Just moments ago, I said I felt nothing, and now I'm helplessly admiring his face. Even the corners of my lips twitch. I want to grin foolishly, but it's too embarrassing, so I manage to hold it back with great effort.
"It'll be ready in a bit. Do you want to wash up and eat? Won't you be late?"
"No, I won't be late. Keep going."
Han Jinheon replied briefly, then drew back the living room curtains and went back into his room. I finished cooking, still aware of Han Jinheon. A humble meal for him was quickly prepared, but the owner of the meal wasn't there.
I tried to ignore it and eat first, but then I headed towards his room. Eight out of ten times it was like this. I wasn't keen on eating alone, so I went to call him from his room. I carefully knocked and opened the door. As I slightly opened the door, the faint sound of water from the bathroom was the first thing I heard.
He's still washing up. I nodded to myself and was about to leave when I saw the ring on the table glinting under the light, and I unconsciously moved towards it.
The silver ring Han Jinheon always wore around his neck. He said it was a memento from his deceased mother.
It's just a guess, but even if Han Jinheon considers Han Sol a younger brother, he probably still resents him. Setting aside all his past misdeeds, Han Sol is the child of the mistress who pushed out his own mother. It might be an old-fashioned way of thinking, but wouldn't one typically dislike the child of a mistress?
I, too, sometimes wondered why Chairman Han accepted Han Sol's mother or Han Sol. Even if he was his own child, if he had ignored and buried it, that would have been the end of it, and even if rumors of an illegitimate child spread, they would have been quickly forgotten. Moreover, Han Sol isn't an Alpha but a Beta, insignificant in their world.
"Ah..."
So that might be why he accepted him. I thought to myself and understood.
It was a rule of high society in this world that Betas couldn't join succession battles. In this high society, the view that Alphas or Omegas should occupy such positions was rampant and considered natural.
That's why the chaebols in this world would even adopt Alphas if their only child was a Beta. If an Alpha wasn't enough, they would bring in an Omega as a fallback and marry them to a suitable Alpha. That's how they formed their family structures. In this world, there was no existence as ghostly as a Beta.
Perhaps that's why Han Sol feels so incredibly remarkable. Even as a Beta, he kept Alphas under his thumb and used them as he pleased, and he went to great lengths to get the Alpha he wanted.
"But the Han Sol who did that is gone now..."
I vowed again. I would live as quietly and ordinarily as possible. And that meant using up the money I had. As long as my bank account doesn't become empty, and as long as they provide generously for my food, clothing, and shelter, I will dedicate myself to living more modestly than anyone else.
Before transmigrating, I just wanted to live an ordinary life like others, but in this world, money was everything. My life was always precarious, like a candle in the wind, and I frequently had to despair in the face of ever-increasing debt.
It wasn't even debt I created. It was my father's gambling and my mother's private loans. It was useless to protest to the thugs who came to collect debts that it wasn't my responsibility. They just needed someone to pay the debt, so they wouldn't let me go.
Simply put, I had no life. I was born to clean up after my parents' messes. Given my circumstances, why would I dislike being transmigrated into Han Sol? Now, I am confident I can endure Han Sol's terrible reputation, as long as I can enjoy the rich life he was given.
If the day comes when Chairman Han forgives me, I want to live comfortably based on this wealth. I believe my reputation will improve if I live a good life. If push comes to shove, I can even do charity work and make donations for show.
The moment I decided to enjoy this life, the bathroom door softly opened, and Han Jinheon appeared.
"What are you doing here?"
He asked indifferently, spotting me frozen the moment I saw the man who had just finished showering.
Han Jinheon had only covered his lower body with a bath towel, brazenly revealing everything from his dangerously sharp hip bones to his defined abs, firm chest, and straight collarbones.
As soon as my gaze swept over him, I instinctively swallowed. My face flushed instantly. I tried my best not to stare, but I couldn't control my instincts and found myself peeking at his body again.
Can a person really be that sexy...?
Is it really okay to have such impure thoughts about a step brother? Oh, I don't know. He's not my step brother anyway, so it might be. To me, Han Jinheon is a stranger.
Reason and instinct clashed. While another me and I were fighting, Han Jinheon, oblivious, approached me.
"That ring."
"Uh, huh?"
"What are you doing with the ring?"
A cool and sweet coconut scent wafted from him as he came closer. Since I, a Beta, could smell it, it definitely wasn't an Alpha pheromone but the scent of a high-end brand's bath products.
"Ah, sorry. I just meant to look at it for a moment..."
"Why look at it for a moment? Do you want it?"
