The World of Contrasts Vol. 1 Chapter 6
“You have talent. For just two months of practice, this is truly impressive.”
He, who retired from being a national athlete last year, had a kind personality. He often treated Jaemin like a younger brother, affectionately ruffling his hair. But that day, Jaemin felt strange.
“Having talent alone isn’t enough.”
When Jaemin swatted his hand away with a sharp smack, the man looked awkward. Jaemin took a deep breath, feeling the spot on his forehead where the man’s hand had touched grow warm.
“Betas like you are respected when they win gold medals at the Olympics, but it’s not the same for Alphas.”
It was taken for granted that Alphas had superior physical abilities, and Jaemin’s father expected him to be the best among his peers. Ever since Jaemin’s 13th birthday—the age when secondary gender traits typically began to manifest—his father didn’t bother hiding his expectations. He openly said, “If he’s my son, he’ll manifest as a perfect dominant Alpha faster than anyone else.”
Whenever his father made such pronouncements in his booming voice at the dinner table, Jaemin’s stomach twisted with anxiety. Why wasn’t he manifesting yet? Park Sejun, the son of Director Park and Jaemin’s peer, had already gone through his first rut last month—so why hadn’t he?
One day, unable to bear the pressure any longer, Jaemin quietly remarked that stress could negatively affect hormones and delay manifestation. In response, Chairman Jang hurled a bowl of hot soup at him. It was the housemaid standing behind Jaemin who ended up drenched in the scalding soup instead.
“You seem unusually sensitive today. Maybe you’re really not feeling well.”
Despite the potential insult, the coach didn’t get angry at Jaemin. Hadn’t he once mentioned having a younger brother Jaemin’s age? He’d laughed, saying his brother had no talent for sports whatsoever.
Jaemin wondered what it would have been like if he had been born into the coach’s family. If he had said he was feeling unwell, would his father have worried about him instead of slapping him for being weak?
“Drink some water and take a five-minute break.”
The coach poured himself a cup of water from the dispenser and drained it in one go. Jaemin glared at him. His body felt weaker and weaker, and the corners of his eyes grew hot. A strange sensation of his stomach twisting and an unbearable itch, like ants crawling all over him, made him restless.
“Sigh….”
“Here, drink some water first.”
When Jaemin instinctively stepped back, the coach smiled faintly, as if conceding, and took a step closer again.
“Alright. I won’t tell you to stop. We’ll keep the lesson going, so don’t worry and just drink this, Jaemin.”
Water sloshed in the paper cup he held out. The moment Jaemin saw it, he felt like he would die of thirst. But when he reached out, it wasn’t for the cup—it was for the teacher’s hand.
“…Jaemin?”
“Haah….”
A terrible sensation ran down his back, as if something was flowing out. No way. Did I just… wet myself, like a child?
The next moment, the door to the gym burst open. Joohee, who had been playing screen golf in the next room, stormed in.
“Who is it? Who brought a rutting Omega into my house…?”
“…Mom.”
Joohee, who had been yelling furiously, turned pale the moment she saw Jaemin. She quickly clamped her hands over her nose and mouth. Jaemin, his legs weak, stumbled toward her.
Mom, please.
“…Help me.”
Now that his mom was here, he thought she would save him. He believed she would embrace him in her comforting scent, soothing him like she had when he was a baby.
Today, her scent seemed even better than usual. But why did her expression look so terrifying?
“It hurts so much, Mom… Mom….”
Jaemin’s face snapped to the side with a loud slap just as he staggered into her arms, arms outstretched.
“Don’t come any closer!”
A vivid red handprint appeared on Jaemin’s pale cheek.
“Ma-Madam… what are you doing…?”
The teacher, confused, supported Jaemin, who had collapsed onto the floor. Seeing his flustered expression, Joohee screamed, still holding her nose.
“Seonho! Lock the doors and get the car ready! Now!”
Jaemin endured his first heat cycle for a week. It happened while Chairman Jang was away in the countryside for two months.
✽ ✽ ✽
The year Jaemin experienced his first heat, Joohee hurriedly took him to the United States without informing Chairman Jang, who was still in the countryside. Officially, it was to visit Jaemin’s maternal grandfather during the school break, but the real reason was to conduct genetic testing that no Korean hospital would dare attempt.
