Alpha Trauma

“Let me know if it gets too bad. I’ll stop at a rest area.”

His heart had already folded away a long time ago. What remained now was merely the remnants of a past buried in memories. It was just a brief spike of feelings, and in time, they would naturally fade away.

Wooyeon looked at Dohyeon while pressing on his earlobes. Fortunately, he didn’t feel the same heat rising to his face as before. However, the occasional flutter of Dohyeon’s lips gently brushed against Wooyeon’s chest.

The long MT was coming to an end.

Spring arrived quickly. It felt like it had just been a short while since the MT, but suddenly it was April. Buds were forming on the once barren trees, and green shoots were sprouting here and there. As Wooyeon looked outside at the colorful scenery, he felt a pang of regret for not having seen snow last winter.

“Let’s wrap up for today.”

The professor turned off the beam projector and left the classroom without looking back. Wooyeon scanned the notes he had just taken with his eyes before removing his glasses. As he gently pressed on his dry eyes, Seonkyu groaned while lying on the desk.

“Ugh… the exam material is insane.”

Wasn’t the flower language of cherry blossoms “midterm exam”? Without even a moment to mourn the passing season, the exam syllabus was announced. If the content was difficult, then at least make the quantity less. If the quantity was large, then the content should be easier. Even the subjects that were replaced with reports demanded an overwhelming amount of work.

“By the way, what’s with the glasses? Didn’t you have bad eyesight?”

“No, they’re non-prescription.”

Wooyeon had undergone LASIK to improve his eyesight, but he wore glasses like safety goggles when his eyes felt dry. It seemed pointless to have gotten surgery just to avoid glasses, but when he had to read so much text like now, he had no choice. Since they were non-prescription, wearing them didn’t make his eyes look tiny like before.

“It’s cloudy today, but my eyes feel dry.”

Strangely, his eyes had been dry since he woke up. His dreams were unsettling, the sky was gloomy, and his shoulders felt tight, putting him in a bad mood. When he felt this way, something bad always seemed to happen. Shoving aside his ominous feelings, Wooyeon began to pack his things.

“Hey, Wooyeon. Garam Noona said she’s buying tteokbokki, so come to the lounge.”

Checking the time on his phone, Wooyeon nodded. The mention of “the lounge” reminded him of Dohyeon, but it had just passed noon, so he must be in class. He would probably be stuck in the Humanities building at least until one o’clock.

“I’m going to study before one; is that okay?”

“It shouldn’t matter, right? It’s too much to eat alone anyway, so they’re inviting you.”

Since returning from the MT, Wooyeon had been avoiding Dohyeon, whether they crossed paths in the clubroom, attended the same class every Friday, or met him in passing—his heart raced and his face flushed every time.

Wooyeon knew what this cold-like symptom was a precursor to. It was a feeling he had experienced four years ago, and the only way he knew to handle it was to pretend and turn away.

“Noona, we’re here!”

“Oh, did you come?”

As expected, only Garam’s pheromones filled the clubroom. Seeing the window half-open, it seemed she had finally remembered Wooyeon and was ventilating the space. Wooyeon absentmindedly scanned the inside of the clubroom and froze when he spotted Inyoung sitting on the sofa.

“Did you come?”

The teacher was there. The familiar face he hadn’t seen since that Friday lunch glanced at Wooyeon. The beige cardigan with large buttons matched Dohyeon’s neat appearance quite well.

“Hyung! Looks like you finished your lecture early?”

“Yeah, about an hour ago.”

The ominous clouds outside receded. Just like the spring scent wafting in, Wooyeon’s mood was tinted a different color. His remarkably improved condition was so sudden that even he felt a little bewildered.

“…Hello.”

Wooyeon greeted them casually as he stepped further inside. He had avoided Dohyeon for this very reason. The fact that they were in the same club ultimately caught him off guard. His heart tingled to the point where he felt like scratching his chest.

