Cozy Obsession

Heemin thought it was a good idea to suggest drinking as a way to resolve things. If they hadn’t had that candid conversation that day, Kwak Yoonseong’s visit might have ignited issues in an unexpected direction. He would never have gotten the chance to confidently open the front door with his own hands like today.‘It’s probably better to stay quiet, right?’Heemin neatly placed the stack of papers back where they belonged, hiding any signs of his turmoil. Since there was no surveillance camera in Yiheon’s dressing room, he could easily pretend he knew nothing about the thesis. Considering that Yiheon had read the thesis in the living room in front of him, it didn’t seem like he was trying to keep it a secret. Nonetheless, Heemin didn’t want to give the impression that he had been snooping around.As he looked around more, he noticed a safe at the very back of the dressing room. He could open it because Yiheon had shown ‘Seo Heemin,’ who had lost his mind after the miscarriage, the combination. But Heemin refrained from touching it to maintain trust.When someone seeking trust keeps their promises, their sincerity is proven. Deception had already been achieved by using the excuse of a lunchbox to leave the house.“Hyung, are you ready? We should get going soon.”Lost in his thoughts, Heemin was jolted back to reality by Minseok’s loud voice calling out to him, as he hadn’t shown any signs of coming out.“I’m coming now!”Heemin reached for the thin single-breasted jacket, infused with both Yiheon’s and his own pheromones from yesterday. It was clearly Cha Yiheon’s jacket, recognizable to anyone with a keen eye, signaling that the two had spent the night and morning together.This jacket would surely spark all sorts of speculative rumors among employees who didn’t know they were living together. Although he felt sorry for Do Junyoung, this visit might be the perfect opportunity to help him move on completely.Feeling satisfied with his choice, which he thought would please Yiheon, Heemin slipped his arms into the sleeves. The jacket, tailored slimly to fit Yiheon’s broad shoulders and thick torso, was quite loose on Heemin. He rolled up the long sleeves that extended past his hands and made final adjustments to his appearance in the full-length mirror.To avoid looking too casual, since he was going to help out, Heemin wore a white shirt and black slacks that revealed his ankles. Despite the oversized jacket, the outfit seemed to come together well enough.Heemin hurried to the living room, where Minseok, loaded with items including the lunchbox, waited with Ms. Ahn.“I also made egg soup to go with the kimbap and put it in a thermos. I wrapped the radish kimchi separately to avoid spills, and there’s fruit in the bottom compartment with a fork. Make sure to eat it last.”“Thank you, Aunty.”Ms. Ahn smiled faintly as she looked at Heemin, who thanked her politely. It seemed she, too, was worried about Yiheon, who often ate haphazardly, using his busy schedule as an excuse. She had packed the soup, side dishes, and fruit with great care.“Shall we go, hyung?”“Oh, just a moment.”Heemin headed back to his room to grab a suppressant, just in case. Although he felt good enough not to need medication, he didn’t want to ignore Dr. Hwang’s advice, who had come all this way for him. He thought it would be wise to take one just in case.He pocketed one pill in the right pocket of his jacket and glanced outside. The sky, which had been clear blue earlier, was now covered with gray clouds, threatening to rain.As if envious of Heemin going outside, the sky looked ready to drop rain at any moment.* * *Tap, tap, tap.Thick raindrops pounded against the car windows. Watching the crawling traffic while clutching the lunchbox and shopping bags, Heemin couldn’t hide his frustration and spoke to Minseok.“Drop me off at the main entrance instead of going into the underground parking lot. I’ll go up first.”“You have a lot to carry; it’ll be heavy. If I let you go alone, the boss will definitely be angry.”“I want to show him the lunchbox quickly. If the boss gets mad, just tell him I insisted.”“Still, hyung, let’s wait a bit more. We’re almost there after this intersection.”