An Omega with a complicated past who pretends to be an Alpha — “From the Bite Mark, My First Love” by Arinco（ありんこ）

I’d like to introduce “Kamiato kara, Hatsukoi” (BBC DELUXE / Be-Boy Comics Deluxe), published by Libre!

The following is quoted from the back cover. Please note that the impressions and review do touch on the story’s content!! If you just want a quick grasp of the plot, I’d be happy if you read only the red text and highlighted sections.

“Mark me… leave lots of proof… that I belong to you” …—————

In the past, he was assaulted, and after having his neck bitten by an α (alpha) whose face he never even saw, he was forced into becoming a bonded pair—Ω (omega) Rika.

Because of that, he can’t even have a lover—yet his body still aches during heat…

Rika manages to get through his everyday university life by cursing his omega nature and desperately pretending to be an alpha.

However, one day, when Rika is nearly attacked due to an unexpected heat, a transfer student—the alpha, Kazuha—appears before him. Carrying a scent that feels strangely familiar, he confesses that “I’m your destined partner”—?!

From “Kamiato kara, Hatsukoi” (BBC DELUXE), published by Libre

The commemorative first-ever comic by Arinco-sensei!!

For those who may not be very familiar with the Omegaverse setting, I’ve quoted and organized the explanation found at the beginning of the comic into a table. If you’re already familiar with it, feel free to skip this part (^^)

“Omegaverse” is a setting in which gender is further divided into three secondary classifications: “Alpha,” “Beta,” and “Omega”. It depicts a world where humanity is said to have evolved in response to a drastic population decline brought on by falling birth rates. As it is a world where even men can become pregnant, a wide variety of stories have emerged, expanding perspectives in ways never seen before.

Now then, the work being introduced this time—set in such a world—is Arinco-sensei’s commemorative first-ever comic! Captivated from the very start by the striking cover art, drawn in by the way the eyes are depicted, and pulled into the deep Omegaverse setting that I myself only knew a little about at the time… was there any way I *wouldn’t* fall for it? Of course not (a sudden rhetorical question).

The protagonist, Ω Rika-kun, who is desperately getting through his university life by “pretending to be an alpha”, is a serious, hardworking student enrolled in the faculty of law. Because he presents himself to those around him as an alpha, he puts great effort into excelling both academically and in his everyday life. However, he carries a painful past—having been assaulted during his time at a private middle school. Due to that trauma, he lives in constant self-defense, desperately telling himself that “I must never be found out as an omega”. It’s so heartbreaking that I honestly wanted to look away from the page during these scenes… (＞＜)

The transfer student turns out to be the alpha whose face he never knew?!

Rika-kun does not know who the person was who bit his nape. After the assault, they were forcibly separated, leaving him unable to know what kind of person he had been bonded with. Because a bond cannot be undone, from that moment on he was forced to endure his heat cycles completely alone. It’s just too heartbreaking… The pain, the suffering, and the emotions come through so vividly that reading these scenes was incredibly painful and sad.

Then one day, Rika-kun suddenly begins to show symptoms of heat while out in the city and is nearly attacked by those around him—only to be saved. The one who comes to his rescue is Kazuha-kun, an alpha, who later transfers into the same university. With his good looks and sharp mind, Kazuha-kun is so popular that he perfectly embodies the classic traits of an alpha, to the point where people around him can’t help but gossip. Yet, he isn’t someone who looks down on others—in fact, he’s genuinely kind. Still, for Rika-kun, having a stranger whose face he doesn’t even recognize suddenly appear before him and say “we’re bonded” leaves him with nothing but confusion. When Kazuha-kun asks to simply stay by his side, Rika-kun hesitates—but as they slowly begin spending time together, Kazuha’s presence gradually grows larger and more important to him.

Rika-kun’s emotional generosity and warm-hearted kindness are enough to bring you to tears…!!

As the source of the painful trauma the two once encountered comes back into the story, and as the ways their friends interact with them begin to change, this becomes such a wonderful work that it’s impossible to stop the tears from flowing. Please be sure to read it for yourself (^^) Highly recommended both for those who love the Omegaverse setting and for those experiencing it for the first time!!