* * *

As he quietly opened the classroom door, he saw Park Hyuntae bragging about his antics in a low voice, chuckling.

“Heh, he’s probably scared out of his mind right now. Maybe he even pissed himself. That guy screams ‘omega’ — can’t you just imagine stripping him and— Ah!”

The words never finished.

The second Beomhyeon stepped inside, he grabbed Hyuntae’s hair and tightened his grip.

“Ack, ugh!”

Hyuntae toppled backward with his chair, hitting the ground hard, a pained moan slipping through his lips.

“Agh… ngh…”

The intense pheromones of a dominant alpha filled the classroom, threatening and overpowering.

Everyone held their breath, stealing glances at Beomhyeon, who towered over Hyuntae, his face flushed as if ready to burst under the alpha’s furious gaze.

“Please… s-spare me…!”

Hyuntae scratched at his own neck, gasping under the pressure.

His classmates’ horrified gasps filled the room, but it wasn’t over yet.

Beomhyeon, still seething, raised his fist above Hyuntae.

Wham, wham.

Each time his fist came down, crimson stains splattered across the floor.

For what felt like an eternity, his fist pummeled Hyuntae’s face.

“Huff…”

Drenched in blood, Hyuntae managed a trembling whisper, showing bloodied teeth.

“Damn it… someone… please, stop him!”

“Shut up.”

But in this space, the distinction between predator and prey was absolute.

Beomhyeon sat at the peak of the pyramid, excelling in family status, physique, abilities, everything.

Hyuntae couldn’t fathom why Beomhyeon was beating him like this on his first day back.

But his thoughts were short-lived, each blow reinforcing the real possibility of death.

“S-spare me… enough…!”

Eventually, sobbing, Hyuntae clasped his hands and begged Beomhyeon.

He didn’t know what had triggered him, but he had to beg to survive.

“Please… I’m begging you…”

“Then why’d you mess with him?”

Even as he watched the tears streaming down Hyuntae’s temples, Beomhyeon’s anger didn’t subside.

Nothing short of this felt like enough.

‘Should I just kill him?’

He genuinely entertained the thought, raising his fist once more, when suddenly his phone chimed with a familiar notification he’d set for only one person.

Is he awake already?

Or did someone come to the infirmary?

Worried about Jungin being alone, Beomhyeon checked the message.

[Hey, I want to have that bibimbap we had again. (*´∇｀)ﾉ]

“Heh.”

An amused breath slipped from his lips at Jungin’s obliviously cute message.

Fine, there’d be plenty of time to deal with these jerks.

Judging by the reactions from the other students, it was clear several of them had joined in harassing Jungin.

Certain of it, Beomhyeon smirked, standing slowly and glaring down at Hyuntae.

“From now on, keep your mouth shut in school. Your voice irritates me.”

“Guh… got it…”

“That’s the reason you got hit today.”

Jungin had sworn him to secrecy, pleading earnestly, so he had to find an excuse.

No matter how anyone perceived him, all he needed was the slightest annoyance to justify it.

Brushing back his damp hair, Beomhyeon grabbed Jungin’s bag and left the classroom.

---

“Is this the one?”

“Yeah, you found it right away.”

“It’s a limited release. Only three in Korea right now.”

Whoa, only three?

That’s even possible?

“Then, it must have been really expensive.

Putting wet clothes and things in such a bag…

Jungin suddenly felt a mix of gratitude and guilt toward Jungseo, who had given the bag to him.

He reached out to take it, but instead, Beomhyeon clasped his hand and led him out of the school.

Surprised by the sudden tight grip, Jungin twisted his wrist in mild embarrassment, but Beomhyeon’s grip only tightened, almost deliberately.

Unable to overpower him, Jungin’s attention was entirely captured by their joined hands as they walked out of the school.

“But… what if my brothers find out I went to your hotel again?” Jungin voiced a sudden concern as they rode toward JS Hotel in the car, leaning slightly toward Beomhyeon.

“Mr. Yoon,” Beomhyeon called out.

“Yes, sir,” responded Mr. Yoon from the driver’s seat.

“Why… why…?” Jungin asked, perplexed by Beomhyeon’s intention in calling Mr. Yoon.

Beomhyeon met his eyes with a slight smirk and replied clearly, “Call the manager and tell them to clear a room.”

“But the hotel is fully booked,” Mr. Yoon replied.

“It doesn’t matter,” Beomhyeon insisted.

‘Are all chaebols this reckless?’

Jungin thought, irritated by the impulsiveness.

Acting without any consideration…

“No, don’t. Let’s just go back to that room we stayed in last time,” Jungin finally said, opting for a simpler solution.

Room service in their previous room sounded more appealing; the table had been spacious, after all.

Besides, he didn’t want to spoil anyone else’s special reservation, like an anniversary or a job celebration.

“You’re asking me to go into a hotel room with you?” he added nervously. “If my brothers hear about this, they’ll kill me.”

Beomhyeon only shook his head with a faint smile, his expression unreadable, leaving Jungin to wonder about his true intentions.

Just as Jungin was about to suggest they head to a random restaurant, Mr. Yoon, who had apparently been listening, chimed in.

“If Jungin would be comfortable, perhaps visiting the main residence would be an option. We also have a chef there with over 20 years of hotel experience.”

The suggestion caught Jungin’s interest.

The idea of seeing Beomhyeon’s home sparked a curiosity, and with the concerns about his brothers lifted, he felt a sense of relief.

“No way,” Beomhyeon interjected.

“Why not? That sounds perfect,” Jungin countered.

“We can’t… just no.”

“Oh, haven’t cleaned up the room? Don’t worry, I won’t ask for a tour. Mr. Yoon, let’s do that, then!”

Jungin said eagerly, sitting up straighter, hoping Mr. Yoon wouldn’t backtrack after hearing Beomhyeon’s reluctance.

In the end, under Jungin and Mr. Yoon’s combined encouragement, the car slowly redirected to Beomhyeon’s main residence.

It was Jungin’s first time visiting, and the moment they arrived, he was taken aback by how different the home was from what he’d imagined—a sophisticated hanok rather than a sleek modern mansion.

“Wow, the house is beautiful,” Jungin said in awe.

The residence was a seamless blend of traditional charm and modern elegance.

The house sprawled across so much land that it looked like one could get genuinely lost within its grounds.

“Are your parents here? I don’t want to be around if they are…” Jungin hesitated, suddenly realizing the situation.

He had skipped his classes, and now they were standing in front of Beomhyeon’s family home.

Perhaps this was why Beomhyeon hadn’t wanted to come here earlier.

What should he do?

Fidgeting with his toes and looking remorseful, Jungin met Beomhyeon’s gaze as he lifted his eyes.

“No one’s here.”

“Oh… Then I guess that’s good. Are they both at work?”

“Just… no one’s here.”

So… is he saying he lives alone in this huge house?

Jungin felt a shiver run down his spine, wondering if he might have asked something too personal.

“My father is in the hospital, and my mother passed away when I was young.”

‘I knew it. I really was being thoughtless.’

Feeling a pang of guilt, Jungin’s eyelashes fluttered as Beomhyeon tugged on his wrist.

“You said you were hungry, right? I already told them, so it should be ready. Let’s go in.”

“Ah, y-yeah.”

Feeling a bit guilty, Jungin tightly pressed his lips together and followed Beomhyeon inside.

* * *