TL | Chapter 6 | The One Who Died Wasn’t Me

Seowon’s chest rose and fell heavily. He exhaled deeply, struggling to lift his eyelids. The sight of an unfamiliar ceiling was no longer surprising.

“You’re awake?”

He turned his head towards the sound of Iden’s voice. Iden had pulled a chair right up next to the bed, sitting there as he looked down at Seowon.

Seowon stared at him silently, taking another deep breath. He didn’t know what to ask. Everything was wrong.

He had been unsettled enough already. After being swept up in Iden’s pheromones, it felt as though his mind had finally cooled down a little.

Starting over from the beginning, Seowon realized that the existence of this man—one who resembled Iden and released the same pheromones—wasn’t the only strange thing. Everything had been strange since he woke up after throwing himself into the lake. This man’s appearance, the sudden disappearance of his home as if overnight—all of it.

It wasn’t just that. Everything he’d known seemed to have vanished, replaced by other things. Not everything was unfamiliar, though. Iden, and the logo symbolizing Luciano, were things Seowon recognized.

It was as if familiar and unfamiliar elements were blended together, making things all the more confusing.

“Iden hyung.”

Half resigned, he called out his name. At this point, it didn’t matter if this man was the Iden he knew or just someone who resembled him. His heat cycle had been triggered by this man, and he had responded with a rut. Whether he could believe it or not, that alone proved he was “Iden.”

If not, then…well, he didn’t have a twin or anything, as far as Seowon knew.

In response to Seowon’s call, Iden merely tilted his head, looking entirely unbothered by the name “Iden,” as if it were natural.

A short, mirthless laugh escaped Seowon’s lips.

So this man is really Iden, isn’t he? It wasn’t just a pheromone thing. That was definitely a big part of it, at least for Seowon. He hadn’t been affected by other Alphas’ pheromones since he and Iden had marked each other years ago. Even after Iden’s death, it had remained the same. Marking was a bond not easily broken, like a ritual of eternal partnership.

But here he was, twice now, succumbing to this man’s pheromones in mere moments. His mind had gone blank, even begging him to hold him. He couldn’t deny any longer that this was Iden.

“How…”

He opened his mouth to speak but found no words. Instead, a long sigh escaped first. His mind was tangled, and nothing made sense. Iden silently waited for Seowon to continue.

“Say anything you need.”

When the silence stretched too long, Iden spoke. His tone was strange, as though he, too, wanted confirmation of something. Seowon looked at him, managing a bitter smile.

“It’s hard to believe you’re here in front of me.”

“…Why?”

Iden’s gaze was fixed steadily on Seowon’s face. Meeting his eyes, Seowon fell silent again. After a few seconds, he broke eye contact, unable to hold his gaze any longer.

“Because…I saw you die.”

Iden’s eyebrow twitched slightly at that. His brows knitted together in a deep frown.

“Die? Me?”

He repeated, understandably confused, given that he was sitting right here, alive and well.

“How did I die?”

Though he clearly found it unbelievable, Iden didn’t dismiss it as nonsense; instead, he asked another question. Seowon closed his eyes, swallowing dryly. Even with Iden here in front of him, remembering that day was painful.

“You were shot. In the United States, when you went to meet your father.”

“When I went to meet my father?”

Iden tilted his head, his tone suggesting he was confirming something obvious. This time, it was Seowon who gave him a puzzled look.

“Your father…he’s in the United States…”

“I know that. But you said I ‘went’ to the U.S.?”

He emphasized the word “went.”

“Why did I go?”

What was the point of all these questions? Normally, Seowon would have asked why he was acting so strangely, but he didn’t have the energy right now. He had already given up on trying to understand what was going on. Part of him even wondered if he had died and ended up in the afterlife.

“Your father wanted you to be his successor. You weren’t thrilled, but you agreed to meet and hear him out.”

“Why were you in the United States?”

“I couldn’t let you go alone.”

