Chapter 37

Mugyeol’s goal had probably been to regain lost points by putting on at least that much of a show. He must have already figured out that the compatibility score between them would come out low.

In the first place, a high compatibility score between a born Extreme Dominant Alpha and an Omega whose condition had been altered by a pheromone shower was an impossibility.

Though he looked like a bear, Mugyeol was actually a sly fox of a bastard.

When his grandfather—a man who had built an empire with his bare fists—demanded brilliance from his bloodline, Mugyeol had studied in secret until nosebleeds burst from his nostrils. That relentless effort had blossomed with his confirmed admission to Hankuk University, and his grandfather’s favor would likely have remained by his side indefinitely. If only this accident hadn’t occurred.

In a situation where his father’s affection was nonexistent, his grandfather’s interest had been Mugyeol’s sole means of claiming what was rightfully his. Therefore, finding some way to smooth over this predicament had inevitably been Mugyeol’s objective.

“I get that you didn’t have a choice because you had to appease your grandfather’s anger. But this turn of events is way too sudden for me. Without even discussing it first.” As he spoke, Yi-seon grew increasingly agitated.

It had started out as an attempt to placate Mugyeol, making it absurd that he was now the one turning furious. Yet he couldn’t prevent the anger from rising. The realization that someone named Ryu Yi-seon had been used merely as a disposable card to patch things up sat terribly with him.

“Of course I knew too. That our compatibility score would come out low. But did my intentions not matter at all? Did you think everything would be fine as long as you slipped past this situation? You should have just told him we had a fight instead.”

Yi-seon’s feelings were tangled.

Part of him wondered if he ought to feel glad that a sliver of possibility to be tied to Mugyeol had appeared, or if he should feel depressed because the compatibility test result had turned out low. In the end, it was neither. What truly irked him was being tossed around by circumstances regardless of his own will.

What if, miraculously, the compatibility score had come out high?

Would he have harbored futile hopes?

Would he have rejoiced like a fool?

Would he have felt satisfied that his feelings for Yeon Mugyeol were being rewarded, even in a manner like this?

Under normal circumstances—if, say, he and Yeon Mugyeol had shared mutual feelings, not that such a thing could ever happen… Regardless, if they had entered a relationship bound by reciprocal affection, he would have been overjoyed. Unfortunately, this entire ordeal was far removed from anything resembling mutual feelings.

“It’s a relief our compatibility score came out low. What would you have done if it had come out high? It could’ve turned into a complete disaster.”

If things had gone wrong, you would’ve actually had to take responsibility for your words.

At Yi-seon’s reproach, Mugyeol tilted his head at a crooked angle. A dangerous glint flickered in his eyes—a spark that had been smoldering faintly ever since he began listening in silence to Yi-seon’s words.

“Ah. Right. It really is fucking fortunate that our compatibility turned out that low. Because otherwise, our lives would’ve gotten tangled up and completely ruined. Right?”

“I didn’t say it like that.”

“You said it exactly like that.”

Yi-seon clenched his fists tight.

Why is he acting like this again? Is it a side effect of the pheromone explosion?

He wasn’t some middle schooler throwing tantrums for no reason; Yi-seon could not fathom why a guy who was perfectly fine most of the time occasionally acted like such an insufferable brat.

Just what is he so dissatisfied with?

Is he unhappy with my attitude?

As an Omega, am I supposed to be deeply moved just because the great Extreme Dominant Alpha personally deigned to run a compatibility test? What the hell is his problem?

“Was I supposed to be grateful or something? Just because I used to be an Extreme Recessive Omega, did you think I’d jump for joy over miraculously becoming a regular Omega and running a compatibility test with an Extreme Dominant Alpha like you? I have my own tastes too! How do you think it feels being used like this?!”

“Then who did you want to do it with?”

“What?”

“You said you have tastes. Who did you want to run that compatibility test with? There must be someone,” Mugyeol asked while staring straight at Yi-seon.

There was no inflection in Mugyeol’s chillingly subdued voice, which only made it sound more sinister.

A sudden, biting chill prickled over him, prompting Yi-seon to rub the back of his neck. Seeing genuine goosebumps rise on his skin, it seemed his body felt the pressure even without the Alpha releasing pheromones. Perhaps it was a sensitized reaction stemming from that accident.

“I didn’t mean I wanted to do it with someone else… Haa, seriously… What is wrong with you? Are you just pissed off at this situation? Did I hurt your pride by daring to act like this toward an Extreme Dominant Alpha?”

I’m the one whose pride was shattered, you bastard…!

The misery he had bottled up since being crushed beneath Mugyeol’s pheromones that day broke loose. Was it his fault he had been born an Extreme Recessive Omega? Had Mugyeol somehow earned his status as an Extreme Dominant Alpha?

He was already annoyed enough that his own body had changed because of what his friend did to him, and he couldn’t understand what he had done so wrong to deserve having this ridiculous fight. Swallowing down his indignation, Yi-seon stared at Mugyeol’s sneakers before snapping his head up to glare straight into Mugyeol’s eyes.

“Fine. Thanks. I’m thrilled you turned me into a proper Omega. Now I can finally act like one and meet as many Alphas as I want. All thanks to you. Is that what you wanted to hear?!”

