Married For Now-Chapter 76: IN THE NOW

AH.

Sohee closed his eyes and savored the pleasant scent of Kim Heedo’s pheromones in the car. Granted that it was a closed space, he still couldn’t deny that his husband’s scent was stronger than usual.

And he knew why.

Kim Heedo’s rut is really near.

It had been a week since Kim Heedo told Sohee that his rut was coming soon (pun intended), but he could say that Kim Heedo’s pheromones just kept getting stronger and stronger each day.

"Hyung, do you like my scent that much?"

"Yes," Sohee said bluntly, and then he opened his eyes. As expected, Kim Heedo was driving carefully as his eyes were glued to the road. "I think your rut is really near, Heedo-ya. Your pheromones smell stronger than usual."

"Is that so?" Kim Heedo paused for a moment. "This is the first time I didn’t take rut suppressants, so I’m not sure just how stronger my pheromones have become. But maybe I should wear perfume. I don’t want to accidentally make other Alphas and Omegas uncomfortable."

Oh, right.

That could happen.

Fortunately, there are perfumes that help Alphas and Omegas cover their scent during their rut and heat cycle, respectively. Those perfumes are expensive, though.

But it wasn’t like Kim Heedo had to worry about money.

"Go ahead and use a perfume," Sohee said encouragingly. "And be extra careful today, Heedo-ya. You wouldn’t want to accidentally seduce half of the student population with your pheromones."

"Don’t worry, Hyung," Kim Heedo assured him. "People don’t usually approach me anyway since I look like a jerk."

We love a self-aware king.

"Hyung, can I ask you a personal question?"

Hmm?

It was rare for Kim Heedo to ask Sohee a personal question, so he got curious.

"Go ahead."

"Hyung, do you not want to meet your mother and half-brother?"

Sohee was surprised by Kim Heedo’s question.

I did not expect that.

To be honest, Sohee was trying not to think about his mother and her new family.

"You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, Hyung."

"I’m not sure if I want to meet my mother since I’m feeling a bit conflicted at the moment," Sohee said, shrugging. "Do you want to meet my mother?"

"If Hyung wants me to, then I don’t mind."

Hmm.

To be honest, Sohee was already used to a life without his mother.

Of course, I miss Eomma. But after hearing that she’s living a good life now with her new family, I don’t know anymore. I especially don’t know what to feel about my half-brother.

"I feel conflicted," Sohee confessed in a soft voice. "I kinda want to see my mother, but I’m not sure if I want to meet my half-brother."

"Why not?"

"Because he had an easy life compared to mine. I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but I feel a bit resentful that he grew up in a happy and comfortable family while I didn’t. That our mother abandoned me only to give birth to him later," Sohee said, smiling bitterly. "With this awful mindset, I don’t have the right to be his older brother. I’m such a bad person, am I not?"

"Hyung, I would have mistaken you for a saint if you didn’t feel any sort of resentment towards your mother and her new family," Kim Heedo said bluntly, but he looked and sounded sincere. "Whether you’re right or wrong to have that mindset doesn’t matter to me. I won’t invalidate your feelings. After all, you’re just human. You’re allowed to feel that way. Most of all, I won’t ask you to be understanding or forgiving towards people who hurt you in the past just because they’re family."

"Are you teaching me to hold grudges?"

"Yeah, why not? I don’t want Hyung to be too kind for your own good. You won’t survive in this world if you’re too nice."

Pfft.

And, just like that, Sohee suddenly felt better. "Dude, you’re such a bad influence."

"It’s my way of protecting you, Hyung," Kim Heedo insisted. "You’ll thank me later."

No, Sohee was already grateful to Kim Heedo.

Now I feel less guilty that I chose not to tell you about my old phone being cloned.

Sohee decided to live ’in the now’ and let tomorrow’s Sohee deal with the consequences of his actions today.

***

"HEY, DON’T you think Heedo Sunbae-nim looks sexier than normal?"

