Alpha Trauma

If he could just get a little opportunity, he thought he would close his eyes and give it a try. Although the future appeared to be already drawn out, he still didn’t want to give up. Knowing how cowardly this was, he still hoped for just one more chance.“…No.”But the situation didn’t unfold as I had hoped. The firm voice that emerged completely blocked all hope.“I don’t want to talk.”With those words, Wooyeon slipped into a deep sleep. Dohyeon sighed heavily, clenching his right hand into a fist.Naturally, Wooyeon remembered nothing. Dohyeon spent the night with his eyes wide open, realizing several things while watching Wooyeon panic. For example, Wooyeon would never bring up the past first, and he himself wouldn’t be able to talk about the incident with Suhyang either.He didn’t know why Wooyeon was pretending not to know. There must be a reason for his silence, but if it’s not spoken, nothing can be understood.In the end, Dohyeon lost even the courage to tell Wooyeon everything until the very last moment.* * *The memories that had come to mind while washing finally led back to the day he and Wooyeon started dating.Wooyeon had a truly pained expression, and as tears streamed down his face, he said he wanted to sort out his feelings.“I’m going to stop liking you now, teacher.”Was it a mistake to call out “Yeon-ah” in anger when Wooyeon was trying to end everything with just one sexual encounter? It was his own decision to leave Wooyeon first, yet he felt betrayed in a twisted way.As soon as he sensed he would lose Wooyeon, Dohyeon found himself unable to think of anything else. He didn’t care about guilt or conscience; he just wanted to keep Wooyeon by his side. This very reasonable justification for his past ultimately crumbled like a sandcastle.Dohyeon lost Wooyeon again, and this time he couldn’t think of a way to hold on. He just thought vaguely that he should at least see his face. Well, it wasn’t that he had no plan at all.Checking the watch on his wrist, Dohyeon settled in front of the building where Wooyeon’s first class would be held. There were many people on campus early due to the upcoming final exams for the first semester. He waited for about two hours, and soon Wooyeon would arrive at school.“Phew.”He had never been this tense in his life; it felt like all his insides were twisted. Perhaps it was because he had stayed up all night or because of the memories he had just recalled, but he was not in good condition.“Sunbae, hello.”“Did you come early, oppa?”Ten minutes, twenty minutes, and then thirty minutes passed. Many people brushed past Dohyeon while he waited for Wooyeon. Normally, he would have engaged them in longer conversations, but they only greeted him briefly while keeping an eye on his expression. Others probably saw how troubled he looked.“Uh? Hyung!”It was Seonkyu, who had arrived at school earlier than Wooyeon, calling out to Dohyeon. As soon as Seonkyu saw him, he rushed over, eyes wide in concern.“Hyung, did you not sleep? Your dark circles are no joke.”“I didn’t sleep much… is it that bad?”Dohyeon awkwardly rubbed his eyes. He felt a bit tired, but he hadn’t realized it showed so visibly. Having upset Wooyeon, he felt he needed to present himself well, and hearing that his appearance was strange was quite concerning.“No, you still look good!”Seonkyu grinned playfully, giving Dohyeon a thumbs-up. He was definitely exaggerating since he could tell Dohyeon was feeling down. Dohyeon instinctively tried to smile, but he lacked the energy to do even that.“But, Hyung, do you…?”Seonkyu cautiously started to speak, glancing at Dohyeon. He must have sensed something, as he was carefully gauging the situation. After a few moments of hesitation, he quietly asked,“Did you fight with Wooyeon… or is there something going on?”It was a rather clumsy consideration. If it had been Garam, he would have bluntly asked if they had fought, but Seonkyu had chosen to rephrase. Normally, Dohyeon would have answered without embarrassment, but he didn’t have that luxury at the moment.“Just… that happened.”“…You didn’t break up, right?”As soon as those words left his mouth, a car approached the building. It was a model that wasn’t often seen, and the heavily tinted windows made it clear that whoever was inside didn’t seem like an ordinary student. Dohyeon fixed his gaze on the car and muttered,“I’m waiting because I don’t want it to end.”With a click, the car door opened. It was the driver’s side, not the back seat. A woman dressed sharply in a suit walked around the car without even glancing at Dohyeon. Her mechanical way of opening the back door was familiar to him.“…Driver Yoon.”Dohyeon strode over, leaving Seonkyu, who was standing there in a daze.As several students watched, a person wearing a white hat stepped out of the car. A pure white face and delicate features. It was Wooyeon.