At the End of That Memory - Chapter 4

We had to wait quite a bit longer than expected. Probably because we left the home too early, my father had instructed me to stay in the waiting room until I was called. Still, I should at least greet the other person. I didn’t even get a chance to see his face, let alone have a conversation.

“Director.”

Unlike me, who was locked in the waiting room, Chief Kim busily went in and out to convey what my father said. Once, he told me how the meal would be ordered, another time, he brought me something to eat, and another time, he showed Kwon Yido’s information on a laptop. This time, what he held out was a small lipstick-sized empty bottle.

“It was given by the President.”

“…”

Even without opening it, I could guess the contents inside. As I awkwardly patted my body, I heard an expected description.

“It’s a pheromone perfume.”

It was a pheromone perfume. Those things didn’t work very well as I had previously informed my father on several occasions.

“They will call us soon so the President told you to spray this before attending the ceremony.”

Director Kim was talking calmly but somehow wore an awkward expression. As if he was apologetic and understanding, he let out a sigh. I opened the lid, smelled it, and pursed my lips into a thin line.

“It seems they contemplated hard while picking one for me.”

The scent was of a natural pheromone. It was a product artificially designed for Betas. I had so many pheromones before and it seemed this surpassed a lot of them in terms of plausibility.

“Did Chief Kim choose this one for me?”

“…”

Chief Kim fixed his glasses without a word. He had this habit of fixing his glasses whenever he was in trouble. Ignorance was bliss, yet it was clear Chief Kim took the extra step after following my father’s orders.

“I like it. I will use it well.”

Of course, I said it out of politeness but it wasn’t that the scent wasn’t decent. Well, given that he was a Beta, he wouldn’t be affected by the pheromones whatsoever.

I pulled down the watch from my wrist and sprayed perfume on the upper part where my veins ran. While gently rubbing both of my wrists, Chief Kim silently watched what I was doing. I asked Chief Kim as I applied the remaining scent to my nape.

“Shall I spray some more?”

“…No. That should be enough.”

For some reason, I felt Chief Kim looking at me with an inexplicable gaze. It was the same expression he was making throughout last week. I would have understood why if I dug deep enough but I couldn’t find the chance to do so.

“Well…”

Chief Kim hem and hawed while avoiding my eyes. When I raised my eyes, implying to him to speak, he said awkwardly.

“Doing this…does this have any meaning?”

“…”

The scent was so thick. My senses felt stifled at the unfamiliar scent. For an Omega like me, the gentle and pleasant smell never felt like a pheromone to me.

“I am not sure.”

There was a fleeting glance. There should be effort, but nothing more or less than what I had been doing.

“Spraying perfume on a scentless flower will not attract butterflies.”

A knock was heard right then, so the conversation between us ended there. Chief Kim clamped his mouth shut, and I got up from my seat, leaving him behind.

An employee came inside and announced the start of the engagement ceremony.

“Jeong Sejin, get ready..”

The sliding doors at the back of the room were, as expected, the exit connected to the garden. Two employees stood by the door, and another spouted some information about this and that. For example, when the door would open, the groom would come to pick you up, and you could hold his hand and walk.

“There is nothing difficult, so don’t be nervous and do it comfortably.”

Everything was happening in real-time, not rehearsed. After waiting for such a long time, the engagement ceremony was without any witnesses. Well, even if there were people, nothing would have changed.

“Is there anything you want to know?”

“No, thank you.”

I tidied up the watch on my wrist and straightened my clothes. Chief Kim, who was waiting in the back, straightened the wrinkles on the back of the jacket. Finally, as he touched up his tie, the staff glanced at the people on either side.

“Young Master.”

Right before the door opened, I was called by a title I hadn’t heard in a long time. I didn’t look back, but I could hear Chief Kim’s voice.

“I hope everything goes well for you.”

He wanted to say something more. He was the one who knew more than anyone that I would do well.

“Do not worry.”

The sliding doors began to open left and right. The sunlight seeping through the narrow gap in the windows was warm enough to make my eyes sting. When I closed my eyes and opened them, a wide landscape unfolded beyond the open door.

“I’m not young enough to be called a young master anymore.”

The first thing I saw were flowers in full bloom. Petals were as white as snow took the place of the silk and fresh flowers of various colors decorated the site where the guests should be.

In the middle of the spring, the garden was adorned with a plethora of colors.

And there he was.

“…”

My first impression of him was how neatly his hair was combed, his formal attire including a vest was elegant, and her suit, as if straightened by a ruler, looked noble.

Was the face that I had seen countless times on TV and in magazines really that superior?

