Oh, Ryan, how unfortunate for you to have gotten tangled up with me. Jihoon smirked as he watched Ryan disappear behind the thick walls of the campus. It was surprising to him, he was both astonished and perplexed. Ryan, an alpha whose secondary sex characteristics placed him at the pinnacle of the alpha hierarchy, a powerful and dominant prince, had acted so submissive and shy. The contrast was both amusing and unusual. Jihoon had never encountered an alpha who could be so easily embarrassed, let alone by a mere kiss that wasn't even on the lips. Seeing Ryan blush stirred something within him, leaving him unsettled. He couldn't quite comprehend what was happening to him, but one thing was certain: Ryan had caught his attention.
Jihoon laughed hysterically, throwing his head back as tears formed in his eyes from laughing so hard. "It's absolutely hilarious to see him act like that," he said, shaking his head, still chuckling.
As his laughter finally subsided, his expression abruptly turned serious, as if he had just caught someone in the act. "How long are you going to hide and eavesdrop like a nosy pest?" Jihoon exclaimed, his irritation clear toward the person who couldn't seem to mind their own business, always sticking their nose where it didn't belong.
But no one emerged, only fueling Jihoon's irritation and fury. He pressed his tongue against his cheek in annoyance. "Jake, if you think I didn't notice your nosy self following me from the start, you're sadly mistaken," he said, his voice dripping with frustration. Still, there was no response. Jihoon clenched his fists tightly, the urge to punch Jake building inside him.
"Enough with the games—just come out already, you fucking bitch!" Jihoon shouted, his patience wearing thin. Jake never missed a chance to provoke him, always finding ways to be infuriating. Sometimes, Jihoon could barely contain his frustration, tempted to rip his own hair out in sheer exasperation at Jake's constant antics.
A voice broke the silence as Jake emerged from behind the white walls. "Damn, you always catch me," he said with a sly smile, scratching his head as if embarrassed—but Jihoon knew better. The moment Jake saw Jihoon's blank stare, his smirk returned, shedding the pretense of awkwardness. "Alright, fine. Sorry, man," Jake said, shrugging. "It's just that when I sense some drama or juicy gossip, I can't help myself—I have to find out and confirm it firsthand." Jihoon nearly lost it, barely resisting the urge to tear his hair out. What was I even thinking, making this idiot my best friend?
Jihoon rubbed his forehead in frustration. Just moments ago, he had been relishing the image of Ryan's embarrassed expression, until he noticed his clueless friend spying on them from afar. Annoyance flared within him as he caught sight of Jake grinning innocently, as if he hadn't just ruined his mood. Jihoon let out a resigned sigh, knowing he had to give in.
"Why did you follow me? Tell me the truth," he demanded bluntly.
"What? I already told you—" Jake started, but Jihoon's piercing glare cut him off.
"I said, tell me why you followed me."
"Fine. It's just... when I saw you following Ryan, I got worried," Jake admitted, his voice laced with embarrassment as he turned away, trying to hide the flush spreading across his face.
Jihoon stared, utterly dumbfounded. Worried about me? he thought, disbelief hitting him hard. That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. The sight of Jake's reddening face nearly made Jihoon gag. It was absolutely revolting.
"What the—why on earth would you, of all people, be worried about me?" Jihoon asked incredulously.
"W-what? Why can't I be worried about my f-friend?" Jake stammered, desperately trying to justify himself.
Jihoon scrunched his face in disgust. "D-don't tell me you... like—"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Jake snapped, glaring at him. "Why would you even think something like that? Ew!" he retorted, gagging at the mere suggestion of liking Jihoon.
"Then why—" Jihoon trailed off, taking a step back awkwardly, still struggling to believe Jake. "Seriously, dude?" Jake shot back, irritation flashing across his face. He might have punched Jihoon if he wasn't an omega.
"Then what do you expect me to believe?" Jihoon asked, almost convinced that Jake might actually have feelings for him, until Jake spoke again.
"Haven't you heard the rumors about him?" Jake asked, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
I frowned, confused. I knew there were rumors about Ryan circulating around campus, but I hadn't paid them any mind, until now. What kind of rumors could be so serious that even Jake was worried about me?
"What are you talking about? What rumors?" Jihoon asked, clearly confused. Seeing his genuine bewilderment, Jake was taken aback, surprised that Jihoon seemed unaware of something so notorious, especially since it involved someone Jihoon seemed to have an interest in.
"You've got to be kidding me. How can you not know about something so infamous?" Jake was dumbfounded by Jihoon's apparent indifference to what was happening around him. That's why Jake was always cautious—he didn't want Jihoon unknowingly walking into trouble.
"Just tell me what this fuss is all about," Jihoon said, growing impatient and wanting to end the conversation.
Jake shook his head in disbelief. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder what you'd do without me."
Taking a breath, Jake finally revealed the details. "People are saying he's a monster. Apparently, he's killed a lot of people, and almost every other day, some omega falls victim to him. Just two days ago, another omega nearly suffered because of him, but she managed to escape."
