(Seojoon's pov)
The mall was too bright. Too loud. Too full of happy faces that made me go crazy.
I hadn't planned on being here, but somehow my feet carried me, like they knew I needed to see something — or someone.
And then I did.
Kang Taejun.
I was busy stalking him so I could seek revenge. Why should I suffer, when he's in wrong?
I stopped in my tracks, breath catching in my throat. He stood by the fountain, laughing with that same easy arrogance I'd seen a hundred times before. It made my stomach twist. The world blurred for a moment — the sound of water crashing in the fountain, the chatter of strangers — everything muffled under the rush of my own blood.
Then I saw her.
Minji.
She was standing slightly apart from him, arms crossed, her expression calm but her body stiff, tense. She had beautiful long blue hair as always. And just for a moment, I saw it — that flash in her yellow eyes. Anger. Exhaustion. The same exhaustion I'd felt for years under that man's shadow.
When Taejun's phone rang and he walked off a few steps to answer it, Minji turned away, alone.
Of course just cuz he married someone else that doesn't mean he'll treat her right.
And I moved.
I didn't think. I didn't hesitate. My feet carried me after her, weaving through the weekend crowd, keeping just far enough to not draw attention.
She didn't notice me at first. But when she stepped into a quieter corridor near the mall exit, she turned — and froze. Her sharp eyes found mine instantly, and I knew I'd been caught.
"What do you want, stalker?" she spat, her voice cutting through the air like a whip. "You look like my stepson."
The words hit harder than I expected, but I kept my hands raised slightly, palms open. "I just need to talk to you."
"Talk?" She laughed bitterly, stepping closer, heels clicking against the floor. "You followed me through the entire mall, and you want to talk? Do you even hear how insane that sounds?"
"I know how it looks," I said quickly, forcing my voice to stay level. "But I'm not here to scare you."
"Then what are you here for?" Her voice rose, sharp and angry, as if daring me to answer.
I hesitated, then took a step closer — just one. "To help you."
She blinked, stunned for a moment, before her fury doubled. Without warning, she slapped me hard across the face.
The sting burned, but I didn't flinch. I'd been hit worse.
"You don't get to say that to me!" she snapped. "You don't know me, you don't know my life — and you definitely don't know what I need!"
I lowered my gaze, swallowing back the wave of bitterness rising in my chest. "You're right," I said quietly. "I don't know your life. But I know him."
Her body tensed at that, just for a second.
"And I know what he does to the people around him," I continued, my voice calm but heavy with something darker. "I know what he takes, how he breaks everything good and leaves you with nothing."
She froze, as if the words had struck a hidden nerve.
"I'm not asking for your trust," I said carefully. "I'm asking for five minutes. That's all. Five minutes to tell you something you deserve to know."
Minji's fists clenched, her eyes darting toward the direction where Taejun had gone. She looked ready to walk away, but she didn't. Not yet.
"Talk fast," she said finally, her voice tight and sharp. "Because if he comes back and sees you, I won't cover for you."
I nodded, heart pounding but expression calm. "Fair enough."
And just like that, the first wall had cracked.
We ended up in a quiet café near the back of the mall. It was nearly empty, the kind of place no one would bother looking for her. Minji sat across from me, arms still crossed, her chin tilted up like she was ready to bite my head off at any moment. Her long blue hair tied at the back and starting me with her yellow eyes.
"Well?" she snapped. "You got your five minutes. Talk."
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. "You said it yourself — you hate him, don't you?"
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Watch your mouth."
"You don't have to lie to me," I said, my voice calm but firm. "You looked ready to throw him into the fountain back there."
Minji's jaw clenched. For a moment, she stayed silent, then suddenly let out a bitter laugh — sharp and humorless.
"Hate him?" she said, her tone dripping with venom. "I wish that's all I felt. Hate would've been easier."
I stayed quiet, letting her speak.
Her fingers tightened around the coffee cup in front of her. "Do you know what it's like," she said, voice dropping low, "to have your entire life decided for you before you even had a say? To be dressed up, paraded around, and married off like a trophy just because it's convenient for someone's business deal?"
"Yes," I said quietly.
Her head snapped up, eyes narrowing. "Don't lie to me."
"I'm not," I replied, meeting her gaze steadily. "I know exactly what he does. Because he did it to me, too."
"What the hell are you on about."
"Remember you said I look liked about your stepson?" I paused for a second. "Are by chance talking about my son Tae Jihwa?"
She looked surprise. "Soo your his father also the man in the park."
Why does she has to remind me?
"Yeah… Kang manipulated me and used me for a kid. He took Jihwa away and when he was 6 send the kid back to me when je didn't manifested as Alpha. Then he asked for a divorce and said to me he married someone else."
Something flickered in her expression — surprise, curiosity, maybe the faintest bit of recognition.
And then, as if a dam broke, she leaned back and let out a shaky laugh. "You know what's funny?" she said bitterly. "I'm not even supposed to be here."
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
Minji's lips twisted into a sharp, bitter smile. "I'm not a girl."
