Chapter 2: Guest or Prisoner?

The car ride was awkward.

Park Hyun-So stared out the window, arms crossed, watching the city pass by. He recognized nothing. The streets looked similar, but the signs were wrong. The buildings were wrong.

The whole world was wrong.

Why does it have to be an Omegaverse too? Not like he knows much about it either, but it was enough to realize how bad it can go.

Kim Do-Jin drove in silence, one hand resting lazily on the wheel, gaze fixed ahead like this was a completely normal Tuesday.

Hyun-So finally exhaled. "I don't get it."

Do-Jin hummed. "You don't get what?"

Hyun-So waved vaguely outside. "This. How does everything look almost the same, but… isn't?"

Do-Jin thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Multiverse theory? Bad luck? I don't know, man. I make medicine, not sci-fi explanations."

Hyun-So scowled, leaning back against the seat. "Comforting."

Do-Jin smirked slightly but said nothing.

* * *

The car pulled into a sleek, gated property. The house was… huge. Open design, massive windows, a front garden that looked too perfect to be real.

Park Hyun-So got out slowly, taking it in. "Are you rich, or just being compensated for something?"

Kim Do-Jin ignored the jab, unlocking the front door. "This is where you'll stay. Guest room's down the hall. Don't break anything."

Hyun-So stepped inside, eyes narrowing at the ridiculous number of plants.

Vines. Potted ferns. A wall of tiny succulents.

He turned to Do-Jin. "…You live in a greenhouse?"

Do-Jin grinned. "They don't talk back. Unlike certain guests."

Hyun-So rolled his eyes. "Right. And what happens if I want to go outside?"

Do-Jin leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed lazily. "Not a great idea."

"…Why?"

Do-Jin didn't blink. "You have no records here. No ID, no history. If someone questions you, what are you going to say? 'Hi, I'm from a parallel universe."

Hyun-So opened his mouth, closed it, then sighed. "Fine. But I'm not staying locked inside forever."

Kim Do-Jin just hummed noncommittally.

Park Hyun-So got the feeling that he wasn't actually in control of that decision.

* * *

Two days passed.

Kim mostly ignored him, busy with work, which was fine by Hyun-So. As he spent most of his time studying the world he might be stuck in for a while now, through books or by watching TV.

He also managed to get the sleep he needed after all those part-time jobs he was working on.

He managed to find out one thing through the things he found inside the house, well, from the space he was allowed to roam around.

And that was about Kim Do-Jin; he was an alpha.

Not like it was anything he wanted to get his hands on; it was just information he came across.

On the third morning, Kim randomly said,

"Come to the lab with me."

Hyun-So paused mid-bite of his toast. "…What?"

Do-Jin was already grabbing his keys. "You're not doing anything. Might as well see something useful."

Hyun-So narrowed his eyes. "…Is this a 'let's see if he's a threat' thing?"

Do-Jin grinned. "No. I already assume you're a threat."

Park Hyun-So gave him a look. "…That's not better."

Kim Do-Jin just motioned for him to hurry up.

* * *

The underground lab was sleek, cold, and way too high-tech. Park Hyun-So tried to look unimpressed.

They entered an office where a man was sprawled on the couch, flipping through a tablet. The second they stepped in, he glanced up.

And smirked.

"Oh? So this is the mysterious guest."

Kim Do-Jin rolled his eyes. "Han Byung-chul. My assistant. My friend, unfortunately."

Byung-chul stood, extending a hand to Hyun-So. "Han Byung-chul. I handle most of the responsible work around here while this idiot screws around with chemicals."

Hyun-So shook his hand. "Park Hyun-So. Apparently the new houseplant."

Byung-chul snorted. "Makes sense, given he only lets the plant enter his home."

Kim Do-Jin gave them both a look. "Do you two want a moment alone, or can we focus?"

Byung-chul grinned but turned back to Kim. "So, are we pretending he's not an anomaly? Or have you finally accepted you picked up an interdimensional stray?"

Hyun-So let out an exhausted sigh. "Please stop calling me that."

Kim ignored them both, already moving toward the computers.

Kim Do-Jin wasn't a paranoid man.

But he didn't like variables he couldn't explain.

After their trip to the lab, he started watching Park Hyun-So closer. Not obviously—just little things.

The way Hyun-So reacted when walking through certain hallways (slight tension, almost like something felt off).

The way he subconsciously avoided areas with high pheromone concentration (like an alpha-heavy research wing).

The way his headache started after passing a group of omega researchers.

It wasn't normal.

And Kim Do-Jin didn't believe in coincidences.

Byung-chul noticed his distracted look and leaned in, voice low.

"Something bothering you?"

Do-Jin tapped his fingers against his arm, eyes locked on Hyun-So.

"Not sure yet."

* * *

That night, back at the house, Hyun-So leaned against the counter, arms crossed.

"You're watching me."

Do-Jin, sipping his tea, barely reacted. "Not really."

Hyun-So squinted. "You're lying."

Do-Jin grinned. "Maybe."

Hyun-So sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look. I get it. I dropped into your world out of nowhere. I'd be suspicious too."

Do-Jin hummed in agreement. "Good. Glad we're on the same page."

Hyun-So groaned. "That wasn't an invitation to keep treating me like a lab rat."

Kim chuckled but said nothing.

Hyun-So sighed again, muttering. "...I liked the plants better."

Kim perked up. "See? You're bonding with them."

Hyun-So gave him a blank stare. "I take it back."