Alpha Trauma

“Whew.”

With a short sigh, Wooyeon closed his eyes. His stomach still felt uneasy, but the hopeful anticipation he had been clinging to had washed away.

That was the thought running through his mind as he prepared to open his eyes.

“…I was wondering why you weren’t coming.”

A shadow fell over him. The raindrops stopped, and two shadows now stretched across the ground. Wooyeon felt his heart sink as he inhaled sharply. A soft voice, like a dream, wrapped around his ears.

“You’ll catch a cold.”

* * *

Wooyeon didn’t need to look to know who it was. There was only one person he knew with such a gentle voice—soft, kind, the person he had longed for.

“Su…”

He couldn’t finish calling him

Emotions swelled up, choking his voice. His eyes stung, and his throat burned as his heart raced louder, like a warning alarm.

“…Sunbae.”

That small word was the last bit of restraint he could manage. If his feelings were already beyond his control, at least he hoped they wouldn’t overflow. Instead of collapsing all at once, he hoped they would seep out slowly.

“…”

Dohyeon looked at Wooyeon with an expressionless face. One hand was in his pocket, while the other held an umbrella, quietly lowering his gaze. The transparent umbrella was tilted toward Wooyeon, so Dohyeon’s shoulder was getting wet.

“Sometimes…”

His voice sounded like a sigh. His calm gaze held a hint of something mysterious. Slowly, he turned his head and whispered in a very small voice.

“It’s not easy.”

Wooyeon didn’t ask what that meant. Instead, he rested his chin on his hands, which were placed on his knees.

The next words that came from Dohyeon shook Wooyeon to his core.

“Should I give you a piggyback ride?”

“…”

Raindrops fell with a

The now heavier rain tapped against the umbrella. Dohyeon glanced back at Wooyeon and spoke casually.

“You looked uneasy.”

What he held out was a small glass bottle of antacid. His hand was so big that the bottle looked tiny in comparison. As Wooyeon stared blankly at the bottle in his hand, Dohyeon gently whispered.

“I’ll take you home.”

There was no time to refuse. Dohyeon handed him the antacid and then gave him the umbrella. By the time Wooyeon regained his senses, Dohyeon had already knelt down in front of him, one knee on the ground, waiting.

“Sunbae!”

Startled, Wooyeon tilted the umbrella toward Dohyeon. It wasn’t a downpour, but it wasn’t light enough to stand in without getting soaked. “Sunbae, you’re going to get wet,” Wooyeon said, to which Dohyeon snorted as if he didn’t understand what the problem was.

“I’m already soaked.”

“No, but still…”

“You’re calling me

properly now.”

It was obvious what he meant: stop talking and hop on. Wooyeon pressed his lips together, looking at Dohyeon’s coat trailing on the ground. Dohyeon urged him once more.

“Hurry up, my pants are getting wet.”

Wooyeon reluctantly placed his hands on Dohyeon’s shoulders. As he carefully shifted his weight, Dohyeon supported him with a slight lift. Wooyeon felt the tickle of Dohyeon’s fingers against his bare skin, regretting that he hadn’t worn long pants.

“I’m heavy though…”

Aside from his early childhood, Wooyeon rarely remembered being carried by anyone. He hadn’t been close to people like that, and he hadn’t been the kind of weight someone could easily carry. That’s why the whole idea of being carried felt embarrassingly foreign.

“You’re not heavy enough to be a problem.”

Dohyeon replied with ease, adjusting his posture. He bent forward slightly to gauge the weight, then rose without hesitation. As his view suddenly rose higher, Wooyeon instinctively wrapped his arms tightly around Dohyeon’s neck.

“Are you scared?”

There was a slight laugh in Dohyeon’s voice. Wooyeon, clinging to him like a child, replied crisply.

“No, not at all.”

But anyone could see he was scared. Dohyeon must have thought the same, as he swallowed his laughter in silence. Wooyeon awkwardly adjusted the umbrella and changed the subject.

“So, where are we going?”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

“…Please put me down.”

“Where? There’s not even a bench here.”

Although Wooyeon’s legs weren’t injured, Dohyeon treated him like someone who couldn’t walk. And it was clear that saying he was fine now wouldn’t change anything. With an indifferent tone, Dohyeon adjusted his position again and answered casually.

“We’re heading to the parking lot. I brought my car because I heard it was going to rain.”

“What about your study group?”

“We’ll do it next time.”

