There is a single bookshelf in Hae-gyeom's small room. It had been filling up since he first moved in.

While it felt like all sorts of books were just randomly taking up space, Hae-gyeom liked that there was at least something for him to look at. Scanning the worn spines, Hae-gyeom picked one at random.

The first thing he grabbed was a textbook explaining landmarks in countries he had never visited in his life. Another book beside it covered all kinds of deep-sea creatures. He couldn't take his eyes off the illustrations, unsure whether they were drawings or photographs.

At the educational institutions omegas attended, they learned only the absolute basics. Things like letters and numbers, common sense, and rules. It was difficult to delve further into topics society had deemed 'unnecessary for them to know.' That was why the bookshelf before him felt like a treasure trove.

The one he pulled out this time was an encyclopedia of constellation myths for children. Flipping through the pages, Hae-gyeom paused at the story of Cetus, the Whale.

「Andromeda, the princess of Ethiopia, becomes an innocent sacrifice due to her mother's arrogance. Tied to a rock to be offered to a sea monster, she could do nothing but hold on to the hope that someone would save her.

Just then, the hero Perseus appears. He falls in love with Andromeda at first sight, risks his life to fight the monster, and rescues her.」

All salvation is interpreted through the context of love. And love is a very special feeling given to those who can fully face one another.

To Hae-gyeom, both salvation and love felt like illusions. Of course, it wasn't that he didn't know what love was. Hae-gyeom loved his mother, Hee-ran. And Hee-ran, too, must have given birth to him because she loved someone in a society where the marginalized were forced to love only those as marginalized as themselves.

In other words, Hae-gyeom was living now because of that damn love cultivated within absurdity.

'I wonder if Mom is doing any better...'

Naturally, he had lost contact with Hee-ran. The moment you entered the shop, everything you had disappeared. He would only be able to stop this life ten years from now, after he was squeezed dry and treated as nothing more than a lump of fat.

By then, Hae-gyeom would likewise find someone marginalized, love them on instinct, and pass down the shame of being an omega. Because he was born this way, he had to live this way.

Ever since he first entered Madam Shin's house and then ran away, Hae-gyeom's driving force had been 'resignation.' As a result, he no longer cried even when he thought of Hee-ran. He only hoped that if he ever saw her again, she would simply be alive.

Recalling for the first time in a long while a hope so thin it barely had a shape, Hae-gyeom looked out the small window in the room.

"It's bright. Even though it's evening."

The window, covered by paper-thin curtains, was positioned very high, and it was impossible to open from the inside without a key. Naturally, Hae-gyeom did not have the key.

Fiddling with the window frame aimlessly, Hae-gyeom approached the small desk attached to the head of the bed. Knife marks and indentations were scattered across the wooden planks, giving it a well-worn feel. He had been looking at it for days, but for some reason, he hadn't even touched it, feeling as though a desk wasn't something he was allowed to use.

At the bottom right was a three-tiered drawer. His curiosity piqued, Hae-gyeom opened them one by one, starting from the top. There was nothing in the first two drawers.

Rattle.

"Oh."

When he finally opened the third drawer, he saw two rolling pencils and a small device. Hae-gyeom took them all out and placed them on the desk.

The device was wrapped in a pure white cord; holding it close, he saw it was an MP3 player. Even in his poorer days, he had used a cell phone, so it wasn't hard to recognize.

The battery must have been dead, as the screen wouldn't turn on even when he pressed the power button. It was no surprise that it was practically junk after being left unused for so long.

Still. If possible, he wanted to try using it.

Maybe there was a charging cable that fit this somewhere. Hae-gyeom tucked the MP3 player into his pocket, carefully opened the door, and checked outside through the crack. The view outside was quiet. It was because Sang-yeon, who had left the annex early, hadn't returned.

Other than having Hae-gyeom do tasks when he was present, Sang-yeon didn't care for him wandering around the place. That was only natural.

'But he’s not here right now...'

Aside from finding a charging cable, it was a time when he might be able to do something more. Harboring a feeling that could hardly even be called greed, Hae-gyeom also clutched the constellation book he had been reading. Then he cautiously stepped out the door.

Even in the darkened annex, the interior was bright due to the moonlight streaming through the windows. Thin lines sparkled across the pool beneath the long, horizontal window.

Nearly two weeks had passed since he arrived here, but he hadn't even dipped a toe in the pool. It was obvious Sang-yeon would hate it. And he never knew when the man might return.

In that case, 'now' might be the only real opportunity.

Crouching down, he rolled his pants up to his calves. Then he sat his rear completely on the edge of the pool and put his legs in the water. He had just washed a little while ago, so surely this much would be fine.

"It's not cold."

In fact, it was warm. He couldn't have guessed the temperature just by looking. Then again, it was September, so this water temperature would be appropriate for a person.

In a space where Sang-yeon always soaked himself from head to toe, this was all Hae-gyeom could do. That 'all' was also his everything. Soon, Hae-gyeom lifted his head, and the night sky filled his vision. He couldn't see the constellations as clearly as those in the book still in his arms, but there were many stars here and there.

Just as he was looking down at the book with the earphones from the non-functional MP3 player in his ears, the annex door suddenly opened.

"...!"

Hae-gyeom stood up reflexively. He momentarily slipped on his wet soles but managed to regain his balance.

As the figure, initially only a shadow, slowly approached, he was finally able to make out the face.

"You're alone."

It was Gi-seok, dressed in black from head to toe.

Hae-gyeom couldn't even properly fix his rolled-up pants before he hurriedly bowed at the waist. It was a relief it wasn't Sang-yeon, but even if it was Gi-seok, he shouldn't have been seen like this.

"Ah, h-hello."

"I see you were splashing around."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come out of my room without permission."

"What does it matter? No one's here."

It was strange how his tone was soft despite the cold aura he exuded. For whatever reason, Hae-gyeom's racing heart settled just a little.

He's not angry. He was someone who hadn't gotten angry even once since they first met.

"Where's Sang-yeon?"

"He exercised in the morning and hasn't returned to the annex since."

"I heard there was a practice match. I suppose he's conserving his strength."

When a brief silence followed, Hae-gyeom lowered his rolled-up pant legs. Hae-gyeom's voice continued, unable to meet Gi-seok's eyes.

"Have you been very busy?"

"..."

"You haven't come by for the past few days..."

As Hae-gyeom straightened his posture, his hair was slightly disheveled. Even to Gi-seok, it was obvious he didn't know what to do with himself. To be in this state just because he dipped his feet in the pool... no, that wasn't it.

"What's that for?"

Gi-seok reached toward his face. It was the earphone that had come from Hae-gyeom's ear. Quickly pulling the earphone out, Hae-gyeom clutched the MP3 player.

"Ah, this, in the room... I opened the drawer, and it was there. The power won't turn on, so, um, I didn't think it worked, so I just..."

"The desk in that room is the one that used to be in the upstairs study when I was young. I used it mostly. So this is probably mine, too."

"...I'm sorry. For touching it without permission."

"I explained that to mean you don't need to apologize."

Gi-seok let out a soft breath. When Hae-gyeom glanced up at him, a faint smile was spreading across his face.

The manager wasn’t getting angry. Relieved, Hae-gyeom let Gi-seok take the MP3 player.

"It's never been broken, so it should still work. Give it to me for now. I'll give it back next time with a charger."

"Thank you."

"I don't have the means to add more songs, so you'll have to be satisfied with the old songs I used to listen to."

"That's fine. I don't know many songs anyway..."

Since it was something he had when he entered this house ten years ago, it was an unfamiliar object even to Gi-seok. He had been wondering what to say since it had been a while, but the MP3 player had served as a good topic.

"So, have you been well?"

Since he was looking at him, Gi-seok kept his gaze fixed on him for a moment longer.

"Yes. I’ve been about the same."

His face, with its clear, protruding cheekbones, looked exactly like someone his age. Since there was a gap of nearly ten years between them, he was nothing but a young child.

Only twenty-three, yet he was living this kind of life in a place like this. It was only natural that his consciousness would slacken as his heart inevitably weakened. As he inhaled briefly, he caught a faint scent. To clear away the most useless thought he could have right now, Gi-seok curled his fists lightly.

"I've been busy. And since this is a place Sang-yeon uses, I tried to avoid coming as much as possible."

"Ah..."

"...But I was curious, so I just came by."

Since neither of them was particularly talkative, silences settled here and there. Soon, Gi-seok stepped toward Hae-gyeom first, bringing them within arm’s reach.

"Any problems with your meals?"

"No. They bring delicious food every time."

"Let me know if you need anything in your room. Come to think of it, there isn't even a TV, is there?"

"No, it's okay. What I have now is enough."

Feeling like he had been talking about trivial things, Gi-seok lowered his gaze and spotted the book in Hae-gyeom's arms. It was a book with images of constellations decorating the sky, accompanied by brief explanations.

It looked like a book tailored for children, likely something that had been in Sang-yeon's room as a child, just to fill the space. After all, the room Hae-gyeom was using now was truly just a spare room. Even the shower area had only been crudely prepared recently.

A single new bed had been placed in a room where all sorts of junk had been gathered, and curtains had been hung at the tiny window to give it the semblance of a room. In the study, items that hadn't been thrown away would be mixed together in no particular order.

