Chapter 21
“Indeed, you two could go straight to the national team selection tournament.”
Although the coach meant it as a compliment, Igeon knew that such words were perfect for making seniors hate them and planting feelings of inferiority in their peers. He really wanted to cover the coach’s mouth. While he appreciated the praise… he’d hoped to be treated the same as everyone else as a new student, but it seemed things were going wrong from day one.
“I still have a lot to improve. I’ll work hard under the guidance of my seniors.”
Han Taekyung quickly spoke up, and Seo Igeon followed suit, bowing his head to the seniors.
“I look forward to your guidance, seniors.”
He silently begged for them to just let it go quietly. The seniors cleared their throats and resumed practice, while Han Taekyung and Seo Igeon quickly moved away from the professor.
“You guys really did well?”
Until just now, there were about six classmates talking to them, but suddenly the number dropped to three. I should think it’s because they’re tired from sparring.
“Thanks.”
“Thank you.”
As Igeon received a towel from a classmate and wiped his sweat, he started to take off his dobok when suddenly screams and gasps were heard from all around. Taekyung quickly reached out and tightly closed Igeon’s dobok.
“What? I was just trying to wipe off my sweat.”
“It would be better to remember that there are other people here besides us right now.”
Ah, right. Igeon sighed deeply and patted Taekyung’s shoulder. It was his way of showing gratitude.
“Let’s go to the shower room.”
The other classmates had finished their sparring, and the coach announced that today’s class was over. Since the Taekwondo Department didn’t just practice taekwondo but also had to attend various lectures, they moved quickly. They showered in the shower room and changed clothes. Since there was time before the next lecture, Jaekyung suggested going to lunch with Han Taekyung, and they headed to the dormitory’s basement cafeteria.
“Oh, today’s menu is tonkatsu set.”
It was an impressive tonkatsu set that even included a small udon. Actually, he hadn’t expected much since it was free, but the portion was large and generous. Even if it didn’t taste good, he could have forgiven it, but it was delicious too, so Igeon was really satisfied.
“Is your stomach okay?”
As Igeon ate the tonkatsu so enthusiastically that he might get indigestion, Han Taekyung asked with concerned eyes.
“Ah, that’s right. Come to think of it, I’m fine now. The hangover medicine was really the best.”
Now he understood why hangover medicine sold so well when he briefly worked at a convenience store. The person who developed hangover medicine really deserves an award.
“Excuse me…”
Someone approached while they were eating enthusiastically. Looking up, there were two people, a man and a woman. Somehow, the atmosphere they gave off seemed like omegas. What’s going on?
“Can we sit and eat next to you?”
The cafeteria was quite spacious with plenty of seats available. Despite that, they specifically wanted to sit next to them… As long as they wouldn’t be uncomfortable, Igeon didn’t mind, so he nodded and glanced at Han Taekyung. Taekyung was ignoring them, putting tonkatsu in his mouth.
With Igeon’s permission, the man sat next to Igeon, and the woman sat next to Han Taekyung.
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing.”
Is this something to be thanked for? I don’t know. Igeon focused on his meal again. But somehow he felt a strange feeling, so he looked up and saw the woman endlessly staring at Han Taekyung, while the man was fidgeting and not eating properly. What’s going on?
“Ah.”
When his eyes met the man’s, the man’s face turned red.
“Are you Seo Igeon, the athlete?”
“Ah, yes, that’s right.”
Is this someone I know?
“I’m your fan! I’ve been watching your matches since you were on the junior national team.”
Igeon was surprised. When the man said he was a fan with sparkling eyes, he felt somewhat strange. This was the first time someone had approached him saying they were a fan like this.
“Ah, thank you.”
“I was hoping you’d enroll in our school, and it’s an honor that you actually did. Um… can I shake your hand?”
“Ah, yes.”
It felt somewhat impolite to just extend his hand, so Igeon wiped his hand on his clothes a couple of times before shaking hands with the man. The man’s face turned red like a radish again.
“It’s a real, real honor. I hope you become a senior national team member.”
“Thank you.”
“And… may I greet you again sometime?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Thank you. I’m really happy.”
Ah, he could feel the man’s pheromones. Since he was currently on pheromone suppressants, he wouldn’t be affected by omega pheromones, but he still needed to be careful of pheromones that felt friendly. It was clear interest. Igeon. And the woman sitting next to Han Taekyung, staring at him like that even though he wasn’t budging at all, must also be interested. Ugh, something unexpected happened. I never thought this kind of situation would arise… Since he’d entered university, he wanted to enjoy a passionate campus life, but such excessive attention before he’d even adapted was… although he was grateful, it was also a bit burdensome. This is why he can’t have a long-term relationship.
