VDN Ch 52

Nothing could be concluded yet. 

I’m sure he just bought the wrong thing. Because he’s an idiot.

Seo-oh suppressed his anxiety and picked up Nam-woon’s fallen cellphone. He intended to put it back in the bag. However, a message on the main screen caught his eye.

[Nam-woon-ah]

[Don’t you like the dildo you saw?]

[Should I buy another one?]

[Next time, it will come without the smell.]

[photo.jpg]

[Is it too big?]

Despite growing up being told he was smart, he couldn’t immediately understand the messages displayed on the phone. Dildo? Was it the kind of dildo he knew about? Even looking at the photo, he doubted his eyes.

Moreover, the message about coming without the smell was obvious. It referred to the man’s pheromones.

Rut suppressants and the messages. Even without jumping to conclusions, these objectively pointed to one thing.

Nam-woon has been involved with another alpha.

Seo-oh’s heart pounded anxiously. He stared at the phone screen, forgetting to blink for a moment.

It can’t be true.

Nam-woon had said he wasn’t seeing anyone. This left two possibilities: Nam-woon lied to him or he slept with someone without being in a relationship. Either way, it was the worst case.

Nam-woon didn’t seem like he was lying. His expression when he said he wasn’t seeing anyone was the same as usual, and Nam-woon seemed unaware of pheromone showers altogether. If he was in a relationship, the other person wouldn’t have sent such playful messages.

The remaining possibility was

A sexual relationship without dating.

All the hopes Seo-oh had carefully built up collapsed in an instant.

He wanted to grab Nam-woon by the collar and demand answers. Did you sleep with that guy? Since when? Why him?

….And why not me?

Nam-woon’s face, smiling like a fool, flashed before his eyes.

It felt like a hole had been punched in his heart, and the empty space was quickly filled with unbearable jealousy and anger. Seo-oh’s eyes darkened more than ever.

***

After browsing the pop-up store for a while, Nam-woon and Se-han returned with both hands full of bags. They settled on a bench near where Seo-oh was sitting in the shopping center corner. 

“Wow, Hyung, look at this!”

Se-han was too busy opening the newly acquired items to pay attention. Nam-woon stood in front of the bench, handing Se-han the unwrapped packages while glancing at Seo-oh. 

It’s too quiet.

Seo-oh watched Se-han’s actions without saying a word. His expression didn’t seem pleasant, unlike when they were playing the claw machine. His face lacked any emotion, and his complexion wasn’t great. Was something bothering him? Nam-woon glanced at his phone. Perhaps he was hungry, it had been a while since they left. 

“Seo-oh, are you hungry?” 

Nam-woon asked, but Seo-oh didn’t respond or even look at him. Finally, Se-han raised his head to look at his older brother. Seo-oh suddenly stood up. 

“I’m going out for some fresh air.”

“Hyung, where are you going?”

Se-han shouted, but Seo-oh quickly walked toward the escalator. Se-han glanced at Nam-woon, looking worried. Nam-woon sat on the bench, picking up the items in front of him.

It seems like he felt suffocated because there were too many people.

“What is this, Se-han?” Nam-woon asked, pointing at the item. Se-han quickly shifted his gaze and began explaining seriously, “Oh, that is…” Nam-woon responded while occasionally glancing towards the escalator where Seo-oh had gone down. 

While waiting for Seo-oh, Nam-woon handed the unopened items to Se-han one by one. Se-han quickly unwrapped them with his nimble hands. His lips puckered like a duck’s beak as he concentrated. Then, a familiar voice was heard.

“Seok Nam-woon?” 

Both Nam-woon and Se-han turned their heads. A charming man with a smile stood in front of them. 

It was Jin-sang. Nam-woon looked at him with a sour expression. Jin-sang walked over to the bench where they were sitting.

“What brings you here?”

“I have something to buy.”

“You should’ve come with me then. Why didn’t you reply to my message?”

“Replying to you is a waste of time.”

Nam-woon had been too busy looking around with Se-han, so he’d left his phone in his shopping bag. Besides, Jin-sang’s messages were always weird, so he usually just ignored them.

“…Who’s this?” 

“My younger brother.”

“You have a brother?” 

Jin-sang’s smile disappeared as he stared intently at Se-han. Under the man’s gaze, Se-han nervously scooted back and quietly set down the things he was holding. Nam-woon moved Se-han behind him and said,

“We’re busy, so you should go.”

Suddenly, Jin-sang leaned in close to Nam-woon, bending down so their faces were almost touching, and muttered quietly,

“I can’t smell anything anymore.”

“What?”

Nam-woon frowned and pushed the man’s face away with his palm. Jin-sang casually grabbed Nam-woon’s hand and lowered it, then squeezed in next to him on the bench.

