“It’s not a mistake. I chose to go down that alley, and I have no regrets.”
Chairman Jin lightly brushed his fingertips across his chin.
“Getting stabbed is nothing. What’s important to me is not that—”
As he gently lowered the hand that had been stroking his chin, Chairman Jin muttered. It was a voice that seemed to be repeating to himself.
“To say it’s nothing is even more of a problem.”
“Father.”
“Because of an Omega who deliberately sought out an Alpha and released pheromones, getting stabbed is nothing.”
“That’s not—”
“There was CCTV in that alley.”
“…….”
“The police weren’t the only ones who saw that CCTV.”
Siwoo tightly shut his mouth. If there was CCTV, his father must have seen everything that happened that day. From the moment he got stabbed while protecting Sanho to the point where he personally broke Juchul’s limbs. It was clear how Chairman Jin would have judged the situation that day.
Chairman Jin slowly opened his mouth as he looked at his son, who couldn’t make excuses for his words.
“Professor Kim said you shouldn’t overdo it for a while. Just because you’re an Alpha doesn’t mean you can deflect knives.”
Chairman Jin took out his phone from his suit jacket and glanced at the screen. After quickly reading the message that appeared, he turned his gaze back to his son and said,
“That Omega will not be able to meet you again.”
“Father!”
Siwoo jumped up from his seat. The slight pain from his wound throbbed intensely. Chairman Jin shook his head as he looked at Siwoo, who was protecting his wound.
“Since you can’t shake that child off yourself, I have no choice but to remove that child.”
“What are you going to do to Sanho…!”
“Shaking off one Omega isn’t a difficult task. Whether I sell him to a club or to a dirtier brothel, it’s already been arranged. Don’t say any more.”
Siwoo’s hands clenched into fists. His chest muscles swelled as if he were about to storm out at any moment. The tightly clenched jaw muscles trembled slightly, but he managed to swallow his breath. Pheromones surged up like an overwhelming emotion. He knew well that acting emotionally in front of his father was not wise.
Chairman Jin’s brow furrowed as he looked at his son, who was in front of him. It was directed at the son who had changed somehow after meeting that Omega. He looked at his son with a cold and chilling expression that he had never shown before. Finally, he spoke in a low voice.
“When you were young, that dog was eventually sent away by your mother. I made sure to send it to a good place so you wouldn’t be upset if you found it later. Do you know why?”
“…….”
“It’s because you weren’t hurt. If you had even a scratch, I wouldn’t have let it live so gently.”
***
Sanho sat quietly in the back seat of a large sedan. It had already been about 30 minutes since he left the house following a clearly Alpha man. The man drove the car slowly, almost frustratingly. He seemed to know that Sanho was anxiously looking out the window, but he didn’t care at all. He appeared to be passing the time by checking his phone repeatedly. He spoke again only after a little more time had passed, when they arrived at the flashy club area.
“This way.”
As Sanho got out of the car, he blinked at the street. It was a place he never wanted to see again. The flashy sign of Club P shone brightly in front of the alley where Siwoo had been stabbed. The neon light stains marked Sanho’s pale face. Sanho silently stared at the man. The man took a step forward instead of answering. He walked down the stairs leading to the underground without a word.
“…….”
As he watched the man’s back disappear down the stairs, Sanho took a shallow breath. Now that he had followed him this far, there was no other choice but to follow the man. Was the person who wanted to meet him inside this chaotic club? Who could it be? Exhaling the breath he had taken in, Sanho also moved his steps. The dark stairs felt like the gaping mouth of a huge monster.
The man did not take Sanho to the underground lounge filled with drugged crowds. He stopped in front of the elevator that went up to the upper floors, crossing the lounge. After checking something on his phone again, he turned to Sanho. He gestured toward the elevator that had just arrived.
“…….”
Sanho silently got into the elevator as the man urged him with a gesture. The man pressed the button for the top floor. When the elevator doors opened silently, a hallway with light beige marble appeared. The large door in front was adorned in luxurious gold. Looking at the firmly closed door, the man spoke in a businesslike tone.
“You can enter through that door.”
“Is the person who wants to meet me in there? Or is it my senior….”
“Go in.”
The man coldly cut off Sanho’s words. After checking his phone screen again, he added,
“The chairman will be here soon.”
The chairman… Sanho slowly moved his steps. Pushing open the heavy golden door, he vaguely guessed who it was that wanted to meet him.
***
Siwoo stared at the door where his father had exited. No, it would be more accurate to say he glared. His head was throbbing painfully. He didn’t even have the energy to organize his thoughts. His body reacted faster than he expected. Siwoo roughly pulled out the IV needle he had already removed once. With a pop, the thick IV needle was pulled out, piercing his skin. Just as he hurriedly stepped away, the hospital room door slid open.
“Director, the chairman—”
Manager Jung, who was entering the hospital room, frowned slightly when he saw Siwoo trying to leave.
“Siwoo, you can’t take a single step out of the hospital. Don’t disappoint me any further.”
Those were the words Chairman Jin had said to Manager Jung after finishing his private talk with Siwoo. Manager Jung instinctively blocked the door. Siwoo’s eyes twisted rapidly as he looked at Manager Jung, who was blocking his way.
“Move.”
“Director, you can’t move.”
