When I opened my eyes, my whole body was a ss of sweat and fluids. I sat blankly for a long while, then, out of habit, got up and headed for the bathroom. An empty room, the faint traces of pheromones, a body sticky with filth. Those things had been familiar to since childhood.
I washed under warm water, scrubbing away every trace of the heat cycle. I had climaxed so many tis that by the end, the overstimulated skin stung at the slightest touch. Naturally, no sen ca out anymore.
“Haa...”
A wave of bitter self-disgust surged through . It was the sa feeling that always ca when a heat cycle ended. A sort of self-loathing, resentnts that circled inside without ever finding a target.
Still, maybe it was fortunate this ti ended early. Usually I was bedridden for a full week. The problem was why the cycle had suddenly co forward like this...
“...I should go apologize first.”
After showing such a disgraceful sight, it was only proper to at least say sothing. Not to just anyone, but to Kwon Yido. I would have to explain it wasn’t intentional, that I simply couldn’t help it. And along the way, I should ntion that once the weekend was over, I would be returning to the office.
After showering, I dried my hair and checked the ti. It was close enough to lunch that visiting now wouldn’t be impolite. I adjusted my clothes again for no reason, and carefully checked that no dirty pheromone residue lingered.
Leaving my room and heading down to the first floor, I saw the household staff already waiting. They asked if I wanted a al, and when I said no, they imdiately went up the stairs—likely to clean my room. Catching one as they passed, I asked,
“Do you happen to know where Mr. Kwon is?”
They said Kwon Yido was in the second-floor study. Normally, even on weekends, he went to the office, but today he was working at ho. That was how I learned which room at the far end of the second floor was his study, and that he often worked there.
The carved wooden door was as plain as all the others on that floor. Without opening it, there was no way to know what it was for. I took a deep breath and knocked lightly.
Knock, knock.
After a pause, a voice from inside told to co in. My hand tightened on the doorknob, and for no clear reason a tension gripped . The cold expression he had shown flashed across my mind.
Click. The door opened, and the study ca into view. A wall lined with bookshelves, a desk facing the door—and sothing else that caught my eye.
“Busy, so let’s keep it short.”
A gun. A long gun, its black body gleaming with a silver muzzle. Its weight and detail looked far too real to be fake.
Was it a lighter?
Sotis people displayed guns as decorations. Most were fake. That one hanging on the wall was probably the sa. It only looked too realistic because of the polished fra it rested in.
“What is it?”
When I stood staring, Kwon Yido pressed again. Slowly, I turned my head toward him. He was still writing, eyes fixed on docunts, hands moving quickly.
“Sorry to drop in unannounced.”
“....”
For so reason, I thought he hesitated. His busy hand stopped dead. His brows furrowed faintly as he lifted his head.
“I just have sothing to say.”
So he dressed casually at ho too. The way his hair was left loose felt oddly unfamiliar. The face that had always seed so rigid now looked slightly softened.
“If it’s all right, just for a mont...”
“....”
“...Why are you looking at like that?”
His gaze traveled slowly over , head to toe. Was it a habit, looking like that? It didn’t feel like he was judging this ti, but rather sunk in thought.
“You’ve washed.”
The words slipped out almost like a mutter. When I looked puzzled, he frowned as though it were nothing.
“I couldn’t sll any pheromones left.”
“...Ah.”
An awkward heat flushed through . Yesterday when he had entered my room, it must have been saturated with pheromones. The pheromones, heavy with lust, had been more humiliating than being naked.
“Yes, I just washed.”
“Speak.”
He set down his pen and folded his hands on the desk. His brow was still faintly furrowed, his gaze seemingly displeased. Lowering my eyes, I bowed.
“I must apologize for yesterday.”
After a heat cycle, my father had always looked at like an animal. As a beta, it wasn’t strange he would find such a period disgusting, little different from rut. Of course, Kwon Yido was a dominant alpha, but seeing an oga laid bare like that would still have seed filthy.
