RACA 16

Typically, traits manifested during puberty. Dominant traits could appear before age ten, but generally emerged during adolescence. While some cases manifested later in adulthood, it’s rare for traits to change after completing military service.

Perhaps he should be grateful that Pyo Jaebeom brushed it off so lightly.

‘The trait confirmation document probably doesn’t specify when it manifested.’

You’d have to see it to know. Similar themes appeared in other dramas, but even those never showed the test details in detail.

‘I should have paid attention.’

After all, I’m a Beta. It was only natural I couldn’t have anticipated such a situation happening to me. Eunsol was so busy racing through thoughts that he actually forgot who was standing right in front of him.

That’s why Jaebeom openly observed the Omega before him. Something kept gnawing at his nerves.

At first, he’d dismissed it as Eunsol just acting out, but his unconscious words and actions made it feel real.

‘He’s definitely an Omega.’

Even now, the sweet scent wafting from him made Jaebeom plan to get Eunsol suitably drunk before dragging him back to bed.

But first, he needed to figure out what was inside that head of his.

“Come on, drink more. More.”

Not knowing his tolerance, he deliberately chose something high-proof. Yet he picked something smooth to avoid repelling him, and it paid off, Eunsol sipped it down easily, glass after glass.

“I’m telling youuuu…”

Jaebeom caught the scent of honey and vanilla-soaked strawberries wafting from Eunsol’s drawn-out words.

“This is driving me crazy.”

This wicked omega was shamelessly radiating sweetness. His eyes were moist, and his full lips kept smacking as if begging to be devoured right then and there.

Jaebeom grimaced, covering his nose and mouth with his hand. Not that it would block the pheromones assaulting his senses.

“I’m… I’m sober now! Hic!”

His speech slurred, clearly drunk. Yet, as if deeply aggrieved, Lee Eunsol kept talking.

“Suddenly, a big-time actor was right in front of me! And, and…”

What the hell was he talking about?

“Did I give him too much?”

He only gave his four drinks. The hiccups drowned out his words, making it impossible to understand what he was saying. Deciding he probably needed some water, Jaebeom scanned the table.

“Tsk.”

Confirming no water was prepared, he rose from his seat with an annoyed expression.

“Hey, where are you going! Hic! I wasn’t finished talking…!”

He tried to leave, but the drunken man, his face flushed like a ripe strawberry, quickly grabbed his sleeve, bringing him to an abrupt halt.

“Huh?”

The grip on his wrist was tight, hot with feverish heat. He gasped in disbelief, but Lee Eunsol, oblivious, leaned forward and mumbled.

“When I, when I opened my eyes… hic! What the, drama, omega, hic! Possession, possession, possession, you say…!”

The end sounded almost like whining. But one word caught Jaebeom’s attention.

“Possession?”

His eyes squinted.

“What does that mean?”

“It, it’s just… hic! Literally, you know…”

Eunsol lowered his head, scratching the table with his fingertips. Jaebeom leaned closer, staring into his eyes, now moist with alcohol, before asking in a low, husky tone.

“So, you’re saying you came from another world or something?”

“Yes! That’s it! No, what kind of hic! What kind of bullshit situation is this! Dammit!”

Suddenly, Eunsol, filled with indignation, jumped up. The problem was that he had been leaning half his upper body on the table.

Crash!

The sudden impact sent the table reeling, and inevitably, plates and glasses tumbled to the floor.

Clang, clang, clang.

The shattering sounds snapped his dazed consciousness back. Startled, Eunsol quickly looked ahead.

“Ah!”

Hell itself unfolded before him. Pae Jaebeom, covered in spilled snacks and alcohol, was the very embodiment of a demon.

•••

“Ugh…”

Eunsol groaned like a zombie from his bed. Peeking out from under the covers, he clutched his hair as a piercing headache, sharp as an awl, tore through his skull.

“I’m… dying!”

His throat felt parched as if he hadn’t had water in days, and every breath carried the stench of alcohol.

Who on earth dumped me into this barrel of booze?

