Pretending to Be an Alpha in an All-Alpha Boy Band - Chapter 36

Chapter 36 Sailor Suit

Pheromones have many functions.

Among the same kind, Alpha pheromones are usually used for dominance;

toward the opposite sex they serve to flirt and entice—pheromones can both stir desire and offer gentle comfort to an Omega, ensuring a partner’s sense of ease.

Pheromone fluctuations can also reflect someone’s current mood.

The higher the compatibility, the stronger the communicative response produced by the pheromones.

Right now, every Alpha could clearly sense Yuan Shiyuan’s unrest and confusion. The instinct carved deep in Alpha genes woke instantly, and they immediately released pheromones to soothe him.

This subconscious caretaking behavior was like comforting their own Omega.

But Yuan Shiyuan was clearly an Alpha.

“Mm…”

A nightmare-like wave of heat wrapped Yuan Shiyuan. When he jolted awake, five tall shadows filled his sight.

With only a night-light on, their faces couldn’t be seen; the shadows cast by the Alphas’ broad bodies created a horror-movie effect.

Yuan Shiyuan was startled.

He instinctively drew back, then a beat later collected himself and pushed up on one hand.

“What’s wrong?”

Why were these A University guys up in the middle of the night, gathered around his bed having a team meeting?

Pei Yanbing nonchalantly placed a throw pillow behind his lower back, and his well-defined large hand pressed down on Yuan Shiyuan’s shoulder, easing him back down.

“You look uncomfortable,” he said. “You were trembling just now.”

Jiang Heng touched his forehead. “Your face is hot too.”

Callused fingertips brushed Yuan Shiyuan’s cheek, causing him to shiver slightly.

“I do feel a bit unwell…” Yuan Shiyuan forgot that he’d just gone through a susceptible period not long ago. “Maybe it’s a susceptible period?”

But his susceptible periods had never caused such a strong reaction. Could it be that after years of quiet, the susceptible period suddenly decided to be uncooperative and make him suffer?

Ying Mingxi pressed an ice towel against Yuan Shiyuan’s feverish cheek.

The cooling comfort made him squint faintly; he nuzzled his head against the towel and his eyelashes trembled.

“Any other discomfort anywhere?”

The towel’s edge had absorbed Yuan Shiyuan’s warmth and pheromones, making Ying Mingxi’s fingertips tingle. He asked softly, “Do you want to take a suppressant?”

“Okay.”

Yuan Shiyuan had just rolled up his sleeve when Bo Jin stopped him and covered a section of his porcelain-white wrist.

“No.” Because he suffered from pheromone mania, Bo Jin was extremely familiar with Alphas’ susceptible periods. “This doesn’t feel like a susceptible period. Taking suppressants outside a susceptible period can have side effects.”

The Alphas each offered their own opinions, and Yuan Shiyuan felt dizzy listening.

Waking in the middle of the night and opening his eyes to see five big refrigerators—how was he supposed to be fully awake after that?

Yuan Shiyuan pulled the blanket back a little; his slender ankle slipped out from the covers, startlingly pale in the dark.

“Can you back off a bit?” he said. “I’m having trouble breathing.”

Five big refrigerators—each over 190 cm—were crowding him and the air wasn’t circulating.

The Alphas immediately stepped back. Ying Mingxi opened the window to ventilate; a cool night breeze blew in and Yuan Shiyuan’s mind finally cleared considerably.

“It really does seem not like a susceptible period,” Yuan Shiyuan said slowly. “The symptoms are different.”

After he spoke, his nostrils twitched slightly. “Your pheromones… why do they all smell so good?”

His half-sleep murmur was like a spark dropped into oil.

The Alphas’ pupils constricted.

Being complimented on how good his pheromones smelled in the middle of the night did catch them off guard.

Bo Jin glanced at the exposed calf and, without thinking, tilted his head. The other Alphas’ expressions all showed a degree of awkwardness.

