15
Pheromones are coming out? Right now? From me?
I was flustered. Of course, pheromones were closer to the realm of instinct, so perfectly controlling them wasn’t an easy task. Like everyone else, my pheromones would leak out when my emotions were intense or my condition was poor, when my tension relaxed or when my cycle was approaching.
“Is a lot coming out?”
“It seems pretty distinct. Lemon, grapefruit… the lingering scent seems a bit sweet too. Are there flowers mixed in?”
“What a nose…”
Lemon, blood orange, grapefruit, and acacia honey. Jin Woohyeon immediately identified my pheromones, which were overall close to a citrus type. Either his senses were sharp, or my scent was leaking without restraint. Maybe it was both.
Flustered, I tried hard to lock away the fragrance seeping out through my nape and wrists. But this damned recessive constitution betrayed my efforts once again today.
‘It doesn’t usually come out enough to need control!’
As I was frowning deeply in embarrassment, Jin Woohyeon approached and lowered his head near my nape, taking a deep breath.
“So this is what hyung smells like. It’s really fresh and soft.”
“…”
“Looking at your expression, it doesn’t seem intentional. How much time is left until your heat cycle?”
“Quite a bit left… normally it would be about two weeks away. But I’m not certain.”
“Why aren’t you certain? Are you recessive?”
When I nodded, Jin Woohyeon hummed low in his throat.
“How is it usually? Before your cycle.”
“Pheromones leak, I’m especially tired in the morning, I get indigestion often… oh.”
Isn’t this what’s been happening yesterday and today? I blinked as my words trailed off.
But there had never been such a big difference before. Cycles weren’t supposed to align so precisely like clockwork, but the difference was usually only three or four days at most.
As if to calm my agitation, he gripped both my shoulders tightly. His benevolent and gentle pheromones settled softly over me.
“That… um, it might be because of me.”
“Why?”
“A while ago, when we first met.”
Jin Woohyeon explained calmly, though somewhat embarrassed.
“I released some pheromones to calm you down then, remember? Actually, I was in rut at that time. So regardless of my intentions, I essentially knocked hyung out with a pheromone shower…”
“Ah.”
I think I’d heard of this before. When exposed to dominant trait pheromones, cycles could occasionally be moved up a bit. It was a product of instinct trying to match the other person, similar to a kind of heat period.
“I’m sorry. I was careless about this. If I may make an excuse, I was a bit out of my mind.”
“It would have an effect, but… we can’t say it’s only because of Woohyeon-ssi.”
Pheromones are a type of hormone. Therefore, they could be affected when life changed drastically or when under a lot of stress.
Coincidentally, I’d had reasons to be stressed recently, and although we were using different floors, there were four Alphas in the same dormitory. Among them, Bae Taeseong and Choi Eungi were dominant traits, so they had even decided to take suppressants throughout the communal living period.
“It can’t be helped.”
I said matter-of-factly.
“Still, it’s fortunate that I have emergency medicine. Since it’s at the dormitory, I can manage for now… um, since my cycle is right around the corner, taking two pills should do it. As long as I can postpone it until after this weekend, it doesn’t matter.”
Normally I would have just left it alone, but the situation was rather special. With the first date filming after moving in just around the corner, I didn’t want to inconvenience other people’s schedules.
If my heat cycle came after that, I could explain the situation and coordinate with the production team to take a day or two off.
Just as I was about to nod after finishing these calculations.
“You’re going to take medicine?”
Jin Woohyeon stared at me with a completely serious expression.
“No, someone who just had stomach spasms is going to take two hormone pills? Why are you so fearless?”
“Well…”
Of course, pheromone-related drugs are strong. If you increase the dosage enough to disrupt your cycle, side effects could occur, which is why hospitals always include usage guides densely packed with precautions.
“Wouldn’t it be better to get an injection? The burden on your body is similar, but at least your stomach won’t get hurt.”
“I have side effects from injections. I went into shock after getting one before.”
“Ah. Then you’d have to get it through IV. Then why don’t you come with me tomorrow instead? A hyung I know is a doctor, he works at a big hospital nearby. It’s called Taeseon Hospital.”
