By Zephyria 
Jeong-min spoke as if comforting him while passing the meat he had cut to Su-han. Su-han stared silently at Jeong-min.
“Meeting you was truly a stroke of luck.”
“If you know that, hurry up and eat.”
When Jeong-min scolded him, Su-han said he understood and put the meat Jeong-min offered into his mouth. The short dinner date was coming to an end. Since Su-han had come out secretly from his family and didn’t bring his car, Jeong-min decided to drive him home. Thanks to that, the date time was extended just a little.
“I’ll prepare well. Hyung… just think about Su-eun. Okay?”
“Thank you.”
Su-han tightly held the hand of Jeong-min, who was gripping the steering wheel. And when they arrived near the house, the two of them kissed with hearts full of love.
“I heard New Zealand is great. Let’s go surfing there… and find work while getting plenty of rest.”
“Let’s do that. And… Jeong-min.”
“Yes?”
“Once we settle in, can you… allow me to hold you?”
Jeong-min immediately realized what those words meant and gripped Su-han’s hand tightly.
“I’m not sure yet since I’m not reliable enough. In the current situation, shouldn’t I be the one holding you, Hyung?”
“Ah. Is that so? Still, I want to be the one to hold you first.”
“Then the future will be important. Try your best so that I’ll want to be held by you.”
Jeong-min ‘tapped’ the bridge of Su-han’s nose.
They continued to talk softly in the car for a long time, and Su-han got out of the car with a face much brighter than before. Looking at his back as he returned home, Jeong-min smiled beamingly. That day, he was able to sleep comfortably, thinking only of a future full of light.
If only everything had stopped then….
✽✽✽
─ I’ve set up the account for the money to go into, as per Sunbae’s request.
“Really?”
Departure is tomorrow. Just then, Kim Ju-hwan called to say he had opened an account at a New Zealand bank.
─ First, deposit the money once the bet is over.
“That bet. When are you doing it?”
─ Soon?
“Soon? When exactly is that? I’m leaving the country tomorrow.”
─ I know. That’s why I’m rushing.
“When do the results come out? I mean, I don’t even know what the bet is in the first place, so how am I supposed to know if I won or if you won?”
─ You’ll find out. So just wait a bit. Hmm… in about three hours? I’ll call you.
“You’re not pushing this past tonight, right?”
─ Sunbae. It seems you don’t trust me, so let’s do this. If it goes past today, the bet is automatically your victory.
“Fine.”
─ Alright then. I’ll contact you later.
After the call ended, Jeong-min looked at the clock. Three hours from now would be 10 PM. He had no idea what kind of bet he was planning to make or what he intended to show him with only three hours left.
Either way, the later Ju-hwan was, the less Jeong-min had to lose, so he thought, Since it’s come to this, just be as late as possible! and started packing his things again.
✽✽✽
After finishing the call with Jeong-min, Kim Ju-hwan stared silently at the name ‘Shin Jeong-min’ on the screen. Just then, feeling a man approach as the door opened, he quietly set his phone down.
“You’ve arrived?”
“…….”
Ji Su-han looked at Kim Ju-hwan, making his displeasure blatantly obvious.
“It’s been a while.”
“Please sit. I don’t think we’re on shaking-hands terms.”
As Ju-hwan nodded, the attendant pulled out a chair for Su-han, and Su-han sat opposite Kim Ju-hwan. The attendant left and the door closed.
A very faint blue light lingered in the space filled with darkness. The sound of soft music and flowing water blocked out the minimum amount of noise.
“Are you finished preparing to leave tomorrow?”
Kim Ju-hwan asked with a smile. However, Ji Su-han could not smile. Kim Ju-hwan’s pheromones were disturbingly quiet. No, he couldn’t feel them at all. He had suppressed them perfectly. A fellow Alpha knows how terrifying that is. He cannot tell what the man is saying, his purpose, or his emotions. He knows nothing.
“Yes. Ah, I heard from Jeong-min. That Mr. Kim Ju-hwan is helping.”
“Jeong-min. Jeong-min…”
Kim Ju-hwan slowly tapped the table with his finger, repeating Jeong-min’s name.
“Ah~ that’s right. Sunbae’s name was Shin Jeong-min. You called him so familiarly that I wondered who it was.”
