Why Is This Omega Stalking Me…?

Chapter 73

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The sun had already begun to set, painting the sky in fading hues of gold and amber, yet Shen Yu still had not confessed his feelings. Time seemed to drift quietly around them, unnoticed, as they remained seated in the omega café long after Jiang Li’s confession. Their conversation had slowed, eventually dissolving into silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was heavy, filled with unspoken thoughts, their gazes meeting and lingering before slipping away again.

They had spent what felt like hours like that—talking, stopping, staring, thinking.

At some point, noticing Shen Yu’s struggle to return to the topic, Jiang Li had softly brought up Beanie, his voice gentle, almost careful. The shift in conversation gave Shen Yu something to hold onto, something easier to respond to, and so they spoke about lighter things for a while. About small, meaningless details. About anything except the one thing that mattered most.

Eventually, the café began to empty, and the quiet around them deepened.

After what felt like far too long, they both stood and decided to leave.

Outside, the night had already settled in.

Jiang Li found himself staring up at Shen Yu silently as they walked. Under the dim glow of the streetlights, Shen Yu looked even taller, even more composed, his presence steady in a way that made Jiang Li feel both safe and painfully aware of himself. There were moments when just looking at him made Jiang Li’s chest ache, as if his heart were being pulled apart piece by piece.

Shen Yu was too beautiful.

Too distant.

Too much.

The moonlight shone softly over their silhouettes, casting pale silver light along the quiet street. The wind was cold, sharp enough to bite through layers of clothing, and Jiang Li instinctively leaned slightly closer, his body craving warmth. There was an overwhelming urge to bury himself against Shen Yu, to press close and hold onto him, knowing that no matter how cold the world felt, Shen Yu would always be warm.

That thought alone made his chest tighten.

As they walked side by side, Jiang Li slowly moved his hand closer, his fingers inching toward Shen Yu’s. His heartbeat quickened with every small movement, anticipation and fear tangling together inside him.

But just as his hand almost brushed against Shen Yu’s—

He pulled it back.

Quickly.

As if burned by his own thoughts.

He turned his head to the side, avoiding looking at Shen Yu, his expression tightening slightly. It felt foolish. Too bold. Too much.

But then—

Warmth.

Before he could process it, his hand was suddenly enveloped by a larger, warmer one.

Shen Yu.

The contact sent a quiet shock through Jiang Li’s entire body, warmth spreading rapidly through him as if chasing away the cold air itself. He froze for a second before slowly looking up, his eyes meeting Shen Yu’s.

At the same time, Shen Yu was already looking down at him.

And for a moment, everything stilled.

They simply stared at each other.

Jiang Li felt himself being pulled in, sinking deeper into those dark eyes that seemed endless, their depth almost overwhelming. The longer he looked, the harder it became to breathe. His knees felt weak, his heartbeat uneven, his thoughts dissolving into nothing but feeling.

At the same time, Shen Yu found himself just as lost.

Those honey-brown eyes held something soft, something luminous, as though they had stolen light from the moon itself. There was an innocence in them, something unguarded, and it struck Shen Yu harder than he expected. His breath faltered, his chest tightening in a way he couldn’t ignore.

There are some things you don’t realize are happening—not until they’ve already taken root, not until they’ve grown into something too large to overlook.

That was exactly what this was.

His feelings for Jiang Li.

They had come quietly, unnoticed at first, slipping into the spaces he had long since closed off. And now, standing here, holding Jiang Li’s hand, they felt overwhelming. Too strong. Too undeniable.

He wanted to say it.

He wanted to tell him everything.

Over and over again.

He wanted to tell him how much he loved him... how he didn’t even understand when it had started, only that it had.

That it was real.

That it had always been real.

Shen Yu exhaled shakily, the breath unsteady, before tightening his hold and bringing both of Jiang Li’s hands into his own. Slowly, he leaned forward, lowering his head toward Jiang Li’s neck, seeking something grounding in the closeness.

"Shen Yu... you don’t have to pity me..." Jiang Li muttered softly, his breath hitching as he felt the warmth of Shen Yu resting against him.

