RFL Ch 3

The feeling that Song Jaeyi’s demeanor had subtly changed was an objective truth. As time passed, he moved his body instead of speaking, driving Sooin into a corner like a predator. His half-lidded eyes were filled with the lust of the rut, and his actions were nothing short of animalistic, continuing relentlessly. Towards the end, Sooin spent less time fully conscious.

Each time he briefly regained awareness, the color of the room seemed to have changed.

Sooin whimpered and shuddered with each new awakening. He wanted to be angry, but his exhausted body lacked the strength. All he could do was bury his ears to escape the wet sounds of friction. Naturally, he couldn’t voice his pleas for Jaeyi to stop or mention that he had to leave early the next day. Because of his helplessly swaying body, even when he opened his mouth, only moans escaped, and the unchecked rut of a dominant alpha was truly relentless.

Thankfully, he woke up like clockwork the moment his alarm went off. Before the familiar melody could play for more than a few seconds, Sooin reached out. The mattress shifted with his urgent movement, but the soundly sleeping Song Jaeyi didn’t stir.

“Ha…”

A sigh escaped him as he sat up, his body aching as if he’d been beaten. Sooin roughly ran a hand over his face and looked around the room. The suite, which had looked so elegant last night, was now a disaster zone, as if it had been ransacked. The state of his own body, which he glanced down at, was no different.

“He really marked his territory.”

He chuckled wryly and carefully got out of bed. Unlike the chaebol son, who could enjoy a deep sleep after running wild, Sooin had responsibilities to attend to every day.

He washed carefully, not wanting to wake the sleeping figure. It wasn’t out of any particular affection, but rather a concern that last night’s beast might pounce on him again first thing in the morning. As a result, it took him longer than usual to get ready. He couldn’t even dry his hair, and his battered body ached and screamed in protest as he dressed.

On the other hand, Song Jaeyi, who had completely abandoned his reason last night, looked refreshed. His already pale face was even more luminous, with a peachy glow.

Ready to leave, Sooin stood before him for a moment. Should I say goodbye? Leave a note? He contemplated as he looked down at Jaeyi’s innocently sleeping face. Sooin slowly scanned his features, from his slightly fuzzy cheeks to his long, neatly arranged eyelashes and slightly parted lips, then shook his head. Looking at that face, which seemed like it would smell of baby powder if he got close enough, he suddenly began to regret last night.

“This is revenge.”

He lightly pinched Jaeyi’s high, pretty nose, and Jaeyi frowned. A low, short groan of displeasure escaped him. Taking that as both revenge and farewell, Sooin turned and left. He had barely an hour left before work.

Even outside of rush hour, central Seoul was always a traffic nightmare. Even though he’d left thirty minutes early, he barely made it to work on time. Because of that, he had to sprint from the subway station to the cafe, his body screaming in protest.

Sooin threw open the cafe door, panting heavily. The door chime jingled loudly, propelled by the force. He caught his breath and ruffled his still-damp hair.

“Sorry, I’ll be right with you.”

He apologized before making eye contact. Two pairs of cold eyes stared at him from behind the counter. It seemed today was Geonhui and his friend’s shift. The two coldly scanned Sooin from head to toe as he gave an awkward smile.

“Hyung, did you stay out all night? You’re wearing the same clothes as yesterday.”

Geonhui’s friend from the alley, who had rolled his eyes at Sooin’s mention of a relationship yesterday, asked. It was less a question and more of an accusation.

Sooin, who had been about to quickly slip into the break room, turned around and gave a smile that asked, “What are you talking about?” But at that very moment, his knit neckline loosened. Two pairs of eyes dropped like cartoon characters, landing on the area below Sooin’s collarbone. Their gazes instantly filled with disgust and shock.

He had thought it would be better to become a complete asshole in Geonhui’s eyes, but this wasn’t part of the plan… Swallowing his awkward thoughts, Sooin pulled up his collar.

“Uh, yeah, something like that.”

There was no room for excuses, so his reply was short. Geonhui’s jaw dropped, and his friend from the alley let out a sound of disbelief. His stunned eyes silently cursed him.

It was a deserved reaction, so Sooin simply accepted it. Yeah, how shocking must it be? It’s shocking to me too. Thinking that, he opened the break room door. He faintly heard the word “trash” as he turned away.

