MIM 7

Shin-woo gave Gong Ji-un a quick once-over and then indifferently looked away. Perhaps due to the bandages plastered all over his cheeks and mouth from recent events, or because of the exceptionally delicate-looking Gong Ji-un beside him, today Shin-woo looked unusually like a delinquent.

Although he had taken the beating willingly,  with his face in that state, he was probably still angry inside. Jae-seung returned the drink to Shin-woo. He couldn’t drink something that the guy might have spit in.

“I don’t need this. I’m going to get coffee anyway.”

“Hello, I’m Gong Ji-un, Jae-seung’s friend.”

Gong Ji-un slightly nodded and extended his hand. Shin-woo, who happened to be holding drinks in both hands including the one Jae-seung just returned, only blinked in response. He showed no sign of apology even as he refused the handshake.

Friend. Meanwhile, Jae-seung was taken aback by the word Gong Ji-un had used. They had only exchanged a few words, yet they became friends. Gong Ji-un approached without prejudice, spoke normally, and didn’t run away even after seeing Shin-woo. Far from running away…

“I know who you are. You’re Jae-seung’s bodyguard, right?”

It was rare to see such boldness. As Gong Ji-un treated Shin-woo so casually, Shin-woo’s usually heavy presence felt relatively lighter even to Jae-seung. Pleased, Jae-seung turned around with a slight laugh, and Shin-woo forced a smile. He didn’t deny it and silently observed with roving eyes.

Gong Ji-un went a step further, furrowing his brows as if perplexed, and put his hand on Jae-seung’s shoulder.

“Why don’t you go to the cafe with us and wait nearby? I’m fine with it. I’m used to kids bringing bodyguards to this school.”

“Used to it.” The implication—that Jae-seung wasn’t so different from everyone else—left a deep impression. Jae-seung wiped the sweat from the bridge of his nose with the back of his hand and gulped. His face felt hot against his hand. His chest was also warm, as if the sunlight had heated him to the core. Suppressing his excitement, he nodded, and Gong Ji-un smiled back brightly.

Shin-woo threw away the two drinks in the trash can and followed. Jae-seung could feel Shin-woo’s gaze prickling against the back of his head, but he didn’t turn around.

The more he got to know Gong Ji-un, the more he liked him. With his bubbly curly hair and very sociable personality to match, he chatted about various topics to keep the conversation flowing without a pause. From recent labor issues to clubs worth joining, upcoming school events, and even the brand of clothes Jae-seung was wearing, he had an excellent ability to lead casual conversations.

How long had it been since he had talked like this? Jae-seung checked the time with a sense of regret and glanced at the next table. Shin-woo was looking at his laptop. As always, even at the mansion, he was constantly busy.

Not giving even a moment for sidelong glances, Gong Ji-un asked,

“You said you were only homeschooled, right? Is school fun?”

“Ah, well. It’s okay.”

“Do you have a lover?”

Lover? Is this guy mocking me? Jae-seung shook his head with a blank expression.

“No. You?”

“I don’t have a lover, but I have a partner.”

“…What’s the difference?”

“We just sleep together. During rut, we’re together all day.”

You know how it is. Gong Ji-un whispered with a wink.

He seemed to want sympathy about rut talk, but for Jae-seung, it was only a painful memory, so he couldn’t even force a smile. Moreover, he didn’t want a partner just for physical intimacy. Jae-seung pouted and unnecessarily stirred his straw. Gong Ji-un grinned at the sound of ice clinking.

“Why don’t you date? Not interested?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to date… It’s more that I’m too famous, so it’s probably intimidating.”

Not wanting to admit he wasn’t popular, he spoke indirectly, making Gong Ji-un burst into laughter.

“What are you saying? The Omegas around me really like you. If you just think about it, you could date right away.”

This was news to him. Until now, only one Omega had ever spoken to him, and even that wasn’t out of attraction. As Jae-seung snorted, Gong Ji-un became serious.

“I’m telling you the truth! Want me to introduce you? I have a lot of friends. I’ll show you pictures.”

Gong Ji-un moved to sit next to Jae-seung and started showing photos on his phone. He had so many friends that there were different people in every picture.

These people like him? No way. They probably just want to check him out and are expressing it that way. Jae-seung smirked as he scanned the photos. He wasn’t fooled by the far-fetched words, but he was enviousㅡof Gong Ji-un, who easily made friends and seemed to live a life so different from his own.

Sitting close together, Gong Ji-un leaned in and whispered,

“How long are you going to hang around with that gloomy guy? You should date and be free. Wow, look how firm your arm is.”

He brazenly kneaded Jae-seung’s arm, admiring it. Even though some people didn’t even want to breathe the same air as him, this guy was strange no matter how he thought about it. Stopping his pointless play with the straw, Jae-seung awkwardly offered his arm. As he stared blankly at Gong Ji-un chattering excitedly, he finally asked the question he had wanted to ask since they first stood face to face under the blazing sun.

“Aren’t you afraid of me?”

“Why would I be?”

“There are a lot of rumors. They even say I k1lled my father.”

