By Zephyria After stopping by the department store to buy necessary items, Do Yi-hyun headed straight to the hospital. Since he had been consistently advised to undergo hospitalization, the admission process was quickly completed.
“What about the baby’s mother? Did you come alone? Did you have a fight or something?”
The doctor, who had been welcoming the hospitalization, glanced toward the door with a distinctly displeased expression. It seemed he wasn’t happy that Do Yi-hyun had shown up alone without a guardian.
“…….”
At the mention of Seo Jeong-woon, Do Yi-hyun tightly closed his mouth. Sensing that something was wrong between them, the doctor frowned as much as possible.
“Did you fight with the baby’s mother? And he just sent you alone? Or did that bastard run away or something?”
The doctor, who already didn’t think much of Seo Jeong-woon, grew increasingly agitated and pointed a finger into the air. Just like Joo Na-hye, if Seo Jeong-woon were right in front of him, the doctor looked ready to grab him by the collar immediately.
“It’s not like that.”
Do Yi-hyun slowly shook his head. Hearing Seo Jeong-woon being badmouthed wasn’t very pleasant.
“I am the only parent of this child.”
Instead of giving various explanations, Do Yi-hyun simply conveyed the conclusion.
“You again…….”
Seeing Do Yi-hyun looking as if he had regressed to early pregnancy, the doctor wiped his wrinkled face. He seemed angry, but his stern eyes were filled with concern for Do Yi-hyun.
“If that person comes looking, please say you don’t know where I am. If you tell him, I’ll transfer to another hospital.”
Unfazed by the doctor’s reaction, Do Yi-hyun continued bluntly. He didn’t know if Seo Jeong-woon would come looking for him at the hospital, but it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious. The doctor, who had been seeing him for ten years, knew better than anyone about Do Yi-hyun’s unique constitution.
Already unstable due to the pregnancy, threatening to change his attending physician was essentially putting his own safety on the line.
“What did you say?”
At the declaration that was almost a notification, the hot-tempered doctor’s face flushed red.
“Tsk, such stubbornness…….”
Normally, he would have poured out all sorts of nagging. But the doctor clicked his tongue and sharply turned his head. It was because Do Yi-hyun’s complexion was so poor.
“Then what about the pheromones? Are you going to test other Alpha pheromones again?”
The doctor tapped the table with his fingertips. A fine crack appeared for the first time on Do Yi-hyun’s impassive expression. Because Seo Jeong-woon had faithfully accompanied him every time he visited the hospital, he hadn’t even considered a pheromone compatibility test until now.
Honestly, there was a sense of complacency. If Seo Jeong-woon was there, he didn’t need other Alphas’ pheromones. Two months until the due date.
It was a long time if you considered it long. Thinking about how his condition deteriorated rapidly just one month into the pregnancy, it might be better to force the test.
“……No.”
But Do Yi-hyun slowly shook his head. The likelihood of accepting another Alpha’s pheromones without issue was significantly low anyway. Forcing exposure to someone else’s pheromones would only worsen his condition.
Early in the pregnancy, it was an unavoidable choice since he had to endure for nearly ten months, but in his current state, he could probably hold out for about two months somehow. Do Yi-hyun silently clenched his fist. Above all, he didn’t want to be covered in another Alpha’s pheromones.
Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromone was still vivid at the tip of his nose.
‘……And I have the handkerchief.’
Do Yi-hyun looked at the doctor with a resolute expression.
“Hoo.”
Seeing Do Yi-hyun like that, the doctor let out a deep sigh. Do Yi-hyun knew the doctor was greatly worried but turned away. Do Yi-hyun’s mind was equally tangled.
There was also the option of forcing himself to endure by Seo Jeong-woon’s side until the baby was born. But he didn’t want that. No, he absolutely couldn’t do that.
‘Why.’
Do Yi-hyun touched his dry lips. He himself didn’t know why he had left as if running away. Was it a pang of conscience?
Or was his pride hurt? He pondered constantly but couldn’t find an answer at all.
***
However, as if mocking his determination to endure, Do Yi-hyun’s condition worsened day by day after leaving Seo Jeong-woon’s house.
The morning sickness, which he thought was completely over, recurred, making it difficult to even swallow a sip of water. Having eaten nothing, he occasionally felt dizzy spells and had to be constantly careful. He also became more sensitive to other people’s pheromones, making it hard to even leave his room except in the dead of night, let alone go for walks.
Even then, he had to carry pheromone neutralizer. His insomnia worsened severely, waking him every hour or two. As a result, Do Yi-hyun noticeably lost weight in just half a month.
Sitting blankly on the bed and staring out the window became his entire daily routine. Though on leave, he didn’t know how to rest properly, and his lethargic body slumped limply. Since he hadn’t informed his mother of his hospitalization, no one visited.
At least Joo Na-hye came two or three times a week with an armful of fruit. Joo Na-hye would chatter about trivial, non-nutritious things or play songs for him. Facing Joo Na-hye, Do Yi-hyun could converse back and forth normally as usual.
But that too was brief. When alone, he didn’t want to do anything. Joo Na-hye left books and a game console, but he fiddled with them a few times before stopping.
Nothing held his interest. Today too, Do Yi-hyun gazed out the window with his usual expressionless face. In contrast to the utterly boring daily life, his mind was complicated.
Most of it was thoughts related to Seo Jeong-woon. When walking alone through the hospital after everyone was asleep, he remembered secretly kissing, thinking no one was watching. On sunny days, the bright smile he showed while turning his back to the sunlight flickered before his eyes. When forcing himself to sleep, the affectionate hand stroking his back and the low, whispering voice revived.
It seemed Seo Jeong-woon had penetrated Do Yi-hyun’s daily life more deeply than he had thought. No matter how hard he tried to think of other things, he couldn’t easily erase the beautifully shining hazel eyes and the sweet, bittersweet pheromone that warmly enveloped him. Perhaps it was because his head was filled with thoughts of Seo Jeong-woon all day long.
Even when he barely fell asleep, he often dreamed of Seo Jeong-woon. Mostly they were unpleasant nightmares. The most frequent dream was sitting face-to-face with Seo Jeong-woon in the cafe where he had met his mother.Seo Jeong-woon would smile faintly and end the call, and Do Yi-hyun could only listen without making a sound. Or sometimes they would pass each other in the company hallway, and Seo Jeong-woon would brush past him indifferently, not even sparing a glance as if they were strangers. There were also times when he would relentlessly pour out incomprehensible accusations.
Whenever Do Yi-hyun had such dreams, he would wake up in a cold sweat. The night would still be pitch black, but he couldn’t fall back asleep, tossing and turning until dawn broke, which happened more often than not. But what was even harder to endure than those nightmares were the dreams of Seo Jeong-woon whispering softly in his ear, tousling his hair, and gently kissing him.
He would stiffen, feeling the ticklish touch, and the moment he leaned into an embrace devoid of warmth, he would wake up. Each time, Do Yi-hyun would unconsciously grope the space beside him. But, of course, all his fingertips touched was the cold, chilled sheet.
The instinct enraged by the fact that his own, his Alpha, was not by his side crushed his reason, dulled by sleepiness. The emptiness quickly transformed into anger and despair. Do Yi-hyun would bury his face in the pillow each time, struggling to control the surging possessiveness.
And when it became too much to bear, he would carefully take out the handkerchief stained with Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromones. Only after coming into contact with Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromones like that could he barely fall asleep. The morning sickness would also subside a little, allowing him to eat a somewhat satisfying meal the next day.
It was heartbreaking to see the pheromones on the handkerchief growing fainter day by day.
‘Is this what all Omegas are like?’
Do Yi-hyun could hardly accept the fact that Seo Jeong-woon was not by his side.
‘But I can endure it.’
Reassuring himself once more, Do Yi-hyun glanced at the paper bag placed by the hospital room door. Next to it still lay his phone, its power turned off.
***
“He’s not even an imprinted Alpha, so what is this….”
The doctor, after checking Do Yi-hyun’s test results, sighed deeply with a frustrated expression. It seemed his condition wasn’t good. Do Yi-hyun showed no particular reaction.
Even without clear numerical confirmation, he knew well that his body was falling apart.
‘Imprinting.’
Instead, Do Yi-hyun focused on the word the doctor muttered. Unlike Omegas, who become able to sense only the pheromones of their imprinted Alpha, Alphas become sensitive to pheromones of all types after imprinting. If, as the doctor had previously hypothesized, Do Yi-hyun was an undeveloped Alpha who turned into an Omega, and if that’s why medically unexplainable phenomena were occurring…
Do Yi-hyun lowered his gaze and sank into thought for a moment. He had started reacting hypersensitively to pheromones right after becoming pregnant. Since he hadn’t seen Seo Jeong-woon for about a month after meeting him at the bar, if he had imprinted, it would have been on the night he conceived the child.
‘……That’s absurd.’
Do Yi-hyun furrowed his neat brow. Back then, he hadn’t even known it was Seo Jeong-woon. So, that would mean he imprinted on someone he was seeing for the first time.
The moment he considered the possibility that he might have imprinted on Seo Jeong-woon, his heart began to ache and race. His fingertips trembled finely.
“Does imprinting happen that easily?”
“What kind of nonsense is that? Imprinting is something you can’t do even if you want to. No one knows by what principle imprinting occurs. If you figure that out, a Nobel Prize is practically guaranteed.”
When Do Yi-hyun asked suspiciously, the doctor cut him off sharply.
“……Doctor. If I have imprinted, can it be removed?”
Do Yi-hyun hesitated before continuing calmly. Given his unusual constitution, he had to consider all possibilities.
