Chapter 11: The Lucky Charm’s Predicament

“What was that all about?”

Tae-jun rose from the desk he had been perched on, gesturing with his chin for Hye-jin to leave.

“By the way, Jun-i, our adorable intern, what scent is that?”

Hye-jin leaned back comfortably on the sofa, a peculiar smile playing on her lips. She had been suspicious from their first encounter, but now, observing Tae-jun, Hye-jin spoke with absolute certainty.

“Go work. I pay you to work.”

“Oh, really? Well, I suppose I can find out myself. It’s not exactly a difficult task.”

“Kim Hye-jin, don’t even dream of pulling any stunts.”

“Oh my, how frightening. It’s not, by any chance, that peach scent you love, is it? You’ve adored peaches since you were a child. Though, I suppose you haven’t liked anything much since you grew up.”

Gritting his teeth, Tae-jun warned her in a low voice, but Hye-jin deliberately responded with an even brighter tone.

“Shall I terminate your employment contract right now?”

As the dominant Alpha, skilled at pheromone control, openly unleashed aggressive pheromones, Hye-jin grumbled and stood up. Judging by his reaction, her suspicions were confirmed: their adorable intern was indeed an Omega.

Moreover, Tae-jun harbored an immense interest in them.

“Then, can I stay at your place until I find my own?”

“Stop spouting nonsense.”

“Hey, you told me to come over earlier!”

The Alpha who had, with a gentle smile and voice, invited Do-ha into his home, was nowhere to be found.

Instead, only a cynical Alpha remained, radiating aggressive pheromones, as if a single drop of blood couldn’t be drawn from him.

“Don’t even think about letting a single strand of your hair into my house.”

“Fine, I wouldn’t want to go to such a dirty and petty place anyway. I’ll just go see our cute intern instead.”

Hearing a dull thud as something hit the door behind her and fell, Hye-jin straightened her slightly hunched posture.

‘How dare he try to suppress me with pheromones.’ Anyway, glancing around, Hye-jin clicked her tongue upon seeing Do-ha slumped over his desk.

Since their school days, Tae-jun’s surroundings had always been filled with people vying for his attention, yet he had never allowed anyone close.

Consequently, Hye-jin had witnessed countless individuals circling him, suffering from unrequited feelings, only to eventually grow weary and depart.

But now, Tae-jun was actively looking out for an Omega. While others might not readily perceive it, Hye-jin could clearly see that Tae-jun’s every nerve was focused on Do-ha.

Recalling how Tae-jun’s previously threatening pheromones had turned aggressively overwhelming when she mentioned visiting the ‘cute intern’ sent shivers down her spine.

‘If I had been even a step slower, I would have suffered a horrific pheromone attack.’

****

With a hollow feeling, Do-ha left the team leader’s office and slumped over his own desk, stretching out an arm to reach into his ever-present messenger bag.

Without needing to open it, he slowly fumbled through the familiar contents of the bag.

‘Not this, not this either.’

His fingertips, searching for the lucky charm he always carried to fill this empty, aching feeling, began to frantically rummage faster.

When the familiar sensation he sought didn’t meet his touch, Do-ha abruptly sat up, upturned his messenger bag, and shook its contents onto his desk.

Out tumbled a pack of portable wet wipes, wireless earphones, a USB drive with a character figurine, a handkerchief, hand cream, an Omega-specific deodorant, a memo pad, a ballpoint pen, and a single manga volume.

Do-ha quickly scanned the items on his desk before reaching for the manga he had been reading on his commute that morning.

He opened it to the page he had folded, the part he had read during his short journey.

Having stopped just as the culprit was about to be revealed, he found himself absorbed, unconsciously flipping through the pages.

‘Huh? Why is *he* the culprit? He’s a good guy!’

Do-ha’s hand, holding the manga, trembled slightly. His slowly turning pages now flipped back rapidly to the beginning. Upon reviewing the initial chapters, all the circumstances…

“Do-ha, please confirm the preparations for the morning meeting.”

Lost in thought, rummaging through the manga, Do-ha startled at the voice calling him from a distance, quickly closing the book he was reading.

“Yes, I’ll confirm it.”

Do-ha hastily replied, then began sweeping the scattered items—starting with the manga—back into his bag, only to pause.

Regardless of pending tasks or emerging problems, finding his lucky charm was paramount. He believed that once he found it, everything else would fall into place. Rummaging through his bag once more, Do-ha stared blankly at the ceiling.

It couldn’t be. He always kept it in this bag, except when it was being washed. It couldn’t have walked away on its own. And it was even more unlikely that someone would have seen it and taken it. His charm was simply gone.

[Is my lucky charm at home, by any chance?]

Sitting in despair for a moment, Do-ha pulled out his phone and quickly sent a message to Jia.

[No? And that’s not a lucky charm, you crazy pervert!]

[It’s not? What do I do? Please, seriously, check at home one more time.]

Seeing the instantaneous reply, Do-ha quickly sent another message.

Even during the brief wait for Jia’s answer, anxiety surged, and Do-ha unconsciously started shaking his leg.

[No. Not in your room, not in the washing machine! Good riddance. I’ll buy you a new one this time.]

