By Zephyria 
‘We should.’
He didn’t know exactly what those words meant, but he knew they were words that made his heart heavy.
The past, suddenly brought up this dawn, continued to rattle and make a loud noise. A sudden wave of fatigue washed over Jeong-min; he flopped onto the bed, pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers, and closed his eyes.
─ Sunbae.
“What?”
─ You were silent, so I thought you were going to hang up….
“Ah, I was going to.”
─ Haha, don’t do that, let’s talk a bit longer. I’ve thought this for a while, but your voice on the phone is pleasant to hear.
Why did he suddenly switch to this gentle mode? Ha, he should have just hung up.
“I’m hanging up.”
─ Understood. I clearly understand your heart, Sunbae, not wanting to talk to me. But Sunbae, call me whenever you need me. I’ll be waiting.
Goosebumps broke out all over his body. Suppressing the urge to scream ‘Why would I?’, Jeong-min hung up without answering and lay on the bed. Ever since Shin-woo returned, he felt as if each day was becoming longer and longer.
✽✽✽
Yeong-min eventually came to the research institute. Upon hearing the news, Jeong-min rushed to the institute. Shin-woo was still hospitalized. He had thought that the two meeting was inevitable at some point, but he wondered if meeting in this way was the right thing. No, in truth, he didn’t want them to meet. What if Yeong-min became Shin-woo’s partner? What if he imprinted with him….
“Ah….”
Jeong-min stopped his footsteps as he ran toward the research institute.
‘My god.’
Clutching his aching chest, he took a deep breath. It was a repetition of that time. He had buried and hidden a past love, dismissing it as the impulsiveness of youth. He had vowed never to make such a mistake again, but seeing himself repeat it, he felt his own ability to learn was lacking.
But this time was different. It wasn’t just a matter of awakening as an Alpha or an Omega. This was a matter of Shin-woo’s life. Before, he thought everything would be solved if he just became an Omega; now, he had to be an Omega and his pheromones had to be compatible with him. He had already drifted too far down this path.
As Kim Ju-hwan had said yesterday, perhaps they were ‘in a position to be blessed.’ Yes, in the end, it was a love they had managed to overcome, even if only for a moment. Hiding it again would be nothing. Believing he could navigate through this with composure, Jeong-min steadied his heart.
“What are you doing?”
At the sudden voice, Jeong-min turned around. Young-min was there with Kim Ju-hwan. Kim Ju-hwan smiled at Jeong-min, but then frowned slightly upon seeing Jeong-min’s hand resting on his chest.
“Sunbae, are you hurting somewhere?”
“Ah, no. I’m fine. More importantly, Shin Young-min, what are you doing here?”
“Aww~ I told you I wanted to come because it sounded interesting~”
“Young-min. This isn’t a matter of whether it’s ‘interesting’ or not.”
“Jeong-min~ don’t think too deeply. Let’s go quickly. I miss Shin-woo hyung.”
Young-min pushed Jeong-min toward the hospital room where Shin-woo was. Jeong-min sighed and moved with heavy steps.
“Are you really alright?”
Kim Ju-hwan asked, as if confirming once more. His tone was blunt beyond measure, making it hard to tell if he was actually worried, so why ask?
“Mind your own business.”
“Haha, I guess it was a needless worry.”
Ju-hwan shrugged and stood beside Young-min. Actually, those two looked so well-suited; wouldn’t it be better if they just clung to each other and lived? If so, while the world might not be at peace, at least the inside of Jeong-min’s heart would be quiet.
“Oh? Shin-woo hyung!”
Young-min beamed and called Shin-woo’s name loudly enough to echo through the hospital corridor. Thanks to that, Shin-woo, who was just stepping out of the room, flinched in surprise, and then his eyes widened slowly in disbelief as he saw Young-min.
“Shin… Young-min?”
“Wow!! Shin-woo hyung! It’s been so long!!”
Young-min ran to him and threw himself into his arms just like they were children. To him, it was a display of friendliness, but it was awkward for both the observer and the recipient.
Shin-woo was flustered at first, but soon began to stroke Young-min’s hair. Really….
“It feels like we’ve gone back to those days.”
Kim Ju-hwan spoke the words that Jeong-min had only been thinking to himself.
“They were always in those positions.”
Shin-woo and Young-min looking at each other, and Jeong-min a few steps behind. And Kim Ju-hwan always standing behind that Jeong-min.
“Enough of that. Shin-woo hyung, are you allowed to walk around now?”
