Yoon Nam-hyuk came out after changing. Qi Huai was waiting for him on the sofa, flipping through a magazine. Dressed in the military-style suit, the semi-A… no, perhaps soon-to-be Alpha, looked charming no matter how you looked at him, with his serious and focused expression.

President Yoon’s heart skipped a beat. He stuffed the torn-off gland patch into his pocket, walked over to Qi Huai, and kicked his calf. “Let’s go.”

Qi Huai, who was admiring an introduction to erotic military-themed outfits, slammed the magazine shut, his expression composed. “Oh, okay.”

Yoon Nam-hyuk sensed something was off. “What were you looking at?”

“Hm?” Qi Huai blinked. “What do you mean, what was I looking at?”

“Ha!” President Yoon’s eyes narrowed. “Is there something in that magazine that can’t be seen by others? Hand it over.”

Usually, the other man would look up and smile at him when he was still several steps away. This time, he had walked right up to him, yet the other hadn’t noticed. Something was very wrong.

Qi Huai sighed. “Alright, you found me out.”

He handed the magazine to Yoon Nam-hyuk and said in a low voice, “Don’t curse, and don’t be shy.”

What is this nonsense?

Yoon Nam-hyuk frowned and opened the magazine. His eyes were met with silicone mannequins dressed in various erotic military-themed outfits.

Some of these uniforms were designed for Omegas. There was a “battle-damaged” style with artfully placed tears, a “forbidden temptation” style with semi-sheer fabric buttoned up to the top, and even a “sexy captive” style with no fabric at all, only various leather straps, garter clips, and harnesses.

Others were designed for Alphas, complete with leather belts, gloves, and military boots. A harness with a gun-shaped toy was even strapped tightly across a muscular chest. God only knew what was loaded in that gun’s barrel…

The next second, Yoon Nam-hyuk found out. A small note on the side read: The muzzle contains ten vibration modes. The outer shell can be twisted and detached for internal use. Waterproof and oil-proof.

“Damn it…!” The President’s face instantly turned as red as a tomato. He slapped the magazine back onto Qi Huai. “Don’t even think about it!”

He turned and left, his pace so hurried it was no different from fleeing for his life. Qi Huai laughed out loud and handed the magazine back to the sales assistant. “Sorry about that. I was going to buy it, but he’s shy. We’ll talk about it next time. Thank you.”

The sales assistant quickly waved his hands. “It’s no problem, no problem. Whenever you need it, you can just place an order online. Customers living in the city center can receive their goods within two hours. Please come again!”

The sales assistants bowed in unison, watching the couple’s retreating backs—one running, one chasing—and thought to themselves: Hehe, a couple whose se-x life is clearly so harmonious is definitely a major client. If they don’t buy it this time, they’ll buy it next time! Sales quota! Let’s go!

Qi Huai caught up to Yoon Nam-hyuk in a few strides. “You don’t like it?”

Yoon Nam-hyuk didn’t speak, smoke practically coming out of his ears.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like it; he was just mortified to be discussing such things in front of so many sales assistants!

But…

Yoon Nam-hyuk couldn’t help but start to imagine. If he were sitting on Qi Huai, using the muzzle of that gun-shaped toy to trace a line from Qi Huai’s Adam’s apple all the way down… the other man would probably like it a lot, right?

“Do you really not like it, or are you pretending not to?” Qi Huai chuckled, tugging on his partner’s increasingly scarlet ears. “I’ve memorized the designs of all those clothes. We can have them custom-made when we get back, okay?”

Yoon Nam-hyuk pursed his lips. “That toy too, I want it.”

“Understood, President,” Qi Huai said with a smile, taking Yoon Nam-hyuk’s hand. “This way. The musical starts in half an hour, no rush.”

__

The architectural design of the music hall was worthy of the name “Palace of Music.” Yoon Nam-hyuk looked up in admiration, feeling that this building was more breathtaking than any historical site he had seen in Europe.

The towering structure, with its milky-white marble texture, soared into the clouds. The exterior was even adorned with bas-reliefs of top musicians from history and classical instruments. It was no wonder this was a civilization capable of building starships.

