Chapter 40: Lingering Scents

After a short while, Seunghyuk returned with a bunch of medicine packed in his arms.

Hyunwoo lost his words when he saw pills, liquid medicine, and even a vitamin drink prepared for him.

“…Are you sure I’m supposed to take all of this?”

“If you don’t want all of it, then just take the pills and the vitamin drink.”

“…Hmm.”

The pharmacist must have said it was fine, but Hyunwoo felt uneasy, so he only swallowed the pills and drank the vitamin drink as Seunghyuk suggested.

Compared to the herbal-tasting hangover drink, the vitamin drink was much easier to take.

Maybe because he had already thrown up once, his stomach felt a lot better.

Hyunwoo set the bottle down and let out a deep sigh.

“…Haa… I feel a little alive now.”

“Where did you even drink like that?”

“…Well, that’s…”

He had gotten drunk enough to throw up, so he couldn’t just avoid the question.

Fortunately, Hyunjin wasn’t home yet, or she would’ve cried from worry.

Flustered, Hyunwoo avoided Seunghyuk’s gaze.

“Why were you at my office anyway?”

“I messaged you. I said I’d come pick you up today.”

“…Did you?”

His memory was fuzzy, but when he checked his phone, the message was there.

He clicked his tongue and turned the screen off.

“Don’t change the subject. Who did you drink with?”

“…Just someone. We were talking business.”

“Who?”

“Someone from a company you don’t know.”

“…….”

He didn’t want to say Cha Kwon-oh’s name, so he lied without thinking.

But Seunghyuk’s eyes remained suspicious.

“…The pheromone scent is familiar, though.”

“W-What are you doing?”

Seunghyuk suddenly leaned in close.

Hyunwoo flinched and tried to lean back, but the wall was behind him.

“…Cha Kwon-oh?”

“What?”

“You drank with Cha Kwon-oh, didn’t you?”

“……!”

Is he a bloodhound?
How could he notice pheromones that faint?

Hyunwoo and Cha Kwon-oh had been seated far apart.
There was no reason scent should linger.

Unless it was the alcohol…?

Some Alphas were rumored to mix pheromone scent into expensive liquor.
But even Cha Kwon-oh shouldn’t be that narcissistic.

So it had to be Seunghyuk’s sense of smell.
Dominant Alphas could detect pheromones frighteningly well.

“Why the hell were you drinking with that guy in broad daylight?”

“Don’t call him that. He’s still older than you.”

“Why are you dodging?”

“I’m not dodging—”

Hyunwoo frowned at Seunghyuk’s persistence.

He clicked his tongue and exhaled.

“There really was nothing.
We met for business.
We just ended up having a drink, that’s all.”

It wasn’t a lie, even if the meeting hadn’t been pleasant.

Hyunwoo glared slightly.

“You yelled at me for even talking to him.
So why did you go drinking with him?”

“That’s… not…”

Hyunwoo went silent.

He had gotten angry when Seunghyuk interacted with Cha Kwon-oh.

But the circumstances were different.
Cha Kwon-oh had been trying to recruit Seunghyuk.
Anyone would be on edge.

“…You know he’s a dangerous headhunter.
He’s good at seeing what people want and setting traps.”

In the previous timeline, Cha Kwon-oh had lured Seunghyuk away easily.

Now, things were different—but not impossible.

“So I was just… sensitive back then.
Sorry.”

“…….”

Hyunwoo didn’t want to fight anymore.

His head still throbbed with leftover alcohol.

“…Yeah.
Cha Kwon-oh is a real snake, alright.”

“What?”

Seunghyuk muttered something under his breath, too quietly to hear.

“With pheromone leaking this strongly… I got too easily excited.”

“…What did you just say?”

“Nothing.
You should rest.
You’re tired.”

“…?”

Hyunwoo wanted to ask again, but headache pulsed behind his eyes.

“Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”

“Yeah…”

Hyunwoo let Seunghyuk guide him to his room and onto the bed.

Seunghyuk stood there, watching as Hyunwoo fell asleep.

His expression slowly cooled and darkened.

“Ugh… my head…”

Hyunwoo woke with a splitting headache.

He curled up in pain for a while.

“…My bed?”

He realized he was back in his own room.

His memories were blurry.

Whiskey.
Convenience store.
Hangover drink.
Then—

“…Shit…”

One memory after another returned.

Throwing up.
Medicine.
Seunghyuk taking care of everything.

He remembered arguing, but not the details.

“…Ah, work.”

He jumped and checked his phone.
Messages were stacked endlessly.

“Damn…”

At least he wasn’t late yet.

His secretary’s messages said everything was handled and to rest.
One message mentioned Team Leader Kim from Haesong wanting to meet.

“…Haesong?
But Haesong already got bought by L&S…”

Hyunwoo frowned but got up to get ready.

The house was quiet.
The others must have left early.

As he passed the dining table, something made him stop.

A small stone pot sat there.

“…Porridge?”

He lifted the lid.

Warm, steaming rice porridge filled with sesame aroma greeted him.

His empty stomach growled hard.

Who made this?

Not Hyunjin.
And Seunghyuk…

He remembered faintly how Seunghyuk stayed by him.

But cooking porridge?
Leaving it neatly for him?

Even in the previous life, that had almost never happened.

“…?”

He noticed a small white note placed neatly beside it.

Hyunwoo reached out and picked it up.