Chapter Text
“Ow!” Riki let out a painful groan, his features contorting in visible pain. The officer had been lying gingerly on the narrow hospital bed, trying to find a position that didn't chafe his raw skin, until his sobbing mate came sprinting through the doors like a whirlwind. The agonizing worry on Jungwon’s face lasted for barely a minute before it was scorched away by a flash of incandescent rage.
“You are unbelievable!” Jungwon shrieked, his hands coming down to swat at Riki’s shoulders and arms in a flurry of frustrated hits. “You are literally a father now, Riki! When are you going to start acting like one?”
Across the room, Jaeyun was busy playing the role of the doting uncle, cuddling Rika against his chest. He distracted the child by dangling the shimmering silver trinkets on his bracelets, jingling them softly. The baby was so enamored by the sparkling charms that she remained blissfully oblivious to the domestic storm brewing only a few feet away.
“Did you actually get drunk and… oh my god!” Jungwon’s voice died in his throat, his eyes bulging as they landed on the alpha’s exposed abdomen. There, etched in fresh, angry red ink, was a tattoo that defied all logic. In big, bold, unapologetic letters, it read:
❤︎ MY JUNGWON, MY LOVE ❤︎
Jungwon whirled around, his gaze scanning the shadows of the room. “What the fuck were you doing there, Heeseung hyung?!”
The lawyer, who had been trying his absolute best to stay camouflaged behind the privacy curtains, failed miserably. His head hung low in a posture of profound defeat as he clutched a leaking ice pack to his swollen cheek. He couldn't even formulate a proper sentence, just mumbling out incoherent, syllable-heavy nonsense. Embarrassment radiated off him in visible, stifling waves.
Jungwon let out a high-pitched whine of pure exasperation. “And how did you even get into a physical fight? Will anyone tell me what the hell is going on?”
Sunoo was currently doubled over, laughing so hard he was physically shaking. It was a minor miracle that Sooha remained sound asleep, nestled securely against his chest despite his tremors. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… but that tattoo is so fucking ugly!” he wheezed, clutching his stomach.
“Apparently,” Jaeyun decided to step in, his voice dry as he bounced Rika. “Some idiot at the bar made the mistake of saying this ‘Jungwon’ person belonged to him, and Riki lost his mind. He decided he needed a permanent billboard on his body to settle the debate.”
“I am a casualty in all of this, okay?” Heeseung interjected, his voice muffled by the ice bag. “I was the voice of reason! I tried to stop them from throwing punches!”
“Just imagine the headlines,” Sunoo began, still wheezing for air. “A decorated cop and a high-profile lawyer getting arrested together in a bar brawl. And a national celebrity has to be the one to come and bail them out.”
“Thank God I was nearby when I got the frantic call,” Jaeyun added, hugging Rika closer to his chest. “To be honest, I didn't come here to help. I just came to laugh at them. Trust me, it was worth the drive.”
But the humor died in the air when Jaeyun caught the look on Jungwon’s face. The omega looked as though he were standing on the edge of a breakdown. “Can you guys step out?” Jungwon muttered, his voice thick. “I need to talk to my husband. Alone.”
“Yes,” Sunoo said immediately, his laughter vanishing into a look of soft sympathy. “Call us when you’re done, okay?”
Jaeyun didn't wait; he grabbed a protesting Heeseung by the elbow and dragged him toward the exit, completely unbothered by the lawyer’s muffled complaints. When the room finally fell empty, the silence was heavy. Jungwon flopped onto the small metal stool, staring helplessly at his alpha. Riki kept his head hung low, his gaze fixed on the hospital floor, unable to meet his mate's eyes. His abdomen throbbed with every breath, the fresh ink stinging like a thousand needles.
Jungwon reached forward, his hands trembling as he cupped Riki’s face, forcing him to look up. His eyes darted feverishly over his husband’s features—tracing the red-rimmed, bloodshot eyes, the split and swollen lower lip, and the chaotic, disheveled mess of his hair. Riki looked exhausted beyond measure. He had always been tired; it was the one thing Jungwon had been forced to accept. Having a cop for a husband came with a tax of constant weariness.
Wasn't that the real root of the animosity growing between them? Jungwon was drained from the 24/7 demands of their daughter, while Riki was hollowed out by the soul-crushing weight of his job.
“Is this your revenge?” the omega asked, his voice shaking. “Did you do this just to embarrass me? To make a scene?”
“I love you,” the alpha breathed out, the words raw and desperate. He leaned in, attempting to press a kiss to Jungwon's lips, but Jungwon jerked away, letting out a sound of pure, jagged irritation. He sprang up from the stool, pacing the small space with one hand covering his face and the other resting on his hip. Riki followed suit, ignoring the protest of his muscles as he stood up to face him.
Riki threw his hands up in a gesture of total, agonizing frustration, his voice rising as he tried to bridge the distance. “I love you so much that I wanted a mark of permanency on my skin! I’m crazy for you, Jungwon. I know I’m not okay in the head, but I don't know how else to show you!”
Jungwon looked at him with sheer incredulity. “You literally have a child with me, Riki! Isn't that permanent enough?”
“So? I’m just supposed to be satisfied with that?” Riki tried to grab his hand, but Jungwon flung him away with a sharp movement. “You’ve become so cold to me, Jungwon. I know we became parents when we were practically kids ourselves, but does that mean parenthood is all we’ll ever be? Just two people raising a baby in the same house?”
