* * *

Na Taejoon, who had been aiming for the position of underdog, had memorized the names and faces of his strongest rivals from the department office’s bulletin board.

There was no way he wouldn’t recognize Ji Sunyu.

Approaching him, Na Taejoon dusted off his uniform with feigned concern and asked with a slight furrow of his brows, “Are you okay, Sunyu? Are you hurt?”

“You… know my name?”

“Of course. We’re in the same department. I saw the clothes you made that won an award in the hallway. They were amazing.”

Hearing that someone as dazzling and admirable as Na Taejoon knew who he was, Ji Sunyu’s heart raced.

The acknowledgment of his one skill—making clothes—moved him deeply.

With wide, shining eyes, Ji Sunyu stared at Na Taejoon. Could it be that this Alpha… liked him?

Feeling self-conscious, Ji Sunyu sniffed the air, wondering if his pheromones were too strong.

Na Taejoon, meanwhile, helped him stand up.

Seemingly unafraid of the delinquents, Na Taejoon glanced around before his eyes landed on Kang Dohee, the captain of the judo team, and he froze in surprise.

“Kang Dohee?”

Quickly regaining his composure, Na Taejoon met Kang Dohee’s gaze with confidence.

“Dohee, I know you’re not a bad person.”

“…”

Kang Dohee looked blankly at the unexpected interloper.

He’d never seen this person before.

Yet, under the sunlight, the newcomer’s fair skin seemed almost translucent, exuding a sweet, alluring scent.

The elegance Na Taejoon carried reminded Kang Dohee of the orchids his father cherished in their home.

Looking at the name tag on Na Taejoon’s uniform, Kang Dohee froze.

‘Na Taejoon.’

The name stirred memories of an orphanage and someone who had once used his name as a shield.

Kang Dohee’s cheeks flushed for reasons he couldn’t quite understand.

“Dohee, can you help me take Sunyu to the infirmary?”

Gasps echoed from the delinquents.

Kang Dohee actually stood up. He glanced down at Na Taejoon, who barely reached his chest, before hooking his arm under Ji Sunyu’s to help him up.

As the judo team captain left the rooftop, the delinquents erupted into chatter.

“Is that the famous Na Taejoon? Damn, he’s hot as hell.”

“Shit, Dohee’s so lucky. He must get to screw that pretty face every day.”

Na Taejoon couldn’t help stealing glances at Kang Dohee.

It was fascinating seeing someone he hadn’t met in years.

While part of him regretted leaving the rooftop unscathed, the university was proving to be a land of opportunities.

“Do you… remember me?”

He was curious if Kang Dohee recognized the boy from 14 years ago.

“Have we met before?” Kang Dohee asked.

A curt response came back.

‘He forgot, as expected.’

Well, it wasn’t surprising.

How long could one remember a fleeting moment from childhood anyway?

Feeling slightly disheartened, Yeo Woohee pouted his lips.

While Yeo Woohee kept walking straight ahead, Kang Dohee turned his head to gaze at him.

Caught between them, Ji Sunyu glanced back and forth between the two alphas, falling into a wild misunderstanding.

‘Could it be that both of them like me? Oh no, what do I do?’

Kang Dohee was a bold and charismatic judo team captain, while Yeo Woohee was an elegant and graceful model student, as beautiful as a boy from a painting.

Flanked by these two, Ji Sunyu was escorted to the infirmary and lay down on the bed, his heart swelling like a balloon.

“Seonyoo, I’m heading out. I have a lecture.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Ji Sunyu timidly replied, pulling the blanket up to his nose.

Yeo Woohee turned and left the infirmary. His straight back, slender waist, and long legs painted a breathtaking silhouette.

Ji Sunyu stared dreamily after Yeo Woohee until the infirmary door shut.

Then, he flinched as he caught a sharp gaze directed at him.

Kang Dohee was glaring at him with a frightening intensity.

‘So he doesn’t like me after all.’

“Do you happen to know much about Na Taejoon?” Kang Dohee asked abruptly.

“Huh? Na Taejoon? Why?”

Ji Sunyu wondered why Kang Dohee suddenly brought up Na Taejoon.

‘Why is he asking me about the omega he’s dating?’

“Tell me everything you know about him.”

‘Could it be he’s trying to find out if his omega is flirting with another alpha?’

Ji Sunyu thought of the cocky delinquent and swallowed down the words he really wanted to say: ‘All I know about that jerk is that he’s insufferable.’

He couldn’t badmouth Na Taejoon in front of Kang Dohee, especially since they were supposedly dating.

Who knew what kind of retaliation might follow?

“Well… Na Taejoon is strong.”

‘And he’s great at extorting money from omegas.’

“He’s confident and speaks his mind.”

‘A rude, tactless jerk who swears a lot.’

“He’s completely unapproachable to other alphas. Yeah, that’s right. I actually wondered if Na Taejoon hates alphas altogether. Haha.”

Ji Sunyu let out an awkward laugh and cut himself off.

He’d tried to say something neutral, but it didn’t seem to please Kang Dohee.

Without another word, Kang Dohee left the infirmary.

As he wandered down the empty hallway, lost in thought, he found himself at its end.

From where he stood, he could see into Lecture Room 102, where that person was sitting in the front row, intently focused on the professor’s words.

Kang Dohee stood frozen by the window, staring at Yeo Woohee’s face for a long time.

Before he realized it, he muttered under his breath:

“Does he really hate alphas?”

Na Taejoon was the kind of omega bold enough to lie about dating the judo captain to fend off advances.

Of course, he’d claim to hate alphas.

Misunderstanding Yeo Woohee as Na Taejoon, Kang Dohee felt like his world was crashing down.

Having grown up in an orphanage and later involved in the underworld, he knew all too well how dangerous life could be for an omega as stunning as Yeo Woohee.

He worried—had something bad happened to him in the past?

Kang Dohee stood there, staring at Yeo Woohee through the window.

Eventually, Yeo Woohee sensed his gaze, turned, and their eyes met.

Recognizing him, Yeo Woohee broke into a bright smile and scribbled something in his notebook.

“Thanks for today!”

Kang Dohee chuckled softly and finally peeled himself away from the hallway outside Lecture Room 102.

‘I need to learn more about Na Taejoon.’

---

For most college students, this would have been a time for part-time jobs, studying, or hanging out with friends.

But Kang Dohee wasn’t an ordinary student.

As the heir apparent of the Black Bear Gang, he was suited up and heading to a club for work.

With his towering height and broad build, he hardly looked like a twenty-year-old in his suit.

As Kang Dohee entered the club, the guards slightly bent their arms and bowed deeply, a full ninety degrees.

“Welcome, boss.”

Acknowledging the greetings of the Black Bear Gang members, Kang Dohee stepped into the club.

Although he hadn’t yet graduated, he was already managing this Itaewon hotspot.

Before starting his duties in the office, he made a call.

“You called for me, boss.”

“Sit.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.”

Kang Dohee sat in a single-seater sofa in the center, while Kim Doohyeop perched on the edge of the long sofa, his fists resting on his knees.

“Find out everything about Na Taejoon from Jiha University.”

“Yes, sir. Understood.”

Kim Doohyeop nodded and sneaked a glance at Kang Dohee.

“Boss, is this about an omega you’re interested in?”

“…You could say that.”

Kim Doohyeop grinned to himself.

Kang Dohee, who had never shown interest in any omega before, was finally curious enough to investigate one.

This was a good sign.

Kim Doohyeop hurried off, promising a detailed report.

* * *