Unscented Trajectory - Chapter 73

Episode 73,

 

Sehyun let out a sigh she had been holding back and raised her eyes sharply.

 

“Lee Joohyuk.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Can I hit you once?”

 

He wouldn’t know if it was just the two of them, but the eyes of the executives of Shinwoo Group were all gathered. Even so, Joohyuk didn’t care.

 

“You can hit me as much as you like.”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, Sehyun raised her hand. He wondered if she was going to hit him, but her fist clenched tightly and she slapped Joohyuk in the face at a startling speed.

 

It  sounded sharp. Joohyuk gave strength to his legs and managed to hold on. The taste of blood quickly spread in his mouth, and at the blow so strong, his eyes were spinning.

 

Sehyun glanced down at her undisturbed fist and passed by Joohyuk.

 

“I will never forget the words, ‘you can hit me as much as you like’. In the future, if you hurt Soohyun even a bit, you will never be able to walk again.”

 

Her voice was downright brutal.

 

Joohyuk wiped the bleeding mouth with the back of his hand and looked back at Se-hyeon. Looking back at her, he smiled bitterly again. Thinking of Sehyun, who had no choice but to accept him for the sake of her beloved younger hyung, made his heart ache more than the battered face.

 

* * *

 

Returning to the penthouse, Joohyuk looked at the empty hallway and entrance and slowly opened the door and entered. In the past, the bodyguards who should have lined up outside and at the entrance were nowhere to be seen. He thought he didn’t need it anymore, so he got rid of them, but it felt cold because there were no signs of people.

 

Joohyuk, who walked inside, headed to the room where Soohyun stayed as ‘Kwon Yihyeon’ as usual.

 

After he left the penthouse, Joohyuk had never been comfortable in his room. He always went into the narrow and desolate room, laid his body on the bed where Soohyun would have been lying, and thought of him endlessly.

 

What he must have thought, what he must have felt, and how difficult he must have been in that room.

 

If he thought about it quietly, he curled up alone.

 

Because the room was too cold. It was lonely and forlorn, but even breathing became difficult.

 

Being left alone in the room where Soohyun left was like a kind of punishment for him.

 

In such a room, today, for some reason, a bright light broke through. Just in time, he saw the sun shining through the window. Did he time it right?

 

It was the time when the light was pouring in, so a warm feeling came first rather than a cool one.

 

Joohyuk, who was scanning the interior as usual, suddenly saw a table. On top of it was a white paper he had never seen before.

 

He was startled that someone had entered and strode to the table. The closer he got, the more he noticed that the paper was full of words.

 

When he picked up the paper, there were two overlapping sheets with the same content. Joohyuk’s eyes widened in an instant when he saw the beginning of the content.

 

It was a contract with his and Soohyun’s names on it. The basic framework was the same as the contract he had handed out to ‘Kwon Yihyeon’ in the past, but the contents were completely different.

 

Joohyuk, who had been carefully reading the contents of the contract, took his eyes off it only after hearing the sound of his cell phone ringing. Just then, Soohyun’s name appeared on the phone.

 

-Where are you?

 

As soon as he answered the phone, Soohyun asked. Joohyuk felt that for some reason, his mood improved even at that short question heard over his cell phone. Not only that, but he also felt his heart pounding after reading the contents of the contract.

 

“At home. Did you come and go yourself?”

 

-Yes. It was the same number on the front door.

 

“… How did you know I would come to this room?”

 

He turned his eyes to the sunlight streaming through the window. His eyes closed from the brightness, but the sunlight covering his body was so warm that it felt cozy.

 

-Well.

 

He felt Soohyun smile bitterly.

 

He changed his low voice and asked casually.

 

-Is it time now?

 

* * *

 

The place Soohyun called him to was now a very familiar place.

 

The place where the long memories of the two people are contained and the place where their relationship began. And for a long period of time, Joohyuk had forgotten about it, right there.

 

He reached the front of the villa, and the only thing that had changed was that it was visibly worn and dusty. On the way, he saw a fairly neatly cut down area. His heart skipped a beat for some reason, but fortunately, as the car got closer to the villa, he realized that the dense trees were still there. It felt like the forest had drawn a circle around the villa and left it behind.

