“Since I took the time to come, I thought it would be better to wait. Still, I wanted to see my son’s face.”
“I’m sorry. I….”
“It’s fine. What’s so great about a father waiting for his son?”
Chairman Jin burst into a hearty laugh. He continued speaking calmly.
“Right, you left the house and the hotel empty to go somewhere.”
Siwoo momentarily closed his mouth. Chairman Jin never asked a question without intent. The same went for his son, Siwoo. The anxiety that had filled his chest since he heard the concierge’s story about his father had perhaps sprouted much earlier, growing like a weed under the sky of the camping site all night long, and now it had manifested before him sooner than expected. Siwoo slowly replied.
“I wanted to get some fresh air because I felt a bit stifled.”
Chairman Jin smiled as he spoke.
“Good for you. The weather is nice these days, and the mountains have good air. The clear air must have made the night sky beautiful.”
Siwoo nodded slightly. Unbeknownst to him, he chewed on the mucous membrane in his mouth. It felt as if his father had seen the splendid night sky from last night, and his heart was filled with anxiety.
“Recently, the friend you’ve been hanging out with is a junior from school, right? You seem to be close, living together and all.”
“Yes. We’re close. Very.”
At Siwoo’s firm words, Chairman Jin’s gaze turned toward the firmly closed elevator doors. A momentary chill flickered across his face, which had been kind throughout.
“It must be uncomfortable. It’s not easy for an Alpha and an Omega to be together in one space for long.”
Chairman Jin, who had been staring intently at the elevator doors, shifted his gaze back to his son.
“Siwoo.”
For a moment, his voice was warm and gentle. Paradoxically, that gentleness hinted at a clear threat. Just the fact that they were having this conversation in the middle of a lobby without a separate space was telling. Chairman Jin asked in a soft voice.
“Is there something troublesome because of that Omega?”
Siwoo’s face stiffened. His numb lips moved mechanically.
“It’s not an Omega… it’s Sanho. Baek Sanho.”
Chairman Jin laughed out loud as if he found it amusing.
“Ah, so there really is something troublesome.”
“…No.”
“I heard strange rumors are circulating at school.”
“…….”
“I know how much you hate dirty rumors. I also know you don’t want to associate with them at all. But letting your story carelessly fall into others’ mouths doesn’t look good.”
“…….”
“The dirtier the rumor, the more it spreads.”
“…….”
“Isn’t it pointless for me to have insisted you graduate from college normally if that’s the case?”
Siwoo straightened his head. With a stiff face, he faced his father. Siwoo’s warm brown eyes met Chairman Jin’s dark ones. Siwoo opened his mouth with a clear voice.
“I’m sorry for causing you worry, Father. But it doesn’t mean much to me. It’s not a big deal.”
Chairman Jin burst into laughter again.
“Right, I know. Of course, I know. It’s nothing compared to criminals who distribute drug pheromones or those who clear out entire back alleys. Those are things I don’t need to know about.”
“Yes, so-.”
“But Siwoo.”
“…Yes.”
“I’m a bit confused about what you mean by something that doesn’t matter to you. I find it very unpleasant to hear rumors that my son is completely infatuated with an Omega, yet you think such rumors are meaningless… isn’t that strange?”
Chairman Jin’s gaze lingered momentarily in the air. It felt as if he were staring intently at someone who wasn’t there. Like looking at the pale-faced child he instinctively hid behind him. That child, whose face resembled a shattered porcelain doll.
“It’s as if that Omega holds some significant meaning for you, Siwoo.”
“Father-.”
“I almost fell into that misunderstanding. I guess I’m getting old too.”
Siwoo hurriedly opened his mouth, but Chairman Jin firmly raised his hand to stop him. With a stiff face, Siwoo slowly closed his mouth. His heart was racing.
“Don’t say anything. I didn’t come to hear your story.”
“Father, I-.”
“I think you understand what I mean.”
Chairman Jin smiled, a very cold smile. He gently patted his son’s shoulder and added his final words.
“It might be a bit early, but it wouldn’t hurt to start looking for your partner. I have a few places in mind, so keep that in mind.”
“I absolutely-”
“You must be tired. I’ll take my leave now.”
His voice was authoritative. Siwoo quietly watched his father’s back as he turned away without a hint of hesitation.
***
Sanho, who entered the hotel room, quietly sat on the sofa. The spacious area felt particularly empty. He didn’t like coming in here alone. It was the same everywhere, but especially here. Sanho recalled the man he had seen just moments ago in front of the elevator. Who was that man? Siwoo seemed to not want him to meet that man. From what the concierge had told him, it was undoubtedly Siwoo’s father, Chairman Jin. Siwoo’s shoulder had been stiff, blocking Sanho’s view. Sanho bit his lip.
There had also been talk about that man, Chairman Jin, in the message he received last night. Sanho slowly grasped his phone. When he unlocked it, the messenger app appeared on the screen. The countless messages he had read since last night caught his eye.
“…….”
It was when Siwoo had left and Sanho was lying alone in the tent. Several messages arrived in quick succession. There was no place that would contact him at such a late hour. Sanho could easily guess who the messages were from without checking his phone. Just like that day when he received a short voice message.
“…….”
He didn’t want to check the messages. If the sender was indeed the person he suspected, it wouldn’t be good news. He didn’t want to know any more unpleasant truths about Siwoo. No matter what anyone said, Siwoo was right next to him now. That was what mattered.
