CHAPTER 97: BEING IN LOVE REALLY DOES MAKE YOU A FOOL

"What makes you think I’m not attracted to beauty?"

Lee Nari’s voice sounded from his right side. She was close, really close to him. Cheon Areum tried to open his eyes, but he couldn’t; there was something covering them tightly enough to restrict his eyelids’ movements. A blindfold. His hands were also tied behind his back. Cheon Areum moved his fingers only, to feel the surface. Velvet. He was currently sitting on a velvet couch with his hands tied behind his back and a blindfold on his eyes.

"I still had 5 minutes, why did you wake him up?"

The voice he heard before losing consciousness spoke this time. He still didn’t recognize the voice, but he did recognize the skill.

"Blank Recall, a high-level hypnotic ability that implants a powerful mental command into the subconscious of the target. Once activated, it causes the target’s conscious mind to shut down temporarily, plunging them into a blackout state for 30 minutes. During this time, their body becomes limp or collapses, and their memory of the trigger moment and blackout is completely erased upon waking."

"The moment our eyes met when you used the trigger word ’Think,’ I blacked out, and I won’t even remember seeing your face. Isn’t that right, Lee Dohyun?"

Cheon Areum explained calmly to them, but he didn’t wait for a response. To activate the skill, Lee Dohyun needed to be there in person, use the trigger word, and make eye contact with the target. To deactivate, however, anyone could use the trigger word, or just wait for the 30 minutes to be over.

"Take off the blindfold and untie me while I’m being nice."

The only person with the skill Blank Recall in the book was Lee Dohyun. Lee Nari’s older brother and Yoon Seoyul’s team member.

"I also know what kind of skills you have, Cheon Areum. We wouldn’t just be risking our lives without a plan to stop you from using your abilities. Would we now?"

Lee Dohyun said, his voice coming from the front of Cheon Areum. The skill was impressive to even subdue an S+ Class despite being an S-Class skill, but...

"Blank Recall can only be used once a day, and your other skills are useless against me."

Just as he finished speaking, the blindfold fell from his face onto his lap. Cheon Areum blinked, adjusting to the brightness of the room. The daylight coming from the busted-open window provided more than enough light into the room for him to see his surroundings and Lee Dohyun, who rolled his eyes at them in disbelief, sitting opposite of him on another one-seater couch.

"What are you doing? First you woke him up early, and now you even took the blindfold off."

"We will have to do it later anyways. It’s best to get this done as soon as possible before Yoon Seoyul finds out."

"Ugh..."

Lee Dohyun groaned and ruffled his short pink hair at Lee Nari’s reply before pointing a finger at him.

"You listen carefully, if you want to see your little brother ever again, don’t even think of using your abilities or trying anything remotely funny."

"And where is he right now?"

Cheon Areum slouched back in the couch, staring coldly at Lee Dohyun as he asked.

"Way too far from here, if we don’t send a message to our men every ten minutes, they’ll follow the given orders and end his life before you can take us down and get there."

"I haven’t even tried to use my abilities, so don’t touch him. I wouldn’t hold back if a single hair on his body is harmed."

"That all depends on you. If you behave and do as we say, then of course we wouldn’t harm him."

Lee Dohyun typed into his phone as he spoke before placing it on the table between them. Talking with Lee Dohyun wouldn’t get him anywhere. Cheon Areum turned to his right where Lee Nari was sitting on the couch with him, watching him. Their eyes met, and a light smile appeared on Lee Nari’s face.

"Don’t be too stressed, Rian is safe for now."

She said, reassuring him as Cheon Areum sighed.

"Lee Nari, do you like me?"

"I do."

Lee Nari smiled deeply, her eyes curving sweetly with the curve of her lips, fully turning towards him. Cheon Areum narrowed his eyes, looking at her, trying to process the situation.

"What about Yoon Seoyul then?"

"What about him? He can find another omega to hoard?"

She shrugged, eyeing him with hearts in her eyes that Cheon Areum could only make out now when his chin was grabbed, the hand moving his face upwards towards Lee Dohyun, who scanned his face closely before speaking.

"He does have a pretty face, but have you checked his pheromones? What if they are unbearable? I heard some omegas like him usually have dark, unpleasant scents that completely throw off even Alphas."

Cheon Areum glared at him fiercely when the hand on his chin was removed by Lee Nari.

"Don’t touch him. I don’t care about the scent, his pheromones won’t help me either way."

Lee Dohyun frowned at Lee Nari, but he still couldn’t refute his younger sister. If she asked for something, he would do anything to get it, much like how Cheon Areum would do anything for Rian. Instead, he directed his question at Cheon Areum.

"Do you know what your pheromones smell like?"

"I don’t."

Cheon Areum replied almost instantaneously.

"Release your pheromones then. I’ll check the scent myself."

"I can’t. Yoon Seoyul already marked me last night. You see."

Cheon Areum spoke, tilting his head, trying to show off the mark. That’s when Lee Nari hurriedly yanked him towards her, lowering his head onto her lap as she brushed the hair from his nape, pausing upon seeing the prominent mark.

"Dohyun, he really does have a mark!"

Lee Nari cried out. Cheon Areum felt fingers touch his nape and press on the tender mark, making him flinch for a second.

"It’s not a permanent mark. It will go away in a month."