* * *
“Ugh…”
Wookyung staggered forward, one hand pressed to his forehead.
The ground beneath him seemed to roll like a swaying deck.
The fever that had plagued him relentlessly all day had climbed higher; his whole body felt aflame.
And yet bizarrely, he shivered as if chilled by an autumn breeze.
His entire frame trembled so intensely he could feel every shake.
‘What’s happening to me…?’
He’d had colds bad enough to feel this weak before.
At first there’s just a slight fever, then the chills set in, limbs go numb, and strength drains away.
After that, memories blur.
“Gasp… gasp…”
He paused, winded—maybe from the pounding headache, or from his rising temperature.
His breath came in ragged pants.
His legs shook; he couldn’t take another step.
He needed to rest.
But having left the park, there was nowhere to sit.
“Huff, hah… hah…”
Wiping the cold sweat off his brow, he kept walking until he reached a closed storefront.
He spotted an open stairwell leading up.
He would sit on the landing and catch his breath.
But as soon as he lifted his foot, his body lurched.
He clenched his eyes shut against the pull.
“Wookyung!”
A strong arm snaked around his waist and pulled him back.
Something solid pressed against his back.
“Hah… hah… hah…”
Panting, Wookyung stared down, stunned.
The sturdy arm held him upright. He recognized his rescuer instantly by voice and scent.
“You’re all right?”
He couldn’t answer; his vision blurred even more.
Stumbling on a deck was one thing—this felt like riding a rickety roller coaster.
“Saheon…”
Wookyung managed to utter his name, then closed his eyes.
There was something he’d wanted to say… something important.
But it slipped away from him…
A slight boy leaned against the wall, engrossed in reading.
His hair fell over half his eyes, head bowed, his face hidden.
‘Who is that?’
Curious, Wookyung tried to step closer—but he couldn’t narrow the distance.
Strangely, he could still see the book’s cover: ‘Pheromones Aren’t Everything!’
The moment he read that, he snapped awake.
His tongue and palate felt parched; he opened his mouth.
Instantly, lukewarm water flowed in.
He swallowed hastily, almost reflexively.
“Drink slowly.”
A familiar, gentle voice.
Though still groggy, he recognized the speaker beside him: Saheon.
As he tried to call his name, something hard met his lips again.
They parted, and more water trickled in.
He must have been more thirsty than he realized.
Only once the cup was empty did his half-closed eyes open fully.
“How do you feel?”
In his sight was Saheon, holding the glass, worry in his gaze as he studied Wookyung’s complexion.
“I… I’m not sure.”
He couldn’t quite judge his condition.
He felt dazed; his body still heavy.
At least the fever that had burned through him, the stabbing headache, the chills—all had nearly vanished.
“Because Mr. Wookyung wasn’t well, I called for a home visit.”
“Ah…”
At those words, his eyes fell to his arm—he noticed now the white band over the IV insertion point.
Wookyung looked around slowly, trying to place himself.
The ceiling was clean, unfamiliar but not entirely strange.
“It’s my place. Since you collapsed, I brought you here.”
Saheon must have anticipated his confusion and explained first.
After all, Wookyung wouldn’t have been able to open any doors himself.
Silence fell between them.
“Rest a bit more. I’ll bring you something to eat.”
Saheon moved first.
He took Wookyung’s hand gently, then released it and slipped out the door.
Wookyung exhaled, tension draining away.
He realized only now how on edge he’d been around Saheon.
He rubbed his face, calming himself.
“Hah…”
This wasn’t how he should face him.
He needed to sort his thoughts—and he hadn’t even properly assessed his own state.
‘What do I do…?’
Wookyung lowered his hand and stared at the closed door.
Saheon must think it odd—he might even suspect his mind was fading in and out.
Why had he said that?
And now, on top of being a recessive Omega, that was exposed too…
“This is maddening.”
Unable to lie down here, unwilling to venture outside, he looked around and spotted the bathroom.
A wash could revive him.
He climbed off the bed and headed straight there.
He flipped the light on and stood before the sink.
The reflection he saw every day had become all too familiar.
When he first looked—no more than fifteen—he’d been shocked.
Now he’d grown so used to this life he barely recalled his original past.
Especially how he’d once built walls even around his own family…
“Wookyung?”
As he stared at himself in the mirror, Saheon’s voice called from outside.
The musing he’d just been lost in vanished.
“Yes, I’m here.”
He flushed at the thought that Saheon couldn’t see him, and hurriedly turned the faucet.
‘Did I lock the door?’
He was so out of it, he was missing everything.
He glanced toward the entrance—thankfully, it hadn’t opened.
He quickly finished washing his face and stepped out of the bathroom.
Saheon wasn’t there.
Feeling relieved, he was about to leave the room—then stopped again at the door.
“…Haa.”
There was something he had to say if he faced Saheon.
He wasn’t sure he could bring it up without faltering.
But that turned out to be needless worry.
During the meal, Saheon only asked about his health and talked about ordinary things.
He never once brought up what they had discussed just before parting ways.
Thanks to that, Wookyung slowly began to relax and eventually focused solely on eating.
Of course, he wasn’t unaware that Saheon was doing this out of consideration.
So when they moved to the living room and sat across from steaming cups of tea, Wookyung found his thoughts growing heavier.
Saheon was still in the kitchen tidying up.
Wookyung had offered to do it, but was gently and firmly turned down—because, as Saheon said, someone who hadn’t fully recovered shouldn’t be doing chores for others.
Now Saheon was preparing refreshments, so Wookyung sat at the table, waiting.
It gave him a chance to calmly gather his thoughts for the conversation ahead.
“First of all…”
I should apologize.
No matter the reason, abandoning him and running away like that…
And after that, I’ll need to explain things properly.
“But how…?”
Knowing Saheon’s personality, he wouldn’t outright say he didn’t believe him.
But that didn’t mean Wookyung could be optimistic that he’d understand.
Even if he were in Saheon’s shoes, how would he believe someone who said they’d ended up in another person’s body…?
Suddenly, an odd scene flashed through Wookyung’s mind. He saw himself reading a book.
“Huh?”
But something about that memory didn’t line up.
For one, the age was off, and then…
“What was that…?”
“What was what?”
“Ah.”
His suspicions vanished the moment a voice cut in.
He turned his head to find Saheon standing there, looking curious.
The fleeting thought disappeared, and all he could see was him.
“Can I sit?”
Despite the situation, Saheon spoke with a slight teasing tone.
Why would he even ask that?
Wookyung tilted his head in confusion but nodded anyway.
Saheon cleared his throat and stepped closer.
Naturally, he thought Saheon would sit beside him.
“Uh…”
But as always, Saheon went beyond expectations.
Wookyung blinked, startled by the sudden warmth of being wrapped in a broad embrace.
It took him a moment to understand what was happening.
Saheon was hugging him. But why?
“I’m ready to hear whatever you want to say. Whatever it is, I’ll believe you and try to understand. So, speak whenever you feel ready, Wookyung.”
And that—just that—made something swell up inside him.
Wookyung felt a lump rise in his throat, and his eyes grew hot.
* * *
