TBM Vol 5 Part 5

The next day, late morning. Lee Il-seo drowsily opened his eyes, feeling a gentle touch on his forehead. As focus formed in his hazy eyes, Sa Seung-yeon’s handsome features came fully into view. At the voice saying his fever had gone down, he realized that the touch that had covered his eyelids yesterday wasn’t a dream.

Lee Il-seo pushed the sheets with his palm to sit up and cleared his throat. His voice was hoarse from sleeping so long.

“Um… Don’t you have a morning schedule today, sunbae?”

“I moved it. Come out and have breakfast.”

Sa Seung-yeon left the room first after answering in a straightforward voice. Lee Il-seo slowly got down from the bed. Having thrown up his lunch yesterday and eaten nothing since, his stomach felt empty. He walked to the dining table, following the rich aroma filling the living room. The porridge made by the housekeeper was still warm.

“They say you went into shock because your internal pheromones are imbalanced.”

As he ate, he heard that the unbearable pain he had experienced yesterday was a shock due to a pheromone imbalance. Learning that a doctor had visited while he was unconscious, Lee Il-seo calmly nodded at Sa Seung-yeon’s explanation and continued eating.

“…”

But seeing him not even bat an eyelash at the explanation of collapsing from shock, the warmth gradually faded from Sa Seung-yeon’s eyes. Stopping his meal and moistening his throat with the water in front of him, Sa Seung-yeon abruptly asked a question.

“You still haven’t found a hospital that will perform the surgery without an Alpha?”

Lee Il-seo swallowed the soy-braised meat on his spoon and slowly nodded.

“Ah, yes. Not yet…”

“What will you do if you can’t find one?”

Large eyes rolled across the table. Fiddling with his spoon with bony fingers, Lee Il-seo painfully swallowed what was in his mouth and looked up again.

“I have to find one.”

With that awkwardly spreading smile on his face from forced laughter, Lee Il-seo again scooped up a large spoonful of egg porridge and pushed it into his mouth. But perhaps because he was uncomfortable, he couldn’t properly taste it.

“I asked what alternative you have if you can’t find one. Have you thought about it?”

His tone gradually hardened. He didn’t want to pressure someone who had just regained consciousness, but it was frustrating to see him stubbornly persist on a problem with a predetermined answer.

Lee Il-seo, who had barely swallowed the porridge, scooped up another large spoonful but ultimately couldn’t bring it to his mouth. As if holding a heavy dumbbell, strength left his hand and he dropped the spoon, which landed with a clatter in the bowl. Sa Seung-yeon spoke to Lee Il-seo, who was just looking down at the porridge with lukewarm eyes.

“Your physical condition. They say you can’t have surgery without an Alpha because it’s a mess.”

Lee Il-seo belatedly looked up to face Sa Seung-yeon.

“Even assuming you consistently consume the pheromones of a dominant Alpha, it would take at least 4 months just for your pheromones to stabilize.”

“…”

“The problem is that your body hasn’t been an Omega for long, so your womb is weak. There’s a high possibility of stillbirth before your pheromones stabilize, which also increases the chance of aftereffects. Since an immediate pregnancy after manifestation is such a rare case, it’s difficult to predict pheromone shock during abortion surgery, respiratory difficulties, or bleeding if organs are damaged, so in the worst case…”

Lee Il-seo’s lips parted weakly as he stared at Sa Seung-yeon, as if anticipating the rest of the sentence. However, there was no particular change in his expression, as if he had already guessed this would happen.

There was no appropriate reaction to the statement that he could die. Sa Seung-yeon’s voice, after biting his lip tightly and releasing it, gradually became more anxious and fierce.

“For now, your safest option is to go into the operating room with me before what’s in your stomach gets bigger, prepare blood transfusions and pheromones, and remove it safely.”

‘What’s in your stomach.’ Lee Il-seo’s fingertips trembled at the unfiltered expression. Despite hating and resenting it the most himself, when Sa Seung-yeon used such an expression, it felt as if bitter water was flowing down his throat.

“Otherwise, you can hope there’s no shock and give birth. The latter requires divine help, regardless of whether the baby lives or dies.”

Lee Il-seo’s expression remained indifferent, as if hearing about someone else’s problem. Sa Seung-yeon, who had been grinding his teeth so hard they could crack, stated his predetermined conclusion.

