[Outside in the Garden / 5PM]
The evening sun stretched long shadows across the garden.
The air felt too calm.
Haneul sat on the wooden bench outside, elbows resting on his knees, fingers loosely intertwined.
Beside him, Haru sat quietly with her small sketchbook on her lap.
Haneul eyes kept drifting toward the residence gate.
"When will she come"
He murmured under his breath.
It wasn't loud.
But the impatience in his voice was clear.
He hadn't realized how much he had been waiting for Bora's return.
The gate finally opened.
Haneul lift his head instantly.
Bora stepped inside.
The moment the staff noticed her, their expressions changed.
"Oh..... Bora is back!"
They gathered around her almost instinctively like children who had just found someone they missed deeply.
"Bora-ah, we missed you!"
"Bora-ah, you're back!"
"Did you bring that rice wine you promised?"
"What about the kimchi?"
Bora laughed softly.
That familiar, warm laugh.
She bowed slightly in greeting.
The staff bowed back immediately, respectful as always.
"Of course I did,"
She said playfully.
"I grabbed some in a hurry before coming."
She opened the bag she was carrying and handed out neatly sealed jars.
"Here. Rice wine."
"And in here fermented kimchi."
The staff's faces brightened.
They looked genuinely happy.
It almost felt as if the mother of the house had returned.
Bora looked at them with fondness, then suddenly noticed Haneul approaching from behind.
Her eyes softened.
She teased lightly, waving her hand.
"Give me way. I have to meet him."
The staff laughed and stepped aside.
"I feel like a celebrity who gives things instead of receiving them from fans,"
She added jokingly.
Haneul walked toward her .
A small teasing pout formed on his lips.
"Bora-ohhh…."
He called dramatically, opening his arms wide as he approached.
"I missed you."
Bora immediately stepped back.
"No, no,"
She said, raising one eyebrow slightly.
"Don't lie."
Haneul blinked innocently.
"I'm not lying."
"Your face is glowing, actually,"
She replied dryly.
"You look perfectly fine without me."
He grinned.
"Oh? I really did miss you. Look at me, don't I look miserable"
Before he could finish exaggerating, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.
"I really did miss you,"
He said again, this time softer.
Bora's teasing expression melted.
She hugged him back gently.
"Of course I missed you too,"
She said quietly.
"But more than you missed me."
Haneul pulled back slightly, still holding her arms.
"Without you, this house didn't feel the same."
For a second, Bora's smile faltered.
"It was just a few days,"
She replied lightly.
Then she added, almost absentmindedly.
"What if someday I have to leave forever?"
Haneul's expression changed immediately.
"Yaa…. why are you saying that?"
She smiled again.
But it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Nothing. Just saying."
Footsteps approached from behind.
Both of them turned.
Haru was walking toward them.
Before Haneul.
Usually, whenever Bora left even for a single day, Haru would be the first to run to her.
She would jump into her arms without hesitation.
But today.
Haru didn't run.
Her face was calm.
Her eyes looked distant and cold.
When she reached Bora, she stopped a step away.
And bowed.
Bora's expression shifted immediately.
She stepped forward quickly and knelt down, gently holding Haru's shoulders.
"No, Haru. Don't bow."
Haru lifted her head and looked at her.
Her gaze was steady and Controlled.
Bora pulled her into a tight hug.
"You've grown up so much"
She whispered.
"It's only been five days. Why does it feel like you've grown too much?"
Haneul looked down at Haru carefully.
"She's like Taekyun now …. isn't she?"
He said quietly.
Bora glanced at him and gave a small nod.
A soft smile appeared on her face.
"So our Haru-ah is finally an alpha."
She looked down at her.
"Isn't that great, Haru?"
Haru looked at her.
She nodded.
Bora brushed her hair gently.
"Haru.… like being an alpha?"
Haru looked at her again.
And nodded.
Then she spoke.
Just three words.
But they stunned both Haneul and Bora completely.
"Miss you, nana."
Her tone was soft but restrained.
It felt like something she had been holding in.
Bora's arms tightened around her instinctively.
The way she said it, it hurt.
It wasn't loud.
But it carried weight.
Haneul stood there frozen.
Was Haru quiet all this time only because of her manifestation?
Or had she been missing Bora deeply and just not saying it?
Bora slowly pulled her back just enough to look at her face.
"Oh, my little girl"
She whispered, her voice softer now.
"I missed you too. Nana also missed Haru."
She smiled gently.
Haneul smiled too, though his eyes were thoughtful.
"Haru-ah…. you didn't say that before.
Were you hiding it all this time?
You missed Bora that much?"
Haru didn't answer.
She simply looked at him.
Bora looked up at Haneul.
Their eyes met.
Something unspoken passed between them.
Haneul gave her a small glance back.
Bora stood up slowly, still holding Haru's hand.
"Let's go inside."
Haneul nodded as Haru slowly grabbed Haneul's hand, holding it tightly.
They walked back toward the residence.
[Meanwhile, in the office]
"Here, sir. Tissues,"
Lihan said quietly.
Taekyun grabbed the tissue and suddenly stood up, walking straight toward the bathroom again.
Lihan waited outside, worry clearly visible on his face.
After a moment,
Taekyun came out, looking even paler than before.
"Should we go for a check-up, sir?"
Lihan asked carefully.
Taekyun looked at him for a few seconds, then gave a small nod.
Since morning, this was the third time he had vomited just from the smell of coffee and food.
He hadn't eaten a single thing the entire day.
He sat back down in his chair, leaning against it heavily.
Lihan approached him, putting his phone into his pocket.
"Let's go, sir. The car is here."
Taekyun slowly stood up, adjusting his coat before walking out.
