By Zephyria The medical chart in the doctor’s hand fluttered weakly. He placed the paper on the desk and pushed up the glasses he was wearing.
“If you both wanted it, and Seo Jeong-won’s Heat was a result of that, then the other party’s pheromone shower will be quite helpful. Request it more often than before. Once your traits stabilize, you won’t have any more Pheromone leaks.”
“Yes…”
“First, we’ll take a blood sample and conduct a Heat test. The results will be out soon, so please wait, and we’ll discuss them together.”
Seo Jeong-won’s heart sank. He left the examination room with a nervous feeling. He moved along, following the nurse’s guidance.
After finishing the blood test and examination in a daze, he waited for about an hour.
“Seo Jeong-won, please come into the examination room to see the results.”
At the nurse’s call, Seo Jeong-won stood up, feverish and staggering. With the help of the person waiting for treatment next to him, he barely managed to regain his balance. Supported by the nurse, he entered the examination room.
“The test results confirm that you have manifested as an Omega.”
“…Ah.”
“To trigger a Heat, you must be meeting an Alpha with quite excellent traits, but even so, Seo Jeong-won’s traits are… weaker than recessive.”
The doctor’s voice was filled with regret, as if he felt sorry for his inferior traits.
“It was a forced Heat, and if it weren’t for the person you’re meeting, you probably would have remained a Beta without manifesting. Since you said you wanted to manifest, it’s a good thing, but unlike when you were a Beta, you’ll experience minor and major inconveniences.”
The doctor looked at Seo Jeong-won, who was sitting with a slightly dazed expression, and continued speaking calmly.
“I’ll prescribe Pheromone Supplements, but that alone won’t be enough. You must receive Pheromone showers frequently. We’ll re-examine your Pheromone levels in three months and decide whether to increase or decrease the dosage of the supplement.”
“Then why can’t I smell the scent from my friend…”
His questioning voice trailed off abruptly. The doctor tapped the desk with the end of his pen, thinking for a moment about how to explain it in an easy-to-understand way.
“As I mentioned earlier, it’s also because you’re in an incomplete state… and your Pheromone levels are significantly low, so I can only assume that’s why. Once your levels rise to the normal range and your traits stabilize, those symptoms will naturally disappear.”
“…”
“One thing that’s concerning is that even if you can’t smell Pheromones, your body reacts.”
Seo Jeong-won, who couldn’t keep his hands still on his lap and was fidgeting, looked up.
“Because of that, I recommend that you live with your partner for the time being. It’s best to prevent any unpleasant accidents from the start.”
“Accidents, like…”
“Alphas and Omegas are inevitably affected by Pheromones. I’m not saying you have to do it unconditionally. It’s your choice. I’ll prescribe a fever reducer, so get an Intravenous drip before you leave. Be sure to come back for a re-examination in three months.”
The doctor, who had been making eye contact with Seo Jeong-won for a moment, turned his gaze to the monitor. The sound of the mouse clicking and the printer whirring filled the room. Several sheets of paper quickly piled up.
The doctor sorted through the printouts, put them in a document envelope, and handed it to Seo Jeong-won.
“Our hospital has a program that explains what Pheromones are to Omegas and Alphas who have manifested after adulthood, and provides regular training to help them adapt to Pheromones. It will be helpful for Seo Jeong-won as well.”
Seo Jeong-won only moved his eyes to look at the envelope before letting out a deep sigh.
“The scent that comes from me… that’s called Pheromones? If my traits are weak, will my Pheromones also be weak? Then will other people not be able to smell them?”
“Recessive Omegas or Alphas probably won’t know. Even if they’re dominant… Seo Jeong-won’s Pheromone levels are so low that it’ll be difficult to notice quickly. That part can be resolved to some extent just by taking the supplements properly. Take your supplements well and get Pheromone showers often. It doesn’t seem like you need to worry about your Heat cycle yet, so let’s talk about it again after seeing your levels in six months.”
“So… if I take the supplements properly, will Omegas or Alphas be able to smell my Pheromones?”
The doctor, looking puzzled by the rather strange question, nodded. Seo Jeong-won, feeling feverish and confused, and despairing at his body that had finally manifested, stood up.
After leaving the examination room, he didn’t know how he moved. When he woke up, he was in bed. An Intravenous drip was connected to the crook of his arm.
“Oh, you’re awake? The Intravenous drip is all done. I’ll remove the needle soon.”
“…Thank you.”
