SPM 2.4

Contrary to his worries that awkward days would follow, Terrence was the same as usual.

Perhaps it was a great disguise. But Ian, who had no peace of mind, didn’t want to deliberately dig into the kindly wrapped and packaged gentle facade.

Of course, sometimes he felt strange impulses and wanted to tear away that pretty wrapping paper. He sometimes felt the urge to grab his collar and shake him, asking what the hell he was thinking and demanding he properly face reality and explain, but he forcibly suppressed it. He didn’t have the courage to deal with the aftermath if he got swept up in momentary emotions and did something rash.

As always, Ian was a coward, awkwardly positioned as a perpetrator as the subject of one sided imprinting, and still carried guilt as someone who had run away from him in the past. Of course, his thought that all past choices had been the best for Terrence, for Ian himself, and for everyone remained unchanged.

The gap between reason and emotion was this large.

“Eat.”

Looking at the fluffy scrambled eggs pouring onto his plate, Ian raised his head.

His friend and housemate, who with an unconcerned face first moved the moist eggs to Ian’s bowl and then to his own plate, was truly remarkable. Terrence, who then put the frying pan in the sink, pushed the bread basket toward Ian and sat down, was as calm as if sweetly kissing him like someone about to die a few days ago had been a lie.

So Ian was the only one bothered by this strange atmosphere.

Just like before and now, unchanged.

Feeling a bit wronged that he was always the one struggling with awkwardness, embarrassment, and tenderness, Ian picked up bread with a slightly sullen expression and spread fig on it. It was even more absurd because the breakfast Terrence had prepared was too delicious, as always.

Whether Ian was chewing the ciabatta with a face like a goat eating paper or not, Terrence calmly opened his mouth.

“I think you’ll have to go to work alone today.”

Despite what had happened, the athlete worth $33 million who was still faithfully and diligently taking responsibility for Ian’s meals and commute said this. Thinking of his salary made Ian feel terribly sorry.

“…I understand.”

On one hand, it was unexpected. What was this about, when the stubborn person had pretended not to hear Ian’s pleas to please let him commute alone because he felt burdened and sorry to death? Ian swallowed what he was chewing and obediently nodded.

But even that seemed to be a reaction Terrence didn’t like.

“You’re not even asking what it’s about?”

Terrence grumpily spat out while tapping his plate with his fork.

“…Wh, what’s going on?”

Do you like being prostrated to… When he asked with the feeling of accommodating him, Terrence’s lips twisted strangely again. He seemed to be getting cranky even though Ian did what he asked.

“A writer from ‘The Lauren Show’ is coming to visit from this morning.”

While pouring coffee as if it was no big deal, it was Ian who dropped the bacon he was just bringing to his mouth.

“La, Lauren? The Lauren Show I know? The one Lauren Curtis hosts with her name on it?”

“Yeah. That one.”

He shrugged his shoulders as if talking about dinner menu, so now not only the bacon but Ian’s jaw dropped.

That was the attitude of someone talking about the most popular show program in America. Ian gaped his lips while thinking of the numerous celebrities, Hollywood actors, and artists who had been invited to The Lauren Show.

“…I refused last time saying I wouldn’t do it, but they contacted me again. They said they flew here by plane last night and are staying at a nearby hotel, so I couldn’t refuse to meet them.”

After the Super Bowl, Terrence had finished all the interviews, TV shows, and city parade, so he really didn’t want to do anything now, but he didn’t know why people wouldn’t leave him alone. Watching Terrence grumble, Ian let out a shrill scream.

“No, why did you refuse that?”

“I hate it when things get noisy.”

Wasn’t that something said by the person who had caused the noisiest scandal of anyone as soon as the off season began…! Ian had so much he wanted to say, but since he was also one of the protagonists of that noisy scandal, he suppressed his impulse and continued.

“You absolutely have to go…! It’s the Wolves’ first championship in years! It’s ridiculous for the main player who led that victory not to appear on The Lauren Show. Everyone wants to be interviewed by Lauren Curtis in that studio…!”

It was such a waste. It was a golden opportunity to increase Wolves fans and at the same time properly show off what an amazing player and quarterback Terrence was, but he rejected it.

Ian, who had long been Terrence’s fan and supporter, couldn’t hide his anxious feelings. For him, there was no doubt that the best thing Wolves general manager Matt Donovan had done in recent years was selecting Terrence first in the draft. When Ian stamped his feet in frustration, Terrence’s cheek twitched slightly.

“…Really?”

“Of course!”

“…Then should I go?”

“Yeah!”

“Alright. I’ll go then.”

For someone who had kept declining until now, making the writer come all the way from New York to Kansas City, it was too readily agreeable. Terrence shrugged and muttered, “Alright. Ian, since you want it so much, I should go.” And Ian didn’t forget to warn him.

“Of course, talk about us is forbidden.”

Thanks to that, Terrence’s lips twisted again as if annoyed, but such trivial things weren’t Ian’s concern. My friend is going on The Lauren Show. He couldn’t help but hum at the good news.

*

But that joy didn’t last long.

Even while working all morning, the excited mood from imagining what clothes would suit Terrence well when he appeared on the Lauren Show was completely crushed to the ground by a conversation with Felicia Pearson at the company cafe.

