“Why the hell is there so much food in here?”
Dr. Hwang set the shopping bag down on the bedside table, eyeing it with disbelief.
“The CEO packed it for me.”
“So instead of ramen, you’re eating snacks?”
“Yep. BurX waffles.”
Heemin nodded, reaching into the bag with his free hand. When he pulled out the distinct yellow octagonal box and extended it toward Dr. Hwang, silently asking him to open it, the doctor clicked his tongue.
“Heemin.”
“Yes?”
“You literally passed out from pheromone overload, and you’re planning to eat junk food? You should be eating something nutritious. I’ll have Ms. Ahn prepare a proper meal—”
“I’ll eat dinner with the CEO.”
It was only a few more hours until dinner. He wanted to snack on something light and then have a proper meal with Iheon later.
Hearing the firm conviction in Heemin’s voice, Dr. Hwang sighed in defeat and reluctantly took the waffle box.
“I swear, this is a first. I’ve never had to feed a recovering patient snacks before.”
“You should have some too. There’s plenty.”
“You think I have a death wish? The CEO gave you those. Do you have any idea what he’d say if he saw me eating them?”
Clearly recalling the jealousy and hostility he had faced in the past just for having a meal with Heemin, Dr. Hwang made a disgusted face as he peeled the packaging open.
“I’ll get you some milk. Don’t eat them dry.”
“Thanks for looking out for me.”
Heemin accepted the snack wrapper with an exaggeratedly polite gesture, given that he could only use one hand. Maybe because his attitude was so different from Iheon’s usual stiff arrogance, Dr. Hwang scratched the back of his head awkwardly before stepping out of the room.
Now alone, Heemin sat up, propping himself against the headboard.
The IV drip was nearly finished. Soon, he’d be able to remove the needle.
Seo Heemin’s body was so fragile it might as well have been made of glass.
On top of that, it wasn’t even capable of properly processing Iheon’s overwhelming pheromones.
Every time Seo Heemin had sex with him, he would be bedridden for days afterward, unable to function.
What an inefficient body.
Even now, after just a kiss, he had passed out from pheromone overdose.
Iheon probably wouldn’t touch him again for a while.
But now that they had already crossed a line, it was only a matter of time before things escalated further.
He needed to prepare.
One way or another, he had to find a way to handle Cha Iheon without completely falling apart.
It wasn’t just that he was afraid of sex—though he wouldn’t deny that part.
More than that, he didn’t want to react like Seo Heemin had.
He didn’t want to tremble and cry, making things even worse.
Ironically, no matter how much pain Seo Heemin had endured, Iheon had been hurt just as much.
One side inflicted the wounds, the other suffered them.
One lashed out, the other recoiled.
And in the end, neither of them won.
As long as their destructive cycle continued, Heemin’s project had no hope of succeeding.
If only the trauma could disappear.
His gaze drifted toward the empty chair beside the bed.
What was Iheon thinking as he sat there watching me?
Jealousy over Do Junyoung?
Fear that he was being betrayed again?
Regret for not trusting him?
Or... the undeniable desire to claim Seo Heemin completely?
It was ironic, really.
Cha Iheon—attractive, wealthy, powerful—had never once slept with anyone.
Not because he couldn’t, but because he hadn’t wanted to.
Because the only person he had ever desired was Seo Heemin.
Iheon had spent years in agony, suffering from pheromone buildup, but he had never once turned to another Omega to relieve it.
Even as his body ached, as his pheromones poisoned him from the inside, he had endured.
Because he only wanted Seo Heemin.
Now that they had kissed—now that the final barrier had been broken—there was nothing stopping him from taking more.
Heemin knew it.
And Iheon knew it.
He wasn’t going to leave him alone.
...One hundred times.
If they were going to end up in bed one hundred times, Heemin needed to start building stamina now.
Even putting Iheon aside, Seo Heemin’s body was pathetic.
In his original life, Heemin had worked multiple jobs, spent hours studying at the library, and still had the energy to stay up all night reading.
Yet here, he was constantly weak and fragile.
He didn’t like it.
Not one bit.
At that moment, Dr. Hwang reentered the room, carrying a glass of milk.
Without hesitation, Heemin spoke.
“Hey, Doctor.”
“What now?”
“How do I get used to pheromones?”
Dr. Hwang paused, setting the tray with the milk down on the bedside table.
“Are we talking about a specific person’s pheromones or Alphas’ pheromones in general?”
“A specific person.”
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Dr. Hwang let out a knowing hum. “Well, CEO Cha’s pheromones are certainly stronger than most. He is a Prime Alpha, after all. That’s probably why you...”
