ICYM Ch 4

Episode 4

At Owen’s words, the people nearby glanced over at me.

I once again reminded myself to stay away from him.

As I stepped onto the bus and looked inside, it was almost full. At the very back, there were two empty seats. One was next to Owen, who had gotten on last, and the other was beside a large guy whose name I didn’t know.

The one I bumped into before… I remember hearing his name, but what was it again?

He was the one with terrifying eyes and a body as solid as a rock. I didn’t even know his name, yet I still remembered him. That’s how strong of an impression he made.

After a brief moment of hesitation, I sat down next to the guy whose name I didn’t know.

It was obvious that sitting next to Owen would’ve made the ride unbearably uncomfortable.

As I sat down, the guy beside me tensed up like he was startled.

“Why? Is this seat taken?”

“…No.”

“Then I’ll sit here.”

Even if it had been taken, I was going to say that the first to sit down had the claim.

I deliberately closed my eyes like it didn’t bother me. Our shoulders brushed—his shoulders were so broad, it was impossible to avoid contact.

“Kendrick. That bastard was acting all high and mighty, and now he’s sitting next to a Beta?”

At the sound of a mocking voice from one of the snickering potato-heads, I abruptly opened my eyes.

Kendrick Bardi.

It was a name I had heard from my childhood friend.

“He’s not the main character here, but in another series, he is.”

“Yeah. I don’t care.”

I should’ve listened more carefully back then.

He might not be the protagonist, but maybe he was fairly important?

I glanced to the side and the first thing I noticed was his sharp nose. His bangs slightly covered his eyes, so I couldn’t see his face clearly.

Even at a glance, he was good-looking, but more than being handsome, the sheer size of him and his presence gave off an intimidating aura—one of those extreme-dominant Alpha.

The kind of person I definitely didn’t want to get involved with. 

When I clicked my tongue softly, Kendrick’s body flinched.

Soon, a bit of distance formed between our shoulders. Glancing sideways, I saw Kendrick had pulled his shoulder in.

Did he hate touching me that much?

Well, I hate it too, you know?

Kendrick cracked the window open slightly, and I ignored him as I put in my earphones.

A faint floral scent drifted in through the cracked window.

It was the same scent as that nameless flower that used to bloom in front of my house before I transmigrated.

What kind of flower was that again?

* * *

The weather was unusually bright and clear. The autumn sky, still clinging to the remnants of summer, stretched high above, and the clouds looked as beautiful as those in a painting.

To be able to relax amidst scenery like this made me think that maybe transmigrating wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

Listening to the sound of ice clinking in my drink as it melted, I watched the people walking outside on the terrace.

Being able to sip coffee leisurely with allowance money given by someone else might be part of everyday life for some, but for me, before the transmigration, it had been anything but ordinary.

Back then, I barely had time to even look at the sky.

I’d never met my family, but judging from the fact that they could afford to send a Beta to a private school, they seemed well-off.

Looks like he grew up being loved.

That thought crossed my mind absently as I glanced again at the phone alert I’d seen on the bus earlier.

[Dad: Are you not coming home this mid-term break either?] 09:17 AM

I didn’t reply and flipped the screen over.

The fact that he asked, “You’re not coming again this time?” meant I hadn’t gone back last time, meaning I’d probably been living in a dorm since middle school. Since I had just transferred to this school, it must have been a different one.

If they later questioned why I hadn’t replied, I planned to brush it off with something vague—maybe say I was going through puberty or something. For now, adjusting to daily life here came first, so figuring out the family situation was pushed down the priority list.

Why are there so many vacations when tuition is this expensive?

There were six breaks throughout the year. Splitting the academic year into three semesters was fine, but having a full week-long break in the middle of each semester? That was excessive.

If I was going to study, I should’ve gone back inside.

Maybe it was a mistake to slack off for a bit and sit out on the terrace.

“Here you are!”

That belated thought crossed my mind just as I saw footsteps striding toward me through the passing crowd.

“…Why?”

At my cold stare, Owen hesitated and gave an awkward smile.

“Uh… I came to study too.”

Tap.

Not even 30 minutes after Owen sat down, I slammed my pen onto the table loud enough to make a sound.

That was the 32nd time he’d cleared his throat. He hadn’t done it loudly at first, so the real count was probably higher.

When I glanced over, he still had the same book open on the same page as when he first sat down.

I missed the peace and quiet of yesterday when I had the room all to myself after Owen manifested as an Alpha.

“Sorry, was I too noisy?”

I tried to ignore him and focus, but with another exaggerated throat-clearing noise, what little concentration I had was gone in an instant.

