Ch 5

Ji-an thought it would be better to spend all this money on himself before he died.  

Making money was hard, but he learned that spending it wasn’t easy either as he chewed on a straw while looking at the bank app.  

How could this be?  

Except for the first few times he ran away, he had accepted everything the other side offered without question. The brand-name apartment, a 34-pyeong unit within walking distance of the school, was also under his name. Since he was about to die, he felt there was no point in keeping the apartment, so he sold it and moved to an 18-pyeong studio.  

After that, his bank balance increased. He had thought about buying a supercar, but he didn’t have a driver’s license.  

It seemed ridiculous to get a driver’s license just to buy a supercar.  

He wandered through the luxury department store, but all that echoed in his mind was, “What’s the point of buying this?”  

Wasn’t it meaningless to buy clothes or bags worth tens of millions of won when he would be dead?  

With the thought of wanting to eat delicious food, he indulged in two-plus Hanwoo beef, but Ji-an, with his small appetite and small stomach, gave up after one and a half servings.  

In the end, it was true that those who had tried everything were the ones who did well, and although he had intended to cut back, he found himself staring at the increasing balance when his phone rang, and he pressed the call button.

― Where are you?  

“I’m at a cafe.”  

― Who are you meeting?  

“No one.”  

― Oh, I see. What are you doing?  

“I’m just zoning out.”  

A sigh escaped Ji-an’s lips as he answered Haneul’s questions with a dull voice while looking through his call log. Look at his limited social circle. Doesn’t he have a decent friend to call when he’s bored? It was his own fault for not socializing properly while working part-time jobs all the time.  

Still, he had one friend left. Our main character.

Pretty, kind, full of charm, a dominant Omega with a good family background. His grades in college were a bit poor, but so what? He was destined to meet the main character and live happily ever after. When he was eating convenience store lunchboxes, he would casually leave a coffee behind, and when he didn’t have enough time to research for reports, he would say he didn’t need the remaining materials and give them to him.  

― When are you going to your part-time job?  

“I’m not going.”  

― Huh?  

“I’m going to rest a bit.”  

There wasn’t much to see in the call log or chat history. It was just people related to his part-time job, Haneul, and some pointless promotional messages. Come to think of it, this phone had been his for four years; the corners were even chipped. He didn’t have a cute grip like everyone else; the transparent case that came with the phone was all he had. It had turned yellow over time.  

― Oh. So, the hard-to-see Seo Ji-an finally has time today, huh?  

“Why?”  

― I’ll send you an address, so come right now.  

“What is it?”  

― You’ll find out when you get here.  

Behind Haneul’s cheerful voice, bright music was playing. Before Ji-an could ask why he was being called, the call was unilaterally cut off, and a single address popped up in the chat.  

A pub.  

It wouldn’t be bad to drink after a long time.  

Ji-an stood up from his seat and stepped out into the street, pulling his coat tighter against the cold wind. He took out his phone to look up bus routes and couldn’t help but chuckle. Then he called a taxi. There was no need to walk to save money or worry about catching the last or first bus.  

During the evening rush hour, he sat comfortably in the taxi, watching the fare go up steadily as the taxi crawled through the congested road. Then, he shifted his gaze out the window.  

As expected in a busy district, many people hurried along the streets. The stores lined up on the road flaunted their bright lights and unique interiors, while restaurants and shops were filled with people visiting for various purposes.  

The simplest option was to donate all the money he had and leave. While that might be a good method for the public good, he felt sorry for himself the moment he thought about it. After all, he hadn’t spent it for his own sake. As he sighed repeatedly in frustration, an advertisement caught Ji-an’s eye.

[Where will you be this Christmas?]

A beautiful landscape that served as the backdrop for the common advertising phrase came into view. White snow and orange lights. The village was alive with the distinctive Christmas atmosphere expressed in red, white, and green.  

As Ji-an looked at the village, which seemed like it wouldn’t feel out of place even if Santa Claus appeared on a sleigh to distribute gifts, a light sparkled in his eyes. He had something he needed to do, so Ji-an quickly pulled out his phone and searched for the term [European trip].  

He had one last thing to do for himself.  

“Here!”  

With a brief search in the taxi, he couldn’t decisively choose a destination, but Ji-an’s face was brighter than ever as he entered the pub. He was living a life where he could casually drink with people during the evening and choose a place to travel to.  

“Uh, hello.”  

Since there were two other people next to Haneul, Ji-an exchanged brief greetings with Haneul and then greeted them first.  

Getting to know his classmates from the same university didn’t take much time. It was perfect with a suitable friend to connect them and some drinks on the table.  

Setting down the half-empty beer glass on the table, Ji-an picked up a snack and comfortably leaned back in his chair, watching the trio laugh and chat.  

“Hey, Seo Ji-an. Say something. Seriously, they don’t believe it! Have you ever seen me dating anyone?”  

All three were Omegas. Ji-an had noticed this from the first moment he saw them; the unique atmosphere of Omegas couldn’t be hidden. If rare Alphas were idolized, Omegas were closer to being muses. They were like the coveted existence that those rare Alphas longed for but couldn’t possess.  

For the fewer Alphas and Omegas compared to Betas, there was a world of their own. From the moment their traits manifested and were confirmed, Alphas followed an elite path regardless of their background, while Omegas were protected as precious and valuable partners.  

But what about me?  

As he chewed on the golden-brown snack, Ji-an looked at Haneul, who was shaking his arm, asking him to clarify.  

Our main protagonist is pure and noble.  

He is meant only for the main character, so how could there be any foreign substance? Unless it’s something disastrous. And in the now-fading memories, this story definitely wasn’t about that.  

A sweet story of an Alpha who has everything and a lovely Omega.  