“To match your finishing time…”Wooyeon didn’t even listen to the driver’s words as he walked on. He didn’t look around or seem embarrassed by the gazes falling on him. He simply walked toward the building, holding a bag in one hand and pressing his hat down with the other.Taking a short, deep breath, Dohyeon called out to him in a low voice,“Yeon-ah.”“…?”Wooyeon stopped walking. Even the driver, who was about to return to the car, glanced over.If the Driver Yoon saw everything from this spot, he would report it all to Suhyang. If Suhyang had given any orders, he would prevent Dohyeon from approaching Wooyeon.But Yoon pretended not to see Dohyeon and got into the car. The lack of any noticeable bodyguards suggested that Wooyeon and Suhyang had reached some sort of compromise. Of course, after what Wooyeon had said about the driver, even approaching him would be impossible.“Let’s talk for a bit.”Wooyeon silently lifted his gaze to Dohyeon.Only a step apart, Dohyeon didn’t approach any closer. Students, including Seonkyu, were watching them, but it felt as if they were the only two left in the world.“It’ll just take a moment.”At Dohyeon’s words, Wooyeon bit his lower lip hard. Dohyeon kept his eyes on Wooyeon’s face, watching his expression change. Wooyeon’s flushed lips turned pale, and he answered in a voice barely above a whisper.“I have nothing to say.”Without another word, Wooyeon turned and walked past Dohyeon. Seonkyu, who had been a distance away, widened his eyes in surprise. However, knowing this reaction was likely, Dohyeon quietly began to follow Wooyeon.“……”“……”It was a very strange sight. Both Dohyeon and Wooyeon crossed the hallway without speaking. Wooyeon stared straight ahead, while Dohyeon trailed behind him. Since both were somewhat well-known figures, rumors would likely spread if things continued like this.“Yeon-ah.”Dohyeon finally called out to Wooyeon again as they reached the back door of the classroom. Wooyeon paused, about to open the door, and spoke without looking at Dohyeon.“Don’t call me that.”“……”“That’s not my name.”His firm voice cut sharply. It was clear that he wasn’t someone who could be easily intimidated by Suhyang. Undeterred, Dohyeon continued resolutely.“I’ll wait until the class is over.”“……”“No, let’s just attend this class together.”As he said this, Dohyeon swung open the classroom door wide. Since it was a first-year major course, there were many familiar faces inside. Ignoring the greeting from the younger students, Dohyeon nodded at Wooyeon.“Are you coming in?”“What are you trying to do right now?”Only then did Wooyeon’s gaze turn to Dohyeon. Though his expression was stiff, it was the same face Dohyeon had been thinking about all night. Suppressing the impulse to hug him, Dohyeon spoke softly, just loud enough for Wooyeon to hear.“I can’t break up with you.”It was the same thing he had said just yesterday. It was also the declaration Wooyeon had made when he said he could no longer trust his teacher. As expected, Wooyeon seemed to repeat that statement, his lips barely moving.“I…”“Course registration.”Four words were enough. Wooyeon, with his lips pressed shut, crumpled his face in frustration. Dohyeon snatched Wooyeon’s bag and placed it on a seat near the back door.“You said you’d treat me to a meal if I helped you with your course registration.”He wouldn’t mind if Wooyeon thought it was pathetic. Even if Wooyeon got annoyed and asked when he said that, it was fine. As long as he could create an opportunity to talk, he would grab onto Wooyeon’s pants leg if necessary.“You said you’d buy me something that wasn’t cheap.”Wooyeon glared at Dohyeon with his lips pressed tightly together. The eyes peeking out from under his cap shimmered with defiance. After a long silence, Dohyeon knew this method would work.“I’ll consider this the last time.”The word “last” made Wooyeon’s eyes waver. The emotions he couldn’t hide showed that he hadn’t fully sorted out his feelings. Dohyeon smiled gently, holding onto that glimmer of hope.“Just once, Yeon-ah.”Dohyeon knew the reason he was dressed like this. It must be because of the colorful marks that are visible with just a little attention. The evidence that he had been clinging to and sucking on his partner still remains visible like this.“How can I give up when it’s like this?”Even in the midst of being rejected, just being close to him lifted his spirits. His senses were drawn to the fresh pheromones, and his gaze was caught by even the slightest gesture. The action of touching his earlobe felt cute; how could he let go of someone like Wooyeon?“…Aren’t you going to pay attention in class?”“I don’t have to.”The tips of his ears looked flushed. Wooyeon might not know, but every time he played with his earlobe, Dohyeon thought about biting it. It had ripened to a bright red, and it would taste exquisite if taken in one bite.