Chapter Text
Riki never imagined introducing himself as an omega at eighteen. He and the others always assumed he'd be an alpha or a beta, but fate decreed otherwise. To this day, Riki isn't sure he's cut out for the role of an omega. He's too tall, his voice is deep, and his body doesn't resemble a typical omega's. He's not as gentle as Jay or Jake, not as soft. But he had to come to terms with his role in the complex world of idols and accept it, even if he didn't agree with it. Riki was working hard with his group during their latest tour, and right afterward, he had his first heat. He'll never forget the unbearable pain and agony. His body begged to be with an alpha, begged for intimacy, a knot, and a mark, but Jungwon alongside others denied him everything. None of his hyungs spent the heat with him except the omegas. Of course, the alphas brought items marked with their scent, but it wasn't enough. At that moment, Riki felt rejected for the first time. The omega within him seemed to shed bitter tears over the absence of an alpha. Riki survived even this and swallowed the hurt and pain, but he took the next disappointment hard.
The fans and the company reacted calmly, though surprised. They, like everyone else, hadn't expected Riki to be an omega, but they accepted him with a slight smile and heartfelt congratulations. As soon as the company released the official announcement, fans began sending him words of support, while others thought it was all a lie. After all, how could someone with Riki's appearance be an omega? But the maknae was glad that everything had gone more smoothly than he expected. The only thing that worried him was his group members. Although they were delighted and accepted his introduction as an omega, it felt like a distance had opened between them that Riki couldn't bridge. It was as if after the presentation they saw him in a different light, and the tender feelings and words disappeared.
But what hurt Riki the most and pierced his heart was Jungwon's refusal to mark him during his first heat. It's the duty of any leading alpha, the pack leader, to ensure that an omega, alpha, or beta fully becomes part of the pack. Riki wanted to ask, but the leader refused to discuss the matter, and as soon as the omega mentioned his heat, he would run away. But the maknae didn't give in and insisted, but it always led to the same result.
Jungwon refused to mark him even during his next heat and the one after that. Riki didn't understand the reason for this refusal, and every "no" broke his heart, yet he didn't give in, despite the constant refusal. He assured his inner omega that the time hadn't come and that they needed to wait a little longer, but time passed, and soon he was almost twenty, and Jungwon still hadn't marked him. Riki noticed the mocking and questioning glances he received, as being part of the pack without a mark was considered shameful. Perhaps he was simply a flawed omega? But seeing Jungwon and the other alphas spend their heats with other omegas, Riki realized they didn't see in him what they saw in Jay and Jake. And that hurt him the most. Doubts and insecurities were like poison in his heart and soul, and the omega within him cried in despair every time.
Riki never dared ask why no one but the omegas spent heats with him. Why didn't they give him the same attention as the others? Was it because they were used to Riki handling everything on his own? He was a strong and mature maknae, used to keeping everything to himself and rarely sharing his hardships. But he, too, experienced hardship and pain, and it was frustrating that the alphas didn't show him the same care and attention. Riki needed support just like the other members of the group, and his inner omega needed it even more.
It was as if he begged the alphas to accept him into the pack, to make him a part of it, since they refused to spend his heat with him. He suffered, wracked with unbearable pain, but no one even apologized. The omegas helped him at first, but then they stopped, believing he could handle it all on his own at a time when omegas are most vulnerable and in need of support. Riki spent these moments alone in his room, wrapped in a blanket, inhaling the scents of his hyungs, silently shedding bitter tears. Each heat was worse than the last, accompanied by unbearable pain and a fever all over his body. The maknae begged for the opportunity to spend his heat with someone else, but they refused.
One day, despite being told not to, Riki decided to leave the dorm before his heat to spend it with his friend and trusted alpha, who was more than willing to help him. He tried to remain silent and leave the house early in the morning, but he didn't expect anyone to wake up. He could still remember Sunghoon's face, distorted with anger and disappointment from that day.
"Where are you going, Riki?" the alpha's cold voice cut him off abruptly. Riki flinched and froze in place right in the middle of the living room. He hadn't expected Sunghoon to wake up so early.
"I... hyung," the omega mumbled, nervously clenching and unclenching his fingers before deciding to take a step further.
Dissatisfied with his answer, Sunghoon abruptly rose from his chair and followed him, noticing his bag and the way Riki was dressed.
"I'll ask again. Where are you going, omega?" Sunghoon asks through clenched teeth, crossing his arms over his chest and frowning. His jasmine scent intensifies, burning Riki's sensitive nose.