 

He was disturbed to think that this forest would soon be completely cut down and disappear.

 

Arriving in front of the villa, Joohyuk found Soohyun’s empty car and looked around. He parked the cars side by side and went outside, but Soohyun was nowhere to be seen.

 

He approached the villa building and looked inside through the window. He even opened the door and stepped inside, but he only saw the inside full of dust, and there was no trace of Soohyun.

 

His heart was pounding and he was terrified. He went outside and took out his phone and went back to the back of the building.

 

The moment he called Soohyun, he felt a faint scent.

 

It was a weak scent.

 

In the past, it was a scent that was reluctant enough to be regarded as belonging to someone else, but now it is the scent of ‘Alpha’, which was more familiar and affectionate than anyone else.

 

As soon as he smelled it, it seemed that his breath was relieved.

 

The fragrance was completed by accepting only its own pheromones without hesitation while rejecting other alpha pheromones. When he thought of the small life that embraced it, his heart raced again and he smiled.

 

He put his phone back in and walked, following the incense. The smell was rising from the wide open cellar.

 

He deliberately made his footsteps as loud as possible. If Soohyun gets surprised when he approaches without warning, it will not be good for the child in his stomach.

 

Just the sound of his footsteps wasn’t enough, so he knocked on the open cellar door. But for some reason no sound could be heard from inside.

 

He climbed the stairs and carefully descended. Then, he saw Soohyun, who was sleeping soundly in a chair from which the dust had been removed.

 

It was the only chair from long ago. Neither of the two people at the time said to add another chair. At that time, it was natural for Joohyuk to sit on the chair and Soohyun to sit on his lap.

 

Joohyuk knelt down in front of Soohyun, who was sleeping peacefully, and looked up at him. Then, he crossed his hands on Soohyun’s lap and gently leaned his face against him. After he closed his eyes, he felt a warmth that he couldn’t even think of in an old basement. In addition, the child’s stronger alpha scent was as warm as the omega scent Soohyun had, so it felt good.

 

Not long after he closed his eyes, a warm hand was placed on Joohyuk’s head.

 

“… you’re here?”

 

Maybe it was because it was  right after waking up, Soohyun asked in a slightly sleepy voice. He gently stroked the head of Joohyuk, who was smiling on his lap and did not open his eyes.

 

“Do you feel tired?”

 

When Soohyun asked with a little worry, he slowly opened his eyes.

 

“No.”

 

As he turned his head to the side, the only thing he could see was the inside of the old basement, but he felt the comfort and coziness of being in a bedroom. Even if he was tired, if he stayed like this, his fatigue will be relieved quickly.

 

Soohyun’s hand that was stroking his hair stopped and touched his slightly reddened cheek.

 

“… Are you alright?”

 

He saw his cheek that was starting to bruise and recognized it immediately with a light touch. Even before he could answer, he reasoned close to the correct answer as to what had happened.

 

“Did my father or sister do that?”

 

Seohwan or Sehyun were the only two people worthy of punching Joohyuk in the face. Even though Lee Jungho said a lot, he thought it couldn’t be because he had never put his hand on his son’s face before.

 

Joohyuk raised his head without answering and said something else.

 

“A contract, are you serious?”

 

Soohyun gently stroked the back of Joohyuk’s hand, which was resting on his lap.

 

“You agreed to sign anything.”

 

“I will sign it. I’m going to… Is it really going to be that much?”

 

The contents of the contract were different from what was expected. He was prepared for a harsh content, but what was written was content that Joohyuk would be happy with.

 

Soohyun smiled.

 

“That’s about it. It’s the content of the contract you’ll have to devote your life to.”

 

“More is fine.”

 

Soohyun’s hand touched Joohyuk’s reddened cheek. He felt bitter because of that, but he was rather looking forward to it as if he was worried that Soohyun’s touch would be withheld.

 

“You have a lot of work to do to protect me for the rest of my life. Just being by my side isn’t enough. You will have to build a good company with Hyung’s hands, and you have to make each and every executive an ally to grow in size. I also need the strength to block the dangers targeting our family.”