Dohyeon said that Garam and Seonkyu wouldn’t mind. After all, studying isn’t a priority when you’re sick, and he added that Wooyeon was worrying about unnecessary things. Wooyeon, who had remained silent, once again felt that familiar sense of unease around Dohyeon.

“…I’ve been curious for a while.”

It was the same feeling he’d had in the club room. Despite being so close, Dohyeon emitted no pheromones. He was clearly a dominant Alpha, but he seemed almost like a Beta.

“Why do you suppress your pheromones?”

Dohyeon rarely released his pheromones. Even the faint scent that remained occasionally seemed like it had just rubbed off on his clothes. A typical Alpha would naturally let out pheromones, but Dohyeon seemed to deliberately hold his back.

“You’re a dominant Alpha; it must be hard to suppress, right?”

Wooyeon understood because of his own unique condition. Suppressing pheromones was like wearing uncomfortable clothes while dining with strangers. Wooyeon had reasons for doing so, but he didn’t think Dohyeon had any such reason.

“You…”

Dohyeon started slowly, frowning slightly and tilting his head. After glancing back at Wooyeon, he spoke casually.

“You don’t like Alphas.”

“…”

His tone made it seem so obvious, as if no explanation was needed. Before Wooyeon could even ask how he knew, Dohyeon added firmly.

“It was obvious.”

“…”

“Very obvious.”

That couldn’t be right, Wooyeon thought. While it wasn’t exactly a secret, he hadn’t made it clear either. He’d never told anyone, nor had he ever complained about Alphas. And besides, Dohyeon had been suppressing his pheromones even before Wooyeon joined the club.

“I’m pretty perceptive.”

The train of Wooyeon’s thoughts was abruptly cut off as Dohyeon spoke again, his voice smooth and gentle.

“Seeing how you reacted when Moon Garam got close, it was hard to miss. You said you didn’t like being touched, yet you were fine with Seonkyu.”

Now that he thought about it, maybe that was true. Looking back on how he reacted to Garam, it wasn’t surprising that Dohyeon noticed. Especially since Dohyeon himself admitted to being quite observant.

“…Sunbae, your pheromones are fine.”

Wooyeon said as he leaned back comfortably. Dohyeon didn’t respond, but Wooyeon meant it sincerely. If all Alphas were like Dohyeon, he wouldn’t have had any issue with Alpha pheromones.

“How did you know I was here?”

“I helped you with your class registration.”

Even with the rain, Dohyeon’s voice was clear. Maybe it was because of his low tone or his calm way of speaking. Listening to him had a way of easing all of Wooyeon’s tension, almost like he didn’t even need to take the antacid anymore.

“I know where your classes are.”

“…”

It sounded like he had come looking for Wooyeon on purpose. His voice seemed to suggest that instead of just coincidentally finding him, he had bought antacid and walked all the way to the lecture hall to find him. Wooyeon tightened his grip on the umbrella.

“…Why aren’t you asking why I was just sitting there?”

The rain showed no sign of stopping. The cherry blossoms had just bloomed, but by tomorrow, they might all be gone. Dohyeon didn’t turn to look at Wooyeon and instead asked in a calm voice.

“Would you like me to ask?”

Honestly, Wooyeon would be lying if he said he wasn’t tempted. The desire to pour everything out and be comforted, just like before, was overwhelming. But Wooyeon knew that not everything would go the way he wanted.

“…No.”

He tightened his grip around Dohyeon and lowered his head, burying his face in Dohyeon’s shoulder. The faint pheromones mixed with the rain were barely noticeable.

“I was just in pain.”

His words trailed off with a tinge of sadness. Dohyeon remained silent, waiting for Wooyeon to continue. Wooyeon let out a shallow breath and began speaking again, this time in a childish, whiny tone.

“After I ate a burger earlier, my stomach hurt so much. I’ve never had indigestion except when I was little, but I felt so nauseous… like I was being stabbed with needles… but I couldn’t throw up…”

The more he talked, the more his sadness grew. If Dohyeon had laughed at him, he would’ve stopped, but instead, Dohyeon listened patiently. After repeating that he was in pain about five times, Wooyeon took a deep breath, his words trailing off.

“And it just… really hurt…”

There wasn’t much else he could say. All his reasons, his frustrations, were summed up in the phrase “It hurt.” It hurt so much that he hadn’t even realized that he felt better now.

“Did it?”

