“......”
“You got a good look at their faces, right?”
A derisive snort rang out. Sothing about how uneducated people are the worst, how they don’t know their place and piss you off. Mr. Kim responded with a professional tone, undeterred by the muttering.
“Yes, I rember them.”
“......”
What should I do. Changing the subject would be easy, but even if Minjae’s attention wandered, Mr. Kim wasn’t the type to forget an order. His unnecessarily ticulous work ethic only got in the way at tis like this.
“...Sha.”
I started buttoning my vest one by one as I spoke. Minjae, who had been in the middle of complaining, narrowed his eyes at . His glare sharpened with thorns, and the twist of his lips turned cold.
“What, what’s so shaful?”
In my experience, Minjae only got more riled up when I disagreed with him. If I so much as hinted at siding with the employees, he’d make sure they were fired on the spot.
I needed to strike a balance—detached enough to avoid provoking him, just disappointed the way anyone might be when soone they barely knew left.
“It’s just... that guy was quiet. Made things easier.”
“......”
Surprisingly, it was Mr. Kim who reacted. He frowned slightly and let out a small laugh while looking away. Luckily, Minjae didn’t catch it, raising an eyebrow with a crooked smirk.
“He looked like a damn chatterbox to ... So what?”
“Just saying. You know . I don’t like talking to people.”
I shrugged as I fastened the final button. After smoothing the hem of the vest, Minjae narrowed his eyes, and his lips twitched, as if about to speak.
“Great, now I’ve gotta deal with soone new again...”
It was an excuse only half-based in truth. Whether I adapted quickly or not, new people and new environnts were just a pain. Minjae knew that too—he clicked his tongue and crossed his legs the other way.
“God, you’re a damn social failure... And you’re supposed to be the director?”
There was no need to answer. I gave him a faint smile, and it seed to ease his mood. He tapped his toes a few tis, then raised his chin decisively.
“Mr. Kim, just leave those guys alone.”
A great act of rcy—at least from Minjae’s point of view.
“That brain-dead idiot Jung Sejin is too embarrassing to show in public.”
In the mirror, Mr. Kim turned his head. He said “Yes, understood,” with his lips, but his eyes were fixed on —intently, pointedly. As if this was so rare occurrence. As if.
“So, what are you doing here anyway?”
This was the perfect mont to steer the conversation. Mr. Kim, reading the mood, approached with a jacket in the sa color as the clothes I was wearing. I slid my arms into it as he helped dress, and Minjae imdiately scrunched his face.
“You’re getting married?”
I looked up at him. Slouched arrogantly on the couch, Minjae wrinkled his nose.
“Seriously?”
He didn’t know?
“You ca all the way here to ask that—”
“I asked you if it’s fucking true!”
He shouted, uncrossing his legs. He spread his thighs wide and hung his arms over his knees. His tapping shoes against the floor sohow looked anxious.
“It’s true.”
I adjusted the lapels of the jacket and Mr. Kim straightened the wrinkled back collar. It was a new fabric, and the way it hugged my fra didn’t feel half bad.
“Why else would I be using my leave like this?”
As a student, Minjae had no authority in Haesin Group’s operations. He was supposed to be studying abroad, and being in Korea now was just a thinly veiled escape. It made sense he might not have known about the engagent—but coming here to confirm it felt... off.
“Funny. I didn’t think you gave a damn about business.”
“...Business?”
Minjae repeated in a low voice, then stomped his foot. The sound of his grinding teeth made the air feel grim.
“You’ve lost your damn mind.”
He shot to his feet and stalked toward with aggression. We were about the sa height, so it wasn’t particularly intimidating. He tapped my shoulder a few tis, dragging out his words in a mocking tone.
“Business? You just call this business?”
“......”
“Get a fucking grip. You’re being sold off. And you think your pathetic excuse for a wedding is ‘business’?”
The aroma of his cologne got stronger with the distance closed. He must’ve rushed here without even rembering to spray his usual perfu.
“What, is the other guy an alpha? Wanting a kid with a rare trait or sothing? Or is it so old bastard curious what a defective oga tastes like?”
The first one, I wasn’t sure about. But the second? Definitely not. Kwon Yido was thirty-two—only three years older than . Whether he was curious about how an oga like tasted... well, that wasn’t my concern.
“Cut it out. Don’t drag the family na through the mud. Just tell Father you’re not doing it.”
