My Alpha Era Began with Gongjindan Chapter 7

“This fucking con artist.”

“Yes, next loser.”

“Does it make any sense for there to be a herbal medicine that creates alphas?”

“Why wouldn’t it? Herbal medicine makes you lose weight and cures aftereffects of car accidents, so why couldn’t it make an alpha?”

I wasn’t sued.

The best possible ending. Jung Pureum was indeed a person of integrity. Even though he shed some tears at suddenly becoming an alpha overnight, he apparently had no intention of ruining his neighbor hyung’s life.

Although I ended up having to write a contract on the spot to prove my words about taking responsibility, that was no big deal.

Unlike a beta, I just had to teach him to some extent how to live as an alpha.

There were some slightly troublesome clauses like dating, but overall, they were things I could smoothly resolve just by talking my way through.

I also prepared several packs of herbal medicine for Jung Pureum, who had suddenly manifested from beta to alpha and was now receiving all the attention from surrounding omegas. At this level, I’d done all I could do.

“What’s your relationship with that kid you turned into an alpha? What kind of relationship makes you two join forces to pull off a nationwide scam?”

“Hey, the guy actually became an alpha—how is that a scam? Just admit it! Admit that I’m more of a genius than you, who just changes the name of your existing diet herbs and sells them.”

“I can’t admit that!”

“Why!”

Baek Wonhee is really something else. I’m a bit of a weirdo too, but I think I’m less than him. That cunning bastard. Back then he was spouting off about traits being talent, and now he comes calling me a con artist.

It’s true that I don’t remember how I made that Gongjindan. Maybe it was just bad luck that Jung Pureum’s secondary sex manifestation came late. Though extremely rare, there are cases where people don’t get their test results until after becoming adults.

But so what?

What matters is that Jung Pureum became an alpha after taking the Gongjindan I gave him, and he didn’t sue me for it. On top of that, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approval for the Gongjindan came through, so it was icing on the cake.

I immediately launched into media play. Originally, doctors who make good money need to show their faces on TV periodically. Especially for a Korean medicine doctor like me, who’s trustworthy and handsome to boot, just one or two appearances would generate enough buzz.

So that’s why Baek Wonhee, with his ordinary looks, is so jealous, envious, bitter, and pointing his finger at me calling me a con artist.

So what if it’s a scam? I wanted to seriously ask. Isn’t a con artist better than a guy who gleefully spreads rumors about someone else’s trait being omega?

Kim Miyoung signaled me with her eyes to kick him out quickly, so I barely held those words back. Poking a sore spot would only cause more trouble.

“Hey, Baek Wonhee. I’m genuinely curious—why are you so desperate to get me? Does it really piss you off that I opened my clinic near yours? I even sent you a nice wreath when you opened yours. Let’s stop pulling each other’s hair out, we’re university classmates. The ones we should be competing against are Western doctors, not each other. Think about it carefully.”

“…What the hell nonsense is this now? Why would we compete with Western doctors?”

“Because the world is in an era of infinite competition….”

“….”

“Anyway, just go. You nearly ruined me, and if you’re that upset that the omega god helped me survive by the skin of my teeth, then you take my Gongjindan and become an alpha yourself.”

Baek Wonhee’s face turned tomato-red. It seemed the comment about becoming an alpha if he was so upset had pushed his buttons.

That bastard had consistently hated me since university. We didn’t start off on the worst terms, but after he found out I was an omega, that narrow-minded guy started distancing himself from me.

During the time he mistakenly thought I was a beta, he treated me fairly well. Even if that period didn’t even last a year, when he was nice to me, I actually thought Baek Wonhee was a good person.

‘Aren’t you embarrassed to be a recessive omega pretending to be a beta?’

The troublemaker was just one of the countless discriminators out there.

Just recalling the old days made my mouth bitter. Not only did the guy I thought was a friend stab me in the back, but after entering society, he went around spreading the word that the clinic director here is a dominant omega, interfering with my business—what could I do about it?

When someone flips you off, the best response is to flip them off too.

“…You, just wait and see.”

“Oh. A third-rate villain line.”

“I’m going to ruin you again.”

“Wouldn’t it be more productive to dream of your own success instead of spending time on that?”

When I retorted without backing down, Baek Wonhee’s face turned a sickly purple.

Meanwhile, Kim Miyoung was watching our argument with great interest. She looked like she would have brought instant popcorn if she could.

I secretly hoped Baek Wonhee would throw a punch at me. I don’t enjoy getting hit, but if he threw just one, I could use that as leverage to squeeze some compensation out of him.

But Baek Wonhee didn’t have the guts to hit anyone. Instead, he kept spouting his usual line, “For an omega!” and forcefully opened and left through our clinic door. The bell hanging on the door rang loudly.

“Director, you said he was your university classmate, but he’s completely rude. ‘For an omega,’ what the hell—’for an omega.'”

“He’s been like that since university. Unfortunately, he opened his clinic right across the street, so I’m still entangled with him even after graduation.”

“But more importantly, will you be okay? People like that, once they hold a grudge, cling on persistently.”

This is so unfair. Shouldn’t I be the one holding the grudge, not Baek Wonhee?

He’s the bastard who, while making good money as a beta selling diet herbs, led my clinic to ruin. In terms of grudge levels, I win by a landslide.

“What’s being persistent?”

At that moment, the bell above the door rang again. Jung Pureum pushed the door open and looked back and forth between me and Kim Miyoung.

