If You Want Me - Episode 96
<Episode 96>
Do-gyeom has told me he wants to get married, and I also think it would be nice to marry him. Because I think it would be great to start a family together.
However, it’s still too early. We just started dating, how can we get married already…? Even if we decided to date, it may not be as dreamy and good, and we may disappoint each other. I haven’t thought deeply about marriage yet.
‘Come to think of it, how is Secretary Bae so sure that Do-gyeom and I are dating?’
What’s strange is that today is the first time I’m seeing Secretary Bae since we decided to date. Did it look like we were dating to him even before?
Could there be some misunderstanding? I feel like I should explain the situation, but before I could open my mouth, Secretary Bae spoke again as if he knew why I was hesitating.
“I understand that it’s troubling. He’s a good person, but it’s a bit much to get married, right?”
“…What? No, that’s not it.”
“Since he’s so picky after all.”
Secretary Bae nodded his head as if he understood even without hearing Seo-won’s words.
What does he mean by picky? As I blinked for a moment, I was able to understand his intentions belatedly.
In other words, Secretary Bae meant that he understands it’s difficult to decide on marriage even if a child is involved because Do-gyeom has such a picky personality.
No… But that’s not why I hesitated to answer?
“Still, he’s a good person. Especially to you, Seo-won-ssi.”
Seo-won tried to refute that it wasn’t that meaning, but became curious about what Secretary Bae meant by saying Do-gyeom was especially good to him. If he’s a good person, then he’s a good person, what does it mean that he’s especially good to me?
“Why do you think that?”
“The way I see it, even if you can live without the executive director, it seems the executive director can’t live without you.”
“…”
“Ah, this is something I felt even before the director had the one-sided imprint.”
I thought I liked Young Master more…
When we were partners, I was only anxious about my own feelings and didn’t look at how Do-gyeom felt. Because I thought it was my one-sided love and gave up early on.
But did my mom and Secretary Bae also know that Do-gyeom acted a little differently when treating me?
It reminded me of when Do-gyeom confessed to me before, saying that even though he didn’t realize it, he actually liked me for a long time. It felt really stupid that everyone around us knew but only we didn’t know. It felt like we were staring at each other for a long time but didn’t know and recklessly dug in the wrong place.
While thinking how nice it would have been if Do-gyeom realized my feelings faster and I stopped suffering early on, on the other hand, I was grateful that our hearts finally reached each other now. Because there’s no situation more miraculous than this for me.
A corner of my heart became soft like silken tofu. Seo-won smiled slightly, feeling good, then remembered Secretary Bae in front of him and suddenly came to his senses. Seo-won composed his expression and brought up what he originally intended to say.
“Um… I’m grateful for what you said. But that’s not why I hesitated to answer. It hasn’t even been a week since we decided to date, and no matter how much we like each other, there are many things to consider for marriage.”
“What? It hasn’t even been a week? I thought you were secretly dating without me knowing!”
“Ah, no! I didn’t know what you were talking about so I couldn’t intervene… We only decided to seriously date starting last week and have never dated before. At that time, Secretary Bae, you saw it too. When Young Master was diagnosed with a one-sided imprint, he firmly denied it.”
“I do remember that time, but I thought your relationship was originally good and it was just bad at that time… I thought you were secretly dating without my knowledge, broke up, and got back together again.”
“Oh no, it’s not like that…”
Seo-won firmly denied it. I understand from what point Secretary Bae misunderstood, but it really wasn’t like that. Seo-won waved his hands frantically in denial, then tried to smile and continued.
“Anyway, regardless of what I think, there are many things to consider for marriage. I think it’s too early to say anything now.”
“That’s true. Moreover, even if the situation is like that, you haven’t been dating for long. I thought ahead recklessly on my own. I apologize.”
“Ah, no… I think it was a situation that could be misunderstood.”
If I were him, I might have had the same misunderstanding.
As Seo-won answered embarrassedly, Secretary Bae fiddled with the cup of coffee and cautiously opened his mouth.
“I’ll definitely keep it a secret, so don’t worry about that.”
“What secret?”
“Madam. It seems she doesn’t know that you two are dating.”
“Ah…”
Come to think of it, there was Madam…
She disliked it when I just met Do-gyeom often without any special meaning, so if his mother found out that Do-gyeom and I are dating, what reaction would she have…? It was a bit scary.
I know that Madam already dislikes me, but she was someone who took in my mom and I when we had nowhere to go. Thinking of her made me hesitate on whether it was okay for me to date Do-gyeom.
When we were pheromone partners, I could rationalize meeting Do-gyeom as simply a physical relationship, but now it’s a relationship where we share our hearts too. Moreover, if she finds out that Do-gyeom is even thinking of marrying me, how will she react? No, even before that, just the fact that I’m carrying his child would make her furious.
