[Book III] The price of happiness [ENGLISH]

Chapter 5: A new balance

TW: mention of blood and injury, dead animal

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The week after the grave was laid was quite complicated for them. Jeongin wasn't well, gradually closing in on himself, until he almost completely isolated himself from the pack whenever he could. Seungmin and Hyunjin had tried to be there for him, but they were continually walking on eggshells, not knowing how to act. After all, none of them had ever lost a parent.

At one point, the beta asked Chan for advice. Their pack alpha also lost his parents much more recently, so he thought he might be able to help them figure out what to do.

"I don't think we can compare the loss of Jeongin to mine..."

"What do you mean?" Seungmin asked.

"Well, for one thing, because each person is different and grieves differently. I know that being with the pack helps me. Having people around and staying busy allow me not to think about it too much... But Jeongin seems to want the opposite..."

Seungmin pouted.

"Moreover, the circumstances were not the same... When we left, I already knew this would happen. I was more prepared than if it had been brutal. I was also older than Jeongin... Not to mention the fact that I never went back to the pack, so I never went to their grave and I never created what Jeongin did."

He took an inspiration, trying to organize his thoughts.

"Jeongin lost his mom at a very young age. At a time when she must have been the only person who really mattered to him. He had put in place different adaptation mechanisms than I have, including setting up this meeting every year on her grave... Even if you have created a new tomb, he still needs to rehabilitate..."

"So you think it's better to leave him alone?"

Chan shrugged his shoulders.

"No, I don't think loneliness solves anything... But don't force him if he doesn't want to."

"We don't want to force our presence on him." The beta sighed. "He just lets us do it without telling us if it bothers him or anything else."

"Well, maybe he doesn't know that himself."

Seungmin hummed, thanking Chan for his advice, before leaving him. He was about to leave the kitchen, when his gaze was drawn to something outside. At the sight of the seated figure not far from the omegas den, he rushed out.

He ran to Jeongin, who was sitting in the grass, staring at the shed. As he passed by, he noticed his bloody mouth, as well as the dead hare in front of him.

"Jeongin...?"

"I caught a hare." He said, looking up at the beta.

The older knelt beside him, gently rubbing his shoulder before his gaze drifted from Jeongin to the hare, then vice versa.

"I see that..."

"I wanted to offer it to Hyunjinnie-hyung to comfort him... but I had forgotten that I couldn't go to see him during his heat..."

"It's nice to have caught something for him. I'm sure he'll be pleased..."

"Yes, but he can't have it. So it's useless."

Seungmin sighed.

"Don't say that. I can help you prepare it if you want, and I'll take it to Jinnie and tell him it's from you."

"I wanted to comfort him..."

Seungmin almost squealed, looking for something to say. How did he end up with an omega in heat and a depressed alpha in his paws. Not that they were his, but still. It was up to him to handle this mess now.