* * *

“…I’m so sorry, Assistant Yoo. Really, really sorry. I genuinely thought that member slapped you…”

The junior staff member’s hands rubbed together as though they had become fly-like, ceaselessly apologizing.

Even though Junhee had said it was fine about a hundred times, they were still bowing in apology until just before clocking out.

“It’s alright. Mistakes happen. Give Moon Doyoung a call to apologize once more. If she doesn’t pick up, just leave a message. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Yes, Assistant Yu… I’m truly sorry. I misunderstood because I only heard from outside…”

Normally, a regular member wouldn’t have led to such a misunderstanding, but given Doyoung’s colorful history, it had escalated into this mess.

At least the coffee was cold, so there was no injury.

Unfortunately, the outfit Doyoung was wearing might have cost the junior several months’ worth of pay, and they’d have to reimburse it.

Sure, the junior staff member was mostly at fault, but reporting it would likely mean severe penalties, jeopardizing their full-time employment offer.

Junhee knew, deep down, that he was also to blame for asking the junior to run an errand they didn’t need to do.

He needed time to think of the best way to handle it.

Although Doyoung initially was outraged, he calmed down quickly, saying he was letting it go for Junhee’s sake.

“We were lucky this time, but please don’t intervene, even if you think I’m getting hurt.”

“Y-yes…”

“It’s fine if I end up hurt, but I don’t want you facing any trouble like today because of it.”

He gently patted the slumped shoulders of the junior, who looked ready to crumble, and then told them to head home.

By the time everyone had left and night had fully set in, Junhee found himself alone, fiddling with his phone.

He sent a message.

[I’ll be by your school soon.]

---

Junhee got off at the transfer subway station and walked up to Siwon’s school entrance.

Dragging someone out to meet him, even if they didn’t want to, never sat well with Junhee.

If Doyoung hadn’t come to him today, he would’ve waited a few more weeks.

‘Even if ignoring my calls was a bit annoying…’

Siwon wouldn’t do that without a reason.

Before long, he reached the school gates, where a tall silhouette was waiting.

“Jin Siwon.”

Junhee stopped in front of Siwon, who had his cap pulled low.

His feelings were a mix of relief and lingering hurt.

“Why did you come?”

Siwon leaned against a pillar, responding with a grumpy tone.

He sounded upset, maybe even sulky.

The cap pulled low obscured half of his face.

“Aren’t you even going to greet me properly?”

“…I asked why you came.”

“After you called like that and hung up, did you think I wouldn’t worry? If it were the other way around, and I did that to you, would you have stayed put?”

“…”

Siwon kept his head down, staring only at Junhee’s shadow cast over his shoes.

Junhee, peering beneath the brim of the cap, noticed that Siwon’s face looked wearier and rougher than before.

Junhee let out a long sigh and grabbed Siwon’s arm.

“You haven’t eaten yet, right? Let’s go have dinner first. I didn’t come here to scold or interrogate you. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay, so don’t act so grumpy.”

He had initially thought he might smack Siwon once, but seeing him now, that urge vanished completely.

He needed to get some food into Siwon first, but when he tried to enter the nearest place, Siwon subtly pulled him back.

“…That place is awful. Let’s go somewhere else.”

At last, it felt like the old Siwon had returned.

They went into a nearby dak-galbi place, ordering cheese sides and fried rice.

Throughout the meal, Siwon barely spoke, only responding reluctantly to Junhee’s questions.

Junhee asked a few standard questions about whether Siwon was studying well during exam season or still busy with his weekend part-time job.

But soon, Junhee ran out of things to say.

Not that Junhee was ever chatty by nature.

Being with Siwon had always made time fly by, but now he realized it had all been thanks to Siwon’s effort.

“…I left my wallet in the department room.”

Siwon, who had gone to the restroom but returned in less than 30 seconds, said with a dejected expression.

“It’s fine. I called you out, so it’s my treat. Do you want anything else?”

Siwon shook his head weakly, but Junhee still took him to a nearby coffee shop and bought two takeout drinks.

He ordered something familiar.

“Siwon, have you tried this? It’s an Einspänner, sweet and tasty.”

“…Hyung likes sweet stuff. I don’t.”

“Oh, really? I should’ve gotten you something else.”

Junhee had thought he knew Siwon better than anyone, but now he felt like he didn’t know him at all.

“It’s fine. Just give it to me.”

