ETP Ch 79

Even after the morning classes ended, lunch was eaten, and the afternoon classes were attended, there was still no contact from Yoohyun.

Unable to bear not hearing his voice, Sungyeon even left a message, but of course, there was no reply.

The wings of imagination in Sungyeon’s mind had spread as wide as they could. Right now, Yoohyun and the nameless Omega were on their engagement trip, flying on a plane.

“Bokseung, is something wrong?”

Hyunah, one of the three beagle-like friends who always surrounded Bokseung, asked.

The trio looked worriedly at Bokseung, whose dark circles reached down to his cheeks. Bokseung looked at the three with wistful eyes before immediately shaking his head.

He looked far from okay, but he didn’t seem to want to elaborate.

“Your complexion is really bad. Are you okay?”

“Uh-huh. No, I’m fine!”

“You have to go to work today, too.”

At Minjun’s words, a light bulb went on in Sungyeon’s head.

That’s right! Work! I can meet Yoo Sunjung if I go to work!

Wouldn’t he know what Yoohyun’s family matter is? Aren’t they best friends?

Thinking that he should have asked Sunjung instead of Yoohyun, Sungyeon hurriedly packed his bag. The only thought in his mind was to get to work quickly and meet Sunjung.

“I’m really fine, so don’t worry, let’s meet tomorrow. Hyunah, get home safe! You too, Minjun and Jihoon!”

“Uh, uh-huh!”

The three, who were waved at by Bokseung in a daze, exchanged glances and tilted their heads.

Why is the usually calm kid in such a hurry?

🍑‧₊ ⋆˙

Sungyeon arrived at the PC bang first and, while waiting for Sunjung, ran a simulation of what questions to ask.

Honestly, what he was most curious about was what was going on at Yoohyun’s house and whether the things he had imagined were true, but asking only that would make his intentions too obvious.

“Bokseung! I’m here!”

Before long, Sunjung walked into the PC bang in comfortable training clothes, waving his hand.

“You’re here?”

“A-ang! What should I do first?”

“Uh, come here first.”

Bokseung gestured to the seat next to him with a wave of his white, slender wrist.

Sunjung, without any suspicion, moved to the spot next to Bokseung. He thought he was probably going to be taught the desk work first.

“Sunbae-nim.”

“Yeah?”

Sunjung looked flustered as Bokseung, who had told him to come over, suddenly grabbed his sleeve tightly.

Am I late? No, I’m not? There are still over 10 minutes until 6? Last night, Hwang Yoohyun nagged me so much about doing a good job at work so Bokseung wouldn’t have a hard time that I even set an alarm and came on time?

Sunjung’s eyes darted back and forth as he tried to read Bokseung’s expression.

“Bokseung?”

“Please answer the questions I’m about to ask.”

“Huh?”

“Yes or no.”

“Y-yes.”

Why am I being interrogated?

Faced with this absurd situation before work had even begun, Sunjung could only stand there blankly, bewildered.

In the meantime, orders started to come in one by one. Bokseung let go of Sunjung’s sleeve and started moving busily by himself. Even then, Bokseung, with a sternly set face, did not take his eyes off Sunjung.

Sunjung was puzzled by the conversation that had started and ended so abruptly, but since he was at work anyway, he helped Bokseung by picking up a few packets of ramen and moved about, trying to be useful.

After clearing a certain number of orders, the words Bokseung really wanted to say finally came out.

“It’s about Hwang Yoohyun-sunbae-nim.”

“Yoohyun?”

“Yep.”

“Uh, what about that bastard?”

Sunjung’s eyes widened at the mention of his best friend’s name from Bokseung’s lips.

What, is Bokseung interested in that bastard Hwang Yoohyun too? He didn’t show any sign of it before!

Sunjung’s eyes narrowed, and his face transformed into a sly expression.

“He, he said he had something to do at home.”

“At home?”

“Yes.”

News to me.

As far as Sunjung knew, Yoohyun’s family was very peaceful. The only problem in that family right now was Hwang Yoohyun himself.

“I wonder?”

Sungyeon was the one who became flustered at Sunjung’s reply. Why is he reacting like that? Wasn’t there something going on at his house?

“Uh, wasn’t there something going on at Hwang Yoohyun-sunbae-nim’s house?”

“There’s nothing going on at their house.”

“What?!”

“Huh?”

Both of them stared at each other with wide, round eyes.

Sungyeon stood there blankly for a moment before snapping back to his senses. The relief that Yoohyun wasn’t getting engaged to some Omega as per his terrible imagination was short-lived.

“Then what on earth is Hwang Yoohyun-sunbae-nim doing for a week?”

“Bokseung, you didn’t know?”

“Know what…?”

Sunjung clenched his teeth as he looked at Bokseung’s face, which truly knew nothing.

Seriously, you have to hand it to Hwang Yoohyun for being so unhelpful.

Sunjung scratched his head, feeling awkward in this situation. Now that Bokseung said he hadn’t heard anything from Yoohyun, he hesitated, wondering if it was okay for him to say anything.

“Sunbae-nim? Please tell me!”

Watching Sunjung, who had been talking so freely, clam up, Sungyeon felt like he was going to die of frustration.

