TATMFL - 3

“Was there some kind of fight at the store?”

“Huh?”

It was the next morning when Raon picked up her bag to head out for her summer semester class.

Hearing the sudden and puzzling question from behind, she paused mid-way through putting on her shoes and turned around.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Jian was leaning casually against the doorframe, her face scrunched up in annoyance as she stared at Raon.

Rubbing her neck irritably where her short hair left it exposed, Jian motioned with her chin.

“I’m asking because the whole house reeks of alpha pheromones.”

“...Pheromones?”

“Yeah. It’s been hanging in the air ever since you came back at dawn. I thought it’d dissipate quickly, but it’s still so strong. I couldn’t sleep a wink because of it.”

Couldn’t exactly wake you up to deal with it.

Jian’s expression, as she brushed her fingers over the bridge of her nose, made it clear she wasn’t exaggerating her discomfort.

Raon reflexively buried her nose into her sleeve in response.

But all she could smell was the faint fragrance of her fabric softener.

Which made sense, of course.

Pheromones were something that only those with alpha or omega traits could perceive.

As a beta, there was no way Raon could detect it no matter how hard she tried.

“I don’t smell anything,” Raon said simply.

Jian let out a laugh, as if Raon had stated the obvious.

“Did you think pheromones are something you can smell just by sniffing like that?”

With that, Jian grabbed a bottle of pheromone neutralizer, which she must have fetched at some point, and began spraying it around the house.

Although it wouldn’t completely eliminate the pheromones lingering in the living room, it did help weaken them to some degree.

As Raon shook her head and bent down to tie her loose shoelaces, Jian’s voice fell from above her.

“So? Was there a fight at the store or something?”

“No.”

“Then where on earth did you pick up pheromones like this?”

“Is it really that bad?”

Raon asked as she adjusted her outfit in front of the full-length mirror. Jian grimaced and nodded emphatically.

“It’s awful. If you go out like that, there’s no doubt some alphas will pick a fight with you.”

Hearing that from Jian, who herself bore the alpha trait, Raon tilted her head in mild curiosity.

“Really?”

Watching her cousin’s composed expression as she murmured, “Is it really that bad?” Jian let out a dry laugh.

Her face carried a mix of amusement and concern, as if wondering what to do with her unbothered cousin.

It wasn’t uncommon for Raon to come home with alpha pheromones on her.

And that made sense.

Her naturally sultry eyes, accentuated by prominent double eyelids, gave off a bewitching aura whether she intended to or not. Her delicate and balanced facial features, with no sharp or harsh angles, often drew admiration—even from Jian herself at times.

It was only natural that Raon, with her beauty rivaling that of most omegas, would attract attention from alphas and betas alike.

But even so, the pheromones clinging to her now—strong enough to require a neutralizer—were a whole different level.

“Actually, ‘strong’ doesn’t even begin to cover it,” Jian thought to herself.

It wasn’t just overpowering; it was wild and aggressive, a scent potent enough to provoke the competitive instincts of any alpha who caught a whiff of it.

Where did she pick up such aggressive pheromones?

“Hmmm...”

Jian wrinkled her nose and picked up the pheromone neutralizer she had just set down.

Meanwhile, Raon, unaware that Jian was spraying the neutralizer all over her own clothes, was lost in thought.

It was because, as soon as Jian mentioned pheromones, a certain face had immediately come to mind.

“Could it be... that man?”

A man who looked to be at least 190 cm tall, casually wearing just a black shirt in the middle of winter.

Not only that, but he had his sleeves rolled up a couple of times, which was enough to confirm—without a doubt—that he was an alpha.

Alphas, often referred to as the most perfect beings created by God with painstaking care, were said to possess physical structures superior to others and looks so captivating they seemed almost otherworldly. It was no secret that the major power players in politics and business were predominantly alphas.

There was no way that man—who resembled a top predator—could be anything other than an alpha.

And then there were the words.

“Money, life, client, product value.”

Along with the ominous atmosphere and the dangerous aura exuded by the men surrounding him.

Putting all of it together, only one thing came to Raon’s mind.

Gangsters and loan sharks.

That was as far as Raon’s imagination took her before she rubbed the back of her neck, goosebumps rising.

The restless night spent thinking about him had left her feeling completely drained.

By the time she emerged from her thoughts, Jian had finished drenching her coat in neutralizer and finally stepped back, looking satisfied.

“Now it’s not as strong.”

“It’s not ‘not as strong’—you just masked it with neutralizer,” Raon said, brushing off her coat, now damp from being sprayed excessively.

Feeling a bit guilty herself, Jian helped wipe off the droplets clinging to Raon’s coat as she spoke.

