SPM 3.4

Drive 10

~Past~

There was something peculiar about Dylan’s gait.

Though he seemed to step carelessly, each step was mysteriously light, and there was a hint of elegance in his straight back that never bent and the shallow swaying movement of his arms.

Someone who didn’t know him might think it was natural, after all, he was born the son of a famous actor and grew up receiving attention for his particularly beautiful appearance, but Ian’s opinion was different.

That wasn’t arrogance or artificial pretense created by being conscious of others’ gazes. It wasn’t an attitude formed with such calculated intent, but simply that Dylan had confidence.

Firm confidence in his own self-worth, or self-esteem. Because he was solidly made of these things, he didn’t waver. He was so different from Ian, who always drifted here and there on the sea like a small boat without an anchor.

That was always a bit cool and enviable.

Though it was a gait he admired every time, Ian looked at Dylan’s back with feelings that were newly envious and a little proud, then soon ran to catch up with him. His backpack full of things needed for study rhythmically tapped his back.

“Hm?”

Ian, who had caught up with him, tilted his head and looked up and down at his friend, who seemed a bit different from usual.

“Dylan?”

While tapping his shoulder to get his attention, Ian’s gaze was on the long stick-like thing Dylan was holding in one hand.

“Oh, Ian.”

Dylan replied while turning the stick toward Ian’s direction. It was an extended tripod with a phone attached to the end, and his face was already appearing on the phone screen.

“Look here and say hi.”

As Dylan waved his hand, Ian also reflexively waved at the screen.

“Vlog?”

“Right. I just started recently.”

At the explanation that he wasn’t filming in earnest yet, just preparing to gradually try uploading videos instead of just photos, Ian nodded.

As the school building approached, Dylan folded the tripod very small and shrugged as he asked.

“Coming to school at this time? That’s unusual.”

“Ah…”

“You and Hunt are always coming out at dawn together.”

At Dylan’s remark, Ian awkwardly touched the back of his head.

“It’s not quite dawn…”

“Coming about an hour earlier than school time is what we’ve decided to call dawn arrival. It’s not a word in my life dictionary though.”

Dylan shook his head with a disgusted expression.

“Um, Dylan. Actually, I have a favor to ask about that…”

Ian chose his words while still touching the slightly long hair at the back of his neck. And he recalled the message he had sent Terrence this morning.

[I have something to take care of today, so I’ll go separately. See you at school later.

6:49 AM]

It was almost identical to what Terrence had sent him exactly two days ago. That utterly simple text that seemed to hide his inability to attend school due to his rut.

He was worried it might look like he was spitefully returning the favor out of twisted feelings, but no other expression came to mind.

It was something he did as if running away, because after overhearing the conversation between Bradley Hunt and Terrence Hunt, he had no idea how to face him or with what expression.

And now he was wondering what to do tomorrow. He felt like he could do anything if he could just avoid going to school together for now.

Like asking Dylan for this favor.

It was very difficult for Ian, who was usually very reluctant to ask others for favors, but he was so desperate that he clung to Dylan’s side.

“Could you go to school with me for a while?”

Then Dylan made a strange face full of suspicion, like someone who had drunk juice with a very peculiar taste.

“Ugh… what about your boyfriend…”

“…I told you he’s not my boyfriend.”

“Same difference.”

Potato, potahto. Six of one, half a dozen of the other. Dylan muttered then made a “pffft” sound with his lips and rolled his eyes.

But this time, he could say it firmly, unlike before.

“Dylan, I’m serious. It’s really not. Boyfriend, lover, date, whatever. It’s really not any of those things”

Hadn’t he heard directly that they only became friends out of pity, that Terrence didn’t like him? Their relationship was just one that started from concern and solidified into friendship.

Come to think of it, neither Terrence nor himself were particularly social types. Yesterday he had clearly learned that they were just two people who preferred narrow and deep relationships, who met and shared time and friendship.

So it was natural that Ian could now define their relationship with certainty, unlike before.