That day was incredibly long for Sooin.

There was a constant stream of smoothie customers all day, his body ached from being tormented all night, and a sudden shift change forced him to work ten hours straight. On top of that, due to the ostracism he faced for being “easy,” all the hard work fell to him. There wasn’t a moment to breathe.

It was late at night before he finally checked his missed calls: a whopping eleven. Such clinginess didn’t suit the sweet contact name, <Jaeyi♥>.

Sooin sighed deeply, rubbing his tired eyes. He wanted to pretend he hadn’t seen them and go home to collapse into bed. But his fingers, still clinging to a sense of responsibility, slowly moved. He tapped on the eleven missed calls, and the phone immediately began to ring.

Ring ring. He dragged his heavy feet as he listened to the ringing. The path from the gate to his front door felt especially long today.

“I think I’m coming down with something…”

In truth, it would have been more surprising if he hadn’t gotten sick. Sooin chuckled and lay down on the bench in front of his house. The cool wood felt good against his burning cheeks. His phone, resting against his other ear, continued to ring.

‘I hope he doesn’t answer.’

As soon as he thought that, a blunt voice sounded from the other end. Without even a “hello,” Jaeyi immediately demanded an explanation.

—Why did you make me feel like trash?

Everyone was calling him trash today. Sooin blinked slowly.

—Even for a one-night stand, you just ran off without a word.

“…”

—Was it that hard to say goodbye? You didn’t even fill out the paperwork, and now you’re ghosting me?

He hadn’t realized it before because of Jaeyi’s usually unpleasant attitude, but his voice was actually quite nice. Low but not too resonant, gentle but not oily. The soft, sweet voice made Sooin drowsy. He closed his eyes and murmured.

“Ah, right. I have to do that…”

—Ah, right?

“Yeah…”

—Are you falling asleep right now?

“Yeah…”

—…

His pronunciation was slurred because his lips were parted. His one-word replies were barely coherent. Song Jaeyi was silent for a moment.

The silence on the other end emboldened sleepiness. Sooin’s breaths grew longer, and he began to snore softly.

—Fuck, you made me worry all day, and now you’re sleeping…!

Suddenly, an explosive curse word jolted him awake. Sooin’s eyes fluttered open in a daze. His foggy mind belatedly caught the accusations ringing in his ears.

—You even had sex for money, and now you’re going to sleep without even settling up?

Sooin chuckled softly at the tone that still treated him like a prostitute. He had been the one to provoke Jaeyi, asking if he could even last an hour if they put a price on sex, so it could be considered karma.

“Are you really going to pay me?”

Asking this, Sooin sat up. He hugged his now-cold body and rested his chin on his knees.

“Are you going to double it for overtime and late-night work?”

—Double what?

“Jaeyi, if Hyung lived off of sex work, I wouldn’t need a part-time job. Don’t be ridiculous.”

He hadn’t intended to be so blunt. But his body, pushed to its limits all day, seemed to have escaped his control. Words formed haphazardly in his muddled brain tumbled out between his lips.

“Who was it that fucked me like an animal after I started work?”

—…

“Who am I suffering because of right now? How dare you raise your voice at me.”

Silence followed his toneless mutter. Just as the last vestiges of Sooin’s reason lamented, ‘I went too far,’

—Are you… okay?

Song Jaeyi asked hesitantly. His softened voice was cautious, as if he, too, realized last night had been too much. The distance between them felt different than before they’d slept together.

—Honestly, I called because I was worried about that, but you didn’t answer.

Perhaps it was his youth, or perhaps he was more sentimental than he appeared. A small opening had appeared in Song Jaeyi’s ironclad walls after just one night. It was still small and barely visible, but it was a gap Sooin could exploit if he chose to.

“Why are we exchanging well-being checks after a one-night stand? Did we develop feelings?”

Sooin decided to seal that tiny crack. He laughed, feigning amusement, and received a horrified reaction.

—Oh, seriously. You hid your rudeness so well at first, why aren’t you even acting now?

“Ahaha, am I rude?”

—Yes, incredibly rude. Didn’t you know?

“I know, I just didn’t know you knew.”

—How could I not know? I told you, you’re just like my father.

Listening to the blunt reply, Sooin gently shifted his chin on his knee. His cheek now rested where his sharp chin had been pressing. Staring at the lawn below, he murmured.

