I Came Home Smelling Like Kang Chaehee

“……You said you wouldn’t get a divorce?”

After a long moment, that was what came out of Jeon Seongwon’s mouth.
I couldn’t tell whether it was a complaint or not, but when I nodded firmly, he lowered his gaze back to his laptop and spoke.
“Then that’s fine. An affair is just a passing breeze. As long as you come back to me in the end, it’s okay.”
“…….”

Rage boiled up from my core and shot straight to my head in an instant.
What the hell was that attitude?
Was he so sure I’d come back?
To him?
Hah, he must think me not getting a divorce was for his benefit.

It was nothing more than the result of considering how it would look to others, the stock prices of both our companies, and our families’ feelings.
Filled with disbelief and fury, I shouted.
“You can follow Weilin around for the rest of your life, you bastard!”

I even threw up my middle finger.
Startled by the sudden barrage of curses, Jeon Seongwon flinched as he looked at me.

I turned back, finished getting ready to go out, and stood at the front door—when Jeon Seongwon came running out of the study in a panic.
“Where are you going?”
“To see Chaehee.”
“……I was discharged today, you know.”

That made me even more incredulous, and I glared at him as I shot back.
“You’re perfectly fine!”
“…….”

With nothing to say to that, Jeon Seongwon fell silent.
I slammed the front door shut—then, as if I’d forgotten something, opened it again and showed him my middle finger once more.
I usually don’t show it often, so consider it special.

Han Youngjun already had the car parked and waiting in front of the gate.
As I got into the door he held open, I pulled out my phone and immediately contacted Kang Chaehee.
He said he was working out, so…….

[Want to come to the hotel after your workout?]

A reply came back quickly.

[I’ll be there right now]

Had he been almost done anyway?
I’d heard plenty about how painful and agonizing it was for exercise enthusiasts to cut a workout short, so my head tilted involuntarily.

Upon arriving at the hotel, I first chose a cake on the first floor.
I debated whether to buy several slices or a whole cake, but for a celebration, a whole cake was the way to go.
I bought a mille-feuille cake loaded with strawberries, took just one candle, and then contacted the butler.
“Could you bring me some alcohol that goes well with the strawberry mille-feuille? It can be low proof.”
—Understood, Director.
“Manager Han, go get some flowers……. No, I’ll go myself.”

Han Youngjun, holding the cake box, followed me silently.
As if to say, ‘When did you get that annoyed back home?’—I entered the flower shop in a cheerful mood and ordered a bouquet.
“Something that conveys celebration and a new beginning. About this size.”
“I’ll make it right away.”

The hotel florist pulled several flowers from the refrigerator, mixed them with green foliage, and began crafting a bouquet of the size I wanted.
In less than five minutes, a satisfactory bouquet was completed.
As expected of an SH Hotel employee.

Carrying the bouquet and cake upstairs, I found two plates, forks, a knife, and a chilled bottle of champagne already prepared on the living room table.
Along with a few desserts and snacks that paired well with it.
‘Hm, not bad.’

Perrier-Jouët.
A champagne that went nicely with sweet things.
Of course, since the suite butler had prepared it, there was no way it would be lacking.

About five minutes later, I heard the sound of a key card being swiped.
He must have run over again—Kang Chaehee, in short sleeves, came in panting with a denim jacket in hand.
Short sleeves in this weather…….
“I told you, you don’t need to run.”
“Still…… I wanted to.”

Kang Chaehee had moved into the place I’d arranged for him, but the distance from SH Hotel was closer from my house.
Close enough that I could come, browse, and wait at my leisure.
“Where did you even run from that you took off your outerwear…….”

I stopped mid-sentence as I looked at Kang Chaehee and raised an eyebrow.
He tilted his head and called out, “Director?”

Kang Chaehee, who had just come from working out, had an upper body so attractive it drew the eye naturally.
His arms were chiseled like well-shaped stones stacked together, his chest developed enough to show clear definition, his shoulders perfectly straight…….
Apparently, I preferred this kind of classic, fully-packed physique over Jeon Seongwon’s well-proportioned muscles.