"I need to leave for a while," Riki whispers, putting on his boots and jacket under the alpha's intense dark gaze.
"Who gave you permission to leave the dorm?" Sunghoon pushes off the wall he's been leaning against and approaches Riki. The omega backs away but doesn't give in, maintaining his calm and firm stance.
"I don't need permission to go anywhere," the maknae snaps back, but there's no anger or defiance in his words. Sunghoon's nostrils flare at Riki's anger and behavior. He clenches his fists and takes a deep breath, inhaling the scent of Riki's strawberries.
"You're about to go into heat..." he concludes. "Omegas aren't allowed to leave the house before their heat," Sunghoon snaps, trying to grab his elbow, but Riki dodges.
"Hyung... I need to go. It's important to me," Riki answers calmly and turns to open the door, but Sunghoon grabs him abruptly and pulls omega toward him, causing the omega to collide with his strong chest.
"You're not going anywhere," he pronounces each word clearly and loudly, sending a shudder through Riki's body. "Go back to your room, Riki. This isn't up for discussion." He yanks him sharply toward him, but the younger resists, clinging to the closet. "Riki!"
"Let me go, hyung! I want to leave; I need to leave!" Riki begs, breaking into a scream, possibly waking the others.
"Why do you want to leave?!" the alpha rages, not understanding the reason for Riki's behavior.
"None of you want to spend my heat with me!" the omega blurts out, his cheeks flushing.
His grip on omega’s hand loosens, and Riki pulls away from the alpha, whose expression reveals understanding and a sardonic smirk. Then he shakes his head, laughing quietly.
"So that's the reason?" Sunghoon asks mockingly, placing his hands on his hips. "Is it because no one wants to spend your heat with you?" Riki doesn't answer, looking down at the floor. "If you keep making a scene and throw tantrums, no one will want to spend your heat with you."
The words sting and cut the omega's ears, and he looks up at Sunghoon, his eyes full of hurt and pain. He can't believe his hyung is saying such things without a twinge of conscience. How can he have no shame?
"You act like a child. Everyone else sees you as a child, how can anyone spend your heat with you? No one wants to take care of you like you're a newborn puppy," Sunghoon laughs, and Riki clenches his fists in anger and hurt. He won't forget those hurtful words from the alpha, spoken mockingly and deliberately to hurt him.
"Because I'm in pain! My omega is suffering, and there's someone who wants to help me! To ease my suffering, unlike you," Riki fumes, putting his hand to his chest. "You don't understand what it's like to go through a heat alone!"
"I don't know? What are you saying..."
"Nishimura Riki!" Jungwon's deep voice suddenly booms out like a bolt from the blue.
Riki glances at him and notices the others standing near or behind him in the living room. Condemnation and incomprehension flicker across their tired and sleepy faces, and disappointment flares inside Riki. Even from here, he can see and feel the leader's irritation and anger. The hyungs' scents burn Riki's sensitive nose, and he winces. The aroma is too strong, with a hint of pungency that makes him feel nauseous and slightly dizzy.
"Go to your room, now," the alpha orders, but Riki snorts defiantly and turns away to open the door and escape. Just as he's about to do so, Jungwon's alpha voice rings out loud and clear, causing everything inside him to turn over and his body to obey. "Omega! Into the room!"
Riki bites his lip, trying to resist, but the omega inside is frightened and whining, and his body obeys. He turns with tears in his eyes and walks into his room, under the gaze of the others, feeling their disappointment and condemnation on his skin. Their gazes seem to haunt him, burning with their indifference. Riki enters the room and locks the door as his body dies. He sinks down by the door and cries quietly into his hands. Everything inside him hurts, and the omega whines from resentment and the fact that the alpha used his alpha voice on him. Jungwon never allowed himself to do that to others. Riki cries harder and doesn't leave the room that day, but no one seems to care. He waits until the others have gone to bed and goes out to eat and take a shower. He stocks up on food and water and then heads to his room, locking it. His phone glows with an incoming message, and Riki tells his friend he can't come because of his hyungs. He turns off notifications, headphones in his ears, a sad melody playing. Another heat, spent alone.
Riki doesn't understand why his hyungs didn't let him spend his heat with someone else. Were they jealous? He's not sure. They were definitely angry, but they didn't realize how much they were hurting him and his wolf until a moment of realization came. During another heat several months later, Riki lost consciousness from excruciating pain while going to get water. He collapsed alone in the kitchen until someone discovered him, and the elders were forced to take him to the hospital. The doctor—Dr. Lee, a middle-aged beta—reprimanded them for the state the omega was in.
