By Zephyria 
Hui-won had never once revealed his trait since coming here. Most of the neighbors, including Nancy, were Betas.
He was far from having the typical appearance of an Omega, so how did she know? When he looked at her with questioning eyes, Nancy quickly averted her gaze and pretended innocence.
[Well… someone mentioned it. Is it a secret?]
[No, it’s not exactly a secret.]
Hui-won answered nonchalantly. It wasn’t something he needed to hide. Just then, Alberto, who had been waiting quietly, started whining as if wanting to go inside, pestering Hui-won.
[I’ll head in first. Have a nice day.]
[Yeah. You too.]
After a brief farewell, he parted ways with Nancy. Hui-won led Alberto to the grandmother next door and crossed over to his own house. After a quick shower, he came out to the living room. Even though it was the same scenery he always saw, the house felt a bit flimsy. It was probably because of what he had heard earlier.
Shaking his wet hair dry with a towel, he glanced out the window for a moment. The fence in the garden was only waist-high; it seemed anyone could jump over it if they wanted. The front door lock was just a simple chain. It was true that security was weaker compared to Korea.
Hui-won draped the damp towel around his neck and called the landlord. He subtly mentioned yesterday’s robbery incident and suggested that this house also seemed to need some security improvements.
He wasn’t sure if the landlord would listen. From the landlord’s perspective, it was probably just a hassle.
If cost became an issue, he was willing to pay any amount. Even though he was currently unemployed, Hui-won had assets that could sustain him for decades of leisure.
-A robbery? Goodness, such a thing happened! You must have been so shocked. As for the repairs, it’s difficult to give an immediate answer…
[How long should I wait?]
-Can you give me a little time? I’ll look into it and get back to you.
Fortunately, the landlord’s attitude was favorable. In fact, he seemed worried as if it were his own problem. The more you see him, the kinder he seems. Feeling somewhat relieved, Hui-won plopped down on the sofa.
“…….”
As he zoned out for a moment, thoughts of Kwon Young-je suddenly flooded in. He was pondering whether to tell him about this or not when a text message notification chimed.
Kwon Young-je
Everything okay?
Perfect timing. How did he contact him right away? Moreover, it wasn’t even the usual time he usually messaged. It was as if he had sensed something and asked about his well-being.
“…….”
Hui-won reread the text several times before pressing the call button. Since that day, he had become comfortable calling without hesitation.
-Yeah.
Kwon Young-je answered almost immediately after the signal. As his low voice pierced his ear, Hui-won scratched his cheek, which wasn’t even itchy.
“Is it… okay to talk?”
-Just a moment.
Some bustling noise came from the other side of the speaker. That too soon quieted down. Hui-won pictured Kwon Young-je walking into his office. It was a scene he knew well, so even without seeing, he could clearly imagine what he must look like at that moment, answering the phone.
-Go ahead.
“Just… texting seemed bothersome.”
-I prefer this too.
“Did I disturb your work?”
-It’s fine. I have time.
Thanks to that, they had a comfortable conversation. Starting with small talk about their well-being, he shared what had happened during his day. The flow of conversation naturally moved to the robbery incident in the next neighborhood. Hui-won relayed the news in as neutral a tone as possible.
“So, I’ve already mentioned it to the landlord. He’ll probably do something. I’m not sure when, though.”
-He should do it quickly. Given the situation.
“This isn’t Korea. Everything takes twice as long here.”
-What will you do in the meantime?
“Hmm…. I was thinking of maybe buying an electric shock device or something. But honestly, there’s nothing worth stealing in this house to begin with.”
Actually, a baseball bat might suffice, but since this is America, the unease was justified. If a robber pointed a gun, what use would a bat be?
A long sigh came through. Creak, the sound of a chair leaning back followed. His voice became undeniably serious.
-Wouldn’t a taser gun be better?
“Can you buy one easily?”
-It’s easier than buying a firearm.
“…That’s true.”
-I’ll tell Secretary Lee to prepare the necessary documents by today.
“No! I’ll handle it myself.”
