Strategic Mating Partner Chapter 71

The coach, aware of Taehyun’s family situation, hurriedly responded to him.

Oh no, what happened this time? Go quickly. You really never get a moment’s peace, do you?

“I’m sorry. I’ll explain when I get back.”

For the first time in his life, Taehyun thought his father might actually be helpful as he grabbed his car keys. He briefly considered taking the luggage he’d packed for the athletes’ village but decided he might return soon, so he only took a light Boston bag to toss in the passenger seat. It’d be best if it wasn’t necessary, but if needed, he could just go home. Hoping it was nothing serious, Taehyun sent Sejin a text.

6:39 AM

Why aren’t you answering your phone? You’re not thinking something weird, are you? Call me when you see this. I’m heading to your place now.

As a fencer, Joo Sejin was among the most prominent athletes, but the individual Joo Sejin was different. Once he rejected his agency’s calls with claims that it wasn’t necessary, there was no one to look after him. At least, that’s how it was four years ago. Taehyun couldn’t just ignore the possibility that Sejin was suffering alone again this time.

Taehyun’s car quickly entered the highway. It was a decision made less than twenty minutes after waking up.

🤺

Thanks to it being before rush hour, the roads were clear. Only when he neared Seoul did the morning traffic jam begin, and Taehyun, with an anxious expression, gripped and released the steering wheel repeatedly. He wanted to sweep the entire road aside like a dustpan and toss it away, but all he could do was press the brake, wait for the traffic to clear, and anxiously check his phone screen. There was still no text or call from Sejin.

Is something really wrong? A chill ran down his spine at the thought that Sejin might have taken it badly because he left that day. Even if it was just his own overthinking, it still felt unsettling. Did Sejin think he was at ease? Taehyun had made the decision to put some distance between them to think rationally, but with contact cut off like this, he couldn’t help but worry. He couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever situation Sejin was in, it was at least partly his fault.

Frustrated, Taehyun hit the steering wheel with just enough force not to make a sound. He knew venting like this wouldn’t make the car move faster or solve anything. His heart just wouldn’t settle. Only when his tightly clenched knuckles turned red did Taehyun stop his pointless venting. By the time he arrived at Sejin’s place, about two hours had passed since he first saw the missed call.

“This better not be anything serious…”

Taehyun pressed the call button at the garage entrance, but there was no response. With no choice, he parked right in front of the garage door and headed to the pedestrian entrance, where the door lock stared blankly back at him. Taehyun glared at it for a moment, then recalled a text Sejin had sent before. He’d told him to use the passcode to come up if he was taking public transport. Searching through the messenger history, he found it hadn’t been deleted.

‘4… 6… 58.’

Taehyun entered the four-digit code and closed the cover, and the door opened with a short beep.

‘The building passcode is 384982.’

The door Sejin usually opened for him also unlocked with the code, but from the moment he stepped into the entrance, something felt off.

‘What…’

Sejin’s pheromone scent wasn’t exactly floral but could be classified as such, or perhaps herbal or plant-like. As soon as Taehyun opened the door, a fresh, invigorating fragrance poured out, making him feel like he’d stepped into a greenhouse. Even when Sejin intentionally released pheromones to excite Taehyun, it had never been this intense, and it threw him off. Covering his nose and mouth with his palm, Taehyun, as if entranced, took off his shoes and stepped into the living room.

“Sejin-ah, Joo Sejin!”

He followed the increasingly strong scent. His mind screamed warnings to turn back and run, but his feet wouldn’t stop. When Taehyun reached a firmly closed door, he was certain Sejin was inside. The irresistible fragrance seeping through the door’s cracks was too enticing, like a gingerbread house from a childhood fairy tale or the call of a siren. His brain refused to heed the danger signals, urging him to open the door immediately.

“Joo Sejin. Are you in there?”

Slightly dazed, Taehyun knocked on the door and asked. He didn’t need a response to be sure. There was only one alpha in the world who could emit such a pleasing scent. Before an answer came, Taehyun grabbed and turned the doorknob. A sweet yet fresh fragrance burst through the opening. When he opened the door, half in a trance, he saw Sejin collapsed on the bed, sleeping as if dead.

“…….”

Seeing Sejin lying on the bed, panting heavily, Taehyun was startled. The bed was a mess, and around Sejin were clothes soaked with semen. Moments later, Taehyun realized with shock that they were all his own or items he’d used. A jersey he didn’t even remember losing, borrowed pajamas, and a bathrobe were pitifully ruined and scattered. Instinctively stepping back, Taehyun accidentally stepped on some clutter on the floor, making a crunching sound.

“……!”

The sudden noise startled Sejin, who had been nearly unconscious, and he flinched, furrowing his brow. It was a first for Taehyun, but from childhood and especially after presenting, he’d been taught enough to know what this was. A rut, an alpha’s heat. A state where pheromone levels could spike up to 150, leaving only the instinct to claim and impregnate the omega in front of them.

He had to run. He’d been taught that if he didn’t escape now, he could be ravaged by the alpha until impregnated. But for some reason, his feet wouldn’t move. Finally, Sejin furrowed his brow a few more times, opened his eyes, and looked up at Taehyun with half-lidded, wet eyes.

“……?”

Sejin blinked slowly, as if unsure whether this was a dream or reality, then gave a shy smile. It was a face Taehyun had never seen before.

“…I missed you.”

For an alpha in rut, with an erection so hard it looked ready to burst, it was a surprisingly romantic statement.

“…….”

Taehyun couldn’t respond. This was entirely his fault. Because he left that day without properly relieving Sejin’s pheromones, the excess must have caused this abnormality. And because of their mating partnership, Sejin probably couldn’t take suppressants recklessly either. He must have endured, waiting for Taehyun to reach out, until it finally overwhelmed him.

As Taehyun silently stared at Sejin, Sejin blinked slowly again. Tears clung like dew to the tips of his long eyelashes. Blinking again, Sejin, looking at Taehyun’s serious expression, seemed to realize this wasn’t a dream. He jolted upright, startled.

“Wait, this isn’t a dream…”

Flustered, his face flushed red, he hurriedly gathered the ruined clothes around him. He tried to cover them with the blanket, but it was too late—Taehyun had seen everything. Taehyun kept looking down at the frantic Sejin. Realizing it was hopeless, Sejin’s ears, neck, and back turned as red as a ripe tomato, and he shouted, panicking.

“Why, why are you here?”

Then, as if trying to cage himself, he wrapped the blanket around himself like a cocoon, curled up, and shouted again.

“Get out of here right now! I, I might do something bad to you, hyung, I’m scared…”

Taehyun couldn’t tear his eyes away from Sejin’s panicked, flustered state. Instead of retreating as Sejin urged, Taehyun strode forward with large steps, sat on the edge of the bed next to Sejin, and reached out to brush the hair stuck to Sejin’s damp forehead. The moment Taehyun’s fingertips touched his forehead, Sejin flinched, his long eyelashes trembling as he tightly shut his eyes.