FF Chapter 48

Ji Yeonwoo shot a playful glare at Choi Muhyeok and slapped his arm lightly. Choi Muhyeok merely smiled, letting the gesture pass without complaint.

˖ ❀ ⋆｡˚

The atmosphere was heavy with silence, the quiet almost icy.

Today was the day Ji Yeonwoo introduced Choi Muhyeok to his parents. While he’d briefly mentioned it over the phone before, meeting in person was a different matter. As expected, his parents maintained a cautious demeanor. It wasn’t about immediate approval or disapproval but rather a desire to carefully assess things from a parent’s perspective.

Usually relaxed and confident, Choi Muhyeok was visibly tense, seated with his knees on the floor. He had never bowed to anyone, yet here he was, hands neatly placed on his lap, his expression steady and composed.

“Sit comfortably. Yeonwoo, you too. Go ahead,” his mother finally broke the suffocating silence.

Reluctantly, Ji Yeonwoo shifted his posture, glancing uneasily between his father and Choi Muhyeok. Despite his mother’s effort to ease the mood, his father’s expression remained unreadable—more pensive than angry.

“I’ll go prepare dinner. Yeonwoo, come help me,” his mother said, seemingly deciding that some space might help.

“Pardon? Oh, yes,” Ji Yeonwoo replied, standing to follow her. But before they could leave, his father let out a quiet sigh and stood up. The motion drew everyone’s attention.

“No need to prepare dinner,” he said.

Walking over to grab his jacket, his father turned to Choi Muhyeok. “Why don’t you come with me for a moment?”

“Yes, sir,” Choi Muhyeok responded promptly.

Ji Yeonwoo reached out to stop him, his worry evident. Sensing this, Choi Muhyeok gently cupped Ji Yeonwoo’s cheek and offered a reassuring smile before following his father out.

“Do you drink?” his father asked as they walked.

“I can handle a drink without overindulging,” Choi Muhyeok replied.

“Good,” his father nodded approvingly. “There’s a place I frequent. Shall we go?”

“Of course, sir.”

The father paused momentarily at the door when the word “sir” naturally slipped into “father-in-law.” He glanced back at Choi Muhyeok with slightly widened eyes but said nothing.

Back in the house, Ji Yeonwoo couldn’t help but worry about the rigid atmosphere. Though it was natural to feel some tension during a first meeting, his father’s particularly distant attitude weighed heavily on him.

“It’ll be fine. Don’t worry,” his mother said gently as she approached, sensing his concerns. She patted his shoulder and smiled warmly. “Your father just wants to get to know your boyfriend better. He regrets not doing that with your brother-in-law. He’s always blamed himself for that.”

This was news to Ji Yeonwoo. He hadn’t realized his father harbored such thoughts. His expression softened as he listened to his mother’s comforting words.

“We know your boyfriend is a good person. He even helped treat your pheromone deficiency. He’s practically a benefactor to our family. Still, as parents, it’s natural to want to confirm things ourselves. All we want is for you to be happy,” she said with a loving smile.

Later that evening, around 9 p.m., Ji Yeonwoo heard the front door open. He rushed to greet them, his eyes scanning Choi Muhyeok’s face.

“Did you eat dinner?” he asked.

“Yes. Did you?”

“I ate with Mom. Did you drink soju?”

“We went to your father’s regular spot. It’s been a while since I had soju, but it wasn’t bad,” Choi Muhyeok replied with a smile.

“You sure you’re okay? You seem a little tipsy.”

“I feel it a bit, but it’s manageable.”

Their casual exchange felt natural, and seeing this, Ji Yeonwoo’s father quietly went to the kitchen. He returned with a glass of honey water chilled with ice and handed it to Choi Muhyeok.

“Here, drink this. It’ll help.”

“Thank you,” Choi Muhyeok said, taking the glass with both hands and finishing it in one go. His father watched with a satisfied expression.

Though it was unclear what the two had discussed, the atmosphere had noticeably lightened, signaling that his father had started to accept Choi Muhyeok.

“It’s getting late. We should be going,” Choi Muhyeok said after checking his watch.

“Why not stay the night?” his father asked, clearly having warmed up to him.

“I have an early schedule tomorrow, but I’ll make sure to visit again with plenty of time,” Choi Muhyeok replied courteously.

With that, his father gave him a hearty pat on the shoulder. Since Choi Muhyeok had been drinking, they called for Park Jincheol to pick them up. He arrived quickly and greeted the family politely.

“Take care. We’ll have dinner together next time,” Ji Yeonwoo’s mother said as she saw them off. “Do you have any favorite dishes?”

