By Zephyria 
At a time when everyone else was sleeping, I frequently witnessed the little one drinking.
Today, I came in late and climbed the stairs, killing my footsteps, and saw the light on the opposite side of the stairs shining brightly. Thinking he might have fallen asleep with the light on, I headed toward the little one’s space, only to find him sprawled on the small living room sofa, drinking liquor straight from the bottle.
“You move around so stealthily, like a stray cat. As if you’re in heat.”
The little one sneered at me with blurred eyes. It’s not like this house can’t afford the electricity bill; I should have just ignored him and gone to sleep.
As I swallowed a sigh, the little one waved his hand and called me over. Knowing that being close to that guy never leads to anything good, I approached with reluctant steps and sat on the sofa furthest from him.
“I guess you rolled around again today? The fishy smell is piercing my nose.”
Is this sexual harassment, an extension of the scent of chestnut blossoms? The son of a bitch points it out as if he’s never fucked in his life. Anyone watching would think he’s a parent managing their child.
“Just what kind of guy are you meeting to smell like that? Are you being dragged around because you’re being blackmailed or something?”
“I am not.”
“If you’re doing it voluntarily, your taste is truly strange. I knew it from the moment you started doing crazy things.”
The little one chuckled and poured liquor into a glass, pushing it toward me. At the commanding word to ‘drink,’ I silently looked down at the glass.
By the way, do I really smell strange? Do Alphas or Omegas emit a specific scent after they fuck? Seeing as he points it out every time, either the little one’s nose is weird, or I really do have a strange smell. I should ask Kwon Yi-kang about this later.
“A few days ago… I heard the things Father said while he was angry. His voice echoed quite loudly.”
“It’s none of your business. You piece of shit, know your place.”
I brought it up casually, but the little one reacted more sensitively than expected. As he glared at me with a deep frown as if he wanted to devour me, I leaned back leisurely on the sofa and hid the rising laughter.
“Yes, I know my place very well. I consider myself someone who has absolutely no relation to this family or the hospital.”
“I’m glad you think so. You just stay quiet, and when Father gives you a small piece of the inheritance, you take it and disappear quietly. Don’t get greedy and drool. Just like your father.”
“What greed could my father possibly have? He doesn’t just stay home staring at the hospital director father; he also runs an art gallery. He probably has a fair amount of his own assets.”
“Don’t make me laugh. It’s obvious what kind of game your father is playing with our father, and you’re going to pretend not to know? If he had no greed, there would be no reason to bow so low to Grandfather. I know the dark intentions of you and your father.”
This guy definitely has demons of doubt in his heart, born from an inferiority complex and a victim mentality. That’s why he barks and stays on guard even against my Omega father and me.
“Why would my father still be holding onto the art gallery? It would be easier to just stay home and eat and play, so why would he go out and work so exhaustingly? It’s probably because he doesn’t expect anything to fall to me, so he’s trying to leave that at least.”
In truth, I have no clue why my Omega father is running an art gallery, but I just blurted it out. It didn’t matter, because the little one wouldn’t go to my Omega father to verify the reason.
“And if I were greedy for the hospital, why would I have gone to art college? I would have gone to med school. So, Hyung, stop suspecting innocent people and just relax. …The person Hyung should be worrying about isn’t me or my father, but someone else, right?”
The person you should be attacking with all your might is the big one. Not the Omega father or me on the periphery. Don’t get distracted; focus your barking on one person. Poking around everywhere is just a waste of effort.
At my words, the little one gulped down his drink as if he were thirsty. Watching that, I felt strangely amused and took a sip from the glass in front of me.
Fucking bastard, he’s drinking this strong stuff like it’s water. The crazy one wasn’t me, it was this guy.
I barely managed to swallow the liquid I almost spat out, taking a deep breath as if fire were erupting from my throat. I needed fresh air before I breathed flames.
“Well, the eldest brother probably doesn’t even care. He likely takes it for granted that he’ll become the hospital director.”
“Shut up!”
“Let’s see next time we all have a meal together. Whether the eldest brother looks at me differently than he looks at the second brother. To him, both I and the second brother are just less than insects…”
“I said shut up!”
The younger one screamed, throwing the liquor bottle he had been drinking from toward me. His bloodshot eyes glared at me as if he wanted to kill me.
Yes, get excited. Get excited and act even more like a dog. After all, you’re the one whose insides are rotting away.
“You know acting like this doesn’t help the second brother, right? It only makes you be compared to the eldest brother more. I have no lingering attachment to this house’s assets or the hospital, but… is that true for you too, Hyung? No attachment at all? Are you really okay with the eldest brother taking everything?”
Actually, I do have some attachment to the family assets. As for the hospital, I couldn’t care less since it’s not something I can trade for candy, but still, I smiled brightly, looking like someone speaking the truth.
“Wait for your chance.”
I watched the younger one panting heavily and stood up from the sofa.
“The eldest brother is letting his guard down. He probably doesn’t even see the second brother as a stepping stone, let alone a rival. Wait for one chance and seize it.”
Though I didn’t know if that snake of an eldest brother would ever give him such a chance.
Whether a chance would actually arise, whether the younger one could seize it if it did, or whether what he thought was a chance was actually one… I didn’t care, as long as the younger one fought a dogfight with the eldest.
There is nothing as entertaining as a dogfight, and as long as I wasn’t the one getting hurt, it didn’t matter to me if those two dog-like brothers fought.
Cha Soo-kyung, right?
You’d also be looking down from heaven, enjoying the sight of the people who ignored you hitting each other like dogs.
∞ ∞ ∞
I realized belatedly that it wasn’t a frequent occurrence for the family to gather for meals. There was no way they’d show such courtesy just because of my discharge, so the first time we all ate together was probably just a coincidence of coincidences.
