RACA 82

Eunsol stood in front of the showcase and thought for a long time. Every cake displayed looked so pretty that he didn’t know which one he should buy.

“Mm…”

He should have asked Jaebeom in advance what kind of cake he liked. He had gone out secretly but ended up forgetting something important.

But even this small dilemma didn’t feel unpleasant. Eunsol smiled inwardly. He was happy enough just to be able to celebrate Jaebeom’s birthday, even in a small way.

“Do you need any help?”

The bakery owner approached Eunsol, who was still hesitating and spoke kindly.

“Ah, yes. Which cake isn’t too sweet and tastes soft?”

“How about the Basque cheesecake?”

When Eunsol nodded with a bright face, the owner pointed at one of the cakes inside the showcase.

The yellowish cake had a slightly baked surface that looked a bit like scorched rice. It seemed delicious, but it didn’t look pretty enough for a birthday table.

The owner seemed to notice his hesitation and quickly recommended another.

“Or this blueberry chiffon is nice too. It’s not sweet, and since it has yogurt cream, it tastes refreshing. There’s also a strawberry chiffon cake from the same line.”

While listening, Eunsol looked over each cake one by one. His gaze finally stopped on the strawberry fresh cream cake he had noticed right after walking into the shop.

He liked the two small strawberry figures on top that looked like twins, which reminded him of his own pheromones.

“How many candles would you like?”

“Three large ones and three small ones, please.”

As he answered, something on the display caught his eye. On one side, there were toppers. The one that stood out most had the words “Happy Birthday” with hearts on both sides.

“I’ll take this too.”

“Of course. I’ll include some extra candles.”

“Thank you.”

The owner’s thoughtful gesture put him in a good mood. He smiled brightly and accepted the cake box with both hands.

Before leaving the store, he thought of Bulgom and picked out a few snacks too. Holding one more bag, he stepped outside and opened his umbrella.

“Good. It almost stopped.”

The soft sound of rain and the sweet smell of cake made him feel even more cheerful. Now all he had to do was go back, set up the birthday table quietly without Jaebeom noticing, and have a surprise party.

Eunsol hummed happily as he walked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the door of a black car open, as if someone inside was about to get out, but he didn’t pay attention.

“……”

He started to feel something strange only after he entered the apartment complex. At first, he thought it was just someone walking in the same direction.

But when he sensed that the person was keeping a distance behind him, he realized it wasn’t just a coincidence.

Even if two people walked the same way, wasn’t it strange to maintain the exact same distance?

To be sure, he didn’t head straight for his building but walked one big loop [unauthorized copy]around the complex, but the presence behind him didn’t fade.

By then, his suspicion had already turned into certainty.

‘Who is that? What do they want?’

After unexpectedly becoming an omega, Eunsol had grown careful about moments like this. He always made sure that his scent wouldn’t provoke a strange alpha.

He couldn’t help it. He had seen enough unfair incidents involving omegas on the news and online.

Eunsol swallowed quietly while holding the umbrella and the cake box tightly.

He had never felt so frustrated about having both hands full. If he weren’t holding anything, he would have already called Jaebeom or Bulgom.

His pace quickened. The person behind him no longer seemed to be hiding their movements. Eunsol stepped onto the path leading into a narrow lane inside the complex, deciding he couldn’t delay any longer.

“Eunsol-ah, it’s slippery that way.”

At the sound of a familiar voice, Eunsol froze like he had hit the brakes. He abruptly turned around, and in his sight stood Jaebeom, smiling softly under a large umbrella.

“Jaebeom-ssi?”

“It’s dangerous walking like that while carrying things. Watch your step and slow down.”

Eunsol stared at him. Was the person who had been following him Jaebeom? Since when? Just as confusion filled his mind, he noticed Jaebeom’s state.

“Wait, what happened to you? You’re soaked!”

He hadn’t seen properly under the umbrella earlier, but now that Jaebeom was close, his clothes and hair were soaked, water dripping down from them.

This wasn’t just from being caught in light rain.

“Yeah. Someone disappeared without saying a word, so I had to look for them.”

When Jaebeom tilted his head slightly as he spoke, Eunsol couldn’t argue back. There was nothing to say.

After all, he really had planned this outing secretly with Bulgom.

