DHG Ch 15

Yoonguk narrowed his eyes, staring at the still-expressionless boy’s gaunt face. He had hoped that with the change in the establishment’s owner and Kim Jinhwan’s departure, the boy’s complexion might have improved, but it was somehow just as bad. Thin and pale.

Heewoo’s poor appearance was due to his ongoing illness, but Yoonguk had no way of knowing that. He spoke somewhat hurriedly.

“The thing is… I asked for you to be called because I have something to say.”

His words came out in a rushed rhythm.

“Would you like me to pay off your debt, Mr. Heewoo?”

In truth, Yoonguk had been anxious ever since the van abruptly closed last August.

He had heard about Kim Jinhwan from his uncle, a congressman in the district where the van was located, which only heightened his unease. The first thing that occupied his mind was the pale face Kim Jinhwan had kept hidden, never showing to others. Kwon Heewoo—what had happened to that boy?

He eventually learned that Heewoo was still at the van, somehow. However, getting access to the establishment wasn’t as easy as before. The van now adhered to stricter membership and reservation policies, and Yoonguk, in particular, faced even more restrictions—likely due to his connection with Kim Jinhwan. With the ongoing power struggles in Geumsan, even minor associations were met with suspicion.

After waiting for about two months, Yoonguk finally gained entry to the van. Suppressing the impatience from the long wait, he said, “Whatever the amount, I’ll take care of it.”

Kwon Heewoo, with his quiet demeanor, showed no reaction.

Yoonguk hadn’t expected fervent gratitude, but the silence was too profound. A brief pang of disappointment hit him, but he quickly set it aside. He must find it hard to trust me right away. Yoonguk continued his explanation.

“To be honest, I’ve wanted to do this for a while. I didn’t bring it up before because I knew Kim Jinhwan wouldn’t accept my money.”

Thanks to buying information from a cooperative waiter, he already knew how much debt Kwon Heewoo owed. A paltry sum, just over 200 million won, not even enough to buy a decent music track, yet it was crushing this boy, trapping him. To Yoonguk, it was less than the price of a watch in the catalogs he regularly received. If it weren’t for Kim Jinhwan, he could have easily paid it off and claimed him long ago.

He had been cautious because of the ferocious guard dog circling, but now Kim Jinhwan was gone. He had also confirmed through the waiter that the debt had been transferred to the new boss.

“Now that the owner here has changed… I don’t see a reason to wait any longer.”

Even excluding the two months of waiting, he had been biding his time for nearly half a year. Exhausted from the ordeal, Yoonguk concluded his offer.

But the response was not what he expected. Kwon Heewoo, still staring at the floor, avoiding eye contact, remained silent. After a long pause, he finally let out a dry voice.

“Thank you for the offer, but it’s my debt, so I’ll pay it off myself.”

Thank you. Kwon Heewoo bowed his head. Only then did Yoonguk realize his mistake. Was it too sudden? Their perspectives were different—his own long-held interest versus Heewoo’s position. He probably needs time to think.

“Sorry. I was a bit hasty.”

Heewoo kept his head lowered, silent. He didn’t think Yoonguk’s words were hasty. No matter what the man said, his answer would have been the same.

Yoonguk smiled, as if he fully understood the gap between them.

“The interest rates were outrageous, weren’t they? I know it’s a bit blunt to say, but… my pockets are deep. What’s wrong with someone well-off lending a hand?”

“…”

“Think it over, and reach out anytime, okay?”

Yoonguk handed over a small piece of paper. Heewoo accepted the scribbled contact details from the man with a gentle smile. Since Yoonguk showed no sign of leaving first, Heewoo politely bowed and left the scene.

Back in the kitchen, Heewoo glanced at the contact details he held discreetly in his palm. It wasn’t a business card but a piece of guest memo paper, the kind Heewoo used to jot down things like pencil leads or erasers.

He picked up the memo along with some vegetable packaging he had set aside. As always, he quietly tossed it into the trash, unnoticed by anyone.

✮⋆˙

From that day on, Yoonguk began visiting the van about twice a week. It seemed he was conducting business as before, persuading songwriters, as waiters quietly spread word that he was accompanied by famous composers or celebrities.