"Why is your omega in such a state?" she asks, examining Riki and checking his pulse. "Nurse Kim, we need to start an IV with painkillers for the omega," the girl nods and quickly runs into another room to get the necessary items.
"He's in heat, and we found him unconscious in the kitchen," Sunghoon replies, crossing his arms over his chest, clearly unhappy that they all had to go to the hospital.
"He looks bad," the doctor says, examining his neck and scent gland, which is inflamed and red. "Why doesn't he have a mark?" The only response is silence and fixed glances at the alpha leader, who bites his lip and remains silent. "His scent gland is inflamed, and I don't smell a single trace of you on him..."
The omegas purse their lips, and the alphas don't know how to answer the question. Luckily, they are saved by a nurse returning with an IV catheter. The nurse carefully does her job and silently leaves, leaving them alone with the doctor. The woman holds up a special device for measuring pheromone levels and frowns when she sees the numbers. The results are disappointing, and she wonders what the alphas and omegas are doing in this pack. Why doesn't the omega on the stretcher have a mark on his neck, and his pheromone levels are so low? And most importantly, the lack of a mark.
"Which of you is the lead alpha?" the doctor asks, turning to them.
"I am," answers Jungwon, and the woman nods, gesturing for him to follow her, leaving the others in the room with Riki.
They reach the doctor's office in silence and walk inside. The beta gestures for the alpha to sit across from her at the table while she types something on the computer. The silence between them is filled with discomfort and tension, and Jungwon swallows before asking the question he's been waiting for.
"What's wrong with our omega?" he asks uncertainly.
The doctor looks up from her computer and frowns before answering his question.
"I have a few questions for you before I can say for sure what's wrong with your omega," she replies, and Jungwon nods, preparing to listen. "Do you spend his heats with him?"
"No," the woman frowns, surprised by the answer, and types something on the keyboard.
"How many heats did your omega spend alone?"
"Almost all of them, except for the first ones. The omegas stayed with him."
"Jungwon-ssi... Riki has insufficient pheromones, and he also lacks pack scent, which has a very negative effect on omegas. The lack of scent markings, especially during heat, is unbearable pain for an omega. I don't know your reasons for letting an omega spend his heat alone," she pauses, looking sternly at the alpha. "But you're doing it wrong, from an omega's physiological and psychological standpoint. You're making him suffer terribly from pain and loneliness. If you don't accept him into the pack, don't spend his heat with him, it will kill him. If you refuse to accept him, let him go," the doctor told him with undisguised irritation and disappointment. "He's an omega, he needs his alphas, his pack, don't you understand that?"
"I understand, but…"
"What 'buts' could there be? Your inner alphas chose him as their mate, and yet you're literally rejecting him with your actions. That's why Riki-ssi is suffering so much now and is in pain," the doctor adds more calmly. "Do you know the consequences of such an attitude?" the woman asks, only to be met with stony silence. "Then, as a doctor specializing in omega health, I'll explain. Riki-ssi is an omega who has been present for two years now, and he should have spent his heat with the lead alpha long ago to become part of the pack. During his first heat, a special bond is formed between the lead alpha and the omega, and then with the entire pack. A hierarchy is established. He must be marked by the lead alpha to feel a sense of belonging. The longer he is separated from the pack, the worse it will be for his health, including loss of scent and the death of his inner omega."
Only after hearing such serious words and the potentially dire consequences does Jungwon truly begin to consider that they shouldn't have waited so long. Especially him. However, he couldn't help but see Riki as a child for a long time. It seemed like just a couple of years ago they'd only just debuted, but now he's already twenty, and he's grown into a handsome young man and omega. It's better to say that neither of them expected him to become an omega, as Riki is a typical alpha in appearance – tall with a deep voice, strong and resilient, lean and with sharp features – while omegas are generally more refined, curvy, and delicate.
"I understand, Doctor," Jungwon sighs, pursing his lips. He's having a hard time accepting the fact that he'll have to go through heat with Riki, even though he's not mentally prepared for it.
"Jungwon-ssi, you must understand that Riki-ssi's inner omega is dying slowly, but it's dying, and you, as the alpha leader, must mark him before it's too late. This is your duty and your task. You are all a pack, and that means family. Your wolf chose him, and you made him suffer for so long. Don't you think other people laughed at him?” Jungwon looks at the doctor with surprise and shock. “Being in a pack and not wearing a mark is a disgrace for any omega.”
