Cozy Obsession

Unable to take his eyes off the snacks, he asked the employee again. On the plate were two pieces each of the BudgetX waffle and RichX brownie, which he hadn’t been able to eat freely because of their poor cost-effectiveness.“How many would you like me to bring?”“Just one… more.”His first and second older sisters often brought snacks from their workplaces. When he casually asked if they could bring more since they were free anyway, they told him it was embezzlement to use company goods for personal use and that they should only bring what was reasonable.Heemin actually wanted to get five more pieces to take home, but the intimidating word “embezzlement” made him timidly ask for “just one more.” The employee, looking slightly bewildered, nodded in agreement just as Yiheon, without lifting his gaze from his tablet PC, said nonchalantly,“Bring as much as there is.”“Ah, yes, understood!”The employee quickly left the president’s office as soon as he finished speaking. Perhaps because he had been dealing with Seo Jaehan, who often lashed out and swore at his employees, he moved just as swiftly as Secretary Jung.How much was “as much as there is”?He had been resentful towards Yiheon until a moment ago, but now he felt like bowing his head and saying, “Thank you, boss.” He was glad he had brought it up, even if just on a whim. He had unintentionally benefited from it.He had been craving snacks while watching TV. Though Mrs. Ahn was an excellent cook, she had no baking skills. Struggling to hide his grinning lips, Heemin tore open the BudgetX waffle package.As he crunched into a thin, diamond-patterned piece, Yiheon stood up from his chair and approached the table. He looked down at Heemin with a blank expression and picked up a paper cup filled with dark liquid.“Try some, it’s delicious.”Despite its crisp texture, the BudgetX waffle was moist and soft, offering a delightful chew. The deep, rich butter flavor spread throughout his mouth. It was indeed worthy of the “aristocrat of snacks” label on the packaging.Focused on the taste, Heemin pulled another piece from the package and offered it to Yiheon. If Yiheon was truly the “gangster Cha Yiheon,” he would never touch such a thing. But Heemin thought Yiheon might someday reclaim his once gentle demeanor and needed to get accustomed to such things.Even though he knew he would likely be rejected, Heemin extended his hand with the snack toward Yiheon, thinking, “If he takes it, great; if not, oh well.”Yiheon’s eyes narrowed, leaving a strong impression. As expected, he expressed his refusal with a stern look.“You have no sense of danger, unlike Seo Heemin.”“What do you mean?”Heemin, feeling confused, asked back, wondering if Yiheon wanted him to be as wary as a cat with raised fur. Soon, cynical eyes met his as Yiheon spoke to him in a cold, wintry tone.“The person who auctioned you off is walking around here, and you can still eat that stuff?”“How do you know that?”He almost dropped the BudgetX waffle he was holding. He hadn’t expected Yiheon to already know a fact that was only revealed in the middle of the story. What was going on?“The guy who sold you out spilled everything. But how did you find out?”The one who sold Seo Heemin out, President Park.Ah, that was it.Heemin instinctively grasped the situation. On the first day he fell into this world, the day Yiheon nearly beat a Samho manpower employee to death, Yiheon must have heard about the selling process from President Park.Strictly speaking, Kwak Yoonsung wasn’t Yiheon’s target for revenge. The remarriage had happened relatively recently to group him with Seo Jaehan’s family. Despite that, Yiheon had shown hostility towards Kwak Yoonsung, and now he understood why.After falling into the abyss, Yiheon had to start from the very bottom again. He planned to return the ten years of twisted time to the Seo father and son exactly as it had been for him.He had crawled on all fours until his knees were bloody, obediently doing whatever was asked by Chairman Yoon, even faking death if told. The last of his pride as an alpha was thrown to the ground when he faced the dawn with fractured ribs.When past memories clung to his mind like nightmares, he would visit the luxurious villa where Seo Heemin lived. Staring up at the lit windows from the dark shadows, he only thought of smashing the occupant into shapeless pieces.He never intended to let the two off easily. He planned to make them writhe in agony, longing only for death, but Seo Jaehan died so easily it was almost anticlimactic. Moreover, after finally getting Seo Heemin, he vanished, causing Yiheon to spend a fortune needlessly, which made him furious.Because of Kwak Yoonsung, all his revenge plans were ruined.Heemin, sweating under Yiheon’s suspicious gaze, made up an excuse.