Alpha Trauma

“…You didn’t know?”

Seonkyu looked at Wooyeon with an incredulous expression. The long stretch of silence felt oddly out of place. As he carefully pulled out his phone, he cautiously asked:

“You didn’t know there was a group chat?”

Without a word, Wooyeon turned his gaze away, prompting Seonkyu to scroll through his chats until he found “English Department Group Chat” and immediately invited Wooyeon.

“So that’s why you didn’t come to the freshman orientation…”

It wasn’t the most pleasant realization. Feeling a little bitter, Wooyeon scanned the participant list in the chat. Some of the familiar names were people he had exchanged numbers with at previous gatherings.

“Then how did you even know about the department assembly?”

“Sunbae Moon Garam told me.”

“Ah…”

An awkward silence lingered in the air. Both Garam and Dohyeon, too, remained quiet, sensing the tension. If it had ended there, it would’ve been fine. But what Dohyeon said next made Wooyeon feel even more miserable.

“Then, I guess you don’t know about the MT (membership training) trip either?”

“….”

Not even in middle school, when Wooyeon was ostracized, did it feel quite like this. At least back then, the school sent out notices. Was this some sort of subtle exclusion he hadn’t noticed? As Wooyeon’s eyes drooped in sorrow, Garam, seemingly unable to take it anymore, tapped the table.

“Hey, hey. The student council needs to get it together. How could they leave someone out like this? Weren’t you going to be the class president? What were you doing, not checking in on people?”

“I… I thought he didn’t want to be in the group because he doesn’t like crowds…”

Seonkyu scratched the back of his head, looking awkward. He had assumed Wooyeon had left the chat of his own accord, never even considering that he might not have known about it. His face twisted into a strange mix of guilt, confusion, and shock.

“…It’s fine. I’m in now, right?”

Wooyeon forced himself to respond casually, knowing that if they apologized, it would only make him feel more humiliated. Fortunately, someone knocked on the door at just the right moment. Knock knock. Seonkyu jumped up like a spring.

“I’ll get it!”

The person at the door was the delivery driver with their tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), which they had ordered about 20 minutes ago. After the tense and awkward moment, the savory smell of food soon filled the room, replacing the heavy atmosphere with something more pleasant.

“This place is really good. It’s not too spicy, and their delivery is always quick.”

The table was set up smoothly. While Garam set out the side dishes and tteokbokki, Dohyeon fetched paper cups from a cabinet. The same cabinet, Wooyeon realized, that likely held the club’s application forms but seemed to be stuffed with all sorts of random items instead.

“Ah, this looks delicious.”

“What does everyone want to drink?”

“Cola for me!”

“Water is fine for me.”

Wooyeon watched as Garam filled his cup with a portion of tteokbokki. Seonkyu had already started eating, but Wooyeon just blinked blankly at the dish in front of him, hesitating.

“What’s wrong?”

Dohyeon, who was pouring water, gently asked. That soft voice seemed to lull Wooyeon into speaking his thoughts aloud.

“I’ve never had it before.”

Before going to the U.S., Wooyeon hadn’t eaten any food that wasn’t prepared at home. Meals were always prepared by the housekeeper, and when he was in middle school, he brought his own packed lunch. While studying abroad, he had become more flexible with food, but he still had an aversion to street food.

Wooyeon knew his situation was not normal. Back in middle school, one of the reasons for his bullying had been the stark difference in his family’s lifestyle. The time he had told Dohyeon that he “didn’t eat cheap food” was more out of pettiness than actual snobbery.

“…What?”

Garam, with chopsticks in his mouth, widened his eyes in disbelief. His usually sharp gaze softened into round, surprised eyes. Seonkyu, in the middle of eating a sausage, also looked similarly astonished.

“This is your first time eating tteokbokki?”

It was a reaction not unlike when they found out Wooyeon wasn’t in the group chat. In fact, they seemed even more shocked now. Realizing his blunder, Wooyeon quickly waved his hands in denial.

“No, no! It’s just been a while. You can’t really get tteokbokki in the States, you know?”

It was a decent excuse, one he came up with on the spot. Both Garam and Seonkyu nodded in understanding and turned their attention back to their food.

“Ah, so you were in the U.S.? You must be great at English.”

