By Zephyria Calm down. Nothing’s certain yet.
Returning home and being alone, Koi sat on the bed and recalled his thoughts with a fairly calm mind. Ash’s words were too unrealistic, and it wasn’t easy to believe everything.
Maybe he was a weird person…
Suddenly realizing this, Koi hurriedly shook his head and apologized to Ash. How unpleasant would Ash be if he knew that Koi had such rude thoughts? Recalling the inexplicable trust and intimacy he felt towards Ash, Koi was lost in thought again.
What if… just what if.
If I really was an Omega…
If that was my Manifestation back then.
Isn’t there a good chance that I’ve already been leaking Pheromones without knowing it?
He carefully imagined it. If that were the case, Ashley would also know that Koi was an Omega. But if so, why hadn’t he said anything until now? Or did Ashley not know either? Because I hid my Pheromones?
〈Even if you’re not aware of it, you can instinctively hide your Pheromones.〉
If that were the case, he obviously wouldn’t know. If I really am an Extreme Omega, that is.
He was dumbfounded, but there were no holes in Ash’s words. The only answer that matched his circumstances was that.
It would have been so simple if I could smell it.
Koi became resentful of himself, but nothing would change. After sitting there for a while, he soothed his confused self and changed his way of thinking in a different direction.
If I’m an Omega, what will happen with Ashley?
Until now, he thought he was a Beta, so there was an unavoidable distance between him and Ashley. No matter how hard he tried, Betas inevitably had a wall between them and Alphas or Omegas, and he had become estranged from Ashley several times because of it.
But if I’m an Omega…
Ashley would be just as embarrassed and surprised as I am.
Fear surged for a moment, but then another memory blocked him.
Ashley said he loves me.
Thinking negatively about everything is his bad habit. Ashley has told Koi that he loves him several times, and being this anxious is no different from doubting Ashley’s feelings.
How upset I was when my love was doubted. I’m going to do the same thing to Ashley.
Scolding himself, he tried to change his thinking positively.
He might even be happy.
A cautious expectation welled up in one corner of his heart. The reason Koi’s love for Ashley had been denied until now was because he hadn’t Manifested. But now that he’s become an Omega, no one will be able to condemn his feelings.
It’ll be much better for Ashley if I’m an Omega than if I’m a Beta.
At the very least, even when Ashley has a rut, he doesn’t have to bother looking for someone else. Now he can accept Ashley.
Imagining Ashley being happy made his heart feel like it was going to explode. Calm down, I need to check first. Koi took a deep breath and soothed himself. If Ash is right, his heat cycle will come soon. It’s not too late to think about it after that. Let’s talk when it’s certain. It’s not too late to worry about Ashley’s reaction then.
How ‘soon’ is ‘soon’…?
While lost in thought, his eyes soon closed, and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.
* * *
He woke up from his sleep, feeling a presence. The surroundings were already dark. After blinking a few times while lying down, Koi looked around, but there was no one in the room. He hesitated for a moment before getting out of bed and heading outside.
“Ashley?”
Passing through the brightly lit living room and going to the kitchen, Ashley was standing alone in the kitchen as expected. He was staring at one place as if lost in thought.
After confirming that there was a half-drunk glass of whiskey in front of him, Koi turned his gaze back to Ashley’s face, and only then did Ashley turn to look at Koi. As their eyes met, Ashley spoke first.
“You’re awake?”
From his quiet voice, Koi realized that Ashley had seen him sleeping. The presence he had felt was Ashley’s. Feeling somehow sorry, Koi spoke this time.
“You should have woken me up, did you have dinner?”
“Don’t worry about it. If you’re tired, why don’t you sleep more?”
Ashley’s tone was no different from usual, but Koi somehow felt a strange sense of unease. No, he carefully replied.
“I slept a lot. I’m fine now… um, if you haven’t eaten yet, would you like to eat together? Should I order something?”
He turned to call the front desk, but at that moment, Ashley opened his mouth.
