Dirty Switch

Unlike the way he teased Joo Taehyun, Seo Baekhan treated his girlfriend with great care.

He didn’t casually touch her waist, didn’t throw his arm around her shoulders, and never pulled her into his arms. When speaking in front of others, he let go of her hand. But now and then, when no one was looking, he’d briefly press the back of her hand and smile faintly.
So that’s how Seo Baekhan smiles when he likes someone.
It was strange.

From the beginning, Seo Baekhan and I weren’t even close friends. I had simply admired him, had one-sided feelings of fondness. Seo Baekhan probably couldn’t even imagine that someone like Joo Taehyun would follow him this earnestly.
That’s why I knew it didn’t make sense for me to feel so hurt, to feel a sense of loss just from seeing Seo Baekhan with his girlfriend… and yet, the inside of my chest kept stinging.
He was never mine to begin with. No—Seo Baekhan wasn’t even the kind of person who could be described as something one could “have.”

Every time I looked at Seo Baekhan and his girlfriend, it felt like I had swallowed glass shards, scratching my throat raw, and yet I couldn’t look away. Because the truth was, it was good to see these new, unfamiliar expressions on Seo Baekhan’s face—expressions I had never seen before and never expected to see.
When he was someone’s boyfriend, Seo Baekhan made sure his girlfriend never had to carry anything but her phone. He quietly handled all the little things—napkins, wet tissues, water to drink…
When his girlfriend asked him to take a picture, tall as he was, Seo Baekhan would willingly kneel on one knee or bend low to find the most flattering angle for her.

Even when she wasn’t looking at him, he would glance at her and let out a quiet laugh. As if thinking, What do I do with ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) this one? You could see it in the way he touched his chin.
That fiery gaze—something only an adult man could have—was likely something that someone like me, a seven-years-younger Alpha kid who only shared a few vague commonalities with him, would never receive in a lifetime.
Seo Baekhan once clicked his tongue at me, saying I had a ridiculously thin waist, but his girlfriend’s waist was as delicate as a flower stem. If that was what he meant by “personal preference”…

As Joo Taehyun followed that thought, he flinched and his shoulders jerked involuntarily.
Wait, why am I even thinking about this?
Seo Baekhan was just a hyung I looked up to. And that woman was his girlfriend. Wouldn’t it be even weirder if that hyung looked at me the same way he looks at his girlfriend…?

“Hmph, hmm-hmm.”
Perhaps worried by Joo Taehyun’s face turning pale then blue as he panicked alone, Choi Yeonjun cleared his throat and stepped a little closer.
“Um… do you mind if I have a drink?”

“…Go ahead.”
“Thanks. When else would I get to try the expensive stuff like this? At home, I can’t touch anything but traditional liquor.”
It’s not like drinking makgeolli makes you a master of traditional crafts or anything… Adding a pitiful excuse, Choi Yeonjun picked up a whiskey glass. No ice. The color was dark enough to look like poison.
“But hey, are you close with Seo Baekhan?”

“…Not really. I wouldn’t say we’re close.”
“He’s not the kind of guy who’s friendly with people, so I thought it was surprising. Honestly, he doesn’t even know any younger kids.”
And yet, he talked about you now and then, Choi Yeonjun said, taking a sip of the drink. Joo Taehyun, who had been answering dully, couldn’t help but ask in a curious tone.

“He talked about me?”
“Yeah. Even earlier, didn’t you hear? He complimented you. Said you were completely composed and had a nice expression.”
Joo Taehyun awkwardly touched the corner of his mouth. Was it really… to that extent? Did his resting, expressionless face appeal to Seo Baekhan enough for him to praise it to his closest friend?

“There was a time I visited him in Cali. I think he said you messaged him while I was there.”
“…He probably found it annoying. That’s just the kind of person he is.”
“If it really annoyed him, he would’ve ignored you or blocked you outright. Anyway, I figured he must be keeping an eye on you. People are saying Seo Baekhan is being positioned as Prince Yi Hwang’s political successor. Maybe he’s starting to think about gathering his own people.”