As long as Hae-gyeom was the one using the room, he at least had the right to use all the objects inside it. But Hae-gyeom made excuses as if taking out the MP3 player and the book placed there were some great transgression.

"I thought it would be nice to have something to look at when I'm alone... I'm sorry for looking at it without permission."

"I never said not to look at them. Don't apologize."

The tension in Hae-gyeom's expression relaxed at the firm statement. Thinking he had received some kind of permission, Hae-gyeom continued.

"Have you seen this book too, Manager?"

"No. There aren't many old things in this house that I used. It's probably something Sang-yeon used to look at."

"I see... This is really interesting."

Suddenly, Hae-gyeom took a step closer. He presented the open page to Gi-seok.

"I don't know much about constellations. But I saw that every single one has a story."

Ursa Major, Scorpio. The subject of constellations itself was outside the realm of Gi-seok's interest, but he didn't want to silence the chattering Hae-gyeom.

His eyes barely following the pages, Gi-seok listened to the gentle voice.

It was a bit funny to be caught by a kid while listening to constellation myths. It was also pitiful that Hae-gyeom, who hadn't been able to engage in conversation despite being in a space where others clearly existed, was clinging to him, who had visited after several days.

Not long ago, after regretting stopping by to check on him, Gi-seok had decided to keep his distance for a while. It was something he had agreed to with Sang-yeon. If Sang-yeon had met him today, he would have scowled like last time, telling him not to do useless things. Since Sang-yeon was already on edge from bringing Hae-gyeom here, Gi-seok would have ended up giving in to him again.

If he thought of Sang-yeon, it was right to step back now, regardless of the man's presence, but if he thought of Hae-gyeom instead...

"This is Cetus, the Whale, and it's the first time I've ever heard about a constellation like this."

As expected, coating hypocrisy with a few layers of duty didn't feel entirely like a bad thing.

"If you look closely, I think it really does look a bit like a whale."

For a moment, his eyes met Hae-gyeom's. Having talked well the whole time, Hae-gyeom only then seemed to realize he had been talking too much on his own, and he closed the book, stiffening instantly.

"Ah, I'm so..."

"Why? I was listening."

Perhaps it was embarrassing to reopen what he had already closed, but Hae-gyeom hugged the book tightly, his mouth shut. After staring at the illustrations of the sky and constellations decorating the back cover, Gi-seok turned his head forward.

Outside the window, which cast light toward the pool, the night sky stretched out, adorned with stars. The large, transparent window showed the firmament so clearly it looked like a work of art. It was probably all the world Hae-gyeom could see from in here. In terms of the universe, it was a tiny area, barely enough to hold the constellations he was clutching to his chest.

All knowledge expands through experience. Gi-seok didn't know much about constellations either, but wouldn't the real sky be a better example than a drawing?

"Since things turned out like this, why don't we just sit?"

"Pardon?"

In front of the puzzled Hae-gyeom, he nonchalantly took off his jacket. He rolled up his shirt sleeves and quickly rolled up his pant legs.

Gi-seok sat perched on the edge just as Hae-gyeom had earlier. He gestured with his chin toward the window for Hae-gyeom, who was looking down at him.

"You can see the whole sky from this spot."

"..."

"If you look carefully, you might discover something."

Hae-gyeom's large eyes widened, and the corners of his mouth twitched. His smile was surprisingly cute.

Cute? I've gone soft. He barely managed to control his expression as he pulled himself together. He thought that, no matter what, smiling along with the kid would be too creepy.

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

Sang-yeon showered as soon as the trainer left and returned to his room in the main house. He couldn't relax his scowl even in bed, but he fell asleep as soon as he closed his eyes.

By the time he came to his senses, it was already the middle of the night. His head throbbed from an unwelcome nap. After staring at the ceiling in the silent room, Sang-yeon headed for the annex.

Creeeeak. The interior was silent as he opened the door. He passed the pool, where moonlight spread, making the ripples sparkle.

The small room looked the same as it always did.

'He must have been so relieved to be left alone all day.'

The thought that he had made Hae-gyeom comfortable made irritation surge again. Having calmed himself down for a moment, Sang-yeon felt like picking a fight and kicked the door. Thump. Thump.

Then, deciding there was no need to do so, he threw the door open.

"...What?"

But the room was empty. Hae-gyeom was nowhere to be seen. With no proper hiding places, he didn't even have to bother looking around. Sang-yeon froze for a moment before stepping back. His legs tangled, and he almost fell, but he tried to act as if nothing were wrong. Then, swallowing hard for no reason, he left the room and checked the exercise room and the shower.

Hae-gyeom was nowhere to be found. It was as if Yoon Hae-gyeom did not exist in the annex itself.

Sang-yeon rushed out toward the pool and glared at the entrance door. The door here was never locked. Since he frequently entered and exited, he found it annoying to latch and unlatch it.

That meant it was essentially defenseless, allowing a person to enter or leave at any time.

'No way.'

He had told Hae-gyeom to run away before. Since he couldn't kick him out because of Gi-seok, it was actually to his benefit if Hae-gyeom disappeared on his own.

But in reality, such a thing shouldn’t happen. Even if an omega who had been sold from an alpha's house ran away, there wasn't a paradise elsewhere. So he thought the guy would be someone who couldn't do something so stupid anyway.

"Fuck, no way."

With a hollow laugh at the end, Sang-yeon left the annex. Fuming, he looked over the spacious garden.

A CCTV camera was constantly operating at the massive gate in the distance. If he spoke to the resident manager, he could see the footage immediately, but his feet moved toward the gate of their own accord. It didn't seem likely that someone with such a pathetic body could have run far.

Just how much did he look down on me? He should have just shut up and endured it, but to run away...

'I have to catch him with my own hands, that son of a bitch.'

Striding with his long legs, Sang-yeon returned to the annex. It was to check for any remaining traces of him. What luggage did he take? Did he perhaps steal something that wasn't even his? It was the moment he was about to barge into the small room again.

...Haha.

A light, scattering sound of laughter from one side brought Sang-yeon to a halt. His head turned reflexively. It came from beyond a small side door he had forgotten even existed, one that wouldn't even be recognized as a door at a glance.

'That's...'

The back door leading to the backyard, a place he truly had no reason to ever open.

Now that I look, that gap is open. He had never tried to open it from the inside before. This was because it led to a space mostly frequented by the groundskeepers. It was a stifling corner where fertilizers, shovels, pruning shears, and carts were gathered, even though it was under the wide-open sky.

In a moment of bewilderment, he heard the laughter again. It wasn't a hallucination. Sang-yeon turned back, almost at a run.

When he flung the door open, he saw two people huddled together under a night sky where the moonlight was exceptionally bright. At that moment, Sang-yeon’s face contorted, and his Adam’s apple bobbed.

“Fuck, what are you two doing?”

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

It had happened about an hour ago. After a brief resolution, Gi-seok had stepped out the back door with Hae-gyeom.

It was an unspoken rule that the life of an omega subordinate to an alpha was confined to a ‘room.’ That was why Hae-gyeom hadn't even dared to dream of the outdoors. The fact that he hadn't even thought about crossing a door that was always open was the result of him enduring his circumstances.

No matter how much of the wall it occupied, a window was still just a window. If he just opened the door and stepped out, he could see a wider view. Once that thought took hold, he concluded that he should at least be allowed to go out and look at the sky.

Wasn't stepping just a few paces out of this annex to look at the sky for a moment something he could at least permit as a ‘buyer’?

In the end, it was Gi-seok’s will that finally pushed the hesitant Hae-gyeom come out. Hae-gyeom had clearly wavered. He even looked terrified, as if he were facing a massive act of rebellion. But when Gi-seok shrugged, he eventually nodded, taking even that as a command.

Gi-seok received the key from a caretaker who was preparing to leave for the day. The caretaker couldn't bring himself to say no to the man who said he would hold onto it for a while.

Despite being in the annex for several days, Hae-gyeom had remained unaware of the back door’s existence. Gi-seok nonchalantly opened the back door and led Hae-gyeom into a backyard slightly wider than a standard room.

The evenings had already grown chilly. Even though he was wearing a worn-out cardigan, his body soon trembled. Yet he didn't even mind the cold. No, the experience of breathing under the vast, open sky was so foreign that he didn't want to dwell on something like the cold.

During his time at the shop, he had never breathed such cool air. In truth, he didn't know how much he had missed it.

Acting unilaterally without the owner’s permission was almost like breaking the law. Even though Hae-gyeom knew he was supposed to please and live for Sang-yeon, he couldn't reject Gi-seok, who had reached out to him during Sang-yeon’s absence.

Because he was the one who had brought him here. Hae-gyeom wanted to go so far as to call him his savior.

“When Sang-yeon isn't around, you can come out this far. It's especially fine at night. He sleeps, too.”

It wasn't a command, nor was it a suggestion. He was simply stating a fact.

Hae-gyeom, savoring the wind brushing against his skin, quickly waved his hands. No matter how much he enjoyed it, he didn't dare turn a special experience into a habit.

“I-I’m truly grateful, but... today is enough for me, Manager.”

“I don't know if you heard what we discussed earlier, but I have this much decision-making authority too.”

