Alpha Trauma

Wooyeon’s first love was his English tutor. He was four years older, his gaze two spans higher, and his fingers more than a joint longer. Their first meeting, with his large, straight, and mature presence, remained deeply in Wooyeon’s heart even after many years.‘Is your name… Seon Wooyeon?’It was the first time Wooyeon realized that a voice could sound so gentle. That someone could smell good without wearing cologne, that English pronunciation didn’t have to sound greasy, and that even the way someone held a pen or sat upright could be so neat.‘What a beautiful name.’The soft voice wrapped around his ears. He had only asked Wooyeon’s name, but it sounded as sweet as a song. The tender way he called him afterward was no different.‘Nice to meet you, Yeon-ah.’He was different from the kids Wooyeon usually saw around him. Unlike those brimming with childish bravado and self-importance, the tutor was thoughtful and considerate in just the right amounts. When Wooyeon, being shy, would remain silent, he would wait patiently with a kind smile.That’s why. Wooyeon couldn’t correct him from calling him ‘Seon Wooyeon’ instead of ‘Sunwoo Yeon.’ At sixteen, the sound of ‘Yeon-ah’ made his heart flutter.‘…Teacher, are you an Alpha?’The day Wooyeon asked that for the first time, the tutor calmly looked at him and asked back in the same gentle voice.‘Why? Do I seem like an Alpha?’It wasn’t a question Wooyeon could affirm. He had grown up under an Alpha mother, been educated by an Alpha tutor, and bullied by Alpha friends. Alphas, Alphas, Alphas. Even though he hadn’t manifested, Wooyeon had learned all about Alphas in an environment filled with them.‘…No.’There was no way someone so warm could be an Alpha. The Alphas Wooyeon knew were scary, domineering, and self-centered.‘You don’t seem like an Alpha.’His uneasy heart suddenly opened up. The smile gently tugging at the corner of his lips shone brightly in his eyes. It was a smile as radiant as a flower blooming in the cheerful season of spring.After that day, Wooyeon eagerly waited for his tutoring sessions. Three times a week, two hours each. The six hours of English lessons a week were like rain in the drought of his life. When he opened his English workbooks and notebooks and waited for the teacher, it felt as if the whole world was on his side.‘Hey, pig.’But that didn’t mean his hunger was satisfied. At that time, Wooyeon was so obese that he was even advised to go on a diet, making him an easy target for kids going through puberty. His thick glasses hid his expression, and with his prickly personality, the bullying only intensified.‘Damn it, are you ignoring me again?’It was the leader of the group that constantly tormented Wooyeon, one of the Alphas he despised the most. The boy sneered and tapped Wooyeon’s head with his finger.‘Say something, huh?’Wooyeon silently pulled out his phone. A message from his tutor had just come in. Unfortunately, it wasn’t good news.‘Wow, look at this guy, ignoring us.’The message said the teacher couldn’t make it today because of a school festival. Apologizing profusely, he asked if they could reschedule the lesson. Wooyeon, disappointed but understanding, was about to reply when his phone was suddenly snatched from his hand.‘Let’s see… ‘Yeon-ah, I can’t make it today because of the festival…’ What’s this, Yeon?’Wooyeon’s face flushed instantly. Not because of the usual insult of being called a pig, but because the emotion behind ‘Yeon-ah’ felt tainted, as if something precious had become filthy.‘Yeon-ah? More like a filthy pig.’For the first time since being bullied, Wooyeon glared back at the boy. Usually, he would ignore it or try to leave, but this time, he couldn’t hold back. The boy, surprised, let out a mocking laugh.‘Oh, look at this, he’s actually glaring.’The boy didn’t like Wooyeon’s reaction or the way he fiddled with his phone. He scrolled through the messages, sneering at each one.‘…Give me back my phone.’‘What?’‘I said, give it back.’‘Who said I’m taking it? I just want to take a look…’Before he could finish, Wooyeon stood up abruptly. The problem was that the startled boy reflexively pushed him away. With a loud crash, Wooyeon fell to the ground, taking his desk with him.‘…’His glasses flew off, landing far away. The people around them, who had been pretending not to see, now turned their attention. Wooyeon bit his lower lip, overwhelmed with humiliation. The boy, who had been watching Wooyeon fall, threw the phone down in frustration.‘Ugh, this is so annoying.’The phone hit the ground and broke. The shattered screen resembled Wooyeon’s own feelings. As if that wasn’t enough, the boy kicked the broken phone with his slipper.