He showed up to see Heewoo two or three more times. Unlike their first reunion, Yoonguk only offered gentle greetings and asked about his well-being, never mentioning the debt. It was as if he was willing to wait, ready to give Heewoo all the time he needed.

But for Heewoo, even those brief encounters were uncomfortable. He could never give the answer the man wanted. He now knew well that nothing in this world came for free.

Time passed quickly, and it was soon the end of October. While eating lunch made from a few leftover carrot pieces from the previous day’s juice sales, a burly guy pounded on Heewoo’s door.

“Hey! The boss is calling for you!”

Jang Seungyung, who had been absent for a while, had visited the van after several days.

Amid the ongoing debates about whether the new boss would shut down the business or not, Heewoo had inadvertently heard updates about Jang Seungyung. He had reportedly been promoted to executive director at Geumsan headquarters, keeping him extremely busy. Why such a busy man would summon him was a mystery.

As Heewoo crossed the skybridge connecting the debtors’ lodging to the main building, he recalled a strange encounter from before. The smoky smell of the boss’s office, the empty threats delivered without any real purpose despite summoning him.

He soon reached the third-floor corridor where the boss’s office was located. The path, which he had taken a few times before, felt entirely different due to the complete renovation. Heewoo knocked twice on the newly designed double doors.

“Come in.”

It was Secretary Hwang’s voice. Thankfully, it seemed the boss wasn’t alone.

Opening the door, Heewoo was met with a completely transformed office.

The rumors about the lavish renovation after removing the safe seemed true. Ornate marble patterns, dark walnut finishes, walls torn down to let in bright light through full-length windows, and a large desk and furniture adorned with gold leaf accents.

It could have been gaudy, but the bold elements harmonized well. Heewoo suddenly recalled what Jang Seungyung had said the first time they met.

“I don’t have a hobby of using other people’s things.”

As if proving his words through action, Jang Seungyung had completely remade the office into an entirely new space.

Besides Jang Seungyung, two others were in the room: Secretary Hwang, whose voice he’d heard, and…

Why is that guy here?

Heewoo hid his surprise, just as he had when seeing the revamped office. He bowed deeply toward Jang Seungyung, who was leaning against the large desk with his tall, imposing frame.

“Hello.”

“Hey.”

Jang Seungyung responded, his presence undiminished by the dazzling interior, as befitting the room’s owner. He was dressed in a long coat that reached his calves.

“I heard you’re still going to the hospital? It breaks my heart and worries me, so I called you in.”

Heartbroken? Worried?

His voice, brimming with levity, carried not a trace of concern. The contrast with his words made it sound like mockery. Heewoo swallowed, his throat tightening in the boss’s presence, and replied, “I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”

“What’s your condition? This guy didn’t seem to know anything.”

Grumbling, Jang Seungyung glanced disinterestedly at someone whose existence he hadn’t even registered until today. Just earlier, he had summoned Pyo Mingeon, the young thug Won Madam had assigned to Heewoo, to ask about recent events. Now that he thought about it, the face looked familiar. He was the kid who had taken Heewoo’s clothes and card at the hospital the day Heewoo collapsed.

Whether it was because he came from China and lacked Korean proficiency, or he was pretending to, Pyo Mingeon’s answers were vague. When asked what was wrong with Heewoo, he said something like, “I heard general hospitals treat all kinds of illnesses. He said his head hurt, his stomach hurt, everything hurt, so we went to various places. Some kind of medical department…” It was all evasive. Though he couldn’t pinpoint it, Jang Seungyung felt a sense of unease.

“…”

Heewoo couldn’t answer right away. His heart sank.

Judging the mood, it seemed Mingun hadn’t revealed that he was an omega, thankfully. But if they kept asking what was wrong, it was only a matter of time before it came out—unless he lied.

What did Mingun say, and how much? As often happens when someone lacks a clear answer, he stayed silent. Watching the boy stand as still as a decoration, Jang Seungyung raised an eyebrow.

“Come here.”

Heewoo glanced up slightly. Seeing the boss looking at him, he realized he was being called. Reluctantly, he moved forward.

Then it hit him.

Early yesterday morning, after work, he had taken a pheromone shower from Mingun. Though some time had passed, the other person was a dominant alpha with exceptional pheromone sensitivity. He hadn’t even thought about it until now, but being summoned here with Mingun present brought it to mind.