If You Want Me - Episode 36
<Episode 36>
“Sleep? You can’t sleep well?”
It was the first time Seo-won had heard that Do-gyeom had insomnia.
He had spent many nights sleeping with Do-gyeom, as many as the number of times they had been intimate. Since he was a person whose time was more precious and busier than anyone else, he didn’t sleep for long, but he wasn’t someone with insomnia. Even right before Seo-won quit his job, he had continuously seen Do-gyeom sleeping well…
When Seo-won asked, feeling it was strange, Do-gyeom narrowed his eyebrows and answered as if he was complaining.
“I told you I was sick. I haven’t been able to sleep comfortably even once since you quit your job like that. I can’t even focus on work and my head hurts.”
“…”
Come to think of it, last time he had heard that Do-gyeom couldn’t find a partner, and there were times when he leaned on Seo-won saying he was dizzy.
Moreover, unlike before when he was overflowing with confidence and was smooth, now he looked noticeably slimmer and tired, so it didn’t seem like he was lying about being sick.
Even if he went to the hospital or took medication, if it was to the extent that it couldn’t be resolved, it didn’t seem like a problem that could be solved by meeting Seo-won or embracing another omega…
When his thoughts reached that point, it seemed like the reason Do-gyeom was insisting on Seo-won wasn’t simply because it was convenient. There seemed to be another reason. Seo-won looked at him with a worried face and asked.
“It seems like a pheromone issue, have you tried going to the hospital? What about painkillers or sleeping pills?”
“If those worked, I wouldn’t have come looking for you.”
Do-gyeom shook his head weakly at the question. It was a response indicating that he had already tried all of that a long time ago.
The words that he wouldn’t have come looking for Seo-won if those had worked pierced Seo-won’s heart like a dagger, but he knew that Do-gyeom wasn’t necessarily looking for him for that reason, so he quickly felt better.
By the way, if it was really as he said, it seemed like a big deal. With his wealth, he would have met plenty of skilled doctors, and if it still wasn’t resolved…
It wasn’t about being intimate, but simply sleeping together, so Seo-won thought he could try it to that extent, but he shook his head vigorously and brushed off his worry.
Since he had decided not to love Do-gyeom anymore, he shouldn’t give him any leeway, and moreover, this was his parents’ house. No matter how pitifully Do-gyeom acted, it wasn’t a situation where they could sleep together.
“S-still, it’s not okay. This is a house where I live with my family… My mom is at home.”
“I’ll convince your mother. Then it’s fine, right?”
“No… That’s not something that can be resolved by convincing, w-wait. Where are you going…!”
Seo-won tried to say that it wouldn’t work even if he tried to convince her, but Do-gyeom naturally passed by Seo-won and went inside beyond the front gate.
His steps entering the house were as fast as his long legs. Seo-won hurriedly tried to grab him in a panic, but it was insufficient.
* * *
“Hello, Mother. It’s been a long time.”
Do-gyeom, who was already seated at the dining table, greeted Ji-hee with a kind smile.
Although Do-gyeom was someone who didn’t care about others’ feelings, he was still a member of society to some extent. So Seo-won knew that sometimes he would act in this flattering manner, but whenever he saw Do-gyeom like that, it seemed like he was wearing a mask.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t act like a kind person. If it was someone seeing him for the first time, it was a natural smile that could deceive them. However, since Seo-won knew his original personality, it only seemed unnatural to him.
After politely greeting Ji-hee, Do-gyeom continued with a slightly troubled expression, lowering his eyebrows in a furrowed shape.
“I’m sorry for coming empty-handed at such a late hour.”
“Ah, no… But what brings you here at this hour, Young Master?”
“I came because I had something to ask and discuss related to work. It would have been nice if I had come earlier… but this is the only time I could make it.”
“You’re always so busy. I see you on the news often these days… Haha…”
It wasn’t just these days, but the company was so large and had many subsidiaries that there were few days when it wasn’t on the news. Not only bad news but good news also frequently came out.
When Ji-hee nodded her head as if she understood, Do-gyeom smiled as if he was grateful and quickly brought up the main point.
“So I’m a bit short on time, but I came to ask if it would be okay for me to sleep over just for tonight.”
“What? You’re going to sleep over? But so suddenly like this? I haven’t tidied up the house at all…”
“It feels like a house where people live and it’s nice.”
Even though Do-gyeom had a discerning eye when going to a nice hotel, he showed a reaction that this was good enough.
Of course, there wouldn’t be many people who could speak ill of someone else’s house, especially to someone around the same age as their parents, saying what kind of state the house is in.