‘You’re rich anyway. Why make a fuss over a stupid phone?’The rest was a blur. The next thing Wooyeon remembered, he was sitting in the teacher’s office, with the bully, his face swollen. Not long after, Wooyeon’s mother was called in. The teacher, flustered, showed her the broken phone.‘I think it’s best if he goes home early today.’As always, everything was resolved with money. Wooyeon’s mother, who only had money to rely on, even received an apology from the teacher before leaving the office. She didn’t look at Wooyeon, nor did she ask why it happened. She just checked her watch repeatedly and said only one thing.‘I don’t have time to drop you off, so take a taxi. This should be enough for the fare, right?’The wad of bills handed over lacked any sense of sincerity. It was more than enough to take a taxi over ten times, but without even thinking of accepting it, Wooyeon lowered his eyes. Another option was casually presented to him, without any emotion.‘Or should I call Driver Yoon for you?’He didn’t cry. His eyes stung, but he knew what response crying here would bring: a rebuke not to cry carelessly, or to think about his dignity, or perhaps just a sigh, something like that.‘And the glasses…’In the end, Wooyeon took a taxi home. He felt more at ease taking the taxi than riding in Driver Yoon’s robotic car. His already broken glasses were more of a hindrance than a help, and after giving all the money he had to the taxi driver, he stepped out of the car.‘…’Coming back to an empty house always accompanied an indescribable loneliness. The house, unnecessarily large, was so quiet that you could hear the sound of ants crawling. In this surreal space where time seemed to stand still, Wooyeon collapsed powerlessly in a corner of the living room.It was a horrible feeling. He couldn’t quite explain it, but it just felt miserable. The shattered phone, his mother who pretended not to notice it, and the person he would have to face again tomorrow—they were all the same.Without thinking, he rushed to his room and threw himself onto his bed. Even the cold blanket offered no comfort. With today’s tutoring session canceled, he would be alone late into the night. He wished he could just become a corpse and disappear without anyone noticing.Wooyeon fell asleep a few minutes later. Though the blanket covering his face was suffocating, it did not stop his breath.When he opened his eyes, the room was pitch black, and he heard someone ringing the doorbell.‘No one’s supposed to come…’There was no one he could think of. Even solicitors didn’t dare approach the imposing houses in this neighborhood. He thought they would leave soon, but the loud ringing of the doorbell showed no sign of stopping.‘…Who is it?’With no choice, Wooyeon dragged his heavy body outside. As he picked up the intercom connected to the outside, he asked half-heartedly, only to receive an unbelievable response.‘It’s me.’It was the person he’d been waiting for all along. The one whose absence today had left him choking with regret. With trembling hands, Wooyeon pressed the button and quickly ran to the front door.As soon as the door opened with a click, a familiar figure came into view. The steps crossing the garden seemed faster than usual. In the blink of an eye, the person approached and smiled warmly, letting out a sigh of relief.‘Thank goodness, I thought you weren’t home. The festival ended earlier than expected, so I could teach the lesson today. I called just in case, but you didn’t answer…’Everything felt surreal. The blurred vision, the slightly crushed feeling in his head, and even the gaze that calmly watched him.‘…Did something happen?’At such a simple question, the dam broke, and the tears started flowing. Wooyeon knew it would make the teacher flustered, but he couldn’t control the flood of emotions. The crying, which had started out of nowhere, pushed him relentlessly until his breathing became ragged.‘Te… Teacher… sob…’Like a child, Wooyeon sat down on the spot, crying uncontrollably. The teacher, startled, knelt down beside him and gently patted his back. From this close, a faint floral scent wafted over.‘What’s wrong, Yeon-ah? Are you okay?’All Wooyeon wanted was for someone to ask him what was wrong. He didn’t act this way for attention, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want any. He didn’t want to get into Driver Yoon’s robotic car, nor did he want to endure the gaze of a taxi driver. He just wanted someone to ask if he was okay, and why he was acting this way.‘Are you sick? Look at me, okay?’The more the teacher tried to comfort him, the more sorrow bubbled up. All the pent-up emotions flowed out like a river after a dam had broken.After what felt like a long time, after all the sadness had passed, Wooyeon finally lifted his head, gasping for breath.‘Have you finished crying?’At some point, Wooyeon found himself in the warm embrace of the teacher. The face so close in front of him remained quiet and peaceful. The teacher gently wiped Wooyeon’s face with a sleeve, then placed a large hand on his forehead.