My Alpha Era Began with Gongjindan Chapter 58

—Son, Mom is hurt that you went up to Seoul without even a single call.

“…I was a bit sick after arriving.”

―Really? Oh dear. If I’d known, I would have taken you all the way to Seoul.

The nagging continued, telling me to make sure to take the herbal medicine Grandfather had prepared. After sending just one message saying I’d arrived in Seoul, I’d been so busy that I completely forgot to call Mom.

I’d been messaging Jung Pureum constantly, yet I hadn’t paid attention to my parents and grandfather—that weighed on me. It seemed the saying about raising a child being useless was true after all.

―Mom sent you a few packets of Gyeongokgo by courier.

“Gyeongokgo?”

―Yes. Give it to the neighbors. Say it’s a gift from me, and that I’m always grateful. I’ve felt bad that I haven’t properly taken care of them before.

Gyeongokgo is a famous remedy mentioned in the Dongui Bogam. It’s a type of tonic, but actually it’s not the most recommended herbal medicine for alphas. Like ginseng or Job’s tears, it doesn’t suit people with hot body types.

Still, when energy is depleted or fatigue is frequent, nothing beats Gyeongokgo. After all, it’s one of the most expensive tonics in Korean medicine, rivaling the tonic in price. Even the Dongui Bogam says Gyeongokgo prevents all manner of illnesses.

Plus, the Gyeongokgo my mom makes is quite costly. Because she doesn’t skimp on ingredients—she throws in generous amounts. Using more ingredients doesn’t drastically improve efficacy, but it’s far more trustworthy than places that just add a hint of fragrance and claim they’ve included deer antler.

―Ideally, I’d take the pulse, consult, and then prescribe, but… since I can’t go myself, I made it with the safest combination.

“Thank you. I’ll make sure to pass it along.”

―It’s the least I can do for someone who takes care of my son. And besides, you never know, right? We might become in-laws someday.

Mom lowered her voice and giggled. She could laugh like that because she had no idea how much I was burning inside.

When I didn’t snap back or deny it like I usually did, Mom fell silent in an instant. An awkward silence came between us over the phone.

―…You. Don’t tell me you’ve already been dumped?

It was Mom who broke the silence first. Hearing I’d been dumped when we weren’t even dating was absurd. Why was she asking with such certainty?

Interpreting my silence somehow, Mom continued.

―Sigh, I knew it. You and your father—you’re exactly alike in having too many thoughts and being overly prideful! And the way you make people look foolish because you’re lost in other thoughts the moment you let your guard down—that’s exactly the same too. Honestly… you had to inherit only your father’s bad traits….

I’d bet money I’d inherited plenty of Mom’s bad traits too. I urgently protested that I’d never even dated, so how could I have been dumped?

At that, Mom raised her voice.

―Good grief, you’re not playing around with a kid, are you?

The phrase “playing around” pierced through my chest. Hadn’t Jung Saebom said something similar to me? I was so shocked I lost my words.

No way….

Did other people really see me as playing around with Jung Pureum? Even though I’d only realized yesterday that he truly likes me? Even though I think I might like him too?

To get a grip on myself, I slapped my own cheek. It hurt less than when I’d stabbed myself with needles right before the college entrance exam.

“Mom.”

―Yeah.

“I… should I try going on a blind date?”

―….

“….”

Having a son who’d sworn he’d never marry and would dodge at the mere mention of “marriage” or “blind date” suddenly say something like this—even my romance-obsessed mom seemed at a loss for words.

Mom seriously asked if I was very sick. She said I might actually have cancer and I’d end up being dragged to a university hospital. No! I don’t want to be around Western doctors for long! They’ll drain my energy!

But I couldn’t explain my situation to Mom in detail. Setting everything else aside, the moment I said “I think I might like Jung Pureum,” the news would reach even distant relatives for sure.

It’s not that I don’t trust Mom. But isn’t parents’ loose lips always a source of worry for every child?

I chose my words carefully to come up with a plausible excuse. I’d made a bombshell statement, so I should at least do some damage control.

“I was thinking, maybe I need to meet some alphas my age too.”

Jung Pureum wasn’t the only problem—the only omegas he knew were me and Lee Seolwoo. I’m also a problem. Among the alphas I know, the normal ones are just Jung Pureum and Nam Jungyoon.

If I dug a bit deeper into my college classmates, there might be a few more alphas whose names I vaguely recognize. I just couldn’t call them acquaintances.

My pitiful social circle was astonishing. …This is strange? I thought I’d been managing my social life reasonably well, but the only alphas I can comfortably contact are one coworker and the kid next door.

No wonder I’m drawn to Jung Pureum, who’s so young and shamelessly unashamed.

