Alpha Trauma

The first time Wooyeon said something like that, Daniel didn’t seem surprised and just laughed. He even playfully put his arm around Wooyeon’s shoulder, asking if he’d known all along. That laughter wasn’t false, and Wooyeon considered him a friend, knowing everything.Even his first friend had begun under his mother’s influence. Then what about the new connections Wooyeon had made in university?“Who is it this time?”Several faces flashed through his mind. He remembered how they comforted him, cared for him, and treated him with kindness. But what if all of that had been manufactured? Just the thought made his stomach churn, wondering how he’d endure it.“Who did you assign to me this time?”Suhyang’s expression was unreadable. She looked almost angry, but maybe she wasn’t. There was a faint hint of guilt, or so it seemed, but Wooyeon suspected he was just imagining it.“How far are you willing to go to be satisfied?”“To…,”After a long hesitation, Suhyang spoke slowly. It was the same reason Wooyeon had heard countless times.“To protect you.”“Protect me.”A bitter laugh escaped him. He asked innocently, despite the clear absurdity of the situation.“Like my late mother?”Suhyang’s pheromones grew sharp and intense, heavy and bitter—the scent fitting for an alpha. His chest felt crushed, his skin stinging as if it were being cut. His breath caught, but he didn’t stop speaking.“Like the one you clung to so obsessively that she ended up dying?”Wooyeon had another mother, besides Suhyang. Someone with a different personality, different status, and even a different physiology—a poor omega who had married Suhyang, given birth to Wooyeon, and slowly withered away under her so-called protection.“That’s not called protection.”“…”“It’s called surveillance.”Suhyang’s gaze burned with anger, and even the slight trembling of her eyelids betrayed emotions left unexpressed. She blinked slowly and turned her head slightly away.“I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish by provoking me, but if you’re looking to vent, do it somewhere else.”There was no trace of the earlier discomfort on her now-cold face, though her pheromones simmered with instability. She pressed her lips tightly together and spoke in an icy voice.“If you figured out Daniel’s connection, you should have realized he wasn’t the first.”Wooyeon’s mind went blank. His vision darkened, and the turbulent pheromones stopped abruptly. As he gaped in stunned silence, her voice spoke again, coolly.“If you didn’t know, that’s unfortunate.”“…”“I thought you liked him even though you knew.”And with that, she was finished. Without another word, Suhyang brushed past Wooyeon and left the office, the door slamming shut louder than ever before.* * *In the car on the way home, Wooyeon gazed out the window, looking like he’d lost his soul. The driver didn’t try to speak to him, and the rapidly passing scenery blurred his vision.“So your name is… Seon Wooyeon?”From the first time they met until now, all those memories played like a panorama in his mind. The composed, mature way he introduced himself, the warmth and kindness he’d shown over the years.“Take care of me, Yeon-ah.”Thinking about it, there had been more than a few oddities. His mother, who usually hired only top-notch tutors, had brought in an ordinary college student. And Dohyeon, who was only supposed to be a tutor, had always shown an unusual level of concern for him.“I heard you were home alone, so I got worried.”How could Dohyeon have known that he was alone? On that day when Wooyeon’s phone broke, he hadn’t contacted Dohyeon at all. Wooyeon himself hadn’t realized the house was empty until later.It followed the same pattern as Daniel. Dohyeon showed him affection and care, but Wooyeon never knew what motivated it. Although his kindness wasn’t fake, who’s to say it had been entirely of his own volition?“They aren’t really pleasant memories.”“Damn it…”A wave of nausea overcame him, making it hard to breathe as his chest tightened. He leaned his forehead against the car window, but the cool glass quickly warmed to his touch.“I tried to draw a line, but it wasn’t easy. At first, it was out of concern, and then out of guilt. I knew I shouldn’t feel this way, but I loved how much you cared for me.”Only now did he understand what it had meant when Dohyeon said he was kind to him out of guilt. Every casual remark that he’d brushed off came back to stab him like arrows. He wanted to deny it, but no matter what he thought of, the conclusion remained the same.“I’m nervous too, Yeon-ah.”“That you might end up disappointed in me.”“That someday… you’d say you don’t care for me anymore.”Maybe, deep down, he’d sensed it even then. The moment he couldn’t assure him he wouldn’t be disappointed, Wooyeon had instinctively realized it.He knew that disappointment might come one day, that everything could vanish like a fleeting light.“Mister, we’ve arrived.”