Chapter 33: Honeymoon, Interrupted

“If you take the train for about an hour, there’s supposed to be a lake with a really nice view…”

“You can go. I get motion sickness whenever I ride trains.”

“It is a bit far. Then there’s a party at a nearby castle, I got invited.”

“Oh, should I help you pick out an outfit? I’m planning to go have some craft beer and sausages tonight.”

“Forget it.”

It was subtle. Things had been like this for several days now. Go Ha-jin still responded obediently to Cha Woo-seok, and unlike the day after the wedding, he wasn’t acting openly prickly. But something about him felt different, slightly off. As if he had no emotions at all.

At first, Woo-seok didn’t care. Whatever Ha-jin was sulking about, he figured it would pass soon enough. The guy talked too much to stay quiet forever.

But as time passed, Ha-jin did change, just not in the way Woo-seok wanted.

“Where are you going?”

“Just somewhere near the hotel, so no need to worry. I’m meeting some friends, I probably won’t be back too late.”

“Friends…?”

“Oh, I told you yesterday. I got close with some people traveling here. They’re staying at the same hotel.”

Was his phone coated in honey or something? Ha-jin’s eyes never left the small screen. Whatever he was looking at seemed interesting, he even smiled briefly. But the moment Woo-seok spoke, the smile vanished. And now, even seeing Ha-jin smile irritated him.

“Alright.”

“Yes. Have fun.”

The invitation to the party was real. Woo-seok had assumed Ha-jin would come with him and had already told them two people would attend. But today, he decided to just stay at the hotel.

****

“Aren’t you changing? Didn’t you say you had a party?”

“…Seems like you’re the one going.”

“Oh. We decided to match outfits.”

When he was with Woo-seok, Ha-jin dressed casually, almost carelessly. But now, dressed up to go out, he looked completely different. Black pants and an oversized black shirt made his pale skin stand out even more.

Even his bangs, usually brushing his eyebrows, were swept back neatly. He looked unfamiliar.

“I’ll head out soon too.”

“Really? Okay, I’ll get going. Have fun.”

Ha-jin left first. His steps were so light it looked like he might float away. Watching him, Woo-seok suddenly moved, heading straight to the dressing room. He changed faster than he ever had before.

Ha-jin should have been easy to catch, but by the time Woo-seok reached the hotel entrance, he was gone. After asking the doorman, he rushed in the direction indicated. Turning a corner, he finally spotted Ha-jin ahead in the distance.

“…If I go this way…?”

Though he couldn’t hear clearly from afar, Ha-jin was asking a passerby for directions in fairly fluent English. Not bad, for a scammer. But since it was his first time there, he seemed lost. He circled an entire block and still couldn’t find his way.

“Tch…”

Now Woo-seok understood why Ha-jin always took so long whenever he went out. How could anyone get lost here? He wanted to go up and just guide him, but held back, quietly following instead.

“Brian!”

After making a call, Ha-jin ran toward a stranger approaching him. The man greeted him familiarly, lightly patting his shoulder and teasing him about getting lost. Ha-jin just laughed awkwardly, not stopping him.

“Ha… this is insane.”

Woo-seok almost rushed over and punched the guy right then. How long had they known each other to be that touchy? And why was Ha-jin just letting it happen?

Soon, they reached a place where two more people were waiting, a simple craft beer bar, just as Ha-jin had said. The group sat together at an outdoor table, all dressed in black like Ha-jin.

Watching from across the street, Woo-seok scoffed. He had skipped a castle party for this? Sitting outside on the street to eat? Was exhaust smoke the dessert? Surrounded by people who looked just like him.

Nothing about this made sense.

He turned away.

****

“When are you going back?”

“Not sure. We didn’t really plan this trip.”

The three people Ha-jin was with were… unusual. Not exactly a couple. More like something else entirely. One beta and two alphas, all in a relationship together.

It was strange, at least from Ha-jin’s perspective. He had questions, but it felt too personal to ask.

“I see. I’m heading back soon.”

To be honest, he didn’t really want to be here today. They had met at the hotel café and shared a few meals since, but whenever he was with them, Ha-jin felt unusually small. Not because of money or status.

They just… liked each other too much. It was hard to believe that kind of equal affection was even possible.

Even now, look at them. Their gazes intertwined like they were tinted pink. They kept feeding each other, touching hands and thighs without hesitation. Watching them, it was hard not to feel… envious.

“But you’re on your honeymoon, how can you be alone like this for days?”

It turned into a complaint session about Woo-seok. How busy must he be? How could he leave Ha-jin alone like that? As they drank their beer and got worked up on his behalf, they felt almost like real friends.

“You’re this attractive, how could he let you go out alone? If it were me, I wouldn’t even let you step outside by yourself.”

Brian wrapped his arm around Ha-jin’s arm, leaning his head gently against his shoulder. The man on the other side copied him. Somehow, Ha-jin ended up sitting between two alphas. Even if their true affection was directed at someone else across the table.

“What? Then Ha-jin, come with us! Four people wouldn’t be a problem, right?”

“Huh…? Actually, that’s not a bad idea.”

They were absurdly positive. Without even asking Ha-jin’s opinion, they were already planning to give him a sunny second-floor room. Like children, completely carefree.

It was ridiculous, and yet, a little enviable. Not everyone gets to see life so brightly.

“So? What do you think?”

“What kind of question is that? Obviously-”

“Obviously not. He’s already married.”

A bouquet of white flowers suddenly filled Ha-jin’s view. Along with it came a voice, speaking in English.

“You seem to be having a great time.”

Then…

A light kiss brushed his cheek.

A flat tone in Korean. A familiar scent of pheromones. Ha-jin snapped back to his senses.

“H-how did you get here?”

“Take the flowers first. This is awkward.”

Cha Woo-seok stood there in a perfectly tailored tuxedo, holding the bouquet.

He pushed it closer, and Ha-jin accepted it without thinking. Then Woo-seok dragged a chair over and wedged himself between Ha-jin and Brian.

“Who…?”

Everyone froze. The lively table fell silent.

“No way… your husband?”

Woo-seok nodded.

The silence shattered instantly, shocked voices overlapping.

“That’s why you never showed him?!”

“How is this even possible-”

Woo-seok ignored them.

Just moments ago they treated Ha-jin like something precious, now their attitude flipped instantly. Typical. Men were all the same. Friends, my ass.

“How did you get here…?”

Ha-jin asked quietly.

Woo-seok didn’t answer right away.

No, he couldn’t.

He hadn’t planned to join them at all. He just couldn’t stand seeing those alphas all over Ha-jin. But he couldn’t exactly cause a scene either. So this, this was the result.

“I just happened to pass by.”

Even he didn’t understand why he was sitting there.

“Aren’t you being a little careless? Even if you’re not an omega, hanging around alphas like this can be dangerous. If something happens before our contract ends, it’ll cause trouble for me.”

So he made up a reason.

As if it had just occurred to him.

It sounded flimsy.