Bodam Animal Hospital, located in the heart of Seoul, had a good reputation for its staff’s bright and cheerful atmosphere. At this place where animal lovers gathered and job satisfaction was at its peak, an unexpected big surprise broke out on Friday afternoon just before closing time.
“Really? Does that make sense? This isn’t a dream, is it?”
“Shh. Don’t make it obvious. People outside are going crazy.”
It was such a tremendous event that even the nurse who was off duty came rushing to the hospital. That famous… Sau Guild coming to this place, which was just an ordinary animal hospital, albeit a large one.
“No way. Do those people even raise animals?”
“Right? I never saw any articles about them raising pets.”
“Shhh. Teachers, lower your voices. Can’t you see the people outside?”
Word must have spread already, as onlookers were swarming from the neighboring building to the point where they needed to control them. The excited review of one guardian who said they saw Ryu Taeha of Sau Guild in person had reached their ears.
“This is the right place, right? They’re inside, right?”
“Did they really come? Do those people raise animals?”
“No, there’s no Sau Guild here. Please go back if you’re not here for treatment.”
The reception staff, who had quickly touched up their makeup and come out, blocked those trying to enter the hospital.
“Someone saw them. They said his face was absolutely dazzling. The rumor’s already spread!”
“I’ll just take a quick look at their faces and leave. Okay?”
“I told you they’re really not here. Only guardians can enter.”
“I raise a dog. He’s doing well at home.”
The increasing number of onlookers began boasting about the animals they raised one by one. They insisted that they were guardians too, so shouldn’t they be allowed in, and the reception staff’s stress was building up.
“They’re really not here! They’re just not! Not here!”
The staff member who was shouting that they’d call the police if this continued suddenly made a “hic” sound and stepped back. Not only that, but everyone present showed similar reactions.
“They’re inside.”
Two large men suddenly appeared in front of the empty information desk.
“I-it’s Esper Go Yeoul….”
Someone who recognized Yeoul of Sau Guild, who appeared out of thin air with a Teleportation Esper, muttered.
Though not as much as Ryu Taeha, Yeoul was also quite well-known. Since he didn’t do any broadcasting activities like the Leader, many people didn’t know his face, but there were plenty of rumors about his physique, which seemed to be twice that of others.
The sound of someone swallowing dry saliva could be heard from somewhere. They’d heard that Sau Guild’s youngest had such a good body… but seeing him in person, the rumors hadn’t spread enough yet.
“They’re not here?”
“Y-yes?”
“I’m asking if Dawoon hyung isn’t inside.”
The dazed staff members were overwhelmed by Yeoul’s intimidating presence and only moved their lips. Since Yeoul had just come from work wearing pitch-black field clothes, he exuded an even more menacing aura.
Then the quick-witted Teleportation Esper subtly blocked Yeoul’s front and stepped forward.
“Haha, sorry for the sudden visit. He’s inside, right? May we go in?”
He skillfully eased the atmosphere and contacted the Center to call for control personnel.
“Sorry for the commotion.”
“No, s-sorry? Please follow me!”
A nurse who wasn’t even on duty promptly guided them down the treatment room corridor.
Dozens of gazes were fixed on Yeoul’s back as he appeared in an instant and quickly disappeared.
“Wow….”
Those who had been noisily clamoring to get into the hospital somehow became quiet in an instant.
“Oh….”
“Wow….”
“Whoa….”
Only admiration remained where Yeoul had left.
No one was flustered by Yeoul’s cold attitude. Rather, they only lavished praise, saying his charisma was tremendous despite his youth.
Who said it? That if you’re famous, you get applause no matter what you do.
“He’s in the guardian waiting room inside.”
The nurse guided them to the room with an excited voice. Yeoul, who had been walking ahead quickly, directly flung open the waiting room door.
Through the roughly opening door gap, a familiar back of the head was visible.
Yeoul’s gaze reflexively stuck to Dawoon’s back of the head, which was prettily cut like a chestnut. And at the same time, an unfamiliar person stuck right next to Dawoon also came into view.
A doctor wearing medical clothes was standing pressed close to Dawoon with his head thrust forward. As if kissing.
Moreover, the doctor’s hand was holding Dawoon’s face. More precisely, it was just at the level of placing his fingertips, but that’s how it looked to Yeoul’s eyes.
“Wow, that person, could he be…!”
The doctor, who had been greatly admiring after recognizing Yeoul of Sau Guild, was suddenly pushed by Dawoon and fell to the floor. If he’d been just a bit later, Yeoul’s fist would have been planted right in the doctor’s face.
“Go Yeoul! Are you crazy?!”
Dawoon’s heart sank, thinking he’d already gone crazy. He grabbed Yeoul, who had rushed at the doctor without warning, and pushed him forcefully toward the door. The Teleportation Esper who came in with him also helped Dawoon restrain Yeoul.
“Move. Hyung, I have business with that fucking bastard.”
“Why are you cursing at the doctor! Have you lost your mind?!”
Why has he already lost his mind?! According to the novel’s development, Yeoul’s sanity should still be intact. The time for him to go crazy came much later.
“Hyung, that bastard’s an Alpha.”
Yeoul, whose eyes flashed as if he’d rush at the doctor right away, looked down at Dawoon. Dawoon, who was blocking Yeoul in a posture almost like being embraced by him, had a dumbfounded expression.
