Chapter 10 : The Sweet Poison of Comfort

“I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, I just couldn’t find the right moment to call out.”

They say that when people are too surprised, their tears dry up. That was right. Yehyun blinked and looked up at Ijeong. Am I seeing things? Why is this man coming out of here?

“Uh, I came because I have something urgent to talk about…” Yehyun was so flustered that he only belatedly realized the manager was standing behind them, and he stumbled, trying to step back.

“Shouldn’t we avoid letting that person hear what we’re talking about?” Ijeong whispered in a low voice. Indeed, they hadn’t walked far enough to be out of Gyujin’s sight yet.

“Let’s get in first.” Ijeong carefully pulled Yehyun by the wrist and helped him into the van.

Yehyun sat in the car, sipping the warm canned coffee that Manager Juseok had bought for him.

“Why did you come here? What if you get caught on camera?”

“I have something urgent to talk about. And I came on purpose to be seen.” In response, Ijeong took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair.

“You came to be seen?”

“That crazy stalker has been quiet lately, but… I still can’t be sure when or where he might be watching.” Ijeong shrugged. Right, they had gotten involved because of the stalker in the first place.

Yehyun sipped his coffee and said, “…How much did you hear?”

“I didn’t hear that much.”

“Don’t dodge the question. Tell me properly.”

“Thorough as always,” Ijeong said, leaning back in his seat. “I think it was from the part where you said, ‘After dating for seven years, isn’t it reasonable to expect marriage?'”

“So you heard almost everything.” Yehyun laughed hollowly.

It was embarrassing enough that he had broken up while shouting and crying like a child, but to think someone had heard it. On top of that, he had ended up revealing the details of the breakup that he didn’t want anyone to know. He felt terrible.

“I must look pathetic.”

“What’s there to be pathetic about? And I actually know who that person is.”

“You know?” Yehyun, who had been staring blankly at his feet, opened his eyes a little wider and looked up.

“Now you’re finally looking this way.”

“…Are you lying?” When Yehyun raised his head, Ijeong smiled, meeting his eyes. As Yehyun frowned slightly, Ijeong shook his head. “Park Gyujin, the third son of NW. Even though I look like this, before I turned twenty, I was dragged around to many places.”

Ah, now that he thought about it, Ijeong was also a grandson of a chaebol family. Gyujin also used to be called to various events, so it wasn’t strange that they might have crossed paths. Only then did Yehyun withdraw his suspicious gaze and nod.

“That person was your lover?”

“…” Yehyun looked at Ijeong without a word. Normally, he would have told him not to worry and avoided the topic, but today he felt like talking to someone, anyone.

“…Yes, he was,” Yehyun said, staring blankly out the window. He couldn’t see the alley clearly through the glass, but Gyujin wasn’t a patient person, so he probably wasn’t still there.

“Actually, I was planning to just correct the facts and live quietly, because whether Kang Ijeong becomes something or not, it’s none of my business.”

“You’re quite honest.” Even though it was a statement that could greatly affect his career, Ijeong laughed casually and replied.

“But do you know why I suddenly changed my mind?” Yehyun said with self-deprecation. Since he wasn’t expecting an answer, he continued in a calm voice without waiting for Ijeong’s response. “That crazy guy told me that he lost, that marriage isn’t possible but he’ll maintain the relationship.” Yehyun’s lips trembled. “Before that, I was so busy I didn’t have time to think, so I even forgot that we broke up yesterday, but when I saw that message, I suddenly came to my senses.”

If he hadn’t heard that, he wouldn’t have been that angry. Certainly, Yehyun had made up his mind after seeing Gyujin’s text that day.

“I thought, I have to live well. Live very well. That’s the only way I won’t feel wronged. While he’s fooling around with other women without even breaking up, if only I suffer, that’s infuriating.”

Ijeong recalled Yehyun’s face that day, which had hardened the moment he saw the text from ‘jagi’. He had looked nervous and expectant when he told him to check the message, but as soon as he saw its contents, the atmosphere had changed completely.

