The Omega Is Pregnant

"Keep talking."

"If I really went into heat, that means I became an Omega, right? Then I should be able to sense pheromones, but I don’t think I can."
Only after hearing Tae-seo’s explanation did Kang Se-heon’s grip on the steering wheel slowly relax.
"They say one reason for not sensing pheromones could be imprinting. So I thought about that."

"And the person you think it might be is me."
"Yes. Hardly anyone knows that I became an Omega, and then…"
He couldn’t bring himself to say that they had spent the night together. But Kang Se-heon understood without needing further explanation.

As he waited for the light to change, he tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel. This was more serious than he had initially thought. It was something he had considered before as well. He could still vividly remember the pheromones he had picked up on the night he had spent with Yoon Tae-seo.
But after that, as if it had been a lie, he hadn’t been able to sense anything from him. It was as if Tae-seo were a Beta. Normally, unless it caused inconvenience to others, an Alpha’s pheromones would manifest naturally. He had assumed that Tae-seo had been deliberately suppressing his out of embarrassment.
The fact that he couldn't sense pheromones at all hadn’t changed anything, so Se-heon had thought Tae-seo was doing it on purpose. Had he just jumped to conclusions?

"You’ll need to get tested at the genetic department."
Hearing the unfamiliar term, Tae-seo absentmindedly nodded while watching the pedestrians crossing the street.
"Yeah, I guess so?"

"Then we’ll add a genetic test to the standard checkup."
As the car came to another stop at a red light, Kang Se-heon made a call. When a young man’s voice answered, Se-heon simply instructed, "Make sure the test can be done quickly," before hanging up.
Tae-seo simply sat there, allowing himself to be taken to the hospital.

 
****
The doctor, whose nameplate read Jin Gyu-min, appeared to be around Kang Se-heon’s age. Adjusting his silver-rimmed glasses, he glanced between Se-heon and Tae-seo before returning his gaze to the chart. After skimming the basic information, Jin Gyu-min opened his mouth to speak.

"So, are you two…?"
"Landlord."
"And who’s the landlord?"
"Obviously me. He’s just a freeloader."

At Kang Se-heon’s blunt response, Jin Gyu-min looked even more confused. If Se-heon had let someone live in his home, they couldn’t just be casual acquaintances. Were they childhood friends? Family friends? Lovers? But if they were lovers, shouldn’t there have been a more immediate answer when he asked about their relationship? That was just how Se-heon was.
On the other hand, if they were merely acquaintances, why was Se-heon bothering to take care of his health? Not for an injury, but a full medical checkup? And on top of that, a specialized genetic examination?
"Genetic testing, huh…"

As Jin Gyu-min checked a few details, Tae-seo quietly pieced together the dynamic between them based on their conversation. He leaned toward Se-heon and whispered.
"You’re friends, huh?"
"Something like that."

"But that whole ‘landlord’ thing…"
Tae-seo, who had struggled to answer earlier when the doctor had asked about their relationship, gave a small thumbs-up with his free hand.
"That was actually a pretty accurate introduction."

"You’re probably the only person who would smile at being called a freeloader."
Se-heon shook his head, but Tae-seo seemed pleased. He thought there couldn’t have been a cleaner description.
"Let’s get started with the tests. It won’t take too long, but there are a lot of things to check. I’ll exclude anything that requires fasting."

After explaining the process to both Se-heon and Tae-seo, Jin Gyu-min hesitated for a moment before adding,
"If I think something else is necessary, can I add more tests?"
"Yeah, that’s fine."

Tae-seo nodded, and Se-heon added that as long as it wasn’t excessive, they could go ahead. Jin Gyu-min glanced at Se-heon, who seemed more concerned about the checkup than Tae-seo himself, before calling for a nurse.
"Yoon Tae-seo, please follow me."
The nurse’s polite instruction made Tae-seo stand up awkwardly and follow her. Once they were alone, Jin Gyu-min’s professional expression faded.

"Hey, landlord."
"The door's still open."
Se-heon’s sharp remark was a warning—someone might overhear. But Jin Gyu-min didn’t seem to care.

"Since when do landlords schedule medical checkups for their tenants on weekends? Just tell me what this is."
"There’s nothing specific to define."
"Spare me the bullshit."

Se-heon had been the one to push Tae-seo away first, and Tae-seo had accepted that distance. They had drawn a clear line, and neither had crossed it.
"But genetic testing? Is there something wrong?"
"He only manifested recently."

"Ah, then yeah, he should get checked at least once."
Se-heon looked at him as if he was speaking nonsense, but Jin Gyu-min pulled up Tae-seo’s file and checked his age.
"He’s older than the usual manifestation age. We need to run a full scan to figure out what’s going on—whether his pheromone response is delayed, if his scent glands are functioning properly. If that’s the case, then yeah, it’s a good thing he came."

"There’s one more thing."
"What is it?"
"We need to check if he’s imprinted."

"Imprinted? On who? …Wait, don’t tell me it’s you."
Jin Gyu-min’s gaze swept over Se-heon. No way. If Se-heon had imprinted on someone, he wouldn’t just ignore it. He wasn’t the kind of guy who would refuse to acknowledge something like that.
 

