TATMFL - 43

“Lately, why is it so hard to see you around?”  

The moment Do-kyung sat down on the sofa, his uncle and executive of Hanyeong Group, Mu-jin, began scolding him as if he’d been waiting for this exact moment.  

Do-kyung, who was half-reclining on the couch, lazily glanced up at Mu-jin.  

“Why are you nagging me again? I attended last week’s consortium like you told me to, and I’ve cleaned up everything nicely.”  

The redevelopment project bid for Daehan Construction, a subsidiary of Hanyeong, was proceeding smoothly.  

All that was left was to ensure no meddling hyenas tried to sabotage things before the final evaluation.  

Thanks to that, his days were filled with blood-stained hands—metaphorically speaking. So what else could Mu-jin possibly want? Do-kyung clicked his tongue in exasperation.  

“I’m asking because there’s a rumor going around that you’ve been hanging out with some beta lately.”  

Do-kyung, who had been stretching his neck back, let out an exaggerated sigh.  

From his upside-down view, he saw Mu-jin lighting a cigarette.  

“Your father’s been dying of curiosity too.”  

“Oh, come on, old man. Why are you even curious about something like that?”  

“If pairing you with an omega seems hopeless, then maybe settling for a beta isn’t so bad, right?”  

“…”  

Do-kyung, who had been firing back effortlessly until now, suddenly closed his mouth and blinked silently. Pairing? His pupils clouded over as he became lost in thought.  

“Hmm?”  

Mu-jin, who had just lit his cigarette, raised an eyebrow at the sudden silence.  

He had expected Do-kyung to immediately deny any such relationship, but instead, his nephew sat there deep in thought, arms crossed, tapping his fingers absently.  

Pairing, huh.  

Rolling the unfamiliar word around in his mouth, Do-kyung slowly closed and opened his eyes. He had never paid attention to that word before, but now it lingered in his mind.  

His expression softened as he recalled Ra-on’s peaceful smile in his arms. Oblivious to Mu-jin’s puzzled frown beside him, Do-kyung remembered what had happened a few days ago.  

As he had told Ra-on, he hadn’t planned to have sex that day.  

It was supposed to be his own little surprise—a trip to show her the cherry blossoms before they bloomed in Seoul.  

But waiting for the flowers to bloom in Seoul would’ve meant losing to Ji Hye-sung.  

…And frustratingly, Ra-on’s available time was limited to just Saturdays and Sundays—only two days. So he turned his gaze elsewhere.  

Fortunately, there were places where the flowers bloomed a day or two earlier than in Seoul.  

And the choice had turned out better than expected.  

It felt like a mini-trip with Ra-on, and he even got to see her smile. The four-hour drive down south had been worth it.  

Do-kyung thought to himself,  

‘Next time, maybe I’ll take her to Jeju Island.’  

In December, the camellias planted in front of his villa would be in full bloom. Plus, there was a mountain nearby, so Ra-on, who loved trees, would have plenty of material to work with.  

Staying there for about a month sounded nice too.  

While Do-kyung was lost in these thoughts, Mu-jin, who had been observing him quietly, snorted.  

His nephew, who was smiling gently as if reminiscing about something pleasant, looked completely different from the man Mu-jin had known for the past 30 years.  

‘I’ve never seen him with such a dopey expression. He must be serious.’  

It was the first time Do-kyung had shown interest in a woman. And it was also the first time someone receiving his attention hadn’t ended up broken or scarred.  

Mu-jin thought back to all the people who had suffered under Do-kyung’s attention before and hummed thoughtfully.  

Whatever it was, this was certainly unusual.  

That’s why both he and Do-kyung’s older brother had been pestering Joon, Do-kyung’s closest aide, every day for more details. Of course, Joon, being the only person Do-kyung kept close, hadn’t said a word.  

Still, they had promised not to interfere with Do-kyung’s private life, not to pry, and not to secretly investigate. So there was no point in creating trouble by being overly curious.  

‘He’s sharp, but sometimes that’s all he has.’  

Tsking, Mu-jin leaned back into the sofa and looked at Do-kyung.  

His sharp-nosed nephew, who had left him with so many questions, was already dozing off sweetly.  

Tap. Tap. After knocking on the armrest of the sofa, Mu-jin stood up.  

It seemed the conversation about the suspicious movements from Seo-jin’s side would have to wait until after Do-kyung woke up.  

---  

A few days later, a face stared in bewilderment at the bouquet of flowers thrust in front of her and the hand holding them. A nervous laugh escaped involuntarily.  

“…What’s this?”  

“Flowers.”  

An incredulous look shot back, as if to say, Did you think I didn’t know that?  

“Ahh, so…” Do-kyung chuckled as he held the bouquet out like an offering.  

