PUCKD Ch 10

As he spoke, Junghyun picked up a bottle from the minibar. It was whiskey that looked quite expensive.

Hojae frowned slightly. He didn’t want to drink with Kwon Junghyun in a space where they were alone. Who knew what would happen if he got drunk? To avoid drinking, he had to open his mouth himself.

“…Alphas and betas are the same.”

“Hmm. Clichéd opening.”

Junghyun poured the alcohol into the glass he had used for water. The sound of the heavy liquid falling and collecting in the glass was refreshingly incongruous with the atmosphere.

Hojae only narrowed his brows at the simmering anger. A clichéd opening? He didn’t seem to intend to listen to him seriously in the first place. It was only natural that Shin Hojae’s following voice was sharp.

“Well, two letters would be added to the trait section if you become an alpha.”

“Go on.”

Junghyun chuckled and took a sip of the alcohol in the glass. Shin Hojae paused for a moment before speaking.

“Just because you’re an alpha, you’ll have people who have unreasonable expectations and are jealous of you, and even if you achieve results through hard work, you’ll hear people say it’s only natural because you’re an alpha.”

“Hmm.”

“I doubt that’s what you wanted.”

A slight sneer crept into his voice without him realizing it.

So the middle school coach and Kwon Junghyun were the same type. He felt as if Kwon Junghyun’s worth had somehow become equal to that insignificant, inferiority complex-ridden coach.

“Well, well.”

It was then that Junghyun slowly opened his mouth.

“That sounds like something an alpha would say.”

Shin Hojae frowned slightly and looked at Junghyun.

He placed the glass he was drinking from on the bar and crossed his arms.

“Thanks to manifesting early, and as a dominant alpha at that, Player Shin could continue playing sports, right? There must have been many friends around you who had to quit sports because they couldn’t manifest as alphas.”

“…….”

“But you talk as if you don’t know anything about that.”

When Shin Hojae closed his mouth, Junghyun chuckled and spoke.

“Do all alphas think that way? That the unreasonable perceptions of others are heavier and more unfair than the benefits they receive for being alphas?”

“…….”

“I’m just asking out of curiosity. As you know, I’m a beta.”

Shin Hojae quietly curled his lower lip inward. He couldn’t refute his words.

The world of sports was a world of alphas. And because Shin Hojae was a dominant alpha, he was able to survive in that world without being eliminated. Yet he spoke as if he was completely unaware of the benefits he received for being an alpha.

He felt as if his true nature, which secretly considered the excessive expectations, jealousy, malicious punishments, and so on, to be unfair, had been exposed. And even his despicable inner thoughts of wanting to subtly look down on Kwon Junghyun by putting him in the same category as his middle school coach.

His cheeks burned. He was embarrassed, and at the same time, angry.

It was because he didn’t want to admit that he was ashamed of what Kwon Junghyun, of all people, had said. Shin Hojae stood still with his eyes downcast.

“We have about an hour left. What do you want to do?”

Kwon Junghyun spoke in a light tone, as if the strange battle of nerves just now hadn’t happened.

“Shall we order room service and eat something here?”

“…….”

“Ah, but Hojae must be full. You must have eaten a lot at the banquet hall. Then how should we spend this time…”

Shin Hojae looked at Kwon Junghyun without saying anything. He tapped the table as if he was really thinking about it, then took a step closer to Shin Hojae. Shin Hojae didn’t step back and just stood still.

“Did you know? They say even human saliva contains a very small amount of pheromones.”

Junghyun whispered softly in Shin Hojae’s ear as if telling a secret. Not immediately understanding what he meant, Shin Hojae’s eyes followed his face.

Junghyun lifted the corners of his mouth slightly and spoke.

“As you know, I’m a man who’s crazy about wanting to become an alpha.”

“…….”

“Aren’t you curious? What effect a dominant alpha’s saliva might have.”

Kwon Junghyun grabbed Shin Hojae by the collar and pulled him down. Their lips touched lightly, and then Kwon Junghyun’s tongue sucked on Hojae’s lips.

Shin Hojae unconsciously pulled his head back. It was a physiological rejection. Junghyun was looking up at him, still smiling.

