Kiss the Stranger

The clamor of hurried footsteps racing down the corridor shattered the oppressive stillness that had settled like a shroud. Gasping for breath, the man burst through the door at the end of the hall without so much as a knock. Inside, a young boy lay asleep, blissfully unaware of the world. The man’s face went ashen; he rushed across the room, seized the boy’s shoulders, and shook him violently. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, the boy awoke to the man’s urgent shout.
“Yohan, get down! Quick! People are coming here!”

“People? Who…?”
Still half-dazed by sleep, the boy blinked. The man let out a frustrated sigh and pressed on.
“They’re coming to capture you! Snap out of it and get up now!”

“Me? Why, why would they—”
The man regarded the startled Yohan with exasperation.
“Because you’re an omega.”

Yohan fell silent, his eyes widening. The man grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the doorway.
“I’ll hold them off here. There’s a courier waiting outside who’ll guide you to a safe place. Stay hidden there—if they catch you, it’s all over. Understand?”
“B-but—”
Yohan’s mouth opened, full of questions, but there was no time. The man hauled him into the corridor as he continued to urge him on.

“There’s no time to waste. If you hesitate, you’ll lose your chance. Run, now!”
Before Yohan could think, he was out the door. As they reached the stairs, the boy’s cat, roused from sleep, scuttled after them.
“Rikal!”

Yohan scooped up the cat. The man clicked his tongue and, taking Yohan’s hand, hurried him onward.
Outside, the courier had loaded supplies into a waiting vehicle. The man gave Yohan a shove toward the backseat.

“Get in. Head to Saide.”

Saide lay far from the manor, a secluded oasis few knew existed. As family land, no strangers ever ventured there—making it the safest refuge. Yet Yohan hesitated.
“Am I to stay there by myself?”
His face pale, Yohan looked to the man, who wasted no time persuading him.

“They won’t follow you into the desert. Just lay low for a while. If you stay here and they drag you off…what becomes of our family? If it’s revealed that our heir is an omega and we tried to hide it…”
The man’s breath caught as he imagined the consequences.
“The family fortune would vanish, and your parents’ graves would be desecrated. They’d be dug up and defiled. Believe me.”

Having terrified the boy, he softened his tone, offering reassurance.
“And what of you? If they drag you off and you suffer…how would that honor your brother and sister-in-law’s memory? Hide yourself first. I’ll summon you when it’s safe. Until then, stay out of sight. Understood?”
Faced with the plea, Yohan could only nod.

“Yes, Uncle.”
“That’s right.”
The man ruffled Yohan’s hair. Still bewildered as he climbed into the car clutching Rikal, Yohan wondered how his half-year-old manifestation had been discovered so quickly.

“Don’t worry. Once I’ve made every preparation, I’ll ensure your safety. Didn’t you promise to honor your aunt’s last wish?”
Yohan hesitated, then whispered, “Yes.” At that moment, the engine roared to life—no time remained.
“Thank you, Uncle. May God be with you.”
“And may He protect you.”

They exchanged farewells, then the courier drove off with Yohan and Rikal. From the roadside, Jarwal watched helplessly as they disappeared. Minutes later, several vehicles screeched to a halt at the manor [N O V E L I G H T] gates. Jarwal turned and strode toward the entrance. As he opened the door, a woman alighted from one of the cars and approached.

“Jarwal, my love. How did it go?”
Her mixture of hope and anxiety prompted a radiant smile from him. She threw herself into his arms, returning his grin.

“All went as planned. My dear nephew is gone—with nothing but a cat.”
“Oh, how precious and generous of him.”
She laughed sweetly and kissed his lips.

“To leave us your brother’s vast fortune…could there be a more lovable nephew?”
Jarwal feigned surprise.
“With an uncle as considerate as me, such a gesture is only natural. Had I not acted swiftly, everyone would have discovered his omega status and he’d have suffered terribly. Thanks to me, he lives on.”

His wife frowned in puzzlement.
“But why send him away instead of eliminating him at once and claiming everything immediately?”
“Darling, when you hunt a lion, you must consume even its bones. Be patient; in seven years, when he turns twenty, we’ll have free rein over his trust.”

“Trust?”
“Yes. His father set it aside for him until his twentieth birthday. If he dies before then, the money disappears. Until then, he must live—by any means.”
“And if he catches on and returns?”

Jarwal laughed heartily.
“Returns? He’s hidden in a deserted oasis—no phone, no passersby. What could he possibly learn?”
At last his wife beamed.
“Oh, you devil. You’ve thought of everything. Then it’s all ours—yours and mine.”

Jarwal turned to gaze at the opulent manor with a triumphant smile.
“Let us thank God for granting us an omega heir.”
His wife chuckled as she stepped inside.

“A clueless girl, calling herself his sister-in-law, reveals everything and even thanks the dead husband.”
Jarwal laughed aloud, and hand in hand they strode into the manor. And six years passed.