Do-hyun's face was a question mark as Jaemin cringed, his hand still on the partially opened door. But before either man could respond, a hand from within grabbed the door and flung it wide open.
A young man, barely older than his early twenties, stood there, a wide, enthusiastic grin on his face.
"Hyung, who is this?" he demanded, his eyes gleaming with curiosity as he took in Do-hyun, standing there with the two large bags of food.
He was soon joined by a woman who looked strikingly similar to him, and they both grabbed Do-hyun by the arms, pulling him into the apartment as if they'd known him forever.
Do-hyun stumbled in, trying to get his bearings. The usually tranquil, minimalistic living room he had grown familiar with was now a sight of utter chaos. Huge bags of luggage were thrown around, blankets and pillows were strewn across the floor, and a small table had been set up in the middle of the room, surrounded by an assortment of half-eaten snacks. It looked less like Jaemin's living room and more like a makeshift camp.
"Is that oxtail soup? My favourite!" the young woman exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she took the bags from him. "I'm his sister, Seo Jina. And this is my twin brother, Seo Junho." She pointed to her brother, who was already peering into the food bags.
"Hi~" Seo Junho looked up and offered a warm smile. "And you are?"
"I'm… Kang Do-hyun," he replied, looking over at Jaemin, who was standing frozen in the doorway, a look of sheer panic on his face. Do-hyun saw the subtle shake of his head and took the hint. "I work with Jae– Conductor-nim at the orchestra."
Junho's face fell slightly, but he quickly bounced back. "You came all this way just to bring him dinner? What a good colleague you are!"
It was at that moment that a soft, compassionate voice spoke from the corner of the room, where a kind-faced woman sat on the floor, sorting through a bag. "Oh, you're from the orchestra! Thank you so much for defending our Jaemin from all the ogres!"
Jaemin's hand flew up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "It's trolls, Omma. And you really didn't have to come down all the way just for this…"
"Why not!" his mother insisted, pushing herself up with a small grunt. "It was about time we took a little family holiday, and we haven't seen you in so many years! You look so much better than you did when you came back from Vienna, though, that was really… It was so difficult to convince your father to let you come out again, even if it's just to Seoul. He was so worried—"
Jaemin's jaw tightened. "I'm sure that wasn't what he was worried about."
"Oppa, don't be like that," his sister cut in gently, sensing the shift in the air. "Appa's just a little dense. He hasn't yet figured out how to deal with you being an omega, but he really does worry for your safety."
"Yeah," his brother chimed in, "I was hoping Kang Do-hyun-ssi was your boyfriend or something, then at least Omma and Appa can rest easy knowing that Hyung is being well taken care of!" Junho leaned in and whispered loudly to Do-hyun, "Hyung was super popular in school, there were always so many people chasing him!"
Jaemin looked like he didn't know whether to blush or blanch. "That's NOT TRUE—!" he started to protest, but his voice was drowned out by another gruff voice that boomed out.
"Ya, Seo Jaemin. Don't just stand there, tell your guest to come in for dinner." Jaemin's father, a tall man with a face etched by years of silent work, peered in through the doorway to the kitchen. His eyes, the color of a stormy sea, landed on Do-hyun. "I'm just glad we get to see the kind of friends you're making now," he continued, "before something else happens."
Just like that, the air, previously filled with warm, lively banter and the aroma of cooking food, turned sharp and cold, a strained silence settling uncomfortably within the room.
The vanishing of Do-hyun's polite smile had less to do with understanding what Jaemin's father was implying than the way Jaemin's shoulders went rigid at the words, the cherry blossom scent spiking with aversion. Sensing a threat, he bristled, a low, dangerous growl threatening to escape his throat.
Jaemin, sensing the shift in Do-hyun's demeanor and scent, turned to him with a look of silent pleading. Their eyes met, and in that fleeting moment, Do-hyun understood. He was being classified together with another alpha, Choi Seungcheol, the person who had shattered Jaemin's world in the past.
It was an undeserved jab, a low blow from a man who knew nothing of him.
Thankfully, Jina broke the silence first. "Appa!" she cried, her face scrunching in dismay. "How can you be so mean to Oppa's friend!"
"Yeah!" Junho added, his own smile gone as he shot a glare at his father. "He brought us oxtail soup! We haven't had this in forever. You're being so unfair."
The siblings disappeared into the kitchen, their voices now a low, muffled murmur as they began to chide their father. The clatter of bowls and ladles soon followed, a stark contrast to the thick silence they had left behind.
With a barely perceptible shake of his head, Do-hyun held himself in check. He took a single, deliberate step back. "Thank you for the kind invitation, but it seems that I am intruding on your family reunion." He nodded politely at Jaemin's mother, whose smile had faltered as she looked on with concern. "I'll take my leave now. Please, enjoy your dinner."
"Kang Do-hyun-ssi," Jaemin said, his voice low with urgency, "I'll send you out."
Do-hyun shook his head. "No need to trouble yourself, Conductor-nim. I'm just glad you're safe. You should spend time with your family."
He made to turn and leave, but Jaemin caught his arm. The touch was brief, a flash of warmth that did little to ease the growing distance between them. Do-hyun looked down to see Jaemin's features set with determination.
"I'll send you out," he insisted quietly.
Once they were outside the unit and the door was shut, Jaemin dropped his hand and his shoulders slumped.
"I'm sorry," he sighed wearily. "I was on the way home when my mom called to say they were already on their way to the apartment. It was a complete mess."
Do-hyun nodded, his expression unreadable. "It's okay. I understand." He added quietly, "I was just worried that maybe something had happened to you… but I'm just glad you're safe."
He didn't want to bring up the hurt that was starting to build in his chest. It was one thing to keep a low profile in front of the rest of the orchestra, especially with the online rumours and wild speculation flying around about Jaemin's secondary gender, but even in front of his own family…?
"I'll just… see you tomorrow," he said quietly, stepping away.
He turned to leave, but Jaemin's voice stopped him. "Please, Do-hyun," he started urgently. "It's not—My father is not… He's just difficult. He doesn't understand about… my world."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Do-hyun said flatly. He could smell the shame and exhaustion coming off the omega beside him, but he had no idea how to reconcile that with his own hurt. "Just… have a good dinner with your family. I'll see you at rehearsal."
He turned and walked away, his heart heavy with the unspoken words. He was glad Jaemin was safe, but the sting of being hidden, of having to dodge behind the label of being 'just a colleague', was a fresh, unexpected wound.
Who am I to you, really? was the question ringing incessantly through his mind. But he knew it wasn't the time to say it. He had to be patient, even if every instinct in his body screamed at him to go back upstairs, to claim his place at Jaemin's side, and to let the whole world know that this omega was his.
But now was clearly not the time for such a claim. After all, they had only known each other for three months.