Of course, it wasn’t because of her presence. It was simply because of the news she delivered.

Felicia, who had just picked up their coffee orders side by side, suddenly looked around suspiciously and lowered her voice, as if the light greetings they had just exchanged were a lie.

“Busy because of the draft?”

“Well, something like that.”

“Hmm…”

“Why, Felicia? Do you know something?”

At Ian’s question, she looked around once more. Then, convinced that no one nearby was paying attention to them, she whispered secretly into Ian’s ear.

“Listen, Ian. This is just my guess, but I think Matt’s going to bring in a new quarterback during this draft.”

“What?”

It was like a bolt from the blue. So shocked by her words, Ian ended up spilling more than half of the cinnamon powder he was sprinkling over his latte’s milk foam onto the back of his hand.

NFL draft – National Football League draft.

A draft refers to the distribution of players to each team in professional sports leagues. It’s a rule created to prevent any one team from monopolizing talented players, and football has the longest draft history among sports. It’s so old and famous that nowadays it’s become a massive event with the entire process broadcast live on TV.

Every year, football fans eagerly anticipate this draft show, which comes second only to the Super Bowl. And Ian was no different. Now that he had become a Wolves employee, even more so.

“Is that the sentiment from the operations team? Or the general manager?”

As Ian asked with a shocked expression, unable to even brush off the powder on the back of his hand, Felicia clicked her tongue and handed him a napkin. Then she leaned further into the bar table where she had been resting her elbow and whispered.

“Yeah, the general manager. Matt came to my office this morning. And he asked in detail about Terrence Hunt’s physical condition.”

Felicia was the team’s sports medicine specialist. So normally, even as fellow team employees, they wouldn’t have had many opportunities to interact closely, but these two were different.

Ian, who belonged to the communications team, had been instructed to collect and analyze all recent player issues within the team ahead of the upcoming draft. Therefore, he was in close working cooperation with Felicia, who was dedicated to the players’ health, along with the coaching team that managed the players.

Moreover, he had been able to become closer to her through a chance opportunity, because Felicia’s son was a male Omega like Ian. The fact that they were rare and uncommon individuals everywhere had this aspect of forming deep empathy. Just like how he had become friends with Dylan simply because they were the only two male Omegas in their grade. It wasn’t uncommon for Ian.

Alpha Felicia often wanted to consult with Ian about her teenage son’s changes, and thanks to Ian’s kind responses each time, they had eventually developed into a relationship where they could chat comfortably. Just like right now.

“The condition of player Hunt you mentioned… that would be about the recent noisy imprinting story, right?”

When Ian asked with a worried expression while roughly blowing off the remaining powder on the back of his hand, Felicia nodded.

“That’s right.”

Had powder settled on his nose bridge? The cinnamon scent, which he usually loved, was sharp. Ian’s eyes involuntarily squeezed shut as he sighed softly with a bitter heart, the bitterness not fading at all. Was Terrence’s physical condition after one sided imprinting receiving such a bad evaluation from the general manager?

He had expected that there would be noise within the team someday due to Terrence declaring his one sided imprinting to coach Randy Smith, but the timing was too early. He had thought they would discuss this issue at least after the season started… His vision was going dark.

“Is bringing in a new quarterback exactly what Matt Donovan wants?”

“Well, I don’t know about that. From what I hear, even the directors wanted it.”

At the additional comment that they had taken the latest materials recording Terrence’s current health condition, Ian wanted to scream.

“But this doesn’t make sense…! Even though Hunt didn’t win MVP this time, he’s still the starting player who led the Wolves to victory, and now another quarterback!”

“That’s true.”

“It’s disappointing… There will be fans who feel betrayed too.”

And that fan is right in front of you, Felicia. Ian barely swallowed the words he couldn’t say. But it was his honest feeling.

Last season ended with the Wolves’ dramatic comeback victory. Since they had only narrowly beaten opposing teams until the middle of the season, it was true that his individual play records were lacking compared to other teams’ veteran quarterbacks to win Super Bowl MVP.

While Ian knew that the objective official records were disappointing, separate from Terrence being the MVP in his heart, he had no objections, but it was true that dissatisfaction with the team remained. If other players don’t catch the passes no matter how accurately they’re thrown, isn’t it natural for the pass success rate to drop? He had resentfully thought of the wide receiver who had dropped Terrence’s passes several times.

“You don’t need to get too excited. They probably wouldn’t bring in a fresh graduate as a starter to replace Hunt. Maybe they’re just considering him as a backup player?”

Felicia added that they wouldn’t use a precious first-round draft pick for a backup quarterback.

“Still… The team already has another quarterback besides Terrence Hunt, Will Hayes…”

“Will is too old. The injury he suffered two seasons ago isn’t recovering, it’s gradually getting worse. He might retire this time.”

She couldn’t help but agree with the comment that they seemed to want to bring in a young, injury free new quarterback all the more because of that. Since a team’s medical specialist was evaluating a player’s body that way, there couldn’t be more accurate evidence than that.

“But Felicia, player Hunt doesn’t have official physical data about imprinting yet, does he?”

He was the one who had dragged someone who refused to go to the hospital and forced them to undergo detailed examinations. The test results wouldn’t be out yet, so what kind of data could the general manager have possibly taken?

