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1.
Choi Beomgyu and Choi Soobin lived next door to each other. For all intents and purposes, they grew up together.
Before he could even say "mama," one-year-old Beomgyu already knew how to point at two-year-old Soobin and declare, "Pwetty!"
And after that, like a duckling imprinting on its mother, he trailed after him all the way into adulthood.
2.
Choi Beomgyu and Choi Soobin were best friends. They always shared good food, played games together, studied together, and were practically inseparable.
At least, that's how Beomgyu saw it.
From Soobin's perspective, Beomgyu was the clingy kid next door who had absolutely no concept of personal space.
The kid next door would stare at a bag of chips in his hand with big pleading eyes until Soobin gave up more than half.
The kid next door would sneak over to play games at his house whenever he wanted to avoid getting scolded by his mother.
The kid next door was hopelessly dead last in physics, beyond even Soobin's ability to save.
As for the "practically inseparable" part...
Well, that wasn't exactly wrong.
3.
Choi Beomgyu was an Omega. Choi Soobin was an Alpha.
Logically speaking, they probably shouldn't have been so close.
But what was Beomgyu?
A strong, independent Omega, obviously! A strong, independent Omega who could charge into battle just like an Alpha. An Omega could do anything an Alpha could do!
Seventh-grader Choi Soobin sat beside him with an absent-minded "uh-huh, uh-huh," listening as his sixth-grade neighbor passionately stomped on a chair and made his grand declaration.
All while calmly crossing out one incorrect answer after another on Beomgyu's disastrously bad physics worksheet with a red pen.
4.
Choi Beomgyu had always thought he wasn't all that different from Choi Soobin.
Sure, Soobin was taller than him, stronger than him, faster than him in a sprint, and ranked at the top of the school in physics while Beomgyu was dead last.
But that tall, strong, physics-genius guy always went along with every ridiculous thing Beomgyu came up with.
And what did that mean? It meant Beomgyu was obviously the one in charge.
That particular belief survived exactly one summer.
Because in the year Choi Beomgyu started tenth grade, he presented.
5.
After school, Beomgyu followed a route so familiar he could've walked it with his eyes closed, slipped into Choi Soobin's room, and flopped onto his bed. He was waiting for Soobin to come back from the nerdy physics club so they could play games together.
When Soobin finally returned, he found his pretty neighbor sprawled across the bed, cheeks flushed bright red, rubbing himself against the blankets while repeatedly calling Soobin's name in a soft, syrupy voice.
The room was saturated with the sweet scent of pear blossoms—sweet enough to make your limbs tremble.
Everything happened too suddenly. No one had time to prepare. When Beomgyu's mother came rushing over after hearing what happened, she'd already braced herself for the worst. The first thing she saw was blood dripping onto the floor.
Then she saw Soobin sitting on the bed, wrapping a bandage around a wound on his hand. An empty syringe lay discarded beside him.
And Beomgyu—completely unharmed—was asleep in his arms, wrapped in Soobin's twelfth-grade uniform jacket and utterly out cold.
6.
After taking suppressants, Choi Beomgyu recovered quickly. And the moment he felt better, he happily skipped next door to see his favorite neighbor.
Only to get shut out at the door.
Completely baffled, Beomgyu went back to his room, climbed the tree that stood between their houses, and knocked on Choi Soobin's bedroom window.
The room was dark.
Choi Beomgyu stared blankly.
...What the hell was that supposed to mean???
7.
A few days later, after realizing he couldn't keep avoiding him forever, Choi Soobin finally told Choi Beomgyu that they couldn't spend time together anymore.
"Why?" Beomgyu demanded.
"Because we're different."
"Different how?"
Soobin raised his wrist and pulled down the white bandage wrapped around it. The bite mark underneath was horrifyingly deep, blood still seeping from the wound.
"Back then, if there weren't any emergency suppressants available," he said. "I could have bit you. Not my hand."
Beomgyu stared at the injury.
For the first time, the pine scent that had always seemed gentle and comforting felt overwhelmingly intense, almost frightening.
8.
For the first time in sixteen years, Choi Beomgyu went to school alone.
And came home alone.
The ice cream he bought himself at the convenience store on the way back didn't taste nearly as good as the one someone else bought and shared with him.
At the arcade, without that person beside him, he couldn't win a single plushie from the claw machines.
