MORE 16

A little

Siyul covered his mouth, gasping. It was a text message that had just come from Woo Hyunse. The answer to his question about whether he was busy had finally arrived.

Considering the time he had waited, it was certainly a lackluster reply. Still, Siyul curled his lips. The corners of his mouth turned upward against his own will. His cheeks rounded, and a spark shimmered in his eyes as he looked down at the phone.

He knew it was impolite to call in the dead of the night, but looking at the text, he suddenly wanted to hear that voice more than he could bear. And that laughter that spread like a babbling brook. Whether it was the influence of the late hour or because he had let his guard down after being exhausted from work, it was difficult to control his impulses.

Siyul bit his lip, shoved both hands between his thighs, and shook his legs in nervousness. He tried to hold back. If it were Kwon Yuwon, that would be one thing, but calling someone else at this hour was a nuisance.

You don’t call these days

He barely managed to compose himself and moved his fingers. This time, he read it immediately. Siyul was already biting his nails, waiting for a reply.

Busy

Do you want to talk on the phone?

Woo Hyunse hit the nail on the head. Siyul gripped his phone with both hands and lowered his head. He had been holding back, but his heart surged greatly at that one sentence asking if he wanted to talk.

In the end, Siyul pulled up Woo Hyunse’s number. He made the call, repeating to himself that he hoped the other wouldn’t answer.

“Hello.”

When had Siyul’s wishes ever come true? Woo Hyunse answered the phone. The voice heard over the receiver was low and a bit rough, as if thick with sleep.

“Ah, um, are you very busy?”

He had acted on impulse and hadn’t prepared anything to say. Siyul blurted out whatever came to mind. He was curious about why he hadn’t been coming to the bar lately or why he was replying to texts so slowly, but it was embarrassing to bring those things out.

“Hmm…. I suppose, a bit.”

“Did I wake you while you were sleeping?”

He heard someone whispering “Just a moment” from far away in the receiver. It sounded like he was whispering to someone else he was with. Siyul pressed his phone tightly against his ear. He was curious about who was currently with Woo Hyunse. Whether it was a lover, a friend, or a business partner.

“No. But what a surprise. Mr. Kwon Siyul, actually calling me.”

He couldn’t honestly answer that he just wanted to hear the other’s voice. Siyul just scratched the back of his neck and kicked the floor with his toe.

“I was… just wondering when would be a good time to buy that meal.”

Once he said it out loud, the excuse was pathetic to the extreme. That he was going through the trouble of repeating what had already been exchanged via text—Siyul cursed his poor spontaneity and ruffled his hair roughly. However, unlike Siyul, who didn’t know what to do with his embarrassment, the words seemed quite amusing to Woo Hyunse, as his signature laughter came through the receiver.

“If it’s just that, we could have decided when we met.”

“It’s because I feel like I’m in your debt.”

“…Is that so?”

The voice became sluggish, as if sleepy. Although Woo Hyunse had said he wasn’t, he couldn’t help but think he had either woken him up or he was in an extremely exhausted state. He wanted to continue the call, but it seemed he should start letting Woo Hyunse go about now. Hiding his disappointment, Siyul parted his lips.

“You seem very tired, so I’ll decide when I see you next. Sleep well. I’m sorry for the late night.”

Siyul even bowed his head, as if dealing with someone right in front of him. A grunt of “Yeah” overlapped with a sound of “Hmm.” His breathing also seemed rough. It was as if he were sick. Siyul moved the phone away from his ear and finally placed his finger over the end button. All he had to do was swipe it.

At that moment, a faint sound reached his ears. It was a sound ringing from afar, as if they thought Siyul had hung up. Siyul pressed the phone back against his ear. Covering his mouth and nose, he focused all his attention on the other side of the receiver.

Lover? A voice asked, thin and high like a bird’s chirp. In contrast, the low voice close to the phone denying it with a “No” was so clear that it was impossible to miss.

“….”

Siyul swiped the end button a beat too late. The groan that had been turning suggestive vanished in an instant.

He debated whether to buy soju or beer, but opted for beer. He had intended to drink outside, but the taste for alcohol vanished when he saw drunks shouting in the dark alley and urinating on the walls. Thinking it would be better to drink quietly, he entered the room. Kwon Yuwon was sprawled out, kicking his blanket off.

With neither the TV nor the lights on, Siyul sat in the corner and cracked open a beer can. Perhaps it had been shaken while he carried it, but white foam bubbled up, and he pressed his lips to it in a hurry. Perhaps because the sound of him gulping it down was quite loud, Kwon Yuwon, who had been buried in his blanket, tossed and turned.

Siyul froze like ice, but it seemed the other’s sleep had already flown away. Rubbing his eyes, Kwon Yuwon sat up.

