MIM 113

Ma Jae-seung let out a dry laugh. What did it matter if he was a broken alpha who couldn’t reproduce? Now that even Shin-woo’s traits had become ambiguous due to the drugs, it was rather fortunate that there was no need for contraception. He carelessly tossed the envelope onto his mother’s neatly made bed as he got up to his feet. It was pathetic that this was all she had left to say.

Deciding there was no need to waste more time here, Ma Jae-seung started moving immediately. Finding where his brother was hiding was the next step. His brother was so cowardly that he had voluntarily admitted himself to a psychiatric ward to avoid clashing with Shin-woo. For him to work with their mother on something like this must have required her persistent and active persuasion. Even after discharge, he was likely holed up somewhere remote, completely out of sight. Since his brother’s well-being was closely tied to their mother’s interests, she would have tried to hide him safely, and he would have gladly complied.

Ma Jae-seung took a taxi to the hospital where his brother had been admitted. He judged it would be easier to get information by visiting in person rather than calling, and safer to keep moving. He kept his hand positioned to draw his gun at any moment while vigilantly watching everything closely, even to the point of zeroing on a single bug stuck to the car window.

Just then, his phone vibrated softly. Though it was an unknown number, unlike the occasional spam calls, it was a personal phone number. Ma Jae-seung quickly answered.

“Hello.”

– How are you?

The low, playful voice was familiar. It was Shin-woo. Though they hadn’t been apart long, hearing his voice made him unexpectedly emotional. When Ma Jae-seung couldn’t answer and just chewed his lips silently, a worried voice came from the other end.

– Why are you so slow to respond?

“…How are you? They haven’t tortured you for a confession, have they?”

– Haven’t you watched too many dramas?

Shin-woo laughed at the question that was half-serious. Ma Jae-seung had worried about what might happen to him after seeing him roughly taken away, but thankfully, he seemed fine. After his laughter subsided, Shin-woo snorted somewhat irritably.

– These bastards seem intent on just holding me here indefinitely. They sit me down and just spout nonsense, asking the same questions over and over again.

His voice, becoming increasingly curt as he spoke, made him sound very cute. Wanting to hear it up close, Ma Jae-seung pressed the phone tightly against his cheek.

“Whose phone is this?”

– Prepaid phone. The lawyer got it for me. Can’t talk for long. I’ll just tell you the situation.

“Okay.”

– The police won’t be able to track down who made the report. Since there’s no way someone who worked at the mansion would make such a false report, your mother probably hired someone.

The words “false report” finally registered. Come to think of it, he hadn’t even doubted the report claiming Shin-woo had ordered the disposal of his father’s head. Even if it were true, he wouldn’t have cared, but it didn’t seem like Shin-woo would have entrusted the head to others even if he had killed his father. There was no reason for someone who had disposed of Ye-wook’s body himself to do that.

– I just saw the former police commissioner. He had invested in the Ma Group research, and it’s suspicious that he’s lurking around here now, of all times.

“I know who he is. He was at the party. Among the investors, there must be people who want to get rid of us. They’d want to destroy evidence of investing in illegal research…Mother must have contacted them.”

Though his memories had returned, what exactly happened the day the mansion burned and his father was murdered remained a mystery until now. However, one thing was certain at this point.

“It was Mother, wasn’t it? Who took Father’s head?”

The timing of the head’s discovery was too perfect for it not to be. After stubbornly maintaining silence as if reluctant to say any more, Shin-woo finally let out a sigh.

– It certainly looks that way.

In other words, it meant his mother had killed his father. It wouldn’t make sense if Shin-woo had killed him and his mother had only taken the head. If Mother had hired someone…

Suddenly, he remembered Shin-woo mentioning that the duo was also in his mother’s network. If she had already hired them once before, that train of thought was perfectly natural. It also explained why Shin-woo was so wary of them now. It would make sense to give the same job to people who had successfully killed his father before.

