Yu-jun

Aoto Kikuchi. The person I have been trying to avoid for the past two years. I blocked him on every social media platform to make sure I wouldn’t see his posts and have gone to great lengths to erase his face from my mind. But whenever I have sex, his image pops into my head—his beautiful, lustful face and body from the weekend we shared. In a desperate attempt to drown him out, I force myself to imagine Sota instead, and it works for the most part. 

Speaking of Sota, thankfully, he never brings up his brother, making it easier to pretend Aoto doesn’t exist.

Father, unconvinced, insists, “Aoto Kikuchi? I have never heard of him. Why do you want him in your music video so badly? He is not even a Dominant Omega or an Alpha.”

Ji-yeon squeals, showing him a picture on her phone. “But he is so freaking cute. Look at him, Father. He is so pretty I just want him to be mine,” she exclaims, slightly bouncing in her seat.

“What?” Father and I gasp in unison, wide-eyed, our jaws dropping to the floor.

“I want him to be one of my Omegas. Can you imagine how gorgeous our kids would be? Think about it, Father. We could have more perfect faces coming out of Yoon Talent Agency and Yoon Entertainment in the future. Obviously, I don’t want him as my official partner or anything, since he is a lowborn. I just want him in my harem of beautiful Omegas,” Ji-yeon states nonchalantly, flipping her long blonde hair back as she usually does when talking about something obvious to her.

I gape at her, speechless. First, I had no idea my nineteen-year-old sister had a harem of Omegas. Second, if she already has one, why the hell does she want to have babies with Aoto, of all people? He is a Recessive Omega, for fuck’s sake. I get it—his looks are beyond anyone’s imagination, especially when he is naked—but still... Why Aoto? Just... why?

Aoto is mine. Only mine.

The sudden intrusive thought hits me hard, followed by a surge of pure jealousy that knots my stomach. The mention of his name and Ji-yeon’s desire to claim him shatters all the effort I have put into forgetting him over the past two years. I feel uneasy, anxious, and, to my own surprise, incredibly possessive of Aoto.

While still inspecting Aoto’s photo on Ji-yeon’s smartphone screen, Father asks, “How did you even find out about this streamer?”

“I was flipping through streams and happened to catch one of his live sessions—I fell in love with him at first sight. My agent tried to gather some information about him but couldn’t find anything—no details about his family, no address, not even his clothing or shoe sizes.”

Father raises an eyebrow. “His last name is the same as that Alpha you follow around like a puppy, Yu-jun. What was his name again? Soba?” He glances at me, his disapproval about my relationship with Sota clearly written across his face.

“It’s Sota,” I grumble, avoiding his gaze. After a couple of seconds, for reasons I cannot explain, I lie, “Yeah, Sota’s last name is also Kikuchi, but I have never heard of any Aoto. I have no idea who he is.”

“Really? What a bummer. I thought Aoto might be your boyfriend’s relative, which would have made things easier for me,” Ji-yeon says, visibly disappointed.

“Look, I won’t deny that this Aoto kid is beautiful, but I will not accept him as one of your Omegas, Ji-yeon. I will make him part of your next music video and any other project related to your career, sure—but that’s it. I forbid you from being romantically involved with him.” Father stands up abruptly and points an accusatory finger at me, adding, “And you, Yu-jun. You better break things off with that little boyfriend of yours before your mother and I step in again and make him disappear for good this time. Don’t forget you are engaged to Ai, and your wedding will happen as soon as you graduate.”

“Speaking of Ai, she feels humiliated and is really upset with you for dating that Alpha, Yuu. But she loves you so much that she is turning a blind eye to it and your tumultuous sex life,” Ji-yeon comments, her tone sarcastic.

I open my mouth to retort to my father’s statement, but before a word can come out, I close it again. Although I want to swear at him for still forcing me to marry that woman I despise and look down on, I cannot bring myself to go against his and Mother’s wishes. Regardless of how much I protest, as the heir to the Yoon Group and they as its heads, I must obey them without fail. The only time I dared to defy them was when I was dating Sota in high school, but my actions caused irreversible pain—for both him and me. The heartbreak and broken trust on his side, and on mine, an unwanted marriage to someone I hate and the loss of the only one I truly wanted, taught me a harsh lesson—my parents are merciless, cruel, and unforgiving.