“…Wait here. Don’t leave.”Wooyeon had always walked to Dohyeon without hesitation, even though he knew Dohyeon was hiding something. He ignored it, indulging in the fleeting sweetness, unaware of the price he’d ultimately have to pay.When Wooyeon pressed the doorbell, Dohyeon answered without making him wait. In one hand, he held his phone and car keys, and he was still in his outdoor clothes. His gentle eyes softened into a warm smile the moment he saw Wooyeon.“You’re early. I was going to come pick you up.”For a brief moment, Wooyeon thought maybe he could pretend to be unaware, act as if nothing had happened. Perhaps he could foolishly hope to preserve this relationship without breaking it.But that thought didn’t last long. The moment their eyes met, a wave of sadness surged up in him. A tear fell from his blinking eyes.“…”Dohyeon’s expression shifted. Whatever he felt, even his pheromones became unsettling. Looking up at him, Wooyeon finally managed to speak.“…Why did you do it?”His voice was heavy with exhaustion, and even the forced words were nearly drowned by the flood of emotions. The tears streaming down his pale cheeks left marks.“Why did you do this to me?”Dohyeon didn’t respond. He didn’t ask what Wooyeon meant, nor did he try to wipe away his tears. He only bit his lip and lowered his gaze in silence.Eventually, Dohyeon let out a shallow sigh and uttered a short phrase.“I’m sorry.”It wasn’t a denial. Instead of the answer Wooyeon wanted, he received the very response he had dreaded hearing.“It wasn’t on purpose.”“You’re not going to say it wasn’t?”His stomach churned violently. His vision darkened, and his grip on reason slipped. The tense atmosphere around him mirrored his shaken state.“Not even going to make an excuse, say it wasn’t like that?”Wooyeon glared at Dohyeon with resentment, his tear-streaked face hot and damp. Struggling for breath, he finally spat out his words bitterly.“I don’t understand you at all, Sunbae.”With that, Wooyeon turned and stepped out the front door. If Dohyeon hadn’t reached out to stop him, he wouldn’t have looked back. Dohyeon grabbed his arm and spoke urgently.“I’ll tell you everything.”His unusual desperation made him seem vulnerable, his unstable pheromones seeping into the touch between them.“I’ll explain everything, until you understand….”Wooyeon’s heart wavered, just as it had in the club room, but he shook his head.“No.”Instead of looking at Dohyeon, he shook off his hand. With a smack, Dohyeon’s hand dropped powerlessly.“I don’t want to hear it.”Thinking he’d be fine with Dohyeon keeping his secrets had been a lie. The betrayal, the anger—despite all of that, the feeling of having been kept in the dark was the worst of all.“That’s not telling me; that’s getting caught.”He’d had countless chances to tell the truth. When he met Wooyeon again, when they started dating, even this very morning.“You never planned to tell me, did you, Teacher?”If Wooyeon hadn’t asked, they would have gone through the day as usual. Eating together, falling asleep in the same bed, chatting about the little things after school. Today, tomorrow, and in the days to follow. Time had already slipped by like that, Wooyeon knowing nothing.“And now, suddenly you’re saying this?”“I was going to tell you.”His voice was barely audible. The hand Wooyeon had pushed away fell limply to his side.“I was planning to tell you everything soon.”“When, exactly?”The unfairness turned to sorrow, and then to anger. The emotions that rose to his throat turned into biting sarcasm.“After reporting that we were dating, or that I stayed at your house?”The moment he heard Suhyang’s words, it all came together in his mind. He’d felt doubt before denial, no longer able to convince himself it wasn’t true. Even if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he already knew.“You know what you mean to me.”For him, every moment had been about Dohyeon. He was his connection to the world, his first taste of warmth, the first feeling he might never experience again. Dohyeon’s offered salvation had been his only support, so did it really matter if it had started with a lie?“If you’d just said something, it wouldn’t have come to this.”He wished he could have known earlier, before he had to ask, before it all came to light. Maybe then, things would be different.“Because I like you, I would have let it go.”Maybe they could have stayed teacher and student, or become friends like Daniel, or just drifted into memories. Or at the very least, he could have put his feelings aside.No amount of what-ifs could change anything now. Dohyeon hadn’t denied it, and Wooyeon was hurt. That single “sorry” tore him apart.“But now, I can’t do that anymore.”Even in this moment, Wooyeon reacted to Dohyeon. His heart raced at the faint pheromone scent, his chest fluttering at Dohyeon’s steady face. He could close his eyes and ignore it all, but he knew too much now.“It’s too late, Teacher.”The response didn’t come immediately. Dohyeon bit his lip for a moment, then spoke in a low voice.