MW 36

Leaning back against the sofa, Chaekyung spoke with his eyes fixed on the screen. Haeshin, who knew that the owner of Hidden was his cousin, let out a natural scoff and continued.

“If your drinking habits were decent, they would have allowed it. Be grateful you haven’t been kicked out of here.”

Nagging, nagging. Chaekyung pouted as he watched Haeshin, who had started nagging the moment he arrived.

“But who are you texting so intently?”

“Ah, someone I’ve been talking to lately.”

“You’re already seeing someone new?”

Haeshin was dumbfounded by Chaekyung, who already had someone new when just a short while ago he was crying his eyes out, saying he’d stay single forever and didn’t need any Alphas.

“Yeah, I was set up. Want to see a picture?”

“No thanks. I’m not curious.”

For some reason, he wasn’t in a good mood. It wasn’t anything new for Haeshin, but today his heart felt strange, so he poured a drink into his empty glass and drank.

“Is Kang Jaeha here?”

Haeshin, who was tasting the drinks and appetizers that had arrived first, greeted Jaeha as he opened the door and walked in. At the news that Jaeha had also arrived, Chaekyung put his phone away and frowned when he noticed his friend’s worn-out face, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Hey, you haven’t been around in ages, so why the long face? Are you even in a relationship?”

He was supposed to be in his prime, but his face looked like someone who had just been dumped.

“You said we were here to drink.”

Was he really dumped? Chaekyung watched Jaeha’s expression, then filled a new glass with ice and whiskey and handed it to him.

“Hey, drink slowly.”

Haeshin tried to stop Jaeha, who was downing drinks one after another without touching any food. Chaekyung leaned his head back and mouthed to Haeshin, ‘What’s wrong with Kang Jaeha?’, wondering if he was missing something, but it seemed he didn’t know anything either.

“Kang Jaeha, are you okay……?”

Chaekyung asked worriedly at Jaeha, who had already finished nearly a whole bottle by himself.

“Hey, the best way to get over someone is with someone new. Look at me. I’m already over Minwoo hyung and seeing someone else. Want me to introduce you to someone?”

Chaekyung lifted his phone and began scrolling through his numerous contacts, but Haeshin, sitting next to him, silently shook his head from side to side.

Just then, the vibration of Jaeha’s phone echoed in the quiet room. He reflexively picked up his phone, furrowed his brow, and stood up, saying he’d be back after taking the call.

“Lee Haeshin, I’m going to go for a smoke too. You guys drink ahead.”

“You still haven’t quit?”

“Don’t nag me.”

Waving his hand dismissively as if annoyed, he followed Jaeha downstairs. From a distance, Jaeha looked somewhat serious as he took the call. Waiting for the call to end, Chaekyung stood a step back and smoked a cigarette. It was then that his cousin, Seungmin, and Yijae came into his view.

“And he says he’s not dating.”

The way he placed a hand on Yijae’s forehead with eyes full of concern was, to anyone watching, the gaze of a man who had feelings for him.

Especially since Seungmin was someone who was indifferent to others, his eyes couldn’t be mistaken.

“Seo Yijae?”

His name flowed from Jaeha’s lips as he stared at where Seungmin and Yijae were standing, having finished his call at some point.

“What, you know my sister-in-law too?”

“Sister-in-law?”

“Yeah, he’s in a thing with my cousin. I saw him with my own two eyes coming out of hyung’s room after washing up earli… hey!”

Chaekyung suddenly grabbed the arm of Jaeha, who was heading towards them, and asked with a flustered face.

“Are you going to act like you know him over there? All of a sudden?”

“There’s something I need to ask.”

“A-ask me. Hyung really hates it when people talk to his partner……”

Before he could finish his sentence, Jaeha walked past Chaekyung. He was bewildered by Jaeha’s impulsive behavior, wondering if he was already drunk, but he couldn’t hold him back due to the difference in their strength.

Chaekyung finally just ruffled his own hair and muttered to himself.

