Before Haram could even react to the sudden appearance of the burly man, he found himself absentmindedly answering the phone, his voice trembling.
“Ch-, chii… chiik?”
—Already made friends with a sparrow?
“Jjiik! Jjik!” F
riends? What friends!
They were mortal enemies. Anyone could see they were enemies. What friends?! Haram had thought everything was going well, but the moment he heard Tae-yi’s voice, he felt a surge of frustration. Clutching the phone with both hands, he chirped through gritted teeth, fighting back tears.
“Jji-, chee, cheeek…!”
The sparrows in Seoul are so mean to me…!
His squeaks left Tae-yi momentarily speechless before he finally responded.
—You’re a squirrel right now.
“Jjik!”
I know!
Last time, he had been too stupid to realize, but now he was fully aware. He was just venting because Tae-yi couldn’t understand him. Gripping the phone, Haram told him all about the thug sparrows’ cruelty, then sniffled and pressed the screen hard.
The call ended with a click. The bewildered subordinate, unsure what to do, watched the utterly deflated sky squirrel with caution.
“Ch-, chee, cheeek…?”
Could you… watch over the peanuts while I go change?
Haram looked up at the burly man and made his request carefully, gesturing between the sparrows and the peanuts.
“Ah, I understand.”
The man replied immediately, as if he’d roughly grasped Haram’s meaning. Delighted, Haram bowed his head deeply in gratitude. Despite his intimidating appearance, the man seemed surprisingly kind.
“Cheep!”
I’ll be right back!
Haram dashed inside, thinking he should bring some peanuts for the man too.
Later, Haram would bitterly regret trusting the burly man and leaving at that moment.
***
The moment the elevator doors opened, Yoon Min-ho, hit by an unfamiliar wave of pheromones, frowned and rushed toward Tae-yi’s office.
“Director!”
Tae-yi, leaning back on the sofa with his eyes closed, lifted his heavy lids at the sound of Min-ho’s urgent voice. His breathing was unsteady, as if he were submerged in hot water, as he stared at Min-ho shaking him.
“Are you alright? I’ll take you to the mansion.”
“…Give me my jacket.”
Min-ho swallowed his scolding as he watched Tae-yi glance at the jacket draped over the edge of the sofa, wondering if he was really trying to put on clothes in this state.
“Ah, the—medicine…!”
But he was wrong. Instead of putting on the jacket, Tae-yi pulled a white pill bottle from the pocket. Chief Yoon immediately brought him water.
“Not the house.”
Tae-yi, swaying as if dizzy, looked at Yoon Min-ho supporting him and spoke.
“We can’t just go to any hotel in this state.”
It would be like advertising, “I’m completely defenseless right now.” Going home was the best option.
“Haaah… Then lock me in the basement as soon as we get there.”
As the elevator ascended, Tae-yi exhaled heavily, muttering. Yoon Min-ho, his brow furrowed deeply from the thick pheromones, replied without hesitation.
“That was the plan.”
He understood instantly that Tae-yi wasn’t telling him to lock up Haram—he meant himself. When they reached the underground parking lot, Yoon Min-ho reached out to support Tae-yi, only to watch in silent admiration as Tae-yi walked steadily, as if nothing were wrong.
He wanted to applaud that stubborn will—even in rut, he’d never show weakness in front of others.
Staring after the retreating Tae-yi, Yoon Min-ho hurried to the driver’s seat.
***
“It’s so unfair…”
He was so upset, he’d lost his appetite. Haram lay face-down on the sofa, clutching his head as the memory he couldn’t shake played over and over. It was already evening, but he could still see the burly man happily shelling peanuts and tossing them to the sparrows. He’d thought the man had understood him perfectly, but he’d been completely mistaken. He’d been too stunned to even say “Don’t give them any!” as the man fed the sparrows. He’d have to tell Tae-yi when he got back. He had a lot to say to him today.
Haram, who had been groaning into the soft sofa, suddenly jolted upright at the sound of the front door bursting open.
Seeing Yoon Min-ho supporting Tae-yi, Haram rushed over.
“Ah! D-Da Haram! Go to your room—now!”
Haram reached for Tae-yi, but Yoon Min-ho shouted urgently. Startled, Haram’s tail shot straight up as he began to back away.
Watching Haram retreat, Yoon Min-ho guided the slumped Tae-yi toward the basement. The pheromones had been manageable in the car, but now Tae-yi could barely stand. He’d taken suppressants before leaving, so why was his condition deteriorating so suddenly? It made no sense.