“You’ll suffer from a high fever for a few days. It’ll be quickly taken care of if you’re hospitalized, but are you really okay?”
His body felt noticeably lighter. He could feel that the fever had subsided. Seo Jeong-won refused the nurse’s offer of hospitalization and straightened his disheveled clothes.
If he were hospitalized, he would have to explain the reason to Kwon Tae-hee, and he wasn’t confident that he wouldn’t be caught lying.
“I’m okay. Thank you.”
Seo Jeong-won, pressing the crook of his arm with an alcohol swab where the needle had been removed, bowed his head. He took out the phone he had put under the pillow and checked the time first.
His gaze naturally lingered on the missed call records. There were quite a few missed calls from Kwon Tae-hee’s number. He didn’t even care that he hadn’t received a call from Kang Da-hyun.
“Pay at the cashier and pick up your medicine at the in-house pharmacy before you leave. If your fever gets too high again, be sure to come back. Getting a shot is much more effective than taking a fever reducer.”
In response to her kind concern, Seo Jeong-won answered vaguely and got out of bed. He couldn’t even put his feet properly into his sneakers. He dragged the heels of his shoes, which he had roughly shoved on, and left the injection room.
He hurriedly took out his phone again outside. He checked what time the missed calls had come in and took a long breath.
He tried to think of what to say if he was asked what he had been doing, but no excuses came to mind.
It might be better to honestly tell him that he came to the hospital than to try to hide it clumsily… Would he not press further and easily let it go if he only knew that much?
After thinking for a long time while looking at the phone in his hand, he finally mustered the courage.
Seo Jeong-won pressed Kwon Tae-hee’s phone number, which remained in the missed call record. The ringing tone didn’t last long. His unique, gentle voice flowed from the receiver.
—Seo Jeong-won.
“…Hello? Executive Director, this is Jeong-won.”
—You weren’t answering the phone. Is something wrong?
“No, it’s nothing like that… I had another fever. So I came to the hospital and I’m on my way out now. I’m sorry I couldn’t answer the phone. Is there anything wrong?”
At Seo Jeong-won’s question, Kwon Tae-hee chuckled softly. Seo Jeong-won realized that he had asked an presumptuous question at the sound of laughter coming from the receiver.
Even if something was wrong with Kwon Tae-hee, what could he possibly do to solve it?
—What did the hospital say?
“It’s a cold. A feverish cold. They said colds are going around these days… I’m worried I might have passed it on to Executive Director.”
—I thought you were having a Heat fever, but that’s a shame.
Seo Jeong-won’s shoulders jumped as if startled by Kwon Tae-hee’s words. He hurriedly covered his mouth, as if he was afraid of being caught lying even though no one was watching.
—I called because I was worried. Are you going to the flower garden?
“Yes, to the flower garden.”
—Rest at home if you’re having a hard time. Don’t be stubborn.
“I’ll just water the plants and feed the fish… and then go in.”
Kwon Tae-hee seemed satisfied with Seo Jeong-won’s answer and chuckled softly again.
—Okay, do that.
It was difficult to tell whether the quiet voice meant to end the call or to continue the conversation a little longer.
—Get in safely.
“Yes, Executive Director, have a good… have a good day.”
Seo Jeong-won, bowing his head so low that his waist was bent, fidgeted as if Kwon Tae-hee was right in front of him.
Even though the call had ended, he couldn’t take the phone away from his ear right away. His heart was beating so fast that he was gasping for breath. Seo Jeong-won, looking around with shaking eyes, barely managed to take a step.
He put his palm on his chest, where he felt a throbbing pain, and walked towards the bus stop.
* * *
The fever stubbornly went up and down for a day or two. He shoved the supplements deep into the cupboard under the sink, and only after taking several more fever reducers he bought from the pharmacy did the fever subside somewhat.
He was obsessed with the idea that the fever had to go down before Friday. The persistent low-grade fever made the anxiety of being caught even more intense.
On Thursday, he went to a hospital in another area. It was an old and small hospital that could treat Omegas.
He hid when he had manifested, and stammered, making up excuses about Omega’s Heat that he had learned on the internet, and was prescribed Pheromone suppressants.
Now, as if it were a habit, he swallowed a fever reducer as soon as he arrived at the flower garden. He had to take the suppressant in about two hours.
He set an alarm so he wouldn’t forget, stopped in front of the small fish tank, and followed the ornamental fish swimming around with his eyes.