Today was a regular checkup day, so I came to the hospital early. When they said I needed a guardian, I naturally thought the Executive Secretary from the Chairman’s office would come. But the person who came to pick me up today wasn’t the Executive Secretary or the Chairman, but Executive Director Cha Juheon.
You don’t know how surprised I was to see him get out of the car. Of course, the executive director didn’t care even when he saw my surprise. And with a very matter-of-fact expression, he put the frozen me in the car.
I felt so uncomfortable seeing him wearing a mask and even gloves. Whether he didn’t know my feelings or not, the person in question seemed comfortable in that outfit.
But does he always go around like that when going outside? From the moment I got in the executive director’s car, I sat there tense the whole time. My mind was uncomfortable, so my body became uncomfortable too, and I couldn’t sit comfortably during the ride. Naturally, I had no mental leisure to look around this nice car.
The inside and outside of the car were very clean. Not only the exterior but the interior too—everything was cleaner than my room. I don’t know what kind of air freshener he uses that stimulates the nose with an attractive scent, but it seems to be a very good product. The refreshing fragrance and air pushed into my nostrils. The quiet atmosphere was embarrassing and awkward, so I unnecessarily spoke to him.
“Executive Director, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d be coming directly, so I didn’t prepare a mask.”
“It’s okay. I’m wearing one, aren’t I? This is more comfortable than making a pregnant person who’s sensitive uncomfortable. I’m not doing this specially just for today. I go around like this normally too, so don’t worry about it.”
Ah… So he goes around like this normally too. Amazing. I wanted to ask why he went to the trouble of coming directly, but I didn’t have the courage to ask that far. Like that, I quietly went to the hospital, feeling uncomfortable and awkward by myself.
***
Today, I heard the fetus’s heartbeat and even confirmed its movements. Even though it’s not a child I’ll raise, it was quite a strange feeling to see another life moving in my body and feel its heartbeat. It would have been nice if Executive Director Cha Juheon had seen this, but he stubbornly refused to come in.
When I asked why, it was because he was uncomfortable seeing my belly—that is, my bare skin. Thinking of his germaphobia, it wasn’t strange and was fully understandable. After smoothly finishing the ultrasound and receiving the final examination, we heard something unexpected from the doctor.
“The fetus is lacking alpha pheromones? Alpha pheromones, you mean…”
I didn’t understand how a fetus whose traits weren’t even known yet could be lacking pheromones.
“I’m talking about the biological father’s alpha pheromones. Right now, the omega father’s pheromone levels are normal, but the alpha father’s pheromones are absolutely insufficient. They’re below average levels.”
To my surprised question, the doctor answered calmly. The doctor, who had been writing something diligently while looking at the computer monitor, raised their head and looked back and forth between me and the executive director beside me.
The doctor’s gaze, slightly pushing up their glasses, fixed on the executive director. Under that gaze, the executive director pressed the mask covering half his face more thoroughly. Whether familiar with the executive director’s behavior, the doctor continued what they had to say without minding his actions.
“I know about your two’s circumstances from hearing it from the Chairman. So it’s not that I don’t understand why the fetus is in this state right now… Regardless of the contract, if you’ve decided to have the baby anyway, you should do everything expected as a guardian.”
At the doctor’s point about doing what’s expected, the executive director squinted one eye. The executive director hasn’t been negligent as the baby’s father. From what I see, he seems to be doing fairly well…
Doesn’t the fact that he came to the hospital together like this itself mean he’s interested in the child? He sometimes asks if there’s anything I want to eat and takes care of it. Anyway, I was curious about what kind of problem would occur to the baby if pheromones were lacking.
“By any chance, what happens to the fetus if alpha pheromones are lacking?”
“Mm, to explain simply, this period has a big influence on the fetus’s future traits. Also, both pheromones are absolutely necessary for brain and physical development. Pheromones help the fetus grow well and safely in the womb and also increase immunity so they don’t get sick.”
Ah, this is content I read in a book last time. It said that babies born after receiving sufficient parental pheromones for ten months are guaranteed excellent brains and healthy bodies. It was such a common statement that I roughly looked at it and moved on, but if the doctor is saying it like that, it must have really been an important issue. I’m really ignorant.
