Born to Be a Secretary

Heewon stood with his hands clasped behind his back and answered.
“Yes, that was definitely the implication.”

Though somewhat embarrassing to say aloud, it was something Youngjae Kwon needed to know. So he reported everything about the money envelope and Mrs. Lim Seoran’s strange behavior without leaving anything out.
“She even said she hoped they would get married.”
“Isn’t she a bit too young to be losing her mind?”

Youngjae tilted his head sideways but then straightened it. Even after hearing the whole story, he maintained a casual attitude as if it were someone else’s problem.
While Youngjae opened the envelope, Heewon pressed the back of his hand against his sweating forehead. He couldn’t abandon the belief that Kwon might come up with a solution.
“Why don’t you speak with her yourself? The sooner misunderstandings are cleared up, the better.”

“Is that really necessary?”
The fifty-thousand won bills peeking from the envelope fluttered like pages of a book. Youngjae toyed with the money as he spoke.
“Sometimes misunderstandings aren’t so bad.”

“Huh?”
“I don’t have to hear annoying complaints, my mother can have some peace for a while, and Secretary Kim gets a bonus. Isn’t that beneficial for everyone?”
He neatly pushed the bills back into the envelope and slid it toward the edge of the desk, silently telling Heewon to take it again.

“…You’re just going to leave it there?”
“Now that we’re going to be seen together, misunderstandings will happen all the time. Are you going to explain yourself every single time?”
“At least with Mrs. Lim.”

“I already made it clear to her that we’re not involved personally. She’s just holding onto false hopes alone. There’s nothing to clarify, so what else is there to say?”
Heewon was left speechless at the pointed logic. Still, a lingering unease remained, and he couldn’t bring himself to leave.
Youngjae, who had been watching, stood up. His tall frame immediately dominated Heewon’s view.

He opened Heewon’s jacket and personally slid the envelope into an inside pocket. The added weight pressed down heavily, and his long fingers lightly brushed the chest of Heewon’s shirt.
Youngjae tapped the jacket with his index finger and said,
“Don’t worry yourself. Just do what you’ve been doing.”
Though lacking warmth, Youngjae’s words strangely reassured. Heewon nodded. Whether it was thanks to Youngjae or the allowance filling his jacket, his heart felt steadier.

A faint smile appeared. Heewon neatly closed the opened jacket and said,
“As Mrs. Lim said, there won’t be any romantic involvement between us, right?”
“…If you’re going to talk nonsense, get out.”

Heewon had tried to joke, but the reply came back like a demon’s scowl. Embarrassed, he smiled awkwardly and averted his gaze.
He knew for sure now: regardless of traits, the chance of affection growing between him and Executive Director Kwon was effectively zero.
That night, a fundraising event was scheduled.

Five minutes before it started, a black sedan stopped at the hotel’s main entrance. The doorman ceremoniously opened the rear door. Youngjae Kwon stepped out with a blank expression.
In a black three-piece suit with his hair slicked back, he looked every bit the tall, commanding alpha male. His wealth was evident even without trying, drawing sharp glances.
At the same time, Heewon, sitting in the passenger seat, also got out. Since it was a notable occasion, he too made an effort. Though not as dressed up as Youngjae, he wore a more expensive suit than usual, his bangs neatly combed back, revealing a smooth forehead.

Heewon stepped forward first to lead the way. They paused briefly upon reaching the banquet hall. From now on, the one to step forward was not him but Executive Director Kwon. As if rehearsed, Youngjae swung open the heavy double doors and entered confidently.
Under dazzling lights sparkling ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) like stars, the fundraising gala began. Fresh floral decorations and glass sculptures were arranged between towers of champagne glasses, and guests conversed in small groups, holding drinks.
Kim Heewon watched Youngjae from a few steps behind. When Youngjae moved, he followed; when Youngjae spoke with someone, Heewon kept his gaze lowered and listened attentively. Acting like a shadow, constantly alert to every move of the one he served—that was the proper demeanor of an executive secretary.

