DOTH Volume 1 Chapter 1.7

“Young Master.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Listen carefully.”

 

The butler, who managed Heeyeon, didn’t get in the car. He stood on the yellowed winter grass, leaning against the seat so that he was face-to-face with Jung Heeyeon. The man who’d been with him for 15 years gripped Jung Heeyeon’s thin arm tightly with a calloused hand. The bruises on his arm hurt from the intense pressure, but Jung Heeyeon simply looked at him calmly instead of pulling away.

 

“There will be an Alpha where you’re going.”

 

“…An Alpha?”

 

Hearing that word, the omega’s lips trembled slightly.

 

“Yes, a dominant Alpha.”

 

Despite Jung Heeyeon’s visible unease, Lee Yootae continued to speak on, oblivious. The middle-aged beta’s face bore a mix of anxiety, urgency, and a faint trace of annoyance.

 

“You haven’t forgotten the lessons I’ve taught you until now, have you?”

 

“No.”

 

“Say them.”

 

As Jung Heeyeon’s butler, Lee Yootae managed all aspects of his life—though it was more akin to surveillance than mere management. Despite being addressed as “young master,” Jung Heeyeon was constantly under Lee Lee Yootae’s watch, from the moment he woke up to the time he went to bed. The so-called lessons Lee Yootae taught Jung Heeyeon under the guise of education were essentially a form of gaslighting.

 

“I have to listen to the words of the Alpha.”

 

“And?”

 

“If the Alpha wants something, I should comply….”

 

“You must be obedient. Understood?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Jung Heeyeon nodded submissively. He had heard it so many times that it had lost any novelty. Just as Lee Yootae was about to close the car door, Heeyeon spoke up.

 

“Sir, does the chairman… know I’m going out?”

 

It was a cautious question. Although it was unlikely, if the chairman didn’t know, he might get in trouble again. He was used to being called a mutt, but being trapped in a hutch where his feet couldn’t even touch the ground was the one thing he wanted to avoid.

 

Lee Yootae’s face twisted briefly. He sighed, ran his hand through his messy hair, then looked Jung Heeyeon straight in the eye.

 

“You trust me, don’t you?”

 

Jung Heeyeon nodded. Although the other person often hit him, he assumed it was part of his lessons. He believed the violence he received was always his own fault—he had to believe it, as the person hitting him said so.

 

Although many people worked around the estate, Lee Yootae was the only one Heeyeon interacted with. With no one else to know, there was no one else to trust but him.

 

“Of course, the chairman knows.”

 

Jung Heeyeon thought of his grandfather, Chairman Jung.

 

“Ah, December….”

 

Come to think of it, it was already December. Every time the chairman saw Jung Heeyeon, he would urge him to hurry and turn twenty. Now that it was December, it seemed his time to be sold was nearing. Accepting this, Jung Heeyeon fidgeted with his hands.

 

“Anyway, when you get out and wake up, you’ll meet that Alpha.”

 

“Pardon? Wake up?”

 

“He’s a very rare dominant alpha. You’ll recognize him at a glance, Young Master.”

 

“But….”

 

“I hope we never meet again, Young Master.”

 

The firm hand grabbed his frail body from behind, and before he could resist, his mouth and nose were covered. 

 

Soon enough, he lost consciousness.

 

Darkness fell, and then he opened his eyes.

 

“Ah….”

 

Groaning, Jung Heeyeon shifted slightly. Feeling the soft warmth of a blanket covering him, he realized he had been dreaming. Blinking a few times to shake off the remnants of the nightmare, he saw the view outside through the large window.

 

Thanks to his decision to leave the curtains open so he could fall asleep while gazing at the night view, the high-rise skyline was clearly visible. The sky was still a dark blue. Although it looked like dawn, considering the winter daylight hours, it might already be early morning.

 

“Heeyeon.”

 

“…?”

 

Jung Heeyeon, staring blankly at the sky, stirred slightly at the voice coming from behind.

 

“Did you have a nightmare?”

 

The dominant Alpha that Lee Yootae had mentioned was looking down at him, asking kindly. The man’s large hand brushed a few strands of hair off his forehead.

 

“Uh…”

 

He felt the need to get up immediately, but somehow his body refused to move. Perhaps he was finally relaxing. He felt as though every bit of strength was draining from his body, from head to toe.

 

Instead of urging him, Director Yeon simply stared, as if watching with curiosity.

