* * *

After the incident yesterday, Jungjin couldn’t focus on work.

He’d been staring at the same document for over ten minutes, sighing heavily.

“Executive Director.”

“Yes, what is it?”

His nerves frayed, Jungjin’s tone was sharper than usual as he looked up, rubbing his tired eyes.

“There’s been a call from the main residence.”

At the mention of the main house, Jungjin frowned, taking the tablet that his secretary handed him.

Upon seeing what was displayed, his face hardened as he asked in a low voice,

“All of this… was found in Jungin’s closet?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Prepare the car. I’ll… no, I’ll go to the school myself.”

Before his secretary could follow him, Jungjin threw open the office door, striding out just as his younger brother, Jungwoo, appeared.

“Hyung? Where are you headed at this hour?”

“What are you doing here?”

“I was in the area for work and thought I’d drop by. Something going on?”

“Just come with me. I’m heading to Jungin’s school.”

There wasn’t a moment to lose.

Although he’d asked Beomhyeon to watch over Jungin, the thought of his brother possibly being harassed by faceless bullies made his blood boil.

Impatiently, Jungjin got into the car, quickly starting the engine and driving toward Jungin’s school.

“What’s going on?”

“Take a look at this.”

Handing over the tablet, Jungjin watched as Jungwoo scrolled, his expression shifting rapidly as he saw the contents.

“What… is all of this?”

What caught his eye were the medical reports detailing continuous injuries over the past two weeks, along with photographs of bruises, blood-stained uniforms, and clothes, and finally, the diary that Jungin had written.

Reading through it, Jungwoo’s pheromones surged uncontrollably for the first time since manifesting as a dominant Alpha.

He gritted his teeth, emanating a menacing aura.

“As written in the diary, it’s Jungin’s classmates who have been bullying him. Especially Park Hyuntae, Go Jihoon, Choi Jingeon, Im Jungsoo, and Kang Hanjung.”

“…Those damn bastards.”

Leaving the seething Jungwoo, Jungjin dialed Secretary Kim, and once the call connected, he spoke.

“Secretary Kim. I need you to gather all available information on Park Hyuntae, Go Jihoon, Choi Jingeon, Im Jungsoo, and Kang Hanjung, all in Class 3-5 at Inseong High School. Find out who their parents are, their contact details, addresses, and if they manage any businesses associated with our company. Have everything emailed to me within an hour.”

– Within an hour? Executive Director, your schedule—

“You have exactly one hour.”

Jungjin hung up abruptly and looked out at the approaching school gates.

After parking haphazardly on the school sports field, Jungjin and Jungwoo stepped out of the car and soon noticed a familiar figure.

“Lee Jungseo!”

“Hyung? You brought the second brother too… How are you both here?”

The person, gripping a baseball bat, wore a troubled expression.

Pressing his temples as if dealing with a headache, Jungwoo glanced at Jungjin nervously before asking.

“And what about you? What are you doing here at this hour?”

“You know Koo Sangwoo? His younger brother is a freshman at Inseong High too. I heard something strange from him just now. It’s absurd, honestly. Our little one—being bullied at school? Like hell, that even makes sense. But if that crap turns out to be true—”

“It is.”

“What?”

“Jungin. He really has been getting harassed at school. Let’s go in for now.”

At that moment, Jungseo’s phone lit up with a call from a contact saved as [Our Little One].

“Why… is he calling…?”

Feeling a sudden wave of anxiety, Jungseo quickly pressed the call button.

– S-Stop it, Park Hyuntae…! Ugh! We’re right here, in front of the main entrance… Sniff… Someone could see—Ah…!

Then, Jungin’s voice, heavy with distress, spilled through the phone’s speaker, followed by the unmistakable sounds of someone hitting him.

Flames of fury ignited in the three men’s eyes.

Their pheromones flared out in unison.

Overwhelmed by their burning rage, they sprinted towards where Jungin was.

---

After all the morning classes ended, Jungin found himself alone in the classroom with Ki Beomhyeon.

He was planning to go to the cafeteria for a snack, but Ki Beomhyeon nonchalantly pulled out two lunchboxes.

