RFL Ch 6

Song Jaeyi’s car was a large, white matte SUV. The camel-colored interior was quiet, and a subtle fragrance lingered even without an air freshener. It was a car just like Song Jaeyi.

“It’s still a long way from 8 o’clock. Why are you going so early?”

Song Jaeyi, who had been quiet until they merged onto the main road after leaving the university district, asked. Sooin checked his wristwatch. Even with a generous estimate, there were at least three hours left.

“I’m going to study for my license exam in my spare time.”

“Spare time?”

“Yeah, you know, free time.”

His throat still felt strange. An awkward cough followed his cracking voice. Song Jaeyi glanced at Sooin but didn’t pry further. Turning up the car audio, which had been almost off, he murmured,

“Sleep for a while, then.”

The softly flowing classical melody didn’t seem to suit Song Jaeyi. Nevertheless, Sooin felt at ease and quickly closed his eyes. He had a feeling that even a short nap would relieve his fatigue.

When he opened his eyes again, the surroundings were quite dusky. He thought more time had passed than he expected, but he didn’t immediately come to his senses. The dream had lingered for too long.

He seemed to have had another dream regretting that day. He couldn’t remember the details, but his strained throat was sore and his shoulders felt stiff. This aftereffect always remained when he tensed up all over from having a nightmare.

Sooin slowly shifted his body. It wasn’t easy to get up because the seat had been reclined quite far back. As he struggled to sit up, the black jacket that had been on his chest fell down.

“It’s still seven o’clock.”

Song Jaeyi, now in a white short-sleeved shirt, was looking at a tablet PC. The screen looked familiar. Sooin picked up the fallen jacket, folded it neatly, and handed it over.

“……Is that the presentation script?”

“Yes. I decided to do Yiso’s part.”

Song Jaeyi tossed the jacket he’d been given into the back seat and showed Sooin the screen he was working on. Many sections were already marked with checkmarks.

“…Thanks to you, I feel relieved.”

Song Jaeyi, who had been acting like a spoiled child, suddenly seemed to have grown up. Feeling strangely awkward, Sooin coughed again. A scratching pain ran through his throat. His voice was even more hoarse than before, which wasn’t a good sign.

His throat always hurt on days he had bad nightmares. It was because of the angry shouts and cries he let out in his dreams.

The first day he realized this was a summer night after he had drunk a lot with Choi Jooyoung. It was the day after they visited the charnel house together for his parents’ memorial day. Sooin, who had poured out his anguish in his dreams all night, learned that it leaked out into the real world thanks to Choi Jooyoung, whose eyes were even more swollen than his own.

What if it happened today too? He was already embarrassed enough… Sooin asked with a sigh,

“Did I talk in my sleep… or make any strange noises?”

“No.”

Song Jaeyi answered, still looking down at the tablet.

“You slept quietly. I touched you a few times because I thought you were dead.”

“That’s a relief.”

“What’s the relief in me thinking you were dead?”

His grumbling tone was like usual. Only then did a comfortable atmosphere flow between them.

Sooin chuckled and opened the car door first.

At the click, Song Jaeyi glared. His eyes were sharp, as if asking how Sooin could just get out after waking up. Sooin spoke in a deliberately softer tone, as if to appease him.

“Since you came all the way here, I’ll make you something. Come have a drink.”

His sharp eyes softened immediately. His single-syllable reply, “Okay,” was obedient.

Thinking that his reaction was strangely subdued, Sooin realized that Song Jaeyi didn’t leave even after receiving his drink. He insisted on staying until he had completely memorized the remaining script, arguing that Sooin should explain any words he didn’t understand. Sooin had no choice but to give in.

Sooin stood at the counter a little earlier than 8 o’clock. His coworker thanked him and bought cookies for Song Jaeyi as well. Song Jaeyi seemed about to ask, “Why am I getting this?”, but Sooin, noticing this, nudged him in the side first. A low groan stopped Song Jaeyi from speaking.

His coworker quickly changed her clothes and came out. Still observing the wary Song Jaeyi, she asked quietly,

“Who is he? It’s the first time I’ve seen you bring someone here. Your boyfriend?”

“No.”

“Then did you bring another follower?”

Although she lowered her voice, her words, shouted from behind the counter, could hardly be considered a whisper. Moreover, Song Jaeyi was sitting right in front of the counter. It was loud enough for anyone in the small cafe to hear.

“Hey, seriously think about it.”

