MIM 39

“…She’s the owner of the ice cream shop.”

“What?”

“I said, she’s the owner of the ice cream shop in front of the school.”

Jae-seung emphasized again to Butler Hwang, who was staring at him with a dumbfounded expression. All this time, giving an extra scoop of ice cream had been a sign of his affection.

Did they get close by secretly contacting each other behind his back? Since the shop was in front of the school, it was likely that he first saw the owner at the beginning of this year. No, they might have known each other even before enrollment. Jae-seung searched for when the ice cream shop started its business. Three years. The shop was as old as it appeared from the outside.

“…Huh? Wait a minute.”

Jae-seung frowned as he looked at the search results. He thought something didn’t look familiar in the recent photos, and it turned out the interior had been completely redone. They removed the tables inside and transformed it into a takeout-only store. The old feel was gone, and the walls were repainted with vibrant colors befitting an ice cream shop.

It was such a drastic change that it seemed like the owner might have changed. It didn’t match at all with the owner who always wore achromatic colors and had no hint of warmth.

Did the owner change? It coincided with the time Shin-woo went to leave his dog. Was he planning to leave this city with the ice cream shop owner? Jae-seung shook off his unconfirmed doubts and called the investigator.

“Find out what kind of relationship Shin-woo has with this woman, who the dog’s owner is, and if there are any other people coming in and out of the hotel.”

“Understood.”

“Contact me immediately if you find out anything. The sooner, the better. I’ll make sure you’re well compensated.”

As if to back up his words, Jae-seung immediately had Butler Hwang transfer the payment for this job to the account. Butler Hwang didn’t like using such a significant amount of money for this kind of thing, but he had no choice. Even though Shin-woo had been driven out, he couldn’t bear not keeping track of every move of the guy who had always been by his side.

Butler Hwang followed the instructions with a rather displeased expression, and only after the investigator left did he express his concern.

“Are you… having Shin-woo followed because you suspect him?”

His speech awkwardly broke off as he had been ordered not to use honorifics. Jae-seung nodded in affirmation. Ye-wook’s words had only been the trigger; there were several reasons to suspect Shin-woo. Like the research center fire incident, did the police come to an incompetent conclusion about his father’s murder case as well? As soon as the question arose, Jae-seung called Butler Hwang.

“Didn’t the police suspect Shin-woo during my father’s incident?”

“I believe they did at first, but there was no evidence.”

“I heard that all the CCTV in the mansion was turned off on the day of the incident. There must have been an accomplice inside.”

“That… was actually investigated by the police at the time, it just wasn’t reported in the media.”

As if suddenly recalling the situation at the time, Butler Hwang continued slowly.

“It wasn’t that someone deliberately damaged the CCTV, but due to a communication error in the process of changing security companies, all the CCTV in the mansion wasn’t working for that entire day, as I remember.”

“Just that one day, of all days? It can’t be a coincidence. What was the reason for changing the security company?”

If someone had laid the groundwork to manipulate the CCTV, there must have been an incident that necessitated changing the security company. It was something Shin-woo could have easily fabricated if he wanted to.

“The chairman ordered it.”

However, the answer Butler Hwang gave after carefully recalling his memories was completely unexpected.

If it was an order from his father, it would have been solely his intention. It doesn’t make sense that he would have set the murder schedule after hearing about the change in security companies. Jae-seung, nervously biting his lip, stood up abruptly. Thinking about Shin-woo continuously made his heart start pounding wildly.

“I understand your suspicion of Shin-woo, but why are you curious about the dog’s owner?”

Ignoring Butler Hwang’s question, Jae-seung hurried out of the study with quick steps. He felt dizzy. Without deciding on a destination, he looked around distractedly. Whether it was swimming, shooting, or practicing martial arts, he needed to do something immediately to divert his attention. Otherwise, he would hear that voice again. That sneering, contemptuous voice.

The son of that man?

His brisk steps suddenly halted. Unable to breathe, Jae-seung collapsed onto a sofa he was about to pass by. Gasping in pain, he clutched the sofa cushion as if he was going to dig all five fingers into it. Tears and bile rose together, wetting his face. Startled servants hurriedly surrounded him.

