NOT 108

The moment he stood before the door of his studio apartment, Haon stopped in his tracks on his own.

Had he ever brought Cha Jeong-won inside here?

As he hesitated, hand on the doorknob, Jeong-won’s warmth touched his back.

“Once we’re inside, shall we wash up together?”

At those words, Haon burst out laughing.

“How many times are you planning to wash up today?”

He had shown up this morning already smelling of shampoo, after all.

Haon said as he opened the door and went in.

“Wait just a moment. I’ll bring it right out.”

“Take your time.”

Cha Jeong-won stood in the entryway and watched Haon. Even knowing that [stolen Read on Read BL Novelsstyle="font-size:0;position:absolute;left:-9999px;">[visit our site]content]gaze was following him, Haon deliberately quickened his pace.

Standing before the wardrobe, his mind cleared a little.

Suit, suit.

Haon moved a few hangers and tilted his head. He was sure he had hung it on this side…

Found it.

He took out the suit jacket and went to the mirror, holding it up against himself. As he looked it over this way and that, the reflection of another person in the mirror caught his eye.

If he were the only one wearing a suit, it might be different, but with Jeong-won also dressed formally, it wouldn’t be simply one plus one.

They would attract quite a bit of attention.

Looking at Jeong-won’s sharply defined jawline, Haon pondered very seriously.

“Should I skip school today?”

As a fourth-year, he should be attending even more diligently, but his resolve felt hollow as his heart wavered because of Jeong-won.

Jeong-won embraced Haon from behind.

“You’re my Omega Amulet, so of course you should follow me.”

At his words, Haon was startled. He was the first to mention the Omega Amulet.

It was a word even Haon had been cautious about, using it almost jokingly. Since Jeong-won had even apologized, saying he was sorry for misunderstanding, this was even more unexpected.

The feeling that Jeong-won had seemed a bit different since yesterday… perhaps it wasn’t simply because he was drunk.

Haon stared intently at Jeong-won’s face in the mirror and muttered his thoughts.

“Looking at you now, your expression seems very light.”

Should he say he looked relieved, as if he had shaken something off?

“Did you lose weight?”

At Haon’s question, Jeong-won pressed his forehead against the back of Haon’s head and laughed for a while, then kissed his hair right there.

“I’m glad you’re my Omega Amulet.”

“Why are you saying that now, of all times…”

Haon couldn’t finish his sentence because Jeong-won kissed him.

Haon closed his eyes for now and sank deeply into the stimulation his lips provided. His mind was completely filled with Jeong-won.

His lips were warm, his pheromones were good. And also…

Even at that moment, Haon hadn’t thought of it.

That Jeong-won’s mother wouldn’t stay quiet for this long.

Why didn’t I think of that?

She would surely send someone to be his Omega Amulet.

＊ ＊ ＊

The air in Seoul was different from Gangwon-do. The cold was the same, but it was slightly drier, and people seemed to breathe faster.

The entire way up to Seoul, Lee So-yul had been gripping the steering wheel too tightly. Every time he stopped for a long time at a traffic light, he realized his hands were stiff and loosened his grip. Each time, he let out a long breath, as if comforting himself.

Coming straight up to Seoul after [unauthorized copy]unauthorized copy -->finishing work at the Cheongun Museum of Art in Gangwon-do wasn’t an impulse; it was planned.

Even in the parking lot, he meticulously chose a spot to park. A place not caught on CCTV and from which he could pull the car out immediately.

When he arrived at the building where Cha Jeong-won lived and turned off the engine, the car fell silent. As the car grew quiet, that day came to mind.

The day of Cha Jeong-won’s traffic accident.

That day, Lee So-yul had met Cha Jeong-won.

It was the day he had revealed his feelings for Cha Jeong-won. The memory of Jeong-won’s hardened expression and the endlessly cold gaze he had fixed on him still hadn’t faded.

What Lee So-yul had done back then.

Lee So-yul tightly gripped the small medicine bottle in his pocket. Even though he hadn’t opened the lid yet, his heart rate sped up for no reason.

“Not this time.”

He had used the same medicine back then too, but this time, he wouldn’t leave Jeong-won alone.

Then, the traffic accident wouldn’t happen, and Lee So-yul could have become his one and only Omega Amulet.

Lee So-yul got out of the car. In the characteristically [stolen content]style="position:absolute;left:-9999px;font-size:0;">[unauthorized copy]dim atmosphere of the parking lot, he waited for Cha Jeong-won to come down.

He had already fully figured out Jeong-won’s schedule for today. He planned to briefly meet him, greet him, and then ask him to spare some time.