“Are you already studying for exams? That’s impressive.”

“Already? It’s about time I should.”

Seonkyu exclaimed as he approached Dohyeon’s sofa. Hearing that only Wooyeon was diligent made Dohyeon smile a thin smile.

“Diligent? I attend all the lectures for courses I plan to drop.”

It somehow felt sarcastic. Wooyeon flinched and sat next to Seonkyu. As soon as he sat down, Dohyeon turned his gaze toward him with a bright smile.

“It’s been a while.”

Embarrassed, Wooyeon fidgeted with his ears as he scanned the notebook on the table. “But I saw you on Friday.” When he retorted like that, Dohyeon smiled without saying a word. Wooyeon leaned awkwardly against the sofa while admiring the neat handwriting.

“Hey, Kim Dohyeon isn’t at the top of the class for no reason. When assignments are given, he completes them all on the same day and submits them the next day like a madman.”

“Wow, Noona. If the professor asks him to read something, he really reads everything. Even during breaks, he reviews what he learned alone… I bet even test takers don’t do it like that.”

Their tone wasn’t mocking; they just seemed amazed. Wooyeon calmly replied to those who clicked their tongues, saying both were quite serious.

“If you don’t do that, you can’t keep up. I’m not that smart.”

Dohyeon gently looked at Wooyeon’s earlobe. After fidgeting with it for a while, it had turned bright red. Wooyeon tried not to show his embarrassment, but Dohyeon’s direct gaze didn’t waver until his expression distorted.

“Well… it’s good to work hard.”

Dohyeon, with a smirk, set down his pen. Only then did Wooyeon let out a sigh of relief and put his hands in the pockets of his hoodie. The warm temperature helped to calm his racing heart a bit.

“You guys should come study here in the lounge if there aren’t any spots in the library. No one will be chatting during exam periods.”

“Really? That’s a relief. I heard that there was no space in the library.”

“…There weren’t absolutely no empty seats.”

Seonkyu was delighted, but Wooyeon timidly countered. While it was true there was no space in the library, he didn’t want to come to the clubroom. He was worried that if he kept running into Dohyeon, something terrible might happen.

“Come on, you left the last time you went to the library because the guy next to you was being creepy. The clubroom is much more comfortable.”

“What? Which jerk was bothering our Wooyeon!”

Garam, who had been rolling around on the foldable bed, sat up abruptly. Wooyeon, momentarily taken aback, awkwardly cleared his throat. Dohyeon was also gazing at Wooyeon intently.

“It wasn’t being creepy…”

Wooyeon couldn’t find the words to defend himself, so he fell silent.

A few days ago, when Wooyeon visited the library, he managed to find an empty seat after a fierce battle for space. However, he left before even an hour had passed. It was due to a drink that had been left on the desk while he went to the bathroom.

“They said they smeared pheromones on the notes. That’s creepy.”

It was an item covered in alpha pheromones. He had thought that such things only happened in movies or dramas, but experiencing it firsthand was quite unpleasant. Naturally, Wooyeon left the library without touching the drink.

“Ugh, there are always those kinds of people. Not studying when they should be.”

Garam shook his head, as if he understood all too well. Then he pushed Dohyeon aside and sat in the adjacent seat. Bringing out his own notebook and pen, he grinned widely.

“Hey, since we’re on the topic, let’s have a study session.”

Wooyeon couldn’t understand how that thought had even come about. The three of them exchanged bewildered glances, but Garam didn’t care at all and started scribbling with his pen.

“Our goal is… getting good grades.”

Grades. The big letters were scribbled crookedly. Dohyeon, who was already getting good grades, looked incredulous as he thought, “Who is that for?” Wooyeon felt the same way.

“We can meet during the exam period and study together. It’ll boost our motivation and help share notes.”

Surprisingly, Garam made a convincing argument. Even though it didn’t really benefit Dohyeon, Seonkyu’s eyes lit up with excitement. He was probably thinking of the difficult subjects he had to tackle.

