* * *
“…I don’t know why you’re here, but I have nothing to say.”
“Just talk for a moment. It’s not that hard, is it?”
“We’re not close enough for me to have anything to say to you, and I already know what you want to talk about. I really don’t want to hear it.”
Waiting for Siyoung on the first floor was none other than Gunjoon.
Judging by the way a few students were glancing at him, he must’ve caused a scene downstairs.
“It’ll just take a second, okay?”
“Hey, just talk to him and come back. You’re worried about being late? If you come back quickly, I’ll let you in without a penalty.”
The dorm manager, watching from behind, gave Siyoung a look.
After hearing how long Gunjoon had been hanging around, Siyoung sighed and nodded.
“I’ll be back before the doors close.”
“If he were a dorm student, I’d have given him demerits by now. Tsk.”
Grumbling about not being able to chase him away for good, the dorm manager let them go. Siyoung walked off with Gunjoon.
It was a time when no one should still be on campus unless they were using the library.
Once they arrived at a secluded clearing, Gunjoon turned to face Siyoung.
“…You spread the rumor, didn’t you?”
“What?”
“That I wasn’t dating Hyun.”
“I didn’t say anything. Besides, you weren’t dating in the first place. There was no need for rumors.”
“…Yeah, we never dated. But it’s not like I went around telling people we were. They made up their own stories, so why am I getting blamed now…?”
Gunjoon bit his nails nervously.
Was this what he came to talk about?
Siyoung checked the time and spoke.
“I need to get back before the dorms lock up. Can you wrap this up quickly?”
“…You think I’m pathetic, don’t you?”
Siyoung stared at Gunjoon at the unexpected question.
Wasn’t it ridiculous to expect otherwise, given his behavior?
“…I know. But do you think life is that easy?”
“Sure, being an Alpha comes with perks, but it’s not like you can’t live without being one. You messed up your own life by clinging to useless things.”
“Maybe it seems like nothing to you because it was easy for you. Do you know how much rank matters?”
“I just don’t want to live my life obsessed with that.”
Gunjoon’s expression hardened at those words, but unlike last time, he didn’t lash out.
Instead, he bowed his head in silence.
Whether he was thinking or calming down, Siyoung didn’t know, but at least he wasn’t causing a scene.
“When people asked if you two were dating, I just said I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t think so. I don’t know how the rumors spread afterward, but you let them get out of hand in the first place. You have no one to blame.”
“…”
“And if you haven’t heard yet, Joo Yeonseok is dating Lee Yena, and Hyun isn’t someone who’d date anyone. You should just give up and live your own life.”
Gunjoon’s face looked gaunt, probably from stress over the past few days.
Siyoung hoped he’d come to his senses after this.
Getting ready to leave, Siyoung said:
“Let’s not meet again. We’re done here, so—”
“Wait.”
As Siyoung tried to stand up, Gunjoon lifted his head, stopping him.
He should’ve ignored it, but hesitated, and Gunjoon took that chance to trap him.
“…Can you just tell me one thing?”
“What?”
Siyoung had a feeling it wouldn’t be anything reasonable but decided to hear him out.
If it was nonsense, he’d just walk away.
“How did you get close to them? I tried everything because I genuinely wanted to be, but nothing worked. And yet you, who’s nothing special, not even an Alpha—”
“I’m leaving.”
It wasn’t worth hearing.
Siyoung got up without hesitation, but Gunjoon’s voice trailed after him.
“You think that’ll last forever? It’s just because they’re curious now. What would they ever need with a Beta like you? If it were someone like Lee Yena, at least I wouldn’t have false hope. Even if they didn’t care about rank, if it were me…”
Gunjoon kept rambling, but Siyoung ignored him and walked away.
Even though he yelled, he didn’t follow.
Maybe this really was the end of it.
“You’re back early.”
“Yeah. It was nothing.”
Siyoung returned to the dorm just before the doors closed and checked in.
Hyoseong approached him with a curious expression.
“…I heard that guy’s known for being a total nutcase. Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Just a guess, or maybe wishful thinking, but I don’t think he’ll bother me again. It felt like his last-ditch effort, knowing it was hopeless.”
“I heard he’s obsessed with getting close to Alphas. I don’t get it. Not like the world is only for Alphas. Just live your life.”
“If only everyone thought like you.”
There was a hint of tears in Gunjoon’s voice earlier, but Siyoung quickly forgot about it, thinking he brought it on himself.
“Now that Joo Yeonseok has a girlfriend too. And… she’s someone even he has to acknowledge. He can’t say anything about her.”
“Oh? Who is it?”
“Lee Yena. You know, the girl who modeled for the school promo. The one on the ad by Exit 4.”
“Ahh.”
Even if you didn’t know her name, every student had seen the giant billboard.
But to Siyoung’s surprise, Hyoseong knew even more.
“She’s the head of the acting department. Already signed with an agency and did ads.”
“You’re into that stuff?”
“I’m in playwriting. We work with acting students a lot.”
“Oh… So you know her?”
“Not closely, but a little. She’s famous. Barely does any performances except required ones. Something about keeping her image pristine.”
Hyoseong shrugged.
They seemed to be just acquaintances, but Siyoung was curious.
“What’s she like?”
“Like… a celebrity. Pretty, an Alpha, comes from a good family. There are a lot of talented kids in acting, but she stands out.”
“….”
“I wanted to ask her to perform in one of my plays, but she declined. Anyway, Joo Yeonseok and Lee Yena? That’s a power couple.”
Hyoseong marveled at the thought, saying it would stir up gossip.
“If they’re together, neither of them is settling. That guy who came looking for you would run if he knew it was her. She’s kind of scary.”
“Lee Yena?”
“Yeah. She says what she wants, and honestly… well, you could says he knows how to use her status as a dominant. Not always in a good way, though.”
Hyoseong mused about Yena.
He didn’t like categorizing people by rank, but saying this now was ironic.
Still, Yena really felt like she was on a different level from others.
She was the type who understood her position well and made sure to separate herself from those beneath her.
“She’s not exactly ‘nice,’ but as long as you respect her boundaries, she’s fine.”
“Boundaries?”
“Hard to explain in words. Anyway, I’m not sure what she’s like as a close friend, but she’s not weird if you stay at arm’s length. Wow, time flew. You’re not going to tutoring today?”
“Not every day… If I overdo it, it’s hard to prep for class and study myself.”
Now that Yeonseok had a partner and Gunjoon seemed like he’d stop being a bother, Siyoung felt he could finally have some peace at school.
“Are you already reviewing? It’s not even exam season yet.”
“Better to do it early and have less to worry about later. When are you going to bed?”
“If you’re not sleeping, I’ll just finish some assignments. Lights out at 11:30. How about that?”
“Sure.”
A compatible roommate and everything sorted out.
Siyoung thought he could now have a truly quiet college life.
His slightly late first love was something to swallow down, and he needed to focus on the present.
‘Maybe it’s a blessing he’s too amazing to even consider reaching for.’
Thinking that, Siyoung reviewed the day’s class.
There was still time before exams, but it felt better to prepare in advance.
Focus on what needs to be done. He fixed his gaze on the tablet in front of him.
“Hey, is that the guy?”
But the thought of a life that wouldn’t entangle with someone out of his league, and his peaceful routine, still seemed a little out of reach for Siyoung.
* * *