“So only the first method will work. For the record, I’m an atheist.”

Finally frowning slightly, Lee Il-seo shook his head irritably before even answering.

“I clearly said I didn’t want you to be the proxy.”

As his resolute voice fell on the table, Sa Seung-yeon’s surging pheromones were distinctly felt. Sa Seung-yeon tilted his expressionless face and asked.

“Then what do you want to do?”

“I’m leaving.”

“What?”

“The promise was different. Clearly… I said no proxy—”

Sa Seung-yeon cut off Lee Il-seo’s words. His voice was like he was spitting them out.

“Don’t think about gambling with your life.”

“I’ll handle it myself.”

“Can’t you understand? I’m telling you that if you handle it yourself, you could die?”

“What does it matter to you? Are you going to ruin your life too?”

Immediately after spitting out the last sentence, Lee Il-seo belatedly realized his mistake. He quickly averted his gaze, but his uncontrolled breathing trembled, losing its composure.

“This guy really…”

Sa Seung-yeon, now understanding why Lee Il-seo was so stubborn about the proxy, glared fiercely at him. Bright blue heterochromia swirled in Sa Seung-yeon’s eyes. Tilting his head crookedly as he stared at Lee Il-seo, who had firmly closed his mouth with a face filled with bewilderment, Sa Seung-yeon spoke.

“Don’t tell me. You’re prepared to become half-disabled just to protect my reputation?”

“…”

“You stupid fool. You still like me, don’t you?”

As his emotions intensified, his voice became ice-cold as it poured over Lee Il-seo.

“Are you worried that my life will be ruined by a mere rumor that I got you pregnant?”

Are you serious? Sa Seung-yeon laughed dejectedly and roughly pushed his bangs up.

“I don’t know if you’re underestimating me or if your sense of reality is off. I’m not going to be ruined by that level of scandal in Korea.”

“No.”

The end of his weakened voice trembled faintly. Though Sa Seung-yeon found him frustrating, it was actually Sa Seung-yeon who didn’t understand the reality. Lee Il-seo hid his trembling fingertips under the table, clenching them tightly.

Earlier today, something had fallen swiftly at Lee Il-seo’s feet in front of the photoshoot location. It was an egg. Fortunately, Choi Kyung-hyun had quickly put him in the car so it didn’t hit his body directly, but Choi Kyung-hyun’s back and the car were completely soiled with egg from the eggs that followed.

The people who threw the eggs were Sa Seung-yeon’s fans. They screamed that Lee Il-seo had tarnished Sa Seung-yeon’s career and was leeching off Sa Seung-yeon’s image. Unlike Sa Seung-yeon’s usual scandals where he responded immediately, he made no particular statement about Lee Il-seo’s pregnancy, which led to growing suspicions about their relationship in public opinion, and Sa Seung-yeon’s fans strongly criticized Lee Il-seo for hiding behind Sa Seung-yeon and waiting for the public opinion to calm down.

Choi Kyung-hyun comforted Lee Il-seo, saying there was no need to worry about some crazy reactions, and Lee Il-seo nodded, forcing a smile and saying he understood.

He was a bit shocked but calmly proceeded with the photoshoot, and the results were fine. However, throughout the journey home, the sticky liquid flowing through the broken eggshells and its fishy smell wouldn’t leave his mind.

Just before getting out of the car after arriving at Sa Seung-yeon’s house, Lee Il-seo asked Choi Kyung-hyun not to tell anyone about today’s incident, not just the company. He reassured Choi Kyung-hyun that such things could happen and that he had been forgetful lately due to the pregnancy, but it seemed his body didn’t comply as various parts began to ache pathetically.

While searching the cabinet for fever reducers and painkillers, Lee Il-seo abruptly stopped in front of the glass display case where awards were lined up.

The trophies, too numerous to take in at a glance, showed how Sa Seung-yeon had reached his current position from his beginnings at the bottom of the theatrical troupe. Lee Il-seo’s eyes, more confused than usual due to the fever, examined each award without missing a single one.

The path of flawless, step-by-step growth was precious to both him and the fans who had supported him for a long time. And Lee Il-seo was not only someone who loved Sa Seung-yeon, but also a fan who had admired him longer than anyone else.

