House of the Fog

Taejae asked. Dan shook his head so hard that his hair flew around.“No. It doesn’t hurt at all.”“Don’t lie.”“A little, just a tiny bit. But it’s less than before.”Taejae nodded as if that was satisfactory. He tossed the bandage back into the bag and stood up. His shadow once again enveloped Dan. With his hands in his pockets, he looked down at Dan’s foot with his characteristically calm eyes.“You won’t be leaving today.”“…What?”Dan asked, raising his eyebrows. But Taejae’s gaze had already moved away. Standing in front of Ms. Gong, he said,“We’ll have to see if it’s swollen and go to the hospital. Can you check on it tomorrow?”“Yes, I’ll do that.”Ms. Gong nodded, clasping her hands lightly. The word ‘tomorrow’ pierced through Dan’s ears from their conversation. Dan bounced his buttocks on the sofa as he called out to Taejae.“Co-Colonel! Colonel!”At this high-pitched voice, rarely heard in this house, Taejae’s face scrunched up. He turned halfway around to look at Dan.“You only need to call once.”His expression was like that of an ‘uncle annoyed by a niece chirping like a bird all over the house’. Dan’s childlike voice was irritating to him.However, Dan wasn’t perceptive enough to catch on to that. His face brightened like he had swallowed the morning sun, and he asked with the same bird-like voice,“I don’t have to leave today?”“The ground is too muddy from the rain for the car to move.”“So?”“You can’t walk on that leg either.”“So?”“…There’s no other choice.”Leaving those ambiguous words behind, Taejae walked across the living room. Dan watched his broad back, trying to understand what ‘no other choice’ meant.No matter how he thought about it, it seemed like he wouldn’t have to leave today.He wouldn’t be kicked out today.He didn’t have to leave this house.Dan smiled brightly. His eyes crinkled, his cheeks puffed up as if holding boiled eggs, and his mouth opened wide.On the other hand, Ms. Gong’s face darkened with gloom. After confirming Taejae had left, she asked with a look of concern,“Did the Colonel tell you to leave?”Dan nodded vigorously.“…Why did he say that?”Ms. Gong sighed through her nose. It was a sentence that could be interpreted as “Why do such unnecessary things, why bother?”“It must hurt a lot. I’m so sorry, because of me.”Ms. Gong apologized. Dan waved his hands frantically.“No. No. Don’t be sorry. I’m really happy right now.”“Happy? About what?”“Everything. Everything’s good!”Falling down the stairs wasn’t a tragedy; it was a stroke of luck.The rain that ruined the road since morning was lucky, and Ms. Gong forgetting to close the terrace door was also lucky.For Dan, today was a very, very lucky day.Dan hobbled back to his room. After closing the door, he looked around the luxurious room. The room was clean. He had diligently swept and cleaned it since early morning because he was supposed to leave today. So, he had neatly folded the blankets, and even cleaned the eraser dust off the desk.But now, it was just that he had cleaned his room thoroughly once. And that felt incredibly good.Dan flopped onto the bed. The soft, fluffy bed felt like the clouds of heaven.As he waved his arms, enjoying the bed, something ticklish touched the back of his hand. Turning his head absentmindedly towards it, Dan’s face turned pale.He jumped up and grabbed his hair.“What should I do…”On the bed was the wig, black, long, and stiff. The wig that Director Lee had insisted he must wear when meeting Taejae.But today, he had been in front of Taejae with his short hair all day, completely oblivious. That must be why Taejae stared at him so intently. He must have thought, “He’s a man after all, disgusting, dirty, ugly, how could I mate with something like this?”“Oh… I’m doomed…”Dan banged his head against the bed, moaning.Taejae, now in comfortable clothes, was sitting in his study. His eyes were as dry as he flipped through documents. Every time raindrops loudly tapped against the window, his eyelids twitched. Being tired, everything felt bothersome.Finally, unable to bear it, Taejae threw the documents onto the desk with a thud. He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes when,Knock, knock.Someone knocked on the study door.“…”Taejae opened his eyes wide, staring at the large door. If it were any other time, he would have told them to come in without a second thought, but today, the words didn’t come out. He remembered the small child who had stood in front of the door before.Could it be he’s come again? But today, that would be troublesome.Taejae rubbed the scar on his eyebrow. Then, with a sigh, he spoke.