Dohyeon responded softly, as if comforting a child. He glanced back at Wooyeon, but Wooyeon kept his head down. Turning his gaze forward again, Dohyeon spoke with endless kindness.

“That must’ve been tough.”

It was the gentlest comfort Wooyeon could have asked for. Of course, it wasn’t the response to “It hurts,” but Wooyeon’s chest tightened with emotion, and he bit his lower lip.

“When we get home, take some medicine and get some rest.”

“…”

“Then you’ll feel better.”

It felt like tears might fall, not from sadness but from something else. His heart was fluttering, and he felt an odd excitement.

“…Sunbae.”

With a flushed face, Wooyeon lifted his head. Dohyeon flinched slightly at the breathy tone in Wooyeon’s voice. Unaware of the subtle shift in Dohyeon, Wooyeon spoke in a fragile, wavering voice.

“Why are you so good to me?”

He knew that Dohyeon was kind to everyone. The teacher Wooyeon knew was gentle even to complete strangers. But no matter how kind someone is, wouldn’t they hesitate before carrying a rain-soaked junior on their back?

“…”

For once, Dohyeon hesitated to respond. He stared blankly ahead, slowly moving his lips. His gentle voice sounded almost like a sigh.

“I just want to be good to you.”

Instead of asking, “Why?” Wooyeon bit his lip. He buried his face in Dohyeon’s neck and exhaled softly.

After a long time had passed, Wooyeon spoke again, his voice trembling as if he might cry.

“…Then please keep being good to me.”

The rain began to weaken. The umbrella tilted, but no one pointed it out. The steady rhythm of Dohyeon’s heartbeat echoed against Wooyeon’s back.

Perhaps, from the start, this was a lingering attachment he could never let go. Even when Dohyeon rejected him, even when he silently quit the tutoring sessions, Wooyeon had cried and resented him, but he could never truly hate him. The thought of giving up on his feelings was arrogance and pride.

“I missed you.”

Wooyeon spoke in a lighthearted tone, trying to disguise his emotions as a joke, blaming it on the fact that he was feeling unwell. He didn’t want Dohyeon to misunderstand. Dohyeon remained silent for a moment, then responded in his usual kind voice.

“…I’m glad.”

That day, it rained in Wooyeon’s heart too—a shower of cherry blossoms.

Wooyeon had never known how to hide his feelings. It was the same when he first fell for Dohyeon, and it was no different now, even after realizing those feelings had returned. His heart would race, and his eyes would follow Dohyeon relentlessly, as if being carried away by an endless breeze.

Today, Wooyeon found himself staring blankly at Dohyeon’s side profile again. At first, he tried to sneak glances, but at some point, he was openly gazing at him. Garam was fast asleep on the folding bed, and Seonkyu had stepped out for something, so there was no one around to stop him.

“He’s really handsome.”

Dohyeon’s straight nose was like something sculpted. Even his slightly furrowed brows, the faint double eyelid on his left eye, and his tightly shut lips—everything about him struck Wooyeon’s heart.

Come to think of it, Dohyeon had always sat to Wooyeon’s right during their tutoring sessions. They were close enough that their shoulders would occasionally brush, and Wooyeon had a perfect view of the way Dohyeon’s eyelids folded when he smiled. Sometimes, when Dohyeon tilted his head, Wooyeon could even catch a whiff of his unique, fresh scent.

“…”

Just like right now.

The faint pheromone surrounding them was as dry as fallen leaves. Even though it was warm like spring, Dohyeon’s pheromones felt as cool as autumn. Wooyeon buried his lips in the collar of his hoodie and brushed his fingers against his ear.

Since Wooyeon had told him, “Sunbae, your pheromones are fine,” Dohyeon had gradually started releasing more each day. At first, it was barely noticeable, but as Wooyeon showed no signs of discomfort, the presence of Dohyeon’s pheromones grew more dominant.

A week had passed, and now Wooyeon could feel Dohyeon’s presence with his eyes closed. Of course, if Wooyeon wasn’t a dominant type, he wouldn’t have noticed.

“Having trouble concentrating?”

Dohyeon’s gentle voice interrupted Wooyeon’s thoughts. He was jotting something down in his notebook as he asked in a soft tone.

“Is there something on my face?”

Wooyeon snapped back to reality and turned his head away. Without realizing it, he had been openly staring at Dohyeon. He might as well have been broadcasting that he liked him.

“No… there’s nothing.”