“Sunbae, you’re in the English department…”

“Kwon Seonkyu, let me tell you, there are two types of people in the English department: those who are good at English from the start, and those who still can’t speak it by the time they graduate. I’m the latter.”

However, Dohyeon was the only one who narrowed his eyes and quietly observed Wooyeon.

“Aren’t you going to eat, sunbae?”

“I will.”

With a slight smile, Dohyeon scooped some sausages and cheese into a paper cup and handed it to Wooyeon.

“Here, try a little bit.”

Wooyeon blinked in surprise. Trying not to show his embarrassment, he clamped his mouth shut. Dohyeon then spoke in a gentle, coaxing tone.

“You said you can’t handle spicy food, right? Just take a bite to see if it’s too spicy for you.”

Wooyeon didn’t remember ever saying he couldn’t eat spicy food. In fact, he could handle it just fine. However, Dohyeon, with a shameless expression, tilted his head as if he had.

“…”

Wooyeon slowly accepted the paper cup. He wasn’t familiar with the smell, let alone how the food was made. It felt a bit unsettling, but since it was Dohyeon who gave it to him, he thought it might be okay. Hesitantly, he put the sausage in his mouth, and Dohyeon asked lightly,

“How is it?”

Without speaking, Wooyeon chewed the sausage. It was spicy and salty—a flavor he had never tasted before, similar to the time he first tried hamburger steak. His cheeks turned a rosy red.

“It’s good.”

“See? I told you it’s not that spicy.”

Garam, excited, pushed the plate of tteokbokki toward Wooyeon. His face beamed with pride as he offered to buy more whenever Wooyeon wanted. Dohyeon finally moved his chopsticks, smiling kindly.

“Eat as much as you want.”

* * *

The afternoon elective class wasn’t far from the club room. Wooyeon messaged Daniel about the tteokbokki and then sat in the lecture hall. Thanks to Garam treating him to a drink, he also had a cup of hot chocolate in hand.

“Are you coming to the MT (Membership Training)?”

That was the question Seonkyu had asked before they left the club room. The trip was scheduled for next weekend, and both Garam and Dohyeon were going. Wooyeon had hesitated at the thought of spending a night away, but when his eyes met Dohyeon’s, he had said he would go. Even he couldn’t understand why he reacted that way.

“Alright, let’s take attendance.”

The professor at the front scanned the room. This was a required elective that Dohyeon had helped Wooyeon secure a spot in when there was a vacancy. The professor was kind, and since the class size was large, the grading curve was generous.

“Kang Junseong.”

Wooyeon, lost in thought, snapped back to reality. The name sounded all too familiar. Instinctively, he scanned the room, but no one responded to the name “Kang Junseong.”

“Kang Junseong?”

The professor called again, but still, there was no reply. After a brief moment of curiosity, the professor let out a soft sigh.

“Oh, right. He’s hospitalized.”

Muttering to himself, the professor made a note in the attendance sheet. As the next names were called, Wooyeon held onto his cup of hot chocolate. The warmth of the paper cup soothed his uneasy stomach.

‘It can’t be, right?’

There could be countless people with the same name. It seemed ridiculous to think it could be the same person just because of a shared name. But even so, the creeping sense of anxiety was impossible to ignore.

“Seon Wooyeon.”

“…”

“Seon Wooyeon?”

“…Yes!”

Wooyeon raised his hand and answered, letting out a quiet sigh of relief. The voice that once called him “Hey, pig” seemed to echo in his mind.

* * *

Time passed quickly. The student named Kang Junseong didn’t show up for two weeks in a row. Apparently, he had been in a car accident, and it was clear he wouldn’t be able to attend for at least a month. Wooyeon felt torn between relief and unease over not confirming his identity.

On the day of the MT, Wooyeon arrived at the pension by bus, which the school had rented. Students with afternoon classes were coming later with seniors who had their own cars, and Dohyeon was part of that group.

“They really didn’t invite you to the group chat? That’s awful.”

“Yeah, I thought you left because the chat was too noisy.”

“At this rate, doesn’t Kwon Seonkyu deserve to lose his class president status?”

Before Dohyeon arrived, Wooyeon broke the ice with his classmates through Seonkyu. He had seen them at the department assembly, but this was the first time he was having a proper conversation with them.