“I know there’s no official data…”

When Ian hesitated, Felicia’s eyes widened.

“You seem to know a lot from earlier? Are you a fan?”

“Ah… yes. A bit…”

Ian secretly breathed a sigh of relief that she didn’t ask if he knew him personally.

This was indeed the normal reaction. Who could possibly imagine? No one would suspect that he, just a team employee, knew Terrence personally.

“Actually, as soon as I heard Matt mention medical records, I contacted player Hunt right away.”

She continued speaking while covering her mouth with her paper cup, pretending to sip her coffee.

“He said he had gotten tested for imprinting and would send the test results soon.”

Since you’re a fan, I’ll tell you in detail. Felicia added with a wink.

Terrence… True to being a quarterback, he’s really fast. That data he mentioned would probably reach Ian’s hands before Felicia’s. And Ian would directly send the test results to Felicia on behalf of busy Terrence… And she would then send that data back to the coach and team management…

It was dizzying. To think that whether they would recruit a new rookie quarterback in this draft would be decided based on the data he sent with his own hands.

Please let there be nothing wrong…

Hoping that the side effects from one-sided imprinting wouldn’t be severe in the test results, Ian said goodbye to Felicia. His steps returning to the office were unbearably heavy.

* * *

And.

On the day he received the test results earlier than scheduled after pleading that it was urgent, so urgent.

“It’s definitely one sided imprinting.”

“Yes.”

“……”

“Is that… is that all?”

“Yes.”

Of course, he hadn’t been curious about whether there was imprinting or not.

If he had known he would only receive such obvious results that everyone already knew, he wouldn’t have tried so hard…! He felt like the sky was collapsing. He had at least expected to receive some solution about what they should do going forward, or some medical advice about this complicated situation…

Ian held his head in his hands in front of the doctor.

In contrast, Terrence, who was sitting next to him listening to the test results together, looked even more triumphant.

Terrence, who gestured with his chin as if to say “See?” and crossed his arms while leaning back against his chair, was so annoying that Ian wanted to give his broad back a sharp smack. The problem isn’t whether there’s imprinting or not, you carefree bastard. He wanted to scold him.

But he couldn’t rebuke him. Since the fact that the Wolves were considering a new quarterback for this draft was only Felicia’s speculation, Ian had decided to keep this completely to himself and not tell Terrence.

It was like his mind and head were all exploding from worrying alone.

“What about side effects?”

Unaware of and unconcerned with Ian’s complicated thoughts, the doctor answered in his own peaceful voice.

“Well… that’s something you only know when the situation arises… Hmm. Try to exchange pheromones as actively as possible with each other… Well.”

It was really insincere advice. The fact that this person regarded their situation as just work he wanted to quickly process and get rid of was clearly evident in his attitude, but Ian couldn’t give up here. How much effort had he put into making this appointment… So Ian decided not to hold back anymore.

Since it had come to this, he had to quickly change Terrence back to a state without imprinting or something close to it.

Wasn’t everyone acting as if Terrence was carrying an invisible time bomb? There was just a difference in how big each person perceived that bomb to be. Since he had learned that the team regarded Terrence’s one-sided imprinting as a bigger bomb than expected, he couldn’t just sit still.

Ian read the name tag on the doctor’s chest carefully with his eyes, then straightened his shoulders. And he called out with clear, precise pronunciation.

“Doctor Olson.”

The bored doctor’s gaze finally turned toward Ian.

“I think you need to understand how serious our situation is.”

“…I do understand.”

“No, this won’t do as things stand. Is there perhaps some other medical treatment we could try?”

Since Terrence, the person who had done the one sided imprinting, was sitting right there next to him, Ian asked in the most polite way possible.

“Medical treatment, you say?”

But the doctor seemed quite oblivious… Maybe his apparent lack of motivation was a misunderstanding. He just seemed naturally easygoing.

“You know… perhaps something other than simply exchanging pheromones, um.”

Only then did the doctor exclaim “Ah!” and continue with his explanation.

“There is chemical treatment that can substitute for pheromones, but it’s not really recommended. As you know, that’s a second choice method for patients who can’t receive pheromones from their one sided imprinting partner.”

He was oblivious and also spoke without restraint. The clicking sound of him moving the mouse around and clicking echoed clearly, as if he was marking something.

“Since you two came here together.”

Doctor Olson continued while looking over Ian and Terrence sitting side by side from head to toe.

“And you seem to get along quite well, there’s no need to…”

His eyes moved beyond his glasses toward Ian’s waist. The spot where Terrence’s large hand was firmly wrapped around.

“……?”

Following Doctor Olson’s gaze down to his own waist, Ian screamed silently.

No, when did this wicked hand again…!

“Terry!”

As Ian squeezed his eyes shut and pressed hard on the large hand with his fist, Terrence grumbled and slowly withdrew his hand. He pulled away so slowly that Ian almost thought he had honey smeared on his waist.

“Well, I don’t know how you came to have one-sided imprinting, but since you seem to have a close relationship, in cases like this…”

“No, doctor.”

Even though he knew it was impolite, Ian had no choice but to urgently interrupt the doctor. Listen here, doctor. Please hear me out.

“That’s exactly the problem.”

Ian spoke so gravely that the doctor, who had been casually flipping through charts, immediately lifted his hunched neck. And while resting his elbows on the desk, he looked straight at Ian’s face.

