FF Chapter 1

In a room where bright sunlight poured in, the hum of a vibration echoed. Thin groans followed from beneath the bulging quilt. Despite the white, smooth feet protruding from the quilt, hesitating to get up, resisting, but reluctantly lifting the quilt at the sound of the alarm ringing again.

Jiyeonwoo’s mornings were a bit slower than others’. No matter how much he tried different methods to become a morning person, the ignition was always delayed. It wasn’t that he slept late or drank alcohol every night, so why were mornings so difficult and exhausting? Sitting blankly in the small magpie nest he built with his blankets, Jiyeonwoo repeated his thoughts that yielded no answers.

After a while, he placed his feet on the floor, groaning. He put on his slippers, went out to the living room, pressed the water purifier button, and leaned against the display case. With sleepy eyes, Jiyeonwoo yawned again, drank a cup of lukewarm water, and sluggishly headed to the bathroom.

All his movements were slow, yet as if following a predetermined routine, they flowed naturally like water.

After thoroughly washing from head to toe, Jiyeonwoo’s face finally regained some vitality. He went into the kitchen, prepared a simple breakfast, sat at the table, and opened his tablet.

He thinly spread marmalade on toast, stacked eggs sunny-side up and bacon on top, took a bite, then tapped the screen of his tablet with his index finger.

When he checked the delivery tracking of the pre-ordered items, it indicated they would arrive at the store in about an hour. Thinking he could finish eating and tidy up before going out, he took another bite of toast, but then his phone rang.

It was his mother.

“Hello, Mom.”

[ You’re up. Did you sleep well? ]

“Yes. What’s the matter this early in the morning?”

[ Your voice sounded tired when we talked yesterday. Are you feeling okay? ]

“Our lady is very concerned. Mom, your son can manage just fine on his own now.”

Jiyeonwoo said with a smile, his mouth full of bread.

[ I know. Mothers worry, you know. ]

“I’m up and having breakfast now. Don’t worry too much.”

[ Breakfast, huh? You’re not eating stuff like bread, eggs, bacon, are you? ]

Hearing her pinpoint exactly what he was eating as if she could see him, Jiyeonwoo stopped chewing his food like a child caught in a secret. Gulping down what he had in his mouth with a gulp that made a sound, he swallowed a few mouthfuls of water he had saved.

“Of course I’m eating rice. It’s rice.”

[ Hmm. ]

As Jiyeonwoo’s breath lengthened as if suspicious, he hurriedly continued speaking, fearing he would hear another lecture if he stayed silent.

“Has Mom eaten?”

[ Not yet. I’m waiting for your father to come back from exercise so we can eat together. ]

“Did he go golfing?”

[ Ah, well, that aside, have you been to the hospital? ]

A bombshell question dropped amidst the casual conversation.

“Oh, um… the hospital…?”

[ You haven’t gone again. I told you to go before it’s too late. What’s the use if there’s a problem and you don’t do anything about it? ]

Quick-witted as she was, his mom assessed the situation with a brief hesitation. Unable to outrightly lie, Jiyeonwoo listened to his mother’s continued worries while leaning back in his chair. It had already been two years, but the thought that his mother still worried about him made him feel bittersweet.

“I’m fine, Mom.”

[But Mom’s not okay with it. ]

He was really okay. Jiyeonwoo muttered softly, not daring to refute his mother’s words anymore. To Jiyeonwoo, his mother was like a sore finger, burdened with more worry ever since that incident two years ago.

[Yeonwoo. Mom still can’t forgive that bastard Lee Hyun-jun. We didn’t do anything because you asked us to stay still, but it’s not because we didn’t have money that we didn’t do anything. ]

“Yeah, I know.”

[ What happened during the four years you lived with that bastard that made the child turn out like a mess and come back? Is that all? After graduating high school, he takes him away and divorces him because he lost his pheromones? Can you believe that… ]

As his mother poured out her words in excitement, she couldn’t continue. She felt like she was holding back her anger for Jiyeonwoo’s sake. Even though it had been two years since the divorce, whenever she thought about that time, she couldn’t help but feel angry, her breath becoming shallow as she struggled to contain her anger.

