Can Love Be Transferred Too? 46

#46

– Were you keeping your promise well?

[Q. When you first met Yoo Sanho-ssi, you mentioned a ‘promise’.]

Jin Woohyeon: Ah, that. When I first met him, Sanho hyung was crying. (He was crying?) Yes. We bumped into each other on the street and he was crying so sadly, tears dripping down, I remember being flustered.

I comforted him this way and that, we introduced ourselves. Then when we met again he still looked depressed, so I made a promise. Not to cry until we met again. Not to be upset.

[Q. Do you think Yoo Sanho-ssi kept that promise?]

Jin Woohyeon: Hmm. I’m not God so I can’t know hyung’s 24 hours, right? But I hope he did. Because I hope he didn’t cry.

“…People forget people with people!”

Juyeon shot up from his seat. He had an unusually determined expression.

“Sanho-ssi! Love can be transferred! You have to transfer!”

Mariella hit the desk and laughed.

“These days filming is so fun because of Juyeon-ssi. He’s a reaction restaurant!”

“But doesn’t it look like there was attraction at first sight? Even from when they brushed past each other outside because of the show.”

“Right. Usually if you don’t like someone, you wouldn’t comfort them even if they were crying. Introducing yourselves is even rarer.”

Kim Yeseok said with a thoughtful expression while watching the screen.

“It’s fascinating. It seems like the atmosphere is changing in a different way from when Yudam-ssi joined.”

Han Dajeong nodded.

“Right. Taeseong-ssi also seems very concerned, and Lee Chan-ssi seems strangely shaken too. But I think Lee Chan-ssi said he had no lingering feelings for Sanho-ssi… then it’s not jealousy?”

Ari stirred her cold drink with a straw and shrugged.

“Don’t you think there’s something like competitive spirit? After Lee Chan-ssi and Sanho-ssi had a big fight, Sanho-ssi was avoiding him. So… his X who was full of lingering feelings kept avoiding him, which was irritating, but in that situation he can clearly see that the new Alpha doesn’t avoid him but rather is conscious of him in a positive way.”

Juyeon, who had calmed down a bit and sat back down, agreed.

“Right. He can’t help but be concerned. And usually when you’ve known someone for 10 years, you inevitably know well about the people around them. But right now, the relationship between Sanho-ssi and Woohyeon-ssi is an unknown relationship that Lee Chan-ssi doesn’t know about. There would be an awkward feeling from that.”

“Ah. Now that I hear it, that’s definitely true. Is it because Juyeon-ssi has experience with long-term relationships? You see through these things accurately.”

“…Ahaha.”

While the panelists were talking, the screen changed and showed the ten participants gathered together having dinner.

* * *

“Why are you just picking at your food like that, Sanho hyung? No appetite?”

“…”

It’s not that I have no appetite, it’s that I’m so unsettled there’s no room for food to go in. I poked the innocent flounder with my fork. The pure white fish flesh crumbled helplessly.

This is all because of someone. Jin Woohyeon, the biggest cause of my unease, was sitting right next to me as if glued to my side, pretending not to know anything. It was maddening.

Jin Woohyeon. The Alpha group’s new ‘catfish’. My ex-boyfriend’s current boyfriend’s ex-boyfriend. And the person I wanted to meet after ending my 10-year relationship, someone I had some feelings for.

I wanted to ask the God that Gam Seonghan earnestly believes in. God, why is the world so small? Why is it so small that you give me such trials…

“He usually doesn’t eat much anyway. That’s why he’s so skinny.”

Han Jiwon said to me with a smile. Stop tormenting the flounder, Sanho. Instead of answering, I pouted my lips.

Bae Taeseong, who was serving salad to Kim Sehyeong from across the table, said sourly.

“He’s like that because he ate snacks with Jeon Yudam earlier. If he could eat a lot, he wouldn’t say anything. He keeps accepting snacks when they’re offered so he can’t eat his meal.”

Jeon Yudam immediately protested.

“Hey, sneakily blaming me? I ate more snacks than Sanho hyung and still finished a whole bowl of rice!”

“Hmm.”