“If you think it smells good, then it shouldn’t be pheromone repulsion,” Ying Mingxi said. His warm voice held a slight rasp. “Speaking of pheromones, Shiyuan, your pheromones—”

“—smell good too.”

Ying Mingxi seemed like he wanted to say more, but couldn’t pursue it. They weren’t so clueless as to be unable to tell the difference between same-sex and opposite-sex pheromones, but in those several moments just now, their perceptions had indeed diverged.

It was as if Yuan Shiyuan beside them wasn’t an Alpha at all, but an Omega.

If they wanted to prevent discomfort during a susceptible period, it would be fine for Yuan to take a suppressant in advance—like taking a painkiller before a headache starts. But for some reason, Yuan felt Bo Jin had been right.

The pheromone concentration in the air was high; the Alphas seemed to know Shiyuan would like their scent and, by tacit agreement, released more. Yuan tilted his head and sniffed, clutching the pillow beside him like a drunk, showing a slightly tipsy expression.

Was it just his imagination?

He thought their pheromones smelled better than before.

Maybe because the pheromones were denser now, he wasn’t as uncomfortable as previously.

But… he still wasn’t completely comfortable.

After confirming Yuan Shiyuan wasn’t in distress and wasn’t in a susceptible period, the Alphas returned to their own beds.

Under the dim light, Yuan’s cheeks were flushed and his eyelashes damp. He stared at the little plush doll on the bedside table for a while, hesitated, then reached up and tugged the small towel to firmly cover the doll’s eyes.

Like someone who’d completed a ritual, he kept his back to Pei Yanbing and quietly slipped his hand under the covers.

Just to check.

A perfectly ordinary action, but it felt especially shameful because of the breathing behind him that belonged to another Alpha. Yuan acted like he was doing something naughty—he lightly bit the corner of the blanket and poked at the skin that had been allergic before.

“Ugh…”

The instant his fingertip touched the irritated skin, the arch of his foot tensed sharply. Yuan bit the blanket hard to swallow back a sob that nearly escaped, his eyes full of disbelief.

As expected, this was the spot.

The allergic patch of skin had inexplicably become thin and very hot; it couldn’t withstand touch, and even the lightest contact triggered an odd shiver.

Even without a flashlight he could feel the unnatural redness and swelling of that area.

Could an allergy be this severe? Yuan Shiyuan wondered, and suddenly recalled the results he’d searched earlier.

Could it not be an allergy but arousal?

No—that wasn’t right; he didn’t want it that much…

Confused, Yuan thought back to what he’d learned in physiology class. The course not only explained Alpha susceptible periods in detail but also laid out common signs of an Omega’s heat and what to do to help relieve them.

He had studied seriously and taken notes at the time—because that’s every Alpha’s responsibility and an obligation as a partner.

Generally speaking, an Alpha’s susceptible period is usually accompanied by swollen, hot glands, abnormal body temperature, and increased aggressive instincts. They become extremely sensitive about personal boundaries, frequently feel the urge to mark, crave contact with highly compatible Omegas, have strong marking impulses, and may trigger nest-building instincts.

That’s also why many people say an Alpha in a susceptible period behaves like an unsocialized animal.

As an Alpha, Yuan Shiyuan had never had those thoughts. Not now, and not before.

But according to the theory he’d studied, he suddenly felt that his current state resembled an Omega in heat…

But he was an Alpha, right? No matter how much he looked like an Omega, he couldn’t be in heat.

“Hm? No… Captain!”

While Yuan Shiyuan bowed his head in thought, Pei Yanbing suddenly pressed close from behind, his hot arm winding around Yuan’s waist and pulling him entirely into his embrace. At the same time, a large palm—unable to be refused—covered the lower half of Yuan’s face, silencing every sound and trapping them in that hand.

“?!”

Yuan Shiyuan was shocked; the usually aloof and composed captain slept with such poor posture.

