VDN Ch 20
by STAR“Phew, phew!”
Suddenly, as liquid poured over his head and face, Executive Director Moon furiously wiped it off with his palms and jerked his head up, then shouted.
“Hey, hey, are you crazy? Don’t you know who I am? I’m the executive director of Dae-moon Group!”
“I don’t know about that, but I do know you’re a pervert who keeps bothering people against their will.”
“You crazy bastard! Who the hell are you?!”
Amidst the commotion, the eyes of the people in the store turned towards them one by one. The murmuring around them grew louder. Narrowing his eyes, Executive Director Moon wiped off the alcohol dripping from his chin once more and said incredulously,
“Isn’t that Kwon Seo-oh? Mr. Nam-woon, what the hell is this guy?”
Executive Director Moon stretched out his arm towards Nam-woon again and yelled.
“Come here quickly, get away from that guy!”
However, his outstretched arm didn’t reach Nam-woon at all because Seo-oh was standing tall in front of Nam-woon like a totem pole. Seo-oh’s long finger pushed Executive Director Moon’s shoulder once, causing him to step back.
“It’s you who’s the weird one.”
“You rootless bastard who doesn’t even know where you came from, who do you think you’re hitting! Do you want to eat prison food? Mr. Nam-woon, come to my side quickly!”
Executive Director Moon desperately called for Nam-woon as if searching for family during a war, but Nam-woon instead stepped back. Seeing Nam-woon’s disgusted expression, Executive Director Moon raged as if consumed by anger.
“Kwon Seo, you bastard, you’re exactly as Mr. Nam-woon said! A parasitic son who lost his father! You’re the real swine who can’t even be distinguish between a bug and a human!”
“…….”
“…….”
Nam-woon’s face turned pale at the words that came out of Executive Director Moon’s mouth. He could feel Seo-oh in front of him flinch. Now, in the quiet store, only Executive Director Moon was making noise.
“Indeed, if it’s about the Seok family, it seems you’d go anywhere. Mr. Nam-woon said it, didn’t he? A parasite struggles to survive, he’s so desperate to crush it! I feel the same way right now!”
Both Nam-woon and Seo-oh remained still, and the whispering voices of the people around them caught his ear.
“Isn’t that Seok Nam-woon?”
“Wasn’t he a beta?”
“He wanted to be an alpha, but look at him, covered in omega scent. As expected. An alpha, my foot.”
“Executive Director Moon is a suck-up. But who’s that man in front of Seok Nam-woon? I’ve never seen him before, but he’s handsome.”
Nam-woon placed a hand on his forehead. His head had been throbbing since earlier. He thought it was a headache from the scent, but it seemed like a fever was rising.
Executive Director Moon kept spewing nasty words at Seo-oh. It was uncomfortable even for Nam-woon to hear, but how would Seo-oh, the person involved, feel?
“Enough already.”
It was the moment Nam-woon opened his mouth. From afar, a man quickly approached and raised his hand to Seo-oh. Slap! Seo-oh’s face turned to the side, unprepared for the blow.
The man, not satisfied with just that, slapped the cheek he had hit before once more. With two slaps from the man’s hand, Seo-oh’s cheek began to swell red. At the corner of Kwon Seo-oh’s mouth, a wound had already formed.
“Are you causing trouble with a customer right now!”
The man spat out as he pointed accusingly at Kwon Seo-oh.
“Are you a thug, huh? I called you here to work and you pour alcohol on a customer? Do you know how important the customers here are?”
Then he groveled apologetically toward Executive Director Moon.
“Sir, I’m really sorry! Are you hurt anywhere…?”
“What’s this, manager? How exactly do you train your staff here!? Where’s President Park!”
Executive Director Moon squawked noisily. Nam-woon moved to step in front of Seo-oh, blocking him. Then he quietly opened his mouth.
“Executive Director Moon.”
“It’s, it’s me, Nam-woon.”
Executive Director Moon looked at Nam-woon with tearful eyes. But Nam-woon was no Buddha. Thud! Executive Director Moon staggered from the punch thrown by Nam-woon. He turned his head, clutching his cheek, and looked at Nam-woon with disbelief.
[Warning! The target of violence is incorrect!]
Nam-woon, his hands in his pockets, spoke arrogantly.
“Are you the one who wants to eat prison food?”
“What, what did you say?”
“I have no interest in a bastard like you. How disgusting must it feel to hug someone who dislikes you and to get that excited.”
At Nam-woon’s words, everyone’s gaze turned to Executive Director Moon’s private area. Executive Director Moon’s face turned red and then pale as he gently covered himself from the cold stares of the people. People whispered behind him.
“Oh my, what’s happening?”
“Hey, it’s so small I didn’t even notice before.”
That’s right. That’s why even Nam-woon, who was standing close to Executive Director Moon, barely noticed it.
