Chapter Text
Hwang In-ho’s day wasn’t going well.
First, it started with his secretary being late — something he absolutely despised.
To make matters worse, the idiot had brought him coffee loaded with sugar. He opened the lid and found a thick, greasy white layer on top — something he found disgusting.
Incompetent!
"Incredible. The useless bastard can’t even buy a decent coffee," he muttered to himself, throwing it straight into the trash.
The morning had been chaos—meetings, reports, and a chain of staff mistakes were pushing him to the edge. The newly launched fragrance had reached the public, but not at the level he considered acceptable. To In-ho, success was absolute; anything less than perfection was a failure.
Everything that came out of Kairos had to be flawless—and if it wasn’t, someone would pay for it.
The perfect fragrance, the right balance between soft and intense notes... nothing escaped his control. For In-ho, every creation had to be impeccable; every detail reflected his demand for perfection.
That’s why, when that overly sweet and greasy coffee hit his nose first thing in the morning, he knew the day would be hell.
He took a deep breath and straightened his jacket. His tailor had made it specifically for him—just like everything else he wore. Clothes, watches, pens—every item represented who he was: control, power, dominance.
But none of that eased his growing irritation.
He had been very clear about his preferences: his coffee had to be decaf, slightly bitter, in the right dose.
Now his lips were sticky and sugary. It wasn’t that In-ho hated sweetness altogether, but that… was a sugar bomb.
He went into the private bathroom of his office to rinse his mouth and wash his hands. When he returned to his desk, ready to check a new contract, his idiot of a secretary burst in—panting, sweaty, and disheveled.
"Sir… I’m so sorry, but it’s urgent! Two alphas are fighting near the lab sector!"
In-ho leaned back in his chair, controlling his irritation — and his breathing — to avoid snapping right there. His reputation for self-control was legendary. Otherwise… that pathetic beta standing before him would already be dead.
"You didn’t call security? Isn’t that your job to handle?" His tone was icy, his voice calm to the point of being deadly.
"Well, sir, I thought—"
In-ho stood up, dragging the chair back, and brushed past the secretary without even touching him. As he walked through the corridors, conversations died instantly.
He entered the elevator and went down to the lab floor. Why were two alphas fighting there—of all places? Especially breaking one of the company’s strictest rules.
When the elevator doors opened, chaos greeted him. Two alphas were fighting—viciously. It wasn’t the kind of fight anyone could step into. It was the kind that only death would settle. A fight over an omega.
The other employees were crouched down; the betas inside the lab were horrified, and the omegas trembled and cried, turning their faces away, wishing it would all end.
In any other place, In-ho wouldn’t have interfered. But this was his company—and here, his word was law.
With impressive strength and speed, he stepped between the two alphas. His red eyes flashed as he grabbed both by the neck—one a young new recruit, the other barely older.
Both men hung in the air, feet kicking helplessly.
In-ho shoved them aside, sending their bodies crashing against opposite walls.
"If you want to fight, do it outside — not in my company!" he roared, fangs showing, eyes glowing crimson. "This is a workplace, not an arena for personal disputes! Do you understand?!"
The two alphas groaned, returning to their senses.
Then he noticed an omega trembling nearby, supported by the beta supervisor, Se-mi. His scent reached In-ho—not enough to affect his trained body, but strong enough to drive inexperienced alphas insane.
"Are you close to your heat?" he asked sharply.
"Y-yes… I didn’t think… I’m sorry, sir."
In-ho ran a hand through his hair, feeling sweat slide down his flawless face.
"It’s fine, it’s not your fault," he said, turning to the beta. "Give him blockers and send him home. Two weeks off should be enough, right?"
The shy omega nodded without meeting his eyes.
"Miss Se-mi, take care of him."
"Calm down now, Min-su. It’ll be all right," she told him with a reassuring smile.
In-ho looked back at the two alphas, now standing in shame.
"Get out — both of you!" he ordered. "You’re forbidden from approaching any omega in this company until further notice."
"I’m sorry, sir," one said.
The other followed quickly.
In-ho rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to kill them on the spot. They were Thanos and Lee Myung-gi—both troublemakers.
He glanced around; everyone had gone silent, staring at him. The lab door creaked open.
"If I hear a single word of what happened here leak out," he said coldly, "I’ll know who did it. Now, back to work!"
He turned and found his secretary standing awkwardly in the hallway, security arriving behind him, panting.
"Sorry, sir, we just—"
"Forget it. Go back downstairs," he snapped. "And you… you’re fired. Go to HR. They’ll handle the paperwork."
What could he expect from a man who couldn’t even buy decent coffee? He almost laughed at the thought.
That was his third —maybe fourth— secretary in a month and a half. They never lasted long. He was close to giving up on hiring one altogether.
But being the owner of Kairos Fragrances was complicated. Handling everything alone was even worse.
"Sir—" Jun-hee’s voice — one of the lab specialists — called from the hallway.
He turned quickly. He liked her, though he wasn’t sure why. Maybe because she was so young and pregnant… he could at least feel some sympathy for her.
"Go ahead, Jun-hee," he said.
"The new fragrance is ready. Would you like to take a look?"
In-ho checked his watch. He had a few minutes before his next meeting. Ignoring his ex-secretary still frozen in the hall, he followed Jun-hee as she explained the essence and spices used in the blend.
Before entering the lab, a voice called out behind him.
"Y-you’re… you’re a terrible person," the man stammered. "I hope one day someone makes you suff—"
In-ho didn’t bother listening to the rest. He entered the lab, ignoring the curse thrown his way. Nothing new there. No one in this company dared truly challenge him. One look from him and they all cowered like mice.
No one—not even other alphas—was bold enough to meet his eyes. He was respected and feared, and that was enough.
