* * *
He stamped his feet, still sitting, saying that person was his friend.
His bright eyes sparkled with an intensity that was almost burdensome.
“No. It’s just curiosity. It’s a connection that will end soon.”
“I just wish I could be held by them, even for a moment. No, wait. I don’t really care for the great guys. I only need you.”
Kim Seunghyun pulled me into a hug and gently rubbed his face against mine.
I felt uncomfortable because of what happened earlier, but he seemed to have completely forgotten about it.
I didn’t show my discomfort, afraid of looking resentful.
“Oh, I have a call. Just a second.”
Kim Seunghyun answered the phone.
Midway, he mentioned that he was with me.
I glanced at him talking and thought of the three men.
We hadn’t been dating for long, but maybe because the time spent with them was intense, it felt like we had been together for a long time.
The faces of the three men, which brought a wave of fatigue, also made me smile unconsciously.
‘They are handsome, alright. And their bodies are great.’
Above all, Yoo Joohwan’s size was larger than my wrist.
I unconsciously reached out and stared at my hand, then gasped and slapped both my cheeks.
I felt like I was getting more and more perverted.
“My sister is coming.”
“Seulgi Noona?”
“Yeah. She’s bringing side dishes. Mom told her to pack some for you too, since you’re here.”
“That’s okay, I feel bad.”
“Take it. You’re special to me, you know.”
Kim Seunghyun slowly turned up the corners of his mouth.
It was a smile mixed with bitterness and gratitude.
I knew the meaning behind that smile, so I didn’t say anything else.
“Okay, I understand. I guess I’ll wait until your sister arrives.”
“Yeah. I need to tidy up the studio before that. It’s obvious Noona will nag me a lot if she sees this mess.”
“I’ll help too.”
“You just sit down.”
He firmly refused and started tidying up the surroundings.
In a way, the mess was caused by me tripping and knocking things over while trying to escape.
As he carefully organized things, I took out my phone.
Excluding advertising calls, no other messages had arrived.
‘My phone is always quiet…’
A faint smile came to my face. I was happy that the usually proactive men were being quiet.
I thought enjoying this free time wouldn’t be bad, since they would likely harass me again when I returned.
“Are you going to sleep with the Alpha?”
“…What?”
“Are you going to sleep with those guys?”
“You keep saying ‘those guys,’ but who are you talking about?”
“Kang Taeyun, Moon Dowon, and Yoo Joohwan, the ones you asked about.”
Siho clenched his mouth shut, feeling caught off guard.
Seeing Kim Seunghyun ask so directly, I realized my mind truly was a mess.
“I don’t know. What’s certain is that it won’t last long…”
“Good. Then dump them.”
“…”
“Come to me. I’ll comfort you. Alphas just have strong needs, they’re meaningless to keep around. My mother says that all you need to get by is one friend who you can trust to be on your side. Whether you date or marry, love is something that cools down quickly.”
Kim Seunghyun lowered his eyes slightly, then immediately smiled brightly.
Seeing his face, which held many stories, Siho held his breath for a moment and only fiddled with the item in his hand.
“But you’re an Omega, aren’t you? You react to pheromones, and you’re destined to meet an Alpha.”
“Destiny is meant to be changed. I don’t need dating or marriage. I only need you. You would never betray me, right?”
“…”
“Why aren’t you answering? Will you betray me? Even if everyone else leaves, I can be here by your side.”
It turned out Kim Seunghyun’s obsession was considerable too.
He looked intent on getting an answer, but Kim Seunghyun’s sister, Kim Seulgi, opened the door just in time.
Siho quickly greeted Kim Seulgi.
“Hello, Noona.”
“Hello. Have you been well? Mom asked me to bring some side dishes.”
“I’m not sure if I should accept something like this, I feel so bad. Please send my regards to your mother. Thank you for bringing them.”
“Not at all.”
Siho accepted the bag of side dishes Kim Seulgi brought and placed it on one side of the table.
Just as I thought I should buy and send some premium beef to his mother later, Kim Seulgi asked Kim Seunghyun.