“That’s why I couldn’t tell you. I was afraid this would happen.”The repressed pheromones were unsettling, and the quiet, heavy atmosphere felt more sorrowful than ever. Dohyeon clenched his fists and continued, his voice barely audible.“I knew it would hurt you, and I knew I shouldn’t… but I couldn’t say it.”“…”“A simple word? Sure, one word isn’t hard. But,”The way his sentence cut off felt like a mirror of their relationship. Dohyeon’s eyes, slightly pained, focused intensely on Wooyeon.“How could I be the one to disappoint you?”His voice was like a breath, achingly sincere. Every expression Dohyeon showed was tinged with growing regret.“…Really.”But none of it was what Wooyeon wanted. With one hand covering his face, Wooyeon lowered his head and murmured.“So, it wasn’t a misunderstanding right until the end.”It felt like his last sliver of hope was shattered. Dohyeon’s expression, his gaze—it crushed the lingering hope, as if insisting he shouldn’t hold onto any illusions.“When did it start?”His mind began to cool. The storm of emotions ebbed, leaving him disturbingly calm and rational, finally accepting the situation.“When did it start… and to what extent? How far did it go?”His words tumbled out without order, but the meaning was clear. Dohyeon, looking down, started speaking in his usual, gentle tone.“I’ve known the chairman since I was young.”From the start, it was something Wooyeon hadn’t known. He’d never imagined that Dohyeon and Suhyang had known each other.“I heard you were having trouble adjusting to school, so I offered to help.”“…”“When you entered college, it seemed like they were still worried, so I reached out again.”To an outsider, it wouldn’t have sounded problematic. His soft, sweet voice was as if trying to reassure Wooyeon.“It wasn’t about surveillance or anything like that. I just…”“So you knew everything.”Yet, instead of feeling relieved, Wooyeon’s resentment only deepened. No matter how he struggled, he was ultimately trapped in Suhyang’s grasp. Daniel, and now even his teacher—all relationships he thought he’d built were nothing more than constructs. If he’d known it all began because of Suhyang, he wouldn’t have become so attached. A sense of regret continued to linger.“I don’t know anything about you.”Tears that had stopped began to flow down his cheeks again. The teardrops clung to his chin, about to fall.“Your family, your friends, or even the meaning behind the tattoo on your back—I don’t know any of it. Isn’t that unfair?”Looking back, he could hardly remember a time when Dohyeon had shared anything with him. Wooyeon had been endlessly curious, but Dohyeon had kept everything to himself. That growing ignorance eventually eroded even the trust he had.“Did you know my name was Wooyeon?”He couldn’t forget the warmth he’d felt when Dohyeon called him affectionately, “Yeon-ah.” It was his first step out of despair, but now even that felt like it might’ve been a fabrication.“Did you know that I hate alphas?”Dohyeon didn’t respond to any of his questions. The silent look he cast aside was his only answer.“You knew I was bullied, that I didn’t get along with my mom, and that I hate being alone?”“…”“Did you treat me well because you already knew all of that?”An unhealed wound eventually tears a hole in the heart. Festering resentment seeped into him, and the sorrow he couldn’t contain erupted from that empty space.“…You shouldn’t have been so kind.”If he’d known sooner, he wouldn’t have let himself be intoxicated by Dohyeon’s kindness. He wouldn’t have to confront the pitiful sight of himself feeling so wretched.“What did you get in return?”Wooyeon’s sharp voice lashed out. The raw accusation struck Dohyeon, almost as if mocking him.“Money? Or a job offer?”“…It wasn’t like that.”Dohyeon’s face hardened, his lips pressing into a tense line.“Don’t say it like that.”“Then how should I say it?”His feelings were a mess—hurt, bitter, tears welling up, then anger rising again. His jumbled emotions caught in his throat, like he could choke on them at any moment.“Sunbae, do you realize you’re leaving out all the important things? How you know my mom, how much you knew about me because of that. What was a lie, and what was real. You’re telling me to trust you without saying any of the things that actually matter?”It was all just a polished excuse. No matter how nicely it was packaged, the conclusion was the same.“Did you think I’d fall for your words again like an idiot?”Even if someone says they love you a hundred times, a single unknown truth can tear it all down. One crack can turn into two, and once doubt starts, it spreads uncontrollably.“How do I know this isn’t just an act, too?”Ironically, Dohyeon’s face showed genuine hurt the moment he heard those words. His dark eyes dimmed with sadness, and his soft expression faltered. For once, visibly shaken, he spoke in a subdued voice.“I’ve never been fake with you.”His gaze wavered uncertainly as he looked at Wooyeon. Even his pheromones, quietly escaping, felt different from usual. Dohyeon clenched his fist, his voice almost pleading.