By Zephyria 
Throughout thе wеekend, Wоo-yеоn sреnt his timе in а state оf uttеr сonfusion. It stаrted with whether hе had аctuаlly slеpt with Dо-hуun, аnd extеnded tо questions abоut whether such а thing was acсeрtаble to do to somеone who wаs intохiсаted. Thе Tеаcher hе knеw wasn’t that kind of pеrson, but if аskеd what evidеnсе hе hаd to bеliеve thаt, there wasn’t a partiсularly сonvincing rеason.
Hе did sleеp with him; he didn’t. Тhеse cоnflicting thoughts сomреted tо vоicе thеir oрiniоns еvery sесond оf еvеrу minute. The former relied on the circumstantial evidence visible to the eye, while the latter relied on an invisible trust. After weighing the two for a long time, Woo-yeon recalled the fact that he himself was an Alpha and made up his mind.
‘I shouldn’t expect anything.’
Nothing is as fragile as the assumption that something “couldn’t possibly happen.” Woo-yeon liked Do-hyun, but that didn’t stop Do-hyun from being an Alpha. If he had thrown himself into Do-hyun’s arms while releasing pheromones, there was a high possibility that Do-hyun had simply been faithful to his instincts.
As soon as that thought occurred, Woo-yeon was flustered by a wave of regret. Even though it was an act in which his conscious will hadn’t been reflected, a sense of unfairness preceded any feeling of unpleasantness. Since things had already turned out this way, it would have been nice if he could at least remember. An experience like being held by the Teacher might be something that would never happen again.
Woo-yeon knew how foolish this line of thinking was. If he were thinking rationally, he should have been disappointed first by the fact that he had touched a heavily intoxicated person. Instead of recalling the Teacher’s firm upper body, he should have felt anger and resentment.
But as always, the head could not win over the heart. Woo-yeon already liked Do-hyun too much to hate him over something like this. He was so blinded by the fact that Do-hyun had reacted to him that he even felt a glimmer of hope that there might be a slight possibility.
Three days passed like that. After tossing and turning all night, Woo-yeon felt something strange happening to his body as soon as Tuesday morning arrived. He contacted his primary physician immediately, who rushed to Woo-yeon’s house and briskly conducted several tests.
“So… you’re saying the suppressants aren’t working?”
“Yes, I took them yesterday too.”
Despite taking the medication regularly, his senses were hypersensitive. Pheromones wavered, and an inexplicable sexual desire kept surging. The reason he had spent the night restless was that the sensation of Do-hyun petting him came back vividly.
“For now, this could be a temporary symptom, so please continue taking your medication as usual. The test results show no major problems, but I think it would be best for you to rest at home until your condition improves.”
The physician answered calmly and rummaged through the bag he had brought. Looking at the slight frown between his brows, it seemed he had no clue what the problem was. Woo-yeon rubbed the area where his blood had been drawn and asked tentatively.
“It’s a bit difficult for me to miss school. Is there any other way?”
He could use a periodic absence, but he had two major lectures today. It was hard enough to understand the material even when he was focused; the idea of missing class was daunting. It would be easier to just get through today and then ask the professors for their understanding to rest for the remainder of the week.
“I could give you a shot, but the effect won’t last long…”
The physician answered with a reluctant expression. “I wouldn’t really recommend it,” he added, but Woo-yeon remained steadfast.
“Just for today is enough.”
“…If you insist, I’ll give it to you for now, but you absolutely must rest at home tomorrow. Understood?”
At the desperate request, Woo-yeon nodded.
Since everything discussed today would be reported to his mother, the physician would be fired on the spot if anything went wrong. The physician likely found it difficult to prescribe the shot because he was aware of that fact.
“He could just not mention that I got a shot…”
When he muttered this unconsciously, the physician gave a benevolent smile. Saying that he would truly be fired then, he added with a rather serious tone.
“You are a dominant Alpha, Young Master, so you must be careful.”
Since his manifestation, Woo-yeon had heard these words until his ears were practically calloused. Especially during the period immediately following his manifestation, he heard it three times a day, as regularly as meals. Even without the repetition, Woo-yeon was already sufficiently vigilant.
“It will feel a bit stiff.”
The shot the physician administered was a drug that temporarily suppressed pheromones. There were no particular side effects, but it couldn’t be used frequently as tolerance could build up; it was meant for emergency use in urgent cases. The effect lasted exactly 12 hours, and he was told to return home within that timeframe.
“I’ll be back at the same time tomorrow, so be careful on your way to school.”
The physician packed his things and left without lingering. This was because he knew Woo-yeon didn’t enjoy long conversations with him. He would likely call Woo-yeon’s mother on the way back and explain every single detail.
“…I miss Teacher.”
Woo-yeon let out a deep sigh, pressing down on his arm where the bandage was. His head was already cluttered enough, and now his heat cycle was becoming a headache. In truth, he wanted to ask the physician if sexual intercourse could have an effect, but if he mentioned that, he might be dragged back to the family estate immediately.
* * *
As soon as Woo-yeon arrived at school, he visited the professors and submitted the doctor’s note. He worried they might think he was faking it, but his usual image of being a hardworking student helped. One professor, whom the Teaching Assistant had mentioned before, even patted Woo-yeon on the shoulder, telling him to speak up whenever he needed to.