Apparently finished talking, Minjae flopped back onto the couch. He muttered sothing under his breath in a low, disgruntled voice.
“Can’t even function as an oga and you wanna get married...”
“......”
I felt Mr. Kim’s gaze. Contrary to his concern, this was nothing new for .
“That what you ca here to say?”
So people are desperate to manifest rare traits. Not . I’ve never once been thankful for being what I am. Whether it was because, as Father put it, I was a “defective oga,” or because, as Minjae sneered, I couldn’t even do what an oga was supposed to—my secondary gender was just one more excuse for my family to belittle .
“Yeah. Like I’d co just to see you.”
His curt voice rang in my ears. As always, but especially today, he seed particularly irritable.
“Sorry, but the date’s already been set.”
The wedding date hadn’t been fixed yet, but I said it anyway. There was no point laying out every detail—it wouldn’t change anything.
“The engagent’s next Saturday.”
“You think I didn’t know that? Just cancel the damn thing!”
Telling Father that would get disowned on the spot. Cancel a promise with Seonho Group? He’d never allow it unless he’d gone completely mad.
“The guy’s probably just so mid-sized CEO. Who gives a shit about an engagent? Mr. Kim! Cancel the Saturday plans. Now.”
Minjae snapped at Mr. Kim like he expected imdiate compliance. But his hope was shattered instantly.
“That’s not possible, young master.”
“...What?”
Minjae’s eyes widened in disbelief. His pupils shook violently as Mr. Kim calmly shook his head.
“Our engagent partner is Seonho Group.”
Just as he had reminded earlier, he now reminded Minjae. There was no need for to step in—his next words made it clear.
“A one-sided cancellation from our side would be difficult.”
“......”
Minjae knew. Knew how outrageous he was being. That’s why he went pale and clamped his mouth shut.
“This is a matter of corporate trust.”
I straightened my clothes in the mirror. The suit was more ivory than pearl white. I’d need a colored pocket square to go with it. As I thought about that, I glanced sideways at Minjae.
“I can’t afford to ruin it because of .”
“......”
Minjae lowered his head, visibly deflated. His earlier irritation was gone, and he was biting his lip hard. After a long mont, he slowly looked up with a face uncharacteristically serious.
“So what, you’re gonna spread your legs for so alpha stranger?”
“Young master!”
Mr. Kim shouted in shock. Even I thought that crossed a line. The reality of it all washed over , and a dry laugh escaped.
“I don’t know. Maybe just my mouth. Maybe both.”
“......”
The air froze. Both Minjae and Mr. Kim turned their heads in stunned silence. I hadn’t ant to go that far. My mouth just moved on its own.
“Probably both in the end...”
Minjae wasn’t wrong. I was being sold off, and odds were high that what they wanted was a child with rare traits. If I married Kwon Yido, I’d be expected to lie down for him every night like breeding stock.
“Guess it’s a good thing. When else am I ever gonna do what an oga’s supposed to?”
“......”
Minjae’s face flushed deep red. His voice trembled violently as he muttered curses, his neck veins bulging. One more word and he might’ve exploded.
“...It’s a joke.”
So I picked up the spilled water before it was too late. I didn’t know what kind of reaction he expected, but this was the best I could do. Whether it was Mr. Kim or Minjae—why were they both so desperate to provoke ?
“Don’t take it so seriously. It was just a joke.”
“......”
“Since you ca all the way here... want a suit too? I’ll get you one before I get married.”
I tried to sound friendly. I even offered to pick sothing for Seoyoung, our youngest. Minjae clenched his fists, face going from red to blue. I thought he’d start swearing, but surprisingly, he stayed quiet.
“You’re a real piece of shit...”
Though his tone was still plenty sharp.
“With taste like garbage, what the hell are you gonna buy . That suit looks like ass on you.”
“Yeah?”
I turned to study myself in the mirror. It was a fitting sample, but the size wasn’t bad. The shoulder line sat well, and the vertical seams were clean. Honestly, it looked fine to . Maybe the white was just too flashy.
“Yeah, it’s fucking awful. You look better in dark, gloomy colors.”
He pointed to a basic, off-the-rack suit. One none of the staff had bothered to look at. The fabric was clearly cheaper than what I was wearing—sothing no one would miss if it disappeared.
“That’s more your level.”
The ceremonial suit I wore felt alien. The rows of hanging suits reminded of myself, once waiting to be “processed.” Still, I suppose it was a good thing I could wear expensive packaging ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ now.