He knew that Gi-seok distinguished himself and Sang-yeon as the buyer and the user. In terms of authority, they might be equal, but Hae-gyeom was still uneasy.

Of course, coming out this far also meant that if he put his mind to it, he could escape this mansion. If he climbed over the crude wall, he would see the grand main gate. Entering from the outside might be one thing, but leaving from the inside wouldn't be difficult as long as he could handle the locks.

Even if he was caught by security over there, perhaps digging a dog hole under the gate would serve as a passage. Gi-seok clearly knew that this decision itself created the possibility of Hae-gyeom running away, but he didn't feel much worry or anxiety.

Because, as he had felt certain before, Hae-gyeom looked like someone for whom the impulse to run away was no longer possible. He seemed like a person who had given up on creating variables in his life.

“From tomorrow on, find a good time and come out on your own. Do some stargazing.”

As if in response, Hae-gyeom’s eyes sparkled. It was quite different from seeing them under fluorescent light. At that, Gi-seok’s hand rose instinctively.

‘Do you really think he’s some kind of pet?’

It definitely wasn't like that. It couldn't be.

He eventually placed his hand on Hae-gyeom’s hair. Hae-gyeom, who flinched slightly as if surprised, soon grew still. Only when they were looking at each other did Gi-seok think of Sang-yeon.

It was just as he was debating whether it would be better to give him a heads-up in advance, just in case.

“Fuck, what are you two doing?”

The agitated voice snapped them back to reality.

It wasn't that he wasn't surprised, but Gi-seok quickly regained his composure and withdrew his hand. Whether he had given him a heads-up or not, it was only natural for Sang-yeon to be furious upon discovering the situation.

“Ha... This is ridiculous.”

With a scoff, Sang-yeon walked over quickly. His eyes, filled with intensity, were fixed on Hae-gyeom.

The moment Hae-gyeom, who had been breathing in the night air, saw Sang-yeon, he seemed to freeze. It was unavoidable, no matter how much Gi-seok was by his side. As Sang-yeon fixed his gaze on the flustered man and closed the distance, Hae-gyeom managed to open his mouth with difficulty.

“Um...”

“You, shut the fuck up.”

Regardless of Sang-yeon’s agitated attitude, the way he was addressed—reduced to a mere ‘Um’—grated on Gi-seok’s ears. He thought he had told him he could call him by his name. It seemed Sang-yeon had been putting a lot of pressure on him. As if that were such a difficult thing to do.

Of course, he couldn't make an issue of it in this situation. For now, Gi-seok had the duty of handling the enraged Baek Sang-yeon.

“You said you’d stay out of it. What the hell is this situation?”

Fire seemed to flicker in Sang-yeon’s eyes as he stood before Gi-seok. As if boiling with anger, Sang-yeon’s expression was grimly distorted. Gi-seok replied calmly.

“I came to see you. You weren't here, so we talked for a bit. Then we came out. That's all.”

“That's all?”

“It's not a big deal.”

Sang-yeon laughed as if he couldn't believe it. He didn't even buy the excuse for coming to see him. As long as the lights in the annex were off, he would have known from outside that Sang-yeon wasn't there.

He had clearly come to see Hae-gyeom from the start. At a moment when Sang-yeon was away. Intent on spending time and emotion he didn't need to give.

He knew that the man who was like an older brother to him valued propriety. Jo Gi-seok's very attitude proved they did not share the same blood—unlike their mother, who lived by the prevailing trends, or Sang-yeon himself, who had no desire to challenge this society.

Until now, he had been able to understand all of that because he was his hyung. But this, he absolutely could not tolerate.

What was Yoon Hae-gyeom? Why was hyung touching something that belonged to someone else...?

As his body heated up, his breathing grew ragged. Sang-yeon, whose senses had sharpened, held his breath for a moment. He looked back and forth between Gi-seok and Hae-gyeom. Then, reflexively, he grabbed Hae-gyeom’s arm.

Hae-gyeom looked almost on the verge of tears. It wasn't the face of someone who had done something wrong. That is to say, it ‘seemed’ like the face of someone who truly knew nothing. But even so, wasn’t he still an omega?

Inside that guy was a nature capable of spreading his legs as long as there was a man to take him. Recalling that, Gi-seok looked different in this moment. Setting aside the detailed distinction between dominant and recessive, he was ultimately the same kind of being as himself.

“Just be honest at this point. You two did it, didn't you?”

At the question, dropped like a bomb, Hae-gyeom’s lips parted awkwardly. At the same time, Gi-seok frowned. Sang-yeon’s level of thinking was appalling. When he let out a sigh, feeling it wasn't worth answering, Sang-yeon interpreted it as he pleased.

“Fuck, you really did...? Finally?!”

“I just told you. All we did was talk for a bit. You really...”

“Why the hell are you guys hiding and ‘talking’ in the middle of the fucking night!”

“We weren't hiding. I clearly left the door wide open. We didn't even go out through that door; we just stepped out into this small space for some fresh air. That's all.”

“Hyung.”

“As a buyer, can't I at least allow this much of an environment? I’m not you.”

“...”

“My head isn't just filled with whether we're doing it or not. So if that's what you're worried about, there's no need.”

It was an admonishment so characteristic of Jo Gi-seok.

At a time when even recalling a pleasant encounter every day wouldn't be enough, this kind of confrontation was already repeating for the nth time. Just as he said, Gi-seok being intentionally kind to Hae-gyeom might be unpleasant for Sang-yeon to see, but it might not be a problem.

Because that couldn't change Yoon Hae-gyeom’s circumstances. The fact that he was his ‘owner’ remained an unchangeable truth.

Then what am I worried about...?

Sang-yeon lowered his head. He was still holding Hae-gyeom’s arm.

‘...Was I worried... that Yoon Hae-gyeom did something with hyung?’

Is that what I was worried about? Why me?

A chill brushed against the back of his neck. The moment he felt a sensation fitting for the night air, he didn't want to stay any longer. Sang-yeon roughly shook off Hae-gyeom’s hand. A voice reached the back of Sang-yeon’s head as he immediately turned away.

“Sang-yeon-ah.”

Fuck, don't call me that...

Immediately after Sang-yeon vanished as if fleeing, Hae-gyeom raised his hand awkwardly. There was no one to catch, so it merely hovered in the air for a moment.

Before long, the sound of the mansion door opening and closing could be heard. Only two people remained under the sky. They couldn't look at each other. Hae-gyeom’s body was still facing the direction Sang-yeon had left.

Not the ground, nor the wall, but something else was cracking with an unpleasant sound.

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

Unpleasant memories are stored in the brain as fragments of dangerous information. Foul emotions like fear, shame, betrayal, and shock add weight and depth to them.

To Sang-yeon, the very existence of ‘Lee Ji-won’ was a single, most hateful memory. It was nauseating to harbor feelings for another man and, even more, to desire some kind of relationship. At the moment he was beating Ji-won into a bloody pulp, Sang-yeon was closer to an animal.

The mixture of betrayal, disappointment, and anger toward him fueled the young alpha’s violence. It had only been barely suppressed by attending psychiatric clinics afterward; one never knew when it might rear its head again.

He had already lived for years cursing those who harbor filthy desires toward someone as they please. The more he focused on sports, the more fixed his thoughts and tastes became. Beside such a person, In-ho told him to live with his head a bit emptier. Because he was a guy who was carefree about everything in the world, unlike himself, he had targeted Yoon Hae-gyeom not long ago.

Whether In-ho lived that way or not was none of his business. Since one cannot force one's tastes on others, Jang In-ho’s life was irrelevant to him anyway.

He thought it would remain irrelevant forever.

“Baek Sang-yeon.”

In-ho kicked Sang-yeon, who was sprawled on the living room sofa. Just yesterday, Sang-yeon had competed in a practice match. He entered the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints and took first place in both.

Despite achieving good results, his mood was ruined. He was still here because he knew the reason why.

It had been about a week since he had blindly stormed out of the house. There had been no contact from home. Gi-seok, pretending to know everything while knowing nothing, would have made excuses to his mother on his behalf. Because he was a brother who never lost composure in such situations.

For the first few days, he just hung around the gym swimming pool all day. On the second day, he practiced briefly in the morning, showed his face at school, then came to In-ho’s house and slept all day.

Every time he tossed and turned late at night, his mind was dyed pitch black. Yoon Hae-gyeom was always there. Then his mood would sour, and it was a cycle of forcing his eyes shut.

Sang-yeon was exhausted, having pushed himself to the limit by swimming at the gym for a record until just this morning. So he wanted to ignore In-ho’s kicking, but since he had promised him something earlier, there was a limit to ignoring him.

“Don't just sit there and sulk; let's go play and blow off some steam. Change your clothes, quick.”

In-ho threatened him. In the end, Sang-yeon stood up, pretending to give in.

Nocturne was a club he had visited a few times with In-ho. A place where, if you had the money, you could hold a pretty and charming omega.

Having come out with nothing, he had no card today, but thanks to a good friend, he didn't have to worry about such things. In-ho, saying his goal was to soothe Sang-yeon’s low mood, finally led Sang-yeon out of the house.