“Wow, is it just the three of us today? Only our diligent eldest brother came straight home from work; it seems everyone else is running late.”
“If you’re going to eat, just sit down and be quiet.”
The eldest brother, his wife, and I awkwardly filled the space at the wide table. I looked at the sister-in-law, who was primly taking scoops of rice without even glancing my way, and then shifted my gaze to my brother.
“Was that gathering last time a membership-only thing? I heard you’ve been meeting since you were young; did the people on the list just get close through those meetings?”
“It started as a social circle, but we changed it to a membership system to prevent random nobodies from mixing in.”
“Then why don’t the sister-in-law and the second brother go?”
I asked while pretending to be oblivious, putting a spoonful of rice in my mouth. The eldest brother’s expression became slightly uncomfortable, and the sister-in-law spoke up as if making an excuse for him.
“It’s not good for a married Omega to go out too much. People look at them poorly.”
“Why? Are Omegas not people? Is there a rule that married Alphas are fine, but married Omegas shouldn’t go around?”
“Uneducated Omegas often experience unfortunate things when they go around like that. Since your father spent a lot of time outside working at the art gallery, you might not have noticed, but generally, Omegas who work outside are viewed unfavorably.”
Aha, so that’s how she’s going to insult me indirectly.
Even as we talked, I couldn’t understand why Omegas working outside were viewed so poorly. It was just that they were viewed poorly, and that Omegas who worked outside were uneducated. I couldn’t even begin to think of how to refute such groundless conviction.
“I see. I saw an Omega there. I guess that woman was an unmarried Omega. You know, that person. I arrived a bit late, and she was the woman coming out of a room with Hyung.”
The sister-in-law’s expression sharpened. The eldest brother kept his mouth shut and continued eating, but his chopsticks seemed to move slightly faster.
“But that was a gathering. That’s different from working outside. Can’t Omegas even go to gatherings?”
“It’s not that they can’t, but they usually avoid them on their own. I’ve never seen an Omega who accompanies someone to such gatherings be praised for their conduct.”
The sister-in-law’s voice was sharp, but I nodded with a face that looked grateful for the answer.
“Then what about the second brother?”
“That’s not a place just anyone can go. I hope you realize that this person took great care to let you accompany him.”
“The eldest brother goes there too. Isn’t the second brother the same as the eldest?”
I didn’t hold back my tactlessness. The point here was the second brother. At my words, the sister-in-law narrowed her eyes and scoffed.
“You cannot compare Young Master Dong-hu with this person. This person is someone who will do great things.”
Great things, my foot. At most, he’ll inherit the hospital. How many hospitals are there in Korea? Inheriting one measly hospital isn’t exactly ‘great things.’ It wasn’t even funny.
“It didn’t seem like a particularly selective group. It felt like anyone could join. The eldest brother is just a doctor. Hosan Hospital is crawling with doctors, and the second brother is a doctor too. Is the eldest brother some kind of representative of the medical academic world that I don’t know about? The people he introduced me to didn’t even say what their jobs were. Someone’s son, someone’s daughter, someone’s child, someone’s grandson. Are they all unemployed?”
“Young Master!”
As I babbled away as if talking to myself, the sister-in-law, who had been listening quietly, raised her voice. She put down her utensils and stood up.
“I really… didn’t want to say this, but since we can’t communicate, it’s difficult to eat together. I find it hard to eat with someone whose level doesn’t match mine, so I’ll be leaving first.”
Well, I’d been feeling that we couldn’t communicate for a while now too. Before I could even reply, “Go ahead,” the sister-in-law swept out of the dining room like a gust of wind. Strangely, after she left, a sense of ease returned to my brother’s face.
“Are you being rude on purpose?”
“No way. I was asking because I was genuinely curious; I don’t know why she’s so angry.”
Rinsing his mouth with water, the eldest brother stared at me. In response to his probing gaze, I made my signature blank, “I don’t know anything” expression, and the eldest brother clicked his tongue softly.
“It’s just a gathering where kids from wealthy families hang out, right? It’s not based on the person, but on their background.”
“You should learn how to say the same thing with a bit more dignity.”
“Do I sound uneducated?”
“You’d be the one to know that best.”
“Then why isn’t the second brother let in?”
“I didn’t know you thought so much of Dong-hu.”
I don’t particularly care about him; I’m just asking again because the younger one happened to appear at the right time.
As if he had hidden himself upon hearing the conversation while trying to enter the dining room, the younger one’s figure briefly appeared and vanished. I pretended not to notice and looked down at my bowl.
“It’s strange. The second brother is also the child of a hospital director father, just like the eldest. Yet only the eldest brother goes in and out of a gathering based on background.”
“It’s not a place that only looks at current background. They also look at the potential a person will have in the future.”
“What’s the eldest brother’s potential? The next hospital director?”
The eldest brother didn’t answer my question, but the slight smile that appeared on his lips was enough to infer the answer.
“So, the eldest brother, who will become the director, is qualified, and the second brother is likely to be cast aside, so he’s unqualified? The people there must be certain that the eldest brother will be the director. Or… someone has been telling them with absolute certainty.”
“There are things that others naturally come to know, even if you don’t say them with your own mouth. There’s nothing as pathetic as going around announcing things yourself.”
“I suppose so.”
His way of conversing is always like that. He never clearly states what he wants, what he thinks, or what he intends to say. He simply guides the conversation so that it happens.
Even now, the eldest brother had not once said with his own mouth that he would be the next director.
He’s an excessively cautious man, so if one were to converse with him to get something, there would be no more difficult opponent than him.
“I’ve completely lost my appetite. I’ll be leaving too.”
