The living room was quiet except for the faint hum of the old ceiling fan and the pale glow of the television screen. Kaein had long since tossed his phone aside, his legs stretched lazily across the couch, half-asleep. But Lior sat hunched on the rug, hugging his knees, his eyes fixed on the stream of breaking news banners running across the bottom of the screen.
"Another group of students awakened their secondary characteristics this week. Government confirms distribution of basic pheromone inhibitors for public safety. Citizens are advised to report for routine checks…"
The anchor's voice was calm, but to Lior, each word carried weight. His stomach tightened, his chest constricting.
He had been doing this for days—searching, refreshing feeds, looking up every article that mentioned awakening. And the more he read, the heavier his thoughts became.
Kaein stirred, cracking one eye open. "…Again with that?" His voice was drowsy, but the irritation laced underneath was clear. "You've been glued to the news since morning. Aren't you tired?"
Lior didn't answer immediately. His fingers trembled as he gripped his phone tighter, scrolling down to read the comments beneath the article. Ordinary people speculating, some celebrating, some mocking those who awakened as Omegas.
"I just want to know," Lior finally whispered. His voice was thin, almost breaking. "What if… what if it happens to me?"
Kaein sat up slowly, running a hand through his messy hair. "What if what happens?"
"What if I awaken as an Omega," Lior said, almost choking on the word. His lips curled downward, a shadow crossing his face. "What then, Kaein? What if I… if I change?"
Silence pressed between them.
Kaein stared at him, really looked.
Kaein's gaze softened. The fear trembling in Lior's voice was something he had never been able to ignore.
"…Lior," Kaein said slowly, leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees. "You think awakening will make you someone else?"
Lior's throat bobbed as he swallowed. "It will. It has to. Everyone says so. Once those instincts awaken, once pheromones start… it changes the way people see you. The way you see yourself. If I really… become an Omega, then—" He broke off, pressing his lips together tightly, his shoulders curling in.
Kaein's brows furrowed. "Then what? You think I'd look at you differently?"
"That's not it," Lior said quickly, shaking his head. His voice wavered. "But you've seen the news too, haven't you? Everyone talks about fated pairs. About bonds. About how an Alpha and Omega can't resist once it happens. If that's true, then…" He bit down on his lip, almost hard enough to draw blood. "…then even if I love someone now, what if I drift away because of instincts? What if you—" His voice cracked. "What if you drift away from me?"
Kaein froze.
The silence stretched, heavy, as though the room itself was holding its breath. Outside, the faint buzz of cicadas leaked through the window, the sound of summer pressing in.
Finally, Kaein let out a sharp laugh, though it wasn't mocking. More like disbelief, raw and a little broken. "You idiot."
Lior blinked, startled. "W—what?"
"Who else could I possibly have besides you?" Kaein leaned back, his hand raking through his hair again. His chest rose and fell, each breath slower than the last, as if he was reining something in. "No matter what you awaken as—Alpha, Omega, whatever. Even if we're both Omegas. Even if we're both Alphas. Do you really think that matters to me?"
Lior's eyes widened, shimmering with the reflection of the television's glow. His lips parted, but no words came out.
"Lior," Kaein said, his voice low, steady. "Listen to me. If I'm going to mark anyone—if I'm going to bind myself to anyone—it's only ever going to be you. Got it? Don't go filling your head with all that garbage from the news."
For a moment, Lior just stared at him. His chest hurt, not from pain, but from the rush of something dangerously close to relief. Yet that same relief twisted, because doubt still gnawed at the edges of his heart.
"…But if we're fated," Lior whispered, clutching his knees tighter. "If those bonds exist, what if they pull us apart? What if someone else out there—"
Kaein cut him off sharply. "Then I'll fight it."
Lior blinked.
"I'll fight it," Kaein repeated firmly, his eyes dark and unwavering. "You think I'd let some so-called fate steal you away? Fate can go to hell. I'm not giving you up. Not now, not ever."