“Are you certain? Is he really an Omega?”
Due to the excessive suppressants he had been given, Jaemin spent three days in a semi-conscious state. As Joohee’s trembling voice, verging on tears, reached his ears, Jaemin’s lips turned deathly pale.
“This doesn’t make sense… Both my husband and I are in the top 5% dominance.”
“It’s a rare mutation. Occasionally, an Omega is born among dominant Alphas at a rate of about one in ten thousand. For non-dominant Alphas, the probability is five times higher. Though such cases rarely come to light, they likely occur more often than assumed.”
The foreign doctor explained calmly in English, and Jaemin, lying with his eyes closed, understood every word. Was this what his mother’s insistence on early multilingual education was for?
“Even so, it doesn’t make sense! Isn’t it impossible for pheromones to affect blood relatives? I could feel it—clearly…!”
Joohee’s final words were whispered, but they were filled with bewilderment.
“If the Omega levels are exceptionally high, it’s rare but possible. In such cases, earlier manifestation is actually safer. It allows for preparation against the dangerous situations that may arise during heat cycles.”
Had Jaemin known he would hear about his own weaknesses through a foreign expert, he wouldn’t have worked so hard to learn another language.
“Don’t be too disheartened.”
“Shut up!”
A heart-wrenching cry escaped his mother. Tears streamed down Jaemin’s face as he lay there, unable to open his eyes.
The moment he heard confirmation from the specialist that he was an Omega, Jaemin felt the emotion called despair for the first time in his life. It was like sinking into a bottomless swamp, his mind consumed. No matter how much he struggled, the certainty that he would never rise to the surface again wrapped around him and suffocated him.
If his father, who wanted to raise him as the strongest Alpha, found out about this, what would happen? It was certain that it would be far worse than having his forehead shattered by an ashtray.
Lying completely still, countless thoughts raced through his mind, paralyzing him with fear.
“Listen to me carefully, Jang Jaemin.”
When all the tests were finally done, and Jaemin managed to get up, Joohee spoke to him briefly.
“You know what’s happening to you now, don’t you?”
Jaemin, with lifeless eyes, nodded at her.
“…Yes.”
It was just something he had never, even once, imagined.
The instructors who educated Jaemin, born to two dominant Alpha parents, had only ever prepared him for the onset of rut. Jaemin himself had never considered the possibility of manifesting as an Omega. As Jaemin’s pale lips trembled, Joohee spoke firmly.
“I’m giving you five years. Stay here at your grandfather’s house and learn how to completely hide your trait.”
It was the method she had thought of countless times since the catastrophic heat cycle had overtaken her son.
“…What?”
Jaemin’s long eyes widened with confusion. Joohee looked at her beautiful son, biting the inside of her mouth so hard it hurt.
The moment she caught the pheromone scent radiating from him during his heat, she knew what his future would look like. If he lived as an Omega, his body and mind would be utterly destroyed under the fangs of Alphas.
“Whatever it takes, no one can ever know you’re an Omega. Do you understand me?”
The face of a particular Alpha, the one she feared most, flashed through Joohee’s mind, draining the color from her face. Jaemin, unaware of her inner turmoil, hit the nail on the head with his next question.
“But what about Father? He said he didn’t want me studying abroad.”
“…”
Even before Jaemin had started elementary school, Joohee had once tried to send him to the United States. It was driven by her resolve not to let her child follow in his father’s footsteps and become a thug.
Of course, she had failed spectacularly. The ruptured eardrum in her left ear, a lasting reminder of the slap she received from his father, was something even Jaemin knew about.
“I’ll convince your father myself.”
Joohee’s eyes were sharp as she hissed through clenched teeth, her expression almost solemn. Though she had never been the kind of gentle mother Jaemin saw in other families, he had never seen her so furious and full of contempt before.
“If your father finds out you’re an Omega, it won’t just be you who suffers—it’ll be me too. Do you think your father would forgive this disgrace?”
“But…”
“Shut up and do as I say!”
Tears streamed down from Jaemin’s dark eyes. At that moment, he couldn’t understand.
“No matter how much of an Omega I am… I’m still his child, aren’t I?”
Jaemin knew well how proud Chairman Jang was of his own dominant trait. But was the fact that his only son wasn’t a dominant Alpha enough to threaten the lives of both his wife and child?
