Lucien was admitted to a large, well-known general hospital located on the outskirts of town. This hospital was reputed to have authorities in many fields, and it was said that even making an appointment for a consultation was extremely difficult, often requiring waiting for several months just to get in. Seeing that Lucien was admitted immediately and had been convalescing there for several days, I couldn’t help but think that such procedures meant nothing in front of money and power.
Of course, Hearst Steel must be the top VIP there.
I inwardly accepted this and entered the hospital. I wondered if maybe he had been discharged and gone home, but Lucien was still there.
Was that a good thing…?
Feeling strange, I went to find Lucien’s room based on what I’d heard at reception. Of course, I didn’t skip the step of calling Lucien first to get permission to visit.
Because I had come on impulse, there wasn’t much to say between us. I almost considered leaving right away, but since I had already given my personal information at the front desk and Lucien was probably waiting after being notified, I couldn’t back out. With a bit of regret, I walked down the long corridor toward Lucien’s room at the very end.
Two men were guarding the door. I wasn’t very surprised since I’d been informed about this at reception, but I still felt somewhat intimidated. The guards looked at me with expressionless faces, and I calmly introduced myself.
“I’m Dillon Avery. I’m Lucien’s classmate, and I’ve been given permission to visit.”
They scanned me once and then stepped aside to let me in. Only then did I relax my shoulders and open the door to step into the room.
As I expected, Lucien’s hospital room was very spacious. Compared to my dorm’s two-person room, it was at least twice as large. I admired it for a moment, then quickly regained focus and headed toward the bed. To fill the large space, for reasons I couldn’t guess, there was a wide sofa and a table standing empty, and around the bed, a dense array of medical equipment was crammed in. At first glance, it looked like the patient’s condition should be questionable, but fortunately, Lucien was sitting properly on the bed. He even smiled brightly when he saw me.
“Welcome, Daily. I was waiting for you.”
His tone, usually so gloomy it was depressing, was somewhat raised. He seemed quite excited to see me, and I briefly regretted having thought not to come earlier.
“How’s your body? You look okay.”
I asked as I stepped closer, and Lucien answered with a bright face.
“I’m good, okay. I’m just here longer because of a lot of tests. I regained consciousness right away that day…”
Lucien smiled sheepishly, but I was shocked. His pale face showed a faint flush. So he really has blood flowing. I quickly shook off that odd thought and hurriedly changed the subject.
“Good to hear. Why so many tests? If your body’s fine, isn’t it unnecessary?”
Wondering if there was something I didn’t know, I added cautiously. He answered casually.
“Because of my trait. Frequent tests, like blood tests and brain scans.”
“Oh… I see.”
Only then did I make a dumbfounded sound and nod. Suddenly, I felt a distance I hadn’t noticed before. After all, this guy is an Extreme Alpha. The only one in the whole school with that rare bloodline.
“Do they always do so many tests? Are all Extreme Alphas like that?”
I didn’t know if ordinary Omegas or Alphas did the same because I was surrounded only by Betas. Understandably, over 90% of the world’s population are Betas. The remaining less than 10% are divided into Alphas, Omegas, and Gammas, with Extreme Alphas and Gammas being even rarer. As for Extreme Omegas, nobody even knew if they existed. Extreme Omegas were like unicorns, but Extreme Alphas were different. Because one was right in front of me now. In other words, rare beings, yes, but not mythical creatures like Extreme Omegas. Just as I was feeling fascinated again, Lucien spoke.
“I don’t know much either. Since Extreme Alphas are few, there isn’t much data.”
His words confused me. If Lucien is an Extreme Alpha, wouldn’t his family share the trait? There should be family records. Noticing my doubt, Lucien explained.
“My family is all Beta. Except me.”
“What?”
Surprised, an involuntary voice escaped me. An Extreme Alpha born among Betas? Is that even possible? Aren’t Extreme Alphas born only from Extreme Omegas?
“…How?”
Lost in confusion, I stammered, and Lucien firmly confirmed.
“I don’t know. Anyway, except me, the whole family is Beta. 100 percent.”
I heard the same thing repeated but couldn’t accept it and protested again.
