RCKS 12

The kids will just tease me. Lee Yoonsan mumbled such words and buried his head in his mother’s shoulder. He had not talked about his appearance even recently, so it seemed like the upsetting feelings that had been festering inside him since the time he manifested as omega had burst out.

“Lee Yoonsan.”

In the end, the alpha mom, who had been looking at that sight with a heartbroken expression, stepped forward. She sat her son straight up, who was trying not to leave his other mom’s embrace, and made eye contact. Then, Lee Yoonsan’s head drooped down like a sensitive plant.

When the alpha mom hardened her expression as if angry, an inexplicable sense of intimidation always came. That was greatly influenced by the alpha’s unique large and stately skeletal structure and clearly developed facial features. Even though she knew well that she had never once yelled at him or said harsh words, he was to the extent that he got scared just from one hardened expression.

Indeed, she was the tallest in this household. The average height of alpha women usually exceeded the mid to late 170s, and her height was 180 cm. It was 10 cm taller than Lee Yoonsan, who had quickly grown to 170 cm now. Moreover, she was the tallest among the women around Lee Yoonsan.

“Look at mom, Lee Yoonsan.”

“Sniff… Mom is scary.”

“How beautifully did we give birth to you, and yet you say such self-deprecating words?”

“Mom….”

“Tsk, no.”

When Lee Yoonsan, scared by his mom’s scolding and stern expression, tried to cling to his other mom, the alpha mom Lee Jeongwon restrained him and made a stern expression again.

The expression of the omega mom Lee Gaeun, who was watching such her and their one and only son, was complicated. It was upsetting that the child was making self-deprecating remarks about his appearance, and she was worried that her spouse was being strict with the child. It seemed even more so because such an atmosphere had never existed in this household until now.

The household was always harmonious, the couple had good chemistry, and there were no instances of raising voices. The two were a couple who matched well in conversations and values, and their one and only child Lee Yoonsan was always an innocent and kind child. Even though there were cases where he threw tantrums or occasionally showed stubbornness, he had never once said such heavy and dark words.

“Son, did friends at school say something upsetting by any chance?”

“……”

“By any chance, are they bullying Yoonsan or something? The kids in the same class?”

“…Nooo.”

When Lee Yoonsan gave a slow response while watching the mood in the stiffened atmosphere, Lee Jeongwon’s brow furrowed. It was regret toward herself for not being able to pay attention to the child due to her busy schedule. But looking at that, Lee Yoonsan got scared again and started to watch the mood. It was a rare sight.

Cases where Lee Yoonsan did something to get scolded by his adoptive parents were very rare, and watching the mood was even more unfamiliar. The child would throw a fit if he disliked something, but he was not the type to cower and watch the mood like this. So, that was the original Lee Yoonsan. The Lee Yoonsan from before the couple got busy, the Lee Yoonsan from 1 to 2 years ago.

“Mom, my stomach hurts….”

“Stop for now. Let’s give the kid medicine and let him sleep a bit. We’ll talk between us.”

“…Okay.”

In the end, further conversation was impossible. Lee Yoonsan, who had just entered the manifestation period, suffered from abdominal pain all night that day, and Lee Gaeun nursed him restlessly by his side. Lee Jeongwon watched such son and wife while boiling inside and looked into child psychological counseling and prepared documents necessary for the transfer procedures.

The day passed like that, and the next day and the day after that, Lee Yoonsan had to continue suffering from abdominal pain. Each time, the adoptive parents anxiously gave him painkillers, but the child had to suffer for a full additional week without being able to sleep properly or eat.

In that process, the conversation they had had with Lee Yoonsan about his lowered self-esteem was pushed to the back burner. Time flew by as the couple took turns looking after the sick child, proceeded with the transfer procedures in the meantime, and replaced the absent days with experiential learning.

Even after the child suffered for a few more consecutive days and regained some energy, it did not mean the manifestation period was over. The child was to the extent that he could not do daily life without painkillers, and in the end, he came to resent the fact that he, a boy, had manifested as omega. It was the beginning of the difficulties that had come to the previously smooth household.

“Is Haekyung okay?”