“Shouldn’t you at least know your Sunbae’s name?”
“I suppose so. Still, I see no reason for you to tell me such things.”
Kim Ju-hwan crossed his legs and looked at Ji Su-han. Even though there wasn’t much of a difference in their eye levels, it strangely felt as if he were looking down on him.
“You must know that Jeong-min Sunbae came to me for help.”
“…I know.”
“I wonder how unreliable you must be, Mr. Ji Su-han, for Sunbae to come to me for help.”
“I admit that. It is true that I am not in a dependable position currently.”
“Sunbae has never once asked me for help or bowed his head to me.”
Even ‘that day’ when he came saying he didn’t want to become an Alpha, he hadn’t bowed his head. If anything, he had acted haughty.
“And yet, for the first time, he bowed his head and asked me for a favor. It was refreshing, but…”
Kim Ju-hwan stroked his chin, recalling that day.
“It wasn’t interesting. On the other hand, I was curious. Just who is this person, Ji Su-han, that he would go as far as bowing his head? So, I wanted to meet you.”
Ji Su-han felt uncomfortable in this setting. He had been puzzled when he received the contact from Kim Ju-hwan. He had debated whether to refuse, but since it was true that he was receiving help, he had come to express his gratitude. It felt like a mistake. Whatever it was, the Alpha before him wanted to get rid of him. It was felt explicitly.
“Now that we’ve seen each other’s faces, is that enough? I appreciate your help, but I don’t think you need to help any further. Jeong-min and I will manage, so please step away now, Mr. Kim Ju-hwan. I will certainly compensate you for the help you’ve provided so far.”
“Who do you think you are?”
Kim Ju-hwan spoke with a laugh, as if it were absurd.
“Compensation? How will you do that? With money? Ah, I understand your funding is completely cut off right now, so I’m curious how you’ll manage. By borrowing money from Jeong-min Sunbae? I wonder how much I’ll call for.”
“Mr. Kim Ju-hwan. Don’t you think you’re being very rude right now?”
“The rude one is you.”
“What?”
“Suddenly appearing out of nowhere and cutting in. He’s the only person who’s interesting to watch, and now he’s on the verge of being spoiled.”
“What are you talki—”
Ji Su-han, unable to understand Kim Ju-hwan’s meaning, frowned, then stared blankly at Kim Ju-hwan as if he had suddenly realized something. His pupils gleamed coldly in the moonlight behind them.
The emotion he felt from Kim Ju-hwan in that instant was something Ji Su-han knew well. It was an Alpha’s possessiveness. As expected, he hadn’t misjudged back then. Kim Ju-hwan felt possessive toward Jeong-min. And it was a possessiveness so fierce and cruel that it was persistent. That wasn’t ‘love.’ It was merely the gaze of an owner toward a ‘toy.’
Ji Su-han felt that he had to pull Jeong-min away from him. He had to take him and leave this country quickly.
“Do whatever you want. I’ll give you everything you desire. But… I will take Jeong-min.”
“Haha.”
Kim Ju-hwan laughed heartily. Then, he stood up, took the champagne out of the ice bucket, and poured it into the glass in front of Ji Su-han. Ji Su-han watched silently as the carbonation bubbled up.
“Sure. Take him. I have no interest in things that are spoiled anyway.”
“…….”
“However, since he’s a Sunbae I liked very much, it wouldn’t feel right for him to suffer, so I’ll help as he requested. No need for rewards. I’m doing this for my own peace of mind.”
After pouring champagne into his own glass, he raised it.
“Let’s toast.”
Ji Su-han felt somewhat reluctant. The sudden polite behavior and soft tone all seemed like he had some ulterior motive, but he couldn’t fathom what he was thinking. This man was more difficult than anyone he had ever met. To the point that he never wanted to see him again.
They didn’t clink glasses. They simply raised their glasses, nodded to each other, and drank. The sharp carbonation slid smoothly down his throat. And then, a sweet scent was felt from somewhere.
‘A sweet scent…?’
Ji Su-han dropped the glass he was holding. It didn’t break when it hit the table, but the champagne inside spilled across the table and dripped down to the floor.
Ji Su-han quickly covered his nose and mouth and stood up. On the other hand, Kim Ju-hwan smiled leisurely, flipped his phone over, and sent a text to Shin Jeong-min.