“Extreme Alphas only come from between Extreme Omegas and Extreme Alphas.”
Lucien answered dismissively.
“Mostly, yes. But there are mutations.”
He took a sip of his drink, paused, then added.
“My uncle is an Extreme Alpha. He inherited it from my grandfather.”
Huh?
Unexpected words kept coming out. Blinking, I looked at him, and he added further explanation.
“In the family tree, only my grandfather, uncle, and I are Extreme Alphas. My grandmother was an Omega. And before that, there were scattered cases like that. Mostly Betas.”
So, an Extreme Alpha grandfather married an ordinary Omega grandmother, that blood went to the uncle, and for some reason skipped a generation to Lucien. That’s the Hearst family’s feature.
Is it similar to twin genetics?
Whether it’s skipping generations or not, traits don’t follow strict rules like other human genes. Only probabilities exist.
“…Interesting.”
I muttered absentmindedly, then quickly checked Lucien’s expression. Fortunately, he either heard me or ignored it and showed no reaction. I hesitated whether to apologize but dropped the thought, thinking it might make the mood more awkward. Awkward silence followed, making me even more embarrassed.
“…Um.”
Just when I thought it was time to leave, a knock sounded. Shortly after, the door opened, and a neatly suited man entered. When he noticed me, he hesitated briefly, then Lucien spoke first.
“He’s my friend, Daily.”
“Yes, I heard from the guards.”
The man barely showed emotion, gave a slight nod, and then turned his attention back to Lucien.
“How are you feeling? I’ve heard there’s nothing unusual.”
“I’m fine, all of it. I think I can be discharged soon.”
Lucien answered, and the man inspected him again with a glance before looking back.
“All test results are good. Then you should be able to attend class without problems from tomorrow. I’ll inform Mr. Hearst.”
I guessed the man was a secretary to Lucien’s father. But no one among them told me the man’s identity, and soon he tried to leave. I thought he’d just exit, but unexpectedly, he stopped and looked at me. Hesitating, he spoke in a businesslike tone.
“What is your friend’s name? Mr. Hearst is very interested in his son’s friendships.”
Though polite, his tone felt somewhat perfunctory. Did Lucien’s parents really care about me? I was curious but saw no reason to hide it, so I answered honestly.
“I’m Dillon Avery. Only Lucien calls me Daily.”
I joked without thinking, but he didn’t smile. Still indifferent, he asked.
“Avery? Are you from Avery Company that makes health foods? They produce a lot of patient foods for those with rare illnesses.”
His blunt question made me feel a bit embarrassed, so I scratched my neck awkwardly.
“Uh… yes, my parents are very interested in that area. They also do a lot of volunteer work…”
“I see. Understood.”
The man abruptly cut me off and turned away. Surprised, I watched his back, and for some reason, I instinctively tried to call him back.
“Wait a minute, sir…”
“Avery.”
The man pressed the automatic door button and suddenly turned to me. Hesitating, he continued in the same businesslike voice.
“I have something to discuss. Won’t take long. Will you come out?”
Before I could answer, he stepped out and stood firmly. I was flustered but had no choice but to follow. The door closed behind me, and only after Lucien was out of sight did he finally speak.
“You’re the one who helped Lucien and called 911.”
“Uh… yes. That’s right.”
Apparently, he had heard my name. Maybe the principal told him? He must have been notified about the accident. Nervous, I answered, and he said with a blank face,
“Thank you. Mr. Hearst was very pleased when he heard the report.”
Really?
For some reason, his words sounded insincere. If Lucien’s parents were really that glad and relieved, wouldn’t they have come themselves instead of sending a secretary?
“Um, when will Lucien’s parents… Mr. Hearst, come? They did visit the room, right?”
I asked bluntly without hesitation. After speaking, I realized it was a question I didn’t necessarily need to ask. Even later, I couldn’t understand why I had.
An awkward silence followed. It lasted only a second or two but made me feel an unexplainable discomfort. The man answered flatly.
“Mr. Hearst is busy.”
That was all. When I tried to say more, the man cut in first.
“You should leave now. Lucien won’t stop you.”
“Huh?”
Surprised by the unexpected words, I made a dumbfounded sound. The man looked at me with a disdainful gaze and, as if holding back, replied slowly.
