VDN Ch 39

Na Dae-yeol shouted with a distorted face.

“What did you just say now?!”

“I said even if you paid me, I wouldn’t fuck you.”

“You crazy bastard!”

“Why are you getting mad? Are you angry I won’t fuck you?”

Jin Hae-geon asked, his eyes wide open.

At that moment, the professor opened the door and entered, and a classmate sitting nearby held Dae-yeol back, making him sit down. Dae-yeol, huffing and puffing with a flushed face, sat down, but as soon as the break time came, he moved to a seat far away from Hae-geon. Some others who had witnessed the argument with Dae-yeol also quietly moved their seats.

From that day on, everyone avoided Hae-geon. One more rumor was added to the countless rumors that followed him: an alpha who likes alphas, a crazy guy. As soon as people decided he was somewhat unhinged, Hae-geon was left alone, but he didn’t seem to care at all.

When Dae-yeol realized that the person in front of him was Jin Hae-geon, he instinctively took a step back. Hae-geon extended his palm and said one word.

“Phone”

Dae-yeol quickly picked up the phone that had fallen on the floor, placed it in Hae-geon’s hand, and left the room. “I’m not avoiding you because I’m scared of you, but because you’re disgusting. Lee Jun-hee, who was behind Dae-yeol, also hurriedly moved from Hae-geon and headed toward the door.

Hae-geon’s gaze returned to his phone screen. A chat window was open.

[Hey]

[Pay me back.]

[Why aren’t you calling me?]

[I only deal with normal people.]

[I’m pissed.]

[Give me my money.]

[If you don’t pay, I’ll call the police and you’ll eat prison food.]

Hae-geon’s eyes crinkled with amusement at the final message.

“Haha, that’s hilarious.”

[I don’t know]

[If you don’t call, maybe I won’t give you the money.]

Hae-geon sent a childish message.

Sol, who had been watching the argument between Jin Hae-geon and Na Dae-yeol, turned her head back to Seo-oh. He had his usual expressionless face. His melancholic, neat profile, with long, straight eyelashes fluttering, caught people’s attention. Seo-oh, looking at his phone, seemed extremely focused. A quick glance revealed he was searching for “Alk-kong toy claw machine.”

Sol-i exchanged a few messages with her older sister, then took a picture of the snacks on her desk with her camera. With a click, Seo-oh looked at Sol-i.

“Oh, I’m sending it to my sister. These snacks are delicious.”

“……”

Suddenly, Seo-oh opened the chat window saved as “Trash Mop.” Previous short conversations were displayed. Seo-oh scrolled up, slowly reading through the past exchanges. After quickly reading through the few conversations, he sent a text.

[What are you doing?]

[Eating.]

He must have been looking at his phone too because the reply came right away. It’s 1:52 p.m. now. Seo-oh frowned at the late lunch. Then another message from Nam-woon arrived.

[Have you eaten anything?]

Seo-oh gazed at the coffee on his desk and then sneakily turned on his phone camera. But he quickly returned to the main screen. Sending a picture seemed a bit much. But he wanted to hear his voice. He had listened to Nam-woon’s voice all day yesterday at home and now he wanted to hear it again today.

Maybe I should make a call. I checked the time and got up from my seat.

Beep-beep—

But Seok Nam-woon didn’t answer the phone. It seemed like he was already on a call.

Who is he talking to?

Lately, Seo-oh has been curious about everyone around his Hyung. He wanted to know everything without missing a thing—whom his Hyung met and whom he contacted. Seo-oh stared at his phone screen for a moment and then headed towards the back door of the classroom.

At that moment, he bumped shoulders with someone coming out of the classroom. There weren’t many people at school who were eye-level with him. But he met the eyes of the other person at the same level. Bright pupils were looking at Seo-oh. Seo-oh looked at the man with an expressionless face. After standing for a moment, the other person passed by Seo-oh, continuing his conversation with a bright voice.

“Why did you call so late?”

Then he laughed out loud as if he were pleased.

“Haha, are you going to make prison food for me?”

Seo-oh turned his head and quietly watched the man’s back. He felt a strange chill.

***

[Gayber Map]

[Peachy Peachy]

After checking the message, Nam-woon stood in front of the store and looked up at the sign.

“Peachy Peachy?”

It sounded familiar. Nam-woon glanced inside the store through the clear glass window. Despite its cute name, it looked like a rather upscale restaurant, and since it wasn’t mealtime yet, it didn’t seem very crowded. Then his phone vibrated.

[Come early today.]

It was Kwon Seo-oh. Nam-woon headed for the store’s door without replying. He was just going to get the money and leave quickly anyway.

As he entered, a neatly dressed employee asked Nam-woon,

“Welcome. Do you have a reservation?”

“No.”

The employee looked up to check Nam-woon’s face, flinched in surprise, and then his expression hardened. But he quickly put on a capitalist smile again and said, “Sir, please wait here for a moment,” before hurriedly turning and heading somewhere.

“What should we do?”

