Several days ago. I received a verdict from the doctor.
Either die from exploding accumulated pheromones,
Or an innocent Omega gets caught up in the exploded pheromones and becomes a sacrifice.
This binary choice of death completely turned my mental state upside down.
So I went to someone I could trust and just blurted it out.
‘First, try spraying your pheromones on me.’
It was the idea that if you want to learn something, you need to start with an extreme experience.
Naturally, the blonde beautiful youth smiled, then opened his lips.
‘Abso-lutely not–!!!’
A resolute voice echoed throughout the villa.
Lee Haram immediately poured out words like rapid fire with a serious expression.
‘More importantly, why?! Hyung’s life still has a bright future ahead?! Why are you trying to end your life so futilely like this?! And with my pheromones?! Are you crazy?! Are you planning to make me a murderer?!’
This was the first time I’d seen Lee Haram abuse ‘?!’ like this.
‘You’re still in your 20s, hyung……. Did something happen? I’ll listen to you.’
At the sight of Haram sniffling with moistened eyes, I regained my reason and began explaining step by step.
‘Haram-ah, it’s not like that, actually…….’
Lee Haram, who gradually calmed down his excitement according to my explanation, fell into quiet thought after the story ended.
A moment later, one schedule was added to the calendar app on my screen.
[4/26 19:00 Pheromone Control Lesson]
Lee Haram was kind after all.
“Hey, Baek Gunho. How did you even get a love call from that dorm teacher? Is it the face after all?”
“What face! Gunho oppa just did well.”
“Still, with the cultural content creation A+ confirmed, the rest of the semester will be easy.”
“Ugh. Instead of just riding the bus, help with the data research or something.”
As the professor packed up, the students also grabbed their bags and stood up in droves.
Among them, group members approached and spoke warmly.
“Right. Gunho oppa, you skipped lecture before and went to the hospital, right? Are you okay?”
“Just because of my condition. It’s nothing serious.”
Actually, it was serious.
If things continue like this, either I die or I kill someone—who could maintain a sound mind in that situation?
“Want to eat dinner together today? Since Gunho oppa worked hard, I’ll treat.”
“Sorry, I have plans.”
“What? Why are you so busy?”
“It’s a matter of life and death.”
“Then can’t be helped. I’ll let you go.”
“Yeah. See you next time.”
Kim Sujin seemed to think it was a joke and responded with a joke while waving her hand.
I also greeted Kim Sujin and wrote a message to Lee Haram saying ‘I’ll be there soon’ and sent it.
Then the message immediately showed as read, and about 3 minutes later, a hamster character emoticon holding a heart panel with ‘OK!’ written on it arrived.
I wondered if it would take 3 minutes just to choose one emoticon, but Lee Haram is a super extroverted person with nearly 1,000 messenger friends when rounded up, so I figured the reply might have been delayed while checking other chat rooms.
‘I’m glad Haram accepted.’
For a moment, I felt dizzy imagining it.
If I hadn’t met and become close with Lee Haram when I was around 6 years old…….
If Lee Haram wasn’t a top 1% character Alpha who, knowing my constitution, would carve out personal time to help me…….
I probably would have had to sit mixed with babies in the pediatric waiting room receiving glares from parents.
‘A precious connection.’
The moment I was nodding and praising Lee Haram’s character, my phone rang with a ding-.
[Baek Jeongwoo: Hey]
[What are you doing? lol]
This was an insignificant connection.
[LK Hotel top floor]
[Next month on the 1st]
[Come there to meet my friends]
[Reply]
That profile picture next to an American continent palm tree wearing sunglasses with a frivolous smile—I closed the phone screen because I hated even looking at it.
Starting with a message saying ‘read and ignore X jerk’, messages kept arriving. Annoyed by the vibrations ringing with ding- every second, I just turned off the power altogether.
‘I don’t want to go.’