It wasn’t a lie; my appetite had plummeted, so I stood up without hesitation. Leaving the slightly pleased face of the eldest brother behind, I stepped out of the dining room and saw the second brother leaning against the wall.
“He’s not an easy person to even talk to, is he? The second brother will have to work harder.”
If he understood what I meant, it meant he had the brains to understand the previous conversation; if he didn’t, it meant he was a guy destined to sink. Leaving the brooding younger one behind, I headed toward my room on the second floor.
∞ ∞ ∞
While waiting for Kwon Yi-kang, who said he’d be down soon, I checked my reflection in the rearview mirror.
“Mr. Lee, do I look okay?”
“I’ve already told you more than ten times, you look the best.”
“Well, I guess no one is going to tell me to my face that I look like shit. I asked a pointless question.”
“Not at all. You truly look wonderful. It seems you’re going on a special date today?”
“It’s not a date…”
Though there was a special event planned.
As I let out a laugh born of anticipation, Lee Kyung-jin, who had been glancing at me through the rearview mirror, met my eyes and gave a slight shrug of his shoulders.
“Oh, he’s down.”
In the distance, I saw Kwon Yi-kang passing through the door leading to the parking lot. He was looking around as if searching for me.
“I’m going. If I go home, I’ll contact you before ten; if there’s no contact by ten, it means I’m staying out, so please get some deep rest. In that case, I’ll call you Sunday afternoon.”
“Even without such words, I will always be on standby. Please contact me if needed.”
“Aw, no. How can you rest if you’re always on standby? You should rest with a peaceful mind. I’m really going now.”
Seeing Kwon Yi-kang approaching with long strides after spotting the car, I hurried out. As he walked closer, he scanned me from head to toe and gave a deep, eye-curving smile.
“Why are you smiling like that?”
“It’s just refreshing to see you in a suit for once.”
“Except for the first time we met, I’ve always been in comfortable clothes. I don’t like suits. They make me feel like an old fogey.”
These days, they design them with a bit more of a slim fit, so they don’t look like potato sacks like my dad’s suits, but they’re still just as uncomfortable.
“You’re driving your car, right? I told Mr. Lee to go home.”
“You seem to care exceptionally much about the driver.”
“He’s always with me. I have to let him rest in between.”
A hand came up as if wrapping around my back, leading me to a section of the parking lot. Kwon Yi-kang’s car, which I had ridden in a few times, was gleaming brilliantly today as well.
“Get in.”
Opening the passenger door for me, Kwon Yi-kang sat in the driver’s seat himself.
“Don’t you have a driver or an attendant? You’re driving yourself?”
Even as I asked, I thought it was strange. Actually, it’s right for a person to drive their own car. That’s right, but since becoming Cha Soo-kyung, I’d been used to having a driver and seeing drivers attached to the fathers and brothers, so the sight of Kwon Yi-kang driving himself felt awkward.
“I like driving myself. I usually have a companion only when moving in a company car. When I handle personal matters, I drive. I also don’t like other people’s hands on my car.”
“Anyway, you cherish your things too much. Is it because you’re an only child without siblings? You don’t know the aesthetics of sharing.”
“I have a strong desire for possession.”
“Since you grew up alone, everything must have been yours. If you have everything, wouldn’t you actually lack greed?”
“I can give things away, but I hate sharing them. Moreover, the things I cherish, I hide them away so others can’t see or touch them.”
Because Cha Soo-kyung’s family was so crazy, I used to marvel at Kwon Yi-kang, thinking, ‘Finally, a normal person!’, but he had a strange stubbornness in an unexpected place. Still, having an attachment to one’s belongings isn’t particularly strange, so his stubbornness actually seemed cute.
“I bet you had an attachment blanket or an attachment doll when you were a kid.”
“…I didn’t have those, but I had a dog I cherished very much.”
“You had a dog?”
If he had it as a child, it’s probably gone from the world by now. Pets have short lifespans.
When I lived in the back alleys, I saw many stray cats. There were big cats and tiny kittens that looked like they were just born. They survived by digging through food waste, and the tiny kittens often went hungry, pushed aside by the stronger ones. I thought those cats were similar to my own situation.
I used to save a bit of food and give it to the tiny kitten whenever it appeared. We never became close enough for it to allow me to touch it, but we had a relationship where it would meow as if acknowledging me when we crossed paths in the alley.
I fed it like that for about two or three years, and then one day, it disappeared. I don’t know if there was an accident or if it was a natural death. But I naturally realized that the little guy no longer existed. After that, even when I saw kittens, I stopped sharing my food.
“You must have been very sad when it died.”
“At some point, it started following my father more. I was the one who fed it, played with it, and trained it. The creature saw the hierarchy in its eyes. So…”
‘No,’ he said, swallowing the rest of his words and simply smiling. He must have been really hurt. Well, I’d be hurt too if a dog I raised with affection followed someone else more.
“Oh my, were you that upset? Did you even cry?”
“I didn’t cry, but… I let the dog know. Who the owner was. Whose possession it was.”
“What a strict master.”
I said it with a laugh, but Kwon Yi-kang’s face stiffened slightly. Was it a truly bad memory? Like a trauma? Thinking he might have an unexpectedly fragile sensibility, I changed the subject.
“Anyway, where are we going? Are we eating with your father at a restaurant?”
“To the main house.”
“Your father’s house?”
“He told me to come there.”
“Wow, he’s calling us straight to the house.”
I felt a bit of pressure. This feels like I’m going to introduce myself to the parents. It was deviating from my intention to lightly appeal that ‘we are currently meeting with good intentions.’
“It seems he wants to establish dominance. You’re confident you won’t be pushed around, right?”
“Is it something that requires establishing dominance? This is why his only son couldn’t get married until he was thirty-four. Interfering excessively in a son’s love life is an abuse of power.”
