UR Chapter 39

Chapter 39

“Oh. Was it that obvious?”

“Uh… uhh…?”

Eun Sung-jun looked up at his boss with a bewildered expression.

“So… you’re saying this wasn’t something the Samho executives pushed on you?”

“What have you been misunderstanding this whole time?”

Eun Beom-ho looked down at him with an expression that was both vague and puzzled, as if he truly couldn’t follow his reasoning. His calm demeanor was the kind that came naturally to someone born with power.

In other words, it wasn’t that he was caving to the executives’ pressure and doing as they said.

“I thought… the Samho executives were forcing your marriage partner on you.”

“You treat me more like a kid than even my own mother does.”

Beom-ho’s eyes softened into a gentle smile. Like a kind tiger who, while holding what it wants, calmly shows its paw without ever unsheathing its claws, he carried himself with easy composure.

…Which, in reverse, meant he could win without showing his claws at all. Not that Sung-jun understood that.

“You’re the one who told me. I was building up an energy balance through prusten.”

“Huh?”

“As you know, if a pureblood beastman’s energy hits a half-beastman full force, it can be dangerous. So I was adjusting our energy.”

Sung-jun’s mouth opened slowly in shock.

“The worry you mentioned… about falling in love at first sight—was that what you were talking about?”

“Yeah.”

Sung-jun frowned in confusion.

“But to prusten… you’d have to transform into your animal form. That’s one of the most pride-wounding things for beastmen—are you saying you actually did that? You?”

Prusten—Sung-jun himself had been the one to explain it to him. It meant transforming into an animal form and building emotional connection through physical closeness. But for it to work, transforming into the animal form was a necessary condition.

“Ta-da.”

With a pop, Beom-ho transformed into a small tiger cub.

“I did.”

“Wh—wh—Wha—?!”

It was his first time seeing the man’s beast form up close. Sung-jun let out a shriek and toppled backward in shock.

* * *

Blink.

The darkness before his eyes gradually turned hazy. Eun Sung-jun shook himself and looked around. He remembered screaming and collapsing, but instead of the hard office floor, he was lying on the plush sofa in the break room. Sitting beside him, watching over him, was Eun Beom-ho.

“You’re awake?”

“Ah, yes… I think I got startled.”

Scratching the back of his head, Sung-jun bowed. He knew that seeing a pureblood beastman’s true form could make someone faint from the sheer force of their energy, but he thought he would be fine after spending so much time with Beom-ho. That complacency made him feel all the more guilty for screaming and passing out the moment he saw his true form.

“I’m… sorry.”

“Well, it was your first time seeing it. I’m the one who’s sorry for showing you without warning. I thought the baby tiger form would be fine.”

Rather than offended, Beom-ho looked at him with concern, as though this were a perfectly normal reaction. He patted Sung-jun’s shoulder lightly.

“Go home early today.”

“Oh… that’s not necessary.”

“Go when I tell you to go.”

“Thank you.”

Fearing he might change his mind, Sung-jun immediately bowed low and answered quickly. An early leave was far too tempting to refuse.

“Ah, do you remember what I told Ji-ho about the watch feature?”

Beom-ho pulled a necklace from his pocket. It was a small choker pendant with the Samho emblem—a triangle—hanging from it. The watch on his wrist displayed a small, faintly glowing number: 90%.

Sung-jun nodded.

“It’s the necklace I wear in my animal form. It’s linked to the watch.”

“…What does that percentage on the watch mean?”

Sung-jun pointed at the number.

“It shows how closely your energy matches with the other person’s. Ji-ho made it.”

“So then…”

“It means my energy matches with the dog at 90%.”

Ninety percent?

Sung-jun blinked. If a pureblood beastman’s energy matched a half-beastman’s at 90%, it was a high enough figure to justify Beom-ho’s claim of ‘love at first sight.’ They weren’t even mated, yet this was a match rate rare even between a pureblood and a regular beastman.

“Could it be that you two…?”

“I know what you’re thinking, but nothing happened.”

“Is that even possible?”

Ignoring his words, Beom-ho placed the choker in his palm.

A 90% energy match.

Pureblood beastmen possessed an extraordinary force that even ordinary beastmen struggled to endure. This made it difficult for them to find not only marriage partners but even dating partners. Beom-ho’s own parents had only found each other after testing their energy match with multiple partners.

Given that his pureblood was even more concentrated than theirs, most believed it would be harder for Beom-ho to find a match than it had been for his parents.

“My energy matches at 90% with his.”

Even as the grandson of the company owner, Beom-ho wasn’t the type to make baseless demands. If anything, he laid out his case calmly to make it persuasive. He proudly showed the watch—a result achieved without mating or even sleeping together. Of course, he didn’t mention that the process involved transforming into his true form and carefully prustening.

“Start looking into booking a wedding hall.”

