Chapter 8: A Decisive Departure

“I don’t know yet.”

“Why don’t you know?”

“They’re still thinking it over.”

Although Yoo Seo-jin was an Omega, he was otherwise a perfectly healthy young man. Despite this, his parents, consumed by worry, had been deliberating for a week, seeking a safer place for their Omega son.

It was undeniably frustrating, yet I couldn’t bring myself to stop them. I understood that even this prolonged hesitation stemmed from their profound affection for Yoo Seo-jin.

Instead, a pang of longing resonated deep within me. It was likely born of envy and jealousy towards Yoo Seo-jin, who possessed everything Yoo Joon-hee could only have dreamed of.

“Given your parents, I wouldn’t be surprised if they deliberated for an entire month.”

Jae-hyun, shaking his hair free of water, muttered this more to himself than to me. While I doubted their indecision could truly stretch for a month, the serious glint in Jae-hyun’s eyes filled me with an unsettling premonition.

If their families were close enough to know each other by name, Jae-hyun would certainly understand Yoo Seo-jin’s parents well. Since I only possessed fragmented information, I had no choice but to trust his words.

‘This makes me anxious.’

The weekend was fast approaching, so I decided to wait until the end of this week. By next week, I would subtly reveal the country I wished to go to. I couldn’t remain here indefinitely.

“When you leave, when will you come back?”

“Well… nothing’s been decided yet.”

At my ambiguous reply, Jae-hyun seemed poised to argue, but he quickly clamped his lips shut. His face, momentarily contorted as if he might cry, smoothed out as he muttered to himself.

“What was I expecting, anyway?”

Jae-hyun’s voice was laced with bitterness. I wondered if the news of my departure, which I hadn’t yet shared, warranted such dejection. Still, Jae-hyun was one of the few contacts in Yoo Seo-jin’s phonebook, so I simply accepted it.

‘They must be that close.’

Jae-hyun, still wearing a downcast expression, rubbed the back of his neck and rose from his seat. Thinking he was about to leave, I started to see him off, but he took a step closer, stopping directly in front of me as I stood up.

“Contact me when it’s decided.”

“What is?”

When I asked for clarification, unable to understand the phrase without an object, Jae-hyun let out a small click of his tongue. After subtly expressing his annoyance, he lightly flicked my forehead and kindly rephrased his request, adding the missing object.

“Where you’re going—contact me when that’s decided.”

I wondered if it was truly necessary, but as my response lagged, Jae-hyun’s gaze sharpened. Only after I reluctantly nodded did his fiercely furrowed brow relax into a wide smile.

“Good, make sure you tell me.”

Jae-hyun patted my shoulder, emphasizing his point once more. Still, since we hadn’t made a pinky promise, whether I contacted him later or not was entirely up to me.

“I will.”

Only upon hearing my reply, which concealed my true intentions, did a relieved smile spread across Jae-hyun’s lips.

****

“I’ve found a place I want to go.”

After spending a weekend holding my breath, I blurted this out at the family breakfast table as soon as Monday arrived.

Yoo Hae-jung, who had just taken a large spoonful of rice, froze mid-motion, and my mother beside him did the same. Only Yoo Ju-jin, failing to grasp the sudden turn of events, tilted his head in confusion.

“Would you mind repeating that?”

Yoo Hae-jung, having composed himself, asked me in a gentle voice. Instead of answering, I handed him the pamphlet I had prepared beforehand.

Setting down his spoon, Yoo Hae-jung took it. Everyone’s gaze converged on the pamphlet in his hand.

“You want to go… here?”

“Yes, I think this place would be perfect.”

The pamphlet I showed Yoo Hae-jung introduced a country I had longed to visit since I was Yoo Joon-hee. It described a dream island, warm 365 days a year, ideal for a relaxing getaway.

In essence, it was tantamount to openly declaring that I intended to go there simply to play, without a single serious thought.

Yoo Hae-jung passed the pamphlet to my mother, then clutched his throbbing head with his hands. Given his usual temperament, he would have erupted in a fiery rage, but his inability to do so must have been eating him up inside.

