Chapter 17: An Unwelcome Advance and a Familiar Face

The line was something straight out of a drama, and I nearly spat out the cocktail I was sipping. With a calm gulp, I swallowed the drink held in my mouth before setting the glass down.

The man, who had been staring at me with an almost oppressive intensity, suddenly reached out. Before I could even react, an unfamiliar hand wiped away the cocktail that had trickled down my chin.

Even that touch felt so greasy, it only intensified the nausea churning in my stomach.

[Alone?]

To think I’d hear such a line in a club. Thanks to Jae-hyun, I was truly having a rare experience. Letting out a deep sigh, I finished the rest of my cocktail, then pulled out some money and placed it on the bar.

[Well…]

Completely ignoring the man, I nodded to the bartender and slid off my stool. The man chuckled, as if in disbelief, then followed close behind me. He was more persistent than I’d anticipated.

[Excuse me!]

The man, who had moved right beside me, subtly attempted to place a hand on my waist. I halted my steps, creating distance between us. Stopping later than me, he awkwardly hid his hand behind his back.

‘I truly despise this.’

Judging by the overt pheromones wafting from him, the man likely wanted to spend a casual night with me. Most people who came to this place sought the same.

Yoo Seo-jin would have welcomed this situation wholeheartedly, but I was not him. I couldn’t tolerate anyone looking at me with such eyes. It was utterly unpleasant.

[Excuse me!]

The man, who had been smiling brightly, closed the distance at my call. Perhaps thinking I had given in, he released even stronger, more intentional pheromones than before.

Alphas and Omegas were said to entice each other with pheromones, yet ever since I became Yoo Seo-jin, I had never found another Alpha’s pheromones fragrant.

Since the hospital found no issues, I suspected it might be a psychological reason. Perhaps it was simply unfamiliarity, having never lived as an Omega before.

Of course, this particular man’s pheromones were among the most repulsive.

[I’m not…]

[…Huh?]

The dumbfounded man reacted a beat too late. Smiling sweetly at his foolish expression, I firmly drew a line once more.

[…interested.]

Having finished my statement, I slapped away the hand wrapped around my waist and swiftly exited the club. My mind was consumed by a single thought: how to kill Jae-hyun, the culprit who had orchestrated this entire predicament.

‘I’m exhausted.’

While it wouldn’t be difficult to find Jae-hyun if I searched the entire club, I simply wanted to return to my accommodation first. The cocktail seemed stronger than I’d anticipated, as a tipsy feeling was slowly creeping in.

To hail a taxi, I needed to reach a wider area with a main road, but everything felt unfamiliar on this first venture. After wandering aimlessly, I finally found an alleyway that seemed to lead to a major street.

‘It’s darker than I expected.’

My fear was fleeting; once I passed this alley, I could reach my accommodation. Taking a steadying breath, I steeled myself and quickened my pace.

Just as I was about to emerge onto the main road, having navigated the dimly lit alley with sparse streetlights, someone abruptly seized my arm. My body froze, utterly unprepared for the sudden assault.

[Hey!]

The one who had grabbed me was the same man who had persistently followed me from the club earlier. Unlike his previous smooth demeanor, his face was now menacing, leaving me utterly flustered.

‘I should probably run.’

The main road was right behind me, yet my feet seemed glued to the ground, refusing to move. It felt as though I was paralyzed by fear in this unexpected situation.

[Earlier…]

The man chuckled with a lecherous grin, taking a step closer to me. As the distance narrowed, the artificial strawberry scent grew even more potent, making my stomach churn uncontrollably.

‘I’m in danger now.’

A bright red siren blared in my mind. I subtly tried to move my legs, but instead of heading towards the main road, I was inadvertently retreating deeper into the secluded part of the alley.

It was only when my back hit the cold wall that I realized I had taken a wrong turn. However, the man was already blocking my front, completely cutting off any escape route.