 

The decisive reason for Joohyuk to set foot in the villa was a business-related trouble involving his father, Lee Jungho. As a result, Park Hyein, his mother died, and Ahn Seohee, like a poisonous snake, entered the house. In addition, even while hiding in the villa, Joohyuk was kidnapped by gangsters and almost died.

 

Soohyun was also kidnapped by gangsters who were after company secrets and money when he was seven years old. Thanks to quick negotiations, he was able to safely return to Seohwan’s arms in less than a day, but the memories of that time are still vivid.

 

“Actually, I want to make a new covenant, but it’s impossible because I’m already marked.”

 

A covenant, once inscribed, lasts forever unless one of the two imprints on the other or changes a partner. A new covenant cannot be overlaid on top of it, nor can it be revoked arbitrarily.

 

So Soohyun hoped to share the covenant with each other through the ‘contract’.

 

“It may be a simple piece of paper, but I want it.”

 

Just as he had been restraining Kwon Yihyeon for a year and was able to use it as an excuse, Soohyun also wanted to restrain Joohyuk and make him unable to back down.

 

“Hyung, protect me for the rest of my life as written in the contract. Just like the covenant I made.”

 

Soohyun’s promise to protect him for the rest of his life goes to Joohyuk through a contract.

 

“Because I will also make you my only alpha.”

 

Joohyuk’s promise that he would be his only lifelong mate passes over to Soohyun through a contract.

 

The covenant and contract with each other will become an inseparable oath and will envelop the two.

 

Joohyuk put a warm hand on the back of Soohyun’s hand that was touching his cheek. This lowered his sleeve slightly, revealing an old watch strapped to the wrist. The old watch, which seemed to contain the longing and suffering of the past, moved forward with a clear sound, ticking, ticking.

 

It was like that 17 years ago, and even when he became ‘Kwon Yihyeon’, Soohyun devoted everything to protect his mate according to the covenant.

 

Now was the time to protect him for the rest of his life.

 

It was a contract that would have to be dedicated for the rest of one’s life, but just like the time when the covenant was first engraved into each other, they were soaked in a sense of happiness.

 

Climbing up from the basement of the villa, Soohyun glanced at Joohyuk, who was standing close behind him, and grabbed his hand. He was surprised by the sudden skinship, but a smile naturally caught on Joohyuk’s face. Looking towards the sunset he was at a lost for what to do with this happiness..

 

Soohyun took the lead while holding Joohyuk’s hand.

 

“Soon the logging work will be finished.”

 

Joohyuk’s hand trembled. He knew because he had received the report, but he couldn’t stop his face from getting darker.

 

Joohyuk, who wanted to hesitate, opened his mouth with difficulty.

 

“Soohyun, the villa…”

 

He opened his mouth, but couldn’t finish the words and quickly closed it.

 

It was Soohyun’s decision, and he wanted to do everything according to his will. He couldn’t hold on to leaving the villa now.

 

Despite hearing Joohyuk’s words, Soohyun didn’t say anything. He just held his hands and entered the forest surrounding the villa.

 

As soon as he entered the forest, he felt the refreshing scent of trees and soil. Soohyun inhaled the scent deeply. Then, a similar yet different refreshing scent filled the lungs first.

 

“You don’t know, hyung?”

 

Soohyun asked as if talking to himself. He took another breath and looked back at Joohyuk with faint eyes.

 

“The smell from this forest resembles hyung ’s.”

 

When he decided to get rid of the villa to erase the traces of Joohyuk, the reason he tried to cut down all the surrounding forest was right there. Joohyuk would not have known his own scent, so he would have thought it was simply an intention to get rid of the forest in his childhood memories.

 

Now, Soohyun didn’t want to lose this forest as much as Joohyuk.

 

“I thought it wouldn’t be bad to be surrounded by this smell.”

 

Joohyuk, unable to understand his words at once, blinked blankly. Soohyun came close to Joohyuk and wrapped his arms around his neck. As he took a deep breath, the smell of the forest and the scent of Joohyuk’s pheromone pleasantly intertwined. His eyes closed in a good mood.

 

“The villa, it’s a gift. Upto a radius of 2km.”

 

“What… ?”

 

Joohyuk opened his eyes wide and looked at Soohyun’s face. All he could see was a small portion of his face, but it didn’t look like he was joking.