After staring at Kang Chaehee’s body for a moment, entranced, I quickly cleared my throat and looked away.
He scratched his head and smiled.
“Sit over there. First, let’s celebrate.”
“Yes. Wow, all of this…….”
“Everything except the cake and flowers was prepared by the hotel.”
“……So the cake and flowers were prepared by you, Director?”
“Yeah.”

I held out the bouquet that had been beside me.
“Congratulations on your first drama.”
“Thank you…….”

Kang Chaehee accepted the bouquet with a face of indescribable emotion.
He looked innocent as he took in the scent of the flowers.
I cut him a slice of cake and poured champagne into each of our glasses.

Pink liquid bubbling up, the beautifully shaped cake, finger foods arranged alongside flowers—it was the perfect celebration table.
“You can drink a lot of this. It won’t get you as drunk as cognac. Or is even this too much for you?”
“No, champagne is fine.”

We clinked glasses and both downed them in one go.
It was definitely a dry champagne, but it tasted incredibly sweet.
“Now we need to pick your next project. Hmm…… Actually, I’ve already decided on one.”

The next project was crucial for Kang Chaehee.
An opportunity to firmly imprint his name and face on the public.
I’d already found a suitable piece.
Kang Chaehee smiled.
“I’ll do anything. Anything you tell me to, Director.”

He stared at me intently.
Feeling like this was what I should do for some reason, I reached my hand out—and Kang Chaehee placed his huge hand on mine, almost like a front paw.
“What, are you a dog?”
“……I’d be anything.”

Saying that, Kang Chaehee grabbed my hand and gently pulled it toward himself.
He let out a soft sniff, smelling my hand and wrist, then slowly raised his eyes.
His light brown irises rose and fixed on me.
“From you, Director, today as well…….”
“…….”

I knew what he was trying to say.
That I still smelled like Jeon Seongwon.
We’d had s*x so persistently the day before yesterday, and we’d been together all day yesterday and today.
Of course my whole body smelled like him.
I shrugged.
“So what.”
“…….”
“If you really hate it, cover it up with your own scent.”

Kang Chaehee narrowed his eyes and began releasing pheromones.
I leaned back against the sofa and looked straight at him.
He soon rose from his seat, came over to me, and scooped me up as if I were a child.
“Can I go into your room, Director?”
“……Yeah.”

I didn’t even need to say ‘my room.’
It was just a slightly larger master suite, nothing more.
Though it was the space I mainly used.
Come to think of it, Kang Chaehee had never been in here before.

Once inside, Kang Chaehee slowly looked around.
As if searching for any trace of me somewhere.
Still held in his arms, I grabbed his chin and kissed him.
His arms tightened around me.
I could feel the flexible movement of his muscles against my hips and thighs.

After kissing for a long while, Kang Chaehee asked in a breathy voice.
“Can I…… release more pheromones? A lot more…….”

I too was panting as I nodded.
Soon, thick pheromones filled the room, enveloping me.
“Hah…….”

An alpha’s scent naturally induces heat.
That was why I’d been angry at Jeon Seongwon the other day.
But now, I was the one who’d asked him to release it.
The dense scent swirled around my entire body, as if soaking into my skin.
I let out a wet breath and pulled Kang Chaehee closer.

* * * *

I didn’t bother washing off Kang Chaehee’s pheromones.
Standing close, the scent was so thick you couldn’t tell if I was Kang Chaehee or someone else—but so what.
I’d already declared I was going to have an affair.
Whether Jeon Seongwon accepted it or not.

The car glided to a stop in front of the gate.
The lights were, of course, on, and I got out and stepped into the garden.
“……?”

For some reason today, all the garden lights were on.
Usually, since there was no one to see them, they were kept off…….
‘Did Jeon Seongwon decide to appreciate the garden or something.’

I tilted my head and was about to open the front door when my phone rang.
It was Han Youngjun.
I wondered what he needed to call about when he was right there in the garage, but I answered while opening the door.
“Oh, what—”
—Director?! Right now, at your house—!

Bang.

I closed the door I’d just opened.
I could hear Han Youngjun shouting something from the other end.
I stood there blankly after closing it, then opened it again—but what I saw before my eyes hadn’t changed.

Weilin was in the foyer.