Chapter 13: Reappraisal

The heat swallowed his entire body, making even the breath he exhaled seem to carry that feverish warmth. Go Ha-jin had found himself in this state more and more often lately.

“Up to now, just think of it as putting your face out there. The fact that he’s not interested isn’t because there’s something wrong with you, so don’t worry. You’re doing well, more than well, right now.”

But this strange, alien feeling seemed to be something Ha-jin alone was experiencing. The man in front of him showed not a hint of agitation, calmly sipping his beer while laying out his plans.

“I should get going.”

“…Already? What about dinner?”

“I have an appointment.”

Chae Woo-seok picked up his jacket and stood. Without hesitation, he crossed the living room and left the apartment. Only after hearing the distant sound of the front door closing did Ha-jin pull out the cigarette he’d hidden away and light it.

“Haah… Seriously, why did I even ask, ‘Already?’ ‘What about dinner?’ What was I thinking?”

Belated regret set in over what he’d said to Woo-seok earlier. Since when were they close enough to have dinner together?

He inhaled deeply, exhaling a long stream of smoke, just as long as the irritation rising inside him. What annoyed him even more was that he couldn’t pinpoint the real reason for that irritation.

No, maybe it was because that bastard pinched his cheek. No one would enjoy having someone touch them without permission. Maybe… that was it. Probably.

That irritating face kept floating up in his mind. Beer clearly wasn’t going to cut it. He pulled out the soju he’d hidden from Woo-seok and mixed himself a somaek. The way it went down his throat unusually sweet made it seem like his body was handling alcohol well today.

Annoyingly so.

****

“Nothing really catching your eye today?”

Lee Ah-seong simply nodded slightly at the question from beside him. To be honest, he hadn’t expected much from today’s event. T

hey called it a private auction club, but lately there had been a lack of worthwhile pieces, and his dissatisfaction had been growing. Still, a tip-off from Seol Gallery’s director had made it impossible for him to skip tonight.

“Yeah. Nothing quite worth it.”

“Well, I suppose. SHS probably has more valuable pieces than the National Museum, right?”

“Tsk. That’s not true. Don’t say things like that anywhere else. People might misunderstand.”

Though he spoke as if scolding, Ah-seong’s thoughts weren’t much different. Compared to a place displaying restored cultural relics, the items in his private storage were far more profitable.

Priceless, near–national-treasure-level artworks whose value hadn’t yet been properly assessed filled his collection. And tonight, he had a chance to add one more.

“The final piece is Empress Sojin’s Hyangju Ilpyeon Dansim.”

The voice echoing through the speakers plunged the spacious hall into murmurs. The auctioneer deliberately waited, letting the buzz grow.

The painting was more than worthy of it, the only known artwork by a historical figure who had left an indelible mark on history. Empress Sojin had once risen to the position of empress in a male body, the first yin-born individual to do so. In an era when yin-born people were treated as less than human, she had ascended to the highest seat of all.

“Empress Sojin’s romance is famous enough that no further explanation is needed, I believe. Until now, there have been no personal records, no journals, diaries, letters, or paintings. This work predates everything we know. It is the only piece that substantiates the truth of that romance.”

With a confident gesture, the auctioneer drew back the velvet cloth. As the painting inside the glass case was revealed, even the murmurs fell silent. Aseong was no exception. Sitting close to the stage, he could see it clearly. For a work from that era, the colors were astonishingly vivid, immediately drawing the eye.

“It differs greatly from the artistic style of its time. The colors almost resemble modern work, don’t they? It also contains a letter addressed to the emperor. Hence the title Hyangju Ilpyeon Dansim. Because it was stored in a sealed environment, it remains in perfect condition even today!”

Ah-seong nearly rushed the stage. Amid a garden scene where pink petals scattered in the air, two figures sat affectionately together in a pavilion. The moment he saw it, a shiver ran through him. He knew it instantly, there was no way this painting wouldn’t be worth money.

“We will begin the auction. The starting price is 2 billion won.”

An absurdly high opening bid. But for the only painting of the first omega empress, a work expressing such devoted love for the emperor, it was practically nothing.

“4 billion.”

Ah-seong had no intention of letting it go. He opened by doubling the starting price, essentially a declaration of war. If anyone has more money than me, step forward. Given Ah-seong’s well-known refusal to let go of anything he desired, no one else bid.