“Parking will take more time. I’m not running away. Just drop me off at the entrance.”It was almost noon, lunchtime. If it weren’t for the traffic jam caused by the rain, he would already be showing off the homemade kimbap to Yiheon. He was anxious about not making it on time.Heimin planned to win over Yiheon’s stomach with the kimbap and then, just like during their video call, get his permission. Since he was already at the company, he thought of pretending to help Kwak Yoon-seong while secretly gathering confidential information.Though the sequence of his confession had changed, it wasn’t a lie, so he hoped Yiheon would understand. Even if he initially refused, Heemin believed he could persuade him by explaining it was for their sake.Cha Yiheon wanted to oust Kwak Yoon-seong and Do Junyoung, who were under Seo Jae-han’s line, from the company. Kwak Yoon-seong, skilled in office politics, weakened internal cohesion, and Do Junyoung, trusted by the staff, significantly threatened Yiheon’s position.While the intention to frame Do Junyoung’s mistakes as Kwak Yoon-seong’s responsibility was good, it wasn’t enough to expel Kwak Yoon-seong.Eager to take full control of the company and break free from Chairman Yun quickly, Yiheon must have felt quite frustrated. If the ledger appeared, Heemin might seem like a stroke of luck to him.“Go straight to the president’s office. Promise me, hyung.”Minseok parked the light blue compact car at the main entrance, turned to the back seat, and raised his pinky finger. Heemin chuckled at being treated like a child left alone and lifted his pinky finger to make a promise.“Yes, I promise. See you later.”He got out of the car and quickly walked into the entrance. Contrary to his expectation that the lobby would be empty before noon, it was crowded with employees wearing their ID cards around their necks. The company didn’t seem to have strict rules about exact timings like a school. It was fascinating.“What floor is the delivery for?”Standing hesitantly in front of the gate near the elevator without an access card, a different security guard approached Heemin and asked, keeping his guard up. It seemed he mistook Heemin for a food delivery person.“For President Cha Yiheon…”“This is the child of former CEO Seo Jaehan Please open the entrance.”Just as Heemin was about to explain the reason for his visit, he heard a familiar, gentle voice from behind. A woody scent, reminiscent of a misty forest, calming and soothing, reached his nose.This pheromone…He turned slightly to see Do Junyoung, with his extremely gaunt face, standing there. He had planned to go straight to the president’s office as promised to Minseok but unintentionally ran into Junyoung. Seeing another seemingly coincidental encounter, like the one at the department store, Heemin felt reassured that the main framework of the original story hadn’t changed much.“Heemin.”Junyoung conveyed to his team members, who appeared to be his subordinates, that he would follow shortly and called Heemin softly.“Hello, Sunbae.”A serene smile suddenly faded into sadness around Junyoung’s lips. Heemin, wearing clothes that were obviously Yiheon’s, caused a pained expression to cross Junyoung’s face. His shoulders trembled slightly, looking pitifully fragile, as if he was drenched in sorrow like a person using a broken umbrella in the rain.Junyoung’s love for ‘Seo Heemin’ was part of his given character. Nonetheless, Heemin felt a heavy heart as he empathized with Junyoung’s pain.…I’m sorry. I can’t accept your feelings.“It’s been a while.”“Yes, it has.”“Let’s go inside.”The security guard swiped a card on the reader, and the transparent glass barriers slid open. Heemin glanced at Junyoung, who was scanning his employee card at the adjacent gate, as he moved forward.“Give it to me. I’ll carry it for you.”“Oh… It’s okay.”He was truly a kind person. However, instead of handing Junyoung the shopping bag with the thermos and side dishes, Heemin set it down on the floor. The elevator seemed to stop on every floor due to people leaving the building, meaning they might have to wait a while.“You seem to like him a lot.”“…What?”“I can see sides of you that you never showed to me.”Even though ‘Seo Heemin’ had opened up to Do Junyoung, he had always maintained a certain distance. Borrowing clothes with an alpha’s pheromone or bringing lunch were unimaginable actions for the Seo Heemin Junyoung knew.Heemin fiddled with the lunchbox handle, feeling sorry that he couldn’t tell Junyoung that he wasn’t the ‘Seo Heemin’ he once loved.“Take this.”Junyoung pulled something out of his wallet and handed it over. It was a small, square smart key, about the size of a thumbnail. It couldn’t be the key to Junyoung’s home, so it was likely the key to the studio Junyoung owned, which once belonged to ‘Seo Heemin.’“What is this…?”“I just stopped by occasionally to clean. I thought you’d come at least once, but you never did. You’re so stubborn.”He smiled wryly, delivering the words as a joke. It made sense that someone who dedicated his life to his art would find it stubborn for Heemin not to visit the studio he loved.Heemin had thought Junyoung would dispose of it on his own, but it seemed he had been waiting, longing for Seo Heemin to return and keep the studio.“…Sunbae.”