Straight finger pointed to the top compartment. Strawberries, kiwis, and grapes. The voice revealing the identity of the content was gentle and soothing. Dohyun pointed to the bottom compartment with a calm tone.
“Over there, the brighter orange is the orange.”
Wooyeon stared at Dohyun with wide eyes, even the landlord Wooyeon didn’t know what he was casually pointing out. While humming, Dohyun held the refrigerator door and looked down.
“Don’t you eat carrots?”
“How did you… know?”
The drinks were made by the employee, squeezing the juice directly. No sugar or other processed products were added, and sometimes herbs or vegetables were mixed. Of course, they were not sold commercially.
Dohyun blinked his eyes as if asking, “What’s the big deal?”
“Obviously we had eaten together, you would have known about it.”
“….”
Memories of eating Salisbury steak together came to his mind. He remembered him munching on the carrot that was shaped like a flower as decoration. ‘No, not that.’ With that in mind, Wooyeon handed Dohyun a glass bottle.
“They sell this?”
At first, his gaze changed. Wooyeon felt an uneasy premonition and quickly prepared an excuse.
“That’s right.”
“…What?”
Dohyun asked with a puzzled look. Timely, the warning sound of the long-opened refrigerator rang. Wooyeon quickly closed the refrigerator, turned around, and stood in front of it.
“It’s for sale, but… there’s nothing written on it. How did you know what it tastes like?”
“The drink?”
He nodded. Dohyun glanced lightly at the glass bottle Wooyeon was holding.
“I’ve had it before.”
Cold sweat ran down his spine. As soon as he heard those words, memories surfaced one by one. He used to have a glass of it during tutoring sessions, so it was obvious where he had tasted the drink.
“It was the same… product, I guess.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Wooyeon calmly replied and opened the refrigerator again. There were glass bottles neatly lined up just like the one he was holding. Wooyeon picked out strawberries, kiwis, and grapes. When Dohyun took out the bottles from below, he took the glass bottle from him.
“Indeed. It seems they make and sell handmade ones.”
He almost got into big trouble.
However, in Wooyeon’s memory, Dohyun drank a glass during tutoring sessions. Although he had never seen it in glass bottles like this, he found it fascinating that he immediately recognized it as the same kind. Perhaps his eyesight was good, or maybe he confused it with something similar (the former was more likely).
“And usually, you can tell just by looking at the color.”
He had a completely unsuspecting face. Now completely relieved, Wooyeon checked various cabinets. Dohyun stood by the table, waiting for Wooyeon.
“What are you looking for?”
“Cups. It feels a bit weird to give it like this.”
“What’s wrong with that? Even if you give it in a bottle, it’ll be well received.”
“Still, you’re a guest.”
“Guest is…”
The unwelcome guest, that mumbled sound echoed. Wooyeon didn’t bother to answer and opened the upper cabinet. Glass cups were neatly placed within reach.
Wooyeon hesitated to reach out, turning to look at Dohyun. Even when he wore a coat, the refined lines of his body were more apparent as his clothing became lighter. Dohyun, with a languid gaze, tilted his head as he looked at Wooyeon.
“Can you take it out?”
In reality, it was true that Wooyeon glanced at him as if to ask for a favor. It was very embarrassing to show his struggling figure with lifted heels. However, as soon as Wooyeon saw Dohyun’s face, all the thoughts that had come to his mind disappeared.
“I’ll get it.”
Why did he look good even when staying still? The smooth cardigan he wore seemed to emit a pleasant scent when approached. Dohyun’s unique scent of fabric softener felt like it was tickling the tip of his nose.
Wooyeon nodded his head a couple of times and stretched his hand toward the cabinet. As expected, his height caused a bit of challenge, and his fingertips barely touched the bottom of the glass jar. ‘Ah, if I were just 3cm taller.’ As soon as this thought crossed his mind, the frontmost jar tipped over.
“….!”
Startled, Wooyeon stepped back in surprise. The fallen cup was aimed directly at his face from above. His hand, reaching out to grab the glass, brushed through thin air, and he closed his eyes in shock.
He was sure he would hear the sound of breaking. A transparent glass at this height could never survive. His eyelids trembled, and the back of his neck turned eerily cold. Wooyeon, holding his breath, waited for the anticipated shattering noise.
“….”
However, even after a while, there was no sound around him. Nothing collided with his face, and glass shards didn’t mercilessly fly around. Feeling something odd, Wooyeon cautiously opened his eyes.
“As always….”
A familiar voice gently reached his ears. Even faint pheromones were discernible at such close quarters. Beyond the brightened field of vision, someone was holding the glass.
“It makes it hard to look away.”
Dohyun, reaching out from behind like a warm embrace, was also surprised, emitting a subtle scent of pheromones. He lowered his head and met Wooyeon’s slightly widened eyes.