“Uh, um… okay. If you’re cutting it off that firmly, then…”

Dylan seemed a bit flustered by Ian’s firm denial. Perhaps he read a faint sadness in those depressingly dull blue-gray eyes. Ian forced an indifferent expression and briefly mocked himself.

“Did something happen?”

At the worried question, Ian pondered what to answer. Eventually, he stopped walking gloomily in the hallway and nodded.

“…Yeah.”

“Right. You do have the face of someone with problems.”

“……”

“Do you want to discuss this? Should I listen?”

Unlike when passing on rumors he’d heard, Dylan, who usually avoided digging deep into actual problems of people around him, was asking this. Was his expression that terrible? Ian let out a small laugh and hesitantly opened his mouth. And he appropriately explained what had happened between them.

“Wow… isn’t he a real fucking bastard?”

Of course, Dylan’s reaction after hearing the story was different from Ian’s expectations.

“He completely played with you? Where is that bastard? Give me Hunt’s schedule right now.”

Ian shook his head to stop Dylan, who was fuming and looked ready to go strangle Terrence immediately.

“Dylan, no. I really understand everything.”

And he explained well that he didn’t distrust the friendship that started with sympathy.

…That should have been it, but what exactly went wrong where?

Ian hugged Dylan, who had abandoned his previously elegant gait and was now stomping noisily through the hallway. If he didn’t stop him, Dylan looked ready to find Terrence’s car with scissors. And he’d probably puncture the tires with angry stabbing techniques.

“I’m just embarrassed. After hearing that kind of talk, it’s embarrassing to hang out together like before… that’s why…!”

“No, fuck, does that make sense?! I saw it with my own eyes!”

The shrieking sound nearly deafened his ears. Plus the rough curses typical of someone from New York were quite sharp.

“What? My two eyes work perfectly fine! Even if you think I’m an idiot, there’s a limit. Playing pseudo-romance with an innocent kid as much as he wanted, then unmanly saying what? That he never liked you? Have you ever seen such a shitty bastard?”

That fucking Alpha bastard should have his dick cut off. With dick, cock, and all sorts of profanity coming out, Ian had no choice but to drag Dylan to the bathroom while checking for other students around.

Finally, after breathing in air that was a mysterious mix of slight odor, strong detergent, and air freshener for quite a while, Dylan calmed down and spoke with determination.

“Fine. I’ll sell myself as you said, Ian. I’ll be the perfect excuse.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. I actually have a favor to ask you too, so this works out for me.”

Dylan’s gaze went to the tripod roughly stuck in his bag.

“Since I started filming vlogs, let’s use that as an excuse. If he persistently asks for reasons, say you have to help with my filming. I actually needed someone to film me anyway. Doing it alone is boring, the angles are always the same. Can’t use both hands either. I don’t know how everyone else films. Do they attach cameras to their foreheads…”

So he also ordered a small camera to attach to the tripod instead of a phone, Ian learned as he and Dylan roughly washed their hands and left the bathroom. The bell to start classes was about to ring.

“I’ll come pick you up at your house starting tomorrow morning.”

“Okay… please do.”

“I should be the one asking. I’m the one who’s going to work you with the camera.”

“I can do that anytime.”

When Ian answered with a smile, Dylan’s eyes sparkled.

“Really? You promised with your own mouth, anytime? No take-backs?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah, but I can’t pick you up at dawn like that Hunt guy. School time has to match mine.”

To Dylan, who shuddered saying getting up that early wasn’t human, Ian chuckled and said he understood. If school times were different, there’d be fewer chances to run into each other, which Ian welcomed, so there was no reason to refuse.

Following Dylan into literature class, Ian slapped both his cheeks with palms that were still cool from washing with cold water. He couldn’t let the class pass by carelessly with other thoughts.

There was only about a year left until college admission. The days given to him weren’t many enough to let wounds and sadness take up residence in his heart and mind.

If he didn’t pull himself together, all that would remain was a time of deeper, more stagnant anguish than now. He had to remember that fact clearly.

*

People are truly strange.

