By Zephyria 
“Young Master. Please get out.”
The car had stopped in front of the art museum building before I knew it. Perhaps my silence was burdensome, he must have driven quite fast. Rubbing my brow with a tired mind, I stepped out of the car.
Father’s art museum, which I was visiting for the first time, looked less like a museum and more like a well-decorated luxury boutique. It was the size of three ordinary buildings joined together, and the bright lights inside the long glass facades were dazzling.
“I have an appointment with the director.”
When I said this at what looked like the information desk, the employee contacted the office via intercom and, after confirming, guided me to the director’s office. Inside the museum, where calm classical music flowed, there was a pressure that made it difficult to even make a loud footstep.
“Director.”
“Come in.”
I entered through the door opened by the employee. Father, who was sitting at his desk looking at something, saw me and gestured toward the sofa.
“I was surprised you visited so suddenly. Is something the matter?”
“It’s about university.”
“Why is that?”
Father rose from his chair, approached the sofa, and sat opposite me as he asked. Dressed neatly in a suit, he looked like a corporate employee who had been promoted quickly or a successful stockbroker. Looking at him like that, it was impossible to think of him as the Omega who gave birth to Cha Soo-kyung.
“Soo-kyung.”
As I drifted into a momentary distraction, Father called my name.
“Ah, sorry. By any chance, did you pay my tuition?”
“I did. On the first day.”
“Then did you also know that I had to register for classes?”
“Of course I did.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me? If Mr. Lee hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have known.”
Why on earth do we not talk, even though we’re father and son? If you paid the tuition, say you paid it. If I have to register for classes, tell me I have to. How great would it be if you just told me? At my blunt complaint, Father stared at me intently.
“Why?”
“What?”
“You aren’t an elementary school student whose parents follow them around to pack their school supplies, are you?”
“But I still haven’t regained my memories and I don’t know anything…”
“That is not a matter of memory. Everyone goes to university for the first time at your age. Do you think other children have already been there once, or that they know because someone taught them? Those children are the same as you. In a state of knowing nothing, they look at the website, search the internet, and get used to it through trial and error. It seems you’ve used the excuse of losing your memory to hope someone would do it for you and showed no interest yourself.”
At Father’s words, my vision blurred as if I had been struck.
It was true. I had no interest and hadn’t looked into it first. Since everyone knew I had lost my memories, I thought someone would tell me if there was something I had to do. I just sat there with my mouth open, waiting to be spoon-fed.
Intoxicated by the pleasure of spending money, I had no interest in my own duties. I said I needed time to get used to Cha Soo-kyung’s life, but I couldn’t recall what efforts I had actually made to get used to it. The idler I had cursed for living so extravagantly while having money was no different from my current self.
I clutched my head and let out a hollow laugh. Father, as always, simply watched me in silence.
“Today… must be the day I get humbled. Seriously, how did I become like this? First at the art academy, and now with Father. I have no words to refute.”
“Art academy?”
“I went there because I wanted to hear what my level was. They call it a level test. Why can’t they just speak in Korean? It’s all in English.”
I unfolded the rolled-up paper and laid it on the table. It wasn’t painted, just drawn in pencil, but it was a drawing that clearly revealed my skill level. It was also the drawing that the art academy teacher had harshly criticized.
“…What is this?”
I might have forgotten after hearing it, but there was no way Father, who runs an art museum, wouldn’t know the name of that famous plaster cast. It meant my skill level was so low that he couldn’t even recognize it upon seeing the drawing.
“You know, they said it’s a plaster cast people draw for practice during art practicals.”
“Plaster cast? Surely this isn’t Agrippa.”
“I think that was the name. What you’re seeing is my current level.”
“…You captured the… characteristics well. If you draw it with more detail, you’ll get a better result.”
The voice coming through his constricted throat almost sounded like sobbing. Anyone listening would think he was crying because he was moved by my drawing.
“The art teacher should have been my father. The teacher at the academy told me not to waste my time and just study. He said I have no basics, no talent, and no sense.”
“Honestly, this is… hard to believe.”
“Lately, it’s been a series of unbelievable events.”
“No matter how much memory you’ve lost, for talent to disappear… I’ll have to take you back to the hospital.”
There is no possibility of Cha Soo-kyung’s memories returning, and in the first place, I didn’t “lose” them. Even if I go to the hospital, there’s no way to create talent that isn’t there.
“Why are you only telling me this now?”