“What do you mean, what should we do? You know Bong-nam quit because of that guy. If he finds out Bong-nam quit, who knows what kind of scene he’ll make and storm out! And who knows? Now that Bong-nam’s gone, he might start bothering other people! The boss said not to let people like him in, remember?”

It seemed the employee was talking to someone, but the voices were too quiet to make out the details. After whispering for a while, the employee came back around the corner, looking troubled.

“Sir… I’m sorry, but we’re not ready for dining yet. It seems you can’t use the restaurant right now. I’m really sorry.”

“Huh, you’re not open yet?”

“Yes. We don’t currently have your favorite liquor in stock, and the ingredients aren’t prepared either.”

He hadn’t even mentioned his favorite liquor.  The employee apologized again, eyebrows drooping in a pitiful expression.

Jin-sang clearly told me to come to this store.

Nam-woon looked around. Although there weren’t many customers, there were people eating. After thinking for a moment, Nam-woon came to a conclusion. I’ve been cut off from the entrance.

He had never heard of such a thing as being denied entry in a regular restaurant, but in such a high-end restaurant, it was entirely possible to be selective about who they let in. Nam-woon looked down at his clothes. He was dressed as usual, nothing out of the ordinary. He nodded to himself.

As he turned to leave, his phone vibrated in his pocket.

[Asshole]

When he answered the call, the man immediately asked,

– Where are you?”

“I came in, but they said I can’t eat.”

– What are you talking about?

Nam-woon lowered his voice, conscious of the employee behind him.

“I think I’ve been cut off at the entrance.”

“……”

The man was silent for a moment, then suddenly let out a low laugh. Nam-woon frowned at the sound. Was it really that funny that he’d been refused entry? The man laughed to himself for a while, then spoke to Nam-woon, still chuckling.

– Wait there.

“Huh? Hey.”

Nam-woon called out to him, but the call had already been disconnected. Nam-woon stood by the door with a slightly awkward expression. Then the same employee approached him with a serious face.

“Sir, as I mentioned before, you can’t use the restaurant right now. If you could please leave immediately…”

“Nam-woon.”

At that moment, a man a head taller than the employee approached Nam-woon with a bright smile. The employee, startled by the voice, turned his head in surprise.

“Oh? B-boss…”

The man didn’t spare a glance for the shocked employee, only looking at Nam-woon. As the man came closer, the employee naturally stepped aside. Even though the man was dressed casually, he looked so refined that he exuded an air of luxury. With a smile, he asked,

“You could’ve just come right in. Were you waiting for me out here?”

“I wasn’t really waiting…”

The employee’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out upon hearing their conversation.

“I had everything prepared inside because you said you were coming.”

“You did prepare the ten thousand won bills, right?”

 The man who approached grabbed Nam-woon’s arm and pulled him. Nam-woon hesitated and looked at the employee standing next to him. Earlier, they said he couldn’t enter the restaurant, so is it okay to go in now? Nam-woon pulled away the hand of the man holding his arm and whispered

“Hey, can’t I just take it outside?”

“This way.”

The man pulled on Nam-woon’s arm again, and reluctantly, Nam-woon followed him. Hae-geon, who was leading the way, suddenly turned his head sharply. The employee, who met Hae-geon’s cold brown eyes head-on, flinched and bowed his head deeply.

When the man grabbed his arm again and pulled him firmly, Nam-woon reluctantly followed him. Hae-geon, who was leading the way, suddenly turned his head. The employee, facing Hae-geon’s cold brown eyes directly, flinched and bowed his head deeply.

“What’s this?”

Nam-woon’s eyes widened as he entered the room Hae-geon had guided him to. Hae-geon pulled out a chair in front of Nam-woon. He hadn’t noticed from the entrance, but there was a fairly large private room inside the store. The room was softly lit, and jazz music played gently. On the white table, bread and soup were neatly arranged. Nam-woon was led by Hae-geon’s hand and sat down on the chair in a daze. Hae-geon, seated across from him, looked at Nam-woon, who seemed flustered, and said, 

Nam-woon sat down in the chair, led by Hae-geon’s hand, still in disbelief. Hae-geon, sitting opposite, looked at the bewildered Nam-woon and said,

“Let’s have dinner together.”

“Huh? What dinner? Give me the money quickly.”

Nam-woon made a bewildered expression and held out his hand to Hae-geon. Hae-geon smiled gently and picked up the utensils. 

 “I’ll give it to you after you eat.”

“I’m busy. I have to take the money and leave right away.”

“I prepared all this in advance because you said you were coming.”

Hae-geon looked at the table with a slightly gloomy expression. Last time, he acted like a screw missing twenty bolts, but today, strangely, he seemed normal, which was somehow unsettling. Nam-woon also glanced at the table. All that was prepared was soup and bread.

Is this…how Jin-sang eats his dinner? It seemed like the meal would be over in less than five minutes if he ate quickly. Nam-woon, finding the hassle annoying, picked up a spoon.

“You have to give it to me right after I eat.”

Hae-geon smiled brightly