The sharp beep-beep of a device suddenly sounded.
Kang-woo had been deeply lost in thought, but the noise snapped him back. When he listened carefully, he realized it was the mechanical sound of the door lock opening.
Who would come to this house at this hour? Could it be that Seok-ho, who had left early for work, had come home earlier than usual?
Kang-woo immediately brightened at the thought and hurried toward the entrance.
He had just reached about halfway down the hallway when—clack—the inner door slid open.
“Welcome ho—…?”
Kang-woo, who had been about to greet Seok-ho happily, abruptly closed his mouth. At the same time, caution appeared in his eyes.
The person who had stepped into the house was not Seok-ho, but a complete stranger.
“Oh my.”
The woman standing there, both hands full of large shopping bags, widened her eyes in surprise. It seemed she also hadn’t expected anyone to be inside, because the moment she saw Kang-woo she startled, her shoulders jolting.
At the same time, the strong scent of an Alpha stimulated his sense of smell.
The scent of an Alpha’s pheromones was influenced by their emotions. Emotions such as embarrassment, anger, or joy caused subtle changes in the way their pheromones reacted.
Sometimes they grew deeper, heavier, or sweeter.
And those Alpha pheromones affected Omegas. They forced Omegas to sense what kind of mood the Alpha was in.
It was clearly different from when they deliberately stimulated an Omega’s heat cycle, but being involuntarily swayed by another person’s emotions was hardly pleasant.
Betas were also unable to completely avoid the influence of dominant Alphas, but they didn’t respond as sensitively as Omegas did.
Omegas, on the other hand, unlike Alphas, only released pheromones during their heat cycle.
It resembled a beast that emitted pheromones to lure a mating partner when its breeding season arrived.
Pheromones being tied purely to reproductive function might sound somewhat negative, but Kang-woo had begun to think that perhaps Omegas’ pheromones not being affected by emotions was actually a stage of evolution for survival.
If their scent leaked out even during ordinary times outside the heat cycle, it was horrifying to imagine what kinds of ordeals they might face.
It would be like openly displaying the mark of being an “Omega”—a vulnerable being—for everyone to see.
Kang-woo instinctively stepped backward, watching her cautiously.
Regardless of gender, every Alpha was someone to be wary of. They hadn’t directly harmed him, but he still felt a physiological sense of rejection.
Being drawn to Alphas while also fearing them was an unavoidable destiny—and instinct—of Omegas.
The woman, fitting her trait, was strikingly beautiful with a bold, glamorous appearance.
She was also tall—almost as tall as Kang-woo himself. Even at a glance she seemed easily over 170 cm.
For a woman, she was quite tall.
Clearly aware of her physical advantages, she wore sleek black semi-bootcut slacks paired with a wine-colored silk blouse decorated with an elaborate pattern, proudly displaying her slender figure.
She gave off the unmistakable impression of a sophisticated career woman.
“Who are you?”
An absurd situation unfolded where the guest asked Kang-woo for his identity.
Kang-woo wasn’t sure how to answer.
How should he introduce himself to her?
If he said he was someone who had suddenly begun living in this house one day, would she even understand?
His thoughts grew complicated.
“Who are you to be in Seok-ho’s house?”
While he hesitated, the question came again.
There was a familiarity in the tone she used when mentioning Seok-ho. It seemed the woman knew him well.
Who could she be? Maybe… hyung’s girlfriend?
Then again, Seok-ho had never said he had a girlfriend—but he had never said he didn’t either. So it wasn’t impossible.
Kang-woo was just as curious about her identity, but since he was merely a guest living in Seok-ho’s house, he decided it was better to answer her first.
“I’m someone Seok-ho hyung knows.”
“Knows? Seok-ho shouldn’t even be home at this time. How did you get in here?”
It didn’t seem like a question that should come from someone who had confidently unlocked the door and entered a house whose owner wasn’t present.
“I opened the front door and came in.”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
When he answered calmly, the woman stared at him for a moment, her mouth opening and closing before her eyes widened.
“Wait… you live here?”
“Yes.”
He didn’t think her eyes could get any bigger, but the catlike eyes tilted upward at the corners widened even further. It looked like they might pop out.
“You really live here?”
Then would I be pretending to live here?
The thought shot through Kang-woo’s mind before he quickly corrected himself. There was no reason to be curt with an innocent person. Even if she really was Seok-ho’s girlfriend, he had no right to treat her rudely.
“Yes. I live here.”
When he answered firmly once again, the woman’s eyes narrowed.
“How old are you?”
“…”
“It doesn’t mean anything. You just look very young, so I’m asking.”
“I’m nineteen.”
Looking at her closely, her sharp features seemed to resemble someone.
Was it just his imagination?
While answering uncertainly, he saw shock spread across her black eyes. Her face twisted as she muttered a vicious curse.
“Kwon Seok-ho, that bastard has completely lost his mind.”
Then she mumbled something incomprehensible.
“I mean, I could understand if it were a man, but nineteen? Where did he leave his conscience…?”
Kang-woo quietly edged farther away from her.
Noticing his attempt to distance himself, the woman quickly raised both hands, showing her palms to signal that she meant no harm.
“Ah, sorry. I’ve just never seen Seok-ho bring someone into his house before, so I got a little excited.”
“No, it’s okay.”
Of course, despite his words, the cautious look in his eyes hadn’t disappeared.
