An Unlucky Day (1)
“Heu… heuk… heut…”
Jaehyuk in front of him looked hazy. His whole body was hot. Unable to endure the ticklish feeling below, he instinctively rubbed his body frantically against anything. His hands were unconsciously running wildly over his lower half. Sexual arousal surged through him like crazy.
“You crazy viper bastard! Get away from our hyung right now!”
He could hear Dogyeom’s desperate screaming echoing.
“Why… why is this happening? Hyung is acting strange.”
“Hyung, hyung. Can’t you see me?”
The sounds mixed together chaotically, and he couldn’t tell if it was a dream or reality. Jeongbae just thrust his hips into the air.
“Some crazy bastard fed him something weird. It seems like a hormone stimulant.”
Jaehyuk’s low, calm voice was heard.
“Stimulant?”
“I don’t know exactly what it is either. Anyway, he’s gone into heat.”
“Hyung doesn’t go into heat! That doesn’t make any sense…”
“If this isn’t heat, then what is it?”
“……”
“Go get all the condoms we have.”
“What the hell are you saying, you crazy bastard?!”
“Then do you want to do it? Or should I call Kim Sejin?”
“……”
“You’re an omega too, so you should know. What happens when someone goes into heat for the first time in years like this.”
“Fucking hell…”
There was a sound of Dogyeom bringing something and throwing it down with a thud. Jeongbae just whimpered and sobbed. The itchiness and heat weren’t relieved and continued to torment him endlessly.
“Stay outside the house if you can. Unless you want to go into heat too because of my pheromones.”
Bang!
Right after the bedroom door closed loudly, the front door also closed.
“Shh… it’s okay. Jeongbae.”
Jaehyuk’s hand gently stroked his head.
“Tsk. You should have been careful. Going around eating something like this.”
“Heu… heuk… phero…mones. S-stop.”
“You’re being punished for doing bad things. I beat that bastard half to death.”
“Heu… heu… I won’t. I won’t… do bad things.”
“Can’t help it now that it’s come to this.”
“Heu… heu… heuk…”
“…I’ll pound you until you’re loose down there.”
A low, suggestive voice whispered in his ear.
Normally, he should have been horrified and run away. But Jeongbae just trembled with anticipation.
He’d had bad luck since morning—was it going to end like this? Jaehyuk licked the corners of Jeongbae’s eyes as tears streamed down. His body was thrown onto the bed, and his clothes were stripped off as if they’d be torn.
***
It started with the practice exam he took in the morning. He’d even skipped his part-time job at the rice soup restaurant to take the test, but his score was dismal. He was betrayed by the subject he’d believed in, and was even pressed for time, making marking mistakes.
‘Am I really an idiot after all?’
His mental state was completely shattered. It was the lowest score he’d gotten on any exam in recent years. Jeongbae was at a loss for words at the shocking result.
He crumpled the test paper into his bag and left the lecture hall. The corridor was bustling with other test-takers. Some cheered while comparing answers, others sighed. Jeongbae slipped through them and pulled out the phone from his pocket.
There were messages from Jaehyuk.
[Did you do well on the exam?]
[What should we have for dinner]
Jeongbae turned off the screen and shoved the phone back into his pocket. His chest felt stuffy.
‘They say if things go well, it’s my doing; if they don’t, it’s someone else’s fault.’
A bitter smile appeared. It wasn’t Jaehyuk’s fault. It was because he was lacking, made mistakes, and was incompetent. But he couldn’t stop the resentment rising from deep in his heart. If only Yoon Jaehyuk hadn’t shaken his heart like this, if only he hadn’t barged into his home.
It was all an absurd hypothetical, but Jeongbae’s heart was that desperate.
After finishing the exam, it was almost 6 o’clock. Jeongbae stopped by the rice soup restaurant briefly, thinking he’d help with cleanup. But…
“Oh my, someone came looking for you. Even though I said you weren’t coming, they’ve been waiting for two hours already.”
The boss pointed to a table in the back with a troubled expression. Jeongbae thought “oh no,” but it was already too late.
A neat shirt. An expensive jacket and glasses. And as always, an unwavering gentle expression. Someone who didn’t fit the atmosphere of the rice soup restaurant, somehow out of place.
“Jeongbae.”
The moment he heard that soft voice, Jeongbae felt strangely breathless. It was Jung Woohyun.
“Teacher… let’s go outside and talk first.”
Jeongbae forced a smile and gestured toward the exit. As they stood in the narrow space in front of the store, Woohyun approached boldly.
“Jeongbae, have you been well?”
Jeongbae unconsciously looked around to see if Jaehyuk was coming. The other day he’d run into Baek Sangmin, and if he found out Jung Woohyun came today, he’d definitely throw a fit.
“Yes, you haven’t had any problems either, Teacher?”
Woohyun brushed aside Jeongbae’s hair and stroked his ear. Goosebumps rose and he shrank back.
“Why did you block my number? Unblock me. That’s why I came.”
“What?”
When Jeongbae asked back, Woohyun’s long, white fingers wrapped around his wrist. Not cold, not hot temperature. But a strong force that wouldn’t give him a chance to let go. Woohyun’s fingers very slowly caressed the inside of his wrist. Jeongbae slowly stiffened. He never imagined Woohyun would come all the way to his workplace. All he’d said was that he worked at the pork rice soup restaurant in front of school, just in passing.
“So you found someone to satisfy your body?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Then how about today? Don’t you need tutoring anymore?”
“T-Teacher. Please let go. You’re scaring me.”
That’s when it happened.
He heard someone approaching.