"Huh? Ah, no! Why would I want your ring, hyung..."
I frowned at the absurd suggestion. Coveting a memento is just wrong. Even Han Sol wouldn't have coveted a memento. Yes, of course.
"Alright, if not, then never mind."
Han Jinheon let it pass casually, as if he understood and if I didn't want it, then that was that.
After carefully placing the ring down, I once again found myself captivated by the perfect Alpha's body. A body couldn't be that stimulating. One couldn't drool this much over a person's body.
I might not know about others, but judging that drooling over my brother's body was a bit much, I quickly averted my gaze, but it was futile. Not even a few seconds passed before I unconsciously snuck a glance at his body again. This was an irresistible force.
Han Jinheon, who was standing close and watching me, teased with an indifferent face.
"Now that I see, there must be a reason you come into my room every morning. You have to create an unavoidable situation where you can't help but see my naked body, right?"
"Th-that's not..."
"Well, since you seem to enjoy looking at your hyung's body, I can't help but show it, but I get embarrassed too, you know."
His face showed no sincerity at all. Anyone could see his intention was clearly sarcasm, and my face turned bright red. The one who's guilty gets angrier, and I ended up shouting back.
"It's not like that!"
"If it's not, would you please leave?"
"I'm leaving! I originally came to tell you to come down for breakfast...! Argh, whatever!"
Come down on your own!
I practically fled Han Jinheon's bedroom, running out and then chugging water as soon as I got to the living room. I even waved my hand in front of my eyes. It was to erase the vivid afterimage of Han Jinheon's body.
If I'm subjected to such high stimulation every day, I'll become not just a face-lover but a body-lover too.
***
A few days later, someone sent by Han Dongsik visited Han Jinheon's house.
Han Dongsik knew I was hiding out at Han Jinheon's house instead of going to America, and I knew that he knew. So, I wasn't particularly surprised, but separate from that, I couldn't shake off the tension creeping up from my toes.
Why send someone now after being quiet all this time?
"He sent these."
The question was soon answered.
Contrary to my worries, Chairman Han didn't seem to have any intention of dragging me to the main house. Instead, he gave me a plane ticket to America and a document envelope. Inside the document envelope were profiles of blind date candidates. A list of people, regardless of gender, was presented as potential partners for Han Sol.
"Haaah..."
I stopped reading the documents, put them down, and tightly closed my eyes. Just reading the list of candidates made my head spin and everything go dark.
I know they're all people who hold some position, but look. One guy is twenty years older and balding. Another has been divorced twice and has multiple children, and yet another has four mistresses, regardless of gender or type. Did he start a harem or something?
From my perspective, these people don't seem to want to partner with Han Sol as much as they want to buy Han Sol, who has been abandoned by Chairman Han, with money. They probably have the goal of getting into Han Dongsik's good graces by using Han Sol, the troublesome asset of the HANQ Group, as leverage.
I didn't transmigrate to be sold off to guys like these. This is truly not right. This kind of arranged marriage route is too much for someone who's never even dated...
"The Chairman said this is the last chance he's giving you. And he asked me to convey that he hopes you don't disappoint him further."
The last chance. A flight to America or marriage profiles? If I don't want to go to America, I have no choice but to pick an arranged marriage.
My mind was in chaos. I looked at Han Jinheon, who was sitting next to me. He picked up the marriage profiles that had fallen from my hand and casually read them, then sent the person away.
"I understand the Chairman's intentions well, so you may go. I will contact the Chairman separately."
"Yes. I will return now."
At Han Jinheon's words, the Chairman's messenger retreated. Once we were alone, Han Jinheon moved closer to me, who was burying my face in my neatly clasped knees and sighing deeply. His arm draped over my shoulder.
"Han Sol."
He gently pulled my body towards him and called my name. He didn't stop there and sweetly whispered into my ear.
"Want hyung to help you?"
At Han Jinheon's voice, readily asking if I needed help in my despair, I quickly lifted my head and looked at him. I even turned my body completely and widened my eyes excessively. This should make me look very pitiful, but I found myself tearing up unknowingly.
"Hyung, can you help me?"
"Of course, I can help."
Han Jinheon, saying it was a matter of course, moved the hand on my shoulder to stroke my hair.
He had a habit of not being able to keep his fingers still, and though I knew, I didn't point it out. I liked the feeling of my unruly hair slipping through his fingers.
But now was not the time to feel this touch. I even knelt on the sofa and clasped my hands together, pleading. Then, hyung.
"Please, okay? Help me out..."
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