The World of Contrasts Vol. 1 Chapter 4

It was only natural that news of Seol Daeyoung’s visit would reach Chairman Jang’s ears. After all, Seonho wasn’t the only one working in this house. But now that the moment had come, Jaemin found his mouth dry.

“Yes.”

“I wanted to see the face of the bastard who laid a hand on my son, but it’s a shame.”

Chairman Jang smacked his lips and clicked his tongue.

“I’ll have him brought in and educated properly, so don’t look so surprised.”

Jaemin felt a chill run down his arm under his pajamas and spoke as calmly as possible.

“It was a small incident, Father. There’s no need for that.”

“Wow, getting stabbed is embarrassing. I thought you were the strongest among your peers, but I guess not.”

“Father.”

Jaemin furrowed his brow, and Chairman Jang stood up and met his gaze. Then, he chuckled and hit Jaemin’s head with his large hand. Even though he didn’t put much force into it, Jaemin staggered. He braced himself and stood his ground.

“The little shit is just like his mother, so proud.”

He continued, cigarette in mouth, chuckling.

“Seonho went to the parents of those alpha bastards whose feet were crushed and threatened them with our company’s business card. Told them not to touch the kid.”

Jaemin gulped, and Chairman Jang tapped his head again. It was unclear whether he was petting him or hitting him.

Jaemin gritted his teeth and tried to keep his gaze steady. He knew from experience that showing weakness would only make Chairman Jang go for his throat.

“I told him to handle it himself. The little shit, selling my company’s name like that.”

“Is that not okay?”

Jaemin raised his head and asked defiantly. Chairman Jang looked surprised.

“What did you say?”

“I thought it wouldn’t matter since it’s going to be my company anyway.”

Jaemin glared at him and added. Chairman Jang laughed in a raspy voice.

“You’re right. That’s why I left it alone. To see how you would handle the little shit.”

Only then did Jaemin realize the true reason his father had called him.

“…But that little shit brought flowers and came to the tiger’s den on his own, and you just let him go.”

After Jaemin was discharged from the hospital and briefly lost his temper, Chairman Jang hadn’t said much about the incident. He didn’t care why Jaemin had been stabbed. In his opinion, fights among young alphas were common.

So, what was bothering Chairman Jang now was something else.

“Wow, I guess I’m really getting old.”

Clearly, he didn’t want to accept that there was someone stronger than his son.

“It’s not like that.”

Jaemin looked at him with heated eyes and spat out the words.

“This isn’t school, it’s your house. Are you saying you can’t handle him?”

“…Father!”

“Do I have to watch the little shit who stabbed my son walk out of my house unharmed, you weak little shit!”

Jaemin caught the arm flying towards him. Chairman Jang tried to grab his collar with his other hand, but Jaemin twisted away. Just as Seol Daeyoung had done to him, Jaemin twisted his father’s arm behind his back.

“Do you want to die today?”

“I’ll only do this until you hear me out.”

Jaemin held Chairman Jang’s body in a lock and spoke through gritted teeth. Chairman Jang let out a hollow laugh and relaxed his body slightly. He seemed willing to listen to what his son had to say for once.

“You told me, Father, not to keep anyone by my side who isn’t trustworthy. And that such a person doesn’t exist in this world.”

So, the conclusion was not to keep anyone by his side. Chairman Jang realized that Jaemin was serious about dislocating his shoulder and relaxed.

“Yeah, I said that.”

Jaemin swallowed hard and clenched his jaw, trying to hide his trembling voice. He must never let Chairman Jang find out the truth about the incident.

“I want to keep that bastard…by my side.”

A small, hollow laugh escaped Chairman Jang’s lips.

“So, you trust that kid now? The one who stabbed you in the neck.”

Chairman Jang didn’t know the full story of that day. Jaemin took a deep breath and continued in a steady voice.

“That day, an omega went into heat. The pheromones were so strong that anyone nearby would have gone crazy. I was also drawn to the scent.”

“Go on.”

“I saw seven alphas lying on the floor, trying to rape the omega. I couldn’t control myself and had to fight that bastard to get into the gym where the omega was hiding…”

“And then you lost?”