Renting out the hotel’s top floor was obvious what it would be. Since Baek Jeongwoo originally appears to be a person steeped in entertainment, debauchery, and pleasure, it would be a gathering of similar bastards.
The ‘friends’ Baek Jeongwoo mentioned would be those who give him power, his side…… meaning it was obvious there would be idiots full of ambition despite having neither character nor ability.
All sorts of barbaric pheromones that devoured public manners might be crawling around.
‘I don’t want to worsen this constitution.’
But if I refuse Baek Jeongwoo’s proposal and upset him, I can’t even predict what he might do to Baek Seolheon.
‘I’ll have to go…….’
So until then, I need to learn how to control pheromones somehow.
I headed straight to Lee Haram’s house.
* * *
Bang-!
Firecrackers burst and confetti pieces fluttered down above my head.
When I glanced beyond the front door into the living room, there was chicken, pizza, roll cake…… a feast laid out.
“Whose birthday is it?”
“Ah, no. I just ordered cake and firecrackers came with it.”
Lee Haram scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
“Haha, it’s not often that hyung comes to play at my place. I got excited and ordered all sorts of things.”
“I didn’t come to play though…….”
“Now then, to celebrate hyung’s new beginning!”
“What beginning?”
“You’re learning pheromone control for the first time! So it’s a new beginning!”
Lee Haram suddenly poured cola and held out a glass.
Right after, he didn’t forget to quickly move away from me and maintain a distance of at least 2 meters.
Looking around, all the windows including the veranda window were open, and spray bottles labeled [Super Strong Pheromone Deodorizer – Safe even for dominant Alphas! Highly recommended for Omega lovers!] were placed throughout the living room.
Perhaps because he heard a few days ago that my constitution had worsened.
Lee Haram’s pheromones were already at a faint level normally, but this studio apartment I was visiting for the first time was so comfortable it could be said to belong to a Beta.
Seeing Lee Haram’s consideration everywhere, one corner of my heart warmed for no reason.
After lightly exchanging various updates and when we were moderately full, I brought up the main topic.
“Haram-ah. Did you think of a method?”
Lee Haram is the teacher, and I am the student.
Since Lee Haram is much more of an expert in pheromone control, I had left the curriculum composition entirely to teacher Haram.
“Yeah. I’ve never taught pheromone control before so I’m not confident……. But we have to try anything.”
Swoosh.
Lee Haram held out a paper.
[Citizen’s Sports Center Elementary Taekwondo Class Course Guide]
“……Taekwon? Elementary?”
“I had a Hangul file left over from the volunteer place I used to go to, so I recycled it. Read the table part below. I wrote it.”
Cold sweat broke out for a moment but…… well, if it’s elementary students, it’s better than the pediatric waiting room for infants.
At Lee Haram’s urging, I looked down.
[STEP 1. What are Alphas and Omegas?
Let’s learn all about the second gender!
(A picture of a puppy giving a thumbs up is roughly cropped and pasted.)]
“……You worked hard on the editing.”
“Hehe. I stayed up all night.”
“I appreciate the effort but…… I’m good on theory. I learned everything I needed to in elementary school too.”
“Oh, i-is that so? Then let’s move right to the next one!”
As expected, perhaps thanks to his experience teaching exercise to kids, he was incredibly kind. Embarrassingly so.
I turned to the next page.
[STEP 2. What pheromone is my pheromone?
Find out what scent your pheromone has and what it feels like!
Shall we also find out together what characteristics your friend next to you’s pheromone has?
(Public mascot characters ‘Alphy’ and ‘Omegi’ giving thumbs up are cropped and pasted.)]
“……My pheromone?”
“This, I definitely did this when teaching elementary kids.”
“At the taekwondo studio?”
“Since there were Alpha and Omega kids mixed in who weren’t yet skilled at pheromone control, it was essential to warn them in advance about what effect they could have on other kids’ pheromones and help them adapt. Then naturally, just as others’ pheromones can, they learn that their own pheromones can also cause discomfort to others, and everyone tries to control their emotions. When emotions get intense, a lot of pheromones leak out.”