After finishing his business, he naturally headed toward the club room. He had arrived too early and had plenty of time left, but that was because Seon-kyu was likely still sleeping at home. At this hour, the door should at least be open, so he figured he could kill some time there before heading to his lectures.
‘No contact at all…’
Woo-yeon took out his phone and walked with heavy steps. Now that his confusion had settled slightly, a sense of disappointment he hadn’t felt before emerged. The silence of his phone throughout the weekend contributed to this.
No matter how drunk they were, shouldn’t he have reached out if something like that happened? Even if Woo-yeon had been wasted, Do-hyun had been sober.
‘I won’t even be able to see him this week…’
Since he had to rest at home after today, he would have to wait at least a week to see him. This meant that asking if they really had slept together, or demanding, ‘Then why did you do that to me, Seonbae?’ would all have to be postponed for a week.
Once again, it felt frustrating and suffocating that he was the only one agonizing over this.
“…but.”
A moment later, upon arriving in front of the club room, Woo-yeon stopped in his tracks at the sound of Ga-ram’s voice coming from inside. He had heard the door hadn’t been closing properly lately, and indeed, the door that should have been shut was open by about a centimeter. Just as he was about to put his hand on the doorknob, wondering if he should suggest fixing it—
“Why are you hitting on Woo-yeon?”
A topic that was impossible to ignore slammed into his ears. Because the voice was so clear and the pronunciation so precise, there was no way he could have misheard it. Woo-yeon reflexively stopped moving and inhaled sharply.
“…Me?”
The answer flowed out slowly. It was a voice so familiar that if he hadn’t received the suppression shot, his pheromones might have leaked out. Do-hyun, whom he was certain he wouldn’t see until next week, was at school, separated from him by a single door. His heart, already conditioned to him, began to beat louder—thump, thump.
“Everything you’re doing is exactly like hitting on him.”
Ga-ram spoke in a cold voice, unlike when she dealt with Woo-yeon. He couldn’t tell exactly what the situation was, but it was clear that Do-hyun did not seem to be in a good mood. Woo-yeon leaned his back against the wall and focused on their conversation.
“Buying him meals, buying him drinks, helping him study… Well, fine. I’ll grant that a Seonbae can do that.”
The irritated voice sounded almost like a monologue. It seemed as if he were brainwashing himself, muttering, ‘He’s a Seonbae, so he can do it, that’s right.’ However, the following words were definitely a question directed at Do-hyun.
“But what? You’ll take him to a movie if he does well on the exam?”
Woo-yeon’s shoulders flinched involuntarily. That was something he had told Ga-ram on his own without asking Do-hyun. There had been no agreement to keep it a secret, nor any reason to do so, but for some reason, he felt like he had done something wrong.
“Your intentions are obvious, man. Taking a kid to see a horror movie.”
The sound of clicking a tongue was heard. Even though Woo-yeon was the one who had chosen horror, Do-hyun ended up being the one misunderstood. While he was debating whether he should open the door now, Do-hyun replied in a nonchalant tone.
“Woo-yeon said he’s seen that whole series.”
Unlike Ga-ram, his tone was calm and devoid of inflection. He didn’t seem particularly flustered, nor did he seem upset. Ga-ram asked, “Eh, really?” and then cleared her throat lightly to change the subject.
“…Anyway, why are you acting like this toward Woo-yeon when you’re someone who draws lines so clearly?”
Leaning his head against the wall, Woo-yeon stared blankly into space.
‘Draws lines clearly.’ To Woo-yeon, who had been pushed outside those lines four years ago, those words were truly painful. More than anyone, Woo-yeon knew best how skilled Do-hyun was at cutting people off.
“What are you doing? This isn’t like you.”
“Should I answer, ‘What is “like me”?'”
“Are you crazy?”
Woo-yeon crouched down and hugged his knees to his chest. He hadn’t wanted to eavesdrop, but since he had heard this much, he couldn’t go back. Nor did he have the confidence to jump in between them as if nothing were wrong.
After letting out a few curses, Ga-ram lowered her voice quite seriously.
“Why wouldn’t you hug him when he’s crying? Knowing how much the kid would look forward to it.”
Half curiosity, half anxiety—knowing he shouldn’t, his ears perked up. Do-hyun hugging him was likely nothing more than simple comfort, but it seemed it looked exceptional to others.
“I know you don’t stop people from coming or hold onto people who leave, but you’ve always kept your professional and private lives separate.”
It was a nuance that suggested he had dated many different people. As expected, they say people with a double eyelid on only one side are playboys. Because Do-hyun didn’t offer a proper rebuttal, the words felt even more credible.
“You’re quick-witted too… knowing that Woo-yeon likes you, why are you doing this?”
“…”
For a moment, his head rang with a ‘Ding’. He hadn’t thought it was invisible, but hearing it from someone else’s mouth was harsh. It had been visible even to a third party, not just the person involved. That fact made him feel a bit embarrassed.
“If you’re not being sincere, stop it. I want to see Woo-yeon for a long time.”
Once again, Ga-ram pierced Woo-yeon’s solar plexus rather than Do-hyun’s. He knew what intention and purpose were behind those words, but in the end, it felt like digging into a wound. The same went for Do-hyun’s subsequent answer.
“…He says my smiling looks fake.”
Do-hyun began his opening in a tantalizingly slow manner. It was an evaluation Woo-yeon had spat out in a fit of resentment once. Before Ga-ram could respond, he let out a short laugh.
“I want to see how long he keeps thinking that.”