Still, his coworker persisted. After whispering to the end, she gave an awkward greeting to Song Jaeyi and left. Around the time the chime of the bell stopped, Song Jaeyi asked,

“What’s a follower? And what’s ‘it’?”

Sooin just smiled silently.

The cafe was quiet as closing time approached. New orders were mostly takeout, and there were only two tables left besides Song Jaeyi. One had a person diligently working on a laptop, and the other was a couple sprawled out on the sofa, having already finished their drinks. There wasn’t much to clean.

Song Jaeyi, who seemed likely to be troublesome, was unexpectedly quiet. He hadn’t spoken except to ask what a follower was. It seemed he had really only come to memorize the presentation script. Sooin stealthily observed the quiet Song Jaeyi. He definitely looked better when he kept his mouth shut.

Song Jaeyi’s gaze followed the tablet on the table. Thanks to his tilted head, his long, white nape was even more prominent. His sharp jawline and high but soft nose bridge formed a similar angle. Song Jaeyi looked like a calm and serene painting. A tranquility that made the midday commotion seem like a dream held Sooin’s gaze for a long time.

Then, suddenly, Song Jaeyi burst out laughing. Dimples appeared on his white cheeks, and the corners of his eyes crinkled softly. Unlike the fake smiles he had playfully made or forced before, this was different. A clear, uncalculated laugh flowed out softly. It felt like the first time Sooin had seen him genuinely smile.

A wonderful first encounter. At the moment he had that thought, Sooin belatedly realized his mistake. He had been staring too intently. Maybe that sudden laughter was even meant to mock his intense gaze. Something sarcastic like, “Why are you staring at me like that? Do you like me, Hyung?” might come next, and Sooin would have no way to refute it.

However, Song Jaeyi didn’t taunt him as usual. He simply murmured, as if explaining his laughter,

“I suddenly remembered the old days. It’s the opposite now.”

Distantly, like a protagonist in a classic movie reminiscing about a long-lost first love.

❤︎₊ ⊹

‘Is he really planning to take me home after this?’

As if he had heard Sooin’s premature worry, Song Jaeyi packed his things and stood up exactly 10 minutes before closing time. He didn’t say goodbye or offer any words of encouragement. He glanced at Sooin as he stood up and then just left. Apparently, that was his way of saying goodbye.

What an unpredictable kid… Sooin chuckled inwardly and locked the cafe door.

Indeed, Song Jaeyi was unpredictable. One moment he seemed like a clueless kid, and the next he seemed like a mature young man. One moment he seemed like an ignorant fool, and the next he seemed like some unknown being who had lived several lifetimes. He seemed to show everything, but in reality, nothing was revealed. He acted in a way that made it impossible to know his true intentions.

Just like now.

“Where are you going?”

Startled by the sudden voice, Sooin was taken aback again. This time, he didn’t even have time to let out a half-formed curse. He almost punched the figure that had suddenly appeared out of the darkness. Barely managing to clench his fist and look, he saw Song Jaeyi shaking his car keys.

“The car is over there.”

“So?”

What’s your point? Sooin smiled, melting that childish question into his expression. It was a smile that any ordinary person would have interpreted as clear annoyance.

But Song Jaeyi was unfazed. Beep, the headlights flashed as he pressed a button.

“We have to go home.”

“……Are you saying you’ll take me home?”

“Yes.”

It could happen once. Since Sooin had been struggling to breathe right in front of him, even someone like Pyo Hyungyeon might have offered a kindness.

But at this late hour, the offer to wait for him to get off work and drive him home couldn’t be taken as simple goodwill. He felt particularly reluctant. Even more so than when Geonhui asked him to date for just a week.

“No, thanks. It’s late, go home.”

Sooin spoke in a deliberately curt manner. And he didn’t wait for a reply. He turned around as decisively as his words had ended. However, he couldn’t take a step.

“Aren’t you grateful to me?”

An irritated question flew from behind him.

“I’m about to be forced to marry a stranger because of Hyung.”

“…….”

“Driving, taking responsibility for the presentation, waiting for you to get off work…”

And patting someone’s back while they were throwing up.

Because he didn’t add those words, Sooin had no choice but to admit it. He was grateful. He couldn’t not be grateful. He really meant it.

“Are you really not grateful?”

Song Jaeyi, whom he slowly turned to face, had one eyebrow cocked. Despite his unusually mature behavior today, his childish and childlike side still remained. Somehow, it was welcoming. This was the Song Jaeyi that was a little easier for Sooin to handle.

“Yes, I’m grateful. Thanks to you for taking care of Yiso and sorting out the group project, I’m alive…”

“If you’re grateful, then listen to me. Get in.”