He was about to struggle when a scorching breath landed on the back of his neck. A strange tingling raced down his spine, instantly tightening his expression.

Yuan Shiyuan turned his head with effort.

Pei Yanbing seemed to be… sleepwalking?

Knowing he mustn’t wake a sleepwalker, Yuan swallowed all his sounds and stayed still. Fortunately, Pei Yanbing only held him tightly, burying his face in Yuan’s neck and hair and breathing deeply.

Later, Yuan Shiyuan realized with a start that Pei Yanbing was basically sucking on him like a cat.

With his chest pressed to Yuan’s back, Pei’s embrace made Yuan feel wedged into him; their large size difference created a visual of enveloping and being enveloped.

Yuan Shiyuan tested a small movement but was mistaken for trying to escape. Pei Yanbing shoved his leg against Yuan’s knees and, with an irresistible force, pulled him back into his arms.

“Ah…”

The allergic spot was unexpectedly rubbed, and Yuan’s pupils dilated; for a moment he lost the ability to think. He lightly scratched Pei Yanbing’s hand but left no mark.

The cool S-rank pheromones wrapped around him, clearing away the earlier discomfort.

What… was happening?

Why did this feel so good?

Yuan Shiyuan didn’t dare move, but Pei Yanbing did not restrain himself.

As if driven by an instinct etched into his Alpha gene, Pei quickly found the key spot, bent his knees, buried his face again in Yuan’s neck, and tentatively rubbed him while holding him.

“?!”

Yuan was grateful Pei had covered his mouth—otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable. He anxiously glanced around, afraid of waking a teammate.

No—what was he afraid of? He and Pei weren’t having an affair.

Their brotherly bond was upright and unashamed; they weren’t afraid of being checked or having the covers tossed aside.

Still, Yuan Shiyuan peeked quietly and glanced at Jiang Heng, who was sleeping on the floor beside the bed.

Seeing Jiang Heng unmoving, he let out a small breath and then, cautiously, touched the allergic skin.

Because of the allergy the skin had become extremely thin, soft, and a bit itchy; Yuan didn’t dare press hard or scratch rashly. After his small experiment, he confirmed what he’d felt.

Scratching it himself was not as comfortable as having someone else do it.

Pei Yanbing, though startling in his sleepwalking, had unintentionally done him a favor. Unconsciously, Pei had been scratching the itch for Yuan; the friction relieved the allergic itch.

Yuan’s toes curled uncontrollably, gently rubbing against Pei’s instep…

Yuan Shiyuan completely relaxed. He loosened his body and leaned into Pei’s embrace, the corners of his eyes damp with tears as he listened to Pei breathing at his neck.

He felt oddly reassured, as if his nape had been gently gripped.

At dawn, Yuan woke once. Groggy, he wondered whether he should talk to Pei Yanbing about it when he woke.

On second thought, he decided against it.

Better to protect Pei Yanbing’s dignity as captain.

After all, he hadn’t lost anything—and had inexplicably enjoyed it.

In the morning, when Yuan Shiyuan woke up, he stretched lazily. He felt great, showing no sign of the previous night’s confusion.

The room had only him and Bo Jin.

“You said you had to get up early to go to work, didn’t you?” he asked, puzzled. “Why are you still here?”

“I got up at six,” Bo Jin glanced at him. “We took turns watching you every hour to see if you woke up.”

“What time is it now?”

“Past ten.”

Yuan Shiyuan: “……”

So he’d been the only one who’d overslept until now.

Bo Jin reached out and felt his forehead. “Do you still feel unwell?”

Yuan Shiyuan felt clear and refreshed. “I’m fine.”

“Maybe you got chilled by the wind on the deck.” Bo Jin asked again, “Does your head hurt?”

—What? Little Yuan is sick?!

—No wonder his face looked so red when he woke up. Is he running a fever? Don’t cry, mama’s heart hurts for you! [crying]

“I’m not that fragile.”

Yuan sniffed; the fresh air system had diluted the pheromones, which made him a little irritable.

