MM 55

“Hey. Yu-young. Yu-young! Open your eyes!”

“Are you feeling a little better?”

A voice echoed in his head. With a frown, Yu-young struggled to lift his eyelids. For a moment, he couldn’t understand why he was here. Time and place jumbled together in his mind.

Right… He had gone to sleep in his room after his mother insisted he stay over. But what was all this commotion? Judging by the darkness outside, it was still deep into the night, so why was the soft light on in his room?

When he tried to lift his hand absentmindedly, he was startled. An IV needle was inserted into his arm. Come to think of it, his family’s longtime doctor, Dr. Kim, was also there. As he looked between the doctor and his mother with wide eyes, the doctor spoke in a heavy tone.

“Yu-young. How do you feel?”

“Ah… Doctor.”

His voice came out hoarse and scratchy. Clearing his throat with difficulty, he tried again.

“My body and head feel strangely heavy. I think I have a fever too… What’s wrong with me, Doctor?”

“Well…”

As the doctor hesitated, unable to speak, his mother impatiently burst out.

“Yu-young! You’re in pheromone shock!”

“…What? Pheromone shock?”

“Yes! What on earth is happening to you?”

Sighing with frustration, she was about to go on when his father gently guided her to sit down on the bed. Then, with a grave expression, he spoke.

“It seems you’ve been frequently exposed to a dominant Alpha’s pheromones without properly releasing the buildup. Instead, it’s just been accumulating on the surface.”

The moment he heard those words, Yu-young’s heart dropped.

No way. Was this how their fake relationship was going to be exposed? Had their limited, routine physical contact been the problem? Or was it the marking? But their compatibility had been good, so it had actually made his body feel lighter….

However, his mother’s next words completely defied his expectations.

“You two! You’re grown adults, so why are you being so cautious? When an Alpha and Omega get together, you should just go for it the moment things heat up!”

“Dear. Ahem, calm down a little.”

His father, unable to listen any longer, cleared his throat and grabbed her arm. Only then did her excitement subside slightly. The doctor quickly interjected in a firm voice.

“Yu-young. I know you don’t like hearing this kind of talk. But right now, your body is making it clear. That’s why your mother is so worried.”

“…….”

“I drew a small amount of blood while you were asleep and tested it. The person you’re seeing has an incredibly strong genetic makeup.”

Yu-young barely nodded. His head was still ringing, making it difficult to process everything at once.

“…I see.”

“Of course, you are also a dominant. But because of that, it may have put more strain on your body. Since you’ve only had partial exposure to such powerful pheromones without fully mixing, it’s likely that your body has been slowly accumulating an unmet need. That Alpha is probably experiencing something similar right now.”

“…I understand.”

“And… you know, right? As you reach the optimal mating age, dominants—especially Omegas—eventually need to be imprinted.”

At the doctor’s serious tone, Yu-young slowly nodded. His mother immediately jumped in, growing impatient.

“Yu-young, why don’t you just… go ahead and take the next step with Do-won?”

“Mother…!”

Yu-young almost snapped at her, but dizziness overtook him, and he closed his eyes instead. He didn’t even have the energy to argue. His mother, nearly beside herself, raised her voice again.

“Think about it. You’re both adults dating with marriage in mind. The families have already met. What’s the issue?”

“Haa… That doesn’t mean this should be rushed—”

“Do you think I’d say this if it weren’t serious? You have a perfectly good Alpha right there, and yet you’re going into pheromone shock? That makes no sense!”

Her frustration was evident as she sat on the bed, wiping away the tears welling in her eyes with the back of her hand. His father, heavy with thought, simply patted her shoulder in silence.

“Don’t take your mother’s words lightly. She’s only worried about you.”

“…Yes.”

“Now, get some rest. Dear, let’s step out. He needs time to recover.”

At his father’s urging, the doctor and his parents left the room. As the door closed softly behind them, their retreating figures disappeared into the hallway. Yu-young let out a weak sigh.

What the hell was happening? Pheromone shock… And what about work?

Judging by his condition, he’d probably have to call in sick tomorrow. Even in this state, the fact that his first concern was his job made it clear—he was a hopeless office worker.

With that thought, he blankly watched the IV drip before slowly closing his eyes.

