Sickness and Public Eyes

After several days of feeling unwell, he finally caught a cold.

No wonder he had been feeling chilled…

If he had fallen sick the night before, he could have at least told the store manager.

But he only started feeling truly ill by the time he went to work.

He couldn’t warn anyone in advance and hunched over on the convenience store floor, shivering.

Even with a blanket from the storage room draped over him, he felt the chill deep in his bones, perhaps because he was so close to the door.

He tried to keep himself as warm as possible.

But the cold inside cannot be cured no matter how warm the body is.

Jaekyung had painfully learned that over the past five years.

The sound of the door jingling made him jump up.

A heavily intoxicated customer stumbled in and pulled a card from his wallet.

“Welcome.”

Jaekyung smiled politely, putting on a face that hid his sickness.

“Two packs of Hilton!”

As soon as he heard the brand, he quickly grabbed two packs, scanned them, and rang up the sale.

“Hm?”

The customer sniffed and leaned toward Jaekyung, startling him.

His action, clearly attempting to smell pheromones, was extremely rude and could have been reported as harassment.

But he was drunk and seemingly unaware of the impropriety.

More importantly, Jaekyung was imprinted, so no one else could sense his pheromones but this man.

“Not…?”

The man scratched his head, took the card and cigarettes, and stumbled out.

“Thank you. Come again.”

Jaekyung said brightly and energetically.

As soon as the door closed, he quickly wrapped the blanket around himself and sniffed his body.

No scent.

The suppressants had only recently been taken, and without the Alpha’s consent, the imprint wouldn’t break.

The man’s behavior was truly perplexing.

He didn’t even know whether the man was Alpha, Beta, or Omega.

The only pheromones Jaekyung could detect were Han Taeseok’s.

“Hmm… maybe it was sweat?”

Right, he had a cold…

He reasoned it could be sweat since he had been breaking out in chills.

Still, he decided he should visit the hospital tomorrow, before it got worse.

◆

He managed to endure the night and returned home, heating himself on an electric mat.

By around 2 PM, he got up and headed to the hospital.

Initially, he had planned to visit a local clinic, but there was none nearby.

The clinic at the intersection had closed due to prior arrangements, leaving him with a dilemma.

Searching elsewhere and waiting would push his body past its limit.

Though he had slept, his body still felt heavy, and the fever raged.

He reluctantly went to the hospital where his regular doctor was.

After about a 50-minute drive, he arrived at the university hospital.

Upon giving his name, he was connected with the professor who had treated him since childhood.

The nurse informed him that the professor was on rounds and he’d need to wait 10 minutes.

He agreed and sat in the waiting room.

The fever made his eyes feel like they would pop out.

This body didn’t feel like his own…

Worse than a heat cycle?

He laughed, comparing his heat cycles from memory to the cold fever, finding even illness amusing.

“…Park… Jaekyung?”

A familiar yet unwelcome voice, sharp and accusatory, called him.

Instinctively, he straightened from his curled position.

His vision blurred from the fever, but the woman in a red suit in front of him was clear.

“O… Mother…”

The woman looked just as when they first met.

Young, beautiful, and regal.

Upon recognizing him, she dismissed the people around her.

He wondered why he had forgotten that this hospital had formed a strategic partnership a year ago.

He should have anticipated this encounter.

“Isn’t it true that your mother isn’t here? You’re not part of NI now.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m tired of hearing apologies from you.

Why are you here? Are you sick?”

“I… I have body aches.”

“Body aches…?”

Her eyes gleamed meaningfully, a subtle light that Jaekyung understood immediately.

He shook his head.

“I’m not pregnant.”

“…Really?”

Yes, it was impossible.

“I took the suppressants just the day before yesterday.”

“Good. It’s been just over a month since the breakup, so there was still a risk.

If you were pregnant now, it would trouble Director Han, wouldn’t it?”

“I understand. You don’t need to worry.”

“Good. And… you won’t contact or meet Director Han separately, will you?”

“No. Of course not.”

It was the second condition of the divorce.

Do not contact or meet him first.

If anyone contacted or met, it should have been initiated by him.

Director Ji examined him head-to-toe with distrust, clicking her tongue.

His attire was scruffy: wrinkled sneakers, black t-shirt, jeans, and a windbreaker.

A stark contrast to the polished look expected in NI.

And this appearance was what Director Ji hated most.

Now, unconcerned with her eyes, Jaekyung straightened his shoulders proudly.

She left without a farewell and clicked away toward the elevator.

Those waiting behind her followed.

Once she disappeared, Jaekyung, feeling nauseous, ran to the bathroom and vomited.

It was the worst.

Even after a month, he still felt trapped by the family’s atmosphere.

Confined, suffocated… alone during that time.

“Park Jaekyung!”

The nurse’s voice calling him snapped him back to reality.

He quickly washed his mouth and stepped outside.

“Yes! Yes!”

“The professor is here.”

“Oh, yes!”

Entering the examination room, the witch—figuratively speaking—was gone.

Yes, she was gone.

Having sacrificed and abandoned so much, he was free.

Now, only happiness remained for him.

◆

“Could you tell us how the two of you met?”

At the press conference at the hotel, only pre-agreed questions from the media were asked.

Jaekyung and Han Taeseok answered them according to the script, mechanically and passively.

No one sensed anything odd.

Of course—they were all accomplices.

“In high school, we met at a family gathering.”

They had never met then.

A believable story was required.

Since they couldn’t create contact during college, they cited a high school gathering.

Ordinary people wouldn’t know such gatherings existed.

Of course, they didn’t.

The reporters wrote the article without suspicion.

They finished a 30-minute rehearsed Q&A and returned to the waiting room.

They sat on a sofa, waiting for Han Taeseok’s lawyer and assistant.

After about 10 minutes, the media left for the banquet hall, and Han Taeseok stood.

“Park Jaekyung, go to the banquet hall and talk to them.

These are the people you will rely on in the future.”

His first official act as Han Taeseok’s partner.

“…Yes.”

As he responded, Han Taeseok left with his staff.

Jaekyung stood in front of the vanity to check his hair and outfit one last time.

“Jaekyung.”

Two women, apparently hotel staff, entered with a suit.

“This is what you’re to wear.”

It was obvious who had sent it.

He didn’t put it on himself.

Male and female coordinators dressed him, fixed the fit, added pins, adjusted cuffs and watch, retouched hair, light makeup, and selected shoes.

The reflection in the mirror was unfamiliar.

Unlike his usual messy self, there was no imperfection.

This was NI’s ideal image: precise, detached, and self-contained.

Though it felt cold and unapproachable, he straightened his resolve and followed the hotel manager to the banquet hall.

Inside, reporters and key figures from earlier were all present.

As he entered, everyone stopped their chatter and observed him coldly.

At least a hundred pairs of eyes watched.

Jaekyung clenched his fists, straightened his shoulders, and smiled confidently.

“Are you having a good time?”

He pierced their gaze and walked into the crowd.