Wooyeon mumbled his response, lowering his head. Well, something

there—handsomeness and charm. If he told Dohyeon that, Dohyeon would probably laugh it off, thinking it was nonsense.

“Let me know if there’s anything you don’t understand.”

“Okay.”

Wooyeon lightly rubbed his cheek and forced himself to focus on his textbook. Midterms were next week, and he couldn’t afford to waste time daydreaming like a clueless kid.

But despite his determination, Wooyeon barely lasted five minutes before his gaze drifted back to Dohyeon. His eyes wandered to Dohyeon’s lips and lingered there. Just as he was admiring how even his lips were attractive, Dohyeon sighed and set his pen down.

“…This isn’t working.”

Dohyeon stood up and grabbed the pack of cigarettes he had left beside him. Startled, Wooyeon’s eyes widened as Dohyeon ran a hand through his hair absentmindedly. Even his tousled hair looked good to Wooyeon.

“Keep studying. I’m going to have a cigarette.”

With that, Dohyeon started to walk away, checking his lighter as he opened the cigarette pack. Without thinking, Wooyeon sprang to his feet and blurted out.

“I’ll…!”

His thoughts were too simple. Before he could think things through, the words had already slipped out. As Dohyeon turned to him with an unreadable expression, Wooyeon hesitantly continued.

“I’ll… go with you.”

The spring breeze rustled gently as they walked. The campus, now rain-free, was filled with the scent of flowers. Though the cherry blossoms were half-fallen, fresh green leaves had begun to sprout, filling the once-bare branches. Wooyeon, trying to suppress his giddy feelings, quietly followed Dohyeon’s lead.

Dohyeon had been walking faster without a word since they left the club room. He wasn’t usually like this, but Wooyeon was struggling to keep up. His strides were so long that Wooyeon almost fell behind, and just as he was about to, Dohyeon glanced back at him.

“…Are you studying well?”

Wooyeon shook his head, stuffing his hands into his hoodie pockets. He wasn’t studying well at all. In fact, since last week, he barely remembered being able to focus. He’d managed to get through the quiz on Friday, but that would’ve been impossible without Dohyeon’s help.

“No… The material’s hard, and there’s just too much of it. I can’t concentrate.”

Without realizing it, his pace had caught up with Dohyeon’s. He knew it wasn’t a big deal, but just the fact that they were walking side by side made his heart swell. Dohyeon looked at Wooyeon briefly before squinting and staring straight ahead.

The smoking area wasn’t far from the club room. It had recently been renovated, with wooden panels installed as a barrier. As soon as Dohyeon entered, he pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his lips.

“What about you?” he asked.

“Huh?”

“Are you not smoking?”

Wooyeon was about to sit on the bench but awkwardly fumbled through his pockets instead. He checked every pocket—his hoodie, his pants—before letting out an embarrassed chuckle.

“Looks like I didn’t bring any.”

“Really?”

With that simple reply, Dohyeon lit his cigarette without further comment. He covered it with one hand as he lit it, and Wooyeon stared, mesmerized. When Daniel smoked, it didn’t have the same effect. But when Dohyeon did it, it was like watching a photo shoot.

“When did you start smoking?” Wooyeon asked, leaning forward with his hands resting on the bench. He looked up at Dohyeon, who let out a hollow laugh and then awkwardly turned his head away.

“Just… when everyone else did.”

“Did you pick it up in the army?”

“No, I started before I went.”

Thin, hazy smoke swirled around them. Watching Dohyeon’s face turned slightly away, Wooyeon felt a strange sense of déjà vu, as if he’d seen him smoking like this from an even closer distance before.

“…Can I try that?” Wooyeon asked, pointing at the cigarette between Dohyeon’s lips.

Dohyeon looked at him, as if questioning what he was saying, before slowly exhaling a cloud of smoke. The breath he let out mixed with the cigarette smoke, and Wooyeon felt drawn in.

“This is the same one from last time. It’s pretty strong for an omega,” Dohyeon said.

“Then… just one puff.”

Wooyeon persisted, pointing again at the cigarette. Dohyeon narrowed his eyes, as if weighing his options, and then stepped closer to him. The cigarette in his fingers slowly moved toward Wooyeon’s lips.

“Just take a drag from the end.”

For some reason, the situation felt oddly sensual. Wooyeon hesitated for a moment before parting his lips and biting down on the tip of the cigarette. Since it was one Dohyeon had been smoking, the scent of his pheromones was deeply infused into it.

