By Zephyria 
It was because of my opinion that my family settled here in earnest. When my father’s cruise stopped in Busan, we had visited this place briefly for sightseeing. I fell in love with the island’s scenery at first sight. There was no particular reason. Even though I had never been here before and had never seen it anywhere, I simply liked it. I wanted to stay here, even if only for a short while. It was because I was quite exhausted from traveling on ships and living abroad following my father.
Perhaps it was because I had spent the last few years quietly, showing no interest in anything and never expressing my opinions? My family was very happy that I liked this place. It seemed they were just glad that I was expressing a preference for something. “I want to stay here for a while.” With that one short sentence, everything proceeded smoothly.
My father bought a house and opened a cafe for me so that I wouldn’t get bored. My brother and father took care of the entire process of deciding on a residence. Therefore, I didn’t pay much attention to, nor did I care about, real estate matters or the relocation process. There was absolutely no need for me to worry about it. That is why I am only now learning about these things from Jin-sang.
Now that I’ve heard the story, there are indeed many strange things. Even if I were Jin-sang, I would have sensed something odd and been suspicious. The timing was exactly like that. Why did I think this was an island where only older Betas resided? Until Jin-sang told me this, that’s what I believed.
He said that conditions were offered so generously that they poured out. For the Alphas who sold their land and left, they were given prices far better than the usual market rate, along with additional conditions. He said the conditions were such that anyone could leave without regret—in fact, it would be strange not to leave. Jin-sang’s expression, that it felt as if someone were pushing them out the door, wasn’t strange at all.
The reason we were able to live here comfortably was partly because there were no Alphas, but also because the residents were mostly of an age group that didn’t use the internet. The Emperor’s popularity in our country is immense. People’s interest is also vast. And although much time had passed, my photos had been leaked a few times, so I had always lived cautiously.
Thus, every aspect of this island’s environment was the optimal condition for me to live in. As if someone had intentionally made it that way. Made it that way…? As that thought suddenly occurred to me, anxiety began to spread. Looking back, the situation was too artificial. It was an environment that seemed perfectly tailored to me. After hearing Jin-sang’s story, a strange, lingering discomfort washed over me.
“Hearing your story, it’s understandable why you’d be suspicious, but unfortunately, it’s not us. It’s true that the environment is lacking nothing, but since we bought up all the land, we don’t have that much liquid wealth. There’s no reason for us to do that, either. To buy up that much land on this island and relocate all the Alphas and Omegas, you’d need a considerable amount of cash on hand. I’m a pauper.”
My father is rich. But even for him, could he have traded that much cash in such a short period? I know most of his assets are in real estate, buildings, and stocks, but does he have that much cash? I’ve never been interested in my father’s wealth, so I don’t really know. Seo-joo is also a fourth-generation chaebol, but most of his assets would be buildings or stocks rather than cash.
“…I guess so? Hmm, sorry for suspecting you for now.”
The speed of his apology was incredibly fast. Looking at his expression, he seemed sincere. Is he just a very transparent person?
“It’s okay. For someone who was badgering me so much, you’re quick to admit it.”
Jin-sang, who had been boldly driving me into a corner, looked slightly deflated as he expressed his apology. Well, compared to the people who have thrown fits at me in the past, this kind of personality is almost cute. It’s fine. I can just think of it as him acting out of youthful passion because he’s young and doesn’t know any better. Did he say he’s a sophomore in college, twenty-one years old?
He really is quite young. But I was even younger—at twenty—when I got pregnant and suffered a miscarriage. Thinking about it now, it was so absurd and reckless. Joo Min-hyeok was twenty-two at the time, so we were both young and ignorant, and everything was full of mistakes. Our relationship, and the baby we lost. Though it’s useless to regret it now.
“Hearing the story, it makes sense why you suspected us. The timing was uncanny.”
“I also apologize for picking a fight and acting out for no reason. It’s because I have affection for this place since I’ve lived here since I was a child. I don’t care if people move to the city. Having gone to school in Seoul, I know the mainland is great. But I was worried that this place would be haphazardly redeveloped, and that’s why I acted out. I’m sincerely sorry.”
Seeing him apologize while looking a bit discouraged, I even burst into laughter. Since he’s this sorry, there’s no reason not to accept the apology. There are people who have done far worse to me who don’t even say they’re sorry, let alone feel that way. Just then, someone approached us from a distance, making a loud noise.
“Jin-su? Is that you, Jin-su? What are you doing there instead of coming quickly!”
“Huh? Oh, Grandma? Grandma, I’m leaving now, why did you come out? I was just talking to someone.”
“Grandma?”