…

Do-won stepped out of the bathroom, fresh from his shower. Drying himself off, he reached for a shirt, his gaze briefly landing on a diffuser with a vanilla scent. It was a gift from a colleague.

Lemon, vanilla.

He found himself piecing together random words with no real connection. Then, with a short, self-deprecating laugh, he realized why. A certain someone, vivid like a blooming flower, had come to mind.

A face like a fluffy white puppy. Pouty and aloof when expressionless, but overflowing with warmth when he smiled.

Every time he smiled like that, it felt like dewdrops rolling off a leaf.

The thoughts that followed weren’t just about a smiling face. Naturally, the image of Yu-young clinging to him while he marked him came to mind.

‘Team leader, sir…’

The image of Yu-young, breathless, wrapping his hand around the back of his neck, clinging to him like a puppy, desperately craving his scent and pheromones. And then, the way he opened his mouth quietly, ready to accept his lips and tongue.

“…Haha.”

It was absurd. That, first thing in the morning, he was confirming his health status when there was no need to. Feeling the dull ache in his lower abdomen, Do-won slowly wiped his face with one hand. It was an embarrassing sight.

He had thought it was something he didn’t want to see, but when had it become so natural for thoughts of Han Yu-young to include these feelings? Regardless, as a team leader, it was clear that his feelings for his team member were inappropriate.

Pinning his tie and draping on his jacket, he thought to himself. It was all finished now, and he wouldn’t need to see such personal things again.

He could simply cut off the unnecessary feelings that had grown in his mind. From now on, Han Yu-young would exist solely as a team member in the team he led, not the “person he was dating” that he had introduced to his parents.

Just as he was about to put on his shoes, his phone rang. The caller was Han Yu-young.

[Team leader, I’m sorry, but I think I need to take sick leave today.]

He immediately dialed the number, and the phone was picked up after only a couple of rings. Do-won asked bluntly.

“What’s going on?”

-Ah… It’s nothing serious.

“Nothing serious, yet you’re taking sick leave? Your voice sounds terrible. Speak honestly.”

After speaking, Do-won realized how harsh his voice had sounded. He shouldn’t have pressured someone who was unwell. Taking a moment to calm down, Do-won asked again.

“…Where are you now?”

-…I’m at my parents’ house.

Yu-young’s voice faltered, and he hesitated before answering.

-Actually… I was told I have pheromone shock.

“What?”

Unknowingly, Do-won’s eyes sharpened, and he adjusted his grip on the phone.

“What do you mean?”

-Well…

As he listened to Yu-young’s explanation, Do-won couldn’t shake off the feeling of dread. Yu-young, who had barely any experience with Alphas, had apparently had a strong reaction to his pheromones.

If they had fully bonded both physically and with pheromones, the discomfort he had been feeling would have been alleviated, but instead, their interactions had only caused further thirst and tension.

He had known that Omegas became more sensitive to pheromones as they neared their optimal mating age. It was why they sometimes experienced shock, and in severe cases, their heat cycle could become irregular. Omegas often rushed into imprinting and marriage because of this. Alphas also became unstable as they neared mating age, but not to the extent that Omegas did.

-…Anyway, that’s what happened. Right now, I’m getting an inhibitor IV, so… I’m fine. Haha…

Although he said he was fine, his voice had no strength. Do-won bit back a sigh and lowered his gaze. Without realizing it, his fist was clenched tightly.

-So, team leader… I’m really sorry, but could you please approve my sick leave for today?

“…Alright.”

-I’m just so tired… I’ll rest a bit more.

“Get some rest. We’ll talk later.”

Do-won hung up and let his arm fall limply. Despite trying to sound cheerful, Yu-young’s voice, so weak and unfamiliar, felt strangely heartbreaking.

Letting out a long, quiet sigh, Do-won picked up his briefcase with a blank expression. The phone call from his father yesterday and the weak voice he had just heard from Yu-young kept driving him toward one conclusion in his mind.

‘…This is crazy.’

A bitter laugh escaped him. The solution that had just formed in his mind, one that he would have dismissed as absurd just weeks ago, now felt like the best option.

With the absurd plan still firmly rooted in his thoughts, Do-won left the house.