“Jimin, baby, not too high—OH GOD—no no no no, not on your head!”

Minho nearly shot up from the park bench, panic spiking as he watched their three-year-old Alpha son attempt something between a somersault and a ninja roll… only to land face-first in the grass. Again.

"Eomma look!" Jimin called Minho with a wide smile.

“Not my genes,” Minho mumbled to himself with a tired sigh. His arms tightened instinctively around their seven-month-old Omega daughter, Hana, who was busy gnawing on her fingers like they owed her money.

She looked up at him with big sparkly eyes, then blew a very wet raspberry.

“I love you too,” Minho muttered, half-amused, half-dead inside.

This was his first proper outing after six months of cursed bedrest following a traumatic and dramatic delivery that nearly broke his entire spine and will to live.

So this park visit? This breath of fresh air? It was sacred. A celebration of finally being able to put on jeans again (with your help) and get kissed by the sun.

You were 29 and his Alpha, had told him not to move while you get icecreams.

“You really think I can even stand right now?” Minho had snorted, adjusting the baby’s hat. “I’m furniture.”

You had grinned, leaned in to kiss Minho’s forehead and then Hana’s, and left.

That was… fifteen minutes ago.

Minho's eyes twitched. "I swear to GOD, if you’re flirting with the ice cream cart guy—"

“Young man.”

Minho blinked. Looked to his right—and nearly threw the baby.

Some woman—some very close, very uninvited, very pushy-looking Beta woman in her fifties or sixties had appeared out of nowhere and was now sitting right next to him, grinning like she wanted to devour his soul.

Minho instinctively pulled Hana closer to his chest.

“Such a gorgeous baby,” The woman cooed, eyes locked on Hana like she was a prize in a crane machine. “Can I hold her for a bit?”

“Ah—no,” Minho replied quickly, smiling politely but firmly. “Thank you, but she’s a little fussy with strangers.”

“Oh, nonsense,” The woman chuckled, her hand already reaching out. “Babies love me!”

Minho flinched away immediately, clutching Hana tighter. “No, seriously, she’s about to nap, so…”

“Oh please,” The woman waved him off. “Just a moment. I miss holding babies. This one looks like a doll—look at those cheeks!”

Minho’s heart was thudding now. “I’m really sorry, but no. She’s not comfortable with other people.”

He tried to stay calm and smile but he could already feel the sweat forming.

The woman, however, was undeterred. She scoffed. Scoffed, like HE was the problem.

“Honestly! Young people these days,” She snapped. “No respect, no manners. Can’t even listen to an elder properly when spoken to. Is this how your generation behaves?”

Minho blinked, stunned. “What—”

“In my time, when someone older asked you to do something, you did it!” She continued, waving her hand dramatically like she was giving a lecture. “You didn’t argue back and act like some spoiled brat! Disrespectful!”

“I’m not being disrespectful—”

“You are! You don’t even know me, and you assume the worst. What do you think, I’m gonna run off with your baby?”

Minho clutched Hana tighter and looked around desperately. Where the hell were you?!

“I’m her mom,” Minho snapped, his voice finally cutting sharp. “And I said no.”

The woman stared. Her face twisted.

“You?” She said, almost laughing. “You’re her mom? You're an Omega?”

“Yes.”

There was a pause. And then she leaned forward again.

“I think you’re just being overprotective and paranoid,” She said with a mocking smile. “Letting people love your child isn’t a crime unless you’ve got something to hide. Hmm?”

That was it. That was absolutely it.

Minho blinked slowly, one eye twitching. “Lady. You are so lucky my legs don’t work yet.”

“Excuse me?!”

“Oh, trust me, if I wasn’t six months into recovery from literally ripping my body in half to bring this adorable child into the world, I’d be the one standing over you right now.” Minho snapped.

“How rude! I was just—”