“One plus one.”  

“…”  

Ra-on looked at Do-kyung, trying to figure out whether he was joking or being serious.  

But Do-kyung holding the flowers suited him so well that her stern gaze softened without her realizing it. The phrase “something beautiful next to something beautiful” came to mind. For that reason, she couldn’t bring herself to scold him for his nonsense.  

Sighing deeply, Ra-on closed the door to the studio, which had erupted into chaos the moment Do-kyung appeared. Rubbing her temples, she spoke.  

“There’s still thirty minutes until our meeting time. Why did you come so early?”  

She had deliberately set the meeting time during lunch when the studio would be empty.  

Still grinning, Do-kyung handed her the bouquet as he replied.  

“I wanted to see you sooner.”  

“…”  

The hand reaching out to take the bouquet froze mid-air. Her eyelids fluttered twice as she tried to decipher the meaning behind his words.  

‘He probably meant he wanted to see my artwork sooner. He did say he was interested enough to consider buying it.’  

To avoid misinterpreting him, Ra-on muttered to herself as she accepted the bouquet.  

Do-kyung’s eccentric behavior over the past few days wasn’t anything new, so she decided not to dwell on it.  

But…  

Ra-on recalled the message Do-kyung had sent her a few days ago, showing pictures of seedlings he had planted. She bit down gently on her molars. The frequency of his casual messages had been increasing subtly.  

Not long ago, their chat conversations ended quickly after just a few exchanges. But now, she had to scroll up quite a bit to find their first message. And most of the chat bubbles belonged to Do-kyung.  

As Ra-on reflected on his recent actions, her pupils wavered.  

Her resolve not to misinterpret things crumbled as a voice echoed in her mind. Swallowing hard, she slowly lifted her head.  

[It’s all your fault, Ra-on. Why did you have to smile so beautifully?]  

…Ra-on wasn’t clueless.  

Since when?  

Quickly lowering her gaze to the bouquet, Ra-on tried to hide the confusion swirling in her eyes. Pretending to focus on the rustling flowers, she hoped her voice would sound calm as she spoke.  

“All my pieces are in the studio. I’ve gathered them together while preparing for the graduation exhibition.”  

Checking the time, she added,  

“We’ll need to go inside to see them. Once the others leave for lunch, we can go in. They’ll probably clear out in about ten minutes.”

“Is there a reason we can’t go in now?”  

“…”  

Beyond that door were many individuals starved for external stimulation.  

Ra-on had no intention of throwing herself and Do-kyung into their midst, only to be chewed up and torn apart. While Do-kyung could leave anytime he pleased, Ra-on still had to endure the company of those voracious individuals until graduation.  

“Let’s just wait outside and go in later.”  

With that, Ra-on turned and began walking.  

Trailing behind her lazily, Do-kyung glanced out the window.  

The cherry blossom trees, nearly stripped of their petals by the spring rain that had poured since Wednesday, stood lined up in rows.  

Do-kyung casually asked,  

“Did you go see the cherry blossoms?”  

Without looking back at him, Ra-on replied,  

“I already went. Last week, to Jinhae.”  

“No, I meant…”  

Do-kyung trailed off, rubbing his cheek awkwardly. His uncharacteristic hesitation made him feel slightly embarrassed.  

“I was asking if you went with Ji Hye-sung. To see the cherry blossoms.”  

Ra-on’s shoulders stiffened momentarily before relaxing with a soft sigh.  

“I saw Hye-sung at school. There wasn’t time to go out and play.”  

“Really?”  

Even without looking, Ra-on could tell from his voice, brimming with delight, that he was grinning ear to ear.  

The hand holding the bouquet tightened, and the rustling sound echoed loudly in the otherwise quiet hallway, blending with the sound of their footsteps.  

Ra-on stared silently at the vibrant flowers in her hands. Their sweet fragrance tickled her nose.  

“…”  

It seemed the interest and amusement that had begun their interactions had somehow transformed into something new after they became physically intimate.  

She didn’t know when it had started. But she was certain this newfound emotion wouldn’t last long.  

…An alpha liking a beta.  

The thought brought an ache to her chest, tightening it painfully. She hid the sensation behind the bouquet, secretly sneering at herself. She repeated the mantra in her mind:  

Alphas belong with alphas, betas with betas.  

That was the norm. For an alpha, who lacked nothing, to fall for a mere beta—it was abnormal.  

As Ra-on recalled two people who had embarked on such a deviant relationship only to meet a tragic end, she slowly closed and opened her eyes.  

Her mother had been an omega.  

A beta who had fallen in love with her father despite the objections of those around them. And in the end, she had met her destined alpha, abandoning them both and leaving without a second glance.