“Well, I don't know!” Jungwon shouted back quietly, his voice cracking. “What more is there even left to have?”
“A mate’s bond!” Riki growled, the sound primal and pained. “A real connection! Like the one everyone else has!”
Jungwon went still. His own parents had never mated; he had grown up never seeing a bond mark on his mother’s neck. This was the bedrock of his fear.
He remembered a conversation they’d had recently, when he had asked his mother why they never bonded. She had replied with a helpless smile: “It wasn't necessary, Jungwon. We had two boys already. To your father, that was enough of a tie. It didn't matter what I wanted… but looking at the situation now, I think it was for the best.”
Was he just waiting for the other shoe to drop, just like she had been?
Jungwon’s vision blurs, the hospital’s harsh fluorescent lights smearing into jagged halos through his tears. “We’re not like the others, Riki,” he whispers, his voice trembling with a weary finality. “We never have been.”
“You’ve changed,” Riki rasps, his own voice cracking under the weight of the silence between them. He reaches out, his large, calloused hands trembling as he tries to cradle Jungwon’s face, desperate to find the boy he married beneath the armor of the exhausted father.
Jungwon flinches, shrugging out of the hold with a sharp, defensive jerk. “We need space. Real space away from each other. Call me when you’ve had that… that shit removed from your belly.”
Riki’s eyes suddenly harden, the desperation cooling into a flinty, wounded pride. He drops his hands, stopping his pursuit. “I will not. Do you hear me? I’m not removing it. I am not ashamed of you the way—the way you seem to be of me.”
Jungwon whirls around, his eyes flashing with a sudden, hurt fire. “I am not ashamed! What are you even saying? How could you think that?!”
“Then why won’t you let me mark you? Why won’t you finally be my mate?!”
“Because I don’t want to get pregnant again so soon! That’s why!” The truth rips out of Jungwon’s throat. .
Riki freezes, a hollow “Huh” escaping his lips as the air leaves his lungs.
Jungwon heaves, his chest laboring as he covers his face with his hands. He begins to cry quietly, his small shoulders shaking violently as he tries to swallow the sobs. With a quivering, broken voice, he finally gives words to the terror he’s carried in secret. “The l-last time I went into heat.... I got pregn-nant, Riki. It happened so fast.”
The sight of Jungwon’s collapse breaks the last of Riki’s anger. He lunges forward, pulling the omega flush against his chest, burying his face in the crook of Jungwon’s neck. He kisses Jungwon’s knuckles, trying gently to pry his hands away from his tear-streaked face. Jungwon finally relents, his mouth wobbling as he hides against his husband’s broad chest, seeking shelter in the only embrace that has ever felt like home.
“Riki… I want another baby with you, I do,” Jungwon sobs into the dark fabric of Riki’s shirt. “But not now. Not yet. I’m not ready to disappear again.”
“I would never do anything against your consent, Wonnie,” Riki whispers into his golden hair, his scent turning thick and protective. “You know that. I would wait forever if I had to.”
“I know that—” Jungwon whines, lifting his head to look at the alpha with red-rimmed eyes. “I trust you, baby. You’re my Riki. It’s just… it’s the biology I don’t trust.”
Riki presses his trembling lips to Jungwon’s forehead, his own eyes welling with tears of relief. “I am so sorry for pushing you. I’m so sorry.”
Jungwon reaches up to wipe at Riki’s cheeks, his touch returning to its usual tenderness. “When I get pregnant again, I want it to be a choice. I want to get back into the business world, Riki. There’s so much I haven't done yet. I want to be more than just a tired shadow in this house.”
“Yes, anything, whatever you need,” Riki says, and suddenly he slides down to his knees on the cold hospital linoleum. He looks up at his omega, his eyes wide and pleading. “Do everything you’ve ever dreamed of. Build your empire. Just… just don’t leave me behind in the process, okay? Please. You’re everything I have.”
Jungwon gasps, his knees buckling as he reaches for Riki’s shoulders. “Riki, stand up! What are you doing?”
“We’ll figure it out,” Riki insists, leaning forward to press a lingering, reverent kiss to Jungwon’s softened tummy, right over the spot where Rika had grown. “I love you so much. Just say it back. I promise, Wonnie, I’ll be a better alpha. I’ll be the partner you actually need.”
Jungwon ends up on his knees too, throwing himself into Riki’s arms with a renewed, desperate vigor. “I love you. I love you with everything I am. And I’m so, so sorry for being so cold.”
Riki holds him with a bruising strength, nosing along Jungwon’s scent gland, letting their scents mingle until the sharp acidity of stress fades into a calm, sweet harmony.
♡⸝⸝
“Rika, Rika! Over here!” Heeseung waves his free hand frantically, trying to catch the toddler’s attention. “Look at Uncle Hee! Look at the funny face!”
The baby ignores his antics entirely, burrowing further into Jaeyun’s chest. Jaeyun lets out a triumphant laugh, smugly meeting Heeseung’s gaze. “She loves me best. To her, you’re just the scary man with the ice pack. Boo!”
Heeseung goes quiet at that, a strange, unreadable look flickering behind his dark eyes. He watches the way Jaeyun’s eyes crinkle when he smiles at the baby, and he mumbles under his breath, “So do I.”
