FF Chapter 4

He had left a strong first impression. The black cashmere coat suited him intimidatingly well, and he was a remarkably handsome man. His features were bold, and his facial structure was sharply defined, giving him a striking appearance that was almost reminiscent of a Western man. His image lingered in Ji Yeonwoo’s mind.

“He didn’t seem like someone who’s particularly fond of flowers,” he mused.

Ji Yeonwoo tried to figure out why Choi Muhyeok had returned. There were several possibilities, but the most likely one was that, like him, Choi Muhyeok might also be a Trait Carrier. And perhaps a highly capable Alpha at that.

It was a curious situation. Ji Yeonwoo had heard that the more dominant an Alpha, the better they are at detecting Omegas. But he never imagined it would be possible without any pheromones involved. Based on Choi Muhyeok’s reactions, it didn’t seem like he was merely mistaking him for a Beta.

“What on earth is going on with him?” Ji Yeonwoo wondered aloud, his voice full of suspicion that echoed through the quiet living room.

In truth, Ji Yeonwoo was often mistaken for a Beta because he practically lacked pheromones. Since over 90% of the population was Beta, it was almost natural for someone like him, who had no detectable pheromones, to be misidentified as one.

However, Ji Yeonwoo never felt the need to correct this misunderstanding. After getting divorced and finally getting used to living on his own, he had become accustomed to living a normal life without the influence of Alpha pheromones or suppressants.

Since his Omega traits hadn’t changed, Ji Yeonwoo still experienced heat cycles occasionally, but they only occurred once or twice a year. Aside from those times, he was generally healthy and led a relatively stable life.

On the outside, he appeared no different from a Beta, so there was no need for him to reveal to others that he was an Omega suffering from pheromone deficiency. Losing pheromones was considered a serious condition for Omegas. For a Trait Carrier, pheromones functioned much like hormones, and lacking them often led to illness or an inability to live a normal life. However, Ji Yeonwoo’s pheromone deficiency was an acquired condition, where he had only lost his pheromones without any accompanying illness—a rare case.

As Ji Yeonwoo reminisced about those times, he heard a vibrating noise and slowly turned his head. His gaze landed on his phone, vibrating on the sofa table. It was a call from his friend, Seo Eungyeom.

“Yeah, Eungyeom?”

— What are you up to?

Came the familiar nickname the moment he answered, bringing a smile to Ji Yeonwoo’s face.

Seo Eungyeom, who had been with Ji Yeonwoo since middle school through high school, was his one and only close friend. Eungyeom had witnessed every step of Ji Yeonwoo’s life, from graduation to repeated marriage and divorce, and had stayed by his side through all the hardships.

“Just finished a shower and having a beer. What about you?”

— Must be nice. I’m working late. Just finished dinner and need to get back to it.

“Another late night? You should take care of yourself.”

— I don’t even care anymore. At this point, I kind of wish I’d just collapse.

“Hey, don’t say things like that, even as a joke.”

— Who said I was serious? Just talking.

Even from the brief conversation, it was clear that Eungyeom was exhausted. After three attempts, he had finally joined a company’s planning department, and it seemed the workload was overwhelming.

— Ah, I thought everything would be easier once I got the job, but why didn’t anyone tell me that was just the beginning? I’m going to die working on projects.

“Is the work really that much?”

— These days, getting off work by 10 PM is considered good.

“What? 10 o’clock? Isn’t that a bit much?”

— What can you do? As a working adult, you just have to do what the higher-ups say.

“Then you won’t even have time to meet your boyfriend, right?”

— It’s been over a week since I last saw him, and he’s probably really mad by now.

“Knowing that he’s mad, aren’t you being too calm?”

— I have a plan. It’ll be a hit in a bit.

Hearing the mention of his boyfriend, Eungyeom’s voice brightened up noticeably, and Ji Yeonwoo gave a small smile.

“You still seem to be in good spirits. It’s a relief that at least you’re doing well with him.”

— But why are you drinking beer? Did something happen?

Knowing each other so well, Eungyeom immediately picked up on the unusual detail. Caught off guard, Ji Yeonwoo hesitated and glanced at the phone pressed to his ear.

