By Zephyria 
Seo Dong-hu’s eyes were quite piercing. Had his hand not been in a cast, the chauffeur might have already been beaten to a pulp.
Just then, the door opened, and Seo Dong-hu’s wife entered.
“I told you I’m not eating!”
He knew why his wife had come in. She must have come personally to fetch him since he refused to eat breakfast.
Seo Dong-hu was in no mood for something like breakfast right now. His stomach was churning, and he was seething with rage. Then, his mother, Lee Se-hee, stepped inside.
“You just need to open your mouth. She’ll feed you.”
Lee Se-hee, her hair swept up high, directed the maid standing outside to approach and sit beside Seo Dong-hu. She didn’t care that his wife, a legitimate Omega, was watching.
Lee Se-hee’s eyes remained fixed on Seo Dong-hu’s face, filled with pity.
Perhaps because of the hardships he endured at the hospital, her son’s face had grown gaunt.
At the sight of the pretty-faced maid, Seo Dong-hu’s anger seemed to subside slightly. Opening his mouth to accept the food she provided, Seo Dong-hu glared at the chauffeur. Eventually, the wife, who had been watching the scene, turned around and left the room, but no one paid her any mind.
The chauffeur attempted to make a phone call. Despite this, Seo Yi-kyung’s voice was absolutely nowhere to be heard.
Compassion flickered in Lee Se-hee’s eyes. The look she gave her son, Seo Dong-hu, was affectionate. She had personally visited the hospital to stay by his side. Of course, the actual caretaking was the pretty maid’s job.
Whenever that happened, Dong-hu would complain of his pain to Lee Se-hee.
—I feel like I’m going crazy from frustration! I can’t even sleep because it hurts so much without the medicine.
—How could someone make your arm end up in this state?
—It’s because of Yi-kyung. Before that, Director Han wasn’t this reckless.
Even when he constantly clashed with Seo Dong-hu, Han Seung-jae had consistently remained indifferent. However, as Seo Yi-kyung changed, his attitude shifted instantly.
Therefore, this infuriating and unfair situation must all be because of Seo Yi-kyung.
* * *
“Oh? I’m all out?”
Jin Seon-yu, who had been handling oil paints at the work table, headed toward the shelf. Paint was smeared on the apron he was wearing. Seo Yi-kyung, wearing an apron of the same length but a different color, stepped away from the canvas.
Seo Yi-kyung stood beside Jin Seon-yu, who was pulling paints from the shelf, and looked around. To Seo Yi-kyung’s eyes, the colors looked similar, but to Jin Seon-yu, they were different.
“Then should we take a break before continuing?”
Seo Yi-kyung repeatedly thought that painting was not easy. Not only did it require intense concentration, but standing for a short while made his waist and legs ache.
Jin Seon-yu had been standing the whole time, claiming that the angle wasn’t right if he sat in a chair. In such a situation, it felt awkward for Seo Yi-kyung to be the only one sitting.
Seo Yi-kyung tilted the cold teapot resting on the work table. Jin Seon-yu popped a macaron into his mouth.
“Instead of that, shall we go out and buy some?”
“Now?”
Seo Yi-kyung lowered the teapot. Jin Seon-yu nodded repeatedly.
“Since we’ve been inside the house the whole time, it’s getting a bit stifling.”
Having lived in such a limited space, Seo Yi-kyung hadn’t considered that Jin Seon-yu might feel uncomfortable, unlike himself.
“Alright.”
Going to an art supply store wasn’t difficult. Han Seung-jae invested generously in painting. Though it was likely because he wanted to see the results quickly.
“Let’s go out and eat something delicious too. Ah… I don’t have any money.”
A shadow fell over the eyes of Jin Seon-yu as he energetically took off his apron. Since he had practically fled the house, he hadn’t brought much with him. Furthermore, his cards had been blocked by his eldest brother, Jin Tae-won.
“Is there something you want to eat? If we ask the chef, he’ll make it for us.”
However, Seo Yi-kyung was equally broke. Still, he lacked for nothing.
The place where he slept, the transportation when he wanted to go somewhere, and the skill of the resident chef he requested whenever he was hungry were all excellent. Thus, there was no room to feel that anything was lacking.
The two sat facing each other at the ceramic dining table. Jin Seon-yu’s eyes sparkled as he requested a menu from the chef. He was full of anticipation. However, those eyes soon turned to disappointment.
“What’s wrong?”
Jin Seon-yu, who had cut and eaten a piece of steak first, chewed slowly. Seeing the lips that were no longer smiling, Seo Yi-kyung felt suspicious.
Seo Yi-kyung took a bite of the meat. As the golden-brown texture and juices spread, the meat melted in his mouth.
“Ah, it’s delicious, but… it’s a bit different from what I wanted to eat…”
“Is it very different?”
It tasted clean and savory to him; was it different from the taste Seon-yu desired?
“No.”
Jin Seon-yu quickly changed his expression and continued eating the steak. He nodded and took another bite.
“This is delicious too.”
Only the two of them were in the dining area. Butler Do had provided fruit in advance and stepped away to give them privacy.