I wasn’t bringing a woman to marry, so I wondered what he wanted to talk about by calling us home. I tried to guess, but I couldn’t predict how Kwon Yi-kang’s father would act.
“For today… we’re in a relationship, right?”
It’s fine to be in a definite relationship for just one day. When I asked while glancing at him, silence returned. Is even asking that a burden? Feeling a strange thirst, I licked my lips.
“That way, your father won’t push blind dates on you. We have to look like a couple getting along well.”
“…I suppose so.”
“I’ve been thinking, I think we should start with the titles. I call you ‘you, you’ too much.”
“The fact that you’re thinking about that now is surprising in itself.”
“Stop joking. What do couples usually call each other? You must have dated before. Quickly, tell me about your experience.”
“I’m sorry, I’ve never had a partner I was that close with.”
“…Really? A lifelong bachelor was right in front of me? Wow, that’s truly amazing.”
What was this man lacking that he didn’t have a lover? He has a job since he works at a company, he has wealth enough to drive a foreign car, his face is top-tier, and on top of that, he has a good personality. He lacks nothing, so why on earth?
Thinking that, it occurred to me that maybe it wasn’t that he couldn’t date, but that he didn’t. Because he knows he’s too perfect, no one caught his eye. His standards for a partner must be incredibly picky. …That’s actually kind of obnoxious.
“Don’t say you didn’t date because you couldn’t. It’ll sound obnoxious.”
“Right, I couldn’t date because I lacked the ability.”
“Bullshit. When a guy who lacks nothing says that, it’s also obnoxious. Just don’t say anything.”
“There was no one who liked me. No, there were, but… I wasn’t attracted to the people who liked me. It’s not a big reason.”
For some reason, it sounded like he was telling the truth. Why didn’t they like this perfect man? No, he said he wasn’t attracted to the people who liked him. As expected, no one met his standards. A bastard with ridiculously high standards. I began to worry if I looked okay in this bastard’s eyes.
“Ah, forget it. Just tell me a title you’re comfortable with. What should I call you? Since there’s an age gap, I think you can just call me by my name, but what should I call you?”
What could it be? What would be good? As I sank into thought, rubbing my brow, Kwon Yi-kang let out a low chuckle. It was irritating that he was laughing so carefree while I was worrying so hard I felt like my hair was falling out.
“I’ll give you some options, so pick one. Hyung, Hyung-ssi, Hyung-nim, Ajusshi, or General Manager.”
“Exclude Ajusshi. And what’s with General Manager? Do you know some General Manager fellow?”
“I hear people call them that a lot in dramas. Aren’t you a General Manager? If not, then what? CEO? Head of Department? Executive Director?”
“I’m not a company employee, so there’s no need to follow a professional title.”
That’s true. Then take out General Manager, and since he said he hates Ajusshi, take that out too.
“I have more. I found these by searching the internet. Honey, Darling, Baby, Yeobong, Darling, Baby. Or, more simply, how about Yi-kang-ssi?”
It didn’t quite roll off the tongue. At my words, Kwon Yi-kang’s expression became subtle. He looked like he was barely holding back a laugh.
“If you laugh, I’m getting mad. I’m being very serious right now.”
“……Darling.”
Kwon Yi-kang’s jaw trembled pitifully from the effort of holding it in. Only after overcoming that crisis did he open his mouth to answer.
“So ‘Darling’ was your taste.”
“The options were all so wonderful that it was hard to choose. I was particularly drawn to ‘Yeobong’.”
“Wipe that smirk off your face before you speak.”
Despite my cold remark, he eventually burst into laughter. Only after laughing for a good while did Kwon Yi-kang calm down and steal a glance at my reaction.
“Soo-kyung, are you mad?”
“No, I was just looking at how cool My. Dar. ling. looks when he laughs.”
As I emphasized every single syllable, Kwon Yi-kang hurriedly swallowed his laughter.
“You’re cute when you call me that.”
“Whatever.”
“Don’t be angry.”
His straight fingers gently wrapped around the nape of my neck, digging into my hair. I shrugged my shoulders at the touch, which was smooth enough to give me goosebumps.
“Stop it. Can’t you see I’m sitting here without even leaning my head back because I’m afraid my hair will get messed up?”
“Why not just sit comfortably?”
“I paid money at a salon before coming here to get my hair done. I told you I was coming all dressed up.”
“Was it to that extent? I thought your hairstyle looked unusual.”
“Your timing is late. You should have complimented me when you first saw it.”
Look at him trying to scavenge for timing. I pushed Kwon Yi-kang’s hand away and let out a huff.
“Anyway, I’ve come fully armed, so you just have to trust me. No matter what kind of person your father is, he can’t beat me.”
I’m a person who makes even my own grandfather’s blood pressure rise. Of course, today isn’t for that kind of combat; it should be a calm, serious occasion that leads to a good relationship.
“Everything is fine, but I’d just appreciate it if you didn’t make him flip out.”
I didn’t particularly intend to make him flip out, but I was curious why he said that.
“Why? Is there some inheritance you need to receive in advance?”
“No, if my father passes away, all the annoying work falls on me.”
“Was he someone who hated working?”
“I mean I don’t want to do it more than I already do. Even now, my father is timing it to hand over tasks one by one. There’s nothing more irresponsible than creating a mess and dumping it on your children. Right?”
“Other people are fighting tooth and nail to get whatever their parents have. This is why being an only child is something else.”
Just looking at my own house, the atmosphere between siblings is no joke over a mere hospital. Over here, they say they don’t want it even if it’s handed to them. Talk about being spoiled.
“Still, since you put it that way, I’ll try my best to restrain myself. But you know, right? I’m kind to those who are kind, friendly to those who are friendly, and mean to those who are mean. I give back exactly what I receive.”
