Seoan returned to his seat and explained calmly, then reached toward the door. The fluid secretion was something Taeseong had only sensed, so the expert Seoan would need to see it to be sure. Taeseong nodded and left the director’s office as Seoan guided him.

After waiting in the lobby for a moment, a staff member called Taeseong’s name. Taeseong went into the changing room, changed into the examination gown, and moved to Correction Room A under the support staff’s guidance. It was now a familiar space, but the structure had changed a little. The chair that looked like something from a dentist’s office had been pushed aside, and a white temporary bed was spread out in the center.

Taeseong looked around, wondering what to do now, when the supporter came closer and said with a smile,

“Since today is for checking your physical condition, you need to undress completely.”

“Uh… completely?”

“Yes, please take everything off.”

Clap clap, the supporter clapped twice and extended both hands. It was as if he were signaling for Taeseong to take off his clothes and hand them over. Looking at the supporter in bewilderment, Taeseong first crossed his arms and pulled off his top in one go. Before removing his pants, he glanced at the supporter once, and the supporter nodded lightly as if telling him to take them off quickly. In the end, Taeseong hastily took off his pants too and handed them over.

“Now please lie face down here. Once you’re ready, the director will come in.”

The supporter pointed to the bed with a kind smile. Taeseong, now naked, climbed onto the bed and lay face down as instructed. He thought he would just need to lift his butt, but a strange touch reached his wrist. Taeseong, who had his forehead pressed against the pillow, turned his head in surprise and looked at the supporter.

“For an accurate examination, movement needs to be minimized. I’ll seal your wrists.”

The supporter explained calmly and wrapped a cord around Taeseong’s wrists. He had no intention of resisting, so he wondered if there was any need for that, but since the expert was saying it, he let it be.

After tying Taeseong’s hands with the cord, the supporter immediately left Correction Room A. Alone, Taeseong had not even begun to feel uncomfortable with the fixed posture when he sensed someone’s presence again.

“I’ll check now.”

It was Seoan. Taeseong swallowed without realizing it. Seoan approached the side of the bed and grabbed Taeseong’s thigh, pulling it outward so his legs spread a bit wider.

“Relax your body. Let me take a look.”

At the feeling of slightly rough fingers touching his butt, Taeseong flinched and stiffened his waist before consciously relaxing. Seoan grabbed his butt and spread it apart. The hole, which had been thoroughly washed after being coated in fluid earlier, was now dry. Just as worry rose that Seoan might think he had lied, a sweet scent drifted to his nose.

“Mm…”

Taeseong blinked slowly. The faint sweet fragrance made his mind go fuzzy. A hot liquid welled up inside with a surge, and a moan slipped between his teeth.

Seoan simply stared silently at the hole while Taeseong’s butt was spread wide. The hole, receiving that hot gaze, twitched more and squeezed out fluid drop by drop. He could feel on his skin that fluid was being secreted.

“Director…”

His head was hazy like a red fog had settled over it, and his lower body burned so hot he could not keep his wits about him. Taeseong barely lifted his head and opened his mouth.

“I have something, hng, to ask.”

“What is it?”

“I, haa, now…”

At the dry question, Taeseong let out a hot breath and loosened the strength in his shoulders. He had been worried the whole time because the fluid that an omega supposedly had to leak from behind was not coming out, but now he wondered if he could relax a little. Taeseong barely turned his weakening head to look at Seoan and asked,

“Have I become a model omega who won’t be ashamed to show anyone?”

“…”

“When will… the training be over?”

Blink, blink, his reason went dark and bright like a broken light. The subtly spread scent inside the correction room was like an anesthetic. Taeseong’s head kept lowering, regardless of his will.

“You were originally…”

Seoan, who had remained silent, muttered in a very small voice. Taeseong wanted to know what he was saying, but in the end his head dropped onto the pillow.

Watching this, Seoan let out a long sigh. When Seoan let go of the butt he had been gripping tightly the whole time, red handprints remained on Taeseong’s firm left butt cheek. Taeseong had lost consciousness, but clear fluid was still streaming from the hole and soaking the bed sheet.

Seoan looked at it with an indifferent expression, then raised his long finger and stroked the hole vertically. Seoan, touching that with a fresh, tangy scent with his index finger, smiled faintly.

“…The fluid check is finished. Please sleep a little.”

With that muttered to himself as the last thing, Seoan left the correction room.

A short while later.

“As you said, the fluid is indeed being secreted normally.”

Back in the director’s office, Taeseong was staring blankly into space when Seoan’s calm words made him open his eyes wide.

“R-right, that’s what I thought? But why did I suddenly fall asleep just now…”

“Did you sleep soundly?”

“Uh, yes. It was only for a moment, but definitely…”

“Yes, I loosened you just enough to feel good. Even so, because you had no immunity, you half-fainted. If there’s no heat or other problem, then that’s enough.”

Seoan answered while flipping through the chart, as if a long explanation was bothersome. Taeseong blinked, not really understanding.

‘What did he say he loosened? A sleeping pill?’

Taeseong was lost in thought, touching his chin, when Seoan let out a long sigh.

“Anyway, now the problem is not the secretion of body fluid, but that the pheromone control is not working. The scent is still pouring out.”

