JADE 27

Amid his bewilderment, Jin Sejun couldn’t take his eyes off Kwon Joowan’s lips. A piece of that damned sugar was stuck to his lips, which were perfect in both shape and color. Since Kwon Joowan had already spouted nonsense when Jin Sejun flicked his own sugar off, it was awkward to even mention it, let alone remove it for him.

He could have just chided him, saying something like, “Look who’s talking, flicking mine off when you’ve got it on your own face.” Or he could have teased him by asking if the ‘delicious kiss’ he mentioned earlier was something you do with sugar on your lips, how one-dimensional.

But Jin Sejun chose to look away and make small talk instead.

“My eyes just popped open today. I woke up at six, can you believe it? I feel like I lost out.”

“Ah, you woke up really early.”

The response that came back seemed strangely pleased. Just as he was wondering if this was some kind of teacher’s satisfaction, Kwon Joowan added.

“Looks like your plans yesterday were short.”

“Plans? Ah, that’s right… well.”

“Aha. Good for you.”

Why is he so happy? Is this trainer mode? Come to think of it, he was supposed to send a picture of his meal, but he forgot about both his dinner plans (a lie, but still) and the salad he had for breakfast. But unlike usual, Kwon Joowan didn’t press him.

He probably let it slide because it’s a holiday. Jin Sejun brushed it off and rambled on.

“I’m so tired from running that I can’t even stay awake for long. Plans or whatever, I pass out the moment I lie down.”

A “huff, huff” of a laugh escaped Kwon Joowan’s lips. Whether Jin Sejun grew more puzzled or not, Kwon Joowan looked even more pleased.

“I’ll have to make you work even harder. So all you do is repeat sleep and work.”

“I thought you were a born teacher, but you’re a crazy bastard…”

“….”

There was no reply, but the smile didn’t disappear. Jin Sejun’s mood lifted along with his, and the tangerine felt even sweeter and more refreshing.

The two fell silent and slowly finished their respective portions.

The next day, Jin Sejun suffered from even worse muscle soreness. He had worked out the day before to make today less difficult, but he hadn’t known where to draw the line.

“Are you sure you rested yesterday?”

“I rest—ack! I told you not to poke me.”

“It doesn’t look like an area that would get sore from running.”

To make matters worse, Kwon Joowan didn’t even slow his pace for the groaning Jin Sejun. He was so busy just trying to keep up that at some point, a surly feeling started to well up inside him.

‘Should I just let him go ahead and take a break?’

He’s just running while looking straight ahead, so he probably wouldn’t even know if I didn’t follow, right? Is it okay to neglect a beginner running student like this?

The fact that he was starting to feel resentful showed that his mind had been getting weird lately. Jin Sejun chased away the whiner inside him and picked up his speed.

“Cough, hack.”

After running the same course as before, Jin Sejun bent over with his hands on his knees. His back heaved without rest.

“Here, drink it slowly.”

Like a baby crying for a bottle, Jin Sejun latched onto the coffee Kwon Joowan handed him. After chugging it down, his breathing calmed a little. He decided to overlook the fact that he had drunk it so fast that he almost choked midway through, causing Kwon Joowan to slap his back repeatedly.

Jin Sejun flapped the shirt sticking to his lower back and opened his mouth.

“You know how they say a master doesn’t blame his tools.”

“Yes?”

“I think I need to buy new sneakers.”

“Do they not fit your feet?”

“I don’t know, I think I just want to use this as an excuse to go shopping.”

“You’re very honest.”

He sure talks big, for someone who would’ve run away by now if I were actually being honest. Jin Sejun let out a snort and slipped his foot out of his sneaker. It was clearly visible how swollen it was, even through the thick sock.

“I want to try one of those places that scans your foot shape and helps you pick running shoes, but I heard the reservations are a nightmare.”

“Ah yes, there are a few places like that.”

“Have you been?”

“No, I can just tell by looking.”

“Kwon Joowan the braggart, the braggart.”

“It’s true though.”

“Whoa?”

Kwon Joowan suddenly snatched the foot Jin Sejun had just taken out of his shoe and crossed over his knee. Jin Sejun, now in a deep half-lotus position on the bench, almost fell on top of Kwon Joowan before barely regaining his balance.

“You’re going to look at it now? My feet are sweaty from running all morning? And they’re even cool now because the sweat is drying? I’m confident the olfactory stimulation is no joke, enough for even a Beta to smell?”

“What are you going to do if it smells fragrant to me?”

He had a point there. Jin Sejun jabbed his captured foot further toward Kwon Joowan and spat out.

“Fine, smell it a lot and suffocate.”

“If I collapse, please call an ambulance quickly for me.”

“…Hah, really.”

He won’t let a single word slide. As Kwon Joowan even took off the sock to check his bare foot, Jin Sejun tried to empty his mind. Why did I have to bring up foot scans….

To make it worse, Kwon Joowan didn’t just look. He even went so far as to gently cup Jin Sejun’s foot. He didn’t need to look good, but something that’s personally embarrassing is just embarrassing.

“You said you could tell by looking, so why are you touching it.”

“Hmm, your arch has collapsed a little. Most modern people are like that.”

“Are you trying to sell me something?”

“Flat feet are naturally more tiring.”

“I’m not exactly flat-footed….”

This time, he was interlocking his fingers with the other’s toes and everything. As Jin Sejun flailed in astonishment, Kwon Joowan nonchalantly slapped the sole of his foot. It didn’t hurt, but the sound was quite something, and the mental shock was the greatest part.

