Pig Government Official

-3-

The man’s visuals were so shocking every time Jeonggwan saw him that he pushed Jeongyun aside and stared at the man as if entranced.

Jeongyun was the most surprised by this. As Jeonggwan pushed him aside saying “Let me see,” Jeongyun turned around with him, almost having a heart attack from shock. The VIP, whom he thought had left uninterested, was staring intently at him and Jeonggwan.

Jeongyun was so startled that his body involuntarily half-jumped, but he quickly composed himself and turned his head towards the security team leader, receiving a silent instruction to stay put.

Jeongyun gripped his brother’s wrist tightly and cast his gaze somewhere far off, unable to say a word.

What if he’s displeased seeing Jeonggwan and fires me asking if he’s my brother? What if he replaces the entire Security Team 2 saying he was displeased because of him? The INFJ Jeongyun, true to his N-type, had already finished imagining his brother Jeonggwan being buried in a hill with only his head sticking out.

“Is he an omega?”

The man who had been silently staring at Jeonggwan finally spoke after a long silence. His deep, low voice matched his appearance perfectly.

Jeongyun stuttered in surprise, “Y-yes, yes, he is.” The security team leader was equally flustered by the VIP’s sudden question. Everyone flinched, except for Jeonggwan.

Ironically, Jeonggwan was the least flustered. Wow-. This insanely handsome man spoke to me!

Jeonggwan took a step closer, meeting the man’s gaze as if entranced. Surprised, Jeongyun tightened his grip on Jeonggwan’s wrist, but the VIP’s eyebrows raised in displeasure at Jeonggwan’s approach.

We’re screwed. It was a moment when the entire security team became of one mind.

“So he’s an omega.”

“…”

“I guess if you’re an omega, you can meet any dog or pig.”

Huh? For a moment, everyone doubted their ears.

Jeonggwan was especially shocked. What just came out of those sculpted lips…

Jeonggwan felt like someone had spiked a volleyball at the back of his head. Those words were clearly an exaggeration, changing the chubby Jeonggwan from a dog or cow to a pig.

Is this what verbal abuse is like…? Jeonggwan was too shocked to say anything.

The man looked Jeonggwan up and down once, then turned away as if he had lost interest.

“The scent isn’t bad though.”

He left this last comment, as if giving medicine after inflicting a wound, and then walked away.

The security team leader finally relaxed and quickly signaled to Jeongyun before guiding the man. Jeongyun was equally shocked, but relieved that it ended without major incident. He gestured to Jeonggwan that he’d contact him later and quietly rejoined the security detail.

Only one shocked hamster was left in front of the elevator.

* * *

The grand chandelier didn’t sparkle as brightly as before.

Below it were Jeonggwan, looking like he was about to die, and Jihoon, who was laughing so hard he was almost crying.

“I feel like I’m going to die. Really… How could this happen? How could you run into him like that?”

“It’s annoying. Stop laughing.”

“Jeonggwan-ah. I really like you so much. Truly.”

“Get lost. Stop it. I’m really getting angry.”

Jihoon was choking with laughter at Jeonggwan’s genuinely angry voice and appearance.

At first, Jihoon was also terrified. He was watching Jeonggwan approach from afar when suddenly, the absolutely-must-not-run-into VIP came out of the elevator. Jihoon instinctively hid under the sofa.

But when he didn’t hear any footsteps passing by for a while, he peeked out and nearly fainted for real this time.

That Won Junjae was looking intently at Jeonggwan. Is he going to throw him on the barbecue for bringing a pig into his hotel?! Jihoon anxiously watched the two, biting his lower lip.

Won Junjae was Jihoon’s first maternal uncle’s son. However, Jihoon was afraid of Won Junjae, having spoken to him less than ten times in his life. There was a six-year age gap, and from Jihoon’s earliest memories, Won Junjae had always treated him with a dismissive attitude of “I’ll deal with you because you’re my aunt’s son.”

Won Junjae was obviously not even a candidate in Jihoon’s “Find a match for Kim Jeonggwan” project.

First of all, Won Junjae had an extensive history with omegas. Knowledge, culture, and figure were basic requirements, and he was extremely picky about appearance.

Moreover, even if all of that was perfect, Jihoon knew that Won Junjae was so sensitive and arrogant that he wouldn’t even speak to someone if their scent wasn’t to his liking. He thought if he introduced Jeonggwan to that man, they’d both end up tied together and dumped in the sea. So he didn’t even consider Won Junjae as a candidate.