Yet, it was his own false report that had wounded his son, prompting this desire to leave. Of course, he had no words to justify himself, even if he had ten mouths.

At this point, Yoo Hae-jung’s premature announcement and the resulting article had turned out to be a stroke of luck for me. Thanks to it, I could cut ties with Han Jung-woo and leave legitimately—how wonderful.

“But this place doesn’t have any particularly renowned schools, and—”

“I’m not going there to study.”

I cut off Yoo Hae-jung’s words with unwavering resolve. As he groaned, cradling his aching forehead, my mother stepped in to try and persuade me instead.

“Seo-jin, your father and I are looking into various options because we think it would be better for you to do something, rather than just leave without a goal…”

“Mom, you know I’m not smart.”

Having practically lived on film sets since childhood, I had long abandoned academics. While I had learned a bit of a foreign language for acting, it was far from perfect.

However, compared to me, Yoo Seo-jin was even more hopeless. From the outset, he was the quintessential pathetic villain: brimming with ambition but utterly lacking the ability to back it up.

Yoo Seo-jin possessed a natural talent for petty schemes, but he had long since given up on his studies. He had barely managed to get into university, and that was only because Yoo Hae-jung made a substantial donation.

In short, he was truly a blockhead with no academic prospects.

“Seo-jin, this seems like an issue we need to discuss a bit more.”

Yoo Hae-jung, having regained his composure, stated this. However, no matter how he tried to sugarcoat it, his words clearly meant that he disapproved of my chosen destination and intended to select a different one for me.

I had anticipated this, but it meant I might be stuck going abroad to study when I was nearly thirty. The mere thought was horrifying.

‘I can’t let that happen. What I want isn’t to study.’

After a moment of silence, I set down the spoon I had been idly stirring in my soup. Then, flashing them a sweet smile, just as the original Yoo Seo-jin would, I declared:

“I booked a plane ticket yesterday.”

“Yoo Seo-jin!”

At my shocking revelation, Yoo Hae-jung could no longer contain his anger and slammed his fist hard on the table. Dishes clattered and overturned, turning the once harmonious and peaceful breakfast into utter chaos.

“Why did you do that without saying anything?”

Again, it was my mother who asked, instead of the enraged Yoo Hae-jung. Her tone remained as gentle as usual, but the hand that rested on mine was trembling. I clasped her hand firmly and replied,

“It’s almost been a month. I didn’t want to wait any longer, and I couldn’t stay cooped up at home indefinitely.”

Truthfully, booking the ticket had been an impulse. Originally, I had intended to persuade them peacefully, but after meeting Jae-hyun, I couldn’t bear to wait any longer.

I knew they cherished Yoo Seo-jin, but I wasn’t him. I desperately wanted to leave this place. Every time I received affection that wasn’t truly mine, it felt as though my heart twisted.

“Please understand, Mom.”

Yoo Seo-jin generally obeyed his parents, but he often acted self-indulgent at critical moments. Thus, my current behavior was entirely consistent with his usual character.

‘There’ll be no reason for suspicion.’

“That’s all I have to say. Please rest.”

Ending with a polite farewell, I rose and fled to my room. I heard my mother urgently calling my name, but I pretended not to notice.

As I ascended the stairs without looking back, Yoo Ju-jin, who had evidently been eavesdropping on the conversation, followed close behind.

“Hey!”

Yoo Ju-jin, using his usual rude address instead of my name, blocked my path. Forced to stop, I glared at him.

“Move.”

“What was that just now? Where are you going?”

Yoo Ju-jin seemed to have roughly grasped the situation. After all, with Yoo Seo-jin suddenly declaring his departure and their parents objecting, it wasn’t hard to piece together.

However, Yoo Ju-jin would be the happiest person if Yoo Seo-jin disappeared. He was the one who saw his step-sibling, constantly eyeing his position, as the ultimate thorn in his side.

‘Such a transparent bastard.’

