MIM 14

“Drink this. It’ll help you calm down.”

“…What is it? Is it bitter?”

“Just drink it. It’s herbal tea.”

Though he called it herbal tea, it smelled like cosmetics. Not wanting to be stubborn in this situation, Jae-seung quietly accepted the tea and drank. Si-hyeong didn’t leave his spot even as Jae-seung sipped the tea until his chewed-up lips softened.

Should he say thank you? Or would it be better to apologize? While his head spun trying to decide, what he actually blurted out was completely different.

“You should go now. I’m not joking.”

It came out a bit brusquely, but it was meant as an apology nonetheless. They had probably gathered to drink and have fun, and he didn’t want to interfere. Jae-seung carefully pushed Si-hyeong’s foot with his toes.

“Go play with your friends. It’s a party.”

“If they’re my friends, you’re my friend too. I just met most of them today.”

Si-hyeong, who had been stubbornly staying put, mumbled quietly as if worried someone might overhear. Showing no intention of leaving, he put the first aid kit away in a corner and plopped down on the bed.

Friends, huh. Jae-seung was about to scoff for who knows how many times today, but stopped when he saw the bandage on his hand. Still, he couldn’t completely hide the sarcastic tone in his voice.

“What do you know about me to call me a friend?”

“I know where you live and about your family, don’t I? I know you better than the others.”

“By that logic, the whole country would be my friends.”

As Jae-seung snorted, Si-hyeong started giggling. He carefully pushed the teacup, urging Jae-seung to finish drinking. Having nothing else to say, Jae-seung emptied the remaining tea. It tasted awful.

“I wanted to talk to you somewhere quiet.”

After Jae-seung put down the empty cup, Si-hyeong, who had been swinging his feet under the bed, finally spoke up. Jae-seung waited silently, but Si-hyeong hesitated to continue. Kindness usually comes with a price, doesn’t it? There must be a reason for being nice. Maybe he’s curious about something… Jae-seung fiddled with the bandage on his hand and smiled dryly.

“What are you curious about that made you follow me here? Ask.”

“Actually, my dad passed away in an accident.”

Jae-seung, who had been smirking sarcastically, widened his eyes. Was he being serious? Throughout his intense observation, Si-hyeong’s eyes never wavered. After a long hesitation, he opened his mouth.

“It’s just me and my mom now, and I don’t know how to get along with her. I don’t want to talk openly about the void dad left, but it also feels weird to act like nothing happened.”

“…I see.”

“I was curious because… in a way, you seem to be in a similar situation. Do you get along well with your mother?”

Jae-seung gaped, not knowing how to respond. It was the first time someone had ever shared something so personal with him. Misunderstanding Jae-seung’s silence, Si-hyeong quickly shook his head.

“Sorry. This isn’t something to talk about when we’ve just met. I guess I was impatient since I have nowhere else to discuss this.”

“I live separately from my mother.”

Jae-seung reassured Si-hyeong by sharing the first fact that came to mind. He knew better than anyone what it was like to have nowhere to confide. Though he couldn’t be of much help, he didn’t want to be cold-hearted.

“She didn’t want to live in the mansion after that incident. She visits occasionally, but we’re not very close. I can’t give you any helpful advice.”

“Why do you still live in that mansion?”

Si-hyeong, who had been listening intently, suddenly asked. As soon as their eyes met, he hastily added as if making an excuse.

“It’s not like you can’t afford to move, and I don’t think I could live there if I were you. No matter how much renovation was done, those… traces can’t completely disappear. Terrible things happened there. I understand why your mother left the mansion.”

The scene of the incident, still not safe, and a place of daily nightmares. Yet, the thought of leaving the mansion had never crossed his mind.

Suddenly, he thought of Shin-woo staying alone in that shabby annex. Do I look like him to others? Shaking off the idle thought, Jae-seung raised his chin. The reason for not leaving the mansion. The answer was simple.

“Because Ma estate is mine.”

As the owner of the mansion, there was no reason to run away. If traces of the incident remained in the mansion, he would dig them all out. If the culprits returned to kill him, he would cut off their heads for revenge. And also, as the counselor had pointed out several times…

His father’s death didn’t really trouble him. He was only angry at how the incident had ruined his life.

Was it because he had lost his memories? Or, as Shin-woo had suggested, was he somehow involved in his father’s death? What if he had ordered Shin-woo to kill his father?

