SPM 4.2

The area in front of the security checkpoint at Kansas City International Airport was bustling with people as usual.

Announcement broadcasts echoing overhead for someone late for their boarding time, people hugging and seeing off those departing, the sound of conversations giving final reminders, and people calmly holding their luggage and lining up at the checkpoint as if it were a familiar, everyday routine. Everyone was busy as befitted such a hectic place, and Ian and Terrence were no different from them.

The reason Ian’s anxious foot-stomping like a puppy that needed to go wasn’t particularly noticeable was because everyone around them was the same. Ian muttered anxiously in front of Terrence, who was holding a modest sports bag and wearing a cap pulled low.

“I should have… I should have gone with you after all… This doesn’t feel right…!”

After frantically lamenting by himself, Ian finally grabbed something like Terrence’s collar and clung to it.

Why something “like” a collar rather than just a collar? Because of their size difference. A height difference of over 15 cm made it somewhat difficult for the smaller person to naturally grab the larger person’s collar. To properly grab his collar, he’d have to reach quite a bit higher. So Ian, who had just grabbed whatever was in front of him, was only managing to stretch out the area around Terrence’s sternum on his t-shirt.

Unaware that he was making his favorite t-shirt look strange, Ian made a tearful face.

“What if you suddenly run short of pheromones when you get there…!”

Terrence was currently heading to New York to appear on the Lauren Curtis Show that the writer had gone to the trouble of coming to Kansas City to book. Since the Lauren Show was broadcast live from the NBS studio at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, it was natural that Terrence had to go there to appear on the show.

Seeing Ian who was now almost on the verge of tears, Terrence sighed softly and slowly continued speaking.

“Calm down, Ian. That won’t happen.”

While soothing his Omega and naturally separating his strangely wrinkled t-shirt from Ian’s hand, Terrence gently held Ian’s hand that he had skillfully removed and explained calmly.

“It’s only two days. What’s there to worry about?”

“Even two days makes me anxious…!”

In consultation with Dr. Olsen, they had decided not to inform Terrence about Ian’s physical condition for the time being. It was because Ian, the person involved, didn’t want it. Instead, they had discussed with the hospital about continuing frequent follow-up tests and trying various approaches.

So Terrence didn’t know exactly that he wasn’t getting enough Omega pheromones.

‘No, actually he might know…’

The fact that Terrence was extremely sensitive to his own physical condition and pheromones was something Ian knew all too well.

Terrence was probably definitely feeling that he was currently barely quenching his thirst with Ian’s pheromones sip by sip, like conserving water in a desert.

He was just not showing it so Ian wouldn’t feel burdened, Ian was now convinced by Terrence’s confident smile. How delicately Terrence considered him was something he could tell all too well from watching him until now.

That’s why Ian couldn’t say anything more. He didn’t want to confess like someone who had committed a crime and then burden Terrence with more worry by asking him to worry together about his body’s problems. Especially when he was already carrying enough of a time bomb that could explode at any moment, he couldn’t pass on additional worries.

But if he was going to have such excessive confidence, maybe he should have confessed earlier…!

‘This guy, not knowing how I feel…!’

When Ian could only open and close his mouth like a goldfish gulping air because he couldn’t speak properly, Terrence lifted Ian’s chin to close it and gently kissed his lips. He smiled sweetly as if looking at a cute creature.

“I’m telling you, you really don’t need to worry.”

“Still…”

“Isn’t this why we’ve been doing it every day lately?”

He even extended his tongue to thickly lick Ian’s slightly parted lips.

“I have enough pheromones, so stop worrying.”

At his words while biting his slightly upturned nose like a Korean sock, Ian’s face instantly turned red.

“…You knew?”

When he asked while covering his mouth like someone whose big secret had been discovered, Terrence placed his large hand on Ian’s crown and playfully tousled his hair.

“Of course. You come home exhausted every day preparing for the draft and the Lauren Show, but then immediately start taking off your clothes and pouncing on me, how could I not know?”