Sungyeon barely suppressed the urge to grab Sunjung by the collar and shake him out while cooking ramen. Instead, the force automatically went into his chopsticks as he loosened the ramen noodles, causing them to unravel very quickly.

“Well…”

“Yes.”

“You can’t let Hwang Yoohyun know you know, okay? If he finds out I told you this, I think that bastard will punch me.”

Sunjung whined ‘ing-ing’ in a way that didn’t suit his large frame and shook his shoulders.

Sungyeon watched him with superhuman patience. After all, Yoo Sunjung was the one who knew why Yoohyun wasn’t showing himself for a week.

“Yes, I’ll never tell.”

“Okay, I’m trusting you?”

Only after making sure several times that he wouldn’t tell, even going so far as to hook pinkies with the disgusted Bokseung, did Sunjung begin his story.

“Actually, that bastard Hwang Yoohyun. It’s that.”

Sunjung whispered, leaning close to Bokseung’s ear so no one would hear.

“That…?”

The problem was that Bokseung, who heard the story, had no idea what ‘that’ was.

Seeing Bokseung’s clueless reaction, Sunjung felt like he could somewhat understand why Yoohyun hadn’t told the boy.

Unable to show his frustration openly, Sunjung took a short, deep breath and said it again. This time, with the exact word.

“Rut.”

Rut?

Sungyeon, who was repeating the word Sunjung had said in his mind, jumped up after about three seconds had passed.

“Aack!”

Watching Bokseung jump back in fright even though he wasn’t the one in rut, Sunjung felt a little hurt.

“Bokseung, I’m perfectly fine right now, you know?”

“Ah, no…! No, no!!”

“Huh? What do you mean, no? It is his rut. Hwang Yoohyun himself told me yesterday that he was in rut and asked me to cover his shift. It’s true!”

With nothing left to hide, Sunjung repeated the word ‘rut’ several times.

Sungyeon, horrified by the word itself, quickly covered Sunjung’s mouth. For a moment, goosebumps broke out on his arms starting from his palm, but covering this mouth was the priority.

“Hwang Yoohyun-sunbae-nim is…!”

“Mmph, mph! Mm-mmph-mmph!”

Nod, nod!

Sunjung, with his mouth covered by Bokseung’s palm, continued to say something, but it didn’t come out as coherent words.

After some time, Sungyeon, who had let go of the struggling Sunjung’s mouth, said.

“Let’s make the orders that have come in first and talk again.”

The choice Sungyeon made was, naturally, avoidance.

Of course, that didn’t mean the thought of the ‘rut’ he had already heard had completely disappeared. On the contrary, things derived from that word were growing vigorously, fueled by his imagination.

In the morning, it was the imagination of a possible engagement between Alpha and Omega families; now, it was the imagination of how on earth Hwang Yoohyun was spending his rut that was running wild.

His mind was spinning nonstop all day, so it was clear that his calorie consumption would be enormous even without moving his body. A sigh escaped him every 30 seconds.

Avoiding the constantly sighing Bokseung, Sunjung focused only on work.

Bokseung’s words that knowing how to cook ramen was half the battle were true. As he diligently cooked ramen, closing time was already approaching.

“Huh? What, where’s Hwang Yoohyun?”

Hyungseop, who arrived at 12, asked upon seeing the unfamiliar face.

Sungyeon became distraught as Yoohyun’s face, which he had tried so hard to push to the back of his mind, popped up.

Sunjung stepped forward on behalf of Bokseung, who couldn’t give any answer.

“Yoohyun’s not feeling well. I’m covering his shift for this week!”

“Huh? Yoohyun’s not feeling well? Is he sick somewhere? Is that guy capable of being sick?”

Hyungseop was puzzled by Sunjung’s words.

It was common knowledge that Alphas were several times physically stronger than regular Betas. Hearing that such a guy was sick didn’t make sense to him.

Hyungseop’s head naturally turned towards where Bokseung was.

Then he saw the sight of Bokseung, who had turned into a burning sweet potato, fidgeting restlessly.

“Why, Bokseung, are you uncomfortable somewhere too?”

Bokseung, who flinched at Hyungseop’s question, shook his head vigorously.

“No? Well, that’s a relief then. Tell Yoohyun to take good care of himself. And, Yoohyun’s friend, I’ll be in your care this week.”

“Yep! Got it!”

Sunjung gave a salute with a friendly face. Hyungseop chuckled at his amiable attitude.

“Well then, boss, we’ll be going now.”

“Yup! Good work! Get home safe!”

“Yes, goodbye!”

The two, who had said goodbye to Hyungseop, left the basement and came up to the ground level.

As he breathed in the chilly, refreshing air, which was different from the humid air of the basement, Sungyeon felt like his complicated mind was clearing up a bit.

“Sunbae-nim.”

“Yeah?”

“What do you do during your rut?”

“Me?”

“Yes, how do Alphas usually spend it…”

Watching Bokseung ask with his round face flushed red, Sunjung sniffled.

Just like last time, Bokseung really doesn’t know much about people with traits, he thought. Well, his circumstances after presenting were pretty bad.

Sunjung explained in detail with a sense of pity. It was a truly pure-hearted gesture from Sunjung, with the hope that Bokseung would gain a little more knowledge about people with traits.

What he really hadn’t expected was that Bokseung, shocked by the graphic story, would immediately run to Yoohyun.