“You back? What time is it?”

Kwon Yuwon’s voice was raspy like someone else’s. Siyul tapped his phone to check the time.

“3:40 AM. Go back to sleep.”

“I’m wide awake now.”

Stretching like a cat, Kwon Yuwon turned on the TV. Considering the poor soundproofing, he turned the volume to the minimum. The greenish light leaking from the screen illuminated both their faces.

“What’s with the beer?”

“Want some?”

When he nodded, Siyul took a can from the bag and handed it to him. Even while still messy from waking up from sleep, he drank the alcohol well. He thought it was a good thing, as he had been bored drinking alone. Siyul curled up, pulling his legs together.

“Kwon Yuwon, do I become a real nuisance when I’m drunk?”

“No. You just sleep, don’t you?”

“Are you sure I just sleep?”

“Yeah. You don’t even wake up when I shake you. Why? Did someone say you were a nuisance? Which bastard did you drink with? A girl, perhaps?”

Kwon Yuwon poked Siyul in the side with his index finger and nagged him. His eyes were bright, unlike someone who had just woken up. Siyul just mumbled, “Just because.”

Since it was the early morning, the movie playing on TV was rated quite high. A “19” mark was clearly printed on the top right. He had turned down the sound so the embarrassing moans couldn’t be heard, but the two protagonists on screen were busy rubbing their bodies against each other while completely naked. The title was third-rate, too. The Alpha’s Affair; when he looked it up, it was an old movie that had been released over 15 years ago.

Still, it was suggestive. Seeing the protagonist throw his head back, Siyul suddenly remembered the cat-like sound he had heard earlier. The giggling that lovers might share and the breathing that grew increasingly heightened, which he had heard over the receiver. The sound that made him feel even a sense of guilt, as if he were peeking through a hole in a paper screen.

“Is that thing that good?”

Kwon Yuwon, who had been drinking his beer, paused and looked at Siyul. He widened his eyes, looking devious, and went, “Oh.”

“So you’re finally taking an interest in things like that. Wow, I thought our Siyul was a eunuch until now.”

“A eunuch? I stand up tall and firm every morning, so where are you getting such nonsense?”

“Ah, that’s creepy, so don’t talk about it. But what are you curious about? This hyung will teach you everything.”

Kwon Yuwon puffed out his chest, acting proud. Teach him, my foot—as far as Siyul knew, Kwon Yuwon had no experience either. He had suffered through every heat, but he would run away saying that Alphas were terrible to even have touch him, only to return crying every single time. Siyul looked Kwon Yuwon up and down, going, “Sure, sure.”

“You?”

“I know better than you.”

They had an interest, but no experience. That was the same for both Kwon Yuwon and Siyul. Still, wouldn’t Kwon Yuwon, as an Omega, have heard and seen more than he had? Siyul wetted his parched throat with beer. He parted his lips and closed them, hesitated, and then asked, pretending he had absolutely no interest.

“Is it good to sleep with an Alpha?”

The expression on Kwon Yuwon’s face, who had been focused on the movie, turned sour immediately. It was the face of someone drinking sour milk straight from the fridge. Siyul went, “See?” and turned his eyes back to the TV. He’d asked about something useless, as Kwon Yuwon wouldn’t know either.

“What could be good about doing it with an Alpha? It’s doing it with a beast in heat. You shouldn’t get tangled up with those types. You should just do it with a girl, why with an Alpha…. Wait. Why are you curious about that?”

Kwon Yuwon, who had been rambling, shut his mouth tight and glared at Siyul. He rolled his eyes, shoved his face close, and inspected him from all angles. After sniffing him with flared nostrils, his eyes flashed a cold blue.

“Did you manifest, by any chance?”

“Are you crazy! I didn’t!”

“Then why are you asking about doing it with an Alpha? You’ve never shown any interest in that kind of stuff.”

“It’s just because it came out in the movie, what are you turning the tables on me for. There’s no such thing. I have no reason to be involved with Alphas, and I’m definitely a Beta.”

“Now that I think about it, that pig bastard was super clingy with you last time too. I let it slide thinking that bastard just had shitty taste, but…. Kwon Siyul, you.”

Kwon Yuwon placed his beer on the floor and grabbed both of Siyul’s shoulders. Turning his body completely toward Siyul, he advised him seriously.

“You watch out for Alphas.”

“Are you still half-asleep?”

“No, listen to your hyung. Is it my first or second day seeing those Alpha bastards? I didn’t know when it was the pig bastard, but seeing you now, you’re the type that’s easily preyed upon by Alphas. There are crazy, psycho Alpha bastards out there who like Betas, you know. No. Even if that’s not it…. Damn it. Just listen to me. If there’s an Alpha around, avoid them and build a wall no matter what. That’s how you stay alive.”