* * *
Silence prevailed throughout the time Taehyun held the steering wheel.
Except for the faint breathing sounds and the engine noise, and the noise coming through the thin car windows from outside, there was no other sound.
Taehyun kept fiddling with the wheel and glanced at Sejin’s expression through the rearview mirror.
Sejin’s slightly sullen, expressionless face gave no hint of what he was thinking.
‘What is this really about? Aside from wanting to try it with an omega, I can’t think of any other reason,’ Taehyun thought.
He couldn’t ask Sejin directly, ‘Isn’t that what you want?’
As his mouth grew dry, he gripped and released the steering wheel repeatedly.
They were getting closer to the place where he needed to drop Sejin off.
This torturous silence would soon end.
Taehyun finally let out a sigh when the navigation system announced they were nearing their destination.
At the sound of his soft exhale, Sejin’s gaze turned toward Taehyun.
“Over there is fine to drop me off, right?”
When Taehyun pointed to a side street that seemed a good spot to park, Sejin silently nodded.
A moment later, as Taehyun smoothly turned the wheel and stopped the car at the front of the alley, the sound of the seatbelt buckle clicking was heard.
Then, the passenger door opened and closed, and Sejin, having gotten out of the car, gave a slight bow.
Taehyun lowered the passenger side window smoothly and spoke.
“I didn’t expect to see you like this… but it’s nice to see your face after a long time. I’m glad you seem to be doing well.”
While Taehyun was rambling, trying to make sure he wasn’t saying anything foolish, Sejin maintained a composed expression.
Looking at Taehyun’s face, which seemed to have “awkwardness” written all over it in bold letters, Sejin responded briefly.
“Yes. See you next time. I’ll get in touch.”
With that, Sejin turned around swiftly and disappeared beyond the alley with long strides, leaving Taehyun utterly bewildered.
What’s that supposed to mean?
Why would we meet again?
Who said they would meet up again?
While Taehyun was left shaking his head at Sejin’s confident attitude, someone honked loudly from behind and passed by.
“I parked it close to the edge; there’s plenty of room to pass. What’s with the attitude?”
Taehyun swallowed his sharper-than-usual grumbling, changed gears, and drove out of the alley.
Although the presence of someone who had occupied the seat next to him just moments ago was no longer anywhere, Taehyun’s heart continued to race, like someone who had mistakenly drunk too much coffee. It wasn’t a pleasant kind of excitement.
It felt more like a vague fear and anxiety—a disturbing sensation that came from an uncertain dread, similar to the feeling of being on the wrong path.
The reason Taehyun felt this persistent sense of unease was simple.
Not only had he attempted something that, if discovered, could shatter the diligent and well-behaved image he had built, but the fact that he encountered someone in the hotel room wasn’t just some acquaintance; it was the same brat he had cared for extensively four years ago.
There are already enough people around him trying to take advantage of him.
Did he have to be like that too?
Even if they dismissed the age difference since Sejin was now an adult, it still didn’t feel right.
Perhaps if they could casually say, ‘Sure, I’ll do it for you!’ and exchange experiences where both could benefit, it might have been easier.
However, Taehyun knew all too well that he wasn’t the type of person who could act that way.
“Ah…”
While Taehyun was waiting at a signal, lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice the light change and kept his foot on the brake.
A loud honk blared from behind, directed at his small SUV. “How long could I have been stopped?”
Taehyun, feeling like he’d found an easy target for his irritation, glared at the foreign car driver who honked at him and increased his speed as he passed.
“So many people pick fights just because the car is small. Maybe I should just change cars soon, if only to avoid these jerks.”
Clicking his tongue, the wheels turned quickly again, and before he knew it, he had arrived home.
Upon entering the quite tidy bachelor pad, especially for a man living alone, the silence returned.
With minimal furnishings—only a bed, desk, sofa, TV, and dining table—the place looked much more spacious than its actual size.
Taehyun took off his outerwear, stored it neatly in the wardrobe in the master bedroom, and then plopped down on the sofa.
He then sprang up to check if today’s foolish act had any merit.
