Yeonwoo ended the call without even looking at the screen. A new text came in immediately after.
[Are you insane? How can an Omega sleep in a dump like that with no fear???]
[Pick up the phone.]
It looked like he was shocked after seeing the state of the place. Yeonwoo scoffed and exited the message screen.
“Ah, fuck.”
He meant to close out of it—but just then, a call from Chahyun came in, and his finger accidentally tapped the answer button.
While Yeonwoo fumbled in alarm, Chahyun’s voice burst through the speaker.
—Hey, if you’re going to run away, at least go somewhere decent. What the fuck are you doing in a place that reeks of mold? Are you out of your mind? Do you even realize you’re an Omega?
It was hard to tell if the voice was delivering a threat or a rant. Either way, the sharp edge in Chahyun’s tone didn’t let up.
And all this was because of him.
Yeonwoo, seething, snapped back instead of just hanging up like he should have.
“What, I’m supposed to book a five-star hotel while I’m on the run?”
—Yes, go! What, you don’t have money? You that broke? Then fuck, just use my card! Why would you crawl into a shithole like that on your own?
“Do I look like an idiot? I know I’d get caught right away—if you were me, would you use it?”
—Then why the fuck did you run? Where are you, Hong Yeonwoo? Tell me while I’m still asking nicely. If I get my hands on you, you’ll never step outside without my permission again.
His quiet threat sent a chill down Yeonwoo’s spine. Cold sweat broke out along his back. Chahyun wasn’t even physically there, but his shoulders curled in on instinct. It was scarier now, because he knew those words were real.
“You psycho. You’re seriously asking why I ran? Because you locked me up. Because you acted like a fucking lunatic!”
—Shit, who said I was going to lock you up forever? It was just until Friday—until your rehab appointment.
“And why the hell should I believe that? And rehab? You’re really bringing that up now? Forget it. Let’s stop. Don’t look for me. I’m hanging up.”
—Stop what? I’m not done talking, don’t hang up.
“We’re not even dating anymore. Stop talking to me like we are. You’re already making me miserable enough—I have to find a new place to stay because of you….”
—Then book a proper one. Even if you do find one, what kind of dump—
“I’ll handle it.”
—You know places like that are crawling with Alpha bastards, right? Just go to a hotel! Or come home. If you come home now, I’ll forgive you.
Forgive him? Who was forgiving who? The audacity. No normal person would even think to say something like that.
“Baek Chahyun. Do you even understand what ‘breaking up’ means? It means going your own way, letting the other person go. Why are you acting like this? The moment you chose that marriage, you betrayed me.”
Yeonwoo’s frustration spilled out in a voice more desperate than he intended.
“I’m not going back to that house. Don’t worry about where I am. I don’t even have the money for a hotel, anyway—”
—That’s why I said use my card! The one you have.
What kind of conversation even was this? Yeonwoo rubbed his face roughly, exhaustion washing over him. Baek Chahyun was, to the end, a selfish asshole.
There was no use trying to reason with him.
“If I go to a hotel, you’ll just come find me. I’ll just sleep surrounded by Alphas that stink.”
—Are you insane? Fuck! Fuck, no. If you go, I swear I’ll kill every one of those bastards.
“I’m hanging up.”
—Yeonwoo! Wait! I won’t go! I won’t come looking for you, just stay at a hotel.
Yeonwoo hesitated at the sudden pleading tone. Chahyun seized the chance and continued quickly.
—I won’t come until you say I can. If you don’t want to come home, then at least stay in a hotel.
The defeated edge in his voice made Yeonwoo picture the look on Chahyun’s face. Was the place really that bad?
If it was this big a deal to him, maybe he shouldn’t have gotten married in the first place.
That thought hovered at the tip of his tongue.
“Baek Chahyun.”
But what came out was something else entirely.
“…I’m sorry for forcing you to take the sleeping pills.”
From the moment he answered the call, that was what he’d wanted to say most. Maybe that’s why he’d endured everything Chahyun had said up to now.
“I just….”
He’d meant to ask if anything felt wrong in his body, if he’d gone to the hospital.
“I got you.”