His words were cut off before he could properly explain himself. Song Jaeyi, back to his usual blunt expression, tapped the car.

“You said it was late, so hurry up and go. Why are you wasting time?”

“……Wouldn’t it be faster if you just went alone?”

“Hyung, you can’t take the subway now.”

Now Song Jaeyi had opened the car door. As if he had already eliminated all other options, he shouted, half-disappeared inside the car,

“Your pheromones are leaking.”

Thump. The sound of the car door closing seemed like some kind of warning. Twice surprised, Sooin involuntarily looked around the street. Fortunately, the street was quiet at this hour, with all the businesses closed.

That crazy bastard. Sooin, biting the inside of his lip, walked quickly. The headlights intensified his frown.

“You can’t just shout about pheromones on the street like that… no, wait.”

Sooin, flinging the door open, reprimanded him from a distance. He couldn’t get any closer since Song Jaeyi had mentioned pheromones.

“If that’s the reason, then I definitely can’t get in.”

“Why?”

“Alone with an alpha in a closed space, and on top of that, driving on the road…”

It was obviously a much more dangerous option. Wasn’t it obvious? As Sooin glared at him, Song Jaeyi shrugged. A languid explanation came out in a somewhat dismissive tone.

“You don’t have to worry about that. I’ve had pheromone training, and Hyung’s pheromones aren’t that strong anyway…”

Compared to his usual disrespectful remarks, it was much more polite. Nevertheless, Sooin was irritated. The diagnosis that he, at his age, couldn’t control his pheromones, had never received training, and had weak pheromones for an omega was quite annoying.

Sooin sighed deeply and got into the car. Slamming the door shut, he recalled how to control pheromones. Meanwhile, the car smoothly pulled out onto the road.

Inside the car, Sooin stared out at the dim road. Recalling the online lecture, he slowly put the instructor’s words into action.

Relax your whole body and slightly curl your fingers and toes as if you are closing them. Naturally, his extremities tensed up, and the strength he had just released returned, but the instructor in the video had just kept repeating, “Imagine sealing your fingertips and toes.”

I wish I could see pheromones. Sooin fiddled with his fingertips with a frustrated expression and asked,

“Is it okay now?”

To think he had to ask Song Jaeyi such a question. To avoid making a pathetic face, Sooin looked further away.

“It’s better.”

Song Jaeyi didn’t question the incomplete question. A clear and quick answer came back. He liked the speed, but the content was disappointing.

“Better” meant it wasn’t completely resolved. Sooin, experiencing the most idiotic period of his twenty-six years of life for the first time, couldn’t stop sighing. He exhaled a frustrated breath and buried himself in the seat.

“I’m trying my best.”

“I know.”

“I took my medicine too.”

“Yes.”

“If this continues, do I really have to sleep with an alpha?”

After overcoming one pathetic hurdle, blunt questions weren’t difficult. Rather, they were easier than anything. They had already seen each other naked, and today, he had even shown him the bottom of the barrel, both figuratively and literally. They could be considered to have shared each other’s weaknesses.

Song Jaeyi’s answer this time was a long time coming. He silently tapped on the steering wheel for a while. The tapping, like playing a keyboard, suddenly stopped.

“…Well, it could be a solution.”

“Really?”

“It’s definitely more effective than medicine, no side effects… and it’s over in a day.”

“You seem to have done it often?”

“No, I haven’t. I’m…”

Sooin had only wanted to ask if it was effective enough to do often, but Song Jaeyi reacted too defensively. He turned to look at the passenger seat, about to retort, then suddenly closed his mouth. His side profile, which had quieted down before Sooin could even intervene, was sullen.

“Hyung has one-night stands easily.”

“Hmm… I don’t have them with difficulty.”

Despite the seemingly accusatory tone, Sooin answered casually. He had never really thought of one-night stands as a problem. It’s not like his body wears out, and it’s not a bad thing. If two adults consent, there’s no reason for it to be difficult.

But after his rut changed, he suddenly slammed on the brakes. Even though having sex once could have such a big effect, making it a much more efficient solution than before, he still didn’t feel like it.

“Then you can just grab any alpha and do it now. Should I drop you off somewhere?”

Song Jaeyi, who had been acting mature all day, had returned to being a childish brat. Wondering what he was up to, Sooin chuckled and shook his head.

“It’s different from before.”

“How?”

“This feels… like I’m using someone.”

“……That’s true.”