“Yes.”At his permission, the door opened. Taejae’s eyes narrowed, trying to identify the person appearing in the doorway. The person who appeared was,“Colonel.”Thankfully, it was Ms. Gong. Taejae let out a subtle sigh of relief.“May I come in?”“Yes, sit there.”Taejae gestured towards the sofa as he stood up from his chair.“Thank you.”Ms. Gong sat on the left sofa, keeping her thin body straight, her hands neatly placed on her thighs. Since someone had called her a ‘lady’, she had become more mindful of her demeanor.Taejae walked around the desk and sat on the main sofa. He exhaled a long breath through his nose as the soft leather enveloped his back. He seemed tired; he kept sighing.He hadn’t felt this tired before; was he getting old…?Taejae chuckled, lifting one corner of his mouth when,“About Mr. Dan.”Ms. Gong suddenly mentioned a name.“Mr. Dan?”Taejae tilted his head in confusion.“Yes.”“…Oh. That boy.”Taejae finally realized who Dan was. He had heard the name from both Director Lee and Dan himself several times, but not thinking about it made it feel unfamiliar.Taejae crossed his legs, looking at Ms. Gong.“What about him?”“Do you… have to send him away?”Ha. Taejae let out a scoff before he could even think. He hadn’t expected such words from Ms. Gong.She was not one to question Taejae’s decisions. She was generally quiet and, having lived in this house longer than Taejae, was good at handling things on her own.Yet here she was, suddenly coming to him to defend that small male omega? It was certainly an odd situation.“Did he beg you?”At Taejae’s words, Ms. Gong pulled her chin in, making a face that said she was wronged.“Do I look like someone who would do something just because someone begged?”“No. But there’s no other reason. It can’t be that you’ve taken a liking to that boy, can it?”“…”Ms. Gong didn’t respond quickly. Taejae read affirmation in her silence. He chuckled again. How did this happen? She was usually so particular and seldom warmed up to others.At this point, Dan was becoming a curiosity to Taejae. He thought Dan was just a naive child, but it seemed there was something more to him that he hadn’t noticed.Ms. Gong, with fingers steepled, hesitated before saying something surprising.“Well… The kid is kind of cute.”“Cute?”“Yes. He’s friendly, and he eats with such good appetite.”Taejae raised and then lowered one eyebrow. How could she find him cute after just a few days in the house? Was Ms. Gong this soft-hearted? Had she, like him, softened with age?“Since he’s come to our house, can’t we keep him a bit longer?”“I don’t know.”“He’s pitiful. You know that, so why be so harsh? That’s not like you…”At that point, Taejae realized Ms. Gong felt pity for Dan. Indeed, she might seem cold, but she was actually quite compassionate. She always made sure to feed anyone who came to deliver something or work.However, it shouldn’t be like that for Dan.Taejae shook his head.“We can’t keep someone just because they’re pitiful.”“Why not? Has he been disrespectful or stolen something? He didn’t seem like that kind of kid…”“Nothing like that happened.”“Then why are you sending him away?”Ms. Gong opened her eyes wide, not understanding. Her wrinkled eyes became sharp.“He’s an omega.”Taejae answered with a sigh.At that, Ms. Gong blinked slowly. Then, as if she was hearing absurd things, she pulled her chin in and released it.“Being an omega, what’s so significant about that… You’ve never paid attention to any omega before…”“I tried not to.”“Then try again this time.”“It won’t work.”“Why?”Words flew back and forth quickly. Taejae brushed his hair back, expressing his fatigue.“I don’t have that much patience.”“The Colonel?”Ms. Gong looked puzzled, not understanding what he meant.“Yes, me.”“The man who doesn’t even groan when stitching up flesh?”Ms. Gong had seen many of Taejae’s wounds stitched up. That someone so indifferent to pain and blood would speak of patience was unconvincing.Taejae slowly closed and then opened his eyes, facing Ms. Gong’s stubborn and indifferent attitude today.“It’s different.”“Different?”“Yes, because… All the omegas I’ve met before were fleeting encounters. Brief meetings on the way. But that child is in the house.”Taejae gestured towards the door, indicating Dan downstairs. Thinking about him naturally brought back his scent, young, fresh, and sweet.“…His scent is in the house.”Taejae rubbed his jaw deeply. It was troublesome to pass by Dan’s room every time he went in and out of the house. The smell was particularly strong where he stayed.But it wasn’t like his scent wasn’t elsewhere either. It was subtly spread like a light fog in the living room and kitchen.And today, he even went up to the second floor. Now, every breath felt like a struggle for Taejae.