If You Want Me - Episode 73
<Episode 73>
“……”
Is that really all it takes?
Seo-won paused for a moment, unable to believe it. But Do-gyeom couldn’t even wait for that moment and spoke first.
“Is there anything you don’t like? Do you want something else? Just tell me.”
“Oh, no! I don’t need anything else. But… what happens if I can’t keep the conditions you set? I think I should receive a penalty too…”
“Trying to disappear again without a word?”
It was just a precautionary question, but Do-gyeom seemed to take it a different way as his eyes widened.
Suddenly, even the surrounding alpha pheromones sharpened, giving off a chilling atmosphere. Seo-won shuddered and wriggled his hands that were buried under the blanket.
“That’s not what I meant… just in case…”
“……”
“It’s good for the contract to be clear…”
As Seo-won stammered an explanation in a barely audible voice, looking a bit frightened, Do-gyeom’s expression softened a little. But the alpha pheromones were still on high alert.
Do-gyeom frowned slightly as if imagining something, then opened his mouth.
“If you disappear and get caught again….”
Do-gyeom had put up company shares as a penalty, so the penalty he would give should be on a similar level to be fair.
But what could I give him? It seemed like there was nothing I had that he would want to take from me. I was a little afraid of what exactly he intended to take.
I waited tensely for his words, but Do-gyeom suddenly proposed something unexpected.
“Then marry me.”
“What? Marriage…?”
“Yes.”
“That’s the penalty?”
Did I hear that right? I asked back because it seemed strange, but Do-gyeom nodded.
Why that… For a moment, I was so taken aback that I couldn’t speak. Seo-won swallowed his saliva and only then belatedly opened his mouth.
“How can marriage be a penalty?”
“What else can I take from you. It’s not like I can take money, and that’s all I want from you.”
“……”
It was true that there wasn’t much he could take from me. Even if I handed over all the money I had, it would only be pocket change to him.
When Seo-won made a face as if he couldn’t refute it but still thought marriage was too much, Do-gyeom continued.
“And you hate me… so you won’t even think of going missing because you hate marriage. Right?”
“……”
It’s not that I hate you…
I even wanted to get married…
When I couldn’t answer again, a bitter emotion was clearly revealed on Do-gyeom’s face.
“So what’s your answer?”
“Um….”
At Do-gyeom’s question, Seo-won fell into serious thought.
If I stayed by Do-gyeom’s side, his imprinting pain that had always been on my mind would gradually decrease and it would have a positive effect on the child as well. Because the penalty was strong, I would ultimately be able to protect the child I wanted most.
The penalty of marriage given if I broke the contract was a little concerning, but the way to keep the contract was very simple. Don’t run away without a word.
I had a feeling it would be hard to give up being by his side, but there was still no reason not to accept it. There was much more to gain than that.
Moreover… if I didn’t allow it, he seemed determined to sit on the island and refuse to leave. I had nothing to lose, but I didn’t have the capacity to endure his company falling apart or the storm that would soon follow.
“Ah… alright. Let’s make the contract.”
As soon as Seo-won answered as if there was no other way, relief appeared on Do-gyeom’s face.
He immediately sat up and spoke as if he was going to leave right away.
“Then let’s go to Seoul tomorrow. I’ll tell Secretary Bae to prepare the contract right now.”
“N-now? You’re having the contract prepared this late at night?”
“He’s right nearby anyway.”
Seo-won asked with surprised eyes, but Do-gyeom answered nonchalantly.
What kind of power trip is this… No matter how loyal of an employee Secretary Bae is, waking him up in the middle of the night on top of bringing him all the way to the island might make him so fed up that he quits.
Moreover, it’s not only Secretary Bae who would be affected, but also the owners of the house where Secretary Bae was staying.
Seo-won hurriedly grabbed the hem of Do-gyeom’s clothes and tried to dissuade him.
“It’s fine…! Let’s sleep for today and do it tomorrow. It’s not an urgent matter anyway.”
“It’s urgent.”
“What, there’s nothing urgent at all.”
“What if you change your mind? What if you leave again without a word?”
Do-gyeom asked, looking down at Seo-won.
I wanted to ask what kind of nonsense he was spouting, but the eyes that met mine were too sincere and even contained fear.
Do-gyeom was sensitive about disappearing. It was understandable, but the degree seemed a bit excessive.
In his mind, I was probably someone who had already run away three times – when we spent my heat cycle and rut together and I overlapped my vacation in Korea to run away, when I quit my partner job and left for the countryside, and now.
So he seemed to be worried that I might run away again overnight this time. That was probably due to the one-sided imprinting too. If an omega that an alpha thinks of as their mate is separated from them, they experience extremely severe pain and anxiety.
On this isolated island, where would I go even if I ran away… It was absurd, but for now, it seemed best to soothe Do-gyeom’s fearful heart first.
“I’m not going anywhere now. Even if I leave the island, where would I go…”
“You could leave early in the morning when the sea is calm.”
“I’m not rich enough to get a boat out just for myself to leave the island.”
“Can I trust you?”
“Yes. So please, let’s just sleep for today and tomorrow…”
“Then can I hold you while sleeping?”
I was trying my best to appease him, but suddenly the conversation flowed in a strange direction. Seo-won, who was about to answer “Yes, yes,” felt something strange and came to his senses.