“…Other alphas.”

Mugyeol repeated slowly. A scorching heat, like sparks of red flame, flared within his glaring pupils.

Having seen that look in his eyes once before, Yi-seon took a step back to avoid him. His back hit the wall. Feeling a cold draft against the nape of his neck, he lifted his head only to find Mugyeol looming right over him. Loathing himself for feeling intimidated at the mere sight of him, Yi-seon gritted his teeth.

“What? Is having our families linked through a compatibility test supposed to be a reward or a prize for me? Coming from the bastard who couldn’t even manage his own pheromones and wrecked someone’s body like this! If you’re going to compensate me, do it with money like you said last time! One billion won! Ten billion won!”

Having lost his temper just as thoroughly as Mugyeol, Yi-seon spewed whatever came to his tongue. Consequently, he failed to notice Mugyeol’s expression steadily turning stone-cold.

“…Ryu Yi-seon, this situation must seem really terrible to you.”

“Yeah, it’s terrible! It’s so terrible I could die!” Yi-seon shouted at the top of his lungs toward Mugyeol, who cast a shadow over him.

Honestly, imagining a marriage with Mugyeol wasn’t terrible, but the present reality confronting him was dreadful enough. Ever since his kiss with Su-ah had been discovered, things had spiraled in a bizarre direction. While he could fully understand Mugyeol’s sense of betrayal, tolerating this kind of bullshit was proving too difficult.

“To the point of being terrible…,” Mugyeol muttered under his breath.

Standing before Mugyeol, who was murmuring while staring off somewhere on his own, Yi-seon grew slightly uneasy. In contrast to the dangerous gleam shimmering in his eyes, his expression was uncharacteristically serene.

Soon, as if having sorted something out in his mind, Mugyeol raised his head with a markedly composed face.

“Yi-seon-ah. Want to know what’s really terrible?”

“What?”

“Grandfather likes you anyway, so this works out great.”

“What does…”

“I’ll take real responsibility. Let’s ruin your life together.”

“What are you talking about…”

Mugyeol planted a hand beside Yi-seon’s head against the wall and slowly leaned in. Locking eyes with him, he articulated every single syllable clearly.

“Marry me.”

“…”

Yi-seon froze on the spot, completely at a loss. The piercing intensity of Mugyeol’s gaze felt overwhelming, so he shifted his eyes toward the sky behind him, only for Mugyeol’s face to track him persistently.

…Marriage?

…Did he say marriage?

What is he talking about…?

Hearing the word “marriage” in the middle of a fight with a friend behind the school building on graduation day made no sense to Yi-seon. A cognitive glitch practically occurred as he questioned whether he had even heard the word correctly. As Yi-seon simply stared at him in silence, Mugyeol murmured in a low voice, driving the final nail in, “Should I get down on one knee and propose?”

No sooner had he finished muttering to himself than Mugyeol dropped onto one knee before Yi-seon. Until then, Yi-seon could only blink stupidly as he watched Mugyeol assume the posture as naturally as a prince proposing marriage.

“Marry me, Yi-seon-ah. I’ll make you fucking happy.”

Mugyeol took Yi-seon’s hand, pressed it against his cheek, and gazed up at him. From the posture alone, he looked unmistakably like someone begging for love. Yet as he rubbed his cheek against Yi-seon’s palm and looked up with sharp eyes, an unmistakable malice shaded his face.

Confronted with a smile that almost looked leisurely, Yi-seon felt his breath hitch in his throat.

What is this?

What the hell is this!

Finally grasping reality, Yi-seon’s eyes widened in sheer shock. In his pupils swirled an uncharted dread toward a bizarre creature he had never encountered before in his life.

What do I even do with this crazy bastard?

Never in his entire life had he experienced a plot twist this novel and utterly dogshit.

The adage that a great shock renders one speechless was undeniably true. Yi-seon’s lips merely moved without a sound before he belatedly collected his wits and yanked his trapped hand back. However, the grip holding him was so vice-like that no amount of struggling allowed him to break free easily.

His heart hammered so frantically against his ribs that his chest ached.

Right then, from somewhere off in the distance—Clatter! A hard object struck the ground. Yi-seon snapped his head around. A handful of students gathered just past the corner were frozen in utter horror.

Kwon Jeongjin, who had dropped his phone in sheer shock, was practically trembling down to his fingertips.

“Uh… that is… we wanted to take… a picture together… haa… pant…” Running out of breath as he spoke, Kwon Jeongjin gasped wildly for air.

It seemed he had wandered around searching for Yi-seon and Mugyeol to take a photo together and ended up back here. And upon stumbling upon the bizarre spectacle of Yi-seon and Mugyeol behind the building, he was overwhelmed by sheer shock and disbelief.

Hearing Kwon Jeongjin’s fumbling voice finally snapped Yi-seon back to reality.

“Aaaargh!”

Yi-seon shrieked like someone who had seen a ghost and shoved Mugyeol away with all his might. In his haste to scramble backward, the back of his head slammed against the wall, but he felt no pain whatsoever. The psychological shock far eclipsed the physical impact.

Yeon Mugyeol, you insane bastard!