Dirty Switch

Kim Seungjun?

The name sounded vaguely familiar, but Cheon Seungpil couldn’t immediately place it. He wasn’t the brightest when it came to studying, but he was good at remembering people. You had to be, if you wanted to quickly figure out whether someone was the kind of asshole who’d get you into trouble.
And if even he didn’t remember this guy, then it meant one of two things: the guy was either completely useless for partying, or utterly useless for business.
Not even worth wasting curses on, Seungpil started to turn away—only for Kim Seungjun to suddenly grab ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) his arm hard.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Let go. Now.”
“Ah, I wasn’t planning on bringing this up, but…”
His grip was inhuman—strong enough to make Seungpil wonder if the guy was on something.

“Joo Taehyun. Seo Baekhan. The Crown Prince’s scholarship foundation launch. Ring any bells?”
“What the hell are you talking about? I’ve never—wait… huh?”
Wait a second. That does sound familiar.

Seungpil brushed the dust off the creases of his brain. Didn’t some dumbass trash-talk Taehyun at the foundation launch and get absolutely wrecked by Seo Baekhan?
Was this the guy?
Oh, right! Kim Seungjun! That’s him!
Now remembering what he’d forgotten, Seungpil gave Seungjun a slightly pitiful look. His face looked so different now that he hadn’t recognized him at first. If he paid to look like that, then yeah, his life probably sucked.

“Looks like you remember. Good.”
But why the hell was this idiot bringing up that story to him, Taehyun’s closest friend?
Cheon Seungpil firmly believed he was Taehyun’s number one. Regardless of what Taehyun thought of him, there wasn’t anyone else he kept closer.

Which meant this bastard was definitely an outsider. Reaching that conclusion, Seungpil crossed his arms and instinctively stepped back.
“If that’s the case, then I’ve got even less reason to talk to you, asshole.”
“That’s harsh. I came all this way because I thought you might be in trouble too, with Joo Taehyun getting hooked on drugs.”

“…What kind of bullshit is this now?”
Plenty of people had accused him of being a junkie before, but no one had ever gone after Taehyun.
And honestly—just look at the guy. Didn’t he look like the poster child for moral purity?
After the marriage announcement with Seo Baekhan, Taehyun had been buried in all kinds of wild speculation. Baekhan had always been a slippery bastard, but Taehyun—being younger and softer around the edges—was seen as easier prey. Plus, he didn’t do much public-facing work, so he felt like fresher meat.
When did they start dating? Was there a backdoor deal between Chairman Joo and Assemblyman Seo? Maybe one of them wasn’t even an Alpha?
Reporters threw out any theory they could dream up, hoping something would stick.

Compared to that mess, this new angle was almost refreshingly creative. Still, accusing Taehyun of being a junkie? Please. If anything, it was more believable that Seo Baekhan was the one on drugs—considering how that guy went around screwing anything with a pulse, Alpha, Beta, or Omega.
“…You know what? Just get lost.”
“Oh? I thought you and Joo Taehyun were pretty close. You really didn’t know he’s a full-on Dirty Switch addict?”

With a twisted laugh, Kim Seungjun tilted his head and added:
“Guess I was wrong back then. Turns out he’s not Seo Baekhan’s brainwashed puppet, but just some pervert who likes getting railed by other Alphas.”
What?

Seungpil narrowed his eyes and took two steps back. This guy wasn’t just a scammer. He was insane.
“And yet, even with all my shopping to do, I still came all the way here—”
Kim Seungjun gave him a sleazy smile as he suddenly thrust something out with one hand. Seungpil flinched, quickly scanning the area in case the guy tried to pull a gun or something. But then he saw what was in his hand—and froze.

This motherfucker… seriously…
“I want to negotiate, but Taehyun and Baekhan are ignoring all our outreach.”
…It was a printed photo of Joo Taehyun.

The image was zoomed in so much that his face was slightly distorted, but not enough to hide who it was.
“If you don’t want to see Seo Baekhan and even the Crown Prince go down because of Joo Taehyun’s scandal, tell them to talk to me.”
As Seungpil stood there speechless, trying to figure out how to react, Seungjun slid his business card over the paper and grinned wide.