“…”Surprised by the unexpected words, Ms. Gong shifted to the edge of the sofa. She was a beta, so she didn’t fully understand the scents exchanged between alphas and omegas, but having served many of them in this house, she knew how lethal it could be for them.“So that’s why you haven’t come home for a few days?”“I was in heat. I stayed in the barracks’ duty room.”Ms. Gong’s eyes widened. She turned her head to check the calendar on the wall.“Heat? That’s next month. Why so soon…”“It must be because of that boy’s scent.”After Dan came to the study, his heat hit suddenly. That’s why he had to stay in the duty room. Normally, he would have been at home, but with Dan there, it was impossible.Either he or Dan could have been in big trouble.Anyway, he didn’t sleep a wink those two days, tortured by rising lust. He twisted, moaned, suffered, and waited for his heat to end, masturbating like a beast.So he was more than just tired. His body felt limp as if he had suffered from a severe fever, with a sensation of heavy weights on his limbs.As Taejae recalled those two days, which were as bad as being on a battlefield, he ran his hand over his forehead. Ms. Gong swallowed hard and leaned towards him.“Then, since it’s come to this, and he was brought here to be a seed bearer…”“Ms. Gong.”Taejae called out to her in a subdued voice. Ms. Gong closed her mouth tightly. Her lips, painted with dark lipstick, twitched.In fact, Ms. Gong hoped that even if Taejae couldn’t marry, he would at least have children. Lineage must continue no matter what. With the deep-rooted history of the Seol family, it couldn’t end here.But as always, Taejae was steadfast.“How can I mate with such a young child? How big is the age difference? I can’t do such a vile thing.”“…”“He’s still too young to even control his pheromones.”“Being young is good. He’ll have children well.”“…”Taejae’s mouth hung open in surprise. He was more shocked than anything. He hadn’t expected her to say such things. Ms. Gong had never told him to have children or start a family. She had asked about his love life once, but that was a long time ago.But why now? He thought she knew his mind.Ms. Gong expressed her opinion with her characteristic sharp look.“What’s so significant about the age difference? Do you think there are unmarried omegas of your age? They’ve missed their time by a long shot. That’s why you took in a male omega.”“Ha… You know I didn’t take him in by choice.”“So it’s an opportunity. Major General Hwang took in an omega twenty-three years younger this time. Compared to that, you and Mr. Dan are pretty normal. Who would point fingers?”“Ms. Gong.”“If Dan were fourteen or sixteen, I’d oppose it too. But he looks like that and he’s twenty. He’s an adult.”“I don’t like it.”Taejae answered decisively. Ms. Gong stared at him, not understanding.“Is it because he’s a male?”“No. That’s not the issue…”“…”“Cough… No. Anyway, we can’t keep him.”Taejae turned his gaze forward, indicating he wouldn’t accept further arguments. He also showed signs of being tired by tilting his head left and right.Ms. Gong, about to say more, let out a deep sigh and lowered her gaze.“If that’s what the Colonel thinks, I’ll look for a place for him. Sending him back to the orphanage seems too harsh. Please bear with it for a few days until his ankle heals.”“Alright.”As Ms. Gong stood up to leave, Taejae rose to see her off. She was muttering to herself even as she walked out the door, though it was clear she intended for Taejae to hear.“Oh… I liked how affectionate that child was. The house will be quiet again… Who will eat all that rice? The storeroom is already bursting with scorched rice. Oh dear…”“…”Taejae heard every word Ms. Gong muttered, but he didn’t respond. He just waited for her to leave and then closed the door. Left alone, Taejae returned to the sofa, leaned his head back over the headrest, and closed his eyes.He might have disappointed Ms. Gong, but there was no other way.He had no immunity to omegas.That was because he rarely met omegas. He avoided them intentionally, but there weren’t many in his usual circles either. The only places he frequented were military bases, where omegas wouldn’t come, and everyone at home was a beta.Nor was he an alpha with a reputation good enough for an omega to seek him out.So, even at this age, he was hypersensitive to omega pheromones. Especially with someone like Dan, whose pheromones were pure yet potent, it was lethal. It had even triggered his heat.If he wasn’t careful, he might become a beast and pounce on Dan.Then a child would be born, and that child would repeat the same fate as him.He couldn’t let that happen.Taejae covered his eyes with his arm and exhaled a long breath.