Chapter 85

***

In the car ride back, Yeon-oh had only asked a single question.

—What did you mean when you said you ‘organized’ everything?

Staring at the veins throbbing on the back of Yeon-oh’s hand as he gripped the steering wheel, Gi-hyeon had replied that he meant exactly what he said. He elaborated that it meant he had completely resolved and discarded the burdensome, agonizing confession from seven years ago that had shackled them both.

Yeon-oh hadn’t responded for a long time. Even when the traffic light turned green and the car ahead of them drove off, he hadn’t touched the accelerator.

—Hey, the people behind us are going to start cursing. Start driving. Only after Gi-hyeon pointed it out did the idling car finally lurch forward.

***

“You showed up out of nowhere, and now you’re leaving just as abruptly.”

“Are you sad to see me go, sir?”

Snapped out of his reverie by Jisu’s voice, Gi-hyeon offered a small smile and a teasing reply.

Since he and Yeon-oh had officially agreed to revert to just being friends, Gi-hyeon figured he could easily spin a plausible lie if Jo Gyu-deok ever caught wind of their continued association. The contingency plan of fleeing overseas once the child was slightly older also remained a viable option.

If the baby ended up looking exactly like Jo Yeon-oh, anyone with eyes would figure out the truth eventually as long as they remained ‘friends.’

Humming softly as he turned these thoughts over in his head, Gi-hyeon picked up a glass from the BBQ table and took a sip. Outside the restaurant, Yeon-oh was on the phone. With one hand shoved casually into the pocket of his linen trousers, his face a completely unreadable mask, he was issuing instructions to someone.

Tearing his eyes away from the window, Gi-hyeon set his glass back down. Across the table, the bank teller was struggling so pathetically to grill the meat that Jisu finally confiscated the tongs in exasperation.

“So, you’re really not going to tell that Alpha anything, ever?”

“Yes, sir. That’s the plan.”

Gi-hyeon was mildly curious why Jisu had suddenly downgraded Yeon-oh from ‘your friend’ to ‘that Alpha,’ but he didn’t ask. The shift in terminology clearly indicated a widening psychological distance between the two men. Given how frequently Yeon-oh had covered Gi-hyeon’s shifts at the gambling den over the past few days, Gi-hyeon had assumed they had grown somewhat friendly, but apparently not.

“I swear, if you were my kid, I would have shaved your head bald and locked you in your room. How the hell do you manage to get knocked up the exact second you manifest as an Omega?”

“You sound like a massive boomer, sir.”

When Gi-hyeon had first confessed the truth, Jisu hadn’t batted an eye. Only now, days later, was he finally delivering the obligatory scolding. It was incredibly on-brand for Jisu. Clicking his tongue, Jisu expertly snipped the complimentary pork rinds the owner—clearly recognizing Jisu as a regular—had brought over. Gi-hyeon felt relaxed enough to toss back casual banter. Perhaps it was because he had finally settled the agonizing emotional debt back at the hotel in Mokpo.

While Gi-hyeon wasn’t entirely sure what specific ‘secret’ Jisu was referring to when he asked if Gi-hyeon would hide it from Yeon-oh forever, he assumed it was generally about the pregnancy. Since he had absolutely no intention of ever telling Yeon-oh the truth, he simply agreed, a response that clearly frustrated Jisu. Exhaling a light sigh, Jisu cast a sidelong glance between Gi-hyeon and the bank teller.

“I swear, I can never tell what either of you bastards are thinking. Why the hell do you guys make everything so complicated?”

Assuming the bank teller had his own set of grievances to air, Gi-hyeon glanced at him, but the man was completely ignoring their conversation. Emancipated from grilling duties, his chopsticks were a blur as he rapidly devoured the meat. Eager to deflect Jisu’s nagging, Gi-hyeon asked a question he had been harboring for a while.

“How did you two actually meet, sir?”

Placing a perfectly grilled piece of pork jowl on the teller’s plate, Jisu answered bluntly, “I went to his house to collect a debt. He said he didn’t have the cash, so I just grabbed him and hauled him out. Why?”

Gi-hyeon blinked in surprise. The bank teller didn’t deny the brutal origin story, entirely focused on stuffing his face. He usually ate like a bird, similar to Gi-hyeon, but he was inhaling the food tonight, keeping Jisu’s tongs working overtime.

