“You’re out quite late.”
“Aack?”
Walking absentmindedly while looking at the twinkling stars illuminating the dark night sky, Jaeyoon felt as if his heart had dropped to the floor and returned at the sudden voice.
‘Why is he here?’
Jaeyoon’s brow furrowed involuntarily. Seeing Han Doyoon leaning against a tree under the moonlight, posing as if for a magazine photoshoot, Jaeyoon felt a headache coming on.
On holidays, the romance options frequented the dormitory—more specifically, Kim Yeonwoo’s room—even more. After confirming that Yeonwoo had returned, Jaeyoon had stayed out as late as possible.
The noise while sleeping was stressful enough; he didn’t want to hear their flirtatious conversations through the thin dormitory walls during his waking hours too.
“Still as rude as ever with your reactions.”
Despite his words, Han Doyoon smiled brightly as if amused, and Jaeyoon forced his twitching lips into a smile.
“What brings the student council president here… Oh, were you with Kim Yeonwoo until now?”
Han Doyoon silently observed Jaeyoon, who was asking with a bright smile that couldn’t hide his joy. Ignoring the red eyes that seemed to be scanning him, Jaeyoon inwardly cheered at the sight of Han Doyoon returning without Yeonwoo.
‘If he’s not returning with Yeonwoo… does that mean I can sleep peacefully tonight? Getting two good nights of sleep in a row!’
Jaeyoon smiled brightly, grateful for something that should be a given. But his happiness didn’t last long.
“I know what you’re thinking, but unfortunately, Yeonwoo is planning to spend time with Kim Doha today.”
Watching Jaeyoon’s bright expression crumple instantly, Han Doyoon smiled with his eyes curving into playful crescents.
“It seems he found out belatedly that Yeonwoo stayed at my mansion last night, so he’s been searching for Yeonwoo since morning with fire in his eyes. With his personality, he’ll probably guard Yeonwoo like a hunting dog for a while.”
Han Doyoon’s eyes narrowed into half-moons. Even though someone else was hovering around the person he liked, he seemed unbothered. Far from being angry, Han Doyoon appeared to be enjoying the situation.
“…Do you really like Kim Yeonwoo, Student Council President?”
“What does that mean?”
“What? …Ah! No…!”
Jaeyoon’s eyes widened. Quickly raising his hand to cover his mouth after the words that had unconsciously escaped, he thought, ‘What nonsense am I saying?’ If he could turn back time, he would rewind to five minutes ago right now.
Asking a BL game romance option if he likes the game’s protagonist… there couldn’t be anything more foolish than this.
Han Doyoon’s red eyes turned to Jaeyoon. Under that gaze, Jaeyoon hastily changed the subject and quickened his steps toward the dormitory. There was nothing good about upsetting Han Doyoon.
“Of course you like him! You seem to like him a lot! Well, it’s getting late, so good night~”
A large hand grabbed Jaeyoon’s arm as he tried to quickly enter the dormitory.
‘Ah, damn it…’
Jaeyoon closed his eyes tightly and opened them again. Forcing himself to turn his stiff neck, he looked back to see Han Doyoon smiling with the utmost benevolence, his red lips curved into an arc.
‘Wow, that’s creepy.’
Could there be anyone else for whom such a gentle smile seemed so out of place?
A small laugh escaped from Han Doyoon’s mouth at the sight of Jaeyoon’s crumpling expression. What? As the confused Jaeyoon narrowed his blue eyes, Han Doyoon pulled on his thin, lean arm.
“Eh?”
Due to the difference in strength from their physical disparity, Jaeyoon was dragged along without being able to resist at all. Seeing Han Doyoon’s face right in front of him, he backed away in alarm. But as if anticipating this reaction, Han Doyoon wrapped his arm around Jaeyoon’s waist, preventing him from escaping his embrace.
“…What are you… doing?”
A disgruntled voice involuntarily escaped from Jaeyoon’s mouth.
“If you ask a question, you should wait for the answer before leaving.”
“I didn’t ask anything.”
“Then…?”
After rolling his eyes slightly, Jaeyoon finally opened his mouth to answer.
“…You do like him.”
“You like Kim Yeonwoo?”
“As… as a friend, I mean as a friend…”
Han Doyoon smiled with the gentlest expression he had shown so far. Since it looked as if he was telling him not to talk nonsense, Jaeyoon firmly closed his mouth that had been making excuses.
‘Damn it…!’
“Last time you said you weren’t Yeonwoo’s friend.”
“…”
“It seems you’ve become friends again somehow?”
“Haah…”
Jaeyoon exhaled deeply from his core. With a furrowed expression, he lightly tapped Han Doyoon’s arm that was still wrapped around his waist. It was a signal to let go now.
After staring at Jaeyoon for a moment, Han Doyoon smiled and obediently released his arm. Having safely escaped from Han Doyoon’s embrace, Jaeyoon brushed back his bangs and directly met the red eyes focused on him.
“It was just nonsense that came out because I was curious. I’m sorry if I offended you.”
“Tell me why you thought that.”
Jaeyoon’s blue eyes lowered. Han Doyoon quietly observed him as he sank into thought, trying to explain his reasoning.
“…It seems like you like Kim Yeonwoo, but don’t love him.”