"I know, right? I’m a Beta and I don’t smell his pheromones, but his natural body scent already smells really good. But there’s something about Heedo Sunbae-nim that makes him look and smell better than usual today."

"Hard agree. Heedo Sunbae-nim walked past me earlier, and I embarrassed myself when I made a loud sniffing noise. I just can’t help since he smells extra nice today! Heedo Sunbae-nim didn’t spare me a glance, but I saw his face contort in disgust when he heard me."

"No offense, but you kinda deserve that. I would have reacted the same."

"I know! It was my fault. It’s not like I blamed Heedo Sunbae-nim."

"Even though I know that Heedo Sunbae-nim is already married, I can’t help but feel attracted to him. I wonder why he looks so irresistible these days."

"I know, right? I almost got down on my knees and begged Heedo Sunbae-nim to let me have him for just one night."

"Ew! Stop being gross. Heedo Sunbae-nim is already married."

"Hey, Heedo Sunbae-nim is treated like an idol. As a fangirl, this is just how I usually talk about my oppas."

"Then maybe stop sexualizing your idols?"

"I’m not!"

Tsk.

Sohee was glad that he wore a hoodie and a beanie today.

He just had to pull the drawstrings of his hoodie to hide his face. Hopefully, people wouldn’t recognize him now since it would be awkward if the group of freshmen behind him realized that he could hear them fantasizing about his husband.

Fortunately, the kids stopped talking about Kim Heedo when two of the kids started fighting about sexualizing idols or something.

And then one of the kids walked out.

Eventually, the group dispersed and left the school dining hall.

Finally, I can eat in peace again.

"It must have been awkward hearing all of that, Sohee Hyung," Cho Euntak, sitting across from him, said worriedly. "We should have just eaten lunch outside."

Right.

They decided to eat at the school dining hall since their next class would start in forty-five minutes. The professor for that class was strict about being on time, so they wanted to come to the lecture hall early.

Hence, they didn’t leave the campus.

And I saw pork cutlet on the menu, so I was immediately sold.

"It’s alright, Euntak-ah. I’ve always known Kim Heedo is popular," Sohee said, assuring his young friend that he was fine. "I mean, it didn’t feel good to hear some people fantasize about Kim Heedo that way. If one of the kids didn’t call out their friend, I would have done so."

"You’re so strong, Hyung," Cho Euntak said, his smile a little sad. "It must have been hard being in a relationship with a popular guy— a Dominant Alpha, at that. They’re like the most desirable type in this world."

Oh, right.

Cho Euntak doesn’t know that my marriage with Kim Heedo is only a contract marriage.

"Euntak-ah, are you speaking from experience?"

If Sohee’s hunch was right, then Cho Euntak probably had romantic feelings for Baek Jeho.

It’s the kid who often picks a fight with Kim Heedo.

If he remembered correctly, Kim Heedo once said that Baek Jeho was his old neighbor.

"Is it that obvious, Hyung?" Cho Euntak asked nervously, and then he lowered his voice. "That I like Baek Jeho?"

"Uhm, a little?"

Cho Euntak looked like he wanted to cry, but he held it in. "Hyung, after the result of the YonheeToon Awards is released, can I invite you to my place?"

"Just the two of us?"

"I’d like to invite Sera Noona, too. But I’m not sure if her boyfriend would allow her to have a drink at my place."

"Don’t worry about her boyfriend— Hong Sera’s opinion is more important."

"Oh. Hyung is right. I’m sorry, I misspoke."

"As long as you understand," Sohee said, and then he checked the calendar on his phone. "The result of the webtoon-making contest will be released tomorrow, right? Let’s hang out then. Our Crybaby Team has to celebrate whether we win or not."

Cho Euntak’s face finally lit up. "Yes, Hyung!"

***

<"HYUNG, should I go and pick you up?">

Sohee smiled after reading Kim Heedo’s text.

<"No, it’s alright. I’m already headed to the parking lot.">

After their class ended, Cho Euntak was picked up by Baek Jeho.

It seems like they fought, but I’ll wait until Euntak is ready to open up to me. It’s probably the reason why that kid wants to drink with me and Hong Sera anyway.