Funny enough, I felt that even the cuffs on his sleeves were unique. Shoes with luxurious gems were also made for him. As if it was not an exaggeration, the man seemed to have a talent for suiting everything like a fine glove.

“… Jeong Sejin?”

It wasn’t just because I was admiring his appearance that I couldn’t answer him. It was because he, who was picked as a businessman who never smiled in certain programs, held out his hand with a thin smile.

“My name is Kwon Yido.”

The pheromone, heavy like wet wood, went very well with his elegant voice. A presence that could only be imitated by perfume. A fragrance that couldn’t be created artificially entangled me from the tip of my toes.

It was a sensation that made me feel ashamed of the perfume I had just sprayed on. It was a feeling of intimidation that I had never felt before. Is that why? It was not easy to avoid their gaze or to look away from him.

“…”

I felt uneasy. Was it the fear of an unfamiliar alpha, or curiosity toward a dominance I had never experienced before? My fast-beating heart made rational thinking impossible.

“You look much better…in real life.”

However, a habitual smile that had been used for too long appeared on my lips. I rolled my eyes and met Kwon’s outstretched hand. The moment his fingers touched me, his dark eyes fluttered like waves.

“I am Jeong Sejin.”

“…”

He didn’t say anything for a while. He just licked his lips very slowly, having an expression that made him look like he would collapse any minute. Why was that, and what was the problem? I couldn’t even ask that question.

“…Of course.”

Kwon Yido’s large hand slowly squeezed my hand. He grabbed me strong enough for me to feel a bit of pressure but then released it gently as if he was dealing with something made out of porcelain. The extremely cool body temperature approached me strangely yet warmly.

“It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“…”

I felt a sense of deja vu. No, should I say that I feel like I’m going to cry? Whether it was because the heat was too strong, or because of Kwon Yido’s pheromones, it made me sad. Even though he was someone I had never met before, he kept looking at me with a certain gaze.

“… I heard you do not accept pictures.”

I replied jokingly, but Kwon Yido’s expression didn’t change. On the contrary, the forced cold expression even felt unnatural.

It was strange. The fact that a person who appeared impassive most of the time appeared like that to me. But simply, it might have been because he appeared much better in real life except for things here and there.

However, the place and circumstances were not appropriate to point out such a sense of incongruity. We were about to be engaged, but we were not really on equal footing. I would just have to consider the fact that he didn’t really care for me.

“Do you know…?”

A beat later, Kwon Yido opened his mouth. He looked away from me and spoke in a barely audible voice.

“How long have I waited for this moment?”

“What–”

As he walked away, I followed him without being able to ask. We walked side by side along the flower-covered path and did not let go of our hands until we reached the podium. The sharp face was still full of incomprehensible emotions.

* * *

The engagement ceremony was conducted like a wedding. Gifts were exchanged according to the guide, and the cake was cut while the two families spectated. On the right were my parents, Minjae and Seoyoung. On the left is the Seonho group family. There were no guests, but the occasion was no different from a wedding.

Kwon Yido maintained his poker face the whole time. He hesitated briefly when he pushed the ring on my fingers, but it was such a tiny flicker on his face that I couldn’t notice. If I hadn’t heard his sigh, I probably wouldn’t have known.

The ring he put on was prepared by the Seonho group, but the jewel in the center was a cut gem. Maybe a diamond or something similar. Either way, it felt too overwhelming to wear an engagement ring.

“Congratulations to the two of you on your engagement.”

After all the rituals were over, champagne was popped and the two families began their meal. More than a dinner, It was a meeting to strengthen trust between companies. Kwon and I were sitting next to each other and the two families were sitting face to face in front of us. I thought that if there had been a reporter, I would have heard the sound of the camera shutters.

“It is an honor to be your in-laws, Vice Chairman Kwon Sangmi.”

His father flattered the Seonho group with a morphed face. Minjae continued to eat in silence, and Seoyoung did the same. The only thing she did was act like a mother and straighten her back upright so that she could hide her anxiousness.

“What an honor! As this is the family my son chose, we have high expectations on our side as well.”

Kwon Yido’s mother, vice chairman of Seonho Group, treated my father with the face of a typical entrepreneur. She didn’t give too much praise, she wasn’t conceited, and she didn’t tremble with humility either. She just took her father’s flattery at her leisurely, as successful people do.

“Unfortunately, our second son couldn’t attend, but, fortunately, Haeshin accepted us wholeheartedly. Hopefully, this project will be an advantage for both of our companies.”

“Haha, of course. Business is business, Vice President. We will never let you down.”

Next to Kwon Sangmi was her husband, along with Kwon Yido’s older sister, her husband, and their seven-year-old daughter. The little child was a rare female Alpha. On the day the results of her trait test came out, the media zeroed in on the news with the utmost attention.