Jihoon's eyes widened in shock, unable to process what he had just heard from Jake. It seemed too unbelievable. "No way. That can't be true. Didn't you see how Ryan reacted just now?" he said, shaking his head in disbelief.
"That's exactly my point," Jake replied, his expression unreadable. "A guy who got so humiliated by something as simple as a kiss, like he's never experienced one before, how could rumors like this be spreading about him? And the worst part is, people aren't treating them as just rumors. They actually believe he's some kind of monster."
"What exactly are you saying? That bastard was faking it earlier?" Jihoon asked, horrified. The idea that the reactions he'd just witnessed were all an act, that Ryan might be setting him up to be his next victim, filled Jihoon with dread. Negative thoughts swarmed his mind.
"No, he wasn't faking," Jake blurted out, which only deepened Jihoon's confusion.
"I'm saying the people in this kingdom are out of their minds," Jake continued. "They think he's some kind of anomaly, different from the usual alphas—like those infamous ones from history known for their destruction. They believe Ryan was born with powers similar to those notorious alphas, and without even seeing him do anything wrong, they've decided he's a monster."
Jihoon listened, growing more unsettled with every word.
"Take the incident from two days ago. That omega was already surrounded by a group of alphas. Ryan showed up, fought them off, and when they fled, the omega saw his face. But instead of seeing him as her savior, the rumors twisted it to say he helped her just so he could hurt her later. And people believed it! What kind of logic is that?" Jake exclaimed, frustration evident. "They don't see him as human at all."
"W-what...?" Jihoon stammered, barely able to comprehend.
"Yeah," Jake said, voice bitter. "They're destroying an innocent person's life. And if they keep pushing him like this, they'll turn him into exactly what they fear. I'm telling you, if that happens, it'll be far worse than any incident from the past."
"Y-you might be wrong—" Jihoon began, but Jake cut him off sharply.
"No, I'm not wrong," Jake insisted. "You realize we've been staying at Pyraidal Palace for almost a week now, right?"
Pyraidal Palace, a small but majestic palace in Wisteria, was known for its grandeur and luxury. It was connected to the main royal palace where the Wisterian royal family resided. Built primarily for concubines banished from the main palace, it was also reserved for important guests from other kingdoms.
"Yeah, so what about it?" Jihoon asked, though his head was spinning from everything Jake was telling him.
"Think about it," Jake pressed. "We're staying in a place meant for outcasts and exiles, people who've been pushed aside. Doesn't it seem strange? We're being treated like honored guests, but we're right next to the main palace, where rumors run rampant. People here believe Ryan is some kind of dangerous freak, and they treat him like an outsider, like he's something to fear. It's no coincidence."
Jihoon felt his stomach churn. The weight of everything Jake was saying, the palace's purpose, the rumors about Ryan—it was all starting to make sense, and yet none of it seemed real. He couldn't wrap his mind around how quickly things were spiraling out of control.
"Actually, two days ago, I snuck out of the palace for a walk late at night," Jake began, his voice tense. "I was wandering around when I came across an omega being harassed by a group of alphas. I was about to step in and help, but someone else got there first—saved her. When she ran away, I figured she was just terrified and didn't know what to do, but who would've thought the real reason behind her running was this?"
Jake paused, running a hand through his hair as anxiety built within him. "I saw the whole thing, Jihoon. That guy didn't do anything wrong. He's innocent, but these people are tearing him apart. They don't even see him as a person, let alone the fact that he's the prince."
"Prince?" Jihoon choked, his throat tightening, making it hard to breathe.
Jake nodded, his expression unreadable. "Yeah, he's the prince of Wisteria. The one who's supposed to lead this kingdom, to become its king one day. And they're treating him like he's a monster."
"J-Jake..." Jihoon's voice trembled, barely able to contain the overwhelming emotions swirling within him. Everything was happening so fast, and the realization hit him hard—this wasn't just about rumors or misunderstandings. They were destroying the future king of Wisteria.
"We need to stop this," Jihoon said, his voice shaking with urgency. "If we don't, the prophecy that has haunted our kingdom for generations... I fear it could become reality—the destruction our ancestors feared most."
Jake looked at him, listening intently as Jihoon continued, his voice laced with dread. "The king seated on the throne, a bloodstained sword in his hand. No one could tell how many children, women, and elders were slain by that blade. Lifeless bodies scattered everywhere, and not a single breath remained among them. And yet, the king's eyes... they were empty, emotionless. The only thing you could hear from him was a single, terrifying word—revenge."
Jake swallowed hard, the weight of Jihoon's words settling between them like a cold shadow. The prophecy had always been whispered in fearful tones, a distant legend. But now, with everything happening, it felt like a looming threat, one that could come true if they didn't act.
"We can't let that happen, Jake," Jihoon whispered, terror gripping his heart.
To be continued....