Dirty Switch

Joo Taehyun first met Seo Baekhan in the summer when he was twelve.
“Oh my, so you're Taehyun.”
“Hello.”

“Aigoo, President Joo really did raise a beauty.”
“Haha. I practically raised this little one on my back.”
“It's time to raise a real child now, not just a little brother. So, President Joo, still not thinking about getting married?”

People Taehyun had only ever seen on the news greeted his older brothers as they passed by. Every time, he would quietly wait beside them, bowing politely when his brothers introduced him. That was the only task Joo Taehyun had been given for today.
The small concert held at Chundangji in Changgyeong Palace ended on a pleasant note, and the guests had begun gathering in small groups to enjoy refreshments.
Taehyun, who had been stiff with tension at the mere weight of the word “palace,” finally started to relax a little.

“It’s been a while, President Joo.”
“Oh, it’s been a long time, Minister. Taehyun, greet him. He’s the Minister of Foreign Affairs.”
“Hello. I’m Joo Taehyun.”

“Aigoo, the kid’s grown up tall. I heard you’ve been sick—are you doing better now?”
“Uh, um, yes. Thank you.”
...Well, he was less tense than at the beginning, but that didn’t mean he felt at home.

Joo Taehyun was getting irritated at himself for being so stiff with the adults who tried to talk to him. He’d lost count of how many times he’d already messed up.
Hello, nice to meet you, I’m Joo Taehyun, I’m doing better now, thank you for your concern.
He’d practiced those simple lines so diligently for days, just so he could say them naturally—but why did his mouth freeze up when it came time to speak?
Uh, um, th—just stammering like that, unable to get a single word out—how pathetic.

“Hey, youngest Joo.”
“…Second brother.”
“It’s okay. You’re doing great.”
Noticing Taehyun’s gloomy expression, the second eldest, Joo Sangwoo, came striding over. His mischievous older brother started poking and tickling his side, and as Taehyun squirmed and twisted to escape, his nerves finally melted away.

“Hyung, seriously, stop. I’m tired.”
“Why? Our baby brother’s smile is so precious. The whole world needs to see it.”
“That’s enough, Sangwoo. People are staring.”

“Ugh, such a boomer. Anyway, big bro, I think Her Majesty the Empress is looking for you?”
“Really? She said so herself?”
“Yeah. She even said your name—President Joo Gukwon. I think you should go greet her separately.”

“Hmm… The Foreign Minister said earlier he wanted to see you too.”
Joo Gukwon scratched his ear awkwardly. As much as he wanted to keep his adorable youngest brother by his side, there were moments like these when the adults had to engage in serious conversations. That’s why both the eldest and second eldest had taken charge of today’s escort. But of course, now they both had to step away at the same time.
“I can stay /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ by myself, really. You guys go take care of business. It’s not like this place is dangerous—it’s a palace.”

“Huh? No way. We can’t just leave our baby brother alone in a strange place.”
“I’m fine. You brought me here to watch and learn, but if I get in the way of what you’re supposed to do, what’s the point?”
Seizing the moment, Taehyun cut in, and both Joo Gukwon and Joo Sangwoo looked at him, faces filled with concern, pride, and overwhelming affection. Their eyebrows arched into 八 shapes, lips pushed forward like ducks—expressions the family often wore when they couldn’t get over how precious their baby was.

“Well, if our youngest is saying it like that… Okay, we’ll just go say hello real quick and come right back, so stay here, alright?”
“Okay.”
“If anyone talks to you and you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to entertain them. Just ignore them.”

“…Okay.”
“Oh, right. If you get hungry, just grab one of the palace attendants and—”
“I’m not hungry. You guys already gave me a ton of snacks earlier…”

Worried they might end up begging some poor staffer to feed their precious baby, Taehyun shoved his grown brothers away.
“The grown-ups are waiting. Go already.”
“Alright, we’ll be back soon.”