“If no one else, you should know that.”“I…”Wooyeon exhaled a thin breath, his words trailing off. His heart, wavering on the edge, finally steadied.“How could I know?”A flash of despair crossed his otherwise composed face. Wooyeon was the one who was hurt, but it was Dohyeon whose gaze turned hollow. Nevertheless, Wooyeon didn’t stop speaking.“You said it yourself—if you don’t say it, no one will know.”“…”“You were the one who said that, Sunbae.”A buzz sounded. The tension in the air seemed to crack like shattered glass. Dohyeon’s gaze lowered to the vibrating screen, and his face showed a hint of discomfort.“…”Sometimes, instinct gives a silent warning. In that instant, past moments flashed by like scenes from a film reel, and every slight shift in Dohyeon’s expression was clear as day.“…What is it?”Wooyeon twisted his lips in a light smile, his chuckle icy.“Is it just another spam call?”This time, Dohyeon was visibly shaken. In a rare gesture, he reached out with his free hand and grabbed Wooyeon’s arm, his urgent eyes meeting Wooyeon’s as he pleaded.“No, this is a misunderstanding, Wooyeon.”Instead of shaking his hand off, Wooyeon simply turned his head away. He hadn’t checked the caller, but he didn’t need to—he could guess who it was. Whether it was a misunderstanding or not no longer mattered.“I’m going back to my family home.”In the end, things would go according to Suhyang’s plan. No matter how far he tried to escape, Wooyeon’s destination had already been decided.“There’ll be an article about it from the company by the end of the week. I’ll still be going to school, but I won’t be able to continue with the club. And this will be the last time we’re together like this.”Last. That single word deepened Dohyeon’s pheromone scent. He clenched his hands tighter and took a step forward, his pheromones surrounding Wooyeon.“I can’t let go of you.”“…”Even now, Wooyeon wanted his embrace. He wanted to breathe in his pheromones, let himself be enveloped by the sweet comfort. Like someone longing for the forbidden fruit, he wanted to hold on, even knowing he’d regret it.But Wooyeon didn’t give in to that fleeting impulse.“…I can’t trust you anymore.”At the words he barely managed to say, Dohyeon’s face went blank, and he released Wooyeon. His fingers slid off, barely clinging to the edge of Wooyeon’s clothing.“I’ll return the clothes through Driver Yoon.”Wooyeon turned his back on him without looking. His quiet voice delivered his final goodbye to Dohyeon.“I’m leaving.”He didn’t even say, “Take care.” Their parting was as sudden as their beginning had been. Despite the lingering scent of Dohyeon’s pheromones, Wooyeon walked away without looking back. This time, Dohyeon simply watched him go, unable to do anything.* * *Nothing would change with Wooyeon gone. Dohyeon knew this all too well.― The customer you are trying to reach is unavailable…The automated message echoed in the quiet living room. The man immediately ended the call and dialed the same number again. This time, the familiar voice repeated on his phone.― The customer you are trying to reach…Crack! The sound of the phone hitting the floor reverberated. The recently repaired screen shattered into pieces, but Dohyeon didn’t spare it a glance. His hands clutched his head, his body hunched over, teeth pressed firmly against his lips.“I’m leaving.”“Damn it…”Where had it all gone wrong?Ever since Wooyeon had left, Dohyeon had been like this. The image of Wooyeon’s retreating figure lingered in his mind, those tear-filled eyes etched into his memory. From the moment he’d felt Wooyeon slip from his grasp, something deep inside him had started to break.“Sunbae, I don’t understand you.”In a way, it was karma. Dohyeon deceived him, remained silent, and ultimately got caught. If Wooyeon erupted in anger, it would only be fitting punishment for the betrayal.“How do I know this is just an act?”But it shouldn’t be this way. No matter what others said, Wooyeon shouldn’t be the one to utter those words. With a face clearly marked by pain, he couldn’t stab his own partner in the back.“…I can’t trust you anymore.”“Ha…”Dohyeon felt a painful twist in his gut. He chewed on his lips, trying to hide his face. He wondered where Wooyeon had heard that, why the call from Driver Yoon had come at that moment. His sharp intuition quickly pieced everything together.“I’m going back to my family home.”It was probably Suhyang. No, it was definitely her. That alpha, who always made sure to get what she wanted, was clearly pulling the strings again.Dohyeon clenched his jaw, trying to suppress the urge to scream. Anger bubbled within him, but it wasn’t aimed at Wooyeon. His pitch-black eyes turned towards his phone, which looked utterly pathetic.