While driving a sleek foreign car, he could sense sincerity in the way the man chattered incessantly, but Sang-yeon had no motivation to play along with the trivial stories. It was because the scene under the moonlit night frequently disturbed his inner self.

The large men in front of the club they finally arrived at recognized In-ho immediately. Entry was easy, even for Sang-yeon, who had his face tightly wrapped in a hat and mask.

The deeper they went into the basement, turning corner after corner after corner, the thicker the mingled scents became. In-ho, taking a deep breath, muttered with an ecstatic look.

“I could cum just walking.”

It was an impression befitting a man living with an empty head. In-ho held the principle that as long as one was born with a good background, things like talent or goals didn't have much meaning. Possessing nothing but money and time, he only thought about ways to fill his life with fun. In a way, he might be living the most alpha-like life.

An alpha-like life. He had a slightly serious dream, but Sang-yeon also had the right to enjoy it.

Following In-ho, Sang-yeon slowly inhaled. Upon entering the deep hall, loud music and bright red lights stung his eyes. On the stage, heavily decorated omegas were acting endlessly coquettish, trapped in gold-plated cages.

These were also all things that had come over from the shops. Since transactions weren't limited only to individuals. It was common for establishments to make bulk purchases.

The omegas here do not take things like suppressants. It was simply so they could emit their pheromones constantly. Then, if they unexpectedly entered their heat cycle, they would enjoy that period in a limp state. As if they existed solely to be consumed.

Watching the pathetic sight stirred his body, but he clicked his tongue. Sang-yeon pulled his hat down further, trying to hide even a bit more of his trademark bright red hair.

At that moment, the omegas who spotted In-ho and Sang-yeon began to reach out with coy smiles. In-ho, who was glancing around, fixed his gaze on someone and pointed to a man. Unusually, there were quite a few men today.

“I like him.”

The omega with a sturdy body appeared overflowing with masculinity at first glance. His gestures were bold, unlike his looks, though. Was that kind of style possible? It was an unexpected choice.

“Did you really get a taste for men?”

“I almost got a taste last time, but because of someone, I haven't had one yet. I’m going to now, though.”

Sang-yeon swallowed his response. In-ho still didn't know that Gi-seok hadn't come in the end that day.

With the choice made, the male omega was handed over to In-ho. If they went up to the upper part of the hall and walked along the corridor again, countless rooms would appear, where alphas could do anything they wished with the omega they had chosen.

Left alone before he knew it, Sang-yeon also looked up. Since it had been a while since he’d had a release, it seemed better to just kill some time and leave quickly. He slowly looked over the products.

Because there were more women in the gender ratio and he didn't even want to look at the male side, the ones Sang-yeon was looking at were all more or less the same.

Then he spotted a woman on the far right. The lights were so blinding that he couldn't make out her skin or hair color well, but her appearance wasn't bad, so he stood in front of her for now. The woman smiled prettily and reached out as if she had been waiting. Slender fingers slipped through the bars of the cage.

The moment he parted his lips to choose her, someone suddenly grabbed his arm.

“Whoa...”

It was a man with hair so long it almost covered his eyes. There was no fat on his body at all, and his exposed skin was exceptionally white. The moment he reflexively shoved him away, he locked eyes with the pupils visible between the hair. Suddenly, a familiar face filled his mind.

Yoon Hae-gyeom, with arms that looked like they might break.

Normally he would have ignored it, but his gaze was fixed on the man. As if he didn't care at all about the woman who had been his intended target just moments ago. Sang-yeon’s heart thundered like the relentless beat flowing from the speakers.

What am I thinking?

The woman's whining in front of him grew faint. Sang-yeon’s mouth went dry as he looked at the man. It wasn't Yoon Hae-gyeom, but he was overlaying Yoon Hae-gyeom onto the man.

As soon as he thought of him as Yoon Hae-gyeom, his deep-rooted disgust was shoved down. What took its place was an extremely primal impulse.

“...”

Sang-yeon’s body, his palms already sweaty, turned slightly. His fingertips pointed not toward the woman but toward the man.

“This one.”

The burly guard nodded nonchalantly and opened the lock. I’ve finally gone crazy. Faced with a realization that made him want to smash his own head in, Sang-yeon was left speechless.

“Press the button on the wall if you need anything.”

Following the canned instructions, the man closed the door. This room, which he had come to with the omega, was the highest-class room in Nocturne. Sang-yeon, having strode across the velvet-textured floor, sat on the bed for now.

When he looked up, the man who had been following him came into clear view. Sang-yeon was so flabbergasted he couldn’t even laugh. He hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol, yet he had done something even a drunkard wouldn’t.

‘I did that with my own hands. I must be crazy...’

As if he enjoyed the situation, the man let the cloth covering his body fall away. In an instant, he stood completely naked. Sang-yeon’s expression hardened as the man drew closer. He felt like he might gag.

The feeling that this was a mistake welled up inside him. Yet, contrary to his thoughts, his gaze swept over the man’s body. Most of all, the problem was that his hair obscured his face, making it hard to distinguish his features.

And because of that, he could keep picturing someone else.

The man had a body so narrow it looked as if it would crumple if he were folded at the waist.

His pale skin, which looked as if it would hold every mark wherever it was gripped or scratched, was even more apparent in the light of the room.

His movements, devoid of strength and almost doll-like, resembled someone else’s perfectly. In the meantime, a bright red tongue repeatedly flickered in and out between his parted lips.

Sang-yeon imagined the voice of the man who seemed about to speak, yet remained silent.

“Sang-yeon-ah.”

Already, his name had been spoken through Hae-gyeom’s mouth several times in his head. His breath quickened at the delusion that hummed on like a melody. Sang-yeon finally stood up.

Stop this bullshit. Agitated, he clutched his head. I must be losing it. What’s wrong with me?

He had to get out. Now, before he had even laid a finger on the man, was his only chance to leave. Sang-yeon shoved the man aside roughly. The door was only a few steps away.

Just then, the man who had been shoved to the floor grabbed his leg. Sang-yeon looked down to see the man staring up at him.

“Where are you going...?”

As he spoke, he began rubbing his face against Sang-yeon’s thigh. The man’s shoulder blades protruded sharply, as if they might pierce through his skin. Below the long stretch of his collarbones, his chest was pathetically flat.

He had seen something similar not too long ago—the bare skin glimpsed through the gaps of a loose T-shirt. In fact, all these uncomfortable emotions might have started back then.

Sang-yeon kicked him away with all his might.

“You son of a bitch, who do you think you’re touching?”

He raised his foot to vent more of his rage, but he couldn't bring himself to kick again.

Yoon Hae-gyeom, who was so gaunt he was unsightly, so pale, and whose skeletal frame was starkly outlined by skin clinging tightly to lean muscle. Yoon Hae-gyeom... who looked as if his body would show the shape of whatever was thrust inside him.

An afterimage of Hae-gyeom standing half-naked with In-ho flashed before his eyes. Sang-yeon bit his lip. Pulling his foot back from the fallen male omega, he stomped on the bare floor instead.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck...!”

Something was wrong with his head. Maybe his brain had short-circuited after the tension from the practice match had bled out of his body. This shouldn’t be happening. It was abnormal to constantly think about someone he disliked rather than someone he liked. And abnormal things didn’t happen to him.

He began to feel a sense of indignation.

A sudden surge of emotion made his nose sting. Just then, an employee who had heard the thumping sound knocked on the door.

“Is everything alright in there?”

Sang-yeon caught his breath. Leaving his racing heart as it was, he caught his reflection in the mirror on the wall. He was far too worked up. Even if his face was hidden, it wouldn’t be wise to stay here in this state any longer.

He needed a release.

Sang-yeon looked down at the omega sprawling on the floor. Even now, the man was staring at Sang-yeon’s crotch. Everyone is like this. He probably wasn't even particularly depraved.

Then that bastard at home is exactly the same. Why the fuck did I even come to a club like this?

“...”

Ending with the thought that this was all Yoon Hae-gyeom’s fault, Sang-yeon threw the door open. The employee, peering into the room, looked relieved to see the fallen omega was unharmed.

“Are you leaving?”

“Put his tab on the person I came with.”

He needed a release. Not with a ‘fake,’ but with the ‘real thing.’ Because Yoon Hae-gyeom was the one responsible.

A fool who couldn’t do a single thing without his permission. A vulgar creature who didn’t know shame, even after eating food off the floor or baring his skin in front of Jang In-ho.

Whenever the distance between them narrowed, he would exude his presence with a scent Sang-yeon had never smelled before...

My omega.

“I’m leaving now, so call me a taxi.”

It didn’t matter what he did to him. He could have done anything, yet he had only tormented him in such a refined manner. He had thought that was the worst thing he could do to Yoon Hae-gyeom. He believed that refusing to touch a man whose hole was surely itching for it was the best way to make him suffer.

But for days now, Hae-gyeom had been crawling around the floor with an air of leisure, as if none of it mattered, as if it didn’t matter what Sang-yeon did. He had even been caught by In-ho and had a secret meeting with Gi-seok.

In short, he was having the time of his life behind Sang-yeon’s back.

Composure was something that belonged to Sang-yeon, and the fact that Yoon Hae-gyeom had snatched it away drove him to act. He would remind him once again that such a thing was impossible. To do that, he had to see that face—the one that had been haunting his mind day and night—right now.