Choi Yeonjun added this last part in a near-whisper, too close and too soft to hear clearly. The lounge music and the surrounding chatter were too loud.
But “Seo Baekhan” and “his own people” — those words reached Joo Taehyun clearly. And for a moment, it felt like his whole body was floating, as if gravity had vanished.
The slump he’d fallen into earlier, like a kid who’d had his toy taken away, disappeared quickly thanks to a few stories Choi Yeonjun shared. Yeah. Earlier—

Really, today my emotional state was like a rollercoaster.
“But seriously, Seo Baekhan… how do I put this, he’s really good at dating.”
“…What?”

Despite being stuck babysitting, Choi Yeonjun seemed to enjoy finally being free from annoying people and able to drink. He remained dutifully by Joo Taehyun’s side.
“No, I mean, Seo Baekhan’s actually kind of a neat freak, right? He’s like the embodiment of self-discipline. But when it comes to sex— I mean, dating—he’s surprisingly reckless.”
“Reckless how?”

“You know, that kind of thing. Doesn’t stop people from leaving, doesn’t hold on to people coming in. Ugh, why is this drink so strong?”
“…Isn’t it usually the other way around?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Right. Doesn’t hold on to people leaving, doesn’t stop people coming in.”

Choi Yeonjun chuckled, admitting that drinking on an empty stomach must’ve gotten to him, and finally pushed away the whiskey that looked like poison. Then he casually reached for a plate of fruit. Sensing this was the only chance to hear private things about Seo Baekhan, Joo Taehyun’s nerves were on edge while Choi Yeonjun just calmly chewed on grapes.
“So? Why do you say Baekhan hyung’s reckless?”
“Huh? Oh—yeah. I once asked him out of curiosity, you know? Like, what would you do if a massive scandal blew up on you one day? You know what that bastard—ugh, sorry, didn’t mean to curse—you know what Seo Baekhan said?”

“I don’t think there’s much good in having a squeaky-clean private life. Better to have rumors about dating lots of women than rumors about drugs or gambling. If something ever comes out about you, people need to have some reference point to think, ‘Oh, he’s always been like that.’ If you’re too spotless, everyone’s just counting down until you crack.”
“And you know what else he said?”
Now that he was talking, Choi Yeonjun tossed two whole grapes into his mouth, speaking with a slightly flushed voice, continuing to expose his best friend.

“It’s not like I dated multiple people at once. I didn’t see any married women. So what’s the problem?”
“Honestly, I think Seo Baekhan plans to use that playboy image someday. No doubt about it.”
It’s not like he’s living a second life—what’s with the intensity?

“We’re still young. Even with this whole Haechi launch… Seo Baekhan didn’t need to push himself this hard. But he insisted on leading the charge, brought in people, secured sponsorships, made himself known…”
Choi Yeonjun clicked his tongue, and Joo Taehyun bit down on his dry lip. Both of them were lost in different thoughts, their minds full of the same person.
“…Still, if he brought his girlfriend all the way here, maybe he’s serious this time?”

“Doubt it. He told Han Seyeon to her face from the beginning that he had no intention of marrying her. Said she was for dating only. If she expected more, they shouldn’t even start.”
“What? Seriously?”
“Yeah. I mean, he probably didn’t say it that bluntly—he must’ve put it more romantically or whatever. And, well, it’s not like he told me everything about his love life… But I’m pretty sure he never plans to marry the ones he dates casually.”

“…”
“You saw it too, right? When his girlfriend brought up Prince Yi Hwang, he completely ignored the topic. She was obviously fishing to see if she could meet him or get introduced, but he pretended not to notice.”
Which made Seo Baekhan’s current actions even harder to understand. If he had no intention of marrying her, then why bring his girlfriend to an event like this? Just to show off that he had one? That didn’t seem like him. It didn’t seem necessary either…

“…Yeonjun hyung.”
“Mm? Wait—let me just finish chewing.”
“You can answer when you’re done. …But, um, what kind of people does Baekhan hyung like? Who does he usually date?”

“Seo Baekhan? When he’s in a relationship?”
“Yes.”