“Um, well… I overheard when I was kidnapped. They were chatting while injecting something into my arm…”He cautiously watched Yiheon’s reaction. Yiheon wasn’t one to think twice before swinging his fists when he saw injection marks on Heemin’s arm.Given the circumstances, it didn’t seem like Yiheon would leave Kwak Yoonsung alone. Though he wasn’t directly related to the revenge, Yiheon had a uniquely cruel streak, unlike his kind parents, as if he had inherited the blood of his great-uncle, Yoon Daeho, the violent founder of Woo-sin Industries.With Yiheon recognizing Kwak Yoonsung as an enemy, their confrontation seemed inevitable. If that happened, Kwak Yoonsung might involve Shin Seung-beom, leading to a gang conflict, and Heemin could end up as collateral damage.That can’t happen. Absolutely not.“So, I pretended to be nice to him for revenge!”Heemin exclaimed in a slightly exaggerated, urgent voice, just as Yiheon was about to speak. To make Yiheon understand why he was being friendly to Kwak Yoonsung despite everything, he had no other choice.“Revenge?”Yiheon’s eyes widened in surprise, not expecting this answer.“I didn’t want to come here because of him. Remember how I suffered when I was captured? I couldn’t even eat properly, kept getting injections, and all that.”Yiheon, arms crossed, slightly raised his chin, signaling Heemin to continue. His imposing stature alone seemed to dominate the room like a predator.Heemin swallowed nervously, then continued more calmly.“That man is incredibly greedy. He has no family when it comes to money. And his pride… he goes crazy over trivial things. Birds of a feather flock together, which is why he married Seo Jaehan.”“So,” Yiheon interrupted before Heemin could finish his sentence, implying he wanted Heemin to get to the point.“You can’t show all your cards to a person like that from the start. First, you act friendly and make them lower their guard, then you send them off on a tuna fishing boat so they can’t return to Korea…”He trailed off, seeing Yiheon’s furrowed brow deepen. Yiheon’s expression made it clear that putting someone on a fishing boat didn’t sound like proper revenge to him. He clearly thought throwing someone into the ocean was more fitting.Kwak Yoonsung was an obvious threat, and his resilience was frustrating. However, even in this fictional scenario, Heemin didn’t intend to kill or maim someone under the guise of revenge. If he couldn’t turn Kwak Yoonsung into an ally, perhaps sending him overseas was the next best thing.From a documentary he’d watched, Heemin recalled that once on a deep-sea fishing boat, sailors might spend one to two years in the South Pacific before returning. That would be enough time to complete the project, marry Yiheon, and reach the end of the story without interference.“You’re so serious about your nonsense that it’s not even funny,” Yiheon remarked slowly, propping his chin on his scarred hand. His thick, sensuous lips, which only ever spoke cold and harsh words, caught Heemin’s gaze.“Everything I do is for you.”No matter what, he acted with Yiheon’s safety in mind. Even if they became affectionate lovers, it would mean nothing if Yiheon died due to the original storyline’s events. He wanted to guide this world to a conclusion where no one got hurt.Yiheon’s face remained expressionless, his hand’s motion over his lips halting. He offered no response or reaction.After a long hesitation, Heemin reached for the cup of orange juice to soothe his dry throat. Conscious of Yiheon’s direct gaze, he swallowed the sweet liquid just as a knock sounded at the door—the employee returning with the snacks.“Come in.”“It’s time, sir. Shall we head to the auditorium? I’ll leave these here.”The employee placed a substantial shopping bag next to the table, its surface emblazoned with the logo and emblem of Shinhwa Cement, matching Yiheon’s dark green tie.Heemin felt grateful for the employee’s timely entrance, who had brought a whole shopping bag full of snacks instead of just a few small boxes. Feeling reassured, Heemin left the office with Yiheon. In the hallway, Kwak Yoonsung and Secretary Jung were waiting.“Shall we go?” The employee checked the time and started walking. Knowing that all the employees would be gathered in the auditorium, Heemin wondered if he should hold Yiheon’s hand again. As he debated, Kwak Yoonsung suddenly linked arms with him.“I reserved two seats in the front row center. Let’s sit together.”Caught off guard, Heemin smiled awkwardly, unable to hide his discomfort.“I’ll just watch from the back. I don’t even work here; people might talk if I sit in front.”