"Playground!" Hannah raised her arms high.
"Playground!" Tobias clasped his hands in front of his chest.
Together, the kindergartener ran toward the colorful fence in front of them, gasping and gawking. Eugene chuckled at those bright eyes; children were truly wonderful, to easily find joy in a mall's playground even though they had been inside countless playgrounds before.
"Two hours of fun!" Sophie fished out a card between her fingers as if she were ready for a legendary battle, pulling out cheers and praising claps from the easily impressed children. She shoved the card to the amused clerk, who received it with a matching dramatic flair despite their lips twitching to stiffle a laugh. "Full package, please."
"Are you flexing or something?" Eugene rolled his eyes.
"Of course!" Sophie snorted unsophisticatedly. She looked at the clerk, who was still proceeding with the payment, and gestured with her chin. "They can just go inside, right?"
The clerk nodded with a blinding smile for the customers who purchased the highest rate. "Of course, Ma'am."
"Yaay!"
Upon hearing the affirmative answer, the children practically dashed through the fence that another staff member just opened like a pair of free-range chicks. Toby's nanny followed them with a laugh, quickly reined in the kids and led them to the side, where rows of lockers were provided to keep their belongings safe while they ran around the playgrounds.
"Come, kids. Let's put on our socks together," the nanny said, pulled out two clean socks from her bag, and distributed them to the children. "Can you do it?"
"Yees!"
While the children were showing off their proficient sock wearing, Eugene looked around to observe the playground from outside the ticket booth. Situated at the edge of a large mall's second floor, the playground encompassed almost a third of the whole floor. It not only had an array of equipment for children's physical activity, but also miniature work booths like a fake firefighter station, a fake post office, a fake grocery store, and so on.
What delighted Eugene the most was the educational corner with staff members ready to help the children with puzzles and small scientific experiment kits, which the children could access freely since Sophie bought the full package, not just the game package. From the listing, the package also included an interactive game with the mascot and choices of refreshment.
"Seems like a nice place," Eugene nodded approvingly at the opaque fence around the playground. There were also dedicated security guards to make sure the children were safe outside, while the staff member kept patrolling the playground to make sure the children were safe inside, even without their guardians.
A little heavenly prison for the little one. It was a bit expensive, but quite worth it as an option when the parents wanted to shop around without their children.
Which was what Sophie and Eugene planned to do. It had been a while since Eugene could shop for new clothes, and now that he had a temporary office life, he felt the strain on his limited clothes. Wearing his old one, the one he had during his early twenties, felt too flashy, so...
In the midst of his quiet observation, Egene suddenly heard Sophie's surprised voice. "Hmm? Huh? Isn't that..."
"What?"
Eugene turned his head curiously, and his heart nearly stopped. An alpha with rich brown eyes and light brown hair walked toward them. Eyes squinting like someone who just lost their glasses, the alpha opened his mouth slowly.
"Sophie?"
Eugene froze as he saw Arthur walk closer, a phone in his right hand and a shopping bag in another as his brown eyes observed Sophie. When the man was only a few steps away, those rich eyes shifted to the frozen Eugene.
"Wait..." Arthur paused, staring at the omega.
Eugene wanted to dash past the playground fence right at that moment.
"Eugene Kim?"
...fuck!
It was better when this guy just forgot about him and did not recognize him. If Eugene hit the alpha's head, would he lose his memory and forget about Eugene's existence? His eyes darted around, glancing at the playground to make sure his daughter was out of view.
Thankfully, the kids were still behind the lockers, putting on socks with the nanny. Soon, however, they would come out, and Arthur would be able to see them. See her!
At that moment, the alpha's eyes lifted to read the playground's sign. "Oh, are you here with Tobias--ugh!"
Arthur widened his eyes when the omega who kept avoiding him suddenly grabbed his hand and walked away, dragging him alone. "Come with me."
While Arthur was still confused, Eugene turned toward the wide-eyed Sophie. "Soph, I need to go for a bit," he paused and gestured to the playground with his eyes, screaming a plea in his mind.
Soph, take care of Hannah, okay?
"Uhh...sure?"
Sophie waved her hands slowly while watching the two men walk away--one being dragged undignifiedly. As their figures disappeared behind a pillar, her confused expression shifted to that of a knowing smile.
She glanced at her phone and the series of texts she had with Arthur to arrange this 'accidental' encounter, including telling the alpha the outfit they were wearing for easier identification.
As expected, since Eugene didn't want anyone from the project to know of Hannah's existence, he would drag Arthur away to prevent the alpha from seeing his daughter. If Sophie set up the meeting in a cafe or somewhere without Hannah being around, Eugene might just leave or ignore Arthur.
"But with this, they'll surely talk, right?" Sophie smiled in satisfaction and turned around to join the children in the playground, winking at the amused clerk.
* * *
There are all kinds of 'talk' in this world. One of them was done with glaring eyes and low hissing.
"What are you doing here?" Eugene stopped once they reached the other side of the second floor, as far away from the kids' playground as possible.
"Shopping?" Arthur raised the shopping bag with a bookstore logo on it, returning Eugene's glare with his own signature frown. "What--are you thinking this whole place is yours? Do I have to ask for permission to share a space with you?"