 

Jung Heeyeon shifted a little, feeling it was time to get up, but then a question crossed his mind. Instead of answering the question about the nightmare, he looked at the man and moved his lips slightly.

 

“Director.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Are you… the one who agreed to purchase me?”

 

As he asked what he’d been wondering, Director Yeon tilted his head slightly and narrowed his eyes. For the first time, Jung Heeyeon noticed a faint scar above the man’s left eyelid. The sharp scar seemed to match the languid look of the Alpha’s eyes perfectly. He felt his breath stopped for a moment.

 

“No.”

 

Only after the man’s answer did his trapped breath finally escape.

 

“No?”

 

“I didn’t purchase you from Chairman Jung. I stole you.”

 

“Pardon…?”

 

“More accurately, Chief Nam stole you and gave you to me.”

 

Jung Heeyeon blinked several times, processing the meaning behind those words, then slowly moved out from under the covers. A fleeting thought passed through his mind—was it even allowed for an Alpha to steal an Omega? Naturally, he recalled the butler’s words, that an Omega was no different from an object. If an Omega was something bought and sold, then perhaps stealing one wasn’t entirely impossible.

 

“I understand…”

 

Director Yeon inspected the Omega who was now sitting on the edge of the bed. The first thing that caught his eye was the light-colored hair. Beneath the long, delicate eyelashes were soft-looking, pale plump cheeks, and lips that were slightly plump as well, seamlessly following the elegant line of the nose. 

 

Even without the faint scent of pheromones he unconsciously emitted, it was clear he was an Omega—one with striking beauty. Still, in the man’s eyes, he was nothing more than a child.

 

“Heeyeon.”

 

The pajamas he wore was baggier than expected, leaving his pale skin and bruises visible. The man spoke slowly.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Who told you that someone was going to purchase you?”

 

The question was one for which he already knew the answer. Chairman Jung, that old Alpha, had intentions that were impossible to guess, but one thing was clear—he had planned to use Jung Heeyeon to oust him from the picture. Though it had ended up being a poorly thought-out plan.

 

“Oh… The chairman said a dominant Alpha was going to purchase me…”

 

A dominant Alpha with connections to Chairman Jung.

 

Director Yeon curled his lips slightly. Dominant Alphas were rare, and those close to Chairman Jung even rarer. He had a good idea of who might be in league with that old man.

 

“Really? Is that so?”

 

“Yes.”

 

He drew out his words as if speaking to a child.

 

“Aren’t you hungry?”

 

At the gentle inquiry, Jung Heeyeon hesitated, contemplating it over. He didn’t particularly feel hungry, but as he usually had breakfast every day, maybe he was. However, he had learned not to admit to being hungry. He had been taught not to say such things.

 

Jung Heeyeon hesitated, considering whether he should just say he was fine, but then remembered the triangle-shaped rice ball that Director Yeon had bought him the night before. He sensed that he might not get scolded like he used to, even if he answered truthfully.

 

“…I’m hungry.”

 

In a small voice, Jung Heeyeon finally answered. Seeing his fidgeting fingers, Director Yeon chuckled and turned his back.

 

“Come on.”

 

Watching his surroundings carefully, Jung Heeyeon followed the man out of the room. As they moved further inside, they entered a separate kitchen area where a meal was already laid out on the dining table. Jung Heeyeon obediently sat down in the chair that Director Yeon pulled out for him as he passed by. A neat Korean breakfast was served on porcelain dishes.

 

“Thank you for the meal.”

 

“Good boy. You even know how to express gratitude properly.”

 

Only after seeing the man pick up his spoon did Jung Heeyeon do the same. As he sipped the clear soup, warmth spread through him. He took a spoonful of rice and chewed. It tasted delicious.

 

Director Yeon, watching the Omega’s slow, deliberate eating, raised one corner of his mouth. The thought that had crossed his mind yesterday returned; Jung Heeyeon chewed his food for a long time. When he swallowed his rice and took a piece of soft tofu in his mouth, it shouldn’t have required much chewing, but his cheeks moved busily, making him look rather cute.

 

“Tasty?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Of course, you’d like something just like you.”

 

As he put another piece of tofu in his mouth, Jung Heeyeon subtly frowned, wondering what the other meant by saying the tofu was ‘like him’. To him, tofu was just a white, soft food.

 

He considered asking, but noticing that Director Yeon wasn’t saying anything further, he decided to focus on finishing his meal.

 

His palm holding the spoon felt tingling.  

 

It must have been because it was his first time eating with someone unfamiliar. 

 

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