Terrence laughed, saying it was really pitiful and cute when Ian would suddenly put his hand in his pajama pants with a sleepy face that looked like he could fall asleep any moment.

“You’ve been trying so hard every single day that I have enough pheromones. Don’t worry anymore and take care of your body. I’m sorry for making you help with the Lauren Show when you’re already busy.”

“No, no! It’s obviously something I should do! Plus Toby helped a lot so it was fine.”

“Do you still have a lot of work?”

“No, this much is nothing. Plus once the draft that starts the day after tomorrow is over, I’ll be free for a while.”

Once the busiest part of the off-season passed, it would be relatively leisurely from June until they started seriously preparing for the season. From then on, he was looking forward to being able to support Terrence more, the opposite of how things had been.

Ian looked at his wristwatch and calculated the time remaining until takeoff. It was time to send Terrence through to the other side of the security checkpoint.

With an anxious heart, Ian hugged Terrence as if hanging around his neck. Then, releasing everyday pheromones that wouldn’t displease the people around them to wrap around Terrence’s body, he murmured in his ear.

“I think it would be better to sign with an agency as soon as you get back. Sending you off alone like this… this is ridiculous…”

Was this how Song Joo-hee felt every time she sent Ian off alone on a plane to meet his father? Somehow he felt like he could understand his mother’s heart to death, making him feel choked up.

And Terrence must have noticed that Ian was treating him like a little kid or child. He whispered while hugging Ian with a slightly incredulous voice.

“Ian, I’m not a twelve-year-old kid… And I actually took planes alone when I was twelve too. Several times a year.”

He didn’t know what could have required someone so young to frequently take planes alone, but such thoughts quickly disappeared as his attention was drawn to Terrence comforting him.

“Still, if you had an agency, they could accompany you at times like this… and if any problems arose, they could take immediate action.”

“Right. And this time they could take some of the work you’ve been doing off your hands. You might not realize it, but I’ve been worried that you’ve been pushing yourself too hard lately.”

“……”

“I’m serious, Ian. I’m really worried. So please take care of yourself.”

Terrence smiled bitterly while stroking Ian’s back as they embraced.

It was Ian who had coordinated schedules by talking with Lauren Show staff until late at night, and had single-handedly handled not only hotel reservations and flight tickets but even Terrence’s mock interviews. Terrence’s voice conveyed both gratitude and apology for this.

Ian released his embracing arms and looked directly into Terrence’s eyes.

“But honestly, I was happy. That I could help you in this way. It was an honor to be able to support quarterback Terrence Hunt’s work independently, so don’t say things like that.”

It had been a long-time dream. To become an ally who helped him with Ian’s own abilities, rather than an obstacle blocking his path.

A relationship where they could be beneficial rather than harmful to each other. So everything Ian was doing for Terrence now was his goal and joy.

“Contact me when you arrive safely. I’ll be waiting.”

“Okay. Be careful going home.”

Not knowing Ian’s heart that was worried to death, Terrence looked down at Ian with a face that showed he was more worried instead. It was a gaze like looking at a child left by the water’s edge. Even though he was the one boarding a plane and going far away. Finding this fact amusing, Ian snorted and patted Terrence’s shoulders.

After sharing a brief kiss at the end, Ian sent him inside. He stood there for a long time until the capped head that stood a span taller than others completely disappeared from view.

And the situation exploded in a completely unexpected place.

No, should he say he expected it? It was no different from Ian’s biggest worry becoming reality.

The problem was that not only Ian but everyone in the country watched this fact unfold through the broadcast.

The TV screen he had turned on after a long time was colored brightly. Before the Lauren Curtis Show started, a show that had been loved by viewers for about ten years and had won Emmy Awards several times. Until then, Ian had largely let go of the anxious feelings he’d had about sending Terrence off alone.

That was because as soon as Terrence got off the plane, he immediately called Ian while collecting his luggage, and contacted him without fail every time he moved locations.