‘It doesn’t seem like you’re sick…’Wooyeon’s heart sank. His face flushed, and his throat tingled with an unfamiliar sensation. His uncontrollable facial muscles threatened to twist into a strange expression. His heart raced wildly, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t calm it down.It was only then that Wooyeon began to realize. The desire to see this person, to be with them. The feeling of being lifted up from rock bottom in an instant. Wooyeon gave a vague name to all of these emotions: ‘First love.’* * *A face that Wooyeon had never forgotten for the past four years. Whenever it seemed to fade, it appeared in his dreams, and whenever it seemed erasable, it was etched in his memory. The gentle eyes, the single eyelid on one side, and the neat eyebrows—all of it was “Teacher.”“……”Wooyeon couldn’t believe the name “Wooyeon.” He held onto a minuscule glimmer of hope, but he had no expectation that it would become a reality. The faint possibility he had vaguely wished for had just been completely relinquished moments ago.But then he met the teacher. Not only was the appearance the same, but the name was the same too. Kim Dohyeon. Just those three syllables made his heart race uncontrollably. His body felt electrified, and pheromones began to seep out. He knew he shouldn’t be releasing pheromones like this. It was just like the first time it had happened; he couldn’t control it.“Uh….”He stumbled over his words. He wanted to say so much: that he had missed him, that he had studied hard, that he had lost this much weight, or that he had grown taller. There were so many things he wanted to say, mostly updates and things to boast about that would surely make the teacher smile and pat him on the head.“Um…”Yet, nothing he wanted to say came out. The kind impression, the straight posture. Aside from the fact that his facial structure had matured, there was nothing different from before, but an odd discomfort continued to linger. Wooyeon’s lips twitched as he softly asked in a voice barely audible.“…Are you an alpha?”He could feel the pheromones. A strong presence that could only belong to a dominant alpha. It was dry and refreshing, but still, it was pheromones. Neither cigarettes nor perfumes could replicate this kind of authentic alpha scent.“Yes.”The reply came back nonchalantly. With a blank expression, Dohyeon slowly blinked at Wooyeon. There was no sign of recognition of their past in his dry gaze.“Yes, I’m an alpha.”As soon as Wooyeon heard that, he immediately turned his back. Biting his lip, he strode away quickly. With each step he took away from him, the swirling emotions in his heart surged like a whirlwind.‘…Is Teacher really an alpha?’He had definitely asked that. That last confirmation was the origin of all the feelings Wooyeon had. If even a slightly different answer had come out at that moment, Wooyeon would have kept his heart closed even four years later.‘Why? Does Teacher seem like an alpha?’But he was an alpha?* * *Wooyeon lost track of how many weeks had passed in a daze. By the time he came to his senses, classes had started, and his course registration was a complete disaster. Taking classes with upperclassmen and subjects he had no clue about was more than enough to make him decide to drop out. This was no joke; just four days after classes began, he had already visited the department office more than ten times.“There’s still time to adjust your course registration…”The kind teaching assistant genuinely expressed his condolences as he looked over Wooyeon’s schedule. He not only helped him check options but also secretly informed him about courses that had opened up on a first-come, first-served basis. It was unusual for someone to go to such lengths, but Wooyeon’s situation was too pitiable to ignore.“Hang in there.”“Yeah…”The teaching assistant lightly patted Wooyeon’s shoulder. His downcast posture resembled that of a defeated puppy. If he had a tail, it would have been dragging on the ground. Wooyeon replied in a feeble voice and clutched his bag tightly.“Um, TA.”Thanks to the wrecked schedule, there was still a long time until the next class. He had nowhere to go, and he hadn’t made any friends either. As he awkwardly tried to kill time, his mind was flooded with troubling thoughts.So, Wooyeon gathered his courage and looked at the TA. He was about to ask about a name he hadn’t forgotten for a single moment over the past few days.“Do you happen to know Kim Dohyeon?”“Kim Dohyeon?”The TA tilted his head in confusion. He didn’t know every student as a department TA, but it seemed unlikely that he wouldn’t know Dohyeon. After checking the time, he asked Wooyeon in return.“Is it because of a club?”“A club?”