“But why do you hate him so much?”

It was a question he’d been curious about from the beginning but had decided never to ask. He knew the answer would be a tale from a different world, and Song Jaeyi’s worries would be nothing more than complaints to him. He wanted to avoid feeling even more miserable by envying someone else’s problems.

But, swept up in the fatigue, the cold night air, and the atmosphere, his mouth had run away with him. Ah, Sooin sighed inwardly, filled with regret. Perhaps he was the one developing feelings.

—What did you say? I can’t hear you.

Fortunately, a second chance presented itself. Sooin quickly stood up and changed the subject.

“No, let’s do what we couldn’t do earlier. The expected questions and answers.”

—Over the phone?

“Yeah, we don’t have time until then. I’m working all day like today.”

—Don’t you have any days off?

“No. And I can’t easily change my schedule.”

In truth, he could have squeezed in a couple of hours after work if he pushed himself. It wouldn’t have been a loss, especially with the 200,000 won hourly rate.

But embarrassed by his sudden vulnerability, Sooin deliberately put up a wall. Jaeyi hadn’t crossed any lines, yet Sooin took several steps back, as if to prevent himself from accidentally falling into that distant world.

From then until the appointed day, they talked on the phone every night. They had long conversations about the types of people they liked and disliked, their food preferences, favorite movies and songs.

Their opinions rarely aligned. The song Sooin found puzzling was Jaeyi’s favorite, and the character Jaeyi loved most in his favorite movie was the one Sooin hated the most. As a result, their conversations ended in arguments every single day. We really don’t match, and I really hate this, were the most frequent phrases exchanged.

Yet, neither of them ended the discussions until their phones grew warm to the touch. They held their phones even while cooking dinner or brushing their teeth, and on the night before the decisive day, their call lasted until one in the morning. Even that was considered an early end, as Sooin had drifted off to sleep.

That day, Song Jaeyi sent a text after hanging up.

Jaeyi♥

See you tomorrow

But Sooin didn’t reply. Or rather, he couldn’t. He couldn’t reply that night, nor the next day, nor the day after that. His late presentation was hell.

The first sensation he registered in the pitch-black darkness was a boiling heat. His stomach felt like it was melting, and his breath felt like steam. He had the bizarre thought that his skin might melt where his hot breath touched it.

Sooin instinctively curled up, clumsily rubbing his stomach with trembling hands. Unlike the burning sensation throughout his body, his stomach felt cold. Even when he rubbed it, his sweat-soaked skin wouldn’t warm up.

After a while, Sooin stopped his meaningless motions and reached out. His phone, placed on the nightstand, felt miles away. Harsh curses slipped through his clenched teeth.

‘Why does my body have to be like this today of all days?’

He had to meet Song Jaeyi and his parents in a few hours. It was an important job, with accumulated pay already exceeding one million won. He couldn’t let a little fever ruin it. So he struggled with his phone, adding more alarms to make sure he didn’t oversleep and be late.

After adding the alarms, blinking through his blurry, dizzy vision, Sooin closed his eyes again. He thought it would be good to take some cold medicine and sleep, but he couldn’t. The moment he relaxed, his entire body felt like it was sinking into something. A dark, viscous swamp.

After that, his memories were fragmented. The loud ringing and vibration of his alarm, the painfully bright sunlight, the sudden silence of his phone. These things marked the passage of time for Sooin, who couldn’t even open his eyes as he gasped in pain. Even with his fragmented consciousness, Sooin knew he’d ruined things.

Simultaneously with that realization, Song Jaeyi’s low voice came to mind before the lost money.

“I hate two-faced people the most. And people who don’t keep their promises.”

Despite the firm tone, the words, which had strangely sounded more like a plea than a warning, lingered in his mind.

It was as if Jaeyi was asking him to be honest, saying he didn’t want to get hurt. It was an odd thing to be bothered by, considering Jaeyi’s personality and the fact that they weren’t close. It stuck with him, making his earlier scoffing at the idea of “feelings” seem foolish.

That sharp shard of glass embedded itself in his muddled consciousness, occasionally glinting. It pricked at him, asking if he would really fall asleep and become someone who not only broke promises but was also two-faced. But his thoughts flickered less and less frequently. His body, busy dealing with the overwhelming heat and pain, stopped thinking. After that, there was only black mire.

