When June came around, Chanyeol was feeling much better.  He had recuperated at home for a little over two weeks, getting a little too adjusted in their cozy little nest and being pampered by Kyungsoo that when it was time to return to work, he had a difficult time leaving.
 

Kyungsoo leaned in for a kiss when they reached their garage that morning.  Chanyeol sealed his mouth with his just a little too hard that Kyungsoo had to laugh. 
 

“Araseo, nampyeon, we’re going to be late,” the smaller one playfully scolded, caressing his strong biceps. 
 

Chanyeol sighed and pulled back, the side of his beautiful omega’s squishy right cheek fondly.  “Meet me for dinner?”
 

Kyungsoo grinned.  “Like a date?”
 

Chanyeol shrugged.  “Why not?”
 

His heart-shaped smile reduced to a serious one, but with a tinge of understanding.  He knew his alpha, and his tendency to be a workaholic, so he wouldn’t expect much.  “Well, just call me.  If not, then I can whip up something at home, okay?”
 

“Araseo,” Chanyeol replied, giving Kyungsoo one last kiss before they parted for their own cars to get to work.   
 

And once he was back in his office, being greeted by Sehun and Jongin, who updated him on the Gwanak District acquisition case, the progress of the art school and their several projects simultaneously in motion, he hadn’t realized where the time had gone for the day.
 

Kyungsoo had spent the next several nights for the rest of the month eating dinner without him, sometimes not even breakfast.  But whenever he woke up with the taller one’s arms wrapped around him while sleeping, he couldn’t find it in his heart to resent Chanyeol.  He took the opportunity to have dinner instead at his parents’ house, whenever he could, so he could visit them and see how his father was recovering, and Yifan was doing so gracefully. 
 

He often consulted with his father about how to handle KRIS Enterprises, especially when it came to the company’s biggest and most impactful decisions.  Though Yifan didn’t say it in so many words, the pride Kyungsoo saw shining in his father’s eyes was all the validation he ever needed. 
 

Chanyeol sighed as he was chauffeured to the grand lobby of The Venetian Macau to compete for the Deep Pockets.  His omega had wanted to come along, to offer him support, but the tournament would only be for one night.  He would be back in Seoul tomorrow, as he had promised Kyungsoo, so his omega agreed to let him go on his own.   
 

Though he was playing as a stand-in for Yifan, since there was a stipulation that a family member could take the place of the winner should he become unavailable or indisposed, Chanyeol couldn’t help but admit to himself that he missed this—playing poker among his peers, being in the midst of this high-intensity, adrenalin-pumping high-stakes environment. 
 

It was one of the few highs he had in his life, something he was perfectly good at.  And now was another opportunity to prove himself, without the entanglements of emotional ties.  The last two tournaments he had participated in involved Kyungsoo and his father and his focus had been derailed.  This time, he was by himself, in his element, with no cause of distraction whatsoever.     
 

He had checked in and went straight to his hotel room.  The concierge had asked if he wanted to have lunch delivered, but he declined, not really feeling hungry.  He knew he should get some rest, maybe catch up on sleep, but his stubborn mind was still working, insisting that he should at least check his emails.
 

He switched on his laptop and logged into his work email.  He browsed through a thousand or more, his eyes systemically scanning them by matter of importance, until one caught his attention. 
 

It was from one of the head editors in the leading newspaper of Seoul.  The latest headline was the evacuation for the area that included his childhood home would commence within two weeks.
 

As directed by KRIS Enterprises. 
 

Chanyeol clenched his fists in rage.  There was no way his omega would have signed off such a directive. 
 

And besides, Kyungsoo would tell him if there was nothing he could do about it.
 

Or would he?
 

He called Sehun, but only had gotten his voice mail. 
 

So he called Kyungsoo then, who seemed to be rushing somewhere.
 

“Nampyeon!” Kyungsoo greeted over the phone, brightening.  “Have you arrived in Macau?”
 

Chanyeol tried to calm himself down, pressing his lips together.  “Yes.”
 

“I’d love to talk to you but I have a meeting with the board members.”
 

“About the progress of Gwanak District?”
 

Kyungsoo froze, stunned by his alpha’s icy tone.  “Ah, that’s correct.  How did you—?”
 

“Should I ask my family to evacuate now?  Or are you going to wait till the bulldozers are right in front of their house?”
 

“Wait, nampyeon, what are you talking about?  I don’t—”
 

“Go to your meeting,” Chanyeol interrupted harshly.  “Sajang-nim shouldn’t be late.”
 

And with that, he hung up. 
 

He grabbed his jacket and headed for the bar of the hotel, as his cellphone kept ringing.  He glanced at the screen.  Kyungsoo was still calling him.
 

He opted not to answer and turned off this phone in the process. 
 

Mercifully, the bar was open even in this early hour and Chanyeol requested for dry scotch.
 

Maybe Chanyeol should have accepted when Kyungsoo first offered the position of president of his family’s company.  That was what he had been working towards all these years, wasn’t it?  He wanted absolute dominion over everything Yifan had taken away from him. 
 

Had he been so blinded by his love for Kyungsoo that he was prepared to let all of that go?  Had he so much faith in his omega, that even if he knew in his heart that Kyungsoo would not be able to handle the cut-throat business his father had fostered, and still manage his art