While walking home, he spotted a litter of chubby puppies and instinctively turned to call the person beside him over to look, only to remember there wasn't anyone there.
Ever since kindergarten, his mother had told him there were only three people he was allowed to follow without question: his dad, his mom, and Soobin hyung from next door.
Following Soobin usually meant getting chips or ice cream.
It meant that when Beomgyu stood in front of a claw machine looking longingly at the prizes, Soobin could spend a few hundred won and walk away with an armful of stuffed animals, enough to make the owner start sweating.
Whenever they ran into a barking dog on the street, Soobin would pat the head of four-year-old Beomgyu who was on the verge of tears yet still step protectively in front of the older boy.
"Beomgyu's so brave," he'd say. "Thanks for protecting me."
Just like that, from childhood to now, Beomgyu had never really been alone.
His fingers brushed the scent-blocking patch at the back of his neck.
For the first time in his life, he thought being an Omega was a real pain.
9.
Choi Soobin sat at his desk with his elbows propped on the tabletop, fingers interlaced, chin resting on top of them.
He stared intently at the watch parts and tools spread out before him.
He had already finished writing up today's physics experiment, and all the other club members had gone home. Only Soobin remained, working on a personal research project.
In front of him sat a wristwatch he'd completely dismantled.
Apparently having run into a difficult problem, Soobin could only sit there staring blankly at it.
He was contemplating life.
Well, not exactly life.
Nor anything particularly profound.
After all, what could possibly be profound about a kid who couldn't even tell velocity from acceleration?
In modern society, Omegas and Alphas didn't have to avoid each other completely. Considering how close the two of them were, that incident really shouldn't have changed much. If that was the case, though, then why had he been avoiding Beomgyu for the past month?
Mm.
Soobin was a top student in both the sciences and the humanities. And to be good at everything, the prerequisite was good logic. Which meant he located the problem very quickly.
He didn't want to be Choi Beomgyu's damn older brother.
Soobin dragged a hand through his hair. A glance at the clock told him it was already six o'clock. With a sigh, he packed up his things and left the club room.
10.
When Choi Soobin reached the final intersection before home, a strange feeling came over him.
He could smell pear blossoms. It was the sweet scent that had almost made him lose control a month ago.
This time it was faint, lacking the overwhelming intensity from before, but it still sent a spike of anxiety through him. His heartbeat quickened.
He immediately picked up his pace. His Alpha instincts dissected the Omega pheromones carried on the air: Agitation, defensiveness, and underneath it all, fear.
Soobin rounded the corner at a run.
In the narrow alley beyond, he saw one person pinning another against a wall.
His heart shot straight into his throat.
Choi Beomgyu was trembling from head to toe, a brick was clenched tightly in his hand.
The scent of pear blossoms poured off him in thick waves, but instead of temptation, it carried a faint, unmistakable threat.
A strange Alpha was cowering in the corner, blood trickled from a gash on his scalp, presumably the result of having been hit with the brick.
Then, spotting Choi Soobin's arrival—and catching the brief moment Beomgyu's attention wavered—the Alpha seized his chance and bolted.
Clack.
Beomgyu let the brick fall to the ground.
The fury that had filled his face moments ago vanished instantly, leaving only hurt.
"Hyung..." His voice shook. "I'm so scared..."
11.
As Choi Soobin walked Choi Beomgyu home, the terrified look on that Alpha's face kept resurfacing in his mind, leaving him with mixed feelings.
On the one hand, Beomgyu was an Omega.
On the other hand, Beomgyu was Beomgyu.
Ever since childhood, he had been the terror of the local school district. As the self-appointed older brother, Soobin had spent years receiving complaints from other children on his behalf.
So really, whether Beomgyu was an Omega had very little to do with how easy he was to bully.
Even so, Soobin still helped him file a report through the Omega Protection Association app.
Beomgyu wiped the dirt off his face with a towel and pouted.
"That thing's useless. By the time an Omega gets around to filing a report, their corpse is already cold.”
"It has an emergency call button," Soobin pointed out.
"That's still way too many steps. What if I don't have time to pull out my phone and dig through apps?"
Soobin had been about to tell him to remember to call for help next time, but worried it might annoy him, so he changed the subject instead. "Did that guy do anything to you?"