Because he knew the easiest way to show him that only Sang-yeon could ever be above him.

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

A bed, a bookshelf, a small table and chair, and a refrigerator just big enough to hold some water. A cramped shower space where one could barely wash their hands and body and attend to basic needs. No one's personality was reflected in the small room. It was truly a space structured only out of necessity.

Hae-gyeom spent most of his days sitting on the bed in his room. When it was time, he ate the meals provided for him or performed the tasks required to manage the annex. He cleaned until not a speck of dust remained, organizing items exactly as he had memorized their positions when he first saw them.

In that way, every day ended much the same. That similarity applied not only to his actions but also to his emotions.

Today, just as Gi-seok had told him, he waited until he confirmed that all the lights in the main house were out before opening the back door and stepping outside. He enjoyed the night sky and the cold air, then returned to his room shortly after.

Something special had been added to his routine, but he wasn't sure whether it was right.

"He didn't come today either."

After their confrontation under the moonlight, Sang-yeon had stopped visiting. He hadn't come to the annex once since then. It had already been several days.

The pool, having lost its owner, was so calm every day that it no longer looked like water anymore. Of course, Hae-gyeom felt freer in the annex without him. He no longer had to kneel or stand all day just to suit Sang-yeon's whims.

It wasn't that he wanted to play that doll game again; rather, he was bothered by the face he had seen at the end of it.

'You two did it, didn't you?'

He didn't quite understand what that meant, but in that moment, Sang-yeon's eyes looked truly miserable. Strangely, Sang-yeon became so fragile whenever he dealt with Gi-seok. It was entirely different from the way he moved like a bird in the water, with his large, beautiful body.

Every time he thought of Sang-yeon like that, his chest felt strangely tingly. It would be nice if he could comfort him. He even had such thoughts, despite knowing he had no right to.

'Is he very angry with me?'

Sang-yeon's loathing seemed to deepen by the day. Until recently, Hae-gyeom had tried to just accept it, since it was something he couldn't help. But contrary to his resolve, it bothered him more with each passing day. Could he dare to feel a sense of kinship with someone else forced to endure what he didn't want? If Sang-yeon ever found out his true feelings, he would surely be appalled.

Looking at the clock, it was already near midnight. It didn't seem like Sang-yeon would come today, even if he waited. It was time to take his medicine and get ready for bed. Hae-gyeom opened the drawer and took out the pill bottle. He went to get a bottle of water from the fridge, but it was empty.

The water purifier was in the outdoor lounge area. Hae-gyeom stood up and left the room. With the pill bottle in one hand and an empty water bottle in the other, he passed by the pool. He usually filled his water when Sang-yeon wasn't watching, so the timing was good.

In the darkness, Hae-gyeom adjusted the water bottle and pressed the cold-water button. The sound of water hitting the plastic echoed softly. Because it was late, his eyes felt heavy.

Hae-gyeom rubbed his eyes for a long time until they made a squelching sound. In the meantime, he briefly placed the pill bottle on top of the water purifier.

By the time the itching subsided, he lifted his head, but the pill bottle that had been there a moment ago was gone.

"Uh..."

How could this happen? Reflexively looking down, he saw a shadow beside him.

"..."

When he looked up, Sang-yeon was there. He hadn't sensed his presence at all. Since when? Had he been there all along and he just hadn't noticed? Or had he appeared at just the right moment?

"Sang-yeon-ah."

The name he had promised himself not to call came out of his mouth unconsciously. He quickly swallowed it back and added,

"Um... you're here. I didn't know."

Sang-yeon stood still, staring down at Hae-gyeom's pill bottle in his hand. Lowering his hand as if dropping it, he took a deep breath. As if he were trying to pack something deep inside himself.

The distance between him and Sang-yeon was unusually close. Unable to read the meaning behind the indifferent gaze, Hae-gyeom offered an excuse.

"I have to take my medicine at this time. But there was no water..."

"Hey."

The pills rattled against each other inside the bottle. What had been in Sang-yeon's hand was no longer visible. He was reaching his hand into his pocket.

"Yoon Hae-gyeom."

Hearing his name called by Sang-yeon felt awkward. It was the first time he had ever called him so plainly.

"This is confiscated for the time being."

"Huh?"

"If it's what you need, then it's good for you. That's why I'm taking it away."

At the sudden announcement, bewilderment spread across Hae-gyeom's face.

"If you think you need to take it, get permission from me first."

Permission. Hae-gyeom focused on that word for a moment. The word that connected him to Sang-yeon. He knew that, but the medicine...

He lowered his head, unable to answer easily. Watching him, Sang-yeon ruffled his hair. He looked like something was bothering him.

"You're annoying me day and night. My personality was already bad, but it's gotten even worse."

Hae-gyeom understood it as another expression of loathing toward him. He bit his lip. He agonized for only a moment over what to say.

"I'm sorry."

At the words chosen after much thought, Sang-yeon let out a huff of laughter. It didn't seem like he was laughing because he was amused.

"I wonder if you even know what you're saying sorry for..."

"..."

"Do you know? Do you?"

Thinking it was a question, Hae-gyeom nodded. In truth, he didn't know the specifics. However, it was wrong of him to have made Sang-yeon angry. His very existence was wrong to begin with.

The air surrounding Sang-yeon now was heavier than usual. It wasn't just a simple release of momentary emotion. Even swallowing his saliva was difficult for Hae-gyeom. He could barely feel the coldness of the water bottle in his hand.

Unable to look Sang-yeon in the eye with his confused heart, he cast his gaze downward. Then Sang-yeon bent at the waist. He forced his eyes to meet Hae-gyeom's.

"Well. Technically, it is all your fault. It was an apology worth receiving."

The heavy air of this moment stemmed from the difference in their positions. A body that hadn't taken its medicine. The alpha before him, who overwhelmed his opponent by his presence alone.

Because he knew his place all too well, he wanted to take his medicine. Aside from simply missing the time to take it, a sense arose within him that he must do so right now. He felt that if he didn't, something unpredictable might happen. He also had a faint memory of the brief sensation he had experienced through In-ho before.

His eyes cautiously drifted toward the pocket, but Sang-yeon blocked his view as if it were nothing. He crushed Hae-gyeom with his shadow and added one more thing.

"Apology accepted. Now, take it off."

"...What?"

"What you're wearing. Take it off."

When Hae-gyeom hesitated at the sudden command, Sang-yeon snatched the water bottle from his hand.

Because the timing was off, it fell to the floor, and the area under their feet quickly became soaked. Without even a moment to look at the puddle, a hand as large as Hae-gyeom's face pulled up his white T-shirt.

"Ah, wait..."

He spoke out in protest without realizing it. He wasn't in a position to do so. Of course, Sang-yeon acted as if there were nothing to hear and disrobed Hae-gyeom without a care. As his upper body was exposed, the cold rushed in. With his hands fluttering in the air, Hae-gyeom pointlessly fumbled near his navel.

Sang-yeon just stared at him. It was a considerably burdensome gaze. It was uncharacteristically blatant.

He had stripped off his shirt; what else was he going to make him do? Sang-yeon crossed his arms as he watched Hae-gyeom worry about the unpredictable. At the same time, he caught his breath as if keeping time. Facing the overbearing man, Hae-gyeom finally managed to speak.

"Sang, no... Excuse me."

"..."

"I think we should wipe up the water on the floor first."

Sang-yeon was too preoccupied watching the movement of the lips in front of him.

"And I continued the work I was doing while you were gone. Please make sure to check later."

It was the first time he had seen Yoon Hae-gyeom talk so much. The fact that he was acting out of character meant that the usual level of stability had also thinned. Sang-yeon was also keenly aware of the scent that grew thicker the more he focused on him. That realization caused Sang-yeon's brow to furrow.

"If there's anything I missed—"

"You know what a kiss is, right?"

Hae-gyeom's voice cut off instantly. His smooth eyelids slowly lowered and then opened again.

"Do it to me."

"..."

"Don't ask back, just do it."

He did what Baek Sang-yeon told him to do. That was his position. Because he knew that, he was flustered. Actually, a kiss was a request that an omega didn't need to be flustered by, but because Sang-yeon was Sang-yeon, it felt surreal.

He did know what a kiss was, just as Sang-yeon said. He had actually done it with In-ho not long ago.

And now he's telling me to...

Without his medicine, he felt somewhat hesitant. Was it okay to let his body be so uninhibited in a situation where he hadn't even taken his medicine?

However, it was also impossible to think of 'refusal'. Whether he did it or not, he had no choice in the matter. More than anything, if he did what he was told now, he might be given permission to take his medicine.

"...I understand."

In the end, he stepped slowly toward Sang-yeon. His own reflection was caught in those pitch-black eyes. As the distance closed, Hae-gyeom's shoulders hunched slightly. Getting closer meant that Sang-yeon's pheromones would press against his skin even more.

Tense, Hae-gyeom stood slightly on his tiptoes. Even if he stretched his neck, he still couldn't reach Sang-yeon's height. Even though he was right in front of him, Sang-yeon didn't even close his eyes.

Hae-gyeom didn't necessarily think a kiss had to be done with eyes closed. Such things were usually learned through experience.

