Alpha Trauma

Wooyeon downed the soju under Seonkyu’s concerned gaze. Though he’d had beer before, this was his first time drinking soju, and the initial taste wasn’t as bad as he’d expected. The returning student, pleased that Wooyeon wasn’t avoiding the drink, clapped his hands in approval.

“You drink well! Must’ve been frustrating that you couldn’t drink because of Moon Garam, huh?”

Once again, Wooyeon got picked in the next round of the drinking game. The fact that Wooyeon both started the game and got chosen seemed like a kind of talent to Seonkyu. Without complaint, Wooyeon took another drink.

“Alright, Wooyeon again!”

One drink, two drinks. The amount of alcohol they’d consumed was nearing a whole crate. Of course, Wooyeon wasn’t the only one drinking. Seonkyu occasionally stepped in as the “Black Knight,” and others also got picked in the game, but Wooyeon was definitely the one drinking the most.

“Wow, Seon Wooyeon, you said you couldn’t drink, but you’re doing just fine!”

The returning student’s eyes were glazed over at this point. The only ones still sober were Seonkyu, who was good at the drinking games, and Wooyeon, who sat upright. Seonkyu, however, was growing increasingly restless as the amount Wooyeon drank kept increasing.

“Are you really okay?”

“I’m fine.”

On the surface, Wooyeon seemed fine. His complexion was clear (if anything, he looked paler than usual), and he responded smoothly. But his once-clear eyes were now slightly unfocused.

“Come on, no time for snacks!”

The returning student restarted the drinking game. This time, it was the “image game.” When the question was “Who looks like they come from a wealthy family?” Wooyeon received all the votes, and when it was “Who probably caused the most trouble in high school?” he got a majority of the votes again.

“You guys are still playing drinking games?”

Dohyeon emerged from the kitchen at just the right moment. He sat down in the now-empty spot where Garam had been and picked up an empty paper cup. The others, already drunk, asked if he wanted to join the game, but he refused and poured himself a drink.

“Where’s Moon Garam gone… And who got picked this time?”

“Me.”

Wooyeon stared at the soju with a disgruntled look. Dohyeon tilted his head in confusion at the sharp response. As Dohyeon studied him more closely, Wooyeon grumbled in an aggrieved tone.

“They think I look like a troublemaker.”

“…Image game?”

Wooyeon nodded. Dohyeon, wearing an ambiguous expression, took the drink in the middle of the table and casually sought permission from the returning student.

“Mind if I drink this for him?”

“Hey, why would you…”

“It’s fine.”

Before anyone could react, Wooyeon snatched the paper cup from Dohyeon and downed it in one go. The returning student laughed, as if to say, “See, he’s drinking just fine.”

“He’s been drinking well from the start…”

“Sunbae, please stop.”

It was Seonkyu, with an exasperated look, who finally stepped in. Dohyeon’s presence had given him a bit of courage. After sighing, Seonkyu spoke more firmly.

“Wooyeon’s uncomfortable.”

“…What the hell, he hasn’t even said anything. Wooyeon, you tell us—are you uncomfortable?”

Wooyeon placed his empty paper cup on the floor with a blank expression. Despite all the alcohol he’d consumed, his face was still pale and composed. He blinked slowly and responded in a calm tone.

“No, I’m not uncomfortable.”

“See? He says he’s fine—”

“It’s not that I’m uncomfortable, I’m annoyed.”

Everyone, including Dohyeon, froze at that. Under the weight of all their stares, Wooyeon locked eyes with the returning student.

“Seriously, cut it out. Just because I’m quiet, do you think I’m a pushover?”

A cold silence fell over the living room. The atmosphere was so tense that even rolling your eyes seemed risky. But Wooyeon wasn’t done. He spoke again, enunciating each word clearly.

“You act like you’re all that when you barely have a speck of pheromones to offer.”

“What… what?”

The returning student stammered, his eyes wide with disbelief. He clearly hadn’t expected to hear something like that. Wooyeon rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand as he glanced around, his gaze still a bit hazy.

“Stop causing a scene, seriously. For someone with such a reputation, you sure are acting up. How many times are you going to call my name like we’re close?”

“Hey… did you just say everything you wanted to say?”

“And what if I didn’t?”

