#116
Im Hoyoung entered the underground parking lot after finishing his shift. He needed to hurry even more today, as his father-in-law was supposed to visit. He was about to start the car when…
Buzz.
Along with the vibration, a call from Taemin started coming in. He wondered why Taemin was contacting him suddenly after letting him go so easily last time. He answered the phone with a tense expression.
“He-hello?”
[Im Hoyoung. You’re a member of the Integrated Association of Omega Specialists, right?]
“I am, but why are you asking all of a sudden?”
The Integrated Association of Omega Specialists was a mandatory group for doctors who treat omegas.
[Then, can you be notified if a specific guest visits any obstetrics and gynecology clinic in the country?]
“How would I have that kind of power?”
[Isn’t your father-in-law the chairman of the association?]
“He is.”
That’s why the existence of his in-laws was more important to Im Hoyoung than anyone else, and he needed to impress them.
[I think it would be possible if you ask someone with that level of influence, right?]
Im Hoyoung’s eyes widened as he momentarily grasped Taemin’s intentions.
“You know about Yeo Idam’s pregnancy now?”
[What? You? You knew and you’ve been hiding it from me?]
“No, no, I wasn’t hiding it. I was going to tell you, but the timing wasn’t right… Anyway, you still haven’t caught Yeo Idam?”
[I completely lost him. That’s why I need your help.]
“Haa… That old man is already uncomfortable…”
[If you don’t, should I tell Heesun about your disgusting behavior?]
“Hey, shit! You’re doing this too?”
He shouted at Taemin, who was making the same threat as Rickdi. But his position of not being able to refuse remained unchanged. He now realized why Taemin had let him go so easily even though he had backstabbed him.
This bastard was worse than the devil.
[Well, if it’s uncomfortable, you can refuse my request]
Even in this situation, Taemin was showing an irritating generosity.
“Ha…”
In the end, Im Hoyoung had to accept Taemin’s nonsense, whether it was a request or an order.
* * *
A sedan stopped in front of the villa where Hyeongman was currently recuperating. Rain was falling gently in the darkening night sky. The traditional roof tiles spread out below were picturesque. The driver’s door opened, and Taemin immediately got out. With an urgent look in his eyes, he entered the villa without even using an umbrella.
“Hello, CEO! What brings you here at this late hour?”
The employee greeted Taemin with surprise but maintained politeness.
“Where is Ji Hyeongman, I mean, where’s my father?”
“Well…”
Just as the employee was about to answer, a female secretary ran out and blocked Taemin’s path.
“The Chairman is currently recovering and needs absolute rest. Please come back later.”
“Shut up.”
Taemin pushed the woman’s shoulder aside and went in. He was like a living bulldozer. The villa wasn’t very large and had a simple structure, so he could quickly find the bedroom where Hyeongman was staying. Taemin opened the door as if he was about to break it down.
“What’s this?”
Hyeongman, lying in bed, was shocked by his son’s violent entrance.
“Taemin, what brings you here…?”
At the same time, his hand instinctively covered his nose.
“Idam is pregnant.”
“What?”
Hyeongman’s mouth gaped open as if struck by lightning from a clear sky.
“He’s an extreme recessive omega. Ho-how is that possible?”
But Taemin frowned deeply, as if he didn’t understand Hyeongman’s reaction.
“Why are you so surprised? It’s disgusting.”
“What…?”
“I know everything, so just be honest.”
“Wh-what are you talking about?”
Hyeongman was hiding something, like a criminal being interrogated in front of a detective. There was also a sense of stubbornness, as if he wouldn’t easily open his mouth. The rain outside gradually intensified.
“I’ve always believed that my late mother was a dominant omega.”
“…….”
“But in fact, she was an extreme recessive omega, wasn’t she?”
At the same time, thunder roared loudly in the sky, as if ringing the bell of truth. Hyeongman’s complexion turned pale.
“N-no… That’s not true…”
“Grandfather told me.”
“What? Father did?”
Hyeongman was even more shocked.
“Father deceived Grandfather by pretending that Mother, an extreme recessive omega, was a dominant omega to get permission for marriage. But Grandfather knew everything. So he made a terrible choice.”
“A terrible choice… What do you mean…”
Taemin whispered something into Hyeongman’s ear with a cold gaze, as if possessed by a demon. Simultaneously, Hyeongman’s expression became one of utter devastation. His confused eyes filled with tears, and soon he burst into tears. In contrast, Taemin remained calm like a doll.
“So, Father, please be on my side. I don’t want Idam to meet the same fate as Mother.”
“But… but that’s not right… I can’t let you… go to that hell too.”
At Hyeongman’s resistance, Taemin’s eyes grew sharper. He eventually grabbed Hyeongman’s neck. It was chilling, as if he might twist it at any moment.
“If you want to suffer worse than having your nose smashed, keep being stubborn.”
“You… are you threatening me now?”
“Threatening? It’s just a son’s request to his father.”
Taemin’s eyes had suddenly become calm.
“Father, you should bless our marriage.”
Facing his son, who was now taller and bigger than himself, Hyeongman’s lips trembled before he spoke.
“Do as you wish…”
Taemin smiled, seemingly satisfied. Then he looked out the window. The rain that had been pouring down had stopped, and a faint pale moon could be seen between the clouds.
He had recruited both Im Hoyoung and Ji Hyeongman. Taemin decided to start a ‘show’ for his married life with Idam from now on. Taemin’s eyes, now awakened to love, were filled with a flame that seemed ready to devour everything.
* * *
Time passed like that.
“So that’s a cafe latte, strawberry juice, and two salt breads, right?”