When he regained consciousness, two full days had passed. He heard the faint hum of machinery and smelled antiseptic that reminded him of the scent of metal. Recognizing the slightly stuffy but overwhelmingly familiar smell, Sooin slowly opened his eyes. As expected, the hospital ceiling greeted him.

As he blinked a few times, Choi Jooyoung poked his head in. Sooin smiled at his ugly, worried expression.

“How did you know I was here?”

His raspy question was barely a whisper. Still, Choi Jooyoung understood and sighed.

“Who do you think got you that job? The client called me, freaking out because they couldn’t reach you.”

“Ah…”

“You crazy bastard, you really… Why is your life like this?”

Choi Jooyoung had always had a foul mouth. It got especially bad after people started mistaking him for a girl because of his pretty features. In high school, half of every sentence he spoke was a curse word.

“Why is your life like this, for fuck’s sake?”

But despite his rough language, Choi Jooyoung was a softie. Such a softie that he’d cried more than Sooin at his parents’ funeral, to the point of collapsing. Perhaps it was because he felt guilty about always saying, “What do you know, with your comfortable life and good parents?”

Choi Jooyoung’s face, standing stiffly beside the hospital bed, looked just like it had that day. Just like his teary eyes, staring at Sooin blankly as he entered the funeral hall.

Feeling like he’d already received an ominous premonition, Sooin cautiously asked,

“Why? Am I dying?”

Choi Jooyoung jumped at the casual question.

“Are you crazy? Dying? You’re not dying!”

“Then why the long face? You look ugly.”

“Oh, just die already, you son of a bitch.”

Sooin chuckled softly. “Then what is it?” he drawled. Choi Jooyoung, who had been pretending to grab him by the collar, finally pulled up a chair and sat down. Sooin leaned against the headboard to match his eye level.

Even then, Choi Jooyoung hesitated. He finally spoke after Sooin had meticulously examined the thin IV line in his arm and exaggerated a yawn.

“They said it was a presentation.”

“A presentation?”

It wasn’t easy to understand immediately. As Sooin blinked in confusion, Choi Jooyoung repeated himself.

“Yeah, a presentation. You presented.”

“I’m twenty-six.”

“Yes.”

“People present at twenty-six?”

“That’s right.”

“…”

Choi Jooyoung, who had been quick to reply, suddenly clamped his lips shut. It seemed he had more to say but couldn’t bring himself to.

It was probably about his secondary gender. Guessing as much, Sooin let out a laugh that sounded like a sigh. Thinking back to the incredibly good sex with Song Jaeyi, he already knew the answer.

That he had presented as an omega.

“What did you tell Song Jaeyi?”

“Huh?”

“I missed work. Didn’t he demand you pay him back?”

“He didn’t say anything like that… I just told him I couldn’t reach you either. Because I really couldn’t reach you at the time.”

“Did you tell him I was in the hospital?”

“No, I couldn’t. I just told the manager a while ago because the cafe kept calling… Things have been so hectic… Should I call him now?”

“No. Give me my phone.”

Choi Jooyoung looked at him cautiously at his lowered voice. He handed Sooin his phone, his face still troubled by the unspoken news about his secondary gender.

As soon as Sooin received his phone, he checked the overflowing call logs and messages. There weren’t as many calls from Song Jaeyi as he’d expected. The calls and messages from the cafe staff were far more numerous. In particular, there were over thirty messages and calls from Geonhui.

Geonhui

Hyung, even if you’re reckless, ghosting isn’t cool… Especially on a busy day…

Even though everyone’s calling you trash, I was on your side

Don’t really live like that

I just heard from the manager that you were taken to the ER. I’m sorry

Are you okay? Hyung, you live alone… Is there anyone to take care of you?

Among the numerous messages, there was only one from Song Jaeyi.

Jaeyi♥

Call me. Even if it’s late.

The short message had been sent last night. Very late, only after seven unanswered calls.

What happened to the appointment? Was Jaeyi humiliated in front of his father, whom he hated so much? Or did he make an excuse and postpone it? Did he now completely despise Sooin for being two-faced and breaking his promise?

Sooin stopped his train of thought there.

