He wasn’t sure what was going on, but now wasn’t the time to indulge his personal curiosity. As he gently stroked Alexander’s hair, Yeon Yiseo carefully searched for the right words to say.
“You’re allowed to feel worn out. You’re human too, after all… It’s not strange at all.”
“……”
Alexander didn’t respond. The silence dragged on—at least thirty seconds, if not longer—and Yiseo realized he’d probably crossed a line. It was the alcohol’s fault. He hadn’t even had that much, but still.
“I’m sorry. That was out of line.”
“No. It was a refreshing opinion.”
Alexander replied casually and pulled away. With the weight that had been leaning against him now gone, Yiseo felt an odd sense of disappointment.
There was no trace left of the vulnerable man from a moment ago. Alexander had straightened up, composed again. Yiseo’s first reaction was relief—then embarrassment. He’d jumped to conclusions, assuming Alexander had been in a gloomy mood.
He tried to retreat, but the arm wrapped around his waist wouldn’t let him. Just as he was about to ask Alexander to let go, the man cupped Yiseo’s cheek with one hand. The unexpected gesture made his heart lurch.
“Your face is hot. Are you drunk?”
“…Yes, I’m drunk.”
Yiseo answered, hoping Alexander would take it that way. Depending on how you defined “drunk,” it wasn’t entirely wrong—he’d had alcohol and was doing things he normally wouldn’t.
Facing each other this closely, he realized his reflection was visible in Alexander’s eyes. Yiseo nervously darted his gaze around, unsure where to look.
“Look at me.”
The soft whisper in Alexander’s voice made Yiseo catch his breath.
“I-I am looking.”
He tried not to show it, but the words still came out stammered. Thank god Alexander wasn’t leaning against him anymore. If he still had been, Yiseo’s hammering heart would’ve given everything away.
Alexander’s gaze locked on his like it was glued in place. He wouldn’t look away. Why was he staring like that?
“Coming here with you tonight… was the right choice.”
“…I see. I’m glad to hear that.”
His tone grew stiffer with rising fluster. Was he reading too much into Alexander’s words? He couldn’t think straight. It was probably time to stop drinking. Though, by his usual standards, he hadn’t had that much.
“What were you just thinking?”
There was no way to lie when Alexander was staring into his eyes like that. Yiseo parted his lips and gave a small, honest answer.
“I was wondering if I’d said something I shouldn’t have.”
“That’s what you were thinking…? That was a needless worry.”
Alexander’s eyes curved gently. At the very least, Yiseo was reassured that he hadn’t upset him. Just as Alexander had been staring, Yiseo found himself quietly returning the gaze.
As he stayed trapped in those blue eyes, unable to look away, Alexander slowly continued speaking.
“Earlier, you were worried…”
His gaze dropped—sliding from Yiseo’s eyes, to his nose, then his lips.
“And now, what are you thinking?”
Their faces were close enough that he could feel Alexander’s breath. Yiseo’s heart thudded so hard it hurt. He spoke like he was in a trance.
“That I probably shouldn’t drink so much.”
“We’re not thinking the same thing, then.”
Alexander’s gaze, fixed on his lips, shifted slightly. Even the sound of his breathing became something Yiseo was painfully aware of. He was overwhelmed by the irrational fear that Alexander might see through every thought in his head.
“You’re not curious about me? About what I’m thinking?”
Alexander’s voice was low, almost secretive, like a whisper brushing against his chest. It tickled something deep inside him. It sounded like a joke, but Alexander didn’t seem intent on letting it slide. He just looked at him, quietly waiting for an answer.
Yiseo couldn’t sit there frozen. Holding Alexander’s gaze, he finally responded cautiously.
“…What were you thinking, sir?”
It was the same question Alexander had posed to him earlier. He wished he could’ve answered more cleverly, but his mind wasn’t cooperating. While Yiseo felt a twinge of regret, Alexander let out a quiet chuckle, as if he found it amusing. The light caught his blue eyes, making them sparkle like gemstones.
