That was exactly it. All memories after realizing the heat cycle were fragmented. His legs shaking in the air, his own hand pressed against the other person’s stomach. The rough breathing and squeaking friction sounds came to mind separately.
‘I’m crazy!’
Young let out a silent scream.
No matter how much he was born to be faithful to instinct, this didn’t seem right. It was more shocking because it was the first time he’d spent such a frenzied heat cycle while living as an omega.
Until now, when the cycle came around, other family members had prepared suppressants first. Whether there were wastrels approaching the precious omega youngest thinking it was their chance, or whether they’d rush in deliberately to make a baby first and tie him down, etc. For various reasons, the whole family had blocked Young’s heat cycles.
Yet to have this kind of accident immediately after leaving the family’s care. He couldn’t stand how pathetic he was. Young barely swallowed the sigh about to leak out. Still in an embraced state, unable to move carelessly in case the other person woke up.
‘…Joo Kyung-heon.’
Was the fact that his partner was Kyung-heon fortunate in this misfortune? Thinking that, Young squeezed his eyes shut.
‘What fortune.’
Whoever the partner was, the fact that he had greedily mingled bodies with someone he didn’t even love didn’t change.
He was more tormented by the sporadically rising memories. He had no idea what face he should show the other person after clinging to each other like beasts.
Young withdrew his arm as slowly as possible, holding his breath as much as he could.
For now, his plan was to escape the bed before Kyung-heon woke. Even now, being alone and conscious, he felt so embarrassed he could die, but if Kyung-heon regained consciousness here too, he felt he’d go crazy from shame.
He’d have to face him anyway, but it would be better to be in a more confident and proper state if possible. It seemed a serious conversation would be possible if he at least wore proper clothes rather than facing each other naked and gasping.
“……”
Not even when he secretly went out at night without his family knowing had he been this careful. Young did his best to move in case Kyung-heon woke up.
And finally he succeeded in untangling their bodies and placing his feet under the bed. He picked up the scattered clothes and hurriedly left the room.
Since he had left his spot, when Kyung-heon came to his senses, he would first take care of his own body. Then they could face each other in neat appearances as he wished.
When Young was heading to the bathroom thinking that, he was crossing the living room when a humming voice grated on his ears from far away.
It seemed to be a sound from the entrance. Young instinctively first roughly put on the clothes he had just picked up. Then he went to the entrance and brought his ear to the door.
“Even pressing the bell, there’s no response. The porridge I sent is still in front of the door too. How can I just leave like this? Ah, I’m just going to pick it.”
The owner of the familiar voice was his older brother, Chan.
It seemed there had been quite a commotion because the youngest had suddenly been out of contact. Young pressed his forehead then carefully opened the door.
Only enough to barely stick out his head. When the youngest who had been completely out of contact suddenly thrust his face in, Chan said “hang up first” into his mobile phone. He narrowed his brow intensely looking at Young.
“What were you doing that you didn’t even answer…!”
Was it a reaction to worry? Chan shouted first. Yet when Young went “shh,” he quickly reduced his words.
“You said you weren’t feeling well and then cut off contact, do you know how worried everyone was? What are you doing holed up at home…”
Couldn’t you send one message, don’t you know we’d obviously worry. Wasn’t he about to say something like that? Chan’s complexion, having suddenly stopped speaking, hardened even more seriously.
“You don’t tell me…!”
There was no way he, born with alpha blood, couldn’t feel the vibrating pheromones. Chan flung open the entrance door Young had been hiding his body behind.
“Hey, you…”
The chaotic pheromones pouring through the wide-open doorway, the shirt crumpled unsightly and the pants with only the zipper barely pulled up.
Even without asking, it would be possible to grasp what situation this was. Chan, having gasped, immediately grabbed Young’s arm and pulled.
“Hyung, wait a minute…”
“Didn’t you take medicine? Why? He’s not even your real husband, so what are you going to do after sleeping with him!”
“Hyung, I didn’t mean to do that!”
“Just come out first. Come with me. I’m going crazy, really.”
The man who, worried his brother would fly away in the wind or break if touched, had only been able to pat him, pulled Young out with tremendous grip strength.
***
He only learned belatedly how the house had been turned upside down during the time he’d lost his reason. It was thanks to the cell phone he suddenly took out while being carried in Chan’s car. Young stared at the screen while adjusting his grip on the car charger cable.
So, to put it simply, he’d been out of contact for two days. It seemed like he’d rolled around thoroughly for a full 24 hours, or maybe more, starting from the evening before yesterday, then fell asleep as if passing out and woke up this morning.
Of course his cell phone battery couldn’t hold out. The missed calls easily exceeded three digits, and messages had piled up just as much.
His family’s changing state of mind was well reflected in the mountain of accumulated messages.
Family Group Chat
Noona
Are you very sick? Should noona come pick you up? No. I’ll send some over to your house. You like beef porridge.
At first they worried thinking he was sick, but held back their words, afraid of being excessive.
Family Group Chat
Eldest Hyung
Is Young sleeping? He didn’t collapse, did he? Lee Chan, can you go check on Young right now?
Anxious that their youngest who was the apple of their eye might have become unconscious.
Family Group Chat
Lee Chan
They say Young’s car came into the house but the lights are off. Isn’t he just sleeping?
Old habits die hard—they sent someone to spy on Young’s house.
Family Group Chat
Lee Chan
Wait, what’s today’s date?? Isn’t it around the time for his cycle to come back?
After suddenly recalling Young’s heat cycle, things really became chaotic.
However, opinions were divided even among the family members. Most followed similar patterns. They’d make up their minds to visit the house right away, but would hesitate, worried about offending their youngest or appearing not to trust him.
Physical time didn’t seem to cooperate either. The conversation history clearly showed traces of them sending employees because they couldn’t go themselves, but only having them check the surroundings and leave, not knowing what might happen if Young was really going through his heat cycle.
The person who had rushed over at the crack of dawn while being unable to do this or that and getting anxious was apparently Chan. Having left a message saying he’d go check so everyone shouldn’t worry, he woke up the entire family with great vigor and force.
Well, there was no need to explain the situation at length. Everyone would have fully woken up with just that one sentence: “I’m on my way home with Young right now.”
Young pressed his forehead and leaned his head against the window.
‘He’s not even your real husband, so what were you thinking sleeping with him!’
Just the fact that he’d mixed bodies like beasts with an alpha who wasn’t even his real husband, as hyung said, was enough to make his head complicated, and he didn’t know how to deal with the family members who would cause a ruckus. His head was already throbbing.
***
It was as expected. The family members who had all woken up at once from Chan’s phone call were sitting around the living room.
“……”
“……”
“……”
No explanation was needed. Young’s presence, appearing covered in Joo Kyung-heon’s pheromones, explained everything that had happened during his time away.
Long time no see, or, you’re just getting here now, or, are you okay. There were no greetings of any kind. The frozen family members just stared at Young’s disheveled appearance. It seemed the shocking situation had completely paralyzed their thinking.
They opened their mouths simultaneously as if waiting for a signal to unfreeze.
“Didn’t you have suppressants?”
“How did this happen!”
“What is this state you’re in!”
Young just hung his head low. He didn’t properly check whether he had suppressants or not, this just happened somehow, and he was so shocked himself that he hastily threw on some clothes—he had nothing to say. He knew well that any answer would be worse than no answer.
“Are you two really in a relationship you like?”
But this question was a bit different. He had to keep his mouth shut because he truly didn’t know how to answer. Then noona, the questioner, immediately shot up from her seat.
