ETP Ch 21
by soapa“Kim Bokseung.”
Unable to watch any longer, Hwang Yoohyun called out to Bokseung, who was entering the villa’s entrance.
Bokseung, who had already climbed three steps of the villa stairs, turned around. As the boy turned, the teddy bear’s long foot hit the stair railing with a ‘thud!’
“Give me the teddy bear.”
Sungyeon glared at Yoohyun, who had abruptly stopped him and demanded the teddy bear.
That wicked sunbae is trying to extort my precious trophy and snack money!
Sungyeon gripped the teddy bear’s arm, which was draped over his shoulder, even tighter.
Seeing the rebellious gaze and the tightly gripped hand, Yoohyun seemed to understand what misunderstanding he was under. And he couldn’t help but scoff at the truly trivial misunderstanding.
“I’m not taking it away. I’m saying I’ll carry it for you in case you fall while carrying that teddy bear like that.”
“Huh?!”
Bokseung’s eyes widened at Yoohyun’s calm reply.
He bought me water to take my medicine, bought me jelly, and now he’s going to carry my teddy bear?
What, I drank the alcohol, but why is that sunbae drunk?
Bokseung’s head tilted to the side. His eyes were suspicious, questioning if this was really Hwang Yoohyun.
Yoohyun’s eyebrows furrowed at the recurring expression full of disrespect. And Sungyeon, who witnessed that slight change, quickly released the teddy bear’s arm from his shoulder.
If Sunbae-nim wants it, I have to give it to him. Oh, yeah, it’s not like I’m doing this because I’m scared.
“Oh, thank you, Sunbae-nim.”
As expected, Bokseung’s thanks were completely ignored. It wasn’t even surprising anymore. Hwang Yoohyun had already slung Bokseung’s teddy bear over one shoulder and was walking ahead.
Only the two people’s footsteps echoed tap-tap-tap on the narrow stairs.
“Um, but Sunbae-nim?”
“Why.”
“Which floor are you going to?”
Yoohyun’s footsteps stopped at Bokseung’s question.
Naturally, not knowing which floor or unit Bokseung lived in, Yoohyun was just endlessly climbing the visible stairs.
Sungyeon, who was following behind him, was going to see how far he would go, but, worried about Bokseung’s knees, he called out to Yoohyun.
Yoohyun opened his mouth, seemingly momentarily flustered by Bokseung’s innocent expression, then firmly closed it. He seemed embarrassed.
Sungyeon found Hwang Yoohyun a bit cute whenever he saw him make a human-like expression. It’s like that’s what a 23-year-old boy should look like.
“Which floor?”
Yoohyun asked after a brief silence.
“Here, the third floor, half a floor below.”
Bokseung’s white finger pointed to the floor. They were currently standing halfway up the stairs between the third and fourth floors.
As soon as Yoohyun heard those words, he turned around and strode down to the lower floor.
“Which unit?”
This time, he didn’t forget to ask for the exact unit number, making sure not to make a mistake.
🍑‧₊ ⋆˙
Yoohyun, occupying the center of the living room, slowly moved his head, looking around Bokseung’s house.
And wherever his gaze landed, Sungyeon’s anxious gaze followed.
Sungyeon blamed himself for readily believing without a shred of doubt that Yoohyun would carry the teddy bear for him.
Of course, he thought Hwang Yoohyun would hand over the teddy bear at the door. That’s why he didn’t even think to stop Hwang Yoohyun from confidently coming inside the house with him.
A few minutes ago. Sungyeon, standing at the door, asked in a flustered voice,
“Uh, Sunbae-nim. Aren’t you going home? Why, why are you following me in?”
“I carried that huge thing all the way here, and you’re telling me to just go now? In a sacred capitalist society, you’re telling me to keep my mouth shut after using my labor?”
“Huh?”
Is he usually this eloquent? Sungyeon unknowingly nodded at Yoohyun’s torrent of words. As if that wasn’t enough, Hwang Yoohyun shamelessly brought up the story of the magpie who repaid a kindness again, asking for at least a cup of coffee.
Sungyeon, momentarily captivated by his eloquence, timidly tried to resist, giving a somewhat justifiable reason.
“Sunbae-nim, it’s almost 11 pm.”
“So?”
You don’t want me to? Yoohyun tilted his head to one side and asked.
And Sungyeon was defeated by the chilling gaze.
As expected, the small rebellion didn’t work at all. In the end, Sungyeon had no choice but to let him into the house. While resolving to box his ears if he had followed him in with some wolf-like intentions.
However, contrary to Sungyeon’s firm resolve, Hwang Yoohyun, after entering the house, simply stood still and looked around, not even drinking coffee.
The sticky notes Bokseung had plastered all over the house had been removed and stored separately. That was a relief.
Nevertheless, Sungyeon, looking around the house following Yoohyun’s gaze, felt his toes curl up with anxiety. He was deeply worried that the house might look like it belonged to a 30-year-old man rather than a 20-year-old.
He noticed the things he had gradually changed over the course of nearly a month living in Bokseung’s house, making it more comfortable for him.
