Only then did Yeonwoo recall where he was sitting. Remembering how extraordinary an alpha the man standing before him was, he carefully spoke.
‘I’m Lee Yeonwoo. I’ve come for the matchmaking meeting today.’
‘Yes, I know.’
He knows. That was somewhat fortunate.
Perhaps tired of the matchmaking process that had continued for a year, Ho Munbeom had reportedly refused to show up, but today seemed different. Though he was late, Yeonwoo was grateful that he at least made an appearance. Even if he left without sitting down, just seeing Ho Munbeom’s face would have been more than enough for Yeonwoo.
Though he seemed to have unintentionally shown a strange side of himself, Munbeom was such a busy person that he would probably forget this quickly. Yeonwoo was only thinking about getting up after Munbeom left. But the alpha, who had been looking down at Yeonwoo for quite some time, sat down in a chair.
‘…’
Yeonwoo looked at Ho Munbeom sitting across from him. Somehow, as Yeonwoo gazed at him with disbelief, the corners of Munbeom’s mouth curved up into a gentle smile.
‘Why are you looking at me like that? Should I not be sitting here?’
‘No, no, I just…’
I thought you would just leave.
Unable to say those words, Yeonwoo closed his mouth, and Munbeom smiled again.
When he first saw him, the man had emanated a cold and chilly atmosphere, but the moment he smiled, the air around them warmed. Adding to this the pheromones he had been sensing, Yeonwoo’s heart began to race uncontrollably.
He hadn’t come with any expectations. But each gesture from Ho Munbeom greatly inflated his hopes.
At that moment, Munbeom looked at Yeonwoo and kindly asked:
‘If it’s before your meal, would you like to eat with me? I couldn’t even eat lunch properly because of work.’
‘…That’s not right, you should quickly order something to eat.’
‘Should I? Do you have any ingredients you can’t eat or dislike, Yeonwoo?’
‘I eat almost anything well.’
‘That’s the same as me. I also eat almost anything well.’
It was such a trivial conversation that attaching meaning to every word would be pointless. Yet Yeonwoo’s excitement only grew. He worried that Munbeom might notice his rapidly beating heart, so thrilled was he.
But it seemed it wasn’t just him. The man who had a reputation among omegas at matchmaking meetings for being cold, arrogant, and the most disagreeable person in the world, was kind, gentle, and smiled often. Judging by appearances alone, he seemed to like Yeonwoo.
Yeonwoo didn’t want false hope, but others seemed to feel similarly. The restaurant manager, who hadn’t paid attention even when Yeonwoo emptied his water glass during the long wait, now took care of him when ordering food, serving it, pouring wine, and checking if he was comfortable.
When Yeonwoo, new to such settings and unfamiliar with the food, couldn’t respond properly, Munbeom helped.
‘Don’t disturb him during the meal. It’s uncomfortable.’
It was an intimidating way of speaking, but since it wasn’t directed at him, Yeonwoo was fine with it.
After the manager and servers withdrew, they dined alone. Having just met, there was much they didn’t know about each other. Though they didn’t exchange many words, it was enough.
The food, which he was trying for the first time, was delicious, and the man sitting across from him was kind. Looking at Munbeom, who was unexpectedly gentle to him, Yeonwoo felt like crying a little.
Perhaps, we could have been like this.
But knowing this was just a wish in his heart, Yeonwoo woke from the dream without regret.
“Yeonwoo, are you okay?”
“…”
The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was the nurse who always took good care of him when he visited the hospital. Though he knew her name, he couldn’t recall it immediately and slightly moved his lips. Immediately, pain rose to his head, and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
Seeing his obvious struggle, the nurse told him to wait a moment and quickly left. Shortly after, the doctor who entered gave Yeonwoo a gentle smile as soon as he saw him.
“Yeonwoo, you’ve finally awakened. That’s a relief.”
Only then did Yeonwoo recall what had happened to him.
Startled, he tried to sit up and began to ask about his father but couldn’t continue. With pain rising to his head again, he lay back on the bed, and the doctor worriedly said:
“You shouldn’t get up so suddenly. First, lie down and rest.”