Han Doyoon narrowed his eyes and tilted his head slightly at the answer that came after much deliberation.
“Aren’t they the same thing?”
“They differ depending on how you use them.”
“You talk like a liberal arts major.”
“Because I am a liberal arts major.”
“Is that so?”
Han Doyoon shrugged with exaggeratedly wide eyes, though he didn’t seem particularly surprised. At this overly dramatic gesture, Jaeyoon let out a small sigh.
‘I said one wrong thing and now I’m caught up in this annoying situation…’
“Just think of it as nonsense and move on. I also think it was nonsense.”
“There must be a reason, right? For thinking that…”
“There isn’t.”
“There is.”
‘I said there isn’t, who are you to say there is?’
Feeling a headache coming on, Jaeyoon pressed his fingers firmly against his temple. It seemed like Han Doyoon wouldn’t let Jaeyoon go until he heard the answer he wanted.
“Haah…”
Exhaling another involuntary sigh, Jaeyoon looked at Han Doyoon. The one and only under heaven. That was the word that best described Han Doyoon. He acted as he pleased, and if there was something he wanted, he would get it by any means necessary. And he would deal with anyone who got in his way, no matter who they were.
Fans said they liked this aspect of him, but Jaeyoon couldn’t relate at all. He couldn’t understand what was likable about someone who acted selfishly, abused power, and had no consideration for others.
“You don’t get angry no matter who Kim Yeonwoo is with?”
“Is there a reason to be angry?”
“You don’t feel anything when the person you love is with someone else…?”
“There’s no way there could be a better choice than me, so why would I need to worry?”
As Han Doyoon smiled brightly, Jaeyoon touched his throbbing forehead with his hand.
It seemed he had been wrong in his thinking, and quite significantly so.
Love usually comes with obsession. While he didn’t want something as severe as Kim Doha’s behavior, who would like seeing the person they love sticking with someone else? But with Han Doyoon, he couldn’t feel any obsession toward Kim Yeonwoo. Since Han Doyoon didn’t show that natural emotion that arises when you love someone, Jaeyoon thought he might not truly love Kim Yeonwoo, but…
‘That guy is just obnoxio…’
Jaeyoon shook his head slightly. He couldn’t use harsh words on a high school student much younger than himself.
‘He just seems like a person whose self-esteem is twice that of a normal person.’
“Yes. I suppose that could be it. I was wrong. I didn’t realize the Student Council President had such confidence.”
“Are you ending it already? You could argue more.”
“No. I was wrong because I haven’t seen someone as unique… ahem, with such high self-love as the Student Council President. Have a beautiful love with Kim Yeonwoo. You two look good together.”
‘I just wasted my energy…’
Jaeyoon put his hand to his head, feeling dizzy. Never again, truly never again would he get involved with them… As he turned around, making a determined promise to himself, Han Doyoon’s large hand grabbed his shoulder.
“…What is it?”
Han Doyoon’s red lips curved upward at the sight of Jaeyoon looking at him while clearly showing he was too tired to deal with this anymore.
“I’ve been waiting all this time, so you can’t just leave.”
“What…?”
‘Waiting? For whom? You’re not going to say something scary like you were waiting for me, are you…?’
Jaeyoon felt a chill down his spine. Trying to ignore the encroaching anxiety, he looked at Han Doyoon.
“To repay a debt.”
“…A debt?”
As Jaeyoon crumpled his expression as if asking what he meant, Han Doyoon waved his hand. Staring blankly at the gesture, Jaeyoon eventually recalled the chocolate shell bread. It was the incident where Han Doyoon had extorted (though Jaeyoon had given it willingly) his chocolate shell bread, saying Yeonwoo wanted to eat it. Jaeyoon’s expression crumpled even more. Han Doyoon, who had been watching Jaeyoon’s reaction with amusement, smiled with his eyes curving.
“I’m going to repay that debt now.”
“No, it’s fine. You don’t need to repay it, so can I please go now?”
Although he didn’t know how Han Doyoon intended to repay it, a very strong premonition told him it wouldn’t be to his benefit.
After quietly observing Jaeyoon’s attempts to subtly distance himself, Han Doyoon narrowed his eyes and said:
“If you go in now, you’ll hear Yeonwoo and Kim Doha acting like a couple in real-time… Are you sure you want to go?”
“…So, is the Student Council President going to warn them to be quiet?”
‘As if you’d do that to Kim Yeonwoo.’
When Jaeyoon looked at him with narrowed eyes, Han Doyoon smiled prettily and grabbed his thin wrist.
“What are you doing…?”
“If the noise is too loud, you can sleep somewhere else.”
“…Wait, don’t tell me…”
“Come to my mansion.”
“No!”
‘What nonsense are you talking about?’
Though Jaeyoon made his refusal clear with a voice close to a scream, Han Doyoon looked at the struggling Jaeyoon and said in a calm voice:
“Refusal is not an option.”
“No, I said I don’t want to…! Why would I sleep at your house? Hey, Student Council President? Student? Hey! Listen when someone is talking!”
Not even realizing that he had unconsciously started speaking informally to Han Doyoon, Jaeyoon was forcibly put into a car without being able to properly resist the overwhelming strength.
“Hey, this is kidnapping!”
“Let’s go.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
