"WHY ARE you sulking, Baek Jeho?" Cho Euntak complained while his boyfriend was driving him to the hospital. "Are you really upset that Heedo Hyung-nim booked me a consultation with the famous Dr. Seong Kyungmin?"

"I’m not upset that Heedo Hyung booked you a consultation with Dr. Seong. He’s my doctor, so I know he’s trustworthy," Baek Jeho said, his eyes glued to the road as he was driving. "I’m just upset with myself because I didn’t realize that you were meeting a quack doctor all this time. I should have guided you better since I knew you were a late bloomer."

Ah, so that was why his boyfriend was sulking.

But...

"It’s not like it’s a fact that my doctor is a quack," Cho Euntak said defensively. "He has a license, you know? And he’s working at a big hospital."

"You’ll be surprised at how many medical practitioners got their positions not because of their skills, but because of their connections— and it’s especially true for doctors working in big hospitals."

"Oh."

"Plus, Heedo Hyung is right to call your doctor a quack," Baek Jeho said, frowning. "Your pheromone level increased, but he didn’t do any tests to find out the cause. He just increased the dosage of your suppressants. How lazy! That alone tells me everything I need to know about what kind of doctor he is— an incompetent one."

Harsh, but true.

"Okay, I get it. Don’t be upset. Next time, I’ll tell you first if I feel under the weather. Then I’ll let you take care of everything for me," Cho Euntak promised Baek Jeho. "Don’t complain if I start to feel like a burden to you, though."

"That will never happen, Euntak-ah— I love taking care of you."

Aww.

"Is it really strange that my pheromone level increased?" Cho Euntak asked curiously. "My doctor didn’t look concerned, so I didn’t think it was uncommon."

"It’s because your doctor is lazy and incompetent," Baek Jeho said bluntly. "Alphas’ pheromones don’t really increase for no reason. It usually happens when an Alpha starts a sexual relationship with an Omega."

"Ah, that’s definitely not the cause for the change in my pheromone level."

"I know. The other reason that I know of sounds ridiculous."

"What is it?"

"Have you heard of the thing called Hyper-Dominant Alphas?"

"Isn’t that a myth?"

"Yeah. An Alpha class higher than a Dominant Alpha sounds like bullshit. Dominant Alphas are already akin to superhumans. Imagine a class higher than that," Baek Jeho said while shaking his head. "But we never know."

Pfft.

Cho Euntak couldn’t help but chuckle. "Jeho-ya, if I turn into a Hyper-Dominant Alpha, I might finally have the courage to top you."

Baek Jeho smiled, his mood obviously better now. "I’d love to see you try, Euntak-ah."

***

DR. SEONG is very meticulous.

Cho Euntak thought that, at most, it would be over after his blood was drawn.

But no.

Dr. Seong Kyungmin, with Cho Euntak’s permission, asked for his old records from his current (soon-to-be former) doctor. In just a few minutes, his current doctor had already sent all of his previous medical records to Dr. Seong Kyungmin via email.

Then, after that, the consultation session started.

"Cho Euntak-ssi, are you sure you want that brat to be here?" Dr. Seong Kyungmin asked, glancing at Baek Jeho, who was seated next to Cho Euntak. "We can kick him out if you want."

Baek Jeho complained. "Hyung, why are you being mean to me? I’m also your client..."

"Yes, but Cho Euntak-ssi is my client for today. So, he’s my top priority."

Aww.

"It’s alright, Dr. Seong," Cho Euntak said. "I want Baek Jeho to stay and listen to our conversation. I’ll be more comfortable that way."

Baek Jeho smiled and held Cho Euntak’s hand.

He’s so easy to please.

"Alright, then," Dr. Seong Kyungmin said. "Now, let me ask you, Cho Euntak-ssi. Can I ask very personal questions? I promise all my questions have something to do with your condition. I wouldn’t ask otherwise."

Oh.

"You can trust Kyungmin Hyung, Euntak-ah," Baek Jeho said encouragingly. "He’s a professional, and he’s very tight-lipped."

That was a relief, then.

Cho Euntak felt shy, but he knew that he shouldn’t hide things from the doctor. "It’s alright, Dr. Seong. Please ask away."

Dr. Seong Kyungmin nodded. "Then let me ask first: are you sexually active right now?"

"N-No, sir. I don’t have experience yet..."

"I see. You’re dating Baek Jeho, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"How long have you been dating?" 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"A month, sir."

"Actually, it’s thirty-two days, twenty hours, eight minutes," Baek Jeho said proudly, smiling. "But Euntak and I have known each since we were in high school, Hyung..." He suddenly trailed off, and then his smile instantly vanished. "Hyung, am I affecting Euntak’s pheromones? Even though he’s an Alpha like me?"

