"No... put your clothes on first. Ahem..." Noah cleared his throat, his voice slightly hoarse. "It's getting cold. You'll catch a cold like this."
Ethan obediently put on his bathrobe. The room was warm enough, so he didn't feel cold. He sat down on the couch, casually rubbing his hair with a towel. "Wait a minute, I'll go blow-dry my hair."
The sound of the blow dryer came through the phone, and the screen showed only the white ceiling, giving the whole situation a calm and peaceful atmosphere.
"Whew... have I kept you waiting too long?" Ethan's voice sounded a bit tired but still gentle.
Noah shook his head. "No, not at all."
He didn't immediately look at the screen, but his gaze accidentally drifted to Ethan's bathrobe. Due to the way he was holding the blow dryer, the robe's collar, which was originally fastened, had loosened slightly. Noah could clearly see his collarbone and well-defined chest, the thin layer of warmth on his skin giving him the appearance of a ripe peach—inviting yet fragile.
Noah's heart skipped a beat. He quickly shifted his gaze. His tone became firmer as he tried to regain composure. "The collar isn't fastened properly. You'll catch a chill."
"Is it?" Ethan glanced at himself on the screen, clearly unaware that his casual display had caught Noah's attention. He still seemed lighthearted, a little playful.
Seeing that his teasing had worked, Ethan quickly adjusted his robe. "Alright, I've put it back on."
But he couldn't help but tease again. "Maybe it's your air conditioning. Your face looks a little red."
Noah fanned himself with his hand, flashing a sheepish smile. "Is it? I... I think it's just a bit warm in here."
Ethan chuckled softly, sensing that Noah was getting flustered, and decided to stop before it became too much. He didn't want to push him so far that Noah wouldn't be able to sleep.
"Alright, how about I tell you a story?" Ethan picked up a colorful book from the coffee table. Sam had bought them for him.
He showed the top one to the camera. "How about this one?"
Noah really wanted to hear Ethan tell him a story, but he was more concerned about Ethan getting enough rest. "I can fall asleep," he said gently. "You must be tired, right? Business trips aren't easy. I don't want to take up too much of your time."
Ethan understood what Noah meant. He put the book down and walked toward his bedroom.
"I'm lying down now. Goodnight, Noah." Ethan made a hugging gesture toward the camera, his voice soft and full of affection.
Noah mimicked the gesture. "Goodnight."
The next morning, Emma arrived on time, knocking on Noah's door. She was holding a bag that looked a bit bulky, her face showing signs of worry.
"You haven't eaten or drunk anything, have you?" she asked, looking concerned.
Noah had already packed his things, including his identification and medical card. "No, if you count saliva as water, then I've had some," he joked, trying to ease the tension.
Seeing that Noah still had the energy to joke around made Emma feel a little more relaxed. Though the clinic opened at 8 AM, the waiting area was already packed with people, the line extending far beyond sight, like an endless dragon.
Noah had already booked a regular appointment online. If it were a specialist, he would have had to wait a week to get an appointment, and even then, it wasn't guaranteed. As he looked around the waiting room, he couldn't help but think, Maybe there are others here with problems like mine. But then he smiled to himself, realizing that, considering the rarity of omegas without pheromones, he was probably in an even rarer category.
"Please, Noah, come to consultation room 20."
A doctor wearing a white coat and black-rimmed glasses called out, looking around the waiting area.
Noah and Emma stood up and walked toward him.
"Is this your first time here? What's the issue?" the doctor asked in a calm, professional tone.
Noah slowly explained his situation, "I've been like this since birth."
The doctor paused his typing, tapping the mouse thoughtfully. "When was your last estrus cycle? Did you receive a temporary marking from an alpha?"
"January 5th. I was temporarily marked."
The doctor continued asking questions. "During your estrus, was there a time when the alpha wasn't around?"
Since this was his first estrus cycle, Noah had no such experience.
"And you've come now because something's wrong with your health?"
Noah shook his head honestly. "No, I haven't had any discomfort, aside from not being able to activate my pheromones, which makes me anxious."
The doctor nodded and spoke clearly. "Go to the third-floor lab for a blood test. Since you didn't have breakfast, you can check your results on your phone later. They should be ready by this afternoon or at the latest, tomorrow morning. If everything's fine, the doctor will give you a referral to the omega treatment room on the fourth floor, to see Dr. Brown."
Noah nodded in agreement, but what the doctor said next caused him to pause.
"When I was 18, I went to Beicheng Central Hospital for an examination, and I was diagnosed as a low-quality omega—one who doesn't have pheromones and doesn't go into estrus."
The doctor stopped typing, raising his glasses slightly. "The estrus you've experienced is your first one, and the temporary marking was also your first?"
Noah's tone was calm, almost detached, as though he were recounting someone else's experience.
The doctor stepped closer and adjusted his glasses. "Let me take a look at you."
He put on rubber gloves and said, "Please remove the pheromone barrier patch."
Noah complied, carefully peeling off the patch. He could feel his glands being gently pressed, the sensation both light and firm.
The doctor inspected him for a while. "Your glands are well-developed. Soft texture, no nodules, and a proper size. Does your friend also belong to the omega category?"
