RACA 75

After coming home, Eunsol took the cat beside him and tried to go straight to his room. There had been so many things that day that he thought he could fall asleep right away.

“Eunsol.”

If the gentle call hadn’t stopped him, he would’ve gone. Eunsol turned around in shock. Jaebeom’s eyes, with his arms crossed, looked softer than ever before.

What surprised him even more was the way Jaebeom called him.

“Wha, wha…”

“What?”

“No, um, I just…”

Since Jaebeom asked, Eunsol had to give a reason, but words wouldn’t come out. That’s how people are. When they’re too startled, they can’t even decide what to say. Especially when it’s something completely unexpected like now.

“Do you not like it? Me calling you that?”

His affectionate tone made it impossible for Eunsol to shake his head no, just like in the car earlier. He had only frozen because of how sudden it was. He couldn’t possibly dislike how warmly Jaebeom treated him.

“Then I’ll keep doing it.”

“Y-you, Pyo Jaebeom-ssi, doesn’t it feel awkward?”

Just saying that made him feel like he didn’t know where to put himself. Why was that Alpha so calm about it? He could only think that top actors were built different.

“Isn’t that how people in relationships are? Usually they talk casually first.”

“I-is that so?”

How would he know when he’d never dated anyone.

“Well, I only ever did relationships through acting, so I wouldn’t know. What about you?”

“M-me…?”

Now that Jaebeom had even used the informal ‘you,’ Eunsol’s face turned red like an apple.

“Meow.”

“Meow!”

The cat, apparently unable to stand watching the two of them anymore, meowed in protest.

“See, Jongjong agrees.”

“How could you tell that?”

Eunsol glared at Jaebeom, who just said whatever came to mind, then stroked the top of the cat’s head as its tail flicked.

The round eyes curved like half-moons, and the full tail swayed. Just petting it made Eunsol feel a little better.

Since things had gone this far, he decided to soothe the cat a little more and took the snack he had prepared earlier from his pocket.

“Don’t give him that. He’s getting fat.”

“This is a normal weight. And he was alone all day today, so it’s fine.”

“He plays fine on his own anyway.”

Jaebeom laughed and said it was nonsense. Eunsol sometimes doubted whether that Alpha really knew how to take care of a cat.

Judging by the massive cat tower in the officetel, Jaebeom seemed to have put in some effort, but since he didn’t come home often, Eunsol wondered how much time he had actually spent with the cat.

“That’s why Jongjong’s more attached to me than to you, Pyo Jaebeom-ssi.”

He stuttered less than before, but he still sounded awkward using that name. Jaebeom’s eyebrow twitched. But knowing that Eunsol was at least trying, he let it go.

“More like he thinks you’re the same kind.”

“Huh? How do you mean?”

Eunsol glared at Jaebeom. What did he mean by saying he looked like this big cat?

He hardly had any facial hair, shaving maybe once a week, so people often said his skin looked smooth.

And he wasn’t even big like the cat clinging to him.

“Your temperament.”

“What about it?”

So it wasn’t about his looks, but about his personality? That was even harder to agree with.

“Meow!”

As if agreeing with Eunsol, the cat meowed loudly. Its tail hit the floor with thump sounds, showing its irritation.

Jaebeom thought that was exactly what made them alike, but he didn’t say it aloud. Instead, he uncrossed his arms and stepped closer to the two standing side by side.

Eunsol instinctively stepped back. But Jaebeom wasn’t after him. His goal was the cat, which looked much more relaxed after eating the treat.

“You both cause trouble the moment I take my eyes off you.”

“When did I ever?”

As he answered, Eunsol followed Jaebeom’s hand with his eyes. The man’s long fingers stopped at one spot on the cat’s fur.

“Meow, meow.”

Jaebeom ran his hand over the same place several times, but it wouldn’t go down smoothly. The cat starting meowing again as if it were complaining.

“Jongjong, what did you do to get your fur all tangled like this?”

“When did this happen?”

