'I'm exhausted.'
On Monday morning, even after arriving at the company, Doh Yihyun could not bring himself to get out of the car.
After receiving his first pheromone prescription on Friday, his morning sickness had worsened drastically over the weekend, forcing him to return to the hospital in a hurry. IV fluids alone had not improved his condition, so he had to undergo the pheromone treatment two more times.
Before stepping out of the car, Yihyun checked his reflection in the mirror. His skin had always been pale, but now it looked drained of all color.
Whether it was because of his unusual constitution or poor compatibility with Alpha pheromones, he felt little difference even after the treatments. The morning sickness persisted. Even when he was thirsty, he could not drink water freely.
"Yihyun."
Walking slowly, Doh Yihyun stopped at the low call.
Of all people, the one he least wanted to run into at the elevator was standing there.
Seo Jeongun.
"Good morning—"
Seo Jeongun approached him with a bright smile, but the smile vanished abruptly. Once the cheerfulness faded, his naturally sharp eyes were fully revealed.
"Not just one."
Narrowing his eyes, Seo Jeongun looked him up and down and muttered to himself.
Though his attitude was unusual, Yihyun merely gave a silent nod and pressed the elevator button. His expression was utterly devoid of emotion.
"Yihyun, why didn’t you come? Do you know how long I waited?"
As if he had never been serious a moment ago, Seo Jeongun wore a refreshing smile again. Slowly brushing his bangs back, he deliberately tilted his shoulder toward Yihyun.
With the movement, a rich, dense floral scent spread low across the floor.
Doh Yihyun unconsciously touched the tip of his nose. Because of his unusually severe morning sickness, not only pheromones but also strong smells often gave him headaches or nausea.
Strangely, however, the scent coming from Seo Jeongun was not particularly unpleasant.
Frowning slightly, Yihyun glanced up at him sideways.
Seo Jeongun had the peculiar habit of omitting subjects and objects. Every time they spoke, it felt like playing a guessing game he had no interest in.
"I clearly said no."
His tone was as sharp as his cold expression as he cut off Seo Jeongun’s nonsense. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
Despite having no interest in relationships, people had flocked around Yihyun since childhood. His unusual personality seemed to draw attention.
Those who developed feelings for him generally fell into two categories: admiration or desire.
The former kept their distance, spoke once or twice, and that was the end of it. There was no need to concern himself with them.
The latter, however, were troublesome. They usually started by poking at him out of simple curiosity, then later became desperate for even the smallest scrap of attention. It was not the first time someone had made a fuss over nothing, picking trivial fights like Seo Jeongun.
As a result, Yihyun had grown accustomed to ignoring baseless provocations. With people who did not recognize rejection as rejection, the best response was none at all.
Yet strangely, it was difficult to maintain his composure around Seo Jeongun. Even setting aside their superior subordinate relationship, this was rare for him. His poor condition must be leaving him mentally strained.
Yihyun turned his head sharply. He did not want to get dragged into Seo Jeongun’s pace any further.
Even after he made his refusal clear, Seo Jeongun deliberately stepped closer to face him.
"Sure. Keep pushing me away. Let’s see who wins."
Seo Jeongun winked playfully.
"By the way, you must have been very busy over the weekend, Yihyun. I can understand, but going that often is a bit much... Ah, right. I’m not supposed to involve myself with you yet, am I?"
Lowering his voice meaningfully, he suddenly put on a hurt expression. His tone was oddly certain, as if he knew exactly what Yihyun had done over the weekend.
'...How does he know?'
Doh Yihyun took a step back, wary.
It was unlikely that Seo Jeongun himself had been stalking him. Then had he sent someone to follow him?
An unpleasant thought flickered through his mind, but it quickly dissipated when he recalled the pale face reflected in his rearview mirror earlier. Calmly, he brushed his cheek.
'I must look that bad.'
Every time they met, the Doctor had jumped in alarm, asking what on earth had happened to his face.
Seo Jeongun visited him almost daily and showed obvious interest. He might understand Yihyun’s condition more accurately than Yihyun himself.
Even if Seo Jeongun were some kind of stalker, it was none of Yihyun’s concern.
'As long as he doesn’t harm the baby.'
He raised his right hand and covered his lower abdomen.
He had never once mentioned his secondary gender at the company, yet somehow rumors had spread as if it were fact that he was an Alpha. Even if someone discovered him visiting an Omega only hospital, they would never imagine it was because of pregnancy.
'And there’s no way any Alpha pheromones would remain.'
The Doctor had carefully selected the Alpha pheromones prescribed to him, but unfortunately none had shown good compatibility. In the end, he had been exposed to three different Alphas’ pheromones.
After each session, the Doctor handed him a powerful pheromone neutralizer. Alpha pheromones could clash with one another, and Yihyun also exhibited rejection toward them.
Therefore, no matter how sharp Seo Jeongun’s senses were, it was impossible for him to detect Alpha pheromones from Yihyun. Even if he sensed something faint, he would assume it was Yihyun’s own.
"It won’t affect my work."
Yihyun drew a clear line. Managing his condition was part of his job performance, but it was no reason for a superior to meddle excessively.
Seo Jeongun stared at him for a long moment before slowly parting his red lips.
"Impressive. Even that day, you—"
Ding.
Before he could finish his sentence, the elevator arrived.
"Good morning, Executive Director."
An employee inside recognized Seo Jeongun and bowed deeply.
"Good morning."
Seo Jeongun smiled warmly in return. The employee’s already flushed cheeks turned even redder.
"Yihyun."
Turning his upper body, Seo Jeongun stepped aside and raised his right arm politely to make way.
Yihyun’s brows twitched in annoyance. A simple "Go ahead" would have sufficed. Everything about Seo Jeongun was unnecessarily elaborate.
Instead of commenting on the excessive courtesy, Yihyun held his breath and moved to the corner.
Seo Jeongun swept his gaze around the elevator before quietly positioning himself in front of Yihyun.
Naturally, Yihyun looked up at the back of Seo Jeongun’s slightly disheveled head with faint displeasure. It felt as though he were surrounded by a wall. He had expected him to cling close at his side again, brushing shoulders deliberately, but this was somewhat unexpected.
"Oh my, Executive Director. It’s been a while."
"Indeed."