* * *
After Pyo Yoontae visited the school and uploaded a picture with Jeongseo on his Instagram, all the people who used to bother Jeongseo disappeared.
Not a single person contacted him asking for an introduction to Pyo Yoontae, and Park Doyoung couldn’t even meet Jeongseo’s eyes, avoiding him at all costs.
There were still some students who whispered when they saw him, but Jeongseo didn’t pay much attention to such things.
Besides, with the upcoming finals having even more subjects to cover than midterms, he was too busy to care.
On Tuesday afternoon, Jeongseo finished a brief meeting with his professor, as scheduled, and left the office.
“Seo Jeongseo!”
As soon as he stepped out of the building, Shin Junhee, who had been nearby, raised a hand and waved.
For some reason, his face looked a little stiff, making Jeongseo tilt his head as he approached.
“What’s with your face? Did something happen?”
“No, uh… What did the professor say? Did they ask you to stay in their lab? Are you planning to go to grad school?”
“Ah.”
Was he just curious? Jeongseo chuckled lightly and shook his head.
“Nothing much. They just asked how their class was going, if I could keep up, if school life was okay, and how difficult the last exam was.”
For a conversation that seemed to have some purpose when they scheduled it, it wasn’t particularly important.
They mostly talked about how he was keeping up with lectures, how he was so quick on his feet, and whether he had done any sports before.
It was just thirty minutes of small talk.
During class, the professor didn’t seem like the warmest person, but in a one-on-one conversation, they turned out to be quite attentive.
Before he left, they even told him to stop by anytime if he had any concerns.
Back in high school, Jeongseo never really had much interaction with his teachers, so realizing that his professor thought well of him gave him a strange sense of pride.
Meanwhile, Shin Junhee made a slightly unimpressed face.
“Really? I thought they were calling you in to join their lab. Well, I guess that would be a lot of pressure for a first-year student. But do you plan on going to grad school?”
“Grad school? Would that be better?”
“Hmm… I dunno? I haven’t really thought about it. Don’t most people in our department go straight into jobs? Though I heard that engineering and natural sciences students often go for a master’s.”
“Got it. So, are you planning to get a job right away?”
“Yeah. I’ll gain experience and then open a private gym under my name just for Predators.”
“Wow…!”
Jeongseo hadn’t seriously thought about what he wanted to do after graduation.
He had looked into some options, but nothing really grabbed him.
Plus, since he still had plenty of time until graduation, it didn’t feel urgent.
But seeing a friend who already had a clear goal made him look up at him with admiration.
Embarrassed, Shin Junhee shrugged and cleared his throat for no reason.
“Well, we’re still first-years. You should think about it too. Anyway, want to grab dinner? The guys are playing soccer later in the evening. Wanna come?”
Jeongseo hesitated, trying to recall what time Pyo Yoontae was supposed to arrive today.
Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket.
Taking it out, his eyes widened.
The caller ID displayed an unexpected name—”Yoontae’s Mom.”
Han Jaehee had never contacted him first before.
The only reason he even had her number was because back in high school, Pyo Yoontae had insisted—”Just in case, if something happens and I don’t pick up, call my mom.”
When Jeongseo stopped walking, Shin Junhee stopped too and inadvertently caught a glimpse of the phone screen.
A brief silence passed before Jeongseo glanced up.
“Junhee, I need to take this call.”
“Oh, yeah, go ahead.”
Why was she calling? Jeongseo raised the phone to his ear.
“Hello!”
— Yes, is this Jeongseo? It’s Yoontae’s mother.
Hearing the familiar, soft voice for the first time in a while, Jeongseo felt a moment of confusion, but the warmth of it quickly overtook any doubts.
“Hello, ma’am! Have you been well?”
— Of course, I have. How about you? I heard you live near Yoontae now.
“Oh, yes! Right next—”
He nearly said “right next door” but quickly shut his mouth.
Since everyone already knew they were dating, saying they lived next door might sound bad.
Instinctively, he glanced to the side before adjusting his response.
“We live very close by!”
— That’s great. You two are quite close, aren’t you?
“Ah…”
Jeongseo had assumed Han Jaehee already knew about his relationship with Pyo Yoontae, but her reaction was oddly vague.
Considering how both she and Yoontae’s older brother had contacted them right after that Instagram post, it was strange.
Did she really not know?
As he was trying to come up with an appropriate response—
— Actually, Jeongseo, I’m really sorry for the sudden call, but are you free right now?