“That’s why I’m worried. My father’s personality is no joke. And…… no matter what my father says, don’t take it too seriously. Just ignore him and think, ‘Oh, he’s just that kind of man’.”
No adult has an easy personality. They always try to suppress you by flaunting their age and what they possess. I’m prepared to endure it to some extent. There’s no need to raise voices and fight for nothing.
“Don’t worry. I’ll exercise maximum patience today.”
“But don’t hold back too much. I wouldn’t like it if you looked gloomy.”
“If my darling says that again, I’m really going to snap, okay?”
“Just keep it moderate, moderate.”
Kwon Yi-kang laughed pleasantly and smoothly turned the steering wheel. The car, which had left the outskirts of Seoul and entered Gyeonggi-do, soon entered a secluded plot of land. No dense housing was in sight, and after driving slowly along a straight road, we arrived in front of a massive main gate.
“Is this it?”
As we pulled up roughly in front of the gate, someone quickly approached and opened it for us. Stepping out of the car and looking around, I could see the edges of a roof that looked like an old tiled house over the wall.
“Welcome back, Young Master.”
A group of men in suits appeared from nowhere and crowded around to greet Kwon Yi-kang. As I flinched beside him, Kwon Yi-kang waved them off.
“Where is Father?”
“He is waiting in the drawing room. I will escort you.”
As we entered through the wide-open gate, a magnificent Hanok building unfolded before us. It’s true that when you don’t build upwards, it becomes massive horizontally. I wondered if it wasn’t an excessively inefficient building for a country with such limited land as Korea, but considering my own family’s estate, it was six of one and half a dozen of the other. Rich people are the problem, after all.
“What kind of man is your darling’s father? Did he live in Cheonghak-dong?”
“The interior is all remodeled and modern. He just likes the exterior of a Hanok.”
“That’s a relief. I was worried the bathroom might be a traditional pit latrine.”
The shoulder of the man guiding us in front twitched slightly.
“He lives in such a remote place. Does he live alone? The house is huge; does he even use all of it? It’s inefficient. I guess old people have a greed for houses. My grandfather lives alone in a huge place too. I hope their personalities aren’t similar.”
Kwon Yi-kang only laughed at my words. The pace of the man walking in front of us quickened slightly. I could sense a desire to escape from this situation.
“Chairman, the Young Master has arrived.”
The man, having reached a classic wooden door, spoke loudly toward the inside. After a clearing of the throat was heard, he took off his shoes, stepped up, and opened the door.
“Please come in.”
Rather than feeling pressured by the process, I wondered what on earth this was all about. Following Kwon Yi-kang, I took off my shoes and stepped onto the wooden veranda. Entering through the open door, although it was decorated like an old house, a sofa and table were placed prominently, just as he had said.
“Over here.”
Kwon Yi-kang guided me and let me sit on the sofa first. Feeling his presence as he sat close beside me, I looked at the man sitting opposite us.
“Hello.”
“Wait. Let us speak after the tea has been served.”
His features resembled Kwon Yi-kang’s enough for me to know for sure that he was the father. Would Kwon Yi-kang look like that when he got old? Since he seems more handsome than his father, he’ll probably look better when he ages. Even when old, Kwon Yi-kang’s face seems like it would be quite a sight.
As I stared intently, the man also gazed piercingly at me. Though it was closer to glaring than gazing.
After a long silence, a man in a suit brought in the tea. Only after the tea—served without asking for preferences—was placed before us did the door to conversation open.
“This is the person I said I would introduce.”
“I know without you telling me. Now that the two of you will talk, you may leave. Did you not bring him expecting this?”
“Go easy, go easy.”
“There is no need to go easy. If he is a person with nothing to be faulted for, what is there to worry about?”
For some reason, his way of speaking made me imagine him stroking a non-existent beard and laughing ‘ho ho’. What a curious person. Meeting my wide-eyed gaze, the man asked.
“So, I hear you’ve been seeing my son lately?”
“Yes.”
“How long has it been since you met?”
“About a month. Probably around then.”
We met during the last heat cycle, and since the next one hasn’t come yet, strictly speaking, it hasn’t even been a month. Still, we’ve met quite a lot. As I nodded, lost in my own thoughts, a slightly displeased groan was heard.
“I only heard that he was seeing someone; I didn’t hear the details. May I ask a few questions?”
“Yes, please do.”
I had come expecting various questions. Although it was called an introduction, in a way, wasn’t it an interview? Since I had never had an interview in my life, I felt like I was taking my first-ever job interview.
“I appreciate you saying so. Then, may I first hear which family you hail from?”
Everything is fine, but why is he talking like that? It was a bit hard to adjust. Does the blood of a nobleman flow in Kwon Yi-kang’s father? I thought the Alphas in my house spoke authoritatively and that Kwon Yi-kang’s speech was a bit stiff, but this man’s way of speaking was excessively awkward.
“By any chance, do you know my name?”
“……What?”
“No, I mean, you should ask my name, age, or what I’m doing now, but you suddenly asked about my family. I wondered if you already knew.”
Kwon Yi-kang lifted his teacup to his lips. Since I didn’t hear him drinking, I glanced at him and saw him hiding a faint smile behind the cup.
“Name or age is not what is important. Is it not fundamentally important which family a person was born into?”
“What do you mean by ‘which family’? What my parents do? What they possess? My darling is dating me, not my parents or my family’s building, so why is that important?”
I don’t know why every person I meet lately talks about family. Whenever they open their mouths, the first things to come out are family, roots, bloodline. I found it hard to understand if such things were truly important, or if I just didn’t know because I hadn’t been taught.
“A person’s character is revealed in just a few words. I can tell without you saying it how well you were taught.”
