Woosung Alpha’s Sour Grapes

Chapter 11

…That omega.

Hyeon-woo’s shoulders, which had been tense, finally relaxed.

Thank goodness. It seemed Tae-geon hadn’t guessed at all that these pheromones were his own. Hyeon-woo felt relief at this fact, along with an inexplicable disappointment.

To answer the question, Hyeon-woo recited the scenario he had concocted while sitting on the swing earlier:

“I got a message saying they had come nearby to meet me. It was sudden, so I met them right out front, but ah, actually it wasn’t the day we had originally planned to meet, and they said their heat cycle had suddenly come. Anyway, we were heading to a hotel when I realized I’d left my wallet behind. I ran into you while coming back to get it.”

He smoothly delivered the lines he had rehearsed in his head countless times.

“So, earlier I wasn’t in my right mind because I was too excited. I was in a hurry. I’m really sorry for behaving that way towards you.”

The finish was perfect.

Tae-geon’s dark eyes, which had been watching Hyeon-woo spout lies like flowing water with an unreadable expression, began to turn cold.

“…I see. Alright.”

Sensing a sudden chilling aura in the low voice, Hyeon-woo quickly raised his head to examine Tae-geon’s face once more, but again found nothing unusual.

Although he was in a position where he had to use lies to avoid the situation, it was a proper conversation with Tae-geon after a long time.

Despite the guilt and self-loathing, Hyeon-woo felt great satisfaction and happiness from this brief exchange of gazes and words with Tae-geon, enough to offset any pain, rendering his efforts to avoid Tae-geon due to conscience and self-contempt meaningless.

He never dreamed there would come a day when he would attach so much meaning to the act of exchanging glances and words, engaging in casual conversation. Hyeon-woo realized once again how much he liked Tae-geon, to an extent he couldn’t control.

Even if it’s selfish, I can’t help it. I’ll do anything as long as I can be by his side.

He could tell these lies a hundred or a thousand times.

The pain of his soul being torn to shreds when confronting the greedy and ugly subject reflected in Tae-geon’s glass-like eyes towards him was still there, but he decided to endure it all. Because giving up being by Tae-geon’s side would be hundreds of times more painful.

Fortunately, seeing that Tae-geon didn’t suspect at all that the pheromones of an omega entering their heat cycle were his own, Hyeon-woo became confident that hiding his trait wouldn’t be as difficult as he thought. At this rate, it seemed there would be no problems in his relationship with Tae-geon in the future.

Thinking this way, his mind became clear. Hyeon-woo ended all his intense internal conflicts. He decided not to waste any more unnecessary emotional energy. He realized that petty guilt would be of no help in his future course of action, having decided to deceive Tae-geon and stay by his side for life.

Finally liberated from the anguish that had been tormenting him, Hyeon-woo cheerfully finished the recycling, helping Tae-geon.

“Done! Let’s go in quickly!”

After exclaiming with relief while dusting off his hands, he began walking ahead with light steps. Even after reaching the front of the house, when he felt no presence beside him and turned around, he saw Tae-geon standing motionless in the same spot as before, far away. The black figure shrouded in darkness was somehow eerie and uncanny.

Hyeon-woo swallowed hard and waved at Tae-geon, urging him:

“What are you doing there? Come quickly. I’m going in first.”

As Hyeon-woo disappeared into the house hurriedly like a frightened squirrel, one corner of Tae-geon’s mouth twisted vilely as he watched with a menacing aura.

“…You seem quite proud of having deceived me…”

Tae-geon’s eyes, immersed in darkness, glinted dangerously like a beast before the hunt.

Don’t be too happy, Hyeon-woo.

Now it’s my turn to deceive you.

*

After changing into comfortable clothes, Hyeon-woo immediately headed to the kitchen where Tae-geon was. The bubbling smell of kimchi stew stimulated Hyeon-woo’s hunger, who hadn’t eaten anything all day.

How long has it been since I’ve tasted home-cooked food? With his appetite soaring for once, Hyeon-woo kept moistening his lips with his red tongue. This made his already smooth lips glisten with saliva, looking even more sensual.

Tae-geon, who was transferring freshly cooked rice to an empty bowl with a rice paddle, clicked his tongue softly. He had been walking around with ‘insolent omega’ practically written on his face, but Tae-geon hadn’t noticed. The more he thought about it, the more foolish he felt for being deceived.

He had turned off all the lights in the house, pretending to be asleep, but when Hyeon-woo hesitated to come in, he had deliberately staged a coincidence to bring him inside.

As soon as they entered the enclosed house, the familiar omega pheromones along with unfamiliar alpha pheromones began to emanate more strongly from Hyeon-woo.

He had expected Hyeon-woo to come back after being with some other alpha bastard, given how he had run out, but facing it right in front of him like this made him feel like his insides were turning over.

Unaware that Tae-geon was looking at him with fierce eyes, Hyeon-woo stirred the bubbling pot with a ladle and exclaimed in admiration:

“This really looks so delicious.”

Hyeon-woo’s cheeks were flushed pink like rose petals as he turned to look at Tae-geon.

“Tae-geon, you know what? Your kimchi stew is the most delicious in the world to me!”

Tae-geon almost burst out laughing in Hyeon-woo’s face as he smiled innocently at him.

So this is how it was.

Behind that pure-looking face was the reality of someone who played around shamelessly with alphas and schemed to deceive him.

He wanted to see that detestable face crumble.

