The Accelerant

The professor in charge firmly rejected Jaekyung’s request.

Even if she tried to explain her circumstances, it did not seem like he would help her out of sympathy.

In a way, what he was doing was the correct course of action, so Jaekyung could not bring herself to say anything more and stood up from her seat.

Her injection appointment was canceled as well, and she left the hospital trudging along, full of regret.

I should not have gotten tested in the first place.

She had no idea what she was supposed to do now.

She never expected things to be blocked at the very moment when she needed her heat cycle the most.

Truly, nothing was going the way she wanted.

How could everything corner her like this.

She did not need it many times.

Just once would have been enough.

Yet even that one single time was turning into something difficult.

Sighing, Jaekyung looked across the street and noticed a pharmacy.

More precisely, it was a poster attached to the pharmacy.

It was an advertisement for omega suppressants.

The moment she saw it, an idea came to mind.

If suppressants existed, then there must also be medication that could bring a heat cycle forward.

Jaekyung entered the pharmacy and cautiously asked the pharmacist.

“Is there any medication that can adjust a heat cycle.”

“What kind of medication are you looking for.

A suppressant, or an accelerator.”

“I would like an accelerator.”

“What symptoms are you experiencing.

What is your heat cycle like.”

“It is usually once every half year, and it has been regular until now, but recently it has been delayed by about two months.”

It had only been about a week, but she felt she had to speak as if much more time had passed, so she lied.

“You may be under stress, or your body condition might not be very good.

Are you dominant, normal, or recessive.”

“Recessive.”

“I see.

There is one that takes effect in about two days after taking it, and another that takes effect after waiting a week to ten days.

In the former case, the medication is rather strong, so it may cause drowsiness or headaches.

In the latter case, those symptoms do not usually occur.”

Being human, she could not help but flinch at the mention that it was bad for the body.

The professor had also tried to stop her, so it would be strange if she did not hesitate at all.

But she was that desperate.

Jaekyung took out her card from her wallet.

“Please give me the one with the fastest effect.”

Still seeking some peace of mind, she bought an expensive accelerator with guaranteed safety and brought it home, clutching it tightly.

While the housekeeper was cleaning, she took out the medicine.

Inside the large medicine box was an instruction leaflet, and there were two pills inside.

It said to take one pill, and if a heat cycle did not occur within a week, to take the remaining pill once more.

Jaekyung quickly put a pill about the size of a finger joint into her mouth, drank some water, and stuffed the remaining pill into a random drawer in the master bedroom.

She had not done anything wrong, yet she felt as if she had, and her body shrank involuntarily.

From the living room came the sound of the housekeeper humming while cleaning, and Jaekyung closed the bedroom door, sat on the bed, and prayed for the effect to appear even a minute or a second sooner.

And exactly one day later, it was so difficult to open her eyes because of the heat spreading around them.

Her entire body felt heavy, and she was sweating so much that her pajamas and bed sheets were damp.

“Ah….”

Am I sick.

But the sticky sensation below and the blooming heat made her realize that this was the heat cycle she had been waiting for.

Jaekyung’s eyes flew open.

When she brought her hand down, there was already a small amount of slickness.

She hurriedly wiped her hand on the sheet and picked up her phone.

By tonight, the heat cycle would properly begin.

Knotting and imprinting both had higher chances of pregnancy and more stable, faster imprinting at the peak of the heat cycle.

She felt she could not miss that timing.

As she tried to text Han Taeseok, her fingers kept slipping, and she ended up pressing the call button.

Her heart was racing and she was anxious, but the man did not answer the phone.

Just when she was desperately wishing he would pick up, the call connected with a soft click.

“Yes.”

“This is Park Jaekyung.”

“Yes.”

“My heat cycle has started.

I think it will properly begin tonight.

I would like you to come.”

“…I am currently in a meeting, so it will take about three hours.”

It did not matter if he was late.

As long as he came tonight, it would be enough.

“I will wait.”

The moment she hung up, Jaekyung dropped her phone on the floor, jumped up, and ran to the bathroom.

She opened the toilet lid and buried her head inside.

“Ugh—”

Even though she had not received an injection, perhaps because of the accelerator, she vomited, and a fever different from the heat cycle’s warmth began.

Her vision blurred and a headache started, but Jaekyung clenched her teeth.

I will endure it.

I cannot miss this chance.

Before this resolve disappears, I need to imprint, and I need to get pregnant.

Otherwise, I might never be able to do it.

Or I might have to sleep with that man again.

That would be horrible.

Today will be horrible too.

After throwing up everything inside her, Jaekyung rinsed her mouth and sat back down on the bed.

