Chapter 24: Marriage, Practically Complete

“What is it?”

“Since we’re friends now, let’s get along from here on out. We’ll be seeing each other often, won’t we?”

Looking at the ever-composed Ha-jin, Oh-hyeon genuinely considered resigning from his position as the SHS family’s attending physician. Dealing with Ah-seong and Chairman Il-ju was already enough, now Ha-jin too? His head already felt like it was splitting.

“Just… please don’t get caught.”

And yet, he shook hands. The secret Ha-jin held was that serious. If he said shake hands, you shook hands. If he said die, you at least had to pretend to. Oh-hyeon wanted to kill the past version of himself who had made an irreversible mistake.

After a light handshake, Ha-jin stood up briskly, looking refreshed. As Oh-hyeon was still wondering how he would clean up this mess, a voice he already wished he’d never hear again rang out.

“Personally, I’m rooting for you.”

“What?”

“Your secret. I’m rooting for it.”

With that, Ha-jin left the room. Left alone, Oh-hyeon felt like crying.

****

“I’ve prepared three copies of the results. Please review them individually.”

The test results were handed over during discharge. Thanks to Ah-seong, who hated waiting more than anything, they received them far earlier than anyone else. After briefly locking eyes with Oh-hyeon, Ha-jin checked his own copy.

“Huh…? My omega levels improved…? Top 0.0001%…?”

Ha-jin blinked, looking from the paper to Ah-seong, then to Woo-seok, then back to Oh-hyeon. Acting aside, he was genuinely startled by something he hadn’t even asked for.

“It happens occasionally with dominant omegas. The probability of pregnancy increases accordingly.”

Oh-hyeon explained with a gentle smile. There was no trace of embarrassment now, only mischief in his eyes as he looked at Ha-jin. Ha-jin immediately understood. This bastard had slipped him a little payback.

“Congratulations, Director. Among all the omegas I’ve examined, his hormones are the most stable. He’s extremely healthy.”

Even Ah-seong couldn’t suppress his smile at that moment.

“That’s good. The sooner we have a child, the better.”

No prior pregnancy. Healthy omega. Just as he once had been. It felt like it wouldn’t be long before he held another dominant alpha in his arms. That was enough for him. With nothing more to confirm, he stood.

“Woo-seok, change and come out. I’ll wait in the car.”

As expected, he didn’t address Ha-jin. He hadn’t expected him to. Still, he offered a polite goodbye to his retreating back. When Oh-hyeon followed him out, Woo-seok finally voiced the question he’d been holding in.

“What exactly did you do?”

“What do you mean?”

“What did you say to Oh-hyeon to make him act like that?”

Ha-jin tossed his test results onto the floor. With this, the marriage preparations were practically complete. He had fulfilled his role. Naturally, that meant he deserved compensation.

“How much were you planning to pay Oh-hyeon?”

Woo-seok still looked curious. This might turn into a decent negotiation. Ha-jin’s greed knew no bounds.

“Money?”

“You were going to solve it with money, weren’t you?”

“Hmm…”

It was true. He had intended to handle it with money. But seeing Ha-jin’s sparkling eyes, Woo-seok didn’t feel inclined to answer honestly. He had grown used to recognizing when Ha-jin’s expression meant “business.”

“Ha-jin.”

“…Don’t.”

“Ha-jin hyung.”

“Seriously!”

Flustered, Ha-jin flailed his arms and plopped down onto the sofa, putting distance between them. That nickname, like a spell, instantly subdued his more cunning instincts. Woo-seok slowly sat beside him and did something else Ha-jin hated.

“Did you see the news the other day?”

“Wh-what news…?”

He draped an arm around Ha-jin’s shoulders, tapping them lightly as if playing piano keys.

“The omega serial murders. Don’t tell me you forgot.”

Of course Ha-jin remembered. The latest victim had been dismembered, unlike the previous strangulations. Details hadn’t been fully disclosed, but two days ago marked the fourteenth victim.

“Wh-what about it…?”

A chill crept down Ha-jin’s spine.

“Just that. Whenever I look at you, I think of it.”

Now that he thought about it, Woo-seok had gone home unusually early that day. He distinctly remembered it because it was odd.

And during the previous escape incident, Woo-seok had taken him to the mountain where the thirteenth victim was found, before the media even reported it.

“Why would you think of that when you see me…?”

The possibility he didn’t want to consider resurfaced.

“You should live long and healthy, Ha-jin.”

Woo-seok gently pulled Ha-jin’s stiff head toward his shoulder. Despite normally hating physical contact, Ha-jin didn’t resist at all. He rested against Woo-seok like a doll.

“Now, shall we talk about how you persuaded Oh-hyeon?”

His voice was soft. Affectionate, almost. But to Ha-jin, it sounded different: Tell me right now, or you’re the fifteenth.

“I-I just… threatened him a little…”

He had forgotten. This wasn’t an equal contract. Woo-seok’s personality wasn’t exactly kind. His life was in Woo-seok’s hands.

Lately they’d grown closer. Sometimes he even forgot he wasn’t truly the dominant omega Ha-jin. But any plan to haggle over money vanished instantly. No amount of cash was worth his life.

“What kind of threat?”

“I can’t tell you that…”

“What?”

Woo-seok’s hand, which had been stroking his hair, stopped.

“No! I swear he won’t get any ideas. You don’t need to worry. I just can’t tell you what it was…”

He hurried to add before anything worse happened. In his mind, that gentle hand might suddenly crush his skull.

“We have a lot of secrets for a married couple.”

“This one’s really not negotiable…”

To Woo-seok, the situation was amusing. He was curious what method Ha-jin had used, something different from simply paying money. But more than that, Ha-jin himself was fascinating.

“If you make a mistake… you can look forward to what happens, Ha-jin.”

Each word made Ha-jin flinch. His usual sharp-tongued retorts were nowhere to be found. Woo-seok didn’t understand why Ha-jin connected him to the serial killer, but seeing him this docile made him think a little misunderstanding wasn’t so bad.

“No answer?”

“O-okay…”

Beneath that prickly shell was something small and fragile. Knowing that secret, and being the only one who did, was deeply satisfying. Woo-seok ruffled Ha-jin’s hair roughly, wondering if he should try raising an actual pet someday.