In this world, the price of a musical ticket was almost equivalent to a hundred movie tickets—extremely expensive.

The audience members filing in were all dressed in lavish attire. The staff checking tickets were as elegant as aristocratic butlers. The further inside they went, the more luxurious it became. Even the theater seats were comfortable, soft velvet sofas.

The seats were comfortable, yes, but Yoon Nam-hyuk felt strangely awkward. In such a bright and spacious environment, he felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

This anxiety was like a small stone lodged in his heart, stuck and unmoving. Yoon Nam-hyuk felt stuffy and couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

“What’s wrong?” Qi Huai keenly sensed the change in his partner and hooked a finger under Yoon Nam-hyuk’s chin.

“It’s nothing,” Yoon Nam-hyuk shook his head. “I’m probably just tired from walking.”

To admire the uniquely designed streetscape, the two had walked all the way from the mall to the music hall, which took about twenty minutes. Normally, this amount of exercise would be nothing for Yoon Nam-hyuk, but for some reason, he did seem to be a bit tired.

Qi Huai kneaded his thigh, his brow slightly furrowed. “It was my oversight. An Omega’s constitution is weaker than an ordinary human’s. I shouldn’t have let you walk for so long.”

“Is that so? Does the constitution change that much?”

The Main Brain had given him a detailed explanation of what a gland and a reproductive cavity were, but regarding physical constitution, it only said that an Omega’s physical fitness was average and that he should be mentally prepared. He had no idea it would be this average.

“Actually, I don’t know for sure either,” Qi Huai shook his head. “You’re the first person to test the potion. Everything is just a guess. Do you want to lean on me for a bit?”

In a high-class place like the music hall, everyone was sitting upright and proper. The extremely thin-skinned President Yoon thought that if he was the only one limply leaning on his lover, it would be too embarrassing. Absolutely not.

Qi Huai saw through his pride at a glance and squeezed his cheek with a smile. “The President is so strong and healthy. I’m impressed.”

“…You little brat,” Yoon Nam-hyuk muttered, gritting his teeth.

The lights suddenly dimmed. The musical was about to begin. Yoon Nam-hyuk shut his mouth, but not before secretly stepping on Qi Huai’s foot before turning to watch the performance.

Qi Huai let out a laugh.

The audience member in front of them frowned and turned around. Qi Huai straightened his expression. “Sorry.”

This audience member who wanted to express their displeasure happened to be an Omega. Unfortunately, no one could bring themselves to be harsh when faced with Qi Huai’s handsome face. The person’s face turned red, and they immediately turned back around.

Yoon Nam-hyuk got even angrier.

Ha!

I shouldn’t have come!

The nutrient solution wasn’t that bad after all!

The stunning music began. Dozens of top musical actors, accompanied by the most advanced sound and light effects, told an interstellar epic through song and dance. It didn’t take long for Yoon Nam-hyuk to become completely engrossed.

Qi Huai propped his head on his hand and glanced at him, a smile on his lips. He knew Yoon Nam-hyuk would like this. Whether it was movies, musicals, or plays, his partner truly loved his work.

The entire audience was watching with rapt attention. Such a breathtaking performance inevitably stirred the viewers’ emotions. Moods and pheromones rose and fell with the plot, and soon, a faint scent of pheromones filled the music hall.

For AOs over the age of seventeen, as long as their glands were fully developed, such a faint pheromone scent was as harmless to them as perfume. This was also why the music hall strictly limited the age for its non-stop performances.

Unfortunately, Qi Huai and Yoon Nam-hyuk were completely unaware of this. They thought the age restriction was a threshold set for content sensitivity, so they had bought tickets for this popular show without hesitation…

Immersed in the musical, Yoon Nam-hyuk sniffed, thinking to himself, What a chaotic mix of smells.

Qi Huai had said that during the gender transition process, his nose would become more and more sensitive, able to smell many scents he couldn’t before.

Yoon Nam-hyuk had thought he was mentally prepared, but he hadn’t expected the mix of these scents to be so pungent.