“It’s the birthday gift I couldn’t give you last year. Things were so chaotic then that I couldn’t celebrate properly.”At that time, Seo Jaehan was borrowing money from various sources, trying to save the company from bankruptcy. Heemin had assumed the purchase of the studio was part of this financial maneuver, but it turned out Junyoung had intended it as a gift for ‘Seo Heemin’ all along.It seemed too grand for just a birthday gift.Heemin stared blankly at Junyoung’s hand holding the key. He felt both the burden of responsibility and excitement at the prospect of seeing Seo Heemin’s artwork in person, which he had only seen under hypnosis.“Still…”“I can’t accept this. I’ve already arranged another studio.”“I just want you to finish the unfinished paintings. I’m a fan of Seo Heemin, the artist, you know.”Junyoung forced the key into Heemin’s left hand and looked at him with resolute eyes.“Heemin.”“…Yes?”“I will never give up on you. No matter how long it takes, I will win your heart my way.”He had assumed Junyoung was giving him the studio key as a final gift, resolving his feelings for ‘Seo Heemin.’ Overwhelmed with guilt and sadness, Heemin couldn’t help but look up.He was another person, like Kwak Yoonseong, who didn’t know the meaning of giving up.“Why are you doing this?”Unable to contain his frustration, Heemin asked Junyoung. Junyoung was the type to discard his pride for Seo Heemin’s well-being. But Heemin was no longer unfortunate like Seo Heemin once was. He was well-fed and taken care of, giving Junyoung no reason to hope. What had triggered his feelings remained a mystery, filling Heemin with anxiety.He had to avoid making the wrong choice out of jealousy towards Kwak Yoonseong. This was serious.“You…”As Junyoung started to speak, the phone in Heemin’s shopping bag rang.“Excuse me, hold on.”Without thinking, Heemin put the key in his pocket and took out his phone from the shopping bag. As expected, the caller was ‘President Cha Yiheon.’ The thought that Yiheon might be watching made Heemin’s heart race with nervousness. He quickly pressed the answer button and brought the phone to his ear.“Hello, Yiheon.”Unable to use the term “hyung” in front of Junyoung, he had to call Yiheon by name. Yiheon’s response came a beat slower, perhaps caught off guard by the situation.— …I got out of the car first.“Oh, right. I’m in the lobby on the first floor.”Cold sweat trickled down his back as the situation seemed to be taking a strange turn. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. Feeling anxious about the unusually quiet response, he shuffled his feet nervously. At that moment, the elevator doors on the first floor opened. Heemin found himself face-to-face with Yiheon, whose eyebrows were raised mischievously.“Seo Heemin.”Surprisingly, only Yiheon and Secretary Jung were in the elevator. A smooth, honeyed voice escaped between Yiheon’s slightly crooked lips. Anyone who heard it might mistake it for a sweet, affectionate tone.“Come here.”Yiheon put the phone he was holding into the inside pocket of his jacket and extended his hand to Heemin. Secretary Jung quickly stepped out into the hallway and picked up the shopping bag and the lunch box that Heemin was holding in his right hand.Heemin hesitated for a moment, his face puzzled, then nodded slightly to Junyoung before slowly walking into the elevator. He could feel Junyoung’s gaze on his back, adding to the weight on his heart. Despite this, he instinctively took Yiheon’s hand. Yiheon’s thick, strong fingers interlocked with his own, causing his heart to tighten, and as he shuddered, Yiheon gently rubbed the back of his hand with his fingertips.“Why didn’t you wear a hat?”“I thought it might be inappropriate for the office…”“Wearing it is the polite thing to do, so make sure to wear it next time.”“…Okay.”Secretary Jung, who had been pressing the button from outside, entered the elevator. As the elevator doors started to close with a hum, Yiheon’s dark eyes curved in satisfaction.Complete villain.Do Junyoung’s inability to give up on ‘Seo Heemin’ was entirely because of Cha Yiheon. Heemin silently swallowed a sigh.“Secretary Jung.”“Yes, sir.”“Review the contract terms with the cafeteria outsourcing company and report back. We need to change companies.”“Yes, understood.”Yiheon tightened his grip on Heemin’s interlocked fingers. Although he still wore a smiling expression, the strength with which he held Heemin’s hand was enough to make his knuckles ache, indicating his displeasure. Was there a problem with the cafeteria?“Why are you changing the company?”“How bad must the food be for you to go out in the rain?”“Oh…”Indeed, as he said, if the cafeteria food was bad enough to make people brave the inconvenience of using an umbrella and going out, it must have been terrible.It wasn’t just because he was serious about his meals… more likely, it was because he didn’t like Do Junyoung, who had gone to the first floor ahead of him instead of heading to the building’s cafeteria.Heemin smiled slightly and shifted his gaze to the elevator’s display. Whatever the intention, if his jealousy improved employee welfare, that was enough. Good food would make work more enjoyable.