Ju Geonyul watched Suhwan’s hastily disappearing figure with a relaxed expression.
***
Suhwan couldn’t quite remember how he made it to the lecture hall. He had fled from Ju Geonyul like he was escaping. He felt that if he turned around, Geonyul would be glaring at him with a cold, frightening face, ready to kill him.
“Ha, haah.”
Breathing heavily, he quickly entered the lecture hall. Since Suhwan arrived just moments before the lecture was to begin, the room was already packed with students. There were hardly any seats left in the back, so Suhwan moved forward, looking around.
“…!”
Then he spotted Seunghyun with his classmates. Suhwan turned his head with a dismayed expression. Right. The first Monday lecture was one he shared with Seunghyun.
Worried that Seunghyun might have seen him, Suhwan quickly moved to the opposite side. Fortunately, he found an empty seat right away.
“Phew…”
Suhwan put his bag down on the desk and exhaled in relief. Then a hesitant voice came from beside him.
“Excuse me…”
“Yes?”
Suhwan turned to his side in surprise. The female student sitting next to him flinched, then spoke in a timid voice.
“This seat… is taken.”
“Oh.”
Looking at the desk again, Suhwan noticed a small pouch he hadn’t seen before. It seemed to have been placed there to reserve the seat. Suhwan’s face reddened.
“I’m sorry.”
As he embarrassedly tried to get up quickly, the female student lightly grabbed the hem of his clothes. It wasn’t a strong grip, but Suhwan stopped moving and turned to look at her.
“What is it?”
“No, um, that…”
But the female student who had stopped Suhwan also looked confused. She had a bewildered expression, as if she herself didn’t know why she had done this.
Is she an omega?
Suhwan tilted his head, catching the faint scent of pheromones emanating from the female student. He quietly looked down at her gentle-looking face.
As Suhwan waited, the female student soon gathered her courage and spoke again.
“You see…”
But ultimately, her words never made it out.
“Senior.”
“Huh?”
Suhwan turned reflexively and was startled. Seunghyun had approached and was standing behind him. When their eyes met, Seunghyun smiled brightly.
“What are you doing here?”
“Huh? Me?”
“Yes.”
Seunghyun, smiling sweetly, lowered his gaze.
The female student who met Seunghyun’s eyes instinctively shrank back. His gaze was incredibly fierce.
But when Seunghyun lifted his head again to look at Suhwan, his face was nothing but gentle.
“I saved a seat for you over there.”
“A seat?”
“Yes.”
“For me?”
“That’s what I said.”
“Oh…”
Suhwan ended up being dragged along by Seunghyun. Concerned about the female student who had spoken to him, he glanced back slightly, but for some reason, her face had turned pale. However, he soon dismissed it as nothing important and continued walking.
Seunghyun’s claim about saving a seat wasn’t a lie. There was a bag placed on the seat next to his. Seunghyun moved his own bag, indicating for Suhwan to sit there.
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
But was he supposed to sit down in this awkward silence and heavy atmosphere? Suhwan tensed at the sharp gazes coming from Seunghyun’s classmates. Just as he was about to back away, unable to approach under the three pairs of eyes glaring at him as if he were filth, something happened.
“Hello, senior.”
“Huh? Hee… young?”
“Yes, please sit down.”
With even Heeyoung urging him to take the seat, Suhwan couldn’t refuse and turn away. Moreover, at that moment, the lecturer entered the classroom. Suhwan awkwardly sat down next to Seunghyun.
Fortunately, as the lecture began, the gazes directed at Suhwan disappeared. It wasn’t completely comfortable, but at least Seunghyun was right beside him, and his classmates were seated at a distance from Suhwan, which made it somewhat better.
But when break time came, the uncomfortable situation resumed. This was because the lecture was a continuous one with a break in the middle. Suhwan thought about going to the bathroom to escape, but he didn’t have the courage to pass by Seunghyun’s classmates who were blocking the way.
With no choice but to remain seated with his head down, he began to hear the voices of Seunghyun and his friends.
“Seunghyun, so what are you going to do today?”
“Ah, today…”
“You said you can’t make it on your actual birthday, so let’s drink today.”
“…?”
Birthday? Whose birthday?
Suhwan raised his head in confusion. As he cautiously glanced to the side, the conversation between Seunghyun and his friends continued.
“Everyone’s meeting today, right? No one better bail out.”
“Of course, of course. It’s someone’s birthday after all.”
“Oh, Seunghyun’s birthday is tomorrow.”
“Well, if we’re drinking, we’ll probably pass midnight anyway.”
Tomorrow is Seunghyun’s birthday?