“Ha…”Perhaps because he had been talking about Dan the whole time, he kept seeing him in front of his eyes.A white face. Long eyelashes. Clear eyes. Lush lips. A slender body. Soft, smooth skin. Pure yet deadly pheromones.Taejae’s prominent Adam’s apple bobbed up and down.“Just a child…”He murmured to no one in particular.“Uh…”Early in the morning, Dan woke up, stretching languidly. His clothes lifted to reveal his thin, pale stomach, but he didn’t care. After smacking his dry lips, he lay there for a while, just staring at the ceiling with sleep-laden eyes.Then suddenly, he rolled up the blanket and hugged it. He lifted his leg out from under the covers and saw his bandaged ankle. Taejae had wrapped it so well that it hadn’t shifted at all during the night.Dan moved his ankle gently, his lips pressed together. Strangely, it didn’t hurt. There was a bit of pain, but compared to yesterday, it was much better.“He must really have superpowers…”Dan whispered in admiration. The more he knew about Taejae, the more fascinating he seemed. When he only heard from Director Lee, he thought Taejae was a horrific monster.“Doesn’t seem like a really bad person, though?”He gave him a nice room, delicious food, didn’t hit him, didn’t shout, and even treated his injury. A man kneeling down for him, no less.He hadn’t seen him eat people yet, but since he didn’t seem to want to eat him, he could feel safe for now.And then,“He’s even good-looking…”Why hadn’t he married? Was it because of the curse? Even so, with the power to stop hiccups and heal pain, hadn’t those abilities become known?Dan dropped his leg down and then gently rubbed his thin belly.If a child of Taejae’s…“It would be so pretty and handsome…”The child would probably be tall like Taejae, very healthy. With so much money in the house, the child could do anything they wanted while growing up. Of course, they could achieve whatever they desired.It would be wonderful if he had the luck to have such a child.Dan rubbed his unfocused eyes over his stomach.After aimlessly touching his belly for some time, he lifted his head to the sound of rain tapping cheerfully against the window. The rain that started yesterday was still falling. It wasn’t even the season for summer rains yet.Dan looked at the fog-filled window for a while, then turned to check the clock. The hands were nearing 8.“It’s time for breakfast.”Dan jumped up like a spring. He then slightly opened the door. A savory, moist smell wafted in. It was the smell of rice.Dan stepped out of the room with an excited face. His ankle ached with each step, but it wasn’t bad enough to limp.He briskly walked past the entrance and through the living room. But,“…”There was a faint scent mixed with the smell of food.It was heavy, mature, rich, yet somehow dignified. How to describe it? Perhaps like the scent of this mansion. A blend of mountain and house smells. Nothing like food, yet it made his molars salivate like he was facing something delicious.Though it would have been unfamiliar to describe, it was already a familiar scent to Dan.It was Taejae’s scent.Dan thought he must have just left the house as he headed towards the kitchen. Taejae always left at dawn, so seeing him in daylight was rare.But,“Oh…”Taejae was sitting at the head of the dining table. He was in a thin knit and black cotton pants, with a rice bowl, soup bowl, and various side dishes in front of him, indicating he was eating.“…”Dan froze at the unexpected encounter.“…”Taejae, who was holding chopsticks, also stiffened.Neither spoke, just staring at each other until Ms. Gong appeared like a savior.“Oh, Mr. Dan is here?”She was coming from the kitchen, holding a stone pot with bubbling beef stew. It looked delicious with plenty of meat, onions, and mushrooms.She placed the pot in front of Taejae, and only then did his chopsticks start moving again.“…”Dan, unaware of his rudeness, was staring at Taejae in fascination. It was the first time he had seen Taejae sitting at the table, even though a week had almost passed since he arrived.Ms. Gong wiped her hands on her apron as she approached Dan and told him something he hadn’t asked about.“The Colonel woke up a bit late today. We’ll eat after he’s done.”Dan nodded. His gaze was still fixed on Taejae. He knew Taejae was human and eating was natural, but why was it so curious? He couldn’t take his eyes off the neat chopstick handling, the absence of chewing noises, and the straight posture.He truly is a noble, Dan thought.Ms. Gong went back to the kitchen. Dan continued to watch Taejae. Then he realized he hadn’t even greeted him. If it were Director Lee, he would have been hit on the head with a spoon for being rude.