AP CH 6 (First Snow)

“Hee-jun, time to wake up. Let’s get you home.”

“Hyung…? Oh, okay….”

Gently patting and nudging his back, Seon-woo managed to stir Hee-jun enough to bring his gaze back into focus. Hee-jun blinked, looking a bit disoriented at seeing Seon-woo rather than Lee-won. Seeing this, Seon-woo added kindly,

“Lee-won asked me to see you off. Wanted to make sure you got home safely.”

“Ah, Lee-won hyung….”

“I picked up when your driver called. Is that alright?”

“Yes. I meant to reach out but forgot….”

Now a little more awake, Hee-jun asked with a sheepish smile.

“Hyung, thank you… I didn’t do anything embarrassing, did I?”

“You were just peacefully dozing off. Don’t worry. Head home and get some rest.”

The driver parked and opened the door. As Seon-woo helped Hee-jun, still unsteady, into the car, he stiffened for an instant, catching a faint whiff of Hee-jun’s pheromones, likely released in his relaxed state.

“Hyung?”

“…Hee-jun, what time did you arrive at the welcome event tonight?”

“Me? I was a bit late. My class ran late, so I think I got there around eight. I missed the beginning part.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Why do you ask?”

“It’s nothing. Get home safe and sleep well.”

“Okay… thank you!”

Seon-woo stood rooted in place, watching the car disappear down the street, his gaze following it as it faded into the distance.

The pheromone scent he’d caught earlier that afternoon in the clubroom was definitely Lee-won’s. He knew it too well to mistake it for anyone else. However, the pheromone that had mingled with it at that time….it was entirely different from Hee-jun’s, the one he’d just sensed a few moments ago.

If it wasn’t Jin Hee-jun, then who could it have been? Did I misinterpret something?

In all the years of Lee-won’s numerous relationships, he’d never once cheated on his partner. At least, not as far as Seon-woo knew.

Seon-woo was lost in confusion, unable to piece together what had happened, when Eun Hyeon-chae approached him, convenience store bag in hand. Standing silently by his side, waiting, Hyeon-chae looked on as Seon-woo sighed and asked,

“…You’re not even a little bit tipsy, are you?”

At Seon-woo’s question, Hyeon-chae hesitated a moment, then replied, a bit playfully,

“If I say I am, would you walk me home too?”

“No.”

“…Then I’m completely sober.”

Seon-woo burst into laughter at Hyeon-chae’s brazen answer, delivered with such an obedient demeanor. He laughed for a good while, finally reaching out to take the bag that Hyeon-chae was holding onto tightly.

“Good. Then keep me company for a while.”

Returning to Half Lounge, Seon-woo found an empty table off to one side and set up there, before heading over to Hyeong-jun. Handing him the bag filled with chocolate milk and hangover cures, he nodded toward the table where Hyeon-chae was seated.

“I’ll take care of that table’s bill separately.”

With four bottles of soju in each hand, Seon-woo returned and sat down, noticing Hyeon-chae’s uneasy look as he hesitated, then finally spoke.

“This doesn’t mean you’re substituting all those drinks you promised to buy me, right?”

“…No way.”

He’s quicker than I thought. I was planning to slyly count today as fulfilling my promise if he kept pestering me next time.

Feigning innocence, Seon-woo shook his head, only to realize he’d been caught when he saw the faint smile at the corners of Hyeon-chae’s lips.

“You…! I already told you, I’m not buying anything for an Alpha.”

“But I’m your hoobae^[1] now.”

“A hoobae, sure, but an Alpha is still an Alpha.”

“…Isn’t that some kind of trait discrimination?”

“Let’s call it a sexual preference, if you don’t mind.”

As Seon-woo gave his nonchalant answer and downed a shot of soju, Hyeon-chae drank his own as well without missing a beat.

