UR Chapter 71

Chapter 71

“Boss, I don’t quite get it. Didn’t you say you met him in his child form and went on dates with him? Then why would you get his name wrong…?”

Sung-jun spoke with a surprised expression. It was his boss’s private life, so he hadn’t pried too much, but still, Beom-ho had been making frequent trips to Manwol Mountain just to meet him. From what he knew, Beom-ho had even marked him several times—wasn’t that basically dating? And now he was saying he’d gotten the name wrong?

“He was wearing a name tag that said Kang Soo-hyun at the convenience store. And the nameplate on his house also said Kang Soo-hyun.”

Beom-ho shrugged as if to say, What’s the big deal?, then gazed off into the air as if lost in thought.

“Well… we did meet often, but in all that time, not a single person ever mentioned his name. No, what excuse could I possibly make? It’s my fault. Just don’t hold me legally responsible. I didn’t want to scare the kid. Actually… truth is, I didn’t want to meet someone after doing a background check like I’ve always done.”

“What…? Even though we have the company system?”

Beom-ho’s company was a special security firm. They developed security programs for corporations, managed those systems, and even provided personnel. Because of that, the company’s foundation and core rule was always to be suspicious of and cautious toward everyone around.

Eun Sung-jun stared at him, dumbfounded. Saying two similar-looking people were completely different was one thing, but this was even harder to understand. Who else handled matters as precisely as Beom-ho? For someone who normally managed everything with such strictness, this strangely soft approach left him speechless.

So… just because he didn’t want to do a background check? Even though, according to company policy, background checks and security measures were basic procedure?

“I know what you’re thinking, but the fact that I had a lot of ulterior motives is a big problem too. If I did a background check when my intentions weren’t pure…”

“You’d get caught in a conscience trap?”

He nodded.

“What kind of ulterior motives and impure intentions are we talking about here?”

“Want to know?”

“No.”

Sung-jun refused flatly.

“Anyway, I never officially asked.”

“Officially…? But didn’t you get pretty close when you were pretending to be a cat?”

Beom-ho ignored the question and smiled.

“Sung-jun, think about it. Imagine a cat you’ve been friendly with suddenly starts talking like a human and asks you what your name is. If you were a normal person, wouldn’t you faint in fear or run away rather than laugh and give your name?”

“That’s… true. Yeah. That was a stupid question.”

Sung-jun replied seriously. Well, for a half-beastman, there wouldn’t be much difference from a regular human. It would take a pureblood or at least an ordinary beastman like himself to understand, since half-beastmen lived pretty much like humans.

Watching Sung-jun nod intently and react like an audience member, Beom-ho tucked the photograph carefully back into the paper envelope, as if he had gained something precious.

“I was thinking of not letting Seol Dae-yoon off the hook for being so insolent.”

He pressed down hard on the glued flap of the envelope with his fingers. To anyone else, the gesture would seem calm, but Sung-jun could tell he was quite excited.

“Still, I’m grateful he gave me a photo I’d never seen before.”

“……”

“But really, Sung-jun. Isn’t this fate? Even though I called the wrong person because of my mistake, in the end, the one I wanted came back around and stood right in front of me.”

Beom-ho fell into thought.

Why had he shown up as a substitute? What had happened? He planned to find out slowly. He could easily discover the answer with a background check, but instead of relying on someone else’s investigation, wouldn’t it be better for them to talk and find out directly?

As he thought of the way I-bom had shyly looked up at him with those gentle eyes, he savored the name in his mind as if rolling it on his tongue. Those clear, transparent eyes filled with nothing but him, like a plump spring bud about to burst into bloom. His heart pounded violently against his chest. The more he repeated the name, the more it settled neatly into his heart like a tattoo.

I-bom.

Kang I-bom.

* * *

―Boss, what are you planning to do?

He had shoved Sung-jun into a car headed for the airport, but then the phone rang. Sung-jun’s vacation started today, and he was scheduled to go abroad for a week.

From the other end of the line, over the hum of the airport, Beom-ho heard the announcement, “Please proceed to Gate 201…” and spoke firmly.

―How about you stop now and go catch your flight?

