By Zephyria 
Lowering his eyes as he asked the question, Haon took a long gulp of wine. In truth, he wanted to ask what kind of relationship he had with Ryu Soo-hyun, but he asked something else first. He simply wanted an answer to that more quickly.
“…….”
As if kicking Haon’s hopes aside, In-ho did not answer. Becoming anxious in the sudden silence, Haon toyed with his glass and stole a glance upward.
“That I don’t date Omegas….”
In-ho was chewing over the question, staring into the air rather than at Haon. With his head tilted slightly, he looked exactly like someone hearing such a thing for the first time.
“Did I say that?”
“Yes…!”
Could he possibly not remember?
Flustered, Haon nodded vigorously. It was one thing to forget he had said it to him, but he seemed completely unaware of the fact itself, which made Haon even more bewildered.
“Why did I do that.”
Rubbing his eyes, In-ho frowned thoughtfully and let out a hum. Then, as if his brain wasn’t turning quite right, he habitually lifted his glass and quickly drained half of it. Because he drank so naturally, Haon forgot to stop him.
“Ah.”
The alcohol seemed to help, as the crease in In-ho’s brow smoothed out. He appeared to have remembered why he had said such a thing.
“I said I only meet people of the same secondary gender, didn’t I?”
Actually, there was no need to think hard about it. The reason was obvious.
“To put you at ease, Haon.”
Lowering his voice, he whispered softly as if sharing a secret. Then he drank again.
“But I didn’t deceive you with bad intentions. I swear.”
In-ho spoke with sincerity, the trace of a smile vanishing. He had only lied to get Haon out of that dangerous goshiwon and into this house. He swore to heaven there was no other intention.
“Just as I said back then, I won’t lay a finger on you. Not if you don’t want it.”
“I don’t dislike it.”
The honest thought slipped out abruptly, and Haon hurriedly blocked his mouth with wine. He had drunk to shut himself up, but instead, other words flowed out effortlessly.
“Th-then, with that person… were you dating…?”
“No, we just saw each other for a bit.”
Saw each other for a bit meant….
“We have no relationship now. We’re not the kind of people who would meet again.”
Refilling his own glass, In-ho unconsciously filled Haon’s as well. He had poured it without thinking, assuming Haon wanted more.
In-ho’s intoxication was rising faster and faster, yet his face remained relaxed and composed. He was entirely different from Haon, who had turned into a beet for various reasons.
Holding the full wine glass, the corners of Haon’s mouth curled up. Regardless of what his relationship with Ryu Soo-hyun had been, he said it was all over now. Naturally, Haon couldn’t help but feel good.
Moreover, he does date Omegas…. No, that didn’t mean he expected to be the object of that affection. Absolutely, absolutely not.
“Haon.”
Calling Haon’s name repeatedly while he was spacing out, In-ho wore a languid smile.
“Now it’s my turn. Focus.”
In-ho playfully shook his glass, drawing Haon’s gaze.
Haon focused on In-ho with wide, determined eyes. Seeing this, In-ho continued his questioning with a satisfied expression.
“Is there anything uncomfortable about staying here?”
Haon was about to answer immediately that there wasn’t, but then he paused. It wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but there was one thing on his mind.
“There aren’t any clocks…. It’s not that I absolutely need one, but I was just curious why there aren’t any.”
Was there a special reason? Filled with curiosity, he stared at In-ho, waiting for an answer.
“Because there’s no particular need to check the time.”
When a lighter answer than expected came back, Haon blinked and gave a soulless, “I see.” He had expected a distinct reason, like the sound of a second hand being irritating.
“Now you ask, Haon.”
“Yes.”
Haon rolled his eyes and pulled out the second most curious question from the mental list he had prepared. This was a question that not only he, but Tae-hwi hyung, was also desperately waiting for the answer to.
“What do you do for a living…?”
Cough. In-ho, who had been drinking, burst into a coughing fit. It was because he had burst out laughing after receiving a completely unexpected question.
“Are you okay?”
Haon hurriedly stood up to find a tissue, but In-ho pushed him back down. He smiled, saying he was fine, and roughly wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.
“You were curious about that?”
It had been nearly three weeks since they started living together, and only now was he asking about his profession.
Since Haon had never asked, In-ho had assumed he wasn’t curious at all. He thought that, aside from his face, Haon wasn’t particularly interested in him.
“If it’s an uncom-uncomfortable question, you don’t have to answer.”
Unsure of how to interpret In-ho’s reaction, Haon tried to quickly change the subject. Before he could, In-ho rubbed his eyes and spoke.