“…Is it really that serious?”

“Of course. You have to control the scent to be able to live your daily life. In this state, you can’t go anywhere.”

“Yes?”

When Taeseong made a stunned face, Seoan suddenly snapped his fingers with a sharp click. Taeseong opened his eyes wide and looked at him.

“Now, calm down and focus on me.”

“Yes? Yes…”

“Right now, pheromones are pouring out of your whole body like a waterfall. Think of putting doors on them, and moving your body’s energy as if you close each one of them one by one.”

Taeseong’s expression twisted. Put doors on them? As Taeseong muttered it only with the shape of his mouth, Seoan made a whoosh sound and gestured above his eyes. It was a motion as if telling him to close his eyes, and Taeseong quickly obeyed.

‘Moving my body’s energy…’

He tried his best to do what Seoan said. But Taeseong’s face only grew darker and darker.

“Director…”

“Yes?”

Taeseong slowly opened his eyes. Seoan was simply staring at him, expressionless. Taeseong said with a face that looked like he could cry.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying at all.”

“Hah…”

As if wondering what to do about him, Seoan let out a long sigh. Then he pointed to his temple with a finger and said forcefully.

“I’m telling you to imagine it. Close every door. Lock them! Take control!”

“Imagine…”

Taeseong closed his eyes tight again. He tried to imagine it as Seoan had said, but he had no idea where he was supposed to put doors and close them, and when he pictured installing doors on his sweat glands, there were too many of them and it was just disgusting.

In the end, Taeseong gave up and opened his eyes.

“It’s something I’ve never done before, so I really can’t get a feel for it. I’m sorry.”

Sweating buckets, Taeseong lowered his head. Seoan rested one hand against his cheek and quietly looked at Taeseong, who was fidgeting in place, then let out a long breath.

“At this rate, it looks like doing it on my own today is going to be difficult.”

“Th, then will it really be hard to go out anywhere?”

Taeseong snapped his head up and made a desperate expression.

“I have to go on a business trip tomorrow!”

This pop-up store is being held in Seoul, but after that, it was planned to open in the provinces.

Taeseong had decided to go on a business trip for an advance site visit. Because the work required cooperation from several department stores, it was almost impossible to cancel and rearrange the schedule because of Taeseong’s personal circumstances. In truth, there was no one else who could go in Taeseong’s place.

Seoan, who had been quietly watching the troubled Taeseong, hummed low in his throat.

“Well, it’s not that there’s no way at all.”

“Then…”

“If you have a heat-damaged omega whose pheromone control is poor, and an alpha-grade person sticks close, it can be solved somehow.”

Seoan spoke in a gentle voice, then lifted the corners of his mouth. Taeseong stared blankly at Seoan and blinked.

“An alpha-grade… omega?”

Seoan smiled faintly instead of answering. Taeseong, taking that as confirmation, drew in a sharp breath. So an alpha-grade omega could also regulate the deficiencies of a low-grade omega? That was truly an impressive ability.

As if he knew Taeseong was inwardly admiring him, Seoan came striding up with an air of confidence.

“Mr. Taeseong, accompany me tomorrow.”

“Yes…?”

“I’ll stick by your side and help regulate it.”

Taeseong, who had been momentarily mesmerized by Seoan’s smiling face, quickly came to his senses. From his perspective, it was too good an offer. But at the same time, it was an extraordinary proposal with no special merit for Seoan, so something about it felt strange.

“Uh, but you’re busy, Director… is that possible?”

“Yes, I’m busy. Normally, I don’t stick to a single customer and act like a manager either. This is a premium service with an additional fee attached.”

Seoan said, still smiling. A director’s business trip service would surely be expensive. But Taeseong was fairly confident in his finances, even if not at chaebol level, so if paying money solved it, he thought it would be easy.

The moment Taeseong opened his mouth to answer, Seoan immediately opened the eyes that had been curving like a moon.

“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to do it.”

“Yes? No, then…”

“Go around like today, dragging scent everywhere. Then maybe you’ll get jumped by just any alpha, and you might get to have that marriage you wanted so badly, early.”

Seoan smiled. The service smile that had seemed kind the whole time had vanished without a trace, and in its place was a smile that felt somehow sardonic.

But Taeseong was suddenly hit by irritation not at Seoan’s expression, but at the words he had spat out.

“I’m not doing this to marry just anyone!”

Taeseong shouted. Seoan’s eyes did widen slightly for a moment, but he didn’t seem flustered. Rather, Taeseong inhaled sharply, startled by his own loss of composure.

“I’m sorry for shouting. I, that is…”

Taeseong clenched and unclenched his fists, then looked at Seoan. And then he bowed at a 90-degree angle.

“I’d appreciate it if you accompanied me.”

“…”

“I will pay any amount for the cost.”

Straightening his back again, Taeseong looked at Seoan with pleading eyes and said carefully.

“Please help me regulate my pheromones, by my side.”

The businesslike kindness and sardonic ridicule were all gone, and Seoan, who had simply been looking at Taeseong with wide-open eyes, had a smile return to the corners of his mouth.

“You should have come out like that from the start.”

It was a very refreshing smile, one that Seoan himself had not even realized he had made.

“Call me here to let me know what time we’ll meet. This is my number.”