Why is he… another man’s foot. While Jin Sejun was frozen, Kwon Joowan gazed at the sole of his foot, which was turning red in the shape of his hand. Then, he began massaging the toes and the ball of the foot as he pleased.

When his touch reached the tender skin between the toes, Jin Sejun pulled away violently, as if he’d received an electric shock.

“Ugh.”

“I was just trying to give you a massage.”

“It’s, it’s fine. I’m very ticklish.”

He was newly realizing just how ticklish his feet were. After he hurriedly put on his sock, Kwon Joowan muttered as if disappointed.

“If I did one side, I have to do the other. Need to keep it balanced….”

“I’ll do it myself, so go massage your own feet.”

“Okay.”

The reply was brisk, but Kwon Joowan didn’t even touch his own feet.

Kwon Joowan, who was staring blankly at the floor, opened his mouth.

“Are you going to skip breakfast again? Let’s eat together before we go. Replenishing your energy after a workout is really important.”

“A little more of this and you’ll be asking me to move in with you. I welcome you taking care of me, but if you keep this up—”

“Spicy stir-fried pork?”

Ah, I can’t resist spicy stir-fried pork. Jin Sejun smoothed down the spines he had raised and nodded.

Waking up early, he saw that there were diners open from the crack of dawn; people were truly diligent. Though when he was younger, he too had often drunk all night and sought a hangover cure before sunrise.

“Two spicy stir-fried pork here.”

“You eat it well too, but you always say I’m the only one who likes it.”

“That’s because you’re always looking for spicy stir-fried pork, Mr. Sejun, so I got curious. From a trainer’s perspective, I’d like you to eat other things, but.”

“Uh-oh, the owner can hear you. Watch your mouth. And besides, since a cool alpha like me ate it deliciously, it’s an advertisement effect for me.”

“Yes, have some water.”

“Look at him ignoring me.”

Indeed, eating after moving made even breakfast taste better than usual. Outside the window, children in school uniforms rode by on bicycles.

‘It’s spring….’

The tree branches on the street were bleak, but in just a month, a rain of petals would fall. Just as Jin Sejun was about to drift into his thoughts, he saw the spinach side dish Kwon Joowan held out to him and let out a hearty laugh.

“By the way, what did Yiseo do for breakfast?”

“On the very first day she was staying with me, she suddenly said she was sleeping over at a friend’s house. I did talk to her on the phone. I even bought a lot of snacks, so I’m disappointed.”

“I see… you must be very close with your niece.”

“You don’t have a niece or nephew?”

“Not yet….”

If he says “not yet,” does that mean he has siblings? Jin Sejun considered doing a background check on Kwon Joowan while he was at it, but decided against it. The spicy stir-fried pork Kwon Joowan bought was so delicious that he didn’t want to divert his focus to anything else.

Today, he had brought his car, parked it near the academy, and started his jog from there. After arriving at the academy, Jin Sejun went to his car and brought back a shopping bag containing the t-shirt and pants he had borrowed.

Kwon Joowan looked puzzled, but as soon as he checked the contents of the shopping bag, he buried his head in it. Jin Sejun, who had frozen for a moment, barely managed to open his mouth.

“What… why?”

“No, I was just wondering if you washed them before returning them.”

“Ha, good grief. Do you think I have no basic manners?”

Is that kind of act not that embarrassing for Betas? For a trait-user, what just happened was more embarrassing than most of the usual flirtatious banter they exchanged.

‘Did I leak?’

Even if he had unknowingly left his pheromones on it, only the other teachers would notice; Kwon Joowan and the pre-manifested children wouldn’t.

Come to think of it, there was a reason he felt at ease coming to the academy. The Omega staff at the hospital were quite sensitive, so they caught Jin Sejun’s mistakes all too well.

He had always brushed it off, thinking there was no way he’d get caught, but it seemed he couldn’t completely let his guard down.

Even while brushing his teeth, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had been played. By a Beta who wasn’t even aware of what he had done….

No, there was no way that smelling clothes, even among Betas, was a completely unconscious act. He must have just been checking to see if they really smelled bad….

As he stepped aside, Kwon Joowan, who had been standing behind him, filled his rinsing cup with water. As soon as it was full, Jin Sejun stuck his finger into the cup.

“What are you doing?”

He probably stopped himself from adding ‘you slob.’ Right, what was he doing? He felt that Kwon Joowan should be just as flustered as Jin Sejun was when he buried his nose in the clothes.

In the instant Kwon Joowan dumped the water and refilled it, Jin Sejun once again plunged his finger into the rippling water.

“Ah, seriously!”

“What, if I put the broth back in for you, you should say thank you and drink it.”

“Yeees, thank you.”

“Huh? You’re thankful, but why are you dumping it?”

“You drink it yourself, Mr. Sejun.”

“You’re not even going to swallow it, but you’re being so sen—Ah!”

He hadn’t expected to be retaliated against so quickly. As he stared at the long fingers dripping with water, he suddenly felt the urge to lick them.

If I acknowledge it, I lose….

Engulfed by a mix of stubborn pride and vulgar desire, Jin Sejun coolly poured the water from the rinsing cup, the one Kwon Joowan’s finger had been in, into his mouth. Of course, he didn’t swallow it.

Seeing Kwon Joowan’s flustered reaction, a cheerful feeling surged within him.

“Teacher John’s broth is delicious.”

“Oh my… why are you acting like such an old man?”

“We’ll be old men soon enough.”

“Yes….”