PIA 52

“You signed the contract anyway. You can’t back out.”

“Anyway, there aren’t any conditions for breach of contract.”

“Didn’t you see it? It was written in a tiny font on the back page.”

“…What happens if I back out?”

“You will become an ex-convict.”

“…”

Ji-an’s cheeks blushed at Jeong Hee-seo’s playful tone. He felt dizzy from his playful expression and mischievous glint in his eyes. Ji-an didn’t know why Jeong Hee-seo was teasing him so effortlessly, or if there was something wrong with him, or if this was even a pregnancy symptom.

“Don’t make that expression.”

“What’s wrong with my expression?”

Ji-an abruptly stood up, holding his empty ramen bowl. Without even paying attention to Jeong Hee-seo who was following him, he went to the garbage disposal area and threw away the ramen soup and the empty paper bowl.

Jeong Hee-seo tilted his head and tried to make eye contact with Ji-an. As he continued to run away, Jeong Hee-seo eventually reached out and grabbed the top of his head. It felt like he was catching a ball that kept bouncing and running away.

“Oh, don’t do it. My head isn’t a basketball?”

Ji-an let out a rare irritated voice and grabbed Jeong Hee-seo’s arm.

“It hurts. Don’t you know your fingertips are surprisingly rough, hyung-nim?”

As he exerted force to release Jeong Hee-seo, he flinched at his own action. He liked yet pretended to dislike Jeong Hee-seo’s treatment of him, scolded that it was wrong yet enjoyed being doted on… His own indecisiveness infuriated him like crazy.

He even felt self-loathing for being so conscious of Jeong Hee-seo while pushing him away.

“Why did you get so upset?”

“Okay, let’s leave. We’re leaving.”

“Hmm…”

“It’s just my fickle nature. It’s nothing.”

Ji-an could not make eye contact with Jeong Hee-seo, who was looking at him with suspicious eyes. His expression must be a mess right now. He took large strides to the car first. The darkness inside the car was perfect for hiding his eyes.

Jeong Hee-seo didn’t probe any further, as if he knew everything already. As usual, he quietly observed Ji-an and made his own judgments. He started the engine without a word and drove the car until they arrived in front of Ji-an’s house.

“I’m sorry, hyung-nim.”

Ji-an finally got to say his apologies in the alley in front of his house, inside the car with the engine turned off.

It was frightening to think about how Jeong Hee-seo would judge him in his usual silent manner. He wanted to push him away, yet he didn’t want to be hated either. The thought of Jeong Hee-seo degrading him as some crazy, whimsical kid was unbearable. It was truly a quick declaration of surrender.

“I’m sorry for being fickle. I know you’re being considerate, but I said unreasonable things. I apologize.”

Jeong Hee-seo just looked at him in silence.

“… I just got scared all of a sudden.”

Ji-an excused himself in a hushed voice and also internally defended his actions.

He wasn’t a lunatic pushing him away then pulling him back with capricious mood swings… Jeong Hee-seo was another father to the baby in his stomach. After Ji-an leaves, the child left alone would need his love, and it would be improper for him to leave a grudge before he even leaves.

There was no end to the excuses and his self-justification reached its peak. But it was difficult to stop.

“Hyung-nim.”

“Why.”

“What if… Someone borrowed money from you and then disappeared, what would you do?”

“…Huh.”

Jeong Hee-seo’s eyes widened for a moment at the unexpected question, but then narrowed them.

“Well first, I’m not the type to treat people that way, but it would depend on how much it was.”

“It’s… It’s a lot.”

“How much exactly?”

“To the point where… you’d think about the betrayal even in your sleeping for… a week, no, a month?”

If Ji-an hit him on the back of the head and disappeared, would Jeong Hee-seo still think of him for a month? No, was that estimate too generous? Ji-an fidgeted his fingers at the thought.

But suddenly Jeong Hee-seo pulled Ji-an into an embrace. Too surprised to push him away, he could only roll his eyes as Jeong Hee-seo rested his cheek on the top of his head and softly asked:

“First, let me get this straight. Are you in debt? Or did you get into some accident behind your parents’ back? Cryptocurrency maybe…”

“No?”

Ji-an tried to pull away from his embrace. He wanted to correct any misunderstandings. It was really frustrating to be misunderstood, especially after the suspicion of being a drug addict upon their first meeting, followed by now being misunderstood as someone involved in gambling or cryptocurrencies.

“Even if that were the case, disappearing isn’t the answer. You should be upfront and find a solution.”

“I said it’s not like that.”

“If you explain the situation in detail, I may be able to help.”

“It’s nothing like that. Even if it were, why would you help me, hyung-nim?”

