“Ah, sorry.”
As if he only realized what he’d asked after it left his mouth, Won-hyeok covered the corner of his lips with one hand and gave an awkward smile.
“I asked that without thinking. That was rude of me.”
These days, traits were increasingly seen as nothing more than categories dividing people by genetic and physical characteristics, like blood type, but in the past they had caused quite a lot of problems. That was because there had once been a time when alphas were regarded as superior traits, and omegas as inferior ones.
Of course, now that anti-discrimination ideas regarding traits had spread widely, those kinds of social issues had lessened, but it couldn’t be said that the remnants of the past had disappeared entirely. Because of that, unless someone chose to reveal it themselves, asking about another person’s trait was still considered a somewhat rude question in this society.
“It’s okay. But I’m not an omega, I’m a beta.”
“A beta?”
When Won-hyeok tilted his head as if he didn’t quite understand, Han-gyeom let out an awkward little laugh.
“Uh, I don’t really look like one, right? I’m short and kind of on the small side……”
It was something he had heard often since childhood. The neighborhood women would look at young Han-gyeom and gossip as though it were already a given that he was an omega. It had been the same in high school when he received his trait evaluation. He still vividly remembered the look of surprise on his teacher’s face when handing him the result sheet that said beta.
Even after entering university, there were still people who occasionally mistook him for an omega, and Han-gyeom thought it was because he was thin and slight.
Just as an awkward lull was about to settle over the conversation, an employee called Han-gyeom from behind, asking him to choose a glasses frame.
“Ah, I’ll be right back.”
Won-hyeok stared fixedly at Han-gyeom’s retreating back.
“That face is a beta?”
He muttered it under his breath, frowning hard.
***
The process of getting the glasses made went fairly smoothly. Though, Han-gyeom did try to pick another weird-looking frame and had to be stopped by Won-hyeok, who was standing beside him. Han-gyeom usually just got whatever worked at the neighborhood optician’s, so he hadn’t known much, but apparently there were all kinds of lenses.
They showed him everything from blue-light-blocking lenses to imported lenses from some foreign country, and every single price tag was enough to make his jaw drop. Han-gyeom was too flustered to say anything, but the Won-hyeok beside him said, “Please give him the best one,” and Han-gyeom nearly went lightheaded. Even the frame was the most expensive one in the shop. Before Han-gyeom could even finish calculating in his head just how much money was being spent on one pair of glasses, Won-hyeok had already paid swiftly and casually, like it was nothing.
“How is it? Anything uncomfortable?”
As they stepped out of the optical shop, Won-hyeok asked with his signature bright smile. Uncomfortable? How could glasses be this light? Exaggerating a little, it almost didn’t even feel like he was wearing them. And the prescription was perfect too.
“Um, sunbae…….”
But Han-gyeom was uncomfortable. His vision was clear and his field of view had opened right up, yet inside, he didn’t feel clear at all.
“What is it?”
“I-I’m grateful, but I think this was too expensive. You already paid for the ER that time, and now even these expensive glasses……”
Up to a point, he had been willing to just accept it. Given Won-hyeok’s kind personality, if he thought Han-gyeom’s glasses had broken because of him, of course he would feel bad enough about it. But spending hundreds of thousands of won on a single pair of glasses had never once entered Han-gyeom’s calculations.
Fidgeting, Han-gyeom stole glances at Won-hyeok for no reason. Usually, at times like this, he would have expected to hear a gentle, calm voice saying it was because he felt sorry. But strangely, Won-hyeok was quiet.
“Han-gyeom, it feels a little awkward saying this myself, but I have a lot of money.”
Han-gyeom blinked both eyes. Somehow, Won-hyeok’s expression looked different from usual. He was smiling, but how should he put it—he looked a little fed up, a little irritated.
It was that expression Han-gyeom occasionally caught while observing him.
“I’m not trying to show off, absolutely not. I just mean that taking care of a junior who helped me isn’t going to change the state of my finances.”
“So?”
But when Han-gyeom shot back as if asking what that had to do with anything, Won-hyeok flinched. His pupils even widened slightly, as though that hadn’t been the answer he expected.
Like a student in class who’d run into a problem he didn’t understand, Han-gyeom tilted his head and voiced his confusion.
“I know you’re w-well-off, sunbae.”
It would probably be harder to find someone in the English Department who didn’t know that. If Do Won-hyeok were merely a handsome dominant alpha, he wouldn’t have become that famous. According to the rumors, his family had an absurd amount of money.
From utterly unrealistic stories that someone in his family was descended from foreign nobility, to more plausible rumors claiming he was the son of a politician. The rumors came in all varieties, but among them, the one most widely accepted was that his parents were incredibly successful businesspeople. Of course, even that was never confirmed.
Won-hyeok had never once said it with his own mouth, but everyone still knew. At the very least, that his family was rich.
