By Zephyria 
Nееdless to saу, еvery guеss was cоrrесt. In just thrее sеntencеs, hе hаd graspеd everything Wоo-уeоn was thinking. Нowеvеr, his sunkеn gaze аnd clоsed lips, cоnversely, rеvealed nоthing of Dо-hуun’s own thoughts.
“I didn’t eavesdrоp on purроsе.”
Wоо-yeоn barеlу managеd tо make an eхcusе, his liрs feeling hеаvу. In thе еnd, he hаd listеned whilе hiding, but it wasn’t as if he had wanted tо hear it frоm the start. If hе could havе remаined cоmрletelу ignorant, hе would hаvе chоsеn that.
“Тhе club rооm dоor was орen, sо I just hаррened to hear it.”
“……Well, that’s not something I should be questioning you about, but something you should be questioning me about.”
The answer flowed out softly. Stopping the car at a traffic light, Do-hyun turned his head to stare at Woo-yeon. There wasn’t a shred of playfulness in those pitch-black pupils.
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
“What do you mean by ‘like that’?”
Woo-yeon didn’t want him to vaguely gloss over it with the phrase ‘like that.’ If this topic hadn’t come up, it would be one thing, but since the conversation had started, he had to take responsibility. Just as he had wanted to hear everything from Woo-yeon in words, Do-hyun needed to be clear as well.
Do-hyun calmly pointed out the parts Woo-yeon was misunderstanding.
“I didn’t treat you well just because I didn’t want to be called a hypocrite while having no feelings for you.”
It was only a single sentence, but it was enough to melt his frozen heart. Unconsciously, Woo-yeon’s expression softened, and the corners of his eyes drooped.
“……Then why did you answer like that?”
Regardless of the intended meaning, it was a statement with plenty of room for misunderstanding. It wasn’t that Woo-yeon had overanalyzed it; the situation and the conversation had led there. Do-hyun seemed to know this, as he murmured with a hint of pity.
“If you were going to listen, you should have stayed to hear the rest.”
“What was the rest?”
Woo-yeon blinked blankly. In the meantime, the light turned green, and Do-hyun smoothly started the car.
“I don’t want to tell you.”
“……What?”
His tone was flat. For a moment, Woo-yeon was speechless, then let out a scoff of disbelief. He protested, asking how he could do that, but Do-hyun didn’t give in easily.
“If you’re curious, ask Mungaram. I’m not telling you.”
“How am I supposed to ask her that?”
“Then you’ll just have to stay curious.”
“You’re really mean.”
Woo-yeon immediately replied sullenly. If he was going to tell him, he should have told him everything, yet he had plucked out the most important part just to leave him wondering. Do-hyun glanced at Woo-yeon and narrowed his eyes as if amused.
“I didn’t know you’d hear that again.”
“Again?”
“Last time. When you asked me to lend you a hand.”
“I asked you to lend me a hand?”
“Ah, you don’t remember this.”
The tone was casual, but for some reason, the back of Woo-yeon’s neck tingled. An ominous feeling rushed in, like a warning alarm ringing. However, just as Woo-yeon, unable to contain his curiosity, was about to ask what he meant, a gentle voice stopped him.
“Think carefully.”
“…….”
“If I really tell you ‘everything,’ you might just open the car door and jump out.”
It wasn’t an empty warning. After a brief moment of deliberation, Woo-yeon chose to keep his mouth shut. Since it was the Teacher saying it and no one else, it was better for his own well-being not to ignore it.
Before long, they entered the apartment complex. After exchanging some trivial conversation (mostly about school life), Woo-yeon whipped around the moment Do-hyun finished parking. His clear eyes were filled with anxiety.
“Um…… Seonbae.”
There were many things to ask, but the ride home had been far too short. There was still a mountain of things to talk about, and he couldn’t just let Do-hyun leave like this. Moreover, the sudden parting felt regrettable.
“Would you like to come inside for a bit?”
“…….”
At those words, Do-hyun stared blankly at Woo-yeon. Having summoned his courage to speak, Woo-yeon flinched and shrugged his shoulders. It was because that pitch-black gaze was far too persistent.
“……Why?”
“No, it’s just……”
Instead of giving a reason, Do-hyun shook his head and turned off the ignition. After removing the key and unbuckling his seatbelt, he carelessly brushed back his hair. Woo-yeon swallowed hard, thinking that the furrowed brow looked incredibly sexy.
“……Just in case I’m mentioning this.”
Before stepping into the elevator, Do-hyun began with a somewhat hesitant air. As Woo-yeon looked up at him, he asked tentatively.
“You haven’t forgotten that I said I like you, have you?”
“……How could I forget that?”
Woo-yeon turned his gaze away, his ears flushing red. Far from forgetting, it was precisely because he remembered that he had invited him inside. To have plenty of time and engage in a deeper conversation.
“Ah, it’s not like last time!”
Woo-yeon let out a small exclamation and waved his hands in excuse. He had no such intention, but it felt similar to when his heat cycle had hit.
Do-hyun watched Woo-yeon silently for a moment, then let out a small sigh and murmured.
“You trust me too much.”
Since the elevator arrived at that exact moment, Woo-yeon couldn’t ask what he meant. However, it was certain that the gaze looking at him seemed incredibly complex.
* * *
The sky, filled with fluffy clouds, looked blue and high at a glance. Do-hyun leaned his upper body against the terrace, a cigarette held between his lips. Every time the breeze brushed past, the pale smoke scattered delicately.
