I Possessed a Terminally Ill Omega - Episode 175
I Possessed a Terminally Ill Omega – Episode 175
In the center of the study was a canvas placed on a wooden easel. Seo I-Kyung watched from the entrance as Han Seung-jae approached the painting.
Soon after, he carefully entered.
Han Seung-jae quietly looked down at the canvas in front of him. The mountain ridge was intricately painted, yet with a prominent rough surface. The snow-covered mountain appeared aloof, as if unrelated to worldly affairs, and also supremely elegant.
“It looks familiar.”
At Han Seung-jae’s indifferent tone as he turned around, Seo I-Kyung felt his chest tighten, then immediately felt his heart pounding violently. Standing at a distance from Han Seung-jae, he raised his hand to gently press against his chest. He hoped his voice wouldn’t tremble due to the hammering pulse.
“The painting I tried to give you before…”
It’s the same. The last words crumbled on Seo I-Kyung’s tongue as his mouth went dry. Although he only said that much, Han Seung-jae answered as if he remembered:
“Did you paint it again?”
Han Seung-jae was still appreciating the painting. Because of this, Seo I-Kyung couldn’t see his face. Conversely, this meant Han Seung-jae couldn’t see Seo I-Kyung’s expression either.
“Yes.”
Just then, a presence was felt through the open door. Butler Do entered the study carrying a tray. He saw Seo I-Kyung’s back standing at the door, looked at Han Seung-jae standing in front of the painting, and went inside.
“Director Han, I’ve brought tea.”
“Put it in front.”
Butler Do passed by Han Seung-jae and placed the tray on the study desk. He skillfully picked up the teapot to fill the cups and turned around. At that moment, Butler Do felt a sense of doubt.
Butler Do could see both Han Seung-jae’s expressionless face as he appreciated the painting and Seo I-Kyung’s face, which had turned even paler. The more he looked back and forth between the two, the more he felt a strange atmosphere flowing between them that he hadn’t noticed when entering earlier.
Looking closely, Seo I-Kyung was positioned near the entrance. It looked as if he had secured a spot that would be easy to turn and leave from.
Han Seung-jae, who had been standing in front of the canvas until then, opened his mouth.
“You finished faster than I expected. I thought you said it takes a long time to paint because your hands are slow.”
Not long ago, Han Seung-jae had entered the studio and seen the unfinished painting. Compared to when he saw it, the winter mountain seemed to have been painted at an incredibly fast speed.
“Did you borrow someone else’s hands?”
Butler Do had a fleeting image of Jin Seon-yoo. Looking at Seo I-Kyung’s pale face, Butler Do chimed in:
“No, sir. The Young Master spent all day in the studio painting.”
Although it was uncomfortable to lie to Han Seung-jae, it was for Seo I-Kyung’s sake. He had directly witnessed Jin Seon-yoo holding a brush in front of the canvas, but he tried his best not to mention such things.
Butler Do hoped for a deeper and more harmonious relationship between Seo I-Kyung and Han Seung-jae. After all, hadn’t Seo I-Kyung worked so tirelessly because he wanted to gift this painting to Han Seung-jae? He must have received only a little help from Jin Seon-yoo.
In fact, even without Jin Seon-yoo’s help, he was someone who could have painted this level of painting excellently. So Butler Do greatly hoped that Han Seung-jae would appreciate Seo I-Kyung’s feelings.
A moment later, as Butler Do was about to leave the room, he glanced at Seo I-Kyung and thought it wouldn’t be strange if he collapsed right then and there.
“Young Master, what’s wrong…?”
Seo I-Kyung’s condition seemed somewhat unstable. However, Han Seung-jae’s voice was cold as he turned around.
“Close the door and leave.”
In the end, Butler Do grasped the doorknob as instructed.
As the study door closed, Han Seung-jae pointed to the canvas containing the winter mountain with his fingertip.
“Now tell me.”
“……”
“Did you really paint this yourself?”
Seo I-Kyung didn’t avoid Han Seung-jae’s eyes. Han Seung-jae originally didn’t trust people. His gaze was cold as ice, and he had no affection in dealing with people.
‘Yet he accepted Min Ra-hyun.’
Just thinking of Han Seung-jae made Min Ra-hyun appear before Seo I-Kyung’s eyes like an afterimage. Moreover, when he thought of Min Ra-hyun, Han Seung-jae occupied his mind next. No matter which of the two he recalled first, it always ended with an image of the two together.
Furthermore, if he avoided Han Seung-jae’s eyes here, or took a step back, or attempted to grasp the doorknob to leave the study, Han Seung-jae would be certain. That someone else had painted this picture.
Seo I-Kyung barely straightened his bending knees and took a step. Step, step…
“If I give you the painting… you said you’d pay a corresponding price.”
Seo I-Kyung reminded Han Seung-jae of his words as he walked continuously. Though slow, he didn’t stop. And finally, he stood face to face with Han Seung-jae and looked up at him carefully.
Likewise, Han Seung-jae looked down intently. Due to the lack of blood, Seo I-Kyung’s lips were particularly red.
Meeting Han Seung-jae’s cold eyes, Seo I-Kyung still had his hand clenched against his thigh. His nails dug into his palm as if they would pierce through.
