AP CH 16 (Mighty Town)

The man also recognized Seon-woo; his eyes widened in surprise. Watching this unfold, Hanna and Ina tilted their chins upward as if they had won, smugness radiating from them.

“Our teacher is way better-looking.”

“Hah, but our teacher is a former national representative. See that jersey in there? Only national representative get to wear those,” Yun-woo countered.

“Our teacher almost became a national representative. He’s an amazing skier, too.”

The kids’ prideful argument continued below, but Seon-woo and the other man only exchanged looks. Amusement danced in Seon-woo’s eyes, and the corner of his lips curled upward.

“Hello. Looks like we meet again. My name is Nam Seon-woo.”

“Joo Do-yoon. So….. you really are an instructor?”

“Apparently so.”

“Our teacher is so popular, it’s hard to even book a lesson with him!”

“Well, our teacher is just as popular! We had to pay extra to get him!”

Nam Seon-woo glanced at the kids bickering nearby and asked, “Were you really a national representative?”

“Yes. I’m guessing you used to be a professional too? I don’t recall seeing you before, though.”

“It’s called paying a premium, dummy! And our teacher’s always been expensive to start with!”

“I only competed briefly when I was younger,” Seon-woo replied, ignoring the noise behind him. “Even then, it was abroad—mostly in Nives.”

“Ah…..! That’s the one Myeonghyeon sponsors…..”

Joo Do-yoon’s gaze toward Seon-woo shifted, his expression now carrying a hint of recognition. Just as he was about to say something more, Ina’s loud voice interrupted them.

“Our Seon-woo teacher charges 890,000 won per hour!”

The absurd yet oddly specific amount made Seon-woo chuckle dryly before quickly denying it. “That’s not true.”

“……The kids are cute.”

“Shall we head up?” Seon-woo said as he gathered the twins’ ski plates.

Do-yoon, who had been watching Seon-woo intently, gave a small nod.








The great Hot Chocolate vs. Ski Battle naturally ended in the twins’ overwhelming victory. Determined to leave no room for dispute, they dragged Yun-woo into an impromptu photo session, insisting on capturing undeniable proof of their triumph.

Victorious, the twins savored their hot chocolate, basking in the sweet taste of both the drink and their win.

Nam Seon-woo was returning with Hana and Ina’s shoes from the cabinet when he noticed Yun-woo sitting alone in the distance. The boy sat with his back to him, shoulders hunched. Seon-woo approached quietly. Yun-woo, who had tears welling in his eyes from frustration and embarrassment, glanced briefly at Seon-woo before quickly turning away.

“You said you started skiing just last year, right? Your form’s pretty good. Looks like your teacher did a great job teaching you.”

“…..What’s the point? I lost anyway.”

“But it was fun, wasn’t it? When you were skiing? You worked hard because it was fun. That’s why you wanted to win so badly.”

Yun-woo gave a small nod.

“Then that’s all that matters. Just keep enjoying it,” Seon-woo said, patting the boy’s head. He stood up and turned to leave.

But as soon as he turned, he came face-to-face with Joo Do-yoon, who was carrying Yun-woo’s belongings. Seeing Yun-woo’s gaze fixed on Seon-woo, Do-yoon smirked and shook his head lightly, clearly amused.

“This feels like cheating. As if losing to a five-year veteran wasn’t bad enough, now it looks like I’ll lose a student starting tomorrow, too.”

“My schedule’s packed—I can’t take on new students. Consider this me turning you down in advance,” Seon-woo said with a faint grin.

“Are you comforting me or mocking me?”

Seon-woo shrugged nonchalantly, picked up the shoes, and headed back toward the twins.


* * *

Since the hotel where the children were staying was nearby, Seon-woo walked Hana and Ina back before stepping out onto the street again. From the opposite direction came Do-yoon, who had just left the same hotel. The two exchanged a brief nod as they passed each other, but Do-yoon called out.

“What are you doing tonight?”

“Not sure. Probably the same as last night,” Seon-woo replied casually.

“If you don’t have any plans, how about grabbing a beer?”

Though Seon-woo was adept at dodging unwanted invitations, Do-yoon’s suggestion gave him pause. Glancing briefly at his phone, which was still full of meaningless notifications, Seon-woo nodded lightly.

“Okay, then.”







Despite his youthful appearance, Joo Do-yoon was two years older than Nam Seon-woo. Their shared experiences—both having been athletes and now earning high pay in private shops—made for easy conversation.

“What’s your plan for tomorrow? Are you teaching the twins again? Want to meet up?” Do-yoon asked.

“No, I’ll have different students. I’m booked from the afternoon through the night.”

“Really? So, you’re free tomorrow morning. Guess we can stay out late tonight, then.”

Since earlier in the day, Do-yoon had made his interest in Seon-woo blatantly obvious. His easygoing and communicative personality made him a comfortable match for casual company, aligning with the type of people Seon-woo usually favored.

It had been months since Seon-woo last addressed his own needs, and with only afternoon lessons scheduled for the following day—not to mention the presence of an Omega that matched his type—there was no reason to hold back.

Glancing briefly at his phone, Seon-woo murmured, “I’m fine with it, but won’t it be tough on you tomorrow, hyung?”

“What’s so tough about it? It’s not like they’re pros,” Do-yoon replied with a teasing smirk.

