NAME 7

I staggered to my feet after hearing the 7:00 AM alarm. I washed away the grime and fatigue with a shower and got dressed. The sight reflected in the mirror was a total mess.

“I look exactly like a steamed bun.”

Seowon muttered self-deprecatingly.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

“One Americano, please. Add a shot, too.”

Seowon always bought coffee at the cafe on the first floor of the office on his way to work. Even with an extra shot, it only cost 1,500 won with the employee discount.

After ordering a triple-shot Americano, he handed his tumbler to the part-timer. His condition hadn’t fully returned yet, but he intended to endure the day with the help of caffeine.

“Assistant Manager Jeong Seowon.”

Someone tapped him on the shoulder and called out, and when he turned around, it was Jaehwan. Giving an awkward smile, Jaehwan stood right next to Seowon. Since it had been a while since they last met, Seowon replied awkwardly and remembered the fact that he had left Jaehwan’s texts and messages on read.

“It’s been a while. I couldn’t reply because I was sleeping the whole time yesterday.”

“You must have really been unwell.”

A hint of genuine concern was buried in his voice. Even though it was their first meeting in almost a month after a fight—well, technically Seowon had just one-sidedly thrown a fit—Jaehwan acted friendly.

He was always like this. He acted persistently enough that Seowon wouldn’t get fed up, and thanks to his efforts, Seowon had maintained a pheromone partner relationship with him ever since joining the company.

“I’m okay now.”

“Your face looks like a mess, though. Want to meet up during lunch break?”

While talking to him, the ordered coffee came out. Seowon took the tumbler and headed toward the elevator. Jaehwan followed right beside him.

“No need. I can manage.”

He couldn’t even say he was fine as a hollow formality. Honestly, his condition was poor. Even though he had taken the medicine prescribed by the hospital, which he was told to take only in extreme emergencies, his fever was not dropping.

If he exposed himself to Jaehwan’s pheromones, his condition would certainly improve, but… it was hard to readily take the hand Jaehwan held out first. It was because he knew the warmth of the feelings Jaehwan had for him.

“Assistant Manager Jeong, just listen to me. Your state is really bad right now.”

“I told you not to worry about it.”

As he was about to shove his hands into his pockets, Jaehwan caught his wrist. When he furrowed his brow deeply and glared at Jaehwan, the latter quickly let go. Seeing his kind eyes droop made Seowon’s heart waver a bit.

“I just want to help. Pure goodwill.”

He should refuse, but the words wouldn’t come out. As if noticing Seowon wavering, Jaehwan urged him again. He said ten minutes would be enough, and since they had done it before, why hesitate any longer.

It was a strange sight: the person who needed help stayed still while the person offering help was anxious. Seowon nodded reluctantly. Only then did Jaehwan smile broadly.

“Can you make it until lunch break?”

“I’ll be fine. I got medicine from the hospital.”

“Okay then, work hard. What… oh, never mind. Anyway, see you later.”

Jaehwan seemed to have something more he wanted to say, but Seowon didn’t bother to ask.

Arriving at the office, he immediately began preparing for work. Since he had left early yesterday, there would be plenty of piled-up tasks. While sipping from his tumbler as the computer booted up, he saw Baek Kanghyun arriving at work and heading to his seat.

“Good morning, Team Leader.”

After greeting him along with the others, he kept his gaze fixed on him, intending never to look away. All his consciousness was focused on his eyes. And finally, he made eye contact with Baek Kanghyun, who was adjusting his jacket and sitting down.

‘…Huh?’

But Baek Kanghyun was the one to avoid Seowon’s eyes first. Thinking there was no way that could be the case, Seowon continued to watch him. Then, while the man was looking at his monitor and briefly turned his head, their gazes tangled and then veered off; when Seowon took a sip of coffee and reflexively raised his head, their eyes met again, but Baek Kanghyun turned his pupils away first. It was definitely not a coincidence.

Baek Kanghyun was clearly avoiding Seowon’s eyes.

‘What is this?’

They say twice is a coincidence, but three times is inevitable or intentional. Is Baek Kanghyun perhaps seeking revenge? An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? Baek Kanghyun? To someone like me? No way…

Fortunately, his thoughts didn’t linger that long. The bottom of his monitor was filled with bright yellow notification windows. These were tasks that had accumulated while he was away yesterday afternoon. His head was throbbing and the nape of his neck, where pheromones were leaking, was stinging, but he had to work. He wrapped a handkerchief soaked in pheromone deodorizer around his neck and started working.