I reflected on my virtuous past. I’d been so obsessed with studying in college that I put off having fun, and now at this age, I’m attracted to the kid next door. The Korean college entrance system and excessive meritocracy are fueling abnormal desires.

―Be honest with me. Something’s going on, isn’t it?

Everyone had been nagging me about blind dates, and now that I actually offered to go on one, I was met with suspicion. No matter what excuse I made, Mom wouldn’t easily believe me.

“There’s nothing going on… I’ve just come to the conclusion that I need new stimulation to get a grip on myself.”

―What kind of thing is that?

“Just, I had some realization. That living this closed-off makes everyone around me think I’m playing around with a kid.”

―…Anyway, your extremism is just like your father’s.

When I threw back what she’d said earlier, Mom clicked her tongue.

As Mom said, Dad could be quite extreme. When Grandfather disapproved of him before marriage, Dad planned to elope with Mom. The problem was, even Mom didn’t know about that elopement plan.

His extreme personality remained when he heard my secondary sex trait was omega. Dad immediately started planning to emigrate. If Grandfather hadn’t grabbed him by the hair and talked him down, we’d have ended up moving to a country that legally prohibited omega discrimination.

The biggest problem was that no one in the family except Dad knew about the emigration plan until he was actually booking plane tickets….

…Honestly, I’m better than Dad, aren’t I?

I seriously reflected on my own extremism. Isn’t this level pretty calm? No matter how I looked at it, I was within acceptable limits.

―Anyway, Mom does think it’s good for you to meet various alphas. These days, even going on blind dates is all experience.

“That’s true….”

―Then I’ll find some prospects again. When you have time, give them a try. You need to see other alphas to know whether the one you’re seeing now is actually good or not.

“Ah, I told you, we’re not seeing each other!”

―Not seeing each other? The guy who used to do backflips and run away at the mention of blind dates just asked to go on one himself, and you’re still giving me that act?

It was so unfair. If I were actually dating Jung Pureum, it’d be less unfair. But denying it further was useless. Mom would think whatever she wanted anyway.

The call ended with Mom’s excited assurances that she’d find blind date prospects.

When I checked my phone, messages from Jung Pureum had piled up while I was on the phone with Mom. Half were about missing me, and the other half were small everyday chitchat.

There was nothing to laugh about, yet reading such trivial banter made me chuckle. My mind must have run away to somewhere far beyond the universe.

To get my head back on straight, I threw a pebble into the stream of small talk.

[Pureum]

[I heard you go to the same school as our clinic regular]

Why didn’t you tell me first?

…I typed up to “why didn’t you” before hurriedly deleting it. I nearly won the “acting my age” competition just now.

I’m already at runner-up level—I can’t aim for the championship here. Jung Pureum, as if he’d been waiting for this question, replied swiftly.

[Lee Seolwoo]

[If you mean him]

[That person is kind of strange, hyung]

[(Panicked puppy emoji)]

Seeing the trembling puppy emoji made me laugh again—no, I shouldn’t laugh.

When I asked what was strange about him, Jung Pureum’s replies slowed down. The fact that he, who rarely speaks ill of others, used the word “strange” suggested Lee Seolwoo was indeed something else.

It’s possible for someone to be called “strange” by me. I call people strange just for acting a bit outside my standards.

But being called “strange” by Jung Pureum actually means they’re genuinely strange. Jung Pureum is the kind of guy who, even on the Seoul subway Line 1 full of eccentrics, would offer his seat to an old man doing pull-ups on the handrail without any prejudice.

[Just]

[A bit overwhelming]

After saying “overwhelming,” there was no additional explanation. Despite chattering about all sorts of things, Jung Pureum tended to be sparing with words on matters like this.

He’s the type who doesn’t bring up his own hardships unless it’s to hear about mine, so it wasn’t surprising he’d be reserved about others either.

I was a bit disappointed, but what could I do? If Jung Pureum had gone on and on about Lee Seolwoo, I’d have been even more shocked. I might have asked, “Are you sure you’re Jung Pureum?”

[I was afraid hyung might try to introduce him to me again]

[(Panicked puppy emoji)]

[Don’t sell me off]

[Because I like hyung the best]

Once I’d recognized something about Jung Pureum, I couldn’t press him as easily as before. Because Jung Pureum might react differently than I expected, or this precariously balanced relationship might fall apart.

“Why is this so hard….”

Holding my phone in one hand, I lay back on the bed and closed my eyes.

I needed to contact the PD of <The Alpha Who Was a Beta Is Too Much!> and run some promotional ads for our clinic, but my energy was completely drained.

I just wanted to lie here like this. Without thinking about anything… believing that nothing would change.