“So Mom, like I said, he’s not thinking about marriage yet.”
Yeonwoo repeated himself for what felt like the hundredth time. From the other end of the receiver came his mother’s anxious voice.
[But Yeonwoo, you’re getting to that age now. I’d feel better if you were at least seeing someone.]
“That’s what I’m saying.”
He took a deep breath in and out, trying to suppress the emotion rising in his throat.
“I’m not thinking about that right now.”
[Even if you’re not, just meet someone. Who starts off thinking, ‘I’m going to marry this person’? You date people, and somewhere along the line, you realize—oh, it’s them.]
His mother paused for a moment, like she was choosing her next words carefully.
[You… you’ll have to try harder than most.]
Before he could respond, she hurried out the rest of her thought.
[If only you hadn’t mutated into an omega. Do you think I’d be this worried if you’d stayed a beta? At least if you’d mutated into an alpha. There were so many girls who liked you—you were born so handsome, and yet, of all things…]
“Mom. Mom.”
He couldn’t hold back his frustration anymore and cut her off mid-sentence.
“What’s done is done—saying things like that doesn’t change anything. It’s not like I asked for this.”
He barely managed to swallow down the words about how appearance had nothing to do with it, and how, to a parent, their child always looked good. There were beautiful people everywhere. Besides, alphas and omegas were attractive by default—he was clearly the least impressive of the bunch.
His mother fell silent at his sharp tone. He adjusted his voice and continued more calmly.
“And anyway, it’s not like I have to marry an alpha. There are betas. I’m sure there’s a woman somewhere who’d be fine with an omega.”
[But you can’t have kids if you marry a woman.]
His mother jumped in, as if she had been waiting for that opening.
[Marriage is supposed to be about starting a family. To do that, you have to marry an alpha, don’t you? Do you know how hard it is to find a female alpha? And if you marry a female beta or omega, you won’t even be able to have children. You need to find a decent beta man quickly—at least that’s still possible, isn’t it? ...I could understand if it were an alpha, but a beta? I still can’t believe you’d marry a man. If only Yeonhui or Yeonju had mutated instead—why did it have to be you…]
Suddenly, her voice cut off, and someone else jumped in.
[Oppa! You doing okay? Nothing weird going on, right? Need anything? Should I send snacks or something?]
Her rapid-fire chatter loosened the tension in his body. He found himself smiling without thinking.
“I’m good. What about you—need anything?”
[Obviously I do! Go check my Amazon wishlist.]
She giggled and made her cheeky demand. He promised he would, then asked a few questions about how she was doing. She answered casually, easily, then abruptly switched topics.
[Okay, got it. You’re working hard, oppa. Hang in there. If your paycheck’s high, it just means your suffering is too. Nobody hands out money for free. Rest up. I’m hanging up. Bye bye!]
[Hey! Yeonhui, give me back the phone! Yeon—]
His mother’s voice rang out desperately at the end, but the call had already cut off. Only then could he finally exhale the breath he’d been holding.
When he had first confessed his mutation into an omega, his mother had gone deathly pale and couldn’t even speak. He’d worried she might faint on the spot, though thankfully she hadn’t. Still, the way she sat frozen in place, breathing shallowly, was exactly how someone looked moments before blacking out.
His father had also been stunned into silence. The only one who had managed to recover quickly enough to take control of the situation had been his younger sister, Yeonhui.
<Then, oppa, what do you do during your heat cycle? My friends say they take medicine and just don’t leave the house. Is it the same for you?>
<…Pretty much.>
When he finally managed an answer, she just said, oh, okay, and changed the subject without missing a beat.
<You’re staying in the U.S. for good anyway, right? Then it shouldn’t really be a problem. They’re better at stuff like meds and omega care over there, aren’t they?>
<Not necessarily. Some things are better, some worse…>
Back then, his youngest sister had still been too young to understand what they were talking about. She had just clung to him, giggling and playing, wrapping her arms around his neck. His parents had been in shock for a long time over the fact that their only son had become an omega. While he took a year off to get used to his new body, he barely left his room.
It had been agonizing in its own way. The air in the house was suffocating. His parents avoided looking at him and sighed constantly. His sisters were the only source of comfort. But adjusting to the changes in his body had been difficult in every possible way. It was only after he got used to the medications and managing his symptoms that he was finally able to return to school—and the sense of relief had been palpable.
But that hadn’t been the end of it. His mother had become relentless after that, constantly pushing him to get married. At first, she had just asked if he knew any decent people. Over time, her tactics grew more aggressive—blatantly so. His response never changed, but he wasn’t sure how long he’d be able to keep it up.
Maybe that’s how everyone ends up getting married—just pushed into it like this.
Yeonwoo blinked blankly for a moment, then shook his head quickly. He opened the fridge. It was completely empty, of course. He’d been inside all week.
He sat down in front of the open fridge and stared into it, blankly. Staring wouldn’t change the situation.
The night before, he’d eaten the last of his instant food, telling himself he’d go out tomorrow. And now tomorrow had come.
“Haa…”
He lowered his head and sighed, but there wasn’t much of a solution. He had no choice but to go out and buy something.
