The airport greeted them with a hum of voices, the rustle of suitcases, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee from the 24-hour cafes. People rushed, calling to each other at the check-in counters, but for Minjun and Hyuk, all this noise was just a blurred background. They moved slowly, cautiously, trying not to attract attention.
Hyuk carried a small suitcase, while Minjun held only the document folder the secretary had given them. His heart was beating too loudly, as if it feared someone might hear it. Every movement felt alien: a step - too heavy, a gaze - too long.
"Everything will be fine," Hyuk whispered, intertwining his fingers with Minjun's. His pheromones were almost imperceptible, but Minjun felt them in his blood - a soothing current of warmth that softened his fear.
They passed check-in and security, and then they were in the waiting area. Minjun sat by the window, looked at the runway lights, and thought, Am I really flying away from here? Everything inside him trembled. He stroked his stomach with his palm, trying not to show it too obviously, and imagined that the reason he had decided to flee was stored right there.
Hyuk wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him closer, and for a second, the airport noise ceased to exist.
"We'll get through this, Minjun," he said softly, looking directly into his eyes. "You're not alone. Never."
Minjun nodded. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he didn't let them fall. He had to conserve his strength, at least until the plane took to the sky.
When their flight was announced, they stood up. Each step toward the jet bridge was difficult, but a warmth gradually spread through his heart: they were leaving the father's shadow behind, leaving the endless pressure.
The plane soared into the sky. Minjun pressed himself against the window and looked down - the city lights gradually turned into tiny sparks, disappearing beneath the clouds. Hyuk placed his palm over Minjun's and squeezed it gently, as if confirming: Now we are free.
Minjun closed his eyes and, for the first time in a long time, breathed calmly.
Meanwhile, a different kind of silence reigned at the hospital. The ward where Minjun had been was empty. On the nightstand, the glass of water was still there, covered in transparent drops of condensation. The bed was neatly made, but the air itself seemed to remember the presence of the one who had left it.
The father sat in an armchair by the window. His face was stony, his hands clasped behind his back. He was waiting.
The door opened quietly, and the secretary entered. His steps were soft but confident. He stopped opposite him, bowed as usual, and said in an even voice:
"Mr. Kim."
"Where is my son?" the father's voice was as cold as a blade.
The secretary paused, then calmly replied:
"He's safe."
The father's head snapped up, his gaze darkening.
"You let him go? After everything I told you? You betrayed me?"
The secretary stood up straight. His face remained calm, but something else appeared in his eyes for the first time in thirty years of serving the father - firmness.
"Mr. Kim, I have been by your side for over thirty years. I watched Minjun grow up. I knew how hard he tried to earn your approval. But for the first time in all these years, I saw him truly alive. With that alpha."
"With him?" the father stood up sharply. "With that outsider who will ruin his life?"
"No," the secretary interrupted, and for the first time, his voice held strength. "That alpha will become a greater protector for him than the entire Kim family."
Silence hung in the ward. The father stared at him, as if he couldn't believe those words had actually been said. The secretary did not look away, allowing himself not to submit for the first time.
"I did what I had to do," he said firmly. "As a human being, not as your subordinate."
The father turned away to the window. His shoulders trembled, but no words escaped his lips.
The secretary bowed his head, but this time it was not a gesture of submission. It was a farewell bow.