Seon-woo let out a soft chuckle at the provocation. All he had to do was stand up, say the word, and they could leave together. Yet, the words that came out of his mouth were something entirely different.

“I think I’ll have another drink. How about you, hyung?”

“……I’m good,” Do-yoon replied curtly, his expression instantly cooling as he shook his head.

Well, now I’ve gone and gotten myself hated. Seon-woo scratched the corner of his mouth, an awkward smile playing on his lips.

Unlike before, when Joo Do-yoon had been subtly closing the distance between them, he now leaned back fully against his chair, keeping his distance. As soon as a fresh beer hit the table, he asked bluntly, “Waiting on a call or something?”

When Nam Seon-woo gave him a puzzled look, Do-yoon nodded toward Seon-woo’s left hand and added, “You haven’t put your phone down once, and you keep checking it whenever you get the chance. You’re not waiting for someone to contact you?”

“……Was I doing that?”

“Are you seriously asking me that right now?” Do-yoon sighed in exasperation.

Then, as if on cue, Seon-woo’s phone vibrated in his hand.

The moment he saw the name ‘Eun Hyeon-chae’ appear on the screen, Seon-woo grabbed his coat and stood up abruptly. The calm, easygoing demeanor he’d maintained all night disappeared, replaced by a sense of urgency that made Do-yoon frown, feeling somehow uncomfortable.

“Sorry, I need to take this—”

“At least settle the tab before you go.”

“I’ll contact you later,” Seon-woo replied quickly.

In response, Do-yoon silently raised his middle finger, his face dark with displeasure.









Fortunately, the vibration hadn’t stopped by the time Seon-woo reached the alley and answered the call. He paused for a moment, staring down at the name on the screen, imprinting it in his mind. Taking a small breath, he finally picked up.

“Hello?”

— ……

“Hyeon-chae.”

There was no response. Nam Seon-woo shifted uneasily, hardly the type to fidget like some inexperienced twenty-year-old. His restlessness led him to crush the snow beneath his feet, one deliberate step at a time, as he waited for something—anything—from the other side of the line. Eventually, impatience got the better of him.

“Why are you only calling me now?”

—……It almost sounds like you’ve been waiting.

“I was waiting.”

The sound of Eun Hyeon-chae’s voice, after so long, filled him with an undeniable sense of relief. Leaning his back against the wall, Seon-woo admitted it freely.

Hyeon-chae’s voice trembled slightly as he asked,

—Why didn’t you call again after…..after that time?

“Felt like you probably had a reason for not answering.”

— ……I really hate you.

The whine in Hyeon-chae’s voice failed to conceal the honest emotion underneath.

— But…..I’ve missed you so much.

This might be the last chance. The perfect moment to push him away, once and for all. If Seon-woo could shove him hard enough, create a distance so vast, maybe Eun Hyeon-chae would finally disappear from his life. Just like he had been doing so far.

Seon-woo brushed his thumb against his lips silently.

Truthfully, the decision had never been a dilemma to begin with.

“Then come see me right now.”


****

Ignorance really is bliss. Whoever came up with that old saying didn’t miss a beat. Seon-woo sat on a bench, a cigarette between his lips, as the thought crossed his mind.

Magic, my ass. This was stalking.

“Just come out.”


A large shadow emerged from behind the streetlamp. As the figure stepped into the light, revealing his face inch by inch, Nam Seon-woo thought to himself that he looked even more handsome after all this time.

“You really thought a guy your size could stay hidden? That’s shameless.”

“……I didn’t even try to hide. I was hoping you’d notice.”

Seon-woo brushed the snow off the bench next to him with a casual hand and gestured for Eun Hyeon-chae to sit down.

“When did you get here?”

“……”

“Don’t tell me it was from the very first day.”

“It wasn’t.”

A single day, two at most—what difference did it make? Yet, Hyeon-chae vehemently denied it with that ever-impeccable expression of his, drawing a faint laugh from Seon-woo. Watching Seon-woo quietly, Hyeon-chae’s gaze landed on the cigarette perched on the corner of his lips.

“Should I light that for you?”

Seon-woo shook his head and tucked the cigarette back into his pocket.

“Have you eaten dinner yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Get up. Let’s grab something to eat.”

Though it was a bit of a rush…..Seon-woo checked the time and picked up his pace as they started walking.










“Are you out of your mind? Customer? We’re closed. I’m not selling anything.”

“This kid’s my hoobae. He hasn’t had a bite to eat since lunch. You’re not really going to send him away hungry, are you?”

“I’m going to kick both of you out without a shred of mercy.”

“The sign’s still lit. That means you’re not closed. Make us your special ramen.”

“Haa……This damn ramen hog…”

Seo-rin, who had been closing up the snack bar, glared at the two nuisances she had run into thanks to her own sluggishness. One was annoyingly talkative, the other annoyingly silent. Her eyes instinctively flicked to the broom propped against the wall. Even if she swung it with all her might, she wasn’t sure it would do any damage to the two towering men standing in front of her.

She glanced back and forth between Nam Seon-woo and Eun Hyeon-chae before finally sighing in resignation. Snapping open a folded parasol with a sharp glare, she asked,

“How many are you eating? Be honest.”

“……Four?”

The weight of Seon-woo’s conscience amounted to a single pack of ramen. Seo-rin let out a small sigh before turning to Hyeon-chae.

“How about you? How many packs of ramen do you want to eat?”