“Pardon?” Jaeyun asks, too busy tickling Rika’s tummy to hear the low confession. He lifts his head, his brow arched. “Did you say something, hyung?”
“Nevermind,” Heeseung sighs, shifting the melting ice pack on his cheek.
Sunoo, who had been steps away on a hushed call with Sunghoon, returns to the group. Little Sooha is now fully awake in his arms, her tiny nose a bright pink and her eyes glassy from her previous crying fit. She begins to sniffle again, her lower lip trembling in preparation for another round.
“Sunghoon is on the way. He’s just a few blocks out,” Sunoo says, reaching down to place his pinky finger against Sooha’s lip so she can soothe herself. It works like a charm; the baby latches onto his finger, hugging his palm with her tiny hands as her eyes flutter shut once more.
“Oh, no.” Heeseung looks up at the water-stained hospital ceiling, letting out a long, dramatic groan. “Sunghoon is coming? Sunoo, goodnight. It was nice knowing you all. I’m leaving before he sees my face.”
“Wait—it’s fine! Look,” Sunoo points toward the hallway.
“Hey, guys.”
The group turns to see Jungwon and Riki walking hand-in-hand toward them. The air around them has shifted; the jagged edges are gone, replaced by a soft, weary peace. Rika begins to flail her arms the moment she sees them, nearly lunging out of Jaeyun’s grip to get to her father. Riki catches her expertly, hoisting her up and kissing her forehead. His other arm remains firmly curled around Jungwon’s shoulder, keeping his omega tucked close to his side.
“Everything alright?” Jaeyun asks, scanning their faces.
Jungwon wipes a stray bit of moisture from his eyes and offers a genuine smile. “Yeah. Everything is alright now.”
“Let’s go home, then,” Sunoo says, leading the way. “Your hyung is waiting with the car right outside.”
They begin the slow trek toward the exit, the small family unit moving in sync. Jungwon stops suddenly, turning back toward the two men standing by the admissions desk. “Wait, what about you two? How are you getting back?”
“Uh, we…” Jaeyun looks at Heeseung, his arms feeling strangely light and empty now that Rika has been returned. “I guess we’ll manage. We’ll call a car or something.”
“You sure?” Riki pats Heeseung’s shoulder as they pass, leaning in to whisper a conspiratorial, “Shoot your shot, hyung. You’ve got this. Good luck.”
Jaeyun is too busy waving a final goodbye to the babies to notice the knowing exchange or the way Heeseung’s grip on his ice pack tightens with nervous resolve.
ღ
The night air outside the clinic is cool and pleasant, a sharp, cleansing contrast to the sterile, heavy atmosphere of the hospital corridors. Jaeyun leans his hips against the polished hood of his car, the metal cold through his trousers. He lights a mint cigarette, the cherry glowing a defiant orange in the dark. He had offered one to the alpha beside him, but Heeseung had declined, standing in a tense, silent vigil.
Heeseung watches him with a gaze that is both starving and terrified. He traces the way the night breeze catches Jaeyun’s beautiful brown hair, tossing it into his face, but the omega seems unbothered, lost in the vast, starless expanse of the sky. His long, dangling earrings chime softly against each other with every tilt of his head, and his kohl—carefully applied hours ago—is smudged at the edges. It’s a small, heartbreaking detail; it shows the great effort Jaeyun had taken to dress up for a date that turned into an interrogation.
“Thanks, Jaeyun,” Heeseung mumbles, his voice barely audible over the distant hum of the city. “I know tonight must have been an incredible inconvenience for you.”
“It was,” Jaeyun says, blowing out a harsh cloud of mint-scented smoke. He finally turns his head, his sharp, feline eyes fixing on Heeseung. The alpha looks windswept and ruggedly beautiful in the moonlight, and Jaeyun feels Heeseung’s heart—or perhaps his own—racing in the quiet.
“Do you still love Jungwon?” Jaeyun asks suddenly, the question cutting through the air like a knife.
“What…?” Heeseung’s brow furrows in genuine confusion. “No. No, Jaeyun, I don’t.”
“Glad to know.” Jaeyun takes another drag.
“Why would you even ask me that?”
“Just curious.”
Heeseung shifts his weight, crossing his arms over his chest. “Then... do you still love Sunghoon?”
Jaeyun scoffs, a dry, incredulous sound. “What the hell? No.”
“Glad to know that, too,” Heeseung mutters, rolling his eyes, though the tension in his shoulders drops a fraction.
Jaeyun drops the spent cigarette, stubbing it out slowly with the heel of his boot. “You know, no alpha has ever ignored me the way you have, Heeseung. You treat me like a nuisance. Like I’m some chore you’ve been assigned.”
“I treat you like a nuisance?” Heeseung asks, his voice rising in disbelief. “Jaeyun, all this time, I was trying to be respectful! I was trying to keep my distance!”
“Why? Because you fucked me while you thought I had a boyfriend?” Jaeyun laughs, a bitter, hollow sound that echoes in the alley. “You call that respect? You alphas and your imaginary sense of honor.”
“Jaeyun—” Heeseung’s voice carries a low hint of a warning, his scent sharpening. “You know that’s not what happened. It’s not that simple.”
“You really think I’m the type of person who would sleep with you while I already belonged to someone else? Really, Heeseung?” Jaeyun shakes his head, his expression one of profound disappointment. “I knew you didn't have a high opinion of me, but I had no idea it was this low.”