Wooyeon shot him a defiant glare. Though he was half the guy’s size, his attitude was three times as fierce. The returning student’s face flushed red, clearly stung by the fact that a younger student had gotten the best of him.

“What the hell did you just say? Say it again, I dare you.”

“I said stop causing a scene. As if forcing people to drink wasn’t bad enough, now you’re trying to mix pheromones into the booze?”

Wooyeon’s tone was full of exasperation, his eyes red with irritation. It seemed like he was truly fed up. Dohyeon, who had been quietly observing, chimed in with a dry tone.

“Pheromones, too?”

“Hah, this is just ridiculous…”

The returning student was visibly flustered. While it was true he’d been subtly releasing pheromones, it was in small amounts. He had gradually increased it, thinking Wooyeon hadn’t noticed, but it seemed like Wooyeon had been aware from the beginning.

“Yeah, I used a little. So what? You’re an uptight dominant acting all sensitive, and you’re getting mad at me for that…”

“Sensitive? Did you just call me sensitive?”

Wooyeon, suddenly enraged, shot to his feet. His abrupt movement caused the people around him to jump up as well, ready to whisk Wooyeon away if things escalated.

“Oh, and what are you going to do now that you’re standing, huh?”

“Sunbae, this is exactly why people dislike you. If you know you’ve done something wrong, you should apologize.”

“Look at this kid talking back. Hey, everyone, look closely. He’s the one who started it.”

The returning student stood up, his face red with anger. He wasn’t particularly tall, but he was much bigger than Wooyeon. Seeing this, Dohyeon stood up and completely blocked Wooyeon’s path.

“That’s enough.”

Wooyeon, who had been staggering slightly, came to a stop against Dohyeon’s back. “What the heck, move.” Despite Wooyeon’s words, Dohyeon didn’t budge. During this, one of the seniors quickly stepped in and helped support Wooyeon.

“Come on, you’re getting worked up over something a junior said while drunk. It’s not like it’s the first time you’ve seen freshmen get tipsy.”

“You think he’s drunk? He’s totally fine! He’s just hiding behind you…”

“That’s right, I’m not drunk.”

No sooner had the returning student finished speaking than Wooyeon shrugged off the senior helping him. He shook his head, eyes wide in fury, and even pushed Dohyeon aside. Despite Wooyeon’s aggressive movement, Dohyeon remained calm as he grabbed Wooyeon’s arm.

“Wooyeon.”

“…”

Wooyeon’s breathing was heavy and agitated. His omega pheromones were surging so strongly that even the alphas around him could feel it, though Dohyeon remained unfazed. The other alphas, however, were visibly unsettled.

“Wooyeon.”

Dohyeon called his name again, trying to calm him down. He briefly considered physically restraining him, but before he could act, Wooyeon’s lips parted ever so slightly.

The clear curse word rang in Dohyeon’s ears. He blinked, momentarily doubting what he’d just heard. The English was simple enough that everyone else understood as well.

“…Did he just swear?”

Wooyeon ruffled his hair, frowning. It seemed like he had more to say, opening and closing his mouth in frustration. After a brief pause, Wooyeon collected himself and began speaking in fluent English.

“….”

“….”

The silence that followed was even more intense than before. Words that you wouldn’t hear even in a high-level English class came pouring out of Wooyeon’s mouth. Half of it was cursing, and the other half was something else entirely. The pronunciation was flawless, like that of a native-speaking professor delivering a lecture.

“W-What is he saying?”

The returning student stammered in confusion. He wasn’t bad at English, but he couldn’t make sense of most of what Wooyeon was saying. Part of it was due to Wooyeon’s impeccable accent, but mostly because he was using words the returning student had never heard before.

Meanwhile, Wooyeon finished his tirade and smiled in satisfaction. Despite all the alcohol he’d consumed, his pale face still showed no signs of intoxication. He shot one final glare at the returning student before marching out of the pension.

“…”

It was as if a storm had passed. Dohyeon stared blankly at Wooyeon’s retreating figure, the words Wooyeon had spoken still echoing in his ears. The string of curses, the insults, all of it swirling like a whirlwind in his mind.

“Hah.”

