Cozy Obsession

A sudden thought made Heemin’s hands, which were buttoning up his shirt, come to a halt. The forgotten plot of the original story swirled in his mind. Cha Yiheon, who had captured the runaway ‘Seo Heemin’ in a coastal village, had broken his ankle without hesitation when Heemin refused to be held. He had even implanted a tracking chip in ‘Seo Heemin’s’ body to prevent him from ever escaping his grasp again. Of course, ‘Seo Heemin’ didn’t know this and attempted to escape once more.“Ah, it can’t be.”Since their hospital visit, specifically to the lakeside park, Heemin and Yiheon had grown considerably closer. Although Heemin often glared at him with distrust, Yiheon, who had started coming home earlier, would often take Heemin on evening walks around the nearby parks and apartment complexes. It was as if Yiheon, realizing the importance of these walks to prevent strange behaviors, felt obligated to take Heemin out for a walk every day, like a dog owner who understood the importance of daily exercise.Thanks to these walks, Heemin could enjoy the city lights and moonlit cherry blossoms. The scenery was different from the sunlit lakeside park, bringing joy to both his eyes and heart. Heemin eagerly awaited Yiheon’s return each day, savoring those brief moments.He had also grown accustomed to holding Yiheon’s hand during these walks. While it was akin to wearing handcuffs to prevent escape, Heemin didn’t mind. After all, there was nothing better than physical contact to strengthen a relationship. The warmth transmitted through the palm provided an inexplicable sense of security. He began to understand why couples held hands even on hot days. If Heemin, without romantic feelings, felt this way, how much stronger must Yiheon’s feelings be, given his love for ‘Seo Heemin’?Instead of physical harm and assault, it seemed the protagonist of this dark novel, Cha Yiheon, was taking Heemin to a leisurely stroll instead. Could it be… a cellphone store?It made sense that Yiheon needed something to keep track of Heemin’s whereabouts and maintain communication in real-time. Heemin mentally cheered at the thought. He had always considered himself the type to cling to books rather than be addicted to phones, but without a phone, he found himself feeling incredibly frustrated. If Yiheon bought him a phone, he could access the internet without hassle. He wouldn’t need to ask Secretary Jung for books anymore, could keep track of the books he had read, and look up how to draw.He had plans to teach himself how to draw. Even if he couldn’t show off like ‘Seo Heemin,’ he hoped that consistent practice, possibly with the help of YouTube tutorials, might awaken his body’s muscle memory. His goal was to draw a portrait of Yiheon.He had promised to show his trust through actions rather than words. If he worked hard and gave the drawing as a gift, maybe Yiheon’s frozen heart would melt like snow in the spring. Just as the warm energy seeping into the shaded ground brings forth leaves, flowers, and fruits on a tree, Heemin hoped that Yiheon would be moved and eventually confess his love. An ending might be near. Filled with anticipation, Heemin imagined how Yiheon’s text messages would be.Come to think of it, the 21-year-old Cha Yiheon had been an emoticon enthusiast. He had so many that he couldn’t remember them all but always used them at just the right moment, making their conversations fun. However, the 30-year-old Cha Yiheon seemed likely to send brief, two-word messages like “Come out,” “Where,” “Going,” or “What time,” in a very stern tone.Suppressing a laugh, Heemin adjusted his clothes and stepped out of the dressing room, his heart racing at the thought of seeing the latest model cellphones. As he was heading to the living room, he heard,“Hello!”The man standing next to Secretary Jung bowed deeply and greeted Heemin loudly. Unlike the elite bodyguard vibe of Secretary Jung, this man in a black suit exuded the air of a real gangster, someone who looked like he could throw someone to the ground if they crossed him.As Heemin looked at him in confusion, the man introduced himself.