Then someone requested a private talk with Youngjae. Since it was a secret topic, they needed to move to a separate place.
Fortunately, the banquet hall had several terraces with curtains for privacy, perfect for confidential conversations. While Youngjae spoke inside, Heewon stood guard like a loyal dog by the curtains, blocking others from approaching.
Bored of waiting with nothing to do, Heewon looked around the hall. The event was so large that he easily spotted celebrities and other well-known figures.

Having attended countless parties and events, none impressed Heewon much anymore. More than that, the mysterious mixture of pheromones filling the vast space made his nose ache.
Youngjae must have lived through this countless times. It wasn’t easy.
Lately, Heewon had gradually realized something he hadn’t noticed as a Beta: pheromones, once considered a privilege, weren’t always purely beneficial.

He worried about making mistakes. Constantly locking down his pheromones caused his fatigue to pile up many times more than when he was a Beta. Heewon stretched his neck from side to side, briefly releasing some tension in his body.
“Hello.”
At that moment, someone suddenly stood close beside Heewon and acknowledged him. Since no one usually spoke to the secretary himself, Heewon’s eyes immediately widened. He quickly composed his expression and returned the formal greeting.

“Hello.”
The person was a stranger. Perhaps in his mid-twenties, he looked quite young, making Heewon curious.
He quickly searched his mental database but knew nothing about this man. However, since he was wearing a tuxedo, Heewon guessed he was an important figure at the event.

“You’re Secretary Kim Heewon, right? Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Hyunsik, secretary general of the Hanbit Medical Foundation.”
“Sorry I didn’t recognize you. I’m Heewon Kim.”
They exchanged formal introductions and shook hands. Kim Hyunsik was probably the second son of Director Kim Jonghwan of the Hanbit Medical Foundation. Heewon hesitated for a moment. This man was an alpha.

Pheromones were like a kind of scent. No matter how well controlled, traces remained. It was the minimum indicator to tell if someone was an alpha or omega.
“If you’re looking for Executive Director Kwon, he’s in a meeting right now.”
“Busy, huh? I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself.”

Despite the regretful tone, there was not the slightest hint of disappointment on the man’s face. Instead, his smiling expression while looking at Heewon seemed genuinely cheerful.
Because of his job dealing with many people, Heewon was good at instantly reading hidden intentions from expressions and voice. Was the man really smiling happily? Was it a business posture? Or was there some ulterior motive? The man was the last case.
Heewon politely clasped his hands and bowed slightly.

“I will be sure to pass your message to the Executive Director.”
“That would be appreciated. You do your job well, Secretary. You have a good figure and seem very trustworthy.”
“Thank you.”

“I despise people who judge an omega by prejudice. This is the modern age. Ability comes before traits.”
The man chuckled and looked down at Heewon. He was pressing the omega secretary down with his alpha pheromones. Not out of malice, just out of curiosity. He was betting with acquaintances whether Heewon could keep his composure here. Of course, he himself bet on failure.
“......”

But Kim Heewon just stared steadily at Kim Hyunsik, maintaining a calm expression. Remaining so composed was no ordinary feat.
“Secretary, are you feeling unwell?”
“Huh?”

“Your pheromones are very unstable. You look like you need a rest. Please take a short break.”
Surprisingly, the man showed concern for him. But then his face flushed red from the gathering gazes.
“What the hell are you saying, jeez…”

The secretary general muttered irritably to himself. Young for his age, he had trouble controlling his emotions. He half-heartedly wiped his flushed face and left without further greetings.
Heewon straightened his posture. He responded to onlookers with a calm smile, acting as if nothing had happened. He appeared completely unaffected by the recent incident.
But his hands clasped behind his back were tightly clenched fists. The violent alpha pheromones made the lunch he had eaten feel like it was rising back up his throat. Swallowing the surging possessiveness and chills, he forced himself to keep up a calm facade.

Heewon closed his eyes tightly and laughed inwardly.
Living as a trait bearer is really a damn pain.