"He made a few comments. Before he could actually do anything, I'd already shoved him into a wall." Beomgyu tilted his head, his neck giving an ominous crack.
Hearing that, Soobin finally relaxed. Then immediately fell into thought again.
Unbeknownst to him, Beomgyu was on the side watching him like a hawk. When Soobin still didn't say anything else, the younger boy slowly scooted closer and plopped himself down beside him on the couch.
Only when the scent of pear blossoms drifted over did Soobin finally frown and turn toward him. "Aren't you wearing a scent patch?"
"Took it off. It was annoying." Then, after a pause, Beomgyu added stubbornly, "But no matter what, it's those Alphas' fault for not controlling themselves. It's not because of an Omega's pheromones."
"That's not what I meant." Soobin's voice remained gentle. "But wearing one is for your own safety. And it's also common courtesy—"
For some reason, that sentence hit a nerve.
Beomgyu exploded. "Alphas can walk around leaking pheromones everywhere and people call it powerful. But if an Omega's pheromones are noticeable, suddenly we're tempting people? What kind of logic is that?"
His voice rose with every word. "Is that what you meant when you said we're different?"
Soobin froze.
"Because I'm an Omega?"
By now Beomgyu's eyes had gone red. His voice grew quieter and quieter.
"...Does being an Omega mean..." He swallowed. "...that I can't be your friend anymore?"
The moment the words left his mouth, it felt as though someone's hand had closed around Soobin's heart and squeezed.
12.
The next day, when Choi Beomgyu stepped outside, he found Choi Soobin already waiting for him.
Last night, after Beomgyu exploded, Soobin hadn't even had the chance to say anything before Beomgyu's parents returned home. The two of them had no choice but to part awkwardly. Before going to sleep, Beomgyu thought back on what he had said. He didn't regret the content of it, but it felt like he had directed it at the wrong person... That anger and resentment clearly shouldn't have been aimed at the neighbor hyung.
He had already prepared himself to be ignored for a long time (as if he wasn't already being ignored now), so when he saw that tall figure standing outside the gate, Choi Beomgyu didn't hesitate and ran straight into his arms.
For all that Soobin was tall and sturdy, he still staggered a little when Beomgyu threw himself at him before wrapping his arms around him.
After that, they chatted on and off for a while. Spotting the white patch on Beomgyu's neck, Soobin asked, "Wasn't it uncomfortable?"
Beomgyu was about to reach up and scratch at his neck, but stopped halfway.
"Can't be helped. Mom said I have to wear it."
Soobin said nothing and reached over to ruffle his hair.
The two of them walked side by side for a long time before he finally said softly, "Actually, if you don't like it, you don't have to wear it."
Beomgyu looked at him in confusion.
Lowering his gaze to meet Beomgyu's, Soobin said, "From now on, I'll walk you to and from school."
Choi Beomgyu froze, staring at his handsome profile.
His neighbor hyung rarely made promises, but whenever he did, he was always serious enough to make people feel moved. Beomgyu didn't particularly like putting people into stereotypes, but Soobin really was the textbook science-track boy. He wasn't good at saying gentle things, and everything he said was so straightforward it could be irritating, yet every word landed exactly where it needed to and achieved maximum effect.
Those eight words alone were enough to make Beomgyu's heart gallop out of control.
His face reddened. For the first time, he became aware of just how handsome Soobin was.
Beomgyu was rarely shy. After a long pause, he finally said quietly, "You can't keep doing that forever. You'll be in university next year."
Without much thought, Choi Soobin replied, "I'll figure something out."
And just like all those times when Choi Beomgyu got himself into trouble as a child, whenever Choi Soobin said that, Beomgyu believed unconditionally that he would find a way to solve it for him.
13.
So Choi Beomgyu really did stop wearing the patch.
It wasn't entirely out of stubbornness. He genuinely found it uncomfortable. Ordinary patches made his skin itch and break out in red rashes. After looking it up online, Choi Beomgyu discovered that many Omegas had the same problem, but for the sake of protecting themselves, they endured it anyway.
Beomgyu also looked into suppressant pills, only to discover that taking them regularly could affect an Omega's mental state. Sometimes they caused irritability and mood swings; in more serious cases, they could even lead to depression.
Beomgyu let out a mournful sigh, but when he thought of Soobin's certainty when he spoke, he felt cheerful again.