Sure enough, Won Junjae had thrown such a harsh insult at Jeonggwan, asking if being an omega meant you could meet anyone even if you were a pig, and Jeonggwan was now fuming and cursing Won Junjae.

At first, Jihoon listened to Jeonggwan seriously, but soon he was teasing Jeonggwan with tears in his eyes from laughter. “See? I told you to lose weight, didn’t I?”

“Hey, at least he said your scent was good. Do you know how sensitive that guy is to scents?”

“How should I know? What’s so great about his scent? Did he just come from working at a strawberry jam factory or something?”

Puhahak-. Once again, Park Jihoon’s laughter echoed loudly through the lobby.

“Jeonggwan-ah. Later, say exactly that to Won Junjae. I’ll film you saying those exact words just once. If you do, I’ll buy you an iPad Pro. For real.”

“Stop talking nonsense. But why are you so happy about this? Who is this Won Junjae anyway?”

“Huh? Oh… Just someone my mom knows.”

“He looked rich.”

“Ask your hyung. Isn’t he a security guard?”

Knowing his brother wouldn’t tell him for security reasons, Jeonggwan exhaled sharply and glared in the direction where Won Junjae had gone. 

Though the man was already gone, Jeonggwan felt he needed to glare like that to release his frustration.

“Jihoon.”

Just then, a low, friendly voice called out to Jihoon from the opposite direction.

“Huh? Oh! Hyung! Over here!”

Jihoon? Who’s calling Park Jihoon so intimately? Jeonggwan frowned again and turned his head towards the voice.

Someone approached from the lobby entrance, smiling brightly.

“It’s been a while. You haven’t seen me since you came back from studying abroad.”

“Ah, I was busy with school. That’s why I called you to meet like this.”

“We’d see each other inside anyway.”

“Oh, I’m not going in. Why would I want to get indigestion? Anyway, never mind that. Hey, this is my cousin hyung.”

While Won Junjae earlier exuded presence from his whole body, this person had a very gentle feel.

At the same time, Jeonggwan had a realization. This man and the one from earlier were at least of the same class. Both oozed luxury from every gesture and glance; they were clearly of the same type.

But cousin hyung? Jeonggwan looked back and forth between Jihoon and the man introduced as his cousin. You? With this person?

“Why are you glaring? Say hello.”

“…Hello.”

“…Ah.”

Despite wanting to talk back to Jihoon’s scolding, Jeonggwan felt he couldn’t do so in front of this person, so he quietly greeted Jihoon’s cousin hyung.

However, Jihoon’s cousin didn’t return the greeting and just quietly looked at Jeonggwan.

Damn. What now? Is he going to call me a pig too? Having just received a very rude comment from someone of this class, Jeonggwan looked up at the cousin with full of wariness.

But contrary to his expectation that he would be frowning like the previous man, Jihoon’s cousin slightly smiled at Jeonggwan.

“Your scent… is really nice.”

“…Pardon?”

“It’s a really… delicious scent.”

Jeonggwan frowned deeply at the man, unsure if this was sexual harassment or what.

“What’s he saying? Is he crazy?”

Simultaneously, Park Jihoon’s eyes widened as he covered Jeonggwan’s mouth. “Hey!”

“Are you insane… calling him crazy!”

“Did I say that out loud…?”

Park Jihoon with a bewildered expression and the cousin with a surprised look both looked down at Jeonggwan. Jeonggwan too was surprised that he had spoken aloud and closed his mouth.

An awkward silence enveloped the lobby. Jeonggwan, what’s wrong with you? Jeonggwan wanted to ask himself.

Puhah.

Jihoon’s cousin was the first to break the silence. He covered half his face with one hand and laughed with a deflating sound. Even his laughter was classy, like a movie protagonist. This time, Jeonggwan thought to himself.

“I’m sorry. I think I spoke rudely.”

“Ah… yes.”

“Oh, I’m going to be late. I’ll head in. Jihoon, see you later.”

“Huh? Oh… go ahead…!”

The man apologized with a voice tinged with laughter, then checked his wrist for the time and bid farewell to Jihoon as if heading towards the banquet hall. Jihoon also dazedly looked at his cousin and said goodbye.

Kim Jeonggwan, you bastard, I was trying to help you win the lottery of life, why are you cursing? Jihoon glared at Jeonggwan as if he would eat him alive.

What! Jeonggwan, not backing down, rolled his eyes fiercely at Jihoon, when the man who had been walking towards the banquet hall stopped and turned back.

“Ah, friend. Let’s have a meal together, the three of us, sometime soon.”