“Dohyeon is the president of the English Classics Reading Club. Were you interested and asking about him?”Wooyeon nodded eagerly. “English Classics Reading” was the club he had mentioned when he was tutoring. He remembered being told he was the youngest member, but now he had become the president.“What do you want to know?”“Just, what kind of person he is…”Trailing off, Wooyeon fiddled with the strap of his bag. He felt a twinge of discomfort for bringing up the topic himself. It seemed like he was prying into something.“Well, he’s a good kid.”Fortunately, the TA gave the most neutral response. He paused, as if gauging Wooyeon’s reaction, then added a more detailed explanation.“He’s responsible and works hard for the club. If you join, he’ll be really happy. He’s the top student in our department, so he’ll also be a great help when it comes to exams.”What he said wasn’t much different from what Wooyeon already knew. While he hadn’t known he was the top student, he was aware that he was quite high-ranking. Wooyeon had also felt the responsibility during their tutoring sessions.Garam’s pheromones were loosely diffused. It wasn’t intentional; he seemed to have forgotten to control them due to the alcohol. Wooyeon, pretending to rest his chin on his hand, covered his mouth with his sleeve and took a shallow breath.“This noona already…”“Moon Garam, always acting like an old man.”At that moment, a low voice came from right behind. It was soft and measured, a voice Wooyeon was very familiar with. His heart dropped with a jolt, and before he could even tense up, a large hand rested on his shoulder.“He’s clearly uncomfortable.”* * *There was no need to turn around. Dohyeon casually pushed Garam aside and stepped over the chair with his long legs. Sitting so close that their shoulders almost touched, Wooyeon suddenly started to hiccup.“Why are you sitting here in such a cramped space?”“Say that after you rein in your pheromones.”Wooyeon’s blood rushed through his body. His heart was pounding so hard, it seemed like the sound might be heard. Hiccup, hiccup. While Wooyeon’s shoulders shook, Dohyeon, without even glancing at him, brought over a bottle of water.“Your drunken behavior is the problem. You keep bothering the freshmen.”“Bothering them? I just came to get to know them.”A glass of water was placed in front of Wooyeon. He blankly stared at the hand that passed by him. Hiccup. His shoulders shook silently again. Glancing at Wooyeon, Dohyeon tapped the glass.“Drink up.”His tone was still as measured as ever. Even his neatly manicured nails hadn’t changed since the days when he used to hold a pen. The only difference was that his casual tone had shifted to a more formal one.“…Thank you.”It felt like his insides were twisting. If it had been before, he would have been moved by the thoughtfulness, but now, it brought him no comfort. Even though Dohyeon had completely blocked out Garam’s pheromones, Wooyeon wasn’t happy about it. He realized with a hollow feeling that Dohyeon’s kindness was meant for everyone, not just him.“Are you okay?”Seeing the change in Wooyeon’s complexion, Seongyu cautiously asked. Wooyeon nodded to signal he was fine and gulped down the water. His hiccups had already stopped the moment Dohyeon had handed him the glass.“He’s the one I was talking about.”Garam, looking even more drunk, pointed at Wooyeon. Then, leaning against Dohyeon’s shoulder, Garam was gently pushed away as if Dohyeon was used to it. Garam, without any complaint, grinned goofily.“Just like I told you, right?”Dohyeon’s gaze turned to Wooyeon. For a brief moment, Wooyeon hoped Dohyeon might recognize him. He hadn’t had any plastic surgery; he had just grown taller and lost weight. Maybe, if Dohyeon looked closely, he’d realize.“…I guess so.”But Dohyeon didn’t recognize Wooyeon at all. He didn’t even get the feeling that Wooyeon looked familiar. Calmly, with a gentle smile, he just asked this:“Can I speak more casually with you?”The smile felt artificial, at least to Wooyeon. It was certainly a pretty smile, but for some reason, it felt awkward.“Yes.”Memories are beautiful when left as memories. In Wooyeon’s imagination, perhaps Kim Dohyeon had been overly idealized. Maybe that’s why. He was still kind and gentle, but Wooyeon no longer felt the fluttering excitement from before.“You said you wanted to join our club, right?”Well, four years had passed. Three springs had come and gone while he was away, so it wasn’t surprising that his feelings had faded. The racing heartbeat was probably just from the shock of the sudden reunion.“What’s your name?”Wooyeon looked at Dohyeon with indifferent eyes. As their gazes met, a sharp pain shot through his chest, but he forced himself to ignore it. Having to reintroduce himself made the relationship feel pointless and pathetic.