Chapter 26:The Sweet, Suffocating Scent

The lingering alcohol fogged Yoonwoo’s mind. He slapped the side of his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

Yoonwoo knew that an Alpha could suddenly enter rut and lose their reason. However, he couldn’t grasp why this would be dangerous for him.

With a bewildered expression, Yoonwoo inquired, “But I’m a Beta?”

“Ah, Senior. Please, just… *h-h-h*…”

Eventually, Yeon-chae’s voice, gritted through clenched teeth, was laced with sobs. Despite his own confusion, Yoonwoo felt a pang of pity for Yeon-chae.

He cupped Yeon-chae’s cheeks with both hands, attempting to soothe him. Even in the faint lamplight, Yeon-chae’s warm cheeks glowed noticeably crimson.

“It’s okay, Yeon-chae. I’m a Beta, so I’m fine. Don’t you have any medicine? I’ll give it to you. Let’s take your medicine, okay?”

“Yoonwoo Senior, really…”

His voice sounded utterly defeated. Yeon-chae weakly mumbled Yoonwoo’s name, then gazed up at him with wet eyes.

His large, light brown pupils seemed to waver for a moment before settling into a deep, dark stillness.

A breeze swept in through the open window, brushing against his cheek. The vibrant scent of spring blossoms, originating from somewhere unseen, permeated the air, carried by the wind.

The room rapidly filled with a rising heat. The increasingly potent and intoxicating fragrance, accompanied by the warmth, crashed over Yoonwoo like a wave.

His entire body suddenly grew hot. His heart felt as though it were being squeezed, and Yoonwoo let out a pained moan.

“Ah…”

He had been running a fever. It wasn’t an excuse, it was genuinely true, yet neither his classmates nor his seniors had believed him.

Consequently, he had been dragged to the freshman welcoming party and ended up drinking excessively. But his body truly hadn’t been well, and now this disaster had struck.

A burning heat surged, seemingly churning within his mind. His breath grew increasingly shallow, and his body blazed hotter.

Yoonwoo squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again. Although the combined effects of the alcohol and the fever were overwhelming, he forced himself to focus, thinking of Yeon-chae, who had collapsed before him.

In his slightly clearer vision, he saw Yeon-chae, pale and fallen, gasping for breath. His white cheeks, earlobes, and the nape of his neck were entirely flushed crimson.

The moisture clinging to his long, dense eyelashes looked pitiful. Yeon-chae slowly blinked, his gaze fixed on Yoonwoo. His light brown eyes shone with a translucent quality.

Yoonwoo suddenly found himself captivated.

A soft, refreshing floral scent filled his chest. As he painstakingly exhaled, a sweet, milky aroma seemed to blend into the floral fragrance, as if they had been one from the start.

Yoonwoo could no longer steady himself and collapsed beside Yeon-chae. His breath hitched, and his heart pounded wildly within his chest, like a frantic race.

Then, the fragrance, which had previously washed over him like gentle ripples, abruptly intensified. As the scents of different hues merged into one, it became incredibly potent, almost suffocating.

His entire body felt as though it were being consumed, taken over by the aroma. Yet, simultaneously, it was a sensation so exquisite it made his body writhe.

“Hmph… Uh…”

A feverish moan, almost unrecognizable as his own voice, escaped his lips. Despite his limbs feeling heavy and devoid of strength, his desire swelled relentlessly.

He lifted his eyes to find Yeon-chae. His previously light brown eyes now gleamed jet-black, like shadows.

“Senior, go back.”

A low voice, like gravel scraping the floor, clearly cut through the heat. Yoonwoo parted his lips weakly. His throat was parched, preventing any sound from escaping.

He could only mouth words, silently gazing at Yeon-chae. His greatly dilated pupils quivered and pulsed.

His heart ached, not just painfully, but as if it might shatter. Yoonwoo clutched his chest with one hand, gasping for breath.

The intensified fragrance pressed down on him heavily, like a crushing wave. A sensation of pleasure began at his toes, causing his skin to flush and burn all over.

Yoonwoo desperately shook his head. He couldn’t leave like this. Yeon-chae pressed him roughly, almost growling.

“I said go back. Get out, now.”

“No…”

Fear and exhilaration surged through him simultaneously. A chill ran down his spine, yet his lower abdomen burned hot.

Yoonwoo unconsciously twisted his hips, groaning softly. His fingers, extended towards Yeon-chae, trembled uncontrollably.

His fingertips brushed Yeon-chae’s cheek. The soft, supple skin yielded to his touch. It was a sensation unchanged, even after winter had passed.

Cupping Yeon-chae’s feverish cheek, Yoonwoo whispered, “I’m not leaving.”