“So it is true?”

“Nooo.”

“I see.”

Jeong Hee-seo hugged Ji-an tighter to prevent him from running away. Had he seen him as some troubled teenage runaway who caused an accident? Jeong Hee-seo tightened his grip as if afraid Ji-an might slip away.

Seriously. What kind of image did he give off for Jeong Hee-seo to see him as some problematic only-child Omega – a druggie, gambler, cryptocurrency trader who got pregnant from a one-night stand with a random Alpha?

At this point, Ji-an became more curious. Why exactly was Jeong Hee-seo being so good to him? Was that one sex encounter that got him pregnant so mind-blowingly fantastic? Though Jeong Hee-seo did say his memories were hazy too.

Just as he made the baby his goal for this year, was the baby also a big driving force and catalyst for Jeong Hee-seo?

“Hyung-nim.”

“Yeah.”

“You haven’t answered yet.”

Jeong Hee-seo cleared his throat as he parted from Ji-an. That low chuckle shouldn’t have sounded so pleasing. Ji-an’s ears immediately heated up as the sound of laughter passed by.

Ahem, hrm. Jeong Hee-seo cleared his throat again.

“Firstly, I’m not foolish enough to let the guy who hit me on the back of the head get away.”

Jeong Hee-seo reached out and touched Ji-an’s ear. The sudden contact ignited a spark.

“I have to chase after him. I’m going to chase and catch him. And…”

Even in the dark car, Ji-an could vividly feel their eyes meeting each other. Ji-an’s eyes warmed as if there was heat in his gaze.

“And?”

Caught up in the moment, Ji-an asked eagerly, and Hee-seo’s hand wrapped around his neck.

“…”

A large palm was firmly grasping the nape of his neck, making it impossible to avoid Jeong Hee-seo’s gaze. Ji-an’s mouth went dry from an unknown tension. Ji-an barely swallowed his dry saliva once and asked again.

“What will you do if he goes somewhere you can’t catch him?”

Instead of answering, Jeong Hee-seo just stared at Ji-an. He looked at Ji-an’s eyes, nose, and mouth carefully, as if devouring him. He had a serious expression in his eyes, as if he was trying to figure out Ji-an’s real intentions.

Ji-an clenched his fists in nervousness. Pheromones poured out like sweat. At first, Ji-an wondered why his body was reacting this way, but when he looked into Jeong Hee-seo’s eyes, it all made sense.

It’s all because of his eyes.

It was said that the possession’s special ability was devilish pheromones, but Ji-an wondered if they equipped the final boss villain with mellow eyes as a special ability… When their eyes met, his body refused to obey his brain’s commands and did whatever it wanted.

And as he watched that handsome face slowly approach…

“S-stop! Stop!”

Ji-an closed his eyes tightly and reached out to cover Jeong Hee-seo’s mouth. He could feel the soft texture of Jeong Hee-seo’s lips against his palm, but soon, moist breath seeped through his fingers.

Ji-an peeked open his eyes and almost screamed in shock. Jeong Hee-seo had grabbed his wrist and was licking his palm.

“Ugh, what are you doing?”

Ji-an tried to pull his hand away, but he couldn’t move an inch as if he were a captive. Jeong Hee-seo wasn’t even exerting much force, yet he completely dominated the situation. Jeong Hee-seo’s pheromones acted like invisible handcuffs, restraining Ji-an. Ji-an’s face turned red with frustration as he struggled helplessly.

“Dirt, it’s dirty, my hand is dirty!”

Even in the dark, the red tongue that licked Ji-an’s palm was clearly visible. His lips pressed between his fingers and moved away. When Jeong Hee-seo kissed the hollow center of his palm, there was a loud kissing sound.

“Ugh…”

Jeong Hee-seo raised his eyes and stared directly at Ji-an’s expression. He greedily absorbed every detail of Ji-an’s trembling gaze as if he was going to swallow them whole.

Jeong Hee-seo’s lips filled with humid breath swept over Ji-an’s wrist as if kissing him. He approached the place where the pulse was beating loudly, kissed as if stamping it, then sucked it in as if devouring it.

* * *

They say tears come when shame reaches its peak, and Ji-an was a perfect example.

Ji-an was sitting on the lawn with a liberated face while clutching the medicine bottle, he seemed as if half his soul had dissipated. Even as the sprinklers rotated and water sprayed around him, he didn’t even consider moving.

“Gah, ugh… gross!”

He felt nauseous as he finished the bitter drink. As soon as he had the candy in his mouth, he covered his nose with Jeong Hee-seo’s handkerchief. Then his gaze fell to his wrist.

The skin looked particularly pale due to the red traces left behind.