“I’m sorry, but I won’t let it slide this time. I’m not in a good mood.”

“…….”

It seemed Kwon Junghyun smiled like that when he was angry.

He swallowed dryly. It had only been today’s launch ceremony. The thought that the treatment of the team depended on the man’s mood made him feel impatient.

Shin Hojae grabbed Junghyun’s face with both hands. And then he lowered his head. Their lips, rough and slightly cold on the surface, touched.

It was a kiss close to a headbutt, devoid of any mood or anything. Shin Hojae pressed his lips as if stamping a seal, and then pulled away when he ran out of breath.

His heart pounded from his first kiss. As he gasped for air through his mouth and looked down, Kwon Junghyun was staring at him with a frown.

“…Did you just call that a kiss?”

His eyes were full of bewilderment. When Hojae just wet his lips and remained silent, Junghyun yanked on his tie.

“I told you we need to exchange saliva.”

And then their lips met again. This time, as he used his tongue to try and part his lips, Shin Hojae was able to hesitantly open his mouth as well.

Then, a soft tongue immediately invaded his mouth. Goosebumps ran down the back of his neck. It was a strange sensation he had never felt before. He almost flinched again, but he closed his eyes tightly and endured.

It must have been the “sour expression” he had pointed out once, but fortunately, Kwon Junghyun had his eyes closed, so he didn’t notice.

His hand brushed Hojae’s chest and went up to lightly grip his neck. Their bodies touched, and Hojae’s head naturally lowered further to match his height.

A hot tongue sucked on Hojae’s tongue and swept across the inside of his mouth. Shaking off the nauseous feeling, Hojae slowly stuck out his tongue and followed his movements. It wasn’t too difficult for him, who was quick to learn anything physical, to imitate Junghyun’s movements.

As he concentrated on the movement, he started to think it was unexpectedly manageable, when a small, satisfied sigh escaped from Junghyun’s mouth. Despite being a moan clearly belonging to a man, it sounded somehow languid.

Then his tongue gently grazed the roof of Hojae’s mouth. Something like an electric current shot up the back of his neck. Startled, Shin Hojae momentarily parted his lips.

Perhaps surprised by the sudden interruption, Junghyun’s face wore a dazed expression he had never seen before. No, it also looked like a face filled with lust. Hojae’s mouth, looking down at his face, kept getting dry.

“It seems to have a definite effect in a different way…”

It was after a short while that he heard a small, whispering voice with a hint of laughter.

Hojae’s eyes blinked slowly, not understanding the meaning of the words. He slowly followed Junghyun’s gaze, and saw the neat suit pants he was wearing.

And the center part, which was unnaturally bulging.

It took him about two seconds to realize what it was. As soon as he did, Hojae immediately stepped back.

His movements were so hurried that the chair behind him fell over with a loud crash, along with Kwon Junghyun’s amused laughter.

°❀•°❀°•❀°

“Glad to meet you, guys. I’m Peter Choi.”

The man, speaking Korean with a slightly awkward pronunciation, greeted the players. It was the day the players visited the general gymnasium to take their physical tests after the off-season.

The players in light workout clothes awkwardly applauded the unfamiliar man. Peter Choi, a giant of a man whose thighs looked to be at least 27 inches each, responded by slightly raising his eyebrows above his wide sunglasses.

A third-generation Korean-American and former NHL player, he was the new coach appointed to Blue Wolves. As he spoke in rapid English, the interpreter standing next to him began simultaneous interpretation.

『My Korean is still very poor, but the interpreter here will always be by my side, so please don’t hesitate to talk to me anytime.』

The skillful and fast simultaneous interpretation was impeccable, but the players’ faces still looked confused. Since Coach Park Namwoong had been present at the launch ceremony just two weeks ago, it was understandable that they were bewildered by the sudden change of coaches.

Ji Mincheol and Yuk Dumin also whispered in low voices.

“So Coach Park was fired…?”

“I don’t know. Did Yongsoo-hyung know?”

“It looks like he didn’t know either.”

“Uh… The atmosphere is weird. I guess I have to show off my nine-hole English skills.”

“…….”

Beside them, Shin Hojae, with a hardened expression, stared at the new coach’s face.