Today was my routine checkup, so I arrived at the hospital early. I’d heard that I needed a guardian to accompany me, so I assumed the chief secretary from the Chairman’s office would show up. However, the person who came to pick me up today wasn’t the chief secretary, nor was it the Chairman.
It was Director Cha Ju Heon.
The moment I saw him step out of the car, I was so shocked that I couldn’t say a word. Of course, the Director didn’t pay the slightest attention to my stunned expression. He simply gestured for me, who was standing rooted to the spot, to get into the car as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Seeing him completely covered up in a mask and gloves, I couldn’t help feeling a little heavy-hearted. I didn’t know whether he’d noticed my feelings, but the man himself seemed perfectly comfortable dressed like that.
I wondered if he always dressed that way whenever he went outside.
From the moment I got into the Director’s car, I was incredibly tense. My unsettled mind made my body stiff as well, leaving me unable to sit comfortably during the drive. Naturally, I wasn’t in the mood to admire the luxury of the car, either.
The car was impeccably clean, inside and out. Not only was the exterior spotless, but the interior was even cleaner than my own room. I had no idea what brand the air freshener was, but the captivating fragrance it gave off was definitely from some high-end product. The refreshing air and scent seemed to seep right into my nostrils.
Because the silence was becoming so awkward and uncomfortable, I finally took the initiative to start a conversation.
“Director, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were coming yourself, so I didn’t prepare a mask.”
“It’s fine. I’m wearing one already. Rather than making someone who’s sensitive because of pregnancy uncomfortable, I find it more comfortable this way. It’s not just today. I normally go around like this, so don’t worry about it.”
Oh…
So he really did go around like that normally.
That was quite impressive.
I really wanted to ask why he’d gone through the trouble of coming here himself, but I didn’t have the courage to say it out loud. And so, I silently endured the discomfort and awkwardness all the way to the hospital.
Today, I got to hear the baby’s heartbeat and even confirm its movements.
Although this wasn’t a child I would be raising myself, seeing another living being moving inside my body and feeling the beating of its little heart gave me a very strange sensation.
It would’ve been nice if Director Cha Ju Heon could see it too, but he stubbornly refused to come inside.
When I asked why, he said that seeing my stomach—or, in other words, looking at my bare skin—made him uncomfortable.
Considering his obsession with cleanliness, it wasn’t surprising at all. I could completely understand.
After the ultrasound went smoothly, we heard something unexpected while receiving the final diagnosis from the doctor.
“The fetus is deficient in alpha pheromones? If you’re talking about alpha pheromones…”
I couldn’t understand how a fetus whose secondary trait hadn’t even been determined yet could already be deficient in pheromones.
“I’m referring to the biological father’s alpha pheromones. The omega father’s pheromone levels are currently normal, but the alpha father’s pheromone level is severely deficient. It’s below average.”
The doctor calmly answered my surprised question. While carefully recording something on the computer screen, the doctor looked up at me and then at the Director sitting beside me.
The doctor’s gaze shifted toward the Director as he adjusted his glasses.
Under that gaze, the Director pressed his mask more firmly against his face, covering the lower half of it even more tightly.
Apparently accustomed to that reaction, the doctor paid it no mind and continued.
“I’ve heard about your circumstances from the Chairman, so I understand the situation. Given that, it’s not entirely surprising that the fetus has ended up in this condition… However, regardless of what kind of contract you have, once you’ve decided to bring a child into the world, as a guardian, you have a moral responsibility to fulfill.” Find the original chapter at novelping dot com.
At the doctor’s criticism regarding his responsibilities, the Director narrowed one eye.
As the child’s father, he wasn’t neglecting anything. From what I’d seen, he was actually doing quite well…
Wasn’t coming to the hospital with me personally proof that he cared about the child?
He even occasionally asked what I wanted to eat so he could prepare it for me.
More importantly, I was very curious about what kind of problems the baby could develop if it lacked pheromones.
“What will happen to the fetus if it’s deficient in alpha pheromones?”
“Well, to put it simply, at this stage, it can have a significant effect on the child’s eventual secondary trait. Furthermore, pheromones from both sides are extremely important for brain and physical development. Pheromones help the fetus grow safely inside the mother’s womb and strengthen its immune system so it can resist illness.”
Ah.
This was something I’d read about in a book a while ago.
Children who received sufficient pheromones from both parents throughout the ten months of pregnancy were said to have superior intelligence and healthy bodies.
Because those words were so familiar, I’d skimmed over them without giving them much thought.
I hadn’t realized how serious the matter actually was until the doctor explained it.