✽ ✽ ✽
“I’ve been doing well, haven’t I? I’ll do even better, Mom!”
“Stay here, keep even your breathing quiet, and live your life. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Joohee hardened her expression, unable to say a word as she looked at her son clinging to her feet. In the end, she boarded the flight back to Korea alone.
At that time, Jaemin didn’t think his mother would really be able to persuade his father. Given his father’s twisted obsession with his children, Jaemin believed he’d eventually return to Korea.
Then, he received a piece of mail at his grandfather’s house. As soon as he saw that the sender was a medical center, Jaemin hastily opened it. Holding onto the faint hope that there might have been some mistake about his information, he was left in shock upon reading the letter’s contents.
The document was a paternity test result between Male Alpha A and Male Omega B. The analysis showed that most of the genes, excluding sex chromosomes, did not match. The red text declaring “Paternity Discrepancy” left Jaemin dumbfounded as he realized what it all meant.
Why his mother, Shin Joohee, had risked everything to protect this secret. What it meant that the relationship between Alpha A, Jang Wonjung, and Omega B, Jang Jaemin, was not established.
“What’s this? What are you doing?!”
His grandfather, arriving late, snatched the result from Jaemin’s hands, tore it to shreds, and spoke with trembling eyes.
“Grandfather… What is this about?”
“…No one has the right to judge your mother.”
“So I’m… not my dad’s son? Did my mom… mess around with someone else?!”
Jaemin’s face snapped to the side as his grandfather slapped him hard. Even with his wrinkled hands trembling, the old man’s voice rose with indignation.
“If you knew how that bastard treated my daughter, you’d shudder too! It’s only natural she sought a way out!”
“Shit…”
Seeing Jaemin’s tears fall from his sharp, glaring eyes, his grandfather grabbed him by the collar.
“If a thug raised a thug that looks just like him, then your father is Jang Wonjung!”
“Stop saying nonsense!”
Jaemin’s cracked voice grew louder, and his grandfather swallowed dryly, looking anguished.
“Jaemin… if your father finds out about this… ha… our entire family is doomed. You, your mom, and even me—your mother’s mistakes will bring ruin to all of us.”
“Ugh… So what do you expect me to do?!”
“Hide it. Until you die.”
Fear flickered in his grandfather’s eyes. Jaemin let out a hollow laugh, realizing that what the old man feared most was his own safety.
And his mother? The hot rage and contempt burning in his chest made it feel like his heart would explode. The thought that his mother, who always pretended to be so proud and elegant, had rolled around with someone else only worsened his fury.
He had always sensed that his family was different from others. But this confirmed it. Jaemin’s family was utterly broken, devoid of warmth or love—just a chaotic mess.
“Live as an Alpha, Jaemin. Just as you’ve done so far. As if there’s not a shadow of doubt.”
Jaemin’s legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the sofa.
His grandfather wasn’t wrong. Chairman Jang was not the type to let an unfaithful wife go unpunished. If his wife had borne a child with another man, an Omega no less, and raised him while deceiving him, Jaemin’s father was someone who wouldn’t hesitate to tear him apart.
Even though his father terrified him, he had still wanted to return to Korea. But that desire disappeared completely.
A month and a half passed as Jaemin locked himself in a remote room in his grandfather’s house, not stepping out or seeing anyone. Then one day, there was a knock at his door.
“Excuse me.”
“…!”
Hearing a familiar voice that shouldn’t be there, Jaemin threw off his blanket and bolted upright. He opened the door and was greeted by a welcome face.
“…Teacher.”
“Jaemin, how have you been?”
At the time, he was 18 years old. A Beta born into a wretchedly poor family. Once an Olympic gold medalist, he had to give up judo due to an injury. He was Jaemin’s physical training coach and later became the person who managed every aspect of his life.
Lee Seonho smiled faintly at Jaemin.
“I was so nervous on my way here because I can’t speak English at all, haha. But seeing your face makes me think I made the right decision to come.”
Without saying a word, Jaemin pulled him into a hug, and Seonho’s hand ruffled his hair just as he always had in the past.
“How about we spar for old times’ sake? Though I’m not sure if there’s a mat around here.”