“I’m not so sure. Did you learn that way of speaking in Cheonghak-dong, Father? Your way of speaking is very…… unique. Though the house was unusual to begin with.”
The unique father turned his gaze and stared intently at Kwon Yi-kang. He had an expression that seemed to want an answer, but it was hard to tell what that was through a glance alone.
“It’s this side of him that’s charming,” Kwon Yi-kang replied lightly. I couldn’t guess what questions were being exchanged in that gaze I didn’t understand.
“It’s okay. Please don’t let it weigh on your heart. It’s a way of speaking I don’t hear often, so it has a fresh charm. Please don’t be too discouraged.”
“I am not bothered.”
“That kind of stubbornness makes living in this world easier.”
That’s a very good attitude. Good! As I gave a thumbs-up in praise, the father let out a ‘khem’ groan.
“You’ve been clearing your throat since a while ago; do you have a cold? Cough loudly. They say it’s bad to hold it in.”
“That’s enough!”
I said it out of genuine concern, but the father rejected it instantly as if brushing me off. Making a person feel awkward. He seems to be someone lacking in social skills.
“Are you sulking? Anyway, I heard people get grumpy often as they age. I’ll tell you. My family runs a hospital. My father and brothers are doctors there.”
“Common, run-of-the-mill doctors. Were you puffing out your chest relying on a mere thing like that?”
“I didn’t particularly puff out my chest; you’ve completely misinterpreted me. Anyone listening would think I’ve been running around proudly shouting that my family runs a hospital.”
“Your manner of speaking is no different from a street thug! Of all people, where did you pick up a fellow like this!”
The father suddenly raised his voice, slamming his hand on the table. No, at what timing did he get excited? Do emotional swings become severe as you age? My grandfather was like that, and here was another similar human.
“Darling-ya, Soo-kyung is scared. I think Father is mad at me.”
Sobbing, pretending to cry, I hugged Kwon Yi-kang’s arm and spoke with a heavily twisted tongue. When I looked up, Kwon Yi-kang’s face had stiffened subtly. The corners of his mouth, struggling to smile, trembled as the answer “It’s, it’s okay” came back.
“Is Father originally hot-tempered? Did Soo-kyung do something wrong-y?”
“N-no.”
For some reason, Kwon Yi-kang’s stuttering didn’t disappear. I hadn’t known until now that this man had a habit of stuttering.
“Soo-kyung hasn’t even been able to introduce himself yet. It’s so-so sad.”
I don’t know why referring to oneself in the third person is considered aegyo. In a sense, it was fortunate that Cha Soo-kyung was a different person from me, so calling myself ‘Soo-kyung’ wasn’t awkward, but it was still a bit nauseating.
“Father is originally loud. Don’t worry and just introduce yourself. Father, please restrain yourself. Why would you suddenly ask about family to someone who came to greet you?”
Kwon Yi-kang spoke as if reprimanding him. Right, why is family so important? I can’t understand people who act as if family is the only thing they have to be proud of.
“Father, I majored in art and I’m entering university this time. A fresh twenty-year-old! I think my darling is quite blessed. Right, darling-ya?”
“T-that’s right.”
The father’s face distorted miserably, and Kwon Yi-kang’s face was no different.
Hey, you should be smiling. Now is the timing to smile.
Lightly pinching both of Kwon Yi-kang’s cheeks, I gave him light, pecking kisses.
“My darling is so cute. How can you be this cute? You don’t resemble Father at all. Father is scary, but my darling is so-so kind, cute, cool, handsome, and sweet. I love it so much.”
When I added a ‘Kyaaa’ to that, the father, who had been silently watching my state, slammed his fist on the table.
“Did you bring him just to show me this sight?”
“Why are you like this? ……He’s cute. Everyone plays like this in the early stages of dating. That’s how the current generation is.”
Don’t speak as if you’re distancing yourself from the current generation, Kwon Yi-kang. And you hesitated for a moment in the middle.
I stared at the father while clinging to Kwon Yi-kang’s arm as if to show off, and for a moment, a confrontation continued between the father and Kwon Yi-kang.
“I am not even curious about where or how you met. I didn’t believe you from the moment you said you’d introduce him. I didn’t expect you to bring someone useful. Haven’t you always been like this? Always dissatisfied with me, rebelling, and never once easily following my words.”
“Do you not think it is because you always suggested unreasonable things to me, Father?”
“It is fine, it is fine. In the end, do you not follow my will? Dating? Fine. Go ahead and do it to your heart’s content. It’s not bad to play around before marriage. Would three months be enough? Or half a year? It doesn’t look like it will even last a year. Play until you’re sick of it and then marry. I will arrange a blind date soon.”
Wait, this isn’t right. Flustered by the story proceeding completely differently from my plan, I called out loudly, “Father!”
“This is not a place for you to chatter. You should interject while reading the situation. How dare you be so presumptuous!”
“No, I just heard my boyfriend being told to only play with me and marry someone else right in front of my face. If I stay quiet here, I’m an idiot. Seriously. Play until you’re sick of it and then marry? And in the meantime, go on blind dates?”
He even says that in front of me? As if I’m not deaf, knowing full well I’m listening. I hate people who ignore others right to their face the most.
“Do you think I’ll just stay quiet? Go ahead and set up a blind date; I’ll go and wreck it. Is a child some kind of toy? Do you think you can do whatever you want just because you gave birth to them? If you want to do that, raise a dog. Then you can breed them however you like. This isn’t like grafting a puppy; what are you doing to your child?”
“……This insolent…….”
“Yes, I have no manners, no roots, I’m uneducated, and I’ve already heard all that, so if you want to deal a blow, think of a new repertoire.”
“Are you just going to watch this!”