“I’m not picky. I eat everything well,” Choi Muhyeok replied with a smile.

“If you don’t tell me, you won’t get anything special!” she teased, her playful tone bringing a chuckle from everyone.

“Anything you prepare will be perfect,” he said, and her smile grew even wider.

As they drove away, Ji Yeonwoo turned to look back at his parents through the rear window, feeling a newfound warmth in their acceptance.

The sound of a deep exhale came from the side. Choi Muhyeok, leaning back into the rear seat with his body practically buried in the upholstery, loosened his tie, which had been constricting his neck. His face, now flush, betrayed the effects of the alcohol finally catching up with him after the tension had dissipated.

“Mm, are you sure you’re okay?”

As Ji Yeonwoo sat up and leaned closer to Choi Muhyeok, the latter slumped against Yeonwoo’s shoulder.

“If your stomach feels off, should I get you some medicine?”

“Let me just stay like this for a bit. I drank way too much.”

“How much did you drink?”

“About… six bottles?”

“What? Soju?”

He didn’t seem that drunk, so Yeonwoo had assumed they spent more time talking than drinking. But six bottles? Only now did the sharp smell of alcohol become noticeable.

“Wait, what kind of drinking… You didn’t drink everything they offered, did you?”

“How could I refuse the drinks my father-in-law poured for me?”

“Even so, six bottles? That’s insane….”

Choi Muhyeok smiled loosely, his head still resting on Yeonwoo’s shoulder.

“No ulterior motives, really. I think he just wanted to test me—see what I’d be like completely drunk.”

“And you just let him do that, knowing his intentions?”

“I understand. He probably just wants to make sure you’ll be happy this time. If I were in his position, I’d do the same—or worse.”

Eyes closed, voice languid, Muhyeok spoke as though he were explaining an obvious truth. Ji Yeonwoo gazed at him intently, his brows softened.

It could have felt unpleasant to be subjected to such tests by his parents, but Muhyeok showed no signs of discomfort. The thoughtfulness with which he considered their perspective left Yeonwoo feeling both grateful and apologetic.

“You’ve worked hard,” Yeonwoo whispered, gently brushing a hand over Muhyeok’s face.

“At least my father seems to like you. That’s a relief.”

“Does it look that way?”

“Yes. My father rarely shows his feelings, but the fact that he personally brought you honey water with ice? That’s proof he’s taken a liking to you.”

“Good to know. I was worried.”

“What’s there to worry about? With someone like you, Muhyeok, it’s a free pass.”

Muhyeok slowly lifted his head and looked directly at Yeonwoo. When Yeonwoo met his gaze with a smile, Muhyeok leaned in to kiss him on the cheek and buried his face against Yeonwoo’s neck.

“Your father worries about you a lot. That made me feel even more responsible—like I need to treat you even better.”

“Really?”

“I’m not just saying that to make you feel good. I mean it. I enjoyed it. It was my first time drinking with him, and by the end of it, I felt like I’d gained another father.”

Muhyeok’s voice, softer and more languid than usual, was pleasant to hear. Yeonwoo smiled faintly and rested his cheek against Muhyeok’s hair.

“All that’s left now is for us to live happily together. That’s all.”

Muhyeok pulled Yeonwoo into a tight embrace, burying his face deeper into his neck.

“God, you smell so good, my Yeonwoo.”

Feeling Muhyeok’s touch and breath, Yeonwoo closed his eyes. In that moment, he realized happiness wasn’t such a distant thing after all.

˖ ❀ ⋆｡˚

After dinner, Yeonwoo brewed a cup of coffee and settled on the sofa, wrapping himself in a blanket. Sitting close beside him, Muhyeok leaned in to plant a light kiss on his lips. As their playful kiss deepened, an all-too-familiar name came from the television in the background.

[Breaking news: The ringleader of the recent drug scandal has been revealed to be Mr. Lee, the eldest son of the JT Group. An Omega who was previously an Alpha, Mr. Lee reportedly turned to drugs following his divorce and the onset of pheromone depletion. However, investigations uncovered evidence suggesting he had been siphoning and abusing drugs for over four years. Authorities are now…]

Yeonwoo’s gaze hardened as he turned to the screen. The man in handcuffs, wearing a hat pulled low over his face, being escorted by police—was Lee Hyunjun.

Watching Hyunjun, who had plummeted not just to rock bottom but into the very gates of hell, Yeonwoo grabbed the remote and turned off the TV. He then leaned into Muhyeok for support.

