By the time Han-gyeom came to his senses, he had already been led by Won-hyeok’s hand out onto the main road. Toward the taxi driving up with the “Vacant” sign lit, Won-hyeok casually raised a hand and flagged it down. It couldn’t possibly be true, and yet somehow he could feel a pulse even through the hand clasped with his.
The car came to a stop, and the two of them got into the back seat side by side. Even when Won-hyeok casually gave the driver his home address, Han-gyeom still couldn’t quite grasp what exactly was happening right now, and he kept glancing uneasily only at Won-hyeok for no reason.
As the flashy neon signs of the shops in the university district leaked in through the taxi window, his vision felt all the more dizzying for some reason. On the roads thick with the laughter of people who looked like they were enjoying themselves, Han-gyeom swallowed dryly and said nothing.
Not long after, the taxi arrived at Won-hyeok’s officetel. Since each of their places was close enough to the school that they could have walked there, by car it had truly taken no time at all. Maybe because the short distance bothered him, Won-hyeok paid far more than the normal fare.
After the last sight of the driver smiling in satisfaction, the two of them got out of the taxi. The back of the cab slipping out through the alley looked strangely light. Soon, the two stood side by side in front of the building.
Han-gyeom found himself looking up at Won-hyeok’s officetel for no reason. This was the third time he had seen it, but it still didn’t feel familiar.
“Um…… sunbae.”
At that hour, the alley was dark and quiet. Even with the streetlights doing their best, the darkness piled around them remained. Now and then, the only sounds were the flickering buzz of a streetlamp or faint voices drifting from somewhere far off.
That made it feel even more real. The fact that he was standing in front of Won-hyeok’s home right now, and the words Won-hyeok had said earlier about him staying the night.
“Am I really sleeping over? My place is close from here too……”
“Why, do you not want to sleep at my place?”
“What? No. I’d actually like that.”
Sleeping at his bias’ house? If anything, he’d hit the jackpot.
“Then what’s the problem?”
“It feels like I’d be imposing.”
It had already been Won-hyeok who had brought him here and taken care of him when he’d said he wasn’t feeling well, and Won-hyeok had also stepped in earlier during that dangerous confrontation with Han Su-hyeon. If he hadn’t been there, it probably would’ve taken quite a bit of effort to separate Han Su-hyeon in that agitated state.
Besides, he had been happy enough just because Won-hyeok had come to get him when he thought they wouldn’t see each other today. So in this condition, to even impose on him and stay over too—of course he couldn’t help feeling self-conscious.
“It’s not imposing. You drank a lot today, Han-gyeom. Wouldn’t it be better to have someone there to look after you than to go home alone like this?”
At that gentle voice, and an even gentler smile than that, the self-consciousness and guilt that had been pricking at his heart suddenly felt completely useless.
“If I leave Han-gyeom home alone and you end up slipping in the bathroom or something, then what? You were stumbling around earlier too.”
It was a fair point, but right now he wasn’t that bad. Earlier, he had just drunk a lot and then gotten so flustered from talking with Han Su-hyeon. But now, after riding in the taxi with Won-hyeok, his drunkenness had been left far behind.
More precisely, he’d sobered up because he’d been so shocked by Won-hyeok’s unexpected suggestion.
“But if you’re uncomfortable with me looking after you, tell me. I’ll take you back home.”
“……Th-then could I ask that favor of you?”
If he said he wanted to go home here, it would be the same as admitting that he was uncomfortable with Won-hyeok taking care of him. He didn’t want to turn away Won-hyeok’s sincerity, and the private desire he had pushed off into a corner stirred back to life.
“Okay.”
At Han-gyeom’s timid request, Won-hyeok coolly took his hand and led him into the building. It was a situation that felt strangely familiar. The first time he had come to Won-hyeok’s house under the excuse of borrowing assignment materials, they had exchanged a similar conversation.
