By Zephyria 
Haon woke up, frowning with eyes that were swollen and puffy.
His head felt heavy because he had fallen asleep after crying his heart out in In-ho’s arms the previous night. He didn’t usually cry that much when he was sober, but for some reason, the tears wouldn’t stop.
Fiddling with his swollen eyelids, he lay on his side, facing the empty spot next to him. Seeing the light on in the next room, it seemed In-ho had gone to exercise since early morning.
Instead of getting up immediately, Haon lightly touched the spot where In-ho had been lying. He wanted to stay in In-ho’s bed a little longer.
Although he occasionally came upstairs to clean, this was the first time he had ever lain in his bed.
Pressing the tip of his nose against the pillow and blanket, Haon took a deep breath. The soft scent that emanated from In-ho lingered on his bedding. This scent, which made his heart race whenever he smelled it, had now become Haon’s favorite scent in the world.
I wonder if his pheromones smell like this, too.
Mulling over the sudden question, he carefully touched In-ho’s pillow. Since his body smelled so good, he imagined his pheromones would also have a wonderful fragrance.
Haon tried to imagine the scent of In-ho’s pheromones.
It was something he would never be able to smell in his life. Haon’s body was incapable of producing the alluring pheromones that Alphas and Omegas release when tempting one another.
“…….”
The fact he had always known suddenly felt overwhelming.
Before meeting In-ho, he had thought it was a relief that he didn’t even emit pheromones. However, the more he grew to like In-ho, the more he became conscious of his own flaws.
How could he have absolutely nothing going for him?
His body was scrawny, he always had a vacant expression, and he was sickly whenever given the chance. And yesterday…
“Are you awake?”
While Haon was immersed in gloomy thoughts, In-ho entered the bedroom. At that moment, the corners of Haon’s drooping mouth lifted as if they had been waiting.
“Did you exercise?”
“Yes, I went for a bit of a run.”
In-ho approached the bed, wiping away sweat with the towel around his neck.
“Sleep a bit more.”
He laid Haon back down as he tried to get up, then sat on the floor with his knees bent to meet Haon’s eye level. He also tucked the blanket up to Haon’s chin.
Haon faced In-ho, leaning his cheek deeply into the pillow. He felt a cozy warmth from the blanket In-ho had covered him with. It was a sensation that beckoned sleep.
“I’ll take my time washing up and coming out, so keep sleeping.”
In-ho smiled, gently touching Haon’s heavy eyelids. It was because Haon still looked sleepy.
“Don’t go downstairs; sleep here.”
He whispered, pressing his lips against Haon’s rounded cheek. Then, he left a kiss on his forehead before standing up.
Haon didn’t move from the position he had been laid in, only nodding his head.
A genuine smile now hung on Haon’s lips, which had grown light. His gloomy thoughts vanished in an instant.
Wearing a pleasant smile, Haon gradually drifted back to sleep to the sound of water echoing from the shower.
In the meantime, In-ho finished showering and prepared breakfast. He prepared just the right amount for Haon to eat, placed the food on a tray, and returned to the bedroom.
Deep in sleep, Haon remained lying there as if unconscious until In-ho returned.
In-ho looked down for a moment at Haon, who had fallen asleep exactly in the position he had placed him in. The quiet, rhythmic sound of his breathing sounded exceptionally loud. Listening to that cute sound, In-ho carefully brushed away a stray lock of hair.
Haon’s face bore the marks of having fallen asleep exhausted from crying. Feeling pity, In-ho gently caressed the swollen eyelids and reddened corners of his eyes.
He rarely showed tears. Yet last night, as if he had made up his mind, Haon had poured out all the tears he had suppressed. Seeing him cry so sorrowfully for so long, In-ho could imagine how much he must have held back until now.
“Haon-ssi.”
In-ho looked at Haon’s face, then took his hand and shook it to wake him. He wanted him to eat before the food got cold.
“Eat and then sleep more.”
He helped Haon up and first had him drink some lukewarm water. With a half-asleep face, Haon moistened his throat and sat leaning against the headboard. He was still dazed, not yet fully awake.
Because he had been so excited for their first date that he barely slept before going to the aquarium, he was still sleep-deprived. The aftermath of visiting a crowded place for the first time in a while was also significant. Moreover, lying in a bed filled with In-ho’s scent made sleep come even more easily.
“You… should eat too, In-ho-ssi.”
Haon spoke while rubbing his eyes, chewing the porridge In-ho was feeding him. In-ho wasn’t eating; he was just feeding the porridge to Haon.