“You’ve been here for twenty minutes already, right? You were just about to leave. It’s fine. Lucien probably already guessed. I gave you the chance on purpose.”
“The chance? What do you mean?”
I asked again, unable to understand. The man frowned in frustration, but I was just as puzzled. Looking down at him with my jaw clenched, he sighed and said.
“I don’t know what you were thinking coming all the way here to visit, but maybe you grew up in a proper family and thought it was just common courtesy. Maybe because you’re a classmate and recently close, you wanted to show some loyalty. Anyway, now that you’re here, it’s enough. Your parents will be pleased. You can leave now, no need to waste your time.”
Still unconvinced, I listened as he concluded.
“You’ve done enough. Mr. Hearst knows you’re a well-educated student from a good family.”
I couldn’t imagine such a thing, so it took time to process. Thankfully, his long explanation gradually loosened my frozen mind. It was like oiling rusty gears as words soaked into my brain, and I involuntarily grimaced.
“So, you’re saying that I came to see Lucien out of courtesy, and since I’ve achieved my goal, I should leave?”
“I didn’t say that.”
The man frowned, looking offended.
“Don’t you realize I’m helping? I gave you the chance to leave. Being a student of St. Valentino High, you should understand.”
His tone lost the minimum politeness he had before, probably from frustration, but I was more upset by the other side.
“How have you helped? When did I ever ask for help?”
“Hah.”
The man made a short, exasperated sound. He was obviously as annoyed as I was. His face twisted with sarcasm as he said,
“Don’t you know what Lucien’s trait is? Or what an Extreme Alpha is?”
“I do, both. But what does that have to do with anything?”
The man opened his mouth wide, inhaled sharply, and sighed.
“They mutate.”
He seemed to want to say more but closed his mouth quickly, though I thought I heard his muffled voice.
“They mutate, you idiot.”
He pressed his palm to his forehead and glared sharply at me. Then, lowering his voice as if revealing an important secret, he said.
“When Lucien manifested, three of the household staff mutated.”
He leaned his weight on one leg, looked at me from a tilted angle, and sneered.
“That’s how strong his pheromones are. No matter how much you ventilate, it’s a confined space. Can you handle it? Honestly? The Hearst family doesn’t even eat with Lucien. The unspoken rule is to keep as far away from him as possible. Lucien knows that too. Of course—if someone accidentally gets hit by his pheromones, they mutate. You probably don’t understand how dangerous that is, but your parents should be grateful I saved their son.”
I was angry but he was right. Having already heard similar concerns from my parents, I couldn’t deny it. But I had my own words.
“Lucien doesn’t release pheromones. I’ve never smelled any. He’s not dangerous. He’s safe.”
I protested strongly but only got a sneer in return.
“That’s now. But you don’t know when the rut will come. Will you say the same then?”
Without letting me respond, he continued.
“Besides, Extreme Alphas have different brain structures. They’re sociopaths, understand? They lie and hurt others with no guilt. They have no emotions. They only pretend.”
“That’s harsh…”
“I hear the Averys are a close-knit family and very harmonious.”
Startled by the sudden topic, I paused. He narrowed his eyes and sneered.
“Do you think Mr. and Mrs. Hearst don’t love their own child? And isn’t there a reason they keep their youngest son distant? Think about it. Unless the brain’s damaged like an Extreme Alpha’s.”
He tapped his temple with his index finger, taunting. When I tried to speak, he raised a hand to stop me.
“Ah, enough. Let’s stop now.”
I had much to say, but he refused to listen and shook his head.
“Since you’re still a teenager, there’s a higher chance of manifestation and more susceptibility. If you’re okay, then so be it.”
With that, he turned and strode away. Only the two guards and I remained. Watching his retreating back, I suddenly exploded in anger and pressed the automatic door button. I noticed the guards quickly moved aside. Like the man, they clearly avoided and feared Lucien’s pheromones, which disgusted me anew.
“I’m back.”
I muttered bluntly and looked up to meet Lucien’s gaze. To my surprise, he stared at me wide-eyed.
Why that expression?
I wondered, then recalled the secretary’s words.
