43.
#Warning
Hayun frowned slightly as he stood in front of the bar. It was clearly a cheap, rowdy bar catering to college students. He didn’t like the idea of Dawoon frequenting such places. Even when he was in college, he had never been to such casual bars. From middle and high school, his friends were already from families similar to his own.
Hayun had a very different school life compared to Dawoon, whom he had allowed to live freely. The difference became even more apparent in college, and Hayun had never participated in orientation trips, MT, or even department gatherings. So he never had a reason to go to such bars.
On the other hand, after their parents passed away, Dawoon wanted to avoid bringing attention to the Haedo Group name and wished to live as normally as possible, trying not to stand out. Unlike how he had subtly intervened in Hayun’s personal relationships, their grandfather was indifferent to Dawoon. So he let him live as he wanted, but now this situation bothered him in many ways.
He had expected Dawoon to avoid him for a few days, so he wasn’t surprised that he didn’t come home on time and went to drink with Ui-hyeon. But to hear that he had collapsed while drinking, and in such a cheap bar at that.
He thought Dawoon was naive about the dangers of the world. Being a man didn’t guarantee safety. He could have encountered pickpockets or robbers, and there were many predatory women these days too. To lose consciousness in a place with no guarantee of safety was beyond carelessness; it was infuriating.
Opening the bar door and entering, it was even more chaotic than he had imagined. The music was deafening, and at each table, customers were raising their voices to be heard over it, creating a cacophony.
As he stood at the entrance looking around, a waiter approached and asked if he was meeting someone. He nodded with a frown, and the waiter left without further questions.
Finding Dawoon among the rowdy crowd was harder than expected. Only after walking quite far into the bar did he spot Dawoon slumped over a table, asleep, with Ui-hyeon sitting across from him, sipping beer.
As he approached, Ui-hyeon jumped to his feet upon seeing Hayun. His face already showed signs of tension.
“You’ve come,” Ui-hyeon said, bowing his head slightly.
Ignoring him, Hayun knelt in front of Dawoon. Seeing the pale face pressed against the table, not moving an inch, he sighed. He reached out to touch Dawoon’s neck, concerned about acute alcohol poisoning, but fortunately, his pulse seemed normal.
“I think he’s just asleep,” Ui-hyeon added, seemingly understanding Hayun’s concern.
Hayun stood up and called a waiter, immediately handing over his card.
“I can pay,” Ui-hyeon said, flustered and apologetic, but Hayun ignored him and asked the waiter to process the payment.
“Did Dawoon suggest drinking first?” Hayun asked Ui-hyeon while the waiter was processing the payment.
Ui-hyeon couldn’t deny it and just laughed awkwardly. Hayun’s stern gaze was too much for him to pretend he had suggested drinking himself.
“Did something happen?” Hayun asked.
He wondered what could have made Dawoon suggest drinking. It must have been Dawoon’s first time suggesting it, so Ui-hyeon must have found it strange and asked if something had happened.
“I did ask why he looked upset, but he didn’t say much. It doesn’t seem like anything happened in his department, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary in the broadcasting club…”
“Broadcasting club?”
Hayun asked, wondering how Ui-hyeon could guess about the broadcasting club when he had heard Dawoon didn’t make it in.
“We briefly ran into a senior from the broadcasting club earlier,” Ui-hyeon explained.
“Here?”
“Ah… yes.”
Ui-hyeon’s face momentarily stiffened. He looked like he had made a slip of the tongue. Thanks to that, Hayun could guess who the senior was.
“Choi Yu-na?”
When the exact name came out, Ui-hyeon’s eyes widened. Hayun let out a small laugh and picked up Dawoon.
“He didn’t drink that much. It’s just that he doesn’t know his limit,” Ui-hyeon added, as if worried Hayun might scold Dawoon.
Hayun just slightly raised one corner of his mouth in a faint smile and turned away.
He placed Dawoon in the passenger seat of the car parked in front of the bar, reclining the seat as far back as possible to make him comfortable. After getting into the driver’s seat and starting the engine, he looked over at Dawoon. He was so still that it seemed more like he had fainted rather than fallen asleep. Feeling uneasy, Hayun checked Dawoon’s breathing once more before finally letting out a sigh of relief.
Running into each other yesterday at the sociology building, and today at the bar. Could it be a coincidence to meet twice outside the broadcasting club in just two days? Repeated coincidences were never truly coincidental. They involved someone’s intention.
Choi Yu-na. As he repeated the name in his mind, a bitter laugh escaped him. It seemed he might need to meet her in person.