* * *Dohyeon met Suhyang when he was about ten years old.In a small orphanage on the outskirts of Seoul, he grew up. He became an orphan at eight and found himself in a miserable position before he even realized he was alone. Too old to be adopted, yet too young to fend for himself, he was naturally labeled a “troublesome child.”So, to survive, Dohyeon learned to read the room. He desperately tried to understand the atmosphere and sought the affection of the teachers.Although established groups bullied him, it didn’t pose a significant obstacle. His intelligence and good looks achieved results. His neat and gentle appearance made it easy for Dohyeon to play the part of the “good boy.” Naturally, he blended in among them with a bright smile.Two years passed. Dohyeon was now ten, and until then, he hadn’t found a suitable adoptive family. If time continued to flow like this, he would eventually need to find a part-time job and leave the orphanage.“They say a selection group is coming.”Amidst this, rumors began to spread. The orphanage was supposedly on some list of candidates, the selection foundation was looking for places to sponsor, and “Ji Suhyang” was coming to pick out future talents.It felt like a ray of hope breaking through the monochromatic world.Dohyeon understood the opportunity he had to seize. Just like when he first arrived at the orphanage, he knew he needed to carve out his own path. At just ten years old, he wasn’t too young to understand that much.“What’s the selection group?”“They’re the ones who will help us.”The following week, Suhyang visited the orphanage. Accompanied by numerous reporters and security guards, she appeared to be playing the role of the “kind-hearted conglomerate.” It was a sort of performance, nothing more, nothing less. Dohyeon sensed this immediately.“This is Vice President Ji Suhyang.”Most of the children were terrified of Suhyang. With eyes like a leopard and a gaze sharp as a hawk, it was no wonder they were scared. The atmosphere was so tense that it was hard to approach her.“Alright, you should greet her.”“Hello.”Still, Dohyeon was the first to greet her with an innocent smile. He placed his hands on his stomach and bowed politely, catching Suhyang’s attention. Seizing the opportunity, he clearly stated his name.“I’m Kim Dohyeon.”Amidst the ragged children, he stood out as a well-groomed figure. Though he wore the same worn-out clothes, his expression was entirely different.“Kim Dohyeon?”Suhyang observed Dohyeon in silence for a considerable time. Even under the intense scrutiny that would make most people shrink away, Dohyeon didn’t flinch.After a brief pause, Suhyang tilted the corners of her mouth upward.“What a cute kid.”It was a kind of warmth akin to feeding a stray cat. It didn’t mean she truly thought he was adorable, nor did it indicate any significant sympathy. She simply saw through his intentions and acknowledged the cleverness of a child.A few months later, news broke. The selection foundation had acquired an orphanage. Dohyeon became one of “Ji Suhyang’s sponsored children,” and when he turned fourteen, he manifested as an alpha.It turned out to be a rare “dominant alpha.” Moreover, the poorly managed orphanage had no one to teach him how to control his pheromones. To make matters worse, the mixed pheromones of various people in the cramped room were overwhelmingly lethal to the dominant Dohyeon.Dohyeon struggled to suppress his pheromones, fearing expulsion from the orphanage and trying to avoid causing any unnecessary incidents. He always stayed alert, hastily leaving if anyone’s pheromones brushed against him.At that time, Suhyang visited the orphanage and looked at Dohyeon with an unreadable expression. Then, in her usual cold manner, she spoke.“There are people who want to adopt you.”It was a moment that would turn his life upside down. For this single instant, Dohyeon had fought fiercely day by day. Naturally, he nodded eagerly.The beta couple who adopted Dohyeon were wealthy and kind-hearted. Although they had a younger sibling who was four years his junior, it wasn’t hard for them to bond. Being the eldest at the orphanage, Dohyeon easily won over a ten-year-old elementary school kid.One year, two years, then three. Throughout middle school, Dohyeon played the role of a wonderful son within the family. He attended a foreign language high school to meet his parents’ expectations, and his relationship with his younger sister was harmonious. Occasionally, he contacted Suhyang, but responses were rare.In the year that marked four years since then, on the day when seventeen-year-old Dohyeon left school holding a report card with only “1” written on it, he overheard a conversation he shouldn’t have in front of his parents’ bedroom.“…instead of Dohyeon…”“During the selection this time…”The intermittent voices buzzed in his ears. The opportunity for adoption that came at an unexpected moment, a hidden contract behind it, and a bit of flattery. Finally, the unbridgeable distance.“The kid is nice, but sometimes he seems insincere…”Nothing happens with Wooyeon. The fragile peace he had barely maintained seemed to be cracking.Dohyeon, who had been standing still for a while, finally snapped back to reality after they opened the door and came out. His parents, unable to hide their surprise, asked him.