“Will he get angry if I touch it?”He shouldn’t disrupt the class, but with Wooyeon right in front of him, his hands itched. Wooyeon was someone he had been wanting to see all night, already longing for him. If he could, he wanted to take him in his hands and steal him away. It was fine being close for now, but if they tried to distance themselves again, something might truly fall apart.Dohyeon spun his pen and covered his mouth with his hand propped on his chin. The pen Wooyeon was holding moved busily across the notebook. It looked like he was taking notes, but the content was completely disorganized.“That’s wrong.”“……”“Romanticism started in the late 18th century.”Wooyeon, who had written “19,” drew two lines and corrected the number. He considered correcting the name of the representative author but stopped when Dohyeon sighed. Wooyeon took out a sharp pencil from his pencil case and wrote something small at the edge of his notebook.“I can’t concentrate because of Sunbae.”There was a trace of having awkwardly corrected “선ㅅ” to “선ㅂ.” Instead of pointing that out, Dohyeon took Wooyeon’s sharp pencil and wrote a reply.“Sorry.”Seeing the neatly written apology, Wooyeon erased his own words. For some reason, he left Dohyeon’s “Sorry” as it was. Dohyeon wrote clearly for Wooyeon, who was asking for the sharp pencil.“What do you want for dinner?”“……”A look of disbelief returned. He was just moving his lips, but it seemed like Dohyeon could understand what he was trying to say. He must be thinking, why talk about dinner when lunch isn’t even finished yet.“You haven’t even had lunch, so what dinner?”As expected, Wooyeon took out a new sharp pencil and wrote this. Dohyeon held back a laugh and softly narrowed his eyes. This inability to hide his true feelings and the way they were laid bare was one of the elements that he found endearing.“Then what do you want for lunch?”Only then did Wooyeon make a realization with a startled expression. He clearly grasped Dohyeon’s intention late. However, before Wooyeon could argue, Dohyeon assigned numbers first.“1. Meat 2. Noodles 3. Rice”“1-1. Pork 1-2. Beef”“*Not cheap.”A chuckle was heard. It was ridiculous to be picking a menu without having confirmed the plans, but it was understandable. Dohyeon didn’t mind and circled “beef.” Then he wrote below it.“Shall we go there again?”Memories of the day he had a meal with Wooyeon came back. Wooyeon liked cake more than rice, and when he gave him chocolate, he made a subtle expression. Dohyeon also remembered how he felt like crying at Wooyeon’s teary face.“……”Wooyeon bit his lower lip and gripped the sharp pencil tightly. Seeing his downcast eyes, it seemed he was also recalling past events. He wore a hat pulled down to hide his face from Dohyeon and hastily scribbled something.“I’m having lunch with Seonkyu.”“Seonkyu has student council duties.”A look of betrayal was directed at Seonkyu. In fact, Dohyeon wasn’t really sure. He just guessed like any other time. Amusingly, Wooyeon seemed to think that he couldn’t refuse a suggestion if he had no prior plans.“Don’t glare at Seonkyu.”After that, they exchanged notes for quite a while. The content wasn’t significant, but strangely, the conversation didn’t stop. At first, the professor had cleared his throat to get their attention, but when Dohyeon smiled kindly, he pretended not to notice.“That’ll be all for today.”“……Okay.”As soon as the professor left, Wooyeon abruptly looked at the blackboard. Unlike the neatly written notes, there was only the correction of “19” to “18” in Wooyeon’s notes. Seeing his confused eyes shake, Dohyeon set down his sharp pencil.“I’ll give you the notes I took before.”Wooyeon’s gaze shifted. His dark brown eyes were filled with indignation. Dohyeon curled the corners of his mouth up while speaking gently.“I’ll also give you the past exam papers.”“I… don’t need them.”Though they seemed very necessary, Wooyeon grumbled in reply. As he was closing the notebook, Dohyeon casually spoke up.“This is my first time doing something like this. You know, communicating through notes in class.”Wooyeon’s expression changed. Although he didn’t answer, it was likely his first time experiencing this too. Perhaps that was why his hand moving to put the notebook in his bag felt awkward and slow.“So what do you want for lunch?”As soon as Dohyeon saw him zip up his bag, he naturally reached for it. Wooyeon’s eyebrows furrowed like a puppy that had its snack taken away. He glanced at the bag once and then at Dohyeon’s face. The sound of his thoughts rolling around in his head was almost audible.“How about dinner instead of lunch?”This was the best he could come up with after thinking hard. Dohyeon nodded encouragingly for him to continue. Wooyeon fidgeted with his collar and avoided eye contact.