“But I thought pretending to date you might be a way to get back at him. I could show him that just because we broke up doesn’t mean I can’t do anything…” Yehyun struggled to hold back the tears that welled up. After a moment, looking at the ceiling to keep the tears from falling, he spoke. “But it doesn’t seem to be working. I thought I’d feel good telling him in front of you that I’m dating someone else and I’m over the moon about it.”

What had he expected? Did he think Gyujin would cling to him and admit he was wrong? Yehyun thought he was foolish.

“It’s not really like that.” He succeeded in not letting the tears fall, but that didn’t make him feel better. With a complicated heart, Yehyun let out a bitter laugh. “I must look pathetic, right? I deliberately called you ‘jagi’ and drew all the attention, while behind the scenes I was thinking such stupid thoughts…”

“Not pathetic at all,” Ijeong, who had been quietly listening to his story, said with a serious face.

He had been curious why Yehyun had suddenly called him ‘jagi’ and made a scene in front of the reporters, and now he knew the reason. He felt a little sorry for him, but on the other hand, it was welcome. No one works as hard as someone with a clear goal. Thinking that, Ijeong spoke. “That method hasn’t failed, has it? Seeing your ex come all the way to your house, isn’t it working out as you thought?”

“He didn’t come to apologize. I only feel more miserable, so what…” Yehyun’s emotions surged; he bit his lip to hold back the sob that threatened to burst out.

Actually, Ijeong also knew that Yehyun’s choice wasn’t the best. It was an impulsive decision made out of spite. And Park Gyujin, who wouldn’t admit his fault. It was obvious that continuing the contract dating with the goal of getting back at him would only hurt Yehyun.

Ijeong had never had a long conversation with him, but he knew a lot about Park Gyujin. He was so incompetent that people said, “How can a dominant alpha be this stupid?” Lacking empathy and even the intelligence to hide it, he was called the disgrace of NW, the third son of the group. It didn’t seem like a guy like that would regret much or realize his fault just because his ex-devoted omega was seeing someone else.

But it was better not to tell Yehyun that.

“You didn’t become miserable. He’s just denying his feelings. If not, he wouldn’t have come all the way here,” Ijeong comforted Yehyun in a gentle voice.

But in truth, Ijeong knew very well that Gyujin wasn’t like that. He had probably come because he felt sorry for Yehyun in his own way, and because he didn’t want to let go of someone he considered his. If not provoked, he would surely soon forget about the insignificant devoted omega lover.

“If that’s your goal, you’re doing very well. Why think like that?” But as if he had never thought such a thing, Ijeong carefully placed his hand on Yehyun’s shoulder and comforted him.

Ijeong, wearing a mask of kindness, soothed Yehyun. It seemed that Yehyun’s reason for seriously engaging in the contract dating was vengeance, and for Ijeong’s own sake, it was better for Yehyun to keep burning with that vengeance for a long time.

“I’m doing well?”

Yehyun wasn’t that stupid. Normally, he wouldn’t have impulsively accepted the contract dating, nor would he have believed Ijeong’s empty kindness.

“Of course. You made the person who abandoned you come back to you. That alone is impressive. Why do you keep calling yourself stupid?”

But Yehyun was too exhausted lately. The betrayal of a lover of seven years, the sudden entanglement with a superstar, and the pouring attention. Without a moment to catch his breath, the events of the past few days had dulled his mind, and to that dulled Yehyun, Ijeong’s fabricated kindness was too sweet. Ijeong was an expert at acting kind, and Yehyun was a person withering from a lack of even the smallest kindness.

“Stop blaming yourself and don’t be too hard. If you show him how well you’re living, he’ll definitely regret it.”

“…Do you think so?” Yehyun nodded, bewitched by the lies Ijeong spilled.

Ijeong didn’t miss the opportunity and said, “That’s right. We have at least three months anyway. If you’re already like this, by the time this relationship ends, Park Gyujin might feel something.”

His handsome face smiled with conviction as he whispered those kind words.