CLOSER THAN BEFORE

PHEROMONE BLIND

STARWRITES

CHAPTER 7

The early morning sunlight streamed through the curtains, but Lucas had already been awake for nearly an hour.

He sat on the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the untouched bowl of cereal on his desk. His appetite had disappeared somewhere between the anonymous threats, the shocking truth about his birth records, and Eric Carter.

Especially Eric Carter.

With a sigh, Lucas buried his face in his hands.

"What is wrong with me?"

He had spent the entire night replaying yesterday's events.

Eric apologizing.

Eric laughing, after Lucas told him to stop punching walls. The way he'd stepped in front of those senior Alphas without a second thought.

"...Because I don't want anything to happen to you." Those words echoed stubbornly inside his head.

Lucas groaned and flopped backward onto his bed.

"No."

He shook his head firmly.

"Don't be stupid."

Eric wasn't protecting him because he liked him. The doctor had already explained that Alphas reacted strongly to Omegas. This had nothing to do with feelings.

It was instinct. Nothing more. Repeating those words to himself should have made him feel better.

Instead...

His chest felt strangely empty.

Across town, another person was having an equally difficult morning.

Eric Carter stood alone in the school gymnasium, lazily bouncing a basketball. The rhythmic sound echoed through the empty court.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Yet his thoughts weren't on basketball. They were somewhere else entirely.

"You should stop punching walls."

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips before he could stop it.

"You smiled."

Eric blinked.

One of his teammates stared at him suspiciously.

"I did?"

"You've been smiling to yourself for the last five minutes."

Another teammate laughed.

"Captain, did you finally fall in love?"

Eric immediately caught the basketball.

"Don't be ridiculous."

The others exchanged knowing looks.

"If you say so."

Eric picked up his sports bag and headed for the locker room.

He ignored their laughter. But once he was alone… He couldn't deny it anymore. For the first time in years… He was actually looking forward to school. Not because of basketball. Not because of student council work.

Because he wanted to see Lucas Bennett.

He let out a quiet sigh.

"What exactly are you doing to me?

By the time Lucas arrived at Blackwood Academy, the morning rush was already in full swing.

Students streamed through the front gates in clusters, laughing as they discussed the upcoming academy festival. Colorful banners had been hung across the main courtyard overnight, and several student council members were busy directing clubs to their assigned booths.

Normally, Lucas would have walked straight to his classroom without paying attention to any of it.

Today wasn't much different.

He kept his head lowered as he climbed the stairs, hoping to avoid unnecessary conversations. Unfortunately, that hope disappeared the moment he stepped into Class 3-B.

Ryan looked up from his seat and smirked.

"There he is."

Lucas frowned.

"...Good morning?"

Ryan leaned back in his chair.

"You've been acting suspicious lately."

Lucas placed his bag on his desk.

"I've just been tired."

"You've said that every day this week."

"I have."

Ryan folded his arms.

"And somehow the only person who seems capable of waking you up is Eric Carter."

Lucas nearly dropped his notebook.

"W-What?"

Ryan burst into laughter.

"I'm kidding."

Lucas let out the breath he'd been holding.

"You almost gave me a heart attack."

"I knew it!" Ryan pointed at him dramatically. "You reacted way too strongly."

"I did not."

"You definitely did."

Before Lucas could defend himself, the classroom door opened.

Mr. Foster walked in carrying several folders.

The room quickly settled.

"Good morning, everyone."

"Good morning, sir."

Mr. Foster nodded approvingly.

"I spoke with the student council this morning. Since the festival is approaching faster than expected, every project team will remain after school for additional preparation beginning today."

A chorus of groans immediately filled the classroom.

"Sir..."

"We have homework."

"I already have basketball practice."

"My club meets after school."

Mr. Foster simply smiled.

"I've already coordinated with the club advisers. Your festival project takes priority."

More groans followed.

Lucas quietly opened his notebook. Another afternoon with Eric. For some reason, his heart beat a little faster. He immediately frowned at himself. Get a grip. It's only because you're partners.

Nothing more.

Mr. Foster continued.

"Your project proposals must be completed before Friday. I expect every pair to work together efficiently."

As the lesson began, Lucas tried to focus on the board.

It didn't last long.

For reasons he couldn't explain, he became painfully aware of Eric's presence behind him. He could almost feel those blue eyes drifting toward him every now and then.

When the bell finally rang for lunch, Lucas stood quickly.

"I'll see you later," Ryan said, gathering his books.

Lucas nodded.

"Yeah."

Ryan looked at him for a moment before grinning.