“Come on. That’s what friends are for, right?”
***
Baekhan had said they needed to talk—but for a while, he didn’t say a word.

Joo Taehyun’s eyes fluttered, and even swallowing felt more and more difficult. He couldn't even remember how to breathe. He felt like a death row inmate waiting for execution—his very existence felt heavy, suffocating.
“How’s your body?”
And then, unexpectedly, Baekhan’s first words caught him off guard.

“Even if the pheromone irregularity’s settled, I’m sure your muscles are still sore. Your body must still be aching.”
What…?
He sounded concerned. And even though Taehyun knew Baekhan’s kindness was really just a form of impersonal detachment, the situation made him want to believe otherwise.
“I’m fine.”

Whatever the cause, the outcome didn’t change.
He had slept with Seo Baekhan.
To him, it was an ugly, humiliating incident he wished he could erase—but at the same time, part of him couldn’t help but cling to the implication it might hold.

Adults always say physical connection changes everything. And now that they’d crossed that line, maybe this sudden gentleness from Baekhan meant… something?
He was foolishly trying to stoke the ashes of a hope that had never really caught fire to begin with.
“According to Dr. Woo, it’s hard to believe you’re completely fine.”

“N-No, really, I’m—ugh!”
As he turned his shoulder to act like everything was fine, Taehyun let out an involuntary groan. The muscle pain—something he’d never felt this severely before—shot through him.
“Wow.”

He tried to fix his posture awkwardly, embarrassed at showing such a pathetic side. But oddly, that awkwardness seemed to ease the tension in the room just a little. And this time, it wasn’t just in his head. The small chuckle that escaped Baekhan’s lips was genuinely gentle.
“Taehyun. Remember when His Highness Prince Yi Hwang said you seemed like a heat-on Omega?”
Taehyun shook his head without answering. He knew Baekhan hated unclear responses, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak about that topic.

If only he didn’t remember anything at all. But flashes of memory haunted him—him, out of his mind, begging to be fucked.
“I saw the rut symptoms myself. Your body did temporarily exhibit Omega-like traits. But even so, I didn’t sense anything unfamiliar from your scent. It was just the same pheromones I’ve always known.”
“…”

“Still, the fact that your condition started to stabilize once I came inside you means Dr. Woo’s theory might be right. So for now—”
“Hyung!”
“Hm?”

“Uh, I mean… that is…”
Afraid he was about to hear a verdict he couldn’t reverse, Taehyun had cut him off instinctively—but he had no follow-up. What was he going to say? That there’s no need to keep having sex? That he hoped Baekhan would forget the whole thing?
Sure, he’d somehow covered up the disaster at Yeonhwagung, but how could he possibly hide the unilateral imprinting?

It was true—he had hoped that if he stayed close, Baekhan might one day acknowledge him. But that didn’t mean he expected romance. He never dared hope for that.
He would’ve been happy just being Baekhan’s closest confidant, his most trusted friend, his lifelong companion. Even just holding the title of his spouse—however hollow—had been enough.
So why? Why had his body betrayed him like that?

“If you haven’t figured out what you want to say yet, then let me finish first.”
“…Okay.”
“Even if you swear you’ll never take another Switch, the fact is, your body showed abnormal symptoms. And since I’m the one who gave you the drug, it is my responsibility.”

Responsibility.
Those two syllables crushed Taehyun’s chest.
He felt his heart flutter at Baekhan’s concern—so different in tone from anything he’d shown before. But right alongside it came a wave of shame so intense it made his stomach twist.

“I didn’t expect things to turn out this way either.”
There was a lot hidden in those words. Was he bitter about choosing that Switch? Or was he regretting having sex with Taehyun to stabilize his condition?
Taehyun touched his chin, then dropped his head. This wasn’t how he ever wanted to be with Baekhan. He didn’t know if Baekhan would believe him—but it was true.