“My cycle is usually regular. I didn’t expect it to co suddenly. I should have prepared, but I acted irresponsibly. I’ll be more careful next ti.”
“As long as you understand.”
His voice was flat, as if my words ant nothing. His expression said clearly: You ca all this way just to say that? He didn’t look angry, but his indifference itself left uneasy.
“...Um.”
He must have noticed the suppressants weren’t working. I could picture him confronting my father, demanding why he had sent such a defective product. What more could he expect from an oga like ? The fact that he hadn’t even touched last night seed suspicious.
“I know I’m male, so the chance of pregnancy is low. But since you’re a dominant, they said there should be no problem.”
I added the explanation calmly, to justify myself. I hadn’t been told the conditions directly, but I could guess. I wasn’t unaware of what my father ant by “doing my duty as an oga.”
“I don’t have any illnesses. The doctors said as long as the cycle matches, it should be fine.”
My head was astonishingly cool. I wasn’t flustered, nor babbling. I spoke as if stating facts, planning to tell him I would fit whatever conditions he laid out.
“So, what I an—”
“There’s a type of person I hate most.”
His icy tone cut through my words. I flinched, and when I looked up, his face was far colder than before.
“Those who try to achieve their goals without the bare minimum of effort, relying only on other ans. For example, pathetic types like you who think they can sell their body for a place.”
The word sell your body struck with a force beyond description. It wasn’t like when Minjae had spat insults. His frigid gaze, his hardened mouth—it truly looked like he found repulsive.
“I know that pitiful body is all you have, but you should at least think about how you’d raise a child you birthed that way.”
He looked at with genuine contempt. For the first ti since I entered this house, sha burned through . This must have been exactly what my father demanded of —and now I had no idea what to do.
“If all they needed was an heir, there were plenty of ogas with better conditions than you. If your intent is to sell yourself, go to the fools willing to buy you, not .”
“...I’m sorry.”
That was the only answer I could give. It wasn’t about pride—I just realized I’d made a mistake. I wanted to ask what it was he did want from , but I wasn’t foolish enough to push that far.
“In the future... nothing like this will happen again.”
Whether it was showing such disgrace in front of him, or bringing up matters of heirs. Either way, I would have to be careful from now on. I couldn’t afford to ruin things out of impatience.
“At least you admit quickly. That’s convenient.”
He withdrew his gaze at once, picked up his pen again, and dismissed entirely from his attention. The displeasure from earlier was already gone. When I didn’t leave, he tilted his head and asked sharply,
“Aren’t you going?”
“I’ll be returning to the company on Monday. I wanted to tell you that as well.”
I added the last of my business with him. Because if I walked out now, I might not see him again for so ti. He replied blandly, without changing expression.
“There’s no need to report your daily life to .”
So that was it. He had told I could live as I wished. It hadn’t been freedom—it was abandonnt.
“Sorry to disturb you when you’re busy.”
I bowed and turned to leave. By now I had a rough idea of how to treat him. He didn’t want warmth or intimacy. All I needed was to know my place.
“Ah.”
But just as I opened the door, he let out a short exclamation. I looked back, hand still on the knob. He gestured at with his right hand, pointing to his own left ring finger.
“Don’t forget to wear your ring.”
“....”
He wasn’t even wearing his, but I didn’t say that. I just answered that I understood. He turned away at once, and that was the end of our conversation.
***
The short vacation passed, and at the company nothing had really changed. The Strategic Planning Division was as busy as ever, and work piled up in mountains. When I rode in with Mr. Kim in the company car, the staff greeted cheerfully.
“Well, look who it is. Our newlywed Director!”
“Director, you sll like newlywed bliss.”
“Tell us, what’s it like a week into marriage?”
As always, I smiled warmly at their attention. Compared to that barren house, being at the office felt infinitely better. It almost gave energy. Marriage to Kwon Yido felt like a dream.
“Wow, the ring! Is that a diamond?”