“I’ll buy you dinner. But I won’t have time for lunch, so let’s do dinner.”Saying he didn’t have time for lunch was a blatant lie. He had clearly forgotten who had arranged his schedule. He probably intended to postpone it for now and come up with another excuse.“What time for dinner?”“…I’ll contact you later.”In fact, even after today, there would be a class with Wooyeon tomorrow. The diligent and straightforward Wooyeon would show up no matter what. However, Dohyeon’s patience was not great enough to wait until tomorrow.“I don’t have my phone.”“Excuse me?”Wooyeon frowned in disbelief, as if asking what kind of nonsense that was. Dohyeon shrugged and replied casually.“It broke.”When he checked it in the morning, the phone wouldn’t turn on. It was strange for it not to be broken after he had thrown it like that. It was one thing if he wasn’t receiving calls, but it was odd that the alarm didn’t go off either.“You just fixed it the other day. How did that happen?”“Just…”As usual, Dohyeon tried to brush it off but ended up keeping quiet. Wooyeon’s expression suggested he thought, “He won’t tell me again.” He didn’t want to show his foolish side. Looking awkwardly away, Dohyeon tightly gripped the strap of his bag.“I… threw it.”“What did you say?”“I threw it in anger…”“…….”“It won’t turn on.”He felt Wooyeon’s gaze on him, a mix of shock and disbelief. Wooyeon muttered in exasperation.“No, why would you do that…”Instead of making excuses, Dohyeon reached out to Wooyeon. Habitually intertwining their fingers, Wooyeon held onto him like he always did. But then, after a brief pause, he awkwardly pulled his hand away.“…….”“…….”An awkward tension hung in the air. In the now-empty classroom, only Dohyeon and Wooyeon remained. Wooyeon pressed his hat down firmly on his head, looking completely flustered.“…Let’s go have lunch.”* * *They headed to the clubroom as usual. Dohyeon hadn’t brought his car, and there were reporters around that made going far difficult. Suggesting they just order delivery, Dohyeon locked the door as soon as they entered.“Why are you locking the door?”“I don’t want to be disturbed.”He had the key, and he had already informed Garam in advance. There was no one around to open a locked door, so it was just the two of them until their conversation ended. He wondered if Wooyeon would feel uncomfortable, but thankfully, he seemed unconcerned about the locked door.“Yeon-ah, sit over there.”After about two hours, Dohyeon estimated the time and set his bag down on the table. Wooyeon, with his lips moving and a complicated expression, sat on the sofa. He wore a large top and a hat, looking almost buried in his clothes.“What do you want to eat? You can have whatever you want.”“I don’t like that teacher.”It was a sudden remark. Dohyeon forgot what he had planned to say and froze. The flat voice trampled on Dohyeon’s heart gently.“I’ll buy you dinner later, so let’s just listen for now. Sunbae doesn’t seem particularly hungry either.”It was a clear rejection. Dohyeon knew that too. His chest felt tight, as if pressed down by a stone.“Maybe you don’t care, but I can’t act nonchalantly like you do.”“Do I look nonchalant?”Wooyeon firmly shut his mouth without responding. Of course, he couldn’t agree with that either. Dohyeon must have looked like someone with problems.“I couldn’t sleep a wink, just thinking about you.”“…Do you think I could sleep?”His voice was tinged with sorrow. It felt as if the emotions he had hidden all along were finally surfacing. Dohyeon let out a shallow breath and slowly opened his mouth.“Yeon-ah, I…”There was so much he wanted to say. There were things he wanted to express and things he needed to say. He hadn’t been honest until now, so this time he had to be straightforward. The reason he came to meet Wooyeon instead of Suhyang was entirely for that purpose.“I’ve just always been scared.”It was an abrupt statement, but Wooyeon didn’t interrupt him. Instead, he slowly lifted his gaze with a dazed look. Only then did Dohyeon calmly speak to Wooyeon, who was facing “Kim Dohyeon.”“I was abandoned in front of an orphanage when I was eight.”When someone asked Wooyeon if he had ever felt abandoned, he could firmly say no. From a very young age to the present, he had always been the one making choices, not the one being chosen. While there were people who nervously sought his approval, he had never made an effort to win someone else’s favor.It was just yesterday that Wooyeon first felt “abandoned.” He had been abandoned by his mother, who had been with him for his entire life, by the teacher he relied on, and by a world he had struggled to endure. Wooyeon was merely curious about who Kim Dohyeon was.“So…”Dohyeon continued his story for a long time. He talked about how he grew up, where he met Suhyang, and when he started living with his current parents. The content was complex, and there were many circumstances, but his voice remained calm.