“Which restaurant is it that you want to go to?”
Suddenly curious, Seo Yi-kyung asked. He didn’t go out much. The only places he had visited were art supply stores, parks, and the hospital. Moreover, going to the hospital was never for a good reason.
As Seo Yi-kyung asked while slicing the meat, Jin Seon-yu answered as if recalling the taste.
“It’s called Ivory Pavilion. It’s a place where Alphas periodically hold social gatherings.”
Seo Yi-kyung’s hand, which had been slicing the meat, stopped.
“When I was young, I didn’t know any better and said I wanted to attend, but my second brother told me I absolutely couldn’t because I’m an Omega. Still, when there were no gatherings, my eldest brother would occasionally take me there.”
He remembered from the original novel that there were social gatherings for Alphas who met certain criteria.
“The food there is truly delicious. Ah, you probably wouldn’t have been able to eat there anyway.”
“…”
Seo Yi-kyung looked at Jin Seon-yu. He added with a face dripping with regret.
“Because today is the gathering.”
* * *
After getting out of the sedan, Seo Yi-kyung and Jin Seon-yu entered the art supply store. Butler Do followed behind them.
Jin Seon-yu held paints in both hands and examined the colors.
Seo Yi-kyung pulled out a slender brush and fiddled with it. It was a brush with soft bristles and a good feel. Should I buy one of these?
Perhaps it was because he had learned by glancing at Seon-yu using them. Now, the uses of the tools were gradually becoming clear to him.
Suddenly, ‘Ivory Pavilion’ came to mind.
A social gathering of Alphas. Among those who met the high-class and dignified criteria, Han Seung-jae was naturally included.
If today was indeed the day, as Seon-yu said, there was a high probability that Han Seung-jae would return late.
And Seo Dong-hu had also attended every single time without fail. Whenever Han Seung-jae couldn’t attend due to being busy with work, Seo Dong-hu would chatter away as if he were his proxy.
Seo Yi-kyung turned his head to look at Jin Seon-yu, who was talking with Butler Do.
In the original novel, an incident involving Jin Tae-won, Jin Seok-young, Ham Gyu-ho, and Kwon Gwi-jun occurs.
“Are you going to buy that?”
Jin Seon-yu, whose eyes met his, approached. Seo Yi-kyung nodded and stepped forward, brush in hand.
It seemed Jin Tae-won cherished his youngest brother, Jin Seon-yu, more than expected. Judging by how Ham Gyu-ho disliked it and told him to meet someone else.
And Ham Gyu-ho’s friend, Kwon Gwi-jun…
* * *
The Ivory Pavilion was a place that could be recognized from afar by its traditional Korean house exterior and hanging red lanterns.
Cars stopped there repeatedly.
“Welcome. The night breeze is cool today, so we have prepared your seats upstairs.”
The manager came out with a staff member and welcomed the arriving guests with a polite bow.
Today was a day where they had even posted a holiday notice, preparing thoroughly from the morning solely for these people.
This was because the revenue generated in a few hours around evening accounted for a significant portion of the Ivory Pavilion’s profits.
The secretaries all waited downstairs, and only the Alphas ascended to the octagonal pavilion where red cloths fluttered like waves.
Below was an artificially created pond, and as one went higher, the view extended further, adding to the elegance.
As more people entered, the boisterous noise grew louder. Around twenty people were seated around a large table.
Delicacies from land and sea were continuously added to the table, and alcohol was filled without shortage. Fish, laid out to boast their freshness, all seemed to move their mouths even as their flesh was torn.
“Is Seung-jae coming today? Last time he didn’t attend because he was getting married.”
The seat of honor was empty. Those clinking glasses exchanged conversation.
“I don’t know, I haven’t heard anything. He’s a very elusive person.”
“He’s here, he’s here.”
“Hey, turn off the music.”
As someone threw a glass, the softly spreading music vanished instantly. Then, the sound of snickering laughter began to be heard more loudly.
Their gazes turned in unison. The person who climbed the stairs and appeared atop the pavilion was Seo Dong-hu, with both arms in casts.
“Dong-hu Hyung, did you really come even with those arms?”
From those with grandfathers or fathers in politics and business to Alphas with envied fathers who built major domestic corporations, the only thing Seo Dong-hu of Woorim Construction could boast in this gathering was his age. Strictly speaking, he didn’t even qualify to be here.
The Alphas gathered here ranged from their 20s to early 30s. Seo Dong-hu was 32, the second oldest. However, the tone used toward him was full of unabashed mockery.
“Where is Director Han?”
As always, Seo Dong-hu began the conversation by bringing up Han Seung-jae.
“Hasn’t he arrived yet?”
Looking around as if searching for Han Seung-jae, he moved and sat in an empty seat.
“Why? Did Seung-jae Hyung say he’d attend today?”
Because while people might ignore Seo Dong-hu, they could never treat Han Seung-jae that way.
In truth, Seo Dong-hu didn’t know if Han Seung-jae was attending either. He had tried to find out, calling Seo Yi-kyung until his phone practically caught fire since the morning, but until he arrived here a moment ago, Seo Yi-kyung had not answered the phone.