Despite Jisu’s abrasive description, Gi-hyeon knew the two were actually quite close, though categorizing them merely as ‘friends’ felt inaccurate. They bickered like an old married couple. Deciding their dynamic was none of his business, Gi-hyeon picked up a piece of the pork jowl Jisu had grilled. Marinated in a sweet and savory glaze of soy sauce, garlic, pepper, and oligosaccharide, the charcoal-grilled meat was incredibly delicious.

“Still, thank you for shutting down the den during operating hours just to throw me a farewell party, Captain.”

“Drop the ‘Captain’ bullshit and call me hyung.”

“Hyung-nim.”

The final word didn’t come from Gi-hyeon. Sliding into the empty seat next to Gi-hyeon, Yeon-oh drawled the honorific with profound, sarcastic apathy. Jisu looked at Yeon-oh with visible revulsion and shook his head.

“I don’t remember ever having a little brother like you.”

“Yeah, well, I’m an only child too.”

Frowning deeply at Yeon-oh’s immediate, disrespectful drop of honorifics, Gi-hyeon smacked Yeon-oh’s thigh sharply. Fortunately, Jisu wasn’t the type to blow up over minor slights, preventing the situation from escalating into a screaming match.

Gi-hyeon was overflowing with gratitude toward Jisu for throwing this impromptu farewell dinner; Yeon-oh crashing the party with a scowl and instantly ruining the mood was incredibly irritating. Gi-hyeon kicked Yeon-oh’s ankle bone under the table.

“If you’re tired, I told you to just go back and sleep.”

“Just shut up and eat.”

Yeon-oh pushed Gi-hyeon’s head down toward his plate. He had been acting incredibly weird for a while now, though Gi-hyeon couldn’t exactly pinpoint the anomaly. He didn’t seem explicitly furious. He definitely seemed irritated, but Yeon-oh was perpetually irritated. The only glaring difference was that ever since they left the hotel, Yeon-oh had seemed profoundly, unnervingly spaced out. It bothered Gi-hyeon. Suddenly, Jisu let out a scoffing laugh.

“Your friend seems a bit ‘special,’ Soso.”

Yeon-oh’s face instantly went glacial as he locked eyes with Jisu. Spotting the veins bulging dangerously on Yeon-oh’s forehead, a panicked Gi-hyeon yanked Yeon-oh to his feet.

“Captain, we really need to get going. This bastard is going to cover the bill, so please, stay and enjoy the rest of the meal. I’ll contact you the second I get back to Seoul.”

The terrifying premonition that a bloodbath was imminent refused to leave Gi-hyeon. Thankfully, Yeon-oh allowed himself to be hauled up without resistance. Jisu simply nodded, casually transferring the remaining grilled meat onto the teller’s plate.

Dragging Yeon-oh outside the restaurant, Gi-hyeon wordlessly shoved his hand deep into Yeon-oh’s back pocket.

“…Hey, what are you doing?” Yeon-oh asked, his voice dropping an octave.

Gi-hyeon briefly wondered if aggressively grabbing the man’s ass was inappropriate, but he didn’t bother answering. Extracting Yeon-oh’s wallet, Gi-hyeon marched back inside to the counter. He paid for the alcohol and meat, instructing the owner to charge an additional 100,000 won to the card. Returning the owner’s beaming smile and invitation to come back soon, Gi-hyeon walked back outside and tossed the wallet at Yeon-oh.

Yeon-oh, who hadn’t taken his eyes off Gi-hyeon the entire time, didn’t even raise a hand to catch it. The wallet smacked against his chest and dropped to the dirt. Gi-hyeon stared at him, bewildered.

Gi-hyeon was just about to ask what the hell was wrong with him when Yeon-oh’s thick Adam’s apple bobbed heavily. He spoke first.

“Did you sleep with that bastard?”

“…What?”

The accusation was so astronomically absurd it temporarily deleted Gi-hyeon’s higher brain functions. While Gi-hyeon’s mouth opened and closed soundlessly, Yeon-oh, completely unmasking his razor-sharp hostility, pressed the attack.

“You said he wasn’t the father. So what, did you just fuck him for fun?”