“This guy’s imprinting was an accident. And I’m looking for a way to reverse this accident back to how it was.”

No more beating around the bush. Now it was time for a straight charge. Ian threw a fastball at the doctor like a general going to war. He could hear Terrence make a small “tsk” sound next to him, but there was really no choice.

“From what I’ve researched, I heard that drugs that can eliminate imprinting phenomena have been developed recently. Is there any chance we could try it?”

Doctor Olson, who had been listening carefully to Ian’s words, furrowed his brow deeply as soon as his question ended.

“Hmm…”

Tap, tap, tap. The doctor’s index finger drummed on the desk in a regular rhythm.

“The name of the imprinting partener is…”

“Song. Ian Song.”

“Ah, yes. It’s written here. So Mr. Song is…”

Between the two people routinely confirming the name like a standard procedure, it was none other than Terrence who raised his voice.

“Song…? Ian Song?”

It was actually Ian who was surprised to hear his voice on the verge of flipping over in shock.

“Not Bailey?”

“Ah…”

Only then did Ian realize why he looked like he’d seen a ghost. He just remembered that he hadn’t properly explained about his changed surname after their reunion.

“Uh… um. Later. I’ll tell you later, Terrence.”

Ian quickly whispered while patting Terrence’s hand that had grabbed his shoulder as he stood up abruptly. Terrence seemed unaware that he was gripping Ian’s shoulder tightly with his trembling hands.

“No wonder… I couldn’t find you no matter how hard I looked.”

Terrence, looking dazed with unfocused pupils, finally slumped back into his seat.

Ian’s chest ached at the muttering that came out along with the hollow, defeated laugh. He had thought Terrence wouldn’t have done anything after he disappeared, but apparently he had tried to find him. Promising to explain everything as soon as they got home, Ian comforted Terrence and turned his attention back to the doctor.

“Please continue.”

Fortunately, the doctor, who had been shuffling through documents the whole time, seemed uninterested in the small argument that had occurred between them. He had a familiar expression, quite used to patients and their companions who came for diagnosis and examination but bickered among themselves.

“Ah, yes. Of course, as you mentioned, there are medical treatments that can eliminate imprinting.”

“Yes! That’s exactly it!”

Listen here, doctor. Finally we’re understanding each other. Ian nodded enthusiastically like a model student passionately listening to a lecture.

“There is a method of inducing imprint removal by disrupting the pituitary gland with drugs, but… the problem is that this can have side effects.”

As soon as he heard the word “side effects,” despair fell over the face of the attentive model student.

“While medicine has advanced and trait medicine has developed alongside it, we’re still exploring unknown phenomena in the area of imprinting.”

The number of trait bearers doesn’t even amount to half compared to non-trait bearers. Moreover, imprinting isn’t something all Alphas and Omegas experience, it’s a special and rare phenomenon. So collecting samples and experimental groups for research is difficult in reality, and it took a long time to achieve the current medical research results, which was only possible with support from certain wealthy classes, Doctor Olson rambled on with explanations no one had asked for.

“Looks like the doctor had some trouble with research funding.”

“Hey…!”

With Terrence whispering right in his ear while the doctor was explaining passionately, Ian had to push him away with his elbow. He was already serious enough to die, but it was maddening how he kept subtly clinging to him whenever there was a chance. Having let the physical contact slide out of sympathy and guilt, Terrence was gradually escalating the level.

“…In conclusion, it’s still an unstable drug, so as a specialist, I absolutely do not recommend it.”

Doctor Olson shook his head vigorously, saying that drug was a last resort for patients in very difficult situations where the imprinting target had died or they could never physically be together.

“Especially since the patient is an athlete, right?”

Doctor Olson’s eyes gleamed sharply behind his glasses. It was a completely different reaction from his earlier languid and insincere demeanor.

Seeing him become alert, Ian swallowed hard and slowly nodded.

He had acted like he didn’t know at all, so Ian thought he didn’t recognize him. But then again, who in Kansas City wouldn’t know Terrence Hunt? If someone didn’t know him, that would be more surprising.

“Athletes can’t even carelessly take drugs that ordinary people use, but you want me to recommend an imprint removal drug with severe side effects? The people of this city would kill me.”

The doctor drew a line across his throat with a horrified expression. They really would kill me. Don’t you see the citizens who are all excited after the Super Bowl victory? Just imagining it feels like getting into a coffin, Doctor Olson made clear why he couldn’t prescribe it.

However, he didn’t forget that Terrence was also his patient, so he added his statement as a doctor.

“Anyway, I understand well why imprinting is troubling you. One-sided imprinting certainly has the possibility of mental and physical complications following it.”

“That’s exactly it, doctor.”

Now he felt like they were finally understanding each other. Ian barely restrained himself from wanting to grab and shake Doctor Olson’s hands as he continued his explanation.

“Just imagine if this guy suddenly has hyperventilation while playing a game!”

“Hmm.”

“He looks reliable like this now, but you never know. What if I suddenly have to go on a business trip, get in an accident, or get sick and can’t properly give him pheromones when he has to play a game…!”

Ian stood up abruptly and grabbed Terrence’s shoulders, shaking them as he tried to persuade.