Unfortunately, the bookstore was located on the same floor as the playground--perhaps because they also sold the picture book series that the playground had.
Still, it didn't stop Eugene from remarking sarcastically. "I'll be grateful if you do."
"Why are you spiteful to me?" Arthur snapped back. "What have I done to you?"
Eugene, who had been walking so fast he almost jogged, stopped and let go of the alpha's hand he had been dragging. They were in a corner near the hallway that led to the restroom. It was quiet enough for Eugene to hear the clear pain in the alpha's voice.
"Seriously, you've been nothing but spiteful about me," Arthur said again, staring at the omega in wounded confusion. "Did I do something wrong? Did I wrong you in the past or something?"
Seeing not anger, but hurt in the alpha's expression made Eugene groan inwardly. As Eugene looked at Arthur with turbulent eyes, the alpha's frown unraveled slightly, and the agitated voice softened.
"If I do, then please tell me," Arthur said, brown eyes deep and solemn. "Tell me so I can apologize properly."
Eugene widened his eyes slightly, surprised at how genuine the alpha sounded. It wasn't glib; Arthur did mean to apologize if he was in the wrong.
Thinking back at how people--and Eugene--had been avoiding Arthur, and how half of the company gossiped about his animosity with the other co-owner's side, the alpha suddenly looked...pitiful.
To be honest, did the man really do anything wrong? If his unfriendly-looking expression was caused by his sensitive nose, it wasn't something Arthur could help. And aside from forgetting about Eugene after six years, the alpha...haven't done anything wrong, really.
Anything unprovoked, at least.
Thinking from his perspective, it must have looked like someone unfairly decided to hate him just because. Anyone...well, anyone would feel hurt from that, wouldn't they?
A sense of guilt came over Eugene. He gritted his teeth, calculating the risk. As long as he made sure Arthur didn't meet Hannah, there should be nothing wrong with normal interaction...right?
"Mr. Kim--"
"Eugene--just call me Eugene," Eugene raised his hand, shaking his head to chase away the shudder that came over being called so formarly by his daughter's father.
"Okay, Eugene..." Arthur paused, rolling the name with his tongue. "I've read your manuscript, and I don't think you're an alpha-hater."
Eugene raised his brow. What was this all of a sudden?
"Frankly, I don't understand why you didn't deny it," Arthur frowned, observing the omega who once again put on an aloof face. "I could only think that I wronged you somehow, but..."
Arthur bit his lower lip, wondering if he should be honest about his face-blindness. Surely, Sophie's friend wouldn't be the type to spread it around, right?
"I...have a bad memory, you see..."
Arthur, you coward! Arthur scolded himself inwardly, but in the end, he could only sigh at the heaviness in his heart.
Unbeknownst to him, the omega in front of him was also busy figuratively rolling around on his mind's floor. Argh--how could he blame Arthur if the alpha admitted that he had a bad memory? It wasn't so weird for someone to forget the person they had a one-night stand with years ago. Even Eugene couldn't remember all of those people's faces.
But...but...explaining his agitation that day would mean he had to explain about their encounter and Hannah's existence, and it made Eugene wish he had Miss Elyushia's power of teleportation.
"No," Eugene's only sign of distress was shown by a heavy sigh as he turned his face away. "You're just...reminded me of someone I despise."
Evidently, both of them were cowards.
"You...hate me because I resemble someone you hate?" Arthur was bewildered. Bewildered and hurt.
Eugene swallowed his guilty conscience. "Uhh...yeah, I'm sorry."
"Wow..."
"I guess I'm unconsciously trying to avoid you," Eugene added awkwardly.
"Huh..." Arthur frowned. "That's quite rude."
"What--"
Eugene snapped back, about to get angry, when he realized he had no ground for getting angry without unfolding the truth.
Argh! How frustrating!
"Well...I'm sorry, I guess--for being similar," Arthur muttered sulkily, lips pursed as his eyes darted to the side.
Why did he have to look like a kicked puppy?! Eugene cursed inwardly. The alpha looked the same as that night six years ago: slightly vulnerable, inviting a head pat, making people gullible even while being annoyed.
Eugene sighed. "You said you want to discuss the movie's effect?"
The sullen head perked up, and the bitter brows eyes sparkled like a pair of glazed chocolate, almost like rich honey. "Actually, I want to discuss the script too."
Eugene sighed inwardly, thinking that he should spend the next two hours with Arthur in case he decided to stick around to talk to Sophie--and thus revealing Hannah's existence.
"Fine," he finished his rationalization quickly. "Let's go to a cafe or something."
Anyway, he'd leave after talking, right? Better satisfy this alpha's curiosity and be done with it.
Arthur nodded quickly. "There are some on the fourth floor."
"Let's go, then." Eugene immediately turned around and walked away, as if he didn't want to waste seconds on that floor.
Arthur flinched, looking at the elevator near them with a grimace. An enclosed space with so many people crammed together was really not good for him. "Oh--"
He was about to stop Eugene and ask the omega to use the stairs, but he saw Eugene walk past the elevator and go to the escalator instead, before he could even say anything.
...huh.