He couldn’t stay shut in forever.
He made up his mind. It really wasn’t a big deal—he just had to take a single step. That first step was the hardest part. If he kept staying inside like this, it would only get harder. He needed to keep practicing going out. With that thought, he pushed himself to move.
It took him over an hour just to get ready. Finally, he stood in front of the door. He’d taken his pheromone suppressants, and packed a few more, wrapped in paper, in his pocket just in case. If it came to it, he could toss one into his mouth instantly. He had his alarm, his whistle, and even packed a box cutter just to feel a little safer. He regretted not having bought a gun, but this was the best he could do for now.
Creeaak...
After a few failed tries, he finally managed to open the door. Outside, the sun was beginning to set.
***
A week had passed since he quit the company. Yeonwoo sat in the driver’s seat, waiting for the traffic light to change, lightly tapping the steering wheel for no reason. He glanced at the car door, checking again that it was locked.
Stop being ridiculous. It’s over now.
He briefly considered seeing a counselor, but quickly gave up on the idea. It would pass with time. More importantly, he was unemployed—therapy didn’t exactly fit into his current finances. He needed to figure out what to do next month, and that wasn’t going to be solved with talking. Thinking about loans, living expenses, and the money he usually sent home made his head throb. The light changed.
The night he announced his resignation, he’d barely made it home with the help of a colleague. Honestly, he didn’t even remember how. As soon as he got in, he’d locked every bolt and even propped a chair against the door. Then he took sleeping pills and crashed hard. He woke up only in the evening, ate whatever he could throw together, and fell asleep again.
That weekend had passed in a blur. After hibernating for days, he’d woken up early for once and started getting ready. It didn’t take long to dress, but stepping out of the house—that was the real battle.
He’d stood in front of the door hesitating over and over before he finally opened it. He thought about calling a taxi, but he couldn’t bring himself to sit in a tight space with a stranger. What if the driver was an alpha? The fear gnawed at him. In the end, he drove himself, double- and triple-checking the locks on the car. The entire ride to the office had been pure stress.
Even though he was surrounded by metal and glass, he felt exposed—like his bare skin was on display. His mouth kept drying up from the anxiety. When he finally reached the company, sweat was beading on one side of his forehead despite the air conditioner blasting on high.
“Good morning, Yeonwoo.”
Emma greeted him brightly the moment he walked in. She tilted her head when she saw him tidying up his desk.
“What are you doing? Are we moving offices or something?”
“No.”
He answered the same way he always did.
“I’m leaving the company. Just packing my things.”
“You’re leaving?”
“You’re resigning?!”
Another employee who had just arrived echoed the exclamation behind Emma. Yeonwoo kept his face expressionless as he continued emptying the drawers. He’d already finished clearing out his personal office connected to the CEO’s room. All that was left was the secretary’s area.
Because he’d had a separate office, there wasn’t much in the secretary’s space that he really needed to take. He threw away the useless things, set half of it on top of the desk, then looked around at the staff.
“If there’s anything you need, take it. If not, just toss it all.”
Emma—and the rest of the staff—stared at him in shocked confusion. Another secretary walked in just then, hesitated at the strange atmosphere, and quietly closed the door behind her. Yeonwoo ignored her and continued speaking.
“Emma, since I won’t be here, you’ll be the new team lead. I’ll hand things over to you. From now on, the office connected to the president’s room is yours. Move everything in there and use that space. Buy whatever you need—it’ll be covered under company expenses. You should already be familiar with the basics, so I’ll explain the urgent and important items only.”
“Yeonwoo, what is this, all of a sudden—”
“These are Mr. Pittman’s upcoming schedules for the month. I’ve color-coded them—if something needs to be adjusted, confirm with him directly and make changes accordingly. If he insists on changing something that’s impossible, adjust between these colors and get it approved. This one’s the annual schedule. The set appointments are already marked, so just add new items as they come in. I’ll go over each section now…”
He spoke like a machine gun, flipping through document after document. Emma, pale as a sheet, frantically scribbled down notes beside him. Yeonwoo kept his explanations brief and fast—monthly reports, each department’s quirks, upcoming projects—he summarized it all. At the end of each section, he made sure to ask, “Any questions?” or “Is anything unclear?” without fail.
Finally, he handed over the last folder and brought his explanation to a close. Emma looked up at him with a dazed expression, as if she were in a trance.
“…That’s it?”
“That’s it. If you forget anything or have questions, call me. I’ll answer right away.”
He finished simply, picked up the briefcase he’d brought with him, and said,
“Thank you all for everything. Goodbye.”
“D-Did you talk to Mr. Pittman about this?!”
Another employee shouted from behind. The urgency in her expression made it clear she was trying to stop him. Yeonwoo answered flatly.
“I told him I was resigning before the weekend. Mr. Pittman is aware.”
As their bewildered gazes fell on him, Yeonwoo gave a faint, embarrassed smile.
“Sorry it’s so sudden. Something came up. I’ve been in your debt.”
“You’re really—really quitting, Yeonwoo? There’s no chance you’ll come back?”
Emma tried to stop him once more. Just as he opened the door to leave, he turned and smiled briefly.
