Alpha Trauma Novel - Chapter 7. Late Winter (6)

‘Why?’

Words filled with questions choked his throat. There was so much he wanted to ask, but he found it difficult to deal with the aftermath of asking. If he were to ask about what happened during the orientation, like before, Wooyeon would be the one in an awkward position.

“Just fill in all the blanks. Your name, student ID, major, and date of birth too.”

Wooyeon, who was filling in the blanks one by one, subtly furrowed his brows. Getting into the club haphazardly was one thing, but the fact he had just realized was simply too shocking. That he would be the one in an awkward position. When on earth did he start thinking that way?

“For your reason for applying, write three classic novels you like. In their original English titles.”

“Does it have to be Shakespeare?”

“…No?”

If the professor hadn’t entered the lecture hall earlier, Wooyeon would have helplessly explained his past. That he had recognized Dohyun at first sight, felt betrayed by the fact that he was an Alpha, and asked that question out of a ‘no way’ feeling. If he said that, their relationship would naturally be revealed.

“You don’t need to write your email address.”

But then, thinking that far made him feel hopeless. If Dohyun recognized him, called him Yeon, and then recalled the confession he had made… Would their relationship grow distant or closer? Without a doubt, Wooyeon would bet his entire fortune on it becoming distant.

Hadn’t he worried about it once before? That perhaps Dohyun might find Wooyeon, who had followed him all the way to college, disgusting. It was obvious he would make an awkward expression as soon as he found out Wooyeon was ‘Yeoniee.’

“Um… Senior.”

“Why?”

“What year are you this year?”

It’s easier to decorate a blank canvas than to salvage a ruined painting. So, being a senior-junior from the same department wouldn’t be so bad, would it? He wasn’t planning anything, just hoping to greet him if they passed by. He also had no intention of digging up the past and unearthing old wounds.

“Third year.”

Wooyeon had already cried so much his insides were crumbling. The day he confessed, everything ended. Dohyun stopped tutoring and immediately changed his phone number. The messenger app that changed to ‘unknown’ and the ‘number not in service’ message made them complete strangers.

“Give it to me when you’re done.”

A one-sided breakup was enough for a relationship. Questions like why he changed his number, or why he didn’t contact him, meant nothing now. He had already moved on, and Dohyun was no longer his teacher. Wooyeon was willing to settle for their current relationship.

‘I shouldn’t talk about it.’

In a way, Dohyun was the same. Just as he hadn’t told him his secondary gender, Wooyeon also decided not to speak of the past. He wasn’t trying to lie, just to keep his mouth shut. So that if Dohyun ever asked, he could slyly make an excuse.

“You have nice handwriting.”

The habitual smile grazed his chest. How many times had sixteen-year-old Wooyeon’s heart fluttered at that sight? Wooyeon felt a pang of sadness and touched his earlobe with his left hand.

“Is there anything you want to eat?”

“No, not really…”

His irregularly beating heart constantly made its presence known. He wished the fluttering would die down as soon as possible.

They couldn’t go to lunch. It was because Garam arrived shortly after. Garam, with his hair tied high and fluffy earmuffs, visibly brightened when he saw Wooyeon.

“Wow, Wooyeon, what a surprise?”

Even though they weren’t particularly close, Alpha pheromones wafted from him. Unlike Dohyun, the typical Alpha scent was extremely uncomfortable for Wooyeon.

“I brought him. To get the club application.”

“Oh, let me see.”

Garam took the application Wooyeon had filled out and read it carefully. His eyes, full of interest, lowered, and then he pulled at the corners of his mouth at one particular section. He snorted, and mischief twinkled in his expression.

“This bastard made Wooyeon do this too.”

“What?”

Garam quickly sat next to Wooyeon and showed him the application. The closer pheromones were overwhelmingly burdensome. But Wooyeon was also curious about what Garam was going to explain.

“The reason for applying. Honestly, even if they like English classics, most can’t write them.”

Garam’s fingertip pointed to the ‘reason for applying’ section. It was the part Wooyeon had filled with elegant script just moments before. Unlike the messy, haphazard Korean, his English script was impeccably neat.

“Kids can only write a few things in English. Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Les Misérables, something like that?”

“Les Misérables isn’t English.”

“If you write it in the alphabet, it’s good enough.”

Dohyun, who had been listening quietly, let out a hollow laugh.

“Talk sense.”

Garam paid no mind to Dohyun’s murmuring.

“There are kids who come just because they see his face, even though they have no intention of joining the club. So, it’s about seeing a minimum level of sincerity.”

Wooyeon’s face subtly changed. As he frowned and twisted his lips, Garam’s eyes sparkled. Soon, he whispered in an eager voice.

“Isn’t he a pain?”

“Yes.”

“…”

This time, Dohyun also said nothing. He subtly averted his gaze, looking a little embarrassed. After a slight pause, an excuse popped out.

“I didn’t start that. It was there when I got discharged from the military.”

“Who started it?”

If it appeared while Dohyun was in the military, it meant it wasn’t a condition originally created for him. Surely, the seniors hadn’t foreseen the future, which implied there was someone else worthy before Dohyun.