Initially, the confusion over this unfamiliar side of Choi Lee-won had driven Seon-woo to crave a drink. But perhaps it was the gentle voice and endless conversation with Eun Hyeon-chae that unexpectedly turned out to be so engaging; thoughts of Lee-won had gradually faded, leaving only a growing interest in the person seated across from him. Maybe it was impossible to think about anyone else with that face right in front of him.

“Oh, right. What’s your major?”

At Seon-woo’s question, Hyeon-chae’s face, which had remained calm even after a few drinks, showed a faint blush.

“…I was wondering when you’d ask.”

                              ******

Seon-woo awoke feeling refreshed. Through hazy eyes, he could see Lee-won smiling as he answered a phone call.

Sunlight streamed in warmly through the window, and the room was filled with the comforting scent of coffee. Waking up to Lee-won’s face right in front of him—a scene so perfect it felt like a dream. Seon-woo stretched with a soft smile.

Noticing his movement, Lee-won turned his gaze toward him.

“Yeah, I’ll call you back. Mm. Take care. …When did you wake up?”

“Just now. …Was that Hee-jun?”

“Why are you suddenly so interested in Hee-jun? What, are you falling for him?”

“Haha, don’t be ridiculous. Then who was it?”

Without answering, Lee-won walked over and sat on the edge of the sofa.

“Thanks for yesterday. Heard you helped Hee-jun get home. I should have done it.”

“No need to thank me. I just saw him on my way for a drink and handed him off to the driver. That’s all.”

“Nam Seon-woo, you actually went to a group drinking party?”

Seon-woo closed his eyes as Lee-won poked him on the chin, his question lingering.

Avoiding group drinking gatherings had always been his norm, so Lee-won’s surprise wasn’t unfounded. But whether Lee-won’s short, loaded question was reproachful or just plain curiosity was hard to gauge, considering how much he had on his mind.

“Heard Eun Hyeon-chae was there, too.”

‘Can I greet you every day from now on?’

‘Do as you like. Not that it’ll make me fall for you.’

“Yeah… “Considering he’s a Simjin, he was just pretty average.”

He wasn’t sure why he even bothered to lie to Lee-won.

Answering indifferently with his eyes still closed, Seon-woo’s reply seemed to satisfy Lee-won, who didn’t press further about last night.

“Do yourself a favor and try not to get involved with him.”

“Why would I even be involved with him?”

Seon-woo opened his eyes and looked up at Lee-won.

Who was it yesterday, and who was he just on the phone with now?

Seon-woo had a lot of questions about this unfamiliar side of Lee-won, but, as usual, he kept his silence.

“Stop it. You’ve been touching it for a while now.”

Lee-won reached out and pulled down Seon-woo’s hand, which was touching his lips.

“…For a while now?”

“Yeah. It’s really become red.”

                              *****

But Lee-won, even if I try to avoid it, what am I supposed to do when this happens?

Seon-woo glanced around the lecture hall, his gaze catching Hyeon-chae’s brightened face as he spotted him and made his way over, smiling in disbelief. He raised the corner of his lips in a resigned smile.

He hadn’t thought his promise to greet him every day would be so literal.

Hyeon-chae took a seat naturally beside him, bowing his head in greeting.

“Hello.”

“Didn’t expect you to be taking a third-year elective.”

“…Yeah. I was interested.”

Interested in the course or in a person?

“Alright. Good luck, then.”

Seon-woo chuckled, thinking the class would start soon enough and take care of it.

Yet, perhaps it was his face that was his weapon—or maybe it was that, these days, a young person bold enough to audit a class had its appeal and seemed admirable. Hyeon-chae wasn’t asked to leave. Instead, he’d somehow even managed to get the professor’s blessing, with him saying it’d be helpful if the student beside him could look after him since he couldn’t provide special guidance to an unofficial attendee. Just like that, Seon-woo found himself reluctantly tethered to him.

With a weary expression, Seon-woo rubbed his temples.

“Sitting next to you makes me stand out too much.”

“…Sunbae, you stand out even when you’re alone.”

There was something strangely endearing about the way he pretended to be oblivious.