Just losing one friend who used to stick closest to him, yet feeling like he’d lost the entire world.

Ian sat alone in the cafeteria, tearing the plastic wrapper off his sandwich, mocking himself. It was truly absurd that he felt lonely despite creating this situation himself.

For a few days, Dylan had worried about him being alone without his best friend Terrence and had lunch with him, but that had its limits too. Ian and Dylan’s schedules barely matched to begin with.

Today too, unlike Ian who was eating lunch after third period, Dylan’s lunch time was after fourth period.

Looking around with lonely eyes at other students gathered in groups of three or five, it was amazing how he had managed to live in the early days after transferring when Terrence wasn’t there.

Was it because he knew nothing then? Back then, it was bearable because he thought feeling lonely was natural, but now it was completely different. He had already learned what warmth was.

He missed the comfort of having someone on his side, his best friend, his friend, and the times filled with people’s laughter.

It felt like being driven out naked after being inside a warm house. It was even more ridiculous that he felt this sense of loss when he wasn’t even driven out but had crawled out the door himself.

He learned for the first time that knowledge brings loss.

Ian dropped his half-eaten sandwich onto the tray. He took a few bites of the bright red, shiny apple but soon put it down too.

“It’s not good…”

He didn’t want to chew anymore and had no appetite either.

He found himself ridiculous and let out a hollow laugh. If he felt awkward and didn’t want to face someone, he should at least be able to confidently take responsibility for his own decisions. But he couldn’t even do that.

So in reality, this loneliness and desolation was close to punishment. Self-imposed punishment.

Eventually Ian gave up eating, cleaned up his tray, and left the cafeteria. After hesitating briefly, he hurriedly headed toward the secluded music building. There, he wouldn’t run into Terrence. It was a place not particularly related to him, so it was safe.

The small device in his pants pocket had been vibrating continuously. To more thoroughly avoid that predictable cause, Ian quickened his pace.

When passing the familiar and comfortable library, he was tempted to stay there for a while but soon gave up. He didn’t want to sit there tormented by the feeling that Terrence would come looking for him after exercise as usual.

The only consolation was that junior year was ending, meaning summer vacation was approaching soon.

Just hold on a little longer and he wouldn’t have to come to school. Ian had only that thought. Even if everything wasn’t resolved or completely over, if he could just avoid seeing the person complicating his heart, he felt he could survive. So he thought like a stupid ostrich hiding only its head in a burrow trying to escape from predators, planning to avoid him well for the next few days.

Not knowing he’d be caught this quickly.

“Ian!”

A familiar voice called Ian loudly and grabbed his wrist.

Since he was walking quickly with his head down, Ian’s body momentarily fell backward, swept away by the forceful grip.

“Ah…!”

Of course, the problem was that the person who grabbed him wasn’t the type to just let Ian stumble and fall.

“You should be careful.”

Terrence whispered affectionately in his ear while holding Ian as if embracing him from behind. If he had known this would happen, it would have been better to just fall to the ground.

He wanted to give in to the sweet temptation of everyday life that came as if nothing had happened. But thinking of his foolish past before knowing the truth and the pain-filled time after opening Pandora’s box, he couldn’t. His eyes instinctively squeezed shut.

Get it together, Ian. Wake up from the dream now.

An unknown voice seemed to pour cold water over him, telling him to see reality clearly, and Ian was startled. He turned his body as if to face Terrence and created distance between them.

“…Terrence.”

“Yeah.”

“……”

“It’s me. Fortunately, you haven’t forgotten my name.”

When Ian tilted his head at the self-deprecating joke, Terrence let out a laugh that sounded like air escaping. Unlike what Ian thought, he looked somewhat angry.

“You’ve been avoiding me so much I thought you’d forgotten me.”

“Ah…”

Ian couldn’t look straight into Terrence’s eyes. The serious gaze that seemed to pierce through the truth was burdensome for Ian.

