By Zephyria 
“Yes, he wanted to come and greet you together, but something sudden came up this morning…”
I came first. Before Seo Yi-kyung could even finish his sentence, Han Yechan turned his head and continued the conversation with the person beside him. Perhaps he hadn’t even been asking Seo Yi-kyung in the first place.
“…….”
For a moment, Seo Yi-kyung wondered what to do. Butler Do, who had been watching the situation from behind, felt much the same.
It was an unfamiliar place. It wasn’t a setting where one could easily step forward. Moreover, there were far too many people. Despite that, not a single person approached Seo Yi-kyung readily. They merely glanced at him and whispered from afar. I heard he’s the second son of Woorim Construction. He’s a bit out of place. Still, he is that precious extreme dominant Omega.
Step, step. Seo Yi-kyung moved his feet. An empty table by the window caught his eye. Butler Do followed behind him with a bewildered expression.
Wrinkles formed in the white suit he had painstakingly dressed in. Seo Yi-kyung sat in a chair and stared at the tulips decorating the table. He then pointed to an empty chair for Butler Do, but Butler Do declined, extending both hands forward.
Seo Yi-kyung didn’t insist a second time. He felt he understood the reason for the refusal. Seo Yi-kyung scratched his forehead with his finger. It would have been nice if someone had told him this morning that it was a family banquet.
No, even if he had heard it from Han Seung-jae before coming, it probably wouldn’t have changed anything.
He finally realized what the ‘Omega’s World’ was like. The authoritarian mindset and attitude of Alphas with superior genes, the majority of Betas, and the Omegas, who were inevitably intimidated due to being a minority.
“……Young Master, Young Master.”
Lost in thought, Seo Yi-kyung looked up. Butler Do called him in a lowered voice. When their eyes met with a look of doubt, Butler Do’s finger pointed to the side.
“Director Han, you’ve arrived.”
Seo Yi-kyung blinked. Though countless people were intertwined, the moment he appeared, without a doubt, only Han Seung-jae, dressed in a dark-colored suit, was visible in Seo Yi-kyung’s eyes.
He was walking through the crowd as if parting them. Consequently, the commotion grew even louder. Most people approached Han Seung-jae to offer their greetings. President Han Yechan, who had been engaged in conversation as if drawn in, turned his head. A satisfied smile played on his lips.
However, Han Seung-jae was heading elsewhere.
“Director Han, where are you going? President Han has been waiting for you this whole time.”
Butler Choi was very flustered, but Han Seung-jae did not stop. A long shadow covered Seo Yi-kyung’s pale face.
“Why are you here?”
Seo Yi-kyung’s cheeks flushed from the glares, which had doubled since before. Everyone, including Han Yechan and the people around him, was staring at Han Seung-jae.
“Th-that is. First, you should probably go see Father…”
…I think. The end of Seo Yi-kyung’s sentence was practically crushed on his tongue. Everyone was staring right here. Yet, Han Seung-jae seemed to have understood.
“……!”
Seo Yi-kyung flinched. It was because Han Seung-jae suddenly lowered his upper body. As the distance closed in an instant, the white sandalwood scent felt intense. Seo Yi-kyung had the illusion that their lips might touch. That was how fast the descent was.
Han Seung-jae reached out a long arm and wrapped it around Seo Yi-kyung’s waist. Seo Yi-kyung’s legs, which lacked any real strength, were straightened, and he was led forward by Han Seung-jae.
Seo Yi-kyung’s heart pounded. All his attention was focused on the large hand touching his back.
“Good to see you.”
Han Yechan smiled while looking at Seo Yi-kyung. However, Seo Yi-kyung could tell that his words were directed at Han Seung-jae.
The behavior of the people changed clearly from before. Someone who had been talking beside Han Yechan the whole time stood up from the sofa. It was clear they were trying to yield the seat to Han Seung-jae.
But Han Seung-jae ignored such people and looked for someone else.
“You’ve been working hard without even a weekend. Still, you should learn to yield some of your achievements to others.”
People laughed at Han Yechan’s words. Having finished speaking pleasantly, Han Yechan gestured.
“Sit.”
“!”
Seo Yi-kyung’s eyes widened. He was being pushed by the hand attached to his back. Behind Seo Yi-kyung, a sound of lamentation—Oh dear—could be heard.
Seo Yi-kyung slowly raised his head. Han Seung-jae’s face felt even colder than when he had seen him in the morning. He moved forward, looking only in one direction.
As he slowly turned his gaze, Secretary Park was standing there. After giving Seo Yi-kyung a slight bow, he spoke to Han Seung-jae.
“She is upstairs.”
They climbed the stairs divided to the left and right. Seo Yi-kyung simply moved his feet as he was led.
However, once they reached the top of the stairs, a person sitting on the terrace railing outside the window caught his eye. It was Yeon So-jeong, Han Seung-jae’s mother, whom he had seen in the family photo upon entering the house.
