Looking back on it now, young Minjun had been the complete opposite of Gangha in every way. Gangha couldn’t stand being in the same space as Minjun, and he treated Minjun like a caveman for picking up dropped snacks, brushing them off, and eating them anyway.
“Gross. Why are you picking that up?”
“It’s fine. I brushed it all off.”
“Gross.”
“It’s not gross. Look. I brushed it all off — why did you throw it away…!”
Unlike now, young Minjun had been oblivious enough to talk back to Gangha word for word, and naturally, every brief argument always ended in Minjun’s defeat.
“You stink, so don’t come near me.”
“Why? I washed up. Here, smell me.”
“I’m going to be sick…. Get away from me!”
“Ow, why are you hitting me!”
At some point during all the one-sided beatings, Minjun came to realize there was nothing to gain from provoking Gangha. He wasn’t born with much tact, so he’d set Gangha off without even meaning to, but as experience accumulated little by little, those incidents grew fewer and further between. The peace they had now, then, could be said to have been hard-won after countless trials and tribulations.
Gangha had changed just as much.
The hedgehog who had once bristled with spines had grown considerably more composed with age. Where he used to bark “You’re dirty!” he had learned to say, calmly, “You’re dirty.”
Gangha had also learned how to get along with people. What had always been a solitary existence had since been filled with several people he could actually call friends.
On top of that, lately it seemed Gangha was beginning to discover not just friendship, but something closer to love. And through quite a pretty and kind friend at that.
“Gangha. Did you check your scores? I hope we get into the same university….”
Sowon, who had arrived ahead of schedule, couldn’t take her eyes off Gangha. The boy in the ivory knit layered over a shirt, smiling shyly — she was the kind of omega anyone would agree was beautiful.
“I think it’d be so nice if we went to the same school. I’m already looking forward to it.”
“Did you do well on the exam?”
“Yeah, I think so. I worked really hard so I could go to Hankuk University with you.”
“Good.”
“Right?”
Sowon, seated beside Gangha, was looking at him with eyes that were unmistakably those of someone in love. Gangha, however, had his gaze fixed on the TV rather than on Sowon. Minjun looked to see what he was watching so intently — on the wide screen, some documentary was playing.
Isn’t that the kind you put on when you can’t sleep so you can knock out?
If it were Minjun, he’d have been absolutely dazed by a dominant omega’s pheromones — but Gangha remained completely unbothered no matter how much Sowon tried to talk to him. He hadn’t even shifted from his loosely reclined position against the sofa back. Being able to focus on a dull documentary with someone as pretty as Sowon right in front of him — no matter how many times Minjun saw it, it never stopped being baffling.
Because Sowon had arrived a full thirty minutes early, the housekeeper had her hands full. Minjun headed to the kitchen to see if there was anything he could help with.
“Should I move this over here?”
“Oh my, yes, that’d be a big help.”
For someone who looked like he wouldn’t know the first thing about household work, Minjun was surprisingly capable when it came to domestic tasks. He moved through the chores without being told what to do, which made things considerably easier for Hyesuk. After Minjun set the table in advance and breezed through the dishes, Hyesuk smiled warmly.
“You know, watching you, you really are quite capable.”
“This much is just the basics.”
Minjun had been waiting on Gangha since middle school. The basic household tasks were handled by the staff, but any odd jobs after the housekeeper clocked out fell to Minjun. Warming milk for Gangha when he couldn’t sleep, keeping vigil at his side through the night when he seemed like he might fall ill — that sort of thing.
Thanks to all that, he’d received plenty of benefits in return, so he had no complaints about his role.
“Dinner’s ready. Come eat.”
“Okay, coming.”
As expected, only Sowon replied to Minjun’s call. Such a well-mannered kid — how did she end up falling for Gangha of all people…. It had to be the face, didn’t it?
Shaking his head inwardly, he took out the cake he’d bought in advance. To mark the end of the college entrance exams, he had prepared the dark chocolate cake Gangha liked — one he’d stood in line for two hours at a well-known bakery to get.
“Huh? What’s this cake for?”
Sowon, already seated at the table, asked with a puzzled look. Minjun placed the cake in the center of the table and smiled with satisfaction.
“Bought it to celebrate the end of the exams. You’ve both worked hard.”
“Hyung…. Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
Sowon thanked him with a genuinely touched expression. Since he’d gone through the trouble of waiting that long, Minjun allowed himself a small bit of quiet pride.