For now, what should he do with this guy?
As he gripped the steering wheel and stepped on the accelerator, his thoughts multiplied. He understood Dawoon’s desire to avoid the situation out of shock and surprise, but he couldn’t let him keep drifting like this.
He would make him accept it, even forcibly if necessary. He hadn’t expected things to go smoothly from the start anyway. He had only taken the first step. This time, Dawoon had to give in. Whether he liked it or not, it was Dawoon who had to adapt.
***
“Is he drunk?” the butler who opened the door to the mansion asked with a slightly surprised expression. It seemed incomprehensible that Dawoon, who was usually well-behaved and never caused problems, was drunk.
“What about Haram?” Hayun asked.
“He fell asleep earlier,” the butler replied.
Fortunately, Haram had been going to bed around 9 PM lately, probably due to his busy schedule.
“Did he look for Dawoon?” Hayun inquired.
“He did, but Young Master Dawoon didn’t answer his phone.”
Of course, he wouldn’t have answered the phone while passed out drunk. But it seemed Haram hadn’t made a big fuss about it.
“Please tell the kitchen to prepare some hangover food for tomorrow morning,” Hayun instructed.
“Did he drink a lot?” the butler asked, puzzled by the lack of a strong alcohol smell despite Dawoon’s state.
“He didn’t drink much, apparently, but just in case,” Hayun explained.
“Understood,” the butler replied, but instead of retreating, he followed Hayun up to the second floor. He naturally opened the door to Dawoon’s room for Hayun, who gave him a slight smile. Only then did the butler bow and close the door.
After laying Dawoon on the bed, Hayun started by removing his jacket. Even as he pulled the sleeve off Dawoon’s right arm and lifted his upper body slightly to remove the jacket from the other side, Dawoon didn’t stir. He seemed to be in a deep sleep, partly due to the alcohol but also likely because of not sleeping properly the night before. If this was Dawoon’s typical reaction to alcohol, Hayun thought he should never be allowed to drink outside again.
“You’re too defenseless,” Hayun muttered.
The thought of Dawoon showing this vulnerable side to others was unpleasant. Even if it was Ui-hyeon, it was the same. It could have even been Choi Yu-na or Kim Na-eun. At this rate, he might be weaker with alcohol than most women. Dawoon’s mother had quite a high tolerance for alcohol, so it was unclear who he took after.
As Hayun quietly gazed down at Dawoon, he reached out and cupped his cheek. Dawoon’s face was so small that Hayun’s hand covered more than just one cheek. He felt warmer than usual, probably due to the alcohol. His lips were also red. Hayun’s gaze lingered involuntarily, and he swallowed hard. Suppressing the desire that threatened to surge, he brushed Dawoon’s lips with his thumb. When he pressed hard enough to bruise the lips, Dawoon let out a groan and furrowed his brow in pain.
Hayun’s fingers moved from Dawoon’s lips, tracing his jaw and then caressing his neck. It was a thin neck that could be encompassed by one hand. It seemed as if it might break if he applied too much pressure. Dawoon had always been thin, but recently he hadn’t been eating properly, making his already slight frame appear even more slender.
Hayun found it hard to look away. Since childhood, Dawoon would often skip meals if Hayun wasn’t there to look after him. It was clear that Dawoon needed him by his side.
“Dawoon,” Hayun called softly, but there was no response.
Hayun slowly bent down, approaching until his lips were barely a breath away from Dawoon’s. His eyes narrowed, contemplating something, then he slightly tilted his head and pressed his lips not to Dawoon’s mouth, but to his neck.
A soft sound echoed in the quiet room as Hayun’s lips touched Dawoon’s skin. He repeated the light kisses, then sucked hard on the soft flesh where Dawoon’s neck met his shoulder. Dawoon flinched at the sensation. Hayun stroked the other side of Dawoon’s neck with his hand, and soon Dawoon’s tense body relaxed with a soft moan.
After staying in that position for a while, Hayun straightened up. Looking down, he saw that the spot he had sucked on had turned red. It was a clear mark in a place that wouldn’t be covered by a round-neck t-shirt.
Maybe this will teach him to be more cautious, Hayun thought.
He gently traced the mark he had left with his fingers, a faint smile on his lips, then stood up. He planned to wake up early tomorrow to be there before Dawoon could run away.
He looked forward to seeing Dawoon’s reaction when he noticed the mark in the morning. Since Dawoon had been unconscious, he might even mistakenly think someone else had left it. That would be fine too, as it would make him more wary of drinking.
Though it would be even better if there was no possibility of him thinking it was someone else.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