A hand suddenly shot out from behind and grabbed Yeonwoo’s arm. The grip was all too familiar.
He turned his head in horror and saw Chahyun, panting hard.
“You…”
Before he could even open his mouth, Chahyun threw his arms around him. Not just a hug—he collapsed into Yeonwoo, burrowing into his smaller frame with no space left between them.
Yeonwoo was so stunned it took him several seconds just to register what was happening.
“You should say things like that to my face.”
Still clinging to Yeonwoo, Chahyun whispered into his ear. Yeonwoo was frozen, eyes wide, stiff as a board.
“How did you… No, let go.”
Had he been following Yeonwoo this whole time during the call? He hadn’t heard him breathing. It never even occurred to him.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Chahyun finally pulled away, brushing over Yeonwoo’s face and hands as if checking for injury.
“Don’t.”
As soon as Yeonwoo felt his touch, a nauseating wave rose in his chest. He slapped the hand away.
“If you’re going to run, you shouldn’t let your guard down.”
Instead of letting go, Chahyun gripped his wrist even harder. He had no intention of letting go again. Yeonwoo looked around in panic, silently begging for help.
But no one passing through the alley seemed to notice. Couples pressed close together were a common sight in bar-heavy areas like this.
Even if he screamed for help here, Chahyun could probably drag him away without issue.
And the more he realized that, the sicker he felt in the pit of his stomach.
“Doesn’t look like you’re injured. I’ll check your ankle when we get home.”
“…Let go. You promised. You said you wouldn’t do this again.”
Ignoring him, Chahyun gestured to someone nearby. A man in plain clothes stepped closer.
“Bring the car here.”
“It’s on its way.”
Just as the man finished speaking, a familiar sedan edged into the alleyway. Chahyun subdued the struggling Yeonwoo with ease and opened the car door himself.
He gripped both of Yeonwoo’s wrists with one hand, wrapped an arm around his waist with the other, and shoved him into the back seat.
The moment his body was restrained, Chahyun’s chilling warning came rushing back to him.
“If I get my hands on you, you’ll never step outside without my permission again.”
A cold shiver crept up Yeonwoo’s neck.
“N-no, please—let me go….”
Yeonwoo’s face twisted as he begged. Chahyun replied coldly.
“Get in. I know your heat cycle’s starting soon.”
The pressure on his wrists felt like thick rope, impossible to escape from. A wave of fear washed over him—no matter how much he struggled, he wouldn’t be able to break free.
The same helplessness he’d felt when he was locked in the officetel came flooding back. The loneliness of staring at a door that wouldn’t open returned, sharp and vivid.
No. I don’t want to be locked up again.
That desperate thought flashed in his mind. His heart pounded, his vision swam.
“If you’re getting married, shouldn’t you be living with your wife?”
“We agreed to live separately. We’ll have a house together in name only.”
“…I see.”
“It’s a political marriage. I’m doing it because I have to.”
Then what about me, after you get married? What am I supposed to do? Why are you demanding that I accept this? Who the hell do you think you are, to do this to me…?
“With a fox-like face like that, of course he’s an Omega.”
“Guess he’s following in his mother’s footsteps.”
“Look at him, already walking around like he owns the place. Just like that bitch’s brat.”
The muttering voices, as if whispered right into his ear, made Yeonwoo flinch. The cruel tones and sharp stares scattered by time came back too vividly.
He wanted to cover his ears. No, cover his face. But he was trapped by Chahyun and couldn’t do anything.
“Baek Chahyun, you promised! You said you wouldn’t come for me!”
Chahyun climbed into the back seat beside him. As the car began to move, Yeonwoo whimpered and yelled.
“Shall we go straight home, sir?”
The driver addressed Chahyun as if Yeonwoo’s shouting meant nothing.
“No! I’m not going! You’ll lock me up again, won’t you? Let… let me go.”
As Yeonwoo’s voice shrank into a whisper, Chahyun finally loosened his grip.
“Happy now?”
But facing the tight, closed space of the car, Yeonwoo felt like he couldn’t breathe. Even though nothing was physically restraining him anymore, it still felt like something was crushing his chest.