“I was thinking… if only there were some mistletoe, I could use it as an excuse to kiss you.”
Mistletoe—like the tradition of kissing under it during Christmas? Isn’t that usually just considered a quaint holiday custom? The comment left him feeling strangely unsettled. Was Alexander teasing him? Why else would he say something like that?
Faced with such a blunt joke, Yiseo’s expression stiffened a little.
“…Do you say things like that to other people too?”
“I’m not that easy.”
Alexander replied as if taking a step back. Yiseo had been offended—but now that he’d been called out so directly, he couldn’t exactly push the issue.
“Are you mad? Don’t be mad.”
It wasn’t quite coaxing—there was a hint of something like a whine in his unfamiliar tone. It was a strange experience: he was both taken aback and… a little disarmed. Feeling his face loosen slightly, Yiseo averted his eyes and muttered,
“I’m not angry.”
“That’s a relief.”
Alexander smiled, watching him speak awkwardly. His arm was still around Yiseo’s waist, unmoving—as if he had no intention of letting go. Yiseo gently tapped the arm holding him.
“We should probably head back inside now.”
“Isn’t it nicer out here than in that noisy room?”
He tried to be indirect, but Alexander wasn’t budging. He’d have to be more straightforward.
“It is nice out here. But first, could you let go of me?”
“I will… if you give me a kiss.”
Was he joking again? He was being so impish, it was hard to believe this was the same Alexander he knew. And it was strange—how unsettled he felt by something that was probably just a playful comment. Alexander might’ve meant it as nothing more than a tease, but Yiseo wanted to say that it wasn’t that simple for him.
How was he supposed to defuse this situation? As Yiseo hesitated, deep in thought, Alexander spoke with maddening calm.
“If you thought I was joking, I’m afraid you’re wrong. I meant it.”
“….”
It hit him like a blow to the head. If Alexander really was serious about wanting a kiss… then he just had to give him one. And there were many kinds of kisses. It wasn’t like Alexander had specifically asked for a French kiss. Yiseo had overcomplicated things—assigning too much weight to the word “kiss” and getting all flustered.
Ending the spiral of overthinking, Yiseo leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to Alexander’s forehead. A firm, steady kiss—like stamping a seal on smooth skin—then pulled away.
“Will this do?”
His voice was flat, almost curt. Alexander blinked in stunned silence—then broke into a loud, delighted laugh.
“Ahaha! Yes. That works. That’s perfect.”
He finally released his arm from around Yiseo’s waist. Yiseo turned his head toward the night view, hoping the cool air would soothe his burning face. He felt something shift at his side—looked instinctively—and saw Alexander taking his glass.
“Yiseo, I think it’s best if you stop drinking for the night.”
“…Huh?”
“Your pheromones are leaking.”
The words came like a whisper in his ear. Yiseo’s eyes flew wide open. He thought he had them under control. But apparently, kissing Alexander had shaken him enough that some had slipped out. It was humiliating—like his true feelings had been laid bare.
“…I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize. If anyone else had been here, it might’ve been a problem. But thankfully, it’s just me.”
Alexander’s eyes softened as he tossed back the rest of his drink in one smooth motion. Gulp. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down.
“Mmm. A little too sweet for my taste.”
“I see.”
Now that Yiseo had realized how he felt about him, every move Alexander made felt like it carried weight. But if he overanalyzed every single action, it would become impossible to work together. He had to keep reminding himself of that.
He focused on suppressing any further pheromone leakage—then paused. Alexander’s pheromones had started to drift out, too.
“I told you. It’d only be a problem if someone else were here.”
Alexander was intentionally releasing his scent. The dominant alpha’s pheromones, thick and heady, wrapped around Yiseo like a teasing embrace.
“It’s Monday, and we both have work tomorrow… but if you’re okay with it, would you like to come over to my place?”
Yiseo wasn’t so dense that he couldn’t understand what Alexander meant.