Shen Yu’s hands tightened unconsciously around Jiang Li’s, his eyes closing as he inhaled deeply. The soft winter scent mixed with the delicate sweetness of roses flooded his senses, traveling straight to his mind and making his chest feel unbearably tight.

"I’m not..." he murmured.

His hands released Jiang Li’s only to wrap around his waist instead, pulling him closer, holding him as if he might disappear.

And then—

For a brief, fleeting moment—

It felt like his entire life passed behind his closed eyes.

Memories came in fragments, not sharp but heavy. The loneliness he had carried for years. The emptiness that had followed him, quiet and constant. The way he had chosen to close himself off, to build walls so high that nothing could reach him anymore.

So he wouldn’t feel that pain again.

So nothing could touch him.

Everything had stopped making sense a long time ago.

And slowly, without even realizing it, he had learned to live in that darkness.

But then—

Something changed.

At first, it was barely noticeable.

Just a flicker.

A shift.

A presence.

He remembered the first time he noticed Jiang Li—the strange omega who followed him around like a shadow, who irritated him, confused him, and yet somehow stayed. There had been annoyance, yes. Frustration.

But there had also been something else.

Curiosity.

Amusement.

Something warm.

And slowly, without him realizing it, that darkness had begun to change.

Color seeped in.

Faint at first.

Then stronger.

Red.

Green.

Blue.

His world, once dull and empty, had begun to fill again.

Shen Yu let out a quiet, breathless chuckle, his hold tightening slightly.

He stayed like that for what felt like a long time—long enough for Jiang Li to begin worrying.

"Shen... Yu... are you okay...?" Jiang Li asked softly, trying to tilt his head up, but Shen Yu’s hold was too firm, too close.

"I just realized..." Shen Yu said quietly.

There was a pause.

"...I’ve been walking home alone for thirty-one years."

Slowly, he lifted his head and looked down at Jiang Li.

Jiang Li froze.

His breath caught instantly.

Shen Yu’s eyes—

They weren’t dark anymore.

They shimmered with a deep, unfamiliar purple.

"Why...?" Jiang Li whispered under his breath, startled.

Was he in rut?

The thought came suddenly, and Jiang Li instinctively focused on Shen Yu’s pheromones, trying to understand what was happening. But there was no overwhelming heat, no sharp intensity of arousal. Instead, there was only that familiar scent—warm whiskey and rosewood—blended with the cool, soft notes of Jiang Li’s own pheromones.

Warm and cold.

Intertwining.

The combination was intoxicating.

It made Jiang Li’s breath hitch as he glanced around quickly, half-worried that others might feel it too.

"Jiang Li..." Shen Yu called softly.

Jiang Li looked up again, immediately caught in those glowing purple eyes.

He looked unreal.

Almost ethereal.

Too beautiful.

"I don’t want to anymore," Shen Yu said quietly.

"How can anyone else see—"

The words caught in Jiang Li’s throat before he could finish them. His eyes widened, his shoulders trembling slightly as realization—and doubt—crashed into him all at once.

Was he misunderstanding?

Was he overthinking?

Was this just his imagination?

But the way Shen Yu was looking at him now—

As if he was the only thing in the world worth looking at—

It made his heart race so violently he was sure Shen Yu could hear it.

"...Does that mean...?" Jiang Li asked, his voice shaking as he clutched onto Shen Yu’s coat, his gaze fixed on him.

"Does that mean... you want to walk with someone, Shen Yu...?" he whispered.

Shen Yu smiled softly.

And then, without warning, he guided Jiang Li backward into a quiet alleyway and kissed him.

Deeply.

Jiang Li gasped, his arms instinctively wrapping around Shen Yu’s neck as he responded, his entire body melting into the kiss. His knees weakened, his strength slipping, but Shen Yu’s steady hold kept him upright, grounding him.

The kiss lingered, intense and consuming, before Shen Yu finally pulled back.

He rested his head against Jiang Li’s neck, his breath uneven as he bit down on his lower lip hard enough to draw blood, forcing the words out.

Not because he didn’t mean them—

But because they meant too much.

"...It means I like you, Jiang Li."