“Seo Heemin.”The deep, husky voice calling his name made him turn back. Yiheon’s sharp eyes, shining clearly through narrowed lids, scanned Heemin’s face. His eyes were filled with displeasure, as if changing the company wasn’t enough.“Why?”Running into Do Junyoung had been purely coincidental. He had intended to go straight to the president’s office without any detours, so he hadn’t broken his promise to Minseok. What was the problem? Heemin rolled his big eyes and stared at Yiheon.“Your hand is hot.”“…What?”“Do you have a fever? Your face is all red again.”“Aren’t you the one who’s hot?”He hadn’t shown it, but Yiheon was clearly upset because of Do Junyoung. He had assumed it was Yiheon’s frustration that was making his body heat up, but it seemed it might be the opposite.Now that he thought about it, he did feel a bit feverish.Heemin raised his left hand to touch his forehead. The heat he thought was coming from Yiheon’s hand seemed to be radiating from his own forehead into his palm.He had felt in great condition after his workout, but now he felt weak. Maybe he had overexerted himself making the kimbap. Why was he suddenly running a fever?He felt drained. He hadn’t even met with Kwak Yoonseong yet, and this was troubling. It seemed he needed cold medicine, not a pheromone suppressant.Just as he was about to ask Secretary Jung to get him some fever medicine, Yiheon roughly grabbed the hand resting on his forehead. Twisting his wrist so his palm faced outward, Yiheon scowled and asked,“Why does your hand smell like Do Junyoung’s pheromone?”“…Pheromone?”It had been a brief contact. He hadn’t realized that even that short moment of unclenching his fist had left Junyoung’s pheromone on him. Heemin’s face flushed with confusion.“What did that bastard do to you?”Yiheon’s eyes, usually calm and composed, were now brimming with a barely contained rage. The cold alpha pheromone pierced through the heavy silence, accompanied by rough breathing.If Heemin hadn’t taken a pheromone suppressant, he might have collapsed from the pressure on his neck.Clearly displeased by the scent of another alpha on Heemin’s hand, Yiheon gripped his wrist so hard it felt like it might crush, and he spat out his words with icy disdain.“What did you do to act like an omega enchanted by pheromones? You collapse whenever you’re with me.”“Well… I mean…”He hadn’t been enchanted by Do Junyoung’s pheromone; he had practically forgotten about him. But it wasn’t a good time to explain.How could he tell Yiheon that Junyoung had given him the key to Seo Heemin’s studio and that he had forgotten to return it?Even if he hadn’t meant it that way, receiving the key could easily be misinterpreted as planning to meet Do Junyoung secretly in Seo Heemin’s studio. Any excuse would likely fall on deaf ears, and his lips trembled at the thought.Ever since that night he drank, he had forgotten how Yiheon could turn into a beast, capable of sinking sharp fangs into his neck at any moment, despite his usual docile demeanor. At this rate, he wouldn’t be able to get his hands on Kwak Yoonseong’s ledger, let alone open the lid of the lunch box.“Talk. Now,” Yiheon urged. The astute businessman’s facade he had maintained until a moment ago was gone. Revealing his true, ruthless nature, Yiheon glared at Heemin, unrestrained in his savagery.Ding—At that moment, as Heemin tensed up, fearing the key in his pocket might be discovered, the elevator doors opened like a savior. The barrier of metal walls disappeared, revealing Kwak Yoonseong standing there, just about to go out for lunch with an employee who had an ID badge hanging around his neck.“Heemin, you’re here?”“Ah, Father.”The left hand that had been held captive was finally freed. However, the right hand, interlocked like gears, remained tightly grasped.“Perfect timing. Let’s go eat together. President Cha, you should join us. I’ve made a reservation at a pufferfish restaurant because of the rain. Chief Choi, call them right now and let them know there will be two more people….”“You go ahead. I brought kimbap to eat with Yiheon.”“Really?”Kwak Yoonseong’s gaze shifted to Secretary Jung, who was holding the lunch box and shopping bag. Yunseong gave a subtle smile, as if he understood Heemin’s intent to gain favor with Yiheon, and stepped aside slightly.“Enjoy your lunch. I’ll see you later.”“You have a good time with President Cha as well.”Good time.It was a pointed remark, implying that Heemin should do everything he could during that hour or so to appease Yiheon and make it beneficial for himself.Heemin’s brows furrowed slightly at the insincere smile, but he didn’t show it outwardly. He bowed slightly to the two men, then followed Yiheon down the hallway, keeping his gaze fixed ahead.“Aren’t we eating in the president’s office?”