Bluebird: Chapter 6

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Feeling a bit warmer toward Kawai because of the kind employee, Inukai completed the second round of exams with Mizukuchi. When they received their acceptance letters, the first thing that crossed Inukai’s mind was that, if the man were there at the third round of interviews, he could thank him.

The third round was held at Kawai’s headquarters. First came the written exam, followed by individual interviews. Since Mizukuchi and Inukai were from the same university but had different entry numbers, Mizukuchi was assigned to the seventh interview while Inukai was number forty, meaning he had to wait a little longer. After the written exam, they were instructed to wait in a conference room designated as the waiting area, but at this rate, it seemed it would take nearly two hours until it was Inukai’s turn.

All the other applicants looked tense, reading interview prep books or checking news on their smartphones. With the staff member present, even though Inukai knew there was no ill intention, it still felt like they were being judged, and nobody dared to make casual conversation.

Inukai, pretending to go to the restroom, slipped out of the conference room. The person who had been involved with the written exam reception earlier, the one who had such a pleasant scent, was not around. If he didn’t encounter him now, there might never be another chance to thank him. So, Inukai wandered through the company’s hallways.

It was a weekday, so most of the employees were busy with their usual work. There weren’t many people leisurely walking around. Inukai knew the man’s name was Kawachi, and figured if he asked someone, they might be able to help him find him. But he didn’t want to bother anyone if they were too busy, nor did he want to impose by going through too much trouble just to say thank you.

After some wandering, he still couldn’t find the man. He didn’t know what department Kawachi worked in, and there was a chance he was out of the office. Just as he was about to give up and return to the waiting room, he spotted something: at the far end of the hallway, there was a glassed-in area. A smoking area.

Three men were standing there, smoking. One of them was him. Kawachi. Inukai’s heart leaped.

Without hesitation, Inukai walked over and entered the smoking area. The kind man was talking to an older man and didn’t notice Inukai at first.

“Headquarters really makes your shoulders tense, doesn’t it?” Kawachi said, massaging his own shoulders as he spoke to the older man.

“You might end up working here someday,” the older man replied.

“No thanks. I’d rather stay at the branch office. It suits me better.”

Inukai waited for a pause in their conversation and then spoke up. “Excuse me,” he said. Kawachi turned toward him, finally noticing his presence. The scent of cigarettes mixed with Kawachi’s distinct fragrance filled Inukai’s senses, overwhelming his nose.

“Want one?” Kawachi offered him a cigarette, misunderstanding the situation. Embarrassed by the assumption, Inukai’s face turned red. “No, thank you,” he declined quickly.

“I was one of the candidates at the second exam. I just wanted to thank you for helping me out.”

Bowing his head politely, Inukai saw Kawachi tilt his head in confusion before recognition dawned. “Oh, you’re the kid who was late!”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Ah, I see. So, did you get the job?”

"No, today’s the third round of interviews. I’m about to have my interview now."

"Ah, I see. But wait, you’re supposed to be at the interview—what are you doing here in the smoking room?" Kawachi raised an eyebrow, surprised.

Inukai understood the reaction; it wasn’t exactly the best place for someone about to take a professional interview to be hanging around. "I haven’t been called yet. I just really wanted to thank you."

"Don’t worry about it. Hurry up and get back to the waiting room," Kawachi said, waving him off.

The confined space amplified Kawachi’s sensual scent, even stronger than before. It was almost overpowering—more intense than the smell of cigarettes. It didn’t match his casual demeanor and felt strangely out of place. It’s even more striking than last time. Don’t the others notice it?

A thought crept into Inukai’s mind: Could he be… an Omega? The idea seemed ridiculous. This wasn’t like the Omega scent he was familiar with, and Omegas didn’t typically work in corporate settings. It’s just my imagination. His scent is unique, that’s all.

“Excuse me,” Inukai said, bowing politely before leaving the smoking area and heading back to the conference room.

He quickly left the smoking room and returned to the conference room designated as the waiting area. He managed to finish the interview before noon and, along with Mizukuchi, headed to a family restaurant near the station.

