If You Want Me - Episode 48
<Episode 48>
Anyway, he seemed to vaguely understand why Do-gyeom was asking him to stay with him while adamantly denying the fact that it was one-sided imprinting. It was because Do-gyeom had said that being with Seo-won alleviated his pain and insomnia.
Thinking about that, it was understandable that he wanted to keep Seo-won by his side, and it evoked sympathy. It must be distressing to unconsciously desire someone you don’t even like.
However, the reason Seo-won had come down to Seoul this time was to confirm Do-gyeom’s diagnosis and help him get better. Whether it was a misdiagnosis or not, there was no need for Seo-won to be by his side.
When Seo-won resolutely refused to yield his opinion this time, Do-gyeom roughly brushed up his bangs as if frustrated and opened the back door of the car.
“I’ll take you, so get in the car.”
“Where?”
“I said I’ll take you to your mother’s house. Why, do you think I’ll do something again?”
Do-gyeom flared up as if a thief was making excuses for himself.
He had told Seo-won to just watch while he got examined at the hospital today, but he ended up getting examined himself, so Seo-won wasn’t very trustworthy of him and had asked again just in case… Did he know he was being unreasonable?
“…No, I’ll get in. I was just looking.”
“…”
Seo-won said it in a way that meant he didn’t need to be concerned, but Do-gyeom seemed to dislike those words even more and bit his lower lip hard.
Do-gyeom followed and got in the car, and the car started smoothly. Even on the way to his mother’s house, Do-gyeom kept emphasizing absurdly, asking why Seo-won was reacting that way and if he didn’t trust him. He should show trustworthy behavior then… Seo-won half-ignored it, thinking he was being defensive because he felt guilty.
By the way, was Young Master usually this talkative? Looking at his recent behavior, it seemed different as if Seo-won had been seeing a pretentious side of him.
It wasn’t that the rose-colored glasses had come off, as Seo-won’s feelings for him remained the same. Could it be that the one-sided imprinting caused him to become anxious and have changes in his heart? It was a bit strange.
* * *
“Ha…”
After dropping Seo-won off at home, Do-gyeom returned to his house and slammed the door shut.
The Seo-won he knew was very tender-hearted. So when Do-gyeom acted weak, Seo-won would hesitate and give in, but these days he was becoming more and more resolute.
Was it because he became resolute after having someone he loved? Considering his actions of quitting being a partner and even going down to the countryside in the middle of nowhere because of the person he loved, it seemed to be for that reason.
No, has Yoon Seo-won ever even been to places like clubs? Where on earth did he meet a delinquent-like bastard and have a one-night stand…? It was so absurd that he couldn’t even speak.
Thinking that Seo-won might see him as looking old, Do-gyeom had worn clothes that weren’t his usual style, but even that was all useless. As he was about to enter the room while unbuttoning the top two buttons, he felt a presence in the living room.
“You’re coming in now?”
“…Mother.”
An unwelcome guest was standing where Do-gyeom turned his head.
Yoon Mi-ae. Wearing a pitch-black dress with red lipstick and eyeliner drawn upward, she gave off a fierce impression, and she had sprayed so much perfume that his head ached.
He hadn’t received any information from Secretary Bae, and there was no contact on his cell phone that he had checked when entering the house, so why was she here?
As Do-gyeom called out in a cold voice, she naturally smiled and approached him.
“I told you to call me Mom. Why have you become so stiff?”
“I believe I told you not to come to my house anytime you want.”
“No, well… I had something to do nearby and came because I wanted to see my son’s face for a moment.”
When Do-gyeom firmly drew a line, Mi-ae finally laughed awkwardly, reading the situation.
Even before, she had come to the house without contact, so he had changed the passcode, but he didn’t know how she found out and entered the house again. She must have secretly made a master key.
I’ll have to tear out all the locks and install new ones. Of course, she’ll still come somehow, but I think I can block her once, he thought coldly, and Mi-ae opened her mouth while standing across from him.
“You met that fervent omega today, right?”
“…”
Do-gyeom’s eyes sank even more fiercely.
He was already in a highly sensitive state. Whenever his mother talked about Yoon Seo-won, she never had anything good to say, so his head was already throbbing, he was tired, and his irritation was rising. Blue veins bulged on his clenched fists.
A brutal atmosphere flowed, but Mi-ae didn’t notice it and spoke as if nagging.
“Why do you keep meeting that child? There are many other omegas.”
“Please stop caring about who I meet. And stop arranging blind dates.”
