ETP Ch 85

Hwang Yoohyun, whom he met after a week, was still handsome, Sungyeon thought.

And his face, slightly gaunt from the difficult rut period, was also quite handsome, Sungyeon thought again.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but that saying didn’t apply to Sungyeon.

Rather, as if a filter was applied, Yoohyun looked very sickly, and a strong urge surged in Sungyeon to protect him from other secondary genders and to attend to his every need.

Sungyeon rushed towards Yoohyun in a single bound.

“Sunbae-nim! Are you alright? Your face is quite worn out!”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Is that so? Does my face look that bad?”

Yoohyun worried, seeing Bokseung’s tearful expression, ‘Did my face get that damaged?’ He felt nervous that if his face, which was at least objectively acceptable, was marred, Bokseung’s interest might decrease proportionally.

“Ah, no, it’s not that bad.”

Even with a worn-out face, Hwang Yoohyun was Hwang Yoohyun. Where would that shining handsomeness go? However, judging by Yoohyun’s expression, the remark about his worn-out face seemed quite upsetting.

Sungyeon sincerely comforted Yoohyun. He didn’t want to see him looking downcast after not seeing him for a long time.

“Sunbae-nim, you were always like that. You just look a little more prickly, but nothing has changed much.”

“I was always like that?”

“Yes, yes, you were always like that.”

You were always handsome, Sungyeon added in his mind.

However, Yoohyun, who hadn’t received special compliments on his looks from Sungyeon before, thought otherwise. He thought Sungyeon meant, ‘You were always born looking this prickly.’

Kim Bokseung must not have cared about his looks in the first place, so there was nothing to diminish, Yoohyun thought, swallowing a bitter feeling again and opening the driver’s door.

“Let’s go, we’ll be late for class.”

“Ah! Yes!”

Sungyeon scampered and climbed into the passenger seat.

Sunjung’s coupe wasn’t bad, but he still liked Yoohyun’s car the most and found it the most comfortable. And the biggest reason he liked his car was that he could inhale Yoohyun’s pheromones, which were scattered everywhere, to his heart’s content, without Yoohyun knowing.

On the fourth day of being unable to smell Yoohyun’s pheromones, Sungyeon, who hadn’t smoked even when he was Lee Sungyeon, realized what withdrawal symptoms were.

His fingertips trembled, he felt anxious and restless, and he wanted to find out Yoohyun’s whereabouts immediately. And after finding the address, a surge of impulse to kidnap Yoohyun arose.

Even now, Sungyeon wished he could fill a 2L plastic bottle with his pheromones if he could.

With such dark thoughts running through his mind, he worried about how long he could keep it a secret from Yoohyun.

“We’re here. Did you plan a group meeting after class today?”

“Yes, the presentation is the week after next, so I thought we should start working on the PPT.”

“Is that so? While having lunch?”

“Yes, everyone’s schedules don’t align, so we’re just going to coordinate ideas first.”

Yoohyun nodded after hearing Bokseung’s explanation.

“But why do you ask?”

“Ah, I’m going to participate starting today.”

“What?”

“I was originally going to participate since last week, but I couldn’t because I wasn’t feeling well. I should at least help with making the PPT.”

Sungyeon was touched by Yoohyun’s thoughtful words.

He actually thought Yoohyun would only show up when it was time to write the script for his presentation. So, how could he not be happy when he was actively participating in the group project!

Sungyeon nodded, the corners of his mouth turned up. He was hopeful that more people meant more good ideas would spring up.

However.

Once the group meeting started, contrary to his expectations, Sungyeon’s mood rapidly worsened.

It was because Jihye, who was serious about dating, had now turned her matchmaking target towards Yoohyun.

Perhaps having heard from Yoonjung that she would remain comfortable friends with Bokseung, Jihye hadn’t mentioned matchmaking to Bokseung recently.

So he had been relieved! But now, who was she daring to set her sights on!

🍑‧₊ ⋆˙

30 minutes ago.

The four people who gathered for the group project took a corner table in a cafe.

While they were busy adding and removing details based on the materials they had compiled, Jihye’s eyes sparkled.

Her gaze was fixed on Hwang Yoohyun, who was sitting next to Bokseung.

Yoohyun, who was supposed to be absent from class due to other business, showed up this week, and his vibe was… well, she didn’t know how to describe it, but he looked both dangerous and sexy. Seeing him, Jihye got a good idea.

“Sunbae-nim, you said you’ll be participating in the group project continuously from today, right?”

Nod. Yoohyun’s head bobbed up and down. Jihye, who noticed the small nod, started moving her fingers diligently over her phone.

Sungyeon felt a chilling premonition, seeing Jihye’s particularly excited finger movements. A situation similar to what he had experienced before seemed to be unfolding.

It was when Sungyeon, who had guessed what Jihye was about to say next, tried to stop her. Jihye quickly thrust her phone screen in front of Yoohyun’s eyes.

“Sunbae-nim, isn’t the friend in this picture pretty? Are you interested in a blind date?”

It was truly a carefree suggestion.

It was something she could say because she wasn’t in the same major as Hwang Yoohyun, hadn’t interacted with him much, and had only heard rumors that he had a bad temper.