— What is it? Tell me.

Sensing the tension in the silence, Eungyeom’s voice calmed down. Realizing there was no way to avoid it, Ji Yeonwoo placed the phone on the coffee table and switched it to speaker mode. Then, with the nearly empty beer can in hand, he stretched his arm over his curled-up knees and rested his head on it.

“It’s nothing serious. I just met someone at the store….”

— You met someone? Who did you meet?

Eungyeom’s voice, which had taken on a serious tone as if he was ready to offer advice, suddenly burst with excitement. For the past two years, Ji Yeonwoo hadn’t shown any interest in anyone, and Eungyeom, who had witnessed this from the closest distance, couldn’t help but get excited when Ji Yeonwoo, who had been unshakeable even after receiving advice like, “Go out and meet people. Breakups are healed by love,” finally mentioned meeting someone.

— What’s with the silence? Does that person like you? Are they an Alpha? Or a Beta?

“I don’t know yet.”

— Hey, if they’re a Beta, don’t even bother. You know what could happen if they find out you’re an Omega later on, right?

“They’re definitely not a Beta. Anyway, they bought flowers and came back to see me about two hours later.”

— Really? Why?

“They asked if it’s possible to have a meal or a drink if they become a VIP.”

— What? This is 100%. So, what happened?

“But….”

Ji Yeonwoo hesitated, cutting off his words. There was a murmur of noise beyond the phone, as if Eungyeom was whispering to someone next to him. The casual conversation dragged on. Eungyeom’s voice could be heard using polite language like “Yes, sir” and “I understand,” suggesting he was talking to a superior.

— Sorry. I think I have to go. The team leader is looking for me.

As expected, Eungyeom had to postpone the conversation.

“Yeah, it’s fine. Go work.”

— Damn, why does he have to call me now?

“Go on. I’ll tell you more next time we meet.”

— Anyway, I don’t have much time, so I can’t talk long, but Yeonwoo.

“Yeah?”

— I don’t know all the details, but don’t overthink it too much.

Despite needing to hurry, Eungyeom couldn’t help but offer some cautious advice, sensing that Ji Yeonwoo’s hesitation was weighing on him.

— No one in the world is without weaknesses. That’s true for me, and for my boyfriend too. Everyone lives with some scars and vulnerabilities.

“…….”

— Don’t be scared in advance of getting hurt or abandoned. Not everyone in the world is a piece of trash like Lee Hyunjun, right? Who knows? Maybe that person could bring some comfort to your life.

“……”

— There’s a saying that when a crappy car leaves, a Benz comes in. From what I see, there’s no crappier car than Lee Hyunjun. Doesn’t that thought put you at ease?

“Pfft, yeah, you’re right about that.”

— If that person says they like you, just see if they seem decent enough and give it a try. If you meet a few times and it doesn’t feel right, you can just dump them.

“What?”

Ji Yeonwoo, who had been quietly listening, laughed as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

— So don’t worry about it too much, okay?

“Okay, okay, now get back to work.”

— Yeah, I’ll call you later.

“Alright. Take care.”

After the call ended, a quiet stillness settled in. Ji Yeonwoo, who had been sitting still, pulled his knees up and hugged them, resting his chin on top. Maybe Eungyeom was right. It was probably too much to talk about genuine feelings after just one meeting.

Meet a few times and if it doesn’t work out, just dump them?

As Ji Yeonwoo fiddled with the business card in his hand, he repeated Eungyeom’s words in his mind, then gave a bitter smile and shook his head.

It had only been a day.

It seemed strange to say that he had fallen for someone in such a short time, and it didn’t feel quite right to say he liked them either. But if he interpreted it as a high-quality Alpha being drawn to an Omega, it wasn’t entirely incomprehensible.

People with such traits acted purely based on instinct. Even though pheromones could be annoying, they were born that way, so their relationships weren’t considered as serious as those of ordinary Betas. It was just light relationships dictated by pheromones—nothing more, nothing less. So, perhaps Choi Muhyeok didn’t approach him with any serious intentions either.