“If it’s IV treatment, insurance won’t cover it so it’ll be expensive. Why would you go that far for me?”
When I tilted my head and asked, he smiled faintly.
“I told you earlier. That your cycle being moved up seems like my influence. Of course I didn’t do it on purpose, but I’m still concerned about it.”
What a kind and sincere person.
“And I’m using that excuse to make a fuss because I want to see hyung tomorrow too.”
Hmm, maybe a bit less kind.
Still, the proposal itself wasn’t bad. For me, who had suffered considerably from medication side effects, it was honestly welcome and grateful words.
Reading the sign of approval on my face, Jin Woohyeon smiled slightly and briefly held my hand before letting go.
“Tomorrow at 2 PM. Shall we meet here? How about it?”
Once again, I had no words of refusal. I suddenly thought that if he weren’t an actor, he would have done well in sales or something. With that face and those speaking skills, there probably wasn’t anyone he couldn’t win over.
“Sounds good.”
When I nodded, he extended his pinky finger.
“Here. Let’s pinky promise.”
His attitude was quite serious. I laughed out loud and made a promise by linking pinky fingers with him.
“Those people should have passed by now, shall we go back?”
“It’s not far from here, so I’ll go in alone. Woohyeon-ssi can just go down the opposite way.”
I was worried that if we went to the dormitory entrance together and ran into those two again, or met other participants, it would be troublesome again.
Just as I was turning around, adding that this was practically the same as being escorted back, a sharp pain shot through my ankle and my body swayed.
“Hyung!”
Startled, Jin Woohyeon quickly reached out and caught my body.
“What’s wrong with your foot?”
I pushed him away and staggered back several steps. My weakened left foot dragged along.
Seeing this, he said in a serious voice.
“Your gait is strange.”
Even knowing it was a statement without malice, my body couldn’t help but stiffen. As if cold water had been harshly poured over me, my mind cooled down, and old voices floated up.
‘What’s that? Why does Yoo Sanho walk like that?’
‘Teacher, he’s limping.’
‘Is your foot crippled? Then you can’t even play tag, can you?’
Even though I knew those persistent words that followed me despite my attempts to shake them off had nothing to do with Jin Woohyeon.
“Are you hurt? Let me see. Did you twist it while moving hastily earlier? Is that why you couldn’t run?”
As he acted like he was about to bend down and roll up my pant leg any moment, I shook my head frantically and backed away further.
“Don’t come close.”
“…”
“I’m not hurt.”
It would have been nice if I could have answered nonchalantly, but my voice was already trembling terribly.
“It’s, it’s always like this. It’s fine if I walk slowly. It’s not serious, just, it’s not something you need to worry about…”
“I understand.”
“…”
“I understand, hyung. I’m sorry.”
He raised both hands. As if he wanted to show that he had no intention of frightening me. His attitude was compliant, as if he wouldn’t say another word about this if I didn’t want him to.
“I won’t ask anything. Instead…”
Jin Woohyeon said carefully.
“Let me take you to the front of your house.”
“…”
“I understand that you said it’s fine if you walk slowly, but I’m still worried. I hope hyung doesn’t get hurt.”
Not looking at me strangely or curiously, not being curious or uncomfortable.
Just because he hoped I wouldn’t fall.
At those words that said it was just that, the anxiety that had lifted its head slightly subsided. To someone I’d only seen twice, I wanted to give the most generous score I knew.
In the end, Jin Woohyeon escorted me to the front of the dormitory. Even while slowly following behind me as I dragged my foot, he didn’t show any sign of annoyance.
“The house is really big. Rather than a place where people live, it’s exactly like a townhouse for filming…”
I pretended not to hear those words and glided smoothly toward the entrance.
“I’m going in. Thank you for today.”
“Don’t mention it. If the medicine is really urgent, take just one pill, and make sure to eat dinner and take your medicine properly.”
Jin Woohyeon waved his hand casually in greeting.
“See you tomorrow, hyung.”
At those words, I thoughtlessly wished tomorrow would come quickly. It was anticipation I hadn’t felt in a very long time.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
