The agenda of the meeting was simple: What should be done with the returned Shining?
The elders’ opinions were sharply divided. One side argued that since the decision to “dispose of” the Shining had already been made, further discussion was unnecessary. The other side insisted that, having successfully returned, the Shining’s value must be recognized.
“No Shining has ever succeeded in returning before. Shouldn’t we acknowledge this achievement?”
“There was a reason the decision to ‘dispose of’ them was made in the first place. No matter how vivid their color may be, you can’t erase a fundamental flaw.”
“But isn’t their color far more vibrant than that of the other Shining in the estate? This is an undeniable fact.”
The heated debate showed no signs of subsiding. It seemed impossible to reach a conclusion anytime soon, but even so, the man had no desire to intervene in the discussion.
He pressed his lips with the back of his hand to stifle a yawn and leaned deep into his chair. This meeting would likely drag on even if he took a nap. If he’d known it would be like this, he would have told them to summon him only when they had reached a conclusion.
“I would like to ask the District Leader’s opinion!”
Suddenly, all attention shifted to him. The man, who had been lounging lazily, straightened his back and erased the boredom from his face before responding with composure.
“Go ahead and ask.”
The elder momentarily lost himself, mesmerized by the man’s beautiful face, before quickly clearing his throat in a feigned attempt to steady his voice. He knew better than to be deceived by appearances, yet he couldn’t help but be awestruck every time.
“Do you have a successor in mind?”
“No, I do not.”
The firm, unhesitant reply sent a ripple of shock through the elders. The time to appoint the next District Leader had long passed, but the man had continuously insisted that he needed more time.
Most believed that the successor would be chosen from among the Shining who had endured the relentless competition. But the truth was entirely different.
The most crucial criterion for becoming the next District Leader was manifestation. Ordinary children who failed to manifest as Alpha, the new humanity, were deemed unnecessary and “disposed of.”
Even after selecting only the most promising candidates, none had truly satisfied him. Even those who had manifested as Alpha always fell short in some way.
“I don’t believe any of the Shining I’ve observed so far qualify.”
More than fifty Shining were currently competing for the position of the next District Leader. Yet, his words made it clear that he had no intention of choosing any of them.
A heavy silence fell over the meeting room at this shocking revelation. Those who had aligned themselves with the most promising candidates were devastated, while the rest were left wondering—if not them, then who would be chosen as the next District Leader?
“In that case, wouldn’t it be reasonable to give them another chance?”
Someone broke the long silence. A quiet battle of wits ensued. Would they stick with the existing Shining, or take hold of a new possibility? The outcome was obvious.
The new Shining, though born from an Omega’s body, possessed a color more vivid than anyone else’s—a Shining with an undeniably strong bloodline. That alone was enough to qualify as a successor. Surely, it would be fine.
Nothing could be perfect. If there was only one flaw, then that would be acceptable.
“I agree.”
“I, too, support it.”
“I approve of that opinion.”
The elders, who had been evenly divided just moments ago, quickly reached a unanimous decision. With their full support, the new Shining was granted a chance.
Whether that would turn out to be a good thing or a bad thing, only time would tell.
***
Not long after lying down, Vin fell into a deep sleep. No wonder he looked exhausted—he must not have slept at all during the days I was unconscious.
Staring at the bright ceiling, I turned onto my side and looked at Vin. No matter how many times I saw him, his face never failed to leave me in awe. As I took in his features, a faint floral scent tickled my nose.
“Ugh.”
A tightness crept into my chest, steadily constricting. Sensing the danger of a fever rising, I put distance between myself and Vin. Even shifting to the edge of the bed wasn’t enough, so in the end, I moved as far away as possible.
Earlier, I had thought the room was unnecessarily large, but now, thanks to that, I could escape Vin’s scent. I opened a window and leaned against it, breathing deeply. Only then did the heat subside.
“What the hell is wrong with me?”
It hadn’t been this severe before. Looking back, I was no better than a weakling. Feverish at the slightest trigger, constantly on the verge of collapse, like a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any moment.