Idam asked, scanning the menu on the cash register screen. The high school girls in uniforms nodded and spoke.
“Are there any egg sandwiches left?”
“No, we’ve sold out.”
“As expected, they’re really popular. I’ll have to buy one next time.”
The high school girl looked disappointed but then her eyes sparkled.
“By the way, oppa, do you have a girlfriend?”
Idam’s eyes widened at the blunt question. Soon, a blush appeared on his cheeks and he shook his head.
“No, I don’t.”
“Wow! Really? Tee-hee!”
The high school girls laughed excitedly as they returned to their table. Idam awkwardly served the next customer. This time it was a young man who looked to be in his late 20s, with quite handsome features.
“I’d like to place a reservation order for 10 iced Americanos and 5 whole mango cakes.”
“Certainly!”
Idam diligently took the order. Then the man gazed intently at Idam and leaned in slightly.
“Do you have a partner by any chance?”
“What? Ah, no…”
“Then could you give me your number?”
“I… I don’t have a phone.”
“Are there really people without phones these days?”
“Yes…”
Idam answered awkwardly. The man stared at Idam thoughtfully and then twitched his lips.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. I’ll give you my business card, so think about it and contact me.”
He placed his business card in Idam’s hand and left the cafe. Only then did Idam breathe a sigh of relief and sit down in a chair.
“What? Did you get hit on again?”
Sujeong approached and checked the business card left by the male customer.
“Wow! This person is a department head at S Corporation. He’s been coming often lately, so it was because of you, Idam. You’re really popular.”
“No, it’s not like that.”
Idam waved his hands dismissively. Sujeong told him not to be coy and gently raised the blinds by the window.
“Wow! Maybe it’s because autumn is just around the corner. The sky is so high. Isn’t it?”
“Yeah…”
Idam followed Sujeong’s gaze to the blue sky. It had already been three months since he came to Cheongdo with Sujeong.
He had been anxious about being caught by Taemin again when getting off at Seoul Station, but he safely arrived in Cheongdo. The cafe run by Sujeong’s brother was in quite a remote neighborhood. So it was a good environment for hiding. Idam had an interview with Sujeong’s brother and started working right away.
Since he had worked part-time at a cafe before, he quickly picked up the job and was immediately put to work. At first, he made minor mistakes, but now he had become quite proficient. Moreover, Idam had a talent for cooking. So customers preferred the bread and drinks made by Idam, even if they were the same items, and among them, the egg sandwich was the most popular.
Idam was looking at the sky following Sujeong when he took off his horn-rimmed glasses to clean them. Sujeong watched Idam do this and pouted.
“Why do you wear those tacky glasses? You don’t even have bad eyesight, right?”
“Ah, just…”
Dealing with people made him anxious about possibly encountering Taemin. Also, social media is very developed these days. Some visiting customers post about the store on social media, so he had bought these disguise glasses in case his face might be exposed. Even though they made him look silly when worn, customers still showed considerable interest in Idam.
Although he was having a peaceful day, his heart was always anxious. The fear that Taemin might find him at any time. The guilt of running away and leaving Hayun behind. The uncertainty of whether he would ever be able to retrieve his mother’s keepsakes and belongings from Taemin’s mansion. The biggest problem was…
Idam carefully touched his stomach. It was gradually swelling. In fact, he hadn’t told anyone here about his pregnancy. He was afraid that being pregnant might restrict his work. For now, he needed to work as long as he could. He needed to prepare for raising the child and also wanted to save up to return the 350 million won he had borrowed from Taemin. He wanted to completely cut ties with him. Because of this situation, he couldn’t go to an obstetrician either. It was such a unique case that he was afraid rumors might spread and Im Hoyoung might find out, eventually reaching Taemin’s ears.
“Is it okay to stay like this?”
What worried him most was the baby’s condition. Although he was sleeping well and eating regularly without skipping meals, he wanted to get checked by a doctor. Of course, there was a high possibility that his worries were unfounded, given that the baby had inherited Taemin’s blood.
Soon, a table became vacant. Idam went to clear and wipe the dishes. That’s when he started to hear the voices of high school girls sitting at the next table.
“You know the CEO of Baekwol Corporation?”
“Ah, that handsome alpha?”
Idam paused as he was stacking the dishes.
Not long after Idam had fled to Cheongdo, Taemin had appeared on an educational program featuring a special on Korean Traditional House Day. However, there was no mention of his gangster family background or dangerous business. He only talked about traditional Korean houses and wedding ceremonies. So he appeared smart, like the CEO of a regular company.
He had never shown his face in the mass media before, so Idam didn’t understand why he was suddenly doing this. Because of this, Idam would change the channel or avoid any talk related to him whenever Taemin appeared on TV or YouTube.
On the other hand, he felt bitter that Taemin seemed unaffected by his disappearance. He had complicated feelings, wondering if all this hiding and disguising himself with silly glasses was just a waste of effort. Just as Idam was about to sigh and move the tray with cups and dishes…
“You know what? I heard this person is preparing for marriage now.”
“Really? I guess he had someone he was dating?”
“Yeah. They say he’s going to have the ceremony soon.”
Crash.
At the same time, the cups in Idam’s hands fell to the floor.
“Idam, are you okay?”
Sujeong hurriedly approached and checked on Idam. Frozen for a moment, Idam soon nodded with an awkward smile.
“Ah, sorry. I was lost in thought without realizing it.”
Idam quickly cleaned up the broken dishes. But the shock that had bloomed in his heart was hard to control.
In the end, was Taemin going to marry another omega?
Well, that was natural.
Idam was determined not to cry, but tears flowed endlessly down his cheeks.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
