My Alpha Era Began with Gongjindan Chapter 53

You’re not lying to reassure me, are you? In the past, I would have believed whatever Jung Pureum said, but now that this guy has gotten so clever, I couldn’t easily trust him.

“Really? Should I ask Jung Saebom?”

―It’s really true… At first it was a bit hard to control, but now I’m fine.

I was a bit curious about how he got fine. I switched the call to speakerphone and sent consecutive messages to Jung Saebom asking if Jung Pureum really was fine.

Jung Saebom replied with the consonant [K] in place of an answer. It was a response so cool it bordered on insincere, but he wasn’t the type to lie about something like this, so it seemed Jung Pureum’s words were true.

“Still, it’s a relief that your pheromones have stabilized. What did the coach say? Is he letting you out without a fuss?”

―He said it’d be a problem if it’s only temporary stability, so I need to manage it more carefully. For individual practice, I’ll still have to go out at dawn, though.

“That’s really great. You’re a fast learner, so I knew you’d get the hang of pheromone control soon.”

When I first heard from the aunt next door, I thought he was having a hard time controlling his unstable pheromones. As expected of Jung Pureum. Anyway, what an admirable kid.

―So then, you’re coming back now too, right?

“Huh?”

―We said you’d come back right away once I got to compete in the national team qualifiers again. I really worked hard, hyung. Because I missed you….

Hearing that he worked hard because he missed me made my heart tingle. This cute thing. When I get back, I’ll treat you to beef, per hyung’s sentence.

“I thought it would take longer, but I’m relieved. Doing nothing but resting for four days was so hard I thought I’d die.”

Just thinking about packing my things and heading up to Seoul tomorrow made me feel good. Grandfather and my parents would be disappointed that I was leaving so soon, but I didn’t want to stay at the main house any longer.

After all, family maintains the best relationships when they keep a proper distance and meet occasionally. If I didn’t want to hear more marriage talk and blind date stories, I needed to bolt quickly.

―If you send me the bus schedule, I’ll come pick you up.

“Pick me up? What pick up. I’m not a child.”

―It’s because I want to go out. That way I can see hyung faster.

I booked a ticket to Seoul right then and there.

We’d only been apart a few days, but there was so much to catch up on. As we chatted away, my mom knocked on the door. Like a guilty criminal, I was startled and dropped my phone.

“Son, can Mom come in?”

“Wai—wait! I’m still on the phone!”

“What kind of work call lasts an hour?”

My phone rolled on the floor with a loud clatter. At the same time, the door swung open. There was no respect for privacy.

―Hyung? Are you okay? I heard a loud noise.

…And on top of that, it was on speakerphone.

I despaired at the call status I’d switched while messaging Jung Saebom. The three characters ‘Jung Pureum’ were visible on the glowing screen.

Anyone could see this wasn’t a work-related call. My mom looked back and forth between the phone and me, then smiled meaningfully.

“Son?”

“….”

“Looks like Mom and I need to have a little talk?”

I hastily hung up the phone.

If I left it alone, Jung Pureum might end up in a three-way video call face-to-face with her. That absolutely couldn’t happen! Who knows what crazy things my mom might say!

∞ ∞ ∞

Jung Pureum stared blankly at his phone with a dumbfounded expression because of the call that had suddenly been cut off.

Since Moon Yeonghwa had switched the call to speakerphone, Jung Pureum had been able to overhear the conversation between Moon Yeonghwa and his mother without much difficulty. However, it wasn’t easy to grasp exactly what was going on.

He left a message, but Moon Yeonghwa didn’t read it right away. Still, since he’d immediately booked a bus ticket, Jung Pureum would be able to see Moon Yeonghwa again tomorrow.

The past four days, ever since Moon Yeonghwa had used pheromones as an excuse to avoid him and gone down to the main house, had been hell for Jung Pureum too. Not being able to see Moon Yeonghwa was one thing, but a new problem named Lee Seolwoo had appeared.

Lee Seolwoo was the face model of H University, where Jung Pureum was enrolled. H University, which emphasized equality and opportunity, had selected Lee Seolwoo as its omega model.

Jung Pureum had been the only one who didn’t know this fact. Even though Lee Seolwoo’s face was prominently displayed right next to the main gate. The physical education department was closer to the back gate, so he never had reason to use the main gate.

Jung Pureum had also received an offer to be a school model, but he’d declined, saying he was too busy with training. To be precise, it was because he didn’t have time for anything else since he was clocking in at our Korean medicine clinic….

Friendly, articulate, and on top of that, the school’s face model.

