The Unfortunate Omega and the Arrogant Alpha’s Forced Marriage (Completed)

Yoichiro let out a sharp exhale.

(I’m exhausted… and it’s not over yet.)

It was the company’s year-end, marked by their grand annual appreciation banquet. This event, hosted by Ono Electric Industries, brought together representatives and CEOs from partner companies and subcontractors. The banquet served to strengthen ties with these business associates and remind employees that the company’s growth wasn’t achieved alone. It was also an opportunity for Yoichiro, as president, to personally express gratitude to key figures.

This event, initiated by his grandfather, had become a cornerstone of the company’s continued growth.

Because of its significance, Yoichiro couldn’t afford to let his guard down, not even for a moment. As the event neared its conclusion, mental exhaustion began to creep in. The relentless pace of work leading up to the banquet had left Yoichiro with no time to rest.

He hadn’t slept in his own bed for three days.

Though he longed for a proper night’s sleep, he didn’t particularly crave it. Going home meant facing Kusunoki and seeing yet another display of home-cooked meals laid out on the dining table. The mere thought of it filled him with a gnawing sense of discomfort. It was easier to stay at the office.

Luckily, his office was equipped with a private shower and a sofa that could double as a bed. If he needed a change of clothes, all he had to do was ask his secretary. It was a convenient setup.

Still, the knowledge that his secretary reported every detail of his actions to his father was a source of subtle but persistent stress. Eventually, for appearances’ sake, he’d have to return home. The thought weighed heavily on him.

Just as Kusunoki came to mind, Yoichiro spotted his spouse’s “creator” entering the banquet hall. Kikuchi, the CEO of Kikuchi Manufacturing, looked almost comical, his rotund figure stuffed into an ill-fitting suit. His leering expression as he spotted Yoichiro exuded pettiness and greed.

(Like father, like son.)

As Kikuchi waddled over, clearly intent on ingratiating himself, Yoichiro couldn’t help but notice the resemblance to Kusunoki’s timid demeanor. A quiet irritation began to simmer within him.

“Well, well, President Ono. It’s been too long,” Kikuchi said, his tone oozing obsequiousness.

“Thank you, as always, President Kikuchi,” Yoichiro replied, his face impassive as ever.

Kikuchi glanced around, his face briefly registering surprise at Yoichiro’s unchanging expression. There was a reason Yoichiro kept his composure so rigid, but this wasn’t the place to voice it openly.

“I look forward to continuing our good relationship next year,” Yoichiro said, subtly lacing his words with meaning.

Whether Kikuchi understood the subtext or not, his response came with a wide, unctuous grin. “Of course, of course. We’re so honored! What a spectacular banquet this is—truly befitting of Ono Electric Industries. I hope our little company can learn from your example, ha-ha!”

His boisterous laughter filled the room as he attempted to assert his presence. Kikuchi clearly wanted to display how close he was to Yoichiro. But Yoichiro didn’t so much as crack a smile, prompting Kikuchi to tilt his head in confusion.

“Has my son done something to offend you?” Kikuchi asked, feigning concern.

Yoichiro cast him a brief, indifferent glance, his face unreadable.

(Does this man truly understand nothing?)

Kikuchi’s balding head glistened under the fluorescent lights, the few strands of hair he had left futilely combed over. The sight, combined with Kikuchi’s obliviousness, made Yoichiro’s stomach churn.

Amidst the chaos of year-end sales and ongoing crises, Kikuchi’s lack of awareness was aggravating in the extreme.

“As if being an Omega weren’t shameful enough, my son is clumsy and utterly useless. I can’t believe he’s even my child. My eldest, now—he’s so capable you’d think he was an Alpha,” Kikuchi said, suddenly launching into a monologue about Kusunoki.

Yoichiro’s eyes narrowed slightly, but Kikuchi carried on unabated, extolling his eldest son’s virtues with lavish adjectives and lamenting that he was “only a Beta.” He contrasted this by listing Kusunoki’s supposed faults, mocking him with cutting words.

“Omegas are nothing but a disgrace,” Kikuchi declared. “Oh, but of course, President Ono, I’m deeply grateful that you took a liking to him. It means the world to us, truly. Your decision shows how important our company is as a partner. That said, I can’t help but worry about how much of a burden he must be to you. I’m so embarrassed by him.”

It was as if Kikuchi believed Yoichiro had married Kusunoki out of admiration for their company.

(What delusions is this man operating under?)

Watching Kikuchi’s flushed face and spittle fly as he prattled on, Yoichiro felt a cold detachment settle over him.

Kikuchi’s arrogance was misplaced. Yoichiro’s choice had been pragmatic—nothing more. Yet Kikuchi continued to smugly use his eldest son as a foil, elevating him while disparaging Kusunoki.

No, Yoichiro realized, Kikuchi wasn’t just belittling Kusunoki—he was deriding Omegas as a whole. The fact that he was Kusunoki’s father only heightened the disgust Yoichiro felt.

The grotesque man standing before him now seemed more like a monster than a human being.

“So,” Kikuchi continued, his tone insidious, “has he been of any use to you? I suppose it’s all an Omega is good for, really.”

“How vulgar,” Yoichiro replied coldly.

He had never thought of Kikuchi as a man of integrity, but the depth of his crudeness was appalling. Was this truly the father of Kusunoki?

Yoichiro recalled Kusunoki’s trembling expression at their wedding. Their voice had quivered, and their demeanor had been anxious, as though they were bracing for something. Perhaps it hadn’t been Yoichiro’s coldness alone that had caused it. He hadn’t paid attention to the guests, but he could now imagine the kind of relationship Kusunoki had with their family.

Was it possible for a parent to demean their child so openly?

Yoichiro hadn’t grown up in a loving household, but even he could tell the Kikuchi family dynamic wasn’t what one might call normal.

Kikuchi flinched at Yoichiro’s biting tone and hurriedly tried to cover his tracks. “Oh, no, no. It’s just that I’m eager to see a grandchild soon. You know, just parental concern, nothing more.”

“I see. I’d appreciate it if you could review the quality of the electronic components your company provides,” Yoichiro said curtly.

“We’ll deliver nothing but the best, I assure you,” Kikuchi stammered, dabbing his sweat-soaked forehead with a branded handkerchief before retreating hastily.

Whether Kikuchi had understood Yoichiro’s message remained uncertain.

(Wasn’t he supposed to dote on Kusunoki?)

Yoichiro had assumed that an Omega born into a small business-owning family would be seen as an asset, a way to forge connections. Yet Kikuchi seemed to regard Kusunoki as nothing more than a burden. For the first time, Yoichiro began to consider Kusunoki’s life before their marriage.

(What kind of life has Kusunoki led?)

He realized he couldn’t even recall Kusunoki’s face. Gripping the glass in his hand tightly, Yoichiro felt an unsettling sense of unease, as though something important was slipping through his grasp.

(Am I overlooking something vital?)

The feeling reminded him of a perfectly planned design encountering an unforeseen flaw during development—a realization that struck with a jarring, inescapable force.