“It’s colder than I thought.”
Even though it was the tail end of winter, people wearing thick padding could still be seen here and there. Bowon, who had dressed lightly, briefly regretted his choice after experiencing the weather firsthand before getting in the car.
Bowon checked the time while unwrapping one of the chocolates he’d brought along and popping it into his mouth. It was a chili-flavored chocolate he’d received as a New Year’s gift, and he’d been eating them one by one whenever his mouth felt idle.
Just in case, he turned the heater up higher and waited for a moment, then opened the door when he saw a figure emerging from the building.
“Moon Seoheon!”
Seoheon turned his head at Bowon’s call. Dressed just as lightly as Bowon, Seoheon quickly approached at the sight of him getting out of the car and waving, then grabbed his hands.
His hands had already grown cold from being exposed to the chilly wind for just a moment. Only after rubbing them several times, as if to share his own warmth, could Seoheon finally get into the passenger seat.
“Nice car.”
“Right? My father pulled some strings for me.”
After the college entrance exam ended and Bowon was enjoying the most leisurely life he’d ever had, he focused on studying again. He’d opened up a study book to get his driver’s license, and Seoheon seemed dissatisfied with this—whenever Bowon concentrated on studying, he’d show a face that looked like he was contemplating snatching the study book and throwing it right out the window.
Recalling how he’d had to soothe him each time, Bowon turned his upper body as if to show off and propped his elbow on top of the headrest.
“You should be grateful that thanks to this, you can commute to and from school comfortably.”
How tiring would it be to go back and forth on the subway, wandering around outside in such cold weather?
Though it was used, it was a brand that ranked third in imported car sales, so it was as good as a new car. He’d said it was all thanks to his father, but because Seoheon had interfered every time, Bowon felt spiteful and wanted to show off for no reason, narrowing his eyes.
At his expression that seemed to demand praise right away, Seoheon held back the laughter that was about to burst out and showed it through action instead.
“Mmph… ngh.”
After swallowing up the low moaning sound with a sucking of lips before releasing them, Seoheon pulled Bowon’s waist and deeply mixed their tongues.
Feeling the trembling of his twitching shoulders completely, when he moved his tongue more wetly, Bowon pushed at his chest with his palm. As if to give him the breath that had been blocked, Seoheon tilted the angle of their tightly sealed mouths. Haa, the hot breath he exhaled quietly tickled his chin.
Only after a long, deep kiss continued could they finally start the car.
* * *
Honestly, Seoheon hadn’t wanted to come to school today. Even if it was called an entrance ceremony, all they’d do was listen to unnecessarily long speeches and then attend an afternoon party where they’d drink and socialize—he just didn’t want to be part of it.
The reason he came out anyway was because Bowon, who was very much looking forward to university life, wanted to attend the entrance ceremony.
The Education Department has a separate orientation in the afternoon, they said. While Seoheon was wondering if he should secretly join in on that, he glanced sideways at the feeling of someone sitting next to him.
When their eyes immediately met, he looked back to the front. He’d deliberately sat in an inconspicuous seat as soon as he entered the auditorium, but the seats on both sides were completely filled. Absurdly, the corners were completely empty while the seats were packed around himself and Bowon as the center.
“Um… hello.”
“…Yes.”
After giving a half-hearted response to the people sitting next to him who greeted him even though he’d been deliberately ignoring them, he gave his attention to Bowon.
Bowon had been sitting quietly from earlier, listening to the introduction of the professors they’d be seeing, enjoying the feeling of being a freshman in his own way. He showed concentration while underlining and even drawing stars in the booklet containing information about the school, scholarships, and event schedules.
Then he briefly glanced at the person who had greeted Seoheon before glaring at his boyfriend with a meaningful look. Feeling somehow wronged, when Seoheon leaned his head against his shoulder as if to assert his innocence, even the person who had been trying to keep talking seemed to notice it was an interruption and didn’t say anything more.
Seoheon let out a small sigh at the surroundings that had become quiet again, then couldn’t hide the corners of his mouth slightly rising, pleased that Bowon had been jealous.
Bowon knew this too, but didn’t say anything about it separately and tried to focus on looking straight ahead. Doing his best to put down his worry that he’d suffer in the future because of his undeniably handsome boyfriend.
In fact, Seoheon was thinking the same thing as much as Bowon was worried. He seemed to think all the people gathered around were because of him, but he’d occasionally noticed people glancing at Bowon here and there.
He hoped they wouldn’t be in the same department as Bowon, and as he was secretly trying to hold Bowon’s hand, he paused at the sound coming from above.
“Next, we will have the scholarship certificate award ceremony. The 21 top students from each department who will receive scholarship certificates, please come up to the podium in the order your names are called.”
Seoheon was definitely included among those top students. Bowon, who already knew this, whispered congratulations in his ear with warm eyes even before Seoheon could stand up.