Jaemin let out a long sigh. He was glad he didn’t have to look Chairman Jang in the eye. He feared that Chairman Jang would smash his head on the table if he caught him lying.

“I was intoxicated by the pheromones and not in my right mind, but it’s true that I showed him an opening. At first, I kept thinking about how to beat him, but the more I thought about it…I wanted him.”

“I heard he’s good at fighting.”

“If I had been in my right mind, I would have won.”

Chairman Jang scoffed, but he didn’t seem particularly angry.

“What I wanted…was something else.”

Jaemin lowered his voice and looked at Chairman Jang, who was waiting for his answer.

“…It was self-esteem.”

This was the only truth Jaemin had ever told his father. As the tension in his arm eased, Chairman Jang slammed his massive forearm into Jaemin’s chest.

Jaemin gasped and staggered, feeling a sharp pain. He knew from experience that his rib was broken.

“…He didn’t resist the omega’s pheromones. As you know, Father, it’s not easy for an alpha to resist a omega in heat.”

Chairman Jang chuckled as Jaemin spoke through the pain.

“If you see one crying and begging to be fucked, you have to fuck them, whether you’re an alpha, beta, or not even human.”

Jaemin felt a surge of anger but suppressed it and opened his mouth.

“…I couldn’t resist, and that frustrated me. But what was even more humiliating was that he could.”

“There must be something wrong with that kid.”

Chairman Jang grabbed Jaemin’s dislocated shoulder and put it back in place, his expression unconcerned. Jaemin had confirmed several times that Seol Daeyoung had gotten hard. That was a fact. Jaemin gritted his teeth and let out a shaky breath.

“Because Mother is an omega…she has a deep sympathy for omegas.”

Jaemin felt his voice trembling uncontrollably. If Seol Daeyoung had pitied him instead of insulting him for being an omega, he might have felt better. Just thinking about it made him suicidal.

“His omega mother gave birth to a dominant alpha?”

For the first time, Chairman Jang showed interest.

“…Yes. He had awakened, but the test results showed he was in the top 0.1 percent. The school paid money to bring him in.”

“Oh, if his mother was 20 years younger, I would have fucked her.”

Of course, his father’s interest in omegas was only in that regard, so it wasn’t surprising. But it still made him feel sick.

“Then our Jaemin could have a little brother.”

Jaemin’s eyelids twitched. Suddenly, he imagined his father saying the same thing in front of Seol Daeyoung. If you were 20 years younger, I would have raped your mother and made her give birth to you.

Seol Daeyoung’s reaction would be the same, no matter who the opponent was, even if it was Chairman Jang.

“Seeing the faces of those alphas who tried to rape an omega and got beaten by Seol Daeyoung, it’s funny how you like young women, Father.”

“Shut up.”

“Yes, Father.”

Chairman Jang laughed shamelessly.

“Your words are starting to make sense.”

“…”

“If he’s that strong, it wouldn’t be bad to break him in. You seem capable of doing that.”

Did Chairman Jang believe his words? Jaemin maintained his vigilance, hiding his relief and speaking sincerely.

“I’ll make him join under me. He’s a valuable asset for the company.”

“But will he easily kneel before you? If he’s that capable, he could succeed on his own.”

Jaemin stared at Chairman Jang, who was watching him like a beast looking for its prey’s weakness. If Jaemin showed any sign of wavering, Chairman Jang would push him off the cliff.

“You saw it. That bastard came to see me today of his own accord.”

“Yeah, I saw. But, son.”

Chairman Jang rolled his small, beady eyes and spoke.

“There could be another reason why a beast that has been released comes back later.”

“…”

“It’s because he wants to play. In other words, he wants to fuck you.”

* * *

Jaemin’s heart pounded uncomfortably, and hot blood surged through his body. It was Seol Daeyoung who had stabbed him, not the other way around. So, there was a flaw in Chairman Jang’s theory that Seol Daeyoung had come to fuck him. Yet, Jaemin couldn’t understand why he felt a suicidal impulse rising within him.