Experience. Hae-gyeom recalled the kiss with In-ho. How did that man do it then?

On his barely maintained tiptoes, he brought his tongue to Sang-yeon's lips. He gently bit the lower lip before letting go. He did the same to the upper lip. Then his eyes closed without him even realizing it.

Hae-gyeom pried into the gap between Sang-yeon's lips with the tip of his tongue. But the locked lips showed no sign of opening. If he couldn't penetrate inside, it couldn't be called a kiss.

After pressing his lips together and pulling away slightly, Hae-gyeom looked up at Sang-yeon. He took a deep breath in that short interval.

"Open... your mouth."

He traced the closed lips with his finger. Sang-yeon's eyebrows furrowed for a moment. Even so, he slowly parted his lips. His finger was drawn in, settling between the neat upper and lower teeth.

Was it because he thought 'it worked'? Hae-gyeom smiled just a little. It was a smile he wasn't even aware of himself. Sang-yeon took in that smile completely.

He had seen something similar at the club a moment ago. Because the person he had been thinking of while facing another omega was the Yoon Hae-gyeom right in front of him. This was the original, the reality.

He had left a rutting omega behind for this. Because he wanted to see something he owned, not someone else's or a shop's property. Because he realized there was no need to go anywhere else when he had something right beside him that he could handle whenever he thought of it.

The reason he had crushed the disgusting classmate who wanted him long ago was that he didn't want him at that moment. He had spent years memorizing that same feeling.

The only exception was right now.

Hae-gyeom, still with his finger between Sang-yeon's lips, opened his mouth again. His tongue emerged into the pitch-black darkness. Sang-yeon anticipated its path.

He finally pushed his tongue between Sang-yeon's teeth. Something hot and wet tangled with it as if it had been waiting. He rolled his tongue earnestly, recalling In-ho's movements.

He circled the broad surface of Sang-yeon's tongue, which was just like his own, and sometimes stood the tip up to gently tickle him. He sucked with a little force, not forgetting to leave space to breathe.

What Hae-gyeom was doing was too crude to be called a kiss, yet too sticky to be called a nameless peck. Sang-yeon, who still hadn't closed his eyes, silently accepted the best effort from the engrossed Yoon Hae-gyeom.

As he did, heat quickly rose from his toes. His whole body tingled as if someone were pricking him with needles.

Hae-gyeom, who had been sucking his tongue for a while with wet sounds, filled Sang-yeon's mouth with saliva. He swallowed it unconsciously. Only then did Hae-gyeom, who had been busy on his own, withdraw his tongue. Hae-gyeom, who had been closing his eyes, slowly lifted his eyelids.

After the kiss ended, his chest felt even more stifled. Blood was rushing somewhere. It was only natural that his breathing grew labored. Sang-yeon spoke to him in a voice lower than before.

"Do it again. Because that just now was fucking terrible..."

Had kissing already become one of Hae-gyeom's 'tasks'? Something he couldn't refuse if Baek Sang-yeon wanted it. It was similar to mopping the floor. Just like organizing his clothes.

His bare wrist roughly wiped his saliva-stained lips. Hae-gyeom stood on his tiptoes once more. He pushed his tongue into the still-open space again and pressed his heated lips together, sealing the gap. He rubbed the broad surface of his tongue over his. There was no regularity to the movements as he licked here and there, drawing undefined shapes.

Curses rose up to Sang-yeon's throat. He wanted to scream if he could. His whole body was being electrocuted. Blood expanded in every direction inside him. At this rate, something might truly burst. Every time he inhaled, Hae-gyeom's scent seemed to course through his veins.

Hae-gyeom was now exposing his bare face without reservation and sucking on his tongue. The moment the thing rummaging through his mouth touched the roof of his mouth, Sang-yeon's tongue twitched.

Enduring it was all for Yoon Hae-gyeom's sake. Sang-yeon could no longer endure it for his own sake.

The arms that had been stiffly frozen wrapped around Hae-gyeom's body. Surprised by the sudden deepening of the contact, Hae-gyeom's hands reflexively grabbed his shoulders. Sang-yeon pushed the light body against the wall just as it was. He pulled the neck he wanted to wring toward himself with all his might.

Their mouths opened a little wider. He poured all the breath he had gathered into Hae-gyeom's mouth. He didn't let the tongue, now trying to retreat, escape, and chased it down. When the tip of his tongue invaded deeply, as if aiming for the esophagus, Hae-gyeom's eyes, which had been closed all along, flew open.

"Mm, ngh..."

It was a movement similar to In-ho's, yet entirely different. Hae-gyeom's eyes crinkled at the foreign sensation in his throat. It felt like his tongue were about to be pulled out by the root.

Sang-yeon was ferociously sucking at his insides.

It hurt as his lips were crushed against his lower teeth. The inside of his mouth, gouged by something hot and heavy, was drenched with moisture. Just a moment ago, he had been the one taking the lead, such as it was, and there had been room to breathe in between.

His mouth overflowed with saliva, making his lips tingle. He couldn't even wipe away the saliva dripping down his chin. His toes curled, and his lower abdomen kept tightening. It was an uncomfortable sensation for Hae-gyeom.

He felt like he might cry. The cause was the hard forearms wrapped around his bare waist, the palms gripping the back of his neck, and the tongue swimming in his mouth.

If this situation continued...

Hae-gyeom was slow to the sensations an omega should be most familiar with, but the moment he reached them, he could at least make a guess.

"Wait, a minute... Mm."

He felt he had to break free from the relentless pressure. Without his medicine, he struggled to find his reason. With all his strength, he pushed Sang-yeon's shoulders slightly.

Sang-yeon, who had been biting and clinging to his lips as if to devour them, moved away. Labored breaths filled the air. The air was so hot he forgot the weather. Their bodies were still pressed tightly together.

Hae-gyeom, his eyes moist from lack of breath, rubbed his lips for the second time. He tried hard to calm his pounding heartbeat. Don't get excited, don't get excited...

Even so, he looked at Sang-yeon, not at himself. He was worried about him, who loathed omegas.

"Are you... okay?"

Is it okay for you to be like this with me? That's what he was asking. Sang-yeon was dumbfounded that he would say such a thing with his face looking like it would explode. At the same time, he was a little surprised.

He thought he would have even taken off his pants by now, as if he'd been waiting, but a line he never imagined had come out. Even though it's the nature of omegas not to hold back, Yoon Hae-gyeom was holding back.

Whether he was holding back because he knew what he was doing or because he really didn't know what he was doing.

Until now, every time Sang-yeon categorized him as being somehow different, irritation would surge. To deny it, he had insisted even more on treating him as common. This bastard is the same, too. He had concluded that if he peeled back the soft shell, he would see the dark, filthy inner thoughts just as they were.

But Yoon Hae-gyeom could endure. He was a guy who didn't act like a slut by his own will.

Once he admitted that fact, he felt hollow somewhere. The strength left the arms that had been constricting the thin body. He had bitten and sucked an omega's lips to his heart's content, but his head grew cool.

It's an unusual desire. To the point that I want to eat him alive, yet I'm growing calmer. And with Yoon Hae-gyeom, of all people. I...

"Go to your room."

He squeezed the words out with effort so as not to jump off the cliff. Hae-gyeom closed his mouth at the familiar commanding tone. Putting his clothes back on clumsily, Hae-gyeom didn't forget to reach out his hand.

"My medicine... could I have it?"

In the midst of this, he remembered the order to ask for permission before taking them. Instead of answering, Sang-yeon picked up the water bottle that had fallen earlier. He refilled it with fresh water. When he handed over the bottle and the pill container from his pocket, Hae-gyeom swallowed the medicine.

After settling his stomach, Hae-gyeom glanced at Sang-yeon a few more times before heading to his room. Sang-yeon kept his eyes on the plump, swollen lips until the very last moment. They no longer looked vulgar to him.

“I’m going in.”

“…….”

“Good night.”

Soon, the door opened and closed. Left alone, Sang-yeon wore a dazed expression. Hae-gyeom's pill container sat atop the water purifier. After staring at it for a while, Sang-yeon covered his face with his dry hands.

“……Crazy…….”

He had snatched something belonging to Yoon Hae-gyeom. He had become the owner of a pill container he had no use for.

‘What was I thinking…….’

Sang-yeon shook his head. Even though the situation required thought, he didn't want to think.

He swallowed the saliva that had pooled in his mouth. The scent that had rubbed off was still lingering in his mouth, feeling warm. He recalled the situation from moments ago. He reflected on his own insistence on skin-to-skin contact and the command to kiss.

Could he really call ordering him to take off his clothes and suck his lips the same kind of command as before?

Throughout the taxi ride from the shop, he had thought of only one thing. Yoon Hae-gyeom, Yoon Hae-gyeom, Yoon Hae-gyeom……. At some point, he had started gnawing on his fingernails. After entering the annex, he had stood glaring at the closed door, catching his breath for a while.

But then Yoon Hae-gyeom had walked out on his own. Seeing that fragile-looking body in person felt like a storm was raging inside him. From Hae-gyeom, who was calmly getting water, a scent—whether grass or flowers, he couldn't tell—drifted up. He guessed Hae-gyeom had been outside.