There was a rustling sound from the other end. After some busy movements, Shin-woo whispered in a lowered voice.

– If they can’t find evidence, they’ll have to release me after 48 hours. I’ll contact you as soon as I get out. Let’s move together. Until then, stay somewhere safe—

“I need to find those two bastards.”

– No, you need to find your brother.

Ma Jae-seung smiled wryly. “Those guys know where my brother is. Mother would have known we’d chase after him, so she must have tipped off the ones following me. That way, they can prevent me from getting close to my brother.”

Shin-woo was silent, perhaps thinking the same thing. Ma Jae-seung looked down at the bag of money he’d brought, thinking it would be needed to find the duo. If he posted a large bounty on the dark web seeking someone for a hit job, they would surely contact him first. They wouldn’t pass up big money.

Though he had planned to first gather clues by visiting the hospital, Ma Jae-seung changed his mind. Rather than moving along such a predictable path, it would be much more certain to get a room somewhere and contact the duo directly. As soon as he made up his mind, Shin-woo objected.

– Those bastards will try to kill you right away.

“They’re the ones who came to the party after Ye-wook bribed them, then backed off when you paid them. It’s obvious they move impulsively rather than with thorough planning and have no loyalty. They’ll definitely sell my brother’s location if I offer them money.”

– Don’t do anything unnecessary and wait until I get out.

“Why do you think they led with the head when they have no evidence? They’re trying to keep us apart for at least 48 hours. They’ll strike at both of us during that time. We’ll die if we do nothing.”

– That’s…

His words cut off and silence fell for a moment. There were footsteps as if he was walking, then the sound of running water, followed by a door closing and opening. He must be in the bathroom. Soon after, Shin-woo complained in a quietly echoing voice.

– Walking right into them, saying ‘come get me’ doesn’t seem like a good idea.

“I just came from Mother’s house anyway.”

– Are you…an idiot?

“Fortunately, no bombs or bullets came flying. Instead, I received a message she left for me.”

– Message? 

He could almost see Shin-woo’s frowning face as he asked this. Ma Jae-seung slightly wiggled his fingers in the air as if caressing that round face. Even as he mulled over the words that were more like a curse than a final greeting to a son, it didn’t hurt much. His heart felt full as scattered memories of their time together came to mind. Ma Jae-seung pressed his warm cheeks with his fist as he spoke.

“I’m infertile.”

There was no response for a long while after that. Did it disconnect? Ma Jae-seung checked his phone with a frown. He had thought Shin-woo, who knew well what was good and bad about his body, would also know about the sperm function problems. That must be why he recklessly pursued changing to an omega trait and even imprinting.

His certainty gradually faded as the silence grew too long. At the same time, Ma Jae-seung’s lips began to protrude bit by bit.

“I can’t break off our engagement just because of infertility. We’ll overcome it with love.”

– …How can you joke about this?

Shin-woo finally spoke again. Though he seemed to think it was a joke, Ma Jae-seung was serious. Relieved by his usual attitude, Ma Jae-seung laughed, and Shin-woo made a small sound of distress.

– Why is she telling you this now?

“She’s saying that’s why Father cut me out of the will. Called me a failure.”

– You’re not a failure. Not fake either.

Shin-woo emphasized the addition, perhaps bothered that Ma Jae-seung had carelessly mentioned being fake while angry before. Though he wondered what else to call a fake besides fake, he silently agreed, wanting to return those same words to him. Whatever his traits, whatever name he had, Shin-woo was the real deal.

“You too.”

A sharp intake of breath came in response. “Damn, gotta go. Be careful.” The conversation ended quickly with those curt words, and the call immediately disconnected.

Ma Jae-seung stared down at his phone before putting it in his pocket. Then he pulled the bag full of cash onto his lap and pressed his hat down firmly.

Beyond the window, the sky was growing dark as the sun set. As the day deepened, the face reflected in it became increasingly clear.