The father shouted toward Kwon Yi-kang. Facing the flushed red face, Kwon Yi-kang shrugged his shoulders.
“He didn’t say anything wrong. Please calm down; this isn’t a place to raise your voice like this. If you do this, I’ll have no face to show Soo-kyung.”
“Ha, that mudskipper-like fellow is really your……”
“My lover.”
Thinking he might have forgotten the last word, I softly provided it, and a shout immediately erupted.
“I wasn’t asking you!”
“Geez, what a great voice. I just let you know because I thought you forgot. Don’t mind me and please continue speaking.”
As I sipped the slightly cooled tea, he began fanning himself with his hand as if he were overheating, then called out to someone outside.
“Go get a glass of ice water.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
After gulping down the ice water that was brought quickly and crunching the ice before swallowing, Father looked at me with a face that had become considerably more composed.
“What is it that you want.”
“Pardon?”
“You must want something. Your purpose for clinging to my son.”
I looked up at Kwon Yi-kang for a moment. His face was as upright and handsome as ever. Soft, affectionate, and kind. I hoped that the way he looked at me, the smile he sent my way, and the hand he reached out to me would never disappear.
“It’s just for some personal reasons.”
“Still, tell me. What could there possibly be that you can’t say here?”
“You gave birth to such a wonderful son… his stamina is great, his endurance is great, and his technique is great. I’m satisfied and couldn’t ask for anything more.”
“…….”
Father remained silent for a moment, frowning as if in thought, before eventually pointing a finger at me, his lips twitching.
“Y-you… how dare you try to mock me? Your intentions are obvious. You’re clinging to my son to shake some money out of him.”
“I don’t know why everyone lives with such a victim complex, but I have absolutely no intention of doing that.”
The hyungs were the same. Even though they were children born of the same father, they remained on edge, fearing I might try to snatch away the assets. Grandfather probably went around openly saying there would be no inheritance. I have no greed at all, so I don’t understand why they worry, suspect, and stay guarded in advance.
“In the month we’ve been seeing each other, I haven’t received a single gift or a cent of money; the most I’ve had is a few meals. From the top of my head to the tips of my toes, there isn’t a single thing your son gave me. I spent my own parents’ money on everything, so you don’t have to worry. My family isn’t so poor that I’d crave your son’s money, and I’m living quite contentedly. I don’t know how much astronomical wealth you have piled up in your astronomical household, but please drop the suspicion that everyone is after your fortune. I wonder if you’re even capable of functioning in society like this.”
“What did you say?”
“Honestly, if you think a common doctor or a hospital is something, people who work at companies are even more common. Even if that company is yours, how many companies are there in Korea? There are more companies than hospitals. And our house is actually better than this one. Our house is in Seoul. Even if land prices here are expensive, Seoul is much more expensive. This place has a large footprint, but if you calculate the floors in our house, the area would be about the same.”
I have nothing to be intimidated by, so I don’t know why he’s acting so high and mighty. I’ll make sure not to ignore him until we lay everything bare and compare assets. And besides, is all of that even Kwon Yi-kang’s? It’s his parents’ wealth, his parents’ house, and his parents’ buildings. It’s ridiculous to brag about who possesses more when introducing a lover.
“I have never met someone as uneducated as you. Your uneducated mouth is certainly wide open and speaks well.”
“Is my educational background written on my face? You, the well-educated Father, speak as if you’ve graduated from university ten times over. Do you have a doctorate or something? You seem incredibly well-educated.”
“Ha. Talking back at every single turn. You aren’t even worth speaking to. Take him out.”
He always flips the table the moment he loses a conversation. He doesn’t seem to realize that asserting authority and acting stubborn is worse than a three-year-old. Even children these days are so logical.
“I came here intending to greet you nicely, but things went sideways from the start. Since your son is seeing me, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t push blind dates or whatever on him for the time being. My darling isn’t very keen on it, and it doesn’t make me feel good either. And… even if he brings someone else instead of me later, please treat them like a human being. I don’t know why there are so many people these days who don’t treat others as humans, but it’s hurtful to the other person. I’ve never seen anyone get praised for hurting others.”
Father was silent for a moment. Letting out a heavy sigh, he waved his hand toward Kwon Yi-kang and me.
“Just leave. I wish to speak with you no more.”
For some reason, his face looked suddenly exhausted. Given how much he’d raised his voice, it was understandable. But it’s not like I said anything wrong. I felt a bit wronged.
“It’s okay.”
As if reading my inner thoughts, Kwon Yi-kang whispered, gently stroking my back. Seeing his lips curved in a calm smile, my heart softened.
“Go take a look around the house. I think I have some things left to discuss with Father.”
“Will it take long?”
“No, just a moment.”
“Look at you two, acting the part. I can’t stand the sight of either of you, so get lost immediately!”
As we whispered face-to-face, Father, sitting opposite us, shouted. That man really can’t stand a good atmosphere. No wonder his only child hasn’t married off yet.
“Is anyone outside?”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Please show Soo-kyung around the house.”
Kwon Yi-kang gave a slight nod as if telling me to go, and I stood up with a pout.
“Father, I’ll see you again in a bit.”
“I have no business with you.”
I was just trying to say goodbye before leaving, but he’s uncooperative until the very end. Sigh. Letting out a loud sigh, I exited through the door I had passed through when entering. The wooden door closed behind me, and the man who had been waiting in front of me as I put on my shoes approached.
“I will guide you to the garden.”
At the man’s words, I scanned the surroundings. A wide path stretched out along the hanok building. The trees planted near the wall had bare branches, giving off a slightly chilly feeling.
“It’s okay.”
“The Young Master…”
No, I have no desire to tour this house. I’m just curious about what they’re going to talk about now that I’ve been sent out.
