By Zephyria 
“Tell me.”
Yes, this was not a situation to avoid.
“I’ve started dating Shin-woo hyung.”
Tap. The finger Kim Ju-hwan had been using to hit the table stopped.
A heavy atmosphere wavered to the point where he couldn’t continue the conversation after that one sentence. Soon, waiters tried to enter with a knock, but Kim Ju-hwan gave them a look that signaled them not to enter, and the waiters quietly closed the door and left.
“And so?”
“I’ll buy the drugs with money.”
“But you can’t sleep with me? So you’re saying that since the main wife is now serving you well, you’re throwing out the concubine after sucking all the sweetness out? I didn’t think Yu Shin-woo Sunbae was like that, but I don’t know what he’s thinking. Asking to date because living together isn’t possible. Isn’t this too sudden a development?”
“Kim Ju-hwan.”
“Don’t you think so too, Sunbae? Something is strange. I have no idea what that Sunbae is thinking. Do you know? Or has he really come to love Jeong-min Sunbae? Is that what he says? That he loves you? That he loves you even if you’re an Alpha?”
“Stop—!”
Just as he was about to tell him to stop, Kim Ju-hwan slammed the table first.
“Stop what? I haven’t even started yet.”
“Calm down first. I don’t know why you’re so angry… no, it’s true that I did something wrong. I’m not properly fulfilling the contract. I’ll accept whatever amount of penalty you ask for. I know it’s my selfishness and greed. But while dating hyung, I can’t sleep with another person.”
“And yet you still need the drugs to become an Omega?”
“…That’s right.”
“If you’re dating, shouldn’t he accept you even if you’re an ‘Alpha’?”
“…As I’ve said repeatedly, it has nothing to do with hyung. This is something I want to become.”
“Yu Shin-woo Sunbae didn’t stop you from doing that.”
“No. Hyung did stop me. He told me to stop.”
“Yes, believe that if you want to, Sunbae. Ha, fuck. To think he’d suddenly ask to meet first.”
Kim Ju-hwan brushed back his hair and let out a deep sigh. His face was a mixture of irritation and anger.
“Kim Ju-hwan…”
“Fine.”
He answered before Jeong-min could even finish calling his name. And he did so far too readily.
“Huh?”
“Why that expression? You look dazed. Are you not happy?”
“Uh, no… it’s not that. I just thought you’d definitely set some conditions.”
“Wow, Sunbae—now that we’ve mixed our bodies a bit, you know me quite well.”
Of course.
“…What do you want.”
“Actually, the drugs tailored for you can only be taken exactly seven times. After that, they can’t be taken because of side effects.”
“What?”
“Actually, I was planning to tell you this at the seventh time… well, it’s my fault for not telling you in advance, so I’ll take the penalty as this. However, the contract cannot be terminated.”
“If it’s seven times… then there are only two left?”
“That’s right. Two.”
“I want to buy those.”
“They’re just two injections at most, but if you knew how much our company invested in those two, you wouldn’t say that, Sunbae. Why would I trust you and hand those over?”
“Then what do you want me to do?”
“Let me ask one thing. What are you going to do after taking those drugs? Seeing as you won’t sleep with me, you don’t seem to have any intention of sleeping with another Alpha, and if you don’t mix bodies with an Alpha, the expected efficacy will drop. Then again, it’s not like Yu Shin-woo will embrace you. You wouldn’t ask him to embrace you either. So, do you intend to just throw away those precious drugs?”
Jeong-min couldn’t say a word to Kim Ju-hwan, who was voicing all the concerns and worries he had. This guy always saw right through him. Because of that, there was nothing he could deceive or hide.
“I can tell what you’re thinking. If that drug doesn’t work… you’ll try to find some cheap substitute. Like you said before, you have enough money. You’re thinking of becoming an Omega even if it means using some cheap or untested clinical trial drug, aren’t you?”
“This has nothing to do with you.”
As soon as Jeong-min finished speaking, Kim Ju-hwan threw a wine glass next to him. The sound of it shattering brought a knock from outside, but Kim Ju-hwan gave them no signal to enter.
“You need to shut up for a bit. Everything that comes out of your mouth is fucking annoying.”
“You need to kill that personality of yours.”
“Ha, fuck. Don’t you think I’m too deeply involved for you to say this has nothing to do with me?”
That was true. In fact, he wouldn’t have even been able to start if Kim Ju-hwan hadn’t helped. He might have picked up some trashy drug from somewhere and died in a wretched state.