Nam-woon pointed precisely at the center part that Executive Director Moon tried so hard to cover.
“If you touch me even once more, I’ll make sure you can’t use it again.”
Nam-woon turned his head and pointed at the manager.
“And you.”
“…Yes?”
“You should be apologizing to this person, not that one.”
Nam-woon tilted his head and pointed at Seo-oh, but the manager, not understanding properly, looked around bewildered and asked, “What do you mean?” Nam-woon strode towards him.
Slap!
“Ah, ah…”
The manager clutched the side of his face that Nam-woon had hit and began to tear up.
“Do you know what happens to you if you mess with Chairman Seok Jin-cheol’s people?”
“Seok, Seok Jin-cheol…”
The manager finally glanced at Kwon Seo-oh and started trembling. He thought he was just a regular employee, but he was someone from the notorious Seok Jin-cheol.
“Even if you’re a manager, is it right to beat people like this?”
Hic. The manager gasped at Nam-woon’s words. Now pale with fear, he couldn’t even look at Nam-woon properly.
“I’m, I’m sorry.”
Nam-woon yanked the manager’s collar close to his face and whispered in his ear.
“If you touch him one more time, you’ll disappear without a trace.”
It was a whisper too quiet for others to hear. The manager, known for his terrible personality, panicked as if he were about to wet himself when Nam-woon warned him. He nodded frantically. Nam-woon looked at the manager expressionlessly and then turned to grab Seo-oh’s wrist.
“Let’s go.”
Seo-oh did not meet Nam-woon’s gaze. The two were silent as they came out behind the store.
It looked like you got hurt when you were slapped earlier.
Nam-woon looked up. Kwon Seo-oh was looking down.
“Kwon Seo-oh. Look up.”
“……”
“Hurry.”
But he still kept his head down, just clenching his fists. Nam-woon said, “Just a moment” and gently touched Seo-oh’s chin. He tried to lift his head, but thud. His hand was fiercely knocked away. Seo-oh’s eyes, looking at Nam-woon, were endlessly cold.
“Let me see the wound.”
Seo-oh remained silent. Nam-woon sighed and said,
“Why did you just stand there earlier?”
“…What?”
“Why did you just take it when the manager was hitting you? You curse at me just fine. Shouldn’t you at least try to dodge when someone hits you like that?”
At that, Seo-oh let out a hollow laugh. Then he looked down fiercely at Nam-woon.
“Don’t you like it?”
Nam-woon was taken aback by the unexpected remark. Seo-oh continued,
“That’s the image you wanted, isn’t it?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Me getting beaten up, rolling around. That’s what you wanted, right?”
Nam-woon was at a loss for words. Seo-oh smirked and continued,
“Why am I getting hit? Is that something that should come out of your mouth?”
“……”
“Yeah, I’m a parasite. It’s natural for parasites and bugs to be stepped on by people.”
“…I never talked about you like that.”
“Shut up.”
Nam-woon moved his lips, but no words came out. It was Nam-woon who had tormented the defenseless child to death.
“Now what? Do you feel pity?”
“Kwon Seo-oh.”
“You come and go in my house, and now that you’ve seen Se-han, you suddenly feel human emotions?”
Seo-oh clenched his teeth as if enraged.
“What are you planning, tricking Se-han too, Fuck, are you really trying to take Se-han away from me?”
“I never did that! You might not believe me but I don’t have any bad feelings towards you. I want to maintain a good relationship with you…”
That’s when it happened. Red letters appeared before his eyes.
[You have ignored the warning!]
[Support activated!]
[Pheromone Sensitivity: 70%]
“Agh… Ugh….”
Suddenly, a chill swept through my body. The inexplicable headache that had been lingering since earlier now brought with it chills, making my body tremble. Standing still had become a torment. A pained voice escaped through my gritted teeth. But I couldn’t just kick away this moment and leave, nor could I fully wrap myself up in front of Kwon Seo-oh, so I clenched my teeth and endured. It was hard enough just standing, I couldn’t face Seo-oh any longer. With my head hung low, I stood there.
Seo-oh who did not notice Nam-woon’s condition said it with a voice filled with anger.
“I don’t care what you think of me, but…”
His cold gaze pierced through me.
“If you touch Se-han or hurt him, you, Seok Nam-woon, will be the one to pay.”
Seo-oh turned away. I couldn’t say a word and I stood frozen in place. As the sound of his footsteps grew fainter, I endured the pain, and then drops of a deep red liquid fell to the floor.
“Ah….”
When I wiped my forehead, blood smeared on my hand. It seems the wound on my head, which I got from President Moon’s swinging hand, has finally burst open. With my forehead covered by my hand, I struggled to move my feet, but suddenly, everything spun around me.
Huh?
And then everything went black.
