#118
While claiming to be just a friend, he released pheromones and marked the uninformed beta like an animal every day. Whatever the cause, once he became an omega, Jaeha took his place by his side as if he were innocent… as if he had been waiting for it.
He should have confessed about what happened on the day of Eunhong’s manifestation long ago. By hiding it, Eunhong’s wounds had deepened too much, making it difficult to bring up.
His very existence was a bundle of deception to Eunhong. Not a single word of Lee Jaeseong’s was incorrect.
While desperately struggling not to constrain Eunhong, he was simultaneously searching for ways to bind him. And it seemed he had succeeded perfectly. In a dark corner of his mind, a gloomy part of him was jumping with joy.
‘I’m fine with it. If it’s you.’
Eunhong’s words made him incredibly happy. And at the same time, frightened and pained. They pressed heavily on his chest, making it difficult to breathe.
***
5:00 PM.
Eunhong peeked his head out from under the blanket and immediately frowned when he checked the time. He had slept until almost evening. He sometimes escaped into sleep after finishing deadlines or during highly stressful situations, but even by his standards, sleeping until 5:00 PM was excessive.
“Wow, this is crazy, really.”
He hadn’t been sleeping since yesterday evening; the cause was getting overly immersed in a game he hadn’t played for a long time. While deeply engaged in playing, he suddenly came to his senses to find the sun rising brightly outside the window. Only then did he hurriedly lie down to sleep, but when he opened his eyes, the day was almost over.
Eunhong sat up in bed, deliberately ignoring the self-loathing that washed over him. He shuddered at the unfamiliar coolness he suddenly felt. Half of the spacious bed was perfectly smooth without a wrinkle. It felt awkward that he had slept alone, that he had slept separately from Jaeha for so long.
No, the truth was that he had become accustomed to sharing a bed too quickly. Strictly speaking, they had only been sleeping together for just over a month, yet it felt strange to wake up in a bed with an empty space beside him. It gave him a truly odd feeling.
Jaeha had come home late last night. He seemed to be trying to enter quietly, but since the house was inherently quiet and the air purifier started working as soon as someone came in from outside, it was impossible not to notice. After pretending not to notice and continuing his game for a while, when curiosity got the better of him and he peeked out of the room, Jaeha had already gone into his bathroom to shower.
“He really doesn’t even come near when I tell him not to, such a stubborn bastard.”
After quickly washing his face, he left the room and was greeted by the smell of food. Having skipped dinner after their fight and not having eaten much of a late-night snack afterward, he suddenly felt extremely hungry. Mrs. Ham immediately exclaimed when she spotted the disheveled Eunhong.
“How can you be switching day and night like this!”
“You’re here.”
“How long ago did I arrive! Did you sleep so deeply that you didn’t wake up even with all my fussing? Were you up all night?”
“Yes, that’s right…”
“That’s exemplary behavior. A full-grown adult.”
Eunhong, scratching his head in embarrassment, passed by her and headed toward the coffee machine. As he habitually started to brew coffee, Mrs. Ham slapped his back. It was a ticklish blow compared to his mother’s, but he was startled by the overly familiar contact. Since finding out he was dating Jaeha, everyone around him had started treating Eunhong like family. Perhaps that was why his pace couldn’t be controlled…
Hah, I shouldn’t have brought up the imprinting with Jaeha yesterday! Really!
“Don’t drink coffee, eat a proper meal first.”
“Y-yes…”
“The Director left to work from early morning again. Why does he have no days off lately? It’s good for me because I get paid a lot every time I come like this, but it’s ruining his health. Try to stop him.”
“…As if he’d listen to me.”
She didn’t seem to trust the way he slowly stuck his spoon into the rice bowl, so Mrs. Ham pushed the meat side dish up to Eunhong’s chin.
“Eat plenty. If Eunhong doesn’t eat, I feel awkward around Director Lee.”
“…Is he my mother or what…”
When Eunhong snorted and grumbled, she smiled good-naturedly, pushed all the side dishes in front of him, and only then left, seemingly satisfied.
Eunhong was stuffing soup and rice into his mouth in turn when he suddenly felt exhausted. He put down his spoon and slumped against the backrest. It was because thinking about yesterday had completely killed his appetite.
“So you left for work silently after all that. Right now.”
Though he hadn’t eaten much, his stomach felt uncomfortably bloated. The heaviness in his chest and this distress were clearly not due to the single spoonful he had just eaten.
“…Sigh.”
Only Jaeha could make him feel this miserable. While Jaeha was always the one who created good feelings for him, he was also the one who could easily make him hit rock bottom. It was ironic that the person who brought out his best state could also become his greatest vulnerability.
