As Sanho’s murmuring voice reached him, Siwoo slowly closed his eyelids. A feeling of being pulled back under the surface washed over him. Just as he thought a considerable amount of time had passed, Sanho’s voice came through like a murmur from beneath the water.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah.”
“You owe me, remember?”
“Yeah.”
“Can I use it now?”
“What is it?”
As he lifted his heavy eyelids, he noticed Sanho’s small face drawing closer. The sweet breath of Sanho brushed against Siwoo’s cheek and lips without any filter. It was ticklish, and then ticklish again, and then so very sweet.
“…Kiss me.”
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
A faint silence settled. Just as Siwoo was about to pull away, Sanho opened his mouth first.
“It’s paying off the debt.”
“…….”
“Do it. Now.”
A large hand reached out hastily. It was a somewhat rough touch. He cupped Sanho’s face, drawing him in for a kiss. The plump elasticity of Sanho’s lips awakened his sensory cells. As he traced his tongue along Sanho’s lower lip, the previously closed lips parted slightly. Through that gap, a rush of sweet breath poured out. Unconsciously, he tightened his grip around Sanho’s face.
“Ha….”
He buried Sanho deeply into the car seat. Trapping Sanho between his elbows, he gently stroked the smooth cheeks and hair with his fingers. A jolt of electricity surged through his fingertips again.
“Haah, ugh, Hyung….”
The two tongues intertwined softly. Sticky saliva dripped from their lips. He sucked it in with a slurping sound and swept his tongue across the inside of his mouth. The friction of their soft tongues created a wet, slurping noise. As he moved his tongue in a circular motion, he felt Sanho shudder.
“…….”
He finally realized that the sweet scent of moisture was sensually caressing Siwoo’s body. The intoxicating pheromones were constantly teasing him all over. Sanho’s slender fingers clung to Siwoo’s broad back, scratching it gently.
A bit impatiently, like a reckless teenage boy, he licked every mucous membrane in his mouth. Everything was so sweet that he wanted to chew and swallow it all. He felt the weight of his own body pressing down on Sanho’s, thumping heavily. The heat of their bodies intertwined like heated air.
“…….”
The alpha’s pheromones began to seep out slowly in response to the seductive omega’s pheromones. He could distinctly feel Sanho’s cheeks starting to flush. He was reacting to the alpha’s pheromones. Sanho’s waist twisted delicately, trapped within Siwoo’s body. A soft whimper escaped his lips. There was a faint strength in Sanho’s fingertips as they clung to Siwoo’s back.
Siwoo hastily licked down Sanho’s nape. He slid his hand, which had been cradling Sanho’s face, down into his clothes. As his large hand roamed over the smooth skin, he felt Sanho’s waist twitch in response. Below, his arousal was rapidly growing.
“…….”
Siwoo’s hand, propped against the car seat, clenched into a fist. Soon, he struggled to pull his face away from Sanho’s nape. A string of saliva trailed from his glistening lips. The hand that had slipped into Sanho’s clothes was also withdrawn. Haah, haah, exhaling thinly, Siwoo squeezed his eyes shut.
“…Hyung….”
Barely pulling his body back, Siwoo bit down hard on his own lips and pressed his forehead tightly.
“……I’m sorry.”
Sanho, flushed red, opened his moist lips slightly and exhaled colorful breaths. The omega’s pheromones spread a little thicker. It seemed to have no intention of being controlled, constantly caressing Siwoo’s body. He bit down harder on his lips, but the already stimulated erogenous zones were swelling more and more.
Sanho reached out and gently caressed Siwoo’s bitten lips.
“Hyung, I’m okay.”
“…….”
“Do it more.”
Siwoo frowned and grabbed Sanho’s hand, which was playing with his lips. Did this kid really not understand how dangerous it was to be leaking pheromones in a confined space with just the two of them? What would happen if I held you carelessly like this…
“Do it more. Okay?”
“……Sanho.”
“I’m yours. You said I’m yours, Hyung.”
Sanho slowly lowered his hand. He began to fondle Siwoo’s arousal, which had grown beneath his clothes. The throbbing arousal was standing firm. Siwoo exhaled sharply as he watched Sanho, who was slightly parting his lips while touching him below. As Sanho’s hand reached Siwoo’s belt buckle, Siwoo grabbed Sanho’s wrist again.
“Sanho.”
“…….”
“Stop.”
Like a marionette with its strings cut, Sanho’s hand fell limp. Siwoo, breathing heavily, pulled Sanho’s hand to his mouth. His furrowed brow trembled slightly. This was the best he could do to hold on. He pressed his lips to his fingertips as if kissing something precious and struggled to speak.
“I don’t want to do this with you…”
That was the second lie he told Sanho today.
***
Siwoo quietly stared at the closed bedroom door. He could faintly sense Sanho’s pheromones beyond the door, but it was bearable. Letting out a small breath, he turned his body. He picked up the cigarettes from the shelf and opened the large window. His steps toward the terrace felt heavy. He placed the cigarette pack on the terrace table and took one out to put in his mouth. Sitting slowly on the chair, he let out a sigh.
“…….”
As the lighter sparked, the tip of the cigarette caught fire. Still feeling the effects of the alcohol, inhaling the smoke made his head throb again.
“…….”
He wanted to take Sanho home. But leaving Sanho alone in that narrow alley, in that desolate house, was dangerous. Sanho had reacted to Siwoo’s pheromones too. He had no idea what kind of effect the dominant alpha’s pheromones could have. Everything felt uncertain.
“Ha….”
Yet, he couldn’t be sure if bringing him to his own home was the right choice either. Sanho hadn’t said a word since then. Was it okay to go to my house? He had only nodded slightly in response. His small face was expressionless and empty, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he seemed hurt in some way. Siwoo pressed his brow tightly and slowly exhaled the smoke.
