I didn't appreciate being called cute by someone several years my junior, but I let it go in one ear and out the other. Jeong Haejun's way of speaking was abnormal at times, so I seemed to have adapted to it.

Without replying, I drank the cold americano. It was drip coffee from a private cafe, not a franchise, and it tasted great—not just bitter like poison.

Does this guy go around hunting for gourmet spots? It doesn't fit his image at all. Since every place I went with Jeong Haejun was delicious, the thought suddenly occurred to me.

"What?"

"Huh?"

"I asked why you're looking at me like that."

"No, just..."

I vaguely brushed it off, absolutely unwilling to say that I was thinking about how every place I'd gone with him was great and delicious. After that, we killed time without any particular conversation until I checked my phone.

"Let's head back now."

"Okay," Jeong Haejun said simply and stood up.

"Thanks to you, I had some great udon today."

Although I paid, I was grateful he introduced me to the best udon of my life, so I thanked him as I got out of the car.

"Let's go again next time."

"Again?"

"Yes, do you hate it?"

"No. Sure, whatever. If I have time."

Jeong Haejun laughed at my transparent answer.

"I'm heading to class then."

"Okay."

As soon as Jeong Haejun finished speaking, I closed the car door and walked through the underground parking lot. Thanks to a certain someone, I had become accustomed to the stuffy underground smell of the parking lot, a place I'd barely visited since entering college.

________________________________________

I stepped into the house, which somehow felt even more grand than when I first saw it. Even seeing it again, it was a truly massive house.

Since I came alone today, I entered through the path passing the garden to the front door rather than the underground parking lot, which might be why it felt that way. After ringing the doorbell and waiting a moment, I was greeted by someone I hadn't seen before.

"You're Jeongseo's tutor, right?"

"Yes."

"The madam isn't home today."

"Ah, I see."

"If you go up, I'll bring up some snacks and drinks."

"Thank you."

From her explanation, I realized she was the housekeeper. She wasn't there last time, but today seemed to be a day she worked late. I climbed the stairs and headed straight for the room on the right.

"You're here?"

I was momentarily flustered because the owner wasn't visible even after I entered the room, but then the door to the attached bathroom opened and Choi Jeongseo appeared. Perhaps he had just finished showering; his hair was soaking wet, and droplets of water still clung to his face and neck.

"Sit."

A brief question crossed my mind as to why he bothered to shower right now knowing I was coming, but I soon dismissed it. Trying to understand people like Jeong Haejun and Choi Jeongseo was more exhausting. I was gradually realizing that it was easier for me to just accept whatever they did as it came.

Two chairs were prepared, so it didn't seem necessary to bring one from downstairs like last time. I sat in the relatively uncomfortable wooden chair.

"Why didn't you sit where it's comfortable, Hyung?"

Choi Jeongseo asked as he sat in the empty chair, shaking more water from his hair.

"I'm fine."

Knock, knock.

Then came a knock, and the housekeeper entered the room.

"Have some fruit while you work."

"Thank you."

"Please let me know if you need anything else."

"I will."

With a kind, benevolent smile, she placed a fruit tray down and left the room. As soon as she left, Choi Jeongseo picked up a neatly sliced piece of apple with a fork and ate it. The crunching sound was crisp.

"Do you want to read a book or something?"

"What?"

I thought he might at least do a little, but it seemed he had absolutely no intention of studying. Choi Jeongseo told me to do whatever I wanted—play games or read a book—and climbed onto the bed.

"You're really not doing anything?"

"No," Choi Jeongseo answered nonchalantly while looking at his phone.

"When does the housekeeper leave?"

"Hmm, soon."

"And when does your mother come home?"

"She'll be home late today, or she might not come home at all."

"And your father...?"

"Who knows. He's a busy man who spends more days away from home than in it."

Then, after the housekeeper leaves, there's no reason for me to stay in this house? An impure thought suddenly popped into my head.

"You're thinking if there's any need for you to be here right now, aren't you?"

At the voice that interrupted my train of thought, I looked up toward the bed.

"Yeah."

There was no reason to hide it, so I answered honestly and confidently.

"You can leave once the housekeeper goes home, Hyung."

"...I get it."

"She'll be leaving around 10 today."

"Okay."

"But, Hyung."

"Yeah?"

"Jeong Haejun said you're an Alpha. Is that true?"

Was I allowed to tell him? Since Jeong Haejun had already said it, it probably didn't matter, but I had thought I had to keep it a secret from everyone in this household, so I was speechless.

"I don't know about my mom, but I should know. Unless I've lost my mind, there's no reason for me to tell my mom you're an Alpha and create the hassle of finding another tutor."

"...Yeah, but I'm a recessive, so it's not very noticeable."

"I heard recessives are almost the same as Betas."

"I am."

"You don't even have ruts?"

"Almost never."

"What about Omega pheromones? Do you react to those the same way?"

"I can smell the scent, but I've never lost consciousness or become heavily aroused by pheromones."

Choi Jeongseo nodded, saying, "That must be convenient." He turned his gaze back to his phone, but after a short while, he looked at me again.

"But Hyung."

"What."

"You've never met a dominant Omega, have you?"

"Dominants, whether Alpha or Omega, aren't common."

Somehow, both a dominant Alpha and a dominant Omega had suddenly crashed into my life, but honestly, before meeting Jeong Haejun and Choi Jeongseo, I had never actually encountered a dominant of either gender.

"Then you don't know how you'd react to a dominant Omega."

"Yeah. But well, would it really be any different? I'm a recessive."

I spoke quickly, worried that Choi Jeongseo might be unnecessarily wary or anxious.

"Would it?"

His voice was meaningful. I narrowed my eyes, unable to read the intention behind his "Would it?"

"There's nothing to worry about. Recessives are a trait that wouldn't be strange if they turned into Betas at any time. There are even cases where someone was a recessive and then got re-diagnosed as a Beta. If you're worried I'll do something to you, you really don't have to be."

In truth, I was more worried about my own safety than Choi Jeongseo's, which is why I rambled. I had nothing but the thought that I had to reassure Choi Jeongseo somehow if I didn't want to get fired from even this tutoring job.

"...You really don't know anything."

"What?"

He said something, perhaps to himself, but his voice was too low for me to hear clearly.

"It's nothing. I get it, so you don't need to worry so much about being fired. I told you, I'm sick of meeting new teachers, introducing myself, and listening to my mom's lectures."

Choi Jeongseo, who had been leaning against the headboard, sat up after finishing his sentence.

"There's about 30 minutes left until the housekeeper leaves. What do you want to do?"

"I'll just look at my phone. Oh, and I'll buy the books next time I come. I think we should at least have textbooks, in case your mother suddenly asks."

"Do whatever you want. Anyway, I suddenly feel like watching a movie. Want to watch one together?"

"A movie?"

"Yes."

"...Sure."

Since I didn't have anything particular to do anyway, I readily agreed. Although Choi Jeongseo told me not to worry, the fact that he brought up the topic of Alphas and Omegas was subtly bothering me, which made me reluctant to reject his proposal.

"Come over here."