The words struck deep, louder in Lior's chest than the broadcast still playing in the background.
His vision blurred slightly. He tilted his head down, pressing his forehead against his knees to hide his face. "You make it sound so easy."
"That's because it is," Kaein muttered. He shifted off the couch, crouching down beside Lior on the rug. His hand hovered for a second before he set it gently on Lior's shoulder. Warm, steady. "You think too much. Always have. Leave the overthinking to the world. With me, it's simple—you're mine, and I'm yours. Nothing else matters."
Lior's chest squeezed painfully tight. He wanted to believe. He wanted to let those words wrap around him like armor, to drown in them until there was no room left for doubt. But his heart still trembled.
---
The next day, Adrian and Julius dropped by again, this time bringing Luna along. The air in the living room was heavier than usual—not from silence, but from too many words all tumbling at once.
"Did you see the news yesterday?" Adrian asked, pushing his glasses up. "They're saying pheromone inhibitors already exist. That scientists were prepared for this years ago."
Julius scoffed. "Prepared? Then why didn't they release it earlier? If they knew something like this would happen, why hide it?"
"It's not hiding," Adrian shot back. "Maybe it was classified. Maybe they thought the world wasn't ready."
"Or maybe," Julius leaned forward, "it's just another government trick. Stirring panic to push some new law. You really think people can suddenly awaken secondary characteristics overnight?"
Kaein stayed quiet, arms crossed, but his gaze flicked toward Lior. He didn't seem any more certain than Julius.
Lior sighed. "Whatever the reason, it's spreading fast. You've seen the broadcasts. People collapsing in public, some acting strange. Even if it's fake… the fear is real."
Luna, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke. "Honestly… I don't know what to feel. It's exciting, but terrifying. If this is true, then…"
Her words broke off abruptly. She pressed a hand to her chest, a sharp inhale leaving her lips.
"Luna?" Julius frowned. "What's wrong?"
"I–I don't… know. It's too hot—" She staggered, her face paling, then flushing red. "My body—feels like burning—"
Her voice cracked into a whimper as she clutched at her throat, gasping. The room shifted instantly from debate to panic.
"Luna!" Adrian rushed to steady her, but she flinched back, trembling. Sweat trickled down her temple.
Kaein's jaw tightened. This was no coincidence. The symptoms matched too closely with what they had seen on the news. His eyes flicked to Lior, whose expression had gone stiff with realization.
"…It's real," Lior whispered, his chest tightening. "This is really happening."
Luna let out another choked sound, struggling to breathe.
"Enough," Kaein said sharply, already grabbing his jacket. "We're not sitting here arguing anymore. We're going to the hospital. Now."
---
The corridors of the hospital were already crowded when they arrived, the same panicked atmosphere Lior had glimpsed on the news. Families rushed past, some carrying loved ones in their arms, others calling frantically for doctors. The sterile white walls did little to hide the heavy scent of antiseptic mixed with the raw fear of the crowd.
A nurse rushed forward as soon as she saw Luna. "Room 3B, hurry!"
They half-carried, half-dragged her in. Machines beeped in rapid succession as she was laid down, wires and monitors attached to her trembling frame. Her breaths came shallow, uneven.
"Secondary characteristic awakening," the doctor muttered after a quick glance at the readings. His tone was calm but clipped, professional. "We've seen several cases since morning. Pheromone surges… body unable to stabilize."
Adrian's voice shook. "Is she—will she—"
"She's not the first, and she won't be the last," the doctor interrupted, eyes narrowing. "The world is changing. What you're seeing on the news is only the beginning."
The words rang in Lior's ears, louder than the monitor's beeping. He turned to the small window in the room, staring at the flashing red emergency lights outside. The weight of everything pressed down, heavier than he could carry.
And yet… somewhere in the back of his mind, a single thought kept repeating.
If this could happen to Luna, then… what about him?