Though there were some unfair aspects, Lee Il-seo found the reality of Sa Seung-yeon falling because of him overwhelming. No, the fact that he was the reason for that fall was more frightening and painful than anything else. Therefore, Lee Il-seo, more desperately than anyone else in this world, wanted to protect Sa Seung-yeon.

“If you’re associated with me… it’s over.”

His voice, tinged with resignation, began to fade gradually. Sa Seung-yeon finally realized that Lee Il-seo’s complexion was excessively pale. Already, Lee Il-seo was breathing irregularly with a contorted face.

“Ah…”

The hand with marks from the IV needle reflexively wrapped around his stomach, and at that moment, Sa Seung-yeon, who had risen from his seat and approached Lee Il-seo with large strides, cupped his pale cheeks. Before Lee Il-seo, who was breathing heavily and frantically, could tilt his head back or prevent it, their lips met.

“M-mm…”

Lee Il-seo pushed Sa Seung-yeon away, trembling, but it was a pathetic effort. Lee Il-seo desperately struggled and turned his head to the side. During the struggle, the dining chair Lee Il-seo was sitting on creaked and slid backward.

“Why, are you, hmph…”

“Stay still.”

Sa Seung-yeon whispered softly with their lips still connected and poured out thick pheromones. Along with his warm breath, pheromones like deep water quickly permeated to the extremities of Lee Il-seo’s body.

Lee Il-seo’s body, which had been trying to avoid this, hesitated and stopped. This was because stability rose at a speed that was hard to compare with the pheromones that had been transmitted through scent until now. Air flowed through the airways that had been blocked as if swollen, and the abdominal pain that had felt like being stabbed with an awl subsided instantly.

Sa Seung-yeon’s hot tongue swept inside Lee Il-seo’s mouth, deeply licking his smooth interior. The large hands that had cupped his cheeks slowly and gently stroked his earlobes, nape, and back. The intense but not rough kiss ended only when Lee Il-seo’s irregular breathing stabilized.

Sa Seung-yeon slowly pulled his face away and wiped his wet lips with the back of his hand. Then he bent his waist, leaning on the table and chair, essentially trapping Lee Il-seo with his body.

Their gazes and breaths intertwined at close proximity. Stroking the corner of Lee Il-seo’s eyes, who was looking up at him dreamily, Sa Seung-yeon spoke in a coaxing voice.

“Do you understand now?”

“…”

“You might want to avoid it, but you’ve already presented as an Omega, and an Omega who is pregnant needs an Alpha.”

Worried that pressuring Lee Il-seo might trigger another shock, Sa Seung-yeon’s voice and atmosphere had clearly softened. However, since the pheromone shower was more convincing than any explanation, Lee Il-seo could no longer deny reality. A hot lump of confusion, despair, worry, and fear kept rising in his throat.

“And.”

Sa Seung-yeon pressed Lee Il-seo’s thigh firmly with his knee. Lee Il-seo swallowed dryly as Sa Seung-yeon’s voice, which didn’t allow even a single gap for escape, felt more chilling than usual.

“That thing about it being over if you’re associated with me. You might have said it to scare me, but to me, it’s just an insanely tempting proposal.”

“…”

“What Alpha would refuse an ending with the Omega they love?”

Goosebumps rose from the base of his spine at the calm but heart-pressing voice. It was neither a threat nor pressure. This was sincere.

Irrational possessiveness was an irresistible instinct of an Alpha who had claimed an Omega. At the end of his voice, which seemed so obvious that it felt rather indifferent, his thick lips touched Lee Il-seo’s forehead firmly and then pulled away. Lee Il-seo’s brow, looking up at Sa Seung-yeon, wrinkled slightly and slowly.

“I don’t need this anymore.”

“How prickly.”

Lee Il-seo pushed Sa Seung-yeon’s stomach with his hand, but the hard abs didn’t budge an inch, like pushing against a rock.

Unable to avoid or move, Lee Il-seo lowered his head, and the redness creeping up his ears and nape was clearly visible. Since his fever that had just gone down shouldn’t rise again, Sa Seung-yeon finally pretended to be pushed back and stepped back.

“The kiss was a joke, but I wasn’t joking about the surgery.”

Though his voice was softer than before, it was noticeably strained, as if he was trying hard to hold back.

“Two weeks.”

“…”

“My limit is two weeks from now. If you haven’t found a hospital by then, we’re scheduling the surgery.”

