CHAPTER 173: HIERARCHY

AM I SICK?

Song Sihyuk woke up with a heavy body.

Moreover, his pheromones were oozing out without his permission.

Most of all...

I’m hard?

Of course, having a morning wood was normal for men.

However, Song Sihyuk knew his body well.

My rut is near.

That was shocking.

I couldn’t get my rut before, but I’m suddenly about to go into one?

To be honest, Song Sihyuk wasn’t as shocked as he was supposed to be.

Whatever was wrong with me was definitely fixed because of Lim Garam.

After all, he was living near his Omega again.

Plus, since we’re coparenting Gunwoo, I can’t really stay away from him.

Not that Song Sihyuk wanted to.

My body is just as honest as my heart— they both want and need Lim Garam.

***

IS SIHYUK Hyung sick?

That was Garam’s first thought when he saw Song Sihyuk after he picked him up.

This time, the Alpha didn’t bring Jung Han with him and was driving the car himself.

Hence, he ended up sitting in the passenger seat.

"Hyung, are you alright?" Garam asked worriedly. Of course, he would worry since Song Sihyuk was driving the car. "You seem sick. Do you want me to drive?"

"No, I’m not sick," Song Sihyuk denied while shaking his head. "Don’t worry— I’m driving carefully."

"Why didn’t you bring Jung Han-ssi? Is it his day off?"

"No. I just don’t want him near you since he’s an Alpha."

"Are you stupid, Hyung? Dr. Seong is also an Alpha. Are we not going to meet him?"

"Seong Kyungmin is your doctor, so I have no choice but to endure it."

Garam looked at Song Sihyuk in disbelief. "Hyung, you know I hate this part of you, don’t you? I know you’ve always been a jealous freak, but this is still too much. You’re acting like an Alpha in a rut who hates it when other Alphas are near their Omega..."

Oh.

That was right.

Yes, Song Sihyuk was a jealous man.

But the Alpha would only act this irrational whenever he was in a rut.

"You’re about to get your rut, Hyung?" Garam asked, surprised. "I thought you couldn’t get your rut?"

"I’m not sure why this is happening now," Song Sihyuk said. "But I believe whatever was wrong with me was fixed because of our frequent contact. And I live near you now. I guess your pheromones, no matter how weak they are now, still have that much power over me."

That shouldn’t be possible.

After all, Garam was taking medicines that would turn him back into being a Beta.

However, that was exactly why they were on their way to meet Dr. Seong Kyungmin.

My bond with Sihyuk Hyung seems to be stronger than expected.

***

"I MET a Hyper-Dominant Alpha during our conference in New York. His name is Joseph Ward— a male in his late forties. He was diagnosed as a Hyper-Dominant Alpha in his mid-thirties. The hospital in charge of his case kept quiet about his diagnosis. In exchange for that, the Hyper-Dominant Alpha donated his pheromones regularly for studies."

Garam didn’t expect to hear that from Dr. Seong Kyungmin.

His consultation session with the doctor seemed like a regular coffee date with friends.

Yes, it was happening in Dr. Seong Kyungmin’s office in the hospital.

But the doctor prepared coffee and fancy snacks for Garam and Song Sihyuk.

Apparently, the snacks are from New York.

"How did you know that person was a Hyper-Dominant Alpha?" Song Sihyuk asked. "Are they officially diagnosed as one?"

"Yes, of course. I wouldn’t have brought it up if I hadn’t verified it," Dr. Seong Kyungmin said, scoffing at Song Sihyuk’s question. "Anyway, that Hyper-Dominant Alpha is dying."

Garam almost chocked on his coffee. "Why? Is Mr. Ward sick?"

"He has been sick ever since his Omega died three years ago."

Oh.

"Strictly speaking, Mr. Ward isn’t physically ill. However, his immune system gets weaker and weaker every day. The doctor can’t find the exact reason for that."

"Isn’t it similar to Hailey Syndrome?" Garam asked carefully. "Male Omegas weaken because of unknown reasons after giving birth, right?"

Well, the Cho Triplets seemed to have figured out the cause of Hailey Syndrome.

But it’s not officially acknowledged by the experts in the field.

"You’re right, Garam-ssi," Dr. Seong Kyungmin said while nodding. "The doctors actually believe that Mr. Ward is dying because of extreme loneliness after his Omega died."

"That can happen?" Song Sihyuk asked curiously. "An Alpha can die out of loneliness?"

"Again, the experts can’t prove it," Dr. Seong Kyungmin said, leaning against his seat. "But ever since Mr. Ward’s Omega died, his pheromones started getting weaker and weaker until the quality dropped. In fact, the doctors can’t use his pheromones for study purposes anymore. They said Mr. Ward’s pheromones are now worse than a Recessive Alpha’s pheromones."

"Is that why the doctors believe that person is about to die?" Song Sihyuk asked. "Because the quality of his pheromones is dropping?"

"Yes, that and because Mr. Ward is practically bedridden now."

"Dr. Seong, why are you telling us about Mr. Ward’s story?" Garam asked carefully. "Are you saying that Sihyuk Hyung is gonna suffer the same fate? But I’m still alive, and I’m getting better every day."

