Pig Government Official

-16-

Jeonggwan had heard countless times that he was chubby, or even called a pig. At first, of course, he was hurt and tried to diet by skipping meals and exercising. As expected, he lost weight with his efforts, but gradually he began to hate and dislike himself more.

Even when he wanted to eat something, he would lie about not being hungry while feeling self-conscious. He felt like he was becoming a strange person, putting down his spoon and saying he was full even when he wasn’t satisfied.

Still, Jeonggwan lost weight drastically because he had been teased too much. It was probably during his second year of middle school. He lost so much weight that when he visited his relatives during a holiday, his cousin didn’t even recognize him.

Jeonggwan had transformed to the point where he became quite thin, and everyone told him he was so pretty, cute, and finally looked like a proper omega.

Jeonggwan should have gained confidence from those words, but somehow he became more depressed and less confident. He found himself calculating calories with every meal, not wearing comfortable clothes for fear of gaining weight again, and awkwardly smiling at compliments for being a pretty omega for alphas.

It didn’t feel like himself.

Jeonggwan loved cooking and loved eating even more. But when he gave up all of that because of his weight, he gradually forgot what foods he liked and what activities he enjoyed. It felt like his very existence was being erased. He was becoming a “me” created by others, conforming to standards set by others.

One day, Jeonggwan asked his second brother Jeongwon, “Isn’t it better that I lost weight?” Jeongwon’s resolute answer hit Jeonggwan like a revelation, pinpointing exactly what had been wrong all along.

“Jeonggwan, you are you. You’re a wonderful person who eats well, laughs well, and firmly expresses your opinions no matter what others say. So whether you lose weight or not, I love you as a person. There’s no better or worse.”

Jeonggwan’s family had never forced him to lose weight or disrespected him for his size. That’s right. The people who saw him for who he was loved him whether he gained or lost weight.

Those who said, “I’m worried about your health,” or “You’d be prettier if you lost a little weight,” weren’t really concerned. They were just disguising their rudeness as “concern” and trying to make others conform to their beauty standards. It was just nonsense.

From then on, Jeonggwan just ate what he wanted and exercised on his own if he was worried about his health. There were so many delicious things to eat and taste in the world. So what if Jeonggwan’s weight exceeded the average and his appearance was “chubby”? Jeonggwan was just Jeonggwan.

As long as he was happy! He threw away the black clothes he wore to look slim and started wearing his favorite lemon yellow and purple clothes. No matter what anyone said, Jeonggwan thought he would be truly happy.

After that, his confidence grew, and his self-esteem skyrocketed. There would always be people who would love him for who he was. And who wouldn’t like someone as cool and cute as him!

That’s how he managed to attract the most popular alpha in school. And now he was trying to attract the most successful alpha in Korea.

“You know, Director Won Junjae came yesterday.”

“Yeah.”

“He was sitting in front of me.”

“…Yeah.”

“Did he keep looking at me?”

At Jeonggwan’s question, Jihoon answered with a blank expression, then looked at Jeonggwan with a face that seemed to ask what on earth he was trying to say.

“…Why are you looking at me like that? What’s wrong?”

“Do you think he might be interested in me?”

“…Was yesterday too hard for you?”

* * *

Jihoon looked through the kitchen window with a serious expression.

There was Jeonggwan, who had thrown a fit saying he would never wear brown, but then acted coy after wearing it, saying it looked prettier than he thought. Now he was busy kneading dough.

‘Hyung said yesterday that Director Won Junjae came down to the first floor five times.’

As soon as Jeonggwan arrived at work, he asked to speak privately with a rather serious face, and what he said was something Jihoon had never even dared to imagine. “Do you think he might be interested in me?” Jihoon had never seen an omega talk like that about Won Junjae. Others usually asked, “What’s his ideal type?”

‘He probably didn’t come to see you… He must have had real business at the store.’

‘…Five times?’

Jihoon made excuses for Won Junjae as if it were obvious. It wasn’t that he was dismissing his friend, but because he knew Won Junjae well as a person. Interest in someone? What interest? Such things come from emotions based on affection, but that man had no such thing as ‘affection.’

Jihoon remembered his cousin from childhood who didn’t shed a single tear and just turned back to his room when the dog they were raising at Won Junjae’s house died. He always said the dog was ugly, but Jihoon thought there would still be some affection… From then on, Jihoon thought, ‘This hyung is weird.’ He believed Won Junjae didn’t have the emotion of love.

It was the same when he saw the adult Won Junjae. There was always an omega by his side, but they never lasted long. Each time, it was a more beautiful omega, then an even more beautiful one. They changed to dazzlingly gorgeous beauties every time, to the point where Jihoon would click his tongue, wondering how much of a looks enthusiast one could be.