Unfortunately, Dohyeon had understood every word. The fluent curses, and even what could only be described as something close to a curse. Translated directly, it went something like this:

* * *

Wooyeon sat crouched by the wall, looking up at the sky. Maybe it was because the air was so clear, but the stars seemed on the verge of spilling from the heavens. Wow, the moon’s bright, too. As he thought this, Wooyeon rubbed his eyes.

“Don’t rub your eyes.”

A familiar voice stopped his action, and strong hands grabbed his arms, pulling him to his feet. Wooyeon, now standing on shaky legs, bumped his forehead against the shoulder in front of him.

“Ouch…”

“You’re definitely drunk.”

Dohyeon let out a soft laugh as he helped steady Wooyeon. Holding onto his arms, he kept the swaying Wooyeon upright. But Wooyeon couldn’t stand on his own for even three seconds.

“I’m dizzy.”

To make matters worse, Wooyeon grumbled as he leaned his head against Dohyeon’s chest. Dohyeon paused briefly, clearly surprised, then let out a helpless chuckle. He tried to push Wooyeon off, but Wooyeon, small as he was, couldn’t maintain his balance.

“Do you even know what you’re leaning on?”

“I do.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I do.”

The sound of Wooyeon’s ragged breathing filled the quiet surroundings. Dohyeon gave up trying to push him away and instead slipped his hands into his coat pockets. Even without Dohyeon’s support, Wooyeon stubbornly rested his head against him.

Time passed in silence. Surprisingly, it was Dohyeon who couldn’t endure the quiet any longer.

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

His voice sounded like a sigh, a bit reproachful. Wooyeon, fumbling for a response, mumbled an excuse.

“It’s my first time playing a drinking game.”

“You’ve got a lot of firsts.”

Dohyeon turned his head to the other side, letting out a thin sigh. From where Wooyeon was leaning on his chest, the steady beat of Dohyeon’s heart could be heard. Then, in a barely audible voice, Dohyeon muttered.

“You’re releasing pheromones.”

Only then did Wooyeon react to Dohyeon’s words. He stood up straight, swayed for a moment, then stumbled toward the wall. Dohyeon frowned as he caught Wooyeon’s head before it could hit the wall.

“How much did they make you drink?”

After a brief hesitation, Dohyeon let Wooyeon rest against him again. He then pulled out a cigarette from his coat pocket, lighting it with a flick of his lighter. The scent of artificial pheromones wafted through the air.

“Kim Jinsang sunbae is mad.”

“…”

“He’s acting like his name, causing trouble like Jinsang.”

“…”

“Are you listening?”

Wooyeon gave a small groan in response, nestling closer to Dohyeon’s waist. Dohyeon neither embraced him nor pushed him away.

“It’s cold,” Wooyeon whined softly, then lifted his head to look at Dohyeon, eyes drawn to the cigarette hanging from his lips. Dohyeon, still turned to the side, exhaled a puff of smoke.

“So?”

Wow, he’s ridiculously sexy.

Wooyeon’s eyes were caught by Dohyeon’s sharp jawline. The subtle movement in his neck as he inhaled, the smoke drifting from his perfectly shaped lips—it was all irresistibly alluring.

“You’re the only one wearing a padded jacket.”

Wooyeon muttered grumpily, burying his face in Dohyeon’s warm neck. Dohyeon took another drag from his cigarette. “So unfair…” Wooyeon’s next words were met with an unexpected response.

“Don’t get mad tomorrow.”

With a flick, the cigarette fell from Dohyeon’s hand. He stamped out the glowing ember with his foot and exhaled one last breath of smoke. Then, slipping his hands into his pockets, he pulled Wooyeon into a firm embrace.

“…”

The warmth of Dohyeon’s body, mixed with a faint trace of his pheromones, wrapped around Wooyeon. The dry scent of Dohyeon’s unique pheromones clung to his clothes and neck. As Wooyeon snuggled closer, Dohyeon murmured softly.

“Feel better?”

More than better. Wooyeon’s face flushed as if he’d never felt cold in the first place. His heart pounded, and his pheromones pulsed in waves.

Dohyeon, his voice mixed with his breath, muttered stiffly, “You really shouldn’t drink.”

“Why not?”

“There’s just a reason.”

