Ch 7

“Oppa! Why are you acting like this today?”  

“Why?”  

Ideun replied without even looking at Hye-won, who had been constantly demanding things like buying this or doing that all day long and had suddenly snapped at him.  

“You’ve been thinking about something else all day.”  

“I’ve done everything you asked for and bought everything you wanted, so why?”  

Standing by the window and looking outside, Ideun’s gaze fixated on someone who caught his attention.  

“I’ll tell Mom everything!”  

“If you’re unhappy with how I’m looking after you, then maybe you should just go back to Korea as is. Should I change your plane ticket?”  

“No. What I mean is… Oppa, you’re really boring!”  

Hye-won’s whining barely registered with him. To Ideun, who had reluctantly taken on Hye-won’s responsibilities due to his aunt’s request, she was nothing but a burden. Since morning, she had dragged him to places he didn’t want to go: museums, cathedrals, afternoon tea, and restaurants.  

“What are you looking at? Is there something interesting outside?”  

“There’s nothing. Let’s go back if we’re done.”  

“Eh? It’s not even 10 o’clock yet!”  

Although night was falling, the number of people visiting the Christmas market didn’t diminish. Families, couples, friends. Could it really be a coincidence that one person stood out to him? And he still hadn’t heard back from that person.  

While everyone else was enjoying the holiday season, he had a mountain of obligations to fulfill. On top of that, his cousin Hye-won, who had flown in wanting to enjoy Christmas in Paris without any planning, was another issue entirely.  

She could have come with friends or a boyfriend, but seeing her arrive alone in Paris left Ideun and his family feeling burdened. Because of his aunt’s request, he had no choice but to spare some time for his irresponsible cousin.  

If she had come to have fun, she should at least prepare quickly, but instead, he found himself waiting for Hye-won, who had agreed to meet in the lobby but was nowhere to be found. While he was on the phone with his secretary, it was pure chance that he spotted an Asian omega idly lounging alone in a café in the lobby.  

The omega, sprawled on the sofa in an unguarded state, seemed oblivious to the attention he was attracting—or perhaps he was relishing it. Regardless, it was impossible not to be drawn to an omega who wasn’t accompanied by a guardian.  

It was an impulsive decision for Ideun to grab the omega as he walked by, especially since the latter was trying to leave the hotel alone. Where was his companion? No, where was his guardian?  

Even if he was a beta or an alpha… No, even if he was an omega, Ideun felt he had no right to interfere.  

The moment he caught sight of the blank expression on the omega’s round, pale face, he was taken aback by the surge of discomforting feelings within himself. The big, dark eyes embedded in that small white face widened, and the tip of a wet tongue peeked out from slightly parted lips.  

It was a face he’d never seen before. Whether it was a perfume or body wash, there was nothing hidden within the artificial scent that surrounded him. No matter how hard he tried to hide or mask it, there was no way he could deceive himself…  

No pheromone scent? And he was walking around alone.  

‘Beta?’  

The dark eyes grew wide. Just answer that you’re a beta. No, say you’re an omega. Without realizing it, he tightened his grip on the hand that held the omega. The delicate eyebrows knitted together, and a faint sound escaped from his slightly open lips.  

It was a sound so soft it would naturally get lost amidst the noise created by the crowd.  

“Oppa, you’ve been waiting a long time.”  

Ideun’s focus wavered at Hye-won’s cute apology as she clung to his arm, and in that brief moment of distraction, the omega vanished.  

“What was that about? Was he someone you knew?”  

“Hide your pheromones.”  

Ideun, who had been holding onto the arm of the omega until just moments ago, gripped Hye-won’s arm and spoke.  

“What are you talking about? I sprayed deodorant and a daisy-scented perfume!”  

Still staring at the hotel entrance where the man had disappeared, Ideun looked at Hye-won, who was still clinging to his arm. Just as she said, the first scent he noticed from her was indeed that of daisies. However, he could also faintly detect the scent of roses hidden beneath.  

Right, he must be a beta… Ideun thought to himself.  

“It’s that guy again. The one with the beige scarf in front of the fourth market. Remember?”  

At Hye-won’s words, as she leaned against the window beside him, Ideun tightened his grip. It wasn’t a mistake; he had seen that person wandering around the vast museum alone, taking pictures of the artworks. He had also seen him sitting in the cathedral pews, looking at his phone, and sighing while having a three-tiered dessert tray all by himself in the café.

