Reasonable Loss - 38

Heat cycle was only three days away. The stuffiness in his body seemed to be because of that.

Heat cycle…… It was the first heat cycle since getting pregnant. It seemed he should go to the obstetrician. Before, he had just rolled around excitedly with Dokwon for a few days, but with a pregnant body, he could not do that. And he could not take heat cycle medicine during this time when he had to be careful even with suppressants.

As Eunsu rubbed the mouse against his back to organize his thoughts,

“Manager Yoo. I sent the draft. Please confirm.”

One team member said while stretching long.

“Ah, yes.”

Eunsu moved the mouse to the shared folder. It was then. A message flashed in the corner of the monitor.

It was Seongheon.

Eunsu arrived in front of the shiny H Hotel. It was to meet Seongheon. Seongheon, who came an hour before quitting time, had said let’s have dinner together after a long time.

[Are you busy, Eunsu?]

[Dokwon is out all day for a contract, so if you have no dinner plans, do it with me.]

[I’ll buy you something delicious.]

After hesitating for a moment, Eunsu accepted his proposal. It had been nearly a month repeating only between company and home because of morning sickness. He could think that eating outside would not make much difference, but who knows. Maybe he could eat something. If not, there was nothing to be done.

As Eunsu entered the hotel lobby, he took out his phone. It was to leave a message for Dokwon.

[I’m having dinner with the executive director. I’ll go back timed to when you arrive.]

He wrote the message and was just about to press send when someone tapped his shoulder. Startled, Eunsu turned off his phone without thinking and whipped around.

“Eunsu.”

Seongheon in a suit stood there.

“Executive Director.”

Eunsu smiled and greeted him. It was the first time since they had eaten together at a Korean restaurant and then run into each other a few times at the company by chance.

“Long time no see. Thanks for making time like this.”

“No. Of course I have to come if you’re buying dinner.”

The two took seats at a restaurant inside the hotel in a warm atmosphere. The place Seongheon reserved was a high-end restaurant on an upper floor. Dining rooms were individually separated, and pleasant classical music subtly tickled the ears.

Eunsu carefully scanned the menu and picked foods that seemed he could eat. He selected and reselected foods that seemed to lack fishy smells or strong spices.

The meal proceeded peacefully enough. Since it was a course meal, he could roughly pick at the strongly smelling dishes, and soon the next one would come. There were some he could eat and some he could not. Still, perhaps because it was expensive, there were no dishes that felt so revolting as to make him gag.

In the meantime, unimportant conversations went back and forth with Seongheon. Company stories, people stories, even social and economic topics were exchanged. Then around dessert time, Eunsu asked.

“Don’t you have a girlfriend, Executive Director?”

“Me?”

“Yes. Ah, or maybe you do and I just don’t know?”

“Pfft, no. No girlfriend.”

Seongheon shook his head. Eunsu tapped the macaron with his fork and asked again.

“Really, why don’t you make one? It’s not like you can’t. Because of work?”

“Well, there are various reasons. There is someone I like.”

At those words, Eunsu’s fork poked the macaron. The crisp shell broke helplessly. Eunsu set down the fork without hesitation. Then he placed his hands on the table and leaned his upper body forward. Curiosity sparkled in his clear eyes.

“Wow, really? Who? No, no, even if I hear, I probably won’t know.”

“Why. You might know.”

Seongheon sipped wine and raised his eyebrows. Eunsu’s eyes sparkled even more. After all, other people’s love affairs were inevitably an interesting topic. Especially if the protagonist was Seongheon.

“You mean someone I know? No way. Who? If it’s someone both you and I know, it can only be someone from the company. I don’t know anyone at the company besides my team members. Who?”

Eunsu furrowed his eyebrows and thought hard. But no one came to mind. Someone Seongheon would like. Yet someone with no significant progress so far.

As Eunsu tapped the floor with the balls of his feet in contemplation, Seongheon, leaning loosely in his chair, said lowly.

“It’s an omega.”

“Yes?”

“The person I like is an omega.”

“Uh…… but……”

“Yes. I’m a beta.”

Eunsu blinked his eyes quickly. The person he liked was an omega. He had not even imagined it. Of course, it was not strange or surprising that a person liked another person, but it was a bit disconcerting. He seemed to be narrow-minded himself.

Eunsu bit the inside of his cheek flesh firmly and then released it, then quickly put on a full smile.

“Well, there’s no law saying betas and omegas can’t date. It’s not impossible.”

“I thought so too, but it’s not easy. After all, betas can’t exchange what alphas and omegas can.”

“Ah……”

Eunsu sighed. Yes, he could feel that sense of deprivation. Pheromones and heat cycles, there were many things hard for betas to understand. After all, omegas were beings who essentially needed alpha pheromones, so Seongheon must have felt a lot of miserable emotions.

In fact, he was born with so much. Good looks, tall height, ample wealth and high social status. But to love an omega. It did not sit well with him.

Eunsu swallowed the half-remaining water in one gulp and looked at Seongheon.

“If it’s someone I know, is there anything I can help with?”

“You, Eunsu?”

“Yes. If you need help, say anything.”

“Really?”

“Of course. It’s love for the executive director. I can help as much as needed.”

Eunsu nodded with a determined expression. Seeing Eunsu like that, Seongheon chuckled cutely. Then he called the waiter and asked for water. The waiter bowed politely and poured water. Gurgle. Eunsu’s empty glass was refilled.

Seongheon stared piercingly at it and moved his lips.

“But I’m a bit late. That omega got another man.”

“Ah……. Did he get married?”

“No. Not that. Probably dating.”

“Hmm……. Then isn’t there a chance? There’s nothing as common as breaking up while dating……”

“You think so? Could that person become single again?”

“Yes. There are far more couples who break up than those who marry. Even married ones break up.”

Eunsu nodded as if certain. Dating, unless it leads to marriage, is done to break up. Dozens or hundreds of couples meet and break up every day. There was no law saying the person Seongheon liked would not become single again.

Anyway, the choice would be up to that omega he liked.

By the way, it would be great if Seongheon got a lover. He could try double dates with Dokwon. Go on trips together. The omega Seongheon liked must be a wonderful person too. Since it was not just anyone but the person Seongheon liked, it was natural.

As Eunsu spread his wings of imagination, he picked up the heavy water glass and smiled. And just as he was about to swallow the water, a strange smell brushed the tip of his nose. Eunsu, bringing the glass to his mouth, pulled his head back and grimaced.

“There’s a…… medicine smell from the water.”

“Medicine?”

Seongheon asked back with a surprised face.

“Yes. It wasn’t there earlier.”

Eunsu sniffed the water smell again. Definitely a medicine smell. He did not know what kind, but it was the thick, bitter scent that lingered in the throat if you did not swallow the pill right away, coming from the water.

“Really? I don’t smell it.”

Seongheon tilted his head. Then he drank the water as if to show.

“……”

Eunsu pursed his lips. Was his nose too sensitive because of morning sickness. Eunsu wrinkled the bridge of his nose and sipped the water, holding about half a mouthful. And as he swallowed, there was definitely a strange taste. His tongue felt all astringent.

Eunsu quickly set down the glass and gulped orange juice to rinse his mouth.

“Should I ask them to change the water?”

Seongheon asked kindly.

“No. I’ve drunk it already, whatever.”

Eunsu shook his chin as if it was fine. He took out his phone and lit up the screen. It was already nearing 8 o’clock.

[Are you home?]

[I’m almost done and leaving.]