Her bloodshot eyes landed on Jihoon and the omega gasped, stepping back.
"Yujin?" he called, watching her with cautiously.
Her lips moved but no words came out.
Jihoon frowned and leaned closer. "What are you saying?"
Yujin coughed, struggling to keep her eyes opened. "Stay... Away... From..."
The omega frowned in confusion. "Stay away from who?"
"... A..." she coughed even more, face scrunched in pain.
"Who is that?" Jihoon asked, placing his ear on her lips.
Yujin's breath quickened, her eyes turning heavy. "Trust... No one..." her voice cracked as she raised a hand.
"Especially... S..." her eyes closed, hand falling limply to her side.
"Who is that?" The omega urged, impatient.
The heart monitor beeped loudly as her heart rate dropped.
"What's... happening?"
Jihoon stared at the screen in horror as the monitor flatlined.
"Yujin! Yujin!" he screamed her name, shaking her shoulders.
Nothing.
She was dead.
"No! No!" The omega paced around in frustration. "This... can't be happening."
He stared at Yujin's lifeless body on the bed, a tear slipping down his cheek.
Jihoon ran out of the room, nearly bumping into the nurse that was coming in.
"Intruder!" she screamed, pointing at him. "Catch him."
The omega hastened his descent down the stairs as footsteps and the voices grew closer.
He ran into a storage room and hid, watching from a peephole as the security guards stood, looking around.
"Where did he go?"
"Let's split up. Well catch him faster that way," one of the guards suggested and they nodded in agreement.
They ran separate ways.
Jihoon came out of the storage room, sighing in relief.
"That was so close," he murmured, patting his chest to calm his racing heart.
The omega straightened and strode out of the hospital in large strides. He flagged down a taxi and got in.
Jihoon placed his head on the window, closing his eyes in thought.
The next day, the omega had still not understood what Yujin had been trying to tell him in her final moments.
Hours of poring over his laptop, searching for clues yielded no results. Nothing suspicious popped up.
What did A stand for?
What did they have to do with Yena and Yujin's death?
These questions plagued the omega's mind.
Finally on his day off, Jihoon sat in front of his study desk, typing at his computer. His notepad was placed near the laptop as he diligently took notes.
The door bell rang.
"Who is it?" he heard Seungho yell and Jihoon paused his writing to listen in.
His friend opened the door but the omega couldn't hear what was said. Curious, he walked out of his room, only to see his friend surrounded by three policemen.
"Uhh... Excuse me.." he said, catching their attention. "Is there... a problem?"
One of the officers stepped forward, flashing him a warrant letter. "Are you, Mr Kang?"
Jihoon frowned, nodding. "Yeah...I am."
"Well, you are under arrest for the murder of Miss Kim Yujin."
The omega's eyes widened.
What!
"That's not true! I didn't..."
The officer paid him no heed. With a nod of his head, his fellow officers stepped forward and grabbed Jihoon.
"Anything you say or do will be used against in the court of law," he warned as the omega was cuffed.
"You can't just take him!" Seungho yelled as they led his friend away. "He didn't do it!"
"He is innocent!" he chased after them.
"I'll be okay!" Jihoon yelled, trying to comfort the other omega.
"Get in," One of the officers growled, roughly pushing the omega into the car.
Jihoon winced as his head hit the body of the car as he got in. He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself.
He heard his friend scream as the police vehicle moved, his heart breaking.
Two hours later, Jihoon hated himself.
He sat in the interrogation room, forced to face an officer who kept banging the table, accusing him of things he didn't do.
"You filthy omega," The officer sneered, releasing the full weight of his pheromones on Jihoon. "Did you kill her or not?"
"Answer me!" he banged the table, eyes filled with hate.
Jihoon bit the inside of his cheek till his mouth filled with blood. The pain grounded him and prevented him from submitting.
He swallowed, the taste almost acidic. "I didn't do it."
"You know you did!" The officer yelled and the omega looked away.
"I didn't do it."
Why wouldn't they believe him?
*****************
"The budget plan for this year has shown that...."
Junghoon suppressed a yawn as the meeting dragged on. The room was stuffy and he felt drained listening to the boring voice of the intern making the presentation.
Working in a company was so boring.
"....A survey of the world's population..." The man droned on.
Why did people like yapping for no reason?
The alpha glanced around the room, observing the board members. A bunch of old men in suits that looked at the rest of the world with disdain.
He nodded at the chart presentation on the screen, not in the least interested in what was being said.
"This is a good idea," he cut in and the intern looked at him in surprise.
"Yes?"
Junghoon grinned lazily, crossing his legs. "I loved the idea, Mr..." he paused, raising an eyebrow.
The intern blinked, recovering from his initial shock. "Wooyoung," he whispered, cheeks pink. "Lim Wooyoung."
"You have a great plan, Mr Lim Wooyoung." Junghoon drawled, tapping his fingers on the desk.
The board members grumbled, their disapproval clear on their faces.
Smirking, he continued, "Jeon Holdings has a vision for the future, but..." he paused, throwing a glance at the members.
The murmurings ceased at once.
"We must start by cleaning our grassroots first."
"Grassroots?" Wooyoung repeated, confused. "What do you mean, Sir?"
"We'll start by removing the corrupt—"
His phone rang, cutting off his words. The alpha frowned and picked it up.
"Don't waste my time," he said coldly.
"Boss, he was taken by the police today."
Junghoon's eyes hardened and he stood up from his chair. "Get the car ready," he instructed, walking out of the boardroom.
He could hear his secretary issuing apologies to the angry board members but he couldn't bring himself to care.
Only Jihoon mattered.
The rest could go to hell for all he cared.
Junghoon walked to the car parked outside the company. "Drive," he said, getting in.
His phone rang and he answered. "What?"
His sour mood didn't deter the caller from chuckling. "Now that is no way to speak to your older brother."
The alpha rolled his eyes. "Why did you call, Junghwan?"
"I heard you abandoned a board meeting?" his brother asked and Junghoon exhaled, watching the rain, drizzling on the car window.
"Is he really that important?" Junghwan insisted when the younger stayed silent.
"He is worth it," Junghoon stated simply.
"This lovesick fool..." he heard his brother sigh, probably rubbing his forehead.
"Aren't you a bigger fool than me?" Junghoon countered. "Going there just to—"
"Hey!" his older brother yelled, offended. "I also went there for work!"
"Sure," The alpha scoffed, loosening his tie. "Did you find him?"
"He is very good at hiding," Junghwan replied, voice grave. "But his time will run out soon."
"I've sent you everything you need," he said. "Go and get him."
"Mn."
The car stopped in front of the police station and he calmly stepped out.
If they hurt a single hair on his head, then not even the government can save them for me.
The alpha walked into the station, ignoring the bows and greetings.
Junghoon didn't need to ask where the omega was. He could smell Jihoon's scent.
Rotten peaches.
The omega was in distress.
He clenched his jaw and walked towards the investigation room, ignoring the officer trying to stop him.
"An investigation is going on. You can't go in—"
He threw the door open with a bang, analyzing the situation.
Jihoon was curled in his chair, eyes filled with tears while a police man stood over him, his alpha scent heavily coating the room.
He was forcing the omega to submit.
Junghoon's eyes flashed red. "What the hell are you doing?" he growled.
The officer met his gaze, a cocky smirk on his lips. "I'm doing my job. Who are you?"
The alpha stepped forward, standing behind Jihoon.
He gently placed his hands on the omega's shoulders to comfort him.
"He is my omega."