He’d acted a bit suspicious when he returned and remarked how quickly I’d recognized his manifestation symptoms and handled them smoothly like he thought there was something more to it. I wondered if he had something to say about that, but maybe I was wrong.

I pressed my fingers against my temples and let out a deep sigh. It was impossible not to notice the interest he kept showing so openly.

It’s better to cut this off now.

I wasn’t oblivious. Maybe his sudden manifestation made him think he’d developed feelings or something, but I had no intention of playing along.

“You got something you wanna say to me?”

“Huh? No, not really. But… want some chocolate?”

“No?”

“Are you thirsty? Looks like you finished your coffee. Should I order something else? If you don’t like chocolate, how about cake?”

“I’m not eating anything.”

“Want to order a different drink?”

Owen hurriedly handed me the menu.

He was acting completely different from the Alphas I knew. Even though my tone had been curt, the fact that I responded at all lit up his face with obvious joy.

“I’ve got money too.”

“I just… wanted to treat you.”

“Why?”

“Because you helped me yesterday…”

“I already heard your thanks. That’s enough.”

The way he fidgeted with his fingers, eyes practically begging to do something for me, was suffocating.

“Hey.”

“Huh?”

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“…How did you know?”

“Hard not to notice, don’t you think?”

You learn these things when you work. Acting clueless, even if it earns you more criticism than being perceptive, is often the easier path for your own peace of mind.

I should’ve kept that in mind, but in my eagerness to push him away quickly, I slipped up.

“My sister really wants to thank you. She said she’d like to treat you to a meal. Are you free?”

Why is the female lead suddenly being brought up here?

“…No? That feels like too much.”

“It’s really nothing big, I swear.”

I had intended to stick around just a bit longer, at least until lunch, and try to ignore him, but that clearly wasn’t going to work. I packed up my things and stood up.

“Don’t follow me this time.”

Owen looked like he was about to cry, but I walked past him without acknowledging it. Only when I’d nearly left the area did I glance back. Thankfully, he wasn’t following me this time.

After grabbing a quick lunch, I headed toward the plaza where we were supposed to regroup and wandered around nearby. That’s when I happened to notice a small café tucked away in an alley, and my feet naturally carried me in that direction.

From the side, I heard other students cursing and kicking the ground in frustration. I turned toward where they’d come from and saw the café at the end of the alley.

Just before I reached the door, a few customers inside stepped out.

Since people were leaving, I figured there would be at least one seat left for me and went inside without much thought.

“…Oh.”

And then, uncharacteristically, I let my surprise show plainly on my face for a brief moment.

Because I realized there had been another reason those customers left.

“…Ugh.”

The moment I stepped inside, the thick scent of pheromones hit me. Instinctively, I held my breath and looked around.

At the edge of my vision, I saw the potato squad. Not all of them were there, just two or three, but the café was so small that even that made the air feel stifling.

What the hell are they doing in a public place?

Thinking they were out of their minds, I looked over. But the potatoes were laughing loudly and obnoxiously like nothing was wrong at all.

As if there was absolutely no issue.

And sure enough, the remaining customers wore blank, unbothered expressions as if they truly had no idea. Only the person who appeared to be the café owner was nervously pleading with the potato squad.

That’s when I finally grasped the situation.

The customers who had just left were probably Alphas or Omegas, and the ones who remained, aside from Kendrick Bardi, were all Betas.

The café owner must be an Omega too.

The café owner, looking pale as if they might pass out at any second, was desperately pleading with the potato squad.

And I just had to walk in at the worst possible moment.

I wanted to leave right away, but a few gazes drifted toward the open door. Walking out now would basically be the same as announcing I was an Omega.

Biting my lower lip, I pretended not to notice anything and quietly took a seat in a corner.

Then I got up, pretending I needed to use the restroom urgently.

“You are telling the customer to leave?”

“No, it’s just… the others are feeling uncomfortable, so—Ugh.”

At the raised voice behind me, I turned just before entering the restroom. One of the potatoes was threatening the café owner. Startled, the owner lost their footing and nearly collapsed.

“…Ah.”

“Please be careful.”

Kendrick, who until now had had his eyes on the book he was reading, quickly reached out and caught the café owner.

“I-I’m so sorry!”

The café owner jumped up and bowed deeply. Kendrick gave a slight nod in return, brushing it off like it was no big deal, and sat back down.

If it had been any other dominant Alpha, they probably wouldn’t have cared whether someone fell or not. But this was unexpected.

Watching the scene unfold, I corrected the bias I’d held against dominant Alphas.

He looks intimidating, but he’s got a surprisingly steady hand.

That was the first impression I had of Kendrick.