At times like this, Jiyeonwoo couldn’t say anything as if he were the guilty one. He was grateful that his mother was venting her anger on his behalf, but it was inevitable that he felt uncomfortable. The burden of being an omega with the stigma of divorce was already enough for him to bear alone, but now it felt like he was causing harm even to his mother.

“Mrs. Kim. If you get angry from the morning, your blood pressure will rise. It’s all in the past. Please calm down. Alright?”

[ Oh, if only I could say something. ]

He could imagine his mother, unable to be angry anymore, her appearance becoming more like a cat than a tiger. It was meant as a compliment, implying how cute she was.

[ Hyunjun’s coming to Korea. ]

“…!”

Jiyeonwoo’s pupils, who had been quietly listening, widened significantly. What? Who… is coming?

[ It seems like he remarried Mrs. Choi’s daughter in the United States. It’s been a month. ]

“If you mean Mrs. Choi, are you talking about Congressman Seo’s family?”

[Yeah, I heard from Mrs. Kim. She obviously knew that you divorced Lee Hyunjun, but she talked about it anyway. He’s coming to Korea to set up a gallery or something. Anyway, it’s annoying.]

His mind went blank, unable to come up with anything to say. He thought he had gotten over it, but upon hearing that Hyunjun was coming to Korea, his heart raced nervously. It was purely a feeling of anxiety.

[I feel like I should let you know. Just so you won’t be surprised if you happen to run into him.]

“I won’t run into him. He won’t deliberately come looking for me.”

[How would you know that? You don’t know what people will do.]

“He and I have completely different paths now. And we haven’t been in contact for the past two years. We can just continue living separately.”

To be honest, things hadn’t completely settled down. The anxious feeling buried deep beneath the surface about Hyunjun still surfaced, but he couldn’t show that to his mother.

“And don’t worry too much about the hospital. I asked around, and it’s just… like a fever. And I also found out that once you lose your pheromones, it’s not easy to regain them. There’s a treatment, but it’s expensive. That’s why I haven’t gone.”

As Jiyeonwoo calmly expressed his thoughts, his mother seemed to agree and didn’t say anything more.

“I’m really okay now. It’s just uncomfortable sometimes when it flares up, but otherwise, I’m actually more comfortable and happier now.”

[ …. ]

“It’s all in the past, all forgotten. I may be a bit clumsy, but now I can handle everything on my own. So please don’t worry too much.”

[ Really? ]

“Yes. Trust your son.”

[Alright. Make sure to eat breakfast well and don’t stay at the store too late.]

“Yes, yes, I understand, Mom.”

[And sometimes, call your father. Even though he won’t show it, he worries a lot about you.]

“Yes. I will. Have a good breakfast.”

After ending the call, Jiyeonwoo dropped his phone from his hand with a light thud. Perhaps it was because of his mood, but he couldn’t breathe properly. Breathing shallowly, Jiyeonwoo, who hadn’t made a sound, didn’t even move in the silent house.

Jiyeonwoo was an omega, but he had no pheromones. To be precise, he had lost his pheromones.

His mother suggested going to the hospital to find out why he lost his pheromones, but in truth, he already knew the reason and the cause. And if she were to find out why this had happened, she might take up a knife and chase Hyunjun down to kill him, even if it meant keeping the secret until he died. It wasn’t to protect Hyunjun but to protect his mother and those around him. After all, it was all in the past, all over.

The misfortune began when he met Hyunjun, his senior in high school, two years ago. Hyunjun declared that Jiyeonwoo, who had just entered high school, was his omega and insisted that no one else touch him, leaving Jiyeonwoo with the stigma of being Hyunjun’s omega for three years of his school life. It wasn’t an empty promise when he said he would take responsibility, but as soon as they graduated from high school, Hyunjun took Jiyeonwoo away as if he had been waiting for it.

