At the end of that Memory

"… … ."

"You saw all the faces, right?"

Huh, I heard a snort. Those who haven't learned how to do this are like this, and they don't know the topic and make people angry. Even after hearing his ramblings, Director Kim answered in a businesslike voice.

"Yes, I remember."

"… … ."

What should I do? It's easy to change the topic, but Director Kim wasn't the type of person to forget orders even if he could get Minjae to come to his senses. His needlessly meticulous work always got in the way at times like this.

"… … It's too bad."

I opened my mouth, buttoning up my best buttons one by one. Minjae, who had been expressing his dissatisfaction, glared at me fiercely. His angry gaze grew thorns, and his twisted lips turned cold.

"Why, what's so disappointing?"

Based on my experience, Minjae tends to get more fired up when I express an opposing opinion. If you side with the employees even a little, they'll fire you no matter what.

A moderately indifferent attitude that doesn't upset Minjae. Yes, the regret that someone I only know by face is quitting was important.

"No, that employee was quiet earlier, so it was comfortable."

"… … ."

The one who unexpectedly reacted was Director Kim. He narrowed his eyebrows slightly and turned his head away to laugh. Fortunately, Minjae didn't notice, and he furrowed his eyebrows with a crooked face.

"You seem really talkative… … . So?"

"That's just how it is. You know. I don't like talking to other people."

He shrugged and buttoned up the last button. Minjae opened his eyes dimly as he patted the bottom of his vest. His lips, which had been hanging down, flinched.

"I don't want to show my face again… … ."

It was an excuse based on half the truth. Regardless of whether he was good at adapting or not, new people and new places were just annoying and troublesome. Minjae must have known that fact, as he crossed his legs to the opposite side and clicked his tongue.

"Anyway, you're a kid with no social skills… … . And you're the head of the headquarters?"

There was no need to answer. Minjae seemed to feel completely relieved with a light smile. He moved his toes, tapping, tapping, and raised his head as if he had made up his mind.

"Director Kim, just leave them alone."

It was a great act of mercy. At least Minjae would think so.

"Jeong Sejin, that idiot is so annoying that I can't let him go."

Director Kim turned his head in the mirror. 'Yes, I understand.' He answered with his mouth, but his eyes were piercingly observing me. It was a new experience. This was so unusual.

"Moreover, what's going on here?"

Now was the time to change the subject. Director Kim approached me with a jacket of the same color as the one I was wearing. As I put my arms on him as he put them on, Minjae's face suddenly crumpled.

"You're getting married?"

I just looked up at Minjae. Minjae, who was leaning against the sofa arrogantly, wrinkled the bridge of his nose.

"Is it real?"

Didn't he know?

"You came all the way here to ask that… … ."

"Fuck, I'm asking if it's real!"

He shouted and uncrossed his legs. He spread his thighs wide and placed both arms on his knees. The thud, thud, of his shoes hitting the floor made him look anxious.

"You're getting married."

He grabbed the collar of his jacket and neatly closed the front. Director Kim straightened the back of his neck, which was wrinkled. He said it was a new fabric, and the feeling it had on his body wasn't bad.

"That's why I'm doing this even after paying my annual leave."

Minjae, who was still a student, had absolutely no say in the affairs of Haesin Group. Originally, he had to go to college abroad, and his current status in Korea was a runaway under the pretense of taking a leave of absence. He might not have known about my marriage proposal, but it was strange that he came all the way here to confirm it.

"What's wrong? You're so interested in business."

"… … business?"

Minjae, who asked quietly, stamped his foot. The sound of his molars clenching was eerie.

"You're crazy."

He suddenly got up and approached me with an aggressive attitude. Maybe because our eye levels were similar, he didn't seem all that threatening. Minjae tapped my shoulder and taunted me with a sarcastic tone.

"Fishing business? Did you say business just now?"

"… … ."

"Hey, get the point. You're being sold. "Is marriage a business for someone like you?"

The closer they got, the stronger the aroma became. Judging from the fact that he had forgotten to even wear the perfume he always wore, he must have rushed over quite a bit.

"What's your partner, Alpha? Are you asking me to give birth to a special trait? Or is your old mother curious about the taste of an omega like you?"

I don't know about the former, but the latter was definitely not. Kwon-do was thirty-two years old, only three years older than me. Whether he was curious about the taste of an omega or not, that was none of my business.

"Just leave it alone, damn it. Don't embarrass your family and tell your father that you can't do it."

As if he had finished talking, Min-jae quickly returned to the sofa. He muttered in a voice that was barely audible.

"If you can't even act like an omega, what's marriage… … ."

"… … ."

I could feel Director Kim's gaze. Contrary to his worries, this didn't happen overnight.

