By Zephyria 
Аs if рossessed, Wоо-yeоn put on his оutеrwеаr. Dо-hуun asked if hе wаntеd his coаt, but Woo-yеon simрly shоok his hеad. Dо-hуun must hаve felt thе phеromones tоo, yet his fаce remаined fаr tоo composеd, a stark cоntrаst tо Gа-rаm.
“Does this hаpреn often?”
А gеntle voice рosеd thе question. Тhе sоft tоnе was аs kind аs if he wеre speaking to a сhild. It seemеd he intendеd not to startlе Woо-yeоn.
“……Whу?”
Howеver, Woо-yеоn askеd bаck withоut lеtting down his guаrd. Dо-hуun blinked a соuplе оf timеs аs if choosing his words, then added nonchalantly.
“You look used to it.”
“…….”
It was exactly as he said. Woo-yeon had experienced this several times since his manifestation. At school, and on the streets. The utterly unnecessary trait of being a Dominant Omega plagued him from time to time.
“All dominants are just like that.”
Statistically, Alphas and Omegas make up less than 30% of the total population. Among them, the probability of being born a dominant type was small enough to be counted on one’s fingers. In a way, it was a miracle that two dominants were in this place right now.
Despite the low probability of encountering an Alpha, Woo-yeon was always careful with his pheromones. Because he was a dominant, control was difficult, but he suppressed them as much as possible. Normally, he hid them as much as an average Omega would, and he was even more cautious when around Alphas. Yes, that was definitely how he had lived.
“I made a bit of a mistake today……”
Under normal circumstances, the club room would never have been filled with pheromones. If only he hadn’t reacted to Do-hyun, if only he hadn’t let his guard down so recklessly. There were two Alphas in a confined space—one of whom was a dominant—and he had been far too careless.
“It doesn’t happen often.”
Woo-yeon told a smooth lie. He didn’t want to mention bad memories in a place like this. Do-hyun narrowed his eyes but called Ga-ram without further complaint.
“Hey, if you’ve come to your senses, come over and apologize.”
At those words, Ga-ram approached briskly. The pheromones that had been erupting wildly had already been swept away by the outside air. With an embarrassed face, he bowed his head and spoke without even making eye contact.
“My rut is coming up soon, so……”
“Stop making excuses and apologize.”
“……I’m sorry.”
Woo-yeon looked back and forth between the two with a lukewarm feeling. Similar things had happened frequently, but this was the first time he had received an apology from the party involved. As Woo-yeon agonized over what to say, a third option was presented.
“You don’t have to accept it.”
Do-hyun didn’t hesitate, even with the person standing right there. His gaze, directed straight at Woo-yeon, was more serious than ever.
“He’s the one who messed up; there’s no reason for you to accept it.”
It was a textbook response. The funny thing was that Ga-ram didn’t seem to object either. Seeing him look crestfallen like a sinner, Woo-yeon wrinkled his nose.
“……What are you apologizing for?”
Their gazes crossed. Do-hyun looked at Woo-yeon, and Woo-yeon looked at Ga-ram. The slight furrow in Woo-yeon’s brow spoke for his feelings.
“No, it’s not that, but……”
Woo-yeon trailed off and ruffled his hair. His brightly dyed hair became messy and disheveled. After a short deliberation, a monotone voice flowed out.
“It’s not like you’re actually going to say you’re sorry.”
It wasn’t an accusing tone. Nor was it a friendly one. At the flat voice, which was typical of his usual self, Ga-ram’s eyes widened.
“If I can’t control my pheromones next time, the same thing will happen again. Will you apologize then, too?”
Originally, Woo-yeon believed that Alphas couldn’t be helped. It wasn’t that he understood them; he ignored them. As a Dominant Omega, and as someone who had lived his whole life among Alphas, he held no expectations for them.
“I wasn’t that surprised, and this kind of thing happens a lot—well, occasionally—so I’m used to it.”
To be precise, it would be more accurate to say he felt nothing. For one’s mood to be spoiled, there had to be some level of unpredictability. One couldn’t get angry every single time they were bitten by an ant. Besides, Ga-ram couldn’t touch him anyway.
“Just don’t grab my wrist. I hate it when people touch me.”
This time, Woo-yeon’s face was genuinely displeased. More than anything else, that fact seemed to bother him the most. Ga-ram, his lips fluttering in a daze, replied weakly.
“……Sorry, I’ll be careful from now on.”
In truth, Woo-yeon didn’t really care. Ga-ram had regained his senses quickly, and it wasn’t as if he had actually intended to do something to Woo-yeon. Reaching out toward pheromones in front of them was simply an Alpha’s instinct.
However, he didn’t want to be merciful enough to say it was okay. He could treat him with indifference, but he wasn’t broad-minded enough to embrace him. Thus, Woo-yeon ended the entire conversation by standing up.
“I’ve filled out the application, so I’ll be going now.”
He set the coat he had been covering himself with aside. He thought someone mentioned something had gotten on it earlier, but there was nothing visible to the naked eye. Well, if there was a problem, they’d tell him later. It was just as he was gathering his bag and padding jacket.
“……Why?”
Do-hyun, who had checked his phone for a moment, had already taken the ‘hostage.’ The bag, lost in a void, was once again slung over Do-hyun’s shoulder. Holding the coat in his other hand, he naturally led the way for Woo-yeon.
“Let’s go.”