****
After the checkup, Tae-seo waited for Kang Se-heon at the hospital’s first-floor café.
During the entire examination, Se-heon had been glancing at his phone. Every now and then, a call would come through, and from the brief exchanges, Tae-seo could tell that he was dealing with work. Even when Tae-seo told him he was fine and that he should just go to his office, Se-heon had insisted that he didn’t work on weekends.

Still, in the end, he had finally excused himself for one call, looking like he had no other choice.
"Busy even on weekends, huh?"
Since he held a high position, Tae-seo had assumed Kang Se-heon would spend his weekends indulging in hobbies. But that was just a stereotype. Some people were different, and among them, Kang Se-heon was simply someone who had a lot of work.

Feeling like he was inconveniencing him, Tae-seo lowered his head gloomily.
His mood had already been sinking during the examination, but now that he was alone, it spiraled even further. What’s wrong with me? He thought about it and realized—he couldn't do anything on his own. He kept relying on Kang Se-heon for everything, and that dependence was weighing on him.
"Maybe I shouldn’t say anything next time."

If he kept his mouth shut, then something like today wouldn’t happen again… but what would he do when he felt trapped?
Tae-seo looked up from his iced Americano. He had been deliberately ignoring it, but he had sensed someone watching him for a while now.
It was an old man sitting alone, just like him. Despite making eye contact multiple times, the man hadn’t looked away from Tae-seo.

"Do you have something to say to me?"
"You seem like a young man, but are you unwell?"
The deep, resonant voice surprised Tae-seo once, and the concern from a complete stranger startled him twice. He hesitated before answering.

"No, it’s nothing. I’ve just been going through some big changes lately. I came for a checkup."
"Would you mind telling me?"
"It’s not hard to explain, but…"

He had never considered sharing his circumstances with a stranger. But then again, this was someone he would probably never see again, so the thought eased some of the pressure.
"I had a late manifestation. I thought it would never happen since I was already older, but here I am."
Tae-seo smiled bitterly. It was likely because of the drug he had obtained for Seo Da-rae and ended up taking himself. In the original story, Yoon Tae-seo had been tormented by the fact that he never became an Omega. Yet, here he was, forced into it without ever wanting it.

"You didn’t want to manifest, did you?"
"At first, I was just caught off guard because it happened so suddenly. But thinking about how I’m different from others… it’s unsettling and complicated."
Becoming an Omega was shocking enough. Realizing he wasn’t like the others made it even heavier to bear.

"I usually don’t dwell on things this much, but I guess today’s checkup is making me overthink."
After opening up to a stranger, Tae-seo felt a little more at ease. If he had told Kang Se-heon, he would have offered his own version of reassurance. But Se-heon had already come all the way to the hospital with him out of concern—Tae-seo didn’t want to burden him with more negativity.
"You caught my eye, and it turns out I might have a good answer for you."

"Really?"
It had only been a complaint on his part, but the idea of a solution piqued Tae-seo’s curiosity.
"Eat what you want, and sleep when you’re tired."

"What?"
"If possible, tell the person you live with what food comes to mind. Eating what you crave helps digestion. And it makes you feel better, too."
"That’s… really a thing?"

At first, Tae-seo was skeptical, but the more he thought about it, the more he started to believe the old man. Maybe he didn’t need a grand solution. Maybe just eating something delicious and feeling good was enough.
"Oh?"
Tae-seo’s face brightened when he saw Kang Se-heon approaching. Finally, I can go home and laze around.

Just then, the old man got up from his seat.
"Let’s meet again sometime."
"Yes, take care!"

There was no guarantee they would ever cross paths again, but Tae-seo believed in leaving a conversation on a good note.
Thanks to his long legs, Kang Se-heon reached Tae-seo quickly and immediately scanned the area around him.
"Who was that man you were talking to just now?"

"Someone I just met today. I don’t know who he is."
"Your friendliness really doesn’t have a filter, huh?"
"Or maybe I just have a likable face?"

Tae-seo shot back playfully and fell into step beside Se-heon.
"We’re going straight home, right?"
"Do you want to go somewhere?"

"Not exactly, but I thought of something I want to eat. Can we stop by on the way? I happened upon this place once, and…"
As Tae-seo chattered away, Kang Se-heon felt an odd sense of unease. The faintest trace of an Alpha’s scent still lingered in the air where the old man had been sitting.
 

****
"Are the results out?"
"You can see most of them now, except for a few tests that are still processing."

"Thanks."
After having dinner, Jin Gyu-min threw on his white coat and sat down in his chair. His eyes locked onto the monitor as he moved the mouse, clicking through a few windows before finally accessing the results.
"Huh. You really do see all sorts of things in a lifetime. The Kang Se-heon, bringing someone else in for a checkup…"

Humming to himself, Jin Gyu-min abruptly shut his mouth. His gaze turned serious as he stared at the screen.
「…Further examination required in obstetrics and gynecology.」