Dirty Switch

Unlike general attendees, there was a separate parking lot inside the palace for invited guests—but it was quite a walk to get there.

“We have to walk all the way over there. Nope, keep holding your hyungs’ hands. Good.”
“It’s a little inconvenient, right? All events held at the palace follow strict procedures. It’s not like our hotel where the chauffeur can wait right at the entrance.”
“It’s fine. Noona told me.”

None of the things Joo Taehyun had worried about before coming to the palace had actually happened. Like tripping in front of the Empress, calling someone by the wrong name, or spilling food on his new clothes… those kinds of things.
Sure, he’d made plenty of small mistakes like fumbling his pronunciation, but thanks to someone he hadn’t expected to meet, he’d completely forgotten all the depressing stuff.
“Oh yeah? By the way, how was the concert, baby?”

“Umm… It was fun.”
“Aw, it was?”
Maybe it was nothing more than vague admiration, born from someone who’d never really had tastes or convictions of his own.

Like a chick following the first thing it sees after hatching, maybe everything Seo Baekhan said and did felt good simply because he’d been the first to approach. After all, he was the first person Joo Taehyun had ever met who was the same type as him—and an Alpha too.
And because of today’s meeting with him, a fine crack had split open in Joo Taehyun’s world. His snug little greenhouse, so precise it never strayed even 0.1 degrees, was now experiencing seismic tremors from something so small.
He wouldn’t deny it—he moved clumsily, awkwardly, because he believed his family would always be there for him no matter how he chose to live, that they’d always love him. But even so, he wanted to step outside this soft, comfortable safety net surrounding him.

“…Yeah. It was really fun, hyung.”
Holding his brothers’ hands, he strolled through the lush nighttime paths of Changgyeonggung Palace. As he breathed in the fresh scent of grass, Joo Taehyun secretly recalled the peach fragrance of another Alpha he’d encountered today for the very first time.
***

“Oh my, our baby!”
The car hadn’t even fully pulled in yet, but the voices calling for him echoed from the parking lot and yard.
When he stepped out of the car with a bewildered look, the entire family came rushing toward him. No way they had all just gotten off work at the same time… Had they really come down to the parking lot just to wait for him?

“Let’s see now. Oh dear, oh dear.”
Third brother Joo Kyunghan, who’d missed seeing him in his tailcoat due to an early morning golf meeting, groaned as he examined Joo Taehyun from head to toe. He grabbed his shoulders and turned him this way and that in a flurry, then pulled him into a tight hug and spun him around.
“When did our baby grow this big? When he was born, he was the size of my forearm.”
“Joo Kyunghan, move. Taehyun-ah, how was it? Were people nice to you? No, wait—you must be tired. Let’s go inside first.”

“No, it was fun.”
“Fun, huh?”
Their voices dragged on the word like they were singing in unison, and Joo Taehyun couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Though he stopped quickly when a certain someone came to mind.

…Do my family treat me too much like a baby?
The stairs leading up from the garage into the house weren’t even that tall or steep, and yet he must’ve heard “be careful, baby” more than ten times before this over-the-top welcome finally ended.
“…I’m full.”

After washing up and changing into comfortable clothes, he stepped into the sitting room to find the table filled with food again.
“Just have a little, just a little.”
“How was the concert?”

Thanks to his brothers and Seo Baekhan alternately stuffing him with snacks, he already felt like he was going to explode. But when he saw the peach on the plate, he found himself reaching for it without realizing—thinking of Seo Baekhan.
He jabbed it with a fork, and the soft fruit collapsed with barely any resistance.
Hm. That’s not what hyung felt like.

He pretended to eat the peach but really just sniffed it, trying to match it to the memory. But it wasn’t the same.
This was the real fruit—surely a special variety his parents had gone out of their way to obtain just for him. And yet it felt more artificial than the scent of Seo Baekhan’s pheromones. Baekhan hadn’t smelled like this watery, bland aroma. His scent hadn’t been dull. It was like… like something ripened under the blazing sun until it burst—just imagining it made Taehyun’s mouth water.
“When our Taehyun entered Chundangji, everyone there couldn’t stop staring at him…”

“And the way he stood with his hands folded while the elders were speaking, looking all proper and graceful…”
“He got so many compliments for being such a polite little gentleman.”
“Even the Empress herself brought him up several times, saying how tall and handsome he was.”