‘It’s just as well.’
If the reason he lived every day filled with Seo Jeong-woon despite having left him was due to imprinting, then erasing it would solve the problem. Do Yi-hyun wanted to build a complete family with the child. He didn’t want to feel lacking because of anyone other than the child.
“Imprint removal is a dangerous surgery. It’s not life-threatening, but the success rate isn’t high, and we can’t guarantee what side effects might occur. It’s not something you can do while pregnant. And that you… imprinted is just speculation. We don’t know if it would even be effective.”
The doctor earnestly admonished Do Yi-hyun. Do Yi-hyun reluctantly nodded. If it were just himself at risk, that would be one thing, but if the child could be endangered, he couldn’t choose it.
“……Don’t go looking for trouble and ask someone else to perform the surgery.”
After a brief pause, the doctor added one more remark. It seemed he remembered Do Yi-hyun threatening to transfer to another hospital.
“I understand.”
Do Yi-hyun nodded bitterly.
***
“Is there anything you want to eat?”
Joo Na-hye asked as she put the fruits she had brought in abundance into the refrigerator. Peeking inside, Joo Na-hye briefly frowned. The snacks she had brought last time were still there untouched.
But knowing well that Do Yi-hyun wasn’t avoiding them on purpose, she didn’t say anything.
“…….”
Do Yi-hyun pressed his lips together tightly. Having no appetite, nothing in particular came to mind.
“Tell me anything. Should I get some home-cooked food from my mom?”
Joo Na-hye plopped down on a chair and wagged her chin. She seemed ready to fetch it immediately if Do Yi-hyun just said the word.
‘……I want to eat what Seo Jeong-woon made.’
Do Yi-hyun flinched at the thought that arose unbidden. But once it surfaced, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. They ate out occasionally, but when eating at home, Seo Jeong-woon would make everything from scratch himself.
He would always busily move about even before Do Yi-hyun said he was hungry. It should have been bothersome, but he never showed it. He even put effort into the plating.
Do Yi-hyun had told him many times that he could just serve it casually, but each time, Seo Jeong-woon would spout nonsense about wanting to give only beautiful things to a beautiful person. While joking around, Seo Jeong-woon would carefully check if Do Yi-hyun was eating well, and if there were signs of morning sickness, he would subtly release his pheromones.
‘Stop thinking about it.’
Do Yi-hyun gritted his teeth. But scolding himself was useless. The Seo Jeong-woon filling his insides grew endlessly.
Was it because his body was suffering that he kept recalling the comfortable times? Or perhaps……
“Sigh.”
Do Yi-hyun let out a sigh out of habit. Joo Na-hye looked at him sideways and shook her head repeatedly. As evening approached, Joo Na-hye left.
Do Yi-hyun once again stared blankly out the window. He was watching dazedly as the red sky gradually turned blue. A squirm.His lower abdomen moved. Do Yi-hyun hurriedly wrapped his arms around his belly. The baby was unusually quiet.
There was almost no fetal movement. Worried, he asked at every regular check-up, but was only told the baby couldn’t be healthier. Because of this, even though Seo Jeong-woon talked to the baby diligently every day, he had never once felt it move.
Only Do Yi-hyun occasionally, with a ticklish yet awkward sensation, faintly confirmed the baby’s presence. Do Yi-hyun carefully stroked his belly. As if recognizing his touch, the baby moved a bit more actively.
Thump, thump. An unfamiliar sensation reached his palm.
‘Jeong-woon would have been so happy if he were here.’
“Did you feel it too?” Seo Jeong-woon would have asked, lifting his head with a face full of laughter. He would have marveled, stroked the belly, given it a light kiss, and then spoken tenderly to the baby.
And then, he surely would have suddenly pulled Do Yi-hyun into a tight embrace.
“Ah…”
At the vividly imagined sound and actions of Seo Jeong-woon, Do Yi-hyun let out a sigh and bowed his head deeply. It felt like Jeong-woon might appear any moment. What was he even hoping for, when he was the one who left first?
Do Yi-hyun smiled a self-mocking smile.
“…Do-dam-ah.”
Do Yi-hyun called the baby by its chosen name for the first time. There wasn’t any particular reason. Somehow, giving it a name and calling it felt like it would make the reality of having a family truly sink in; it was just that it felt too precious to dare utter until now.
As if responding, the baby gave a slight push against his belly. As if making up for not having called it until now, Do Yi-hyun kept murmuring the baby’s name. Each time, he remembered Seo Jeong-woon, who would smile beautifully saying he hoped the baby took after Do Yi-hyun.
Do Yi-hyun drew in a shallow breath. His heart ached dully. After calling the baby’s name for a while, Do Yi-hyun got up unsteadily and opened a drawer.
He took out the baby’s undershirt, carefully stored in the corner, and fidgeted with it.
“…I miss you.”
His inner thoughts spilled out without passing through any filter. Once expressed in words, the feeling became even more solid. Whether it was due to instinct, imprinting, or some other reason didn’t matter.
He just missed Seo Jeong-woon so much. Do Yi-hyun buried his face weakly in the baby undershirt. He sat there like a statue for a long time before getting up unsteadily again.
Heading straight for the door, he flicked the paper bag placed on top of the drawer. The paper bag fell over weakly, and a pitch-black phone slid out from its opening. Do Yi-hyun, who had been staring blankly, slowly reached out his hand.
The smooth surface felt cold as ice. Even though he picked up the phone, he couldn’t bring himself to turn it on. He was at a complete loss for what to even say.
Should he beg for help after running away on his own two feet? Do Yi-hyun bit his lower lip. The corner of a white envelope peeking slightly from the gap in the paper bag irritated his nerves.
At the same time, he was worried that Seo Jeong-woon might not have contacted him since that last message. No, rather than worried…
‘…Is it fear?’
Do Yi-hyun frowned his neat brow. Although he had never feared anything in his life, exceptions overflowed especially when it came to matters involving Seo Jeong-woon. He truly didn’t understand why he was like this.
It wasn’t even surprising anymore.
“Hoo.”
Do Yi-hyun let out a deep sigh and brushed back the hair tickling his forehead. Then, he anxiously tapped the still-dark phone screen with his fingernail. He was emotionally dull by nature and had always remained calm no matter what situation arose, but now he was shaken beyond what he could handle.
He was confused. It was as if he had forgotten how to find his center; he couldn’t regain his composure.
‘Was I always this weak?’
Do Yi-hyun chastised himself. Yet he couldn’t deny the fact that he was lonely. His black eyes trembled faintly.
Whenever a problem arose, Do Yi-hyun always thought rationally and arrived at a logical conclusion. When he put it into action, the best outcome was always realized. Clearly, this time too, he had followed the conclusion he deemed right.
But why…
‘Does it feel like the wrong answer?’
He felt like a lost child, unable to do anything but pace in place. Do Yi-hyun’s head drooped slowly.
***
Once he admitted he wanted to see Seo Jeong-woon, his desire multiplied uncontrollably day by day.
Even before, his mind had been filled with Seo Jeong-woon, but now it seemed he had become a fool who couldn’t recall anything but Seo Jeong-woon. Do Yi-hyun spent the whole day unable to do anything, just blankly fiddling with his turned-off phone as if entranced. The problem was that it didn’t stop at vaguely thinking of him.
He wanted to feel Seo Jeong-woon’s warm body temperature. He wanted to kiss his soft lips, inhale his sweet pheromones deeply, and then cover him with his own pheromones. He also wanted to push his face close, to be the only one reflected in those transparent grayish-brown eyes.
“Mr. Lee Hyun.”
Seo Jeong-woon’s low voice came from behind. Do Yi-hyun, forgetting he was slumped over, hastily turned his body. But Seo Jeong-woon was nowhere to be seen; it was the nurse he saw every day, wearing a neat smile.
It seemed he was hearing things.
“Ah…”
Do Yi-hyun, greatly disappointed, let out a sigh. There was no way Seo Jeong-woon would visit his hospital room, but upon confirming it wasn’t him, his heart sank. His eyes even stung.
Do Yi-hyun shook his head vigorously. Otherwise, it felt like tears might start falling any moment. His emotions were completely out of control.
“Are you feeling any discomfort?”
The nurse, who had replaced the nearly empty IV bag with a new one, observed Do Yi-hyun’s complexion. It had been a little over three weeks since he left Seo Jeong-woon’s house. Now, Do Yi-hyun had to live with an IV 24/7.
“Yes.”
Do Yi-hyun replied curtly as usual. However, seeing his noticeably haggard complexion worsening day by day, the nurse wore a worried expression. Do Yi-hyun pretended not to notice and turned his gaze out the window.
Perhaps because he was mentally strained. Even others’ pitying concern felt uncomfortable. The doctor who came for rounds early in the morning also had a dark expression.
The doctor examined Do Yi-hyun, who had lost weight rapidly, and clicked his tongue disapprovingly.
“This won’t do. Let’s get a pheromone prescription.”
Then, in a resolute tone, he tried to persuade Do Yi-hyun.
“You said the baby is fine, didn’t you?”
Do Yi-hyun stubbornly refused the pheromone prescription, just as he had when admitted. For Do Yi-hyun, who suffered from pheromone rejection syndrome, a pheromone prescription was no different from a last resort. Even in early pregnancy, he experienced severe side effects every time he received a pheromone prescription.
If he tried half-heartedly now, his condition might only worsen.
‘I can still hold on.’
Do Yi-hyun stubbornly clenched his fist. Even though he longed for Seo Jeong-woon so much, it was hard to accept that he couldn’t give birth safely without his help.