“Kim Dohyeon, you can study while teaching us. Do you really want our Wooyeon to suffer such humiliation in the library?”

“No, I don’t particularly…”

“Wooyeon, this is a matter of my pride as your Noona.”

“Why is it your pride?”

Wooyeon let out a hollow laugh and ruffled the back of his head. No matter how he thought about it, he felt like he was just being used. At that moment, Dohyeon raised the corners of his mouth and pulled out another pen.

“If we’re going to do it, we need to set a long period and define our goals clearly. Like aiming for a certain GPA.”

Wooyeon was surprised that he readily agreed to the plan. It was more like one-sided mentoring than a study group, and he never imagined Dohyeon would agree so easily. In the meantime, Dohyeon was diligently writing down the target GPA.

“Hey, a 4.0 isn’t even a dog’s name.”

“Just getting together haphazardly would turn into a playground. We need a topic to study towards.”

With the exact day, time, and subjects set, only the location was left to decide when Wooyeon suddenly snapped back to reality.

“I’m not doing it.”

All three pairs of eyes turned to Wooyeon. He narrowed his brows and shook his head. A study group? If he did that, he would have to see Dohyeon every week. There was no way that could happen.

“I prefer studying alone.”

Dohyeon raised his eyes. His dark pupils reflected his neatly shaped face. Before Seonkyu could persuade him to join, a firm voice came from Dohyeon.

“You have to do it.”

Wooyeon had thought that Dohyeon didn’t seem in a good mood since earlier. Even though he was acting the same as usual, there was a subtle hint of sharpness to him. He felt that fact deeply as if he was the only one in the clubroom.

“Can you handle English Phonology by yourself?”

“…”

Wooyeon turned his gaze away without answering. English Phonology was the only class he took with Dohyeon. He had promised to help him study, and he had held onto that one promise to keep attending the class. Of course, Wooyeon was avoiding that promise with various excuses.

“We have quizzes every week. You seemed to struggle with the last one, so you should make up for it.”

He had no words to refute that. As he had mentioned, Wooyeon had totally messed up the last quiz. What were plosives and fricatives? The questions were complicated enough that even Daniel, who grew up in America, couldn’t solve them.

“…Still…”

Wooyeon couldn’t bring himself to answer and looked away. It was then that a bright smile appeared on Dohyeon’s face. With a gentle smile that seemed like it would melt, he spoke softly.

“Wooyeon.”

The moment their eyes met, Wooyeon involuntarily straightened his posture. With that angelic smile, it felt as though the surrounding temperature dropped by about five degrees. Whether he knew Wooyeon was nervous or not, his voice flowed smoothly, soft as could be.

“Do you find me uncomfortable?”

“I’ll do it.”

Wooyeon quickly shook his head. It was a reflexive action as if someone had grabbed his head and moved it. As if he had expected that response, Dohyeon’s eyes twinkled with satisfaction.

In the end, Wooyeon had no choice but to agree to the study session. Once when they chose the location, and again while eating tteokbokki, he had a feeling that something was off. But it was too late to take back the spilled water.

“Then let’s do it at Wooyeon’s house today.”

To make matters worse, he ended up offering his place as the study venue. The club room was occupied by other members, all the study rooms were fully booked, and the others had their own limitations.

Seonkyu lived with his parents, and Garam said his one-room apartment was too small. Half-heartedly, Wooyeon protested with a slightly ulterior motive.

“…What about you, Sunbae?”

Dohyeon answered with a somewhat softened expression. He usually lived alone, but his younger sibling was currently staying with him. When Wooyeon absentmindedly asked if the sibling was also an alpha, the response left him momentarily speechless.

“I’m the only alpha in my family.”

Special traits are typically passed down between those with similar traits. Just as Wooyeon was born between an alpha and omega, it should have been the same for Dohyeon. Suddenly, the realization hit Wooyeon that he knew almost nothing about him, and it was disheartening.