“…That can’t be. I’ve just been busy lately…”

“No matter how busy you are, there’s time to say hello. We sit in the same classroom for the same class, but who’s the one who rushes in right before class starts and runs away as soon as it ends? I thought you’d at least give me a look.”

“……”

“At first I didn’t think much of it. I just thought you had your reasons. Maybe you were sick, or something urgent came up suddenly. Because there’s no way you’d pretend not to see me unless it was something like that. Right?”

When had he become so good with words? Listening to his logical expression, Ian’s mind went blank to the point where he couldn’t even think of excuses.

Well, though he was quiet and didn’t talk much, Terrence was also an honor student who took several difficult AP classes with Ian. This country valued grades even for athletes, so it was natural. Especially if one were applying to top universities like Terrence.

“But after the same situation repeated several times, I finally understood clearly. That you’re avoiding me.”

“……”

“I understand you wanting to go to and from school separately. You’ve had to come out too early to match my schedule all this time. I understand Burns’ situation as you explained it. I don’t know how great and important that vlog of his is, but if you say so, then it must be.”

Terrence was probably the only Alpha who would grind his teeth with such an annoyed expression while talking about Dylan, the school’s implicit object of admiration and hidden popular figure.

“I understand that you’re stopping the time we used to spend together to help him. But this isn’t right. During class time and now during lunch too. You’re obviously avoiding me.”

“……”

“Aren’t you?”

His voice was getting louder as his agitation escalated.

It was already a hallway with many people passing by. And it was lunchtime too. Ian shrank his shoulders, feeling the gazes of countless students bustling around the school.

“Ow, it hurts. Terrence…”

“What? I can’t hear you well.”

“I said it hurts…”

When he glanced toward his wrist that Terrence was still gripping tightly and muttered again, Terrence startled and let go of his hand.

“Sorry. I unconsciously used too much force… No, I know that’s no excuse. I guess I was anxious. To hurt you like this. I’m really sorry.”

The loud voice that had been questioning Ian angrily subsided, but the surrounding gazes were still heavily focused on them.

The reason was that Terrence looked ready to almost kneel, which didn’t match his large build.

No, he actually did kneel.

Terrence, who had been bending over to delicately examine Ian’s wrist, bent one knee and lightly kissed Ian’s wrist that he was holding. Just from the pose, it would definitely look like a proposal scene.

“It doesn’t seem bruised. But still, sorry…”

As he looked up at Ian like a knight kneeling before a princess, Ian was horrified and pulled him up. Now all the uniformed students passing through the hallway had really stopped walking and were watching them.

“G-get up.”

Ian glanced around and grabbed Terrence’s arm to pull him up, and unlike his worries, Terrence easily stood up even at Ian’s weak strength.

Ian hurriedly dragged him and opened the storage room door right next to them.

“…?”

“Let’s talk somewhere quiet.”

It was a cleaning supply room.

Terrence, suddenly pushed into the cramped space and forced to jostle with large vacuum cleaners, mops, and plastic buckets divided on both sides, sent a puzzled look, but Ian firmly shook his head. He didn’t want to receive any more attention from other students.

Though it smelled slightly musty with dust, the cleaning supply room, enclosed on all sides except for a tiny window on the wall, was surprisingly clean and quiet, making it not bad for the two of them to have a private conversation.

“First.”

Ian let out a big sigh and chose his words.

“My arm didn’t hurt that much, so it’s okay. It’s not bruised. So stop making that expression. And don’t kneel in front of other people like that.”

“Okay.”

Though he still looked sorry, Terrence seemed to have no intention of interrupting Ian and obediently agreed.

“And as I said, going to school… I’ve been a bit tired lately… and lacking sleep too.”

Actually, he wasn’t tired. No matter how early it was, just thinking about being with Terrence made all fatigue disappear. Spending time alone in the quiet library after sending him to morning training was also a precious moment Ian loved. All the days he had spent with him.

But Ian didn’t have any emotional leeway to honestly reveal the truth.

