By Zephyria 
Everyone’s gaze was fixed on Koi. Koi felt Ashley’s gaze intensely watching his profile, but he deliberately ignored it.
They had fallen asleep in each other’s arms last night, but no further conversation had taken place. When Ashley opened his eyes in the morning, Koi was already awake and waiting for him.
“We need to get you tested.”
That was all Koi had said. It wasn’t a particularly difficult request, and Ashley didn’t suspect anything in particular. He even inwardly scoffed that the method Koi had come up with after agonizing all night was just that. After all, there was nothing Koi could do now. No, no one in the world could. Ashley thought so and gave instructions to Bernice.
But what on earth was he saying now?
Ignoring Ashley, who was looking at him with a frown, Koi continued to speak.
“Ash lost consciousness yesterday, but he came to his senses when I released Pheromone. Ash was angry with me for taking his Pheromone. If that’s possible, wouldn’t Ash’s condition improve?”
That was his last hope. He believed there was a reason why he had manifested as an extreme Omega.
That his trait was only for Ashley.
Meanwhile, the steward, having heard Koi’s explanation, looked at Ashley with a glint in his eyes. His face was radiant, like that of an adventurer who had discovered a new continent.
“Is that true? Then we should get him tested right away. It’s alright, I can prepare immediately. Let’s go, Mr. Miller. Quickly.”
“Koi…”
Ashley looked at Koi as if he couldn’t believe it and gritted his teeth. But Koi had no intention of backing down. Instead, he got up first and declared firmly to Ashley.
“Let’s go, Ash. I’ll be with you.”
Ashley, who had followed him up, looked down at Koi and retorted.
“I’m not a child. I’m not afraid of the test.”
Ashley growled in a fierce voice, but it didn’t work on Koi. Koi knew that he loved him more than anyone else in the world. Enough to ruin himself. That fact hurt Koi again, but he tried to hide his emotions and lowered his hand.
“Okay, I understand. I’ll be waiting, go and come back.”
When he greeted him with a smile, Ashley looked down at him with a dumbfounded expression, and eventually turned away with a low curse. Koi watched his back as he left the examination room, and only after the door closed did he finally let out a breath he had been holding and slumped down on the sofa.
It’ll be alright.
He clasped his hands together as if praying and closed his eyes tightly.
Please, let nothing happen to Ash.
The test took quite a long time. After half a day, Ashley finished the test, and soon they were able to know the results.
“This is really amazing.”
The doctor couldn’t hide his excitement and kept exclaiming. Koi’s face brightened as well, but Ashley’s did not. The doctor continued to speak in an excited tone to Ashley, who was just staring at him without saying a word.
“The Pheromone level is much lower than usual. Look. Mr. Miller’s average level has always been around this much, but in normal cases, what’s written here is the normal level. Mr. Miller’s level is much higher, right? This was the reason why the brain was damaged.”
He hurriedly flipped through the data and shouted in an even louder voice.
“Now it’s this much. It’s even lower than the normal level. This is a really great discovery. Dominant Omega’s Pheromone also had this effect. I have to put it in a paper.”
Seeing the doctor so happy that he had made an amazing discovery, Koi asked hastily.
“Then what happens? Is Ash alright now? Will he be normal again? Yes?”
Please tell me yes.
Koi stared at him with earnestness, but the doctor paused and shook his head.
“No, that can’t be. Once the brain is damaged, it can never be reversed. Dominant Omega’s Pheromone can’t make the impossible possible…”
‘Just because it’s an extreme Omega doesn’t mean it’s a panacea.’
Angel’s words came to mind. Did he know this fact too? Koi wondered, but he couldn’t ask him. Helplessly, he muttered to the doctor in front of him as if complaining.
“Then I’m not helpful at all…”
“Ah, that’s not true.”
Just as tears were about to well up again from disappointment and frustration, the doctor said urgently. Surprised, he raised his head, and the doctor continued in a brighter voice.
“Didn’t I tell you earlier? The amount of Pheromone has decreased significantly. If you continue to adjust the Pheromone to be lower than the normal level, you can stop further damage. But there’s no way to save the damaged limbic system.”
Koi didn’t immediately understand what he meant. Maybe it was because it was such an unbelievable story. Ashley was the first to react.
“It won’t be damaged anymore? What does that mean?”
He looked visibly flustered. Of course. Because his efforts, which he had put his whole life into, were about to be in vain. On the other hand, Koi’s emotions were completely different. He swallowed hard, and barely managed to put the understood content into words.
“So, if I stay by Ash’s side and adjust the Pheromone, it’ll be okay? Right? Is that what you’re saying?”
“That’s right.”
The doctor nodded.
“If you do that, it’ll be alright. However, this is only possible because it’s an extreme Omega’s Pheromone. It makes you secrete more Pheromone than necessary, but it also makes it possible to extract a large amount at once.”