More than that…I think somebody should help the little girl cut the steak.

I felt sorry to see her wrestle with a steak the size of her face. She held a knife in her small hand, but it seemed to not affect the meat. If she had been close to me, I would have exchanged her plate with mine. Since she was around the table I narrowed my eyes at that thought.

“…”

Suddenly, the child raised her head. I was absent-minded, and before I could turn my head, our eyes met. Her round eyes opened wide, and her tightly pursed lips opened slightly.

Before I could explain, the child turned her head away with a pout. Her fair cheeks twitched as if she were ashamed of her inadequacies. While feeling sorry for nothing, I heard someone laughing.

“Hyeyul is a little shy.”

“…Ah.”

It was the same for Kwon Yido. As he had been watching, he looked back and forth between me and the child with curious eyes. Yes, her name was Hyeyul Kwon. There was an article that she named Hyeyul after the name of the art gallery owned by the Seonho Foundation.

“Brother-in-law. Please help Hyeyul cut the steak.”

Kwon Yido casually told his family about the situation. In the middle of a conversation about cultural foundation donations, the man turned her attention to Kwon Hyeyul’s plate. Kwon Yi-do’s older sister also suddenly looked at Kwon Hyeyul.

“Did our Hyeyul not eat meat?”

“No, she was eating.”

“Okay? Then I will cut the rest.”

It was the kind smile of a father who loved his daughter. Kwon Yido’s older sister tried to dissuade him, saying he didn’t have to but then again it seemed like a nag filled with affection. Even those who were such cool-headed entrepreneurs looked just like an ordinary family.

“Such a nice young couple.”

Father didn’t miss the opportunity and praised them with a hearty smile. He looked at me for no reason and showed his face adorned with feelings.

“When Sejin was young, he wasn’t accustomed to knives, so he struggled a lot. Right, sweetie?”

“Of course. You taught me how to do it.”

“I brought in Sejin and raised him carefully like my own child. It hurts my heart to send him to your family like this.”

It was a very friendly conversation. To the extent that people would think that we were a really harmonious family if they heard it.

“Sejin grew up to be a commendable man but when he was young, I had to take care of him a lot…”

“…”

The food I was eating felt like grains of sand. The appetite, which was left unquenched, was now gone without leaving a single trace.

I slowly lowered my eyes and looked at the plate in front of me. The neatly sliced food was the result of the education I received from my father in childhood. No, should I say it was the etiquette I learned to survive by starving for three days and nights?

“Kids are immature in everything.”

A low voice pierced my deaf ears. I felt it from a while ago, but Kwon Yido’s pronunciation was needlessly good. Maybe it was because it was laced with pheromones, so it felt a bit mysterious.

“It is, of course, the duty of parents to help them go down the right path.”

It was a thorny quip for some reason. Perhaps I was the only one who felt that way, but my father responded in an excited voice.

“Oh, Executive Director Kwon Yido’s educational view suits you well. You will be a very good father later.”

I thought it was too much respect for his son’s spouse. The funny thing was, it was confirmed that there was nothing out of the ordinary in my father’s appearance.

“Speaking of which, about Sejin’s and Yido’s children…”

Clatter

Before he could finish his words, a cacophony broke the conversation. It was the sound of Minjae, who had been silent, dropping his fork on the plate. Minjae grabbed the fork again quickly.

“Sorry.”

An awkward silence floated across the table. My father, who had raised his eyes fiercely, let out a cough.

“My child is still a student, so he is not used to this kind of place…”

“No, I understand.”

My father stopped talking. Since the person who answered this time was Kwon Yido, my father kept his face from trembling and maintained a gentle expression. Kwon Yido took a sip of the champagne and put the glass down with a relaxed motion.

“I just told you children are immature. As you saw earlier, my nephew is not used to handling tableware as well.”

Minjae, who was put on the same level as a seven-year-old child in an instant, frowned. Even so, he couldn’t protest openly, so he lowered his head to endure his anger. Even though he was a devil in making, he had no choice but to be patient in this situation.

“Haha…I’m glad you understand.”

As it fitted a man who had been running a company for a long time, my father was much better at managing facial expressions than Minjae. My mother handed Minjae a napkin and also tried to keep a smile on her face.

Seeing them like that, Kwon Yido took the chance.

“You were saying…?”

Nobody answered, but he didn’t care. He glanced over at my family except for me, and then added a calm tone to his conversation.

“Well, I’m sure there are people who don’t know that this engagement ceremony is a type of contract….”

Why should there be? There was a reason why my father kept such a low profile even during such a plausible ceremony.

“Now that we’re already talking, let’s set the conditions.”