Lee Il-seo, with his eyes contorted, shifted uneasily on the dining chair and immediately argued.

“Why are you deciding that on your own… If you break your promise, I’ll leave this house too.”

“Go ahead.”

Sa Seung-yeon, smiling refreshingly as if he found it cute, tapped Lee Il-seo’s cheek.

“I’ll just officially announce that I got you pregnant. Then either you’ll come to me on your own, or the Trait Center will come to investigate and we’ll see each other again. One way or another, it’ll be resolved.”

After momentarily mumbling, Lee Il-seo answered softly, not backing down.

“…If I don’t get on the operating table, that’s the end of it.”

“I’ve carried you several times while you were sleeping, and you didn’t even know.”

“That was because I was sick… it was just a few exceptional times.”

“Stop being contrary. If you don’t like it, find a hospital for the surgery.”

Perhaps because he had no logical arguments left, Lee Il-seo’s cheeks turned bright red. Sa Seung-yeon gently ruffled the top of Lee Il-seo’s head.

“Look at you huffing. You’ll get a fever.”

“…”

“I don’t intend to argue with you. Isn’t it enough that we’ve come this far?”

Taking advantage of Lee Il-seo’s momentary distraction, Sa Seung-yeon pressed his lips to his cheek once more and then pulled away, raising one corner of his mouth loosely. Lee Il-seo rubbed the spot where Sa Seung-yeon had kissed with the back of his hand. Despite the consistent reaction of faintly furrowing his brow, Sa Seung-yeon maintained a composed expression without showing any signs of being hurt.

“Finish eating.”

Sa Seung-yeon took the spoon Lee Il-seo had put down and placed it back in his hand. Enveloping his hand, he scooped up some porridge and even placed a bite-sized piece of white kimchi on top, as if he were spooning it himself.

All this time, Sa Seung-yeon had treated him with such kindness that it seemed as if he had become a different person. That’s why he had momentarily forgotten. That this was Sa Seung-yeon’s original personality. No, rather, as that stubborn disposition became strangely affectionate, it became even more difficult to oppose him.

“Ah… I’ll eat by myself.”

Lee Il-seo pressed his forehead with his hand and pushed the porridge into his mouth. In any case, as Sa Seung-yeon said, there was only one solution. He had to find a hospital within the two-week grace period.

Recent photos of Lee Il-seo’s photoshoot.jpg (881)

* * *

(Photo)

(Photo)

The post warning about egg throwing was deleted, but according to eyewitness accounts, they really did throw them. At the northern Seoul shooting location, all the eggs were broken. Don’t know if Lee Il-seo was hit or not.

(Photo)

Looking at the preview, it seems like it was the day he went to shoot for Homme Issue magazine?

Comments (881)

* * *

-Wow, so he’s still doing schedules; I thought he stopped activities

-Did he get rid of the baby already? His stomach is flat

↳Male Omega pregnancies don’t usually show! Especially for trait-transformed ones!!

↳Oh I see

-He’s really, really handsome…ㅜㅜ

↳Lee Il-seo still has fans?

-He still has fans

↳Pre-orders sold out

↳ㄷㄷㄷ

↳He explained everything

↳He silenced with lawsuits, ssh

-His face is so thick. Isn’t he pregnant right now?

↳Right lol Is the appearance fee for two people?

-Ah really, when I see him, his face is such a waste ㅠ To end up in 2-galore infamy

↳Oh please, you face-obsessed fan

-What did Lee Il-seo do wrong? It’s his private life, aren’t you criticizing him too harshly?

↳He threw crap on a completed drama, how is that not wrong?

↳But the drama is still doing extremely well, and besides Lee Il-seo, no one else was greatly harmed

↳Agreed, I’m not sure why he deserves this much hate

↳The companies that advertised with Lee Il-seo must be grabbing their necks in shock;;

↳Companies that paid penalty fees must be shocked too lol lol

-His face is such a waste

↳Seriously

↳33

↳4

↳He was really one of the best ever

↳Agree

↳7

-Isn’t throwing eggs a bit too much…?

↳I agree ㅠㅠ It’s not like he committed a crime

↳If you’re a Sa Seung-yeon fan, you might be upset…

↳But that still doesn’t justify eggs lol

-Seems like the throwers were SSY fans. There was a warning post on SSY’s gallery

↳Really?