“I’ll now take attendance.”

Before he knew it, the professor was standing at the podium. The professor scanned the room, habitually skipping Kang Junseong’s name and moving straight to someone with the surname ‘Kwon’. A hand shot up immediately.

“Professor, I’m here.”

Wooyeon instinctively turned toward the voice. The voice was familiar, but the bright yellow hair was not. Of course, it couldn’t be who he thought it was. Just as Wooyeon was about to dismiss the thought and lose interest, the professor spoke again.

“Kang Junseong? How’s your injury?”

“It’s fully healed now.”

Kang Junseong turned his head. Wooyeon took a deep breath, his expression hardening. It was a face he could never forget, clear as day in his mind.

“You pig.”

Why do bad premonitions always come true? Why does this damned jinx never fail to find him? The sneering voice that used to mock him, the lips that frequently ridiculed him, and the eyes full of contempt—everything about Kang Junseong pushed Wooyeon to the edge.

“Yeon, you son of a—”

Wooyeon pressed his palm with his fingernails, trying to steady his breath. Faint memories clung to him like dirt. His heart raced unpleasantly, and pheromones began to stir.

“Seon Wooyeon.”

It was a memory he could never forget. Though he was never physically hurt, his heart was bruised, and even though no money was stolen, his spirit felt impoverished. If it weren’t for Dohyeon, there wouldn’t have been a single good memory from that time.

“Seon Wooyeon isn’t here?”

“Wooyeon, they’re calling you.”

Fragments of his past spilled out like a sudden downpour. It wasn’t until a classmate behind him tapped his shoulder that Wooyeon raised his hand. “Yes,” he answered, and Junseong turned his head towards Wooyeon.

“…”

“…”

Their eyes met sharply. It felt like swallowing needles, as if his throat was stinging. Memories, as vivid as if they had happened yesterday, swirled in Wooyeon’s mind.

“Damn it, ignoring me again?”

Just three seats diagonally away, barely five steps apart, the past that once tormented him now sat as a living, breathing presence. His hair was now bleached yellow, and his features had grown more defined, but there was no doubt—this was the Kang Junseong Wooyeon remembered.

“Alright, where did we leave off last time?”

Wooyeon barely managed to turn his head and prop his chin up. He didn’t have time to wonder why Kang Junseong didn’t seem surprised to see him. Soon, Junseong turned away, and Wooyeon finally let out the breath he had been holding in.

Even as the lecture continued, Wooyeon couldn’t properly take notes. A mix of confusion about how Junseong managed to get into this university and a gnawing sense of resentment towards him coexisted in Wooyeon’s mind. What were the chances that they would end up at the same university, in different majors, but in the same general education class?

“The midterm exam will be replaced by a group project. The groups have already been assigned, so don’t think about changing them.”

Wooyeon had already stopped listening to the professor long ago. He bit the inside of his cheek, swallowing dryly multiple times. Junseong, with his phone in hand, was laughing and chatting with a friend next to him, seemingly in good spirits.

“He probably doesn’t remember.”

The only small relief Wooyeon could take was the assumption that Junseong wouldn’t recognize him. Wooyeon had grown taller, lost weight, dyed his hair, and stopped wearing glasses. Even his own mother barely recognized him with the changes, so it was unlikely Junseong would.

“Even the teacher didn’t recognize me…”

Wooyeon lightly placed a hand over his chest, calming his breathing. This wasn’t a small class with only a few students—it was a large general education class, known for its full capacity. In just three months, the course would end, and Wooyeon planned to quietly get through it until then. As long as he wasn’t grouped with Junseong for any projects, their paths were unlikely to cross much.

“You’re expected to come up with an invention suited for the global age by the end of April. You won’t have to actually make it, but it has to be realistic. You’ll present a PPT, and the report will be submitted separately.”

