A Villain's Pregnancy - Chapter 3

A Villain's Pregnancy

Chapter 3

SYNOPSIS AND CHARACTER INFO

Transmigration x Omegaverse x Mpreg

Gong: Kang Seheon | Alpha

Shou: Yun Taeseo | Beta turned Omega

════════════════════════════════════

"Ugh, my head hurts."

After the driver dropped him off at school, Taeseo slowly walked up from the main gate. He didn't know where to go for class right away, but he figured he'd find his way around like a lost child until he figured it out.

"Huh? Yun Taeseo?"

Someone threw an arm around his shoulder, making Taeseo frown even deeper.

"What is it?"

"What is it? It's your best friend, Hansu."

"Ah."

He recognized the name. In the novel, Hansu was the only person who treated Taeseo without prejudice. He was the only friend who would tell him he was wrong when he made mistakes—a true friend. It was Park Hansu who first discovered Taeseo's body after his death.

Perfect. Since he already had his arm around him, Taeseo leaned against him.

"Hey, you're heavy!"

"It looks better for me to lean on you than for you to lean on me."

"Really?"

Park Hansu listened attentively to Taeseo's words and supported him. Thanks to this, Taeseo could walk slowly without exerting himself, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

"Huh? There's Kang Inhyeok over there." 

Park Hansu pointed ahead for Taeseo to see. But Tae Seo remained leaning against Park Hansu, unmoving.

"It's Kang Inhyeok. Why is the guy who always cranes his neck like a meerkat to take a look acting so different today?"

"My head hurts."

"Did you drink last night?"

"Yeah."

Taeseo didn't even bother to glance at Kang Inhyeok passing by, focusing only on pressing his forehead.

"Why bother drinking when you can't even handle it? Oh, right, you said you went to a party yesterday."

As Park Hansu and Taeseo continued talking, Kang Inhyeok, who was passing by, stopped in his tracks and looked back at them. He had expected them to call out to him...

┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈

The traditional Korean house where the Chairman of KH Group resided was not particularly tall, but it possessed a massive space. Though serene, it was far from modest; though quiet, it housed dozens of residents.

Today was the day of the monthly family gathering, held under the Chairman's direction. Kang Inhyeok and his parents were the first to arrive.

Han Misun, Inhyeok's mother, wore a perpetually displeased expression, seemingly resentful of having to wait for others.

"We're always the first ones here, waiting like this. If we were more successful, we could arrive fashionably late. When will we ever escape this treatment?"

As Han Misun began her lament, she dragged her husband inside.

"For that to happen, you need to secure a proper subsidiary. How long will you keep bouncing between divisions inferior to your elder brother's?"

"Ahem."

Kang Suhak, Kang Inhyeok's father, cleared his throat awkwardly, but Han Misun openly expressed her disappointment. Recently, there had been a reshuffling of subsidiaries, and Kang Suhak had been assigned to the food division. Despite the hundreds of KH-branded supermarkets across the country, Han Misun remained unsatisfied.

"I truly can't understand why the Chairman made this decision. Anyway, you're the second son. How could he...?"

"Enough. He must have his reasons."

"How long are we supposed to wait and try to understand those reasons?" Han Misun's eyes narrowed sharply. "Do you think I'm like this just because you're managing the supermarkets? This is all for the sake of Inhyeok!"

Kang Inhyeok, who had been naturally dragged into the conversation, seemed to realize it was his turn and lowered his gaze.

"If you take charge of a proper subsidiary, Inhyeok will get a good position. At this rate, he won't even be able to catch up to Seheon's heels."

"People should be placed in positions that match their abilities."

"Sometimes, the position itself creates the ability."

Frustrated, Han Misun gulped down a glass of cold water. It wasn't that she wanted to belittle her husband, but his continued failure to secure a major subsidiary was making her increasingly anxious.

"In a situation like this, it would be better if you, Inhyeok, got engaged."

"Mother, why are you bringing up engagement here?"

"Think about it. If we want to secure a better subsidiary than brother-in-law, what other choice do we have? You know how the Chairman only dotes on Seheon. What else can we do?"

"That's going too far."

"Did I say anything untrue?"

Han Misun held down her stance against the two men, displaying her sharp wit. Having already reached this point, she seemed determined to vent all her frustrations, speaking without pause.

"Let's be honest, what does our Inhyeok lack compared to Seheon? He's smart, has excellent genetics—what's he missing?"

"Still, look at what Seheon is accomplishing right now..."

Every project Kang Seheon completed sent shockwaves through the nation. Even if he wasn't her own son, she had to acknowledge his achievements. But Han Misun scoffed.

"Our Inhyeok would be able to do the same if he were given the chance. Let's be real—his lack of experience is just because he's still young."

Inhyeok shook his head with a resigned smile. "Even for a hedgehog, this is too much."

Korean Proverb: "Even hedgehogs say that their cubs are the most beautiful"

In the parents' eyes, their child is always the best."

