It was early morning. Dressed and ready, Siwoo briefly glanced at the closed bedroom door. He thought that Sanho seemed to be waking up a bit later than usual. He had hoped to at least see Sanho’s face before heading to school, but felt a bit disappointed.
In the end, Sanho hadn’t finished his late dinner from the night before. When Siwoo came out of the shower, he saw Sanho’s hand, which had been reluctantly moving a spoon, suddenly stop. Siwoo sighed, feeling like he was looking at a child who was being picky about their food, but silently served him the meal. His gaze kept drifting to Sanho’s thin wrists and slender neck. He was so thin… Siwoo thought about wanting to make sure he had a hearty meal, while Sanho, unaware of his thoughts, looked at him with a smile. Siwoo couldn’t help but smile back quietly.
Perhaps Sanho had gone to bed late. Given that the bedroom door hadn’t opened yet, it was entirely possible. Siwoo glanced at his wristwatch and then looked back at the bedroom door one last time. When Sanho woke up and saw that Siwoo was gone, he would probably quickly realize that Siwoo had gone to school. It would be fine to leave without saying anything.
Just as Siwoo was about to put on his shoes, the bedroom door clicked open.
“Hyung. Let’s go together.”
Sanho, dressed neatly, walked out of the bedroom. Had he been getting ready to go out behind the firmly closed door? Sanho’s face was composed. Siwoo frowned in surprise.
“You were awake?”
“Yes.”
Siwoo watched as Sanho calmly approached him and slipped his feet into white sneakers. He slowly opened his mouth.
“Sanho, what are you doing?”
“I’m going to school.”
When Siwoo furrowed his brows a little deeper while looking at Sanho, Sanho raised his head to meet Siwoo’s gaze with a bright expression.
“I want to go to school too.”
A shallow sigh escaped Siwoo.
“Baek Sanho, why don’t you ever listen?”
“…….”
“You get hurt at work, you don’t listen when I tell you to go to bed early, you don’t eat dinner. You’re not going to listen when I say to take a break from school either?”
Sanho’s lips pressed together tightly. With a slight pout, he spoke in a small voice.
“…You don’t listen to me either, Hyung.”
“When did I not listen?”
“Every day… you come back smelling like other Omegas….”
A laugh of disbelief escaped Siwoo’s lips. However, that laugh quickly turned into a pleasant one. Siwoo frowned but then curved his lips into a smile. It was directed at Sanho, who was pouting. This kid in front of him was fascinating. He was quirky and bold. Sometimes shy, yet completely unpredictable. He never moved according to Siwoo’s wishes. Still, when this kid threw a tantrum, Siwoo couldn’t help but give in.
“Wow, you really don’t say a word, Baek Sanho.”
“…So you don’t like it?”
Puhuh, Siwoo burst into laughter. His eyes curved into a smile.
“Yeah, I hate it. A lot.”
“Still… I want to go to school… I don’t want you to go alone….”
Seeing Sanho glance up at him as if seeking approval, Siwoo nodded as if he had surrendered.
“Okay. I got it. Let’s go together.”
Sanho’s face brightened instantly. Siwoo quietly bit his lips, which had formed a round smile. Just seeing this kid’s smiling face, who rarely smiled, made him feel that it was worth listening to what he had to say. A slightly flustered feeling arose within him as he thought about this.
***
From the moment they parked in the school parking lot, Siwoo could feel the persistent gazes directed at them. The driver’s seat and the passenger seat. As Siwoo and Sanho got out one after the other, the damp stares followed them like shadows. Some even craned their necks and stared openly. Siwoo knew that quite a few students had seen Sanho smoking pheromone cigarettes that day. So… he had hoped that Sanho wouldn’t come to school.
“…….”
Sanho had said he didn’t remember that day. So he wouldn’t know how he had looked or how the rumors had spread because of it. Siwoo didn’t care about the gazes directed at him. But Sanho was a bit different. He could feel uncomfortable, and there was a chance he might actually be harmed. Still, it seemed that Sanho found it frustrating to be cooped up in the hotel. Siwoo had thought about this while taking him to work yesterday, but he wasn’t sure if it was the right decision.
Sanho stuck close to Siwoo’s side. His face, constantly looking up at Siwoo, shone brightly. It seemed he was completely oblivious to the other students looking at them. He appeared genuinely happy just to be with Siwoo. It was truly incomprehensible, yet it created a strange sense of unease.
“Hyung, I have a liberal arts class.”
Sanho hesitated and spoke in front of the college building. He shifted his gaze toward another building a little distance away. Siwoo, who had been walking absentmindedly, suddenly stopped.
“Ah.”
Sanho’s hand, which had been gripping Siwoo’s sleeve, fell away. He looked hesitant, like a child who didn’t want to be separated from their parents. Siwoo smiled gently.
“Yeah. Go to class and listen well.”
“Yes.”
“When class is over….”
Siwoo paused for a moment. Am I being too overprotective of this kid? Sanho wasn’t a child anymore. Above all, they weren’t even that close. Siwoo awkwardly smiled.
“Um, let’s have lunch when class is over.”
Sanho nodded with a smile. His voice responding was quite bright. Siwoo waved at Sanho as he walked away. Watching Sanho’s footsteps, which were tinged with disappointment, Siwoo let out a small sigh.
Siwoo’s class was a short lecture of about an hour. The mere 60 minutes felt incredibly dull. Siwoo sat at the back of the classroom, resting his chin on his hand, staring blankly ahead. The monotonous voice of the professor echoed in his ears. However, it was just a meaningless string of sounds. Instead, what stuck in his mind were the hushed whispers of other students.
