By Zephyria 
Тhе fеstivаl ended in greаt suсcess. Тhe club mеmbеrs, whо hаd mахimized their рrоfits with “mеre few-thоusand won cоtton сandу,” heаded tо а bаr, patting thеir bulging pоckets. Thе biggest contributоr today wаs Seоn-kуu, who had drawn in customеrs solely with his skill in mаking thе соttоn candу loоk рretty.
Оn thе way to the bаr, alumni nаturаlly joinеd thеm. Мin-jеоng, Seоng-jаe, аnd even the Teaсhing Assistant. Тhe Tеaching Assistаnt eхpressеd his рleasurе with his usual indifferеnt faсе, awkwаrdlу blurring the nаmеs of thе сlub mеmbers. Watсhing this, Wоo-уеоn wаs certain that he didn’t know Seon-kyu’s name.
“For Yeonggojeon!”
“Cheers!”
Since there were quite a few club members, they headed to a bar divided into sections by doors and partitions. Seong-jae, who wasn’t even a current student, shouted the toast, and the club members clinked their glasses in familiar unison.
Do-hyun had been snatched up by Seong-jae, who claimed he “wanted to hang out with the youngest after a long time,” and had taken a seat next to him. Seong-jae’s voice was so loud that the boisterous noise reached all the way here.
“Min-jeong, please knock him out.”
“A bear tranquilizer gun requires government permission.”
Woo-yeon, who had been bluntly fiddling with his soju glass, burst into laughter upon hearing the conversation between the Teaching Assistant and Min-jeong. No matter how much Seong-jae’s build resembled a bear, the immediate mention of a tranquilizer gun was simply hilarious.
Min-jeong spoke to Woo-yeon in a friendly manner.
“Did you get home okay last time?”
“Last time” referred to the day Woo-yeon had blacked out after drinking the somaek Min-jeong had mixed for him. Seeing Do-hyun being friendly with someone else, he had felt a twist in his gut and downed plenty of alcohol despite having no such plan. He couldn’t remember what happened at the bar, but it was certain that they had parted ways while he was drunk.
“Yes, I’m sorry about that.”
“What are you sorry for? I’m the one who fed you the alcohol.”
“Right, Woo-yeon was really drunk that day.”
Ga-ram, who was also sticking close to Min-jeong today, nodded as if reminiscing. The Teaching Assistant didn’t know about that day, but he didn’t ask anything and was busy fiddling with his phone.
“Oppa, when is Tae-gyeom Seonbae coming?”
“I think he’s almost here. He said it took a while because the roads were blocked.”
The Teaching Assistant replied and set his phone down on the table. The ring on his left ring finger sparkled even in the dim light. Fixing his gaze on the couple ring, Woo-yeon asked lightly.
“Is he the Management God?”
“Pfft.”
The Teaching Assistant covered his mouth and laughed out loud. His indifferent eyes curved, and his impression changed instantly. The way he smiled softly was so tender that it made even Woo-yeon’s heart flutter.
“Ah… sorry. Tae-gyeom hates that nickname. If possible, don’t mention it in front of him.”
“He’s the Teaching Assistant’s lover, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Woo-yeon thought it was the first time the Teaching Assistant had exuded such a warm atmosphere. While he was fundamentally a kind person, his emotional shifts weren’t usually large. Yet, the moment he heard the name ‘Tae-gyeom,’ his expression changed. Even though the person wasn’t in front of them, it felt like he could tell how much the Teaching Assistant loved him.
“But Woo-yeon is still calling him Teaching Assistant. Just call him Hyung. Yun-woo Oppa doesn’t mind that kind of thing.”
At Min-jeong’s words, Woo-yeon glanced at the Teaching Assistant. He didn’t particularly care about the title, but he wondered if it was something others should decide for him. Fortunately, the Teaching Assistant told him to call him whatever he felt comfortable with, his face remaining nonchalant.
“Unni… please mix me some somaek.”
“Give me your glass. Oppa, should I mix one for you too?”
“I’m fine. I’m planning to drive later.”
“What about you, Woo-yeon?”
Woo-yeon shook his head while looking at Do-hyun, who was sitting far away. It was because he thought he might black out again if he drank for no reason. Min-jeong didn’t ask twice and began skillfully mixing the somaek.
“I’m going to the restroom for a moment.”
His chest felt tight; he felt like he needed some fresh air. To be precise, it was the regret of not being able to be close to Do-hyun, but either way, it was the same thing. Without even looking toward Do-hyun, Woo-yeon hurried out of the partitioned area.
“…Wow, I’m going to get lost.”
Slide. Closing the door, Woo-yeon muttered blankly. He hadn’t noticed when they all rushed in earlier, but now that he saw it, the internal layout was quite complex. It was no easy feat to return to his group without memorizing the room number.
“Number 17…”
Woo-yeon repeated the room number in his head as he walked toward the counter. He was too lazy to go outside, so he planned to go to the restroom and wash his face. 17, 17. Just as he murmured this and turned the corner, a thick scent of Alpha pheromones wafted over him.
“…”
They were only about one step apart. If he hadn’t stopped walking, he would have collided head-on with the person coming from the opposite direction. Confirming that the other person was the owner of the Alpha pheromones, Woo-yeon narrowed his eyes and looked up.
“…”
“…”
He was a man of eerily beautiful features. Overall, his coloring was pale, and his eyes were as exquisite as if they had been drawn in a painting. His height, which was similar to Do-hyun’s, his well-built shoulders, and his flamboyant pheromones were all perfect enough to evoke admiration.
‘Dominant Alpha.’
