BHB 44

“Don’t worry. I told you earlier, I have no intention of doing that. To begin with, since the other person is my friend, why would I say anything?” Yeowon continued casually. 

Although Chaemin denied being worried, Yeowon couldn’t think of any other reason for Chaemin to look so dejected.

“It’s not that … I know you’re not that kind of person.”

‘Then what is it?’ Yeowon thought briefly before making another guess.

Had he been too careless in his talk? This might be a secret that others would desperately want to hide. Yeowon, who hadn’t thought that far, looked at Chaemin’s still pale face. He had carelessly brought it up thinking that pretending not to know would make the person look more foolish, but had he been thoughtless?

“If I was insensitive, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it with any ill feelings.”

“Huh? No, don’t be sorry. I’m grateful, actually … for telling me first. If I had kept not knowing … it would have been more embarrassing and shameful.” Chaemin shook his head vigorously in denial. 

But this didn’t seem to be the right answer either, as he still couldn’t erase the bitter expression from his face. Even his grateful smile seemed forced. Seeing this, Yeowon tilted his head back in fatigue, rubbing the back of his neck. For someone who had been engaged in such blatant lovemaking at school, his reaction was more timid than expected.

‘Hah… This is annoyingly bothersome.’

Just as Yeowon was about to add another word, a group of seniors noisily entered the smoking area. 

One of the seniors who entered first immediately recognized Yeowon and his eyes lit up. “What are you two doing? Oh, Han Yeowon. Long time no see?”

“This guy is always so expensive, seriously. Hey, are you going to run away today too?”

“Was our Chaemin giving Yeowon a hard time?”

Unlike the seniors quietly preparing for graduation, these were the type who were serious about drinking, singing, and hazing juniors. They were the loud type that exists in every department, never missing a school event and somehow always showing up at drinking gatherings even without an invitation.

“Hey Chaemin. You’ve only been hanging out with juniors lately? You even ignored my text when I said let’s drink last time.” One senior put his arm around Chaemin familiarly and pressed close. 

It looked just like a scene of a third-rate thug harassing a passerby. 

Chaemin, who had been smiling at Yeowon, stiffened his face and turned his head away with a displeased expression.

“Han Yeowon. Give me a cigarette.” A senior across from them gestured casually. 

Yeowon sighed imperceptibly and reluctantly handed over a cigarette. “What are you doing?”

When the senior glared at him as if he were committing an act of disloyalty, Yeowon looked at him indifferently and brought the lighter to his face.

“That’s right. That’s how it should be.”

As the senior who lit his cigarette chuckled satisfactorily, laughter erupted here and there from the gathered group. 

The guy who was practically hugging Chaemin with his arm around his shoulders was no exception. “Hey, Han Yeowon. It’s been a while, let’s go for a second round with the seniors.”

The rumor that Han Yeowon was rich was famous in the department. It wasn’t because he deliberately showed off his money, or because everything he wore was from expensive brands. It was because the well-connected Yeowon was known to easily buy drinks and meals for others, regardless of how close they were, to the extent that even people from other departments knew about it. It wasn’t the first time seniors had taken advantage of this. It was a common repertoire.

Sensing that the situation was becoming uncomfortable, Chaemin, who had been quiet, intervened first, “Guys, the after-party isn’t even over yet….”

“Come on, when we meet a rich junior, we should drink expensive alcohol instead of cheap stuff. It’s hard enough to see your face as it is.”

As the senior smoking across from them sneered, Chaemin frowned, which was rare for him.

“Oh, our Chaemin. Look at how he’s taking care of the juniors now that he’s gotten close to them. Are you cheating on us?”

The senior with his arm around Chaemin’s shoulders laughed unpleasantly and casually touched Chaemin’s buttocks, in a way that suggested it wasn’t his first time. It wasn’t just a light touch, but more like groping. 

Yeowon’s gaze caught Chaemin’s shoulder flinching.

“… Stop it.”

“Don’t be so shy between men.”

Chaemin skillfully brushed it off, though he seemed uncomfortable but used to it. But the other didn’t back down, instead hugging Chaemin from behind and holding him tighter. It felt more like an attempt to mock the other person rather than a simple prank, causing Yeowon’s eyebrow to twitch.

“Let go…” Chaemin’s lips trembled. He seemed to want to shake it off immediately, but his desire to let the situation pass quietly seemed stronger, so he kept his voice as low as possible.

“Aw, why? I’m hurt that you keep drawing lines lately. Our Chaemin feels so nice and comfortable to hug, you know?”

“Ah, fucking gay bastard.”