“Well, if Mr. Pittman were to offer me, say… 5% of P Entertainment’s shares, I might reconsider.”
It was a clear declaration: he was never coming back. Everyone fell silent, looking at one another, at a loss for words. Yeonwoo gave them a polite smile and opened the door again.
“Uh, Yeonwoo. At least submit the morning report before you—”
Emma called out as he stepped into the hallway. Her face was full of fear. He turned back and answered gently, but firmly.
“That’s your job now, Emma.”
And with that, he turned around. She didn’t call out again. But even without looking, Yeonwoo could clearly picture her standing there, flustered and overwhelmed. It was an abrupt handover, but Emma was quick on her feet. She’d often filled in for him during his absences, and she’d catch up soon enough. In the end, if he ever were to leave, she would have taken over anyway. The timing was the only difference.
Who should I ask for a letter of recommendation?
He was a little less nervous than when he’d gone in that morning, and the thought crossed his mind as he returned home. Of course, once he was inside, he locked every latch and leaned a chair against the door, just like always.
***
That had been a week ago. Since then, Yeonwoo had done nothing but laze around the house. For the first two days, Emma had called frequently, but even that faded. He felt a twinge of disappointment, but that was just how the world worked. No matter who left, someone else always filled the gap. The belief that a role couldn't be done without you was the most dangerous and useless illusion of all.
Time to get it together.
He gave his head a light shake, driving out the lingering thoughts. As he turned into the parking lot, he made a decision—starting tomorrow, he would start job hunting.
***
After rushing through grocery shopping at a big-box store, Yeonwoo loaded the bags into the trunk. Just then, his phone started vibrating. He jumped slightly, startled. The caller ID showed an unknown number. He hesitated for a moment, then hit the call button.
“…Hello.”
No sooner had the word left his mouth than a high-pitched scream blasted through the speaker.
[You son of a bitch! What the hell is this?!]
The piercing soprano voice stabbed straight into his eardrum. Reflexively, Yeonwoo pulled the phone away and covered his aching ear.
“…Who is this?”
He grimaced and held the phone a little farther away. The woman on the other end continued shrieking.
[You bastard, how could you do this to me? Who the hell do you think I am?! I didn’t put up with all this crap for—!]
She kept going without pause. He considered hanging up. Above all, that unbearable screeching was grinding on his nerves. But just as his thumb moved toward the button, something clicked.
“Ms. Kate Elisa?”
The noise stopped for half a second. Yeonwoo cautiously said her name—and she exploded again.
[Yeah, so you finally get it, you dumb bastard?!]
If she’d been in front of him, he might have slapped her—at least, he thought so. But in reality, even if she had been, there was no way he’d so much as touch her. All he could do was sigh and listen until she ran out of steam. He waited patiently for the chance to speak.
As he climbed into the driver’s seat and locked the doors, it occurred to him—at least this nonsense was distracting him from his fear for the moment.
Eventually, her voice started to die down.
“Ms. Elisa.”
[What?]
She snapped, as if ready to pounce again. Yeonwoo stayed calm. Seated securely in the car, doors locked, he deliberately slowed his tone.
“Calm down and listen to me. First, could you tell me why you’re calling me? If you’re this upset, I won’t be able to help you.”
He finished speaking automatically—then suddenly remembered that he’d quit the company. Before he could clarify, she jumped back in.
[Didn’t you say to contact you directly?! What the hell is going on?! Why is Keith dating that bitch?! He dumps me and then starts playing around with that damn whore?!]
She must’ve seen an article. Back when he was still working, checking the morning news had been routine. But since quitting, he’d barely left his bed. He had no idea what was happening out there. He answered calmly.
“My understanding is that your relationship with Mr. Pittman was formally concluded. You signed the paperwork yourself, didn’t you? As for Mr. Pittman’s personal affairs, I believe you agreed not to involve yourself any further.”
[That was before he started screwing around with Abigail! Why her of all people?! What does she have that I don’t?! You tell me right now!]
She was full-on raging now. Yeonwoo suddenly found himself wondering: was this about pride, or did she still have feelings for Keith?
Either way, it had nothing to do with him.
“Ms. Elisa.”
He took the opportunity to speak while she paused for breath.
“I understand how you feel, but I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do. I’ve resigned.”
[What do you mean, you can’t do anything? What?]
She went quiet for a second.
[You resigned? For real?]
“Yes, that’s right. It’s been a week.”
His calm reply left her noticeably flustered. Her voice grew uncertain.
[Then, um… what should I do? Who do I contact now?]
Her tone had suddenly turned polite. The abrupt change surprised him a little, but he kept his response measured.
“I suppose… you could call the company. There should still be someone there who can help.”
That was all he could offer. He couldn’t exactly give out Emma’s personal contact information without permission.
She mumbled something like “Okay” and hung up. Just before the line cut off, she even muttered, “Sorry.” The apology caught him off guard, but there was no time to dwell on it. He immediately found Emma’s number and made a call.
“Emma?”
[Oh my gosh, Yeonwoo! What a surprise. How are you?]
She sounded genuinely happy to hear from him, but there was no time for pleasantries.
He got straight to the point.