 

“Of course, the gift tax will come out considerably, but it doesn’t matter. Everything I like is here.”

 

Memories of his childhood, the smell of the forest that resembles his partner’s, the only thing the child in his stomach likes, and the longing of the past that bore fruit.

 

Everything was here

 

How could he get rid of such a place?

 

Joohyuk, who only then realized Soohyun’s intentions, put his arms around his back. Soohyun’s warmth and calm heartbeat in his arms soothed his heavy heart.

 

“I like it too. Here too, Soohyun and you… … .”

 

The nape of Soohyun’s neck was visible. A black circular line positioned like a tattoo. It was a clear imprint rooted in the pheromone gland.

 

Traces of an oath to love only Soohyun.

 

As soon as he thought that, he couldn’t bear it because Soohyun in his arms was so precious.

 

The moment he was about to kiss Soohyun’s nape, he slipped out of Joohyuk’s arms.

 

“I want to eat figs.”

 

Soohyun sighed and gave a pleasant smile. On his face, the image of Soohyun from his childhood was superimposed.

 

Joohyuk reached out and stroked Soohyun’s cheek.

 

“Okay. I’ll pick the ones that are ripe. Anything you want… … .”

 

After hearing the answer, Soohyun grabbed Joohyuk’s hand and pulled it. As he remembered, he knew exactly where the fig tree was.

 

“I’ll tell you in advance, it’s not something I want to eat. Sori wants to eat.”

 

“Sori?”

 

When Joohyuk made a puzzled face at the unfamiliar name, Soohyun spoke calmly.

 

“Our child’s nickname..”

 

“Name… !”

 

Joohyuk was startled by the unexpected words. Then, in an instant, his face turned red. Did the word nickname give him such an indescribable feeling?

 

He was covering his face with one hand because he couldn’t control his reddened face, but Soohyun, not noticing this, continued.

 

“Now I can only feel it because  hyung marked me, but before that, as it grew, I could smell the scent little by little. It smells like pine needles, probably because he resembles hyung.”

 

If Joohyuk had a refreshing scent as if he had stepped into a green and cool forest, the scent of the child between the two was like that of the pine needles that created the forest.

 

The same Alpha, Joohyuk, could only distinguish pheromones, even if it was his own child, but couldn’t tell exactly what kind of scent it was. On the other hand, Soohyun felt the traces of Joohyuk even in the child’s faint scent.

 

In the past, it was a scent that confused Soohyun, but now that he can’t smell it, it has become a scent he wants to remember for a long time.

 

“Sorii is hungry. Walk quickly.”

 

“Huh? Oh yes.”

 

Joohyuk, who couldn’t even manage his expression and answered sloppily with a blushing face, managed to swallow the laughter that kept leaking out.

 

That day, Joohyuk smiled happily even though his fingernails and fingertips were stained with dark water from picking a lot of figs.

 

* * *

 

The news that the two young presidents of Muyeol Group and Shinwoo Group were getting married quickly spread. All sorts of media outlets scattered articles about marriage plans that only changed the title, and people’s interest grew out of control.

 

Among them, there was a voice saying that the decision was made quite spontaneously as there was a lot of exchange between the presidents due to the collaboration between the two groups. As they are young people and alpha and omega, there was a high voice that it was a news story due to the emotional heat of the moment.

 

However, not long after such an article surfaced, a photo of Muyeol Group chairman Jung Soohyun from the back spread. There was a clear imprint on the nape of his neck. That became one of the hardest proofs that it was young-blooded improvisation.

 

If one side cuts off the imprint, the other side becomes an idiot and becomes a nuisance. There was no way that the people who sat in the chairperson of a group had already imprinted their mark on it even though they knew it.

 

In addition, shortly after the article was published, the two presidents held a joint press conference as if they had been waiting.

 

Chairman Jung Soohyun, who first recognized that the other was a match, said that he had been with him for nearly a year as his secretary and bodyguard before stepping out as a businessman. While they were together, they had feelings for each other, and now that each of them took the chairperson’s seat, they did not only imprint but even revealed that he was pregnant.

 

He said that he thinks of marriage after giving birth to a child and taking care of himself, and announced that he will prepare slowly and meticulously in the meantime.