Bluebird: Chapter 8

Previous TOC Next

The grand hall of the luxury hotel, reserved exclusively for the inauguration celebration, was dazzling and extravagant. Perhaps mindful of the October season, the venue was adorned with live floral arrangements featuring autumn leaves and chestnuts, evoking a distinct sense of fall.

The guests invited were easy to identify, many dressed in conspicuous luxury brands or displaying refined, elegant composure. Sitting next to his superior, Komaki, Inukai felt a pang of nostalgia—It’s been a while since I’ve been surrounded by this kind of atmosphere—while Komaki beside him was making a point of lifting and lowering his shoulders repeatedly.

"I’m not really used to places like this," Komaki muttered, his unease palpable.

He seemed to be feeling quite nervous.

"We’re not doctors, after all," he added.

"That's true," Inukai responded, offering a casual agreement. Even if it's an unfamiliar environment, there's no point in standing by the wall at the back of the venue. If anything, it would make more sense to be proactive and mingle on the floor, he thought, but Komaki showed no sign of moving.

Two days ago, their department head, Katori, had tripped at the station and broken his leg. While it wasn’t life-threatening, surgery was required, and he would be hospitalized for about two weeks. Their section chief was also away on a business trip, leaving the role of acting department head to Komaki.

Komaki's first unavoidable task in this new role was to attend the inauguration celebration of Aomachi General Hospital. He’d initially thought it would be fine to simply claim that the department head was absent due to his injury. However, the department head himself had called from the hospital, asking him, “Please, you must go and greet those who have supported us.”

Aomachi General Hospital was founded by a renowned kidney specialist who had previously worked at a university hospital. He had reached out to a fellow doctor to help rebuild the family clinic into a general hospital. Over the years, the hospital had been supplied with many products from Kawai.

Though Komaki had agreed to attend, he didn’t personally know the hospital director. However, Inukai had met him a few times at the branch office, and so Komaki asked him, "Would you come with me?"

The evening event would take time away from their personal hours, and honestly, Inukai wasn’t keen on attending. But Komaki is a fellow parent, and he's always been flexible about time off and has helped me out in the past, so he couldn’t bring himself to decline.

When they arrived, Komaki quickly led Inukai over to greet the hospital director. The director, remembering Inukai, remarked, “I thought it was rare to see an Alpha from  the sales team here,” and expressed concern for their injured department head as well.

The greetings were successfully exchanged, and their primary goal was complete. But with just ten minutes gone by, they couldn’t exactly leave. And so, Komaki, perhaps feeling out of place in the lavish atmosphere, stood by the wall like a statue, frozen in place.

"I'm hungry, so I’m going to take a walk and grab something to eat."

Inukai said this to Komaki before stepping out onto the floor. Since childhood, he had often attended high-class hotel parties. Perhaps it was to teach them proper manners, but his parents frequently took him and his sibling to such events, where they would often encounter famous celebrities and politicians.

The event was in a buffet-style format, so Inukai nibbled on some food as he walked through the venue. He spotted a few doctors from clinics where his company had made deliveries, so he went over to greet them. As they exchanged pleasantries, he casually gathered some information—what surgical techniques were currently popular, which doctors were planning to open their own practices... Such tidbits often came in handy later on in unexpected ways.

"Takahiro."

He was startled when his first name was called out suddenly and turned around. Seeing his older brother, Takaki, Inukai clicked his tongue inwardly. If I'd known he was here, I would've made up some excuse to leave early.

"Long time no see, Takaki," he greeted, his voice polite, though a little stiff.

It had been about two months since their last exchange on social media, and since then, he had heard nothing from his brother.

"Has it really been a year since we last saw each other? You didn’t even show up for Mom’s birthday. How cold-hearted of you."

The sudden accusation took Inukai by surprise. "I’ve been busy with work. I sent a gift. Didn’t you get it?"

Without responding to that, Takaki glanced around the room. Inukai, with his bright hair and pale eyes—traits inherited from their Norwegian grandfather—was occasionally asked if he was mixed-race. His brother, however, had deep-set features, single eyelids, and thin lips, and his face gave no impression of foreign heritage. In fact, their appearances were so different that, if not for their last name, people wouldn’t have guessed they were siblings.

"What are you doing here?" Takaki asked, his tone flat.

"It’s work-related... My partner didn’t come with me," Inukai replied.

Takaki sighed. "I see," he muttered, clearly having been searching for someone named Kawachi. That attitude was starting to grate on Inukai’s nerves.

"Takahiro, mistakes in youth are common," Takaki began, his voice suddenly taking on a tone that reminded Inukai of their father.

