After taking a long breath to load up courage, I continued speaking.
“I don’t really know how Nam Heejae has been hiding his trait until now. As you know, I’m not the original body owner, so I have no memories at all.”
“Haha, yeah. So?”
“Anyway, I happened to hear various things today…. There was talk that you’ve been helping me.”
My voice gradually crawled in as my spirit broke. I found it absurd myself to believe so firmly in Lee Yunjae’s words, whom I’d met for the first time today. However, I had no choice but to relay what I’d heard.
“So I know it’s shameless, but I want to ask a favor.”
“……”
“Honestly, I don’t understand how you cover someone with pheromones, you know? But if you’ve really been helping me all this time.”
“If?”
“Couldn’t you show mercy one more time, thinking of it as buying a ticket to heaven?”
Then Baek Sahyun smiled coldly and reached his hand toward my cheek.
“Nam Heejae’s beggar mentality doesn’t change even when the contents are replaced.”
“……”
“Only becoming docile when you need something, and throwing away mercilessly otherwise.”
Thud, thud. Heavy touches tapped my cheek a couple times. My body reflexively stiffened as if he might strike hard at any moment. My pulse quickened with fear.
Soon Baek Sahyun withdrew his hand and dry-washed his face.
“You, Woohyun-ah. Is your head empty like a tin can?”
“……”
“Then why were you born with it?”
I couldn’t properly recognize the name that popped out with a deep sigh. Once I recognized the fact that I’d heard my real name, light goosebumps rose on my skin.
Did, did I ever say my real name with my own mouth? Did I say it while drunk?
However, it definitely wasn’t something I’d said expecting someone to call me by it. Having my real name called at such an unexpected timing made my mind dazed as if I’d been slapped.
Baek Sahyun shot out consecutively.
“Looks like you had a lot of fun with those lowlifes.”
“Hey, Baek Sahyun.”
“Calling that bastard who molested you a friend, following him around without knowing where to fit in and where not to.”
As if emotions he’d been holding back burst out, Baek Sahyun didn’t stop sneering. But I had no pride left to stand up to him. So I silently endured his anger.
“Just ignore it. Huh? Why do you keep making things difficult? Ignore it whether it’s alpha or omega, trait or whatever. Do you think the world will change if you just manifest as an alpha? That people will be kind to you?”
“……”
“Wake up. I know because I’ve lived my whole life as an alpha—this is also fucking shit.”
Baek Sahyun, who had been sharply angry, seemed almost pleading toward the end. What was the reason this guy, who acted like he wouldn’t bleed a single drop even if stabbed, was so agitated?
Even though I was in a position of having glimpsed the future, I had no idea. After agonizing, I opened my mouth.
“There are too many risk factors to be discovered as a beta like this. You might get caught up in unnecessary rumors too.”
I conveyed it to him with as much sincerity as I could muster.
However, as if it didn’t work at all, Baek Sahyun only interrogated me.
“What rumors.”
“Huh?”
“What rumors would I get caught up in?”
“Um, well, you’ve been hiding that I’m a beta all along, right? Well, some kind of…, rumors that we’re doing some kind of backdoor deal? I don’t know much since it’s not my field, but stocks, slush funds, embezzlement. Wouldn’t it be that kind of rumor? You know. Those things come up a lot in securities district tabloids.”
For a moment, Baek Sahyun made an expression as if his strength had drained. Then he chuckled.
“Ha, hahahaha.”
The chuckle soon turned into loud laughter that echoed for quite a while. Baek Sahyun laughed as if he’d truly lost his mind. Then he grabbed both my shoulders and smoothly leaned his body.
Burying his head in my shoulder, he grumbled.
“Why don’t you ask that bastard who was clinging by your side?”
Whether his head was cooling down, his voice had settled quite a bit. I answered.
“The bastard clinging? Ah, you don’t mean Lee Yunjae? He’s recessive…, wait. How do you know I met that kid?”
While making excuses as if programmed, I suddenly felt a question and looked down at Baek Sahyun. How does this bastard know that Lee Yunjae and I made contact?
“How do I know, you ask.”
When I asked repeatedly, Baek Sahyun lowered his eyelids tightly as if annoyed. Beneath them, lush eyelashes were cast, making him look quite docile. But I shouldn’t be fooled by the outer skin.
He definitely said he’d been out for a drive. With this bastard’s personality, it wouldn’t be strange if he’d tailed me. But without pointing out that wrongdoing, I desperately continued.
“Anyway, please just once. I’ll, I’ll do anything. Count the bet as your win. I’ll be gay.”
I thought it was quite a radical proposal. Because I’d given the benefit of a walkover victory to that bet he was dying for. However, Baek Sahyun’s reaction completely missed my expectations.