“Yeah. The baby is fine. Miraculously. But the problem is that you’re not fine.”
The doctor recommended a pheromone prescription two or three times a week. But if Do Yi-hyun refused, he would nod with a reluctant expression. This time, however, he didn’t back down easily.
He seemed firmly determined.
“You know you’ll soon reach your limit like this, right? Don’t be stubborn for no reason.”
“……”
Do Yi-hyun gritted his teeth. In his head, he knew the doctor was right. But the thought of smelling another Alpha’s pheromones, not Seo Jeong-woon’s, already made him nauseous.
Was this also an extension of wanting to see Seo Jeong-woon? He’d rather his own body break down. Destructive thoughts he would never normally entertain surged up sporadically.
But he didn’t foolishly voice them aloud.
“I guarantee it. This time it will work well. There will be no side effects at all.”
The doctor shook his head. No matter how good the compatibility was on paper, it had been useless before, but this time seemed different. The doctor wore an odd expression, as if both angry and not.
“……I understand.”
When the doctor, who knew his condition better than anyone, took a firm stance, there was no way to refuse further. Do Yi-hyun reluctantly accepted the doctor’s proposal. He too recognized it was pointless stubbornness, just as the doctor said.
“You made the right decision.”
The doctor tapped Do Yi-hyun’s shoulder lightly with a somewhat relieved expression. Even though finding a compatible Alpha’s pheromones was good news, Do Yi-hyun couldn’t feel happy. With a complicated heart, he lowered his gaze.
The doctor suggested proceeding with the pheromone prescription after lunch. But Do Yi-hyun said he wanted it right away. If he received an Alpha’s pheromones after finishing a meal, he felt he would just vomit it all up.
Do Yi-hyun lay straight in the narrow capsule. He was hungry, having barely eaten breakfast, but by now he was familiar with the sensation of his stomach shrinking.
‘……Should I stop even now?’
Psychological aversion was already surging. Pheromone prescriptions usually took about 30 minutes, but Do Yi-hyun had never lasted more than 5 minutes. Each time, he endured and endured the nausea before giving up halfway.
Perhaps the unpleasant feeling was conveyed, as his lower abdomen churned. It was a completely different feeling from the fetal movement he felt a few nights ago.
‘It’s okay.’
Do Yi-hyun forcibly ignored the negative sensation and patted his rounded, protruding belly. Despite rapidly losing weight, his belly had noticeably swollen.
‘I’m nervous.’
He tried to calm Do-dam, but he himself couldn’t find his footing. Thump, thump, thump. His heart beat irregularly.
We will begin the treatment.
A businesslike nurse’s voice came through the speaker. Then, pheromones began to flow.
“Ugh.”
Do Yi-hyun unconsciously held his breath. Perhaps because the concentration was thick. He could feel the gentle pheromones rising through his fingertips.
The slowly advancing pheromones tickled his palm.
‘What is this?’
Do Yi-hyun briefly furrowed his brow. Even though he was holding his breath, he felt no aversion despite being directly exposed to an Alpha’s pheromones. Had they really found an Alpha’s pheromones that were a perfect match?
After so many failed attempts, could they succeed in just one try like this?
‘……I hate it.’
He should be happy, but ironically, the fact that he could comfortably accept another Alpha’s pheromones besides Seo Jeong-woon’s was unbearably uncomfortable. However, he couldn’t hold his breath forever.
“Hoo.”
Do Yi-hyun frowned and inhaled. The moment he opened his mouth, a sweet yet bittersweet pheromone, reminiscent of a tree in full bloom, wafted strongly.
“Huh.”
Do Yi-hyun reflexively hunched his upper body, breathing rapidly and trembling. A shudder ran through him at the overwhelmingly familiar pheromone that densely filled the surroundings. It was no mistake.
It was definitely Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromone. His tense nerves relaxed languidly, and his tightly clenched jaw eased. His chest felt tight and overwhelmed, as if he were in his embrace.
Do Yi-hyun took a deep breath. He wanted to inhale Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromones deep into his lungs. His mind, blanking white, held only the single thought that he must accept his Alpha’s pheromones.
A thrilling euphoria rose from the pheromones enveloping him.
The treatment is finished.
However, Do Yi-hyun’s satisfaction didn’t last long.
Before he knew it, over 30 minutes had passed, and Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromones began to fade.
“No. No.”
Do Yi-hyun unconsciously muttered, chasing the faint lingering scent. No matter how much he tried to grasp it, the intangible pheromones couldn’t be caught in his hand. The pheromones slipping through his fingers were frustrating to the point of agony.
Soon, no pheromones remained inside the capsule. Do Yi-hyun simply closed his eyes tightly. He couldn’t easily escape the deep afterglow.
“Are you okay?”
When Do Yi-hyun didn’t come out, the doctor cautiously peeked in from outside the capsule. Only then coming to his senses, Do Yi-hyun pressed the button and sat up.
“……What is the meaning of this?”
Do Yi-hyun wiped his face dry and stared directly at the doctor. Had he revealed to Seo Jeong-woon that he was here? Otherwise, he couldn’t explain the guarantee of no side effects, nor Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromones.
‘Then why didn’t Seo Jeong-woon come to see me?’
Amidst that, another reason for displeasure arose. Was his pride hurt, so he didn’t even want to see him now? Or did he provide the pheromones solely out of concern for the baby?
His mind, which had been calm just moments ago, quickly sank into a quagmire.
“I didn’t say anything.”
The doctor shook both hands as if proclaiming his innocence. He didn’t seem to be lying. But his expression had been ambiguous since earlier.
“Is that really true?”
Do Yi-hyun asked sternly, pressing further.
“Yeah. Some Alpha suddenly showed up and said he wanted to donate his pheromones for use on a compatible person. As a doctor, I had no reason to stop him. Right?”
The doctor grumbled irritably and shrugged his shoulders.
“What kind of…”
At the insincere explanation, Do Yi-hyun was left speechless. It wouldn’t have been difficult to guess that he would continue visiting this hospital. Seo Jeong-woon knew well that Do Yi-hyun had a rare trait and cherished the baby immensely.
‘Is he really just fulfilling his final duty as the baby’s parent?’
A profound sense of emptiness washed over him.
“Judging by the look of it, he seems willing to donate consistently. It’s fortunate that he happens to be highly compatible with you. If this continues, you won’t just barely endure until the birth; you can wait healthily.”
The doctor spouted an unbelievable excuse while observing Do Yi-hyun’s complexion. It was a good thing. He should be grateful to Seo Jeong-woon.
But Do Yi-hyun couldn’t bring himself to reply as such.
‘What on earth is he thinking?’
He was originally an unfathomable person, but being apart made it even harder to know Seo Jeong-woon’s true feelings.
“That person…”
Do Yi-hyun hesitated before finally opening his mouth. What expression and tone had Seo Jeong-woon used when he came? Had he by any chance mentioned him?
Was he angry? Was his attitude businesslike? All sorts of questions swirled on the tip of his tongue.
But Do Yi-hyun couldn’t utter any of them and abruptly turned his head away. He shouldn’t speak of Seo Jeong-woon. Even now, suppressing all his impulses was a struggle; once he started wanting, it was obvious he wouldn’t be able to stop.
His long exhaled breath trembled faintly.
“Doctor, there’s a call from the ER. I think you need to go right now.”
“If you have any questions, come find me anytime.”
A nurse urgently called for the doctor. The doctor patted Do Yi-hyun’s back a couple of times and left with quick steps.
‘I’m lonely.’
Do Yi-hyun hugged his shoulders and lowered his upper body. It felt like a dream that he had just been embraced by Seo Jeong-woon’s warm pheromones.
‘I want to see him.’
Tendons stood out on his tightly clenched jaw.
***
That night. Do Yi-hyun sat on a chair placed in a corner of the hallway, looking up at the dark blue sky.
The sky was particularly cloudy today, so not only starlight but even moonlight had vanished. The lights had long been turned off, so the hallway was equally dark. Given the nature of the 24-hour omega-only hospital, the main building area would be crowded, but the back entrance side was utterly deserted.
He had been sitting there for about 30 minutes, and not a single person had passed by.
“Sigh…”
Do Yi-hyun let out a low sigh, he didn’t know how many times it was today. It wasn’t cold enough for his breath to show indoors, but it was quite chilly. Do Yi-hyun put on the cardigan Joo Na-hye had hastily thrown at him.
It was thick and warmer than expected. With unfocused eyes, he stared at the glass window. The empty hallway only occasionally echoed with the sound of wind.
He didn’t understand what he was expecting or why he had come out here in the middle of the night.
‘……Should I go back now?’
Was this indeed a pointless act? It might have been a momentary pity, and he might have been reading too much into it. Do Yi-hyun was hesitating whether to return to his room or not.
Zzziiing. The sound of the automatic door opening shattered the silence. Do Yi-hyun held his breath.
As the neat footsteps drew closer, his heart thrashed violently. Do Yi-hyun reflexively hunched his body and looked toward the intersecting corridor. A large vending machine blocked the hallway entrance, so the other person would have difficulty spotting Do Yi-hyun in the darkness.
Sure enough. The quiet presence passed right by Do Yi-hyun. Do Yi-hyun froze, clenching his fist.
Letting him go like this was the right thing to do a hundred times over. At that moment, Do Yi-hyun spotted a straight-backed figure in the wavering darkness, like a heat haze.
“……Mr. Jeong-woon.”
Upon catching a glimpse of the person he missed so much, he unconsciously called out to him. He hadn’t seen his face or smelled his pheromones. Yet he just knew.