Despite being an omega, Lee Seolwoo was incredibly popular and well-connected. No wonder Moon Yeonghwa, who was picky about people, had taken a liking to him. With his warm personality and pretty face, it made sense.

But Jung Pureum felt that Lee Seolwoo was not normal. The more indifferent Jung Pureum acted toward him, the more Lee Seolwoo burned with interest.

You’re the first alpha who’s ever been this uninterested in me. Jung Pureum had suddenly found himself understanding the feelings of the commoner female lead in a drama who gets relentlessly pursued after accidentally slapping a chaebol’s cheek.

He’d run away without even giving his number, yet within a few hours, Lee Seolwoo had easily found out Jung Pureum’s personal number. From what he heard, Lee Seolwoo was so well-connected that he knew plenty of people in the physical education department too.

On top of that, he was excellent at social maneuvering. He was quick-witted, said what others wanted to hear, and seemed quite adept at winning favor appropriately.

As a result, Jung Pureum’s personal information had been sold to Lee Seolwoo for free.

[Jung Pureum]

[Why don’t you just give up now and]

[Have a meal with me? My treat]

Blocking his number was useless. With so many friends, messages came in from new numbers every time.

…Wait, is this stalking?

Jung Pureum tried to recall Lee Seolwoo’s appearance. Even though they were both omegas, Moon Yeonghwa was on the tall side, whereas Lee Seolwoo was small and delicate. He was someone Jung Pureum could overpower with one hand if he wanted to.

Who would even believe him if he said he was being stalked by someone that small and weak?

Jung Pureum sighed. If he’d known this would happen, he should have just stuck to his story of being Moon Yeonghwa’s boyfriend until the end. At least Lee Seolwoo seemed to leave people alone if they had a partner.

Still, being chased by Lee Seolwoo wasn’t entirely a bad thing. It was mentally exhausting, but precisely because Lee Seolwoo kept approaching him on campus periodically, Jung Pureum’s pheromones had stabilized significantly.

Exposed sporadically to a dominant omega’s pheromones, and with Lee Seolwoo constantly contacting him from new numbers, Jung Pureum didn’t have the leisure to feel anxious about anything else. Only the obsessive determination to see Moon Yeonghwa as soon as possible burned brighter.

He couldn’t endure this state any longer. I can’t live like this!—that determination had transcended his anxiety, and Jung Pureum’s pheromones stabilized so quickly that even the team doctor was surprised.

The school seniors were unexpectedly helpful in this regard too. Since they were all naturally-born alphas, when asked, they readily shared their own pheromone control techniques.

The coach grilled Jung Pureum, suspecting that his pheromones had stabilized so quickly because he’d met another omega, but Jung Pureum was truly innocent and desperate. The national team qualifiers… if he couldn’t compete, it was death.

Jung Pureum, who always seemed relaxed, was obsessed with the national team qualifiers. That fact seemed to please the coach quite a bit.

With the team doctor’s consent, Jung Pureum regained his right to compete in the national team qualifiers. And the moment he got the coach’s approval, he called Moon Yeonghwa to tell him—that was a bonus.

[It’s not that I’m contacting you with ulterior motives but]

[It seemed like you were having difficulty controlling your pheromones so]

[I’m trying to help]

Instead of the Moon Yeonghwa he was waiting for, messages kept coming from Lee Seolwoo. Yet another new number. Jung Pureum, with a clear mind, was about to press the block button when he sent his first reply to him.

[My pheromones have stabilized. I appreciate you caring about my lack of control, but it’s uncomfortable for you to keep contacting me like this.]

[If you keep contacting me, I’ll have no choice but to take measures. I hope we can avoid any unpleasantness.]

It was a polite reply, as best he could manage. Just in case Lee Seolwoo might take offense, Jung Pureum also sent an apologetic puppy emoji.

If Moon Yeonghwa had seen this sight, he would have collapsed from high blood pressure. Jung Pureum was clear about cutting things off, but as an elite athlete, he was fluent in social niceties.

Excessive cushioning language, responding with a smile first… despite being a twenty-year-old college student, he seemed like someone who’d worked in customer service for about three years.

Whether Jung Pureum’s businesslike attitude worked or not, Lee Seolwoo finally stopped sending messages. It was a relief that he had at least basic common sense.

“I’d better not mention this to hyung unnecessarily….”

I wish tomorrow would come soon.

On the way to pick up Moon Yeonghwa, I could subtly bring up the contract and get a date out of it too. If I just changed my wording a bit, Moon Yeonghwa wouldn’t even realize it was a date.