“The pheromones coming from the omega’s body carrying the baby give sufficiently good influence to the fetus without shortage. The problem is the alpha. The alpha father’s pheromones. Since they can’t directly influence like an omega whose body is connected, they need to artificially release pheromones and pour them out.”
Pour them out? I tried hard not to miss even one more word from the doctor.
“Normal married couples or couples instinctively do that. Since it’s for the fetus, there are many people who deliberately set a time to inject them. It’s a commonly used method, but it won’t fit your two’s situation. Well, looking at your expressions, it seems you didn’t know about this situation either.”
“…Since I can’t directly release pheromones… I’d appreciate it if you could tell us another method.”
The executive director subtly pressed the doctor and demanded an answer.
“The method is simple. The best way would be to directly inject pheromones as I mentioned earlier, but you can’t do that, right? Since it’s an inconvenient situation, you can apply Executive Director’s alpha pheromones to clothes or objects and give them. If it’s something that wraps the body like a coat or blanket, the effect is even better.”
“On clothes?”
At the executive director’s murmur, the doctor nodded.
“Yes. When manifested omegas or omegas with mates go into heat, they instinctively look for clothes with their alpha’s pheromones on them. It’s a method created from observing that, so the effect is quite good. It seems like it would be a decent method.”
Even to my ears, it seemed like a not-bad method. Since directly injecting pheromones doesn’t fit our situation, there’s no choice. They say it’s for the fetus, but being recklessly exposed to alpha pheromones is dangerous.
As a dominant omega, I wouldn’t be easily swayed by pheromones, but even I can’t guarantee what would happen if an alpha poured out pheromones right in front of me. So it doesn’t hurt to be careful.
Moreover, the executive director is a dominant alpha. Who knows where or how a dominant alpha’s nature might emerge. Since omegas and alphas inherently react to each other’s pheromones, I think there’s no need to deliberately expose myself to pheromones.
“This is absolutely necessary for the fetus?”
“Of course. It’s essential for physical health and intellectual development. Would you understand if I said it’s like nutrients?”
Nutrients… Everyone knows that problems arise if nutrients are lacking. It doesn’t matter to me, but will this person, given his tendencies, hand over his clothes to me? If he says it’s distasteful, I should suggest buying new clothes and applying pheromones to them.
“Even if I apply pheromones to my clothes or belongings, it would be different from directly pouring them out—will there be a big effect? Rather, since Mr. Baek Eunwoo is a dominant omega, if he controls it a bit when receiving my pheromones…”
“The act of controlling itself means blocking the action to protect oneself. If you block the pheromones, it’s useless. Of course, it will take somewhat more time than directly injecting them. Still, it will be much more helpful than not doing it at all.”
The doctor shrugged and shook their head at the executive director’s words.
“Executive Director’s… because of that problem. Are you really uncomfortable because of that aspect?”
The doctor, who had been speaking boldly, began to speak carefully and stammer slightly. Though they didn’t say the word directly, it was clearly a nuance meaning germaphobia.
“…That’s not it. If it’s bothersome, I just need to apply my pheromones to a new product. I was just briefly confused since I’ve never been in this situation. Then let’s go with applying pheromones to clothes or blankets and delivering them.”
At the executive director’s answer, the doctor showed a satisfied smile.
“You’ve thought well. This has a good influence on both the fetus and the pregnant omega. The omega gains stability, you see. Regardless of the pregnancy method, life is growing normally in Mr. Baek Eunwoo’s body, so this isn’t a choice but a necessity. Then, Mr. Baek Eunwoo, you can go get your nutritional shot now. You’ll be guided when you go out. In the meantime, Executive Director, shall we talk about the rest for a moment?”
“Let’s do that. Then, Mr. Baek Eunwoo. I’ll come to you as soon as we finish talking.”
I kept nodding at the doctor’s instructions and the executive director’s words as I followed the guiding nurse out. Phew, aside from the pheromone issue, I’m relieved that the fetus is growing well. If I just absorb the executive director’s alpha pheromones well until the next checkup day as the doctor instructed, it should be fine.
But I was a bit nervous about that. Throughout my life until now, I had never absorbed anyone’s alpha pheromones. So I couldn’t predict what kind of changes that would bring to my body. Fear about an unfamiliar thing I’d never experienced washed over me.