“What are you two doing here?”
“Ah, Executive Director.”
As I was thinking seriously, suddenly a familiar voice was heard. When I lifted my head, Do-gyeom was standing in front of the break room, looking at Secretary Bae and I.
At Do-gyeom’s gaze as if telling him to explain the situation, Secretary Bae got up from his seat and said,
“Seo-won-ssi came to see you, Executive Director, but he said he would wait.”
“If you don’t have any more work, go home.”
“…Yes. Then I’ll get off work now. Have a good evening, both of you.”
Secretary Bae glanced at Seo-won and Do-gyeom, then left the break room with his coffee. It’s not strange to let Secretary Bae off work since it’s time to get off, but somehow because of his tone or the situation, it felt like Do-gyeom was chasing Secretary Bae out.
Somehow I feel bad. I couldn’t even greet him properly… As I looked at Secretary Bae’s back figure embarrassedly, Do-gyeom approached me and blocked my view.
Do-gyeom cupped Seo-won’s white cheeks with both hands and lifted his head to make him look at him. As his face was pressed by Do-gyeom’s palms, his lips protruded out a bit.
It seemed like he would look absurd like a pressed steamed bun. As Seo-won grabbed Do-gyeom’s wrists and tried to pull away from his grasp, Do-gyeom spoke without budging.
“If I knew you came, I would have finished quickly. You should have contacted me.”
“Ah, no. I didn’t say anything because of that. I didn’t want to disturb you. But let go of this…”
“So you were with Secretary Bae?”
Do-gyeom asked seriously without listening to the end of Seo-won’s words. He had a face as if reprimanding something that shouldn’t have been done.
It seemed he had no intention of letting go of his face until the conversation was over. Thinking there was no helping it, Seo-won stopped struggling and met his gaze head-on.
“Is that not allowed?”
“Secretary Bae is an alpha too.”
I asked if there was a problem with being with Secretary Bae… Does he want to say be careful because Secretary Bae is also an alpha?
I knew he was a jealous person, but I didn’t know he couldn’t even trust Secretary Bae. Seo-won chuckled as if he heard a tasteless joke and lightly brushed off his worry.
“Are you worried Secretary Bae will do something to me? You know best that he’s not that kind of person.”
“You unusually trust Secretary Bae a lot. Last time on the island, didn’t you try to sleep with Secretary Bae?”
Although Seo-won said there was no need to worry, Do-gyeom made a dissatisfied face as if displeased for a different reason. Was he dwelling on that time?
“At that time, it was a bit… awkward to sleep with you, so I said that.”
“…”
That day wasn’t really the atmosphere to sleep together. It’s not easy to spend a night in the same room with someone who rejected you… Seo-won said that meaning, but Do-gyeom still looked sullen.
Do I need to apologize that I won’t do that with Secretary Bae in the future? No, it’s not like I did anything wrong, we were just together… When we were on the island village, we weren’t even dating and I didn’t say I would sleep with Secretary Bae with ulterior motives…
Thinking it’s a bit strange to apologize too, Seo-won naturally chose to change the subject.
“S-so what are we eating today?”
“Well… Actually, I was going to cook for you at home today.”
Fortunately, it seemed Do-gyeom didn’t want to make an issue of this topic either, as he obediently followed the conversation.
By the way, I thought he called me to buy me dinner, but cooking? Seo-won widened his eyes in surprise.
“You’re cooking?”
“Yeah, I originally planned to go to your house after grocery shopping, but I didn’t know you would come to the company. If it’s a hassle to shop and stuff, should we just buy food today and do it next time?”
“No, no! I want to eat what you make. What are you going to make?”
“Rose pasta and steak. Is that okay?”
“You know how to make that too? I’d love that.”
Just the fact that he’s making it for me seems like I could eat anything deliciously, but the menu was also something Seo-won usually enjoyed eating.
I have seen Do-gyeom cook before. He made simple things for me like the vegetable porridge last time. But I didn’t know he could make dishes like that too. When I asked in slight surprise, Do-gyeom answered as if it was absurd.
“You were amazed like seeing an alien when you saw me do dishes too… Do I seem like I wouldn’t lift a finger and just live?”
“N-no, that’s not it, but people don’t usually make rose pasta at home. I’m just surprised you know how to make it.”
“Well, you can cook as long as you have a recipe.”
“…You’re quite confident.”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of. Shall we go then?”
Do-gyeom chuckled and lightly held Seo-won’s hand as he came next to him.
Belatedly, the thought occurred whether it was okay to show skinship like this outside, but it was inside the company anyway and there was no one around.
Thinking to only do this when no one was around, Seo-won gently held his hand back and nodded.