Omega Complex Novel (Completed) - Chapter 26

I remembered him dressing up just a short while ago. His hair was neatly styled, and his outfit was carefully chosen. His hairstyle, clothes, and even his expression vaguely matched Park Sungjae from that day.

“Who?”

“You know, Minjeong’s friend.”

“Oh, her.”

Park Sungjae let out a gasp as if he hadn’t thought of her. His hands, tidily organizing his textbooks, were full of excitement. He was even humming along.

“She was a recessive Alpha.”

As I recalled, the person Park Sungjae was introduced to was a tall woman with long hair. She had been friends with Minjeong since high school, and Minjeong had personally set them up, saying she liked big people like Park Sungjae. They met a few times, so I thought it had worked out, but it seemed it hadn’t.

“Even if she’s recessive, I guess she prefers Omegas. She said she was too recessive, so she tried meeting a Beta, but it wouldn’t work out, and she was sorry.”

So she was an Alpha. Perhaps they couldn’t feel each other’s pheromones because both were recessive.

“What can you do when you’re attracted to pheromones? There are hardly any Alphas and Omegas anyway, so I, a Beta, should yield.”

Park Sungjae seemed to have calmly accepted reality. No, it also seemed like he had naturally given up because he was looking forward to meeting someone new. He reflected his face on his phone screen and let out a small gasp.

“Oh, right. I saw her dating a girl from our department recently, didn’t I?”

“A girl from our department… an Omega?”

“Yeah, an Omega. She said she liked big people, but she ended up with a really cute one.”

‘She was attracted to pheromones,’ Park Sungjae lightly shrugged.

“Sometimes, when I see things like that, I wish I were an Alpha or an Omega too.”

What is it like to be attracted to pheromones? Both Kim Dohyun and the girl Park Sungjae was introduced to. I’m an Omega, but I’ve never really considered pheromones an important factor. It was even more so because I could barely feel other people’s pheromones unless it was Choi Taegyeom’s.

“Other than that, I’m curious about pheromones sometimes.”

“Want a cigarette?”

“Nah, it’s different from that.”

The cigarettes I smoked were made for Betas who thought like Park Sungjae. They were products that artificially created pheromone scents so that those who couldn’t feel pheromones could experience them. Of course, like most artificial scents, they were definitely different from the real thing.

“Aren’t you curious about Choi Taegyeom sunbae’s pheromones too, hyung? Everyone goes on and on about how good they are.”

“Well… it’s not like I haven’t been.”

I was curious about Choi Taegyeom’s pheromones even before I presented. I was also curious about what pheromones were that made everyone so excited.

After presenting and actually smelling his pheromones, well… in fact, at that point, it was impossible to make an objective judgment. I had liked Choi Taegyeom even before presenting, and after presenting, I felt excited just by the fact that the pheromones were his. Even if they smelled like trash, I would have just felt good about them.

“True, if you felt his pheromones, that would have been awkward in its own way. It would be embarrassing between friends, wouldn’t it?”

Park Sungjae, having come to his own conclusion, nodded his head. I propped my chin and lowered my gaze, unable to affirm or deny. In reality, there were more than one or two times when I felt awkward because I sensed Choi Taegyeom’s pheromones. Thinking so, my mouth naturally opened.

“Pheromones are just inconvenient. When the cycle comes, it interferes with daily life too.”

“Really? I thought it would be fine since there’s periodic leave.”

For Alpha’s rut cycles and Omega’s heat cycles, schools and companies have ‘periodic leave.’ It was a system where one could be absent once a month by submitting a doctor’s note. In the past, people subtly gave you a hard time about it, but these days, the legal system is so well-established that it’s actively utilized. Of course, problems still existed.

“Getting that doctor’s note is a hassle too. Plus, if you can’t come to school, you’re the one who loses out in the end.”

To get a doctor’s note, one had to visit a hospital and undergo various tests. The cost was burdensome for a one-time absence, and putting everything else aside, if the cycle was severe enough to prevent one from coming to school, even going to the hospital was dangerous.

In fact, Choi Taegyeom consistently took time off school after presenting, but once his pheromones stabilized, he endured his cycles with suppressants. Even if absences were excused, the school wouldn’t be responsible for catching up on lessons or homework. Naturally, if one could suppress it, it was more advantageous to do so.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Park Sungjae nodded as if he understood. Then he casually blurted out,

“But hyung knows a lot.”

I flinched and straightened my back. I had reacted like a thief caught red-handed without realizing it. Park Sungjae, without even looking at me, understood on his own.

“As expected, it’s different when you’re childhood friends with an Alpha.”

“…”

Such a simple guy. He’s doing everything by himself, playing both the drum and the janggu. Humming, the continuous tune suggested he was just spouting whatever came to mind. Well, that look wasn’t so bad.

“Is it that good?”

Being happy at the thought of meeting someone, and making plans to dress up (even if it was like a bear adorned for mating season). I even found it a little cute.

“Of course, it’s good.”

Park Sungjae answered confidently. His already round eyes were particularly sparkling today.

“I’m dying to date. I’ve been alone for so long, I feel like all my romance cells have died.”

As far as I knew, he had more girlfriends than the times he was single. He had a girlfriend before he went to the military, and immediately after he was discharged. Although their relationships weren’t long, I remembered how he always did his best with each person he met.

“Hyung, aren’t you dating?”

As Park Sungjae asked the question, the professor opened the lecture hall door and entered. He was one of only two Omega professors at our school, and his pheromones, which I usually barely noticed, were particularly clear today.