“Look at him now. Doesn’t this guy look a bit sick? Is this normal? I’m worried to death because it seems like he’s withering away day by day.”

Ian shook Terrence, asking if he didn’t look like a patient at first glance, but like a stubborn old tree firmly planted, Terrence didn’t budge at all, and only Ian was shaking around like laundry in a spin cycle.

This is making him less convincing… Not even pretending to be sick, what is he doing, Ian cried inwardly as he pleaded earnestly by himself. He hoped the doctor would suggest some solution between them, anything would do.

As Ian made a fuss, Doctor Olson pushed up his glasses with his index finger and said meaningfully.

“Then how about mutual imprinting for you two? That would be much more stable.”

At those words, Ian froze like ice.

“When it’s mutual, imprinting is actually more stable than a non-imprinted state. Especially since you only respond sexually to your partner’s pheromones, there’s no chance of sudden heat accidents from being influenced by other Alphas or Omegas, and when you become a pair through mutual imprinting, your heat cycles align and your physical cycles become similar too. Not to mention the increased psychological bond.”

“……”

“Since you brought up drugs earlier, I should mention that drugs that induce imprinting also exist. Like imprint removal drugs, these are hormonal treatments that act on the pituitary gland, so they do have side effects, but since the imprinting target here is a civilian, not an athlete, you could bear much less risk…”

The doctor, who had been enthusiastically presenting his opinion in front of the speechless Ian, suddenly stopped talking.

Because Terrence had suddenly stood up and blocked between the doctor and Ian.

“No.”

“……”

“I refuse that.”

Ian, who had been staring blankly in shock and suddenly found himself looking only at Terrence’s broad back, came to his senses and made Terrence sit back down. Doctor Olson’s expression visible through the gap looked excessively surprised.

“Terry. Sit down, please.”

Whether he knew or didn’t know that his exceptional physique could intimidate others… Ian brought Terrence back and stuffed him into the chair again, then pulled his own chair closer to sit in front of the doctor. He hadn’t even swayed when Ian was shaking him so hard earlier, but now he moved obediently according to Ian’s touch, what a good and gentle guy he was when it really mattered. Feeling proud, Ian gently patted the now quiet Terrence’s knee.

“Ahem…”

Doctor Olson, perhaps embarrassed that he had been startled for a moment, cleared his throat and looked at the monitor again.

“Then… I understand that drug based solutions for imprinting aren’t suitable for either of you…”

“Yes…”

Actually, Ian didn’t mind taking the drugs himself. What if his body had some problems? It would be better for his body to be damaged rather than Terrence’s.

Anyone would say so, both objectively and subjectively. Ian’s body as a civilian would be worth less than the body of a young athlete just starting his successful career. And Ian wholeheartedly agreed with that thought.

The only problem was that it was a drug for imprinting.

Wouldn’t it be completely losing the purpose to come to a hospital wanting to remove imprinting only to return with the imprint bond made even stronger? If it could be solved with such an option, he wouldn’t have come to the hospital in the first place.

Seeing Ian sink gloomily, Doctor Olson opened his mouth gently as if to comfort him.

“Don’t despair too much…”

“……”

“Look. If imprinting itself is the problem, you don’t need to be too disappointed. Actually, the mechanism of imprinting is simpler than you’d think.”

Ian lifted his drooping head to look at his face.

“What are the conditions for imprinting to occur? The most important factor is affection. Without love for the other person, imprinting can never be established. So how can you remove imprinting? It’s simple. You just need to stop liking the other person. If you don’t love them, the imprint naturally disappears. Of course, very old imprints can become fixed in the brain and cause other physical problems when removed, but in your case, it’s extremely early stage.”

Right? the doctor said, looking back and forth between the chart and their faces.

“To be frank, that’s also why imprint removal drugs are less developed. Not only is it difficult to experiment with, but since imprints are naturally removed when affection disappears…”

“……”

“Just like how a person in love eventually cools down, imprinting often disappears naturally, so there was no need to desperately try to remove it.”

“I see…”

“So if you really don’t like being in an imprinted state… if the patient changes their mind…”

“No.”

No need to hear more. Terrence added as he stood up. A huge shadow instantly fell over Ian’s head.

“I like being in an imprinted state.”

It was a confident and calm statement as always.

“Thank you for the consultation today, Doctor Olson.”

“Ah… yes. It was an honor to meet you, player Hunt.”

Leaving Ian sitting there in a daze with his thoughts still unorganized, Terrence exchanged greetings and even shook hands with the doctor by himself. Ian had no choice but to get up from his seat in bewilderment.

Doctor Olson’s clinic door closed behind Ian, who was now familiarly being led away while held by Terrence’s hand.

*

“Are you satisfied now?”

Terrence asked as he returned to the table carrying a cup of coffee in each hand.

Ian, who had been sitting and blankly staring out the cafe’s glass window, received the coffee Terrence handed him and wrapped both hands around it. He did nod “Yeah,” but anyone could see it was reluctant.

Following Terrence’s suggestion not to go straight back but to spend some time before heading in, the two had entered a large cafe in front of the hospital. Fortunately, there weren’t many people visible, perhaps because it was a weekday afternoon and the space was so large.