And then, he would release his pheromones to make his mind slightly hazy before giving him the medicine. He had already done it once, so a second time was possible.

After waiting, someone appeared in the parking lot. They were heading toward where Cha Jeong-won’s car was. The corners of Lee So-yul’s mouth tightened with tension.

There wasn’t much left until he executed the plan. Reflexively, he put on a smile and called out to Cha Jeong-won.

“Jeong-won-ah.”

However, the person who turned their head at Lee So-yul’s voice wasn’t Cha Jeong-won.

It was Yoon Haon.

Haon paused for a moment, then slowly moved his gaze as if scanning Lee So-yul up and down. The moment he saw that gaze hardening warily rather than in surprise, Lee So-yul felt the smile at the corners of his mouth become awkward.

His prediction was off. It wasn’t Cha Jeong-won but Yoon Haon who had popped out first.

Why now, of all times?

Lee So-yul changed his words without erasing his smile.

“Haon-ah, fancy meeting you here.”

Instead of answering, Haon tilted his head just a little. It was as if he was gauging what might happen. Then, he muttered to himself.

“So this was the luck coming my way.”

Lee So-yul frowned, unable to understand those words.

Seeing that face, Haon didn’t bother to add an explanation.

Just sticking close to Cha Jeong-won had been enough to block his misfortune. And the deeper their relationship became, the better things happened.

Considering that, nothing had happened today. He had thought it was a bit strange, and then this coincidence had found him.

Jeong-won had said he would stop by his place briefly and then come out, so Haon had come down first, only to run into Lee So-yul.

Haon approached Lee So-yul.

At that, Lee So-yul gripped the medicine bottle in his pocket even tighter.

Today’s target was Cha Jeong-won. [visit our sitestyle="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">visit our site]He had ended up meeting Yoon Haon by chance, but he had no particular leisure for conversation.

On the other hand, Yoon Haon being here also meant Cha Jeong-won was nearby. That fact, instead, stimulated Lee So-yul’s heart.

Today, he had to get the medicine into Cha Jeong-won no matter what.

“How did you come to be here, sunbaenim…”

As he spoke, Haon’s pupils trembled minutely. He had sensed Lee So-yul’s aggressive pheromones.

That was when it happened. A thicker scent erupted from Haon’s direction. It wasn’t simply covering it up but pressing it down.

Before Lee So-yul’s pheromones could even spread, they were flattened, pressed down from above. The air changed.

Lee So-yul’s breath caught in his throat for a moment. When Omegas clashed with scents, it was close to a weight-class fight. Moreover, although he hadn’t seen it many times, Yoon Haon tended not to emit pheromones, so he hadn’t expected it to be to this degree.

Haon took one more step forward.

“Don’t do it.”

Lee So-yul let out a hollow laugh.

“What?”

Haon steadied his breath once and pressed down clearly on the end of his words.

“The Omega Amulet. I’m telling you not to do that.”

Lee So-yul’s surprised pupils shook greatly.

Because that statement didn’t end with just one word.

Omega Amulet. Knowing that meant he was truly close to Cha Jeong-won.

Lee So-yul instinctively took a step back. Then, feeling his pride hurt by the fact that he had retreated, he forced a smile.

“How do you know about that?”

He planned to first gauge how much Yoon Haon knew.

It was a good question for extracting information. When asked, the other person would naturally lay out how much they knew themselves.

Lee So-yul hoped Haon would slip up. Then, he could find a way to push Yoon Haon out accordingly.

How far had he gone with Jeong-won, who had he heard it from, since when had it been…

If he could grasp even one more clue related to Jeong-won, things would become much easier.

But contrary to expectations, Haon didn’t get entangled with him. Instead, he lowered his head slightly and answered very simply and clearly.

“Sunbaenim, you are the Omega Amulet, aren’t you?”

Those words came out too naturally. Lee So-yul’s reaction was delayed for a moment.

His own lips, which had posed the question, remained slightly parted and stiff. It felt like he had set a trap and gotten caught in it himself.

The moment he asked how he knew, he had effectively revealed that he himself was the Omega Amulet sent by Cha Jeong-won’s mother.

“……”

Lee So-yul steadied his breath and hardened his expression.

He couldn’t show signs of panic. Haon already seemed quick on the uptake.

So he decided to go on the offensive even more.

“This is a matter between me and Jeong-won.”

Lee So-yul’s voice settled softly, but the last sentence held a warning mixed in. It meant, don’t interfere.

But Haon didn’t back down.

“No.”

Haon looked straight at Lee So-yul without even batting an eyelash.