Thus, he was clearly trying to ascertain whether Yoo Seo-jin intended to leave for good or eventually return. I let out a deep sigh and gave Yoo Ju-jin the answer he sought.

“I won’t be coming back, if I can help it.”

“To where?”

“Here. And I have no interest in Father’s company, so you can handle it.”

“…You?”

It was understandable that Yoo Ju-jin couldn’t believe Yoo Seo-jin, who had constantly coveted Yoo Hae-jung’s company, would so readily step aside. But for me, none of it held any meaning.

“Are you done talking? Can you move? I need to pack.”

Yoo Ju-jin obediently stepped aside. His eyes were still filled with confusion, yet the corners of his mouth twitched, clearly pleased that I was voluntarily removing myself.

‘This will be the last time I see his face.’

My heart felt incredibly light at the thought of no longer having to see the guy who constantly picked fights. Returning to my room, I immediately unfolded my suitcase and began to pack.

Although I had arbitrarily set my departure date for a week later, I needed to pack my bags in advance and be ready to leave at any moment, ensuring that my parents wouldn’t be able to hold me back.

‘Surely, they wouldn’t cut off all financial support, would they?’

It wasn’t a question I had the right to ask after making such a unilateral announcement, yet a belated worry gnawed at me, as my ultimate goal was to live comfortably on Yoo Hae-jung’s money.

Fortunately, Yoo Seo-jin wasn’t entirely thoughtless, so he did have some savings. It was more than “some”—enough to live lavishly for several years without working.

Even if Yoo Hae-jung refused to provide financial assistance, I could survive for a few years on that money. And if I ever returned, I could simply use the awkwardness as an excuse to avoid meeting with the family much.

‘The plan is perfect.’

Though I felt a sense of triumph, a nagging ache persisted in a corner of my heart. It was likely due to the shock I had inflicted upon my parents, who had been so unconditionally kind to me.

Deep down, I genuinely felt sorry, yet paradoxically, I also felt a profound sense of ease. The reason they showered me with such boundless affection was because they believed I was Yoo Seo-jin.

‘This was never my place to begin with.’

‘Don’t think about it. It only causes unnecessary stress.’

Shaking off the guilt, I headed to the dressing room to pack. I wasn’t sure how many of Yoo Seo-jin’s clothes, which were far from my taste, I would actually take.

‘Should I go buy some clothes?’

Since the relationship with my parents would likely be strained until my departure, it might be better to increase my outings rather than stay at home.

Reducing the time we spent together would mean less opportunity to feel uncomfortable.

‘While I’m out, I should visit the hospital too.’

A few days prior, while rummaging through my phone, I had stumbled upon a medical appointment message. The appointment was for tomorrow, at Daejin University Hospital.

Having never lived as an Omega, I had no idea what the consultation would entail, but since the appointment was already made, I decided to go.

‘Did Yoo Seo-jin have some illness?’

Given his dissolute lifestyle, it wouldn’t be surprising if he had an ailment or two. The real issue now was that it was *my* body.

‘I can go to the hospital and then shop for clothes.’

As I mentally mapped out tomorrow’s itinerary and resumed packing, the phone I had left on the drawer began to vibrate loudly.

‘Who is it?’

Frowning at the irritating noise, I turned and walked towards the drawer. The name displayed on the phone screen was Jae-hyun.

What impeccable timing.

I wasn’t in the mood to talk, so I didn’t answer Jae-hyun’s call. The persistent vibration eventually stopped, and then a message arrived instead of another call.

[Yeon Jae-hyun: Heydidyou seethis?] 11:29 AM

Reading the message, devoid of any spacing, made my brow furrow automatically. I wondered what he was making such a fuss about, when a picture immediately popped up.

‘What is it?’

To view the picture, I had to read Jae-hyun’s message. And, naturally, that would require me to reply. After a moment of deliberation, I finally couldn’t resist my curiosity.

“…What is this?”

Jae-hyun had sent a screenshot of an online news article. The moment I read the bold headline, it felt as though someone had struck my head with a hammer.

[Director Han Jung-woo of Daejin Group, Hospitalized with Serious Injuries.]