“Were you worried? I’m sorry. I just wanted to prepare a surprise party for your birthday.”

“Then you succeeded. You really surprised me.”

“I didn’t mean to shock you that much…”

Jaebeom had an uncanny talent for making him feel guilty with just one sentence. He always hit exactly where it hurt.

“Since I couldn’t give you a present, I wanted to at least do a surprise party. With candles and everything.”

Jaebeom’s gaze turned to the cake box in Eunsol’s hands. He silently held out his hand.

“You already gave me a present earlier. Why do you keep trying to give me more?”

“No, it’s not like that!”

Eunsol widened his eyes and hugged the box tightly to his chest.

“And I’m taking this with me, so don’t touch it.”

The way he clutched it looked just like a little dog refusing to come out of a box it liked, and Jaebeom let out a short laugh.

“It’s uncomfortable holding both the umbrella and that. Give it here.”

“Who makes the birthday person carry the cake? No.”

At his firm tone, Jaebeom narrowed his eyes, but Eunsol didn’t look away. He wasn’t afraid of that gaze anymore because he knew what kind of person Jaebeom was, warm beneath the surface.

As expected, Jaebeom sighed and withdrew his hand. Then he tilted the umbrella further toward Eunsol and made space beside him.

“Come here. We’ll share it.”

Eunsol obediently stepped under it. When he tried to move closer, Jaebeom shook his head.

“No.”

“If we walk like this, you’ll get wet.”

Eunsol noticed that because Jaebeom had tilted the umbrella toward him, Jaebeom’s own shoulder was already damp. He felt guilty.

“It’s fine. Let’s just go. It’s not far.”

“It’s close, so we should walk together.”

“You’ll get wet.”

“This much is fine.”

They bickered as they walked into the complex. Their words sounded like an argument, but the space between them kept shrinking, and by the time they reached the entrance, their shoulders were almost touching.

“Next time, tell me before you go. At least send a message. I really worried.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll leave a note next time.”

When Eunsol agreed meekly, Jaebeom carefully patted his head like he found him endearing. Then, as naturally as breathing, he took the cake box from Eunsol’s hands.

“Huh?”

“I’ll take it from here.”

Eunsol reached out, but Jaebeom raised the box above his head. Because of their height difference, Eunsol couldn’t reach it, no matter how much he stood on his toes.

“We’ll have the party later, so put it in the fridge.”

“Yes, CEO.”

As soon as Jaebeom stepped inside the house, he handed the cake to Bulgom. When he noticed that the sound of footsteps behind him had stopped, he turned his head.

Eunsol stood beside Bulgom. He was the one to speak first.

“Go wash up.”

It was an ordinary sentence, yet today it felt different.

“Come with me.”

“Where?”

“Help me pick what to wear.”

They weren’t going out, so why? Eunsol tilted his head but nodded after a moment. When he thought about how hard Jaebeom must have looked for him, he felt he should at least do that much.

“Go ahead, sir.”

Bulgom quickly read the situation and stepped aside, even giving Eunsol a little push from behind. In the end, Eunsol followed Jaebeom into the room.

“Should I fill the tub for you?”

“The tub?”

“Yes. I’ll pour warm water and add a bath product.”

“Are you planning to join me?”

“What? No.”

“Alright then.”

Eunsol tried to explain that wasn’t what he meant, but Jaebeom’s unexpected agreement left him speechless. His eyes wandered uncertainly.

“Wash with me. You said you wanted to celebrate my birthday.”

With that last line, Jaebeom left him no chance to refuse. Once again, Eunsol was pulled along by his pace.

As the tub filled, their lips met. What started as a light touch deepened inside the water.

“Haa, ah, Jae, Jaebeom, Jaebeom-ssi…”

Eunsol’s breath grew ragged as his body melted into the warmth and the movements that followed. The kisses and touches that continued underwater made him tremble as if his whole body were dissolving.

Jaebeom let out a low laugh when he saw Eunsol’s flushed face. It was an animal-like laugh, different from his usual calm tone.

“Yeah, Eunsol.”

“Slowly, please…”

There was no penetration, but the act was so fierce that breathing became hard. When the omega’s pheromones scent spread in the air, Jaebeom murmured quietly to himself.

‘So from now on, don’t go out alone.’