The two were happily exchanging greetings and asking how the other was. Not wanting to intrude between them, Jeong-min looked at Ju-hwan and asked. Ju-hwan smiled again, speaking as if he found it amusing.
“It really does feel like we’ve returned to the past…?”
“What?”
“Whenever Sunbae looks at me, it’s always when he’s disgusted by seeing those two stuck together. This is exactly that.”
“Sigh…. Kim Ju-hwan, I don’t know what you’re imagining, but I don’t have those kinds of feelings for Shin-woo hyung anymore. Now just answer me. Is hyung okay?”
“Yes, he is fine. His levels have dropped significantly, and his breathing has returned to normal. He can be discharged in about two days. Well, if Young-min sunbae’s pheromone compatibility matches Shin-woo sunbae’s today, it would be a permanent discharge.”
Right… I’d rather it be that way.
“But is it okay for Young-min to be clinging to Sunbae like that? Even if he’s improved, isn’t there a pheromone influence?”
“I think it’ll be fine since Shin-woo sunbae has probably taken his drug…. Come to think of it, I can’t sense Young-min sunbae’s pheromones. Neither can I.”
Kim Ju-hwan spoke as if pondering something. Now that he mentioned it, Jeong-min realized it too. It had been quite a while since he had smelled Young-min’s pheromones. What happened? Was that guy always this good at suppressing them? He used to leak pheromones everywhere…. Has he finally come to his senses?
“Well, we’ll find out when the test is done.”
At Ju-hwan’s words, Jeong-min nodded and approached the two.
“What? What do you mean by that?”
Shin-woo grabbed both of Young-min’s shoulders with a serious expression.
“I came to get a pheromone test today~ To see my pheromone compatibility with you, hyung. I heard you were sick? Then I have to help~ After all, look at what we are to each other.”
At Young-min’s lighthearted words, Jeong-min pressed a hand to his forehead. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Shin-woo’s face.
“Young-min…. This isn’t such a light matter.”
“I know. It’s a matter of life and death, how could it be light? I just wanted to help hyung. Do you perhaps hate me?”
At Young-min’s question, Shin-woo bit his lip as if in pain, then soon smiled sadly and stroked Young-min’s hair.
“How could I possibly hate you? Thank you.”
“Hehe.”
Soon, researchers approached and took Young-min away to explain what needed to be done before the test. Shin-woo gazed blankly at Young-min as he waved goodbye, and as soon as he disappeared, Shin-woo rushed over and grabbed Kim Ju-hwan by the collar.
“It was you, wasn’t it? You brought Young-min here, didn’t you?”
Ju-hwan raised both hands and looked at Shin-woo with a relaxed face.
“I simply thought of a way to cure the patient. Didn’t you also think, Yu Shin-woo sunbae, that perhaps Shin Young-min sunbae could be the one to make you recover? That’s why you decided to return to Korea so quickly.”
Ah…. I see. Shin-woo hyung had been loving Young-min all along. Even though he said he didn’t… just like Jeong-min, he had been hiding and burying those feelings. And by seeing Young-min and embracing him just now, those buried feelings had resurfaced, just as they had for Jeong-min.
Unable to refute Ju-hwan’s words, Shin-woo lowered his head and slowly released his grip on the collar.
“I hope there is good news today.”
Kim Ju-hwan spoke with a smile. However, strangely, his eyes were not looking at Shin-woo, but at Jeong-min. He wanted to ask what on earth he was thinking, but for now, he was more curious about Young-min’s results than the workings of that sinister head.
“Hyung, are you okay?”
Jeong-min approached Shin-woo to check his condition. He was staring blankly at the floor with his head down.
“Jeong-min…. I didn’t wish for this.”
“I know, hyung. This was Young-min’s choice. So you don’t need to feel sorry or guilty. If Young-min is the match…. then that’s a good thing. Since Young-min came here for the test, he must also know well that he cannot escape that responsibility.”
“Would… that guy really…?”
Only then did Shin-woo speak with a smile. Indeed, the person who knew Young-min as well as Jeong-min did was Shin-woo. He probably knew half the reason why Young-min had come here. That’s why he was more worried. And as always, it was Jeong-min’s role to ease those worries.
“Hyung, let’s go.”
Jeong-min patted Shin-woo’s shoulder to give him courage. He didn’t know what conclusion awaited them beyond that door…. but he only hoped that for at least one of them, it would be a happy conclusion.