They left the office together.
The employees were also leaving one by one, but many of them whispered quietly while looking at Taekyun's condition.
He looked unusually pale and weak.
Inside the car,
Taekyun sat in the back seat while Lihan began driving toward the hospital.
On the way, Lihan glanced at him through the rearview mirror.
Taekyun was leaning back against the seat, one hand pressed to his forehead, his jaw tightened as if enduring discomfort.
Lihan had never seen Taekyun like this.
Since morning, he had insisted he was fine. But after the third time vomiting, he finally agreed to visit the hospital.
"Sir, did you drink?"
Lihan asked hesitantly.
Taekyun slowly shook his head.
"I didn't."
Lihan nodded, even more worried now.
Then what exactly was happening?
He hadn't eaten anything the whole day at the office either.
And yet his body was reacting this way.
[Back in the residence]
Haneul was sitting on the couch beside Haru when Bora came in.
Haneul looked at her and said,
"You just arrived.
Why are you working already?
You should start from tomorrow."
Bora smiled and sat beside him.
Haru was sitting nearby on the couch, quietly drawing something on a paper.
"I was just checking over things,"
Bora said.
"And Mina.... she never gives me a second to breathe."
Haneul nodded.
"Yes, I also noticed. She always talks about you as if she likes to.....
But wait….."
He suddenly narrowed his eyes and looked at Bora suspiciously.
"Mina likes you?"
Bora playfully hit his arm.
"What are you saying?
Are you crazy?
We're like good sisters, alright?"
Haneul nodded dramatically.
"Yes, yes, I know."
Just then, Haru got up from the couch and brought her drawing toward Haneul to show him.
Haneul smiled and grabbed the drawing, but the moment his fingers touched Haru's hand, he felt the warmth again.
He frowned slightly.
"Haru are you having a fever again?"
He gently placed his hand on her forehead. It felt quite warm.
"You didn't take your medicine as well, Haru-ah?"
Bora immediately became concerned and checked Haru's temperature too.
Haneul said softly,
"Taekyun said this will happen until her first heat arrives, but the medicine is supposed to help her."
Bora nodded seriously.
"Yes, that's right. Where is her medicine?
I'll give it to her."
She stood up, but Haneul suddenly stood as well.
"Wait, you sit. I'll bring it."
"I almost forgot today."
But as he got up too quickly, a strange sensation twisted in his lower belly.
His vision almost darkened.
His mind became hazy.
A sudden wave of nausea hit him, making his head spin.
He held onto the couch tightly to steady himself.
That same feeling again like he was about to vomit.
He pressed his lips tightly, holding everything in his mouth, and looked at Bora.
For a second, Bora froze.
Haneul's face had turned pale almost yellowish.
"Haneul are you okay?"
She asked, her voice filled with worry.
Haru looked up at him,
"Umma"
Even while holding back the nausea, eyes slightly teary, Haneul gently patted Haru's head once before quickly running toward the toilet.
Bora's eyes widened in shock.
She immediately turned to Haru.
"It's okay, it's okay,"
She said, trying to calm her.
But confusion filled her mind.
What suddenly happened to him?
[At the hospital]
Inside the consultation room, the doctor adjusted his glasses and looked at the reports.
"The tests are clear,"
He said.
"There's no infection.
No pheromone involvement."
He looked at Taekyun seriously.
"Everything is fine. Not even an allergy."
Lihan frowned.
"Then why is this happening?
Sir has vomited almost three times since morning."
The doctor leaned back, lost in thought.
"Did you meet anyone with rare pheromones that you didn't like?
Or something unusual?"
Taekyun, already in a bad mood, gave the doctor a sharp look.
Lihan quickly replied,
"Sir didn't meet anyone since morning.
Then how would that happen?"
Taekyun spoke calmly but coldly,
"It's been happening for a few days.
I don't like the smell of meals."
The doctor looked even more confused.
"But Mr. Taekyun, I'm confused.
You're an Alpha.
We can't even say hidden pregnancy symptoms."
"Then...."
Taekyun gave him a deadly glare.
The doctor immediately straightened.
"Wait…. by any chance"
He hesitated before speaking carefully.
"Do you have an Omega who's pregnant?"
Both Lihan and Taekyun looked at him.
Taekyun's voice turned colder.
"What do you mean?
What does that have to do with an Omega's pregnancy?"
The doctor cleared his throat.
"Sorry, sir
In some cases, when an Omega is deeply attached to their Alpha like through a bite mark or strong pheromone bonding about ten percent of cases show something unusual."
He paused, choosing his words carefully.
"When the Omega gets pregnant, the Alpha may feel the symptoms the Omega is facing.
If nothing else, the Alpha can experience nausea, vomiting, headaches like"
He stopped speaking under Taekyun's intense stare.
The room fell silent.
Lihan was completely speechless.
"But if the Omega isn't pregnant then?" Lihan finally asked.
The doctor sighed lightly.
"Then for now, I'll say it might just be a reaction to something, I don't know."
"But I'll say...."
Taekyun stared at the doctor for a long moment.
Then he slowly nodded and stood up.
He had already understood.
Maybe the doctor was right.
Haneul was from Eunoia.
For them, irregular pregnancies were possible.
The way Haneul depended on his pheromones the way he was overly sensitive his sudden mood swings with meals
his strong emotional reactions.
And just like the night before.
It made sense.
As Lihan followed him outside, Taekyun stopped near the car.
"Find a good Omega doctor who can come to the residence and check Haneul."
Lihan froze behind him.
"Sir, do you mean Haneul?"
Taekyun sat inside the car, his expression cold and unreadable.
"Just to make sure."