ATGRA 18

While treating Jung Pureum to a meal, I pressed him about what his “secret” was. Normally, he’s the type to spill even his bank account PIN if I push him this much, but this time, he kept his mouth shut tight, as if there was really something going on.

It felt a bit awkward to keep grilling him while he was eating so heartily, so I changed the subject.

“What’s the deal with that coach? Why’s he so hard on you?”

“The coach?”

“Yeah. From what I saw, you were running the hardest, but he was only picking on you.”

Jung Pureum put down his spoon and lowered his gaze with a sad expression. Finally, I thought, it’s time for him to tell me the story of his bad blood with the coach.

But contrary to my expectations, Jung Pureum kept his mouth shut and dodged the topic, saying the coach was like that with the other kids too. Why start to say something and then stop?

“I saw it with my own eyes, so what’s that supposed to mean?”

“More importantly, hyung, you came close to watch us train?”

“Yeah. You weren’t answering, so I went. I didn’t go into the gym, just watched the outdoor training.”

“Why’d you do that? That’s dangerous.”

His voice, laced with worry, was directed at me.

Even though I was the one worried about him, I couldn’t help but feel irritated. I didn’t even go inside the gym, just watched the outdoor training from a distance, and I’m getting this kind of concern?

Sure, the sports world is dominated by Alphas, so it’s definitely risky for an Omega like me, even a recessive one, to get too close. Omegas without a bonded partner are vulnerable to Alpha pheromones.

Plus, I’m not even a dominant Omega; I’m recessive. A dominant Omega might handle it better, but as a recessive, I’m naturally weaker to the hierarchy. Even now, the pheromones from those sweaty guys were turning my stomach and killing my appetite.

But aside from that, Jung Pureum worrying about me just for watching his training from afar was really a blow to my pride. I watched him win medals in elementary school!

“Auntie, can you get me a bottle of soju?”

I wasn’t hungry, but I was craving a drink. This damn world. I figured I’d borrow the power of alcohol to ignore my hurt feelings.

“You’re drinking?”

“I won’t drink much. You don’t drink.”

“If we’re not drinking together, how are you gonna finish a whole bottle by yourself?”

“Your hyung can handle his liquor. Don’t worry.”

“Hyung, your limit is barely one bottle of soju.”

“Hey now.”

What do you know about the bitterness of life? I poured the soju Auntie brought into a beer glass instead of a shot glass.

Jung Pureum’s eyes trembled as he looked back and forth between me and the glass. His “Are you sure about this?” sounded more like “You scared?”

“Considering your career, it’s a good thing you became an Alpha.”

“…”

“Sometimes I feel a bit hurt. It feels like our relationship’s changed just because of one trait.”

After downing the soju-filled beer glass in one go, the words bottled up inside me started spilling out.

It’s not something I’d usually say. But maybe because it’d been so long since I’d seen Jung Pureum, I couldn’t hold back. It was because my feelings were scratched by his concern.

Jung Pureum looked at me with a strange expression, then took the remaining soju from me. There was still about a glass left. I hated to waste it, but since I had to go to the clinic tomorrow, I didn’t stop him.

“How has our relationship changed?”

“Huh?”

“I think it’s the same. To you, whether I’m a Beta or an Alpha, I’m just your cute little brother, right?”

Just a cute little brother? He’s the precious neighbor kid I cherish like a real brother.

When I nodded, Jung Pureum smiled with an enlightened, Buddha-like expression. His “I knew it” attitude was absurd.

“But it can’t be exactly the same as when you were a Beta. Remember when I collapsed?”

“Yeah. Before that TV appearance.”

“The Western doctor said that if I keep taking herbal medicine and staying around Alphas, my body’s bound to wear out.”

“…”

“Thinking about it, maybe that’s why Jung Saebom’s been cold to me. No matter how close we are, I’m an outsider Omega, so it must’ve been uncomfortable for her.”

As I rambled on about what I wanted to say, I quickly felt tipsy. I don’t usually get drunk this easily, but drinking straight soju on an empty stomach must’ve hit me faster than usual.

Still, it was just the right amount of buzz to feel good. A bit hazy, but my rationality was still intact.

“So, it’ll be hard for us to be as close as before. Since you’re an Alpha and I’m an Omega, we’ll inevitably affect each other. I’m not saying I won’t take responsibility for you after signing that contract…”

“Then just sleep with me.”

I spilled the soju I was sipping. …Is this kid crazy? I hurriedly grabbed tissues to wipe my wet hands and the table.

The buzz I’d been feeling was doused like a bucket of cold water over my head by Jung Pureum’s words.

“If it’s tough because of pheromone exposure, if it’s hard because of your heat cycle… you could just sleep with me. I’m an Alpha now too.”

