The Best, or the Worst - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

No matter how pretty his face might be, he was still a man. He could never compare to a woman.

A dominant Alpha should naturally be attracted to women… Besides, I’m not even incredibly beautiful like Taeseo or Mina…

Unless the man was unusually rude, he probably wouldn’t reject him outright. Still, Hyou had a strong feeling this meeting would end after a polite meal and nothing more.

We’ll just end up wasting each other’s time…

Closing his messenger app, he went back to the article he had been reading on the subway. It was about Lee Seohee—his team’s stellar performance, his personal record-breaking statistics, and how this season might finally be their chance to take the championship.

After finishing the article, Hyou quietly studied the man in the photo.

Lee Seohee, a member of the L Group family—known for their reclusive lifestyle—was famous for his aversion to media appearances. He rarely accepted interviews, and when he did, it was only through written correspondence with one or two select journalists.

As a result, almost nothing was known about his private life.
There had never been a single dating rumor or scandal attached to his name. The only stories that occasionally surfaced online were secondhand accounts of kindness from people who had met him by chance.

A chaebol heir, one of the top players in the Premier League, handsome, tall, and kind-hearted to boot. It’s so perfect it sounds unreal…

Indeed, Lee Seohee had lived a dazzling life from the moment he was born.

The son of a chaebol heir and an ordinary woman—a love story straight out of a film, overcoming family opposition to marry against all odds. His parents were practically living legends.

And while his mother wasn’t a chaebol heiress, she was remarkable in her own right—Kang Hyunju, a Korean-British human rights lawyer once listed among the Top 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Even more extraordinary was his birth itself. Female Alphas usually found it nearly impossible to conceive naturally without artificial assistance, yet she had become pregnant with Seohee within a year of marriage—without any medical intervention.
At the time, a natural conception between two Alphas was considered virtually impossible. The news of his birth had even made international headlines.

Seohee’s intelligence matched his genetic prowess. Although he gave up university to pursue a professional athletic career, he had scored high enough to be accepted into one of the UK’s most prestigious universities without relying on athletic admission.

Had he chosen academia instead of football, he would likely already be serving as an executive within his father’s conglomerate.

Regardless of his privileged background, he had carved out his fame and success entirely on his own.

And as for wealth?
At just eighteen, he had entered professional football, and by now, he was ranked third in salary across the entire Premier League.

The fortune he had earned as an athlete was already staggering—but even more significant were the shares he had inherited from his late grandfather, the founder of L Group. Those alone made him one of Korea’s Top 5 richest individuals under forty every year.

If he inherits L Group someday… his wealth will be beyond imagination.

The realization made Hyou’s head spin.

Wait a second… what kind of delusional confidence made me think I belonged here?

It suddenly hit him—how absurd this entire situation was.

What on earth had possessed him to meet such an extraordinary man?
And in a private, enclosed space, just the two of them?

Regret crashed over him like a wave.

Should I… just leave? Go home?

Taeseo might never speak to him again—but the pressure was suffocating. He could hardly breathe.

He fidgeted, picking up and setting down his phone over and over when—

Knock, knock.

What? It’s only 12:40… He’s here already?

At the sound of the door handle turning, Hyou instinctively stood up.

“Excuse me, sir. Your guest has arrived.”

As the door opened, the manager stepped aside to reveal a tall man standing behind him.
With a bright, easy smile, he approached.

“Apologies. Did you wait long?”

His voice was a rich, warm baritone—the kind that wrapped around a listener like sunlight.

Though he wasn’t late, he still apologized for making him wait, and Hyou quickly shook his head.

“N-no, not at all. It’s still early. I just… got here too soon.”

Seeing him in person, the first impression that hit Hyou was—tall.

He’d read that Seohee stood at 197 centimeters, but knowing and seeing were two different things. He wasn’t just tall—he was broad-shouldered, perfectly built, every inch an athlete.

And contrary to expectations, his appearance was completely different from the morning airport photos.
Now, he wore a perfectly tailored suit with a vest and tie, his outfit formal down to the smallest detail.

His physique—strong yet elegantly balanced—made even simple clothing look sophisticated, but dressed like this, he seemed as if he’d stepped out of a luxury fashion ad.

But the tailored suit, the commanding stature, the rich voice—all of it paled compared to the sheer beauty of his face.

H-how… how can someone be this good-looking?

Even the sharpest camera lens couldn’t capture the full effect of him in person.

He was beyond photogenic—every feature flawless. Eyes, nose, mouth—all carved to perfection. Even “sculpted beauty” seemed insufficient to describe him.

No—such beauty was beyond human artistry. Not even a team of master sculptors could replicate it.

He was breathtaking.
Unreal.
Devastatingly beautiful.

Hyou found himself frozen, utterly entranced.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Lee Seohee.”

It took several seconds for the words to register. When Seohee extended his hand, Hyou blinked, dazed.

“A-ah… I-I’m sorry. I just spaced out for a moment. I’m Ji Hyou.”

Flustered, he introduced himself, eyes flicking nervously to the outstretched hand.

He had always thought handshakes were for business meetings, not blind dates. But maybe it was different abroad? Or maybe this was just how people greeted each other in England?

He’s lived in the U.K. since he was eleven… maybe it’s just normal for him.

Either way, he needed to shake his hand. It was only polite.

He had already embarrassed himself by staring—doing nothing now would only make it worse.

Just… take his hand, Hyou.

But he couldn’t.

The thought of physical contact froze him completely.

For years, he’d avoided crowded places, afraid of even brushing shoulders with Alphas. In lecture halls, he always chose the most isolated corner seat, where no one ever sat beside him.

Even as recently as last year, if Taeseo sat too close, he’d flinch.
That was how deeply his fear ran.

And now, he was supposed to shake hands with an Alpha?

Just imagining the touch made his skin crawl, as if insects were crawling up his arms.

The memories he’d tried so hard to bury began creeping back—slowly, like smoke seeping through a crack.

What if that touch brought the sensations of that day rushing back?

His heart stuttered. Cold sweat trickled down his neck. His shoulders trembled.

He had been doing so well. He had cut down on his medication, convinced he was improving.
So why—why now, of all days?

What are you doing? Everyone’s waiting on you…

He scolded himself harshly. Not just Seohee, but even the restaurant staff must be wondering what was wrong with him.

It was only a handshake.
Just one brief moment of touch.
He could let go immediately after.

You’ll be fine. Nothing’s going to happen. Just… do it.

But even knowing that, his body wouldn’t move. He stood frozen, lungs tight, unable to breathe.

The panic clawed at his chest. He could feel himself slipping—
Someone, please… help me.

Just as his vision started to blur, a voice broke through the fog.

“Mr. Hyou.”

It was Seohee’s voice—warm, gentle, and grounding.

And as if by magic, the fear vanished. The crushing pressure lifted from his chest, the trembling stopped.

Hyou blinked, slowly raising his gaze. Seohee smiled softly and, without hesitation, withdrew the hand he had offered.

“Why don’t we sit first?”

He could have been offended, or awkward, but instead, he only smiled—his tone calm and kind as he motioned toward the seat.

What… just happened?

Sitting down, Hyou found himself in a state of confusion.

Normally, once panic took hold, he couldn’t feel anything else—only fear.
In another situation like this, fainting wouldn’t have been surprising.

But now… he felt strangely at peace.

The sudden calm baffled him—and yet, beneath that quiet, shame stirred.

All this… over a simple handshake. How pathetic…