To The Dazzling You

Chapter 21

Sunghoon took one last deep breath before exiting his room and going down for dinner.

He had to play a role now in front of his father to convince him that he needed to go back to university on Sunday.

That meant at least two more days in this hell without Sunoo, but if he did it right, he could at least see him then.

After the talk with his mother he had thought about what she had said. And she was right - his father valued nothing more than prestige and a good image. This image also included a functional family with a son who studied diligently.

Sunghoon knew that he would have to promise his father to not contact Sunoo again and not go and look for him. He hated lying, but if that was the price to get out of here and go look for Sunoo, then so be it.

The alpha hoped that Sunoo had somehow gone to the penthouse. He would go straight there first, and not back to university.

The alpha reached for the door handle and opened the door. Then he made his way downstairs into the dining room with a feeling like he was walking on needles.

His parents were already seated, his father at the head of the table as usual, and his mother to his right. The place on the left of his father was laid for him.

Without a word he sat down. His father stared him down, before nodding slightly.

"I heard your mother has talked some sense into you."

Sunghoon looked up at his mother, who gave him a reassuring smile and nodded.

It was time to act now.

He turned to his father, holding his head high, staring him right in the eyes.

"Yes. She made me realize that what Sunoo and I did was wrong."

He felt as if his vocal cords were made of razor blades, cutting into the flesh around them with the lie they just told.

"And?"

His father's voice was harsh, demanding only one answer.

However, it was nothing new to Sunghoon and he wasn't afraid. He could do this.

He could play that role for some time if it meant getting back to Sunoo in the end.

"And I apologize for my behavior and how I have come astray from the road I should take."

His father's scrutinizing look made his skin rise in goosebumps. He wanted to look away and withdraw himself from this gaze, that seemed to pierce through his mind and soul, but he also knew that he had to bear it to make his father believe him.

Only liars and weak people averted their eyes. And Sunghoon had to show his father that he was none of those. Lies were the worst, especially lying about Sunoo. His sweet, pretty Sunoo. But if this is what it took to get back to him, then so be it.

Time seemed to have stopped as their gazes clashed, both alphas not backing down.

Sunghoon didn't know how long they had stared at each other, and he was pretty sure that he would have looked away the next moment, not able to withstand this tension any longer, but his father finally nodded and started eating.

It took all in Sunghoon to not let out a relieved sigh.

However, he risked a glance at his mother and she nodded at him, encouragingly.

They started eating as well and Sunghoon took some bites, willing the food down his throat. He wasn't really hungry.

"So, son, what are your plans now?"