That it was Seo Jeong-woon. Do Yi-hyun hastily covered his mouth with his palm. It was little more than a faint murmur.
The distance was quite far, so he probably didn’t hear. He shouldn’t have heard. Even as he repeated that to himself, Do Yi-hyun watched Seo Jeong-woon with an inexplicable sense of anticipation.
Instantly, the man’s large, imposing figure stopped abruptly. Seo Jeong-woon turned around very slowly. Do Yi-hyun stiffened rigidly on the spot.
Time seemed to stop. Thump, thump, thump. The sound of his heart pounding in his ears was so loud it was dizzying.
‘Why…’
Why had he even gone to ask the doctor when Seo Jeong-woon would come again? Even if they met, what could he possibly say? Why had he waited so aimlessly? Where did all these impulses even come from?
Why, why, why. Unanswered questions densely filled Do Yi-hyun’s mind. His chest felt so tight it might burst.
The moment Seo Jeong-woon turned completely around, the thick clouds parted, and a stark blue moonlight crossed the hallway. The figure of Seo Jeong-woon standing straight was fully revealed. Neatly arranged hair and a smooth forehead, elegant eyebrows and a prominent nose bridge, soft cheeks and lips tinged with reddish vitality.
Seo Jeong-woon was an Alpha who was always beautiful whenever seen. In contrast to the pale Do Yi-hyun, he looked exactly the same as the last time he saw him. Naturally, it seemed he was doing fine without him.
Do Yi-hyun didn’t even dare blink, imprinting him in his eyes again and again. Who knew when he would see him again if not now? Thinking this might be the last time, he couldn’t take his eyes off him for a second.
Simultaneously, the question that had been endlessly circling in his mind was instantly resolved. Do Yi-hyun bit down hard on the soft flesh inside his mouth.
‘It was just because I wanted to see him.’
Despite all his agonizing, the answer was so simple it was disheartening. After trying so hard to erase Seo Jeong-woon, to ruin it all just because he couldn’t bear the longing… He desperately wanted to deny it.
But just facing Seo Jeong-woon, all the impulses and thoughts that had tormented Do Yi-hyun moment by moment melted away like snow. It was a phenomenon Do Yi-hyun couldn’t understand at all. And that wasn’t all.
Just being in the same space with him made his throat hot and his eyes sting. Do Yi-hyun gritted his teeth to suppress the wave of emotion threatening to burst forth. Unlike Do Yi-hyun, who was overwhelmed and didn’t know what to do, Seo Jeong-woon’s expression held nothing.
Belatedly realizing that gap, Do Yi-hyun’s heart sank with a thud. The eyes that always softened gently when looking at him were now utterly cold.
“Hah.”
It was the moment his grayish-brown eyes, tinged with darkness, trembled faintly. Seo Jeong-woon let out a hollow laugh and pressed his forehead. The chilly atmosphere surrounding him felt very unfamiliar.
Was he angry after all? Do Yi-hyun maintained his silence, waiting to see how he would react. He simply didn’t know what to say first.
“Now I’m even seeing hallucinations.”
Seo Jeong-woon muttered self-deprecatingly and swept his hand over his cheek irritably. He shouldn’t feel that way, but Do Yi-hyun felt secretly relieved by the soliloquy that proved he wasn’t entirely okay either. The anxiety that had been welling up, fearing Seo Jeong-woon no longer held any meaning for him, began to slowly subside.
He found himself pathetic. Instead of retorting that it wasn’t an illusion, Do Yi-hyun leaned against the wall and slowly stood up. Even though he had received Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromones, his body still lacked strength, making him unsteady.
He almost slipped and fell to the floor.
“Is it really you, Mr. Lee Hyun?”
Soon realizing it wasn’t an illusion, Seo Jeong-woon’s eyes widened. He stood dumbfounded, quietly gazing at Do Yi-hyun. His gaze was as complexly mixed with emotions as Yi-hyun’s own.
“…Why did you come? You left as if we’d never see each other again.”
His low, subdued voice held clear resentment and faint anger toward Yi-hyun. Even in this situation, not losing his rationality was typical of Jeong-woon.
“……”
Yi-hyun had nothing to say even with ten mouths. He couldn’t say he came because he wanted to see him after leaving without giving any reason. If he himself couldn’t understand it, there was no way Jeong-woon would.
It was fortunate he was standing with his back to the bright window. He could hide his expression under the pretext of darkness. Yi-hyun couldn’t even guess what face he was making.
When Yi-hyun didn’t answer, Jeong-woon’s straight eyebrows slightly twisted. He repeatedly parted and closed his lips. It seemed he hadn’t sorted out what to say due to unexpectedly encountering Yi-hyun.
“Why did you leave?”
After hesitating for a long time, Jeong-woon barely managed to ask. He habitually tried to approach Yi-hyun but stopped short. Whenever they were in the same space, Jeong-woon always clung tightly to Yi-hyun.
Even if pushed away in annoyance, he never let go. But now the distance between them was about ten steps. It seemed to visually show the psychological distance between him and Jeong-woon that had changed from before.
The corners of Yi-hyun’s mouth dropped bitterly. Not being able to get closer was the same for Yi-hyun too. He wanted to run over right now and embrace Jeong-woon, but he shouldn’t.
‘First, I should apologize…’
Then what should he do next for Jeong-woon to forgive him? But his mind went blank, preventing proper thought. At most, he could only take in the Jeong-woon before him like a broken robot.
Just enduring to not recklessly run to him was already Yi-hyun’s limit. Unconsciously, Yi-hyun fidgeted with his heels. It felt like he would never reach Jeong-woon like this.
“Whether you were angry at me or misunderstood, shouldn’t you at least give me a chance to explain? Are we only that much to each other? Was I that untrustworthy?”
Jeong-woon threw out a series of questions disguised as reproaches in a stiff tone. The words Jeong-woon spat out flew like daggers and pierced his heart. He was right.
He had been completely irrational all along. No, even now he was completely irrational. Yi-hyun dug his nails into his palm.
He had to say something, but his two lips stuck tightly together and wouldn’t part. Unfortunately, Yi-hyun didn’t know how to appease anger, let alone properly apologize. Since childhood, whenever he conversed with others, it led to misunderstandings, so he chose to speak only when absolutely necessary.
He was afraid… that doing something unnecessary might further provoke Jeong-woon’s anger. Yes, he was afraid. Yi-hyun swallowed a sigh.
It was the first time he felt so pathetic himself.
“You should’ve just confronted me openly. Or is there a reason I don’t know? Even an excuse is fine, please say something.”
As the conversation continued, Jeong-woon’s calm expression crumbled. The always composed man looked anxious and unstable. As Jeong-woon showed negative emotions, Yi-hyun’s heart also churned in response.
Having never been so intensely affected by another person, he was extremely flustered. Reflexively, Yi-hyun stepped back from the unfamiliar sensation. Even stepping back, it was barely half a step.
But at that slight movement, Jeong-woon froze.
‘Why…’
“Don’t go.”
Before Yi-hyun could wonder, Jeong-woon urgently shouted. Behind Yi-hyun was a dead-end corridor. He had no intention of leaving, but even if he tried to escape, he couldn’t.
Yet Jeong-woon’s pupils trembled pitifully.
“I was just being whiny, okay? I was wrong.”
Jeong-woon forced the corners of his mouth up and reached out his hand. The hand hovering in the air noticeably shook. And he never took his eyes off Yi-hyun for a moment.
As if Yi-hyun would disappear if he even glanced away. A reaction similar to yet different from Yi-hyun’s. When Yi-hyun moved his stretched-back leg to its original position, Jeong-woon let out a faint sigh.
Seeing that, Yi-hyun felt a strange sense of elation. He must have finally gone mad. Otherwise, there’s no way he’d feel pleased in this stifling situation.
Yi-hyun coldly concluded.
“…Can I come closer?”
Always having approached and hugged arbitrarily, Jeong-woon cautiously asked for permission. Perhaps he wasn’t not coming close, but couldn’t come close. With thoughts of whether it was intuition or speculation, Yi-hyun immediately gave a slight nod.
There was no hesitation. For Yi-hyun, it was something he couldn’t wish for more. As if waiting, Jeong-woon strode over and blocked Yi-hyun’s front with his large frame.
Then, very slowly and carefully, he grabbed Yi-hyun’s forearm. The grip was so weak it seemed like a light tap would make him let go. It was questionable whether this could even be called holding.
Despite not being able to say a single proper word, he was endlessly happy just to be in contact with Jeong-woon. Jeong-woon’s pheromones were felt very faintly. They smelled sweeter than what he’d smelled in the capsule.
His eyelids trembled on their own. Yi-hyun secretly followed Jeong-woon’s pheromones and clenched his fist. Otherwise, he felt like he’d kiss Jeong-woon right then and there.
He thought meeting the person he missed would calm his raging desires, but even stronger greed squirmed. He couldn’t understand the source of this incomprehensible impulse at all.
“Haa.”
After pausing briefly, Jeong-woon took a rough breath that made his shoulders heave. Somehow, he seemed relieved too. He stared intently at Yi-hyun’s face, then slightly frowned as if he couldn’t see well.
“I lost.”
Soon, Jeong-woon dropped his head and admitted defeat. Not understanding the sudden statement, Yi-hyun anxiously looked at the round crown of his head. Not being able to see Jeong-woon’s face made him anxious.
“…I like you. No, I love you.”
Then Jeong-woon muttered in a choked, moist voice.
‘He loves me? Jeong-woon?’
It was something he never even imagined in his dreams. Having been convinced that what Jeong-woon felt for him was nothing more or less than simple interest, Yi-hyun was greatly shocked. Maybe he misheard.