Suhwan glanced at Seunghyun with surprised eyes. Seunghyun, seemingly aware of Suhwan, also glanced back, and their eyes met.
“…!”
Suhwan quickly looked away and stared straight ahead. He felt embarrassed, thinking he’d been caught eavesdropping. Seunghyun, who had been watching Suhwan for a moment, turned his head.
“Guys, I don’t think I can make it today.”
“What? Why?”
“Do you have plans?”
His classmates each expressed their disappointment. Suhwan was also puzzled. Since it was the beginning of the semester, there were no assignments, and it would be fine to meet with classmates the day before his birthday if there wasn’t something important. Especially since Seunghyun was the type to take good care of his classmates.
Unconsciously focusing on the conversation, Suhwan was soon surprised by Seunghyun’s words.
“No, it’s not that. I just want to go home early.”
“Huh? Why? You live alone, right?”
“Well, that’s…”
“S-Seunghyun!”
Sensing that Seunghyun was about to say something explosive, Suhwan hastily spoke up in surprise. Everyone’s attention turned to Suhwan. But without noticing, Suhwan continued speaking to Seunghyun.
“If it’s because of me, it’s okay. I’m fine now.”
“But…”
“So go have fun with your friends. Okay?”
Since Suhwan spoke in a low voice, the classmates couldn’t hear the conversation. They looked at Suhwan and Seunghyun with surprised eyes as the two whispered to each other.
After a moment, Seunghyun turned his head with a displeased expression and spoke to his classmates.
“Alright, I’ll go today.”
“Huh? Uh…”
Despite it being a situation to be happy about, the classmates felt awkward. Their eyes kept drifting to Suhwan, who kept glancing at them. Seunghyun subtly turned his body to block their view of Suhwan and smiled casually.
“What time should we meet?”
“Um… I don’t know?”
“Why don’t we just go after the lecture ends?”
“Ah, then I’ll stop by home first.”
Despite their awkward expressions, the classmates stumbled through the conversation. Soon the break ended, and the lecturer came back into the classroom.
Phew, Suhwan exhaled with a relieved face. He had almost caused Seunghyun to waste the day before his important birthday. Though it was wrong to interrupt the friends’ conversation, Suhwan was satisfied with the outcome.
Speaking of birthdays. Seunghyun’s birthday. The content of the boring lecture didn’t register in Suhwan’s mind at all. The unexpected event of Seunghyun’s birthday was stuck firmly in his thoughts.
Even recalling the original story, there was no mention of Seunghyun’s birthday. At this point in time, Seunghyun should have been imprisoned and suffering at the hands of Jin Suhwan…
Did that bastard not even make seaweed soup for him and just did those things?
Suhwan’s face turned pale. Did Jin Suhwan know it was Seunghyun’s birthday? If he had known, surely he wouldn’t have done such things?
Even though it wasn’t something he had done, Suhwan felt a prick of conscience and glanced at Seunghyun’s straight profile. His face, focused on the lecture, somehow looked forlorn.
Come to think of it, after his family’s downfall, Seunghyun had been separated from his family and probably never received a proper birthday meal. On one’s birthday, shouldn’t they receive a warm birthday table with seaweed soup, braised ribs, and japchae?
As he glanced at Seunghyun’s face, Suhwan made an internal decision. He would personally prepare a birthday meal for Seunghyun. He was burning with an unnecessary sense of duty.
‘But can I even cook?’
Though his enthusiasm was good, Suhwan without his memories couldn’t trust himself. So he hesitated for a moment, but soon shook his head. Somehow, he really wanted to feed Seunghyun seaweed soup.
“Senior, today I…”
“Sorry! I have an urgent matter!”
“An urgent matter?”
When Seunghyun approached him after the lecture, Suhwan spoke in a rather firm tone. Seunghyun opened his eyes wide in surprise. But right now, Suhwan could only think of one thing.
‘Let’s go shopping quickly! Before it’s too late!’
He thought if he went grocery shopping right after the lecture and prepared the food, he could just barely finish by tonight. Since Seunghyun would be meeting friends and coming home late today, he could prepare a splendid birthday table for when Seunghyun woke up tomorrow morning. Pleased with this perfect plan, Suhwan already had a satisfied smile on his face.
“Oh, then see you later!”
“Senior…”
Leaving the bewildered Seunghyun behind, Suhwan quickly left the lecture hall. Seunghyun watched him go with a dazed expression.
***
“Whew.”
Suhwan, who had arrived with his arms full of groceries, caught his breath for a moment in front of the entrance.
After putting down the bulging plastic bags he had been carrying in both hands, Suhwan was about to enter the door code when he flinched.