Jaemin couldn’t be more grateful that Seonho was a Beta, unaffected by pheromones. He would later find out that this was why Joohee had kept him close, but at that moment, Jaemin couldn’t bring himself to leave Seonho, who treated him exactly the same as before.
“I’ll find it. Right away… hng… I’ll find it right now.”
It was unclear how much money Joohee had offered Seonho to make him give up his life in Korea, pack his belongings, and come to the U.S. But what was certain was that every time Jaemin faced danger after his Omega traits manifested, it was not Joohee or Chairman Jang who extended a helping hand—it was Lee Seonho.
✽ ✽ ✽
Click.
Jaemin lit a cigarette with the car window open. A week ago, on the last day of the university festival, he had fled the darkroom of the photography club at around 3 a.m.
The crazy Alpha who had ejaculated inside him for eight hours straight finally withdrew when he thought Jaemin had fallen asleep and left.
As soon as Jaemin saw him grab his wallet and head out, he jumped up, threw off the plaid shirt covering his body onto the floor, and escaped the hellish darkroom.
It was the first time he had ever run full speed across the campus, still scattered with remnants of noisy festival posters, or asked someone to hail him a taxi.
It was nearly a miracle that the heat cycle, which would normally last at least three days, subsided within a day. But even that didn’t feel like a relief. Knowing that Seol Daeyoung had handled the emergency care perfectly only made him angrier. What that bastard had done to him was nothing but filthy lust disguised as goodwill.
“Are you… feeling better?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Seonho had said he waited all night near the school for him that day. If only Jaemin had kept in touch more often, things might have been different. After Jaemin snapped at him for being bothersome, Seonho never initiated contact again.
“And next time, you can reach out to me first. Don’t foolishly stay up all night in the car.”
Seonho didn’t ask about what had happened that night, and Jaemin had no intention of telling him about the incident with Seol Daeyoung. He simply explained that he had unexpectedly gone into heat, lost his phone, and went straight home.
“…I should’ve taken better care of things. I’m sorry.”
Hearing the guilt in Seonho’s voice, Jaemin thought back to the past. They had known each other for ten years since they first met when Jaemin was 13.
“Teacher.”
Jaemin called him. How many years had it been since he addressed Seonho by that old title? Though Seonho didn’t move from the driver’s seat, Jaemin could easily imagine the startled expression on his face.
“You must hate being by my side.”
“I’ve never thought that. Not even once.”
The reply came without the slightest hesitation. Jaemin found it so like him and let out a small chuckle.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Seonho had lived with Jaemin throughout his five years of exile in America. He was his trainer, bodyguard, and driver for school pickups and drop-offs.
He was also the one who found safe partners for Jaemin to relieve his sexual urges after that first incident when Jaemin, completely drugged at a party, had been taken by an Alpha.
“Damn it, Seonho… What do I do now? Do I have to live as an Omega?”
“Everyone has secrets. Just think of it as… handling things on your own. Got it?”
Even after Jaemin returned to Korea and began actively assisting his father on the field, growing perhaps even stronger than Seonho, the latter never left his side. Or rather, he couldn’t. Shin Joohee would never allow someone who knew a life-threatening secret of hers to live outside her watch.
“Director.”
First, it was “Jaemin-ah,” then “Young Master,” and now the title had shifted to “Director.” Seonho glanced at him through the rearview mirror, his slightly drooping eyes crinkling with a soft smile.
“My mother had surgery three years ago and is very healthy now. My younger sibling says running the shop suits them perfectly.”
“…That’s good to hear.”
“If I hadn’t worked for you, my family wouldn’t be living this way. My mother’s organ transplant, my sibling’s café—they would have been impossible dreams.”
Some people live their lives sacrificing themselves for their family, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world, as if it requires no second thought.
Buying Alphas for Jaemin to spend the night with, obtaining illegal drugs, committing all kinds of sordid acts—despite everything, Seonho still expressed gratitude to him.
Instead of asking, “What about your own life? You’re twenty-eight, not even thirty yet, in the prime of your youth, and you’re wasting it cleaning up after me—how can you be satisfied living like this?” Jaemin simply clicked the car door open.
By then, they had already arrived at their destination.
“I’ll be back. It won’t take long.”
“I’ll wait.”
One time, while drunk, Jaemin had asked Seonho to show him a family photo. He had been curious about what a typical family might look like.
