Cozy Obsession

“This way, please.”He led him to the living room. As they passed the intentionally open study door, Kwak Yoonseong paused briefly, glancing at the easel inside.“Don’t you use the studio anymore?”The office that ‘Seo Heemin’ used as a studio was now owned by Do Junyoung. As Seo Hyeon’s debts piled up, Do Junyoung bought the studio for ‘Seo Heemin,’ but Heemin had no reason to use it. Without Yiheon’s permission, he couldn’t go outside, and for Heemin, the best refuge was this house.Of course, he was curious about ‘Seo Heemin’s’ works. ‘Seo Heemin’ had said he left his emotions and thoughts in his drawings like a daily journal, so there would be plenty to see and reference.However, seeing the drawings wouldn’t instantly improve his skills, and he had no intention of getting entangled with Do Junyoung again. Heemin replied with a smile.“This place is more comfortable for me.”Yoonseong looked around incredulously and sat down on the sofa. It was understandable since Yiheon’s house was rather stark.With its mysterious rooms visible through transparent walls, surveillance cameras installed in the ceiling, and an austere atmosphere that permitted neither a speck of dust nor any clutter, comfort seemed distant.“Your taste has changed a lot.”“They say you resemble the one you love.”Heemin carelessly uttered an uncharacteristic joke for ‘Seo Heemin’ and immediately regretted it, checking Yoonseong’s reaction.Fortunately, Yoonseong was distracted by the view outside, seemingly listening to Heemin’s words half-heartedly. As he observed his surroundings with an evaluative gaze, Yoonseong soon called Ms. Ahn.“Ma’am, I’d like a warm cup of Earl Grey tea. Could you bring some?”[Sorry, but we don’t have Earl Grey tea. Would you like some coffee instead?]Ms. Ahn responded by showing her phone screen a beat later, causing Yoonseong’s eyes to twitch. Heemin quickly spoke up before he could say anything rude to her.“She can’t speak but she can hear.”“How do you live like this? Isn’t it uncomfortable?”“What’s there to be uncomfortable about? Compared to being kidnapped and locked up, this is heaven.”Though it was a metaphorical expression, it truly felt like heaven. As Heemin smiled and responded, Yoonseong’s shoulders slightly sagged, seemingly feeling guilty for having orchestrated the kidnapping for money.“Even so, you like Earl Grey tea. Isn’t it worrisome if they don’t even know what you enjoy drinking? I need to have a word with President Cha.”It was odd how Yoonseong seemed keen to hold onto Yiheon, looking for any excuse to place the younger president beneath him. It was irritating.It was true that ‘Seo Heemin’ had grown fond of black tea, particularly after receiving a gift from Do Junyoung, but that was ‘Seo Heemin’s’ taste, not Heemin’s.Though he wanted to sharply retort, telling him to drink some plain water, he suppressed his disdain.He needed to endure if he wanted to send this man off on a one-way trip to the middle of the Pacific Ocean.“I’ve recently taken a liking to barley tea. It’s hot, so how about a cool glass of barley tea?”“…Barley tea?”“Auntie, could you bring us two glasses of barley tea with ice?”While waiting for the drinks, Yoonseong nervously observed Heemin’s face, seemingly calculating the right moment to bring up his real reason for visiting.Though he had claimed curiosity about Heemin’s well-being, he hadn’t asked about it once. Instead, he just sat there, and Heemin reciprocated by silently observing him.Fortunately, the reserved and quiet nature of ‘Seo Heemin’ was unexpectedly helpful. He didn’t have to engage in pointless conversations with someone he disliked.“Thank you for the tea.”Ms. Ahn returned with two glasses of barley tea with ice and a plate of Heemin’s favorite snack, six pieces of waffle crackers from VerX.Heemin sipped the barley tea, savoring its refreshing coolness and nutty flavor, which was far superior to ExXang.He set down the half-empty glass and rubbed his damp palm on his pants. He was debating whether to stall until Secretary Jung arrived to kick Yoonseong out or to handle it himself when he bluntly asked,“Is there something going on at the company?”Yoonseong responded immediately as if he’d been waiting for this question.“Deputy Director Do is not doing well these days.”“Do Junyoung… senior?”While Heemin had some idea why Yoonseong might be visiting, he hadn’t expected Do Junyoung to come up.Surprised by the unexpected topic, Heemin’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit, prompting Yoonseong to quickly continue, thinking he had taken the bait.“He’s still reeling from the shock of his breakup. He’s getting more emaciated, looking terrible.”If it hadn’t been for the incident at the department store, Heemin might have brushed it off. However, the mention of Junyoung’s poor condition nagged at him. After all, he had established some rapport with Junyoung, and unintentionally causing someone pain troubled him.