Wooyeon didn’t press further, closing his eyes. Each blink grew heavier, and sleep slowly crept up on him. He wanted to tell Dohyeon how sleepy he was, but his drowsy mind wouldn’t cooperate.

“Sunbae.”

Instead, another word slipped out, one that felt both awkward and strangely familiar. Dohyeon’s broad chest moved slightly, as if amused by Wooyeon’s squirming.

“Sunbae, you’re a playboy, aren’t you?”

“What?”

Dohyeon let out a helpless laugh and looked down at Wooyeon, whose head was still snug against his neck. A bemused smile tugged at Dohyeon’s lips.

“How did you come to that conclusion?”

“They say if you only have one eyelid crease, you’re a playboy.”

Wooyeon lifted his head to look at Dohyeon’s left eye, the only one with a crease in his otherwise soft, downturned eyes. Dohyeon stared back at Wooyeon, his expression steady as he replied.

“That’s unfair. I haven’t even had the chance to be a playboy yet.”

It felt as if Dohyeon’s gaze was stroking Wooyeon’s face—his eyes, nose, lips, and then back to his eyes. Dohyeon lowered his head slightly. Wooyeon still had his arms wrapped tightly around Dohyeon’s waist.

“Are you sleepy?”

A low voice asked Wooyeon. Instead of answering, Wooyeon closed his eyes. Only after he’d fallen asleep, like a building collapsing, did Dohyeon hold him properly.

* * *

The next morning, Wooyeon woke up in a small room inside the pension. Several omegas were also in the room, sleeping pitifully without pillows. Wooyeon sluggishly sat up and blinked at his surroundings.

“…”

Sunlight streamed through the gap in the window. His eyes felt gritty, his head pounded, and his throat was parched. It was only then that Wooyeon realized he was the only one who had a proper bed. Quietly, he slipped out from under the blankets.

“No wonder I was so hot…”

The floor heating had been on, and Wooyeon had slept fully clothed, under a thick duvet. It was a miracle he hadn’t sweated to death. Yawning, Wooyeon pulled off the hoodie he was wearing.

“Oh, you’re up?”

At that moment, Seonkyu opened the door and walked in. He immediately turned on the light and nudged the others, who were groaning in discomfort, with his foot. Then, looking at Wooyeon’s head, he remarked in an astonished voice.

“Wow… how did your hair end up like that? A magpie could lay eggs in there.”

“Ah, it’s because it’s dyed…”

Wooyeon’s brightly dyed hair was sticking out in all directions. His hair was naturally thin, and having just taken off his hat, it was even messier. It wasn’t tangled, so brushing it would help, but at the moment, it was a complete mess.

“How’s your hangover?”

“Just a headache.”

Instead of fixing his hair, Wooyeon put his hat back on. He was too lazy to look in the mirror, and even lazier to tidy up. Seonkyu quietly approached Wooyeon, who was swaying with his head lowered.

“More than that, I was really impressed with you.”

“With what?”

The back of Wooyeon’s head throbbed. Soju really hits you with headaches in a hangover. At least his stomach wasn’t upset, so maybe he should be thankful for that. As he raised his head, Seonkyu answered in an excited voice.

“What else? You totally put Kim Jinsang sunbae in his place.”

“…What?”

Those words quickly shook away his drowsiness. Wooyeon, now fully alert, stared at Seonkyu with wide eyes. In response, Seonkyu widened his eyes as well.

“You don’t remember?”

Wooyeon, his face blank with shock, tried to recall the events of the previous night. He remembered Garam leaving and playing drinking games, but everything after that was fuzzy. A returning student had slyly given him drinks, and he’d downed three shots of soju laced with pheromones. And after that… what happened?

“Were you really drunk? You looked so fine.”

“Did I… hit him or something?”

“Wow, you really don’t remember, do you?”

Seonkyu let out a dry laugh, scratching his head. Meanwhile, he didn’t forget to nudge the others sleeping around him again. Groaning like zombies, they began to stir and slowly wake up one by one.

“You started telling that sunbae off, saying it wasn’t just annoying but outright infuriating what he was doing.”

“…”

“You even asked him why he kept mixing pheromones with the drinks.”

Wooyeon buried his head in his hands. No matter how much he tried to recall, his mind was as blank as if it had been bleached clean. He had acted like nothing was wrong while drinking the penalty shots, but now it seemed like all of that effort had been for nothing.