Opening his eyes, Eunsol still couldn’t understand why he was suffering this agonizing hangover.

More pressing was the urge to quench his thirst. The problem was, no matter how he rolled his half-open eyes around, he couldn’t see any water to drink.

“Ugh…”

Eunsol let out another strange sound as he staggered out of bed. His hair was sticking out in all directions, his face was puffy and flushed, he looked like someone suffering terribly from a hangover.

Opening the door, he instinctively walked toward the kitchen. There, he found an energy drink in the fridge and downed it in one gulp.

“Ugh.”

The cold liquid made his temples throb. Eunsol rubbed them gently with both hands. Fortunately, his mind was clearing enough to grasp the situation.

“Damn it, I think I messed up big time?”

Covering his mouth with his palm, Eunsol retraced the events of the previous night. The vivid image that surfaced was Pyo Jaebeom’s messed-up state, caused by the table he’d overturned.

“Am… am I… still alive?”

He hurriedly checked his limbs, touching his cheeks and ears. No body parts seemed to be missing.

Since nothing felt numb or sore, he must not have been hit after all.

“Lee Eunsol! You little devil!”

Well, who told him to gulp down the drinks so eagerly? He groaned, trying to recall what he might have blurted out, but nothing came to mind.

Eunsol sneaked out of the kitchen and listened for sounds. Only then did he realize the house was quiet.

“Hello? Anyone there?”

He called out softly, but no one appeared. Relieved, Eunsol collapsed onto the living room sofa.

His body felt like lead from drinking for the first time in ages. His mind wasn’t fully back yet.

“No way. This is all because of… the CEO!”

Suddenly, he sat up and glared at the ceiling. Despite the sudden surge of resentment, he quickly changed his tone, wittingly aware of the CCTV cameras somewhere.

“What the hell kind of scheme is it to get someone that drunk!”

As Eunsol understood, the biggest problem with him drinking was that he spilled every little thing he kept bottled up inside. Because of that, he’d once been blacklisted by a drama PD and suffered for a while.

After that, he’d mostly avoided drinking until he passed out.

Yesterday, he’d fallen for Pyo Jaebeom’s charm and drunk himself silly.

“No matter how expensive or delicious it was, I should’ve exercised restraint…”

But blaming others wouldn’t change anything. After all, he was the one who’d happily downed glass after glass. The real problem was that he couldn’t remember a single word he’d said.

“Ugh…”

Eunsol, moaning like a zombie as he lay sprawled on the sofa, suddenly turned his head and scanned the ceiling corners with intense scrutiny. Given this was the home of a former gang boss, he suspected surveillance cameras might be hidden somewhere.

He got up and scoured every corner of the living room. He checked every piece of furniture, every interior decoration, even the grand marble flower bed, but found nothing suspicious.

“Well, I guess something like that wouldn’t fall for a rookie like me.”

But he couldn’t relax. This was a gangster’s house, after all. There had to be cameras. Standing in the middle of the living room, arms and legs crossed, Eunsol grumbled. Then, thinking of possible CCTV, he relaxed his posture. He decided such behavior didn’t suit his timid nature.

“Ah, let’s just eat.”

If he found cameras, he planned to search near the table where he’d drunk with Pyo Jaebeom yesterday. Maybe then he could find out what drunken nonsense he’d spouted.

But failing to achieve his goal, Eunsol quickly gave up again and decided to soothe his sour stomach.

“Nothing beats ramen for a hangover cure.”

A camera no bigger than half a fingernail stubbornly captured his swaying figure as he walked, imagining the spicy broth and springy noodles.

‎

‎

“CEO, President Kim from Yeongdeungpo called. He wants to arrange a meeting?”

Kwak Sang, who was reporting Jaebeom’s new schedule, shut up at his silent gesture.

‘Did I have anything important to see today?’

His mind raced, but nothing concrete came to mind. Ignoring his subordinate, who waited obediently thinking his boss would surely explain, Jaebeom stared only at the monitor.

The screen showed a live feed of his home. More precisely, Lee Eunsol bustling in the living room.