“Good morning, Colonel.”Dan bowed deeply in greeting.“…”Taejae saw this but didn’t respond. Dan bit and then released his lower lip. Yesterday he was kind, but today he seemed cold.Feeling embarrassed, Dan twitched his nose and hobbled towards the table. There was no other reason; it was hard to stand on one leg, so he wanted to grab a chair.With Taejae sitting at the table, he had no intention of intruding on his meal. Even with his lack of education, he knew that much.But,“Stop.”“Huh?”“Don’t come closer.”Taejae rejected Dan with a low, calm voice.“…”Dan blinked foolishly, feeling as if he had been slapped. What did I do? How close did I even get?Taejae was at the far end of the long table. Dan was at the opposite end. It would take at least ten steps to reach him.Yet Taejae rejected him. His furrowed brows looked as if he found an approaching insect repulsive.Dan let go of the chair he was holding and stepped back hesitantly.His body chilled. His fingertips were so cold he had to clench them into fists. His feet were cold too. His toes, not even in socks due to the bandage, turned white.Dan, head bowed, looked at his toes.Disgust and hatred were familiar to Dan. Director Lee had taught him how people viewed male omegas and treated them. Even visitors to the orphanage looked at Dan and the other male omegas with disdain.So, it should be natural to heed Taejae’s warning not to come close, but why is my heart pounding and throbbing like this?Is it because it’s Taejae? Yesterday, the person who personally treated my ankle has suddenly changed. Or was it foolish of me to expect something to change after yesterday?Dan bit his lips.He just wanted to go back to his room, without eating or anything. But he was too scared to move recklessly, fearing that Taejae would yell at him for coming and going too much, making him freeze in place.Dan tried to make himself as unnoticeable as possible, taking short, quick breaths. He never dreamed his scared body would reflexively release pheromones.At that moment.Taejae pushed his chair back and stood up.“Thank you for the meal, Mrs.Gong.”Leaving a short greeting, he left the kitchen briskly before Mrs.Gong could even come out. The table was still laden with food. He had only managed to empty his rice bowl; side dishes remained plentiful, and the bulgogi hadn’t been touched at all.So, Taejae was avoiding Dan. Even skipping the meal.What was that saying again? There’s something to say for times like this.Ah, was it ‘Do you avoid shit because it’s dirty, or because you’re scared of it?’In that sentence, Dan was the shit. Shit.“…”Taejae passed by Dan quickly, not even sparing him a glance, not brushing shoulders.From that action, Dan felt an inexplicable sense of urgency. He thought he had to catch Taejae somehow, even if it meant crying and begging, acting cute, or doing something drastic.Once the rain stopped, it felt like Taejae would leave for good, never to return.Dan limped after Taejae, like a wounded puppy chasing its master.However, the distance didn’t close. Taejae’s long legs and wide strides made it impossible for Dan, with one ankle not functioning properly, to catch up.Still, Dan didn’t give up. He groaned in pain while doggedly following Taejae, but Taejae only grew further away.Finally, Taejae reached the stairs to the second floor. In desperation, Dan forgot his pain and ran, banging his heels loudly on the hard floor.Taejae turned around abruptly.“Why are you following me?”Dan stopped dead in his tracks. “Haah, haah…” He steadied his breath, holding his thighs, looking up at Taejae with flushed cheeks.“To, to thank you.”“For what?”“For letting me stay here.”“…”At that, Taejae raised one eyebrow, his scar twitching along.“Only until you’re healed.”“Huh?”“Once you’re better, you have to leave. Nothing has changed.”“…”“Once the rain stops, you might even leave tonight.”Taejae gestured towards the window in the hallway, as if checking if the rain had stopped, wishing for the endless rain to end soon, hoping Dan would leave this house as soon as possible.“…”Dan bit his lower lip hard. His plump, red lips turned white, then red again when released. Clenching his hands tightly, he stepped closer to Taejae.“I thought you told me not to come close.”Taejae frowned, rejecting him, but Dan stepped forward again, an act of defiance. Taejae looked down at him incredulously.“I didn’t know you were this disobedient. I hate troublemakers.”Dan’s shoulders trembled at the tone, different from anything he’d heard before. Taejae seemed genuinely angry this time.But Dan couldn’t back down. His heels were already at the edge of a cliff.