Thankfully, there was only one alpha in the group, and only two omegas, including Wooyeon.

“Hey, if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even have met him. Wooyeon didn’t even know there was an MT.”

“What, really?”

Though his classmates looked at him with sympathetic eyes, they also seemed to find the situation amusing. It was absurd, a little sad, and maybe even a bit funny—though they didn’t dare laugh aloud. Sure enough, when Wooyeon spoke in a resigned tone, telling them to go ahead and laugh, they burst into laughter.

“First-year students, the second group has arrived, so stop slacking and help with the luggage.”

The door to the pension swung open, and an older student stuck his head in. He had taken a long break from school and was more than five years ahead of Wooyeon. His height was similar to Wooyeon’s, but his solid build made him look intimidating.

“Oh, Wooyeon, you don’t have to come out.”

He was also an alpha Wooyeon felt particularly uncomfortable around.

“Wow, why are you discriminating against Wooyeon, Sunbae?”

“Looks like you’re interested in him!”

“Shut up, you lot. Get moving, now!”

There were two main reasons why Wooyeon found him uncomfortable. One, despite being a recessive Alpha, he openly released pheromones. The other was that he blatantly showed interest in Wooyeon. Wooyeon couldn’t understand when or why this guy started acting so friendly, constantly calling his name like they were close. Ever since they first encountered each other getting off the bus, something felt off.

“You really don’t have to help.”

“No, if everyone else is working, I’ll help too.”

“Come on, it doesn’t even look like you have any strength.”

“I’m stronger than I look.”

Wooyeon responded half-heartedly and brushed past the older student, stepping outside. The student, unable to hold Wooyeon back, began picking a fight with another freshman instead. Seonkyu, who had quickly followed Wooyeon, complained with a sour look.

“Why does that Sunbae act like that? It must be so awkward.”

Seonkyu informed Wooyeon that the older student had been bothering freshmen at all the drinking gatherings. He had missed the orientation meeting for some reason but made sure to attend all the other events. Initially, his target had been another freshman, but after they got a significant other, he began searching for a new target.

“He’s like, ‘Let me just get one person!’”

“No wonder he’s been spraying pheromones everywhere.”

“Ugh, and he’s an Alpha too?”

Seonkyu shuddered and wrapped an arm around Wooyeon’s shoulders. Rather than push him away, Wooyeon simply slipped his hands into his jacket pockets. He wasn’t planning on being overly sensitive since Seonkyu wasn’t an Alpha.

“Aren’t you an Omega? You should be careful. Someone might take advantage of those pheromones.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m a dominant Omega, so that Sunbae can’t do anything to me.”

“Still, you should be careful. He’s twice your size. It’s like he’s a bear.”

“Well, back when I was in America…”

Wooyeon trailed off as his eyes caught sight of Dohyeon, surrounded by younger students in the distance. He was smiling kindly, chatting with one of them.

“Sunbae, why were you so late?”

“Do you know how long we’ve been waiting?”

“Were you waiting for me or the alcohol?”

Dohyeon’s crescent-shaped eyes were gentle, and his lips curled up into a soft, kind smile. Though his demeanor seemed the same as usual, for some reason, Wooyeon couldn’t shake the feeling that Dohyeon’s friendliness was fake.

“Hyung! We’ll help carry the luggage too!”

The teacher Wooyeon remembered didn’t smile like that. His smile had been warmer, more like spring sunshine. This expression, as if he were wearing a mask, was nothing like what Wooyeon remembered.

“Hey, Seonkyu…”

For a brief moment, Wooyeon’s eyes met Dohyeon’s. Dohyeon’s gaze, for some reason, lingered on Wooyeon and Seonkyu as they stood close together. He pressed his lips together, only to break into his usual, carefree smile.

“Were you two waiting for the alcohol too?”

“No way, Hyung, we were waiting for you!”

Seonkyu let go of Wooyeon and ran over to Dohyeon. Wooyeon remained standing in place, lips tightly sealed. Dressed casually in workout clothes, Dohyeon looked even more approachable than usual.

“Why is there so much alcohol?”

“Because you’re going to drink it all.”

“I’ll sue you for that.”

No wonder the younger students liked him. On most days, his mature demeanor made him seem unapproachable, but right now, he seemed open to anything, like he’d accept whatever came his way.