I perched on the wooden veranda and pressed my ear against the door. The expression of the man standing beside me to guide me turned strangely sour.
“Um… guest. I will guide you to the garden…”
“Shh, shh!”
Be quiet. I can’t hear the conversation inside.
As I waved my hands frantically, pressuring him to shut up, the man stepped back with a gaunt face. He couldn’t exactly grab me by the collar and drag me away, and since staying close would make it look like he was eavesdropping on the conversation, he seemed to want to avoid the situation altogether.
For a while, nothing could be heard from beyond the door. Were they communicating through glances? As I tilted my head, Kwon Yi-kang’s voice finally drifted out.
“Don’t you feel anything?”
“Feel what? How much of a hooligan you’ve brought home?”
“What Soo-kyung said. Haven’t you heard it often, and felt it often? I didn’t think Father would say those things to someone else today. Because you are the one who felt it more poignantly than anyone.”
“Kwon Yi-kang.”
“Don’t you think of Mother?”
“She is not someone to be mentioned in this situation.”
“No, isn’t this situation similar? While you remember that event—which was a wound to you—so deeply in your bones, why are you trying to inflict the same wound on someone else?”
“Stop it! If you mention that person any further, I won’t even forgive you.”
The agitated voice rang out loudly, piercing through the door. Why is he getting so excited? Did something bad happen regarding Kwon Yi-kang’s mother? When I met him at the hospital before, he mentioned his mother was admitted to the VIP room. I think he also said something about her abandoning her husband and child. It was strange that Kwon Yi-kang brought up something negative in this situation.
“I earned money and grew the company so that you wouldn’t have to hear such things. Since you’ve risen to this position, can’t you at least choose your own spouse? Why do you think I went through all that hardship, yet you ignore a father’s heart and bring in a street thug like that?”
“What need is there for a family background? He is the person my heart leans toward.”
“There is a need, there is a need! Isn’t that why I dragged this family up to this level! You are entitled to bring in someone from a family that matches your status!”
“Yes, a Beta from a family that matches my status.”
Beta? I tilted my head at Kwon Yi-kang’s words. Does that mean all the women in those files were Betas? While it’s not unheard of for an Alpha or Omega to marry a Beta, it was often viewed unfavorably. Alphas and Omegas were perceived as a pair, so other relationships tended to be socially shunned. I couldn’t understand why Kwon Yi-kang’s father was insisting on marrying him to a Beta.
“……Yi-kang.”
“I feel no emotion toward them. My heart doesn’t move. They are just humans who breathe and live, nothing more, nothing less. Having to spend a lifetime with such a person would be nothing short of torture for me; does Father really intend to push his son into such a hell?”
“Even so, you can’t just drag in an Omega who doesn’t want you. Should I go kidnap one? I’ll do it if you wish.”
“I don’t want such an Omega either. When there is an Omega who wants me right before my eyes, why would I look elsewhere? My Omega is right here in front of me.”
“Still, I cannot let in a fellow of unknown origin.”
“What is ‘origin’? What is my origin? Think back to your own past, Father. How wonderful is our ‘origin’ exactly?”
“You!”
“Think about it slowly. His manner of speaking is unfiltered, but he is a child who was raised and cherished in a good home. If you can’t see that, then try putting a price on him by your standards. The clothes he’s wearing, the watch, the wallet, the shoes. Is there anything missing from head to toe?”
I couldn’t understand more than half of the conversation between Kwon Yi-kang and his father. Does Kwon Yi-kang hate Betas, and do Omegas hate Kwon Yi-kang? Does he like me because I’m an Omega? What is his father and his ‘origin’?
“……Which hospital did he say?”
After a brief silence, the conversation resumed.
“I didn’t ask.”
“At most, he probably owns one tiny, pea-sized hospital.”
“I didn’t mention the company I work for, either. Right now, I am seeing him simply for who he is. There is no calculation or transaction involved. ……So you must realize how wrong the words Father said to Soo-kyung today were.”
“You should have expected to be asked such questions when coming to greet the family!”
“He is twenty. He’s only just twenty. How much are you expecting from such a child?”
“When an Omega is twenty, it’s the age to put them on the marriage market!”
Ugh, seriously. Marriage market. I’ve heard of fish markets, dog markets, flea markets, and junk markets, but I just can’t get used to a ‘marriage market.’ It sounds like they’re buying and selling their children.
“Please don’t make me be any more disappointed in you, Father. Even when you called me back to Korea after I graduated university, I was angry, but I wasn’t disappointed in you. I tried to understand you. But right now, I’m a bit disappointed.”
“Are you telling this father you’re disappointed over a mere Omega?”
“If you reflect on your appearance and your words today, you will be disappointed in yourself. Stop it, Father. Just leave me be for now. I am… happy. Please leave my happiness alone.”
For some reason, Kwon Yi-kang’s voice sounded sad. My chest tightened more than it had when I was the one being yelled at by his father.
It’s strange. I can’t see you beyond the door, but for some reason, I can picture the expression on your face.
“……Fine, date him. If you’re so head-over-heels, then date. Just don’t drag some wretched fellow here saying you’re going to marry him. At that time, I will find out exactly what that fellow and his parents, and several generations above them, did for a living and what filthy deeds they committed. Don’t make me do tedious work with my own hands. Do you understand what I mean?”
Good grief, I thought he was just an emotional person, but it seems he’s an extremist in his actions too.
Kwon Yi-kang didn’t respond to the words heavily laced with warning. Why can’t I hear the rest of the conversation? As I pressed my ear even closer to the door, it opened with a sliding sound. As I looked up from my leaning position, Kwon Yi-kang, who was about to step out of the room, was staring down at me.
As I let out a bashful giggle, a soft smile spread across Kwon Yi-kang’s stiff face.