So he followed Soobin's advice. If it was uncomfortable, he simply wouldn't wear it.
True to his promise, Choi Soobin walked to and from school with him every day.
The only issue was that Soobin often stayed behind after school to work on some personal research project for the physics club, which meant Beomgyu stayed with him as well.
He didn't find it troublesome. He even took the opportunity to do his homework, asking Soobin whenever he ran into something he didn't understand.
Looking up from his notebook, Beomgyu glanced at Soobin, who was sitting beside him concentrating on adjusting some sort of device.
He couldn't help feeling a little sweet inside.
He was just enjoying the sight when Soobin suddenly sighed.
"Choi Beomgyu, it's fine if you don't wear the patch, but at least rein in your pheromones."
At some point without him noticing, the fresh, sweet scent of pear blossoms had spread through the room. They even seemed to linger deliberately around Soobin, turning the tips of his ears red.
Beomgyu looked at those ears.
His heart immediately began galloping out of control again.
14.
While Choi Beomgyu was still wondering what it meant that his heart sped up whenever he looked at Choi Soobin, he was suddenly called to the teachers' office.
His homeroom teacher was a Beta. In a tactful manner, she told him that he should wear a pheromone-suppressing patch, as several young Alpha teachers had brought the matter to her attention.
"But I'm allergic to the patch," Beomgyu said.
"Then take suppressants."
"They have side effects and can affect my health. My doctor already told me that."
His teacher frowned. "Your pheromones are distracting your classmates. You need to find a solution."
Choi Beomgyu thought for a moment before saying, "Then may I ask that the Alpha teachers and students wear suppressing patches as well?"
His teacher looked startled. "Why?"
Beomgyu remained calm. "Because their pheromones bother me too. Not to mention that Alpha students like to compare pheromones with each other. When that happens, the other Omega students feel uncomfortable and anxious too."
"But... those patches aren't..."
"Actually, I've looked into it. Pheromone-suppressing patches, just as the name suggests, suppress pheromones for both secondary genders. They can also reduce the wearer's sensitivity to other people's pheromones. Besides, a study conducted by University A on 300 Alphas and 120 Omegas found that the patches are actually more effective for Alphas. Alphas also experience fewer side effects than Omegas. I've spoken with other Omegas before. Many of them feel uncomfortable and dizzy when wearing patches during their heat cycles."
After a long explanation, he concluded,
"I think you should require the Alpha students to wear them."
In the end, Beomgyu left the office with a notice summoning his parents to school. He didn't care. Instead, he immediately went to find Soobin in the physics club room.
After telling him what had happened, Soobin looked somewhat surprised.
"Really? Where did you read that study?"
"My dad knows someone who works at the National Institute for Gender Studies. He sent me the materials."
Choi Soobin thought for a moment. "...Do my pheromones bother you? Should I wear a patch too?"
The moment he asked, he frowned without even waiting for an answer. Back in middle school, Soobin had attended a school made up entirely of Alphas and Betas, so he had never given it much thought. Things were different now.
"I'll wear one," he said. "It'll keep me from affecting the other Omega students."
Beomgyu blinked at him.
Seeing that determined expression, he swallowed back the words he had been about to say—that Soobin's pheromones didn't bother him at all. Not even a little.
Still, if Soobin wore a patch, the other Omegas wouldn't be able to smell him either.
"Mm."
Beomgyu nodded happily.
Seeing him smile like that, Soobin felt a stir in his chest and tightened his grip on his backpack. After thinking it over for a long while, he finally made up his mind.
15.
Choi Soobin took Choi Beomgyu to his favorite ice cream shop and ordered him a three-scoop sundae. Watching him eat happily, Soobin silently recited the same encouraging phrase to himself a hundred times.
By the time Beomgyu had scraped the bottom of the sundae glass clean, Soobin had finally finished.
He placed a small ribbon-tied box on the table and pushed it toward him.
Beomgyu blinked.
"But it's not my birthday today."
Breathing in the faint scent of pear blossoms, Soobin somehow found a little more courage.
The gift had already been given. Keeping his voice as steady as possible, he said slowly, "It's not your birthday, but it is an anniversary."
Curious, Beomgyu picked up the box.
"An anniversary of what?"
As he spoke, he opened it.