“…Any further bids?”

The auctioneer was clearly stalling. Ah-seong was certain the painting would soon be his.

“F-forty… one billion.”

A barely audible voice tossed out an awkward number. Laughter erupted around the hall, mocking, derisive laughter.

“Sir, the bidding increment is 500 million.”

“Oh- sorry! It’s my first time….”

The apologetic reply sounded oddly familiar. Ah-seong turned his head instinctively. In the far corner sat a man who clearly looked like he’d been crying, his voice thick with tears.

“Then… 8 billion.”

Wiping his reddened eyes with the back of his hand, the man called out exactly double Ah-seong’s bid.

“…Huh? Haven’t I seen him somewhere before…?”

Many gazes turned toward the crying omega, some seeming to recognize him. And Ah-seong, of course, knew exactly who it was.

Go Ha-jin, the young omega who had sold him a painting not long ago.

“Do you know him?” Ah-seong asked the man beside him.

“No…? He looks familiar, but I can’t quite place him.”

Knowing his opponent didn’t mean Ah-seong would back down. He calculated his available cash and raised the bid.

“9 billion.”

Hearing the bid jump again made Ha-jin feel like he was about to cry all over again. This wasn’t what Woo-seok had told him would happen. Just then, a message arrived on his phone.

—12 billion

“…12 billion.”

He said it as instructed, but all he wanted was to flee the auction hall. He’d trusted Woo-seok and entered the bidding, but now the amounts were spiraling out of control. Especially since Woo-seok had said Ah-seong would back down at 8 billion, and that prediction had failed spectacularly.

“…12.5 billion.”

Ah-seong raised it by the minimum increment. Ha-jin’s mouth went dry as no new messages arrived.

—What do I do?
—Should I drop out?
—Isn’t this enough?

No reply came, even though Woo-seok clearly saw the messages.

“Any further bids? I’ll count to three and close the auction. Three…”

The count began. Ah-seong felt relief, and Ha-jin felt both relief and regret. Empress Sojin… Empress Sojin. The painting left a strange lingering feeling as he cast what might be his final look at it.

“Two.”

Then his phone vibrated again. Ha-jin blinked several times, rereading the message.

“15 billion…?”

He murmured it aloud, doubting his eyes. As soon as he spoke, he drained the wine beside him as if it were water.

If this went wrong, it wouldn’t just be embarrassment. To even enter this secretive auction of the elite, he’d mobilized every connection he had.

Being invited as a non-member to a gathering limited to around thirty members was no small feat. And now, he risked being exposed as a fraud on his very first appearance.

“15 billion has been bid. I’ll count to three-”

At the same time, far away, Ah-seong’s mind raced. It was an unforeseen price. Not that the painting wasn’t worth it, but he hadn’t expected anyone capable of bidding that high.

Calculating quickly, he knew anything above 14 billion was impossible for him. He could borrow from the omega next to him, but his pride wouldn’t allow it.

“…That omega’s getting fleeced.”

He forced the words out. If only he’d had enough cash, he’d have gladly paid even 20 billion. Given the rarity and story behind it, the price wasn’t excessive at all. But he had no intention of inflating the value of something he couldn’t have.

“Oh! I remember him now!”

As Ah-seong tried to calm his irritation, the man beside him spoke excitedly.

“It’s him! That omega everyone’s been talking about!”

“…That omega?”

Ah-seong recalled it too. Family background, education, looks, secondary gender, nothing lacking. The rising star who had all eligible Gangnam alphas and their parents fixated on him. He’d assumed it was exaggerated gossip and hadn’t looked into it deeply.

“Empress Sojin’s piece has been sold for 15 billion!”

Spotlights poured onto the man, who smiled shyly, as if embarrassed. Overwhelmed by the intense gazes from the omegas around him, his ears flushed red. Then his eyes met Ah-seong’s. His eyes curved beautifully as he greeted him with a bright smile.

Though they were too far apart to hear, the expression seemed to say: Hello. Nice to see you again. Did you enjoy the cake?
And Ah-seong smiled back.

His reassessment was complete. More valuable than the Empress Sojin painting he’d lost today was the object he’d just discovered. In Ah-seong’s gaze, desire simmered as he fixed his eyes on Go Ha-jin, newly assigned a far greater value.

This time, it was something he absolutely did not want to lose.