"Don't keep the campus heartthrob waiting."

Lucas sighed.

"I really need better friends."

Ryan laughed as he walked away.

Lucas had barely taken two steps into the hallway when a familiar voice called his name.

"Lucas."

He turned.

Eric stood a short distance away, one hand tucked into his pocket while the other held a blue project folder. Unlike before, there wasn't the slightest trace of tension on his face.

Only quiet patience.

"I reserved one of the study rooms in the library," Eric said. "It'll be easier to work there."

Lucas blinked.

"You... already reserved it?"

Eric nodded.

"I thought it might be quieter."

Lucas couldn't stop himself from smiling.

"...You really do plan everything."

Eric's lips curved into a faint smile.

"Il try."

For a brief moment, neither of them spoke. The silence wasn't awkward this time. It was... comfortable.

Neither of them noticed Sophia standing at the end of the hallway. She watched as Lucas and Eric walked away together, talking quietly about the festival project. A small smile appeared on her face.

"Looks like they're getting along now."

Yet as she watched Eric lower his head to listen to something Lucas was saying, a strange feeling settled in her chest. She couldn't explain it. It wasn't jealousy. It wasn't sadness.

Just…

An unfamiliar discomfort. Before she could make sense of it, the two boys disappeared around the corner together. Sophia remained where she was for another moment before softly shaking her head.

"...I'm probably overthinking it."

She turned and headed toward the cafeteria, unaware that her eyes had lingered on them much longer than she intended.

The library was unusually quiet that afternoon.

Golden rays of sunlight filtered through the tall windows, casting long shadows across the rows of bookshelves. Only a handful of students occupied the study area, their voices barely rising above whispers.

Eric led Lucas to a private study room he had reserved earlier that morning.

"This should be fine," he said, setting the project folder on the table.

Lucas looked around before pulling out a chair.

"You really planned ahead."

Eric gave a small shrug as he sat opposite him.

"I don't like wasting time."

Lucas laughed softly.

"I noticed."

Eric looked up, surprised by the sound.

It was the first time he'd heard Lucas laugh without forcing it. For a brief second, he simply watched him. Lucas cleared his throat awkwardly.

"W-What?"

Eric blinked and looked away.

"Nothing."

An uncomfortable silence settled between them. Lucas quickly opened the project folder to distract himself.

"So... where do we start?"

Eric slid several printed pages across the table.

"I made a rough proposal last night. You can tell me if anything needs changing."

Lucas's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"You did all this by yourself?"

"I couldn't sleep."

Lucas smiled faintly.

"So you worked instead?"

"It seemed more productive."

Lucas shook his head with a quiet chuckle.

"I would've just stared at the ceiling."

"That's what I did first."

The unexpected answer caught Lucas off guard. He laughed. A real laugh this time. Eric found himself smiling too.

The awkwardness that had surrounded them for the past few days slowly began to disappear.

For nearly an hour, they discussed ideas for the festival booth. Lucas suggested changing the layout to make it more interactive.

Eric immediately agreed.

“That's better."

"You don't mind changing your original idea?"

Eric looked genuinely confused.

"If yours is better, why wouldn't I?"

Lucas blinked. He had expected at least a little resistance. Instead, Eric accepted his suggestion without hesitation.

"You..." Lucas hesitated before smiling. "You're not what I expected."

Eric leaned back in his chair.

"What were you expecting?"

Lucas rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I don't know..."

"Someone... difficult."

Eric laughed quietly.

"So you've been judging me this whole time?"

Lucas's ears immediately turned red.

"I didn't mean it like that!"

Eric couldn't help smiling.

"I'm joking."

Lucas stared at him.

"...You joke?

"I know."

Eric sighed dramatically.

"It's shocking."

Lucas laughed again.

"I honestly didn't think you knew how."

"I'm starting to wonder what kind of image you had of me."

"The perfect student council vice president."

"The basketball captain."

"The campus heartthrob."

"The guy everyone thinks is perfect."

Eric's smile gradually faded.

"...Perfect."

He repeated the word as though it didn't belong to him.

Lucas noticed the subtle change in his expression.

"...Did I say something wrong?"

Eric was silent for a few moments before closing the folder.

"My father likes that word."

Lucas waited quietly.

"He believes second place is the same as failure."

Eric's voice remained calm, but there was a tiredness behind it that Lucas hadn't heard before.

"So growing up..."

"I learned not to make mistakes."

Lucas looked at him in surprise.

"You mean..."

Eric smiled faintly.

"Basketball. Student council. Good Grades. I didn't choose most of them."