“I couldn’t talk about it.”The voice carried on the breeze settled gently on Wooyeon’s knee. A look that had never been seen before revealed raw anxiety. The tightly clenched fist showed just how tense he was.Wooyeon slowly turned his head to look out the window. The cherry blossoms had all fallen, and only the lush green leaves hinted at the approaching summer. It was likely that the rainy season would come soon, and that rain would mark the end of this semester.“I’m sorry.”The teacher Wooyeon remembered was always relaxed and thorough. She attentively sensed Wooyeon’s emotions and offered gentle words of comfort when he was occasionally down. Her warm and kind voice always left a deep impression on Wooyeon’s heart, regardless of what she said.“I’m sorry, Yeon-ah.”That’s why Wooyeon was always curious about Dohyeon. Who he was, what kind of life he lived, what he thought, and what emotions he felt.“I didn’t want to be abandoned by you.”Dohyeon, who expressed that he was scared, pleaded not to be abandoned and apologized, saying it was all his fault. His vulnerability, which made Wooyeon want to embrace him, was enough to evoke sympathy despite the anger he felt towards him.“…I…”Wooyeon finally managed to start speaking but fell silent again. The long conversation felt like it had no appropriate ending. The words Dohyeon had spoken were tangled up in his complicated thoughts.“I…”A gentle breeze wafted in through the slightly open window. The somewhat humid air contrasted sharply with the dry pheromones emanating from Dohyeon. Wooyeon slowly lowered his eyes and shifted his gaze to the floor.“…I understand.”This was the simple thought that had popped out. Just one statement that he understood Dohyeon’s situation intellectually and rationally. And slowly but surely, words of empathy began to form.“If I were you, I wouldn’t have been able to say it to me either. Even sharing this with would have been impossible for me.”As Wooyeon said this, he lifted his head. Beyond the brim of his hat, he saw Dohyeon with his lips tightly pressed together, not smiling like usual or waiting casually. As he spoke, Wooyeon’s words began to trail off.“I understand, I get it intellectually, but…”Dohyeon’s situation felt bitter even to Wooyeon, who knew nothing about it. He couldn’t begin to imagine how lonely he must have felt at such a young age. While Wooyeon felt suffocated in his cramped world, Dohyeon had no small mechanism to constrain him.“…But I can’t say it’s okay.”Even if no one was at fault, there were always those who got hurt. Dohyeon couldn’t help but be that way, but it didn’t change the fact that it upset him. Still, he should have said it, still, he should have shown it, still, still… The endless “still” kept his understanding from turning into forgiveness.“It was just one day.”After leaving Dohyeon yesterday, Wooyeon cried until his stomach hurt. He cried while riding Yoon’s car and even while passing by high walls. Returning home after four years, he poured out all his pent-up emotions through tears, just as he had done four years ago.“How can you be okay in just one day?”It was too soon to say everything was fine; the medication that time prescribed had yet to take effect. His mind could not overcome his heart, and Wooyeon was still wounded by him. The betrayal he had yet to erase kept obstructing his view whenever he started to forget.“I can’t, teacher.”“…Do you think it will be okay after more time passes?”Dohyeon stared blankly at Wooyeon. It seemed like a hopeful question, but in his pitch-black eyes was nothing but resignation. Wooyeon noticed this and answered in a very small voice.“No.”“…….”“I’m sorry.”That breathy tone brought stillness between them. Dohyeon didn’t say anything, and Wooyeon stood up, pressing his hat down.As he prepared to grab his bag, a quiet voice reached him.“I didn’t mean to ask for your forgiveness.”Dohyeon lowered his head and covered his eyes with his large hand. The prominent veins on the back of his hand were visible beneath his straight fingers. After letting out a few sighs, Dohyeon spoke softly.“I know that no matter what I say, it won’t change your mind. Just because I hold on to you unilaterally doesn’t mean we won’t end up breaking up.”His tone was calm, but the emotions behind it were anything but. Wooyeon thought that today, Dohyeon’s feelings were too visible. There had always been some distance between them, but now it felt as if the curtain had been drawn back and he could see inside.“I understand that even if you understand it logically, your heart may not agree… I knew you’d feel that way.”After saying that, Dohyeon took a deep breath. The dry pheromones mixed with his exhalations reached Wooyeon. Dohyeon whispered almost inaudibly, still keeping his head down.“But I can’t help but feel good about you.”