By Zephyria 
Haon was firmly determined to get to know In-ho better today. He planned to ask all the questions he hadn’t been able to ask that day because he had gotten drunk.
As if sensing Haon’s ambition, In-ho, wearing an intrigued expression, took the bottle and glasses and led the way to the living room. He seemed to have figured out exactly what Haon wanted.
“I want to give you everything, but let’s just drink this much today.”
In-ho, who sat on the sofa first, poured wine into Haon’s glass. Since Haon had an empty stomach, he only filled the glass halfway.
“Once you’re fully recovered, we’ll empty a whole bottle.”
Following In-ho, who smiled and said he would buy plenty of new ones, Haon lifted his glass, his lips twitching shyly. He felt a bit embarrassed, fearing he might come across as someone who liked alcohol too much.
It wasn’t that he liked the alcohol; he liked drinking it together.
“What should we do while we drink? Hmm, want to watch a movie?”
In-ho picked up the remote and asked Haon, even though he had no intention of turning on the TV. Just like before, he wanted Haon to tell him directly what he wanted to do right now.
“I can’t think of any particular movie, but what do you like, Haon?”
“I… uh, rather than a movie…”
Muttering softly, Haon held the wine glass with both hands and took a sip. As the sweet scent, like a beverage, spread through his mouth, he found the courage to speak.
“I want to… exchange questions, like we did that day.”
“I’d love to. Let’s do it.”
Haon’s expression brightened at the answer that came back instantly, as if a button had been pressed. Thinking that he had done well to bring it up, he drank a bit more. He made a conscious effort to drink in smaller sips today so that he wouldn’t get drunk.
“In exchange, you have to answer honestly. No lying.”
In-ho, who was drinking as if it were water, added a rule. He had already emptied half of his full liquor glass.
“Yes, I’ll be honest.”
Haon showed a determined attitude with a serious expression. Even without such a promise, he intended to tell only the truth.
“You ask first.”
Ceding the turn, Haon readjusted his grip on the wine glass. He had so many questions for In-ho that he needed a little more time to think.
With a thin smile, In-ho drained the amber liquid in one go and leaned back against the sofa in a languid posture.
The two sat at a distance where their knees almost touched. In-ho began the conversation while maintaining that distance.
“Did she really only lend you her phone? No other conversation?”
In-ho’s expression sank slightly as he asked about the conversation with Jang Eun-young. It was a subtle difference, one that the oblivious Haon failed to notice.
“She just… asked ordinary questions. My name, age, and what I do for a living.”
Focusing on Haon’s slow voice, In-ho refilled his empty glass. As he slowly poured the drink, his dark eyes seemed to sink deeper, as if submerging into a night sea. As expected, Haon did not notice this.
Haon paused for a moment and rubbed his cheek against the cool, rounded part of the wine glass. Recalling the conversation with the woman, heat gradually rose to his face. It wasn’t because of the alcohol.
‘It seems In-ho cherishes Haon quite a bit.’
He spaced out for a moment, unable to move past that one sentence. Accustomed to Haon’s silence, In-ho calmly waited for him while emptying his glass.
While In-ho was finishing his second glass, Haon snapped back to his senses and moistened his throat with an awkward expression. Then, he brought up the truly important matter.
“Actually, she gave me her business card before she left.”
Though he brought it up late, Haon had no intention of hiding it from In-ho from the start.
He felt sorry toward In-ho’s mother, but he didn’t want to create a secret that In-ho didn’t know. It had simply taken some time to bring up something he had been told not to mention.
“She told me to contact her if there was anything I needed help with. But… she told me not to tell In-ho.”
He took the business card out of his pocket and held it out to In-ho. Only then did the suffocating feeling in his chest clear. Haon thought once again that he had done the right thing by speaking up.
Grasping the lightened glass, In-ho didn’t look closely at the business card. His gaze remained fixed solely on Haon.
“…Thank you. For telling me.”
In-ho spoke sincerely.
‘Thank you,’ the voice repeating the words sounded small, muffled by the glass.
Haon glanced at In-ho and sipped his drink along with him. It might have been his imagination, but it seemed as though In-ho’s calm eyes wavered slightly.
“This… what should I do with it?”
He asked In-ho while awkwardly holding the card. If In-ho told him to throw it away, he intended to do so right then and there in front of him.