As Seon-woo slowed his pace after his last class, he noticed the steady sound of footsteps matching his own, keeping a precise distance behind him.

“Why are you following me?”

“…I’m your hoobae. Can’t I follow you?”

“Hah…”

Hyeon-chae’s face took on a faintly smug look, as if being his “hoobae” gave him some kind of immunity. Seon-woo could only laugh helplessly, too dumbfounded to even voice his displeasure. Figuring this was his own fault for ever mentioning the word “hoobae,” he gestured with a flick of his finger absentmindedly. With an eagerness that was almost absurd, Hyeon-chae closed the distance. Seon-woo looked at him in disbelief.

“Don’t you have any classes? How do you even know my schedule to tail me like this?”

“…Should I send you my class schedule too?”

“No need.”

Just the thought of seeing it unsettled him, so he made sure to decline, firmly.

When Hyeon-chae trailed him all the way to the smoking area, Seon-woo raised a brow and asked if he smoked. Hyeon-chae shook his head.

“You don’t smoke, so why do you even carry a lighter?”

“I have a lot of people around me who smoke.”

“A lot of people around you, huh…”

Normally, it would’ve been a casual comment, but coming from Simjin’s Eun Hyeon-chae, it hit differently. Chuckling to himself, Seon-woo pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his lips.

“If I tell you to go on ahead, you won’t, will you?”

“…Need a light?”

Seon-woo had one in his pocket, but he didn’t bother taking it out, merely tilting his head. Hyeon-chae stepped closer and lit his cigarette for him. Seon-woo took a deep drag, looking down at Hyeon-chae, who was now sitting quietly nearby.

He was aware that his own behavior toward Hyeon-chae was ambiguous, yet he couldn’t exactly accept him, either. If he kept letting Eun Hyeon-chae follow him around like this, Lee-won would definitely disapprove, and Seon-woo had no intention of doing anything that would annoy Lee-won.

Turning his head to the other side, Seon-woo exhaled a long stream of smoke and spoke up.

“Are we going to see each other again tomorrow?”

Hyeon-chae’s head shot up, his expression so easy to read that Seon-woo couldn’t help but smile wryly.

“What if I said I didn’t want to?”

“…Sunbae.”

“You’re not some random Alpha, you’re a beautiful hoobae. If you got picked up for stalking, it’d make me sad too, you know? What do you think about that?”

Hyeon-chae looked up at him, responding in an even tone.

“Without harm or special damage, accusations of stalking don’t stick between Alphas. Even if reported, there’ll barely be an investigation.”

“Wow, you sure know a lot.”

“…I just happened to hear it somewhere.”

He quickly added that he had no personal experience with it, as if he were embarrassed.

“Right. So, I guess I can’t report you for stalking. Congratulations.”

“…”

“Don’t laugh.”

“…Okay, sunbae.”

He’d attracted something strange here. The real issue was, he didn’t exactly hate it.

Seon-woo openly turned and studied Hyeon-chae from head to toe. His gaze traced slowly over Hyeon-chae’s face, shoulders, and body, but Hyeon-chae remained calm, his long lashes fluttering gently as he held Seon-woo’s gaze.

…If only he weren’t an Alpha.

But then what?

Was it simply because he was an Alpha, or was it specifically because the Alpha was Eun Hyeon-chae? Seon-woo wasn’t sure. Pondering, he spoke slowly.

“You probably know this already… but tomorrow’s a free day for me, so I won’t be at school. You can’t audit mandatory classes, so don’t bother showing up and getting embarrassed.”

“Yes.”

The way Hyeon-chae’s eyes sparkled as he looked at him wasn’t unpleasant. Without realizing it, Seon-woo reached out and gently patted Hyeon-chae’s head.

Hyeon-chae’s light-colored eyes widened, and his ears quickly flushed. Seon-woo had the sudden urge to bite the tip of one of those red ears as he stubbed out his cigarette.

Of course, how Eun Hyeon-chae might feel wasn’t exactly a factor in Seon-woo’s consideration.

---