After sitting down, Inukai thanked Mizukuchi for helping him through the second round and also mentioned once more that Kawachi had a really strong scent.

"He seems like a nice guy, but guys who wear perfume like that—especially that strong—are kind of weird, don’t you think? You get that with women sometimes, but..." Mizukuchi mused, sipping his orange juice from the drink bar.

Inukai chuckled, but the comment still felt a little too accurate. "It’s not that I mind the smell... it’s just that it stands out."

"But if it’s bothering you, then you’re already in trouble," Mizukuchi pointed out, sounding more serious than usual.

As they continued talking, Inukai caught a fleeting scent that brushed against his nose. A girl around his age walked past them toward the drink bar. Her hair was ash gray, and her black outfit was stylish and eye-catching. She was undeniably cool, standing out in the crowd. As she passed by again with a drink in hand, Inukai noticed her again.

"Is that your type?" Mizukuchi asked, grinning.

Inukai scratched the tip of his nose, feeling slightly flustered. "Ah, no, not really..." he murmured, lowering his voice.

"...I think that girl is in heat and an Omega," Inukai said quietly, his voice almost a whisper.

"Wait, really?" Mizukuchi leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he followed the girl’s figure with his gaze.

"Isn’t that dangerous?" he added, concern slipping into his tone.

"She’s almost done with it, and I bet she’s taking medication too. At that level, it’s fine for her to walk around like that."

"Man, you’ve got an amazing nose," Mizukuchi said, shaking his head in admiration. "I wouldn’t even notice that unless it was my wife’s scent."

Inukai took a deep breath, the scent from the girl earlier still fresh in his mind. It was unmistakably the scent of an Omega—one he was familiar with. But when he thought about Kawachi’s scent, it didn’t quite match the usual Omega scent he knew. Kawachi’s fragrance was more intense, more sensual.

While they ate their hamburger set, Mizukuchi repeated five times, "I really want to work at Kawai."

"I’d be working in the field I studied, and the salary’s great too. I want to get in there," Mizukuchi mumbled, pulling out his smartphone. His lock screen was a picture of his wife.

Is the "fated mate" thing really that great? Inukai thought. The idea rolled around in his head, and as he thought about it, a strange feeling settled over him. The fragmented thoughts he had been holding onto came together like pieces of a puzzle, and suddenly, the phrase "fated mate" popped into his mind.

His heart skipped a beat. The first thing that came to his mind was denial. That’s impossible. There’s no way that could be true. It was just that Mizukuchi had found his "fated mate," and he was being influenced by it. Even if the number of Omegas was small, there were still countless numbers of them around the world. The chance of encountering one, even if "fated mates" were real, was astronomically low. Before Mizukuchi found his "fated mate," Inukai had thought of it as nothing more than an urban legend. His family certainly hadn’t found their "fated mates."

But if he did think of Kawachi as his "fated mate," everything suddenly made sense. That intense, overwhelming scent... the one that Mizukuchi hadn’t noticed, but that had hit Inukai like a wave. That scent had hit him so strongly, so personally—it was almost suffocating.

He shook his head forcefully, trying to clear the thought. Stay calm, he told himself. The person is older, and... and he’s a man.

Even if Kawachi were his "fated mate," there could be no future for them. An Alpha couldn’t imagine having a romantic partner or spouse who wasn’t another Alpha. No one in his family would accept it.

He recalled his time in the smoking room. Kawachi hadn’t even recognized him. Despite the strong impression he’d made by being late, he hadn’t left a lasting memory. That meant Kawachi hadn’t realized that Inukai was his "fated mate." Wasn’t that strange? I’m being so affected by his scent, and he doesn’t feel anything for me?

Inukai parted ways with Mizukuchi in front of the family restaurant and boarded the train. Even after returning to his apartment, the vivid memories of his conversation with Kawachi and the lingering scent seemed to cling to him. He wanted to smell it again, to confirm it.

His body was restless, aching in a way that made it hard to settle down.