“I love you, Lee Hyun-ssi.”
As if reading his thoughts, Jeong-woon whispered again, plaintively.
“Ah……”
A suppressed sigh flowed from between Yi-hyun’s teeth. His tingling chest began to swell achingly. Only after hearing Jeong-woon’s earnest confession did he vaguely understand the identity of the desire that had frequently caused strange urges, which he had dismissed as instinct.
‘I also… Jeong-woon…’
Simultaneous with the vague realization, his solar plexus began to churn. As a small opening formed, emotions he hadn’t even recognized became a massive tsunami that engulfed Yi-hyun. Yi-hyun gropingly grasped the huge whirlpool and looked at Jeong-woon, whose shoulders were trembling finely.
The large man seemed small and fragile.
“At least, I didn’t want to say this first. I wanted to protect my pride.”
Jeong-woon muttered bitterly. Suddenly, all the affectionate words and actions Jeong-woon had shown him so far came to mind disjointedly. He used to frown, calling it excessive favor, but if all of that was sincere…
If every time he coldly pushed him away, Jeong-woon had forced himself to act okay…
“…But I guess the person who likes the other more loses. I’ve given up everything now, Lee Hyun-ssi.”
Jeong-woon slowly raised his head. Tears glistened like transparent jewels at the ends of his wet, tangled eyelashes. They were brimming, as if about to spill over at any moment.
Yi-hyun blinked blankly. Even seeing it directly, he could hardly believe Jeong-woon was crying because of him. He truly seemed to have laid down everything before Yi-hyun.
And it was Jeong-woon, of all people. Yi-hyun couldn’t even guess Jeong-woon’s feelings as he said those words.
“You need me, no, my pheromones, right? You can use me as much as you want, just stay by my side. Please.”
Jeong-woon clung to Yi-hyun, pleading pitifully. He seemed willing to even kneel if Yi-hyun wanted. Was his emotion transferring?
Yi-hyun felt pain as if his heart were being torn apart.
“I beg you.”
Perhaps his throat was choked, his words slightly cracked at the end. From head to toe, every part of Jeong-woon was crying out that he wanted him. Yi-hyun released the breath he’d been holding.
He didn’t even realize he’d stopped breathing. He wanted to wipe away the tears, but even slightly moving his held arm caused Jeong-woon’s expression to turn to despair, so he couldn’t move at all. Faced with Jeong-woon’s unfiltered, flowing emotions, Yi-hyun’s mouth went completely dry.
He thought he was the only one unable to control himself and being swayed, but it seemed Jeong-woon was the same. Facing Jeong-woon, who was honestly colliding with him, he naturally realized how foolish it was to hesitate only because he couldn’t clearly define his feelings.
“…I thought you were interested in me out of simple curiosity. With a light heart.”
Still not knowing what he wanted to say, Yi-hyun blindly opened his mouth. But he ended up uttering something that seemed to deny Jeong-woon’s confession.
“Who says that. Who says my feelings are light.”
Jeong-woon’s expression twisted sorrowfully. Injustice seeped out from his wavering grayish-brown pupils. Shamelessly, Yi-hyun felt distinct delight.
“You were always composed, but I grew increasingly anxious and uneasy. I didn’t like that the me I knew was disappearing.”
Yi-hyun stumbled through the sentences rising in his mind. It was a vague story, hardly an answer to a confession. Jeong-woon quietly listened.
It was rare for Yi-hyun to reveal his inner thoughts first.
“Above all……”
Yi-hyun hesitated briefly. He didn’t want to show weakness to Jeong-woon. But in front of Jeong-woon, who had laid down everything, maintaining petty pride felt meaningless.
“…I was scared.”
Like Jeong-woon had done, Yi-hyun honestly admitted. Once he confessed, it wasn’t such a big deal. The time he had suffered alone felt futile in comparison.
“What were you scared of?”
Jeong-woon cautiously asked. As he did, he subtly tightened his grip on Yi-hyun’s arm.
‘Why was it?’
Yi-hyun himself didn’t know the exact cause yet.
“You being by my side was becoming more familiar, but it felt like you could suddenly leave at any time, so I ran away.”
Yet the answer flowed out unknowingly. Yi-hyun twitched the corner of his mouth. Once spoken aloud, it became even clearer.
If Jeong-woon abandoned him, he would receive an unbearable wound, so he ran away first. Since Jeong-woon’s heart was a variable he couldn’t control, he mistakenly thought removing that variable would restore his peace. It was an utterly foolish choice.
It seemed rationality wasn’t always right. In other words, it also meant he had come to cherish Jeong-woon that much without even realizing it.
“…Did I understand correctly just now? It sounds like Lee Hyun-ssi likes me too.”
Jeong-woon urgently asked again, bowing his head. His shimmering eyes were filled with anticipation. Yi-hyun leaned his head back to look straight at him.
While strongly suppressing the desire to kiss Jeong-woon’s cheeks and lips to his heart’s content.
“No, it’s different.”
“Ah.”
When Yi-hyun calmly asserted, Jeong-woon couldn’t hide his great disappointment. Finally, a tear rolled down from the corner of one eye.
“But it’s okay…”
Jeong-woon averted his gaze, trying hard to downplay the hurt.
“It’s not simply liking for me. I want to become family. With you.”
Realizing Jeong-woon had misunderstood, Yi-hyun hurriedly added. Clearly, something had been miscommunicated.
“…What did you just… say…”
Jeong-woon opened his eyes wide with a dazed expression. It was the first time he showed such a look in front of Yi-hyun.
“Ah.”
Yi-hyun was equally surprised. When Jeong-woon shed tears, his heart sank with a thud. In the urgency to quickly correct the misunderstanding, he had blurted out asking to become family.
“Did you just propose to me?”
Jeong-woon’s long eyelashes fluttered. His pretty eyes wavered in turn. Yi-hyun cautiously raised his hand.
Fortunately, this time Jeong-woon waited quietly, allowing him to finally wipe his cheek. After carefully erasing the tear streak that ran vertically across his cheek, he lightly tapped the teardrop hanging brimming at the opposite eye corner with his fingertip. The hot tear fell to the floor along Yi-hyun’s thumbnail.
At that sight, his spine tingled and his stomach tickled.
“That’s right. If it’s burdensome…”
Yi-hyun stroked Jeong-woon’s wet eyelashes and slowly opened his mouth. But he couldn’t think of how to handle the situation. It was utterly sincere, but there was no denying it was hasty.
Should he suggest talking about it later?
“Who said it’s burdensome?”
While Yi-hyun hesitated, lost in thought, Jeong-woon abruptly pulled him into an embrace.
“I like it, I like it so much. I want to be Lee Hyun-ssi’s family. Thank you for saying that.”
Then he rubbed his face against Yi-hyun’s shoulder and answered repeatedly. As if afraid Yi-hyun might retract the proposal if he delayed even a moment. As emotions intensified, pheromones naturally flowed from Jeong-woon.
They were much warmer and softer than usual. He could feel Jeong-woon’s pure happiness.
“…Haha.”
Yi-hyun laughed softly and wrapped his arm around Jeong-woon’s neck. Now, no matter what anyone said, Jeong-woon was his. An unparalleled sense of satisfaction welled up.
Suddenly, it seemed okay even if Jeong-woon suddenly changed and left tomorrow. If it was something he gave, even the wound could be gladly accepted.
‘No.’
Yi-hyun quickly changed his mind again. If Jeong-woon ran away, he would chase him to the ends of the earth. That suited his temperament more than vaguely fearing.
Because it was Jeong-woon who agreed to become family. Even if he regretted it as a hasty decision, it was already too late. Simultaneously, he also felt convinced that Jeong-woon would never leave him.
An irrational, illogical belief he would normally have immediately denied, but holding Jeong-woon in his arms, nothing else mattered.
“Did you just laugh?”
Jeong-woon, who had abruptly lifted his head, fiddled with the corner of Yi-hyun’s mouth with his thumb. But the brief smile had already faded, leaving no trace. With a regretful expression, Jeong-woon stroked the corner of his mouth and slowly bowed his head.
Yi-hyun stared at the gradually approaching face, then closed his eyes. Despite having mingled bodies countless times, facing a kiss, tension rose to the tips of his hair. The fingers gripping his shoulders trembled finely.
Sweet breath drew near, and soon a soft sensation touched the corner of his mouth. Peck, peck, peck. Jeong-woon’s lips repeatedly lightly touched and withdrew.
Yi-hyun held his breath and enjoyed the ticklish sensation.
“You once said family is everything, right? Then now I’m Lee Hyun-ssi’s everything?”
Jeong-woon cautiously asked, enveloping Yi-hyun tightly with pheromones brimming with excitement. At Jeong-woon’s persistently clinging pheromones, the corner of Yi-hyun’s mouth relaxed slightly.
“I’m sorry but…”
Yi-hyun leaned his weight deeply into Jeong-woon’s embrace. He liked that he could now freely express the possessiveness he had always had to deny.
“There’s also Do-dam.”
“…Do you have to say it like that?”
Jeong-woon, who had momentarily stiffened his shoulders, let out a sigh of relief. Since it wasn’t intended to startle him, Yi-hyun was a bit flustered.
“It’s okay. If it’s Lee Hyun-ssi, anything is fine. Can’t be helped.”
Jeong-woon grumbled coquettishly, rubbing his lips against Yi-hyun’s nape. He truly didn’t seem to mind. Instead, he tightened his arm around Yi-hyun’s waist even more.
“But will you call me Do-dam now?”
“…Yes.”