“Lucien probably already guessed. I gave you the chance on purpose.”
Lucien must have thought I would just leave. His expression perfectly showed that. Realizing this, I suddenly felt a pain in my chest. Honestly, I was already about to leave and had nothing to say.
“Uh, um…”
What should I do? I came in anger but was originally going to leave. What would I gain by staying? Awkward silence and tense atmosphere, nothing else.
The answer was clear. Even if I turned and left now, Lucien would accept it. It was expected.
But that didn’t mean I could feel indifferent.
Thinking that, I couldn’t turn easily. Absurdly, I felt like I was making a crucial irreversible choice in my life.
After what felt like an eternity but was really only a few seconds, I turned my head. Instead of heading to the door, I looked around. Seeing a folding chair leaning against the wall, I brought it over and sat beside the bed. Lucien looked somewhat tense, as if bracing himself, but soon his face brightened. Seeing that, I smiled back, feeling it was a good decision to stay.
“Aren’t you hungry? Want some pizza? I’ll order.”
I took my phone out of my back pocket and said so. Lucien, embarrassed, quickly searched for his own phone.
“I—I’ll pay.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll pay this time. You pay next time.”
I said without much thought and looked up a nearby pizza place’s menu. Suddenly, I felt a gaze. Looking up, I saw Lucien staring at me with round eyes.
“...Next time?”
He asked cautiously. I chuckled and replied.
“Yeah, if you’re not planning to eat with me next time…”
“No, no! Let’s eat next time, definitely!”
Before I finished, Lucien snatched the words. It felt cute, so I lightly pinched his cheek like a little brother and turned back to my phone. When I showed him the menu, Lucien, who had been dazed, suddenly focused and eagerly scanned the screen.
After choosing together, two pizzas were delivered to the hospital room fairly quickly. Receiving the pizza from the guard, I quickly got down from the bed and sat across from Lucien on the sofa. We opened the still-hot pizza boxes.
“So, when will you be discharged? If you want to attend class tomorrow, you should get back to school today.”
I asked as Lucien bit into a pizza slice.
“I’ll report to my father and start the discharge process, so it might take a few hours? He’ll handle it.”
He seemed disinterested even though it was his own business. His shining eyes and eager gaze focused on me made me embarrassed. Taking two bites, chewing roughly, he spoke.
“When did you manifest?”
At my question, Lucien answered readily.
“When I was eight. I had a high fever and my eye color changed.”
That was quite early. I’d heard early manifestation in Extreme Alphas was bad for the brain, but he seemed fine. Nothing strange outwardly. Nothing particularly annoying during conversations, though sometimes he said odd things, which was understandable since he was often alone. Humans are social animals, so without communication, the ability declines. Convinced by my own reasoning, I took a bite of the remaining pizza and swallowed.
More than half the pizza was gone already. Naturally, we’re teenagers with huge appetites. I’m fairly tall but still growing. If I keep this pace, maybe I’ll be over 10 feet tall when I die? Of course, nonsense.
I smiled absentmindedly, and Lucien looked at me strangely. Embarrassed, I awkwardly smiled and handed him a napkin. Watching him carefully wipe his mouth felt strange. We ate lunch together at school out of necessity, but sitting here outside school chatting and joking like this was unexpected. I laughed again, and Lucien frowned. I confessed honestly.
“This is the first time we’ve met outside school and eaten together like this. It just struck me as funny.”
Though my tone was light and joking, Lucien didn’t smile. Suddenly recalling the secretary’s words, my expression stiffened.
“In the Hearst family, they don’t even eat with Lucien.”
Hard to believe but probably true. I had to accept it. His earlier talk of ‘middle school rebellion’ came back too. If the secretary’s words were true, Lucien’s statements made sense.
Why was I so quick to laugh off someone else’s problems?
Feeling pathetic, I couldn’t laugh anymore. The secretary’s behavior, his words, and especially the image of Lucien
left alone in a large hospital room like a quarantined patient were not funny at all.
“Um, Luc…”
I hesitated, then spoke. I knew my face was devoid of smiles.
“I’m curious—who was that man? Was he your father’s secretary?”
Thinking maybe he was my mother’s secretary, Lucien answered.
