Pig Government Official

-30-

Secretary Oh first adjusted his glasses and carefully gestured to calm his boss, whose dignity was severely crumpled. As if to guide him back to the office. Won Junjae, as if his reason had returned, looked around once, adjusted his tie, and turned around to leave the secretary’s office. The people in the secretary’s office looked at each other, trying to read the situation, and said things like,

“…Did the stock price drop?”

As soon as Secretary Oh closed the thick acacia wood door after following Won Junjae into his personal office, Won Junjae turned around with an expression that said, “Tell me what to do now.” Secretary Oh took a short breath and began to fully engage his brain while looking at Instagram again.

From what he had found out, Jung Taegeon had attended the same high school as Kim Jeonggwan. Although Jung Taegeon couldn’t graduate because he went abroad mid-way, they could have been close friends. However, there were no photos of them together on SNS, and no mentions, so there didn’t seem to be anything particularly special about their friendship. The strange thing was that Jung Taegeon’s recent post was a photo of the cake from the café on the first floor of the company where Kim Jeonggwan works as a baker, tagged with “I miss you.” Suddenly following Kim Jeonggwan and his actions clearly seemed like those of an ex-boyfriend, but the problem was that Jung Taegeon was an extremely handsome dominant alpha. The question of whether Kim Jeonggwan could have dated such an alpha remained, making it hard to be confident in this hypothesis.

Seeing Jung Taegeon asking to go eat cheese tteokbokki and Kim Jeonggwan agreeing, it also seemed like they might just be each other’s type. Maybe they were incredibly close friends before falling out? Maybe Jung Taegeon left that comment first because he wanted to reconcile recently? He thought. He and the people around him all wished their exes would disappear, so it seemed impossible to go eat cheese tteokbokki amicably with an ex-boyfriend. Moreover, while Kim Jeonggwan was certainly eye-catching with his white and round features, the probability of him meeting an alpha as handsome as Jung Taegeon was close to impossible…

“Kim Jeonggwan.”

“Yes?”

“He said he was forced to break up with someone he used to date.”

As if seeing through Secretary Oh’s thoughts, Won Junjae muttered lowly. As if telling him to apply this to the hypothesis he had thought of. And his eyes were asking if his thoughts and Secretary Oh’s were the same.

“…Then it seems Jung Taegeon is the person he used to date.”

Won Junjae’s Adam’s apple moved greatly.

“And it seems he still has lingering feelings for Kim Jeonggwan.”

Secretary Oh thought that if there was a premise of “forced to break up,” then this hypothesis fit perfectly. Because they still have affection for each other, they naturally arrange to meet under the pretext of cheese tteokbokki. And the probability of Kim Jeonggwan meeting a perfect alpha like Jung Taegeon, thinking about it, was somewhat understandable just by looking at the man in front of him. Do all dominant alphas have… peculiar tastes?

At first, he thought his boss was showing interest in Kim Jeonggwan simply because of his pheromones. Honestly, Kim Jeonggwan’s appearance wasn’t one that would make you fall in love at first sight or keep thinking about him. Especially since the omegas around Won Junjae had been like angels or fairies.

But it was really strange. His boss noticed Kim Jeonggwan’s pheromones with uncanny perception wherever he went, and stopped in his tracks wherever Kim Jeonggwan was. And the strangest thing was the desire reflected in his boss’s eyes when looking at Kim Jeonggwan. His boss, who had never wanted or desired anything other than work.

When he ordered to have Kim Jeonggwan bring up scones, when he suggested going to a dessert café after dining with Kim Jeonggwan. Even now, when Kim Jeonggwan gave a positive answer to his ex-boyfriend’s invitation to eat cheese tteokbokki together. The desire hidden in that impatience was fascinating and strange.

He had already noticed that his boss was interested in more than just Kim Jeonggwan’s pheromones. But he didn’t know the interest was big enough to show it like this. Moreover, he didn’t know his boss, who had been perfect in everything, could look so lacking. Won Junjae fiddled with his phone all day and kept checking the time. Like a young kid who doesn’t know what to do because it’s their first time dating.

“What exactly do you want to do?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Do you not want Jung Taegeon and Kim Jeonggwan to meet?”

“…”

His expression, unable to give an easy answer and just frowning, showed that even he seemed confused about himself. It seemed right, but he seemed to be looking for an answer as to why he wanted that. Any third party would know the answer, but he himself didn’t seem to know yet.

“It seems you don’t want to share pheromones.”

“…Ah.”