“Seon Wooyeon.”Dohyeon frowned slightly, his lips parting as if to say something. The slight twitch of his eyebrows immediately caught Wooyeon’s attention. Then, Dohyeon carefully repeated the name.“Seon… Woo… Yeon?”His eyes stung. If he responded with “Yes,” he felt like Dohyeon would call him “Yeona” again. But now was the time to firmly correct the past misunderstandings.“Seon. Wooyeon.”“Ah, Wooyeon.”That was it. Any faint glimmer of recognition vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Wooyeon came to understand his place once again. He was just someone who would pass by in Dohyeon’s life, no more than a fleeting thought.“So, Wooyeon it is.”He couldn’t see Dohyeon’s face as he said those words since he had already turned his head. But the sweet voice alone was enough to make Wooyeon’s face flush red. Honestly, having such a lovely voice was kind of unfair.“What’s Wooyeon?”Seongyu, who had been exchanging drinks with Garam, asked curiously. Dohyeon, too, was pulling out a new shot glass and pouring some soju. It looked like he was planning to stay at the table for a while.“He has the same name as a student I used to tutor. But that kid only had one syllable in his name. Seon Woo, Yeon.”“Oh, it really is Wooyeon.”Without shame, Wooyeon’s heart skipped a beat, merely because Dohyeon had mentioned him. He pressed his palms into his lap, trying to suppress the lump rising in his throat. But he couldn’t completely squash his growing desire.“What kind of student was he?”Just a little more—Wooyeon wanted to hear him talk about him. At the very least, he wanted to know how Dohyeon remembered him. They shared the same name, so it wouldn’t be strange to be curious, right? Wooyeon comforted himself with that thought as he lifted his head.“Well, just…”Dohyeon’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. The jawline extending beneath his ear was much more defined than it had been four years ago. With a casual shrug, Dohyeon smirked.“Not exactly the fondest memory.”It felt like being hit in the back of the head. Like someone was tightening a noose around his stomach and mocking him mercilessly. The cold realization in Wooyeon’s mind made everything clear.“I’d rather not talk about it.”Was it really such an unpleasant memory? Was it so bad that he had to look that uncomfortable and change the subject? Had he cut off contact, changed his number, and disappeared because he truly wanted to distance himself from Wooyeon?“…So, I must have been a difficult student.”“Hmm, not exactly that.”He regretted confessing his feelings. If he hadn’t, maybe Dohyeon’s response would have been different now. If he’d just heard something like, “You were a good student,” Wooyeon wouldn’t have been so upset.“Anyway, about the club…”Wooyeon ignored Dohyeon’s words and downed the beer in front of him. It had gone flat and lukewarm, making his stomach feel even worse. When he winced from the taste, Dohyeon refilled his glass with a fresh beer.“Do you like English novels?”Blinking, Wooyeon opened his eyes. The heat building around them wasn’t just from the alcohol. The ice-cold beer in his hands only heightened his thirst.“I do.”‘I like you, teacher.’The day Wooyeon couldn’t hold back and confessed, Dohyeon hadn’t smiled at him. He didn’t pat his head or try to understand his feelings. The only response Wooyeon got was an awkward statement about Dohyeon going to the military.“That’s good. I’ll give you a club application later. You can fill it out and bring it back, or just stop by the club room.”It’s not that Wooyeon didn’t understand. He was just sixteen at the time, immature and chubby. No university student would have appreciated a confession from someone like him. If it had been the other way around, Wooyeon probably would’ve reacted similarly to Dohyeon.“Give me your phone. I’ll put my number in.”“Oh, uh, my phone…”Wooyeon hurriedly stood up, rummaging through his pockets. He searched his pants for a while, but in the end, his phone was in the front pocket of his hoodie. Embarrassed, he handed over the phone, which didn’t even have a case. Dohyeon let out a soft snort.“You’re gonna scratch it.”The default wallpaper appeared on the screen, and Wooyeon hadn’t even locked it. Dohyeon entered his number with a strange expression, while Wooyeon saved him under the name ‘Kim Dohyeon Sunbae.’ Dohyeon stared at him for a moment.“…Why are you looking at me like that?”One of Dohyeon’s eyes crinkled. It was his left eye, the one with the double eyelid. Tilting his head slightly, Dohyeon gestured at Wooyeon’s phone.“You already knew my name?”“….”Now that he thought about it, Wooyeon had been the only one to introduce himself. Trying not to show his embarrassment, Wooyeon scrambled for an excuse.“I heard it from the teaching assistant.”