Nutty, peach, coffee, alcohol, leather… God, could he smell everything that every passerby had eaten and the scent of everything they wore? This was too disgusting.

Yoon Nam-hyuk frowned deeply.

Has Qi Huai always been able to smell such a complex mix of scents?

He even began to wonder what the clothes in his wardrobe that Qi Huai had ruined smelled like. Did they have the scent of solid wood furniture? Or laundry detergent? In any case, it must have been very unpleasant…

The sense of unease he had felt upon entering the theater began to resurface. Yoon Nam-hyuk pressed the knuckle of his index finger against his nose, forcing himself to continue immersing himself in the musical.

However, focus is often not something you can just will into existence. Yoon Nam-hyuk’s thoughts drifted, and soon his attention was on Qi Huai.

The tall, handsome Alpha leaned back against the sofa, his arms relaxed on the armrests. His legs were long and straight, not overly muscular, but capable of supporting two people’s bodies. He seemed to be watching very seriously, occasionally rubbing his lower lip with his fingertips as if deep in thought.

Normally, Yoon Nam-hyuk would have brushed the side of his partner’s calf with his toes, waiting for him to reveal a surprised yet smiling gaze, and then secretly intertwine their fingers in a place full of strangers.

But now, Yoon Nam-hyuk’s eyes were filled only with the beautifully shaped lips of the other man, wishing he could lean over and kiss him right away.

The show seemed to be three hours long.
So annoying…

His chest tight and his heart pounding, Yoon Nam-hyuk felt a little hot. He wanted to take off his jacket, but he knew such behavior was inappropriate in a music hall.

Besides, he wasn’t wearing a gland patch and was relying entirely on the special material in his collar to seal his gland. Unbuttoning his shirt was even more out of the question.

The chaotic mix of scents grew stronger. Yoon Nam-hyuk anxiously bit his fingertips. Soon, he felt a hot current rush down from his gland, all in less than a second.

“Ngh!”

Yoon Nam-hyuk, who had accidentally let out a hum, immediately covered his mouth. The Omega in the front row turned around again, this time looking at Yoon Nam-hyuk.

“Sorry…” Yoon Nam-hyuk pursed his lips and squeezed his legs together.

The Omega’s face turned red again, and he turned back around.

Damn, this one’s good-looking too. Can’t yell at him.

“What’s wrong?” Qi Huai leaned in and asked in a low voice. However, the moment he got close, he couldn’t help but sniff. “Are you… having pheromones?”

It was an extremely faint scent of caramel, somewhat similar to the custom perfume Yoon Nam-hyuk wore, but richer. It was a sweet fragrance with a hint of burnt bitterness, like a home filled with the aroma of baking, mixed with a bit of rich black tea.

Yoon Nam-hyuk wasn’t sure if it was pheromones, but he had more pressing matters to deal with. His face was beet red, and he squeezed his legs together, not daring to even look at Qi Huai. After a long moment, he said, utterly mortified, “Qi Huai, I… I think something leaked out.”

Leaked out?
Qi Huai froze for a moment. “Huh?”

The musical was at a critical moment, so the dressing rooms reserved for VIPs were mostly empty.

The two hurried into a room and locked the door. Just as Qi Huai turned the handle, he was pulled into a full embrace by Yoon Nam-hyuk, whose body temperature was steadily rising.

“Qi Huai…” Yoon Nam-hyuk looked at him like a puppy craving its owner’s affection and said anxiously, “I want to kiss.”

Qi Huai was stunned. The next second, President Yoon impatiently pushed him down into a chair and started kissing him messily. However, just as his soft tongue licked Qi Huai’s lips, Yoon Nam-hyuk let out a muffled groan and knelt on the floor.

Qi Huai was startled and immediately picked Yoon Nam-hyuk up. “What’s wrong? Does your knee hurt?”

He placed Yoon Nam-hyuk on the vanity table, his palm rubbing his knee. Yoon Nam-hyuk wrapped his arms around his neck, his nose sniffing at the side of Qi Huai’s neck. “Qi Huai, I don’t feel well…”

“Is it your gland hurting?” Qi Huai’s hand moved to the back of Yoon Nam-hyuk’s neck. “What did you say leaked out earlier? Did the potion not absorb properly?”