Actually, Ian couldn’t help but be quite surprised by this. Even between lovers, there wasn’t a culture of sharing private life in such detail, so he had no expectations. He thought at most Terrence would send a message after arriving at the hotel, but Terrence had called him every time.

It was probably consideration for Ian who was constantly worrying.

I got out of the airport and got in a taxi now. I arrived at the hotel. I’m going to rest a bit and have a meal. My physical condition is fine. Pheromones aren’t lacking either. It’s nothing at all so don’t worry and sleep well. I just woke up and exercised. I’m about to leave now. They told me to come straight to Rockefeller Center. Thanks to you booking a hotel right nearby, I could even walk there. No, I haven’t eaten yet. I’ll grab something simple on the way. I told you not to worry.

While explaining in detail to Ian who was listing worries, Terrence laughed as if it were ridiculous, and then conversely interrogated Ian about his day, eventually extracting surrender from Ian who got tired of answering.

Just when he had finally felt relieved as that affectionate guy wanted. A problem suddenly exploded from an unexpected place like a blow to the back of the head.

The beginning was really not bad.

After a musical-like opening video where Lauren Curtis, a talented singer and host, acted and sang with actors, the familiar Studio 6A doors opened wide. Soon she came out singing directly from behind the glamorous doors, and the audience stood up and welcomed her appearance with applause.

Listening to the live band beautifully performing the familiar opening song he often watched, Ian finally grabbed a beer bottle and plopped down on the sofa.

Though he hadn’t told Terrence, Ian had worked overtime yesterday too. He had pushed through work the day before to properly watch today’s live broadcast, and thanks to that he was able to come out on time.

However, it was too much to prepare dinner too, so he had nicely set up kebab he bought outside on a tray. With this, he could say he had perfectly completed preparations for watching Terrence’s broadcast.

When the song ended, Lauren greeted with applause and finally introduced today’s guest and protagonist.

“This guest represents Kansas City! Terrence Hunt! Welcome!”

Ian blankly watched Terrence walk out amid thunderous cheers.

“Wow… whose Alpha is that, really…”

So cool. Seriously the best, Terrence. Muttering somewhat foolish impressions, Ian forgot to chew his kebab while looking at Terrence’s perfect appearance.

The neat casual suit chosen according to the stylist’s advice that Toby had introduced fit amazingly well. The hairstyle, more neatly arranged than usual, probably touched up by show staff, also went well with the suit.

Lauren smiled cheerfully and lightly hugged Terrence in welcome.

“Terrence, nice to meet you! Please sit down. I’ve been really, really waiting.”

“Nice to meet you, Lauren.”

That greeting too… when Lauren welcomes him so warmly, being so stiff. Ian regretted not being able to guide him on attitude as he turned up the volume. Well, since that was Terrence’s original personality, showing it as is would be more genuine too.

“I wanted to book you right after the Super Bowl ended, and finally got the chance!”

Lauren sat naturally facing Terrence and went on about her impressions from when she attended the Super Bowl in person.

After passionate conversation about last season passed, and Lauren even got Terrence’s brief opinions about tomorrow’s draft, she conducted the interview skillfully and entertainingly.

Then Lauren began digging a bit deeper into Terrence personally, when he started playing football as a child, what his position was then, what memorable episodes there were, and so on. Topics that Ian knew all about continued. He had communicated with the writer beforehand by phone and thoroughly discussed the question content as Terrence’s publicist, and it was exactly the content that Terrence himself had agreed to and okayed.

Even Terrence stoically recounting his childhood story of first starting football without much emotion was all within Ian’s expectations, which made him relax even more.

And finally.

“So is it similar when you’re dating?”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, don’t pretend you don’t know, Terrence. You sly fox. You just went on and on about it! Your first position was middle linebacker, but you aimed for quarterback from a very young age.”

“That was my family’s ambition, not mine.”

“Either way, both are similar positions, aren’t they? Reading the overall game, devising strategies, giving instructions. Right? Did I explain that correctly?”

Lauren laughed cheerfully and joked that even if she was wrong, please understand, she actually goes to the stadium just to drink beer and scream.

