It was an afternoon on a particularly crowded street. Countless people brushed past each other's shoulders, and the noise from shops mixed with the honking of cars in a chaotic din. Through the crowd, a boy was walking at a brisk pace.

A dark hood covered more than half of his face. It was pulled down so low that his eyes were barely visible if he tilted his head just a little. His clothing was ordinary to avoid standing out as much as possible, but he walked while keeping an unusual distance from those around him.

He had a reason for this.

Omegas were extremely rare in this world. Most people would go their entire lives without meeting one, and among them, Omegas with certain characteristics were so rare they barely existed even in records.

Toya was the rarest of them all.

His pheromones were different from a typical Omega's. Even a tiny trace was enough for a sensitive Alpha to notice something was off, and they didn't disappear completely even with suppressants. That was why Toya always walked around with his hood pulled deep.

He was used to living by hiding his face, avoiding eye contact, and being careful not to bump into anyone.

That day was no different.

Toya turned toward an alleyway, looking for a path with fewer people. But at that very moment, he couldn't avoid someone coming out of the other side at a fast pace and collided with them head-on.

Thump.

The impact pushed Toya's body back. At the same time, the hood he had been wearing so deeply slipped off.

His hidden face was exposed. Toya froze instantly. He moved his hand to quickly pull the hood back up, but it was already too late.

The person he bumped into took a step back and dusted off his clothes.

The man's gaze, narrowed in a brief frown, slowly traveled up from the ground.

"Damn it..."