“Have you ever done it? Sex because of pheromones.”

Song Jaeyi turned his head again. His eyes, looking at Sooin, were tinged with slight shock. Sooin continued murmuring without minding,

“No, wait. Maybe we did it because of that.”

“…….”

“I didn’t know at the time, but you smelled really good then, so I was wondering…”

“Oh, really.”

The car, which had been smoothly cruising down the road, screeched to a halt. The red traffic light shone as if representing Song Jaeyi’s feelings.

“Why are you so shameless, Hyung?”

…Should I be ashamed? We’ve seen everything, touched everything, even put it in and out. Should I be ashamed of talking about the smell?

He wanted to ask that, but Sooin decided to just keep his mouth shut. Song Jaeyi would definitely think he was making fun of him.

When Sooin fell silent, the car quickly became quiet. The silent space, with not even the radio on, was quite comfortable. The brief moment, not breathlessly busy or noisy, felt sweet.

Looking at his approaching house, Sooin carefully reviewed his day. Then, something suddenly caught his attention.

“Ah, but I’m really grateful. Thanks to you today, Jaeyi…”

Sooin, who had gotten into the car after a half-threatening remark, started to speak seriously, wanting to express his gratitude. But then he stopped. A very faint and subtle scent began to waft around his nose.

The feeling that he had smelled it before came first, before the thought that it smelled good. Taking a deep breath, Sooin slowly turned his head. As if the red light that had just turned on hadn’t yet faded, Song Jaeyi’s face was strangely flushed.

“Don’t look.”

Song Jaeyi muttered as if he had gritted his teeth. But Sooin couldn’t resist the urge. His gaze dropped involuntarily. Feeling Sooin’s gaze directed at his crotch, Song Jaeyi let out a soft curse.

“Jaeyi.”

“…….”

“You said you had training.”

“Be quiet, seriously.”

The car screeched to a halt once again.

In front of the red gate, Song Jaeyi, his face as red as the gate, pressed his lips together and quickly unlocked the car. He acted as if Sooin should get out immediately, despite having pleaded with him to get in earlier.

“We’re here.”

“Yeah, I can see it. My house.”

“…Then why aren’t you getting out?”

He looked as though he was about to drag Sooin out if he sat there any longer. Sooin thought for a moment and then carefully asked,

“Don’t you need help? …Should I help you with my hand?”

“Are you crazy?”

“No, I feel responsible since it’s partly my fault, and I’m really grateful for today…”

“You’re grateful, so you’re… Ha, is this how you usually are?”

This time, an English curse followed his outburst. It was a rather Confucian reaction for someone who came from Canada, so Sooin laughed in disbelief.

“I’m kidding. But I’m serious about wanting to repay you. Think about it.”

“…Repay me?”

“Yeah,” Sooin replied softly, opening the car door. Just before closing the door, he added generously,

“If it ends with just once, I’m okay with being your fake boyfriend again.”

As soon as the door closed, the passenger window rolled down. Song Jaeyi, visible through the lowered gap, was calm.

Actually, Sooin had expected an immediate, frantic response. They had a history of snarling at each other in the alley next to the Passion Pub, and he often grumbled about how he was in trouble because of Sooin. He thought Song Jaeyi might even jump at him, demanding they sign a contract right away so he couldn’t change his mind.

But his reaction was very ordinary. Song Jaeyi, after calmly blinking his pretty eyes a couple of times, replied obediently,

“I’ll think about it.”

Those words strangely bothered him. Such a lukewarm answer after always pushing so hard. He wondered if Song Jaeyi regretted even being a fake boyfriend after seeing Sooin’s embarrassing state.

Annoyance subtly rose, fueling his defiance. He found Song Jaeyi, who had become calm after Sooin had revealed his most idiotic and embarrassing side, annoying. He wanted to shake him up.

“Okay, think about it. You can change your mind even now.”

Sooin, taking a step back, smiled kindly and waved his hand. It wasn’t like the way people usually wave when they meet or part. He waved his hand up and down, curled as if holding a thick, cylindrical object. Song Jaeyi’s composure cracked at the rhythmic wrist movement.

“Don’t be so annoying and just go.”

A pure laugh burst out only after seeing Song Jaeyi’s disgusted expression. With a triumphant smile, Sooin turned around coolly. He waved his hand with his back turned. This time, it was a normal wave.

The sound of wheels came from behind him. The smooth, well-oiled sound seemed to roll away, but instead of fading, it grew closer. Sooin, who had been opening the gate, stopped at the noise that was much closer than before. He turned around to see the driver’s side window roll down.

