𝐆𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐚́𝐧 || 𝐉𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐥

Chapter 6

Jeonghan was excited to get to play house for real. Unlike his father, Seungcheol didn’t put a lot of rules in play. It didn’t bother him when Jeonghan left cups draining by the sink, or if the counters weren’t spotlessly clean at all times. Junhui said the alpha was ‘sound,’ which as far as Jeonghan could tell just meant Seungcheol wasn’t the bullying type. Junhui, who always thrived under the challenge of physical work, seemed content with what they were doing. Jeonghan found that he was too; every day made it a little bit easier to forget the recent past. He knew it wouldn’t last forever—Seungcheol had already made that clear—but he was determined to make the most of it while they were there.

He was just getting started on lunch one day when Seungcheol called to him from the hall. Wiping his hands on a cloth, he wandered out, spotting the alpha standing in the doorway to his grandpa’s study.

“Something I want you to see,” he said, gesturing for Jeonghan to follow him inside.

He did, feeling only the smallest hint of trepidation.

He’d never gotten the weird vibes that he got from some alphas when he was around Seungcheol. Being alone with him didn’t set him on edge.

The study was the one room in the house that Jeonghan hadn’t felt comfortable cleaning. It looked untouched, as if its owner had just stepped out for a moment. There was even an uncapped pen and a half-written note on the table.

Seungcheol wandered over to the far wall, which was covered floor-to-ceiling in shelves filled with books.

“My grandpa was an avid reader. You probably remember that.”

“Yeah. He read to me and Junhui every night. A story each.” Jeonghan smiled at the memory. Their dad had never picked up a kid’s book in his life.

“Well, I think you and he have a shared taste in literature. I thought you might like to have a look around, see if there’s anything you want to read.” He gestured to an armchair in the corner. “That’s a very comfortable chair to curl up in whenever you feel like it.”

The offer had Jeonghan a little off-balance. “But… you don’t mind?”

“Why would I mind?”

“They’re your grandfather’s books. And that’s his chair.”

“Sure, but he’s gone. He can’t enjoy them anymore. Why not you? He’d get a kick out of knowing someone else was making use of them.”

“I won’t be in the way?”

The alpha leveled him with a look that gave way to a smile. Jeonghan liked it when he smiled; his whole face lit up.

“I kind of like it when you’re in the way. Gives the day a bit of a shine to it.”

Jeonghan didn’t know what to say to that, and he didn’t get the chance as the alpha strode from the room. “Got to get back to it. See you at lunch,” he threw over his shoulder.

Jeonghan had the presence of mind to call after him, hoping the alpha heard him. “Thank you.”

He was relieved to hear a distant, “You’re welcome, Jeonghan.”

As he crouched down next to the bookshelf, his mind replayed the alpha’s words and his smile. No one had ever smiled at him like that or looked at him that way.

As if, just by being there, he made things better.

Where the trouble started, of course, was the kittens. When Junhui had mentioned finding the body of a cat on the outskirts of the orchard, Jeonghan hadn’t thought much of it.