“…Did you hear everything?”But Dohyeon was used to hiding his true feelings. From a very young age until now, he had never easily revealed his emotions to others. It was a habit formed by his environment, and there was no need to change it.“No, what did you say?”He couldn’t forget the way they looked relieved. How they reassured him that it was nothing amidst the tense atmosphere.Dohyeon smiled sweetly and proudly showed off his satisfactory report card.Even after that, Dohyeon treated his parents as if nothing had happened. He studied as usual and helped his younger sibling with studies whenever he had the time. Yet, when an inexplicable frustration bubbled up, he would secretly take out a cigarette and smoke.“This kid is completely insincere.”Friends he briefly dated around that time showed great interest in the exemplary Dohyeon. It seemed curious to them that someone who was a perfect student at school hung out with them. Some were attracted to his neat and tall appearance, while others straightforwardly asked if they could spend the night.“Hey, how about a bet? Loser gets a tattoo?”The tattoo was something one of them was learning as a hobby. Dohyeon had no intention of agreeing, but that day, everything felt bothersome. His friend insisted on playing rock-paper-scissors, and Dohyeon slammed his fist down without even looking at him.“What do you want? No drawings allowed; I can only do lettering.”“Just do whatever you want.”“Really? You’ll really let me do whatever?”It didn’t matter that it would stay on his body for life or that his parents shouldn’t see it. The only concession Dohyeon showed was to let them tattoo an area that wouldn’t be visible.The phrase inked on his back was “Habeo a magnus mentula,” a crude Latin translation done by a translator. When Dohyeon realized its meaning later, he got angry, but his friend smirked, saying it wasn’t entirely incorrect.In a way, it was all a childish rebellion in the end. Yearning for attention while trapped in the anxiety of when he might get caught, he eventually tired of his own cowardice and stopped. He might have tattoos left on his body and couldn’t quit smoking, but he was relieved that he didn’t engage in misbehavior that exceeded the level of “indulgence.”The call from Suhyang came around the time the first spring of his twenties was passing. Dohyeon had entered a prestigious university with ease, and his parents gifted him an apartment and a car as a congratulatory present. He also heard news that a contract between the Seongjeong Group and his parents’ company had been successfully signed around the same time.“It’s been a while. How’s university?”“It’s been over two months since I started, and you’re just asking now. You didn’t call me just to catch up, did you?”Dohyeon replied cheekily, sitting up straight. Suhyang didn’t point out his rudeness and signaled for the secretary to leave.As soon as the door clicked shut, a low voice flowed out.“I heard you took good care of the kids since you were in the orphanage. You seem to be getting along well with your younger sibling too.”It was an unexpected topic, but Dohyeon calmly met his gaze. No matter when he looked at it, the predatory gleam in Suhyang’s eyes seemed to lack venom this time. Suhyang continued slowly, frowning at the corners of his eyes.“My child… is the same age as your younger sibling.”My child.Dohyeon was surprised to hear those words. He wanted to ask if he had a child, but he was too flustered to speak.While Dohyeon was fumbling his lips, Suhyang added in a calm voice.“I sent him to middle school two years ago, but it seems like he’s having trouble adjusting to school life.”“…Is he being bullied or something?”There was no response. Instead, the sound of a sharp intake of breath was heard, followed by the sound of clicking his tongue.“There’s no need to stubbornly insist on educating him with kids like that…”A strange emotion flashed in Suhyang’s unusually light-colored eyes. The feeling that rose to the surface was, even to Dohyeon, “worry.” After a moment of surprise at that fact, Suhyang shook his head slightly.“Anyway, I thought you might communicate better with him. At least he’d be more comfortable with someone his own age. Since you got into a good university, you can easily do some English tutoring, right?”“Tutoring…?”Since earlier, there had been a continuous stream of bewildering remarks. He said he had a child, that the kid was being bullied, and now he wanted him to tutor in English. The flow of conversation was leading in a direction that he couldn’t follow.“There shouldn’t be any difficulty in teaching. After all, you learned the basics of English when you were young, and I don’t expect you to provide professional education.”“No, what on earth…”Dohyeon let out a hollow laugh and dragged out his words. He was supposed to tutor him, yet Suhyang was blatantly saying the tutoring wasn’t the goal, leaving him at a loss for words.