“My name is Kim Minseok, sir! I’ll be accompanying you from today, so please take care of me!”Heemin realized who he was. Minseok was Ms. Ahn’s son and the one who had monitored ‘Seo Heemin’ when he fled to the coastal village. In the past, he had been a promising judo athlete, winning medals despite difficult circumstances and becoming Ms. Ahn’s hope. After a career-ending injury, he had clashed with his abusive father, eventually joining Yiheon and becoming a gangster.Heemin was curious why such a physically imposing figure was being taken to a cellphone store. Was it to fend off scam artists who offered strange plans with installment payments?He nodded in response to Minseok, who had Ms. Ahn’s eyes and a surprisingly cute face upon closer inspection. Although it was a bit embarrassing to be called ‘sir’ by a 26-year-old, it wasn’t strange since ‘Seo Heemin’ was officially thirty.“Put this on,” Yiheon said, tossing his jacket to Heemin, who was standing there blankly.“Is it cold outside?”Heemin had deliberately worn only a shirt, thinking it would be warm. As he glanced out the window, wondering if the wind was stronger than it looked, Yiheon said something shocking.“Just put it on. It stinks.”“Stinks? But I just showered after working out.”Heemin always showered after sweating, adhering to a strict cleanliness policy despite his modest means, a principle instilled by his sisters. He took pride in his cleanliness, so it was hard to believe he smelled.“Oh…”Then he realized Yiheon wasn’t talking about the kind of smell he was thinking of and sighed.It was because of the pheromones.Just as wearing too much cologne in reality could be a nuisance, there was an unwritten rule in this world against emitting too much pheromone in public places. Unlike betas, who didn’t have pheromone glands, alphas and omegas, who emitted some level of pheromones, had to control them to protect themselves. Although Heemin couldn’t completely suppress his pheromones, he managed them well enough not to irritate others. But Heemin, who wasn’t yet skilled at controlling his pheromones, emitted them much more intensely.As a dominant omega, ‘Seo Heemin’ had naturally strong pheromones. If he couldn’t control them, it was better to mask them with the scent of a dominant alpha’s pheromones.One night during their walk, a few Alphas who recognized that Heemin was a Dominant Omega glanced at him repeatedly. They couldn’t approach openly because a fierce-looking Dominant Alpha was right beside him, but had he been alone, it might have been dangerous. Heemin carefully sniffed the jacket, which now carried a hint of the Alpha’s pheromones. Surprisingly, it wasn’t unpleasant, indicating his health had improved significantly.Heemin put on the jacket, which was now loose and oversized on him, unlike how it had fit snugly on Yiheon. It felt like wearing his father’s clothes, giving him the sensation of being a child in an adult’s attire. “Let’s go,” Yiheon said, turning towards the entrance, followed by his aides, Secretary Jung and Kim Minseok. Heemin, feeling awkward and lost in the oversized jacket, hesitated briefly before following them.With three well-built men around, the usual elevator felt cramped and the air thinner. “Why are we taking the car?” Heemin asked, noticing they were heading to the underground parking lot rather than a nearby phone store.“We’re going to the department store, brother,” Minseok answered instead. “I thought we were buying a phone,” Heemin said, puzzled. Yiheon furrowed his brows. “Why would I buy you a phone? You could just throw it away to avoid being tracked. Instead, Minseok here will be keeping an eye on you from now on to ensure you don’t pull any stunts like last time,” Yiheon explained, motioning towards Minseok.Heemin, feeling disappointed, watched the dancing inflatable man at the phone store fade into the distance. “So, are you sending me to the hospital now?” he asked suddenly, a realization dawning on him.“I can’t let you go to the hospital in the same clothes every time,” Yiheon replied. Heemin had only two sets of outdoor clothes bought by Secretary Jung. He didn’t mind wearing the same clothes repeatedly as long as they were clean, but Yiheon seemed to think differently.I guess he’s being thoughtful, Heemin mused. His initial disappointment melted away, and he smiled brightly, focusing on the passing scenery. Despite everything, Yiheon was beginning to trust him. Their project to change key elements of their relationship seemed to be progressing well.