Yeonwoo wanted to do just that, but something was weighing on his mind. With one hand on his throbbing forehead, he asked in a faltering voice:
“How is my father doing?”
At Yeonwoo’s question, the doctor asked the nurse to leave for a moment.
Yeonwoo was suddenly afraid. Could something have happened to his father who might have been shocked because of him? Not knowing what happened after he collapsed, the worst scenarios flashed through his mind.
“Your father was a bit surprised, but he stabilized quickly, and now he’s resting.”
“…Really?”
“Yes, I confirmed that he’s resting with a peaceful expression.”
The doctor was Yeonwoo’s father’s primary physician. When Younghwa suddenly collapsed, leaving Yeonwoo pale with panic and not knowing what to do, the doctor had taken his hand and explained everything in detail. Having maintained a good relationship from the beginning and continuing to care for Younghwa, Yeonwoo couldn’t help but believe his words.
Yeonwoo took a deep breath and nodded, saying he understood. In response, the doctor murmured, “Good,” pulled a nearby chair over, and sat down. Under his steady gaze, Yeonwoo fidgeted with his hands on his stomach.
“…I’ve had some stressful things to deal with recently and was quite tired. That’s probably why I collapsed. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“Yes, when living alone, it’s even difficult to remember to eat. It must be very hard.”
Yeonwoo fell silent at the kind response to his excuses, which he had made to dismiss his sudden collapse as nothing serious. His heart swelled, and he felt heat rising to his eyes, but he held back and nodded.
Soon, the doctor began, “But, Yeonwoo.”
“You need to be honest so that I can accurately diagnose your physical condition. Just as being young doesn’t mean you won’t get sick or that you’ll recover quickly when ill. When problems arise, appropriate measures must be taken promptly. That’s how you can live healthily again.”
“…”
At first, he didn’t understand what the doctor meant. But the moment he saw the concerned look in his eyes, something dawned on him.
This wasn’t a place where his sudden collapse would be ignored. Surely, simple tests would have been conducted to determine why he lost consciousness. If a health issue had been discovered, then what about his father? At least one of them needed to be healthy. If both became ill, that wouldn’t do.
Unable to hide his anxiety, Yeonwoo softly asked, “Doctor, is there a problem with my body?”
Instead of answering immediately, the doctor thought for a moment. After checking the closed door again, he pulled his chair closer to Yeonwoo and lowered his voice to ask:
“Have you been using birth control pills recently?”
“…”
“Birth control pills sold over the counter are common, but that doesn’t mean they suit everyone. Omegas should consider their bodies and use birth control pills that suit them after receiving a consultation. Of course, having a considerate partner who uses protection is another method, but…”
Yeonwoo, who had only hoped there wasn’t a problem with his health, swallowed hard at the unexpected words. Seeing Yeonwoo staring at him blankly, the doctor closed his mouth.
There was no reproach or blame for Yeonwoo’s actions on the doctor’s face, which only showed concern. Yeonwoo clenched his hands near his abdomen.
“He uses condoms too. But I was just anxious and worried…”
“Yes, that’s not a bad idea. But considering your body, shouldn’t you discuss this properly with your partner at least once?”
“…”
“You’re with an alpha with whom you can have that kind of exchange, right?”
When an alpha is not in rut, pregnancy is unlikely. Nevertheless, Munbeom had used condoms from the beginning. Even when they did it without a condom, he ejaculated outside the body. From his perspective, an illegitimate child would be troublesome. Yeonwoo didn’t desire such an unfortunate situation either, so he had purchased and was taking birth control pills on his own. That way, he felt secure. More precisely, it seemed like his relationship with Munbeom would be problem-free that way.
Realizing the doctor had been watching him, Yeonwoo opened his mouth with an “Ah.”
“Yes, that’s right. Doctor, don’t worry. It’s something that can be resolved through conversation.”
“…”
“I think I’m just scared because it’s my first time. I’ll be more careful in the future.”
The doctor didn’t seem to believe Yeonwoo’s words. He appeared to have more questions but instead of voicing them, he offered another alternative.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