Qi Huai moved so quickly that Yoon Nam-hyuk had no time to stop him. He lifted his partner’s collar and slipped his fingertips inside. Before he could touch where the gland patch should have been, Yoon Nam-hyuk’s pheromones exploded out even further.

Yes, exploded.
It rushed at him.

The rich scent of caramel tea exploded at the tip of Qi Huai’s nose. In that instant, even an Alpha who had taken suppressants couldn’t withstand it, let alone Qi Huai, who was infinitely obsessed with his lover’s scent.

Without a word, without even needing to look at each other, they instantly started kissing like wild beasts, biting and devouring.

Yoon Nam-hyuk was pressed against the mirror. His slightly protruding, newly-formed gland was pressed against the cool, smooth surface of the mirror, a feeling that was both painful and pleasurable.

Qi Huai held his lover’s chin and kissed him until he was whimpering and his tongue was numb, wishing he could rip his shirt to shreds and take a deep breath of him on the spot.

The kiss ended.

Qi Huai’s sanity temporarily returned. Yoon Nam-hyuk lay on the table, his eyes vacant, panting heavily.

“God…” Qi Huai pressed his forehead against Yoon Nam-hyuk’s stomach and took a deep breath. “Where’s your gland patch? Didn’t I tell you to wear it? Did you lose it?”

The heat that had erupted from his gland rushed downwards again. Yoon Nam-hyuk’s entire back was trembling. He stammered, “The sales assistant said… there’s a special material in the collar that can seal the gland, so I just…”

“So you just tore off the gland patch?” Qi Huai gave a bitter smile.

“Did I cause trouble?” Yoon Nam-hyuk asked blankly. “I was going to tell you, but then I forgot because of the magazine thing.”

“It’s okay, don’t be scared,” Qi Huai comforted him, gently patting his back.

It probably did have an effect, but that was just Qi Huai’s guess. If Yoon Nam-hyuk had told him at the time, he would have definitely kept a close watch on his reaction. The moment he noticed something was wrong, he would have had him put the patch back on.

Now it seemed to be too late.

“Qi Huai…” Yoon Nam-hyuk started rubbing his knee against Qi Huai’s waist again, his face impossibly red. “It’s leaking again, it’s so strange.”

He grabbed Qi Huai’s wrist and guided it towards the back of his pants, looking like a ripe, luscious red tomato. Only then did Qi Huai realize what had leaked out.

Qi Huai’s hand reacted with a slap, smacking Yoon Nam-hyuk’s butt. He gritted his teeth. “You little tease.”

Yoon Nam-hyuk let out a muffled groan and covered his mouth, feeling as if that one slap was going to make him soak his pants completely. He gripped Qi Huai’s wrist, not letting go, and pressed it against himself almost instinctively.

Seeing Yoon Nam-hyuk trembling and squirming like this, Qi Huai couldn’t stand it for a second longer. He immediately squatted down and said in a hoarse voice, “Don’t move, let me see.”

What?
See?

Shame suddenly took over. Yoon Nam-hyuk struggled violently. “Don’t look! I’ll just wipe it, I’ll do it myself. You go away, you—ah!”

Qi Huai was already strong, and now it was the strength difference between an Alpha and an Omega. Yoon Nam-hyuk’s upper body suddenly shot up and then fell back down. After a hurried cry, he began to pant continuously, his hands firmly pressing the words he wanted to say back into his mouth.

Most of those words were nonsensical, some even a little nasty, but Qi Huai loved to hear them.

At first, it was all curses, then it turned into chaotic demands, one moment faster, the next slower, finally ending in tears and pleas, as if he had suffered some kind of “torture” that reached straight to the soul.

Qi Huai hooked his finger, that pair of beautiful hands had never made Yoon Nam-hyuk break down like this before.

Qi Huai brought the tissue box to his side, pulling out two tissues to put under him. When they were soaked, he’d change them, or add a few more.

“As I thought,” Qi Huai said suddenly.

