TGT 9

Time passed quickly as the vehicle traveled through the city center and climbed up a residential area lined with high walls. Seo Jeong-won widened his eyes again at the scenery outside the window.

While the opposite side was densely packed with buildings, this area was like a different world with high walls stacked neatly. It felt unfamiliar to him. Even a single brick looked expensive.

Kwon Tae-hee’s mansion was at the highest point of the residential area. The vehicle only stopped after reaching the very top.

It looked less like a house and more like an art museum from an architecture magazine he’d seen in bookstores. Behind the mansion was a mountain, and in front was a high wall that perfectly isolated it from the outside world like a fortress.

“Shall we go in?”

Seo Jeong-won’s expression tensed slightly. Director Jung, who had left the driver’s seat, opened the back door where Kwon Tae-hee was sitting.

Seo Jeong-won swallowed hard and reached out with a trembling hand to open his door. As soon as  he encountered Kwon Tae-hee coming around from the back,  he awkwardly bowed his head.

“The basement is just a garage so there’s nothing to see, but you can freely use everything from the first to the third floor. However, you cannot go outside without permission.”

“…Ah, yes. I’ll be careful.”

Following Kwon Tae-hee up the stairs, they soon came upon a garden. The lush grass was damp.

“Ah,” Seo Jeong-won gasped softly. The sprinklers were running, and rainbows bloomed wherever sunlight hit the water.

No matter how disinterested one might be, this was a sight one would have seen a few times living here. Besides, it was much prettier than what  he saw in his own garden.

“Take your time looking around. I’m told there are quite a few fruit-bearing trees too.”

Kwon Tae-hee led Seo Jeong-won without even glancing at the rainbows.

“Come in.”

Something opened that seemed too grand to be called a front door.

Seo Jeong-won felt embarrassed standing alone in his worn-out clothes in a space that was too wide and too gleaming to be just a place for removing shoes. Even his sneakers had worn-down heels—would it be okay to take them off?

“…Excuse me for intruding.”

As  he surveyed the space, which was slightly smaller than his entire house, a pair of clean sneakers came into view. They were definitely not large enough to fit Kwon Tae-hee’s feet. After examining them carefully,  he neatly removed his shoes in the corner.

Kwon Tae-hee tilted his head as he observed Seo Jeong-won, who was blushing all over for some unknown reason.

Then, upon detecting the strong scent of pheromones, his expression instantly distorted. He had clearly told him to leave, yet the smell was so strong that he must still be in the house.

“Your home is really spacious and nice, um…?”

Seo Jeong-won, who had been admiring the paintings hung at regular intervals along the corridor, looked up at the sound of someone approaching.

About to greet whoever it was without knowing their identity,  he stared rudely at the man standing before him. His appearance was strikingly familiar.

“Wow, you look very much like me.”

A high, clear voice rang out. The cheerful man looked so similar to Seo Jeong-won that if someone didn’t know better, they might mistake them for siblings.

“…Ah.”

His eyes trembled gently with a confused look. Seo Jeong-won met the gaze of the man observing him, then averted his eyes to glance up at Kwon Tae-hee.

“I’m Song Hae-seop. Nice to meet you.”

“…Hello. I’m Seo Jeong-won.”

“Tae-hee told me to leave on Friday. I wondered why, but now I see it was because of you… or rather, Jeong-won. Are you perhaps here for the same purpose as me?”

Despite his casual tone, he wasn’t smiling at all. He even seemed displeased.

“Pardon?”

“I was curious who could be coming that would make him kick me out of the house, so I waited… This feels strange. But Tae-hee, was I first, or was this person first?”

Song Hae-seop asked with a slight eye-smile. Kwon Tae-hee erased his irritated expression and met his eyes. Then, as if tired, he tilted his neck and murmured quietly.

“Are we the type to ask such things when we buy something?”

Song Hae-seop’s expression twisted at the emotionless voice.