Gong Ji-un’s answer was interrupted by the sound of a chair being pulled back. It was Shin-woo. Having packed up at some point, he approached briskly and cut off the conversation without hesitation.

“I think we should go now. I’ll take you home.”

“Oh, already? Just 10 more minutes!”

Gong Ji-un playfully begged, pretending to cling to Jae-seung’s arm, but Shin-woo didn’t back down. As Shin-woo kept staring for a long time, Gong Ji-un’s eyes sparkled with mischief. Instead of begging more, he pretended to stretch awkwardly and knocked over Jae-seung’s cup.

With the sound of ice cubes falling to the floor, the barely-touched coffee spilled out. Coffee splashed not only on the floor but also onto the sneakers. It was clearly intentional. Even as Jae-seung looked on in bewilderment, Gong Ji-un smiled without blinking an eye.

“Oops, my mistake. I’m sorry, but could you clean this up?”

“……”

“Could you bring some napkins and wipe it up?”

When Shin-woo didn’t respond immediately, Gong Ji-un made a more specific request. Seeing the vein bulging on Shin-woo’s temple, Jae-seung didn’t intervene. It was rare for Shin-woo to show his true colors in front of him, so he was curious how he would react.

More precisely, he wondered if Shin-woo would clean his sneakers if he extended his foot, even while getting irritated at Gong Ji-un.

Shin-woo left silently without replying. It was Gong Ji-un who held Jae-seung’s gaze as it followed Shin-woo walking away. As soon as Shin-woo was out of earshot, Gong Ji-un answered the earlier question.

“I only believe what I see with my own eyes. If you worry about every rumor, you’ll miss out on good opportunities.”

Whether it was just empty words meant to comfort him or not, Gong Ji-un’s answer struck a chord. Jae-seung smiled slightly.

For the first time since leaving the mansion, a genuine smile came from his heart. He felt excited at the thought of having a friend who didn’t care about his background. Jae-seung racked his brain for something to say. He wanted to make Gong Ji-un laugh with a witty remark, but nothing came to mind immediately. Having only communicated with the employees at the mansion throughout his painful time, even casual conversation wasn’t easy.

While he was at a loss for words, Shin-woo returned with napkins. As if it were natural, he crouched down at Jae-seung’s feet and started cleaning his shoes first. Regardless of whether people around were watching or not, he wiped thoroughly and even checked up to the ankles. Gong Ji-un raised his eyebrows high, as if finding Shin-woo’s actions strange.

“Some splashed on me too.”

Gong Ji-un mumbled, abruptly sticking out his foot after watching for a while. Shin-woo glanced at the toes wiggling out of the slippers, then firmly closed his mouth and grasped Gong Ji-un’s ankle. For a moment, Jae-seung worried he might crush the ankle, but Shin-woo simply wiped off the coffee splashed on the toes without being rough.

As Shin-woo concentrated, his round cheekbones moved slightly, making the bandages flutter. Through that narrow gap, his reddish injured cheek could be glimpsed. The hand holding Gong Ji-un’s ankle was also raw and peeling with the same color.

Seeing Shin-woo cleaning someone else’s feet made Jae-seung uncomfortable, as if his insides were twisting. He snapped his fingers to get Shin-woo’s attention.

“Go wash your hands.”

Shin-woo looked up. Gong Ji-un’s slippers and the floor were still a mess with coffee, but Jae-seung was firm.

“That’s enough, stop and go wash your hands.”

As soon as Shin-woo stood up and disappeared from view, Jae-seung grabbed a handful of tissues and handed them to Gong Ji-un. Gong Ji-un took them with an awkward smile. It was a subtle expression that seemed both amused and observant.

Glancing towards the restroom, Gong Ji-un quickly tidied up the place and then held out his phone.

“Let’s meet just the two of us next time. Can I have your number?”

“Oh, sure.”

No sooner had Gong Ji-un gotten Jae-seung’s number than he stood up. Just as he was about to turn his back on the table, he suddenly stopped and looked back. After hesitating for a moment, rolling his eyes in place, he asked quite cautiously:

“If you don’t have a partner, what do you do during a rut?”

“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

Is it normal to talk about this so freely when you’ve just met? As Jae-seung frowned, Gong Ji-un placed his hand on his forehead.

“You have a fever. And your pheromones seem scattered.”

“It’s not time yet.”

There was no way he could have a fever already. His cycle was quite regular, so it would be at least two full weeks before it started. His head did hurt a bit, but that was more from wracking his brains for something to say rather than because of rut.

Gong Ji-un, who had been looking at him worriedly, reluctantly withdrew his hand. He licked his lips and hesitated. After glancing towards the restroom once more, he quickly asked:

“If you’re feeling okay tomorrow, want to meet up?”

“To play basketball?”

“Well, basketball if you want, or something else if not. I’ll bring some friends I know too, let’s hang out together.”

“Hmm…”

“I’m sure you’ll like it. I promise.”

As Jae-seung nodded, Gong Ji-un gave him a thumbs up. Just like in the dramas… As if they were really friends. Jae-seung stared at the cafe door for a long time even after Gong Ji-un left. It didn’t feel real that he had made his first friend.

“Did Mr. Gong Ji-un leave already?”