“…Anything else?”

“Not really?”

Seonkyu shrugged casually. Wooyeon was about to press for more details but then changed his mind, groaning softly. They say ignorance is bliss, after all, and there was no need to dig his own grave.

“Don’t worry, man. It was great. Jinsang sunbae was getting all mad, but it felt so satisfying to watch.”

Seonkyu ruffled Wooyeon’s hair playfully, adding that maybe next time he should hold back a little. It must’ve been nerve-wracking to see the small Wooyeon go up against a bear-like returning student.

“By the way, what did you say in English? Was it all swearing?”

“I… I cursed at him in English?”

This time, Wooyeon truly looked shocked as he stared at Seonkyu. His small face went pale, and Seonkyu responded with a mixed expression, somewhere between a smile and concern.

“You really shouldn’t drink…”

Wooyeon silently agreed with that sentiment. Come to think of it, someone else had told him the same thing before. His memory of that was just as hazy.

“And then you went straight to sleep?”

Wooyeon frowned, giving Seonkyu a pitiful look, hoping that what he’d just said would be the end of it. Seonkyu scratched his cheek and turned his head to the side.

“Well… that’s all I saw, but…”

It wasn’t exactly a reassuring start. Wooyeon’s sense of dread grew, and he clutched the collar of his hoodie. The words “that’s all I saw” made him feel incredibly anxious about what might come next.

“You went outside right after, and Dohyeon hyung followed you.”

Wooyeon’s eyes widened with panic. He looked like he was about to pass out. His drooping eyes made him seem pitiful.

“Don’t worry, nothing happened. Dohyeon hyung said you were drunk and passed out, so he brought you back inside pretty quickly.”

“…”

“If you’re still worried, you can ask Dohyeon hyung about it.”

With that, Seonkyu stood up without hesitation. As he lightly tapped Wooyeon’s drooping head, he reassured him, “It’s fine, really.”

“Oh, and that Jinsang sunbae went home early this morning. Guess he was pretty embarrassed. He left when no one was around, so he must’ve felt really awkward.”

Wooyeon nodded and ran his hand over his face. In truth, what happened with the returning student wasn’t important. He hadn’t said anything inappropriate, and eventually, even sober, he would have said similar things to what he had said the night before. It just bothered him that he might have caused a scene unintentionally.

“If you understand, come out and wash up. We need to check out by 11.”

In the living room, a group of students with disheveled appearances had gathered. Some had left on the first train, while those who remained were busy preparing breakfast. Wooyeon, having awkwardly washed his face and brushed his teeth, emerged into the living room, immediately attracting the attention of the upperclassmen.

“Oh, our brave freshman is up.”

“Did you sleep well? How’s your stomach?”

“Eat some ramen. We put all the leftover meat from last night in it.”

Luckily, the reaction Wooyeon had feared didn’t happen. No one gave him weird looks, ignored him, or treated him strangely.

“Hey, Wooyeon! I heard Jinsang acted like a jerk to you last night!”

Garam, in particular, was busy ranting about the returning student from early in the morning. She cursed at the guy, asking what kind of nonsense he pulled after she passed out, apologizing for falling asleep first. When she told Wooyeon to let her know if the guy held a grudge, Wooyeon glanced at her.

“Um, about last night…”

“Yeah?”

The words wouldn’t come out. Wooyeon awkwardly scratched the back of his head, avoiding Garam’s gaze.

“Thank you for drinking in my place.”

“…That’s basic stuff!”

Though she tried to play it off, Garam looked pleased. Her long, monolid eyes curved into a satisfied smile. Wooyeon, declining the chopsticks she offered, spoke in a low voice.

“Noona.”

Thud. The chopsticks fell. Her face froze, as if it had turned into a statue. Wooyeon thought that this kind of embarrassing behavior really didn’t suit him and decided to put out the immediate fire.

“Where’s Dohyeon sunbae?”

* * *

The morning in March was still chilly enough to see your breath. After finally shaking off Garam, who was shouting in joy, Wooyeon quickly fled outside the pension, worried she might follow. Dohyeon was sitting on a bench in front of the pension, smoking a cigarette.

“…Sunbae.”