A sense of dread washed over him. What’s this about now?

"As long as you acknowledge your mistakes early, there’s still time to correct them," Takaki continued, his voice carrying a certain finality.

Inukai understood all too well what his brother meant, and the anger that had been simmering inside him finally bubbled to the surface. So, the relationship between me and Kawachi is still considered a mistake just because he's an Omega, is that it?

"I don’t understand what you're trying to say," Inukai responded coolly, his words clipped.

"You and your partner both deserve futures that are fitting for your respective roles," Takaki said, his words almost dismissive.

Inukai took a deep breath, placing his right hand over his chest. "It seems there’s been a misunderstanding, so let me clarify something. I wasn’t chosen by my partner. I chose him myself."

Takaki shrugged, letting out a derisive snort. "You chose him? He’s an Omega, you know."

"Yes, he is," Inukai replied, his voice steady.

"If you’re so confident in your choice, why not bring him to our family home and introduce him to everyone?" Takaki suggested, his words laced with mockery.

Inukai let out a soft laugh. "I’d rather die first. My partner isn’t a showpiece. If you want to meet him, you can come to my house."

"What if I’m tempted by that pathetic Omega of yours?" Takaki shot back, his words dripping with disdain.

Inukai was furious now, but he had been trying to stay calm. However, at that moment, his composure snapped. With a quick motion, he threw the contents of his wine glass at his brother’s chest.

Though Takaki glared at him with burning eyes, he didn’t yell or make a scene. He was, after all, as well-versed in manners as Inukai had been taught. Still, the suit he was wearing was ruined.

"I’d love to strangle you right now, but I’ll hold myself back for today. My partner isn’t the type of person who seduces anyone indiscriminately; he just happened to lose control of his heat. If you continue to insult him like this, I’ll sever ties with the family."

Inukai placed the empty glass on the table and walked over to where Komaki was standing, awkwardly pinned to the wall like a forgotten decoration.

"I’m sorry, but I’m not feeling well. I’m going to head home early."

"Eh, are you sure you're okay?"

Komaki’s flustered concern barely registered as Inukai said, "I think I’ll be fine if I just go home and rest," before leaving the party.

Once in the taxi, he gave the driver his address. The conversation with his brother replayed in his mind, and the irritation still simmered inside him. I just want to see Kawachi’s face already. I want to hug Yuu and Kouta and bury my face in their soft cheeks. He longed for the home he had built with his own hands, his own place to return to.

The phone in his bag buzzed, its ringtone breaking his thoughts. If it’s my brother, I don’t want to pick up, Inukai thought. But then, what if it’s Kawachi or Sawako-san, and something’s happened to the kids? He hesitated, then checked the screen.

It was Kawachi calling. He answered, but the call immediately cut off. Wondering if the timing had been off, Inukai redialed, but there was no answer. He tried sending a message through social media, but while the message was read, no reply came.

By the time he returned home, it was past ten. Kawachi still hadn’t come back, and Sawako-san was taking care of the children.

"I got a call from Kawachi-san this evening. He said he might not be able to come home tonight, and asked if I could look after the children until you return. I don’t mind staying as long as needed, but..."

Sawako-san’s voice trailed off, unusually hesitant.

"Whenever Kawachi-san asks for an extension, he always explains the reason. But this time, he didn’t, and he sounded in such a rush. I’m a little concerned..."

Inukai furrowed his brow. It’s strange for Kawachi not to give a reason. While he knew that sometimes urgent business or client meetings came up for Kawachi, this felt off. He decided to contact Kawachi’s superior, Nonaka, who was the only one within the company who knew about their marriage.

"This is Inukai. I’m sorry to bother you, but Kawachi hasn’t come home yet. Has he been working late or something?"

Nonaka replied, "No, he left early this afternoon because he wasn’t feeling well. He hasn’t come home yet?"

Inukai’s heart skipped a beat. "What?!"

"...Could he be at the hospital?" Nonaka added.

Thanking Nonaka, Inukai quickly hung up and dialed the Omega specialist hospital where Kawachi’s doctor worked. But according to the staff, Kawachi hadn’t visited the hospital, nor had he been admitted.

The receptionist, noticing Inukai’s growing anxiety, kindly reached out to the attending doctor, who confirmed that Kawachi had come in three days ago. During that visit, the doctor had prescribed two days’ worth of strong suppressants, just "in case."

Inukai knew that the last time Kawachi had gone into heat was two months after giving birth, so he had expected it would be around the same time this cycle, roughly two weeks from now. But...

"Didn't the suppressant not work on Kawachi?"