“I’m glad.”
As Yi-hyun slowly nodded, Jeong-woon broke into a broad smile. It was the smile Yi-hyun had missed so much.
“You’ve grown so much. Our Do-dam.”
Seo Jeong-woon smiled as he caressed Do Yi-hyun’s slightly protruding lower abdomen. His touch, initially light and cautious as a feather, gradually grew bolder. Tilting his head, Seo Jeong-woon slipped his hand under Yi-hyun’s clothes.
Only after touching Yi-hyun’s lower abdomen directly did he seem satisfied.
“Come over here.”
Then, without letting go of Yi-hyun, he led him toward the window. The faint moonlight touched Yi-hyun’s face.
“Do you know how much I missed you?”
Seo Jeong-woon gazed intently, cupping Yi-hyun’s cheek. His affectionate, grayish-brown eyes instantly clouded with worry.
“What’s this. Why are you so thin? I worked so hard to feed you well. It’s upsetting…….”
With a pained expression, he stroked Yi-hyun’s gaunt cheek. Even this slight plumpness was only because he had been able to eat somewhat decently after receiving the pheromone prescription.
“…….”
Yi-hyun quietly turned his head toward the hallway. He didn’t want to show his haggard appearance to the impeccably neat Seo Jeong-woon. He was also self-conscious about wearing the loose patient gown.
“Look at me. You should look at me. Didn’t you miss me, Lee Hyun-ssi?”
Seo Jeong-woon pulled Yi-hyun close, turning his body toward the window so Yi-hyun’s face was clearly visible. He fluttered his eyelashes, putting on a pitiful expression.
“…I don’t look good.”
Unable to tear his eyes away from the dazzlingly bright Seo Jeong-woon, Yi-hyun raised a hand to cover his cheek and mouth.
“What are you talking about? You’re the most beautiful person in the world to me.”
Seo Jeong-woon paid no mind, planting small kisses on the back of Yi-hyun’s hand.
“That…….”
Yi-hyun, at a loss for words, looked at Seo Jeong-woon with mixed feelings. Whenever Seo Jeong-woon called him pretty or cute, he naturally assumed it was just empty flattery. But could all of that have been sincere too?
He must look in the mirror every morning, making Yi-hyun doubt Seo Jeong-woon’s aesthetic standards. Or perhaps his eyesight was failing.
“I love you.”
Seo Jeong-woon whispered affectionately, his eyes crinkling into a smile. The warm hand stroking his cheek. The grayish-brown eyes curved into crescents.
The gently touching tips of their noses. The pheromones brimming with affection. Yi-hyun liked everything about Seo Jeong-woon.
Once he acknowledged it, affection surged. It was almost bewildering why he had only just realized his own feelings. As Yi-hyun gazed at him with enchanted eyes, the corners of Seo Jeong-woon’s mouth curved even more brightly.
The man who had wept bitterly, saying he had lost everything, now beamed as if he owned the whole world just from holding Yi-hyun in his arms.
“I wish you thought I was the most beautiful in the world too.”
He pulled Yi-hyun’s hand, which was covering his face, and pressed his cheek against the palm. Yi-hyun, who had been staring blankly at him, flinched his shoulders. Even though the term of endearment had become familiar, his face inexplicably grew warm.
Seo Jeong-woon, who quickly noticed that subtle change, sparkled his eyes.
“Darling.”
Seo Jeong-woon whispered sweetly, pressing his lips against Yi-hyun’s palm. Yi-hyun, not knowing what to do, tightly pressed his lips together.
“Haha. Can I call you ‘honey’?”
He was already pushy, but now that he had confirmed Yi-hyun’s feelings, Seo Jeong-woon was unstoppable. He even kissed Yi-hyun’s wrist, acting cute.
“That’s still a bit too much…….”
Yi-hyun’s eyes grew slightly red at Seo Jeong-woon’s sudden, intense appeal.
“Mmm. Still, huh. Okay, darling.”
Seo Jeong-woon laughed, his throat vibrating as if he found Yi-hyun adorable. The faint vibration transmitted through their touching skin made his heart tingle.
“…Let’s not do this here. Let’s go upstairs.”
Yi-hyun hardened his expression and lightly tapped Seo Jeong-woon’s chest. No matter how few people were around, someone could come at any time. Yet, reluctant to part from Seo Jeong-woon, he tightly clutched the hem of his clothes.
“…What do you think I’m going to do? You have no fear.”
Seo Jeong-woon briefly frowned. He gently scolded Yi-hyun and then playfully nipped his nose.
“I’m barely holding back because we’re in the hallway.”
Seo Jeong-woon let out a soft sigh, cupping Yi-hyun’s ear and pressing their foreheads together. In his half-lidded, grayish-brown eyes, a clear heat was visible.
“Why are you holding back?”
Yi-hyun asked curiously, lifting his heels. He immediately gently bit Seo Jeong-woon’s lower lip with his front teeth and lightly smeared pheromones on Seo Jeong-woon’s shoulder. Still clumsy at handling pheromones, they flowed not just onto his shoulder but down to his nape.
He wanted Seo Jeong-woon right now. He wanted to feel him completely, without any reservations.
“Ah, seriously.”
Seo Jeong-woon, helplessly succumbing to the provocation, rested his head on Yi-hyun’s shoulder and let out a deep sigh. A low groan followed.
***
“Hh, mmmph.”
The moment they entered the hospital room, they rushed at each other, no question of who was first. Unlike the tender kisses they had exchanged in the hallway, their tongues tangled wetly.
“Ha, Lee Hyun-ssi.”
As if his claim of holding back had been sincere, Seo Jeong-woon scooped Yi-hyun up and immediately pulled down his loose pants. Pheromones so thick they could be mistaken for a rut savagely enveloped Yi-hyun.
“Mmm, hh.”
Faced with overwhelming desire, Yi-hyun didn’t push Seo Jeong-woon away but instead loosened his tie. He was pleased to see Seo Jeong-woon desperately wanting him. Seo Jeong-woon, perhaps lacking the patience to make it to the bed, headed for the sofa.
Yi-hyun was just as impatient. He was already wet and slick down there.
“If I lose control and pounce, just hit me. As hard as you can.”
Even while gnawing on the pale nape of his neck, Seo Jeong-woon worriedly stroked Yi-hyun’s stomach. His eyes were already half-lost in focus.
“I understand, so hurry, Jeong-woon-ssi…….”
Having no intention of hitting him whatsoever, Yi-hyun impatiently wriggled his hips, fumbling with Seo Jeong-woon’s belt buckle. It wouldn’t come undone, making him anxious.
“I’ll undo it if you kiss me.”
Seo Jeong-woon leaned his head back, sticking out his tongue with a mischievous smile. Yi-hyun bit Seo Jeong-woon’s tongue without hesitation. Every time his instincts raged, he had been busy suppressing them, but now that he fully accepted it, the pleasure amplified.
“Mmng.”
Seo Jeong-woon let out a low sound, sweeping his hand over Yi-hyun’s chest. It was unclear if it was pain or him being dramatic. Yi-hyun first spread his tongue wide to gently lick the bitten spot, then grabbed Seo Jeong-woon’s wrist and pulled it down.
It meant, ‘I kissed you, so hurry up and undo your pants.’
“Naughty.”
Seo Jeong-woon mumbled with slurred speech. He seemed very pleased that Yi-hyun was being proactive. Soon, his large, fully erect cock revealed its imposing presence.
Somehow, it looked much bigger than usual. Yi-hyun unconsciously swallowed dryly. Seo Jeong-woon lightly stroked the stiff shaft, burying his nose in Yi-hyun’s nape.
Yi-hyun reflexively released thicker pheromones and caressed the head of Seo Jeong-woon’s cock.
“I feel like I could come just from your scent.”
“Not allowed.”
Yi-hyun rose to his knees on the sofa. He wanted Seo Jeong-woon to come inside him. He wanted to possess everything of Seo Jeong-woon’s.
“Hahaha.”
Seo Jeong-woon giggled at the firm tone. He peeked at Yi-hyun’s cock, which had slightly peeked out from under his clothes, and slid a finger into the tightly closed slit.
“Hh…….”
Yi-hyun grabbed Seo Jeong-woon’s firm shoulders, his hips trembling. Even with just one finger, the long-absent intrusion made his inner walls convulse.
“A bit tight. Should I lick it?”
Seo Jeong-woon asked politely, but his expression was full of desire to lick. Once Seo Jeong-woon started, he would persistently lick the shaft and entrance until Yi-hyun begged him to stop. He grew more tenacious by the day.
“…Do as you please.”
Yi-hyun hesitated for a moment, then nodded. It was embarrassing and shameful, but he wanted to grant Seo Jeong-woon’s every wish.
“Mmm.”
Seo Jeong-woon nodded contentedly, then carefully laid Yi-hyun down on the sofa.
“You’re cute.”
He rolled up Yi-hyun’s top and grasped the slick, shiny cock in one hand. Despite saying he wanted to lick it, he just stared intently and fondled the soft shaft.
“Hah, ngh.”
Yi-hyun jerked his hips, spreading his thighs wide to the sides. It wasn’t intentional, but it looked like he was demanding to be licked quickly. Seo Jeong-woon grinned and bent over.
Yi-hyun frowned, anticipating the hot, wet pleasure. But a completely different sensation touched his groin.
“What are you, doing, ah!”
He hastily reached out, but Seo Jeong-woon swiftly caught his wrist. He leisurely interlocked his fingers with Yi-hyun’s hand while rubbing his nose bridge against the still-unformed shaft. Then, with a blissful smile, he took a long breath.