They said they’d just exchange greetings, but they left like they were off to war.
“Phew…”
After finally sending off his overprotective brothers, Joo Taehyun let out a long breath through his nose.

Joo Taehyun, the late-born youngest son of Joo Ilwook, Chairman of DH Group, and Yoo Younghwa, President of the Archery Association and director of a couple small galleries, was the first trait holder ever born across both the Joo and Yoo family lines.
Public perception of trait holders had improved over the years, but there were still many who saw them through a tainted lens.
“Basic Guidelines for Trait Holders” was mandatory training implemented every quarter in any public space with three or more people, from preschools to corporations. But like all mandatory policies, no one really paid attention.

Not even the ruling family of one of the Empire’s largest conglomerates.
“Ta-Taehyun! What’s wrong with him?”
An infant who could barely say “Dad, Mom, Brother, Sister, Milk” suddenly collapsed one day.

At first, he just whined with a mild fever. Then he was gasping for air.
It wasn’t a cold, or pneumonia, or meningitis. They ran every test they could, but no diagnosis came up. Then, in a second round of blood tests done almost out of desperation, a clue appeared. A faint reaction showed up in the trait test section.
“Taehyun… what are you saying?”

“The youngest master has manifested as an Alpha.”
“Alpha? Are you saying our youngest is a trait holder?”
“Yes, but what’s the connection between manifesting as an Alpha and this intense fever?”

“There are rare cases where manifestation is accompanied by extreme fevers. We call this a manifestation fever…”
From there, things moved swiftly.
Not only Donghwa Hospital but the top specialists in trait medicine from home and abroad gathered to observe Joo Taehyun’s condition. They carefully selected a suppressant safe for pediatric use, and administered it with great caution.

“He’s past the critical stage, thankfully.”
But if it had been delayed just a few more days, he might have fallen into brain death. A specialist recommended hospitalization in an isolation unit for ongoing monitoring, shocking and devastating the family. They were wracked with guilt for nearly losing their precious child due to their ignorance.
“We’re ordering a company-wide directive… Mandatory education on trait holders needs to be taken seriously…”

“I’ll notify the association too. But Dr. Woo, how long will our Taehyun need to stay hospitalized?”
“It’s hard to say at this point.”
“If he’s in isolation, that means… no visitors either, right?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”
It took nearly three months before they received clearance for Taehyun to be discharged.
That was only possible thanks to round-the-clock care from the top medical staff, and the ability to access every available treatment or medicine regardless of cost.

[Breaking News] DH Group Announces New Welfare Policy for Trait Holders Starting Next Month
DH Group has announced that starting next month, it will implement a groundbreaking welfare policy for employees who are trait holders, shaking the entire business world.
The policy will apply to all subsidiaries of DH Group, with key points including:

▲ Paid leave available during Rut or Heat cycles (up to 5 days)
▲ Full reimbursement for trait-specific medications (oral or injectable) via company insurance
▲ Same benefits extended to spouses or children of trait holders

▲ New trait-related grievance center within the HR department
▲ Mandatory quarterly education on trait basics (promotion eligibility tied to completion score)
▲ Biannual emergency response training sessions

▲ Emergency kits stocked on all premises
A DH Group PR representative told this paper, “We’re deeply sorry it took this long to implement a plan like this.” They added, “It’s still in the early stages and may be lacking in areas, but we’ll continue improving it. We hope this leads to greater understanding and acceptance of trait holders, who are now part of everyday life.”
With DH Group leading the charge, hopes are high that similar welfare policies for trait holders will soon spread to government offices and other corporations.

Comments (71)
This is totally because the chairman’s youngest manifested as an Alphaㅇㅇ
➥Oh… well, whatever the reason, it’s a huge win
➥A “win”? 🖕 Who’s gonna cover for them when they go into heat and take time off?

➥Still better than doing nothing lol. If they support minorities like this, it ends up benefiting everyone in society eventually.
And just like that, DH Group quickly became the most progressive company in the Daehan Empire when it came to welfare for trait holders.