Taesan’s POV

I check my wrist watch for the fifth time in ten minutes.

"Where the fuck are you?" I ask the air, leaning against my car and watching the movements of the people around me.

Most of them don’t know who I am, but I know who they are.

I know who puts out the lights last in their homes and who complains about it, I know who is working on their satoori and how he is doing it.

I know everything about the people in my company’s neighborhood, because I look after them, I am their angel and their devil.

The noise of heels clicking against the floor makes me look up, and I see the person I have been waiting for.

"Yuki" I say her name as a threat and she approaches me with a small bag and a smug smile.

"Captain" she says in a teasing but small voice, keeping the title between the two of us.

"You are starting to get on my nerves these days" I growl and she raises a brow, "relax boss, your omega will still be home when you get back" she says and I scoff.

She’s getting too comfortable with me.

"Did you get it?" I ask and she raises the bag, "what do you take me for? I always deliver" she says and pulls a small box out of the bag.

"Here" she says and holds it out for me to open it.

The box has intricate carvings of a deer and a tiger on top, and the deep marks of the carvings are lined with silver wire and diamonds are imbedded into the fine wood.

"My dad put effort into it, he said the person who has successfully calmed the tiger deserves the best" the young woman says and I run my fingertips over the box.

"It is beautiful, your father deserves my appreciation, I will see him soon to thank him" I mutter, fascinated by the work put into it.

Hopefully the box itself will show Seoha my heart and intention.

"Open it" she says eagerly and I do.

Inside the box is a white collar.

"Fuck, Yuki" I whisper in awe.

I’ve seen too many beautiful things in my life, but this, this is a masterpiece, a collar created just for my omega.

I designed it myself while he was resting between heat, and had Yuki to find who will bring it to life within three days.

It’s just leather with silver, but it’s beautiful as hell, something fitting for the omega of a king and something perfect for Shin Seoha.

"So...you like it?" Yuki asks, still wearing that smug smile, and I run my fingers over it, feeling the leather and the designs on it.

"It is perfect, you’ve outdone yourself Yuki" I say, and her smug smile changes into something genuine, something softer.

"I’m glad you like it captain, you do so much for the rest of the world...but you never do anything for yourself" she says and I put the collar back in the box.

"What do you mean?" I ask her.

"Well, for one, you let Seoha into your life because he’s good for you, and that’s the only thing I’ve seen you do for yourself" she says.

I hum quietly to myself.

He’s good for me...but am I good for him? The undeniable answer to that question is no.

I’m not good for him, but I will try my best, he has gone through too much for me to not show him love in my own little way.

"Oh, Yuki, how has my grandfather been acting these days?" I ask and she folds her arms over her chest.

"He has been suspiciously quiet" she says with a frown and I nod.

Silence means trouble is waiting around the corner, just waiting for when to strike.

"Start to prepare, your men from last time...are they still alive?" I ask her and she nods.

"Alive and active, ready to follow through with any command you give us" she says and I smile softly.

Always trust Sakuragi Yuki to deliver.

"Perfect then, I’ll call you later" I give her a nod and she bows, waiting till I get into my car before she straightens her back.

Yuki, my respectful and sassy killing machine with a soft heart.

In the seat of my car, I wave for her to leave, and she bows once more before leaving with a spring in her step, proud of herself.

My chest swells with pride as I open the box again, breathing in the smell of new leather and wood, the collar will sit perfectly on his neck.

It’s not made to restrict him, it’s made to fit him perfectly, made to give him comfort and to show everyone that he’s taken.

My phone buzzes as I feel a rush of happiness, and I know Seoha must be awake now.

I pick up the phone and see that the call is from an unknown number.

I count to three as I watch it ring.

One.

Two.

Three.

The call ends and it rings again within seconds.

"Hello" I say as I accept the call, growling the word with irritation.

"Isn’t it too early to be angry" the voice says and I tense immediately.

Ghost.

"How is your collar search going?" he asks and I lean back in the seat, slipping into the captain mode, the part of me that has been quiet for the last few days.

"Aren’t you getting too comfortable with playing with fire?" I ask him and I hear a breathy chuckle on the other end.

"Ghosts don’t get burnt" the man says.

"You are right, ghosts get banished" I say in a false soft tone and he stops his laughter.

I can’t find him just because I am not putting in enough effort, and I refuse to put in effort because I need him.

"My answer, Ghost, who did it?" I ask and I hear the noise of a car driving by from his side of the call.

"I can put an end to your search and you’ll live a good life, Captain" he says and I grind my teeth in an attempt to keep my rage down.

"Life will be better if you continue to live without knowing, ignorance is bliss" the man continues to talk and I slam my palm against the curve of my steering wheel.

"No, I have waited too long for this" I shout in anger as a dull pain spreads through my palm.

I am seeing my mother’s dead body lying on the floor, covered in his blood, his life wasted by masked men with guns.

"Hmm" Ghost hums.

"Ghost" I say his name through my teeth and he sighs.

"You will not like this" he mutters and I growl loudly.

"Shin Yechan and his wife killed them" he says and the phone drops out of my hand.

Seoha’s parents.