“Instead of standing here like this, why don’t we sit and talk? I’ve been walking around in heels for a while, so my legs hurt a bit.”
Perhaps she could tell what he was thinking, because she smiled kindly and gestured for him to follow.
Kang-woo hesitated before stepping forward, but with no better option, he followed behind her.
She set the large bundle of shopping bags to one side of the sofa and naturally took a seat beside them.
Kang-woo sat down at a distance.
Should I at least bring her a glass of water?
Just as he was wondering that, the woman spoke.
“Come to think of it, it’s only polite to introduce ourselves first. Things were a bit hectic earlier so I didn’t ask. What’s your name?”
“Kim Kang-woo.”
“Ah, I’m Kwon Jung-yeon. Seok-ho’s older sister.”
Ah, so they’re family.
“…No wonder you look alike.”
“We look alike?”
Jung-yeon somehow caught his quiet muttering and asked with an amused smile.
Kang-woo nodded.
Come to think of it, maybe the reason he had felt an Alpha-like atmosphere from Seok-ho—despite him being a Beta—was because of his family.
If someone grew up surrounded by Alphas from a young age, it wouldn’t be strange for them to naturally carry a similar presence. Of course, everyone’s temperament was different.
“That’s the first time I’ve heard that.”
Jung-yeon murmured quietly.
Somehow, she seemed quite pleased by the idea that they resembled each other.
After that, their conversation paused for a moment. Oddly enough, learning that she was family made Kang-woo even more nervous than when he had suspected she might be Seok-ho’s girlfriend.
He fidgeted anxiously with his fingers.
Being with Seok-ho’s family while Seok-ho himself wasn’t there was extremely uncomfortable. He worried he might accidentally say something wrong.
He felt a persistent gaze. Jung-yeon was watching him carefully, her eyes observing. It made Kang-woo feel like he was sitting on a bed of thorns.
“What’s your relationship with Seok-ho?”
It felt like a job interview with an executive from a major corporation. A brutal pressure interview, at that.
The direct question brought another dilemma. What exactly should he call their relationship?
“He’s just a hyung I know.”
There wasn’t really any other way to describe it.
Just a hyung he knew.
Even if Kang-woo had recently begun to feel something different toward him, that was a separate matter. And to Seok-ho, Kang-woo was probably just a younger acquaintance.
“Just a hyung you know?”
Jung-yeon repeated the words, still unconvinced. But he couldn’t recklessly reveal his personal situation just to satisfy her curiosity.
“Yes. I had some circumstances, so I’m staying here temporarily. Um… I asked if I could stay here, so hyung isn’t responsible for anything. I’m not planning to stay forever.”
Kang-woo clarified the facts carefully just in case.
Seok-ho had done nothing wrong. He had simply granted Kang-woo’s earnest request.
“No, you don’t need to explain yourself to me like that. This isn’t my house anyway—it’s Seok-ho’s. Even if I’m family, I don’t have the right to say anything to you about living here. I just…”
Jung-yeon softened her sharp eyes and smiled gently.
“I thought maybe Kwon Seok-ho had gotten himself a same-sex lover ten years younger.”
At the teasing tone, Kang-woo’s shoulders flinched.
For some reason, he felt as if she had seen right through his feelings. As if she had pierced through the impure emotions hidden in his heart the moment she saw him.
Of course, Jung-yeon herself was simply smiling innocently.
“But if you’re a student, shouldn’t you be at school right now?”
“Ah, well…”
“You finished the CSAT, so you’re not going to school anymore, right?”
As Kang-woo hesitated awkwardly, Jung-yeon answered her own question.
“…Yes.”
After a brief pause, Kang-woo nodded.
He felt uncomfortable lying to her, but there was no other way to explain. He couldn’t exactly confess that he had run away from home. That might create an awkward situation not just for him but for Seok-ho as well.
Besides, Jung-yeon was Seok-ho’s family. He didn’t want her to have a bad impression of him. If possible, he wanted to leave a good one. After all, he was someone receiving Seok-ho’s help.
And there was also a personal desire. Just as he wanted to look good in front of the person he liked, it was only natural to want to be liked by that person’s close acquaintances too. To do that, he decided he needed to lighten the awkward atmosphere first.
Kang-woo’s eyes wandered around the room. He needed a suitable topic. Then his gaze landed on the shopping bags that filled half the sofa.
Come to think of it, what were those?
Perhaps noticing his curious look, Jung-yeon spoke.
“Ah, those? Today’s Seok-ho’s birthday, so I bought him a bunch of presents.”
“Today is hyung’s birthday?”
“Yes. November 22.”
While Jung-yeon simply nodded casually, Kang-woo’s thoughts became complicated.
If he had known earlier, he would have prepared a gift in advance.
When he had asked Seok-ho’s age before, he should have asked about his birthday too.
No.
Instead of just regretting it now, maybe he should go out and buy something?
Yes.
Once Jung-yeon finished what she had come to do and left, he could quickly go out and get a present.
Just as he made up his mind, Jung-yeon suddenly made an unexpected suggestion.
“Ah, Kang-woo, would you mind taking a look at the gifts? I just grabbed whatever seemed good, but I’m not sure if Seok-ho will like them.”
“Me?”
“Yes. As another man, you’d know better than me, right? You’ll take a look, won’t you? Hmm?”
Jung-yeon asked again.
Kang-woo hesitated. Even if he looked at them, would it really help? He didn’t even know Seok-ho’s tastes that well.