“Other extreme Omegas are meaningless.”
Bernice, who had been listening until then, interjected. When Koi looked up at her, Bernice looked down at him and said with a blank face.
“Mr. Miller has seizures when he smells the scent of other Omega’s Pheromone. Isn’t that right? Last time, his condition worsened with other extreme Omega’s Pheromone.”
“That’s right.”
The doctor nodded in agreement. He fixed his gaze on Koi and added seriously.
“Mr. Miller, Niles’s Pheromone is the only one that works for you.”
No one opened their mouths. Koi was curious about Ashley’s reaction, but he just kept his mouth shut and stared at the doctor’s face.
“So.”
After a long time, Ashley opened his mouth. In a very slow tone.
“Koi has to be by my side for the rest of his life?”
The doctor was startled by the chillingly low voice and hurriedly nodded.
“Yes, that’s right. There’s no other way. If Niles disappears, Mr. Miller’s brain damage will accelerate more than before. It’s the same principle as barely breaking an addiction, but if you touch the drug again, you’ll fall deeper than before…”
“…Keuk.”
Ashley let out a burst of laughter between his lips. Koi and the doctor looked at him with surprised faces, and he covered his mouth with one hand. But soon he couldn’t hold back his laughter and burst out laughing, tilting his head back and laughing loudly.
He did it.
Koi can’t leave, forever.
Of course, the moment he abandons him, he’ll break down.
Could it be more perfect than this?
He couldn’t stop laughing. He shook his whole body and laughed and laughed again.
Oh my god, he finally did it.
* * *
A week later, an article came out that Ashley Miller was marrying a poor repairman. Ariel, who had heard the news in advance over the phone, was furious when she saw the article written by her colleague and even crumpled the newspaper.
“There’s nothing you can do, Ash put his whole life on the line to get Koi.”
Bill, who had become her housemate, said cautiously. Ariel glared at him, but on the other hand, she had no choice but to agree. She also had to admit that she had lost to Ashley. Eventually, she shrugged and muttered.
“I guess I’ll just have to wait for the wedding gift list.”
Ariel frowned as she looked at Ashley’s face on the crumpled newspaper.
I didn’t know he was this crazy.
There’s nothing she can do. Her friend likes this crazy bastard.
She nervously ruffled her hair and took out a beer from the refrigerator and drank it with Bill.
He finally did it, that damn bastard.
They both thought the same thing.
* * *
Sliding the door open, there was a large man sleeping inside. Koi quietly looked down at him and then slipped in next to him.
“…Koi?”
Ashley called him in a voice full of Pheromone. Koi removed the elephant doll he was holding and instead filled his arms himself.
“I’m sorry I’m late. If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn’t have proposed.”
He was too busy when he was about to get married. He had to choose everything from gifts for the guests to party food and chair colors. Even if he left everything to the wedding planner, the preparations were not easy. As he was so busy, Ashley became lonely again and locked himself in the closet.
“What are you going to do if you keep coming in here like this, you’re going to be a dad now.”
Koi said soothingly. He carefully focused on releasing Pheromone and looked up at Ashley, who chuckled.
“I don’t need a child, I just need you.”
“You can’t say things like that.”
“Okay.”
Ashley obediently changed his words.
“It would be nice to have a lot of children. Children who look like you.”
He added as a joke.
“I would never accept a child who looks like me.”
“Don’t say things like that.”
Koi, who scolded him soothingly, carefully opened his mouth.
“Ash, I was very upset with you about something.”
“Huh…? Upset?”
Koi said to him, repeating his words.
“You told me to go to the West. Were you serious?”
Ashley blinked. Koi continued to speak.
“Tell me honestly, what do you want?”
You can tell me now. Koi whispered.
“You didn’t want me to go to the West. You said that, but there was something else you really wanted, right?”
He already knew, but he wanted to hear it. Koi kept urging Ashley, who was silent as if hesitating.
“Tell me the truth, that’s all you have to do.”
At the sweet coaxing, Ashley finally opened his mouth.
“…Don’t go.”
In a trembling voice like a sigh, he confessed.
“Don’t abandon me again.”
There was only one thing he wanted. From the past, to the future, only one thing for the rest of his life.
Just you.
Just stay by my side.
Koi hugged him gently and whispered.
“I’m not going.”
“I’ll never leave your side again. I’ll be with you for the rest of my life.”
Hoo, Ashley sighed over his head.
Ah, thank goodness.
The accumulated Pheromone was released and he vaguely regained consciousness. He smiled bitterly when he realized that he was in the closet again. Instead of self-deprecating, he hugged Koi tightly.
He lost everything and fell into hell, but it’s okay. He got you in return. Even this hell, if he’s with you, this is the paradise he chose.
Ashley tilted his head. Lips touched, and they closed their eyes.
Let’s go together, to our own hell.
〈End〉