“I am sorry, mother.”

“It’s okay. If you don’t want to, then I won’t force you.”

My mother smiled bitterly at me and took away the picture on her phone.

After my marriage was broken off, I started receiving a lot of matchmaking opportunities and invitations to go on dates.

It’s not that I have suddenly become attractive. These were political marriage proposals from people who want to connect with my family.

I really think it is admirable to curry favor by accepting a defective Omega whose pheromone was broken.

And yet, this is how they will further advance their business and negotiate an advantageous loan afterwards too.

As a matter of fact, this is how business works.

How much profit can be generated with associating with the other party. That’s what a political marriage is all about.

This kind of marriage was also a great deal for me, and I’d like to choose someone who, together with me, can help the company develop steadily and get engaged.

Looking at it this way, this matter was not something to worry about, essentially.

In the past, I might have been inclined to choose as many of those that had the best conditions from the sent-in matchmaking partners as possible and try going out with them.

And that’s because I wanted to quickly find a good partner and reassure my parents.

I know that they had a much bigger shock than I did when I broke up with Takamichi because of how good my relationship with him seemed.

I also know that my parents have been depressed since that regretful incident.

My parents were each other’s soul mates when they got married. They knew the uncontrollable urge to be with your fated one, and understood that Takamichi couldn’t help but want to be with his soul mate and so he had chosen to let go of his promise to me and marry her instead.

And yet, It seems that they could not wipe out the feeling of frustration and disappointment they had because their only son who has a pheromone abnormality had lost his chance at finally finding a good match.

Especially my father who has always felt guilty for not being able to give birth to me in a normal healthy body.

However, after witnessing Sasanami current situation, I couldn’t feel like moving on to the next marriage. At the very least, until Sasanami took the first step towards his happiness, I, who had been the one to take away his beloved, should be the one to watch.

Well, to be honest…

I’m scared.

I’m afraid of ruining other people’s lives.

I’m afraid that by marrying me, that person will forever break the bond with his fated one that he was supposed to meet in the future.

The person chosen to be my partner might have a soul mate, and if one day they met, they would be in pure ecstasy. So, I am afraid that by letting him bite the nape of my neck, I will take it away from them.

Once he had bitten his partner’s nape, the alpha will no longer react to other Omega’s pheromones. Even if they pass each other on the street, they will not be able to notice it.

I’m afraid to take him away from his destined person because I know how powerful is the bond pulling you towards your soul mate and I know the irresistible sweetness of their pheromones.

And I also know the pain of not being able to be with them.

“Wakaba is only 25 and there’s no rush. Take your time to find someone you like.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry.”

When it comes to this matter, my feelings suddenly become dark and heavy. I wish my mother wouldn’t notice that my right cheek twitches and tightens as I force a smile on my face.

“By the way, Raizo wanted to see you, Wakaba.”

“Mr. Raizo? It’s been a while since we have seen each other. I hope Jin and Zen are doing well. They’re going into their second year of junior high school, right?”

The name “Raizo” that came out of my mother’s mouth blew away the heavy feeling I had. We had exchanged e-mails and phone calls, but we hadn’t seen each other in person in years.

I pictured Raizo-san’s^[1]The suffix san is a honorific for Mr, Mrs or Ms face with a slightly nasty grin on his handsome face in my mind. Both my mother and father look young, but Raizo-san has a youthfulness that doesn’t make you feel his age. He’s a respectful person who has always helped me out.

Raizo-san was my mother’s junior at school and lived with her for a while. The twins, Jin and Zen were Raizo’s children; they were only three years old when I first met them.

I suppose I am really getting old because the twins who were crying and hugging me then are now at the same age I was at that time.

“He’s coming back to Japan for business and I’m going to invite him over.”

“This should be fun; I’m looking forward to it.”

I haven’t seen him in a while, but I guess he’s still as handsome as ever.

At the planned reunion with someone I had missed, my heart, which lately tended to be dark, warmed up a little.

“Where is father by the way?”

“Yesterday was intense, so he is still sleeping.”

My mother grinned, and this time, she laughed a bit.

My parents have always been as close as newlyweds, always flirting and teasing each other. However, as their son, I had no desire to know the details of their marital bliss behind closed doors.