“Oh my, anyone who hears that will think you go every time. When I arrange ten blind dates, you only go once. And if you met a proper omega, would you do this?”
When Do-gyeom emphasized not to do useless things, Mi-ae spoke in a worried voice, dropping her eyebrows in an eight shape.
“The omegas I tell you to meet are all precious children from noble families. And I’m worried that you’ll get caught up with that fervent omega.”
“…What would I get caught up in with him?”
Why bring up Yoon Seo-won again? Do-gyeom raised one eyebrow, but Mi-ae didn’t back down.
“You are getting caught up. How many years has it been since you’ve been meeting that child?”
“I told you it’s not what you’re worried about.”
“Look at your actions. Do you think there’s anyone who thinks that way? There’s more than one or two people who saw you going in and out of hotels with that kid. These days, I heard you go every weekend to see that kid? Like today.”
“I went because I had a reason. Please trust me if it’s not me.”
“What’s the reason?”
The reasons were pheromone congestion and being partners, but it was plain to see that if she knew, she would try to break him and Seo-won apart even more. She already disliked them just meeting, so if she found out they had slept together, he didn’t know what she would do to Seo-won.
Do-gyeom took a deep breath and looked at her, then naturally changed the subject without stating the reason.
“I know why you dislike that kid. You’re worried I’ll meet him because his family background and physique are much inferior.”
Upper-class people each met partners who matched their status. It was not only an opportunity to accumulate wealth but also to expand social connections to establish a position.
It was even considered a very foolish thing, not romantic, to miss that opportunity while playing at love.
Also, perhaps because those with dominant physiques were smart, many of them stood out in business, and naturally, as dominants met each other, most of their children were born as dominants.
Even when dominants met, occasionally fervent, beta, or children without distinctive physiques were born, but in most cases, they were excluded from the succession structure. So meeting a partner lacking in physique was a huge loss.
When thinking rationally, there was no meaning for Do-gyeom to keep Yoon Seo-won by his side in that sense. And above all,
“You said dominant alphas aren’t even sexually attracted to fervent omegas. Do you think I would like that kid?”
From a young age, Do-gyeom had been educated that dominants never fell in love with fervents, that they were inherently not attracted to them.
Occasionally, there were cases where a dominant alpha met and even married a fervent omega, but such cases were criticized as abnormal. That tendency was even stronger in the United States, where he had studied abroad.
As he narrowed his eyebrows while recalling his time studying abroad for a moment, Mi-ae seemed relieved by the words “not inherently attracted” and slightly softened her momentum.
“It’s a relief to hear that, but… Try to understand Mom’s concern too. And isn’t it about time you got married? Your father may have married late, but it doesn’t look good to marry too late either.”
“Is that what you came to say?”
“No… Well. Last time I saw that there was no food in the house, so I asked the housekeeper to fill up the fridge a bit. It’s not good to eat out too much. You seem to have lost some weight too? Your skin seems a bit dry too…”
Mi-ae said, looking at Do-gyeom with worried eyes. When she reached out to touch his cheek, Do-gyeom naturally turned his head to avoid her touch.
It was a bit absurd for her to talk as if he couldn’t eat properly because there was no housekeeper. Arranging blind dates and going out of her way to bring food… I don’t know if she knows how old I am. As always, I thought she went too far.
“It’s because I have a lot of work. I’ll eat well what’s in the fridge, so please go back now. I’m tired today.”
“Oh, already? It would be nice if you could at least give me a cup of tea since I came.”
“It was you who came without notice, Mother.”
No matter how much they were related by blood and family, there was no reason to serve her who barged in without notice.
He was already sensitive because of the hospital examination records, and as soon as he came home, his mother was there like an unwelcome guest. He was already confused thinking about Seo-won, and she poked at his feelings by mentioning Yoon Seo-won, making him react more sharply.
When Do-gyeom showed an unusual sign, his mother seemed surprised as if she didn’t know he would dislike it this much, and prepared to leave.
“Sigh. Our son must be tired. I got it. Mom will go back now, so rest.”
She spoke to Do-gyeom in a gentle voice, telling him not to be angry, then hurriedly gathered her belongings and left.
Although his mother had left the house, the lingering scent of her pungent perfume remained inside. That smell seemed to tightly squeeze his temples.
“Ha… Damn it.”
Why does my head hurt so much? When I was with Yoon Seo-won, it seemed like everything was fine, but it’s back to this state again.
Do-gyeom entered the bathroom, enduring the throbbing headache.