For a Hungry Omega

To the lively sound of upbeat music, Haon opened his eyes and quickly turned off the alarm. Even though he hadn’t felt sleepy at all before lying down, the moment his head hit the pillow, he had completely passed out. If he hadn’t set the alarm, he would’ve slept the whole day through without even realizing the sun had risen.

Haon pressed into the soft pillow and mattress a few more times before heading straight to the bathroom. His eyes were slightly bloodshot from accumulated fatigue.

Rubbing his aching eyes, he unwrapped a new toothbrush. As he brought the moistened brush to his mouth, heavy sighs escaped him. His whole body felt like lead. A deep, dragging exhaustion was pulling his limbs toward the floor.

Leaning on the sink after washing his face, he closed his eyes for a moment. He desperately wanted just one more hour of sleep. ‘Just one more hour,’ he thought.

After working from early morning until late into the night, then going through all that, it was no wonder he was worn out. If he could, he would’ve spent the entire day buried under blankets.

“Haah…”

Resting his cheek against the cold sink, he slumped for a bit, but eventually dragged himself out of the bathroom, remembering he still had to get to work.

Thankfully, the man’s house wasn’t far from the restaurant where Haon worked. In fact, it was much closer than the goshiwon he used to live in.

He checked the map on his phone once more before tidying up the bedding. He smoothed out the wrinkles with care so it wouldn’t look like anyone had slept there. He also neatly folded the pajamas he had worn and placed them with his bag in the corner.

Haon was doing everything he could to live as though he wasn’t even in this house. He planned to leave earlier and come home later on purpose. He absolutely wouldn’t do anything that might get on the man’s nerves. To do that, he’d need to avoid running into him altogether.

“Ah, the calendar.”

While checking the map, he opened the calendar app and recorded his heat cycle. Sometimes he forgot, but Haon made a conscious effort to note his heats whenever possible.

This time, it had been a month and a half since he last lost control. The last thing he remembered was waking up alone in a shabby motel room on a scorching summer day. That had been his most recent heat. The next thing he remembered was this bed.

Staring blankly at the queen-sized bed that was too large for just one person, he absentmindedly scratched his cheek. The fact that he was back in this bedroom again felt surreal. And just as strange as that sensation, a flood of unanswered questions about the man filled his mind.

‘Why is he helping me?’

He was grateful for the man’s endless generosity, but at the same time, it puzzled him.

The man had rushed over just from one call, even though they’d only met for the first time the day before yesterday. He’d offered up this beautiful bedroom and even told Haon he could stay longer.

Unless he was some kind of angel, it didn’t make sense. More than anything, the man had done all of this without expecting anything in return. He hadn’t tried to have sex with him, hadn’t touched him, hadn’t even asked to be touched.

‘Then why is he being so good to me?’ Lost in that question, Haon bit down gently on the inside of his cheek. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t come up with a reason.

“I just like helping people.”

Just then, the man’s voice echoed in Haon’s head, offering an answer. He had said it himself—he was someone who genuinely liked helping others, someone very safe.

Even with that answer, Haon’s response was lukewarm. ‘Is that really all there is to it?’ he wondered.

***

After quietly opening and closing the door, Haon crossed the living room. To reach the front entrance, he had to pass through it.

He still had time, so he didn’t rush. His footsteps were cautious and light, which made his usual walking pace feel twice as slow.

“Wow…”

Despite trying to be quiet, a small sound of awe slipped out. Looking up at the high-ceilinged second floor, he couldn’t help but let it escape.

It felt like you could invite the whole village over and throw a party in this place. Squinting his wide eyes, Haon kept staring up at the transparent glass doors on the upper floor. Beyond the spotless glass, he could vaguely make out dark, heavy-looking objects, which made him curious.

“Can’t believe he has that kind of stuff in his house.”

The distance was too far, so Haon didn’t recognize the dumbbells. But he did recognize the treadmill and indoor cycling machine. Honestly, even if the dumbbells had been right in front of him, he wouldn’t have known what they were called. Equipment like that—stuff you’d find in a gym—was completely foreign to someone like Haon, a small-town guy. Intrigued, he even stood on his tiptoes, trying to get a better look at the second floor.

“Watch where you’re going. You’ll trip.”

