51
“Am I handsome?”
“…Ah, I… don’t really think of it that way….”
Taein nodded and awkwardly rubbed his face, looking embarrassed. While it did feel good to be called handsome, he knew he wasn’t particularly good-looking. At school, it was because of Gu Wanjae that the other guys were brainwashed into saying such things, and outside, it was just something people with nothing else to say would throw at him. It was natural to feel embarrassed when someone examined his face so seriously like this.
“Whiskey? Champagne?”
“Ah, anything is fine… sir.”
Somehow this man made his body tense up. Taein held the empty glass in front of him with both hands and quietly received the alcohol the man poured for him. When the glass was filled about halfway with the yellow liquid, Taein also reached out his hand. He tried to pour alcohol for the man as well. But the man shook his head and filled his own glass directly. It was already somewhat full.
“Cheers.”
“Yes.”
“Me too.”
On his left sat a man with a familiar face. He looked ordinary, but he was a hyung Taein remembered because he had encountered him once at the guesthouse. Taein leaned back and clinked glasses with the hyungs.
“Is Wanjae treating you well?”
Another reason he was easy to remember was because his name was Jungjae. That Jungjae from “to mediate.” At hyung Jungjae’s question, Taein nodded, saying “Ah, yes.” Then Taein put the glass to his lips and drank about half the whiskey. It was too bitter to down in one shot. As he grimaced and put down the glass, fruit snacks had been moved closer to him. The handsome hyung had pulled them over.
“Thank you.”
Taein bowed his head and picked off a grape to eat.
The bitter aftertaste of the alcohol was erased by the grape’s sweet flavor. The crisp texture was also nice, so Taein picked off another grape to eat.
“Looks like it’s delicious.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Didn’t you eat dinner?”
At the question that sounded like he was talking to himself, Taein answered haphazardly.
“I was sleeping… so I ate roughly.”
I don’t even speak this stiffly to the bald hyung. Taein’s face grew a bit hot at his consecutive formal speech patterns. The handsome hyung chuckled and made a phone call somewhere. While the other hyungs pressed switches to call staff, the handsome hyung called and asked, “Do you have anything that could serve as a meal?” It seemed that was how he normally spoke.
After ending the call, hyung placed his phone on the table.
Taein was about to say something but stopped.
What if he said “It’s okay, I’m fine about the meal” and it wasn’t for him?
Since this hyung seemed quite indifferent, it seemed better to stay quiet until something actually happened. Taein casually looked forward and spotted Gu Wanjae. Gu Wanjae was looking this way with his arms crossed. His neck was flushed red as if he’d had several drinks. Taein tried to communicate with Gu Wanjae by lifting his chin, but the distance was too far. He gave up trying to make eye contact.
“You do look neat and clean.”
The handsome hyung’s body was positioned somewhat forward on the same sofa. Taein looked up at that comment. His eyes seemed to be looking ahead but were slightly turned to the side. Taein straightened his back at that subtly smiling face. He leaned forward and opened his mouth.
“Ah, thank you.”
“Thank you for what.”
The handsome hyung even drank alcohol stylishly. He gripped the rim of the glass with his hand and slowly swirled it. Taein, who had been resting his glass on his thigh, saw this and imitated him. He spun the glass around in the air as if conducting an experiment in science class. He’d been doing this for a while when his eyes met with hyung’s.
“You’re copying me?”
“What? No.”
Flustered, Taein grabbed his glass with both hands. Hyung chuckled and turned his gaze elsewhere. Taein leaned back against the backrest and cautiously scanned hyung’s back and profile. There are people who are inexplicably intimidating and eye-catching. The handsome hyung was exactly like that.
Not long after, the door opened.
What the young-looking man brought in was steaming hot omelet rice. There must have been a professional chef, as the ketchup was also decoratively drizzled. Taein looked at hyung. Hyung received the bowl from the approaching staff member and placed it on the table. More precisely, in front of Taein.
“Eat. You said you didn’t eat, the meal.”
“Ah… I didn’t know it was for me… I didn’t know.”
“You’re the one who didn’t eat, so of course it’s yours.”
He said this while chuckling again.
