Jaemin’s POV

"You make me feel alive~"

It’s the last line I sing, standing in the middle of the ending pose formation, the main attraction.

I am the center of Sky High, and I take it seriously.

I tilt my head sensually, gazing at the mirror with a practiced hypnotic stare, trying to look good for my ending fairy shot.

"Good job, Jaemin you are stage ready" the dance instructor says and we all straighten our backs to hear the corrections.

"Han Sol, you broke the formation during the dance break, Suho and Choryoung, you are already polished dancers, but you keep missing the count" he says and we nod.

"Yerim, you look too happy, less cute expression would help, er...Roh Jaemin, you are doing great" he says and my team starts to clap.

"Wow does Jaemin hyung even need to practice ever again?" Choryoung asks once the instructor gives us a break and I give him a dry smile through the mirror.

Do I need to practice everyday with them? No, not really.

But I do it to keep the attention on me.

We are idols, I have to make sure the eyes of adoring fans never leave me, and I need to make sure I will be the first person to be noticed on every stage.

"Of course I have to work hard, you guys are getting better every day and you know I’m bad at dancing" I lie and they fall for it.

They always fall for it, I am the confident and attractive member who is also the most...caring.

"Hyung, you are really the coolest idol" Suho says.

"Wow, no wonder you’re the bias of so many people" Yerim adds with an envious look in his eyes.

"No, it’s not like that, our fans love all of us" I say with fake humility.

I am waving my hands to act like I want to take their attention off me and my skills, but it’s all show for the camera.

Roh Jaemin’s fierce on stage and sweet off stage persona sells.

"Jaemin?" our manager calls from the door, and I turn around to look at him.

He has an unpleasant look on his face as he holds up my phone, and I raise my brow at him, questioning why he is holding my device like it’s his property.

"Yes?" I ask coldly.

"An important call" he says and leave my spot, walking over to him, and when I take the phone out of his hand, I take a moment to look at the screen.

I have the number saved with a single emoji; a lion.

It’s the man I hate the most, but the man I owe the most, I give the manager a side eye before accepting the call.

He knows I hate picking this call, but he also knows that a missed call means a potential award loss, and he can’t risk it with the Chwae Music Awards coming up.

"Hello, Lord Kang" I say into the phone in a soft voice.

"Ah...my favorite mythical creature, it took you long enough to accept the call" he says and I force a smile on my face.

"I was at practice; I have to make your efforts for me worth it" I say and he laughs.

"Very good, this is why I like you, you’re smarter than many omegas" he says and I give a polite chuckle.

"You will do me a favor, Jaemin-ah" he says and I walk away from the practice room.

"Yes" I say.

"Bring Sooin to me" he says and I freeze with the phone to my ear, "sir..."

"Any problem with that order?" he asks and I clear my throat.

"Yes sir...Taesan is going to kill me" I say with fear.

I can already imagine the scene, he has left me to live for so long, if he hears that I took his pup to his grandfather...he will end my life.

"You will die either which way Jaemin-ah" the old man says. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

I don’t want to die, not now.

"Protect me, eh, swear that you will protect me" I plead and he lets out a hearty laughter, having fun with this.

"I always protect you, now do what I say, you have three hours before her school hour ends" he says and ends the call.

I drop my shaking hands to my side.

How can I do this? Taesan will never forgive me, he will haunt me down and kill me.

Especially now that he has his eyes on Seoha, the omega my cousin keeps tabs on for my sake.

"What does he want?" my manager asks, and I turn my head to look at him with tired eyes.

"Prepare my outfit and find a way to make sure I don’t get spotted or photographed" I say and leave the hallway.

It’s how it has always been, he calls and I obey.

Throwback

The club is hot and as always, I put in my best, I have to earn plenty for more than dinner.

My clothes are skimpier than they were last night, and they hug my body, my scent gland is covered but I’m covered in perfume.

"Wow, he’s really beautiful" one of the clients yell as I move my body against the silver pole.

I drop to my knees, running my hands up and down my body, and putting on a show by grinding against my heel.

Hungry catcalls and applauds fill the room and I push my hair back, showing off my facial features.

Sharp fox-like eyes, strong pointed nose, plump and attractive lips.

No one needs to tell me, I know that I’m every person’s wet dream; man, woman, alpha, beta or even omega, I will seduce them all.

The club light gets dim, it’s my cue to leave the stage and I give a bow, giving my customer time to stuff my shorts with cash.

As always, a fight breaks out, the alphas are trying to see who would get to touch me, but the security takes me away.

I get to the changing room and throw a towel around my shoulder, impatient and ready to count how much I made.

"Isn’t an omega like you too...elegant to work in a place like this?" a man’s voice says and I turn around quickly.

There’s an old man leaning against a lion head walking stick, he’s wearing an expensive suit, and a predatory smile.

My entire body goes stiff; I know enough about the underworld to know who he is...the Lord Kang.

The man that rules the world like it’s nothing but his playground, nothing but a personal toy, today it can be a slaughterhouse, tomorrow it can be paradise.

"How did you get in here" I ask in a scared whisper.

"Jaemin, too brilliant but can’t be in school, too beautiful but has to strip...why?" he asks and I growl.

"It’s none of your concern" I say.

"They will pull the plug, do you know that? The hospital has run out of charity" he says.

"What are you talking about?" I yell.

"Your sister, she’s dying, but Jaemin...but I have a way out for you" he says and just in time, the hospital call comes in.

My sister who is a cancer patient might be left to die tonight if I don’t bring money.

I look at the cash in my hand and the man in the room.

He explains what I have to do, it’s simple, trap and seduce his rebellious grandson. Baby trap Kang Taesan, and if I like, I can leave them, but I will still belong to Lord Kang.

The plan sounds simple, too simple to be true.

"What do I gain if I say yes?" I ask him with a small voice and he sighs dreamily.

"I can change your life" he says with confidence.

Present.

And he did, he changed my life, my sister is living well despite her cancer, I am living my dreams as an idol, I had a lover that thrilled me...but I am not allowed to savor it.

Guilt and greed pushed me out of Taesan’s home, I couldn’t bear what I did, but I liked it too much.

I felt bad but I wanted more, I wanted to be an idol, I wanted thousands of clueless fans to love me.

I suffer from knowing that I’m not a good person, but if I am going to suffer, I won’t do it alone.

Taesan is also a bad person.

I take my seat in the principal’s office of the child’s school.

"Hello, I’m Sooin’s mom, remember the NDA we signed to keep my identity secret?" I say to the school’s head mistress and she smiles brightly.

"Yes! I remember it all, wow, it’s nice seeing you again sir, you’re even more handsome in person"

"No, I’m not" I say with fake shyness, "can you bring Sooin to me?" I ask and the smile drops off her face.

"Actually...her father only allows three people to pick her, I’m sorry" she says and I nod slowly.

"It’s okay, it’s for my pup’s safety...I’ll wait for the person coming to get her" I say and lean back in the seat.

I’ll wait...Grandfather Kang will protect me.