Chapter 3 - My Younger Brother

“Gabriel still hasn’t come out of his room?”

“Yeah. He just keeps saying he’s sleepy…”

I could hear my adoptive parents whispering beyond the door.

“As expected, it must have been quite a shock. Since he’s such a smart kid, he understands exactly what situation he’s in.”

“What if Gabriel becomes anxious? Maybe we should have waited a bit longer to tell him… Were we too hasty?”

“We need to solve this together.”

Their voices were full of gloom.

However.

“Mother, Father.”

“Oh my, you startled me!”

If they think I’d be sulking from feeling left out, that’s a big misunderstanding!

I flung open the door and thrust out a piece of paper.

“I, I worked really hard on a name for the baby.”

“…!”

“There are still 6 days left, but this is mother’s birthday present.”

“Ga-Gabriel…”

“Happy birthday!”

Honestly, I was shocked by the sudden pregnancy news.

I never went anywhere near the stairs when the two were in the second-floor master bedroom… but to think they actually did the deed right upstairs.

‘They said they struggled with infertility for a long time, but their timing is quite artistic.’

Very coincidentally, it seems a child was conceived right after I came to this house.

I’d encountered several times on broadcasts families struggling with the sense of distance and alienation between adopted children and biological children, and the possibility of dissolution of adoption, so I did feel afraid that might happen in this life too.

But the shock was only temporary. I quickly shook it off.

‘As long as I don’t get sent away, that’s all that matters, right?’

Given these two people’s personalities, they probably wouldn’t easily abandon their benefactor’s child. And it’s not like I’m so greedy for wealth and love that I’d fight over the rice bowl with their biological child.

I’m just a small citizen who wants to quietly leech off this wealthy family and enjoy a long, comfortable life. So…

“I was surprised that we’re getting a new family member, but… still, I’m so, so excited too.”

I smiled brightly and said to the couple.

As angelic as possible. Like a good, gentle child that everyone loves!

“I promise to love my younger brother. Just like how mother and father love me.”

So I’ll act as the most well-behaved adopted child!

“Congratulations on the pregnancy! Mother, Father!”

“…Sob! What should I do, I’m tearing up!”

“M-me too… Gabrielll, sob sob sob!”

These two people… the tears they’ve shed during the time spent with me must seriously amount to several liters.

Aren’t conglomerate family members usually supposed to have a cold, ruthless image? For conglomerate people, these two are… so soft and squishy they’re like slimes.

‘Well, if I really meant nothing to them, they wouldn’t entrust me with their precious biological child’s name.’

Warmth spreads through my chest that had been cold from the couple’s tears.

‘I’m confident. I’m confident I’ll live this life sucking honey!’

So I’ll make the most of the environment given to me.

Even these two people’s soft hearts!

“Honey, you’re going to crumple the paper.”

“R-right. Our Gabriel gave us the baby’s name as a gift.”

The couple quickly wiped their tears and unfolded the paper.

On the paper, they were written in neat handwriting.

“Samuel Bailey…?”

“Yes, it’s snowing outside. The terrace at our house is piled high with snow too. Like a gift that came down to a snow-covered house.”

Actually, it didn’t take long to come up with the name.

As soon as I looked outside the window, this name naturally popped out of my mouth.

“That’s why it’s Samuel Bailey.”

Don’t worry, future younger brother, Samuel.

I’ll leave that otherworldly stuff like corporate succession battles to you.

In the meantime, I’ll enjoy hotel vacations in Dubai or the Maldives!

“Oh my. This child can already read English characters!”

“…I remember there were many pretty characters in the English character dictionary I saw at the nursery.”

Of course, that’s a lie. I know some English characters from when I diligently prepared for exams, though I am only six years old in appearance. I gave up on the exams when my father died suddenly and left behind a huge debt, but… let’s gradually forget the unhappy past.

“How can you be so brilliant! Sob, Juliana, are you watching from heaven? What should we do, our Gabriel must be a genius!”

Fortunately, my adoptive parents didn’t have any suspicions about my knowledge.

“Oh my, it’s a bit late, but lunch! I ordered the sandwiches Gabriel likes!”

“Honey, don’t overdo it. I’ll carry them.”

My adoptive father was holding bags in both hands, having apparently gone to the entrance.

My adoptive mother rushed over and snatched the bags from him.

“You’re not alone anymore.”

“…?”

…Not alone?

Something’s strange. Isn’t that usually what a husband says to his wife?

As I kept giving him a look full of doubt, my adoptive mother went “Oh!” and came over, leading my adoptive father.

“Right. Gabriel. Come here.”

Then she took my hand and placed it somewhere.

“Here, your younger brother is here.”

“What?”

But. That position was…

My adoptive father’s lower abdomen?

“Here, the baby is being made inside daddy’s belly.”

“What? But he’s dad?”

“Hm? Because he’s an omega?”

“What?”

“Omega.”

“…Like, the Swiss watch brand?”

“What watch?”

“…”

“…”

* * *

“Jude Bailey! Are you still saying you won’t give sex education?!”