“He was so shameless.”
“Yeah, I was completely dumbfounded.”
“Did you see him walking around like a leech? Acting like they’re dating or something, holding their head high.”
“To be honest, I don’t understand Siwoo either.”
Their voices were lower, but they were clearly audible to Siwoo, who continued to stare ahead with an expressionless face.
“…….”
He had known for a while that rumors about him and Sanho were circulating at school. Ever since Inhye had hinted at it, he was certain. He could tell that the gazes of the students looking at him were tinged with deeper curiosity than before, and that mockery had begun to mix in as well. He even sensed a hint of pity in their expressions. With the tips of his fingers resting on his chin, Siwoo tapped his cheek lightly.
“…….”
Why do I feel pitiful? Why can’t I understand? I don’t understand why you all spread and inflate rumors. The particularly hostile gazes directed at Sanho were the same. He knew that Omegas generally faced prejudiced looks, but it seemed to be particularly severe for Sanho. How could anyone hate such a lovable kid?
“Let’s wrap up here for today. Please upload your assignments to the server by next week.”
With the professor’s words, the class came to an end. After exchanging goodbyes, the students stood up in a rush. Siwoo also slowly got up from his seat. Although a lingering discomfort remained, he soon shook it off. The tinted gazes and rumors held no meaning for Siwoo. He checked his phone and decided he would wait a little longer until Sanho’s class was over.
Siwoo was spending time sitting on a bench in front of the student union. Checking the time repeatedly didn’t make it pass any faster, yet he found himself glancing at his watch countless times. Finally, when he spotted a pale face emerging from a distance, Siwoo smiled brightly and straightened his back. Sanho was approaching with quick steps. A faint smile bloomed on Sanho’s face.
“Hyung!”
Breathless, Sanho came up to Siwoo. Perhaps it was because he had hurried over, or for some other reason, his cheeks were slightly flushed as he caught his breath. The sunlight was particularly bright. Siwoo squinted slightly, as if dazzled, and kindly opened his mouth.
“Did you do well in class?”
Sanho nodded. As his small head moved vigorously, Siwoo couldn’t help but chuckle. With sparkling eyes and flushed cheeks, he looked just like a child seeking praise. Siwoo smiled and gestured toward the student union.
“We need to have lunch.”
“Uh… are we eating here?”
When Sanho asked, looking a bit flustered, Siwoo tilted his head.
“Why? Should we go somewhere else?”
“No, that’s not it… I just didn’t know you ate this kind of food.”
Siwoo burst into laughter, as if he found it absurd.
“What do you mean by this kind of food?”
Sanho, looking embarrassed, fidgeted with his lips.
“Um… I thought you only ate really good things….”
With a bright smile, Siwoo grabbed Sanho’s wrist.
“Yeah, I only eat good things. This is good. Our school’s nutrition teachers are all excellent.”
“What I mean is….”
As Sanho mumbled in a more flustered voice, Siwoo chuckled and gently pulled Sanho’s wrist. Entering the clean and spacious student union, he playfully said,
“I’ll buy you the best thing here. Sanho, I’ll buy you whatever you want to eat.”
Finally, Sanho burst into laughter. With a light step, Siwoo kept his mouth shut. The unpleasant remarks he had heard during class felt trivial. The gazes of others didn’t matter. His discomfort scattered like dust.
What Siwoo referred to as the best thing in the student union was the special meal included in the cafeteria menu. Today’s special was stir-fried bulgogi. Siwoo stood among the students lined up at the serving counter, feeling cheerful. Sanho, standing in front of him, kept glancing back at Siwoo.
Just as Sanho was about to take his stir-fried bulgogi and step away, Siwoo quickly grabbed Sanho’s wrist. With a playful squint, Siwoo asked the server if they could give a little more. He pointed to Sanho’s tray with his gaze. The middle-aged woman serving smiled warmly and nodded. Sanho looked at the generous portion of stir-fried bulgogi piling onto his tray and then looked up at Siwoo. Seeing his lips part slightly, it was clear he was flustered. Siwoo stifled a laugh, pretending to have a serious expression. You have to eat all of this. If you leave food, you’ll be punished. Sanho seemed about to protest, but Siwoo pretended not to notice and subtly turned his gaze away. Of course, a round smile remained on his lips.
Since it was lunchtime, there weren’t many empty seats in the student union. Sanho managed to find a good spot and gestured for Siwoo to sit down. Siwoo smiled brightly and followed Sanho’s lead. In fact, he had wondered if it would be uncomfortable to have lunch in a crowded student union. However, Sanho seemed completely unconcerned. That was a relief. Sitting across from Sanho, Siwoo looked at him and spoke.
“Baek Sanho.”
“Yes?”
“You really have to eat all of that.”
Sanho made a dissatisfied face but eventually nodded. Good, Siwoo smiled at Sanho. It was a very ordinary scene of having a simple meal in a bustling student union, and it made him very happy.
Sanho really ate quite neatly, just as Siwoo had said. His hands moved busily, and white rice piled roundly on his spoon. Siwoo watched Sanho chewing diligently, a smile creeping onto his lips. When he placed a side dish on the spoon with the round rice, Sanho would look at Siwoo with a flustered expression. That expression would surely be delightful to see. While Siwoo was lost in thought, imagining this, Sanho seemed to finish his meal and quietly set down his chopsticks.
“Did you finish?”
“Yes, I’m full.”
“I’ll get you some water.”
As Siwoo half-stood, Sanho’s eyes widened.
“No, I….”
“No, stay seated.””’