She picked up the phone from the floor and informed Director Ji that her heat cycle had begun, and that Han Taeseok would be coming over in three hours.

There was no reply from her.

However, an hour later, a tonic arrived at the house.

No, Director Ji’s secretary brought it.

“What is this.”

Ignoring Jaekyung’s question, the secretary opened the tonic box and handed her one packet.

“Director Ji told me to watch you take it.”

It was the same as saying, take it right now.

This is not that rumored medicine that guarantees a son, is it.

Jaekyung let out a small laugh, accepted the medicine, tore open the end, and drank it.

It was only about thirty milliliters, but it was extremely bitter and concentrated, making her frown automatically.

After the secretary left, Jaekyung told the housekeeper to put the tonic away, then returned to her room.

She changed the bed sheets while sweating profusely, and washed herself clean.

When she came out of the bathroom, there was still an hour left, so she sat blankly on the bed.

Perhaps thanks to the tonic, her condition seemed better than before.

She was not dizzy, and she did not feel nauseous, so she drank some water and read a book.

Not long after, the doorbell rang with a ding-dong.

Jaekyung closed her book and stood up.

From the living room, she heard the housekeeper talking with Han Taeseok.

Then she heard the door again, and it seemed the housekeeper had left for the day.

She heard the man’s footsteps going up the stairs.

What should I do.

Should I go out.

Should I bring him in.

Biting her lip as she hesitated, Jaekyung left the bedroom.

The living room was dark, and she could not see Han Taeseok, but she heard rustling sounds from upstairs.

It seemed he had gone to the study.

Gripping the doorknob tightly, Jaekyung gathered her courage and stepped out of the bedroom.

At the same time, she heard the man coming down the stairs, and she froze in place, looking toward them.

Seeing him come down in comfortable everyday clothes instead of a suit felt very unfamiliar.

No.

This is the first time I have seen him like this.

Despite the darkness, his figure was clearly visible.

Just like when she first saw him, his eyes were sharp, and his jawline was thick yet sleek, giving him a striking face.

He was so handsome that anyone who saw him once would never forget him.

The man approached.

What should I do.

What should I say first.

While she was worrying about that, the man finished descending the stairs, did not avert his gaze, and walked straight toward Jaekyung, stopping in front of her.

She had often seen him brush his hair back, but now he had it down, making him look younger than his age.

But more than that, she could not sense his pheromones.

Had he restrained them.

“I will ask you just one thing.”

She could not predict what his first action or words would be.

And what he said was something she absolutely could not have predicted.

A question.

“Tomorrow, I will resolve things so that Chairman Park will not encounter any more trouble.

It is already a confirmed matter, so there will be no further issues.

Of course, I will also do my best to ensure your younger sibling regains their health.

All problems have now been resolved.

Even so, will you still have s*x with me.”

What.

What is this man asking right now.

Jaekyung’s eyes shook with turmoil.

Her strength suddenly drained, but she barely managed to keep herself upright.

Her father’s problem would be solved.

Her sibling would be okay.

If that was true, then just as he said, there was no longer any reason for her to sleep with him.

At least for the time being, there would be no need for imprinting or pregnancy.

Jaekyung looked at the man.

His eyes, which she had not seen in a while, were very calm and unwavering.

Ah.

This man does not want to sleep with me.

Realizing that, Jaekyung found it absurd and laughed.

“Haha….”

For a week, she had eaten only good things to somehow bring on her heat cycle, and tried not to get stressed.

Even then, the heat cycle did not come, so she honestly told the hospital, got tested, and bought and took an accelerator from the pharmacy.

But what was the point if only her heart was rushing ahead.

If the alpha had no intention of it, what use was any of this.

In an instant, the blooming heat wilted away.

“If possible, I also do not want to have s*x with you.

I too want to do it with someone who loves me.”

Jaekyung’s voice was filled with exhaustion.

There was moisture in the sentence he forced out word by word.

Jaekyung returned to the bedroom and closed the door.

This was already the second rejection.

She was clearly releasing her pheromones, yet the man did not budge at all.

He did not even release his own pheromones.

It was a clear rejection, and it meant he had no intention of even business s*x.

Standing by the closed door, she looked at the bedroom that had lost its owner.

Soon, she heard the sound of the man’s footsteps fading away, and Jaekyung collapsed onto the floor, staring blankly at the ceiling.

At this moment, she hated her father and her younger sibling.

They had played a large part in making her this miserable.

Yes.

You are not at fault, Park Jaekyung.

So do not hate yourself or blame yourself.

You have to love yourself.

If you do not, you will collapse and disappear.