As the DJ shouted loudly, cheers erupted. Chaehun was about to kick the half-unconscious Park Gwangho but stopped when the DJ asked for applause for the winner.
“Wow. Hyung. That’s amazing. So cool.”
The first to run to Chaehun was Kang Yeonghwan. While Chaehun was putting on his jacket and watch, all sorts of people came to talk to him. From compliments saying he was cool, to sticking their phone numbers as business cards in his pocket, to trying to drag him away saying they’d treat him. Chaehun declined all their offers.
After fending off the swarming people, he looked for Park Jingyu with Kang Yeonghwan. He was about to give a proper greeting and part ways when an unfamiliar man intervened.
“Sunny wants to see you. Let’s go to the second floor.”
A man who appeared to be the club’s guard gestured toward the second floor with his eyes. When he looked up, a woman with bright-colored hair was leaning against the second-floor railing, waving her hand. That woman was probably Sunny, the party’s host.
“Hyung. Let’s go there.”
“Only this person is invited.”
“What’s that? Why only hyung?”
Kang Yeonghwan, who had been egging Chaehun on from the side, got angry. Then another voice interrupted.
“Hey. You, you. Let me see you for a moment.”
It was Park Gwangho again. With his hand on his head, panting as he approached, Park Gwangho’s steps were unsteady. His companion followed behind, not knowing what to do.
Chaehun thought what was coming had come. They’d agreed to end it with this. But there was no way the petty, overly proud Park Gwangho would quietly let it go after being completely humiliated in front of people.
When a guy like this held a grudge and started tormenting you, there was no answer. Just like that bastard President Yoon. That’s why everyone either appeased bad-tempered silver spoons or avoided them like something dirty.
Chaehun hoped their bad relationship would end with him quitting the hospital. It was bravado he could afford with 160 million won in his bank account.
Park Gwangho shook off his companion’s hand telling him to go back now and ground his teeth.
“I won’t let you off. Fuck. I’ll make you regret this.”
“If you lost, just sit there quietly. You talk like a third-rate villain. Aren’t you embarrassed?”
It was Kang Yeonghwan who countered Park Gwangho’s provocation. At Kang Yeonghwan’s taunt, Park Gwangho shouted.
“You, you. Do you know who I am?!”
“Among guys who say that kind of thing, I’ve never seen a proper one. What? Want to go another round?”
“Hey. You bastard!”
Chaehun blocked Park Gwangho who was trying to rush at Kang Yeonghwan. The guard also pushed him away saying he couldn’t do that. Park Gwangho got even angrier.
“Won’t you move?!”
“Looks pathetic. Gwangho-ya. You’re really pathetic.”
Chaehun looked toward where he heard an unfamiliar woman’s voice. The woman who had been waving from the second floor earlier was standing right next to them.
When Park Gwangho turned to look at the woman, he frowned.
“Sunny? Why are you here too?”
“To watch you do pathetic things. If you lost, shouldn’t you quietly tuck your tail and back off? And what’s with ‘I won’t let you off’? Do you even have what it takes?”
“Hey.”
“That hot temper of yours. That’s why you’re out of your grandfather’s favor. Hey, oppa whose name I don’t know. If Gwangho acts crazy, contact me here. I’ll tell his grandfather. He’s scared of his own grandfather, you see.”
The woman was indeed Sunny. She smiled brightly while handing Chaehun her business card. As Chaehun inadvertently received the card, Park Gwangho shouted again.
“Hey. What are you doing giving him that!”
“To make you eat dirt. Hey, what’s your name? Let’s have a drink together? To celebrate making Gwangho eat dirt?”
Sunny laughed broadly and casually linked arms with Chaehun. The flustered Chaehun gently pushed her away, but she stuck even closer instead. In the end, while being dragged along awkwardly, Park Gwangho clicked his tongue and backed off, and Kang Yeonghwan and Park Jingyu could only watch the situation, unable to do this or that.
After confirming that Park Gwangho had moved away, Chaehun quietly spoke to Sunny.
“Can I really contact you?”
“Of course. I want to see Gwang-dol get crushed. But, oppa, are you an omega? Or an alpha? You don’t seem like an alpha—your scent is all mixed up with different things. And there’s no reaction.”