“Like you said, Father, I think I used the excuse of losing my memory to hope someone would do it for me and showed no interest. I’m sorry to tell you this now, but in this state, I think it will be difficult to take classes at university.”
Father let out a low groan and clutched his forehead. Deep wrinkles formed between his brows as if he were getting a headache. During the long silence, I glanced at Father. The tips of his fingernails tapping the armrest of the sofa made a clicking sound.
“How are your pheromones? Do they feel more familiar?”
“I’m not sure. I can feel Alpha pheromones a bit when I’m close? Every Alpha I meet tells me I’m emitting pheromones. Looking at that, it seems I can’t control them at all.”
A groan mixed with lamentation escaped him. The movement of the fingers tapping the armrest quickened, and then the noisy sound stopped abruptly.
“I will give you one semester. I don’t know if a freshman can take a leave of absence, but I’ll try to get a medical certificate. I will bring back the teacher who taught you before, so let’s try to return your hand to its former skill as much as possible. And as you draw again, even if you don’t, your hand will recall the memory.”
I really hope so. Even if the person inside this body is Min Jae-hee, the body is Cha Soo-kyung’s. I hope the ability to draw returns to Cha Soo-kyung’s hands.
“And you’ll go back to the hospital.”
“As for the memories, I think it’s better to just wait until they return naturally.”
“I’m more worried about the pheromones than the memories. I’ll schedule an appointment for that. While you’re at it, have a consultation with your doctor.”
When he spoke like that, there was only one answer. Even though I replied “Yes,” the wrinkles on Father’s forehead did not disappear.
∞ ∞ ∞
When the Alpha father was present, no one ever finished their meal and left the table first. Everyone ate at the Alpha father’s pace and waited until he stood up. They only answered when he spoke, and no one opened their mouth to speak first.
The dining table without the Alpha father was a mess. The lack of conversation remained, but if they didn’t want to eat, they wouldn’t come down at all, and it was common for people to leave the table early for various reasons. Even when the Omega father was present, they acted as if he were invisible.
“Have Father and eldest Hyung not arrived yet?”
“They went to a conference in Beijing for three days and two nights.”
For once, my sister-in-law answered promptly. She had a look on her face as if she wanted to brag about something, and I tilted my head, not knowing why, until I saw the second-eldest Hyung scowling and went, “Ah.”
“Did second Hyung come home early because he has something to do tonight?”
I could have just let it pass, but I went out of my way to drag the second one into the conversation. The second one, who was chewing with his cheeks puffed out, chewed through my words as well.
“The fields are different. My husband and Father are in general surgery, while Young Master Dong-hu is in internal medicine. A large conference regarding cancer is being held this time, and I heard many renowned people from overseas are coming. He was so excited because there would be presentations on new surgical cases.”
Even if she said that, I wasn’t envious, but it seemed her target was the second Hyung, not me.
“I think there’s progress only if you consistently attend conferences, write papers, and conduct research. If you settle down just because you got your medical license, you’ll eventually fall behind. Nothing remains for those who fall behind. Right, Young Master?”
She asked me if I agreed, but this question was also meant for my second Hyung to hear. Wow, I didn’t think my sister-in-law had such a fighting spirit. My second Hyung set his spoon down with a loud clack.
“Ah, seriously, so noisy while eating. What’s such a big deal about attending one academic conference? Conferences are held every year; you’ll be embarrassed if you go around bragging about it like that, sister-in-law.”
“It’s different from those conferences where any random crowd gathers. Are all conferences the same? Father and my husband only attend the important ones because they’re busy. There’s no need to go to places where people just repeat the same things over and over.”
The conferences Father and my eldest Hyung attend were suddenly the only important ones, while all others were relegated to being worthless. I thought people would throw stones at her if she spoke like this anywhere else, and while I felt it was a relief she was only in front of my second Hyung, I also felt a bit of pity for him as he listened to this.
“Father and eldest Hyung must be truly remarkable. Still, I heard your field is different from second Hyung’s. I’m sure second Hyung also attends many important conferences.”
“I wouldn’t know, but… I hope so. I’m really worried about why there are so many low-level doctors in hospitals these days. They seem to think anyone with a medical license is a doctor. It’s a disgrace to the hospital if they cause a medical accident.”
My sister-in-law steadfastly finished her entire bowl of rice and stood up. She almost never finishes her meal when the Alpha Father isn’t present, but she must have had a particularly good appetite today.