He had eaten only the remnants of the dessert, leaving most of it behind as he left the café. Just a moment ago, he had been alone in the restaurant, enjoying a course meal while sipping wine in a window seat that was hard to book. Now, he was wandering around the market by himself.  

Ideun had thought he might have been the only one to notice, but when Hye-won also brought up the man, he quickly grabbed his coat and stood up from his seat.  

“Where are you going?”  

“I’ll send a driver.”  

Ignoring Hye-won’s question about where he was going, Ideun hurried toward the market, pushing through the crowd without a hint of caution.  

* * *

Ji-an picked up a cute stuffed dog dressed as Santa and smiled at its fluffy appearance. An ornate snow globe with a music box feature and a paper bag with some colorful candies to snack on hung from one wrist. He thought he should put this cute doll into the paper bag as well.   

After checking the tag on its tail, Ji-an removed the tag and contemplated placing it in the bag. But for a moment, he wanted to feel its warmth, so he wrapped both hands around the plush toy.  

Hah.  

Since he had been slowly browsing the entrance, he hadn’t even explored the entire market yet, but fatigue was creeping in. He had felt it since the cathedral, and his condition was definitely not good. No, it was getting worse.  

His head felt heavy, and his throat was a bit scratchy. Ji-an stopped and looked around. Should he see more, or should he head back? Although he wanted to linger a bit longer, one of the things to be careful about when traveling alone was his health.  

He didn’t want to go to a hospital in France, a place where he couldn’t communicate, and today wasn’t the only day. If necessary, he could contact the tour director and extend his travel schedule.  

Suppressing his lingering regrets, Ji-an cradled the plush toy in his arms and turned toward the entrance. As soon as he returned to his accommodation, he planned to take some over-the-counter medicine and enjoy the night view while soaking in the luxurious bathtub. He thought it would make him feel better. If necessary, he could postpone his schedule for the next morning…  

“Eh?”  

He saw him again. Ji-an’s eyes widened at the sight of the handsome alpha. Was their travel itinerary similar? As this thought crossed his mind, his gaze shifted toward him. The beautiful woman he had seen in the morning was nowhere to be found, and he was alone.  

Should he acknowledge him? Or would it be better to pretend not to notice?  

Since he had no reason to get involved with him, Ji-an hesitated. However, when their eyes met, he awkwardly lowered his head and avoided his gaze. He then walked slowly past him, not toward him, but because he had to pass by if he wanted to leave the market.  

“…Don’t you have a guardian?”  

Feeling a strange sensation, Ji-an clutched the plush toy tighter as he passed by the man. His words made him lift his head from its lowered position.  

“Pardon?”  

Hah.  

Even when he had met him in the morning, he had shown discomfort, and Ji-an could see that something displeased him as he let out a sigh, producing a white cloud with his breath.  

“Where did your alpha go?”  

His question, asked with a growl and a protruding jaw as if he had clenched his teeth, didn’t quite register with Ji-an.  

The location had only changed, yet the same situation as in the morning was repeating itself. Ji-an felt a tug at his arm and tried to pull it away. Even when he shook his arm or attempted to push down the hand gripping his forearm while still cradling the plush toy against his chest, he couldn’t shake him off.  

“Please let go.”  

Unable to push him away through action, Ji-an finally spoke after keeping his mouth shut until now. As time passed, he could feel more clearly that his condition was deteriorating. During the day, he had felt a bit feverish, but now, without needing to touch his forehead, he could sense a significant rise in his temperature throughout his body.  

In December’s cold night, it was natural to feel cold while walking outside. He had felt fine until just after buying the plush toy, but suddenly he felt a chill and his body started to tremble involuntarily.  

“Guardian…”  

What on earth was he talking about? Why did he think he had a guardian? More than that, he had even mentioned the word alpha a moment ago. Whether it was an omega, beta, or alpha, whether it was a guardian or a friend, what did it matter to him what Ji-an did with whom?  

Even if he was an omega, he had no right to speak to him like this. In this open yet conservative world, Ji-an was well aware of the vague standards applied to omegas. It was unthinkable for an omega, who typically didn’t travel alone, to go on an overseas trip by himself.  

But those were their standards, and it had nothing to do with him.

“Excuse me. I don’t think it’s your business who I’m with and what I’m doing. You were rude to me this morning, weren’t you? Do you know me?”  

What does it matter if he looks good? His personality seems odd.  

Since he wasn’t feeling well, his words came out sharper than usual, laden with uncomfortable emotions.  