“I can’t do it.”
“Why? Does it take a lot of time? Don’t tell me you need money?”
“Yeah. I’d have to take out a lot of loans. It takes a long time too. So I can’t. I don’t want to take out loans.”
He coldly drew a line. I wondered about loans when he comes from such a well-off family, but I understood it as an excuse for refusal.
“…Right, fine. Can’t be helped. I’ll figure out my own way to survive.”
I eventually raised both hands. Asking further would be against propriety, and I wasn’t keen on forcing sacrifice either. If it really doesn’t work, I’ll just take that alpha manifestation drug in my pocket, whatever. Whether it’s effective or not, trying it itself wouldn’t be bad.
If I’m lucky enough to manifest as an alpha…, Nam Heejae’s troubled life might change too.
Thinking this way, my mind, which had been shaken by anxiety and worry, gradually began to calm down. Right. Even if you enter a tiger’s den, you survive if you keep your wits. Moreover, this is inside a novel without even tigers—there was nothing I couldn’t endure.
While firming my resolve looking at the ceiling, Baek Sahyun raised the head he’d been burying. With a face that seemed quite mentally worn, he curved his eye corners.
“Should I introduce you to another alpha? One who could cover you with pheromones.”
Perhaps feeling sorry for refusing, he suggested an alternative. It was welcome news to hear.
“Oh, I’d be grateful if you introduce anyone…, argh! Hey, why are you doing this?”
As I nodded brightly, I suddenly felt strong force on my forearm. Baek Sahyun was strongly pressing my arm with his fingers as if splitting an apple.
The tingling pain of bone and flesh rubbing came. I desperately tried to push my body away but failed. It was an adhesive feeling like a fish with strong jaw strength biting and hanging onto bait.
“Ah, hey, I said it hurts. Get away!”
“You’re not in your right mind, not in your right mind….”
Unlike the carefree soliloquy, the force pressing down on my forearm was like iron. Thinking I wouldn’t be able to pull out my bones at this rate, I struggled endlessly.
The grip strength slipped away right after I unintentionally scratched the area near Baek Sahyun’s temple. Though my nails aren’t particularly long, the wound was deep since it was an adult male’s desperate struggle after all.
Red blood beaded clearly from the scratch that remained in two lines. It felt more disgusting in contrast to the smooth skin texture. However, Baek Sahyun, as if the wound didn’t matter at all, only violently poured out words.
“How long are you going to keep harping on about being alpha? Your life won’t change just because your trait changes!”
“C-calm down.”
“I’ve already seen the result with my own eyes. You don’t even know how it ended.”
I felt seething anger. Regardless, I first tried to treat the wound by vigorously wiping the area near his temple with my sleeve end. It was urgent hand movements like a murderer wiping away bloodstains from a crime scene.
Fortunately, Baek Sahyun was too busy making an impassioned speech to care about my actions. Um, or not? After catching my breath from treating the wound, Baek Sahyun had been watching me at some point.
His irises, which had been murky and dry, had a strange gleam. The blatant violence that he wouldn’t be satisfied until he beat me to a pulp was revealed. Perhaps because of that, my facial muscles also twitched little by little.
‘This is an emergency.’
The thought that I should avoid this filled my head.
“Since injuring you was mutual fault, let’s talk calmly….”
As soon as I made a poor excuse, Baek Sahyun quickly twisted the angle of his face. When the distance got close enough for our noses to touch, I pulled the back of my head away, but my nape was quickly grabbed.
The moment our gazes collided, his lips approached.
“Ugh, mmph, let’s talk! Talk!”
I firmly shut my mouth and expressed my refusal, but Baek Sahyun only persistently made contact while changing angles several times. Even so, when I didn’t give up my lips, he seemed angry and slowly wrapped his hand around my neck.
“Woohyun-ah.”
“……”
“Jang Woohyun.”
It was a posture as if he’d break my neck bones and kill me at any moment. However, I didn’t feel a threat to my life like before. Because a strange intuition that he wouldn’t inflict that much harm on me stood on edge.
I worried he might try to kiss again, but Baek Sahyun gave up everything as if deflated. He leaned his back against the driver’s seat. With the back of his hand firmly pressing his eyes, Baek Sahyun muttered.
“Get out.”
“…Get out? What about you?”
“I’m in a foul mood, so don’t add words.”
“Okay.”
Clack. The car door opened. Though I had more things I wanted to probe, I sensibly left the passenger seat. I was used to frequently witnessing that bastard’s emotions fluctuating, but just now felt a bit, strangely like a pubescent child.
Or if not that, he seemed like someone who’d been hurt.