After a while, he came to a conclusion. Even if that man is my "fated mate," I’ll pretend I didn’t notice.

In society, most Alphas live their lives without ever encountering their "fated mate." The truth was, they didn’t need to meet one in the first place.

Inukai had only applied to Kawai because of Mizukuchi. If he hadn’t, he would never have had to deal with Kawachi again.

But now, both he and Mizukuchi had received job offers from Kawai. I’ll pretend like I never met him, he had decided. It should have been as simple as making a phone call to decline the offer.

Yet, before he knew it, Inukai found himself trying to convince his hesitant parents, who had wanted him to join their family’s affiliated company, that he wanted to try something entirely different. I want to test myself in a new field, in a company completely unrelated to ours.

Under the condition that he would eventually return to a subsidiary company, Inukai's parents allowed him to join Kawai. His mother was still dissatisfied, but his father said, "I understand your desire to stand on your own without relying on us. I never thought you had that kind of resolve. It's not a bad thing to learn the harshness of the world while you're still young," and, to Inukai's surprise, encouraged him.

But despite convincing his parents to let him join Kawai, Inukai found himself more confused than ever. The desire to "stand on my own" had only been an excuse. His true reason for changing jobs was to get closer to that man, to figure out their relationship. And now, he was questioning his own impulsiveness.

Spring came, and after the company’s welcoming ceremony, he submitted his department preferences before starting his training. Although he was told there was no guarantee his preferences would be honored, he intentionally listed departments that were available at the subsidiary—like General Affairs and Sales—hoping for a chance to be placed in the same branch as Kawachi.

By sheer luck, Inukai was assigned to the branch where Kawachi worked. His position was in Sales, so they were still in different departments, but now, the distance between them had dramatically shortened.

It was then that Inukai discovered through the internal employee directory that Kawachi was an Omega. All Omegas were required to disclose their status; it wasn’t something Kawachi had hidden. Curious, Inukai asked a few colleagues, but most of them had no idea. Kawachi’s heat cycles were unusually mild for an Omega, and he rarely took time off for them. He was perfectly capable at work, which meant no one suspected his true nature.

Whenever Kawachi was in heat, Inukai could always tell—even from about ten meters away. But even when Kawachi wasn’t in heat, he seemed to deliberately wear a rich, sweet, sensual fragrance around Inukai, as if trying to signal to him.

That scent—sweet, alluring, and uniquely directed at him—left no room for doubt. Kawachi was definitely Inukai's "fated mate." Yet, despite the close proximity, Kawachi remained indifferent. Their relationship was strictly that of a "junior colleague" from another department, nothing more. Kawachi had no idea that the person beside him was his "fated mate."

Mizukuchi had told him that, from the moment they met, he and his "fated mate" both instantly recognized it. But Inukai’s situation felt entirely different. Kawachi’s heat was unusually light, which Inukai thought might explain his lack of awareness or reaction toward his fated mate.

Even though it should have been enough for Inukai to simply confirm that Kawachi was his fated mate, over time, he found himself wanting Kawachi to realize it too. He was curious about how Kawachi would react if he knew. What if he finally realized it?

Since they worked in different departments, they didn’t interact much. But by coincidence, due to a mistake from his boss, Inukai found himself working closely with Kawachi one day. This is my chance, he thought, the idea stirring inside him.

And so, at last, Inukai decided to tell Kawachi the truth—that they were fated mates. He worried that, if Kawachi learned he had purposely sought out the job just to be near him, it would seem too heavy, too intense. He might think I’m obsessive. So, he lied, telling Kawachi he hadn’t realized it until after joining the company.

Inukai imagined how it would play out in his mind—Kawachi would be taken aback upon learning the truth, confused at first, but then slowly starting to recognize him as his fated mate. Inukai pictured Kawachi, just as he had felt, becoming overwhelmed by the truth, eventually unable to resist the pull between them. He expected the revelation to trigger a change, a wave of realization that would ripple through Kawachi, much as it had through him when he had understood their connection.

But Kawachi had yet to react, and Inukai continued to wait, hoping that the truth would come to light, even if it meant the discomfort of slowly bringing that awareness to the surface.