[You…]

They say the world is full of psychos, and this time, I had truly stumbled upon the wrong one. Had I known he was this kind of man, I would have pushed him away more gently. A small wave of regret washed over me, belatedly.

[First…]

Before he could even finish his sentence, a searing pain suddenly flared on my right cheek. My vision spun wildly, revealing the dark asphalt below. A high-pitched ringing pierced my ears, leaving my mind hazy.

‘Did I just get hit?’

I realized I had been struck a beat too late. I was so startled that the pain also registered belatedly. Touching my throbbing cheek, I could feel it was slightly swollen.

[Shut up, you…]

The man grabbed a fistful of my hair, forcing my bowed head upwards. He then intensely stared at my bleeding lips.

[Omega.]

The man, unable to control his surging rage, suddenly tilted his head. As his foul breath reached my nose, I snapped back to reality and screamed like a madman.

“Aargh!”

Startled by my sudden outburst, the man released the hair he had gripped. Seizing the moment my body was free, I lunged at him with all my might.

[Ugh!]

Losing his balance from the unexpected attack, the man tumbled to the ground. Wiping the blood from my lips, I approached the struggling man. Then, I lifted one foot high.

[Uwaaaaaaagh!!!!]

As I stomped down with all my strength on the man’s groin, a scream of agony echoed through the dark alley. The man, eyes rolled back and limbs trembling, frothed at the mouth and passed out.

Still, my anger was not appeased, so I kicked the man a few more times. The crotch of the unconscious man became wet.

“You son of a b*tch, who do you think you’re hitting?”

After spitting on the man sprawled on the ground, I exited the alley. Rubbing my stinging lips, I found blood still seeping out.

How hard had I been hit? My right cheek was probably already turning a nasty shade of blue.

‘I should have stomped on him a little more before leaving.’

I considered going back to hit the man further, but moderation was always best. Getting entangled in lawsuits or similar issues would be a nuisance. For now, he had struck first, making my actions self-defense.

‘What the hell was that?’

Letting out a deep sigh, I carelessly wiped my bloodied hand on my shirt and fully emerged from the alley. As I tried to hail a taxi on the main road, drivers simply sped past, clearly noticing my battered face.

‘What should I do?’

If I couldn’t catch a taxi, I would have to walk all the way back to the resort. Would I even arrive by tomorrow morning? A frustrated sigh escaped me.

For now, I refused to give up and continued trying to flag down passing taxis. After about five taxis had driven past me, a sleek, black car, clearly one that only the wealthy would ride, slowly approached and stopped in front of me.

‘What is this?’

My bewilderment lasted only a moment before a man emerged from the driver’s seat. Dressed in a menacingly dark suit, he walked around the car to the back passenger door.

As the man opened the door, someone inside extended a long leg. I was about to frown at the dramatic entrance, when a familiar scent wafted past my nose.

‘That scent…’

The person who stepped out of the car was easily a head taller than me. My gaze slowly ascended, passing over a shirt that seemed about to burst at the buttons, before settling on broad shoulders.

It paused briefly on a pristine white neck and tightly sealed red lips, then finally met eyes as dark as the night sky.

“Seon Woo…jung?”

The name I uttered unconsciously belonged to someone who had no business being here. Yet, the person standing undeniably before me was Seon Woo-jung.

The very person I yearned for so desperately, the one I couldn’t help but miss, even knowing I had no right to.

‘Did I drink too much?’

Even knowing that my tipsiness was likely causing me to hallucinate, my body instinctively moved towards him. Before my cautiously extended hand could reach the mirage, a man abruptly appeared, blocking my path.

The man in black was wary of me, his entire demeanor a clear warning. It was as if he was silently declaring that someone like me shouldn’t even touch him.

“It’s alright.”

A pleasant, low voice halted the man. After a polite bow, the man stepped aside, allowing Seon Woo-jung to stride forward.

‘It’s not a dream.’

He lowered his dark eyes, meeting mine. Before my trembling lips could utter his name again, his blunt voice spoke first.

“Yoo Seo-jin, it’s been a while.”