↳(screenshot).jpg

↳Wow…

-Oh his mental strength is impressive

-Seriously, Sa Seung-yeon pulled him up by the collar;; Be grateful for life

-Those who ask if pregnancy is a crime always turn a blind eye to the schedules given to Sa Seung-yeon

↳Is that Lee Il-seo’s fault?

↳Then whose fault is it? The drama was doing really well and this mess happened right when it was gaining traction. It’s really infuriating, go away if you’re an Lee Il-seo fan

↳You grabbed an Lee Il-seo fan’s hair first and now you’re venting;;; This is an Lee Il-seo post lol who should be ignoring whom?

-He really has a steady stream of dirty rumors

↳The fact that everything has been explained makes it comedic

↳The agency even released his audition video, honestly he’s very good

↳He might have been good, but they could have pre-selected him and just had him audition as a formality

↳2 No smoke without fire lol

-Wow…. he’s lost a lot of weight. Don’t people usually gain weight during pregnancy?

↳You lose weight with morning sickness

↳Poor thing…

-He keeps losing weight, seems like he’ll disappear eventually

↳lol lol

-Was he really a Beta?

↳They even showed hospital test results. If it’s true, he must be shocked too. Being a Beta, he would never have dreamed he could get pregnant

↳Being a Beta before is probably true, that can’t be a lie. If there was even a 1% chance, he would have been classified as an Omega

-Getting pregnant while filming a drama during such a busy period lol lol Good stamina

-Another critical thread about the egg-throwing post? The agency was filing lawsuits, measure your angles well

-He has star power in many ways;; He stopped activities but posts about him always cause a stir

↳He was really noisy even before drama filming

↳Honestly, his face is in such demand that many fans can’t let go

↳Is he the first one who’s good at acting, singing, and has looks?

↳He’s such a massive rising star that fans and haters coexist

-He could be pregnant;

↳22

↳3

↳4 As long as he does his main job well, I support him ^^7

↳Right.. who would know they’d suddenly become an Omega ㅜ

-What happened to that rumor? New dad

↳(Comment deleted)

↳Lawsuit material

↳Uh oh, I’m getting sued

↳Uh oh, you’re getting sued big time

↳They said it’s not true ㅡㅡ Don’t harass the victim

↳Many testimonies about domestic violence came up… A neighbor who lived next door to the studio apartment also gave an interview

↳What if it was from sexual assault…?

↳Blockhead, anyway don’t mention it at all because it’s a crime ㅡㅡ

-I support you

↳I soop-port yoouuu~~

↳If you have a different opinion, just ignore, you loser

-He doesn’t need to hide. The baby is his issue to deal with, and what reason does he have to stop his activities?

-Huh… why wouldn’t he be affected…? He was in so many advertisements… the advertisers must be super annoyed

↳If you use celebrities, you have to bear the risks

↳Just replace everything with AI and lower prices

-I get tired seeing Lee Il-seo posts

↳Then leave

↳I find it entertaining, full of dopamine

↳This kind of comment is the most tiring;;

↳Lee Il-seo’s fan crawled out injured lol

↳Reality: While you’re getting tired alone in your room, Lee Il-seo’s Homme Issue is sold out

-The funny thing is public opinion is terrible but Homme Issue reservation inquiries are flooding in

↳Is it agency viral marketing?

↳Who would do viral marketing with Homme Issue lol

-Wow, Lee Il-seo’s cover version pre-orders are sold out

↳Huh, who’s buying? Is this a hidden camera?

↳Everyone except you

↳Drama fans seem to be buying a lot

-Sigh, disappointed every time I see him…

-Total nuisance nuisance nuisance

-Super handsome

-Since Sa Seung-yeon is close to him, he probably knows who the baby’s father is, I’m jealous

↳It’s surprising they haven’t cut ties

↳Birds of a feather

↳Support aside, I’m really curious who he slept with

↳They say Sa Seung-yeon is the father

↳If I support them, it might become true (still over-invested in the drama)

↳But was it really conceived during the bed scene? It was so real

↳I also zoomed in a lot;;; Afraid he really put it in

-Stay strong

-Making fun of Lee Il-seo at this time shows you’re clearly raging lol

-Let’s not fight like dogs just because opinions differ

-Ah, I’ve spent too much time on the internet today

[ View more comments ]

“Is it good?”

