PIA 4

“Ah, why is Han-joo hyung like this?”

Ji-an pushed Jeong Han-joo away, expressing his annoyance. He couldn’t help but be agitated by the constant crazy thoughts swirling in his head, whether he was an omega in heat or it was the perk of possession.

“Oh, sorry, Ji-an. But right now, you…”

Jeong Han-joo blushed. Wow, I’ve never seen this expression on him before. Ji-an took a deep breath.

“You’re now…”

“What am I now?”

If you start saying something, you should finish it. Ji-an waited for a response, but Jeong Han-joo covered his mouth and glanced somewhere in the corner of the elevator. Ji-an also felt intoxicated by Jeong Han-joo’s pheromones, which were releasing uncontrollably. Ji-an’s legs took random steps as if he were a newborn deer.

Was the elevator floor always this slippery? Ji-an covered his thighs with his hands.

– Villains always have deadly weapons.

A devilish whisper echoed in his head.

At that moment, Ji-an recalled what his older brother had said.

‘A villain should be powerful to be interesting. Even if you’re a recessive Omega, you must have a powerful, devilish pheromone. And the protagonist has to overcome that with love. That’s what viewers want, a true love story.’

“F*ck. No way.”

Ji-an looked up with blurry eyes, and Jeong Han-joo’s expression was unusual. The Alpha pheromones he was releasing uncontrollably also became more intense.

Cough, Ji-an coughed. Ah… A sad recessive life.

“Stop, stop. Han-joo hyung. Stop… please.”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Jeong Han-joo cleared his throat loudly. His pants seemed to have a bump in them… Ji-an widened his eyes.

Was this drama rated 19+? Come to think of it, when offering OTT services, there was usually an uncensored version. Perhaps that’s why it was so popular.

After what felt like an endlessly long period, the elevator finally reached the lobby on the first floor.

Ji-an rushed out as soon as the doors opened. Whether it was because of the primal fear he felt due to the Alpha’s pheromones or his own omega instincts, he wanted to run away as quickly as possible. He sprinted and, in the process, tangled his legs and fell clumsily on the ground. His thighs, followed by both knees, were aching terribly.

“Ugh… Why are you doing this to me…”

Although he felt as if his body was falling apart and he was anxious, this was not the time to rest. Ji-an felt like he should get up immediately because Hee-seo and Han-joo might rush to hold him. Ji-an struggled to stand.

What to do. What should I do? Next is…

– Go out the main entrance and turn right. Your car is waiting for you.

He was grateful for the voice in his head this time. With a goal in mind, he found strength in his legs. Ji-an sprinted like a madman, rushing out of the wide lobby.

When he arrived at the location where the voice in his head had instructed him, there was a long, luxurious foreign car waiting for him. A man leaning against the hood, smoking an e-cigarette, was taken aback when he saw Ji-an and hastily hid his cigarette. Ji-an was certain that this was his car because the man appeared bewildered and kept fidgeting with his head.

Feeling confident, Ji-an opened the passenger door wide and got in before the man could move. The man was startled by the force. He said as he carefully sat down in the driver’s seat.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect you to come out so early.”

“It’s okay. Let’s go, anywhere.”

The driver was clearly taken aback. Ji-an was giving him a scrutinizing look, trying to recall the man’s name or any other details, but perhaps because he was just a supporting character, nothing came to mind other than the fact that he was a Beta. 

For now, let’s get going. Ji-an fastened his seatbelt and urged the driver again.

“Start driving, please.”

“Oh, yes. By the way, why did you sit in the front seat instead of the back?”

Ji-an’s eyes widened at the unexpected comment.

It was a habitual action. Since he didn’t have a car himself and would sometimes borrow his brother’s, he knew that if he sat in the back seat, he would get an earful even when he was tired.

Ugh. Ji-an rubbed his forehead. He realized there were more things to worry about than he had initially thought.

“First, let’s just leave.”

The driver started the car and smoothly pulled out of the JM Building. Ji-an caught a glimpse of Han-joo outside on the road.

Come to think of it, Jeong Han-joo was also an employee of JM. In the drama, Seo Ji-an, the son of a wealthy family, recalls meeting Jeong Han-joo when he was 17 years old at a social gathering. They had grown close until Han-joo began working at JM after graduating from college and got busy.

In the drama, Han-joo was probably a department head. That would likely be the case in reality as well. Ji-an remembered his older brother’s complaints about Han-joo having a lower position because he was the second son.