Leaning against the cool glass, I let the lingering warmth dissipate. As I focused on steadying my breathing, I recalled the words of the old woman I had met.
—When did that child start staying with you?
She had suddenly taken an interest in Vin. At the time, I had been too preoccupied with the fear of her discovering that Vin was a Shining to think much of it. But in hindsight, the reason for her curiosity had been the scent.
She had asked if I had ever noticed Vin’s scent. The first time I became aware of it was in the storage room. The floral fragrance that had occasionally filled the space had belonged to Vin.
—Didn’t you feel feverish when you inhaled that child’s scent?
Just as the old woman had said, Vin’s scent made my mind hazy, my body hot, and my head feel light. To call it merely a scent wouldn’t do it justice—whatever it was, it had the power to shake me to my core.
“They recognize each other by scent…”
Luis Shining had said that Alphas and Omegas identified each other through scent. If his words were true, then it made sense—why I could pick up on Vin’s scent, why Vin had known my scent even before I did.
Yes, if Vin was an Alpha, then everything made sense.
“…Seo-yul hyung.”
Vin, having woken from his sleep, looked around for me. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up and immediately climbed out of bed, scanning the spacious room. When he spotted me leaning against the window frame, he staggered toward me.
“Why are you over here?”
“Couldn’t sleep.”
I didn’t mention that it was because of the scent. It was just a guess, and if I was going to tell Vin, I needed to be absolutely sure. I held back, not wanting to complicate things unnecessarily.
“What were you looking at?”
“Just the scenery.”
Vin rested his chin on my shoulder and looked out the window. When I had first seen the view, I had been awestruck, but Vin remained indifferent.
“Isn’t it beautiful?”
“…I don’t know. A garden is just a garden.”
Blinking his drowsy eyes, Vin leaned against me even more. He wouldn’t fall since the window frame blocked one side, but with his size, having him press his entire weight on me was a bit much.
“Vin, you’re heavy.”
“Ah, sorry.”
Coming to his senses, Vin quickly straightened up. Only after the heavy weight lifted off me did I finally take an easy breath.
“You’re bigger than me. Don’t lean on me like that.”
“I’m still not taller than you yet.”
“…Are you messing with me?”
“I’m serious. We’re about the same height.”
Vin stepped closer, comparing our heights by placing his hand alternately on his forehead and mine. At a glance, I seemed slightly taller, but from certain angles, it looked like Vin’s eyes were at a higher level.
A deep sigh escaped me. The moment an Omega manifests, their growth stops. Small stature, a slight frame, and a youthful appearance—these were all characteristics of an Omega. In other words, I would never grow any taller than this.
But Vin would. Even Luis Shining was a full head taller than most people. Thinking about Vin eventually reaching that height only made me more dejected.
“That’s enough. You’ll surpass me with time anyway.”
I grabbed Vin’s hand, which was still measuring our heights, and lowered it. Noticing my gloomy mood, Vin hesitated before cautiously asking if I was okay. I should have said yes, but I couldn’t bring myself to say the words.
“Seo-yul hyung, do you want to go out?”
That was probably his way of trying to cheer me up. The uncertainty in his red eyes, as if worried I might refuse, eased my melancholy just a little.
“Where to?”
“The garden.”
I glanced at the garden beyond the window. I had considered going there myself, but now didn’t feel like the right time. I was about to carefully turn down Vin’s suggestion when a gentle hand reached out and grabbed the hem of my clothes.
“To be honest, this would be my first time visiting the garden in District 1.”
“…Really?”
“I always had to avoid people whenever I was in District 1. But now, I don’t have to anymore… Actually, I’ve wanted to go ever since I first arrived at the mansion, but I waited until you woke up. Because I wanted to go with you.”
The shy smile spreading across Vin’s face made me swallow the words I was about to say.
Come to think of it, Han Jae-hoon never explicitly told me to stay put in this room. Vin had been sent on errands without issue, so it should be fine—at least for a little while.
Seeing the way he was looking at me with anticipation, I figured a quiet stroll through the garden, away from prying eyes, wouldn’t hurt.
“…Alright, let’s go.”