“You know you’re in the palm of my hand, right? Just confirming that for you, while showing off a bit.”

The satisfaction that had flickered in Seol Daeyoung’s eyes after they kissed and parted now resurfaced in Jaemin’s mind, painfully tormenting him.

“I know strong guys have desires too. But Jaemin, do you think the chances are higher that a guy stronger than you will raise you, or that he’ll stab you?”

Jaemin gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached, then spoke to Chairman Jang.

“It depends on the person handling it.”

Chairman Jang laughed and asked, “So, do you think you can tame a dangerous knife?”

“Father.”

“Yes?”

“Remember one thing, Father. I’m different from you. No…”

Jaemin looked at him, curling his lip as he spoke.

“I’m much smarter than you. I’ve had everything since birth.”

“So, you think you shouldn’t be treated the same as me, someone who crawled up from the bottom?”

“…The world has changed a lot since you were young, Father. You knew that early on, which is why you chose Mother to make me the best. You made sure your sons could step on everyone’s heads from birth.”

Chairman Jang glared at him for a moment, then finally burst into laughter.

“Yeah, you little shit. You’re just like me, with that personality. I did well in making you.”

Mixing profanity with satisfaction, Chairman Jang finally gave the order to retreat.

“Fine, I got it. Go rest.”

Phew. So, it’s finally over.

Jaemin unshouldered his backpack, bowed his head, and turned to leave the study. This was a much better outcome than expected. Although a rib seemed to be broken from his father’s strike, this meant Seol Daeyoung wouldn’t interfere with his life anymore. Of course…neither would Jaemin interfere with his.

As Jaemin was leaving, Chairman Jang asked, “By the way, what’s the kid’s name again?”

* * *

“Seol Daeyoung!”

Who the hell thought of having a stupid college festival? Even in high school, Jaemin had been annoyed by strangers bumping into him during festivals.

“Daeyoung Sunbae, come here quickly!”

So, it made no sense to him to be at a college festival now. Fuck, should I just leave?

“You’ve been waiting for a long time…!”

Seol Daeyoung’s deep voice shattered Jaemin’s thoughts. Even from a distance, it was clear that the economics department, which Seol Daeyoung belonged to, had a lot of people. Even carrying two cases of beer he bought from a convenience store, the guy showed no signs of strain.

“Where’s the table I reserved?”

“Over there.”

Yujin pointed, and Seol Daeyoung put down the beer and grinned.

“You said if I come back in 5 minutes, you’ll buy me something to eat, right? It took me 3 minutes and 30 seconds.”

The slightly drunk-looking college students laughed loudly.

“Haha! Order everything on the menu, three of each!”

“Hey, Yujin! Tell Hyunjeong to start with the appetizers.”

“Got it!”

Yujin, who had tied her long hair into a ponytail, was about to go get the ingredients from behind the curtain but stopped when she saw Jaemin.

“Hello, Sunbae-nim! You actually came!”

“…There’s no need for me to buy you anything.”

Jaemin, who had been standing awkwardly, tried to leave, but Yujin grabbed his arm.

“Hey, what are you talking about! We still need a lot of ingredients to make the dishes worth eating.”

This was only the second time Jaemin had spoken to her. He hadn’t been friendly the first time either, quite the opposite, but Kwon Yujin was surprisingly cheerful. In a way, her personality was similar to Seol Daeyoung’s.

“Let go. It’s uncomfortable.”

Suddenly annoyed, he tried to shake her off, but a large body intervened between them. The source of his discomfort.

“Why are you so late? I’ve been waiting all day.”

Jaemin felt Seol Daeyoung’s warm body temperature as he casually draped an arm around his shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah, the VIP will sit here.”

Seol Daeyoung led him to a seat at the very edge of the crowded street, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“…Is this the VIP seat?”

“Of course, you’re good-looking, so you should sit where you can be seen.”

Seol Daeyoung put down the menu and raised his eyebrows playfully.

“Even in restaurants, the best-looking people sit where they can be seen. It’s a rule.”

“Fuck, you’re talking nonsense.”