“So what, you bastard! One-third of the population are Alphas!”
Even if dominant Alphas were rare, there were many recessive ones. He’d heard that the ratio of Alphas, Omegas, and Betas was fairly even. The only rare existences were the dominant ones.
“Exactly. If you’re going to be careful of all those bastards, you need to keep your wits about you.”
Dawoon opened and closed his lips, speechless. To keep his wits about him. When the words he should be saying came out of Yeoul’s mouth, he was so taken aback that he was completely at a loss for words.
“What did that bastard do to you, hyung?”
Yeoul suddenly rubbed Dawoon’s lips with his fingertips. When Dawoon tried to avoid it, he finally grabbed the back of his neck so he couldn’t move at all.
“What kind of dog shit did he pull?”
“N-no! It’s a misunderstanding!”
The doctor, who had jumped up from the floor, waved both hands vigorously.
“Esper Dawoon had a nosebleed, so I just wiped it for him a bit! We have CCTV in our room too, so you can check it!”
The doctor pointed to the camera attached to the waiting room and explained the situation in more detail.
Dawoon, who had been sitting in the guardian waiting chair, suddenly had a nosebleed, so he gave him a tissue, and because the blood wasn’t properly wiped, he just lightly touched the tip of his nose. That was all.
“I am an Alpha, but how could I dare do such a thing to a Sau Guild member? Please believe me.”
The innocent doctor kept waving both hands, insisting on his innocence. To him, who was about to bring the CCTV footage right away, Dawoon apologized first, saying there was no need.
“Sorry for startling you.”
Dawoon rubbed the back of his neck where Yeoul had grabbed him and bowed his head to the doctor.
“Well, Yeoul… sometimes loses it, but he’s a good kid….”
Dawoon couldn’t think of anything proper to say in his defense and vaguely mumbled.
“I also apologize for suddenly pushing you. If you’re uncomfortable anywhere—”
“No! Uncomfortable? I’m perfectly fine. Of course I understand since you did it to protect me.”
The doctor, who waved his hands even more vigorously, tried to lift Dawoon’s shoulders as he bowed his head. It was a contact that would commonly happen in daily life, but Yeoul didn’t allow even that light skinship.
“Huk…!”
Water created by Yeoul poured down over the doctor’s head. The doctor, who got completely drenched in an instant, sat down in confusion.
The Teleportation Esper, who had been watching the situation, quickly supported him, and Dawoon turned toward Yeoul.
Despite having doused a doctor who wasn’t even an Esper but an ordinary person with water, he shamelessly faced Dawoon. However, as if knowing his own fault, he soon slightly averted his eyes.
“You, come out.”
Yeoul hesitated at Dawoon’s low voice and slightly lowered his head.
Dawoon grabbed his thick arm and forced him to bow his head to the doctor, then hurriedly left the waiting room. He had to quickly leave the scene before he caused a bigger accident.
The place Dawoon dragged Yeoul to was the rooftop of the hospital building.
The summer sky, where the sun was already setting, was darkening. Dawoon looked up at the sunset-tinged sky and took a long breath of outside air.
“Hyung, are you sick somewhere again? Why did you have a nosebleed?”
Yeoul stuck close to his side and glanced around nervously.
“Hyung….”
When Dawoon turned his head sharply away so Yeoul couldn’t see his face at all, Yeoul moved his lips anxiously. His not-knowing-what-to-do appearance was exactly like a dog. A dog scared of being abandoned by its owner.
“Go Yeoul.”
Dawoon, who put strength in his core, lowered his voice as much as possible. Hearing this, Yeoul’s head drooped deeply as if it would fall to the ground.
He really is like a dog. With such a mountain-like build, his actions were exactly like a large dog that couldn’t be controlled.
Dawoon swallowed the saliva he’d gathered in his parched mouth and let out a sigh. Earlier, really. His startled heart nearly dropped from being flustered beyond belief.
Go Yeoul, this bastard… he shouldn’t be doing villain stuff already.
“Hyung… I thought they were tormenting you.”
While Dawoon was organizing the words to severely scold him, Yeoul, who spoke first, muttered with a completely dejected appearance.
“I thought you were being victimized by an Alpha again….”
“……”
“Don’t be angry. I won’t do it again….”
To Yeoul, who had rushed in to protect him, Dawoon couldn’t bring himself to spit out harsh words. Still, he had to be angry. For everyone’s sake.
“Yeoul.”
“I was wrong. Really, really, I won’t do it again. I was also startled, that’s why.”
As if Dawoon’s sunken voice was painful to hear, Yeoul, who covered his ears, bent his upper body. He leaned his forehead on Dawoon’s shoulder and repeated his apology.
“I’m sorry, hyung. I’m sorry.”
You should have been like this in front of the doctor.
Dawoon ultimately couldn’t push away Yeoul, who had shrunk excessively as if his trauma had been touched. In the end, he spread both arms wide and embraced Yeoul, who was leaning his shoulder on him.
“Never do that again. It’ll be big trouble if you use your ability on ordinary people.”
When Dawoon allowed his embrace, Yeoul hugged him tightly as if he’d been waiting.
“I understand. I won’t do it.”
Beyond their deeply touching chests, the sound of Yeoul’s heartbeat was transmitted to Dawoon intact. Dawoon, who sensed that beating, made a flustered face.
“You… why is your heart beating so fast?”