Just those two words. Defining him as such, Woo-yeon took a step back. His already irritated face was now completely distorted. Regardless of whether the man was handsome or what his appearance was, the mere fact that he was an Alpha made Woo-yeon not want to deal with him.
“Please pass.”
“…”
The funny thing was that the other person looking at Woo-yeon had a similar expression. Although he showed it less than Woo-yeon did, it could be felt through his pheromones that he was displeased. Without a word of response, the man ignored Woo-yeon and turned the corner.
‘Wow, he’s really rude.’
Woo-yeon cursed inwardly and turned around. Usually, if one side stepped aside, the other would at least offer a word of apology, but this man had openly ignored him. It was better than someone flirtatiously pestering him, but he didn’t like that characteristic overbearing attitude either.
Typical Alpha. Just as Woo-yeon thought this and was about to bury the encounter in his memory, the sound of a door sliding open reached his ears, along with a familiar voice.
“…Tae-gyeom Seonbae?”
* * *
With a reluctant face, Woo-yeon looked back and forth between the two people sitting in front of him. One was the Teaching Assistant who treated him kindly, and the other was the Dominant Alpha he utterly loathed. The Teaching Assistant calmly introduced the person sitting next to him.
“This is Choi Tae-gyeom. He’s a Seonbae in the club, and the person I’m dating.”
“And the Management God.”
At Min-jeong’s addition, Tae-gyeom’s expression distorted slightly. Woo-yeon found it quite surprising that he truly hated the nickname ‘Management God.’ He thought someone with such a famous nickname would just brush it off, but it seemed the person’s own opinion hadn’t been reflected.
“You ran into Woo-yeon earlier?”
“Yeah, I guess he’s a club freshman.”
As soon as Tae-gyeom’s eyes met the Teaching Assistant’s, his eyes softened. It was a bright smile that looked as if it could melt anything, but Woo-yeon felt an instinctive repulsion and shuddered. He hated Alphas, but he hated this man even more because he seemed to have a bad personality.
“Where did you go by yourself?”
Do-hyun asked softly, grabbing Woo-yeon’s hand under the table. Having failed to get out earlier, he had moved to the table where he was sitting once Woo-yeon had returned from the restroom, escaping from Seong-jae. He had taken the seat next to Woo-yeon in place of Seon-kyu, who had originally been there, with utter slyness.
“The restroom. Seonbae, did you follow me out?”
“Yeah, you left so suddenly. It’s dangerous to walk alone in a bar.”
Woo-yeon thought the gently wafting pheromones felt quite pleasant. Do-hyun’s pheromones were dry and refreshing, making them feel crisp despite him being an Alpha. He was the complete opposite of Tae-gyeom, who sat across from them.
“I’m tired, Yun-woo.”
“You look it. Should we have just gone home to rest?”
“No, let’s just head out a bit early.”
Woo-yeon made a disgusted face seeing Tae-gyeom nuzzle against the Teaching Assistant’s shoulder. He wondered if this was the same person who had walked away without a word earlier; it felt as if it were a different person with the same face.
Noticing Woo-yeon’s gaze, the Teaching Assistant gave an awkward smile.
“Did he act like a jerk by any chance?”
“…”
Woo-yeon’s face distorted ambiguously. Setting aside the fact that the term ‘jerk’ was being used for a lover, he felt self-conscious about confirming it. Yet, he didn’t want to answer that he hadn’t.
Surprisingly, the answer came from Tae-gyeom.
“I didn’t know he was a club member. He’s an Omega.”
The nuance suggested a confirmation that he had indeed acted like a jerk. When the Teaching Assistant asked what happened, he replied that they had simply almost collided. Only then did Woo-yeon slowly open his mouth.
“I hate Alphas too.”
He just knew because they were of the same kind. That the man hated Omegas, and that was why he had treated him that way. With that kind of appearance and those pheromones, his life must have been quite exhausting.
“That’s the most welcome thing I’ve heard.”
Tae-gyeom replied nonchalantly, but the Teaching Assistant looked at Woo-yeon with surprised eyes. Even though his facial expression didn’t change much, it was evident by the slow way he turned his head. Tae-gyeom curled his lips cryptically and gestured with his chin toward Do-hyun sitting next to him.
“And he’s okay?”
“…”
Woo-yeon’s ears turned red, and he avoided eye contact. He felt Do-hyun tighten his grip on the hand he was holding under the table. Do-hyun gently stroked the back of Woo-yeon’s hand and replied casually.
“I’m different. Seonbae, you’re okay with Yun-woo Hyung too.”
“…What exactly is the relationship between you two?”
The Teaching Assistant asked belatedly with a bewildered face. At that question, Woo-yeon’s face reddened further, and he fidgeted with his fingers. It was a reaction that clearly screamed ‘we’re dating’ to anyone watching.
“I knew it.”
Min-jeong muttered, clicking her tongue lightly. At that, the Teaching Assistant brought up something Min-jeong had said before.
“Thief.”
“…”
No response came, but the atmosphere was one of universal agreement. Even Tae-gyeom stared at Do-hyun with eyes that seemed to say, ‘I didn’t see him that way.’
It was Woo-yeon who appealed against the unfairness.
“We’re only four years apart.”
It wasn’t an eight-year difference, nor was he a minor. What was so special about a mere four years that Do-hyun had to be called a thief?
Of course, Woo-yeon’s argument lost its strength with a single sentence from Min-jeong.
“When a returning student who’s been to the army meets a freshman, he’s a thief.”
Min-jeong pointed to Do-hyun and Woo-yeon in turn.
“This one is a military-discharged returning student, and you, Woo-yeon, are a freshman who just became an adult.”
“…”
After a short pause, a blunt voice added the final word.
“He is a thief, right?”