He would have to look as gentle and good-natured as possible. The purer he appeared, the better.

Beom-ho rubbed his chin and glanced at the table. Then he slowly took out a pamphlet he had tucked inside a book.

It was filled with a list of hotel wedding venues that still had reservations open for the year.

For a wedding, of course, the best hotel was the right choice.

In his mind, he recalled that unreserved little whisper of “Weoong?” paired with a lovely smile.

Maybe it was because mating season was near, but his heart itched all over. It was a sensation similar to the thrilling touch of a soft tongue brushing against his lips.

“A wedding hall reservation…?”

“I already made a list. Just match it up with our plans. Oh, and I’m the one who sent the blind date request.”

Sung-jun thought he looked genuinely happy. With his long legs crossed slightly, leaning back comfortably into the sofa, there was an air of anticipation about him.

To think, the boss he once worried was too emotionally reserved was now preparing for marriage and a blind date.

He was so moved he forgot that Beom-ho was older than him, his chest swelling with emotion—until his phone buzzed and lit up.

Bzzzt—

“Oh—yes, hello?”

Still looking at him with a face like a proud parent, Sung-jun froze stiff at the voice on the other end of the call.

“Ah… yes. I see.”

“What?”

Noticing his unusual expression, Beom-ho turned his head slightly and asked curtly. He’d already sensed a subtle change in his mood.

“Uh… sir.”

“What? Are they saying forget the blind date and just prepare for the wedding?”

“Uh…”

Sung-jun wrinkled his nose, dragging out his words as if stalling. Yellow light flickered in Beom-ho’s eyes. The sharp, hawk-like glint was the look of a predator anyone would fear. Instinctively, Sung-jun averted his gaze and let his words trail off.

“They… said they’ll… think about whether or not to go through with the blind date.”

“……”

Resting his wrist atop his crossed knee, Beom-ho laced his fingers together and tapped his lips thoughtfully. To others, he might have looked calm, but this was his tell when he was anxious.

The light, buoyant mood in the room sank heavily. The anger and boiling emotions of a mountain lord could affect the weather and even the humidity in the air. Even the well-regulated climate of the company office wasn’t immune.

This is bad.

Sung-jun bit his lower lip. As a mountain lord and king of spirits, Beom-ho lacked human restraint. Normally calm and composed, he occasionally revealed his emotions like this—never realizing how the environment would lash out along with his mood, affecting everyone nearby.

Once, when he got angry, sparks had flown everywhere and caused a blackout. Another time, a gust had swirled through a closed office. And there was the time a pink cloud had formed under the fluorescent lights, sparking a small whirlwind.

Sweating, Sung-jun clutched the phone and tried to joke.

“Ah, maybe it’s just that the half-beastman side is overwhelmed by such an unexpected match. Could be intimidating.”

“……”

“Haha… if you give me some time, I can coordinate with Samho and sort things out.”

“…Alright.”

Beom-ho nodded blankly, his face set. It would have been better if he’d smiled or gotten angry—anything but this still, expressionless look, hands clasped tight.

“Sung-jun.”

“Yes? Yes.”

“Can you find out how many flower shops there are in Manwol-gu?”

“Flower shops… sir?”

Flower shops? Now? Sung-jun pressed his lips together and looked at his boss, unable to guess the reason. Beom-ho spoke as he stared back.

“Yeah. I think they said flowers are essential for courtship.”

“Ah… right. They are.”

Sung-jun nodded, seeming to understand. For now, his job was to find out why the blind date had been put on hold and how to fix it.

“Yeah. That’s best.”

“…Sir?”

“Send every rose from every flower shop in Manwol-gu to their house.”

Beom-ho’s eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke slowly, pressing each word out with emphasis.

“Sir… roses?”

“Yes. The puppy said they wanted roses for courtship. I forgot about that.”

Sung-jun raised his brows and nodded. Even if they liked roses, sending every rose from every shop in Manwol-gu might be… a bit much.

But he couldn’t voice such an objection. Not when Beom-ho looked so serious and intent.

“…It’s winter now, so roses might be hard to find, sir.”

So he tried to phrase it as half-refusal, half-persuasion, watching his boss’s reaction carefully.

“Really? Then even better. We’ll make sure we monopolize every rose in town for the day.”

You’re joking, right?

He didn’t dare say it, because Beom-ho suddenly stood up. Of course, he wasn’t joking.

“Do it for me.”

He set down the pamphlet full of neatly organized wedding hall listings on the table and slipped on his outdoor jacket. Sung-jun bowed his head before he could even finish protesting.

“Yes, yes… Sir, are you heading out?”

“Yeah, I’ve got somewhere to be.”

“Oh, yes. Understood.”

“Once you’ve sent the roses, just send me a report.”

Leaving those firm words behind, Beom-ho strode quickly out of the president’s office.