That day, the sky was clear of clouds, a day when old leaves fell and new ones unfurled. Scarlet maple leaves, vibrant and fresh, seemed to mirror my very tears of blood.
It was the wedding of the only son of a magnate who owned some of South Korea's top corporations. The guest list boasted countless renowned figures from the business world, and the event itself was a lavish spectacle, overflowing with the finest preparations, the most exquisite food, and breathtaking designs.
"Do you, Kim Ann-Hae, take Jung Tae-Yu to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"Yes… I do."
Marrying someone I neither loved nor desired felt like my heart was shattering into a million pieces, a searing pain, yet paradoxically, I was utterly consumed by joy.
After the grand wedding, they arrived at the estate where they'd be living together. It was a two-story house with a sprawling compound, easily over a hundred feet square. As they stepped out of the car and into the house, Tae-Yu immediately pulled down his tie. He started up the stairs, his voice low and heavy with exhaustion, as he spoke:
"I've arranged a separate room for you. Just go straight up the stairs, it's the room on the right. Mine's directly across from it."
He didn't say another word, simply disappearing into his room. Ann-Hae entered his own room, sat before the vanity, and began removing his makeup. He gazed intently at him reflection, a smile playing on his lips, and whispered,
"First step is complete."
The next morning, as Ann-Hae descended from upstairs, he found Tae-Yu in the kitchen, brewing coffee.
"Morning. Coffee and toast are ready for you."
They sat together at the table, sipping coffee, when Tae-Yu spoke again.
"I've let all the staff go so you can live freely in this house. You don't need to do anything for me; just pretend we're a couple when other family members are around. I'm heading out now. Make yourself comfortable. Call me if you need anything."
"Okay."
A short while later, he got dressed, drove off, and left.
Jung Tae-Yu had married Ann-Hae, making him pose as a girl, because he wanted one of his father's branch companies. His father, a strong hater of male omegas, had vehemently opposed his son marrying another man. He'd explicitly stated he'd only give Tae-Yu the company if he married a female beta.
Meanwhile, Tae-Yu was at a bar, killing time. The bartender, a familiar face, greeted him:
"Yo! Is that the newlywed who just got married yesterday, ditching his little wife to sit here?"
Tae-Yu frowned..
"Tch... Stop messing with me."
"You're just as reckless as ever, getting married to some random girl just because you want the company," the owner scoffed.
Tae-Yu took a sip of his cocktail and said sarcastically,
"You know me, hyung. I've got nothing left to play with, so I'm just bored, ready to squander my father's fortune. A company is nothing. And that woman I married? She's nothing either."
"Fine... When are you ever going to settle down?"
Tae-Yu waved a dismissive hand and walked into the VVIP room. Later that evening, while stopped at a traffic light on his way home, a pair of red high heels displayed in a street-side fashion mall caught his eye. When he arrived back at the house, Ann-Hae was sitting on the sofa in an oversized hoodie and shorts, eating fruit and watching TV. He then placed the items he'd bought onto the table.
"There's a dinner party on Sunday night for the company's opening. You'll come with me... I picked up some clothes and shoes for you on my way."
"Alright"
I kept them just as he'd given them to me. But when I took them out to wear on the day of the party, the heels were too small..
"Ugh, these heels are so tight."
Ann-Hae descended the stairs, clad in a simple black dress, beautiful red high heels, and a diamond-studded necklace. For a moment, Tae-Yu was captivated, but then he quickly averted his gaze..
"Not bad. Let's go when you're ready."
When Ann-Hae saw the dark blue necktie lying discarded on the sofa, he asked,
"Oh, aren't you going to tie your necktie?"
Tae-Yu frowned at Ann-Hae's question and replied,
"I don't know how to tie it, so I just threw it aside in frustration."
Normally, the staff would handle such sartorial preparations, but with no one else around now, he was finding these routines difficult.
"If it's okay, would you like me to do it for you?"
"Go ahead then..."
As Ann-Hae finished tying the necktie and gave it a final tug upwards, their faces drew close. Ann-Hae's soft, reddish lips entered Tae-Yu's view, and he instinctively recoiled backward..
"We're leaving when you're done."
As Tae-Yu turned and walked away, the tips of his ears were conspicuously red.
Ann-Hae, still unsure what had just happened, decided against bringing up the issue with the shoes and simply followed him.
At the dinner party, as they greeted guests and exchanged pleasantries, Tae-Yu's father offered Ann-Hae a glass of wine. Some of the wives of other prominent guests remarked:
"The chairman's daughter-in-law is simply adorable, and so poised too!"
"Oh, is this Young Master Jung Tae-Yu's wife?"
"Which conglomerate's daughter is she?"
The crowd grew dense, causing Ann-Hae to back away in discomfort. Just then, a pair of hands pulled him into an embrace.
'Why are you here, not with me...?'
