RL Chapter 32

Chapter 32 – Stark Contrast

Resonance 4, Part 1

Novel Title: 共鳴劣情 オメガバース (Resonance Lust: Omegaverse)

Author：岩本薫 (Iwamoto Kaoru)

Illustrator: 蓮川愛 (Hasukawa Ai)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 本浄天音 (Honjou Amane) & 苅谷煌騎 (Kariya Kouki) / 首藤煌騎 (Shutou Kouki)

*Please read at knoxt.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

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For the rest of the week, Amane and Kouki were dispatched to tackle an organised crime case handled by the Third Squad of the Criminal Investigation Department, leaving them with no time to follow up on Aya’s case before Sunday arrived.

“But if I can successfully make contact with Kourogi at tonight’s party, I can make up for it.”

As Amane muttered to himself, he dressed in the tuxedo—picked up from ‘Tailor Mizutani’ by Kouki and brought to the station. It felt a bit embarrassing, like wearing a silly costume. 

Just as he was wrapping a cummerbund around the waist of his wing-collared shirt, there was a knock at the door. Judging by the timing, it was probably the ‘ride’.

Predicting this, Amane left the bathroom mirror, crossed the living room, and headed to the entrance. When he opened the door, sure enough, there stood Kouki, dressed in black formalwear.

“Good evening.”

“…!”

Amane instinctively gasped. Kouki’s outfit wasn’t what he had expected.

At the collar of his pearl-studded shirt was a white bow tie, and under his coat, he wore a white, collared vest made from the same cotton material as the tie. His double-breasted black tailcoat featured a white handkerchief tucked into the chest pocket, and the sides of his trousers were trimmed with two stripes. On his feet were black patent opera pumps, and the white gloves he held in one hand appeared to be leather.

Amane had assumed Kouki would come in the same tuxedo as him, but what he was wearing was a tailcoat.

Amane knew that this was the highest level of formalwear. Perhaps, for this party hosted by the Shutou family, the host family was required to wear tailcoats.

In keeping with his outfit, Kouki’s hair—normally brushed down over his forehead—was slicked back tonight. With his well-shaped hairline and prominent forehead now exposed, the bridge of his nose appeared even more defined, emphasising his noble beauty.

Was it also the effect of his hair being slicked back? Beneath his sharp brows, his bluish-grey eyes shone with a mysterious light.

“……”

For a few seconds, Amane was entranced by his partner, who was radiating an aura of celebrity five times more intense than usual. He soon snapped out of it and averted his gaze from the man standing before him.

“Come in.”

He turned away brusquely. As always, Kouki politely said, “Pardon my intrusion,” and stepped inside.

Amane caught a glimpse of Kouki’s moving tailcoat from the corner of his eye.

His outfit, composed purely of black and white with no other colours, was devoid of decorations apart from the buttons and handkerchief. Because of this, the essence of the person wearing it—his true nature—was laid bare. In that sense, Kouki, for whom parties were a daily occurrence, was flawless. His demeanour was smart. It was like he completely owned the tailcoat.

“I’ll be ready soon, so wait on the sofa.”

“Sure.”

Returning to the bathroom, Amane stood in front of the mirror, feeling disheartened by the stark contrast between him and Kouki.

Kouki was wearing the highest level of formal attire with ease. And then there was himself.

When Amane had seen his reflection in the tuxedo in the tailor’s fitting room mirror, he had thought he looked like someone with a decent upbringing—sort of.

But after seeing the ‘real thing’, he realised it was a ridiculous delusion.

No matter how he dressed up in an expensive tuxedo, his lack of substance was obvious. At best, he was a counterfeit. Just an imitation. A junk. The difference between him and a true celebrity was unmistakable. Even if he took off his piercings, there was no hiding the empty holes.

He had thought he understood that much. But after hearing Mizutani, the tailor, flatter him by saying, “Few people even in Alpha society wear formals this well,” he had apparently let it go to his head, and that made him angry with himself.

Kouki might be an Alpha, but as Amane’s junior, he humbly defers to him. And because Kouki keeps pestering him with comments like, “We are ‘soulmates’, destined to be together,” it throws Amane off balance and leads to these misunderstandings. 

There’s no way a top Alpha and a Stray Omega are on the same level.

If he sneaks into an Alpha’s party in such a makeshift costume, he’ll only stand out for the wrong reasons.

But still, there was no other choice.

(If I want to get close to Kourogi, I have no choice but to do this…)

With reluctance, Amane begrudgingly began tying the bow tie. But no matter how many times he tried, the bow ended up crooked or misshaped. He hadn’t even tied a regular necktie since his days on the beat, which was nearly seven years ago.

Tying and untying it over and over again, Amane began to get frustrated.

It was probably because he had quit smoking for the entire day, concerned that the smell would cling to his clothes. The more he became aware of his nicotine withdrawal, the more agitated he became.

“Damn it!”

“Honjou-san… shall I help you?”

Perhaps Kouki had gotten tired of waiting, or maybe he couldn’t bear watching Amane struggle any longer. From the half-open door, Kouki offered his assistance.

Amane wanted to snap back, ‘Leave me alone!’ but considering there wasn’t much time left before the party started, he realised now wasn’t the time to be stubborn.

“…Please.”

There was a brief silence, as if Kouki was surprised by Amane’s straightforward response. Soon after, Kouki opened the door and entered the bathroom. Amane, turning to face him, wordlessly handed over the bow tie.

Kouki began tying it around Amane’s neck, carefully ensuring his hands didn’t make direct contact with his skin. Amane could tell that Kouki was being mindful of the fact that he was still in the middle of his heat. Amane, too, made a conscious effort to stay still.

However, being in such a small space and standing so close, Amane couldn’t help but catch Kouki’s scent. A faint, sweet fragrance…

Was it Kouki’s cologne?

As Amane tried to figure it out, the sweet smell began to cling to him, and a shiver ran down his neck.

(This is bad! It’s Alpha’s pheromones!)

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*Translator’s Note: I understand how Honjou-san feels but at the same time, I think he should reconsider his self-worth. Just because he is a Stray Omega, doesn’t mean that he doesn’t deserve all the good things. He also deserves to be loved. No matter who it is. If a top Alpha loves him, then so what? He deserves that too! -K

Next update: 2025.02.02

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