“Please don’t drive me out. I, I’ll bear you a beautiful baby.”“…What?”Taejae looked at him in disbelief, even tilting his ear towards Dan. What was he talking about? A beautiful what? Was he hearing things now that he was getting older?Dan spoke clearer and more distinctly than before, like an elementary school student giving a presentation.“My father, I mean, the director, said that even if I’m foolish, my face is decent enough. So, the child I bear would be quite beautiful too.”“…”“My father is never wrong. So, I will definitely bear a beautiful child.”“Ha…”Taejae let out a wry laugh, running his large hand through his bangs, then wiping his face dry.Seeing this, Dan’s eyes rolled around. He had said his piece, but Taejae’s reaction wasn’t favorable. What’s the problem? After a brief contemplation, Dan let out a short exclamation of realization and stepped closer to Taejae.“Since the Colonel is so handsome, we might get a handsome child too.”Cough, cough. Taejae coughed roughly, his broad chest jumping as if hit by a grenade. He quickly covered his mouth, his ears turning red as if he had a fever.“Are you okay?”Dan asked worriedly. Taejae nodded while still covering his mouth, then coughed a few more times before standing up straight.Dan stared intently at his face. Somehow, Taejae looked a bit older in those few seconds. Before, he didn’t look his age, but now he did.“Are you really okay?”Dan asked again.“…Yeah.”After a short, deep breath, Taejae stepped back slightly. Dan, noticing this like a ghost, quickly closed the distance. Looking up at Taejae with round eyes, he spoke clearly like reading from a textbook.“Then, will you do ‘it’ with me now?”“…What?”“It.”“…”“You don’t know what ‘it’ is? Uh… making dough. Or, um, making a baby?”There might have been a more polite term, but the director always used ‘it’ during education, so nothing else came to mind.As Dan struggled with his simple mind…“No.”Taejae refused.“Can’t do it.”Another refusal.“Won’t do it.”Three refusals in total.Dan felt his words, even his breath, being blocked.“…”“…”Silence fell. Taejae looked out the window where rain was scratching against, and Dan, breathing heavily, watched him.Dan’s eyes were slightly red, his nose too, and his bitten lips were so red they looked like they might start bleeding. Everything was red, even his vision.He had finally fallen off the cliff he was standing on.Dan wiped his tear-filled eyes with the back of his hand, not wanting to show he was crying. The director hated it when kids cried; no one likes a crying kid, he said.Barely suppressing his sobs, he asked with a choked voice.“Then, what can I do? What, what can I do?”“Well.”Taejae answered briefly. It might sound irresponsible, but it was only natural. Why should Taejae take responsibility for Dan’s life? He bought something, didn’t like it, and returned it. It was a question Taejae didn’t need to answer.“…”Finally, tears began to drop from Dan’s eyes, one by one, like heavy glass beads, perhaps because he had been holding them back for so long.Dan cried silently, without sobbing or saying anything more.There was nothing left to say. What more could he say when he was so clearly unwanted? He just felt wronged, sad, and hurt.Taejae watched Dan like this, his lips tightly closed. When Dan’s cheeks were glistening with tears:“Go eat.”He spoke as if exhaling a sigh and then turned away coldly. Startled, Dan hurried after him.“Sir, Colonel. Wait, just a moment… Ah!”After taking a couple of steps, Dan felt a sharp pain as if his ankle was twisting. He collapsed to the ground.“…”Taejae, who had been climbing the stairs two at a time, stopped abruptly. He glared at Dan, who was almost sitting on the floor, with a face that looked like he was annoyed to death, his molars grinding in anger, his temples bulging and receding.After a long exhale, he called out across the long hallway.“Mrs.Gong.”But there was no response, probably because the kitchen was too far away.“Mrs.Gong!”Taejae called out louder for Mrs.Gong.“Yes, Colonel!”Soon, Mrs.Gong appeared, panting. Taejae nodded towards Dan.“Please take a look at this boy’s ankle.”“Ah, yes.”“And let me know once it’s healed.”“Yes.”Then, without hesitation, Taejae went up the stairs, quickly disappearing out of sight, taking them two or three at a time.“…”Dan blankly looked up at the stairs where Taejae had vanished. Tears silently streamed down his cheeks.Mrs.Gong helped Dan up by grabbing his elbow.“Come here, Mr. Dan.”But Dan didn’t move. He just kept staring at where Taejae had been with teary eyes. Mrs.Gong whispered softly.