“That’s cool. Not running away.”

Completely unaware of what Jae-seung was thinking, Si-hyeong smiled.

“I can’t do that. I feel like I’m constantly trapped in the past. It’s so painful that I can’t bear it unless I blame someone.”

The faint smile gradually faded, and soon Si-hyeong’s eyes welled up with tears. Faced with his sudden crying, Jae-seung swallowed hard, not knowing what to do. He had never comforted anyone before and had no talent for it.

Perhaps due to his confusion, the fever that had subsided seemed to rise again. He needed to send Si-hyeong away. Jae-seung blurted out whatever came to mind to quickly wrap up the conversation.

“Overcome it. Endure it by blaming others.”

“Do you think my mother secretly hates me while blaming me?”

“…What?”

“What about your mother?”

Si-hyeong leaned in close and whispered. The sudden burst of pheromones made Jae-seung’s vision go white for a moment. Sweat that had beaded on his temples trickled down his cheeks and dripped onto his chest. Following the path of the sweat drop with his eyes, Si-hyeong’s face flushed bright red. His eyes, previously wet with tears, were now unfocused as if entranced.

“Does your mother hate you too?” Si-hyeong mouthed, moving his lips without making a sound. But Jae-seung could hear him clearly. He murmured while caressing Jae-seung’s silver hair:

“It’s mysterious… like it’s not of this world.”

Weight pressed down on Jae-seung’s hardened genitals. As Si-hyeong sat on his lap, putting pressure on his groin, Jae-seung’s breathing became more labored. The hand that had been stroking his hair now pulled at the back of his neck. He felt dizzy. He was panting as if he’d forgotten how to breathe properly. Just as warm breath brushed his lips, Jae-seung blurted out without thinking:

“You should do this with someone you like.”

The reflexive words sounded awkward, as if quoting someone else. Si-hyeong burst into laughter at this.

“Haha! Is this your first kiss?”

“…”

“I’m honored.”

And then his vision flickered.

It was hot. As the world spun around him, a piercing scream anchored his consciousness. Panting, he groped around and stood up to see Si-hyeong rolling on the floor across the room. He was writhing in pain, clutching his nose which was bleeding. It seemed he had hit a table hard when pushed away. An overwhelming amount of pheromones was emanating from him, enough to numb the senses.

Did I push him? Did I attack Si-hyeong with the same strength I used to bend the fork?

His vision was foggy. He needed to get out of here before he hurt someone. As soon as he made this decision, Jae-seung planted his feet firmly and lunged for the door. The door shattered with a huge crash that echoed throughout the mansion. Though he stepped on the splintered remains of the door, he felt no pain from the impact. All he could feel was heat.

His skin burned as if scalded. It felt like his entire body was on fire. Suddenly, he thought of Shin-woo, of his intense gaze.

“It’s hot…”

Jae-seung groaned, gripping the wall for support. Strangely, it was even harder to breathe than before. It felt different from the shortness of breath caused by anxiety. As he gasped for air, his vision gradually cleared. He wasn’t alone.

People were lined up in the hallway in front of the door. About ten of them were gathered, creating a bizarre scene as if they were guarding the room. After a moment of shock, Jae-seung soon realized why they were standing there blankly.

They were all Omegas. And every single one of them was emitting terrible pheromones.

“Don’t resist. It’ll be over soon.”

The man standing at the front approached, speaking in a gentle, coaxing tone. Jae-seung shoved him aside and started running. As the man flew like a rag doll, some people screamed and chaos quickly erupted. By the time he reached the stairs, escaping the thick cloud of pheromones, his fever had subsided a bit.

There were a few more people near the stairs. The faces looking up at him were familiar. Byeong-woo and Ji-un… All those guarding the bottom of the stairs were Alphas.

They’re all in this together.

The moment their eyes met, Jae-seung turned around and opened a window in the hallway. It was the second floor, but there was a tree nearby. Without hesitation, he put his foot on the windowsill. Then he leaped towards the tree outside.

He felt the branch he grabbed crack loudly. Instinctively, Jae-seung rolled his body to land safely. Thanks to the light rain that had fallen, the ground was soft as he planted his feet. He quickly stood up and looked around. Soon he heard several people rushing out behind him.

Jae-seung started running into the forest without looking back.