The word came out low, harsh—like it had been scraped from the back of Yoon Seoyul's throat. His voice sounded strained, as if he was barely holding himself back. Cheon Areum didn't move. Instead, he raised a hand to his nose, trying to muffle the scent. That thick, syrupy vanilla had only intensified, turning suffocating. But he still stepped forward.
"Were you expecting someone else?"
"Leave, Areum."
Yoon Seoyul said more firmly this time. Cheon Areum calmly placed the mega pack on the table in front of the couch. Yoon Seoyul didn't look at him anymore. His hand was now pressed over his eyes, shielding his face from view, jaw clenched as if in pain. From this angle, he looked less like the composed Alpha he always was and more like he was struggling.
"Are you in a rut?"
"....…"
"Who are you going to spend it with?"
