December

However, a middle-aged man who appeared to be another victim of his tantrums was standing next to him, looking out together with a digestive drink in his hand. I was thinking of getting at least a cup of ramen at the convenience store, so after paying the bill, I had no choice but to eat near the two of them. So even though I didn’t want to hear it, I could hear the conversation between the two.

“I see your grandson is coming late today.”

“He is young and in full swing, so it’s good for him to hang out late.”

“Then who are you waiting for, worried like that?”

“Who says I’m waiting for him? I’m looking at the view here. Do you have a problem with that?”

The store manager who overheard the conversation seemed to have a problem. He stared at the Grandfather, with the digestive medicine, with an openly disgusted expression. The person who needed digestive medicine seemed to be the store manager.

“Your health is going to get worse. Since your grandson suddenly said he would live in this private villa a few days ago, you’re watching over him every day from here, staring at the entrance…”

“Oh, noisy. It is because of the view.”

I also stood there, watching the outside which supposedly had a good view. It was dark and there was nothing to see. However, after knowing that he was a grandfather who cared about his grandson no matter how wayward he was, I understood a little bit. By the way, if the grandson lived in this complex, the grandson must be very rich.

I heard that the price of the villas in this complex was exorbitant. Besides, private houses were the most expensive. But seeing how the Grandfather preferred only 1+1 deals, was he in financial trouble? Was that why I couldn’t stand in front of his grandson and watch from afar…?

“He’s not a worry, so I don’t care if he lives alone.”

I stopped while lifting the noodles and looked at the Grandfather. Well, he’s right. But the smaller the worry, the bigger it could become later on.

“Yeonwoo Sunbae.”

This call was like a switch. All night and on my way to the library, I promised not to be friendly or not to laugh, but when he softly called my name, the walls I had built so high easily melted.

“Someone is calling you.”

He pointed to my coat pocket. I quickly took out his cell phone and it was indeed ringing. Since we both came out for a break, I must have been too engrossed in what he was saying. I might have been focusing on his face. I turned around to hide my shame and answered the phone.

[Yeonwoo, are you in the library now?]

I remember the voice of my maternal uncle who said that he had decided to come today. Yes, where are you? When I asked, the answer was surprising.

[What floor are you on?]

“Ah? Are you at the library now?”

[Your mother said to see if you are studying well.]

My uncle joked and laughed. I didn’t understand the joke, but smiled politely and informed him about the floor I was on.

“Uncle, I’m coming down.”

[No, I’m almost there.]

“I’ll come towards the stairs.”

I hung up the phone and tried to walk there, but I thought of Kim Shin Hoobae and looked back.

“I have someone to meet…”

“Is your uncle here?”

Oh, he must have heard the call. Yes, I nodded and explained briefly. He came up to live in the province. I just need to greet him. I turned my head to the stairs as I explained, but I could already see my uncle approaching. He really came up. Knowing his uncle’s impatient nature, I quickly walked towards him.

“Uncle, have you eaten?”

“Oh, I have a dinner appointment with someone, so I have to go right away. Take this.”

My uncle passed over a large paper bag. Seeing how heavy it was, it seemed to be a crab dish.

“You only need this to eat. So I bought you this…your aunt saved you some before.”

My uncle stopped talking and looked behind me. I remembered the man I was with. He was standing behind me before I knew it, and when he made eye contact with his maternal uncle, he bowed.

“Hello. My name is Shin Kim.”

“Ah…yes.”

My uncle looked at him warily and asked directly.

“You’re not an Alpha, are you?”

It was a question that was not that comfortable, but Kim Shin Hoobae didn’t feel bad and answered slowly.

“You’re right. I’m an Alpha.”

For a moment, his maternal uncle frowned. Those gazes were directed straight at me.

“Your friend?”

No. After answering, I hesitated for a moment.

“He is my Hoobae at school.”

My uncle’s expression hardened my words. I knew the reason, so I couldn’t blame his reaction.

“Yeonwoo, let’s go down and talk for a while.”

The reason why I chose my uncle’s as a place to escape was that the two of them were willing to reach out to me, but also the fact that my aunt is a recessive omega like me also played a part. She was the one who understood my pain more than anyone else. It was not simply due to the homogeneity of being the same recessive omega.

Unfortunately, she too was a victim of the unspeakable harshness in her youth. She now lived very well, after meeting my maternal uncle who was a Beta. But she was still afraid of Alpha because of her past.

“Don’t you remember what happened before? But again, Alpha… Haa, besides, that person seems like a dominant Alpha, am I right?”

Yes, the answer that came out of my mouth was small, like a mumbling child. My uncle let out a big sigh and tried to say something, but instead pressed down and asked in a stern voice.

“Are you still going to meet him?”

“No.”

“Really? Can you do it?”

Was it because this answer was not easy to word? My maternal uncle brought out my old memories.

“Think about how the Alpha Sunbae who tried to imprint on you was. He also said he was a Sunbae who wanted to treat you well. So? What did that bastard try to do to you? Also, if you don’t want to be treated like that, you should take care of yourself and stay away from dominant Alphas.”

Even when I came home from work that night, my uncle’s warnings lingered in my mind the whole time. By the time I entered the dark house, took off my bag, put the crab sauce in the refrigerator, changed my clothes, and sat down, the face of the Alpha Sunbae I didn’t want to think about appeared. The smell of the place that day, the dark interior, and the suffocating heat were as vivid as yesterday, and I was suffocating. He had pressed down on me and smirked as I tried to escape.

‘Fuck, where are you going? I worked so hard for 10 months so that I could do this to you. Do you know?’

The moment I heard it, I realized that the 10 months he was proud of were the most miserable and stupid 10 months to me. That was how the worst memory that could have ended in one day had expanded to 10 months. So I couldn’t go back to school. But after 3 years, I must have forgotten too quickly. My uncle was right. I stared blankly into the darkness and picked up my phone.