Chapter 87: Beneath the Surface

Hyunwoo could not understand what the man was saying at all.

An omega pretending to be an alpha? Who?

…Me?

Hyunwoo was so dumbfounded that words wouldn’t come out properly.

He simply stood there, mouth hanging open in shock, when the man gave a snorting laugh and spoke.

“I mean, you do smell kinda alpha-ish, but is that perfume? Or medication?”

“…Ha.”

“I’ve seen kids like you often.
Thinking your recessive trait won’t show if you just act tough.
But I’m pretty sensitive to pheromones, you know.”

“…….”

The man’s nonsense grew worse and worse.

If he’s drunk, he should just go home and sleep.

Hyunwoo had no idea why he was picking a fight with a perfectly normal passing alpha.

No, actually, there was no point in wondering why a drunk picks fights.

They just spout nonsense they won’t remember tomorrow.

The problem was that this one genuinely believed his delusion.

Even if Hyunwoo shook him off, he would just rush back in like before.

Hyunwoo sighed and looked at the man.

“So what exactly do you want from me?”

“What?”

“Let’s say I’m an omega.
How does that harm you?”

“…….”

Telling someone like this that he wasn’t an omega would be pointless.

So Hyunwoo tried approaching calmly first.

The man’s speech was clear enough that he wasn’t fully blacked out.

Which meant conversation could work, though not necessarily well.

“Harm? You’re causing harm right now.
Dripping pheromones everywhere and seducing people.”

“What kind of bullshit—”

“Did you really think pretending to be an alpha would make you one?
Huh?
This is your instinct.”

“Ugh…!”

The man giggled and released his pheromones.

A harsh, cinnamon-like scent stabbed Hyunwoo’s nose.

Hyunwoo grimaced and covered his mouth and nose with his hand.

“You can try to hide it, but it’s obvious. That filthy instinct of yours.”

“Tch…!”

The pheromone pressure intensified, weighing down Hyunwoo’s body.

The man grabbed Hyunwoo’s arm, then seized his jaw hard.

Forcing Hyunwoo to breathe in the repulsive scent.

“You… disgusting bastard…”

“Me? Didn’t you sneak into the alpha restroom for this?”

“Damn it…”

The man lowered his face and pressed his nose to Hyunwoo’s neck.

Sniffing.

Like he was inhaling Hyunwoo’s scent.

“…Still, you smell surprisingly decent.”

“…….”

A chill shot down Hyunwoo’s spine.

He couldn’t hold back anymore — he lifted his knee sharply.

“Get lost, you perverted freak!”

“Gah—!”

His knee drove into the man’s solar plexus.

The man doubled over in pain.

Hyunwoo quickly turned to open the restroom door.

He needed to get out.

“You little shit—!”

“Ugh…!”

But before he could twist the knob, the man grabbed his hair.

The grip was so strong Hyunwoo felt like his scalp would tear.

He was dragged back into the restroom.

“Looks like you need to be taught some manners.”

“What are you—ugh!”

“Omegas have gotten way too full of themselves lately.”

The man’s expression twisted with something violent.

He shoved Hyunwoo into the innermost stall, slamming his shoulder into the wall.

Brute strength with no brains.

Hyunwoo scowled.

Talking wouldn’t work.

Avoiding him was impossible.

There was no option but to fight, even if tomorrow’s headlines exploded because of it.

Hyunwoo clenched his teeth and pulled his fist back.

“Hah…!”

“You omegas just fall apart the moment you smell pheromones.”

“Ugh…”

“Always whining.”

The man’s pheromones pressed down hard again.

Again.

Hyunwoo froze.

The memory of being crushed under Cha Kwon-oh’s pheromones resurfaced.

Damn it.

His condition was fine today.

He hadn’t even been drinking.

Why was he reacting like this?

A pheromone this weak shouldn’t affect him.

Even if the original Joo Hyunwoo was a minor villain, his specs were good.

He was the alpha heir to a major corporation — the main character’s older brother.

A body with clear advantages.

Ever since possessing this body, Hyunwoo had never been overwhelmed by a random extra’s pheromones.

Something must’ve gone wrong when I returned.

He gritted his teeth and forced his own pheromones up from deep inside.

He refused — absolutely refused — to show weakness here.

A tightness coiled in his core, and the alpha pheromones dormant within him began to rise.

“What— what the hell?”

“…Bite down.”

“…What?”

The suppressed pheromones surged back to life.

Hyunwoo could finally move again.

He threw his fist, no hesitation.

Thud.

“Argh—!”

A sharp impact and a short scream.

The man collapsed backward.

Hyunwoo forced himself up, though his knees trembled.

“Damn it…”

His legs kept giving out.

Strength leaking from him.

The man reached out from the floor and grabbed Hyunwoo’s ankle.

“Where do you think you’re going— ugh…!”

“……!”

Persistent bastard.

Hyunwoo glared down and raised his other foot to stomp his arm.

“Hyung!”

“……!”

The restroom door burst open.

A familiar voice.

Hyunwoo froze and turned.

“Seunghyuk…”

“…….”

Seunghyuk’s gaze dropped to the man gripping Hyunwoo’s ankle.

His expression turned icy.

Hyunwoo instantly sensed danger and opened his mouth.

“Look, this is just—”

“…….”

But there was no good explanation.

His fist had hit hard.

The guy’s face was probably a mess.

And Hyunwoo himself could barely stand.

Being crushed by pheromones counted as assault under law between carriers.

“Wait—!”

Seunghyuk stepped forward.

The sharpness of his pheromones cut the air.

Hyunwoo remembered how ruthlessly he crushed the stalker who chased Hyunjin.

And how he fought Cha Kwon-oh not long ago.

Seunghyuk could not afford another incident.

Hyunwoo had to stop him.

“Don’t.
It’s nothing.
Leave it.”

“Move.”

“I said don’t— ugh—”

“Hyung!”

Hyunwoo’s body finally gave out.

Seunghyuk caught him immediately, holding him upright.

Hyunwoo gasped in his arms.

“Hah… Hah…”

Seunghyuk’s scent washed into his lungs.

The trembling in his body slowly eased.

That man’s pheromones were repulsive.

But Seunghyuk’s weren’t.

Maybe because it was a scent he liked.

A deep forest-like calm spread through him.

He felt like everything would be okay.

Hyunwoo unconsciously gripped Seunghyuk’s arms tightly.

“Hyung, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I… I’m fine—ugh.”

“Let’s go back to the room first.”

Seunghyuk glanced at the unconscious man on the floor.

At some point, the man’s filthy hands had fallen away from Hyunwoo.

For a moment, Seunghyuk’s gaze turned murderous.

But Hyunwoo was more important.

He held Hyunwoo carefully and guided him out.

“Ugh…”

“Want something cold to drink?”

Back in the room, Seunghyuk sat Hyunwoo into a chair.

Hyunwoo nodded faintly.

Seunghyuk poured water and held it to his lips.

“Drink.”

“I can—”

“It’s fine. Just drink.”

“…….”

Hyunwoo, too weak to argue, parted his lips.

Cool water slipped into his mouth.

“…Haa.”

Finally, he could breathe.

“Hm…”

Only then did Hyunwoo realize how close Seunghyuk was.

He had been clinging to him without realizing.

Hyunwoo awkwardly released his grip.

“I’m good now—”

“Hyung.”

“Hm?”

“How are you going to deal with that?”

“…What?”

Hyunwoo blinked.

Following Seunghyuk’s gaze, he slowly looked down.