“But Hyung needs my help, too.”

“…What help?”

“You need to relearn how to control your pheromones.”

Song Jaeyi grinned and drove off. His hand, sticking out of the driver’s side window, waved. His large hand waved neither as a normal greeting nor as an obscene gesture, but somewhere in between. Sooin burst out laughing in disbelief.

He was a fast learner, after all.

❤︎₊ ⊹

Finally, the long-awaited day of the group project presentation arrived.

Yiso sent a barrage of apologies from the morning. An earnest request to join them for a meal after he was discharged was attached at the end. Sooin smiled slightly and typed a reply. Right below the reply telling him not to worry about that and to rest well, Pyo Hyungyeon’s cheerful message popped up.

Pyo Hyungyeon

OK! What are you buying me?

Sooin let out a sigh of laughter and shook his head. He put his phone away, speechless.

The lecture hall, which he arrived at earlier than usual, was empty. It was natural, as there was still more than an hour left before the lecture started. Satisfied with the quiet atmosphere, Sooin sat in the front row. He had enough time to go over the presentation script a couple more times.

But a distraction came much earlier than expected. Click, at the sound of the door opening, Sooin checked his watch first. There were still 40 minutes left before the lecture began.

“You’re early.”

Song Jaeyi appeared, dressed in a brown suit from head to toe. Sooin’s mouth dropped open in surprise.

Why is he dressed like he’s going to a wedding…?

As he muttered to himself, Song Jaeyi came closer. The sound of his loafer heels hitting the floor grew louder with each quick step. The noise brought him back to his senses.

“You didn’t have to dress up so much.”

Sooin, who had been mesmerized and had his gaze drawn away, returned his attention to the presentation script and chuckled. He burst into a light laughter, both amused and bewildered.

Honestly, Song Jaeyi is a little cute at times like this. He looks his age.

“It’s not for the presentation today.”

“Hmm?”

“You said I had a blind date.”

But Song Jaeyi was indeed different from his peers. Sooin gasped at the completely unexpected answer. Meanwhile, the man, as artificial as his unrealistic answer, sat down next to Sooin.

Is a twenty-one-year-old really allowed to go on a blind date?

Sooin looked at Song Jaeyi with a serious expression. Song Jaeyi, who had dropped the bomb, nonchalantly opened his bag and took out the presentation script. After calmly organizing his things without any expression, he suddenly met Sooin’s gaze as if he felt it. His mouth formed the words, “Why?”

Sooin didn’t say, “Isn’t sending a twenty-one-year-old on a blind date a form of child abuse?” He just shook his head, suppressing the strangely uncomfortable feeling. It was none of his business anyway. A story from another world.

Just 10 minutes after making that resolution, Sooin, hesitating unusually, finally asked,

“……But then, do you really have to get married?”

“Well… that’s what my father wants.”

“But you’re twenty-one?”

“What’s wrong with being twenty-one?”

Again, the phrase “a form of child abuse” echoed in his head. But somehow, he decided to keep his mouth shut because of Song Jaeyi’s reaction. It wouldn’t be good to provoke him before an important presentation.

As time passed, the lecture hall began to fill up. The eyes of people scanning the room lingered on Song Jaeyi before moving on. Everyone seemed to be thinking, “He’s really dressed up…”

Pyo Hyungyeon arrived exactly 3 minutes before the lecture started, making strange gasping sounds as if he was about to cough up a lung. He stumbled in and sat behind Sooin.

“Ugh, I’m dying…”

His hot breath brushed against the back of Sooin’s neck. Sooin swallowed a curse, only smiling with his eyes. But his efforts were in vain, as a second crisis struck immediately.

“Hey, Song Jaeyi! Are you going to a wedding?”

Sooin almost thought his ears had fallen off. Pyo Hyungyeon, who had been slumped over his desk, jumped up and shouted. It wasn’t a teasing or playful tone. Pale as if he had seen a ghost, he pointed at Sooin and muttered,

“Wow… Kim Sooin really dressed up too? You guys are so mean… making me look like a squid…”

Even though Sooin was only wearing a simple white shirt and casual jeans, he was lumped in as a culprit. When he looked back with innocent eyes, Pyo Hyungyeon muttered, “You guys are unbelievable.” Sooin responded mechanically.

“What are you talking about, Sunbae? Making you look like a squid?”

You were a squid from the start. Hiding his cold reply, he smiled. Next to him, the silent Song Jaeyi belatedly asked a small question,

“What do you make with a squid?”

