"So, Alphas smell sweet to you; that's crazy." Han started laughing like a madman.
"Not all of them; it's just him." Hyun-So pointed his finger at Do-Jin.
Han stopped for a moment. "This is even crazier. You mean to tell me Captain 'Cedarwood Rainstorm' over here is your version of sugar?!" but completely lost it again.
Do-Jin with a deadpan look on his face. "Says the guy who smells like a philosophy textbook soaked in curry and set on fire."
Hyun-So felt like he was again caught in these two fights. "Anyway," he tried to change the topic but was cut down by both of them at the same time.
"You should smell his pheromones." Do-Jin looked him dead in the eyes.
"Yeah." Byung-chul too flowed.
Now both of their stares were on Hyun-So, making him give up. "Alright."
Han released his smell, sitting across from Hyun-So, waiting patiently for a good reaction, along with Do-Jin.
It reached Hyun-So, "Durians." It was so bad, so bad that he couldn't talk. He gagged.
Do-Jin started laughing; Byung-chul was disappointed, like he had lost a bet or something. But neither of them realized the seriousness of Hyun-So's condition.
He held his mouth with a hand and ran towards the toilet, making both of them worried.
They both went behind him as he started vomiting in the toilet.
"You ok?" Do-Jin said, circling on his back.
Hyuh-So couldn't answer for a while as he continued to puke, but he got up to wash his mouth finally. Byung-chul prepared a glass of water for him after opening the windows.
They were back at the table again. Do-Jin was still rubbing his back to comfort him somehow.
"My head hurts." Hyun-So finally said something, gripping his head tightly like it was about to explode.
"This is bad." Byung murmured, lost in thought.
They both looked at Han.
"You said that creep's pheromones had affected Hyun-So like chloroform, right? Han looked at Do-Jin with a serious expression.
"Yeah." Do-Jin was also answered seriously after watching his friend change so suddenly. Do-Jin knows if something is bothering Han like this, then it is a big concern.
"And you were Sweet and mine, like Dimethyl Trisulfide. Even chloroform can kill you if exposed for too long, and every pheromone has a chemical-like effect on Hyun-So.
Han paused for a moment; so did the other two. "That means some can even kill him instantly." He finally finished his sentence.
"I know, that's what I'm worried about as well." Do-Jin sighed heavily.
Hyun-So still had a tight hold over his head as they talked. He found himself again just listening to their conversations.
"I have brought him pheromones. So he will be hidden for a while." Do-Jin added.
"Oh, so that's where that smell was coming from." Han paused for a while and then continued. "What it won't do is help him escape the effects of others'pheromones."
"I know; we need to figure out something for that." Do-Jin looked at Hyun-So like he was a delicate child and rubbed his head affectionately. "We'll come up with a plan, don't worry," he reassured Hyun-So. "We always do."
The sudden touch made Hyun-So feel a little embarrassed but also comforted after a while.
His headache was also almost gone now. "Can we go get the kitten now?" Hyun-So asked, a small smile forming on his face, making both of the men smile back at his excitement.
"Yeah, I think they must have been done with him by now." Han agreed.
"Alright then, I will go get the kitten with him then," he told Han before walking out with Hyun-So.
For some reason, Do-Jin forgot that he had several plants at home, and it was a cat that Hyun-So clearly wanted to keep with him, judging by how happy he was.
* * *
So they went to take the cat back. He had been checked, cleaned, and also groomed. The little one was healthy, just a little malnourished. But Hyun-So will take care of that.
"You are so cute." Hyun-So started playing with the kitten. They were back in the car after picking him up.
Do-Jin was back after handling some things and sat down beside Hyun-So in the driving seat. "You like him a lot," he smiled at the purring kitten.
"He's only six months old; he must have been scared alone there." Hyun-So commented this while softly patting the kitty. "I don't want him to feel lonely anymore."
That was unexpected, not the part of him loving the cat this much, but the sudden change in his tune. It felt like he was not talking about the kitten and more like himself.
With the sudden thought, Do-Jin stayed in his place, staring into empty space. Hyun-So's voice brought him back to his senses.
"So, where are we going now?"
"Get some furniture and food from him." Do-Jin reached for the steering wheel with his hands.
They spent quite some time picking up some things for the cat: a cat bed, a cat tree, and a small sofa brought for him as well, along with the food and snacks.
That's when Do-Jin realized that Hyun-So had been wearing his clothes apart from the only pair of clothes he had. "Let's go." He pulled Hyun-So with him after they were done putting things inside the car.
"Where?" He barely got the time to ask before he was already inside a clothes store.
But no answer was needed, or maybe it was. As Hyun-So was still puzzled, why were they in this shop again? Do they sell cats' clothes too? So he asked, "Are we getting him clothes too?"
Do-Jin let out a chuckle. "No, we are getting you some clothes."
"Oh, what? I don't have any money." Hyun-So wasn't shocked when they got so many things for the cat as well; it's a cat. But for him, that would be a trouble.
"I know; I'm the one paying for it." Do-Jin said it like it was not a big deal.
Hyun-So stayed quiet for a while, but then Do-Jin took the cat from him, encouraging him to look around.
He was a little unsure of what he did, walked around, and didn't feel like picking up anything. He was good at picking outfits, but today nothing looked appealing.
Do-Jin, walking behind him, noticed it and asked, "What's wrong? Don't you like anything?"
He picked up a yellow t-shirt with a smiley face on it. "How about this one?"
Hyun-So burst into laughter. "This, is this what I remind you of?"
"Why? Is something wrong with it? I think it's a nice color." Do-Jin looked at Hyun-So with a puzzled expression, confused about what he found so funny.
Hyun-So shook his head, still chuckling, and replied, "It's just not my style, but thanks for the suggestion."
"Yeah, you like dark colors, right?" Do-Jin nodded in understanding, putting the yellow t-shirt back on the rack. "Let's look for something different then."
"Hmm." Hyun-So felt less awkward now.
They looked around, and Hyun-So picked some oversized t-shirts in black, blue, and dark grey. And some cargo pants in almost the same color.
So did Do-Jin; he picked up a dark green t-shirt, but a fitted one, and a pair of pants after watching Hyun-So do so, but it was an ivory color instead.
Hyun-So still kept it after realizing it at the counter. He did try out some of them.
With a handful of bags and a big, proud smile on Do-Jin's face, they left the store. Hyun-So smiled a little after watching how happy Do-Jin looked when he didn't even get anything for himself. Such a silly man he is.
_ _ _