“Oh, and during the concert…”
Joo Gukwon and Joo Sangwoo were practically competing to gush like they’d witnessed the debut of a young aristocrat. And really, that’s exactly what it was. It was embarrassing to death, but their parents, Kyunghan, and Yoonwoo all nodded along as if it were the most natural thing in the world. They even urged the brothers to share more about their precious youngest, like they hadn’t heard enough already. Joo Taehyun lowered his eyes and absentmindedly prodded the corner of a perfectly innocent fruit.
“By the way. Did anyone ask Taehyun about his traits?”

“No. Since it was a royal event, people were mindful about keeping things discreet. Only those who knew how to behave were invited.”
“That’s a relief.”
“We chose that event for him specifically because of that. The issue will come later.”

“What issue? His noona will be right there with him, won’t she?”
Joo Yoonwoo pressed her cheek to his and gave a playful shake, groaning about how he still smelled like a baby.
“Oh, right. There was a moment when hyung and I had to step away for a bit, and Baekhan came over.”

“Seo Baekhan? Assemblyman Seo Hongkyu’s son?”
“Yes. The Empress called me away, and Sangwoo got pulled aside by some ministers, so we were in a bind, but thankfully he came.”
“He did that on his own?”

“Yes. He just showed up and took care of Taehyun.”
“Oh… I see.”
For someone who rarely showed emotion when hearing about other people’s children, Chairman Joo now showed a hint of hesitation.

“Hm… Seo Baekhan, that kid… He’s got promise, sure, but how should I put it…”
“I know what you’re concerned about. But since he’s also an Alpha like our baby, I think he just felt drawn to him. It looked like he introduced him to a few peers too.”
“He said he stuck to people that Kyunghan and Yoonwoo were already friendly with, so it shouldn’t be a problem. And Baekhan’s a trait-holder too, so he probably kept Taehyun away from anyone who might be hostile.”

“Yeah? Well, that’s good then… I should give Director Ahn a call. You should contact Assemblyman Seo too.”
“Yes, I think we should.”
His parents exchanged careful glances. As if they were now ready to consider Seo Baekhan as someone potentially fit to keep near their youngest.

“I like that hyung. He’s nice.”
“…Nice? Who, Seo Baekhan?”
His family widened their eyes as if he’d said something totally unexpected.

“Well, the kid’s diligent, sure, but…”
Even Joo Taehyun, who had started off excited, hesitated mid-sentence. The vague tension among his family, all watching each other’s reactions, carried a subtle whiff of disapproval. What… was this?
“Ugh. I really don’t like that Seo Baekhan.”

Yoonwoo jumped in playfully, shifting the mood back to normal. Joo Taehyun almost thought he’d imagined the whole thing.
“That little brat’s already got people flocking to him—he’s basically a maxed-out political build.”
…Didn’t he say he was interested in politics? Isn’t that a good thing? Joo Taehyun swallowed the words lingering on the tip of his tongue.

“Yoonwoo, you could stand to learn a thing or two from Baekhan. What kind of language is that for a lady?”
“Whaaat kinda language is that for a laydee~?”
“Joo Yoonwoo!”

“Oh, come on. Like I’m gonna learn anything from that fox-faced kid. Look at our baby already getting tricked—saying that hyung’s nice.”
Though their parents raised their voices a little at Yoonwoo’s teasing, it seemed like the family’s snack time would wrap up as cheerfully as always.
That is… if not for Joo Taehyun’s sudden bombshell.

“Hey, um…”
“Hm?”
“If it’s okay… I want to go to school too.”

“…Huh?”
“Not just any school. Like, a science high school? Or, uh… a really good school. ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) The kind smart kids go to.”