“Breathe in,” Dohyeon whispered softly, his voice lingering like a caress. His gaze was intense, as if it was touching him.

Wooyeon squinted as if in a trance and took a deep drag of the cigarette.

“…Cough, cough!”

The smoke filled his throat, stinging as it spread. The harsh sensation burned all the way up to his nose. The bitter smell of burning tobacco mixed with the scent of pheromones and the acrid stench of the cigarette, making Wooyeon choke.

“Cough, cough—”

Without hesitation, Dohyeon took the cigarette back, extinguishing the ember by pressing it against the ground before tossing it away. He walked over to a vending machine nearby and bought an ion drink, returning to Wooyeon with it in hand.

“I figured that would happen.”

“Ugh…”

Tears welled up in Wooyeon’s eyes. He heard the soft click of a can being opened as Dohyeon sat down beside him. He couldn’t say anything, his hand clamped over his nose, trying to soothe the stinging in his throat.

“Drink this, it’ll help,” Dohyeon said, handing the can to Wooyeon and studying his face. His eyes were glassy, and his cheeks had turned a bright shade of red. After a moment of silence, Dohyeon began to gently pat his back.

“Why’d you try to act tough when you don’t even smoke?”

Wooyeon finally took a sip of the drink. Gulping it down helped wash away the bitter taste of smoke. As he swallowed a few more times, Dohyeon waited patiently for him to calm down.

After what felt like ages of coughing, Wooyeon finally managed to regain his composure. Pressing his fingers under his chin, he looked up at Dohyeon with a pitiful expression.

“…How did you know I don’t smoke?”

Even though he didn’t really smoke, he’d pretended to a few times just to blend in. Everyone else was smoking, so he wanted to fit in too. He had only wanted to try it this time because Dohyeon had looked so cool.

“I never saw you light one up.”

Dohyeon answered casually, giving him a quick wink. He wasn’t just quick-witted, he was extremely observant. Seonkyu and Garam still thought Wooyeon was a smoker, so how long had Dohyeon known the truth?

“I know it’s a bit funny coming from me, but try not to pick up smoking. It’s better if you never start.”

Wooyeon felt a little like he was being scolded and nodded. He wasn’t really interested in smoking and didn’t plan to start, but whenever Dohyeon smoked, he wanted to follow along. Now that Dohyeon knew he was a non-smoker, that plan was pretty much a bust.

“And don’t follow me out when I go to smoke.”

“…!”

Wooyeon’s eyes widened as he turned to look at Dohyeon. Did that mean he wouldn’t get to watch Dohyeon smoke anymore? Like today, if Dohyeon stepped out for a break, he’d have to just stare at his back.

“Can’t I just come out to watch?”

Wooyeon put on his best pleading expression. He didn’t really have a good reason for wanting to, but he was hoping to push his luck. Dohyeon stared at him for a moment before responding in a gentle tone.

“Even though you hate the smell of smoke?”

“I don’t hate it.”

“How many times do I have to tell you, you’re a terrible liar.”

Wooyeon’s face turned sulky. His eyebrows rose slightly in frustration, and Dohyeon chuckled softly. He lowered his head and glanced at Wooyeon from the side.

“How many subjects did you say you have for midterms?”

“…Five.”

Oddly enough, just making eye contact with Dohyeon immediately improved his mood. Wooyeon felt his heart race pleasantly as he lowered his gaze. Every time he became aware of these feelings, excitement bubbled up inside him.

“I noticed you haven’t been able to focus on studying…”

Of course, it was impossible to concentrate. How could he focus when just staying calm around Dohyeon was a challenge? Dohyeon’s voice softened, as if he didn’t want to sound too harsh when he saw Wooyeon getting gloomy.

“If you do well on your exams, I’ll give you a reward.”

“Reward?”

Wooyeon’s eyes sparkled with excitement. The gloomy expression from earlier vanished as he perked up, and Dohyeon nodded calmly. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, Wooyeon quickly followed up.

“What kind of reward?”

Just hearing the word “reward” was thrilling. What could he be planning to give him? Many ideas flashed through Wooyeon’s mind. Dohyeon hummed softly, tilted his head slightly, and narrowed his eyes.

“Well, maybe I’ll give you that chocolate from before?”

The word “chocolate” immediately brought to mind the white ribbon-wrapped box he had once received from a teacher as a reward in middle school, and more recently, the dessert that Dohyeon had treated him to as a senior.