After swallowing the latte heavily sprinkled with cinnamon, Ian let out a big sigh. Just from his drinking posture and expression, he looked like someone who had just gulped down strong brandy, overflowing with the bitterness of trouble and life.

“Haah…”

Even though he was just trying to breathe, what came out of his mouth was such a big sigh. It seemed he was indeed very troubled, as hollow laughter like air flowed through Ian’s lips.

In front of Ian, who seemed to be carrying all the world’s anguish, Terrence set down his cup with a thud. Then he placed his hand on Ian’s bowed head.

“Don’t worry too much about what the doctor said.”

With the warm hand resting on him, Ian looked up with difficulty.

“I have no intention of making you take strange drugs like that.”

“…I know.”

“And the same goes for me.”

“…I know that too.”

Terrence, who pursued excellence and thoroughly managed himself every day, was naturally very meticulous. Like a first-class athlete, he knew how to protect his body and thought that was the natural attitude of a professional. Ian also clearly knew that he wouldn’t harm his body with drugs just to remove one imprint. And that he wouldn’t make Ian take them either.

Wasn’t he despairing precisely because he knew all of this?

‘You just need to stop liking the other person. If you don’t love them, the imprint naturally disappears.’

The words he heard from the doctor earlier circled in Ian’s mind.

“If only it were that easy…”

A clicking sound escaped unconsciously through his muttering.

Were emotions something that could be controlled at will? If it were that easy, Ian wouldn’t be sitting here now. He probably would have given up any lingering feelings after that incident in the past, quickly shaken it all off, and been living a life completely unrelated to Terrence. By now, he would have been earnestly building his career in a more active and diverse big city like New York or California, just like before moving here. Flying far away from this Middle America that was both tiresome and nostalgic.

It was all his fault.

Everything that happened now was solely his fault… Meeting the doctor only made him more certain of his guilt.

If only he hadn’t failed to organize his lingering feelings and hadn’t circled around Terrence under the excuse of being a fan… Then none of this would have happened from the beginning.

If only he hadn’t existed…

“Haah…”

Having gone through difficult tests with no results whatsoever, he had no idea what to do from now on. Starting with Terrence’s narrowing position within the team, his brain felt like it would explode from the complex problems. Ian held his aching head in his hands.

“I think we met the wrong doctor.”

“What do you mean?”

“The prescriptions he suggested as solutions are all too much like grasping at clouds. There’s no reality to any of it. Mutual imprinting… That’s something married couples do. And even that’s barely done these days…”

How high was the divorce rate in America? It had gotten a bit lower recently, but it was still close to 40%. To exaggerate a bit, statistics proved that almost half of married couples get divorced.

Because of this, as time went on, the majority of trait-bearing couples increasingly tended not to imprint. More and more people didn’t want to bear the risk of imprinting when they didn’t know when, how, or for what reason they might break up.

Of course, there were still people who pledged eternal love to each other and placed weight on the noble and traditional values of marriage… But such people would imprint regardless of the times.

However, Ian and Terrence had shared nothing to bear such risks.

Family, emotions, past, love, sufficient time, and truth…

Between the two of them, everything that should exist between couples who decide on imprinting was completely missing.

Of course, it wasn’t that he didn’t understand couples who chose mutual imprinting. The advantages of physical and mental stability must be that significant. Ian sipped his hot latte and lamented how a doctor could suggest only that as a solution.

“I thought it was pretty good advice. Getting married would be one way.”

Terrence spoke bluntly while pulling his chair closer to Ian’s side. Ian’s jaw also dropped with a thud.

“It was one of the options I originally suggested anyway.”

“…!”

“…You do remember, right?”

At the question asked while narrowing the space between his eyebrows as if doubting Ian’s memory, Ian nodded stupidly.

Come to think of it, that was the very first thing Terrence Hunt had said when he came to catch him like he was chasing him, suddenly taking him to a restaurant. And in a half-threatening way at that. Saying that if he ran away again this time, he would chase him to the ends of the earth and make him pay for his crimes…

“I do remember, but I never thought that could be serious…!”

“Of course it was serious.”

“It was serious? Who the hell proposes marriage like that?”

How was this any different from couples who meet at a party today, get drunk just because they’re having fun and it’s exciting, then drive to Las Vegas and get married in a car with a pastor standing by? It’s not like it’s drive through wedding or anything.

Ian gaped in disbelief and stared in shock, but Terrence even extended his left arm to lift Ian’s chin. On top of that, ignoring his startled gaze, he even draped his arm over the back of Ian’s chair. The positioning was ambiguous, not quite resting on Ian’s shoulder, yet subtly resembling a lover’s embrace… Where exactly did this shamelessness end?

“Is marriage that easy for you?”

“What’s so difficult about it for you?”

Terrence’s eyes turned seriously toward him.

Was it filled with blame and reproach, or just pure doubt? Somehow unable to meet Terrence’s eyes, Ian lowered his head. Then Terrence straightened his posture and pulled Ian’s chair closer. The chair came so easily and lightly that it was hard to believe a grown man was sitting on it, and before they knew it, both pairs of their knees were touching.

“Hey, Ian. Listen.”

“…Say it.”

“What else could be difficult when we’ve already imprinted?”

They really weren’t communicating properly. Ian swept up his hair that had been falling gloomily and darkly, and barely lifted his head.

“…Do you actually like me?”