“Would you like something to drink?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Woo-yeon sat at a table a short distance away, watching him smoke. Do-hyun had told him to stay inside, but Woo-yeon had insisted on coming out. The compromise they barely reached—given the argument that secondhand smoke was worse for the body—was this specific distance.
“Does the cigarette taste good?”
“It tastes bad.”
“Liar.”
“I’m serious.”
“Then why do you smoke?”
Do-hyun squinted his eyes and exhaled a long stream of smoke. The way his red lips moved was so suggestive it made Woo-yeon feel thirsty. Woo-yeon didn’t like cigarettes, but seeing Do-hyun smoke whetted his appetite.
“It’s an addiction. Half of it is habit.”
“Hmm……”
Woo-yeon hummed meaninglessly, resting his chin on his hand and blinking. Smoking was one thing, but why specifically pheromone cigarettes? Usually, those kinds were smoked by Betas who couldn’t feel pheromones or Omegas with faint pheromones.
“Do you not smoke regular cigarettes?”
“I used to, but I don’t really these days.”
“Why did you switch to pheromone cigarettes?”
Do-hyun tilted his head, flicking the cigarette between his fingers. His steady gaze bound Woo-yeon tightly.
“I found that sometimes I need artificial pheromones.”
The reason he needed artificial pheromones. Woo-yeon didn’t ask that far. His face flushed under the thick gaze, and he simply pressed his earlobes. The heat of his rising body temperature was clearly felt at his fingertips.
“I’ll get the smell off before going back in…… if there’s anything else you’re curious about, ask.”
Before he knew it, Do-hyun crushed the short cigarette butt into the ashtray. The crystal ashtray was one that had been used as a decoration somewhere in the living room.
Among the many words popping into his head, Woo-yeon decided to confirm the most basic one.
“……Are we dating?”
He didn’t have the confidence to ask if Do-hyun liked him. He wanted to hear the words ‘I like you,’ but he lacked the courage to be that greedy. Asking about the relationship was easier to handle if a negative answer came back than asking about feelings.
“Usually, if two people like each other, it’s right that they date.”
The response was neither a yes nor a no. It was closer to a conjecture than a confirmation, so Woo-yeon countered with a pout.
“You said you don’t do CC (Campus Couple).”
“Did Mungaram tell you that?”
“…….”
Could she have been eavesdropping from the outside just like he was? Even though he knew it wasn’t the case, that was the only thought that came to mind.
“Dating at school brings a lot of annoying things. Rumors spread for no reason, and it’s awkward if you break up. It only quiets down once one person goes to the military or takes a leave of absence.”
Do-hyun spoke only of negative things. Hearing this, Woo-yeon’s lips drooped increasingly sullenly. As expected, they weren’t dating. Just as he reached that conclusion, unbelievable words followed.
“And yet, I want to date you.”
Woo-yeon opened his eyes wide and looked at Do-hyun. Behind him, leaning on the terrace, the sky where the clouds had cleared was magnificent. Do-hyun smiled softly.
“The question of whether we’re dating is one I should be asking. I said I like you, and I told you I’d keep saying it until you believe me.”
Thanks to the longer days, the sunlight reflecting in his eyes looked warm. His lips, curving into a gentle arc, uttered words that were even softer.
“I like you.”
“…….”
“If you’re worried about what happens after a breakup, we just don’t break up. Right?”
Unconsciously, Woo-yeon nodded as if possessed. His mind was blank, but he felt that whatever Do-hyun said must be absolutely correct. Do-hyun defined their relationship in a voice so sweet it felt like it would melt.
“We are dating.”
He felt a flutter of excitement as if he could fly. His chest swelled, and the bridge of his nose tingled. As Woo-yeon fidgeted, biting his nails not knowing what to do, Do-hyun spoke playfully.
“Usually, this is when we should kiss……”
“I want to.”
Woo-yeon answered immediately and walked toward Do-hyun. Closing the distance in an instant, Woo-yeon tightly gripped Do-hyun’s collar. As he looked up, he saw Do-hyun’s eyes widen.
“I want to kiss.”
“…….”
Do-hyun showed no reaction for an agonizingly long time. His vacant, clouded gaze was full of hesitation. He slowly reached out his hand and spoke in a sunken voice.
“I just smoked.”
His touch reached Woo-yeon’s cheek, ear, and the surrounding area. The warmth enveloping his face was more cautious than ever. Woo-yeon didn’t answer, but the silence was by no means a rejection.
Beyond his slowly closing eyelids, he saw Do-hyun leaning down.
“…….”
“…….”
The sensation of lips touching was so ecstatic it made his whole body tremble. While Woo-yeon’s eyelashes fluttered, Do-hyun cupped Woo-yeon’s head with both hands. Long fingers slowly stroked the side of his head and the nape of his neck.
“……You have to open your mouth.”
Pulling his lips away slightly, he whispered like a breath. As their lips locked again, this time a soft tongue pushed inside. He felt as if his legs would give way at any moment, but he managed to hold on by tightly hugging Do-hyun’s waist.
It was as if he were handling a fragile object. The slow and cautious kiss brought an overwhelming emotion that made his heart ache. The pheromones were thick and his head was dizzy, but Do-hyun was considerate, occasionally giving him room to breathe.
It was his first kiss. His first love, and his first relationship. As if the Swarm Cloud had never formed, his gloomy heart was clearing up brilliantly.