Sometimes Sung-jun acted like he was Beom-ho’s guardian. Or treated him like a child left unattended by the water, constantly at risk. Perhaps it was because his mother had once told Sung-jun, “Please take good care of our Beom-ho,” and the words had stuck deeply with him.

―You have arrived at your destination. Navigation guidance has ended.

Screech. Beom-ho lightly turned off the car engine and unbuckled his seat belt.

“I can handle it, so don’t worry and just enjoy your trip.”

Saying more would only make Sung-jun anxious. Beom-ho smiled gently. There was something he needed to handle before reaching his goal, and having Sung-jun around would only be a nuisance.

“Anyway, it’s been a while since your last overseas trip. Stop worrying about me, have fun, and quit nagging. You should be getting married next year too, right?”

He opened the car door and stepped outside. The ground was frozen solid from the constant snowfall, and patches of slush squelched between the ice as he walked.

The area in front of the university was quiet during the winter break. Near the main gate, where a dim streetlamp flickered, a small flower shop caught his eye. It was so small you might not even realize it was a flower shop unless you looked closely.

Instead of a bold sign saying “Flower Shop,” the name was written in cursive: “Unconscious Flower.” The shop was quiet, lit by just one lamp inside, and snow lay thick and soft over the signboard.

But the calm, neat atmosphere drew him in—the slightly dim lighting, the understated blue-gray lettering, the absence of any flashy decoration. Behind the spotless, gleaming window, white blossoms bloomed in clusters, with warm filament bulbs flickering among them.

He stared at the shop.

He would like it if he brought flowers. After all, it was I-bom who had first mentioned roses. Had he seen when Beom-ho gave Kang Soo-hyun a bouquet full of them? Hopefully, there hadn’t been any misunderstanding.

―No, the reason I’m worried about you is… Huh? M-married? What are you—

“Just hang up. Have a good trip.”

Beom-ho cut off Sung-jun’s flustered voice with a smile, then headed for the flower shop. The heavy, metallic sound of his shoes echoed through the quiet street. Each breath released a puff of mist into the cold, damp air.

Ding—

As the door opened, the faint, fresh scent of leaves and blossoms drifted out.

“Welcome. Are you looking for a particular flower?”

Without turning, Beom-ho pointed to the flowers he had decided on from the start.

“I’d like to buy roses.”

Large cream-colored blooms, beaded with fresh dew. Even in winter, the full, layered petals bloomed strongly, carrying a pure fragrance that matched a pair of shimmering, gentle eyes.

* * *

“Ah! Sorry, the restroom was crowded.”

He had placed the flowers carefully in the back seat so they wouldn’t wilt in the harsh winter wind, but the delay had gone on long enough to make him uneasy.

“……”

Finding the real Kang Soo-hyun wasn’t difficult. He just hadn’t wanted to. With Samho’s resources, there was little he couldn’t uncover. If he set his mind to it, learning someone’s personal details was easier than breathing. With a snap of his fingers, he could know everything about a person living on the other side of the world.

He wore a smooth smile as he looked at Kang Soo-hyun, but unlike when he looked at I-bom, his gaze was cold and sharp.

Soo-hyun’s smiling face was detestable. The corners of his mouth twitched unnaturally, like a nervous tic. He peeked into the car with a sly grin.

“Oh, are you giving flowers again? You really like roses, huh.”

“I do.”

Beom-ho’s reply was dry.

“But you were the one who said you liked them first, Soo-hyun.”

“Huh? M-me?”

Ha ha. Soo-hyun blinked rapidly, pretending not to understand. His chest rose and fell in unease, betraying an anxious expression. Watching him calmly from over his shoulder, Beom-ho spoke coldly.

“I wonder how much longer you plan to keep up this lie, ‘Mr. Kang Soo-hyun.’”

“What do you—”

Soo-hyun faltered, stepping back in surprise. Then it was as if something invisible suddenly came into focus—gone was the forced warmth and fake pleasantness, replaced by the heavy, oppressive aura of a predator.

“Uh… hhh—”

Cough. As if struggling to breathe, Soo-hyun pounded his chest with a fist. The veins on the back of his trembling hand stood out as he coughed.

“The person I met yesterday… wasn’t you.”

Soo-hyun froze, motionless, as if time itself had stopped.