Eunsol’s eyebrows drooped as guilt filled him for not noticing sooner even though he was the one giving treats.

“It happens often, so don’t feel bad. Just tell Bulgom to take him to the veterinary clinic tomorrow.”

At Jaebeom’s casual words, Eunsol tilted his head.

“He needs to go to the clinic?”

Maybe Jaebeom caught the doubt in his tone, thinking he could just trim it at home, so he shook his head.

“Cats are sensitive. It’s better to leave it to a professional. And he’s double-coated, so he needs more care.”

“Oh… I wondered why his fur looked so thick. It’s because he’s double-coated.”

Eunsol crouched down to take a closer look at the cat, but before his knees could bend, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist and lifted him off the ground.

“Huh?”

“You’re in early pregnancy. You can’t crouch.”

“I was only trying to sit on the floor…”

“It’s not good to sit on cold floors.”

Eunsol didn’t actually feel that cold, but he couldn’t say anything. More accurately, he didn’t have the time or focus to care.

“Where are we going?”

His own room was right in front of him, but it was getting farther away. From the direction, it looked like they were heading toward Jaebeom’s room.

“From today, we’ll sleep together.”

“What? Why, why, why?”

His words stumbled from surprise. Anyone would react like that after suddenly being told to sleep together.

“That way I can take better care of you.”

“I don’t think that’s right!”

“What do you mean it’s not? You have to be careful even when you’re sleeping, right?”

There was no reasoning that could make that sound logical. Eunsol kicked his legs and struggled to get out of Jaebeom’s arms. But the man’s grip was so strong that he couldn’t break free at all.

To be honest, Eunsol wasn’t using much strength either. Being carried like that made him nervous, but also, part of him liked being held by Jaebeom.

Thud.

While he weakly resisted, Eunsol was already inside the room and gently placed on the wide bed. The soft cushion under his back made his eyes blink very quickly.

Maybe it was because the Alpha filled his whole view.

“No matter how much you look, nothing more’s happening tonight.”

“Wha, wha, what…mmph!”

He didn’t even have time to speak. Eunsol’s tongue tangled as Jaebeom’s lips caught his, and his complaint melted away.

Jaebeom took his breath and warmth all at once and pulled away, leaving only heat behind.

“Even if you want more, this is as far as it goes.”

“I don’t want more.”

What does he even think of me? Wasn’t Jaebeom the one being the bold one earlier?

Naturally, Eunsol recalled the scene from a few hours ago in the car that had made his face burn.

“What are you thinking about? Your ears are red again.”

“I wasn’t thinking anything.”

“You were.”

Why did he keep touching his ears like that? Eunsol didn’t try to push him away, but he turned his head side to side.

If Jaebeom said he looked like a cat again, what kind of face would he make?

While thinking that, Jaebeom decided to tease him differently and kissed Eunsol’s smooth forehead instead.

“Sleep.”

He brushed warmth over Eunsol’s heavy eyelids. His touch slid down, stroking his eyes, his brow, the bridge of his nose, and ended with another light kiss on his lips. Eunsol closed his eyes.

“Jaebeom… ssi.”

Leaving out the surname made the name sound sweeter. Jaebeom ran his tongue along the corner of his lips.

His pheromones spread softly through the air, not as temptation but to help his Omega rest comfortably.

“You shouldn’t say that.”

Drunk on the gentle kisses and the familiar scent, Eunsol mumbled in protest.

“Yeah, I won’t.”

Swallowing his own disappointment, Jaebeom lay down beside him. At first he stayed still, but soon he turned toward Eunsol, who was breathing evenly.

With his lips slightly parted in sleep, Eunsol looked gentle.

“Good night.”

There was no reply now. After a moment of hesitation, Jaebeom reached out. He rested his arm over Eunsol’s thin shoulder, and when there was no reaction, he moved a little closer.

When his nose brushed the soft crown of Eunsol’s head, a faint strawberry scent, sweet like honey, drifted up. Only then did his own eyes close.

Soon the room filled with their calm breathing and the trace of pheromones.