“You look great today too. Everyone’s looking at you.”

“If you keep talking, I’ll kill you.”

Jaemin glared at him. He had always hated being called good-looking, but hearing Seol Daeyoung say it made him boil with anger. It felt like he was being mocked.

“I’ll get you a drink. You didn’t bring any, did you?”

“Why would I buy drinks outside when I’m coming to drink?”

Jaemin didn’t know that alcohol sales were prohibited on campus during the festival. Seol Daeyoung laughed at him.

“Yes, customer. What would you like?”

“Highball with whiskey. Make it strong with tonic water, no lemon.”

“And food?”

“Bring whatever with your dick.”

Jaemin pulled out his wallet and put it on the table. He didn’t care what they brought since he was here to spend money anyway.

Someone called Seol Daeyoung’s name, and he replied loudly before disappearing again. Jaemin, who had nothing to do but fiddle with his phone, heard what Yujin said to someone.

“Sunbae-nim, don’t you know smoking is prohibited on campus?”

“I just held it. Is that a problem?”

Seol Daeyoung reappeared in front of Jaemin, holding a green soju bottle.

“Here’s your drink, customer.”

Jaemin heard the sound of pouring soju from the table behind him. Yujin shouted, “Yes, coming!” from a distant seat, and Jaemin glared at Seol Daeyoung.

“Is this a highball?”

“It tastes better than that.”

Jaemin laughed hollowly as he watched Seol Daeyoung pour the soju into a glass.

Seeing his exposed forearm muscles twitching, Jaemin wondered if this bastard was showing off his body. At least today, he wasn’t wearing a ridiculously tight shirt but a plain white t-shirt.

Clink.

Seol Daeyoung opened the soju bottle cap. As he was about to pour the bubbling drink into a glass, Jaemin grabbed the bottle from him.

Jaemin took a few more sips of soju straight from the bottle, feeling the familiar burn spread through his throat. Seol Daeyoung watched him, then placed the steaming dish on the center of the table.

“What is this?”

“Spicy stir-fried chicken. I made it.”

“Trash goes in the trash can.”

“Taste it before you say that.”

Jaemin glared at Seol Daeyoung, who was clearing the nearby table, and took a few more sips of soju.

* * *

“Is that Seol Daeyoung kid the reason you still have your life, because I made him part of our family?”

Chairman Jang’s voice echoed in his mind. He looked at the dimly lit study filled with documents prepared by Seonho. Despite the short notice, Seonho had handled everything efficiently.

“I’ve put Seol Daeyoung in a place where he’ll be most interested. After work, it’ll be easier to keep an eye on him here.”

Jaemin’s lack of interest in the economics department was, as he said, not to play the role of a gofer, but to deliver this directly.

Seol Daeyoung’s academic performance was excellent. Of course, his grades were top-notch, and he was thoroughly preparing for various certification exams related to law school. Simultaneously studying for the bar exam. An opportunity that was literally a ticket to a bright future. Knowing this, Jaemin couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

He had a strong feeling that if it were the Seol Daeyoung he knew, he would laugh and say he didn’t care about such things. If he told him the truth, he would just have that annoying expression on his face.

“Fuck…”

Jaemin cursed, feeling the urge to vomit as he took another swig from the soju bottle.

How was he supposed to bring this up with that crazy bastard?

Chairman Jang had shown interest in Seol Daeyoung, so this matter needed to be resolved. The fact that Chairman Jang hadn’t said a word about it since then wasn’t because he had forgotten about the past incident. He was just biding his time.

The ticking of the expensive watch on his wrist grated on his nerves, not because of the noise, but because it was a reminder.

He needed to beat Seol Daeyoung in front of him. But he had no idea how to communicate with someone who didn’t follow common sense.

Jaemin had never asked anyone for a favor or bowed his head to anyone. His father had raised him that way. Just imagining asking Seol Daeyoung for something made his whole body shiver and his throat tighten.

“Should I just make him useless somehow.”

Jaemin muttered softly as he placed the clinking soju bottle on the table.