Only after Sanho entered the bedroom could Siwoo relax. He had been tense, trying not to look at Sanho, who emerged from the shower, warm and humid. He crushed the half-burnt cigarette and left the terrace. Lying down haphazardly on the sofa, which was wider than most beds, Siwoo covered his eyes with his arm. What am I doing… A self-deprecating sigh escaped him. The alcohol was swirling in his disorganized mind, and drowsiness began to creep in.
It was a sunlit garden. Ten-year-old Siwoo held a toy fire truck in one hand. And the child standing in front of Siwoo was staring at him intently.
‘And from you.’
‘Yeah?’
‘You smell really good.’
‘Good smell…?’
‘Yeah, like the smell of earth. A warm smell.’
Siwoo made a puzzled expression before bursting into giggles. What kind of smell is that? Just as he was about to ask, he suddenly caught a whiff of a sweet scent carried by the wind. It was the scent of moist fruit. A sweet aroma that seemed to come from crushed fruit. For some reason, he felt his senses sharpen and become sensitive, and he opened his eyes wide, looking at the child.
‘Is that smell coming from you?’
‘What smell?’
The child tilted his head.
‘It’s super sweet, um, anyway, it’s a feel-good smell.’
‘Feel… good?’
Yeah, I want to keep smelling it… In his sleep, Siwoo slightly furrowed his brow. The dream from the night before he manifested as an alpha. He rummaged through the hazy memories. I want to keep smelling it… I want to trap it and keep it for myself, that kind of smell. Just then, someone’s slender fingertips touched Siwoo’s furrowed brow.
“…….”
He felt a gentle touch caressing his face. Is this a dream too? Siwoo opened his eyes slightly, but the surroundings were engulfed in darkness. As he closed his eyes again, he felt as if he had caught that scent once more.
“…Mine.”
A small voice echoed. But he couldn’t be sure if he had heard it correctly. Just like the sweet scent enveloping him now. The spell had descended upon him again.
***
He woke up earlier than usual. Siwoo hated calling for people early in the morning, but today was an exception. Because he wasn’t alone. The servant who brought the clothes and breakfast Siwoo had requested quietly placed the food on the table.
After finishing his shower, Siwoo donned a robe and stepped into the living room. The servant, as if she had just finished her duties, offered her farewell. Apologizing for the early morning disturbance, Siwoo said sorry, and she shook her head and bowed deeply. I didn’t tell the chairman. Just in case. Siwoo faintly smiled and nodded. Yes, thank you.
As she left the room, the bedroom door creaked open. Sanho’s pale face peeked out. Siwoo awkwardly smiled and gestured. He didn’t want Sanho to feel uncomfortable because of what happened yesterday.
“Did you sleep well?”
“…….”
Sanho hesitated a bit before approaching Siwoo. Soon, he looked down at the meal laid out on the table and opened his mouth slightly.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t make this.”
“…What?”
Ah. Siwoo chuckled lightly.
“I meant it would be delicious.”
“Ah….”
“We need to eat something to cure the hangover.”
Hmm, do I just need to take care of the hangover? Siwoo smiled as he took a seat. As Sanho slowly sat across from him, he handed him the chopsticks.
“There are new clothes on the sofa. I brought a few in your size since I thought my clothes wouldn’t fit you.”
“You didn’t have to get clothes…”
Siwoo smiled brightly at Sanho.
“Wear whatever you like.”
The clattering of dishes softly filled the space.
***
Standing in front of the convenience store display, Sanho slowly scanned the wall of cigarettes.
“What can I get you?”
As Sanho stood there without saying anything, the clerk asked in a slightly annoyed tone. Sanho hesitated before speaking.
“Um, the red one….”
“The red one?”
“The cigarette… the red pack.”
The clerk turned abruptly and grabbed a cigarette.
“Are you talking about Marlboro Red?”
“Marlboro Red… yes, that one.”
The clerk, with a sulky expression, scanned the barcode and abruptly handed it to Sanho.
“4,500 won.”
Sanho fumbled for his money. As he stuffed the unfamiliar cigarette pack into his pocket, he looked down. He had seen the red cigarette pack on the terrace table at Siwoo’s house. Although he had never seen Siwoo smoking directly, he had seen him standing with his peers in the smoking area. He thought he smoked occasionally.
“…….”
It’s not a bad thing to want to share a lot. If it were up to him, he would want to share everything, from one to ten. Completely as if it were his own. Sanho clenched the cigarette pack in his pocket and moved on.
Arriving at the smoking area closest to the college, he slowly tore open the plastic. He took one cigarette from the tightly packed bunch and placed it between his fingers, tilting his head as if something was off. Ah, fire. It just occurred to him that he needed to buy a lighter too, and he was baffled by himself. Sanho hesitated for a moment.
“…….”
A group of boys was gathered a little distance away, smoking. Sanho stared at them intently. Should he ask to borrow a light? Or… Just then, someone seemed to have spotted Sanho awkwardly standing there with a single cigarette.
“Hey, Baek Sanho?”
A classmate who had been hidden behind the group of boys popped his head out. The same classmate who had gotten him drunk and kicked his sneakers. Sanho turned away with a cold expression.
“Baek Sanho, do you smoke too?”
He could hear the classmate’s slow footsteps approaching. He had no desire to get entangled. Just as he was about to leave, the classmate grabbed Sanho’s shoulder.
“What’s up, no lighter?”
“…….”
Sanho coldly shook off the classmate’s hand. The classmate stared at Sanho for a moment. His eyes rolled as if he were deep in thought. After a moment of hesitation, the classmate spoke in a feigned friendly tone.