“You know I owe Dylan a lot. Plus, this vlog thing… it’s something that would never be related to someone like me, so I’m curious. And you were the one who told me to accumulate various experiences before going to college…”

It was Terrence who had whispered such words while taking Ian to rock star concerts or subtly suggesting they go tracking, eventually dragging along someone who said they didn’t want to go.

So Ian was now building up tight excuses by mixing half truths and half lies.

He had never thought he could be such a good liar. A momentary self-mockery came with it, that people change like this when cornered.

“And you’re busy too with the final game coming up. Don’t worry about waiting for me and rush out after training. In the afternoon too, stay comfortably with your friends until the end. Go home comfortably by yourself.”

Though he persuaded like soothing an angry child, Terrence’s expression was becoming more sullen.

“Those guys aren’t friends.”

“Friends, teammates. Whatever they are.”

“……”

“You always rush to the library as soon as training ends because of me. I heard David complaining that you never eat dinner together.”

“…Fucking David…”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Though Ian thought he heard some impressive profanity, he pretended not to notice and continued.

“So sometimes go to Covers with them and buy some hamburgers… They’re friends who follow and like you as captain. Taking care of team members is important too.”

“Taco Bell would be too good for those guys.”

At his grumbling words, Ian forgot his seriousness and laughed. This was the Terrence who often took him to fancy Italian restaurants and bought lots of food. Though he always spoke gruffly like this, Ian knew well that wasn’t Terrence’s true feelings.

“Anyway… David and Tyler all seemed pretty down about the last game results, so I mentioned it. Of course, it’s your money so it’s your decision.”

“Right. I won’t spend a penny on those bastards.”

“Yeah. You should do as you want.”

How did he end up in a situation where he was coaxing Terrence? Ian sighed and looked at the time on his phone.

“All misunderstandings are cleared up, right? Then I should go in now. I want to look at the textbook briefly before class starts.”

Survey of OT and NT, just from the grandiose name. Religious studies class always troubled Ian, who lacked related knowledge, so preview and review were essential.

Actually, if he had gone to the music hall earlier, that’s what he would have done there, but since he ran into Terrence anyway, it seemed fine to go to the nearby library. Ian looked at his screen again and shouldered his bag.

Then Terrence naturally took the pad and books from Ian’s hands without permission. And holding the handle of the cleaning supply room door, he said lightly.

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

Seeing Terrence act as if nothing had happened, just like the ordinary days they spent before kissing, Ian let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.

“No, Terrence. No.”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“I’m going alone.”

“……”

“I just… want to be alone lately.”

While running away, he had hidden and avoided like a guilty person, his heart racing with anxiety, but once he actually faced Terrence, his head cooled down as if all that tension had been a lie. His heart, which had settled coldly, was rather calm.

“Please understand.”

There was no need to make up complicated excuses or beat around the bush.

He said that’s how it was. He said that’s what he wanted to do, what reason was needed beyond that? He had never been more grateful for the culture here where that was sufficient persuasion.

Ian calmly took his books and pad from Terrence’s hands without further explanation. And the moment he put his hand on the door handle.

“Ian, don’t go.”

Because of Terrence embracing him from behind, he couldn’t move at all.

All that remained in the voice that had been sullen until just moments ago was now only desperation.

“I must have done something wrong after all. That’s why you’re punishing me like this, right?”

“……”

“Whatever it was, I was wrong. I’m sorry. …So don’t turn your back on me.”

“No, Terry. Really, no.”

No matter how firmly he had steeled his heart with cold reason, it was hard to watch Terrence blame himself.

Ian turned his head with a bewildered feeling. He couldn’t move to turn around and face him because he was trapped in those large arms.

“Why would you think that.”

Was it filled with the same sense of loss as his own? Ian’s hand hesitantly reached out to touch those eyes that looked sadder than ever.

“It’s really not your problem, it’s just my problem.”

“…Then how long do I have to wait.”

At those eyes that reminded him of the kitten Leo hiding under the car on that day of heavy rain, Ian smiled bitterly.