He thought about what he had done at that low-class shop and the mindset he had brought with him. It made him a little angry that Hae-gyeom was so composed. He couldn't leave him alone.

He couldn't call ordering him to take off his clothes and suck his lips the same kind of command as before. Because the purpose was different.

It wasn't meant to torment him; he just wanted to see the bare skin Jang In-ho had exposed again. Sang-yeon wanted to share a breath-stealing kiss with Hae-gyeom. So he had committed an act even more appalling than choosing a male omega at Nocturn.

The brief contact seemed to have only intensified his thirst. Perhaps it was natural, since the other possessed the body of an omega. His lower half felt heavy. He wasn't fully erect, but he was half-hard.

He never dreamed he could feel this way toward a man. The remnants of lust still lingered within him. From the moment their lips touched until now, when he was alone, the problem was that he didn't dislike it in the slightest.

Yes. He didn't dislike it.

Yoon Hae-gyeom was a man, a cheap thing, an omega living in the gutter. To him, he was a human being who deserved to be loathed…….

Was he now trying to imitate his crude friend’s philosophy of sticking it in wherever he could? Of course, he was in a position to do that as much as he wanted. If he thought about it, it really wasn't a big deal.

If his flat prejudice was broken, he could just treat Yoon Hae-gyeom as a lowly semen receptacle from now on.

Would that really be enough?

His heart felt full, as if he had just finished a sprint underwater. Feeling unsettled, he gripped and released his chest a few times. Every time he curled his lips inward, the sensation came back to him.

A wave of loathing washed over him. Directed not at Hae-gyeom, but at himself.

At that same time, Hae-gyeom, sitting on his bed, kept touching his own lips.

‘I didn't have to work that hard. Without realizing it…….’

Though Sang-yeon had applied pressure partway through, Hae-gyeom had been fully immersed in the kiss of his own accord even before then. He liked the warm, tangled sensation so much that he couldn't easily pull away. So his concern for Sang-yeon’s condition had been a sort of affectation.

When he had briefly clashed with In-ho, the feeling of being "violated" was overwhelming, and he had been desperate to keep his wits about him. On the other hand, just now, it felt like something they were doing together. He had properly shared a kiss with Sang-yeon. As if they were in a relationship where that was possible.

He tried lying down on the bed, but his face felt hot. Was it an illusion that Sang-yeon seemed to have softened a bit before and after the kiss?

He hoped it wasn't an illusion. He shouldn't wish for it, but he hoped it was the case. He hoped the kiss had truly been okay, making his worries unnecessary.

Even though sleep wouldn't come at all, he closed his eyes. It took quite some time after that for the sound of his painfully thumping heart to subside.

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

Baek Ju-hwa's mansion had always been an uncomfortable place for Gi-seok. Even though he had a room of his own, it never felt like home.

But recently, Gi-seok’s return home always led through that uncomfortable path. Because a reason to go, a reason he wanted to go, had been created.

“Please take me home.”

The driver nodded and immediately took the wheel. It was 10 PM, an earlier departure than usual. The mansion was a little less than an hour away from the company.

Even though he knew the distance from traveling it so many times, Gi-seok repeatedly checked his wristwatch. Would there be traffic? He even worried about things he didn't need to.

He had never really felt joy, but recently, moments of happiness had emerged.

Pleasure. That was an emotion Gi-seok could access whenever he wanted, ever since he became the right hand of a powerful woman. There was much to enjoy if he just relaxed his mind a little.

However, he had long upheld the values he had inherited from his late father. As a result, he hadn't had much to be happy about for over a decade. Because of that history, he now found it enjoyable to spend idle time with a fragile boy.

A few days ago, he had returned the MP3 player to Hae-gyeom. Naturally, it came with a charger so it could be charged at any time. Do you know what ridiculous thing he did that day? They shared a pair of earphones, one for each, and looked up at the sky.

‘You listen to this kind of music too?’

It couldn't be helped because Hae-gyeom had first offered one earbud while listening to a dance song with a somewhat frivolous melody. He explained that he’d put it on there because it was a famous song from the past, and Gi-seok ended up having to stick the awkwardly accepted earbud into his ear.

Hae-gyeom had become quite talkative around him. Listening to him talk not about dreadful work but about his personal feelings or thoughts that popped up in the moment felt like sleeping without actually being asleep.

In other words, it was so peaceful that it didn't feel real.

After spending a few days like that, he had ended up in this state. After a long time spent alternating between looking out the window and checking his watch, the car finally stopped in front of the mansion. Entering through the main gate, Gi-seok went straight to the annex. When he pushed open the cracked back door, he saw a back hunched over, looking at the grass.

“Hae-gyeom.”

It hadn't been long since he decided to call him by his name. At first, it didn't roll off the tongue well, but he had adjusted over the past few days. At the sound of his name, Hae-gyeom stood up.

“You’re here?”

“Yeah. Have you been here the whole time?”

“I just came out a little while ago, too.”

His gentle voice was polite. Hae-gyeom, wearing a light shirt, shifted slightly to the side. He was making room for Gi-seok. Gi-seok stood beside him without hesitation. Then Hae-gyeom crouched down again. His small hand pointed to the soil.

“I planted the seeds the gardener gave me yesterday here.”

Looking at the sky every day was too boring, and since he had access to good land, Gi-seok thought it would be nice to do something, so he had someone send various flower seeds to the house yesterday. He thought it was the right time to plant something.

Of course, the main reason was that he knew Sang-yeon hadn't been coming home recently.

“It’ll take a long time before they actually bloom, right?”

“If you keep an eye on them, the time will come.”

“I’m worried they might wither soon even after they bloom. I’ve never done anything like this before……”

It hadn't been long since Hae-gyeom escaped that dark, damp shop. He must have lived his own life before that, but during the time he was lonely and on display, he likely forgot even those small joys of the past. Because he was that kind of person, he was this worried about the future of mere plants.

It was fitting yet pitiful. And his untarnished innocence was remarkable.

Gi-seok suddenly realized his hand was naturally stroking the back of Hae-gyeom's head. The softness of the hair felt good. As he took a slight breath, his chest felt strangely tight. It had been like this every time lately.

It was just as he was biting his lip needlessly.

“You don't even say hello when you get home.”

A sharp voice rang out. Looking back, Sang-yeon was watching the two of them. Realizing that Sang-yeon's gaze was fixed on Hae-gyeom's hair, Gi-seok quickly lowered his hand.

He didn't know Sang-yeon had returned home. Who had been out for days without a word? As if reading Gi-seok’s thoughts, Sang-yeon continued bluntly.

“I came back around midnight yesterday. I was at In-ho's the whole time.”

“I see. I thought as much.”

Just a few days ago, he had spoken with Sang-yeon here. Sang-yeon had acted like a child, nitpicking about Hae-gyeom's presence and even denouncing their relationship. Gi-seok thought he was overreacting just because he had opened the back door.

Since it was something that could be understood if he acted a bit more rationally, Gi-seok had dealt with him firmly, and perhaps that had been a blow, as Sang-yeon had practically run away from home. He knew there was a practice match scheduled in the middle of it, and either way, he knew where Sang-yeon would go, so he didn't worry.

Still, it would have been better if he had mentioned it before returning.

It was a relief that he seemed to have softened, even a little, but for some reason he couldn't prioritize that thought.

“What about dinner?”

“I ate a long time ago. It’s past eleven now, hyung.”

By this time, it was time to wrap up the day. It was the moment when Gi-seok turned to tell Hae-gyeom they should go in for the night.

“Yoon Hae-gyeom, come here.”

Sang-yeon’s voice was quick. He beckoned to Hae-gyeom. With just that one gesture, Hae-gyeom immediately walked over to Sang-yeon.

“You should go to your room and rest too if you're done with work, hyung.”

Adding that, Sang-yeon turned his back first. Hae-gyeom bowed slightly toward Gi-seok and quickly followed Sang-yeon. Gi-seok was left alone in front of the wall, which was as tall as he was.

It had only been a few days. The distance between them was completely different from what it had been back then. Since Hae-gyeom hadn't changed, it must have been Sang-yeon who had.

Suddenly?

Gi-seok stared at their receding backs for a while before exiting through the back door. The moment he passed the two standing awkwardly in the lounge area, he felt his hands were unusually cold.

Now that he looked, they were drenched in cold sweat. This often happened when he was nervous or on edge. This phenomenon, ill-suited to the situation, made Gi-seok uncomfortable. He forced himself to keep his head straight as he walked away.

In truth, Sang-yeon hadn't changed much. He was still crooked, his way of speaking was unpleasant, and he took offense at Hae-gyeom leaving the annex for even a moment.

Only one thing had changed in a few days.

“Hey.”

As soon as Gi-seok left, Sang-yeon turned to face Hae-gyeom. Hae-gyeom blinked blankly.

By now, Hae-gyeom could anticipate what Sang-yeon would do next. It was because he had seen this face several times today, which they had spent together for the first time since his return.

Even before an answer came, Sang-yeon pulled him by the nape. It was instantaneous. His tongue pushed its way between Hae-gyeom's closed lips.

His tongue, soaked in heat, recklessly rummaged through Hae-gyeom’s mouth. It poked around in all directions without a set path, and whenever Hae-gyeom tried to pull his head away even slightly, he held the back of his head even more firmly.

