"Why don't we take a walk in the park over there?" Noah suggested, taking the initiative.
The two walked side by side. To be honest, there wasn't much to see in the park during winter; the branches were bare and lifeless.
"Roasted sweet potatoes! Roasted sweet potatoes—"
"You wait here for a sec," Noah said, pulling his neck into his collar, walking briskly over. "Two, please."
"Sure thing! What size do you want?"
Noah scanned the different-sized sweet potatoes on the stall, pointing to one. "I'll take that one, two scoops, please."
"Have you had this before?" Noah asked, swinging the bag in front of Ethan.
Ethan nodded, adjusting Noah's crooked hat. "My dad grows some at home. If you like them, I can bring you some next time."
Noah, who had been a bit disappointed before, immediately brightened. "Your uncle grows these? That's impressive."
"Yeah, ever since I took over, he's been into growing all kinds of vegetables and fruits."
Ethan carefully peeled the skin off the sweet potato, revealing the orange-red flesh inside, which looked incredibly sweet.
He inserted a spoon and held it out to Noah. "You try it first."
Noah slipped his hands into his pockets. It was just warm enough, but he didn't feel like taking them out. He didn't say anything, just watched the sweet potato in front of him.
The spoon, which had been standing still, was now picked up. It was filled with the sweet, fragrant potato, and the owner of the hand blew gently on it before offering it to Noah.
"It's good," Noah said, his eyes crinkling as he smiled.
He didn't feel cold anymore. Reaching out, he took the spoon and scooped a bit from the center for Ethan. "You try it too~" He grinned, watching Ethan open his lips. "How is it? Sweet, right?"
The sweet potato was naturally sweet, and with the warmth, the soft and sticky texture lingered on Noah's tongue.
"It's sweet," Ethan said, then placed the still-warm roasted sweet potato into Noah's hand. "Let it cool down before I have it."
"You wait here, I'll go to the restroom."
Noah purposely took a longer route, cradling a vibrant bouquet of roses in his arms. He'd already placed the order on his phone back in the cinema.
The roses were a bright red, with droplets of dew still clinging to the petals. Noah smiled contentedly at the flowers in his arms, but they started to tremble slightly.
Taking a deep breath, Noah glanced at Ethan, who was waiting, then slowly stepped forward.
A soft, gentle voice broke through the fluttering plum blossoms. "I'm behind you."
Ethan turned around, startled by the striking presence of the roses. As his gaze moved upward, it fell upon a face even more delicate than the flowers. The fair cheeks had a soft flush, and the eyes shone like stars in the night sky. His lips parted slightly, revealing a hint of white, making him look incredibly beautiful.
But it wasn't just his face that was captivating—it was what he said next.
"Ethan, I like you. Will you be with me?"
They say that relationships often start with a solemn confession and a bouquet of stunning flowers.
Ethan took the flowers, lowering his head to inhale the fragrant scent. "Can you wait for a bit?"
Noah's heart, which had been racing, suddenly stopped at Ethan's request.
"Wait… for what?"
Ethan stepped forward, lowering his head, his eyes full of sincerity. "Wait for the pheromones on your body to completely fade away."
Noah exhaled. So, it was because of that.
"I like you," he said again. The nervousness from the first confession was still there, but this time it was less intense, less fearful.
"I like you, and it's not because of the pheromones. So, Ethan, will you be with me?"
Once again, he didn't receive a definite answer. "No."
After hearing "no" twice, Noah lowered his gaze, feeling a bit downcast. "Why? Have you… stopped liking me?"
"It's not that," Ethan said, his voice steady. "I still like you."
Noah nearly couldn't wait any longer. "Then why won't you say yes?"
"Your temporary marks are still there. How can I trust you?"
Because of his lower-quality omega status, Noah had never paid much attention during biology lessons, so he didn't understand fully.
"Does it really matter?"
Ethan asked in return, "Does it not matter? After the temporary mark, my pheromones will influence you, making you physically dependent on me. Your heart will open up to me because of my pheromones. I don't want you to accept me under those conditions."
He didn't realize that this was what Ethan cared about.
Indeed, with a high degree of pheromone compatibility between an alpha and an omega, who could tell if it was love at first sight or simply the influence of pheromones?
"I'm sorry," Noah said, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I didn't study those lessons properly before because of my lower quality status. I really didn't know it would make you feel this way. But, of course, it's normal for you to think like that."
Ethan listened quietly, and Noah's voice grew a little softer, as he added, "Actually, the heat… it gave me the confidence to want to be with you. I still care about being of lower quality. I can't not care about that. The onset of my heat marks that I'm finally a mature omega."
Noah sighed, his eyes fluttering shut. "My heart was already in turmoil long before the mark. Ethan, it's because of you. I'm nearly 30, and I might still be immature when it comes to relationships. I…"
Noah hugged Ethan tightly, resting his face over the spot where Ethan's heartbeat could be heard, loud and steady.
"I really like you, and I want to spend my life with you. They say 'third time's the charm,' so will you be with me?" Noah asked, his voice filled with sincerity. Even if Ethan rejected him, Noah felt he would keep asking. Fourth time, fifth time… It didn't have to be today. Noah respected Ethan's feelings, and maybe after the temporary mark faded, he'd confess again.
Next time, he would be better prepared, and not just with a bouquet of flowers.
"I'm honored to be with you," Ethan's warm, deep voice rang in his ears.
Upon hearing Ethan's acceptance, Noah felt like he was a little groundhog, digging into the hole of his own joy and sinking deeper into it.
After letting the joy settle, Noah suddenly raised his head, his gaze locking onto Ethan's. "Can you delete that swimming circle post?"
A soft laugh came from above him. Ethan opened his Moments and showed it to Noah. "Take a look."
Noah looked at the post, with the "only visible to him" tag. His eyebrows raised. "You're trying to seduce me?"
"Yeah, isn't it nice? Before I shot the video, I specifically spent more than half a month cutting fat and building muscle, just to make my muscles look better."
Noah couldn't help but chuckle. He had to admit, this tactic worked remarkably well on him.