Walking side by side along the now-empty campus, they eventually sat in the dark, deserted outdoor theater.

Before long, Siwon’s cup was empty.

“You said you didn’t like it, but you drank it all.”

“I never said I didn’t like it. I just don’t prefer it.”

“Aren’t those the same thing?”

“How is that the same?”

Siwon retorted sharply.

Junhee suddenly wondered if Siwon had been saving all his words for this moment.

“Well, I still don’t see the difference.”

“Some days, I can’t stand looking at you, and on other days, I feel like I’m crazy about you.”

“…Isn’t that just mood swings?”

Junhee cast a reproachful look at him.

“You’re such an idiot, hyung.”

“You’re the idiot, Jin Siwon.”

“It’s you hyung.”

Never in a million years did he imagine having this kind of childish argument at his age.

This wasn’t why he went to college.

It seemed there was little difference between college students and grade schoolers after all.

“Fine, I’ll be the idiot then. Thanks for coming out today. I was really worried, but you look okay, so that’s a relief…”

“I’m not okay. Not at all.”

Junhee turned his head.

Siwon’s fists lay tightly clenched on his lap.

“You don’t get it, do you? Why I told you we couldn’t keep in touch, what kind of mess I got myself into—you don’t know any of it.”

“Siwon…”

Junhee called his name softly, unsure whether to offer comfort or admit he already knew everything.

More than anything, he just wanted to avoid causing Siwon more pain.

“Actually, today Moon Doyoung came to our office.”

“…What? That wom… I mean, that person came to your company? Why? What did he say?”

The moment Siwon heard ‘Moon Doyoung’s’ name, his hands began to shake uncontrollably.

“He was a client of ours. He’s been to the office a few times before.”

He regretted bringing it up almost instantly.

He’d only wanted to tell Siwon there was no need to avoid or beat himself up over ‘that night.’

“What… No, that’s not the point. Why are you even bringing up that he went to your company?”

“Siwon, wait. Just listen without jumping to conclusions.”

“Jumping to conclusions? What’s there for me to misunderstand… Ugh, tell me right now. Why’d you suddenly bring him up?”

Siwon tilted his chin up defiantly, moving closer to Junhee.

Hidden beneath his cap, his anxious eyes were quivering as if he were barely holding back a pained groan.

“No, Siwon, what I meant to say was…”

“You heard, didn’t you? Did you hear everything?”

Siwon grabbed Junhee by the shoulders and shook him, the bottomless fear in his eyes quickly transferring to Junhee, leaving him equally shaken.

Lying at this moment felt irreversible.

“…Yeah.”

“Shit… I told him, I told him not to tell anyone…”

Siwon’s wounded eyes wavered helplessly.

The flicker of hope in Siwon’s gaze seemed on the verge of shattering entirely.

“Siwon, look at me. I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. Everything’s okay, it’s going to be fine.”

He meant to comfort Siwon, but instead, Siwon’s grip on his shoulders tightened.

“How can you… How can you say that, even knowing everything…?”

“…What?”

Siwon’s jaw began to tremble pathetically.

It didn’t take long to notice the tears forming at his chin.

“Damn it, even if nobody else is okay with it, you can’t be fine with it either. You know everything, right? What I did with him… So, do you know this too? That I really like you?”

Junhee’s mouth dropped open slightly.

He stared into Siwon’s anguished eyes, unable to blink.

“I’ve only ever liked you since I found out I was an alpha. But you had no idea, did you? Acting like you know me so well, but you didn’t know this one thing… that I’m darker inside than anyone else.”

Junhee’s mouth opened and closed like a broken doll’s.

He should say something, anything, but no words would come out.

“Family? Don’t make me laugh. Who imagines doing those things with family? The person I want to be with in bed isn’t him, it’s you. Damn it, you didn’t even know that… How can you say it’s fine, when I’m not fine at all…”

Now, Siwon was practically crying like a child.

One minute, he was berating himself; the next, hating Junhee, and then confessing his feelings all over again…

Junhee’s mind was equally tangled in confusion.

“If I hadn’t stupidly gotten drunk… Or if he hadn’t started talking about Ki Taeryu… I never would’ve gone with him…”

Junhee’s gaze drifted off into space, half lost.

‘So that’s why Siwon said he couldn’t face me…’

Because he liked me.

Because he couldn’t bear having been with someone else when he had feelings for me.

Siwon cried, and Junhee held his breath.

* * *