Yoon Nam-hyuk’s eyes were glazed over, he didn’t even hear what the other said. He just rubbed the inside of his knee against Qi Huai’s ear, then stepped on his lover’s shoulder with his foot.

Qi Huai’s fingertips were about to get wrinkled from the moisture. He smiled. “The cavity has grown in.”

“Hm? Cavity?” Is he talking about that gun-shaped toy? Yoon Nam-hyuk’s blissfully muddled mind was even confused for a moment.

The way he felt now, his whole body, was several times more unbearable than when his se-x addiction flared up; it was just that the uncomfortable part was different.

In the past, he wanted Qi Huai to help him get off. Now, he wanted Qi Huai to get inside him… very different.

“Yes, the cavity.” Qi Huai stood up and started to feel the back of Yoon Nam-hyuk’s neck.

Yoon Nam-hyuk whimpered twice. “It’s leaking again. Where are the tissues?”

Qi Huai used one hand to wipe for him, while the other repeatedly pressed on Yoon Nam-hyuk’s newly formed gland.

It wasn’t that he had the self-control of a saint. With his delicious lover whimpering in his arms, he didn’t want to hold back either.

But this was, after all, the first AO transition experiment. Qi Huai had to make sure Yoon Nam-hyuk’s body was safe, for example, if there was any inflammation, any pus, or any festering wounds.

He had just checked. The cavity was developing well, much faster than planned. No wonder Yoon Nam-hyuk was reacting so strongly.

As Qi Huai pressed, the Omega pheromones grew stronger. The veins on Qi Huai’s temples throbbed. He felt like his own gland patch was about to burst. Of course, it was definitely not just the gland patch that was about to burst.

Feeling Qi Huai’s gentle wiping and the methodical pressing on the back of his neck, Yoon Nam-hyuk suddenly felt both angry and sad. In short, he was very unhappy.

“Didn’t the Main Brain say that Omega pheromones are very attractive to Alphas?” he said through gritted teeth.

Qi Huai was fully focused on examining the gland and just “hmm-ed” in response.

Yoon Nam-hyuk asked again, “And isn’t there a pheromone compatibility between AOs? If the compatibility is not good, the attraction is weaker.”

“Mmm,” Qi Huai carefully examined the injection site.

Yoon Nam-hyuk felt like cursing. “How weak can it be? Can an Alpha be completely unmoved even if an Omega lies naked in front of them with their pants off?”

Qi Huai held his breath, feeling as if Yoon Nam-hyuk’s pheromones were getting stronger, practically drilling into his brain. “Maybe?”

The Main Brain hadn’t mentioned this, and he didn’t know any other Alphas. So, to avoid making a certain President jealous, he felt it was better to answer “yes.”

However, he was gravely mistaken.

Yoon Nam-hyuk immediately sneered. He pushed Qi Huai away and started shouting angrily, “It seems our pheromones aren’t compatible! All you can think about is the experiment. If you don’t want to do it, then forget it! I’ll do it myself! I’m going to the mall to buy that toy!”

The man, still without his pants on, was emitting the rich pheromones of someone on the verge of heat. The moment his feet touched the floor, his knees buckled.

Qi Huai quickly caught him. “…Why are you throwing a tantrum for no reason?”

“Don’t touch me!”

Yoon Nam-hyuk was so hurt his eyes turned red. He thought to himself that he shouldn’t have agreed to the experiment. In their original world, they were both ordinary people; there was no talk of pheromones. Having love meant they were 100% compatible.

But in this damn world, with this talk of pheromone compatibility, even if they loved each other, seeing his lover have no reaction to his pheromones still made him feel immense pain!

He couldn’t help but imagine, in this world, in some place he didn’t know, could there be someone whose pheromone compatibility with Qi Huai was 100%?

If there really was, he would die of anger!!!

Yoon Nam-hyuk’s defenses were broken by this imaginary rival, and he furiously punched Qi Huai three times.

An Omega’s punch really is like a tickle, Qi Huai thought.

Qi Huai had intended to carry Yoon Nam-hyuk back to the table, but President Yoon, for some reason, was struggling frantically. As his emotions intensified, the concentration of his pheromones grew even stronger. Qi Huai felt his own gland patch was about to fail.