In the original work, her father, Yeon Ju-an, was a giant in the political world. His negotiation skills were said to be unparalleled. He was set as a man with a jovial personality and bold sociability who cherished his close aides, but it seemed she was not included in that. As the youngest of two sons and one daughter, she had entered an arranged marriage with a man she had no feelings for, orchestrated by her father.
Han Seung-jae opened the door. The U-shaped terrace captured the scenery behind the building. It was quiet, in stark contrast to the first floor. Yeon So-jeong, with her hair elegantly tied up, turned her head as if sensing a presence.
Yeon So-jeong, who had been sitting with a sunken face until a moment ago, stood up. Her dress, which revealed her slender shoulders, fluttered.
“Welcome.”
Meeting her eyes, Seo Yi-kyung opened his frozen lips.
“Hello. It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time.”
“I’ve seen you, at the wedding hall.”
Yeon So-jeong gave a soft smile. As Seo Yi-kyung smiled back, his pushed-up cheeks trembled slightly. Right, ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ had held a wedding attended by the elders of both families. He had forgotten.
She grabbed the arm of Seo Yi-kyung, who was wrapped in the white suit.
“There’s no need to be so nervous. Did you greet your father?”
The words that followed were directed at Han Seung-jae. She looked up at him.
“If you haven’t, let’s go down together. He’s been waiting for you both since yesterday.”
The corners of Han Seung-jae’s eyes narrowed slightly. Seo Yi-kyung instinctively felt a red alert go off in his head.
Since he was sitting right there in the center, there was no way he hadn’t seen him. To anyone, it looked like a banquet created for Han Yechan. Meanwhile, his mother was here alone, so it was understandable that Han Seung-jae would feel displeased.
Seo Yi-kyung spoke quickly.
“I just saw him.”
Yeon So-jeong slowly turned her head.
“Did you?”
She looked at him with a gentle, steady gaze. Her clear eyes shimmered. Just from that, a corner of Seo Yi-kyung’s heart felt a sharp ache. As an Omega, what would it feel like to watch an Alpha embrace someone else?
Han Yechan and her father, Yeon Ju-an, appeared to get along jovially on the surface as if their intentions aligned, but the reality was different. Conflicts arose repeatedly because of Yeon Ju-an, who tried to persuade everyone of everything and pushed his will forward as if demanding they follow.
Despite the fact that Yeon Ju-an’s political longevity was sustained by the inexhaustible funds of the Myeong-jun Group, the fact that he took care of his two blood sons more than his son-in-law played a part. As the distance between the two grew, it was perhaps natural that the marital relationship between Yeon Ju-an’s daughter, Yeon So-jeong, and Han Yechan was not good.
“Everyone must be waiting.”
As Yeon So-jeong moved, a scent of lavender wafted from her. It was a cozy and pleasant fragrance.
When Yeon So-jeong and Han Seung-jae appeared on the first floor, Han Yechan, who had been acting pompously while sitting on the sofa, stood up. He took her hand and led her affectionately.
“Congratulations on your marriage.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you—”
Before Seo Yi-kyung could finish his sentence, their gaze shifted to Han Seung-jae. It seemed the words were merely a superficial formality muttered in passing.
Soon, people crowded around Seo Yi-kyung as well. To be precise, they were approaching Han Seung-jae. Nevertheless, Butler Do was pushed back step by step until he was standing far behind.
Soon, a man who seemed to be a relative approached Han Seung-jae and spoke.
“Actually, there’s something I want to ask of you.”
“You picked the wrong day.”
Han Seung-jae gave no room for negotiation. Even if it was a close relative, he had a nature that was decisive in all matters. Affection was nowhere to be found, even if one searched with scrubbed eyes.
The man glanced at Seo Yi-kyung and spoke awkwardly.
“I guess I was a bit much. I’ll contact Secretary Park later, so let’s meet outside.”
After the man disappeared, amidst the boisterous noise, the sound of a greeting was clearly heard.
“Have you been well?”
Seo Yi-kyung, who had hurriedly turned his head, averted his gaze from the person passing by. Those words weren’t for him.
“…….”
It was hard to find a proper place to look. Soon, after hesitating slightly, Seo Yi-kyung picked up a glass from the table. Red wine sloshed along his fingers.
Wearing the white suit, with his back straight and eyelids lowered, Seo Yi-kyung tasted the wine while smelling its aroma. The subsequent slow movement of the glass was elegant. Unlike the chaotic surroundings, it seemed as if only the space around him was in a different dimension.
Seo Yi-kyung’s lips were stained red. It was likely because of the wine he had just touched to his lips. Because of that, his lips looked a bit plumper and more seductive.
Consequently, his pale skin stood out. Seo Yi-kyung’s skin was transparent enough to see through, and his slender eyebrows and delicate features drew the eye.
Suddenly meeting Han Seung-jae’s eyes, Seo Yi-kyung wore a faint smile. At the same time, Han Seung-jae’s brow furrowed slightly.