IRLPLBIO Chapter 4 Part 1

Park Kwang-cheol’s mother, Han Ga-yeon, was so beautiful it was hard to believe she had a large middle school-aged son. Her bright smile and generous personality made it easy for her to earn the goodwill of those around her.

But today, she couldn’t smile. She couldn’t just brush off what had happened as inconsequential.

Closing the door of her slow-moving bakery, she looked at her towering son. Her gaze was a mix of regret, pity, and a touch of pride.

“Manifestation?”

“Yes. Seeing the early signs, it seems he’s a Dominant Alpha. The school said it might be difficult to manage there, so it would be better for him to go home.”

“Right, I suppose so… A Dominant Alpha, what do I do?” Han Ga-yeon pressed her hand to her forehead. Worry, not congratulations, was her first reaction. This was because she was certain her politely speaking son would soon manifest as a Dominant Alpha.

There was no way Kwang-cheol was an Omega. Han Ga-yeon knew it instinctively.

The reasons came to her after she reached her conclusion. A physique much taller than others, a seemingly gentle yet firm inner self, strong power, and tenacity. All were characteristics of an Alpha.

What Han Ga-yeon was more worried about was something else.

Should she inform her family?

If Kwang-cheol had been a Beta, she wouldn’t have even thought about it. She had already left that home and had no intention of returning and drawing attention.

But if he was an Alpha, it was a different story.

Alphas were few in number, but they held most of the high positions in politics and business. There were also exclusive groups formed only by Alphas. Despite talk of secondary gender discrimination, the cohesion of these established groups was strong.

If it became known that Kwang-cheol was an Alpha, even if she didn’t want to go back, Kwang-cheol would undoubtedly be dragged back by force. Her father, Han Chang-hun, the Chairman of the Dae-yeong Group, would welcome Kwang-cheol, but what about her brothers vying for the next chairman position? And their children?

They were Betas. They would put every kind of check on Alpha Kwang-cheol, fearing he might usurp their positions. She was sick of their eyes distorted by greed.

…Should she run away?

“Madam, why is the door closed? Today, one coffee and one sandwich…” Ding-a-ling, the man’s voice, which had been as high-pitched as the bell on the door, gradually softened. As Kwang-cheol turned slightly to look, the man’s mouth snapped shut. An indescribable aura of intimidation weighed heavily on him.

“You’re the lawyer from the office just ahead, aren’t you? There’s a sign saying we’re closed, I guess you didn’t see it.” Kwang-cheol’s tone was polite but stiff. His words conveyed a wariness, questioning if the man was up to something, having deliberately entered despite the “closed” sign.

A son with a beautiful mother had seen countless “lunatics” constantly bothering her, so he reacted sharply. Fortunately, Han Ga-yeon stood up, easing the tension.

“Please sit. Since you’re already here, I’ll make it for you. It’s a special favor for Im Ho-sin, our regular customer.”

“Oh, I’d be grateful for that!”

“Please wait a moment.”

“Take your time. The coffee here is the best. It doesn’t even compare to anywhere else. Just one sip and all your fatigue melts away!” The affable lawyer Im Ho-sin made a big fuss. Kwang-cheol, glancing at him sitting a little distance away, quietly spoke to his mother who was making sandwiches.

“I’ll head home first.”

“Alright, I’ll be home soon too.”

Lawyer Im Ho-sin happily chattered on, saying it was a lovely sight.

…

Only after Kwang-cheol left did the noisy chatter stop. Im Ho-sin’s expression changed. It was no longer the face of a bumbling lawyer who had opened an office in a quiet neighborhood with little work, but the face of a competent lawyer who meticulously weighed law and profit.

“Is he an Alpha?”

Ga-yeon remained silent. That alone was a sufficient answer.

“…Are you going to contact your family?”

“That’s…”

“If you have anything to convey, I will deliver it.”

…

Han Ga-yeon didn’t answer Im Ho-sin easily. She didn’t entirely believe that Im Ho-sin, who would have risen rapidly if he had stayed at the law firm allied with the Dae-yeong Group, had followed her all the way here for no reason.

Even if not her father, one of her brothers must have influenced Im Ho-sin. Perhaps whatever she said to him would be relayed in real time.

Han Ga-yeon didn’t want to tell anyone in the Dae-yeong Group about Kwang-cheol’s manifestation. Even if it would inevitably be discovered later, it wouldn’t be now.

“Don’t say anything.”

“…Understood.”

“You are to remain silent until I tell you it’s okay to inform them.”

“Yes.” Im Ho-sin, who had replied stiffly, quickly reverted to the face of an affable neighborhood lawyer. Taking a big bite of the sandwich, he immediately exclaimed.

“Wow, Madam, your skills are truly amazing! The sandwich is so generously filled; other places don’t do it like this!”

Han Ga-yeon quietly watched Im Ho-sin making a fuss.

In Han Ga-yeon’s memory, Im Ho-sin was a very competent lawyer even at a young age. It was regrettable that someone who could have risen high with the sponsorship of the Dae-yeong Group if he hadn’t followed her, was stuck in a quiet neighborhood with no cases, just letting time pass.

Jae-gu felt he understood why he had returned to this particular moment. It was an opportunity to avoid getting entangled with Han Seong-cheol before it happened.

However, even if he managed to avoid one entanglement, he couldn’t stop all the subsequent events that would follow. For example, Han Seong-cheol kept talking to him and acting unnecessarily friendly.

“Do you have a phone? What’s your number?”

“No.” Quite a few kids had phones, but Jae-gu’s pockets were empty. Having lost his mother and living with Kwang-cheol’s mother, a phone that required monthly payments was a luxury. Even if he had one, he had no intention of giving Han Seong-cheol his number.

Just being near Han Seong-cheol made Jae-gu feel like he was breaking out in hives. It hadn’t even been a few hours, let alone a day, since he had returned to the past, and he didn’t want to spend long with the man who had given him alcohol laced with suspicious drugs and then set him on fire, killing him.

But Han Seong-cheol still persistently tried to talk to Jae-gu.