Dohyeon slowly lifted his head. The smoke from his cigarette, spreading like a haze, matched his expressionless face well. When he saw it was Wooyeon who had spoken, he gave his usual kind smile.

“You’re up? Still hungover?”

“Just a bit of a headache.”

Wooyeon approached Dohyeon as casually as possible. When Dohyeon offered him a cigarette, Wooyeon thanked him and accepted one. Dohyeon also handed him a lighter, but Wooyeon, instead of taking it, got straight to the point.

“I didn’t say anything weird last night, did I?”

The moment Wooyeon realized he had been with Dohyeon, one thought immediately came to mind: the fear that he might have called him “teacher.” Given that he had blacked out, it wouldn’t have been strange for him to have said anything.

“You did.”

Dohyeon replied nonchalantly and took a drag from his cigarette. Whether he knew Wooyeon felt like crying or not, he exhaled a long plume of smoke and flicked the ash from his cigarette. He squinted his eyes playfully as he asked Wooyeon a question.

“Do you want to know?”

“Yes.”

Even if it meant digging his own grave, Wooyeon needed to hear it this time. If he really had called him “teacher,” he had to come up with an excuse related to that.

But what came out of Dohyeon’s mouth was completely different from what Wooyeon had been worrying about.

“…”

Unbelievable English spilled out. The voice was as sweet as a serenade, but Wooyeon knew every word of it was a curse. Shocked that Dohyeon would use such language, Wooyeon was horrified the moment he finished speaking.

“I said that?”

“Yeah.”

Oh no, maybe dropping out was the only option. Perhaps this university really wasn’t the right place for him. Damn it, Danny, this is all your fault. While Wooyeon internally cursed the innocent Daniel, Dohyeon smiled gently and tried to console him.

“It’s fine. Most people probably didn’t understand anyway.”

Even though it was meant to be comforting, Wooyeon couldn’t help but feel that Dohyeon was teasing him. His normally gentle eyes seemed to have a hint of mischief in them. Wooyeon slumped down and covered his face with both hands.

“Did everyone understand?”

It was a question he asked, hoping desperately that the answer was no. Although, judging by the fact that Dohyeon had memorized it all, they probably did.

“Would you like me to say no?”

Wooyeon, looking miserable, shook his head. He had never been this embarrassed in his life, and now he understood what it felt like to be so humiliated that you wished you could disappear. Dohyeon, chuckling softly, asked him lightly.

“Is cursing in English your drunken habit?”

“No… I don’t know.”

It wasn’t as if he had a specific drunken habit. Last night was the first time Wooyeon had ever gotten that drunk. In the U.S., he was still underage, and the few beers he had occasionally drank were ones Daniel had secretly brought. It was more likely that he simply wanted to swear, but only knew how to do it in English.

“Ah, I don’t usually act like this.”

A resentful voice mumbled. Dohyeon looked at the curled-up Wooyeon and extinguished his cigarette in the nearby ashtray. With his head tilted slightly down, he spoke in a low voice.

“You did well.”

Wooyeon lifted his eyes to look at Dohyeon. The hood of his sweatshirt kept obstructing his view. Reluctantly standing up, he noticed Dohyeon’s gaze following him.

“You could have cursed even more.”

* * *

Wooyeon hesitated, about to take off his hood but stopping midway. He hadn’t expected to hear praise, especially not when Dohyeon’s voice sounded so gentle. Not stopping there, he added in a soothing tone.

“It was a situation worth cursing. You didn’t know what he might do after getting you drunk, so you were quite lenient.”

His perfectly shaped eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. Even in his tired-looking eyes, frustration was evident. Dohyeon brushed his hair back with an annoyed expression and looked straight at Wooyeon.

“Someone like him deserves to be cursed out.”

“Wow.”

Wooyeon’s lips twitched behind his hand. His teacher was openly speaking ill of someone else. And he had a visibly displeased expression. It was a rare sight he hadn’t often seen, neither during tutoring sessions nor now.

“He’s already notorious for his bad behavior. I was relieved when I heard he wouldn’t be coming this time, but he drove over anyway.”