“Is it that you don’t like my painting and want to find fault with it?”
At Seo I-Kyung’s words, Han Seung-jae muttered indifferently:
“If you have something you want, say it. If you want me to pay for the painting in cash, I can do that too.”
Finally, the answer Seo I-Kyung had been longing and waiting for came through Han Seung-jae’s mouth. Without any hesitation, Seo I-Kyung stated what he wanted.
There was only one thing he wanted.
“I want to leave this house now.”
Seo I-Kyung felt like his legs might give out at any moment, and he might fall and hit the ground. Han Seung-jae’s gaze looking down at him changed that drastically.
Unlike just before, when it seemed Han Seung-jae would give whatever Seo I-Kyung asked for, no matter what it was, he was now completely different. Almost like a different person.
Seo I-Kyung felt the back of his neck grow cold. That coldness spread to his stiff shoulders and down his rigid spine.
Han Seung-jae opened his mouth coldly.
“…Ha.”
However, he swallowed his words and instead raised his hand to run it through his hair. Just that was enough to make Seo I-Kyung step back.
He couldn’t endure any longer. Han Seung-jae must be exercising patience right now. Perhaps it was because of the child in Seo I-Kyung’s belly.
Sincere congratulations. Boy or alpha. The countless gift boxes and cards that had flooded in all had such phrases written on them.
And Seo I-Kyung didn’t care which it was. He was willing to use anything that could block Han Seung-jae at this moment, whatever it might be.
Seo I-Kyung cupped his hand around his waist as if to say look at the belly. As desired, Han Seung-jae’s terrifying gaze lingered there.
Step. Seo I-Kyung took another step back. He didn’t take his eyes off Han Seung-jae, as if he had encountered a threatening wild animal. It was the same for Han Seung-jae, who looked down at him with his head tilted slightly.
Seo I-Kyung couldn’t see anything around him. He didn’t even know if he was breathing. He kept stepping back, back, back, widening the distance between himself and Han Seung-jae.
Han Seung-jae didn’t move at all. However, his eyes were fixated on Seo I-Kyung with persistence.
Thud. Seo I-Kyung turned his body. He moved his steps as if running and grabbed the doorknob.
Bang!
Seo I-Kyung left the study. There’s no one coming and going on the second floor at this late hour. Seo I-Kyung tried to go down to the first floor. Butler Do, who could help him, was there. Uncharacteristically, he pressed the elevator button repeatedly and randomly. The doors that had been staying on the second floor opened smoothly. Even that felt infinitely long to Seo I-Kyung.
“Haa, haa.”
Just as Seo I-Kyung entered, exhaling ragged breaths, and was about to press 1 and put his hand on the close button…
That thin wrist was grabbed, and Seo I-Kyung was dragged out of the elevator. His body was unable to offer any proper resistance.
“Seung-jae, you said… you’d grant anything.”
Seo I-Kyung felt like his restrained wrist might break at any moment. The pain spread from his elbow to his shoulder. Seo I-Kyung entered the bedroom. It wasn’t voluntary.
Click. Han Seung-jae, who had closed the bedroom door, released Seo I-Kyung’s wrist that he had been holding. Seo I-Kyung raised his numb wrist and grasped it with his other hand. His fingertips trembled as they moved. It wasn’t broken. But he knew from experience. The wrist that was starting to turn red would be bruised blue by tomorrow.
Han Seung-jae, who had closed the door, turned around. His ominous eyes took in Seo I-Kyung as if to devour him.
“……”
Seo I-Kyung stepped back. Although it wasn’t much different from before, Han Seung-jae approached leisurely.
The only exit from this room was behind Han Seung-jae now. The only place Seo I-Kyung could go was the terrace. If he tried to go down to the first floor from there, his legs might not be intact this time.
Whatever choice he made, he would be caught again and dragged back to this room.
Han Seung-jae stretched out his long arm. Seo I-Kyung’s waist, which was trying to slip away backwards, was firmly grasped. Han Seung-jae’s ominous voice resonated right above Seo I-Kyung’s head.
“You have more talents than I thought.”
A large palm sat Seo I-Kyung down on the bed.
“Not just painting, but also the talent to make a person burn with desire.”
“You said you’d grant everything…”
Seo I-Kyung managed to open his mouth and speak. He took shallow breaths while holding his trembling wrist.
“You clearly said that.”
Han Seung-jae’s refined features gradually lowered to Seo I-Kyung’s eye level. Just that was enough for Seo I-Kyung to fully realize he had nowhere else to run.
“I was going to grant whatever you asked.”
Han Seung-jae had intended to give money if Seo I-Kyung asked for it. No matter how much. He had no intention of interfering even if that money flowed into Urim Construction. Or even if Seo I-Kyung asked for help for President Seo Young-hwan, he was going to do as desired.
However, Seo I-Kyung’s words about leaving this house far exceeded his range of expectations. That’s why he couldn’t stop Seo I-Kyung as he left the study as if escaping.
“Leaving my house is not an option.”
Han Seung-jae, still grasping Seo I-Kyung’s waist, declared with cold eyes.
“So from now on, say something else.”