Pushing away the unhelpful hands, what he desperately recalled was the warmth that had touched his forehead. It’s okay. A soothing voice and a pillowcase-like scent. Cynical jokes and a low laugh.

[Later, when you become an adult…]

“Hah…!”

Oxygen rushed in all at once. As his blocked airway opened up, his throat felt burning and sore. Jae-seung coughed and retched, expelling everything that came up.

As his breathing gradually stabilized, his vision slowly returned. Jae-seung wiped his cheeks with the back of his hand. His face was damp and cold all over.

“…You came when I wasn’t feeling well.”

As he was fixing his appearance, a familiar voice was heard from a distance. Ye-wook was standing there with an awkward expression, having arrived at some point.

“They let me in, so I came in… Sorry. I didn’t mean to see that.”

“What did you see?”

Jae-seung asked, not understanding why he was apologizing. Ye-wook seemed flustered. Struggling to breathe, crawling on the floor, crying, and drooling – it wasn’t particularly surprising as it was the same scene he had shown in front of the household staff many times before. Even in new clothes, the result was the same, wasn’t it?

“Good timing. Can you tell me about all the investors you know? I want to invite them to the house.”

Jae-seung called Ye-wook while obediently letting a servant tidy his hair. Ye-wook, still looking tense, carefully approached and sat down.

“I can tell you, but don’t expect too much. They’re all afraid of Shin-woo. Even if you invite them, most won’t come.”

“If the adults are too scared to come, their children will do. There must be others like you who know something. I wonder if inviting celebrities would be effective?”

As Ye-wook’s laughter softly echoed, Jae-seung soon became lost in his own thoughts. After speaking, it suddenly hit him that Shin-woo wouldn’t be by his side for this birthday.

After his father’s incident, he had been too busy recovering his health, and neither he nor the household staff had particularly memorable celebrations of his birthday. At most, the meal menu was more lavish than usual, and a cake was placed on the dinner table, but otherwise, it wasn’t much different from any other day. Even with Shin-woo, they had just sat across from each other awkwardly.

So even without him this year, the household scene wouldn’t change much. He knew this logically, but he felt uneasy. Noticing Jae-seung’s sudden quietness, Ye-wook approached and tried to lift the mood.

“I’ll teach you how to control your pheromones. When you become skilled at controlling them, your energy stabilizes. It’ll help with psychological stability too.”

“How do you do it? Do I have to sleep with you?”

Despite Ye-wook’s efforts, Jae-seung showed little interest. The reason pheromones exist is solely for reproduction, that is, sex. Even if you control them, when rut comes, it’s hard to keep your senses. Since the suppressants sold on the market don’t work for him, he would eventually need to find an Omega and bond. That’s why most Alphas and Omegas find their mates early.

“I don’t have that kind of self-sacrifice?”

Ye-wook blushed and got angry. Self-sacrifice. It was amusing to think of Shin-woo, who would drop his pants as soon as rut hit. Even though he paid a ton of money, was that still considered a sacrifice? To that Beta, an Alpha’s rut probably looked bestial. Jae-seung moistened his lips bitterly and self-deprecated. Ye-wook’s voice explaining how to control pheromones went in one ear and out the other.

To Jae-seung, neither Alphas or Omegas had any advantages over Betas. Even the supposed benefits of superior strength and physical abilities seemed embarrassing to count as advantages considering the enormous drawback of heat cycles. Moreover, since Betas were the absolute majority, they had far fewer inconveniences in life.

Betas’ energy can’t be read, making it difficult to guess their true feelings. Not being affected by pheromones, they generally appeared less emotional. There were times when he envied these qualities, opposite to his own.

Naturally, his thoughts drifted to that guy who had never once lost his composure and remained calm. The one who seemed to have no emotions except for his love of money. Maybe that’s why it was so shocking to see him with a woman or holding a dog. Just like how one keep mulling over an unexpected sight, it was the same with him.

That’s probably why he keeps coming to mind.