It was unlikely Hyunjun would escape prison. Even hoping for his family to step in would be unrealistic. The fact that he had been caught red-handed with such damning evidence likely meant his family had abandoned him.

“See? I told you I’d take care of Hyunjun,” Muhyeok said, his voice calm. Sitting on Muhyeok’s lap, leaning against his firm chest, Yeonwoo snapped his head up.

Wait—was Hyunjun’s arrest part of Muhyeok’s plan all along?

“Don’t worry about someone like Hyunjun anymore. Just focus on me, okay?”

In that moment, Muhyeok seemed more dependable and remarkable than anyone else in the world. Being with him, Yeonwoo felt as if there was nothing to fear.

Yeonwoo smiled and nodded, wrapping his arms around Muhyeok’s neck and resting his head on his shoulder. Large hands stroked his back and held his waist tightly.

Muhyeok kissed along Yeonwoo’s neck and jaw before pausing, a thought suddenly crossing his mind.

“Oh, right—tomorrow?”

Yeonwoo blinked, confused by the abrupt change in topic. “Tomorrow?” he repeated, trying to recall.

“The Director.”

“Ah, right. Tomorrow.”

“Do you need to prepare anything?”

“Not really. I just have a few things to pack up.”

After introducing each other to their families, Yeonwoo had told Muhyeok he wanted to move in together. Although they already woke up in the same bed every morning, Yeonwoo had been holding onto his lease and needed to wrap up loose ends.

Upon hearing Yeonwoo’s decision, Muhyeok had hugged him tightly, whispering a shaky “Thank you for saying it first” with his face buried in Yeonwoo’s neck. Despite thinking it would feel routine, Muhyeok’s reaction, as nervous as if it were his first relationship, had made Yeonwoo’s heart race.

“Are you sure you don’t need help tomorrow?” Yeonwoo teased, nuzzling his nose against Muhyeok’s.

“It’s just a few boxes of clothes.”

“It’s not about the amount. Moving is always exhausting.”

“You think I’d ask someone else to handle something so small?” Yeonwoo chuckled.

Muhyeok nodded, conceding the point. Yeonwoo’s determination to do things himself was both admirable and endearing.

“Then let’s do it together. I’ll be home tomorrow.”

Startled, Yeonwoo’s eyes widened. “Wait, you’re not going to work?”

Muhyeok, unfazed, replied casually, “I can’t let you move everything by yourself. I have some meetings, but nothing urgent—I can reschedule.”

“Wow, being the CEO really lets you do whatever you want, huh?”

“Hey, this isn’t for me; it’s for you,” Muhyeok retorted, grinning.

“That’s some pretty convenient reasoning.”

“It’s fine if you just call me attentive, don’t you think?”

Choi Muhyeok whispered, their faces so close their noses nearly touched. Tilting his head, he captured Ji Yeonwoo’s lips in a kiss. His tongue slipped between slightly parted lips, intertwining gently with Yeonwoo’s.

From the very first moment they met, Choi Muhyeok had been almost overwhelmingly kind. By now, Yeonwoo had grown accustomed to the care and attention he lavished on him.

How had he ended up with someone like this—not just dating, but promising to spend a lifetime together?

The misstep that was their first encounter had cost Ji Yeonwoo many things. Initially, he had agonized over every loss, but now, he couldn’t even remember exactly what he had lost or how difficult those days had been. He knew well that it was Choi Muhyeok’s gentleness that had erased those memories.

Yeonwoo wrapped his legs around Muhyeok’s waist, pulling him closer as their kiss deepened. Muhyeok’s hand slid under Yeonwoo’s loose shirt, tracing his smooth back and waist before gliding to his chest.

“Ah,” Yeonwoo gasped, his breath hitching as his body jolted slightly. The pressure below, already taut and swelling, felt stifling.

Muhyeok’s fingers grazed Yeonwoo’s sensitive nipples, eliciting a shudder, before nibbling on his earlobe. A ticklish heat spread through Yeonwoo’s lower belly, making him squirm as he clung to Muhyeok’s neck.

“Let’s go to the bed. The sofa… hurts my back,” Yeonwoo murmured, his voice tinged with a mix of complaint and playful sweetness.

“You prefer the bed? Alright. But since you have to handle the Director tomorrow, just once, okay?”

Yeonwoo’s eyes locked onto Muhyeok’s, as if silently questioning, Really? Just once?

“Let’s move quickly, then. That way, we can make it last longer.”

The words seemed contradictory—just once and making it last longer didn’t quite match.

“Wait, hold on a second. Didn’t you just say once?”

“Just once. But for a long time.”

“That doesn’t make—ahh!”