Until my heart returns to where it belongs. Until this embarrassing feeling of wanting to die from awkwardness when I see you disappears. Until I can completely erase this delusion and return to the heart I had when we were just friends. When I can be the good friend you want again. …Then.

Countless answers came to mind, but there wasn’t a single one he could say out loud.

So there was only one thing he could say.

“…I’ll try not to take long.”

What did Terrence think while watching him promise a later time instead of now, unable even to meet his eyes?

“Promise me. Please promise me.”

Did he really believe those words then? Or did he speak with such a desperate voice because he couldn’t believe them? No matter how much Ian tried to recall now that everything was over, he couldn’t tell at all.

“I prom…, mmph.”

The hesitant promise couldn’t even be finished.

Because the sweetest lips in the world that he had tasted just once before covered Ian’s lips again.

Unlike the first time in the car, this was a slightly rough kiss filled with urgency and desperation, and just as Ian’s eyes widened in confusion.

Bang!

Someone kicked the door open from outside. Thanks to that, the narrow, dark storage room where they had been pressed together was brightened by light coming in from outside.

“……”

Because of the backlight, it took a few seconds to recognize who was standing with legs spread wide in front of them.

And after his eyes adjusted to the bright light, the person Ian recognized was completely unexpected.

“…Della.”

Muttering the name of his sister who was worse than a stranger, Ian hurriedly straightened his clothes after escaping from Terrence’s embrace, who was still holding him tightly.

How should he explain this? He had shown an intimate moment with an Alpha to someone who was family, even if not close. Especially when she knew he liked him.

While he couldn’t say anything in his bewilderment, Della, whose eyes were flushed red, was unexpectedly calm. She just said one thing Ian hadn’t expected, like her unexpected appearance.

“…Let’s go, Ian.”

For a moment he wondered if he had heard wrong.

But it wasn’t a mistake.

“Let’s go.”

Della repeated exactly the same thing.

“…Yeah.”

Ian sighed and started walking, following Della who had already turned her back and left first at his answer. Of course, the person who had been holding him until just before wouldn’t let Ian just leave like that.

“Ian!”

At the voice that had become desperate again, Ian shook his head. His heart, which had become cold again, was so calm it seemed like it wasn’t even beating.

“……”

Rejection. Complete rejection.

Like that, Ian continued walking following Della, leaving Terrence standing there dumbfounded as if nailed to the spot. Until he was completely far away from him.

*

What had he felt when he came out following Della then?

Disappointment. Yes, he seemed to have been disappointed.

That’s why he had obediently followed her out, even though he had never considered her to be on his side and it was ambiguous to call her family.

Unlike his own ambiguous emotions, the reason he remembered exactly what Della said when they came out of the storage room was probably because that strange expression, pretending to be calm as if nothing had happened while looking like she might burst into tears at any moment, was burned into his mind.

Biting her lips that were trying to twist like her distorted eyebrows, what she said as an excuse was,

‘I heard you were in trouble.’

He knew she hadn’t come to save someone who really looked troubled. Because Della liked Terrence. She probably heard from someone that it seemed like something was going on between them, and rushed over, that was all he could guess.

‘Dad said so. Even though you’re taking suppressants, your heat cycle breaking through must be because there’s an Alpha with very strong traits nearby.’

Her words were true.

Not long after arriving in the United States, Ian had been prescribed a mild and suitable suppressant by Professor Lambert at UCSF Medical Center, which he had visited with Harrison. Given that it was an important time for college entrance exams, the prescription was carefully calibrated to his age, traits, and constitution to prevent any unexpected heat cycles while not adversely affecting the health of a sensitive teenager.

But despite the enormous cost of testing and preparing the custom suppressant, everyone was naturally shocked when it failed to prevent the heat cycle as expected. While a proper heat cycle was a natural phenomenon that served as a gateway to adulthood and proof of becoming a mature Omega, hadn’t they deliberately traveled all the way to distant San Francisco to get a prescription to delay all of that?

On the first weekend after Ian’s heat ended, Harrison, somewhat agitated with anger, grabbed Ian’s hand and visited UCSF Medical Center again.

