After Dae Soo left, Seo Joon turned toward Woo Bin, who stood quietly beside him, still exhausted from the long journey. A soft, calm smile spread across Seo Joon's face as he studied woo bin Despite the fatigue, Woo Bin's presence gave him comfort—a steady, silent reassurance that only strengthened their connection.
Gently, Seo Joon took Woo Bin's hand, guiding him inside the grand guest house. As Woo Bin stepped in, his eyes widened. "Wow… this house… it's like a king's palace."
The interiors were stunning. Every decoration, every design element reflected the richness of ancient Korean culture. Woo Bin glanced at Seo Joon, curiosity in his eyes. "Sir… why did you tell them I'm your friend?" he asked quietly.
Seo Joon's expression softened. "You didn't see it, but these villagers do not respect their workers. They treat them like servants. I didn't want them to know that you are my assistant and that I'm your boss. Seo Joon didn't want the villagers to see Woo Bin as just another worker, or to look at him through the lens of a boss–employee hierarchy. He wanted them to see both of them on equal footing, as friends. That was why he bridged the gap between them in the villagers' eyes, introducing Woo Bin as his companion rather than his assistant.Another thing—our powers always pull us toward each other. If we lose control, or if anyone sees us together in the village, they would gossip. I don't want unnecessary attention. This is only for a few days, and after that, we'll leave. Until then, you will call me 'Seo Joon,' not 'sir.'"
Woo Bin nodded, understanding the reasoning. "Okay, ."
Hearing this, Seo Joon looked at him with a playful smile. "Hmm… good boy. Now, let's go check your room. You can rest properly afterward."
They moved further into the house, exploring the rooms. Two rooms stood side by side. Woo Bin took one; Seo Joon took the other.
Woo Bin dropped his bag onto the floor, quickly removing his clothes and heading to the bathroom. A brief shower revived him slightly, and he dried his hair before finally collapsing onto the bed. Exhaustion took over, and he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep almost immediately.
In the next room, Seo Joon arranged his belongings carefully, plugged in his phone, and took a moment to wash and freshen up. He, too, lay down on his bed, letting his body rest. But his mind was far from idle. He replayed the events of the day, the graveyard, the strange village, the shadows, and the subtle pull of Woo Bin's Omega energy.
He sensed the lingering threads of danger—the village, the guest house, even the air itself seemed alive with whispers. Something about the house felt… sentient, as if it had its own story, its own watchful eyes. Every creak and sigh in the silent mansion seemed purposeful, deliberate, almost speaking.
Seo Joon's Alpha instincts remained alert even as exhaustion crept into his limbs. Woo Bin's soft breathing from the adjacent room reassured him. He could feel the Omega's energy calming his own, a quiet, tethering presence that made him feel grounded. Even in sleep, Woo Bin was a point of focus, a constant connection that pulsed with gentle warmth.While thinking about all this, Seo Joon didn't even realize when his eyes grew heavy, and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep as well.
The house was silent. Too silent. A heavy stillness settled over the rooms, echoing with the sense that it held secrets, stories untold and ancient, waiting to be discovered. The same house that offered shelter also seemed to watch, as if it knew more than it should.
Both men slept, unaware of the deep currents swirling around them. But the world they had entered would not let them leave untouched. Secrets waited to be revealed, some tied to the village, some to the graveyard, some to the mysterious bond that pulled them inexorably toward each other.
In that quiet, in that moment, the Alpha–Omega connection was unspoken but undeniable—Seo Joon's protective care, Woo Bin's trust and vulnerability, intertwined in a delicate balance. And the guest house, with its strange, silent awareness, seemed to acknowledge their bond, almost as if it had been waiting for them.
Something was coming. And neither of them, sleeping or awake, could yet know how deeply it would change everything.