BHB 68

The kids in the class who were being unfairly hit saw Yeowon behind Choi Youngdoo and immediately put on tearful faces, as if they had been waiting for him. This was why Han Yeowon, despite being a delinquent, had so many friends.

‘Sunbae.’

Choi Youngdoo’s already harsh expression further crumpled at the insolent voice from behind him.

‘What?’

As the two finally faced each other, the bustling lunchtime corridor suddenly fell silent. The atmosphere quickly sank, as if the two had clashed before. Kim Myungjoo, watching from not far away, sighed deeply.

‘Are you bored?’ Choi Youngdoo’s mouth twitched at Yeowon’s sideways glance looking down at him.

‘What? This little shit. Hey, don’t you know how to greet your sunbae?’ Choi Youngdoo growled as if he had been waiting for this. 

The lackeys on either side of Choi Youngdoo also recognized Yeowon and their expressions turned hostile. He had already been labeled as an insolent junior bastard since confronting Youngdoo once before.

‘No, I’m asking if you’re bored.’

Yeowon retorted with an irritated voice, ‘What if I am bored? Want to entertain me?’

‘…..’

‘Or do you want to confront me again, senior or not, like last time?’

Choi Youngdoo smiled maliciously as he brought his face close. Seeing his clearly provocative intent, Yeowon took out the hand he had in his uniform pocket and snatched the wallet from Choi Youngdoo’s hand in one swift motion.

‘Are you upset?’

‘What?’

‘About getting hit in the face by me back then.’

‘Ha, fuck. This kid really has no hope.’

‘I heard you got two dental implants.’

It was a story from not long after entering school. Right after coming, he called in new students under the pretext of discipline or testing their toughness, lining up innocent kids and playing a game of slapping their cheeks, so Yeowon just did the same back to him. The only difference was that instead of using his palm, he used his fist like a man.

‘So I paid you back exactly double for that.’

As Yeowon continued speaking with an expressionless face and indifferent tone, Choi Youngdoo’s face gradually reddened. The innocent students, seemingly unaware of this story, whispered among themselves while glancing at Choi Youngdoo.

‘Do you need money again, so you’re hanging around?’ Yeowon asked again with a feigned innocent look.

‘Come on, surely… You wouldn’t be like a beggar, right?’ As Yeowon added with a grin, laughter burst out here and there. 

At that sound, Choi Youngdoo’s shoulders flinched, and the lackeys on either side glanced at him with bewildered faces, as if they had been insulted themselves.

‘Do you really want to die?’ Choi Youngdoo muttered ominously, clearly provoked. 

Han Yeowon snorted and bent slightly to match Choi Youngdoo’s eye level. In response to this equally provocative move, every muscle in Choi Youngdoo’s face twitched.

‘Wow, I’m so scared.’

As Yeowon spoke shamelessly with exaggerated actions and eyes that showed no fear at all, the guy grabbed Yeowon’s collar with his thick hand. 

As if expecting this, Yeowon stared calmly at Youngdoo without showing any sign of surprise. Seeing him clench his fist menacingly as if about to pounce, Yeowon ran his tongue inside his mouth. One hit. If he started first, Yeowon was prepared to counterattack.

If possible, he didn’t want to throw the first punch inside the school. Who started first was important in violent incidents. Last time, since he had started it, he had no choice but to pay compensation. Money was the primary and quietest solution to settle matters. Even though money was abundant, this time he had no intention whatsoever of paying compensation to Youngdoo.

‘Today, I’m really not going to let you off, you fucking bastard.’

Just as the hand gripping his collar tightened, Yeowon exhaled silently, preparing to take the first hit. Suddenly, a clear slapping sound was heard. Immediately, a shadow fell over Choi Youngdoo. To cover Choi Youngdoo’s entire body, an ordinary build wouldn’t be enough. As far as he knew, maybe someone like Lee Taegang? Or…

‘I was wondering where you were always running off to.’

A characteristic playful voice echoed from behind Choi Youngdoo. Despite the voice being full of mischief, Choi Youngdoo and his lackeys on either side instantly froze like stones.

‘So you were here on the juniors’ floor, acting like an idiot again?’

This was only the second time Yeowon had seen Seungha. The first time was in the school’s backyard. With Mandu.

‘S-Seungha hyung…’ Youngdoo slowly turned around, his face pale as if he had seen a ghost. 

Baek Seungha grabbed Youngdoo’s hair lightly, smiling playfully. His hand was as large and relentless as the hand of the King of Hell.