Upon checking the disheartening message, Do-ha stumbled to his feet. He desperately needed his lucky charm right now, but he couldn’t show it, and he had to do the work assigned to him.

****

“Do-ha, could you bring me the file I left in my office?”

Do-ha, who had been sitting at the end of the conference table, pondering the whereabouts of his lost lucky charm, rose at Tae-jun’s request.

No matter how he thought about it, losing it made no sense, nor could it have simply walked away on its own.

Just as he began to suspect that Jia, who had always disliked it, might have secretly thrown it away, Do-ha arrived at the team leader’s office and looked around for the file Tae-jun had mentioned.

“It’s not on the desk, not in the first drawer, then the second drawer.”

Muttering to himself, Do-ha opened the second drawer. His eyes froze for a moment, and his hand, moving on its own, grasped a soft piece of fabric.

A vibrant leopard print, smooth to the touch, and when crumpled, it fit perfectly in his hand.

Do-ha brought the clutched fabric to his nose, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. Feeling his own subtle pheromones, which had permeated the fabric from constant carrying, Do-ha’s eyes snapped open.

‘But why is it here?’

Before he could dwell on the questions surging after the relief of finding his lost lucky charm, the file Tae-jun had mentioned caught his eye, and he quickly stuffed the charm into his pocket.

The rising tide of questions could wait. Retrieving the file was the immediate priority.

After handing the file to Tae-jun and returning to his seat, Do-ha slipped his hand into the pocket containing the lucky charm. When had it disappeared? Could it have been missing even last weekend when he ate the chicken soup? If so, all this misfortune was due to the absence of his lucky charm, Do-ha concluded with an absurd thought, his face brighter than ever.

“There are no issues with the final review, Team Leader, so you needn’t worry about this afternoon’s contract.”

“Well, we’ll have to see about that, won’t we? Everyone, good work.”

Unaware of how the morning meeting had ended, as he hadn’t been focused, Do-ha happily stood up. Tidying the conference room was his responsibility.

“Seo Do-ha.”

Do-ha, joyous simply from finding his lucky charm, finished cleaning the conference room and was humming his way back to the office when he stopped at the sound of his name.

“Yes, Team Leader.”

“Could we speak for a moment?”

Tae-jun stood before his office door, opening it himself and stepping aside slightly to create an inviting space.

Instead of replying, Do-ha turned and entered the team leader’s office.

“Give it to me.”

As Do-ha entered, Tae-jun closed the door and, without any context, demanded something, causing Do-ha to tilt his head.

“Pardon?”

“The item in your left pocket.”

Following Tae-jun’s gaze to his own left pocket, Do-ha flinched back and quickly shoved his left hand into his pocket.

‘Why is it peeking out slightly? How embarrassing.’

“Th-this… what is this?”

“Isn’t that your lucky charm, Do-ha?”

At Tae-jun’s words, which revealed he knew exactly what it was, Do-ha couldn’t hide his surprise. The only people who knew about his lucky charm were Jia, who had bought it for him, and Hyun-woo, who had been by his side throughout school.

‘But how could the Team Leader know?’

“Why are you asking for it?”

In his hurried state, Do-ha’s voice trembled as he clutched the lucky charm in his pocket.

“It was in my second drawer just a moment ago. And you were the only one who came into the room during the meeting.”

Undeniably, by scent, by feel, by every measure, it was his own. Yet, suddenly accused of theft, Do-ha’s face flushed crimson.

He couldn’t proudly take it out and claim it as his, nor did he have any clear evidence to prove its ownership.

“So, Team Leader, do you know exactly what this is before you make such statements?”

“I haven’t used that charm yet. You gave it to me directly to take to today’s contract. So, is it alright if today’s contract falls through?”

Do-ha stared blankly at Tae-jun, who was scratching his forehead, looking troubled.

Suddenly remembering that he had handed it directly to Tae-jun at a company dinner, his previously pale face, shocked by the realization, gradually turned red.

“You said to return it after I’ve used it, so I’ll give it back after I get back from the contract.”

“No, Team Leader. I mean, this is a lucky charm for *me*, but it’s not necessarily that for everyone…”

Do-ha stammered, gripping the fabric he had pulled from his pocket with both hands. Even he, new to company affairs, knew how important this contract was.

That must have been why he had committed such a bold act while under the influence.

Do-ha looked at Tae-jun’s large, open palm extended towards him. Then his gaze shifted to the lucky charm he held.

“Did you tell anyone else about this?”

Do-ha hesitated, then edged closer to Tae-jun, whispering in a small voice.

“I did not.”

“Could you perhaps use something else? This is truly a precious lucky charm to me.”

Extending both hands to place it on Tae-jun’s palm, Do-ha hesitated, asking once more.

“Hmm. If you dislike it so much, you don’t have to lend it. What’s so important about a company contract anyway?”

As Tae-jun’s open hand slowly began to lower, Do-ha hastily propped up his palm with his right hand, then placed his left hand on top.

“You have to return this tomorrow, definitely.”

After placing it in Tae-jun’s palm, Do-ha quickly made him close his hand, ensuring the lucky charm was completely hidden, before slowly lowering his own hands.

“Good luck with the contract.”

Do-ha bowed to Tae-jun, cast a fleeting, wistful glance at the hand gripping his lucky charm, and then exited the team leader’s office.