9
“You… why the hell did you take money from that bitch Kim Yu-jin to get revenge on me? And you actually went along with it?”
“…Hyung. Do you really think I’m that easy?”
Hyeontae asked quietly, his face no longer wearing its usual smirk as he looked down at Sungho. The man was a mess, covered in other men’s cum, yet somehow still radiating confidence.
He really hasn’t changed at all in 20 years.
What an interesting man, Hyung.
“What…? Why are you bringing that up now?”
“Because you only call her ‘that bitch’ when you think I’m weak. Do you want to badmouth your ex-wife? Didn’t you initiate the divorce?”
“What do you know? Yu-jin always talked about divorce first—I just beat her to it. Why are you even bringing this up? Is this your revenge? Did she badmouth her ‘trash ex-husband’ to you?”
“I didn’t. Hyung. After 20 years of marriage, don’t you know her? Yu-jin sunbae isn’t that kind of person… Yeah, I think I understand why she wanted the divorce.”
“…Don’t talk nonsense. What do you know? What do you—”
“I’m genuinely curious where you get that confidence. You spread your legs for random men’s dicks like it’s nothing, and you’re still covered in cum—but where does that arrogance come from? Unless you really think I’m weak…”
“W-what?”
Sungho looked stunned, as if he never expected such crude words from Hyeontae. But Hyeontae just smirked, enunciating each word clearly.
“You’re obsessed with cock, Hyung. Yesterday, you grabbed my pants and begged me to fuck you.”
“I never—!”
“Hmm… Fine, let’s not count the times you weren’t in your right mind. Only the sober confessions.”
It was a threat—that soon, Sungho would say those things fully aware. But Sungho still glared, refusing to back down. Of all people, Hyeontae—the one he’d always seen as a bit pathetic—was the one pulling this? Was he really that much of a joke? Did Hyeontae think he was being looked down on?
“Why are you doing this to me?”
“Hmm… It’s not what you think. I don’t care about revenge. You know my personality. And since you’re talking about revenge… I guess you did do something to Yu-jin sunbae, huh?”
Sungho couldn’t answer. As if he’d expected that, Hyeontae sat down in front of him.
“Let’s talk. No ‘this bastard’ or ‘that asshole’—just us.”
***
20 Years Ago
Sungho, Yu-jin, and Hyeontae were all in the same department at university. Hyeontae was a year below them. The school wasn’t the absolute best, but it was prestigious enough. Everything was new and fascinating to Hyeontae—until he realized the harsh reality.
Their department wasn’t known for great prospects. Jobs were scarce, and the major itself was vague. Still, the university’s name carried weight, so graduates could scrape by. Hyeontae had hoped for meaningful discussions about the future, but instead, he found a culture of apathy.
Most students figured they’d land a job eventually, so why stress? “If not now, when will we party?” Drinking was treated as social training. Hyeontae felt out of place, but he forced himself into gatherings, believing the elite network would matter later.
He was the dutiful type—never flaunting ambition, just listening. Others saw him as naive and happily included him in their drinking circles.
Many treated him like a clueless underclassman they had to “educate.” Sungho was one of them.
At first, Hyeontae thought Sungho looked pale—probably from studying too much. His soft, cute face made him seem like a gentle senior. But Sungho was the department’s biggest slacker. He never worked hard, yet acted like he had everything handled. Rumors swirled that he must be from a rich family.
Hyeontae’s interest in Sungho began because of Yu-jin.
Yu-jin was the opposite—diligent, high-achieving, and respected for her leadership. “She’ll never starve,” people said. She embodied the ideal elite student Sungho should have been. That’s why Sungho pursued her—not romantically, but as someone he wanted to understand. When he drunkenly admitted at a gathering that he wanted to get closer to her, the room erupted in laughter.
“Dude, she’s taken.”
“Yu-jin is pretty, though.”
“I don’t like women who are too smart.”
“Who asked about your taste? Yu-jin’s kind.”
Sungho shut them down flat. When Hyeontae later learned Sungho was dating Yu-jin, he was shocked. They didn’t suit each other at all. The others joked about staying away from “taken goods,” but Hyeontae just laughed it off. He wasn’t interested in her that way. Instead, he grew curious about Sungho—what kind of man could date someone so impressive?
He assumed Sungho must have hidden depths.
But his expectations crashed. Even as a senior, Sungho never applied himself. His only pride was dating Yu-jin, as if her excellence reflected on him. “Look at me, with this amazing woman—praise me!” his attitude screamed.
“Hyung, you really love Yu-jin sunbae, huh?”
“Damn right, I do.”
“Oh? Does she treat you well?”
“Well… she’s busy. But she’s pretty. And kind.”
“Ah, right. She’s got a lot going on. Must be hard not seeing her often. You must miss her.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ve got you, my loyal underclassman, drinking with me. Right? Cheers, cheers.”
“Senior year’s busy—can’t help that… What about you, Hyung? What’re you doing after graduation? Business, maybe?”
“Huh? Business needs capital, man… Our department’s got no future. Just gonna settle for some company job.”
“Yeah, true…”
“It’s fine. Yu-jin’s got skills.”
“You’re marrying her?”
“Probably?”
The news of their engagement left Hyeontae with a strange, bitter feeling. Of course they might get married. Why not? But his irritation wasn’t toward Yu-jin—it was Sungho. Yu-jin was someone he admired from afar. Who she married didn’t matter; she’d choose someone worthy. But Sungho? The guy who dragged him out drinking constantly, who had no plans, no ambition—just a pretty face and a talent for leeching off others?
Hyeontae knew Sungho only called him because no one else would. He was probably seen as a pushover. The engagement announcement made Sungho feel distant. How dare he?
He didn’t like Sungho—not like that. Sungho made homophobic jokes and bragged about his girlfriend constantly. Hyeontae assumed he was straight. So why did this bother him?
Sungho would graduate eventually, dodge the military with some excuse, and coast on the university’s name. The idea of him settling into a normal life with Yu-jin—someone so brilliant—was infuriating.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