“Wooyeon-ah.”

Dohyeon called out to Wooyeon from a distance, waving his hand with that familiar, radiant smile. At that moment, Wooyeon remembered something he had long forgotten.

“What are you doing over there?”

It was back when he first met Dohyeon, when Wooyeon hadn’t fully let his guard down. Dohyeon had been chatting with one of the staff members while Wooyeon watched him through a crack in the door. When their eyes met, Dohyeon had greeted him with that same bright smile.

“Hi.”

Wooyeon vividly remembered that gentle smile. He had been so dazzled by it that he couldn’t say anything, merely closing the door. Dohyeon hadn’t seemed the least bit upset. A short while later, he knocked on Wooyeon’s door, maintaining a polite distance.

“Wooyeon, it’s me, your teacher.”

“…”

Wooyeon hastily turned his back on Dohyeon. If he looked him in the eye any longer, his blushing face would surely be exposed. Just then, a classmate struggling with some luggage passed by.

“Let me carry that.”

“Uh… it’s pretty heavy.”

Wooyeon took the bags from his classmate without hesitation. Judging by the weight, they were likely filled with drinks, but they weren’t too heavy for him to carry. The classmate, a little embarrassed, hesitated.

“Then let’s carry it together.”

“No, you go help with something else.”

Wooyeon briskly made his way toward the pension. By the time he reached it, Garam had gotten out of the passenger seat, looking a bit pale. She had probably been carsick during the drive.

“Ugh, that guy is such a pain.”

Garam’s voice had lost its usual confidence. Hearing her words, Wooyeon deliberately slowed his pace before asking a sudden question.

“Why do you say he’s a pain?”

“Oh, you scared me! Why are you carrying something so heavy by yourself?”

Garam, startled, snatched one of the bags from Wooyeon. Wooyeon handed her the lighter one, keeping the heavier bag of drinks for himself. To be honest, it was a bit of a relief.

“Don’t even ask. I was already feeling sick, and Dohyeon kept giving me this snarky attitude just because I was sitting in the passenger seat.”

“Sun… Dohyeon Sunbae did that?”

“Yeah, he was smiling the whole time but making these passive-aggressive comments. But the kids in the back thought he was joking and kept saying how nice he was…”

Garam trailed off and took a step to the side, suddenly aware of the awkwardness between them. The distance between them grew, making it clear that Garam was feeling cautious. Wooyeon decided to be a bit more lenient with her.

“I’m really fine, you know.”

After seeing that annoying older student earlier, Garam didn’t seem so bad anymore. While Wooyeon wasn’t fond of the fact that Garam was an Alpha, the constant awkwardness between them was just as uncomfortable. After all, they were in the same club, and things couldn’t stay this awkward forever.

“…I’m really sorry about that time. I swear, I didn’t do it on purpose, Wooyeon.”

“I know. You haven’t acted like that since.”

Wooyeon responded nonchalantly, adjusting the bag she was carrying. Garam’s face finally looked a bit more relaxed than before. Wooyeon, sensing the moment was right, asked a casual question.

“But why did Sunbae get so worked up just because you sat in the passenger seat?”

“Kim Dohyeon, huh?”

Garam forcefully kicked the entrance of the pension with her foot. “Hey, the door!” she shouted, and someone inside opened it for her. After letting Wooyeon in first, Garam collapsed onto the entrance without even bothering to take off her shoes.

“He hates having anyone in the front passenger seat.”

Wooyeon remembered going out for lunch with Dohyeon. He had casually opened the front passenger door for him and even tried to fasten his seatbelt. Whether going to the restaurant or returning to school from the café, Wooyeon had naturally sat in the front seat.

“Why does he hate that?”

“He’s just being difficult. That jerk.”

Garam sprawled out on the floor, breathing heavily. The

were used to her antics and continued gathering their things as if it was no big deal. Among them was the upperclassman who had been hitting on Wooyeon earlier.

“Hey, troublemaker

! Were you being a nuisance again today?”

“Hey, come on… What do you think of me?”

“What do I think? Obviously, you’re a nuisance. Our very own Kim Nuisance

.”

