(Kang villa)
The house had grown quiet after dinner, each person retreating to their own rooms.
Upstairs, Jihan lay beside Kang Dan, softly stroking the boy's hair as he drifted to sleep.
The door creaked open. Taesung stepped inside, hesitating before whispering,
"Where am I supposed to sleep?
Dan's already taken over the bed."
Jihan didn't move, only muttered,
"Go away."
Taesung sighed. He knew the reason
knew Jihan was still upset but he still chose to pretend. He leaned closer, voice coaxing,
"Jihan, listen. Give Dan to me. I'll put him in his bed."
"I said go sleep somewhere else tonight."
Taesung tried again, a smile tugging at his lips as though persistence might melt the cold wall between them.
But Jihan's patience thinned.
He sat up, grabbed Taesung's wrist, and tugged him toward the door.
"Jagiya, honey, wait"
The door shut in his face before he could finish.
Taesung stood in the hallway, shoulders sagging, a defeated sigh escaping him.
Downstairs, Taewon padded into the living room, laptop in hand, wearing his night clothes. He noticed his brother slumped on the couch.
"What happened?" Taewon asked calmly.
Taesung gave a bitter laugh.
"You wouldn't understand, my dear brother. Even if I told you. But don't worry, I'm used to it.
Every time I make a mistake, my honey treats me like this so I don't repeat it."
Taewon didn't pry, only nodded.
"If you want, you can sleep in my room."
Taesung shook his head firmly.
"No. If he wakes up tomorrow and doesn't find me here, I'm done for."
Taewon only hummed and opened his laptop, leaving his brother to wrestle with his regret.
(Han villa)
Jihyun had spent three days locking himself away inside the Han villa.
His mind kept circling back to that moment at the mall the sight of Taewon with a child in his arms, standing beside that impossibly refined man. The image wouldn't leave him.
That afternoon, sprawled on his stomach across the bed, Jihyun scrolled through social media. Taewon's accounts, the Kang Group's official pages, news outlets nothing but work, projects, business.
"How can this man not post anything about himself?"
Jihyun muttered, frustration bubbling.
"It's all work, work, work"
He tossed the phone aside, sat up, then picked it up again almost immediately. His thoughts wandered back
"That partner of his, were so pretty"
He didn't even notice Minjoon entering until his brother sat down on the bed beside him.
Minjoon's quiet gaze finally made Jihyun turn his head and nearly jump out of his skin. "Hyung! You scared me."
Minjoon raised an eyebrow.
"What are you thinking about so seriously?"
"Nothing. It's my business."
"Fine." Minjoon said,
"Dad said we're going out for a late evening meeting. You stay home. And if you're going out, inform us first. Take the driver. Don't drive yourself. Got it?"
"Okay," Jihyun mumbled.
Minjoon narrowed his eyes.
"So? Are you going to tell me what you were thinking?"
Jihyun hesitated, then blurted,
"It's not that. I was just wondering. About Taewon. Is he dating someone?"
Minjoon's expression sharpened.
"And why are you asking?"
"I just he's my ex-husband. Don't I have the right to know who he's with?"
"He's only your ex-husband. Nothing more. Who told you? Are you planning something again?"
"No!" Jihyun snapped.
"I just asked. If you're not going to tell me, then forget it. Don't put useless doubts on me."
Minjoon stared for a beat, then exhaled. "There are rumors lately that he's dating a female Omega. Someone from his office." He left without another word.
Jihyun sat frozen, mouth slightly open.
"A female Omega?"
His mind immediately flashed back to the mall. The man he had seen was no female Omega he was sure of it. A male, one hundred percent.
"Then what does that mean?
Is he cheating? On that partner and that child?"
The thought made his stomach twist. He dropped back against the bed, eyes burning with anger.
"Father, son both deceivers. Just like Mr. Kang, Taewon is no different.
First he deceived, then his own child, now his partner and even someone else at the office? What a liar."
His chest ached as he recalled the refined Omega he'd seen beside Taewon.
"That Omega was so beautiful I even felt for him. And still, Taewon cheats?
How could he?"
Fury surged. He grabbed his phone and called Soobin.
"Let's go eat. Japanese. I owe you."
Soobin laughed faintly on the other end.
"Alright"
Soobin only shrugged when Jihyun picked him up.
"Are you sure you can drive?"
Jihyun glanced at the sleek car keys in his hand.
"These are my cars. I bought them after learning how to drive. How could I not?"
"Okay, okay. So? Where are we going?"
"Osaka's Special," Jihyun said shortly, his grip on the wheel tightening.
Soobin nodded, watching him carefully, but didn't push. Jihyun's storm was too obvious, the kind that words couldn't calm.