They headed toward the parking lot in a corner of the campus. Having followed Do-hyun to rescue his hostage, Woo-yeon stopped blankly in front of the passenger seat. Do-hyun, who was about to get into the driver’s seat after putting the bag in the back, stopped while opening the car door and asked.
“Aren’t you getting in?”
“Where are we going?”
“We have to eat lunch.”
His tone suggested why on earth he was asking something so obvious. For a moment, Woo-yeon lost his words and just gasped. In the meantime, Do-hyun strode over and opened the passenger door for him.
“Get in. I told you I’d buy you something delicious.”
Woo-yeon had assumed the promise had naturally fizzled out. It had been one-sided from the start, and Woo-yeon hadn’t agreed to it. Was he perhaps trying to take Ga-ram’s side because of what happened in the club room? He felt bewildered even as he got into the car.
“Is your house far from here?”
“No, it’s close.”
But he couldn’t ask why Do-hyun had brought a car then. The moment he realized the inside of the car was filled with pheromones, Do-hyun suddenly leaned his upper body in. Woo-yeon froze stiff as Do-hyun drew closer.
“…….”
The meeting of their eyes sent a chill down the back of his neck. As he stared with wide eyes, unable to even breathe, Do-hyun stopped his movement. With a look of realization, he avoided eye contact and widened the distance again.
“Fasten your belt.”
Only then did he realize Do-hyun had been trying to fasten the seatbelt for him. Thump, thump—his racing heart dyed his face bright red. Do-hyun started the engine as if nothing had happened and rolled down the window halfway.
“I’ll turn on the heater if you’re cold.”
What use would the heater be in this state? Of course, if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have been able to cool the heat rising in his face.
“Is there anything you can’t eat?”
“No…… there isn’t.”
Woo-yeon awkwardly gripped the seatbelt. The wind coming through the window tickled his cheeks. Even if it was a bit cold, it was better than having this state discovered.
“Anything you don’t eat?”
“Nothing for that, either.”
“I should ask multiple-choice questions.”
Do-hyun replied softly and turned the steering wheel. Keeping his gaze fixed forward, he spoke gently.
“Pick one. Western, Korean, Japanese, or snack food.”
He was the ‘Teacher who drives.’ A sight Woo-yeon had never seen and thought he would never see. The way he sat straight and stared ahead had a different charm than when he was solving problems.
“Western.”
Why did he have to be so unnecessarily handsome even from the side?
“Then noodles, meat, or rice.”
“Meat?”
“Among pork, beef, and chicken?”
“I can’t eat chicken.”
“So there is something you can’t eat.”
His gentle eyes curved beautifully. Perhaps because he was seeing him from the side, his eyelashes seemed quite long. Tapping the steering wheel, he curled the corners of his lips.
“Want to eat beef?”
He looked quite amused. It was just a simple Q&A; why was he so excited? Whether it was just his imagination or not, the smile he wore now didn’t seem fake.
“I don’t eat cheap stuff.”
Woo-yeon answered deliberately pricklily. Despite the answer being sufficiently obnoxious, Do-hyun laughed pleasantly.
“See, there are things you don’t eat.”
Whether it was four years ago when he was receiving tutoring, or now when he was merely a Hubae, Do-hyun’s kindness remained unchanged. As expected, his warmth was clearly directed toward everyone.
“As long as it’s not cheap, right?”
Woo-yeon didn’t answer, but Do-hyun turned the car on his own. The scenery flashing by felt like a past that had already vanished.
* * *
As a result, Woo-yeon had a satisfying meal. The hamburger steak topped with a sweet sauce and the fresh salad were quite tasty even for someone as picky as him. It wasn’t a lie that he didn’t eat cheap food, and there was a reason Do-hyun had shown such confidence.
“……Thank you for the meal.”
He learned a new fact: food could be delicious even if the price wasn’t high. He thought Do-hyun would find it absurd if he heard that, considering Do-hyun had paid a price that was by no means cheap.
“Try something else next time. All the other menus here are delicious too.”
Would it be a delusion to hear those words as a suggestion to come together again? Woo-yeon started to ask if he came here often, then hesitated. The clean exterior and the atmospheric interior were clearly a date spot to anyone.
“Is this a place you came to with a lover?”
“Just, you know.”
He changed the question, but the answer was devoid of substance. Do-hyun, who skillfully evaded the question, kindly opened the door for him. This, too, was a courtesy ingrained in his nature.
‘He must have a lot of dating experience.’
Even without that, Do-hyun had meticulously taken care of Woo-yeon throughout the meal. Putting a straw in his drink, pushing the food toward him, or kindly wiping away spilled sauce. They were actions a guardian might do for a child, but they weren’t different from how one treats a lover.
They say if someone has a double eyelid on only one side, they’re a player. Between his popularity and his handsome face, Woo-yeon felt there must be a vast amount of past history he didn’t know about. That’s probably why he tried to fasten the seatbelt earlier.
“I should go back to school now……”
Just as Woo-yeon, suddenly feeling upset, was about to say he was going back to school, a light suggestion popped out.
“Want some dessert?”
He intended to say no. Woo-yeon had no intention whatsoever of eating dessert with him. However, the soft, detailed explanation slowly lured him in.
“There’s a dessert shop nearby, and they say the strawberry cake is delicious. It has lots of strawberries and isn’t too greasy.”
The curled corners of his lips were seductive.
“It’s not cheap, either.”
The voice adding that was full of playfulness. Before he knew it, Woo-yeon averted his gaze with flushed cheeks.
“……I’ll eat it.”