Seeing his face, completely lost in the flow of conversation, Sooin burst out laughing. This was the first time a group project had been so funny.

The presentation order was decided by drawing lots. Sooin’s group drew number 3, but the order was suddenly moved up because the previous group couldn’t open their PPT file.

From that moment on, Pyo Hyungyeon became visibly stiff, his face turning ashen.

Even when the presentation started, Pyo Hyungyeon’s tension didn’t ease. Rather, he became increasingly rigid, to the point where Sooin could see him trembling. As a result, he became the target of concentrated attacks during the Q&A session. Everyone directed their questions at Pyo Hyungyeon, and he answered even short questions with a trembling voice.

Despite this, Professor Kwak looked very satisfied. He clasped his hands over his large belly and chuckled.

“Oh, that Pyo Hyungyeon… even after 10 years in school, his presentation anxiety doesn’t go away.”

Laughter rippled through the lecture hall following him. In the cheerful atmosphere, Pyo Hyungyeon’s face flushed red alone.

“But well. More than half of the students tremble like that when they have to present, so let’s set that aside… The topic is novel, and the approach is very good, so I’m very satisfied.”

“Thank you.”

“More than anything, the fact that you prepared for the part of the team member who was suddenly hospitalized is especially commendable! It’s proof that you were all familiar with the content, regardless of whose part it was, right? The teamwork can be considered almost perfect. You all did a great job.”

His fierce, dog-like face bloomed into a bright smile. Sooin smiled along with him, bowed his head, and said, “Thank you.” He felt like he had finally overcome a hurdle.

At first, it was a disastrous team with teamwork that made him wonder how he could have ended up with such group members. Pyo Hyungyeon was Pyo Hyungyeon, but Song Jaeyi, whom he had hoped to never interact with again, was a bigger mountain.

But you never know… Now, he even felt like he had succeeded because he was in the same group as Song Jaeyi.

“The final exam will also be a continuation of the group project. This time, you’ll decide how to actually implement the banquet you planned. Decorations, table arrangements, course menu. Everything!”

Thanks to that, Sooin was unfazed even when everyone else groaned silently. He even thought it was fortunate.

“Hey, why are you all whining before you even try! It’ll be really fun once you do it. The banquet we made. Right? How fun is that?”

As Professor Kwak continued his passionate speech, spitting everywhere, the students grumbled, almost groaning, “Oh…” It seemed that Sooin was the only one who thought it might actually be fun.

❤︎₊ ⊹

A break was given with three teams left to present. Sooin lightly patted Jaeyi’s shoulder as a gesture of good work.

“Seriously think about the reward,” he whispered in his ear and left the classroom. Choi Jooyoung was calling.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

There were exactly three reasons why Choi Jooyoung would call. First, he had a good job offer. Second, he was drunk. Third, he had found someone he wanted to set Sooin up with.

— Hey, he’s twenty-nine. And he runs a cafe.

Today seemed to be the third case. Sooin chuckled and went down the stairs. He had no intention of going on a blind date, but he had something else to say in a quiet place.

— He’s really pretty, kind, rich…

Listening to the endless stream of words, he stood behind the building. The grass beneath his feet was damp, as if it had rained the previous night.

— As soon as he saw your picture, he said he wanted to meet you. Huh? How about it? Only this Hyung for you.

“No thanks to the introduction.”

— No thanks again?

“Do you have time next Monday?”

— Why? To drink?

The slippery ground made him keep moving his feet. Sooin fidgeted with his toes like a child who had done something wrong and said,

“The caregiver said she might not be able to go that day, so if you have time…”

— Ah, yeah, I can go.

He agreed before Sooin even finished speaking. Only then did Sooin’s feet stop moving. He bit his lip, then smiled brightly.

“Okay, thanks.”

— No problem. As I’ve said many times, Suye originally liked me more than you.

“If you have nothing else to say, I’m going back in.”

— Now you’re just ignoring me, you bastard…

Sooin knew well that Jooyoung was acting overly dramatic to avoid being sentimental. So, it was always Sooin’s role to put a proper end to it. He said thank you once more to the grumbling Jooyoung and hung up the phone.

His steps as he climbed the stairs again felt lighter. Thinking he had a good feeling… Sooin quickly erased the thought. Whenever he counted his chickens before they hatched, things didn’t end well.

But it seemed to be too late. As he climbed the stairs, ominous noises approached from somewhere.

“Hey, what the hell did you just say?”

