The emotions shown by Kang Taeyun, Moon Dowon, and now Yoo Joohwan were all so different that it was confusing, but it was enough to help me steady my heart.
“You’re right. Things like this don’t matter.”
It was all going to end anyway.
Right now, I didn’t want to think about anything.
As I held the box Moon Dowon gave me, Yoo Joohwan’s gaze followed it closely.
“Is there some kind of treasure in there? Why are you acting so precious with it? You never reacted much when I gave you gifts.”
“……I was just flustered then. I’m wearing the necklace, though.”
Seeing him get jealous over something so strange, I lightly gripped my collar to show him the necklace.
Once he confirmed the pendant was there, Yoo Joohwan looked much more at ease and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“Right. No matter what happens, don’t take that necklace off. It’s a symbol of us.”
“……Okay.”
“I’m hungry. Want to go out to eat?”
Without waiting for an answer, Yoo Joohwan pulled me toward the entrance.
He chattered away asking if I wanted Western, Chinese, or Korean food, while Moon Dowon followed quietly behind with a thoughtful expression.
He seemed full of confusion regarding his own feelings.
I took out my phone and dialed the number to make plans with Kim Seunghyun.
It was one of the few numbers in my contacts, so I was glad I remembered it.
Just then, I heard Kim Seunghyun’s voice over the phone.
‘……Hello?’
His voice was so low and heavy that he sounded pained just from hearing it.
Concerned by how serious he sounded, I let go of the laundry I was folding and gripped the phone tighter.
“What’s wrong with your voice? Are you sick?”
‘No. I’m okay.’
“You sound like you’re dying. Did you go to the hospital?”
‘I took some medicine, so I’m fine.’
“You still need to go to a hospital. Did you eat?”
Since he didn’t answer, it seemed like he took medicine on an empty stomach.
‘You should have called if you were sick.’
Those words lingered in my mouth, but then I remembered Kang Taeyun had broken my phone.
I grabbed my wallet and headed for the door.
“Wait just a bit, I’m coming over. You’re at the studio, right?”
‘……Yeah. You don’t have to come, though.’
“How could I not?”
Since I’m your only friend.
I swallowed those words, told him to wait, and hung up.
I knew all too well how miserable it feels to be alone when you’re sick, so I called a nearby shop and ordered some porridge for pickup.
As I opened the door and walked down the stairs with a heavy heart, I ran into Moon Dowon, who was just coming through the main gate.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to go see Seunghyun.”
“I just got here, though?”
“I’m sorry. But I think I have to go to Seunghyun right now. He sounds very sick.”
Despite my explanation, Moon Dowon looked very displeased.
He didn’t seem to like me meeting Kim Seunghyun in the first place, but he appeared especially upset that I was prioritizing Kim Seunghyun even though he had just arrived.
“If you’re worried, do you want to go together? I just want to make sure he’s okay and then I’ll come right back. You’d be worried too if Joohwan or Taeyun were sick.”
“I guess so.”
“Yeah. So I’ll just be gone for a bit. I’m the only friend Seunghyun has.”
I gave him a pleading look, asking him to understand that part.
I didn’t mind if he came along; I just didn’t want to waste time standing here.
“If he’s sick, it can’t be helped. Fine, let’s go together.”
Moon Dowon replied readily and gave a light shrug.
If it were Yoo Joohwan or Kang Taeyun, I would have worried about them picking a fight with a sick person, but I felt like Moon Dowon would be fine.
He didn’t talk much, and he didn’t seem like the type to cause a huge scene.
“If I get sick, will you worry about me like you do for Kim Seunghyun?”
“Of course.”
Even if it were a stranger, I would worry about anyone who said they were sick.
It was a general statement, but Moon Dowon looked happy as he took out his phone to call someone.
In the meantime, I went into the porridge shop in front of the house and picked up the food.
“Who were you talking to?”
“Kang Taeyun.”
“Did you report where we’re going?”
“No. I told him to stop the tailing since I’m with you.”
Moon Dowon cut his words cleanly and walked ahead.
He seemed to be walking fast, but if I looked closely, he was matching my pace.