Ji-an let out a long sigh.

He took off his colorful patterned tie and unbuttoned his tightly buttoned shirt. Maybe it was because of his mood, but he felt like his pheromones were spreading heavily throughout the car.

‘Did Seo Ji-an always smell like this?’

He shuddered at the thought of Hee-seo’s gaze, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

Once he figured out what happened and how he would live in this world from now on, he wouldn’t stay near this building… No, he shouldn’t even go near Gangnam.

Ji-an made a promise as he rubbed his goosebump-covered forearms.

“Where shall we go? Young master.”

Wow. What—what did you say? Ji-an looked at the driver with disgust. The person who actually spoke was concentrating on driving with a very calm expression on his face.

“Ahem, please… take me home.”

“Alright.”

“W-wait a moment!”

Ji-an suddenly remembered something and reached out. The driver, who had braked sharply, turned around with a startled expression. He looked at Ji-an as if he was a madman doing something crazy.

Ji-an thought for a moment. In the drama, there were two places that Seo Ji-an called home: the main house where he lived with his mother, and an officetel that he acquired for no reason.

If he were to mention the officetel, it was a place Seo Ji-an had obtained to interfere with Han-joo’s love life. It was right next door to Han-joo’s place. When Han-joo moved out of his family home to live independently, Ji-an had also spent a hefty sum to purchase the unit right next to Han-joo’s officetel.

‘It was my dream to get a job at your company, Hyung. I’m trying to prepare for a public recruitment exam.  It’s nice to have Hyung nearby to ask if I need to learn something.’

The naive Jeong Han-joo believed the nonsense told by the psychopath Seo Ji-an. However, Seo Ji-hyeok, who was standing next to him, never believed it. In the drama, the ill-fated protagonist Omega, Seo Ji-hyeok, had been hiding behind Han-joo every time he encountered Ji-an.

Ji-an reflected again how the relentless disruptor, the villain who pressed the doorbell every time the main couple enjoyed a sweet home date… was none other than himself.

“Take me to the main house, please.”

Ji-an’s choice was obviously to move away from Han-joo. Furthermore, Ji-hyeok from this world was someone he absolutely didn’t want to meet.

The driver gave Ji-an an unexpected look and then made a U-turn as he received the signal. He probably assumed that Ji-an would head to the officetel.

It must have seemed strange that Ji-an gave an answer that didn’t seem like a mere inquiry. But that wasn’t the end of it. Ji-an decided that as soon as the situation was resolved, he would sell that office-tel immediately.

While contemplating various plans, Ji-an felt his tension dissipate, and he dozed off for a moment. He woke up when someone gently shook his shoulder. In front of him, a magnificent mansion had appeared.

“…Ah.”

He had to work hard not to exclaim in awe as he stepped out of the car. The mansion was sculpted out of a tiny hill and looked like something you would only see in a drama.

Ah, it’s in the drama.

An employee who had been waiting in the parking lot on the first floor pressed the third floor button on the elevator without asking Ji-an anything. In his clueless state, Ji-an decided to follow him. For now, he wanted to get away from the eyes of the people and clear his mind in this spacious house.

He was too tired… He just wanted to sleep. He wanted to sleep for about 12 hours. When he woke up, he might return to reality, or his body might still be intact.

With these relaxed thoughts, Ji-an was caught off guard when the elevator doors opened. A person appeared in front of him, and he was startled.

“Uh… Mom.”

“This child… What is that look on your face when you look at your Mom?”

As the elevator door opened, in the middle of the gorgeous living room with a dazzling interior, there stood a beautiful mother who looked as if she had never had a drop of water on her hands.

A resolute woman who started from a two-table charcoal house when she came to Seoul and, with her own hands, grew it into a four-story barbecue restaurant. His mother, Yoon Ok-hee, was nowhere to be found…

For Ji-an, she was a presence that felt unfamiliar yet welcoming. After glancing at him without showing any resentment, Yoon Ok-hee hooked her arm around Ji-an’s and pulled him inside.

“Did you come home after so long empty-handed, without even bringing a single flower for your Mom?”

Flowers? How could his mother like flowers?

All his naturalness and resolutions seemed to have vanished into thin air, and Ji-an stammered robotically, “Uh… I’m, I’m sorry.”

“Honey, are you feeling unwell? Butler Ahn― Did Ji-an go to the hospital? It’s been quite a while since he’s come back. When you sense your heat cycle coming, you should prepare the medicine in advance.”