Do-hyun came out of the room, wiping the sweat from his forehead. But as soon as he stepped into the lounge, he froze. His mother was sitting there on the sofa, legs crossed, arms folded tight across her chest. Her sharp gaze was locked on him.
Do-hyun's chest tightened. He could feel the anger burning off her, and for a second, he got scared. Behind him, Seo-jun was dressing up, about to step out, but stopped when he realized who was waiting outside.
The air turned heavy.
Do-hyun's mother suddenly stood up, her face full of fury, and without warning, she kicked Do-hyun's leg. He stumbled down with a cry, clutching his knee, pain twisting his face. Seo-jun froze in the room, shocked. His thoughts raced: This woman… she's dangerous.
"You filthy monkey," his mother spat, glaring down at him. "What do you think you're doing with that innocent boy?"
Do-hyun forced himself up, groaning, holding back the pain in his leg. "Mother… he was in heat. I just… I just wanted to help him."
Her face turned even darker. With a swift move, she punched him in the stomach. Do-hyun bent over, grabbing his abdomen, wheezing as the pain spread through him. Seo-jun's heart pounded—he didn't know whether to run or stay.
Then, her eyes suddenly shifted. She looked straight at Seo-jun. But instead of anger, her expression softened, almost too quickly. A smile crept onto her face as she stepped toward him.
"Sorry about my son's behavior," she said in a calm tone, completely different from how she'd spoken to Do-hyun. "Did he harass you or something?"
Seo-jun shook his head quickly, flustered. "N-No… it's not like that. I was sick, and he was… just helping me."
His mother's eyes narrowed. She grabbed Do-hyun by the ear, yanking hard, making him yelp. "This boy's a playboy. I thought he was just being a bad man again."
Then, she leaned closer to Seo-jun, her sharp eyes scanning his face. Her hand even lifted his chin slightly as she whispered, "Your face… it looks familiar."
Seo-jun stiffened. "Oh? Really? I don't… I don't know."
Do-hyun quickly came over, grabbing Seo-jun's arm protectively. "He's just my friend," he said firmly.
But his mother wasn't convinced. She shoved Do-hyun aside like he weighed nothing, her attention locked fully on Seo-jun.
"You're the son of Han Soo-yeon, aren't you?" she asked suddenly.
Seo-jun's lips parted in shock, then slowly, he nodded. "Yes… I am."
Her face brightened instantly. She grabbed his hand and shook it tightly, her smile stretching wide. "Oh, so you're Hye-mi, right?"
Seo-jun blinked. "No… that's my older brother. I'm Seo-jun."
"Seo-jun!" she said warmly, eyes lighting up. "Nice to meet you."
Seo-jun forced a small smile. "Nice to meet you too."
Do-hyun, still catching his breath, stepped forward, confusion written all over his face. "Mother… you know about his mother?"
She turned her head toward him, her tone soft but strange. "Of course I know her. He's an Alpha… and so kind. Just like my brother."
Seo-jun looked surprised. "Oh… then, do you know my father?"
At that, her expression shifted. She let out a low breath before answering, "Yes. He used to be… my boyfriend."
The room fell silent.
Do-hyun's eyes widened, his whole body freezing up. His voice cracked as he stuttered, "Ahhh? Ahhh? What?!"
Seo-jun and Do-hyun's mother sat on the sofa in the lounge. The air was calm now, though the earlier tension still lingered faintly.
Do-hyun walked in carrying a tray with two glasses of juice and a plate of fresh fruit. He placed it on the table, then picked up a glass and handed it to Seo-jun.
"Here," he said softly.
Seo-jun nodded and took it, murmuring a quiet thanks.
Do-hyun's mother sipped her own juice before speaking, her voice steady but distant. "Your father and I… we only dated for a short time," she said, looking at Seo-jun. "But I never felt that close to him. To me, he was more like a brother than anything else."
Do-hyun, not saying much, grabbed a piece of fruit and popped it into his mouth. Seo-jun, a little awkward, reached over and picked one for himself, chewing quietly as his thoughts spun.
Seo-jun smiled faintly. "Father must've been very close to you."
Do-hyun's mother gave a small nod. "Yes… he was." Her gaze sharpened suddenly as she looked at him. "Seo-jun, you're an omega, aren't you?"
Do-hyun froze, his eyes widening as he turned to look at Seo-jun in shock.
Seo-jun's breath caught, but after a moment he nodded slowly. "Yes… I am. I've been hiding it all this time. But I'm not just any omega—I'm a dominant omega."
Both Do-hyun and his mother exchanged a look, understanding dawning on their faces.
"Ahh," his mother said, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. "That explains it. That's why you don't seem like a typical omega."
Do-hyun leaned closer, his voice low. "So you really are an omega… Why didn't you tell me?"
Seo-jun lifted a hand and pressed it against his face, gently pushing him back.
Before Do-hyun could say more, his mother chuckled and shook her head. "Don't get too close to him, Do-hyun. You're too much of a playboy."
Seo-jun let out a small smile, glancing between them. "I know. Don't worry—I won't."
Do-hyun's mother stood up, smoothing her dress as she picked up her purse. "I'm leaving now. Seo-jun, get some rest."
Before heading out, she turned sharply to Do-hyun, her eyes narrowing with authority. "And you—don't touch him unless he says he wants you to. Do you understand?"
Do-hyun raised his hands like a child caught misbehaving. "Okay, Mommy. I got it."
She gave him one last hard look, then walked out.
In the parking garage, she unlocked her car—a sleek black Bugatti—and slid inside. Once the door shut, her expression shifted from polite to cold. She pulled out her phone, dialed a number, and waited.
The call connected.
"You were right," she said flatly. "Do what you want."
Without another word, she hung up, tossed the phone onto the seat, and started the engine. The Bugatti roared to life, its echo bouncing off the concrete walls as she drove off into the night.