* * *

After breaking the wooden chopsticks, Jaemin hesitated for a moment before reaching for the food that Seol Daeyoung had brought. He chewed the food, which had a texture reminiscent of old tires, then spat it out and rinsed his mouth with soju. Leaning back in his chair, he crossed his legs and watched Seol Daeyoung moving busily around.

Seol Daeyoung was undoubtedly the most prominent figure in the group. Everyone sought his opinion and naturally followed his commands. His strengths were not just his imposing physique and masculine appearance. Anyone who had even a brief conversation with him would know that there seemed to be no problem Seol Daeyoung couldn’t solve.

He was like a giant tree with immense roots, impossible to break and making others lose the will to even try.

Jaemin honestly admitted that Seol Daeyoung had a powerful ability to lead people, and even if he were hidden away, his presence would be as noticeable as a nail sticking out. It was natural for such a person to be the leader.

Even in a physical fight, the situation wouldn’t change. Although Jaemin had lied to Chairman Jang, he honestly believed his chances of winning against Seol Daeyoung in a fair fight were less than 50 percent. The likelihood of him getting hurt while trying to incapacitate Seol Daeyoung was even higher.

The idea of breaking his leg and forcing him into a wheelchair seemed unrealistic.

Ah, this is annoying.

Watching Seol Daeyoung moving busily and working in perfect harmony with Kwon Yoojin made something rise within Jaemin. Suddenly, their eyes met.

“…”

For a moment, Jaemin felt a faint hint of Seol Daeyoung’s pheromones, as if they were wrapping around his nose. It was a memory that had made him dizzy and breathless, from a summer when cicadas sang loudly. The scent of wisteria, which he disliked, had been overwhelmed by Seol Daeyoung’s pheromones, making him feel as if the forest was pouring into him.

Feeling an itch where he had been stabbed, Jaemin irritably rubbed the back of his neck. The cheap alcohol made his lower abdomen feel warm. He took out a silver case from his bag and swallowed the pills inside with the remaining soju.

The doctor had advised him to keep his mind at ease, as severe stress could trigger irregular heat cycles, but Jaemin thought the doctor didn’t understand the life he had endured.

Moreover, the strong alpha pheromones wafting from the noisy group at the back table were making Jaemin’s nerves on edge.

“The release of pheromones is prohibited. Today, with the school open to many visitors, please be careful!”

Kwon Yoojin raised her voice cheerfully, then smiled brightly as someone entered the tent.

“Oh, Mom!”

Everyone in the pub turned to look. Jaemin did the same. Yoon Jungha, one of the most successful omegas in Korea and Kwon Yoojin’s mother, hugged her daughter lightly.

“Am I too late?”

“Yes! Very! But thank you for coming.”

Kwon Yoojin clung to her with wide eyes. Jaemin unconsciously swallowed hard as he looked at the male omega who resembled Kwon Yoojin but had a completely different aura.

“I wanted to take a picture of our daughter struggling for the first time in her life.”

“Haha, what is that?”

When Yoon Jungha took out her phone, Yoojin laughed but posed with a V sign. The two looked like they could be siblings at a glance.

“Hello. Shall I take the picture for you?”

Seol Daeyoung approached amiably, and Yoon Jungha smiled at him.

“Your name?”

“I’m Seol Daeyoung.”

“Ah, the name our Yoojin mentions the most these days.”

“Mom.”

Yoojin blushed, and Seol Daeyoung chuckled.

“I’ve really been working her hard because of the festival, so I deserve to be scolded. But Yoojin is so good at her job. I’ll make sure the side dishes are delicious, so please forgive me just this once.”

“Hmm…He seems like a really good friend.”

Yoon Jungha patted Seol Daeyoung’s shoulder a couple of times before lowering her hand. Seol Daeyoung paused for a moment but then smiled and bowed his head before disappearing behind the tent.

“Mom, sit here.”

Jaemin watched as Yoon Jungha, guided by her daughter, sat down at the table right next to him.

Dressed in a neat suit, Yoon Jungha was indeed the man who had given birth to Kwon Yoojin. He was not short, but his figure was slender, and his soft, light-colored hair fluttered above his forehead, giving him a boyish charm that belied his age. His face was so youthful that even freckles would not have looked out of place.