“…”

“If he’s planning to get revenge for what happened last night, just let Mikaram or me know…”

Dohyeon, who had been talking, suddenly narrowed his eyes. It was because Wooyeon was looking at him with such sparkling eyes. He stared back like a dog looking up at its owner, and in a calm voice, he asked.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’ve never seen you talk bad about someone before.”

Dohyeon’s expression instantly became subtle. He pressed his lips together and turned his gaze away, then ran his fingers through his messy hair. He muttered in a quiet voice, almost to himself.

“It’s like you’ve been looking at me for a long time.”

“…”

Oh no. Wooyeon turned his head to hide his surprise. The junior, Seon Wooyeon, hadn’t seen Kim Dohyeon in over a month. Using such an exaggerated expression like “I’ve never seen it before” felt inappropriate. As he pretended to search for the lighter with the cigarette Dohyeon had given him, he was relieved when Dohyeon moved on to another topic without suspicion.

“Is your home far from school?”

“No, it’s nearby.”

Even without lighting it, the cigarette smelled like pheromones. The faint scent was artificial and made him feel uncomfortable. How on earth did people smoke these? Frowning, Wooyeon pulled the cigarette out of his mouth.

“Throw it away. That’s for omegas.”

Wooyeon obediently tossed the cigarette into the ashtray. Meanwhile, Dohyeon, having taken out a new cigarette, lit it and continued speaking.

“If your home is close to school, then take my car later. No need to take the bus.”

It was a remark that unexpectedly sparked hope in Wooyeon. He found himself questioning why Dohyeon was being so nice to him. But before he could contemplate it further, Dohyeon exhaled a puff of smoke.

“Normally, when we go on trips or events, the club members ride with me. I meant to bring you with me this time, but I forgot to mention it during class.”

“You could have called.”

Wooyeon unintentionally showed his disappointment. Thinking about the people he had seen in front of Dohyeon’s car yesterday made him feel uneasy for no reason. If he forgot to mention it during the morning class, he could have contacted him later. After all, living in the 21st century, why was that so difficult?

“Seonkyu didn’t pick up when I called.”

Dohyeon shrugged, his expression showing no excitement. He then looked at Wooyeon, holding the cigarette between his fingers.

“And you didn’t have my number.”

“…Why not?”

Wooyeon was left speechless, finding it absurd. He was sure he had exchanged numbers with Dohyeon. As soon as they introduced themselves, he had received his number, and his own number was written on the club application form. So how could he say he didn’t know the number and couldn’t contact him?

“Because you didn’t call me.”

Dohyeon answered with a glint in his eye. “You have to get the number directly.” His soft voice momentarily left Wooyeon dumbfounded. Wooyeon opened his mouth in shock and took out his phone from his pocket.

“Does that even make sense?”

It was indeed a ridiculous reason. Even if he just asked Garam, she could have told him his number. If Wooyeon didn’t call, would he never know it for the rest of his life?

“You could just save it…”

Kim Dohyeon Sunbae. The letters that appeared on the screen felt unfamiliar. Specifically, the word “Sunbae.” There had been a time when he had saved him differently. With the change in number, the registered name and their relationship had also changed.

“Did the call go through?”

Dohyeon didn’t answer and frowned at the edge of his eyes. The expression on his face as he stared at the phone screen felt slightly different from usual. After more than five rings, he chuckled softly.

“Yeah, it’s coming through.”

In that moment, Wooyeon felt an indescribable sensation running down his spine. Reflexively hanging up the phone, Dohyeon also put his phone away. He crushed the half-burned cigarette into the ashtray and stood up from the bench.

“Let’s go inside; we need to tidy up.”

The brief feeling vanished in the blink of an eye. Wooyeon, thinking it was just his imagination, began to walk after Dohyeon. Suddenly, he remembered one fact he had forgotten.

In the end, he never found out what had happened between him and Dohyeon yesterday.

* * *

As Dohyeon had said, Wooyeon got into his car for the ride home. Just before getting in, he recalled the phrase, “Kim Dohyeon doesn’t like to have anyone in the passenger seat,” but there was no way to confirm that fact. After tossing the car keys to Garam, Dohyeon immediately fell asleep in the back seat.

“You must not have slept at all last night, huh?”

Seonkyu sat in the passenger seat, and Wooyeon naturally took the back. As Seonkyu asked the question quietly, Garam glanced at Dohyeon in the rearview mirror.