Inukai exclaimed, his frustration and worry rising.

The doctor’s response came calmly: "The effect is short-lived, but it’s not completely ineffective. After taking the medication, it should buy enough time for him to take a taxi and get to the hospital."

Inukai’s breath caught. So, there was a chance it might have worked...

He quickly told the doctor to inform him as soon as Kawachi arrived for a visit. Then, he asked Sawako-san if she could watch the children for the night.

Kawachi, your heat must have come on, and you might be collapsed somewhere... It’s that severe with him, Inukai thought, the words a desperate whisper in his mind. "I’m going to search outside."

Sawako-san had promised to let him know as soon as there was any news from home. Inukai handed over the children, clutching only his wallet and phone, and rushed out into the night.

The problem was, he didn’t know where to search. He ended up wandering through places he knew: the supermarket, the park—places he thought Kawachi might be. But there was no sign of him. No scent, nothing.

As he searched, he continuously dialed Kawachi’s number, over and over. Kawachi’s heats were a matter of life and death if left unchecked. They were that bad. If Kawachi was alone, he could be suffocating somewhere, or worse, he could be assaulted by a random Alpha. Either outcome was the worst possible situation.

I want to help him, Inukai thought, but felt helpless. I don’t know where to look, and I can’t rely on anyone. His anxiety surged, his thoughts speeding, and he moved restlessly, like a starving dog roaming through the streets in search of something, anything. The growing dread in his chest weighed heavily on him. What if Kawachi is trying to die alone somewhere? It had happened before. He had chosen death over being with Inukai, over their sex, over the pregnancy.

But this time, when Kawachi went into heat, Inukai thought that choice wouldn’t come. Kawachi had doted on the children, especially Kouta, and truly, truly rejoiced at his birth. Raising children was fun for Inukai, and he had been having fun without feeling burdened, with Sawako’s help. He had believed, with all his heart, that Kawachi would accept the sex and pregnancy that came with it—he believed he could accept it to live.

"Please, come out. Come out, I said—come out!"

Inukai shouted at his phone. A passerby looked at him from a distance, but Inukai didn’t care. Where are you now? Where are you hiding? He wanted to shout at anyone, someone, anyone—tell me where he is.

A message notification popped up on his phone. It was from Kawachi. Just seeing the word "hurts" made Inukai’s hands tremble. His breath caught in his chest.

Where are you? he typed, his hands shaking.

He saw that it had been read, but there was no reply.

Where are you?

What are you doing?

I’m coming right now.

Please, tell me.

As he repeatedly sent messages, one came through with a hotel address and a room number. Without thinking, Inukai jumped into a taxi, telling the driver the address from the message. He sent more messages to Kawachi, but they were read and then ignored.

The taxi pulled up to a love hotel about fifteen minutes away from the park. Inukai rushed to the front desk, gave the room number, and explained that his Omega partner was inside and asked to be let in. It wasn’t unusual for Omegas in heat to take refuge in hotels for protection. The desk clerk offered to call an Omega emergency ambulance, but Inukai said he would monitor the situation first and might request it depending on how things went.

Once on the third floor, where Kawachi’s room was located, Inukai didn’t need to check the number. The overwhelming scent of Kawachi’s pheromones had already spread into the hallway, unmistakably guiding him. The desk clerk, a Beta, had already caught a whiff of it and blushed deeply. "Something... it’s intense," he muttered, clearly affected by the scent.

Inukai quickly got the key, entering the room and shutting the door behind him. If he didn’t, even the Beta clerk would be driven mad by the scent.

Inside the room, Kawachi’s pheromones hung heavily in the air, suffocating Inukai with their intensity. He could feel his rationality burning away, sizzling from the edges of his mind.

Kawachi lay on the bed at the far end of the room, still in his suit, his phone and briefcase scattered on the floor beside him. At the sound of Inukai’s footsteps, he turned toward him. His eyes were wide, teary, and he began to weep uncontrollably.

"…I’m scared."

Kawachi’s face was flushed bright red, his lips trembling.

"...I’m scared of dying."

Beside the phone that had fallen to the floor, there was a prescription and an empty packet of suppressant medication. Kawachi had taken the suppressant when his heat arrived at work, and instead of going to a hospital, he had run to a love hotel. Why a love hotel?

"I don’t want to have sex."

He cried again.

"I don’t want to get pregnant."

But, but… Kawachi trembled, his voice small and broken.

"I don’t want to die. It hurts... I want to go home."

His shoulders shook as he wept.