Rubbing his face against someone’s private parts? No matter how much he liked Seo Jeong-woon, it was an incomprehensible act.
“Hahhng…….”
Yet, he was helpless against the tingling arousal. Yi-hyun twisted his waist, letting out a low moan. Through the sensitive area, he could distinctly feel the smooth cheek and delicate shape of the nose bridge.
‘Getting excited over this…’
Clearly, he had a problem too. Still, he couldn’t take his eyes off Seo Jeong-woon’s face.
“It’s already all gone.”
Seo Jeong-woon scanned Yi-hyun’s clean skin with dissatisfaction. Only after leaving plenty of bite marks on the soft inner thighs did he finally take Yi-hyun’s cock into his mouth in one go.
“Haa, ahh, mmm…….”
Yi-hyun let out moans close to breaths. Since it had been a while since his cock was stimulated, the urge to come quickly surged. If this continued, he felt like he would make a mess in Seo Jeong-woon’s mouth again.
“Just a little, break, please, ahhk……!”
As soon as he pulled his captured arm slightly and begged, Seo Jeong-woon gently scraped the head with his front teeth. Sharp pleasure spread throughout his body. His toes curled on their own, and his hips lifted.
“Hhht……!”
Despite his efforts to hold back, Yi-hyun soon released thin semen. At that moment, Seo Jeong-woon spat out Yi-hyun’s cock. Naturally, the clear fluid splattered generously onto Seo Jeong-woon’s face.
“Why…….”
Yi-hyun was speechless, his lips parting and closing. This wasn’t an accident; it was intentional.
“Marking my territory? That you’re mine?”
Seo Jeong-woon licked the dripping fluid with his bright red tongue and winked. He was utterly shameless.
“Haa.”
Yi-hyun, at a loss for words, swept his hand over his face. To feel elated even by such nonsense… He was clearly corrupted by Seo Jeong-woon.
This was a real problem. Seo Jeong-woon, languidly sweeping back his hair, buried his head between Yi-hyun’s legs again. Then, as if claiming compensation for their time apart, he sucked to his heart’s content.
Seo Jeong-woon toyed with the highly sensitive cock, licking around the entrance, then stuck out his long tongue to poke the hole. When Yi-hyun trembled with pleasure, he patted his buttocks and licked upward from the perineum.
“How long are you going to keep doing this?”
Even after Yi-hyun came two more times, Seo Jeong-woon showed no sign of stopping. His rear felt so loose it was almost empty.
“Just a little more.”
Seo Jeong-woon murmured dazedly, his lips pressed against Yi-hyun’s thigh. Just a little more, just a little more. He had been repeating the same thing for a while now.
Unable to bear it, Yi-hyun grabbed the collar of Seo Jeong-woon’s shirt and pulled him up.
“Just put it in.”
Despite Yi-hyun’s fierce tone, Seo Jeong-woon smiled brightly.
“Don’t rush me. What if you get hurt?”
Seo Jeong-woon made a worried face, massaging Yi-hyun’s buttocks. It was nonsense. The softened entrance kept opening and closing, spitting out slick fluid.
Far from getting hurt, it would swallow him whole even if he thrust to the hilt right now. Yi-hyun shot a glare at Seo Jeong-woon, who tilted his head innocently. Seo Jeong-woon was just as aroused as Yi-hyun.
His elegant eyes were red and heated, and his menacingly erect cock twitched as if touching his lower abdomen. It was annoying how he pretended to be relaxed and acted petty for no reason. He must be holding back on purpose because he liked seeing Yi-hyun desperate.
Judging by his behavior, it seemed like he would suck down there persistently until Yi-hyun was completely drained and limp. No, perhaps he never intended to insert it in the first place. Seo Jeong-woon would lewdly lick up Yi-hyun’s cock, now tinged pink at the tip, while carefully stroking his swollen stomach.
He would also caress near the ribs or pelvis, gauging how thin Yi-hyun had become. Come to think of it, except for a few bites in the heat of excitement, he hadn’t touched his chest at all. This was less foreplay and more an act solely to satisfy Yi-hyun.
‘There’s no need for that.’
Yi-hyun twisted his lips. He refused to be treated like a fragile Omega. Thanks to being saturated with Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromones, he was in the best condition he’d been in lately.
How could he quickly break Seo Jeong-woon’s stubbornness? After pondering briefly, Yi-hyun wrapped his arms around Seo Jeong-woon’s neck.
“I can’t hold back anymore.”
Then, rubbing his lips against the soft cheek, he pleaded. It was an exact imitation of the cute act Seo Jeong-woon often did. But his expression remained stiff, and his gestures were utterly clumsy.
His tone was also very awkward. Trying to do something he wasn’t used to was torture.
‘I shouldn’t have done it.’
Yi-hyun immediately regretted it. Thinking about it, it suited Seo Jeong-woon, but there was no way it would be effective when he did it. Yi-hyun quickly pulled his head back.
“How do you keep getting cuter, darling?”
But Seo Jeong-woon rushed over eagerly. Yi-hyun stroked the back of Seo Jeong-woon’s head, which was nibbling at his collarbone, and lifted his hips. He didn’t understand why it worked, but anyway, he had achieved his goal, so it was fine.
“Ahh…….”
Finally, Seo Jeong-woon’s cock pressed firmly against the entrance. Just the heat touching his lower half made his arousal soar. Yi-hyun tightly closed his eyes, trembling with welling anticipation.
The moistened entrance opened naturally without any effort. Soon, the massive glans slid smoothly inside.
“Ngh.”
Yi-hyun gritted his teeth and hooked his legs around Seo Jeong-woon’s firm waist. No matter how closely they clung, the sofa was far too cramped for two large grown men to stick together. Seo Jeong-woon adjusted his posture, holding Yi-hyun so he wouldn’t fall.
“You’re squeezing too tight. I might get cut off like this.”
Seo Jeong-woon laughed playfully, licking Yi-hyun’s ear. The wet sound and hot sensation sent shivers down his spine.
“Hahh, ah…….”
Yi-hyun tried to relax, but it was useless. On the contrary, each time tingling pleasure rose, his body tensed up completely. Seo Jeong-woon braced against the armrest by Yi-hyun’s head, moving his hips slowly.
His dark, sunken grayish-brown eyes thoroughly scanned Yi-hyun.
“Why, only there, hhhu.”
Yi-hyun twisted his hips, grabbing Seo Jeong-woon’s shoulders. Even though his soft inner walls squirmed welcomingly around the shaft, Seo Jeong-woon kept thrusting shallowly.
“Do-dam will get startled.”
“You haven’t even put in half, have you.”
Half? Judging by how it didn’t even reach near the spot he usually thrust into deeply, it probably wasn’t even a third. It was frustrating that despite being so insufficient, the tight fullness was gradually making his arousal peak.
“Stop stimulating me. If you go in any further here, I think I’ll knot.”
Seo Jeong-woon slightly frowned his neat brow, whether serious or not. In response, Yi-hyun gripped Seo Jeong-woon’s shoulders tighter. Each time Seo Jeong-woon lifted his hips, he could feel the dynamically moving muscles.
“It’s okay if you do.”
Yi-hyun pulled Seo Jeong-woon closer. He wanted to press their lower bodies tightly together and get stronger pleasure. But Seo Jeong-woon slyly retreated backward.
“It’s fine.”
Yi-hyun gave permission again, digging his nails into Seo Jeong-woon’s shoulders. Yi-hyun needed Seo Jeong-woon’s pheromones. The best way to receive pheromones was still knotting.
His stomach was quite full, so it might be a bit difficult, but it wasn’t impossible. The doctor would be horrified if he heard. Conflict arose in Seo Jeong-woon’s pale eyes.
It seemed like he would give in if pushed just a little more.
“I can’t allow it.”
But Seo Jeong-woon cut him off sharply, not giving Yi-hyun a chance to pester. Yi-hyun pressed his lips tightly together. Surely that couldn’t be the case, but it felt like only he wanted it, which didn’t feel good.
Just as he was about to voice his dissatisfaction again, Seo Jeong-woon gently cupped Yi-hyun’s ear. Then he planted small, pecking kisses all over his face. Yi-hyun, who had been very annoyed, felt his anger naturally subside at the soft, tender sensation.
“Just bear with it a little longer. I’ll fill you up properly later. Even if you beg me to stop then, it won’t work. I won’t go easy on you even if you cry.”
Seo Jeong-woon whispered urgently, the laughter gone from his face. There was no trace of leisure left. Even so, to soothe Do Yi-hyun, he pressed a kiss to the tip of his prominent nose.
Do Yi-hyun drew in a sharp breath. His heart plummeted at the simple skinship. Until now, the two had engaged in sex driven purely by instinct, chasing only pleasure.
But as he received the relentless cascade of kisses, he realized this was no longer just bodies mingling.
‘This feels strange.’
Do Yi-hyun blinked slowly. His chest tingled.
“……Understood.”
Do Yi-hyun nodded as if giving in. Now that he clearly felt Seo Jeong-woon’s affection, there was no need to stubbornly insist on penetration.
“Mhm, good boy.”
Seo Jeong-woon chuckled softly, then lifted Do Yi-hyun’s legs to one side, turning his body sideways to lie down. He carefully hugged him from behind, mindful not to press on his stomach.
“Does it hurt?”
“Not at all.”
Do Yi-hyun replied flatly, pressing his upper body tightly backward. He felt like he might roll off the sofa.
“Don’t worry. I won’t let you fall.”
Sensing Do Yi-hyun’s body stiffen, Seo Jeong-woon wrapped his arms firmly around his chest. The hard shaft slid smoothly in and out of Do Yi-hyun again.