But the scenario Inukai had envisioned was nothing more than a delusion. Even after confessing that they were "fated mates," Kawachi's reaction was shockingly subdued—honestly, it was indifferent.

A person you meet only once in a lifetime, if you’re lucky enough to even meet them at all. A happy ending for a friend who happened to recognize their fate. This should have been my fate too, something dramatic would happen to me, Inukai thought, but the truth was, for Kawachi, fate held no value. In the end, he rejected him with the simple words, I prefer the opposite sex.

What Inukai was left with was the brutal reality that, even if he was "the fated mate," it didn't guarantee they would be together. Not everyone could be as lucky as Mizukuchi.

Inukai felt deeply disheartened. He paused to reflect on why he was so disappointed. I wanted to experience fate, to feel it for myself. He had long believed in the "world of common sense," where Alphas should pair with other Alphas. But what he truly wanted was to experience the pure, untainted "world of fate," where no one’s intentions or plans interfered.

But instead, he was met with the worst possible outcome. The person he thought was his "fated mate" discarded him as if he were worthless. Even though he had been driven by fate, even though he had adjusted his life to follow this path, here was the result. It isn’t even a joke anymore.

He briefly considered quitting the company and returning to work for his father’s company’s subsidiary. But after having boasted about his desire to "stand on my own," he decided to stick it out for at least five years.

Although he was completely ignored, Inukai still couldn’t stop thinking about Kawachi. That was why he had started smoking, a habit he hated. If he went to the smoking area, there was a high chance he’d run into Kawachi, and he could at least make small talk with him.

From the very first day of the entrance exam, Inukai had known Kawachi was a kind, considerate person. Despite his own blundering behavior as a late-arriving job hunter, Kawachi hadn’t scolded him but had instead helped and encouraged him. But Kawachi’s kindness wasn’t directed solely at Inukai. He was kind to everyone—gentle, humorous, and well-liked by all. No one in the office had ever spoken ill of him. He was dedicated and dependable at work. If Kawachi had any flaw, it was simply the fact that he was an Omega.

Even though Kawachi completely ignored him, Inukai couldn’t help but remain fascinated. Whether this obsession was truly a result of "fate," he couldn’t even say anymore.

As far as Inukai could tell, there were no women around Kawachi. He understood that it was difficult for male Omegas to get married—since there was a fifty percent chance that their children would also be Omegas, Alphas and Betas avoided male Omegas. Even if a relationship were to develop, parents would typically disapprove. With this in mind, Inukai could understand why someone as responsible as Kawachi wouldn’t casually pursue a woman.

Then, the shock came. Kawachi, nearing thirty-five, had begun dating a woman. Inukai almost collapsed in disbelief when he learned this. She was a colleague from the same company, a completely ordinary girl. She was nice, but otherwise unremarkable.

Inukai felt a sharp, painful realization: he was excluded from Kawachi’s choices purely because he wasn’t the opposite sex. Even though he was Kawachi’s fated mate, he was chosen last. He had been so close, so determined—he had recognized their fate, chased after it, joined the same company, stayed near him all this time... only to have someone else swoop in and take him away. It felt beyond miserable.

No matter how perfect his education was, or how secure his family’s wealth promised him an easy life, or even that he was an Alpha, or fated mate—to not be chosen, to not even be able to approach the person he loved, was more devastating than he could have ever imagined.

Kawachi was an Omega, and Inukai knew that, if he just bit the nape of his neck, he could make him his. Once they became mates, Kawachi’s rejection response would kick in, and he wouldn’t be able to have sex with anyone else. The devilish fantasy would come to him from time to time, but he never acted on it. It was already a crime, he realized. Even if he did somehow possess him in that way, he knew it wouldn’t bring him happiness.

In the end, unable to fully give up on the idea of the "fated mate," Inukai found himself helplessly watching as Kawachi was taken from him—his own hands tied, his fingers itching but unable to do anything. He had desperately hoped that Kawachi would get married, even have children. Maybe then, he could accept it and move on. But at that moment, he had no idea how wrong that hope would turn out to be.