Gi-hyeon looked up at the night sky, tilted his head, licked his lower lip, and let out a massive, exasperated sigh.

“What if I did?”

The instant the words left his mouth, Yeon-oh brushed past him. Snatching a heavy iron fire poker resting next to the outdoor charcoal kiln, Yeon-oh marched purposefully back into the restaurant. Shocked, Gi-hyeon gaped for a split second before bolting after him. A deafening CRASH echoed as Yeon-oh violently slammed the iron poker into Jisu’s table.

“Jo Yeon-oh!”

Gi-hyeon screamed his name, but it was already too late. Moving with terrifying speed, Jisu shoved the bank teller’s head down, shielding him under his chest as they ducked beneath the table. In the same fluid motion, Jisu lashed out, delivering a brutal kick to Yeon-oh’s ankle.

His balance momentarily broken, Yeon-oh recovered instantly, rearing back to swing the heavy iron poker again.

The screech of iron grinding against concrete mixed with the restaurant owner’s panicked scream of “Aigoo!” creating a chaotic cacophony. Staring at the unbelievable carnage, Gi-hyeon gaped like a fish before desperately lunging forward, wrapping all his weight around the arm wielding the poker. Yeon-oh spoke with chilling apathy.

“Let go.”

“You crazy bastard, drop the fucking weapon!”

Gi-hyeon refused to let go, clinging desperately to Yeon-oh’s arm. Glaring at Gi-hyeon with a terrifying, frigid intensity, Yeon-oh finally tossed the poker to the concrete. He grabbed Gi-hyeon’s wrist and hauled him out of the restaurant.

Spotting the owner reaching for the landline to call the cops, Yeon-oh casually reached over and slammed the receiver down. Unbuckling his luxury wristwatch, he tossed it onto the counter as collateral before dragging Gi-hyeon outside.

“What the fuck are you doing, you psychotic bastard?!”

Gi-hyeon finally lost his temper, his voice echoing loudly in the quiet street. Because it was late, the rural town was practically deserted. Aside from Jisu’s party, the restaurant had been empty. Consequently, no one witnessed Yeon-oh dragging Gi-hyeon away.

Yeon-oh’s rigid back offered no explanation; he simply maintained his iron grip on Gi-hyeon’s arm, marching purposefully into the darkness. Gi-hyeon desperately wished he would at least tell him where the hell they were going, but Yeon-oh clearly had no intention of elaborating.

Gi-hyeon let out an exhausted sigh. Ironically, that exact sound caused Yeon-oh to finally look back. His eyes still burned with that terrifying, frigid light, looking exactly like a man who had suffered a catastrophic internal rupture and was completely incapable of coping with the fallout.

They finally stopped walking a considerable distance from the restaurant. Beside the deserted sidewalk stood a lone streetlamp adorned with a tacky pine tree mascot. Yeon-oh stood directly under the harsh light, staring at Gi-hyeon. Because of the sharp angle of the illumination, deep shadows pooled beneath his prominent brow ridge, making it impossible for Gi-hyeon to read the emotion in his eyes.

“If you didn’t sleep with him, why did you say you did.”

“…What are you talking about.”

Gi-hyeon desperately wanted to run back and check on Jisu, but neutralizing Yeon-oh was the immediate priority. Matching Yeon-oh’s low, dangerous register, Gi-hyeon answered calmly. Yeon-oh continued to stare at him with suffocating intensity. The inability to see his eyes made Gi-hyeon feel like he was being stalked by an apex predator in the pitch black.

“You’re ending things after all that effort we put into fucking each other? Why, was I that bad? Am I a worse lay than the bastard who knocked you up?”

“Jo Yeon-oh.”

Gi-hyeon called his name as a sharp warning, but Yeon-oh ignored it, closing the distance between them. Gripping Gi-hyeon’s arms painfully tight, he lowered his head. Startled, Gi-hyeon reflexively twisted his face away. Yeon-oh’s lips barely grazed the corner of Gi-hyeon’s mouth. Pulling back just as abruptly as he had attacked, Yeon-oh let out a hollow, bitter scoff.

“You’re the one who demanded we sleep together.”

“…”

“So why the fuck are you the only one allowed to ‘organize’ your feelings? I’m the one who spent all night fucking you, so why do you get to unilaterally end this?”

