As soon as Inho laid the woman down on the infirmary bed, he turned his back on her. The woman’s wet moans, pleading for a kiss, didn’t even register in his ears.
“Please check the injury first.”
Approaching the infirmary staff, he tapped his own uninjured cheek to indicate the location of the wound. The staff member, who had been calmly preparing a suppressant, looked at the smooth skin of the woman’s cheek and tilted their head.
“There’s no wound here.”
“No, not her.”
Inho’s gaze shifted toward the wide-open infirmary door. Haon, who was slow on his feet, hadn’t arrived yet.
In the meantime, the staff administered the suppressant to the woman. It must have been a strong one, because she quickly began to calm down.
“Haon, over here.”
Inho stepped outside and waved to Haon, who was running toward him from a distance. As soon as Haon saw him, the first thing he asked about was the woman’s condition.
“Is she okay?”
“She’s fine.”
Inho responded immediately and led Haon into the infirmary, guiding him to sit in front of the staff member in a white coat. He wore a grave expression, as if Haon’s cheek had been deeply torn, and insisted that they treat the injury.
“It’s just a light scratch, so don’t worry too much.”
Since the wound was shallow, the treatment ended quickly. With a small bandage stuck to his cheek, Haon continued to stare at the woman lying on the bed from the moment he stepped into the infirmary.
“It’s not the kind of wound that’ll leave a scar. As long as you take care of it, it’ll be fine.”
The staff member addressed Inho instead of Haon, because Inho seemed more concerned about the injury than the person actually hurt.
“She’s really going to be okay, right?”
Still unable to take his eyes off the woman, Haon asked with a worried face.
“Yes, the suppressant is being absorbed well. She should wake up soon.”
Almost as soon as the staff finished speaking, a faint coughing sound came from the direction of the bed. Thankfully, the woman regained consciousness faster than expected.
“Are you feeling a bit more clear-headed now?”
The staff calmly explained the situation just before she passed out.
“Thanks to a small dose of pheromones from someone with the same dominant trait, your pheromone levels didn’t spike too much.”
He pointed to Inho, who was standing closely beside Haon, and explained that it was thanks to his pheromones that she woke up so quickly.
“If too much is released, it can actually backfire, but the right amount helps with stabilization.”
“Only if they share the same dominant trait.”
The staff member emphasized the latter part of their sentence, glancing briefly at Haon before looking away. Just as they’d instantly recognized Inho as a dominant Alpha, it seemed they’d also figured out that Haon was a recessive.
“Ah… I’m so sorry. Really, I’m so sorry.”
Realizing the situation, the woman turned pale and bowed her head deeply. Her face was full of guilt, especially toward Haon, who had hurt his cheek while trying to support her. She repeated her apologies over and over.
“I usually carry my suppressants with me all the time…”
She insisted on paying for the treatment and wanted to compensate him, asking for his contact information. But Haon quickly waved his hands in refusal.
“No, really. It’s just a light scratch, there’s no need to worry.”
“Even so…”
“It’s really fine.”
Haon approached her and gently suggested she lie back down, since she was probably still feeling unwell.
“Should I stay with you until your family arrives?”
Something about Haon’s gentle demeanor must have reassured her, because her eyes turned red at the corners. Seeing the expression on her face, as if she might burst into tears at any moment, Haon thought to himself that he absolutely had to stay by her side. He understood better than anyone the fear and panic of an unexpected heat cycle, and he wanted to offer her strength.
“My family lives nearby, so they’ll be here soon. Thank you for worrying.”
The woman looked past Haon to Inho, who stood behind him, and shook her head. In truth, she had wanted Haon, a fellow Omega, to stay with her. But Inho, who seemed like Haon’s partner, was clearly eager to leave, and she couldn’t insist.
“Haon, let’s go.”
Inho took Haon by the arm, gently but firmly pulling him out of the infirmary. His strides were so fast that Haon had to almost jog to keep up.
“Why are you so worried? She’s not even someone you know.”
Inho muttered quietly as they stepped onto the escalator. Thrown off by his unusually curt tone, Haon opened his mouth slightly and reflexively reached up to scratch his cheek.
Inho stopped him, intercepting his hand and warning him to be careful not to touch the wound. Though the words were spoken out of concern, there was an unmistakable irritation buried in the low timbre of his voice.
“…I’m sorry.”
Looking at Inho, Haon blurted out an apology. It was a reflex of his—whenever someone seemed upset, he apologized first. Regardless of whose fault it was, Haon always bowed his head.
Inho froze for a moment, as if he was about to say something, then suddenly clenched his fist. Without a word, he stepped up one level on the staircase, putting distance between them, and turned his head away.
The sight made Haon’s heart drop. He stood frozen, his lips parting slightly, unsure what to do.
Did I make it worse by apologizing right away?
He remembered the Alphas who used to get angry, accusing him of insincerity when he apologized too quickly. His mind went blank.
“Um…”
Just as Haon was about to follow Inho up the stairs, afraid he might get left behind—
“Don’t come.”
Inho stretched out an arm behind him, stopping Haon from coming any closer. Startled, Haon froze on the steps, staring at Inho’s back as he continued to climb ahead. His heart thudded loudly in his chest again, making its presence painfully known.
“…Ha…”
Reaching the upper floor first, Inho muttered a faint curse under his breath. He pressed a finger to his temple and focused on his breathing, trying to calm his rapidly accelerating pulse.
Was she a dominant Omega?
Her pheromones seemed just as intense as the atmosphere she gave off. Inho suddenly felt a wave of dizziness, his vision blurring slightly as he rubbed at the corners of his eyes. The pheromones within him—usually calm and still like the deep sea—had begun to stir.