“Let’s go. It’s almost time for lecture.”
Han Taekyung finished scraping up his tonkatsu and stood up. It was perfect timing, and Igeon quickly stood up too.
“Then we’ll be going now. Enjoy your meal, you two.”
Was that not strange? Did I greet them properly? Since they said they were fans, it didn’t seem right to make them feel avoided. Fortunately, the two people seemed so excited about something that they could be heard squealing and talking even after Igeon and Taekyung left. They returned their trays and exited the cafeteria. The delicious tonkatsu was nowhere to be found in his memory.
“You felt those pheromones of attraction, yet you still ate well.”
Igeon said, patting Taekyung’s shoulder.
“Since I have no intention of accepting those feelings, it’s better to ignore them.”
Typical Taekyung.
By the way, he suddenly became curious. Has this guy ever dated? Of course, judging by his appearance, it seemed like he might have met a new omega every day, but…
“Have you ever dated an omega?”
“No, never.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not interested.”
How decisive.
“Well, now that we’re college students, we should date, fall in love, and all that.”
“Hmm, I don’t have such thoughts yet… But what about you, Seo Igeon?”
“Me?”
“Do you want to date and fall in love?”
“Of course. I want to experience painful love and happy love. Isn’t that everyone’s desire?”
“I thought you weren’t interested in dating, but that’s not the case.”
“How could I not be interested? It’s just that my situation… you know. So I think there’s no possibility.”
“What’s wrong with your situation? Don’t think like that.”
Han Taekyung spoke as if he was really serious. How reassuring that was, and Igeon laughed. Yes, as he’d thought before, if there was someone who knew his situation and still accepted and loved him, Igeon would also do his best for that person.
“From now on, many people will show interest in you.”
Taekyung, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped and turned around. Same height, same gaze, looking at each other’s faces, Han Taekyung took another step closer. Almost close enough for their noses to touch.
“Don’t follow strange people.”
“What? Am I a child?”
“I’m saying this because you seem like you might follow someone who offers you candy.”
“I’ll kill you. Really.”
Han Taekyung, who had been right in front of him just a moment ago, strode toward the lecture hall. Igeon quickly followed and hit him on the back. But right now, he didn’t mind living like this for a while, regardless of dating or whatever. After all, there were still many things he hadn’t experienced with Han Taekyung.
Yes, that’s what he thought. Until that person appeared.
“Hello, I’m Kang Yuhan, and I’ll be working with you from today.”
After midterms ended and they had a brief respite. They were placed in a group with one student from Sports Psychology and two from Exercise, to study together until the final exams of the first semester of freshman year. That was the school’s intention. It was a method designed to both stabilize the psychology of precious future national team members and provide practical experience for psychology students, and this method had worked unexpectedly well, so other schools were also implementing it using different departments. Of course, both Igeon and Taekyung knew about this in advance from what seniors had told them, but… there was a problem.
The problem wasn’t that Igeon and Taekyung were in the same group. The problem was the man from the Psychology Department. Kang Yuhan.
He was like a gentle spring breeze. His fine hair swayed with the slightest wind, and a warm, green apple-like pheromone could be faintly felt. Alphas already knew that they would be grouped with omega psychology students. The reason was to check if their pheromone control was working well, and to better understand the relationship between alphas and omegas and remind them of their equal positions. Since all students and stakeholders agreed on this point, this wasn’t a problem either. Yes, there really was no problem. Kang Yuhan… this person was the problem.
“Excuse me.”
When Igeon and Taekyung didn’t say anything while looking at him, Yuhan smiled gently and carefully asked again. Then Igeon quickly stood up.
“Ah, hello, senior. I’m Seo Igeon from the Taekwondo Department.”
“Hello, I’ve heard a lot about you. I look forward to working with you.”
Yuhan extended his hand, and Igeon quickly wiped his hand on his pants before extending it to Yuhan for a handshake. When that warm and soft hand touched his, his heart somehow pounded. What is this? Yuhan didn’t remember him. Of course. If they had collided just for a moment, it’s natural he wouldn’t remember. But he clearly remembered that day, and amusingly, it came to mind occasionally. Perhaps he had even hoped they might run into each other again, but to think they would be tied together in the same group like this. He was so happy. He didn’t know why he was so happy, but he truly was.
“And you… are Han Taekyung?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