"I want to go home…"

He had chosen to live, rather than die. He chose to contact me. That means he wants to live. It was such a relief—so much so that it hurt. His body was pulsing with heat, excitement, but still, there was emptiness. Even as Kawachi said, "I want to live," he still rejected the one thing that could have been his salvation—his partner, his love, himself.

"If you sleep with me, you’ll get pregnant."

The words slipped out of Inukai's mouth, chilling in their coldness. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. In the end, Kawachi would sleep with a man he didn’t love, just to stay alive, just to get pregnant and have children. No… that’s not it. He had pushed Kawachi into this corner. He had stopped him from choosing death—stopped him with blood ties, with affection, with children, with all the things that had once seemed like reasons to live. It was Inukai’s hand that had led him here.

"It’s fine if I get pregnant..."

Kawachi’s jaw trembled.

"It’s fine... just make it so I don’t feel anything."

Inukai didn’t understand what he meant. What is he saying?

"No matter what you do... no matter how you do it... it’s fine if it’s rough, if it hurts… just do it in a way I won’t feel."

He’s a cruel person, Inukai thought, his heart tightening. A truly cruel person. He wasn’t a medical instrument, a machine. But still... he couldn’t go against instinct. He couldn’t fight against the overpowering pheromones, against fate. So, he had no choice but to answer, "Understood."

◇:-:◆:-:◇

He blindfolded Kawachi with a necktie and shoved a towel into his mouth. Deprived of sight and speech, Kawachi’s arms were tied behind his back. From behind, Inukai thrust into him roughly, ignoring the muffled grunts of Aggh, Ughh that escaped Kawachi’s throat.

Just as Kawachi had asked, he was being taken violently. There was no listening to the other’s words; the act prioritized Inukai’s own pleasure. Yet, no matter how harshly he moved, Kawachi's erection remained rigid. When Inukai gripped it, Kawachi climaxed, spurting a thick stream as if a switch had been flipped.

“Even though I’m hurting you, why do you feel so good?”

Even when he squeezed Kawachi’s scrotum or scratched his length, it didn’t soften. Not just his penis—his nipples were swollen and engorged, leaking a trickle of milk without even being pinched.

When Inukai bit down on Kawachi’s swollen nipples, so much milk gushed out that it overflowed from his mouth, and Kawachi climaxed at the same time. Inukai took him again and again, from the front and behind, relentlessly pouring out his desire. Kawachi simply let milk and semen spill everywhere, his body tightening around Inukai’s every thrust.

Just when Inukai began to tire, Kawachi’s body released another surge of intense pheromones, demanding more—as if to say, It’s not enough, pour more inside me. The scent ignited Inukai’s instincts once again.

Kawachi’s pheromone release finally settled around dawn. Their near-constant coupling had left Kawachi utterly exhausted, and even Inukai, having pushed himself too far, was completely drained.

At some point, the blindfold had slipped off, the necktie soaked with tears. Inukai removed the towel from Kawachi’s mouth and untied his arms. The bindings had been too tight, leaving faint marks on his wrists.

Inukai gently wiped down Kawachi’s limp body, laying him in the sheets before heading to the shower himself. He felt beyond refreshed—his body was as heavy as if filled with mud. I don’t want to take another step. Thank God it’s Saturday. Neither of them needed to go to work.

He had informed Sawako that he had likely found Kawachi, but afterward, there had been no time for further contact. Now, he sent a message: I have found Kawachi, his heat has passed, but we are both exhausted and need some rest. He also apologized and asked her to look after the children a little longer.

Sawako’s reply came quickly: I’m glad Kawachi is safe. Take your time. I’m here as long as you need. You must be exhausted from searching all night. Yuu-chan and Kouta-chan are just fine.

Even though he knew they were relying on Sawako too much, her words were a relief. When Inukai asked the front desk to extend their stay until early afternoon, the receptionist suggested switching to free time instead. He agreed without thinking further—it was too tiring to care. He dragged his heavy body back to bed and slipped under the covers beside Kawachi, who was still out cold. Exhausted. Completely drained, he thought, closing his eyes.

He woke up past two in the afternoon. The rustling of Kawachi moving beside him stirred him awake. When their eyes met, Kawachi quickly glanced away, embarrassed.

That tiny gesture sent a sharp ache through Inukai’s chest.

"…My hands…" Kawachi murmured, not meeting Inukai’s eyes.

"My hands are still… shaking."

He extended them, and indeed, they were trembling. Inukai knew that trembling often occurred during an Omega’s heat, but after what felt like enough sex to resolve the situation, it should have subsided by now. The air around Kawachi carried that faintly sweet scent again, drawing Inukai closer. He leaned toward Kawachi's neck, inhaling near the skin.