I really had been too thoughtless.
“The pheromones released by the pregnant omega’s body will provide the fetus with sufficient beneficial effects. The problem lies with the alpha. Specifically, the alpha father’s pheromones. Since the alpha father isn’t physically connected to the fetus in the same way as the omega father, his pheromones need to be released artificially and directed toward the child.”
Directed toward the child?
I tried my best not to miss a single word the doctor said.
“Ordinary married couples or lovers do this instinctively. For the sake of the fetus, many people even set specific times to transmit their pheromones. It’s a widely used method, but given your circumstances, I don’t think it’s suitable for the two of you. And judging by your expressions, it seems neither of you knew about this either.”
“…Since we can’t release the pheromones directly… please tell me another method.”
The Director urged the doctor to give him an answer.
“The method is very simple. Direct transmission, as I mentioned earlier, would be the best approach, but you two can’t do that, can you? In this unavoidable situation, Director, all you need to do is let your alpha pheromones permeate your clothes or belongings and give them to him. Items that wrap around the body, such as a jacket or blanket, will be even more effective.”
“Let them permeate my clothes?”
At the Director’s murmured question, the doctor nodded.
“Yes. Omegas who have awakened or already have a partner instinctively seek out clothing carrying their alpha’s pheromone scent when they enter heat. This method is based on the same principle, so it’s fairly effective. I think it would be a reasonable solution.”
Even I thought it sounded like a decent method.
Direct pheromone transmission simply wasn’t appropriate for our circumstances, so there was nothing we could do about that.
Even though it was for the sake of the fetus, suddenly exposing myself to concentrated alpha pheromones could be dangerous.
Although I was a dominant omega who wasn’t easily affected by pheromones, I couldn’t guarantee what would happen if an alpha released a concentrated amount of pheromones right in front of my nose. Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping dot com.
It was better to be cautious.
Especially since the Director was a dominant alpha.
No one could predict when or how the instincts of a dominant alpha might flare up.
Omegas and alphas naturally reacted to one another’s pheromones, so I didn’t think it was necessary to deliberately expose myself to them.
“This is really necessary for the fetus, right?”
“Of course. They’re essential for physical and intellectual development. You can think of them as nutrients.”
Nutrients…
Everyone knew that a lack of nutrients could cause problems.
I didn’t really care what happened to me, but knowing this man’s personality, would he actually be willing to give me his clothes?
If he felt uncomfortable about it, perhaps I should tell him to buy something new and then infuse it with his pheromones.
“Even if the pheromones permeate clothing or belongings, the effect is completely different from direct transmission. Will it really be effective? Or perhaps because Baek Eun Woo is a dominant omega, if he receives my pheromones and regulates himself a little…”
“Regulating oneself already means suppressing the behavior in order to protect oneself. If you suppress the pheromones, there won’t be any effect. Of course, compared to direct transmission, this method will take a little longer. But regardless, doing something is better than doing nothing.”
The doctor shrugged and shook his head at the Director’s suggestion.
“If that’s the concern… about your condition, Director. Do you really feel uncomfortable because of it?”
The doctor had been speaking at length when he suddenly became cautious and began stumbling over his words.
Although he didn’t say it outright, he was clearly referring to the Director’s obsession with cleanliness.
“…That’s not it. If I feel uncomfortable, I can simply infuse new clothes with my pheromones. It’s just that I’ve never been in a situation like this before, so I was momentarily caught off guard. Then let’s decide that I’ll infuse my pheromones into some clothes or a blanket and give them to him.”
At the Director’s answer, the doctor smiled with satisfaction.
“You’ve made the right decision. This will have a positive effect on both the fetus and the pregnant omega. It will also help the omega feel more stable. Regardless of how the pregnancy came about, there is a living being growing normally inside Baek Eun Woo’s body. So this isn’t a choice—it’s a necessity. Now, Baek Eun Woo can go get his vitamin injection. Someone outside will show you where to go. Director, you can stay here and finish discussing the rest with me.”
“Fine. Then, Baek Eun Woo, I’ll come over to you after I’m finished talking.”
I repeatedly nodded at the doctor’s instructions and the Director’s words before following the nurse.
Phew.
Aside from the pheromone issue, the fetus was growing healthily, which reassured me.
According to the doctor’s instructions, all I needed to do between now and the next checkup was absorb the Director’s alpha pheromones properly.
But the thought made me incredibly nervous.
Throughout my entire life, I had never absorbed anyone’s alpha pheromones before.
So I had no idea what kind of changes it might cause in my body.
A growing fear of the unknown gradually began to close in around me.