By Zephyria 
As In-ho stepped out of the car, a deep frown creased the forehead of the man standing in front of the black sedan. The man, who had been sounding a loud horn, was as tall as In-ho.
“You could’ve just picked up the phone.”
He was a man whose bulk made him look twice as large due to his heaviness. His massive frame, combined with a coarse voice and slanted eyes, created an intimidating aura.
“Why are you here?”
Ignoring the man’s remark, In-ho approached and asked in a blunt tone. His attitude clearly signaled for the man to state his business and get lost.
“You should greet your older brother first when you see him.”
The man stood with a crooked posture, hands shoved in his pockets. Though partially buried in flesh, his features were bold and sharp. He looked nothing like In-ho.
“Let’s maintain some basic courtesy. Shall we?”
Even his swaggering way of speaking was entirely different.
The menacing man, whose only similarity to In-ho was his height, was In-ho’s second older brother. Born to Chairman Seo’s second wife, he was a recessive Alpha who was more ignored within the family than the Omegas were.
His name was Seo Tae-wan.
Among the siblings, he had inherited the most of Chairman Han-sung Group’s imposing physique. While intentionally gaining weight played a part, he was born with a heavy frame. Seo Tae-wan had always taken pride in his large build, which mirrored their father’s.
Because of this, whenever he found himself in a disadvantageous situation or a difficult position, he would deliberately puff out his chest to make himself look even larger. Exactly like he was doing now.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
Seo Tae-wan gestured with his chin toward Haon, who had stepped out of the passenger seat. In truth, he had no intention of receiving a greeting; he was simply picking a fight to find a flaw.
Hearing this, Haon paused and looked at In-ho.
“…….”
However, when In-ho remained silent, Haon quickly hurried away. Though it was only for a brief moment, his body shrank from the fleeting eye contact he had made with Seo Tae-wan.
“Your taste has changed quite a bit, hasn’t it?”
Seo Tae-wan let out a scoff as he watched Haon retreat with his shoulders hunched. The way he avoided eye contact made him look like a frightened little rat, utterly lacking in quality.
In-ho listened to the fading sound of Haon’s footsteps before taking a step toward Seo Tae-wan.
“I asked why you came.”
In-ho’s low voice echoed along with the sharp click of his shoes. As In-ho continued to speak, the smile on Seo Tae-wan’s lips gradually vanished.
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
A mocking smile shifted to the corners of In-ho’s mouth as he added a soft, “Hmm?” Seo Tae-wan gritted his teeth and slammed his fist onto his own car.
Thump! The loud noise resonated all the way to Haon. Haon stopped dead in his tracks in front of the entrance and turned around. His heart hammered, fearing that the sound might have been the man hitting In-ho.
Fortunately, In-ho was standing tall in front of the man. As if he had been looking for Haon, their eyes met immediately.
In-ho wore a small smile, as if to say he was fine. Then, he gestured toward the entrance with his eyes.
Reading In-ho’s gaze, Haon forced his heavy feet to move. Just then, another resident stepped out from inside, opening the entrance door, and Haon instinctively followed them inside.
I hope nothing happens. Haon’s face was clouded with worry as he headed toward the elevator.
“You heard it’s Father’s birthday this week, right?”
Meanwhile, Seo Tae-wan, who had closed his eyes to cool his temper, got to the point. He clenched and unclenched his stinging hand and brushed back his hair, which was held in place with wax.
“I was surprised to see your name on the guest list for the meal, so I came.”
The corners of Seo Tae-wan’s mouth curled unnaturally. His deep voice wavered, as if slamming the car hadn’t been enough to soothe his volatile temper.
“I figured you’d have no intention of coming. Right?”
His eyes flashed fiercely, craving the answer he wanted. In-ho tilted his chin slightly, looking down at the panting Seo Tae-wan.
“I guess you have plenty of time on your hands too, brother.”
In contrast to the highly agitated Seo Tae-wan, In-ho’s expression was calm. He looked like a wooden doll stripped of all emotion.
“Not as much as you.”
Seo Tae-wan let out an exaggerated scoff and clenched his thick hand. He looked ready to throw a punch at any second. Had there been no other people passing through the parking lot, he would have lost his reason and swung.
“Just answer me. You’re not the type to care about Father’s birthday.”
Even during their father’s 70th birthday celebration, he had failed to attend the family gathering, sending Jang Eun-young’s blood pressure skyrocketing. Why was a bastard like that suddenly trying to pretend to be a dutiful son?
Only one reason came to mind. He likely wanted to ensure he secured his share.
The other siblings, including Seo Tae-wan, reacted sensitively to even In-ho’s smallest actions. While Chairman Seo was still healthy, he was preparing to hand over his position at any time.
In Chairman Seo’s will, which was revised every year, In-ho’s name was still written on the very first line. Because of that, the other siblings had no choice but to keep In-ho in check.
“In-ho.”
Seo Tae-wan smoothed out his crumpled face and spoke after thinking for a moment. He massaged his own cheek instead of In-ho’s, barely managing to mimic a smile.
“If there’s something you need, just tell your older brothers. Don’t put yourself in an uncomfortable position for nothing.”