Since he had no intention of avoiding it anymore, Ian stared straight at Terrence right in front of him.

But at Ian’s difficult question, Terrence instead let out a scoff as if it was absurd.

“Ian, what did you just hear from the doctor?”

“What?”

“Imprinting can never be established without affection. Did you think I had no such feelings for you?”

He felt dizzy. Terrence didn’t say anything or make any gestures, but Ian vividly felt him desperately asserting his innocence and wholeness with his entire body.

And the shock Ian received was considerable. While he had been certain that affection still remained between them upon learning about the imprinting, he had never expected such a clear declaration. He hadn’t known that Terrence himself was so certain about his own feelings…

But even this was all the pheromones’ doing. Ian shook his head while firmly gripping Terrence’s thick knee, meaning for him to come to his senses.

“Terrence, you’re mistaken right now.”

Ian himself knew this best.

“Sure, we’ve been friends who cared for each other since before, so there couldn’t be no affection.”

Ian understood this as well, since he too was full of lingering attachments to their ruined friendship.

He was especially meaningful to Ian. After coming to this country, he had experienced almost every first with Terrence.

Late studying with friends, carpooling to and from school every day, days when they naturally came and went to each other’s houses, times when they went to see new movies together whenever they were released, his first concert, even trivial moments like trying new seasonal snacks that came out at the mart and giggling at each other saying they tasted bad… And his first kiss…

How many first moments he had experienced with Terrence and how brilliant they were – his poor way with words couldn’t express it all.

That’s how much Terrence meant to Ian, beyond simple emotions. And Ian knew well that the precious experiences and emotional exchanges they had shared when they were young meant the same to him too.

Didn’t Terrence also smile at him and say whenever high school Ian said “This is my first time. It’s so amazing”?

‘It’s my first time too, Ian.’

‘Really? I thought you’d done this a lot since you have many friends.’

‘Where do I have friends?’

‘There are guys like David and Tyler.’

‘They’re just teammates.’

Terrence in his school uniform, grumbling that those guys weren’t real friends and saying that Ian was his only true friend. Ian still vividly remembered all of that.

“I also acknowledge that we were more than just ordinary friends, we were special to each other.”

Ian and Terrence back then were more than best friends. They were friends whose personal lives were so blurred together. So he could understand his confused feelings.

“But Terry.”

His eyes that had been wandering in the distance turned toward him again. Terrence sat with his lips pressed together and an expressionless face, as if he would quietly listen to whatever Ian had to say.

“Was that all we were?”

A heavy silence enveloped them for a moment.

When Terrence declared that he had one-sidedly imprinted on him, the first shock he felt should properly be called despair rather than surprise.

Along with despair, as he collapsed, a heavy emotion of ‘So it has come…’ pressed down on Ian in his mind.

This kind of accident was actually a situation Ian had been constantly worried about. It wasn’t just Ian either, Harrison was the same. Rather, hadn’t his father worried about ‘that situation’ even more than himself, trying to prepare and guard against it?

‘You must be careful to prevent accidents. With such influential pheromones, you might unknowingly bewitch surrounding Alphas. The worst case scenario would be if an Alpha accidentally consumed by Ian’s heat pheromones becomes abnormally obsessed… or in the worst case, might even imprint.’

When they flew all the way to San Francisco with Harrison to get examined and diagnosed by someone who was supposedly the most renowned researcher and professor in this field, Dr. Lambert looked at Ian’s pheromone influence index and clearly warned the father and son.

That someone might get caught up in his heat and imprint.

Since a professor from UCSF (University of California, San Francisco), one of the world’s most prestigious medical schools, an authority who had researched trait medicine most deeply, had clearly warned them, Ian had always been wary of it. The reason he started pheromone training with Harrison was actually more to prevent the situation Dr. Lambert had warned about than because he wanted to get close to Terrence.

And his father must have been thinking the same as his son.

That no one would be bewitched by his beloved son’s pheromones and become entangled inappropriately. That they wouldn’t live a life completely opposite to what they originally wanted, hiding the black core of desire and greed inside a box wrapped as love, just to possess the other person. That both the Alpha and Omega wouldn’t be ruined…

The father’s wish that his son wouldn’t repeat the irrational choices he himself had made was contained in all the time they had struggled through training.

But Terrence knew nothing about Ian’s pheromones. He was completely ignorant. So he must be mistaking his own feelings after getting caught up in his heat cycle and imprinting.

“So this is all… all my fault…”

As Ian fumbled, unable to figure out how to properly phrase his words, Terrence’s face gradually crumpled. As if he could no longer continue the generous listening he had shown until now. As if he had been patient enough, his brow furrowed.

“Tell me properly what exactly you’re trying to say.”

Under Terrence’s pressure, Ian had no choice but to tearfully spill out everything about his constitution in a mess. Terrence exercised his last bit of patience and quietly waited for Ian’s incoherent explanation to end. Of course, the expression he wore at the end was bewilderment and absurdity itself.

“Wait. So Ian, what you’re saying now is that my imprinting…”

“Yeah…”

“The cause of this one-sided imprinting between us is entirely on you?”

“That’s right…”

“This was one hundred percent an accident caused by your heat cycle?”

Facing Terrence, who seemed a bit amused and was bewildered with laughter mixed in, Ian suddenly lifted his head. A rebellious glint shone through his black hair.