Moreover, even if their appearance met his standards, if their pheromones were even slightly displeasing, he would ignore them without changing his expression. He was such a personality disaster that there was a truckload of omegas who had cried because of Won Junjae around Jihoon.

‘He sat in front of me for thirty minutes.’

But for Kim Jeonggwan to be so confident like this? Jihoon found it a bit absurd, but he had seen with his own eyes Won Junjae doing something he would never do, so this part was strange.

Jihoon was surprised when Won Junjae entered the cafe, but he sat in a corner for over 30 minutes before leaving, which made Jihoon wonder what he was doing. But to say that was to see Jeonggwan? No way. Even if that were the case, Jihoon thought it was absolutely not because Won Junjae had any ‘romantic interest’ in Jeonggwan. Then what could it be?

Ah- my head hurts. Jihoon’s head started to ache from thinking too many thoughts he had never considered before.

“I like Director Won.”

“…What?!”

And then Jeonggwan dropped this bombshell, making Jihoon feel like he was going crazy.

“I mean, I don’t like him as a person. I like his exterior.”

Jihoon had felt uneasy since hearing about Jeonggwan’s ideal type. Jeonggwan probably didn’t know what he was saying back then, but just as Jihoon thought of Won Junjae when he heard Jeonggwan’s ideal type, Jeonggwan must have done the same. And after thinking about him constantly, he probably fell head over heels after meeting him at the charity party.

Wow- this is really exhausting.

Whenever omegas around him said they liked Won Junjae, Jihoon would snort and say, “Yeah, try to seduce him. See if he falls for it. Don’t come crying to me later.” He had acted so insensitively…

But it was different with Jeonggwan. The thought of him being cruelly rejected and hurt by Won Junjae was already giving Jihoon a splitting headache. Of all people, my friend had to like someone like him.

Unaware of Jihoon’s inner turmoil,

“Hee-.”

Jeonggwan looked up from kneading the dough and smiled at him. Oh… that innocent one…

Right. Smile a lot while you still can…

* * *

1 PM. Today, Jeonggwan and Hwang Jun, in charge of small desserts, had gone home, and only Suki remained, saying she would make tarts for the staff to eat before leaving. Even that seemed to be finishing soon. Jihoon thought he’d leave with Suki when she finished and have lunch together. He also planned to ask Suki, who was perceptive and insightful, about a situation with “an acquaintance” without mentioning Won Junjae and Jeonggwan by name, to get her opinion on why a man might behave that way.

The cafe was still bustling, but certainly less busy than yesterday. Maybe because they only hired experienced staff and trained them for a week before opening, the employees had already adapted and were working quickly after just one day. Thinking he could leave the cafe manager in charge and go home without worry, Jihoon asked the resident barista for a hot latte.

Ding-.

The bell rang as the cafe’s automatic door opened. It wasn’t the main entrance, but the side door connected to Won Jae Electronics’ lobby. Jihoon naturally turned his gaze that way, ready to greet a customer. However, a man in a black suit who looked unmistakably like a security guard, not a customer, entered the cafe first.

This was a familiar sight Jihoon had seen yesterday too.

Ah…

And behind him, wearing a dark three-piece suit like yesterday and with the same expressionless face, entered the central figure who had been giving Jihoon a headache all day.

“…Hyung is here?”

The employees started blushing and whispering among themselves at the sight of Won Junjae, just like yesterday. There’s going to be another person here who likes Won Junjae. Truly, as Jeonggwan said, his exterior was perfect. Feeling tired, Jihoon approached Won Junjae.

But why is this guy here again? I thought he’d never set foot in the cafe… Why is he here today? Even if he came yesterday for the opening, what’s his agenda now? Jihoon looked up at Won Junjae with suspicious eyes.

“What… would you like to order?”

“…”

However, Won Junjae’s gaze was fixed behind Jihoon.

It was exactly like yesterday. Yesterday, when Won Junjae entered, Jihoon had asked what he wanted to order, and Won Junjae, either not hearing or ignoring the question, had looked over Jihoon’s shoulder and walked in that direction without a word. He had gone to look at the shortcakes Jeonggwan was working on.

This time, with Jeonggwan gone and Suki here, Jihoon thought he might want to see the tart-making process. Even now, Jihoon absolutely refused to acknowledge that Won Junjae had been looking at ‘Jeonggwan’ himself. He had unconsciously concluded, giving the benefit of the doubt a hundred times over, that he must have been looking at the ‘cake-making process’ that ‘Jeonggwan’ was doing.

“Where did he go?”

However, Won Junjae seemed uninterested in Suki and immediately searched for someone.

“Pardon?”

“Did he go eat?”

“…Who, ah…?”

Jihoon’s pupils shook uncontrollably, as if an earthquake was splitting the ground.

“…Just like a pig.”

Because he knew all too well who Won Junjae was looking for and talking about right now.