#112
Eunhong nodded to Jang Haesung, who was silently mouthing the question of whether he knew the man. Jang Haesung read the name and position on the badge pinned to the man’s chest and his eyes widened in surprise.
Han Jeongwook alternated his gaze between the two of them before spreading a loose smile across his face.
“You said you wouldn’t get treatment, but you’ve changed your mind? Coming to me after all.”
Han Jeongwook grabbed Eunhong, who was trying to just greet him and move on.
“I have some authority in omega trait psychological treatment. I don’t want to brag, but you could easily find out with a quick search… If Eunhong wishes…”
“YE-ES!”
Jang Haesung jumped when Eunhong suddenly shouted. As he clutched his chest saying he nearly had a heart attack, Eunhong continued loudly, unconcerned, with the addition of glaring eyes.
“My friend also likes your treatment, doctor!”
“…”
Han Jeongwook closed his mouth at Eunhong’s answer, stroking his chin while looking down at him. After examining his expression for a moment, he seemed to understand why Eunhong was acting this way and smirked. Annoyingly, he narrowed his eyes and grinned.
“…That’s right. Eunhong’s friend needs my treatment.”
“Yes… yes.”
“I haven’t been able to contact that friend, so shall we talk for a moment?”
Han Jeongwook added with a deep smile.
Eunhong and Han Jeongwook moved to the rooftop garden connected to the inpatient ward. Han Jeongwook got two canned coffees from a vending machine in the corner. When he tried to hand one to Eunhong after opening it, Eunhong snatched it away. Han Jeongwook chuckled loudly at this brusque gesture that seemed to say Eunhong didn’t want any kind of favor.
“I want to buy you something delicious, but you never give me the chance.”
Hardly listening to his frivolous comment, Eunhong turned his head to look toward the entrance, checking if Jang Haesung had completely disappeared.
“They’re your friends, right? The omega patient in room 1203 admitted for a traffic accident and the two guardians, an alpha-omega couple. None of them seem to know your trait. So they can’t be friends? What’s your relationship with those four people?”
Han Jeongwook rattled off his deductions from that brief encounter. Or rather, it seemed more plausible that he already knew and had appeared deliberately. Eunhong was reminded again why he disliked this person.
Han Jeongwook folded his thin-framed glasses and put them in his chest pocket. Then, beginning with “Well,” he struck right at the core.
“Why are you hiding that you’re an omega? Even though the world is still harsh to omegas, is it something you need to hide even from friends? I played along in front of your companions, so please satisfy my curiosity.”
“…Just because.”
When Eunhong trailed off at the question that left him no escape, the perceptive Han Jeongwook took the initiative.
“Is it because your hospitalized friend is a recessive?”
“…”
“You’re being unnecessarily cautious. If someone would discriminate against you because your trait is different from mine, you should just cut them off. Why bother hiding it?”
“That’s rich coming from someone who excitedly sold my trait information.”
Han Jeongwook let out a small laugh and looked embarrassed.
“That wasn’t me, you absolutely refuse to believe me.”
“If that’s all you have to say, I’ll be going back now.”
He had followed Han Jeongwook this far because he’d played along in front of Jang Haesung. Sharing a can of coffee should be enough. Eunhong gulped down the remaining coffee in one go, crushed the can, and threw it into the recycling bin.
As he turned to leave, a strong pheromone scent wafted from Han Jeongwook, who was following behind.
“Can you still not feel anything, Eunhong? Or…”
The pheromones rippled through the air from behind him. Eunhong rubbed his nose at the unpleasant feeling of the stuffy scent filling his nostrils. Han Jeongwook stared at him intently, his eyes darkening with interest.
“A newly manifested omega wouldn’t have such insane self-control as to not change expression at all.”
“…What are you doing?”
“You really can’t feel anything from my pheromones?”
“No. I don’t feel anything, so please stop releasing your scent and contain it. Do you have no social decency, Han Jeongwook? What reaction do you keep expecting when you do this…”
“I didn’t think Lee Jaeha was that kind of person, but he’s quite remarkable.”
Cutting off someone mid-sentence seemed to be this man’s habit. Eunhong froze at the mention of Jaeha’s name as Han Jeongwook’s voice came again.
“To do this to an omega who manifested barely a month or two ago… Did you two just hole up somewhere having sex? Using illegal drugs too? Is your body okay?”
Eunhong’s mouth fell open at these bomb-like statements. This guy is truly crazy.