At Sa Seung-yeon’s question, Lee Il-seo quickly put down his phone. After searching once because of Choi Kyung-hyun’s text that Homme Issue pre-orders had started, he had ended up seeing scathing comments without being prepared.

“Yes, it’s delicious.”

Lee Il-seo nodded while lifting the corners of his mouth. Their argument about the Alpha proxy was momentary; being forced to stay together because of the pheromones had once again led them to gloss over their conflict as if nothing had happened.

While Lee Il-seo was eating cheesecake, Sa Seung-yeon had peeled a hallabong (citrus fruit). Placing the bowl on the table, he speared the fruit with a small fork and handed it over. Saliva pooled in Lee Il-seo’s mouth at the fresh scent that wafted even as he was just taking the fork.

“I think it’ll be too sweet since I just ate cake.”

“Two autographs and a photo shoot, and I picked out just the sweet ones from the basket.”

At Sa Seung-yeon’s words that he would sue if it wasn’t delicious, Lee Il-seo finally burst into laughter that sounded like the wind. The cheesecake Lee Il-seo had left half-eaten was cleared away by Sa Seung-yeon in just two bites with his fork. When Lee Il-seo bit into the hallabong, sweet juice spread throughout his mouth. Sa Seung-yeon’s joke didn’t seem to be just a joke.

“This is really delicious.”

Hearing Lee Il-seo’s low, appreciative voice with his pronunciation squashed by the fruit pulp, Sa Seung-yeon bit his lip, and Lee Il-seo continued to spear and eat the hallabong whenever his fork was empty.

“…”

In the middle of the movie they were watching together, a fork with a bite-sized piece of hallabong suddenly dropped. When Sa Seung-yeon turned his head, Lee Il-seo’s head was already drooping down. Whenever the TV sound decreased, his even, wheezing breathing could be heard.

Lee Il-seo was falling asleep without warning more and more often. They say pregnancy makes you sleepy frequently, and seeing him doze off at all times, even during daily activities, was both pitiful and cute.

Sa Seung-yeon removed the fallen fork and let Lee Il-seo rest his head on his shoulder. A drowsy weight transferred to his shoulder. After lowering the TV volume, Sa Seung-yeon picked up his phone. It was a message from Director Lee Juseung from two days ago.

“Have you discussed it with Mr. Lee Il-seo?”

He needed to reply soon to fix the surgery schedule, but Sa Seung-yeon had not yet broken Lee Il-seo’s stubbornness. Though he had mentioned a two-week grace period, even that was a long time for Sa Seung-yeon. The longer he let time pass like sand through his fingers, the harder it was to maintain his composure.

‘By force…’

There was a way. It was a problem that could be easily solved by using strength or pheromones, but because of the desperate voice that remained in his memory, Sa Seung-yeon didn’t want to use that method.

-Don’t use force on me.

Sa Seung-yeon’s jaw tightened. Gritting his teeth so hard they could crack, he put down his phone and let out a long sigh. The guy who was sound asleep, unaware of Sa Seung-yeon’s feelings, seemed a bit heartless.

At that moment, Lee Il-seo, who had been stirring, lifted his head with a rustle and opened his eyes. Seemingly embarrassed about sleeping while leaning on him, he offered a small excuse.

“…I guess I dozed off because I was full.”

“Do you want to go in and sleep?”

“Yes.”

Lee Il-seo staggered as he got up. Sa Seung-yeon quickly caught him so he didn’t fall, but Lee Il-seo shook his head slightly.

“Are you in pain somewhere?”

“I’ve been a bit dizzy since yesterday….”

Come to think of it, Lee Il-seo’s body was warm, and his face, slightly damp with sweat, was also flushed. Sa Seung-yeon’s expression immediately hardened as he placed his hand on Lee Il-seo’s forehead. Humans are creatures of adaptation; somehow Lee Il-seo had grown accustomed to entrusting his body to Sa Seung-yeon’s touch and was just steadying his breathing.

“Why do you have a fever again?”

“I don’t know. It doesn’t seem like my stomach hurts like last time….”

As Lee Il-seo said, his sweat also seemed more like clear sweat flowing from high body temperature rather than cold sweat from pain.

