Chapter 4
The sun streamed faintly through the windows of Akira's apartment, spilling over the living room where he lay asleep on the couch, his head resting on one folded arm. His black shirt slightly crumpled, his expression peaceful despite the exhaustion around his eyes.
The front door creaked open.
Yuke entered quietly, followed by Mickey, Aoi, and their cousin. All four of them tiptoed into the living room, seeing Akira sprawled on the couch.
Yuke leaned in closer, tilting his head in admiration.
"Aww, look so handsome even while sleeping."
The others joined him, peeking in.
"But why is brother sleeping here? Where is Cherry??"
"Did they have a fight already on their first wedding night?"
Their gazes shifted to the nearby bedroom door—bolted shut from the outside.
Mickey groaned.
"Ohh lord. Guess the brother-in-law is locked inside."
Without wasting time, they opened the bedroom door.
Yuke crouched next to Akira again, poking his cheek gently with a pout.
"Uhhm, brother... here I was thinking I'm going to get a good news this morning, but look at you, sleeping outside." He sighed.
The unlocked bedroom door creaked open. Inside, Cherry lay curled up on the lavishly decorated bed—rose petals scattered across the sheets, candles half-melted, and a soft scent of vanilla still lingering in the air.
Cherry blinked awake at the sudden brightness. He squinted toward the door and saw four curious faces peering in.
"You all are here?" he asked groggily.
Akira's brothers responded in sync, cheerful and teasing.
"Morning, brother-in-law! How was the night?"
They all smiled mischievously.
From the couch, Akira stirred, rubbing his eyes before noticing Yuke beside him.
He yawned.
"Ohh, it's you. What are you doing here?"
Yuke chuckled.
"To check on you, brother. By the way—good morning."
Akira stood up, stretching slightly, and made his way toward the bedroom, clearly heading for the bathroom.
As he unbuttoned his shirt, walking in with a heavy sigh, Cherry's mood shifted.
Furious.
With a swift movement, Cherry grabbed Akira's hand mid-step, spun him around, and pushed him onto the bed. He jumped on top of him, pinning Akira firmly by the shoulders.
From the doorway, Akira's brothers gasped—shocked and speechless.
Still lying under him, Akira maintained his signature poker face.
"What is this?"
Cherry, breathing heavily, gripped his collar, voice full of fury.
"Like you don't know... why did you—"
But then, his eyes caught something beneath the parted shirt.
Tattoos. Not just one, but several—inked in intricate designs across Akira's chest and upper body.
Cherry froze.
He slowly began pulling the shirt down more, uncovering Akira's chest, then turning him slightly to see his back. The ink was everywhere—bold, dark, and unmistakably symbolic.
All the while, Akira said nothing. He didn't resist. He simply lay there, expression unreadable.
"Are you done?" he asked calmly.
Cherry's face turned pale. He was sweating. His fingers trembled as he slowly let go of the fabric.
"Are you a... a... mafia boss??"
The air in the room dropped. Everyone, even the ones at the door, stared in stunned silence—waiting for an answer that might never come.
Cherry almost toppled off the bed as Akira suddenly sat up beneath him. His small hands gripped the sheets for balance, wide eyes staring at the man who now looked even more intimidating up close.
Akira's hand moved without hesitation, gripping Cherry firmly by the waist.
"W–Why are you holding me there?" Cherry stammered, shocked by the sudden motion and the coldness in Akira's red eyes.
Akira tilted his head slightly, his tone flat. "You really don't know?"
Cherry blinked, still trying to process everything. "I… I only knew you were a CEO… that's what my parents told me…" His voice trailed off as his gaze fell on the tattoos stretching across Akira's chest and arms. "But those tattoos…?"
He gulped.
Akira clicked his tongue. "Get off."
Cherry blinked. "What…?"
"I said—get off me," Akira repeated, his glare sharp enough to pierce skin.
"Oh! Yes, yes!" Cherry scrambled off, sitting nervously on the edge of the bed as Akira disappeared into the bathroom, the sound of running water filling the awkward silence.
Cherry's wide eyes turned towards Yuke, who leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, watching calmly.
Yuke sighed and walked over, sitting beside Cherry on the bed with a crooked smile. "Yeah… my brother's the underworld boss," he said casually, as if talking about the weather. "What did you think? All this money came from just some company? No… it's more than that."
Cherry stared at him, frozen.
"But don't worry, brother-in-law." Yuke flashed him a playful grin. "He's got a big heart—though a little moody."
Cherry laughed nervously, sweat forming at the back of his neck. {Cherry's inner thought : Cherry baby, you are dead}. He forced a smile at Yuke, who only chuckled in return.
Next day, at the company—
As Akira entered AZ Enterprises, a wave of cheers and flower bouquets greeted him.
"Congratulations, sir!"
"Who is this lucky woman, boss!"
The staff gushed as Akira walked by with his usual poker face—though a faint awkwardness lingered in his stride. A few employees even cried, mourning that the most handsome man was now officially off the market.
"No chance for us anymore… "
Meanwhile, beside him, Aki—visible only in reflections and to Akira—was laughing uncontrollably, clutching his sides as he floated alongside him.
"Ahaha~ You're blushing, Akira~! This is gold!" Aki teased.
Akira ignored him as best he could, his cheeks dusted pink while he clutched a bouquet awkwardly. Once inside his office, he sighed and sank into his chair.
Aki followed, plopping onto the sofa and still chuckling.
"You sure are enjoying this too much," Akira muttered, loosening his tie.
"Come on, Akira! It's your day!" Aki grinned, crawling over to pull at Akira's cheeks. "At least give them a smile!"
But Akira's hand reached out to stop him—only for it to pass right through.
Aki paused, floating still in front of Akira, smiling softly. His green eyes shimmered with something unreadable.
"…Look," Akira murmured after clearing his throat, "this marriage means nothing to me."
"Oh? Is that so?" Aki replied, his voice teasing yet tinged with something more.
Akira met his gaze. "Indeed. You know that pink boy—Cherry—has another alpha."
Aki's eyes widened. "WHAT?!"
"You knew that and still married him?! Why, Akira?!"
Akira turned his attention back to the documents on his desk, sighing deeply as he blinked, eyes tired. "For a reason."
Aki leaned in, desperate. "What reason? Tell me!"
"…No. It's a secret."
"Really?! Now you're keeping secrets from me too, huh?" Aki puffed his cheeks in a pout.
Akira glanced at him, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he turned toward the computer screen. "You'll know… with time."
Meanwhile, back at home—
The house was quiet.
Cherry sat alone in the grand room, the silence around him amplifying every small sound. Even Akira's brothers had left for their main residence.
Why is everything so tense? he thought, fiddling with the edge of his oversized sleeve. Am I really married into the underworld?
Just then, his phone buzzed.
A new number.
Unknown caller.
Cherry's hands trembled slightly as he stared at the screen.