‘No, our baby is a high school student, but he’s only fifteen! Is it okay for him to see something like this? He’s practically still a middle schooler!’
When they first saw the book, his parents just cleared their throats, and his older brothers and sister clicked their tongues, wondering how their innocent baby was reading something like this. Of course, the high school textbook was full of explicit words and explanations.
But Joo Tae-hyun knew everything he needed to know. And knowing that Pheromones could be released through sexual intercourse during a heat cycle, it was very important common sense for a Trait to properly adjust the concentration of Suppressants.
‘These days, kids do everything, so there’s a lot of talk about whether the law should be revised.’
‘Wh-wh-what?’
‘Baby! What are you saying! Doing everything! What is our baby doing!’
‘No, I’m not saying I am… It’s just that the age of dating is getting younger these days. And of course, the age of having sex is getting younger too. But reducing Suppressant concentration is only possible after escaping being a minor, so there’s a lot of talk about it. Other countries allow it with just a consultation with a specialist without a legal guardian.’
As soon as the words ‘age of having sex’ came out of Joo Tae-hyun’s mouth, his brothers gasped as if they had heard something they shouldn’t have, and Joo Tae-hyun neatly ignored it.
‘Our baby… should be playing in the playground. Or going to a kids’ cafe…’
At this point, I’m not sure if my older brothers and sister are teasing me or if they’re serious.
Anyway, the key here is that ‘Traits need to adjust the concentration of Suppressants after spending a heat cycle with a partner’ and ‘Pheromone scents can also change depending on the person.’
He heard that even just over a decade ago, Trait were forced to block everything with Suppressants, so they couldn’t smell each other’s scents and had to rely only on instinct. It’s unimaginable these days, when it’s known that properly controlling the cycle through Suppressants and naturally releasing unique Pheromones is helpful.
“……Hey, Hyung.”
“Huh?”
“……Never mind.”
Joo Tae-hyun barely held back the question that kept trying to escape his lips.
Why has your Pheromone scent changed from before?
Seo Baek-han was also well-suited to acting recklessly, but I basically don’t do things that books tell me not to do.
…No.
The truth is, I know there’s only one answer. That he spent a Rut with someone. That there was a change in the medication he takes because he released Pheromones through a relationship. I didn’t want to hear that directly from Seo Baek-han.
Embarrassed…? I don’t know. That’s not it. A heat cycle is a natural phenomenon for a Trait, and consensual sex isn’t a bad thing.
Joo Tae-hyun stubbornly looked ahead, desperately trying to ignore the answer that was trying to surface clearly in his mind. The Pheromone scent that he missed sometimes, no, quite often, was now so irritating.
“But Choi Yeon-jun. Doesn’t this kid’s expression look okay?”
Oblivious to the fact that someone was deeply troubled by what he was thinking, Seo Baek-han playfully tapped Joo Tae-hyun’s cheek.
“Huh? What?”
“He doesn’t look as clumsy as you, for being so young.”
“I don’t want to die in front of a kid.”
…It was something he had thought several times since meeting him today, but it was really, really fortunate.
That he had become skilled enough at managing his expression to pretend to be calm even in front of Seo Baek-han.
“Let’s go in.”
When they reached the entrance of the lounge, Seo Baek-han released his arm that had been wrapped around Joo Tae-hyun, and straightened the wrinkled suit here and there. It was a bonus that he tidied up Joo Tae-hyun’s clothes, which had somehow become grimy.
Seo Baek-han was basically well-mannered. But that was completely different from kindness or favor based on a gentle nature.
What should I say, it was similar to the benevolence that a person with plenty of freedom willingly bestows? That’s why it was even worse. Because you can’t just lightly accept and move on, thinking, ‘Oh, a kind person is treating me kindly.’
Things that he does readily because they’re nothing to him, the person who receives them ends up dwelling on them, wondering, ‘Why would someone like that bother with me?’
For example, just a moment ago, Seo Baek-han’s gesture of casually tidying up my collar.
“Oh, Seo Baek-han! You did a great job emceeing today, good work!”
“Good work, Baek-han. By the way, you actually made this gathering. I thought it would just end in words. Amazing!”