In the quiet, as Eunhong was half-heartedly counting rice grains, he got up at the familiar notification sound of his phone. It was coming from his bag left near the entrance. Hoping it might be Jaeha, he hurried to check, but it was a message from Jang Haesung.
[Did you know? Woohyun is pregnant?]
[Hanjae went ballistic and ran off saying he’d kill the father. Eunhong, what should we do? I’m so worried…]
[This bastard Kang Hanjae seems to be deliberately not answering my calls, please call him.]
[Eunhong, please contact me when you see this message.]
[I’m going crazy.]
There were many missed calls, as though he had tried calling before Eunhong woke up. It seemed he had left messages because he couldn’t get through.
“How did they find out Woohyun is pregnant?”
Eunhong looked at his phone with a perplexed expression.
‘Hasn’t the hospitalized friend told them yet? The pregnancy status isn’t good, and it will cost a lot to maintain it, so he was told to discuss it with his guardian quickly.’
‘Something terrible will happen if this drags on. Please talk to him and help him make a quick decision, Eunhong.’
Given Woohyun’s personality, he wouldn’t have revealed it himself, so it had to be assumed that Han Jeongwook had leaked the information to Kang Hanjae and Jang Haesung. According to what Han Jeongwook had said, Woohyun’s condition wasn’t something that could be hidden. He had been thinking about talking to Woohyun today anyway, and if he was being stubborn, perhaps even notifying his family in Busan.
Was Kang Hanjae planning to find that alpha and at least get him to pay for the hospital bills? Or was he hoping to instill some sense of responsibility in a man who hadn’t shown his face? Was it loyalty to Woohyun, or some protective alpha instinct for an omega he had known for a long time? If not that, was it anger born from a flimsy empathy due to his own pregnant omega?
He couldn’t be sure. Based on what he knew of Kang Hanjae, the most plausible explanation was that he had rushed off without thinking, driven by rage.
“He should be taking care of Haesung, why is he overreacting like this?”
Eunhong was about to go out wearing just a coat over his sweatpants, but he remembered to put on the watch he had taken off yesterday. And since he couldn’t ignore Mrs. Ham’s comment about feeling awkward around Lee Jaeha, he sat back down at the table still wearing his jumper.
As he was wolfing down the remaining rice mixed with soup, patting his chest, Jaeha’s warning suddenly came to mind. Perhaps Jang Haesung’s anxiety had transferred to him, or for some strange reason, Jaeha’s words warning about danger in even trivial matters came to mind.
“…”
Even while tying his shoelaces, it felt as if someone was pulling at his back, but Eunhong deliberately ignored it. While part of him thought nothing serious would happen, he had a strong desire to focus his attention elsewhere to distract from the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. Eunhong took a deep breath and headed to the hospital where Jang Haesung was waiting.
***
Han Jeongwook was standing in the hospital parking lot with his hands in his pockets, looking relaxed. If not for Jang Haesung standing beside him with an anxious expression, clutching his phone, Eunhong might not have been certain that Han Jeongwook was the one who had caused today’s commotion.
“Han Jeongwook rashly exposed it, didn’t he?”
When Eunhong spoke with a cold, fixed gaze, Han Jeongwook blinked as if wronged.
“Exposed? I merely attempted to converse with the patient, and strictly speaking, those two overheard. And I didn’t expect the alpha guardian to lose his mind and rush off like that.”
Eunhong had come straight to Handae Hospital after leaving home. He planned to pick up the startled Jang Haesung and go look for Kang Hanjae.
Jang Haesung, whose stomach was noticeably round, was pacing while clutching his phone. The alpha’s SNS was displayed on the screen. Come on, I told you to stop looking at that… Eunhong clicked his tongue softly.
As he was putting his arm around the pale-faced Jang Haesung’s shoulder and helping him into his car, Han Jeongwook followed, chattering that he wanted to help.
“Eunhong. Don’t be like that, let’s take my car. Since I share some responsibility for this situation, I’d like to help.”
Eunhong ignored Han Jeongwook and headed towards the vending machine. Jang Haesung’s body was so cold that he felt he needed to give him a warm drink. The persistent Han Jeongwook placed his hand on the vending machine, blocking Eunhong’s side.
“Do you know the location where the alpha guardian went?”
“Well, Haesung would…”
“He doesn’t know either. That’s why he’s been waiting just for you. Moreover, the two of you going alone won’t work. The place where that alpha is supposedly hanging out only accepts alphas as customers, and guys who sit there from broad daylight are hardly normal on top of that—”
Han Jeongwook lowered his head, bringing his lips close to Eunhong’s ear, and whispered:
“Both of you are omegas.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
