Predator Alert chapter 9

Jeongseo’s voice was more animated than ever.

She suddenly threw himself into the man’s arms, and at the same time, Pyo Yoontae’s brow furrowed.

“Why are you here so early today? What about school?”

“I had some time, so I came to see my baby. Are your classes over?”

In the high school corridor, everyone glanced at the affectionate scene. Pyo Yoontae, displeased by what he saw, approached them.

The name on the screen was, “My Hyung,” so the man must be his real brother.

Pyo Yoontae scrutinized the man Jeongseo was practically clinging to.

The man had black hair and black eyes, and while his face was plain and not particularly handsome—at least in Pyo Yoontae’s eyes—there was something unsettling.

The two of them looked completely different from each other.

Yet he called him “baby.”

No matter how small So Jeongseo was, it felt odd and cringeworthy to call an 18-year-old boy “baby.”

A sense of discomfort twisted in Pyo Yoontae’s throat, and he walked up to the pair.

“Hello.”

The man, significantly taller than average, stared blankly up at Pyo Yoontae.

There was something strangely unsettling about the way those yellow eyes looked down at him.

“Jeongseo, who is this person…?”

His voice trembled slightly. Jeongseo, glancing at Pyo Yoontae, withdrew from the man’s embrace.

“He transferred to our class this month. He’s the son of Heukpyo Group, Pyo Yoontae.”

It was only then that the man noticed Pyo Yoontae was wearing a school uniform.

Given his build and the overwhelming presence he exuded, the man had assumed he was an adult.

Moreover, hearing that he was the son of a major corporation, the man awkwardly smiled and extended his hand.

“Oh, hello. I’m Seo Kanghyun, Jeongseo’s hyung.”

Pyo Yoontae didn’t shake the offered hand but raised his eyebrows.

“Hyung?”

Though the question seemed directed at Jeongseo, his gaze strangely never left Seo Kanghyun.

Jeongseo, noticing Seo Kanghyun’s hand hanging awkwardly in the air, frowned.

“Hyung’s offering a handshake.”

Jeongseo firmly grabbed Pyo Yoontae’s hand and forced it to meet Kanghyun’s.

As soon as their skin touched, Pyo Yoontae’s eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion, causing Kanghyun to pull his hand back in surprise.

“Hey, Jeongseo, you shouldn’t do that…”

“It’s fine. So you’re really Jeongseo’s Hyung. Thanks to him, I’m adjusting well after transferring.”

Pyo Yoontae suddenly grabbed the retreating hand.

Kanghyun was inwardly amazed by the pressure he felt from just a handshake.

Despite being a high school student, the rumors about him being a ‘black panther’ predator seemed true—his hands were much larger and firmer than Kanghyun’s.

“So, are you a weasel? Or just a human?”

Kanghyun adjusted his round silver-rimmed glasses with one hand.

If Pyo Yoontae inferred that he was human, it meant Jeongseo had shared something about their family background.

Until now, Kanghyun had worried because it seemed like Jeongseo didn’t have any close friends.

He looked up at Pyo Yoontae with interest.

“Oh, yes. I’m just human, not a ‘shape-shifter’.”

“I see.”

Was it just his imagination, or did Pyo Yoontae’s low voice sound slightly sharp?

Kanghyun checked for any discomfort in Pyo Yoontae’s expression but didn’t find any.

“Well, get home safely.”

Pyo Yoontae lightly patted Jeongseo’s head, nodded at Kanghyun, and walked away.

As soon as he felt they were far enough away, Pyo Yoontae took out his phone and sent a message.

[Mr. Park, there’s something I’d like you to look into.]- 4:51 PM’

As Pyo Yoontae put his phone back in his pocket and turned around, he met Kanghyun’s gaze directly.

Though he didn’t prefer tailing or background checks, ignoring something that bothered him felt worse.

He smiled faintly and disappeared around the corner.

Kanghyun stared at the spot where Pyo Yoontae had disappeared.

He never imagined he’d see someone he only knew from social media in real life.

“He’s not a bad guy.”

“…Huh?”

Jeongseo tugged slightly on Kanghyun’s sleeve. For some reason, he seemed a bit uneasy.

“Pyo Yoontae may look scary and have a tough personality, but he’s not a bad guy, hyung.”

For the first time, Kanghyun was at a loss for words, seeing Jeongseo defend someone who wasn’t family.

Usually, when asked about his schoolmates, Jeongseo would simply reply, “I don’t know, don’t care.”

Since childhood, Jeongseo had been frail and couldn’t maintain his human form for long.

As a result, he didn’t attend elementary or middle school and was homeschooled by Kanghyun before passing the GED to graduate.

Though he was a pure and lively child, Kanghyun couldn’t just let him grow up sheltered within the family, so he and their mother persuaded him to attend high school.

However, they had been worried he wouldn’t adapt…

Kanghyun’s heart swelled with emotion, and he sniffled.

“Yes, he seems like a good guy. I’m really happy you’ve made a friend you like.”

…But he wasn’t a good guy, nor was he a friend Jeongseo particularly liked.

Still, Jeongseo, seeing how genuinely happy his brother was, chose not to argue.

