Episode 20

He didn't know how long he had been crying as he remembered, but his eyes were sore. It was something he had never shared with his parents, holding it deep within himself instead.

He never crossed paths with those Alphas again, but their memory haunted his dreams. He had always assumed that his first time would be with someone who loved him, and for a while, he had believed that Alpha was the one, but he had been wrong. He had liked him for a long time, and being with him made him happy because he seemed like a good boy, but he was just waiting for an opportunity to take advantage.

He hugged his knees tightly because it was night, and he was cold and possessed by an immense fear. He closed his eyes tightly, tired, yet tried to endure as long as possible.

He did not want to be like this; he was happy being kind to others and even more so when thanked for his kindness, but he had been forced, cruelly, to become someone cold and rude to avoid being hurt again.

He lay on the ground to continue weeping because his chest felt ablaze. He realized the pain had grown over so many years that it was on the verge of consuming him entirely. His heart felt so damaged that the likelihood of the pieces ever coming together again felt nearly impossible. His body shivered from the cold as he gazed at Jaehan's clothes scattered on the floor, longing for security, warmth, something to bring peace.

Slowly moving while still crying, he lay on top of the clothes, seeking Jaehan's scent, and curled up into a fetal position. His sobs filled the space, and he felt close to death because the pain was too much.

Almost asleep when the door was opened, Jaehan looked at him. Despite being furious about what had happened, leaving him alone for five hours had been the hardest thing Jaehan had ever done. Semi-conscious, Saije heard the approach of footsteps. Trembling from the cold, he wanted to open his eyes but couldn't.

All he felt was being lifted from the floor.

When his eyes opened, he was in his room. A headache presented itself immediately, and his eyes ached from the tears. He realized he was clutching Jaehan's jacket against his chest, but couldn't recall how he had gotten there.

Blinking a couple of times, he sat up slowly in bed, surveying the room and hearing voices downstairs. He stood up to walk towards the staircase when he heard Jaehan speaking on the phone.

"No, mother, I've already told you it's about the village. Five Omegas disappeared this week. I can't be around when I have Saije."

The woman let out a sigh.

"I think you worry too much."

"I think you forget certain things, mother, like a certain man."

"So, what are you going to do? Where will you go?"

"Remember the house I bought a while ago?"

"Of course, I've told you a thousand times it was unnecessary to have something you'd never use," she reminded him.

Jaehan gave a small smile, remembering everything.

"Exactly, I said that, but now I'm going to use it."

"Alright, suppose there's not much I can do. I feel like I'm the only one who realizes what's happening, but since they tell me I'm making things up, I guess I'll have to keep quiet."

"I think neither you nor their parents would like it if their son was kidnapped or worse, and you wouldn't like them to sue us either," he said while checking documents to ensure everything was in order to sell that house.

"I can't argue with that excuse. Take that Omega wherever you want; I have to go now. Your father sends his regards and says he will come to see you at your new house tomorrow."

"Sure, see you there."

He hung up the phone and continued to verify the papers, then dialed a new number for a small renovation because of all that had happened.

He glanced at the stairs but saw them empty, thinking he had been seeing things.

Then he saw Anna enter. He half-listened to her, explaining what was going to be done. She listened patiently and nodded to start sweeping a bit up.

"It's strange all of this happened," she commented while dumping some stuff into a dustpan to throw into a trash bag.

Jaehan didn't say much; he was focused on reading his emails.

"He even made a cake for his birthday and..."

"What?" he asked, looking up suddenly.

Anna hesitated, seeing Jaehan's face indicating he had no idea what she was talking about.

"He made a birthday cake. We were talking about birthdays when he asked about his. I assumed you had eaten it because it was gone the next day."

"Which birthday cake?" he inquired.

"Didn't you see it?"

"I haven't seen anything."

Jaehan pondered everything that had happened, trying to make sense, as nothing added up and something strange had taken place. He tried recalling but didn't remember any sign of a birthday cake from that night.