What lingered in his mind was the deep brown eyes that had looked him over. Choi Muhyeok’s eyes were deep and dark, like they were submerged in the deep sea.

‘This is meant to cause pain, not to bring excitement.’

Even though he knew those words weren’t directed at him, they had left him feeling unsettled. He had even considered not selling the marigolds. He didn’t want the recipient to suffer the same pain he had. But it wouldn’t have been polite to refuse the customer’s purchase, so he reluctantly handed them over, offering to exchange them for another flower if they wished.

‘Is that guess based on experience?’

Marigolds were part of Ji Yeonwoo’s painful memories. If he could, he would erase those memories forever. But no matter what he did, they wouldn’t disappear, so he had buried them deep within his heart, never expecting anyone else to bring them up.

‘Yeonwoo, do you know the name of this flower?’

The hand bringing the beer can to his lips paused in mid-air.

‘This is a marigold. I bought it because it reminded me of you. The flower’s meaning is beautiful too: the sorrow of parting, a forlorn love. From now on, every time you see this flower, you’ll think of me, won’t you, Yeonwoo?’

Even now, it was unbelievable how such words, disguised as kind, had left a permanent scar on Ji Yeonwoo.

‘I hope you get hurt and become unhappy. You know? You’re the prettiest when you cry. From now on, you’ll cry a lot thinking of me, Yeonwoo.’

The memories from two years ago flashed by. Unfortunately for Lee Hyunjun, Ji Yeonwoo had spent the past two years doing everything he could to avoid getting hurt and becoming unhappy, thinking it was the best revenge he could get. He opened the door to Flower Fiance, met with customers, smiled, talked, and studied flowers. As a result, he didn’t have time to try meeting anyone else.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t had opportunities. There were people who approached him with interest, but every time, he drew a clear line, treating them as customers and nothing more.

They were just passing acquaintances in his daily life. Some people even tried to set him up on dates, but Ji Yeonwoo politely declined each time. He reminded himself of his resolution not to easily give his heart to anyone again and built a wall around it. The first person who approached him actively enough to almost knock down that wall was Choi Muhyeok.

‘Is it possible to have a meal and a drink together?’

He had suddenly shown up while Ji Yeonwoo was in the middle of repotting plants, spreading soil all over the floor.

‘Such strict conditions. Does that mean I have to bring in a lot of sales?’

The image of Choi Muhyeok, who had pulled a long wallet from the inside pocket of his coat, ready to buy all the flowers in the small, roughly 5-pyeong (about 16.5 square meters) flower shop, flashed through his mind, making him chuckle unknowingly.

But the smile that had spread across his face quickly faded away.

‘Can someone who buys marigolds to hurt someone, like Lee Hyunjun did, really be considered a good person?’

The thought of Choi Muhyeok wouldn’t leave his mind in a negative way. It was because the belief that there couldn’t be another person like Lee Hyunjun in the world had begun to crack.

Who else would be crazy enough to give a flower that symbolizes separation? It seemed like such a person wasn’t as far away as he thought.

Or maybe it’s just that crazy people keep gravitating toward me.

Someone who had done such a thing once could very well do it again. So there was no need to think further—how he should deal with Choi Muhyeok was already clear.

Ji Yeonwoo took the business card out of his pocket, which he had been fiddling with.

“I won’t be fooled again.”

Having gone through life’s ups and downs at a young age, all Ji Yeonwoo had gained were sharp instincts and caution. He already knew, without needing an explanation, what Choi Muhyeok’s intentions were when he came back talking about becoming a VIP. Maybe things would have been different if he hadn’t bought the marigolds, but seeing through his obvious intentions, Ji Yeonwoo couldn’t accept his goodwill.

“I won’t ever meet someone who will hurt me again.”

As if hypnotizing himself, Ji Yeonwoo made this resolve, then tossed the business card into the trash and turned away.

 ݁˖ ❀ ⋆｡˚

It was an ordinary day.

His peaceful routine was filled with familiar flowers, regular customers, and the occasional new visitor dropping by.