“…….”It felt as if time had stopped. Every moment revolved around Dohyeon’s every word. In the now quiet surroundings, only Dohyeon’s desperate voice echoed.“I thought about you a lot.”“…….”“Wouldn’t it be better to just part ways like this? Since it’s my fault, don’t I have the right to cling on?”“…….”“Honestly, I was going to be honest with you, and if you said it wouldn’t work out, I would have given up. It would be selfish to keep holding on, so I thought I would just go along with whatever you wanted.”Wooyeon couldn’t see what kind of expression Dohyeon had because he was hiding his face. He couldn’t tell if he was grimacing, furrowing his brows, or even biting his lips.“But I can’t give up.”“…….”“I don’t think I can.”Dohyeon slowly raised his gaze to look at Wooyeon. His eyes were red, but there were no tears at the corners. His gentle, kind gaze was starting to twist slowly.“Don’t go, Wooyeon.”Wooyeon didn’t stop him from reaching out. Though Dohyeon took hold of the hand that was gripping the bag, he didn’t make an attempt to pull it away.Dohyeon carefully pressed his forehead against the hand he held with both of his.“I can’t let you go like this.”Wooyeon felt his warmth. The slightly hot energy was conveyed through every place they touched. The melancholic pheromones also flowed out gently.“Please don’t go…”Had he ever heard such a heart-wrenching plea? Looking down at Dohyeon’s head, Wooyeon bit his lower lip tightly. A sharp pain in his chest made him feel as if he might be sick from not having eaten.It had only been one day. Just as the feeling of betrayal he felt hadn’t faded, his affection for Dohyeon hadn’t cooled either. If his feelings could wane so quickly after just one day, he wouldn’t feel this much anguish.“…I like you, teacher.”At those quietly spoken words, Dohyeon raised his head. But, being as perceptive as he was, his eyes were filled with anxiety. Wooyeon slowly pulled his hand away and turned his head to the side.“But even if I like you, there are things that can’t happen.”Wooyeon no longer had the confidence to continue liking Dohyeon. He couldn’t find the courage to show him everything, to pour out his feelings, and to love him. The affection he had already poured out felt too overwhelming, and now his once full heart felt empty.“This was wrong from the beginning.”With that final remark, Wooyeon picked up his bag again. If he left the clubroom like this, leaving Dohyeon behind, it would definitely be the end this time. Once the door closed, his heart would close off too, and that locked space would never be opened again.Just a senior-junior relationship. If it remained at that level, perhaps he could associate with Dohyeon. Just as with Daniel, he could draw a suitable line and recall good memories from that time. Of course, it would only be a short-lived relationship with a predetermined expiration date.Dohyeon couldn’t say a word until Wooyeon stood at the door of the clubroom. As he placed his hand on the doorknob, Wooyeon felt a sense of déjà vu, thinking that their relationship would end just like yesterday. But just before he opened the door, a quiet voice came from behind.“…Then let’s start again.”The voice from behind carried a certain determination. Wooyeon’s hand, which was about to open the door, reflexively froze.“Not as a teacher, but as a sunbae, just as a guy you know. We can start over from the beginning.”“What are you talking about?”Wooyeon turned to look at Dohyeon without realizing it. His words sounded so absurd to him. Despite Wooyeon’s incredulous expression, Dohyeon spoke seriously.“I’ll confess to you every day that I like you.”At that moment, Wooyeon couldn’t comprehend his words. He would confess every day? Why? As if he had read Wooyeon’s bewilderment, Dohyeon calmly elaborated further.“I won’t ask you to like me or say that we should date; I’ll just confess.”“…….”“You can ignore me, you can curse at me sometimes, or even kick me if you want.”It was such a shameless statement. No, it even sounded foolish. He had no idea where Wooyeon’s previous words had gone or what would change by doing that.“…That’s a pointless act.”“Whether it’s pointless or not, you won’t know until you try.”Dohyeon didn’t approach Wooyeon but maintained eye contact. Then, he spoke in a serious tone.“I like you.”“……”These were the words that Dohyeon had promised to say until he believed it, on the day they decided to date. In truth, he hadn’t heard them properly since then.Wooyeon, biting his lip quietly, heard the same words again.“I like you, Wooyeon.”Without hesitating any further, Wooyeon opened the club room door. Dohyeon didn’t try to stop him; instead, he spoke in a firm voice.“See you tomorrow.”Naturally, Wooyeon didn’t respond.However, even at the moment the door closed, it felt like he could still hear Dohyeon’s voice saying he liked him. For some reason, he had a premonition that their relationship would subtly change.