However, not everything could move as he wished. Curiosity and anxiety were at play. Sanho bit his lip anxiously and checked the messages. The text that arrived after the short voice message contained as vile and despicable content as the sender.
The messages continued into the morning. When Sanho stepped out of the tent, it was almost a relief that Siwoo was not there. He didn’t have to show his contorted face.
Sanho hesitated, staring intently at the screen filled with messages. Then he took a deep breath and pressed the voice call button. A crude connection tone echoed through the speaker, different from a regular phone call.
– Hey, who is this? It’s Baek Sanho, right?
“…….”
– I knew you’d contact me. It’s not easy to stay quiet after receiving such a text, right? Isn’t that so?
“…….”
– What’s up? If you’re going to call, you should say something. Why are you silent? Didn’t you call to find out if what I said was true?
“……Yeah.”
As Sanho quietly replied, the voice on the other end chuckled. Sanho bit his lip silently and glared ahead. His gaze was fierce, as if Joo-cheol were right in front of him. Joo-cheol continued to laugh and spoke.
– So, what should I start with? That your senior thinks you’re nothing at all?
Without waiting for Sanho’s response, Joo-cheol kept talking.
– You heard that voice, right? Saying Omega is nothing. Where’s the better proof than that? By the way, you know that the recording with my voice is not illegal, right? Baek Sanho, if you don’t want to be a lost cause, think carefully. To those rich kids, you’re just a toy they play with for a while. It’s tough, but that’s the way the world is.
“What do you mean by looking for an Omega at your senior’s house….”
– Ah.
Joo-cheol’s voice grew even more excited.
– It’s not just looking for an Omega; it’s looking for a partner. Why, do you think you might have a chance just because I said Omega? Crazy bastard. Do you know who’s trying to hook you up with Jin Siwoo? He’s the son of a JR-level company.
“Don’t lie… Even if it’s true, how do you know that-.”
– How do I know? You’re talking nonsense. Such stories usually come to people like us first. You have to do background checks on the other party. If the other party has a dirty background, you have to hide that before they find out. Anyway, the guy trying to hook you up with Jin Siwoo has a bit of a messy past, so I was asked to keep it quiet. Well, it hasn’t been long. So, they’re working hard on it right now.
Partner… senior’s… Sanho’s eyes trembled slightly. It was just a word that had slipped out, but an unbearable sense of discomfort engulfed Sanho in an instant. Discomfort? No, it was something beyond that. It was an emotion that fell short of being called anger. After a long silence without a response, Joo-cheol finally spoke up.
– Why? Are you curious about who that guy is? I could tell you, but you’ll find out soon enough. Things seem to be moving really fast. They’re planning to spread it widely in the media. You must be feeling good. You’ll find out who your Alpha partner is, who’s been wagging his tail next to you, on the 9 o’clock news. Right?
Joo-cheol burst into a loud laugh. It was an exaggerated laugh, as if he were about to choke. When Sanho still didn’t respond, Joo-cheol’s laughter slowly subsided. He pretended to speak in a generous tone.
– Alright. I won’t tell you everything, but I’ll give you a little hint. If I say the name, it’s the second son of a foreign conglomerate you know. He’s been around foreign waters for a long time, so he’s a bit dirty. But I guess he knows how to act demurely in front of others since he’s a precious son of a wealthy family. I bet Jin Siwoo would fall for him if he pretended to be weak and nice.
A mocking voice continued.
– Whether he does that or not, you have nothing to say. That’s how you played it. Pretending to be weak and nice in front of Jin Siwoo. Isn’t that right? He’s probably going to stick to him since his family is pushing for it. Unlike you. You’re the type that gets dirty rumors just by standing next to Jin Siwoo, while he’ll be called a match made in heaven.
“…….”
– So, Baek Sanho, use your head. Do you know how the rumors about you and Jin Siwoo spread at H University? It wouldn’t be hard to amplify those rumors. I heard that the JR chairman hates dirty talk about his private life, so he’s sensitive to that. If it gets any dirtier, the media won’t be able to stop it. Jin Siwoo wouldn’t like it either, would he? Being called a fool who can’t function because he’s infatuated with an Omega. It’s only natural for you to lose interest.
“Those rumors… you started them.”
– What does it matter who started it? They’re good at writing dirty novels on their own. Hey, I was surprised. There were even posts on your school’s anonymous board saying you and Jin Siwoo were caught in the bathroom.
Sanho’s expression quickly hardened. He didn’t care what was said about him. But Siwoo was different. If Siwoo heard such dirty stories… With a cold, stiff face, Sanho opened his mouth.
“I thought it was you. The one who started the rumors.”
– So what if it was me? What can you do about it?
“Stay away from your senior before I kill you.”
Through the phone, Sanho could hear Joo-cheol bursting into laughter. Joo-cheol seemed genuinely excited.
– Do you think I’d say, “Yes, I understand. I won’t go near Jin Siwoo at all,” if you told me to stay away from him?
“……I’m not joking. I will kill you.”
– You’re making threats now. I’m so scared I could die.
Joo-cheol chuckled, then continued in a surprisingly friendly tone.
– Sanho, Baek Sanho. You don’t seem to understand yet, but this is how deals work. If I stay away from Jin Siwoo, what will you give me in return?
“…….”
– You know I’m thorough with calculations, right? You just have to give me something worth staying away from Jin Siwoo.
“……What do you need?”