—He’s a bit better because we make him exercise. The growing pains are still severe.

“Oh dear… Our kid is in big trouble because he hurts every day.”

As soon as Lee Gaeun came home from work, she gave medicine to Lee Yoonsan, who had collapsed and lay down, checked his temperature, put a wet cloth on him, and then came out to the living room to start the call. The other party was Ahn Seonmi, Hwang Haekyung’s mother.

She, who was beta, said there was no one with a second gender among her surroundings or family. Then, she met Hwang Junwon, her life’s first alpha and current husband, got married, and gave birth to Hwang Haekyung, who was alpha.

The study of the second gender that she had started late was deepening day by day while going through her son with alpha gender’s manifestation period. In her life, it was literally like a bolt from the blue, but there was no helping it. It was because her son Hwang Haekyung’s second gender hormone level was in the top 5%. Borrowing past colloquial terms, it was a level that stood out even among dominants.

In today’s world, they do not publicly divide superiority and inferiority based on second gender hormone levels, but until before the past systems and perceptions were improved, expressions like dominant or recessive were often attached before the second gender.

It was because if the second gender hormone level, different from general beta or primary gender’s sex hormones, was high, it was perceived as dominant, and if low, as recessive.

In fact, even now, in online communities or private settings, they still attach option words like dominant or recessive before second gender people and engage in power struggles. It is because the higher the second gender hormone level, the thicker the pheromone concentration, of course, and many advantages and superior traits of alpha or omega are exhibited.

However, due to the perception improvement that one should not attach labels of superiority and inferiority to people, nowadays, it was an expression not used officially.

Anyway, Ahn Seonmi’s son Hwang Haekyung was growing as an alpha with a very high and superior hormone level. She said the words that had gossiped about omega during Hwang Haekyung’s kid model days were now colorless. And Ahn Seonmi, who had such a son, was also a quite reliable friend to Lee Gaeun. It was because Lee Gaeun’s son Lee Yoonsan had also been going through the omega manifestation period since recently.

—Is Yoonsan very upset?

“Well, yeah. But now that it’s puberty, it seems like some appearance complex has come.”

—Yoonsan? He wasn’t like that before?

“He’s not a baby anymore and is going through puberty now.”

At Lee Gaeun’s reply that continued bitterly, laughter came from beyond the cell phone. Ahn Seonmi’s voice also sounded quite tired. Just like Lee Yoonsan, who was growing as omega, groaned with abdominal pain at any time, Hwang Haekyung, who was growing as alpha, also said that his daily life was unstable without painkillers due to growing pains.

At least for Lee Gaeun’s family, who operated one company together, the situation was better. It was because Lee Gaeun and Lee Jeongwon could take turns going to work and looking after the sick child.

On the other hand, for Hwang Junwon, the owner of a security firm, and Ahn Seonmi, who worked as an accountant at a fairly large accounting firm, such options did not exist.

Alpha Hwang Haekyung did not collapse with abdominal pain at any time, but if he did not consume energy, fever would rise. And from evening when he came home, passing through the night to morning, he had to suffer from extreme growing pains. He had to wake up intermittently to take painkillers to fall asleep, and if not, it was pain to the extent that he could not even sleep properly.

Someone was needed to give or feed the child painkillers on time throughout the night. So, in the end, Ahn Seonmi had to take leave.

The couple made Hwang Haekyung spend time at school and exercise during the day, and that time alone was when Ahn Seonmi could rest. Thanks to that, Ahn Seonmi was living a day-night reversed life that was not in her fate.

“…I should have taken care of the kid to make him prettier. And made him exercise.”

-What kind of talk is that? How cute is Yoonsan, like a little baby potato. There’s no health issues, right? Then, it’s fine to just raise him by giving whatever he wants. The kid has no problems. Fat gained at that age all goes to height, I say?

“He’s already taller than me now, so how much more does he have to grow for you to say that?”

—Oh my, really? How tall is Yoonsan? If he’s taller than you, that means he’s over 168 cm, right?

“170 cm. And he’s only in fifth grade of elementary school.”