“What, is school already over for you?”

“I’m a high school senior who’s done with the CSAT.”

“Don’t you need to go to training? You said you couldn’t swim for a while preparing for the CSAT.”

“Ah, I decided to change pools. Since my trait changed, they said it’s hard to swim at a regular pool now. I have to re-register at an alpha-only pool, so until next month I’m just doing basic strength training.”

“Alpha bastards are really something else.”

What the hell is an alpha-only pool, seriously.

As I shuddered, Jung Pureum laughed without a hint of concern. He seemed to have no awareness that he was now included among the alpha bastards I was cursing.

A faint scent of soap came from Jung Pureum. Mixed with his body scent and pheromones, it gave a refreshing feeling. Even his pheromones are just like him.

“Hyung?”

“Huh?”

“What are you thinking about? You seemed like you didn’t hear me just now.”

“Ah, what did you say? I was a bit out of it from dealing with that asshole earlier.”

“The director from Wonhee Clinic across the street came and went. By the way, student, did you really become an alpha? Are you sure the test wasn’t wrong?”

“I got tested about three times at a big hospital, and all three came back alpha. If that’s the case, isn’t it the test that’s wrong, not me?”

“Oh my, how impressive. You’re truly a lucky charm that rolled into our clinic, a lucky charm. The director may have no luck with university classmates, but at least he has luck with neighbor dongsaengs.”

“Assistant Kim, why would you say that? What’s so good about someone who lived as a beta becoming an alpha?”

“Why, it’s better than becoming an omega.”

“….”

“….”

“…Oh my, look at me losing my mind. I misspoke.”

Kim Miyoung, glancing at me cautiously, got up saying she’d brew some Job’s tears tea for Jung Pureum. I didn’t forget to tell Kim Miyoung that green tea is better than Job’s tears tea for a Taeyangin.

I’ve heard that kind of talk so often it doesn’t even surprise me anymore. Still, Kim Miyoung is on the milder side. She quickly realizes her mistake and apologizes like that.

When the two of us were left alone in front of the reception desk, Jung Pureum rubbed his cheek awkwardly. I was fine, but Jung Pureum kept glancing toward the pantry, apparently bothered by what Kim Miyoung had said.

“…I said let’s go on a date.”

“Ah?”

“It’s written in our contract. We agreed to date once a week.”

“Was that for real?”

“….”

“Wait.”

I feel the vibe of a lawsuit.

“Of course I meant it too, Pureum. Wow! I’m looking forward to our first date!”

“….”

At my quick change of stance, Jung Pureum looked at me with a gaze full of suspicion. It’s the first time the kid who would believe me even if I said I make meju with red beans is looking at me like I’m suspicious.

With an awkward laugh, I back-stepped into the director’s office.

I was planning to just vaguely give some sex education about alphas and omegas and stubbornly insist I’d fulfilled all the contract terms, but Jung Pureum beat me to it. Before I could do anything, he came asking for a date.

He’s a high school senior done with the CSAT, but isn’t he too free? The Korean education system has too many loopholes. Don’t let test-takers play around recklessly! Force them into busy schedules! Then they wouldn’t be coming at me like this.

Once in the director’s office, I pulled out the contract I had roughly shoved into my desk drawer. Maybe if I looked again, I’d find some loophole to wriggle out of. After all, contracts are documents made to find loopholes and strike hard.

I slowly scanned the contract with its crumpled edges.

[Contract

Moon Yeonghwa (hereinafter referred to as “Party B”) and Jung Pureum (hereinafter referred to as “Party A”) take responsibility for damages arising from the provision and consumption of the Gongjindan. The responsibilities are detailed below.

1. Party B shall actively participate in education regarding Party A’s secondary sex.
2. Party B shall provide full support and assistance for Party A’s adaptation and life as an alpha.

(omitted)

1. To fulfill the above clauses, meetings (including dates, etc.) shall be held at least once a week.
2. The expiration of this contract shall occur upon Party A’s declaration of contract termination or the establishment of a romantic relationship.

…If the above matters are not observed until contract expiration or are unilaterally breached, Party A may hold Party B legally responsible.]

Looking again, it wasn’t particularly remarkable content.

It was just that Moon Yeonghwa, Party B, who had made Jung Pureum, Party A, into an alpha, would take responsibility and provide full support and assistance for Jung Pureum’s alpha life.

Of course, that full support and assistance included inappropriate conditions like education on what an alpha is, and regularly going on dates because he wanted to know how alphas and omegas actually date.

I stared silently at the signature line. No matter how I looked at it, it was definitely my signature. I thought for a moment about why I signed such a contract. Why else? I signed to avoid being sued. I had planned to flexibly overlook the few burdensome clauses.

It felt similar to when I entered university and, knowing nothing, got signed up for a universal whole-life insurance policy by a relative working at an insurance company.

Includes dating? Does Jung Pureum really intend to go through with this with me? Is he that free?

“Hyung?”

“….”

“Are you okay?”

Jung Pureum, who had followed me into the director’s office, asked worriedly, unable to hide his flustered expression at my reaction.

I’m not okay at all. Going on a date once a week wasn’t that difficult a thing. It’s not like I’ve been feeding this kid for just a day or two.

But back then, it was fine because he was a beta.

Staying close to an immature alpha who can’t even properly control his pheromones for a long time is, no matter how recessive an omega I am, somewhat dangerous.