“Somewhere else?” Siwoo tilted his head. Looking into Siwoo’s questioning eyes, Sanho hesitated and continued speaking as if he had lost his spirit.
“I don’t want to go far… I just want to go out for some fresh air.”
“Huh? Right now?”
“It seems like the sea. There’s no one there.”
Siwoo blinked twice. The sea? It was a bit of an unexpected topic. After a moment of contemplation, Siwoo smiled and spoke.
“I have a vacation home in Gangneung. Right in front of the sea.”
“Oh.”
“But I don’t know if we can go right now. It might be messy since it’s been a while.”
Sanho quickly shook his head.
“That’s okay. I can just sleep in the car. Or even on the street….”
Siwoo chuckled as if he found it absurd.
“How can you sleep in the car? No way, it would be uncomfortable.”
“It’s not uncomfortable. I just….”
I just need you by my side. Siwoo stared intently at Sanho, who swallowed his words. It felt strange, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Siwoo smiled, his eyes crinkling, and nodded slowly.
“Then let’s just go without a plan. Wherever we can reach, whether it’s Gangneung or anywhere else.”
“Without a plan…?”
“Yeah, without any thoughts. We’ll think about it when we get there.”
After pondering for a moment, Sanho broke into a bright smile and nodded.
***
Siwoo truly intended to set off without any plans. He got into the car and started the engine without designating any location on the navigation. But shouldn’t they decide on a direction? Sanho opened his eyes wide and looked at Siwoo.
“Where are we going?”
Siwoo smiled broadly, fastening Sanho’s seatbelt before answering.
“I don’t know either.”
“Uh… then….”
“I’m just going to follow the traffic lights.”
Sanho’s round eyes blinked in surprise, causing Siwoo to laugh out loud.
“Well, it’s still Korea, so what’s the worry? Are you anxious?”
“Not exactly….”
“Why worry when you’re with me?”
As Siwoo pressed the accelerator, the car began to move smoothly. The black sedan glided out of the underground parking lot.
A moment later, a large limousine quietly parked at the end of the parking lot lit up its brake lights. It was a corner that Sanho and Siwoo had not noticed. In fact, Siwoo probably hadn’t even thought to look around the parking lot. His attention would have been entirely on the Omega standing next to him, unaware that his father, Chairman Jin, was watching him from the corner.
Soft lights illuminated the inside of the limousine. A middle-aged man sitting in the back seat slowly crossed his legs. A large hand covered the knee that was raised. The fingertips moved lightly. The man stared intently at the entrance of the parking lot where his son’s car had just passed. His lips were tightly pressed together.
***
Siwoo’s words about moving without a plan were indeed not a lie. Whenever they reached a fork in the road, he would ask Sanho where he wanted to go and move according to Sanho’s answer. Because of this, it took quite a while to escape the complicated city. Only after finally entering the expressway could they drive freely. Since it had taken a considerable amount of time, the sun was already hanging low on the horizon. Darkness was quickly settling in.
“If this goes on, we might really have to sleep on the road.”
Siwoo laughed, wrinkling his nose as if making an excuse.
“I wouldn’t mind that….”
Sanho’s voice was quite sincere, causing Siwoo to burst into laughter unexpectedly. Ha ha ha, he laughed and tilted his head to look at Sanho.
“If we keep going like this, just tell me if you see a place you like. We can stop and get some fresh air.”
Sanho nodded. In truth, it didn’t matter where they went. Whether it was the sea, the mountains, or a remote place piled with trash. What mattered was being together. Just the two of them. It was perhaps fortunate that Sanho’s gaze did not meet Siwoo’s as he looked ahead. Holding the steering wheel, Siwoo smiled brightly.
After driving for about another hour, they found themselves on a road leading up to a highland. Glancing at a sign they passed, it seemed there was a camping site in the mountains. The well-maintained road gradually became rough. They passed over bumpy asphalt and continued onto a dirt road. The sound of dirt clods hitting the tires could be heard. Siwoo turned on the brake lights and moved slowly forward. The mountain road, now shrouded in darkness, was dangerously black. It was only when they reached a large tree that Siwoo pressed the brake.
The name of the camping site written on a somewhat worn sign was oddly romantic. Siwoo looked at Sanho and spoke.
“I think it’s too late, so we might have to sleep here.”
“I’m fine with that. Really.”
Siwoo smiled brightly as he unbuckled Sanho’s seatbelt.
“I’ll check if there’s a manager.”
With the car’s brake lights still on, Siwoo got out of the driver’s seat.
The camping site was quite small. Perhaps because it was a weekday, there were no campers around. Siwoo found the management office and explained the situation. He asked if they could stay even though they hadn’t made a reservation. The young manager nodded readily. They had come without a plan and would just park the car. It was okay to sleep in the car. However, the manager shook his head and offered to lend them his equipment. Although it was old, he added that it would be enough for the two of them to sleep. He also mentioned that they could get ramen or water from the convenience store. Siwoo accepted the manager’s kind offer.
As the manager had said, the tent was old and narrow. But it was fine. While Siwoo busily set up the tent poles, Sanho stood awkwardly by. “I can help too,” Sanho mumbled, and Siwoo laughed out loud. “Yeah, help me out. Can you take care of the meals?” Siwoo pointed to the dimly lit management office. “It seems like they sell things like ramen.” At Siwoo’s words, Sanho nodded vigorously.
