At the honest confession delivered with a bright smile, Hyowoo’s face flushed even redder.
Unable to properly make eye contact at the flirting he was receiving for the first time in his life, he tried to hide his flustered state and changed the subject.
“Um, aren’t you hungry? The food court should still be open.”
“I’m fine. I ate the in-flight meal that came out three hours ago. What about you, Hyowoo-ssi?”
“I’m fine too.”
In truth, all he’d eaten all day was half a piece of bread, but he had no appetite at all due to the side effects of the suppressants.
Instead of going to a restaurant, he headed to the convenience store inside the airport with him, who said he was thirsty.
He took out a bottle of water from the refrigerator, then smoothly snatched away even the black coffee in Hyowoo’s hand. Then, as if it were natural, he walked toward the register, and Hyowoo hurriedly chased after him.
“I’ll pay for this!”
He barely managed to stop Lee Seohee’s hand as he was about to present his card.
“It’s fine. What money does a student have? The older person who earns money should pay.”
“Students have money too. And it’s Lee Seohee-seonsu’s birthday, so I’ll pay.”
“My birthday’s already passed though?”
With the two bottles of drinks between them, a small quarrel broke out.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m definitely buying today.”
“It won’t even cost much, so just let me buy it.”
“Absolutely not.”
He couldn’t break Hyowoo’s stubbornness in the end. Just as Hyowoo was about to pay, relieved at the sight of him seemingly giving up and putting away his card, it happened. The baby-faced clerk who looked about twenty seemed to recognize Lee Seohee and reached for their cell phone. Seeing them carefully pick it up, they were undoubtedly trying to secretly take a photo.
‘If they want to take a picture, they should just ask. Why try to take it secretly?’
Before the clerk could even turn on the camera, Hyowoo first sent him outside the store. He saw resentful eyes, but pretended not to notice and finished paying.
Having safely purchased their drinks, next was finding a place to sit. After carefully surveying the surroundings, he chose a corner seat that would at least draw less attention.
When he sat down first on the long airport waiting chairs, he also took a seat next to Hyowoo.
‘What if we sit this close and our bodies touch…?’
Hyowoo tensely pressed his knees tightly together.
Whether he noticed that anxious state of mind, he sat down leaving about a hand’s width of space. Only then did Hyowoo relax and take a sip of coffee.
‘So airports are this quiet after midnight…’
Since there weren’t many departing flights, the departure area was utterly desolate.
Thinking the airport would be well-heated, Hyowoo had come out wearing only a thin cardigan over his shirt.
However, his body naturally shrank from the cold air seeping through his collar. As he rubbed his arms with his hands, Lee Seohee stood up from his seat, took off his jacket, and carefully draped it over Hyowoo’s shoulders.
“You seemed to be very sensitive to cold when I saw you before too, so why did you come dressed so lightly?”
Startled by the unexpected situation, he tried to return the jacket, but Lee Seohee was firm.
“Keep it on. You seem very cold.”
“If you give me your jacket, what about you, Lee Seohee-seonsu? You’ll be cold in just a short-sleeved t-shirt…”
“I’m not that sensitive to cold. I have a lot of body heat, so I’m fine.”
“What if you catch a cold?”
“You don’t need to worry about that. It’s a bit of a strange boast, but I’ve never caught a cold in my entire life.”
Indeed, Dominant Alphas had excellent immunity and didn’t easily get sick. For Hyowoo, who had been frequently ill since experiencing that terrible incident and having his body severely damaged, it was enviable.
Seeing the firm arm muscles revealed below the sleeves, even Hyowoo felt strangely heated. Rather than shivering and being a distraction beside him, it seemed better for both of them to accept his kindness.
Hyowoo eventually obediently thanked him and silently fastened the jacket collar.
‘What should I talk about now?’
Hyowoo hardly ever conversed with people he wasn’t close to. With zero affability and sociability, he just bit his lips tightly and fiddled with the coffee bottle. Lee Seohee, who had been carefully observing that awkward attitude, spoke first.
“Your complexion looks better than when we met last year.”
“What?”
“I can say this now, but that day your complexion was so pale I was worried.”
