Chapter 1
Prologue: A Stormy Night
Rain pounded against the windows of the small grocery store, each drop a tiny reminder of Jongin's increasingly desperate situation. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, careful not to wake two-year-old Yujin who slept soundly against his chest in a well-worn baby carrier.
"I'm sorry, sir. Your card was declined," the cashier said, her voice tinged with practiced sympathy that did little to soften the blow.
Jongin's cheeks burned. "Can you try again? Please?"
She swiped it once more and shook her head. "I'm afraid not."
His hand trembled slightly as he reached for his wallet to check for cash, only to find the pocket of his worn jacket empty. Panic surged through him like an electric current. "My wallet—I must have dropped it somewhere."
The line behind him was growing. He could feel impatient stares boring into his back, the collective sigh of inconvenienced shoppers who just wanted to get home before the storm worsened.
"I'll put these items back," he mumbled, reaching for the modest pile of groceries—baby formula, diapers, a few apples, and instant ramen. The essentials that would have to wait for another day.
"It's fine," came a deep voice from behind him. "I'll cover it."
Jongin turned to find a man in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit standing there, expression unreadable but somehow not unkind. Everything about him screamed alpha—from his confident stance to the subtle, comforting scent that even Jongin's suppressants couldn't completely block.
"No, I couldn't possibly—" Jongin started.
The man simply handed his card to the cashier, deliberately avoiding eye contact as if to preserve Jongin's dignity. "It's nothing."
Before Jongin could properly thank him, the man had paid and disappeared to another checkout line. Jongin gathered his groceries with shaking hands, overwhelmed by the stranger's kindness and his own humiliation at needing it.
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Twenty minutes later, Jongin stood under the store's small awning, clutching his grocery bags in one hand while attempting to open a tiny folding umbrella with the other. The rain had escalated into a proper storm, lightning occasionally illuminating the parking lot in brief flashes of brilliant white.
Yujin stirred against his chest, whimpering softly at the sound of thunder.
"Shh, baby, it's okay," Jongin murmured, finally managing to open the umbrella. It was barely big enough to cover himself, let alone both of them and the groceries. He positioned it to shield Yujin as much as possible, accepting that he would be soaked by the time they reached the bus stop.
"You won't get very far with that."
Jongin turned to find the same alpha from the checkout line standing nearby, sheltered under a large black umbrella. Up close, Jongin could see his features better—dark eyes, full lips set in a serious line, and an intensity that made Jongin instinctively pull Yujin closer.
"I'm managing," Jongin replied, trying to sound more confident than he felt.
The man's eyes flicked to Yujin, then back to Jongin. "I have a car. I can give you a ride."
Every warning Jongin had ever heard about strange alphas flashed through his mind. "That's very kind, but we'll be fine with the bus."
Another crash of thunder, louder this time. Yujin began to cry in earnest, tiny hands clutching at Jongin's shirt.
"The next bus isn't for forty minutes. I checked the schedule when I saw you waiting." The man took out his phone, tapped the screen a few times, and turned it toward Jongin. "My name is Do Kyungsoo. I'm the CEO of Do Architecture. You can look me up if you want to make sure I'm not—" he paused, seeming to choose his words carefully, "—someone you shouldn't get into a car with."
Jongin hesitated, bouncing gently to soothe Yujin. His son's forehead felt warm, too warm for comfort. The thought of standing in the rain for nearly an hour with a potentially feverish toddler made his decision.
"I'm Jongin. Kim Jongin," he said finally, adjusting his grip on the grocery bags. "And this is Yujin."
Something like relief flickered across Kyungsoo's face. "My car's just over there. The black sedan." He gestured to a sleek, expensive-looking vehicle in the first row of the parking lot.
As they walked, Kyungsoo held his umbrella over Jongin and Yujin, leaving half of himself exposed to the rain. It was such a small gesture, but it made Jongin's throat tighten unexpectedly.
The car's interior smelled of leather and something clean and subtle—like Kyungsoo himself. Jongin settled into the passenger seat, Yujin still strapped to his chest, grocery bags awkwardly balanced on his lap.
"You can put those in the back," Kyungsoo suggested, starting the engine. The heater came on immediately, blowing warm air that made Jongin realize how cold he'd been.
"It's fine," Jongin replied, not wanting to impose any further. "We're not going far. Just the apartment complex on Maple Street."
Kyungsoo nodded and pulled out of the parking lot. They drove in silence for a few minutes, windshield wipers working furiously against the downpour.
"Thank you," Jongin said suddenly, staring straight ahead. "For the groceries. I'll pay you back."
"There's no need," Kyungsoo replied, his voice so gentle it barely carried over the sound of rain hitting the car roof.
"I'm not a charity case," Jongin insisted, a hint of steel entering his voice despite his vulnerable position. "I just lost my wallet today. I work two jobs."
Kyungsoo stopped at a red light and turned to look at him directly for the first time. "I never thought you were."
Something in his gaze—respect, perhaps—made Jongin's defenses waver. Yujin chose that moment to wake fully, blinking up at the strange alpha with curious eyes.
"Car," Yujin proclaimed solemnly, one of his few clear words.
The corner of Kyungsoo's mouth twitched upward. "That's right."
"He doesn't usually take to strangers," Jongin said, surprised by his son's calm reaction.
"I have that effect on people," Kyungsoo replied with such deadpan delivery that Jongin couldn't tell if he was joking or serious.
The light turned green, and they continued in a silence that felt less strained than before. When they pulled up to Jongin's apartment building—a tired-looking structure with peeling paint—Kyungsoo didn't comment on the obvious contrast between it and the car they sat in.
"This is us," Jongin said unnecessarily, gathering his bags. "Thank you again. For everything."
"Wait," Kyungsoo reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a business card. "If you ever need anything."
Jongin hesitated before taking it, their fingers brushing briefly in the exchange. A small jolt of something unfamiliar passed through him at the contact.
"Goodnight, Jongin," Kyungsoo said, his deep voice somehow making Jongin's name sound important.
"Goodnight, Kyungsoo."
As Jongin rushed through the rain toward his building, Yujin waved over his shoulder at the black car still idling by the curb. Jongin didn't look back, but he could feel Kyungsoo's eyes on them until they were safely inside.
Later, after putting Yujin to bed and eating a bowl of the ramen he'd almost had to leave behind, Jongin found himself staring at the business card on his kitchen table. Plain white cardstock with elegant black lettering: DO KYUNGSOO, CEO, DO ARCHITECTURE.
He traced the embossed letters with his fingertip, remembering the way Kyungsoo had held his umbrella to keep Yujin dry, the warmth of his car, the quiet dignity with which he'd offered help without making Jongin feel small for needing it.
Thunder rumbled outside, but for once, it didn't make Jongin feel so alone.