"Did you come here to talk about that?"

Others say they want to be special because they want to be special. I've never been grateful for my special trait. Whether it's because I'm an 'omega' like my father said, or because I can't act like an omega like Minjae said. To me, being an omega was just another factor for my family to look down on me.

"Then, would I really have come to see you?"

A curt voice rang in my ears. It was always like that, but today it felt particularly harsh.

"I'm sorry, but the date has already been set."

The wedding date hasn't been set, but I just said that. Even if I explained the situation in detail, nothing would change much anyway.

"Besides, I'm getting engaged next Saturday."

"Who doesn't know that? You can just cancel it!"

If I told my father, he'd immediately file a file on the family register. Canceling a promise with a favorite group? You can't do that unless you're crazy.

"The other person is probably a CEO of a small business, so what's the big deal about the engagement party? Director Kim! Cancel the Saturday schedule right now."

Minjae ordered Director Kim in an irritated tone. He must have thought he would listen to me, but unfortunately, his hopes were shattered in an instant.

"That's impossible, Master."

"… … What did you say?"

Minjae's eyes widened. His pupils shook violently as if he couldn't believe it. Director Kim shook his head with a rather cold expression.

"The other person is in the preferred group."

It was a word that reminded him of reality, just like it had been for me. He added a firm remark without needing to step forward.

"Unilateral cancellation from our side is difficult."

"… … ."

Minjae must know. How ridiculously he had acted. That's why he kept his mouth shut with such a thoughtful expression.

"It's a matter of trust between companies."

He looked in the mirror and adjusted his clothes. It was an ivory suit, closer to white than pearl. I should get a colored handkerchief. With that thought, he glanced at Minjae out of the corner of his eye.

"You can't ruin it because of me."

"… … ."

Minjae lowered his head, looking somewhat dispirited. His irritation from earlier was nowhere to be found, and he was just biting his lips. How long had he been like that? With an unusually serious expression, he slowly raised his eyelids.

"So, you're going to live by spreading your legs to some alpha brat you don't know?"

"Master!"

Director Kim shouted with a surprised face. Even I thought that his remark had crossed the line a bit. The sense of reality that was surging in like a flood made me burst out in laughter.

"I don't know. I'll spread my legs, or I'll just open my mouth and end it."

"… … ."

The air was freezing cold. Minjae, as well as Director Kim, who was trying to stop him, turned his head blankly. Clearly, he didn't intend to say this. His lips moved on their own, contrary to his will.

"Well, in the end, both of us will get punished… … ."

Minjae's words were mostly right. I was being sold, and there was a high probability that what they would ask for was a child born with a special trait. If I married Kwon Ido, I would definitely have to follow him like a stallion every night.

"Good. When else would I act like an omega?"

"… … ."

Minjae's face turned bright red. Damn, his voice was shaking as he spoke. Judging by the veins in his neck, he felt like he would burst if he said one more word.

"… … I'm joking."

So before it was too late, he picked up the spilled water and put it in his mouth. I don't know what kind of reaction he expected from me, but this was the best for me. It's Director Kim, and Minjae. Why can't he just stir up people?

"Why are you being so serious? Just saying something."

"… … ."

"Since you've come this far… … Do you want to wear a suit too? I'll buy you a set of clothes before you get married."

I tried to act friendly for no reason. When he told Seoyoung, the youngest, to choose one, Minjae clenched his fists with a blushing face. I thought he'd swear at any moment, but he was surprisingly calm.

"Fuck, hyung… … ."

Of course, he was very harsh behind his back.

"What the hell are you buying me when you have such a pitiful eye for things. Dude, those clothes don't suit you at all."

"Really?"

I turned my head and looked at myself in the mirror. Even though they were fitting clothes, the size was okay. The shoulder line is just right and the vertical stitching is neat. To me, this and that are similar. Was the burdensome white the problem?

"Oh, Jo Onna, that's bad. That dark and dull color is perfect for you."

Then, Minjae pointed to an ordinary suit that was a ready-made suit. It was something that the staff hadn't even looked at, and the material was different from what I was wearing. Even if someone stole one, they wouldn't notice unless they counted them.

"That's your level."

The formal attire I was wearing felt out of place. The clothes hanging in a row looked like me waiting for treatment someday. No, but maybe it's fortunate that I can wrap it in an expensive shell now.

"Then why don't I have one of those too?"

"… … ."

Director Kim frowned. With his high standards, such mass-produced products would have been unappealing. He looked like he was asking why I was doing that, but he had no obligation to resolve my doubts.

"Director Kim. Please ask me to match the design you wore today. The measurements should be the ones we measured before."

"… … Are you really going to do that outfit too?"