Wooyeon finally tuned back into the professor’s words. As the professor read off the group assignments, Kang Junseong’s name was called first, followed by one person with the surname ‘Kwon’ and two with the surname ‘Kim’. The problem came when the last name was called.

“Seon Wooyeon, that completes Group 1.”

Wooyeon couldn’t hide his shock and raised his hand. The professor paused, waiting for him to speak. As he pushed his chair back and stood up, several heads turned to look at him.

“I’m from the English Literature Department, Seon Wooyeon… I think there’s been a mistake.”

The list of names starting with “K” was called out, and suddenly my name, “Seon,” was thrown into the mix. I couldn’t understand why I was suddenly included, so I raised the question if my name had been called by mistake. However, the professor kindly shook his head.

“I stopped the previous group at four people by alphabetical order, and I randomly placed one student from a language and literature department into each group. Seon Wooyeon, you’re definitely in Group 1.”

Wooyeon blinked, at a loss for words. Randomly placed language and literature students? Why?

If he could, he wanted to ask. But the professor casually added more details.

“Since it’s come up, if you present in a foreign language, you’ll get extra credit. It’s optional, of course, but if there’s someone better at presenting than the language major, they can do it instead.”

After finishing his explanation, the professor asked Wooyeon if there were any further questions. Wooyeon mumbled that he was fine and sat back down. The attention that had briefly focused on him quickly shifted back to the professor.

“And now for Group 2…”

As the professor continued announcing the groups, Wooyeon lowered his head, thinking hard. It wasn’t entirely random; there was a reason, but he had no more arguments to make. Part of him wanted to ask to be moved to a different group, but hadn’t the professor just clearly said, “Don’t even think about switching groups”?

“So, let’s take the remaining time to gather in your groups and decide on a group leader. Once you’ve chosen, inform the teaching assistant.”

With that, the professor left the classroom. A TA came in, trying to manage the now bustling class. Wooyeon closed his eyes tightly, feeling a surge of frustration.

“Damn it…”

No good solution came to mind. Now, nausea churned inside him. How could this happen? Wooyeon couldn’t understand how his past was choking him, tightening its grip like a bad joke.

“You’re Seon Wooyeon, right?”

Wooyeon barely managed to maintain a neutral expression as he raised his head. Standing right in front of him was Kang Junseong. Wooyeon wanted to pretend not to know him and just go along with things quietly, but getting bad grades wasn’t an option either.

“There are five of us in Group 1, including you.”

Junseong stood with a few unfamiliar faces nearby, casually sitting on the edge of a desk and flashing a friendly smile. It was a grin so repulsive that it almost made Wooyeon gag.

“I’m Kang Junseong from the Department of Information and Communication Engineering, freshman. You’re also a freshman, right? Twenty?”

It was clear that Junseong didn’t recognize him. Just like Dohyeon, he was starting with introductions, so Wooyeon could tell. When Wooyeon didn’t respond, Junseong frowned slightly in confusion.

“Are you… a senior, maybe?”

Wooyeon held back a laugh, letting out a sigh instead. Back then, if he didn’t answer, Junseong would’ve cursed at him, accusing him of ignoring him. Now, the informal speech had shifted to polite language. It was ridiculous, infuriating, and most of all, profoundly absurd.

“Yeah, I’m a freshman.”

He forced himself to respond nonchalantly. Junseong’s expression brightened instantly, pleased to hear that all the group members were freshmen. Wooyeon could faintly sense Junseong’s alpha pheromones.

“Good, I was worried I’d made a mistake.”

The friendly tone overlapped with the sneering voice from the past. Wooyeon swallowed down the nausea, recalling how Junseong used to take pride in being an alpha.

“Let’s decide on a group leader now…”

Back in middle school, Junseong would occasionally rub his pheromones onto Wooyeon’s belongings. Naturally, Wooyeon didn’t notice, and whenever he used those things, Junseong would laugh mockingly in front of everyone.

“…Why are you staring at me like that?”