Starting with a gaze and ending with a kiss—it had already happened several times. From last night until now, that was what happened whenever he was in Sang-yeon’s line of sight.

The brief contact ended, and their moist lips were inches apart. Sang-yeon took a deep breath in that position. His Adam's apple bobbing violently up and down.

Hae-gyeom was still gauging his reaction.

‘Are you okay?’

Because he had been sincere when he asked that right after their first kiss. Hae-gyeom couldn't know what kind of change of heart had occurred in the man who hadn't even wanted to touch him. He lacked the experience and know-how to arbitrarily assign meaning to it all.

But in the end, the important thing was that Sang-yeon had changed. And Hae-gyeom was worried about that change, but he clearly didn't dislike it. Not Sang-yeon, nor the kiss.

“I’m going to wash up, so go put out some clothes.”

Sang-yeon spoke while wiping his wet lips and walked to the other side. His face was composed, unlike Hae-gyeom’s. After placing the clothes Sang-yeon would change into in front of the shower room, Hae-gyeom waited for him there. Checking the time, he saw it was already close to midnight.

He still had one more pill to take today.

He had been concerned that his recent medication times were inconsistent, and now it was a bigger problem because he had to get Sang-yeon’s permission for each one. Hae-gyeom had a strong fear of his heat cycle. It was because he still hadn't gotten used to the feeling itself.

Still, for the past few years, he had prepared well, following his own steady pattern. It had been years since he had endured his heat cycle without an alpha's "help." He wasn't pleased that the habits that had allowed him to live that way were being interrupted. So when the time came, he had no choice but to wait for Sang-yeon.

Soon, the shower room door opened, and Sang-yeon emerged in a cloud of steam. He was half-naked, with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Perhaps he didn't expect Hae-gyeom to be behind the door, as Sang-yeon's eyes widened for a brief moment.

“What?”

When Hae-gyeom turned his head away, Sang-yeon began to change into his clothes with a rustle. Hae-gyeom spoke without looking.

“I... I really have to take the medicine at this time.”

Sang-yeon seemed to deliberate, but soon handed him the medicine curtly. Hae-gyeom thought he was focused on the act of giving and receiving permission rather than trying to torment him.

Sang-yeon, now fully dressed, suddenly leaned in. Then, burying his nose near Hae-gyeom's nape, which was clearly exposed due to the loose neckline, he muttered.

“Will something happen immediately if you don't take it for a bit?”

“…….”

“Why are you always overreacting?”

Finishing his sentence, Sang-yeon walked past Hae-gyeom and left the annex entirely. Left alone, Hae-gyeom sniffed the lingering scent of the person who had been in front of him just moments earlier before finally coming to his senses.

Sang-yeon returned to the mansion at a somewhat hurried pace. He wanted to go to his room immediately, but he happened to run into Gi-seok on the stairs. He was also wearing comfortable clothes.

“…….”

“…….”

Just as their brief eye contact was starting to feel awkward, Gi-seok spoke first.

“Baek Sang-yeon, you……”

Suppressing the unnecessary urge not to deal with him, Sang-yeon signaled to Gi-seok with his eyes. Gi-seok, his lips parting slightly, slowly shook his head.

“Never mind. Get some rest.”

And then he disappeared to the first floor. Once he was out of sight, Sang-yeon practically ran to his room. There was a reason he had to.

“Ha, shit……”

Because his lower half was bulging. He wasn't just half-hard; he was fully erect. All he had done just now was take a breath at Yoon Hae-gyeom’s nape.

The problem was that he had bitten those lips several times today alone. Everything is difficult the first time; from the second time on, it's nothing. Though the pheromones were faint, practically buried at the bottom, they seemed to have accumulated with each kiss, heating up his insides.

Just a moment ago, it had properly set a fire. So it was a relief that he hadn't been caught in this state by Gi-seok.

He thought of In-ho, who had buried his nose in Yoon Hae-gyeom and raved that the smell was killer. It really seemed that way. He saw him taking medicine twice a day. What would happen if that routine were broken?

One day, when Yoon Hae-gyeom’s eyes were the first to roll back……

They were swapping spit, but whether he could put it in the back hole was still unknown. Of course, the fact that he was even thinking this far was quite something.

Sang-yeon jumped onto his bed and buried his face in the pillow. What on earth was this feeling? He couldn't find an answer, even when he asked himself.

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

“You’re staying for a few more months?”

Baek Ju-hwa asked as she leisurely chewed on finely sliced seafood. She was a woman with a picky palate, so her plate had been changed several times in a short span. While she complained about the taste, Gi-seok never once picked up his chopsticks. He merely sipped cold water and responded mechanically.

“I thought two months might be too short. I plan to break it into one-month intervals and see how things go.”

“Good thinking. Since when were you so flexible?”

He had intended to just say his goodbyes to his business associates and return, but his mind had changed recently.

The reputation of Gi-seok, who had been in Hong Kong for three years, wasn't exactly great. The fact that he was acting like the Chairman's right hand, as if he were a biological son, even though he wasn't, brought petty talk to the surface.

It turned out that several board members of the domestic Seonjin Group were setting the tone. It wasn't that he had a great greed for power and was trying to become Baek Ju-hwa's successor, nor did he have any desire to fight with old men, but the rumors circulating this way and that were annoying.

Thus, his decision to stay in Korea longer was to extend the time he could involve himself and make his presence known.

Of course, it wasn't a story limited solely to work.

Because an unexpected presence had suddenly begun to invade his mind every single day.

“What about Chairman Cha’s daughter? Was her name Jae-hee? I heard you haven't seen her since then.”

“I don't have any plans to contact her further.”

“Why? Was her face not to your liking?”

“For various reasons.”

“Oh, you. Don't be so rigid; see her a few more times.”

He had already forgotten that day's meal to the point that he couldn't even remember his impression of the time he had spent with her. Would seeing her more often change anything?

“There's nothing to lose by partnering with RM. I always tell you to look at the big picture in business, right? You haven't forgotten, have you?”

“Just in case, I should tell you. I have no intention of being sold off in an arranged marriage.”

“That's a bit harsh.”

Yet she didn't actually deny it. It seemed she, too, considered it one of Gi-seok’s assignments.

“Loneliness is the scariest thing. Once you have a family of your own, you'll feel motivated about everything, won't you?”

“…….”

“You'll want to live longer. You'll want to have more things. You know, that sort of thing.”

To anyone else, it might sound like she had a typical attachment to building a family. This was coming from a woman who had started enjoying an unrestrained life surrounded by omegas before her husband had even been dead a year.

Recalling the cold, hard facts made him sigh again. This was why it was difficult to move beyond gratitude for the benefactor who had taken him in and to actually love Baek Ju-hwa.

“Is Sang-yeon doing well?”

“He seems to be substituting school attendance for practice. He's a bit self-indulgent in his non-major courses, but the school won't make an issue of it.”

“Of course they shouldn't! He’s the pride of Hankuk University.”

“Anyway, he’s doing well, as usual.”

“Honestly… I don’t know how a child like that could have come from me. I never wanted a son in the arts or sports. He should count himself lucky that you're around.”

Baek Ju-hwa prioritized refining and protecting Seonjin's reputation. Therefore, discovering Gi-seok, who could serve as a capable pair of hands and feet, was very precious to Ju-hwa. He was a substitute for her peculiar son, who was lost in his dream of swimming.

Of course, she had enough of her own attachment to Sang-yeon. After all, he was her only seed, born of her own will and bearing her surname.

Because of that, she must have been well aware that they were very much alike in every respect.

“The housekeeper said he’s been spending almost all his time in his annex lately.”

“…….”

“At that age, bottling things up only makes your temper worse. It's a relief that he's handling things himself. And you, helping him out like an older brother—you really are good to Sang-yeon, aren't you?”

Gi-seok had lied to Ju-hwa, saying he had ‘filled a room in the annex so Sang-yeon wouldn't have anything to worry about outside.’ It was simply ridiculous that providing someone he could use at any time made him a ‘good older brother.’

“Gi-seok, if you need anything, let me know. And do something about that officetel you’re living in. It’s too shabby.”

“It’s fine for just sleeping. Besides, I come home often enough.”

Swallowing his response, Gi-seok slowly picked up the chopsticks he hadn't touched until then. Something surged up inside him, and he wanted to push it down, even if he had to use food.

Something he needed.

The time to ask a superior for such things had passed. Gi-seok was now in a position to provide others with what they needed. That was why he gave Hae-gyeom to Sang-yeon and gave Hae-gyeom a room and a backyard. Hae-gyeom told him every day with his eyes that he was grateful for his kindness.

One naturally wants to keep giving to those who know satisfaction and gratitude. This was why Gi-seok had been thinking along those lines lately.

Is there anything else that child needs? Anything…….

“Is there something good going on?”

Chairman Baek asked while he was lost in thought.

“Pardon?”

“You're smiling.”

He realized the corners of his mouth had curved upward of their own accord. Even though he had felt nauseated just moments ago.

Gi-seok instantly stiffened his expression back to his usual look. The sun was still bright; it was still daytime. The day was far from over. To avoid losing himself in those thoughts, he had no choice but to endure the time he was given.