Jungwon listens silently to the doctor, a feeling of guilt and regret welling up inside him. He hadn't imagined it was so serious. The other alphas had no idea how bad things were, and he would have to tell them and the omegas everything. Jungwon nods, taking the prescription for Riki's medication and listening attentively to the doctor's instructions for the future.
"You must remember that Riki is fragile and his omega is extremely sensitive. You absolutely must not forget about him, even though you have two other omegas in your pack, Jungwon-ssi. If you neglect him, you will lose him forever," the doctor's words caused alarm in Jungwon's heart as he walked toward Riki's room.
His thoughts revolved around the doctor's words and his own feelings of shame and regret. But did he have the right to feel sorry for himself when Riki was suffering so much? It was his fault and the fault of the others. The omegas refused to spend his heats with him because they had taught him and shown him everything an omega needed to know. But also because they could do little to ease Riki's suffering. Only an alpha could help the maknae cope and survive his heat. Jungwon knew that omegas' heats pass more quickly when an alpha helps and supports them. He closes his eyes, leaning against the cool wall, and gives himself time to think. As an alpha, he should have marked Riki two years ago during his first heat, but he couldn't have imagined that his hesitation and inability to overcome his inner barrier would have such a severe impact on the health of the youngest member of the group.
"You know what needs to be done," his inner alpha tells him. "We can't wait any longer. We have to mark him, make him part of the pack." Jungwon winces at the reminder, but agrees nonetheless.
Gathering his courage, he opens the door and walks inside. He notices that Riki is already awake, but he looks pale and tired, and his scent is barely perceptible despite being in heat. The catheter from the injection has already been removed, and only a bandage remains. The others step aside, except for Jake, who is holding the younger one's hand and calming the panicked omega.
"It's okay, Kiki," he whispers softly, and Riki presses himself deeper into the bed, wanting to disappear and merge with it. Jake sighs, looking at the leader and seeing the silent question in his eyes, shakes his head.
"Riki," Jungwon begins softly, sitting down on the chair next to him, but Riki recoils from him. Jungwon's inner alpha growls at the man for frightening the omega. The alpha's heart clenches in his chest at Riki's reaction to his presence. "I've checked with the doctor, so we can go home. We'll definitely talk to you at home," he smiles warmly, but sees the fear on the omega's face and bites his lip. "It's okay, I'm not going to scold you," he reaches out and runs his hand through the younger's soft, light hair.
At first, Riki tenses and freezes, his body like a taut string, but then relaxes as Jungwon releases his pheromones. The scent of the sea breeze envelops him, and he relaxes, wearily closing his eyes. The omega inside him is pleased by this small display of affection. Jungwon rises from his chair and turns to the others.
"Sunghoon-hyung, go with Jake-hyung to get Riki's medication," he hands the prescription to the alpha, and they nod in response. "Meet me in the car," he says finally, and the two alphas disappear from the room. "Heeseung-hyung and Jay-hyung, get Riki's things and go to the car. Sunoo-hyung, go to the reception and discharge him from the hospital, and I'll take Riki to the car," the alpha instructs and the others nod silently, getting to work.
Jungwon picks Riki up, and he whines, but snuggles closer to his chest, burying his nose in it and inhaling the salty scent of the sea breeze. Jungwon looks at him silently and sighs, leaving the room and heading for the hospital exit. The guards unlock the car for him and help him inside with Riki, whom Jungwon places in the seat next to him, and he sits down next to him, looking at the maknae's peaceful face. Jungwon sighs and rubs his face wearily, realizing he and the others had done wrong by Riki. He may be the youngest, but he's an omega, and omegas need care and support during their heat cycles and beyond. The alpha feels guilty for always seeing Riki as just the youngest, someone he couldn't possibly have feelings for. But his inner alpha had a different opinion. Jungwon himself had tender feelings for Riki, but he was afraid to cross that fine line between them and erase the boundaries.
Now, looking at Riki sleeping peacefully, he recalls all those moments when the younger boy asked him to spend his heat with him, and he feels a pang of guilt. He shouldn't have refused so abruptly each time. The other alphas wanted to help Riki, but Jungwon, as the leader of their pack, had to do it first. Only he could mark the maknae and make him truly part of the pack. And now, replaying the doctor's words in his head, he feels shame and pain for his behavior and his unwillingness to change. He was afraid he would ruin their relationship by succumbing to the temptation to be Riki's mate, and being his first in every way is a great responsibility.
