Despite the thought that things would get better, Hyeseongâs condition only worsened as time went on. At first, it seemed like the medicine was taking effect so he thought it would be alright, but that wasnât the case at all. As if mocking his complacent judgment, the rising fever and tingling sensations only intensified.
He considered going to a nearby hospital to get suppressants, but Hyeseong crumbled helplessly in the face of the sensations he was experiencing for the first time. It had been a long time since he had any strength in his body.
Heated breaths kept leaking out of his mouth and he could feel his face burning up as if it would burst. He thought if he just lay down and suffered a little, it would get somewhat better so he would endure it somehow.
âHaa.â
He could go to the hospital later. Hyeseong squeezed his eyes shut and pulled the blanket over his head. Enduring wasnât that difficult. Overcoming sickness on his own was something Hyeseong was used to.
It was the same when he was young. Thinking he shouldnât inconvenience his aunt as much as possible, he would hide it whenever he was sick. Then one time he got scolded by his aunt for getting so sick with a cold that he was bedridden, asking why he didnât ask for help.
After seeing his aunt cry for the first time that day, Hyeseong decided he shouldnât hide it anymore, but that wasnât easy. Even after going to college and living independently alone, that habit continued.
Even when sick, he wouldnât tell anyone. He would just wrap himself tightly in a blanket on the bed in his empty studio and suffer alone.
Just like now. It was something he had done countless times before. Unless it was a fatal illness, if he endured, his body would gradually get better. It wasnât too late to find a solution after getting through this crisis.
It was while making such a resolution. He felt a long vibration from the cell phone placed by his pillow. It had rung briefly before but he was too out of it to think about checking it. Hyeseongâs hand limply extended out from under the blanket.
Fumbling with the blanket, he found and picked up the phone.
[CEO]
Upon seeing the caller, Hyeseong was so surprised that he threw off the blanket. Just from seeing a name, it felt like his heart plummeted.
Hyeseong agonized for a moment. In this state, it would be best not to answer, but then there was the possibility that Ihyeok might stop by this house on his way home from work. Hyeseong answered the phone, clearing his throat as much as possible.
âHyeseong-ah.â
It was a voice that was always nice to hear. Hyeseong barely suppressed the tingling sensation below as he replied. After that, as always, Ihyeok asked the usual things. Hyeseong bit his lip, trying not to let his ragged breathing be noticed.
Just from his low voice, Hyeseong felt his body heating up even more. He clearly remembered this happening before â getting hard while on the phone with Ihyeok.
He didnât remember exactly what was said, but startled by Ihyeokâs words that he would drop by, Hyeseong made excuses. After firmly telling Ihyeok that he would go to bed early so not to come, Hyeseong collapsed back onto the bed. Trying to ignore his slowly stiffening lower body, Hyeseong squeezed his eyes shut.
Now it was difficult to even open his eyes because of the fever. It had reached the point of making him delirious. It seemed like he heard some noise from outside but he couldnât even think about it.
It was in that moment.
ââ¦Seong-ah!â
The cool warmth caressing his cheek, the urgent voice ringing in his ears. Hyeseong struggled to open his eyes but couldnât see well. Only that a huge shadow was pacing back and forth in front of him.
Rationality had long disappeared. The string he had barely been holding on to was on the verge of snapping. He now understood why hybrids paid such close attention to and managed their heat cycles.
What filled his head now wasnât things like âEndure, find a solution.â Only desires kept coming to mind like âItâs hard and painful, I want to let it out.â
He didnât know if he was dreaming, but he wanted to entrust everything to the hands touching him. Perhaps that was why. For the first time ever, Hyeseong uttered words he had never spoken before.
ââ¦Please help me.â
* * *
Ihyeok boldly opened the door and immediately frowned. The room was filled with an omegaâs pheromones. Ihyeok barely kept his mind together. Looking at the bed, he saw a bulging shape wrapped in a blanket. Ihyeok hurriedly approached and lifted the blanket.
âHyeseong-ah!â
There lay Hyeseong, breathing rapidly. His pale face was blushing red like a ripe apple. Despite the gushing pheromones, Ihyeok gritted his teeth and stroked Hyeseongâs cheek. It was an incredible fever.
âIs it heat?â
These suffocating pheromones had a different texture. Ihyeok instinctively knew. That this was something emitted by an omega in heat.
âHyeseong-ah, can you hear me? Did you take suppressants?â
Hyeseongâs eyes flickered open for a moment then immediately closed again. He didnât seem to be in a state to come to his senses. Moreover, his body was burning up as if he would get burned. Things didnât look good.@@novelbin@@
Ihyeok immediately searched all over Hyeseongâs house. With the feeling that meticulous Hyeseong would regularly go to the hospital, and remembering the medicine pouches he had seen before.
Then, in the very bottom drawer of the living room cabinet, he spotted a pamphlet with the Yehyun University Hospital logo and suppressants scattered around.