“It’s nothing. Enjoy the meal, both of you.”
He was about to step back and make his exit, when Gangha tilted his chin toward him.
“Sit down and eat with us, hyung.”
“…Oh, sure?”
The words came out awkwardly of their own accord. He didn’t want to wedge himself between what was essentially a couple-in-progress, but what could he do. Reluctantly, he read the room and pulled out a chair. He’d started moving toward the seat beside Sowon when he caught Gangha’s expression cooling — and smoothly redirected himself to sit beside Gangha instead.
He acts indifferent toward Sowon, and then pulls this. Honestly, so inconsistent. From the way Gangha was signaling like that, he clearly did have feelings for Sowon. First times were bound to be awkward for anyone, he supposed.
Minjun, who had been dumped within a month every single time he’d dated someone, puffed himself up as though he were some kind of relationship expert.
“Wow, this is so good.”
Sowon tasted each dish one by one, her eyes widening in delight. The japchae seemed to hit just right — she went back for a second helping.
“It’s good, right? I love japchae too.”
“Hyung and Gangha get to eat like this every day. I’m so jealous….”
“Come by often. You’ve got nothing to do now anyway.”
“Really? Gangha, can I come again tomorrow?”
Sowon blinked expectantly, waiting for Gangha’s answer. Her lashes were so long they seemed to flutter like wings with every blink.
“Sure. Do whatever you want.”
As ever, Gangha showed no particular sign of being pleased or displeased. With Minjun he tended to make his preferences clearly known, but with other people he maintained an attitude of general indifference — do whatever, it doesn’t concern me. He kept a lukewarm temperature with everyone, you might say. He was attentive enough and polite in his own way, but to call him warm would be a stretch.
When Sowon’s expression fell slightly, Minjun felt a pang of sympathy and added:
“Come again tomorrow.”
“Yeah….”
Helping out a hopeless romantic, Minjun thought charitably, covering for Gangha.
For whatever reason, throughout the entire meal, Sowon seemed like she had something she wanted to say to Gangha. Minjun considered excusing himself to give them some space, but one look from Gangha and he was planted right back in his seat.
This oblivious guy…. Even at a glance it was obvious Sowon had something important to say, yet Gangha kept holding Minjun in place.
Even after they finished the cake and moved to the living room, Gangha kept Minjun at his side. Uncomfortable as that made him, Minjun did his best to shrink his presence down to nothing, as though he weren’t even there.
Perhaps feeling like she’d leave without ever getting to say it at this rate, Sowon finally gathered herself and spoke up.
“Um, Gangha.”
“Yeah.”
“What are you doing on December 31st? If you don’t have plans, would you want to come listen to the bell with me?”
So that’s what she was so flustered about. Minjun kept his gaze on the TV screen and waited for Gangha’s answer. Gangha hates crowded places, so he’ll probably say no.
“Sorry. I’m planning to stay in that day.”
Figured as much, but to turn her down just like that — he really has no tact.
“Really? That’s a shame….”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Then what are you doing at home? Do you have other plans?”
“Just resting at home.”
Minjun shook his head inwardly as he listened to the two of them. This kid is merciless even to someone he likes.
The particular Baek Gangha had very few things he liked and an uncountable number of things he hated. Going to crowded places, having physical contact with people, leaving things out of place, scraping chairs across the floor, the smell of sweat, wearing the same clothes twice, turning the TV volume up, (Minjun) wearing pilling knitwear, (Minjun) walking around in just his underwear, (Minjun) letting his pheromones leak out…. What else was there. Anything that smelled bad or was noisy, he despised. Gangha was so obsessively clean that Minjun had been forced, by association, to live an involuntarily spotless life as well.
Minjun listened to their conversation and kept his eyes on the TV screen, which held little interest for him. The documentary from earlier still hadn’t ended.
“Then, listen, Gangha — I have something I want to say to you on December 31st, so… can I come over?”
It was a question that carried a certain weight to it. To specifically name a day as significant as December 31st and announce she had something to say — wasn’t that basically giving advance notice of a confession? Minjun was inwardly stunned.
“Sure. Do whatever you want.”
Once again, Gangha’s reply landed with all the energy of a deflated balloon. Fortunately, Sowon didn’t seem too disheartened — a faint blush spread across her cheeks instead.
From the way things were unfolding, it seemed Minjun would need to make himself tactfully scarce on December 31st. As much as he felt for Sowon, the two of them were, objectively speaking, a well-matched pair.