He had presented as an omega overnight. The hardships he thought were over had returned, turning his world upside down. He wondered, just as Choi Jooyoung had, what kind of life this was.

But even if the world flipped on its head, nothing would change for him. Even after being rushed to the ER, he was told to “not live like that.” He worried about getting fired from the cafe, and he was most concerned about the hospital bills.

Living this kind of life, he didn’t have the luxury of worrying about others. He couldn’t afford to worry about Song Jaeyi’s situation or feelings. It was all a luxury.

“But is there something going on between you and him? He sounded genuinely worried.”

“There’s nothing going on.”

“Why? It would be better if there was. Just hook one of them and turn your life around. Eh?”

“Jooyoung.”

“Huh? What, why are you calling me so creepily?”

“You said it back then.”

Leaning his head fully against the headboard, Sooin closed his eyes. Jooyoung, standing beside him, quietly asked, “What?”

“You said everyone’s born with a similar amount of misfortune, but it feels like I received it all at once.”

“…Yeah.”

Choi Jooyoung was embarrassed that those were the only words he could offer at the time, but they had been a great comfort to Sooin. Whenever he felt like giving up, blaming others for his burdensome daily life, those words became his lifeline. They made him think that if he just endured a little longer, if he just got through this hurdle, things would get easier. Then it felt like there were no hardships he couldn’t bear.

But still.

Even after enduring all that, he still couldn’t see the end.

“I guess there’s more misfortune left for me.”

At his hollow laugh, Choi Jooyoung’s pretty face crumpled again. Still, Sooin managed to continue smiling, knowing someone was still willing to share his burden. There was no point in crying and blaming the world for what had already happened. It would only drain his energy.

“I’ll handle Song Jaeyi.”

He’d rather do what he could instead of wallowing in self-pity. That was how Sooin survived his misfortune.

❤︎₊ ⊹

Despite boldly declaring he would handle it, Sooin ended things with a single text message.

Something urgent came up and I couldn’t make it, I’m sorry, since I couldn’t complete the job, you don’t have to pay me. He didn’t even wait for a reply, immediately blocking the number and drawing a line. A deliberate act.

He knew Jaeyi would understand everything with a single explanation about being hospitalized. He was the type to get attached after just one night of sex, despite his gruff exterior. If Sooin explained the situation, Jaeyi might even blame himself for the sudden presentation instead of getting angry.

But that’s precisely why he had to draw the line. His relentless misfortune wasn’t over, and some lives brought only pain, even with the slightest connection. It was better for both of them to end things quickly.

It had been a peculiar part-time job. A strange one-night stand. A short episode that would never happen again.

“If it was because of your presentation, you could have just said so back then.”

But this kind of variable had occurred. Of all things, same university, same department. And to make matters worse, it was the beginning of the semester, the perfect setting for awkward encounters at drinking parties. It was too late to cut ties cleanly.

“Why are you like this?”

Yeah, Jaeyi, why is my life like this? Sooin murmured like a sigh and straightened his posture. His toes still trembled slightly from the aftereffects of his fluctuating pheromones.

As he stepped away from the wall he’d been leaning against, Song Jaeyi took a step back. Despite his aggressive questioning, his steps were cautious. Sooin took a hint from his still-soft demeanor.

“It made me uncomfortable.”

It would certainly be uncomfortable if his ass got wet every time they met. Sooin suppressed a laugh and put on his most impassive expression.

“I didn’t want to see you. It’s not your fault, but I presented after sleeping with you.”

“…”

“I know. A dominant alpha can’t turn a healthy beta into an omega. So I’m not blaming you for making me an omega. It’s not your fault.”

Song Jaeyi wavered at Sooin’s calmly delivered words. His eyes, previously hardened with betrayal and coldness, began to tremble.

“But I didn’t want to be involved with you anymore. It would be uncomfortable every time I saw you.”

Song Jaeyi’s intense gaze drifted away. He looked troubled, staring at the ground as if lost in thought. Sooin quickly seized the opportunity.

“I’m sorry for ending things like that, even though it wasn’t your fault. But I… I’d prefer if there was some distance between us from now on.”

As his gentle words ended, Song Jaeyi looked up again. Beady eyes shone beneath his long eyelashes, which fluttered even in the dark alley. A submissive light.

“I understand.”