“Wow…This is amazing.”

It was no surprise that the noisy physical education students were excited to see him. Their eyes sparkled like marbles at the sight of the famous figure they had only seen in the media.

“Mom, if you release your pheromones, it’ll be a disaster. Got it?”

It was a biological necessity that relatives of different types could not react to each other’s pheromones. Otherwise, alpha males driven by lust might rape their omega mothers, or omega mothers might seduce their alpha children.

Fuck, if only this fucked-up humanity had collapsed that way.

“Remember what school your daughter attends.”

“Yes. I’ll be careful.”

Yoojin brought out some alcohol and reminded her mother again. Yoon Jungha nodded with a soft smile. But Jaemin could immediately sense her omega pheromones. People were subtly gathering around, and he could feel their glances.

“…”

Jaemin frowned at the unpleasant smell and leaned back in his plastic chair. He was now sure that it was no accident when Yoon Jungha’s hand, which had been patting Seol Daeyoung’s shoulder, brushed against his thigh as it dropped.

Fuck, that’s disgusting.

As Yoon Jungha sipped soju from a glass, wearing a wedding ring on his fourth finger, his movements exuded both composure and a certain allure. He was enjoying the attention he was receiving, skillfully controlling his pheromones just enough to keep the alphas from going wild.

“Wow, the atmosphere is really amazing. If Jungha were alone, I would have definitely talked to her.”

“Even at this age, she’s like this, so how was she in the past? No wonder Kwon Sangdo couldn’t keep his senses.”

Jaemin did not miss the faint smile on Yoon Jungha’s lips, and his mood grew increasingly strange.

For the past 20 years, the omega rights movement had gained social prominence, and public education taught that discrimination based on type was a sign of one’s own low level. Everyone had heard this message repeatedly, but real life did not always follow the textbooks.

Especially the people here had been treated as the top elites since their types were revealed. It did not take long for ordinary people to become twisted with a superiority complex.

On the surface, they advocated for omega rights, but behind the scenes, they were optimized to oppress omegas. For a long time, omegas had been subservient and pleasurable to dominant alphas, so to them, this was natural.

But at this moment, no one dared to call Yoon Jungha ‘subservient.’

Jaemin intuited that if Yoon Jungha gave a signal right now, many young alphas would kneel before him.

A man who did not hide the fact that he was an omega and confidently revealed it, even ranking the alphas filling the space with his gaze.

The more Jaemin looked at Yoon Jungha smiling and looking around, the more uncomfortable he felt. The cheap alcohol and side dishes seemed to rise back up his esophagus.

Finally, Yoon Jungha’s lazy brown gaze landed on Jaemin, sitting right next to him. He stared at Jaemin and softly opened his lips.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“…Because you’re disgusting.”

Suddenly, Jaemin’s hand was grabbed by Yoon Jungha. Jaemin watched as Yoon Jungha brought his wrist to his nose and took a short sniff. Jaemin spat out his words as if spitting out saliva.

“What are you doing? Want your nose broken?”

Yoon Jungha looked at him and smiled bitterly.

“Openly showing omega-phobia. That’s quite classic for a young person these days.”

Although it was impossible for any pheromones to have leaked, it was natural for Jaemin to be tense. Fortunately, Yoon Jungha seemed to smell nothing from him.

“With a face that looks free enough to seduce all types.”

“Hey.”

Jaemin glared at him and whispered harshly.

“…If you don’t want to get knocked up by some old alpha you don’t even know, you should refrain from flirting in a place full of alphas.”

The corners of Yoon Jeong-ha’s pale lips trembled slightly. Despite having put him down, Jaemin’s mood did not improve at all, thanks to what Yoon Jeong-ha added with a smile.

“Are you a student at this school? It’s definitely one of the top universities in Korea. A dominant alpha worrying about an omega.”

If you didn’t catch the thorn in his words, you’d be an idiot.

“But haven’t you considered that I might be imprinted?”