“You eat first, Haon-ssi.”
In-ho shook his head gently, as if the thought hadn’t even occurred to him.
“Is your stomach still upset?”
Haon asked, his sleepiness fading slightly after hearing In-ho’s answer. It weighed on his mind that In-ho had secretly gone to throw up after finishing their meal at the restaurant yesterday.
Is he actually sick somewhere? Deep concern filled Haon’s swollen face.
“I’ll eat later.”
With a calm smile, In-ho said “Ah,” signaling for Haon to open his mouth again. Since he didn’t say he was fine, it seemed he really was feeling unwell.
Haon let his eyebrows droop as he accepted the porridge In-ho spooned for him. He felt uneasy eating something delicious all by himself.
“Please make sure to eat later.”
Still, he never forced him to eat. Because he couldn’t risk In-ho vomiting again.
He simply chewed and swallowed the porridge, hoping In-ho’s stomach would feel better. He ate even more diligently, thinking that if he enjoyed the food, it might stimulate In-ho’s appetite.
In-ho watched Haon with a gratified expression, tightening the muscles around his mouth. It was so cute how Haon stared at him while chewing that a laugh almost escaped. Knowing that Haon would notice his gaze and avoid it if he laughed now, he struggled to hold it back.
As the bowl became half empty, Haon’s eating speed slowed. In-ho naturally handed him a glass of water instead of porridge and tidied up the bowl. Then, he slowly spoke.
“The person who came yesterday was my brother. My second older brother.”
So it was a biological brother. Haon, who was drinking the water In-ho gave him, paused. They didn’t look alike at all, so he hadn’t even considered they were family.
He was even more surprised since he had seen In-ho’s mother, who looked exactly like him. Because the atmosphere was completely different, they hadn’t looked like brothers at all.
“As you saw, we don’t get along very well.”
Haon nodded repeatedly, signaling that he was listening intently. He had been curious, so he was grateful that In-ho brought it up first.
“I have two older brothers and one older sister.”
In-ho gave a light smile as he watched Haon nod seriously. He placed the tray on the nightstand and spoke playfully, his eyes shifting as if pondering his next words.
“We’re in a relationship where we can’t show each other our weaknesses.”
Haon’s head, which had been moving diligently up and down, stopped for a moment. A relationship where they can’t show weaknesses. He couldn’t quite grasp what kind of relationship that was. It was a difficult concept for Haon.
“But don’t worry, because I win every time.”
In-ho chuckled, rubbing the furrow of Haon’s serious brow. The content of his words was certainly serious, but because he spoke with a smile, it sounded a bit lighter—even though it was a sufficiently heavy topic.
“If anyone comes to see you, let me know immediately.”
In-ho took Haon’s hand, sliding his fingers between the gaps to interlock them. He had brought up his family specifically to say this.
“No matter what you hear, don’t let it bother you. Just tell me everything.”
He finished with a smile, as if everything would be resolved if Haon did that.
Haon listened quietly and remained silent for a very brief moment. He gazed steadily into In-ho’s eyes, swallowed hard, and then spoke.
“I’ll tell you everything.”
So please don’t worry. He added the last part, putting as much strength as possible into his thin voice.
He could feel that In-ho was worried about him. He didn’t yet know what In-ho feared, but he had the confidence that he would never keep secrets from him. That wasn’t difficult at all.
In-ho gently caressed Haon’s gentle face as he answered firmly. As he touched the cheek where the bruise had faded, Haon subtly leaned his face into the palm.
Haon quietly offered his cheek and leaned his upper body slightly toward In-ho. He loved it when In-ho touched him. Anywhere was fine; he just wanted In-ho’s hand to linger on his skin for a long time.
“Would you like to keep a few sets of clothes in my room?”
Haon tilted his head at In-ho’s sudden question. When he asked back with his eyes, Clothes?, In-ho grinned and rubbed his lips against Haon’s cheek.
“It’s a hassle to go up and down the stairs.”
Haon, who had been tilting his head, suddenly realized and blushed. At the same time, he quickly answered that he would.
In-ho pressed his lips against Haon’s reddened cheek and naturally transitioned into a kiss.
Haon opened his mouth following him and welcomed the body entering beneath the blanket. The two held each other tightly in an embrace, sharing kisses before falling asleep together.
The next day, Haon also had breakfast in In-ho’s bed.
The two slept together and lounged around, savoring the brief leisure they were allowed. After such tender moments, Thursday arrived.