Falling for the Omega Idol-Chapter 111: HE WAS DONE

"CONGRATULATIONS on getting past the first round."

As soon as Taeyang spoke, he instantly regretted it. Why couldn’t he just keep to himself? He had no reason to walk over here, to follow Haneul like some kind of stalker the moment he spotted him. He had sworn he’d only watch from afar, like he’d been doing for the past two days. But seeing Haneul alone had completely shattered his self-control. Before he even realized it, his feet had carried him over, standing beside Haneul. And before he could stop himself, the words had already left his mouth.

Maybe it was because, deep down, the need to congratulate Haneul was so overpowering that he couldn’t stop himself. He had wanted to say those words ever since Haneul’s name was called by one of the mentors earlier, but he kept fighting it—fighting the feeling that pulled him toward Haneul every time. His stubbornness, his warped sense of justice, kept telling him to stay away, to resist the urge to get too close.

But now, he felt like an addict in withdrawal, desperate for a fix. And the worst part? The thing he craved most was right there, just within arm’s reach, taunting him with its nearness.

Just like now.

Haneul lifted his head at the sound of Taeyang’s voice, turning to face him. His amber-colored eyes widened ever so slightly, and Taeyang, like the addict he was, couldn’t stop himself from staring.

His chest felt tight, his heartbeat unsteady, as if Haneul’s gaze alone could knock the air out of his lungs. It wasn’t just about how beautiful he looked—it was the way those eyes seemed to pull him in, leaving him raw and defenseless. For a moment, all the excuses Taeyang had made to keep his distance felt flimsy and meaningless, and all he wanted was to stay right there, caught in this fleeting connection.

And then the logical part of him told him to stop. He tried to look away, but it felt like his gaze was glued to Haneul’s. Every second he hesitated, the pull grew stronger, urging him to stay, to keep staring. But finally, with a sharp intake of breath and a clenched jaw, he forced himself to turn his head, cutting the moment short before he lost the little control he still had.

"Thank you," Haneul said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "And congratulations to you too—I heard you ranked first."

Robin mentioned it to Haneul in passing. And since it’s something he was already expecting, it didn’t really surprise him. What’s surprising actually was the other talking to him right now. Something he hadn’t done for the past two days or so.

Was it possible that this guy had finally gotten over whatever issue he had and was ready to act normal again? Haneul couldn’t help but wonder if Taeyang’s attitude lately had something to do with his rut. He’d read online that Alphas nearing their rut often experienced extreme mood swings—something like the hormonal rollercoaster women went through before their period.

At least, in his previous world, that was something commonly associated with women. In this world, though, it seemed PMS wasn’t exclusive to Beta females—Alphas apparently had their own version of it. Although, calling it PMS might not be entirely accurate. After all, they weren’t dealing with monthly cycles of bleeding—just a biological urge to procreate every three months.

Haneul shook his head, frustrated with himself. Why was he even thinking about periods and PMS right now? This was all Taeyang’s fault. His whole ’I-want-to-talk-to-you-but-I-can’t’ attitude was starting to rub off on him, leaving him annoyed when he had no reason to be. Just look at the ridiculous thoughts running through his head to prove it.

If Taeyang had finally decided to act normal again, then Haneul figured he could be the bigger person and let bygones be bygones.

Just as he was about to start a conversation—an attempt to finally get things back to normal—Robin’s voice called out his name from a distance.

"Haneul!"

The moment they heard Robin’s voice, Taeyang’s expression shifted. It wasn’t the kind of change where someone suddenly goes blank or emotionless. It was more like watching someone put their guard up—like he’d just snapped out of whatever momentary lapse he thought he was having and was now retreating back into what he believed was the ’right’ way to act.

And no, this definitely had nothing to do with Robin. This was all because of Haneul. He wasn’t saying that out of ego—it was just the truth. He wasn’t dense or blind. It was obvious that Taeyang—this jerk (and yes, he was about ready to just start calling him that)—only acted like this around him. Not that he had seen much of Taeyang interacting with others, but the few times he had, it was clear Taeyang didn’t behave this way with anyone else. It was like Taeyang wanted to stay friends with him but, for some stupid, inexplicable reason, had decided not to.

He was really on the verge of throwing hands and—

"I’ll see you."

That was all Taeyang said before turning and walking away, not even bothering to look back.

Haneul stared after him, a mix of confusion and irritation bubbling up inside him. It was frustrating, like trying to piece together a puzzle when half the pieces were missing. And yet, as annoyed as he was, he couldn’t deny the faint pang of disappointment lingering in his chest.

That was it. He was done. If Taeyang wanted to act like this, then fine. Haneul wouldn’t care anymore. From now on, he’d treat him like just another contestant in this survival program. But the next time Taeyang tried pulling this hot-and-cold nonsense, Haneul would make sure to give him a piece of his mind.

"Was that Taeyang I just saw?" Robin asked as he finally reached Haneul.

Haneul quickly composed himself before turning to Robin with a smile. In the most casual tone he could manage, he said, "Yeah, we were just congratulating each other on making it past the first round." fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

Robin raised an eyebrow, as if doubting that was the full extent of their conversation. Still, he didn’t press further. Instead, he simply said, "Come on, let’s grab some dinner."