That’s where they heard the story.

‘Do you happen to have any close friends who are dominant Alphas? Or perhaps a dominant Alpha boyfriend or girlfriend…?’

Even as he asked this abruptly, the professor seemed to already have more confidence in the latter options.

‘Frequent contact or sexual interaction with dominant Alphas naturally brings forward heat cycles. The psychological aspects regarding the opposite sex can also promote sex hormone development… I’m afraid I’ll have to prescribe something stronger.’

‘Yes. Please do that, doctor.’

Ian wanted to vehemently deny that there was anything like that, but he had no chance to explain.

Whether Terrence was a friend or lover didn’t seem to be an important matter to them. Between the two people who were focused on preparing solutions to prevent such incidents from recurring, Ian could only sit there awkwardly.

But he never expected Professor Lambert’s diagnosis to reach Della’s ears.

‘So, you came to help me?’

When he asked while following her with her sunken, contemplative expression, Della hesitated a bit before answering.

‘…Yeah.’

Since she said so herself, he couldn’t ask her to properly reveal what her true feelings were. They weren’t that close to begin with anyway.

Besides, there was no time to ask. Della, who had brought Ian outside the building, turned away from him as if her job was done, and took the hand of Drake Arnold, the offensive lineman from the football team they had seen at the gym last time. After seeing her leave with a light kiss with that guy, leaving Ian behind, he was left speechless.

“Does she not like Terrence anymore?”

Back then, when he had even less immunity and knowledge about relationships with the opposite sex, he could only think that guy was definitely Della’s boyfriend just from one kiss.

Of course, Della’s true feelings weren’t that important anyway.

Even if Della still liked Terrence and he had interfered and disrupted them for that reason alone, Ian would probably have acted the same way if he went back to that time.

Coming out of the warehouse with his back turned to Terrence was entirely Ian’s choice, not for Della’s sake.

The thought that flashed through his mind the moment Terrence kissed him desperately was still vivid even now, after so much time had passed.

Why. Why on earth.

He said he didn’t like him. He clearly heard him say that he was a friend who started with sympathy, that the only emotion between them was friendship. Was it because of pheromones after all…?

Dejection and sadness were written over the exciting words ‘second kiss.’ It soon became deeply carved and covered like forcefully pressed writing, becoming a mess. It had become a pitiful doodle that was neither this nor that. Something that should be crumpled up and thrown in the trash.

As the memory of the most terrible day from the past briefly flashed through his brain again, Ian shook his whole body and shook off the memory like dusting off dirt.

“Still, it’s fortunate that things worked out well now…”

Ian muttered to himself as he walked through the corridor of the Wolves headquarters.

But now he was curious about the truth of the past.

“I’ve loved you, only you, from before until now. This is my true feeling.”

As Terrence said, maybe he kissed him because he liked Ian even back then. But then what was that conversation between brothers that he had eavesdropped on outside the bedroom?

Someday, when everything becomes okay, he wants to ask Terrence. What exactly happened back then? If he wasn’t deceiving himself, if there were some other circumstances, please let him know.

Of course, since he completely trusted Terrence now, it didn’t matter what he said.

But would there come a day when he could reveal all of his own circumstances too?

“Sigh…”

The lingering image of that morning when he sent Terrence away with only half-truths again when Terrence asked why he ran away, wasn’t it time to tell him now, wouldn’t fade away. More precisely, Terrence’s face as he looked down desolately.

“It would be better not to ask…”

How could he shamelessly hide his own secrets while asking others to reveal everything? Ian stopped walking and looked at his screen with resignation.

PM 2:42. It was a little earlier than the 3 o’clock appointment.

“Did I come too early…”

Standing in front of an office, Ian looked at the nameplate on the door and leaned against the corridor wall.

Matt Donovan.

The general manager of the Wolves organization and head of the sports operations team, he was someone who would normally never have occasion to meet with Ian, a low-level employee in the communications team. That is, if it weren’t for the Terrence situation. Though now the situation had completely changed.