He didn’t remember much, but one thing stood out: the smile of Seonho’s father, proudly wearing the gold medal his son had won. That smile stayed with Jaemin.
At that moment, he realized, So this is how normal people live. Simultaneously, he felt guilt toward Seonho’s father.
It was as though he had dragged such a good person into a filthy world.
…
At least he hadn’t turned Lee Seonho into a gangster. Did that mean he didn’t need to feel indebted? No. He had forced him to serve gangsters, so it was essentially the same.
As Jaemin walked down the narrow hillside path, his resolve solidified. He didn’t want to ruin another innocent person’s life because of him.
Especially not if that person was the infuriatingly obnoxious Seol Daeyoung. Jaemin wanted him as far away from his life as possible. Perhaps it was because he had a gut feeling that his life might shatter to pieces if Seol Daeyoung remained. It was already unbearable knowing that he had become entangled with him. That realization only strengthened Jaemin’s determination to separate himself.
Paradise Villa, Unit 201.
Even after ringing the grimy doorbell, there was no response from inside. Jaemin hesitated for a moment before raising his hand to knock on the old metal door twice. After a slight delay, a cautious voice came from within.
“Who… is it?”
The voice belonged to Seol Daeyoung’s mother, someone he cherished deeply. A single mother Omega who had raised her son alone through countless hardships. Her slight accent reminded Jaemin of Chairman Jang, and his mood plummeted. With a frown, Jaemin finally spoke.
“Hello, ma’am. I’m Jang Jaemin, a student at the same university as your son. Could I have a word with you?”
“Pardon…?”
He couldn’t bring himself to say they were friends, so he stated only the facts. But from her tone, the Omega behind the door sounded as if she were facing a debt collector. Jaemin exhaled deeply, resisting the urge to kick over the colorful pots lined up by the entrance.
“Please, just open the door.”
Before I break it down.
“…Who… who did you say you were?”
The Omega was undoubtedly standing right by the door. Imagining her peering through the small lens embedded in the door, Jaemin forced a smile. He didn’t want to look like a loan shark today—this wasn’t about collecting debts but the opposite.
“I’m a friend of Daeyoung’s from university. We went to the same high school too.”
“Oh… oh, I see.”
She tried to sound calm, but her trembling voice betrayed lingering unease. Now that he had mentioned the university, she likely mistook him for an Alpha. For an Omega like her, it was instinctual to adopt a reserved attitude toward Alphas, except for family.
Feeling irritated, Jaemin’s mouth went dry. He licked his lips to moisten them.
“There’s an important notice from our department, but Daeyoung hasn’t been showing up at school lately. I just need to hand you these documents, ma’am.”
Nothing he said was true. It was Jaemin who had skipped classes for a week following the festival incident.
The real reason he was visiting now was that he knew this was when Seol Daeyoung would be out working part-time, leaving the house empty except for his mother.
“P-please wait just a moment.”
The Omega, who had been playing hard to get, finally said she would open the door. Jaemin gave a curt “Alright” and glanced down at the documents in his hand.
Inside this door was the only person who could persuade Seol Daeyoung. If she had any sense, she would recognize how good of an opportunity this was for her son.
Click.
At last, the door opened, and the person inside revealed herself.
“…Hello.”
Jaemin slightly bowed his head toward Seol Daeyoung’s mother, Seol Junkyung, who stood frozen at the entrance.
Her hair was hastily tied up, with strands sticking out at the crown. Her black dress, which seemed to have been worn for years, and the old cardigan draped over it made him think the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. But her appearance was undeniably striking.
Seol Junkyung was beautiful. The kind of beauty that would make anyone on the street turn their head at least once. Looking at her delicate, innocent face, Jaemin spoke carelessly.
“I’ve heard a lot about you, ma’am.”
“A-about me?”
Startled, she asked back, her wide eyes fixed on him. Was she naturally this wary, or did she not believe he was a friend of her son?
“Anyone who knows Seol Daeyoung can’t miss how much he cherishes his mother.”
Jaemin smiled, trying not to come off as sarcastic.
“May I come in?”
Before she could even answer, he stepped inside. Junkyung seemed a little taken aback but quickly arranged his shoes neatly and followed him, almost as if she were tiptoeing in her own home.
“The house is… very small….”
“Well, it’s not mine, so it doesn’t matter.”