I was surprised. Even though I was an Alpha, I didn’t know there was such detailed care.
In the era without medication, I was busy avoiding others’ pheromones, so this kind of experience was fresh.
“But how to actually control those pheromones…… everyone just knows instinctively, so I’ve never taught it.”
Lee Haram then said to me.
“Hyung said you’ve never even perceived your own pheromones until now, right? So first, I think it’s most important for Gunho hyung to feel what your pheromones are like.”
“Haram-ah.”
“Yeah?”
“What would I have done without you?”
“Huh?”
Asking Lee Haram was the right decision a hundred times over.
“Thank you, really.”
“Wh-why are you suddenly being so embarrassing. You’re not a stranger, it’s hyung’s matter so of course I should help!”
Lee Haram really is kind and a good guy.
Past events suddenly come to mind. 10 years ago, I helped prevent Lee Haram’s father’s company from going under. Thanks to that, Lee Haram remained a good neighbor and friend trying to help me.
Of course, after that it left a mark on Baekil Group in a not-so-good way, resulting in suffering from trash like Baek Jeongwoo……. Anyway, I newly realized the truth that people should live giving to each other for blessings to come.
Then Lee Haram muttered very quietly to himself.
“I’m the one…… who’s grateful you’re relying on me.”
“What did you say?”
“N-nothing! Shall we start now? You need to learn control methods as soon as possible!”
That’s true. This isn’t the time to be immersed in sentiment.
Because I don’t want to degrade into trash that covets Omegas after the pheromones accumulated in my body explode.
Of course, I didn’t tell Lee Haram this part of the story. Lee Haram only knows that my constitution worsened and I’m developing resistance to the medication. Of course that alone is a big enough problem.
“But Haram-ah. It says here ‘Find out what your pheromone feels like.'”
“Yeah. Why?”
“How do I feel my pheromone?”
“So that’s where we start…….”
Lee Haram touched his nose bridge with a troubled expression.
“Hmm. In my case, I felt it right away when I manifested as an Alpha. Like getting used to body odor over time, pheromones also become faint, but when I’m emotionally shaken or something, they get strong again……. Ah! I got a good idea!”
Then he hurriedly brought the laptop rolling around on the sofa and put it on the table.
Soon the VivaPlay logo passed across the laptop screen, and with the Viflix logo, all sorts of movie thumbnails appeared in a row.
“This is it!”
Lee Haram picked one of them and showed it to me.
“A movie?”
“Not just any movie! An in-credibly sad movie! I’ve watched this over 10 times and I still cry so much I almost get dehydrated!”
I have no gender bias but…… Lee Haram really is sentimental unlike a dominant Alpha.
This aspect might resemble Omega Lee Haram’s side from the novel.
“No matter how much hyung is unconsciously pressing down and containing pheromones, if you just watch this movie, pheromones will definitely pour out! Then hyung might be able to feel hyung’s pheromones too! Ah, you don’t need to worry about my pheromones. I’m confident in control!”
“I-is that so?”
“Popcorn! I’ll heat it up in the microwave! Butter garlic flavor? Caramel flavor?”
“Caramel…….”
“Got it! Don’t play it yet! Wait just a bit! Ah, there’s cola left, right?”
“Y-yeah. Take your time…….”
“I’ll bring nachos too!”
……But, this.
Forgetting about lessons and everything, didn’t I just become someone who came to a friend’s house to hang out and watch a movie?
* * *
“It’s been a while.”
Kim Jaewook ran his hand through his short hair.
He wanted to at least keep up appearances, but looking at the face before his eyes, the words wouldn’t come out nicely.
“Gunho’s younger brother.”
Even at the sharp gaze born from wariness……
Baek Seolheon only smiled.