“Hah.”
Seo Jeong-woon gently kneaded Do Yi-hyun’s chest, which had swelled even more prominently than before, and nibbled at the nape of his neck, which exuded the faint scent of fig pheromones.
“Ah, hng.”
Whenever Seo Jeong-woon pinched the thick, swollen nipples with his fingertips, Do Yi-hyun shuddered. When sharp teeth dug into his skin, he felt as if he were being devoured, sending shivers down his spine. Each time, his inner walls clung even more tightly to the shaft.
Do Yi-hyun unconsciously swayed his hips. He wanted to take Seo Jeong-woon’s shaft deeper. Seo Jeong-woon gripped Do Yi-hyun’s pelvis firmly, controlling it so it wouldn’t go too deep.
“Hah, hah.”
Seo Jeong-woon seemed to struggle to hold back the surges of desire, occasionally stopping his movements to exhale roughly or grit his teeth. It was an impressive display of self-control.
‘……Not enough.’
Though the glans pushed a little deeper with each thrust, it still felt far from satisfying. Still, just being entwined with Seo Jeong-woon was enough to feel content.
“Lee Hyun-ssi, Lee Hyun-ssi.”
Seo Jeong-woon didn’t part his lips from Do Yi-hyun. It seemed as if he intended to leave bite marks all over his body.
“Ah, ngh, hah…….”
Do Yi-hyun, twitching from the wave-like pleasure that washed over him repeatedly, tilted his head back and rubbed against Seo Jeong-woon. Seo Jeong-woon wrapped a large hand around Do Yi-hyun’s neck and smiled contentedly. Do Yi-hyun, his eyes half-lidded, subtly turned his upper body.
Being held tightly in Seo Jeong-woon’s embrace was nice, but he wanted to see the expression on his face. The moment Do Yi-hyun moved, Seo Jeong-woon stopped thrusting.
“Are you uncomfortable?”
Seo Jeong-woon stroked the slightly bulging lower abdomen and asked worriedly. Do Yi-hyun rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand for no reason. The affection-filled concern felt a bit embarrassing.
“……I want to see you.”
Do Yi-hyun shook his head and mumbled.
“Do you like me that much?”
Seo Jeong-woon wrinkled his nose and sat up. Soon, Do Yi-hyun could gaze freely at Seo Jeong-woon, who was now straddling him. Though it felt a bit tighter inside than before, it wasn’t uncomfortable.
Do Yi-hyun took in Seo Jeong-woon’s face, then reached out his hand. Seo Jeong-woon took it as if it were natural. When he burrowed into his embrace, Seo Jeong-woon hugged him tightly with his warm body heat.
‘He’s mine.’
It was only now that he began to truly feel that Seo Jeong-woon was his Alpha. When Do Yi-hyun tugged at Seo Jeong-woon’s chin, he obediently offered his face. Do Yi-hyun bit down on the smooth, flawless cheek.
“Ouch.”
Seo Jeong-woon flinched, as if it hurt a lot. Undeterred, Do Yi-hyun tightened his jaw. It was only after a long while that he slowly pulled away.
A neat set of teeth marks remained clearly in the center of Seo Jeong-woon’s cheek.
“It hurts.”
Seo Jeong-woon whined while fiddling with his cheek. Despite the complaining tone, the corners of his mouth were curved into a smile.
“Did it leave a pretty mark?”
“So-so.”
Do Yi-hyun replied indifferently to Seo Jeong-woon’s question.
“Really? Then leave an even prettier one.”
With that, Seo Jeong-woon offered his other cheek.
“Hah.”
Do Yi-hyun bit his lower lip tightly and repeatedly brushed his bangs aside. Still, his restless heart showed no signs of calming down. In the end, Do Yi-hyun showered Seo Jeong-woon with kisses.
He couldn’t bear how adorable Seo Jeong-woon was. He roughly explored the warm mouth, then followed Seo Jeong-woon’s lead, planting kisses around his lips. He messed up the neatly styled hair and gently stroked the round back of his head.
He wanted to keep touching Seo Jeong-woon. To feel more of him. Seo Jeong-woon leisurely enjoyed the eager touches, occasionally getting excited and biting Do Yi-hyun’s shoulder.
The speed at which he thrust between his buttocks gradually increased. No matter what Do Yi-hyun did, Seo Jeong-woon showed no sign of displeasure. It was permission to act as he pleased.
As if Do Yi-hyun was reluctantly indulging Seo Jeong-woon’s stubbornness. Do Yi-hyun quietly laughed as he dragged his fingers down Seo Jeong-woon’s back. Silly laughter kept escaping him.
Even so, it was nothing more than a faint smile brushing past his impassive lips. Yet, each time Do Yi-hyun curled the corners of his mouth, Seo Jeong-woon grew increasingly restless.
“Ah, ngh, hah…….”
Do Yi-hyun writhed in the distant pleasure and clung to Seo Jeong-woon. Was it because he had ejaculated too much? Or had his body broken down?
Each time the swollen glans pried open his inner walls, thin fluid trickled from the weakly trembling tip of his shaft.
“Ah, Lee Hyun-ssi…….”
Seo Jeong-woon also seemed to be nearing his climax. He straightened his upper body and thrust a little deeper. Soon, sticky fluid began to flow continuously from Seo Jeong-woon’s glans.
Do Yi-hyun’s eyelids fluttered. A single ejaculation seemed more than enough to fill him to the brim.
“I love you.”
Seo Jeong-woon, still with his hard shaft inside, repositioned Do Yi-hyun in his arms. Then, he repeatedly confessed his love while persistently kissing him. The kisses started from his forehead, moving over his thin eyelids, straight nose bridge, firm cheeks, and finally landing on his parted, pale lips.
“You’ll wear them out at this rate.”
Do Yi-hyun hugged him back and glanced at him indifferently. Though he said that, he knew he’d feel regretful if Seo Jeong-woon actually stopped.
“Did you think of me a lot?”
As expected, Seo Jeong-woon didn’t stop, pressing his lips firmly against Do Yi-hyun’s cheek. Not only that, but his lingering hands also groped his buttocks. Do Yi-hyun glanced down at his own body.
Though Seo Jeong-woon seemed to have been careful, clear handprints remained on his pelvis, and his shoulders and groin were mottled with bite marks. It was highly likely bruises would appear by tomorrow.
“……Do you dislike it?”
Noticing Do Yi-hyun’s fixed gaze, Seo Jeong-woon pretended to sulk. Even when their feelings weren’t aligned, he had let it go, so there was no way he’d stop now. It was clear he was acting this way despite knowing better.
“Do you dislike it?”
Instead of answering obediently, Do Yi-hyun pressed his thumb firmly against the bite mark remaining on Seo Jeong-woon’s cheek.
“Haha.”
Seo Jeong-woon let out a clear laugh.
“I always did.”
Do Yi-hyun answered honestly to Seo Jeong-woon’s subtle question. At all times, his mind was so filled with Seo Jeong-woon that it was almost troublesome.
“Me too. No, I still do.”
Seo Jeong-woon pressed his forehead against Do Yi-hyun’s and smiled charmingly.
“Is that all? Even without you, I ate all my meals and slept well.”
Seo Jeong-woon boasted as if he had accomplished something great. Do Yi-hyun frowned. It sounded as if he were bragging about living well without him.
“That……”
“I didn’t know when you’d come back. You like my face, right? I should look good when we meet again. It’d be a disaster if my face got ruined.”
Seo Jeong-woon shrugged confidently, then quickly drooped his eyebrows and let out a deep sigh.
“That……”
Do Yi-hyun moved his lips but closed them again. Considering how Seo Jeong-woon had always seemed like a shining presence even when he had no interest, it didn’t seem entirely wrong. Even now, he kept wanting to look at Seo Jeong-woon.
“Shouldn’t you be denying it now?”
As an awkward silence lingered, Seo Jeong-woon let out a hollow laugh. However, he didn’t seem particularly displeased.
“I’ll try to look good for you forever.”
Seo Jeong-woon smiled with his eyes and whispered sweetly.
“……Then what should I try to do?”
Do Yi-hyun tilted his head and calmly asked back. He couldn’t guess why Seo Jeong-woon liked him. He wanted to try to live up to Seo Jeong-woon’s expectations.
“You don’t have to do anything.”
But Seo Jeong-woon firmly dismissed it and scooped Do Yi-hyun up in his arms.
“Let me wash you.”
Seo Jeong-woon, seemingly in a good mood, hummed a tune as he headed to the bathroom. Do Yi-hyun wanted to ask more, but a drowsy fatigue washed over him. He leaned heavily against Seo Jeong-woon’s shoulder.
“If you’re sleepy, sleep.”
Even without seeing his face, Seo Jeong-woon immediately sensed Do Yi-hyun’s drowsiness. Do Yi-hyun weakly grabbed the hem of Seo Jeong-woon’s clothes.
“……Other places……”
“Mhm. I won’t go anywhere else. I’ll stay right by your side.”
Even though he mumbled with unclear pronunciation, Seo Jeong-woon somehow understood. Do Yi-hyun smiled faintly and closed his eyes. It seemed like he could sleep comfortably for the first time in a long while.
“Dream of me, Darling.”
Seo Jeong-woon patted Do Yi-hyun’s back and whispered sweetly. It was a greeting he often gave just before he drifted off to sleep.
“Mhm……”
He had always dismissed it as nonsense and pretended not to hear, but this time, he answered softly. Seo Jeong-woon looked down at the deeply sleeping Do Yi-hyun with a happy smile.