“Nobody will say anything. Who would dare, considering whose son you are?”Heemin was unsure if ‘who’ referred to Seo Jaehan or Kwak Yoonsung himself, but either way, he wasn’t actually either man’s son.Lacking a proper response, he just stared at Yiheon’s back. It was as if Yiheon had eyes on the back of his head because he suddenly stopped and turned around.“Seo Heemin.”“Yes? Ah, um,” Heemin reflexively used formal speech before quickly correcting himself. His acting was so poor that he felt he deserved a C grade, if not worse. Feeling frustrated with himself, he shook his head, but Yiheon reached out his hand.“Walk by my side.”‘Seo Heemin.’‘I thought you’d left.’‘Walk by my side.’He felt strange. The situation was eerily similar to a moment from his past. For a second, Yiheon, in his high-end suit, looked like a school friend in a uniform, leaving Heemin dazed.“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming?”Blinking, Heemin saw the man with a scar on his eyebrow staring at him, etching the image into his memory.“Ah…”Heemin hesitated, wondering whether to deal with Do Junyoung or Kwak Yoonsung first. Given Kwak Yoonsung’s character, he might be furious, but he wouldn’t immediately plot revenge by involving Shin Seungbeom.Apologetically, Heemin gestured to Kwak Yoonsung and carefully withdrew his arm. Then he walked over to Yiheon and took his hand like before.Yiheon’s fingers intertwined with Heemin’s, gripping tightly. The sensation of being bound by him felt strangely pleasurable, sending shivers down Heemin’s spine.Hand in hand, they followed the employee into the auditorium, where key executives, branch managers, and plant managers had gathered. Recognizing the former CEO’s son, some people began whispering among themselves. It seemed Yiheon’s plan to show Heemin’s affiliation had worked.Only Seo Jaehan and Kwak Yoonsung knew Yiheon was the president of Wooshin Capital.Everyone knew he wasn’t a colleague in the industry, but they were anxious about his presence.Despite Seo Jaehan’s tyrannical leadership, he had significantly contributed to the rapid growth of Shinhwa Cement from a small enterprise to a mid-sized company. Yiheon likely brought Heemin to ease the tense atmosphere and justify the business acquisition.“Heemin, what’s wrong? You look unwell. Is it because of the alpha pheromones?”Kwak Yoonsung, who was following, approached Heemin with a worried expression and asked, “Are you okay?” in a very gentle tone, which seemed uncharacteristic of someone who had sold ‘Seo Heemin’ to a human trafficking ring despite knowing about his alpha trauma.This was the first time since the auction that he stood in front of a large crowd. Although there weren’t as many alphas as there were back then, the unfamiliar pheromones made him nauseous again. Before long, ‘Seo Heemin’s’ body, which detected pheromones ten times more intensely than others, started showing unusual reactions.“Wait, wait a moment.”Yiheon’s expression gradually hardened as he noticed Heemin’s change. He hadn’t expected such a reaction just from a few alphas gathering.He was already feeling unwell from drinking last night, and the alpha pheromones made it worse. His fingertips and toes rapidly grew cold, and his whole body trembled from chills. Heemin’s complexion gradually turned pale.“Ugh.”Even though he had experienced this pain before, the unfamiliar sensation in reality made it hard to adapt to the alpha pheromones. Heemin urgently covered his mouth and nose and retched, pushing away Yiheon’s hand. At this, Kwak Yoonsung stepped in first.“This won’t do. Let’s go to Dad’s room. You can lie down there for a bit.”At the last auction, the stage and audience seats were spaciously separated, so he could at least manage by drinking water. But the situation here was different. The seats were cramped, and the air was so stuffy that it was hard to breathe.He wanted to stay and watch the inauguration ceremony, even if it meant covering his nose, but in his current state, even sitting was a struggle.“Ugh…”He couldn’t bear the rising nausea. Unable to respond to Kwak Yoonsung’s suggestion, he just gagged. Yiheon, who had been watching Heemin with a hardened expression, gave a low command.“Secretary Jung. Take him to the president’s office.”“Yes, understood.”He had been somewhat looking forward to the chance to experience the company before graduation, but it couldn’t be helped.At least the president’s office had the delicious snacks he liked. Since he wasn’t feeling well, he thought he could relax, eat some snacks, and then go home.Since he had already shown up holding hands with Yiheon, he figured he didn’t need to face Do Junyoung directly.People’s curiosity about the relationship between Yiheon and Heemin would surely lead to gossip, whether in reality or in books. Once Do Junyoung heard about it, he might give up his feelings for ‘Seo Heemin.’After thinking this through, Heemin covered his mouth with his hand, nodded at Yiheon, Kwak Yoonsung, and the staff who had come with him, then turned away. He purposely avoided looking at the seats.