The words hit me like a slap, but I didn't flinch. I just stared at her, letting the silence hang.
She tilted her head, almost daring me to react. "Yeah. Shocking, isn't it? I was born male. A male omega. But Taejun's family decided that wasn't 'good enough' for their perfect little arrangement, so they turned me into this—" she gestured at herself with a sharp flick of her hand — "this doll they could marry off to him to keep the alliance clean. As omegas are hated by everyone. He cheated on me in front of everyone when we had a child."
Her voice cracked, and for a second I saw past the anger — saw the exhaustion, the loneliness.
"I know," I said finally, my voice quiet but steady.
Her head snapped toward me, her eyes wide. "You— what?"
"I know what you are," I said simply. "I knew the moment I saw you up close."
"You—" she froze, completely thrown off. "Then why are you—"
"Because it doesn't matter," I interrupted softly. "You're still you. And he still doesn't deserve you."
For a moment, neither of us spoke. The air between us felt electric, heavy with unspoken things.
Minji swallowed hard, her glare softening just a fraction. "You're either the stupidest person I've ever met or the bravest," she muttered.
"Probably both," I said, allowing the faintest smirk to cross my face.
Her lips twitched, like she almost wanted to laugh, but she shook her head instead. "You're insane," she said, standing up abruptly. "But… fine. You want to talk? Then talk. You've got more than five minutes now."
I stood too, my chest tight but strangely lighter. For the first time in years, I felt like I'd actually made the right move.
This wasn't over. Not even close.
We walked out of the café together, the night air cool against my skin. Minji kept her arms crossed, glaring at the pavement like it had personally offended her.
"Why haven't you left him?" I asked finally.
Her shoulders stiffened. "You think it's that easy?"
"It should be," I said softly. "You hate him. You said yourself you never wanted this."
Minji stopped walking, spinning around to face me. Her eyes burned. "Do you think I haven't tried?" she hissed. "Do you think I haven't begged my family to let me go, pleaded with his parents, even tried to run away?"
I blinked. "…You ran away?"
Her laugh was sharp and bitter. "Twice. Both times, they dragged me back before the day was over. Taejun didn't even yell. He just smiled at me like I was a stupid child and said, 'You'll come back eventually, because you have nowhere else to go.'"
The rage that flared in my chest was almost blinding.
"They own me," she spat. "Every contract, every debt, every piece of paper that says who I am — they hold it. If I disappear, they'll destroy my family. They've told me that to my face."
She took a shaky breath and ran a hand through her hair, smudging her makeup. "So I stay. I smile when I'm supposed to smile, I sit quietly next to him like the perfect spouse I was built to be, and I let him parade me around like a pretty little accessory. Because if I don't, the people I love will pay the price."
Her voice cracked at the end, and she looked away quickly, blinking furiously.
For a long moment, I didn't know what to say. Then I stepped closer, just enough for her to notice.
"You don't have to do that anymore," I said quietly.
She scoffed. "Oh, right. And what do you suggest I do, Seojoon? Burn it all down and hope for the best?"
"Yes."
Her head whipped toward me, stunned. "…What?"
"Burn it down," I repeated, my tone calm but sharp. "Take everything they've given you and set it on fire. Walk away. Start over."
Her lips parted like she wanted to argue, but no sound came out.
"You said they own you," I continued. "Then let me take you back. Not as their doll. Not as his trophy. As you."
Her throat worked as she swallowed hard, and for a moment I thought she might actually laugh at me. But she didn't.
Instead, she looked at me like she was seeing me for the first time.
"You're serious," she whispered.
"Dead serious."
She shook her head, a humorless smile tugging at her lips. "You're insane."
"Probably," I admitted.
For the first time, she didn't sound angry when she said it. She sounded… tired.
"I can't just walk away," she said softly, more to herself than to me. "They'd never let me go."
"Then we make them," I said.
Her gaze snapped up to mine, sharp and searching. "We?"
I nodded once. "If you really want out, I'll help you get it. Whatever it takes."
For a long moment, we just stood there, staring at each other, the night air heavy between us.
Finally, she let out a shaky breath and looked away, her voice barely audible.
"…You have no idea what you're starting," she murmured.
I almost smiled. "Good. Then it'll be a surprise."
Minji finally exhaled, her shoulders slumping. For once, she didn't look angry — just… exhausted.
"Fine," she said quietly. "One more time. I'll meet you again. But if you're lying, if this is some stupid game to make yourself feel better…"
"It's not," I cut in quickly, stepping closer, my voice steady. "I mean it. I'll help you, Minji. No matter what it costs me."
Her eyes searched mine for a long moment, like she was trying to find the lie — and for the first time, she didn't.
She looked away, her tone soft, almost vulnerable.
"…I'll message you."
Then she turned and walked off into the night, her figure slowly swallowed by the glow of the streetlights.
I stayed standing there long after she disappeared, my fists clenched.
"Kang Taejun," I muttered under my breath, my lips curling into a humorless smile.
"You took everything from me. This time, I'm taking something back."