Snickering laughter echoed blatantly. The atmosphere of becoming an easy target because of being slimmer and smaller than peers was familiar. It was common in any group of men, and the worse the quality of the group, the dirtier the level of bullying.

“Gay my ass! You said last time that someone like Jeon Chaemin would be doable, you bastard.”

The guys surrounding Chaemin chartered as if he wasn’t even there.

“Did I? Well, it might be possible if I get super drunk?”

“Plus, this guy always smells so good. Do you wear women’s perfume?” The guy holding Chaemin tightly pressed his nose to Chaemin’s nape, intentionally pressing his body closer. 

Chaemin’s face was not just stiffening but turning pale. His fingertips trembled anxiously every time the other’s nose touched his skin.

Yeowon, who was not at all pleased to see Chaemin being reduced to entertainment for these men, rolled his tongue inside his mouth. When Yeowon’s slanted eyes rose, his expressionless face looked menacing.

“Let’s go for a second round.” Yeowon answered readily, putting a cigarette in his mouth. 

The senior standing opposite, who had been urging Yeowon for a cigarette and light, had been chuckling at his peers’ sexual jokes, but now his eyes widened. 

Unable to suppress the rising corners of his mouth at the desired answer, he spoke excitedly. “Wow, that’s more like it~ Were you upset all this time? It’s been so long since you came back from leave, and you’ve been completely ignoring your seniors.”

As he spoke, patting Yeowon’s shoulder with the cigarette fixed between his molars, Yeowon let out a scornful laugh and exhaled a long stream of smoke. “That’s right. As compensation for ignoring you all this time, I’ll treat you to something really expensive.”

“Huh?”

“Should I book a whole room for you?”

“What’s with you? Your tone is a bit shitty?”

As Yeowon spoke insolently in his usual manner of speaking as if he had no respect, the other’s face gradually hardened as he sensed something was off.

“What? You asked me to buy it.”

“Ha… fuck. Is this because you have some money, you look down on your seniors?”

“Ha. I offer to buy and you still complain.”

“What?”

The seniors’ faces grew increasingly hostile at the blatant antagonism, but Yeowon chuckled as if finding something amusing, his eyes glinting when he said, “You want to freeload, and you want to be treated as seniors too. Wow, fuck, aren’t you greedy?”

“Is this guy crazy?”

Hearing this, one of the seniors, seemingly greatly offended, started to lunge at Yeowon but hesitated. Yeowon’s build, looking down at them, didn’t seem easy to handle. Standing over 180cm tall with a body toned from consistent exercise, he was far larger and more solid than the average adult male. And despite being outnumbered, his arrogant posture with hands in his pockets, not even blinking, showed just how relaxed Yeowon was in this situation.

Moreover, it was well known among those who knew that Han Yeowon had been involved in some fights. Even after entering university, he had been in a few incidents, big and small, due to standing out, so rumors had spread as much as they could. But unlike those rumors, he was more famous for getting along well with everyone and always paying first regardless of who he was with or what the occasion was, so such rumors quickly died down.

“What? Want to fight?”

“This … this bastard….”

The seniors’ inability to easily confront their junior’s insolent behavior looked ridiculous.

‘These idiots always think they can do anything when they’re in a group.’

Yeowon clicked his tongue and roughly pulled Chaemin’s arm, who was still being held. Freed from the embrace by that force, 

Chaemin stared blankly at Yeowon with a surprised face. 

Yeowon, still looking down at the seniors, nodded slightly towards Chaemin and firmly ordered, “Apologize first.”

“What?”

“If you want to freeload and be treated as seniors.”

“……”

“I said, apologize first.”

Chaemin, with eyes like a startled rabbit, tightly gripped Yeowon’s collar. It was a gesture clearly showing his bewilderment, but Yeowon held Chaemin’s pale wrist even tighter as if telling him to stay still.

“What’s this, are you doing this because of him?”

“Do I have to repeat myself?”

“Wow―, fuck. Has our junior turned into a fucking gay?”

“You fuckers with poverty of dick, getting worked up even over men, what right do you have to throw around ‘gay’ this and that?” Yeowon casually flicked his burning cigarette at the feet of the senior who had been holding Chaemin. 

Startled by the cigarette butt touching his toes, the guy stumbled backward.

“Hey, don’t I say to apologize?”

“Wh-what apology?”

“What kind of blockhead doesn’t remember what he did?”

“Hey, it was just a joke between guys…”

“Or are you actually interested?”

“Wh-what?”

Yeowon smirked and grabbed one of the guy’s buttocks hard enough to crush it, “In getting fucked by a man.”