Traits like being an alpha or omega weren’t measures of superiority. It was just like having a mole on your face or curly hair—simply characteristics determined at birth. Junseong forming cliques with other alphas back then was nothing more than immature behavior during adolescence.

“It’s nothing.”

Wooyeon shook his head, feeling utterly disheartened. The faint, weak scent of pheromones reached his nose. Back then, Wooyeon hadn’t manifested, so he didn’t notice. But now, as a dominant omega, he could recognize it. Despite all the arrogance and disdain Junseong had shown, he was a recessive alpha.

“You’re really good-looking.”

Junseong awkwardly scratched his bleached hair, mentioning how he thought Wooyeon looked like a celebrity when he first saw him, and how shocked he’d been when their eyes met. As he spoke, there was a trace of excitement on his face.

“Your pheromones smell amazing, too.”

Wooyeon’s lips twisted, almost wanting to laugh at the absurdity. As Junseong kept complimenting him, at some point, his face turned slightly red with embarrassment. The gaze he gave Wooyeon now was nothing like before, but it still tore at Wooyeon’s memories.

“Are you a dominant?”

“…Yeah.”

It felt like he was about to laugh out loud. Junseong said he liked the smell of Wooyeon’s pheromones? Wooyeon lowered his gaze.

“I’m a dominant omega.”

That unsaid line lodged in Wooyeon’s throat like a lump.

Even as Wooyeon made his way to the club room, he couldn’t shake off the memories of the past. When he left the lecture hall, as he crossed the campus, and even when he stood in front of the club room, the image of Kang Junseong in his school uniform kept haunting him, constantly talking.

“Doesn’t something smell bad around here?”

In middle school, the classroom, crowded with about thirty students, felt like a prison to Wooyeon. Every time he heard the sound of snickering, an indescribable sense of humiliation washed over him. He pretended it didn’t bother him, but as young as he was, there was no way it didn’t affect him.

“Seon Wooyeon smells like a pig.”

That day, Junseong threw trash at Wooyeon again. Holding his nose and telling him to wash properly, those around them laughed mockingly. Wooyeon didn’t even smell of sweat, but bullying never needed a reason.

“Filthy pig.”

Wooyeon went home and showered until his skin felt raw. He washed his hair three times, his body five times, and slathered on the lotion he always used. He wanted to spray on some perfume too, but he didn’t dare go into his mother’s room.

“Do I smell?”

Dohyeon, who was tutoring Wooyeon at the time, gave him a puzzled look. He tilted his head as if to ask, “What do you mean?” and pulled Wooyeon’s chair closer with one hand. The shortened distance made Wooyeon tense up instinctively.

“Hmm, I have a really good sense of smell, and all I smell from you is a baby scent.”

He always spoke kindly. Even when he pointed to the lotion on the desk and said, “It’s the same smell as this,” his tone was gentle. Dohyeon smiled softly and asked in a gentle voice, “Do I smell?”

Smell? No way. He always had the scent of fabric softener, like sunshine. His mature, subtle fragrance was incomparable to Wooyeon’s more juvenile scent. When Wooyeon shook his head, Dohyeon replied as if it were obvious.

“You’re just like that, too.”

Wooyeon still hadn’t forgotten the feeling of his hand ruffling his hair. Nor the comforting words he spoke softly while gently tidying Wooyeon’s hair.

“So, it’s okay.”

Whenever Dohyeon said that, Wooyeon really felt like everything was okay. The simple belief that “It’s fine because the teacher says so” held sixteen-year-old Wooyeon together.

“Is the lecture over already?”

Inside the club room, Dohyeon was the only one there. Still studying for the exam, just like earlier, Dohyeon spoke without even looking up.

“The others went to get drinks. They’ll be back soon.”

Wooyeon dropped his gaze instead of stepping inside. He found himself wishing Dohyeon would ruffle his hair like he had four years ago. Though his

wouldn’t do that, at this moment, Wooyeon wished he were his teacher again.