The main story might have been that, but to him, this story was a brutally tragic and painful one.  

“I didn’t see it.”  

Only after finishing the snack in his mouth did Ji-an respond, reaching for the beer glass again.  

“What’s this?”  

Ji-an’s hand, which was reaching for the beer glass, was caught by Haneul’s hand. Compared to Haneul’s slender, long, and white hand, his own was full of various scars.  

“Just from working part-time.”  

As Haneul touched the most recent wound on Ji-an’s fingertip with his other hand, Ji-an shrugged it off and withdrew his hand. For a moment, it seemed like the attention was on him, but soon the three were chatting about various topics. However, Ji-an couldn’t focus on their conversation.  

What filled Ji-an’s mind was the European trip.  

He had neither a lack of money nor time; for the first time, he had something he wanted to do. Where should he go? Switzerland? Czech Republic? France? Ah, where is Santa’s hometown? Just thinking about it made Ji-an’s face break into a smile.  

“Seo Ji-an, aren’t you an Omega?”  

Startled by the sudden question, Ji-an blinked several times as he looked at the person. Suddenly an Omega?  

“Ji-an? I thought you were an Omega at first, but you’re a Beta. So I like you even more. You don’t have to worry about pheromones or be careful or anything.”  

Before Ji-an could respond, Haneul immediately answered, causing Ji-an to close the lips he had slightly parted.

It wasn’t polite to directly ask about one’s traits, so it was the first time Ji-an received such a question. He was actually surprised that someone thought he was an Omega. Where does he look like an Omega?  

He had no heat cycles, didn’t exhibit the traits of a recessive Omega, and lacked the pheromones that everyone else had. Alphas and Omegas supposedly recognized each other through pheromones, so there was no need to ask such questions.  

“I’m not…”  

“Not what? If Ji-an were an Omega, why would you hide it? I’ve known you for years. But why are you suddenly asking about Ji-an’s traits?”  

Once again, Haneul was answering all the questions and doubts directed at Ji-an. Haneul then grabbed Ji-an’s arm and asked if he was uncomfortable with the topic of traits, apologizing on behalf of his friend for the sudden question.  

At this point, Ji-an thought it might be better to just agree with Haneul rather than create a weird atmosphere by revealing that he was a recessive Omega.  

Even if Omegas were considered precious, no Alpha preferred a recessive Omega with low reproductive capabilities.  

“Sorry if the mood is a bit off. If you were an Omega, I was going to introduce you to an Alpha. There’s one who would be perfect for you.”  

“Hey! If there’s a good Alpha, introduce me! It’s the end of the year, and I’m feeling so lonely. Honestly, what’s wrong with me? I’m not bad, right?”  

“No Haneul, your standards are way too high. How can anyone meet that? You won’t even consider anyone unless they’re from a celestial realm.”  

“When did I ever say that?”  

Watching them bicker, Ji-an downed the remaining beer in one go and got up from his seat. Without telling Haneul, he calculated what he had eaten and slipped out of the pub.  

[Suddenly got a call to cover a part-time shift, so I left first. I was afraid talking about that would ruin the mood. Thanks for inviting me today, and say hi to your friends.]  

Standing on the street, as Ji-an was typing the message, he caught a glimpse of a luxury sedan stopping in front of the store. The driver’s side door opened, and a man stepped out of the car. He hadn’t intended to look closely, but the first thing that caught his eye was the man’s dark brown hair. His next thought was, why is this person taking so long to get out of the car? Then he thought, wow, he’s really tall.  

Ji-an stared at the man in a dark gray coat walking toward him. Is he mixed? The hair he thought was dyed seemed to be his natural color. With a tall stature and a well-built frame, his handsome face wouldn’t look out of place as a model, capturing Ji-an’s gaze effortlessly.  

Forgetting to send his message, Ji-an openly stared at the man until he heard Haneul’s voice calling, “Seo Ji-an!”  

“Hey, you should still say bye to me…”  

What should I do? Surprised, Ji-an looked at his phone and realized the unfinished message had been sent. Haneul seemed to have dashed out as soon as he saw the message…  

Oh no.  

Seeing Haneul rush out of the pub without even wearing his outerwear, Ji-an’s body tensed. Haneul lost his balance and stumbled, falling into the arms of the man in the gray coat, as if it were a scene from a movie.  

The bright orange lights and the delicate Haneul in jeans and a white knit sweater. And the handsome man who caught him by surprise.  

Ji-an blinked in disbelief, a small laugh escaping his lips.  

…That incredibly unrealistic-looking man must be the main character. The luxury sedan he arrived in, his appearance, and the cliché meeting typical of romance dramas and novels all revealed everything.  

“Uh… I’m sorry… no, thank you.”  

With both hands clasped in front of his chest, Haneul looked up at the man, his cheeks a lovely shade of pink. Ji-an’s lips twitched at the slightly trembling and stammering voice.  

“It’s okay.”  

The man’s voice continued, reassuring Haneul as he caught him, preventing him from falling.

Damn. He has it all. Even his voice is magical.  

Ji-an realized that he was really playing the role of connecting the main character and the main lead. He hadn’t intended to, but he had inadvertently completed this role from the story.  

Taking a deep breath, Ji-an turned his body without any regrets.  

“The protagonists meet, have a little love quarrel, but end up happily ever after. And this supporting character will now disappear.”  

Ji-an chuckled softly to himself. The cold wind seeped into his worn and thin padding, filling him with chill.  

It’s cold. Should I buy a new coat? Europe might be even colder.  

Lost in such thoughts, Ji-an suddenly caught a faint musk scent and rubbed under his nose with his index finger as he headed toward the road.  

It’s cold, so I should take a taxi home. And I need to start planning my trip to Europe.