“Why are we suddenly talking about holding each other while sleeping?”
“What if I wake up and the spot next to me is empty.”
“……”
I thought I was trying my best to soothe him, but he still seemed full of distrust.
I had coldly pushed him away to the point where he thought I hated and disliked him, and I had run away a lot… So it felt a little apologetic to just think of Do-gyeom’s reaction as excessive. I was the one who made him that way.
Seo-won pondered what to do and had no choice but to let it slide a little.
“…If that makes you comfortable, then do that.”
“Thank you.”
As soon as Seo-won allowed it, Do-gyeom dispelled his anxiety and lay on the floor, hugging Seo-won’s waist.
I wish he had hugged me from behind… Because Do-gyeom embraced me before I even had a chance to turn my body, I ended up in a position with my face buried in his shoulder.
His pheromones filled my lungs. I wanted to push him away, thinking this was too much, but his pheromones felt so good again. And I hesitated to push him away, fearing he would be hurt by my actions again.
Seo-won gently placed his hands, which were in an awkward position, on Do-gyeom’s waist and closed his eyes tightly.
Until I heard the contract terms, I thought it was a light suggestion and wondered why anyone but a pushover would make such a contract. But it turned out that not only Do-gyeom was a pushover. I also had a pushover-like nature that would give in to whatever he wanted.
Could I really fall asleep in this position? I thought I might not be able to sleep because my heart was beating so fast, but contrary to my worries, I fell asleep very quickly. Despite the turbulent situation, it was a comfortable night.
* * *
When the day dawned, the sky was clear as if it was a lie that it had rained so heavily.
Until the morning came, Seo-won was not ready to leave the island with him, and he wanted to take his time leaving because he had become attached to Grandmother. However, as soon as the sun rose, Do-gyeom prepared to leave the island. I wondered if there was a need to leave in such a hurry, but he said there was an important meeting at his company today that he had to attend early.
So, regrettably, Seo-won had to stand at the dock early in the morning and say goodbye while tightly holding Grandmother’s hands.
“Grandmother. Thank you so much for everything, and I’m so sorry…”
I wanted to talk with Grandmother a little more and say goodbye, but remembering Do-gyeom’s anxiety symptoms I saw last night, it seemed he would put aside the important meeting and wait for me. So Seo-won had no choice but to hurriedly exchange farewells with Grandmother, saying that he had to go back.
Grandmother understood Seo-won’s choice, but on the other hand, she had a lonely air about her. Grandmother fiddled with Seo-won’s hand with her wrinkled hand and muttered.
“I’m sad that you’re leaving so suddenly…”
“I’ll keep in touch often.”
“No need to keep in touch, just don’t upset your parents when you go up to Seoul and live well.”
Just a few seconds ago, she said she was sad, but why is she saying there’s no need to keep in touch… Grandmother had a shy personality and couldn’t say embarrassing things, so it seemed like she was saying things she didn’t really mean.
There was a lot I wanted to say, but it wasn’t our last meeting whether we talked on the phone or messaged each other. And since Do-gyeom’s schedule was urgent, I thought I should do it next time when I had the chance.
Seo-won tried to let go of his lingering feelings and get on the boat, but suddenly a thought flashed through his mind and he looked back at Grandmother.
“Ah, and I’ll send you the accommodation fees for the time I stayed. Do you have an account number by any chance?”
“Money? Goodness, no need for that. It’s not like I did it expecting anything.”
“Still…”
“And that young man already thanked me for it.”
Grandmother pointed her fingertip at Do-gyeom, calling him “that young man.”
“…Young master?”
“I don’t know if he’s a young master. He said he’s the executive director of a department store? I tried to refuse, but he didn’t seem poor, so I accepted it. So don’t think you owe me anything.”
“……”
Seo-won pursed his lips tightly, mumbling. If it turns out like this, I would be indebted to Do-gyeom again…
As I stood there silently, at a loss for words, Do-gyeom, who had already boarded the boat, called out loudly.
“It’s almost time for the boat. Let’s go.”
“…Yes. Grandmother, please stay healthy.”
Seo-won hesitated, then turned around after leaving one last farewell.
Do-gyeom, Secretary Bae, and the boat captain were already on the small boat. As soon as I got on, we would depart straight for Busan.
As I tried to quickly board the boat so as not to keep them waiting for me, Do-gyeom held out his hand.
“Grab on.”
“……”
Seo-won paused while trying to get on the boat and looked at his hand. It was just so that I wouldn’t fall over because the boat was rocking, but I felt unnecessarily shy. Seo-won grabbed his hand with a nonchalant face, trying not to be self-conscious.
As soon as Seo-won got on the small boat, it started moving. The boat was faster than expected and quickly moved away from the island, but while moving away, I could see Grandmother standing still, her gaze fixed on the boat without taking a single step. I really regretted having to leave in such a hurry.
Seo-won looked towards Grandmother with eyes full of lingering attachment, then looked at the vast ocean on the opposite side.
I’ll be going up to Seoul soon. Just that alone made me feel like everything was falling back into place, but the situation was different from before.
Do-gyeom, who used to be in the position of power, had become the weaker party, and I had become the one in power, so now I had nothing to be wary of.
What would become of my relationship with him from now on?
It was still daunting, but somehow… I had a vague thought that it might be better than before.