He knew his cousin Kang Seheon's capabilities well. Just because their uncle managed KH Group's core subsidiaries didn't mean Seheon wasn't truly talented. If asked if he could achieve similar results at Seheon's age, he'd have to answer with a hesitant "maybe."

Yet his mother seemed to think all thorns are the same, stubbornly insisting her own child's was the sharpest. It was truly frustrating.

"There's only one thing you need to do right now: hold onto Taeseo tightly. If you marry Taeseo, Seheon won't be able to ignore you. There's no reason we can't take over the electronics division."

Inhyeok forced himself to swallow another topic tightening its grip on his throat. The saliva seemed to hang in his throat, refusing to go down.

"Haa... I'll climb up with my own strength," Inhyeok sighed, resigned to the conversation circling back to his marriage. He glanced at his father, who was pretending not to notice his mother's nagging, focused solely on drinking water.

"Don't dismiss my words as nagging. Think carefully. Do you know how many times I visited Taeseo's family to bring you two together? They're buying up massive tracts of land overseas again. The buzz about the extravagant hotel they're planning to build is absolutely wild."

Taeseo's family, practically royalty in the hotel industry, seemed to find this country too small, diligently expanding their hotel empire overseas.

"If the people there were just money-grubbers, I wouldn't say any of this. But they're such upright and principled individuals. Being born to parents like that guarantees Taeseo's character. I see him occasionally, and he's always so well-behaved and kind."

Inhyeok lifted his glass of water, subtly averting his gaze. Character? He'd seen more than a few kids crying after being bullied by Taeseo. Surely his mother couldn't have missed those rumors.

"Of course, Taeseo can be a bit sensitive at times, but that's just because he's frustrated, isn't it?"

He hasn't manifested as an omega yet and feels frustrated that he's still stuck as a beta. But those mere excuses can't justify bullying others.

"Anyway, just focus on Taeseo. Even if he's a Beta for now, it won't last forever. Once he manifests, start preparing for the wedding right away."

"Mom."

It wasn't until Inhyeok called her "Mom" again that Han Misun finally fell silent. This was proof that Inhyeok had reached his breaking point.

"I'm only saying this because I'm worried about you. If you want to surpass Seheon, you absolutely need to secure Taeseo..."

As Han Misun continued, trying to coax an agreement from her son, the sliding door creaked open. Han Misun, who was looking at Inhyeok, merely glanced up in surprise before quickly changing her expression. She instantly transformed into the picture of a doting aunt, as if she had never mentioned Kang Seheon at all.

"Seheon, you're here?"

"I'm late."

"Oh, no, not at all. We just arrived ourselves."

As Kang Seheon entered, Inhyeok waved enthusiastically.

"Hyung's here?"

"It's been a while."

Despite Inhyeok's warm greeting, Kang Seheon merely nodded stiffly and took his seat. Even this curtness seemed to make Han Misun feel her son was being slighted, and she watched him with a hurt expression, though Inhyeok himself seemed completely unfazed.

"The new phone's been a real hit. Launching it overseas first was a stroke of genius, don't you think?"

KH Group, a South Korean conglomerate, had launched its latest product in the United States first. This marked the debut of an entirely new product line, distinct from their previous offerings. After achieving significant recognition in the US market, the phone was subsequently released in South Korea.

As if that wasn't enough, Kang Seheon launched a massive promotional campaign, effectively offering a substantial discount, solely because the device was being sold in Korea. The fact that a device already proven overseas could be purchased for nearly half price deeply resonated with national pride.

"I just signed the proposal," Kang Seheon said.

"We all know that's not true," Inhyeok retorted.

Inhyeok pressed Kang Seheon for more details, but he remained tight-lipped. The awkward atmosphere that followed only fueled Han Misun's determination to marry Taeseo.

Meanwhile, Kang Seheon replayed the conversation he had overheard between his aunt and Inhyeok before entering the room.

Taeseo...

He had also met a boy named Taeseo. The boy seemed to be around Inhyeok's age, and their encounter had taken place at a hotel. However, the shared name alone wasn't enough to conclude they were the same person; too many inconsistencies remained.

The Taeseo he had met was nothing like the demure boy his aunt had described. The kid was mischievous. And if he knew Inhyeok, there was no way he wouldn't know who Kang Seheon was. Even if he pretended not to, Seheon would see right through it.

Still, you never know.

"You're getting engaged?"

"Huh? Oh, that's just my mom talking. We've been friends since we were kids, and she seems to like him."

Inhyeok acted like it was nothing, but Kang Seheon focused on extracting the information he wanted.

"He's a beta, right?"

"Yeah, a beta."

"Did he manifest recently?"

"I just saw him today. With Taeseo's personality, he'd definitely tell me right away if he had manifested..."

Kang Seheon dismissed his initial hypothesis that the person Inhyeok was engaged to might be the Taeseo he had met.

__________

< Previous | Synopsis | Chapters | Next>