He had yearned for it all: Yeon-chae’s soft, mochi-like cheeks, his light-colored eyes and thick eyelashes, his sharp nose, and his full, red lips.

Surrounded by the overwhelming scent and with feverish eyes, Yoonwoo gazed at Yeon-chae, as if trying to engrave every detail of him into his mind. Heat shimmered in the space where their gazes met.

“…You said it, Senior.”

“Yes.”

“You…”

“Mhm.”

“You wanted this.”

“Yes, Yeon-chae.”

His panting responses were laced with a hint of moisture.

Warm, soft heat urgently descended upon Yoonwoo’s lips.

Yeon-chae’s chapped lips nipped at Yoonwoo’s lower lip. He swallowed Yoonwoo’s mouth, giving him no room to breathe.

Yoonwoo felt suffocated. Yet, he had no desire to push him away. Even with his muddled mind, he thought clearly: ‘I wanted Yeon-chae. More, and deeper.’

When he could no longer bear the lack of air, Yeon-chae’s lips finally pulled away. Yoonwoo gasped for breath, looking up at him.

He couldn’t decipher Yeon-chae’s gaze. The eyes staring intently at him were both frightening and chilling. Heat surged through his head.

The pounding rhythm of Yeon-chae’s thick chest pressed against him, transmitting his heartbeat completely. They remained silent, simply staring at each other in the stillness and darkness.

Presently, Yeon-chae lowered his head again. His lips brushed over Yoonwoo’s nape, his collarbone, and the smooth skin further below.

Wherever Yeon-chae’s lips touched, a flush bloomed like a heat rash. The sweet fragrance of brilliantly blossoming spring flowers spread in small points across Yoonwoo’s skin.

A sweet, vibrant fragrance emanated from somewhere. Moaning languidly, as if intoxicated by the scent, Yoonwoo clutched Yeon-chae’s shoulders.

Blood rushed to his eyes, and his breathing grew ragged. The more the rich floral aroma settled thickly around them, the more his body tingled.

As Yoonwoo whimpered, Yeon-chae’s large hand gently stroked his back.

“H-huh, this is… strange, so strange.”

A constant stream of tearful complaints spilled from Yoonwoo’s lips.

Just like the fervent heat boiling in Yeon-chae’s eyes, his palm, touching Yoonwoo’s skin, was searingly hot.

“Ah, h-h…”

His lower abdomen tickled and stung. Unable to endure the sensation that made his toes curl with its intensity, Yoonwoo thrashed.

He glanced at Yeon-chae, whose eyes were flushed red. Each time his thick chest heaved, his breaths were ragged.

Trembling at these unfamiliar sensations, Yoonwoo tilted his head back, looking up at Yeon-chae. A fleeting tenderness crossed Yeon-chae’s feverish, light brown eyes.

“It’s alright.”

“Ah, I think… it’ll hurt…”

“Shh… It’s okay.”

The low voice rippled in his ear like the gentle scent of cherry blossoms. A strange, alien feeling made the hairs on Yoonwoo’s arms stand on end, and his shoulders hunched.

Yeon-chae gently patted Yoonwoo’s back with one hand. Yoonwoo drew a sharp breath.

“Hmph, mhm…”

Unconsciously, he twisted his entire body, rubbing his cheek against Yeon-chae’s chest. Yeon-chae, being tall, had large hands and feet. His long fingers seemed a full joint longer than Yoonwoo’s.

An increasingly desperate feeling welled within him. ‘A little more…’ Yoonwoo vaguely thought, feeling his eyes grow damp.

‘A little more, I wish it were stronger and rougher.’ He was startled by his own thought and clutched the blanket.

However, his patience was short-lived.

“Yeon-chae, more… more…”

The surroundings were filled with an opulent fragrance, pressing down on Yoonwoo without a moment’s respite. He had long been submerged in the waves of emanating scent.

At Yoonwoo’s tearful urging, Yeon-chae finally lifted his head. A suffocating silence descended.

Moments later, the heavy sound of clothes falling to the floor echoed from beneath the bed.

Yoonwoo’s mind suddenly snapped back to clarity.

“Uhm…”

His parched voice came out raspy. At Yoonwoo’s terribly trembling tone, Yeon-chae narrowed his brows, looking at him.

As their gazes met, his cool eyes beneath his furrowed brow made Yoonwoo’s heart plummet and his chest tighten. Still, he had to say what needed to be said.

“That’s a bit too… scary…”

“And?”

“Ah, I don’t think I can…”

He thought he heard a muttered, ‘f*ck.’

‘Did I just see Yeon-chae swear?’ he wondered, blinking in confusion, when his upper body was suddenly lifted.

“Huh…?”

Then his body was abruptly flipped over. By the time Yoonwoo, with a bewildered expression, lifted his eyes, he was already face down.