Chapter 32: The Omega’s Scent

‘You must regret being born an omega for the rest of your life.’

‘X’ once told me that out of nowhere.

How he recognized my trait, I had no idea, but the fact that he knew about human traits was surprising back then.

It meant he was learning about human life.

‘If you were an alpha… or at least a beta, your physical abilities would be much better than they are now.’

I’d carried that same regret for a long time.

Even though I knew it was useless fantasizing after I had already manifested as an omega, I used to think, ‘If only I were an alpha….’

If I had been, I would’ve had slightly better stamina, just like he said.

‘Still, don’t regret it too much.

One reason you’re still alive is probably because of that trait.’

‘Nonsense.’

‘Nonsense?

You have an unusually delicious scent.’

Even now, I don’t fully understand what he meant.

That I survived because I was an omega?

Impossible.

I survived countless battles purely because of my Esper abilities.

There’s no way those monsters spared me because I was an omega.

“…Hyung….”

Why was I thinking about this useless crap now?

Maybe because what Jaeyul said sounded similar to what ‘X’ once told me.

I shook off the memories and focused on the problem in front of me.

Every time Jaeyul opened his mouth, it felt like the temperature in the room shot up.

His ragged breathing made it clear — his awakening came with a pheromone rampage.

“Get a grip, Jaeyul!”

I tried pushing his body away, but he easily pinned both of my wrists above my head with one hand.

His face moved closer.

His eyes had completely lost reason.

Those black pupils without a shred of emotion — they were exactly like ‘X’ in the past.

Drip, drip.

Just when I thought the pressure on my wrists was getting stronger, sweat dripped from his forehead onto my cheek.

His furrowed brows looked like he was fighting some overwhelming impulse.

“Seon Jaeyul! Please, snap out of it…!”

I had no idea how to handle this.

My abilities didn’t work on him.

I couldn’t overpower him.

And normally I take suppressants to hide my pheromones — so why could he smell them?

“…I can’t hold it back….”

Suddenly, he moved.

Still pinning my wrists with one hand, he wrapped his other arm around my neck.

The distance between us was less than an arm’s length.

I could feel his heated breath directly on my skin — and maybe because of that, my own pheromones started stirring, my heart pounding loudly.

But I couldn’t let anything happen.

That would be immoral… unforgivable.

With his face inching closer, I forced my barely-functioning mind to think of a way out.

“Arf! Arf!”

Then it happened.

Another sound entered the scene.

Ppoppi — whether he understood the situation or not — began barking near us.

Wait.
Ppoppi…?

Maybe.

Just maybe.

I gave up thinking and shouted.

“Ppoppi! Stop him — hurry!”

Maybe my frantic tone helped.

A spark of light flickered — and a massive beast large enough to nearly fill the living room appeared.

“Grrrraaah!”

In an instant, the weight pinning me vanished like a dream.

Jaeyul, who had been blocking my view, disappeared in the blink of an eye.

If not for the lingering pain in my wrists, I might’ve believed it was all an illusion.

And then something even stranger.

“…Ppoppi… hey…?”

One of Jaeyul’s legs was sticking out of Ppoppi’s giant mouth.

Before I even had time to react, the rest of Jaeyul’s body followed — sucked straight inside.

“Arf! Arf!”

Ppoppi couldn’t even stretch properly in the small house.

He pushed his huge head toward me as if asking for praise.

“…You… ate him…?

N-no way… right…?”

I couldn’t believe what I saw, so I asked again.

Did he… eat Jaeyul?

Ppoppi tilted his head.

He helped because I told him to — so what was the problem?

My vision went dark.

How could he eat the kid I raised…?!

“Ppoppi… take him out nicely while I’m still speaking politely.”

“Arf!”

“Huh? How do you take out something you already swallowed?

You can.

Right?

Don’t push your luck.”

Ppoppi turned away like my words weren’t even worth responding to.

The sofa table shattered behind him as he moved.

This damn beast — or monster — refuses to listen when I’m being nice.

