[8:00 PM]
Haneul was holding a tray in his hands, carefully walking toward the stairs to take it upstairs.
Just then,
He heard a loud car honk from outside.
He stopped.
It was Taekyun's car.
Before he could move again, he heard Taekyun's voice from outside.
He sounded angry.
It wasn't normal irritation.
He was shouting at the staff.
Haneul's fingers tightened slightly around the tray.
He stood still,
As the main door opened.
Taekyun entered.
His face was cold.
His expression was sharp, distant, almost frightening.
He walked inside holding his coat in one hand.
His jaw was tight, eyes dark.
Haneul noticed everything.
Slowly, he stepped back downstairs.
He handed the tray to one of the staff members.
"Take this to Haru's room. Tell her I'm coming."
The staff nodded, grabbed the tray, and went upstairs.
Haneul then turned and walked toward Taekyun.
As Taekyun walked further inside, his eyes briefly glanced at Haneul. "
His mood was clearly terrible.
"Taekyun....."
Haneul called softly.
Before he could finish, Taekyun walked past him without stopping and headed straight upstairs.
Haneul stood there, stunned.
He looked toward the stairs.
The way Taekyun ignored him.… his heart ached.
He quickly followed him, almost running upstairs.
Upstairs,
Taekyun had already reached his room.
Haneul hurried behind him.
Just before Taekyun could close the door,
Haneul reached it and placed his hand on it, slightly breathless.
His heartbeat was fast from running.
"Taekyun…. wait, please."
Taekyun turned and looked at him.
"Haneul, for now I want to be alone."
But Haneul didn't move.
"Please.… let me enter."
Taekyun stared at him for a moment, took a long breath, then stepped away from the door and walked angrily inside the room.
Haneul entered as well and quietly closed the door behind him.
He walked toward Taekyun, his breathing still uneven.
Taekyun removed his tie roughly and threw his coat onto the bed before sitting down heavily.
Haneul hesitantly held his sleeve and sat beside him.
"What's wrong?"
He asked softly.
Taekyun only looked down.
"Did something happen?"
Haneul asked again.
Silence.
Haneul nervously reached out and held Taekyun's hand with his small fingers.
Taekyun pulled his hand away.
Not harshly, but fast enough to make Haneul flinch.
Then he stood and walked toward the bathroom.
"Haneul, go for now,"
Taekyun said while walking.
But Haneul noticed something.
Under that anger…. Taekyun looked terrified.
It was clear from his pheromones.
The nervousness in them was obvious.
They were unstable, heavy, overwhelming.
His pheromones kept hitting Haneul strongly.
It started hurting him.
"But at least tell me what happened, Taekyun"
Haneul's eyes were already filled with tears. His heart was aching under the pressure of Taekyun's pheromones.
Taekyun didn't answer.
He entered the bathroom and closed the door.
Haneul stood there alone.
Why isn't he telling me?
I didn't do anything.....
Suddenly, he felt something strange.
His pants felt slightly wet.
A weird sensation spread through his body.
A dull pain began forming in his lower belly, slowly increasing as Taekyun's pheromones lingered heavily in the air.
Taekyun was completely unaware that his unstable pheromones were hurting Haneul.
Haneul slowly left the room without another word and closed the door behind him.
[Inside the bathroom]
Taekyun stood in front of the mirror.
His heartbeat was too fast.
His chest rose and fell sharply.
It looked like anger.
But it wasn't anger.
It was fear.
He knew he would react strongly after hearing the news.
But not this much.
Earlier at the office, after checking Haru's manifestation results, it was confirmed.
Haru was a dominant Alpha.
He wasn't angry because Haru was an Alpha.
He was angry because the hospital's family doctor had already sent Haru's test report and congratulations directly to Mr. Kim.
Without informing him first.
Meanwhile,
Haneul rushed to his own room.
He entered the bathroom, his eyes still filled with tears.
He looked down
His eyes widened.
There was a faint red stain on his trousers.
His heart almost stopped.
Why did this happen?
Was he injured?
He quickly checked himself.
There was no injury.
His breathing became uneven.
Should I tell him?
But he remembered Taekyun's current state.
He stopped himself.
No…. not now.
He looked at himself in the mirror.
"I won't talk to him,"
He muttered.
"I didn't do anything this time.
Why is he ignoring me?"
He changed his clothes.
He took his suppressant and a painkiller, ignoring the dull pain in his lower belly.
And he headed toward Haru's room.
[Haru's Room]
The staff looked at Haneul as he entered.
They had already fed Haru and quietly left the room.
Haneul walked toward the bed and sat beside her.
"Are you done eating?"
He asked gently.
Haru nodded.
Haneul softly rubbed her head and smiled, but he noticed she had lost some weight.
"And your medicine?"
She nodded again.
He placed his hand on her forehead to check her fever.
It was normal.
Haru rubbed her eyes sleepily.
Haneul lay down beside her and gently stroked her hair.
Haru looked up at him.
Slowly, she reached up and touched his cheek.
Haneul looked at her.
She said softly,
"Soft."
Haneul smiled faintly.
"My cheeks are soft?"
Haru nodded.
He gently touched her cheek in return. "Haru's cheeks are soft too.
But Haru lost a little weight."
Haru smiled.
"You should eat a lot from now on,"
Haneul said softly.
Haru nodded again.
Then she closed her eyes.
Haneul stayed beside her, quietly, even though the pain in his lower belly had not completely disappeared.
He didn't say anything.