“Right now?”
— Yes. I’m in Seoul for the first time in a while and was wondering if we could have a meal together. If you’re free, I can come pick you up.
That was completely unexpected.
Startled, Jeongseo glanced at Shin Junhee, unable to respond immediately.
Junhee, though clueless about the situation, mouthed, “It’s fine.”
— Oh, if you’re busy, we can arrange another time, so don’t feel pressured—
Her voice trailed off, followed by a faint, muffled conversation in the background.
It sounded like a disagreement.
In the end, Jeongseo quickly apologized to Shin Junhee with his eyes and walked away at a brisk pace.
“I’m free! But… is it just the two of us, or should we invite Yoontae too?”
— Oh? Really? I’m sorry for calling so suddenly. I’ll let Yoontae know myself. Are you still at school?
“Yes! I’m at school!”
— Alright, I’ll send a driver right away. Sorry again for the sudden call, Jeongseo.
She apologized several more times before hanging up.
When Jeongseo turned back toward the main gate, Shin Junhee was already gone.
Before long, a sleek black car pulled up in front of him.
The driver quickly got out, opened the back door, and asked,
“You must be Seo Jeongseo?”
His tone suggested he already knew the answer. Jeongseo climbed in and nodded.
The ride was quiet, and as he stared out the window, he couldn’t help but wonder—who was the voice he had heard beside Han Jaehee earlier?
That question was answered the moment he arrived at the restaurant’s private dining room.
Standing at the entrance, Jeongseo blinked in surprise as he looked between Han Jaehee and the elderly woman sitting beside her.
The face was unfamiliar yet strangely familiar.
“Jeongseo, come in. This is Yoontae’s grandmother—my mother.”
“Oh! Hello! I’m Yoontae’s… boyfriend, Seo Jeongseo!”
His curiosity was quickly replaced by a bright smile as he greeted Jeongseo’s grandmother.
However, at the word “boyfriend,” the elderly woman’s brows furrowed slightly.
“Don’t make a fuss. Sit down.”
Her voice and gesture were full of barely concealed discomfort.
Noticing a faint crease at the corner of her eye, Jeongseo wondered if she was feeling unwell and hesitated before taking his seat across from her.
“Mom, why did you call him here if—”
As soon as Jung Sunja let out a sharp “Tsk,” Han Jaehee shut his mouth, though his eyes were filled with discontent.
Jeongseo sensed the atmosphere wasn’t great and chose to stay silent, while Jung Sunja stared at him intently.
Her tightly pressed lips and unwavering gaze made it clear—she intended to keep looking at him, regardless of how uncomfortable he felt.
A long silence followed, and just as Jeongseo, growing restless in the stifling tension, was about to speak—
“So, Yoontae… You’re saying you’re dating my grandson?”
“Yes! We’re dating!”
So, she already knew.
For some reason, knowing that Yoontae’s grandmother was aware made Jeongseo unexpectedly happy, causing his voice to rise slightly.
At that, Jung Sunja frowned and leaned back as she spoke.
“You’re loud enough for the next room to hear. And… You’re the same age?”
“Yes, yes! Yoontae and I were in the same class in high school!”
“And he’s attending Jeonghan University’s Department of Physical Education now, correct?”
“Yes! He’s currently studying at Jeonghan University.”
Despite the interrogation-like tone, Jeongseo answered brightly.
But Jung Sunja wasn’t done questioning him.
“You’re an Alpha Omega hybrid, right?”
Even as she asked a rather sensitive question, she did so without a hint of hesitation.
Caught off guard, Jeongseo blinked rapidly, and Jung Sunja lowered her voice as if scolding him.
“When an elder asks a question, you should answer immediately. Don’t they teach students basic manners these days?”
Her suddenly condescending tone sent a bad feeling creeping up Jeongseo’s spine.
Wait… Did Yoontae’s grandmother not approve of him?
As he stood there, momentarily speechless, Han Jaehee, who had been quietly observing, grabbed Jung Sunja’s arm.
“Mom, seriously, what’s wrong with you…?”
“What? I’m just saying, in all my years, I’ve never heard of a black panther dating a weasel!”
She was so shocked she nearly laughed.
Jung Sunja clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes, her voice loud enough to carry to the next room.
Jeongseo, stunned by her reaction, widened his eyes and pointed at himself.
“Grandmother, do you not like me?”
Why? This was something he hadn’t expected at all.
* * *