He approached Jun-hee’s workstation, where a pale pink liquid rested in a glass vial.
She opened it, and he inhaled the scent. It was fresh, pleasant—reminded him of dry autumn leaves.
"Good," he murmured. "But it’s still missing something. Add a touch of vanilla — it’ll be perfect for betas."
"So you approve?" she asked hopefully.
"Yes. It’s going well."
She smiled in relief.
In-ho looked over the other formulas spread across the tables—approving some, rejecting others. None yet met his exact standards. His perfumes were known for triggering strong reactions in alphas and omegas, awakening irresistible desires that helped alphas find their mates.
It had worked for his brother, his clients, and his friends.
But strangely, he had never found anyone who stirred that same madness in him. He was still alone—and maybe that was how it was meant to be.
He waved goodbye to the lab staff. His phone wouldn’t stop vibrating in his pocket.
As he walked out, he sent a quick message to the admin department:
"Sang-woo, I need a new secretary as soon as possible. Be picky this time. I want someone competent."
Then he pocketed his phone, ignoring the rest of the buzzing. Until he found a new secretary, he’d have plenty to handle on his own.
Deep down, though, he hoped this time would be different.
Someone who could actually challenge him.
— ✦ —
Gi-hun ran a hand through his hair, exhausted. He’d spent the whole day handing out résumés—and every “no” hit harder than the last. With rent overdue, his mother’s expensive medication, and the student loans piling up, he couldn’t afford to be picky about finding the perfect job.
He needed money — fast — or his situation would collapse completely. His stomach growled as he passed a hotdog stand.
At the bus stop, his phone buzzed. The cracked screen barely showed the number, and the old model looked like it had survived a war—but at least it still worked for calls.
"Yeah?" he answered.
"Gi-hun! I’m off work. How about a drink tonight?" his longtime friend’s cheerful voice said.
Unlike Gi-hun, Sangwoo had landed a great job. Sometimes, Gi-hun envied him—just a little.
"Man, I’m beat. I just want to go home, shower, and pass out…"
"Come on, just one drink. It’s been ages since we’ve hung out."
"Fine, just one. I’ll be there in an hour."
"I’ll save you a seat," Sangwoo said, hanging up.
Gi-hun got on the bus, found an empty seat, and closed his eyes—physically and emotionally drained.
An alpha and an omega sat a few seats ahead. Gi-hun watched them for a moment—a happy couple wrapped in a scent of love: roses and pepper. The scent of something he had never found.
At thirty, he had yet to meet his destined mate. As an omega, he knew his scent was irresistible to alphas. During his heats, he’d run out of blockers and scent suppressants within hours; it was too intense, even for seasoned alphas.
But nothing ever truly happened.
No one had ever taken care of him during his heat. And being with other omegas or betas felt hollow — sex was… mediocre. Just thinking about it made him nauseous. Alphas had invited him out plenty of times, but he always declined. He wanted something real.
His mother’s old advice echoed in his mind: “Wait for your alpha. He’ll come.”
So far, he hadn’t. And Gi-hun was starting to lose hope.
The alpha in front of him began to stir — reacting to his scent. Quickly, Gi-hun moved to another seat to avoid attention.
Discreetly, he pulled out a small vial and sprayed a neutralizing mist he’d made himself — a beta-like scent, blending vanilla, iron, and damp earth.
Ten minutes later, the alpha had calmed down, refocusing on his partner. Gi-hun sighed in relief and tucked the vial back into his pocket — always useful in moments like this… or worse. He’d had bad experiences before.
He put on his headphones, upbeat music filling his ears, and closed his eyes for a while.
— ✦ —
At the bar, the atmosphere was calm. Gi-hun spotted Sangwoo already drinking at the counter. His friend made a face as soon as he caught his scent.
"What happened?" he asked. "Trouble with alphas again?"
"Nothing serious. I just avoided things getting awkward," Gi-hun said, dropping his backpack onto a stool and sitting on the next.
"This scent of yours really works," Sangwoo said, wrinkling his nose. "Smells weird, though."
Even though Sangwoo was an alpha, he was perfectly comfortable around Gi-hun; his scent didn’t trigger any reaction—unless Gi-hun was in heat. During those times, it didn’t matter if it was his mate or not—the need for relief overpowered everything. Outside of that, though, Sangwoo’s scent was simple and clean—soap and new car leather. Nothing that stirred Gi-hun’s instincts. He wasn’t his alpha.
Gi-hun laughed and ordered a drink.
"You’re paying. I’m broke."
Sangwoo shook his head. "Still no job?" he asked. "You’ve got an amazing résumé, top grades in college — though you were late to a few classes, but whatever… How can no one hire you? It’s insane."
"Tell me about it," Gi-hun groaned, resting his forehead on the counter. "It’s hard to find work in chemistry. If it weren’t for my side gigs, I’d be screwed. At least I can afford Mom’s meds. But if I miss rent one more month… we’re done."
Sangwoo snapped his fingers, eyes lighting up.
"I’ve got an idea! You’re gonna love it. It’s perfect for you."
"Seriously?" Gi-hun looked up, skeptical.
"Yeah." Sangwoo took a sip. "I just need your résumé. I’ll handle the rest."
"What kind of job?" Gi-hun asked suspiciously.
"As secretary to Hwang In-ho, at Kairos Fragrances."
Gi-hun choked on his drink, coughing violently, tears springing to his eyes. He stared at Sangwoo like he was insane.
"Hwang In-ho?" he repeated, shocked.
The name sounded like a death sentence.
"Yep," Sangwoo confirmed. "The man who never works with omegas — at least, not anywhere near him."
Gi-hun swallowed hard. His head spun, his pulse quickened.
How am I supposed to work face-to-face with that man?