Thoroughly confused by the deranged logic, Gi-hyeon let out a heavy sigh. He was actively trying to understand the situation from Yeon-oh’s twisted perspective.

Yes, Gi-hyeon had abruptly proposed sex, and yes, Gi-hyeon had been the one to declare he had completely organized his feelings and that there would be no more issues. Clearly, his lack of eloquence had caused a catastrophic miscommunication. Gi-hyeon carefully chose his next words.

“This is exactly what you wanted. For us to be friends. That’s all I’m offering. I don’t want to torture you anymore.”

“…Do what?”

Yeon-oh asked the question like he was hearing a completely foreign language. Having absolutely not anticipated this level of incomprehension, Gi-hyeon blinked in confusion. His declaration this morning had been a crystal-clear vow to return to being strictly platonic friends. When he told Yeon-oh he had ‘worked hard,’ it was a genuine acknowledgment of Yeon-oh’s agonizing efforts to maintain their bond. Gi-hyeon tried again, pouring absolute sincerity into his voice.

“I know I’ve made you miserable for years. I’m sorry for that. I’ve completely sorted out my feelings, and I’m ready to go back to being just your friend.”

“What fucking friend.”

Yeon-oh snarled the words. The veins on his neck bulged dangerously, his eyes blazing as he glared down at Gi-hyeon. Gripping both of Gi-hyeon’s arms, he violently yanked him forward. Their chests slammed together. Every time Yeon-oh took a massive, ragged breath, Gi-hyeon could feel the heavy expansion of his ribcage. Finding the intense physical contact deeply uncomfortable, Gi-hyeon tried to pull back, but Yeon-oh’s grip was inescapable.

“Let go of me…”

“Are you capable of burying your dick into your friend’s hole all night long?”

“…That’s not what I meant.”

“Must be fucking nice, being able to fuck like dogs in heat and then just magically revert to being ‘friends’, you piece of shit.”

His voice remained a dangerous, low rumble as he viciously condemned Gi-hyeon’s actions from the previous night. Gi-hyeon sighed heavily. He desperately wanted to apologize, but he knew any apology would only trigger another barrage of furious accusations, so he kept his mouth shut.

Staring down at Gi-hyeon, the thick blue vein on Yeon-oh’s forehead throbbed visibly before he spoke again, his voice dropping to an impossibly quiet, intense whisper.

“I can’t do that.”

Grabbing the nape of Gi-hyeon’s neck, Yeon-oh brought his face down. Startled, Gi-hyeon tried to twist away again, but the iron grip on his neck made escape impossible. His eyes burning with a terrifying, consuming fire, Yeon-oh crushed his lips against Gi-hyeon’s.

“Ugh—.”

It wasn’t a perfect seal. Yeon-oh’s lips only partially connected with Gi-hyeon’s. He could feel the soft, plush texture against the corner of his mouth. Any further attempt to twist his head away was instantly neutralized. Yeon-oh pulled Gi-hyeon’s waist flush against his own, entirely eliminating any avenue of retreat.

In that fraction of a second, Yeon-oh tilted his head slightly. Despite the forceful, bruising pressure, the actual texture of his lips remained agonizingly soft. While the initial assault had felt violently desperate, the movement quickly shifted, becoming meticulously precise, as if he were desperately trying to perfectly align their mouths.

Because of that agonizing care, Gi-hyeon completely forgot his initial struggle. He found himself incapable of violently rejecting the soft, desperate tongue sliding between his lips like a man begging for salvation. So Gi-hyeon had surrendered to Jo Yeon-oh yet again.

“Mmm…”

“…”

As the tongue invaded his mouth, dragging roughly against the roof of his palate, a soft, breathless sigh escaped Gi-hyeon’s nose involuntarily. The wet, slick sound of their lips parting and sealing echoed in the quiet street. The slightly rough texture of Yeon-oh’s tongue settled heavily against his own. Sensing Yeon-oh trying to aggressively tangle their tongues, Gi-hyeon reflexively pulled his tongue back, causing the hand gripping the nape of his neck to instantly tighten, turning domineering.

Gi-hyeon intellectually recognized this situation was highly inappropriate, yet he inexplicably relaxed his resistance, slowly resting his hands against Yeon-oh’s broad back. It looked exactly like a mutual embrace. The instant he did, Yeon-oh flinched violently, before his movements turned absolutely feral, attacking Gi-hyeon’s mouth like a man starved.