Two pills were already missing from the medicine pack.
âHe took suppressants but whyâ¦â
Why was his fever so high? Far from subsiding, the pheromones were becoming more intense. Ihyeok quickly returned to the bedroom. The raging pheromones were agonizing for Ihyeok as well. But now was the time to hold on to his reason more than ever. What he saw wasnât a heat-struck omega, but a sick child.
So he couldnât leave him like this. It seemed he needed to take action quickly, whether moving Hyeseong to his car or calling an ambulance.
ââ¦â
But he hesitated. Would doing that really be for this childâs sake? For some reason, Hyeseong was hiding that he had become an omega. Seeing as he hadnât breathed a word even to Park Dohyun, let alone to Ihyeok, he must have a reason he wanted to hide it.
But was it really right to take Hyeseong to the hospital now? Although there was a sick person in front of his eyes, strangely, it wasnât easy to act right away. Heat cycles usually gradually subside after a certain amount of time passes.
When hybrids go into heat, it was common to spend it stably with a partner or suppress it with medicine. But when unavoidably unable to use either method, there was no choice but to just endure while embracing all the sharpened senses without doing anything.
Just like Hyeseong now. A heat cycle wasnât a fatal illness, and if you endured it somehow, you could return to normal. That was probably the method Hyeseong chose. So he wanted to respect that method. But he absolutely could not leave the child groaning in pain like this.
Ihyeok briefly left the room. After some deliberation, he called someone. As the call connected, he went to the living room and opened a window. Hyeseongâs pheromones were affecting him as well after all.
âProfessor Moon, itâs me.â
âYes. CEO. What is it?â
He was Professor Moon Sungjin, considered the top authority in the hybrid field and also Ihyeokâs attending doctor.
âI have something to ask. Itâs about omega heat.â
âOmega heat?â
Professor Moonâs surprised voice came through. It made sense for him to find it strange for an alpha, and one who doesnât even have a partner, to suddenly ask about heat.
âHeat came but suppressants arenât working either. Thereâs no partner. Whatâs the best thing to do in this case?â
âThe most reasonable method would be to have a doctor directly examine the bodyâs condition at a hospital and administer appropriate suppressants, but the fact that you called me means going to the hospital isnât feasible, right?â
âRight.â
Professor Moon hummed for a moment as if pondering.
âAs a doctor I donât recommend it, but just leaving it be and doing nothing is also one method. Usually the average heat cycle lasts about 5 days. During about 2-3 days of that, pheromone levels rise excessively, accompanied by fever and arousal, but once that period passes, the body will gradually stabilize.â
Professor Moon added that itâs best if the blanket isnât too thick and to ventilate the room about once an hour. Above all, he emphasized not to put the person together with other hybrids but in an independent space.
âBut the fever is too severe. Is a heat cycle usually like that?â
Ihyeok knew well from experiencing rut. That a fever rises when a heat cycle hits. But Hyeseongâs body was strangely burning up like a fireball.
âThe fever is severe? Usually during heat or rut, heat-induced fever does occur, but for it to be severe⦠CEO, is it perhaps that personâs first heat cycle?â
Ihyeok paused for a moment.
âUsually during the first heat cycle after hybrid manifestation, fever often spikes. Moreover, if the heat cycle hits when the pheromone glands havenât stabilized yet, it can be even more so.â
First heat cycle. Although he didnât know since when Hyeseong had manifested as an omega, or why the child who was a beta ended up like that, the severe fever could all be explained if it was his first heat as the professor said.
âIn such special circumstances, I recommend going to the hospital after all. I want to go myself but Iâm overseas for a seminar⦠In any case, if the fever rises, it will greatly impact the body, aside from the heat.â
Ihyeok clenched his fists. He felt powerless, as if there was nothing he could do for the sick Hyeseong.
âI told you. Canât go to the hospital.â
Ihyeok dry washed his face.
âHmm, if suppressants donât work either, thereâs nothing left but to relieve the aroused state. But you said thereâs no partner, so for now, doing your best to bring the fever down like I mentioned earlier would be optimal.â
Ihyeok hung up and went back to the room.
âHaa.â
A stifled sigh unintentionally burst out. But he didnât know if it was from powerlessness or because of Hyeseongâs pheromones.
âHyeseong-ah.â
Ihyeok crouched in front of Hyeseong and stroked his cheek. It looked so hot and painful, but he had no idea what to do. The words about relieving the aroused state came to mind, but Ihyeok shook his head vigorously.
To lay hands on a child who canât even come to his senses because of heat. He absolutely couldnât do that. For now, he planned to at least wet a cold towel and bring it. He would try to bring the fever down somehow, and if that really didnât work, then it seemed best to take him to the hospital then.
As Ihyeok slowly rose from his spot, he felt a hot touch on his wrist. Looking down, Hyeseong was slowly opening his eyes and grasping Ihyeokâs hand.