now. Aren’t you living at his place? Tell me! What does he do to you?”

Finally, the tears Yeonwoo had held back burst out. He let out a pathetic sob, the pain in his head mixing with his helplessness. Hyunjun stared straight into Yeonwoo’s tear-filled eyes as he spoke.

“Why did you lose your pheromones and ruin everything? If you hadn’t lost your pheromones, I wouldn’t have hit rock bottom! I wouldn’t be living in misery, being looked down on by that damn Omega….”

Hyunjun, ranting in frustration, suddenly stopped, grinding his teeth so hard they creaked.

“No, does that even make sense? How do you end up with a pheromone deficiency just from taking a few drugs? What kind of dominant Omega is this f*cking weak? You faked your genetic test results to marry me, didn’t you? Were you never a dominant Omega to begin with?”

Spouting nonsensical accusations, Hyunjun gripped Yeonwoo’s arm tighter and turned him around.

“I don’t care anymore. You’re coming with me. Let’s go.”

“No! Let go of me! Let go!”

Panic-stricken, Yeonwoo planted his feet, struggling to pry Hyunjun’s hand off.

“Screaming won’t help. I’ve already taken care of that big guy who’s been following you around like a shadow, and I know the guy who brought you here already left. Plus, Choi Muhyeok is somewhere else, so he can’t come. There’s no one here who can help you.”

“I’m not going. Even if I die, I won’t go! Let go of me! Let go!”

“I told you to shut up.”

“H-help! Someone save—! Mmph! Mmmph!”

As Yeonwoo struggled desperately, Lee Hyunjun covered his mouth. Yeonwoo, flailing and resisting with all his might, noticed a few small flowerpots. When he first came to this house, he had placed them on the low shoe rack that had looked bare.

The moment he saw the flowerpots, he didn’t even have time to think. He reached out and grabbed whichever one he could, smashing it down on Lee Hyunjun’s head.

With a dull thud, the pot shattered into pieces as it hit Lee Hyunjun’s head.

“Agh!”

Lee Hyunjun screamed, clutching his head, and swung his arm. Yeonwoo, unable to dodge the fist flying toward his face, was struck and fell to the floor.

“Ugh….”

Lying half in the entryway and half in the living room, Yeonwoo groaned in pain as he struggled to get up. His jaw throbbed, and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. Somewhere inside, his mouth or lips had split open.

Wincing from the pain in his face, he looked up.

“Hah, ah… f*ck.”

Lee Hyunjun staggered, holding his head.

“W-what… blood…?”

When he removed his hand from his head, his palm was soaked with blood. Seeing the blood, his eyes went wild with rage.

“You think I’m just going to let this slide?!”