“B-but Gabriel is still only 6 years old…”

“Does it make sense that such a smart child who can even read English character dictionaries doesn’t know what omega is?! What did they teach at that nursery! Gabriel! Come sit here!”

Next, my adoptive mother proceeded with a brief “sex education” for me.

The content was quite shocking.

There are two types of gender in the world.

The first is primary gender determined from birth, of which there are two types: male and female.

The second is secondary gender that manifests in early adolescence, of which there are three types: alpha, omega, and beta. Also called reproductive gender.

Omegas can only get pregnant from relationships with alphas, and betas can only get pregnant from relationships with alphas or other betas.

And.

Alphas can be female, and omegas can be male…?

Wait, so does that mean anyone who’s an alpha can impregnate someone, and anyone who’s an omega can potentially get pregnant?

Regardless of whether they’re female or male?!

“Our Gabriel. You must be very surprised. Originally, babies aren’t delivered by storks, but are born from the bodies of beta women and omegas.”

‘What nonsense is this.’

…I desperately want to retort, but just then, an intense voice comes from the TV.

– “Don’t hold me back, Greg! I was already someone else’s omega!”

– “I don’t care! I’m your alpha and only yours, and I always will be!”

Grab!

– “Your child is my child!”

– “Greg! I love you!”

‘Fuck. They’re both men.’

Is it okay to let a 6-year-old watch such provocative drama?

But if you swap the genders, it’s not such strange content… I’m confused.

‘To think the second life I believed would be smooth sailing is actually a parallel world mixed with this crazy setting.’

If this is a dream, I want to wake up.

But it’s already been several months, so it can’t be a dream. Damn it!

“Gabriel, you’re very surprised, right?”

“Yes… I’m just a bit shocked that father’s belly isn’t abdominal obesity after all.”

“Abdominal obesity?! Father is hurt!”

A man really gets pregnant? That vigorous young man?

It’s a mystery of the human body. Where exactly does he give birth from?

“Th-then mother is…”

“Obviously an alpha female.”

‘Th-then. Does she have… that? Even though she’s a woman?’

They say you shouldn’t judge by appearances, but. No wonder my adoptive mother was much taller and sturdier-looking while my adoptive father had the delicate appearance of a teenage pretty boy.

“Then my late mother and father?”

At my question, silence fell for a moment. They apparently never imagined the topic of my birth parents would suddenly come up.

Sorry, but right now I didn’t have the capacity to consider their feelings.

‘If my birth mother is also an alpha woman and I was born from a man’s belly… I can’t accept that yet!’

For a moment, the terrible possibility that my parents were alpha dad and omega dad, two men like that drama, flashed through my mind, but remembering that adoptive mother called my birth mother “Juliana” gave me some peace of mind.

“Ju-Juliana was a beta. As for your father… I’m sorry. We still don’t know. But since betas mostly have children between beta men and women, I think your birth father was probably a beta too.”

“Thank you!”

“Th-thank you even?”

At my sudden thanks, my adoptive mother blinked, then smiled at my following question.

“Then am I a beta too?”

“We’ll only know that after Gabriel enters elementary school and eats birthday cake a few more times. Reproductive gender manifestation happens around then.”

Th-then does that mean I also have the possibility of becoming an omega…? Cold sweat pours down.

At this time, the person who’s not alone anymore joined the conversation.

“Gabriel clearly looks cute. He’s 100 percent omega.”

What?! I don’t want that!

I’m a sturdy adult male who completed military service! For reference, I once liked the national actress Marilyn Monroe who dominated an era, a 100% heterosexual down to my bones!

I don’t want to think about the possibility of being reproductively involved with someone with a male lower body!

“No. Our Gabriel is cute but also very handsome, right? The probability of being alpha is higher, isn’t it?”

“My omega instincts say he’s definitely omega. He’s the picture of certain omega.”

“What are you saying? His hands and feet are big, he’ll grow much bigger than you, Jude.”

“Huh? These days there are lots of tall omegas too? Isn’t that an anachronistic remark?”

Then the two of them looked shocked seeing my expression gradually darken and waved their hands frantically.

“O-of course Gabriel! Whether you’re alpha or omega doesn’t matter! We’ll love you all the same, so don’t worry…!”

“I want to be a beta.”

“Beta?”

“I like beta.”

Then the two smiled contentedly again and shrugged their shoulders.

“Huhu. Whether you’ll be beta or not, only god knows.”

Please just let me be a beta male!

***

Even after the shocking confession of my adoptive father’s pregnancy, my relationship with my adoptive parents remained unchanged.

The two cherished me sincerely, just as they had shown before.

‘That person called Juliana must have been tremendously good to them.’

I shook my head while imagining my birth mother who I’d never seen, who had died of cancer. The past isn’t very important.

What’s important now is…

“Samuel. Say brother. Brother Gabriel.”

“How long has it been since he was born that you’re making him talk?”

“Why? He’s cute.”

The small living being in front of me.

“Gabriel, want to hold him?”

My adoptive father Jude Bailey, half-lying in the spacious obstetrics and gynecology hospital room, handed me a child smaller than his forearm.

I awkwardly took him with my adoptive mother’s assistance and…

“…”

Softly sparkling navy blue eyes

Met mine.