Under the small face where even his eyelids were covered just by covering his forehead, Sa Seung-yeon took in his long eyelashes, small nose, and lips that had become redder from the fever. It might have been because of his poor condition, but seeing him submissively waiting while entrusting his body to Sa Seung-yeon like this made Sa Seung-yeon feel strangely heavy below.

Lee Il-seo, who had been still, pulled down Sa Seung-yeon’s hand covering his forehead and then checked his temperature with his own hand.

“I do have a fever, right?”

“…”

“My hand is hot too, so I can’t tell… My body feels heavy, so it might be body aches… Why is it so… hot…”

As Lee Il-seo, who had been mumbling, looked up at Sa Seung-yeon with a sigh, a possibility quickly crossed Sa Seung-yeon’s mind.

“…Hey, you.”

Eventually, as a definitive answer, Sa Seung-yeon’s brow instantly furrowed at Lee Il-seo’s strong pheromones that suddenly rose. Meanwhile, Lee Il-seo only breathed heavily while looking at the surprised Sa Seung-yeon.

His hazy eyes, unable to read Sa Seung-yeon’s expression or emotions, moved slowly like someone drowsy. Lee Il-seo, rubbing his reddened eyes with his fingers, mumbled as he headed to the bedroom.

“I’m sleepy… Let me sleep.”

Sa Seung-yeon urgently followed behind, watching Lee Il-seo who seemed unaware that his heat cycle had begun.

“Hey…!”

Wait, can pregnant Omegas also have heat cycles? Sa Seung-yeon cursed under his breath while brushing back his fallen bangs. Though he didn’t know exactly how an Omega’s heat progressed, if it was similar to a rut, shouldn’t he give Lee Il-seo some medication?

Entering the bedroom, Lee Il-seo was already lying on his side. With only his small, round face showing, flushed like an apple, and eyes tightly closed, Sa Seung-yeon felt frustrated thinking Lee Il-seo was forcibly trying to sleep through it.

“Lee Il-seo.”

“…”

“Lee Il-seo!”

Sa Seung-yeon called out, wondering if Lee Il-seo had any medication prepared, but Lee Il-seo didn’t answer.

There was only one way to hold onto an Omega’s rationality, who was already being consumed by pheromones. Sa Seung-yeon released his pheromones. Soon, Lee Il-seo’s firmly closed eyelids trembled.

“Lee Il-seo.”

Now his unfocused eyes were fully connected with Sa Seung-yeon. Facing those half-open eyes, Sa Seung-yeon briefly moistened his lips with his tongue. Beta Lee Il-seo often made this expression when intoxicated with desire. But what was different now was that Lee Il-seo was continuously emitting pheromones that attracted Alphas.

“So you’re also a trait carrier?”

It wasn’t a situation to laugh, but Sa Seung-yeon couldn’t help chuckling. To think there would come a day when he communicated with Lee Il-seo through pheromones. Though there had been many complications since Lee Il-seo’s manifestation, strangely, a deep irrational satisfaction rose from Sa Seung-yeon’s instincts.

The distinctive mellow fruit scent was stronger than usual, but fortunately, the pheromones weren’t at an unbearable level. During a heat cycle, they say Alphas can also lose their rationality if affected by an Omega’s pheromones. But Lee Il-seo was a recessive Omega, and perhaps because of that, both the scent and quantity were weak, like being diluted in water.

“You call this feeble thing a pheromone?”

When Sa Seung-yeon stroked Lee Il-seo’s panting cheek with his palm, Lee Il-seo narrowed his eye on the same side and pressed his cheek firmly against the palm. He made a short, pained sound as if the hand felt cool against his skin.

Lee Il-seo looked up at him with anxious eyes, unfamiliar with his own body’s condition, and Sa Seung-yeon felt heat seriously pooling below. Sa Seung-yeon’s forehead tensed with veins as he felt a pulling sensation deep inside.

“…Damn it.”

He had let his guard down thinking the pheromones were weak, but this wasn’t the time to find it cute. He overlooked that when Lee Il-seo was a Beta, they had engaged in intimacy multiple times based on his face alone, without any significant pheromones. Even if minimal, pheromones from such Lee Il-seo were no different to Sa Seung-yeon than facing a dominant Omega’s heat.

But he no longer wanted to treat Lee Il-seo carelessly due to instinct. Sa Seung-yeon raised his hand as he got up.