Instead, he pretended not to hear and quickly suggested they head home.

°❀•°❀°•❀°

“Hmm, hmm-hmm-hmm—.”

A pleasant humming filled the car. Jeongseo, sitting in the passenger seat, was bouncing his feet and staring out the window.

The familiar scent of the car seats, the leisurely pace—they were moments Jeongseo loved.

Ever since their grandmother passed away, Kanghyun made sure to visit at least once a month.

Originally, their parents wanted Jeongseo to live in Seoul with Kanghyun, but Jeongseo didn’t particularly like the city.

It was always noisy, the air was thick with unpleasant smells, and there were too many people to move freely.

More than anything, Jeongseo didn’t want to leave the house where he had lived with their grandmother.

His home was already the small house with a little yard at the base of the mountain.

So, it was decided that he would stay there until he graduated from high school.

Although he had insisted on living alone, Jeongseo couldn’t help but feel a little lonely at times, so whenever his brother visited, his spirits would naturally lift.

“Hyung, hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“How long are you staying this time?”

“Well, I’ll probably leave Sunday evening.”

“Really?”

Jeongseo’s face lit up with a bright smile. Kanghyun, who was driving, nodded, finding his little brother adorable.

“Should we eat out before heading home? Is there anything you want to eat?”

Jeongseo hesitated, thinking it over.

Though he didn’t know much about the world, he was aware that his brother, still a college student, was busy and needed to save money.

Since his brother took time out to visit, he didn’t want him to spend any more money.

“I’m fine with anything!”

“Mom sent money so I could treat you to something good.”

Jeongseo’s ears perked up. The tip of his tail, poking out from his uniform pants, twitched slightly.

‘It’s true that I’m happy to eat anything with hyung, but…!’

Jeongseo rolled his big eyes and shouted.

“Galbi! I want to eat galbi!”

He was so excited that his body lightly bounced.

Kanghyun glanced at him and burst out laughing. Jeongseo hummed and nodded his head as he played with his phone.

[Mom, hyung and I are going to eat galbi. You’re the best! Miss you♡]- 5:01 PM

Shortly after sending the playful message, a call came in. It was their mother.

“Mom!”

-Yes, my baby. I miss you too.

Hearing his warm voice, Jeongseo couldn’t help but smile.

Unlike usual, there was a lot of background noise coming from the other end.

“Are you outside?”

-Mom’s at the airport. I have to go to a conference. Oh, I need to check in now. Enjoy the galbi, love you, son.

“Okay, love you too, Mom. Take care.”

-If you want anything, just tell Kanghyun.

The brief conversation ended, but it felt like his mother’s affectionate voice still lingered in his ears.

Though they were different species, not sharing a drop of blood, Jeongseo was still the perfect youngest member of the So family.

Not long after, they arrived at the restaurant. Jeongseo’s tail swayed as he got out of the car and suddenly asked,

“Hyung, do you think I’ve met Pyo Yoontae before?”

Kanghyun looked puzzled but hesitantly answered,

“…I don’t think so… Besides, you rarely left the house.”

“Right?”

“Yeah, why? Did Yoontae say he’d seen you before?”

Jeongseo shook his head as if it wasn’t a big deal.

°❀•°❀°•❀°

Jeongseo patted his slightly full belly after indulging in a hearty rib meal.

Though a human might feel obliged to eat some vegetables, as a weasel—naturally a carnivore—meat was the best.

With a satisfied expression, he got out of the car.

Since his house was down a narrow alley, the car couldn’t be parked in the yard.

The sun had almost set, and the sky was dim.

“Sweetie, I brought some side dishes. Can you help me carry them?”

“Sure!”

Jeongseo trotted towards the car trunk, his large brown bag swaying with each step.

In the trunk, there was a cooler and a large container of side dishes.

Seo Kanghyun handed his the cooler and took the larger container himself.

It was heavy enough that Seo Kanghyun let out a strained groan.

“Hyung, what’s in there?”

“Kimchi. I noticed last month that you were running low.”

“Oh, right. I finished the kimchi last week!”

He had meant to tell him but had forgotten. Hyung was sharp as ever. The tip of his tail wagged playfully in the air.

Passing through the stone-paved alley, they reached a gate with most of its reddish-brown paint chipped away.

Jeongseo set down the cooler and rummaged through his bag.

He found the key in the front pocket and opened the gate.

Simultaneously—

“Bark bark bark! Grrr, bark bark bark!”

A dog barked fiercely from the yard, causing Seo Kanghyun to jump in surprise.

The glimpse he caught through the gate revealed a dog much larger than expected.

The dog seemed rabid, barking madly, but Jeongseo just smiled warmly.

“Puppy, you’re here today!”

As Jeongseo entered the yard, beaming, the dog growled and charged at him. Seo Kanghyun shouted urgently.

“Sweetie, no!”

But he was mistaken.

The dog wasn’t charging at Jeongseo—it was headed straight for him.

The large dog sprinted past Jeongseo and leaped towards him.

Jeongseo, who had been smiling, suddenly widened his eyes in shock at the unfolding scene.