The train finally arrived at his stop—the nearest station to his apartment. A convenient twenty-minute ride from the company. The station was just a five-minute walk from his building. He had lived in the same apartment since his single days, but after his transfer to the headquarters, his commuting time had been shortened, making things much easier.

He passed through the auto-lock entrance and greeted the elderly concierge before taking the elevator to the seventh floor. He took off the ring on his left ring finger and carefully placed it in his leather accessory case, tucking it into his bag before retrieving his key.

I have to be quiet, he thought, not wanting to wake Yuu. He gently unlocked the door and made sure it didn’t make any noise as he closed it behind him. The hallway was brightly lit. When he entered the living room, he saw Kentaro Kawachi sitting on the sofa, fiddling with his tablet. Kawachi must have sensed his presence, as he greeted him with a simple, “Welcome home.”

That small, unremarkable greeting made Inukai’s chest tighten with an ache that was almost unbearable. Why does it hurt like this? he asked himself.

“I'm home,” he responded softly.

“Want something to drink?”

Kawachi casually stood up. Inukai quickly waved him off. “No, it’s fine.”

“Are you feeling okay? Not too tired?”

Kawachi shrugged, as though it wasn’t a big deal.

“I’m a little heavy, but it’s nothing. It was like this last time, too,” he said nonchalantly.

Kawachi was nine months pregnant. Their second child was due next month. Male Omegas often didn’t show signs of pregnancy, since their wombs were deeper inside, so they didn’t develop a noticeable belly like women did. Kawachi’s abdomen had only slightly distended, and physically, he didn’t appear any different. His condition hadn’t changed, so he was still going to work as usual. Because of this, aside from his direct superior, no one in the company knew that Kawachi was pregnant.

Kawachi had taken two weeks of paid leave starting from the day before his due date.

Despite Inukai’s insistence that he didn’t need anything, Kawachi made him his favorite tea and placed it on the living room table. Inukai felt both guilty and touched by the thoughtfulness, his emotions a confusing mix as he sipped from the cup.

Normally, unless there was a work event, they would eat dinner together. On the nights when that wasn’t possible, they had developed a routine of sitting down for tea. It had become their way of spending time together.

“Did Yuu sleep well?” Inukai asked.

“He was a bit fussy, but he went to sleep pretty early today,” Kawachi replied.

When they first had Yuu, Kawachi had struggled with the pressures of parenting alone, which eventually led him to a breakdown. He was hospitalized for a while. Then, his heat cycle came, and despite all the medication and treatments, nothing could stop it. He had nearly died. He could have calmed down by having sex with a man, Inukai thought. But he hated it more than anything else, even death, because it would have led to pregnancy.

The fact that Kawachi, despite having a child, had chosen death over being with a man, had been a devastating shock to Inukai. It was as if he was telling me he didn’t want to be with me, didn’t want my child. It felt as if the rejection was that severe.

If you want to die so badly… Inukai thought. If you're going to die, then I can do whatever I want, right? And so, without any hesitation, he had gone ahead and submitted their marriage registration, using the rights of a partner as leverage. He forced himself onto Kawachi, who was half-conscious, and impregnated him with the same act that Kawachi had despised so much, repeatedly pushing himself inside, determined to get him pregnant... and then, he bit Kawachi’s nape, marking him as his mate.

The heat of an Omega and the sensation of destiny intertwined, his mind melting with pleasure. Even in the midst of such sex, Inukai retained some sense of clarity. If I get him pregnant, he won’t die. He had seen that Kawachi, who had been so determined not to lose Yuu, despite his traumatic conception, was now trying his best to raise him. Even if he didn’t care for himself, he would never disregard the life that had been born.

Once Kawachi’s heat had subsided from the act, Inukai forcibly took him back to his own apartment, not to Kawachi’s home. There, he introduced him to Yuu.

Up until then, Kawachi had been dazed, but as soon as he held Yuu in his arms, life seemed to return to his face. He cried as he held the baby, and at the prompting of the infant, he began to breastfeed.