“I don’t really have a job.”
To say such a sad thing while smiling. Flustered by the unexpected answer, Haon watched as In-ho swallowed a laugh and immediately added:
“I just have a lot of money.”
An inscrutable smile floated on his pale face.
“I have a lot of money, but I have just as many flaws.”
I’m a useless person, he murmured lowly, then smiled brightly and poured another glass—he had lost count—into his mouth without leaving a single drop.
“Um, and….”
Usually, he didn’t drink this much at such a reckless speed. Even when he couldn’t sleep, he would only fill one glass and empty it slowly.
However, today was a day where he had heard too many voices he hated, so he found himself reaching for the alcohol a bit more. Unable to break an old habit.
“That’s not true.”
In-ho, who was searching for the liquor bottle that had drifted out of his sight, turned his head at the sudden sound. What wasn’t true?
“You’re a good person, In-ho.”
The person speaking out of nowhere was holding the liquor bottle. In-ho reached out to the one who was hugging the bottle as if hiding it.
“You have far more strengths.”
As he tried to firmly take the bottle back, his senses suddenly snapped back.
For a moment, Haon had vanished from his alcohol-blurred vision. Only then did In-ho realize he was quite drunk. He hadn’t even remembered the words he had been rambling to Haon.
“You’re incredibly cool, and you’re the kindest person I’ve ever met. You’re understanding, too. And you’re confident everywhere, and—”
“That’s not right.”
In-ho countered, having enjoyed watching Haon say these mysterious things. It seemed he was talking about him, but he had it all wrong.
“I’m actually quite cowardly.”
He murmured lowly, pressing his throbbing forehead. He felt a headache starting to flare up a while ago, and now the back of his neck felt stiff. It was only natural that his body couldn’t take it after pouring alcohol down his throat without sleep.
“Still… it’s certain that you’re a good person.”
Haon spoke very firmly. No matter how drunk he was, he couldn’t believe the words coming out of In-ho’s mouth.
“So please don’t say things like that.”
In-ho had called himself a person full of nothing but flaws. He had murmured that he was useless while staring at the distant window with unfocused eyes.
Those confessions made Haon sad. It was heartbreaking that In-ho was saying things that seemed more suited for him.
“Stop drinking.”
Hiding the heavy liquor bottle in his arms, Haon tried to get up from the sofa. He intended to hide the bottle and fetch a glass of water.
Haon was also a bit tipsy, but seeing that In-ho was far more drunk, he suddenly became wide awake.
Come to think of it, he even had a nosebleed.
Filled with more worry, Haon regretted not stopping In-ho sooner and took a bold step forward.
The moment he thought he should hurry to the kitchen, his body was simultaneously pulled back toward the sofa.
“Don’t go.”
Grabbing Haon’s arm, In-ho pulled the slender body toward him.
“I won’t drink anymore.”
Then, to keep Haon from moving, he grabbed both of his arms and sat him on his lap.
“I didn’t drink… that much.”
In-ho murmured as if making an excuse, staring intently at Haon. His expression was composed and his focus seemed present, but judging by his words and actions, he was already severely intoxicated.
“So… don’t go.”
“I’m not going.”
Haon’s bottom shifted slightly where it touched In-ho’s thigh, but he gave up and leaned his full weight against him.
“I have nowhere else to go anyway.”
Whispering in a voice so small it was barely audible, Haon gently brushed In-ho’s philtrum. He pressed under the nose as if checking if another nosebleed was starting, locking eyes with In-ho.
And using the alcohol as an excuse, their lips met. In truth, he had wanted to kiss him from the moment he sat beside him.
Chu. It was a kiss that didn’t even make a sound.
Haon pressed and pulled his lips away more lightly than a child’s kiss, as if merely grazing them. Then, his face flushed red as if he had stolen a kiss from In-ho. In-ho was staring at him too intently.
“I-it was a mistake….”
In fact, it was a peck that could have passed for an actual accidental collision. However, since it was the first kiss he had ever attempted in his life, heat rushed to his face, turning it bright red.
Hoping that the drunken In-ho would just let it slide, he shifted his hips again. Forgetting his promise to In-ho that he wouldn’t leave, Haon tried to flee.
“Me too.”
Before he could, the hand that had slipped from Haon’s arm wrapped around his slender waist. In-ho announced his own “mistake” first, then swallowed Haon’s parted lips.
Filling the narrow mouth with wet flesh, he pressed down on Haon’s waist. Firmly, so that he could not get up again.