Dr. Kim Yujin advised that if my body cooperated, I could manifest within the month, or by early next year at the latest. Her words made me look at Han Jinheon again. He was listening intently to her, all while subtly stroking my hair.
I wasn’t like him. I tried to focus, but my thoughts kept drifting. I couldn’t fully concentrate, maybe because he kept toying with my hair. It was so distracting.
"The pre-manifestation symptoms can include recurring high fevers, sudden muscle aches, or a temporary loss of your sense of smell… Jinheon, you’ve been through it, so you know. I’ll spare you the long explanation.”
“Right.”
"If manifestation occurs at the average age, you can usually confirm it immediately. But for intentional manifestations in older individuals, it can be confusing. If the symptoms persist for two or three days, it’s reasonable to suspect it’s your manifestation.”
"Once manifestation begins, should I just get through it like I would a cycle?”
"That’s up to you, as long as you don’t overdo it. Teenagers usually manifest, so we tell them to just endure it with medication. But if Han Sol here has the mind for… other things… well, he is an adult, isn’t he?”
“Not just any adult. He played around quite spectacularly.”
“Exactly. Still, it probably won’t be as easy as it sounds. Nine times out of ten, people are too busy being in pain to do anything else… You’d know how it is—you’ve been through it.”
I pressed my lips into a thin line, embarrassed by their suggestive smiles right in front of me. I knew exactly what “other things” they were implying.
"It’s too much to check your ratios every time you come for a shot, so let’s do a mid-point check-up on either the 22nd or the 29th. As for the exact date… let’s decide when you come for your shot on Thursday, the 21st.”
“Okay…”
With the explanation of the induced manifestation plan and the health screening results concluded, I was told this body was surprisingly healthy. Despite being prone to succumbing to the heat in summer and the cold in winter, there was no history of major illness or any warning signs.
Just as the doctor finished, saying the results would be mailed, Han Jinheon stepped out to take a work call. Dr. Kim Yujin, who had been sitting in her chair staring blankly at one side of the office, called to me.
“Sol.”
When I slowly met her gaze, her eyes were clouded with worry. She glanced toward the door, as if checking for Jinheon’s return, before whispering to me.
“I’ve been wanting to ask. Your hyung… he’s not forcing you to become an Omega, is he?”
Han Jinheon had persuaded me, Lee Geumyeong had tried to force me. Faced with a forced manifestation because of her, I had chosen Han Jinheon, deciding that if I had to become an Omega, I’d rather it be by his side than anyone else’s.
On top of that, he had offered me a building as compensation. To see it as coercion when he was extending a hand in kindness to help my pathetic life would be shameless of me. That’s right. To him, I was just a pitiful person.
If I tell her I agreed to become an Omega to get a building, will she, as a doctor, tell me that’s not right? No, she already said it would be good for me to become an Omega. Still, I can’t bring myself to mention the building. Dr. Kim Yujin gave up waiting for me as I hesitated, about to speak and then stopping, over and over, testing her patience.
“Before I am the Han family’s physician, I’m your doctor. You have to tell me everything.”
“No, it’s not like that. Hyung never forced me. He just… persuaded me, with good intentions.”
Persuaded? Your brother? If that’s the case, then I’m relieved… Then again, you’re not the type to listen just because you’re forced to.”
Muttering to herself, Dr. Kim Yujin concluded the conversation and checked her phone before rising from her seat. She said the prescription and payment would be handled by the ever-efficient Secretary Song, and that I should just head back with Jinheon when he returned. As for her, her consultation was over and she was leaving for a prior engagement.
“Okay…”
My response was automatic, but I was bewildered. The owner of the office was leaving first?
“Okay?” she echoed, grabbing her coat and bag in one motion. Just before opening the door to leave, Dr. Kim Yujin turned back to me, her gaze sharpening.
“But you.”
I had been watching her back, and my eyes widened in surprise.
“Why are you using polite speech? It’s not like you. It feels strange when you talk like that, you know?”
It was just like with Secretary Song. He had also told me it was fine to speak casually as I always had, and now Dr. Kim Yujin was saying the same thing. This confirmed it. Han Sol had spoken casually—impolitely—to everyone, equally. The nerve of him, to be so arrogant to everyone he met. Truly something else.
“Jinheon said you were in a period of self-reflection. Reflection is all well and good, but you acting like this is so unfamiliar. It makes me feel like you’re putting up a wall, and that’s a little hurtful, you know?”
“I’m not trying to… Sorry.”
"I wasn’t asking for an apology. I was just saying I have no intention of blaming you, so you can be comfortable around me.”
“Uh, yeah. It’s just… everyone feels a bit intimidating right now. I’ll try… to be more comfortable again.”
“Oh, you poor thing.” Dr. Kim Yujin stepped back toward me and pinched my cheek. It seemed like a lighthearted gesture, but she was so strong that my cheek still tingled after she let go.