Leaving behind a curt reply, Song Jaeyi turned and walked away. Only after seeing his retreating figure did Sooin suddenly wonder about the meaning of Jaeyi’s earlier words about taking responsibility. Why had he said that if he was going to give up so easily? He couldn’t have meant it was his first time, could he? A chilling thought crossed his mind, but it was too late to ask. He simply followed Song Jaeyi, who had quietly walked away.

As they neared the restaurant, loud, familiar voices reached them. Pyo Hyungyeon, who had lit a cigarette on the street despite the designated smoking area, was leading the charge.

“Hey, where did Kim Sooin and Song Jaeyi go?”

“Aren’t they in the smoking area?”

“They weren’t there. Those bastards, did they run off to avoid drinking the penalty?”

Swaying slightly from the alcohol, Pyo Hyungyeon puffed on his cigarette and cursed. Not only curses, but he also spat on the ground. Sooin involuntarily stopped, but Song Jaeyi continued walking, unfazed. One of their classmates recognized Jaeyi’s tall figure.

“Oh? Isn’t that Jaeyi?”

“What? Where did you go?”

Pyo Hyungyeon, who stumbled as he put his hands in his pockets, asked. Song Jaeyi scratched his chin and looked down at him.

“Someone said they’d buy me ice cream.”

“…Who?”

“It was just another lie.”

“…What are you talking about? Are you drunk?”

Their conversation went nowhere. The upperclassmen gathered around them, and even Sooin, standing at a distance, were speechless. Still, Pyo Hyungyeon was undeterred. It seemed he wanted to gain the upper hand over Song Jaeyi, who was much younger than him.

“Who said they’d buy you ice cream? That’s something you say to pick someone up. Don’t you even know that?”

Was that what it meant? Sooin’s eyes widened in surprise; he had simply used the same tactic others had used on him. At that moment, Song Jaeyi glanced back at Sooin. Despite the distance, Sooin could almost see the word “trash” in his narrowed eyes.

“Tsk tsk, if you were so frustrating… Did they just leave without buying it for you? You got rejected. Couldn’t even get it even when it was offered.”

“…”

“You should have just stayed and drank with your hyungs. Why did you go with them?”

Pyo Hyungyeon chuckled and spat again. Thud, the saliva, spat out like venom, landed near Song Jaeyi’s feet. His honest face instantly crumpled.

“That’s disgusting.”

Song Jaeyi’s immediate reaction was even more honest.

“…What?”

“It’s disgusting. Why are you spitting on the street?”

Song Jaeyi didn’t seem particularly angry as he asked. His even tone and expression conveyed only genuine bewilderment. Pyo Hyungyeon seemed confused. Was Jaeyi really picking a fight, or was it just a misunderstanding due to his poor communication skills? Before his confused eyes could turn sharp, Sooin quickly stepped forward.

“Sunbae, what are you doing here?”

“Huh? Oh, no, hey, where did you go?”

“Just for a bit.”

Sooin stood with his back to Song Jaeyi and pulled the bewildered Pyo Hyungyeon closer. He slung an arm around his shoulders and steered him towards the restaurant, and Pyo Hyungyeon’s small frame easily moved. The upperclassmen, who had been watching cautiously, joined in, creating a wave that swept them along. Even as he was being pushed along, Pyo Hyungyeon kept trying to look back at Song Jaeyi.

“Is there a lot of alcohol left inside? I think it’s my lucky day. The alcohol tastes sweet.”

Sooin pulled Pyo Hyungyeon’s shoulder closer and smiled. At the smile that suggested they drink together all night, the surrounding upperclassmen cheered in agreement. Let’s take the first train home for the first time in a while! Someone shouted, and Pyo Hyungyeon grinned.

“If you guys go first, you’re dead, seriously.”

Pyo Hyungyeon declared, feigning pride, and headed towards the table. Boss, give us a whole case of soju here. His boastful order echoed through the restaurant.

Meanwhile, Sooin glanced at the door. He made eye contact with Song Jaeyi, who was standing motionless beyond the transparent window. An impassive, dry gaze followed him persistently.

But their eye contact was short-lived. Pyo Hyungyeon, who was pouring soju into a large beer glass, was about to look outside again.

“Damn it, but that Song Jaeyi didn’t even do the three-shot penalty, did he?”