Jin Woohyeon suddenly took the water glass in front of me. Every time his presence was unnecessarily perceived as large, I took sip after sip, and now it was an empty glass showing the bottom.

He placed his own water glass, which he hadn’t touched, in that spot and asked me.

“Some people lose their appetite when they smell food for too long because they get sick of it. Are you that type?”

I don’t know. My appetite was always just so-so. The only time I showed food cravings was when stress reached its limit and I tried to eat spicy tteokbokki.

“Is that so?”

When I asked back blankly, Jin Woohyeon clicked his tongue.

“Hyung doesn’t even know your own constitution? Don’t cook tomorrow evening, just prepare. You can check this opportunity.”

Hwang Yeonwoo raised his spoon and objected.

“Huh. Then who’s going to cook? Sanho hyung’s cooking is totally delicious.”

Jin Woohyeon answered nonchalantly.

“I’ll do it. I can do basic stuff.”

“Oh.”

Hwang Yeonwoo’s eyes widened.

“An actor cooks?”

“Is there a law against it? It’s convenient to simply take care of yourself. Commercial food is too stimulating. And I also take care of my younger sibling while I’m at it.”

He said he has a young sister. He said he’s used to putting shoes on that little one who has trouble walking, and tying shoelaces, and now he’s even learned to cook.

Despite having a gorgeous and stylish face that seemed like he would never get a drop of water on him his whole life, he was also thoroughly caring. That gap was so fascinating that I forgot about tormenting the flounder flesh and stared at Jin Woohyeon.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

He looked back at me with a sly smile.

“You’re making my heart flutter.”

Han Jiwon burst into laughter and threw out a joke.

“Woohyeon, you can’t see us eight people at all, can you? Huh?”

“What’s this? Is this timing when we should step aside? We haven’t finished eating yet.”

Kim Sehyeong also stared at us curiously.

“Woohyeon hyung seems to have feelings for Sanho hyung. Since when?”

“Hmm… well. Since I first saw his face?”

“…Whoa.”

Is it okay to be so direct like this? Flustered, I looked at Jin Woohyeon and secretly gave him a hint, but he continued without caring.

“Why? Why are you reading the room? Was there someone here who was doing well?”

“No, that’s not it…”

“Come to think of it, then Sanho hyung’s X must be here too.”

At those words, all the color drained from my face.

‘Do you know I want to see what kind of person you are, even just your face?’

‘Seonghan… when you go to church this Saturday, make sure to ask your God why Yoo Sanho’s fate is like this…’

I quietly lamented inwardly and picked up my fork to press down on the contents of my plate. The flounder flesh, crushed beyond recognition, had now become one with the plate.

Just then the doorbell rang. Jeon Yudam, who quickly went out and came back, had a small box in his hands. The dining room and entrance on the first floor weren’t that far apart, but the packaging was all torn open as if he had checked the contents in that time. It was behavior typical of the curious guy.

“There are three announcements. First, they’re doing a roommate selection game.”

Jeon Yudam’s clear voice read the contents of the card.

“Ladder game!”

“Oh. We’re changing roommates?”

Hwang Yeonwoo winked cheekily.

“Seeking an Omega to share a room with me. I’ll make you laugh all night.”

…I wanted to share a room with Hwang Yeonwoo. Baseless faith began rising that filming stress might all be resolved.

“And second. They’re preparing to make souvenirs for a special trip. They want each person to write three or more words that can describe their own pheromones and send them back. They’ll make blended perfume.”

“How do you describe your own pheromones? You usually don’t know your own body scent. I heard sensitive people know, but I don’t.”

When Bae Taeseong grumbled, Han Jiwon quietly answered.

“I know, so it’s okay.”

“And… let’s see. New entrant Jin Woohyeon-ssi can choose tomorrow’s benefit date partner.”

Jin Woohyeon answered without hesitation.

“I’ve already decided.”

An Lei asked in a slightly flustered voice.

“You haven’t even talked with everyone yet but you’ve already made up your mind?”

“I can talk from now on whenever there’s time. For dates, you have to go with someone you got a feeling about from first impression.”

Jin Woohyeon’s black eyes were gazing at me without wavering.

“For me, that’s Sanho hyung.”