Chapter 32 - New Changes 3

Wonho cannot focus anymore and returns to his room as soon as he relaxed, leaving Minwoo behind. He jumps on the bed and hides his face between his pillows. That was the second time that medic student took care of him.

Wonho puts a hand in his pocket and takes out the pills he had put in a small case. There was no need for him to even take it out this time. His attack passed before it even started. Which is weird. He would usually shed a few tears after feeling a bit suffocated, before even remembering to take his pills.

None of that happened this time, or at least, he didn't break down completely like he usually does.

Is it because of his therapy sessions? He has been going there for a while but the attacks still happens randomly. And he doesn't recall having anything significant happening during the latest session....

Could it be, it was because Minwoo was there? Come to think of it, he managed to calm down quickly back when he had an attack near the medical department...

Nah. Why would that happen anyways? It is not like the man is a professional or anything. Even his therapist cannot fix him yet.

...Kim Minwoo.

Lately he has been seeing a lot of that man. Why is he at their library anyways? Isn't it so far out from the medical department? To see him? Because if he is not sane enough, he would have thought the other is showing interest in him. All those staring, and obvious hints in his speeches…

Or maybe Wonho is over-reading it. Handsome people overflowing with confidence like Junjie and Minwoo probably talk like that to everyone. Not to mention, no sane person will be able to like him, not after seeing him weeping like a pathetic child at random times. Wonho is certain that once they learn about how he was ravished by those alphas, nobody will ever even accept him. 

Just having someone like Jinyoung who stays by his side and keeps trying to support him even after his dreadful change is fortunate enough. Kim Minwoo is definitely only trying to make friends. Or maybe he is taking Wonho for a practice patient? Maybe Minwoo wants to be a psychologist or a therapist? That seems more logical than him showing interest.

Wonho gets up from his bed and ruffles his own hair. That man is confusing. Why is he sticking around him so much? It shouldn't be more than a coincidence the first few times but….

'Urghhhh...' Wonho drops back on the bed, burying his face on the pillow. Thinking of Minwoo only succeeds on giving him headache. And he doesn't need any more headache. Pulling his phone out of his other pocket, he plays around, trying to distract himself. He is not in the mood for games, and there are no particular videos he wants watch. No reading for him, he did enough of that a few hours earlier. Randomly tapping on the applications, he accidentally opens his calendar.

Today should be Jinyoung's last day of heat. Maybe he finished yesterday. Wonho looks back at the messages he exchanged with the other omega, the latter usually contacts him when he is done, yet there is still none.

Wonho stares at his bed sheets. He is still scared to be there with his lover during the other's heat. He knows he has to, as a lover, or at least to learn about that particular phenomena that he too will experience, but he is not ready. In fact, he wonders if he will ever be ready for such intimate contact with another person.

Getting up, Wonho heads towards Jinyoung's room anyway, to hang out and get rid of his negative thoughts. The other omega has been helping him lot with his self acceptance and depression. Jinyoung's bubbly personality and positive energy is always so overpowering Wonho that never feels the need to force himself to smile. He will automatically do so just from seeing those eyes disappearing every time the Jinyoung talks about his day.

Even now, just wondering what random thing the man will talk about is enough to lighten his mood.

Maybe that is why Wonho had the attack today. After not getting his positive vitamin for a week, he finally succumbed to darkness. Laughing at his own joke, Wonho climbs the stairs and looks for the red-head's room. If Jinyoung is already done with his heat, then maybe they can spend some time together to shift his mood.

Standing in front of the familiar door, Wonho slowly places his ear on the piece of wood. He is expecting some hints of what the owner is doing but hears nothing. Then it occurs to him, the rooms in the omega dorms are all sound-proof to begin with so there is no way he is going to hear anything in the first place.

Feeling stupid, Wonho decides to turn the knob gently without knocking. His hypothesis is that, if Jinyoung is still in heat, the door will be locked so there is no need for him to interrupt the other by making unnecessary noise.

To his joy, it is unlocked. Wonho excitedly opens the door slowly, making sure to greet the other. Jinyoung is putting his clothes away, perhaps for laundry. And as he predicted, the man is all smile to see him too, fully recharged after his tiring heat.

'Are you done with urm… heat?' He asks awkwardly. Despite his reluctance, he though he should do so as good gesture, he understands enough that heat is tiring emotionally and physically exhausting. The subject is still making him uncomfortable, but he is trying to open himself to the concept. And Jinyoung knows that too, as he too, is trying to openly talk about it.

'Just got ba- …Yeah. I'm done…' He notices the nervous shake in Jinyoung's voice but chooses to ignore it. Maybe the other's voice is drained, from… doing ????????????????????. He looks a bit flushed too, his cheeks red and he seems uneasy.

Maybe the subject is still too early from them after all. Not wanting to push it further, Wonho decides he should just leave for today. 

Before turning his body to leave, Wonho notices something – there is an unfamiliar scent surrounding them. It piques his curiousity. Thinking it is probably nothing personal, and that it is something that will happen to him as an omega, he decides to ask about it, 'You smell a bit different. Is that normal after heat?'

Jinyoung's eyes widens, caught off-guard by the question. Before Wonho manages to comment, the other omega flashes an awkward smile at the latter. He then bites his lower lip and avoids eye contact altogether. It made Wonho feel guilty for asking, maybe it is too personal after all.

'It's-' Jinyoung swallows his words and pauses, longer than what is comfortable. Wonho notices the tension he is giving, now feeling worse. He should go, 'Owh yeah. I'm sorry. You must be tired. Rest. We'll talk later.'

He steps forward to give the other omega a gentle rub on the head but Jinyoung backs away, showing discomfort. Wonho takes that as the possibility that the smaller one still being a bit sensitive and steps away. He really has no idea what he should do and what he shouldn't do. This whole heat concept is still very new to him, and he is still reluctant to do research on it.

'Good night Jinyoung, rest well.' He turns back and exits after giving him an assuring smile. The smaller omega replies back but Wonho can sense the hesitance.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Wonho wonders if it is possible for one's scent to change temporarily during heat. His siblings all prefer to have their heats at the omega house, and his mom would send them away whenever she was experiencing it so he never noticed any significant change. And he never really took notice of other omegas' scents to realize that either. It is really something interesting to him as a new omega.

As he is making his way down to his room, the discomfort on his lower stomach causes Wonho to squeeze it lightly. It is not painful enough to cause concern but, it has been going on for quite some times since about a week ago. Wonho never really cared enough though, since he always has a weak stomach… All that stress could have triggered his gastritis again.

Getting his heat bag, he puts in the freshly boiled water and adds some cold one to adjust the temperature. Wonho slowly lies on his back and places the bag on his lower tummy. It does help with the pain, and the heat it feels good against his skin.

Wonho closes his eyes and takes deep breaths, trying to sleep the soreness away. A week is really long. He should really go to the hospital for a check-up.