“Actually, now that I think about it, you’re right. It is none of my business. Ah, but since there are two injections left, maybe it is? In that case, use those two injections.”
“What?”
Kim Ju-hwan stood up and approached Jeong-min. He looked down at Jeong-min’s bewildered face and then grabbed his arm, forcing him up.
“When are you moving?”
“Moving?”
“I heard you got a place below Yu Shin-woo’s house. When are you going there?”
When did he find out about that? Jeong-min was too tired to even ask how he knew.
“In four days.”
“Is that so? Other people will handle the packing anyway, so just stay with me for three days.”
“Stay with you?”
“I’m saying let’s shut ourselves in my house for three days. During those three days, we’ll use the remaining two doses of the drug. Normally, there should be a gap of at least a week. Well, since you’re someone who’s considering using cheap drugs, why not take that kind of risk? Maybe thanks to that, you’ll actually become an Omega. You could even tear up that contract; it seems like killing two birds with one stone.”
Jeong-min clenched his fists. This… was not a matter he could refuse.
“I’m going to pump plenty of my pheromones into your body. Whether you reject it or push me away, I’ll fill you up and tear apart those Alpha factors. This might truly be your last chance. You can get drugs anywhere, but where else can you get Extreme Alpha pheromones? There are only a few in the whole world. And you’re not going to do that with Yu Shin-woo, right?”
Kim Ju-hwan continued to whisper in Jeong-min’s ear.
“Thinking about it now, it’s funny. To have such a strict sense of fidelity to your main partner at your age. I’ll give you a round of applause. Truly admirable.”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
Jeong-min pushed away the approaching Kim Ju-hwan.
“I’ll do as you say. Three days, I just have to be with you, right?”
As soon as Jeong-min finished, Kim Ju-hwan yanked him up. With a loud crash, the chair plummeted to the floor.
“Let’s go, then.”
“Wait, it’s three days.”
“And?”
“You’re going to stop me from contacting anyone anyway, right?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“Then give me a moment. Shin-woo hyung will worry if I’m unreachable for three days. Let me make a call. Please.”
“What are you going to tell him? That you’ll be held in my arms for three days?”
“I’ll handle that. Please.”
Jeong-min bowed his head in request. Kim Ju-hwan found the sight absurd. For some reason, he felt himself becoming miserable. Since it was his first time feeling this way, Kim Ju-hwan was also confused. He felt that if he didn’t leave this spot immediately, he might strangle Shin Jeong-min and rape him right here.
“I’m the villain regardless. Finish in three minutes.”
Kim Ju-hwan let out a hollow laugh, swept his hair back once more, and left the room.
Jeong-min sighed as he looked at his messed-up clothes and the state of the room, then took his phone out of his pocket. What should he say to Shin-woo?
─ Hello? Jeong-min.
“Yeah, hyung.”
─ You said you had plans tonight; are you finished? Should I pick you up?
“Ah, no. I’m not done talking with my friends yet.”
─ Really?
“I called because I thought you’d worry. I might be hard to reach for a bit.”
─ I see. I’ll go to bed early today. Don’t drink too much. Especially since you’re not feeling well.
“Haha, ah. Right, hyung.”
He hoped today would be the last time he had to lie to his hyung in this situation.
─ What is it?
“I think I’ll be unreachable for about three days.”
─ Hm? Why?
“Since I’m moving, my family is making a fuss… Starting with your place, I think I’ll have to do a sort of tour.”
─ I’ve always been so envious of your family. It’s nice that you all seem to get along so well.
Shin-woo knew well because he had seen many times how much Jeong-min’s half-brothers and sisters-in-law cherished and loved him.
“Tell me about it… Not just my brothers, but my sisters-in-law are even more frantic. My nieces and nephews said they wanted to see me before I move… It’s not like I’m going abroad, and I’m in my 30s, but they treat me like a complete child.”
─ Haha, enjoy it. There are people who can’t have that. It can’t be helped. If it’s a family matter, I should be the one to yield. I’ll be spending more time with you in the future anyway.
“Thanks.”
And I’m sorry, hyung. Just this once… I’ll lie just this once.
─ Still, send me messages every now and then. Send some photos too.
“I will.”
─ Good night.
“Yeah, you too. Good night.”
Jeong-min hung up with a smile. At the same time, a heavy heart washed over him. How wonderful would it be if he could become an Omega in just three days? If this lie actually led to such a result, as Kim Ju-hwan said, it might be somewhat meaningful…