“That’s a very good question.”

Garam properly composed himself. As he was about to take off his earmuffs and place them on the table, he suddenly looked between Wooyeon and the earmuffs. Then, slyly, he closed the distance.

“Wooyeon, aren’t these cute? If you fold them, they become a macaron?”

“Ah, yes…”

Wooyeon’s face was hesitant and wary. An instinctive hunch sent an ominous signal. And sure enough, Garam seized the opportunity and put the earmuffs on him.

“…”

Wooyeon’s face crumpled badly. He tried to take them off immediately, but he couldn’t because his eyes met Dohyun’s. Meanwhile, Garam clapped his hands and giggled.

“Awesome, so cute! Hey, you think so too, right?”

Dohyun, who had been staring at him intently, smiled faintly. Wooyeon’s face instantly flushed red.

“Indeed.”

“…”

Wooyeon tore off the earmuffs as if throwing them away and covered his ears. He forced a neutral expression, but his face was already as red as a ripe tomato. Garam quickly caught the flying earmuffs.

“Why take them off, they suit you so well!”

“…I don’t want to join the club.”

“Oh, come on, you’re joking!”

He was serious, but he didn’t say it. His pounding heart made the blood in his entire body hot. Thinking he was angry, Garam swallowed his laughter and waved his hand.

“Anyway, our club has a legend.”

“…What is it?”

Wooyeon asked blankly, tidying his hair. He suddenly realized the heating was strong. Was he getting hot because the air was so warm?

“The time was, lo and behold, four years ago.”

A serious voice began the story. Wooyeon met Dohyun four years ago, and the club legend began four years ago. Was that year jinxed?

“It was a time when our ‘English Classics’ club had fewer than ten members.”

Garam was as serious as a hero recounting a legend. Dohyun interjected, ‘You weren’t even in our club then,’ but he ignored him too.

“The club president at the time brought in a savior for the dying club.”

For some reason, Dohyun annoyedly furrowed his brows. He even snorted and shook his head. Garam, lowering his voice significantly, spoke more gravely than ever.

“His name was Management God.”

“…”

Wooyeon’s face was mercilessly contorted. It was worse than when Garam had put the earmuffs on him earlier. Management… what? To him, who couldn’t even bring himself to ask again, Dohyun kindly added an explanation.

“His nickname was Management God.”

“…Really?”

Goosebumps erupted all over him. What kind of childish nickname was that? Even though the surroundings were warm, a shiver ran down his spine. As he massaged his arm with a sour expression, Garam bared his teeth and laughed.

“But seriously, he really looks like a god. Wooyeon, you have to see him in person. His face just shines, I tell you!”

“How can a face shine?”

He said it as if it were nonsense, but Wooyeon himself thought of Dohyun. Come to think of it, he couldn’t properly look at Dohyun’s face when he was being tutored. That’s when he truly smiled radiantly.

“It’s true. Next time, ask TA hyung to show you a picture.”

“The TA?”

“They’re dating.”

The owner of the pheromones clinging to the TA seemed to be the ‘Management God’ from the story. The ring on his finger must be their couple ring.

“Anyway, after that senior joined, kids went crazy submitting applications, but when he himself didn’t participate, they all dropped out. That’s when they started making kids write titles for their ‘reason for applying’ to filter them out. I joined then too.”

Garam pointed to himself with an embarrassed face. He was on the side that stayed in the club, not the one that dropped out.

“Dohyun Kim wasn’t there then, but when he got discharged…”

Garam, who was in the middle of speaking, tilted his head. After tilting it a few more times, his face slightly hardened. Suddenly, his voice dropped ominously low.

“Wooyeon.”

“Yes?”

“Are you, by any chance…”

Wooyeon’s face crumpled as he saw the gaze meeting his eyes flicker fiercely. With each blink, the desire within grew denser. Something suddenly struck him.

‘Oh no.’

He forgot to control his pheromones. Without realizing it, Wooyeon had been leaking pheromones. The dominant Omega’s pheromones had filled the room, clearly making Garam react belatedly.

“Just a moment.”

Wooyeon calmly raised his hand and awkwardly stood up. It was difficult to deal with it while sitting, so he thought of widening the distance a little. But Garam, already swept up by instinct, didn’t listen to him. Thud, his wrist was grabbed, and dense Alpha pheromones enveloped Wooyeon.

“You were dominant…”

CRASH!

A loud bang split the space between them. Wooyeon, startled, turned his head and saw Dohyun with a hardened expression. Dohyun, who had slammed the table, spoke in a low voice.

“Hey.”

Wooyeon hesitated for a moment, wondering who he was talking to. Dohyun’s gaze was not on Wooyeon or Garam, but on the grabbed wrist. Then, his eyes slowly shifted and fixed precisely on Garam.

“Open the window.”

“…Ah.”

Garam suddenly snapped back to his senses and stood up. When he opened the window, cold air rushed in. Dohyun spoke nonchalantly to Wooyeon, who was still bewildered.

“You’ll be cold. Put on your coat.”