"I just kept doing what was expected."

For the first time, Lucas didn't see the famous Eric Carter. He saw an eighteen-year-old boy carrying expectations that seemed far too heavy for one person.

"...That sounds exhausting," Lucas said honestly.

Eric looked at him.

"It is."

The room fell quiet again, but this silence felt different. It wasn't awkward. It was understanding.

After a moment, Eric smiled.

"What about you?"

Lucas looked down at the notebook in front of him.

"I've never really dreamed that big."

"What do you mean?"

He traced the edge of the paper with his finger before answering.

"I just wanted a normal life."

He smiled, though there was sadness behind it.

"Graduate. Find a stable job. Maybe have a family one day. Nothing special."

Eric watched him quietly. For someone else, those dreams might have sounded ordinary.

To Lucas...They were everything.

Without realizing it, Eric found himself thinking,

If that's all he wants... then I want to protect it.

The thought startled him. He quickly looked away before Lucas could notice anything unusual.

"Should we finish the poster design?" Eric asked.

Lucas smiled.

"Yeah."

Neither of them realized that somewhere between discussing the festival and sharing pieces of their lives… They had stopped feeling like strangers.

By the time they finished discussing the project, the sun had begun to dip lower in the sky.

Golden light spilled through the library windows, bathing the room in a warm glow.

Lucas stretched his arms above his head and sighed.

"I didn't realize we'd been here for so long."

Eric glanced at his watch.

"Almost three hours."

Lucas's eyes widened.

"Seriously?"

Eric nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"You lose track of time when you're focused."

Lucas chuckled.

"I guess so."

He gathered the scattered papers into a neat pile while Eric packed away the reference books.

"I'll return these," Eric said.

"You don't have to."

"I borrowed them."

Lucas smiled.

"Fair enough."

Together, they left the study room and headed toward the history section to put the books back.

The upper shelves towered over them, packed with thick volumes that hadn't been touched in years.

Lucas scanned the labels.

"I think this one goes up there."

He pointed to the highest shelf.

Eric reached for it but paused.

"Can you see the number?"

Lucas stepped closer.

"I think it's..."

He frowned.

"...Still too high."

"I'll get it."

Lucas spotted a small rolling ladder nearby. Before Eric could stop him, he wheeled it over and climbed two steps.

"I've got it."

Eric instinctively moved closer.

"Be careful."

Lucas laughed.

"It's only a ladder."

He stretched onto his toes, trying to slide the heavy book into place.

"It's just a little..."

Further.

His fingertips barely reached the shelf.

"I almost—"

The ladder shifted.

Lucas's eyes widened.

"Oh!"

His foot slipped.

Everything happened in an instant.

The ladder tilted sideways.

The thick book slid from his hands.

Before he could hit the floor, a strong arm wrapped firmly around his waist.

Another hand caught his wrist.

The falling book landed with a loud thud.

Silence filled the aisle.

Lucas blinked.

He wasn't falling anymore.

He was standing—

No.

He was being held.

His back rested securely against Eric's arm.

One hand had instinctively grabbed the front of Eric's shirt, crumpling the white fabric beneath trembling fingers.

For several long seconds...

Neither of them moved.

Lucas slowly lifted his head.

Eric was much closer than he'd ever been before.

Close enough to see the tiny flecks of silver hidden inside those blue eyes.

Close enough to notice the loose strand of black hair that had fallen across his forehead.

Close enough to hear the steady rhythm of his breathing.

"...Are you okay?"

Eric's voice was unusually soft.

Lucas opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

He could only nod.

Eric didn't let go immediately.

He wanted to make sure Lucas had regained his balance.

Only when Lucas was standing firmly did he slowly remove his arm.

"You really should be more careful," he said with a small smile.

Lucas looked away, his cheeks burning.

"I know."

His voice came out embarrassingly quiet.

"...Thank you."

Eric chuckled.

"I couldn't exactly let my partner fall."

Partner.

The word made Lucas's heartbeat stumble.

He wasn't sure why.

Maybe it was the way Eric had said it.

Or maybe...

It was because, for the first time in days, Eric hadn't looked at him like an Alpha staring at an Omega.

He had simply looked...

Concerned.

Before either of them could say another word, a familiar voice interrupted them.

"There you are!"

Both boys turned at the same time.

Sophia stood at the end of the aisle, holding a stack of colored paper against her chest.

"I've been looking everywhere for you two."

She took a few steps forward before stopping.

Her eyes dropped to the distance between them.

Lucas was still standing incredibly close to Eric.