As Jaemin looked around the tiny living room and responded casually, Junkyung flushed and stammered, unsure of what to say next.
“It’s warm, isn’t it? I don’t have any juice, but… would you like some cold barley tea?”
“No, thank you.”
To be honest, Jaemin didn’t want to touch anything in this house. His only goal was to deliver his message and leave as quickly as possible. Turning to Junkyung, who still couldn’t meet his gaze, he spoke seriously.
“Ma’am, I came to talk to you about something important regarding your son.”
Junkyung listened to Jaemin’s brief explanation with bated breath. He described in vivid but understated terms how much of an opportunity this study abroad program was and how New York was the perfect city for someone with Seol Daeyoung’s talents.
“It’s thanks to your excellent upbringing, of course, but to be honest, Daeyoung is too talented to stay in a small pond.”
He added more weight to his next words. He wasn’t concerned with the hardships Junkyung had faced raising her son alone. He intended to play on her guilt for bringing him into this wretched family.
“I’m sure you, of all people, know best how much further he could have soared in a better environment.”
When Jaemin said that convincing her son would be the best gift she could give him, Junkyung even shed tears.
Game over. Satisfied, Jaemin stood up.
“I’ll leave him in your hands, then. Daeyoung will probably refuse because he’s worried about leaving you alone.”
Junkyung lowered her gaze as if weighed down by guilt. Seeing this, Jaemin forced out the words that didn’t come easily, hammering in the final nail.
“As someone who cares about him, I truly find it heartbreaking.”
With that, he turned to leave. But as he was about to step out, Junkyung suddenly grabbed his arm.
“E-excuse me…!”
Startled by the sudden grip, Jaemin frowned, and Junkyung immediately let go, seemingly just as surprised by her own actions. She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear and asked in a small voice.
“If you haven’t eaten… would you like to stay for dinner?”
“No.”
She seemed genuinely moved by what she saw as Jaemin’s friendship for her son. But when he refused without hesitation, she looked flustered and asked again.
“Then… maybe wait until Daeyoung comes back so you can at least say hello….”
“Goodbye.”
This time, his response came even quicker. Jaemin had no intention of seeing Seol Daeyoung again. Especially not after what had happened a week ago, in the darkroom bathed in crimson light, during that long, chaotic night.
To Seol Daeyoung, Jaemin must have been nothing more than a bloody piece of meat in a butcher’s shop. And Seol Daeyoung, who had the audacity to sink his teeth into that rawness, was just as crazy. For Jaemin, it was clear he needed to put an end to this before it spiraled further out of control.
“E-excuse me…!”
As Jaemin was about to put on his shoes, Junkyung’s desperate voice stopped him again. Normally, he wouldn’t have even looked back, but it wouldn’t do him any good to get on the bad side of Seol Daeyoung’s mother right now.
“Yes? Do you have something to say?”
“Well….”
“……”
“Please… come by again sometime. Anytime.”
Jaemin stared at her for a moment, not bothering to hide his annoyed expression.
“You’re Daeyoung’s friend, so… no need to feel burdened….”
There was no trace of an Omega’s pheromones emanating from her. Yet, in the way she looked at him, there was a peculiar kind of desperation. It was a gaze that felt slightly uncomfortable—one that didn’t quite fit the role of a mother looking at her son’s friend.
“Why… would I?”
Jaemin’s furrowed brows and sharp retort were just part of his nature. He couldn’t help it. The confident face of Yoon Jungha, whom he had seen at the festival, overlapped with the pitiful face of Seol Junkyung in his mind.
✽ ✽ ✽
Of course, not everyone lived their lives with the confidence of Yoon Jungha. Nor did they live happily, loved by an alpha. In reality, there were far more omegas living miserable lives, like the woman in front of him. Some even bore children without knowing who the father was.
Jaemin bit his lip at the painful truth. Then, sharply, he directed his question toward Junkyung.
“When Seol Daeyoung goes abroad to study, there’ll be no reason for me to come here anymore. So why would I need to come back? Mother?”
“Ah, no, I mean…”
Junkyung’s eyes visibly trembled. She looked as if Jaemin’s words had hit the mark. Jaemin raised an eyebrow, suspicious of what he had barely dared to consider. The image of Mr. Kim groveling pathetically just a few months ago, almost to the point of licking his shoes in an attempt to gain his favor, flashed through his mind, leaving him incredulous.