He softened his expression, pretending to care for In-ho, and reached out. He extended his hand with the intention of giving a friendly pat on the shoulder.
However, the moment Seo Tae-wan’s hand approached, In-ho’s pupils flickered reflexively. It was a minute tremor that didn’t show on the surface, but Seo Tae-wan read it.
“I’ll assume you’re not coming.”
He shifted his hand away just before it touched In-ho’s shoulder and instead stroked his own chin. Then, he smiled brightly, as if he had never been angry.
“There’s no need to force yourself to come. It’s not like your mother’s tantrums are anything new. Just ignore her.”
Seo Tae-wan ended the conversation unilaterally and got back into his car. Having finished his business, his expression looked relieved. A smile with a different meaning lingered on his thick lips.
“Brother.”
At that moment, In-ho grabbed the car door and leaned his upper body down low. Startled by the sudden action, Seo Tae-wan frowned.
“I’ll see you on Thursday.”
“You…!”
A thick vein popped in Seo Tae-wan’s neck as he was about to shout. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, he suddenly burst into a fit of coughing.
“I wasn’t planning on going. But since you came all this way to throw such a fit, I guess I should.”
In-ho was expressing his anger calmly, his voice languid and devoid of inflection. All while releasing his pheromones.
“S-stop it… you bastard….”
Seo Tae-wan gasped for air, covering his mouth. He tried to endure it, but the potent pheromones choked him, making it impossible to bear. It was only natural that as a recessive Alpha, he could not withstand In-ho’s pheromones.
Pheromones released intentionally to threaten had a significant impact not only on Omegas but also on other Alphas. In the case of Omegas, they induced sexual arousal; for other Alphas, they caused a sensation of the windpipe burning.
“You should have thought about that before coming here.”
In-ho lightly placed a hand on the suffering Seo Tae-wan’s shoulder. Seo Tae-wan flinched, staggering while drooling foul saliva.
“Get your hand… off…!”
Seo Tae-wan shook off In-ho’s hand and hurriedly started the car. Even though the door wasn’t closed, he stepped on the accelerator as if fleeing.
In-ho watched the black sedan exit the parking lot with an indifferent expression. Seo Tae-wan’s car disappeared with a noise as loud as when it had arrived.
“…….”
The noisy emotions Seo Tae-wan had discharged became In-ho’s sole burden. A silent sigh, which no one would hear, leaked endlessly from between his teeth.
In-ho stood frozen for a long time before slowly moving his feet. He headed not toward the entrance, but toward his own car. Right now, In-ho needed the stabilizer in the console box.
Standing before the driver’s seat, he suddenly let out a hollow laugh. It was because his hand, reaching for the door handle, had trembled faintly. Once inside the car, the tremors grew worse.
He continued to chuckle to himself before chewing and swallowing the medicine and closing his eyes. Then, a familiar voice began to echo in his muffled ears.
‘Try eating this. That’s how you get healthy.’
It was Seo Tae-wan’s voice. A much younger Seo Tae-wan from their childhood, who never hid his hostility.
‘I told you to eat it. Hmm? See, you’re eating it well.’
Among the siblings, he was the one who had tormented In-ho most severely. While the other siblings treated In-ho as if he didn’t exist, Seo Tae-wan would visit whenever he was bored to hurt him. The violence disguised as pranks only grew worse as the years passed.
In-ho lowered the window slightly and leaned the seat back. Transparent cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he loosened his tie.
As the stabilizer was absorbed, his body began to feel languid. Unlike his limp body, his mind remained sharp, making him feel as though he were trapped inside a corpse. It was a loathsome sensation.
* * *
Entering the elevator, In-ho pressed the button and leaned his back against the wall. His face, now free of cold sweat, looked quite normal. Perhaps it was thanks to the two-hour nap he had taken in the car.
While checking his reflection in the wall, he stared at the floor indicator. The numbers seemed to be climbing faster than usual today.
Ding—. The numbers stopped at the 71st floor, and the doors opened with a short mechanical chime.
However, In-ho only stared at the smoothly opening steel doors. Even after the doors were fully open, his back did not leave the wall.
I have to get off. But he felt no will to move.
If I go back now, will I have to explain the situation to Mr. Haon…? This thought made In-ho’s feet feel heavy.
Suddenly, he felt a desire to just disappear somewhere on his own. To bury himself in a noisy place and drink until he was completely wasted.
‘Getting tedious already, isn’t it?’
At the thought of alcohol, a voice he hated brushed past his ears and vanished. It was Ryu Soo-hyun’s voice.
‘Are you regretting letting him into your house?’
The place where the sharp voice had grazed him felt irritating. In-ho frowned slightly and took a step forward. But as the elevator doors began to close, his body, which had leaned forward, tried to retreat backward again.
Knowing that the doors would open immediately if he pressed the button, he didn’t do it. He simply watched the slowly closing doors with helplessness.
And then, just before they closed, a pale face appeared through the gap. It was Haon.
“…Ha, on.”
The moment he met those round eyes peeking inside, In-ho’s lips moved. Simultaneously, his hand shot toward the open button. Reflexively.
His urgent fingertips tapped the button repeatedly. Tap, tap.