“If you stay here, you might get scolded. The Colonel can be scary when he’s angry.”At those words, Dan looked at Mrs.Gong with a surprised expression. He seemed angry now, but was this not his full anger?How does he even express anger? Would his shout make the roof collapse? Or does he transform into something like a tiger?Now that was scary. Dan reluctantly got up. Mrs.Gong led him to his room. She made him sit on the bed and knelt at his feet.“Let me check your ankle.”Mrs.Gong moved Dan’s ankle around. She could treat such injuries blindfolded since the men in this house often got hurt.“It’s not swollen. Does it still hurt a lot?”“…”Dan kept his mouth shut, only letting tears flow pitifully.“Can you walk?”“…”“Should I get you crutches if it’s hard?”“…”“Why aren’t you answering?”Mrs.Gong furrowed her brows slightly, not out of irritation but out of frustration and sympathy. She knew Dan was young, but seeing him cry like this made it more real. He didn’t look like a twenty-year-old man at all; she wondered if that director had lied about his age when he sold him.As Mrs.Gong sighed deeply and tightened the slightly loosened bandage:“If I say it hurts… can I stay here longer?”Dan asked. Mrs.Gong’s hands stopped abruptly. She glanced up at Dan and then looked away.“…He’s a strict man, so that would be difficult.”“…”Dan gripped the blanket tightly. With his head bowed, his tears fell onto his thighs instead of down his cheeks. Mrs.Gong sighed repeatedly. After finishing with the bandage, she sat beside Dan.She didn’t wipe his tears or pat his back. There was no point in getting too attached.“I’m looking for a place you could go to.”At that, Dan looked up at her quickly.“A place I could go to?”“You can’t go back to the orphanage. That director seemed particularly cruel.”“He’s not that bad…”Dan couldn’t bring himself to say he was good, so he answered vaguely.“There’s a wool factory where omegas work together.”“…A factory?”“Yes. They provide food and lodging, and the manager is an omega woman who doesn’t allow alphas anywhere near. The work is easy, and it wouldn’t be bad to stay there.”“…”“Why, don’t you like it? Should I look for another place?”Dan scratched his kneecap with his nails. His tears had stopped, replaced by a new fear. Food and lodging. Factory. Manager. Work. All these were alien words to him.Dan shook his head.“I don’t want to go anywhere else.”“…”“I’m scared.”Dan had been brought to the orphanage as a newborn and had been raised solely within those walls. The director never allowed him to go outside. Dan found the director’s control stifling yet comforting.The orphanage. It was his home, his hometown, his society, his world.So, leaving for somewhere else wasn’t easy. He had barely adapted to this mansion, and now he was supposed to go somewhere else? To work, no less? What kind of work could a fool like him do? He’d surely be fired within a week.Dan wiped his cheeks with his palms.“I just… want to go back to the orphanage.”“Mr. Dan.”“It’s comfortable there.”“…”Mrs.Gong seemed displeased but said no more. She understood that changing someone’s life, prejudices, and misfortunes fixed over a long time wasn’t something that could be done with a few words.Still, there must be something…Something I can do for this child…As Mrs.Gong looked at Dan’s black wig lying like an insect in the corner of the room, Dan shifted his hips, causing Mrs.Gong to sway slightly.“Even so, can I stay here until my leg heals? The Colonel said I could leave as soon as the rain stops tonight, but he won’t really kick me out at night, right? Nights are scary…”“He won’t do that. He’s not that heartless.”“…”Dan exhaled in relief. While he couldn’t agree that Taejae wasn’t heartless, he wanted to believe Mrs.Gong’s words. Even if he couldn’t return home in glory, he didn’t want to limp back to the orphanage. If he did, the director would surely look at him like he was nothing more than a bug.Thinking of the director’s hateful gaze made his cheeks itch, like he really had bugs on him. Dan scratched his cheeks vigorously, nibbled on his lower lip, and shook his legs.Seeing this, Mrs.Gong nudged him with her elbow.“Shall we have breakfast?”“…”Dan’s hand, which had been scratching his cheek, stopped. He, with a foolish look, was breathing heavily and slowly nodded.Mrs.Gong smiled almost imperceptibly.That night, after two days of non-stop rain, it finally stopped. Dan sat at the desk by the window, nervously biting his nails, but the order to leave the house never came. However, unable to shake off his anxiety, Dan stayed awake all night and only managed to fall asleep when dawn broke.Around that time, fog began to form on the windows. It was thicker and heavier than before.