Then Terrence, as if accepting the joke, said “Howl Stadium has amazing beer too,” showing pride in his home stadium while leaning back deeply into the couch. It was a completely different attitude from how he had been sitting slightly forward as if trying to focus on Lauren until now.

“That’s why I’m asking! Is your dating style similar too? Come on, tell me secretly just between us. You know how tight-lipped this Lauren is~”

While simultaneously winking cutely at the audience with a playful expression, making everyone burst into laughter. Ian was also giggling along at her joke about secrets on a broadcast that was clearly going out live nationwide when.

“Look here, Lauren.”

Terrence called her while staying in his leisurely leaning position, propping up one elbow and stroking around his lips with that hand.

Ian knew that expression.

That annoyingly relaxed smile. Eyes slightly curved with only one corner of his smooth mouth raised a bit more, the expression of the most confident man in the world. A familiar face Ian had seen countless times since high school.

“I don’t play losing games.”

“……”

“Especially not in love.”

Good heavens…….

Not only Ian but Lauren Curtis’s mouth fell open too.

What kind of confident statement was that, yet it suited him so well. It was such a perfectly fitting statement that matched him breathtakingly well that there was no way to argue against it. Ian clicked his tongue watching Terrence raise the corner of his mouth even deeper.

But unlike Ian who was dumbfounded and lost for words, Lauren was indeed a professional.

“Oh my! I almost fell for that completely!”

“Trust me, Lauren. I’m never wrong.”

“Good Lord, you liar. How can being undefeated make sense? I’ve actually seen the Wolves lose games before? I almost believed you’d never lost once!”

“It’s the mindset of absolutely never losing in anything.”

Shrugging his shoulders as if seeking agreement from the audience, all the female audience members let out scream-like laughter and giggled in delight.

“Even if I were to lose by any chance.”

When Terrence opened his mouth again with a serious face, the noisy laughter instantly quieted down as if it had been a lie.

“Until I win.”

“……”

“I go to the end, no matter what, until I absolutely win.”

“……”

“That’s how I approach games.”

The stage had become quiet as if time had stopped for a moment, but Lauren wrapped up the interview corner by throwing out a comment to the audience.

“We were talking about dating just now, right? Right, everyone?”

At her rhetorical question, explosive laughter burst out again and the band’s upbeat music signaling the end of the segment rang out, filling the stage.

“Phew…”

When the interview ended, Ian let out a sigh of relief. The writer and Lauren had kept very well to his request not to dig too deeply into family or private life, especially since health issues were involved.

“Now we just need to get through the game corner well…”

When other people appeared on the Lauren Show it was so fun, but now that Terrence was on, he was nervous to death. The authentic-tasting kebab from a truck owner who had supposedly come from Turkey to Kansas City not long ago was cooling on the plate, barely touched. Normally he would have scraped up every dropped vegetable piece because it would be a waste, but being concerned about Terrence on live broadcast made even his hungry stomach feel numb.

Still, the difficult part had passed, and what remained was the silly game corner meant to give viewers laughs.

When the screen brightened, Lauren stood Terrence in front of her on the stage with changed set backgrounds and announced the start of the game corner.

“Here’s our assistant host Jake!”

“Thanks, Lauren. Now, shall we start the game? I’ll ask questions to both of you. Then you’ll have to answer the questions, right? Whoever answers first wins. But just answering would be no fun. So here, Terrence. We’ve prepared a game for you!”

Jake pointed alternately to a machine in the corner of the set and a basket in front of him.

“A small ball will come out from over there. You have to catch that ball and score it into this basket here before you can shout out an answer. It’s like a moving buzzer button, so to speak! And from the moment you catch the ball to saying the answer, everything has to be resolved within 10 seconds, that’s the rule of this game. Do you both understand?”

When Jake asked while gently shaking a small ball, Lauren made an exaggeratedly aggrieved expression.

“Good Lord, Jake! You want me to compete in catch with a professional football player right now?”