“Wow, Seo Baek-han, you seem to be getting taller every time I see you? How have you been?”
“I guess we won’t be able to meet this time? When are you returning to Korea again, Baek-han?”
As they re-entered the lounge, people gathered in groups and said a word to Seo Baek-han. He responded with an appropriate smile and strode confidently towards his prepared destination from the start. The champagne glass and juice glass in Seo Baek-han’s hand were placed carelessly on a table, and a cookie with a cute decoration replaced them.
The large hand that had roughly grabbed Joo Tae-hyun’s waist earlier now carefully held a cookie.
“Han Se-yeon.”
Although he hadn’t heard any introductions yet, Joo Tae-hyun knew immediately who that person was. Seo Baek-han’s Pheromone scent fluttered from her as she turned to look at him.
It was the deep peach scent that Joo Tae-hyun remembered, the one he first smelled at the summer concert at Changgyeonggung Palace.
“I thought you couldn’t come?”
“Are you calling your sister by her name? Huh?”
The woman, who winked playfully, was like a peach in a different sense from Seo Baek-han. Fair and innocent… Yes, lovely. That word really suited her.
“You didn’t eat the in-flight meal and slept again, didn’t you?”
“Huh? But that’s…”
Seo Baek-han naturally put the cookie he had just picked up into Han Se-yeon’s mouth.
“Hwak tuh-uh. Cough, cough…”
“Oh, you had to do your hair and makeup. Were you busy? Was that it?”
“Nuh-uh nuhl-luh-juh muh-ruh…”
“Oh, don’t tease me? If you want to be treated like an older sister, don’t act like a baby.”
In Joo Tae-hyun’s mind, in the major biographical dictionary, the name ‘Han Se-yeon’ was not there. That meant that she was neither a member of the imperial family nor a figure in the political or business world. Could she be a connection in the art world that I don’t know about yet? Still, Seo Baek-han knows her, Choi Yeon-jun knows her, and if she was invited to this event, she must be from a decent family. If she was that important, I wouldn’t be able to not know her. Above all…
Joo Tae-hyun, who was trying to deduce information about the person he was seeing for the first time, subtly avoided eye contact as soon as he met Han Se-yeon’s eyes.
“…But who is this?”
“Ah, introduce yourself. This kid here is Joo Tae-hyun. Even though he looks like this, he’s one of the high-value donors to this gathering. He’s also a founding member of 〈Haechi〉.”
Since he already knew Choi Yeon-jun, Seo Baek-han only briefly introduced Joo Tae-hyun to Han Se-yeon.
“Ah… Hello, I’m Baek-han’s girlfriend.”
Watching her smile awkwardly, saying that this was her first time at such an event, Joo Tae-hyun vaguely realized why Seo Baek-han had removed the group name DH from in front of his name.
Han Se-yeon is an ordinary person. Seo Baek-han is being considerate in case she feels out of place at an event like this.
…Because she’s his girlfriend.
“But are you sure there aren’t any adults here?”
“Yeah. Feel free to relax.”
“Then His Highness Second Prince? Is he really here?”
“Yeah. Oh, should I introduce you to my friends?”
“Hmm. I’d like that…”
Seo Baek-han beckoned to Han Se-yeon. Then, as if she was used to it, she naturally wrapped her fingers around Seo Baek-han’s ring finger and pinky finger.
“Where is Yoon-woo Noona… Ah, there she is. I’ll go get Yoon-woo Noona quickly. Choi Yeon-jun, watch the kid for a bit.”
“Hyung, wait a minute-“
“As you saw in the video earlier, there are no exceptions even for founding members? We’re going to strictly organize the members according to the rules, so Joo Tae-hyun, you should be active in the future too.”
Taang. With that, Seo Baek-han lightly flicked his tongue as if imitating the sound of a gunshot. A playful expression as if winking was a bonus.
“If I can, let’s see each other again later.”
The words, let’s see each other again later.
Joo Tae-hyun, who is no longer twelve years old, knows well how futile that addition is.
Like someone caught in a bad wizard’s trap, Joo Tae-hyun didn’t move from his spot and only watched from afar as Seo Baek-han and his girlfriend blended into the crowd.