The Country Life Diary of a Gangster’s Secretary

This chapter is paid for by Mimzy! 

As soon as they entered the hotel entrance, everyone’s gaze turned towards Ihyeok. Superior alphas. The few of them in Korea had a charm that drew the attention of anyone regardless of age, gender, or traits. By the time you came to your senses, your gaze was already directed at him, that kind of thing.

Moreover, Ihyeok’s background was also unique. Despite being born with the excellent trait of a superior alpha, he was a former gangster. In a word, a thug. Such a person had risen from the bottom and created the current Taesung, sitting firmly in the representative position. There were people who avoided him because of his unsavory status, but there were more who found his unique background mysterious.

It was truly ironic.

“Isn’t that CEO Kwon?”

“Congratulations on your marriage, President Bae.”

As if wearing a mask, Ihyeok approached the groom, the protagonist of the day, with a very different businesslike smile from before and offered a handshake.

“I should thank you for coming. It’s been a while, Secretary Cheon.”

“Congratulations on your marriage.”

They had come to know President Bae of Sangwon Electronics when Taesung was laying its initial foundation. Light pleasantries were exchanged between Ihyeok and President Bae.

After that, until the wedding officially began, Ihyeok was busy greeting key executives from other companies. Hyeseong diligently followed behind him. It was his usual job. Assisting CEO Kwon Ihyeok. It wasn’t difficult or tiring. No, he thought so.

Suddenly, a dizzying sensation hit him. Hyeseong’s senses were opening wide due to the pheromones subtly emitted by the surrounding alphas.

‘Ah… this is bad.’

After manifesting as an omega, Hyeseong became more sensitive to alpha pheromones. Moreover, due to his body not yet adapting to the changed traits, an uncomfortable headache would unfailingly hit at times like this. It wasn’t severe, but the stuffiness made it hard to stay still.

Hyeseong told Ihyeok that he was going to make a call for a bit and slipped out to the outdoor lounge. He leaned on the railing and caught his breath for a moment. If it were up to him, he wanted to go back like this, but he couldn’t since it was an important event. Even though he was about to resign, he didn’t want to neglect his work.

After contemplating, Hyeseong took out a pill bottle from his pocket and swallowed a tablet. It was a medicine personally prescribed by his doctor for Hyeseong, who still had severe headaches due to others’ pheromones.

“It should be a bit better now.”

He couldn’t be away for long. The ceremony would start soon.

“Speaking of which, I can’t believe that rascal Bae Geon-woo is getting married.”

As he was about to return, he heard a conversation between unfamiliar men from behind.

“Why?”

“You don’t know? That person was famous. For his messy romantic relationships. He changed lovers several times, right? Related articles broke out a few times but he covered it all up with money.”

“Really?”

Hyeseong couldn’t help but listen attentively to the quite interesting story. People are naturally drawn to such stimulating tales.

“But I saw him visit the bride’s waiting room earlier, and honey was dripping from his eyes?”

“That’s why I’m about to fall over in surprise. That rascal actually met someone he truly loves. On top of that, the other person is from an ordinary family.”

The two men were exchanging the drama-like love story of today’s newlyweds. Then, as if they had finished their cigarettes, they slowly went inside.

“True love.”

Hyeseong muttered softly. The thing that made President Bae, who changed partners like eating meals, get married despite his family’s opposition. What exactly is love? Does true love really exist? Hyeseong thought about that and recalled one person.

“……”

Then, just as he couldn’t delay any longer and was about to open the lounge door and come out.

“Cheon Hyeseong.”

“CEO?”

Ihyeok was standing in front of him. With a slightly urgent-looking face as if searching for someone.

“Why are you here? The ceremony will start soon.”

“Were you on the phone this whole time?”

“Pardon? Ah… yes.”

In reality, he had come out to take medicine and get some air, but if he said that, the conversation would naturally start with where it hurts. To avoid such interrogation, Hyeseong had to utter a lie again today.

“Who were you talking to for so long?”

It was a somewhat persistent question. Ihyeok didn’t usually pay attention to or care about such details.

“I was just talking to Secretary Han. It was work-related so it took a bit longer.”

“……”

Ihyeok’s gaze was complexly devoid of distinct emotion. Hyeseong’s entire figure was reflected in his pitch-black pupils. Feeling a bit suffocated by that, Hyeseong averted his eyes first.

“Let’s go in quickly. It’s really time to start now.”

As soon as they entered and sat in their designated seats, the interior dimmed. Soon, only the protagonists’ stage was illuminated by white lighting. As the emcee’s short greeting ended, the wedding began with the opening of the doors and grand background music flowed.