He trailed off, clearing his throat instead of finishing the sentence.
Instead of elaborating on the very obvious reason Heemin had collapsed, he busied himself with removing the IV needle from Heemin’s arm, pressing an alcohol swab to the spot before tidying up the tubing.
“The simplest method would be for CEO Cha to adjust his pheromone output to match your tolerance level and take pheromone suppressants as needed. But I wouldn’t recommend it—too many side effects.”
Considering that Iheon was already suffering from pheromone buildup, adding suppressants to the mix would only worsen his condition.
It was a completely useless suggestion.
Heemin’s expression darkened. Sensing his frustration, Dr. Hwang softened his tone.
“There are two ideal solutions. One: You and CEO Cha form a mutual imprint.”
Heemin internally scoffed.
Yeah, right. Like that would ever happen.
“The other option is for you to expand your ‘capacity’ to tolerate his pheromones. Think of it as increasing the size of the vessel that can hold them. The healthier your body becomes, the larger that vessel gets.”
Heemin fell silent.
He knew how the original novel ended.
Seo Heemin had miscarried Iheon’s child. Devastated beyond repair, he had developed a delusional attachment to a stuffed bear, mistaking it for his lost baby.
Seeing him so utterly broken, that was the moment Cha Iheon finally regretted everything.
Knowing that the forced imprint would severely damage his own body, he had still gone through with it.
It had been his form of atonement.
But by then, it had been too late.
Back then, Iheon hadn’t even considered imprinting until Seo Heemin had been completely shattered.
Right now, in their current situation? Forget a mutual imprint—Iheon probably wouldn’t even entertain the idea of it.
Which meant his only viable option was the second method.
“So, I need to build up my stamina?”
“Yes, but more importantly, you need to find mental stability. You still have Alpha trauma, don’t you?”
“...Yeah.”
“That’s something you need to work on with a psychiatrist, not just a physician like me. Therapy. Long-term, consistent treatment.”
So, in the end, the doctor was telling him to go to therapy.
He had hoped for a quicker solution.
Something more immediate.
But deep down, he knew there wasn’t an easy way.
There never was.
Letting out a small sigh, Heemin pulled the tray onto his lap, gripping it with both now-free hands.
Mental stability, huh?
Instead of racking his brain over something he couldn’t fix overnight, maybe it was better to focus on what he could do right now.
Like eating waffles.
Snacking always made him feel better.
“They’re that good?”
Dr. Hwang raised a brow as Heemin happily chewed on a piece.
“Yep. Are you really not going to have some?”
Heemin reached into the bag and pulled out a box of CouqXse cookies, extending it toward him.
“I told you, I’m good.”
“I’ll feel bad eating alone. Come on, just take it, okay?”
With a bright, persistent smile, he pushed the box further. Dr. Hwang let out an exasperated sigh but reluctantly accepted it, tucking it into his bag.
“Fine, fine. I’ll eat them.”
New novel chapt𝒆rs are published on ƒгeewebnovёl.com.
“Eat one whenever you need a sugar boost while working.”
Feeling satisfied, Heemin took a sip of milk.
As he drank, Dr. Hwang absentmindedly muttered, “Cha’s going to lose his damn mind at this rate.”
“Huh? What did you say?”
Too focused on his drink, Heemin hadn’t caught the words. Tilting his head, he licked the milk off his upper lip.
Dr. Hwang smirked and stood up. “Nothing. I’m leaving.”
“Already?”
“I’ve been here for hours. Don’t bother getting up.”
Heemin instinctively moved to stand, but Dr. Hwang waved him down.
“See you, kid. Try not to collapse again.”
“Thanks for today, Doctor.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Pulling out his phone, Dr. Hwang walked out of the room.
Heemin had a feeling he was calling Iheon to give him a status update.
Watching his retreating figure, Heemin reached for another piece of his waffle.
Maybe because the last thing he had seen before passing out was Iheon’s face, but—
For some reason, the rich butter flavor was overshadowed by the bitter taste of coffee lingering on his tongue.
A taste that wasn’t entirely sweet.
A taste that was far too grown-up.
***
“Wake up.”
A deep, firm voice, now all too familiar, rumbled in his ears.
Heemin’s eyes fluttered open.
The first thing he saw was a pair of dark, piercing eyes staring down at him.
And then he realized—
It was night.
He had fallen asleep while waiting for Iheon to return.
The world outside the window was pitch black, as dark as Iheon’s irises.
The slanted beams of light from earlier were gone, swallowed entirely by the night.
It was time.
No more distractions.
No more interruptions.
For the first time since their kiss, he would be facing Cha Iheon alone.