Left alone, I abandoned the uncomfortable examination chair for the sofa. Han Jinheon’s coat lay neatly upon it. I stared at it for a moment before moving closer and burying my face in it. It was impossible for me to smell his pheromones now, but I wanted to at least catch a whiff of the cologne he wore.
What do Han Jinheon’s pheromones even smell like? Earlier, she said it was a mysterious scent—cool yet somehow humid, sweet yet smoky…
As I took a deep breath, my face still buried in his coat, I suddenly felt like a pervert and took a moment to repent. Instead of this, I should just wear his coat. I painstakingly, forcefully pulled it on over my bulky long padded jacket, even though it barely fit, and headed for the door.
The hallway outside the consultation room was suffocatingly quiet.
Secretary Song was likely finishing up payments and prescriptions, but Jinheon was nowhere in sight. Maybe he’d stepped out to take his call? Feeling the weight of other patients’ stares, I quickly shut the door behind me and walked away. I figured he’d be somewhere nearby.
Hospitals are bustling places, but worried that someone might recognize me, I rummaged through my pocket and put on a mask. I decided I’d put on my muffler once I was outside and scanned my surroundings for Secretary Song or Han Jinheon.
Where had they gone? Maybe I should just head back to the office. Then again, if Jinheon was still on the phone, I could just call Secretary Song. Yeah, I’d do that—just go as far as the hallway and check.
Just as I had that thought, I spotted an indoor banner just outside the Trait Department and stopped. It was an advertisement encouraging Omegas to get pheromone-stabilizing shots. The model for the ad was Cha Seonmin. He wore a gentle smile.
I didn't know anything about the shots, but one thing was clear: this guy was classically handsome. A man who looked like this promoting a product made it instantly trustworthy. A clean-cut face was, after all, synonymous with reliability. But the longer I looked, the more my heart ached with a bitter pang.
“Han Sol.”
Someone suddenly grabbed the shoulder I had left unguarded while staring at the banner. God! I flinched, startled, and spun around. The hand belonged to Han Jinheon. He looked unusually flustered, as if he was the one who was surprised to find me here.
“You scared me.”
I instinctively used my body to block the banner. For some reason, I didn't want him to see the ad with Cha Seonmin. Even though he’d said he wasn’t sad about the marriage news, I couldn't help but feel concerned. That was my excuse; the truth was, my own feelings for him made me want to hide it.
“You should have waited quietly in the office. What are you doing out here, wearing my coat like this?”
“Sorry about the coat. I was going to wait, but it felt weird being in the office all by myself… And it’s faster for us to leave if I’m already out here waiting…”
"You were by yourself? What about Dr. Kim?”
“She had an appointment, so she left first.”
“Tsk. A doctor, and she couldn’t even wait a few minutes.” Han Jinheon pulled the hood of my long padded jacket over my head. The force of it not only obscured my vision but was strong enough to make me stagger. Why was he taking his annoyance with Dr. Kim out on me?
“Don’t act on your own from now on. What if someone shows up and tries to drag you away again?”
"I doubt that would happen again… It’s scary, sure, but if I let myself get scared by that thought, I won’t be able to do anything.”
“I’d rather you didn’t do anything. Let’s go.”
“What about Secretary Song?”
“I told him to go to the car first once he was done.”
I see. I walked with Han Jinheon, not toward the main entrance, but toward the back. The car was waiting right at the rear entrance. I watched the medical staff glancing our way and asked him casually.
"With your status, shouldn’t the hospital director or someone be out here waiting to greet you?”
Recalling the special treatment I received at the Trait Center, Han Jinheon should have received even more. The hospital director, the vice director—people of appropriate rank should have been there to greet and see off Han Jinheon. Perhaps I had watched too many dramas, but…
“That kind of reception is enough for Father. I don’t need to be that ostentatious.”
“Ah…”
“It’s not good if Father or your mother know we came to the hospital. Especially your mother. If she finds out you were here, she’ll make a scene, so it’s best to be quiet and leave.”
“But won’t the news of me being here still reach her ears? It will, won’t it?”
"Which is why we’re being as quiet as possible. The first time, you can just say it was for a health check-up. After that, just ignore her completely. Don’t even try to humor her.”
“I definitely won’t. Should we have called Dr. Kim to the house instead?”
“There’s no need to go that far. For now, clear your head of father and your mother and just focus on your manifestation.”
When we reached the car, Secretary Song, who was waiting, opened the back door for us.
“Get in.”
With his usual poised grace, Jinhun motioned for me to enter first. Why did this man look so cool even when he was just being considerate?
I nodded my understanding and, struggling, took off the coat and returned it to its owner. I gave Secretary Song a quick bow and slid inside, followed closely by Jinheon. The car departed only after Secretary Song closed the back door and got into the front seat.
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