“I heard you went out during the day?”
“Huh? Yeah…”
Did the doorman say something? Koi felt strangely uneasy as he answered.
“I went out for a bit to get some air. I came back soon, but I was too tired… I’m sorry I fell asleep first.”
What should he answer if Ashley asked about Ash? He was inwardly nervous, but unexpectedly, Ashley asked a completely different question.
“Did anything happen?”
“Nothing did?”
At Koi’s answer, Ashley stared intently at his face without saying anything. Koi felt even more uncomfortable under his gaze, which was staring with narrow eyes as if trying to dig something out.
Is he waiting for me to tell him about Ash myself?
But the words didn’t come out easily. The promise he made with Ash was blocking him. He had a feeling that talking about Ash wouldn’t be good, so he couldn’t open his mouth easily. Ashley picked up the glass and brought it to his mouth. He drank the remaining whiskey in one go, then frowned and put down the empty glass.
“…Koi.”
“Uh, yeah.”
Ashley broke the silence after a long time and opened his mouth. As Koi hurriedly answered, very nervous, Ashley seemed to think for a moment before finally trying to say something. But before the sound could come out of his mouth, just as he was about to move his lips, the intercom suddenly rang.
The two of them froze and looked at each other for a moment. Neither of them tried to move. It seemed like the ringing would stop if they left it alone, but it didn’t. Hearing the bell start ringing again after a brief pause, Ashley cursed in a low voice and soon moved to the intercom.
– Ah, I’m sorry for the late hour, Mr. Miller.
Ashley just listened without saying anything as the doorman spoke from the other side in a flustered voice. Ashley’s voice reached Koi’s ears, who was watching anxiously.
“…A guest? At this hour?”
Ashley glanced at the clock on the wall and paused. After a moment of silence, he soon opened his mouth.
“Let them in.”
The call soon ended. Koi only looked at Ashley’s back before carefully speaking.
“Um, Ashley. It seems like a guest is coming, so I’ll go to my room then…”
“Wait.”
Ashley stopped Koi, who was about to take a step. As Koi stopped in confusion, Ashley continued.
“Stay there, it’s your guest too.”
“Huh…?”
He was bewildered by the unexpected words. The sound of the elevator arriving was faintly heard. The private elevator had returned with a guest.
Ashley simply operated the sensor on the wall to release the security of the double doors, and soon the doors opened violently, followed by rough footsteps.
He had an ominous feeling for some reason. Koi stood there, shrinking his shoulders and staring at one place. Ashley was also looking in the same direction, waiting for the visitor who would soon appear.
The owner of the footsteps didn’t take long to reveal himself. He quickly crossed the living room with large strides and arrived at the kitchen where Ashley and Koi were waiting. He stopped as soon as he found them. Koi was flustered and froze at the sight of the man standing at the entrance to the kitchen.Ashley, who was just as tall as him, was a burly man with thick bones and large muscles. The vest he wore over his white shirt was stretched so taut it looked like it would burst, further accentuating his chest muscles. With his dark hair, sharp nose, and stubbornly closed lips, the man was intimidating enough, but it was something else that surprised Koi.
Purple eyes.
He couldn’t smell the Pheromone scent, but that alone was enough. It was the first time Koi had seen an Alpha other than Ashley, and he froze in shock.
Ashley had always been kind to Koi, so he had no idea what an Alpha was like. It was then that he suddenly remembered the expressions people, including Ariel, often wore when they talked about Ashley.
He noticed something in the man’s hand. He realized it was a person, and someone vaguely familiar, in quick succession, before the man threw him to the floor.
“Ugh!”
The slender body that tumbled to the ground with a scream was definitely someone he knew. Koi couldn’t help but stop breathing. The man, staggering, barely managed to lift his head, and their eyes met.
And Koi could see it clearly. Tousled silver hair, brilliantly shining green eyes, and slightly parted, bright red lips.
It was Angel.
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