Garam wiggled her fingers dismissively at the upperclassman, who scowled at the comment, though Garam grinned like it was just a joke. However, the way she flashed his teeth made it seem anything but playful.

“Such a nuisance.”

As soon as the upperclassman was out of sight, Garam’s face contorted into a look of disgust. She even raised his middle finger at the guy’s back, clearly showing how much he disliked him.

“Watch out for him. He’s a real piece of work.”

Wooyeon didn’t bother denying it, instead nodding in agreement. That simple gesture, as if saying, “I knew it,” made Garam wrinkle her face.

“Anyway, try not to drink too much later, if you can….”

Garam continued to offer advice, telling Wooyeon to stay around others and to ignore the guy if he tried talking to him. There was such sincerity in his words that Wooyeon couldn’t bring himself to ask any more questions about Dohyeon and the front seat.

* * *

Naturally, a BBQ party was held in the evening. The second group had brought lots of cheap but fresh meat. Although it wasn’t the most expensive cut, there was plenty of it. While everyone else was busy devouring the food, Wooyeon couldn’t take a single bite, distracted by watching Dohyeon.

“Seonkyu, come grab more meat. It’s all cooked.”

His arms were half-exposed, showing the veins running along his forearms. Even though he was just holding tongs while wearing work gloves, there was something undeniably impressive about it. Beneath his black t-shirt, Wooyeon could glimpse a broad, firm, and muscular chest.

“Hyung, you should eat some too.”

“I’m fine. You go ahead and eat.”

Wooyeon bit down on the edge of his paper cup. The meat didn’t taste good, and his mind kept wandering toward Dohyeon. His mood was sour, but he wasn’t sure whether it was because of the food or because of Dohyeon.

As more people filled their stomachs, they started showing interest in Dohyeon. It was clear from their actions that their intentions weren’t just about getting more food. Some offered him drinks, others lightly touched his arm, and finally, someone even fed him a piece of meat, prompting Wooyeon to snap his head away.

“…”

Unfortunately, when he turned his head, he found himself staring right at the upperclassman again. What a bad stroke of luck. The guy, already halfway into his drinks, grinned slyly when his eyes met Wooyeon’s.

“Wooyeon, want some booze? How about a

?”

Before Wooyeon could answer, the upperclassman aggressively mixed a strong cocktail of soju and beer. He poured so much soju that only a tiny amount of beer went in, then shoved the cup toward Wooyeon. Wooyeon couldn’t even think about taking it; his face instinctively scrunched in disgust.

“Here, drink it all down, in one go!”

Wooyeon had no interest in drinking a pheromone-laden drink. If he chugged that, he’d likely end up retching without even eating anything. His stomach, already uneasy from the smell of the meat, began to churn.

“What’s this?

offers you a drink, and you don’t even take it?”

The upperclassman pushed the cup toward Wooyeon again, his expression souring. Wasn’t his name Kim Jinsang? People really do live up to their names; he was being a nuisance in every sense of the word. Wooyeon should’ve known when this older student insisted on bringing his own car to the trip despite not even being part of this year’s group.

“I’m not good with alcohol.”

Wooyeon decided to be the bigger person and tried to defuse the situation. Kim Jinsang’s voice was already so loud; Wooyeon didn’t want to cause a scene and ruin the night.

“Oh, our Wooyeon can’t drink? Then I guess you can’t.”

Although he wasn’t thrilled with being called “our Wooyeon,” it was better than having alcohol forced on him. Just as Wooyeon was beginning to relax, the upperclassman grinned widely.

“How about I be your black knight instead?”

It was an absurd proposition. The same person who forced a drink on him was now offering to be the black knight. Even the

next to him looked shocked and tried to stop him.

“Oppa, what are you talking about? We’re not even playing a drinking game.”

“What’s a drinking game compared to this? This is a drink from your sky-high

!”

“Still, though…”

“What, do you want to drink too?”

The

awkwardly stepped back, clearly not wanting to become the next target. If Garam had been around, he would have stepped in and put a stop to this, but unfortunately, he’d passed out long ago, having been knocked out by his motion sickness. By now, he was probably sprawled out in some corner of the pension, sound asleep.

“You know, right? If I’m your black knight, you owe me a favor.”

It was a ridiculous suggestion. He was offering the drink and then suggesting he’d be the Black Knight himself. Even the nearby sunbae looked bewildered and tried to stop him.