“Of course not, poor Lauren. How could that be? That ball that the machine over there will shoot powerfully is only for Terrence! What’s for you is right here!”

He then showed a ball that was larger and lighter than a volleyball. It was a stuffed animal-like cotton ball that children play with. Jake then winked and explained additionally to Lauren.

“And your ball will be thrown by our staff right in front of you. Understand?”

The audience burst into laughter at the blatant discrimination, and so did Lauren. Clutching her stomach and giggling, she gave Jake two thumbs up and approached the game.

It was definitely going to be a risky question or a tricky one that was hard to answer. That’s what would make it fun. Ian put down his plate completely on the table and guessed what kind of question might come up. He hoped there wouldn’t be any questions about imprinting or their relationship…

“First, let’s try a practice game. Lauren, will you show us a demonstration?”

“Sure!”

After a brief demonstration game, Terrence stood confidently next to Lauren as if it were simple.

Ian knew the basis for that expression. He could easily catch balls shot from training machines at very long distances without difficulty. Ian had seen such scenes countless times since he was 17, waiting for Terrence’s training to end.

Even back in those young days he caught them so simply, so how easy would it be now when his body and skills had grown so much more? Even toy-like balls would be nothing to Terrence.

Not just him, but probably everyone was thinking the same thing.

“Alright, ready?”

“Yes!”

“Of course.”

“Okay, here comes the question. Name three secret things you do before bed at night!”

As soon as the question ended, balls were thrown from the machine and staff. Unlike Lauren who ran chasing the bounced ball, Terrence too easily caught the small ball with his right hand, and just as he was about to shoot it into the basket like taking a shot…

Suddenly Terrence dropped the ball.

“Huh…?”

Didn’t his right fingers just tremble slightly?

Behind Terrence, who was looking at his hand puzzledly, Lauren quickly picked up the ball she had retrieved, put it in the basket, and shouted.

“Brushing teeth, changing into pajamas! Um… and… and! Ah! Waxing!”

Everyone sent laughter and applause toward her strange answer to avoid going over 10 seconds, but Ian couldn’t even raise the corners of his mouth.

“Oh my, Terrence! Dropping the ball. You must be very nervous?”

Only then did Terrence hide his flustered expression completely, putting his right hand in his pocket and shrugging his shoulders.

“A game with penalties is more interesting, isn’t it? But Lauren, waxing? Every day?”

“Lauren who waxes every night! Terrence gave you a break!”

Jake laughed, slapping his knee next to Terrence who was joking around.

The game resumed again, and Terrence cheekily beat Lauren in all the remaining questions.

With only his left hand.

His right hand never came out of his pants pocket until the end.

*

It was a brief moment of less than 5 seconds.

The moment Terrence’s hand minutely convulsed and twisted, dropping the ball during the live broadcast.

To Ian, that was definitely a side effect of one-way imprinting. For a healthy person who had never had finger cramps, let alone heat cramps as a child, to have cramps in his right hand. Though the test results would be obvious, Ian dragged Terrence straight to the hospital as soon as he got off the plane, just in case.

And sure enough. Dr. Olsen looked between Ian and Terrence and spoke with difficulty.

‘Hmm… Since we didn’t test immediately then, the accuracy is lower, but we can’t rule out the possibility of it being a side effect of one-way imprinting.’

At the words that pheromone deficiency might have had a subtle effect on peripheral nerves, Ian couldn’t hide his despair. It was incomprehensible, even amazing, how unexpectedly calm Terrence was acting.

Moreover, the biggest problem was that this happened during a live broadcast.

Though he didn’t hope that everyone wouldn’t notice, there were two people he most hoped wouldn’t find out, that this news would absolutely never reach.

Matt Donovan, general manager of the Wolves organization. And coach Randy Smith.

But maybe Ian had harbored too foolish a hope. His expectations were miserably betrayed.

Whether they had watched Terrence’s appearance on the Lauren Curtis Show live broadcast themselves or someone had tipped them off was unknown, but what was certain was that both men immediately noticed Terrence’s hand spasm.