“…You don’t seem to believe it, but if you really want, I can connect you with Dr. Lambert. My medical records should still be intact.”

He had said it was a very rare case and wanted to keep his records for long-term storage, and they had signed consent forms with Harrison allowing the records to be used for research. So Professor Lambert would surely remember Ian quickly with just a few clues and could send related materials. Showing that to Terrence would be nothing.

“No… that’s not necessary. I believe you. I’ll believe you…”

“You have to believe it. My father can also testify to the fact that I’ve been training to prevent such accidents. And even if not…”

To think he would have to mention with his own mouth the terrible shame of that terrible day again. Ian’s eyes squeezed shut as he recalled a point in the past.

“You saw it yourself, that day. How my pheromones affect Alphas.”

As a scene he had consistently avoided remembering because he hated it briefly passed by, Ian unconsciously shuddered.

“……”

“……”

A pitiful silence settled between them.

And Terrence’s heavy hand as well…

As soon as the warm palm was placed on his head, his heart, which had been fluttering as if about to burst out, began to regain its pace. He also gained the courage to open his mouth again.

“…And you know because you’ve experienced it.”

Terrence had witnessed Ian suffering from heat cycles a total of three times from beside him. And coincidentally, the period when he had subtly obsessed over Ian was identical.

His conviction that everything was the pheromones’ doing came from that.

“Actually… I had always imagined that something like this might happen someday… I never thought it would be you though…”

If he had known this would happen, he should have immediately gone to San Francisco to get another detailed examination from Professor Lambert when his pheromones dropped close to recessive Omega levels. Instead of being happy that he had become similar to a Beta, he should have found out exactly what the cause was and whether there was any possibility of his pheromones recovering unexpectedly, and continued to be prepared. He had neglected his physical condition because he was satisfied with the comfortable reality.

The biggest mistake was letting his guard down, thinking he would no longer bewitch others with pheromones. He never imagined that a promising athlete who should always maintain peak physical condition would suffer the consequences. And that it would be Terrence Hunt, his most cherished friend…

Even facing such a terrible situation, there was no medical way to solve their problem. The only means Ian could choose for Terrence’s sake was mutual imprinting or…

“You’re mistaking the obsession, love-hate, and anxiety unique to one-sided imprinting for affection. An imprinting accident that occurred from simple affection and friendship as close companions, you’re… mistaking it because of hormones, because of pheromones…”

He couldn’t bear it without covering his face with his hands. The palms that had been roughly rubbing his pain-soaked face eventually dug into his hair and painfully gripped it.

“…I’m confessing now that this one-sided imprinting, which you consider evidence of your feelings, actually had such a secret hidden in it.”

“……”

“This is nothing but pheromones’ deception.”

Alphas and Omegas could never be free from pheromones. Just as humans born as such suffered from the need for sleep and food, it was a natural biological response for trait-bearers to be influenced by pheromones.

Such a natural and obvious phenomenon. An inevitable yoke. Who could blame anyone for that? Just like how legs jerk up when knees are hit , a spinal reflex, it was unavoidable for brains to be stimulated by opposite trait pheromones. Terrence, who had unexpectedly encountered his heat cycle like a disaster, would be completely innocent. He was purely a victim.

“Terrence, you don’t really like me.”

The sinful, terrible truth tumbled from Ian’s mouth as if being vomited out.

After revealing the truth he had hidden alone all this time, what he felt was more regret than relief. What shamelessness did he have to tell the truth when there wasn’t even a proper solution?

It was a confession meant to explain and persuade how unrealistic things like mutual imprinting or marriage were between them, but with guilt and remorse, Ian’s head remained deeply bowed, looking at his knees.

“Ha… seriously…”

That’s when it happened. A small laugh was heard above his head, which was bowed like a confessing believer.

“I was wondering what kind of story this was, listening quietly…”

Continuous snickering laughter was leaking from Terrence’s mouth, like someone who had watched a comedy show.

Ian, who barely managed to look up and confirm this sight, couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

He definitely thought he would be shocked… Terrence, who had been seriously listening to his story until just moments ago, had changed his attitude. His incredulous laughter was as if he had heard some absurd conspiracy theory from a conspiracy theorist.

“I’m telling you it’s real?”

Ian couldn’t believe his eyes and blinked several times.

“Well, yeah. Ian, I understand what you’re saying.”

“……”

“Hmm, yeah. Actually, thanks for telling me. I was curious about why you’ve been so wary of me all this time.”

But now he had found the answer, Terrence said, rubbing his chin with a serious expression.

“How you’ve been more guarded and distant than before, and especially why you always look around like someone who wants to escape, searching for open doors, I was curious about that. The reason was clear.”

He looked relieved.

“You didn’t trust me at all. Not before, and even more so now.”

For a moment, it felt like a thin needle was slowly piercing into Ian’s heart. The throbbing pain was probably because he had accurately pinpointed a corner of the truth.

“To think you believed all my feelings were fake.”

“…It’s not that they’re fake… This is just physical reactions causing the brain to resonate and create emotional confusion…”

“I get it. Your thoughts.”

Ian’s eyes widened at the unexpectedly easy acceptance.

He hadn’t expected to be understood so readily.