“Sunbae.”

His lips moved impulsively. Instead of “teacher,” he said “sunbae.” That awkward address made Dohyeon glance at him sideways. In a small, barely audible voice, Wooyeon continued,

“Can you… ruffle my hair?”

The words slipped out without thought. It wasn’t an unreasonable request, but even to Wooyeon, it felt out of place.

In the awkward silence, the sound of Garam and Seonkyu approaching could be heard. Just as Wooyeon was about to brush it off as a joke—

Suddenly, Dohyeon placed his hand on Wooyeon’s head. Gently cradling the back of his head, he ran his fingers through Wooyeon’s hair before slowly pulling away. The feeling of his long fingers wrapping through his hair hadn’t changed at all from four years ago.

“The others are here.”

Wooyeon looked up at Dohyeon without saying a word. If he reached out now, he could pretend he didn’t know and lean into his embrace; they were that close. He had a strange sense of déjà vu, as though they had stood like this before. Before he could dwell on it, Dohyeon met his eyes.

“Good job with your class.”

Thud. There was a sound like something collapsing. It was as if the tightly shut door was rattling loose. While Dohyeon remained calm, Wooyeon’s face turned bright red as he lowered his head. Thump, thump. The irregular beating of his heart echoed loudly in his ears.

“Huh? Why are you out here?”

“I heard you guys coming.”

Dohyeon was always like this. He never asked too much, only offering exactly the comfort Wooyeon needed. It might have seemed like he was drawing a line, but it was actually thoughtful behavior. Yet, he had no idea how much it shook Wooyeon.

“Wooyeon, are you okay? Are you sick?”

“No… I’m just cold.”

Wooyeon pulled up his hood and gripped his collar. His ears were burning, and he felt the need to hide. Thankfully, his large hoodie did a good job of covering his awkward expression.

“In this weather? I bought iced drinks…”

Wooyeon, shaking his head, pressed the plastic cup to his cheek. The cold sensation slowly cooled down the heat on his face. Thoughts of Junseong had already long disappeared from his mind.

* * *

Wooyeon’s home was an apartment not far from school. The complex had an extravagant landscape, and the fountain in the center was so large it resembled a swimming pool. As soon as Garam stepped out of the taxi, his eyes widened in astonishment as he gawked at the building with a penthouse at the top.

“You live here alone?”

“Uh… yeah.”

Wooyeon gave a vague answer as he swiped his card at the entrance. He hadn’t thought much of it when he invited them over, but seeing their reactions made him feel awkward. Maybe living alone in an apartment seemed a bit strange. He should’ve said he lived with his family.

They continued expressing awe even as they entered the elevator. Garam and Seonkyu commented on how spacious it was, how the height might trigger a fear of heights. Dohyeon remained calm, but even his expression changed when Wooyeon pressed the button for the top floor.

“You really do live well, huh…”

Seonkyu muttered in awe, watching the floor numbers rise. He had told them not to make rude comments during the orientation, but now he seemed too shocked to remember that. When Wooyeon glanced over, Seonkyu gave a sheepish smile and apologized.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that.”

“Well… it’s not wrong.”

As long as people weren’t talking behind his back, Wooyeon didn’t really care. Actually, even if they did, it wouldn’t bother him as long as it didn’t reach his ears. Though Wooyeon hadn’t known Seonkyu for long, he was certain he wasn’t the type to gossip about something like this.

“Feel free to come in. No one’s home.”

As soon as they entered the house, Wooyeon handed out guest slippers. Since the only people who came by were Wooyeon and the household staff, the slippers were brand new, never used before. Garam hesitated before putting them on and immediately gasped.

“Whoa… Is that the Han River?”

The Han River was right in front of them. They hadn’t even reached the living room yet, but the whole world was visible beyond the terrace. Wooyeon, already used to the view, felt no particular emotion, but for the others, it was a shocking sight.

