Falling for the Omega Idol

THE two of them stared at each other as if no one else were in the room. Haneul’s cheeks burned even hotter under the intensity of Taeyang’s gaze. It was like the other was looking at him like he was a piece of prime meat. If it had been anyone else, Haneul would have felt uncomfortable. But because it was Taeyang, all he felt was a familiar heat pooling low in his stomach. Which only made him more embarrassed.

He didn’t know where to look. His eyes wanted to stay on Taeyang, but his brain kept telling him to look away. He could feel how warm his face had gotten, and his palms had started to sweat. It was ridiculous. They’d been around each other plenty of times before, but everything felt different now. The dull throb at the back of his neck seemed to give him the answer. That mark had changed something between them. He just didn’t know to what extent.

The spell was broken only when the doctor cleared his throat loudly. The sound cut through the tension like a knife, snapping both of them out of their trance. They finally looked away from each other.

"Ahem, as I was saying, there are a few things you both need to keep in mind," the doctor began. "The temporary mark will intensify whatever attraction you already have for each other. It may also stir up a sense of possessiveness, so don’t be surprised if you find yourselves feeling territorial around other Alphas or Omegas. Most importantly, for the next month, which is the duration of the mark’s effect, you’ll need to exchange pheromones at least once a day. If you skip it, you’ll both start feeling irritable and restless. That’s really all there is to it. Do you have any questions?"

Haneul swallowed hard. How could the doctor say all of that so casually, like he was listing off his favorite ice cream flavors instead of telling them some of the most bizarre things he’d ever heard?

The attraction part he could understand. That would explain why his heart had started racing the moment Taeyang walked in, why he couldn’t tear his gaze away, why every cell in his body seemed to lean toward the other without his permission. But territorial? Having to exchange pheromones every single day? How could the doctor say that was "all there is to it"?

Taeyang felt the same way. He could already picture himself growling and snapping at any Alpha contestant who came too close to Haneul. His possessive streak had already been bad enough without the mark. How much worse would it be now? Would he actually start having murderous thoughts? And what about the next mission? If the mark lasted a month, that would cover at least one, maybe two, upcoming missions. What if Haneul ended up with Alpha teammates? Could he handle that? Even as he asked himself the question, he already knew the answer.

Kyungho had a different problem altogether. How was he supposed to edit the show without making it obvious that Haneul and Taeyang had suddenly become more intimate? Beyond the audience, how could he keep the other contestants from noticing? He planned to keep things low-key, but how could he do that when the two of them would need to spend so much time together for the next month? This was going to be an editing nightmare. He could already tell.

Eunji had already expected some of what the doctor was saying. When Haeun had presented as an Alpha, she’d made it a point to research everything about Alphas and Omegas. She wanted to be prepared, to know what to tell her daughter about what she could and couldn’t do as an Alpha. So she’d learned about temporary and permanent marks. And when Haneul presented as an Omega, she’d added to that knowledge. But even with all that preparation, hearing the doctor spell it out still caught her off guard.

She looked at her son with worry. Haneul’s face had gone pale, clearly not thrilled by what the doctor had just laid out. She reached over and took his hand, giving it a firm squeeze. The gesture seemed to calm him. Slowly, some color returned to his cheeks.

She turned to the doctor. "Is there any medication they can take to reduce these... symptoms?"

Doctor Kim shook his head. "I’m sorry, but there isn’t one. What I can suggest is for both Haneul-ssi and Taeyang-ssi to wear scent blockers so that others won’t be able to pick up on the pheromones you’re giving off. I’d also recommend a pheromone patch for Haneul-ssi to cover the mark, since I imagine you’d rather not have to wear a collar or high necked clothes all the time, especially in this heat."

Haneul’s hand drifted to the back of his neck without thinking. The doctor was right. A patch was the only practical way to cover the mark. At least it would give him a logical reason for keeping that part of his neck covered. But he couldn’t help feeling a pang of disappointment that there was no way to control the emotions the mark would stir up between him and Taeyang. That they’d just have to deal with it as it came.

"Doctor," Taeyang called out, his voice cutting through the room. It was the first time he’d spoken since walking in, and everyone’s attention turned to him. "Does the mark need to be treated like a wound, requiring regular dressing? And will it disappear completely after a month, leaving no trace on his skin?"

Haneul blinked, his eyes fixed on Taeyang, who was now looking at the doctor. His expression was calm, but his voice carried a clear undercurrent of worry and concern. For him. That realization sent a flutter through his chest.

"Oh, no, there’s no need to dress it," the doctor said. "A temporary mark isn’t really a wound. And yes, since it’s only temporary, it won’t leave any lasting mark on Haneul-ssi’s skin after a month."

Haneul and Taeyang sighed in relief simultaneously. The matching sound made them glance at each other, and for a brief moment, something passed between them silently.

Let’s do this. Together.

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