“Uh…… Um. I think my younger brother is going to give me a hard time. I was with my younger brother at the club yesterday, and it was difficult to explain moving around with you, so I kept ignoring the calls. If I go back like this, he’s the type who’ll interrogate me about what happened, so I was worrying about what to do.”
It was an excuse desperately made up, but once he said it, it seemed plausible. After one brief call yesterday evening, he’d kept his phone on silent. Chaehun had deliberately not checked the messages from Kang Yeonghwan either. Then today there had been no contact at all. Even though he’d changed his phone notification to vibrate after eating lunch, it hadn’t rung once until now.
But Chaehun knew that Kang Yeonghwan wasn’t the type to give up like this. Kang Yeonghwan was quite persistent once he latched onto something.
“Don’t forget the contract terms.”
Seunggeon mentioned the contract terms. One of the contract terms was not to reveal Seunggeon’s identity to others. That was something he couldn’t forget even if he wanted to. Since his luck was a bit bad this time, Chaehun leaned back against the backrest and grumbled.
“That’s why I’m worrying about it. I’m thinking of saying you’re the grandson of a building-owning rich grandfather.”
“Kang Chaehun.”
“Then I’ll say you’re a high school classmate. I can say you liked me so you suddenly asked to sleep together. Since it’s the truth.”
As he spoke provocatively while looking ahead, he felt Seunggeon’s gaze land on him. Chaehun turned his head toward him and grinned.
“Look ahead. We’ll get in an accident.”
“Are you trying to pick a fight?”
“You’d fight over just this? Your patience seems to have weakened.”
When he laughed it off lightly, Seunggeon also let out a hollow laugh. While they exchanged such childish conversation, the car arrived at Chaehun’s studio apartment building. After greeting Seunggeon and getting out of the car, Chaehun paused just as he was about to close the car door.
“Seunggeon-ah.”
“Hm?”
“When are you going to give me the credit card? The one you said you’d give before.”
Chaehun quietly watched Seunggeon’s eyes narrow. They could have ended things amicably, but he’d deliberately picked a fight.
Since his heart kept leaning toward Seunggeon, he thought to keep distance this way.
“It’s at the apartment.”
“I guess I forgot. You can give it to me next time we meet. I’ll also bring the clothes and dishes. Then, be careful going.”
Chaehun smiled brightly and closed the passenger door. Chaehun watched the rear of the departing car for a long time.
Even deliberately saying sharp words was exhausting.
“Hyung.”
Just as he was mulling over whether he’d done something unnecessary, he heard Kang Yeonghwan calling him from behind. Chaehun turned around with a bitter smile. Kang Yeonghwan was approaching while fuming.
“Do you know how awkward it was for me when hyung left without saying anything? You should at least say you’re leaving if you’re going. I had to apologize to Jingyu hyung-nim. But fortunately hyung-nim is a good person so he laughed it off. Otherwise I would have been cursed out.”
“Sorry. I’ll apologize to him directly.”
“Forget it. I already apologized, so if hyung steps up again, things will get complicated. But why didn’t you answer your phone? Just saying you’ll explain later is enough?”
Chaehun just quietly listened to Kang Yeonghwan’s complaints. Unlike Chaehun who became silent when angry, Kang Yeonghwan was the type to pour it all out until his anger subsided. Knowing that interrupting would make him rage even more, Chaehun let it go in one ear and out the other.
“But you know. I’m asking because I’m curious. That man, the man you came in the car with, what’s he about?”
Kang Yeonghwan pointed with his fingertip in the direction where Seunggeon’s car had disappeared. The car was already gone from sight, but if he’d seen Chaehun arrive together in the car, there was no way to make excuses.
“You know you smell like an alpha, right? How do you know each other?”
Chaehun found it strange why Kang Yeonghwan was suddenly interested in Seunggeon. However, seeing Kang Yeonghwan’s face full of enthusiasm and curiosity, he seemed to understand. It appeared that Seunggeon looked quite good in Kang Yeonghwan’s eyes. It made sense. Seunggeon was handsome, tall, an alpha, and had access to the club’s VIP area.
He understood it intellectually, but he somehow didn’t like Kang Yeonghwan being interested in Seunggeon. It was natural that Seunggeon would attract attention since he was so outstanding. But admitting that fact somehow stung.
“Huh? Who is he? Hyung? Can’t you hear me?”
“Let’s not do this here and go into a cafe or something. The weather’s chilly.”
Chaehun hadn’t moved even a few steps from where he got out of Seunggeon’s car. There were quite a few people coming and going in front of the studio apartment building. It wasn’t a place for a long conversation.
“I just came from there. Just tell me who he is.”
Kang Yeonghwan didn’t budge. Just when he thought it was good timing for him to appear, it seemed he’d been waiting at the cafe.
Chaehun had almost never won against Kang Yeonghwan with this persistent personality. Due to his gentle nature, he couldn’t sternly say he disliked it. Just explaining nicely and making him understand was Chaehun’s best option.