‘I told you to tell me if this bastard causes trouble again.’ Baek Seungha’s gaze, smiling yet reminiscent of a grim reaper, turned towards Yeowon on the opposite side. 

Yeowon stared blankly at Baek Seungha with a slightly dumbfounded expression. He had stood up for people in trouble before, but aside from Taegang, it was the first time someone had stood up for him. It was a rare experience to feel such an overwhelming presence.

‘Hm? Mandu hyung.’

Baek Seungha laughed unrestrainedly and gripped Choi Youngdoo’s head even more tightly, as if about to crush it, while Youngdoo begged, ‘Hyung, hyung, please let go for a moment. Please?’ 

The exchange of glances at that moment remained a vivid memory for Yeowon. From that point on, Yeowon began to feel affection towards Baek Seungha as a person, starting with a fondness that developed into genuine affection. He was a man who kept his word. Of course, being able to control the school’s biggest villain was already a huge boost to his likability.

Suddenly remembering the old memory, Yeowon couldn’t help but smile. He laughed at the lingering memory of the fondness that started then and the emotions that gradually developed, but then felt bewildered by Baek Seungha’s words that had negated those feelings.

He regretted bringing up the topic, as it only made him feel worse. Baek Seungha’s claim of having had an unrequited love was unexpected, but so was his description of Yeowon. Above all, he didn’t know that Baek Seungha saw him that way. Half of him thought it was too much that Baek Seungha had doubted his affection for him back then. Although he had many friends, it was rare for him to have affection for someone as a person. 

‘That hyung didn’t recognize that.’

Yeowon let out a bitter smile as he got off the elevator. Perhaps due to the strength of the two bottles of soju, his steps were a bit unsteady. Putting strength into his toes, he took one step at a time, and suddenly stared intently at the front door of his house. Then he turned his head slightly and carefully looked at Lee Taegang’s front door as well.

Normally, he would open his door lock and Taegang would naturally be there, but given the atmosphere from earlier, Lee Taegang and Chaemin might be having sex like beasts in Taegang’s house. 

The spontaneous imagination made Yeowon suddenly slap his own cheek. “I’ve gone completely crazy.”

He looked exactly like a husband with pathological jealousy suspecting his first wife. Disgusted with himself, he was about to slap himself again but stopped because it hurt.

Yeowon slowly opened the door lock while rubbing his cheek that he had needlessly hit. He was pondering how to handle this situation. Even if he acknowledged these feelings that seemed unbelievable, he didn’t think he wanted anything to happen with that guy. What he wanted had always been one thing from the beginning. To continue living with Taegang as before. He had no desire to date or achieve any particular outcome.

He had learned painfully from seeing his perfectly torn apart parents that matching hearts and loving each other weren’t unconditional endings. From the start, if the other person was a man, it would be even more challenging. Being together was what mattered. Together, for a long time, continuously.

Whatever he felt for and desired from Lee Taegang now, feelings inevitably wear out and fade with time anyway. Even this ugly jealousy might be intense at first, but it was natural for emotions to subside once they started. Everything that had a beginning had an end. He hated that ending. He absolutely hated the idea of having a relationship with an end with Lee Taegang.

As soon as he slowly opened the door, someone’s force pulled him in. There was only one person who could be in the house without its owner, and whose overwhelming strength could be felt.

“…It hurts, you bastard.”

Grabbed by a hand as big as a door panel, he was instantly thrown onto the living room sofa. Yeowon muttered in a slurred voice from the alcohol, complaining that his arm hurt just from being pulled like that.

Unlike the rough way he had dragged him in, the other person was quiet now. Annoyed by the settled silence, Yeowon slowly raised his head while slumped on the sofa. The living room at midnight, with no lights on, was nothing but pitch-black darkness. There was no way to see what kind of face he was making.

“What’s this… Are you mad because I left without saying anything?” Yeowon asked with a drunken giggle, but he remained silent. 

Feeling complicated inside, Yeowon wanted to avoid this uncomfortable atmosphere with Lee Taegang. He clumsily took off his coat, tossed it aside, and struggled to stand up.

“If you have nothing to say, I’m going to bed first―”

“Wanna do it?”

Thinking he might have misheard, Yeowon turned a skeptical gaze towards Taegang.

“Let’s do it.”

Realizing he hadn’t misheard, a light, incredulous laugh escaped him. While he was tired and just wanted to sleep quickly, Taegang seemed to have entirely different thoughts. 

At his low-voiced request, Yeowon’s brow furrowed visibly. “Is that what you’ve been waiting to say all this time?”

It was past three in the morning. A deep sense of emptiness washed over him at his sudden words. For some reason, it felt particularly strong.