“Wow! You’re so lucky. You get to eat this every day, don’t you?”

Though the food made by Lee Jungin’s mother was excellent, Ki Beomhyeon’s home-cooked meals suited Jungin’s taste even more.

It had been ages since he’d eaten lunch at school.

The weather was beautiful today, his mood was great, and the food was delicious; he felt genuinely happy.

Rrr…

Jungin’s eyes flicked downward, glancing at his phone.

It seemed to be an urgent call…

“Aren’t you going to answer that? This is the tenth call.”

“…Leave it.”

“Is it something I shouldn’t hear? Want me to cover my ears?”

Ki Beomhyeon glanced down at his phone screen, sighing and furrowing his brow as though he was troubled.

He looked away, but Jungin, shrugging his shoulders, caught sight of Park Hyuntae through the window, his face battered and covered in bandages, scowling viciously.

‘Ah, it’s the perfect time to get him riled up. But would Ki Beomhyeon let me be alone with Park Hyuntae?’

‘No, absolutely not.’

This was his chance.

Jungin put on the most innocent face he could manage, gently nudging Ki Beomhyeon’s shoulder.

“I’ll stay right here. Just go quickly and come back.”

When he kept insisting, Ki Beomhyeon hesitated, biting his lip, before placing a hand on Jungin’s head and speaking.

“Alright, I’ll be back soon. If anything happens, text me. Or call if it’s serious.”

“Geez, stop worrying.”

Though he felt a pang of guilt, Jungin knew he had to see this through to the end.

He mentally apologized to Ki Beomhyeon once, then twice.

Ki Beomhyeon slowly stood, glancing back several times, clearly worried about Jungin as he left the classroom.

“I’ll be back soon!”

“Alright.”

As soon as Ki Beomhyeon was completely out of sight, Jungin quickly typed into his memo app:

[Ki Beomhyeon, I’m sorry x1000! I’ll be back soon, so don’t worry!!! (˶>_<˶)]

Even if Ki Beomhyeon got angry this time, he had no choice.

Pushing aside the guilt, he turned on the micro spy camera and voice recorder he had prepared, hurrying out of the classroom.

After making his way down to the first-floor entrance, he finally came face-to-face with Park Hyuntae, just as he expected.

“Well, well. Just who I wanted to see.”

Park Hyuntae’s face twisted as he approached Jungin aggressively.

“Hey, what are you…! Don’t do this!”

“Stay still, damn it!”

Jungin twisted away, pretending to flee.

At that moment, pain shot through his scalp as if it were being ripped off.

‘Idiot. Can’t you see the car behind you?’

Judging by the luxury sedan and multiple cars approaching, it must be the board president and the school officials that the principal always emphasized.

Hyuntae, however, seemed completely oblivious.

Moving slowly enough to be caught, Jungin winced in pain as Hyuntae grabbed his hair, tears welling up in his eyes.

On any other day, he wouldn’t have let this jerk lay a hand on him, but today was D-Day.

He’d let it slide just once.

“You little… who do you think you are, huh?!”

Feeling his hair yanked even harder, Jungin pressed the pre-set button on his phone to call Jungseo, his hot-tempered older cousin who’d make a great accomplice in stirring up trouble.

Even if he hadn’t made the call, Jungseo might’ve already found the evidence he’d left on his desk this morning.

Suppressing a smirk, Jungin raised his voice for everyone around to hear.

“N-No, don’t do this, Hyuntae…! Ow! This is right in front of the main hall, someone might—augh!”

Letting out groans of pain, Jungin managed to reveal exactly where they were to those listening.

“Shut up! Do you know what I went through because of you? Today, you’re done for.”

“S-Stop, it hurts, please don’t… I’m sorry, Hyuntae!”

Just then, he heard a voice calling him from a distance. It was Ki Beomhyeon’s voice.

“H-Hyung… I’m over here! Agh!”

In a panic, Hyuntae tightened his grip around Jungin’s throat, growling at him.

“Shut up if you don’t want to die!”

* * *