“I’m an ordinary beta.”
Chaehun didn’t bother explaining about his constitution. It was too bothersome to make her understand such a thing existed.
“You’re a strange oppa. Well, I like it better if you’re a beta. Let’s go have a drink. Everyone’s curious since you fought so impressively.”
Sunny’s initiative was extraordinary. Chaehun had no choice but to follow Sunny, who gripped his arm firmly, expressing her determination not to let go, up to the second floor. Neither Kang Yeonghwan nor Park Jingyu could follow.
As they exchanged names while climbing the stairs, the gazes of the people gathered there landed on Chaehun. Chaehun found Seunggeon at once among the group. He too was looking this way with a cold gaze.
“Look who I brought.”
“The fighter!”
“Totally cool!”
When Sunny shouted loudly, applause followed. Sunny, with a beaming smile, sat down with Chaehun tucked beside her like a captured prize. But unfortunately, it was close to Seunggeon. Fortunately, Seunggeon didn’t acknowledge him.
Chaehun was too busy receiving a barrage of various questions to think straight. How do you know Park Gwangho? How long have you been training? Are you a professional fighter? The light and fast-paced questions were mostly curiosity. However, a few gazes contained certain intentions.
He could let cold appraisals or disregard slide, but ridicule was another matter. He thought he should socialize appropriately and get up when Sunny held out a half-filled glass.
“Oppa. Drink.”
“Don’t take it.”
Just as he was about to grab the glass, Seunggeon’s voice, who had been quiet until now, cut in sharply. Both Chaehun and Sunny looked at him.
“Seunggeon oppa. What?”
“It would be better to drink this.”
“Oppa?”
Ignoring Sunny, Seunggeon held out his own glass. The surroundings quickly grew quiet. Chaehun noticed there was something going on from the curious gazes that were of a different quality than before. His mind worked quickly. Honestly, there was no need to agonize. He had faith that if it was the Seunggeon he knew, he wouldn’t act this way without a good reason.
Above all, Seunggeon’s gaze was very sharp. His eyes were commanding him to drink his glass.
Chaehun took not Sunny’s but Seunggeon’s glass and downed it. It was strong vodka. He heard strange exclamations of admiration while he drank all the vodka. Then he returned the empty glass to Seunggeon.
“Follow me.”
Seunggeon got up from his seat without saying anything in particular. Chaehun didn’t know what was going on, but he thought it would be best to follow, so he moved too. But Sunny linked arms with him again and blocked him.
“Seunggeon oppa. Are you stealing him now?”
“Yeah. I like him.”
“I spotted him first.”
“He chose me.”
Caught between the two, Chaehun couldn’t help thinking this situation was like a love triangle fight. Their conversation was like that, and so were the expressions of the people watching.
He roughly understood what kind of situation this was. Drinking the alcohol the other person offered seemed to have that kind of meaning. It was extremely awkward, but Sunny pulled on his arm.
“You just drank it, right? Huh?”
“That’s right, I chose.”
Chaehun didn’t hesitate. He didn’t know what choice it meant when drinking the alcohol, but he had enough sense to know he shouldn’t say he didn’t know. Then Sunny’s eyes widened.
“Whoa. That was your preference?”
This time, instead of answering, he smiled. Sunny said fine while pouting and let go of his hand. And Seunggeon signaled with his eyes to follow.
It was already an uncomfortable situation. Chaehun quickly moved to follow Seunggeon, afraid to miss the timing.
* * *
The club had a separate entrance for VIPs. As soon as they came out the back door guarded by guards, Chaehun’s phone rang like crazy. Kang Yeonghwan’s name appeared on the screen. He must have seen them slip out from the second floor. Chaehun answered the phone but didn’t drag it out. When Kang Yeonghwan asked where he was, he said he’d get back on his own and ended it. The phone rang again shortly after, but Chaehun changed the notification to silent and looked at Seunggeon.
He had a lot he wanted to ask.
“Is it okay for me to follow you like this?”
While waiting for the elevator, Chaehun asked carefully. They hadn’t acknowledged each other, but they had moved together in front of many people, so he wondered if it was okay.
He asked out of concern, but instead of an answer, a cold question came back.