“What do you want?”When Dohyeon finally asked directly, Suhyang raised an eyebrow. His expression suggested he wondered why he needed to say it out loud, but Dohyeon pretended to be shameless.“If you don’t say it, how would I know?”“…You just need to talk about school while tutoring and relay that to me. Three times a week, two hours each day, for a total of six hours. I’ll pay you whatever you want.”He considered suggesting an outrageous amount but decided against it. Suhyang would likely pay as much as he demanded, then get back whatever he wanted in return.“Wouldn’t it be quicker for the vice president… no, the president to go to the school and bribe them?”“It’s not that simple.”Bribing wasn’t simple, but Suhyang seemed unfazed. Dohyeon squinted his left eye, wearing an expression that showed he didn’t understand at all.“Is it because you have a hidden child or something?”“If that were the case, I wouldn’t even be telling you.”Although he thought it was a fairly plausible guess, it turned out to be incorrect again. Suhyang briefly glanced at the watch on his wrist before tapping the desk.“You don’t need to know the details. Just tell me if you’ll do it or not.”His tone was the same as usual, but his gaze was different. The slight furrow in his brows made him look somewhat anxious. Dohyeon lowered his eyes slightly before responding slowly.“I’ll do it.”He couldn’t imagine that the person he thought was perfect, who he believed lacked nothing, would show this kind of vulnerability. The feeling of witnessing his earnestness was indescribably thrilling.“Just handle the payment on your own. I don’t really care if you don’t pay.”Even the great Ji Suhyang seemed anxious in front of his child. Whether it was affection, obsession, or something else entirely, it was fascinating and, at the same time, strange. The feelings writhing in the corner of his heart were too strong to simply be labeled as “curiosity.”“But he’s not an omega, right? That would be a bit troublesome.”“Do you think I would trust you with that?”“…Would I touch a kid who’s four years younger than me?”Regardless, setting everything aside, Suhyang was a turning point in Dohyeon’s life. Not a lifesaver in the grand sense, but at least he was like a tall uncle figure. He could easily grant a small request (which was more of a command than a request).“What’s the child’s name?”“Seon Wooyeon.”Seon Wooyeon, Seon Wooyeon. After repeating the name a few times, Dohyeon nodded. He had said he wasn’t a hidden child, but he didn’t inherit the family name. Either he had taken the surname of the omega or had changed it because he didn’t plan to reveal it.“Nice name.”It was a compliment given out of habit, but Suhyang made a mysterious expression. The faint smile that appeared seemed nostalgic. With a bittersweet glance downwards, he muttered in a voice barely above a whisper.“…Yes, it’s a pretty name.”As soon as he heard that, Dohyeon couldn’t ask any further questions and closed his mouth. It was the first and last time he had seen Suhyang’s sad face.The tutoring session they had agreed upon approached more quickly than expected. Suhyang set the date without asking for Dohyeon’s opinion, giving him a notification-style announcement. Since Dohyeon didn’t have any particular schedule, he didn’t refuse the date Suhyang had chosen.And then, the long-awaited tutoring day arrived. Dohyeon, unusually nervous, found his way to Suhyang’s house.The grand neighborhood, where even taxis hesitated to enter, had houses that were spaced too far apart to walk between. After making a mental note not to refuse the car that would take him next time, Dohyeon finally stood in front of the gate.“It’s almost like a prison.”The high walls were excessively large for security purposes. It seemed that, just as it was hard to approach from the outside, it would also be hard to come out from within. It wouldn’t be difficult at all to imprison someone if one set their mind to it.“Please wait here for a moment.”The housekeeper, who was doing household chores, seated Dohyeon in the living room and disappeared upstairs. When he mentioned that he would call for the young master, Dohyeon realized for the first time that Suhyang’s child was a son. Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t heard anything about him aside from the name.“I wonder if he resembles the president…?”Dohyeon looked around the spacious living room and vaguely imagined “Seon Wooyeon.” Since he was Suhyang’s child, he must resemble him; growing up without lack, he probably wouldn’t have the best personality. Those thoughts vanished the moment he saw the child who came out with the housekeeper.“…Hello.”The voice was thin, belonging to a child who hadn’t yet gone through puberty. He stood two hands shorter, was chunkier than expected, and his face was so pale it seemed like it would smell of formula. Even the eyes visible through the thick glasses didn’t resemble Suhyang at all.