“He’s a classmate.”
“A classmate?”
“A high school classmate. I met him there by chance.”
“If you met by chance, why did only the two of you disappear?”
“Isn’t it enough that I’ve told you this much? Do you have to know my private life?”
For once, Chaehun didn’t explain at length and cut it off at an appropriate point. However, at the hint of private life, Kang Yeonghwan paused for a moment, but that was all. His personality wouldn’t be broken by just that.
“Then what does he do? Are you going to meet him?”
“He says he helps with family business, but I didn’t ask in detail.”
“What? Why?”
“Because we just met briefly.”
He absolutely couldn’t say that he’d made a contract with Seunggeon and was meeting him regularly. If so, the best option was to deflect appropriately.
However, instead of accepting Chaehun’s words, Kang Yeonghwan opened his eyes wide and poured out even more questions.
“You just met briefly, but he even drives you home? Your clothes changed too. They’re better than what you wore yesterday.”
Only then realizing that his clothes had changed, Chaehun inwardly clicked his tongue at Kang Yeonghwan’s sharp eye. He felt like he’d be in trouble if he got caught up with Kang Yeonghwan acting not like a younger brother but like an investigator.
“Yesterday I asked if you were seeing someone, right?”
“……?”
“I’m in a something with him. Yesterday we just happened to meet there. Satisfied?”
It was a very plausible lie. Anyway, he couldn’t perfectly hide Seunggeon from those around him. Since he had to meet him for another 9 months, whether by chance or whatever like yesterday, it was better to lay down a smokescreen in advance in case he caught Kang Yeonghwan’s eye. Seunggeon would scoff if he knew, but it couldn’t be helped.
“But that person is an alpha. Why would he meet a beta hyung?”
Chaehun held back the hollow laugh that almost escaped at Kang Yeonghwan’s very bold question. It seemed Kang Yeonghwan was properly targeting Seunggeon. Chaehun didn’t know exactly why the alpha Seunggeon was meeting him either. He just thought it must be because he said he liked him.
“Why are you meeting Seongho?”
Kang Yeonghwan’s boyfriend Kim Seongho was also a beta. As an omega meeting a beta, Kang Yeonghwan had no business asking about an alpha meeting him, a beta.
Kang Yeonghwan, who hadn’t expected a counter-question, scrunched up his face.
“My case is different.”
“He says he likes me.”
“……?”
“So that’s why we’re meeting. It’s hard to explain more than that. I’m going now. You go back too.”
“Hyung.”
Whether Kang Yeonghwan called him or not, Chaehun headed straight for the studio building. Repeating the same conversation was draining. Right now, he just wanted to rest somewhere quiet. But Kang Yeonghwan ran up in one breath and linked arms with Chaehun.
“Hyung. Don’t be like that. If things work out with hyung’s boyfriend, introduce me to at least his friends.”
Kang Yeonghwan’s tone, which had been sharp as if interrogating, had already changed to gentle. It seemed he’d changed course since Seunggeon didn’t seem possible.
Chaehun also caught onto Kang Yeonghwan’s intention. At times like this, he was like a leech rather than a younger brother.
No matter how much he was family, since he was another person, it was difficult to perfectly understand Kang Yeonghwan’s thoughts and behavior. He just tried to be accepting because he was family.
However, when Kang Yeonghwan blatantly showed his greed like this, he couldn’t help but sigh. Especially when he did it while obviously knowing Chaehun would dislike it, it was even disappointing.
Even if not Seunggeon, Chaehun was very cautious about introducing people. Even more so to family.
“I think I told you before, but I don’t do that.”
“Hyung.”
“Go well. Don’t think about following me. You’re still banned from entering.”
Kang Yeonghwan desperately called out “hyung,” but Chaehun just waved his hand telling him to go back. Then Kang Yeonghwan sharply scrunched up his pretty face.
“You can’t talk to second hyung. So stupid. Do you know how much I suffered yesterday trying to please Jingyu hyung-nim?”
“You said he laughed it off.”
“Fuck…… Just wait and see!”
Kang Yeonghwan, who yelled loudly, turned around and ran off.
Just as Chaehun wondered if he’d been too harsh, he soon shook his head. If he showed weakness here and Seunggeon got involved too, it would be even more troublesome. Sighing that this was the best option, his phone vibrated in his jacket pocket.
[Wednesday. 10 o’clock.]
It was Seunggeon. At the consistent message, Chaehun smiled bitterly.
[Got it. See you then.]
He intentionally sent a polite reply. He held back from asking if they could eat out next weekend too. He had to refrain from pick-up lines.
However.
[Saturday. 1 o’clock. Let’s have lunch.]
Chaehun burst into laughter at the fact that Seunggeon had made the proposal he’d given up on first. That guy probably didn’t have any thoughts about it, but at this level, he wanted to misunderstand.
“What misunderstanding.”
Clicking his tongue, Chaehun quickly pressed the keys.
[Okay.]
The short answer didn’t convey his excited and complicated feelings. Chaehun liked that.