Jin-sang’s grandmother, who looked quite elderly, was approaching us with a frown. For her age, she looked not just healthy but possessed a strong aura, and she scanned me the entire time she walked toward us. The repulsion in her eyes as she looked at me was so strong that I let out a hollow laugh. It seems Jin-sang inherited his transparency from his grandmother.
“I guess Grandma misunderstood too? That I bought land to target redevelopment and kick people out?”
“U-uh? Probably… but I’ll talk to her.”
The start of that misunderstanding likely wasn’t young Jin-sang, but the grandmother. It’s obvious he misunderstood me after hearing things from his grandmother or other adults. As she drew closer, the grandmother continued to be wary of me while calling for Jin-sang and his friend.
“Why are you staring at a stranger like that, Grandma? After talking to him, it’s a misunderstanding. The owner here doesn’t even know about redevelopment.”
Jin-sang gave an awkward smile while grabbing his grandmother’s arm, but her expression did not soften. Of course, I’m fine. I’m very familiar with that kind of gaze. There have been more than a few people who looked at me like that. Perhaps that’s why I’m more suspicious of people who approach me kindly. Ha, how pathetic. Am I really that unlikeable?
“Why is your fate so harsh for someone so young?”
I was speechless at the absurd comment that suddenly rang out. To boldly tell a stranger to their face that their fate is harsh…
“Grandma, do you just say things like that openly to people? That’s really strange.”
“Jin-su, don’t get entangled with that Omega for nothing. You went to a good university in Seoul, so you should hang out with good people there. Why are you talking to a harsh-fated Omega who crawled into this island? Go! Don’t you know Alphas must always be careful of Omegas?”
“I talked to him first! Because I was curious about something!”
“What’s there to be curious about! Don’t even harbor such thoughts. He has the face of someone who brings nothing but trouble if you get entangled, so go quickly!”
The grandmother, who possessed surprising strength, dragged the grown Alpha away without any effort. It seems she recognized that I am an Omega. I thought she wouldn’t know since I didn’t emit pheromones. Throughout the time he was being dragged away by his grandmother’s hand, he kept looking back with an apologetic expression. He doesn’t need to be that sorry.
Anyway, now I’ve even been told that my fate is harsh. A face that brings nothing but trouble? I’m hearing all sorts of things. However, I cannot deny that my fate is harsh. There probably aren’t many Omegas my age who have lived a life like mine.
Of course, it’s not that I wanted to live like this. How many people would actually want to live this way… Was it because my face was bad and my fate was harsh that no one liked me? Was that why I was only ever used? Because my self-esteem is at rock bottom, it’s not easy to just brush these words off. I’ve heard words that hurt my heart.
∗ ∗ ∗
“Curious? He said he was curious?”
Min-hyeok repeated the words from the report he had just received as he hung up the phone. Hyun-wook, who was waiting beside Min-hyeok, simply kept his mouth shut, unable to understand the words since he hadn’t heard the contents of the call.
“What could a commoner be so curious about regarding the Grand Imperial Concubine that he’d strike up a conversation? I’ve been bothered since that young brat kept lingering around, claiming he’s an Alpha.”
Even if it wasn’t out of personal curiosity, but rather an attempt to clear up a misunderstanding. No. That’s not it. That’s not allowed. No one should be curious about the Grand Imperial Concubine. Hyun-wook spoke cautiously, as if concerned by Min-hyeok’s words.
“Has someone harbored impure intentions toward the Palace Lord?”
“Being curious is quite dangerous. Kang Hyun-wook, do you know where human emotions begin?”
Min-hyeok had no intention of answering Hyun-wook’s question and instead spoke in riddles. And as if he had no intention of hearing the answer to his own question, he continued.
“Curiosity. No matter the emotion, it always starts with curiosity. ‘What is that person thinking?’ ‘What do they like?’ ‘What do they hate?’ ‘What do they do normally?’ Curiosity that continues like a thirst, wanting to know more, eventually becomes affection.”
“……Yes.”
Though the words were cryptic, Hyun-wook, who caught a hint of the intention behind Min-hyeok’s question, nodded and answered. It seemed someone on the island had felt curiosity toward Hae-joo. He thought he had wiped out and expelled all the Alphas on that island, but it seemed someone was still left.
“That’s why this brat must not be curious about anything regarding Hae-joo. Even if it’s a misunderstanding. Because he is my Grand Imperial Concubine. No matter what happened between us or how much time has passed, Hae-joo is my concubine and my spouse. He is mine! Therefore, I cannot let another Alpha be curious about him.”
With those words, Min-hyeok gave the order to prepare for a trip to the island.