Hae-yul bit down on his lower lip at the sensation of fingers gently threading through his hair in a way that was almost ticklish. Whether it was because the distance had grown too close or something else, not only the scent of shampoo but also the trace of Gyo-eon’s pheromones drifted to the tip of his nose, and it was troubling.
Deciding he couldn’t let this go on, Hae-yul reached out to grab the hair dryer in a gesture of resistance — and Gyo-eon dodged it with complete ease. It was deeply irritating. In the midst of that back-and-forth, his hair gradually dried.
With his hair nearly fully dry, was there any point in continuing this useless skirmish? Exhausted, Hae-yul had no choice but to half-give up. He hadn’t eaten a single thing, and he’d spent the morning on something far too unproductive.
There was one thing weighing on him, though. If he continued to be in frequent contact with Gyo-eon — an alpha — there was a chance another unexpected heat cycle could hit him like last time, and he found himself questioning whether it was alright to stay as things were.
Just as alphas were affected by an omega’s pheromones, omegas were equally affected by an alpha’s pheromones, so he always had to be careful. On top of that, his fairly consistent heat cycle had slipped out of alignment just once, and the trouble that had come from it led to one hardship after another that he could have done without — so there was a great deal on his mind.
If it hadn’t been for the heat cycle, he wouldn’t have gotten tangled up with Gyo-eon at all.
Even if it was only temporary, spending long stretches of time close to an alpha would have no small effect on him. It seemed like the right move to start putting effort into maintaining a safe distance from now on. When Hae-yul shifted his chair and began inching sideways, Gyo-eon closed the gap to match.
Hae-yul tried a few more times after that and soon gave up. No matter how far he moved, Gyo-eon kept following, so it was pointless.
Once his hair was completely dry, Gyo-eon turned off the hair dryer and ruffled Hae-yul’s hair lightly. At that, Hae-yul pulled his head sharply back and said:
“I can do it myself now. And honestly, what are two grown adults doing, drying each other’s hair? It’s embarrassing.”
Gyo-eon, who had been silently looking down at the grumbling Hae-yul, tilted his head.
“Wasn’t that exactly why you came out like that on purpose? Because you wanted someone to dry your hair in an embarrassingly fond way?”
“……What?”
“Twenty-two is still quite young, even for an adult. Perfectly natural to want to be a little indulged at that age. I understand.”
“No — what are you even talking about? I’m not a kid.”
Even to Hae-yul’s baffled protest, Gyo-eon did nothing but shrug.
“Since your hair is all dry now, we should eat.”
“There you go again, just saying whatever you want. Why are you always like this? Have you developed a taste for teasing me?”
Hae-yul stared at Gyo-eon with sharp, pointed eyes — utterly impossible to reason with — then got up from his seat and headed to the dining room. As annoying as it was, he needed to eat well: both to deal with what had just happened, and to have the energy for a constructive discussion aimed at heading off any difficult situations that might come his way in the future.
Mentally running through the topics he wanted to bring up with Gyo-eon after the meal, Hae-yul picked up his spoon.
First — living arrangements, and securing a safe distance.
There was absolutely no way he could live under the same roof as Gyo-eon. Absolutely not.
And I need to nail down exactly how many more times we still have to meet. The last thing I need is for him to change his story later.
If he was going to put distance between himself and Gyo-eon — who kept doing whatever he pleased — he needed to make things clear. For the sake of protecting his own heat cycle, and for the sake of a peaceful life. If he went on like this, getting used to being in Gyo-eon’s company, there was no telling what might happen.
Hae-yul’s expression was resolute as he ate, as if heading into battle.
As soon as he finished eating, Hae-yul was about to launch straight into the topics he’d been preparing — but Gyo-eon was faster. He led Hae-yul to the living room and, without a single sign of warning, suddenly produced a power of attorney. Caught off guard, Hae-yul skimmed the unfamiliar form with his eyes and signed it awkwardly.
……It’s not like I’ve ever filled out anything like this before.
The power of attorney was done — now he could finally talk. Hae-yul weighed the right moment, then opened his mouth.
“So, now——”
“Ju Hae-yul, shall we watch a movie?”
“What? A movie? Why suddenly a movie?”
Hae-yul blinked in surprise at the out-of-nowhere suggestion. Was this really a moment where movies should be coming up? It even crossed his mind that Gyo-eon might have anticipated what he was about to say and was deliberately trying to stop him before he could get it out.
“We couldn’t watch the one we’d planned to see yesterday.”
Well, that was true. But honestly, Hae-yul hadn’t particularly wanted to watch a movie yesterday either. He’d only agreed because of the one billion won Gyo-eon had pushed at him — it wasn’t something he’d wanted to do of his own accord.
Gyo-eon must know that, too…… When Hae-yul simply stared at him, Gyo-eon added an explanation.
“Going outside might still be difficult, so I thought we could watch one at home instead.”