“He takes care of my mother’s business too. He’s my father’s secretary.”
I felt bitter inside. The fact that his father’s employee treated him like that meant probably everyone, including his parents, treated Lucien that way. Feeling sorry, I was at a loss.
“Your parents must be very busy. Well, I guess that makes sense.”
Still, they must have sent the secretary to check on him out of concern. Though they avoid him because of mutations, they love their child like anyone else. I believed that, but Lucien’s words were different.
“Busy or not doesn’t matter. Besides, I’m on vacation now.”
“What? Vacation?”
At that time? I opened my eyes wide in surprise. From what I knew, most parents with minor children traveled with them. It was mid-semester, and their child was hospitalized, yet they went on vacation? I couldn’t understand that with my common sense. But Lucien casually added.
“That’s normal. They don’t take me on family trips.”
“Uh…”
He said it plainly, and I was uncomfortable again. No matter how much I denied it, the secretary’s attitude was plainly indifferent. If I were a parent, I’d have come myself at least once, especially the day he was admitted.
It didn’t make sense with all my previous knowledge. Both he and I were still teenagers. It was hard to accept that minors could be so neglected. Even setting aside legal duties, could they be so careless?
“Have your parents really never visited?”
I asked one last time. Lucien answered calmly again.
“No. No reason to come. The medical staff takes care of everything here. And there are two guards outside.”
There was no flaw in his words. Still, my belief that this wasn’t normal didn’t change.
Isn’t this kind of isolation too unfair?
“Um, Luc…”
I took a deep breath and spoke.
“Well, you haven’t experienced rut yet. You control your pheromones well… Maybe you haven’t had rut yet? So you don’t really need to keep such a distance from people? I don’t know much, but that’s just what I think. Oh, is it that you’re afraid that if rut comes suddenly, it’ll cause problems? How often do you have them?”
I tried to ask as gently and indirectly as possible. Lucien just blinked. I couldn’t tell if he had never thought about it or if he thought I crossed a line. I started to feel uneasy, and he finally spoke.
“I’ve never experienced rut.”
What nonsense is this?
That was my first thought. An Alpha without rut? Doesn’t make sense. Heat cycles or rut are the biggest characteristics of Alphas and Omegas. But he said he never had them?
Confused, I asked again, and Lucien replied.
“Seems like it hasn’t come yet. Most start around puberty.”
Well, sometimes it manifests right before twenty...
Just as I thought that, another thought occurred. Isn’t that a bit too late?
As I pondered, Lucien seemed to notice my thoughts and frowned.
“What? What’s wrong? Some Extreme Alphas are born that way, but newborns can’t have rut.”
That’s true.
Embarrassed, I agreed, and he added one more thing.
“The later rut comes, the better.”
That was true. Without even recalling my mother’s words, anyone would agree. Having a rut that disrupts daily life—better if it doesn’t come. Since it had manifested, all that was left was to hope it came as late as possible.
If rut hasn’t come, does that mean no pheromones either?
That made sense. The reason I never smelled pheromones from Lucien was not because he controlled them, but because they simply weren’t emitted.
But to be rejected because of pheromones that might come someday…
Having somewhat accepted this, I sighed. The more I heard, the heavier my chest felt and the dull ache grew.
He is like me.
I kept denying it, hoping against hope, but I couldn’t anymore. It wasn’t an illusion or just emotional collapse. This guy is a comrade. I instinctively knew. Even coming here was, in fact, an unconscious realization. The same ‘scent’ I sensed from him.
He, too, is someone who belongs nowhere.
Rejected not only at school but even at home—what a ridiculous, pitiful existence. Outwardly, he has a loving family, but I find no comfort from them.
Lucien is the same. The difference is that he is openly rejected. Only because he physically shows his trait. Maybe I’m better off. Unless I tattoo it on my forehead, no one can tell who I really am.
But that doesn’t make me feel relieved or more fortunate. What difference does it make? After all, he and I are both like oil floating on water.
Living alone as if it’s natural, with no one understanding you. Maybe Lucien has endured this life even longer than me.
Thinking that, I suddenly opened my mouth as if possessed.
“I’m gay.”