* * *Wooyeon’s family home was a two-story house with a large garden and high walls. A place that required a lot of manpower just to manage, it was somewhere Wooyeon always longed to escape. Whenever he closed the front gate and stepped inside, he felt a profound sense of loneliness, as if he were completely cut off from the outside world.There were many reasons why Wooyeon disliked his family home. Firstly, he was constantly monitored by hired help, and secondly, he couldn’t even eat a simple meal as he pleased. Wooyeon was treated like a pet, with every aspect of his eating, sleeping, and moving controlled.Of course, the worst part was that he had to go out with a bodyguard for even a simple outing.On Friday morning, Wooyeon rode in the car with Yoon, the chauffeur, to school, just like the day before. Since they hadn’t officially published anything from the selection group yet, there was only Yoon as his attendant. It was a relatively mundane commute, though it was hard to say if it seemed so to others.“Young master, we have arrived.”The ever-mechanical Yoon parked the car in front of the building and spoke in a businesslike tone. Ignoring him as he unbuckled his seatbelt, Wooyeon opened the car door himself. Yoon parted his lips to say something but quickly got out of the car before he could.“…… You’re still looking, though.”As soon as Wooyeon stepped out, students glanced over at him. Even though no one had opened the car door for him, the sleekness of the vehicle had already caught their attention. Wooyeon swallowed a sigh inwardly and only looked straight ahead as he entered the building.“This is why I hated it…”Being the center of attention was always an unwelcome experience. No matter how positively he tried to think about it, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of being a monkey in a zoo. He had tried to minimize the presence of bodyguards and chosen a relatively ordinary car, but it seemed to be of no use.This kind of commute wasn’t a new experience for Wooyeon. He had always made a grand entrance when he attended middle school. At that time, being ignorant of “normalcy,” Wooyeon hadn’t realized how much attention he drew when a chauffeur opened the car door and bowed.“Was I that eye-catching?”It wasn’t surprising that a bunch of adolescents, now entering their teenage years, saw someone like Wooyeon as an eyesore. Anyone could see that he was flaunting, “Look how well I’m living,” making him an easy target for someone weird like Junseong.Having thought that far, Wooyeon quickened his pace and shook his head.Just because he drove a nice car and ate expensive food didn’t justify the reasons for being bullied. He had once thought it was all his fault, but Dohyeon had confirmed otherwise long ago.“You did nothing wrong.”“…….”Wooyeon halted his steps abruptly. A self-deprecating smile crept across his face as he fiddled with his earlobe. Just yesterday, he had pushed away Dohyeon, yet he found himself unconsciously recalling his teacher’s words. If he was going to think like this, he shouldn’t have rejected him; it was a contradictory situation.“Hah.”Taking a deep breath, Wooyeon swung open the back door of the classroom. Since it was early, he assumed there would be no one there. However, as Wooyeon approached the spot where he usually sat, he found something white placed there.“…… What is that?”Wooyeon approached the object as if entranced. The fluffy white thing was something he recognized well. It was the rabbit plushie that Dohyeon had won for him at the claw machine when he was drunk.Why is this here? With that thought, Wooyeon slowly reached out his hand. Touching its long ears and front paws brought back a multitude of memories. For instance, the feeling of waking up in Dohyeon’s arms, the things they had done together, and the conversation they had the following day—all of those moments flooded back.It was truly ironic how easily humans could become sentimental over small things, even when they swore they would forget everything. The unpleasant memories evaporated, and the events of that time were romanticized as they floated back to him.“Oh, you’re here already?”Just as Wooyeon was lost in those memories, Dohyeon walked in. Upon hearing his familiar voice and looking up, he saw Dohyeon holding takeaway cups in both hands. One contained Americano, and the other, strawberry smoothie. Dohyeon walked toward him with a soft smile.“You got here earlier than I thought.”With his posture straight and the shirt buttoned all the way up, he looked exceptionally good. The slacks that revealed a hint of his ankles and the low-heeled canvas shoes, although seemingly ordinary, looked great simply because it was Dohyeon wearing them. And now that he looked closely, it seemed he had even styled his hair.