* * *

When the word ‘imprinting’ came out of Yoon Jungha’s mouth, Jaemin frowned and laughed.

Imprinting, a trait exclusive to alphas and omegas, was romanticized as a promise to love only each other. However, bluntly speaking, it meant that sex with anyone other than the imprinted partner was impossible.

If an omega had sex with someone other than their imprinted partner, they would feel as if they were being raped. For alphas, they could only get aroused by the pheromones of their imprinted omega, making sex itself impossible.

The problem was that even after imprinting, one’s pheromones could still affect others. While the feelings at the time of imprinting might make it seem like there were only two people in the world, human emotions were the easiest thing to change.

If love faded, being unable to have sex with others who were drawn to you like bees to honey was a living hell. If the imprinted partner was killed, the imprint would be broken, leading to occasional murder cases.

Due to such side effects, imprinting had long been avoided by both alphas and omegas. Of course, there were still stories of crazy teenagers or couples promising eternal love who bound themselves to each other in this fucked-up way.

“Ah, did you imprint?” Jaemin asked, twisting his lips. Yoon Jungha, instead of answering, smiled and rubbed the ring on his fourth finger.

Everyone had heard the gossip about how he had married like Cinderella, receiving the full love and support of a young human rights lawyer. Seeing his face, as if asking if Jaemin knew, a violent heat surged from Jaemin’s core.

“Then there might be a murder in your family. Seeing you dripping pheromones, wanting to break the imprint.”

“Hey…”

The mask-like face of Yoon Jungha finally showed deep displeasure. Yes, that’s the face I wanted to see. As Jaemin snorted, Seol Daeyoung’s voice was heard from behind.

“Jang Jaemin. Here. What you said you wanted to eat.”

A highball-filled glass shimmered in his hand. It was what Jaemin had requested earlier, finally brought now.

“The drink is double the price.”

Jaemin took the glass from him and gulped it down. Then, he pulled out a bill from his wallet and tossed it onto the table before standing up.

“That’s enough?”

“Huh, are you leaving already?”

“Fuck, how much longer are you going to piss me off?”

Jaemin had done his part as the moneybags, just as Seol Daeyoung had said. He hadn’t even brought up the study abroad topic, but if he stayed any longer, he might end up assaulting the most famous omega in Korea and making the news headlines.

Click.

Jaemin nervously found a cigarette and lit it with a lighter.

“Uh, Sunbae, this is a non-smoking area…”

“Fuck off.”

Yujin, who had rushed over with wide eyes, took a step back, overwhelmed by Jaemin’s intensity. Jaemin took a deep drag on the cigarette, almost burning his cheek, and stormed out of the booth, quickly walking towards the parking lot.

He shouldn’t have come here in the first place. It was a mistake to do something he didn’t usually do. Seeing Yoon Jungha made him feel sick with disgust.

People staggering from the festival atmosphere and alcohol brushed past him. Just one of them, he thought, ready to punch anyone who got in his way. But someone’s comment stopped him in his tracks.

“Crazy. Can’t you smell that insane omega scent right now?”

Someone behind him excitedly raised their voice. Jaemin instinctively walked faster.

“That’s why festivals are great.”

“Just one, fuck. Today’s going to be a jackpot at the motel. No wonder the convenience store was stocked with condoms.”

Their laughter pierced his ears. Jaemin hung his head low and bit his lip. And then, as expected, an excited voice chimed in.

“Wow, who was that just now? I suddenly got so hard.”

Could it be? Even though he took the suppressant, could his pheromones still be leaking out?

Jaemin’s heart raced with anxiety.

“Exposure to stress can trigger irregular heat cycles, so be cautious.”

Jaemin’s face paled as he bit his lip. He needed to contact Seonho, who was waiting for him somewhere on campus. He frantically searched through his bag slung over one shoulder. Wallet. Sunglasses. Headphones. Perfume. Everything but the phone he was looking for.

“Fuck…”

Jaemin’s face contorted. He must have left his phone on the bar table. Going back to get it was out of the question, given his current state and the risk of a heat cycle.

Jaemin gave up on the phone, pulled a black hat low over his face, and walked towards the school gate. He wondered if he’d find a taxi on the street.