From behind, I clearly heard Auntie, who was serving us, muttering about how kids these days are so shameless. Can’t you pretend not to hear? She always catches everything.

Anyway, I was so shocked I was speechless. Since he can’t legally sue me, is he trying to cuff me in a different way?

It was too serious to brush off as a joke. I glanced at the soju bottle. Weird. Jung Pureum hasn’t had a single sip.

“Pureum-ah. How am I supposed to sleep with you?”

I started calmly soothing Jung Pureum. Right, this is all the coach’s fault. The coach pushed him too hard, so he’s saying stuff like this.

But Jung Pureum rebelliously retorted, asking why we couldn’t. Is this some teenage phase scarier than middle school syndrome?

“The reason I was avoiding you was because I went through my first rut.”

“…What?”

To think I’d hear the secret he wouldn’t spill no matter how much I pressed like this.

It was a relief he couldn’t keep things from me, but the revealed secret was a bit much. An Alpha’s rut wasn’t something I could help with.

Since Jung Pureum was the only known case of becoming an Alpha at nineteen, I’d let my guard down. I figured since he’s an Alpha, he’d experience a rut, but since it was a late manifestation, I naively thought it’d be fine.

Plus, as a dominant Alpha, he was more sensitive to pheromones. Overcoming it with medicine and willpower, like I do, only works up to recessive Omegas. There’s a reason Lee Seolwoo takes more herbs than me.

Since I’d thought of him as a cute Beta brother, I assumed Jung Pureum would somehow skip the rut other Alphas go through. Even if he had one, I thought it’d be mild or come much later.

Even if he’s a bit uncomfortable about it, I need to introduce him to Lee Seolwoo, a dominant Omega, as soon as possible. They might not be into dating, but who knows if they’d click for cycle relief.

“You said you’d take responsibility for me.”

“Uh…”

“I don’t see why we can’t sleep together.”

Jung Pureum, playing the pity card, poured the remaining soju into the water glass in front of him with a determined air, like he was going to drink it himself.

I hurriedly reached out, snatched his glass, and downed it myself to keep him from getting it back. An athlete drinking? No way.

I thought logically. We did sign a contract as Alpha and Omega to avoid a lawsuit. It wasn’t just verbal; it was written.

Sure, I skimmed it before signing, and without a notary, it probably wouldn’t hold up in court, but a promise is a promise.

So, do I have to take responsibility for Jung Pureum’s rut?

…Ugh, no way. That’s not right. We’re like family.

“Look… I’ll introduce you to a dominant Omega as soon as I can.”

Jung Pureum is a trustworthy Alpha, all things considered. But sleeping with him? No matter how I think about it, that’s absurd. When he was in elementary school, I was in college! The ethics boards across the country, not just the herbalist association, would never forgive me.

I was the one drinking, but Jung Pureum slammed his head on the table. I reached out in shock.

For him to act so strangely, it’s definitely the coach’s fault. I mentally flipped off the coach I’d never even spoken to.

Corrupting my adorable, angelic neighbor kid Jung Pureum? I’ll never forgive him.

*

They say you should pull out a bull’s horn while it’s hot. Koreans love things quick, so getting stuff done fast feels satisfying.

Our clinic was steadily growing. Since a rental space opened upstairs, I was looking into expanding the business.

While things were going well, I decided to force a meeting between Lee Seolwoo and Jung Pureum. So I called Jung Pureum to the clinic during Lee Seolwoo’s appointment time.

Kim Miyoung, who was coordinating the schedule, wailed again. Oh, oh… With her inexplicable lamentations as background music, I prepared to orchestrate a meeting at the clinic, version 1.

I tried to arrange a gentle meeting elsewhere, but Jung Pureum resisted too much.

But after hearing about his rut, I felt obligated to introduce him to another Omega ASAP. It’s definitely not about shirking responsibility onto someone else.

“Our Pureum… what do we do?”

Nam Jungyoon sighed alongside Kim Miyoung.

They barely talked, so when did they get so close? Hearing “our Pureum” grated on me. Our Pureum? Why’s he your Pureum?

Anyway, Jung Pureum was set to visit the clinic under the pretense of a date with me, completely unaware. Once they’re in the same room, I’d cue the love house background music, say “Hope you two get along!” and be done.

Nam Jungyoon criticized my plan as “something only someone who’s never made real friends would think of,” but I’m not the type to crumble under such harsh judgment.

“Hyung!”

Just then, the bell above the clinic door jingled.

For once, Jung Pureum looked bright, saying he’d planned a whole date course and hugged me tightly. Kim Miyoung sighed heavily behind me.

Haha, he can just follow that date course with Lee Seolwoo. I patted Jung Pureum’s back affectionately, waiting for Lee Seolwoo to arrive.

Come, sweet dominant Omega!