Soon their interest turned to the wedding band on my finger. It was expensive at a glance, so of course they marveled. Online too, endless talk went on about how much the ceremony and gifts must have cost.
“The ring is gorgeous.”
“No, it’s just that Director’s hand makes it look that way.”
“True, even a 50-cent toy ring would look pretty on you.”
They passed my hand around, fussing over it. I tried to slip off the ring to let them see, but none dared take it. They said it was too valuable, afraid of scratching it.
“I thought you were resigning, since you were doing handovers.”
“Haha... I just ant I’d be on leave for a while.”
“See? He calls two weeks a long break.”
Assistant Manager Yoon shook his head, teasing. He joked that soone at my level deserved to slack off more. I gave a faint laugh, glanced around at everyone, and suggested,
“Shall we have a company dinner tonight?”
As usual, the venue was a barbecue restaurant. At first they were reserved, but soon enough they ordered at and drinks freely. They joked among themselves, clinked glasses, and occasionally poured one too.
It was life as always. Before marriage, after marriage—nothing had changed. I was still the director, still had endless work to do.
“I’m glad, Director. You look happy.”
A beloved son, now a beloved spouse? All night I listened to their congratulations and admiration. When asked how well Kwon Yido treated , I only kept smiling, as if words couldn’t capture it.
But after it was over and I returned to his house, the mont I stepped through the door I swallowed a sigh for no reason. The wide interior, the high ceilings. A house bigger than even my family’s mansion—yet it felt suffocating.
“....”
Why did I feel this way? No one to greet —that had been the sa since childhood. Nothing had changed except the setting.
I climbed silently to the third floor, heading to the room tucked away in the corner. Tomorrow I had work again, so I needed to sleep early. Sleeping pills... three should be enough tonight.
The quiet hallway felt too long. When I opened my door, sothing pressed tight around my throat. How many days would repeat like this? I forced the thought out of my head.
***
Several days passed. I repeated the sa routine, even taking ti to see Professor Choi. Because my cycle had shifted irregularly. But the explanation he gave was absurd.
“It happens sotis. If the partner is too dominant, or the pheromone compatibility is especially good, the cycle can co earlier. In your case, it’s probably not genetic differences, but the latter.”
In short, my body had reacted to Kwon Yido as if imprinted, because of good compatibility. Professor Choi congratulated , saying it was a good sign between spouses, but all I could do was smile weakly. If my cycle beca erratic, I would be the only one burdened.
Should I ask about his cycle? Unfortunately, I never even got the chance.
Outside of work hours, I shut myself in my room, quiet as a mouse. I avoided eting him whenever possible, even skipping als if it ant not crossing paths. If we did et, I only exchanged a nod before retreating again.
Ah, I’m sorry.
It was habit. When I first moved into my family’s house, I lived like this. Whenever I offended Father, I had to bow low and promise to be careful.
The only consolation was that over ti, the staff ward to . The housekeeper who cleaned my room, the chef in charge of als, and the gardener.
“It’s nothing, sir. It’s my job.”
“The master never says food tastes good.”
“Oh? You like flowers?”
All I had done was greet them politely whenever we t. At so point, their attitudes softened. They placed small decorations in my barren room, or asked what food I liked.
“Thank you for caring.”
I was grateful. On weekends when Kwon Yido was at work, I had to spend the entire day with them. If they disliked , that ti would have been unbearable.
Yes, much like this mont of facing him now.
“....”
“....”
One morning before work, when I went down to the kitchen, he was there—sitting at the table eating breakfast. As always, perfectly dressed, flawless.
“...Excuse .”
I gave a greeting and moved to leave. Eating ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) with him was unthinkable. I would rather skip breakfast than sit together. I had only started eating in the mornings because the chef insisted.
“Sit.”
But as I turned, his quiet voice stopped . With elegant motions he continued his al, not even glancing my way, commanding .
“I don’t like repeating myself. Sit down.”
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