Heeseung says nothing. A burning, suffocating shame begins to incinerate his insides, but he offers no defense. His silence is a heavy admission of his own prejudices, and it breaks the omega’s heart more than any shout ever could.
Jaeyun feels a hot, mortifying sting in his eyes. He quickly jerks his head away, staring at the pavement. “So this is how easy you think omegas are, Attorney Lee? That we just hop into bed with whoever pays us a bit of attention, regardless of who is waiting for us at home?”
The silence stretches, agonizing and thick.
“I bet you regret even stepping in that night at the club,” Jaeyun sniffles, his voice trembling. “You probably think I was enjoying the attention from that man. After all, look how easy it was for me to hop into bed with you that very same night, right? I must be just a revolving door.”
Heeseung remains a statue.
“Mr. Lee?” Jaeyun asks, his voice small and truly stunned. “Will you really not say a single thing to defend yourself? To tell me I’m wrong?”
Heeseung hangs his head low, his shadow stretching long and dark across the asphalt. Jaeyun is finally done. The weight of the humiliation—especially after they had shared something so intimate—is too much to bear. He realizes the damage this man has done to his spirit, treating their connection like a moral failing rather than a choice.
With angry, hot tears blurring his vision, Jaeyun whirls around. He fumbles with the car door handle, desperate to drive away and never look back. But then, he hears the scuff of footsteps—not hesitant, but frantic.
Before he can pull the door open, Jaeyun is spun around, his back hitting the cool glass of the car window with a dull thud. Heeseung’s grip on his elbow is desperate, almost bruising, and his doe eyes are simmering with a dark, turbulent emotion.
“Let go,” the omega grits out. A single, precious tear escapes his left eye, meandering down the gentle curve of his cheek. Heeseung’s gaze follows the path of the salt until his thumb reaches up, collecting the moisture on his own skin with a reverent touch.
They stand there, chests heaving in tandem, as the scents of lavender and sharp citrus swirl and clash in the space between them.
“Jaeyun-ah,” Heeseung whispers, leaning in until their noses brush, his breath warm against Jaeyun’s lips. “You are so beautiful. It’s killing me. Every time I look at you, I lose my mind.”
“Let go,” Jaeyun repeats, closing his eyes tight to keep the rest of the tears back.
“...It’s not you who’s easy, Jaeyun-ah. It’s me,” Heeseung confesses, his voice breaking. “I’m the easy one. I kept looking for excuses to see you, for ways to be near you, even when I was convinced you were already someone else’s. I was willing to be the person you cheated with, just to have a piece of you.”
Jaeyun reopens his burning eyes, searching Heeseung’s face. “You really thought I’d just cheat? Why? Just because I’m beautiful, you assume I must be unfaithful?”
“No,” Heeseung says, cupping Jaeyun’s face in both hands and forcing him to look up. “It’s because... it’s unbelievable to me that you’d actually want me. Everyone, everywhere, wants you, Jaeyun. You’re a star. Why would you choose someone like me? I thought I was just a mistake you were making.”
“You’re not making any sense!” Jaeyun snaps, his hands fisting into Heeseung’s shirt. He bunches the expensive fabric, rumpling it in his grip. “I’ve made it very clear that I’m into you! Ridiculously, embarrassingly into you! Are you actually blind, Lee Heeseung?”
“I can’t believe this...” Heeseung looks up at the sky, letting out a shaky, guttural groan of pure relief. “All this time... I tortured myself over a misunderstanding? I thought I’d lost you before I even had the chance to try.”
“You’re fucking stupid, that’s why.” Jaeyun inhales Heeseung’s scent greedily, his anger melting into a helpless, heavy desire. He leans his head forward, seeking the alpha’s warmth. “I don’t have a boyfriend. I never did. It was always just you.”
Heeseung pulls back just enough to look at him, drowning in the omega’s beauty. He looks at those deep, intoxicating eyes and that perfect, rosebud mouth. His thumb digs greedily into Jaeyun’s thick bottom lip, his gaze darkening with a sudden, possessive fire.
“You’re really... you’re really saying I can have you? That you’ll be mine? Even after I’ve messed up this badly?”
“Take me home,” Jaeyun murmurs, his last defenses crumbling. “Just take me home and show me you mean it, hm?”
Heeseung pulls him flush against his body, their foreheads thudding together in a moment of silent, profound connection. “You’re real?” he breathes.
Jaeyun can’t help but let out a small, breathless giggle. “And I’m yours.”
Heeseung does take him home, but they don't fall into bed with the carnal, frantic desire of a typical alpha and omega. Instead, they spend the rest of the night on the terrace of Heeseung’s penthouse. The city wind blows in their faces as they talk and laugh, clearing away the shadows of the evening. Heeseung finally reaches out, brushing Jaeyun’s hair away from his forehead, his fingers reveling in the silken softness. Every time he does, Jaeyun looks down shyly, a soft flush creeping up his neck.
To be chosen—not just for his face or his fame, but for his heart—even after he had already made the choice himself. Oh, what a feeling.
ღ
Six months.
“No, Sunghoon, I don’t want a nanny. I am perfectly capable of raising my own child without any help.”