“I’m not a kid…” Wooyeon grumbled slightly, dissatisfied. The chocolate had been delicious, but he didn’t want it as a prize for doing well on his midterms. Plus, the idea of receiving the same kind of reward now that Dohyeon was just his senior, rather than his teacher, didn’t sit well with him. It had been a special memory back then, but now it felt a bit too casual.

“Then what do you want?”

“Hmm…”

Wooyeon thought seriously for a moment, completely forgetting that he had been sulking. After pondering various options, he suddenly looked up and met Dohyeon’s gaze.

“Will you give me anything I ask for?”

A flicker of curiosity crossed Dohyeon’s eyes. He even covered the cigarette pack in his hand, as if anticipating something.

“You can’t have cigarettes.”

“I wasn’t going to ask for that.”

Anyone who saw this would think Wooyeon was a minor who couldn’t even buy cigarettes. Wooyeon shook his head with a slight frown and then glanced up hesitantly.

“Can you buy me some alcohol?”

A long time ago, he and Dohyeon had made a promise. If he got into the same university as him, Dohyeon would buy him a drink as a senior. Dohyeon had laughed back then and affectionately patted Wooyeon’s head, saying, “I’ll buy you a drink when you get into college.”

“Alcohol?” Dohyeon tilted his head, his neat eyebrows lifting in slight confusion, and his lips twitching. Wooyeon realized how his request might have sounded and quickly waved his hands in a fluster.

“No, it’s not like that! I just… I’m not good at drinking.”

He hadn’t meant it that way, but after hearing it aloud, it did sound strange. Asking Dohyeon to buy him a drink felt like he was trying to flirt. His face flushed as he shook his head in embarrassment, and Dohyeon let out a breathy chuckle.

“Do you want to get better at drinking?”

Wooyeon nodded eagerly. His exaggerated enthusiasm might have made it seem like there was another reason behind his request, but Dohyeon smiled as if he’d let it slide for now.

“We’ll be drinking together anyway, after exams. There’s a party.”

“A party?”

“Yeah, the club’s having one, and so is our department. Of course, it’s optional if you want to attend.”

Wooyeon had attended one of these gatherings before, during the start-of-term meeting. There were so many unfamiliar faces, and he had spent most of the time sitting awkwardly in a corner until he finally managed to strike up a conversation with Seonkyu. He wouldn’t be alone this time, but then again, there would probably be a lot of people around Dohyeon.

“What about you, sunbae?”

“I’m the club president. I have to go.”

“What about the department party?”

“I’m still thinking about it.”

The faces of the alphas in the same department quickly flashed through Wooyeon’s mind. Among them was, of course, the returning student who had bullied him during the MT (membership training) trip. Wooyeon pressed his lips together seriously, then slowly nodded.

“Then I’ll go too.”

“I’ll say it again.”

Dohyeon looked quite troubled. His lips twitched as if he had a lot to say, and he spoke in a rather serious tone.

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

Wooyeon nodded again. Though Dohyeon looked unconvinced, he didn’t raise any objections.

“So, talk about something else. You can always drink later.”

Always drink later? Like he’d ever actually let me drink with him. Realizing his request to buy alcohol had been dismissed, Wooyeon hesitantly spoke.

“There’s not really anything else…”

“Alright, then let’s do this.”

Dohyeon subtly suggested, his raised lips looking inexplicably confident.

“I’ll show you a movie.”

It was something Wooyeon hadn’t expected at all. He fidgeted with his fingers and asked again.

“A movie?”

“Yeah, a movie.”

Wooyeon didn’t dislike movies, but he wasn’t particularly interested either. His family had film reels for most movies, and if his family’s subsidiaries invested in them, he could watch them before their release. Just as Wooyeon was about to ask if Dohyeon had a specific movie in mind, Dohyeon added in a soft voice.

“We’ll watch it in a theater.”

“…”

Wooyeon’s eyes grew wide. Noticing Wooyeon’s sudden interest, Dohyeon smiled gently.

“I’ll buy you popcorn and drinks too.”

It felt just like the time Dohyeon suggested they eat cake. “Let’s get caramel popcorn.” With that, Wooyeon’s pale cheeks flushed slightly. A movie theater… it was a place Wooyeon had never been before.

* * *

Wooyeon, feeling a rush of excitement, accepted the offer. After all, he needed to do well on his exams, and this would benefit him either way. Plus, it hit him a bit later—watching a movie with just the two of them would probably feel like a date. A date with his teacher… it was an unthinkable stroke of luck.