The groom appeared first, and the bride in a pure white dress followed along the virgin road. The soft lighting and the gentle melody of classical music rang in the ears. Befitting a luxury hotel, the main hall was decorated with various flowers and beautiful ornaments, making the newlyweds, the protagonists of the day, look even more radiant and beautiful.

It was like a scene from a fairy tale. Unaware of the gaze watching him from the side, Hyeseong was captivated by the atmosphere of the ceremony.

Following the officiant’s words, the wedding proceeded without a hitch. As if proving the men’s words from the lounge earlier, President Bae couldn’t take his eyes off the bride with the most affectionate gaze.

“It’s pretty.”

Hyeseong muttered softly. This wedding hall and atmosphere. The two protagonists gaze at each other as if they were the happiest in the world. Everything looked beautiful. If the emotion called love could be expressed visually, it might be a scene like this.

“What is?”

Then Ihyeok asked sluggishly, resting his chin on his hand. As he turned his head, their gazes met exactly. Since when had he been looking at him? Hyeseong barely calmed his startled heart.

“Just this wedding. Those two people who look so happy too.”

While saying that, Hyeseong briefly told Ihyeok about the story he had heard on the rooftop earlier.

“Indeed, that bastard President Bae’s past was quite a spectacle.”

Ihyeok quietly whispered as if he knew.

“The two of them seem to truly love each other.”

“Who knows? Does true love even exist?”

“……”

Hyeseong’s head turned towards Ihyeok again. He was still indifferently observing the happiness of others unfolding in front of him with an expressionless face.

“CEO… you don’t believe in that kind of thing, right?”

“Rather than not believing, I simply have no interest. In the emotion called love, and in making a lifelong promise with someone and holding such a grand event.”

He knew. How Kwon Ihyeok thought about love. In the first place, he doesn’t know the pure and upright emotion that stems from a genuine feeling and liking someone. To borrow his words, having no interest would be a more fitting expression.

Even when the adultery scandal of Wolhyang Corporation’s director broke out, rather than making a moral statement befitting the emotion called love, Ihyeok pointed out why he got married in the first place if he was going to do that.

“I… believe in it.”

That was also the reason why Hyeseong had given up on a straightforward and pure emotion.

“What?”

“True love and such. Those kinds of things. I believe in them. To the extent of wanting to make a lifelong promise after meeting such a person someday.”

Perhaps because he was about to resign, all sorts of nonsense spilled out of his mouth. Maybe because he felt a bit wronged. Or maybe because it felt a little irksome that the other person was talking about it so nonchalantly even though he had given up and resigned himself.

After that, Hyeseong turned his head and looked ahead without a word. He felt a gaze so intense that the back of his head tingled, but he didn’t want to turn around. No, to be precise, he didn’t have the confidence to meet his gaze.

* * *

After the wedding ended and they attended the after-party, the day had already turned completely dark. The two people who came out of the building got into the car, and Hyeseong asked the driver to drop him off at the company. He roughly made an excuse to Ihyeok that he had unfinished work, but in fact, he wanted to quickly take care of the handover preparations before resigning.

As the car entered the Taesung Corporation building, Hyeseong slowly got out. Even while coming here, only silence flowed between the two. Unlike usual, Ihyeok looked at his phone several times, and Hyeseong just blankly leaned against the window throughout the ride. Although their conversations had decreased lately, the atmosphere at that moment was distinctly different.

To be precise, an indescribable air had been flowing between Hyeseong and Ihyeok since their conversation at the wedding.

“Then please go in safely.”

Hyeseong bowed his head towards the seat where Ihyeok was sitting, then approached the building.

“Cheon Hyeseong.”

That’s when it happened. A voice was heard from behind. Hyeseong stopped his feet and slowly turned his head.

Ihyeok had gotten out of the car and was looking at him. Hyeseong didn’t go to him. A certain sense of distance filled the space between them.

“I’ll process it. Your resignation.”

“…Thank you.”

Hyeseong indifferently lowered his head and moved his feet again. Only after his figure completely disappeared from view did Ihyeok get back into the car.

As soon as he arrived home, Ihyeok naturally went to the bathroom to wash up. While wiping off the moisture with a towel, he headed to where the wine refrigerator was. Among the various wines, he took one out without hesitation and poured it into a glass. The red liquid quickly filled the transparent glass.

Ihyeok downed the wine in one go. While refilling the glass, he picked up the phone he had placed next to him and made a call to someone.

“Deok-soo. Let me ask you for one more thing.”

Ihyeok spoke as usual while looking at the remaining wine in the glass. The sight of the red liquid swirling slowly reflected in his black eyes.

TN: The term Representative will be changed to CEO from now on for better terms of the translation.

This chapter is paid for by Mimzy!