“I’m Seon Wooyeon.”Dohyeon didn’t know why that appearance overlapped with his memories of his time in the orphanage. Why did the untouched, pure gaze linger in his heart? What was it about that child-like look that felt so unsettlingly awkward?“Your name is… Seon Wooyeon?”If Dohyeon’s assumptions were correct, he should be a naive child who had received a lot of love. He should have monopolized Suhyang’s affection, received everyone’s attention, and acted arrogantly before getting ostracized.“That’s a pretty name.”Dohyeon certainly didn’t wish for the child to feel shy about a kind word. He didn’t want the smile that slipped out of habit to make the child blush, nor did he want the deep brown eyes to be utterly clear of impurities.“Please take care of me, Yeon-ah.”It felt as if sand was stuck in his throat. The child’s gesture of fidgeting with his earlobe while bowing his head was reminiscent of a stray cat not used to kindness. The child nodded and replied in a small voice.“Thank you. Um…”“Just call me teacher.”That statement served as a kind of defensive mechanism. The sudden feeling of crisis told him to maintain distance from the child. However, Dohyeon impulsively added, “When you become a college student, I’ll let you call me brother.”He was different from the children he often saw around. Unlike those full of mischief and exuberance, this child exhibited a subtly lacking demeanor. Whenever Dohyeon tried to open his heart with a kind smile, the child would show wariness and run away.“…Are you an alpha, teacher?”That was why he couldn’t easily answer “alpha” to the child’s question. Dohyeon was perceptive, and the child’s gaze while asking the question clearly showed that he hoped it wasn’t true.“Why? Do I seem like an alpha?”As soon as he asked back, various emotions flickered in the child’s eyes. He frowned, lowered his gaze, and cautiously lifted his eyes to meet Dohyeon’s. The slow blink of those eyes stirred something in his heart.“…No.”The tension that had clouded the child’s eyes dissipated. What emerged was a sense of stability that had never been seen before.“You don’t seem like an alpha.”Instinctively, Dohyeon realized that the wall the child had built was crumbling. A sense of guilt arose, but it was only momentary. The trust-filled gaze satisfied a thirst that Dohyeon had long suppressed.From that day on, Dohyeon awaited the tutoring sessions more eagerly than anyone else. Sitting side by side with the child, listening to him, brought forth a satisfaction he had never felt before. The child looked at him with round eyes, coloring his cheeks as he brought forth the deep-seated worries from within.“So… it doesn’t seem like there’s any physical abuse or anything.”On days when there were no tutoring sessions, Suhyang would call Dohyeon to discuss the child. When he was very busy, he would call, but he usually made time to meet in person. His observant and persistent gaze carried worries about school life and concerns about his relationship with Dohyeon.“Now that I think about it, you’re quite noticeable in your flirtations.”“Flirtations? What do you mean?”“Calling him Yeon-ah, I see.”Dohyeon had learned the child’s name, “Seon Wooyeon,” around their second meeting. When he heard Dohyeon calling him “Yeon-ah,” the housekeeper corrected him, saying the young master’s name was “Wooyeon.” However, Dohyeon had no intention of changing how he addressed him until Wooyeon said so himself.“Maintain the boundaries you should keep. Don’t make him like you if you have no intention of taking responsibility.”“…”“Of course, I won’t let you take responsibility either.”Conflicting emotions crossed his mind: guilt, discomfort, and a slight sense of superiority. Realizing that all these feelings stemmed from a “jealousy” toward motherhood ignited a base rebellion within him.“…When has it ever gone my way?”Even Suhyang, who seemed as if he wouldn’t shed a drop of blood, cared for his child. Regardless of whether that behavior resembled control or obsession, Dohyeon had never experienced even something similar. The loneliness stemming from fundamental deficiencies always manifested in a twisted manner.“If you’re so worried, go talk to Yeon. Just tell him that your tutor is someone I appointed.”In his mind, he envisioned Wooyeon’s disappointed face. His throat felt prickly and painful, as if a stone pressed against his chest. Yet, Dohyeon forced himself to look at Suhyang as if nothing was wrong.“If you think you can’t do it, don’t threaten me. You know which side would regret it more if I quit, right?”Suhyang didn’t respond, and Dohyeon exited the office. He seemed to appear unbothered at first glance, but inside, he felt otherwise. He couldn’t even guess who would be the one to regret it more.* * *For a long time, through many experiences, he harbored deep-seated inferiority. Dohyeon had always been the one waiting for a choice and was shaken by the anxiety of not knowing when he might be abandoned. Though he pretended to be calm on the outside, he was always in the position of a subordinate.“Teacher.”