Several days later, a class discussion covered theories about soul reincarnation and body swapping. The topic left Baitang deep in thought. Could something similar have happened to Yunshu? He searched extensively for examples of soul transfers, but found nothing that could explain the dramatic change he had witnessed. Was it really possible that someone had fallen from another world to save him?
Later, Yunshu came to have lunch with him. As they ate together, Baitang struggled to figure out how to ask whether he was truly a time traveler, or someone who had taken over Jang Yunsu's body. Noticing his poor appetite, Yunshu asked if he was feeling unwell. To avoid the subject, Baitang thanked him for helping him during his heat cycle. Although Yunshu replied that it was simply his responsibility as an alpha, both of them ended up feeling embarrassed.
Afterward, Yunshu couldn't stop thinking about Baitang's increasingly strange behavior. First there had been the mango incident. Then the sleeping pills. Whatever the omega was planning next, Yunshu wanted to know.
Unfortunately, he had more urgent matters to focus on, including preparing for his medical graduate school entrance exam. Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded through his head. His pheromones became unstable and an overwhelming instinct surged through his body. His rut had begun.
Terrified of hurting the omega sleeping nearby, he immediately contacted Professor Shu and asked him to take care of Baitang until the sensitive period passed. Fortunately, the professor agreed to pick him up right away. Meanwhile, Yunshu kept injecting himself with suppressants in an attempt to control the symptoms.
In his own room, Baitang feared that the alpha would demand he fulfill his duties as an omega. Instead, when Yunshu called him, he simply told him to lock his door and stay inside until Professor Shu arrived.
Even so, Yunshu was fighting a fierce internal battle. His instincts urged him to claim the vulnerable omega and make him submit. Horrified by those thoughts, Yunshu repeatedly struck his own head, desperately trying to regain control.
Baitang, meanwhile, saw this as an opportunity. If Yunshu truly possessed another soul, this situation would reveal it. If he was wrong, however, the consequences could be devastating. Despite the risk, he decided this was the only chance to test his theory.
Ignoring Yunshu's warning, Baitang entered the alpha's room and deliberately released his pheromones. By then it was already too late. The sweet scent and powerful instincts drove Yunshu to lose control for a moment, and he lunged toward him. Baitang immediately realized he had made a terrible mistake.
As he cried and pleaded, repeatedly calling Yunshu's name, Yunshu suddenly stopped himself. Everything they had slowly built between them was now in danger of being destroyed by his instincts. To force himself back to his senses, Yunshu hurt himself and desperately ordered Baitang to leave.
Through his tears, Baitang finally became certain of one thing. This man was not the original Jang Yunsu. The old Yunsu would never have resisted his instincts like that.
Soon, Professor Shu and the others arrived to pick him up. The most affected was Kim Shon, who was visibly disgusted by the lingering scent of an alpha in rut. Baitang left the house with Hongtang, because of course he took his beloved companion everywhere. Before they departed, Professor Shu placed a patch over Baitang's scent glands.
At that moment, a particularly awful alpha appeared nearby with his omega. The omega was being led around on a leash like an animal while begging at the alpha's feet. As if that wasn't enough, the alpha kicked his partner after smelling another alpha's pheromones nearby. Then, intentionally trying to provoke the omegas around him, he released his own pheromones.
Unfortunately for him, Kim Shon wasn't about to tolerate that behavior. He immediately grabbed the alpha by the collar and very firmly suggested that he leave with his pheromones at once. The coward fled as quickly as he could.
When Baitang tried to help the abused omega, the omega harshly pushed him away and told them to leave him alone. As he walked away beside his alpha, Baitang realized a painful truth. Not every omega could be saved.
Back at home, the pheromones Yunshu had released were finally fading. He felt lonely, especially because they had even taken Hongtang with them. He called Dr. Lin to explain that his rut had started and that he needed some advice. Dr. Lin initially assumed Yunshu was asking for emotional support. Instead, Yunshu wanted to know how he could relieve the symptoms and continue his daily responsibilities. The man wasn't even considering taking a proper rest.
Changing the subject, Yunshu admitted that Baitang had probably discovered the truth. Even so, he still wasn't ready to tell him who he really was.
Meanwhile, at Professor Shu's house, Kim Shon was sulking because he would have to sleep alone that night. Although Baitang felt guilty about the situation, Professor Shu privately considered it a welcome break from his overly clingy husband.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, the professor asked Baitang if anything was troubling him. After some hesitation, Baitang finally asked whether he believed in soul exchanges or time travel. Professor Shu admitted that Yunshu's behavior was certainly strange and had raised a few suspicions. However, as someone who believed strongly in science and materialism, he found such ideas difficult to accept. Since he didn't know Yunshu well enough to judge his character, he could only offer an objective perspective. In the end, he told Baitang that only he could decide who Yunshu truly was. Or, if he wanted a definitive answer, he could simply ask Yunshu directly.
Determined that he could no longer live with a complete stranger, Baitang decided it was finally time to uncover the true identity of the alpha. A few days later, he returned home carrying a hidden fork for self-defense, just in case.
The moment he stepped inside, he confronted him directly. Without hesitation, he declared that he knew he was not the real Jang Yunsu. The original Yunsu would never have hurt himself to protect someone else.
When the alpha calmly admitted that he was not the cockroach Yunsu, everything suddenly made sense. The man who had sold the handcuffs, donated money to the omega academy, cooked healthy meals, given him a pet and encouraged him to return to school had never been the original Yunsu.