“There are so many people here,” Heemin observed as they arrived at the department store, bustling with weekend shoppers. Although the presence of safety officers made any danger unlikely, Yiheon still had Heemin wear his jacket and brought along Secretary Jung and Minseok to deter any Alpha from approaching. They moved efficiently, minimizing unnecessary interactions with others.“Here we are,” Secretary Jung announced as they exited the elevator. Unlike the crowded lower floors, this level was almost deserted, giving off an eerie vibe. Heemin soon realized why: they were in the luxury section. As Yiheon scanned the displays, he headed towards a contemporary brand’s store.“Get clothes that will suit him. As many as you can,” Yiheon ordered, prompting the staff to quickly start gathering items. Yiheon settled into a sofa, indicating he wouldn’t be moving for a while, and Heemin awkwardly joined him, waiting for the staff to finish their selection.Heemin had never been interested in shopping. Growing up, his sisters chose his clothes, and his birthdays often involved gifts from Yiheon, like N**e T-shirts. As a result, he had little sense of personal style and found the myriad of choices overwhelming.“We’ve prepared some new arrivals. You can see the model photos on this tablet,” the staff explained, showing Yiheon images of outfits. After briefly scrolling through, Yiheon turned to Heemin with an unexpected command.“Try on every single outfit.”“All of them?” Heemin stammered.“Yes,” Yiheon affirmed.“It’s not like I’m doing a fashion show or something…” Trying on every single outfit was daunting. When Heemin hesitated with a tired expression, Yiheon gently pushed him forward. “If you try on everything, I’ll buy you whatever you want to eat.”“Really?”“Whether it’s tteokbokki, pizza, anything.”“Then please get me some cream bread from the food court!”A few months ago, his second sister had given him a cream bread that she received from her boss. It was a large bread, filled with soft custard cream, and Heemin was amazed by how delicious it was. She had told him it was only available at the department store’s bakery, not at regular bakeries, so he had been disappointed. But now, this was a great opportunity.Heemin stood up, grabbed the clothes the staff handed him, and headed to the fitting room enthusiastically. It felt like he was doing a part-time job again, like playing with dolls, something he had never done before. His hourly wage was the cream bread.“This feels strange,” Heemin said, stepping out in crisp cotton pants and a sky-blue striped boat-neck t-shirt, with new shoes provided by the staff. It wasn’t his usual style, so seeing himself in the mirror felt unfamiliar. Heemin adjusted his hair and glanced at Yiheon.Yiheon, sipping the soda provided by the store, scanned Heemin from head to toe with an expressionless face.“Does it look weird?”Instead of giving feedback, Yiheon remained silent, making Heemin feel awkward. A simple “it looks good” or “not really” would have sufficed, but he showed no reaction.“You look great! Perfect for a sunny spring day like today,” the staff complimented. Minseok, who was standing guard at the entrance, turned around and gave Heemin a thumbs-up. Despite his tough appearance, Minseok seemed to have a friendly personality.“Next.”Heemin changed into an ivory-colored thin knit and dark blue jeans without any washing. The knit’s texture was different, softer and more luxurious. He liked it, but Yiheon again showed no particular reaction, only observing with narrowed eyes.Heemin, feeling deflated, went back to the fitting room to change into the next outfit.Changing clothes repeatedly was exhausting. Heemin’s poor stamina was part of the problem, but Yiheon’s lack of feedback drained him even more. The clothes started blending together, and Heemin felt overwhelmed by the task of choosing.“I’ll just take this one,” he said, plopping down next to Yiheon in the last outfit. He no longer had the energy to even look in the mirror. He just wanted to eat cream bread and recover from the ordeal.Yiheon draped his jacket over Heemin’s shoulders, signaling that he could go out in his current outfit. Heemin was relieved and stood up, watching Yiheon hand his card to the staff. “Pay for everything.”