Kwon Tae-hee liked that look very much.
The changes in expression were subtle, but after several encounters, Seo Jeong-won began to notice the difference.
So, whenever possible, he asked for permission and spent most Friday afternoons out in the garden.
“Um… Secretary, could you please ask the Executive Director if it’s okay for me to wait outside today too?”
“The Executive Director will be arriving shortly.”
“Oh.”
Finishing his meal, Seo Jeong-won nodded, a little disappointed.
As soon as he got up, the dining table was quickly cleared.
He had thought no one else was around, but as he saw people appear and disappear silently, he suddenly remembered Kim Jae-sik, who had once kindly told him to call him whatever he liked—by name, or just ‘mister’—and had prepared a warm, delicious meal.
Seo Jeong-won slightly bowed as he passed the secretary by his side.
After brushing his teeth, he sat down on the living room sofa, and just then, he heard the front door open.
The sound of slippers brushing the floor gradually approached.
Soon, Kwon Tae-hee appeared, his displeasure clearly showing on his face.
He hooked his finger around his tie and loosened it while signaling silently to the secretary, who immediately moved away.
“You’re back?”
Receiving a glance full of concern from the secretary, Seo Jeong-won approached Tae-hee.
His complexion looked off—pale, even unwell.
His usually even-toned skin had a slight flush, as though he had a fever.
“Did you eat?”
“I ate before you arrived. Executive Director… have you eaten?”
Tae-hee, looking slightly distracted, gave a vague nod at the gentle question.
Then, without warning, he grabbed Seo Jeong-won’s wrist and led him across the living room and toward the bedroom.
It was surprising, given that he usually stayed late in the study on Fridays, even after returning home from work.
Seo Jeong-won, bewildered, followed along with wide, innocent eyes, not yet grasping what was happening—completely unaware that the entire house was already saturated with Tae-hee’s subtle presence.
The door shut softly behind them.
Seo Jeong-won, now seated on the edge of the bed, looked up at Tae-hee with startled eyes.
“Your face…”
His expression was intense, and his eyes looked unusually sharp.
The flush in his cheeks made it seem like he had a fever.
“Are you… feeling unwell? Should I get you some medicine?”
“No, not exactly. But… if I said I’m going through a rut, would you know what that means?”
“…Yes. I’ve heard of it.”
He had learned about it, of course, though he had never experienced it firsthand.
The schools he attended were mostly filled with betas.
Occasionally, there were alphas like Kang Da-hyun, but they often left during that period.
So even though he had never seen it up close, the stories had reached him, and he had a basic understanding.
“I’m glad. That saves me the explanation.”
Then… does that mean he’s in rut right now?
Before he could ask, Tae-hee suddenly leaned in and kissed him deeply, silencing any thoughts.
Everything happened quickly from there—clothes were removed, touches grew more intense, and the air between them shifted.
The atmosphere was more urgent than usual.
Tae-hee, who normally took his time and was gentle, seemed different today.
Even the teasing that usually embarrassed Seo Jeong-won was absent.
Tae-hee simply seemed frustrated, his touches lingering but restrained.
Seo Jeong-won found his body trembling—not just from fear, but from the unfamiliar, heated sensation spreading through him, like something dangerously sweet.
“…Will it hurt a bit?”
“It’ll be okay, I think…”
“If it hurts a lot—”
He couldn’t bring himself to say no, only offering a small shake of his head.
“If you’re gentle with me…”
Hearing the quiet, uncertain voice, Tae-hee seemed to lose whatever self-control he had left.
There had been many moments when he wanted to devour Seo Jeong-won entirely—and now, it seemed like he was finally letting go.
But things progressed too quickly.
The usual carefulness was gone, and Seo Jeong-won flinched from the overwhelming sensation.
The pain and surprise brought tears to his eyes—tears he had vowed not to shed.
He tried to push Tae-hee away, whispering for him to slow down, but Tae-hee seemed consumed by something more primal.
As Seo Jeong-won struggled to keep his composure, his body trembled again—not just in fear, but from a deeper, confusing reaction.
“I-It’s too much… It hurts…”
“But it seems like your body doesn’t agree.”
Despite his protests, Tae-hee continued to move, and Seo Jeong-won could only shut his eyes tightly and endure.
Seo Jeong-won wiped away the tears soaking his cheeks with the bedsheet and turned his head.
Kwon Tae-hee, who had been silently watching him, finally met his eyes.
“Just a little more, just a little…?”
Jeong-won, choking on his tears, reached out with a trembling hand as if pleading for calm.
His hand lingered mid-air before Tae-hee responded by gently holding his wrist.
As Jeong-won let out a shaky breath of relief, his body was suddenly pulled back.
His torso arched, and the connection between them deepened.
It felt overwhelming, as though his whole body was being taken in completely—something hard to describe with words.
His mouth opened, but no sound came out.
The intensity of the sensation was too much.
***
Tae-hee, lost in instinct, held him tightly again and again, as if unable to get enough.
As the moment intensified, Jeong-won could hardly breathe and felt dizzy from the pressure.
“A-ah, this… it feels strange… no, I can’t…”
“It’s okay… just stay still for now.”
Jeong-won tried to speak, but couldn’t form proper words—he just kept repeating how strange it felt, and that it shouldn’t be like this.
He clutched the sheets tightly, at times trying to push away or escape.
But eventually, pale-faced and teary-eyed, he reached out to Tae-hee again.
“M-Mr. Kwon… I… my stomach, it hurts… I don’t think I can handle this. What… what is this…?”
Looking up at the unmoving man above him, Jeong-won’s hand touched his own lower abdomen where something seemed unnaturally prominent.
The shape beneath the skin felt unsettling in its clarity.