“After all, if another alpha’s pheromones get on him, Kim Jeonggwan’s pheromone scent won’t come out well.”

“…That’s right.”

But he decided not to tell him the reason why he feels he doesn’t want to share. Even if someone told him and he realized it, his boss would be busy denying and hiding it.

“…So that’s why.”

If even he, who had been watching for six years, was surprised by his boss’s behavior like this, how surprised would he be if he knew himself? He needs to realize this on his own. What he desires, what he’s impatient about, what he’s disappointed about.

“Then how about telling Kim Jeonggwan not to go eat cheese tteokbokki?”

“…Now?”

“Yes.”

Still, he had to provide an immediate solution to this situation. Go tell him. Tell him not to go eat cheese tteokbokki with that guy.

“Ah, Director, have you reviewed the launch line issue?”

And do some work.

* * *

Jung Taegeon sent a DM after that. Saying it’s been a while. Jeonggwan left it on read and waited for now. It was time for Won Junjae to start reacting. Isn’t he just too busy to see it yet? It was about time for Jung Taegeon to send another DM, unable to wait any longer. Anyway, Jeonggwan was going to go eat cheese tteokbokki with Jung Taegeon. It was right to go along when someone offers to buy food, but to make an excuse, he needed to give Won Junjae shock therapy.

Of course, the side effect could be that Won Junjae might retreat like a fiddler crab and never come out again… But avoidant people only avoid when their feelings for the other person aren’t strong. They avoid by shaking off their emotions before they like the person more, before they give more affection. Judging from Won Junjae’s actions, he already had serious feelings for Jeonggwan, so this level of stimulation was more likely to move his still body. Just like now.

Ding-

[Are you going to eat cheese tteokbokki. – Won Junjae]

Jeonggwan threw himself on the bed and opened his phone. As expected, Won Junjae pointed out the conversation between Jung Taegeon and himself on Instagram without any probing. He thumped his feet on the bed alternately.

[Yep. Why?]

Contrary to his actions and happy face, Jeonggwan sent the message in a coy tone. The 1 disappeared immediately, probably because he was looking at the KakaoTalk chat with Jeonggwan again.

[I’ll buy it for you. – Won Junjae]

[Buy what?]

While his face was scrunched up in a smile, his quick finger-typed response was a bit cold. It was a super bounce ball-level deflection while knowing what he meant.

[Cheese tteokbokki. – Won Junjae]

Huh? Why cheese tteokbokki? Jeonggwan looked down at his phone with a confused expression. No way, does this guy think chi-tteok is… cheese tteokbokki instead of chicken tteokbokki? Damn, amazing. Jeonggwan captured the screen. Gotta show Park Jihoon tomorrow.

Ding-

[So don’t go eat cheese tteokbokki. – Won Junjae]

In the meantime, another message arrived from Won Junjae.

“Damn…!”

Aak-! Jeonggwan buried his face in the pillow and screamed with joy. Shit, I’m so happy-! He pounded the bed with his fist several times. He tells me not to go eat with anyone but him! Aak-! He stomped his feet on the bed as if he would break it.

Funnily enough, it seems he couldn’t bring himself to write with whom not to go eat. Still, this alone was tremendous progress. Jeonggwan lifted his face from the pillow, turned his head to the side, and exhaled deeply.

“Really…”

Won Junjae had a very strange charm. He didn’t confuse people with his handsome face or try to test them. On “Alda-kko,” they always said to be careful because the fish tanks of overly handsome alphas are aquarium-scale, but strangely, he didn’t worry about that with this man.

Is it possible that I’m trapped in a fish tank right now, struggling inside without knowing anything? He hadn’t dated much, so he didn’t know if this was being strung along. But he was sure. Sure that this man wasn’t doing this out of boredom or as a joke.

It might be his own delusion, but Won Junjae really likes him. He said it was serious feelings, but honestly, he wasn’t sure if it was love yet. But it seemed right that he liked him. He hadn’t heard “I like you” from those lips, and no one around had told him, but his eyes said it. That he liked him. Jeonggwan knew that look very well. The alphas who had confessed to him had that look, and Jung Taegeon’s eyes had that look the last time he saw him before he left for China years ago.

Won Junjae’s eyes had shone just like Jung Taegeon’s back then when he greeted him. Not knowing what to do. Because he liked him.

[Okay. I won’t go eat cheese tteokbokki.]

Jeonggwan felt once again how thrilling that look was. However, with Jung Taegeon, he would go eat not the cheese tteokbokki that Won Junjae told him not to eat, but chicken tteokbokki.