Since this was the first time meeting one-on-one, Ian wanted to be punctual, so he looked at his phone to kill some time. He was planning to briefly search for news about Terrence on social media.

When he clicked on Terrence’s name, which was already at the top of his recent searches, popular posts came up in a row. Among them, what caught Ian’s eye with tremendous views and shares was none other than…

“…Th-this crazy…!”

It was a photo taken from far away and enlarged, showing Terrence and Ian blurrily, but anyone could recognize the majestic quarterback’s figure. What the hell. What kind of person with nothing better to do took this…? Ian held his phone so close it was almost touching his forehead as he examined the photo.

Ian sitting loosely on a bed mattress, and Terrence wrapping his arm around the Omega’s shoulder, looking down at his face as if he was about to devour it entirely.

He immediately smacked his forehead upon seeing it. He remembered exactly what situation that was.

Wasn’t that when they were testing the comfort of the mattress at the bed store following the manager’s recommendation?

“Wh-wh-who the hell took this and posted it…?”

Ian hurriedly closed the enlarged photo and checked the post. Fortunately, it wasn’t a reporter or anyone related, but a completely unknown account.

Sean @SJLandmer april 5  

Holy shit I witnessed the Hunt couple in real time  

Took this from far away but looks like they’re ordering a bed  

Since they’re bonded, are we about to hear engagement news?  

The Omega kept looking down so the photo didn’t come out right but he’s super handsome…  

Went to look at beds but ended up just looking at people lol  

This was… his mind was going blank. On top of that, below the enormous view count, all kinds of quotes were endlessly following, and Ian unknowingly opened his mouth wide as he scrolled endlessly.

↳ If you’re gonna talk about how handsome he is, you need to provide proper proof. What is this? You can’t see his face at all  

↳ I also wanted to see that handsome guy…  

↳ Ugh what is this I’m dying of curiosity  

↳ The bastard who can’t take one proper photo should just die  

↳ That’s Nordstrom department store, right? Starting today I’m camping there with a Canon 600 telephoto lens. Criminals always return to the scene of the crime…  

There was even someone showing off their telephoto camera lens, saying they were going to properly photograph his face… Ian quickly rubbed his goosebump-covered forearms.

It was the same below. Endless praise for Terrence’s physique and appearance that created an optical illusion making the huge mattress look single-sized, and people curious about Ian continued endlessly.

Since people were jeering about Ian’s face not showing up properly, the person who posted the original photo made another appearance.

Sean @SJLandmer april 6  

Wait wait wait  

There’s a lot of talk about my bad photography  

But if I got really close I would’ve gotten beaten up, you know?  

Non-Alphas who don’t know shit keep running their mouths again huh?  

When he’s with his partner, the pheromones are so threatening  

Other Alphas besides me were literally pissing themselves  

Wait, was Terrence releasing pheromones at that time…? Ian tilted his head. He definitely didn’t feel anything… Even when he carefully recalled the memory from that time, it was the same.

The sports community board he checked just in case was even more chaotic.

They had captured that SNS post as-is and comments continued endlessly below.

↳ There’s talk that he even bought a ring. An acquaintance saw them in front of the Nordstrom Tiffany store that day, argue with me and you’re right  

↳ Sigh… is everyone’s superstar becoming someone else’s again  

↳ Goodbye… congratulations… I’ll let you go now Terrence… I loved you with all my heart…  

↳↳ Sneakily claiming ownership lolol  

↳↳ When was he ever yours?  

↳↳↳ (OP) Yeah…  

↳↳↳↳ Fuck this kind of person is real, Terrence run…!!!  

↳↳ But if they’re bonded, isn’t he already that Omega’s?  

↳↳↳ Here comes another serious-kun  

↳↳↳ You must not know but bonding breaks easily? If you’re not a trait-bearer please don’t butt in  

↳↳↳↳ Hmm, even if that bond breaks, he’ll never become yours…  

↳↳ Haven’t these kids here come to their senses yet? Someone bring a bucket of ice  

It was absolute chaos.