“There are many people eager to meet him. He’ll find a new connection soon enough. Don’t worry too much.”“How can I not worry? He’s been so unfocused and messing up at work that it’s affecting me. There’s a rumor about a major reorganization soon. Can you talk to President Cha about it?”As expected, Yoonseong had a different motive for bringing up Junyoung. He was trying to elicit sympathy and guilt to manipulate Heemin into helping him.He was someone who viewed others as tools for his own desires and wouldn’t hesitate to sell out his family for his safety. He could never genuinely sympathize with Junyoung.He was a shameless person who wouldn’t feel remorse even if he dragged everyone into the abyss. Feeling slightly pathetic for falling into his trap, Heemin realized he had to be cautious and not trust anyone easily.“I don’t discuss work matters with Yiheon…”Avoiding eye contact and fiddling with his clothes, Heemin answered timidly. Sensing Heemin’s reluctance, Yoonseong anxiously grabbed his hand.“Heemin, please save Dad. I understand that President Cha doesn’t like Assistant Manager Do because of you, but Dad hasn’t done anything wrong. How can you blame the wrong person just because he’s in charge? After sending your father away, Dad has been struggling alone to keep the company afloat, and now he’s facing a demotion. It’s really too much. Even though we’re not related by blood, I’m still your family.”Family.To Heemin, family was people who cared for and cherished each other despite frequent fights and sulking. Yet here was someone who had committed despicable acts to survive alone, speaking without a hint of shame.Suppressing his rising contempt, Heemin bit his lower lip and placed his hand gently over Kwak Yoonseong’s. Then, in a calm and soothing voice, he said, “It’s just a rumor, not a decided matter. Don’t be too shaken by the stories going around. Senior Junyoung will likely try to correct his mistakes to prevent any harm to your father.”“But there’s always a chance. If you step in, President Cha might realize the seriousness of the situation.”Though Heemin wanted to scoff at the shameless request for support, he kept smiling and answered, “As you know, I only know about painting. I don’t know anything about the company, so I don’t think it’s right for me to give my opinion.”Anxious about Heemin’s defensive stance, Kwak Yoonseong licked his dry lips and continued to persuade him. “Then how about this? Just spend a week helping me as an office assistant. Once you see the company’s situation firsthand, you’ll be able to speak to President Cha with confidence.”“You’re asking me to take a part-time job?”Though the request was framed as a plea for help, it seemed more like an attempt to hold ‘Seo Heemin’ hostage to prevent the reassignment. According to the original plan, Kwak Yoonseong would be plotting to oust Cha Yiheon from the company with the employees by now. However, things hadn’t gone his way, and he was desperate as his own demotion loomed. His various excuses to involve ‘Seo Heemin’ showed his desperate measures.He was indeed quick-witted. Even a cockroach had less of a survival instinct than Kwak Yoonseong.“I have a lot of paperwork to do these days. It would be great if you could help me out, Heemin.”Just as Heemin was about to refuse, he thought this might be the perfect opportunity to get rid of Kwak Yoonseong for good.Kwak Yoonseong was receiving kickbacks by supplying cement to Bukseong Construction, operated by Shin Seungbeom, at a price lower than the market rate. ‘What if I find the embezzlement ledger and give it to Yiheon?’ Heemin thought.The scenario of pretending to help with paperwork and secretly stealing the ledger formed in his mind. With the evidence in hand, it would be possible to send Kwak Yoonseong away without issue, before he could harbor strong resentment against Yiheon due to his demotion.Even though the situation had changed a lot due to his intervention, the main storyline seemed to follow the original. Do Junyoung was still hung up on ‘Seo Heemin,’ and Kwak Yoonseong still held a grudge against Cha Yiheon—these inherent traits remained.He had resolved to gradually open Yiheon’s heart. Even if the keyword replacement project didn’t yield immediate results, he didn’t want to rush. But staying passive might lead to Kwak Yoonseong and Shin Seungbeom taking a severe toll on them.He knew the future.He wanted to show them that a smarter person was watching. Not just for a moment of satisfaction, but to create a complete happy ending with Yiheon.With a firm resolve, Heemin smiled sincerely, appearing as if he genuinely wanted to help, and accepted Kwak Yoonseong’s proposal. “I’ll do it. I’ll take the part-time job.”