He rummaged through his bag, pulled out a portable pheromone test kit, and saw the familiar needle exposed its sharp tip.
“Hm…”
Honestly, he didn’t expect much change.
He opened an alcohol swab from the small kit case, disinfected his fingertip, and pricked the tip of his pinky finger lightly.
A tiny bead of blood appeared.
Letting a drop fall onto the sampling area of the tester and inserting the cartridge, a moment later, a two-digit number appeared on the digital display.
[26]
“….”
Even though this was Taehyun’s last straw, he hadn’t expected much, so he was left speechless by the results.
Normally, a number over 180 indicated sexual arousal, while a number below 45 was ideal for everyday interactions, avoiding feelings of discomfort.
When the number was below 30, even those with pheromone sensitivity wouldn’t easily detect another unless they were very close—almost kissing distance.
The permissible level for entering a competitive venue as a participating athlete was capped at 20.
Taehyun’s reading before he left for the hotel was 34, so it was evident that, although the level might have briefly spiked in the hotel room, it had dropped to a lower level since he parted with Sejin.
There could only be one reason for this: the mechanism meant to be utilized in a mating partner relationship had worked as intended.
Despite not doing much—just a simple pheromone exchange—the effect was still significant.
Taehyun couldn’t help but wonder what level of efficacy could be expected if actual intercourse occurred. Perhaps he might no longer need to rely on medication.
But with him?
Taehyun immediately shook his head vigorously, like a dog trying to shake off water.
He knew he wasn’t in a position to be picky. He also knew he wasn’t in a situation where he could preach, “This kind of thing shouldn’t be done!”
However, the fact that his uneasy co-conspirator in this dubious act was Sejin was still hard to accept.
Taehyun lay completely on the sofa, replaying the events in the hotel room in his mind: the feeling of hands caressing his genitals, the sensation of a handsome organ pressing against his lower abdomen—all of these continued to tantalizingly linger on the edge of his consciousness.
In the end, he didn’t go through with it, but his unsatisfied desires left a dull ache in his lower abdomen.
“Ah, damn…”
He could feel the hole, which had started to become gently wet again with anticipation, twitching.
But Taehyun, you’re a human being, not a beast that pounces on every alpha it sees.
Taehyun, please. Taehyun chided himself as he headed to the bathroom.
Aiming his penis towards the toilet, he quickly ran his hand over it and easily reached climax.
His rear, unused and just wet, and his hand and penis, flushed from friction, brought on a wave of deep shame.
Despite climaxing, a lingering feeling of dissatisfaction remained throughout his body.
It’s not like he’s never had sex with an alpha before, so why is he like this?
Taehyun poured cold water over his head with a sigh.
Get a grip, seriously.
With that stupid resolve, another sigh escaped his lips.
Meanwhile, after Taehyun dropped him off in the alley, Sejin, who had moved away as if he had no regrets, stopped at a corner that overlooked the main road and watched Taehyun’s car until it was out of sight.
Only after the car became a small dot and completely disappeared did he start walking again. The unfamiliar mansion was unnecessarily large.
His uncles had protested, questioning why his mother and he were moving into the house, but his mother was adamant that it had to be this house.
She insisted it was the only way she’d feel like she was truly back in Korea.
Although she would have to return to France soon for work, Sejin didn’t see the point.
However, his grandfather seemed to think differently.
“Well, Sejin might get married soon and bring a daughter-in-law to live here, so it’s a good place for them to stay.”
To suggest such a thing to a grandson who’s only twenty-two was ridiculous, even offensive.
But Sejin couldn’t help but imagine Taehyun, who used to live with him almost like they were cohabiting, lounging on his bed in this very house, confidently eating fruit.
Without realizing it, his cheeks flushed, and he covered them with his palm, bowing his head.
No one’s even offering him rice cakes, but here he was, indulging in overly provocative thoughts that made his heart ache.
He had longed so much to see Taehyun again, but he knew he shouldn’t be impatient yet.
Rushing towards someone who was already wary would only give them an excuse to run away.
Biding his time patiently and seizing the right moment was something Sejin excelled at.
“……”
* * *
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thankss
omg u sneaky boy