Sunghoon drags a heavy, frustrated hand down his face, the friction of his palm against his skin a small vent for the helplessness bubbling inside him. The words still ring in the hallway, punctuated by the sharp click of the nursery door. Sunoo had just slammed it in his face, effectively banishing the alpha to the cold, quiet corridor.
Inside the room, the defiance shatters. Sunoo breaks down in tandem with his baby; the atmosphere is thick with the scent of medicinal eucalyptus and exhaustion. His precious daughter has caught a brutal, lingering cold, and the poor thing has gone three agonizing nights without a wink of sleep.
The constant, frantic trips to late-night clinics and the endless cycle of doctor’s appointments have left Sunoo’s nerves frayed and his temper simmering. It was only thanks to his father’s timely arrival that he hadn't collapsed entirely. And then, there was his husband—offering "stupendous" suggestions that felt more like insults to his competency.
“A nanny?” Sunoo whispers fiercely to the shadows, his voice thick with tears. “As if I’d ever let a complete stranger touch my baby!”
Sooha shifts against his chest, finally falling into a fitful, shallow slumber. Sunoo holds his breath, his heart aching at the sound of her small, congested whistles.
Outside, Mr. Kim approaches, his footsteps muffled by the carpet. He carries a tray laden with steaming food and the next round of granddaughter’s medicines. When he spots his son-in-law standing like a discarded statue outside the nursery door, he frowns in immediate understanding. He knows his stubborn son is putting the alpha through a punishing emotional trial.
“Son?” he murmurs softly. “Are you alright?”
Sunghoon lifts his head, and the light from the hallway catches his red-rimmed eyes. He looks drained, his shoulders slumped under the weight of Sunoo's rejection. Spotting the tray, he quickly shakes off his lethargy and reaches out.
“I’m so sorry, Dad. Let me take that,” he whispers, his voice gravelly.
Mr. Kim smiles, a knowing glint in his eyes as he hands over the burden. “I’ll let you handle it, then. Be patient with him.”
From his spot kneeling on the floor beside the cot, Sunoo’s head snaps up. He expects his father to enter, but it is his exiled husband who quietly slips through the door with the tray. Sunoo sharply averts his gaze, his palm returning to a steady, rhythmic patting over Sooha’s chest. The infant is swaddled deeply in layers of Sunoo’s own softest clothes, seeking the comfort of her father’s scent even in sleep.
“Go to sleep,” Sunghoon says, his voice low as he sets the tray on a nearby nursing table. “I’ll keep watch over her tonight.”
“You go to sleep,” Sunoo mumbles back, reaching for a soft napkin to dab away the dried salt from his daughter’s eyelashes. “Mr. Park.”
The formal use of his name makes Sunghoon’s jaw tighten. He resists the urge to snap back by clenching his fists until his knuckles turn white. “You need to eat, Sunoo. You haven't touched a thing since breakfast.”
“I’m not hungry.”
A heavy silence stretches between them. For a moment, Sunoo is almost tempted to turn around, the delicious aroma of the food warring with his stubborn pride. He doesn't have to make the choice, though. Before he can react, a firm hand grips his elbow.
In a blur of motion, Sunghoon pulls him up off the floor—not roughly, but with a strength that brooks no argument. Sunoo is so physically and emotionally depleted that he cannot even muster the strength to fight him off. He stumbles forward, his chest colliding with Sunghoon’s solid, warm frame.
“You will eat. Now.” The alpha grits the words out, his dark eyes ablaze with a suppressed fire. He isn't just tired anymore; he is genuinely pissed.
Sunoo shivers, the alpha’s sudden dominance sending a spark through his weary system. His husband leads him by the wrist to the small table, and within seconds, a spoonful of warm rice is held directly to his lips. Sunoo’s resistance crumbles; he opens his mouth, allowing the morsel to be placed gently on his tongue. He watches Sunghoon’s face—the set jaw, the smoldering eyes—noticing how the alpha maintains a furious expression even as he performs the tender act of hand-feeding him.
Nearby, Sooha sleeps soundly, undisturbed by the silent battle of wills between her parents.
“Did you eat?” Sunoo finally whispers, his hand darting out to catch Sunghoon’s wrist as the alpha prepares another bite.
“I’ll eat later,” Sunghoon says, looking away to hide the softening in his gaze. “You really think I’d be able to eat a single bite without you?”
Sunoo’s breath hitches, his lips beginning to tremble. He swallows the next bite, chewing diligently as he feels the warmth of the food—and the love behind it—thaw his icy exterior. When Sunghoon goes to set the chopsticks down, Sunoo stops him.
“Let me, please?” He extends an open palm, his voice small and pleading.
Sunghoon shrugs, yielding the utensils, but he is caught completely off guard when Sunoo immediately offers him the next portion.
“Please?” Sunoo looks up, his eyes turning wide and soulful—that specific look that always makes Sunghoon’s knees go weak.
The anger drains out of the alpha as if a plug had been pulled. They sit there in the dim glow of the nursery lamp, feeding each other morsel by morsel, until the tray is empty and their hunger is finally quenched. Sunghoon leans in, his thumb gently brushing a stray grain of rice from the corner of his mate’s mouth.
His eyes linger there, his gaze eventually zoning in on the pale, elegant curve of Sunoo’s neck where the mating mark sits—a permanent reminder that no matter how many nursery doors were slammed, they were bound together, heart and soul.