There were a few times when he received calls from unknown numbers. They could have been reservation calls, but Ji Yeonwoo had thought they might be from Choi Muhyeok. Since he hadn’t saved Choi Muhyeok’s number and had thrown away the business card, there was no way to know for sure.

He didn’t separate his work and personal phones, and since it was a small flower shop, he used a reservation system managed by a portal site, so there was no need to check separately.

The chances that the calls were from Choi Muhyeok’s number were probably slim.

The missed calls were from different numbers. If there had been even one repeated number, he might have called back, but since each call only happened once, he could only assume they were wrong numbers.

Ji Yeonwoo walked, swiping his phone screen with his thumb, while wearing a jumper over his hoodie. It was cold, so he pulled the hoodie’s hood tightly over his head and kept walking until he reached a convenience store.

When he got home after work, he realized he was out of his favorite snacks. He didn’t usually snack much, but on nights when he got home late, he would eat something simple like chips or bread instead of a full meal. Eating late dinners often gave him indigestion.

After putting a few snacks and bread into his basket, Ji Yeonwoo noticed a refrigerator filled with neatly arranged beers.

‘Now that I think about it, I’m out of beer at home too.’

Without much thought, Ji Yeonwoo walked over to the beer fridge as if he were drawn to it. Normally, the alcohol section in convenience stores is at the very back, but this one was unusually located on the wall next to the counter, facing the entrance, so it was easy to see.

He put two cans of his favorite beer into the basket and then noticed a sign that said “2+1.” Should I grab one more? He thought as he opened the fridge again and reached for another beer. Just then, he heard the sound of the convenience store door opening behind him.

“……!”

Ji Yeonwoo instinctively turned around, his eyes widening in surprise.

“One pack of Parliament Lights, please.”

The man in a suit standing at the counter ordered in a flat tone, pulling out his wallet from his jacket pocket. His overall physique and mannerisms seemed oddly familiar, as if Ji Yeonwoo had seen this scene before.

“…Uh, Managing Director?”

It was definitely Choi Muhyeok.

As if tired, Choi Muhyeok closed his eyes lazily and stretched his neck from side to side. Sensing someone’s gaze, he turned his head towards Ji Yeonwoo.

The moment their eyes were about to meet, Ji Yeonwoo flinched and turned his back.

‘Why is he here at this time…?’

This was a convenience store near Ji Yeonwoo’s home. Although it was located along the street, there were many other convenience stores nearby, making it surprising to run into him here. Moreover, from what Ji Yeonwoo remembered, the address on the business card wasn’t in this area.

‘Does he live around here?’

But there weren’t any houses good enough for someone wealthy to live in nearby…. As he tilted his head, lost in thought, he heard footsteps approaching from behind. He flinched, his shoulders trembling. He had a strong feeling he knew who it was, even without turning around.

The footsteps stopped right behind him. Thump, thump. His heart pounded as if he’d done something terribly wrong.

“…Ji Yeonwoo?”

He’d been caught, but only for a moment did he think so. After all, he was still a customer, so he couldn’t just pretend not to know him. Ji Yeonwoo, who was pouting inside his hood, slowly turned around.

“Oh, hello.”

As he awkwardly smiled while taking off his hood, Choi Muhyeok’s expression brightened.

“I knew it was you. How have you been?”

“Yes, I’ve been… okay. How about you? You came to buy cigarettes?”

As they exchanged formal pleasantries, Ji Yeonwoo glanced at the convenience store worker waiting to ring up the purchase.

“Yes. My secretary usually keeps them stocked, but I guess they forgot today.”

“Oh… you must have been busy.”

“No matter how busy I am, I should still do my tasks, tsk.”

Choi Muhyeok clicked his tongue, his eyes narrowing in frustration. But when he made eye contact with Ji Yeonwoo, he quickly changed the subject.

“Yeonwoo, did you come to buy beer?”

He looked down at the basket Ji Yeonwoo was holding, his hands in his pants pockets.

“I came to get some snacks, and I saw the beer.”

“Do you drink often?”

“No, not really.”

He nodded with a knowing expression. Ji Yeonwoo stared at him, not understanding what he meant.

“Well, let’s pay and talk outside.”