“Why are you acting like this? We’re not even playing a drinking game, what Black Knight?”

“Comparing this to a drinking game? This is a drink from a sunbae as revered as the sky.”

“No, but still…”

“Why, do you want to drink too?”

The sunbae backed away awkwardly. Although Wooyeon felt a bit sorry for him, he didn’t want to become the new target either. If Garam had been there, he would have blatantly interrupted, but unfortunately, he’d passed out a long time ago due to motion sickness. He was probably sprawled out somewhere in the pension, sleeping by now.

“You know, right? If I’m the Black Knight, you have to grant me a wish.”

The sunbae lowered his voice suggestively, trying to spread pheromones, but since he was a recessive alpha, it had no effect on Wooyeon. Still, Wooyeon didn’t like the idea of having to directly sense those pheromones.

Alphas who showed interest in Wooyeon always acted like this. They’d flaunt their pheromones and subtly increase the amount to show off their alpha traits, not realizing how ridiculous it looked to Wooyeon, who was a dominant omega. All they cared about was marking their territory like beasts.

“I’ll just drink it.”

Wooyeon scowled in annoyance and extended his hand. Wishes or whatever, he didn’t want to provide any excuse for that nonsense. He just needed to drink this one cup and pretend to be drunk to ignore them. That was his plan as he reached for the paper cup.

“…?”

The cup was suddenly pulled from his hand. Before he could even check who took it, a wave of pheromones surged toward him—dry, refreshing, dominant alpha pheromones.

“Uh…”

The pheromones, fresh like an autumn breeze, changed the atmosphere entirely. Wooyeon widened his eyes and watched as Dohyeon’s throat moved. In just two gulps, Dohyeon emptied the cup and casually crumpled it, muttering under his breath.

“Oh, it was alcohol.”

By then, Dohyeon’s pheromones had completely filled the air, so much so that the returning student’s pheromones were no longer noticeable. Dohyeon glanced at the returning student and smiled kindly.

“I just thought it was barley tea because of the color.”

The returning student’s face twisted in frustration. Dohyeon, pretending not to notice, turned his head and placed a plate of meat on the table, wearing work gloves.

“Please eat. This is all that’s left.”

Having spent all that time by the grill, Dohyeon’s body radiated warmth. Although he was smiling, the table had gone dead silent. Dohyeon, on the verge of turning away, paused and exclaimed.

“Sunbae, you should learn how to mix soju and beer properly.”

His voice was gentle, almost genuinely concerned, as if he were offering advice. He continued to speak warmly, still looking friendly.

“I drank it because I was thirsty. Otherwise, I would’ve spat it out.”

“Hey, watch your mouth…”

The returning student slammed the table in anger. His thick palm hit the table with a loud thud. It was intimidating, but Dohyeon simply placed the crumpled paper cup in front of the returning student and smiled faintly.

“I’m just joking. How could I spit out a drink from a sunbae as revered as the sky?”

The joke wasn’t completely a joke, though. At that moment, Wooyeon couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter. With a soft snort, the returning student’s gaze snapped to him. But Wooyeon, unfazed, asked with a bright smile.

“Is this also part of being a Black Knight?”

* * *

After the barbecue party ended, there was a short break. It was a time to prepare for the real drinking session. In truth, it was just a break for the troublesome returning student to smoke, but either way, it didn’t matter.

“Did that really happen?”

Seonkyu said he didn’t see what happened outside earlier because he had left for a moment due to a stomachache. A friend who was explaining the situation to him continued excitedly.

“And then, with this totally innocent look, Wooyeon goes, ‘Is this also a Black Knight thing?’”

“Haha! Seon Wooyeon has quite a sharp side!”

Seonkyu laughed loudly and patted Wooyeon on the back. It didn’t hurt, but the noise was loud. Wooyeon, hugging his knees, replied indifferently.

“Why? It’s true. He said it himself.”

“So, what did the annoying sunbae say?”

“What could he say? His face turned red, and he went off to smoke. He still hasn’t come back.”

Their friend snickered mockingly. He had silently watched the whole interaction with the returning student, not daring to intervene. Neither did the other senior sunbaes, except for one.