Maybe he’d grown too complacent, too trusting in his own traits. Letting out a long sigh, he smoothed over the stiff expression on his face and turned toward Haon.
“Haon, I—”
“I’m sorry.”
Just as he was about to explain that he might’ve been affected by the woman’s pheromones, Haon cut him off. Standing still in front of the escalator, Haon mumbled in a barely audible voice.
“I should’ve considered the movie time… I’m sorry for deciding everything on my own without asking.”
He fidgeted with his hands, his demeanor visibly anxious. Even as people came up behind him, he stood frozen in place, repeating apology after apology.
“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”
Inho blinked, flustered. He couldn’t understand why Haon was suddenly apologizing like this.
He tried to step closer, but had to retreat a step when he realized his own pheromones were leaking. Haon, seeing this, looked even more distraught, his expression crumpling in distress.
Ah—so that was it.
“Haon, come here.”
Inho reached out his arm to him. He urged him to hurry, worried they’d bump into the guests riding up the escalator.
At that, Haon rushed toward Inho faster than he ever had before. To Inho, it was still little more than a brisk walk, but for Haon, it was his fastest pace.
“You shouldn’t touch me right now.”
Inho widened the distance between them again and explained his condition.
“I’m usually not affected by pheromones, but I guess I’m not in great shape today.”
“A-Are you feeling really unwell?”
Haon listened attentively and immediately grasped the situation. Worry clouded his gaze as he quickly tried to read Inho’s complexion.
“Should I go down and get some meds?”
“No, it’s okay. I have oral medication, it’s just in the car.”
Inho offered a reassuring smile, trying to calm the alarmed Haon. He said he’d go to the car for a moment—he’d left the suppressant there, since his rut period was still a ways off.
“I’ll see you in front of the ticket booth. I’ll be quick.”
He added that there was still plenty of time before the movie started and glanced around. It was Haon’s first time at a movie theater, and he couldn’t help but worry.
“Will you be okay finding the ticket booth by yourself?”
Even as he took deep breaths to steady his pheromones, his concern for Haon lingered. Haon nodded firmly, putting on a brave front.
“Don’t worry about me.”
He couldn’t smell the scent wafting off of Inho at all.
Inho, noticing Haon’s lack of reaction, felt a wave of relief wash over him. Because Haon was less sensitive to other people’s pheromones, he’d be less affected—at least that’s what Inho told himself.
“See you in a bit. Call me if anything happens.”
If he’d just thought a little more deeply, he would’ve known there was no way that could happen.
***
After parting ways with Inho, Haon headed straight to the ticket booth. Thanks to Inho’s directions, he arrived without getting lost.
Will he be okay on his own…?
Haon sat on a waiting bench, nervously glancing around as he waited for Inho. He felt helpless—useless, even—as an Omega who couldn’t do anything to help.
Of course, someone like Inho, a dominant Alpha, wasn’t likely to lose control so easily… but still, there was always a chance. Disasters and accidents always happened when you least expected them.
Haon anxiously fiddled with a movie poster someone had left behind on the table. He kept checking his silent phone, ready to run to Inho the second he called.
But before long, Haon frowned and rubbed at his stomach. He’d been feeling uncomfortable for a while, and now a dull ache had started to spread.
He pressed against his abdomen with practiced ease. Whenever he was stressed, his body always responded like this. It happened so often that he simply let out a dry sigh and tried to ignore the pain.
“Ugh…”
But when the ache suddenly spread lower, sharp and stabbing, Haon shot up from the bench in surprise.
Clatter!
The chair toppled over with a loud crash. He stumbled, yanking his foot free from the mess and hurriedly bolted toward the restroom. Thankfully, it wasn’t far.
Clack.
He ducked into the most secluded stall and firmly locked the door. With a sense of urgency, he pulled down his underwear and ran a hand over his perineal area. Only then did he finally let out the breath he’d been holding.
“Haa…”
Thankfully, it wasn’t wet. His lower abdomen had been throbbing so badly that he thought some slick might’ve leaked out. Wetness down there was a sign of the early stages of heat.
No—it’s probably just stress again.
He’d gone into heat about two weeks ago, so he wasn’t due for another cycle anytime soon.
It’s fine. I’m fine.
He murmured to himself while gently pressing against the spot that felt like it was being pricked with a needle. He made his way toward the sink, intending to wash his hands quickly and head back out. For some reason, just seeing Inho again felt like it would ease the pain.
As soon as he pumped soap into his hand and turned on the water, his eyes landed on a bucket of popcorn sitting on the counter.
The bright red tub was filled to the brim with fluffy white and pale yellow popcorn. It looked freshly popped, with a rich, buttery scent radiating from it.
“You little shit, you said you’d be here in ten minutes.”
A voice grumbled nearby. It was the popcorn’s owner, speaking on the phone. He was in the stall, clearly mid-business, and yelling at someone who hadn’t arrived yet.
“Fuck’s sake, we were supposed to meet at 2:30. The movie’s at 3.”
Startled by the sudden curse, Haon instinctively flinched and curled in on himself. He hurried to rinse the soap from his hands, thinking only of getting out of there.
But his hands didn’t move as quickly as he wanted.
Though his head stayed facing forward, his darting eyes were locked on the popcorn bucket sitting in the corner of the sink.
He told himself not to look. He tried not to look. But his gaze kept drifting back.
Just close your eyes.
The second that thought crossed his mind, a thin trail of drool slipped from the corner of Haon’s trembling lips.