“Yes, yes. Good thinking. There’s no one like you, Heemin. Let’s start tomorrow.”“Ah, I have something in the morning tomorrow.”Dr. Hwang was supposed to bring the suppressant in the morning. Showing a hint of reluctance, Kwak Yoonseong responded as if there was no problem. “Just come in the afternoon then. Whenever you’re free.”“But, Dad, I can’t do it for a week. I need to paint, and I have hospital appointments.”The heat cycle would come soon, and he only needed to find the ledger. There was no need to help for a whole week.More importantly, he wasn’t in a position to roam freely. Sneaking away for half a day, as he had done before, might be possible, but staying out for days was out of the question. Yiheon would never permit it.“Then just come for a day and see how it goes. I’ll handle the rest.”Kwak Yoonseong nodded reluctantly but seemed satisfied, having achieved his goal of involving ‘Seo Heemin.’As he sipped his barley tea, Heemin pondered how to convince Yiheon. Simply telling the truth would lead to an inevitable scolding, so he needed a plan.Was there a good strategy?Recalling the second escape method where ‘Seo Heemin’ pretended to comply and then drugged Yiheon to escape, Heemin shook his head. Though he had no intention of using such an extreme method, the emotional parallels were striking. He couldn’t afford to run away haphazardly anymore.Yiheon had just begun to trust him. Even if his actions were well-intentioned, deceiving and betraying Yiheon would mean closing the door he had worked so hard to open.It seemed best not to use the taxi driver’s business card he had hidden. He had no money for a taxi fare after returning all the change to Yiheon, and he didn’t want to involve others and cause them harm again.Maybe he should subtly hint at a workplace romance fantasy. Suggesting a secret kiss in the president’s office… Ah, they had already done that.‘This is tough, really tough.’Unable to come up with a suitable plan, Heemin’s throat felt parched for no reason. As he gulped down barley tea, a sharp, clear voice resounded in the living room.“What makes you think you can come here without the homeowner’s permission?”Despite being suppressed by medication, the pheromone scent exuded a heavy presence. Yiheon’s expression was void of any gaps, and his black eyes, encased in a blue flame, burned intensely. Just standing in front of him, Heemin felt his breath catch in his throat. The description of Yiheon in <Silence> as “calmly deranged” was not just for show.Heemin looked up at Yiheon with anxious eyes. He had assumed Yiheon would send Secretary Jung home first since he was meeting with the chairman. He hadn’t expected Yiheon to rush over immediately after getting the call. His heart pounded with a mix of surprise and fear.Surely Yiheon hadn’t overheard his conversation with Kwak Yoonseong.Frozen with dread, his eyes darting around nervously, Heemin watched as Kwak Yoonseong boldly lifted his chin and raised his voice.“What’s wrong with coming to see my own child, President Cha?”The two men’s gazes clashed sharply. Though Kwak Yoonseong tried to appear relaxed and even wore a taunting smile, his cheek twitched slightly under Yiheon’s oppressive presence.“We’re going out for dinner. We need to leave soon to make our reservation, so please leave now.”Ignoring Kwak Yoonseong’s question entirely, Yiheon extended a hand to Heemin. Heemin hesitated, never having gone out to eat before. Sensing the unspoken pressure to get up, Heemin reluctantly took Yiheon’s hand and lifted himself off the sofa.“Go change your clothes.”Despite his cold expression, Yiheon’s tone was surprisingly gentle. Heemin wondered if Yiheon was also acting in front of Kwak Yoonseong. Knowing Yiheon, who rarely controlled his temper, Heemin felt somewhat reassured. If Yiheon had overheard their conversation, he would have yelled, “Who said anything about getting a part-time job?” instead of just glaring with a twisted smile.“It’s already getting late. I need to change quickly, so I’ll say goodbye now. Goodbye, Father.”“Yes, I’ll be going now. Enjoy your dinner.”As Heemin politely said his goodbyes, Kwak Yoonseong nodded slightly, signaling they would meet again tomorrow. He looked like someone suppressing his pride to achieve his goal.“Goodbye.”After bowing to Kwak Yoonseong, Heemin headed to the dressing room. Though nervous about unexpected developments, he felt relieved that the situation had ended smoothly. He threw on some random clothes, planning to change back into his pajamas soon, and returned to the living room. By then, Kwak Yoonseong had left, and only Yiheon stood by the sofa, holding car keys. Yiheon looked Heemin up and down before speaking in a softer tone.“Put on a hat.”“A hat? Are we really going out?”“Did you think we were going out as a joke?”