“Would you like some water?”“Yes, please.”“Please wait a moment.”He leaned back on the sofa and quietly calmed his breathing. As he repeatedly inhaled and exhaled slowly in the empty room, he gradually felt better.‘How did ‘Seo Heemin’ endure this pain all this time?’He had read the book thinking it was just a sad story, but experiencing it himself made him feel even more sympathetic. With all the misfortunes piled up, it would have been hard to live sanely. He began to understand why ‘Seo Heemin’ pushed away the alpha, superior alpha Cha Yiheon.“Here you go.”Secretary Jung brought two paper cups, one with warm water and one with cold water. Despite being a loyal character, he had a knack for handling situations. He played classical music to lighten the heavy atmosphere or brought two cups of water to let Heemin choose based on his mood.“Thank you, Secretary Jung.”“Not at all. I’ll head back to the auditorium now. Please rest.”“Yes.”After politely bowing, Secretary Jung left the president’s office. Listening to the faint sound of disappearing footsteps, Heemin took a sip from the cup of warm water.“Phew…”Drinking the entire cup made him feel considerably better. After sitting on the sofa for a while, he took out a Lotte brownie to replenish his energy. The rich sweetness of the chocolate and the chewy texture were so satisfying that he ended up eating the one meant for Yiheon as well.“It should be fine. He wouldn’t eat it anyway.”His friend in reality constantly snacked on candy, gum, and sweets. He couldn’t stand having nothing in his mouth, yet he maintained a perfect physique that Heemin envied.Compared to him, thirty-year-old Cha Yiheon…Suddenly, Heemin jumped up as a thought crossed his mind. He realized he had talked about changing the keywords but hadn’t properly analyzed the current status of his target.With plenty of time left, Heemin took a pen and paper from Yiheon’s desk. He wrote a big title at the top, “Characteristics of Obsessive Alpha Cha Yiheon,” and numbered from 1 to 30, planning to break them down one by one.Characteristics of GwangGong Cha YiheonHe almost put a period after the fourth point but crossed it out, remembering that Yiheon had drunk with snacks yesterday, showing Heemin’s influence. It wouldn’t change his long-held habits in one go, but it was a start.He added a new note to the fourth point: “Drinks Anciens X Wine only. Doesn’t drink barley tea.”Characteristics of the Obsessed GwangGong, Cha Yiheon:He didn’t hesitate to threaten even Dr. Hwang, who could be considered his superior. Given that he lives off his possessiveness and obsession towards ‘Seo Heemin,’ number 7 seemed impossible to change no matter how hard he tried.Looking back, it might have been wise not to meet Do Junyoung and just return. He could cut him off without any damage or sacrifice. Heemin heaved a sigh of relief and thought about the next sentence to write down.“Heemin!”As he was about to write the ‘um’ in number 8, ‘Doesn’t do housework,’ the door suddenly creaked open with a shout calling his name.Startled by the sudden appearance of someone, Heemin threw the pen he was holding and quickly crumpled the paper into his jacket pocket.“Wh-who are you?”The person who opened the door to the president’s office was neither Cha Yiheon, nor Kwak Yoonseong, nor Secretary Jeong, nor even the employee who brought the snacks. It was a man he had never seen before.“It’s me, Junyoung hyung.”Junyoung hyung.He was Do Junyoung, a supporting character. It seemed they had underestimated him. Who would have thought he’d boldly open the door to the president’s office after running out of the inauguration ceremony.“Oh, hello. Do Junyoung… Sunbae. What brings you here…?”Heemin got up from his seat reluctantly. Seeing Heemin’s dismissive attitude, Junyoung couldn’t hide his disappointment and stood still.Do Junyoung had a friendly impression, with a particularly handsome face that elders would like. You could say he had the kind of face that interviewers would clap and shout ‘You’re hired!’ the moment he walked into the interview room.1. Anciens X Wine in full form would be Anciens Temps Rogue, akin to red wine. 2. Gwanggong (광공), is a very common term used to describe Tops with an obsessive streak. Very similar to yandere but can be considered a unique character of its own. It’s a very common keyword, or tag used for Korean BL/GL novels.