Married For Now-Chapter 235: EARLY MANIFESTATION

"WE SHOULD just build our own publishing company, Oppa."

That was an option, huh?

To be honest, Sohee hadn’t finished making his portfolio yet.

That was why he hadn’t reached out to any publishing company yet.

"Sera-ya, are you telling me that you don’t believe the publishers will see potential in my coloring-slash-picture book?" Sohee teased Hong Sera. "Is that why you’re suggesting that we just build our own publishing company?"

"It’s not like that, Oppa," Hong Sera said, smiling while shaking her head. Fortunately, the kid knew Sohee was just joking, "I just want to do more fun things with you and Euntakie. Our webtoon is already ending, but I still want to work with the two of you."

Hmm.

Sohee sipped his chocolate milkshake while giving Hong Sera’s idea a thought.

His class ended early, so he had time to meet up with Hong Sera who was already done with her classes for today.

That was how they ended up at their favorite concept café.

Unfortunately, Cho Euntak has a group meeting with his classmates, so he couldn’t join us today.

On the other hand, Kim Heedo had work today.

He started his internship at Ilsung Group last week.

"Is there a reason why you suddenly want to build a publishing company?"

"I don’t want to study abroad."

"Is your family forcing you to study overseas?" Sohee asked curiously. "But knowing how much your family loves you, especially your brothers, I don’t think they’ll force you to do something against your will."

"I don’t want to work for Daesung Group since I’m not interested in running a business. So, I feel like I should at least take and finish my master’s overseas to assure my family that I’m doing well."

"That’s pretty contradictory, Sera-ya. You said you’re not interested in running a business. But you’re asking me to build a company with you."

"Oh, I can manage a small publishing company since it aligns with my interests," Hong Sera explained. "But if I work for Daesung Group, my family will probably make me manage our luxury department stores, the amusement parks and aquariums, the hotels and resorts, and probably even the sports teams that we own."

Ah, it’s the same as the affiliates that Kim Haewon will inherit in the future.

"My sisters-in-law are already doing a good job managing those affiliates, so the company doesn’t really need me," Hong Sera said, clapping her hands together. "That’s why we should just make our own publishing company, Oppa. I’ll publish my novels, and you’ll publish your children’s books, Oppa. Euntak likes making pretty and witty notepads, sticky notes, and stationery papers— we can sell those things, too."

Ah, that was true.

Cho Euntak liked drawing pretty landscapes, and he would often incorporate them in his passion projects, like making his own creative notepads.

"You’re starting to sound convincing, Sera-ya," Sohee said, smiling while shaking his head. "But I’m still a little scared. It’s hard to publish physical books these days because of the rise of digital books. What if our business fails? I’m afraid of wasting my husband’s money."

"Oppa, I don’t think Heedo would notice even if our future business loses 100 million a day. I wouldn’t notice either," Hong Sera said, smiling quite bitterly. "I know I sounded arrogant. But we should acknowledge our privilege. We’re one of the few lucky ones who can afford to fail because we have a safety net. Having said that, of course, we’ll take it seriously if we ever decide to build our own company."

Right?

Sohee was about to tell Hong Sera that he’d think about it, but he got distracted when his phone rang.

It was one of the twins’ nannies.

"Sera-ya, let me take this call quickly."

"Go ahead, Oppa."

Sohee just smiled and nodded before picking up the call. "Yes, Ahjumma?"

"Madam, the twins are running a fever..."

***

SOHEE thought it was just a common cold for babies.

When he arrived home, Kim Heedo was already there with the family doctor.

One of the nannies called his husband at the same time Mrs. An called him earlier.

Thankfully, Kim Heedo had just gotten out of the office at the time.

Heedo was closer to our house than I was, so I asked him to go straight home instead of picking me up. Then he called the family doctor.

"Heedo-ssi, Sohee-ssi, we should take the young masters to the hospital."

Sohee’s heart dropped after hearing the doctor’s advice.

He had so many questions, but he couldn’t speak. It was as if his heart was stuck in his throat. He felt like he was going to sob if he opened his mouth.

Luckily, he wasn’t alone.

"We’ll do as you advised, Doc," Kim Heedo said calmly, wrapping an arm around Sohee’s shoulders. "But can you tell us first how sick our children are?"

"The young masters have developed a common cold due to a strange phenomenon," the doctor said hesitantly before gulping hard. "It seems like the young masters have already started producing pheromones."

Sohee covered his hands with his mouth when he gasped, shocked.