“Are you okay?”
Wooyeon puffed up his chest with wide-open eyes. The dry Alpha pheromones ignited a fire in Wooyeon’s belly. It felt as if his pheromones would pour out indiscriminately unless he held his breath.
“I’m… fine.”
Not at all. His heart was pounding, and his head was buzzing. A strange sensation spread from his throat to the bottom of his spine.
“I’m fine….”
He managed to answer, but even that fell apart. It felt like he was thirsty every time he opened his mouth, even though he wasn’t. Wooyeon continued to breathe shallowly, blinking his eyes with a flushed face.
“Be careful.”
Dohyun quickly distanced himself from Wooyeon. He placed the glass on the table and took three more from the cabinet. Unlike Wooyeon, who was struggling even with full use of his hands and feet, Dohyun’s actions were remarkably smooth.
“….Thank you.”
Even if he tried to suppress his pheromones, they seeped out gradually. His face felt so hot that it seemed dangerous to stay like this. Turning away from Dohyun, Wooyeon covered his ears in a hurry.
“Um, I, uh…, I need to use the bathroom urgently….”
Dohyun had no chance to respond. Wooyeon, with ears covered, hurriedly moved away from Dohyun. He ran to the bedroom, not daring to pass through where Garam and Seongyu were.
With a click, as the door closed, Wooyeon slumped down. As he buried his face in his knees, the pounding sound echoed loudly. Like a drumbeat, a vigorous resonance spread throughout his body.
“Ugh…”
This feeling was experienced a long time ago. Back when Dohyun was a tutor, Wooyeon found himself captivated by even the slightest things. It was the same when their eyes accidentally met or when their fingertips coincidentally touched. Feeling embarrassed just by looking at Dohyun’s face, Wooyeon had hoped that he wouldn’t have such feelings.
However, once again, he found himself following the same pattern. Wooyeon placed a hand on his chest and took a deep breath. He repeatedly told himself that this shouldn’t happen, but once his heart opened up, it quickly became uncontrollable.
“…I’m doomed.”
Pheromones, carrying emotions, filled the room like a wave. No matter how he thought about it, this time it was genuinely dangerous.
***
Wooyeon was fundamentally inclined not to trust people easily. As expected of those in similar circumstances, his mother exhibited the typical appearance of the dominant class, and around him, there were only people with concealed motives. Wherever he went, he observed similar patterns, and Wooyeon’s world gradually became more confined.
The first time Wooyeon took a step into society was during middle school. Having entered school after 14 years of existence, he held modest expectations and enjoyed a sense of freedom. However, the school environment was not as smooth as he had thought.
In just one month, Wooyeon became a target of bullying. It was only after two years, during a change of semesters, that he met Dohyun, and they parted ways within a mere semester. The connection that happened in the blink of an eye became an opportunity for him to learn how to trust others.
In a way, it was almost inevitable. The teacher was affectionate and kind and cared for Wooyeon without asking for anything in return. Even if the actions stemmed from a sense of obligation, the results were salvation. However, how could he not fall in love with Dohyun?
The emotions that seeped in gradually overwhelmed Wooyeon. Although he wasn’t completely submerged, it took time to dry the soaked body. If he let his guard down, he was sure to catch a fever in an instant.
“Changed your clothes?”
“Yeah, it was uncomfortable.”
Wooyeon emerged from the room only after a long while. By the time he had managed to control his released pheromones and finished washing up, quite some time had passed. The three people were studying with their heads together, and in the meantime, Wooyeon prepared for the quiz scheduled for Friday.
Before long, spiderwebs began to form outside the window. It was a time not too late for dinner, but Wooyeon lacked the skill to casually suggest a meal without making it awkward. Naturally, they rose from their seats, anticipating the next study session.
“Is it okay if I don’t accompany you?”
“It’s okay! We’re not kids.”
“Yeah, just stay.”
Garam and Seongyu politely declined Wooyeon’s offer to see them off. He had initially planned to at least accompany them to the elevator, but that was also ultimately rejected. Their sudden visit was a reason for Wooyeon to take it easy now.
“Take care as you go in.”
Unable to do much, Wooyeon awkwardly saw them off at the entrance. When they asked to see the second floor next time, he nodded vaguely. Dohyun, who had been quiet throughout, only greeted them just before the entrance door closed.
“See you tomorrow.”
Thud, the closed door blocked communication with the outside. The silence that settled in provided a hollow sense of emptiness. He walked inside with a tired expression, rubbing his tired eyes.
“….”
He didn’t want to like it, but it seemed inevitable. The predetermined future was not the kind that could be changed by struggling.
Thanks for the chapter❤️
ur welcomeee~💛💛
I love all the details mentioned in this chapter. Thanks for the update!
ur welcomeee~~😁💛
He better not be playing with MC..
I hope that one day i can see from Dohyun POV