He seemed indifferent, yet kind at the same time.
“Do you know the way?”
Moon Dowon, who was walking without hesitation even though I hadn’t told him the way, just nodded his head.
Since he had already investigated me, I figured it was natural for him to know where Kim Seunghyun was.
As we got close to Kim Seunghyun’s studio, Moon Dowon stopped walking.
He frowned and covered his nose, looking fierce.
“Your friend. His heat must be coming up. Seeing as he can’t even control his pheromones.”
“……Then isn’t it more dangerous for him to be here? Some bad Alpha passing by might notice.”
“Don’t worry. It’s so faint that no one but Dominants like us would notice.”
“Then it’s even more dangerous. Seunghyun is a Dominant Omega.”
He was a type that anyone would want.
As I tried to rush inside, Moon Dowon grabbed my wrist.
“Spray this before you go. He’ll be in a sensitive state.”
Saying that even faint pheromones could have a big impact, Moon Dowon took out a deodorizer and sprayed it all over me.
Seeing him spray me so thoroughly felt strange.
In the past, he would have covered me in his own pheromones to keep others away, but now he seemed to be considering my situation.
As I just stared at him, Moon Dowon spoke bluntly.
“Go on in.”
“What about you? You’re not coming?”
“No. You’d prefer it if I waited here rather than going in.”
He was right, but remembering how he always showed hostility toward Kim Seunghyun, this change felt very unfamiliar.
I blinked slowly and tilted my head slightly.
“Then why did you follow me?”
“Because it would be more comfortable for you if I came.”
“…….”
“I’m trying to get on your good side.”
It seemed the reason he called Kang Taeyun was also to let me meet Kim Seunghyun peacefully.
I let out a small sigh as my mind grew complicated, and Moon Dowon handed me the deodorizer with a gentle gaze.
“You said I was scary. So I’m trying to change. I’m trying to avoid things you dislike or find uncomfortable as much as possible.”
“…….”
“It makes me furious to think of you with another guy, but I’m trying to understand. So don’t stay too long; just say what you need to say and come out. Because you are the lover I love.”
That was it.
The reason Moon Dowon was treating me with such unusual generosity.
It was because of that word: “Love.”
I wondered what he was so hung up on, but it seemed the meaning of that word was incredibly significant to him, as the tips of his ears turned red.
“……I said this yesterday too, but shouldn’t you be more careful with the word love?”
“It might be easy for you, but it’s not for me. You took all my firsts.”
“……I did?”
“My first kiss, my first peck, my first relationship, my first wet dream. Everything I do with you is a first for me, Seo Siho.”
“…….”
“That won’t change in the future either. Everything in my future will be with you.”
His heavy voice was full of possessiveness.
Looking at Moon Dowon, who spoke as if it were an established fact, I avoided his gaze and headed toward where Kim Seunghyun would be.
“Seunghyun.”
“……You’re here? I’m really okay, though.”
Contrary to his words, Kim Seunghyun’s face was flushed with heat.
He looked pitiful, like someone suffering from a fever.
“Still, I’m glad you came. Actually, I called you and was so upset when you didn’t pick up. Even though we said we’d keep in touch often…….”
He looked sulky and disappointed, but then his face brightened and he let out a silly laugh.
As if just having me here made him happy, he pushed aside his blanket and patted the cot he was lying on.
“Come here. Sit. For the record, this isn’t a sickness you can catch, so don’t worry.”
“I know. I heard it’s because your heat is coming.”
“……No way, is your secondary gender…?”
“No. I’m a Beta.”
I had heard that sometimes, due to medical errors or genetic mutations, a person’s gender could change.
However, I couldn’t smell pheromones, and I felt certain I would always be a Beta.
When I answered firmly, Kim Seunghyun made a clicking sound with his tongue.
“How did you know my heat was coming?”
“……I came with Moon Dowon. We ran into each other on the way.”
“Then are you just going to give me the porridge and leave? Even though I’m sick?”
He was practically whining.
As I put the porridge on the table to set it up, feeling sorry for him, Kim Seunghyun grabbed my wrist.
“You.”