A familiar voice and a buzzing atmosphere. “Shouldn’t we stop them?” The moment he heard someone’s worried voice, Sooin, who had stopped for a moment, quickly picked up his pace. Please no, please no, he chanted inwardly, taking the stairs three or four steps at a time.

“Hey, Song Jaeyi! You little shit, where are you going? Say it again!”

Strangely, bad premonitions have a high accuracy rate. It was undoubtedly Pyo Hyungyeon’s voice, pouring out his rage at Song Jaeyi.

“Should I really say it again?”

No, don’t. Sooin pleaded desperately and pushed his way through. He constantly muttered apologies as he pushed through the crowd. The people he pushed seemed a little annoyed, but they quickly made way when they saw Sooin.

Finally, he reached a distance where he could reach them. Pyo Hyungyeon and Song Jaeyi were facing each other in a standoff. Pyo Hyungyeon, shorter than Song Jaeyi, was bumping his head against Song Jaeyi’s chest and yelling.

“Yeah, you little shit, say it!”

His face, flushed crimson, screamed. His rage was much stronger than usual, not something that would subside on its own.

As soon as he made up his mind, Sooin threw himself forward without hesitation. He slid across the floor, quickly pushed Song Jaeyi, and squeezed into the gap that had formed. A sense of relief washed over him as he grabbed Pyo Hyungyeon’s trembling shoulders. It’s okay now, I can stop him. That’s what he thought. Song Jaeyi, with a sneer, lifted his chin.

“Sunbae can’t sell his body even if he wants to.”

It was only natural that Pyo Hyungyeon threw a curse and a punch at the same time.

“You son of a bitch!”

The punch Pyo Hyungyeon awkwardly threw missed. It landed somewhere around his collarbone, not his chin, so there was little impact. Rather, the problem was what came next.

When his attack didn’t land properly, Pyo Hyungyeon went berserk. He flailed and yelled that he would kill Song Jaeyi.

Sooin’s arm got caught while trying to stop him. His wrist hit between the flailing Pyo Hyungyeon and the iron door with a loud bang. Ah, a short groan escaped his lips. He saw Professor Kwak walking towards them with a suspicious look on his face.

We’re screwed. It hadn’t even been an hour since they received praise for their good teamwork. If Professor Kwak saw this, he might fly into a rage and give them a zero. It was entirely possible, considering he always graded the cooperation aspect separately.

Sensing the crisis, Sooin made the first move.

“Professor!”

As he raised his hand first, Professor Kwak looked a little confused. The atmosphere didn’t seem good with everyone gathered around, but Sooin seemed fine, so the professor couldn’t quite grasp the situation. He took a few more steps closer and asked bewilderedly,

“What are you all doing gathered there? Break time is over.”

At his words, the crowd that had gathered to watch rushed back into the lecture hall. Sooin pushed through the gap in the opposite direction from before and went in front of Professor Kwak. It was better to buy some time to hide Pyo Hyungyeon, whose face was still bright red.

“I was just about to come see you.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“My hand is like this.”

Standing right in front of Professor Kwak, Sooin smiled awkwardly. As he subtly showed and touched his hand, the professor’s gaze went down. His eyes widened as he spotted Sooin’s red, swollen wrist.

“Oh my, here? How did this happen?”

“I bumped into something… Maybe because of my watch, it got twisted. It’s swollen.”

“If it’s this bad, you should go to the hospital quickly. Why are you still here?”

His already wrinkled face crumpled further with worry. Professor Kwak, his eyes narrowed in concern, gestured with his chin. At his expression, almost shooing Sooin away, Sooin felt a little relieved. But hiding his true intentions, he hesitated, as if asking a difficult question,

“Professor, then… would it be alright if I take this friend with me? He has a car.”

It wasn’t that he intended to help Song Jaeyi, who hadn’t done anything right. He just calculated that it would be safer to separate Pyo Hyungyeon and Song Jaeyi immediately. As if reading Sooin’s mind, Song Jaeyi fiddled with his hands without protest.

“Yeah, hurry up and go.”

Professor Kwak dismissed Sooin’s hard-won request with a dismissive wave of his hand. At the easy approval, Pyo Hyungyeon’s eyes widened. ‘Are you leaving me behind?’ His face, with that exact expression, looked at Sooin. Sooin turned around, pretending not to see. There was no reason to look at Pyo Hyungyeon’s face, which looked dozens of times worse than usual.

As he turned around, he could hear the comical conversation between Professor Kwak and Pyo Hyungyeon.