“I didn’t save the number.”
Haon did have some intuition. Though it was woefully lacking compared to others.
He had gathered that In-ho did not get along well with his mother. The relationship seemed so poor that In-ho found it uncomfortable for her to visit the house. He wondered what the reason was.
“Keep it. Just in case it becomes necessary later.”
Even while thinking that such a thing would never happen, Haon put the card back in his pocket. Since In-ho said so, he wouldn’t throw it away, but he had no intention of saving the number.
“Isn’t there something else you were supposed to tell me?”
In-ho leaned one arm on the sofa and looked Haon directly in the face. The pleasure returned to his sunken eyes. It was the brightest expression he had worn all day.
His smile growing in turn, Haon tilted his head, swallowing his sweet saliva. Something else to tell? Other than receiving the business card, there had been no special conversation.
“You forgot.”
A small chuckle escaped In-ho’s moist lips.
With an expression that suggested Haon was hopeless, he rested his chin on his hand and took in Haon’s pale face. It was such a gentle face that just looking at it made him feel as if even his own dark brain was being purified.
How could someone look so kind? In-ho thought that every time he looked at Haon. Along with the impression that he was beautiful, of course.
“Ah…!”
Haon, who had been quietly locking eyes with In-ho, suddenly opened his mouth wide. Because he shifted his posture abruptly, the wine sloshed inside the glass he was holding preciously.
“N-next Thursday is your father’s birthday!”
He had completely forgotten this important fact. Haon had been so preoccupied with the business card he received from the woman that he had forgotten even to keep a mental note.
“So she said… you must attend!”
Surprised enough for the taste of the alcohol to vanish, Haon habitually tried to smack his own forehead.
Before he could, In-ho blocked Haon’s hand and laughed, saying he had already heard. It seemed he had come down after a phone call with his mother.
“I’m sorry, it was an important matter.”
To forget to deliver the schedule for his father’s birthday, of all things.
“It’s fine. It happens every year.”
In-ho shrugged nonchalantly and filled his third glass. No matter how high his tolerance was, he was drinking faster than usual.
Haon glanced at the liquor bottle that was rapidly depleting, thinking that In-ho really liked alcohol. He suddenly wondered if he drank because he liked it, or because he needed it.
“Now it’s Haon’s turn.”
With a relaxed smile, he was about to put his lips to the glass again. Even though he had just been drinking.
“Um…”
Suddenly reaching out, Haon grabbed In-ho’s wrist.
“Please drink… a little slower.”
The timid grip was at a level that would easily loosen if In-ho shook his arm. He wanted to stop him more firmly, but fearing he might ruin the mood for drinking, he only held on lightly. Otherwise, he felt as if In-ho might never drink with him again.
“I’m not ‘um’.”
“…What?”
“I’m In-ho. Not ‘um’.”
In-ho’s tilted head approached Haon very slowly. Smiling with crescent-shaped eyes, he tapped his own chest.
“Seo In-ho.”
Tapping his chest again, he repeated the name that was already engraved in Haon’s heart.
He drank so fast. As expected, he seemed to be drunk already. Haon slightly increased the strength in the hand holding In-ho’s wrist.
Then, letting out a light laugh, In-ho said he understood and put down the glass. His lips were full of amusement.
“Whose turn is it?”
“Mine.”
Following In-ho, Haon put down his wine glass and raised his hand.
He had finally gained the opportunity to ask In-ho a question. Last time, he had missed the chance after only hearing about food preferences, but today, he would definitely ask everything he had been curious about.
“Ask everything. I’ll answer honestly too.”
Adjusting his languid posture, In-ho listened intently. He looked forward to what Haon would ask this time. Even before hearing it, he felt a smile coming on.
“Pardon?”
However, because he was holding back a laugh, he missed the question. It was also because Haon had spoken too softly.
“Sorry. I didn’t hear you.”
In-ho leaned his head in, asking him to say it again.
Before they knew it, their knees were pressed firmly against each other. Because the distance had closed so naturally, neither of them realized their bodies were touching.
“Why…”
Clearing his throat, Haon picked up the wine glass again. After getting help from the alcohol, he braced his stomach and spoke. Despite being fully prepared, his voice remained small.
“Why don’t you date Omegas?”
Fortunately, it seemed to reach In-ho. Judging by the change in his expression.