It was a word she could never utter if she had properly experienced Yoohyun.

As an example, the faces of Seoleun and Bokseung, the two people who had experienced Hwang Yoohyun, were on the verge of turning white.

Meanwhile, Yoohyun felt his mood sink to the floor, thinking that this girl in front of him must have forced Bokseung into blind dates in a similar manner.

The feeling he had experienced when he witnessed Kim Bokseung laughing and talking with someone else was something he never wanted to go through again. Yet, she was suggesting he do the same thing, which was preposterous.

“No.”

“What?”

“I have no intention of going on a blind date, I don’t appreciate attempts to set me up like this, and I’m annoyed by having a face that doesn’t suit my taste shoved in front of me, so how about you stop?”

Whew. A fierce silence swept past the four people. Sungyeon hunched his shoulders, feeling as if a knife-like wind was blowing despite being indoors.

The properties of the pheromones Yoohyun was emitting were changing, perhaps because he was truly upset. Since there might be other secondary genders in the cafe besides Bokseung and Yoohyun, someone might call the police if he pushed it too far.

Sungyeon quickly grabbed Yoohyun’s hand. Yoohyun’s stiff face slightly softened at the familiar, warm touch covering the back of his hand.

“Sunbae-nim, your pheromones. They seem to be raging because you’re angry right now.”

“Ah.”

At Bokseung’s words, Yoohyun contained his slightly scattered pheromones. He glanced around but no one seemed to be affected.

Bokseung would probably be the only one to so keenly notice the change in Yoohyun’s pheromones.

Yoohyun could usually control his pheromones for this level of annoyance without affecting others. Even now, no one besides Bokseung knew, did they? Even though an Alpha was sitting at the table right next to them.

Thus, Yoohyun realized once again.

‘Ah, my pair is here. Kim Bokseung is truly my pair,’ he thought.

Sungyeon noticed that Yoohyun’s pheromones, which had been sharply expressing his displeasure, instantly became ticklish. Feeling Yoohyun’s pheromones change as quickly as turning over a palm, Sungyeon tilted his head.

Is it because of the rut? He doesn’t seem to be controlling his emotions well.

A sense of crisis suddenly struck him that since Yoohyun was a dominant Alpha, he might cause a major incident if he couldn’t control himself like this. What if other secondary genders got involved!

Sungyeon whispered worriedly to Yoohyun.

“Sunbae-nim, don’t leave my side for the time being.”

“Huh?”

“It seems your pheromones are still being affected by the rut. I’ll take care of you by your side! What if someone else gets caught up in it!”

And if an accident happened, and because of that accident, Yoohyun perhaps offered to take responsibility for another Omega? Absolutely unacceptable!

Sungyeon’s terrible imagination soared through the stratosphere.

Sungyeon reiterated his intention to be Yoohyun’s caregiver, repeatedly thinking that he absolutely couldn’t bear to see that happen.

“Is that so? I guess my pheromones are still unstable.”

“Th-That’s right!”

Bokseung’s round head nodded up and down incessantly at Yoohyun’s words. Yoohyun, who was staring intently at the cute scene, turned his head and looked at the junior who was intimidated by his words.

Yoohyun offered words to live up to Bokseung’s belief that his pheromones were unstable.

“Hmm. I’m not feeling well right now, so my words might have come out too harshly without meaning to.”

“What? Ah, no. I apologize for acting on my own.”

“Is that so? I understand.”

“Yes…?”

Most people would reply with, ‘No, I’m sorry for speaking harshly too,’ in this situation, but Yoohyun was a person who defied everyone’s expectations.

So, the person who followed up with an apology instead was, naturally, Yoohyun’s cherished junior, ‘Kim Bokseung.’

“Um, Jihye. Hwang Yoohyun Sunbae-nim was very sick all last week, so he seems a bit sensitive even now. He’s feeling really sorry inside. So, Jihye, you cheer up too, okay?”

“Uh, uh-huh.”

“Thank you!”

He didn’t know if Hwang Yoohyun was feeling sorry inside or cursing, but he had to make up things for the sake of a peaceful group project time.

Fortunately, Yoohyun didn’t argue with Sungyeon’s proxy apology. That alone was a huge step forward.

Just as he was relieved, thinking he had managed to patch up the atmosphere, Yoohyun whispered in his ear, just as Sungyeon had done moments before.

“Kim Bokseung.”

“Yes?”

“Will you really stay by my side until I get better?”

Along with Yoohyun’s low, gentle voice, a languidly felt pheromone spread from his ear to his entire body. Sungyeon forcibly suppressed the urge to scratch his ear vehemently and nodded.

“Yes, of course. I’ll be in your care then.”

Yoohyun blew a puff of air onto Bokseung’s reddened ear. Bokseung stared at Yoohyun with wide eyes at the sudden breath, but Yoohyun played innocent and continued speaking.

“You need to keep a close eye on my pheromones by my side, right?”

“Yes, yes. Don’t worry, Sunbae-nim, focus on recovering your body!”

Bokseung, who was led on by Yoohyun’s words and quickly forgot the breath that touched his ear, stated his ambition firmly.

Bokseung was probably still unaware. Unaware that in this state, he would have to monitor Yoohyun’s pheromones for the rest of his life.