“You didn’t forget about the reunion today, right?”

Raon blinked, halting mid-motion as she adjusted her clothes. Then she let out a quiet groan.

“...That’s today?”

Her furrowed brows showed clear dismay, prompting Jian to click her tongue knowingly.

“I’ll send the location in the group chat, so just come after your shift. The others are dying to see you—it’s been ages since you’ve shown up.”

It had already been three years since Raon last attended a high school reunion, always making excuses about being too busy.

Pressing her tired, sore eyelids, Raon responded flatly, “I’ll think about it. If I’m not too tired, I might go.”

Though, based on how her body had been feeling lately, the chances of her going were slim. Still, there was no need to voice that. She knew Jian would only nag her if she said anything.

Satisfied with her vague response, Raon checked the time.

10:17 a.m.

Dealing with the whole pheromone situation had already cost her twenty minutes.

And that could only mean one thing.

“...I’m late.”

Muttering in dismay, Raon, without a moment of hesitation, flung the door open in a rush.

As Raon rushed out the door, Jian’s voice called after her.

“Do you have to go?! You’ll regret it if you don’t show up again today!”

Ignoring Jian’s desperate and meaningful cry, Raon shrugged on her coat.

The cold wind that cut through the air made the tip of her nose sting.

It was the winter break in January, with her senior year just around the corner.

After finishing her classes, Raon headed to the café where she had been working for three years.

“I’m here!”

As the door chimes rang, the comforting scent of coffee greeted her as she entered.

The café owner, Changwoo, who had just finished preparing drinks and was cleaning up, waved at her.

“Running a bit late today?”

“Who knew you’d make us have a full three-hour class when you said you’d cut the pace to make up for all the material we missed for finals next week?”

Raon let out a tired sigh as she set her bag down.

She had been already exhausted, and after the three-hour class without a break, she felt completely drained.

She had expected the winter session to be a bit lighter, but it was actually more exhausting than regular semester classes.

After changing into her uniform in the staff room, Raon pulled out her phone, which had been buzzing non-stop with notifications, and checked her messages.

The chat window from Jian, filled with urgent messages, appeared against a blue background.

Jian
You have to come!
You’ll regret it if you don’t come!!
(Rabbit emoji waving fingers)
Don’t regret it later!!
4:37 PM

Raon had planned to try and attend, but she was so exhausted that it seemed impossible.

She didn’t feel much attachment to the reunion, especially since she hadn’t attended one since graduation.

I mean, what’s there to regret about not going to a reunion?

Muttering this to herself, Raon didn’t bother replying and glanced at the tables in the café.

Most of the tables were empty.

“It’s probably because of the break, huh? There’s definitely fewer people,” Raon remarked.

Changwoo, who was also surveying the café, shrugged.

“There’s no need to feel bad about it. It’ll start getting busy in February, so we should enjoy the peace while it lasts.”

Raon nodded in agreement.

“True. A lot of people will probably come in soon to check out real estate now that the semester’s starting.”

“Exactly. It’s the start of the new semester too.”

Now that she thought about it, she recalled a message in the group chat a few days ago discussing whether or not they should hold an orientation.

But, being in her fourth year, she hadn’t even bothered to read it properly and had dismissed it.

As Raon wiped down a damp cup, Changwoo asked,

“So, Raon, now that you’re in your fourth year, things must be getting busier, huh?”

Raon nodded.

“I’m struggling with the graduation project preparation. It’s such a headache.”

It made sense. Her major, the Department of Fine Arts, was already deep into preparing for the graduation exhibition, even during the break.

This was all part of the plan—so that she could have the exhibition before the final exams of the second semester, making it a natural schedule.

“Still, didn’t you already earn enough credits?”

“Well, the remaining credits are enough with just my major courses.”

Changwoo nodded.

“You’ll keep working at the café, right?”

“Of course. I need to earn living expenses.”

As Raon and Changwoo passed the time with casual conversation, the quiet chime of the entrance bell rang.

“Welcome, welcome to... Hm, oh...”

Raon, who had been leaning against the counter, automatically began her usual greeting and turned toward the door.

Then, without realizing it, she swallowed and clamped her mouth shut.

“Raon?”

At Changwoo’s confused voice, Raon snapped back to her senses and quickly lowered her gaze.

The person entering the café with the cold winter air was none other than him.

The man who had caused her to shiver with fear the previous night, and the owner of the pheromones Jian had mentioned.

‘...Why is he here?’

Raon’s pupils shook uncontrollably.

The man, glancing over the menu, was smiling with the same expression he had worn the night before—the smile of someone who had just broken someone’s leg, as if it were amusing.