“The view is amazing…”

Leaving them behind, Wooyeon slowly walked further inside. Their reactions were so over the top that he didn’t know what to say. His plan was to sit them down on the couch and think things over, but even that wasn’t easy.

“Is this a model home or something?”

The spacious living room looked grand. A sofa, a table, and a TV. The bare minimum of furniture was placed, and the living room had such vast space that calling it a ‘room’ felt like an understatement. The ceiling seemed high, there were stairs, and one whole wall of the living room was made of glass.

“How do you even clean all this?”

“We have someone who does the cleaning.”

Wooyeon responded with a half-defeated expression. At this point, it seemed better to just let them think he was moderately wealthy. Of course, there was a huge difference between Wooyeon’s version of “moderate” and theirs.

“Is there a second floor?”

Seonkyu pointed at the stairs along the wall. It was a place Wooyeon hadn’t gone up to once in the two months he had been living there.

“There is, but I don’t use it. There’s nothing up there.”

“What about the rooms? Do you use all of them?”

“No, just the bedroom and the study.”

“Hey, Wooyeon, is that tree real?”

Suddenly, Garam cut in. Wooyeon glanced at the tree on the terrace and answered vaguely that it probably was.

“What about the grass? Is the grass real too?”

“I don’t know… I don’t manage it.”

“Wouldn’t living alone in a place this big be scary?”

“Not really.”

Wooyeon casually replied as he dropped his bag onto the couch. He had been accustomed to wide spaces and living alone from a very young age. When the household staff left for the day, the main house felt like an enormous prison to Wooyeon.

“How much does a place like this cost? Can you rent it?”

“The security deposit is probably more than our house is worth, Noona.”

Overhearing their hushed conversation, Wooyeon couldn’t help but chuckle. Watching them seriously discuss the rent made them seem a little cute. Garam noticed Wooyeon covering his mouth with his fist and, belatedly, looked embarrassed.

“Hey, Kim Dohyeon, why are you so uninterested? Have you ever seen a house like this before? Huh?”

Garam randomly picked a fight with Dohyeon, who had only said a single word since entering the house. Dohyeon, looking as nonchalant as ever, glanced around the place. He remained unimpressed.

“This is my first time in a penthouse… but I’ve been to bigger houses.”

“Where?”

Wooyeon reflexively asked back. He had a feeling that the house Dohyeon was talking about was a place he knew. Dohyeon smirked slightly but, instead of answering, changed the subject.

“Stop snooping around other people’s homes and put down your bags. We’re here to study, remember?”

“…”

“…”

Everyone wore expressions like they had just realized their mistake. Clearly, they had been so engrossed in exploring the house that they’d completely forgotten about the study session. Wooyeon quietly swallowed his disappointment and headed to the kitchen, saying he’d bring some drinks.

“There are… a lot of options.”

The fridge was stocked with a variety of ingredients. Wooyeon hadn’t bought them—one of the household staff regularly replenished the supply. He assumed the glass bottles held juice, but without labels, it was hard to tell what was inside.

Wooyeon reached for an orange bottle first. Since it was orange, it was probably orange juice—that was his simple logic. He was about to grab a red bottle next when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

“That’s carrot.”

A long finger pointed to the top shelf. Strawberry, kiwi, and grape. Dohyeon softly and smoothly listed the contents of each bottle. Finally, he pointed to the lower shelf and added in a calm tone.

“The brighter orange one is the orange juice.”

Wooyeon widened his eyes and stared at Dohyeon. Despite being the homeowner, Wooyeon had no idea what was in his fridge, yet Dohyeon knew it as if it were nothing. While Wooyeon stood there, mouth agape, Dohyeon lowered his gaze and grabbed the refrigerator door.

“You don’t eat carrots, right?”

“How… did you know?”

The juices were made by the household staff, freshly pressed with no added sugar or processed ingredients. Sometimes they mixed in herbs or vegetables, but they were not sold in stores.