“Here, drink this.”Dohyeon set the strawberry smoothie he had been holding next to the rabbit plushie. The plushie, with only its ears and paws in pale pink, matched the large drink quite well. As Wooyeon stared down at it, Dohyeon kindly added, “It’s not that bad of a café from the last time.”“What is all this?”The combination of the plushie, the drink, and the well-dressed Kim Dohyeon was unexpectedly overwhelming.“What do you mean?”Dohyeon lightly replied and settled into the seat next to Wooyeon. It was the second row from the front, slightly off to the right, a spot they always sat together in during lectures. As he gestured for Wooyeon to sit beside him, he casually added more to his words.“You’re the one I’m trying to charm.”It was a ridiculous statement. It was so out of the blue that Wooyeon couldn’t even think of a response. Dohyeon personally pulled out the chair for him and spoke in a gentle tone.“I brought the stuffed animal since it’s originally yours, and I got the drink while buying mine. You have to look your best for someone you like.”Wooyeon sat beside him, feeling dazed. He had a mountain of objections to make, but the memories evoked by seeing the stuffed animal lingered like an aftertaste. Plus, Dohyeon’s unnecessarily dapper appearance contributed to the strange sensation he felt.“And this.”Dohyeon said that as he took his phone out of his bag and handed it over. The sleek device was a different model from the one Dohyeon used before.“I bought a new one. I changed my number too.”“…Are you showing off your phone?”“Showing off?”Dohyeon let out a soft laugh. He tilted his eyes playfully at Wooyeon before placing the phone in his hand.“Give me your number.”“My number?”“Yeah.”“You want my number?”“Whose number would it be?”“…Did my contacts get lost?”Wooyeon reluctantly typed his number into Dohyeon’s phone. After he dialed the number, the call rang three times before Dohyeon hung up. The corners of his mouth turned upward into a gentle smile.“We’re starting from scratch.”Wooyeon silently watched as he saved the eleven-digit number.Dohyeon placed the phone on the desk and looked straight at Wooyeon.“No one else knows this number but you.”“…”“The chairman probably doesn’t know either.”His dark eyes shimmered. The left eyelid, with its subtle double eyelid, wrinkled slightly as he focused his thoughts. It was a little habit he had when organizing his thoughts.“I thought about it, and in the end, it’s all about trust.”With that, Dohyeon handed the stuffed animal over to Wooyeon. Instinctively accepting the rabbit, Wooyeon looked back and forth between the stuffed animal and Dohyeon. Dohyeon twisted the rabbit to face him, took out his phone, and turned on the camera.“I’m not getting any sponsorships now, and I have no means to contact the chairman. I won’t hide things anymore like before.”“…Are you taking a picture now?”“Yeah, look here.”The shutter sound clicked before he could blink. With a satisfied smile, Dohyeon showed Wooyeon the picture he had just taken. For a spontaneous shot, the expression and pose weren’t bad at all.“I’d prefer to show only my good side, but… it’s too late for that, and anyway, I’m not that great of a person.”“…”“I’m not going to act all proud or show off. Is it okay if I use this as my background?”There was no need to respond to that question. Before Wooyeon could even open his mouth, Dohyeon finished setting it and put the phone down. Wooyeon held the stuffed animal with both hands and tilted his head.“Sunbae, I didn’t mean to make you feel bad…”“That’s not it.”His firm voice denied Wooyeon’s words. He added seriously, with an expression devoid of any playfulness.“You did nothing wrong.”It was a phrase Wooyeon had heard long ago, back in middle school. It was something that had helped him endure bullying without blaming himself.“This is just because I was the one at fault.”“…”Wooyeon’s face twisted with complex emotions. He couldn’t bring himself to say anything to Dohyeon, who was courageously admitting his mistakes. It hurt him to see Dohyeon reach out to acknowledge his wrongs while he was only running away.“…Sunbae, you didn’t do anything wrong either.”As soon as he heard that, Dohyeon’s expression turned blank. His eyes, which had been contorted as if he might cry, returned to normal before Wooyeon could notice. With a playful wink, he reached out toward the stuffed animal Wooyeon was holding.“Right, the world is what’s wrong.”His large hand gently patted between the rabbit’s ears. Wooyeon recalled the sensation of Dohyeon stroking his own head and gazed at his elegantly shaped fingers. Dohyeon leaned slightly towards Wooyeon, softly starting to speak.“Yeon-ah.”When Wooyeon looked up, Dohyeon’s face was only a hand’s breadth away, close enough that their lips could almost touch if either of them leaned in. In that proximity, Dohyeon’s persistent gaze pinned Wooyeon in place.“So, do you want to go out with me?”