“Let go of me. Should I call the police?”  

Without answering Ji-an’s words, the man frowned, prompting Ji-an to shoot him a cold glare. He didn’t shy away from the man’s troubled expression as he looked down at him.  

“Have you taken your medicine?”  

Just a moment ago, the man had spoken sternly, but now his voice had softened. As the man released his grip on Ji-an’s forearm, Ji-an quickly rubbed the sore spot.  

“You must have mistaken me for someone else. I think someone you know looks like me, but I’m not that person. I don’t need any talk about guardians or alphas, okay? If you don’t have anything to say, I’ll be on my way. And if you see me again, please don’t acknowledge me or touch me.”  

After stating what he had to say, Ji-an tried to pass by him, only to have the man move to block his path again.  

Why is he the one looking confused and sighing as he pushes his hair back?  

“I’ll walk you home.”  

At the man’s unexpected offer, Ji-an cursed silently under his breath and moved his body to get past him. Meeting a fellow Korean in a foreign land was a pleasant surprise. Hearing Korean amidst a cacophony of unfamiliar languages naturally drew his attention, and coming across a Korean manual in a sea of incomprehensible French was incredibly welcome.  

Ji-an’s feelings toward this man were mostly positive. Even when he had seen him in the hotel lobby that morning, he had found it fascinating to have bumped into him by chance. He couldn’t understand why he had run away so frantically after the man had grabbed his arm and then released him.  

The moment Ji-an’s fingertips brushed against the man’s wrist, dizziness hit him, and his stomach churned. He was aware that he was being more sensitive than usual, but the feelings he couldn’t explain made him tightly shut his eyes before opening them again. He wanted to say, “You’ve mistaken me. I’m not an omega.” It could have been phrased better.  

An unsettling anxiety washed over him, and driven by a strong desire to leave, Ji-an hugged the plush toy closer and curled his body, quickening his pace. He wasn’t sure if the man was following him, but as he hurriedly exited the market, he crouched down next to a tree on the street. He was out of breath.  

How could his condition deteriorate so suddenly?  

Ji-an’s fingers trembled slightly as he took out his phone. He felt cold, shivery, and dizzy from the elevated temperature. With each exhale, the heat built up inside him surged out.  

He opened the Uber app, but the words on the screen swam before his eyes, so he tightly shut them again. Biting his soft lip, he slowly opened his eyes, but he couldn’t focus on the screen, so he switched to his contacts list.  

“Please pick up…”  

He had already dialed the travel director’s number for the third time, intending to ask him to book a taxi for him. “Call anytime, day or night, if you need assistance,” he had said. Just as he was about to hear the automated message again, Ji-an sighed deeply and lifted his head.  

The cold night air brushed against his face, and he felt a bit more alert. Then, a car stopped in front of him, and a man walked toward him, catching his attention. As the man got closer, Ji-an couldn’t help but shake his head slightly at the woody scent that wafted from him.  

“I’ll take you to your hotel.”  

Even as he stood up from his crouched position and got into the passenger seat, Ji-an couldn’t bring himself to speak. He couldn’t even say that he wanted to be taken to the hospital instead of the hotel. Clutching the stuffed dog tightly as if it were a lifeline, he simply focused on breathing.  

This pain was unlike anything he had ever experienced.  

It was different from the stomach flu or a severe cold. He briefly wondered if he was going through a heat cycle, but he had never experienced a natural heat cycle before. So, he had no idea how it began, what process it went through, or how it eventually subsided. He had no information on any of it.

Ji-an had forcibly accepted an alpha without fully going through heat, and his body, intoxicated by the musky scent that shattered rational thought, was engulfed in explosive pleasure. After howling like a beast driven only by instinct, he was left in the hospital room, filled with rough remnants of his experience.  

After the completion of the rut partner contract, Ji-an’s pheromone levels had dropped to a point that could barely be called an omega, and he had become a beta.  

Since he was regularly taking and administering medication that could shake up his entire pheromone system, it was only natural for his pheromones to break down, leading to a complete deterioration of his health.  

How could he experience a heat cycle when he was no longer an omega? Why? For what reason? Had he ever even had pheromones that he couldn’t identify as present or absent? As he inhaled, a rich woody scent filled his nostrils. When he opened his eyes, he saw the profile of the man driving.  

“Um…”  

As the man’s gaze briefly met his, Ji-an continued, “Room 1302.”