RACA 34

“First, I’m looking into your dad.”

“…Why?”

“I need to confirm things.”

He’s really persistent. Eunsol found himself respecting Pyo Jaebeom a bit, the way he dug relentlessly once he found a crack to doubt. If it were him, he’d probably brush it off if he spotted something fishy, since it wouldn’t be a major issue right away.

“Well… Actually, it’s like this. Please don’t think I’m weird…”

“Shh.”

Since things had come to this, Eunsol decided it was better to reveal the truth about the possession now. He opened his mouth to confess, but Jaebeom’s index finger pressed against his lips.

“Your story can wait. I’ll listen after I look into this some more.”

He couldn’t fathom why his words, delivered with a smile, sent a shiver down his spine. It must be that blend of nonchalance and the cold detachment he revealed at crucial moments. Eunsol instinctively knew dragging this out further wouldn’t serve him well.

“I am Lee Eunsol. But I wasn’t the Omega you were looking for. There was a mix-up.”

“Mistake? You’re Lee Daebak’s son, right?”

“No. I mean, here it says that man is my father, but my father is…”

What was his father’s name again? Eunsol blinked. At five years old, he’d been taken by his father’s hand and left at his grandmother’s house. He hadn’t seen him once since.

His grandmother hadn’t explained much either. She’d only occasionally mentioned that his parents had done something wrong to him.

From that, Eunsol had vaguely guessed. His parents had divorced, neither willing to raise him, so he’d ended up there through a series of circumstances.

‘But when people say maternal family, they usually mean the mother’s side, right?’

He’d always used the term without thinking, so he hadn’t realized it before. But now that he thought about it, it felt odd. If his father had entrusted him to someone, shouldn’t it have been his family? If it was maternal, shouldn’t his mother have taken him? That’s what he wondered. Maybe he’d consciously avoided acknowledging the alienation from being placed with his maternal grandmother.

Because he had only one person left, he felt he couldn’t let go of that last lifeline.

‘It’s not strange, right?’

Everyone focuses on what matters most. Sometimes that’s relationships, sometimes it’s the direction of one’s life.

“I don’t remember. We parted ways when I was very young.”

He glanced at Pyo Jaebeom. He tilted his chin, as if to say, Let’s hear what this has to say.

“I’ve told you several times. I lived with my grandmother. Since I was five. After my dad dropped me off there, I never saw him again.”

“That’s strange. It doesn’t match the information I have?”

“That’s why I said it might be hard to believe. But it’s true. Do you want me to tell you more?”

“Go ahead.”

What else could he possibly say? It was surprising how different Kwak Sang’s meticulously gathered information was from what Lee Eunsol was saying.

“I didn’t go to college. Right after high school, I moved to Seoul and worked part-time jobs while hustling to become an actor.”

“An actor?”

What on earth was this? Pyo Jaebeom tilted his head. Seeing that expression made him tense up, his fists clenching involuntarily, but Eunsol continued.

“I did it for seven years. Never really made it big, though. I was filming a drama when an accident happened. When I woke up, suddenly I was in this situation.”

That was all he had to say. He hesitated about whether to tell Pyo Jaebeom he was the same, but it felt premature to reveal that much yet.

But this might make him question him more. And with all the groundwork he’d laid, maybe someday he’d figure it out. No, actually, he knows. He can’t assume that he’s transmigrated like him.

So this was closer to a hope Eunsol held.

May he be like me too.

“This isn’t some movie plot, you know. You don’t think I wouldn’t believe you?”

Of course not. If he’d believed this, he would’ve told him long ago. As Eunsol just stared at him, Pyo Jaebeom chuckled as if he’d expected it.

“Alright, then we’ll talk more about that when Lee Daebak shows up. Let’s go.”

Pyo Jaebeom abruptly stood up, ending the conversation.

“Huh?”

Confused by his meaning, Eunsol looked up blankly. As if to say, “What are you dawdling for?” Jaebeom repeated.

“I said let’s go see a movie. Aren’t you coming?”