"Forgive me, Ki," Jungwon whispers, running his knuckles over the omega's cold cheekbone. "I'll fix everything."
The others file back into the car, and the group heads home to the dorm. Along the way, they stop at a pharmacy to pick up some medication for Riki. Upon arrival, they all go to their rooms except for Jungwon and Riki, who has already woken up. He takes off his coat and hurries to his room, feeling the effects of the medicine slowly begin to wear off. Jungwon takes off his coat and follows him, holding him steady when the younger boy feels slightly dizzy. His warm hand rests on the small of his back, and he helps lead Riki to his room, then leaves to ask the others to mark their clothes.
"Hyungs! Mark the clothes with your scents," he requests, then adds, "This is important for Riki, and I'm going to go through his heat with him."
"Jungwonie..." Sunoo covers his mouth in surprise, but secretly rejoices that Riki will finally be part of the pack officially.
"We can't wait any longer, and I've realized that I've been unfair and wrong toward Riki, so today I'm going to do everything right. I promised myself I'd make things right," he says decisively, and the elders nod with small smiles and leave, returning a few minutes later with clothes that smell like them.
Sunghoon hands him his jasmine-and-musk sweatshirt. Sunoo hands him his flannel shirt, scented with fresh mint. Heeseung hands over the peach-scented T-shirt he wore today. Jay and Jake hand over their blankets, scented with baked apple and cinnamon.
"Thank you," Jungwon thanks them before heading to Riki's room to help him with his heat.
He carefully steps into the dimly lit room, illuminated only by a table lamp, and Riki's sweet strawberry scent immediately hits his nose. The maknae sits hunched over on his leather couch, whimpering slightly in pain. Beads of sweat roll down his temples, and his face is flushed from the heat. Smelling the alpha's scent, he straightens up abruptly and looks wide-eyed at Jungwon.
"Ki," Jungwon calls quietly, so as not to startle him, "I brought you the others' scent-marked clothes so you can make a nest." He hands the clothes to the omega, who immediately buries his nose in them, inhaling deeply.
Without a word, Riki rises and heads to his bed, arranging his things the way his omega wants. He purrs contentedly and removes his excess clothing under Jungwon's flustered gaze. He climbs into bed, purring with pleasure and enjoyment. Being surrounded by the scents of the pack is wonderful, but he's glad not only that, but that Jungwon is here beside him.
"Hyung..." Riki whines softly, opening his tear-stained eyes and stretching his arms forward, begging Jungwon to join him.
The alpha curses, but accepts the omega's invitation to his nest and lies down next to him. Riki immediately wraps his long arms and legs around him, nuzzling his scent gland. He inhales greedily and feels his body relax and the pain recede. It's growing, but not as intense as usual. Riki places weightless kisses on the alpha's scent gland, and he shudders, exhaling raggedly. The younger's attention is new and unusual for the alpha, but it doesn't cause discomfort or disgust, as he expected. On the contrary, his inner alpha growls contentedly, and a strange feeling of calm settles in his chest.
As Riki's heat fully ignites, Jungwon nurtures him with gentle touches and words, giving him what he asks for. His lips caress, and his hands explore his heated body as the alpha and omega become one. Sensing the approaching climax, Jungwon's teeth close on the omega's scent gland, marking him as his own and denoting his belonging to the pack. Warmth and joy blossom in their chests, and a feeling of euphoria overwhelms them both as they fall asleep in each other's arms.
The next day, they wake up in each other's arms, but there is no awkwardness between them. Only gentle smiles and lazy kisses. Words of gratitude fall from Riki's lips, and apologies from Jungwon's. Of course, Riki forgives everything again, even though his heart was broken before. Now he's happy and wants to enjoy it completely. As soon as Riki's heat ended, he was able to meet the others, who welcomed him with open arms. Each hyung marked him with their scent and gave him a tender kiss and hug.
Jay and Jake were the happiest of all, congratulating him and rejoicing that he had finally become part of the pack. Riki's inner omega rejoiced and purred at the closeness of the hyungs and the attention they were giving him. While not everyone apologized for delaying Riki's chance to become part of the pack and preventing him from spending his heat with someone else, they tried to make amends with their actions. Actions speak louder than words. They took him for walks and shopping, fed him delicious food, and pampered him in every way. Riki felt loved again, receiving tender kisses on the lips and hugs. He would sometimes sleep with Heeseung, holding him tightly, or with Sunoo, who, although he sighed, never turned him down. Jake and Jay nurtured and cared for him in every way—playing and staying to watch him practice his dance moves. Jungwon and Sunghoon would sometimes take him to the gym to work out, and afterward, they'd go out for a delicious meal.
