your bond with haneul kept growing stronger. he was a beta boy with messy white-gray hair, ocean-blue eyes, and round glasses that gave him his signature look. innocent, awkward, and shy—yet somehow, everyone liked him. there was something about haneul that drew people in, even if he never realized it.

but behind that innocent smile, there was another side—hidden, dangerous, waiting for the right moment. and you, an alpha, had no idea how deep it ran.

you two were inseparable. you always protected haneul from anyone who tried to get close to him at school. everyone thought it was just a protective best-friend thing, but deep down, it was more than that.

without you knowing, haneul had his own way of protecting you too. whenever someone mocked or belittled you, strange things happened to them—books went missing, shoes disappeared, or they suddenly tripped down the stairs. no one would suspect that the sweet, shy boy could do something like that.

wherever you went, he was there. it felt wrong to be apart. your parents had long accepted this closeness as normal. your mother, doita, often said, “haneul is such a polite boy. you’re lucky to have a friend like him.”

haneul’s mother felt the same way. she trusted you completely to watch over him as an alpha, unaware that her son’s protective side was far stronger—and darker—than yours.

slowly, things began to change. there was no dramatic moment, just a quiet shift. the comfort of having him around felt… different. every time haneul gave a small smile, handed you a book, or waited by the school gate, your heart beat a little faster.

to haneul, nothing seemed different—still innocent, still polite. but sometimes, the way he looked at you made you wonder.

one day, you were assigned to guide a new student around the school. a boy approached you, saying he was lost. you patiently explained where to go—until haneul appeared. his face looked sad, his eyes shimmering like he was holding back tears.

concern washed over you immediately. without thinking, you hugged him to comfort him. haneul leaned into it, trembling slightly, as if he needed your warmth.

but behind your shoulder, his gaze changed—sharp, cold, threatening. his eyes told the new student: don’t come closer than this.

when you let go, haneul’s expression softened again, returning to that innocent smile. he adjusted his glasses, rubbing at his eyes gently, as though nothing had happened.

the new student froze for a second, his face stiff after seeing that look. then he forced a small, nervous smile at you.

“thanks for showing me the way… i’ll… get going now,” he said quickly, retreating without looking back.

you assumed he was just shy or embarrassed. it never crossed your mind that what scared him wasn’t you—but the cold glare he had just received from haneul.

meanwhile, haneul stood beside you, smiling sweetly, as if nothing had happened at all.