Different Dreams in the Same Bed (19)
Pork belly sizzled and burned on the grill. A franchise meat restaurant in a fairly bustling downtown area. People’s gazes kept glancing at the two men sitting by the window.
Two alphas with heights close to 190cm and large builds sat side by side. There was hardly any conversation, just slowly tilting soju glasses. Both were clean-cut in appearance. The man with short-cropped hair had impressive long eyes and a prominent nose bridge. A refreshing face reminiscent of a Japanese film actor.
The alpha across from him had a completely different atmosphere. He had neat, masculine features with a gentle expression. However, his thick dumpling ears and heavy torso made it clear he wasn’t someone anyone could easily approach.
It was Yoon Jaehyuk and Kim Sejin.
“Eat.”
“Yes.”
Sejin, who had been grilling meat while holding tongs and scissors at sharp angles, hastily put meat in his mouth at Jaehyuk’s single word. Jaehyuk had called him out of nowhere and offered to buy him meat and drinks. They clinked glasses wordlessly again.
An awkward silence. It was just when the suffocating Sejin was about to open his mouth.
“Excuse me…”
A pretty male omega approached them. He twisted his body pretending to be shy, then carefully spoke to Jaehyuk and Sejin, who were staring at him blankly.
“It looks like there’s just the two of you. Would you like to share a table?”
While Sejin was momentarily flustered, Jaehyuk looked at the other person and smiled brightly. It was a fresh and charming smile attractive enough to make the other person lose their mind for a moment.
“What kind of pick-up attempt is this at a pork belly restaurant?”
“Pardon?”
When the other person asked back with a blank face at the crude words that contradicted his expression, Jaehyuk shot back coldly.
“Are your eyes just decorations? We’re both married men. Get lost.”
“Ah, yes…”
As the man retreated hesitantly, Sejin swallowed his saliva inwardly.
‘Scary.’
Unlike someone who had beaten down Han Siheon without hesitation just before, Sejin had returned to his usual gentle face.
“Um…”
It was when the hesitating Sejin was just opening his mouth.
“You took pictures, right?”
At Jaehyuk’s sharp remark, Sejin’s face hardened.
“Yes, I took both photos and videos.”
Jaehyuk, holding the bottle, spoke quietly while filling the glass.
“Send them to me. I’ll take care of it.”
“Take care of what…”
“What if that idol bastard tries to harm Lee Dogyeom again?”
At that moment, Sejin’s eyes sharpened and he immediately pulled out his phone. His large hands moved quickly.
“Sent.”
Jaehyuk barely nodded and tilted his glass.
“Today… thank you so much.”
“I didn’t do it to receive thanks.”
Jaehyuk seemed indifferent, but Sejin bowed his head several times.
“Both Dogyeom and I still don’t know much about the world…”
“……”
“If it wasn’t for you today, hyung-nim, something really terrible would have happened.”
Sejin’s teeth clenched. He was still too lacking to protect Dogyeom.
“Ahem.”
Jaehyuk cleared his throat a few times, then uncharacteristically glanced at Sejin.
“What did you two talk about earlier? Did you make up?”
“…Well.”
Far from making up, he’d forcefully pushed him not to say such things to anyone but himself. When Sejin hesitated, Jaehyuk put down his chopsticks with a clack as if frustrated.
“Actually, I…”
Sejin finally opened his mouth. He wasn’t that close with Jaehyuk, but there was no one else to confide in. He himself was on the verge of dying from frustration right now.
“Last time… I ki… ki… kissed Dogyeom.”
Sejin’s voice became tiny and his face turned red up to his ears.
“…And?”
“…He said it was dirty.”
“Was that why you went dark?”
“Yes, honestly I was giving up on everything…”
“……”
“But when I asked today, Dogyeom said that was his first kiss…”
Jaehyuk’s brow wrinkled sharply.
“Why is Lee Dogyeom, that bastard, so late-blooming when he looks like he could bewitch even a fox?”
Sejin silently downed his glass. Even he had misunderstood. He’d thought Dogyeom naturally had a lot of experience. That he’d dealt with countless alphas.
Even though he knew Dogyeom was a terrible liar… He, who should have believed in and relied on him the most, had betrayed Dogyeom. He had nothing to say even with ten mouths.
“What should I do now?”
Jaehyuk had a briefly troubled face. In fact, he too had only dealt with those who followed him around happily for a long time; Jeongbae was the first person he’d been anxious and desperate to win over.
“Well… my nose is three feet long too.”
Was it because of the alcohol? His weak inner feelings came out without him knowing. Sejin looked at him with a startled face.
“You, hyung-nim? You’re living with Jeongbae hyung, and above all, you two are dating.”
“Dating what? Kang Jeongbae runs away and I chase him. The moment I let go, this relationship is over.”
“……”
Sejin’s face grew cold. He was exactly the same. A relationship that ends the moment only he lets go.
“So what can I do? Just cling to him desperately. Like me.”
