Kiss Me if You Can Novel Completed - Chapter 79

No one spoke as they returned to Chase’s mansion instead of the film set, following Chase’s command. Chase, too, remained silent, his face grim. But whenever Josh, who was driving, occasionally glanced at the rearview mirror, their eyes met without fail, and no one could deny that Chase had been glaring at Josh the entire time.

Nothing changed even after they arrived at the mansion and Chase went up to his room. Mark, with a serious expression, commanded everyone:

“Everyone, gather in the drawing-room.”

Of course, what he was about to say was obvious. Josh followed behind him, feeling like a prisoner on the verge of sentencing.

The atmosphere in the drawing-room, where all the team members were gathered, was unusually heavy after a long time. When was the last time such a thick silence hung in the air? Josh tried to recall. Even when Chase was kidnapped, the silence hadn’t been this oppressive. Perhaps the reason was that it concerned him.

“Haa.”

Mark was the first to sigh. But the atmosphere remained unchanged. He fell silent, and the other team members also said nothing. In the end, it was Josh who couldn’t bear it.

“I… ahem, I’m sorry for hiding it.”

His voice came out hoarse midway, and he quickly had to clear his throat. He apologized with difficulty, but the silence persisted. Isaac, still seemingly in shock, just blinked blankly, his face pale. Mark simply smoked one cigarette after another, and Henry was not much different.

Only Seth, who had known from early on, maintained a calm demeanor, but even he found it difficult to speak given the atmosphere.

“Ahem, hmm.”

Finally, Mark cleared his throat as if he was about to say something. Everyone except Isaac looked at him. Mark scratched his head, then sighed repeatedly, exhaled smoke, bowed his head, lifted it, and sighed again, repeating this series of actions three times before finally opening his mouth.

“I was really surprised, Josh. We’ve known each other for years, and you hid it so perfectly…”

This was the number one line Josh had expected to hear if such a situation ever arose. Josh was flustered but, at the same time, calmly apologized again, “I’m sorry.”

“As you know, I couldn’t reveal it. If I had, I wouldn’t have been able to get this job.”

“That’s true.”

Mark agreed, bringing the cigarette to his lips. If he had known Josh was an Omega, he wouldn’t have hired him in the first place. Due to the nature of the job, Omegas being at a disadvantage might be a prejudice in some ways, but there was no need to deliberately invite risk.

However, the moment Josh’s Omega status was revealed, Mark couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable, as if he had exposed his own prejudices. Josh, knowing his dilemma, remained silently. After all, Josh was equally not in a position to be proud, having deceived him.

It was Seth who broke the heavy silence.

“Anyway, what’s done is done. What are you going to do now?”

At the abrupt change to the main topic, everyone now looked at him. Isaac, too, seemed to have regained his senses, gazing at Seth with a clearer gaze. Seth spoke in his usual businesslike manner.

“Isn’t it just a matter of deciding whether Josh continues to work as part of the team or not? Josh probably prepared himself to accept the outcome of a day like this ever came, even when he first joined the team.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Josh nodded and looked back at Mark.

“I know I lied and deceived Mark, so I will accept any decision.”

“That’s the problem, kid, it’s not as easy as it sounds.”

Mark, who had flared up in anger, soon let out a deep sigh.

“Anyway, we can’t come to a conclusion right now, so give me some time. …No, seriously, how can you be an Omega, not even an Alpha?”

He muttered, as if lamenting, then shook his head and stood up.

“I’ll go to the monitor room, so you guys patrol the area appropriately. Seth, you arrange the shifts and let me know by tomorrow.”

After assigning the task to Seth, who was the calmest in the current situation, Mark left.

Silence returned to the drawing-room. Seth then stood up and opened the refrigerator, rummaging inside. He grabbed a few random cans, placed them on the table, and took one for himself. Josh also picked up a soda, when Henry suddenly spoke.

“Seth, why are you so calm? You didn’t know, did you?”

With a look full of suspicion, Seth answered nonchalantly.

“Yeah, for a few years now.”

“That long?”

“What?”

Isaac exclaimed after Henry. Josh, embarrassed, bowed his head, pretending to open his can. Henry gaped as if dumbfounded, then turned his gaze to Josh.

“Then what about Pete? You didn’t give birth to him, did you?”

Josh couldn’t answer. But that alone was enough of an answer.

“My goodness… I did think he resembled you too much.”

Josh inadvertently said, in response to Henry’s mumbling to himself,

“You only know my face, so that’s why you’d think that.”

At the same time, everyone’s gaze focused on him. Ah, Josh realized belatedly, but he added, pretending to be unconcerned,

“It’s natural to see a familiar face more clearly.”