“And I’m sorry. I think I was too... rough with you yesterday.”
Taehyun stopped fidgeting with the blanket and froze. Wait... Did Baekhan just apologize? For not being gentle during sex?
“…What?”

“It probably sounds like an excuse… actually, it is an excuse. Even if stabilizing your pheromones was the goal, there was no reason for me to be so forceful with you.”
“No, I—I understand. You didn’t even… want to do it with a guy, right…”
Taehyun reflexively tried to reassure him, but then recalled how Dr. Woo had chewed him out—complete with profanity. Now he finally understood why Baekhan was acting this... soft.

Ah. He must’ve gotten an earful from the doctor.
“Did Dr. Woo yell at you or something?”
“Hm? No.”

Baekhan smiled faintly, squinting one eye in mock confusion. That slightly sheepish expression seemed to say: I know exactly why you’re asking that.
“Did he badmouth me to you?”
“No, not exactly—”

“Well, he probably should have. I pinned you down and went at you for hours—of course your body’s wrecked.”
Baekhan ran a hand through his hair and looked away. Taehyun stared blankly at his own body.
Hours…

Had they really gone at it that long?
Did he say anything even dumber than “fuck me” during the heat of it?
“And yeah, it wasn’t sex I wanted. Especially not with you. It wasn’t pleasant. Not for me.”

“…”
“But even if I didn’t want it, I didn’t have to treat you like that. And if the Switch I gave you triggered your pheromone crisis, then it’s even more inexcusable.”
“…”

“It wasn’t until later—when I finally calmed down—that I even noticed how limp you’d gone.”
He said it matter-of-factly, but without sounding cold or performative. It felt like a real apology.
“Hey… hyung. Just now.”

But more than the rare apology, there was something else that stuck in Taehyun’s mind. So much so, he couldn’t let it go.
He didn’t even respond properly—just blurted out to stop Baekhan from moving on.
“Yeah? What is it?”

…Was it okay to ask something like this?
Taehyun’s heart was pounding like it was going to explode. But if he didn’t ask now, he’d never have the courage again.
“I mean… you said you only noticed my state once you’d come to your senses, right…?”

“Yeah?”
“Why?”
“…Why what?”

Baekhan didn’t get it.
So Taehyun gave himself a mental pep talk.
Pretend you’re about to walk into a gala with your husband. The place is crawling with people Baekhan wants to impress. If your expression slips, it won’t just reflect poorly on you—it’ll shame the whole family. So stay calm. Don’t blush. Don’t sweat. Don’t look away. Just ask like it’s no big deal.

“It just… made me wonder if you did react to my pheromones. I was surprised, that’s all.”
“…Ah.”
“I’m not accusing you or anything! It’s just that, unlike Prince Yi Hwang, you said you couldn’t smell my pheromones. But if you still reacted, even unconsciously, then I thought maybe…”

He wanted to ask more directly. Was sex with me good enough to make you lose control? Even with just one position, were you able to keep coming?
In other words: You say you hate sleeping with men—but was it really that bad?
He wanted to ask, but the lingering shame from Yeonhwagung helped him hold his tongue.

As Baekhan carefully searched his memory, Taehyun steadied himself.
Don’t expect anything. I’m standing in front of a room full of reporters. I have to hold it together.
“…Well, I guess—”

Ding-dong!
A sudden, jarringly loud ringtone cut Baekhan off. Normally set to vibrate, the volume was so high that even Taehyun flinched in surprise.
“Oh, right. I changed your phone settings to ringtone mode in case Dr. Woo called. I forgot.”

Baekhan casually picked up the phone from the nightstand.
…Taehyun didn’t know who was calling—but it wasn’t urgent. Still, a tiny childish frustration welled up in his throat. He swallowed it down.
“Hyung?”

But Baekhan froze mid-motion, staring at the screen.
“…Now that’s surprising. A call from Cheon Seungpil, at this hour.”
“Seungpil?”

Baekhan scoffed lightly as he handed over the phone. It had a slightly cynical edge now. Or maybe that was just Taehyun’s imagination.
“You said you weren’t dating him.”