He sat on the bed; the collar of his pajamas was messy from his sleeping posture, revealing a section of his collarbone.

Bo Jin’s expression darkened. He suddenly grabbed Yuan Shiyuan’s chin and rubbed a fingertip heavily over the red mark on the side of his neck.

“What’s this?”

“Probably a mosquito bite.”

Yuan Shiyuan tilted his head away—he couldn’t very well say it was Pei Yanbing who’d rubbed him, could he?

When Pei Yanbing had been sleepwalking, his behavior wasn’t quite the same as his usual taciturn self. Last night, Pei Yanbing had been like a clingy large dog, holding onto him and not letting go.

His high bridge of a nose had repeatedly nuzzled the hollow of the neck, leaving mottled marks.

Bo Jin watched Yuan Shiyuan in the restroom with a thoughtful look.

—Those marks weren’t there yesterday! Who was bold enough to sneak a kiss on the show?!

—Confirmed: yesterday Little Yuan and the captain slept in the same bed…

—The captain quietly got to Little Yuan!

—What did they do under the covers? What did they do?! I’m freaking out!

Yuan Shiyuan hadn’t closed the restroom door.

He washed carefully, cupping water in his hands to splash on his face. “Which restaurant did you get breakfast from last time? It was really good.”

“The one on the third floor. Want some?”

“I do.”

“You can go buy it later—your star coins are all with you anyway. That place gets busy; go queue early.”

Yuan Shiyuan walked out drying his face, his fringe damp where it had been splashed. A towel hung around his neck, and he looked at Bo Jin without a word.

Bo Jin frowned. “You want me to run that errand for you?”

Yuan Shiyuan countered, “Didn’t you say yesterday you wanted to protect me? Now’s your chance.”

“That’s not the same thing.” Bo Jin said flatly. “Protecting you from toiling at a job doesn’t mean I’m going to be the one to toil for you.”

Yuan Shiyuan thought it over carefully. “Is there a difference?”

“Either way it’s not happening; you queue yourself.” Bo Jin said. “I’m going back to work.”

He didn’t want to still be in last place today.

Yuan Shiyuan suddenly leaned close. “Brother, please—”

Fresh from washing his face, his features were veiled in droplets of water. When he tilted his head up, beads clung to his eyelashes.

Bo Jin: “……”

He resigned himself and turned. “Fine.”

This trick never failed.

When Yuan Shiyuan normally couldn’t be bothered to queue in the dorm or didn’t want to order takeout, he used the same tactic on his roommates to get them to bring him food.

An hour later, Bo Jin returned carrying breakfast.

He paused briefly in the bedroom, then went into the living room, still holding another bag.

“What’s that?”

Yuan Shiyuan’s heart almost stopped.

The maid café outfit! He’d stuffed it under the bed on purpose!

Unexpectedly, besides mice checking under beds, Bo Jin did too.

Yuan Shiyuan looked bewildered: “You’re asking me? I was about to ask you what this is.”

“Does the production team have hidden tasks we don’t know about?” he said. “Can we sell these clothes for star coins?”

Bo Jin didn’t think he was lying; he opened the bag and first saw a leather skirt, his brows tightening till they nearly met.

“Unbearable.” He tossed the bag back under the bed.

Yuan Shiyuan obediently enjoyed his food, wearing an expression of complete innocence. Only after Bo Jin left did he finally exhale.

Luckily, Bo Jin hadn’t found out.

When Yuan Shiyuan carried his work clothes into the maid café, Song Mian had already been waiting a long time.

Seeing him, Song Mian immediately waved excitedly.

Yuan Shiyuan returned the smile warmly, and only then noticed an unfamiliar Omega sitting beside Song Mian. The other was tall—taller even than him—and sat with arms crossed, wearing a sulky expression.

“This is my friend Lu Lin!” Song Mian introduced eagerly, then blurted, “Shiyuan, did you know? For the voting segment, the chat is going crazy over what you’ll wear later!”