“Fine.

I didn’t think the day would come when I’d have to cut open your stomach myself….”

Flinch.

The huge fur-covered back twitched at my voice.

Yet he continued pretending not to hear.

“If I cut right here… maybe I can take out Jaeyul without killing you.

If you’re very lucky.”

I poked his enormous back in different spots.

Ppoppi slowly turned his head to look at me.

“If you spit him out now, I’ll tell Jaeyul you helped a lot.

He’ll be really grateful to you.”

The monster’s golden eyes clouded in deep thought.

A monster… thinking this hard looked ridiculous.

At times like this, I wondered if Ppoppi was really a monster.

“Arf! Aaarf!”

“Yes, I get it.

I’ll say you saved the day, and I’ll give you lots of chicken.”

Negotiation successful.

Ppoppi looked satisfied, as if he won everything he wanted.

Then why the hell did he eat Jaeyul in the first place?

He could’ve just knocked him out!

Ppoppi awkwardly stood and opened his massive mouth impossibly wide, retching like he was about to regurgitate.

Worry washed over me.

What if Jaeyul came out in separate pieces…?

Still — I had reason to trust Ppoppi.

He had swallowed and spit out incredible things before.

“J-Jaeyul!”

Thank god.

After a long moment, Jaeyul popped out from Ppoppi’s mouth — completely intact.

Not even a drop of saliva on him.

How the hell did he swallow him like that…?

“Haa…haa….”

Jaeyul was unconscious, still gasping heavily.

His whole body burned like a furnace.

If it were just a manifestation, he’d be fine — but he needed a pheromone stabilizer quickly, or there could be aftereffects.

Once I confirmed he was okay, I hoisted him onto my back.

“Ppoppi, clean the house.

I’ll give you the chicken after the hospital.”

“Arf!”

“…Shut it.

You used Jaeyul as a hostage to negotiate?”

I wanted to give that beast a full discipline session right away, but there wasn’t time.

I rushed out with Jaeyul on my back, leaving behind Ppoppi, whose ears drooped like he was sulking.

The weather must’ve been awful — not a single taxi passed by.

Carrying someone taller and heavier than me made running a nightmare.

While sprinting toward the hospital, my stamina drained rapidly.

I couldn’t tell whether the heat burning my back was his or mine.

“…Haa… hyung….”

He woke…?

No.

Just sleep-talking.

“We’re… almost there… hang on, Jaeyul.”

I spoke even though he couldn’t hear.

His arms clung tightly around my neck, and it worried me.

“…Hyung… I… can… do it….”

His faint murmurs were hard to make out.

Between the running and worrying about another pheromone surge, my mind was frantic.

“Okay.

Just a little longer.”

Surprisingly, that simple reply calmed him.

My legs nearly gave out.

Sweat dripped into my eyes.

But eventually, the hospital sign appeared in the distance.

No taxis.

So I carried him the whole way.

“His pheromones have stabilized now.

Once he regains consciousness, he can be discharged.

All his readings look great — he should wake up soon.”

There aren’t many emergency rooms for trait-holders, so getting here took forever.

Thankfully he was treated right away, and he was recovering fast.

Seeing him lying peacefully like he was just sleeping finally calmed me.

“…Yes.

Thank you.”

“Um… but… I’m about to go into surgery so….”

The doctor didn’t leave the room, even after finishing the explanation.

What now?

“…Yes…?”

“If it’s okay… could I have a contact number…?”

Maybe because today had been utter chaos, but his words didn’t register at first.

He even held his phone out before I could think.

Only then did I really look at his face.

A clean-cut young doctor.

Looked like he’d just finished his residency.

And honestly… objectively handsome.

The bastard had good taste at least.

Good job, doctor.

Nice face, nice job.

But accepting right away would make me look desperate.

“I’m not really thinking about dating right now….”

“Huh…?

Oh, not yours — the patient’s.”

“……”

Not me.

Jaeyul.

You dare… try to hit on Jaeyul?