BTBS Ch 7

#007

Ruts—simply put, an alpha’s heat cycle—typically occurred every six months. Of course, there were individual differences, but in Kwon Young-jae’s case, as a dominant alpha, the cycle was fairly regular.

Even a beta who couldn’t sense pheromones could still recognize the signs of a rut. The pressure radiating off Kwon Young-jae was so intense it made Heewon’s skin prickle.

“Just a moment, I’ll go get the meds.”

It was fine. This wasn’t the first time. He’d witnessed Kwon Young-jae’s ruts enough to know exactly what to do in times like this. He quickly ran over to the storage cabinet and began searching for suppressants.

Within minutes, Heewon had gathered the necessary medication and returned. He laid them out on the desk—everything from disposable injection kits to disinfectants, to a brown ampoule bottle filled with a high-concentration pheromone suppressant. His hands moved swiftly and with precision.

The first priority was to check the current pheromone levels. He steadied his breath and activated the device, which beeped softly and displayed a number.

187ph. Both of them frowned slightly at the reading.

The rut symptoms had only just begun, and yet the number was already that high. It wasn’t a good sign. When Heewon quietly called, ‘Director,’ Kwon Young-jae silently offered up his left arm.

He rolled the shirt sleeve up above the elbow and wrapped a pad around the firm wrist. After clenching and relaxing his fist a few times, blue veins stood out like branches across his forearm. Heewon,put on latex gloves and carefully placed the injection.

Kwon Young-jae winced slightly at the sensation of the medicine being injected. But when it came to suppressing a rut, IV injections were necessary, and he couldn’t do that himself. Heewon always did it for him. After doing this so many times, his technique was now as skilled as a medical professional’s.

“Your levels are way too high.”

“I know.”

“I don’t think… this is something meds alone can handle.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

A reply laced with irritation came back. Seriously, his personality… Even when someone was worried about him, he lashed out.

While tidying up the cluttered desk, Heewon mentally ran through the upcoming schedule. First of all, he’d need to contact Kwon Young-jae’s primary physician and arrange for a check-up.

Then he studied the man’s complexion. Naturally, an injection didn’t bring instant relief. Kwon Young-jae’s cheeks were still flushed, and his breathing remained shallow. Unhappy with how his body wasn’t cooperating, the crease between his brows only deepened.

“Will you be able to attend tomorrow’s breakfast meeting?”

“I’ll be fine. More importantly…”

Kwon Young-jae pressed his temples firmly.

“Stay the night.”

“Yes, Director. Call me if anything happens.”

He was planning to stay the night anyway. Knowing Kwon Young-jae, he’d never ask for help from someone else, and it was more reasonable to just sleep in the guest room than go home only to be summoned back at dawn.

“I’ll check your temperature.”

As he slipped the thermometer into the man’s ear, he casually brushed the back of his neck. Still, a warm feeling of heat came to his fingertips.

With a long exhale, Kwon Young-jae leaned his head back. He really didn’t seem to be feeling well. It was a rare sight to see him this docile, letting someone take care of him. Heewon found himself smiling faintly.

“……”

Even without a sound, a sharp glare shot his way.

The smile that had tugged at his lips vanished instantly. As if nothing had happened, Heewon began cleaning up again with practiced indifference.

***

The breakfast meeting was held in a five-star hotel’s conference hall. Though it was a networking event on the surface, the scale was impressive. Every person gathered there exuded a formidable presence.

The attendees ranged in age from their 60s to early 30s, and each one was a heavyweight in their respective field, driving Korea’s economic market forward. Their very presence lent gravity to the room.

“Good morning.”

“Hello, and good morning.”

Heewon greeted people as he passed, then found an empty seat and settled in.

About 200 meters behind the table where breakfast was being served, rows of chairs were set up. It was a sort of waiting area—a space for secretaries and aides.

Everyone brought at least one secretary, so naturally, the number of secretaries present was proportional to the number of attendees. Of course, no meals were provided for them. Like spectators, they simply observed from a distance, waiting for the event to end.

The moment he sat down, Heewon looked around to find Executive Director Kwon. Fortunately, from where he was seated, he had a clear view of Kwon Young-jae. Thanks to the injection from the previous night, his condition looked no different than usual.

Relieved, Heewon let his body relax. He leaned back against the stiff chair when the secretary next to him scooted closer and struck up a conversation.