“Then I’ll get that one too.”
“......”
Mr. Kim frowned. A man of refined taste, he probably couldn’t stand sothing so mass-produced. His expression asked, Why are you like this? But I had no duty to answer him.
“Mr. Kim. Get the tailoring done on both designs. Use the last asurents.”
“...You’re really going to wear that one too?”
“Of course. When have I ever joked?”
I said it playfully, but he imdiately stiffened. He almost looked like he wanted to say, You just said you were joking earlier. But he swallowed the words. I knew he’d still put in the order without complaint.
“The schedule after this...”
“Not sure.”
I took off the jacket and handed it to Mr. Kim. I figured I should smooth things over with Minjae, but a part of wondered—why bother. The push of reality again drained what little motivation I had.
“Maybe I’ll just go ho and sleep...”
At the very least, I had to pretend to maintain my condition until the engagent. Father had even given sleeping pills. I had to get as much rest as I could. Not that popping a handful ever actually helped.
“I’ll have the car brought around.”
Mr. Kim looked surprised but accepted my request easily. His gaze flitted between and Minjae, as if pitying us both. I checked the ti idly, then changed my mind in a hurry.
“No—let’s head to the office first.”
“...Jesus. You’re possessed by so ghost that died working.”
Minjae grumbled, appalled that I was returning to work on a vacation day. Mr. Kim furrowed his brow too, as if asking if that was really necessary.
“You could rest today...”
“No.”
It wasn’t that I hated rest. But the thought that struck cut that desire off. I had a full week left. After the engagent, there’d be plenty of ti to take off.
And maybe,
“It’d be better to start handing things over now.”
I might be done working—for good.
***
Jung Sejin, Head of Strategic Planning, Haesin Financial Group.
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that title was sothing Father had written in by hand. From the day I beca his son. The day I wandered barefoot through snow in a freezing winter. The day he brought —soone with no family—into the Haesin household as its eldest son.
Twenty years passed. Now twenty-nine, I sat as director of Haesin Group. I had gained much, lost just as much, and what remained would soon be lost too. But I’d never had a claim to any of it, so there wasn’t much to regret.
“We’ve arrived, Director.”
Ti passed quickly. The engagent was now just a day away. I’d been so busy lately that I even earned Father’s wrath. He had Mr. Kim cancel all my appointnts, replacing them with massages and skincare sessions.
As a result, the car now slled like the sa aroma Minjae had earlier. The driver even sniffed and asked if I’d changed colognes. But even the so-called calming herbal scent couldn’t relieve the exhaustion from chronic insomnia.
“Are you all right? You look very tired...”
The driver opened the door and studied my face with concern. Everyone today—staff, Mr. Kim, even this man—had looked at with that sa gaze. I must really look like hell. There was only one answer I could give.
“I didn’t sleep well.”
That usually satisfied most people. Nine out of ten backed off after hearing it. Only Mr. Kim would give that look that said, So you are human after all. Fortunately, the driver was the forr type. He nodded silently.
“Then I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”
He gave a light nod as I walked away. Every step felt like gravity had tripled. It wasn’t just that I didn’t sleep well—it was everything. But there was no way I could explain all that.
Sejin-ah.
“......”
I sighed and tapped my card at the building’s entrance. This needlessly tall officetel was where I’d first “moved out” at twenty. Though honestly, “moved out” made it sound too nice. I was halfway kicked out.
Sejin-ah.
“...Quit calling that.”
That damn Sejin-ah. No one but Father ever called that. Why act familiar like we’ve known each other forever? And if I didn’t answer, the na always changed—
Jung Sejin.
I shut my eyes tight, then opened them again. I tried to focus on the chanical hum of the building, but the voice in my head only grew louder. Sejin-ah. What started as a warm call soon turned bitter cold.
Act like a whore.
“......”
Ding. The elevator doors opened. I stepped in and pulled out the pill case from inside my jacket. One, two, three, four pills left. Not perfect, but hopefully enough to sleep through without waking.
“...Haa.”
A primal dread rose from my toes. Insomnia was one thing, but fear of sleep was sothing else. When you add not wanting to sleep to not being able to sleep... it’s a lost cause. I could count on one hand how many proper nights of sleep I’d had this past week.
Whrrr. The elevator ascended slowly. Reaching the top floor took longer than expected. I ran a hand down my face, trying to vent the pressure rising in my throat.
These days, I dream nightly of getting raped by a man I’ve never even seen.
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