“Dohyeon sunbae was really something, though. I thought he was just handsome, but wow, his personality is even better.”

“That’s why I joined the club because of Dohyeon hyung. He’s seriously my role model.”

Wooyeon rested his chin on his knees without saying anything. Seonkyu, calling him a little slug, pulled Wooyeon’s hoodie over his head. Wooyeon’s head was so small that half his face disappeared under the hood.

“Hey, you guys talking behind the sunbae’s back.”

The teasing voice interrupted their conversation. Seonkyu, who had flinched at the voice, realized it was Garam and let out a deflated sigh.

“Oh, noona, you scared me.”

“Scared, huh? You guys are having fun without me? If you’re going to badmouth that annoying sunbae, you should’ve included me.”

Garam kicked Seonkyu lightly, like a thug. After taking a nap, she seemed to be looking much better. Rubbing her belly and complaining that she missed the meat, Garam pointed outside with her thumb.

“Let’s go have a smoke.”

Outside, Dohyeon was there, dressed in a long padded jacket that reached his knees, blowing out cigarette smoke. Sensing them approach, he turned around. His hair was slightly damp, as if he had just showered.

“Kim Dohyeon! What, did you already shower?”

“The smell of grilled meat was too strong.”

“Still as fussy as ever.”

Garam casually slung an arm over Dohyeon’s broad shoulders. Dohyeon shrugged his shoulder to shake her off. Grumbling about how hard he was to get close to, Garam took out a cigarette from her pocket.

“Hey, I heard you were Wooyeon’s Black Knight earlier?”

“Black Knight?”

Dohyeon’s deep eyes shifted toward Wooyeon. Wooyeon, with his hands in his pockets, looked back at him blankly. With his oversized jacket and hoodie pulled up, he looked like he was dressed for winter all by himself.

“Oh… that.”

A faint chuckle escaped Dohyeon’s lips. “He looks like a snowman,” he mumbled, making Wooyeon quickly pull off his hood. With a cigarette between his lips, Dohyeon reached out and put the hood back on Wooyeon.

“What, are you going to grant a wish?”

Under the hood’s shadow, Wooyeon could see Dohyeon’s perfectly shaped lips. The slight bobbing of the cigarette somehow looked sensual. Fixating on Dohyeon’s reddish lips, Wooyeon slowly began to speak.

“If you have one…”

There was a faint scent, but it wasn’t Dohyeon’s pheromones; it was the smell of his cigarette. The artificial scent meant to mimic pheromones couldn’t compare to the natural aura that Dohyeon exuded.

“Do you have a wish?”

Wooyeon raised his eyes and asked Dohyeon. Taking his hand off Wooyeon’s hood, Dohyeon held his cigarette between his index and middle fingers. He blew out a stream of smoke that dispersed into the air.

“Well, what should I wish for?”

If it were Dohyeon, Wooyeon felt like anything would be fine. Whether it was running errands or doing something annoying, even if he asked to borrow money, Wooyeon would be okay with it.

However, the ones who were really surprised were the others.

“Sunbae, are you seriously going to ask for a wish?”

“That’s so petty, getting him to drink just to make him your errand boy.”

“I didn’t think you were like that, hyung…”

As the complaints poured out, Dohyeon, looking a bit embarrassed, bit down on his cigarette. But even he was smiling, so it seemed like it had been a joke all along. Dohyeon stubbed out his short cigarette on the wall and ruffled Seonkyu’s hair.

“You should’ve said that to the annoying sunbae.”

Seonkyu didn’t say a word. After all, he hadn’t been there at the time. The friend also lowered his head, while only Garam, lighting another cigarette, sighed.

“If you talk like that, everyone’s going to feel uncomfortable.”

Dohyeon just shrugged silently, his gaze briefly brushing over Wooyeon. Garam took a long drag on her cigarette and exhaled toward the sky.

“Say whatever you want. If you don’t want to drink, don’t. And if some sunbae tries to boss you around, tell them you’ll post about it online. Seriously, what time are we living in? That guy’s nothing outside of college.”

After finishing her rant, Garam shouted loudly, “Kim Jinsang, you jerk!” It was so loud that even people smoking elsewhere turned to look. Of course, no one followed her lead.

“Well… it’s hard for a first-year to stop something like that.”

