Chapter 126: THE BREAKING POINT (1)
PFFT.
Garam couldn’t help but laugh softly when he entered the old dance studio and saw Gong Hanseo blowing balloons. "Hyung, I brought balloon pumps."
Gong Hanseo let out a deep sigh. "Thanks, Garam-ah. I thought I’d die before I finish setting up the studio."
Right.
There were plenty of balloons scattered on the floor.
Plus, the greetings on the wall said ’Happy 5th Anniv, ViBo!’
Yep, their group would turn five months old this month.
"Are we surprising the kids?" Garam asked, now sitting on the floor while using the balloon pumps to inflate the remaining balloons. "I bet they’ll cry as soon as they get here."
That old dance studio was special to them.
Back when they were still trainees— before Garam met Song Sihyuk— they would rent that place to practice with their own money.
The company back then was too poor and didn’t have its own dance studio.
"I want to celebrate our debut anniversary in advance," Gong Hanseo explained. "I already have a week-long vacation. I’ll be in trouble if I don’t return before then."
"I’m sure the kids will understand, Hyung. Plus, it’s very thoughtful of you to rent this place— the studio where it all started."
"Right? We only had 10k won and a dream back then."
Garam chuckled while nodding. "That’s true."
"And that’s why I understand what you did back then, Garam-ah."
Oh.
The sudden change of Gong Hanseo’s tone made the atmosphere serious.
I guess if it’s Hanseo Hyung, then I can be honestly completely.
"Hyung, there’s something I didn’t say before," Garam confessed nervously. "Something that I can’t say in front of the kids..."
"What is it? You can tell me," Gong Hanseo said carefully. "I’m listening."
Garam took a deep breath first before he finally said the truth.
"I was actually deep in debt back then— and the loan sharks were after me."
Gong Hanseo’s eyes widened in shock. "What? You never said anything about that..."
"I didn’t want to drag you down with me, Hyung. After all, I know that you and the kids would do everything in your power to help me, even if it means putting your lives in danger. I didn’t want you to do that for me, so I purposely hid my situation from all of you."
"Garam-ah..."
"It was my stepmother and stepbrother who borrowed the money, but the debt was under my name. So, the loan sharks went after me," Garam explained, avoiding Gong Hanseo’s gaze because he was embarrassed to look at him. "I was desperate back then, so I sold my body to Sihyuk Hyung."
"You sold your body?!"
"Not in that way, Hyung. I just agreed to be the test subject for Sihyuk Hyung’s experiment. He wanted to turn a Beta into an Omega for the pills that he invested in..."
"Are you talking about miracle pills?" Gong Hanseo, knitting his eyebrows. "Is that why you know so much about those things?"
"Yes, Hyung. My husband is actually involved with the production of those pills. He’s an investor."
"Garam-ah..."
"I was desperate back then, so I agreed not only to be a test subject but to also marry Sihyuk Hyung," Garam said, his voice cracking a little. "I didn’t sacrifice myself just to help our group succeed— I also did that to save myself. I’d rather be married to Sihyuk Hyung than be chased by loan sharks back then."
Gong Hanseo fell silent for a moment.
Garam also shut his mouth, giving his hyung the time he needed to process the things that he had revealed.
And, a few moments later...
SNIFF.
What?
Garam turned to Gong Hanseo and was surprised when he saw him crying. "Hyung..."
"I’m sorry, Garam-ah. I didn’t know you suffered that much," Gong Hanseo said between sobs. "I’m supposed to be your hyung and closest friend, and yet I wasn’t there for you when you needed someone the most."
"That’s not true, Hyung. I was the one who kept things a secret from you."
"Garam-ah, you suffered a lot."
"I’m fine now, Hyung."
"No, you’re not," Gong Hanseo said firmly. "You don’t have any plans of re-debuting with us, do you?"
Garam lifted his head. "Hyung..."
"I know you, Garam-ah. Yes, you’ll be leaving the company with us. But I can tell that you’re hesitating about re-debuting with us."
"It’s not that I don’t want to re-debut with you, Hyung. I just know that it will be difficult to do so. The fans will get angry at me once they find out that I was married the whole time I was promoting. And they’ll hate me even more once they find out that I’m pregnant. Let’s be realistic, Hyung. I will only be a liability."
"Garam-ah, let’s think this through first. If you come clean to the fans and apologize..."
Gong Hanseo trailed off when they heard a loud commotion outside.
Garam turned to the door, knitting his eyebrows.
"It sounds like there’s a fight outside," Gong Hanseo said, standing up. "Let me check."
Garam stood up and grabbed Gong Hanseo by the arm. "No need, Hanseo Hyung. Geon Hyung is guarding the door, so..."
It was his turn to trail off when he smelled the familiar stinky pheromones in the air.
Oh.
Oh, no.
Song Sihyuk?
Garam panicked, especially when the door burst open.
Someone was sent flying inside— and it was none other than Shin Geon who was obviously beaten up to a pulp.
Geon Hyung!
Garam wanted to check on his bodyguard hyung, but he froze in fear when Song Sihyuk finally entered the dance studio.
Ah.
Sihyuk Hyung is mad...
Song Sihyuk’s gaze landed on Garam’s hand that was holding Gong Hanseo’s arm, and then the Alpha’s face darkened at the same time his pheromones became heavier and stinker.
And the next thing Garam knew...
"Sihyuk Hyung, no!"
But Garam’s cries fell on deaf ears as Song Sihyuk grabbed Gong Hanseo and began beating him.
***
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