How did he know? Because the very next day, an upset occurred at the NFL Draft.

Though not as much as the Super Bowl, the NFL Draft was still an event that all of America watched and enjoyed like a festival.

It was the official starting point of the new season, with a spectacular show prepared to match. A huge stadium and dazzling stage, programs with fans. Excluding the main draft selections, there were sights to see throughout the three days.

Two broadcasting stations exclusively aired the entire draft process, and the prime time first round was even broadcast live nationwide, showing how much national attention the event received.

It was a massive reality show and fandom festival happening in real time on a national scale.

Of course, for those preparing the party, it was a series of hellish work.

On draft day, the festival scene was noisily echoing through the large projector screen in the organization’s biggest conference room.

The huge theater in Wisconsin where the draft was taking place, and inside it, key personnel from each organization sitting at their respective tables, wearing headphones or holding phones while watching the stage, the camera swept across this scene. Soon it swept past the outer stage and the crowd filling the stands, noisily cheering and shouting.

The energy was tremendous. If Ian had been like back in his college days, he probably would have enjoyed Draft Day purely for fun, but not now. Everyone in the organization’s front office, including himself, had been ground down for this enormous event.

However, on this day that was the end of all that suffering, those gathered in the conference room held their breath. Everyone looked exhausted from the consecutive days of overtime, but their previously lifeless eyes were nowhere to be seen. They were concentrating enough to naturally overcome their physical fatigue.

Someone from the operations team watching the draft shouted.

“Oh, damn it! The Washington Rangers selected Reagan McCarthy! Hey! This is completely different from what we expected! Connect with the field again immediately!”

“They’re already calling us! Hello? Hey, Caleb? Connect the extension here!”

“Steven! The general manager is saying to lower the trading order now?”

“What? Connect with the Vikings immediately!”

In an instant, everyone grabbed phones and chaos erupted.

The scouting team and data analysis team analyzed the just-announced content and made calls here and there to change the plans the Wolves had set in advance, constantly hammering their laptops. Inside the conference room that served as the largest temporarily established strategy room, it was so hectic that eyes were spinning.

Ian was also sitting in the back row with Toby, watching the screen. Toby typed on his keyboard with a troubled face and muttered to Ian.

“Ah, damn. This messes up the press releases we prepared in advance… Who would have thought the Rangers would take Reagan. Their running back is still solid, so what’s going on?”

Though not as much as the scouting and analysis teams for whom the draft was the most important work, Ian’s communication team and the media and marketing teams were equally busy.

“I guess the rumors about the current running back transferring must be true.”

“Huh, were there such rumors?”

“Just a little bit in the underground. There have been some rumors in communities recently about frequent conflicts with the Rangers coach.”

“Wow… What kind of underground community has such quality information flowing? Ian, when I look at you quietly, you’re secretly not an ordinary person.”

Since he was seriously pursuing this work as a profession, it would be troublesome if he were an ordinary person. Ian shrugged and watched the screen, leaving Toby who was looking at him with strange eyes.

The scene of the just-selected player hugging his family in emotion, then grinning while holding a Washington Rangers cap and walking through the backstage corridor to the stage was being broadcast on screen.

The selected player was elated with happiness, but this side wasn’t. Though Ian sensed something unusual in the atmosphere of everyone murmuring quietly, how could someone with little experience like Ian deeply understand the seriousness of the situation?

He thought the upset would end with the Rangers’ unexpected choice on the first day’s first round.

On the second day, an even greater upset occurred for Ian.

“With the 78th pick in the 3rd round of the 20XX NFL Draft, the Kansas City Wolves select quarterback Lucas Mahelona from the University of Georgia!”

Thud.

Ian’s heart instantly plummeted to the floor.

Along with a strange ringing sound of “beep—“, he could hear nothing, until he barely made out Toby’s ridiculous but not at all ridiculous muttering of shock.

“Oh…, Jesus, Christ, superstar, good Lord…”

The organization had drafted another quarterback while having Terrence.