After that… things changed.
Not loudly. Not in a way anyone announced.
But I felt it.
The mansion was quieter around me—not because people stopped talking, but because they started avoiding saying things where I could hear. Conversations ended when I entered a room. Servants bowed faster, moved quicker, kept their eyes down longer.
And him…
I hadn't seen him all day.
The original omega.
It shouldn't have mattered.
But it did.
"You're distracted again."
I didn't bother turning this time. "You say that like it's new."
Kairo stood behind me, his presence as steady and overwhelming as ever.
"You weren't this distracted before," he said.
"I had less to think about before."
"That's not true."
I exhaled slowly. "Then I had less I wanted to think about."
A pause followed.
I could feel his gaze on me, sharp and searching, like he was trying to pull something out of me I wasn't ready to give.
"You're thinking about him," he said.
Not a question.
Of course not.
I leaned against the balcony railing, staring out at the vast grounds below. "You already know the answer to that."
"I want to hear you say it."
I frowned slightly. "Why?"
"Because there's a difference between thinking something… and admitting it."
I let out a quiet, humorless breath. "You really don't make anything easy, do you?"
"No."
At least he was consistent.
"I'm thinking about him," I said finally.
The words felt heavier than they should have.
Kairo didn't respond immediately.
That alone made me glance at him.
His expression hadn't changed much—but something in his eyes had.
Sharper.
Colder.
"Why?" he asked.
I blinked. "You're asking me that?"
"Yes."
I straightened slightly. "Because he's part of this situation. Because he was here before me. Because"
"Because you feel guilty."
The interruption was clean.
Precise.
And completely accurate.
I clenched my jaw.
"…Yes."
Silence settled between us.
But it wasn't tense.
Not exactly.
It felt more like something being acknowledged.
Something neither of us could ignore anymore.
"You shouldn't," Kairo said.
I let out a small, disbelieving laugh. "That's easy for you to say."
"It's not about easy."
"Then what is it about?"
His gaze didn't waver. "It's about truth."
I frowned. "And what's the truth?"
"That he's not you."
I stared at him.
"That's your argument?" I asked. "That I shouldn't feel guilty because I'm not him?"
"Yes."
"That doesn't make sense."
"It does," he said calmly. "You didn't take his place. I gave it to you."
The words hit harder than expected.
"Like it's something that can just be handed over," I muttered.
"It is."
I shook my head. "You really don't see a problem with that, do you?"
"No."
Of course not.
"You don't think about how he feels?" I asked.
"I do."
"And?"
Silence.
Just for a moment.
Then
"It doesn't change my decision."
My chest tightened.
"That's cold."
"Yes."
Again.
No hesitation.
No denial.
Just truth.
And somehow… that honesty made it harder to argue.
"You're unbelievable," I muttered.
"And you're still here."
That shut me up.
The wind shifted slightly, brushing against my face, but it didn't clear my thoughts.
Nothing did.
"Why haven't I seen him today?" I asked suddenly.
Kairo's gaze sharpened slightly. "Why do you want to?"
"I didn't say I wanted to."
"You thought it."
I sighed. "You really enjoy this, don't you?"
"Not particularly."
"Then stop pointing it out."
"No."
I rolled my eyes, then looked back out over the balcony.
"…He's avoiding me, isn't he?"
A pause.
Then
"Yes."
The answer came easily.
Too easily.
That confirmed it.
And for some reason…
That didn't feel like relief.
"Good," I said quietly.
The word didn't sound convincing.
Kairo noticed.
"You don't mean that."
I didn't respond.
Because again
He was right.
"You're bothered by it," he continued.
"I'm not."
"You are."
I turned to face him. "Can you stop telling me how I feel?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because you don't say it yourself."
That hit deeper than I expected.
Silence followed.
Longer this time.
He stepped closer, resting one hand lightly on the railing beside me—not touching, but close enough to remind me he was there.
Always there.
"You're thinking too far ahead," he said.
"I have to."
"No, you don't."
"Yes, I do," I snapped. "Because this isn't permanent."
The words came out sharper than intended.
More desperate.
More real.
Kairo didn't react immediately.
But I saw it.
That subtle shift in his expression.
"You're still thinking about leaving," he said.
Not surprised.
Not angry.
Just… stating it.
"I never stopped," I replied.
That part was true.
Even now.
Even after everything.
"Then why haven't you?" he asked.
The question came quietly.
But it landed heavily.
I opened my mouth
And stopped.
Because I didn't have an answer.
Not one that made sense.
Not one I could say out loud.
Kairo watched me carefully.
"You see?" he said softly.
My chest tightened.
"You don't leave," he continued, "because you don't want to."
"That's not"
"It is."
I looked away quickly.
It's not that simple.
But the thought didn't feel convincing anymore.
Before I could respond
Footsteps echoed faintly from the corridor behind us.
Light.
Measured.
Familiar.
My heart reacted instantly.
I turned.
And there he was.
The original omega.
He stopped when he saw us.
Just for a second.
Then his expression settled.
Calm.
Composed.
Like always.
"I didn't mean to interrupt," he said.
His voice was steady.
Unshaken.
Kairo didn't move.
Didn't respond.
I didn't either.
The silence stretched.
Then
"I just came to get something," he added.
My chest tightened slightly.
"Then get it," Kairo said.
The words were neutral.
But the tone
Clear.
The original omega nodded once.
Then walked past us.
Close.
Too close.
As he passed me
Our shoulders almost brushed.
And for a split second
He paused.
Not enough for anyone else to notice.
But I did.
"You look worse than yesterday," he said quietly.
Just loud enough for me to hear.
Then he kept walking.
Like nothing had happened.
My chest tightened.
Not from anger.
Not from guilt.
Something else.
Something I couldn't name.
He didn't stay long.
Just long enough to grab something from the table behind us.
Then he turned again.
And this time
He didn't stop.
He walked past us.
Past me.
And left.
No warning.
No tension.
No fight.
Just distance.
And somehow
That felt worse than anything before.
Kairo's gaze shifted slightly.
"You don't like that," he said.
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't.
And that scared me more than anything else so far.