But his heart felt heavier than before.
[In the middle of the night]
Haneul's eyes slowly opened.
He stared at the ceiling, unmoving.
But the worry in his chest refused to disappear.
Taekyun never shouted at the staff.
He never reacted like that.
He always handled things calmly, coldly, finishing matters without raising his voice.
But today….
He ignored him.
That hurt more than anger.
Haneul slowly sat up in bed, his chest feeling tight.
He slipped his feet into his slippers and quietly stepped out of Haru's room, walking toward Taekyun's room.
He knocked softly.
No reply.
He waited.
Knocked again.
Still no reply.
His fingers trembled slightly as he slowly turned the handle and pushed the door open.
The bed was untouched.
The room was empty.
Taekyun wasn't there.
Haneul's heart skipped.
He stepped out quickly and hurried downstairs to the study room.
He opened the door.
Empty.
Taekyun wasn't there either.
His breathing became uneven.
What was going on?
Fear slowly took over him.
His eyes began to sting with unshed tears.
As he passed the kitchen, he instinctively glanced inside.
And froze.
Taekyun was there.
Standing by the counter.
Sleeves rolled up over his forearms, quietly making coffee for himself.
He looked exhausted and lost.
He turned his head and saw Haneul.
Haneul stood at the entrance, clutching his own sleeves tightly, eyes full of tears, cheeks flushed red from holding them back.
Taekyun had already been replaying the earlier moment in his mind the way he walked past him, the way Haneul's expression fell.
But seeing him standing there like this….
His heart tightened painfully.
Without saying anything, Taekyun placed the coffee cup back on the shelf and walked toward him.
When he reached him, he didn't hesitate.
He pulled Haneul into his arms.
Held him close,Firm,Protective.
Haneul broke instantly.
Tears spilled as he buried his face against Taekyun's chest.
Taekyun's hand slowly moved up and down his back, soothing him.
"I didn't mean it,"
Taekyun said quietly, his voice low and heavy.
Haneul stayed still, trembling slightly.
"I didn't do anything….
why did you ignore me?"
He whispered, voice breaking.
Taekyun closed his eyes.
"I didn't mean that. I was just…. stressed."
"But I told you to tell me,"
Haneul said softly, his fingers gripping Taekyun's shirt.
Taekyun tried to speak again.
But the words wouldn't come out.
He simply held him tighter.
They stayed like that until Haneul's breathing slowly steadied and his crying softened.
Finally, Haneul pulled back slightly.
Taekyun looked down at him.
His eyes were still red.
"Because of you, I didn't even eat…. and I couldn't sleep,"
Haneul said quietly.
Taekyun's gaze softened.
"I'm really hungry,"
Haneul added in a small voice.
Taekyun exhaled slowly.
"I'll make..... you something."
Haneul nodded and sat on a chair nearby, wiping his cheeks with his sleeve.
Taekyun opened the fridge and took out ingredients.
The kitchen felt warmer now.
"I don't want you to hide things from me," Haneul said softly, his back facing Taekyun.
"I know we don't have any special relationship…. but I still like you.
And we're family."
He kept murmuring his thoughts unconsciously.
Taekyun listened quietly while putting pasta into boiling water.
After a moment, he spoke.
"Haru's reports came out."
Haneul immediately turned around and stood up.
"What does it say?"
He asked, worried.
Taekyun's hands paused for a second before continuing.
"She manifested as Alpha."
Haneul blinked.
"Alpha?"
Taekyun gave a small nod, lips pressed tight. The sadness in his eyes was impossible to hide.
And suddenly, everything made sense.
The anger.
The heavy pheromones.
The overwhelming fear beneath it.
He wasn't angry.
He was terrified.
As Taekyun added tomatoes to the pan, Haneul slowly walked closer.
Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around Taekyun from behind.
Taekyun froze for a second.
Then gently placed the pot aside and turned, pulling Haneul into his chest again.
"I'm sorry…. I thought"
Haneul whispered.
Taekyun leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head.
"I just didn't know what to do."
Haneul looked up at him.
"I told you before.… even if she turns out to be Alpha, we'll protect her together.
Until she becomes stable."
Taekyun's voice turned quieter.
"I don't want her to be like me."
Haneul slowly held his hand.
"Even if she becomes like you…. she'll be the best. She'll be strong."
Taekyun looked at him.
The warmth in his arms.
The reassurance in his voice.
Every time Haneul stood beside him like this, he felt stronger.
He had realized it long ago.
No matter how much he tried to deny it.
No matter how much he tried to distance himself.
He had never had someone who made him feel protected like this.
After finishing, Taekyun placed the pasta in front of Haneul.
Haneul took a bite.
His eyes softened.
"It's good,"
he said quietly.
"Won't you have some?"
Taekyun slowly sat beside him and picked up a fork.
But before he could eat, Haneul lifted a spoonful of pasta toward his mouth.
Taekyun looked at his hand.
Then at Haneul's hopeful smile.
Slowly, he leaned forward and took the bite.
"It's good,"
Haneul said with a small satisfied nod.
Taekyun gave a faint nod back, a subtle smile appearing in his eyes.
Haneul smiled too.
He took another bite.
Then suddenly stopped.
He put the spoon back down.
"I don't want to eat."
Taekyun frowned slightly.
He was eating fine just now then why?
Haneul stood up quietly.
"I won't eat. I'm sleepy."
And without explaining further, he walked away.
Leaving Taekyun sitting there
Confused.