“So, will you deal with Aoto-kun directly? Please, please?” Ji-yeon makes a praying gesture, her puppy eyes fixed on Father, who lets out a deep sigh. She knows he cannot say no to her, no matter what she wants. As the youngest member of the Yoon family, she is definitely the most spoiled.

“Do you promise you won’t lay a finger on that streamer?” Father hisses, his hot chili pepper pheromones heating the air.

Ji-yeon hesitates at first, but, faltering under the weight of his pheromones and authoritative gaze, she weakly nods. “I promise. I won’t make Aoto one of my Omegas.”

Father smiles in return. “Fine, then.”

Ji-yeon squeals, delighted, and raises her hand abruptly as though remembering something. “Oh, can I make you an additional request?”

“What is it?”

“Can I get a pet dog and a pet cat? I really, really want to have furry pets. Please, pretty please,” she begs, her puppy eyes again working their magic.

“No,” Father instantly cuts her off, his expression hardening once more. “Your mother and I hate animals, and there is no way you are bringing those filthy things into our home. No.”

“Tsk. Damn it,” Ji-yeon grumbles, crossing her arms in front of her chest, her gaze shifting away from him.

“It’s the hundredth time you have asked Father or Mother for pets, and every time they have denied your request. You know that’s the one thing they will never do for you. How come you haven’t given up on it yet?” I smirk.

“Shut up, Yu-jun,” she snaps, giving me the finger.

“Now leave, Ji-yeon. I need to have a serious conversation with Yu-jun.” Father gestures dismissively, signaling the end of their discussion.

My sister immediately objects, “But—”

As they argue about Ji-yeon’s wish to stay at the headquarters, my smartphone vibrates, announcing new text messages. Eager to distract myself from the unpleasant and disturbing news regarding my sister and Aoto—I am fuming that the latter has become a streamer and random people can ogle him at all times—I immediately open them.

Eiji 

Hey, let’s attend our department’s fresh meat’s welcome gathering tonight at Chikara Bar.

Eiji

I know we’ve never attended one of those before, but it might be fun tonight.

Yu-jun

A gathering?

Yu-jun

Are you fucking kidding me?

Yu-jun

Why would I want to attend one of those?

Eiji

I know that only losers attend those, and they’re a waste of time.

Yu-jun

If you do, then why are you bothering me with that?

Yu-jun

I’d rather go to the nightclub and find someone to fuck.

Eiji

You can do that after the gathering. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find someone there.

Yu-jun

I don’t fuck losers from uni.

Eiji

Not even Sota?

Eiji

I met him at the convenience store on campus, and he said he’s free tonight. He’s attending the gathering with his friends from our department because he wants to decompress and get drunk.

Eiji

He also mentioned his rut is right around the corner, so he wants to go wild while he’s still okay.

Yu-jun

Are you sure Sota is going?

Eiji

Yes. The gathering starts at six.

Yu-jun

Tell the others we’re meeting on campus in thirty minutes, then.

Eiji

Got it.

I stand up from the couch and head to the door, my heart racing with both anxiety and excitement—anxiety because there is no way I am letting Sota spend his rut with some random loser from uni, and excitement because he is one of the few people who I genuinely cherish, as he puts me at ease every time we meet and knows the real me, without judgment, malice, or prejudice.

“Apologies, Father. Something has come up, and I need to go back to campus now,” I inform my father, determined to leave this place immediately and rush to campus.

He quickly grabs my shoulder, trying to stop me. “Wait, Yu-jun. I called you to my office because—”

I gently remove his hand and open the door. Without looking back, I say, “I will see you later, Father, Ji-yeon.”

“Bye-bye,” my sister responds, sounding lively.

“Yu-jun!” I hear Father bark as I walk away from the office, eager to see Sota and spend the night with him.

* * *