At the words that he looked okay today, he recalled the incident where he’d almost fallen into a panic attack because of the handshake. The embarrassment and guilt from that day, along with gratitude for the kind consideration, overlapped and made his chest feel tight.
“Thank you for coming to meet me. Aren’t you tired?”
“Ah… I’m fine. I’m naturally nocturnal, so this is my active time.”
“That’s fortunate. For me too, it’s afternoon in the UK right now, so I need to stay awake.”
Facing the brightly smiling handsome face, his face heated up again. He lowered his gaze to avoid eye contact and tucked back the hair that had fallen to the side.
Lee Seohee, who had been watching that shy reaction with a gentle expression, stretched his arms out and yawned.
“Being cooped up on the plane and then coming out, I finally feel alive.”
Though he should be tired from the long flight, he had a pleasant expression the whole time.
“I didn’t know Lee Seohee-seonsu was such a reckless person…”
“Mm, I’m a bit surprised at myself about that part too.”
At that answer, Hyowoo finally lifted his head.
“I don’t usually act without a plan like this.”
“Then why did someone like you…”
“I just wanted to come. Because I wanted to see you.”
He gazed intently at him saying he was happy to meet again like this.
‘Why did this person fly all the way to Korea to say things like this to me?’
No, he already knew the reason well, but still didn’t understand.
Biting his lower lip firmly while hesitating, Hyowoo finally brought out the question he’d been holding in his heart.
“Um, Lee Seohee-seonsu, what do you… think of me?”
“I like you.”
Just like when he’d asked why he wanted to be introduced at their first meeting, he didn’t hesitate at all in his answer.
“Why?”
“Well, why would that be?”
Is he teasing me even in this situation?
When Hyowoo frowned and showed his dissatisfaction, Lee Seohee smiled.
“To be honest, no matter what I say right now, I don’t think Hyowoo-ssi will believe me.”
In that moment, Hyowoo became greatly flustered.
‘Don’t tell me, he knew I was suspicious?’
His mind went blank at the fact that his inner thoughts had been exposed. Lee Seohee spoke while watching him fidget restlessly with guilt for having doubted the other person.
“But if you really want to know.”
After starting like that, he paused for a moment, then soon poured out his words without even breathing.
“First, I like you because you’re handsome. I like your kind and gentle impression too. I like your clear and soft voice. I like that your face is pretty, that glasses suit you well, that you’re calm, that you have a careful personality and are considerate, that you touch your hair when you’re shy, that when your eyes meet mine you lower your gaze slightly and tilt your head a little. I like everything.”
At first, he had no idea what he’d just heard. He just blinked while staring blankly at his face, but before long his face heated up as if it would explode.
“How’s that? Should I do more?”
“N-No. It’s fine. Please don’t.”
He desperately waved both hands at him who was grinning nonchalantly.
Hyowoo had absolutely no immunity to this kind of thing. If he heard even one more word here, he really felt like he’d burn white, turn to ash, and fly away.
“…Do you know how embarrassing it is to hear such things from Lee Seohee-seonsu?”
When Hyowoo pressed both hands firmly against his bright red cheeks and spoke in a voice mixed with embarrassment and resentment, he calmly nodded.
“Ah, I think I understand that.”
“What?”
“It might sound cocky, but I know I’m handsome too.”
At his attitude of admitting it without batting an eye, Hyowoo seemed at a loss for words and opened his mouth.
He made a playful expression and said while propping his chin with his hand.
“Honestly, saying ‘What’s handsome about me?’ here would be more of an absurd statement.”
Certainly, that face was an appearance that absolutely couldn’t be modest about.
‘It’s true he’s excessively handsome, but isn’t he embarrassed saying it with his own mouth like that?’
As if finding Hyowoo’s expression, still unable to erase his bewilderment, amusing, Lee Seohee laughed out loud pleasantly.
“Anyway, I like you, Hyowoo-ssi, for various reasons.”
“…Stop teasing me.”
“If that’s how it sounded, I’m sorry. I was speaking sincerely though.”
“It can only sound like you’re joking…”
When he spoke in a slightly sulky tone, he stopped laughing and answered affectionately.
“I’ve always liked people who are kind and smart. And Hyowoo-ssi is exactly that kind of person.”