Thinking he would act immediately, Hui-won urgently stopped him. Emphasizing repeatedly that it was his matter and he would handle it himself, Kwon Young-je sighed openly, seemingly displeased.
-Fine, then
About an hour later, the landlord called. He said he had actually been wanting to install a security system in the house and proposed starting the installation first thing tomorrow morning.
Was it really progressing this quickly?
Even if possible, he thought it would take at least a month, so the faster-than-expected handling was hard to believe. This can’t be right. Hui-won narrowed his eyes slightly, pressing the phone to his ear.
[By any chance… did someone specifically ask you to do this?]
-[Huh? I don’t understand what you mean.
[…….]
-[Other houses need work too, you know. The order might get delayed, so please decide quickly.]
The landlord urged him on. He said since he contacted him first, he would prioritize it, leaving Hui-won no room for other thoughts.
[I’ll do it. Ah, and… the cost.]
-[What cost? Of course, I’ll cover it. Then I’ll contact you again tomorrow. Have a good night.]
After the call ended, Hui-won leaned back on the sofa, lost in deep thought. Why did he feel so uneasy?
The landlord’s excessive kindness felt more suspicious than grateful. The overly swift response only raised doubts. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Kwon Young-je might have been involved.
He wasn’t sure, so he decided to wait and see for now.
His walks with Alberto had become more skillful, now alternating between moderate rest and running. Hui-won, firmly gripping the leash, leaned against a tree to catch his breath for a moment. Standing under the large tree shade, a moderately cool breeze blew, drying the sweat on his face. The rest after a long run felt like a sweet reward.
“Let’s go, Albe.”
Woof woof!
Just as they picked up speed for a light jog again, a golden retriever identical to Alberto appeared from the opposite direction. The dogs, meeting their own kind, momentarily lost reason and rushed toward each other.
Unable to contain their joy, they sniffed each other’s rear ends and panted excitedly, causing quite a commotion. As the dogs tangled instantly, the leash in his hand twisted and coiled. Hui-won let go of the leash and tightly wrapped his own limbs around Alberto.
“Hey, you! What’s wrong, calm down!”
“Huh? Are you Korean?”
The other dog owner asked in Korean. Hui-won also widened his eyes in surprise. Until now, he thought he was the only Korean in this neighborhood.
“Wow, it’s been a long time since I met a Korean! Do you live here?”
“Ah, yes.”
“I live in the next neighborhood, but I heard the walking trails here are good, so I came to check it out. Nice to meet you.”
The man, who introduced himself as Eric, was a Korean-American. His Korean was fluent but carried a slight foreign accent. 27 years old, Beta male. Without even being asked, he introduced himself in a stream. He was an incredibly sociable person.
After calming the dogs down, they chatted for a while. Learning Eric’s occupation in that short time, Hui-won spoke with surprise.
“For a programmer, you have an incredible physique?”
“Haha, I really like working out.”
It seemed more than just liking. Knowing it might be rude, Hui-won thoroughly observed Eric’s appearance. No joke, he really looked like someone from the athletic world. His sweaty face and robust physique exuded testosterone.
“Since this is fate, how about we exchange contact info? I think it’d be nice to become friends.”
When he suddenly thrust his phone forward, Hui-won showed reluctance. The quickly advancing interest felt somewhat suspicious.
This is awkward…. Hui-won switched the leash to his other hand and carefully spread his left hand.
“I’m sorry. I’m married.”
A prominent wedding ring sat on his ring finger. Eric blinked his eyes, alternating his gaze between Hui-won’s face and the wedding ring. His expression seemed to say, “So what?”
“I’m not flirting.”
“Huh?”
“I’m straight.”
“…Ah.”
Hui-won let out a short exclamation. Contrary to his calm expression, curses were raging inside. Damn it… Kim Hui-won, get a grip. What, are you some irresistible Omega? If there were a mouse hole, he’d want to hide in it right away. The left hand he had shamelessly displayed was quietly stuffed into his pants pocket.
Everything okay?