“No? Pete looks exactly like you.”

Henry immediately objected. Josh frowned and looked at him.

“What are you talking about? How much could he resemble me?”

“He does.”

Isaac chimed in from the side.

“You probably looked exactly like that when you were little. He looks very much like your current face too.”

Josh, dumbfounded, turned to Seth, who concluded expressionlessly.

“I thought you reproduced asexually. So you did have a partner.”

Josh was dumbfounded and just blinked. He was relieved that they couldn’t imagine Pete resembling Chase, but he was also speechless.

“So, my thought that Pete resembled that side more than me was just my own delusion?”

Josh intended to be sarcastic, but his intention didn’t get through. Everyone nodded almost simultaneously, “Yes.” Josh was once again speechless. He sighed and turned his head, only to meet Isaac’s eyes. He was the most awkward person to face at this moment.

Now that he knows I’m an Omega, will he come on even stronger?

A worrying thought briefly crossed his mind, but it was a misconception. Isaac looked at Josh with a thoroughly dejected face, then lowered his head. Josh wasn’t the only one surprised by his almost resigned reaction.

“What’s wrong with you? I thought you’d go crazy and jump him.”

Henry jeered, picking a fight. Josh felt like stopping him, but it was also awkward to interfere. From his perspective, such behavior was natural, but as the person involved, it couldn’t help but be uncomfortable. Isaac, instead of ignoring him, spoke in a disheartened voice.

“What can I do when there’s a mark?”

“What?”

“What?”

Henry, and even Seth, asked in surprise. Isaac weakly ran his hand through his hair and said,

“It’s like they’re married. I shouldn’t interfere then, it’d be an affair.”

“…”

“I understand why Josh refused.”

He sighed again, then stumbled and stood up.

“I’m sorry, Josh. If I had known earlier, I would have given up sooner… I’m really sorry for making you uncomfortable.”

After apologizing repeatedly, he left the drawing-room. The remaining three watched Isaac’s lonely retreating figure, unable to speak.

“…Isn’t that guy a total loser?”

Finally, after Isaac was completely out of sight, Henry suddenly spoke. As if utterly dumbfounded, he looked back and forth between Josh and Seth, sneering.

“You can just overwrite a mark. What’s with marriage and affairs for an Omega…? Then what about Omegas who live with two or three Alphas and have marks dangling all over them? That frustrating guy, ugh.”

Seeing Henry sighing and exhaling deeply, Seth said,

“Then you go tell him to get a new mark.”

Before Josh could refuse, Henry blurted out instantly.

“Are you crazy? Why would I teach him that?”

Ah, Josh and Seth simultaneously recalled.

Henry liked Isaac.

“Anyway, I clearly understand that you have no interest in Isaac in that way.”

Henry, turning his attention to Josh, grinned. It was the most satisfied smile he had seen so far. He even patted Josh’s shoulder and continued,

“I’ll pray that you and your mini-me live happily ever after.”

“…Thanks.”

It was when Josh reluctantly offered his thanks. Suddenly, the phone on the wall rang. Seth, who had picked up the phone, looked at Josh and said,

“It’s C. He wants you to come to his room.”

Josh felt as if his heart had plummeted. Perhaps it showed on his face, as Seth added with a sympathetic expression,

“He also said to bring all your suppressants.”

“What for?”

Henry asked, frowning. Seth said, “I don’t know,” and hung up the receiver.

“Maybe he wants to confirm if Josh is really an Omega.”

Josh couldn’t say anything.

His steps were incredibly heavy as he headed to Chase’s room, carrying the extra medication hidden deep in his bag. No words would get through to Chase.

Should I tell him everything now?

Josh seriously considered it. But in a corner of his mind, a voice was resounding, telling him absolutely not to.

I haven’t been able to be with anyone until now because of trauma, so what if I tell him we slept together while he was unconscious?

Josh’s face involuntarily contorted. And that wasn’t the end of it. How would he explain that a child resulted from it?

It felt like Chase’s mind wouldn’t be able to handle it. He would have to tell him someday, but not now. Josh concluded that it would be better to wait until he was ready, then raised his head.

Chase’s door was just a few steps away. After taking a deep breath, he moved his feet again. Even walking on the soft carpet, his steps felt heavy. When he finally stood before the door, he desperately resisted the urge to run away and knocked.

Knock, knock.

The knocking sound echoed eerily loud. As always, there was no answer. After a moment, Josh opened the door. The well-crafted wooden door swung back with a grating sound. In this situation, Josh had the strange thought that the hinges needed oiling.

Finally, when he stepped inside the room, he could no longer ignore reality. In the empty room, Chase was waiting for Josh, his face frozen cold.