“Pyo Hyungyeon! What about you? Why are you just standing there? Oh, did that watch hit your face? It’s all red.”

“Sir? No, that’s not it… Anyway, Professor, you should go in first.”

❤︎₊ ⊹

This was the third time in two days that Sooin had gotten a ride in Song Jaeyi’s car. Until recently, he hadn’t even known the guy had a car, but as they say, you never know.

Sooin sighed deeply instead of speaking prematurely. There were so many things he wanted to say, no, had to say, that his mind was overloaded. After rummaging through his fried brain for a while, he finally managed to get a word out.

“You seemed like an adult yesterday…”

The car, having left the parking lot, quickly passed the main gate. It was the same place where, just yesterday, Song Jaeyi had saved Sooin, who was having a standing nightmare in broad daylight.

“But seeing you today, you still have a long way to go.”

Sooin murmured and looked down at his watch. The small crack on the watch face felt strangely rough. He carefully rubbed it and unfastened the clasp. Because of his swollen wrist, even taking off his watch caused him to groan.

As Sooin swallowed a moan, Song Jaeyi opened the window. As if wanting to cool down, he exhaled a hot breath and muttered,

“That bastard said dirty things first. …Hyung doesn’t know how awful he was.”

His eyes, looking outside, looked quite hurt. How dirty were those words that he couldn’t even repeat them? It was just like Song Jaeyi.

But Sooin could guess without hearing them. He must have spouted nonsense about Sooin being a whore or having a sponsor. Sooin had anticipated it since Pyo Hyungyeon had yelled about his clothes as soon as he entered the classroom. The type of person who belittles others to compensate for their damaged ego always follows the same pattern.

“I bet he did. Is it the first time?”

“……”

“He asked me why I was being so fake.”

“……”

“See, how does it feel to do everything as you please?”

Earlier, in front of everyone, he had sarcastically said, “Sunbae can’t sell his body even if he wants to.” Now, Song Jaeyi focused on driving with his lips tightly pressed together. The ends of his well-defined lips drooped slightly. It seemed he realized he had done something wrong in hindsight.

“We almost ruined a perfectly good presentation. Do you know that? If we were even a little late, we would have all been called in. The professor just praised our teamwork, and it would have been great to show him a bunch of grown adults fighting, right?”

Even at Sooin’s sarcastic remarks, Song Jaeyi remained quiet. His well-defined jaw twitched as if he was chewing on the inside of his tightly closed lips. Even though it was clear he hadn’t calmed down yet, his face, quietly trying to endure it, was somewhat bearable.

Sooin had been very angry until he got in the car. But he already felt the tangled threads in his heart slowly unraveling. Just by looking at Song Jaeyi’s face.

Ha… Sooin let out a tired sigh and glanced out the window for a moment. Still, today’s incident wasn’t something that could be dismissed with a few words. The scale was too large. Not only the people in the same department but everyone in the hallway had seen it.

They would have to work together on the final project, and he had already talked about selling his body in front of everyone… Thinking that he needed to teach him a lesson this time, Sooin hardened his resolve.

“You almost ruined Yiso’s grade, who couldn’t come because he was sick. And you still want to say that Pyo Hyungyeon made you angry first?”

He furrowed his dark eyebrows, hardening his voice.

“It’s good to speak your mind, but can’t you be a little more flexible?”

A frustrated sigh escaped his lips. He felt even more upset because of Song Jaeyi’s face, which couldn’t respond and was trying to hide his hurt expression.

Just a few days ago, he had at least pretended to be agreeable, and now he had suddenly caused a huge incident. He had a serious falling out with Pyo Hyungyeon, who was nothing but trouble, and put the group project at risk. They could have all lost their grades. It was a situation that would have normally made Sooin furious.

Yet, Sooin felt gratitude before anger. It was a very unfamiliar feeling, considering his personality, which valued efficiency and results over hasty kindness.

He had always thought it didn’t matter what others said behind his back.

The fact that someone stood up for him was more comforting than he thought. He was even more grateful because it was Song Jaeyi, who was as indifferent to other people’s business as he was. The image of Song Jaeyi silently staying by his side yesterday when he couldn’t breathe overlapped, making it impossible for him to get angry.

“Ha…”

But it wasn’t something he could praise either. Sooin sighed deeply for the umpteenth time since getting into the car.

Song Jaeyi glanced at Sooin. His long eyelashes fluttered rapidly, and his lips hesitated, then moved. His beautifully curved upper lip bit his lower lip as he mumbled for a while. After some thought, Song Jaeyi tapped the steering wheel.