He searched the house until he found a gift package. He hadn't opened it yet and approached to see what was inside. Then, he saw Saije come down the stairs, eyes red from crying. They exchanged a brief look before Saije's gaze went to Anna.

"Sorry, Anna," Saije murmured, averting his eyes—"what I did was wrong. Forgive me."

Anna looked back, feeling pity for his condition, and simply gifted him a kind smile.

She stepped out to dump the trash, leaving them alone. Jaehan watched as Saije drank some water. He wanted to say something but was unsure how to begin. He sighed and swallowed.

"Anna mentioned you made me a birthday cake, is that true?"

Saije finished the water, looking out the window with his back to him.

"Yes."

"And where is it?"

"I realized I had mixed the wrong ingredients and threw it away, but it doesn't matter. I did it just because I was bored, and you surely got better gifts."

"Better gifts?"

"Yeah, I was so bored I called you, and a woman answered."

Jaehan watched him walk away, not understanding because no woman had ever answered his phone.

"I haven't been with any woman," he said.

"So what? I don't care in the slightest," Saije grumbled, ascending the stairs.

He didn't have much time to think when his men arrived to report some things. He resolved other issues until everything was ready to go to the other house as soon as possible, and once all was set, they got in a car followed by his men.

Upon arrival, they both got out. Jaehan went to speak with the people waiting, but Saije walked away to look at the lake. He noticed a small bridge and walked over to sit at the edge, hugging his legs. The day was cloudy, threatening rain, but he wanted to stay as long as possible, unhappy with the feeling in his chest.

Jaehan watched him from a distance for a few minutes until Anna called him, but he ate nothing and just locked himself in his new room.

He felt ill and had no desire even to get up to use the bathroom. Eventually, after showering, he descended slowly. Jaehan was reading a newspaper, as he did every morning, but it was Saturday, and he wasn't supposed to go out. Saije watched him for a few seconds; he looked as he always did.

Looking around for the heating because he felt hot, he couldn't see it anywhere.

"Are you okay?" Jaehan asked, noticing him.

Saije didn't reply, just continued to watch.

"I'll be stepping outside to check a few things, then I have to leave for a meeting with Magdalena."

"Magdalena?" Saije asked, uncertain.

"My secretary. We're having lunch to discuss the sale of my old house. Her grandparents are interested, so we'll talk about it."

The Omega, remembering how she looked at him, didn't want him to go, but didn't know how to express that.

He watched Jaehan rise, looking huge in his black coat, passing by him to go out. Saije thought he would just check something, then leave with her. With that Omega. And his fists clenched. He heard the door close and swallowed, the heat increasing in his body.

He moved to climb back to his room but paused midway, staring at Jaehan's room. His chest heaved, and he walked toward it. He surveyed the large bed as he closed the door behind him. Swallowing, he was overwhelmed by Jaehan's scent, which nearly blinded him. He took slow steps to touch the bed just a bit before retreating to his room to lock himself in.

Settling into the pillow's aroma, he released a long breath. Closing his eyes, he wished he wasn't alone and that he didn't want Jaehan to leave. He just wanted him there forever, to attract him, call to him so that he couldn't resist in any way.

"Alright, take these because they're too old, and let's buy new ones."

"Sure, boss."

"Call me if there's anything else. I have to go now," he announced, and the men he was speaking with nodded.

He moved away to return to the house, just to grab his car keys and leave for his appointment with his secretary, but when he opened the door, everything inside him calmed, then surged with force.

The scent that hit his nose was so intense it made him blink several times. He stood, staring into the void, that scent familiar. Slamming the door shut, he walked to the source of the overpowering grape scent. Entering his bedroom, he was engulfed in a cloud of pheromones.

He saw Saije lying on his bed, and as Saije opened his eyes, their gazes locked. Jaehan closed the door, his stern face and dark, dangerous eyes fixed upon him.

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