Even the best temper couldn’t withstand this much torment. Qi Huai frowned and sighed, grabbing Yoon Nam-hyuk’s wrists and pinning him to the table, giving his butt five consecutive slaps.

Yoon Nam-hyuk lay on the table. At the first slap, he was shocked and angry. At the second, he was still defiant. At the third, his back went weak. At the fourth, he started to feel pleasure. By the fifth, he needed a tissue again.

After slapping him, Qi Huai also felt a pang of regret. He rubbed the spot and asked, “What’s wrong now? Why are you throwing a fit?”

This time he didn’t get a tissue, just looked down with lowered eyes, staring for a long time.

Yoon Nam-hyuk said resentfully, “I’m not throwing a tantrum for no reason! In your mind, the experiment is more important than me. I’m so uncomfortable I could die, and you have no reaction at all. My pheromones are going crazy, and I can barely smell yours. Can’t I be angry?!”

Qi Huai laughed in exasperation. “Just because of that?”

Yoon Nam-hyuk glared. “Just?”

Qi Huai unbuckled his belt, then ripped off his gland patch, and said coldly, “You think I’m not reacting, right? Fine. This time, don’t you dare complain about being tired, and don’t complain about it being inconvenient in a public place.”

“Ngh—!”

Yoon Nam-hyuk’s head slammed hard against the mirror. It was Qi Huai who had cushioned the blow with his palm; his palm was probably hurting more than his head.

Alpha pheromones instantly exploded in the dressing room like fireworks, making Yoon Nam-hyuk’s nascent Omega pheromones seem utterly insignificant.

Even though they were lovers who had done it many times, a married couple, at this very moment, President Yoon was still an unmarked Omega.

Qi Huai bit Yoon Nam-hyuk’s gland, watching his lover’s flushed and dazed face in the mirror. His canines sank into the sensitive little hollow. A dominant Alpha meeting his desired Omega, the pheromones were overwhelmingly infused. Yoon Nam-hyuk screamed, but Qi Huai immediately muffled it.

“What are you screaming for? Be careful someone hears you,” Qi Huai kissed Yoon Nam-hyuk’s earlobe.

Right, others.

God, this was the dressing room of a music theater!

Yoon Nam-hyuk tensed up in fear. His pheromone-addled brain only now became slightly clear. Qi Huai took a deep breath. “Don’t be afraid, relax. The dressing room has pheromone-blocking devices, and the soundproofing is very good. No one will find out.”

Just have to be quick, before the musical ends.

Qi Huai, who had been holding back for a long time, and Yoon Nam-hyuk, who had finally felt his lover’s pheromones, pressed against each other, kissing passionately. For the first time, a certain President felt the benefits of pheromones and was so overcome with pleasure he cried.

Qi Huai murmured into his lover’s earlobe.

“Hyung is so good. The newly grown part fits me so perfectly. Did it grow this way just for me? Hm?”

“We’re running out of tissues, President. Try to control yourself.”

“God, what did you hide in your gland? How is it so sweet?”

An hour later.
The musical finally ended.

A staff member, having received a complaint about a faulty lock in a dressing room, opened the door with a key. “Huh? Strange, there’s nothing wrong with the lock… There’s no one here, so why was it locked?”

The staff member had a curious look on his face. The next second, he looked at the pheromone concentration detector on the wall and cried out in surprise, “God! The reading is so high! Calling the front desk, please send pheromone neutralizer to dressing room number 1!”

From then on, a terrifying legend circulated in the music theater.

They said that one day, two handsome guests who had never been seen before came to the theater to watch a show. Halfway through the musical, the two suddenly left and entered a dressing room, and then completely disappeared!

So scary! The dressing room didn’t even have windows, so where could they have gone? The staff member trembled and immediately called the police, but when the police investigated, they discovered something even more incredible. The identity information of these two was not in the star network’s household registration database at all!

People without household registration could actually buy tickets online! Ghosts! They must be ghosts! And just like that, another urban legend was added to the instance world—

[The Ghostly Couple of the Theater]