Chapter 8: Summoned

“What?”

“I’ll give this back to you if you come by the officetel later.”

“Are you kidding me right now?”

“You were the one who started playing games, Senior. I was inwardly surprised to see an Omega mimic a Beta so well for the first time.”

Euigeon whispered in a low voice that only Chaewoo could hear.

“What on earth are you talking about…”

“I almost got fooled myself.”

“……”

Chaewoo was left speechless, his mouth hanging open.
He couldn’t believe the nonsense he had just heard.

“Don’t forget to come get your sheet music. And bring those printouts you’re supposed to give me.”

Having issued his unilateral notification, Euigeon leisurely walked out of the lecture hall.
By the time Chaewoo regained his senses, he was left standing all alone in the vast room.

Chaewoo slowly curled his hands into fists.
The image of Euigeon’s smirking face lingered like an afterimage.

‘Is he completely insane?’

Finding the officetel again wasn’t difficult.
However, he had to go through countless internal debates before he could finally make his way there.
The fact that Euigeon told him to come to the officetel likely meant they were going to continue the conversation about the Reset Partner contract.
Otherwise, there would be no reason for the two of them to meet there.

But why?
In the car, Euigeon had clearly seemed uninterested in what Chaewoo was saying.
What was the reason for his sudden change of heart?
Was it a simple whim? Or did he have another motive?

Since Chaewoo was the one in a desperate position, he packed his documents as before and went to the officetel.
When he knocked, the middle-aged woman he had seen before opened the door.

“Please, come in.”

Chaewoo took off his shoes and entered the living room of the officetel for the second time.

“I apologize for the last time. Since you were wearing a Yeonseo University jacket, I assumed you were a friend of Mr. Euigeon and made a mistake in guiding you.”

“…Ah. Yes.”

“Please, make yourself comfortable and sit here. Would you like some tea?”

She guided Chaewoo to a table by the living room window.

“Just a glass of water, please.”

“One moment.”

As the woman went into the kitchen, Chaewoo looked around the interior.
The piano, music stands, display cases, and bookshelves filled with sheet music and albums.
The scenery was exactly the same as before.
However, Euigeon was nowhere to be seen.
He was staring down the hallway toward the rooms, wondering if Euigeon was even here today.

Speak of the devil, Euigeon walked out from that direction at that very moment.
In his hand was the sheet music file Chaewoo usually carried for lessons and practice.

Chaewoo jumped up from his seat.
[Give it to me.]
He reached out while mouthing the words, but the woman’s voice interrupted.

“Here you go.”

She had returned from the kitchen with a tray holding a glass of water.
Chaewoo, caught off guard, sat back down and bowed his head slightly.

“Ah… thank you.”

“My name is Park Myeong-seon, and I manage the personal affairs of Master Beom Jae-jun’s family.”

“I’m Seol Chaewoo.”

Chaewoo glared at Euigeon over the woman’s shoulder.
He was leaning against the bookshelf, flipping through Chaewoo’s sheet music without permission.
Since Chaewoo tended to make a lot of small notes, the sheet music was something he felt awkward showing to others.
‘What is wrong with that guy?’

“Is this your first time doing something like this?”

After spending a long time reading through the documents he had brought, Park Myeong-seon asked.
To the question of whether he had ever given birth to another Alpha’s child before, Chaewoo answered stiffly.

“It’s my first time.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, may I inquire why you are applying for this role?”

She quickly added the next part.

“Please don’t misunderstand. If all the documents you brought are true, you seem like a student with good prospects and a decent background… It’s hard to believe you’d step forward to do something like this. It wouldn’t have been an easy decision to make. Even if Mr. Kim, who introduced you, is a trustworthy person…”

“It’s a personal matter. Do I have to disclose every detail of my private life?”

Chaewoo’s retort was sharp.
However, he understood what Park Myeong-seon meant.

To get into a music college, one needs to take weekly entrance exam lessons, rent stage costumes and practice rooms, and spend a significant amount of time and money participating in various competitions.
Because of this, there was a general perception that music students came from wealthy families.
To some extent, it was true.

Chaewoo had also grown up in an affluent environment with his parents’ support.
Normally, he wouldn’t have even considered getting involved in something like this.
Looking at his profile alone, Chaewoo appeared to be a child of a well-to-do family who lacked for nothing.

“No, that’s not necessary. I’ll skip that question then. What is your heat cycle?”

He thought she would be incredibly strict, but the questions moved on surprisingly quickly.
She took detailed notes on a piece of paper every time Chaewoo answered.

However, Chaewoo’s attention was still focused on Euigeon, who stood at a distance like a thug, stealing glances at his sheet music.
He hadn’t known because he’d never spoken to Euigeon properly, but the guy seemed to be a total lunatic.

To think he had to reveal his heat cycle for the first time in front of a crazy guy like that.
His insides were parching.

“Mr. Seol Chaewoo?”

Chaewoo hesitated, unable to answer immediately.
Park Myeong-seon asked as if it were no big deal, but this was certainly an embarrassing topic for an Omega.
In essence, it was no different from announcing, ‘This is when I go into heat.’

Dominant types were slightly different, but for common or recessive Omegas, the changes during a heat cycle were significant.
Furthermore, because the media often portrayed an Omega’s heat cycle in a provocative way, stating one’s cycle felt like exposing a shameful secret.