There were things you could tell instinctively just by looking at a person’s outward appearance. The clothes Do Won-hyeok wore, the shoes, the watch. All of them were luxury brands. And though no one knew whether it was true or not, there was also a quiet rumor going around that he used to drive a sports car to school in his freshman year. The scent of wealth that clung to someone couldn’t be hidden, no matter how much they tried.
“But that doesn’t mean it isn’t still money.”
“Hm?”
This time, it was Won-hyeok who tilted his head as though he didn’t understand.
“No matter how much money you have, I don’t think that becomes a reason for me to shamelessly spend it or keep accepting your help.”
Unlike usual, Han-gyeom stared straight at Won-hyeok. Won-hyeok held his gaze for a moment, his eyes landing on the pair visible through the strands of bangs that had fallen down and behind the lenses of his still-obviously-new glasses. Then suddenly, he burst out laughing.
“S-sunbae?”
“Ah, sorry.”
After laughing to his heart’s content, Won-hyeok covered the corner of his mouth and looked at Han-gyeom as though he were some fascinating life-form.
“So that’s why you feel uncomfortable? Accepting this from me?”
“Yes. A little.”
“Han-gyeom, do you have class after this?”
“No. Today’s one of those days when I only have first period.”
“Then would you buy me lunch?”
“Huh?”
Han-gyeom tilted his head as if he didn’t understand. Then Won-hyeok repeated himself. He asked him to buy lunch. Only then did Han-gyeom seem to understand what he meant—not “let’s go eat,” but buy me lunch—and he clapped his hands.
“O-okay! I’ll buy you whatever you want!”
A flush rose on his pale cheeks as if he were thrilled. His slightly raised voice showed, without a trace of filtering, just how much better his mood had become.
Won-hyeok’s gaze narrowed for a brief moment as he looked at Han-gyeom, who was practically radiating his uplifted mood without even trying to hide it.
“What do you want to eat?”
Won-hyeok was being considerate of the fact that Han-gyeom felt bad about only receiving things. Honestly speaking, unless they went to a hotel restaurant, lunch wouldn’t come anywhere close to the cost of the ER bill and the glasses, but Han-gyeom knew this was consideration in its own way. So that his conscience wouldn’t feel burdened.
How could he be this thoughtful? Walking side by side with Won-hyeok, Han-gyeom fell for him all over again.
Just like that, the two of them entered a Western-style restaurant nearby. Maybe because lunchtime was almost over, they were thankfully able to get in right away without waiting. As they followed the staff member to their seats, some of the customers eating inside turned their gaze all at once toward one spot.
“Sunbae, order anything you want.”
“Really? I actually eat a lot. Are you sure you can handle that?”
“You eat a lot, sunbae?”
“Yeah. I eat really well.”
I see. Han-gyeom added yet another newly learned fact to the list today. Honestly, it wasn’t that surprising. From far away, Won-hyeok looked slim, but up close, he definitely wasn’t. Broad shoulders, tall height, and a body with no small amount of lean muscle on it.
Han-gyeom had been absentmindedly staring at Won-hyeok’s upper body while he scanned the menu when their eyes met.
Ah. Startled, Han-gyeom flushed red and quickly lifted the menu to block his field of vision. Won-hyeok’s eyes curved as he watched that happen. But his mouth wasn’t smiling at all.
Not long after they placed their order, appetizing pasta, pizza, and risotto were brought to the table. The place was apparently famous as a good restaurant, and sure enough, the food was excellent.
“Sunbae, can I ask you just one thing?”
“……”
It was a little while after they had started eating. Han-gyeom cautiously, gathering a bit of courage, tried to open the conversation, but there was no response. When he looked up, Won-hyeok had narrowed his brow slightly and was staring fixedly at somewhere behind him. Han-gyeom thought he might even have heard the sound of him clicking his tongue.
“Sunbae?”
“Ah, what did you say?”
“Ah, there’s something I’m curious about.”
“What is it?”
Maybe he had imagined it after all. Dismissing it as nothing, Han-gyeom spoke again.
“That time. The club dinner. When you almost got into serious trouble, sunbae.”
Won-hyeok’s large, long hand, which had been holding a fork, paused slightly.
“Yeah, why that day?”
“What happened to that person after that? Did you report them?”
Won-hyeok slowly set his fork down, then lightly tapped the tabletop once, twice, with his index finger.
“No. Even if I’d wanted to report him, I didn’t really know his personal details, and back then the priority was getting you to the hospital first.”
As if to say that was enough of this topic, Won-hyeok started moving his fork again. He scooped up a generous amount of the rosé pasta, topped appetizingly with pollock roe, and placed it onto Han-gyeom’s plate.
“Huh? Don’t you know that person’s name, sunbae? I’m pretty sure you were looking at his ID in the alley that time……”
Won-hyeok’s hand stiffened far more noticeably than before. At some point, the smile he habitually wore at the corner of his mouth had vanished completely, and his lips had gone rigid in a straight line.