“Did you hear Yoon Jungha is at the economics department bar?”

“Wow, really?”

His heart pounded, and blood rushed through his body. The tingling, flushing skin was not a good sign.

“Fuck…Should I pretend to be crazy and give him a pheromone shower? He’s an omega, after all. How could he resist the pheromones of a virile alpha?”

“If he’s imprinted, our pheromones won’t work on him. I once paid to sleep with an imprinted omega out of curiosity, but he was so unresponsive that it felt awful, and I lost my erection halfway through.”

“Come on, do you really think people like Kwon Sangdo or Yoon Jungha, who have so much to lose, would imprint? I don’t think so.”

“Then go test it out, you crazy bastard.”

Jaemin’s eyebrows furrowed and twitched. Even though Yoon Jungha was a wealthy and powerful omega, he was still subjected to such treatment behind his back. The realization filled Jaemin with a strange mix of emotions and anger.

Socially successful, with a perfect family who openly showed their affection. He couldn’t forgive himself for even momentarily envying him. His fist clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palm, shaking.

“Forget it. Do you want to ruin your life by messing with Kwon Sangdo?…Huh?”

One of the laughing guys suddenly stopped.

“You smelled it too, right? What is this…this scent…?”

In that moment, when Jaemin sensed an unsettlingly intense excitement in the voices of strangers, he gritted his teeth and ran as fast as he could. He needed to disappear from this place as quickly as possible.

To a safe place…somewhere he could be safe…

“What was that just now?”

“Fuck, someone’s definitely in heat. Wow…the scent…it’s insane.”

“Should we call 119? But who is it? Who is it? I can help you! Ha…yeah?”

Assholes.

Huff, huff. Sweat poured down Jaemin’s cheeks as he panted. His legs grew weaker, and his vision blurred. He tried to find a place with as few people as possible, but his mind was already melting into a mushy mess.

“Haah…ah…”

Someone stopped mid-sentence asking if he was okay. The large, slightly trembling hand seemed to suddenly sprout beastly claws.

“Hey…are you suffering? Want to come with me? I have meds.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

Jaemin gritted his teeth, pushed the hand away, and walked unsteadily, covering his nose. He planned to jump into the pond on campus. It was better to fall into shit-water than to go into heat among an excited crowd.

Thud.

“Ugh…!”

Jaemin’s wrist was strongly grabbed by someone, and his body was turned around. Fuck. Is this how my life ends?

“Jang Jaemin.”

Jaemin’s eyes flickered wildly. It wasn’t just because Seol Daeyoung was standing in front of him, panting. It was because the scent of pheromones was pouring out from him. The intense feeling he had experienced only once, years ago, was resurfacing.

“Ha…ah…”

Jaemin trembled violently, his mouth open, overwhelmed by the strong forest scent filling his nostrils. Seol Daeyoung throwing his ugly checkered shirt over Jaemin’s face wasn’t a problem right now.

Jaemin gasped like a person who had just been pulled from water, inhaling his scent. The fragrance he had only imagined for the past five years was overwhelming enough to shatter his faded memories.

“Why are you so drunk? Are you going to throw up? Here?”

Seol Daeyoung raised his voice on purpose, making people frown and avoid them. Wrapping Jaemin in his pheromone-soaked clothes, Seol Daeyoung whispered quickly.

“Hold on a little longer. I’ll call a taxi.”

“I…I…Huh…Ah…Fuck…Ahh…”

But Jaemin had reached his limit. Fluids dripped down his loose pants, running down his thighs. The pheromones from Seol Daeyoung, much denser than in high school, made every nerve under his skin go wild.

“Get a grip, Jang Jaemin.”

Jaemin’s body shook. Every part of his body was reacting to Seol Daeyoung’s pheromones. Even his toes curled up in his heavy leather walkers, making it difficult to walk properly.

“Seonho…Call Seonho…My phone…Ahh…”

As a sob-like moan escaped Jaemin’s lips, Seol Daeyoung paused.

“Help me, Seonho…Ahh…”