Ah, he really should have just not come and taken him to the new house right away since he didn’t need that measly scholarship anyway. He’d wanted to surprise him, but even if it meant being unreasonable, he should have coaxed him into going on a date. Unlike the other scholarship recipients, Seoheon’s eyes remained bored throughout.
* * *
After the entrance ceremony ended, each department gathered to conduct orientation. Bowon, who had to separate from Seoheon for a while, moved locations and was listening to explanations about activity guidance.
It didn’t take very long, and as if this had been the main purpose, someone called the department representative came forward and announced that there would be an after-party, and those who would participate should write down their names. Bowon sat there for a moment without being able to organize anything.
He contemplated whether to participate or not because if he didn’t attend the after-party, he could picture himself going around alone from now on. At that moment, a man sitting on the right with one seat empty in between turned toward Bowon and casually asked.
“Are you attending the after-party by any chance?”
“Um… I’m thinking about it.”
“Then would you like to go together? I’m alone too.”
“Ah… just a moment.”
When Bowon picked up his phone and gestured that he’d make a contact, the understanding man moved away from his seat. At his words that he’d go down first, Bowon bowed his head and immediately called Seoheon.
But even after the signal went for a while, he didn’t answer. When he hung up and tried calling once more, he finally answered.
—Ah, sorry. You called.
“Did I interrupt? I finished orientation, how about you?”
—I finished too. …But…
His voice had somehow sunk low. Bowon, who had been silently waiting, wondering if there was some problem, could hear a booming and harsh sound through the phone. From what he heard, it was content telling him to hurry up and get ready and to move.
“What is it? Are you getting hazed?”
Bowon’s face stiffened with worry, thinking that maybe because it was the Physical Education Department, they were conducting a group initiation ceremony from the entrance ceremony, but then relaxed at the answer he heard.
The situation was that there was also an after-party in the Physical Education Department, and the seniors were trying to force Moon Seoheon, who had become a popular star for being a scholarship student, to participate. He’d been struggling with their persistence and couldn’t easily get away, when Bowon happened to call.
—Wait just a little. I’ll come to you.
“No, go to the after-party. We’re having an after-party too and I was wondering whether to participate.”
—What? Never mind. Just…
Bowon smiled softly at the voice that suddenly became inaudible for some reason, then went downstairs at the sound of the department representative saying they were closing. It seemed he couldn’t get away, but it worked out well.
They’d be classmates who’d have to see each other for several years, so Bowon thought it would be good to build friendships separately at this opportunity.
Meanwhile, Seoheon, who furrowed his eyebrows at the disconnected phone, had to make an effort to suppress his rising irritation because of the meddlesome guys including the department representative who had grabbed his arms on both sides.
He’d been trying to find an opening to escape, but still, as seniors they had tremendous strength and were stubborn too. Putting behind the thought that he’d probably suffer quite a bit in the future, when he came to his senses, he’d already arrived in front of a bar.
He coldly glared at the seniors who finally released his arms, then picked up his phone thinking to call Bowon again. An after-party, it’s just drinking, but he was worried to death about Bowon who said he’d go after driving the car.
As he was checking the messages that arrived while being dragged along, the destination mentioned for the after-party looked familiar. His eyes twitched at the same name as the bar where Seoheon was.
“More students came than I thought.”
“Will there be enough seats? Other departments probably made reservations too.”
Before the department representative could finish speaking, the door opened and noisy sounds could be heard. Thinking it couldn’t be, when he turned around, he saw Bowon among the people entering.
Seoheon barely suppressed the impulse to jump up and stared intently at Bowon, who was settling into a seat with a more comfortable state of mind than before. It seemed he hadn’t noticed, so he wondered whether to keep him unaware and then surprise him, or whether he wanted him to recognize him quickly.
At that moment, someone approached his direction holding a soju bottle.
“You’re Moon Seoheon, right? Wow, I felt it when I first saw you too, but you’re really fucking handsome.”
“……”
Even though they weren’t at the same table, the intention behind unnecessarily talking to him was obvious. Seoheon, who gave him a brief glance, wore a self-deprecating smile at the conclusion that this was boring after all.
Then, as if he’d been hesitating all this time, Seoheon slowly stood up from his seat and turned toward the department representative to speak.
“You can eat and drink all you want here, so use this to pay. Not just our department—I’m treating everyone. Return the card when you see me later, but I’m going to get up now.”
“Huh?”
The department representative, who received the card Seoheon pulled out of his pocket in bewilderment, widened his eyes, not knowing what to do. Seoheon, who had no time to care about that, immediately moved toward Bowon as if running.
Seoheon, who recognized that he was far from an ordinary life, no longer wanted to live like the past.
To the point where it didn’t really matter if he was criticized for revealing his poor personality or for wielding his power to manipulate people, as long as it was to be with the person he loved.