When Do-gyeom reacted as if telling her not to mind such things, Ji-hee looked around with a flustered gaze.
“It’s not just for that reason. Seo-won’s physical condition isn’t very good either, so I’m sorry, but if you could just go back today…”
“Physical condition? Where…?”
“Ah, Mom!”
As Do-gyeom was about to ask, Seo-won, who had been quietly standing by, hurriedly intervened in their conversation.
Seo-won, who had raised his voice loudly, swallowed his saliva and glanced at Do-gyeom. He was looking at Seo-won with a suspicious face due to the suddenly interrupted conversation.
As he had thought earlier, now he was convinced. Do-gyeom clearly didn’t know the fact that Seo-won was pregnant. If he knew, there was no way he would act like this.
Seo-won got up from his seat and forcibly pulled Ji-hee’s arm, saying,
“Wait… I’ll talk to Mom for a moment and come back.”
“We were in the middle of a conversation…”
“I-It will only take a minute. Just a moment.”
Although Ji-hee made a troubled face as if asking why Seo-won was suddenly acting like this, Seo-won didn’t pay attention and dragged her away.
Seo-won, who had pulled her into a nearby room, let out a small sigh. If he had missed the timing to intervene… Thinking that he would have ended up getting rid of the child, a chill ran down his spine.
As he unconsciously stroked his flat belly, thinking of the child, Ji-hee asked with a puzzled face.
“Seo-won-ah, why?”
“That… Mom. Can you keep it a secret from the Young Master that… that I’m pregnant?”
“Huh? Didn’t he know? You quit your job.”
As expected, it seemed like his mother was trying to mention the pregnancy. Since Seo-won had worked under Do-gyeom, she probably thought he would have said he got pregnant when he quit.
“I made up an excuse when I quit. It’s a bit of an awkward issue, so I didn’t even mention it.”
“Ah…”
Ji-hee nodded her head as if she understood. The act of pregnancy itself wasn’t something to be ashamed of at all. It was something that should be blessed, to the extent that some people called it the fruit of love.
However, in Seo-won’s case, it was far from ordinary. If he revealed the fact that he was pregnant, it was almost inevitable to ask whose child it was, so it seemed she understood that it could be uncomfortable.
“Okay. I won’t say anything. But is the Young Master really going to let you sleep here?”
“No! I told him it’s not possible, but he won’t give up.”
“I see…”
Ji-hee slowly nodded her head. In fact, Do-gyeom wasn’t a very comfortable person for Ji-hee either. He wasn’t her son’s friend, but her son’s former boss and the son of the lady she had served in the past. It wasn’t a relationship she could cut off firmly.
Anyway, when Seo-won asked her to be careful, Ji-hee nodded, saying she understood, and returned to the dining table.
Fortunately, it seemed Do-gyeom hadn’t eavesdropped, as he was sitting quietly in the chair at the dining table. It was just that the gaze he was giving Seo-won was a bit sharp.
“So where are you sick?”
As if he had no intention of missing the interrupted conversation earlier, he asked a question as soon as they returned.
Thanks to the earnest request in the room, Ji-hee lied naturally as if she had thought about it in advance.
“Seo-won has caught a cold and it might be contagious. It’s quite severe.”
“…A cold?”
“Yes. Even until this morning, his condition was so bad that he even went to the hospital. Fortunately, he’s better now, but he’s not completely recovered.”
Perhaps it was the years of social life. When she spoke as if she was unfolding a story, it felt real.
Nevertheless, Do-gyeom didn’t seem to believe it very much. But he couldn’t be sure either, with a subtle expression. Judging from the way he spoke as if he had seen and received reports on Seo-won’s every move, it seemed he had received some information but didn’t know exactly what kind of treatment Seo-won had received.
If he had followed Seo-won, he would have known that he went to the obstetrics and gynecology clinic, even if he didn’t know the diagnosis, so it would have been suspicious since they wouldn’t say it was a cold at the obstetrics and gynecology clinic.
Still, since it was something Seo-won’s mother was saying, even if he knew it was a lie, he couldn’t say anything about it. It seemed like it could be passed over this time.
…Although he might be questioned next time. Just the thought of being able to get through today made Seo-won feel relieved inside, and Do-gyeom answered in a flattering manner as if telling him not to worry.
“It’s okay. As a dominant alpha, I’ve never caught a cold or anything like that.”
“As a parent, it’s a bit hard to understand why a dominant alpha like you would want to sleep with Seo-won, an omega.”
“I know what you’re worried about. But Seo-won is a child I’ve been watching since he was young. I’ve never thought of him in that way. I’ve seen Seo-won since he was five years old, so there’s no way I would have such feelings.”