The end of the four years of marriage, which he thought would be happy, was hollow. Jiyeonwoo, who was an omega, lost his pheromones and lived a life no different from a Beta, losing people and carrying the stigma of being a divorced omega. It was a marriage where he lost more than he gained.

“In the end, he’s coming to Korea.”

As soon as they divorced, Hyunjun left for the United States as if chased away. There was no apology for turning him into neither an omega nor a Beta.

After he left, Jiyeonwoo lived for a while consumed by feelings of hatred. Resentment and hatred gnawed at Jiyeonwoo, breaking him down, and eventually, he found himself back in the hospital again.

After fully recovering, he spent his days locked in his room, avoiding contact with anyone. During that time, Jiyeonwoo was trapped in an endless cycle of resentment, hatred, and regret. After stumbling and getting back up countless times within that cycle, he made a decision: to bury everything related to the unforgivable Hyunjun deep in his heart. It was because he realized he couldn’t keep living like this, consumed by hatred.

Taking a deep breath, Jiyeonwoo covered his cheeks with both hands and let out a stifled sob.

“What does it matter if he’s coming to Korea? He’s already remarried, they say. So there’s even less reason to see him. He’s living his life, and I’ll live mine. That’s how it should be.”

Breathing under the same sky as Hyunjun might feel like hell, but Jiyeonwoo’s nights were no longer sad or painful. Perhaps now he was much better and happier than the four years of marriage that felt like falling into hell. He believed there was nothing more foolish than dwelling on the unfortunate past. A better future awaited, and that’s why Jiyeonwoo couldn’t spend any more time crying.

“Oh! I don’t have time to be like this.”

Looking at the clock on the wall, Jiyeonwoo suddenly snapped out of his thoughts. He realized quite a bit of time had passed. It was a 10-minute walk from home to his store. Now was a good time to tidy up and prepare for the delivery of flowers.

Jiyeonwoo took another bite of the remaining toast, packed the tablet into his bag, and hurriedly got up from his seat.

As he walked quickly down the corridor towards the entrance, Jiyeonwoo pressed the screen pad on the wall, and with a beep, all the lights in the house turned off.

Click, clack.

With the door closing and the lock clicking shortly after, the gentle silence settled in Jiyeonwoo’s house, which had been filled with faint noise until then.

* * *

There’s a company in the domestic distribution and logistics industry that’s been hearing whispers of a rising powerhouse. It all started with a distribution company called Sunwoo Trading, but the person who grew that small company into the Sunwoo Group was none other than the founding chairman, Choi Taebum.

Chairman Choi Taebum had two sons. The eldest, Choi Muhyuk, was an Alpha, while the youngest, Choi Minhyuk, was also an Alpha with excellent qualities. Both of Chairman Choi Taebum’s sons inherited their father’s tall stature, standing close to 190cm, and possessed good physique. Among them, Choi Muhyuk was rumored to have a particularly impressive presence. Rumor had it that Choi Muhyuk’s mother, who was famous in the entertainment industry, and his handsome face closely resembled his mother’s.

Currently, Choi Muhyuk served as an executive at Sunwoo Trading, the subsidiary that was the foundation of the Sunwoo Group. In reality, he was practically the CEO. Meanwhile, Choi Minhyuk worked as a director at Sunwoo Logistics, which primarily focused on transportation and warehousing.

At first glance, Sunwoo Group appeared to be a reputable company. However, the truth was that the cornerstone of Sunwoo Group, Sunwoo Trading, was established by local gangsters. Therefore, Sunwoo Group was referred to as a corporate-style gangster organization, with the gangsters maintaining control. While it had somewhat evolved from its past, remnants of its gangster origins still lingered.

Knowing this fact, the business community implicitly refused to acknowledge Sunwoo Group’s existence. Despite its size, which could be considered one of the top conglomerates in the country, the Sunwoo family was completely excluded from prominent business gatherings or second-generation meetings like the Youngwoo Club, which were typical networking events in the business community.