“You talk all tough about the jerks, then try to slip out of it yourself, huh?”

Without hesitation, Garam kicked the back of Dohyeon’s knee. Dohyeon smoothly dodged to the side, as if used to it, and brushed his hair back. His damp hair stayed fixed, revealing his forehead.

“You don’t have to force yourself to drink if you don’t want to.”

Wooyeon thought Dohyeon was talking to him. He also thought Dohyeon looked upset. His normally gentle eyes and neatly shaped brows seemed a little off, tilted slightly in irritation.

“You’re going to face this stuff all the time once you’re out in the real world, so why deal with it in college too?”

“Hyung…”

Seonkyu spread his arms wide, his eyes tearing up, as if he was about to throw himself at Dohyeon. Dohyeon quickly took a step back. Their friend also looked moved, but Garam wasn’t having it.

“Hey, I said the same thing, so why is the reaction different?”

“Noona…”

“You’re too late, dude.”

Wooyeon was grateful Dohyeon had pulled his hood up earlier. His face was burning, and he was sure his expression looked odd. He wanted to thank Dohyeon naturally, but if he opened his mouth, he felt like his emotions would spill out.

“Anyway, in that sense, I’ll drink all the alcohol coming Wooyeon’s way later.”

Wooyeon barely heard Garam’s boastful declaration. It didn’t matter that he would reach a position where no one could force him to drink in the future. The only thing that mattered was that Dohyeon had cared for him.

“Noona, what about me?”

“Are you going to drink mine too?”

“You guys survive on your own.”

“Wow, look at her changing her words.”

Wooyeon fidgeted with his hands inside his pockets as he stole glances at Dohyeon. His other hand unconsciously touched his ear. He couldn’t figure out why Dohyeon had to act so cool all the time. It made Wooyeon’s throat itch.

* * *

“I can’t drink anymore, ugh.”

Garam covered her mouth and hung her head low. Her neatly tied hair had become a mess by now. She looked like a ghost from a TV show, causing Wooyeon to unconsciously step aside in surprise.

“Hey, someone get her to the loser’s room.”

One of the second-years, used to this, helped Garam up. She swayed like someone completely wasted. Even while being dragged away, she reached out toward Wooyeon.

“I’ll take care of that kid… ugh!”

“Ahh, no, unnie! Don’t throw up!”

This drinking party had already been going on for two hours. Those who wanted to play drinking games gathered in the living room, while the rest sat at the dining table in the kitchen. Wooyeon had wanted to sit at the table but ended up following the freshmen to the living room. The first to drop out was Garam.

“Was calling her ‘noona’ really that hard?”

Seonkyu asked Wooyeon while watching Garam leave in disgrace. Wooyeon avoided his gaze, too embarrassed to respond. When Seonkyu saw Wooyeon’s rare expression of guilt, he awkwardly scratched his cheek.

There was a brief history behind why Garam ended up like that. After proudly declaring herself Wooyeon’s Black Knight, Garam had sat next to him to keep her word. Conveniently, the returning student sat across from them, and the two of them engaged in a strange power struggle while leading the drinking games.

True to her bold words, Garam downed every drink that came her way. Sitting cross-legged with her back straight, she almost looked like a general. But before long, she had collapsed disgracefully.

Wooyeon had an almost comical lack of learning ability. Teach him one thing, and he’d only get half of it; teach him two things, and he’d forget the first. On top of that, the returning student deliberately kept targeting Wooyeon, which meant Garam bore the brunt of the damage.

When Garam had drunk more than two bottles, one of the sunbaes asked in concern. The desperation with which she took on the Black Knight role made it seem like she was repaying a heavy debt. With dazed eyes, Garam shook her head and answered firmly.

“I’m too dumb for stuff like this.”

Wooyeon hadn’t meant to make things difficult. He didn’t have any bad feelings toward Garam, nor did he dislike calling her ‘noona.’ It was just that he was new to drinking games and struggled to keep up with all the rules.

“Alright, since Moon Garam has gone down in glory, Wooyeon’s up next, right?”

The returning student, excited now that the “interference” was gone, eagerly poured more drinks. Everyone was half-drunk by this point, so no one stepped in to stop him. The game began again, and of course, Wooyeon was chosen.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine.”