“Why is your face so long?”
“I don’t know. Ask Seo Siho.”
Kim Seunghyun crossed his arms and quickly turned his head.
He was pouting like a child, making Siho laugh lightly and approach him.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“You didn’t answer.”
“Do you really need to hear it?”
“Of course! People don’t know unless you tell them.”
Kim Seunghyun turned his head away again with a hurt look.
His complete sulkiness left me flustered.
“Why is he so upset?”
“Because I didn’t answer when he asked if I would betray him…”
Siho sighed deeply.
I felt embarrassed by his childish behavior, like a twenty-five-year-old child.
Seeing my embarrassment, Kim Seulgi looked a little somber and spoke to me.
“I’m sorry. And thank you.”
“…Pardon?”
“You probably know to some extent, but Seunghyun became bright because of you. As you know, Seunghyun was often bullied because of his Omega status. His introverted personality was a problem, but friends who were jealous of his gender also led the bullying and tormented him.”
“…”
“So, when Seunghyun told me he had a friend, I was suspicious first. You remember, don’t you? What I said to you.”
Siho nodded.
When I decided to get close to Kim Seunghyun, Kim Seulgi had been extremely wary and cross-examined me.
I had assumed she was just sensitive because her brother was an Omega, but I hadn’t known he had such painful scars.
‘So that’s why he easily opened his heart to the Dukes… because he was hungry for affection.’
Siho’s heart ached at the revelation of Kim Seunghyun’s hidden truth.
“I’m glad you’re his friend. Maybe it’s even better that you’re Seunghyun’s first real friend.”
“…”
“So, even when Seunghyun acts like a child—”
Feeling embarrassed, Kim Seunghyun cut off Kim Seulgi’s words.
He also told her to leave now that she had delivered the side dishes.
Then, Kim Seulgi noticed something and asked me.
“Your arm, did my brother do that? The marks look red, almost like they were branded?”
Siho was startled and quickly covered his arm.
Then, Kim Seunghyun, who was next to me, held out a wrist guard.
The way he shyly offered it suggested there was something more going on.
“You guys… didn’t cause trouble, did you?”
“He has an Alpha.”
“An Alpha?”
“Yeah.”
Kim Seunghyun replied dryly and quickly pushed Kim Seulgi toward the exit.
The look in his eyes when he mentioned the Alpha seemed somehow strange.
What should I call it?
The look of someone who wanted to steal that position?
I didn’t want to think too deeply about it and just dismissed it.
“Are you going to meet those guys today?”
“…Probably?”
Kim Seunghyun, having sent Kim Seulgi off, returned to his usual self and asked me.
Since they had even gotten keys copied, they might treat the house as their own.
“Then I’ll go too.”
“Where?”
“Your place. I need to meet them. To see how charming they are to have seduced you.”
“…Are you sure that’s okay? You’re sensitive to pheromones.”
I remembered Kim Seunghyun, who was intoxicated by pheromones and charged at me.
The sight of him losing control and attacking me was still horrifying to think about.
“It’s fine. If they’re not trying to seduce me, they won’t release their pheromones, right?”
“…That’s true.”
Siho realized he was worrying unnecessarily.
The reason I came here today was to bring Kim Seunghyun and the three men together.
I smiled weakly, realizing my worry had been pointless.
“Then, would you go ahead? I have somewhere to stop by.”
Siho took the key from his pocket and offered it to him.
Since he had been to the house before, he could find his way without me having to explain.
“What if I douse the place in my pheromones?”
“…”
“You can’t smell it anyway, even if I did that.”
“If you have a conscience, don’t do that.”
“It’s my friend’s house, though?”
He gave me a persistent look, like someone who wanted to possess the place.
I blinked in surprise, and Kim Seunghyun hit my arm, saying it was a joke.
“Should I bring the side dishes? Or should we have dinner together?”
An excited Kim Seunghyun hummed a tune, saying he would pack his things.
Just as he asked if he could stay the night, the studio door opened.
I turned around, thinking Kim Seulgi had returned, but standing there was Kang Taeyun.
* * *
