For the first time ever, Kim Woo-Jin, "The Untouchable," and admired as the strongest in school, hesitated. His hand tightened on the doorframe as the strange dream from last night replayed in his mind.
The memory of Aaron's lips on his, their breaths mixing in a way that made his chest tighten. And that voice...smooth, teasing, impossible to ignore.
"I'm hard."
Woo-Jin's cheeks burned bright red at the thought. He slapped them lightly, muttering.
"What the hell is wrong with me?"
He shook his head furiously, as though he could force the dream out of his mind.
Everything felt overwhelming—his emotions, his senses, and worst of all, his thoughts.
And the cause was that omega.
Aaron.
Finally, Woo-Jin took a deep breath to clam himself and stepped into the classroom. His sharp eyes scanned the room, locking instantly on Aaron.
There he was, sitting beside Woo-Jin's seat, casually leaning back like he hadn't turned Woo-Jin's world upside down.
A surge of irritation bubbled up inside him. It's his fault, Woo-Jin thought, tightening his jaw. That dream. All of it. He resolved to stay strong, to keep his composure.
I won't let him affect me again.
But as Woo-Jin walked toward his seat, that sweet, faintly floral scent hit him, wavering his resolve. His steps faltered for just a second as his mind betrayed him, replaying the dream with clarity.
His hand clenched into a fist as he sat down, his back stiff and his gaze fixed straight ahead. He tried to block out the scent, to erase the memory of Aaron's teasing voice and soft lips.
Get it together, Woo-Jin, he told himself.
You're not some rookie alpha losing it over an omega.
But no matter how hard he tried, his body wouldn't listen. The faint scent lingered in the air, wrapping around him like an invisible chain. It wasn't as overpowering as before, but it was enough to make his pulse quicken and his nerves tingle.
Woo-Jin squeezed his eyes shut, biting back a groan.
Damn this.
Before Kim Woo-Jin could regain his composure, Aaron turned toward him, leaning in so close their faces were only inches apart.
"Aren't you going to greet me?" Aaron asked.
Aaron's voice and warm breath brushed against his skin, making Kim Woo-Jin's breath catch.
And then Kim Woo-Jin's eyes locked onto Aaron's lips.
Those damn lips.
They were exactly like the ones in his dream—plump, smooth, and a soft shade of pink, like the ripest cherry. His mind went blank for a second, and a thought hit him like a thunderclap:
They look so soft. Like cotton. If I move just a bit closer, I could feel them.
The thought was enough to send Kim Woo-Jin into a complete spiral. His mind raced, and in a moment of panic, he slammed his forehead against the desk with a loud thud, causing Aaron and the entire class to flinch in surprise.
"I'm about to kiss him…" Kim Woo-Jin thought in horror.
Damn it!
Aaron's voice pierced through Kim Woo-Jin's spiraling thoughts.
"Hey, what's wrong with you?"
Kim Woo-Jin squeezed his eyes shut in frustration. The culprit—the omega who was causing this chaos—was now asking him what was wrong, all while messing with his head.
His heart raced erratically, and he could practically feel it pounding in his chest, as though it were trying to break free.
This damn omega, Kim Woo-Jin thought.
What the hell is he doing to me?
The teacher's arrival saved him from further scrutiny. The class quickly settled, and Kim Woo-Jin forced himself to focus on the lecture. But no matter how hard he tried, his thoughts kept drifting back to Aaron. The faint scent of the omega makes it impossible to concentrate.
Why is this happening? he thought.
He had met countless omegas in his life, but none of them had ever made his heart waver. And yet, Aaron had managed to shake him to his core.
Woo-Jin shook his head, trying to dispel the thoughts.
This isn't me, he insisted.
This isn't how I'm supposed to feel.
He blamed his approaching rut for the whirlwind of emotions.
That had to be the reason. It was all just hormones and biological impulses, nothing more.
"Yes, that's it," he muttered, convincing himself.
"It's just the rut. Nothing else."
By the time the lecture ends, Woo-Jin is at his limit. He gathered his things in a hurry to leave before anyone, especially Aaron, could say anything.
But just as he was about to stand up, Aaron leaned closer.
"Are you okay?" Aaron asked, noticing Kim Woo's strange reaction.
Woo-Jin turned his head—and in that moment, their lips accidentally met together.
Aaron froze. So did Kim Woo.
The shock coursed through both of them, holding them in place like statues. One second. Two seconds... fifteen agonizingly long seconds passed, neither of them moving, neither of them daring to break the connection.
Suddenly, Kim Woo jerked back, his body stiffening as yestarday dream ran through him. His fingers instinctively brushed against his lips, and his wide eyes reflected disbelief.
"I... I kissed him."
Aaron's heart stuttered at Kim Woo's words; his mind raced as he processed the situation. Yet, his gaze remained locked on Kim Woo.
The sight of Kim Woo's reddened face was too much for Aaron to resist. A mischievous smirk curled on his lips as a playful idea crossed his mind. Without hesitating, he leaned forward, closing the distance between them again.
"Kiss? You're sure that counts as a kiss?"
Kim Woo was too stunned to respond, his lips slightly parted as he tried to process what had just happened.
Seeing Kim Woo flustered, Aaron chuckled softly, unable to hide his amusement.
"Do you want me to show you what a real kiss is?"
Kim Woo's face turned an even deeper shade of red, his hands flying up defensively to cover his lips.
"Stop it."
Kim Woo's flustered reaction sent a strange warmth spreading through Aaron's chest. He couldn't stop himself from thinking how adorable and cute it was. What started as mere entertainment had shifted now and Aaron found himself wanting to know more about Kim Woo.