“Just don’t bring up… nannies. Like, ever.” Sunoo stands up abruptly, his silhouette sharp against the soft nursery light as he turns his back to Sunghoon and paces toward their daughter. “I can’t stand the thought of it.”
Sooha blinks her wide, watery eyes, squinting up at the two familiar figures towering over her crib. Sunghoon has moved silently, appearing like a steady shadow right behind his omega.
The alpha bends down softly, scooping his daughter into his arms. To Sunoo’s quiet relief, she doesn’t burst into her usual fit of congested tears; instead, she settles against the expensive fabric of his suit jacket. “I only wanted to help, Sunoo,” Sunghoon says, his voice a low, vibrating rumble. “I hate seeing you this exhausted.”
“It’s a sensitive topic for omegas,” Sunoo murmurs, hugging his arms around his middle as he stares out the window at the darkened estate grounds. “It’s a sensitive topic for me, at least. Maybe… much later, I can entertain the idea of a nanny. But right now? No. I’m far too attached to my baby. The thought of someone else holding her while she cries makes my skin crawl.”
Sunghoon remains quiet, his large frame swaying in a rhythmic, instinctive motion that lulls the child in his arms. “I apologize,” he says softly, his gaze fixed on Sooha’s tuft of dark hair. “It was not my place to push. I’ll be more careful with your heart.”
Little Sooha sneezes suddenly—a tiny, wet sound—but her daddy is lightning-quick. Sunghoon gently rubs her small, pinkening nose with a clean cloth, cooing into her ear. “My sweet princess… get better soon, hm? Give all your sickness to me instead. Daddy can handle it, okay?”
The baby rubs her eyes with her tiny, balled-up fists, letting out a pitiful little sniffle that tugs at both their heartstrings.
Sunghoon holds her steady while Sunoo, his movements precise and practiced, diligently administers the medicine. Once the task is done, Sunoo takes her back, tucking her small, warm body against his chest. She begins to feed, letting out soft, rhythmic sounds of comfort that signal her growing drowsiness. While the omega focuses on their daughter, the alpha begins to move through the nursery like a silent whirlwind.
Sunghoon, still wearing the tailored suit he’d worn to lead a multi-million dollar company, begins to clear the wreckage of the night. He picks up used tissues, collects the discarded medicine cups, and gathers the stray wrappers to throw them in the bin.
Sunoo watches him through a veil of exhaustion—this man, the CEO of Elysium, clearing trash and sanitizing surfaces without a second thought. Sunghoon could have easily called a dozen staff members to do this, but he chose to do it alone, in the privacy of their sanctuary. Sunoo thinks back to the cold, distant man he first met and the devoted father Sunghoon is today. The transformation is staggering.
“Did you change her diaper?” Sunghoon asks, returning after ten minutes of quiet labor. The room is now immaculate, smelling faintly of lemon and lavender.
“Not yet.” Sunoo softly buttons his shirt as Sooha finally drifts into a deep, sound sleep against his heart.
“Get some rest. I’ll do the final change,” Sunghoon says, stifling a yawn of his own. “But before you go to sleep, just…” He pauses, his usual confidence faltering into a rare moment of hesitation.
“What?” Sunoo asks, carefully placing the child back into the safety of the cot. “Hm?”
“Let me scent you?” Sunghoon scratches the back of his head, looking almost bashful in the dim light. “If it’s not too much to ask. I just… I need to feel like you’re not mad anymore.”
Sunoo lets out a long, weary sigh. “You’re my alpha, Sunghoon. You don’t need to ask for permission to be near me.” He steps into the alpha’s space, standing on his tiptoes to press a lingering kiss to the sharp line of Sunghoon’s jaw. Then, he pulls back just enough to whisper, “But it’s still so incredibly sexy that you asked.”
“Glad to know you still find me sexy,” Sunghoon says, the tension finally leaving his shoulders as he lets out a breath of pure relief. “Because after three nights of no sleep, you still make my heart—and my pants—want to explode.”
Sunoo giggles, a bright, genuine sound that makes his heart feel light for the first time in days. His gaze drifts back to the cot, where he notices something remarkable: Sooha is actually smiling in her sleep.
“Sunghoon, look… she’s smiling.”
“Mhm,” Sunghoon drops his head, leaning over the rail to place a feather-light peck on the baby’s nose. “What are you dreaming about, little star?”
“My dad always says babies smile in their sleep because angels are speaking to them…” Sunoo whispers, his eyes shimmering.
“An angel, hm?” Sunghoon turns his intense, dark eyes onto his mate, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Well, you’re standing right here, so I suppose she’s just listening to her papa.”
Sunoo rolls his eyes, though a flush of heat rises to his cheeks as he pushes playfully at the alpha’s shoulders. “No need to flirt anymore. I’m already yours. And trust me, right now, with these bags under my eyes, I look nowhere close to an angel.”
Sunghoon doesn't argue. He merely stares at Sunoo, his expression silent, heavy, and so profoundly in love that it takes Sunoo's breath away.
“What?” Sunoo frowns, feeling self-conscious under that unwavering gaze.
“Nothing,” Sunghoon sighs, shaking his head as he reaches out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind Sunoo’s ear. “Go and rest, my love. I’ll keep watch over Sooha. I’ll be right here.”
Sunoo pauses at the door, looking back one last time. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
“So will I,” Sunghoon promises, his eyes never leaving his mate. “Always.”