Seriously? Was Seol Junkyung now planning to seduce her son’s alpha friend under the guise of helplessness? No, damn it—if she intended to seduce someone, shouldn’t she at least do it properly, like by stripping off her clothes or something?
Jaemin twisted his lips as he looked at her. Something boiled up inside him, stoking his anger. He couldn’t hold back the words that spilled out. If you’re going to live like this, why bother living at all? Just die.
“Haha… Look here, Ms. Seol Junkyung. It’s people like you who give omegas a bad name.”
“…What?”
“If your son finds out you’re acting like a total tramp in front of his friend…”
Jaemin’s words were abruptly cut off by the sound of someone entering the door code behind him.
“I’m home!”
As the door swung open and Seol Daeyoung appeared, Jaemin had no choice but to swallow the sharp words he was about to hurl. Seol Daeyoung’s expression shifted into surprise when he saw Jaemin standing in the doorway.
“What are you doing here?”
That was what Jaemin wanted to ask. From now until 11 PM, wasn’t Seol Daeyoung supposed to be working at the grill restaurant in Ogeori?
Junkyung, who had been standing awkwardly in front of Jaemin, also looked at her son in confusion.
“Daeyoung, what about your shift today?”
“The store closed because there was a fire in the building upstairs.”
Of all the bad luck. It seemed today just wasn’t his day. Jaemin suppressed the curses rising in his throat.
“You’re not hurt?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Smiling slightly at his mother, Seol Daeyoung turned his gaze to Jaemin.
“But Jang Jaemin, how did you know where my house is?”
“…I asked at the department office.”
Avoiding Seol Daeyoung’s unexpectedly direct gaze, Jaemin shoved his feet into his shoes. The sudden encounter had left him irritated, his movements clumsy and stiff.
“Why are you here?”
“I had something to deliver. Ask your mother about the details. I’m leaving.”
Without even looking at him, Jaemin quickly reached for the door. He unlocked it in a hurry, intent on leaving, but his wrist, gripping the doorknob, was caught. Warmth radiated from the grip.
“…”
As Jaemin glared at him, Seol Daeyoung’s eyes gleamed as he stared back.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
He spat the words through gritted teeth. In response, Seol Daeyoung laughed out loud and gave him a light shove.
“Your phone’s with me. Isn’t that why you came?”
Before fleeing the darkroom, no matter how hard he searched, he couldn’t find his phone. He’d suspected Seol Daeyoung had taken it, but to think the bastard actually had it. Not that it mattered anymore. Jaemin had already asked Seonho to buy him a new phone that same day, changing his number in the process.
Instead of arguing, Jaemin curtly demanded, “Then give it to me.”
All he wanted was to settle things quickly and leave this house. Watching his haste, Seol Daeyoung split his smug lips into a smile. That damn bastard… His ominous grin made anyone watching uneasy.
“Yeah, I’ll give it to you.”
As shameful fragments of their night together surfaced in his mind, Jaemin bit down on his lip. Honestly, he wanted nothing more than to punch him square in the jaw. If the interfering mother weren’t present, Jaemin probably would have done just that.
Even if she was an omega throwing herself at her son’s friend, Junkyung was still the only one who could persuade Daeyoung in Jaemin’s current situation.
“Give it to me, the phone.”
“What’s the rush? Got a lover waiting outside?”
Jaemin let out a hollow laugh at the ridiculous joke. He gestured for Seol Daeyoung to move aside, but the other didn’t budge. Instead, in the cramped entryway, Daeyoung threw an arm around his shoulder as if they were close and turned back into the house.
“You bastard, aren’t you going to clean this up?”
Though the insult was muttered low, it was clear enough to be heard. Seol Daeyoung, however, seemed utterly unaffected.
“I’ll give you the phone, but eat before you go.”
He casually lifted a bag in his hand.
“The boss gave me some beef. It’s Korean beef, you know. If you eat it at the restaurant, it’s ridiculously expensive since it’s part of the course menu.”
“…”
Looking at Daeyoung suggesting he eat leftover meat from the restaurant, Jaemin clenched his fist again. Maybe he should just hit him.
“Right, right. I’ve never let any of Daeyoung’s friends leave hungry when they visit,” his mother chimed in, taking it a step further.