Back then too, and now as well, Han-gyeom couldn’t suppress his personal desire to go to his bias’ house, and once again stepped into Won-hyeok’s home.
“Excuse me for intruding.”
Coming in with another polite greeting, Han-gyeom stood awkwardly near the living room as if he didn’t know where or how he should stand. Won-hyeok had told him to wait a moment, then disappeared somewhere into the room.
Han-gyeom busied himself glancing around at the inside of the apartment, which was as neat as ever. Come to think of it, the last time he’d been here was definitely then. The day sunbae’s rut came.
“……”
Han-gyeom’s gaze moved to the sofa on its own. He had definitely sat facing Won-hyeok right there, with their important parts pressed together, doing all that kind of thing……
Han-gyeom shook his head hard and slapped both cheeks. Sunbae had been a patient that day, and even now he had only let him into his home because he intended to take care of him while he was drunk. To be having impure thoughts like this—somehow it made him feel as though he had committed a terrible sin, and his conscience sat uncomfortably in his chest.
He had barely managed to shake off the thought when Won-hyeok came out from inside carrying some clothes.
“Han-gyeom, you’re going to wash up, right?”
“Huh?”
“You’re not going to sleep without showering, are you? You were in the bar the whole time.”
Ah, now that he thought about it, all kinds of side dish smells and fried food smells were definitely clinging to his body.
“I think I should wash up.”
“The bathroom’s over there, and change into these clothes. I don’t know if they’ll fit you. Still, they’re the smallest size I have, so they should be fine.”
“Y-your clothes, sunbae?!”
Like someone who had just received an unbelievable gift from his favorite, Han-gyeom shyly covered his mouth.
“It’s okay! There’s no way I could wear something that sacred!”
“What are you even talking about?”
When Won-hyeok laughed, Han-gyeom’s heart shook even harder. He probably had no idea. About how incredible and heart-racing this was to him. To wear clothes his favorite had worn—clothes that carried traces of his daily life.
“Since it’s only for today anyway, I’ll just wear my own clothes again.”
Even though they smelled like food, he decided that rather than put on Won-hyeok’s clothes and have his heart burst, he’d rather just give up on his sense of smell.
“No. Take those off and wear this instead. Got it?”
Won-hyeok was definitely smiling, but his voice was firmer than ever. Was it maybe because he was worried the smell of food on his clothes would soak into the apartment? Thinking about it, that would be imposing too, and only then did Han-gyeom nod.
“Okay, then I’ll use the bathroom……. I’m sorry.”
“There’s absolutely no need to apologize. The floor probably isn’t slippery, but still be careful. Ah, and don’t wash with water that’s too hot.”
Han-gyeom nodded. Those were words of active consideration, in case drunk Han-gyeom somehow got into trouble in there. Right, just like Won-hyeok had said earlier—if he’d gone home alone, he would’ve washed up and gone to bed in lonely silence. He probably wouldn’t even have thought about hot water being dangerous.
Sunbae really is kind. Han-gyeom stepped into the bathroom and was just about to close the door when Won-hyeok’s hand suddenly came through.
“And leave your clothes outside after you take them off.”
“Huh?”
Before he could even ask why, Won-hyeok shut the door. Left alone in the bathroom, Han-gyeom wondered about the reason for a moment, but figured it would be best to just do as he was told, so he took off his sweatshirt and jeans and dropped them with a soft thump in front of the bathroom.
The moment he heard the sound, Won-hyeok came rushing in front of the bathroom. Before long, the sound of running water started up from within the firmly closed door.
“Han-gyeom, just use whichever towel is in the cabinet.”
“Okay.”
A voice, muffled by water, came faintly through the door. But Won-hyeok had come all the way here for another purpose. His gaze slowly dropped to the clothes lying on the floor.
“……”
Won-hyeok glared at Han-gyeom’s clothes for a long moment as if they were his sworn enemy. Even just lying there apart from him, he could still smell that bastard’s pheromones, and it made his insides boil. Han Su-hyeon had probably really been determined. He’d tried to lure Han-gyeom with pheromones. That bastard had definitely thought Han-gyeom was an omega too.