It was Yoon Jaehyuk. His usual blunt expressionless face became even colder the moment he spotted Jeongbae and Woohyun. The situation Jeongbae least wanted was unfolding before his eyes.
“What the fuck, this bastard.”
Jeongbae was horrified as Jaehyuk suddenly approached.
“Ah, hey. Wait. Not now—”
“Making a scene grabbing wrists even outside the hospital.”
Jaehyuk yanked Woohyun’s hand away and hid Jeongbae behind him. As Woohyun slowly approached, a precarious tension hung between the two men.
“I have business with Jeongbae.”
Jaehyuk snorted.
“This isn’t a place for you to come.”
Jeongbae hastily intervened.
“Both of you stop it. This is where I work.”
Woohyun looked at Jeongbae one last time and said.
“I’ll just leave for today. Unblock me and contact me.”
Jeongbae’s heart churned deeply for a moment. Woohyun turned and left just like that, and Jeongbae was at a loss for words for a while. Seeing this, Jaehyuk asked in a low voice.
“…What did that bastard say to you?”
Jeongbae deliberately didn’t say anything. It was right to let Jaehyuk misunderstand. His whole body was soaked with fatigue and he was irritated. As he just stood there with a hardened expression, Jaehyuk grabbed and pulled Jeongbae’s hand.
“Let’s go. First, together…”
“Together my ass…”
Jeongbae’s voice trembled.
“Why do you keep interfering in my life? Because of you, I can’t study, I can’t work! Why are you shaking me up like this?”
Jeongbae took a deep breath. Trembling that he didn’t know was crying or anger. And relief and guilt wrapped around Jeongbae simultaneously. It wasn’t Jaehyuk’s fault. But…
“Right now, I’m… really at the edge of a cliff. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but please just leave me alone. I’m begging you.”
“……”
“With you, not today, not tomorrow, not after that. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
He turned from the rice soup restaurant and ran. Fortunately, there was no sign of Jaehyuk following.
‘Embarrassing. I hate it. It’s annoying. I’m angry.’
He’d always tried to smile. It wasn’t that difficult. But when various things hit him all at once, it was hard to handle. And… Jaehyuk became the target of that anger. He knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t stop.
The ruined practice exam.
The rice soup restaurant where he caused trouble.
Yoon Jaehyuk, who clung to him saying he liked him.
And Jung Woohyun.
Eight years ago. Suddenly the time when he first met Woohyun came to mind. Jeongbae shook his head violently and started running hard. That, at least, that memory—he didn’t want to recall it.
Why did everything get so twisted? He wanted to leave somewhere, to disappear. But reality didn’t allow even that.
***
The pub was especially packed today. He frantically dealt cards and collected chips. He was working with just the corners of his mouth barely raised when a familiar presence plopped down in the center of the table. It was Baek Sangmin. He hadn’t been seen for a while after briefly clashing with Jaehyuk…
“Yo, Dealer. Your expression is full of worries. Why? That alpha bastard not fucking you?”
Now Sangmin had started openly sexually harassing him. It was obvious he came to pick on him today. It was a shallow intention to recover the pride that had been hurt last time. Loan sharks were all the same. Disgusting bastards who always pounced to get back what was owed.
Jeongbae quietly held out the cards.
“Oh? Now you’re even ignoring me when I talk? So willful.”
Sangmin’s vile gaze narrowed. The atmosphere at the table became icy in an instant. Jeongbae sighed only inwardly. Nothing good would come from having a power struggle with someone like this. He opened his mouth in as dry and polite a voice as possible.
“I’m sorry about last time. He’s still young and doesn’t know better. I’ll apologize.”
At that moment, Sangmin’s eyes gleamed strangely. Unpleasant interest, vulgar superiority, and a look that saw him as easy prey. His previous appearance of pretending to be a good person was nowhere to be found.
Jeongbae had a gut feeling.
‘Today really is unlucky.’
However, after that look, Sangmin said nothing more and just quietly enjoyed the game while sipping his alcohol. Only his gaze that felt like it was licking his face kept following him.
Jeongbae aligned the chips with tense fingertips. Perhaps because his eyes were tired, his vision became gradually blurry. The inside of his eyelids stung sharply.
“Dealer, are you drinking milk today?”
Sangmin made a deliberately affectionate voice. Jeongbae bowed his head lightly.
“I’m working…”
“It’s milk. Not even alcohol.”
Sangmin smiled gently and got up from his seat. Soon, in the glass he brought, there was a white liquid. He’d refused last time, but…
Jeongbae hesitated. The manager was busy dealing with excited customers at another table. It was awkward to refuse anything alone.
‘If I just drink this…’
A lukewarm, smooth texture. He flinched the moment it touched his lips, but he didn’t feel any particularly different taste. Jeongbae quietly drank all the contents and wiped his lips with the back of his hand.
“Thank you. I drank it well.”
“You’re welcome.”
Sangmin slowly tapped the table with his fingers.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Even the rhythm was regular. Like someone telling him to wait. Jeongbae deliberately looked away. However, that ominous feeling didn’t easily subside.
Jeongbae realized the identity of the ominousness about an hour later. Hot heat started rising from the back of his neck.
…What is this?
The world followed one beat late. His vision blurred and spread, and his heart pounded.
“Jeongbae, are you okay?”
The manager’s voice was unusually far and close. Jeongbae couldn’t control his body and grabbed the edge of the table.
“I’m dizzy… just a moment…”
“This won’t do. I’ll take over here for now. Either go home or rest for a bit and come back.”
“Yes… I’m sorry.”