For a spur-of-the-moment trip, it wasn’t a bad destination. The equipment the manager lent them consisted of a small tent, two camping chairs, a portable burner, and a set of cookware, but it was more than enough. No, it was sufficient. Sanho’s face was quite serious as he placed the old pot on the burner and boiled the ramen. Siwoo chuckled as he happily watched Sanho, who was deeply focused.
The ramen was delicious. Even though it was just ramen and instant rice without any common kimchi, it was still excellent. Aside from the slightly chilly weather, it was a perfect night. Siwoo took off his cardigan and draped it over Sanho’s shoulders. Sanho, who had just finished washing the dishes, awkwardly put on Siwoo’s cardigan.
Sitting side by side in the camping chairs and spending time together was a pleasant experience. True to the name
“Sanho.”
“Yes?”
“Tell me a funny story.”
Sanho raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at Siwoo. Siwoo’s eyes, which had been drowsy, curved into crescent shapes. Sanho bit his lip quietly.
“Not about someone else, but about you, Sanho.”
“My story….”
Looking at the starry sky, Sanho paused for a moment. After a little while, he slowly opened his mouth.
“I don’t have a family.”
Ah, Siwoo made an awkward expression. He hadn’t meant to bring up a dark topic. But Sanho’s voice was surprisingly indifferent. Rather, it was calm and dry.
“My mom passed away when I turned twenty. The house I live in now is all I have left. I’m just glad there’s no debt.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I actually prefer not having a mom.”
“…….”
“My mom was desperate because she couldn’t sell me.”
Siwoo’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. Selling? It was a very unpleasant topic. However, Siwoo could roughly guess the situation. It was a grotesque and nauseating reality, but it was quite common for Omegas. Paradoxically, Omegas were both targets of disdain and held high value. It was not uncommon for wealthy individuals to pay a premium to acquire young Omegas, and there were instances where they were sold to those with perverse tastes. Siwoo could almost visualize how Sanho’s mother might have manipulated him as a minor.
“I manifested at a very young age… I almost got sold before I turned ten. I think it was when I was eight. It was a really rich family, but they weren’t strange or anything. Just doing odd jobs and stuff.”
“…….”
“I don’t remember it well since I was so young. But I do remember it was a huge house. Even as a child, I thought, ‘Wow, this is a real rich house.’ My mom also said it was a very rich family and that I would be treated well, so I had to behave nicely to get in. I didn’t really understand why I had to go into someone else’s house….”
“…….”
“But I really wanted to go to that house. Not just because it was rich and I would be treated well, but for another reason.”
“What reason?”
“I met a really pretty boy there. A boy my age.”
“Yeah.”
“He was super pretty, and he smelled so good. I wanted to be with him, so I prayed at night to let me go into that house.”
“And then?”
“I don’t know. I guess the adults in that house didn’t like me. When I heard that someone else went into that house instead of me, I can’t tell you how angry my mom was. I got beaten a lot. She said I was useless.”
Siwoo bit his lip quietly. He could picture a small child curled up. A sharp pain pierced his chest. It felt like a sensation akin to suffering.
“I think my mom looked around for a while after that, but no one wanted to take me in. At first, they seemed to like me, but later they always rejected me. Every time that happened, it was normal for me to get beaten by my mom. She would say I was a superior Omega but didn’t know how to charm people… I often thought it would be better to just sell me to a club.”
Sanho turned his head to look at Siwoo. As he gazed at Siwoo’s furrowed brow, he gently raised his hand.
“Your face looks really scary right now. Why are you making such a scary expression?”
Sanho’s fingertips softly brushed against the furrowed edges of Siwoo’s eyebrows.
“Um… I’m angry.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I’m just angry.”
So very angry. Sanho’s lips formed a faint smile. He shrugged his shoulders slightly and continued speaking.
“Originally, all Omegas are like this. But I still got a scholarship and went to a good school. It doesn’t matter, it’s all in the past. My mom is gone now.”
Sanho’s hand slowly withdrew. The warmth that had touched his brow faded away, leaving a slight sense of loss. Siwoo wanted to hold Sanho’s retreating hand, but he took a deep breath and endured. Wanting to touch this boy was merely his own desire. Siwoo straightened his back. Leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees, he tilted his head toward Sanho.
“Hearing your story… it reminds me of something too.”
“What is it?”
Siwoo gently stroked the ends of his eyebrows and slowly began to speak.
“When I was young, I met a boy.”
“…….”
“I don’t know why he came to our house. I was playing in the yard when he suddenly appeared.”
“…….”
“But I remember he had a nice smell.”
“A nice smell?”
“Yeah, a smell that made me feel really good. I can’t really remember what it smelled like. Just that it was a pleasant smell. I was really young back then. But I still think about that boy sometimes.”
“…Why?”
“Because I manifested the day after I met him.”
Sanho stared intently at Siwoo.
“Since it was before I manifested, I don’t know if he was an Omega or not, but I guess in my childish mind, I thought he was an Omega. Is it that all Omega pheromones smell good? I wondered.”
Siwoo chuckled lightly, feeling that sharing childhood stories was like revealing intimate secrets. It was quite thrilling. It felt like they had become very close. When Siwoo looked at Sanho, Sanho reached out his hand toward Siwoo once more.
“…….”
“…….”
Gently placing his hand on Siwoo’s nape, Sanho slowly opened his mouth.
“Does your Omega pheromone… make you feel good too?”
“Um, not really. In fact, there are more times when it’s unpleasant.”