"The scent of pheromones is still strong. It might not have completely settled down yet."

"Even after all that... why is it still happening?"

"I don't know, either."

Kawachi slumped forward onto the bed, burying his face into the sheets. In response, Inukai pulled out his smartphone and began searching for "persistent heat symptoms."

"Maybe it’s this," he said, showing the screen. "It says that taking strong suppressants too frequently without proper intervals can sometimes delay the heat from fully subsiding, even after sex."

Kawachi leaned closer, reading over Inukai’s shoulder. That sweet scent lingered, brushing against Inukai's senses, making him acutely aware of Kawachi’s presence.

"And… what does it say we should do?" Kawachi asked, his tone already heavy with resignation.

Inukai scrolled further, finding the inevitable answer. "Well… more sex," he replied hesitantly. The solution was as obvious as it was unavoidable. Both of them fell silent.

There was no getting around it: they couldn’t let Kawachi, with his incomplete heat and unchecked pheromones, leave the room. Inukai, exhausted but practical, knew what needed to be done.

Kawachi ran his hands over his face, clearly grappling with the situation. After a long pause, he finally muttered in a small voice.

"Can you... do it?"

"I think I can, but I’d prefer if it wasn’t rough. I’m really tired..."

That was a rare, unguarded confession.

"Ah... I see."

"If it’s just… normal, I can do it.”

Another stretch of silence passed. Then, without a word, Kawachi reached for a pillow, pulling it close and covering his face with it.

“Can you do it like this?”

“Uh, that might be a bit… Could we try sideways instead?”

“Do whatever works for you.”

With Kawachi’s permission, Inukai moved closer, positioning himself behind Kawachi, who had turned to face away. Clinging to Kawachi as though embracing him from behind.

Inukai felt his arousal already in full effect—just the scent he had inhaled earlier was enough to stir him. He gripped the back of Kawachi’s knee gently, nudging it to create a slight opening.

From behind, he pressed himself firmly into the space he had already claimed before, the one he had thoroughly explored and overwhelmed just moments ago.

“Ah… ugh…”

Kawachi groaned, his face still buried in the pillow. From behind, Inukai slid his hand around Kawachi’s body, teasing his nipples and stroking his length as he thrust upward with deep, deliberate movements.

“Ah… ah… hah…”

It was a sound he hadn’t heard yesterday—a low voice, yet sweet like candy, filling the room and embedding itself in Inukai’s mind.

“You don’t have to touch… my nipples or there…”

Kawachi squirmed, trying to push away the hands that were teasing him, but Inukai held firm. “If I touch you, it tightens inside. It’ll be over faster,” he countered, his voice steady.

He thrust his hips with fervor, pouring himself fully into Kawachi. As the act seemed to reach its conclusion, Kawachi instinctively tried to pull away. But before he could, Inukai gripped his hips, firmly holding him in place, drawing him back against his own body.

“I think it’s best if we stay like this for a little longer.”

“But… you’re still inside…”

“If I pull out now, something might spill. Let’s wait a bit longer until the trembling stops, then I’ll withdraw.”

Kawachi seemed to accept this explanation, nodding reluctantly.

The thought of remaining connected like this stirred a slow, insistent excitement in Inukai. He could feel himself swelling slightly inside, unbidden, and Kawachi’s inner walls instinctively tightened in response. Embarrassed, Kawachi shifted his hips awkwardly, clearly unsure of how to react.

“…Just a little longer,” Inukai murmured.

“But…”

Kawachi twisted his body to look back at him, their eyes meeting at an intimate distance. Unable to resist, Inukai leaned in and kissed him. When Kawachi tried to turn away, Inukai held his face firmly, deepening the kiss and entwining their tongues.

As he kissed him, teasing Kawachi’s nipples and letting the milk dampen his fingertips, he felt himself growing almost unbearably hard inside. The sensation tightened, heightening his need.

Gently stroking Kawachi’s body to ease him, Inukai guided him onto his stomach. Kawachi didn’t resist, his body pliant under Inukai’s touch. Inukai began moving his hips in a slow, deliberate rhythm, savoring the sensation of being enveloped, exploring it with unhurried intensity.

“Ah… ahh…”

Kawachi moaned softly, the sound laced with pleasure. Spurred on by that voice, Inukai thrust his hips with increasing fervor.

Unable to resist, he lowered his mouth to Kawachi’s neck, where the mark of their bond lay. He sucked on it deeply, leaving a vivid trace behind, as if to reaffirm their connection.

Previous TOC Next