Reasonable Loss - 41

“……”

Eunsu stared at Seongheon’s name, still not updated from “Director.” Then he checked the time. 1:17 a.m. Dawn. He’d planned to meet Dokwon at 8, and five hours had flown by.

But why hadn’t Dokwon sent even one message in that time?

Eunsu plopped onto the sofa. His legs shook too much to stand. Cold sweat beaded on his damp forehead. His condition was off for sure. Nothing like heat cycle.

Just as Eunsu went to tap Dokwon’s number to call. The phone went black suddenly, then buzzed, buzzing, showing another number.

A call from Seongheon.

Eunsu stared blankly at the “Director Seo” name, then answered a beat late.

“H-hello…”

– Uh…

A short exclamation came from the other end. Seongheon sounded surprised. Like he hadn’t expected Eunsu to pick up.

– Eunsu?

“Yes.”

– Ah, Eunsu. Where are you? Home?

“……”

Eunsu blinked slowly. He didn’t know what to say, so he hesitated to open his mouth. Not home. But he couldn’t say a hotel room under the restaurant either.

He’d think it weird. What would he take me for?

He’d known Seongheon a good while, but never let on he was omega. Truth be told, taking meds right made hiding it the weird part, but anyway.

So,

“I suddenly went into heat. I was panting on the floor when Dokwon came in. I was sure it was him. I could smell that person’s pheromones. So I begged him. I asked for a kiss, said let’s have s3x. But like an idiot, I only realized it wasn’t Dokwon after following him into the room. I cried and pleaded. I begged him not to touch me. I said there’s a baby in my belly. My head hurts. My body feels hot. Dizziness came over me and I threw up. I want to die.”

What could he do with those words. If he told Seongheon, Dokwon might find out.

Ah.

Ahh….

Eunsu let out a silent groan and ruffled his hair wildly.

That couldn’t happen. It mustn’t. Hadn’t he heard it from Seongheon. How all the omegas Dokwon had met in the past had been.

If he found out about today, Dokwon would surely be disappointed in him. He’d look at him with eyes full of disgust, thinking, you’re just like those other omegas after all.

Then what should he do. What if he ended up breaking up with Dokwon. What about Bomi. He wouldn’t say to get rid of it, would he.

He remembered the Dokwon who had lost his memory and treated him that way. The one who was cold, chilly, sharp. The one who hated omegas and wrinkled his nose like his scent was revolting.

Just thinking about facing that gaze again made his breath catch in his throat. He had to hide it. No matter what, he had to hide what happened today.

Eunsu was biting hard on his thumbnail when,

“You scared me by suddenly disappearing from the restaurant. The chair was even knocked over….”

“….”

“Is something wrong?”

“….”

Seongheon’s calm voice tapped at his eardrum. At that plain yet kind tone, a wave of sorrow surged up in his chest. Eunsu covered his eyes with his hand and sobbed quietly.

Something’s wrong. Please save me. Save my life.

That’s what he wanted to say, but he couldn’t because he was worried about the future.

Eunsu couldn’t end the call, couldn’t answer either, and just let tears drop steadily. Then a few uncollected sobs must have flowed through the receiver.

“Eunsu. Are you crying?”

At those words, Eunsu yanked the phone away from his ear in surprise. Then he took a deep, shaky breath and steadied his breathing. Once the choked gasps settled into a regular rhythm, he pressed the phone back to his ear and mimicked a normal voice.

“No, nothing… it’s nothing. Later… I’ll call you….”

“Where are you. Tell me right now.”

“….”

“I’ll come. I’ll be there soon. Wherever you are, I’ll get there in thirty minutes. No lie. I can take the helicopter. It’s the company’s, but isn’t that what it’s for at times like this?”

At the deadpan words, Eunsu let out a hollow chuckle.

Eunsu hesitated for a moment. Whether he could tell Seongheon what happened to him, whether it wouldn’t reach Dokwon’s ears.

Then he thought that Seongheon would, that a person like Seongheon would keep the secret. The Seongheon he had known for over five years was surely that kind of person.

In the end, Eunsu spilled where he was.

Seongheon sounded a bit surprised but said he’d be there soon without asking more questions.

After ending the call, Eunsu stared at the wall with unfocused eyes. Then he suddenly looked down at his clothes.

“….”

He had been in a suit when he was with Seongheon. Now his tie was nowhere in sight, and more than half the shirt buttons were undone. Even those were on threads that had come loose, about to fall off.

Eunsu quickly buttoned up in alarm. Then he shrugged on his jacket to hide the disheveled look. He tidied his messy hair and drank the water provided in the room.

Then he felt something oddly off.

“….”

The heat cycle had subsided completely in just a few hours, without a trace. That couldn’t be. An omega’s heat cycle lasted at least half a day. Even that was only if you’d rolled around thoroughly with an alpha; if you toughed it out without drugs or s3x, you’d suffer for three or four days straight.

But now his whole body just ached like a bad flu, without that distinct heat cycle feeling.

Eunsu stroked his forearm and headed to the entrance. Then he leaned against the wall and slid slowly down to the floor. He planned to wait there until Seongheon arrived.

He wrapped his arms around his lower belly and slowly closed his eyes. His dry eyeballs stung.

“Haa….”

Eunsu let out a long sigh. The whole day had been nothing but weird events, and it weighed on him heavily.

Eunsu kept calling Dokwon until Seongheon arrived at the hotel room. But for some reason, the signal just wouldn’t connect. Even after more than ten calls.

“Is he mad….”

Eunsu sighed as he stared at the phone screen with Dokwon’s name floating there.

No matter how mad he was, he’d never not picked up before. Actually, he’d never even gotten mad at him. Sulking was more like it. But the current Dokwon wasn’t the Dokwon from back then, so who knew.

Still, pick up the phone at least. Say hello. Even scold me in that low voice of yours, ask what the hell I think a promise is, yell at me, anything—just let me hear your voice.

I need to hear your voice so badly right now.

Eunsu jabbed madly at the end call icon to the automated message that the number was unavailable, then dialed again.

Rrrr, rrrr, the electronic tone dragged on like a clock’s tick, endlessly boring. It was on the fourteenth call to Dokwon.

Knock knock.

Someone knocked. Eunsu jerked his head up.

“….”

He stared silently at the thick front door. He subtly rolled his eyes to check if it was locked.

It was probably Seongheon. At this hour, who else would knock on someone else’s hotel room door. But he was scared. What if it was that creep. The man in the vinyl suit, with those huge hands, who didn’t speak.

Eunsu gripped his phone so hard it might shatter when,

“Eunsu. You in there?”

Seongheon’s voice came flatly through the door. Eunsu sprang up and flung the door open. Seongheon stood there breathing hard, sweat beading on his forehead. He must have run from far away.

“What, haa…, what’s going on. You okay?”

Seongheon asked with a faint smile.

At the question, Eunsu,

“Ugh….”

burst into the tears he’d been holding back. Seongheon stepped quickly into the room in surprise. And the door clicked shut.

Eunsu poured out everything that had happened, without leaving anything out. He even told him about the pregnancy. Somehow, to anyone, he wanted to say it. If he didn’t, his chest felt so tight, so wronged, like he’d die from it.

Seongheon comforted him now and then with little acknowledgments, alternating between anger and worry. Just like that, an hour slipped by. In front of Eunsu lay crumpled tissues and an empty water bottle.

Eunsu wiped his tears roughly with the back of his hand and looked at Seongheon.