With his spirits lifted, Wooyeon stopped by the club room to grab his things. In the meantime, Garam had woken up, and Seonkyu had returned and was reserving the study room. Wooyeon was told to meet at the main gate this time as he left the club room to head to his liberal arts class.

But as soon as he entered the lecture hall, he realized another fact he had forgotten.

“…”

“…”

A heavy silence bounced between them. Sitting in the back of the classroom was Junseong, who made an ambiguous expression the moment he met Wooyeon’s eyes. Wooyeon remembered what he had said to him last time and frowned deeply.

“I really hate guys like you.”

He had completely forgotten, so much so that it seemed unbelievable. Ever since that day, Dohyeon had filled his thoughts, and Junseong hadn’t even crossed his mind.

Wooyeon decided to pretend he didn’t know him and walked inside. Luckily, there was an empty seat far away. As soon as he put down his bag and sat, the professor entered the lecture hall.

And the lecture that began had hardly any substance. Most of it was about the professor’s travels, with only occasional mentions of things related to assignments. Ignoring the glances that occasionally followed the side of his face, Wooyeon intermittently responded to the professor’s English jokes.

After about an hour, the professor left the room, wishing them luck on their midterm assignments. The many comments on the professor’s evaluations about how “kind” he was seemed to stem from the fact that he always let them out early.

“Hey.”

Someone stood in front of Wooyeon’s desk just as he was gathering his things. Wooyeon slowly lifted his head, and when he realized it was Junseong, he frowned. Junseong also frowned as if he didn’t want to be there.

“You don’t have any classes next, right? Can you spare a moment?”

Wooyeon almost asked, “Why should I?” but stopped himself. He wanted to ignore him, but Junseong was the leader of their group project, and they had to work together. With only two weeks left until their presentation, if it was related to the project, he couldn’t just avoid it.

“…What is it?”

Maybe he was going to suggest creating a group chat? Or talk about making the PowerPoint (Wooyeon was in charge of presenting, so the PPT was someone else’s responsibility). But Junseong bypassed all those predictions and brought up the most basic matter.

“We need to have a meeting about our invention idea.”

They first made a group chat and headed to a café near the main gate. There were about 40 minutes left before the study session, so they would have enough time to hold a meeting. Wooyeon even sent a message saying he might be a bit late, just in case. After putting down his phone, he looked up.

“So, does anyone have any ideas?”

Junseong looked around at the group members with a somewhat grumpy expression. His gaze conspicuously avoided Wooyeon, and the other group members awkwardly glanced at each other. Of course, no one actually came forward with a good idea.

“Hah… You guys are really useless.”

The tension in the air was suffocating. The atmosphere, which already felt doomed, drained Wooyeon’s motivation. He pulled out a notebook and pen and wrote, “Inventions for a Global Era.” But after writing that, nothing else came to mind.

“How is it that no one has a good idea?”

As Junseong continued to complain about how no one was speaking up, Wooyeon, unable to hold back, shot back at him.

“Hey, don’t just blame everyone else when you’re the same.”

Junseong hadn’t changed at all, still quick to shift blame to others. Even though he didn’t have any ideas himself, he used his position as group leader to criticize everyone else. While Wooyeon was frustrated with the group’s silence, Junseong’s behavior was even more aggravating.

“…Hah.”

Surprisingly, Junseong didn’t retort or shout back. He just pursed his lips and stared at Wooyeon with an unreadable expression. Wooyeon picked up his pen again and started writing in his notebook.

“Since it’s an invention, we should focus on inconveniences we’ve experienced, right?”

Time differences, language barriers, and racial discrimination. After writing a few things that had come to mind, Wooyeon looked around, but the group members were still silent. Wooyeon seriously considered dropping the class and accepting an F.

Their unproductive meeting dragged on until it was almost time for Wooyeon’s study session. During that time, Wooyeon came up with three ideas by himself, while the others alternated between admiring them and staying silent. Junseong continued to protest by keeping his mouth shut, and finally, Wooyeon, unable to hold back any longer, put down his pen and said,

“Let’s just call it a day and think of three invention ideas by tomorrow. I have to go to my study session.”

Right on cue, his phone rang. The caller ID displayed “Kwon Seonkyu.” Wooyeon answered the call, doing his best to suppress the irritation he felt toward his group members.