“Hey, it’s crowded!”

“Aren’t you delivering pizza today?”

Nam-woon frowned at him. Why would he say that in front of Se-han?

At that moment, Se-han, seeing Jin-sang’s arm around Nam-woon’s shoulder, spoke up cautiously.

“Please don’t do that.”

Startled by Se-han’s sudden words, Nam-woon turned his head. Se-han’s large, dark eyes were fixed on Jin-sang, who was sitting next to Nam-woon. Jin-sang looked at Se-han expressionlessly and wiggled his hand on Nam-woon’s shoulder.

“Ah, this?”

“……” 

Se-han’s clear eyes flickered slightly. Before Nam-woon could say anything, Jin-sang lowered his arm from his shoulder.

“I took my hand off. Happy?”

Jin-sang showed Se-han his open palm. But Se-han shook his head. 

“N-not that.”

“Hey, you should go now.”

It was probably best to move somewhere else. As Nam-woon started gathering up the things scattered on the bench, Se-han spoke in a small but firm voice.

“That smell… Don’t do it.”

At that, Jin-sang paused for a moment. He curled his lips into a smirk and said in amazement,

“An Alpha? Aren’t you a kindergartener?” 

“I’m an elementary school student.” 

“You’re early.”

Still smiling, Jin-sang turned his gaze back to Nam-woon. At that moment, Se-han shouted even louder.

“I said don’t do it!”

“Are you really Nam-woon’s little brother? You’re so rude.”

Se-han’s face turned red, and he suddenly jumped up and started kicking the man’s shoes with his short legs. Small marks appeared on the man’s fancy-looking shoes. Startled, Nam-woon quickly picked Se-han up and held him in his arms.

“Se-han.” 

“I said don’t do that! Don’t do that to Wooni Hyung!”

Jin-sang looked at Se-han and Nam-woon in turn, expressionless, then said bluntly,

“You two don’t look alike at all.”

“Hey.” 

Nam-woon glared at Jin-sang, cursing him inwardly. Then, holding Se-han in one arm and several shopping bags in the other, he left first. Haegun watched Nam-woon until he disappeared on the escalator.

“You don’t even have a little brother.”

Jin-sang muttered expressionlessly. 

“Se-han, are you okay?” 

“……” 

Se-han buried his face in Nam-woon’s shoulder without a word. Thankfully, he wasn’t crying, but he looked like he might burst into tears at any moment. Outside the shopping center, Nam-woon held Se-han and looked around. Seo-oh was nowhere to be seen.

He took out his phone to contact Seo-oh and was comforting Se-han when he saw Seo-oh approaching from a distance. Seeing Se-han in Nam-woon’s arms, Seo-oh hurried over with a worried look.

“Did something happen?”

“Ah, well…”

While Nam-woon hesitated, not knowing what to say, Seo-oh reached out his arms to Se-han.

“Se-han, come here.”

Se-han slowly lifted his head. As soon as he saw his brother’s face, his tension melted away and he finally burst into tears.

“Huaaa, hyung…”

Seo-oh took Se-han from Nam-woon’s arms.

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

Se-han just buried his face in his brother’s neck and cried, tears streaming down his cheeks. Next to them, Nam-woon anxiously wiped Se-han’s face with his sleeve. Through his tears, Se-han blurted out a jumble of words.

“T-that tall man… h-hic, did that to Woooni Hyung, and I told him not to, but… ugh… I kept telling him, but he still did it… uhuuu…”

Seo-oh listened, but the words were incomprehensible. Finally, he spoke.

“Seok Nam-woon.”

“Huh?”

“What did you do while I was gone?”

“I just met someone I know…”

Suddenly, Seo-oh grabbed Nam-woon by the collar and yanked him forward. Startled, Nam-woon stumbled after him. After a moment, Seo-oh let go of his collar with a scoff.

“Just someone you know?” 

Then, sounding angry, he asked,

“Are you out of your mind?” 

“…What?”

“You want to do that kind of thing in front of a kid?”

“What do you mean, that kind of thing?”

Seo-oh’s jaw was clenched tight. Anyone could see he was barely holding back his anger. He glared at Nam-woon with fierce eyes, then walked ahead. Nam-woon followed after him, protesting.

“I didn’t do anything.” 

“Shut up.” 

What the hell? Nam-woon had no idea what was going on. As he followed behind, he grabbed Seo-oh’s hand and said,

“Hey, let’s go home. We’ll talk at home.”

Nam-woon tried to hold onto Seo-oh’s hand, but Seo-oh immediately shook him off and headed for the taxi stand. Nam-woon hurried after him.