—Oh my, he’s so tall and stately. For our Haekyung’s alpha pride, he has to grow diligently.

“Haekyung is alpha and has high hormone levels too. He’ll grow tall and straight.”

—I’ll raise Haekyung diligently, so raise Yoonsan well and give him to our Haekyung.

“Will the kids like it?”

—The kids’ opinions are important, but what’s more important is that I want to become in-laws with you guys. Wouldn’t it be convenient for you guys to become in-laws with us too? Let’s matchmake the kids and go on trips together in our old age.

“What a dreamy talk, really.”

—So, raise Yoonsan well. I’ll raise our Haekyung well too and send him to Yoonsan.

Lee Gaeun also laughed at Ahn Seonmi’s words full of playfulness. It was words that could not help but want to convey to Lee Yoonsan, whose self-esteem had lowered recently.

Lee Gaeun recalled one sentence from Lee Yoonsan’s diary that she had happened to see recently.

An omega like me won’t be liked by anyone anyway.

That sentence that seemed to be pressed hard in the diary pierced Lee Gaeun’s heart. He was losing weight because he could not sleep or eat properly due to the pain, but in his son’s eyes, even such his own appearance seemed unsatisfactory. It was because Lee Yoonsan’s diary was still full of words like ‘I’m chubby.’

Because she had been going in and out of the room frequently to give him painkillers every hour, the child’s diary that she happened to see was full of bitter words.

Until before going through the manifestation period, no, until he was 10 years old, there had been no such expressions, and seeing them written painfully was heartbreaking and sad as a mom. It hurt her heart even more because until then, the child’s diary had been filled only with delicious things, exciting things, and things he liked.

To the child whose self-esteem had lowered due to appearance, they could not say anything recklessly, so both Lee Gaeun and Lee Jeongwon became sparing with words. The feeling of not wanting to stress the child with his weight was still the same, and it was also true that their young son looked pretty in their eyes.

However, thinking that raising the child with the attitude until now might also be wrong, nowadays, they were paying even more attention when dealing with the child. Like giving frequent small praises, saying ‘I love you’ often, or saying words that could boost self-esteem at any time.

Nevertheless, the fact that the child’s mood did not easily improve made her think that perhaps, because he was going through puberty, it was an even more difficult problem.

—Tell Yoonsan to have confidence. At least prepare one alpha for him.

“Haekyung’s doctor isn’t important?”

—The baby’s self-esteem is more important. He’s in the middle of puberty.

Ahn Seonmi’s voice was full of playfulness and worry. The two’s conversation continued for a long time like that before ending. After finishing the call, Lee Gaeun checked the time and then entered the room where Lee Yoonsan was sleeping again to check the child’s condition. A slight fever remained, but thanks to the medicine she had given earlier seeming to work, his condition had improved a lot.

She sat on the floor beside the bed where her son was lying and touched his plump cheek. One cheek was soft because of the skin tanned a lot in the sunlight since it was summer. As if he had heard upsetting words at school today too, his droopy eyes were a bit swollen. Of course, it was just a guess, so even if she asked, the child would deny that he had cried.

He must have cried alone again to not upset mom. Lee Gaeun touched the child’s eye area carefully with a bitter expression and kissed his cheek. She did not forget to stroke his stomach, praying that the subsided abdominal pain would last a bit longer.

“I wonder if mom worries that our baby won’t be loved.”

Hoping that her soft voice would reach even in Lee Yoonsan’s sleep, Lee Gaeun continued speaking. In a very quiet and affectionate tone.

“When he’s so lovable like this.”

Mom is scared that some alpha will come later and say to hand over our baby. Because mom wants to cling and live with him. Lee Gaeun whispered such words toward the sleeping Lee Yoonsan and chuckled lowly. It had come out playfully because of Haekyung’s mom Ahn Seonmi, but as she said it, it was not entirely empty words. Just imagining her lovable son all grown up and leaving the couple’s embrace already made her feel regretful and sad.

She swept aside her son’s hair wet with sweat and smiled bitterly. It was a day full of worries about how to revive the self-esteem of the child who had entered puberty at the same time as manifesting as omega.