The front of Eric's shirt was wrinkled where Lucas had grabbed it.

For a brief moment, Sophia's smile faltered.

"You interrupted something?"

Lucas's face turned scarlet.

"N-No!"

He immediately stepped backward.

"I almost fell off the ladder."

Sophia looked at the tilted ladder and the book lying on the floor.

Understanding crossed her face.

"Oh..."

Eric bent down, picked up the fallen book, and placed it back on the cart.

"He lost his balance."

Sophia smiled again.

"I'm glad you caught him."

Lucas rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"So am I."

For some reason, saying those words aloud made him even more embarrassed.

Sophia watched the two boys exchange an awkward glance before looking away at the exact same moment.

A small smile tugged at her lips.

They really had become comfortable around each other.

It was... nice to see.

Yet as the three of them walked out of the library together, she couldn't ignore the strange feeling lingering in her chest.

She still couldn't name it.

But for the first time...

She wondered if something had quietly begun to change between Lucas and Eric.

The evening air was cool as Lucas stepped out of the convenience store, a small paper bag hanging from his hand. He had barely touched the instant noodles and bottled water he'd bought. His appetite had disappeared somewhere between the anonymous threats, Eric's unexpected concern, and the growing realization that his life was no longer under his control. The street outside his apartment was unusually quiet.

A few pedestrians hurried past, their footsteps fading into the distance. Lucas adjusted the strap of his backpack and started walking. Something felt..Wrong. He frowned.

The strange feeling from earlier returned, crawling across the back of his neck. Someone was watching him. He slowed his pace. The footsteps behind him slowed too. Lucas stopped. The footsteps stopped. His pulse quickened.

"It's just your imagination," he muttered under his breath. He continued walking.Again. Footsteps. Slow. Measured. Keeping the same distance. Lucas gripped the paper bag tighter.

This time he suddenly turned around. The street was almost empty. An elderly couple walked on the opposite sidewalk.

A delivery rider sped past. No one looked suspicious. Lucas let out a shaky breath. Maybe he really was imagining things.

He turned back—

—and nearly crashed into someone. A hand caught his shoulder before he lost his balance.

"Careful."

Lucas looked up.

Eric.

His heart nearly stopped.

"W-What are you doing here?"

Eric didn't answer immediately. His sharp blue eyes swept across the street before returning to Lucas.

"You're being followed."

Lucas froze.

"...What?"

"I've seen the same person twice since you left campus."

Lucas instinctively looked behind him again.

"I don't see anyone."

"You weren't supposed to."

Eric's voice remained calm, but Lucas noticed how tense his shoulders were. His gaze never stopped scanning the surroundings.

"You should go home."

Lucas stared at him.

"You followed me?"

Eric hesitated.

"...Yes."

Lucas blinked.

"You... followed me all the way here?"

"I wanted to make sure you got home safely."

The answer caught Lucas completely off guard. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The famous Eric Carter. The campus heartthrob...

Had spent the evening following him just to make sure he was safe?

Lucas didn't know what to say.

"You didn't have to do that."

"I know."

"Then why?"

Eric looked away.

"I couldn't stop thinking about what happened yesterday."

The honesty in his voice left Lucas speechless.

Before he could respond—

A loud engine roared from the far end of the street.

Headlights swung around the corner.

A black SUV accelerated toward them far too quickly.

Eric's expression changed instantly.

"Lucas!"

Without thinking, he grabbed Lucas's wrist and yanked him backward.

The SUV mounted the curb.

Its tires screeched violently against the pavement as it sped through the exact spot where Lucas had been standing seconds earlier.

The paper bag flew from Lucas's hand.

Instant noodles scattered across the road.

The SUV didn't stop.

It disappeared into the night. Lucas's entire body trembled.

"...That..."

His voice barely came out.

"...That car..."

Eric kept one arm protectively in front of him. His jaw was tight.

"That wasn't an accident."

Lucas stared at him.

"What do you mean?"

Eric slowly bent down and picked something up from the ground.

A folded piece of paper. It hadn't been there before.

Someone had thrown it from the SUV. Eric unfolded it.

His expression darkened. Lucas swallowed.

"What is it?"

Eric didn't answer.

He simply handed the note over. Lucas looked down.

Only five words were written in neat black ink.

“We found the real Omega”

Lucas's blood ran cold.

Before either of them could speak again—

A phone vibrated.

It wasn't Lucas's. It was Eric's.

The screen lit up with a message from an unknown number.

> Stay away from him, Eric Carter.

Or you'll die with him.

Eric's grip on the phone tightened.

When he looked up, his eyes me