“Is he going to keep staying here?”

Chaewoo gestured toward Euigeon across from him.
Only then did she turn around to acknowledge Euigeon’s presence.
Feeling the gaze, Euigeon stared back.

“Ah, according to Master Beom’s principles, the Omega under contract and Mr. Euigeon are not supposed to interact… but I made a mistake due to the variable of you being students at the same school. If you are uncomfortable, I will ask him to leave.”

“That would be a relief.”

Chaewoo felt relieved.
However, before the woman could tell him to leave, Euigeon spoke first.

“What’s the problem? We already know each other’s faces. And shouldn’t I be aware of these facts too?”

‘What is he saying?’
Chaewoo’s eyes widened.
He hoped the woman named Park Myeong-seon would give that arrogant jerk a piece of her mind.

“…Mr. Euigeon has a point. Well then, Mr. Seol Chaewoo. Please don’t worry too much and…”

‘No, how can I not worry!’
‘What are you going to do if you’re so easily persuaded by that jerk?’
Chaewoo stared at Park Myeong-seon with an incredulous expression.
Contrary to her appearance, she clearly had very soft ears.

It didn’t seem like Euigeon was going to leave voluntarily now, anyway.

“It’s about every fifty days… but it’s irregular sometimes.”

He wanted to speak as calmly as possible, but heat rushed to his face as if his secrets had been laid bare.

Afterward, the woman asked additional questions regarding smoking, drinking, blood type, health status, and his current living environment.
The interview finally concluded only after he signed a contract containing a non-disclosure clause.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, but his neck and legs felt stiff.

“Thank you for your hard work today, Mr. Seol Chaewoo. There will be one more accompaniment to a hospital checkup with an employee from the Reset Partner agency, and finally, once permission is granted by Master Beom and Teacher Ha, who are currently abroad, a date will be set. We will make a concrete attempt then.”

Park Myeong-seon closed the documents.
Chaewoo chewed over the last thing she said.
If she meant a ‘date for a concrete attempt’…

Unaware of Chaewoo’s predicament, Euigeon nonchalantly waved the sheet music, telling him to come take it.
However, Chaewoo was in no state to pay attention to that because of the shock of his new realization.

In his desperate need for money, he hadn’t thought about it, but in order to conceive a child, a ‘concrete attempt’ was necessary.
That was why Park Myeong-seon had asked about his heat cycle.

Come to think of it, he remembered seeing many debates in articles about Reset Partners regarding whether it was justifiable to have s*x with a Reset Partner, even if it was a contractual relationship.
Why had he forgotten this fact?

Chaewoo was confused.
He thought he had heard that in most cases abroad, they proceeded with artificial insemination without sexual contact.
Had he misinterpreted the English? Or was it a difference between Korea and other countries?

Perhaps the ‘concrete attempt’ Park Myeong-seon mentioned didn’t mean physical contact with Euigeon, but artificial insemination.

“What are you doing, Senior Seol? Aren’t you taking it?”

“…I’m taking it.”

Chaewoo shook off his stray thoughts and snatched his sheet music file from Euigeon.
He had been prepared for it not to be easy, but he felt strangely uneasy.

Fortunately, the next day’s classes were cancelled due to the professor’s personal circumstances.
All he had to do was go to his evening part-time job.

After a grueling few days, Chaewoo planned to have a more relaxed day than usual.
As the first step of that plan, he slept in and woke up late, finding that the daily fatigue had vanished and his body felt much lighter.

Chaewoo opened the kitchen shelf with eyes still half-closed.
Since he had slept so long, he was hungry and needed to eat something.

“……”

However, there was nothing on the shelf.
The canned goods and ramen he usually bought whenever they were on sale had run out today of all days.
The fridge was in the same state.
Except for some rice, there was nothing to eat.

“Where has my mind been?”

Chaewoo muttered like a sigh.
He drank a cup of tap water and put on his outdoor clothes.
He intended to go to a large discount mart about twenty minutes away from his studio apartment.
However, the moment he grabbed his wallet, he realized he was currently penniless.

He had spent his remaining living expenses on the taxi ride to and from the hospital.
His balance shown on the app was a mere 493 won.
It was dismal.

He had to wait two more days to receive his part-time pay.
The only food in the house was about half a cup of rice.
If he cooked it, it would make one bowl of rice, but there were no side dishes to go with it.

Chaewoo gave up on filling his stomach and sat down on the floor.
Then, he called his uncle.

–The subscriber is not answering, moving to voicemail…

Instead of his uncle’s voice, a cold automated message returned.
He had sent several texts, but the only thing he received was a message from thirteen hours ago saying, ‘I’ll call you later.’
Having witnessed those three thug-like men threatening his uncle using debt and organs as leverage, he was even more anxious.

“The money needs to come in soon.”

Chaewoo stared at the screen with gloomy eyes.
When on earth would Euigeon’s family let him know the confirmed date?
Only a day had passed since they talked about the contract, but he was worried that something terrible might happen to his uncle while he waited indefinitely like this.

After some deliberation, Chaewoo decided to contact Euigeon directly to ask.

The more he talked to him, the more he realized what an even bigger jerk the guy was than he’d expected, but now was not the time to be picky about such things.