Only after receiving even a spoon did Taein express his gratitude.
“Thank you… I like omelet rice….”
Taein, who had muttered something unnecessary, quickly shut his mouth. Hyung looked this way with his head half-raised. His eyes were directed precisely at Taein.
“You should eat lots of things you like.”
“Ah, yes.”
“…Are you the same age as Wanjae?”
“Yes.”
“Eat. Talk while you eat.”
It was a relaxed, smiling face, but it made him nervous. Taein said “Yes” and gently cut the egg with his spoon. The rice was mixed with ham, carrots, and onions. It was properly prepared. Inwardly surprised, Taein expectantly took a spoonful.
“Twenty years old… you’re really just a baby.”
At the sound he heard then, Taein nodded. He didn’t feel his age was particularly young, but everyone who saw him said things like “baby” and “so young.” There was no need to argue with that. Eating quietly, Taein only nodded in agreement with hyung’s words.
“The age gap between me and you is…”
He seemed to be looking upward and calculating.
With his mouth free, Taein added to that sight.
“How old… are you? It doesn’t seem like there’s that much of a difference….”
“Quite a bit, right? I’m thirty-one this year.”
“Ah.”
He thought at most it would be about a five-year difference. Taein’s face grew hot, thinking he shouldn’t have asked about age. How should he respond to this? Taein shook his head.
“Oh, you don’t look it.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and you’re so handsome that age doesn’t seem to matter.”
Anyway, it was a situation where he had asked and caused hyung to reveal his age. Taein added words so that hyung wouldn’t feel even slightly offended. It wasn’t a lie. Anyone could see he was handsome, and anyone would think he looked like he was in his mid-twenties.
At Taein’s words, hyung stretched his head to the side.
Then he looked down at Taein.
“What doesn’t matter.”
“Ah, age.”
“Really? That’s what you think?”
“Yes.”
“You could date an ahjussi over thirty?”
“Yes.”
“Could you do that too?”
Taein, who was about to answer “Yes” again, looked up at hyung. There was a light smile on his face. Taein’s mouth opened.
“I’m a man so I wouldn’t know… but women probably would.”
Then he saw hyung nod with a strange expression. Next to them, hyung Jungjae seemed to be talking with someone. “Hey, what would you have done in Busan that time if it wasn’t for me.”
“…You said you were a Beta, right?”
The handsome hyung spoke again.
“Yes?”
“Beta.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Are you sure?”
Previously, he’d heard from Gu Wanjae that most of the hyungs were recessive Alphas. That meant they were dull at detecting scents and couldn’t sense someone’s secondary gender by instinct. That’s why Gu Wanjae could introduce Taein as a Beta. Taein was flustered by the sudden question. Usually he could handle it well, but in front of this hyung it was difficult. Still, he opened his mouth saying “Yes” and somehow managed an answer.
“Yes, I’m definitely a Beta.”
“That’s a shame. With that face.”
Without much meaning, he just said that and sipped his drink. Taein looked at hyung’s impressive sideburns, then looked at the omelet rice. He was about to take another spoonful with the innocent spoon when…
He saw Gu Wanjae suddenly stand up in front.
The table was wide and large, so most movements weren’t even noticeable.
It was only because someone that big had stood up that it caught his eye.
Taein looked at Gu Wanjae’s face.
“Kang Taein, for a moment.”
He pointed to the side with his chin and quickly passed in front of the hyungs. Taein only got up after Gu Wanjae had left through the door. When he passed the sofa and reached the door, he could see Gu Wanjae standing right in front. Taein opened the door and went outside.
“What.”
He asked immediately like that, but no answer came.
Taein tapped the arm of Gu Wanjae, who was just staring at the wall.
“Is something wrong…?”
“…Yeah.”
That short answer was all. When there were no words that should logically follow, Taein asked once more.
“…What is it.”
“……”
“Hey… I came out while eating. Why did you call me?”
Only after mixing in slight irritation did Gu Wanjae’s eyes move this way.
“…Hey.”
“Yeah.”
“Why are you acting like that?”
“…Huh?”
“Why are you acting like that toward hyung Geon?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