Yeon-oh pushed forward with such aggressive desperation that Gi-hyeon’s back arched uncomfortably. Muffling panicked noises against Yeon-oh’s mouth, Gi-hyeon pounded his fists against his chest. Finally registering the distress, Yeon-oh reluctantly, agonizingly withdrew his tongue. Even then, he kept their foreheads pressed firmly together.

Despite keeping Gi-hyeon locked in a tight embrace, Yeon-oh’s arms twitched restlessly, clearly desperate to pull him even closer. His breathing was ragged, his entire demeanor radiating frantic anxiety, yet he continued to press desperate, staccato kisses against Gi-hyeon’s lips like a child entirely incapable of controlling his impulses. Gi-hyeon endured the frantic, pecking kisses for a long moment, but when it became obvious Yeon-oh had no intention of stopping, Gi-hyeon finally pulled his head back just enough to break the seal and speak.

“This is… this is that ‘rut’ thing, isn’t it.”

Yeon-oh froze instantly. He stared at Gi-hyeon, his expression completely blank.

“…What?”

He slowly pulled his forehead away. Having been kissed so aggressively his back was still arched, Gi-hyeon instinctively stumbled a step backward. Yeon-oh quickly grabbed Gi-hyeon’s waist to steady him, but he still seemed entirely incapable of processing what Gi-hyeon had just said. Debating how to phrase his theory so Yeon-oh would understand, Gi-hyeon finally selected his words.

“Even though we’ve been together for so long, I’ve always been a Beta, and you’re an Alpha. I think there’s a fundamental difference there that I didn’t understand.”

Gi-hyeon patted Yeon-oh’s forearm gently. It almost looked like the awkward comfort offered by a man who didn’t know how to express affection.

Regardless, Gi-hyeon was genuinely trying his absolute hardest to understand Yeon-oh’s erratic behavior. This wasn’t the first time he had weathered one of Yeon-oh’s ruts. Back then, Yeon-oh had looked exactly this frantic and desperate. If his behavior back then had been entirely dictated by pheromones, then this kiss was likely the exact same phenomenon. There had been absolutely zero tenderness in that kiss; it tasted entirely of violent, primal desperation.

When Yeon-oh had previously mocked Beta relationships, Gi-hyeon had simply been furious, but given the current situation, he finally understood why Yeon-oh had said those cruel things.

Because they had always been so incredibly close, Gi-hyeon hadn’t realized that he and Jo Yeon-oh practically existed in two entirely different universes. One had lived his entire life as a dominant Alpha, while the other had experienced the world as a Beta male, even completing his mandatory military service.

He had no choice but to acknowledge the brutal reality: he and Jo Yeon-oh were fundamentally different species. He had foolishly prattled on about loving Jo Yeon-oh without having the slightest comprehension of the catastrophic, pheromonal chemical warfare that dictated the dynamics between Alphas and Omegas. He had only realized the terrifying truth after he manifested as an Omega. More accurately, he had only realized it after spending the night with Jo Yeon-oh as an Omega.

Last night, long before Yeon-oh’s cock had split him open, Gi-hyeon had been violently submerged in the pheromones raining down upon his skin. It was an unmistakable biological flare. I’m going to take every single part of you now, and this is your warning. So accept me. Do not try to push me away. That was the absolute, non-negotiable command the pheromones were transmitting.

Only then did Gi-hyeon realize that every single emotional confession he had ever offered Yeon-oh might have felt incredibly hollow and meaningless to the Alpha. For a species biologically hardwired to demand visceral, empirical proof of devotion through pheromonal exchange, verbal confessions probably seemed pathetically inadequate. He finally understood why Yeon-oh had so ruthlessly mocked Beta romance. Gi-hyeon felt a bitter wave of self-deprecation; he had spent years writing love letters in a language Jo Yeon-oh literally couldn’t read.

Framed in that tragic context, Gi-hyeon felt an overwhelming wave of pity for the man who had spent seven years suffering by his side just to avoid losing a single friend. He felt incredibly guilty for wasting so much of Yeon-oh’s life. He genuinely regretted not letting him go sooner. If Gi-hyeon had simply discarded his pathetic, lingering attachment, they could have easily reverted to being friends years ago. While Gi-hyeon didn’t shoulder 100% of the blame, the vast majority of the disaster was undeniably his fault. Releasing a heavy sigh, Gi-hyeon mourned the wasted years.

