By Zephyria 
A few hours ago.
Though exhausted to the point where his body and mind were frayed, Ashley Miller had no desire to rest.
Even though he already knew from the moment he stepped into the house where no sign of life could be felt, he searched every nook and cranny of the house. Only after finally opening the laundry room did Ashley accept reality.
Koi hadn’t come. Even though he had said so himself.
Grating, the sound of his teeth grinding could be heard from inside his eardrums. Standing there with his arms crossed for a while, he soon turned and headed for the kitchen.
Without even the leisure to take out a glass and pour whiskey, he drank straight from the bottle as soon as he opened it. His Adam’s apple bobbed significantly as he emptied nearly a third of it in one go, but he felt no trace of intoxication. It was because of the damn pheromones. The headaches that tormented him so, the endless insomnia, no, all of it. By the time he manifested, he was already completely finished.
“You have so much.”
You’re wrong, Koi.
Koi told Ashley he had a lot, but he had lost what he possessed long ago. He had lost Koi first, then hope, the will to live, his future, his memories, and now, almost no emotions were left. His mind was as chaotic as his messed-up life.
He wasn’t regretting it now, was he?
Regretting it would be too late. And he hadn’t even thought of such a thing in the first place.
Ashley placed both hands on the counter and stood there for a moment. His gaze remained fixed on the clock on his phone.
After remaining motionless for a while, he snatched his phone the moment midnight struck, left the kitchen, and got into the elevator.
Ashley had given him enough chances, and he had waited. Koi was the one who missed it. Now, no matter what Ashley did, he wouldn’t be able to make excuses. And Ashley arrived in an instant in front of Koi’s old, rundown apartment.
Koi flinched, his body curled up in fear. Cold sweat trickled down his back, and his whole body trembled. He had to say something, but his throat felt constricted, and no sound came out.
Seeing him just opening and closing his mouth, Ashley stepped forward without hesitation and strode into the house. Bang, the sound of his fist hitting the wall made Koi jump, and Ashley spat out, grinding his teeth.
“What are you doing? Didn’t I tell you to come to my house?”
“I, I did, but.”
Koi squeezed out his trembling voice, but he couldn’t continue. Seeing him close his mouth again, Ashley’s face grew even more menacing.
“Fine, get up. Let’s go to my house right now.”
“W-wait, Ash.”
Koi cried out urgently, but Ashley had already roughly pulled off the thin blanket that covered Koi up to his nose. And then, an unbearable, strong scent spread out all at once.
Ashley instinctively covered his nose and mouth with his hand. He knew what this scent was. The pulse pounding in his body and his rising temperature proved it.
Koi couldn’t say anything under Ashley’s gaze, which looked down at him with wide, astonished eyes. His flushed face and ragged breaths, his parted lips, were the most definitive answer.
“Sorry, Ash, I…”
The voice that barely escaped was shaking uncontrollably. He had suppressed it until now, but it was no longer possible. Ashley caught Koi just as he was about to collapse. The scent, now even stronger, enveloped his entire body. It was so intense it turned his vision white, but Ashley barely held onto his reason. Feeling the pain of his fingernails digging into his palm, he barely regained his senses, took a shallow breath, and said.
“That’s enough, do it later.”
With just that, Ashley unceremoniously scooped Koi up. He, who was already a fast walker, left the spot in an instant as if he were running a race. He then took the stairs three at a time and quickly reached the car.
Koi, who had dimly opened his eyes, saw Ashley, who had placed him in the passenger seat, immediately get into the driver’s seat. As he started the car, he called Bernice, but Koi couldn’t understand the conversation. His heat cycle, which had now fully kicked in, was making his entire body burn. He eventually let out a groan and began to sob.
“Calm down, just a little longer.”
Ashley said so, but there was little sincerity in his voice. He himself was already slapping his own cheeks several times as his body grew hotter. If this continued, he might lose his reason and ravage Koi in the car. He didn’t even have time to recall what was happening. There was only one thought in his mind.
I have to protect Koi.
He didn’t know from what. He just sped down the road like a madman, as if fleeing from something hot on his heels.
“Mr. Miller!”
Bernice and others rushed towards Ashley, who had finally stopped the car. Ashley didn’t answer, got out of the car, and carried Koi himself.
“Where is Dr. Steward?”
“He’s waiting. More importantly, are you okay? We’ve prepared a stretcher cart, so if you could just…”
Bernice spoke quickly, but Ashley passed her by and entered the building directly. Employees who spotted him quickly guided him.
“This way, Mr. Miller, are you really okay? The pheromone scent is too strong.”
“Mr. Miller, please place him on the cart. Mr. Miller!”
The calls continued, but Ashley didn’t stop. He finally placed Koi down after facing the doctor who was waiting for them.
Haaah…
Only after seeing the medical staff surround Koi, who was lying on the bed, did Ashley step back. A long sigh escaped his lips. With every breath, the pheromone scent that permeated deep into his lungs made his mind hazy.
“Mr. Miller, come out quickly! Hurry!”
Bernice, who had followed him, shouted. Ashley, who was obediently led by her into the hallway, murmured in a low voice to his unusually stiff secretary.
“It’s okay, don’t shout. …My head is ringing.”
His voice was hoarse and painful to hear. Bernice, who had immediately fallen silent, glanced into the hospital room. The pheromone scent wafting from inside was something she knew. It was the same scent she had smelled to her fill when she took Ashley to the party. It was just incredibly strong for one person to emit.
“No way, that child… Is this Niles’s pheromone?”
A short, airy laugh was heard as her voice faded uncertainly. Bernice, who had turned her head, witnessed Miller’s face contorting into a sneer.
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
A giggling laugh followed, mixed with his ragged breaths. A chill ran down her spine, a rare occurrence, and the fear she had felt from another Miller, long gone from this world, returned. As if mocking Bernice, who had convinced herself that such terror would never return.
When Koi opened his eyes, the surroundings were suffocatingly quiet. For a moment, he feared his hearing might be gone, but he was relieved when he felt the sound of his own breath, taken reflexively, echo in his eardrums.
It wasn’t.
Phew*, he sighed in relief, but it was short-lived. There was someone else in the room besides him. Hesitating with a strange sense of dread, Koi turned his head and froze.
A man sitting on the sofa was looking at him. As their eyes met, he placed the half-empty whiskey glass on the table and opened his mouth.
“Hello, Koi.”
The low, soft voice was exactly as he remembered. But for some reason, Koi felt more unease than relief. Unlike when they spoke on the phone, he felt a sense of distance from him. As the memory of their last meeting surfaced, Ashley spoke.
“Are you okay? How are you feeling?”
With the same gentle voice, Koi thought he had become strange. Ash was no different than before, so why was he acting like this? He forced away the cruel face that kept coming to mind and managed a smile.
“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you.”
“That’s a relief.”
Ashley smiled back. He should have felt at ease now, but Koi couldn’t at all. His reaction felt increasingly alien. Even though there was no reason for it. As Koi continued to act awkwardly, Ashley, still smiling, continued.
“The child is safe too, don’t worry.”
Koi’s reaction came after a few seconds of silence.
“…Child?”