While he was too shocked to find a retort, Han Jeongwook continued talking.
“Starting from the rare trait… You, are you deliberately trying to provoke me?”
“…I seriously think you might be crazy, Han Jeongwook.”
“I’m curious because imprinting in such a short time isn’t that easy. You’re a research subject, Eunhong.”
“Imprinting?”
At the word “imprinting,” curiosity flickered in Eunhong’s eyes.
Seeing Eunhong pause when he seemed about to turn and disappear, Han Jeongwook smiled as if he’d been waiting for this and opened his mouth.
“It’s an anomalous phenomenon seen only in dominant or above 2-trait individuals whose pheromones are intense and pure, giving them great influence over trait-bearers. Since it appears in dramas and movies, everyone thinks it’s fantasy. Firstly, dominant-or-above omegas themselves are extremely rare, and imprinting itself is difficult, so you don’t see it much.”
Eunhong slowly raised his head and stood directly facing Han Jeongwook. He smiled deeply and released his pheromones more powerfully.
“But there are definitely reported cases, so I’m not talking nonsense. It’s like a manifestation of extreme possessiveness. Simply put, the alpha owner forcibly controls the omega’s senses by modifying them.”
Complete possession.
“So many scholars in related fields are interested. I’m one of them. Among the successful imprinting cases reported so far, the shortest time taken was three years. Three years. Do you understand what this means?”
“…”
“It means that the ultra-dominant omega standing in front of me now, who doesn’t even blink at my dominant alpha pheromones, is an unprecedented special case who was imprinted by their alpha in just a month or two.”
“The symptoms of imprinting are…”
“It means you become unable to sense the pheromones of any alpha except the one who imprinted you.”
Eunhong rubbed his nose again. His round eyes questioning ‘But I can sense your pheromones?’ prompted Han Jeongwook to elaborate further.
“It starts with not being influenced by others. As time passes, you’ll stop sensing others’ pheromones, and finally, you won’t even be able to distinguish between alphas and betas.”
“…Is that so bad? Just hearing about it, I don’t see why I should care.”
Han Jeongwook clicked his tongue softly. A flicker of pity for Eunhong passed across his slightly furrowed face.
That expression reminded Eunhong of his mother’s face when she seemed to say, ‘How will you survive in this harsh world with such a naive mindset?’ Eunhong was frowning in response when Han Jeongwook added in an even lower, ominous voice:
“An imprinted omega dies if abandoned.”
“…So what?”
Eunhong blinked slowly.
At that expression, Han Jeongwook’s face cracked. Eunhong’s innocent face didn’t seem to show the slightest impact.
“Are you sure you understood what I said? An imprinted omega dies if abandoned.”
Was he saying he would never be abandoned? Is it possible to have such trust in a lover? The omega with the unchanging expression left him dumbfounded. For a moment, he thought Eunhong might just be an idiot with a pretty face.
“Just hearing about it, it doesn’t seem like a big deal, but thank you for letting me know.”
“Ha…”
“I’d appreciate if you would end your interest in me regarding special cases or whatever. I’ll be going now.”
Han Jeongwook couldn’t just watch as Eunhong turned away without changing expression. He might not have expected Eunhong to tremble in fear at the facts he shared, but perhaps he wanted to see a face turning blue with betrayal from a trusted alpha. Whatever it was, he craved a reaction. So he reached out and grabbed Eunhong’s shoulder.
“If you were forced into imprinting, the hospital could help…”
Before he could finish, Eunhong turned and slapped Han Jeongwook’s hand away. Along with the slapping sound came an unusually strong tone.
“Do I have to explicitly state in words that you’re being unpleasant?”
“…You’re being too harsh.”
“If this imprinting or possessiveness or whatever it is can be life-threatening, then I think the possibility of my connection with you, Han Jeongwook, converges to negative infinity, so I don’t understand why you keep being so clingy.”
As Eunhong stared at him with blue anger in his eyes, Han Jeongwook suddenly felt a chill. He fumbled with his own hand where Eunhong had touched it. A faint excitement arose as he felt the subtle warmth.
“I just want to help you, Eunhong.”
“…I’ll have to decline. Every time you see me, you harass me like someone desperate to talk, and I really hope this is the end of it.”
Whether he succeeded in arousing Eunhong’s interest with the word “imprinting” or not, Eunhong was already thoroughly irritated from the moment he mentioned Jaeha’s name. Ignoring Eunhong’s expression, Han Jeongwook burst into loud laughter.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