Oh?

"You’re quick-witted," Dr. Seong Kyungmin said while nodding. "First, let me tell you the result of the blood test."

Cho Euntak gulped nervously.

"Euntak-ssi, your pheromone level dropped below the average pheromone level that even a Recessive Alpha like you should have."

Cho Euntak’s eyes widened in shock. "It dropped that much? But my doctor said it actualluy increased? Did he give me a wrong diagnosis?"

"No, it’s not like that. I checked the result of your last pheromone level test. And it’s true that your pheromones had increased back then. However, the new result shows that your pheromones have dropped to a very low level."

"But there’s only like a two-week difference between my last check-up and now. How did my pheromones suddenly drop like that? It’s not normal, is it?"

"Yes, it’s definitely not normal," Dr. Seong Kyungmin said while nodding. "At first, I thought sleeping with Baek Jeho has affected your pheromones. However, since you two haven’t done the deed yet, then that’s out of the options." The doctor then glanced at Baek Jeho. "Hey, Jeho-ya. I strongly suggest that you stop showering Euntak-ssi with your pheromones in the meantime."

Ah, yes.

It was true that Baek Jeho had a habit of covering Cho Euntak with his pheromones.

And I let him do that because I thought it was normal for Alphas to do that to their partners. Sohee Hyung is always covered in Heedo Hyung-nim’s pheromones.

"Okay, I’ll follow your advice, Hyung," Baek Jeho said defeatedly. "What else should I be careful of?"

Dr. Seong Kyungmin looked back and forth between Cho Euntak and Baek Jeho. "It pains me to say this to two young, healthy people in a happy relationship. But please don’t sleep with each other in the meantime."

Oh.

Cho Euntak blushed at what Dr. Seong Kyungmin said.

He thought Baek Jeho would be upset, but his boyfriend’s reaction didn’t change much.

And he could tell why.

Jeho is more worried about my condition than his desires.

That was touching.

"Okay, Hyung. I understand," Baek Jeho said while nodding. "What else can we do in the meantime?"

"We’ll have to draw Euntak-ssi’s blood again for a different test this time," Dr. Seong Kyungmin said, looking at Cho Euntak. "Euntak-ssi, we need to do a deeper analysis using your blood and pheromones. The result for this kind of test usually takes at least two weeks. But since this seems like an emergency, I’ll talk to the team in charge of the test to get the result as soon as possible."

"Is it that bad, Dr. Seong?" Cho Euntak asked worriedly. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"That’s what we’re trying to find," Dr. Seong Kyungmin said. "But don’t worry, Euntak-ssi. I’ll make sure to find the reason why your pheromone level keeps changing in the shortest time possible."

The doctor looked very trustworthy, so that helped Cho Euntak calm down.

I’m in good hands.

"Thank you for the assurance, Dr. Seong," Cho Euntak said. "I’ll leave it to your capable hands, then."

Until the consultation was over, Baek Jeho just kept his mouth shut.

Aigoo.

He’s really worried about me, huh?

***

"EUNTAK-ah, what do you think of moving back to your parents’ house in the meantime?"

"Do I have to?" Cho Euntak asked while eyeing the dishes on the table. Every single dish there was known for helping improve one’s health, like the samgye-tang (aka ginseng chicken soup) that he wasn’t really a fan of. "I’m not that sick, Jeho-ya. Even though my pheromone level keeps changing, I feel fine. So, there’s no reason to move back to my parents’ house."

Baek Jeho was clearly taking his health seriously.

As soon as they were done with the consultation with Dr. Seong Kyungmin, Baek Jeho brought him to a restaurant famous for serving healthy dishes.

"If I could, I would move in with you to take care of you," Baek Jeho said while putting meat on Cho Euntak’s plate. "But I’m afraid that my pheromones might affect yours negatively, so I’ll try not to hang around you too much until the result is out."

Aigoo.

If Baek Jeho was this serious about Cho Euntak’s condition, then...

Maybe I should take this seriously as well.

"Alright, then. I’ll move back to my parents’ house in the meantime," Cho Euntak said, causing Baek Jeho to let out a relieved sigh. "Don’t worry too much, Jeho-ya— I’m fine."

***

CHO EUNTAK wasn’t fine.

Six days after his consultation session with Dr. Seong Kyungmin, his abdomen suddenly began hurting like hell.

To be fair, his stomach felt ’funny’ for the past few days.

But he ignored it because he was busy with school.

However, this time...

It freaking hurts!

Cho Euntak felt like he was about to faint at any moment.

***

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