Evening had settled in, though Seo Joon hadn't noticed how quickly time had passed. Somewhere between the fading light and the quiet of the room, he suddenly felt as though his throat was being crushed, as if invisible hands were tightening around his neck. Breathless, suffocated, his chest grew heavy, weighed down by something unseen.
His eyes snapped open. His breathing was frantic, shallow gasps breaking through the silence, sweat beading across his forehead. Disoriented, he looked around, but the room was empty—silent, still, unnervingly quiet. When his gaze fell on the clock, he froze.
Almost six in the evening…
Shock rippled through him. Never in his life had he slept this long, especially in broad daylight. Discipline had always defined him, his life running on strict schedules. For him to lose that control felt unsettling. He got up, still uneasy, washed his face, and stepped out of his room.
The door to the adjacent room—Woo Bin's—was half-open. Seo Joon paused. Maybe he's awake already, he thought. His stomach reminded him that he hadn't eaten since yesterday. Perhaps Woo Bin had woken up and was hungry too.
Seo Joon raised his hand and knocked gently. No answer. He hesitated, then softly called out, "Woo Bin?" Still, silence. He frowned, pushed the door a little wider, and stepped inside.
The sight startled him. The room looked like a storm had swept through. Woo Bin's bag lay toppled on the floor, clothes scattered carelessly across the bed and chair. The blanket had slipped onto the ground.
Seo Joon couldn't help the faint smile tugging at his lips. Woo Bin had always been so quiet, restrained, and disciplined around him. Their relationship so far had carried only the distance of boss and worker, formal and detached. But this—this messy, careless side—was something he hadn't expected. And strangely, he found it endearing.
Then his eyes fell on Woo Bin himself.
He was sprawled across the bed, shirtless, wearing only black shorts, fast asleep. His blanket forgotten on the floor, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm, his skin glowing faintly in the dim light.
Seo Joon's heart skipped. His Alpha energy surged, drawn instantly to the Omega lying before him. It was as if every one of his senses locked onto Woo Bin, drinking in the faint, intoxicating Omega scent that began to seep into the room. The pull was undeniable, primal, instinctive.
Without realizing it, Seo Joon stepped closer, each movement slow, hesitant yet magnetic. His gaze roamed over Woo Bin—broad shoulders, sculpted chest, the delicate line of his collarbone glistening with a trace of sweat. His messy hair fell slightly across his forehead, framing his serene face.
Seo Joon sat at the edge of the bed, barely daring to breathe. His self-control was slipping. His Alpha instincts screamed, demanded, pulled him toward the Omega before him. When his hand finally reached out and touched Woo Bin's bare shoulder, a wave of heat rushed through him, spreading like fire in his veins. His breath grew ragged, his pulse racing.
The memory hit him then—that night. The night he had lost control, the moment when, in the shadows, he had kissed Woo Bin for the first time. Even now, his lips burned with the phantom of that touch. His chest ached with the memory, with the longing to taste it again.
Slowly, dangerously, he leaned in. His lips hovered just above Woo Bin's. But then—he froze.
His mind crashed against his heart. What if Woo Bin woke up? What if he saw me like this—so close, so reckless? He would never trust me again. The risk of misunderstanding was too great. Seo Joon wanted this bond to begin with love, with care and trust, not fear or betrayal.
He pulled back, swallowing hard, his chest heaving as he fought the urge.
And then, Woo Bin stirred.
In his dream, shadows clawed toward him—dark, faceless figures with twisted, terrifying shapes. Their hollow eyes bored into him, filling him with dread. One shadow held a knife, advancing not toward him, but toward Seo Joon.
Woo Bin whimpered in his sleep, voice trembling: ""Dark shadows"" His lips moved again, this time whispering Seo Joon's name.
"Seo Joon… Seo Joon…"
Seo Joon leaned closer, shock cutting through his haze of desire. "Woo Bin?" he whispered urgently, gently shaking his shoulder. "I'm right here. I'm with you."
But Woo Bin didn't wake. His dream tightened its grip, his body trembling lightly. And in that moment, as Seo Joon's hand rested on him, their bond flared alive. The air in the room grew heavy, charged. Invisible waves of Alpha and Omega energy collided, mingling, twisting, filling the space with a heat neither could resist.
Woo Bin stirred again, caught between dream and reality, feeling a strange force rise inside him—as if some buried power was being awakened by Seo Joon's touch. His body tensed. His breath quickened.
And then, abruptly, his eyes flew open.