Inukai had hired Sawako-san, who had retired after over sixty years of working as a housemaid at the family home, to care for Yuu as his wet nurse. Even after taking Kawachi back to his apartment, Inukai made sure Sawako-san came every day to care for Yuu.

His mother, a woman raised as a pampered child, knew nothing about raising children, and so all of Inukai’s siblings had been cared for by Sawako-san. Inukai himself had been particularly doted on by Sawako-san, even keeping in touch with her after she retired. When he told her, “I’ll be looking after a child, so I’d like you to teach me some things,” Sawako-san had immediately replied, “Please let me take care of your child,” even before he had asked. She had retired but was still bored and eager to help.

Sawako-san had immediately fallen for Yuu the moment she met him, seeing so much of Inukai in him. She harbored no prejudice against Kawachi, even though he was an Omega. While Sawako-san was a Beta, she mentioned that her brother and his wife had an Omega son, and she casually remarked, “It sounds tough…”

After forcibly bringing Kawachi to the apartment, Inukai had thought carefully. His ideal situation was for Kawachi to raise their child without stress and to grow accustomed to living with a male partner. He consulted with Kawachi’s doctor about how to achieve this.

The doctor suggested that the best course of action would be for Kawachi to return to work soon and not focus entirely on childcare. Kawachi, being the responsible person he was, would easily become overwhelmed by looking after the child alone. What he needed was time away from the childcare responsibilities.

Though Inukai had suggested quitting his own job and staying home, the doctor had advised against it. Kawachi would likely feel guilty, thinking that Inukai had sacrificed his career for him.

Ultimately, Inukai and Kawachi both continued to work during the day, leaving Yuu’s care to Sawako-san. They agreed to share the cost of hiring her equally between them.

At first, Kawachi resisted leaving Yuu behind to go to work. He would call Sawako-san’s phone every hour, but as time went on, these calls became less frequent.

With Sawako-san, who was experienced and reliable, taking care of Yuu during the day, Kawachi began to feel reassured. As he realized that he could consult Sawako-san about any childcare issues, the look of anxiety gradually disappeared from his face.

In the middle of the night, there were times when Yuu would cry uncontrollably. During those moments, Inukai would take Yuu from Kawachi and walk around the house, holding him. If the crying didn't stop, he'd take Yuu outside. When it seemed that Yuu was finally starting to doze off and they returned home, there were times when Kawachi, perhaps exhausted from waiting, had curled up on the living room sofa and fallen asleep.

As time went on, Inukai began to think that Kawachi had finally adjusted to life in his apartment. It was then that Yuu and Kawachi had their check-up. Kawachi insisted that they go alone, but Inukai went along as well. Yuu's health was perfectly fine, but as expected, Kawachi was pregnant with their second child. Although it was something they had anticipated, when the doctor delivered the news, Kawachi only said, “I see,” and fell silent.

On the way home, Kawachi was unusually quiet. However, once they returned to the apartment, he returned to his usual routine—feeding Yuu, giving him a bath—and the next day, he went to work as usual.

Kawachi was entirely focused on Yuu, who was visibly growing day by day. He never spoke to Inukai or Sawako about the baby in his belly. Inukai had thought that Kawachi might be trying to erase the existence of the child from his consciousness, but one day, when he lost the house keys and was searching the living room, he found the maternal and child health handbook for their second child in a drawer. It was clear that Kawachi had been keeping up with the check-ups—there were even notes about things like a slight swelling in his lower abdomen, and concerns that had been properly recorded.

Inukai wanted to give Kawachi some time to himself, especially on his days off, to avoid any stress. He would suggest, “How about you go out for a bit? I’ll watch Yuu.” But Kawachi would always respond with, “It’s fine,” and continue playing with Yuu. Inukai wondered if Kawachi was just being considerate of him, but even when he took Yuu to the park, Kawachi would follow along. At first, it seemed as if the stress from parenting might break him, but it quickly became clear that Kawachi loved children.

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