“Ha, shit. I’m fucked.”

⁺₊❆₊⋆

“Cough.”

Why was today so long? After taking out trash his own size three times in a row, Yijae let out a dry cough.

“Maknae, are you sure you don’t need to leave early?”

“I’m fine! It’s just a slight burn.”

Yijae answered as cheerfully as he could. But he could tell from the heat in his every breath that his body was not in a normal state.

“I just need to take this to table 3, right?”

“Uh, yeah. Thanks.”

The kitchen had calmed down to some extent, so it seemed he had time to help with the serving. Yijae checked the bill once more, placed the food from the table onto a tray, and went out.

“Enjoy your meal.”

After finishing his serving duties, Yijae left the hall and headed for the changing room. He opened his bag from the locker, took out his medicine, chewed the pills without water, and swallowed them down his throat.

‘I took my medicine, so I should be okay.’

Rubbing his hot eyes, Yijae came out of the changing room and hurried his steps back towards the restaurant.

“Seo Yijae, come here.”

Turning around at the voice that called from behind, he saw Seungmin, whom he had run into frequently today, and bowed his head.

“Hello, Boss.”

“I told you to come here. God, you never listen, tsk.”

Clicking his tongue softly, he used his long legs to stride over to Yijae. Yijae glanced up at him, sensing the smell of alcohol on his breath as he got closer, wondering if he had been drinking.

“What.”

“Ah, nothing……”

“Do I smell? I’m not drunk, but I had a troublesome customer, so I had a few drinks with them.”

His face grew hot, as if his thoughts had been read. As Yijae stammered out some nonsensical words, Seungmin reached out, wrapped an arm around Yijae’s back, and held him firmly.

“Stay still.”

Then he swept the hair covering his forehead up and placed his palm on it.

“You seem to have a slight fever.”

“I-I’m fine.”

I didn’t show it so no one knew, how did he know?

Afraid he wouldn’t be allowed to work if he said he was sick, Yijae quickly removed his hand and took a step back.

“Seo Yijae.”

In that moment, a familiar scent drifted on a faint breeze. With a no way expression, Yijae turned around, saw Jaeha, and squeezed his eyes shut.

He had been anxious since the moment Chaekyung had mentioned the word ‘friends’. But he had no reason to go to the 5th floor and thought he would be fine if he was careful…….

Seeing Jaeha, Yijae’s body trembled momentarily. If word got back to Dohae that he had met with him again, his mother’s treatment might be stopped.

Jaeha grabbed the wrist of the man trying to flee and said with a confused face.

“Where are you going, let’s talk.”

“Let go of him before you speak.”

Jaeha looked at Seungmin, who had stepped between him and Yijae and was speaking with a hardened face.

“I know Yijae. I’m just trying to have a conversation, so why don’t you be the one to let go.”

“It doesn’t seem like Yijae thinks the same way. Can’t you see he’s uncomfortable?”

He was right. Jaeha looked at Yijae, who was trembling slightly with his head hung low, and his brow furrowed fiercely.

Jaeha looked at Yijae with a face that showed he couldn’t understand. Then, Yijae cautiously lifted his head and parted his lips with a trembling gaze.

“……I’m sorry. I have nothing to say.”

When his tightly shut lips opened, what Yijae said was a clear refusal.

“Yijae?”

As if he hadn’t expected to be rejected like this, Jaeha’s brow narrowed.

Is this related to why he looked so down last Tuesday? Or is it……. Could it be that Yijae really had someone else, just as Chaekyung said, and found him uncomfortable? But that day, Yijae… had confessed that he liked him. To dismiss it as something said carelessly while drunk, Yijae’s expression that day was definitely not a lie.

“I-I’ll get going now. And Friday too… I don’t think I’ll have time. I’m sorry.”

As Yijae turned his back and disappeared after his one-sided notice, Jaeha reached out a hand. However, Seungmin grabbed Jaeha’s wrist and said in a sigh-filled voice.