“Yunwoo hyung?”Luckily, Dohyeon didn’t press further. It seemed he was just curious, not looking to make an issue out of it. Now having learned the teaching assistant’s name, Wooyeon put his phone back into his hoodie pocket.“Hey, give me your number too.”“Yeah, me too.”Starting with Garam, Seongyu and some other guys Wooyeon didn’t know handed over their phones. Without even having time to protest why he was being called a kid, Wooyeon found himself inputting his number for them. After entering about four names, Garam proudly patted Dohyeon’s shoulder.“Hey, let’s go have a smoke.”“I quit smoking.”“Here we go again with your nonsense.”Garam didn’t press further, looking around instead.“Anyone else want to smoke?”With that casual invitation, most of the table stood up, including Seongyu, who had been calling Wooyeon.“What about you, Wooyeon?”Wooyeon immediately followed Seongyu. He couldn’t bear to stay alone with Dohyeon. The problem was that even after Wooyeon stood, Dohyeon didn’t move to let him pass.“Sun—,”Wooyeon flinched, stopping mid-sentence as he swallowed hard. Habit was a frightening thing. Even after all these years, he hadn’t fully shaken it off. He had almost called him “teacher” just now.“…Sunbae, could you move aside a little?”After a brief silence, Dohyeon moved aside. Once there was enough space, Wooyeon hurried past the chair. The way he moved was like a rabbit running away.Since the bar didn’t have a smoking room, people had to go outside to smoke. Among the group, who all had cigarettes in their mouths, Wooyeon stood there blankly, holding a cigarette that he had borrowed from Seongyu. Seongyu offered to light it for him, but Wooyeon shook his head.“Hey, does that sunbae have a girlfriend?”“He’s ridiculously handsome. How old is he?”“What about the club? Can I join too?”The conversation had naturally shifted to Dohyeon. Garam, wearing an expression that seemed to say, “Is this why he didn’t show up?” kindly answered their questions one by one. Wooyeon felt a sense of relief upon hearing that Dohyeon didn’t have a girlfriend. Then, surprised by his own relief, he snapped the cigarette in half.“Kim Dohyeon’s got nothing going for him except his face. Never date a guy who’s already finished his military service.”“Oh, come on, he seems really nice.”“I’m nicer.”What difference does it make whether he has a girlfriend or not? Staring blankly at the broken cigarette, Wooyeon sighed. Seongyu pulled out another cigarette and handed it to him. This time, Wooyeon put it between his lips instead of holding it.“Dohyeon-hyung is really cool, though.”“…Not really.”Wooyeon didn’t want to admit out loud how popular Dohyeon was. His already unsettled stomach was now boiling over.“His smile feels fake. I don’t like it.”Seongyu’s face suddenly stiffened. His gaze wasn’t on Wooyeon but directed behind him. Sensing something was wrong, Wooyeon raised his head, feeling a familiar presence.“There you are.”Chills ran down Wooyeon’s spine. The voice, though no different from usual, sounded like a death sentence. The soft, gentle pheromones that Wooyeon sensed were as sharp as a blade to him.“Oh, Kim Dohyeon’s here? See, I told you, you couldn’t quit smoking.”“You think I’m you?”Dohyeon walked past Wooyeon and approached Garam. His black coat fit him perfectly, as if it had been custom-made. Dohyeon pulled a pack of cigarettes from his inner pocket, placed one in his mouth, and gestured with his chin.“Hand me a lighter.”“What, giving orders now?”The lighter flew through the air in an arc, landing precisely in Dohyeon’s hand. With his eyes lowered, Dohyeon shielded the wind with his hand and lit the end of his cigarette.“Why aren’t you in that alley? Why are you here?”Smoke billowed out as Dohyeon exhaled. Watching him, Wooyeon was struck by two realizations. First, he was surprisingly accustomed to seeing Dohyeon smoke. Second, it was a pheromone cigarette.“We’ve got a lot of people. No need to crowd together like a gang.”“Here or there, what’s the difference?”He hadn’t smoked back when he was twenty. Or maybe he had, but Wooyeon just didn’t know. Considering he hadn’t known Dohyeon was an alpha, not noticing the smoking wasn’t surprising either.“He probably didn’t hear you, right?”Seongyu whispered quietly. It took a moment for Wooyeon to realize what he meant, but when he recalled what he’d said earlier, he nodded.“…Yeah, probably.”Beyond their line of sight, Dohyeon exhaled more smoke, not even glancing at Wooyeon. For some reason, the smell of pheromone-laced smoke was particularly unpleasant.* * *As if he didn’t hear? Yeah, right.“…Do you have something to say?”Wooyeon’s lips trembled slightly. He tried to keep his tone polite as he looked at Dohyeon. Leaning his chin on his hand, Dohyeon just shook his head, saying it was nothing.Why does someone who says it’s nothing keep staring? But Wooyeon didn’t have the courage to actually say that out loud.