Startled by the sudden voice, Haon came to an abrupt halt, stumbling slightly. The unexpected stop made his weak body lose its balance for a moment.

“You okay?”

The man, who had been lying on the sofa, shot up and hurried toward Haon. Thinking he was dizzy, he tried to guide him over to the couch.

“Are you feeling sick? Want to go to the hospital?”

“No, I’m fine!”

Waving his hands, Haon quickly raised his voice in response. He widened his eyes on purpose, trying to make it clear that he was really okay.

“Did you sleep out here?”

Haon glanced back and forth between the man and the sofa, his expression turning rigid. It looked like the man had slept there—without even a blanket.

“…You said you had a separate bedroom.”

‘Did he give up his bed so I could sleep in it?’ The thought weighed even heavier on his heart, thick with guilt.

“I do. My room’s upstairs.”

Liar. Haon had just seen nothing but metal junk up there.

“It’s true.”

Watching Haon’s lips droop, the man scratched the back of his neck and said Haon could go up and check for himself.

“My bed’s way bigger than yours.”

“Then why did you sleep on the sofa?”

At the question, the man rolled his eyes instead of answering. His expression said he wasn’t quite sure himself.

“Yeah… why did I sleep out here?”

This time, he tilted his head slightly, glancing between the sofa and Haon. Then, as if a thought finally came to him, a soft smile spread across his slightly parted lips.

“I think… I came out because I was worried about you.”

Haon’s slack lips twitched. He just stared at the man, lips parted but unsure what to say.

Then suddenly, the man took a step back and covered his mouth.

“Do I still smell like alcohol?”

Haon quickly shook his head and said no, not at all. Even if the smell had lingered, he would’ve said the same thing—he hated that the man was hiding his smile behind his hand.

“I’ll go wash up real quick. Go ahead and sit—let’s eat breakfast.”

As the man briskly walked past, he asked if there was anything Haon wanted to eat. But Haon’s answer was already decided.

“No, I’m okay. I don’t need to eat. And I need to leave now, anyway.”

“Right now?”

Since Haon had only changed clothes and wasn’t carrying even a small bag, the man seemed to think he had just stepped into the living room. Haon, who often lost things, only carried his phone and wallet tucked into his jacket pockets. He didn’t even bother with a simple eco bag.

“You’re not leaving for good, right?”

“No, I’m heading to work.”

To the man’s worried question, Haon shook his head. The man then turned back toward him, lips pressed together for a moment.

He met Haon’s gaze and paused, as if carefully choosing his words. ‘What does he want to say so badly?’

“…Can I ask what kind of work you do?”

Maintaining steady eye contact, the man finally asked, his tone oddly cautious for such a routine question. Haon felt a bit relieved—it was an easy one to answer.

“I work at a restaurant during the week. And at a bar on the weekends. I leave early and come home late.”

“Ah, I see…” the man murmured softly, and his expression brightened just a bit. It hadn’t been grim before, but there was a subtle difference. Haon was glad he’d added that last part. ‘Figures he’d be more comfortable if I come home late.’

“That sounds tough. Working without any days off.”

“I’m used to it, so it’s fine.”

Haon answered cheerfully as he glanced at his phone to check the time. Talking with the man had made more time pass than he’d realized. If he left now, he could still get there with a little room to spare.

“Well, I should get going…”

“I’ll walk you. You still don’t really know your way around here.”

Not giving Haon a chance to refuse, the man hurried toward the stairs and told him to wait just five minutes. But before he could be caught, Haon frantically waved his hands and dashed toward the front hallway.

“I can go by myself! It’s not that far!”

“Where is it?”

The man, who had been about to head up the stairs, changed direction when he saw Haon darting off. Feeling a bit awkward at how much it looked like he was running away, Haon slowed down and mentioned the name of the place he worked. It was a fairly well-known upscale restaurant—one the man might recognize.

“The one inside the hotel?”

“Yeah! That’s the one!”

As expected. The man gave an enthusiastic nod, seemingly pleased, and paused for a moment. Only the main door stood between Haon and the entrance now.

“I can just follow the map, so you really don’t need to worry!”

“Haon.”

He was just about to dash out, but the man’s low voice stopped him in his tracks. Approaching quickly, the man ran a hand down his face. For some reason, his expression seemed troubled.

“Don’t go there.”

A quiet sigh followed his words, weighted and restrained.