He sounded like he was about to drag Song Jaeyi inside and force him to drink the three shots. Sooin quickly turned and grabbed the heavy glass.

“Sunbae. Are you going to keep looking for someone else in front of me?”

“No, it’s just the three-shot penalty…”

That damn three-shot penalty, was he possessed by a ghost who died without doing it? Masking his annoyance with a smile, Sooin quickly urged him to make a toast. The soju, filled to the brim like his overflowing misfortune, sloshed around.

“I’ll drink the three shots, Sunbae. It’s a waste of alcohol.”

“Well, that’s true. It’s a waste to give it to a kid who doesn’t even know how to appreciate alcohol.”

Pyo Hyungyeon, chuckling, finally gave a toast. To Korea University’s Department of Economics! With a loud cheer, the 500cc glasses filled with soju clinked together.

Sooin downed the penalty-like liquid in one gulp. He didn’t stop even as the stinging, cold sensation scratched his throat. He focused only on the movement of his Adam’s apple, as if swallowing his overflowing misfortune.

“Whoa, holy shit, Kim Sooin did it in one shot!”

As he placed the empty glass on the table, Sooin checked the window again. His gaze moved involuntarily. But the tall figure that had been there was gone. As if he had never been there, without a trace.

Thanks to that, Sooin looked away without regret and wiped his mouth. The pungent smell of alcohol lingered on his fingertips. Wiping the moisture with a napkin, Sooin wished.

That this misfortune would be the last. That this would truly be the third shot.

But exactly one week later, Sooin realized his wish had been in vain once again.

‘Fuck… Did I make enemies with God in a past life?’

Sooin squeezed his eyes shut, trying to erase the scene before him, hoping it was a hallucination. But it was no use. No matter how many times he blinked, the world remained the same.

“Ah, how can we be in the same group again?”

Oblivious to Sooin’s inner turmoil, Pyo Hyungyeon chuckled with amusement. It was a villainous laugh, like a bad guy in a superhero movie, but for the first time in his college life, Sooin completely agreed with him.

He had specifically checked during orientation; neither Song Jaeyi nor Pyo Hyungyeon were supposed to be in this class. That’s why he’d confirmed his enrollment without a second thought. Although the fact that the midterm exam was being replaced by a group project was a concern, he didn’t have a choice, as it was Professor Kwak’s class. He had to take this class to get on the professor’s good side, and he was confident he could get a good grade no matter who he was grouped with.

Planning a Unique Banquet with Our Group’s Characteristics

Group A

Kim Sooin · Song Jaeyi · Moon Yiso · Pyo Hyungyeon

Group B

……

But this was the group he ended up in. The words that had made his head spin when he first read them were now playing out before his eyes.

Yiso, a clueless freshman, was excited about her first group project, and the perpetually fossilized Sunbae was half-lying on his chair, grinning. And Song Jaeyi…

He had been quiet ever since they were assigned to the same group. He sat with his arms crossed, maintaining a silence that was indifferent, bordering on cold. Ha, Sooin sighed involuntarily.

Finally, the statue-like Song Jaeyi opened his mouth, his brows furrowed in annoyance.

“Can’t we change groups?”

There was no way they could. Even if they made up an unavoidable excuse, there would be risks. Professor Kwak was known for including “cooperation” as a grading criterion for group projects. Sooin was about to explain this, but Pyo Hyungyeon beat him to it.

“Why change? If you’re in the same group as Kim Sooin, you can get a free ride.”

“Why are we suddenly talking about buses?”

“No, I mean… It’ll be easy.”

Their conversation was once again on different wavelengths. The endless straight lines suddenly stabbed at Sooin.

“No, it’ll be very uncomfortable for someone.”

“It made me uncomfortable.”

The excuse he had used was now being thrown back at him. Speechless, Sooin gave a hollow laugh. Pyo Hyungyeon, unaware of the situation, whispered to Sooin.

“What’s he talking about? He really seems to have trouble with Korean.”

Tsk, Pyo Hyungyeon clicked his tongue and shook his head. It was a complete misunderstanding, but Sooin decided not to explain. Some misunderstandings were better left untouched.

“Ah! Let’s make a group chat!”

And some suggestions were better left unsaid.

Sooin silently lowered his head. The penalty shots he had desperately hoped would be his last were now causing a belated hangover. His head throbbed.