Was he really that eager to watch a movie? Just how much had he wanted to see it, that he was suggesting they watch it at home? Or was this nothing more than an attempt to pick up his unfinished mischief where he’d left off?
Hae-yul regarded him with suspicious eyes before asking:
“It’s Tuesday — aren’t you going in to work?”
Gyo-eon looked mildly surprised at the question.
“I couldn’t very well go to work and leave Ju Hae-yul alone after what happened yesterday. I’m not a cold-hearted person.”
“You really don’t have to go that far——”
“If being cooped up at home feels suffocating, should we go to a cinema instead? If you’re up for it, I’ll get ready to go out.”
Hae-yul waved him off as he moved as if he was about to get up right then and there.
“What? No! There’s something I’d rather talk to you about than watch a movie.”
At that, Gyo-eon looked at him with mildly surprised eyes, then settled back into a composed posture without resistance. Relieved by his apparent willingness to listen, Hae-yul got to the point.
“Um…… Even though you said it was fine, honestly, it doesn’t feel right to keep imposing on you like this — and I’m uncomfortable too. I’m thinking of finding somewhere else to stay starting today, and looking around for a place worth moving into.”
“What is it about this house that makes you uncomfortable?”
“It’s far too big compared to where I used to live, and also…… the fact that you and I aren’t close enough to be sharing the same space is, well… actually, quite uncomfortable.”
Hae-yul said what he genuinely thought without hesitation. He’d expected Gyo-eon to make some irritating, teasing remark — but when Gyo-eon held his gaze with a fairly serious expression and gestured with a look for him to continue, Hae-yul scratched his cheek and went on.
“Of course, that’s not to say that even if we became closer, I’d get used to living together too. I think you understand what I mean to some extent, don’t you?”
“I’m not sure. I think I’d need to hear a little more from Ju Hae-yul before I could understand.”
“What part of it is it that you don’t understand?”
There was no way Gyo-eon failed to understand something this simple — he was deliberately being difficult, that much was clear. Gyo-eon, who had been lounging loosely against the sofa, suddenly leaned his upper body forward, and Hae-yul involuntarily shifted back.
“Ju Hae-yul, there are about two weeks left until the semester starts, isn’t that right?”
“……Yes, but?”
“Of course you’d know best, being a university student — but I wonder if it might be a little difficult to find a new room near campus with the semester so close.”
“……If there’s really no other option, I’ve been thinking about the dormitory too.”
“Would Ju Hae-yul be able to work part-time comfortably while living in a dormitory? Dormitories usually have a curfew, don’t they? And since Korea University has many students who want dormitory spots, the conditions tend to be fairly strict as well.”
Gyo-eon’s words left Hae-yul speechless. It wasn’t wrong. In fact, Gyo-eon had just pointed out things Hae-yul had overlooked. When Hae-yul’s eyes wavered with a hint of panic, Gyo-eon said kindly:
“Given your personality, I never expected you to feel at ease in this house. I’d like to persuade you further, but if you’re already thinking about another place to stay, there’s not much I can do.”
He’d expected Gyo-eon to oppose him with difficult questions — but unexpectedly, Gyo-eon was coming around to what Hae-yul was saying. Hae-yul was just beginning to feel a flicker of admiration at this uncharacteristically clean-cut attitude when:
“Let me go with you, then.”
“……What?”
“To find a place for Ju Hae-yul to stay. I think you’d benefit from having someone with you who can objectively assess the condition of the facilities and whether the neighbors seem decent.”
“What do you——”
“It might be difficult to find a suitable listing right away, but I’d like to help until one comes along.”
When Hae-yul only pursed his lips instead of answering, Gyo-eon smiled and added:
“There might be another person like Kim Myeong-gyu. At least let me help you with that much.”
“……”
“And besides, even staying at a motel or a jjimjilbang costs money. As uncomfortable as it might be, considering the state of your wallet, wouldn’t it be more economical to stay here while waiting for a decent listing to come up?”
He wasn’t wrong. The problem was simply that it was Gyo-eon saying it. Hae-yul shot him a sideways glance — today of all days, he was picking nothing but the right things to say — and fell into thought.
Was it his fate to spend a while living with Gyo-eon after all……
As Gyo-eon had said, Hae-yul was in a position where every single coin counted. If there were no vacant rooms in a goshiwon, he’d have to look for a studio apartment — and that would almost certainly mean a sharp jump in the deposit.
Not only that, but with the semester approaching, decent listings would be scarce, and finding one at a reasonable price would be difficult. Even if something turned up, it would almost certainly be overpriced for what it offered.
The thought that he was being more or less forced out of his first little home because of someone like Kim Myeong-gyu made his blood boil — but what could he do? Hae-yul swallowed one sigh after another and gave a reluctant nod.
“Then the matter of your living situation is neatly settled.”
Gyo-eon, who Hae-yul had expected to glow with poorly concealed delight, seemed to be making a belated effort to preserve some dignity — nodding with composed restraint instead.