Noah was a little confused about why the doctor asked, but he nodded, "Yes, he's an omega."
The doctor gave a small nod. "Could you please ask your omega friend to come in?"
Emma, who had been waiting outside, looked anxious. "Is there something wrong with Noah's body? Is it serious?"
The doctor reassured her, "Don't worry, I'm a beta and can't smell pheromones. I just need you to come in and smell his pheromones."
Emma visibly relaxed. "Got it."
She stepped closer to Noah and sniffed, but she couldn't smell anything at all.
She raised an eyebrow, puzzled, and then took off her own pheromone barrier patch. Immediately, she could smell a distinct caramel scent.
Noah had never experienced the scent of someone else's pheromones before. The rich sweetness of caramel filled his senses.
In a flash, his mind immediately went to Ethan. Could his pheromones be like this? he thought, his heart racing at the thought.
Perhaps, when Ethan returned from his business trip, he would finally be able to confirm the answer.
Emma tore open a new patch from the bag and applied it to herself. She was sure her nose was perfectly fine.
"I can't smell anything," he said.
In the air, however, Noah could still detect a faint caramel scent lingering.
The doctor removed his gloves and tossed them into the yellow trash bin.
"I've never seen an omega without pheromones before," he commented, gesturing for them to step out of the room. "Let me make a quick call. Please wait for a moment."
"Dr. Will, are you not at the hospital right now? I have an omega here who's lacking pheromones. It's quite an unusual case."
"Will you be back in two days? Alright, I'll wait for you to return."
After hanging up, the doctor looked at Noah and Emma. "Dr. Will is a leading expert in the field of omega pheromone secretion. If you're interested in researching this further, I can help connect you with him."
Do I want to know the reason behind this? Noah asked himself. And the answer was yes.
After leaving the hospital, Emma's mind shifted entirely to the topic of their relationship.
"Honestly, I'm your good friend. How far have things progressed between you two?" she asked, clearly curious.
Alpha and omega were two genders with an inherent, almost magnetic attraction. When their pheromone compatibility was high, it was like dry tinder meeting a spark—instant ignition.
Noah, suddenly put on the spot, felt his face flush. He awkwardly glanced at Emma, who was practically bursting with curiosity.
"Well... we hugged... and then kissed..." he stammered.
Emma, seeing how Noah was struggling to spit out the details, grew even more excited. "And then? What happened next?" she urged.
Noah scratched his head, trying to think. "Then… uh…"
"Hmm? Hmm? What happened next?" Emma leaned in even closer, her eyes wide with anticipation.
Noah laughed, finally giving in to the playful pressure. He flicked Emma lightly on the forehead. "What are you thinking? There's no 'next.'"
Emma ignored the small pain and stared at him incredulously. Her mind raced, recalling Ethan's demeanor. There was a certain purity to him, almost a celibate energy.
She leaned closer to Noah, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "Could it be that he... doesn't perform well?"
Noah had no idea what Emma was thinking, but he couldn't help but follow the train of thought. He recalled Ethan from last night.
His body was fit and well-proportioned, his nose perfectly sculpted—he looked more than capable.
Although Noah hadn't actually experienced more than just kissing, Ethan's stamina, at least in terms of kissing, was definitely impressive.
"He's fine, really."
Emma burst into laughter, misunderstanding Noah's words as a veiled reference to Ethan's pride and ego.
After parting ways with Emma, Noah didn't go home but instead chose to head back to the café to prepare for the afternoon's sales.
Around midday, he received a video call from Ethan.
Noah wiped his hands on two paper towels, cleared away the butter on his fingers, and set his phone on the counter before hitting the answer button. Only then did he go wash his hands.
"Have you eaten yet?" Ethan asked.
Noah shook his head. "Not yet. I just finished up, getting ready to wash my hands."
"Aren't you supposed to be eating by this time? Is the café really that busy today?"
Noah paused his hand movements for a moment before speeding up the washing process. "I've been working on a new product lately. Today, I'm running a little late."
Noah hadn't mentioned his visit to the hospital to Ethan. He didn't want Ethan, who was working hard over two thousand kilometers away, to worry about him.
Once Ethan returned, Noah would confess everything, and by then, the test results should be out.
"What about you? You haven't eaten either, right?"
Noah could now clearly see that the background behind Ethan was not that of a restaurant.
"Mr. Harrison, what do you think of this place? Does it still need any changes?"
It was only then that Ethan seemed to realize he was on video call and dramatically covered his mouth, apologizing, "Sorry, am I interrupting you?"
"Long time no see, Sam. Go ahead and finish your work," Ethan said with a smile, glancing over at the documents Sam was holding. "This version is ready to be finalized. I really admire Sam's work."
Sam, noticing Ethan's smile, felt the atmosphere lighten, but still sensed a tinge of unease. "I'll go ahead and order food then. I know a place with amazing seafood soup."
As Ethan turned his attention back to Noah, the playful smile melted into something more earnest. "You've been busy all morning. Go ahead and eat. I won't keep you any longer."
Once the call ended, Ethan's smile immediately disappeared.
He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the distant sky, his fingers absentmindedly playing with the silver-gray phone in his hand. Then he dialed a number, his face serious as the phone rang.