Marriage Mate: 22

After sending the driver away, Do-won let out a sigh as he looked at Yu-young, who had completely settled into the back seat of his car. Seeing that pathetic face sleeping so peacefully—even making little murmuring noises—was absurd, but he couldn’t just leave him like this in his car.

For now, he decided to wake up his shameless subordinate. Do-won lightly shook Yu-young’s shoulder and spoke in a cold voice.

“Assistant Manager Han. Get a hold of yourself.”

“……”

“Haa… Would you stop being a nuisance and wake up already?”

“……”

But seeing how he remained silent with such a peaceful expression, he really must be asleep. If he were sober, his filthy temper would have flared up, making him shake in anger and argue back with all his might.

With a short sigh, Do-won slid his arms under Yu-young’s knees and behind his neck before lifting him up in one swift motion. It was an excessively intimate position to take with a subordinate, but there was no other way to deal with someone who had absolutely no intention of walking.

The pheromones emanating from Yu-young’s completely unguarded body were overwhelmingly sweet. In the morning, after taking the medication from the hospital, his pheromone levels had been at a normal concentration. But now, with his body loosened by alcohol, he was outright releasing a dizzying amount of scent. Do-won deeply furrowed his brows and pressed the button for his floor with his elbow.

Inside the elevator, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and let out a hollow laugh.

“Hah…”

No matter how he looked at it, this was ridiculous. Carrying a drunk Omega in his arms—anyone who knew him would be utterly shocked. He had practically avoided Omegas as if he were allergic to them.

But what he was doing now had nothing to do with secondary genders. It didn’t matter if Yu-young was an Omega, a Beta, or an Alpha. He was his team member, and since he happened to live in the apartment right next door, Do-won was simply dropping him off. Of course, come morning, he intended to make sure Yu-young fully grasped the mess he had caused tonight, so it would never happen again.

At last, with a ding, the elevator arrived at their floor.

“Haa… Wake up, Assistant Manager Han.”

“…Huuu…”

Do-won set Yu-young down in front of his apartment and shook his shoulder. Hearing a faint moan, he glanced at his face, thinking he might be trying to say something. But his eyes remained tightly shut, and his firmly sealed lips showed no sign of opening.

“Tell me your passcode.”

“……”

“Assistant Manager Han, tell me your passcode.”

“…Uhh…”

No matter how many times Do-won slapped his cheek or shook his shoulders, it was no use. Yu-young’s legs wobbled unsteadily, unable to support his own weight. The moment Do-won let go, he would immediately collapse to the floor, face first.

Feeling dumbfounded and exasperated, Do-won let out a dry laugh and murmured coldly.

“Han Yu-young. Are you not going to wake up?”

“……”

“Haa… This damn brat.”

If he had it his way, he would have just dumped him at the door and gone into his own apartment. Though Yu-young was small and light, making it easy to carry him, that didn’t change the fact that this was annoying and inconvenient.

Did he bring him here because he thought he was cute or something? The fundamental question crossed his mind, but in the end, this was just a matter of responsibility. No matter how annoying Yu-young was, he was still a team member that Do-won had to work with. This was simply the bare minimum of consideration.

But for him to be this unconscious? Do-won slapped Yu-young’s cheek a few more times, but it was useless. Watching his face, still carrying a faint smile in his sleep, Do-won let out a frustrated sigh.

Should he just leave him at the door and go?

There wasn’t a single person on their team who knew Yu-young’s address. Even if they did, it would be impossible for them to get past the first-floor security without biometric authentication from a resident. In other words, just bringing him this far was already an act of kindness.

Just then, Yu-young let out a small groan and let his hand slip from Do-won’s neck. With his body completely devoid of strength, if Do-won let go now, he would crumple straight to the floor.

“……!”

If he had been trying to cling to him—whether intentionally or due to the alcohol—Do-won would have immediately thrown him to the ground. But since there was no such intent, Do-won instinctively tightened his hold and pulled Yu-young closer instead. His soft, marshmallow-like body pressed against him.

Tch…

What a damn nuisance.

Swearing internally, Do-won hesitated before finally letting out an annoyed sigh. Then, he entered his own passcode with a sharp movement. He planned to let Yu-young lie down for a bit and kick him out the moment he sobered up.

Still carrying the unconscious troublemaker, Do-won stepped into his apartment. Though Yu-young wasn’t heavy, dealing with his deadweight was a frustrating ordeal. He dragged him across the living room like a piece of luggage and unceremoniously dumped him onto the sofa.

