Joo Seunghyuk stared at me quietly before sinking his teeth into my nape.

“You’re staying still today.”

“Bite me.”

“...Sorry?”

“If you want to bite, go ahead. I’m a Beta, so I can’t imprint anyway. Sorry about that...”

He had been referring to imprinting between Esper and Guide, but I deliberately shifted the topic to Alpha–Omega imprinting instead.

I was a Beta. Even if imprinting worked like in the movies—just a bite to the neck—it wouldn’t apply to me. So I had no problem offering that much.

Seunghyuk silently rubbed the spot he’d bitten with his thumb, slowly and gently. Did he think I was hurt by it?

He brushed my face and said warmly, “Hyung, want a snack?”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

We left the library and went downstairs.

I thought we were heading for the dining room, but Seunghyuk took my hand.

“The weather’s nice today. Let’s eat in the garden.”

“The garden...?”

“Yeah. You don’t want to?”

“N-no! That’s not it. It’s just... am I allowed to go outside?”

I asked carefully, wondering if I’d misunderstood. Seunghyuk let out a soft chuckle and tousled my hair.

“Come on.”

“Okay.”

We stepped into the garden.

The sun was blazing, and the air was filled with the scent of grass. Every step I took on the lawn sent a soft spring through my legs.

I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d gone outside.

I’d never been a fan of going out during summer, but today... the hot sun and the warm breeze felt precious.

“Do you like it?”

“Yeah.”

I answered honestly. No matter how much I was trying to reassure Seunghyuk and search for a chance to escape, it would’ve been stranger to say I didn’t like it after being cooped up for so long.

“Let’s take a walk out here every day.”

“Really? I can?”

“Of course. But don’t just walk around—keep up your workouts in the weight room, too.”

He was worried about my pitiful stamina—that’s why he was allowing walks in the garden.

We’d been exercising together every morning, but I rarely lasted more than 20 minutes before collapsing. That must’ve weighed on him.

“But don’t leave the grounds. It’s dangerous out there.”

“Dangerous?”

“Yeah. Landmines all around.”

He smiled sweetly.

I couldn’t tell if he meant it literally or if it was a thinly veiled threat not to run away.

Either way, there was only one answer I could give in this situation.

“Okay. I won’t go out.”

I smiled obediently. Seunghyuk gently stroked my face and held my hand tighter.

“Come on.”

“Okay.”

We walked toward the gazebo in the center of the garden.

Like everything else in the estate, the gazebo was extravagant. Definitely more in line with Joo Gyeongchan’s taste than Seunghyuk’s.

Inside, there was a table and chairs in an ornate, antique style. They matched the gazebo perfectly, as if the whole set had been made together.

On the table were sandwiches and tea, already prepared.

“Go ahead, eat.”

“Thanks. Looks good. You eat too.”

“I will.”

As I ate the sandwich, I looked back at the mansion. Though I’d been here over two weeks, this was the first time I’d actually seen the estate from the outside.

It was even bigger than I’d imagined. Like something out of a European aristocrat’s estate. Maybe it actually had been one—bought and repurposed.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Is it?”

“Where’s the cauldron?”

“Over there.”

He pointed to a far corner. When I turned my head, I saw it—a massive cast-iron cauldron.

I thought it would look ridiculous out here, but somehow, it worked. The bizarre contrast between a European manor and a Korean-style cauldron had a strange charm to it.

But more than the cauldron, what really caught my eye was the small, shabby-looking building next to it.

“What’s that building for?”

It didn’t match the mansion at all. Tiny and rundown.

“A storage shed.”

He replied casually and took a sip of coffee.

“Ah, okay.”

To be fair, it didn’t look like it served any other purpose.

“Seunghyuk, you said you grew up here, right?”

“Yeah.”

“You visited just during breaks?”

“No. I lived here full-time until I awakened. Then I moved to Korea.”

“Oh... I see.”

So he hadn’t grown up in Korea after all.

His expression darkened slightly. It seemed like he didn’t want to talk about his childhood, so I changed the subject.

“By the way, Seunghyuk... You get rut cycles, right?”

“I do.”

“What’s your cycle like?”

“About twice a year.”

Most Alphas and Omegas had one or two cycles a year. Some had them monthly or only once every few years, but those were rare.

Twice a year was pretty average.

“What do you do when it happens?”

“I deal with it alone. I’m a believer in pre-marital chastity.”

I’d asked out of curiosity, but it came off like an interrogation. Still, Seunghyuk answered so smoothly, it felt like he’d expected the question.

“Haha... right. You’re a chastity guy...”

“Yup.”

He nodded with a pure expression, ears turning red as if he were actually embarrassed.

Was he really blushing?

“Have you had a rut since we met?”

“Why? Do you want to sleep with an Alpha in rut?”

“W-what?”

I floundered, and he grinned wickedly.

“Think you can handle it? You’d cry and cry, then run away again.”

“Is... is it really that bad?”

Joo Seunghyuk was already overwhelming on a normal day. There had been more than a few times where it’d been too much to handle.

But he’d never warned me like this before.

If he was saying this now, then it must be on another level entirely.

As I stared at him, pale and silent, Seunghyuk smiled teasingly.

“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never gone through rut with anyone else. But I’ll make sure I’m with you for the next one.”

“...Okay.”

That day might be the death of me. One more reason to escape.

Just the thought of what was coming made my appetite vanish. I set my sandwich down—and that’s when Seunghyuk’s phone rang.

“Excuse me for a second.”

“Sure.”

He immediately answered.

“Yeah. What? Okay.”

The conversation was short and clipped, so I couldn’t make out what was being said. But as it went on, Seunghyuk’s expression grew increasingly tense.

