The Ones Left Behind Begin to Move

Seong Chanyeong’s disappearance didn’t just affect the family.

It had a noticeable impact on them too.

“Why hasn’t he been showing up lately?”

At Joo Yunchan’s question, Baek Dojun replied,

“Who?”

“Who else? Seong Chanyeong—the one who kept showing up every day, harassing Seo Eunsu and following us around.”

Joo Yunchan spoke casually, eyes still glued to his phone as he played a mobile game.

With the frequent nuisance gone, even his favorite game had started to feel boring.

‘So he didn’t say anything to Yunchan either?’

Baek Dojun thought as he took a sip of his drink.

“…I don’t know.”

For some reason, hearing that answer stirred a strange feeling in his chest.

It felt eerily similar to the moment Seo Eunsu had smiled at him for the first time.

That similarity confused him.

‘What is this?’

The disappearance of that annoying, clingy villain should have been something to celebrate.

Especially since he had finally escaped from the engagement that had bound him for nearly half his life.

He should’ve felt relieved.

At peace.

‘Why did he suddenly let me go?’

That part bothered him.

The way Chanyeong had suddenly changed that day lingered in his mind.

Unable to shake the unease, he tried to investigate where Chanyeong had gone.

But even that led nowhere.

– That young man moved somewhere far away, I heard.

That was all he learned from the residents of Chanyeong’s apartment.

– Do you know where he went?

– No idea. He never talked to anyone in the building anyway.

In the end, all Baek Dojun learned was that Chanyeong had vanished without a trace.

And now that their engagement was broken, he had no standing to inquire at the Seong family’s main house either.

‘…I should’ve asked him what he planned to do.’

A strange sense of regret lingered.

If he had known things would turn out like this,

He would have at least pretended to ask politely that day.

After all, the atmosphere hadn’t been bad.

It had even been the first peaceful meal they shared since their engagement.

“What’s with that serious expression?”

“Oh. You’re here, Joo Taegang?”

Lost in thought, he hadn’t noticed Joo Taegang joining them.

Dressed sharply in a fitted suit, he looked as composed as ever.

“You’re late today. Busy?”

“Unlike you, I actually have responsibilities as a corporate heir.”

“Yeah? Still found time to visit Seo Eunsu though. Too bad you can’t play prince anymore now that Chanyeong isn’t around.”

“And you? Probably still stuck as nothing more than a reckless thug in Eunsu’s eyes.”

“What did you say?”

Here we go again.

Joo Taegang and Joo Yunchan clashed constantly.

‘What a headache.’

Back when Chanyeong was around, their fights had been less frequent.

Because he had served as their common enemy.

But now—

With him gone, all that remained was tension between them.

Baek Dojun, who hated noise, had recently taken on the role of mediator.

“Enough. Don’t you ever get tired of fighting?”

“He started it.”

“You’re one to talk.”

“…Seriously, stop.”

But as always, it didn’t work.

They were like the same poles of a magnet—repelling each other endlessly.

And yet, somehow, they had all fallen for the same person.

It was ridiculous.

“Don’t act all superior, Baek Dojun. You’re not even a dominant Alpha.”

Joo Yunchan crossed the line.

He targeted Dojun’s biggest insecurity.

“…Yunchan. You realize that was out of line, right?”

“You think I didn’t mean it?”

The atmosphere turned tense.

Their Alpha pheromones clashed violently in the air.

Each of them resisted, refusing to back down.

And then—

“What are you all doing? Such a waste of energy.”

A far more overwhelming pheromone swept over them.

In an instant, all three dropped to their knees, gasping.

“Ugh—”

“Damn it—”

“Ugh… Yui Seo, take it back already!”

The only top-tier dominant Alpha among them—Yui Seo—had arrived.

He watched them calmly, as if their suffering amused him.

“I’ll take it back if you promise to stop fighting.”

“Fck… don’t act so high and mighty just because you’re a top Alpha—”

Even under pressure, Joo Yunchan tried to resist.

“You’re not tolerating me. You’re just pretending to.”

“Ghh—!”

The pheromone pressure intensified, choking the air itself.

“Answer me.”

“…Fine! Fine! We’ll stop!”

Only then did Yui Seo withdraw his pheromones.

The three struggled to regain their composure.

“Why are you all so on edge? You’re not usually like this.”

He poured himself a drink, watching them lazily.

“It’s because our common enemy—Seong Chanyeong—is gone.”

“…Gone?”

“You were overseas, so you didn’t know. He signed a pledge not to approach Seo Eunsu or Joo Taegang, broke off his engagement with Baek Dojun, and disappeared.”

“…Hmm.”

“He even blocked all of us. Left some ridiculous message too. Thought it was a joke, but when I tried calling, it didn’t go through.”

Like a dog that stopped coming when called.

“….”

Hearing that tone of disgust from Yunchan should’ve been normal.

But for some reason, it irritated Baek Dojun.

‘It’s just my last bit of conscience as his former fiancé.’

That’s what he told himself.

It had to be.

“That’s… interesting.”

Yui Seo smiled faintly.

“The fact that someone who used to beg for our attention suddenly disappears… it’s strangely irritating.”

‘What?’

For a moment, Dojun felt exposed.

‘Does he… feel the same way I do?’

But the next words crushed that thought.

“He caused us plenty of trouble. And Eunsu suffered because of him.”

“….”

“So we can’t just let this end here. We still have a lot to settle with him, don’t we?”

Eunsu won’t feel safe with just a signed pledge.

Joo Yunchan nodded immediately.

“Yeah. For once, you’re right. This feels unfinished.”

“…What are you planning?”

Dojun asked.

Yui Seo answered instead.

“What else? We find him.”

“And then?”

“…We’ll decide when we meet him.”

His smile was unreadable.

Dojun felt uneasy.

‘No matter what, he’s still the youngest grandson of Seong Group.’

‘If something happens to him, that won’t end well.’

As if reading his thoughts, Yui Seo turned to him.

“Dojun. You’re coming too, right?”

“…Yeah.”

“I figured. You hate him the most, after all.”

That was true.

But now…

He didn’t even know what this feeling was anymore.

‘…I should inform the Seong family.’

About Yui Seo planning to go after him.

Even if they might not take his call anymore.

It felt necessary.

Bzz—

“Hey, Dojun. Your phone.”

His phone vibrated.

He glanced at the screen—

And froze.

[Chairman Seong]

Chairman Seong was calling him.