“All of it?”Heemin had sneakily checked the price tags in the fitting room and was shocked to see that a single shirt cost more than his monthly part-time wage. Though he understood this was a novel scenario, spending so much felt wasteful. He gestured to the staff to wait and asked Yiheon, “Isn’t this too much? I can’t even wear all of them.”“There wasn’t anything that didn’t suit you.”Perhaps Yiheon refrained from complimenting him to maintain his dignity in front of his subordinates. He was a complicated person, unable to express simple praise. “Add this too,” Yiheon said, picking up a black baseball cap and placing it on Heemin’s head.“I don’t usually wear hats; they’re uncomfortable.”“Wear it. Don’t argue. Try meeting my eyes.”Even as friends, Yiheon had always been keen on making Heemin wear hats, saying they suited his small, round head. Heemin adjusted the cap unhappily, muttering, “I’d be fine with just a N**e t-shirt.”“Where is the N**e store?” Yiheon asked the staff, apparently having overheard Heemin’s muttering. Heemin, feeling the nightmare returning, quickly grabbed his arm. “Forget it! Let’s just get some bread!”He needed a reward for the physical labor, specifically the soft and sweet cream bread. They decided to have the clothes delivered to his house and headed to the food court on the basement floor. The crowd of food shoppers made Yiheon’s brow furrow in displeasure, but Heemin insisted, “I want to eat here. I’m hungry.”Despite the mingling pheromones making it hard to breathe, the constantly moving crowd made it manageable. Had it been like the inauguration event, Heemin would have requested takeout. They found a table inside the bakery and sat down. Surrounded by Betas, Heemin felt at ease and ready to eat.“Thank you for the food!” Heemin said as Minseok returned with an assortment of desserts. The table was filled with cakes, tarts, and puddings, the kind Yiheon would never touch.“Do you want some too?” Heemin asked Yiheon.Could it be that the sweet scent of the desserts was unpleasant for him? With a frown on his face, Yiheon averted his gaze from Heemin and stared fixedly at something else. The brim of his hat partially blocked his view, so Heemin had to lift his head to see where Yiheon was looking. Though curious about what had caught Yiheon’s attention, Heemin decided to focus on the cream bread in front of him instead.He cut the large choux pastry in half. Unlike the previous one he had eaten, this one hadn’t been frozen, so the custard cream inside spilled out, covering his fingers in a sticky mess.“Ah… Napkin.”As he placed the pastry back on the plate and reached for a napkin, Yiheon grabbed his wrist. Then, he leaned in and licked the cream off Heemin’s fingers with his tongue.“It’s sweet.”Yiheon’s brow furrowed, as if the sweetness was too much for him. But he licked the remaining cream off Heemin’s hand again.“What are you doing? We’re in public. Are you crazy?”Heemin’s face flushed with heat. The places where Yiheon’s rough tongue had touched tingled uncomfortably. Clenching his fingers, now wet with saliva instead of cream, Heemin hid his red face with his fist.Why was Yiheon, usually not the affectionate type, suddenly acting like this, doing something typically reserved for lovers? Especially eating something he disliked so much.Embarrassment and confusion sent blood rushing to Heemin’s head. As he took off his hat to cool down, his eyes met those of a man who had been watching him, frozen in place. It was Do Junyoung, someone Heemin had met once before.Heemin finally understood Yiheon’s intention behind the blatant display.“…Heemin-ah.”Junyoung’s table was empty, indicating he had just arrived at the bakery. Across from him sat a pretty female Alpha with delicate features. They seemed very close, their pheromones suggesting a similar nature, and an air of long-standing familiarity surrounded them.Do Junyoung, like Cha Yiheon, had once been intensely fixated on Seo Heemin. Heemin had gone to great lengths to shake him off, not wanting to get involved, but he hadn’t expected Junyoung to move on so quickly and find someone new.