Suppressants weren’t a cure-all, but they should have at least stabilized the pheromones somewhat. Instead, Tae-yi’s were pouring out uncontrollably. Something was wrong. First, he had to get Haram upstairs and lock Tae-yi in the basement.
“…Medicine.”
“Director, are you conscious?”
“Medicine… haah… give it to me.”
“That medicine seems off. I’ll get you new suppressants, so stay in the basement for now.”
Having grown up with a doctor for a father and a—well, not a junkie, but a pill-popping—older brother, Yoon Min-ho knew something was wrong with the suppressants Tae-yi had taken. After nearly tumbling down the basement stairs multiple times, he carefully laid Tae-yi on the cold cement floor.
“Just for a moment. Just stay here.”
Leaving his boss on the basement floor weighed on him, but Yoon Min-ho repeated “I’ll be right back” over and over as he left the basement.
He was about to rush out for suppressants when he ran straight into Haram in the hallway. Unable to shake off the anxious grip on his arm, Yoon Min-ho had no choice but to stop.
“Is Tae-yi okay? What’s going on?”
“Do you know what… rut is?”
Yoon Min-ho asked cautiously, knowing Haram wasn’t familiar with secondary gender dynamics. Haram nodded vigorously, his eyes darting worriedly toward the basement hallway.
“Why are you locking him in the storage room? Is there a bed in there?”
He knew the basement was used for storage, but why was Tae-yi down there? Haram’s innocent question left Yoon Min-ho speechless. He personally escorted Haram to the stairs leading to the second floor.
“Listen carefully, Da Haram. I need to go to the hospital and get the Director new suppressants. So you—do not go near the basement. Go to the room at the end of the second floor, lock the door, and stay there.”
Yoon Min-ho’s deadly serious tone left Haram no room to ask questions. He nodded obediently.
“…Will he be okay?”
“I’ll bring my father if I have to. Don’t worry.”
Professor Yoon? That was a relief.
Haram forced a nod and dragged his reluctant feet up to the second floor. Only after confirming Haram had gone upstairs did Yoon Min-ho hurry away.
***
Following Chief Yoon’s instructions, Haram entered the room at the end of the hallway—not his own—and gripped the doorknob, letting out a long sigh.
Alcohol… He didn’t know if it was his Omega senses or his sky squirrel instincts, but the air was thick with a sweet, intoxicating scent that made his head spin.
Normally, he would have brushed it off, but not now. He knew this was Tae-yi’s pheromones. He was so worried, he couldn’t move from the door. Tae-yi had never been this helpless since their first meeting. No—he looked even worse than before.
Haram had experienced heat cycles himself, but he’d never been reduced to a corpse-like state. He’d just acted like an animal in heat.
Biting his lower lip, Haram shifted uncomfortably, pressing his thighs together as a strange warmth pooled in his lower body. He felt like he’d fallen into a vat of sweet, heady wine.
“Ungh…”
Leaning his forehead against the door, Haram panted, his breath ragged. The more he smelled the pheromones, the more his mind filled with thoughts of Tae-yi. He felt like he had to go to him right now. He rushed toward the basement, frowning as the scent grew stronger. The sweet, alcoholic aroma was making him dizzy—it was strange how it seemed to cloud his senses the more he inhaled.
“Tae-yi!”
Haram hurried down the stairs and knelt beside Tae-yi, who was sprawled on the basement floor like a corpse. He reached out to stroke Tae-yi’s cheek—his whole body was burning like an ember.
“Chief Yoon is so unreasonable…”
Leaving someone in rut on this dusty floor? He should be the one locked up instead.
At the sound of Haram’s worried voice, Tae-yi’s clouded eyes flickered open, fixing on Haram.
“Are you okay? I’ll get you water.”
Their eyes met. Haram wiped the sweat from Tae-yi’s brow and started to stand, but in an instant, his body was yanked around.
“Mmph—!”
Tae-yi cupped Haram’s face with brutal strength and forced his tongue deep into his mouth. Overpowered, Haram collapsed onto the stairs, but their lips didn’t part. Haram, pinned beneath Tae-yi’s relentless kiss, finally pushed against his chest with all his might as his breath gave out.
“Hah, hah…”
Gasping, Haram covered his mouth with the back of his hand and stared up at Tae-yi, who was licking his own glistening lips. Normally, he would have yelled What are you doing?! But now, he understood the reason all too well. All he could do was watch.