Siwoo took another step forward as if to push Manager Jung aside. Manager Jung leaned back against the door. Siwoo’s hands clenched into fists. As he slowly opened his eyes, a strange light flickered in his warm brown eyes.
“Where is Sanho?”
Manager Jung still stood with his back against the door, avoiding Siwoo’s gaze. He shook his head very slightly. It was a weak denial, but Siwoo understood the meaning of that gesture. It meant he couldn’t answer.
“Tell me where Sanho is, right now. Or at least step aside.”
Manager Jung let out a small sigh. He met Siwoo’s gaze again and spat out the few words that were permitted to him.
“You don’t need to worry about your junior. He was treated safely, and the wound isn’t deep. It’s not a serious injury, so basic….”
“It’s not a serious injury? There was so much blood.”
As his voice suddenly rose, Siwoo barely managed to bite his tongue in patience. Manager Jung sighed again.
“Although the wound is long, it’s shallow, so I heard it’s okay not to stitch it. There may be a scar, but… anyway, he was safely taken home, so you should calm down first….”
“Home? What home?”
“…I safely took him to the end of Building K. I told him to stay home for a while, so if he listens to me, he should be inside.”
The hand that Siwoo had clenched slowly relaxed. The narrow blue door of Sanho’s house flickered in front of his eyes. When he turned his gaze, he noticed crescent-shaped nail marks deeply imprinted on his palm. His eyelids fluttered.
“If he’s just staying inside, he should be fine.”
“Fine….”
Manager Jung’s words sounded like something input into a machine. It was very different from what his father had just said. His father had already said he had taken action. If that was the case, it couldn’t possibly be fine, as Manager Jung said.
“No. My father wouldn’t have just sat still.”
“…….”
“Tell me the truth. Where is Sanho right now?”
Manager Jung slowly shook his head. In a flat voice, he repeated the few words that were permitted to him.
“That’s all I know. I took him home, and I don’t know what happened after that.”
“Manager Jung.”
“Director. I can’t approach any further. The chairman instructed me to just—”
“But you know the outline.”
Manager Jung’s mouth slowly closed. He had watched the JR family for a long time. He clearly remembered Siwoo from his very young days. He knew better than anyone that Siwoo was not someone who was easily swayed by emotions. The reason Siwoo could be warm and kind to everyone was because of his solid character.
But now, that Siwoo was slowly changing after meeting Sanho. He was often colored by emotions and frequently made emotional judgments. He encountered feelings on Siwoo’s face that were rarely seen. Feelings like anxiety, anger, despair, and fear. As Manager Jung struggled to find the words to say to him, Siwoo took another step closer. The gazes of the two, standing close together, collided in the air.
“Manager Jung.”
“…….”
“Please tell me.”
“…….”
“There’s nothing more important to me right now.”
The eyes filled with emotion looked rough like a beast’s, but at the same time, they appeared anxious like a wounded creature. Manager Jung’s stiff expression softened with compassion.
“……I confirmed that you contacted the Omega club. I don’t know the details, but….”
Siwoo’s jaw muscles trembled tightly at Manager Jung’s words. It was the worst answer he could think of. His father was indeed trying to tie Sanho to the Omega club, just as he had said. His numb lips twitched.
“Even the Omega club can’t affiliate someone without their consent.”
“Director.”
“Sanho wouldn’t have gone on his own….”
“…….”
“Or….”
Siwoo fell silent for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was remarkably calm.
“Which club did you contact?”
“…….”
“P Club?”
“…….”
“It’s okay if you don’t answer. Just give me a sign. I’ll understand.”
Manager Jung’s gaze remained steady on Siwoo. His eyelids didn’t even flutter, but that gaze was telling a clear truth. Siwoo slowly grabbed Manager Jung’s shoulder.
“Please step aside. I need to go now.”
“Director, this isn’t… a good idea.”
Siwoo smiled self-deprecatingly.
“I know.”
“Right now, it’s better to understand the situation a bit more—”
“No, there’s no time for that.”
Gripping Manager Jung’s shoulder tightly, Siwoo spoke each word with force.
“I know how foolish it is to run blindly. But… I can’t think right now.”
Gently pushing Manager Jung aside, Siwoo grasped the doorknob of the hospital room. He twisted the doorknob and took a step forward, turning his gaze back to Manager Jung. Looking at Manager Jung, who couldn’t bring himself to stop him, Siwoo said,
“Manager, I’m sorry. For everything.”
“…It’s fine.”
“You promised to help me.”
“…….”
“Please find a flight. Right now.”
“A flight…?”
Siwoo continued in a low voice.
“Anywhere in the US or the UK. No, anywhere is fine. Just not here.”
“That means—”
“But it can’t be too dangerous. At first, I might not be able to go with him.”
Manager Jung realized Siwoo’s intentions. Jin Siwoo was planning to hide Baek Sanho. To prevent his father from reaching out to Baek Sanho. It also meant he was going to confront his father directly. Manager Jung slowly replied.
“It will take more time than you think to arrange a place to hide from the chairman’s eyes.”
“I know. Please do it as quickly as possible.”
Seeing the emotions that had unexpectedly surfaced on Manager Jung’s face return to his usual expressionless state, Siwoo finally moved his steps.
