“When did you get another alpha like this… Ahem, anyway, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you, and I only caused this commotion. Make sure to keep it secret, honey. Got it?”
“Wait…”
“See you later!”
Again, the woman didn’t listen to what I had to say and ran away with her tail between her legs. Her technique of making people flustered and then quickly escaping seemed like she’d done it more than once or twice.
“What the heck was that…?”
While I was puzzled by the sudden woman’s identity, Baek Woojin approached me.
“She’s the mistress of the second son of the Gwak family, Gwak Ihan.”
“What? Mistress?”
No, it really was a complete mess…?
“Her name is Yoon Mina, an Omega. Gwak Ihan is your late husband’s younger brother. His legal wife is already married, a Beta, and they have no children, so with the family’s permission, he’s keeping a mistress and dating her.”
I was shocked. Baek Woojin knew much more about the Gwak family than I did.
“Is that possible…?”
And the relationship between Yoon Mina and Gwak Ihan that he was explaining was too strange. No matter how much the trait was Beta, there was already a legal wife… I couldn’t quite understand how there could be parents who allowed him to have a lover.
“Let me explain in more detail.”
Baek Woojin led me back into the shop.
“If it’s an Alpha and Omega, it’s not that strange. In this world, everyone knows well that such unions are necessary to produce superior traits.”
“That’s…”
At the story he told so matter-of-factly, I momentarily thought of Hyeol and Kkotsu. At the same time, I also recalled the content of the terrifying original novel.
A contract marriage solely for the purpose of pregnancy…
“That’s… like a contract… right?”
“Yes, the privileged always believe that children born from Omegas should become heirs. I suspect Chae Seungyeon-ssi also entered the Gwak family through such procedures.”
“……”
I had wondered… So the relationship between Chae Seungyeon and his dead husband was ultimately just a contract marriage without any affection? Thinking that way, along with the Omega’s life, it seemed like such a cruel world.
Moreover, their children were like that too. They should be blessed just for being born, but they were created solely for superior traits…
It was utterly cruel.
“Still, please don’t worry too much about it. The current Chae Seungyeon-ssi has escaped from such shackles.”
“Yes… thank you…”
I answered with a dazed expression and sat down in the seat I had secured, then was startled. The milk ice cream had completely melted in the meantime.
“Oh, what should I do? Woojin-ssi didn’t get to have even one bite… I’ll go buy another one.”
“It’s fine, more importantly…”
Just as I was about to get up from my seat, Baek Woojin held something out to me.
“Please accept this.”
“This is…?”
It was a small box prettily wrapped with a red ribbon.
“It’s a gift.”
“What? Why suddenly a gift…”
When I hesitated without accepting it, Baek Woojin placed the box on the table.
“It’s a gift to commemorate our first meal out together.”
“Yes…?”
Why would that be…? Is it some kind of dining anniversary or something?
“…I’m joking. I’m giving this to you out of gratitude for taking such good care of Kkotsu all this time.”
“No, what have I even done…”
To be honest, while staying at someone else’s house, I couldn’t even do cleaning or laundry properly. The only thing I could manage was taking care of the child…
“Thank you…”
Really, my prospective in-law was nothing short of an angel. I could pay him back later, so I decided I shouldn’t refuse and should gratefully accept it.
“Please open it.”
I opened the gift box as Baek Woojin requested. Inside was a small wallet about the size of my palm. I’m hopeless when it comes to luxury goods so I don’t know how expensive the wallet is, but I could tell at a glance it was quite a costly item.
“I’ll use the wallet well. I feel bad always receiving things like this.”
“Not at all, I’ve received a lot from Chae Seungyeon-ssi too.”
“…?”
If I asked what he received, he’d probably say something nonsensical again, so I quickly took out the cash, cards, and ID from the envelope and neatly fitted them into the wallet.
“It fits perfectly, it’s pretty. I just need to put Hyeol’s photo here.”
As I fiddled with the small pocket and the space where a photo could be inserted, Baek Woojin slightly bowed his head toward me.
“So are you grateful?”
“…”
Only then did I realize what Baek Woojin wanted and looked around. We were the only customers in the ice cream shop, but since it was a department store, there were many people coming and going outside the store.
“Here?”
“If you prefer, there’s also the option of doing it all at once next time.”
As expected, Baek Woojin didn’t just let it slide. But I’m also the type who can’t stand being in debt. After thinking for a moment, I stood up and pulled Baek Woojin’s arm.
“Then let’s go over there…”
I left the shop and walked to the very end of the department store corridor. My destination was the emergency stairs.
Clunk, as soon as I opened the heavy iron door, I slipped inside with Baek Woojin. I was momentarily flustered by the darker view than expected, but I didn’t hesitate and approached Baek Woojin to give him a light hug. To be precise, it was a back hug.
“Is this okay now…?”
Right after that, when I was about to pull away.
“…!”
In an instant, whoosh, with strong force, my body spun around. Before I could say anything, Baek Woojin wrapped his arm around my lower back and completely trapped me in his embrace. Unlike last time, there was considerable strength in his hold.
“W-Woojin-ssi…?”
When I called Baek Woojin’s name hesitantly, he whispered softly against my ear.
“Just 1 minute… let’s stay like this.”
“…”
Having missed the timing to refuse, I was quietly held in Baek Woojin’s embrace. Thump thump, someone’s heartbeat echoed loudly from our touching chests. I couldn’t tell if it was mine or Baek Woojin’s.
How much time had passed like that?
“Um… I think 1 minute has passed…”
A while later, probably well over 5 minutes, I whispered quietly and pulled away. I thought he would be more stubborn, but Baek Woojin separated from me more easily than expected.
“Shall we go now? Ah, let’s stop by the shop first. I want to get some ice cream to go. I think Hyeol and Kkotsu would like it too.”
I couldn’t somehow face him directly, so I spoke quickly while grabbing the emergency door handle.
Clunk.
But the door wouldn’t budge at all.
“Wh-why won’t this… open…?”
Then Baek Woojin placed his hand over mine on the door handle and easily opened the door.
“Ah…”
I let out a small sigh. Not because he opened the door in one try. It was because his warm palm touching my hand was slightly damp with sweat.
Could it be that Baek Woojin was as nervous as I was…?
But Baek Woojin, who came out of the emergency exit, just had his usual calm expression. He looked unmoved regardless of the situation.
It was the same when that woman called Yoon Mina appeared earlier…
‘…This scent… is he in rut?’
At that moment, I recalled what she had muttered to herself.
“Um, Woojin-ssi.”
“Yes.”
“Could you tell me what that ‘rut’ you mentioned earlier means?”
Then Baek Woojin briefly took out his phone from his pocket, searched for something, and showed it to me.
“Alphas and omegas have periods when they periodically go into heat. This can be irregular depending on the individual and environment. For alphas it’s called a rut cycle, for omegas it’s called a heat cycle.”
Baek Woojin pointed to the diagram on the screen and explained it in an easy-to-understand way.
“So Woojin-ssi is currently in heat…?”
“…You chose quite a direct word.”
“Oh, I’m sorry…”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