At that moment, Jaemin wanted to set the house on fire. Gritting his teeth, he used his elbow to push away Seol Daeyoung, who was pressing too close, and finally managed to respond.
“I don’t eat meat at night.”
“…Then what do you like?”
“Fresh seafood.”
He said it without thinking, knowing full well there wouldn’t be sashimi in this house. Junkyung tilted her head in thought before exclaiming, “Ah!” as if she’d come up with something.
“There’s fresh squid in the fridge. I’ll make squid pancakes.”
“Wow, awesome. We even have makgeolli at home, Mom,” Daeyoung added with enthusiasm.
Before Jaemin could protest, Seol Daeyoung grabbed his wrist and pulled him forcefully. The bastard used so much strength that Jaemin almost tripped over his shoes while trying to take them off.
“Mom, I’ll chat with my friend in my room!”
“Okay, I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
It was as if Daeyoung and his mother had planned this, their responses perfectly in sync. Practically dragged by Daeyoung, Jaemin had no choice but to enter the room he didn’t even know existed.
Click.
The sound of the door locking snapped Jaemin’s instincts into action, making him glance at Daeyoung. It was a small room packed with a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe, separated only by a door. The confined space made his body tense up.
“…”
“What’s with the look? Like you’ve seen a ghost.”
The playful tone Daeyoung had used with his mother had dropped into a lower, quieter voice. He chuckled as he began undoing the buttons on his shirt.
Wasn’t the restaurant he worked at an omakase beef place? The black uniform shirt reeked of meat but fit him well, accentuating his broad shoulders and chest. It was a far cry from the shabby clothes he usually wore, Jaemin thought grudgingly.
“There are better jobs than flipping grills. Why settle for something so cheap?”
Jaemin’s voice was sharp and unfiltered as he glared at him. Honestly, with his build, Daeyoung could’ve made money just standing around next to loan sharks collecting debts.
“Cheap? Haha, the boss pays me well. Plenty of customers come just to taste beef grilled by a superior alpha.”
“If you’re trying to be funny, it’s not working.”
“I’m serious.”
Daeyoung shrugged as he tossed aside his shirt. His upper body now bare, Jaemin unconsciously found his mouth going dry.
“I’m really good at grilling. Getting rid of excess grease while keeping the juices intact isn’t easy.”
Muttering nonsense, Daeyoung pulled a T-shirt out of his wardrobe, which was half his size. On his broad back, Jaemin noticed long, deep scratch marks—a clear remnant of some wild encounter. Whoever the partner was, they seemed to have enjoyed themselves immensely.
“You’re not selling more than just beef, are you?”
“Haha, what else would I sell?”
Jaemin twisted his lips but abruptly stopped talking. The glint in Daeyoung’s eyes made him realize too late that he’d just made a mistake. His sharp tongue often acted faster than his brain, and this time was no exception.
“Could it be, the taste of my dick?”
The one who had clung to Seol Daeyoung’s body, panting and clawing for more, had been none other than Jang Jaemin himself. The shame of being the culprit who had ruined that broad back left him trembling.
“…”
Seol Daeyoung pulled the white shirt down from his thick upper arm and approached Jaemin. His room, reminiscent of the crammed boarding houses Jaemin had seen during debt collections, barely left enough space to move a leg.
Standing so close their breaths nearly mingled, Daeyoung lowered his head to lock eyes with him. In that characteristic hoarse voice, tinged with excitement, he asked:
“So, did you come back to taste it again?”
“You bastard…”
Jaemin finally grabbed him by the collar. Rather than swatting his hand away, Daeyoung wrapped his arms tightly around him, pulling him into a firm embrace. Then, with deliberate slowness, he whispered into Jaemin’s ear:
“Want to know how I choose my part-time jobs?”
“Screw off.”
“There’s only one criterion: whether it’s within a ten-minute walk from my house. So I can rush home if anything happens to my mom.”
“Aren’t you a devoted son,” Jaemin spat out sarcastically.
“If someone you love were constantly at risk of being assaulted, wouldn’t you do the same?”
Jaemin bit his lip, his expression contorting in frustration. Daeyoung seemed utterly convinced that what he had done to Jaemin wasn’t assault. This must be the pinnacle of hypocrisy.
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