Soobin swallowed. His mouth felt dry.
Slowly, he said, "Well, there are two possibilities."
Beomgyu's fingers brushed against the cool metal surface of the watch inside the box. He immediately recognized it as the thing Choi Soobin had spent the past few months working on in the physics club room.
Across from him, Soobin stared fixedly at his movements and said quietly,
"One, it's the anniversary of the day I got my heart broken."
Beomgyu's heartbeat suddenly sped up.
Soobin continued, "...Two, it's the anniversary of the day we started dating."
Choi Beomgyu looked up at him.
Soobin's expression remained calm as ever, but the tips of his ears had already turned red.
When Beomgyu didn't say anything, Soobin cleared his throat, pulled the watch back toward himself, and explained in a low voice,
"In a few months, I'll be going to university, so I won't be able to walk you to and from school anymore. This watch... well, let's call it Guardian. I modified it myself. If you press here, it'll make a loud alarm—"
A piercing noise suddenly rang through the shop, startling everyone around them.
Soobin grimaced and hurriedly switched it off.
"Press here and it'll immediately contact the Omega Protection Association hotline. And this button activates a light for walking home after dark. In an emergency, you can even shine it directly into a creep's eyes..."
By now, Choi Beomgyu felt as though his cheeks were on fire.
His heart didn't feel like it belonged to him anymore, either.
The traitor climbed right out of his chest, scampered across the tabletop, crossed the empty sundae glass, and crawled straight into Choi Soobin's hand.
After finishing his explanation and finding Beomgyu still silent, Soobin also fell silent for a moment before saying gently,
"Of course, even if you reject me, I still want you to use it. It'll be useful, and it doesn't require nearly as many steps as a phone—"
"Wait—when did I reject you?!"
Beomgyu's voice came out louder than intended, causing everyone in the shop to turn and stare for the second time.
"You didn't?" Soobin looked equally startled.
"I—" Beomgyu stammered for a while before blurting out with a red face, "Since when did you even like me like that?"
Soobin looked at him.
He was about to answer, but Beomgyu had already decided to follow his heart. Climbing over the table, he launched himself straight into Choi Soobin's arms under the horrified gazes of everyone around them.
And when they shared their first kiss, both of them knew there was no need to ask any more questions.
Since when had they fallen for each other?
That wasn't important.
What mattered was that they had finally realized it.
.
.
.
Ten years later.
Choi Beomgyu and Choi Soobin rarely had the chance to watch a movie together these days. It wasn't often that the machine learning engineer managed to find free time, so whenever he did, he never minded taking his boyfriend out on a date.
In the theater lobby, the two of them sat hand in hand, quietly watching groups of young people come out of the screening rooms chatting and laughing after their movies. Among them were Alphas and Omegas alike.
What stood out was that every Omega wore a similar special watch, while most of the Alphas had a white patch on their necks.
Observing the crowd, Beomgyu said,
"Looks like the latest version of Guardian is pretty popular, Engineer Choi~"
Soobin lowered his voice as well.
"Your ‘Equal Pheromone’' campaign is doing pretty well too, Dr. Choi. Every Alpha is voluntarily wearing suppressing patches now."
Choi Beomgyu took his hand and smiled until the corners of his eyes curved.
He lowered his head slightly, revealing a faint mark at the back of his pale neck. The scent of pear blossoms was still as fresh and pleasant as ever, only now it was intertwined with the warm scent of pine.
He lifted his wrist.
There was a watch on it, quite old by now, with a few scratches scattered across its face from the passage of time.
Looking at him, Choi Soobin lifted his hand and pressed a kiss to each delicate knuckle.
"It's this old already. I've told you to switch to a newer one."
"You said it still works perfectly fine. Besides, don't you update it for me every month?"
"The casing looks old. You could at least change that."
Just as he finished speaking, it was time for their movie. An usher signaled that they could enter.
Beomgyu stood up with him and shook his head. "No. It's our token of love."
Leading him into the theater, Soobin smiled faintly. "I'll get you something else."
Beomgyu still didn't quite understand.
"What do you mea—"
He never got the chance to finish the question.
Because in the dark theater, illuminated by the glow of the screen, four words appeared before him.
The same three words Choi Soobin was whispering into his ear at that very moment.
"Will you marry me?”
The End.