“Well… I guess that makes sense. He was sitting in the living room all night.”

“Couldn’t sleep?”

“I wouldn’t know. I just saw him when I went to the bathroom.”

Wooyeon discreetly observed Dohyeon sleeping. With his arms crossed and head leaning against the window, he looked extremely uncomfortable. It would be better if he could lie down more comfortably, but with his height, he would look awkward no matter what position he took.

“If he keeps sleeping like that, he’s going to hit his head on the window.”

At Wooyeon’s murmured comment, Garam made a faint sound of agreement. He seemed to ponder for a moment before clicking his tongue and frowning.

“What can you do? Wooyeon can’t just lean on you and sleep.”

Wooyeon didn’t mind, but the others might think differently. Seonkyu also seemed to feel sorry for Dohyeon and grabbed the seatbelt, glancing back.

“You should have put him in the front and told him to lean the seat back.”

“He would never sleep in the passenger seat. It’s not polite to sleep next to the driver. That’s why I purposely sat in the back first.”

“Wow… so I can’t sleep either?”

“Did you think this through? You’re in the car with Sunbae, you know.”

Wooyeon listened to their bickering and lowered his gaze. His neatly arranged fingers looked longer than Wooyeon’s. The neatness of his nails and the elegance of his knuckles made it seem like there was not a single disheveled part from head to toe.

“Wooyeon, there’s a blanket in the back. Can you put it under Kim Dohyeon’s head?”

As Garam had said, there was a rolled-up blanket in the back. Folding it neatly to make it comfortable, Wooyeon approached Dohyeon. Now all he had to do was place it between the window and his head, but seeing him sound asleep made it extremely difficult to disturb him.

“Just push his head down and put it there. It’s better than him getting a bump on the side of his head.”

Wooyeon cautiously reached out. A strange thirst tightened around his throat. It felt like his heart was racing, and it was becoming difficult to breathe.

After overcoming various obstacles, the moment Wooyeon’s hand reached Dohyeon’s head,

“…”

“…”

Dohyeon’s gently closed eyelids slowly opened. His half-asleep eyes stared blankly at Wooyeon. In that inch or less of space, seeing him felt dangerously captivating.

“…Ah.”

Dohyeon let out a short gasp and blinked. Wooyeon, who had been unable to breathe and stared wide-eyed, slowly widened the distance between them. Then he naturally tucked the blanket beside Dohyeon’s head.

“I was going to do this for you.”

Thud, thud, his heart raced violently. The sound felt loud enough that it might be heard by everyone in the car. It was such an absurd thought that it might come out of his throat.

Dohyeon leaned back against the window, closed his eyes, and smiled.

“Thank you.”

Wooyeon returned to his original position without even managing to exhale. Pressing his palm against the window and resting his forehead on it, he felt the warmth from his body. The same was true for the left ear he habitually touched.

“Thank you, Yeon-ah.”

When receiving tutoring, Dohyeon was always expressing gratitude. Yet Wooyeon had never really done anything to deserve it. He would smile easily over simple gestures like giving snacks or lending a pencil.

“If you all feel sleepy, go ahead and sleep. I can drive just fine alone.”

“I can sleep well, so I’m okay, but Wooyeon, are you sleepy?”

“…No. I’m not sleepy.”

Wooyeon thought Dohyeon seemed like an angel. His smiling face, gentle voice, and kind words felt almost unreal. Looking back now, it was a possible metaphor because he was only sixteen.

“Did you stay up all night?”

“No. I think I slept a bit after Jinsang left. But it was only about 10 or 20 minutes, right? If you sleep awkwardly, you get sleepier.”

Wooyeon squeezed his eyes shut, trying to forget Dohyeon’s appearance. Seonkyu was beside him, and the image of his teacher was in his mind. Wooyeon liked the latter, but the boundary between the two kept blurring. It felt like nothing had changed since four years ago.

“Are you getting carsick, Wooyeon? Should I roll down the window for you?”

“…Just a little, please.”

The window slid down slightly with a whirr. Wooyeon took a small deep breath, feeling the cool breeze. It wasn’t because he liked it; he just thought of his teacher. After repeating that to himself several times, the heat that had risen to his face began to subside.