"Of course. When have you ever seen me joke?"

I said it playfully, but his expression hardened in an instant. 'You were joking earlier?' It was clear that he had tried to swallow it. Of course, I knew that he would faithfully place an order even with that expression.

"What's the schedule for the future… … ."

"Well."

I took off the jacket I was wearing and handed it to Director Kim. I felt like I had to cheer Minjae up, but on the other hand, I wondered if I really had to do that. The sense of reality that was pushed back again took away even the little bit of motivation that had been rising.

"Should I go home and sleep… … ."

I had to at least pretend to take care of my condition until the day of the engagement ceremony. Since my father had even prepared sleeping pills for me, I had to get as much sleep as possible. Of course, it would be difficult to get a good night's sleep even if I took a handful of sleeping pills.

"Then I'll have the car waiting."

Director Kim made a surprised face but obediently agreed to my rest. He looked back and forth between me and Minjae with a somewhat pitiful look in his eyes. I absentmindedly checked the time and quickly changed my mind.

"First, let's go to the office."

"… … Are you possessed by a ghost who died because you couldn't work?"

Minjae muttered in a trembling voice. It seemed that he didn't understand why he was going back to the office after using up all his vacation days. Director Kim also narrowed his brows as if he didn't really need to do that.

"You can rest today."

"No."

I don't hate resting, but a thought crossed my mind and blocked my desire. The next week. There will be plenty of vacation time after the engagement ceremony.

And maybe,

"I think it would be better to do the handover in advance."

I might rest for the rest of my life.

Jeong Se-jin, Head of Management Planning, Haesin Financial Group.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the title attached to my name was handwritten by my father. From the day I became my father's child. From the day I wandered the streets barefoot in the cold winter, stepping on the snow. From the day he brought me, a familyless man, to the eldest son of Haesin Group.

Twenty years had passed since then, and I was twenty-nine years old when I sat down as the head of Haesin Group. Compared to when I first gained a lot, I lost as much as I gained, and I was destined to lose what was left soon. Well, it wasn't mine from the beginning, so I didn't have any regrets.

"We've arrived, Chief."

Time passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was the day before our engagement ceremony. I had been so busy that I had no time to breathe, and I ended up committing an act that would displease my father. My father had Director Kim cancel all my schedules, and instead filled the day with massages and skin care.

Thanks to that, the car had the same aroma that Minjae had been giving me. The driver sniffed around and asked if I had changed my perfume. However, even the herbal scent that was supposed to calm the mind and body couldn't solve my fatigue from my long-term insomnia.

"Are you okay? You look very tired… … ."

The driver opened the car door and looked at my face with concern. Not only the driver, but also the employees, and Director Kim, everyone I met today looked at me with those eyes. My complexion must have been so bad, but there was only one answer I could give.

"I lost some sleep."

When I said this, nine out of ten people would look convinced and turn away. Only Director Kim gave me a sympathetic look, saying, "You're human, too." Fortunately, the reporter was the former, so instead of asking me anything, he nodded.

"Then I'll pick you up tomorrow."

I gave him a casual nod and walked away, turning my back on him. With each step I took, heavy fatigue weighed on my shoulders. It wasn't just a matter of losing some sleep. But I couldn't explain my situation in detail.

"Sejin."

"… … ."

Sighing, I held up my card key to the building entrance. The unnecessarily tall officetel was the first place I had become independent when I turned twenty. It was called independence, but it was more like being kicked out.

'Sejin-ah.'

"… … Stop calling me that."

That damn Sejin. No one calls me that except for my father. I don't know when I've seen him before, and he keeps acting friendly by saying Sejin, Sejin. And if I don't answer, his title changes quickly.

'Jeong Sejin.'

I closed my tired eyes tightly and opened them. I tried to focus on the humming machine to clear my mind, but instead, the voice in my head became clearer. Sejin-ah. The voice that had been calling me that suddenly changed to an extremely cold tone.

'You should act like a prostitute.'

"… … ."

Ding, the elevator doors opened left and right. I stepped inside and took out the medicine bottle I had kept inside my jacket. There were one, two, three, four pills left. It was a little ambiguous, but this was enough to sleep without waking up in the middle.

"Haa… … ."

Instinctive fear rose from the tips of my toes. Insomnia was common, but being afraid to fall asleep was a different story. Even if I took sleeping pills, I couldn't fall asleep, and now I didn't want to go to bed. I could count on one hand the days I've had a good night's sleep these past few days.

Woof, I could hear the elevator slowly going upstairs. It took longer than I thought to reach the top floor. I wiped my face with one hand and let out the stuffiness that had risen to my throat.

These days, I have dreams every day of being raped by a man whose face I don't even know.