The trace of pheromones an alpha deliberately scatters to seduce an omega usually lingered for a long time.
“Fucking dog bastard. I should’ve at least broken his arm.”
“Huh? Sunbae, what did you say?”
Maybe he had heard the muttering, because Han-gyeom called out through the sound of the water.
“Hm? It’s nothing. Hurry up and wash.”
“Okay!”
Clearing his throat, Won-hyeok stuffed Han-gyeom’s clothes straight into the washing machine, dumped in a ridiculous amount of detergent, and turned it on. After confirming that Han-gyeom’s clothes were spinning around inside, he found the phone he had tossed aside carelessly and opened his contacts.
<Secretary Min>
The line didn’t ring for long before the other person picked up.
“You’re calling even this late at night now? I keep telling you, I’m your father’s secretary, not your secretary, you know?”
Instead of a “hello,” the familiar scolding came first again today.
The one speaking to Won-hyeok in a tired voice was Min Woo-jin. He was lawyer Do Won-cheol’s secretary and the chief secretary at Chaeun Law Firm.
“And I know very well that Secretary Min deeply respects my father too.”
“Haah, what are you trying to make me do by using that against me this time?”
Secretary Min had long been Do Won-cheol’s irreplaceable partner. Because of that, he had also maintained a fairly close relationship with Won-hyeok’s family. If it wasn’t a case where his father or mother went to school for something like a parent-teacher conference, it was often Secretary Min who picked Won-hyeok up when he was a student.
Come to think of it, he was also the only person outside the family who had realized fairly early on that Won-hyeok had been different from a young age.
Won-hyeok didn’t fundamentally like his father, but he did trust this man. Back in his school days, he’d spent more time knowing this person than spending time with the man called his father.
“I’m not making you do anything. I’m asking for a favor.”
“Won-hyeok, have you already forgotten the trouble you caused last time?”
At Secretary Min’s words, Won-hyeok remembered the time he’d beaten someone up in the alley by the fried chicken place.
“The only reason that got resolved was because it ended up being mutual assault. You should be grateful I didn’t report it to the director. Seriously, one of these days, that temper of yours is going to get you into real trouble. Tone down that personality already, please.”
“I said I’d pay you for it, and you said you wouldn’t take it.”
“You think everything in the world can be solved with money. Honestly, you little brat. So what is it this time? For the record, I’m busy with work these days, so I can’t promise I’ll be able to do everything.”
Even so, Won-hyeok knew. No matter how he talked like this, he still took care of just about anything.
“It’s nothing major this time. Please run a criminal record check on someone. His name is Han Su-hyeon. I’ll text you his personal details.”
Won-hyeok still remembered what Kim Sun-woo had said at the budae-jjigae place. There had been rumors that bastard had a record too, but since nobody had been able to verify it, the matter had just fizzled out.
“A criminal record? That’s not hard, but what are you planning to do with it? Don’t tell me you’re trying to mess with someone again.”
Won-hyeok kept his eyes on the bathroom, where the sound of running water still continued. He hadn’t laid a hand on Han Su-hyeon directly earlier, but that didn’t mean he was forgiving him entirely.
“Touching someone else’s property without permission and damaging it is a crime.”
“W-well, that’s true.”
“Then he should pay the price.”
Since he hadn’t been able to make him pay directly, he felt like only ruining him socially would ease this rage inside him.
“What are you even talking about…… Fine, I got it for now. But I’m really only helping you this once. If the director finds out, I’m seriously getting fired. And Won-hyeok, you need to stop doing this stuff now too. You know that even if the director seems stiff, he actually cares about you a lot, right?”
“I don’t talk to people who are obsessed with my father. Send the information by email, then.”
Leaving Secretary Min still in the middle of lecturing him, Won-hyeok ended the call.
