At exactly 7 a.m., Taewon stepped back into the house.
He looked tired ,tie loosened, shirt slightly wrinkled. He had only come home to change before heading to the office, but the house greeted him differently this morning.
The lights were still on from the night before. The cook hadn't arrived yet.
As he bent down to remove his shoes, his eyes landed on a pair of slippers tossed near the entrance.
Jihyun's.
He gently straightened them. Something about the way they'd been thrown aside stirred a bad feeling in his chest.
Stepping into the living area, his steps slowed.
A bag and phone were flung carelessly onto the couch. The kitchen was a mess cabinet left wide open, a broken egg dried onto the floor, and a pan rolled halfway under the table, like someone had dropped it mid cooking.
His brows furrowed.
"What happened in here?"
He crossed the kitchen quickly and noticed an empty adhesive bandage box lying near the trash.
Without thinking, he rushed to Jihyun's room.
The door was half-open. He didn't bother knocking.
Inside, Jihyun was curled under the blanket, asleep. One hand dangled off the edge of the bed.
Taewon froze.
A poorly wrapped bandage clung to Jihyun's hand already soaked through, the skin beneath red and swollen.
He crouched beside the bed, brushing the blanket back carefully as he lifted Jihyun's hand.
"What happened to you" he whispered.
Gently, he began unwrapping the cloth.
As he leaned in closer, Jihyun's eyes snapped open.
He yanked his hand away, sitting up. "What are you doing!?"
Taewon stood.
"What happened to your hand?"
Jihyun scoffed and yanked the blanket tighter around himself. "None of your business."
"Don't be ridiculous. That injury looks bad. Did you treat it properly?"
"I did. And no, you don't need to worry. It's your fault anyway."
Taewon didn't respond.
Without warning, he reached forward, grabbed both of Jihyun's ankles, and pulled him down the bed in one smooth motion.
"YAH!"
Jihyun nearly collided with his chest.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Taewon looked down at him.
"We're going to the hospital."
"Are you insane?! Let me go!"
"I said," he tightened his grip, "you're going."
"You don't get to decide that!"
"I do, when you're hurting yourself and acting like it's nothing. Who'll be responsible if something happens to you?"
"You!" Jihyun snapped. "I told you, I don't need your"
Before he could finish, Taewon scooped him up in his arms.
Jihyun's breath caught as the Alpha's scent subtle cedar and something crisp and warm wrapped around him.
"Put me down, you brute! I'm in my nightclothes!"
Taewon said nothing.
He carried him straight to the car and buckled him into the passenger seat.
As soon as the door shut, Jihyun exploded.
"You're insane! I said I didn't want your help! You're a control freak! Who drags someone out of bed like this?!"
Taewon started the engine in silence. His jaw was clenched, eyes fixed on the road.
"I'm not your responsibility! I told you I don't need your care!"
"It was just a stupid accident! You didn't even ask! You just barged in like some dictator!"
Still, no response.
"You're seriously messed up."
They reached a hospital. Taewon parked, stepped out, and made a call.
A minute later, a man in a white coat came walking out.
"Kang Taewon?" the doctor called. "Wow, I thought you ghosted me."
Taewon exhaled. "Check his hand first."
The man turned to Jihyun and grinned. "Oh, so this is your spouse. Cute. A bit loud, though."
"Who are you calling loud?!" Jihyun snapped.
"Relax. I'm Dr. Seo Jihyun. Friend of this silent brute."
Dr. Seo led them in. Jihyun sat on the bench, pouting as he extended his hand.
After examining it, Dr. Seo clicked his tongue. "Second degree burn. You're lucky it's not infected. We'll clean it and give you an antibiotic injection."
Jihyun's expression dropped.
"Injection? No. Nope. Not happening."
"It's necessary."
"I'll just use ointment!"
"Not enough."
"I said no!"
The second he tried to bolt, Taewon moved behind him and locked both arms tightly around his waist.
Jihyun struggled. "LET GO! You psycho! This is actual abuse!"
"I hate needles! I'll bite you!"
And he did.
He sank his teeth into Taewon's shoulder, hard.
Taewon flinched but didn't move. He held on.
The injection went in.
Jihyun's eyes brimmed with tears. When it was over, he pounded weak fists against Taewon's chest.
"You suck. I hate you."
Later, Jihyun sulked all the way back to the car, arms crossed like a child.
Taewon trailed behind with the prescription bag.
Dr. Seo leaned beside him, smirking. "So this is your Omega, huh?"
"It's a forced marriage," Taewon replied dryly.
"Sure, sure," Seo chuckled. "Still your type, though."
Taewon didn't respond.
He glanced at the car Jihyun sitting in the passenger seat, arms folded, face turned away in a pout.
Instead of replying, he walked ahead without another word.