Ann-Hae straightened herself, standing by Tae-Yu's side. Tae-Yu cleared his throat.
"Don't question my wife about this or that! Does the person I choose need to be of a certain status? My status is her status. Now, if you'll excuse us... Come, I'll introduce you to my cousin."
Ann-Hae's feet were already aching from standing so long. Still, he endured the pain and followed Tae-Yu as he led the way.
"This is my cousin, Yoo Jeong-Su."
Though introduced as a male cousin, there was nothing in his attire or demeanor that suggested a man. The reason was simple: Yoo Jeong-Su was a cross-dresser. Ann-Hae offered a smile.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Kim Ann-Hae."
Jeong-Su, arms crossed, eyed Ann-Hae up and down..
"Hmm... I was abroad, so I missed the wedding. And a Beta, Tae-Yu? You're ruining our Alpha world!"
"You walking around in cross-dressing outfits isn't exactly upholding Alpha dignity either, hyung.".
"What?! This is fashion... Oh, goodness!"
Jeong-Su could only let out an exasperated sigh, unable to continue the argument. As he turned away, a waitstaff stumbled on the carpet while clearing a dish. The young woman lost her balance and was about to fall directly onto Ann-Hae when Tae-Yu quickly pulled Ann-Hae back by the shoulder.
"Watch out!"
Even so, the waitstaff's foot landed with force directly onto Ann-Hae's foot. Ann-Hae gasped, clutching Tae-Yu's shirt sleeve in acute pain. The young waitstaff, startled and terrified, bowed so low it looked as if her waist would break, profusely apologizing.
"I'm so sorry, ma'am! I didn't see you; I didn't mean to do it! Please forgive me!"
Ann-Hae, masking her pain, managed a smile.
"It's... it's alright. Nothing happened. Are you okay?"
Tae-Yu shot the young woman a sharp glance, silently warning her to leave. Terrified, she scurried away. Then, he turned to Ann-Hae, his expression concerned..
"Are you okay? What happened?"
Ann-Hae shook her head.
"N-no, I'm fine. I just need to go to the restroom for a moment."
"Hmm."
Inside the restroom, Ann-Hae removed his shoe. His toes were blistered and scraped, and where the waitstaff had stepped, his big toenail had lifted, now bleeding.
"It's bleeding, and it hurts so much... What should I do?"
Earlier, Tae-Yu had been unable to pinpoint the feeling he'd experienced when Ann-Hae clutched his shirt. But the moment he noticed his distressed face emerging from the restroom, he understood. He walked over to Ann-Hae, took his hand, and said,
"Let's go home."
"Huh? But the party isn't over yet..."
"It doesn't matter."
However, Ann-Hae couldn't follow where he pulled and collapsed.
"Ah!"
Tae-Yu turned back to see Ann-Hae's shoes stained with blood. He frowned, then swiftly scooped him up, carried him to the car, and they headed home.
Upon reaching the house, Ann-Hae opened the car door and hobbled out. Just then, Tae-Yu quickly swept him up again from behind, carrying him inside. Once in the house, he settled him on the sofa, then knelt. As he removed his shoe, the sight of his injured foot pierced his chest, and he clenched his jaw.
"Why?"
Ann-Hae's voice was barely a whisper.
"I'm sorry... it's because of me."
"That's not what I'm talking about! If those wretched shoes were uncomfortable from the start, you should have just thrown them away! Why did you put yourself through this suffering until it came to this?"
At the end of Tae-Yu's shout, tears welled in Ann-Hae's eyes. Tae-Yu ripped off his tie, snatched both shoes, opened the door, and flung them outside the house. He strode into the kitchen and returned moments later with a first-aid kit. Sitting back down in front of Ann-Hae, he reached for his foot, but Ann-Hae pulled it back..
"I-it's alright... I can do it myself."
He then firmly pulled his foot back towards him and issued a curt command:
"Quiet!"
Ann-Hae didn't dare make another sound, remaining perfectly still. After he disinfected the wound with alcohol and bandaged it, he asked,.
"Does it hurt a lot?"
Silence.
When no response came from Ann-Hae, Tae-Yu looked up. The sight of Ann-Hae with tears glistening in his eyes ignited a strange sensation in his chest. He abruptly shot up from his kneeling position and pressed his lips against Ann-Hae's, fiercely kissing him. Through his lips, he tasted the sweet red wine from the dinner party. The suddenness of it left Ann-Hae breathless and unsure how to react. He found himself returning the kiss instinctively, but when Tae-Yu bit his lower lip a moment later, he pushed him away.
"I can't breathe."
Only then did Tae-Yu snap back to his senses. Startled by his own actions, he quickly recoiled.
"S-sorry... I lost control."
Ann-Hae said nothing, simply staring at the floor. Tae-Yu then bolted upstairs to his own room.
#VioletCrystal9