The instant coffee filling the kitchen shelves, the large discount lotion on the dining table, and the massage stick and back scratcher scattered on the sofa were among them.
At least the dishes were done neatly.
Sungyeon shifted his gaze, feeling like a student waiting for a cleaning inspection from his homeroom teacher.
Hwang Yoohyun, however, was thinking something completely different from Sungyeon’s worries.
Bokseung’s pheromones were floating around the house. It wasn’t like the place was overflowing with them, though. Nevertheless, Yoohyun felt his whole body become sensitive to the scent.
I only came to check where he lived for a moment, but really.
His deeply hidden instincts were clear about what they wanted. They were clamoring to stay in this kid’s house, not just for a moment, but for a long, long time.
Yoohyun clenched and unclenched his fists.
In fact, he could barely feel the sensation in his palms.
“I’m leaving.”
Yoohyun blurted out, staring down at the paper cup Bokseung was holding. Inside the paper cup, warm instant coffee still sat, showing off its milky appearance.
“Huh? But, you said you’d drink the coffee…!”
“You drink it.”
Yoohyun ruffled Bokseung’s hair forcefully, then opened the door and went out in a flash.
Only Bokseung, holding the paper cup, was left alone in the house.
“What, what the hell. That guy.”
Sungyeon sighed deeply, watching Yoohyun, who was changing his mind dozens of times a day as if he was going through puberty, which everyone else had already experienced.
“What a waste.”
Looking down at the coffee in the paper cup, Sungyeon covered the cup with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator. He was planning to drink it as morning coffee tomorrow.
“No way?”
A thought suddenly popped into Sungyeon’s head as he closed the refrigerator door.
Could it be that Hwang Yoohyun doesn’t drink instant coffee? Considering his family’s wealth, it was plausible that he would only drink expensive coffees like Black Ivory or Kopi Luwak.
Even so, leaving immediately after seeing instant coffee was a bit much. The 33-year-old Lee Sungyeon pouted, belatedly feeling offended by Yoohyun’s actions.
Meanwhile, Yoohyun, who had hurriedly left Bokseung’s house, got into his car with a troubled expression.
Only after inhaling his familiar pheromones inside the car did his pounding heart finally begin to calm down.
That kid’s pheromones spread throughout that small house. It was so delicious that he almost drooled without realizing it.
Yoohyun is sensitive to other people’s pheromones, so he can smell even faint scents. Naturally, he had smelled all kinds of pheromones, but this was the first time he had been so drawn to one.
It was completely different from other pheromones, which usually made him feel bad, gave him a headache, or annoyed him.
He usually doesn’t even touch sweet foods and doesn’t like fruits, yet he was drawn to the sweet peach scent of all things.
While finding it strange, he wanted to go back up there immediately and confirm if this attraction was real. No, he didn’t want to confirm it. It was an impulse to just bury himself in it.
“Ha…”
He was unfamiliar with feeling this kind of impulse himself, and if he showed it to Kim Bokseung, he’d probably get slapped.
Even if he got hit by those twig-like arms, it wouldn’t hurt.
Anyway, Hwang Yoohyun was a rational person, and he decided to leave while he still had some rationality left. The only consolation was that the suppressants he usually took were effective enough to prevent him from jumping at him right away.
After sitting blankly for a long time, Yoohyun slowly drove away from Bokseung’s neighborhood.
And he decided. He needed to check this strange impulse for a while.
Unaware that possessiveness towards Kim Bokseung was growing at the root of it, Yoohyun simply thought the child’s scent was the problem.
Of course, he had no intention of letting other alpha bastards smell that scent either.
🍑‧₊ ⋆˙
The next day.
Sungyeon, who woke up for his weekend part-time job, took a refreshing gulp of the coffee Hwang Yoohyun had left behind.
“Ah!”
His eyes widened as he tasted the strong sugar and creamer.
Just as Sungyeon, wearing a satisfied smile, turned on his phone screen to check the time,
[1 New Message: Hwang Yoohyun Sunbae-nim]
It was the person he had spent time with just last night, yet felt infinitely unfamiliar. Even the six letters displayed on the screen seemed to exude an ominous aura.
Hesitating for a moment to check what he had written again, Sungyeon soon moved his finger and launched the messaging app.
[Hwang Yoohyun Sunbae-nim: Medicine]
“Hmm…?”
Sungyeon blinked and checked the message again. However, the miracle of the one-word message expanding to two or three lines did not occur.
Looking at the message that said ‘medicine,’ Sungyeon soon let out a hollow laugh.
Considering the context, the real meaning of this single word seemed to be ‘take your suppressants.’
It was a rather unfriendly message, but since it was sent with Bokseung in mind, Sungyeon tried to let it slide.
[Yes, Sunbae-nim! I’m taking them now ^_^]
A reply from Hwang Yoohyun arrived to the message he had sent with some sincerity. Since he hadn’t expected a reply, Bokseung’s eyes widened as he saw the message.
Although his round eyes quickly narrowed after seeing the contents of the message.
[Hwang Yoohyun Sunbae-nim: Okay]