* * *
“Hey.”
“Wanna team up?”
“Do you remember me?”
Before he knew it, jealousy had turned into admiration.
Some people felt a sense of kinship with Siyoung for being an omega and wanted to get closer to him, like that classmate who spoke to him on the first day of the semester.
Others were simply envious that he was part of Yeonseok’s group.
As the break ended and assignments were completed, people began to recognize Siyoung as one of their trio of friends.
At first, it was overwhelming and unpleasant, but they say humans are creatures of adaptation.
It didn’t take long for Siyoung to adjust.
When he first entered college, he thought he didn’t need social interaction.
He never approached his classmates or started conversations.
His department was large enough that no one would notice or care if someone kept to themselves.
He was leading a quiet college life, but once he made friends and started talking to others more frequently, that life didn’t seem so bad anymore.
‘You get info that isn’t in the group chat, and being friendly has its perks…’
What he once thought of as bothersome and unnecessary turned out to be a decent way of living.
“You seem to be getting along well with the others lately.”
“Do I?”
“You used to say you were always in the library, but now you’re out and about.”
Naturally, this meant he spent less time with the other two.
After classes, he usually went to his tutoring sessions or straight to the library, so they typically met only during breaks between lectures.
But lately, he found himself spending those breaks with other classmates, cutting into the time he had with the trio.
“You’ve got plenty of people to hang out with when you’re bored, so why are you like this with me?”
“You know the answer to that.”
His heart sank at those casually thrown words.
He hated how they made him feel like someone special.
“…The semester’s started. You’re going to date someone again, right? You said you liked Lee Yena.”
“Oh, that… It’s going well, I guess.”
“Then just hang out with her.”
“That’s different.”
“Stop talking nonsense and finish what you’re doing.”
“Ugh, I don’t want to.”
He was helping Yeonseok with his assignment.
Apparently, someone caught wind that someone else had done it for him.
The professor agreed not to press charges if Yeonseok could prove he’d done it himself.
‘You’ve done it once, so you can redo it. Submit it in your own handwriting.’
“Ugh, I didn’t ask for help. They offered! It’s not fair.”
“You didn’t hint for help?”
“I told you, no! What do you take me for?”
“You asked me to do it for you outright.”
“Well, that was… because it was convenient.”
Yeonseok grumbled about the unfairness of it all.
He couldn’t redo the assignment in just three days, and getting caught wasn’t an option.
Luckily, Siyoung knew the topic well enough to help.
“You should be glad the professor’s trying to handle this gently. A stricter one would’ve caught you immediately.”
“At least be more discreet. I’m going through hell.”
Getting an F wouldn’t lead to academic probation, but if they got caught, both the helper and the helped could face disciplinary action.
Yeonseok’s grades were already on the edge, and an extra semester might be unavoidable.
“One subject can be made up during summer term.”
“I don’t want to waste a month of my break. I’m graduating on time, no matter what.”
He seemed carefree, but Yeonseok had his own principles. Siyoung smiled slightly.
“Then focus and get this done.”
“Even during exams, I never studied this hard.”
“Not something to brag about.”
He knew their relationship had no future, but being together felt good.
There was no other reason why he’d willingly help with something that didn’t benefit him.
“It’s due tomorrow. Finish it now; it’ll be easier than leaving it until the last minute.”
One day, even Yeonseok’s thoughtless jokes wouldn’t make his heart flutter.
Siyoung corrected the mistakes in his report, thinking so.
College, which had once seemed like just a step toward a good job, felt different now.
That was meaningful in itself.
‘I shouldn’t want too much.’
He should be content with this.
He already knew how to temper his desires.
Siyoung repeated the thought as he finished helping Yeonseok and got up for his next class.
“I have to go now. Just review this and submit it.”
“Already?”
“Yeah. See you.”
It was his last class of the day.
After that, he planned to prepare for his tutoring session and review the lecture materials before heading to his student’s home.
The semester had just begun, so assignments and revisions were still light.
Siyoung calculated his schedule as he entered the lecture hall.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
He wasn’t exactly close with them, but there were more people he could greet now.
He even got used to the idle chatter of the classmate who naturally took the seat next to him.
Whatever they talked about, he could let it wash over him.
“Hey, aren’t you friends with Hyun?”
Until recently, he would’ve walked away, annoyed.
But now, he took it in stride and answered casually.
“Kind of.”
“There’s something I want to ask… There’s no one else to check with, and it might just be a rumor.”
“What rumor?”
It didn’t seem like they wanted to ask how to join their group or how they got close.
They genuinely seemed to want to confirm something.
“There’s a rumor Hyun is dating Kang Gunjoon. He got caught lying before, so I’m not sure whether to believe it.”
“…What?”
An unexpected name came up.
Shocked, Siyoung forgot he was in a lecture hall and exclaimed loudly.
The attention of everyone in the room turned to him.
Realizing his mistake, he lowered his voice and asked:
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it. I mean, it’s not like we’re the kind to talk about everything openly…”
Surely there would’ve been some sign, but he hadn’t noticed anything at all.
Besides, it hadn’t even been a month since Hyun expressed his skepticism about relationships.
‘And of all people, it couldn’t be Kang Gunjoon.’
Even though Yeonseok and Gunjoon weren’t officially dating, there were rumors they had, and Hyun was well aware of that.
Of course, there are people who throw everything away, even friendships, for a fleeting love, but Hyun didn’t seem like someone who’d fall headfirst into such a passionate affair.
“Oh, it’s just a baseless rumor, right? Maybe someone got it wrong again. That guy’s known for acting like he’s dating all your friends. It’s funny how you, who’s actually close to them, stay out of the drama.”
“I don’t know everything about their personal lives, but that doesn’t sound right.”
Siyoung couldn’t understand how such a rumor even started.
Yeonseok was the type to say misleading things without meaning to, but Hyun?
He kept such a high wall that it was embarrassing for anyone who tried to get close.
“Probably. The story must’ve gotten twisted somehow.”
There was no way Hyun would leave room for misunderstandings.
Still flustered, Siyoung replied.
He wasn’t one to gossip about others’ private lives, but this seemed like something that needed clearing up.
“I asked because it didn’t seem right. That guy’s unbelievable. How does he switch targets so quickly within just one semester? And he doesn’t even bother correcting the rumors.”
“Good afternoon. Let’s stay focused and finish the week strong; the weekend’s just around the corner.”
Just as the conversation was heating up, the professor’s voice cut through, and the lecture hall quieted.
The classmate next to Siyoung turned their attention to the podium.
‘It really is bizarre. That guy… Why go around spreading such obvious lies?’
From the moment that person had confronted him, Siyoung knew they weren’t normal.
Their personality seemed even more twisted than he’d imagined. He hoped they’d never cross paths again.
With that thought, he opened his note-taking app.
But it didn’t take long before the person he wanted to avoid found their way back to him.
* * *
