The next morning...
Rin stirred beneath the covers, sweat clinging faintly to his skin, but the fire had gone.
His heat was... gone?
He sat up slowly, eyes wide, one trembling hand running down his chest. He was back to normal... cool, clear-headed, and no longer desperate for... whatever he wanted last night.
His gaze dropped. Lucien's uniform shirt was wrapped around him like a blanket.
"Shit," he muttered, yanking it off like it had burned him. He couldn't believe he slept with it.
He could still feel the way Lucien had held him, touched him, kissed him like he belonged to him. The way Rin had wanted it, even begged for more.
'Shut up and fuck me already,'
His cheeks flushed just remembering the words he said, the hot drag of Lucien's tongue and the firm way he'd pushed Rin against the wall, whispering filth into his ear.
Rin groaned and shoved the shirt from his bed, almost tossing it in the trash can. He waited for a few seconds, remembering how the same shirt helped him last night.
He swallowed hard before shoving it into the drawer.
"It didn't happen," he told himself. "I didn't let it happen. Nothing happened between that jerk and I. Fuck!"
He bathed quickly, dressed, and shoved three suppressant pills down his throat for good measure. Lucien already told him that his heat was going to return since he didn't fully get rid of it.
He has to make sure such a mistake does not repeat itself, especially in public.
.
He slipped into his clothes and white coat, before leaving the staff dorm.
By the time he returned to the academy clinic, the other staff practically threw a welcome party.
"Rin! You're back!"
"Are you okay?"
"Don't disappear like that again... Do you know how worried we were?!"
"Haha! I was sick. But, I'm fine," he waved his hand, scratching the back of his head nervously. "Thanks for worrying about me,"
Even some of the students he hadn't met before were worried about him and of course, they were mostly girls. Rin just smiled awkwardly, bowing slightly as he slid into his familiar space behind the desk.
His desk was filled with gifts, flowers and... stuff he doesn't know.
"Is that... an underwear?" He grumbled.
Elna walked towards his table and helped him pick it up.
"Do not mind those students. I got rid of yesterday's batch,"
"What?" I asked, confused.
"You've been getting a lot of gifts during your absence. Congratulations on getting popular," Elna winked at him. "Maybe because you're so attractive and beautiful, you already have a lot of girl... student fans. You know, the relationship between staff and students is strictly prohibited, right?"
He nodded, answering her question.
"Good. You can accept the gifts, but leave the underwear to me," she said, returning to her desk.
Rin sat there, lost in his thoughts. If this continues, he'll end up following the same plot in the book.
That cursed book.
If the female lead is part of the student fans sending him gifts, he'll end up dying soon. Maybe by Lucien's hand.
He was the one who killed the character, Rin, in the book.
'Maybe I should find the female lead myself and avoid her. If that bastard Lucien knows we have nothing going on together, he won't kill me,'
He agreed with his thoughts and sighed in relief.
"Just act normal. Be normal, Rin. Everything will be okay. You'll definitely survive and return home and eat more ramen and maybe beat up my sister,"
But normal lasted all of twenty minutes.
"Assistant Rin!" A breathless student barged into the clinic.
Rin lifted his head to look at the students.
"You've been summoned. Dean's office. Now."
Rin froze.
The Dean? Why?
Suppressants or not, his scent gland ached. He smoothed his collar and nodded.
"Thanks. I'll leave immediately,"
"Don't worry, Rin. The Dean is nice, he's not going to scold you or anything," one of the staff said and Rin nodded with a fake smile.
He left the clinic, and for some reason, he walked straight to the office. He has never been there, but his body seemed to know where the office was.
The dean's hallway felt like a warzone. Cold floors and huge polished doors.
He stood in front of the door for more than thirty seconds, with his hand hanging in the air.
'Is the Dean really nice?' he asked himself.
Even if he was a nice person or not, he had to see the Dean anyway. Just while he was about to knock, the door flung open and someone burst out, colliding with him.
A tall man steadied him, hands warm and firm. Rin looked up, blinking. The man looked just like... Lucien... but older. Broader. His hair was slicked back and his eyes were darker, more intense. The scent was familiar too... it was just like the edges of Lucien's scent, but his was sharper, colder and most definitely stronger.
" I-I'm sorry," Rin mumbled, bowing slightly. He held his breath, trying not to inhale his Pheromones.
"No harm done," the man replied, his voice calm, but his gaze lingered too long. On Rin's neck... his throat. Then his small hand.
The man released him, and Rin hurried away.
Lucien's father... though Rin didn't know that... watched him go, brows slightly furrowed.
"Odd," he muttered. "Almost... too sweet."
He gave his wrist a subtle sniff. The faintest whisper of pheromones had clung to Rin's skin.
'Seems like I'll have to ask the Dean about the new omega staff,'
.
.
Inside the Dean's office, Rin stood stiffly as the older man behind the desk looked up from his papers.
"You've been absent for four days, Rin."
"I was sick, sir. I apologise..."
"You're always sick," The Dean cut in, frowning. "When your mother begged me to hire you, I thought at least you'd be reliable."
Rin blinked. "My... mother?"
The dean scoffed.
"Don't act dumb. Just do your job and stop disappearing."
" I... I'm sorry, sir."
The dean waved him off. "Go."
Rin bowed and backed out of the office, confused and a little numb.
What mother? What begging?
He leaned on the closed door, mind spinning, only to hear a low whistle.
"You didn't get caught?"
Rin looked up sharply.
Lucien.
He leaned against the opposite wall, arms folded, watching Rin like a cat eyeing a bird.
"I didn't get caught," Rin said shortly, starting to walk away.
Lucien fell into step beside him. "Then why do you look like someone kicked your puppy?"
"Why do you care?" Rin snapped.
You'll kill me soon anyway.
Lucien shrugged. "I don't. Just wondering if I'll need to break you out of prison later."
They reached the end of the corridor when Rin stopped.
"Why would you have to do that for me?"
Lucien smirked. "Because I haven't fucked you yet."
Rin turned to leave, but Lucien caught his arm gently.
"My father's here."
Rin stiffened. "What?"
He remembered seeing that man earlier. He knew he looked like Lucien, but he had no idea why he would turn out to be Lucien's father. He looked just a bit older. One might think he's Lucien's older brother.
Lucien's expression darkened, snapping Rin out of his thoughts.
"Make sure you don't let him near you at all,"
"Why?" He asked, his chest rising and falling. "What's going to happen if he catches me?"
Lucien hesitated.
"You'll be collared and put a part of his game. However, since you're beautiful, Rin, you'll become one of his... playthings. Just stay away. He... doesn't like people touching his things."
Rin frowned. "I'm not yours, nor do I belong to your father,"
Lucien let him go, stepping back with a smirk. "I'm only helping you, sweetheart. Also, that's not what you said last night."
Rin's cheeks flamed.
"Just stay safe. I can't let you go without fucking you first," he winked.
Before Rin could speak, Lucien turned and walked the other way, hands shoved in his pockets.
'I didn't get caught,' Rin reminded himself. 'But for how long?'
And why did his chest ache watching Lucien walk away? Why is it so even if he knows that Lucien was just after his body?