“I guess… Such things aren’t so important. That’s how these relationships are. Still, if you were going to bring in someone else, shouldn’t you have told me in advance?”

Though he spoke as if everything was fine, he couldn’t hide the faint disappointment.

Song Hae-seop shifted his gaze to stare at Seo Jeong-won. He bit his lip tightly and turned his head away, somehow looking resentful.

At that moment, a low, flat voice rang out.

“Whether I buy one or two…”

“…”

“Where is there any sense of self in objects bought with money? If you understand, then just go.”

At the cold rebuke, Song Hae-seop dropped his gaze abruptly. The hand holding his bag strap trembled pitifully.

“…I’ll go.”

Kwon Tae-hee put his arm around Seo Jeong-won’s shoulder as  he stood frozen in place. Urging him to go inside, he walked past Song Hae-seop, who stood there pathetically as if he were the protagonist of some tragic drama.

Before they could fully exit the long corridor, the front door slammed shut.

“Are you curious about who he is?”

Kwon Tae-hee asked after seating Seo Jeong-won on the living room sofa. Instead of sitting beside him, he perched on the table, facing him, briefly exchanging glances.

His dark eyes trembled as if there was an earthquake. His hazel eyes slowly and carefully took in Seo Jeong-won’s appearance.

As Song Hae-seop had said, they did look somewhat alike. Kwon Tae-hee hadn’t noticed until seeing them side by side.

He now understood why he had repeatedly received and then sent back Omegas when he had told the agency he wanted someone with a calm demeanor when they asked about his preferred appearance or ideal type.

“…Executive Director?”

He had found something unsatisfactory about every Omega they sent. He had only wanted someone quiet and serene, but they all looked shabby and impoverished.

When he said he would switch agencies, they practically begged him to check just one more person, and that Omega was Song Hae-seop.

He was somewhat lacking for a calm atmosphere, but he was admittedly the best among the Omegas they had sent.

Although his recessive trait was concerning, Kwon Tae-hee had finalized the contract thinking it would be fine as long as there were no problems with pregnancy.

“Why… why are you looking at me like that?”

The pale skin, dark brown eyes, red lips as if coated with something, and slender body reminded him of someone.

A face not properly remembered flickered in his mind, but at that time, he couldn’t easily recall who it was.

“Seo Jeong-won.”

And then today, only after seeing Seo Jeong-won and Song Hae-seop side by side, did he clearly realize what he had wanted all along.

“You remember when I said you weren’t the best option for me, right?”

Song Hae-seop had been coming here for about six months. Despite having strong pheromones for a recessive Omega, which led to expectations of easy pregnancy, he didn’t go into heat even with heat inducers.

Even with pheromone showers, he only became excited. He was like wet firewood that wouldn’t catch fire.

Given his recessive Omega trait, this was a natural result, but Kwon Tae-hee had been considering replacing him.

The merchandise he had paid for wasn’t functioning properly. But even that felt troublesome, so he decided to wait a little longer.

“…Is this someone I should know about?”

The jet-black hair and eyes, skin so white and transparent that bluish veins could be seen, pinkish lips, and a body with gentle curves.

Looking at Seo Jeong-won, nothing about him reminded him of Song Hae-seop.

Is this the difference between real and fake? He hoped the child would resemble Seo Jeong-won. The absurd desire to have a child with a Beta grew.

“Executive Director?”

“No. You don’t need to know.”

Seo Jeong-won nodded slightly at his low response. When Song Hae-seop had asked if  he served the same purpose,  he understood. That he was Kwon Tae-hee’s best option.

He wondered what would happen to the debt  he was repaying for his brother if that person became pregnant first, such an unreasonable and shameless question. But unsure if  he could ask, he changed the subject.

“…About the plant. I should water it, but is there a place that’s moderately shaded and cool rather than in direct sunlight? Since it’s an air-purifying plant, it’s best to keep it where you spend a lot of time.”

“Then the bedroom would be good.”