Chairman Choi Taebum didn’t like the high entry barrier of the business community, but he had no choice. The difference between entering their circle, even if it was dirty and dangerous, and not entering at all was the quality of information shared, which surpassed imagination.

If only he could lobby with money, it would have been easier, but even with abundant wealth, he couldn’t influence those who were already overflowing with riches. After bowing his head and groveling several times without success, Chairman Choi finally decided to utilize the excellent qualities of his eldest son, Choi Muhyuk, as a last resort.

Due to the high probability of an Alpha or omega being born among partners with Alpha traits, the top priority for the political and business community was to find a suitable spouse with Alpha traits. Chairman Choi utilized this point and pushed forward with strategic marriages in the political and business community, leveraging the Alpha traits of Choi Muhyuk.

The result was successful.

The top figures in the political and business circles, who had previously turned a blind eye, finally began to react to Chairman Choi’s Alpha card.

With hair whitened by the years, Chairman Choi Taebum, with an expression that was anything but relaxed, sat in the chairman’s seat.

Choi Muhyuk, who had been summoned, sat with his back straight and his lips firmly sealed. As Chairman Choi, who seemed somewhat displeased with him, looked at him, his shadow-like secretary, Kim, took out a photo from his arms and handed it to Choi Muhyuk.

“She’s the daughter of Congressman Park. She’s known to be quite smart over there and rumored to be an omega.”

Only then did Choi Muhyuk open his eyes and glance at Chairman Choi before turning his gaze to the photo. The woman in the photo was the complete opposite of Choi Muhyuk in every way. While Choi Muhyuk gave off a rough impression despite being a textbook handsome man with his well groomed hair, straight and thick eyebrows, moderate-sized eyes without double eyelids, a prominent nose, and firmly shut lips, the woman in the photo was a typical beauty, neatly dressed with a gentle smile on her face.

“It’s at the hotel restaurant at 6:00 PM on the 16th. Meet her once.”

Choi Muhyuk suddenly recalled the date and looked back at Chairman Choi. “If it’s the 16th, isn’t today the day?”

“Yeah. What’s the problem?”

Chairman Choi raised one eyebrow as if to ask what the relevance was. After all, it was after work hours, so what was the issue?

“…….”

Choi Muhyuk, who had been silently staring at the photo, turned his gaze away to the picture without saying a word. For a brief moment, an unpleasant expression flickered across Choi Muhyuk’s face, but he quickly returned to his impassive demeanor.

“Since the eldest son can’t find his way and is wandering around lost, shouldn’t I step up too?”

Choi Muhyuk, who had neatly tucked away the photo in his arms, stood up from his seat, straightening out his crumpled jacket. Still keeping his lips tightly sealed, he nodded deeply and turned away without a word.

Observing Choi Muhyuk’s departure, Chairman Choi clicked his tongue, seemingly dissatisfied with something.

Given his age, it might have been natural for him to be cautious. After all, he couldn’t go on alone forever. Even just looking at the photo, she didn’t seem to possess a difficult personality. If she was a reflection of Chairman Choi’s preferences, she would likely be the obedient and refined type. Despite being willing to concede a hundred times over, finding out about the situation on the day of the meeting didn’t sit well with him.

He had a rough idea. It was too much to suddenly inform him on the day of the meeting, leaving him no choice but to go. However, even considering various circumstances, he thought it was too harsh to be informed so abruptly.

It had only been two months since he returned to the forefront of management after rolling in the stench of the bottom for two years. He had been puzzled since he was suddenly called by someone who hadn’t contacted him once, whether he was alive or dead, but now he seemed to understand the reason.

If his father acted like this, he had no choice but to respond in kind. As Choi Muhyuk leaned his elbow against the window frame and drove with one hand, his gaze became distorted.

Choi Muhyuk’s gaze, which had been fixed straight ahead, briefly flickered towards the flashing light. His phone, placed on the dashboard, vibrated.

It was a call from his younger brother, Choi Minhyuk.