To Fall In Love Again [JEONGKYU FF]

Chapter 52

Hyo Jun paced back and forth, taking the rest of the available space in the small room for himself. His mind was racing, caught in a whirlwind of doubts and fears as he mulled over JeongWoo's plan.

"It's not going to work," he murmured, shaking his head. "How can I do that? I haven't met him for thirty-three years. What makes you think he'll accept me just because I show up out of nowhere?" He stopped in his tracks and turned to face JeongWoo, his frustration and anxiety evident.

"The same reason why you're still running, even after all these years," JeongWoo replied promptly.

"That's nonsense!" Hyo Jun snapped, his tone defensive. "I ran because I wanted Junkyu to have a good life!"

JeongWoo didn't flinch. "If Junkyu was your only reason, you would've stopped moving from one city to another years ago—when Junkyu was twenty-three or twenty-five at most. Most parents consider their children independent by then, especially omegas. They assume their kids have found their own paths, maybe even their own alphas. But you didn't stop, Sir. You kept running because Lee Ann's threat still haunts you. You're afraid that what you had with Mr. Kim will come back to hurt him. And if we're being honest, your feelings for him haven't changed."

Hyo Jun's jaw tightened, his lips pressed into a thin line as he turned away. JeongWoo's words struck a nerve. "My feelings are mine," he said quietly, his voice trembling slightly. "You can't say the same for him."

Doyoung, who had been silently watching, lowered his gaze to his feet, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "My parents never really had a good relationship," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "They looked like they loved each other in public, but at home, it was a different story."

Hyo Jun turned to him, his pacing halting. Doyoung continued, his eyes fixed on the floor. "My dad always acted cold toward my mom. When I was a kid, I thought he just didn't like showing affection in front of others. But that changed the night I accidentally saw them fighting. Mom was on the floor, crying, while Dad was yelling at her. That night, she asked him to throw Junkyu out to the street and disown him so I can claim Junkyu's dominant gender as mine. Dad did it—not out of love, but out of guilt."

Doyoung paused, his voice growing softer. "After Junkyu left, they never shared a bed again. I think disowning Junkyu was the last thing Dad could do for Mom. After that, their relationship became... nothing."

The weight of Doyoung's words hung in the air. Hyo Jun's heart ached for the young omega. Unable to hold back, he sat beside him and pulled him into a warm embrace. "Oh, my dear, I'm so sorry you had to witness all that," he whispered, running a comforting hand over the back of Doyoung's head.

Doyoung closed his eyes, leaning into the rare motherly touch. It had been so long since he felt anything like this. But after a moment, he opened his eyes and gently pulled away. "It's okay. I've gotten used to it," he said, a sad smile playing on his lips. "Besides, that's not my point."

He locked eyes with Hyo Jun, his expression firm. "My dad's hatred toward Junkyu isn't real. It's forced—born out of disappointment, because he believed you wouldn't have left him if Junkyu had never been born. If he'd truly moved on from you, he wouldn't treat Junkyu the way he does. As my mother's son, I hate to say it, but... I think my dad still has feelings for you. As far as I know, that man has never spent his rut with anyone but himself."

Hyo Jun stared at Doyoung, his composure cracking. He then buried his face in his hands, overwhelmed. The experience Doyoung had to go through as Mr. and Mrs. Kim's child was heart-wrenching, yet the revelation that Jin-Young had remained faithful to him stirred something bittersweet in his lonely heart.