“I thought you just said that to get rid of Kwak Yoonseong.”“Getting rid of him was part of it.”Yiheon’s lips curled into a faint smile. Despite the disruption Kwak Yoonseong’s visit had caused, he seemed surprisingly happy. Heemin wondered if something good had happened, like being praised by the chairman.“I’ll get it quickly.”Not sure what was going on, Heemin felt lucky. If Yiheon had been contacted at the wrong time, Kwak Yoonseong might not have made it out of the house alive. He hurried to the dressing room and grabbed a hat. After adjusting the brim, Yiheon, thinking Heemin’s loose-fitting T-shirt looked cold, draped his jacket over Heemin’s shoulders.“I’m not cold.”“Wear it anyway.”“Is it because of the pheromones?”“Yes.”Summer was approaching. Constantly using Yiheon’s clothes to mask the scent wasn’t sustainable, so Heemin decided he needed to learn how to control his pheromones. As he put his arms through the sleeves, Yiheon finally turned to open the front door.“Oh! My boxed waffles.”They were just about to get on the elevator when Heemin suddenly remembered the six boxed waffles he hadn’t touched yet. He sighed in frustration, imagining how they would become soggy if left out. He should have eaten at least one piece, regardless of Kwak Yoonseong’s presence.“Complaining about snacks means you’re feeling better.”As Heemin smacked his lips regretfully, Yiheon chuckled.“It’s just wasteful to throw them away. They’re a product of the farmer’s sweat, the cow’s tears, and the machine’s grease.”“I’ll just buy you more.”“How many?”“As many as you want.”“No take-backs?”“Fine.”Yiheon gently patted Heemin’s hat-covered head, treating him like a child. Despite the blatant infantilization, Heemin didn’t feel annoyed. Maybe it was because Yiheon promised more waffles. His heart swelled with joy.‘I must really like boxed waffles.’“Thank you in advance for the waffles.”“Sure.”Yiheon’s deep voice stirred something inside Heemin. Clutching his chest, which felt like it was about to burst, Heemin stared straight at the elevator’s number panel. Perhaps it was the result of weeks of emotional turmoil, but things were suddenly going smoothly.Only a few days ago, he had been enveloped in gray clouds of gloom, but now, since yesterday, his heavy emotions had vanished. It was as if the sun had broken through the clouds to shine brightly on him.Embracing a mix of anxiety and joy, Heemin followed Yiheon to the parking lot. He expected to see the usual black sedan parked at the entrance, but neither Secretary Jung nor the black car was in sight. Just then, the headlights of a large Wrangler parked in a corner flashed.“…Huh?”“What?”“Oh, nothing.”He was about to ask, “Did you also take this car?” but quickly held his tongue, fearing that his use of the word “also” might be misunderstood. It wasn’t just the type of vehicle; he was slightly surprised that it had the same license plate number as his friend’s car. The unfilled parts of <Silence>, left blank without any specific settings, seemed to reflect reality intertwined with his memories.Without any awkwardness, Heemin opened the passenger door and sank into the seat. It felt like he had truly returned to the real world, perhaps because Yiheon’s pheromones weren’t particularly strong. He felt sorry for making him continue taking suppressants since that day, but it was nice to feel the reality after such a long time. Maybe this was the kind of meeting between Betas that ‘Seo Heemin’ had always longed for.“What did you talk about with Kwak Yunseong?”As soon as Yiheon got into the car, he brought up the main topic, as Heemin was quietly sitting with his seatbelt fastened. His direct tone suggested he was determined to find out why Heemin had suddenly appeared, after previously ignoring him.“He asked me for help. He said his position in the company was unstable.”“So, are you going to help him?”He stared at Heemin with an inscrutable look.It was baffling how he rushed over as soon as he heard the news, drove Kwak Yunseong away, and now was subtly probing Heemin’s intentions. Surely he wasn’t asking because he already knew everything.Just as he was feeling a pang of guilt for leaving out the part about the part-time job, Heemin maintained a calm facade and replied coldly.“No. Why would I help him? Now that it’s come to this, I should seize the opportunity and send him off on a distant fishing boat.”“That damn fishing boat again.”Yiheon let out a snorting laugh as if the idea of putting him on a tuna fishing boat was too naive. He shook his head from side to side, finding it laughable that Heemin dreamt of such a petty revenge when it wouldn’t even be enough to strip away everything he had and starve him.Vroom—Yiheon started the car. Other than the slight scoff, he didn’t show much reaction, suggesting he wasn’t testing Heemin to see if he was lying.“Hey, do…”