“Before that, I lived in Korea?”

He asked as if confirming a simple fact. Seowon didn’t feel the need to answer and just looked at him.

“So, I lived in Korea…”

Iden muttered to himself, as if talking about someone else’s life. Lost in thought, he smirked slightly.

“So that’s what it was.”

Seowon frowned at his words. What was he talking about? Watching Seowon’s expression, Iden stood up from his chair and sat down on the edge of the bed. He grabbed Seowon’s arm, helping him sit up.

“Ha Seowon.”

He called his name softly, then began releasing a gentle stream of pheromones. Seowon frowned and pushed him away, feeling a tingling sensation at just that small amount.

“What are you doing? Stop it.”

He pushed Iden’s shoulders to create some distance, but there was no stopping the already dispersed scent. Influenced by Iden’s pheromones, Seowon’s Omega pheromones began to flow as well. Watching him, Iden reached out, cupping one side of Seowon’s face.

“The one who died wasn’t me; it was you.”

At those words, Seowon’s gaze lifted to meet his. He didn’t understand what Iden meant.

“The one who was shot wasn’t me; it was you, Ha Seowon.”

Iden repeated, as if wanting to make sure Seowon understood. Seowon frowned deeply.

“What are you talking…?”

The hand that had been cupping Seowon’s cheek slid down to trace the line of his neck, making him shudder. Iden’s hand continued down, stopping over Seowon’s heart.

“Bang.”

Iden mimicked the sound of a gunshot, and Seowon’s mouth went dry. Even though he had never been shot, the spot under his fingertips felt chilling.

“The bullet went in right here.”

Iden’s gaze was locked on Seowon’s heart.

“I personally retrieved your body and watched over your cremation…”

Slowly, his words began to sink into Seowon’s mind. He was the one who had been shot, not Iden? What kind of nonsense was that?

“But here you are, alive.”

Iden’s hand traveled back up to gently cup Seowon’s neck. The warmth of his palm made Seowon swallow dryly. The touch was familiar. He remembered those large hands caressing him in the past. Memories of being held by him resurfaced, and he tensed.

“When I found you at the lakeside, you had no idea what I felt.”

Found me…at the lakeside? That’s right; he had jumped into the lake.

“It doesn’t matter. Whether you’re a ghost or whatever else.”

Iden leaned in closer. Though he wasn’t releasing pheromones now, his natural scent filled the space between them.

“Never again…”

Iden came even closer, close enough for Seowon to feel his breath on his face.

“I’m not losing you.”

Iden’s lips pressed against Seowon’s in a light kiss before pulling back, though their lips remained close.

“I’ll never let you stand in front of me, claiming to protect me, ever again.”

Murmuring those incomprehensible words, he tightened his grip on Seowon’s neck, pulling him in. This time, their lips met in a bruising kiss. Iden’s tongue slipped through Seowon’s parted lips, exploring his mouth. Seowon didn’t push him away. Or rather, he couldn’t.

As Iden’s pheromones enveloped him, any thought of resistance melted away. It was the scent of his Marked Partner, the eternal companion he had chosen for himself.

**

While Iden briefly stepped out to take a call, Seowon got out of bed and stood by the window. He seemed to be in a single-family home, with a grassy yard visible outside. Iden had told him this was his home, but Seowon had no memory of such a place.

The Iden he knew had lived with his mother, and while attending university, he had practically lived with Seowon in his villa. After graduation, he got a regular job and suggested they save up for an apartment, putting off the decision whenever Seowon offered to contribute. They’d never considered or even seen a rural house like this.

It wasn’t just the house. The Luciano-logoed building he had seen in the heart of Seoul was something new to him. It looked like the entire building belonged to them. Since when had an American mafia organization established a base in Seoul? As far as Seowon remembered, that wasn’t the case.

Considering all these factors, there was only one conclusion. Wherever this was, it wasn’t the world he used to live in.