I sipped my tea and looked out at the estate, trying not to seem like I was eavesdropping.

Then, after a short call, he suddenly stood up.

“Hyung, I have to go.”

“Where?”

“...It’ll take a few days. I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay.”

“If you want anything, just tell Yoon Jeongyeon.”

“Got it.”

He gave me a brief kiss and left.

I stared blankly at his back as he disappeared beyond the gates.

***

Seunghyuk really didn’t come back. Not that day, or the next.

“Mr. Yeonsu, what would you like to eat today?”

He must’ve left in a hurry.

He hadn’t even set my meals in advance, so Yoon Jeongyeon came each time to ask.

“Anything is fine.”

“That’s... a very difficult request.”

She looked troubled. Understandable. I’d get stressed, too, if someone gave me a vague answer like that.

“Sorry. Then... could I have an omelet?”

“Right away.”

She always spoke concisely. Just what was necessary.

“Wait!”

I quickly called after her just as she turned to leave.

“Yes?”

“Ms. Jeongyeon, are you from ‘this town’?”

I was trying to figure out where this mansion was located.

I was sure it wasn’t a deserted island. Not just from what Seunghyuk had said—but it was hard to imagine Joo Gyeongchan building a palace like this on an uninhabited island.

And I had a hunch about the general location.

In the margins of the books and reports in the library, there were handwritten notes from Joo Gyeongchan. Most were about Red Lunhua research, but some offered clues about where we were.

“Limitation from testing only on foreigners. Need more Korean data.”

“Too far. 30 minutes is a pain. Should’ve built the facility closer to the house.”

“Complaints about noise and pollution. They think I’m a money tree. Might just evict them all and build a Korean town.”

“Replaced subordinates. All Korean staff now. Was hesitant about hiring employee families, but no issues so far.”

Joo Gyeongchan had built a lab about 20 minutes from this mansion, where he conducted experiments with Red Lunhua.

The data suggested some unethical human testing may have occurred. Likely why he built the lab abroad—looser regulations, easier to hide things.

On the surface, the research was legal. Most of the staff probably had no idea what was going on. Some even brought their families.

Still, despite it all being “legit,” the locals had complained frequently. Eventually, Gyeongchan replaced the original staff with Korean hires, some of whom were family members of lab workers.

He even considered evicting the locals and establishing an all-Korean community. Whether it was an impulsive threat or a real plan was unclear—but it implied there were quite a few Koreans living nearby.

Of course, these notes were old—predating my birth. Things could be very different now.

A lot had happened since then.

Gyeongchan was dead. Red Lunhua had failed. The lab probably didn’t even exist anymore.

Still, the notes were meaningful.

There was a Sungan Pharma lab about 20 minutes from here, and people lived nearby.

If some employees stayed after the research collapsed, maybe a Korean town really had formed here.

“...Pardon?”

Jeongyeon blinked, confused by my question.

“Your Korean is so fluent—I was just wondering if you were from around here. Seunghyuk said there was a Koreatown nearby.”

“No. I’m not from this town.”

Short, sterile answer.

She neither confirmed nor denied the existence of the Korean community. It wasn’t clear if she meant the original local town, or the Korean town specifically.

If both communities existed... which one should I escape to?

A Korean town meant higher odds of recognition. And language would be easy. But they were connected to Sungan—might even work here. I could get caught the moment I arrived.

But running to the locals might not be smart either. I didn’t even know what country I was in, or what language they spoke.

English was the only foreign language I could speak. If it wasn’t widely used here, I’d be in trouble.

“...Is something wrong?”

While I was lost in thought, Jeongyeon’s eyes sharpened.

She was one of Seunghyuk’s people—I couldn’t forget that.

I forced a small smile.

“I just had a craving for Korean snacks.”

“What kind?”

“Onion Honey.”

“I’ll prepare it right away.”

“Thanks...”

If she could prepare Korean snacks so easily, maybe the Korean town really did exist? 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

According to the notes, the local town was about 30 minutes from the mansion—but it wasn’t clear if that meant by car or on foot. And the direction was unknown.

“Um...”

“Yes?”

Her gaze darkened with suspicion. Asking more would be risky.

“Oh, I just wanted to know how long it would take.”

“Would you like the snack before your meal?”

“Can I? I am kind of hungry now...”

“It’ll take about 30 minutes. Is that okay?”

“Yes.”

Thirty minutes. Was that round trip? Or did someone already outside have to pick it up?

I wanted to ask more, but Jeongyeon simply bowed and left.

I nearly stopped her—but I knew better. Pushing further was dangerous. She might report back to Seunghyuk.

I stepped out of my room. Then, with a casual pace—neither fast nor slow—I made my way to the garden.

Yesterday, I’d stuck close to the gazebo, circling it slowly so I wouldn’t look suspicious. But today, I dared a little more.

I walked past the gazebo, toward the main gate. No one stopped me.

For such a large mansion, there were very few staff. I thought maybe someone would be assigned to watch me—but maybe not.

I scanned the area and picked up my pace.

Finally, I reached the massive gate. White base. Golden accents. Beautiful, sure—but I didn’t care.

From inside the mansion, there was nothing to see beyond the gardens. The walls were high. The gate was made of solid iron. Even from here, I couldn’t see what lay beyond.

What would I find outside?

I had some idea, based on what Seunghyuk, Jeongyeon, and Joo Gyeongchan’s notes had said—but nothing was certain.

What should I do? Run now? Or wait until I’m more sure?

If I act too soon and fail, it could ruin everything.

But if Seunghyuk comes back...

Still locked in my thoughts, I reached for the gate handle.

This might be my last chance to escape Joo Seunghyuk.

I couldn’t waste it.