Come to think of it, wasn’t that professor an Alpha? It was random, but I was glad Choi Taegyeom wasn’t taking this class.

“Am I the only one who dates?”

I pulled up the mask that had been lowered to my chin. My condition wasn’t good, so even minor things bothered me. Meanwhile, the professor was calling out attendance one by one.

“There are a lot of people around who want me to introduce you, hyung…”

Park Sungjae looked at me, as he did when he tried to get me to join a club last time. Just by seeing him fidget, I could easily guess what he was about to propose.

Sure enough, he opened his mouth with a slight hesitation.

“If you’re okay with it, would you like to be introduced to someone?”

“I have someone I like.”

The answer came out almost reflexively. I had only thought, ‘I should refuse,’ but it just spilled out as if we had memorized it together.

“What?!”

Even I, who had said it, was surprised, so how much more so Park Sungjae, who heard it? Park Sungjae shouted so loudly the lecture hall echoed, then hunched his shoulders under the professor’s sharp gaze. Just then, it seemed to be his turn, and the professor called his name.

“Is your name Park Sungjae?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Park Sungjae’s shoulders slumped, and he wore a tearful expression. The subject was already difficult, and getting on the professor’s bad side so early meant a tough road ahead.

Fortunately, the professor quickly called on the next person, and the guy, who had been subtly watching me, abruptly leaned towards me.

“Who is it? How old are they? Boy? Girl? Beta? Or another type?”

He looked like he was about to burst. I hadn’t expected such an enthusiastic reaction, so I awkwardly moved away from Park Sungjae.

“Why are you so curious?”

“No, it’s not just anyone, it’s you, hyung…!”

His voice grew louder towards the end, making his whispered intention meaningless. As if aware of this, Park Sungjae slowly regulated his breathing.

“You said you like someone, how can I not be curious!”

This guy occasionally reacts strongly to something I say. It was the same when I said I’d never dated, and when I said I’d never been confessed to. Now he’s even amazed that I like someone.

“It was a slip of the tongue. Just ignore it.”

“Ah, hyung!”

Whack! The professor glared at Park Sungjae. If he made another sound, it wouldn’t just be Park Sungjae getting in trouble, but me too. I poked Park Sungjae’s side, and he let out a squeak and bowed his head.

“…Who is it, huh?”

“Listen to the lecture.”

“I’m too curious to listen to class today. I’m doomed. It’s all your fault, hyung.”

“Then don’t listen.”

I rested my chin on my hand, facing the blackboard in Park Sungjae’s direction. The PPT the professor had put up was full of all sorts of squiggly English. Park Sungjae, who had been making whimpering, dog-like noises, spoke in a subtle voice.

“How old are they? Just tell me this, please, I really, really won’t bother you.”

I didn’t particularly intend to hide it. Kim Dohyun already knew, so one more person knowing wouldn’t make much difference. Besides, these guys weren’t close enough to relay information to Choi Taegyeom, were they?

“Same age. Now really, listen to the class.”

“Same age?”

Despite me telling him the age, Park Sungjae’s reaction was still lukewarm. Same age, so twenty-five? He mumbled that and then casually posed a question.

“You don’t have any friends, hyung.”

“…”

“No, don’t look at me like that.”

This brat.

I subtly frowned, but there was nothing to refute. Because I had repeated a year, all my peers were younger than me, and I didn’t even interact with seniors my age. I understood why Park Sungjae looked at me strangely, asking if I didn’t have friends.

“…Are friends only found in college?”

At my lukewarm retort, Park Sungjae’s eyes widened. A strange glint appeared in his eyes, as if he had found good prey.

“Wow, is it a high school friend? Or middle school?”

I shouldn’t have trusted his promise not to bother me. Given Park Sungjae’s personality, he would surely dig persistently until he pinpointed the person. Why had I forgotten that he was as interested in others’ love lives as he was in dating himself?

“I don’t know. Listen to the class.”

“Ehh, hyung-ah.”

Even though I firmly cut him off, Park Sungjae didn’t give up. He shook my shoulder as if to act cute and gently leaned his head on me. Perhaps witnessing that massive display of aegyo, I heard someone choking from the back row.

“You know I can keep a secret.”

Keep a secret, my foot. I still vividly remember him saying, ‘Minjeong likes you too, hyung.’ Park Sungjae must have misinterpreted my dumbfounded expression, as he whined again and shook my shoulder.

“I won’t tell anyone. Anyway, it’s probably someone I don’t know, right?”

It is someone you know. The words caught in my throat. Park Sungjae subtly lowered his upper body and spoke in a hushed voice.

“So… a Beta?”

“…”

“It’s a Beta, right?”

I shouldn’t tell him, I vowed internally, rolling my mechanical pencil in my hand. What would his reaction be if I told this guy, who believed without an ounce of doubt that it was a Beta, that the person was Choi Taegyeom? He’d probably react loudly like before, or immediately make it obvious every time he saw Choi Taegyeom.

“One more word, and I’m leaving the club.”

“…”

The effect was immediate. Park Sungjae clamped his mouth shut like a clam and opened his textbook. Looking at his tightly sealed lips, it seemed he would be quiet for at least this class. Of course, after the lecture, he’d bombard me with questions endlessly.

A shallow sigh escaped me. Perhaps because of the mask, I felt inexplicably stifled. The sensitivity at the tip of my nose felt unusually sharp today. I glanced over, and Park Sungjae was ‘pretending’ to listen to the lecture more diligently than anyone else.