‎

‎

The theater, with only the last showing left, was quiet. Eunsol glanced around and spotted an unmanned ticket machine. He held out both hands to Pyo Jaebeom.

“What?”

“Can I borrow your card?”

He meant he’d come with nothing but himself, so he needed his resources to see the movie. Without a word, Pyo Jaebeom turned and walked away.

Following close behind, he soon found him standing at a kiosk, tapping the screen.

“Which one?”

“That one.”

Eunsol pointed with his index finger at the movie title he’d already picked out. The poster featured two people gazing at each other in a romantic mood against a pastel background.

Moreover, upon confirming the title boldly began with “Romantic,” Pyo Jaebeom turned his gaze back to Eunsol. He didn’t ask, but his expression clearly questioned if this was truly the right choice.

‘What’s wrong with a melodrama?’

Traditional romances featuring the alpha and omega are, by nature, sellers that rarely fail. Of course, they couldn’t boast the same audience numbers as blockbusters or comedies.

But their appeal transcended personal taste, guaranteeing solid box office returns. Moreover, every film Jaebeom starred in consistently surpassed its break-even point.

Eunsol pushed Jaebeom’s hand away and tapped the movie selection himself. He swiftly selected two tickets and proceeded to the payment screen without hesitation. Afterward, Eunsol looked at Pyo Jaebeom with a confident gaze, silently asking him to pay.

Watching him pull out his card and pay, looking bewildered, Eunsol tilted his head.

‘Come to think of it, he does everything I ask?’

If asked whether he was affectionate by nature, he could confidently say no. So this compliant behavior not only felt unnatural but also made him suspect he might be up to something.

“What?”

“No… Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“Didn’t you pick it because you wanted to see it?”

“Well, yes, but…”

After saying what’s the problem, his walk showed not a hint of hesitation, making Eunsol wonder again. Why is he acting like this? Up until now, he’d toyed with him, lifting him up only to drop him, yet occasionally he’d show warmth that made his heart skip a beat. He was a bit confused about which side was his true personality.

‘But isn’t that tsundere?’

Eunsol shook his head, dismissing his own fleeting thought. Absolutely not. Would someone like that really say they only needed a child?

“Ah…!”

He suddenly realized why.

‘It’s because I’m pregnant.’

The doctor had emphasized the need for emotional stability during the early stages.

Especially dominant Omegas, he’d said, could experience heightened emotional fluctuations due to rapid hormonal and pheromone changes. The absence of symptoms like anemia or fatigue was likely because he was so robust.

Understanding the reason behind it, that tenderness now felt slightly infuriating, and he pouted.

“What’s it again?”

At that moment, Eunsol flinched as Jaebeom turned to look at him, biting his lip. He hesitated, searching for an excuse, when the snack bar caught his eye.

“Um… I’m hungry? Should I grab some snacks?”

Saying he was hungry actually made him feel peckish, and he gently rubbed his stomach. He’d always been a good eater, but since getting pregnant, it felt like he had two mouths to feed, his appetite had grown.

The biggest change was craving spicy food daily, though lately that had calmed down a bit. But his appetite remained strong, and sometimes late-night snacks tempted him.

Eunsol usually resisted, but today, perhaps because he was actually in the store, Eunsol found himself leaning toward the display. Pocketing a smile, Pyo Jaebeom tapped his forehead as he leaned forward.

“You said you wanted a date, but now you’re practically planning to devour it?”

“No, I wasn’t…”

Embarrassed, he rubbed his palms together even harder.

‘Was I being too forward?’

But what could he do? He had no money on him.

“What do you want to eat?”

For a teasing remark, the response was surprisingly positive. Eunsol stared up at Pyo Jaebeom, surprised by his unexpected reaction.

“What?”

What? The way he asked sounded exactly like the actor Pyo Jaebeom. But Eunsol knew well the way his eyes studied him. It was likely his cautiousness, seeking hidden motives in his actions or unseen circumstances he hadn’t grasped, and fundamentally, his lack of complete trust in him.

In that regard, Eunsol felt no particular hurt or resentment.

“You don’t believe me?”