. . .
Nine months.
“Congratulations!”
The word had been shouted, whispered, and toasted to him all day, but the echoes of his professional triumph hold no weight in this room. Sunghoon doesn't care for the accolades of the board or the roaring success of the market. Right now, he is kneeling on the plush carpet in front of the only altar his heart truly worships.
Sunoo is deep in the throes of a nap, blissfully unaware of his husband’s return. Beside him, nine-month-old Sooha lies on her back, rhythmically suckling her own thumb. She, too, is drifting in the quiet lull of sleep.
Elysium had achieved a monumental milestone—a successful, record-breaking establishment in the West that had sent the company’s valuation skyrocketing. A grand press event is scheduled for this evening, an affair where the entire country’s elite will gather to congratulate the man of the hour.
“Sunoo…” Sunghoon whispers, leaning over the mattress to press a lingering kiss to his mate’s forehead. Sunoo merely stirs, a small frown marring his features even in sleep. He had turned away earlier that morning, pouting with a heavy heart when Sunghoon left early.
Finding a sliver of space on the bed, Sunghoon carefully climbs on, scooting closer with bated breath. He is agonizingly cautious, terrified of Sooha waking up and prematurely ending his mate’s precious rest. But as he nears, his daughter instinctively nuzzles toward his warmth. She lets go of her thumb, resting her small, heavy head against his chest. Her eyes blink open, cloudy with sleep, but upon recognizing him, she breaks into a toothless, radiant smile. She wiggles, trying to hoist her tiny body up, clearly thrilled to see her dad. Sunoo mumbles something incoherent in his sleep, shifting but staying under.
“You like me now, hm?” he whispers to his baby, gathering her into his arms and melting against her soft, warm frame.
“...daa…hhh!” Sooha chirps suddenly. Sunghoon’s eyes widen, his heart skipping a beat.
“Hm?”
“...dadaah!”
“My angel…” Sunghoon’s voice cracks as he hugs her to his chest. “Yes, it’s me. I am dad.”
“... Sunghoon?” The sound of the baby’s voice wakes Sunoo. He jerks upright, his hands rubbing his eyes in sheer disbelief.
Sooha giggles again, louder this time, “...daa..ada…adahh!”
Sunoo’s voice is a breathless whisper. “Did she just say… dad?”
“I think so.” Sunghoon turns the baby around to face them both, a proud glow in his eyes. “I am dad—or is he dad?”
“Daadahhh!” Sooha drools, her little legs bouncing with excitement. The more Sunghoon engages her, the more vocal she becomes.
“I am dad and you’re papa or something,” Sunoo yawns, massaging his forehead to chase away the sleep. “I thought you’d be late tonight? The event…”
“I promised I’d be early, didn’t I?” Sunghoon nuzzles into Sooha’s dark, silken hair. Her hazel eyes go dazed and dreamy, lulled by the deep, vibrating comfort of her father’s voice. Sunghoon gently wipes a stray bead of drool from her chin, pressing a tender kiss to the tip of her nose.
He lifts his head to find Sunoo watching them in a heavy, poignant silence. Sunoo’s hair is a chaotic nest and his clothes are rumpled from the bed, but Sunghoon feels a wave of relief wash over him. His mate looks healthy. The sickly pallor of the postpartum months has finally vanished, replaced by a genuine, rosy color and a soft, healthy fullness to his face.
“Hm?” Sunghoon asks softly. Sooha, ever the mirror of her father, turns to look at Sunoo at the exact same moment.
“How is it that she looks exactly like you?” Sunoo sighs, a playful touch of jealousy in his tone. “Not even a hint of me, really? After all that work?”
“Your eyes,” Sunghoon counters, reaching forward to pull him into their bubble. “She has your eyes, Sunoo. Exactly yours.”
Sunoo’s gaze drops to Sunghoon’s formal attire. He reaches out, grabbing Sunghoon’s wrist and pressing a desperate, soft kiss to the pulse point there. “Are you about to leave again? Why are you still dressed in your suit?”
“I just returned, my love. I haven't even changed.”
“I don’t like waiting for you,” Sunoo whispers suddenly, his voice trembling. “Why do I always have to be the one waiting?”
Sunghoon falters, his heart twisting. How can he tell him now? How can he explain that there is an international leg of this tour, a trip to a different country that demands his presence? The words die in his throat.
“I know you’re going to leave,” the omega says, his intuition sharp and painful. He turns away again, the rejection cold and sudden. Sunghoon’s heart breaks as Sunoo stands up, intending to flee the room before the tears can fall.
“Ddeo…hh…onu!”
Both men freeze. Their heads turn sharply toward the bed. Sooha is attempting to crawl toward the edge, struggling against the blankets as she reaches for Sunoo.
“You… you called me by my name?” Sunoo gasps, his hurt momentarily forgotten as he scoops her into his arms. “What is this disrespect, little lady?”
Sunghoon is snickering behind his palm, his eyes dancing with mirth. It was he who had spent hours whispering “Ddeonu” to the baby while Sunoo napped, and they both knew it.
“It’s all your fault!” Sunoo accuses, though a smile is fighting to break through.
“How?” Sunghoon laughs openly now, the sound rich and bright. “She’s just a very quick learner. She knows who her favorite person is.”