Jaehyuk smiled bitterly. The fact that even such a successful and confident alpha became anxious and shabby in front of the person he liked was a strange comfort to Sejin.
That it wasn’t just him.
That the one clinging to and holding onto the person running away is always more anxious.
Sejin emptied his glass wordlessly. Even as the alcohol went down his throat, the lump in his chest wouldn’t easily dissolve. Still, he knew one thing for certain. That his feelings for Dogyeom would never disappear easily.
A relationship that doesn’t end unless he lets go.
A relationship that will be completely severed the moment he lets go.
Sejin slowly exhaled as he put down his glass. He decided not to run away this time.
***
“Jaehyuk, you’re home now?”
Jeongbae, who had been studying with a table spread out, hurriedly came running with his inconvenient arm to greet him. The kind smile and innocent face he’d fallen head over heels for. Whether it was because he’d filled in the gap between his teeth, or because of the alcohol, he looked even prettier today. Like a fluffy white puppy that smelled of soap. Who might take him away—Jaehyuk felt newly anxious.
“Were you studying?”
A warm voice came out that was hard to believe came from his own mouth.
“Mm-hm.”
A grinning face. He raised his hand to stroke him, and felt Jeongbae flinch for a moment. Jaehyuk didn’t miss the gap where his smile became slightly awkward. Jeongbae, who had been working his mouth as if wanting to say something, briefly lowered his head, then swallowed it down and looked at him with a bright smile again. Jaehyuk felt a surge of emotion. It was always like this.
“Don’t you have anything you want to ask me?”
He tried his best not to make his voice threatening. He slowly withdrew his stroking hand and deliberately looked him straight in the eye. Jeongbae took a slight breath, then moved his cheek once.
“Hm? No.”
A bright voice acting serious as if he knew nothing. But the way his fingers and toes wriggled was clearly the sign of holding back what he wanted to say. Jaehyuk’s anger flared. He was momentarily hurt and angry about whether he hadn’t given that much confidence. Perhaps because of the conversation with Sejin just before, today Jeongbae’s passive attitude irritated him to madness. His voice came out cold without him knowing.
“Aren’t you going to ask who I was with and what I did?”
Flinch. Jeongbae’s eyes opened wide as if hit on the mark. But soon his head drooped deeply.
“Mm-hm, you’d have people to meet too.”
Jaehyuk drew in a breath. He knew that Jeongbae himself had said it without knowing how much that drew a line. His cruel nature raised its head. He wanted to lift him up in one motion, kiss him to mark him as his, and demand loudly why he wasn’t curious about him, whether he didn’t know his heart.
But it had just been the other day that he’d decided to wait for Kang Jeongbae, who found it difficult even to say the three words ‘I like you’. Jaehyuk quietly bit his tongue.
“Right.”
When he answered as briefly as possible, Jeongbae raised his head. His eyes wavered briefly, perhaps because it wasn’t the reaction he’d expected.
“I’m tired. I’m going to sleep first.”
The corners of Jeongbae’s mouth trembled slightly. He saw the hurt face, but deliberately pretended not to notice and turned around.
‘You hurt me first.’
A petty revenge on Jeongbae for not knowing his heart. Jaehyuk forcibly suppressed the desire to comfort the dejected Jeongbae. Only after closing the door did a sigh come out.
“Idiot, what the hell are you doing yourself?”
Painful words to himself. He secretly hoped Jeongbae would open the door and come in, would ask him something, but such a thing didn’t happen. Jaehyuk’s expression cooled icily. Things not going according to his will was what he found hardest to endure.
***
‘As expected… he must be sick of me.’
Did he show his curiosity too obviously? He’d tried hard not to ask, but his expression hardened at the alcohol scent wafting over the moment his hand came close. The fact that Jaehyuk had drunk with someone ridiculously made his chest ache. Useless jealousy and anxiety slowly raised their heads.
Jeongbae fiddled with his face for no reason. It seemed he’d failed at managing his expression. How ridiculous must he have been? Pretending not to be obsessed while his inner feelings were plainly visible…
Honestly, even without Jaehyuk asking, he’d had the fleeting expectation that he would tell him.
‘I must really be an idiot. He has no obligation to tell me… getting upset and hurt all by myself.’
The face that had instantly cooled upon seeing his expression. Surely it was clear that he’d shown too pathetically that he was clinging on.
‘When I’m not even qualified. My feelings just getting ahead of themselves for nothing.’
His vision grew hazy. His hands and lips trembled.
‘To cry over something this trivial.’
He covered his mouth to avoid making noise. If Jaehyuk heard him crying too, he might really be disgusted. Jeongbae found himself utterly pathetic. He wasn’t cool or impressive like people these days.
‘What should I do? I like Jaehyuk too much.’
How could he hold onto the feelings leaking out? What should he do to make him stay by his side even a little longer? Jeongbae, swallowing his sobs, clutched his chest.