"I’m just trying to say that you and Song Sihyuk seem to really be a fated pair, Garam-ssi," Dr. Seong Kyungmin said casually as if he just didn’t drop a bomb on Garam. "That’s why I believe your pheromones can’t be contained by the medicine you’re taking."

That again?

It wasn’t Garam’s first time hearing that he and Song Sihyuk might be a fated pair.

But it’s getting scarier now that it seems true.

"Garam-ssi, the medicine you’re taking to be a Beta again made you unable to sense other people’s pheromones. But you suddenly can smell Song Sihyuk’s pheromones again, right?"

"Yes, Doc," Garam said while nodding. "That’s right."

Dr. Seong Kyungmin just nodded, and then he turned to Song Sihyuk. "And you suddenly feel like going into rut, right? After you and Garam-ssi have gotten physically closer again."

"Yeah, that seems to be the case."

"Why are you suddenly lurking around Garam-ssi when you already decided to let him return to being a Beta?" Dr. Seong Kyungmin scolded Song Sihyuk. "You know that your pheromones react to one another."

"I can’t help it," Song Sihyuk said, avoiding the doctor’s gaze. "I want to stay close to my wife and son. Plus, Lim Garam and I decided to coparent Gunwoo. I don’t want to be an absent father. I’ve already missed Lim Garam’s pregnancy and four years of my son’s life."

Ah, that was true.

"You can be there for your son without necessarily being close to Garam-ssi," Dr. Seong Kyungmin said. "You’re not living together anymore, so it should be easy."

Song Sihyuk just frowned.

"Actually, Dr. Seong, Sihyuk Hyung bought the house next to mine and moved in there," Garam said, snitching. "That’s why Sihyuk Hyung and I are neighbors now."

Dr. Seong Kyungmin grabbed the back of his neck as if he were about to die from high blood pressure. "Song Sihyuk, have you lost your mind? We’re trying to fix whatever is wrong with your pheromones. But then you do this? Do you want me to kill you?"

Song Sihyuk shrugged. "You can’t kill me even if you try."

"You’re seriously making me want to kill you now."

While the two Alphas were arguing, Garam got distracted when he received a text message from Gunwoo’s teacher.

"Garam-nim, can I call you?"

Oh.

"What’s wrong, Garam-ah?" Song Sihyuk asked worriedly. "Who is it?"

"It’s Gunwoo’s teacher," Garam said. "He wants to call."

***

HONESTLY, Garam got nervous when Gunwoo’s homeroom teacher told him that the parents of the child who pushed his son wanted to talk to him.

He thought the parents were mad about the children’s fight.

However, that didn’t happen.

"We’re sorry about what our son did to your son, Garam-ssi."

"We’ve already talked to our son. We promised you that something like this won’t happen again."

Aigooya.

Garam was surprised when the older couple apologized to him personally.

I know them...

The male Alpha was a prominent politician while the female Omega was a self-made millionaire known for her beauty empire.

And they’re bowing their heads to me...?

"Son, you have something to say, don’t you?"

The child, who was the same age as Gunwoo, immediately bowed his head.

"I’m sorry for pushing Gunwoo, Uncle. I won’t do it again."

"Oh. Thank you for apologizing," Garam said awkwardly. "Gunwoo said you two have already made up, so let’s end it here. I just hope you get along well with my son and your other classmates, Minho-ya."

Kwon Minho— that was the name of the child who pushed Gunwoo.

Anyway, the kid’s parents looked relieved when Kwon Minho apologized.

"Garam-ssi, now that the issue has been resolved, can you tell your partner that you’ve accepted our family’s apology?" the Alpha male said nervously. "I don’t want our families to be at odds with yours."

"We made a mistake as parents," the female Omega said. "But we promise to raise our son better. He’ll never touch your son again, so I hope our families get along well from now on."

Oh.

That was when the realization had hit Garam.

They know now that Gunwoo is the son of SG Group’s vice chairman...

***

"ARE YOU done talking to them?"

Garam sighed as soon as he sat in the passenger seat.

Of course, Song Sihyuk was the one sitting behind the wheel.

On the other hand, Gunwoo was already asleep in the backseat.

And this is why I didn’t bring my son when talking to the Kwons.

"Hyung, did you already talk to Minho’s parents before this?"

"No," Song Sihyuk said bluntly. "I gave the mayor a call, though."

Aigooya.

"You threatened them to apologize to me and Gunwoo."

"I did no such thing," Song Sihyuk said unapologetically. "I just told the mayor to raise his grandson better."

Garam was about to scold Song Sihyuk, but...

"Daddy, is Minho’s parents afraid of you?"

Oh.

Gunwoo was already awake.

It seems like he’s been awake all this time if he knew what we were talking about.

"Is that why Minho told me that his parents asked him to be my friend?" Gunwoo asked, his eyes sparkling. "But why are they afraid of you, Daddy? Are you powerful?"

"Yes," Song Sihyuk said casually. "And you can borrow my power anytime, Gunwoo-ya."

"No," Garam said sternly. "Gunwoo-ya, your dad’s power isn’t yours."

I need to make sure my son won’t grow arrogant!

***

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