Now sprawled across the wide couch, Yu-young looked almost tiny. It was spacious enough to be a bed for him. Do-won briefly wondered if it would be uncomfortable, but then quickly shook his head. Why the hell do I care whether he’s comfortable or not?

Do-won clicked his tongue and stripped off his jacket, tie, and shirt. If anyone dares to get that troublemaker drunk again, I’ll make sure to kill them first. This kind of thing better not happen again. Recalling the deputy manager’s gleaming face as he laughed, Do-won stepped into the bathroom with an annoyed sigh. I should’ve just taken care of him first.

Cold water poured over his head, drenching him. The summer heat that had seeped into his body instantly cooled down. As if trying to wash away not only the pheromones clinging to his skin but also all the emotions weighing on him, he scrubbed his body compulsively. After turning off the water, he wiped himself dry and wrapped a towel loosely around his waist before stepping into the living room.

“Mmhh…”

From a distance, he caught sight of Yu-young stirring slightly in his sleep. Come to think of it, the living room lights were still off. Absentmindedly, Do-won reached for the switch but let out a short sigh and withdrew his hand. He’s sleeping just fine anyway. No need to wake him up.

As he crossed the living room, intending to head to the dressing room for clothes, his expression twisted into a scowl.

“…….”

Once again, the scent filled the air.

He couldn’t believe it. His entire living room was now saturated with an Omega’s pheromones. Exhaling a dry breath, Do-won rubbed his face hard. A sweet yet refreshing fragrance—lemon and vanilla blended together—pricked at his nose.

It was an absurdly comforting scent, yet at the same time, undeniably seductive. Even as he let out a scoff, he couldn’t deny the way it sank deep into his lungs, how pleasant and soothing it felt. The unfamiliar emotion left him thoroughly unsettled. Not even the pheromones of his long-time friend, Lee Sun-hyung, had ever struck him as appealing. In fact, if anything, Sun-hyung was the reason he had developed an aversion to Omegas in the first place.

If Sun-hyung were to witness this scene now, he’d probably have a fit. Didn’t you say you hated all Omegas? How could you let another Omega into your home besides me?! He’d undoubtedly throw a tantrum. Just thinking about the way Sun-hyung always acted as if he had any right to dictate his life—despite them being nothing more or less than friends—made Do-won’s head throb.

Really, why did I even bother with this hassle? Should I have just left him at the doorstep after all?

“Haaahm…”

Just then, Yu-young let out a small moan and twitched slightly on the sofa. He tossed and turned as if uncomfortable, but despite that, he didn’t wake up. His face, peacefully resting on his superior’s couch, looked completely at ease.

The more I think about it, the more ridiculous this guy is. At least he wasn’t making a ruckus or throwing up everywhere—that was a small mercy. Without realizing it, Do-won stopped in his tracks and gazed down at Yu-young.

His face, illuminated by the moonlight, was incredibly small. His straight nose and lips, flush with color, made him seem more pretty than handsome, despite being a man. His slightly disheveled bangs revealed a small, round forehead.

The soft flesh clinging to his cheeks made him look younger than his actual age. Do-won recalled glancing over Yu-young’s personnel file on his first day and being surprised at how young he actually was—he had expected him to be young, but not this young.

His slender neck extended above the collar of his suit. His frame was small. And yet… he still managed to pull off wearing a suit quite well. Despite his stature, he moved with surprising agility when he was busy at work. And his voice—so annoyingly loud—always reminded Do-won of a brat throwing a tantrum in the middle of a supermarket.

That was about when Do-won realized that, without thinking, he had been staring at Yu-young’s face.

What the…

Snapping his gaze away, Do-won strode into the dressing room and quickly threw on some loungewear. He haphazardly patted some lotion onto his face, smacking his palm against his skin a few times before returning to the living room. Looking down at Yu-young, who was still fast asleep, Do-won unconsciously clenched his fists.

At his fingertips, his heartbeat pounded—slowly but steadily, growing stronger.

Didn’t I always find Omega scents unpleasant?

With a long sigh, he abruptly turned away and headed to his bedroom. Normally, he didn’t sleep with the door closed, but tonight, he shut it.

Lying in bed, he stared at the ceiling for a long while. His thoughts tangled with memories of work from earlier that day, mixed with considerations about his new team members. Out of habit, he pressed his fingertips against his temple.

But no matter how hard he tried to force his eyes shut, the heat and pulse that had surged through his fingertips while looking at Yu-young lingered. Again and again, it resurfaced.