“Secretary Kim, you look really tired today.”

“Yeah, I didn’t sleep much last night.”

Dark shadows clung to Heewon’s eyes. He’d spent the night at Kwon Young-jae’s house, and it had left him utterly drained.

“Here, get a caffeine boost.”

Just as the seats were filling up, the last secretary to arrive handed out iced coffees to everyone. A flawless move—everyone’s face lit up at the thoughtful gesture. They discreetly sipped the caffeine.

Events like this often became networking spaces for the aides themselves. Sharing similar hardships, they naturally warmed up to each other. Even the members of Heewon’s group chat had all gathered for the first time in a while.

Of course, not everyone was friendly. There was always a bit of subtle tension.

“Who drinks coffee in a place like this? So ill-mannered. Tsk!”

A much older aide clicked his tongue disapprovingly at the younger crowd’s behavior.

“Well, it is early in the morning. Please excuse us just this once—everyone is tired. Would you like a cup too, sir? This place serves a decent brew.”

“Hmph, no thank you!”

Despite the grumpy attitude, the secretaries barely reacted. At their level, it took a lot to ruffle their feathers. Whether it was this or that, they responded with a calm, ‘Mhm.’ Like Tibetan foxes, unfazed and unbothered.

“Hey! Secretary Kim!”

At that moment, someone seated at the breakfast table called out loudly. About ten people sitting in the back flinched like Pavlov’s dogs.

Whose Secretary Kim?

The one who rushed out in a fluster was the very same secretary who had been nagging earlier.

What use are age and experience? When it came to getting scolded by the chairman, everyone looked the same. The secretaries quietly sighed at the tragic sight.

“I don’t know if it’s just me… but don’t you kind of start resembling the person you serve, the longer you work in this job? Like their personality or way of speaking?”

“That’s why I’ve started going to early morning prayers. Feels like I’m constantly bottling up frustration inside.”

“Training your mental strength is important. There’s probably no job that demands more psychological endurance than ours.”

A venting session began—something they couldn’t speak about anywhere else. While keeping an eye on their bosses with hawk-like focus, they quietly shared their grievances with each other.

“What do you think the table seating is based on? Age? Or maybe the business hierarchy?”

“Probably a mix of everything—titles, influence, personal connections… all taken into account.”

“Wow, Executive Director Kwon Young-jae is already at that table. Still the same as ever. Maybe it’s the alpha thing? He kind of glows, even from a distance.”

“…Really? I don’t see it. He’s not the only alpha here.”

“I’m telling you, it’s different. Secretary Kim, you just see him every day, so you’ve gotten used to him.”

It was true that among the gathered business figures, Executive Director Kwon stood out the most.

The many glances drawn to him proved it. His striking features and innate elegance were a perfect calling card in themselves. The dark navy suit he wore today further emphasized his refined charm.

He looked like someone difficult to approach, but the smile he occasionally showed was enough to disarm anyone. He was the kind of man who could easily be the center of attention no matter the occasion.

Heewon took a sip of coffee. They say blood is thicker than water, right?

To be honest, even to his eyes, Kwon Young-jae looked the most dashing of them all.

***

It was a commute like any other. The moment the office doors opened, secretaries were lined up, waiting in a row.

As Kim Heewon held the door open, Executive Director Kwon took long strides toward his office. He acknowledged the morning greetings with his usual curt nod. Heewon followed quickly behind him.

“…Ah.”

Heewon’s steps paused for a moment. There was an unfamiliar face—he remembered today was the first day for the newly hired staff member. Seeing the stiffly nervous man, Heewon’s gaze softened gently.

“Nice to meet you. Let’s talk properly later.”

He spoke in a quiet, almost entrancing tone before following Executive Director Kwon into the office. The door shut firmly, and beyond the glass wall, the two figures could be seen moving busily like dolls.

Haaah… The new secretary finally released the breath he’d been holding, trembling as if on the verge of collapse. The other secretaries around him patted his shoulders.

“I’m going to faint, I swear.”

“See? Told you. The Executive Director doesn’t even spare a glance. I said not to stress, didn’t I?”

“Jungwoo, how about a cup of tea? I’ll show you how to use the pantry. Come with me.”

The secretaries also began their busy morning. Now that they had one more person added to the family, everyone seemed oddly cheerful.