“What the… what kind of absolute bullshit is that?”

Yeon-oh ground the words out through clenched teeth. Gi-hyeon replied nonchalantly.

“Remember when you asked if I wanted to date like Betas do? I didn’t understand what you meant back then, but I think I get it now. I’m pretty sure your pheromones are heavily influencing your behavior right now.”

It was highly probable that after spending the night together, Yeon-oh’s deeply ingrained, subconscious Alpha instincts had been violently triggered by the Omega pheromones Gi-hyeon had inadvertently released. Operating under that assumption, Gi-hyeon had allowed the kiss. It was an undeniable fact that Yeon-oh was currently spiraling purely because Gi-hyeon had ‘organized’ his feelings. The emotion Gi-hyeon was currently experiencing was overwhelming responsibility. Praying he didn’t sound patronizing, he continued.

“Um… if that’s not it, then there’s absolutely no logical reason for you to be acting like this toward me.”

“Stop.”

Yeon-oh cut him off sharply. Because Gi-hyeon had been steadily backing away during the aggressive kiss, the streetlamp once again cast deep shadows across Yeon-oh’s face. Obscured by the backlight, Gi-hyeon couldn’t read his expression at all.

“Stop talking.”

Yeon-oh repeated the command. Assuming he had struck a nerve, Gi-hyeon simply nodded. Having lived his entire life as a Beta, he had no idea how profoundly offensive discussing pheromones or ruts might be to an Alpha. Terrified he had accidentally triggered a massive insecurity, Gi-hyeon firmly clamped his mouth shut.

Suddenly, without another word, Yeon-oh released his grip on Gi-hyeon’s arms, and the chests that had been pressed so intimately together naturally separated. Idly rubbing his arms where the sudden absence of Yeon-oh’s body heat left a chilling void, Gi-hyeon spoke.

“You stay here and calm down. I’m going to go check on the situation inside and grab your wallet.”

“…”

Yeon-oh didn’t offer a verbal response, but Gi-hyeon interpreted the lack of immediate, explosive anger as tacit agreement. The instant he turned around, a violent wave of vertigo slammed into him. The concrete sidewalk seemed to heave and ripple, rearing up as if intending to swallow him whole. Ah, before he could even vocalize his shock, his balance completely evaporated. Just as he expected to hit the pavement, an arm violently snatched his waist, catching him mid-fall.

“…Hey, what’s wrong with you?”

“Ah… I feel really sick…”

He didn’t just feel ‘really sick.’ He felt catastrophically ill. Blinking against his rapidly tunneling vision, Gi-hyeon recognized the sensation. He had experienced this exact same terrifying plunge before. However, the intensity today was exponentially worse.

“I asked what’s wrong with you.”

While Gi-hyeon was desperately fighting back the rising bile, a deathly pale Yeon-oh frantically scanned his face. Gi-hyeon desperately wanted to snap, I’m the one about to throw up, why the hell are you panicking? but he knew the second he opened his mouth, something far worse than words would come out. Furthermore, a strange, sharp pulling sensation had been building in his lower abdomen for a while now.

The exact second his brain registered the distinct pulling pain in his stomach, a wave of absolute terror ripped down Gi-hyeon’s spine. He desperately reached out, grabbing a fistful of Yeon-oh’s shirt—or maybe his arm, he honestly couldn’t tell. He frantically parted his lips, desperate to communicate the emergency.

“Hey, my… my stomach hurts…”

“What, hey, wait a second, ah, fuck—.”

Given that he was completely panicking himself, watching Yeon-oh lose his goddamn mind wasn’t exactly helping, but Gi-hyeon lacked the breath to tell him to calm down. In the blink of an eye, Yeon-oh bent down and hoisted Gi-hyeon onto his back. Gi-hyeon couldn’t even formulate the words to tell him to put him down so he could walk. Fully aware of how utterly pathetic he looked, Gi-hyeon weakly clung to Yeon-oh’s back as the Alpha began to sprint.

[END of VOLUME 3]