* * *
Before he could defend himself, Iseo finally looked up.
“Oh! Mr. John’s in Uncle’s car?”
“No, Iseo. See you tomorrow, okay?”
The shameless bastard. Smiling and responding sweetly to a kid like nothing happened.
He deserved an acting award for this.
As Juwan got out of the car, he tripped on the curb, nearly falling.
He stumbled again on his way to the van, barely avoiding a full face-plant.
The sight was so absurd that Sejun couldn’t help but laugh, clutching his stomach as Juwan, now sitting in the driver’s seat, turned on the van’s hazard lights.
“Pfft—hahahaha!”
That jerk…
But what’s even more infuriating is how he looks cute lying there like that.
Even though I’m still mad about him ignoring me.
Have my preferences changed to betas now, or do I just turn into a pushover once I start liking someone?
Is this a personality trait I didn’t even know about?
‘I wasn’t like this when I was younger.’
Back then, people chased after me while I remained cool and detached.
But now, most of those people have either married or are happily dating someone else.
Maybe I’m just feeling the pressure because I’m one of the few left standing.
It’s no big deal.
Getting rejected and then bumping into him again—none of it is worth dwelling on.
Guys who are good at dating just keep trying.
They get rejected, try again, and eventually succeed.
That’s the way it works.
Ever since the accident…
No, ever since I became a bit desperate, I might’ve clung to the idea that this relationship could work out, thinking it was some kind of once-in-a-lifetime connection.
So now, it’s time to let go of Kwon Juwan.
‘At least I haven’t resorted to murder yet.’
Even guys who’ve been around the block would probably lose their minds if their potential lover ditched them after a shower at a hotel.
Alphas have a reputation for being aggressive, but even among them, hurting a beta would be the lowest of the low.
Jin Sejun imagined punching Kwon Juwan and ending up in court.
Then he pictured his older brother looking disappointed, which made him lift his foot off the metaphorical gas pedal of his temper.
To be fair, back in the day, when all I did was subscribe to casual flings, I was the one ghosting people after acting like I’d meet them again.
Maybe this is karma.
✽ ✽ ✽
“Hello~! You weren’t planning a lunch gathering, were you?”
Even if they were, they’d have to cancel it.
The vice principal always seemed to manage his lunch breaks well.
But the academy was more crowded than Jin Sejun expected.
‘Oh, right. It’s still vacation season.’
Since he brought more than enough snacks, there was no need to worry.
Kwon Juwan accepted the bag Sejun handed over, wearing that ambiguous expression he always seemed to reserve just for him.
Even as he felt out of place, Sejun cheerfully spoke up.
“You teachers always work so hard. I wanted to treat you to some snacks. And for the students too.”
If spending a bit on snacks could ruin Kwon Juwan’s mood, this would be the most profitable investment Sejun had ever made.
The satisfaction he felt was almost like saving on future medical bills.
Sure, Sejun had no hobbies and wasn’t in a relationship, so he had plenty of free time.
He also made good money and had no idea where to spend it.
‘I’ll be such a thorn in your side. A stain you can’t wash away, like sand still stuck in a poorly cleaned clam!’
It’s sad to think that young Jin Sejun could never have imagined growing into this kind of adult.
✽ ✽ ✽
The next day, and the day after that, and the day after that, Jin Sejun kept showing up at the cheerleading academy.
By the end of the week, the director, who had been growing increasingly nervous, dragged him aside to an empty stairwell the moment they crossed paths.
“I appreciate the thought, but… we can’t give special treatment to just your niece. And as a rule, we don’t accept gifts—”
‘Niece? What nonsense is this?’
Sejun nearly burst out laughing but managed to look downcast instead, his broad shoulders drooping.
Despite being much taller than the director, he looked up with the sad eyes of a dog caught in the rain.
“Was it too much? I really just wanted to show my gratitude to Instructor John. He’s been such a help to me.”
Of course, such excuses wouldn’t work between two alphas.
The director’s face clearly showed that he was thinking, ‘This guy is just trying to mess with our well-behaved Juwan.’
“Even if it’s to repay him, this is more than enough—”
“You see, I only recently started coming out of my shell as a recluse (though that phase was short-lived). I started attending therapy (not the kind John offers or anything mental health-related), and thanks to him, I’ve been meeting people again (specifically, relentlessly chasing after Kwon Juwan). I think I got a bit too excited since I’ve never had much of a social life before.”
“I… see.”
“Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”
“No, it’s not that…”
“I caused my family a lot of worry during that time… My niece’s dad, my brother, sent me here on purpose to help me socialize.”
When Sejun finished his dejected explanation, lowering his already drooping gaze, the director’s face softened into an expression of pity.
‘A good-looking guy like this… how pitiful.’
Maybe because he’s an educator, but he seemed to have a soft spot for those who appeared a little slow.
As soon as Sejun noticed the resolve in the director’s expression waver, he delivered the final blow.
“You’re right. An alpha who relies on a beta is pretty pathetic. I’m ashamed I’ve been leaning on my niece as an excuse—”
“Your secondary gender doesn’t define you!”
The director, flustered and at a loss for words, grabbed Sejun’s collar.
“Betas and omegas can achieve anything, and alphas aren’t superheroes either!”
The fire of idealism burned brightly in the director’s eyes.
Of course, he had no idea the supposedly pitiful man before him was thinking something entirely different: ‘Omegas are cute and pretty, betas are irrelevant, and none of this applies to me.’
Regardless, the director’s willingness to support Sejun’s “social reintegration” played right into his hands.
His back stung from the director’s encouraging slap, but Sejun felt elated at how wide the path to “frustrating Kwon Juwan” had suddenly become.
Sure, he lied a little, but it’s not like Juwan was going to spill every detail of their history to the director.
✽ ✽ ✽
Soon enough, Sejun became known as “Instructor Jun” at the academy, always lurking around and chatting with the kids.
“Wow, Instructor Jun, are you going to go bankrupt buying all this coffee?”
“Do you even know what we all drink? It’s like you’ve memorized our orders!”
“Ha, if I treated everyone to meals, I might go broke. Coffee is manageable, though.”
As Sejun brushed off the compliments with his usual cheer, the director looked genuinely touched by his effort to reintegrate into society.
Sejun didn’t care if people thought he was a little weird.
As long as he stayed close to Juwan, nothing else mattered.
“John likes iced Americano with extra whipped cream. I figured he could use something sweet.”
“Ah… thanks.”
Of course, Juwan didn’t sound thankful at all.
Watching the interaction, one of the omega coaches nudged Sejun with a grin.
“Instructor Jun, you must really like Instructor John.”
Sejun just smiled, his gaze fixed on Juwan’s throat as it bobbed from swallowing.
Kwon Juwan is a staunch Americano drinker.
Even when he occasionally opted for a latte, he always swapped it with lactose-free, oat, or soy milk and never added syrup.
There’s no way he would have forgotten the countless cups of coffee they’d shared on dates.
But Kwon Juwan, who could never say no to Jin Sejun’s smiling face, always accepted whatever was offered.
Even when it was obviously meant to mess with him—drinks overloaded with condensed milk, rich hot chocolates (also laden with condensed milk), or sugary frappuccinos—he’d down them without a word, only to find himself stuck in the bathroom afterward.
Surely, he didn’t think of this as some form of self-punishment, did he?
A guy who meticulously watched his diet, rarely drank or smoked, and exercised religiously?
Watching him struggle, Jin Sejun smirked slightly.
Next time, he resolved to buy an Americano for Juwan—but with extra shots, just for fun.
* * *