"Heedo Sunbae-nim, please! Just once!"

What the fuck?

Sohee was surprised to see a kid— a petite male— literally tugging at Kim Heedo’s arm while Kim Heedo was obviously trying to get in the car.

But that wasn’t the worst part.

The kid was actually releasing strong Omega pheromones.

Sohee covered his nose because even though he was also an Omega, the scent of another Omega attacking an Alpha with their pheromones stank.

It always smells bad when you use your pheromones with bad intentions!

But that wasn’t the only reason for that.

The kid is in heat, but his pheromones smell strange.

Sohee quickly sent a message to the group chat that he had with Kim Heedo’s friends.

The people in that GC would be Hong Sera, Yang Jaewon, and Kwon Gaon.

<"Guys, help. Kim Heedo is being attacked by an Omega in heat. Please call the school doctor.">

The kid clearly needed medicine for his heat.

I can’t lend him mine since my medicine is specifically for Dominant Omegas.

"You’re running away because you’re attracted to my pheromones, right? You don’t have to hold back, Sunbae-nim—"

"Shut up," Kim Heedo said coldly, his face darkening. "I’m holding back, yes— holding back from punching you. The only reason why I haven’t done so is because you’re obviously a kid who doesn’t know how to control his pheromones yet. But if you cross the line—"

"I’m not a kid, Sunbae! I already turned twenty!"

"Let. Go."

"You’re not telling me you’re married, so that means you don’t really like your husband, right?"

Wow.

Sohee almost made an undignified sound. freēnovelkiss.com

What a delusional kid.

"Kid, I’m not rejecting you only because I’m married— I’m rejecting you because I don’t like you and your pheromones at all. You and your pheromones make me want to throw up," Kim Heedo said bluntly, his face full of disgust. "Whether I’m married or not, I won’t feel sorry for turning you down."

The kid looked like he was about to cry.

But instead of backing off, the kid actually hugged Kim Heedo’s arm as if his life depended on it.

On the other hand, Kim Heedo looked like he wanted to strangle the desperate Omega.

Sohee grabbed the Omega kid by the collar of his shirt, and then used force to pull him away from Kim Heedo. "Stop it. If you don’t, we’ll charge you with sexual assault."

The kid lifted his head and looked shocked to see Sohee.

And Sohee didn’t show an ounce of friendliness.

He wasn’t in the mood.

"I always aim to be kind to everyone and kinder to Omegas because Omegas are already oppressed in this society. But that doesn’t mean I’ll forgive an Omega who uses their pheromones to attack an Alpha," Sohee said firmly. "Especially if the Alpha in question is my husband."

The kid, who probably noticed that Sohee was seriously pissed, flinched.

"Whether you’re an Omega in heat or an Alpha in a rut, it doesn’t give you the right to attack people with your pheromones. That’s violence," Sohee said, grabbing the kid by his shoulders. "Calm down, kid. It’s not your fault that your body reacts that way to an Alpha’s pheromones. But that’s not an excuse to attack someone. I know it’s hard being in our position, and you might even find it unfair. But we still have to be responsible for ourselves."

The kid looked confused.

Scratch that.

Now that Sohee was looking closely at the kid, he realized that his eyes were strange.

Like he’s out of it.

Poor kid.

"Let me help you. Where’s your medicine?" Sohee asked worriedly, his voice soft this time. "You need medicine to stop your pheromones from leaking."

"I don’t have... that..."

"Huh?"

"I don’t know... I’m a Beta," the kid said, and he sounded confused. "No— I was a Beta... but I was turned into an Omega recently..."

’Was turned into?’

Not ’awakened?’

The way the kid said it sounded strange...

But maybe the poor kid was really feeling unwell.

It looks like he doesn’t know what he’s saying.

"Sohee Hyung! Heedo-ya!"

Oh, finally.

Sohee’s gaze went past the kid, and he was relieved to see Yang Jaewon with the school doctor. "The doctor is here, kid."

***

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