But this happiness, as fragile as a glass sphere, didn't last long. A few months after Jungwon finally marked him and he felt like part of the pack, Riki learned that the omegas were pregnant. The good news delighted everyone. Riki was also overjoyed, as was everyone else, for he loved children dearly, as well as his hyungs, whom he wanted to support at such a moment. Upon hearing the news of the pregnancy, Riki smiled and hugged Jay and Jake, congratulating them on such a joyful occasion.
But after a few months had passed, the good news became painful for Riki. Unfortunately, it wounded his still fragile bond with the pack. It seemed everything was finally starting to improve for him, but the delicate balance established after his acceptance into the pack crumbled like a sandcastle. Don't get Riki wrong. He was happy that their pack would be growing, but he was hurt that the hyungs hadn't wanted to touch him for so long, unknowingly depriving him of their attention and care. And now, it was as if they'd forgotten his existence again, devoting all their attention to Jay and Jake. To a certain extent, Riki was jealous and envious, because deep down, he craved the same attention. He was like a starving animal, given only small portions of food—enough to survive, but not enough to feel full.
Inside, his inner omega was suffering; a strange, oppressive feeling had settled within him and refused to go away. He was ashamed of being upset by what had happened, ashamed of the pain inside. But most of all, he envied the attention the hyungs were giving other omegas. He felt forgotten and abandoned again, even though he tried to come to them to spend time together, but they always refused, busy with Jay or Jake. To avoid seeing them, Riki spent his time training and perfecting his dance moves.
When he came home, he was greeted by silence, or at other times, the others were busy with the omegas or spending time with each other, so they hardly noticed him. Riki began eating alone in the kitchen more often, swallowing tears along with his food, because he was hurt and resentful. Why had everyone forgotten him? His inner omega whined and suffered, and Riki couldn't do anything, even though the omega begged him to go to the elders. In moments of weakness, he would give in to the omega's pressure and go to the elders, but they refused.
At first, he tried to offer to spend time with Sunghoon and Heeseung, but they were busy playing games or caring for Jay and Jake. Jungwon had gone to visit his parents, and the omegas preferred to spend time together, preparing for the birth of their children. They went shopping together, visited the doctor, and even attended a special course, which Riki asked to go with them. Sunoo turned out to be last choice, as they had a free week, but it turned out he was going home to spend time with his parents. Riki didn't pay much attention and wished him a good trip, but when he returned home that day, an unpleasant surprise awaited him.
"Hyungs! I'm home and bought us all some fried chicken," Riki shouts, walking inside, but the lights are all off and the house is silent. "Hyungs?"
The only response to his words is an oppressive, deepening silence. Riki leaves the food on the kitchen table and goes on, opening each room in turn, finding no one there. The omega laughs, leaning against the wall at the humor of the situation. A single tear rolls down his cheek when a notification appears on his phone.
Sunoo
Ki, we all went to my house together to tell you about the omegas' pregnancy. You weren't home, so we left without you J
Riki smiles bitterly and doesn't respond, ignoring the message. He slides down the wall and sinks to the cold floor. Loneliness gnaws at him from the inside, and the omega sheds bitter tears from the fact that once again he's been forgotten or not remembered. Or maybe it's just easier for them to pretend he doesn't exist. They easily decided to go somewhere without him and didn't even notify him. Riki picks up his phone again to reply to the message, but sees a photo in the general chat of the hyungs with Sunoo's parents, smiling and happy. At that moment, he once again experienced a strange pain in his chest and a burning sensation in the scent gland. Lately, his scent had become barely detectable, and this had been troubling him.
The next morning, Riki woke up with a swollen face and red eyes from crying. The burning sensation in the gland hadn't gone away, and looking at the calendar, he realized that his heat should have started two days ago, but he had no symptoms of it. No abdominal pain, no fever. Strange. Riki spent his weekends drawing and studying articles about the lack of heat and the burning sensation in the scent gland. The news was disappointing, and he decided to see a doctor. After calling his friend Dr. Lee, he changed clothes and went to the clinic with a security guard.