NB | Chapter 19

Woohyun’s head drooped wearily, and soon after, the car came to a stop. As he adjusted his disheveled clothes, Manager Lee approached and opened the back door.

The pheromones that had filled the car rushed out, replaced by fresh air. Jiwon let out an involuntary sigh of relief. As he brushed back a few stray hairs, the tension in his veins became visible. He, too, had been exposed to the discomfort of Alpha pheromones for quite some time.

“Shall I carry him?”

As Woohyun was slung over one shoulder, Manager Lee quickly followed. Jiwon declined with a brief nod and walked briskly. Despite Woohyun’s height and build, he wasn’t particularly heavy. It had been more challenging to restrain him in the car. His strength was surprising given his size.

Thanks to Manager Lee opening doors along the way, they reached the bedroom without stopping. Jiwon laid Woohyun on the bed and instructed the man at the door.

“Wait outside.”

Manager Lee was surprised, not expecting Jiwon to handle everything himself. But he quickly hid his surprise and left with a bow. The room was soon filled only with Woohyun’s soft breathing.

Jiwon looked down at Woohyun with a complex expression. He pondered how to feel about the fact that the first trace left in his private space was by another Alpha.

The lingering scent of Woohyun’s pheromones was still noticeable. Fresh and sweet, it was both fragrant and unsettling.

Jiwon rubbed his arm and opened the nightstand drawer. He took out two pheromone suppressant injections, administering one to Woohyun and the other to himself.

Now, all he could do was wait for the suppressants to normalize their body temperatures and pheromones.

With the immediate issue resolved, it was time to undress him. He removed Woohyun’s shirt without hesitation, but paused when he reached the damp pants. Even after two releases, Woohyun’s erection was still partially there.

…Who would have thought this day would come?

Jiwon swallowed many words as he wiped Woohyun’s body with a damp cloth. Still, imagining Woohyun’s reaction upon waking to find himself clean was amusing. He chuckled quietly as he dressed him in loungewear.

A while later, Jiwon emerged into the living room.

“Recently, Park Sejin visited Director Lee Byungho.”

Manager Lee, who had been looking at a tablet on the sofa, reported promptly. Though he hadn’t yet washed or changed, Director Kang sat in the single-seater sofa with perfect composure.

“Why?”

“To ask why his role was reduced.”

Jiwon let out a low hum, reaching for the stack of scripts on the table. On top was the most recently revised script for episode 8 of “Portrait of a Meteor,” which he’d received at a production meeting two days ago.

The project had never been straightforward. Despite its high quality, Writer Kim Jeongeon, with a fragile mentality, had conceived the script after two years of burnout. The script had been halted due to scheduling conflicts with the actor who inspired it.

During that time, it was considered a tentpole drama for Vanilla Bean Studio, but rumors of reduced investment and production delays circulated, causing over a year of fatigue.

To maintain quality, they decided on pre-production and script revisions, and things had only recently started moving smoothly again.

“Did he just ask nicely?”

“…The assistant director had to kick him out, so it seems he also complained.”

Jiwon’s hand flipped through the script, stopping at the first page. It was the character introduction page.

Yuseong: Kim Namjo
Kim Mingon: Baek Sungjin
Woo Doyeon: Kang Suryeon
Kim Gyobin: Vacant

The other characters had actors’ names listed, making the vacant role of Kim Kyobin stand out. Park Sejin’s name appeared a line lower.

This order indicated the importance of the roles in the story. So, Sejin would have immediately noticed his reduced role upon seeing the revised script. Moreover, with the introduction of the new character Kim Kyobin, many of Sejin’s initial episodes were cut.

Everyone knows the importance of the first episode as a key indicator of a show’s success. Sejin, who was supposed to make a strong impression in the first episode, was pushed back, so it’s understandable he was upset.

Jiwon covered the word “Vacant” next to Kim Kyobin with his thumb.

“But confronting the director won’t help.”

He was known for doing as he pleased even in school, and it seemed he hadn’t changed. If he weren’t a friend’s brother, Jiwon wouldn’t have been involved.

Losing interest, Jiwon returned the script to its place and spoke as if he’d just remembered something.

“Check what drugs were at Park Sejin’s birthday party.”

Manager Lee’s eyebrows raised in question at the word “drugs,” but he quickly hid his expression. Jiwon nodded silently and looked towards the bedroom where Woohyun was sleeping.

“And prepare a contract for Seo Woohyun when he wakes up.”

“What kind of contract?”

Jiwon, still watching the bedroom door, answered briefly.

“A dating contract.”

***

As consciousness floated near the surface, a mild headache brought Woohyun fully awake.

“Ugh…”

Even after regaining his senses, Woohyun held his forehead for a while. He wasn’t usually a heavy sleeper, but today his eyelids felt unusually heavy. They seemed swollen, but he didn’t know why.

Suddenly, he noticed the unfamiliar ceiling above him. The sleeves he rubbed his eyes with weren’t his, and the pheromones he smelled weren’t his either. Realizing he was in an unfamiliar place, Woohyun’s heart began to race.

The pheromones subtly filling the room were unfamiliar yet recognizable. The scent of lush greenery in a forest. He had a good idea who owned this room, and the loose clothes he wore suggested the same.

“…Ah.”

Memories of last night flooded back, mocking his earlier calm.

He’d gone to the birthday party, met Park Sejin, drank several pretty cocktails, and then felt unwell…

“Breathe in more.”

The middle part was a blur, but he clearly remembered being with Kang Jiwon last. And what they’d done.

“Keep breathing.”

“…”

“Good. You’re doing well.”

Oh my god. Damn it! Countless curses flashed through his mind, but none adequately expressed his current feelings. At that moment, he just wanted to bang his head against the wall. After fumbling over his body, Woohyun quickly accepted the unchanged reality.

The shame was so overwhelming that his questions were momentarily pushed aside, but there was more that was strange. He vaguely remembered the beginning and end, but the middle was completely blank.

Did he really get that drunk from just a few cocktails? Enough to have a fever and lose control of his pheromones? And when did Kang Jiwon replace Park Sejin? Why was only one nipple sore?

Woohyun instinctively touched his sore chest, then flinched. Finally, he recalled their last conversation.

“Did you eat something strange there?”

“…Just drinks and cake.”

If something he ate caused his condition, it had to be the celebratory drink or birthday cake. But everyone there ate the same things, so why was he the only one affected?

Thinking so hard right after waking up gave him a headache. It was impossible to think deeply in a space filled with someone else’s pheromones.

Every breath coated his nasal passages with the forest scent. It was similar to the cologne Jiwon usually wore, but pheromones affected more than just the sense of smell. His shoulders felt heavy.

He needed to leave, greet the homeowner, and ask why he was here. Only Kang Jiwon could answer all his questions.

As Woohyun got off the bed, he noticed his phone neatly placed on the nightstand. It was 6:45 AM. When he pulled down the notification bar, he saw three missed calls and messages from an unknown number, each an hour apart.

[Got home, but you’re not here]

[What’s the door code?]

[Busy?]

[Sorry to bother you, but call me when you see this]

[I’m in a bit of a rushㅠㅠ]

Even without knowing the number, he instinctively knew.

“Seo Minhyun, you bastard…!”