Two more days passed.
By the time the sixth day arrived, Haneul had completely stopped coming out of his room.
At first,
Bora thought he was just a bit anxious.
Then she noticed the meals left untouched.
The curtains that stayed closed.
The silence that followed him everywhere.
Haneul had grown so anxious, so deeply depressed, that even stepping outside his room seemed impossible.
Bora noticed everything.
Lihan had already told her the truth.
Taekyun couldn't come back yet.
His rut had hit, and it wasn't something he could simply ignore.
But Bora hid it.
Every time Haneul asked,
She told him the same thing.
"He's busy with work."
She never once mentioned the rut.
Haru still went to school every morning and returned every afternoon, but she was no longer the same aswell.
She became stubborn.
She cried over small things.
A wrong spoon.
A delayed response.
A game that never happened.
Part of it was because her father wasn't home.
But most of it was because Haneul wasn't the same either.
They no longer played together the way they used to.
Now, they only sat together in Haneul's room.
Haru spent all her time beside him, sitting quietly next to him on the bed, leaning against his arm as if afraid he might disappear if she moved away.
By the afternoon of the sixth day,
Bora couldn't handle it anymore.
She watched Haneul feed Haru slowly, forcing a small smile even though his hands trembled slightly.
His anxiety had grown so much that even a simple touch startled him.
Still, he stayed there, Haru beside him, trying to hold himself together.
That was when Bora finally called Taekyun.
Because she could see it clearly now.
Haneul was struggling far too much.
Taekyun had been supposed to return the very next day after leaving.
But his rut had worsened, forcing him to stay three more days.
And during those days, Haneul's condition only deteriorated.
(Meanwhile/ in the hotel)
An Omega slowly got up from Taekyun's bed as Taekyun stepped out of the shower, water still dripping from his hair.
The Omega bowed respectfully, quickly putting on his clothes before leaving the room.
Taekyun's rut had mostly ended.
Just like always,
He had spent it with one-night stand Omegas from the hotel.
The usual way.
The way he always did.
His phone rang.
He answered.
It was Bora.
She told him everything
Haneul's anxiety, his isolation, his worsening condition.
"I'll come tomorrow,"
Taekyun said.
As his temperature was still slightly high.
"For now, stay in the residence.
Stay close to Haneul and Haru and take care of them."
"Yes, sir,"
Bora replied politely.
The call ended.
---
After the call,
Bora sighed took a long breath and went to Haneul's room.
As she opened the door
She saw,
Haneul sat wrapped in a blanket, his knees pulled tightly to his chest.
He stared out the window, unmoving.
"Haneul,"
Bora said softly.
He turned his head slowly.
"Isn't he back yet?"
Bora took a breath.
She looked at him carefully.
The weight he had lost.
The dark circles beneath his eyes.
The clear signs of sleepless nights.
"No,"
She said quietly.
"Tomorrow evening sir will..."
The words felt empty.
Tomorrow evening.
The same promise she had repeated every day.
Even she was starting to feel irritated by it.
"Haneul,"
She tried again,
"come downstairs for a while.
The weather outside is good."
He shook his head.
"When Haru comes back from school,"
He said softly,
"send her to my room."
Bora sat beside him.
She hesitated before speaking again.
"Is there anything we can do so you'll feel even a little relieved?"
Haneul lowered his head.
He shook it slowly.
He didn't know.
Bora lowered her gazes already knew why.
She had even considered taking Haneul to Itaewon herself.
But then reality hit her.
Taekyun was in rut.
He wouldn't be able to control himself.
How could he possibly take care of Haneul in that state?
Anger stirred inside her.
If things had already gone this far, then why wasn't Taekyun spending his rut with Haneul instead?
She reached out and gently held Haneul's hand.
"I'm sure sir will return tomorrow,"
She said.
"He told me they wrapped up their work."
Haneul looked at her.
He smiled faintly.
Too faint.
He nodded.
"I know he must be busy,"
He said in a broken voice.
"I don't blame him."
He swallowed hard.
"It's just I can't control my own body. It hurts."
Tears slid down his cheeks.
"I don't want to be a burden to him. And if he's staying"
His words faltered.
"There must be something important."
His throat tightened.
"But Omegas of our world are too sensitive.
When we're away from the pheromones we depend on it becomes unbearable."
Bora nodded slowly, worry filling her eyes.
"I know,"
She said softly.
"It's not your fault. And it's not sir's fault either."
She paused.
"I just don't know what to say."
(Back in the hotel)
Even though Taekyun had already decided to return the next day, Bora's words refused to leave his mind.
His heart wouldn't accept it.
He dressed, took another suppressant, and sat on the bed.
The way Bora described Haneul's nervous state reminded him of the past.
The day Haneul had been taken by his mother's guards.
The tears.
The panic.
The helpless look in his eyes.
A knock came.
Taekyun got up and walk towards the door
And took the food,
but when he tried to eat, he couldn't swallow.
Confusion twisted inside him.
He pushed the food away.
For the past three days, even while spending his rut the same way he always did, Haneul's image never left his mind.
The more he thought about Haneul during his rut, the more unstable he felt.
He ran a hand through his hair and called the hotel staff.
"Prepare my ride back to Seoul."
And he checked out.
[Back at the villa]
Around eight in the evening.
Bora sat with Haru at the dining table.
Haru refused every dish.
The chef finally made noodles just for her.
Bora placed the bowl in front of Haru and sighed.
"Haru-ah, look,"
She said gently.
"Eat a little. Why are you tiring me?"
She tried to tease her.
"Your dad will scold you."
Haru pouted.
"Please,"
Bora pleaded.
"Just eat a bit."
Haru suddenly burst into tears.
Bora stood up immediately.
"Oh Haru, no. I didn't mean"
Footsteps echoed from upstairs.
Haneul came down.
His face was pale.
Chills ran through his body.
He walked straight to Haru and sat beside her, pulling her into his arms.
"Haru-ah"
His eyes looked empty.
He rubbed her back slowly.
"Look at me."
Haru looked up at him.
"Do you want Umma to feed you?"
She nodded.
Haneul gently took the chopsticks from Bora's hand.
Bora stood there, watching.
"I didn't scold her,"
She said quietly.
"She hasn't eaten since morning.
Her teacher even called.
She was off today and didn't eat her lunch."
Haneul looked at her.
"It's my fault,"
He said.
"It's okay"
"I took everything onto myself. I'm terrible
I can't even hold myself together."
"It's not like that,"
Bora said firmly.
"My meal,"
Haneul said softly.
"Oh yes,"
Bora replied, calling the chef again.
They ate together.
The atmosphere warmed slightly.
Haru ate.
Haneul also began eating .
But inside, Haneul was still struggling.
His heart raced.
His body felt cold.
I won't overreact.
I'll hold myself together.
He's busy.
I shouldn't depend.
Even if I'm not from this world, I'll become strong.
I'll remove this fear from myself.
After dinner,
He took Haru upstairs.
When she fell asleep,
He slowly got up.
He went to Taekyun's room just like he had every night since Taekyun left.
He took one of Taekyun's shirts, held it close, and lay down on his bed.
He fell asleep there.
It had become his routine.
Every night after Haru slept, he would come here.
Stay until morning light touched his face.
Then return to Haru's room before Bora arrived.