On cue, Yuan Shiyuan turned to the camera and gave a generous smile: “What do you all want to see me wear today? Anything’s fine.”

“As long as you like it.”

—Help, this angle is too handsome!

—I love whatever my husband wears. Better if he wears nothing! [leering]

—Sailor suit! It has to be a sailor suit!! [screaming]

After Yuan Shiyuan left, Song Mian grabbed his friend’s sleeve in excitement: “Did you see? He’s seriously so nice—totally different from other Alphas!”

The Omega looked blissful. “I really want to find Little Yuan a few more husbands…”

Lu Lin frowned: “Weren’t you always calling him your brother before?”

“That’s not important!”

Lu Lin kept his sulky face and said nothing; he’d only come to keep his friend company—he wasn’t interested in idols at all.

Celebrities are just personas.

Aren’t all Alphas the same? Disgusting and fake.

Ten minutes later, the café boss told Yuan Shiyuan: “The audience picked the sailor suit.”

He sighed regretfully, “Honestly, I wanted to see you in the little devil leather skirt more…”

“The audience’s choice matters most.” Yuan Shiyuan smiled.

What he wore didn’t matter to Yuan Shiyuan. As long as the audience enjoyed it and the fans were pleased.

The sailor suit, in soft pink and white, was tailored well but looked tight on an Alpha’s frame. The thin fabric clung to his waist, and the skirt barely covered the tops of his thighs.

When the boss handed him a fluffy bunny-ear headband and a puffy bunny tail, Yuan Shiyuan cooperatively put them on.

Seeing Yuan Shiyuan in that outfit, Song Mian’s face flushed instantly.

“Shiyuan, you—you look so beautiful!” Song Mian nearly screamed. “I brought a friend today; we can order lots of coffee and give you big tips!”

He was beyond excited—he’d just read a sailor-suit + bunny-girl play yesterday, and today he actually got to see Yuan Shiyuan in something similar!

Yuan Shiyuan’s gaze landed on the perpetually scowling Lu Lin.

He suddenly set two cups of peach soda on the table.

Lu Lin frowned: “I didn’t order that.”

“I’m treating you today.”

Yuan Shiyuan gently pushed the soda over. “You seem in a bad mood today. I don’t know why, but I hope this drink can cheer you up a bit.”

“Have fun.” Before leaving, Yuan Shiyuan winked and smiled.

Lu Lin’s heart skipped a beat.

He had indeed been worried lately about the arranged family marriage, but even Song Mian didn’t know about it…

How did this pink-haired Alpha notice?

Lu Lin looked down at the pink peach soda and, unconsciously thinking of that flash of pink hair, grabbed his friend’s hand. His voice tightened: “What’s his name?”

“Yuan Shiyuan?”

Outside the glass window, Ying Mingche suddenly stopped handing out flyers.

“Bro, that’s Yuan Shiyuan, right?” he stared fixedly at the pink figure inside the café. “No doubt about it. It’s him.”

Ying Mingxi was stunned.

“Why are you all here?”

Bo Jin’s voice came from behind. Seeing them all staring at one spot, he followed their line of sight and his pupils constricted at once!

Yuan Shiyuan, who ought to have been resting in his suite, was now wearing a snug sailor suit with fluffy bunny ears. The skirt was alarmingly short, but well tailored, making his legs look long and straight.

What was worse, he was smiling so happily at strangers!

“What is he doing?!” Bo Jin’s voice squeezed out between his teeth.

The little manservant inside the café didn’t notice at all that three Alphas were staring at him through the glass. Yuan Shiyuan, unaware of the looming danger, bent over with a smile to serve coffee to a customer; his bunny tail gently bobbed with the motion.

“What is he doing?” Ying Mingche repeated. “Isn’t it obvious?”

Their teammate—wearing a sailor suit none of them had seen before—was cheerfully serving other people.