Sunoo regards him in silence for a long moment, his frown returning as his eyes cast downward. “Won’t you miss us? While you're over there?”
“I’m not leaving, Sunoo.”
Sunoo’s head jerks up, his eyes wide. “Huh?”
“I will choose someone else for the international task. I've already decided.” Sunghoon says seriously. Right, why should he care about the rest of the world when he has Sunoo with him? He decides, right then and there, he will arrange for someone else to attend the press meeting in his stead.
“...Why?” Sunoo murmurs, stunned.
“Because I have a family now, Sunoo. I can’t just relocate to another country and leave my heart behind,” he says, sounding almost incredulous that Sunoo would think otherwise. “I’m not that bad of a husband.”
“Can you blame me for… doubting you?” Sunoo sniffles, his emotions overflowing as he whirls around, overwhelmed and about to bolt from the room again.
“My rose,” Sunghoon catches him, his arms wrapping around Sunoo’s waist before he can cross the threshold. He pulls him back against his chest, solid and unmoving. “I can’t live without you. Didn’t I tell you that?”
“I am sorry,” Sunoo’s shoulders shake with soft sobs. “I’ve been so mean, so clingy…”
“Dadah?” Sooha pouts from Sunoo’s hip, looking at Sunghoon with a stern expression, pointing a tiny, accusatory finger at him for making her papa cry. “Dadahh… ddeonuhh!”
“Shhh, Sooha,” Sunoo hushes her, bouncing her gently to soothe them both. “Let dad talk to me, hm?”
Sunghoon leans down, pressing a warm, lingering kiss directly onto Sunoo’s mating mark. He lets his cold nose brush against the sensitive, soft skin of Sunoo’s neck, inhaling deeply. The omega melts instantly, his distress dissolving as he releases a scent that smells of pure, syrupy sweetness. Sooha, sensing the shift in the air, finally calms.
“Why don’t you get dressed up, hm?” Sunghoon whispers into his hair. “Let’s go out. All three of us. We’ll dress Sooha up, too. Maybe in that ribbon hat she loves so much?”
Sunoo’s eyes are still shimmering with unshed tears, but Sunghoon doesn’t let them fall. He uses his thumb to catch the moisture, pressing the warmth back against Sunoo’s eyelids with a gentle touch.
“You and Sooha are my life. Always, Sunoo. Always.”
. . .
A year.
“Happy birthday, Sooha!”
The room is filled with the soft glow of warm lights and the sweet, cloying scent of sugar. Sooha giggles loudly, her small body practically dancing with excitement where she sits secured in her high chair. Sunghoon is a blur of motion, clicking away on his camera to capture every fleeting expression, while Sunoo delicately places a tiny, diamond-studded tiara onto her soft tufts of hair.
“This is from Daddy!” Sunoo beams, leaning in to pose beside the birthday girl as Sunghoon takes over the camera duties.
The vanilla cake sits between them, a masterpiece of white buttercream that Sunghoon can’t resist. He sneakily dips a finger into the frosting while Sunoo is busy adjusting Sooha’s dress. The next thing Sunoo knows, he feels a cool, sugary weight on the tip of his nose.
“Sunghoon!” Sunoo whines, stomping his foot in outrage.
Sooha finds the spectacle increasingly entertaining, her tiny hands drumming against the tray of her chair. The omega lets a series of playful punches land on the alpha’s bicep, complaining petulantly about his ruined aesthetic, but he doesn't stop until he manages to smear both of Sunghoon’s cheeks with thick streaks of cream.
“Sooha!” Sunoo giggles, turning his attention back to the baby. He uses his pinky to smear a pint-sized dot of cream onto her button nose. “Look! Now we are all matchy-matchy!”
It is 12:00 AM on a quiet Tuesday night. The world outside is still, and it is just the three of them sharing this private, sacred celebration before the loud, glittering public gala scheduled for tomorrow evening. It is, after all, the first birthday of the Park heir, and the expectations of high society are heavy—but here, in the dim light of their home, those expectations don't exist.
Sunghoon meticulously attaches his DSLR to the tripod, his tongue poking out in concentration as he sets the self-timer.
“Dadahh!” Sooha slurs, her voice a sweet, messy melody as she waves her chubby arms to beckon him back. “Hoo…nie…!”
Sunoo’s heart melts at the sound. He adjusts the sparkling tiara one last time as Sunghoon comes running back, sliding onto the floor to sit on the other side of their child.
“Ready!” Sunghoon says, his voice thick with pride. He curls a strong arm around Sunoo’s shoulders, pulling his mate even closer.
Together, the parents lean in. Little Sooha’s cheeks get squished into a "bread cheek" pose as her daddies squeeze her lovingly between them. She waves her glittery magic fairy wand through the air, her little tiara tilting precariously to the side of her head.
The shutter clicks.
The image is captured: Sooha with her wide, toothless grin and sparkling eyes; Sunoo with his eyes turned into happy crescents; and Sunghoon with his widest smile and deepest dimples, his face pink-cheeked and glowing with a radiance that no camera flash could replicate.
Years later, when little Sooha is all grown up and navigating a world far more complex than this nursery, she will find this image, frozen and preserved in time. And if her heart is weary then, or her shoulders feel burdened by the weight of her name, let this photograph be her reminder: she was raised in the cradle of unconditional love, cherished by two of the most beautiful people in the world.
. . .