Thick veins bulged on the back of Tae-geon’s hand as he tightly gripped the bowl. The ceramic bowl made a creaking sound in his hand, which had tensed unconsciously. Hyeon-woo, turning around at the strange sound from behind his shoulder, accidentally spilled some of the stew he was transferring to the soup bowl.

“You’ll spill it all. You should hold the bowl close to the pot when transferring. Here, let me.”

As he took the ladle, naturally pressing his body close to Hyeon-woo, Tae-geon gritted his teeth inwardly.

I wonder which alpha bastard it is this time.

Concentrating all his senses on his sense of smell, he gently buried his nose in Hyeon-woo’s soft hair, and simultaneously—

Crack!

The bowl in Tae-geon’s left hand shattered.

Clang- Clang-

Glass shards with sharp edges fell haphazardly onto the counter and floor, screaming shrilly. Blood flowed over them, quickly forming a red puddle.

“Oh… What… Blood, blood…. Wait a moment…”

Hyeon-woo, his face turning pale, rushed to the living room in a panic. Tae-geon irritably threw the ladle he was holding into the sink and rubbed his throbbing head.

Pheromones with a fishy smell starting to decay.

An aged body. A degenerate alpha that even back-alley omegas would avoid, having nothing to offer.

That alpha was Hyeon-woo’s partner this time.

Hyeon-woo appeared with a first aid kit and a damp towel, carefully wiping Tae-geon’s palm and meticulously checking for any embedded glass shards. Fortunately, it seemed the muscle hadn’t been pierced.

Nevertheless, because the injured area was wide and cut deeper than expected, the bleeding wouldn’t stop easily even after applying disinfectant and attempting to staunch it.

As Hyeon-woo tended to the wound with a worried expression, fresh reddish-purple kiss marks were visible inside the collar of his bent neck.

Blood vessels stood out in the whites of Tae-geon’s eyes. His opposite fist, clenched so tightly that tendons bulged, trembled slightly as if convulsing with anger.

*

After finishing first aid, they headed to the hospital early the next day.

Tae-geon needed five stitches in his palm. Fortunately, there was no major issue, but because he had injured the palm, which moves the most, the doctor recommended suture surgery, saying that the wound might keep opening and hinder healing.

After checking for any remaining glass fragments in the wound, partial anesthesia was administered and the surgery proceeded immediately.

Meanwhile, Hyeon-woo took care of the prescription, buying the medication Tae-geon needed to take and supplies for dressing the wound.

Three times a day, 30 minutes after meals.

Three times a day, 30 minutes after meals.

He recited the instructions written on the medication packet several times in his mind so as not to forget. As he looked down at the medication packet with Tae-geon’s name written on it, a certain childhood memory suddenly rose like a hazy smoke.

‘Mister, why does Tae-geon take medicine?’

It was not long after he had started visiting Tae-geon’s mansion.

‘You give Tae-geon the medicine he takes, right? I know everything. You’re Tae-geon’s big shot doctor, aren’t you?’

‘…Hyeon-woo.’

He had blocked the way of Tae-geon’s primary care physician who was leaving the mansion after finishing the examination, packing his house call bag.

At that time, not knowing that Tae-geon was suffering from mental illnesses and related secondary issues due to his hatred of omegas, Hyeon-woo had an instinctive aversion to the more than half a dozen types of prescription drugs for Tae-geon.

‘Tae-geon eats well now and is strong. He runs better than me and always wins at rock-paper-scissors. But why does he take medicine? Is Tae-geon sick somewhere?’

Hyeon-woo’s voice conveyed not just simple curiosity, but genuine concern for his friend. The doctor knelt on one knee and slowly stroked Hyeon-woo’s head.

‘Some illnesses can’t be seen with the eyes. It’s the same when the heart is hurting.’

‘Is Tae-geon’s heart hurting now? Why?’

‘……’

‘Because he’s sad? Is Tae-geon sad?’

‘Yes, so Hyeon-woo needs to help a lot.’

Whenever sadness was mentioned, Choco always came to mind. Hyeon-woo nodded slowly, remembering Choco, the chocolate milk-colored poodle puppy who had gone to heaven early due to illness.

When Choco died, he couldn’t even go to kindergarten and spent the whole day lying on the bed crying. His heart hurt so much that he couldn’t eat or sleep. Tears kept coming at all hours.

Tae-geon’s heart must be hurting now too.

Recalling his own experience of having a sick heart, Hyeon-woo tried to understand the pain Tae-geon must be going through.

He will surely overcome it. Just like himself, who can now hold back tears even though thinking about Choco still makes him sad.

Until then, he wanted to be there to support him.

It was a thought he had every day since the moment he first saw Tae-geon, smaller and more fragile than himself. It was partly due to his nature of not being able to just stand by and watch a delicate and weak life, but also because of his desire to watch over Tae-geon, who looked as pretty as an angel from a fairy tale, for a long time.

‘So Hyeon-woo needs to help a lot.’

The doctor’s words echoed in his mind.

I need to help a lot.

The resolution he had mulled over countless times for years, volunteering to stay by Tae-geon’s side, brushed his heart anew.

As Tae-geon’s height and build began to far surpass his own, the medication packets with Tae-geon’s name that were no longer noticeable – looking down at them again now after more than a decade made him feel strange.

The faded emotions of protective instinct, responsibility, and sense of mission he had felt towards Tae-geon in childhood stirred up Hyeon-woo’s heart like a sandstorm.