This early?!

***

"YES, Kim Woochul and Kim Woosung have already started developing pheromones."

Haaah.

Sohee felt a pang in his chest when Dr. Seong Kyungmin— Kim Heedo’s close hyung and a doctor who specialized in Alpha and Omega pheromones— confirmed what their family doctor had suspected earlier.

But it still feels surreal...

"Hyung, the twins aren’t even two years old," Kim Heedo said, holding Sohee’s hand quite tightly as if to assure him that he wasn’t alone. "Isn’t it too early for them to develop pheromones? Children usually manifest their Secondary Gender at around ten to twelve years old. So, they only develop pheromones a year before they awaken."

"That’s the norm, yes," Seong Kyungmin said, pausing for a moment. "It’s kept a secret from the public, but you both know that Lim Garam and Song Sihyuk’s son manifested as an Alpha at six years old, don’t you?"

Oh, right.

How could Sohee forget that incident?

Gunwoo awakened as an Alpha when we were kidnapped...

The only reason a shocking phenomenon like that was kept under the rug was because Song Sihyuk was the future chairman of the SG Group.

Money talks, and money also keeps mouths shut.

"Heedo-ya, what do you have in common with Song Sihyuk?"

Sohee wanted to protest.

How can you lump my husband in with that sub-human?

However, he stopped when Kim Heedo answered the doctor’s question.

"Sihyuk Hyung-nim and I are both Hyper-Dominant Alphas."

"Correct," Seong Kyungmin said while nodding. "I believe the early manifestation of your children has something to do with the fact that you are Hyper-Dominant Alphas."

Ah, that was convincing.

"I still need to conduct more tests, but it’s almost certain that Kim Woochul and Kim Woosung are going to manifest as either an Alpha or an Omega early."

Sohee actually didn’t know how to feel about that.

He was quite scared.

Whether you’re an Alpha or an Omega, once you manifest, your life will change forever.

After all, their society was still dominated by Betas.

Hence, it wasn’t strange that most people believed that the Alphas and Omegas were the ’abnormal’ ones.

I don’t want my children to go through a life-changing event that early...

"Sohee-ssi, don’t worry too much," Seong Kyungmin assured him. "The way I see it, the development of the twins’ pheromones is slow. So, it may still take a few years before they manifest their Secondary Gender."

Oh, that was comforting to hear.

Sohee let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you, Dr. Seong."

"Hyung, I know I don’t have to tell you this. But please keep this a secret," Kim Heedo said in a serious tone. "Only tell the medical staff members who need to know about our babies’ condition. But I want you all to sign an NDA first."

An NDA usually involves some ’hush-hush money.’

Seong Kyungmin, who was already used to chaebols’ tendency to keep people quiet, nodded. "Leave it to me, Heedo-ya."

***

MY POOR BABIES...

Sohee’s heart was torn while watching Kim Woochul and Kim Woosung sleep.

They look uncomfortable...

Thankfully, the twins didn’t have to stay in the intensive care unit.

But Dr. Seong Kyungmin wanted Kim Woochul and Kim Woosung to spend one night in the hospital for observation, so they were still in the hospital.

Of course, Kim Heedo got the VIP Room for their babies.

Actually, it was for their little family.

After all, Sohee and Kim Heedo had no intention of going home— both of them would sleep there and keep an eye on the twins.

"Hyung, Woochul and Woosung’s fever has gone down significantly," Kim Heedo assured Sohee while rubbing his back gently. "You should take a rest. I promise I won’t take my eyes off our kids."

"I’m fine, yeobo," Sohee said, shaking his head. "I can’t sleep anyway when the twins are sick."

This was the first time Kim Woochul and Kim Woosung caught a fever.

Hence, even though Sohee knew that the hospital would give his twins the best care they could offer, he still couldn’t help but worry.

I’m a mother, after all.

"Hyung?"

"Yeah?"

"I’m sorry."

"For what?"

"Because I’m the reason Woochul and Woosung are already developing pheromones."

Sohee turned to Kim Heedo.

He wanted to scold his husband for blaming himself for something that wasn’t in his control, but he was left speechless.

Kim Heedo was crying— tears were falling down his cheeks quietly.

The last time I saw him cry was during our wedding...

"It’s my fault that our babies are sick, Hyung— it’s my fault for being a Hyper-Dominant Alpha."

***

Please ADD <MARRIED FOR NOW> to your LIBRARY to be notified when an update is posted. Thank you! :>