“Assistant Manager Jeong, are you okay?”

“Yes, of course. I’m fine.”

However, while he was holding on well, a crisis arrived ten minutes before lunch break. His complexion had worsened to the point that someone next to him asked about it. He felt cold sweat trickling down his spine.

He considered sending a text to Jaehwan asking if they could meet a bit earlier, but he stopped. It was ridiculous of him to beg now when he had said no earlier. It was only ten minutes. It was time that would pass quickly if he finished his remaining work.

Worried that others might sense his pheromones, he looked around. First of all, the people near Seowon’s seat were all Betas, and the Alpha assistant manager of Sales Team 3 was out on a field assignment today. Furthermore, that man was already married and in a manifested state, so he wasn’t affected by Seowon’s pheromones. In other words, it was safe to say Baek Kanghyun was the only Alpha in the office.

But he wouldn’t care one bit about Seowon’s pheromones. Because he had said they weren’t his taste.

A sweet and sour scent, like boiled sugar water with lemon, lingered at the tip of his nose. Current body temperature: 38.1°C. Seowon briefly collapsed onto his desk. It was his first time struggling this much, so he was flustered. He desperately craved Jaehwan—no, an Alpha’s pheromones.

<What kind of effect do Alpha pheromones actually have?>

<It’s similar to a neutralization process. When you mix an alkaline solution with an acid, doesn’t a neutralization reaction occur? People usually say pheromones elicit a sexual response, right? But that’s not all pheromones do. In the case of a patient like you whose pheromone glands are unstable, receiving pheromones of the opposite tendency stimulates the pheromone glands appropriately and brings them to a stable state. That’s why I told you it’s good to receive Alpha pheromones consistently.>

The words the doctor had said came to mind. It’s not like I’m some chemical… While he was grumbling internally, he suddenly sensed Alpha pheromones. Seowon’s nose moved instinctively.

“I’m going to head out a little early. I’m sorry.”

“Alright, Seowon. Go get some rest in the lounge or somewhere.”

“Thank you.”

Ultimately, he dashed out of the office two minutes before the start of lunch break.

When he stood up from his seat, Seowon clearly saw it. The sight of Baek Kanghyun approaching his direction.

For a very brief moment, their gazes tangled. There was an illusion that his lips were flickering. Suddenly, a certain scent brushed past the tip of his nose.

“…!”

The identity of the scent was undoubtedly Baek Kanghyun’s pheromones. If he hadn’t run away, he might have clung to him frantically. After escaping to the emergency stairs, Seowon squatted on the steps and curled his body up.

“Ugh…”

Pride aside, he looked for his phone with the intention of telling Jaehwan to come quickly. However, both his hands and his trouser pockets were empty. Of all things, he had left his phone in the office. And Seowon didn’t have the strength left to go back to the office again.

Since they had agreed to meet where they always did, Jaehwan would come on his own if he waited a little. Seowon rested his forehead on his knees and closed his eyes. A sweet scent mixed into his wheezing breath.

Clatter.

Fortunately, before long, the sound of the emergency stair door opening was heard. Seowon barely raised his head and opened his eyes half-lidded, then let his eyelids drop again.

Who is it? Is it Jaehwan?

He had opened his eyes for just a moment, but the world was spinning so much that he couldn’t possibly confirm who the person was. But since Jaehwan was the only person who would come here at this time. Seowon grabbed his head and shriveled up completely. His head felt like it was splitting apart and his whole body was heavy as if it had melted. It was a struggle even to breathe or open his lips, so he barely spoke.

“Come quickly… I’m dying here.”

His condition worsened rapidly. It was so bad that he felt it would be better to just die. His ears were ringing as if water had gotten into them, and his head was boiling.

Seowon clutched his stomach, where a heavy sensation was surging, and bent his waist. Cold sweat slowly traced his temple and split across his cheek. Sensing a presence nearby, he reached out his hand. Pulling on the fabric he caught, he spoke with a dying voice.

“Release some pheromones…”

At Seowon’s earnest plea, refreshing Alpha pheromones poured down like a rain shower. Seowon hugged his upper body with both arms and took the Alpha pheromones in fully. His skin tingled. He could distantly hear a sizzling sound, like the one made when water droplets fall onto a hot iron plate. The amount of pheromones was greater than usual and there was a different feeling to them, but he figured it was because his physical condition was so poor.

“Huu… hnk!”

And suddenly, something squishy touched his lips, from which a short breath was leaking.